Imagine coming to work one morning and finding your business has burned to the ground, or that your partner has fired you – twice; or you have to choose between keeping your engagement ring or making payroll. What would you do? Would you risk it all, or play it safe?
Meet The Unshakeables—the new podcast from Chase for Business that features business clients and their make-or-break moments.
Co-hosted by Chase for Business CEO, Ben Walter, and Tanya Nebo, a lawyer and consultant with Nebo Law, The Unshakeables takes a deep dive into the entrepreneurial journeys of business owners—from mom-and-pop coffee shops to auto-detailing garages to an allergy-friendly snack provider born out of necessity and financed by an engagement ring.
“The common thread in all of these stories is resilience,” Walter said. “We’re sharing the stories of business owners who face that crisis point and tell the story of how they got through it. These aren’t big Wall Street firms or Silicon Valley companies with big venture capitalists behind them. We’re talking about regular people. They’re the people who sponsor the little league in your town that you see at the grocery store.”
A NEW COFFEE VENTURE—ROASTED AND UP IN SMOKE
Take for example, Doug and Jason Barrow, founders of Luna Gourmet Coffee & Tea. One morning at the office, an employee said the building smelled like a campfire. Within minutes, the building was gone, leaving nothing but a large pile of ash, smoldering coffee beans, and melted steel. Doug and Jason had a decision to make.
“We kind of looked at each other within 24 hours and said, “There’s really no choice but to rebuild and move on,” Doug Barrow said. “We’ve got to go forward. There’s no back.” So we quickly said, “We’re going to rebuild, and now we’ve got to figure out what that means.”
The Unshakeables tells the story of how they rebounded, securing fresh funding, finding unexpected allies, and building a dedicated support team that propelled them to greater heights.
FOOD ALLERGIES AND AN ENGAGEMENT RING
When Denise Woodard found out her daughter Vivi had severe food allergies, she knew she had to do something, so she began looking for food options that were nutritious and fun. But what she found at the grocery store was disappointing at best. She took matters into her own hands, which led her to make her own snacks for Vivi, laying the foundation for Partake Foods—a Black-owned, female-led company offering allergy-friendly foods. As her snacks started to gain traction, Denise realized she needed more capital—and fast—if she wanted Partake to succeed.
“I remember reading an article about the founder of Tatcha Beauty, and she talked about making the tough decision to sell her engagement ring,” Woodard said. “And I called my husband over, and I was like, “What do you think about this?” And oddly, I guess, he and I were both super supportive of it, and I sent him to the Diamond District in New York. He came home with several thousand dollars, and that continued to keep the business afloat.”
Listen to episode 5 to learn how Denise used that investment and most of her life savings to keep her business moving forward, until she secured long-term financing during a chance meeting in a trade show bathroom.
LOSING IT ALL—TWICE
Alex Vega always loved cars. It started with a $500 car in high school and led to a custom detailing and modification business. Until one day, a business partner revealed his true colors and unceremoniously dumped Alex back to square one. But that wasn’t the first time that had happened to Alex—and it wouldn’t be the last.
Ben and Tanya talk with Alex about his early struggles, the importance of staying true to your brand, the value of paperwork (especially when working with friends), and how finally finding a trusted advisor led to his greatest growth yet.
A GROWING NEED FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS STORIES
In just four short months since launching The Unshakeables, the podcast has ranked in the Top 25 on Apple Podcasts in the business category and has been downloaded more than 180,000 times.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned since starting The Unshakeables, it’s that there is no end to the number of interesting stories to be told about business owners,” Walter said. “Not only are they the backbone of our economy, they are also the inspiration for anyone working through challenges both in business and in life.”
New episodes launch bi-weekly through the end of the season on April 30. Tune in for invaluable business insights and inspirational stories by searching for The Unshakeables wherever you get your podcasts and on the iHeartRadio app.
The Unshakeables is brought to you by Chase for Business and Ruby Studio by iHeartMedia.
The speakers’ opinions belong to them and may differ from opinions of JPMorgan Chase & Co and its affiliates. Views presented on this podcast are those of the speakers.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
©2024 JPMorgan Chase & Co.