Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries: Beverly Hills Chairs, the leading seller of refurbished Herman Miller Aeron chairs in the country; Custom Tobacco, a one-of-a-kind e-commerce platform where customers can create fully customized, private-label cigars in real-time; and Veloz Solutions, a technology consulting and software development practice. Adam is also a nationally acclaimed thought leader, writer and speaker on topics including leadership, entrepreneurship and management. Adam is the creator and host of the podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where each week he goes one on one with one of the most successful people in the country on how they got to the top and how listeners can too.
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!
Danielle Desir is an author, speaker, podcaster and the founder of WOC Podcasters, a community of 2,300 women of color podcasters looking to connect, share resources and learn. She is also the founder of The Thought Card, an award-winning affordable travel finance blog and podcast empowering people to make informed financial decisions – travel more, pay off debt and build wealth.
Christen Johnson is the CEO, Founder of a couple of different entities. At SophisticatedChic Brand, she is the Personal Style Coach for professional women helping them to determine their unique body shapes in order to hone in on a personal style that makes them feel the most confident. At Project Style University she coaches aspiring and emerging wardrobe stylists through the growing pains of building a successful styling business in the fashion industry.
When she's not coaching, or speaking to individuals about elevating themselves in style, she's figuring out new ways to expand her knowledge in business, spending time with family and friends or jamming to some of her favorite songs.
When she's not coaching, or speaking to individuals about elevating themselves in style, she's figuring out new ways to expand her knowledge in business, spending time with family and friends or jamming to some of her favorite songs.
Bobbie Carlton is the founder of Innovation Women, an online self-service speaker bureau for women. Carlton talks about public speaking for women and how it can be the driving force behind career growth and business success. She gives more than 100 presentations a year, including hosting her own monthly event, Innovation Nights; speaking at the United Nations; and being on the main stage for some of the world’s best-known conferences for technical and professional women.
Christine McKay is a Business Negotiation Strategist, international speaker, host of In the Venn Zone podcast, and author of Why Not Ask? A Conversation about Getting More. Christine holds a Harvard MBA and is the CEO/Founder of Venn Negotiation. She has negotiated with more than half of the Fortune 100 & hundreds of small and mid-sized companies across 53 countries. She loves leveling the playing field for her clients and empowers entrepreneurs and business owners to ask for more of what they want and shows them how to get it. Her mission is to reduce business failure rates by helping people elevate their negotiation skills! She was born and raised in a rural community in Montana, graduating with the same 20 kids she grew up with. Christine’s been married to the love of her life for almost 30 years and is a proud mom of three grown children.
Dr. De'Andrea Matthews is an educator, author and international speaker. She is the founder and CEO of Claire Aldin Publications, an award-winning hybrid publisher that is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association. She is the author of six books, five book chapters and two academic journal articles in addition to the clients she has published in an effort to diversify publishing, one author at a time. Most recently, Dr. Matthews was selected to receive one of the Top 100 Leaders in Education award from the Global Forum for Education and Learning.
Amberly Lago is a former professional dancer and athlete and a leading expert in the field of resilience, transformation, and health and wellness. She is a motivational speaker and the best-selling author of “True Grit and Grace.” She empowers people around the world by sharing her story how she turned a tragedy into triumph.
Amberly has most recently been featured on NBC’s The Today Show, contributed to magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Health, and Disability Magazine.
Amberly has most recently been featured on NBC’s The Today Show, contributed to magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Health, and Disability Magazine.
Allen Klein is an award-winning author and speaker who shows audience’s worldwide how to use humor and positivity to deal with life’s not-so-funny stuff. He is a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied Therapeutic Humor as well as a Toastmaster’s Communication and Leadership Award. In addition, he is also a TEDx presenter on intention, and the author of over 30 books including The Healing Power of Humor, You Can’t Ruin My Day, and Embracing Life After Loss. Today he is going to talk about his recently released book, The Awe Factor, and why a little bit of wonder can make a big difference in your life
Dai Smith is the owner Simplicity By Day, LLC in Houston, TX. As international best-selling author, speaker and self-proclaimed systems nerd, she is the productivity coach and digital organizer for small business owners. She helps overwhelmed entrepreneurs be more present, productive and profitable by upgrading your organizing systems and processes so that they can continue to grow and scale their business.
