When Jessica Garcia-Wood moved back to Northwest Indiana after serving as an ER nurse in the Air Force, she didn’t expect motherhood to feel so lonely—even surrounded by family. That quiet ache became the seed for Little Hearts Play Café, a space designed to bring parents and kids together in the earliest, most isolating stages of parenting.

In this heart-forward conversation, Jessica shares how postpartum depression shaped her vision, how the military unexpectedly taught her to lead, and what it’s really like running a business with her husband. We talk about identity, first-generation ambition, and the courage to build what’s missing.

This one’s for the moms, the dreamers, and anyone learning to create from the hard parts of life.

Episode Highlights:

• Jessica’s journey from Air Force ER nurse to play café founder
• The emotional and logistical roots of starting a business as a mom
• Navigating marriage and entrepreneurship as co-founders
• The role of family, identity, and cultural background in her story
• Building a space for connection during postpartum isolation

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction & meeting Jessica

02:30 – From Air Force ER nurse to entrepreneur

06:15 – The spark: postpartum, isolation & business idea

10:00 – Launching a play café and building connection

15:00 – Running a business with your spouse: realities

20:00 – Balancing motherhood, nursing career & business

25:00 – Reflections, advice & next steps

Connect with Jessica Wood:

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

Website: https://littlehartsplaycafe.com/home

Email: littlehartsplaycafe@gmail.com

Let’s Stay Connected:
→ Follow Lauren on Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurennajar
→ Learn more or work with me: www.laurennajar.com
→ Follow Business Over Cocktails on IG: www.instagram.com/businessovercocktails
→ Attend Growth & Connect retreats & events: www.instagram.com/growthandconnect

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