Stephen Deason is Founder and CEO of The OPARasa Group, a Social Enterprise building worth in Recovery. Mr. Deason was previously CEO of GRYYT, a Socially Conscious MarTech firm, and has held C-level positions in three other technology companies. Stephen is an active volunteer who serves as a director on three nonprofit boards and on the advisory boards of two startup technology firms. Mr. Deason holds both an MBA and an MSc. in Accounting from Emory University, a BSc. in Mathematics from UAB, and is ABD-PhD in Business, also from Emory University’s Laney Graduate School.
Shona is a Christian, philanthropic certified public accountant, evolved to an entrepreneur, real estate investor, wife and mom. Her passion is using her gifts to help individuals and business owners accelerate their financial mindset and business goals. She has worked for the top Public Accounting firms in corporate America, with nonprofits, for herself and also coached many people in starting their own entrepreneurship journeys. I am currently the founder and owner of a financial coaching and CPA firm and will be launching a Financial Mindset Bootcamp, tax strategy eBooks and a host of other products in the near future.
For 15 years, OptimumHQ founder and CEO Simon Chatfield owned a successful custom software development company that built custom software applications for global companies including Apple, ESPN, and American Express, plus hundreds of SMBs. He learned that big and small companies alike faced similar challenges. Business leaders just want software that truly solves their specific needs, and they don’t want all kinds of extra systems they don’t need. Pioneering the concept of dynamic data and company-specific workflows, Simon and his team created a new adaptive software platform to quickly build complex custom solutions without custom code, called OptimumHQ.
Sam Starns is a TEDx speaker, elopement expert and movement leader in adventure elopement photography. With nearly a decade of wedding experience, Sam has traveled to numerous states and countries for elopements to jumpstart the transformation for real change to encourage anyone to become their authentic self. Sam Starns’ debut book, Elope Your Life is set to release in November 2020.
Stephanie is a three time CEO and Entrepreneur who dropped out of the 9-5 grind after her intuition went from a soft whisper to a loud roar. She created Free Earth Photography in 2014 where her work was featured on platforms such as The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, and Air BnB. After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease shortly after, she reversed her illness by herself and went on to become a Holistic Health Coach at her Private Practice, Evolve2Health where she published a book helping thousands of people to this day, Thyroid First Aid Kit. Through working 1:1 with clients, she quickly realized the importance of spiritual & emotional health, and Lightworkers Lounge was born...
and marketplace ecosystem that utilizes Blockchain technology."
Summer Shine found her calling when she had just six months sober from a life long addiction to drugs and alcohol; a juice bar. Luna Juice Bar in Waco, TX had humble beginnings with low start up capitol and one employee. Shine worked hard to turn her small business into a thriving food truck located at Magnolia Silo's, a hip store front on Austin Ave and over half a million dollars in sale last year. She now employees women in the early stages of recovery. In 2015, she and her husband, Ronnie started a recovery house for women in Waco and now serve between 25-30 women annually. Shine is the mother to her best friend and road dog, 21 year-old, Haigon.
Dr. Shaquinta Richardson is a Life Coach for high-achieving Black women who are ready to break free of working twice as hard to get half as much. She helps Black women balance the priorities in their lives through strategic time management, radical self-care, and boundary setting so they can actually enjoy the life they have created. She has a Ph.D. in Human Development & Family Science and is a couple and family therapist by training. She also has a private therapy practice where she specializes in issues relating to identity-related stress, intergenerational trauma, and LGBTQ+ individual and relationship issues.
International Women's Club was created by Sonia Aujla, age 26 from the UK who aims to support women globally. Whether this be women who want to start their own business and are not too sure how to go forward with the idea or in terms of creating a new website for them and increasing their social media presence. It could also be for current business owners looking to gain more clients or for those who are in employment and need inspiration and motivation to connect with other like-minded women. Having lost her sister to suicide at the age of 18 and seeing women struggle with the confidence to unleash their potential throughout her life, completely flipped Sonia's world upside down. She wanted to know, what is it exactly hat makes people genuinely happy, successful and creatively fulfilled? Why do some people struggle while others find a way to thrive, often despite the most challenging circumstances?
Sarah is a local entrepreneur who has been working in restaurants for most of 20 years. Having done everything from bussing and hosting up through chief operating officer, she decided to venture out and start her own consulting firm, Your-White-Knight. During the height of covid as restaurants are failing, she began working with several local places to help them find a way to survive and then to thrive.
