Tom Scarda hosts The Franchise Academy Podcast and is the author of three books: the #1 bestseller Franchise Savvy: 6 Strategies Pros Use to Pick a Top Performing Franchise, The Road to Franchise Freedom and The Magic of Choosing Uncertainty. A self-made small business expert and Certified Franchise Expert, Tom has owned and operated five businesses both franchised and non-franchised. Tom was the #1 franchisee of the year in one franchise concept and failed miserably in another concept. The lessons he learned from failure is what makes him such an expert. Named one of the top 50 business leaders on Long Island, Tom has helped over 1500 people figure out if franchising is for them since 2005. He’s been featured in dozens of magazines and newspapers and is a sought-after radio, Podcast and TV guest.
Chris is the founder & CEO of Amplio Recruiting, a staffing company helping great companies hire dependable employees from the refugee workforce. In 2018, Amplio hit $4M in revenue and placed over 800 refugees into jobs in Atlanta, Houston, Dallas and Raleigh. They aim to be in 25 markets by 2025 and plan to release a book this Fall on the economic impact of refugees in the marketplace entitled "Refugee Workforce."
Jerry ThompSon III is a professional adventurer who serves as a primary communal resource for innovative thinking, cultural exposure and guided self-development. The crowning product of his adventures has grown to be the Point Noir podcast - the only podcast production that highlights men of color and their travel experiences and also sponsors men of color to obtain passports. In its first 18 months, the dynamic show has captured the unique perspectives of 70 men, enabled an additional 17 men to claim passports of their own, and has been heard around the globe. Jerry The 3rd’s work continues to dismantle barriers and challenge those looking to achieve more from the stage as a keynote speaker, as well as continuing to host and curate the Point Noir Podcast.
I grew up in a small village outside the capital of India, where we had no running water, or electricity and didn't even have toilets - that's a story for another day but this was the beginning of my life. I moved to the US at age 12 and after college, I took up a job in the sciences that would make my parents happy. After some years of collecting courage, I quit my corporate job to pursue my passion - of which I had no idea! So I went out to find it and through many jobs and businesses I did. That's when GLYD was conceived.
David Cavalcante is a professional tattooer in Washington DC. A 19 year veteran of the industry. The profession ha lead him all over the world creating friendship and bonds with other likeminded individuals. As well as fed his hunger for continued learning, whether it be for is profession of in life.
Sylvia Scott is the founder and CEO of the Girls' C.E.O. Connection which she launched in 2009. Her passion is to help high school girls build bright and fulfilling self-sufficient futures. She want to see independent thinking cultivated within a global community of young female entrepreneurs. Her goal for the Girls' C.E.O. Connection is to equip and motivate the girls with skills and traits of accomplished women entrepreneurs. Sylvia's personal commitment is to expand opportunities for them within entrepreneurship. Sylvia is an Ambassador for WED/Women's® Entrepreneurship Day. From 2016 to 2020 she was an e-mentor for Afghan women entrepreneurs enrolled in the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women's Peace Through Business® Program. She is also a business counselor with the Coachella Valley Women's Business Center.
John is the president and founder of Willory, a staffing and consulting firm solely focused on HR and payroll. The firm helps clients transform their organization through people, process, and technology. Willory ensures our clients have the best talent in their HR and payroll department, their employee life cycle process is effective and compliant, and they are optimizing their HR technology. With over 22 years’ experience within the payroll and HR niche, John is uniquely qualified to drive Willory into a leadership position within the HR and payroll staffing and consulting space.
Amy Demone is a Business and Mindset Strategist for Virtual Assistants and other done for you service providers who want to scale to 5k income months and create a successful AND sustainable online business. Amy’s areas of expertise are vast, having experience in marketing plans, sales funnels, webinars, customer service, membership websites, and so much more. Today she works with virtual assistants with their marketing getting more clients while working with her one VIP client as her Chief Marketing Officer for her real estate investing coaching business.
Nikki started her fashion career shortly after graduating from the general fine arts undergrad program. She debuted her senior collection in DC fashion week then went on to New York, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks in 2017. She began her residency with the DC Fashion Foundation in the same year in which she had a studio inside the Macy’s at metro center. There she was able to cultivate and grow her fashion company. She then went on to later participate in Feeric Fashion Week in Sibiu, Romania and London fashion week. She now has dedicated her business solely to creating masks during the pandemic. She plans on re-launching her brand in Feb 2021 to include women’s clothing, accessories and masks.
Michael Yinger has been in the talent acquisition space for almost 20 years, most recently as the Global Lead of Growth, Strategy and Product Management for PeopleScout. His previous experience in the space includes Aon RPO as Global Delivery Leader, Randstad Sourceright as VP of Implementation and Technology, and as an independent consultant specializing in process and implementation for multiple clients. A well tenured business executive, Mr. Yinger brings expertise in technology, business design, and strategy to The Sieve, as well as a passion to enhance the experience of all the participants in the recruitment process. He and his family live in Charlotte, NC, where they take time to enjoy the outdoors and regional entertainment, taking advantage of the mild climate.
