Nubia Perez had a plan for her life — marry abroad, raise trilingual kids and build something global. But when her father fell ill, Gretna Machine Shop needed her more than her plans did. The family business was suddenly without direction, and Nubia stepped in to put out fires. But the business didn’t need a firefighter — it needed a leader. For a decade, both Nubia and the company muddled through what she calls the "dark ages," until one day, a children's movie gave her the answer she'd been looking for. 

Join Ben Walter and Kathleen Griffith as they talk to Nubia about stepping up unexpectedly, building an oil and gas business in Houston (it’s a good place for it!), and why flat leadership doesn’t mean leaderless. These are The Unshakeables.

Nubia Perez had a plan for her life &mdash; marry abroad, raise trilingual kids and build something global. But when her father fell ill, Gretna Machine Shop needed her more than her plans did. The family business was suddenly without direction, and Nubia stepped in to put out fires. But the business didn&rsquo;t need a firefighter &mdash; it needed a leader. For a decade, both Nubia and the company muddled through what she calls the "dark ages," until one day, a children's movie gave her the answer she'd been looking for.&nbsp;
Join Ben Walter and Kathleen Griffith as they talk to Nubia about stepping up unexpectedly, building an oil and gas business in Houston (it&rsquo;s a good place for it!), and why flat leadership doesn&rsquo;t mean leaderless. These are The Unshakeables.

The Unshakeables podcast dives into inspiring stories from real small business owners across America who power their communities every day. Join Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business, and co-host Kathleen Griffith as they hear from guests who share their make-or-break moments that changed everything. Produced in collaboration with iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio, The Unshakeables has won multiple awards, including Gold at the 2025 Signal Awards. The speakers’ opinions belong to them and may differ from opinions of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates. Views presented on this podcast are those of the speakers; they are as of the podcast release date and they may not materialize. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. ©2026 JPMorgan Chase & Co.

The Unshakeables podcast dives into inspiring stories from real small business owners across America who power their communities every day. Join Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business, and co-host Kathleen Griffith as they hear from guests who share their make-or-break moments that changed everything. Produced in collaboration with iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio, The Unshakeables has won multiple awards, including Gold at the 2025 Signal Awards. The speakers&rsquo; opinions belong to them and may differ from opinions of J.P. Morgan Chase &amp; Co. and its affiliates. Views presented on this podcast are those of the speakers; they are as of the podcast release date and they may not materialize. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. &copy;2026 JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co.

The Unshakeables

Who’s Running the Shop?: Gretna Machine Shop

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