Aisle Be Damned

Shana & Jason Wallenstein
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Weekly

We’re Shana and Jason Wallenstein. We’re married, and we own a hardware store together.Which, as it turns out, is a really good way to learn a lot about business and maybe a little too much about each other.Because owning a business never goes exactly the way you think it will.The wins are bigger, the mistakes are more expensive, and some days you find yourself asking, “How the hell did we get here?”So we started talking to other entrepreneurs, founders, retailers, and business owners about what it really takes to build something.The good decisions. The bad decisions. The things nobody tells you until you’re already in it.For better.For worse.For business.This is Aisle Be Damned. 

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Ep. 8 - From Lebanese Family Recipes to 1,000 Stores: Tina Chamoun's Journey With Za'atar

    What happens when you bring a taste of your heritage home and realize the rest of the country needs to try it, too? On this episode of Aisle Be Damned, Jason and Shana sit down with Tina Lattouf Chamoun, founder of Terranean Spices, Spreads and Snacks, to talk about turning Lebanese food traditions into a growing retail brand now reaching approximately 1,000 stores nationwide. Tina shares how childhood trips to Lebanon, suitcases packed with za’atar, and a desire to share her culture inspired her to leave her legal career behind and build a business around authentic Lebanese seasonings, spreads, and pita chips. From mixing products by hand in her kitchen to navigating her first grocery buyer meeting without a clue about retail pricing, she explains the messy, rewarding reality of building a food brand from scratch. The conversation dives into the challenges of scaling production, earning grocery store reorders, keeping products fresh and consistent, and learning to trust your instincts as an entrepreneur. Tina also shares the story behind her immigrant-led, all-women production team and how sourcing ingredients from Lebanon allows her to support communities on both sides of the world. Plus, the crew gets into family business dynamics, raising three young entrepreneurs, the importance of sampling and storytelling, and some seriously delicious ways to use za’atar. French fries, anyone? If you love small-business success stories, discovering new foods, or learning what it really takes to get a product from a family tradition onto grocery store shelves, this episode is for you.

  2. Oct 27

    Ep. 7 - From Buying a House at 19 to BBQ Champion: Jason Rhea’s Story

    What do renovating a house at 19, building a construction business, and becoming a barbecue competition champion have in common? For Jason Rhea, it’s all about learning as you go, putting in the work, and never being afraid to try something new. Jason joins Jason and Shana on Aisle Be Damned to talk about his journey from a college student taking on a 1906 fixer-upper to running his own design and construction business, relocating his family from Memphis to Northeast Ohio, and finding a whole new passion in competitive barbecue. He shares how his years around Memphis barbecue shaped his approach, what separates competition cooking from backyard grilling, the smokers and techniques he relies on, and how he went from placing in his first competitions to taking home Best in Show. Along the way, they get into the realities of running a small business, the importance of building relationships, the wonderfully welcoming world of barbecue, and why even a champion is always looking for ways to improve. If you love great food, good people, and a little smoke with your success story, this episode is for you.

  3. Oct 20

    Ep. 6 - From the World’s Best Guacamole to a Business at a Crossroads

    What happens when a great idea turns into a growing business, lands on shelves across 14 states, and still runs into the one challenge that can make or break a company? Peter Cimoroni joins Jason and Shana to share the story behind Avocado Goodness, from creating a guacamole recipe that earned praise from some of Cleveland’s biggest culinary names to developing marinades, breads, buns, and pizza dough with avocado at the center. But this episode goes beyond the food. Peter opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, the challenge of raising capital, and what it takes to keep moving when success brings a whole new set of problems. Along the way, he shares stories about inventing a vibrating pacifier, building a cough-drop-on-a-stick business that reached major retailers, and dreaming up what could come next, including bringing better ice cream to California. It’s an honest conversation about ambition, resilience, relationships, and the hard lessons nobody puts in the business plan. Because sometimes, getting your product on the shelf is only the beginning.

  4. Oct 13

    Ep. 5 - From Hot Sauce to Freeze-Dried Snacks: Building a Business With a Purpose

    What do you do when life keeps throwing you curveballs? If you’re Sonya Patel, you pivot, get creative, and build something delicious. Sonya joins Jason and Shana to share how her journey took her from management consulting and education to founding Pur Spices, a woman-owned food manufacturing company with a mission close to home: creating boldly flavored foods that are free from top allergens. She also talks about launching Bold & Airy Bites, the freeze-dried snacks that are winning over taste buds one crunchy bite at a time. From supply chain headaches to brutally honest feedback from her kids, this episode is all about finding your purpose, trusting your path, and building a business on your own terms. And yes, there’s plenty of snack tasting along the way.

  5. Sep 29

    Ep. 4 - They’re Building a Bookstore From Scratch: Books, Beer & Community

    Rebecca had a simple thought over coffee: “You know what this town needs? A bookstore.” Then she told Ethan, and suddenly they were actually doing it. Now they’re building an independent bookstore from the ground up, complete with used books, local authors, craft beer, board games, community events, and a whole lot of late nights. Jason and Shana sit down with the couple to talk about turning a crazy idea into a real business, surviving layoffs, betting on themselves, and creating a place where people can actually slow down, hang out, and feel like they belong.

    Ep. 4 - They’re Building a Bookstore From Scratch: Books, Beer & Community

  6. Sep 22

    Ep. 3 - From Events to The Curated Cottage: Building a Creative Community

    What happens when a longtime event planner finally decides to build the shop she’s been dreaming about? You get The Curated Cottage, a charming little spot in Aurora filled with plants, vintage finds, paper goods, crafts, and plenty of personality. Tara sits down with Jason and Shana to talk about taking the leap into brick-and-mortar retail, learning the ins and outs of her local community, and creating a space where people can slow down, get creative, and actually connect. Plus, there’s a shop cat named Mango who may or may not be the real boss.

    Ep. 3 - From Events to The Curated Cottage: Building a Creative Community

  7. Sep 15

    Ep. 2 - From Construction to Energy Drinks: Building a Brand from Scratch

    Brad and Kelsey are already running a construction company—but that didn’t stop them from launching a new energy drink brand designed for blue-collar workers. In this episode of Aisle Be Damned, they share the challenges of developing their product, self-financing the business, getting into stores, and turning a crazy idea into a growing brand.

    Ep. 2 - From Construction to Energy Drinks: Building a Brand from Scratch

  8. Sep 8

    Ep. 1 - He’s 16 and Already Built a Business: Jam, Entrepreneurship & Breaking the Rules with Josh Friedlander

    Welcome to the very first episode of Aisle Be Damned, hosted by Jason and Shana Wallenstein! For our debut episode, Jason and Shana sit down with Josh Friedlander, a 16-year-old entrepreneur from Solon, Ohio, who has turned a passion for cooking and canning into a growing jam business carried in nearly 100 stores. Josh shares how a hobby that started during COVID turned into a profitable food brand, from selling at farmers markets to personally pitching grocery buyers, building a team, and navigating the challenges of running a business while still in high school. But Josh's story goes far beyond jam. He opens up about learning to navigate entrepreneurship with a stutter, pushing through uncomfortable situations, managing school alongside a rapidly growing company, and refusing to let what makes him different stand in the way of his dreams. Jason and Shana also dig into the realities of scaling a food business, landing a 2,500-gift-box order, working with retailers, building a demo team, and figuring out what comes next. It's an inspiring, funny, and surprisingly delicious conversation about entrepreneurship, perseverance, family, and what happens when you start thinking like a CEO before you've even graduated high school. Welcome to Aisle Be Damned — we're just getting started.

    Ep. 1 - He’s 16 and Already Built a Business: Jam, Entrepreneurship & Breaking the Rules with Josh Friedlander

  9. Sep 2

    Welcome to Aisle Be Damned!

    We’re Shana and Jason Wallenstein. We’re married, and we own a hardware store together. Which, as it turns out, is a really good way to learn a lot about business and maybe a little too much about each other. Because owning a business never goes exactly the way you think it will. The wins are bigger, the mistakes are more expensive, and some days you find yourself asking, “How the hell did we get here?” So we started talking to other entrepreneurs, founders, retailers, and business owners about what it really takes to build something. The good decisions. The bad decisions. The things nobody tells you until you’re already in it. For better. For worse. For business. This is Aisle Be Damned.

    Welcome to Aisle Be Damned!
  • 9 Episodes

About

We’re Shana and Jason Wallenstein. We’re married, and we own a hardware store together.Which, as it turns out, is a really good way to learn a lot about business and maybe a little too much about each other.Because owning a business never goes exactly the way you think it will.The wins are bigger, the mistakes are more expensive, and some days you find yourself asking, “How the hell did we get here?”So we started talking to other entrepreneurs, founders, retailers, and business owners about what it really takes to build something.The good decisions. The bad decisions. The things nobody tells you until you’re already in it.For better.For worse.For business.This is Aisle Be Damned. 

Information

  • Creator
    Shana & Jason Wallenstein
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Aisle Be Damned
  • Show Website
    Aisle Be Damned

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