What do you get when you mix a high school dropout, a Dell corporate career, and a pandemic-fueled writing spree? A badass romance author who went from side hustle to full-time bestseller.

In this week’s episode, Jess and Jonesy sit down with author and entrepreneur Nikki Castle—who also just happens to be Jess’s longtime friend and former wedding party VIP. Nikki shares how she transitioned from 10 years in corporate sales to becoming a full-time romance writer, building a self-published empire one spicy love story at a time.

They dig into what it really looks like to leave job security behind, how Nikki hit upload on a Word doc and wound up with a global fanbase, and why burnout doesn’t stop just because you’re doing what you love.

We’re talking identity shifts, running multiple businesses, imposter syndrome, self-publishing tips, building a trusted team, and how to avoid letting hustle culture wreck your creative flow.

Whether you’re bookish, business-minded, or just burnt out—this one’s for you.

https://www.instagram.com/nikkicastleauthor/

We’re talking shop (literally) with Jessica of Ocasional Flowers—the faux floral studio in Yardley, PA that’s quietly becoming a local legend. Jess shares how she went all-in on brick-and-mortar, why her silk creations are anything but fake, and how she balances creativity, systems, motherhood, and straight-up hustle.

We dig into:

• Why she opened the store before launching online

• What it’s really like juggling entrepreneurship and parenting

• The power of seasonal planning (and seasonal sanity)

• Learning to delegate without spiraling

• The accidental magic of letting people see you be you

Oh—and why GoDaddy can go… somewhere else.

🌸 Website: occasional-flowers.com
🌸 Instagram: instagram.com/occasionalflowers1
🌸 Facebook: facebook.com/OccasionalFlowersPA
🌸 YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC8I5W6UGHmrOpT6dbQpjxFw

Plain text links:

• https://www.occasional-flowers.com/

• https://www.instagram.com/occasionalflowers1/

• https://www.facebook.com/OccasionalFlowersPA

• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8I5W6UGHmrOpT6dbQpjxFw

Guest: Pete Bondarenko | PBAdjusting.com | AdjustingAcademy.com

This week on Minding Our Business, we’re chopping it up with Pete Bondarenko—a man who’s all in on Plan A. Pete’s the founder of PB Adjusting, a public adjusting firm based in Bucks County, PA, and the brains behind the brand new Adjusting Academy, where he’s helping train the next generation of adjusters to build real careers and real wealth in a recession-proof industry.

Pete’s story is nothing short of wild—in the best way. He immigrated to the U.S. from Poland at 16, barely spoke English, and came up through the hustle. From construction and network marketing to real estate and now business ownership, Pete's journey is a masterclass in grit, integrity, and self-made success.

In this episode, we get into:

• What a public adjuster actually does (and why you've probably never heard of one)

• Why there’s huge opportunity in this overlooked career path

• What it means to really bet on yourself

• How to spot opportunity (and why most people miss it)

• The power of side hustles and strategic investing

• Real talk about taxes, burnout, and growing out of your old circle

• How PB Adjusting and Adjusting Academy are helping homeowners and future entrepreneurs win

Pete’s recommended reads:
📚 The Secret
📚 How to Win Friends & Influence People
📚 The Richest Man in Babylon

Links from the episode:
🔗 PBAdjusting.com
🔗 AdjustingAcademy.com