You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great with Laura Maier - #228

You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great with Laura Maier - #228

Donna talks to Paul Johnson, Owner and Founder of Republican Red Winery. Republican Red Winery is a California-based, family-owned winery founded in 2020 by Paul Johnson. It crafts bold, 100% American-made wines tailored for conservative Americans. The winery actively champions traditional values and the American Dream while aiming to spark lively, civil political discussions around the dinner table    Donna talks with Laura Maier, Owner of Laura Lee Jewelry. Laura Lee Jewellery (often referred to as Laura Lee Jewelry) is a renowned London-based fine jewelry brand established in 1985. Founded by British designer Laura Lee, it is known for its eclectic, handmade collections featuring precious gemstones, charms, lockets, and signature engraved antique coins that are designed to be layered and collected over time    Donna chats with Alessandro Mini the Founder and Director of Sibilla Spring Water. Sibilla Spring Water is a premium Italian oligomineral spring water sourced and bottled in the Monti Sibillini National Park. It is known for its purity, balanced mineral profile, and natural alkalinity     Donna talks with Lucille Conforti Owner of Lucilles Florist. Lucilles Florist (also known as Lucille's Floral) is a locally owned and operated flower shop located at 17 Church Street in Fishkill, New York. Established in 2001, the shop has served the greater Hudson Valley region (including Beacon and Poughkeepsie) for over two decades, specializing in custom event florals, wedding arrangements, and daily deliveries for birthdays, sympathy, and other occasions.    Donna chats with Montoya Fontenot Owner Khaya Botanicals. Khaya Botanicals is an artisan wellness and apothecary brand specializing in natural, plant-based health and beauty products. Founded by Janelle Montoya, the company offers a variety of holistic remedies, including sea moss gels, herbal hair oils, organic soaps, body butters, and dietary teas     Donna sits down and talks with Thomas Esposito the General Manager of the VIP Country Club.The VIP Country Club is a premier, award-winning waterfront venue located in New Rochelle, New York, on the Long Island Sound. Spread across 8 acres in Westchester County, the property operates both as an exclusive summer beach and tennis club and as a full-service event space.   Donna chats with Erin McCabe the Founder and Owner of Salon Coco Bond. Salon CoCo BOND is a premier hair salon and day spa located at 809 Broad Street in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Established in 2010, the "one-stop shop" offers comprehensive beauty services, including precision cuts, color, extensions, facials, Korean head spa treatments, nail care, waxing, and makeup Donna talks with Caitlyn Pedana the Owner and Lead Planner at Planning with Pedana. Planning with Pedana is a New Jersey-based wedding and event planning company founded by Caitlynn Pedana. The firm provides a range of services from day-of coordination to full-service planning, designed to help couples navigate their engagement and maintain a stress-free wedding day     Donna chats with Daniel Akilov President of Floral Terrace. Floral Terrace is an elegant, historic event venue located at 250 Jericho Turnpike in Floral Park, New York, serving the Queens and Long Island areas. Operating out of the landmark 1927 "Floral Building"—a restored 20th-century theater—it is a popular destination for weddings, corporate gatherings, and milestone celebrations.     Finally,Donna talks with Anthony Mistretta Owner of Mario’s Pasticceria. Mario’s Pasticceria is an authentic, family-owned Italian bakery located at 199 E. Main Street in Babylon Village, New York. Known as a Long Island staple, it specializes in classic Italian pastries like cannoli, sfingi, sfogliatelle, and eclairs, as well as custom cakes, pies, and assorted cookies

Success Isn't About The End Result, It's About What You Learn Along The Way with Christopher Wyze - #227

Donna talks to Misty Mattingly President of SmileSip. SmileSip is a functional drink mix developed by dentists and dental hygienists designed to support both oral and gut health. The powder is mixed with water and consumed by sipping, swishing, and swallowing, offering a preventative approach to oral hygiene between brushing   Donna talks with Doug Ray Co-Founder 0f Small Rice Studios. Small Rice Studios is an independent game development studio created by brothers Doug and Nick Ray. They are best known for designing and publishing Roast, a cozy and competitive tabletop card game featuring cute, sinister, and mischievous marshmallows.   Donna chats with Alessandro Mini the Founder and Director of Sibilla Spring Water. Sibilla Spring Water is a premium Italian oligomineral spring water sourced and bottled in the Monti Sibillini National Park. It is known for its purity, balanced mineral profile, and natural alkalinity     Donna talks Zaineh Bataineh the CE0 of OORA Enterprises. Zaineh Bataineh is the CEO of OORA Enterprises, an entrepreneurial and lifestyle-focused company based in the United States. She is an active business leader and entrepreneur whose company features a variety of lifestyle and wellness ventures. Notably, Bataineh has expanded her brand's public profile     Donna chats with Montoya Fontenot Owner Khaya Botanicals. Khaya Botanicals is an artisan wellness and apothecary brand specializing in natural, plant-based health and beauty products. Founded by Janelle Montoya, the company offers a variety of holistic remedies, including sea moss gels, herbal hair oils, organic soaps, body butters, and dietary teas     Donna sits down again and talks to Evan Hirsch, Fashion Designer Evan Hirsch is a 25 year old fashion designer, entrepreneur, TV personality, stylist, make up artist, and content creator from New York. He is most known for his transforming dresses, under the name EvanHirschFashion on TikTok, where he posts for over 484,000 fans. His designs have been viewed by over 65 million worldwide viewers and have captured celebrity attention by the likes of Kim Petras.   Donna chats with Dr. Lucy Jones Chief Medical Officer of Cellitas.  Cellitas is a health and wellness company that focuses on cellular health, longevity, and healthy aging. Dr. Lucy Jones, DM (Oxon), serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Cellitas and is a clinician and researcher whose work bridges frontline medicine and the study of immune aging. She is an expert in immunology and infection and holds degrees from the University of Oxford and Sara Rotman CEO of Cellitas. Sara Rotman is the CEO of Cellitas, a cellular health company focused on research surrounding autophagy and polyamines to support longevity and wellness. She is a serial entrepreneur, brand architect, and wellness advocate who transitioned from the upper echelons of the fashion and design industry to the health and agricultural sectors      Finally,Donna talks with Christopher Wyze of Christopher Wyze and the tellers. Christopher Wyze is a writer, former advertising executive, and the award-winning frontman of the blues and Americana band,

Everything Around Us Is Made Up Of Energy. To Attract Positive Things In Your Life, Start By Giving Off Positive Energy with Travis Frasier - #226

Donna talks to Adriana Pickering Co-Founder of Sagrada BioSkincare. Sagrada BioSkincare is a luxury, plant-based and ritual-inspired skincare brand founded by holistic practitioners Adri and Brent. It focuses on blending botanical wisdom, herbalism, and global healing traditions with bioactive, clean ingredients     Donna chats with Vanessa Segur Founder of Ocean Glow Aestheics. Vanessa Segura is a Registered Nurse (RN) and aesthetic injector based on Long Island, New York. She is the founder and owner of Ocean Glow Aesthetics, a boutique medspa specializing in injectables like Botox, fillers, and skin treatments     Donna talks with Fiona Wilder of Intuitive Animal Communicator and Grief Pet Loss. An Intuitive Animal Communicator is a practitioner who claims to use extrasensory perception or "telepathy" to interpret an animal's thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. Pet Loss Grief Support is specialized emotional counseling that helps individuals process the profound heartbreak and unique challenges of losing a beloved animal companion.   Donna attends Book Con NYC with Dee Naugn. He talks to patrons Kelly, Sophia, Smishma, L.P., Jane, and Adriana Trigiani, Author, Playwright and Filmmaker.    Harlan Friedman of Sole Free and a correspondent t0 the Donna Drake Show chats with Steve Schirripa. Steve Schirripa is an American actor, producer, and author best known for his television roles as mobster Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri on HBO's The Sopranos and Detective Anthony Abetemarco on CBS's Blue Bloods.     Donna talks to Charee Crisci, Founder and Owner of Moon Goddess Rituals. Moon Goddess Rituals is a holistic wellness and spiritual company founded by Charee Crisci, a licensed therapist and spiritual mentor. The company merges traditional therapy with holistic spirituality and divine feminine empowerment to help women heal, process life transitions, and connect with themselves     Donna chats with Travis Frasier the CEO of Elite Restoration and Construction Inc. Elite Restoration & Construction Inc. is a full-service emergency disaster restoration and general contracting company based in Holbrook, New York, with a strong focus on the Long Island and New York City metropolitan areas.    Finally,Donna talks with Andrea Peponakis author of The Tradigtal Grandna, From Favorite to Forever. The Tradigital Grandma: From Favorite to Forever is a bestselling book and companion platform created by author Andrea Peponakis. It provides a step-by-step guide to helping grandmothers and older adults capture family history, record their voices, and share their values so they can leave an unforgettable legacy.

If You Really Want To Do Something, You’ll Find a Way. If You Don’t, You’ll Find An Excuse With Richard Decker - #225

Donna talks  to Christopher Windom, Choregrapher for the Children’s Theatre Company. Christopher Windom is a versatile theater director, choreographer, and performer. He is best known for choreographing the MGM feature film Respect and the live adaptation of Frozen at Disneyland. He served as the choreographer for the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) production of The Wizard of Oz.   Donna sits down again and talks to Evan Hirsch, Fashion Designer Evan Hirsch is a 25 year old fashion designer, entrepreneur, TV personality, stylist, make up artist, and content creator from New York. He is most known for his transforming dresses, under the name EvanHirschFashion on TikTok, where he posts for over 484,000 fans. His designs have been viewed by over 65 million worldwide viewers and have captured celebrity attention by the likes of Kim Petras    Donna chats with Richard Decker Fonder of BeAuthenti. Authenti (or BeAuthenti) is a human-connection and matchmaking platform designed to help singles meet without the traditional "swiping" or public profiles. Billed as relationship infrastructure rather than a standard dating app, the service aims to provide a discreet, privacy-focused alternative to catalog-style dati     Donna chats with Amander Diller, Founder of Tru-Nature Beauty. Amanda Diller is the founder of Tru-Nature Beauty, a boutique, nature-inspired skincare brand. Her company focuses on creating clean, handmade, and non-toxic self-care products with recognizable ingredients as a healthier alternative to chemically heavy commercial products.    Donna chats with Jennifer Tabben the Founder of Tidy Laundry Co. Jennifer Tabben is the founder and owner of The Tidy Laundry Co., a premium, woman-owned laundry essentials brand based in Independence, Kentucky. She started the company to develop plant- and mineral-based, non-toxic alternatives after suffering from sensitive skin reactions to conventional detergents with heavy chemicals. The company specializes in creating transparent, eco-friendly products like water-soluble detergent packets and dryer ball sprays   Donna talks to Peter Gregson Cellist and Composer. Peter Gregson (born in 1987) is a Scottish cellist and composer. He is recognized for his modern, genre-bending music that seamlessly blends acoustic instruments with electronics.    Finally, Donna chats with Rich Salgado? Salgado is an insurance consultant to many NFL and professional sports players (widely known by his nickname, "Big Daddy"). They frequently chat about his athletic events, such as the Big Daddy Celebrity Golf Classic.

Stay Afraid, But Do It Anyway. You Don't Have To Wait To Be Confident With Steve Gold - #224

Donna talks  to Dr. Arsalan Rabbanian CEO of Dr. Arsy is a science-driven skincare brand founded by a pharmacist and cosmetic formulation specialist. The company specializes in barrier-repair moisturizers designed specifically for individuals with dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone skin.   Donna chats with Anna Franzen, Owner of PURE SEA GARDEN. Pure Sea Garden is a natural wellness brand focused on Dead Sea mineral skincare and bath products. The brand specializes in using genuine, unrefined Dead Sea salts, dry and wet mineral muds, and simple, earth-derived ingredients aimed at promoting skin health and holistic wellness. Donna talks to Jenna Mandel-Ricci,ceo o    Donna addends The ADAPT Awards 2026. The ADAPT Leadership Awards are an annual gala hosted by ADAPT Community Network, a leading New York City human services non-profit that provides programs and services for people with disabilities. The event honors extraordinary individuals for their charitable endeavors and advocacy on behalf of the disabled community. Donna talks to Jenna Mandel=Ricci, CEO of adapt we change, Kelly Kaminski, Board Chairman of adapt we change, Abigail Hawk, actress and Event Host,  Steve Gold, Honorary Gala Co-chair, Misha Collins, Actor, Adapt Awardee and Darius Marder, Film Director,.    Donna chats with Steve Bello, Co-Founder, Dummer and Vocals for The Mystic and Samuel Bello, Founder, Band Leader, Keyboaed, Guitar and Vocals for The Mystic . The Mystic (often referred to as The Mystic Band) is a highly popular, 8-piece live cover and wedding band based in Bellmore, New York. Known across the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT), they are widely recognized as one of the premier party and event bands on Long Island.    Donna chats with Anne Francois Co-owner of Francois Naturals and William Francois Co-Owner of Francois Naturals. Francois Naturals is a wellness and skincare brand that specializes in small-batch, handcrafted soaps and natural skincare products. The business is best known for its artisanal, tallow-based soaps, which are formulated with natural, skin-nourishing ingredients like grass-fed beef tallow, coconut oil, avocado oil, and honey.    Donna talks to Christina Thornton Founder and CEO of Skin Zephyr. Skin Zephyr is an online beauty and skincare retailer that focuses on curating affordable cosmetics and skincare products, primarily sourced from independent brands and authorized distributors in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the US.    Finally, Donna listens to Al Smith. The Al Smith One Man Band Experience is a dynamic live solo show created by veteran musician Al Smith. Known for touring with legends like James Brown and The Commodores, Smith uses a specialized MIDI-guitar and sequenced backing tracks to create the massive sound of a full live band.