09/24/2026
Did you catch my podcast with Engel & Volkers?
Watch it: https://youtu.be/4MZRjjaGGpE
In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Nicole Torres-Cooke, founder of Schmooze Networking, TREC certified CE instructor, creator of VodkaGirlATX, and the force carrying on a family Final Expenses business Nicole the Funeral Planner, for a conversation that moves between social media, small business, and building a life that refuses to fit in one box. From the early days of social media back in 2008 to the number one ranked vodka blog on the planet, this episode unpacks how curiosity, hustle, and heart come together to shape a career entirely her own.
We dig into what Schmooze Networking looked like at the dawn of social media and how the work has changed, what she really means by teaching you to manage your social life so you can manage your business, and the most common mistake she sees agents and small business owners make online. She shares how teaching TREC agents became part of her world and the one platform she would tell them to prioritize, how VodkaGirlATX grew from a hobby into a global following, and the meaningful pivot of continuing her stepdad's Final Expenses business and how she opens the conversations most people avoid. We talk about what makes Austin networking different from anywhere else, the advice she gives the women she mentors, and yes, the signature drink order, the perfect Austin Saturday, and the three people she would seat at her dream dinner table.
Rooted in the perspective and global standard of Engel & Völkers, this conversation reflects the warmth, range, and real connection that define the next era of business and community across Austin and beyond. If you are building a brand, growing a business, or just love a good story about doing it your own way, this is the conversation you want in your ear!
🎙️ Powered by Engel & Völkers Austin/San Antonio
📺 https://youtu.be/4MZRjjaGGpE
🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you stream!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1756122919
In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Nic...
