A Vision for the Future: DEZI Eyewear

Desi Perkins launched her YouTube and Instagram profiles to focus on makeup-and people LOVED it. And when she launched a line of sunglasses with a major sunglass brand, people ate that up, too. But when it came time to renegotiate the contract with that brand… that didn’t go as planned. She and her…

Stretched to Their Limits: Rock 'Em Socks

Rob Starkman’s sophomore year was not a typical college experience. He spent most days chugging energy drinks and sweating over fabric dyes in his dorm room. It had all started a few months before, when Rob took on a new role as student manager of the men’s basketball team and it all almost ended w…

Building From the Ground Up: NNG Capital Fund

The 2008 Global Financial Crisis was hard for almost everyone. Fuquan Bilal remembers it like it was yesterday. A real estate investor, among other things, he came home to the news of the crash and the sharp realization that he lost $2 million overnight. That could have been the end with advisors t…

It Started With an Allergy: Partake Foods

When Denise Woodard found out her daughter Vivi had severe food allergies, she went into super mom mode. She looked for food that was nutritious and fun but what she found at the store was disappointing at best. So she took to the kitchen and started making her own snacks for Vivi, laying the found…

Wired for Success: Doc Watts Electric

It can be tough to start a business. And if you’re a young family on the brink of the birth of your first child, it can be even tougher. Yet George and Margarita Rivera did it anyway. When George came home and told Margarita he quit his job to start his own electric company, she had apprehensions. …

Burning Both Ends of the Candle: Bonita Fierce Candles

Melissa Gallardo’s childhood smelled like dark-roast coffee and lavender Fabulosa. As an adult, she found it difficult to find fragrances that made her feel at home, so she took it into her own hands and taught herself to make candles. It was a fun hobby side hustle until a 5,400 candle order almos…

Losing Everything... Twice: The Auto Firm

 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 happened to Alex—and it…

Rebuilding After a Blaze: Luna Gourmet Coffee & Tea

In March 2020, while the entire world was shutting down, Doug and Jason Barrow, brothers and owners of Luna Gourmet Coffee & Tea, had other problems. One morning at the office, one of their employees said the building smelled like campfire. Now roasting coffee does get a little toasty—but never lik…

Introducing: The Unshakeables

These are The Unshakeables, daring small business owners facing crisis points and sharing the stories of how they got through it. Hosted by Ben Walter and Tanya Nebo, The Unshakeables is brought to you by Chase for Business and Ruby Studio by iHeartMedia.