Tiffany Woodard is the owner of Events by Tiffany, which is an event planning business that specializes in social and corporate events as well as day of coordination for weddings and now newly added, balloon décor! Events by Tiffany services the DMV area and has been in business for just about 2 years. Tiffany has a passion to not only create the best event possible for her clients but to create long lasting relationships with her clients as well.
Brian Winch is the author and creator of Cleanlots, America's Simplest Business. Brian has been involved in all aspects of the parking lot litter cleaning business since 1981. He can show you how to start and operate a simple business based from home and make money from a green service that's almost as easy to do as going for a walk!
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.
Brian is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and angel investor. Brian currently serves as Chairman of Gillware, which provides cyber risk assessments, data recovery, incident response, and digital forensics services. He is a co-founder of Phoenix Nuclear Labs and served on PNL’s board from inception to when it decided to spin-off SHINE Medical Technologies. Those two companies have raised over 100 million dollars of venture capital and employ hundreds of people in Wisconsin.
Bofta Yimam is an Emmy® & Murrow Award-Winning Journalist, DC-based News Correspondent, International Speaker and Executive Coach. She was recently honored with the Asian-African Chamber of Commerce & Industry International Leadership Award and the Black Business Review’s Top 40 Under 40 Professionals Award. From London to Africa, Bofta has also captured global crowds with her dynamic style and presence.
From teenage depression to an award-winning broadcasting career — including reporting from the White House and Capitol Hill — to building a successful business from scratch, Bofta works to inspire others that anything is possible. She firmly believes that adversity has its advantages and there’s incredible power in owning your story — that’s what her clients learn to embrace, too. Bofta helps change agents and industry transformers increase their confidence, develop their compelling story, deeply connect with audiences and speak their mission!
From teenage depression to an award-winning broadcasting career — including reporting from the White House and Capitol Hill — to building a successful business from scratch, Bofta works to inspire others that anything is possible. She firmly believes that adversity has its advantages and there’s incredible power in owning your story — that’s what her clients learn to embrace, too. Bofta helps change agents and industry transformers increase their confidence, develop their compelling story, deeply connect with audiences and speak their mission!
Blaire Brown is a Brand Strategist and Marketing Expert that specializes in helping entrepreneurs evolve their businesses. With over a decade being spent in New York City's fast-paced competitive environments, her career has been primarily based in entrepreneurial endeavors, marketing, and PR. She recently created and launched her Focused Branding online course that helps new female entrepreneurs set their brand messaging foundation for success. Blaire creates value for brands through marketing consultation services, strategic writing that maximizes brand objectives, and is an expert at building brand stories to reach targeted audiences. She is currently based in Annapolis, Maryland.
Matt Bacon is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Having worked with everyone from glam rock icon Phil Collen of Def Leppard to black metal titans Enslaved by way of legendary thrashers Exhorder as well as labels including Prophecy Productions and Ripple Music he has dedicated his life to helping young bands develop. Having started his own blog at the age of 14 he views his career in artist development as 'a hobby that got out of hand'. In 2015 he formed Dropout Media in order to better support the artists he loves. We sit here now, years later with countless tours booked, records released and deals signed, and loving every minute of it.
Marion Zola has always been a writer and animal lover. Her first writing was poetry, until she began writing screenplays and sitcoms. Eventually, she wrote her first book, “All The Good Ones Are Married,” which became a Lifetime movie. Along the way she began producing with a vampire movie and, for the last few years, a show on shelter dogs entitled “Shelter Me. Her second book is “Romancing The Dog, The Struggle to Make a Pound Dog Happy in Beverly Hills.”
Nataliya Kalava is a finance professional with approximately ten years of professional experience in financial services industry including: business valuation, public accounting, and financial planning and analysis (FP&A). Nataliya is the founder and owner of Araliya Valuation Consulting, AVC - a business valuation consulting firm. Nataliya performs valuation analyses for both individuals and corporate entities including for M&A, gift and estate tax planning purposes, financial reporting, transaction support and litigation. Prior to AVC, Nataliya worked at Equinix Inc., Humana Inc., BDO LLP, Sigma Valuation Consulting Inc. and PwC. Nataliya earned a Master of Science Degree in Finance from the University of Tampa and a Bachelor of Science in International Business and Management.
Ron Carucci is the best-selling author of 8 books, and popular contributor at Harvard Business Review and Forbes. He is a 2-time TEDx speaker. Ron led a ten year longitudinal study on executive transition to find out why more than 50% of leaders fail within their first 18 months of appointment, and uncovering the four differentiating capabilities that set successful leaders apart. Those findings are highlighted in his groundbreaking Amazon #1 book Rising To Power, co-authored with Eric Hansen.
