School for Startups Radio

August 2, 2023 - Telzio Peter Schroeder and SuperMoms Jacqueline Toboroff

Peter Schroeder – Founder & CEO of Telzio 
We have seen ourselves as the good guys in a pretty crookedindustry. We try to do things that make sense in pricing andcustomer service. For us it’s about making sure our customers are happy.
Peter Schroeder is a multi-award-winning DJ and entrepreneur who founded Telzio, a pre-unicorn unified communications company. With over two decades of experience, Peter has collaborated with companies like Facebook, Samsung, and Airbnb, transforming the way people work and communicate. Peter’s remarkable career also includes earning over 20 platinum records, 40 gold records, and a triple nomination for the Danish DJ awards. Despite facing challenges such as surviving a plane crash and becoming a father of twins, Peter continues to inspire others with his passion and unwavering drive. Peter Rank Schroeder has a long and varied work experience. Peter began their career in 1998 as the Founder & CEO of Tegnebordet. In 2001, they became a Software Developer for Mediehuset Wiegaarden. In 2002, they began working as a DJ Pete Fox. In 2006, they founded and became the CEO of 6AM Productions, a record label specializing in EDM artists. In 2008, they became a Software Developer for Mondo A/S. In 2009, they became a Software Developer for Danmarks Radio. Peter Rank Schroeder attended TECHCOLLEGE from 2001 to 2005, studying Graphic Design. Peter also obtained a certification from Somos, Inc. in February 2018 for Somos Resporg.Jacqueline Toboroff – Editor-in-Chief at TheManhattan.Press and the Author of the Book, “Supermoms Activated: 12 Profiles of Hero Moms Leading the American Revival“
The pandemic forced some people to breakand it forced others to succeed.
Jacqueline Toboroff, Manhattan native, divorced mom of two, is a private citizen who ran for City Council as a Republican. She was appointed VP of the Manhattan GOP and helped organize Moms for Lee (Zeldin), former NY Republican gubernatorial candidate. A published writer and featured guest speaker, Jacqueline is focused on NYC issues, finding solutions, and providing a platform for mothers who are fed up with having their parental rights challenged by the government. She serves as editor-in-chief at CD Media’s online news publication the Manhattan. Her column “On the Sidewalks of New York” is a weekly feature at Human Events.

July 31, 2023 - The Value Equation Chris Volk and AI Datapreneurs Bob Muglia

Christopher H. Volk – Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of The Year Winner and Author of The Value Equation: A Business Guide to Wealth Creation for Entrepreneurs, Leaders & Investors
The last company I started was with $20,000 of my personal moneyand we raised a half billion dollars to start.
Chris Volk has an interest in corporate business models, financial statement analysis and finance. He guided the initial public listing and assume the presidency of his first real estate investment trust, a business that became a national leader in providing lease and mortgage financing solutions for restaurant and other chain store operators. Over the next three decades, Chris was instrumental in founding and then publicly listing two other successful and market-leading net lease businesses.  The most recent of these is STORE Capital, a company Chris guided for a decade as its founding chief executive officer through the beginning of 2021.  The business models of all three companies, backed by strong leadership teams, delivered attractive shareholder returns while benefitting a broad array of stakeholders.  Altogether, Chris oversaw the successful deployment of more than $20 billion in net lease and mortgage capital to thousands of growing businesses across the United States. Chris began to write about corporate finance early in his career, with articles covering subjects from financial statement analysis to business valuation and real estate investing.  In 1999, he devised the Value, or V-Formula, a simplified equation to determine business equity returns.  That year, he wrote an inaugural article that would go on to win the Lybrand Gold Medal, bestowed for the best article of the year by the Institute of Management Accountants.  Later, Chris would write articles that expanded on his early V-Formula observations, culminating in an eventual award-winning video series that he created while chief executive officer at STORE Capital and which inspired this book.  He was a 2019 regional winner of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of The Year® award.  He serves as a visiting professor to Cornell University, lectures at many colleges and serves on multiple charity boards. He resides with his wife in Paradise Valley Arizona and Huntsville, Alabama.Bob Muglia – Board Member of RelationalAI and Author of The Datapreneurs: The Promise of AI and the Creators Building Our Future 
For startups there has never been more opportunity for people to buildsolutions. What is incredible about AI is it allows you take expertise in anygiven domain and essentially encapsulate that.
Bob Muglia is a data technology investor and business executive, former CEO of Snowflake, and past President of Microsoft’s Server and Tools Division. As a leader, Bob focuses on how innovation and ethical values can merge to shape the Data Economy’s future in the era of AI. He serves as a board director for emerging companies that seek to maximize the power of data to help solve some of the world’s most challenging problems. Bob Muglia helps us understand how innovation in data and information technology has led us to AI—and how this technology must shape our future. The long-time Microsoft executive, former CEO of Snowflake, and current tech investor maps the evolution of the modern data stack and how it has helped build today’s economy and society. And he explains how humanity must create a new social contract for the artificial general intelligence (AGI)—autonomous machines intelligent as people—that he expects to arrive in less than a decade.

July 28, 2023 - Live Earth Jim Barker and Dummies Bill Snow

Bill Snow – Managing Director of Jordan, Knauff & Company  and the Author of the Book “Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies“
If you can find a buyer that has a strategic imperative or bring something to the table like entree into a new customer class, then you can get higher than a normal 4 as a multiplier.
Bill Snow is the Managing Director of Jordan, Knauff & Company  and the Author of the Book “Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies”. Bill Snow is a highly regarded authority in the field of mergers and acquisitions, known for his extensive experience representing buyers and sellers across a wide range of industries. With a career spanning over 30 years, including nearly two decades as an investment banker, Bill has established himself as a trusted professional in the field. His expertise encompasses various aspects of M&A, including business sales, capital raises, and buy-side services for middle-market companies. Throughout his career, Bill has worked with clients from diverse sectors, such as water works manufacturing, value-added distribution, packaging, medical supplies and equipment, automotive parts, drink dispensing equipment, security, apparel, refined fuels, and more. In addition to his work in M&A, Bill is an accomplished writer, having authored articles for online publications and books on topics including early-stage capital and personal marketing. He is also a sought-after speaker, delivering engaging presentations at universities like Northwestern University, DePaul University, IIT-Kent, and Harvard Business School. Bill has shared his insights at prominent events such as the Thomson Reuters Midwestern M&A/Private Equity Forum, and he has presented to esteemed organizations including Chase Bank, Huntington Bank, Ice Miller, the Illinois CPA Society, and the University Club of Chicago. His speaking engagements extend beyond the United States, with international lectures in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. Bill holds an MBA and a BS in finance from DePaul University, and he is a registered Investment Banking Representative with FINRA, holding series 62, 63, and 79 certifications. His wealth of knowledge and extensive track record make him a trusted advisor in the field of mergers and acquisitions.Jim Barker – Chief Revenue Officer of Live Earth
The Department of Defense was our second client. They used the platform for battle. They integrated our systems so they could see tanks and planes in real time.
Jim Barker leads revenue growth for Live Earth in Dallas, Texas helping the world’s largest organizations make faster and better decisions with data. Live Earth’s operational analytics platform leverages real world data with customer data to provide actionable insights allowing them to win in their marketplace over competition. cJim is a driven sales and marketing leader with 25+ years experience leading organizations in the technology and communications space. Jim enjoys helping teams drive revenue with an innovative approach to providing a unique customer experience where issues are resolved and desired outcomes are achieved. Jim works as Chief Revenue Officer at Live Earth. In this role, Jim leads the teams responsible for marketing, business development, sales and partner growth for Live Earth’s real-time data analytics platform and data engineering services. Jim is passionate about helping people succeed. He identifies what is most important to them, aligns purpose and values, and implements processes to achieve common goals. Jim is a faithful servant who believes in inspiring greatness and excellence from himself, his team and his clients. He believes in high integrity and a positive attitude in every form of serving people. Jim’s top 5 strength’s from his Strength Finder assessment are all in Executing. These include Achiever, Responsibility, Consistency, Discipline, and Focus. Jim knows how to make things happen. When you need someone to create and execute a sales and marketing strategy, Jim is the type to roll up his sleeves and work tirelessly towards the best possible results. Jim is a Di on the DISC assessment indicating he is enthusiastic, persuasive, and focused on the big picture. It comes naturally to Jim to complete projects more quickly than others, take big risks, and feel comfortable making important decisions. Jim is motivated by helping clients and teams achieve ambitious goals by overcoming challenges. He measures much of his success on results he can help influence and impact.

July 26, 2023 - Preparing for Battle Chad Price and Maniscripting Journal Samantha Kozuch

JULY 26, 2023 – PREPARING FOR BATTLE CHAD PRICE AND MANISCRIPTING JOURNAL SAMANTHA KOZUCH
Chad Price – Founder/Managing Partner of Kettlebell Kings an Inc. 5000
You need to lose the person that you were to become the person that you want to be.
Chad Price is the Founder/Managing Partner of Kettlebell Kings an Inc. 5000. Chad Price is a long time entrepreneur in multiple industries with extensive knowledge in the sports industry, and a wide range of experiences in all aspects of fitness and general entrepreneurship. His specialties include strategic planning and execution, marketing and advertising, quality assurance, etc.. as well as specializing in organizational leadership. LGG is a lifestyle brand founded by Chad. Their goal is to create a greener, more socially conscious planet utilizing the latest, most innovative, and regenerative methods to discover and create products derived directly from nature itself that contribute to a modern healthy lifestyle. Though a start-up, LGG has ambitious plans to grow beyond the border of America by not only concentrating on what it can produce on its own but equally creating partnerships that make products and services made by others more readily available.Samantha Kozuch – Owner & Founder of The Maniscripting Journal
If a thought or desire comes to you, it is for you. If it feels good to take action on it, go for it!
Samantha Kozuch is the Owner & Founder of The Maniscripting Journal. Samantha has been an entrepreneur and business owner for more than 10 years and has built multiple online six-figure businesses including a video production company, fitness influencer, business coach, and her successful e-commerce business where she wrote and created The Maniscripting Journal, designed to help you get clear on your goals and desires, transform your life, and awaken your soul. The powerful process of visualizing and writing down your desires will help activate your subconscious mind, enabling you to achieve anything you set your mind to.

July 24, 2023 - Operations Installer Tomas Keenan and Renegade Brander Ann Bennett

JULY 24, 2023 – OPERATIONS INSTALLER TOMAS KEENAN AND RENEGADE BRANDER ANN BENNETT
Tomas Keenan – Founder and CEO of Step It Up Academy
Gurus tell people to fix all of these things in their companies and in the next six months they attempt to fix all of them. They get almost nothing done. If you focus your attention in six directions, you’re going to get 1/4 mile down the road.
Tomas Keenan is the Founder and CEO of Step It Up Academy. From humble beginnings to a lengthy career as a custom car audio installer, Tomas Keenan is a prime example of a technician turned CEO. After co-founding an industry-leading GPS Tracking and Dashboard Camera installation company and growing it to a 7-figure business, Tomas moved into the coaching space as a high-level business and success coach for other industry leaders and business owners. Tomas’ success as an elite business coach led him to move his family from NYC to Dallas, Texas, to focus full-time on his newest company, Step It Up Academy. He understands the roadblocks that entrepreneurs face and possesses an innate ability to help you overcome them with his extensive body of knowledge. Simply put: he knows how to get results! He works with Entrepreneurs who refuse to be average and are crushing 7+ figures in business. His expertise and vast experience have repeatedly put him on the pages of top industry magazines. He has been featured in Forbes, Mobile Electronics Magazine, CE Outlook, CEO Blog Nation, Fit Small Business, The Startup Growth, The Goodmen Project, several Blogs, and countless podcasts. Tomas is a sought-after public speaker, 2X bestselling author, and Step It Up Entrepreneur Podcast host. He routinely interviews industry leaders, influencers, high-level business and success coaches, business owners, and entrepreneurs who are intentionally impacting their communities and the world. He shares the key to his success is making progress every day, regardless of how small it may be.Ann Bennett – Founder of Renegade Branding & Messaging
In order to stand out you want to use your 1%. The 1% that makes you different.
Ann Bennett is the founder of Renegade Branding & Messaging, an International Speaker, Best Selling Author, Coach, and Brand Profit Builder. Ann uses her marketing and branding genius to help women entrepreneurs (and a few good men) build their STAND-OUT personal brands and boost their profits. She works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs who do transformational work, so they can liberate and ignite their unique genius, and authentic voice, and build a profitable brand platform. Ann has 25 years of experience in visual and graphic design and has brought her talents to many major magazines from Popular Mechanics to Vogue.

July 21, 2023 - 22 Year Old Millionaire Reno Anthony Davis and Trillions of Repo Mary Ellen Tuthill

JULY 21, 2023 – 22 YEAR OLD MILLIONAIRE RENO ANTHONY DAVIS AND TRILLIONS OF REPO MARY ELLEN TUTHILL
Reno Anthony Davis – American Businessman, Fashion Icon, And Instagram Star
Wholesaling real estate is the best way to make money as a young man because it requires little to no capital to get started. You find a distressed property, you make a cash offer and then I assign the contract to an investor.
Reno Anthony Davis is a remarkable 22-year-old self-made millionaire from Miami, FL, who has cracked the code on the real estate wholesaling industry. Reno Anthony Davis Is An American Businessman, Fashion Icon, And Instagram Star From The Sunshine State. He Is Most Recognized For His Ventures In The Real Estate Wholesaling Industry. At The Age Of 20, He Began His Real Estate Ventures And Has Found Great Success. Aside From Real Estate, He Has A Great Taste Of Fashion And A Huge Following On His Instagram Platform. Reno Is Featured In Forbes. Reno’s journey is a captivating tale of perseverance, determination, and triumph. At the young age of 22, he achieved extraordinary success by leveraging his expertise in real estate wholesaling. With his unique approach, Reno has closed an impressive 66 real estate deals in just two years, surpassing industry veterans many times his age. Reno can provide invaluable insights into how anyone, regardless of their age or financial situation, can enter into real estate wholesaling and experience exponential growth in their net worth. His success story serves as an inspiration to young people who feel financially trapped and are searching for a viable path to financial freedom. One of the most compelling aspects of Reno’s story is his firm belief that age is merely a number when it comes to achieving success. He emphasizes the importance of dedication, hard work, and a strong work ethic in surpassing obstacles and attaining remarkable results. Reno has overcome the obstacles that hold many young people back from pursuing their dreams.Mary Ellen Tuthill – Former Writer-Editor of iMoneyNet – Financial Intelligence and the Author of “Repo Madness:: A Simpleton’s Guide to the Street’s Wicked Ways”
By the early 80s the repo market what’s the largest securities market in the world and was pegged at $50 billion in 1982. Today it is an excess of $13 trillion.
M.E. Tuthill was born and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts. A graduate of Boston College with a BA in American History, she went on to earn two master’s degrees: an MA from the University of Maryland in American Studies and an MS from Syracuse University in Communications. A self-described “perpetual student,” she worked for ten years as a broadcast journalist. For the next 13 years she would work as a financial advisor also penning a financial planning column for the local paper. Eventually the rough and tumble of the securities business took its toll and she embarked on a third career as a full-time financial writer. Hired in 2006, initially the work was uninspiring. What had been a job writing about sleepy money-market funds turned into a journey deep into the recesses of shadow banking. Tuthill was hooked. She wanted to learn everything about shadow banking and as the days, weeks, months, and years passed, amassed hundreds of articles, scholarly papers, marketing material from the banks and government reports. The result is “Repo-Madness: A Simpleton’s Guide to the Street’s Wicked Ways.”

July 19, 2023 - Measuring Streaming Lukasz Jeziorski and the 9th Man Steve Berry

JULY 19, 2023 – MEASURING STREAMING LUKASZ JEZIORSKI AND THE 9TH MAN STEVE BERRY
 
Lukasz Jeziorski – CEO of PlumResearch
We don’t focus on viewing data for the top ten or even 100 shows in a month. We aim to look at the long tail of content and to serve every single production company out there that sells content to a major streaming platform.
Lukasz Jeziorski is the founder and CEO of PlumResearch, an expert with over 15 years’ experience in tech industries. He started the company from scratch and built it up into the success it is today. His experience and expertise have established PlumResearch as a trusted partner for business in the streaming and entertainment space. Lukasz leads a team of experts producing products to address the entertainment industry’s needs. PlumResearch has become a leading player in the entertainment industry, providing data-driven insights to help companies make informed decisions and drive growth. Lukasz is a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (International Emmy Awards), which demonstrates his commitment to advancing the entertainment industry through innovative and data-driven solutions and he also holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship. Prior to founding PlumResearch, Lukasz worked as a Product Manager at Red Sky, where he was responsible for building software products and international distribution. Before that, he held various managerial positions in the tech and entertainment industry, including his own eSports start-up.Steve Berry – NY Times Best Selling Author of “The 9th Man (Luke Daniels Book 1)“
You have to sit down and physically do it. Writing is a discipline. You have to set up a schedule. When I was a lawyer, I wrote every day from 6:30 to 9:00 AM.
Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of sixteen Cotton Malone adventures, five stand-alone thrillers, and several works of short fiction. His books have been translated into 41 languages with 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, a Steve Berry book is sold. History lies at the heart of every Steve Berry novel. It’s his passion, one he shares with his wife, Elizabeth, which led them to create History Matters, a foundation dedicated to historic preservation. Since 2009 Steve and Elizabeth have crossed the country to save endangered historic treasures, raising money via lectures, receptions, galas, luncheons, dinners, and their popular writers’ workshops. To date, 3,500 students have attended those workshops, with over $1.5 million dollars raised. Steve’s devotion to historic preservation was recognized by the American Library Association, which named Steve its spokesperson for National Preservation Week. Among his other honors are the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award; the Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award given by Poets & Writers; the Anne Frank Human Writes Award; and the Silver Bullet, bestowed by International Thriller Writers for his philanthropic work. He has been chosen both the Florida and Georgia Writer of the Year. He’s also an emeritus member of the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board. In 2010, a NPR survey named The Templar Legacy one of the top 100 thrillers ever written. Steve was born and raised in Georgia, graduating from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. He was a trial lawyer for 30 years and held elective office for 14 of those years. He is a founding member of International Thriller Writers—a group of nearly 6,000 thriller writers from around the world—and served three years as its co-president.

July 17, 2023 - Strategic Planning Alisha Jernack and Legal Issues of Energy Healing Midge Murphy

JULY 17, 2023 – STRATEGIC PLANNING ALISHA JERNACK AND LEGAL ISSUES OF ENERGY HEALING MIDGE MURPHY
 
Alisha Jernack – Partner (Entrepreneurial and Advisory Services) at Mazars in US  
What differentiates a company from being good or or great is having some sort of strategic business plan that can help them accomplish their goals and to achieve the growth they are looking for.
Alisha has more than 13 years of public accounting experience, specializing in business advisory, strategic planning, financial reporting and tax services. She assists privately owned businesses in transportation and logistics, food and beverage, and consumer products, as well as other manufacturing and distribution sectors. Alisha was named in NJBIZ’s 2022 “40 under 40” and CPA Practice Advisor’s 2021 “40 under 40.” In 2021, she received an Innovation Award from the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and was an Enterprise Women to Watch Honorable Mention by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey. Alisha has a passion for developing innovative strategies, acting as a trusted advisor to her clients.  She is actively involved with her local chapter with the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, as a Board of Directors co-chair and recently ended a term as a four-year college student mentor. She has been quoted and published in Bloomberg, Accounting Today, NJBIZ and ROI – NJ. Mazars is a leading international audit, tax and advisory firm. Operating as a united partnership, we work as one integrated team, leveraging expertise, scale and cultural understanding to deliver exceptional and tailored services in audit and accounting, as well as tax, financial advisory, consulting and legal services*. Alisha Jernack’s – partner at Mazars with more than 10 years’ experience servicing entrepreneur’s and small businesses – clients (across sectors) consistently run into the same issues when business planning – including not having a good sense of cash flow, working with banks who have gotten more conservative with loans, not investing in technology or motivating their people to prioritize profitability and lacking visibility into customer profitability. Alisha has the opportunity to join a discussion focused on successfully prioritizing the needs of a business. The discussion covers several key aspects, including how high performing medium-sized businesses can shape and define their goals and objectives. This involves adopting best practices in goal-setting to ensure continued success. Alisha can also gain insights into overcoming cash flow and profitability challenges effectively. By implementing sound financial strategies and closely monitoring cash flow, businesses can navigate these hurdles and maintain a healthy bottom line. The discussion will also provide valuable information on best practices for defining priorities. This involves identifying and prioritizing tasks and projects to optimize resource allocation and maximize productivity. Alisha can learn about the importance of aligning personal objectives of business owners with the overall business strategies. By establishing a strong connection between personal and business goals, owners can stay motivated and dedicated to the success of the business. Additionally, the discussion will explore how priorities may evolve over time due to various factors. Alisha can understand the significance of flexibility and adaptability in adjusting objectives to align with changing market conditions or internal dynamics. Lastly, motivating employees to prioritize business growth is a crucial aspect that will be discussed. Alisha can learn about fostering a positive work culture, providing incentives, and effectively communicating the company’s vision and goals to inspire employees to actively contribute to the growth and success of the organization.Midge Murphy – Professional Liability Risk Management Consultant, Speaker & the Author of Book  “Practice Energy Healing in Integrity: The Joy of Offering Your Gifts Legally & Ethically“
What differentiates a company from being good or or great is having some sort of strategic business plan that can help them accomplish their goals and to achieve the growth they are looking for.
Midge Murphy is the Professional Liability Risk Management Consultant, Speaker & the Author of Book  “Practice Energy Healing in Integrity: The Joy of Offering Your Gifts Legally & Ethically”. Midge Murphy, an energy healing practitioner, and the first attorney to achieve a Ph.D. in energy medicine, possesses a comprehensive knowledge of both the legal field and alternative healing arts. With over a decade of experience, Midge has offered consulting services to numerous clients, specializing in areas such as ethics, legal matters, and risk management strategies pertaining to the practice and training of energy healing methods. Midge’s book and the accompanying Exam have gained recognition as the industry’s gold standard, providing vital training for energy healing practitioners to establish practices that are both legally sound and ethically grounded. For more than a decade, Midge Murphy, JD, PhD (Energy Medicine) has been a tireless advocate for bringing ethics, legal issues, and risk management strategies into energy-based practices and in the training of alternative healing arts practitioners. Her groundbreaking book, Practice Energy Healing in Integrity: The Joy of Offering Your Gifts Legally & Ethically (2015-2020), along with the accompanying exam and certificate, is considered the gold standard in ethics, legal issues, and risk management strategies in the practice of intuitive and energy healing methods.

July 14, 2023 - Personal Accountability Larry Thornton and CREU Boris C. Sanchez

Boris C. Sanchez – Owner of CREU
Families with kids are the ones that stay the longest and pay the rent.
Boris was born an entrepreneur in Bogota, Colombia. Although he started his first business in elementary school and has succeeded at every level since. It has usually been against all odds. From taking the traditional route of getting his MBA in London while having to work jobs around the clock to cover tuition to being cheated by partners and still getting ahead. All this early life education offered him the perfect storm of trying out Commercial Real Estate and falling in love with it. Several years later and over 20 million+ in assets Boris is looking to pay it forward and help people with an opportunity he never got. Accomplished active commercial real estate investor, broker, lender, and educator. He has personally owned over 1500 multifamily units and actively buys and sells commercial RE every month. He has been a broker and a lender in over $1 Billion worth of commercial real estate transactions in his 13 year career so far. Along with his Sanmore Investments team, he plans on acquiring another $50 million worth of commercial real estate this year. Boris also personally mentors investors looking to enter the CRE arena as well as experienced investors looking to expand or diversify their real estate portfolio.Larry Thornton – President and CEO of Thornton Enterprises – McDonalds Franchisee and the Author of the Book “Why Not Win?: Reflections on a Fifty-Year Journey from the Segregated South to America’s board rooms – and what it can teach us all“
In the kind of winning that I am talking about, there doesn’t have to bea loser. There is enough winning for you and everyone around you. Wewin more completely when we create winning opportunities for others.
Larry Thornton is the President and CEO of Thornton Enterprises – McDonalds Franchisee and the Author of the Book “Why Not Win?: Reflections on a Fifty-Year Journey from the Segregated South to America’s board rooms – and what it can teach us all”. Larry Thornton is an artist, entrepreneur, and servant leader. Growing up in segregated Montgomery, Alabama, he worked his way from sign painter to advertising manager at Coca-Cola Birmingham, and became the first African American to open a McDonald’s franchise in Birmingham, Alabama. He eventually opened multiple stores and created Thornton Enterprises, Inc. His book, Why Not Win? A Reflection on a 50-year Journey from the Segregated South to America’s Boardrooms — And What it Teaches Us All (NewSouth Books, April 1, 2019), serves as inspiration for people from all walks of life. Larry founded the Why Not Win Institute to make leadership development accessible. All book sales profit goes to support the institute’s mission.

July 12, 2023 - Lucid Green Paul Botto and Fixing Work David Henkin & Thomas Bertels

Paul Botto – Co-founder and President of Lucid Green  
The demands of the cannabis industry required us to find a way totrack things much more accurately with higher fidelity. We trackat the unit level. The codes that we put on each package are unique.
Paul Botto is the Co-founder and President of Lucid Green, a platform to reduce costs, increase transparency, and drive revenue for cannabis operators. Paul brings nearly 20 years of analytics and data technology experience. Starting in 1999, Paul helped build Urchin Software Corp into a leading online analytics provider, culminating in its acquisition by Google in April 2005. Paul became the Head of Google Analytics Sales and Consulting and his leadership contributed to the deep integration of Google Analytics strategy with AdWords, AdSense and Google Display ad sales, transforming the Google sales conversation from ad spend-focused sales to results-focused sales, adding well over $2B in incremental revenue by the time of his departure. Five years ago, Paul nearly lost his leg and actively sought natural alternatives to the massive amounts of opioids he was prescribed. His recovery inspired his entry into the cannabis industry and the formation of Lucid Green.David Henkin & Thomas Bertels – Authors of  Fixing Work: A Tale about Designing Jobs Employees Love
In this labor market, companies have to earn the commute. If you say you have to be in the office five days a week, that experience had better be worthwhile.
David Henkin is an accomplished executive and entrepreneur with a proven record of success in prominent global companies as well as start-ups. An expert in architecting and implementing innovative business strategies and solutions improving performance, profitable possibilities, and developing organizational capabilities through a collaborative-growth approach. The author of several books, he has taught in a top-rated university business school program while also serving as an innovator, consultant, and coach for corporate and nonprofit leaders in the areas of innovation, work design, business and technology, teams, and leadership among others. His work experience includes Chief Innovation Officer at Vertex (VERX), where he also served as Executive Vice President. In addition, he launched and led as General Manager their public cloud business as well as their managed services and outsourcing practice. David was a board member at Wheelhouse Analytics from startup through successful strategic acquisition. He served as Chief Operating Officer at Coates Analytics also from startup through successful strategic acquisition. Prior to that David was a Corporate Officer and Principal at Vanguard serving in their institutional and retail businesses, strategy, and technology. David moved to Vanguard from Accenture where he managed large, complex programs in their communications industry group.
Thomas Bertels is the President & Founder of Purpose Works Consulting. Thomas has 25 years of global consulting experience, working across industries on projects ranging from strategy design to operating model transformation. He is a recognized thought leader on operational excellence and process redesign. Prior to founding Purpose Works, Thomas was a founding partner of OXYGY/Valeocon Consulting. He started his career with ABB and AON. Thomas is based in Northern New Jersey and enjoys reading and music.