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What does it take to grow a thrift store empire in a world obsessed with fast fashion? In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, we sit down with Steve Stark, founder of Thriftworld—an Omaha-based thrift chain now spanning eight locations—to uncover the real journey behind building a sustainable business that actually scales.

Steve doesn’t hold back. He dives into the 12-year grind of growth, the myths surrounding thrift stores, and how his team reinvented the thrifting experience to feel more like a treasure hunt than a discount bin. You'll hear how e-commerce reshaped their strategy, why culture and leadership became his secret weapon, and how COVID nearly wrecked everything—but didn’t.

Whether you’re a fan of entrepreneurship, marketing strategy, sustainability, or you just love a good business underdog story—this episode delivers. Unfiltered, real, and packed with hard-earned insight.

What You'll Learn:

• How Steve transitioned from a family biz into the thrift economy
• The operational differences between Thriftworld and Goodwill
• Why branding and experience matter—even in secondhand retail
• How to lead with empathy, define clear roles, and grow a resilient team
• The marketing strategies that turned Thriftworld into a regional brand
• What COVID taught him about business (hint: adapt or die)

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

Your brand isn’t just what you sell—it’s the stories you tell and the words you choose to tell them.

In this mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, Natalie Micale breaks down why brand messaging is more than just a tagline or mission statement. It’s your voice, your tone, your values, and the way you make people feel every time they interact with your business.

We cover how to move beyond bland, forgettable phrases like “reliable” and “trustworthy,” how a strong brand voice can literally get you inbound leads without asking, and why customers aren’t just buying your product—they’re buying your values.

If your brand voice is flat, generic, or nonexistent, this is your blueprint for fixing it.

💡 Takeaways:
• Messaging = stories + words + tone
• Your brand voice should make your audience feel something
• Values drive messaging—and customers buy values, not just products
• A clear, consistent voice gets attention and builds connection
• “Reliable” and “trustworthy” aren’t messages—they’re bare minimums

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale

📌 Keywords:
brand messaging, brand voice, marketing tips, branding strategy, brand positioning, storytelling in business, small business branding, Perch Merch, Oh Hello Agency

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

Nicole Biscuiti built Chesty from a DIY idea at a weightlifting competition into the first-ever patented sports bra with built-in collarbone protection — sold in 72 countries over a decade. Then, at the height of her brand’s success, she made the toughest call of her career: closing the business.

In this candid conversation, Nicole shares the real highs and lows of building a niche product, navigating manufacturing challenges, fundraising, and learning when protecting your mental health has to come first.

Whether you’re dreaming of bringing a product to market or figuring out if it’s time to pivot, this episode is packed with lessons you won’t find in business books.

💡 Takeaways:
• The surprising origin story of Chesty
• Why patents matter (and how to get one)
• Fundraising realities for product-based businesses
• What happens when your product lasts “too long”
• Recognizing burnout and making the hard call to close

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale
🔗 Guest: Nicole Biscuiti – Instagram: @butterandbiscuits

📌 Keywords:
entrepreneurship, product innovation, sports bra patent, mental health in business, manufacturing challenges, fundraising, business closure, Chesty sports bra, CrossFit apparel, resilience, Perch Merch, Oh Hello Agency

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

Think a marketing strategy is just an expensive fluff document? Natalie Micale is here to tell you why it’s the opposite — and why skipping it could be costing you money, time, and clarity.

In this 6-minute mini episode, we break down what a marketing strategy really is, how it forces you to prioritize where you spend your resources, and why it’s the anchor for every decision you make about your brand.

We cover how different industries prioritize different marketing channels (and why golf tournaments might be worth $50K for one business but not a dime for another), how to make sure your budget hits your actual audience, and the one tool founders actually want when it comes to tracking results.

If you’ve been running your business without a plan, this is your wake-up call.

💡 Takeaways:
• A marketing strategy is about prioritization, not perfection
• Your budget should align with where your audience actually is
• Industry-specific marketing works because it meets your clients in their space
• Tracking KPIs should be simple, clear, and consistent
• Without a strategy, you’re just guessing

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale

📌 Keywords:
marketing strategy, business growth, brand strategy, marketing ROI, small business marketing, KPI tracking, marketing tips, Perch Merch, Oh Hello Agency

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

Sarah Cano didn’t plan to start a roofing company—but when a hailstorm hit, she built Rooforia from the ground up.

In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, Sarah shares how she grew a multimillion-dollar business in one of the most male-dominated industries out there. From defining core values to building a team that actually believes in them, she walks through the wins, losses, and lessons that shaped Rooforia’s success.

We talk marketing, leadership, simplification, and why vulnerability might be your best business asset.

💡 Takeaways:

• Start where the opportunity is—even if it’s a hailstorm
• Core values = more than a poster on the wall
• Community involvement is your best referral engine
• Simplifying your services often increases profits
• Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s a leadership strategy

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale
Keywords: roofing, entrepreneurship, female founder, team building, business growth, marketing strategy, core values, Rooforia, resilience

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

In this mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, Natalie Micale breaks down what visual identity actually means—and why it's way more than just slapping a logo on a coffee mug and calling it a day.

She shares practical steps for solopreneurs building a brand on a budget, from building Pinterest boards to finding your freelance dream designer—and explains how fonts, colors, and layout actually influence customer perception (yes, even on that Instagram post you slapped together at midnight).

If your “brand” still looks like a default Canva template, this one’s for you.

💡 Takeaways:

• Visual identity is a system, not a single file
• You don’t need a massive budget to start looking pro
• Your merch, content, and design should feel cohesive
• Done > perfect—especially when you're just getting started
• Brand decisions should be data-informed, not vibe-driven

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale
Keywords: visual identity, branding, solopreneur, logo design, typography, brand consistency, color palette, budget-friendly branding

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

From selling newspapers as a kid to building snow removal empires and launching fireworks companies, Mike Ware has done the thing—many times over.

In this episode, Mike joins The Unscripted Climb to share the real lessons learned across a lifetime of business. We talk about sales that don’t feel slimy, marketing that actually works, and what happens when you refuse to retire (or slow down).

Whether you're on business #1 or #15, Mike’s story is a masterclass in grit, reinvention, and building relationships that last.

💡 Takeaways:

• Resilience > Resume
• Listening is your best sales move
• Good marketing doesn’t need to be expensive—just smart
• Evolve, adapt, and stay curious
• You don’t need to “retire” if you love what you’re building

📌 Keywords:
entrepreneurship, serial entrepreneur, sales strategies, snow removal, real estate, personal growth, marketing tactics, business resilience, relationship building

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

Your logo isn’t your brand. Your beliefs are.

In this mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, Chris and Natalie break down what branding actually is—and why most people are doing it wrong. From values to visuals, boldness to positioning, this is the gut-punch guide to building a brand that’s real, relatable, and actually memorable.

Whether you’re a solopreneur or leading a team, this is 10 minutes that will make you rethink your brand from the inside out.

💡 Takeaways:

• Everyone is a brand (whether you like it or not)
• A brand is a belief system in action
• Visuals are just the final layer—start deeper
• Boldness creates connection
• “Integrity” and “reliability” aren’t values—they’re expectations

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale

📌 Keywords:
branding, brand identity, marketing tips, personal brand, business strategy, brand values, customer connection, entrepreneurship, brand differentiation, visual identity

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

Before she built one of the most recognizable marketing agencies in the Midwest, Natalie Micale was flipping garage sale finds and negotiating like a tiny CEO-in-training. In this episode, Natalie shares her journey from journalism student to the founder of Oh Hello Agency—and all the missteps, mindset shifts, and marketing mayhem along the way.

From unpaid internships to investor fallout, she opens up about what it really takes to grow a business that isn’t just profitable—but personal.

This is a no-fluff look at brand-building, relationship-driven sales, and what happens when you actually stay focused.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• You don’t need to follow your degree to find your career
• Cold calls still work—if you know your story
• Branding without a belief system is just noise
• Failure isn’t final—it’s just expensive education
• Sales is about connection, not closing

🔗 Guest:
Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale

📌 Keywords:
entrepreneurship, branding, marketing agency, digital marketing, startup challenges, Oh Hello Agency, personal branding, business growth, storytelling, sales strategies, relationship-driven sales

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here

Send us a text

Mini Episode = Big Truths.
In this first mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, cohost Natalie Micale unpacks the real meaning of branding—and spoiler alert: it’s not just your logo.

Your brand is your belief system with a visual identity. It’s what you stand for, how you show up, and why people connect (or don’t). This bite-sized episode hits the heart of what makes branding work—and why most brands miss the mark by playing it safe.

Whether you're building a personal brand or trying to scale your business, this is the wake-up call your marketing strategy probably needs.

🔥 Takeaways:

• A brand is your belief system, not just a visual
• Playing it safe is playing to be forgotten
• Authentic brands attract aligned customers
• Core values should mean something (sorry, “integrity” doesn’t count)
• If your branding doesn’t take a stance, it’s just noise

🛠️ Need help building a brand that actually connects?

• Oh Hello Agency – Smart strategy. Killer design.
• Perch Merch – Merch that tells your brand story (without looking like a company picnic giveaway)

🎙️ Hosted by Chris Beecham & Natalie Micale

🎯 Keywords:
branding, brand identity, marketing tips, personal brand, business growth, brand values, differentiation, customer connection, brand strategy, visual identity

💥 Want a free merch or brand audit? Just ask. No pressure, just people helping people.
👉 Perch-Merch.com
👉 OhHelloAgency.co

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Chris Beecham on LinkedIn
• Natalie Micale on LinkedIn

Check out our podcast website here