Carolyn Pascual White shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Carolyn Pascual, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
We recently welcomed our second child this summer – a baby girl! As the owner of a creative, personal brand business, fully stepping away can be challenging. But building a team and establishing processes behind the scenes at The Social Sipper has allowed me to step back in a big way and truly enjoy this special time with my family.
I think the dream for many moms of young children who are passionate about their careers is to return to work at a slower pace or in a part-time capacity. I’m so grateful that I’ve invested the time and energy into building a business that makes that possible.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Carolyn Pascual White, the founder of The Social Sipper. I’m a Home Mixologist and Food Stylist with a passion for mixing up fresh and approachable cocktails and mocktails for every occasion.
Growing up, quality time in my family was usually spent in the kitchen. Sharing food and drinks has always been how my family expresses love. So naturally, I was drawn to creating in my own kitchen. My love for all things food, led me to a career as a food stylist where I worked with companies like Starbucks and Food Network and got a taste (literally) for thinking of food and drink as works of art.
I started The Social Sipper with my husband, Travis, in 2018 as a way to create and share delicious and beautiful cocktail creations. What began as a passion project has grown into a digital media brand and creative studio, reaching cocktail and mocktail enthusiasts around the world. Today, The Social Sipper is known for inspiring recipes, scroll-stopping photography and video content, and partnerships with leading brands.
Today, you’ll often find me hanging with our two little ones, Max and Callie, working on new recipes, and collaborating with Travis to capture photo and videos for our community and clients!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
I grew up in the restaurant business in New Jersey, where my dad owned diners, delis, and restaurants at different points throughout my childhood. From a young age, I was put to work – first as a preteen making food alongside my dad, then serving catering events, and eventually waitressing every weekend. In those years, my dad taught me the value of dedication, multitasking, and hard work.
Being the child of an entrepreneur also gave me a front-row seat to the challenges, unpredictability, and constant problem-solving that come with owning a business. I think my parents might have hoped I’d choose a more traditional career path to avoid these ups and downs. But my dad’s example – working tirelessly, pivoting after failures, and staying the course no matter what – left an impression on me and guided me toward building my own business.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The first time I tried to record a video speaking directly to the camera, I was literally shaking. I couldn’t get more than a few words out, and it felt like the most unnatural thing I’d ever done. The fear of being judged and the nagging thought of “who am I to speak as an expert?” kept me from showing up on video. I avoided it for nearly a year before finally deciding that I had to try, even if it wasn’t perfect.
Since then, video has become a huge part of our business. While I still feel that fear of judgment and not being perfect sometimes, I’ve gotten more comfortable with pushing through. Showing up on camera not only helped me connect with my audience, but it has also given me more confidence and shown me how valuable it can be to push past discomfort.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe that success meant making every decision perfectly and never showing up until I felt 100% ready. This mindset led to a lot of procrastination and wasted time “perfecting” things.
Becoming a mother completely shifted that perspective for me. It has shown me that I can’t do it all, and I don’t need to. Through two maternity leaves, we’ve kept The Social Sipper thriving by taking imperfect action consistently and focusing only on what truly moves the needle. I have learned that clarity and growth come on the other side of experimentation, not perfection.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing?
I think I’d regret not fully investing in myself and the business, especially when it comes to hiring a team and bringing in experts that can elevate our business to the next level. I know it can feel safer to do it all and avoid these financial investments, but I would regret staying in the nitty gritty of the business and missing out on other opportunities. I want to be able to focus on the areas with the most potential for business growth and more importantly spend the most possible time with my family as my children grow up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thesocialsipper.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialsipper/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thesocialsipper
Image Credits
Travis White
