Gratitude Through Hard Times

Everyone has unique qualities and characteristics. It's what makes our wonderful world so diverse and exciting. But understanding how to harness your unique attributes and use them to propel you forward is what determines our success.Chris Adams is an expert at utilizing uniqueness to create a strong and diverse company culture.Chris is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Park Place Technologies, building one of the country's fastest-growing companies, with over 1,200 employees. He is also a Volunteer Teacher with Junior Achievement, and he sits on the board for United Way for Greater Cleveland and Friends of Breakthrough Schools.He forged his path to success by using his ADHD diagnosis as a tool for growth and connection. Diagnosed at a young age with what could have been viewed as a hindrance, he turned into a strength. Chris uses his unique capabilities to excel in his career and teaches others how to do the same.Chris took some time to share his life journey with us and how he transforms weaknesses into strengths.Listen to this episode and learn about:- Chris giving credit and thanks to his assistant, Stacy (3:07)- How Chris effectively manages busy days (7:22)- Chris' journey with ADHD (9:19)- The balance between happiness and weaknesses when creating company culture (14:42)- The importance of volunteer work (19:34)- How Chris sees himself growing (25:38)Links:- Connect with Chris on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-adams-a73b31/<br />- Park Place Technologies - https://www.parkplacetechnologies.com/

Failure - It's something we all face and struggle with. How we overcome our failures define who we become.Jeremy Harbour took his failure and turned it into humility. He learned that when you fail, you realize the rope was only inches off the ground.Jeremy is a serial investor and expert in Mergers & Acquisitions. He is also the founder of Unity Group, on which he’s advised on more than 300 acquisitions of both distressed and solvent businesses.He grew up driven to make an impact. Leaving school at the age of 15 to start his own business, which later failed and spurred his ambition to help small to medium-sized business entrepreneurs.Jeremy was kind enough to share with us his life story and the wisdom he has learned along the way.Listen to this episode and learn about:- Jeremy giving credit and thanks to his career guidance counselor at school (2:29)- What ignited Jeremy's drive (4:25)- How Jeremy overcame a failed business (8:50)- The importance of having humility when connecting and negotiating (12:44)- Jeremy's "why" behind his mission (16:48)- What the Harbour Club is all about (21:29)- Information about Jeremy's new book, Go Do Deals (25:20)Links:- Connect with Jeremy on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyharbour/?originalSubdomain=sg- Jeremy Harbour's Website - https://www.jeremyharbour.com/- Go Do Deals - https://www.jeremyharbour.com/go_do_deals/

We all go through difficult times when growing up, but how we react to those times determine how we show up as adults.Narine Galstian took her childhood challenges and grew into a driven, curious, and open minded leader.Narine is one of the most promising CMO's in the technology sector, at the helm of the 14x - Inc. 500 Company, SADA. SADA was named Google Cloud Reseller Partner of the Year for 2018 and 2019. SADA was also named the Google Cloud Global Partner of the Year Award for 2018.Coming to the United States from Armenia at eight years old knowing zero English, she was able to find her voice and the confidence to use it through her love of learning. She now uses her voice to empower others and to lead with openness and curiosity.Narine was kind enough to share her childhood story and how it has shaped her into a driven and successful leader.Listen to this episode and learn about:- Narine giving credit to her ESL teacher, Ms. Abbott, for her inclusiveness, reassurance, and expressiveness (3:28)- Explanation of how she learned the confidence to speak up (5:42)- Creativity comes when you surround yourself with people who are different than you (10:53)- The company culture needed to quickly pivot and grow (12:56)- Narine's change in leadership perspective (16:45)- How to hold on to the past while charging ahead into the future (19:05)- The drive and impact Narine has that is never going to end (23:29)Links:- Connect with Narine on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ngalstian- SADA - https://sada.com/about/leadership-team/leadership-biographies/#narine-galstian

Representation has always been important, especially in this day and age. Many people see the world in black and white, but there is more to life than that. There has been a constant need for a role model that sees in between the lines and is able to use their privilege (and burden) for good.Lori Cornmesser is the perfect example that embodies all these traits.Lori is a successful biracial woman who is also an accomplished Global Channel and Commercial Management Executive with more than 20 years of in-depth experience in managed services, computer networking, testing/measurement, and so much more.She didn't grow up with a silver spoon but she was able to learn valuable lessons from her parents that allowed her to be the successful businesswoman she is today. Lori was nice enough to discuss with us the people who have impacted her life, the social injustices of the world that she was privileged enough to not have to experience, and the burden of those injustices that she had to endure.Listen to this episode and learn about:- Lori giving credit to her mother for her strength, gratitude, and fearlessness (3:04)- What she learned in terms of success while growing up in a biracial family (4:49)- Why growing up biracial is both a privilege and a burden (7:17)- The burden and anxiety of being biracial (10:38)- Why she agreed to join a group of diverse people to share their missions (15:31)- The list of her warriors: people who have impacted and influenced her career (18:21)Links:- Infoblox - https://www.infoblox.com/- Connect with Lori on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/loricornmesser/

The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success.Stephen Hightower is the perfect representation of the American Dream.Stephen is an experienced Chief Operating Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the oil & energy industry.He grew up with humble beginnings but through persistence, drive, and determination, he was able to transform Hightowers Petroleum into the fast-growing, high achieving company that it is now. Don't be fooled because he didn't do it all by himself. Stephen was gracious enough to discuss with us the person that inspired him to be the successful entrepreneur he is today and how he's going to help change the world during the "new normal."Listen to this episode and learn about:- Giving his grandmother, Big Mama, credit for the company's success (2:03)- Stephen's childhood and Big Mamas' sacrifices (6:15)- How his grandparents were able to move into a segregated neighborhood (8:56)- Junior Achievement program in Middletown, Ohio (12:28)- How Stephen manages to connect with individuals who don't have the same beliefs (16:58)- How he wants to help rebuild the world after COVID (21:44)Links:- Hightowers Petroleum Co. - https://www.hightowerspetroleum.com/- Connect with Stephen on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sthightower/

Everyone wants to be the change they want to see in the world. To do that, you have to be a catalyst for your own growth, as well as for the people around you. Don't know where to start?Ozzie Nelson has the answers you need.Ozzie is an accomplished Chief Executive Officer and chairman of Nelson who has applied entrepreneurial skills to the design, architecture, and planning industry.Even though he is the second generation to have leadership within Nelson, he was the catalyst they needed to become the well-known, premier design firms that the world has ever known. Since he's been with the company, they have witnessed unprecedented growth, ascending to the third-largest provider of design and design-related services to corporate America.Ozzie was kind enough to discuss with us his thoughts on authenticity, vulnerability, and being the guide, not the hero. He also stresses the importance of being a catalyst for others' growth.Listen to this episode and learn about:- Giving credit to his wife, Shannon, for being with him through his whole journey (3:14)- How the American Dream has evolved in the past years (7:34)- "The only thing we really can control is ourselves and the decisions that we make." (10:18)- Silence is the best communication (12:13)- How to inspire future catalysts (13:49)- Weakness vs Vulnerability (17:12)- Being more authentic makes you more approachable (23:43)- The future of Nelson Worldwide (24:56)- Ozzie talks about how his team is the secret sauce of their success (28:15)Links:- Nelson Worldwide - https://www.nelsonworldwide.com- Connect with Ozzie on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ozzienelson/

Everyone wants to have someone they look up to, someone who inspires them to become the best versions of themselves despite difficult circumstances. Jeff Bush is one of those people you can look up to.Jeff is a highly motivated, goal-oriented Operations Executive with an established history of exceeding goals in many areas. Despite growing up with his odds stacked against him, he was able to learn how to treat every moment like an opportunity which led him to become the current President of Parker's. What he lacked in resources, he gained in work ethic which is a value his father ingrained in him in his early years.Jeff was gracious enough to discuss with us his tough upbringing and the opportunities he had that led him to secure a job at Parker's — even though he wasn't looking for one.Listen to this episode and learn about:- Jeff giving credit to his father for setting him on his path to success (2:09)- Growing Up in Lewes, Delaware being the eldest of 7 brothers (3:02)- Lessons from His Father (4:39)- Being Headstrong but Open: Father vs Leader (8:17)- Seizing Opportunities and Meeting Greg Parker (11:20)- Inspiring Curiosity on an Organizational Level (18:10)- Importance of Mentors (22:11)Links:- Parker's Kitchen - http://parkerskitchen.com/- Connect with Jeff on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-bush/

Claude Silver is VaynerMedia's Chief Heart Officer, the capstone of a career focused on guiding client relationships, global brand strategies, operations, and management. An abiding passion for creating spaces in which people can thrive defined her previous leadership positions at JWT London, Publicis London, SAYMedia, and Organic, among others.Connect with and find out more about Claude at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/casilver

Ryan is a three-time entrepreneur who’s previous technology companies were successfully acquired by USA TODAY and Groupon. Now as the founder and CEO of Electric, Ryan is leveraging data and automation to deliver enterprise-grade IT services to small and midsize companies all over the US. Since founding in 2016, Electric has raised $39M and employs a team of 150 full-time employees across four offices in the US and abroad.Find out more about Ryan at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandenehy/

As CEO of Toffler Associates, Maria taps into deep experience with strategy development and execution, customer experience, business performance management, acquisition integration, and organizational transformation. Before joining Toffler Associates, Maria was a managing director at North Highland, overseeing media, entertainment, and communications industry. As the division president, she led the Data Analytics and Sparks Grove groups and directly contributed to the profitability and growth of the businesses. She was the executive advisor to the Managing Services division during its U.S. expansion and led the development of the Washington office. Her prior experience includes management consulting with Arthur Andersen Business Consulting and Ernst & Young, as well as roles at AllConnect and Litton Poly Scientific.Maria earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research as well as an MBA from Virginia Tech, and serves as an advisory board member for the ISE department. She holds a certificate of cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and actively volunteers to cook healthy meals for the homeless and hungry in the Washington area where she resides with her family.Find out more about Maria at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariabothwell/

Lena Trudeau is CEO of U.Group, an advanced technology and creative design company committed to creating customer-centric innovation in the public and private sectors. An early advocate for government modernization, Lena spearheaded the creation of 18F, an in-house digital services team at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and brought a similar model to the Canadian Digital Service (CDS). Lena’s expertise was also tapped in the private sector as she led the Amazon Web Services Public Sector (AWS PS) global expansion, and headed up the AWS PS business in Canada.Lena currently serves as a board member on the Canadian American Business Council, and chairs the policy committee. She is a frequent commentator, speaker, and advocate on issues of digital adoption, digital inclusion, and women in technology. Lena received an MBA from the University of Western Ontario and an undergraduate degree from the University of Ottawa.Find out more about Lena at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ltrudeau/

In 2010, Bryan and Shannon Miles felt a stirring from God. After experiencing the virtual assistant (VA) model for themselves, the couple was inspired to start their own business providing virtual support to busy leaders. After much prayer and due diligence, Bryan and Shannon followed God’s call and founded Miles Advisory Group. Within two months, they had signed four contracts with leaders in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and Wyoming – generating a wave of momentum that continues to this day.MAG expanded the horizons of their VA service model in eaHELP to include MAG Bookkeeping, copywriting services, and web support services. In January 2017, the Miles AG suite (eaHELP, MAG Bookkeeping, Render and Ellipsis) came together under one name – BELAY. This name has a great deal of significance to their leaders because of its core meaning: To belay is to provide the support a climber needs to ascend...And that is precisely what they do for their clients.Their suite of services allows their clients to scale with peace of mind, and take their organizations to new heights.Find out more about Brian & Shannon at:https://belaysolutions.com/our-company/our-story/

As a Bahnsen Group Managing Director/Partner, Kimberlee specializes in personal wealth advising and oversees financial and retirement planning solutions for high net worth individuals and multi-generational families. She creates, and guides implementation of, cohesive strategies that incorporate all aspects of clients’ financial lives.Kimberlee’s proficiency also includes helping individuals transition to financial independence after life-altering events such as death or divorce. She is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, and has strong experience and knowledge that enables her to analyze and consult on, both the short and long-term financial impact of a range of divorce settlements. These skills, coupled with her wealth management experience, provides an experienced voice for any pre/post-divorce team.Kimberlee has established The Fiscal Feminist, a platform from which she strongly advocates for women through her passion to empower and educate them concerning their finances.Find out more about Kimberlee at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/daviskimberlee/

Michael Farber is a social entrepreneur and founder of Breakout. Through his work with Breakout, Michael organizes transformative and powerful events in cities across the country to celebrate and give a voice to local change makers who lift up their communities. Find out more about Michael at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-farber-851a927/

Mark Rothschild is the founder and CEO of Right at School. Prior to that, he was COO of the JCC of Chicago and CEO of the Cincinnati JCC.Mark has held senior-level posts at Fastweb.com, Knowledge Advisors, and the Human Capital Research Corporation, has been a consultant in workforce development, training, and communications with McKinsey and Company and Arthur Andersen, and has taught at several universities, including Loyola University, Indiana University, and Northwestern University. Mark was also the founder and first president of the non-profit National Scholarship Providers Association.Mark Rothschild graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts. He also holds a Masters degree from Northwestern University in Communications Studies, a Ph.D. from Indiana University in Education Policy and Management, and was ordained as a rabbi from HUC-JIR in 2006.Find out more about Mark at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrothschild

Stuart, is the Chair and CEO of Audubon, a membership group of St. Louis area civic-minded investors. Its 3 pillars are increasing wealth management knowledge, encouraging collaboration to make St. Louis area philanthropic efforts more effective and growing the vibrant St. Louis area start-up scene.Find out more about Stuart at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuzimmer/

James earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Miami University in 2000. Before joining Wealthquest, James spent five years with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network as a Financial Representative. He spent most of that time training other Financial Representatives in financial planning techniques. James earned the right to use the CFP® mark in 2004.James is married with three children. He enjoys golfing and running. He is very active in service projects through his church including financial literacy education programs, and missions work in Haiti.Find out more about James at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-lenhoff-9457663/Find his podcast at:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rich-life-podcast/id1454700343Learn more about his company at:https://wqcorp.com/Find his book at:https://livingarichlife.com/products/living-a-rich-life-book

Over his 25 years as a technology entrepreneur, Tom has built and led several highly profitable, industry-defining companies. Always a passionate champion of disruptive technologies, Tom began his career as an associate at BCG, where he was immersed in the shift to “big box” retail. He later served as president of Ticketmaster.com (LYV), where he helped lead the transition to online ticketing. Then, as CEO of Ancestry.com, he built one of the Internet’s first and largest online content subscription businesses. Today, as CEO of ExpertVoice, Tom leads them in pioneering a new influencer-marketing category that’s transforming retail commerce. He’s devoted to our mission of creating a better buying experience for brands, retailers and consumers through a large network of authentic influential experts who make trusted recommendations.Find out more about Tom at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomstockham/

Anson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Battery, honored as a 3-time Ad Age Small Agency of the Year and ranked as a top 10 Fastest growing private company by the Los Angeles Business Journal 3 years in a row. In June 2019, Havas acquired a majority stake in Battery.Prior to Battery, he co-founded one of the first pure play social media agencies called Rocket XL, growing the company to 5 offices across 4 countries before selling to Cossette Communications Group in 2008.Anson is an active member of the Young Presidents Association (YPO) and holds a Business degree from the Marshall School at the University of Southern California (USC). Find out more about Anson at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ansonsowby/

Joel Holland is the CEO of Harvest Hosts (harvesthosts.com), a membership network that connects RVers with unique overnight experiences at 1000+ wineries, farms, breweries, museums, golf courses and other interesting destinations in the US and Canada. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Storyblocks (storyblocks.com), a one-stop-shop for high quality stock media and the first subscription-based platform in the industry for high-quality creative content: stock video, production music, stock photos and more.Storyblocks has been listed on the Inc 5000 list six consecutive times and was recently named one of Washington. D.C.’s greatest places to work by Washingtonian magazine.For his work with VideoBlocks, Joel has been named one of the "Top 25 Entrepreneurs Under 25" by BusinessWeek Magazine, "Young Entrepreneur of the Year" by the United States Small Business Administration, and "Entrepreneur of the Year" for the Greater Washington DC Region by Ernst & Young, and recognized on the Inc. "30 Under 30" list.In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Joel loves getting away from the computer to ski, camp, hike, golf, and of course--RV around the great US of A!In 2008, Joel graduated Magna Cum Laude from Babson College, a school ranked #1 for Entrepreneurship by US News and World Report. Found out more about Joel at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelholland/

As a leading social innovator and TEDx speaker, Mark Shapiro is inspiring businesses, communities, and individuals to a kinder standard of influence.From his 12 years at Showtime Networks in a sales, training, and leadership role, his extensive research on authenticity (through the ‘Are You Being Real’ Podcast), and having sent 8,000 personalized shoutout videos to those he cares about, Mark is pioneering a new code of influence – which he lives, and lives to share.For more, visit www.KindFluence.com

An accomplished leader with a proven track record of aggressive, yet honorable leadership, Brian has led CMI to double digit growth, every year since 2008. Coming from humble beginnings, Brian was first hired to sweep the floors at CMI at 14 years old. He's come to love the industry AND the Company that has provided so much opportunity for himself, his family and their 100+ loyal and dedicated employees and countless supplier partners.Find out more about Brian at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrott/

Mike began his investment career in the early 1980s in Columbus, OH as a research analyst at the Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio. He founded Willingdon Wealth Management in 2003, and continues to utilize his extensive experience in research and fundamental analysis to play a leadership role in the firm’s overall investment process. Mike also has primary responsibility for the management of the Core Equity Portfolio. In addition, Mike writes a monthly newsletter, Willingdon Views, in which he shares his views about the economy, markets, and other topical issues.Mike earned his BA from St. Bonaventure University in 1981 and his MBA from the University of Michigan in 1983. He is a CFA charterholder and a member of the North Carolina Society of Financial Analysts.Mike is active in the community through his church and his participation in Lift 4:10, a one-on-one sports ministry, as well as sports mission trips to Guatemala. Mike is also the Co-Founder of Stewards of the Game, a Christian youth sports ministry. He is the author of several books including: Coaching Youth Basketball with Faith and Fundamentals, Calling Tom Canning, My Most Meaningful Bible Verses, Eleven in Heaven, The Lord’s Prayer, Slowly, and Life Lessons From Tom Taber.Check out what Mike is up to at:https://www.willingdonwealth.com

Since founding LHA, formerly known as Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates in 1984, Keith Lippert has built a leading industry‐wide reputation as a highly respected strategist to public, private and foreign emerging‐growth companies. Along with his partner, John Heilshorn, Keith has provided counsel to thousands of companies from large-cap to micro-cap establishing LHA as a pioneer and a premier provider of investor relations. In addition, Keith advises clients in a wide variety of industries and has played a leadership role in LHA’s well respected healthcare practice. Keith plays a pivotal role in working with LHA’s clients leveraging his extensive C‐Suite relationships with all key investment constituencies built up over more than 30 years of dialogue.Check out what Keith is up to at:http://www.lhai.com

Courtney Nichols Gould is the Co-Founder/Co-CEO of SmartyPants Vitamins, the leading maker of premium comprehensive supplements with a commitment to bring more health to more people every day. Since launching online in 2011, SmartyPants has led the industry in making ingredient choices focused on quality and transparency and wrapping them in a delicious package. The company's products are top-ranked on Amazon and sold everywhere from Whole Foods and Target to Costco and beyond. Previously the founding COO of FlyClear, and a senior executive at tech/media companies, Courtney is obsessed with making a real thing to help real people in the real world, and she is honored to have the chance to do just that. Check out what Courtney is up at: www.smartypantsvitamins.com

Jillian is committed to creating connection and community by organizing places where people feel seen, heard, and valued. As a professional community builder, public speaker, and writer, Jillian is most known for being the founder of The Joy List, a weekly newsletter with the mission of reducing loneliness in New York City and eventually the world. She's been sending it out every Monday morning for over two years, helping people build connection to both place and each other. In addition to her successful career in freelance writing and community consulting, Jillian has just released her first book, titled Unlonely Planet. Check out what Jillian is up to at: https://joylist.nyc/https://www.thatjillian.com/https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1641372605?pf_rd_p=183f5289-9dc0-416f-942e-e8f213ef368b&pf_rd_r=Z6ZY8A866Q73CRW2GANT

Dan Nester, President, and Chief Executive Officer co-founded Polaris Logistics Group in 2013 after 13 years at a large Third Party Logistics company. Dan brings a vast range of experience to Polaris, including the development and expansion of a broad customer and carrier base. He is responsible for operations, training, sales and accounting for the organization. He also serves as a mentoring resource for his entire staff, helping them develop their logistics skills and ensuring that they provide optimal customer service. A proud resident of Toledo, Ohio, Dan graduated from the University of Toledo in 1998. Dan is active in his church and has raised thousands of dollars for local charities.Check out what Dan is up to at: http://www.polarislogisticsgroup.com/

One of today’s most influential voices in workplace trends, Chester Elton has spent two decades helping clients engage their employees to execute on strategy, vision, and values.In his provocative, inspiring and always entertaining talks, #1 bestselling leadership author Chester Elton provides real solutions to leaders looking to manage change, drive innovation, and lead a multi-generational workforce. Elton’s work is supported by research with more than 850,000 working adults, revealing the proven secrets behind high-performance cultures and teams.He has been called the “apostle of appreciation” by Canada’s Globe and Mail, “creative and refreshing‚” by the New York Times, and a “must read for modern managers” by CNN Elton is co-author of the New York Times and #1 USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling leadership books, All In, The Carrot Principle and The Best Team Wins. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide.Elton is often quoted in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Fast Company and the New York Times. He has appeared on NBC’s Today, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, National Public Radio and CBS’s 60 Minutes. In 2017 Global Gurus research organization ranked him as #15 in the world’s top leadership experts and #10 in the world’s top organizational culture experts, and he is a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches (MG100), pay it forward project.Elton is the co-founder of The Culture Works, a global training company and is a board member of Camp Corral, a non-profit for the children of wounded and fallen military heroes. He serves as a leadership consultant to firms such as American Express, AT&T, Avis Budget Group and Procter & Gamble. He is most proud, however, to be the father of four exceptional children-more exceptional now they’ve grown up and left home.Check out what Chester is up to at:https://www.thecultureworks.com/

Justin Forsett is a former NFL running back and now a successful entrepreneur. He played 9 years in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Denver Broncos. His best season came in 2014 as a member of the Baltimore Ravens when he was selected to the Pro Bowl. Now Justin is an entrepreneur. He is the founder / CEO of ShowerPill. ShowerPill is a business that has been featured on Shark Tank, Fox, CBS, NBC, and Cheddar. The Company’s products, includes a body wipe proven to kill 99.9 percent of germs. ShowerPill has taken off with availability over 1,000 locations including Target, Crunch Fitness, Pharmaca, and UFC Gyms. Investors and advisors of ShowerPill include many professional athletes including Jonathan Stewart, Steve Smith Sr., Ronnie Lott, Kyle Juszczyk and Prince Amukamara. ShowerPill's mission is to inspire and empower people to live their best life. Justin believes that the cornerstone of this mission includes the commitment to give back. ShowerPill has been on the ground to offer needed help during the crisis at Flint Michigan, Hurricane Harvey (Texas) and Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria. Check out what Justin is up to at: https://www.showerpill.com/

Chris is a serial entrepreneur and investor with more than 25 years of experience across a dozen startups, private and public companies and various social enterprises. He is currently a Venture Partner at GGV Capital in San Francisco and Shanghai, as is a sought after expert on company culture, team building and what it takes to scale a business. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos and Beijing, among many other events, and is a contributor to Forbes.com.Chris began his career in the mid 1990’s at Grainger, a Fortune 500 industrial supply company that he helped launch into the Internet age with Grainger.com - one of the first B2B e-commerce platforms that is now generating north of $5B in annual sales for the company. From there he moved to webMethods, where as SVP of Global Services he helped grow the company valuation from $50M to a $10B company, and all the way back down to reality through the internet bubble.Chris is most widely known for his leadership at Appirio, a global cloud services business that he co-founded in 2006 and led for 12 years as CEO. Appirio was one of the early pioneers in cloud computing and grew to 1,200 people in 5 countries. It was eventually acquired by Wipro Technologies in October of 2016 for $550M. During Chris’s 12 year run at Appirio, he and his team won multiple ‘Best Places to Work’ awards for Appirio’s corporate culture and was named a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer.Chris current sits on the Board of Trustees at Bates College in Lewiston ME, his alma mater. He also holds advisory board positions at Studio Science (a design and innovation consultancy in Indianapolis) and Southern Grist (Nashville’s #1 craft brewery). He also has a portfolio of personal investments including PlushCare, YouBet, ANT Financial, and Eaze.In addition to his work at GGV and consulting, he is also an operating partner at Thunderboss (a lakeside bar and grill in Green Lake WI that he built and opened with his wife in 2018), as well as two tequila businesses - SipTequila.com (a premium tequila business focused on a direct to consumer model), and Compoveda (his own private label tequila).Chris and his wife Lori live in Winnetka IL, Green Lake WI and on United Airlines trying to keep up with not only their businesses but also their three kids.Check out what Chris is up to at: https://www.chrisbarbin.com/

Mr. James David Waldinger, J.D, MBA, is the CEO and Founder and of Artivest. Prior to forming Artivest, Waldinger was a portfolio manager with Clarium Capital, a large global macro hedge fund established in 2002 by Peter Thiel, co-founder and former CEO of PayPal. He also served as the lead analyst on Thiel’s initial Facebook investment in 2004. Prior to his positions with Clarium and Thiel, Waldinger worked with a variety of internet and technology startups in advisory, investment, and operational roles. He is licensed to practice law in the state of New York and currently holds FINRA Series 3, 7, and 24 securities licenses. He received his JD and MBA degrees from Stanford University and his BA from Yale University.Check out what James is up to at: https://artivest.co/

BJ Lackland has spent nearly 20 years as an investor in and executive at startups, raising or investing over $200 million. As an investor, he’s been a VC, an angel, and is now the CEO of Lighter Capital, where he has overseen over 550 alternative investments in early-stage tech companies. As an executive, he’s been on the executive team of three companies, including as the CFO of a public energy tech company.Check out what BJ is up to at: https://www.lightercapital.com/

Barry Saywitz has 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. He began his career in the late 1980s with Grubb & Ellis, and then with Howard Ecker & Co., in Orange County. In 1992, Mr. Saywitz became a partner in the West Coast operations of Howard Ecker & Co., and in 1994, he purchased the outstanding stock of the company and changed the corporate name to The Saywitz Company. Mr. Saywitz now oversees all of the management and ownership responsibilities for the company, in addition to becoming involved with the negotiations of selected transactions throughout North America. Mr. Saywitz has been named one of the top commercial real estate brokers in Southern California for the past several years, as well as one of the top commercial real estate brokers in the country by several national real estate publications. He has also been named as a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in addition to numerous other industry accolades. He is a much sought after speaker and an editorial contributor to numerous real estate magazines.In 1996, Mr. Saywitz founded the CORE Network, which today is a worldwide organization of real estate companies. The CORE Network is one of the largest commercial real estate brokerage organization in the country, with affiliated offices in more than 100 cities throughout the United States. Mr. Saywitz served as Chairman Emeritus of this prestigious organization, which transacted more than 35 billion worth of real estate last year.Check out what Barry is up to at: https://saywitz.com/

Ro Gupta is the CEO of Carmera, the world’s only 4-dimensional index of city streets, accessible to anyone. Before Carmera, he created data products and helped grow web commenting network, Disqus, to 2 billion users. Prior to that, he held digital roles at Disney. Earlier on, Ro was a management consultant for corporations and NGOs in San Francisco, Sao Paulo, New York, and Mozambique. He also advises startups such as Autonomous Tractor Corp. Ro studied Civil Engineering/Operations Research at Princeton and received an MBA from Northwestern. Ro was born in Calcutta, India, and lives in Brooklyn, NY with his family.Check out what Ro is up to at: https://www.carmera.com/

Tony Galati is an information technology professional, entrepreneur, teacher, and business leader who is revolutionizing vocational education with the founding and growth of MyComputerCareer a remarkable career college for new Information Technology professionals.From opening its first campus in 2008 to construction of six additional campuses in four states and its current national expansion in the online learning space, the MyComputerCareer team has proven again and again that the correct skills training, conceived and delivered in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of students more than educators, supported by high standards of excellence and accountability, can effectively and economically change students’ lives.Tony has been guided by a few core principles that permeate his organization and explain much of its success:1.Be of service and seek to lift others2.Always behave in both a legal and ethical manner3.Prove it—scale it—track it—improve it4.Act with integrity and respect for others5.Pray hard, work harder, and have funFixed on the mission of student success, decisions are based on how it will aid or impact students’ prospects, not merely for graduation, but for job placement, advancement, and long term career satisfaction. Despite his love for teaching and the industry he had chosen, Tony observed that not everything in his professional world was as he thought it should be. Too many students were dropping out of career training that could change their lives. Others completed the training but were unsuccessful at transitioning into the IT field. Tony and his organization take pride in a model for what proprietary vocational education can and should be in the 21st century; a positive, affordable option for adult learners for whom traditional college is impractical or simply out of reach. Check out what Tony is up to at: https://www.mycomputercareer.edu/

Shari Dingle (Sandifer) Costantini is a renowned expert in the healthcare industry, with 29 years of experience in strategic leadership, nursing and international nurse staffing. She is a strong advocate for creating supportive work environments in which healthcare workers will thrive and improve patient outcomes. Shari founded Avant Healthcare Professionals in 2003. Avant has placed thousands of international nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists through the United States. The company, which has grown an average of 40 percent annually since inception, is recognized as an industry leader and innovator in healthcare staffing.Costantini and Avant have been recognized by Inc. 500/5000, 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies in North America, E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Winner 2017, 100 Most Influential People in Staffing, SMART Award Winner 2017 and Florida Companies to Watch 2012. She serves several organizations, but most notably is the immediate past chair and board member of Orlando, Inc.; a board member for the Orlando Economic Partnership; and a board member of the Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship. Shari is a founding board member and chair of regulatory affairs for the American Association of International Recruitment.Check out what Shari is up to at: https://avanthealthcare.com/

For some people in the world of food, it isn’t about composing a dish or a cocktail or overseeing a balanced wine list. For some people, it’s just about one thing, one love amidst the trove of food and drink products. For Michele Buster, for the past 26 years, that one thing is cheese.Recently dubbing herself the Head Treasure Hunter when asked what she actually did, Buster has spent many years cultivating expertise in specialty foods of the Mediterranean. Like most people who fall hard for cheese, Buster fed her passion with firsthand experience, living abroad in Italy and Spain, tasting their rich array of cheeses and observing local artisanship with her own eyes. As any good traveler does, Buster built her career on bringing home the treasures she’d tasted abroad and being the voice of the people who made them. Over the past decade, she has been instrumental in shaping the emergence of European products in the American marketplace. She has done this noble work alongside partner-formed Forever Cheese, which focuses on cheeses and specialty products from Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. When not sourcing products in Europe, Buster frequently travels across the United States, conducting classes and tastings for specialty stores and restaurants. A respected part of the cheese community, she is a member of the prestigious International Guilde des Fromagers. The PDO Sao Jorge Consortium in Portugal inducted her as an honorary member, and she was also recognized with an award from Murcia, Spain, for being the person who most stimulated the agronomy of the region. Buster has been written up on numerous occasions from the Philadelphia Inquirer and News Day to trade magazines like Culture as well as the prestigious Travel and Leisure where she was asked to talk about one of her favorite places in the world. She was featured on the cover of Cheese Connoisseur Magazine and most recently, was profiled by the Wine Spectator as a “One-Woman Flavor Crusade.”In an era where regional and local flavors are at the forefront, Buster is the kind of passionate champion every product needs.Check out what Michele is up to at: https://forevercheese.com/

Simon Berg is CEO of Ceros, a technology company with a cloud-based platform that empowers brands like Red Bull, United, Conde Nast, and Universal to create bespoke digital experiential content without coding. Simon’s path to CEO has been unusual: after design school turned him down, he started working on an agency production floor at age 16, helping magazine publisher clients design and produce their print issues.As publishing moved into the digital era, Simon became a master of craft across both print and digital, which served as a catalyst for his 20-year ladder-climbing journey to CEO of the same agency: Group FMG (now BORN). As CEO, Simon led the charge to sell the agency in order to build and grow Ceros, a technology platform he incubated while at Group FMG.Today, Ceros has 200+ employees across five continents working with more than 400 consumer and B2B brands.Check out what Simon is up to at: https://www.ceros.com/

Jon Morris is the founder and CEO of Rise Interactive. Under Morris’ leadership, Rise has received recognition for excellence in client service, innovative marketing campaigns, and commitment to culture, including acknowledgment from Inc. 500|5000 Fastest Growing Companies (nine-time winner), Ad Age (Best Places to Work in Advertising), Fortune Magazine, and more. Morris has been personally recognized as a leader in technology and innovation on the Techweek100 list the Crain’s Chicago Tech 50 list. As a leader in the digital marketing community, Morris has mentored several entrepreneurs, with a significant focus on the University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge, a renowned business plan competition where Rise itself got its start. Morris also regularly shares his expertise as a guest speaker. He has presented on main stages and at workshops and webinars for organizations such as Search Marketing Expo, Search Engine Strategies, American Marketing Association, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Forrester Research, Online Marketing Summit, iStrategy, and Vistage. Morris earned an MBA with high honors, graduating first in his class from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a bachelor's degree from Kenyon College.Check out what Jon is up to at: https://www.riseinteractive.com/

Luke Acree, President of ReminderMedia, is a sales fanatic, a marketing evangelist, and an expert team builder. Luke has worked with tens of thousands of business professionals over the years, helping them understand how to connect with their client database in a way that generates leads, secures repeat clients, and captures referrals. In 2003, ReminderMedia launched American Lifestyle magazine, a one-of-a-kind, customizable marketing tool. Since then, Luke has led ReminderMedia to over 30,000 clients and has expanded the product line to include turnkey social media management, digital magazines, e-mail marketing, and analytics. Along his path from software engineer to leader of a multimillion-dollar company, Luke has shown an uncanny ability to analyze tough problems, deliver solutions that drive revenue, and foster success for the business. Check out what Luke is up to at: https://remindermedia.com/

Michael Rolph is co-founder and CEO of Europe’s fastest-growing payment, marketing, and loyalty platform, Yoyo.Michael started his career at Barclaycard, First Data and PayPal. Prior to founding Yoyo, he was a founding member and Director at Anthemis Group, the specialist FinTech advisory and investment firm. During his time there, he advised multiple start-ups like Azimo and The Currency Cloud in their early stages, established players like Vocalink and Skrill, as well as several banks on digital innovation, investment, and M&A.He is currently an advisor to Firestartr and has previously been a mentor at Seedcamp, the early-stage funding company and a non-executive director at The MoBank Group.Check out what Michael is up to at: https://yoyowallet.com/

Sundance is a seasoned executive, recognized thought leader in video game culture, and veteran creative director with more than 18 years of experience in the media, technology and video game industries. He co-founded MLG in 2002 with Mike Sepso, with the goal of creating a company that would reflect both his lifelong passion for gaming and his deeply competitive nature. Sundance currently serves as the CEO of MLG, focuseing on the long-term growth of competitive video gaming and the various distribution channels that are helping to bring this burgeoning sport to an ever-growing community. Prior to co-founding MLG, Sundance was Worldwide Creative director at Gotham Broadband, a broadband media pioneer. He is a veteran creative executive and has worked closely with a wide variety of brands, including AOL Time Warner, DirecTV, Sony, Pfizer, Nortel Networks, and Sprint.Check out what Sundance is up to at: http://www.mlg.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundanced/

Cory Tholl is the President and CEO of Klymit. Cory is a visionary and execution minded entrepreneur who joined Klymit pre-revenue in 2008 to lead R&D. Cory became President/CEO of Klymit in 2011 and quickly turned the company into a profitable and high growth outdoor brand. As a patent holder with an engineering and business mind, Cory leads the overall corporate strategy and thrives on profitable high-growth execution.Cory has an MBA and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University with an emphasis on product development. He has taught at BYU and enjoys collaborating with the local universities to give back to the community and to help Klymit grow.Cory is a family man who thrives on taking products from ideation to market. He is passionate about creating jobs and is focused on producing an exciting return for investors. Cory enjoys all aspects of the outdoors and spending time with his wife and 5 children outside. He also finds joy in volunteering with his church and other community organizations.Check out what Cory is up to at: https://www.klymit.com/about-us

Isaiah has a Ph.D. in Anatomy & Cell Biology and is an internationally recognized Fortune 500 consultant. He is an expert in the biotechnology industry and specializes in helping people transition into cutting-edge career tracks.Isaiah believes that if you feel stuck somewhere in your life right now, you should make a change. Don’t sit still and wait for the world to tell you what to do. Start a new project. Build your own business. Take action. Experimentation is the best teacher.Isaiah did his undergraduate work at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania and received his Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the University of Iowa. Since graduating, he has been advancing his career in cell biology and business coaching. In the last two years, Isaiah has given over 250 seminars in 20 different countries throughout Europe, New Zealand, Australia and North America.Isaiah has worked with numerous leaders in the biotechnology industry, including Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Leinco Technologies, Orflo Technologies, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Cellerant Therapeutics, Miltenyi Biotec, McCord Research, Expert Cytometry, Tree Star, Amgen, Celgene, Ambrx, BD Biosciences, Baxter Bioscience, Pfizer, Roche, and Genentech. He has also presented at Harvard University, Stanford University, Oxford University, Cambridge University, Cancer Research UK, University of Amsterdam, German Cancer Research Center, Pasteur Institute, Curie Institute, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, University of Tasmania, University of Sydney, University of Western Australia, and many other prestigious institutions.Check out what Isaiah is up to at: https://cheekyscientist.com/

Olivier Chateau is the CEO at Health Union, LLC. Health Union integrates the power of human connection and technology and helps unite people in the shared experiences of living with chronic health conditions. Today, the Health Union family of brands includes online health communities such as Migraine.com, MultipleSclerosis.net, Endometriosis.net, and Type2Diabetes.com.Olivier has over 15 years of pharmaceutical marketing experience and has been acknowledged as an internet-marketing pioneer within the healthcare industry, including a two-time recognition on the PharmaVOICE 100 in 2009 and 2018, and inclusion on the list of 2018’s PM360 ELITE Awards. Check out what Olivier is up to at: https://health-union.com/

Richard Albrecht is an entrepreneur and leader focused on building adaptable, customer-driven and employee-focused organizations. Passionate about transforming business in an environment of authenticity, collaboration, and professionalism. As CEO at Bridge Partners, he is responsible for driving growth and building our world-class consulting organization. Bridge has been named a "fastest growing" business for multiple years, and consistently been rated a "best place to work". And there's much more work to do!His specialities are: Entrepreneurship, General Management, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Field and Partner Readiness, Branding, Communications, Business Intelligence, Project ManagementCheck out what Richard is up to at:https://www.bridgepartnersconsulting.com/

Pete Pallares is the Founder and CEO of the Center for Social Dynamics. Active in the field of autism and developmental disabilities for over 19 years, Pete has devoted much of his time working in research, diagnosis, and the treatment of autism across different cultures. As CEO, Pete oversees a team of highly qualified professionals develop and implement individualized treatment programs for children and families diagnosed with autism utilizing the principals of applied behavior analysis and the cultural context within their geographical location. Pete has provided intervention programs for a wide range of patients from high-functioning children to very challenging individuals. His specialization includes unpacking and analyzing cultural dynamics within a setting, an environment, or an individual. Pete is an annual presenter and his work in cultural competence has been internationally recognized. Originally from Barcelona, Spain, he spends time in his native country and the Bay Area helping families affected with autism. Pete is currently an active member and presenter for the California Association for Behavioral Analysis (CAI-ABA) and has also been an associate to important autism research studies conducted by the Department of Public Health and Kaiser Permanente.Check out what Pete is up to at: https://ppaf.foundation/

Matt is an experienced business leader with a passion for innovation. He has recently founded Neos (neos.co.uk), which is an InsureTech business that is focused on delivering smart home protection products and servicesPrior to this, he spent fifteen years in the Insurance industry working in the UK and US with AXA and RSA. His most recent corporate role was the Commercial Director for More Than (part of the RSA Group) which is one of the largest retail insurance brands in the UK.Whilst at More Than he also created and funded an Innovation Lab focused on combining emerging technology trends (including IoT) with more traditional insurance products to create and deliver customer-centric solutions.Matt also has a strong affinity with social enterprise. He is a mentor for the School of Social Entrepreneurs and is an Advisory Board Member for the charity Seechangefilms (seechangefilms.org).Living just outside London, Matt is married with three young children and is heavily involved in sport in his spare time.Check out what Matt is up to at:https://neos.co.uk/

As an award-winning CEO of a successful facilities management company, Michael Kurland is committed to leading with purpose and giving back to the community. With more than a decade of sales and marketing experience in the facility management industry, Mr. Kurland launched Branded Group in 2014 and has led the company's year-over-year exponential growth, cultural transformation, and the cultivation of a highly-regarded team of industry experts. His desire for his company to #BeBetter has resulted in deep and long-lasting customer, vendor, and non-profit partner relationships, innovative programs that drive customer satisfaction, and a respected position in the industry.Mr. Kurland is a well-established author of several thought leadership articles in online publications such as Forbes, Inc., and Thrive Global. His perspectives on leadership, company culture, entrepreneurship, and teamwork are both innovative and informative. He also shares his facilities management expertise in case studies and industry publication articles. Mr. Kurland is a sought-after speaker, sharing his entrepreneurial journey with aspiring small business owners and students.He is also dedicated to the advancement of the facilities management industry. Serving as Chair of the PRSM Networking committee, he has advanced PRSM’s Los Angeles networking events and strengthened its New York chapter events. His team plays an active role in industry associations including RFMA and IFMA.As a result of his commitment to his colleagues, industry, and community, Mr. Kurland was named as a semi-finalist for EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year® 2018 Orange County Awards Program. Additionally, Branded Group has received multiple industry and humanitarian awards.Check out what Michael is up to at: https://www.branded-group.com/

Goddess Aviva is a lifestyle and professional Dominatrix based in NYC. She has over 5 years of professional experience in the NYC BDSM scene. Some of her many BDSM interests include power exchange, foot fetish, humiliation, objectification, and corporal punishment. Aviva also mentors aspiring female Dommes, teaches group workshops on beginner BDSM and kink, and trains male submissives in the art of surrender. Check out what Aviva is up to at: http://www.goddessaviva.com/