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.

Brian Carruthers – Legal Shield Executive Director and Author of EXIT INTERVIEWS: Why People Quit Network Marketing And How To Create A Culture That Nobody Wants To Leave

People say, ‘Well, Brian, I’m not trapped. I make a ton of money. I make a half million a year. I’m not trapped.’ Well, you’re paid well for being trapped. If you stop doing what you do for that half a million, it goes to zero, right?

Brian Carruthers

Brian Carruthers is a legal services leader, executive director with LegalShield, and a six-time best-selling author known for his expertise in network marketing and culture building. With a career that began in 1998 he built a successful network marketing enterprise generating consistent seven-figure annual income while personally mentoring thousands of entrepreneurs through coaching, training, and leadership by example rather than theory. Brian is the author of several influential books including EXIT INTERVIEWS: Why People Quit Network Marketing And How To Create A Culture That Nobody Wants To Leave which offers practical strategies to help leaders understand why team members leave and how to cultivate an environment where people are valued and inspired to stay. His work blends real-world experience with actionable insights aiming to help business owners grow their teams, improve retention, and achieve sustainable success in the dynamic network marketing industry. Kenneth Darryl Brown – Founder and CEO at eAI 2 Sales

You can’t just go in and say, okay, I want to do AI, no, it starts with you. It’s who you are.

Ken Brown

Kenneth Darryl Brown is President and CEO of eAI2Sales a Sales, AI, ExO, Profit and business development company that shows companies how to leverage the AI and ExO to increase sales, marketing and improve profitability. Ken is called, a “Sales, AI, ExO and Profit Evangelist”. He is committed to being the best strategic partner, advisor, resource and asset for his clients. Also, Ken earned a certification as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Business Analyst (ECBA), Scrum Master (CSM) and Exponential Organizations and Exponential Technology as coach, trainer and consultant. Kenneth was selected as one of the Top 25 Influential Sales Leaders by Inside View.. His show, “The Passionate Entrepreneur “ was picked as one of the best podcasts for small business by Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends. Ken is a sales expert blogger-contributor for Growth University and Address Two. He has appeared and published over twenty-five commentaries and articles in Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta Tribune, Business to Business, Catalyst and Emerge Magazine, Creative Loafing, Champion Newspaper, Ezine and Impact Articles. Coached over 100 clients and achieved over 1,000 hours of coaching, consulting and training personnel for the United States Navy and the U.S. Department for Transportation Security Agency, American Express, NCS Pearson, Krauthammer International, Southwestern Consulting, Life University, US Personnel, PEQ, IGMC, DeKalb Micro Enterprise Institute, Dekalb and South Fulton Chamber of Commerce, Georgia State University Center for Entrepreneurship and Launch Funding Network, Financial DNA, HR Strategies, Highland Financial Group, MotoAdvisor, Ameliorate Ltd., IL Group, Diversified Trading Institute, Van Dyk Mortgage, All Comm Wireless, Access Sciences, Farm Bureau, Wells Fargo, New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, All State, State Farm, Waddell & Reed, Groove Subaru, Window Gang, Service Masters etc.

Lon Safko – Best Selling Author & CEO at Innovative Thinking and Author of The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success

If chat can write an amazing response to my prompt, I started wondering what it could do if it wrote its own prompt. When I saw the results, I freaked out. That’s when it really changed everything for me.

Lon Safko is the bestselling author of “The Social Media Bible” which hit #1 on Amazon, and “The Fusion Marketing Bible” which hit #3 on Amazon. He is an acclaimed international keynote speaker and the host of the PBS Television Special “Social Media & You… Communicating In A Digital World.” According to Steve Jobs, Lon created the “First Computer To Save A Human Life!” Lon has 3 patents and has 18 inventions. More than 30,000 of his personal records are part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution! Lon was the recipient of the Westinghouse Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and was twice nominated for the Inc. Magazine and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Dough Crowe – Founder of Author Your Brand

We are professional storytellers. Even in a non-fiction book, we build story arcs, hooks, and narrative elements that make people want to turn the page, because most books don’t get finished simply because most books are boring.

Doug Crowe is a business growth strategist, personal brand specialist, media insider and the founder of Author Your Brand, a ghostwriting and publishing company that has helped business owners and entrepreneurs launch hundreds of Amazon #1 bestselling books by turning their expertise into influential thought-leadership platforms. He leverages decades of experience in media, marketing, sales psychology and storytelling, drawing on a background that includes a degree in speech from Northwestern University, early success as a Dale Carnegie award-winning trainer and contributions to major outlets like Entrepreneur Magazine and the Chicago Tribune. Doug’s work helps CEOs, founders and professionals amplify their influence, build strategic alliances and expand their reach through published authorship and personal brand development.

Jay Samit – “Coolest Job,” Video on Demand Creator and Author of Disrupt You!: Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation

The biggest mistake people do is falling in love with their idea. When you start a business, your real goal should be finding every way that that business can fail, because if you can make it fail before you start spending your money, you’re going to have a better chance of success.

Jay Samit has been described by Wired magazine as “having the coolest job in the industry.” He is a leading technology innovator who has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for startups, sold companies to Fortune 500 firms, taken companies public, and partnered with some of the world’s biggest brands, including Coca Cola, McDonald’s, General Motors, United Airlines, Microsoft, Apple, Verizon, and Facebook. Samit is CEO of SeaChange International, a leading global multi-screen video software company. A technology innovator and entrepreneur, he was a senior advisor to LinkedIn and was appointed to the White House initiative for education and technology by President Bill Clinton. Samit is the host of the Wall Street Journal Startup of the Year series. Samit helped grow pre-IPO companies such as Linkedin, held senior management roles at Sony and Universal Studios, pioneered breakthrough advancements in mobile video, internet advertising, ecommerce, social networks, ebooks, and digital music that are used by billions of consumers every day. An adjunct professor at USC, Samit teaches innovation at America’s largest engineering school and is author of Disrupt Yourself: Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation. He frequently appears on ABC, Bloomberg, CBS, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, NBC and tweets daily motivation to the over 100,000 business professionals who follow him on Twitter. An expert on transformational corporate change, Samit has been quoted in The New York Times, The Economist, Businessweek, Forbes, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Fast Company and TechCrunch. He was awarded with the Leonardo Da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award. Chris Prefontaine – Chairman, Founder, 4x Best-Selling Author of “Real Estate On Your Terms,” Forbes Business Council Member, 3x Inc 5000 Honoree at Smart Real Estate Coach

I don’t care about the price. I need time. That’s all I need. I don’t care about the price. I need time. Facetious example, sell me a house, million dollar house, I’ll pay a million and a half if I had 50 years to make payments on. The point is, price is not the issue. The term is very, very important.

Chris Prefontaine is the Chairman and Founder of Smart Real Estate Coach®, a 4x best-selling author, former Forbes Business Council member, and 3-time Inc. 5000 honoree. He leads the Wicked Smart® Community across North America, helping students complete real estate transactions and build resilient businesses. Host of the top 0.5% globally ranked Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, Chris has rebuilt his business through major challenges like 9/11, the 2008 crash, COVID, and a personal family crisis. His mission is to guide committed individuals into becoming successful Wicked Smart investors. Chris has been married to his wife Kim for 39 years, and their adult children, Nick and Kayla, are active in the family business.

James Harold Webb – CEO of Paradigm Development Holdings and Author of Redneck Resilience: A Country Boy’s Journey To Prosperity

I don’t chase my passions. And a lot of people sit on the sofa and think about their passions, I chase opportunity.

James Webb’s career started as a radiologic technologist in my home state of Mississippi. After moving to Dallas in 1983, I began working as the Director of Radiology at a local hospital and, for the next 13 years, worked on the executive team for various medical imaging companies. In 1996, I started my first of many companies and became a key leader in the industry and ultimately building the largest outpatient medical imaging company in Texas (28 locations) and the largest pain management surgery center practice (11 locations). After more than 40 years in the medical field, I turned my focus to the fitness sector, becoming one of the largest OrangeTheory franchises in the country. I owned and oversaw the management of 33 OrangeTheory Fitness franchises/gyms throughout North Texas. I sold all my medical and fitness businesses between 2017-2019. Not one to quit, I am currently in a franchise agreement with Scenthound to develop 20-25 stores in the Dallas market. Jon Sheldon – Founder of BelleauWood Coaching

They were a great producer or they had a great idea, and now, if they’re growing a team, they feel really lost and maybe under trained, utilized on how to become that best leader and be a father, mother, and, you know, be a practitioner as well.

Jon Sheldon is a business, executive, and leadership coach and the founder of BelleauWood Coaching, where he helps driven professionals and business owners gain clarity, overcome obstacles, and build purposeful, balanced lives. He has a unique ability to see challenges from high above, combining instinct with refined judgment to guide others toward intentional growth. Jon’s coaching philosophy centers on radical honesty, leadership development, and helping clients confront reality so they can clearly define and pursue their future goals. He believes that confronting obstacles, finding purpose, and developing independent thought are essential parts of personal and professional growth. Jon is also deeply committed to helping clients build the tools they need to succeed on their own rather than fostering dependency. Before launching his coaching practice, Jon served as a Marine Corps infantry squad leader and led and grew teams in the finance and construction industries. He holds a BA in Business Management and has pursued ongoing professional development through institutions such as the Life Purpose Institute and the International Coaching Federation. Outside of his professional life, Jon enjoys golf, hunting, snowboarding, motorcycles, and musicals, and he takes pride in being a devoted husband and loyal friend.

Dr. Carlo Rotella – Author of What Can I Get Out of This?: Teaching and Learning in a Classroom Full of Skeptics

My view of this is that an education is something you go and get. It’s something you actually take from your teachers and your fellow students. It’s not something that’s handed to you for being a good boy or girl.

Carlo Rotella is a writer, journalist, and scholar whose work explores cities and city life, teaching and learning, boxing, music, sports, literature, and how people get good at things. His newest book, What Can I Get Out of This?: Teaching and Learning in a Classroom Full of Skeptics, is scheduled for release in September 2025. He is the author of The World Is Always Coming to An End (2019), Playing in Time (2012), Cut Time (2005), Good with Their Hands (2004), and October Cities (1998). With Michael Ezra, he co edited The Bittersweet Science: Fifteen Writers in the Gym, in the Corner, and at Ringside (2017). Carlo has been a regular contributor to The New York Times Magazine since 2007 and has also written as an op ed columnist for The Boston Globe and a commentator for WGBH FM. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Washington Post Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Slate, The Believer, The American Scholar, and many other publications, as well as in major anthologies including The Best American Essays and the Library of America’s At the Fights. His honors include Guggenheim, Howard, and Du Bois fellowships, U.S. State Department grants to lecture internationally, the Whiting Writers Award, the L. L. Winship PEN New England Award, and multiple awards from The American Scholar and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He is a professor of American Studies, English, and journalism at Boston College. Richard and Elizabeth Gearhart – Hosts of Passage to Profit Show

I think it’s from an entrepreneur standpoint, it’s harder to reinvent the wheel, right? And if you see something that works and you want to do it too. You can do it. You just have to be careful.

Richard Gearhart, Esq. is the founder of Gearhart Law, LLC and the host of the Passage to Profit Show, a nationally syndicated radio show and podcast focused on entrepreneurism and innovation. With nearly three decades of experience in intellectual property law, Richard has written and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications and has guided inventors and startups through complex trademark, patent and copyright matters. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Knox College, a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University, and a Diploma of International Studies in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Richard is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, Michigan and Massachusetts. In addition to his legal practice, he is an award-winning speaker and frequent guest on TV, radio and podcasts where he shares insights on entrepreneurship, innovation and protecting creative ideas.

Elizabeth Gearhart is co-host of the Passage to Profit Show and serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at Gearhart Law, LLC, bringing a blend of entrepreneurial leadership and strategic marketing expertise to the program. She supports the show by engaging with founders, innovators and business leaders to uncover the real-world lessons and diverse perspectives that help listeners navigate the road to entrepreneurship. In her broader work she has contributed as a podcast consultant and co-host on other shows while leveraging her background as a startup entrepreneur and patent agent, particularly in areas related to consumer products, chemistry and energy. Elizabeth’s role bridges the worlds of inventive strategy, brand building and community-driven storytelling, helping founders amplify their voice and impact in competitive markets.