Small Biz Resources is a collection of articles from business veterans and experts discussing how to have a successful small business, educating entrepreneurs how to start, fund, run, grow and manage a small business and be a place where one can read expert advice and commentary from others who have a passion for business and a desire to help entrepreneurs to have a successful business.
Whether it is funding, operational issues, retaining quality staff or various other pain points which plague small business, our online magazine is here to educate and help make your business a success.
Below is just some of the people and their backgrounds who contribute to Small Biz Resources.
Founder & Publishing Editor
Joanna Jana Laznicka
Joanna is the founder and the publishing editor of Small Biz Resources.com. Joanna started her first company, which she still runs, in high school. Since then she has founded several other companies, which allowed her to develop a rich background in small business start-up, venture funding, branding, marketing, public relations, staffing and management. Her expertise in marketing and technology has helped her clients get acquired by Oracle, Force10, Cisco, Parker Hannifin and Juniper Networks.
Contributors
Aaron YoungAaron Young has been the CEO of Laughlin Associates for almost 20 years. Under his direction, Laughlin has served more than 80,000 business owners across a wide range of industries. A strategic-thinking partner, Aaron knows what works and what does not. Clients consult Aaron for his expertise in eliminating the mistakes and maximizing the successes of their business. Aaron is an industry leader in complex areas such as corporate structuring, asset management and protection, growth strategies, partnership issues, corporate leadership and corporate compliance. A riveting and knowledgeable keynote and breakout speaker who speaks directly to the goals and challenges of entrepreneurs as only another business owner can, Aaron has addressed entrepreneurial and business audiences for major players in global trading and finance. He is in high demand for his expertise on asset-protection tax planning and is noted for his signature speech, Building Your Corporate Fortress. Over the years, he has spoken to more than 100,000 people on four continents.
Alan C. FoxPresident of a commercial real estate company worth $1.5 billion dollars and New York Times bestselling author, Alan Fox shares his powerful advice on careers, relationships and self-improvement in his award winning series PEOPLE TOOLS. Alan has degrees in accounting, law, education, and professional writing. He was employed as a Tax Supervisor for a national CPA firm, established his own law firm, and then founded his commercial real estate company in 1968. Alan has recently been featured on The Meredith Vieira and Steve Harvey shows. Discover more about Alan at www.alancfox.com
Alex MitchellAlex Mitchell is a product manager for Webs, the digital services division of Vistaprint N.V. (Nasdaq: VPRT). In this role, Alex is responsible for building digital products that help small businesses establish their digital presence, attract new customers and look more professional online. Before joining Webs in 2013, Alex spent two years at JP Morgan Chase. There, he worked in the Consumer Bank Marketing Analytics group which was responsible for optimizing a $500M annual marketing budget. Specifically, Alex was responsible for analyzing the financial results of historical marketing campaigns and projecting future results for more than 20 distinct marketing initiatives in both offline and online channels. Alex graduated from the Business School at the University of Michigan, with a degree in Finance. He is currently pursuing his MBA at George Washington University, with a focus in entrepreneurship. He resides in Washington, D.C. and enjoys tennis, flag football and investing in his free time.
Alex TaylorAlex Taylor is executive vice president for Cox Enterprises, a leading communications, media and automotive services company. He oversees Cox Enterprises’ long-term investment strategies, including the Cox Innovation Fund and True North Venture Partners. Cox Enterprises, a $17 billion company, has aggressive goals around carbon, waste and water. Cox has hundreds of thousands of SMB customers and suppliers across its businesses and recently released findings from the inaugural Cox Conserves Sustainability Survey. The survey examined sustainability trends/barriers faced by SMBs.
Alfredo RamosAlfredo Ramos is the General Manager of Pagemodo, a suite of award-winning social media marketing tools on the Webs small business platform. He has extensive experience in digital marketing and strategy, specifically focused on small and micro businesses.
Amy ShanlerAmy Shanler has nearly 20 years of experience directing communications and public relations for multiple organizations and industries, including non-profit, retail, business, and healthcare. She is currently an associate professor of public relations and director of PRLab at Boston University, the nation’s oldest student-run PR agency, servicing 25 non-profit and commercial clients. Amy can be reached at shanlera@bu.edu.
Anastacia WilhiteAnastacia Wilhite career experience has ranged from photography, distribution, heath care, and hospitality throughout her career, and has a passion for helping companies run more effectively. With more then 20 years of customer service experience, and she possesses a strong ability to carry many responsibilities. With a passion for helping people, and a strong desire to accomplish her goals, she has been successful in all her endeavors.
Bruce R. MendelsohnA marketing, communications and branding leader with proven success conceiving and implementing successful strategic branding, public/media relations, and measurable messaging/communications campaigns, Bruce Mendelsohn is currently CEO of The Hired Pen (www.the-hired-pen.com). He is a U.S. Army Veteran and an award winning social media pro. Follow him on Twitter @brm90.
Christopher GravagnaChristopher Gravagna has more than 20 years of experience in the media and marketing industry. He is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of GoAccredited Business Solutions, which offers working capital and business loans to small to medium-sized businesses. With a culture focused on providing exceptional service and transparency to businesses in need, GoAccredited represents an excellent alternative to traditional bank loans and allows businesses to get the funding they need within a few short days. Christopher utilizes his diverse experience and background in marketing to bring uniqueness to the industry and allows GoAccredited to be a fresh hybrid of conventional financing.
Corey KossackCorey is an experienced entrepreneur with a passion for helping entrepreneurs and small businesses succeed. Prior to Frederick, Corey was Director of Dell for Entrepreneurs, where he led Dell’s efforts to discover startups building the next generation of data-driven business applications. At Frederick, Corey leads the charge to bring Frederick to thousands of small businesses worldwide.
Dan Tully, EVP of Conduit SystemsDan Tully is executive vice president of Conduit Systems, an IT management services firm headquartered in Lincoln, R.I. For over two decades, Conduit Systems has delivered complete and cost-effective information technology support and services that enable small and mid-sized companies to focus on doing what they do best – making their businesses thrive. Tully brings more than 20 years of computing experience to his customer base. Utilizing a consultative, business-savvy approach, he has assisted some of the area’s largest companies to address complex, technology-based issues.
David ZimmermanDavid Zimmerman has been in the hardware/software industry for over 30 years, specifically in the data recovery software market for 18 years. During this period, he has been involved in the creation, marketing and support of the earlier drive recovery software products to enter the PC market and successfully marketed them both nationally and internationally. His company makes data recovery products for most of his competitors, as well as custom products for OEMs such as SanDisk, Corsair, Transcend and KrollOntrack. His experience in the market has made him uniquely familiar with the data recovery business. LC Technology International, Inc. (http://www.lc-tech.com) is a global leader in data recovery, file system utilities and data security technology. Clients include original equipment manufacturers, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, corporate security specialists and IT consultants, among others. Available worldwide and published in more than 24 different languages, LC Technology products are available direct or through several major manufacturers of flash memory products. Founded in 1997, LC Technology is based in Clearwater, Florida.
Donna Leyens, MBA, CPCDonna Leyens, MBA, CPC, is co-founder and President of Provendus Group, where she is fulfilling her passion to champion and support entrepreneurs. Her company provides the tools, strategy and support that business owners need to grow, profit, and control their own destiny. Learn more and sign up for weekly business tips at www.ProvendusGroup.com.
E.J. DealyE.J. Dealy is CEO of The Company Corporation, which provides affordable incorporation services to entrepreneurs and small businesses nationwide. In addition to filing corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs), The Company Corporation offers a wide range of products and services, including license and permit assistance, corporate kits, business education books, certificates of good standing, and more. The Company Corporation does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice. Website URL: www.incorporate.com
Edwin DearbornEdwin Dearborn is first and foremost a marketing enthusiast. The Orange County Register referred to Edwin as a “Marketing Expert”. Edwin is also a veteran C-level executive, having been a CEO of a large non-profit organization in Orange County, CA for over 18 years. As a CEO, he was personally responsible for overseeing the planning and management of his 100 staff. During his tenure, Edwin proactively lead many events and volunteers which resulted in ten’s of millions of dollars in funds raised for charitable organizations and programs around the world. For more information visit edwindearborn.com
Elizabeth DukesElizabeth Dukes is co-author of Wide Open Workspace and co-founder of iOffice, one of the fastest growing facility management software providers and consulting companies in the country. iOffice technology works proactively to reduce and eliminate information roadblocks and daily problems that occur in facility management by integrating workplace management systems tailored to meet the unique office needs of more than 1,800 clients worldwide. Connect with Elizabeth at edukes@iofficecorp.com, 713.526.1029.
Eran WeinbergEran is the founder and CEO of Liv360 and Inclusive Design & Development, a product development consultancy. He has designed and invented over 100 products ranging from children’s toys to consumer electronics to healthcare products. He teaches business and product design at his alma mater, Pasadena Art Center College of Design.
Erika KauffmanErika Kauffman is a Partner, General Manager & Executive Vice President at 5W Public Relations. With over 15 years' experience in marketing communications, budget development and resource planning, Erika is a proven executive and an industry thought leader. She has been the lead on award-winning consumer campaigns for several global brands, including Evian, Welch's, Campbell's, Plum Organics, All-Clad, Whole Foods, Medifast, Barnes & Noble, Microsoft and IAC's About.com & DailyBurn. With every initiative, she delivers best-in-class solutions creating the impact needed to grow clients' business. Erika frequently appears as a commentator in the media. She has been featured in the New York Times, CBS News, Access Hollywood, Crain's New York Business, Mashable, PR Week and the Huffington Post. Erika has received some of the industry's most esteemed honors. She has been the recipient of PR News "Top Women in PR" award, Crain's New York "Women in Business", NY Business Journal's "Women of Influence" award, WWD's "Beauty Biz" Award, The American Business Awards' "Silver Stevie," and The Holmes Report's "Sabre" award. An advocate for women's leadership in business, Erika is a member of The Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) NY Women of Leadership, Women in Communication and the Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Seton Hall University's Stillman School of Business.
Erin DaruszkaErin Daruszka is a Director of Human Capital Consulting for TriNet based in San Leandro, CA. She has a BA in Communication from Slippery Rock University and a MA in Communication from Northern Illinois University. Erin has over 13 years of HR experience working with and for small businesses.
Everett DolgnerEverett is the director of storage and replication product management for Silver Peak. He brings over 15 years of experience in the data storage industry. Everett has held positions with companies across the storage industry including McDATA, Hitachi Data Systems, Nishan Systems and SANavigator. Everett works closely with Silver Peak storage partners to help build complete solutions for replication and remote data access. In his free time, Everett is an avid hockey fan and runs an independent record label that is credited with signing a contestant from the hit TV show “Rock Star: INXS.”
Greg ConstantineGreg Constantine is EVP Client Operations for SecureNet, a payments platform processing billions in transactions annually. In 2014 SecureNet launched Inventory Management, the first mobile and e-commerce framework integrating real-time inventory monitoring across all locations and channels. It was named Best in Biz Awards’ Best New Product and Best Technology at the Greater Austin Business Awards.
Howard TarnoffHoward Tarnoff, SVP of XOXO Innovation & Programs for Ceridian, is responsible for launching and overseeing the Award Winning Customer Success Program “XOXO” and other initiatives. With over 30 years of HCM experience, Howard is a highly sought after thought leader in the industry, especially for his insightful trend analysis. His deep domain expertise across multiple verticals, leadership experience and deep understanding of the HCM industry make him an invaluable asset to Ceridian.
Jeff ErramouspeJeff leads the Spanning team not just in the ways you’d expect – such as developing strategy, budgeting, and recruiting – but also by enabling great people to do their best work. This means setting goals that inspire excellence while eliminating obstacles to success. Prior to being appointed CEO and president, Jeff was Spanning’s Chief Revenue Officer. Before that, he was the president of Manticore Technology, which he led through three successive years of revenue growth in the highly competitive marketing automation market. He was the founding CEO of Deepfile Corporation (became StoredIQ and sold to IBM in 2012), was VP of Market Development at Digby, and served as Vignette Corporation’s first VP of Marketing. He started his career with NCR Corporation and also held senior management positions at Compaq Computer Corporation. Away from work, he is a connoisseur of New Orleans jazz and loves cooking with his wife - it’s the perfect blend of planning, creativity, and gadgetry for a technology entrepreneur and CEO. Jeff holds a BA in management science from the University of California at San Diego. He has also served as an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Texas. In spite of this formidable career, it’s hard to get Jeff to toot his own horn - even though he’s a skilled trumpet player in addition to our president and CEO.
John MullinsJohn Mullins is an Associate Professor of Management Practice in Entrepreneurship and Marketing at the London Business School. He earned his MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. An award-winning teacher and scholar, John brings to his teaching and research 20 years of executive experience in high-growth retailing firms including two ventures he founded and one he took public. Since becoming a business school professor in 1992, John has published four books, numerous cases and more than 40 articles in a variety of outlets, including Harvard Business Review, the MIT Sloan Management Review, and The Wall Street Journal. His research has won national and international awards from the Marketing Science Institute, the American Marketing Association, and the Richard D. Irwin Foundation. He is a frequent speaker to audiences in entrepreneurship and venture capital. John's trade book, The New Business Road Test: What Entrepreneurs and Executives Should Do Before Writing a Business Plan (3e, London: Prentice-Hall/FT 2010), is the definitive work on the assessment and shaping of market opportunities. His newest book, the critically acclaimed Getting to Plan B: Breaking Through to a Better Business Model (Boston: Harvard Business Press 2009), co-authored with Randy Komisar, a partner at the esteemed venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in California, was named to "Best Books of 2009" lists by BusinessWeek and INC Magazine. John has consulted with and done executive education on five continents for a variety of organizations both large and small, including Endeavor, Kenya Airways, Merck-Serono, Time Warner Communications, the European and African Venture Capital Associations, Pumpkin Ltd., the Young Presidents Organization, and the International Finance Corporation of The World Bank, among numerous others. He has served on the boards of fast-growing entrepreneurial companies in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia.
John RunneJohn Runne is a seasoned business adviser with over thirty years of experience in advising Fortune 1000 companies and their CEOs on strategy and corporate planning. Mr. Runne’s experience includes engagements with a host of leading public and private companies where he served multiple times as Chairman of Strategic Advisory Councils and boards devising and driving corporate strategic objectives. Mr. Runne has also advised and been actively involved in events leading to acquisitions and sales of companies. He has guided multi-billion organizations on their respective marketing, packaging and positioning of brand products. Mr. Runne has provided strategic counsel at the CEO and board level for both public and private companies through the M&A process, required restructuring activities and hostile takeover events. Mr. Runne’s deep experience in corporate consulting at the CEO, executive and board level has provided the foundation for establishing significantly effective and unique team building events. These events are structured for actual team interaction in the creation of a unified group outcome. As an advisor to CEOs of companies of varying size, Mr. Runne has established a role he calls “Corporate Priest.” The Corporate Priest enables a CEO to embark on a free flow of confidential conversation that, at the time, might not be ready for discussions with the board or executive team members. Mr. Runne examines thoughts and plans with a level of experience and understanding that imparts valuable feedback and advice. www.bzadvice.com
John TschohlJohn Tschohl, an international service strategist and speaker, is founder and president of the Service Quality Institute in Minneapolis,Minnesota. Described by Time and Entrepreneur, and USA Today magazines as a customer service guru, he has written several books on customer service. The Service Quality Institute (http://www.customer-service.com) has developed more than 26 customer service training programs that have been distributed and presented throughout the world. John’s bi-monthly strategic newsletter is available online at no charge. He can also be reached on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Jonathan Barsade, Exactor CEOJonathan Barsade is founder and CEO of Exactor, Inc., a leading developer of end-to-end solutions for secure sales tax record keeping and compliance. He can be reached at jbarsade@'exactor.com or online at Exactor.com.
Karen E. CarlsonKaren E. Carlson is an Emmy Award winning journalist and President at Carlson Public Relations. (carlsonpr.com) She has worked on public relations campaigns that range from attracting tourists back to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to companies involved in federal lawsuits to organizing red carpet charity events in Beverly Hills. Carlson PR is a division of Pet Bird Entertainment, LLC.
Kathy MillerKathy Miller, Total Event Resources owner and president
Kelly WalshOver the past 18 years, Kelly has successfully coached business leaders and people from all walks of life to reach their highest potential. With a Master’s in counseling, professional coach and mediation certifications, and 20 years of Human Resources experience, she has successfully helped others define their dreams and create pathways to success. She is the creator and owner of 1 Smart Life, LLC a new style of personal coaching with a team of experts in all of life’s challenging areas. And creator of 1 Smart Career, with a focus on the special needs of Executives and leadership development.
Kevin DininoKevin Dinino is President of KCD PR, an award-winning public relations and marketing agency based in San Diego, California that delivers communications and digital marketing strategies to the financial and professional services industries. Mr. Dinino has over 14 years of experience managing communications and marketing campaigns and held senior positions at LPL Financial and TD Ameritrade prior to founding KCD PR in 2009. He is a sought after speaker on digital marketing best practices and is frequently sourced for commentary by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, SmartMoney, the San Diego Union Tribune and InvestmentNews.
Kevin WalterAs a Great Game of Business practitioner coach, Kevin helps companies implement open-book management and achieve financial success. Inducted into the University of Illinois-Chicago Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame in 2012, Kevin finds inspiration from his employees who continue to exceed expectations with the power and knowledge they are given to make a difference. Kevin’s business success and engaging message make him a highly sought after coach and speaker.
Lauri FlaquerAuthor, Speaker, TV Talk Show Host and world traveler, Lauri Flaquer has extensive entrepreneurial and media experience. As Founder of Saltar Solutions, she guides her clientele of international business owners to excel as entrepreneurs. Formally in TV production at NBC, CNBC and Bloomberg LP, Lauri produces/ hosts Focus Forward, a show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs SOAR! Lauri@SuccessWithSaltar.com
Lawrence A. DorieLarry is an experienced general manager with an outstanding track record in growing businesses and developing high-performance teams. As Co-Founder of RHUB Communications, he is responsible for Operations, Finance and Sales. Prior to co-founding RHUB, his executive management experience was honed as founder and CEO of two other start-ups, eB2X and Semantic Sciences. At eB2X he conceived the product, recruited the team, secured the funding and lead the company to fielding two next generation supply chain products. At Semantic Sciences, he repositioned an acquired technology in a new market. Larry took a business development role at ILOG and grew it into a division where he as division manager and international sales manager.
Linda Fisher ThorntonLinda Fisher Thornton is CEO of Leading in Context LLC and one of the 2013 Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior. She also teaches as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Leadership for the University of Richmond School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Her new book is 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership LeadinginContext.com, Linda@LeadinginContext.com, @leadingincontxt
Liora FarkovitzLiora Farkovitz is an independent Content Strategist who writes, narrates, publishes and promotes on behalf of professionals and subject matter experts. With more than 20 years experience as an entrepreneur she often writes on the topics of small business and product development strategy. Ms. Farkovitz lives and works in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, Artist and Master Goldsmith, Louis Farkovitz.
Lisa ConquergoodLisa Conquergood has more than 17 years of business experience, including senior management positions at Eddie Bauer and Expedia, and startups Bevvy and Picnik. When Picnik was bought by Google, Lisa was brought on to share her deep knowledge of shaping a brand around consumer interest. As Chief Marketing Officer of PicMonkey, Lisa keeps the startup running successfully, which has over 25 million monthly users from all around the world and recently secured a $41 million investment from Spectrum Equity.
Louis FloryLouis Flory is the President of Effex Management Solutions, a large volume contingent workforce management solutions provider. Louis has been in the staffing and management industry for 16 years and in his spare time enjoys golf and playing sports with his two children in Houston, TX.
Marc SolomonMarc Solomon is a partner with Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman. He provides counsel to clients regarding the structure and execution of business transactions including exit and succession planning. Mr. Solomon previously owned a business which was sold to a publicly traded company.
Mario CondeMario Conde, a certified public accountant and founding partner of CondeBoyce, LLP, one of the leading full-service public accounting firms in Long Island, specializes in tax planning, preparation and consulting for small to medium sized privately held businesses, and performing due diligence services on business acquisitions. www.condeboyce.com
Mark SatterfieldMark Satterfield is the founder and CEO of Gentle Rain Marketing, Inc and author of THE ONE WEEK MARKETING PLAN (BenBella Books; August 2014). He specializes in working with consultants, advisers, and small businesses on how to get consistent streams of new business. Since 1992, he has helped clients in financial services, insurance, health care, consulting, real estate, advertising, training, recruiting, and more than 75 niche industries grow their businesses without cold calling or hard selling. Visit www.gentlerainmarketing.com
Michael SpadaroMichael is the Founder and CEO of Profound Cloud, an award-winning IT consulting firm that helps businesses save time and money using innovative technologies and a member of the Brother Small Business Advisory Panel. Michael’s forward-thinking approach to technology recently earned his company a spot on CRN’s Next-Gen 250 list of solution providers that are on the cutting edge of technology and business model shifts.
www.profoundcloud.com
Mykel NahorniakMykel Nahorniak is the co-founder and CEO of Localist, the industry’s only provider of an interactive online calendaring platform for the marketing professional. Myke is responsible for the evolution and overall strategy for the company and the Localist platform. In addition, he heads the development team in conceptualizing new features, leading creative development of site design, usability and overall branding. His past experience includes serving as Chief Creative Officer at Betanews, Inc., managing IT projects at The Baltimore Sun and leading web development teams at media companies, non-profits and PR firms. Myke is currently a mentor at Betamore, a Baltimore incubator.
Nikole HaiarNikole Haiar is responsible for the marketing, strategy and execution for Hostway's. retail and white-labeled cloud applications, which includes websites, email, online marketing, SEO, business productivity and web security tools. She has over a decade of experience in technology-focused B2B marketing
Raad MobremRaad Mobrem is the CEO and cofounder of Lettuce, inventory management software designed for small to medium inventory-based businesses. Lettuce consolidates the entire order, processing, accounting, inventory, forecasting, fulfillment and shipping process into a single click. Say hi @raadmobrem
Raj Sheth, Co-Founder of RecruiterboxRaj Sheth is the co-founder of Recruiterbox, an online recruitment software and applicant tracking system designed especially for growing companies. Prior to Recruiterbox, he founded two other web startups -- a classifieds portal and an ecommerce site. He is a graduate of Babson College and spent the first three years of his career as a financial analyst with EMC Corporation in Boston. Visit his website at recruiterbox.com.
Richard L. WeinbergerRichard L. Weinberger, PhD, CPA, has over 30 years' experience as a financial and management consultant for small businesses. An esteemed thought leader and speaker, he is CEO of the Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants. His new book, Propel Your Small Business to Success: Accelerated Actions to Maximize Profit, gives small business owners a step-by-step method for reviewing and analyzing every aspect of their company in order to increase profitability. Learn more at www.aampapproach.com.
Richard WaltersRichard Walters currently serves as Senior Vice President of Security Products at Intermedia.net, Inc. He has spent 20 plus years in IT, of which, over 15 years in C-level positions focused on information security. Richard has in-depth knowledge of operating system and database security, intrusion detection systems, identity and access management, and cloud and mobile security.
Rickard HanssonRickard Hansson is the founder and chief executive officer of Incentive, a socially powered enterprise collaboration platform designed specifically for mid-market organizations and enterprise teams. With more than 15 years of experience in the IT industry, Rickard is a serial entrepreneur and self-taught programmer who created Incentive in 2008 based on his belief that internal workplace communication should be a social and collaborative experience. Prior to founding Incentive, Rickard started Mindroute Software in 2002, where he developed Lemoon, a user-friendly content management system (CMS). Within three years, Mindroute became the second largest CMS firm in Sweden, boasting 100 to 150 new clients per year.
Robert ManderRobert Mander is the founder of Govlish®, an innovative, groundbreaking service to help a diverse U.S. citizenry decipher the language of government. Mr. Mander is president and CEO of Ryan & Co., Inc. A seasoned entrepreneur, he began his career in government as a combined technical writer/business analyst in 2003 at the Law Library of Congress, a venerable Federal institution founded on Thomas Jefferson’s library of legal resources that now houses the world’s largest collection of world law and legal documents. In 2006, Mr. Mander resumed his business career, now entirely government-focused, and has worked with more than 25 Federal, State, and local agencies as a technical writer. In 2011, he began systematically aggregating government acronyms, abbreviations, and terms and founded the Govlish program, which has grown into a unique resource library of more than 66,000 entries and is expected to grow to about 80,000. In addition, the Govlish database is designed to serve as a platform for building lively communities in which users exchange valuable information and leverage their numbers to interact effectively with government.
Rochelle SanchiricoRochelle Sanchirico is the head of marketing and analytics for Webs, the digital services business of Vistaprint (Nasdaq: CMPR). She leads the marketing strategy and execution for both Webs and Pagemodo, ranging from branding to search engine marketing to email marketing and promotions. She also oversees the analytics team, which strives to provide data-based insights and recommendations to the business.
A digital marketing veteran with more than 12 years of experience, she has held marketing and strategy leadership positions in the media, education, and publishing industries. Rochelle has an extensive speaking experience, especially regarding search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and integrated marketing practices.
Roderick ReedIt’s no surprise that Roderick developed an interest in design at an early age , having grown up in a family of creative people. “I can’t tell you how many times I redecorated my room as a child. It wasn’t until much later that I realized what the career options were.” After studying design in Southern California he opened his own design firm in 2000. He accepts a wide range of projects from offices to residential homes, which he decorates in a style he describes as “Casually Sophisticated” Sophisticated in a purely Southern California way. REEDesign decorates from traditional to contemporary. His styles could include English antiques residing artfully among bamboo and tikis. REEDesign is “The Elegantly Ordered but Casual Lifestyle.” And what would his dream project be? “Building a house from scratch with my own hands, making ideas come to life has always appealed to me.” Rod lives in Laguna Beach California with his wife Kathy and two sons. You can contact Rod to help you stage or decorate your home by visiting his website www.reedesigninteriors.com
Ron BurgettRon Burgett is Executive Vice President of Franchise Development at Value Place. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, Value Place is the nation’s largest economy extended-stay hotel brand with more than 180 hotels located in 32 states. The company owns 74 of the properties and provides management services for both company- and franchise-owned locations. Value Place offers guests an affordable, clean, safe, and simple lodging option.
Ron FlavinRon Flavin is a business growth strategist, author, speaker, expert in getting business grants—he helps entrepreneurs and organizations to get funding. He is a creative, fully bilingual (English/Spanish) grants specialist with a proven track record (raised over $100 million over 15 years) of developing and writing successfully-funded competitive grant proposals and cooperative agreements for businesses, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies and educational institutions in the United States and abroad. For more information, please see www.rflavin.com or follow him on Twitter @rflavin.
Russ MadlenerRuss currently serves as the senior director of SMB within the U.S. Small and Medium Business & Distribution (SMS&D) organization at Microsoft. He is an expert in the area of small business technology including the cloud, modernization and emerging technology trends.
Scott ResnickScott Resnick is the owner of Today’s Telecommunications Industries, LLC, one of the largest NEC dealers in the U.S. As a unified communications expert, TTI has worked with some of the largest and most influential companies in the Houston area. In his off time Scott enjoys catching a baseball game and traveling with his family.
Simon Wieczner, President & CEO of Snowbound SoftwareSimon Wieczner is the president and CEO of Snowbound Software, an industry leader in document viewing and conversion technology. www.snowbound.com
Steve Apfelberg, Vice President of Marketing at TriNetSteve Apfelberg joined TriNet in November 2012 as the Vice President of Marketing. He oversees public and analyst relations, as well as all field, corporate, product and customer marketing functions. Steve brings more than 20 years of experience to TriNet. Previously, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at Skire (acquired by Oracle in 2012), a leading provider of project management software for capital construction, real estate and facilities. Prior to Skire, Steve was the Vice President of Marketing at Yammer (acquired by Microsoft in 2012), a pioneer and leader in enterprise social networking solutions. He played significant roles in building the enterprise social networking category, creating awareness for the company and in evangelizing its value proposition through the media and at events around the world. Earlier, Steve was the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at CallidusCloud, a publicly traded provider of cloud-based sales, marketing, learning and hiring solutions. He also held senior roles in marketing and finance at Siebel, Remedy and Oracle. Steve received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Stanford University. He currently serves on the Advisory Board at CaptureToCloud and served on the Advisory Board at Eventbrite from April 2009 to July 2010.
Subo GuhaAs vice president of product management & marketing, Subo Guha is responsible for defining Unitrends’ product strategy, roadmaps and approach to market enablement. For the past 20 years, he has served in a variety of executive roles in the areas of cloud, automation, virtualization, systems management and server technologies at leading companies including CA Technologies, Dell, NCR and Egenera Inc. Prior to Unitrends, Subo was vice president of cloud solutions at CA Technologies, where he was responsible for CA’s cloud and virtualization strategy, products and solutions. He was instrumental in driving CA to a No. 1 rank in cloud systems management and new acquisitions in capacity planning. Previously, Subo was a senior vice president at Egenera, a data center automation company, where he drove all industry partnerships and ecosystem development. Prior to Egenera, Subo was an executive at Dell for 10 years. Serving as the executive director of software product management and marketing, Subo was responsible for the company’s systems management and virtualization strategy and was tasked with reinventing Dell’s software marketing organization. Subo was also responsible for driving product sales and spearheading the division’s OEM and partner model. He was also part of the original team that grew Dell’s server market share to No. 1 in the U.S. Subo has a Ph.D in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business. He holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and received his Bachelor’s from the Indian Institute of Technology. He has over 16 major publications in MIS journals, including a book chapter, and is a frequent speaker at industry events in the areas of systems management and virtualization.
Tukan DasTukan is the co-founder of LeadSift, a platform to identify actionable business opportunities from social media. At LeadSift, he is the hacker, hustler and the dreamer where he is working with his team to make social sales a reality. Outside of work, he likes to watch cricket, soccer and Jon Stewart! Connect with him on Twitter @tdas
Uwe DreissigackerUwe is the CEO of invoiceberry.com, an online invoicing software for small businesses and freelancers. His experience in the online business world ranges from AdTech to FinTech and online game publishing. When he’s not busy running his company he enjoys everything tech as well as travelling in Asia and Europe.
Alex ShvartsAlex Shvarts is the Founder and CTO of FundKite, one of the fastest growing Fintech companies in New York that provides funding to small businesses across the U.S. Founded in 2015, Alex’s business utilizes a boutique funding style, offering business owners a flexible variety of products and services that can be tailored to fit their individual financial situations. Prior to founding FundKite, Alex engineered and sold proprietary technology to the greater fintech industry.
Amanda BraunAmanda Braun is Salazar Jackson LLP’s Firm Project Manager, spearheading the firm’s in-house project management platform SJ Agile. A Certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and attorney, she oversees all client projects and guides project scoping, budgeting and resource allocation to assure that client projects are handled efficiently and effectively. She can be reached at 305-374-4848 or Braun@salazarjackson.com.
Amit MathradasAmit Mathradas is the President and COO, Avalara, he manages global growth operations overseeing sales, marketing, business development, customer experience, and professional services. Amit was previously general manager and head of the small and medium business segment for North America at PayPal. He also served in leadership roles at Web.com and Dell, focusing on serving the needs of small businesses by developing partnerships and go-to-market strategies.
Amit PrasadAmit Prasad is the founder and CEO of QuickFMS and SatNav Group. QuicFMS provides SaaS solutions to small business owners which help in management and simplifying of businesses and facilities. We offer
cloud based facilities management system with CAFM, Enterprise Asset Management, Property & Maintenance Management.
Andrew BagrinAndrew Bagrin, Founder and CEO of My Digital Shield, a leading provide of Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) for small businesses. With more than 17 years of experience in IT and network security, Andrew has been quoted in a variety of media outlets, including the New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Small Business Computing, Columbia Business Law Review, and Business Solutions Magazine.
Andy RoeAndy Roe is the General Manager of SurePayroll, Inc., a Paychex Company. SurePayroll is the trusted provider of easy online payroll services to small businesses nationwide. SurePayroll compiles data from small businesses nationwide through its Small Business Scorecard optimism survey, and exclusively reflects the trends affecting the nation's "micro businesses" — those with1-10 employees.
Angela FernandezAngela Fernandez is the Vice President of Community Engagement at GS1 US, where she oversees programs designed to support growth for companies of all sizes. With more than 20 years of retail supply chain experience, she is an expert in helping companies understand retailer requirements and achieve source to store supply chain visibility.
Anmol KumarAnmol is an MBA - Marketing graduate from an AACSB accredited school of business in Adelphi University, NY, a nationally-ranked tier-1 university. After completing his MBA, he started his journey as a Marketing Manager with Copyleaks, where he is responsible for strategizing, executing, and overlooking all marketing activities. Copyleaks is an Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning powered Plagiarism platform. You can reach him at LinkedIn.
Annie SingerAnnie Singer began her career in marketing as a link builder but quickly familiarized herself with a broader inbound marketing skillset. While she is largely self-taught, she has a rich background including agency, enterprise, and freelance experience, and has formal education in psychology and marketing research. Annie now works in digital growth and entrepreneurship, specializing in science-based practices and business ethics. Visit her website, or connect on LinkedIn.
Asaf DarashAsaf Darash, Founder and CEO of Regpack, has extensive experience as an entrepreneur and investor. Asaf has built 3 successful companies to date, all with an exit plan or that have stayed in profitability and are still functional. Asaf specializes in product development for the web, team building and in bringing a company from concept to an actualized unit that is profitable.
Bill AimoneFifteen years ago, Bill Aimone joined the partnership of Deloitte Consulting. One of the perks of being a partner at the world’s largest professional services firm was having a hotline access to IT support. Time was money for the partners and ensuring immediate access to IT assistance was paramount. Fast forward 8 years and Bill left Deloitte to co-found Trenegy, a management consulting firm. Finding IT help for the cadre of consultants at Trenegy was difficult. After frustrating cycles through various managed services firms and frazzled independent IT guys, IT support was brought in-house. The epiphany came as we thought, “what if we had an on-demand IT support model for small businesses? Then small businesses can get the same level of support only afforded by Big 4 partners at a lower price!" This epiphany was the genesis of EVAN®. Today, Trenegy and many other small businesses are getting the IT support they deserve.
Bill CareyBill Carey is the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Siber Systems.com. With over 16 years’ marketing and business development experience, Bill guides the overall market strategy and business direction for Siber Systems. He has developed strategic agreements with top tier companies such as Yahoo and Symantec as well as directed the successful launch of Siber Systems’ products to market. Prior to joining Siber Systems, Bill founded IAG Marketing, and co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of Sandbox.com. Bill has also held senior positions at PriceWaterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers). Bill is a CPA (1993) and received a BBA from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.
Bob RoarkBy Bob Roark, President, Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, RS Asset Management. As President and co-founder of RS Asset Management, Bob Roark concentrates on offering high-quality service and independent financial advice to clients. He specializes in addressing the individual concerns of extraordinary professionals, business owners and retirees.
Bradley R. MarshBradley R. Marsh is a shareholder in the San Francisco office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP. He focuses his practice on tax controversy matters, including property, sales, payroll, business license, employment, franchise, parcel, district, documentary transfer, transient occupancy, utility user, income, parking, gift and estate taxes.
Brian HartBrian Hart is the founder and president of Flackable, an award-winning public relations agency representing financial and professional services brands nationwide. Learn more about Flackable at flackable.com. Follow Brian on Twitter at @BrianHartPR.
Casey DormanHi, I'm Casey! I'm the Sales Manager at Gingr software. Originally from Indianapolis, I now live in Colorado with my wife and dog, Dexter. Our hobbies include hiking, skiing, and visiting local breweries.
Christal BemontChristal Bemont is the Senior Vice President & General Manager of the global Small, Midsized, and Nationals (SMN) business unit within Concur, the leading provider of integrated travel and expense management solutions. Christal joined Concur in 2004 playing an integral role in growing Concur’s largest global clients, leading multiple sales teams to success, and developing & leading the Nationals segment. Living in the Greater Chicago area, Christal serves the community through supporting and volunteering at organizations such as the Anderson Animal Shelter and the local women’s shelter. In addition, Christal is a strong supporter of Feed My Starving Children, a non-profit organization committed to feeding hungry children.
Christian CarereChristian Carere is an SEO consultant who works primarily with small to medium businesses. His company, Digital Ducats Inc. offers SEO services to improve the quality of traffic and increase the number of leads and new clients a website produces.
Christopher AntonopoulosI have been very fortunate to learn from some of the best and work at organizations that were cutting edge in their use of marketing programs and tools to drive revenue. I have built marketing programs from the ground up not contracting vendors, but doing the actual grunt work. This wisdom and experience allows me to understand the details of what is required rather than just have a high level understanding. I’ve run sales organizations and built pipeline. This hands-on experience came from cutting edge organizations like Tandberg; global deployments with Cisco, as well as Network Solutions and Full Quota.
Chuck DeLouisAs the head of the Product Management team, Chuck is responsible for all product decisions including strategy, requirements, and roadmap. He brings with him more than 30 years of software management experience and has a deep technical expertise in databases and data security. More than ten years of that time was spent in PM, driving innovation, disruption, and revenue growth. Before joining Intronis, Chuck was the Director, Product Management, at Precise Software Solutions where he developed and managed strategic deals with EMC and moved Precise Performance Management to the cloud. Prior to that, Chuck held senior PM and BD positions at VERITAS, managed IT and services for Sybase, and managed engineering and international consulting for Cullinet. Chuck holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bates College majoring in Mathematics (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). When he is not at work, Chuck is often found cycling or skiing.
Chuck WhitmoreCo-founder of Oxford Communications in 1986, Chuck integrates written and visual content to drive meaningful consumer connections. For 25 years, Chuck authored all advertising content originating within the agency while also contributing to Oxford’s rise as one of the region’s most acclaimed creative shops. In 2008, he developed "Truth, Turf & Energy," the proprietary methodology Oxford employs to clearly differentiate and activate brands in the marketplace. Today, as Chief Creative Officer, Chuck leads the agency’s charge in the marketing renaissance at the intersection of digital technology, holistic communications and – more so than ever before – content that successfully resonates with and engages its audience.
Daglar CizmeciDaglar Cizmeci, and I’m a serial investor, founder and CEO with over 20 years’ industry experience in emerging tech, aviation, logistics and finance. I’ve graduated from the Wharton School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Chairman at ACT Airlines, myTechnic and Mesmerise VR. CEO at Red Carpet Capital and Eastern Harmony. Co-Founder of Marsfields, ARQ and Repeat App. Connect with Daglar Cizmeci on LinkedIn
Dale McManusDale has helped hundreds of thousands of people just like you around the world learn how to create a website over at CreateAProWebsite.com. Whether you want to make a beautiful blog, portfolio, or business website, he’s got you covered with easy-to-follow guides and tutorials!
Dan Gregory & Kieran FlanaganDan Gregory & Kieran Flanagan are behavioral researchers and strategists, specializing in behaviors and belief systems – what drives, motivates and influences us. They have won business awards around the world for Innovation, Creativity and Return on Investment working with such organizations as Coca-Cola, Unilever, News Corp and the United Nations in Singapore. They are passionate advocates for the commercial power of creativity and a return to more human engagement, cultures and leadership. Published by WILEY, Dan and Kieran’s new book Selfish, Scared & Stupid is available in paperback RRP $22.95 from www.selfishscaredandstupid.com.
Dean KaplanDean Kaplan is president of The Kaplan Group, a commercial collection agency specializing in large claims and international transactions. He has 35 years of manufacturing, international business leadership and customer service experience. Today, he provides business planning, training and consultation to a variety of global companies.
Dennis FoisDennis is the CEO of Copper where he is committed to redefining the role of CRM. He brings over 25 years of experience developing and leading high-performing multicultural teams at both startups and public companies in the technology and financial services sectors. He has enjoyed a broad international career in various countries across Europe and the U.S., currently advising and mentoring a number of technology startups and VC teams at various stages of growth and scale. Most recently, Dennis was the CEO of NewVoiceMedia, where he led the company to accelerate international growth and a successful acquisition by Vonage. Before NewVoiceMedia, Dennis was the CEO at Rant & Rave. He has held senior leadership positions at eGain, Barclays, Solera and ADP.
Dina PetroskyDina is Partner of Smart Connections PR, a high tech public relations firm headquartered in Rising Sun, Maryland. She has over 25 years of experience in media and communications– as both a journalist and a public relations professional. Dina spent a decade in radio where she enjoyed stints as a news director, radio talk show host, and alternative rock disc jockey, prior to embarking on a career in PR. She and fellow Partner Joanne Hogue established and have managed Smart Connections PR since 2013. Dina holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from The University of Rhode Island.
Donn FlipseDonn Flipse is the president and owner of Field of Flowers, based in Florida. This year marks a major milestone for Donn and his family – their 100th Anniversary of being in the flower business. To learn more about Field of Flowers, please visit: www.fieldofflowers.com.
Dr. Barbara RembiesaDr. Barbara Rembiesa is co-founder, president, and CEO of IAITAM (The International Association of IT Asset Managers), a network of professionals in the information technology sector, focused on advanced education and training for individuals and organizations, with more than a thousand members across the globe, in over 100 countries
Eddie DavisEddie Davis is the VP of Business Development for FINSYNC, a consolidated cash flow management platform focused on helping businesses grow. FINSYNC’s intuitive online tools help automate payments and accounting, and provide valuable insight through cash flow analysis. The lending network gives businesses access to fast, affordable financing. FINSYNC’s virtual community of specialists provides unrivaled support with bookkeeping, accounting, human capital management, financial analysis and corporate strategy. Connect with Eddie on LinkedIn and follow @FINSYNC on Twitter.
Eric HolshouserAttorney Eric Holshouser is a shareholder practicing in labor and employment law with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC.
Erin SaginErin Sagin is a PPC Evangelist and Community Manager at WordStream. She was named the 3rd Most Influential PPC Expert of 2015 by PPC Hero. When she’s able to take a break from paid search, you’ll find her practicing her hula-hooping skills or planning her next trip to Latin America. You can follow Erin on Twitter
Gaven FergusonGaven Ferguson is a regular guy whose career has spanned over 30 years in a variety of industries. He is currently the President of the World Association of Master Chefs and owner of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry Accreditation Program. Most recently he released his first book titled: The Business Procrastinator, on Amazon. He still can’t believe it’s finished
Glen GreenstoneBefore becoming a camp professional, Glen enjoyed many other pursuits. A native San Diegan, he worked through college as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. He has a passion for literature and the outdoors and is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, so he naturally loves to get out on the water with his wife and two kids whenever possible. He loves hearing camp cheers outside his office window during the summer, while helping camps across the country overcome their unique challenges!
Hannah HaakensonHannah Haakenson is a recent college graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English and an Editing & Publishing Certificate from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She has dedicated all of her studies to learning the ins and outs of the English language and aspires to work in the publishing industry. Most recently, Hannah worked with the University of Minnesota Press, the Minnesota Daily, and Backpack, a brand communications agency. You can find some of her articles in Edina magazine, St. Croix Valley magazine, and on Backpack’s website.
Ingrid KiblerIIngrid is an account supervisor in the public relations group at HCK2. She specializes in creating an online community for customers through social media marketing that increases customer loyalty and engagement while furthering brand awareness and company interests. She’d love to hear from you; tweet her at @hck2 or @IngridKibler, or visit www.hck2.com for more info.
Isaac KohenIsaac Kohen is the founder and CEO of Teramind (https://www.teramind.co/), an employee monitoring and insider threat prevention platform that detects, records, and prevents, malicious user behavior. Isaac can be reached at ikohen@teramind.co.
Jason GarberJason Garber is a Senior Software Engineer and Co-Founder of PromptWorks, a Philadelphia-based consulting shop delivering customized web and mobile web applications which has grown into a multi-million dollar business in less than two years. At 14 years old, he founded his first website development company and then went on to be a passionate advocate for Ruby on Rails, clean code, and automated testing. He’s consulted with clients large and small through his web development work, and previously held positions at Rosetta Stone and Eastern Mennonite University, where he earned his BA/BS in Economics, Business Administration, and Computer Information Systems.
Jason GrafJason Graf is My Digital Shield’s Vice President of Operations. Graf is responsible for providing operational oversight to ensure that MDS’ services are implemented, managed and supported successfully by its channel partners and small business customers. Jason brings more than 15 years of industry experience, servicing small businesses with IT security needs. Having served at the management level at various IT service providers, Graf has proven expertise in implementing operational improvement and standardization. Jason has an extensive track record for quickly learning about existing and emerging technologies, implementing those technologies and effectively communicating their capabilities to end users. Most recently, Graf served as the Director of Project Services at The IT Company LLC and prior to this role served as the IT Manager at Sword and Shield Enterprise Security and Claris Networks. A Microsoft certified trainer, he has been an instructor at New Horizons Computer Learning Center since 2012.
Jennifer KovachJennifer Kovach is the director of South Florida Operations at the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, part of Florida State University’s College of Business. The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship cultivates, trains and inspires entrepreneurial leaders through world-class executive education, applied training, public recognition and leading-edge research. For more information, visit jmi.fsu.edu/.
Jim BelosicJim Belosic is the CEO of ShortStack.com, a software that businesses use to build marketing campaigns and landing pages for social media, mobile and the web. Follow ShortStack @shortstacklab
John Haake IIFounder and CEO of dayII (dayiiconsulting.com) a Workday consulting firm. John has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, 15 plus years of PeopleSoft reporting, and over 3 years of Workday reporting. Often companies have reports created for short term immediate needs. John believes in part with developing new reports, it is important to identify and catalog all reports in a tenant for disposition, especially those organizations that are publicly facing. This is where John takes the opportunity to encourage organizations to step back and understand the purpose of existing reports to push forward the effort to consolidate, review business processes for improvement, and data clean up. John prides himself in being hands-on, high touch, and transparent in all aspects with the businesses and stakeholders. In doing so, John can clearly set goals, expectations, and call out any known limitations. Any deviance from the initial beginnings are communicated with possible solutions to meet any needful changes in prioritization based on shifting business needs or unexpected changes.
Jordan SchwartzJordan Schwartz is president and co-founder of Pathable, an event app and website platform for conferences and tradeshows. He left academic psychology for the lure of software building, and spent 10 years at Microsoft leading the development of consumer-facing software. Frustrated with the conferences he attended there, he left Microsoft in 2007 with the goal of delivering more value and better networking opportunities through a next-generation conference app. Jordan moonlights as a digital nomad, returning often to his hometown of Seattle to tend his bee hives.
Joseph F. DuffyJoseph F. Duffy retired 1n 2016. During his 45 year career he served in a variety of executive and board roles for non-profit and for profit organizations. Duffy has graduate degrees from Regis, Rutgers, Seton Hall and William Paterson Universities and is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit National Honor Society. He provides board and management consultation and training services nationally and internationally.
Josh CohenJosh Cohen is the CEO and founder of Junkluggers. He founded Junkluggers out of his mom's Dodge Durango 14 years ago and has grown the company into one of the largest junk removal franchises in the country. For Josh, it's about much more than just hauling junk away. He has a greater mission guiding everything they do. Their B.H.A.G. is to ensure no junk collected by Junkluggers enters a landfill by 2025. They are completing the process now to convert their corporation into a b-corp meaning that while they do strive for profits, they're also driven by and held accountable to bettering the world.
Kale AbrahamsonKale Abrahamson is co-founder and CEO of Nine University, an online program that helps students develop their own Amazon FBA business. Started in 2016, Nine University now has over 130 employees and mentors over thousands of students globally based on the teachings of Abrahamson and his co-founder Taylor Hiott.
Ken LynchKen Lynch is an enterprise software startup veteran, who has always been fascinated about what drives workers to work and how to make work more engaging. Learn more at ReciprocityLabs.com.
Kira LenkeKira Lenke is the VP of Marketing at Copper. In her current role, she is responsible for directing and overseeing the marketing function at the company and driving strategy to strengthen Copper’s market position. Prior to Copper, she held marketing positions at technology companies including Aviso, DudaMobile, and Intuit. Her experience spans storytelling and brand building, product launch management, key messaging and feature differentiation, creative large-scale brand campaigns, retention and lifecycle email marketing, and segmentation through key customer insights.
Kirk DiesKirk Deis has been featured on Forbes, Podcasts, and radio shows in the US. He is the CEO and Founder of two companies - Treehouse 51 a digital agency in Newport Beach, California and The Bug Squasher a universal web app that helps you diagnosis site issues.
Laura ColeLaura Cole serves as The Berry Company’s Vice President, Marketing and is responsible for all Digital and Print products, pricing and packaging, internal and external communication, research and advertising. Ms. Cole is a 13-year veteran with Berry, joining in 2001 as a Sales Representative. She has held numerous roles in Sales and Operations with the last 10 years in Marketing. During her time in Marketing she has managed Field Marketing, Product, Performance Based Programs, and Pricing. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Nebraska- Lincoln.
Lisa CroftLisa is the Digital Media Enablement at Adobe, she has 20+ years of experience in the technology industry utilizing various enterprise software solutions. Experience includes pre-sales, client development, project management, marketing, software development and customization, and training for large customers. Excellence in managing and supporting multiple sales personnel, customers and projects across a large geographic area. Extensive experience in preparing presentations and customized demonstrations to various audiences and mediums. Strong expertise in forms design, workflow analysis and design, systems integration, and accessibility.
Mara TrumbourMara Trumbour is the Executive Product Owner of Trademark.com and has extensive experience with intellectual property solutions. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Mara is responsible for the development and execution of Trademark.com's business strategy. She holds an MBA with a concentration in marketing from Bentley University.
Mariah BlissIn addition to owning a copywriting service, Mariah Bliss is a content marketing expert with Simply Business, an online insurance agent that specializes in small business insurance.
Mario PeshevMario Peshev is the CEO of DevriX, a global WordPress agency serving industries from publishing to automotive and airline. Peshev focuses the majority of his time on running his business and leading distributed tech teams at DevriX of 40+ people crafting high-scale WordPress solutions optimized for revenue. Mario started with development as a hobby and built his first website in 1999. Sixteen years later, DevriX ranks among the top 20 WordPress consultancies worldwide, scaling both world-known enterprise brands and high-traffic publishers on top of WordPress. Mario has over 10,000 hours of training and consulting activities for organizations such as CERN, Saudi Aramco, VMware, SAP and many others, coaching business owners on growth strategy, technical architecture, marketing funnels and digital presence. He is a Core contributor to the WordPress project, an Inbound Certified marketer, and a multi-disciplined business owner with a wide scope of skills. In addition to leading DevriX, Peshev also advises up and coming web developers and tech entrepreneurs, attracting over 2 million views to his transparent Quora discussions on his experience of entrepreneurship and IT work life and he recently authored the book 126 Steps to Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur: The Entrepreneurship Fad and the Dark Side of Going Solo. Follow him on Twitter @no_fear_inc and connect on LinkedIn.
Mark ElkinsMark Elkins has had a varied career in banking, lending, and higher education. For the past eleven years, Mark has served as the Financial Aid Director at Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, Florida. Mark is currently pursuing an MBA degree, with an additional finance component, at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Mark GrilliMark Grilli is vice president of product marketing for Document Cloud at Adobe. He is responsible for worldwide marketing strategy and implementation of Document Cloud, including Acrobat DC and Adobe eSign services. Prior to joining Adobe, Grilli held marketing and client services positions at WebEx (now a Cisco Company) and was co-founder in an elearning startup. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UCSB and earned his MBA from Pepperdine University.
Matt HolleranMatt Holleran leads Cloud Apps Capital Partners on our journey to be the best venture capital firm in the world in the cloud business application market at the Classic Series A stage. He works closely with entrepreneurs and executive teams to help them build global category leading companies. Matt has 12 years of operating experience in successful business application companies including salesforce.com, 12 years of venture capital and private equity experience, and a highly relevant network. He has walked in the shoes of founding teams at each stage of a business application company's development -- no customers, initial traction, scaling the team, market leadership, and global expansion. Matt has a BA in engineering and economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Meredith WoodMeredith Wood is the editor-in-chief at Fundera. She has specialized in financial advice for small business owners for almost a decade, and is sought out frequently for her expertise in small business lending. Meredith’s advice has appeared in the SBA, SCORE, Yahoo!, Amex OPEN Forum, Fox Business, American Banker, Small Business Trends, and more.
Michelle CarleyMichelle Carley is a nationally known expert on bookkeeping for small businesses. She is the founder and CEO of Big E-Z Bookkeeping Company which is highly regarded for its easy-to-use bookkeeping software and its great customer support. Her passion for developing an easy and affordable desktop bookkeeping software program (Big E-Z Books) grew out of her many years of practical bookkeeping experience working for small businesses in the Detroit Metro area. She also taught small business owners in schools and in Small Business Development Centers how to keep good bookkeeping records. Thousands of small business owners with little or no accounting background have successfully used Michelle’s bookkeeping programs. She is the winner of the 2019 Outstanding Business Practices award from the National Entrepreneurs Association. She also won the Most Needed Product of the Year Award from NAWBO (the National Association of Women Business Owners) in the early days. A veteran, Michelle Carley served in the US Army Reserves. She is the sole owner and proprietor of her business making it 100% woman-owned.
Michelle PrinceMichelle Prince provides strategic human resources leadership in the areas of talent management, leadership development, employee engagement, organization design, organization effectiveness, career development, expatriate management, and innovative learning techniques. Michelle brings over 25 years of national and global experience from a variety of industries including Technology, Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Device having worked for market leaders including Siemens, Novartis, and First Data. Michelle currently leads the Talent Management and Learning and Development teams who deliver over 50 professional development programs that build organizational competencies, strengthen management capabilities, and develop a strong pipeline of talent for Randstad North America, a global leader in the staffing industry. Michelle earned a BS Management from Binghamton University, an MS Human Resources from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix. Michelle’s passion for supporting the professional development of women leaders is demonstrated in her various coaching, mentoring, and volunteer efforts. She is a regular contributor to the online magazine Women Powering Business, a repeat mentor for Pathbuilders, Inc., an Advisory Board Member for the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Atlanta Chapter (www.hbanet.org), and was a founding member of a successful corporate women's networking group.
Mike SalemMike Salem is the CEO and founder of Vorex, Inc., an online business management solution specifically designed for small businesses. Salem brings more than 20 years of business management experience at Fortune 500 companies to Vorex. His tenure at companies like Bank of America and Sprint have enabled him to create a solution that brings enterprise-level quality to the small business without the enterprise-level price tag.
Milos CulaficMilos is an Amazon consultant with knowledge of all forms and types of Amazon marketing. He is currently a copywriter at AMZScout, a software company that helps maximize growth and revenue.
Neeraj KhandelwalNeeraj is a senior product manager for the Web Application Firewall Business at Barracuda (www.barracuda.com). Neeraj has a strong track record working closely with numerous SMB and enterprise businesses to secure their web application layers against the latest threats. He has a master's degree in computer science from Texas A&M University where he specialized in information security. He has been in IT and security for 14 years and has wide-ranging interests in the evolving security, threat and compliance landscape
Nick EastNick East is chief executive and a cofounder of hybrid IT startup Zynstra.
Nick KuttinNick Kuttin was a small business consultant before joining FourKites as Senior Marketing Manager. Nick is responsible for developing and implementing international marketing strategies to reach all sizes of shipping companies. FourKites is reinventing the complex and labor intensive communication systems in the Logistics and Transportation Industry by providing a cost-effective, real-time and easy-to-use cloud based software solution.
Ofer TiroshOfer Tirosh is the CEO of Tomedes, a translation agency that provides language service solutions to 95,000+ businesses and private clients worldwide. As an expert in the language industry for more than a decade, he has written several articles regarding business, finance, marketing, translation and language industry.
Pam StonePam Stone is a writer from Austin, TX and content editor for HKM. She is passionate about helping others navigate the complex legal landscape and better understand the justice system. In her spare time, Pam enjoys bowling and volunteering at her local adoption agency.
Pamela WebberPamela Webber is Chief Operating Officer at 99designs She is passionate about using data to derive customer insights and to find “aha moments” that impact strategic direction. In addition to her experience as a marketer, Pamela brings a host of first-hand experience as an ecommerce entrepreneur and working with fast-growing startups. Prior to joining 99designs, she founded weeDECOR, an ecommerce company selling custom wall decals for babies' and kids' rooms, and also worked as an executive marketing consultant for True&Co, a wildly successful ecommerce startup specializing in custom-fitted women¹s lingerie.
Patrick BrandPatrick Brand, SVP & General Manager, Pitney Bowes Global SMB Products and Strategy.
Pete MurrayPete oversees operations as general manager of DAVO by Avalara. He has decades of experience leading technology teams for a variety of companies, including Quantrix and IDBS.
Rafael SolisRafael Solis is the Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President of Product at Braidio, a cloud-based learning and talent development platform. Rafael brings 15 years of experience in strategic marketing, product and digital media, including marketing roles at Edmunds.com and Walt Disney. He holds a BA in Economics from Portland State University and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Raluca NeaguRaluca Neagu is a 10+year veteran in technology-focused blogging, journalism, training and communications. She is the marketing director for Bigstep (www.bigstep.com), a company that empowers organizations determined to make sense of their data, by providing a full-stack big data ecosystem running in a high-performance bare metal cloud.
Ran RonenRan Ronen is the founder and CEO of Equally AI, a world-class, secured, convenient, and modern web accessibility experience for beneficiaries and businesses.
Renato ProficoRenato Profico is the CEO of the leading enterprise scheduling tool, Doodle. A qualified executive with 20 years of professional experience in digital companies, he most recently held the position of CEO for four years at a leading job platform network in Switzerland, JobCloud. In addition to his extensive leadership experience, Renato is an expert in B2B sales, marketing, business development, customer relationship management, as well as organizational structure and development.
Richard B. HollisRichard B. Hollis is an experienced business leader and entrepreneur, with over three decades of experience ranging from devices, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, software and digital technology, while concentrating on some of the biggest medical issues facing humanity today such as global infectious diseases (malaria, HIV, TB), acute radiation syndrome, prostate and breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diseases related to aging such as diabetes, inflammation, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders. Hollis founded Holonis, Inc. after extensive research revealed an opportunity to create an engine for commerce on the web utilizing the connections of DNA encoded as software, creating a vision for translating this knowledge to digital applications that would embed business logic and wisdom as algorithmic information providing instructional functions that automate commerce. This vision for rebooting the world of commerce to the digital age was created with a biological model of bio-mimicry and principles of integration based on Holons.
Robb HilsonRobb Hilson is the Small Business Executive at Bank of America.
Robin I. FrankRobin I. Frank is a partner with Shapiro, Blasi, Wasserman & Hermann, P.A. one of the largest independent full-service litigation and transactional law firms in South Florida. She focuses on labor and employment law and has extensive experience both prosecuting and defending against nationwide “collective action” claims for unpaid overtime or minimum wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act. She may be reached at (561) 477-7800 or rfrank@sbwh.law.
Ronald D. HermanRonald D. Herman has 25 years of executive technology leadership experience, and most recently the founder and chief executive officer of Sionic Mobile. Sionic Mobile is a social-mobile commerce company that combines mobile payments, mobile advertising and mobile loyalty tools to help merchants more effectively attract and connect with target consumer markets. The company is the developer of the ION platform which consists of ION Rewards, the consumer-facing mobile loyalty, instant rewards application, and ION Loyalty, the merchant-facing application that leverages mobile advertising, mobile payments, mobile rewards and digital gift cards to drive sales, increase foot traffic and build brand loyalty. Sionic Mobile operates the nation’s largest mobile rewards marketplace. For more information on Sionic Mobile products and services, visit www.sionicmobile.com.
Ryan SkinnerRyan Skinner is founder and owner of Summit Financial Partners and author of Taking Stock: Protect Your Wealth and Create Reliable Income for a Happy and Secure Retirement
Sabrina SmithSabrina Smith is the Founder and CEO of Blacksmith, a business strategy and strategic planning consultancy that helps small businesses make decisions to generate higher profits. She combines her creativity and commitment to making an impact to transform businesses successfully. Sabrina has over a decade of multi-industry experience driving performance for Fortune 500 firms.
Sagi EliyahuSagi Eliyahu is the CEO and co-founder of Tonkean, an Adaptive Business Operations platform that empowers operations teams to optimize their unique mix of people, process, and systems. Sagi founded Tonkean in 2015 to bridge the “Last Mile” gap in operations.
Sean BradleySean Bradley is AudioEye’s Co-founder, President, and Chief Strategy Officer. Throughout his career, Sean Bradley has been recognized as an innovative leader in technology. In addition to AudioEye, Inc., Sean has co-founded multiple technology companies. Sean has a track record of bringing to market timely digital platforms and products, which have been relied upon by some of the largest and most influential businesses in the world.
Shena TharnishShena Seneca Tharnish joined Comcast Business Services as VP, Cybersecurity Products and Practice in late February 2017. She joined after serving as SVP, Enterprise Network Infrastructure at PNC Bank for five years in Pittsburgh, PA, and as a senior leader at The Home Depot, Inc. for twelve years in Atlanta, GA. In Shena’s time at Comcast Business, she has developed a Cybersecurity Product Framework that drives the commercial product roadmap, as well as security practices for all business products at Comcast Business. Shena has over 24 years of experience in Information Technology – leading and managing network engineering and application development services. Prior to joining The Home Depot, Tharnish worked as a network consultant with carriers MCI WorldCom and Concert Communications (BT/AT&T), designing wide area networks for businesses. Shena Seneca Tharnish earned her EMBA from the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, and her undergraduate was in Telecommunications Engineering Technology, with a minor in management, at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.
Steve A KleinSteve A Klein works with companies to improve productivity and results. Over the last 36 years, Steve has helped develop thousands in businesses and organizations, both large and small, as he has helped them create and deal with change. Steve speaks and facilitates internationally about the psychology of success, leadership, communication, behavior change, time organization, sales and customer satisfaction. A former radio journalist, he has been interviewed by newspapers and magazines, has been a guest on radio and TV, and has produced televised leadership training. Steve also hosts PlayMakers Talk Show on Dallas-Fort Worth’s 770 KAAM and is the author of “Sell When You See the Whites of their Eyes.”
Stewart ThornhillStewart Thornhill is the executive director of the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies – the academic resource for rising entrepreneurs and student innovators at the University of Michigan and its Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Dr. Thornhill is also the Eugene Applebaum Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Michigan Ross.
Tania RojasAs the Head of Global Ecommerce at GoDaddy, Tania Rojas wakes up every morning excited that she can help people make their dreams come true! When she's not helping users sell online, you can find her running trails or reading sci-fi books.
Tara FishlerTara Fishler is a conflict resolution specialist and founder of Customized Training Solutions, a New York-based provider of conflict resolution, training and strategic management services. Visit www.tarafishler.com to learn more.
Tasso RoumeliotisTasso is currently the CEO & Co-Founder of Numa. Previously he was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm, DFJ and also founded Location Labs, an early pioneer in mobile and location-based technology. He built it to 250+ people and eventually sold Location Labs for $220M with only $19M of primary capital invested. Location Labs was profitable for seven consecutive years and was an INC 500 company. He was also an Ernst &Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist Award winner. Before Location Labs, Tasso worked as Vice President for Claridge Investments (Bronfman Family Office) and as an associate in the merchant banking group of Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette. Tasso started his career at Bain & Co where he was the highest ranked associate in his class. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University in Montreal
Terence CummingsTerence Cummings is the Vice President of Business Operations at Sage, the global market leader for technology that provides small and medium businesses with the visibility, flexibility and efficiency to manage finances, operations and people.
Thu TruongThu Truong is World Wide VP of Operations at SETA International, a leading software solutions provider dedicated to helping businesses succeed with premium cutting-edge technology. Ms. Truong has spearheaded a range of initiatives geared to helping small businesses flourish by providing access to premium payment tools, deploying SETA’s award winning mobile and cloud based solutions, and developing a partnership network focused on creating new revenue streams for growing companies. Recent client launches include: Avumo, SIRE Mobile, The Restaurant Expert, Teacher Zone, among others.
Tiffany BellahTiffany has been involved in the dance world at many levels – as a dancer, a dance mom, a studio manager, a virtual assistant to studio owners and now as the Customer Service Manager for Dance Studio Pro. She is the mother of 4 and lives in Southern California where she enjoys working remotely to support the users of the World's Best Dance Studio Software. A decade ago, when her girls wanted to dance competitively she went to the studio owner to offer her skills in administration and knack for setting up and managing apps that would make that Studio Owner's life easier. After researching all the options she discovered DSP and became an expert user – fast forward to the present, she has been with the company for a year and a half and she is thrilled to be a part of the constant improvements in technology that help us all connect around the art of dance.
Tiffany BloomerTiffany Bloomer is the President of Aventis Systems, Inc., a leading provider of information technology hardware, software and services. She is responsible for overseeing all departments and fostering interdepartmental collaboration and communication. Prior to Aventis Systems,Tiffany’s previous positions included Financial Services Manager at Epana Networks, Regional Sales Manager at Viscom International, Inc., and Field Marketing Manager at Fusion Marketing.Tiffany is a graduate of Georgia State University where she earned a Master of Science degree in International Business and Marketing. Learn more by visiting https://www.aventissystems.com/.
Tom ByunTom Byun is currently general manager and SVP of the Global Small Business division of LivePerson. He oversees all programs for acquisition, retention and growth of small business customers across the US, EMEA and APAC. Prior to LivePerson, Tom was vice president and general manager of Yahoo! Small Business, where he focused on servicing small business customers and providing them with lead sources and tools to help them grow and manage their business online. Prior to working at Yahoo!, Tom was employed as a consultant at Andersen Consulting, an analyst at Lazard Freres & Co., and also worked at Razorfish, Inc. Tom received his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Will MabeeWill is the Director of Product at Opt-Intelligence, a company that helps
businesses of all sizes easily generate new email subscribers with
pioneering ad technology. Prior to joining Opt-Intelligence in 2009, Will
managed innovative customer programs for his favorite NFL franchise, the Buffalo Bills. Will received a BS in Economics from Bentley College. He also studied marketing at the Copenhagen Business School in Copenhagen, Denmark.
William H. GorrodWilliam H. Gorrod is a shareholder in the San Francisco office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP. He focuses his practice on state and local tax issues, and advises clients on controversy, planning, and compliance matters on a multistate basis.
William MooreWilliam Moore is a business lawyer in San Diego with extensive experience in a variety of cases and growing industries such as wireless communications and clean tech. As the founder, Will’s commitment to serving entrepreneurs permeates every aspect of The Moore Firm. With a strong belief in practical problem solving, Will makes certain that,
once solved, the problem stays solved.