Meghann Butcher is the CEO and founder of RepSpark Systems, the leading B2B eCommerce platform. RepSpark offers cloud-based software applications for sales and eCommerce, specifically designed for the apparel, footwear, and accessories industries. The platform focuses on wholesale businesses, enabling brands to sell intelligently and efficiently. Butcher cofounded RepSpark Systems 15 years ago with a vision to revolutionize the wholesale process. Her entrepreneurial journey began in Southern California, influenced by her father's work in the apparel industry. Early in her career, Butcher gained valuable experience in sales analytics within multi-brand apparel and footwear and as a litigation consultant. In 2007, Butcher took the foundational idea from her father's business and developed RepSpark, addressing critical inefficiencies in the wholesale brand-retailer relationship. Under her leadership, RepSpark has experienced strategic and sustainable growth, becoming renowned for its exceptional customer satisfaction and innovative solutions. Those include a digital catalog, comprehensive reporting, and the upcoming RepSpark payments feature that is poised to uncomplicate the payment experience for brands so they get paid faster. Butcher has built a strong team and fostered a company culture that values work-life balance, collaboration, and continuous improvement, which has led to RepSpark landing on the Inc. 5000 list for two years in a row. Butcher is a magna cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University, and holds two undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Communications, with a minor in English. She was recognized as a Top 50 Women Leader of LA in 2023. Outside of her professional achievements, Butcher is a dedicated mother of three and enjoys activities like hot yoga, which help her maintain a balanced and fulfilling life. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Lucy Santana has dedicated nearly 25 years as CEO of Girls Inc. of Orange County (GIOC), where she has inspired thousands of girls to be “strong, smart, and bold.” Under her leadership, GIOC has grown to become one of the largest of the 78 Girls Inc. affiliates nationwide, positively impacting the lives of over 7,900 girls annually through transformative programs. These programs address vital topics such as body image, literacy, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, helping girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds prepare for college and careers. In 2021, Lucy played a pivotal role in securing $10 million from Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures’ Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, which led to the creation of Project Accelerate. This initiative aims to increase the power and influence of women in the workplace by 2030, focusing particularly on women of color. Additionally, Lucy has successfully launched other impactful programs like Girls Meet the Workforce and College Bound/Grad Lab, significantly expanding GIOC’s reach and effectiveness. Beyond her work with GIOC, Lucy actively engages in various advocacy and community groups, such as Women in Leadership in Orange County and the Latino Leadership Council of Planned Parenthood. She also serves on advisory councils for the Santa Ana Unified School District and California State University, Fullerton. Her commitment to youth development and cultural enrichment is demonstrated through her long-term volunteer work with the nonprofit arts organization Relampago del Cielo. Lucy’s passion and leadership ensure that girls in Orange County have the opportunities and support they need to thrive. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Byron Rodgers is a service-centered Executive Protection Agent, Video Blogger, Published Author, and Veteran on a steadfast mission to improve the quality of the world by making good people more dangerous. Over the span of a decade, he has gained extensive private security experience, conducting private security operations for each available VIP demographic industry-wide in over 60 countries. During his time in the military, he served in the United States Marine Corps infantry with two deployments to Iraq as a Squad Leader for four years. Right afterward, he became an Executive Protection Agent (bodyguard). He was fortunate enough to experience a seamless transition from the military back into the civilian life he was once well-acquainted with. Ultimately, this transition inspired him to author the book, “Finding Meaning After the Military”, and he’s currently working on a few more titles within the personal growth and executive protection categories. Today, he proudly serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Bravo Research Group, a boutique private security company out of Southern California. He is the founder of Protector Nation, a training company for first responders, private security professionals, and civilians designed to help good people become more dangerous. Through his life events, Protector Symposiums have trained many protectors from all walks of life both domestically and internationally. He owns and operates his own executive protection school and training organization called The League of Executive Protection Specialists, where he helps private security professionals take their careers to the next level. He is also the one-stop-shop security consultant for many high-net-worth individuals, their families, and various corporate initiatives. After completing his AA in business management, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in the Science of Psychology from the University of Phoenix and finally, he acquired his master’s degree in the art of Psychology with a minor in Forensic Psychology from North Central University. He has also received Strategic Interventionist training at the Tony Robbins Training Center. He lives by the values of wisdom, discipline, purpose, freedom, and excellence and his prayer is that his interaction with you and the rest of the world is in total alignment with those principles as often as possible. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Duran Morley is a distinguished leader among motorcycle enthusiasts and a seasoned entrepreneur, holding the esteemed positions of Founder and CEO at The Van Mart, a prestigious e-commerce store specializing in Van Accessories, as well as Vanspeed, a leading manufacturer of Secondary vehicle body alterations tailored for cargo van conversions in recreational and mobile business applications. His entrepreneurial journey began at a tender age, where he astoundingly initiated three businesses before turning 18, showcasing his remarkable acumen. Fueled by an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit and a deep passion for the great outdoors, Duran Morley embarked on his fourth business venture, envisioning the potential and transformative lifestyle vans can offer to adventure-seeking customers. This led to the creation of Van Mart, an online store offering a wide range of van accessories, and Vanspeed, a specialized custom-built van shop. Through Van Mart and Vanspeed, Duran Morley not only inspires others to embrace the spirit of adventure but also assists businesses in promoting their brands to a wide audience. Duran Morley's journey in the motorcycle industry began at a young age, immersing himself wholeheartedly in mastering the intricacies of building and designing motorcycles. His dedication was evident as he acquired his motorcycle license even before his vehicle license, a testament to his unmatched commitment to his craft. In 2017, under the guidance of his mentor Roland, Duran Morley achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the youngest builder ever invited by renowned motorcycle photographer Michael Lightner to participate in the Motorcycle as Art - Old Iron - Young Guns exhibition at the prestigious Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. This achievement garnered significant media exposure, including a notable 4-page feature in esteemed publications such as American Iron Magazine, Hot Bike Magazine, Roadkill Magazine, and Hot Rod Magazine. Duran Morley's unwavering commitment to hard work has been pivotal in shaping him into the accomplished entrepreneur he is today. Guided by the philosophy that "Life is an adventure or nothing at all," he remains resolute in his mission to help customers bring their visions and dreams to life as they embark on their own transformative "Adventure Life" journey. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Raghu Bala is Founder of UnifyGPT.ai, an AI startup, based in Orange County, California. UnifyGPT produces AI and Autonomous Agents for Enterprises. He is an experienced technology entrepreneur and is an alumnus of Yahoo, Infospace, Automotive.com, PwC, and has had 4 successful startup exits. He is a Board Advisor to OpenFabric.ai – a Layer 1 Protocol for Artificial Intelligence. Mr. Bala possesses an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), an MS in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BA/BS in Math and Computer Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is the Head Managing Instructor for MIT courses in AI, Decentralized Finance, and Blockchain on the 2U platform. He is also an Adjunct Professor at VIT (India), and an ex-Adjunct Lecturer at Columbia University, and a Deeptech Mentor at IIT Madras(India). He is a published author of books on technical topics and is a frequent contributor online for the last two decades. His latest books include - co-author of “Handbook on Blockchain” for Springer-Verlag publications (2022), and a Contributing Editor of “Step into the Metaverse” from John Wiley Press. Mr Bala has spoken at several major conferences worldwide including IEEE Smartcomp – Blockchain Panel (Helsinki), Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong, Global Foreign Direct Investment Conference in Sydney (Australia) and Huzhou (China), Blockchain Malaysia, IoT India Congress, Google IO, and several more. He is also served as a Board member of AIM - The global industry association that connects, standardizes and advances automatic identification technologies. His current areas of focus include Product Development, Engineering and Strategy in the startups related to Autonomous Bots, Generative AI, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, and the Metaverse. His industrial domain knowledge spans Automotive, Retail, Supply Chain & Logistics, Healthcare, Insurance, Mobile & Wireless, and more. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Debora Wondercheck is a dedicated corporate leader, with a profound commitment to social impact and equality with close to 30 years of experience in education program implementation, and arts advocacy. Debora Wondercheck serves as the founder and CEO of the Arts & Learning Conservatory, she is also a professor of string pedagogy, a cellist, and an orchestral conductor. Debora remains unwavering in her mission to provide culturally inclusive artistic training and education to thousands of children throughout Southern CA and believes that by nurturing and empowering the next generation, we can contribute to the ongoing healing and advancement of youth and marginalized communities. Wondercheck is also the creator and producer of the county-wide, Juneteenth staged production called "Gospel Voices of OC", and "Music of the March" professional projects that pay tribute to the indomitable spirit and faith of African American ancestors through the lens of the arts. For the past two decades Wondercheck has stayed true to her laser focused mission of high quality and accessible arts which sets students up for success in life. Recognized as one of OC’s 125 Most Influential People and an OC Visionary, she earned acclaim as a Woman of Distinction by the CA State Assembly. In 2024, she was named Commissioner of the Arts by the city of Costa Mesa and from the state organization, She Leads CA, Debora received the Woman of Faith & Distinction award. The Arts & Learning Conservatory, under Debora's visionary guidance, has received numerous accolades, including Orange County's Outstanding Arts Organization of the Year award and the National Youth Arts Award for Best Youth Production in Southern California. These recognitions highlight the Conservatory's commitment to excellence and its positive impact on the community displaying unwavering dedication to preserving high quality music and theatre programs for children especially in marginalized communities. Debora's commitment radiates through impactful contributions, shaping futures through the transformative power of the arts. Tickets for Gospel Voices of OC 2024: https://muscocenter.org/ -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Jairo “JC” Carrion immigrated to the United States in 1986, fleeing political persecution from his native country, Nicaragua. He has over 25 years of experience in the recruitment industry and has partnered with leading organizations across a wide range of industries, including Life Sciences, Financial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Autonomous Driving. myTOD is the fulfillment of a commitment made 33 years ago after Carrion's first experience with a recruiting agency where he struggled to get traditional recruiters to see his true talent. He felt the frustration of being placed in unsuitable roles and swore the same experience wouldn’t happen to others in the future. The model at myTOD is built on values that come straight from the heart, forged through real-life experiences, and fueled by a passion for disrupting the world of talent acquisition. It is also built on the promise to pay back for the mentorship and support he received throughout his career as a young professional. myTOD is committed to nurturing the talent of 1,000 disadvantaged teenagers by 2025, and 10,000 by 2032. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

Join us as we celebrate 15 incredible years of Orange County's longest-running business talk show. In our 1500th episode, host Ric Franzi interviews three distinguished guests who have made significant impacts on the Orange County business community. Meet Our Esteemed Guests: Paul Roberts, Creator of OC Talk Radio: As the creator of OC TALK RADIO, Paul Roberts pioneered Orange County's only online business radio station and live podcasting platform. His innovative approach to live podcasting earned an Industry Innovator Award from Radio World magazine in 2018. Paul also serves as a Digital Media Consultant for the SBA's Small Business Development Center, helping businesses amplify their stories through digital media. Rebecca Hall, Founder of Idea Hall: Rebecca Hall is the founder of Idea Hall, and has led the agency in delivering purpose-led creative communications for 21 years. Her nearly 30 years of experience includes leading international, national, and local branding, PR, and marketing programs. Rebecca serves as the Executive Vice Chair of Chapman University’s Board of Governors and is also the President Elect for the Orange County Business Council. Her influence and dedication to community service have earned her recognition in the Orange County Business Journal’s OC500 every year since its inception in 2017. Peter J. Brennan, Executive Editor at the Orange County Business Journal: With a career spanning over 40 years in journalism, Peter J. Brennan has authored over 30,000 articles for prestigious publications such as The New York Times, the Washington Post, and Die Welt. He's written headlines and articles that have moved the market capitalization of publicly traded companies by hundreds of millions of dollars. Currently, he serves as the Executive Editor at the Orange County Business Journal, where he oversees coverage of an economy the size of Finland. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. 

As Chief Executive Officer of Waymakers, Ronnetta Johnson has taken a visionary approach to the future of an agency that has served the Orange County community for 50 years. From a rebranding effort, which changed the agency name and messaging to a change in the leadership structure, from program expansion to facilitation of staff and board development, Johnson has focused on strategies that will ensure the agency’s vital services will be available for future generations. Johnson originally joined Waymakers in 1995. Within the agency, she has held the positions of Program Director for Victim Assistance Programs, Director of Human Resources, Director of Victim Assistance Programs, and since 2015 Chief Executive Officer. During her tenure with Waymakers, Johnson has been instrumental in founding Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, establishing a crisis response team for mass victimization, opening two new crisis residential shelters, and expanding the youth development programs. Additionally Johnson has been a leader in the curriculum development and implementation of training programs for crime victim advocates throughout the State of California. Through her efforts, in partnership with her amazing team members, Waymakers has gained national, state, and local recognition for best practice service models. Johnson is committed to mentoring and professional development for future generations of leaders and this commitment goes beyond the confines of Waymakers, sharing her expertise regionally and statewide. Johnson’s involvement with the California Crime Victims Assistance Association (CCVAA) spans almost three decades. Over the years, she held many positions in the Association, including President. Currently she is a member of the CCVAA Training Committee and serves as a core member of the curriculum development and implementation team. In Orange County, she is an Executive Coach for the Fieldstone Leadership Network. She has been a Director on the Coast Community College District Foundation Board since 2019, recently elected Board Chair. Johnson holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership with a certificate in servant leadership from Gonzaga University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Utah. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Meghan Medlin’s career reflects a profound commitment to community service and transformative leadership. With over 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience, she founded Medlin Workforce & Reentry Solutions (MWRS) in 2019 and the Hub for Integration, Reentry & Employment (H.I.R.E.) in 2020. Under her leadership, H.I.R.E. has made a significant impact, assisting over 123 individuals in its inaugural year in 2021 and now serving over 700 people annually. MWRS has also thrived, earning recognition as the emerging Woman-Owned Business of the Year in 2021. In 2024, Medlin is leading an initiative to integrate H.I.R.E. and MWRS under one roof, creating a comprehensive “one-stop shop” for reentry and workforce development services in Orange County. Her participation in initiatives like the Stepping Up Initiative, OC Cares, Continuum of Care Board, SB 823, Ban the Box and numerous others highlights Medlin’s comprehensive approach to community betterment. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Douglas Freeman is the CEO and Executive Chair of Orange County Music and Dance, a nonprofit community performing arts school in Irvine, California. Doug comes to this role after a long career as a lawyer, businessman, civic leader and philanthropist. He served in a variety of capacities within the nonprofit field, including Board Chair of the Pacific Symphony, where he is now a Lifetime Trustee, and Board Member, now Trustee Emeritus, at the California Institute of the Arts. He was also Board Chair of the UCI Foundation and Founding Board Chair of The Literacy Project. He is currently the Chair and President of the Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation and of the Ernest and Irma Rose Foundation. Doug has received a number of awards and recognitions, including being listed by the Orange County Business Journal on its inaugural 500 Most Influential People in Orange County (2016) and again in 2020. In 2019, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award. In 2015, he received the Orange County Boy Scouts of America Men of Character Award and in 2006, he received the University of California, Irvine, UCI Medal. Doug is the founder of National Philanthropy Day, proclaimed by Congress, signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, and celebrated throughout the United States. He served in the Air Force, active duty and reserves, from 1971-1981. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

His name is Jonathan Brambles, but you can call him The Email Guy. After 16 years of hands-on automation architecture in Silicon Valley, he started his LLC in 2023 to fill an industry void that marketing agencies have been fumbling for decades — quality programs not built by interns. As an x-mechanical engineer and vintage automotive racer, Jonathan takes the same ‘zero-failure’ principles of success at the race track, and uses them to implement sophisticated eco-systems for his clients. He takes pride in not outsourcing to third world countries or handing clients off to interns. “If something’s worth doing, do it right.” -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Feryal Talebdoost is the founder of GreenPeach, driven by a clear mission: to build a trusted brand and educate parents about the crucial role of nutrition in children's development. Feryal strongly believes that prioritizing food over medication can address and minimize many medical conditions and why supplementation is essential to bridge the gap in our food supply chain. GreenPeach is dedicated to highlighting the importance of "we are what we eat," empowering families with the knowledge to make informed dietary choices. GreenPeach's aim is to empower and help children thrive and navigate the challenges of the 21st century successfully.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Eric Gildenguys, the Founder & CEO of Rezultant Inc., is a dynamic leader, coach and mentor helping startups and small companies who are challenged in attaining the next stage in their growth. An expert in sales and revenue development, Eric focuses on scaling revenues, operational improvements, and project management. Having started his career in high tech at the age of 13, Eric co-founded his own software company in his 20s. Pacific Genesys was sold to Optio Software, now Bottomline Inc. As an intrapreneur, he created new revenue streams in the healthcare, retail, and new international markets. He was tapped to lead the integration of their French partner, becoming the EMEA headquarters for Optio Software. During his 3-year tenure in France, the company grew revenues by 600%. Eric has worked in AI software, healthcare, commercial kitchen construction, project management, and clinical trials, applying his extensive expertise in growth and operations management to any industry he encounters. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Julie Hudash has a passion for empowering children to become catalysts for positive change. She is the visionary Founder & CEO of Team Kids, a non-profit organization established in 2001, which has been woven into the educational tapestry for over two decades. A devoted social entrepreneur, Julie’s innovative vision has given rise to a transformative organization that profoundly impacts the lives of young people across diverse communities, ranging from Irvine & Compton to Tempe & Harlem. Guided by Julie’s vision, Team Kids measures success not in earning profit, but in lives changed & communities strengthened. During her college career at USC, Julie volunteered in schools in South Central Los Angeles. Struck by the academic disparities & lack of exposure to leadership opportunities, she became determined to inspire children to see themselves as leaders capable of making meaningful contributions when they feel safe, valued, significant, & connected to their communities, challenging the notion that children are "too young" to make a difference in the world. Drawing from her experiences & expertise in the corporate sector, Julie pursued her dream of making a tangible difference & empowering the next generation of youth leaders, entrepreneurs, & philanthropists after witnessing the power of young people’s empathy & determination to raise funds for a local boy’s life-saving operation. She spearheaded the creation of the flagship Team Kids Challenge (TKC), a comprehensive 5-week, school-wide intervention program that actively engages teachers, public safety mentors, & community stakeholders. The TKC is now empirically validated with peer-reviewed research published in the American Psychological Association Journal of Psychology, Public Policy, along with three other top academic publications. Specializing in driving systemic community change for & with youth through innovative partnerships with business, government, education, & public service organizations, Julie's lifelong dedication is evident through her achievement of transforming Team Kids’ early groundbreaking work into a national model for youth empowerment, as reflected in widespread school participation from California to Arizona to New York. Julie is also a writer who tackles complex issues on behalf of children & has had several pieces published in The Los Angeles Times & Orange County Register. Her focus is on youth advocacy issues, including youth development, child safety, & the importance of youth-led activities to help kids thrive. She continues to evolve & partner with several organizations to extend the reach & impact of Team Kids, which has always included social & emotional learning. Julie’s commitment & passion to protect & empower youth has resulted in her receiving several public agency & private foundation awards. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Melissa Rimoldi, CEO/Founder of Legion Force, has a unique automotive journey that spans over three decades, driven by her unwavering dedication to helping companies navigate the complexities of the automotive industry. Melissa graduated from California State University Long Beach with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing. She has worked directly for Mazda USA, Volkswagen Group of America, Innocean Worldwide on Hyundai USA, and has provided B2B/B2C/SaaS, digital technology, and vendor services across 15 OEMs in the automotive space. Her positive spirit has allowed her to develop valuable insights across the entire spectrum, from remanufacturing and quality assurance to engineering, warranty, aftersales, sales, marketing, advertising, and even starting three new start-up companies. At a certain point in her career, Melissa took a risk and started her next journey with a commitment to make an impact. Due to her diverse background, she is on a mission to challenge the status quo by prioritizing the needs of dealers, OEMs, and everything in between. Her core focus is on creating niche partnerships within the vast automotive and retail network. In the upcoming months, Legion Force will be launching a new platform that highlights their trusted experts. These experts will consult with real-world knowledge, experience, and unbiased insights to help clients and partners with a larger focus on the untapped opportunities in the industry. Melissa also plans to expand efforts to further support women in the automotive industry through various forums. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Perryn Holtrop is the CEO and Founder of PayNation, a payments technology company that focuses on Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable automation for B2B companies. He is a serial entrepreneur and visionary who started his first business at the young age of 19 and holds 5 patents outside of payments. He was introduced to the payments industry over 10 years ago, and his passion for entrepreneurship, developing winning strategies, and helping businesses succeed led him to start PayNation. Perryn has developed profitable solutions for thousands of B2B merchants and helped agents build their portfolios with solution-based selling and integrations with the most widely used accounting and ERP software. Perryn also has a passion for sharing winning strategies, experiences, and insights that contribute to the success and growth in the payment industry. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Lexi Kaz is a former Division I soccer player and the CEO and Founder of AK Infinite, which specializes in placing clients in national media. Lexi started AK Infinite in the summer of 2022. After staying consistent and building a mental framework, AK Infinite has now worked with 100 + campaigns, and now has a team of 11 plus working all over the world. Lexi is now living the digital nomad life, traveling while leading her team and helping clients get wider reach and marketing promotions. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation that maximizes the customer experience and enables profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth. Lisa has been named in the Top 46 most influential in Supply Chain by SAP, a Top 15 Supply Chain & Logistics Expert by RateLinx, and a top 40 B2B Tech Influencer by Arketi Group. She recently published SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning): Creating Predictable Revenue and EIBTDA Growth on how to successfully navigate the supply chain chaos with superior customer service and profitable growth. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Jeff Gable is an embedded software consultant for the medical device industry, where he helps medical device startups develop bullet-proof software to take their prototypes through FDA submission and into production. Combining his expertise in embedded software, FDA design controls, and practical agile methodologies, Jeff can help existing software teams be more effective and efficient, or handle the entire software development and documentation effort for a new device. Jeff has spent his entire career doing safety-critical product development in small, cross-disciplinary teams. After stints in aerospace, automotive, and medical, he founded Gable Technology six years ago to focus on medical device startups. He also co-hosts the Agile Embedded podcast, where he and Luca Ingianni talk about how device developers don't have to choose between time-to-market and quality. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys rock climbing, woodworking, and spending time with his wife and two small children. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Aimee Roberson invented, patented, and brought to market a product called DryMeister under her company name Meister Solutions. DryMeister is a drying wand that dries the inside of containers you can’t reach inside to dry - things like reusable water bottles, wine glasses, hydration packs, baby bottles, vases, and other odd-shaped and sometimes delicate items. Since launching a little over a year ago, DryMeister has been sold on Amazon to customers in all 50 states, an achievement that Aimee is very proud of accomplishing. Aimee graduated from the University of Southern California and worked in media relations in the motorcycle industry before becoming a full-time, stay-at-home mom. 22 years later, when her youngest went away to college, she and her husband decided not to make any big life changes for a year so they could adjust to a new norm. But 5 months later, Covid hit. And it was then that she started her journey to become a business owner and entrepreneur.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Andrew Hartman is the Founder of Time Boss, an organization that helps leaders and their teams reinvent their relationships with time to get more done with less stress and anxiety. Andrew founded Time Boss after burning out several times over, even losing his sense of smell for a season. He has taken all he has learned over the years to build a simple system that helps business leaders avoid the same mistakes and chaos. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Ben Chamberlin is the CEO and founder of Chamberlin Care. Ben is a husband to Christa of 15 years and father to 7 beautiful children, including a daughter with disabilities. With over a decade of experience in the post-acute care space, he has served in the trenches as a nursing home administrator, liaison for senior communities, home care, home health, and hospice agencies, VP of healthcare operations, and owner and investor in post-acute care organizations. Chamberlin Care was founded in October of 2022 and employs over 180 care professionals, 6 internal staff, and helps seniors and families throughout Orange County. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Kathleen Peters, chief innovation officer, leads innovation and business strategy for Experian’s Decision Analytics in North America. Kathleen and her team are continuously looking for new ways to define product strategies, road maps and priorities for Experian’s identity and fraud portfolio, analyzing industry trends and the latest technologies to bring innovative solutions to our clients. Kathleen joined Experian in 2013 to lead business development and international growth channels for the recently acquired 41st Parameter business in San Jose, California. She went on to lead product management for Experian’s fraud and identity group within the global Decision Analytics organization, launching Experian’s CrossCore® platform in 2016, a groundbreaking and award-winning offering for the fraud and identity market. The last two years, Kathleen has been named a “Top 100 Influencer in Identity” by One World Identity (OWI), an exclusive list that annually recognizes influencers and leaders from across the globe, showcasing a who’s who of people to know in the identity space. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Liz Flores has served as an HR Executive, strategically offering more than 20 years of HR executive leadership experience. This life success journey has offered her the opportunities to assist C-Suite professionals, organizations, and structuring startups to scale up multi-million-dollar companies. Liz's background and expertise evolve from various industries, such as distribution, manufacturing, retail, and aerospace. She is results-driven, working through employee relations concerns, business compliance, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bringing unification through real conversations and bridging the gap of conscious communication to optimize relationships; both for the individual and organizations alike. As a Certified Leadership & Development Coach and Speaker, Liz has had the privilege of assisting professionals and leadership teams, empowering those who lack clarity, feel stuck, and struggle with self-doubt to build stronger teams, proactive leadership, a more fulfilled and purposeful work life culture. Liz is the Founder of LFTM (lift them), providing HR/WC consulting, professional and leadership coaching, individual and organizational development training. Liz is also fluent in Spanish and provides Spanish language services when needed. Liz currently serves as an Advisor for Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) for South Orange County. She also sits as a committee member for Executives of Orange County (ECOC) a non-profit organization. Her success comes from pursuing her passion; helping both individuals and organizations achieve a thriving environment and successful business goals through enriching relationships. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Mike Brown is a leader and advocate for impact and sustainability in business. He is a five-time Founder, with roles as CEO, CMO, and Board Chair. He is Chief Impact Officer at Real Leaders, growing the impact movement by connecting Impact CEOs, curating impact-oriented leadership development content, and supporting each CEO to accomplish their specific missions. Mike is the founder of B Local Orange County, which connects local Certified B Corporations with community partners from the academic, government, and non-profit sectors. He also serves as the Business Ambassador at the United Nations Association of Orange County, promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to businesses in his community. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Greg Harrigan is an Outsourced Vice President of Sales. His firm MarketShare Growth Advisors is powered by Sales Xceleration. Greg enables business owners to significantly increase their company’s value by building the best sales organization they’ve ever experienced. Mr. Harrigan embeds on an interim basis with the business’s Executive Team to lead the B2B Sales function. This includes establishing sales strategy; implementing sales infrastructure and process; hiring, training, coaching and leading the Sales team; and meaningfully increasing a business’s top line revenue. Prior to his current role, Mr. Harrigan was Chief Revenue Officer at a PE-owned consumer products company with $100M revenue, and earlier in his career spent 10 years as Executive VP of Sales for the Outdoor Channel, a national cable channel. Greg began his 25-year sales career with Comcast. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Mr. Roohi Toosi, PE is a passionate leader in the environmental and groundwater industry, who is bridging the gap between technology sector and traditional consulting services through the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data automation tools. Mr. Toosi established APEX Environmental & Water Resources to utilize his accumulated experience along with tech industry network to serve his clients more efficiently and cost-effectively.  He started his career by developing a computer program for designing excavation limits as a soil remediation technique, which led to his employment at Rubicon Engineering Corporation. His passion and capabilities empowered him to grow fast within the company and during a short time he transitioned from a part time engineer to vice president of Rubicon. After Rubicon and as A-Tech Consulting’s Director of Engineering he established a new department within the company to expand A-Tech’s service offerings. Over the course of his career, Mr. Toosi has conducted and managed projects for utilities, school districts, municipalities, military bases, private developers, contractors, farmers, water districts, and large consulting firms.  His expertise encompasses all aspects of environmental engineering and hydrogeology, with emphasis on subsurface investigation and remediation, and application of AI in environmental and water management. He is also a Board Director for California’s Groundwater Resources Association (GRA) and is organizing the 2024 Western Groundwater Conference in beautiful Lake Tahoe for October of this year. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Sloane Keane is currently chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire, the second largest of 250-plus agencies nationwide. As CEO, she is focused on accelerating the innovation of programs, strengthening the dynamic company culture and managing a scalable budget that will ensure the agency’s sustainability creates meaningful mentoring relationships for youth facing adversity. Sloane joined the organization in 2013 as director of development and played a key role in tripling revenue from $2.6 million to over $8 million. In her most recent position as chief development officer, she helped establish financial stability for the organization and steer new funding strategies. During Sloane’s tenure leading the development team, Big Brothers Big Sisters ran a capital campaign to purchase a 52,000-square-foot building, moved company headquarters to the new office in Santa Ana and seed-funded an endowment fund to invest in the agency’s long-term future. Her efforts have supported ongoing growth in serving more than 3,900 matches across Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties with quality mentoring relationships. Sloane has an intrinsic belief in the power of mentoring, which has fueled her career trajectory over the last two decades. She has more than 20 years of experience directing growth in business development, marketing and media sales for companies across the country, including the Discovery Channel and Orange County Register. Prior to joining Big Brothers Big Sisters in a professional capacity, Sloane volunteered as a mentor with the organization from 2013 to 2015. Raised in Orange County, Sloane graduated from Pennsylvania State University and currently lives in Newport Beach with her husband and two sons. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Yosmel Gutierrez, or as his friends call him Joe, is currently the CEO and Founder of YeeGoals, a platform committed to connecting businesses with industry-specific banks and bankers that see their clients not for who they are today, but for what they can become tomorrow. He is also a co-founder of EquipmentFinancings.com and a previous franchise owner of Lendio Anaheim. Joe brings the experience of working with multiple start-ups and small businesses in the search for capital. He has developed an uncanny ability to problem-solve and develop solutions on the fly, which helps him offer the stellar customer service he is known for.  As the previous owner of Lendio Anaheim, he had the privilege of helping over 750 businesses across the nation get their PPP loans during the pandemic, amounting to a total of over $25MM. Joe has also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, and currently for Pathway of Hope, a local food bank in the North Orange County Community College District.  -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Philip Kang is the founder of Wandery Capital and has over 20+ years of real estate experience with 15+ years focused in multifamily/apartment investing. His roles have included Vice President of Redevelopment at Essex Property Trust, Inc., Senior Vice President of Investments at The Picerne Group and most recently Chief Investment Officer at E&S Ring Management. Mr. Kang has experience in asset management, operations, reinvestment, redevelopment, acquisition, disposition, and refinancing transactions, worth over $20B+ of total asset value across multiple states including California, Seattle, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Colorado. Mr. Kang holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with majors in Real Estate and Finance and a Bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley - Haas School of Business. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Adriana Lynch has over 25 years of experience in Strategy and Brand Management. Her global experience has demonstrated significant success in the creation and execution of award-winning strategies and plans to improve product positioning, brand recognition and revenue. In the last 10 years, Adriana has worked both on Direct-to-Consumer and Business-to-Business either solely through Digital Channels or through a Multi-Channel approach. A wiz at brand and business strategy, Adriana has held management positions with The Walt Disney Co., Häagen-Dazs, Pillsbury International, Procter & Gamble (P&G), and St. Joseph Health System. After being classically trained in Brand Management at P&G Brazil - where she managed Pampers and Always - Adriana came to the USA and got her MBA from Harvard, graduating in 1996 with Second Year Honors. Since 2020, Adriana has been the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for FuelRod, responsible for leading and executing the company's marketing and branding initiatives and growing the e-commerce business. Adri works with cross-functional teams and leads outsourced agencies, to drive the development and execution of marketing strategies and plans that enhance the company's market position and drive revenue growth profitably. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Randa Hoffman MBA, EA is the founder of RADIANT Wealth Planning, LLC, and RADIANT Tax Services, LLC. She is a financial planner, money manager, and tax nerd. She guides clients to build a life that they dream of but don't know how to achieve. She builds wealth and uses tax strategies to save their wealth. Randa is independent and fee-only, meaning she is never paid a commission of any kind and has a legal obligation to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice as a fiduciary.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning  

Gary Maggetti is the General Manager of Disney California Adventure Park West in Anaheim, California. Since beginning his career with the Walt Disney Company as a Jungle Cruise Skipper during the 1992 Fall College Program at Walt Disney World, and then as a Food & Beverage Host on Main Street during the 1994 Summer College Program at Disneyland Park, Gary has had a variety of roles at the Disneyland Resort: Restaurant Manager, opening project team for Disney California Adventure; Manager, Training and Development, and Operations Manager for Food and Beverage Business Solutions. He has served as Director, Disneyland Resort Hotels Food & Beverage; Director, Theme Parks Food & Beverage, and as General Manager, Food & Beverage Operations for Disneyland and Director, Food & Beverage and Merchandise Experience Integration for the Disneyland Resort. He has also worked internationally as Director, Food & Beverage for the Tokyo Disney Resort, providing strategic input to Oriental Land Company, who manages all operations at the Tokyo Disney Resort. Today, as General Manager of Disney California Adventure Park West, he oversees all operations for the Pixar Pier, Paradise Gardens Park, Pacific Wharf and Golden Vine Winery regions of the theme park including Attractions, Retail, Food & Beverage, Guest Show operations, as well as Outdoor Vending, Park Banquets and Festival events for both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park and the Disneyland Resort Central Bakery. In addition, Gary leads the Disneyland Resort’s College & Professional Internship programs. Gary has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the California Restaurant Association and is currently Chair of the Customer Experience Program Advisory Committee for the University of California at Irvine. Gary has also served on the Board of Directors for several local community organizations including the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, the Executive Advisory Board for the Hospitality Foodservice and Hotel Management program at California State University Long Beach, the Good News for Kids Foundation and the Tim Salmon Foundation. Gary graduated cum laude from the Northern Arizona University School of Hotel and Restaurant Management and was a Gold Spirit of Disneyland® Resort recipient in 1998 and was inducted into the Northern Arizona University’s W. A. Franke College of Business Hall of Fame in October 2021. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Chris Folayan is a renowned and multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur, author and founder, celebrated for his exceptional ability to start and scale multi-million-dollar global companies. With an illustrious career spanning decades, Chris has demonstrated an extraordinary talent for investing, raising substantial capital, and building thriving businesses from the ground up. His entrepreneurial journey began at the tender age of seven and a half when he started a profitable recycling business, and since then, he has become an expert across various fields, founding and exiting several successful companies globally. Born and raised in Africa, Chris's relentless pursuit of knowledge led him to California, where he attended San Jose State University in the heart of Silicon Valley. Graduating with a degree in marketing, he discovered his passion for software development and embarked on a self-taught journey in mastering several programming and development languages. This impressive feat caught the attention of several Silicon Valley tech giants, including Quantum. At the young age of 19, Chris was recruited by Quantum, a cutting-edge hard drive manufacturing company. During his time at Quantum, Chris immersed himself in cutting-edge software engineering which led him to work with the due diligence group for mergers and acquisition division. White at Quantum he worked on the development of numerous technical patents. Remarkably, he accomplished all of this while simultaneously pursuing a full-time college education. Chris's expertise garnered widespread recognition, and companies across Silicon Valley eagerly sought his technical and market-oriented insights. Eventually, he left Quantum and co-founded NTM, a pioneering digital music label platform, revolutionizing the industry with the world's first indie music recording-to-digital rights and sales platform. Collaborating with artists from around the globe ensuring artists' music was safe while being encrypted and sold online. Chris dedicated his time to developing the patent for the encryption technology he developed used by NTM used by global artists. Having successfully exited NTM, Chris founded his first of many companies, OCFX Inc. As the founder and CEO, he built OCFX into a renowned Silicon Valley brand, collaborating with prestigious Fortune 100 and 500 companies such as SONY, Quantum, LSI Logic, Accenture, Adobe, Cisco, EMC, Merrill Lynch, Elo, CapitalOne, History Channel and many others. Under Chris's leadership, OCFX built a reputation for turning clients' imaginative ideas into exceptional revenue-generating software products. Additionally, Chris spearheaded the development of several spin-off companies within the OCFX ecosystem, offering valuable tools and solutions that companies could purchase and license. Chris sold and exited several of OCFX spin-off companies to major brands. While OCFX was growing globally with over 350 employees he had an idea and developed one of Africa’s largest eCommerce platforms MallforAfrica and MallfortheWorld. An idea he started to help people in Africa and the world who were unbanked shop on top USA and UK retailers. Starting the company from scratch wasn’t easy but Chris ended up building a multimillion-dollar monthly revenue business. And quickly became one of Africa and the world's leading eCommerce experts in emerging markets. Completing his 4th exit after selling MallforAfrica and Mallfortheworld to a UK based business Chris wrote a book titled “From Pitch To Close: What Founders and CEOs Need to Know and Do Before An Investor Meeting” which has won him several prestigious book awards. A book written to help entrepreneurs build companies at the highest valuation possible. Chris has also written other books about entrepreneurship and investments. Today Chris helps companies expand globally, consults, mentors, lectures, serves on several boards, invests and is an exciting public speaker with amazing motivational stories and lessons to share. Chris has spoken in over 50 countries and has a reputation for thinking outside the box and getting everyone to master the entrepreneurial mindset with his concept well known acronym P.I.N.K (Passion - Innovation - Network - Knowledge). Reading his books, hoping on a call or listening to Chris speak is a treat. His witty comedic yet inspirational insights into building a business with passion while thinking outside the box is a masterpiece. Over 25+ years of ownership Chris still owns OCFX as a legacy brand he works under.  -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Gaye Tomlinson is the co-founder and CEO of Vaha Energy, a solar and energy storage project development firm, servicing California since 2008. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Vaha Energy as well as the procurement and strategic growth of the company. Gaye has extensive knowledge and experience on residential, commercial, and industrial solar and energy storage systems, financial models, the latest renewable energy technology, net zero goals, and the sustainability industry in general. She is a public speaker and loves sharing her insights on start-ups, balancing it all as a woman executive, as well as her personal journey in career and life. Gaye is an engineer by trade with an MBA from Cornell University. She is currently the President of the Cornell Club of Los Angeles. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Erin Giglia is an owner and founder of Montage Legal Group. Erin graduated cum laude from Wellesley College.  She then graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2001, cum laude, where she was a member of the San Diego Law Review. After law school, Erin practiced litigation at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison until 2002.   Erin then joined Snell & Wilmer, LLP where she defended companies in product liability, premises liability, environmental and commercial litigation. Erin left Snell & Wilmer in 2009 to co-found Montage Legal Group, a freelance attorney company comprised of 400+ exceptionally trained freelance lawyers who opted out of the traditional law firm model in favor of career flexibility. Erin is a frequent writer and speaker on legal outsourcing, work-life balance, women in law, legal ethics and contract attorneys. Erin’s speaking engagements include presentations for the ABA, numerous bar associations and other state and regional attorney associations, and private entities. Erin and Montage have also been featured in numerous publications, including The ABA Journal, CNBC, The Atlantic, Huffington Post, and Forbes.com. In 2015, Erin and Montage were featured in “Disruptive Innovation: New Models of Legal Practice” by UC Hastings Work Life Law Center. Erin is also a frequent podcast guest. Erin and Montage serve the community through philanthropic efforts, and were named the National Philanthropy Day Small Business of the Year in 2017 for their charitable leadership. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Kurt Lohse, a dynamic entrepreneur and co-founder of Boredroom LLC, is making waves in the beverage industry with his innovative approach to consumer packaged goods (CPG). Alongside his partner Darin Rasmussen, Lohse has embarked on a mission to transform the conventional water category into a vibrant platform for artistic expression through their venture, Bored & Thirsty. This revolutionary Media + CPG brand stands out for offering a unique and refreshing premium alkaline water experience that aligns with contemporary consumer demands for both quality and creativity​​​​​. Lohse's journey with Bored & Thirsty is marked by significant achievements and partnerships, reflecting his visionary leadership and strategic acumen. Notably, the company has gained prominence as the exclusive water partner for the Life is Beautiful Music Festival in Las Vegas, leveraging this opportunity to gain mass exposure. Bored & Thirsty also introduced an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) enabled can of alkaline water featuring a song clip from Snoop Dogg, illustrating Lohse's commitment to merging technology with consumer goods. Further solidifying the brand's market presence, strategic relationships have been established with major players like 7-Eleven, Save Mart / Lucky, and C3 Presents the festival arm of Live Nation. These partnerships, along with the company's focus on sustainability and high-quality manufacturing processes, underscore Lohse's dedication to creating a brand that resonates with a wide range of consumers while maintaining an environmentally conscious footprint​​. Kurt Lohse's professional background extends beyond Boredroom LLC. He founded and led Releventure LLC, a content marketing agency since its incorporation in California thirteen years ago, and before that as the CEO of his media start-up, Keycode, from 1999-2010, demonstrating his longstanding commitment to entrepreneurship and business development​ that positively transforms industries.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

As the founder of FoodTech startup Nutripair, Catlin Tran is embarking on a journey to transform the Restaurant Dining landscape. Tran is passionate about leveraging innovation and technology to drive positive impact on society and food accessibility. She is dedicated to sharing her experiences with others in hopes of motivating young founders to begin their own entrepreneurial journeys.  -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Mohammed Omar is a 31-year-old entrepreneur with a passion for business that started back in middle school. He kickstarted his journey by selling candy and snacks from his locker, undercutting the school cafeteria's prices with products he sourced from Costco. This early experience ignited his love for the world of business. His entrepreneurial career took off with an e-commerce venture, specializing in selling branded, overstocked US products acquired from swap meets and third-party sales events. As this business grew, he transitioned it into a distribution and logistics company, broadening his industry expertise. He later delved into product development, contributing to the design and marketing of over a hundred successful products in the US market. With the success of these endeavors, he ventured into the film industry, serving as an Executive Producer for holiday movies, and he's made a strong mark in the franchise industry, currently involved in three major franchises: Crumble Cookies, Ace Pickleball Club, and Toastique. Additionally, he is in the process of relaunching a pet shampoo brand called Splash Plus, which offers dermatologist-level skincare for pets. His entrepreneurial journey continues to evolve and expand across various sectors, fueled by a passion for innovation and growth. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Bret Englander is the Co-Founder and Director of Sales and Marketing at Cerno. A native of Laguna Beach, CA, a melting pot of artists, surfers, hippies, and entrepreneurs, Bret developed a passion for the natural environment, design, and entrepreneurship in his youth. Bret’s parents ran their own business specializing in product development for the homebuilding industry. This meant many weekends were spent touring the latest completed homes, which Bret credits for his drive and ability to combine the creative and analytical sides of running a business. Originally, Bret wanted to pursue a career in journalism and film, graduating from the University of Colorado. After working at a newspaper, he decided to switch gears and pursue a career in business, which led to a few informative roles in finance and marketing. In 2009, Bret teamed up with childhood best friends Daniel Wacholder and Nick Sheridan to start Cerno. As co-founder, Bret wears many hats but focuses his efforts on business development as Cerno’s Director of Sales and Marketing. Cerno is a California-based design and manufacturing company that, over the last 14 years, has grown from three founders to a team of approximately 50 people who share a passion for design and making modern lighting in Southern California. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Craig Cooke is the author of the newly released book Business Kung Fu. A successful entrepreneur, Craig had the foresight to start a “digital first” company utilizing the Internet long before “digital first,” “digital transformation,” and other buzzwords of today were created. With extremely limited resources of $1,300 and an Apple computer, he started RhythmNet.com with a couple friends from college. Over the years of struggle, adaptation, and repositioning the brand, “Rhythm“ was sold to a world-class digital creative agency in 2019. Craig stayed with the company for just over 3 years, completing a 26-year marathon of running the company as CEO. During his tenure at Rhythm®, Craig worked with middle market to large enterprise companies, such as American Honda Motors, Beats by Dr. Dre, ZO Skin Health, Irvine Company, The Travel Corporation, Segway, U.S. Bank, FivePoint, Online Trading Academy,Allergan, Abbott Labs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and many other B2C and B2B brands. During the course of leading Rhythm® to success, numerous organizational achievements were attained, including been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies, five years in a row, and listed among the top 15 Advertising and Marketing Agencies in Orange County by the Orange County Business Journal. In addition to the organization achievements above, Craig has been honored with several personal awards and recognitions, including being named one of the 5=40 under 40 of Orange County Professionals by OC Metro Business Magazine in 2009. Today, Craig shares his business wisdom, experience, and expertise in three key areas: executive leadership, brand development, and marketing communications. He continues his training in martial arts, continuously learning and evolving his skills. Also, he has studied and served as a practitioner of Chinese Medical Qigong since 2015, bringing energy healing to hundreds of people. Currently, Craig is pursuing a doctorate of Chinese Energy Medicine from the Temple of Change and Transformation. Craig incorporates his skills, knowledge, and expertise in energetic practices into the world of business to provide a truly unique perspective and method in working with professionals across a wide variety of industries. Outside of his consulting and qigong practice, Craig enjoys spending time with his wife, two kids, and two dogs in Southern California. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Robert Riggs is the founder and managing member of Oralogix LLC, a health-care consultancy and specialty retailer of oral and perioral care products. He has over 20 years of experience in product commercialization and entrepreneurship. Robert is the innovator behind the Full Face Fitness™ movement – a program designed to integrate four previously siloed care areas: Face, Mouth, Neck, Upper Chest - plausibly uniting them into one high interest, high visibility region of the body…. The Social Zone™. Riggs is a credentialed member of various professional societies aimed at restoration and rejuvenation of the mouth, jaw and face. He holds a master’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University, Carey Business School and is currently an Integrated Healthcare Practitioner candidate. Robert resides in Southern California. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Addison Adams is the founder of Adams Corporate Law and stands out as the go-to voice on Mergers and Acquisitions for California-based businesses. With nearly three decades dedicated to closing deals, Addison’s expertise isn’t confined to just M&A transactions. He guides business owners, helping companies of all sizes and across all industries in the Golden State achieve growth. Whether it’s mastering investor offerings, crafting watertight contracts, or navigating intricate corporate structures, Addison’s touch is evident in everything he oversees. Whether you’re a startup enthusiast or a seasoned business professional, Addison’s tales from the trenches of deal-making and California’s dynamic business environment promise to both educate and captivate. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Ria Berger is the CEO of Healthy Smiles for Kids Orange County. She is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 25 years of Operations, Business Development, and Human Resources experience in multi-cultural, multi-site locations in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Berger served for four years as a member of the Board of Directors at CalOptima (Orange County's single largest health insurer), with $3.6 billion in revenue. She is a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Governance Fellow. Berger was previously a VP of Human Resources for several Fortune 500 companies ($2B-42B revenue). She is currently the CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County, one of the nation's largest oral health care providers for children. Since the beginning of her tenure in 2014, the organization has increased its revenue by 250% within three years, tripled in employee headcount and launched an innovative Teledentistry program (one of the largest in the US.) Healthy Smiles was named one of Orange County Register’s Top Workplaces in 2017, 2018 and 2021, and Orange County Business Journal’s Best Places to Work in 2022. She is a co-founder of Art 4 Fun, a 22 year-old business headquartered in London and continues to serve on the Board of Directors. Ria Berger's greatest strengths are in the successful execution and transformation of world class organizational and business development programs. She has extensive experience in strategy, operations, board recruitment, leadership reorganization, culture transformation, and mergers and acquisitions. She masterfully architects innovative systems integration and delivers outstanding results to Fortune 500 companies, private corporations, and nonprofit organizations. Berger holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California (USC), and has taught HR and business courses at the University of California, Irvine and USC. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Jan Miller is a graphic artist, creative solutions specialist, and president of 21-13 Impact Graphics Inc. After graduating high school in his hometown of Downey, Califonia, Jan worked for Mann's Theaters for about a year doing accounting. From there, he started working for Musicland Group, where he stayed for a decade before deciding to go back to college to combine his business skills and artistic skills by pursuing graphic design. He graduated with high honors in 1998. Jan was soon after recruited by PSB, The Marketing Supersource (now known as West America Communications), as a graphic designer. His career then brought him to Advanced Media Post (AMP), where he served as a senior graphic designer, working on graphics for multi-media DVD menus, as well as print-work for films such as movie posters and DVD wraps. In 2005, Jan formed his own company, 21-13 Impact Graphics, Inc. He has won several awards, including Graphic Design USA Magazine's “2022 Designer to Watch” recognition, and Small Business Diversity Network's Presidents Award (2023). Jan currently lives in Irvine, California, with his wife. When he is not working, his hobbies include Peloton, bike-riding, and networking. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Nicholas Yrizarry is the CEO of Align Wealth Advisors. An alumnus of Princeton University, with nearly 30 years as a financial professional, Nicholas values his unique relationships with his clients. His personalized wealth management approach helps investors create financial stability, aligned with a desirable lifestyle. Some of the nation’s leading media outlets have called on Nicholas for his insight on issues impacting investors and their money. His commentary has been featured in outlets that include The Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, MSNBC.com, Fox News, ABC News, and Bankrate.com, and he has also appeared on CNBC. Nicholas served on the board of trustees for the Laguna Playhouse from 2016 through 2019 and loves to support the arts. As a classical guitarist, he has performed at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, and for charitable organizations such as Laguna Art Museum, Laguna College of Art & Design, Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Richard Henry Dana Charity Regatta, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County (CASA) and Project HOPE Alliance. A native of Toms River, New Jersey, Nicholas currently makes his home in Monarch Beach, California. He is the proud father of three grown children: Jasmine, Shannon and Dustin. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Mandy Schaniel is the founder and CEO of Schaniel Consulting Inc., providing leadership and business coaching to startups looking to build a culture of inclusivity, progress and success for both business and employees. Her rise to leadership came early when she was recruited to join the executive team at ZipRecruiter as employee number 19. During her four-and-a-half years at ZipRecruiter, Mandy helped lead the company to its first million-dollar month, built the company’s first account management team, created a safe space for women and men to seek mentorship from growth-minded leaders like herself and led many on her teams to the next steps in their careers. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning