The Unshakeables

Emergency room doctors Kevin Biese and Daniel Arteaga saw a familiar pattern: when older adults were taken into emergency departments, more often than not, they were left waiting. On stretchers, in hallways, or in overcrowded waiting rooms. For many, the longer they waited, the more agitated they got, often leaving in worse condition than when they arrived. So the doctors decided to take on this issue and change the way we treat geriatric patients across the country in the process.  

In this episode, Ben Walter and Kathleen Griffith talk with Kevin and Daniel about rethinking emergency care, pitching investors (after forgetting to ask for money), and building trust within one of the most complex systems in the U.S. They share lessons on going deep versus wide, integrating AI into a human-first model, and the power of co-founder dynamics when the mission is personal. These are The Unshakeables. 

For more on how technology is transforming healthcare, check out the newest episode of JPMorgan's Making Sense: “It’s not just innovation, it’s impact”: How AI is revolutionizing healthcare

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Imani Ellis has always believed community is a superpower. What began as a small gathering in her Harlem apartment grew into The Creative Collective NYC and CultureCon — one of the largest conferences celebrating creators of color. But behind the highlight reels and celebrity speakers, Imani’s journey has been defined by burnout, bold leaps and learning when to pause. 

In this episode, Ben and Kathleen sit down with Imani and explore what it takes to transform a passion project into a cultural movement. From balancing a demanding career at NBCUniversal with late-night CultureCon planning, to walking away from work at the height of burnout for a self-designed “creative residency” in Paris, Imani shares the realities of leadership, rest and why joy and community must stay at the center of her work.

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Samantha Snabes never set out to build a typical company. As co-founder of re:3D and a member of the Air Force National Guard, she launched an open-source 3D printing company that prioritizes access over exclusivity. But when back-to-back hurricanes hit both her team in Houston and her customers in Puerto Rico, it nearly brought the business to a halt. Then came COVID, and a vendor vanished without a trace.

In this episode, Ben Walter is joined by returning guest Ryan Pavel, CEO of the Warrior-Scholar Project, to talk with Samantha about building something bigger than profit, the messy realities of mission-driven entrepreneurship and the moment she hired an Uber driver to help her track down a missing supplier. Together, they unpack what it means to lead an open-source company through crisis, and why leadership sometimes requires breaking the rules. These are The Unshakeables.

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When Hurricane Katrina hit, Gary LeBlanc did what he knew best—he showed up to cook. But what he found on the ground was far from comforting. The food being served to survivors wasn't physically or spiritually nourishing. That moment sparked the idea for Mercy Chefs, a faith-based disaster relief organization committed to serving high-quality, home-cooked meals to people in crisis.

In this episode, Ben Walter and Kathleen Griffith sit down with Gary to hear how he built Mercy Chefs from the ground up, often with no money in the bank and no backup plan. They'll also discuss the true price of answering a calling, and what it takes to serve others when the storms just keep coming. These are The Unshakeables.

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What can we do to cultivate more resilience at work? Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business and host of The Unshakeables podcast, thinks about this question a lot. In today’s mini episode, Ben joins Maya to talk about the unique challenges faced by America’s small business owners—and the insights he shares can help anyone who wants to improve their well-being at work.

This episode was made in partnership with Chase for Business. Listen to Ben’s podcast, The Unshakeables, here. 

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After a sudden health crisis rocked his family, Patrick Hall made an unexpected move: he bought a flower shop. Elan Flowers wasn’t just a creative venture—it was a lifeline. For Patrick, becoming a small business owner was the only way he could guarantee healthcare, financial stability, and a sense of control in a moment that felt anything but secure. 

In this episode, Ben Walter is joined by Dr. Laurie Santos, Yale professor and host of “The Happiness Lab,” to talk about how stability, risk, and security shape our sense of wellbeing. They’re also joined by Dan Mendelson, CEO of Morgan Health, and Stacy Edgar, CEO and Co-Founder of Venteur, to explore the real-world challenges of accessing health insurance as a small business owner—and what it takes to navigate a system that often leaves entrepreneurs behind.

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Aadeel Akhtar always knew he wanted to help people, but instead of following the traditional path through medicine, he took a detour that led to something a little more electric: building a bionic hand. He started his company Psyonic to merge engineering with compassion and transform the prosthetics industry, but it didn’t come easily. Dead batteries, buggy code, and even a missing patient nearly cost him his shot. 

Join Ben Walter and Kathleen Griffith as they sit down with Aadeel to talk about walking away from med school, betting on a vision, and building a business that could change life for millions. These are The Unshakeables. 

To see the Ability Hand in action, check it out here. 

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When Benjamin Haugh was 19, he opened his business, All Nation Restoration—not because he wanted to, but because it was the only option he had. Born into challenging circumstances and overcoming adversity at a young age, Benjamin and All Nation Restoration have become a pillar of the Austin, TX community, helping people rebuild and pick up the pieces when disaster strikes. A terrible flood personally affected Benjamin, proving that even those in the restoration business aren’t immune to tragedy. However, when you spend your life helping others, they are there to support you when it’s needed most.
 
Join Ben Walter and special guest Dr. Laurie Santos, a Yale professor and host of the podcast The Happiness Lab, as they chat with Benjamin about his unlikely journey from Texas teen to CEO, how he put everything he had into the business, and the incredible resilience that fueled his remarkable path to success. These are The Unshakeables.

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Growing up in New York City's Chinatown, Cory Ng and his friends were entrepreneurial from an early age, selling items like T-shirts, ice cream, and bikes. For their next chapter, Cory’s group decided to open a restaurant called the Potluck Club. The paperwork, construction and approvals were overwhelming, even before a contractor ran off with $50,000 of Cory's money. Fortunately, his entrepreneurial drive, along with a little bit of luck, became his recipe for success. 

Join Ben and Jessica Young, Head of Product for Chase Payment Solutions, as they chat with Cory about running a company with his best friends, his own legacy of family-run small businesses, and his hopes for the future of Chinatown. Jessica even has her own special connection to Chinatown. These are The Unshakeables.

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