Trust Your Palate: How Confidence Creates Better Events

What if the secret to unforgettable events isn’t perfection — but trust? In this episode of Beats Working, hosts Alysse Bryson and Libby Sundgren sit down with April Wachtel, founder and CEO of Cheeky Cocktails, to explore how trusting your palate, your instincts, and your people can transform events from stressful to spectacular. Drawing from 20+ years in hospitality, April shares lessons learned behind the bar, in packed cocktail classes, and across the rapidly evolving non‑alcoholic beverage space. This is a masterclass in confidence, creativity, and creating emotional safety — whether you’re mixing drinks or managing a room.  Takeaways: Trust beats rules. When people trust their own palate (or instincts), creativity flourishes.  Emotional safety fuels excellence. Low‑stakes environments unlock better results.  Hospitality skills translate everywhere. Adaptability, empathy, and teamwork scale beyond restaurants.  Simplicity scales. Ratios, frameworks, and repeatable systems beat overwhelm.  Non‑alcoholic doesn’t mean non‑special. Intentional drinks belong at every event.  Timestamps:  [01:00] — Meet April Wachtel and the story behind Cheeky Cocktails  [03:00] — Why hospitality builds better humans (and leaders)  [08:14] — What people really want from cocktail classes  [09:40] — “Trust your palate”: creating confidence through low‑stakes learning  [11:45] — Translating classic cocktail ratios to non‑alcoholic drinks  [13:30] — The future of NA beverages and event culture  Resources & Links: -April Wachtel: LinkedIn -Cheeky Cocktails: Website, Facebook, Instagram -Alysse & Libby: Bios & LinkedIn Connect with Us: -Website: www.beatsworkingpodcast.com -LinkedIn: @Beats Working Podcast -Instagram: @beatsworkingpodcast -Facebook: @Beats Working -YouTube: @beatsworkingpodcast Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your feedback helps us improve and reach more listeners. Send Feedback: If you have a show idea, feedback, or just want to connect, email us at [email protected].  Beats Working is a platform on a mission to redeem work—the word, the place, and the way. We believe that work is the most honorable act in the universe, and through inspiring stories and practical insights, we want to transform the way people think about work and help them discover greater fulfillment in their lives. We invite you to join us as we build community through sharing and actively demonstrating what we learn.