Khaos & Konvos

Cortne’ Lee Smith is a Relationship/Life Coach & Grief Specialist, who empowers women to love again after the loss of love. COVID birthed a platform for her to moderate healthy grief conversations, to help those in grief not to suffer in silence or feel alone. She educates people to move beyond the could've and should've into what will be the new normal as Host/Producer of The Master Relationship Mechanic Show. As a wife again, a widow who married a widower, she is an example of achieving love after love, while living fully and loving unconditionally.

You can connect with Cortne' here:

Over 14 years ago the world of human resources captured Candace unexpectedly. Starting out in the accounting field, a mentor quickly identified her purpose was to be much greater. Initially hesitant about entering the field Candace took the leap. Her naturally caring and bold ability to connect with employees and management both equally immediately placed a spotlight on what employers have identified as unique, gifted, and incomparable. Candace holds a genuine passion for assuring workplaces are both fair, consistent, and innovative with addressing employee-employer concerns. Her expertise lies heavily in employee-employer relations and training & development. In her HR tenure, she has been sure to leave an imprint for each employer that has encountered her. Candace is a Mother of two beautiful children and currently resides in the small peaceful town of Dallastown, Pennsylvania.

You can connect with Candace here:

Felice is a twice Certified Mindset Coach, IC Agile Certified Professional, Speaker, and Author.  Her mission is to help women renew their mindset, up-level their goals in their business and or career so that they can make more money, have more peace and live their dreams out loud. She has thus far increased her compensation by over fifty percent within the last few years, purchased real estate for her wealth portfolio, and published a journal titled “Overwhelm to Calm”.

You can connect with Felice here:

Jeremy Hass is the Co-Founder and President of Stash It Storage, LLC., a Silicon Valley startup revolutionizing the way self-storage is being done. Jeremy comes from a diverse professional background from studying Business Administration and Finance along with holding positions in various industries. Jeremy has worked in the Defense, Aerospace and Technology Industries. Having a strong background in Business and Operations allowed Jeremy to be successful in every role he has been in.  

Since starting Stash-It with his partner in 2017, Kurt Winter, Jeremy has learned a great deal about running a business and what challenges many companies face when just starting out. From strategizing a proper GTM strategy to hiring candidates and fundraising, Jeremy has done everything for the business since its inception.  Stash-It allows users that have extra space in their home (such as a garage) to rent it out to others that need storage space.  

As a young boy growing up, Jeremy always dreamed of running a business of his own one day. Being the son of a retired USAF Master Sergeant, Jeremy learned the values of leadership and a strong work ethic at a young age as well as through sports. In his free time outside of running Stash-It, Jeremy still tries to hone his skills through learning. He takes online courses in various areas in order to understand every aspect of his business from basic coding skills to leadership and business development. Outside of work, Jeremy is also a martial artist, practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well as Muay Thai.  Jeremy grew up in Los Angeles, CA, and now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

You can connect with Jeremy here:

April is the founder of media and publishing house Upland Avenue Productions and has successfully launched brands, books, and businesses over the past decade. She has made strides in the realms of economic and social responsibility by launching a literary networking platform to bridge the relationship between the film, literary and journalism industries. This platform fostered new relationships with leaders in the state of Louisiana, as well as, placed indie writers in front of industry insiders and fellow peers. ​

April has partnered with Barnes & Noble for children reading initiatives, assisted youth in developing and launching their businesses through the Young Entrepreneurship Initiative, launched the first on rail reading book club in New Mexico through a collaborative partnership with NM Rail Runner Express, and every step has been documented on major news outlets. In hindsight, this journey has been amazing.  

Despite all of these achievements, April is constantly pursuing new projects and new ways to help creatives flourish. Now she works with amazing brands, sharing her extensive knowledge in publishing all over the country. Through 'Books Are The New Rich', you'll learn ways to monetize your book to live the life you dreamed of, methods to launch book tours with sponsorship money and beyond. Stop wasting time trying to figure it out on your own and say hello to freedom.

You can connect with April here:

Dynamic! Intentional! Driven by purpose! These are just a few words that describe Maxine Pearl Phillips McKoy, Founder & President of LEVELLESS a subsidiary of GAMMS Unlimited Life & Career Coaching. The world of education, business, and career development is no stranger to the powerhouse known as Maxine Pearl Phillips, sought-after speaker, Career Performance and Retention Expert, and Founder and President of LEVELLESS Human Resources and Career Consulting.   

Maxine has over three decades of Human Resources experience and is known as the Job Search Strategist. After giving more than 25 years of providing leadership and professional education consultation to organizations small and large, she saw an opportunity to exalt her talents to a realm outside of the corporate world. Although she continues to impact the corporate world through her consulting company LEVELLESS  offering Human Resources consulting, team development, and executive coaching. Employees, teams, and organizations become high-performing.   

Outside of the professional arena, she is the Creator and brainpower behind the Achievement MindsetTM Process Model, which has successfully propelled thousands of pre-teens, tweens, and young adults into a path of self-discovery and life purpose. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed Transformation Write + Share + Live journal and guidebook where individuals record their transformation. Phillips has absolutely changed the game like a seasoned platform speaker emblazoned with a passion for helping others, especially our teens, to reach their pinnacles of success on their terms.   

She is the eighth of twelve children and the first in her family to receive a college degree. Phillips understands and embraces the necessity of incorporating learning and teaching into one's life. She is an observant learner, nurturing teacher, and a compassionate communicator.  Maxine helps others discover their innate abilities, design a blueprint to use their strengths when selecting careers or degree plans and to continue to develop themselves. Students are able to tell their stories when writing essays and preparing for job or college interviews.   

She is active in several organizations and is a life-long learner who volunteers her time to assist non- profit organizations. She believes in using her gifts to "pay it forward" by helping our pre-teens and teens. She has worked with organizations and schools such as Celebration Church (Bridge Group), S.I.S.I. (Small PEARLS), Priceless Pearls, (OH), Top Teens of America (Wendell), Jack and Jill, Inc.(Capital City), NAMBAA (LOT), Heritage HS, Granville Central HS, Enloe Magnet HS, Knightdale HS, Wendell MS, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (Blue Ribbon-Mentor), Dallas County Community College (Eastfield Campus, TX), Durham Technical Community College,  North Carolina Central University, and North Carolina State University.   

Maxine also an experienced mentor. Uniquely positioned in a world where helping others is often an afterthought, Maxine Phillips presents a life of giving, blended with excellence and motivation through LEVELLESS HR & Career Consulting.

You can connect with Maxine here:

Crystal Goliday grew up an inner-city girl in love with the “Math and Science World”, but struggled in some subjects! A native of New York City with humble beginnings and known as a “Cool Nerd”, she frequented empowerment programs such as YAC (Youth Activities Committee), TNT (Today’s New Talent), Project Esteem, The National Honors Society and other “brainiac” clubs.  

An honor roll student in high school, Crystal learned the secret sauce to earning her BS, MS, and MBA via a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious university plus more funding sources. In college, her activities did not stop as she joined the Gamma Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She was also active in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Bicultural Inter Greek Council (BIG-C), and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) serving as the Pre-College Initiative (PCI) Chair.  

Passionate about giving back, Mrs. Goliday is the Founder of Never Underestimate Knowledge, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides resources to inner-city youth and domestic violence survivors.   Now she has added the title of “Author” to her resume of accomplishments to help numerous generations to not only expand their education but free up their finances to excel in other areas in their lives.  Her book is titled "How To Get A College Degree For Free", where she shares her journey, plus useful tips and resources.  To answer the call of those who read her book, she now offers one-on-one consulting and hosts a membership group.  

A lover of life, wellness, her Husband, and their Prince, Crystal resides in Washington, DC.

You can connect with Crystal here:

Leka C is a wife, mom, non-traditional nursing student and a budding activist! She is the host of Kandid Convos Podcast. On Kandid Convos, she talks about education, health, and social awareness in the black community.  She is active in spreading awareness of basic health screenings in the black community. She is also trying to break down the stigma of mental health in our community.  She's been selling on eBay and Amazon for over 8 years.  She loves reading,  swimming,  collecting coffee mugs and t-shirts.

You can connect with Leka C here:

Jabari and Stephanie Walthour are proud 2005 graduates of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (“A&T”). They currently reside just outside of Atlanta, GA, Jabari’s hometown, where Stephanie practices marriage, family, and sex therapy as the sole owner of the Intimacy Center of Georgia. Meanwhile, Jabari continues to build upon a career that has included stints at Fortune 500 companies such as General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, and, most recently Amazon, where he is a global leader in their Global Specialty Fulfillment business. Although their demanding careers require a constant commitment to excellence, there is nothing more important to them than loving and nurturing their two sons, BJ(10) and Steffen(3). The couple prides themselves on faith, family, and friendship. They strongly believe the friendships made while at A&T, anchored in their memberships of Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha, have not only supported them throughout their successes but many challenges they have faced in life.

You can connect with Stephanie & Jabari here:

College sweethearts Alli and Nickia met on the campus of North Carolina A & T State University in 2003. They both graduated in 2007, Alli with a BA in Accounting and Nickia with a BS in Journalism. They both went on to earn their Masters in Business Administration from the University of Maryland. They currently live, work and serve in the Washington metropolitan area, alongside their two daughters and own their own real estate investment and management firm (The Alli Group, LLC), a property management firm whose portfolio includes an estimated AUM of $4.5 million over the last five years. 

Although juggling two small kids, federal government careers and a business, Alli and Nickia always felt a call to pour into their family and the people within their community. Whether starting non-profits to uplift and provide resources for young women and men or having an in-depth conversation with friends, couples, and even clients about how to navigate their current “space” in life, they have become proactive in strengthening their own relationship as well as those around them. Ultimately, their desire is to equip couples and individuals with the tools they need to communicate well, love selflessly, and build wealth.

You can connect with Alli here:

As the founder and author behind Awakened-Woman, a digital platform designed to inspire and invigorate females, author Yvette Bodden writes with endless empathy. In just two years, AW has amassed tens of thousands of followers, thanks to a combined 500+ articles centered around celebrity profiles on relationships, love, abuse, motherhood, and Latino culture, infused with a signature blend of Yvette’s pragmatism and compassion. 

Yvette’s words have also appeared on Thrive Global, media maven Arianna Huffington’s portal dedicated to ending the global stress and burnout epidemic, and BELatina Magazine, where she profiles celebrities like Latin Grammy Award-winner Luis Fonsi, television actor, Joe Minoso and ABC's "The Baker and the Beauty, actress, Nathalie Kelly. 

In July, Yvette interviewed Lisa Vidal for AW, Actress from The Baker and the Beauty and BET's Being Mary Jane, Nikki Boyer, Actress, 3-Time Emmy winning Media Personality and Host, Dying for Sex Podcast, as well as, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Actress, ABC’s United We Fall, as part of the AW Empowerment Series. Her debut book, A Journey to Becoming the Best Self (Black Rose Writing)—part memoir and part prescriptive fiction, inspired by Yvette’s own post-divorce path from devastation to joy—was published in 2019, and received praise from The U.S. Review of Books.

As a single mother based in New York City—a metropolis she credits for her open mind—Yvette regularly channels her own growth experiences, she has contributed to outlets like SmartCoparent and DivorceHub.com, authoring articles that focus on maintaining financial health through personal crises. Ultimately, Yvette’s writing, which seeks to empower and encourage women searching for personalized definitions of success, is an effort to build strong communities through vulnerable and powerful storytelling.

You can connect with Yvette here:

Allistar Banks was born and raised in McCormick South Carolina. Ms. Banks is a graduate of Lander University in Greenwood, SC, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications in 2013. The Author has been featured in the Index-Journal, The Press and Banner, McCormick Messenger, and in Lander University’s magazine for her books. Ms. Banks has been featured on various print and online media as well.

You can connect with Allistar here:

Adanna Austin is a Business Coach and Consultant who works with entrepreneurs and businesses to get very clear on their goals, identify their ideal clients and develop strategies to grow their business. 

Over the past 10 years, Adanna has worked with over 500 entrepreneurs and over 50 companies to help them position themselves as market leaders in their respective niches with a series of tools and resources that she makes available once they work with her. Her clients include businesses in Retail, Finance, Consultancy, Information Technology, and Merchandising to name a few. Her clients experience as much as 25% in new business growth, 50% increase in profitability and 35% in new sales and clients. 

In 2016, Adanna started a social support system on Facebook called Dynamic Business Strategist, which now supports over 4000 entrepreneurs across the world by providing tools, resources, motivation, and support in business development and strategy. The group is an eclectic mix of business owners who have benefitted tremendously from engaging and growing in the space. 

You can connect with Adanna here: 

Teriece Cherell is a New Orleans native. She is a mother, minister-elect, speaker, relationship coach and author of Live, Learn, Love: With an Open Heart, co-author of Unshakable Faith, and the Co-Editor of QRTM Magazine. She is the Founder of Transforming Consciously where she inspires and teaches others how to set healthy boundaries, stay true to themselves, and maintain healthy relationships in their lives. Life has many lessons to teach and through our relationships, we discover who we really are. 

Nothing and no one can exist alone in the world. Relationships are the greatest lessons and blessings in our lives, whether good or bad. She loves to network, connect with like-minded young entrepreneurs and spread the message of love, hope, and how to practice harmonic prosperity.  Teriece Cherell teaches us that relationships are critical and necessary to our existence and development as successful, loving, and happy human beings.

You can connect with Teriece here:

Jessica Nathan Brown is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She is currently the Assistant Director of Student Activities in the Office of Student Involvement & Leadership at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She provides leadership development and campus engagement opportunities for students and plans events for students. Jessica graduated summa cum laude from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, where she served as Miss Stillman College 2012-2013. She received a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of South Alabama. She will begin pursuing her doctoral degree in August 2020.  

Jessica is happily married to her husband Brandon. She is very involved in activities at her church and in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer for NASPA Alabama and is a member of other student affairs professional organizations. Jessica has a passion for developing young people and looks forward to growing in the field of student affairs.

You can connect with Jessica here:

Alex is the founder of the Facebook tribe "We build Killer Teams." Her mission is to empower and inspire 50k leaders to invest in themselves so they can build teams who show up for more than a paycheck and work for a cause greater than themselves. She is also the author of the book "Teach Your Ducklings to Fly" and her second book "Stand in Fear" will be released in 2020.

LaShasta Bell is a woman living and creating a movement of choosing self first without guilt and shame while getting quality sleep!  With over 12 years in the counseling field, including education and private practice, LaShasta has been able to get clear on how to best help others.  Founding I Choose Me counseling practice in 2018, to be more intentional about helping others with anxiety, sleep, depression, lack of self-compassion and awareness has been life-changing for LaShasta and many others. While on her own I Choose Me journey, LaShasta became a licensed supervisor and anxiety treatment professional with a focus on sleep. She also gained certification as a life coach and anxiety treatment professional as  Each accomplishment has allowed LaShasta to better understand herself and support others in choosing themselves first. 

LaShasta is ever grateful for the opportunities she has had to speak and train others through national and international outlets such as Sheen Magazine, Therapy for Black Girls, Leidos, One Woman, Her Voice, Texas Black Women’s Expo and many others.   LaShasta attended Prairie View A&M University and received a BA in Social Work and an MA in Counseling. While attending Prairie View, LaShasta became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.   

Some of LaShasta’s current projects include: A Space for Me Retreat, providing women an opportunity to learn all about the “I Choose Me,”  mindset. Go to B.E.D...anxiety is an Overrated ebook and workbook as well as expanding her private practice to help developing counselors and to be a community resource.   When LaShasta is not in the office or on a stage, she is enjoying the space she’s created for herself by traveling with family, friends, and on her own; which she affectionately calls her “shecation.”

You can connect with LaShasta here:

A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Nicole L. Watlington is the product of Guilford County Public Schools and is a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&TSU) where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 2001. During her collegiate years, Nicole began discovering her desire to assist youth and young adults in their personal development. As Miss NCA&TSU (2000-2001), she developed TACT (Teaching Alternatives to the Children of Tomorrow), a program for college students to mentor elementary students in the community. In addition, she led the charge for students to take a stand against domestic violence by organizing the "Take Back the Night" march across campus. Immediately after graduation, she made continuing her education a personal goal. 

Currently, Nicole is a school counselor with the Guilford County School System. As a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, she founded Rising Phoenix Counseling and Consulting Services in 2017. A motivational speaker who seeks to break the stigma of mental health illness in the African American community, Nicole is also committed to empowering individuals and families to overcome difficulties and to moving forward and living their best lives with purpose. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Nicole continues her advocacy of well-being for youth and young adults. To this end, she is most cognizant of the importance of social justice, Nicole is a contributing artist in the Black Lives Matter mural located in downtown Greensboro, NC. 

Most recently, she was an invited contributing author in the book, The HBCU Experience: The HBCU Royal University Queens Edition, published by The HBCU Experience Movement, LLC. Among many proud moments in her life, the most special one is being a mother to two wonderful children, Aiden and Taylor. 

You can connect with Nicole here: 

Tyra S. Gardner is a Psychotherapist and CEO of At A Moments Notice LLC, and Tyra S. Gardner Enterprises. Tyra is a passionate scholar-practitioner in the field of mental health, who divides her time between clinical practice, training, and consulting. In her clinical practice, she delivers cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based treatments to adults and adolescent clients with a range of emotional behavioral and adjustment problems including anger management, anxiety, stress, depression, and relationship issues. She’s had the unique privilege of witnessing dramatic transformations in her clients by using her 20 years of experience and compassion in helping others cope with life challenges. Tyra’s mission is to help clients adapt to change and establish a work-life balance while coping with challenges. She regularly conducts workshops, seminars, and webinars.

You can connect with Dr. Gardner here:

Takisha Artis is a Financial Life Coach & CPA, with over 20 years in the financial industry. Her mission is to help entrepreneurs transform their limiting beliefs about wealth so they can increase their net worth. She’s building a community of women who are confident in their relationship with money.

Ryan Gottfredson, Ph.D. is a cutting-edge mindset author, researcher, and consultant. He helps improve organizations, leaders, teams, and employees by improving their mindsets. Ryan is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author of “Success Mindsets: The Key to Unlocking Greater Success in Your Life, Work, & Leadership” (Morgan James Publishers). He is also a leadership professor at the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University-Fullerton (CSUF). He holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources from Indiana University and a B.A. from Brigham Young University. 

As a consultant, he works with organizations to develop their leaders and improve their culture (collective mindsets). He has worked with top leadership teams at CVS Health (top 130 leaders), Deutsche Telekom (500+ of their top 2,000 leaders), and a couple of dozen other organizations. As a respected authority and researcher on topics related to leadership, management, and organizational behavior, Ryan has published over 17 articles across a variety of journals including: Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Business Horizons, Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, and Journal of Leadership Studies. His research has been cited over 2,000 times since 2014. 

Mallory is Co-owner and website designer at Proven Pixel Design Studio. Proven Pixel is dedicated to helping female entrepreneurs find their ideal clients and make more money with a strategic website design and strong SEO. Mallory is an expert in all things tech and SEO with a focus on uncovering new ways to do things faster and better for her clients. She is an IT major and a complete course junkie. She has taken nearly every course known to man about how to build and run a successful online business, now she wants to help others do the same. She and the business strategy and marketing whiz Rachael McBay make up the dynamic duo at Proven Pixel Design Studio. Every day they work towards their goal of helping women break through the glass ceiling and build the successful business of their dreams. Not only do they do this through web design, but also through their amazing Facebook group, Unstoppable Female Entrepreneurs. They strive to prove that every woman is fierce and unstoppable as long as they have the right tools available. Mallory and Rachael are there to help provide those tools and a little encouragement along the way so that every woman can be successful.

You can connect with Mallory here:

Sherri Somers is a revenue attraction coach. She had a 9 to 5, a family, and a dream that she was made for more. Sherri worked in law enforcement full-time and part of that came with helping ex-offenders find jobs and become business owners.

In 2016, Sherri was invited to the White House by President Obama (and Michelle) after gaining national recognition from that re-entry program helping those who were in need earn a living. However, she didn’t just stop with helping others make money as a part of my day job, she took what she knew and applied it to her own efforts.

While working her 9 to 5, she started a property preservation business that generated over $85K a year (as a side-hustle). It was a great revenue stream, but being a mom, before she felt comfortable enough to take the leap, she was all about creating stability in her home and making sure she was properly educated about what she was doing and had the right strategy to attract consistent and sustainable profits so she could enjoy the freedom as her own boss. Fast forward a bit, her son passed out in school from an asthma attack.

That was it for her!! She knew then that she needed to pursue my business ideas with urgency so she could be more present for her son NOW. In that moment, she took a leave of absence, worked on her coaching business idea she knew she had within her, and went from $0 to $12K in her coaching business in a matter of weeks, and haven’t returned to work her 9 to 5 ever since. Sherri got visible, using the 2k Revenue Attraction Factor Blueprint and built her business one client at a time. She took her business from $2,000 to $12,000 in a few weeks. 

Sherri is a powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with. 

You can connect with her here:

Ananda is a radical self-love coach and she works with millennial women who find themselves waiting for their ideal life, love or weight to be happy.  They’re trying to figure out who they really are in a world where everyone is striving for the perfect Instagram worthy life.  

She teaches them how to fully love and accept themselves, so they can stop feeling like a hot mess and finally feel worthy and able to create the life they desire.

You can connect with Ananda here:

Katie is the founder of Modern Darling Media and the Host of The Hustlenomics Podcast. 

Modern Darling Media is a full-service branding, marketing & design agency for creative entrepreneurs who want to make a bold & meaningful impact. 

Katie helps build bold brands & craft strategic marketing campaigns that provoke emotion, have personality, and help build your tribe.

You can connect with her here:

Tanya J. Miller is a certified life coach with over eighteen years of experience working with youth, young adults, and women throughout the
community and in ministry to pursue purpose, passion, vision, and destiny.

Tanya J. Miller holds a BBA in Finance and business management from Northwood University and an MBA from Regent University. She is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and ScrumMaster®. and the owner of Tanya J. Miller, LLC, where she is an accomplished author, motivational speaker, life coach, and leadership strategist.

She has written several books. Talking with Tanya, the blog, has been going strong for 13 years. It features daily motivation, inspiration, and encouragement for people, businesses, organizations, and leaders. Consistently focused on walking in purpose, vision, and destiny. 

Shop TJMLLC - for shopping books and message merch: 

Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Mark received his BS degree in Finance from Boston College and an MBA in Marketing from Tulane. He joined IBM in 1981 and received many awards including Rookie of the Year in the Southern Region and a Golden Circle award in 1988. Mark voluntarily left IBM in February 1994 and helped form Communiqué, a New Orleans based Internet Service Provider (ISP).

As President of the company, Communiqué quickly became the Gulf South’s fastest-growing ISP, building a client base of over 10,000 users. After Communiqué was purchased in 1997, Mark left a year later and formed EyeOnet, an Internet sales, and marketing consulting firm, which then merged with two other businesses to form a full-service network and Internet services company called Orange Twine. In November of 2000, Orange Twine was chosen by the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce as the Rising Tide Small Business of the Year in Technology.

In October of 2002, Mark assumed the role of President of the Louisiana Technology Council (LTC) to assist with the technology development of Louisiana. In November 2005, Mark was selected by the Governor’s office as Technology Leader of the Year for the State of Louisiana. Through his leadership, Louisiana became one of the top three states in the country in technology jobs and wage growth. In 2006, Louisiana was ranked 49th out of 50 states in technology employment. By the end of 2010, Louisiana had jumped to 32nd place.

In 2019, Mark self-published the book, “GIVE A DAMN! – The Ticket to Cultural Change” (www.giveadamnbook.com).  A highly enjoyable, engaging and quick read, GIVE A DAMN discusses the challenges facing society and business, how we got to where we are today, what needs to be done, and how a GIVE A DAMN attitude can culturally make a difference, both professionally and personally.  Mark has identified nine areas that have contributed to our ego driven society and why it’s causing much pain across business and the world.   Mark’s goal is to create a “GIVE A DAMN!” movement, an initiative that will change business and the world and offers suggestions on what people can do to make a difference.  Give a Damn has made a big difference in company cultures and has helped develop a new happier attitude in organizational success.  He has appeared on several national radio shows promoting his movement, including the Frankie Boyer Show (Boston), the Ed Tyll Show (Starcom radio in New York City) and The Tom Barnard Show (92 KQRS in Minnesota).  

Mark is a highly successful, energetic, thoughtful leader, entrepreneur and keynote speaker. His presentations provide for engaging and interesting stories, while also providing the motivation and insight to help businesses and individuals succeed at all levels.  Mark is a member of Entrepreneurial Organization (EO) of Louisiana and serves on the Board as Membership Chair.  Through his leadership, Mark helped EO of Louisiana become the fastest growing EO Chapter in the country.  In addition, EO of Louisiana received the Global Award for Excellence in Membership practices, which was awarded in Macau, China on April 14th, 2019.  Based on his leadership and success, in July of 2019, EO of Louisiana awarded Mark the “Marshall Klein Louisiana Entrepreneur of the Year” Award.

Nina Sossamon-Pogue is sought after speaker, hyper-growth tech executive, USA Gymnast, and Emmy-winning television news anchor. She is the author of This is Not the End: Strategies to Get You Through the Worst Chapters of Your Life. Nina shares her proven approach to handling life’s hardships, so you can control your own destiny. 

Nina has enjoyed success at some of the highest levels of sports, television, and corporate America. She also endured painful public failures and devastating life events. She is often asked how she managed to rebuild and find new levels of success, after her lows. So, she developed a framework anyone can implement, to leverage adversity, and achieve success. 

Nina spent 20+ years as a television news reporter and anchor, followed by 12 years on the leadership team of a technology company, during its highly successful IPO. 

In each chapter of her life, Nina faced tremendous adversity, including an injury that ended her athletic career, and a very public layoff from her dream job. At the peak of her journalism career, Nina had to rebuild her life once again. After a devastating car accident, she found herself at the center of a story gripping the headlines. Amid the darkness, Nina developed a proprietary model to harness adversity and strengthen resilience. 

Nina brings a wealth of experience and passion to everything she does. She inspires you to examine your future in a new way. With a proven framework to conquer adversity, she teaches you how to overcome challenges of all sizes. This knowledge allows you to gain strength from each obstacle, on your way to success.

Cece Heart is a plant-based, gluten-free enthusiast, consultant, and chef/recipe artist. She works with people changing their bodies/minds and spirits through food and positive practices from a wide range of specialties including natural medicine, breathwork, energetic healing, social psychology. She mixes science with spirituality to give a range of benefits depending on where the person is "at" and activating their passion!  She has spent years learning all of the modalities and techniques she can to collaborate together into optimal healing for body, mind, and soul.  

Cece has studied relationships and how to cultivate them into strong, loving and beneficial partnerships to improve our lives at exponential force! She has a degree in Organizational Communication and Social Psychology but honestly, most of the really important stuff to share comes from dynamic interactions and community exposure which she brings to the table.   

Cece is the head of Partnerships and Health and Relationships for a unique tech company creating a governance and financial system to support regenerating the planet so she gets to make sure everyone is staying energetically aligned and that projects are being driven in an empowered way which is really exciting and requires unique goal setting techniques that defy the norm!

You can connect with Cece here:

Jessie Coan is a strategic marketer who turns strategy into action. Nothing frustrates her more than having someone build a killer strategy and then have no idea how to execute it. That's the opposite of what she does. When people describe her, they say over and over "Jessie gets things done. She's a problem solver, no fear, figure it out marketer." Her marketing superpower is she turns problems (ie, not enough content, campaigns that aren't working, challenges with personalities on teams, failing go-to-market plans) into successes.   

Over the past 15 years, she has had the privilege of supporting B2B organizations by building brands, developing innovative marketing strategies, and managing fully integrated marketing campaigns that generate profitable revenue. Her success is attributed to partnering with cross-functional teams by developing targeted customer acquisition plans that result in the achievement of sales goals and increased customer awareness. She is passionate about building and leading high-performing marketing teams across strategy design, creative, digital, web, content, analytics/research, and communications.  

Tiara Nicole is a motivational speaker who focused on time management, leadership development, and women's empowerment. She has experience speaking to large and intimate audiences while maintaining connection and engagement throughout. Each presentation is 100% tailored to the event and it's audiences and will provide transformational content intended to motivate, inspire, AND provide tangible and actionable resources for next steps. She believes in not only sharing WHAT audience members should do but the HOW behind it!  

She has published three books all centered on developing the reader's individual experience within their personal challenges. 23...And Finally Loving Me speaks to the journey to self-love, healing, and growth! When Life Gives You Lemons... speaks to the challenges of persevering when life ACTUALLY gives you sour moments in life. Life After Loss speaks to HOW to survive the grief of miscarriage and how to support people through that process.   

Additionally, she serves as a development coach who works step-by-step with her clients in individual and group settings to be able to ensure transformation. She covers personal and business development topics to meet her clients where they are and grow along the journey together!

Tiffany Beverlin was born outside London and came to USA to work at Universal Studios after graduating from university.

After marrying she gave up her career to stay home and raise three children. After 15yrs of marriage and over a decade out of the workforce, Tiffany was forced through circumstances to recycle her own life. She was repeatedly told she was unemployable being out of the workforce for so long, so she created her own job, and own company after a fortuitous dream that she couldn't sell her own engagement ring. Within 13 days, Tiffany went from a single stay at home Mother of 3 to the CEO of her own tech company. Every step of the way, Tiffany has retrained, and recycled her life into something she would have at one time, not believed was possible. DreamsRecycled.com launched in 2013, making a literal dream into a reality.

Tiffany Toombs is an international speaker and leading expert on rewiring the unconscious mind for success and tapping into your personal potential. For over 20 years, Tiffany has entertained, educated and transformed the lives of thousands of people across the world. She is the author of Stop Being A Selfish B*tch – A Comprehensive Guide To Living Your Best Life Through Radical Self Love, a best-selling self-help book. 

Tiffany is currently focused on her personal life mission to change the world by empowering 1 million people to live an intentional life that is aligned with their deepest truth, every day.
With this mission in mind, Tiffany has created a range of programs and products to help people around the world tap into their unconscious potential and create a positive ripple effect through their individual communities.

Olga Kirshenbaum is a Money Whisperer and Owner of Rags to Riches Consulting. She empowers individuals, creative business owners and entrepreneurs to make money decisions with confidence. Even before starting college, she knew she wanted to be an accountant and decided to go to Marymount Manhattan College where she received a BS in Accounting. After graduation, she worked in several companies and a CPA firm for about 10 years where she was exposed to many creative industries like advertising, film production, virtual reality, ebook production, and visual effects.

Earlier this year, Olga released an ebook called "Shmoney Guide: Making Money Choices Doesn't Need to Be So Scary" focusing on the personal finance side of her work.