In this raw and inspiring episode of Business Story of the Week, we sit down with Dustin Largusa, the powerful voice behind The Low Life Show, a podcast created for prisoners and those reentering society. After facing a devastating period of loss, prison time, and personal collapse, Dustin found peace, humility, and purpose through faith and storytelling.

Today, his podcast is streaming in over 500 correctional facilities, with a mission to combat recidivism and help incarcerated individuals build meaningful lives after release. Dustin shares how failure taught him humility, how he's turning his darkest moments into messages of hope, and the marketing strategies that helped amplify his voice to thousands.

This is a story of redemption, spiritual awakening, and the power of starting over — with nothing but faith, purpose, and a message that matters.

In this inspiring episode of Business Story of the Week, we sit down with Akilah Mendez-Valdez, the dynamic founder of Haute in Texas, a powerhouse PR and marketing agency that's dedicated to helping female founders craft compelling narratives and elevate their brands.

Akilah shares her bold journey of entrepreneurship — from launching her agency a decade ago to embracing failures like the in-person Content Clinic flop, and quickly pivoting into a successful virtual version. She dives into the reality of being a marketer struggling with self-promotion, and the essential power of consistent, value-driven content. With heartfelt honesty, she reflects on how fear once held her back from scaling and why saying yes to intimidating opportunities changed everything.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, brand builder, or just need a confidence boost to go big, this episode is a must-listen.

In this inspiring episode of Business Story of the Week, host Shaahin Cheyene sits down with Nicole Van Valen, Founder and CEO of Keen Insights, to explore how joy can be the secret fuel behind true resilience and high performance. Nicole shares her three‑step model for “resilience through joy,” drawn from her background as a professional cheerleader and dancer, and explains why embracing failure—and learning from it—is key to personal and professional growth. From organic referrals to proactive marketing tactics and the power of surrounding yourself with experts, Nicole offers actionable advice for leaders and teams ready to elevate their impact. Stick around to learn about her new book, The Joyful Leader, and snag a complimentary Spear of Resilience Assessment to kickstart your journey.