Episodios

  • Shermin Lakha on Branding, Business Law & Bold Pivots
    Nov 13 2025

    Send us a text

    Shermin Lakha isn’t your average attorney—and she doesn’t run average businesses.

    In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, she shares how she grew Level Up Legal and Tiger Tiger Creative Agency without a single paid ad. Instead, she relied on creativity, community, and content.

    From building an all-female law firm focused on IP and startup law, to helping brands and creators close deals through shoppable content, Shamim’s journey is packed with tactical takeaways for entrepreneurs ready to pivot, lead, and grow.

    If you’re tired of playing small—this one’s for you.

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    25 m
  • Bonnie Blackman on Reinventing Yourself After Failure
    Oct 30 2025

    Send us a text

    In this episode, Bonnie Blackman opens up about what happens after the world knocks you down—and how you build something even better. After losing her teaching job, Bonnie transitioned from educator to entrepreneur, creating a publishing business grounded in empathy, passion, and purpose.

    She talks candidly about what it means to fail, how to find your voice again, and why joy isn’t optional—it’s your job to create it.

    Takeaways:

    Failure is part of the path—use it.

    Relationships matter more than résumés.

    Passion-led businesses don’t burn you out.

    Own your happy. It’s not someone else’s job.

    If you're looking for a reason to keep going, this is it.

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    39 m
  • Daine Patton: From Pest Control to Building a Wildlife Business
    Oct 16 2025

    Send us a text

    In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, Christopher Beecham and Natalie Micale sit down with Daine Patton, the founder of Bats to Rats, to talk about his wild ride from pest control rookie to wildlife management CEO—and the 100-pound transformation that changed his life.

    Daine opens up about becoming a dad at 19, navigating marriage and business, and how COVID ironically became one of his biggest growth opportunities. From hiring challenges to personal health battles, this episode is full of straight-up entrepreneurial truth and transformation.

    Whether you're scaling a service business, managing chaos at home, or trying to shed the weight (literal or metaphorical), this one hits hard.

    🔥 What You’ll Learn:

    • How Daine went from pest control to owning a wildlife removal business
    • Why COVID-19 helped his business explode
    • The leadership challenges of hiring (and firing) friends
    • How he lost over 100 lbs and kept it off
    • The connection between discipline in fitness and business growth
    • Why starting small in personal development works
    • What it takes to lead a team when everything is on the line

    📌 Chapters (YouTube):

    00:00 – Navigating Personal and Professional Life
    08:28 – The Journey of Entrepreneurship
    17:22 – Building a Team and Overcoming Challenges
    26:45 – Health, Wellness, and Family Priorities
    27:53 – The Turning Point: A Father's Reflection
    32:20 – Commitment to Change: The Journey Begins
    35:46 – Transforming Body and Mind: The Power of Weight Training
    42:09 – Beyond Fitness: Personal Development and Business Growth
    49:26 – Sharing the Journey: Leadership and Community Impact

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    54 m
  • Greg Harris on Building Quantum Workplace
    Oct 12 2025

    Send us a text

    In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, hosts Christopher Beecham and Natalie Micale sit down with Greg Harris, the founder and CEO of Quantum Workplace, to unpack the 23-year journey from startup struggles to building one of the most respected names in employee engagement.

    Greg gets real about the early days of selling raw data, the emotional decision to pivot the business model, and how resilience kept him going through the chaos. He also shares his thoughts on how AI is reshaping the future of work—and why he's optimistic about it.

    If you're navigating your own entrepreneurial curveballs or wondering how to stay ahead of innovation without losing your soul, this one’s for you.

    🔥 What You’ll Learn:

    • How Quantum Workplace evolved from a data product into a full-scale software company
    • The real story behind walking away from the original business model
    • What it took to educate the market on employee engagement
    • Why Greg sees AI as a superpower, not a threat
    • The biggest misconceptions about leadership and scaling
    • Why comparing yourself to competitors is a distraction
    • How to build a profitable business without losing your curiosity

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    46 m
  • Nathan Karaway- The Unfiltered Rise of Premier Brick
    Oct 9 2025

    Send us a text

    In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, Chris Beecham and Natalie Micale sit down with Nate Karaway, founder of Premier Brick, to talk about how a career built in corporate turned into a mission to build with literal grit.

    Nate shares his unfiltered entrepreneurial journey—from sports to the brick industry, from desk job to design consultancy. He breaks down how Premier Brick is more than just a materials supplier—it's a purpose-driven business focused on education, community impact, and passionate leadership.

    Expect stories about:

    • Jumping from the comfort of corporate life into the fire of entrepreneurship
    • Using brick to rebuild communities after disaster
    • Building a team that actually wants to be there
    • And yes, what it means to “eat the frog” (figuratively speaking—we hope)

    This episode is packed with tactical takeaways and real talk for anyone scaling a business, chasing a vision, or just trying to survive the next client meeting.

    📌 YouTube Chapters

    00:00 - Introduction to the Unscripted Climb Podcast
    01:56 - Nate Karaway's Entrepreneurial Journey
    08:05 - The Birth of Premier Brick
    11:56 - Navigating the Transition from Corporate to Entrepreneurship
    18:55 - The Impact of Brick on Lives and Communities
    24:05 - Building a Passionate Team
    30:04 - Scaling a Design Consultancy
    35:48 - Overcoming Challenges in Business Growth
    39:59 - Vision for the Future of Premier Brick

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    43 m
  • Sustainable Furniture & Female Grit: Susan Pilato’s Bold Climb with Mantra
    Oct 2 2025

    Send us a text

    Susan Pilato didn’t just build a furniture brand — she’s reshaping what sustainability and leadership look like in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

    In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, Christopher Beecham and Natalie Micale sit down with the founder and CEO of Mantra to unpack her journey from interior designer to furniture entrepreneur. Fresh off Neocon (the Super Bowl of the furniture world), Susan shares what it really takes to build a sustainable brand, lead with purpose, and stand tall as a woman in business.

    🎯 You’ll learn:

    • Why Neocon is a game-changer for the design world
    • How Susan navigated entrepreneurship as a creative woman in a capital-driven world
    • The misunderstood truth about real sustainability in furniture
    • How to build a brand that lasts (without selling your soul)
    • The importance of allowing creativity to breathe inside your team
    • What the future of Mantra looks like—and why she’s not slowing down

    If you’re into smart business strategy, sustainability with bite, and underdog stories with sharp edges… this one’s for you.

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    34 m
  • Ep 9 Surf Shops, Apparel, and Entrepreneur Grit with Steven Vitale
    Sep 25 2025

    Send us a text

    Steven Vitale doesn’t just run a surf boutique and an apparel brand—he’s building two movements. In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, hosts Christopher Beecham and Natalie Micale sit down with the founder of Cape Maid and Lifting Culture Apparel to unpack the reality of running multiple businesses, staying creative, and managing debt while still finding joy in the grind.

    Whether you're scaling a retail brand or just trying to pay off startup credit cards, this episode will hit home.

    Steven dives into:

    • Building an online presence that actually converts
    • Cross-promoting between two brands
    • How DJing and music fuel his business creativity
    • Market research and choosing the right brick-and-mortar location
    • The not-so-glamorous side of entrepreneurship (spoiler: debt)
    • Email marketing and customer loyalty strategies
    • Why resilience and finding joy matter more than perfection

    This isn’t just a highlight reel. It's the messy, motivating, brutally honest story of what it really takes to build something meaningful.

    🧠 Keywords:

    entrepreneurship, Steven Vitale, Cape Maid, Lifting Culture Apparel, small business, creativity in business, apparel brand, surf boutique, debt management, brick-and-mortar success, e-commerce strategy, market research, cross promotion, customer engagement, online presence, business growth, startup struggle, retail branding, email marketing, resilience, The Unscripted Climb podcast

    ⏱️ Chapters (YouTube):

    00:00 – Entrepreneurial Journey and Cape Maid Overview 02:35 – The Brick and Mortar Experience 04:53 – Lifting Culture Apparel: A Decade of Learning 07:45 – Building a Culture in Business 10:29 – The Role of AI in Entrepreneurship 13:04 – Creativity and DJing as an Entrepreneurial Outlet 15:59 – Future Aspirations in Music and Business 18:35 – Comparing Business Models: Cape Maid vs. Lifting Culture 21:34 – Seasonality and Location Strategy for Cape Maid 25:03 – Understanding Sales Trends and Market Dynamics 27:33 – The Evolution of Lifting Culture and Event Marketing 30:45 – The Importance of Email Marketing and Customer Engagement 32:29 – Cross-Promotion Strategies for Business Growth 35:06 – Navigating Challenges and Making Tough Choices 38:43 – Balancing Debt and Entrepreneurship 44:05 – Embracing Change and Exploring New Opportunities

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    47 m
  • Ep 8 Jess Loseke- From Bourbon Barrels to Business Boss – The Midwest Barrel Story
    Sep 18 2025

    Send us a text

    What happens when your husband's hobby turns into a full-blown business empire? Meet Jess Loseke, CEO of Midwest Barrel Company, who took a leap into the bourbon barrel industry and never looked back.

    In this episode, Jess gets real about the gritty side of entrepreneurship—from navigating cash flow chaos in an inventory-heavy business to working shoulder-to-shoulder with her spouse (and staying married through it). We talk leadership, scaling, e-commerce, and why relocating to Kentucky was the bold move that changed everything.

    If you’re building a business from scratch, wrestling with growth, or just curious about how to turn a niche idea into a powerhouse brand, this episode is your shot of straight bourbon wisdom—no chaser.

    🔥 Key Topics:

    • Entrepreneurship without a safety net
    • Cash flow management in inventory-based businesses
    • E-commerce and email marketing strategies
    • Leadership dynamics with your spouse
    • Risk-taking and relocating for growth
    • Building culture while scaling
    • Expanding into international markets
    • Sustainability and future plans

    🔑 SEO Keywords:
    Midwest Barrel Company, bourbon industry, e-commerce, entrepreneurship, business scaling, leadership, cash flow challenges, partnerships, business growth, Kentucky bourbon barrels, sustainability in business, working with your spouse

    💬 Sound Bites:

    • “Working with your spouse is not for everyone.”
    • “I want to quit sometimes, but I don’t.”
    • “It was a calculated risk—but the right one.”

    📌 Chapters:
    00:00 – Podcasting Adventures and Networking
    00:44 – The Journey of Midwest Barrel Company
    08:23 – Overcoming Personal Challenges
    17:20 – Navigating Business Decisions and Partnerships
    22:43 – Cash Flow Management and Economic Challenges
    26:55 – Transitioning to a New Facility
    29:14 – Navigating Leadership Dynamics
    34:36 – Scaling Strategies and Market Expansion
    40:41 – Overcoming Entrepreneurial Challenges
    46:13 – Taking Risks and Future Vision

    💥 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

    Más Menos
    55 m