Sip & Schmooze: Inside the Viral TikTok Sourdough Cookie Brand with Close to Home Bakery Founder Jacqueline Close

Grief, Ghosts & Gelt: Building a Grief Community with Emma Zeiger

There is, apparently, a very niche pipeline from being an individual sports counselor at camp to becoming a solo podcaster. Is it niche? Yes. Is it real? Also yes. Emma and I both started our podcasts the exact same week which feels less like coincidence and more like… KISMET. Bashert, perhaps? And if you know, you know camp is my main personality trait and favorite place on earth. It’s where you skip the small talk, overshare immediately, and somehow leave with lifelong friends and at least three personality traits you didn’t have before. That energy is exactly what this conversation feels like. And it’s also, in a very real way, what Emma built with Ghosted with Grief a grief podcast and online community that takes something heavy (loss, grief, healing, mental health). We schmooze (obviously) about dating and how grief sneaks into your relationships whether you’ve processed it or not. If you’ve ever been ghosted, gone through grief, or tried to date in a world where you have the loudest personality and depth. If you ran the NYC Marathon in under three hours, slide into Emma’s personal DMs. Not Ghosted (that would be weird?) It’s less interview, more two camp people turned podcasters having a very honest, slightly unhinged, deeply on-brand conversation about creating community.  Follow Along On Socials Sam’s Socials TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@schmoozingwithspan?_r=1&_t=ZT-95zI4OkTs0z [https://www.tiktok.com/@schmoozingwithspan?_r=1&_t=ZT-95zI4OkTs0z] Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/schmoozingwithspan?igsh=MWJ1cHJ4bHc0Mmp4MA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr [https://www.instagram.com/schmoozingwithspan?igsh=MWJ1cHJ4bHc0Mmp4MA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr] Emma’s Socials TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emmasloanezeig?_r=1&_t=ZP-95ywbIbYBFG [https://www.tiktok.com/@emmasloanezeig?_r=1&_t=ZP-95ywbIbYBFG]  Insta: https://www.instagram.com/ghostedbygrief?igsh=b3RmbW1rZm9jc3pr&utm_source=qr [https://www.instagram.com/ghostedbygrief?igsh=b3RmbW1rZm9jc3pr&utm_source=qr] and https://www.instagram.com/emzeigs?igsh=MTk4NHY4cGpycnZ5bw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr [https://www.instagram.com/emzeigs?igsh=MTk4NHY4cGpycnZ5bw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr] Apple: Ghosted [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ghosted/id1844228672] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1E9RJn2MWbP9x0LKARhEMF?si=sLn2nBHVQTupQyNpu2xpLg [https://open.spotify.com/show/1E9RJn2MWbP9x0LKARhEMF?si=sLn2nBHVQTupQyNpu2xpLg]

Sip & Schmooze: Inside the Viral TikTok Sourdough Cookie Brand with Close to Home Bakery Founder Jacqueline Close

Welcome to First Sip & Schmooze our new mini-series where we sit down with the founders behind the small brands you can’t stop seeing all over your feed. You know those viral sourdough cookies blowing up on TikTok? The ones everyone is talking about from Sally to Brett Chody to Kelley Grace Mae? Yeah… those. But here’s the wild part: this brand was actually the first thing I was ever gifted. And in this episode, I find out something that made it all feel a little too aligned I was the first person Jacqueline ever sent to KISMET. Talk about a full-circle moment. In this episode, I sit down with the founder behind the internet’s latest obsession to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that cuts through the noise. From going viral to selling out, we get into the behind-the-scenes of turning a simple idea into a must-have product. But what makes this conversation even better? We’re basically living parallel lives. Both former tech girlies, both now working in the corporate podcasting world, and both figuring it out as we go just on very different paths. We talk career pivots, taking risks, building something from scratch, and what happens after the internet decides you’re “that girl.” If you’ve ever thought about starting something of your own or just want the story behind the cookies everyone’s freaking out over this one’s for you. Sip with us. Schmooze with us. And meet the founder behind your latest obsession. Follow Along on Socials: 🍪🍸 Schmoozing with Span TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@schmoozingwithspan?_r=1&_t=ZT-91Y3jtiNclh⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@schmoozingwithspan?_r=1&_t=ZT-91Y3jtiNclh] Schmoozing with Span Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/schmoozingwithspan?igsh=MWJ1cHJ4bHc0Mmp4MA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/schmoozingwithspan?igsh=MWJ1cHJ4bHc0Mmp4MA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr] ORDER COOKIES on Hot Plate: http://hotplate.com/closetohomebakery⁠ [http://hotplate.com/closetohomebakery] Close to Home Bakery TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@closetohomebakery?_r=1&_t=ZP-95JblRAzIsh⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@closetohomebakery?_r=1&_t=ZP-95JblRAzIsh] Close to Home Bakery Instagram: ⁠http://instagram.com/closetohomebakery⁠ [http://instagram.com/closetohomebakery]

Shvitz, Sparkle & Soirée: Building a Seven-Figure Miami Beach Resort Wear Brand

On this episode of Schmoozing with Span, Ally shares how she turned the shutdown of her corporate job into the launch of Soirée Miami Beach, a six-figure-a-month resort wear brand loved for its style, sparkle, and attention to detail. Along the way, we dive into OG moments meeting Madison Beer to a chaotic teen tour flight from Paris and silly childhood stories. These stories are equal parts hilarious, unfiltered, and surprisingly relatable. From hosting brand trips to scaling a team, Ally gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build a swim and resort wear brand. We also talk routines, resets, and our favorite shvitz + schmooze sessions at Othership, and why balance is key to long-term success. If you’re into fashion, female founders, or scaling a creative fashion business, this one delivers both insight and laughs. 💖 Use promo code SAMXO15 for 15% off your Soirée Miami Beach order! Follow Along on Socials: Schmoozing with Span TikTok:Schmoozing TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@schmoozingwithspan?_r=1&_t=ZT-91Y3jtiNclh] Schmoozingwithspan Instagram: Schmoozing Insta [https://www.instagram.com/schmoozingwithspan?igsh=MWJ1cHJ4bHc0Mmp4MA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr] Ally Nissan Insta: Instagram · allynissan5.8K+ followersAlly Nissan (@allynissan) [https://www.instagram.com/allynissan/] Ally Nissan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@allynissan?_r=1&_t=ZP-94vr4KycsVr [https://www.tiktok.com/@allynissan?_r=1&_t=ZP-94vr4KycsVr] Soiree Miami Beach Insta: Instagram · soireemiamibeach11.1K+ followersSoirée Miami Beach (@soireemiamibeach) [https://www.instagram.com/soireemiamibeach/] Soirée Miami Beach TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soireemiamibeach?_r=1&_t=ZP-94vr37WjsUB [https://www.tiktok.com/@soireemiamibeach?_r=1&_t=ZP-94vr37WjsUB] Soirée Miami Beach Website: https://soireemiamibeach.com [https://soireemiamibeach.com/]

Sydney Silverman: Dillards Collabs, Dating Long-Distance & Drinks to Designer Industry

If you’ve ever been offended by being called the “personality hire” think again. I was invited on my friends brand trip to the Hamptons as the entertainment hire where I met the fabulous Sydney Silverman. She had the best energy and I told her about my podcast concept and now here we are full circle sitting on the POD! Sydney had the dream job in the liquor industry the kind of role people don’t just walk away from. But at one point she found herself planning the brand trips for her liquor company while also being invited as an influencer on the events and realizing something had to give. Was it worth going all in? What makes this episode different than all other episodes (no, not in a seder way, relax) is how much we cover from launching her 30-piece capsule collection with Dillards to long distance relationship between New York and LA New York and LA, BTS of fashion week chaos & and all the niche little debates in between Pio Pio vs Taco Bell important questions.  It’s less interview, more real conversation. FOLLOW ON SPOTIFY YOUTUBE APPLE TO GET NOTIFIED OF NEXT EPISODES ❤️❤️ Follow Along on Socials: Sydney Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sydneysilverman?igsh=MWllZ3h2dXhmOGRhdQ== Sydney TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneysilverman_?_r=1&_t=ZT-94LD2UZZLDy Schmoozing Insta:https://www.instagram.com/schmoozingwithspan?igsh=MjF2NHQwMDRuanBy Schmoozing TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@schmoozingwithspan?_r=1&_t=ZT-94LD1DCxegv

How I Schmoozed My Way to Alex Cooper’s Desk and Landed an Interview

Two years ago at SXSW, I met Alex Cooper. She asked if we were sisters. For some reason, I said, “No, we’re just Jews.” What started as a 2 minute interaction somehow spiraled into me going back on foot… 2 days later to hand deliver my resume like I was in a 2000s romcom. No shame, Just vibes, chutzpah, and the audacity to believe I belonged at that desk. And somehow… it got me an interview. In this episode: * The exact moment we met * What the energy actually felt like * Why I decided to go back * What I said when I handed over my resume * Whether I almost packed my bags and moved to LA * And how this unhinged decision low-key became the origin story of this entire podcast Because two years ago I was pitching myself to work there. Now SCHMOOZING WITH SPAN is here.  Stay until the end because the final twist? I was really close to moving. Share this so she sees it. Let’s schmooze.