School for Startups Radio

September 29, 2025 - The Rising Leader Author Mark J Silverman and Nonprofit Fundraising Rhea Wong

Mark J. Silverman – Executive Coach, Speaker, Podcaster an Author of The Rising Leader Handbook: Turning High Achievers Into Effective Leaders
Most CEOs I know are actually lovely people, but many of them, becauseof the stress and the strain, either seem erratic or indecisive or changetheir mind or change direction or authoritarian in different situations…Leadership is so lonely and CEOs don’t have people to talk to.
Drawing on decades of leadership training, coaching expertise, and personal transformation, Mark works with CEOs, senior executives, and fast-rising leaders who are ready to expand their capacity without sacrificing what matters most. His unique approach blends business strategy with deep internal work – helping leaders operate with more clarity, presence, and impact in every room they walk into. As a former revenue leader responsible for driving over $90 million in growth for fast-moving startups, Mark understands the demands of high-stakes leadership. He is the author of three books – including the bestseller Only 10s 2.0 and The Rising Leader Handbook and co-author of two more. He also hosts The Rising Leader Podcast. “As your nervous system aligns, your leadership elevates naturally, powerfully, and without force.” Mark’s work is for those ready to trade force for true power and evolve into the kind of leader people follow naturally.
Rhea Wong – Podcaster, Fundraiser and the Author of Get That Money, Honey!: The No-Bullsh*t Guide to Raising More Money For Your Nonprofit 
Philanthropy is literally in its root form, love of humanity. And so howcan we help these folks who have been blessed with capacity andresources to really love on humanity in the way that feels right to them?
Rhea helps nonprofits raise more money. Though she has deep experience with institutional, corporate and event fund-raising, she is passionate about major individual donors and helping organizations to establish individual giving programs. She has raised millions of dollars in private philanthropy and is passionate about building the next generation of fundraising leaders. She has become a leader in the New York nonprofit community and is a frequent educational commentator in the media. She has been recognized with the SmartCEO Brava Award in 2015 and NY Nonprofit Media’s 40 under 40 in 2017. Rhea lives in Brooklyn with her husband and the World’s Most Spoiled Dog Stevie Wonderdog. When she is not raising money for causes she loves, she can be found hosting her podcast Nonprofit Lowdown or onstage as a newbie stand-up comedian in downtown Brooklyn.

September 26, 2025 - Cognitive Organizations Kenneth Correa and Gave Away $100 Millions Ali Horriyat

Kenneth Correa – Founder of DataNeural and Author Cognitive Organizations: Leveraging the Full Power of Generative AI and Intelligent Agents
So the cognitive organization is an organization that combines AI andhuman agents…..
Kenneth Correa is a technology thought leader, entrepreneur, and author of “Cognitive Organizations,” published by MIT in 2024. As the founder of DataNeural, an AI consulting firm, and Head of Strategy at 80 20 Marketing, Kenneth is dedicated to helping organizations harness the power of AI agent networks to achieve transformational results. With over 25 years of experience and a global presence spanning Brazil, the UK, the US, and beyond, Kenneth specializes in bridging cutting-edge AI innovations with practical business applications. His clients include Fortune 500 companies and leaders in healthcare, finance, and technology. Through his consulting, workshops, and international keynotes, Kenneth equips businesses with frameworks to drive productivity and stay ahead in the AI era. The rise of AI has been a boon to business, but like the proverbial double-edged sword, it’s also creating anxiety and confusion amongst businesses on how best to take advantage of this incredible tech.
Ali Horriyat – Environmental Entrepreneur and Founder of Compassiviste
Do we want to see a world that’s sustainable in 200 years, or does it only matter that I eat the steak now, and I don’t care what happens after I die in a few years?
Ali Horriyat is the Founder of Compassivate, left the lucrative, profit-driven world of finance in 2016 to devote himself to his vision of a society where compassion, empathy, and social impact are at the heart of our actions. In 2020, he launched Compassiviste to spread this vision and he develops and invents ways we can sustainably produce and consume, in order to make sustainable living a comfort and not a burden. Compassiviste believes that all change begins with creative expression so there is no better way than to amplify the voice of a new appeal and generation than to have dialogues with those inspiring social harmony. Compassiviste aims to expand its tribe and membership to be able to support more charitable causes and interact with our communities to influence global compassion and social harmony. The goal is to secure an activated following willing to engage and donate consistently to effectively promote necessary shifts. Born in Dubai, Ali attended schools in the UAE, France and Switzerland before pursuing his higher education in Canada. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics, political science, philosophy, business, international relations and conflict resolution, and religion. Ali is the author of 13 books, including collections of essays and poetry, with themes ranging from racism and capitalism to spirituality, love and compassion. He believes that humans must “love always, and always love.”

September 25, 2025 – Give Hospitality Taylor Scott and Raising Entrepreneurs Margot Bisnow

Taylor Scott – Hospitality Expert and Author of Give Hospitality: A Hopeful Story of What Happens When We Live, Work, and Love from a Place of Generosity 
We are all wired to feel before we think – so whether you’re leading,selling, or influencing, it behooves all of us to connect with
Taylor Scott is a best-selling author, inspirational keynote speaker, and organizational development consultant. Through his books, workshops, keynotes, and licensed content, he inspires audiences at Fortune 500 companies, universities, and community organizations nationwide to become their best, deliver their best, and experience the best life possible. Taylor leverages his personal experiences and twenty years working in the hospitality industry for Disney Parks and Resorts, Gaylord Hotels and Resorts, Wynn Resorts, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas to connect with and inspire leaders at all levels. Taylor Scott, author of the popular Lead with Hospitality and the forthcoming Give Hospitality (July 8, 2025; Matt Holt Books)? The books are inspired by his 20-year leadership career in the hospitality and entertainment industries, working for Wynn Resorts, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Disney Parks and Resorts, and Gaylord Hotels and Resorts. Scott earned a Masters of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University.Margot Machol Bisnow – Former FTC Commissioner and Author of Raising an Entrepreneur: How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams – 99 Stories from Families Who Did
The one thing that every one of the entrepreneurs had in common is thatthey all had a passion outside of school, and their parents supported that passion.
Margot Machol Bisnow spent 20 years in government, including as an FTC Commissioner and staff director of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. For the last 10 years, she has spoken to parent groups about raising creative, confident, resilient children who achieve their dreams. She served as an Advisor to EQ Generation, an after-school program in New York City that gives children the skills to succeed; on the Advisory Board of the MUSE School in Malibu, that prepares young people to live consciously through passion-based learning; and on the Board of Spark the Journey in Washington DC, that mentors low-income high school students to achieve college and career success.

September 24, 2025 - Strategy Sprints Simon Severino and The Sales Closer Ben Gay III

Simon Severino – Strategy Sprints™ Method and Author of Strategy Sprints: 12 Ways to Accelerate Growth for an Agile Business
So probably my only skill is endurance, because 22 years ago, I decidedthat I am here to serve entrepreneurs and to help them solve salesproblems, and I have never given up since that day.
Simon Severino has created +2B in additional sales for his clients over the last 21 years. As an advisor who became CEO, he had to learn the importance of working ON the business more than IN it. Now, he shares his proven templates with high-ticket entrepreneurs. They reclaim 14 hours per week using the Strategy Sprints™ Method and enjoy sales that soar. Author of “Strategy Sprints”, Podcast Host Ranking Top 2,5%, TEDx speaker, Forbes contributor, Triathlete. Has appeared on over 1300 podcasts. When he is not supercharging sales, you’ll find him swimming, biking, running and tricking his 3 kids into outdoor activities so they can’t escape his annoying shrinky questions. Simon Severino helps business owners in SaaS and Services run their company more effectively which results in sales that soar. The  Method doubles revenue in 90 days by getting owners out of the weeds. He is also a Forbes Business Council Member, a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine, and a member of Duke Corporate Education.
Ben Gay III – Salesman, Speaker, and Sales Trainer at “The Closers”
85% of all the problems go away in selling if you sell a quality productor service, preferably the best available at a competitive price, and spendyour time talking to qualified prospects.
Ben Gay III has been called a living legend in the sales world. In his 40+ years of professional selling and sales training, he has been the #1 salesperson in every organization in which he has ever worked . . . and he’s a powerful speaker, trainer, and author to boot! Having started his first business at 14, by age 25 he was the president/CEO of what was then the world’s largest Direct Sales/MLM/Network Marketing company. And he was personally trained by fellow sales legends J. Douglas Edwards, Dr. Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, William Penn Patrick, Zig Ziglar, Merle Fraser, Fred Herman, James H. Rucker Jr., and many many other sales giants. Now one of the most famous, popular and powerful sales trainers in the world, Ben accepts and conducts just 24 live “The Closers Sales Training” seminars a year and writes/publishes/produces “The Closers” series of books, audios, videos, newsletters, and teletrainings . . . a series that is considered “The Foundation of Professional Selling.” He was the founder and is the current Executive Director of The National Association of Professional Salespeople.

September 23, 2025 - Obstacles to Opportunity Pat Alacqua and Go Giver Bob Burg

Pat Alacqua – CEO of Blue Magnet Partners and Author of Obstacles to Opportunity: Transforming Business Challenges into Triumphs
Growth is not scale. Don’t mistake the two. Scale is capacity, not chaos,and start building scale early, because you run out of hustle at some point.
Pat Alacqua is a seasoned business growth strategist who has built his own successful businesses and helped others achieve exponential growth. He founded the Entrepreneur to Enterprise Program to share his wealth of experience and guide leaders on their journey. His new book is Obstacles to Opportunity: Transforming Business Challenges into Triumphs – Stories and Strategies from Leaders Who’ve Mastered It.  A renowned business growth strategist, Pat founded the Entrepreneur to Enterprise Program and created the 3Cs Process to Faster Results. With expertise in anticipating development needs and overcoming challenges, Pat cultivates leadership skills and disciplined processes to help entrepreneurs, emerging leaders, and executives grow exponentially.Bob Burg – Keynote Speaker, Co-Founder and Coauthor of The Go-Giver Influencer: A Little Story About a Most Persuasive Idea
Shifting your focus from getting to giving – constantly and consistently providing value to others – is not only a nice way to live life, but a very financially profitable way as well.
Bob Burg shares how a subtle shift in focus is not only a more uplifting and fulfilling way of conducting business but the most financially profitable way, as well. For more than 30 years he has helped companies, sales leaders, and their teams to more effectively communicate their value, sell at higher prices with less resistance, and grow their businesses based on Endless Referrals. Bob has regularly addressed audiences ranging in size from 50 to 16,000 — sharing the platform with notables including today’s top thought leaders, broadcast personalities, Olympic athletes and political leaders including a former United States President. Although for years he was best known for his book Endless Referrals, it’s his business parable, The Go-Giver (coauthored with John David Mann) that captured the imagination of his readers. The Go-Giver, a Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek Bestseller, has sold well over a million copies. Since its release, it has consistently stayed in the Top 25 on Porchlight’s (formerly 800-CEO-READ) Business Book Bestsellers List. The book has been translated into 30 languages. It was rated #10 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the Most Motivational Books Ever Written, and was on HubSpot’s 20 Most Highly Rated Sales Books of All Time. Bob is the author of a number of books on sales, referrals, influence, persuasion, and people skills, with total book sales exceeding two million copies. Bob is an advocate, supporter and defender, of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve. He is also an unapologetic animal fanatic and serves as part of a South Florida rescue, foster, and adoption organization.

September 22, 2025 – Finance Expert Stefanie O’Connell, I Need A VA Brittany Bettini andEnlightened Entrepreneur Corey Poirier

Stefanie O’Connell – Personal finance expert, featured on The Today Show, ABC World News, Bloomberg, CNBC, and more
My strategy is a time in the market is better than timing the market.
In a time when traditional savings accounts are offering less incentives to younger generations, new research shows that Bitcoin (BTC) is emerging as a frontrunner in how Millennials and Gen Z approach wealth building—and older generations may be missing out. To address this shifting landscape, Uphold is launching easyBitcoin, a seamless way to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin.  Built for simplicity, transparency, and trust, it’s designed to bring crypto into the comfort zone for all, especially Gen Xers navigating a rapidly evolving financial future. According to recent research, many younger people are turning to Bitcoin instead of traditional savings. Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez is a nationally recognized personal finance expert, author, and speaker, known for empowering individuals—especially women and millennials—to achieve financial independence. She’s been featured on The Today Show, ABC World News, Bloomberg, and CNBC, and is widely respected for making complex financial topics relatable and actionable. She brings deep insight into the behavioral trends shaping modern money decisions.Brittany Bettini – CEO of I Need A VA
My main focus and my life revolves around I Need a VA. It’s what reallygets me excited about life, and so I’ve decided to quit chasing shinyobjects and really just double down on what I know best
Brittany Bettini is an award-winning entrepreneur, writer, and philanthropist from Asheville, North Carolina. She is the founder and CEO of I Need A VA, Bettini Financial, and Bettini Business Academy. Over the last six years, Brittany has been the On-Site Chief Of Operations for her family’s company, Clean Streak Incorporated. Her multiple businesses have been nominated for and received numerous awards, including four consecutive Henderson County NC Chamber of Commerce’s highest growth awards from 2018-2021. Brittany was named as one of Business North Carolina Magazine’s 2021 Small Business Trailblazers and received the 2021 Henderson County Athena Award nomination. Brittany is an esteemed member of the Forbes Business Council. She has written articles that have appeared in numerous publications, including Forbe’s magazine, Yahoo Finance, Entrepreneur magazine, MarketWatch, USA Today, and many others. Since escaping a decade-long domestic violence situation in 2017, Brittany has become a fierce advocate for battered women. In 2022 she helped raise over four hundred thousand dollars for the domestic violence shelter where she and her children were once visitors. Brittany currently spends her days coaching small business owners in the art of rapid growth using virtual staff, press, and all of the other tools she has picked up along her entrepreneurial journey.
Corey Poirier – Speaker, Podcaster and Author of The Enlightened Passenger
The question of how important is it to step outside your comfort zone? Ithink it’s everything. I think it is one of those transformational game changers.
Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx Speaker and was recently announced as one of just 15 SUCCESS Magazine Emerging Entrepreneurs (a first-time award). He is also the host of the top-rated ‘Let’s Do Influencing’ Radio Show, founder of the growing bLU Talks brand, and has been featured in multiple television specials. He is a Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple Books, and Kobo Bestselling Author, Award Winning Author, and the co-author of the Wall Street Journal / USA Today Bestseller, Quitless. A columnist with Entrepreneur and Forbes magazine, he has interviewed over 6,500 of the world’s top leaders, including everyone from Ken Honda, Lisa Nichols, Dr. Shefali, Deepak Chopra, Tommy Chong, , Neale Donald Walsch, Marie Diamond, and Kristina Mänd-Lakniahi, and he has spoken on-site at Harvard, Columbia, MIT, UCLA, Stanford, and more recently to Microsoft team leaders and at Kyle Wilson’s Inner Circle retreat which has featured everyone from Brian Tracy to Mark Victor Hansen to Phil Collen (Def Leppard). Also appearing on the popular Evan Carmichael YouTube Channel, he is a New Media Summit Icon of Influence, was recently listed as the # 5 Influencer in Entrepreneurship by Thinkers 360, and listed on the 2021 Brainz CREA Global Awards as an honouree, and he is a Humanitarian Hero Award Nominee, Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee, Champion Award nominee, and to demonstrate his versatility, a Rock Recording of the Year Nominee who has performed stand-up comedy more than 700 times, including an appearance at the famed Second City.

September 19, 2025 – Smootheeze Ross Nelson and Lewis Howes

Ross Nelson – Founder of Smootheeze
After about five months, we crossed six figures in revenue. And so it was a great milestone, and just validation that people continue to buy after that.
Ross Nelson is the Founder of Smootheeze, I am passionate about transforming the way people prepare and enjoy smoothies. Our innovative silicone freezer trays make it easy to prep, freeze, and blend fresh ingredients, ensuring delicious, nutritious smoothies every time. Before founding Smootheeze, I had a dynamic career in marketing and video production Beyond my professional life, I have a deep love for music. I studied trumpet and tuba in college and expanded my skills to include guitar and piano. My journey in music production includes producing albums, live recordings, and composing for film and television advertising. A highlight was producing live albums on the 2004 Pixies reunion tour. Now, with Smootheeze, I am excited to bring my expertise in marketing, video production, and storytelling to the health and wellness industry, helping people lead healthier lives with ease and convenience.Lewis Howes – Top Podcaster and Author of The School of Greatness: A Real-World Guide to Living Bigger, Loving Deeper, and Leaving a Legacy
Adversity can either break us or have us break through and it’s ourchoice on how we want to move through it.
Lewis Howes is an online marketing expert, sought-after business coach, podcast and webinar host, speaker, and angel investor. He is the host of “The School of Greatness” podcast. He was recognized in a 2013 White House ceremony by President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country under age 30.  Lewis is a lifestyle entrepreneur that teaches small business owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs how to make a full time living doing what they love. Most of his students make 6 and 7 figures a year by applying basic online marketing principles to growing their business. He started out playing professional football then transitioned into the business world. Since then he has written a number of books, invested and advised start ups, built a multi million dollar company and sold it for 7 figures. The School of Greatness podcast reaches 650,000 people monthly and frequently is listed in the top 50 on iTunes each month.

September 18, 2025 – Working w King Charles & High End Clothing Empire Federico Marchetti and Lisa Lindahl

Federico Marchetti – Member of the Board of Trustees at Circular Bioeconomy Alliance
The most important thing is take courage. Take risks, because if you don’t take risks, it would be impossible to be lucky. I was very lucky, but simply because I took so many risks, and most of the times it went well.
Federico Marchetti took a few million dollar investment from Benchmark, a venture capital firm, in early 2000 and turned it into YOOX Net-a-Porter Group. This was later sold to Cartier’s parent company, Richemont, in a $6 billion transaction value. Marchetti found his own recipe for success by combining Silicon Valley hard skills with Italian creativity and humanism. His approach to business harkens back to this Italian DNA, and yet Marchetti helped bring fashion into the 21st century by building Italy’s first unicorn, in a country lacking digital infrastructure and tech culture. Marchetti’s story unfolds against a backdrop of European vistas, Milan, Lake Como, Venice, and England’s Royal Palaces. His journey starts with a challenging Italian childhood, and hits on many of the most significant moments in international business over the past decades—from working in the Twin Towers to studying at Columbia Business School and launching a start-up right before the dotcom bubble. Along the way he meets the who’s who of technology from Jeff Bezos to Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. Marchetti sits on the Armani board of directors as the only non-family member, attends the catwalk shows, and co-invests in the movies of Luca Guadagnino. From the glamorous party thrown with Anna Wintour to the dazzling coronation of King Charles III—where he sits on another type of front row as the only Italian invited alongside the President of the Republic of Italy—The Geek of Chic is as inspiring as it is entertaining, filled with doses of style, surreal situations, unexpected happenings, and ‘sliding door’ moments.
Lisa Lindahl – Sports Bra Inventor and Book Author of Unleash the Girls
The whole idea started as a joke… my sister said, ‘Why isn’t there a jock strap for women?’ And when I hung up the phone, I thought, this is not such a silly idea.
Lisa Z. Lindahl invented the first-ever sports bra, the “Jogbra”, in 1977 as a game-changer, evolutionizing athletic participation for women and girls and building a million-dollar business around it. She is an accomplished public speaker, writer, problem sighter and solver with knack for niche marketing and special focus on vision and planning, specializing in women-related issues. Along with being inducted to the National Inventors Hall of Fame and Smithsonian’s Innovate Lives series this spring in March, Lisa has detailed her life in her new book, Unleash the Girls, telling her deeply personal and improbable story of a young artist with a disability who solved a vexing problem and ended up leveling the playing field for girls and women across the globe.

September 17, 2025 – Principal Amen Rahh and Justin Harbinger

Amen Rahh – Founder/CEO at Knowlej and Author of  Revolutionary School Culture: The 6 Principles of Unlocking Your School’s Hidden Treasure
I was graduating 100% of my students year over year for three yearsstraight, and I have one student who was homeless and in foster care…he needed $400 to get from California to Alabama to pay for his ticket.He tried to hustle the money up on the streets, and before he could getthe money the streets took his life. If Knowledge was around and wasthriving, he would still be here today.
Amen Mandela Rahh is known as the Revolutionary Principal for how he has built and founded University Pathways Public Service Academy “The U” an urban public school in South Central Los Angeles. Principal Rahh distinguished himself in the classroom and as an educational change agent. As a middle school teacher in Watts, CA, he was selected as the turnaround teacher which ultimately helped him obtain his position as dean of students. As a principal, he founded one of the most highly-regarded schools in the area by students and parents. Currently, Principal Rahh is one of the most engaging speakers for transforming the way schools serve their at-promise student populations in America. He is a published author of a chapter he wrote in the book titled Restorative Practices Meets Social Justice as well as his debut book Revolutionary School Culture: The 6 Principles of unlocking your School’s Hidden Treasure. He is also the recipient of many educational, professional and community awards. He was born and raised from Compton, California in which he takes pride in saying. Amen received Associates Degree from Compton Community College, his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Black Studies, from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. He holds two Master’s Degrees in Education and in Special Education from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Amen is a certified trainer of trainers in Restorative Justice by the Institute of Restorative Practices (IIRP). Amen began his Professional career as a Special Education Assistant.Jordan Harbinger – Creator of The Jordan Harbinger Show
Really, the best way to express confidence is to be confident, and the bestway to be confident is to change your personality and internalize the conceptsthat make it possible for you to communicate confidence.
Jordan Harbinger has always had an affinity for Social Influence, Interpersonal Dynamics and Social Engineering, helping private companies test the security of their communications systems and working with law enforcement agencies before he was even old enough to drive. Jordan has spent several years abroad in Europe and the developing world, including South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and speaks several languages. He has also worked for various governments and NGOs overseas, traveled through war-zones and been kidnapped -twice. He’ll tell you; the only reason he’s still alive and kicking is because of his ability to talk his way into (and out of), just about any type of situation. At The Art of Charm, Jordan shares that experience, and the system borne as a result, with students and clients. Jordan’s business sense, extensive knowledge of the industry and contemporary approach to teaching make him one of the best and most sought after coaches in the world.

September 16, 2025 – Coaster Force Scott Schaffer

Scott Schaffer – Founder of Upstop Media and Videographer of Coaster Force
Constant content that people are interested and engaged with, I wouldsay is the best way to put it… The more consistent you are, and the moreYouTube recognizes that, the more YouTube pushes your content, andthen the more viewers you get, the more subscribers you get, and themore money you end up making.
Scott owns Upstop Media, which is a video production company that specializes in the amusement/theme park industry. His clients include RMC, Zamperla, Ride Entertainment, SNL, HGTV, the Travel Channel, IAAPA, Holiday World and Fun Spot America. He joined CoasterForce in 2018 as Content Creator, but has been working with East Coast(er) General since they first met at Silver Dollar City’s Outlaw Run media days in 2013. Specializing in on-ride videography, it’s no wonder that Jerry asked Scott to help him with filming for CoasterForce, an offer which Scott gladly accepted. In addition to our common roller coaster hobby, Scott is also an executive bourbon steward with an impressive collection of the American whiskey.