Behind the Bar with Ashley and Hailee

On this all-new episode of Behind the Bar, Sapphic Con founder Tiffany Watts shares a drink at the bar with Ashley and Hailee and provides an inside look at this exciting conference/festival for sapphic creatives that’s coming to KC in September 2026! Tiffany is a writer for both the Kansas City Defender and Kansas City’s The Pitch, and a local LGBTQ+ community builder. She played a major role in...

Behind the Bar is thrilled to have local business owner and fellow podcaster, Kinzie Elizabeth, on this all-new episode! Kinzie is a professional photographer based in Kansas City, but this is not a conversation about shooting weddings and family photos. Not even close! Kinzie has built her business around boudoir photography for queer and plus-sized people. A photographic experience that for many...

BTB is joined by our youngest guest to date, Komal Kaur, on an all-new episode of Behind the Bar! Don’t let Komal’s youthful age fool you – she’s done some amazing work in her first two decades. Komal is the founder of the Kansas City organization, Eye of an Immigrant, a non-profit dedicated to providing both financial assistance and community support for families working through the immigration p...

Amante Domingo, the force behind The Russell, Noka, and Le Champion, joins Ashley and Hailee on this episode of Behind the Bar. KC foodies, this episode is a must-see. Listen in as Amante shares how his Hollywood art director mother and childhood on a farm led him on a creative journey stretching from sushi chef, to fashion photographer, to chef/owner of three of KC’s finest eateries. Follow Amant...

We are thrilled to have the one-and-only Elaina Paige Thomas on set with us for the newest episode of Behind the Bar! Elaina Paige is an absolutely tireless powerhouse of an entrepreneur. From her early career as a professional dancer (including dancing on stage with Queen B, Beyoncé!), to founding Kansas City’s very first Black-owned talent agency, the Next Paige Agency, she has truly made a mark...

Kansas City foodies don’t want to miss this episode of Behind the Bar! Erica Schulte joins BTB and discusses her journey in launching her own beverage marketing agency, Rose Productions, and gives a sneak peek into an incredible women’s event curated by her company – Muse: A Soirée Celebrating Women in Food, Drink, and the Arts! On Saturday, March 8, 2026, Muse guests will have the opportunity to...

The OG Cougar (AKA Den Motha) of the KC Cougar Club, Jessica Rogers, is here for the first episode of Behind the Bar 2026! Cougar Club, for those who may be unfamiliar, is KC’s hottest age-inclusive dance party for “She’s, Gay’s, and They’s.” Jessica, feeling especially disconnected from her community in the days following our last presidential election, sought to invest her energy in something po...

It has been a standout year for Behind the Bar, filled with deep dives and laugh-out-loud moments. Ashley and Hailee have sat down with some of Kansas City’s most inspiring changemakers, the forces of good who are making our community better every day. While Ashley and Hailee reflect on 2025 and what’s to come in 2026, Behind the Bar’s last guest of the year stops by with some boozy gifts – Andy D...

Local craft beer lovers (or casual post-ski day beer enthusiasts like Hailee), rejoice! We are joined by none other than Casual Animal co-founder Lara Gray on this episode of Behind the Bar! Founder and owners Lara and husband Kyle Gray started Casual Animal Brewing in Kansas City’s Crossroads district in 2017-18 in a space across from the former  Kansas City Star  building. The business has thriv...

BTB has had this fast-moving guest on the short list for a long time running! As you probably know, both Ashley and Hailee are runners – so catching up with Isaiah Jackson, co-founder of Run It BlaKC Social Club, may have taken some time, but making it to the finish line and a chance to cool down on the show with Isaiah was inevitable! Isaiah and girlfriend, Jai, both saw the rise of run clubs aro...

Is it possible, Taylor Swift in the BTB studio?! On this episode, BTB is over the moon to be joined by Kansas City’s top Taylor Swift impersonator and all-around amazing Showgirl, Lana Luxx! Beyond her spot-on T-Swift impression, Lana is a true showgirl with an incredible backstory. From being the first trans woman to be named Homecoming Queen in the state of Missouri to winning first runner-up at...

Holly Post is in the studio for an all-new episode of Behind the Bar! Owner and founder of Hollyday Med Spa + Aesthetics, Holly Post, is a 20-year entrepreneur with a powerful story. She takes us back to the first days of Hollyday, how it’s grown, and where it’s next headed. Holly’s approach to aesthetics sets her practice apart from all others, encompassing the individual’s interior, exterior, an...

The countdown is on for Kansas City’s first women’s sports bar, and the dream team behind the creation of “The Dub” joins this episode of Behind the Bar to talk about the making of KC’s first bar dedicated to women’s sports! Monica Brady and Rachel Glenn join the Behind the Bar set and share behind-the-scenes insight on what it’s like to not only open their own bar, but one dedicated to women’s sp...

Thrilled to be joined by the fabulous Josue Montes, or as you may know him on Instagram, 1DapperLatino, on a fresh Season 3 episode of Behind the Bar! Josue was an incredible guest. We sat down to talk about the highs and lows, both professional and personal. From Josue’s love of fashion and newest entrepreneurial venture (Hint: It’s oh-so-drinkable, and a fabulous complement to any bar, including...

We had the honor of having Alejandra (Alex) Villalobos-McAnderson in the studio for this episode of Behind the Bar! Alejandra is a Medicine Woman, Water Carrier, and Energy Medicine Master Teacher. In this season of life, she’s focusing on pouring into herself, living authentically, and spoiler alert: rediscovering her passion for dance in a way that’s leading to something exciting! Beyond her wor...

On this episode of Behind the Bar, we are joined by the incredible Alaia Martin in our brand-new studio! Alaia kicked off her career as a financial systems analyst at Citigroup and eventually launched her own financial literacy company. Now, her journey is taking her in a whole new direction with “The Sacred Undoing.” We dive deep together on that pivotal moment all women feel when the life you’ve...

This exciting new episode of Behind the Bar might be especially appealing to all soccer fans! BTB is joined by the incredible Courtney Kounkel, owner and founder of Monarch Build, builder of the sparkling-new CPKC Stadium, the official home of the Kansas City Current! Anyone who has visited the stadium knows the fan experience at the venue is next level. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at how...

Krishna Lee joins us on this episode of Behind the Bar! For those who don’t know, Krishna is the General Manager of the KC Glory, Kansas City’s premier women’s tackle football team. Watch the full episode to learn about growing up with a dad who played professional football to playing on the U.S. Women’s Tackle National Team!   Stay up-to-date on the KC Glory!  Website: https://www.kansascityglory...

On this episode of Behind the Bar, Jenn Garry of Sitzmark Sports sits down with us to share the story of her grandmother, the founder of Sitzmark. Jenn’s grandmother opened Sitzmark during a time in America when women-owned businesses were definitely few and far between. Now, nearly 50 years later, Sitzmark remains KC’s premier ski and sporting store!   Follow us on social and stay tuned for more...

In this episode, Behind the Bar is honored to spend time with the Kansas Democratic Party’s first Afro-Latina chairperson, Jeanna Repass! It’s no secret that the current state of our nation’s political landscape has Dems and Reps pitted against each other like never before. Jeanna brings BTB a fresh take on how the two are more alike than we think and how her upbringing with a Vietnam veteran fath...

Super excited to have Lance Pierce with us on this end-of-year edition of Behind the Bar! Lance is the founder of Queer Bar Takeover in Kansas City and is moments away from opening Kansas City’s newest LGBTQ+ bar – Q Kansas City in Westport! Lance shares many behind-the-scenes updates on Q Kansas City and even provides an instructional fan “thwop” lesson!    For updates on Q Kansas City: Website: ...

Behind the Bar with Ashley and Hailee is back! We are thrilled to be joined on this new episode post-summer break by one of our new friends – Patrice Brown! Patrice, a dedicated activist and skilled attorney in Kansas City, sat down behind the bar with us to dive deep into a heavy topic on all of our minds right now – the 2024 Presidential Election. Together, we talk about the emotions, critical i...

We are honored to have the legendary Dirty Dorothy, AKA Jessica Dressler, with us for our Pride Month episode! BTB dives deep into how the LGBTQ+ world has evolved since we were young and why showing up as the fullest expression of yourself is so important – especially during Pride Month. Jessica also shares exciting news about her upcoming movie debut, a heartfelt faux-documentary about a small t...

On the Couch is a chance to get to know Ashley, Hailee, and their close friends and family in a relaxed, authentic, and organic setting!

We are so excited to be joined by Merrique Jenson on this episode of Behind the Bar! If you haven’t met Merrique, she is a documentary filmmaker, DJ, artist, and trans activist here in Kansas City. Merrique is the founder and executive director of Transformations KC, a non-profit organization supporting trans communities of color and trans youth in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas. We go deep into t...