#11 - The Élavive Edit - Building Nice Days with Aleksey Kernes

#11 - The Élavive Edit - Building Nice Days with Aleksey Kernes

Aleksey Kernes is a hospitality entrepreneur and experiential marketing strategist known for building culture-driven brands at the intersection of coffee, nightlife, and lifestyle. As the founder of Have A Nice Day Coffee and Nice Day Moto, he creates high-impact, revenue-generating experiences—from nitro cold brew and espresso martini systems used in top venues, to a one-of-a-kind motorcycle coffee shop that blends rebellion with hospitality. Previously, Aleksey co-founded HOOCH, scaling it to thousands of venues nationwide through strategic partnerships and large-scale events. His work lives where energy, community, and execution meet—designing concepts that are activation-ready, built to travel, and impossible to ignore. It’s a nice day to have a nice day. You can find Aleksey on Instagram @alekseykernes and his work here @haveanicedaycoffee [https://www.instagram.com/haveanicedaycoffee/] + @nicedaymoto [https://www.instagram.com/nicedaymoto/] + @theconcord.nyc  Explore the future of wellness and performance at www.elavive.com, and join our community on Instagram @elaviveus. Original music by Emily Gabriele. #LiveElevated #ElevateYourTeam

#10 - The Élavive Edit - From Bourbon Roots to $21M: Morgan Salsman on Building a Whiskey Empire Through LQD Assets

In this episode of The Élavive Edit, Morgan Salsman, founder of LQD Assets, shares her journey from engineering to building a $21M whiskey barrel investment business. Raised in the bourbon capital of Bardstown, Kentucky, Morgan shares how she turned early industry exposure into a fast-growing company focused on alternative assets, storage, and brand consulting. Join us to explore the fundamentals of alternative asset investing, the realities of entrepreneurship, and the importance of storytelling, consistency, and building a business on that fits your life.  Morgan Salsman is the founder of LQD Assets, LLC, a Kentucky based company operating across alternative asset investments, whiskey barrel storage and brand consulting. With a background in civil engineering and a deep understanding of the bourbon and distilled spirits ecosystem, she has built and scaled warehousing operations managing tens of thousands of barrels while advising emerging and established brands on sourcing and growth strategy. Morgan structures investment opportunities in new fill barrels as well as aged inventory, blending operational expertise with disciplined financial modeling. Recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Food and Beverage list, she is known for pairing relationship driven leadership with a sharp understanding of market cycles and capital formation. You can find Morgan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-salsman-82046a178/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-salsman-82046a178/] or learn more about LQD Assets, LLC here https://lqdassets.co/  [https://lqdassets.co/] Explore the future of wellness and performance at www.elavive.com, and join our community on Instagram @elaviveus. Original music by Emily Gabriele. #LiveElevated #ElevateYourTeam

# 9 - The Élavive Edit - Interviewing Icons & Finding the Magic Between the Lines with Vanessa Pascale

Vanessa Pascale is a seasoned editor and luxury lifestyle journalist who has interviewed the most accomplished names in entertainment (hundreds of in-person celebrity interviews and 100+ cover stories), including high-profile movie stars (Catherine Zeta-Jones), royalty (Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle), musicians (Harry Connick Jr.), entrepreneurs (Paris Hilton), Michelin-starred chefs (Daniel Boulud), television stars (Sophia Bush), and fashion designers (Christian Siriano) for the covers and interiors of glossy magazines worldwide.  Vanessa's affinity for the arts and entertainment began at an early age. As a child, she voraciously devoured Sweet Valley books, The Big Bopper magazine interviews, Blockbuster's latest releases, and filled notebook after notebook with poetry. Vanessa’s father pushed her to study writing in college, as he realized her gift for storytelling well before she did.  The Florida native obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in English/Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida. Her first editorial assignment was an in-person interview with TV personality/interior designer Genevieve Gorder for Orlando Style magazine. That fateful assignment deeply influenced Vanessa’s career path, leading her to pursue soul-feeding interviews.  Vanessa's writing has been published in magazines across the nation (Modern Luxury's The Atlantan, Interiors Atlanta, Interiors Southeast, Jezebel, Weddings Atlanta, Datebook; VUE Atlanta; LA Direct; San Diego Magazine; Phoenix Magazine; Miami Living; Simply Buckhead; Decatur Living; South Magazine); on websites (executive bios); and has helped sell multimillion-dollar real estate. The former editor-in-chief of Miami Living (12 years) lived in Los Angeles and New York City for several years before moving to Atlanta, where she resides today. Vanessa is elated to still be interviewing people she admires and writing about her greatest passions: entertainment, food, fashion, and travel. Through the written word, Vanessa strives to inspire, entertain, and uncover the magic that lies in every story she tells.  For more information and to read Vanessa’s work, visit: www.vanessapascale.com Explore the future of wellness and performance at www.elavive.com, and join our community on Instagram @elaviveus. Original music by Emily Gabriele. #LiveElevated #ElevateYourTeam

#8 - The Élavive Edit - What Comes After the Win? Growth, Burnout, and Beginning Again with Artem Mashkov

Artem Mashkov is a Startup Executive, Founder, and Mentor with a career defined by building, scaling, and sustaining high-growth businesses. After immigrating to the United States in 1995, Artem grew up on welfare before launching his first telecom retail business at just 19 years old during the Great Recession. He went on to scale that venture to 15 locations, building a profitable, high-performing operation that continues to thrive today. An active angel investor and advisor, Artem later joined SwagUp as COO and CFO, where he helped transform the company into one of the fastest-growing businesses in the country. Under his leadership, SwagUp ranked 23rd on the Inc. 5000 list and was successfully acquired by BDA in 2024. Known for his ability to scale with intention, Artem brings a grounded, execution-focused philosophy rooted in profitability, operational clarity, and long-term durability. A graduate of Baruch College with a degree in Entrepreneurship, Artem is bilingual in English and Russian and is deeply committed to mentoring emerging founders. Beyond business, he is currently performing stand-up comedy, using humor as a creative outlet and a tool for navigating burnout, identity shifts, and mental health.  When he’s not working or on stage, Artem enjoys gaming, coding, and staying active through sports like volleyball and soccer. You can find him on Instagram at @artemisfunny or on X at @Artem_Mashkov. Upcoming shows in NYC: January 15th & January 17th Explore the future of wellness and performance at www.elavive.com, and join our community on Instagram @elaviveus. Original music by Emily Gabriele. #LiveElevated #ElevateYourTeam

#7 - The Élavive Edit - The Power of Self-Discovery: How Coaching Unlocks What You Already Know with Kathy Yavari

Kathy Yavari is a Certified Integrative Health and Wellness coach, Ayurveda Specialist, and Founder of White Orchids Wellness. With a background that spans international business, finance, and marketing, Kathy brings a grounded, global perspective to her coaching rooted in the belief that sustainable change does not come from being told what to do, but from understanding who you are. At the core of her work is self-discovery. Through guided reflection, intentional questioning, and deep self-awareness, Kathy helps individuals uncover their patterns, values, strengths, and blind spots. This process creates clarity, alignment, and confidence, allowing clients to move beyond autopilot and make choices that reflect who they truly are, not who they have been conditioned to be. Her approach blends Eastern wisdom with modern coaching practices, supporting high-performing individuals through life transitions and into a more intentional, balanced, and energized way of living. Explore the future of wellness and performance at www.elavive.com, and join our community on Instagram @elaviveus. Original music by Emily Gabriele. #LiveElevated #ElevateYourTeam