Darius A. Ross – Author of Success DNA: Mastering Persistence in Leadership and Life

There was no such thing as being half-assed at anything. Everything was, you gotta be the best, you gotta excel, you gotta exceed.

Darius A. Ross is a serial entrepreneur who has faced some of life’s toughest challenges, from homelessness to urban warfare. These experiences have shaped his tactical and strategic skills, enabling him to succeed in both small businesses and Fortune 500 corporations. Ross has built and scaled multiple businesses, some thriving, others failing—each providing invaluable lessons. Drawing on these experiences, he now runs a consulting practice focused on high-net-worth individuals, families, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Ross offers three core programs: Urban No BS, Grind, Refine, and Lootnomics, and HGDR (Hustle, Grind, Define, Refine). These programs are not for everyone; they’re designed for individuals who are determined to achieve greatness, massive profits, and sustainable success. Whether as a coach, consultant, author, or speaker, Ross provides the tools, mindset, and strategies to help clients reach their full potential and excel in both business and life. Mike Matalone – Author of Hire • Train • Retain 2nd Edition: The art—and science—of building high-performing teams that drive success

The number one reason employees aren’t more successful than they should be is managers are typically bad at defining what success looks like for them. People should always know what’s next for them and how to get there.

An award-winning speaker and nationally recognized talent authority, Mike Matalone is the Founder and Chief Talent Officer of the XP3 Talent System and Leadership Academy. A highly-sought-after trainer, workshop leader, and keynote speaker, he’s published 100’s of articles on the importance of having the right people in the right roles. Mike’s engaging personality and uncanny ability to translate tricky concepts into easy-to-grasp “nuggets” of information have made him a prized addition to any talent initiative; in the past 17-plus years, he’s delivered more than 500 workshops and keynote presentations to business groups throughout the United States, Canada, and the U.K.

Peter Economy – Wall Street Journal best-selling Business Author, Ghostwriter, Developmental Editor, and Publishing Consultant

Every one of those three, all three of those, those sources they had sent me that they had found via AI were wrong. AI had hallucinated them. They looked real. They looked legit. But when I tried to track them down, they did not exist.

Peter Economy is a Wall Street Journal best-selling business author, ghostwriter, developmental editor, and publishing consultant with more than 135 books to his credit and over three million copies sold. His work spans a wide range of genres including leadership, management, technology, entrepreneurship, and memoir, and he has collaborated with founders, executives, coaches, and thought leaders to bring their ideas to life in print. Peter’s own books include Wait, I’m Working With Who?!?, and he has played key roles in The Leadership Gap, Managing For Dummies, User Story Mapping, The Management Bible, and many others. He is known as The Leadership Guy on Inc.com, where he has published hundreds of articles on leadership and business topics, and he served for more than a decade as Associate Editor for Leader to Leader magazine, published by the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Forum. Peter has lectured on creativity and innovation at San Diego State University, serves on the National Advisory Council for The Art of Science Learning, and is a founding board member of SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes. A graduate of Stanford University with majors in economics and human biology, he has worked closely with some of the most respected thinkers in business and leadership. Joycelyn David – CEO of AV Communications & Author of The Multicultural Mindset: Driving Business Growth in a Borderless Era

Embracing the multicultural mindset begins, actually, outside of the boardroom. It begins at home, you know, with experiencing and being open to trying new things and culture in your everyday activities.

Joycelyn David is a trailblazing entrepreneur and thought leader in multicultural marketing, technology and cross-cultural business leadership. With 20+ years of experience in corporate marketing, Joycelyn has worked with global brands and clients in a variety of roles including go-to-market, product marketing and communications. In 2019, she acquired AVC, one of Canada’s leading multicultural marketing agencies. And in 2023, she founded Tulong Technologies, a martech start-up focused on AI-powered B2B solutions for the marketing industry. Joycelyn was named one of the “Most Influential Filipinas in the World” in the category of Thought Leadership, and in 2023 and 2024, her companies ranked as “Top Growing Companies” by the Report of Business, Globe and Mail. With a marketing background spanning 20 years at global organizations, Joycelyn is the quintessential big-picture thinker who brings her signature “anything’s possible” approach to every strategic challenge. Prior to acquiring AVC in 2019, Joycelyn served as Global Head of Customer Go-to-Market Strategy, Digital Business Leader and Product Marketing Director for Western Union, where she spearheaded the company’s fastest-growing digital business unit. An active industry voice, Joycelyn serves on the boards of POCAM (People of Colour in Advertising and Marketing) and the Multicultural Marketing Alliance Canada, while frequently contributing as a speaker and guest lecturer. She holds degrees from the University of Alberta and York University and resides in Toronto with her husband Abe and son Lorenzo.

Ghazenfer Mansoor – Founder & CEO of Technology Rivers

The bigger challenge is not the download, but how do you retain the users on those apps. How do you keep them going back to your apps again and again?

Ghazenfer Mansoor is the founder and chief executive officer of Technology Rivers, a software development firm that builds innovative SaaS, mobile and web solutions with a strong emphasis on AI and healthcare technology. He guides entrepreneurs and startups in transforming ideas into scalable, high-impact products and helps established businesses streamline operations through process automation and custom software solutions. With deep experience in software engineering, product strategy and compliant healthcare systems, Mansoor has led his team in creating numerous applications that support growth and efficiency for clients across industries, particularly in HIPAA-regulated healthcare. He is also an author, speaker and podcast host who writes and talks about entrepreneurship, technology trends and product development. Michele Ehrhart – Author of Crisis Compass: How to Communicate When It Matters Most

Nine times out of ten you need to speak. If it’s about your brand, you can’t be silent. When you don’t say something fast enough, and then when you do say something, it isn’t good enough, you can make a bad story ten times worse just by the way you handle it.

Michele Ehrhart is the author of Crisis Compass: How to Communicate When It Matters Most and currently serves as the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at the University of Memphis. Michele Ehrhart is a crisis communication expert and former VP of Global Communications for FedEx, where she led crisis response efforts for some of the most high-profile corporate emergencies in recent history. With over 20 years of experience in corporate affairs, executive communications, and PR strategy, she specializes in navigating crises with confidence and clarity. She is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and educator, having advised top executives on narrative control, media strategy, and crisis preparedness. In her new book, Crisis Compass, she shares real-world insights and proven strategies for navigating high-stakes moments.