They fed neighbors during a storm — and ended up winning a James Beard Award.

In this episode of The Way Up, Guy Raz meets Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi, the couple behind Nixta Taqueria in Austin, Texas. What started with resilience in the face of disaster became a nationally acclaimed restaurant with a mission rooted in community, creativity, and cultural pride.

From navigating natural disasters to rethinking the taco, Edgar and Sara share hard-earned lessons in business, leadership, and love.

Video Links:

• Watch the full series here
• Check out the episode page here
• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Watch all episodes of The Way Up, including the bonus panel episode 'Behind the Business: How 5 Entrepreneurs Beat the Odds'.

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The Way Up is a new video series from Square highlighting the real stories of grit, vision, growth, and heart behind some of America’s most innovative local businesses.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pop-up shops, clever T-shirts, and made-up holidays — all in the name of keeping indie books alive.

In this episode of The Way Up, Guy Raz sits down with Pete Mulvihill, co-owner of San Francisco’s iconic Green Apple Books. While big-box retailers dominate the market, Pete and his team have kept their independent bookstore thriving for decades by thinking way outside the box. From airports to bakeries, Pete shares the creativity, strategy, and community focus that keeps the shelves stocked and the doors open.

Video Links:

• Watch the full series here
• Check out the episode page here
• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Watch all episodes of The Way Up, including the bonus panel episode 'Behind the Business: How 5 Entrepreneurs Beat the Odds'.

Connect with Square:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/square
• Twitter: https://x.com/square
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/square
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@square
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joinsquare/
• Web: https://squareup.com/
• Contact Sales: https://squ.re/yt_contactsales
• Sign up for Square's The Bottom Line Weekly newsletter: https://squ.re/3tnvac4

The Way Up is a new video series from Square highlighting the real stories of grit, vision, growth, and heart behind some of America’s most innovative local businesses.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can a family farm turn into a full-blown theme park? The Valas made it happen.

In this episode of The Way Up, Guy Raz visits Vala’s Pumpkin Patch in Nebraska to meet Tim and Kelsey Vala — the father-daughter duo behind one of the country’s most beloved fall destinations. From a single patch of farmland to 50+ attractions, 25 restaurants, and 1,400 seasonal employees, Vala’s is redefining what a family business can be.

Video Links:

• Watch the full series here
• Check out the episode page here
• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Watch all episodes of The Way Up, including the bonus panel episode 'Behind the Business: How 5 Entrepreneurs Beat the Odds'.

Connect with Square:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/square
• Twitter: https://x.com/square
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/square
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@square
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joinsquare/
• Web: https://squareup.com/
• Contact Sales: https://squ.re/yt_contactsales
• Sign up for Square's The Bottom Line Weekly newsletter: https://squ.re/3tnvac4

The Way Up is a new video series from Square highlighting the real stories of grit, vision, growth, and heart behind some of America’s most innovative local businesses.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when a soul food legend meets a business-savvy chef? A lot of diners go home happy.

In this episode of The Way Up, Guy Raz sits down with Chef Charles Gabriel and Chef Quie Slobert of Charles Pan-Fried Chicken to explore how they transformed a Harlem institution into a growing restaurant group with national buzz — all while keeping the heart of home cooking at the center of it all.

Video Links:

• Watch the full series here
• Check out the episode page here
• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Watch all episodes of The Way Up, including the bonus panel episode 'Behind the Business: How 5 Entrepreneurs Beat the Odds'.

Connect with Square:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/square
• Twitter: https://x.com/square
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/square
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@square
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joinsquare/
• Web: https://squareup.com/
• Contact Sales: https://squ.re/yt_contactsales
• Sign up for Square's The Bottom Line Weekly newsletter: https://squ.re/3tnvac4

The Way Up is a new video series from Square highlighting the real stories of grit, vision, growth, and heart behind some of America’s most innovative local businesses.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Note: This is the second in a series of episodes of The Way Up, a new video series from Square highlighting the real stories of grit, vision, growth, and heart behind some of America’s most innovative local businesses.

She opened a custom hat shop in Nashville… while eight months pregnant.

In this episode of The Way Up, Guy Raz sits down with Alex Samuels, founder of Rustler Hat Co., to talk about how a disappointing shopping experience turned into a thriving business rooted in storytelling, craft, and community.

Alex shares how she went from real estate deals to designing custom hats, balancing motherhood, managing explosive growth, and creating unforgettable experiences, one hat at a time.

Video Links:

• Watch the full series here
• Check out the episode page here
• Watch this episode on Youtube
• Watch all episodes of The Way Up, including the bonus panel episode 'Behind the Business: How 5 Entrepreneurs Beat the Odds'.

Connect with Square:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/square
• Twitter: https://x.com/square
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/square
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@square
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joinsquare/
• Web: https://squareup.com/
• Contact Sales: https://squ.re/yt_contactsales
• Sign up for Square's The Bottom Line Weekly newsletter: https://squ.re/3tnvac4

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Note: This is the first in a series of episodes of The Way Up, a new video series from Square highlighting the real stories of grit, vision, growth, and heart behind some of America’s most innovative local businesses.

What happens when you can’t find a place to watch women’s sports? You build one. Jenny Nguyen is the founder of The Sports Bra, a first-of-its-kind sports bar in Portland, Oregon, that only plays women’s sports.

In Episode 1 of The Way Up, Guy sits down with Jenny to talk about turning frustration into a business, building community, and why leading with purpose can change everything.

Video Links:

• Watch the full series here
• Check out the episode page here
• Watch this episode on Youtube
• Watch all episodes of The Way Up, including the bonus panel episode 'Behind the Business: How 5 Entrepreneurs Beat the Odds'.

Connect with Square:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/square
• Twitter: https://x.com/square
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/square
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@square
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joinsquare/
• Web: https://squareup.com/
• Contact Sales: https://squ.re/yt_contactsales
• Sign up for Square's The Bottom Line Weekly newsletter: https://squ.re/3tnvac4

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a child growing up in Ibadan, Nigeria, Dara Treseder was often reminded to keep her feet on the ground. But her mother urged her to dream big and pursue her ambitions—especially if they brought her fulfillment. That encouragement propelled Dara across the world, where she attended both Harvard and Stanford, charting a path defined by her desire to make a positive impact.

Dara’s journey into marketing began after what she jokingly calls a “failed career in finance," including stints at Apple and Goldman Sachs. In 2020, she became the SVP and Head of Global Marketing and Communications at Peloton, cementing her place as one of the most influential marketing leaders of her generation. Today she is the CMO at Autodesk. In this inspiring conversation from 2021, Dara reflects on leadership, collaboration, and the power of building teams that drive meaningful change: “The best way to drive change is not to try to go alone. It’s to do it with others.”

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.