Community & Guest List
Dave is regarded as a leading expert in the delivery of technology services, with broad experience in both technology and business. He owned and operated an IT Solution Provider and MSP for over a decade, both acquiring other organizations and eventually being acquired. This firm was a winner of multiple awards, including Kaseya’s Cutting Edge and ConnectWise’s Best New Idea, as well as being a finalist for Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner of the Year in the Small Business Specialist category. After his MSP experience, he has worked for multiple vendors at such companies as Level Platforms, GFI, LogicNow, and SolarWinds, leading community, event, marketing, and product strategies, as well as several M&A activities. He is also the host of “The Business of Tech," and he also is a co-host on the "The Killing IT Podcast.”
Deborah is a social entrepreneur and a human rights activist. She dedicated the last 10 years studying the issue of human trafficking and working on counter-trafficking measures at places like the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Prior to her work at the United Nations, she worked at a renowned European private institute for health. There, she successfully managed the health institute while gaining knowledge and experience in natural therapies and skincare based on Chinese medicine. Deborah founded Aurore to deliver a new and sustainable solution to combat the complex issue of human trafficking. Her focus is on empowering trafficking survivors and at risk individuals through employment. She adopts a bottom-up approach to help decrease the incidence of human trafficking by building stronger communities. She holds a BA in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and a MA in Social Enterprise from the School of International Service at American University.
Desanti Carden is a musician and entrepreneur based in Houston, Texas. She founded "Tough Luck" the media company and posts regularly on her self-titled Youtube channel. Her content is focused on solo-preneurship and human optimization to educate her audience on the importance of being aware of one's biological and mental health and how it impacts executing on their dreams.
Inspirational DJ – Teacher – Big DREAM Jockey
“I believe we have the power to remodel our planet at our fingertips”-DJVBL
When she’s not spinning records for thousands of dancers on the Nile in Egypt, Burningman, or a Beach in Hawaii, she’s making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for her kiddos before recording another episode of the Big DREAM School podcast. DJ Valerie is an Inspirational DJ – “Dream Jockey” and Big DREAM Coach who believes Music is the Medicine and the DJ is the Doctor.
Valerie fuses art, science, and soul to teach and inspire creative, bad@ss, change-makers how to get out of their funk, get their groove back, and rock their Big DREAMS.
She is a co-founder of 2 multi-million dollar real estate companies, USCG Charter Boat Captain, Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Teacher, and of course the most blessed Mama of 2 Earth Angels. DJ Valerie is on a mission to smash the shame and stigma around mental health so that we can SNAP! Back to rocking our Big DREAMS and co-create a planet where all life co-thrives in delicious harmony!
“I believe we have the power to remodel our planet at our fingertips”-DJVBL
When she’s not spinning records for thousands of dancers on the Nile in Egypt, Burningman, or a Beach in Hawaii, she’s making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for her kiddos before recording another episode of the Big DREAM School podcast. DJ Valerie is an Inspirational DJ – “Dream Jockey” and Big DREAM Coach who believes Music is the Medicine and the DJ is the Doctor.
Valerie fuses art, science, and soul to teach and inspire creative, bad@ss, change-makers how to get out of their funk, get their groove back, and rock their Big DREAMS.
She is a co-founder of 2 multi-million dollar real estate companies, USCG Charter Boat Captain, Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Teacher, and of course the most blessed Mama of 2 Earth Angels. DJ Valerie is on a mission to smash the shame and stigma around mental health so that we can SNAP! Back to rocking our Big DREAMS and co-create a planet where all life co-thrives in delicious harmony!
Dan Golden is a veteran digital marketing executive, entrepreneur and business innovator. Dan is a search geek at heart and still spends time auditing accounts, testing new tactics, diving into analytics, and making strategic recommendations for his clients. Dan has spent time on the client-side, with large agencies and had a brief stint at Google before launching BFO. As President and co-founder of the Chicago based digital agency, BFO has been awarded as Ad Age’s #1 Best Place to Work and a 6-time Inc. 5,000 honoree as well as recognition for client work from the US Search Awards, Landy Awards and the US Drum Search Awards.
Forbes, Huffington Post, Inc. Magazine and Mashable have featured Dan’s thought leadership. He speaks regularly at conferences like ANA Marketing Futures, Conscious Capitalism, Pubcon, HeroConf and Inbound and is an Adjunct Lecturer on Digital Marketing at DePaul University and a guest lecturer at Northwestern University.
Forbes, Huffington Post, Inc. Magazine and Mashable have featured Dan’s thought leadership. He speaks regularly at conferences like ANA Marketing Futures, Conscious Capitalism, Pubcon, HeroConf and Inbound and is an Adjunct Lecturer on Digital Marketing at DePaul University and a guest lecturer at Northwestern University.
Dan Smolen is an author, podcaster, and advocate for people who want to do meaningful work. He is founder and executive producer of The Dan Smolen Experience, LLC, and, host of The Tightrope with Dan Smolen, a podcast that speaks to the hopes and dreams—but also the fears and anxieties—of workforce professionals. The Tightrope Podcast just finished its Fall 2019 season.
Desiree Lotz has been helping people with their health for more than 40 years. Her basic philosophy is that all symptoms people experience is an indication that they have deficiencies or excesses in their diet. Desiree loves what she does. She is from South Africa and now resides in the USA. She has helped people deal with their stress and improve health conditions even see early signs of possible sickness. She has also helped people to overcome addiction too. For her, helping people is the most important thing in her life, whether it’s with basic information about their bodies or guiding them on how to look for what is best for them. She aims to help calm the planet down. Because of her philosophy, she has created Instant CalMag-C to help people stay ahead of their health. Her flagship product is an instant calcium and magnesium product that is used by thousands of people worldwide.
Dee Bowden is the founder of BCS Solutions. Dee graduated from the Steve Harvey’s Act Like A Success School of Business Acceleration in 2018. Dee focuses on helping companies and government agencies recover lost revenue and increase cash flow for services provided but not yet paid.
Dee has successfully collected over $50 million dollars for several companies and government agencies in the past 10 years.
Dee has successfully collected over $50 million dollars for several companies and government agencies in the past 10 years.
Deborah Pretty a.k.a. (P.Y.) is the lady behind PYTalkBiz.com. Deborah has been a business owner for 40 years. She'd founded and started 5 businesses in 5 different industries.
Currently, she's running a property preservation business with their son Tae, which is what sparked her new business endeavor. Although Deborah ran a successful business, she found herself working 24/7. One day she worked all night; processing and invoicing work orders. She realized something had to change.
After a few simple changes, she increased their average bid invoice amount by 35%, reduced her working hours by more than 50%, hired a vendor manager and processor, and incorporated ACH services. Those simple cost-efficient changes dramatically improved productivity and profits.
Her goal now is to help other small business owners to work less and earn more! She hopes to reach the masses via her online resource. Deborah built a website designed specifically to help other small business owners learn from her many years of costly mistakes.
Currently, she's running a property preservation business with their son Tae, which is what sparked her new business endeavor. Although Deborah ran a successful business, she found herself working 24/7. One day she worked all night; processing and invoicing work orders. She realized something had to change.
After a few simple changes, she increased their average bid invoice amount by 35%, reduced her working hours by more than 50%, hired a vendor manager and processor, and incorporated ACH services. Those simple cost-efficient changes dramatically improved productivity and profits.
Her goal now is to help other small business owners to work less and earn more! She hopes to reach the masses via her online resource. Deborah built a website designed specifically to help other small business owners learn from her many years of costly mistakes.
Debbie Page is the leading authority on cash flow and profitability for women business owners. As a business coach she guides her clients to creating scalable and sustainable businesses with strong revenue and healthy profits. An accidental entrepreneur, over the past twenty five years she has acquired scaled and sold two businesses and helps her clients do the same. When not talking strategy and money with clients you can find her digging in her garden or sharing a glass of wine with her best pals.
