Cocktails & Conversations

About Cocktails & Conversations

Hey beautiful people! Welcome to Cocktails & Conversations podcast with me Deborah Ababio. I am cultural curator, connector, all round formidable force, within the fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment space. This podcast blends good vibes, meaningful conversations, and a splash of inspiration. Every week, we’re serving up candid chats on wellness, lifestyle, and personal growth, all with a refreshing twist. So grab your favourite cocktail, or mocktail, and join me, along with a mix of industry pros and close friends as we delve into the rollercoaster of modern life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

deborah ababio

Category

education · society & culture · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Jan 2025

Latest episode

13 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

24 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Aug 2026

   Class_les, But Make It Luxury with Lisa Omeleh

   Today's episode of Cocktails & Conversations is a candid, unfiltered conversation about womanhood, ambition, relationships, business, identity and the realities of being a Black woman navigating the luxury industry. And I couldn't think of a better person to have this conversation with than Lisa Omeleh, founder of Mama Class_les - a woman who brings honesty, humour and a refreshing pretence to conversations about what it really means to build a life and career on your own terms. Over cocktails, we talk about so much more than business. We get into the realities of being a Black woman in the luxury sector, what it means to navigate spaces that weren't necessarily built with you in mind, and the pressure that can come with constantly having to prove yourself. We talk ambition, entrepreneurship, confidence, success and the moments when you have to question whether you're building the life you actually want- or simply the life you're expected to want. And then, because no girls' chat would be complete without it, we go there on relationships, dating, womanhood, family, friendships, getting older, knowing your worth and figuring out who you are when the rules you've been given no longer make sense. Lisa brings a brilliant mix of honesty, humour and perspective to the conversation, and together we explore the things women often talk about privately but rarely say out loud. This is a conversation about being ambitious without losing yourself. About building a business while building a life. About navigating luxury while staying authentic. And about the freedom that comes when you stop trying to fit into someone else's definition of success. Whether you're building a business, navigating your career, figuring out love, questioning your next chapter or simply in need of a good girls' chat, this episode is for you. So pour yourself something beautiful, settle in and join us for a conversation that feels a little like sitting across the table from your girlfriends - only with cocktails, fewer filters and absolutely no subject off limits. This is Cocktails & Conversations. Let's get into it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   6 Aug 2026

   The Hardest Race Isn't Always on the Track with Jeanette Kwakye

   Today's episode of Cocktails & Conversations is an honest, thought-provoking conversation about ambition, resilience, reinvention, and what it really takes to keep moving forward when life doesn't go to plan. I couldn't think of a more fitting guest to share this space with than Jeanette Kwakye - Olympian, broadcaster and one of Britain's most respected voices in sport. From competing on the world's biggest stage to building a successful career beyond athletics, Jeanette's journey is a powerful reminder that our greatest challenges often become the catalyst for our next chapter. In this conversation, we go far beyond sport. Jeanette opens up about the discipline required to train at an elite level, the heartbreak of injury, and the mental resilience it takes to pivot when the future you've spent years working towards suddenly changes. We explore what it means to redefine success, embrace uncertainty, and trust that there is purpose in every setback. Over cocktails, we discuss the lessons sport teaches us about consistency, identity and perseverance - and how those same lessons shape the way we navigate business, leadership and everyday life. We talk about the courage to start again, the pressure of high performance, and why resilience isn't about never falling down, but about learning how to adapt when life takes an unexpected turn. This is also a conversation about perspective. About understanding that setbacks don't have to define you, that change can create opportunities you never imagined, and that sometimes the strongest version of yourself is found in the seasons you never planned for. Whether you're navigating a career transition, rebuilding after disappointment, chasing an ambitious goal, or simply trying to find confidence in life's twists and turns, this episode is for you. So pour yourself something beautiful, settle in, and join us for a conversation that is honest, inspiring and full of perspective. This is Cocktails & Conversations. Let's get into it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   30 Jul 2026

   The Rooms Were Never Built for Us with Michelle Agyeman-Coley

   Today's episode of Cocktails & Conversations is an honest, thought-provoking conversation about ambition, resilience, entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to build a career—and a business—when you're often the only one in the room. I couldn't think of a more fitting guest to share this space with than Michelle Agyeman-Coley—Founder and Managing Director of Future Brand Thinking, an award-winning PR agency that has become one of the industry's leading voices in culture, communications and brand storytelling. Throughout her career, Michelle has navigated the worlds of corporate PR and entrepreneurship with authenticity, excellence and an unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for others. In this conversation, we go far beyond public relations. Michelle shares her journey from being one of only a handful of Black women working in PR, navigating environments where code-switching often felt like a necessity, to building an agency rooted in purpose, integrity and long-term thinking. We talk candidly about the hidden emotional labour of corporate life, the pressure of constantly proving yourself, and why so many talented women are choosing to leave traditional workplaces to build something on their own. Over cocktails, we explore the realities of representation in the communications industry, the changing landscape for Black professionals following Black Lives Matter, and why progress isn't always as linear as it appears. We discuss leadership, resilience, perfectionism, and the invisible standards that underrepresented founders often hold themselves to simply to be seen as credible. This is also a conversation about identity—about learning when to adapt, when to stand firm in who you are, and how authenticity can become your greatest competitive advantage. Michelle reflects on the lessons she's learned from working for Black founders, the courage it took to start her own agency without guarantees, and why building something meaningful requires equal parts strategy, resilience and self-belief. Whether you're building a business, navigating corporate life, working in communications, or simply looking for an honest conversation about ambition, representation and creating your own lane, this episode is for you. So pour yourself something beautiful, settle in, and join us for a conversation that is refreshingly honest, deeply insightful and full of wisdom. This is Cocktails & Conversations. Let's get into it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Who has been a guest on Cocktails & Conversations

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ann-Marie Hackett
• Ama Quashie
• Daniella Forbes
• Karen Cummings-Palmer
• Davina Forbes-Williamson

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

1,847

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

23

Social presence

0

YouTube

68

Engagement

0

Contact Cocktails & Conversations

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Cocktails & Conversations