School for Startups Radio

November 4, 2025 – Risk Considered Ben Swire, Playful Cas Holman and Brain Shapes War Dr. Nicholas Wright

Ben Swire – Co-Founder of Make Believe Works and the Author of Safe Danger: An Unexpected Method for Sparking Connection, Finding Purpose, and Inspiring Innovation
The crack is how the light gets in. It’s the damage that makes us us and makes us unique, and so I think a big thread through this is, you know, when people can learn to value rather than hide or apologize for the parts that others looked at strangely – that’s where I think you get your real insight
Ben is an award-winning designer and writer, and former Design Lead at the legendary innovation firm, IDEO. The thread that runs through his varied background in design thinking, philosophy, quantum theory, cinema, psychoanalytic theory, and literature is an exceptional curiosity about the hidden factors that influence our lives when we’re not looking. While at IDEO Ben created Make Believe Time as a bi-weekly creative play date for the IDEO community. People from all levels in the studio came to the sessions to learn, create, play, laugh, and, most importantly, meaningfully connect with their colleagues and themselves. Participants walked away refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle challenges in new and creative ways. When interest spread beyond the walls of IDEO, Make Believe Works was born and now helps organizations ranging from Fortune 500 stalwarts to first-year start-ups to build the creative and emotional muscle memory that leads to a healthy, innovative, collaborative work culture.Cas Holman – Founder of Heroes Will Rise
Release judgment is the first one embrace possibilities is the second one.So say, like, I’m not quite sure what’s going to come of this, but I’m interestedin it, so I’m going to be curious. And the third one is reframing success.
Cas Holman is the founder and chief designer of the toy company Heroes Will Rise and a former Professor of Industrial Design at RISD. Cas travels the globe speaking about early education, the design process, and the value of play in all aspects of life. She has shared her perspective in workshops and seminars with teams at Google, Nike, LEGO Foundation, Disney Imagineering, and more. Some of her designs include toys like Rigamajig and structures at the Highline and the Liberty Science center. Cas lives in New York City and designs from her studio in BrooklynDr. Nicholas Wright – Author of Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain
Fear is useful, right? If you lose the part of the brain which is involved in feeling fear or responding appropriately to fear… people who lose that part of the brain, they don’t become fearless criminals, instead, they become victims of crime. We need fear, and yet fear can drive us towards conflict.
Dr Nicholas Wright, MRCP, PhD is a neuroscientist who researches the brain, technology and security at University College London, Georgetown University, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, where he also advises the Pentagon Joint Staff. He works with governments and the private sector. He worked as a neurology doctor in London and Oxford, and has published numerous academic papers, which have been covered by the BBC and New York Times. He has appeared on CNN and the BBC, and regularly contributes to outlets like Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the Atlantic, and Slate.

November 3, 2025 – Vistage Chair Jim Bramlett and Landscape Superstar Steve Griggs

Steve Griggs – Luxury Landscape Designer 
A guy took a chance on me. I just got out of college, and he gave me a shot. That’s all you need. You just need one shot and don’t blow it.
Steve Griggs is a creatively candid craftsmen who enjoys a good cigar and the media loves him. He’s a two-time recipient of the INC 5000 Award. He’s appeared on Bravo’s Backyard Envy, Good Morning LaLa Land, and Grant Cordone’s Power Players. Forbes, Huffington Post, and The Wall Street Journal have all featured him in their publication. That’s a long way from his humble beginning with nothing more than a wheelbarrow and hard work. Steve is highly regarding in New York and surrounding states, but he’s spreading his wings to take on clients in other parts of the world. What keeps him in demand is that after damn near 40 years in the industry, he’s still creative and innovative. He knows that his clients deserve a space that suits their lifestyle. It’s no wonder he’s trusted and accepts the challenge to design for multi-million dollar home owners.Jim Bramlett – Chairman of Vistage Worldwide & Author of Stop the Hassle: Simplify, Satisfy, and Succeed
Everybody plays the guitar, and I don’t want to be everybody. I want to be distinct and different.
Jim Bramlett, “The No Hassle King,” is a distinguished business executive, author, and dynamic speaker. His books, “Stop The Hassle” and “The Unconventional Thinking of Dominant Companies,” explore market leadership strategies. Bramlett’s presentations, rooted in these principles, offer a unique and engaging approach to business success. Known for his interactive and energetic speaking style, Bramlett combines humor with relevant, industry-specific examples to create memorable experiences for his audience. While his expertise lies in logistics and transportation, the universal appeal of his content makes him an ideal speaker for diverse business audiences. Bramlett’s unconventional approach and compelling subject matter position him as an effective keynote or motivational speaker, capable of inspiring and educating professionals across various sectors. Jim’s vision is to empower these leaders with the unconventional thinking and strategies outlined in his books, “Stop The Hassle” and “The Unconventional Thinking of Dominant Companies.” Through engaging speaking engagements and personalized mentorship, Bramlett guides CEOs in scaling their businesses exponentially.By fostering this elite group of business leaders, Bramlett aims to create a ripple effect of positive change. His vision extends beyond individual company success to encompass broader societal impact, believing that well-scaled, ethically-led businesses can be powerful forces for global improvement. Bramlett’s unique approach combines business acumen with a passion for making the world a better place, one CEO at a time.

October 31, 2025 - VC Sabari Raja and Work Life Balance? Chris Ducker

Sabari Raja – founder of JFFVentures
So we’re sort of the one of the early stage funds that really focus on the worker and what they need, especially in this age of AI, how do we build bridges instead of barriers?
Sabari Raja is Managing Partner at JFFVentures, where she helps shape the fund’s investment strategy, leads key deals, and supports early-stage companies at the intersection of education, workforce and human potential. Prior to JFFVentures, Sabari co-founded and served as CEO of Nepris (now Pathful Inc.), an ed-tech company built to connect industry with education and prepare students for the future of work. The company was acquired in 2021 and she remains on its board. Her investment focus at JFFVentures is on technologies that advance economic mobility for middle- and low-wage workers – supporting tools that help with skill development, access to quality jobs, and wrap-around supports like transportation, childcare and credit. Sabari holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Bharathiar University (India), an M.S. in Computer Science from Louisiana State University, and an Executive MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. She brings a rare blend of operator-investor experience, having built a company, led it to exit, and now shifted into venture capital. Her work is driven by her commitment to not just financial returns – but to impact and equity in the future of work.Chris Ducker – Founder/CEO of Youpreneurs  & Author of The Long-Haul Leader: Ten Strategies to Work Smarter, Live Better, and Achieve Lasting Success
Hustle, in and amongst itself, is not a bad thing, but I’m a big believer that it’s only utilized for a short period of time. It’s three months to complete this project or to do this launch, and then you’ve got to rest and recharge and recalibrate. Hustle is a season – it’s not a lifestyle.
Chris Ducker is a serial entrepreneur, international business mentor, angel investor, keynote speaker and author of two bestselling books – Virtual Freedom & Rise of the Youpreneur. Over the past two decades Chris has started, grown, bought and sold a number of multi-million pound businesses, hired thousands of team members, worked with clients from every corner of the globe and continues to own and operate several businesses, while mentoring industry leaders to scale in a sustainable manner, as part of his Round Table Mastermind. However, it’s not all been profits and unicorns for Chris! In 2010 he battled burnout – a result of building his first multi-7-figure business. In 2012 he had invasive spine surgery and in 2021, conquered adrenal fatigue and depression. Chris is a family man, bonsai enthusiast, passionate birder, watercolour artist and wildlife photographer. On occasion, he enjoys a fine scotch. Nowadays he’s committed to leading by example while inspiring others to embrace a ealthy, happy and profitable entrepreneurial lifestyle… for the long-haul.

October 30, 2025 – Water Franchiser Jack Clark and Ellis Island Medal of Honor George Danis

Jack Clark – Founder of 180 Water
You know, it’s that chip on the shoulder is really what I look for… I don’tcare if it’s Sunday afternoon, I’m going to answer my phone. I’m goingto get this. This is my business, and I’m going to make it successful.
Jack Clark grew up in the small, 1800 person town of Choteau, Montana. His family owned a small ranch and several small businesses throughout his childhood.After high school, then college, and a lot of push back from the industry, Jack started his own water well drilling company. He started Western Water Wells with a single drill rig that barely ran. After working long hours into the night on countless days, he was slowly able to improve the equipment. It took a lot of hiring, and some firing, but he finally started to acquire employees who had a similar mindset as him; move the industry forward. The water well industry has been stagnant and afraid of change for decades. After realizing that the learning curve for drilling was too steep to go nationwide, he decided to franchise water well pump servicing. And so 180 Water was born. Jack hopes to grow the company to 1,000 franchise locations nationwide. Entrepreneur Jack Clark grew up in the small, 1800-person town of Choteau, Montana. His family owned a small ranch and several small businesses throughout his childhood. He and his family live in Helena, MT, not far from where he grew up cattle ranching. He started Western Water Wells in 2014 and his desire to help others find success in the water well industry has only grown. Jack’s life has followed a theme of accomplishing impossible tasks with unique solutions. Utilizing Jack’s heart for service and the talents of his growing team, he has built 180 Water. Jack’s goal is to empower a new generation in providing for their families, communities, and breaking the scarcity mindset. After college, and a lot of pushback from the industry, Jack started his own water well drilling company, Western Water Wells, with a single drill rig that barely ran. After working long hours and countless days, he was slowly able to improve the equipment. It took a lot of hiring and some firing, but he finally started to acquire employees who had a similar mindset as him; move the industry forward.  The water well industry has been stagnant and afraid of change for decades. After realizing that the learning curve for drilling was too steep to go nationwide, he decided to franchise water well pump servicing. And so 180 Water was born. Jack hopes to grow the company to 1,000 franchise locations nationwide.George E. Danis – CEO of Plastic Molding Manufacturing
Don’t just get up and go to work. Think, how can you be your own boss? Business freedom is our future… Get your friends, your schoolmates, your co-workers, work together, build your own business. It’s very simple – more than we think it is.
George E. Danis is a successful businessman, organizer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Born into poverty in rural Greece, George entered the U.S. as an illegal immigrant, yet decades later was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in recognition of his philanthropic endeavors and promotion of democracy. Highly active in politics for four decades, George was a fundraiser, advocate, and advisor to governors, senators, and presidential candidates. Today he divides his time between Boston, Massachusetts, and his childhood town of Karystos, Greece. He is married to his wife, Karen, has four children, and nine grandchildren.

October 29, 2025 – Micro Schools Matt Beaudreau and Far Beyond Marketing Amber Gaige

Matt Beaudreau – Co-Founder of Apogee Strong Schools
We want our kids to be able to work, to start businesses, to be able toget into apprenticeships early on.
Matt Beaudreau is a seasoned educator, entrepreneur, and speaker whose career has been defined by a commitment to rethinking how young people learn and lead. Having begun his professional journey in the public-school system as a teacher and administrator, Matt grew increasingly dissatisfied with traditional schooling’s focus on compliance and rote metrics. He shifted direction in 2017 by founding Acton Academy Placer (and its sister campus in Sacramento), where he implemented self-directed learning, Socratic methods, and character-based education. In January 2021, Matt co-founded Apogee Strong alongside Tim Kennedy. The organization is built around mentorship, leadership training, and alternative educational models designed specifically to empower young men (and increasingly families) to become strong providers, protectors, and leaders. His role at Apogee Strong involves guiding its mission, developing programs, and speaking extensively to global audiences about education, character development, and personal transformation. Matt is also host of the podcast The Essential 11, where he interviews leaders across business, media, sports, and entertainment in search of insights around growth, leadership, and building strong character. He has delivered TEDx talks, served as a corporate trainer (with clients such as the United States Air Force, Lockheed Martin and Honeywell), and has spoken to more than 250,000 people worldwide. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Matt identifies first and foremost as a husband and father. His work is deeply rooted in his own family values and his belief that education should prepare individuals for real life, freedom, and purpose.Amber Gaige – Chief Marketing Advisor of Far Beyond Marketing
People have to interact with you no less than 11 times beforethey make a single buying decision or click a single button.
Amber Gaige is a seasoned marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and recognized authority in helping businesses simplify their marketing so they can grow with clarity and confidence. She serves as Chief Marketing Advisor at Far Beyond Marketing, a full-service marketing agency that partners with business owners to build stronger brands, attract the ideal customers, and increase sales while eliminating the confusion and overwhelm often associated with growth efforts. Amber comes from a deep entrepreneurial lineage – she is a third-generation business operator who grew up immersed in her family’s trades and service-business ventures, which instilled in her a strong work ethic, a hands-on marketing mindset, and an instinct for operational growth. After earning her degree from Baylor University, she led marketing functions across multiple organizations, founded her own lead-generation company, and achieved a major early milestone when she scaled that business rapidly and sold it to private equity. Leveraging more than 20 years of experience across industries such as home services, manufacturing, construction, software and franchising, Amber developed what she calls the “Four C’s of Effective Marketing” – Clear Copy, Consistent Branding, Customer Demographics and Channel Management – which serve as the foundational framework for her clients’ strategic marketing plans. At Far Beyond Marketing, Amber combines a story-brand orientation – she is a certified StoryBrand Guide – with data-driven systems and vendor-agnostic vendor-management to deliver turnkey and scalable marketing solutions for entrepreneurs who want to own their market rather than be at its mercy. As a thought leader, speaker and best-selling author (including *The Far Beyond Marketing Guidebook), Amber frequently shares insights about how to avoid wasted marketing spend, how to align marketing with operations, and how to build sustainable growth without feeling overwhelmed.Amber is also deeply committed to values beyond business: she’s a wife, a mother, and a Texas native who balances entrepreneurship with family-life priorities, modeling the kind of purposeful, disciplined marketing leadership she advocates for her clients.

October 28, 2025 – User Generated Content Joseph Haecker and 200 Truck ExpressIt Andi Shaughnessy & Danielle Carter

Joseph Haecker – Editor-In-Chief at OF Insider Magazine • Business Strategist • +16,000 followers • Tech Founder • 26 Books Published on Amazon • Podcast Host/Guest 
I like to say that some people are entrepreneurs. Some people are serial entrepreneurs. And then there’s this special class of weirdos like me that are addicted to startups.
Since 2012, Joseph Haecker has built a reputation as a dynamic and unconventional leader across the worlds of design, entrepreneurship, and media. Along the way, he has found himself in unforgettable rooms – from late-night conversations with Julian Lennon to collaborating with high-profile entrepreneurs, celebrities, and innovators. Throughout his career, he has launched several startups, raised just under $4.5 million in capital, successfully exited three businesses, and even designed two of the world’s largest chandeliers. He continues to expand his impact through podcasting, events, publishing, and strategic advisory work. Each week, Haecker meets with three to five startups, offering mentorship and marketing guidance to help founders refine their concepts and accelerate growth. He is a serial entrepreneur, Fractional CMO, podcast host, and author, driven by the intersection of design, technology, storytelling, and business strategy. With more than two decades of experience in the lighting and interior design industries, he has developed a unique ability to bridge creative vision with scalable commercial solutions. His career includes founding multiple ventures such as Designwal, a social media platform built specifically for the interior design community, and Join inCrowd, which grew organically to 1.7 million members without a marketing budget. As a Fractional CMO, he helps both startups and established multimillion-dollar companies develop tailored strategies aligned with their growth goals. Through his podcasting and published work, he explores emerging opportunities within design and tech, offering entrepreneurs practical insights into innovation, branding, and community-driven growth.Andi Shaughnessy and Danielle Carter – Owners of ExpressIt Delivery and Unlikely Bosses
If we can inspire one person you know, to not give up, to work through the challenges that they’re going through, however heavy they feel at the time, that was worth it.
In 2011, Andi Shaughnessy and Danielle Carter’s father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time, Danielle was a full-time mother of three young children while helping with the family business when she could, and Andi was pursuing a career in sports television. As their father’s health declined in the spring of 2012, they faced a pivotal decision about the future of ExpressIt, the company he had built. Following his passing that summer, the business entered a period of uncertainty, and the sisters made the commitment to step in and lead. When they assumed responsibility, ExpressIt was a small operation with just 13 drivers, two operations managers, and a limited number of accounts across Eastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. With no formal business background, Andi and Danielle relied on their work ethic, resilience, and a steadfast belief in people-first leadership. Over the years, they have grown ExpressIt into a thriving organization with more than 200 drivers and a 14-person management team, now serving customers throughout the Northeast. Their journey into entrepreneurship was unconventional, but it has shaped their philosophy: sustainable success is built on trust, meaningful relationships, and consistently delivering on every promise made.

October 27, 2025 – Retirement Marianne Caswell, Butterfly Creativity M Teresa Lawrence and Afterschool Alliance Jodi Grant & Heather Nesle

Marianne Caswell – President of Park Avenue Securities
There’s easy steps that you can do to avoid those mistakes. One is thinkingabout, what do you want your life to look like in retirement and defining thatin advance of retiring.
Marianne Caswell has more than 20 years of experience in financial services and wealth management. She is currently Head of Wealth Management at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) and President of Park Avenue Securities, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guardian and its broker-dealer and corporate Registered Investment Advisor. As President, Marianne is focused on business growth, building a competitive platform, ensuring ease of doing business, leading with accountability, and communicating with purpose. Under her leadership, the firm has expanded to include 2,400 financial professionals and oversee $50B in AUM. Marianne obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics with a concentration in Business and Communication from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York.
M Teresa Lawrence – Butterfly Event Coordinator, International Speaker, Leadership Coach and Award-Winning Author of The Power of Leadership with M. Teresa Lawrence
If you find that you wake up each day and you’re doing something sojoyous, you’re going to succeed at it, and people are going to see that,and you’re going to thrive. And that’s what you want. That’s what youwant in your team. You absolutely want people who are amazing atwhat they do, and you want to let them shine.
M Teresa Lawrence is an award-winning author, international speaker, and leadership coach. She is the founder and president of the Trueness Project, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering children and adults to cherish their imagination and own their power to write their narratives. As part of her mission, Teresa is donating her award-winning transformational children’s book, GLORIOUSNESS, to disadvantaged children throughout the world. She is also the co-author of The Power of Leadership, where she discusses the power of the “Leadership of Play,” a philosophy that uplifts everyone. Currently, Teresa is working on The Grand Butterfly Gathering scheduled for June 29, 2024, where her nonprofit, the Trueness Project, will host the highest number of people dressed as butterflies in history, both in person and virtually. We will set a world record, and a joyous community of changemakers will make a statement dressed as butterflies, standing for a world filled with community, creativity, and love. Teresa’s work has been featured in various publications, including the San Francisco Post, the California Observer, World Reporter, and Scholar Media Africa. As a Creative Visionary at Covered Wagon Nation, I help people realize and attain their full potential enjoyably. I apply my Leadership of Play philosophy, which is based on thinking and living outside the box, finding joy in simple acts of kindness, and believing in the power of imagination and adventure. I also leverage my skills and experience as an author, publisher, educator, and attorney to create and deliver transformational content and programs. I hold a JD from Columbia Law School and a BA from Amherst College, and I have been working with a diverse client base to start and grow thriving businesses for over 20 years. I am passionate about serving my community through volunteering and non-profit fundraising. As a Cuban immigrant, I founded The Trueness Project, a purpose-driven project that helps children own their stories and know that they are the masters of their destiny. I travel the world giving out books and speaking about the importance of teaching leadership in schools. I believe that inside each one of us is a true and genuine leader, waiting for awakening by playful adventure. On December 14, 2023, I was honored with a Doctorate in Humane Letters in Leadership Development, Justice, and Advocacy by the Open Christian University USA, in collaboration with Angaza Bible College, Kenya.
Jodi Grant – Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance & Heather Nesle – President of New York Life Insurance Company
We want to be very careful not to make after school more school, becausefor many kids, after school is one of the reasons they come to school. It’s aplace where the learning is not graded, it’s not judged… they can get out oftheir comfort zone a little bit, try new things, experiment with, you know,areas that may become passions that they didn’t even know existed before.
Jodi Grant, Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, has spent more than two decades making afterschool access a national priority. Under her leadership, the Alliance has secured billions in federal and state investments, mobilized a network of nearly 30,000 partners, and helped position afterschool and summer learning programs as essential supports for children, working families, and local communities.
She is joined by Heather Nesle, President of the New York Life Foundation and Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at New York Life. Through her work, the Foundation has become one of the nation’s largest private funders of afterschool and youth development initiatives, helping expand learning opportunities and emotional support services for students nationwide, especially those facing grief, adversity, or opportunity gaps. Together, Grant and Nesle bring a powerful combination of advocacy, research, and philanthropy to the national debate over afterschool access, at a time when tens of millions of students remain without the programs their parents want for them.

October 24, 2025 – Voltage Digital Corey Morris and Greatest Hits 800-Got-Junk Brian Scudamore

Corey Morris – Owner & CEO of Voltage
Letting people work and staying out of their way has been a great thing for me… honest mistakes and things where we’re learning are typically learning experiences that we can recover from.
Corey Morris is the President and CEO of Voltage Digital, a Kansas City-based digital marketing agency specializing in search marketing and website development. With over 20 years of experience, he has led the agency to win nearly 100 local, national, and global awards for ROI-focused client work. Corey is also the founder and author of The Digital Marketing Success Plan® and the START Planning Process, frameworks designed to help businesses create actionable, results-driven marketing strategies. His industry leadership and community involvement earned him the 2019 Marketer of the Year award from the Kansas City Data-Driven Marketing Association (KCDMA). Beyond his role at Voltage, Corey has served on the global board of SEMPO (now part of DAA), founded the KC Search Marketing Conference, and contributed to publications like Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land, and Forbes. He is also a sought-after speaker at events such as SMX and Digital Summit. Corey’s mission is to help marketers and companies maximize their digital marketing strategies, focusing on generosity and “helping, not selling” as guiding principles.Brian Scudamore – Founder & CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
We have a culture here in our entire O2E Brands family called the WTF culture. And what that really stands for is being willing to fail.
Brian Scudamore is the Founder and CEO of O2E Brands, the banner company for 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, WOW 1 Day Painting, and Shack Shine. Brian is a serial entrepreneur, known for pioneering the professional junk hauling industry with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. Since conquering that market, he’s gone on to apply the O2E (Ordinary to Exceptional) formula to the painting, moving, and home-detailing industries. Currently, he’s at the helm of a burgeoning home-service empire; each brand has franchise locations in every major metro in North America and Australia. He’s a respected industry leader and speaker, well-known in the business community for his belief in people and passion for innovation. His companies have made celebrated appearances on ABC Nightline, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, CNN, The Today Show, Oprah, and CNBC. Brian’s story has been featured in Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and he contributes regularly to Forbes and Inc.com. He won the Lifetime Achievement Award Winner from the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization

October 23, 2025 – Cisco Radhika Paliwal, Greatest Hits Work Life Balance James Sudakow and Ken Blanchard

Radhika Paliwal – Solutions Engineering Leader at Cisco
A zero day is defined as a day where you make zero progress towardsyour goals, your dreams, your milestones. A no zero day is doing anythingtowards it.
Radhika Paliwal is a dynamic engineering leader, author and mentor, currently serving as a Solutions Engineering Leader at Cisco, where she drives strategic, technical and business outcomes for enterprise clients. Across her career, she has made the leap from hands-on engineering to customer-facing solutions, blending deep technical expertise with strategic business acumen. With a degree in Computer Engineering from Purdue University, Radhika began her journey in systems and software before pivoting into solutions architecture and engineering leadership. At Cisco, she leads high-performing teams focused on innovative technology deployment, partner and client enablement, and business growth across complex enterprise environments. Beyond her corporate role, she is the author of From Ramen Noodles to Riches, a beginner-friendly guide to personal finance, saving and wealth-building – emphasizing that financial empowerment and career clarity go hand in hand. Her website describes her as “a computer engineer turned author, speaker, and entrepreneur” who is on a mission to help others live deliberately – “one decision, one goal, and one sip at a time.” Radhika is passionate about mentoring and coaching professionals—whether they’re engineering leaders, early-career technologists or individuals seeking to align their career, finance and purpose. Her work spans career strategy, interview and resume coaching, sales enablement and personal development. Known for her authenticity, approachable style and practical frameworks, she not only brings best-in-class technical leadership, but also a deeply human touch to growth and empowerment.James Sudakow – Founder & Principal at CH Consulting and Author of Out of the Blur: A Delirious Dad’s Search for the Holy Grail of Work-Life Balance
I think you can actually have legitimate work life balance. And that’s whatI talk about in the book. I went through this like 12 to 18 month approachfor my own life and I’m way better than I was. I’m still working on it, but youcan definitely get there.
James Sudakow is a creative-thinking business leader and irreverent author offering strategies, insights and a unique perspective on navigating the corporate gauntlet. He is the author of new book, “Out of The Blur: A Delirious Dad’s Search for the Holy Grail of Work-Life Balance” which tells his story of building and running a small business while raising a family. In this humorous, genuine and practical guide, James helps readers figure out how to define what they want their work-life balance to look like while identifying and solving the traps and habits many fall into that get in the way of truly reaching balance. His business insights have been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Forbes.com, Fast Company Online, Mic., The Business Journals, LifeHacker, Bustle, SiriusXM, Psychology Today and more. James is also a contributing columnist to Inc.com and he serves as the principal of CH Consulting, Inc., a boutique management and organizational effectiveness consulting practice he founded in 2010. He specializes in helping companies manage organizational transformation, create talent management strategies and programs that maximize employee capabilities and improve business performance.Ken Blanchard – Leadership Expert, Thought Leader and Best-Selling Author of The New One Minute Manager
If you aren’t continuing to learn, it’s like oxygen for a deep sea diver,you’re gonna be in trouble.
Ken Blanchard’s books have improved careers worldwide. He wrote the iconic 1982 classic, “The One Minute Manager,” with Spencer Johnson. It sold more than 13 million copies and remains on bestseller lists today. In the past three decades, Ken has authored or co-authored 60 books with combined sales totaling more than 21 million copies and his groundbreaking works have been translated into more than 42 languages. In 2005, he was inducted into Amazon’s Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 bestselling authors of all time. He has a passion to turn every leader into a servant leader, and shares his insightful and powerful message with audiences around the world through speeches and consulting services. Few people have influenced the day-to-day management of people and companies more than Ken Blanchard. Ken is a former trustee emeritus of the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, Cornell University, and he also teaches students in the Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego.

October 22, 2025 – SeedSpark Chad Jenkins and Greatest Hits Scalar Energy Tom Paladino

Chad Jenkins – Founder of SEEDSPARK CoLAB
We’re all not thinking big enough. When you do begin to think big enough, embrace the art of collaboration, and you can leave all your contemporaries behind, because they’re still looking over proposals and thinking about it and writing checks and crossing their fingers while you were creating collaborations on a daily basis.
Chad Jenkins is a visionary entrepreneur, best-selling author, and founder of SeedSpark CoLAB — a global collaboration platform designed to help entrepreneurs monetize their experience and unlock exponential growth. Known as the “Vision Alchemist,” Chad blends curiosity, strategic thinking, and a passion for partnership to help founders scale their unique value through frameworks like the VCR Formula™, Just Add A Zero™, and 100X Collaborations™. With a track record that spans equine entrepreneurship, tech innovation, and corporate partnerships, Chad’s mission is to turn solo operators into strategic collaborators. Through the CoLAB, he partners with global entrepreneurs to build scalable, IP-backed business models that shift the focus from competition to collaboration — and from incremental gains to exponential outcomes.Thomas Paladino – Founder of Scalar Light
Scalar energy is everywhere. Scalar energy is another form of energy. We have electricity and magnetism and a second energy is scalar energy. It’s from the sun, so it’s all around us. It’s universal.
Tom Paladino was a pioneering researcher and humanitarian devoted to helping people restore optimal health and elevate their quality of life through the study and application of Scalar Energy. His lifelong inspiration began in his undergraduate years, where he developed a deep admiration for Nikola Tesla, widely regarded as the father of Scalar Energy research. Tom also studied the groundbreaking work of Galen and Sarah Hieronymus, whose research contributed significantly to understanding Scalar phenomena, including the process of rendering harmful microbes inert by working at the RNA/DNA level. Through decades of dedication, Tom advanced this body of knowledge and made it accessible to the public through Scalar Light sessions, education, and global outreach. He touched countless lives across the world with both his scientific curiosity and his compassionate mission to serve humanity. Tom passed away in September 2024, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, service, and spiritual generosity. He was deeply loved by his family and by the thousands of people worldwide who benefitted from his work. Although he is no longer with us in physical form, Scalar Light continues through his vision and efforts – an enduring extension of his life’s devotion to healing and uplift. Many believe he has now joined the light he so passionately studied, continuing to shine his presence and purpose from beyond.