From Mom Hack to Shark Tank: Beth Benike's Journey with Busy Baby

What happens when a frustrated mom decides there has to be a better way?

In this episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with entrepreneur, veteran, and Busy Baby founder Beth Benike. What started as a simple solution to keep toys off the restaurant floor turned into a patented product line, a successful business, and an appearance on Shark Tank.

Beth shares the real story behind Busy Baby, from inventing her first prototype while pumping during her commute to building a nationally recognized brand while raising young children. She also opens up about serving in the military, navigating entrepreneurship, balancing motherhood, and why helping moms find a little more peace in their day continues to drive her mission.

Whether you're a parent looking for practical solutions, a mom with a business idea, or someone who loves hearing stories of resilience and innovation, this conversation is packed with inspiration and actionable insights.

In This Episode

🍷 How a chaotic lunch with toddlers inspired the Busy Baby Mat

🍷 The surprising prototype made from a breast pump flange and silicone caulk

🍷 How military service prepared Beth for entrepreneurship

🍷 The challenges of launching a product from scratch

🍷 What really happens behind the scenes on Shark Tank

🍷 Why Beth turned down a Shark Tank deal

🍷 Lessons on motherhood, balance, and family time

🍷 The impact of the SMI Foundation and supporting military families

🍷 Why small moments of ease matter so much for moms

About Beth Benike

Beth Benike is the founder and CEO of Busy Baby, creator of the patented Busy Baby Mat and a growing line of products designed to keep baby essentials within reach and off the floor. A U.S. Army veteran, entrepreneur, and mother, Beth has built a business focused on making everyday life easier for families while mentoring other women entrepreneurs and supporting military families through the SMI Foundation.

Resources & Links

Busy Baby

Busy Baby Official Website

Shop Busy Baby Products

Busy Baby Mats & Accessories

Learn More About Beth

About Beth Benike

Shark Tank Feature

Busy Baby on Shark Tank

SMI Foundation

SMI Foundation Board Profile

Follow Samantha

The Running Wine Mom Website

What if the secret to fewer power struggles, better behavior, and a stronger connection with your child isn't another parenting hack—but play?

In this episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with licensed therapist, registered play therapist, professor, podcast host, and author Dr. Kim Van Dusen to discuss her new book, Parenting Through Play. Together, they unpack why play is one of the most overlooked parenting tools, how it helps children communicate emotions, and practical ways parents can use playful strategies to navigate tantrums, sibling conflicts, picky eating, transitions, and everyday family stress.

Dr. Kim shares the science behind play therapy, the inspiration behind becoming The Parentologist, and why connection—not punishment—is often the missing piece when parents feel stuck. She also offers simple play-based techniques that can be implemented immediately, even by busy, exhausted parents.

Whether you're raising toddlers, navigating the tween years, or supporting a neurodivergent child, this conversation is packed with practical tools that can help bring more peace and connection into your home.

In This Episode:

• Why play is a child's primary language
• The difference between connection-based parenting and permissive parenting
• How playful parenting reduces power struggles and tantrums
• Strategies for picky eaters and difficult transitions
• The "Do-Over Method" for correcting behavior without shame
• How play supports children with ADHD, autism, and sensory differences
• Practical ways to strengthen parent-child connection in under five minutes
• Why discipline works better when it's built on trust and attachment
• Behind-the-scenes of writing Parenting Through Play
• Lessons from nearly 20 years as a child therapist and play therapist

Connect with Dr. Kim Van Dusen

Website: The Parentologist

Instagram: @theparentologist

Podcast: The Parentologist Podcast

Book: Parenting Through Play

This week on The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with New York Times bestselling author Annabel Monaghan for an honest conversation about motherhood, caregiving, burnout, love, and the invisible mental load women carry every single day.

Annabel shares the inspiration behind her newest novel, Dolly All the Time — a story about a single mom juggling work, family, financial stress, and caregiving while slowly learning how to stop carrying everything alone. Samantha and Annabel dive into the “curse of capability,” why moms struggle to ask for help, and how women often become the emotional managers of their entire families.

They also talk about:

• Why romance shouldn’t magically fix a woman’s life
• Fake dating, family pressure, and financial stress in fiction
• The emotional reality of caregiving
• Raising capable kids instead of over-functioning for them
• The mental load moms carry every day
• Why women relate so deeply to Dolly’s story
• The famous “pants” mantra from the book
• Writing chemistry and emotional intimacy
• Rhode Island as the perfect summer-book setting

If you’ve ever felt like the default parent, the family planner, the emergency contact, or the one holding everything together — this episode will hit home.

Follow Annabel

• Website: annabelmonaghan.com
• Instagram: @annabelmonaghan

Follow Samantha

• Instagram: @therunningwinemom_

Books Mentioned

• Dolly All the Time
• Nora Goes Off Script
• Summer Romance

What actually is homeopathy — and why are so many parents curious about it right now?

In this episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with homeopath and educator Marcus Fernandez to talk about natural healing, parenting instincts, nervous system overload, and how families can feel more confident navigating everyday illnesses.

Marcus is the founder of the Center for Homeopathic Education and creator of Homeopathy at Home, a program designed to help families use homeopathy in practical, everyday life.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• What homeopathy actually is
• The biggest misconceptions surrounding it
• How stress impacts healing
• Why parents panic during illness
• The connection between resilience and health
• Three remedies Marcus believes every household should keep on hand
• Why moms should trust their instincts more

Marcus also shares his personal journey from aspiring rock musician to becoming one of the leading educators in homeopathy.

Whether you’re fully immersed in holistic wellness or simply curious about alternative approaches, this episode offers a thoughtful conversation about parenting, healing, and slowing down enough to ask better questions.

Resources & Links

• Marcus Fernandez Official Website
• Center for Homeopathic Education
• Homeopathy at Home Book & Resources
• Free Home Prescriber Course

Connect with Samantha

• Instagram: @therunningwinemom_

What actually happens to returned baby gear?

Most parents assume it goes right back on the shelf. But according to Ben Norment, founder and CEO of Stork Exchange, that’s usually not the case.

In this episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with Ben to talk about the hidden world of open-box baby gear, how major brands handle returns, and why recommerce is becoming one of the smartest ways for families to save money without sacrificing quality or safety.

Ben shares how Stork Exchange partners directly with baby gear brands to inspect, grade, and recirculate premium open-box and overstock products — keeping thousands of pounds of perfectly usable gear out of landfills while helping parents access high-end products at lower prices.

The conversation also dives into parenting identity shifts, the mental load of baby gear, building systems that actually work for families, and the emotional reality of raising three kids under five while running a fast-growing company.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What happens to returned strollers, bassinets, and car seats
• The difference between open-box, overstock, and secondhand baby gear
• How Stork Exchange inspects and grades products for safety
• Why baby gear waste is a massive hidden problem
• How recommerce is helping families save money
• The emotional side of parenting and “gear overwhelm”
• Why parents should stop shopping after 9 p.m.
• The reality of raising three kids under five
• The parenting products Ben regrets buying
• The products he would buy again immediately
• Why community and sharing resources may be the future of parenting

Connect with Ben & Stork Exchange

• Website: Stork Exchange
• How It Works: Stork Exchange How It Works
• Instagram: @stork.exchange

Follow Samantha & The Running Wine Mom

• Instagram: The Running Wine Mom Instagram

What if the best restaurant in your area… wasn’t a restaurant at all?

In this episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with identical twin chefs Stephen and Nicolas Servis, founders of Servis Events — a Bucks County-based private chef and farm-to-table dining experience that brings high-end, seasonal meals directly into your home.

Recorded on-site at their family Airbnb, Rocking Horse Acres, this conversation goes beyond food. It’s about community, entrepreneurship, and redefining what a “night out” can look like.

Stephen and Nicolas share how they went from restaurant kitchens to building a thriving private chef business, why sourcing local ingredients matters more than ever, and what people don’t understand about the work behind a premium dining experience.

You’ll also hear:

• How the pandemic unexpectedly launched their business
• The reality of running a business with your identical twin
• Why farm-to-table isn’t just a trend — it’s a lifestyle
• The biggest misconceptions about private chefs and pricing
• What actually goes into a $200/person dining experience
• Their vision for the future of Servis Events
• And a fun rapid-fire segment you don’t want to miss

Whether you’re a parent, entrepreneur, foodie, or just someone who loves a good dinner party — this episode will make you rethink how you gather.

📍 Mentioned in This Episode

• Servis Events
• Rocking Horse Acres

🔗 Connect with Servis Events

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/servisevents
Website: https://servis-events.com/

🥂 Connect with Samantha

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.runningwinemom_

⭐ Enjoyed This Episode?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who loves good food, good wine, and better conversations.

What happens when your life doesn’t look the way you thought it would?

In this episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with author and creator Kendall Mariah to talk about the reality of motherhood, identity shifts, infertility, and what she calls “soul friction”—that tension between the life you expected and the life you’re actually living.

Kendall shares her journey through fertility struggles, adoption, and building a platform rooted in honesty during one of the most uncertain seasons of life. From navigating neurodivergence and ADHD as a mom to redefining success, this conversation is raw, relatable, and deeply validating for women in every season.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t recognize yourself anymore, or like things didn’t go according to plan—this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

What We Talk About:

• What “soul friction” really means in motherhood
• Infertility, adoption, and redefining expectations
• The identity shift no one prepares you for
• ADHD, neurodivergence, and motherhood
• Why social media is shifting from “perfect” to real
• The emotional reality behind building a platform
• How to move forward when life feels off track

Links & Resources:

• Kendall Mariah Website: https://kendallmariah.com
• Kendall’s Book (This Little Fire of Mine): https://www.amazon.com/This-Little-Fire-Mine-Flickers/
• Follow Kendall on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendallmariah
• Follow Samantha: https://www.instagram.com/therunningwinemom_

If this episode resonated with you, send it to a friend who needs to hear it—and don’t forget to follow The Running Wine Mom for more real conversations about motherhood, mindset, and everything in between.

What does it actually take to bring one of the biggest sporting events in the world to a city—and why is now Pittsburgh’s turn?

In this episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha sits down with Jim Britt, Vice President of Sports Events at VisitPITTSBURGH and leader of SportsPITTSBURGH, the team behind the 2026 NFL Draft.

They break down what “sports tourism” really means (without the corporate jargon), how Pittsburgh beat out major cities to land the Draft, and what families can actually expect when hundreds of thousands of people arrive.

You’ll hear:

• What goes into planning an event at this scale
• Why the NFL Draft doesn’t even have a “venue”
• How this event will impact local businesses and communities across Western Pennsylvania
• What kids will feel when they step onto the Draft campus
• Why this moment is about more than football—it’s about identity, pride, and possibility

This conversation goes beyond logistics—it’s about what happens when a city shows the world who it really is.

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Visit Pittsburgh: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/
• SportsPITTSBURGH: https://www.sportspittsburgh.com/
• NFL Draft Info: https://www.nfl.com/draft/