When Don Hejny toured with big country artists, he had a sweaty problem: his glasses would not stay put on his nose. Annoyed at constantly having to adjust them, he took matters into his own hands. He found inspiration from a childhood tool - surf wax - and after three years of tinkering, NerdWax was born. He took his idea to Kickstarter, then to Shark Tank, then finally to Instagram, when he nearly lost all of his sales to an iOS Update.

Join Ben and Kathleen Griffith as they chat with Don about finding inspiration everywhere, how he was his own best product tester, and how he leveraged his appearance on Shark Tank even though he didn’t take the deal. These are The Unshakeables.

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Kilee Nickels never set out to be a CEO, but when her first pair of custom-made earrings became a huge hit, she knew she had to turn her passion into a business. From that moment, Nickel & Suede was born. But the journey hasn’t been without challenges — early on, Kilee faced everything from growing pains to a near $20K scam that could’ve ended everything. On today’s episode, Ben is joined in the co-host seat by Eunique Jones Gibson, founder of Because Of Them We Can and Culture Brands. Together, they sit down with Kilee to dive into the realities of scaling Nickel and Suede, exploring the power of vision, authentic leadership and staying true to your brand’s core values while growing.

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In a previous episode of The Unshakeables, Ben spoke with Kilee Nickels of Nickel & Suede about a near $20,000 scam. In this bonus episode, Ben continues his conversation with Darius Kingsley, head of banking practices at JP Morgan Chase, to discuss the growing threats of fraud targeting businesses. Darius shares insights on evolving scam tactics and offers practical advice on how businesses can stay vigilant and protected.

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Tim Harford is joined by Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business and the host of "The Unshakeables" podcast, to explore the story of the trailblazing Widow Clicquot. Her namesake brand Veuve Clicquot revolutionized the champagne industry in the 19th century. Tim and Ben look at how she defied expectations and built one of the most iconic businesses in history. 

This episode is sponsored by Chase for Business. For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com. 

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A few years ago, Zahra Hargens-Illiff discovered batteries light her up. She built her own battery prototype in her garage and hit the VC circuit. But after a series of disappointing rejections, she took matters into her own hands and bootstrapped her first few products. A decision that took a lot of courage but one that is paying off. Join Ben Walter and Kathleen Griffith as they chat with Zahra about a clean energy future. Discover what it takes to actually build a battery prototype and hear about the grant that almost launched her company (but ended up costing her $17,000). Zahra also has one of the best entrepreneurial coping mechanisms Ben has ever heard. These are The Unshakeables. 

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George Esquivel started making shoes for himself and some friends, up-and-coming musicians in Southern California. Soon, Hollywood came calling. And it wasn’t just celebrities who took notice. A film financier did, too. He said he wanted to invest in the company, but George soon realized his intentions weren’t what they seemed.

Join Ben and special guest host Kathleen Griffith as they speak to George about the rise of Esquivel Designs. Hear what a meeting with Anna Wintour is really like, and what happens when you’re betrayed by someone inside your company. These are The Unshakeables.

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The Unshakeables is back for Season 2 — and it’s kicking off with an episode you absolutely won’t want to miss. Listen in as Ben Walter sits with a very special guest: chairman and CEO of JPMorganChase, Jamie Dimon. One of the world’s most respected financial thought leaders, Jamie will connect the dots between the current challenges facing small business owners and the broader financial landscape. And, of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of The Unshakeables if Jamie didn’t share some of the pivotal moments that he overcame to forge ahead in his own career. 

This season Ben will also be joined by some new co-hosts, all of whom are making waves in business and culture in their own right. In this first episode, you'll hear from Kathleen Griffith, founder of Grayce & Co. and author of Build Like a Woman. 

The Unshakeables is brought to you by Chase for Business and Ruby Studio by iHeartMedia. 

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Welcome to The Unshakeables, Season 2, featuring new interviews with small business owners who share their make-or-break moments and the resilience it took to persevere. Join CEO of Chase for Business and host Ben Walter, along with a special lineup of co-hosts, as they pull back the curtain with entrepreneurs who tell their unfiltered and inspiring stories. The Unshakeables is brought to you by Chase for Business and Ruby Studio by iHeartMedia

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The idea for Fresh Bloom Bins struck Tia Johnson like lightning on a hot summer day. After struggling with a dirty trash can and a teenager reluctant to clean it, Tia was inspired to start her own trash can cleaning business. She hit the ground running, quickly landing a government pilot program.

In this episode, as we continue to celebrate business across the country, Ben heads to Ohio to talk with Tia Johnson of Fresh Bloom Bins and Desmond Bryant from the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. They discuss how to navigate government contracts, clean up sticky situations, and keep your business growing through it all. The Unshakeables is brought to you by Chase for Business and Ruby Studio by iHeartMedia

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Quanetta “Q” McNeal loves two things: people and logistics. When she had the chance to combine these interests and launch her own company with her employer's support, she jumped in feet first. But starting her logistics business came with surprises no one could anticipate, like packages mysteriously disappearing, traffic jams stretching for miles and delivery trucks veering off course and crashing into trees. 

Join Ben as he chats with Quanetta, founder of Haus of Logistics, about her journey from small business coach to entrepreneur. With 35 trucks on the road, she knows firsthand that each vehicle presents a unique opportunity for things to go awry. Ben is also joined by Dr. Gia Wiggins, founder of Auditocity, to explore human resource issues that small business owners must face to ensure their success. These are The Unshakeables. 

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