What if building a successful business didn’t have to mean burnout, competition, or doing it all alone?

Leah Uzan, co-founder of Lemon Pop Creative Agency, shares her perspective on women-led entrepreneurship, creative leadership, and building something truly meaningful. From growing up in Miami to working in hospitality, social media, and branding before it became a buzzword, Leah walks through the experiences that shaped her path — and how Lemon Pop was born during COVID and grew into a thriving agency with 40+ clients and a waitlist.

Leah and Sarah get real about leading with intention, delegating under pressure, trusting your instincts, and building a business that actually reflects your values. They also talk motherhood, legacy, manifestation, and redefining success on your own terms — especially during life’s busiest and most demanding seasons.

Leah opens up about her mother’s resilience, growing up around disability, and how learning to over-communicate became one of her greatest strengths as a leader.

This episode is a reminder that ambition and heart can coexist, and that the most fulfilling success is built with integrity, intuition, and purpose.

Learn more about Lemon Pop Agency: https://www.lemonpopcreative.com/

Follow along: https://www.instagram.com/lemonpopagency/

Follow Leah: https://www.instagram.com/leahesper/

Timestamps:

00:00 – You Can Do It: Confidence, Work Ethic & Having It All

03:00 – Welcome to That’s So Akiba + Meet Leia of Lemon Pop

06:00 – Growing Up in Miami & Early Creative Roots

09:00 – From Friendship to Collaboration: Building Together

12:00 – Lemon Pop’s Origin Story & Finding Purpose Through Work

15:00 – Work, Hustle & Redefining Balance

18:00 – Running a Growing Agency & Managing the Pressure

21:00 – Partnership, Trust & No Competition Between Women

24:00 – Giving Back, Purpose & Building Brands with Heart

27:00 – Behind the Scenes: The Reality of Social Media Work

30:00 – Staying Inspired Through Passion Projects

33:00 – Manifestation, Goals & Looking Ahead to 2026

36:00 – Friendship, Family & Creating a Strong Support System

39:00 – Motherhood, Timing & Trusting Your Intuition

42:00 – Shoutout to Strong Mothers & Generational Strength

45:00 – Turning Struggle Into Superpower: Communication & Grace

48:00 – Love, Healing & Chosen Family

51:00 – Gratitude, Reflection & Closing Thoughts

Follow Sarah:

Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/

Subscribe to That's So Akiba:

Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-so-akiba/id1793125684

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC1kXcQdM_6vgbED6z6KPMpA

What if finding your way back to yourself isn’t about hustling harder, having all the answers, or being perfect — but about faith, presence, and a little more compassion?

This week, Sarah sits down with spiritual teacher, speaker, and content creator Meir Kay for a real, open-hearted conversation about identity, faith, fear, and transformation.

Meir opens up about the viral moment that introduced millions to his message — standing blindfolded in Union Square offering hugs as an Orthodox Jew during a time of rising antisemitism — and the fear, faith, and courage it took to show up anyway. From there, the conversation goes deeper, touching on depression, losing yourself, rebuilding faith, and how even our darkest moments can become unexpected sources of light.

Together, Sarah and Meir talk about what it means to be a proud Jew in a complicated world, how to live with less fear, and why being human always comes before labels. Meir shares simple, powerful tools for grounding anxiety, building daily faith, and reconnecting with God — not through perfection, but through honesty, breath, prayer, and self-forgiveness.

This episode is an invitation to come home to yourself. To remember that you are enough. To choose love — with boundaries. And to trust that healing your own life might just help heal the world too.

Learn more about Meir Kay: http://linktr.ee/meirkay

Follow @MeirKay : https://www.instagram.com/meirkay

Chapters:

00:00 Standing Proud as a Jew: The Union Square Hug Story

02:05 Rising Antisemitism & Choosing Love Over Defense

03:21 Blindfolded in Union Square: Fear, Faith, and Vulnerability

07:13 Facing Fear & Trusting God in Real Time

08:36 The Hugs That Changed Everything

09:04 Arab–Jewish Connection & Remembering We’re Family

14:24 What Faith Looks Like in Daily Life

16:16 Regulating the Nervous System with Breathwork

16:34 Tehillim, Prayer, and Ancient Wisdom

18:07 Speaking to God in Your Own Words

20:50 Losing Yourself, Depression, and Identity

23:58 Stepping Back, Numbing, and Hitting Bottom

26:52 Teshuva: Returning to Yourself and to God

27:54 Turning Darkness into Light

28:42 Pain as Purpose: Becoming a Messenger

31:56 Healing the Body, Healing the World

33:43 Technology, Addiction, and Awareness

34:46 Money, Trust, and Fear

36:39 “I Am Enough” and Breaking the Consumer Spell

41:33 Protecting Your Energy While Staying Loving

42:51 Daily Self-Care Practices That Actually Work

44:47 Looking Ahead to 2026: Purpose, Retreats & Growth

Follow Sarah:

Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/

Subscribe to That's So Akiba:

Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-so-akiba/id1793125684

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC1kXcQdM_6vgbED6z6KPMpA

What if the thing you are searching for this year is not more success, more productivity, or more answers — but deeper purpose?

It's been nearly one year of That's So Akiba podcast - so why keep going?

As listeners enter 2026, Sarah shares an honest conversation about purpose, inspiration, freedom, joy, and the power of community. From building businesses and hosting dinners to motherhood, relationships, and daily acts of kindness, this episode is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and choose a more intentional way of living.

Sarah explores why people have always been her purpose, how giving to others creates fulfillment, and why joy is different from fleeting happiness. She opens up about shedding relationships and habits that no longer serve her, choosing worthy connections, and learning to show up fully for the people who matter most.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Searching for purpose & inspiration

02:05 – Living life through inspiration (work, mindset, daily rituals)

02:55 – Why purpose matters right now

03:24 – Realizing work as fulfillment and purpose

04:10 – Community as purpose & making others feel good

05:10 – Acts of kindness & the ripple effect

06:15 – Shedding old traits: Year of the Snake → Year of the Horse

07:20 – Freedom, joy vs. happiness

08:15 – Finding your “why”: journaling, prayer, daily intention

09:35 – Small mindset shifts that transform your life

10:43 – Personal reflection: people as purpose & motherhood

11:50 – Building community (it starts with one person)

12:40 – Showing up better for family, not just work

13:05 – Choosing worthy connections

14:15 – Giving back authentically

14:55 – Entering 2026 with intention & purpose

15:25 – Subscribe, share & closing message

Follow Sarah:

Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/

Subscribe to That's So Akiba:

Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-so-akiba/id1793125684

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@thatssoakiba⁩

What if the thing that saved you… was simply being seen?

In this emotional, full-circle episode of That’s So Akiba, Sarah Akiba sits down with Izzy Gleeson and Melody Buzzi — AWOM Girls Club Alumni — to reflect on how a girls mentorship program that began nearly 10 years ago became a lifelong sisterhood and a turning point for their lives.

Sarah shares the story of starting AWOM Girls Club at local schools as a mentorship program designed to help young women become the strongest versions of themselves — not through perfection, but through truth, resilience, empathy, and support.

And the most powerful part?

The girls became the leaders.

The students became the teachers.

The community kept growing.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro

00:39 – Meeting during COVID + starting AWOM Girls Club on Zoom

01:20 – What is AWOM Foundation + how Girls Club began (10 years!)

02:35 – Why Melody joined (popular loner + craving real girl friendships)

03:45 – Why Izzy joined (sports + clubs + leadership energy)

06:55 – The AWOM Girls Club Fashion Show (“runway of life”)

11:30 – Students becoming teachers + growing into leaders

16:20 – Why Girls Club wasn’t just a club — it was family

18:15 – What Girls Club helped them overcome: insecurity + mental health

19:49 – Social media pressure + makeup, hiding, depression

20:45 – Journaling as healing + “I wasn’t alone”

29:19 – Izzy’s goals: 2026 vision + photography + mental health reset

37:40 – Melody’s struggle after high school + bad habits + alcohol

42:42 – Closing message: community, love, and never giving up

Learn more about AWOM Foundation & AWOM Girls Club: https://www.awom.org/

AWOM Girls Club was created under AWOM Foundation (Angel Watching Over Me) to give teen girls the one thing they often don’t get enough of:

a safe space to be real mentorship through the hardest years

tools for confidence, emotional growth, and self-worth community that feels like family.

Follow Sarah:

Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/

Subscribe to That's So Akiba:

Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-so-akiba/id1793125684

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@thatssoakiba⁩

Building a business isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people, the passion, and the process. Aloni Matzon and Sarah Akiba, together with their partners, opened Papa, Thanks So Much, a coffee and matcha shop that’s as intentional as it is inviting.

In this episode, Aloni shares the behind-the-scenes story of bringing this dream to life—from navigating the whirlwind of opening a new venture to balancing family, faith, and fun. He offers insights on partnership, communication, and creating a space that feels like home.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

- Behind-the-scenes of launching a new venture and navigating the whirlwind of entrepreneurship

- Lessons on partnership, communication, and intentional living

- How small details—from the perfect coffee and matcha to a curated playlist can transform a space

- Embracing imperfection, enjoying the ride, and leaning on those who matter most

Visit Papa, Thanks So Much: 3 N Federal Highway, Dania Beach, Florida 33004

Follow @papathankssomuch https://www.instagram.com/papathankssomuch/

Follow ⁨@AloniMatzon⁩ : https://www.instagram.com/alonimatzon/

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro

05:00 – Papa, Thanks So Much origin & early momentum

10:00 – Coffee, matcha, and intentional design choices

15:00 – Partnership dynamics & communication in business

20:00 – Parenthood, presence, and personal growth

25:00 – Masculine & feminine energy in relationships

30:00 – Future plans, podcast goals & Papa opening details

Follow Sarah:

Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/

Subscribe to That's So Akiba:

Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-so-akiba/id1793125684

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thatssoakiba

What if the version of Valeria Lipovetsky you think you know is only half the story?

In this raw and intimate conversation, Sarah sits down with her close friend — creator, entrepreneur, and mother — Valeria Lipovetsky, to dive into the parts of her life she rarely shares publicly.

From immigrant-household survival mode… to therapy breakthroughs… to redefining femininity, creativity, partnership, and identity — Valeria opens up about the inner work behind her success and why she’s rewriting the rules of what it means to be a woman who leads, creates, and loves.

Follow Valeria on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@valeria.lipovetsky

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valerialipovetskyblog/

Podcast: https://www.notalonepod.com/

What we talked about:

00:00 – Welcome Back & Big News

01:00 – Introducing Valeria

03:00 – Timing, Schedules & Surrendering Control

03:30 — Growing Up in an Immigrant Household

05:00 – Therapy & Emotional Awareness

06:40 — The Breaking Point: “I Hit Capacity”

07:40 — The Need to Constantly Evolve

09:20 — Protecting Her Marriage Through Boundaries

10:00 – Creativity & Work-Life Balance

15:00 – Success, Leadership & Authenticity

15:45 — Learning Through “Bad” Choices

16:20 — Redefining Leadership

17:30 — The Magic of Being the Same On & Offline

20:00 – Motherhood & Family Dynamics

25:00 – Career Identity & Public Presence

30:00 – Cycle Syncing & Feminine Flow

35:00 – Curiosity, Inspiration & Portfolio Living

40:00 – Seasons of Life & Growth

❤️Follow Sarah:

Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/

People think being creative is fun all day — but as Karly Doehla from Kasa Karly reveals, it’s hard work, grit, and faith that build an empire.

Karly is the powerhouse founder who joins That’s So Akiba with Sarah Akiba to talk about how heartbreak led her to start her jewelry brand from scratch — and how it grew into a million-dollar business.

From selling jewelry on a fold-out table to creating the viral Samara earring, Karly opens up about motherhood, marriage, and what it really takes to stay creative, authentic, and resilient.

In this episode:

- The real story behind Kasa Karly’s million-dollar success

- How creativity can be both beautiful and exhausting

- The viral rise of the Samara earring

- Marriage, compromise, and lessons in love

- The hard truths of being a mom and entrepreneur

Timestamps:

00:00 The Exhausting Reality of Creativity

02:57 Navigating Marriage and Commitment

06:03 The Wedding Experience: Expectations vs. Reality

08:55 The Birth of Casa Carly: A Journey of Resilience

11:56 Lessons Learned from Setbacks and Growth

24:33 Celebrating Milestones and Achievements

27:42 Building a Strong Brand Identity

30:47 The Power of Authentic Connections

32:48 Transformative Experiences Through Jewelry

36:28 Overcoming Struggles and Embracing Change

40:33 Inspiration from Family and Personal Growth

42:55 Living Life with Joy and Flexibility

Learn more about Kasa Karly: https://kasakarly.com/

Follow Karly: ⁠ ⁨@KasaKarly⁩ ⁠ Kasa Karly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kasakarly/?hl=enPersonal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatkarly/

Follow Sarah:

Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/

What does No Days Off really mean? For Legacy founder Manning Sumner, it’s not about fitness — it’s about faith, consistency, and becoming your best self.

From waking up at 3:50 AM to pray, train, and lead, to expanding No Days Off Water nationwide, Manning shares what drives him to keep moving even when motivation fades.He opens up about creating spaces that inspire connection, the intentional design behind Legacy, and why motivation doesn’t come from waiting—it comes from movement. He also talks about fatherhood, faith, and the importance of finding peace in gratitude.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction to No Days Off and Legacy Fit

02:58 The Importance of Persistence and Genuine Connections

06:08 Navigating Generational Differences and Respect

09:05 Creating Unique Spaces for Connection

11:55 Expansion and Growth of No Days Off

15:02 The Philosophy Behind No Days Off

15:30 Overcoming Daily Struggles

18:15 Morning Routines and Motivation

22:07 The Role of Faith in Life

24:42 Transforming Pain into Strength

30:07 Influences and Inspirations

Resources:

https://link.me/manningsumner

⁠ @TheBigDawgsWithManningSumner ⁠

Learn more about

❤️Follow Sarah:

✅Instagram: @soakiba https://www.instagram.com/soakiba

☑️Podcast: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3uPL2CvjHFO6nbk0Pe3FeA

📅Book The Spaces: https://bookthespaces.com/