Episode #12
The Worst Thing That Could Happen? She’d Start Again | Stephanie Bulgar
Stephanie Bulgar had already built the career most people would be afraid to leave. She was a VP. She had employees working under her. She had spent approximately 20 years in sales. But she was bored. And eventually she realized something: A comfortable career is not necessarily a fulfilling life. In this episode of the Gold Coast Podcast, Eric Winegard sits down with Stephanie Bulgar, Owner/Operator of Gotcha Covered, for an honest conversation about starting over, building a business alone, old-school sales, faith, motherhood, and what entrepreneurship actually looks like when there is nobody else to pass the work to. Stephanie currently describes herself as a “one-woman show.” Sales appointments? Stephanie. Client follow-up? Stephanie. Ordering? Stephanie. Scheduling? Stephanie. Project management? Stephanie. Networking? Stephanie. Growing the company? Also Stephanie. Her business specializes in custom window treatments, drapery, shades, shutters, upholstery and other fabric-based design solutions, often working with interior designers, custom home builders and homeowners throughout Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Highland Beach. But the most interesting part of Stephanie’s business might be how she gets clients. She walks in. No complicated funnel. No perfectly crafted cold email. No hiding behind a screen. She introduces herself, puts a face to the name, and starts a conversation. Stephanie has been in sales for roughly two decades and believes face-to-face interaction still works because fewer people are willing to do it anymore. As she explains, not everyone is going to say yes. But for every person who does not want to talk, eventually someone will. Eric and Stephanie unpack why this old-school approach may actually stand out more in a world dominated by automated emails, AI outreach, and social media. They also discuss another side of entrepreneurship that does not get talked about enough: Loneliness. Stephanie spent years working in corporate environments before becoming a business owner. Now, without a large team around her, she describes the feeling of sometimes operating like an island—and why mentors, communities, and other entrepreneurs can become invaluable when you are trying to solve problems nobody prepared you for. The conversation also becomes personal. Stephanie shares that she raised her children as a single mother and at one point relied on assistance to help pay bills while she worked to build her career. Years later, she had achieved professional success. But she still wanted something different. Becoming a grandmother helped put time into perspective. Stephanie realized she was not going to be here forever, and she had to ask herself whether she was actually living the life she wanted. So she took the risk. And her philosophy became simple: What is the worst thing that happens? The business does not work. She gets another job. She figures it out. Because she had already figured out harder things before. Guest: Stephanie Bulgar Owner/Operator of Gotcha Covered Hosted By: Eric Winegard CEO of Rare Blue Moon Marketing Thank you all for listening in on today's episode of The Gold Coast Podcast!
