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.

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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

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

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.