The Unscripted Climb
Welcome to The Unscripted Climb. This is the podcast where business gets real and the filters get left at the door.
Hosted by Chris Beecham, a no-fluff entrepreneur who’s sold plasma to keep the lights on, and Natalie Micale, a branding expert who’s built more than her fair share of empires from scratch. We’re here to talk about what actually happens behind the highlight reels.
This isn’t your manifest your best life show. This is for the founders, leaders, and business owners who’ve white-knuckled their way through growth, failure, reinvention, and maybe a public meltdown or two.
Why Listen?
Because behind every shiny brand is a messy middle.
We ask the questions most podcasts won’t
- What was your biggest screw-up
- How close were you to quitting
- And what kept you from walking away
What You’ll Hear:
• Wild origin stories
• Marketing disasters and comebacks
• Real-talk sales advice
• Team dynamics that don’t make it into LinkedIn posts
• And the kind of lessons you only learn after failing hard
Our Vibe?
Dry humor. Sharp insights. Candid convos with zero corporate gloss.
If you're tired of recycled advice and ready for the honest version of entrepreneurship, you're in the right place.
Subscribe and join the climb. Awkward stumbles and all.
Episodes
23 episodes
Neil Galas- Real Estate Investor
In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, Neil Galas breaks down one of the most common (and expensive) mistakes young adults make: committing to college without first exploring real-world work and career options. Nei...
Mike Smith: From Skateparks to Global Impact
Mike Smith joins The Unscripted Climb to share how he went from sleeping under bridges and building skateparks in malls… to becoming a nationally recognized youth speaker, nonprofit founder, and full-time dad.In this episode, Mike...
Shermin Lakha on Branding, Business Law & Bold Pivots
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...
Bonnie Blackman on Reinventing Yourself After Failure
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 busine...
Daine Patton: From Pest Control to Building a Wildlife Business
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 ...
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Greg Harris on Building Quantum Workplace
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 o...
Nathan Karaway- The Unfiltered Rise of Premier Brick
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 gri...
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Sustainable Furniture & Female Grit: Susan Pilato’s Bold Climb with Mantra
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 Beec...
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Ep 9 Surf Shops, Apparel, and Entrepreneur Grit with Steven Vitale
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
Ep 8 Jess Loseke- From Bourbon Barrels to Business Boss – The Midwest Barrel Story
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,...
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Ep 7 Eric Prellwitz- PrellWitz Exteriors
In this raw and real episode of The Unscripted Climb, we interview Eric Prellwitz, owner of Prellwitz Exteriors, on what it really takes to grow a business in today’s world. From battling seasonal slowdowns to bu...
Ep 6.5 – How to Update Your Social Media (and Why It Matters) – Mini Marketing Series
If your LinkedIn still looks like it did when you graduated college—or worse, when you first signed up—it’s killing your credibility.In this quick-hit mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, Natalie Micale shares why keepin...
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Ep 6- Steven Stark- How Thriftworld Built 8 Stores Without Selling Out
What does it take to grow a thrift store empire in a world obsessed with fast fashion? In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, we sit down with Steve Stark, founder of Thriftworld—an Omaha-based thrift chain now s...
Ep 5.5 – Why Your Messaging Matters (Mini Marketing Series)
Your brand isn’t just what you sell—it’s the stories you tell and the words you choose to tell them.In this mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, Natalie Micale breaks down why brand messaging is more than just a tagline ...
Ep 5 – Nicole Biscuiti: Inventing a Patented Sports Bra and Knowing When to Walk Away
Nicole Biscuiti built Chesty from a DIY idea at a weightlifting competition into the first-ever patented sports bra with built-in collarbone protection — sold in 72 countries over a decade. Then, at the height of her brand’s success, s...
Ep 4.5 – Why You Actually Need a Marketing Strategy (Mini Marketing Series)
Think a marketing strategy is just an expensive fluff document? Natalie Micale is here to tell you why it’s the opposite — and why skipping it could be costing you money, time, and clarity.In this 6-minute mini episode, we break down wha...
Ep 4 – Sarah Cano: From Hailstorm Hustle to Roofing Powerhouse
Sarah Cano didn’t plan to start a roofing company—but when a hailstorm hit, she built Rooforia from the ground up.In this episode of The Unscripted Climb, Sarah shares how she grew a multimillion-dollar business in one of the mo...
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Ep 3.5 – What Makes a Brand Look Like a Brand? (Mini Episode)
In this mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, Natalie Micale breaks down what visual identity actually means—and why it's way more than just slapping a logo on a coffee mug and calling it a day.She shares practical step...
Ep 3 – Mike Ware: Serial Entrepreneur, Snow Removal King & Sales Strategist
From selling newspapers as a kid to building snow removal empires and launching fireworks companies, Mike Ware has done the thing—many times over.In this episode, Mike joins The Unscripted Climb to share the real lesson...
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Ep 2.5 – The Essence of Branding (Mini Marketing Series)
Your logo isn’t your brand. Your beliefs are.In this mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, Chris and Natalie break down what branding actually is—and why most people are doing it wrong. From values to visuals, boldness ...
Ep 2 – Natalie Micale: How She Built a 6-Figure Marketing Agency from Scratch
Before she built one of the most recognizable marketing agencies in the Midwest, Natalie Micale was flipping garage sale finds and negotiating like a tiny CEO-in-training. In this episode, Natalie shares her journey from journalism student to t...
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🎧 Ep 1.5 – What Is a Brand? (Mini Marketing Series)
Mini Episode = Big Truths. In this first mini episode of The Unscripted Climb, cohost Natalie Micale unpacks the real meaning of branding—and spoiler alert: it’s not just your logo.Your brand is your belief sys...
Ep 1 – Chris Beecham: From Selling Plasma to Selling Merch
🎙️ Episode 1: How Losing Everything Became the Start of EverythingWelcome to the relaunch of The Unscripted Climb, where business isn’t always pretty—but it’s always real. Host Chris Beecham kicks things off by sharing hi...
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