School for Startups Radio

Jeremy Lessaris – Founder and CEO of Payment Brokers – Rang Opening Bell on NASDAQ in 2014 
The number one thing for bootstrappers is micro monetization. If you canfind the shortest, lowest energy position to get to revenue in a profitableway, that’s the best advice I can give you. Identify little, tiny microbusinesses units that you can do.
Jeremy Lessaris is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and former global marketing and communications executive. Over the past two decades Jeremy has founded and led 8 of his companies to successful exit. His current title is Founder and CEO of Payment Brokers, a fintech application that utilizes AI/ML to uncover proprietary pricing data. For 19 years, he was Global VP of MarCom, a $23B US/Chinese Conglomerate. As a seasoned entrepreneurial leader with over two decades of experience in the industrial, energy, transportation, and technology sectors, establishing and investing in numerous ventures across different industries, his mission is to educate and raise awareness for SMBs. Jeremy would be delighted to share advice and tips that entrepreneurs looking to navigate the complexities of financial management in their businesses will benefit from. He would also love to share ideas and strategies on entrepreneurship and business-building tips.
Michael Schank – Digital Transformation Consultant and Author of Digital Transformation Success: Achieving Alignment and Delivering Results with the Process Inventory Framework
Transformations fail at about a 70% rate. Process inventory is a way to create acommon language to coordinate all resources involved in a transformation.
Michael Schank is Founder and Managing Director at Process Inventory Advisors LLC. He has over 25 years of experience as a management consultant in the financial services industry, advising clients on technology, process, risk, and large-scale business and digital transformations. His new book, Digital Transformation Success: Achieving Alignment and Delivering Results with the Process Inventory Framework, shares how to drive a new level of operating efficiency and agility necessary to thrive in this digital era.

Scott Cohen – VP Strategy and Marketing at InboxArmy – Award Winning Email Marketing Veteran 
If you are always ‘on promotion’ or having a sale or only do promotionsone week of the month, you train your customers to wait. Customers aremuch smarter.
Scott Cohen begun life as a copywriter, has worked on both sides of the aisle, and as a brand-side marketer running the email marketing programs at Purple, 1-800 Contacts, and Western Governors University. He has worked with clients ranging from small businesses to enterprise companies across multiple industries. Scott won the 2021 Stefan Pollard Email Marketer of the Year Award from the ANA Email Experience Council for his work during his time at Purple. He’s a sought-after speaker, webinar, and podcast guest, having spoken at events like the Email Insider Summit, Email Evolution Conference, Email Innovations Summit, eTail West, and more.
Michael Halpert – Author of Cubicle To Corner Office: The Ultimate Survival Guide To Your First Job!  
Your manager is there to help guide you and set you up for success.It is important that you collaborate on setting effective goals that arespecific and reachable. It’s important that you have really good weeklyinteraction with your manager and give clear status updates. 
Michael Halpert has 20 years of experience navigating the tech and media sectors. Mike has a track record that speaks for itself. His leadership roles span both industry giants like Google and Walmart E-Commerce, and dynamic hyper-growth startups. Yet, where Mike truly excels is in fostering emerging talent. As a Product Management executive, he’s led sizable teams and consistently prioritized the mentorship of junior members. His dedication to coaching has equipped countless individuals with the skills and confidence to climb the corporate ranks. Mike’s strategic insights and consulting services have been invaluable to a diverse set of Fortune 500 clients, from investment banks to media companies and telecom providers. His educational foundation includes an MBA from USC Marshall and a bachelor’s degree from NYU. In Mike’s career, it’s not just about reaching the top; it’s about guiding others to do the same. In business, there is protocol and well documented procedures, and then there are the blanks in the office you may be expected to fill-in to get to the next step in your career. That’s where “Cubicle to Corner Office.” a go-to guide penned by Mike Halpert, comes in. Mike is a seasoned professional with 20 years of experience in navigating the tech and media sectors. The book delves into the intricacies of modern corporate culture and business etiquette, providing a comprehensive roadmap for individuals embarking on their career journey.

Rich Lee – CEO and Co-Founder of New Era ADR
As a startup when you are incredibly capital constrained, even if you goraise a round of capital, all that money you are pouring into a startup, itshould be used to go to market. The last thing you want to be spendingtime and money on is litigation.
Rich Lee is the CEO and Co-Founder of New Era ADR. Before starting New Era, Rich was the General Counsel at Civis Analytics, a fast-growing, venture-backed data science technology company born out of President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. He served on the executive team, led legal, cybersecurity, and compliance, and helped lead and evolve the company through rapid growth (600%+ in his tenure) and over $50M in funding. Before Civis, Rich was SVP, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Livevol, a financial technology company that he helped to build, grow, and sell to CBOE Holdings (BATS: CBOE). Rich also serves as an advisor, board member, and investor in technology startups and venture funds and in a leadership role in the Economic Club of Chicago. Passionate about solving the access to justice gap in the United States, Rich also serves on the national Leader’s Council of the Legal Services Corporation (a U.S. Senate-funded 501c3) and on the board of Illinois Legal Aid Online. He holds a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition to his role at New Era, Rich also serves as an advisory board member and investor in technology startups and venture capital funds and a leadership role at the Economic Club of Chicago.Garrett Sutton and Ted Sutton – Attorneys at Corporate Direct  and Experts on the Corporate Transparency Act
The Corporate Transparency Act requires that every corporation, LLC,limited partnership in the country provide sensitive information to thefederal government. They want to know all of the 25% or greater ownersand who has substantial control of the entity. This is all done in the nameof fighting money laundering and terrorism. As the Wall Street Journalsaid in an editorial, “Are the bad guys really going to report?” 32,000,000American businesses now have to comply.
Garrett Sutton has sold more than a million books to guide entrepreneurs and investors. His best sellers include Start Your Own Corporation, Loopholes of Real Estate, and Veil Not Fail. For more than 30 years, he has run his practice assisting entrepreneurs and real estate investors in protecting their assets. The companies he founded, Corporate Direct and Sutton Law Center, currently help more than 14,000 clients protect their assets and maintain their entities, especially under the new Corporate Transparency Act. Garrett also serves as a member of the elite group of “Rich Dad Advisors” for best selling author Robert Kiyosaki. A number of the books Garrett Sutton has authored are part of the best selling Rich Dad, Poor Dad wealth-building book series. Garrett is also the President of Sunn Stream, a new streaming platform focusing on kid’s financial education and adult professional development. Garrett lives in Reno, Nevada has been recognized as a Lifetime Achievement Member by America’s Top 100 Attorneys.
Ted Sutton is a licensed attorney who is the son of Garrett Sutton. Ted was born and raised in Reno, NV. He graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Mining Engineering. During one of his summers, he spent three months working at a mine in Chile. This experience made him realize that legal matters interested him more than engineering ones. After graduating in 2018, he decided to attend law school the following year. Ted attended the University of Wyoming College of Law. In his third year, he served as the Student Director of the Business Entrepreneurship Practicum, where he helped clients form and maintain LLCs. He graduated in May 2022. Ted is now licensed to practice law in Wyoming and Nevada. Ted has been focused on making sure Corporate Direct’s clients properlyfile under the Corporate Transparency Act. Ted is also the author of “Five Tricks To Teach Your Kids About Money.”

Brian J. Esposito – CEO of Diamond Lake Minerals Inc. and Esposito Intellectual Enterprises LLC
Brian J. Esposito is CEO of Diamond Lake Minerals Inc. and Esposito Intellectual Enterprises LLC (EIE). Brian is a serial entrepreneur and business leader who was ranked among the world’s top 10 CEOs for 2020, 2021 and 2022 in The World CEO Rankings Awards’ by Adria Management LLC. Esposito has 20+ years of experience building companies on a global scale across 25+ unique industries. EIE, a holding company consisting of 110+ entities and 200+ joint ventures, proudly operating in over 25 cities around the world. He brings to each organization a wealth of knowledge and experience, as well as a drive and passion for connecting companies with promising growth opportunities. In December 2019 and in August 2022, he was featured in The Corporate Investment Times, the next-gen investment magazine in the Middle East, and he was recognized as a ‘Top 100 In Real Estate’ in 2021, as well as being among the’ Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs’ in 2022 and 2023. In August 2023, Esposito embarked on a new venture as the CEO of Diamond Lake Minerals, Inc. ($DLMI). In this role, he swiftly implemented a transformative strategy, completely overhauling the company’s direction. His leadership prowess was evident in the way he surrounded the company with industry icons as advisors. This strategic move, coupled with his innovative leadership, skyrocketed the company’s share price from a modest $0.35 to a remarkable $5.25. Concurrently, the market capitalization of Diamond Lake Minerals soared from $1 million to an astounding $184 million, a testament to Esposito’s extraordinary leadership and business acumen.Jennifer T. Long – President of Own Up! and Author of Own Up!: How To Hold People Accountable Without All The Drama 
Jennifer T. Long is a Certified Master Coach and the President of Own Up!, a leadership development company providing training and coaching for leaders and managers across various disciplines. For nearly four decades, she has worked with leaders of every stripe, from newly-minted managers to the seasoned vets of the C-suite, small companies to Fortune 500 enterprises. Beyond her coaching and training experience, Jennifer spent ten years as a theater director. The unique skills acquired in this time proved invaluable in gaining niche insights into how people work. “The lessons of the theater are the lessons of working with people, of engaging in convincing dialogue, of creating desired emotional responses, and outcomes,” she notes. Jen has two children and works all across the country but calls Denver home. Jennifer’s book offers a refreshing perspective on how to foster responsibility without drama. As a Certified Master Coach and Master Trainer with decades of experience, Long brings a wealth of insights to the table, making her an ideal guest for your show. Her book provides actionable strategies that resonate with managers and leaders seeking to navigate the intricacies of accountability effectively. Jennifer’s expertise shines through in “Own Up!,” offering readers a roadmap to navigate the complexities of accountability with confidence and poise. Her unique blend of experience in coaching, theater directing, and leadership development brings a fresh perspective to the subject.

Kyle Kuderewski – Operations Manager at WebStreet – Investing in Online Businesses 
Kyle Kuderewski is the Operations Manager at WebStreet (formerly Empire Flippers Capital), and is a dynamic individual with a wealth of expertise in passive investing, entrepreneurship, alternative investments, and remote work. With a background in engineering management and a master’s degree in project management, Kyle brings a unique perspective to the world of online business investing. Kyle’s journey from the corporate world to WebStreet began when he discovered the potential of online businesses while exploring real estate investments. Intrigued by the opportunities offered by then-Empire Flippers (online biz brokers), he immersed himself in their culture and quickly realized that their approach to online business investing aligned perfectly with his goals. Recognizing the need for passive investment options in the online business industry, Kyle joined WebStreet, where he now leads the charge of making online businesses a passive investment opportunity for accredited investors. WebStreet operates a first-of-its-kind investment platform that matches experienced operators of online businesses with accredited investors.Chris Reilly – Founder of Financial Modeling Education – Designing Financial Models and Selling Online Courses 
Chris Reilly is a finance professional with a unique journey that began during the 2008 financial crisis, working on Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy. He transitioned from consulting to Senior Analyst roles at Hilton Worldwide, providing exposure to the world of private equity. With self-taught expertise in LBO financial models, Chris spent nearly a decade in middle-market private equity in Denver. In 2020, he founded Financial Modeling Education, where he imparts advanced financial modeling skills in a relatable manner. An influential LinkedIn figure with 85,000+ followers, Chris simplifies the intricate finance landscape, sharing his extensive knowledge of private equity, FP&A, and financial modeling.

David Siegel – AI Legal Expert
David Siegel is a Silicon Valley startup attorney at Grellas Shah, LLP. He is an accomplished startup lawyer and litigator who has extensive experience with our firm in handling a broad range of corporate, transactional, and intellectual property matters, including work on multi-million dollar financings and acquisitions, all in addition to having deep expertise in handling complex intellectual property, corporate, and commercial litigation matters. Prior to joining Grellas Shah, David worked for five years at the nationally recognized firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, initially out of its New York office and subsequently out of Palo Alto. He has a keen interest in working with startups and has worked closely with early-stage companies since joining the firm while expanding his expertise in the startup field. David is licensed to practice in California and New York. He has extensive experience in both state and federal courts and has done in-depth work connected with SEC investigations, including managing a team of 30 lawyers in defending a client in a particularly intensive investigation.Oli Strong – COO of Magma
Oli Strong is the COO of Magma Studios, a software called Magma to make digital art projects multiplayer, client-centric, and more efficient. Game/digital art studios using Magma can work on cloud-based projects, allowing them to access projects from any device. It allows work on a project with up to 50 people at once, seeing the real-time creativity at work (making art multiplayer). Clients and team members can give each other immediate feedback via videos, voice notes, etc. The impact allows a 25% reduction in project delivery time, 32% less time spent in meetings, 40% fewer revisions per cycle, and a 72% increase in employee satisfaction. Magma will be at the Game Developer Conference next month and Oli will be talking about empowering co-creation and licensing at scale.

Steven Andrews – Real Estate Investor and Coach and Author of The New American Dream: A Simple Roadmap to Purchasing Investment Properties
Steven Andrews remembers how hard it was to overcome his own doubts and insecurities in the beginning of his investment career, Steven Andrews is now on a mission to empower others to achieve their own goals in real estate. Coming out of college, Steven was $75,000 in debt and making $45,000 a year. Circling back to the dream he once had while studying at High Point University, Steven used a credit card to fund his first rental property. Within nine years, Steven went from buying properties to supplement his income to pursuing real estate full-time. Today, he owns and manages hundreds of properties through his virtual property management company, Realty Management Group. In addition to writing, The New American Dream: A Simple Roadmap to Purchasing Investment Properties, Steven established SOARX Consulting, where he provides an eleven-week course outlining the same process he used to create his rental property company. The program, like the book, offers a roadmap to finding the kind of success Steven has in the business called real estate.
Stephen Steers – ContextSelling Guru and Author of Superpower Storytelling: A Tactical Guide to Telling the Stories You Need to Lead, Sell and Inspire
Stephen Steers is an author, consultant, standup comedian and speaker with a unique mix of storytelling as it relates to sales. As a consultant and keynote speaker, Stephen has advised more than 750 companies from 30 countries. Including teams from Google, Nike, HEC Paris Business School and Entrepreneurs Organization. Stephen’s philosophy is the following: forget everything you think you know about sales and leadership. Effective sales and leadership are about listening, learning and connecting through stories. Stories close the sale, never the conversation.

Wayne Elliott - Ship Recycling and Strauss Naturals Advocate  
[caption id="attachment_58814" align="alignright" width="150"] Wayne Elliott[/caption]
Wayne Elliott has been in the ship recycling business for 40 years. His company can take a 1000-foot-long ship and reduce it to a pile to reusable materials. He has grown into other areas such as battery recycling. He recounts his life-changing experience with SHD, a health supplement he stumbled upon after battling angina and its debilitating symptoms. Struggling with leg cramps, shortness of breath, night sweats, and chest pains, Wayne also grappled with anxiety and a lack of energy, resigning himself to the fate of heart-related issues that plagued his family. However, upon learning about SHD through a friend in Vancouver and being inspired by studies from renowned institutions like Harvard, Wayne decided to give it a try. Astonishingly, within two weeks of taking SHD, he noticed improvements in unexpected ways – his hearing returned, and his respiratory system cleared, leading to a significant boost in energy. Over the course of three months, Wayne transformed into a revitalized version of himself, feeling as energetic as he did decades ago. This transformation propelled him into a new phase of life where he actively engaged with others, becoming a spokesperson for Jim Strauss, the creator of SHD. Wayne's involvement extended to radio shows and lectures, allowing him to share his incredible journey with thousands of people suffering from various health issues. His enthusiasm and dedication to natural health solutions led him to become a regular guest on radio networks in the USA and Canada, where he continued to spread the word about his positive experiences with SHD and its miraculous effects on individuals dealing with diabetes, heart disease, low energy, and clogged arteries. Wayne's story highlights the power of painless, safe, and affordable health products, emphasizing the beauty of solutions that genuinely work. His gratitude towards Jim Strauss and the Strauss Heart Drops is profound, as he believes that without this intervention, he might not have been alive today, reinforcing the transformative impact of natural health remedies in the face of life-threatening conditions. Strauss Naturals is sponsoring the show with support for our radio-minute segments. Wayne says very simply that their products saved him. He became an advocate for the company and has been working with them for 29 years. Stephanie Glanzer - Chief Sales Officer & Senior Vice President for MGM Resorts International and Co-Chair of the Meetings Mean Business Coalition
Stephanie Glanzer is the Chief Sales Officer & Senior Vice President for MGM Resorts International. She is responsible for the company’s overall sales strategy and operations comprised of group, industry relations, global sales, transient and luxury sales strategy as well as property operations including catering and convention services. She is also co-chair of the Meetings Mean Business Coalition. The way we do business continues to evolve. When the world went virtual in 2020, we did our best to maintain relationships and make connections, both personally and professionally. While virtual meetings may be convenient, they are proven to be much less effective in developing lasting relationships. Face-to-face meetings are the best way to capture a person’s full attention. In-person meetings, events, and conventions build mutual respect, drive education and personal growth, foster creativity, and build long-lasting connections. Critically, they also boost the U.S. economy. In 2023, $119 billion was generated nationally through in-person meetings and events-related travel spending in the United States, which directly supported 600,000 American jobs. For decision-makers looking to boost their company’s visibility and bottom line, there is no substitute for face-to-face meetings. Global Meetings Industry Day – an international day of advocacy showcasing why #MeetingsMatter – spotlights the incredible professional opportunities associated with in-person business travel, meetings and events.

Cary Sparrow – Founder and CEO of WageScape
Cary Sparrow is a business leader and engineer who has thrived throughout his career with his entrepreneurial approach and a keen eye for innovation opportunities. He founded WageScape in 2015 with a vision of bringing transparency to the labor market. Prior to founding WageScape, Cary served as a Vice President at Cargill, the largest privately-held company in the US, with over 65 businesses across nearly 70 countries. At Cargill, Cary was responsible for upgrading the global workforce management infrastructure, including all related technology, processes, data, and organizational structures. Prior to Cargill, Cary was a Principal and Global Practice Leader at Willis Towers Watson (then Towers Perrin). Cary is a veteran of the United States Navy, where he served as an officer on nuclear fast attack submarines. Cary has a master’s in management degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, with concentrations in finance and strategy. He also has a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering, with research in artificial intelligence and neural network control systems. His bachelor’s degree is in computer and systems engineering. Cary lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two children. He enjoys the outdoors, biking, and traveling.Mark Phillips – Recruiting for Education Businesses – Founder of HireEducation
Mark Phillips is the Founder and Board Chair of HireEducation. He supports his team to build authentic and inclusive partnerships for Education companies that work directly with Early Childhood, K12, and Higher Education, and Workforce organizations. He’s been recruiting since the late 90s before transitioning into Education and is happy to spend his time coaching his team and working on strategic projects to continuing to expand the business! Mark Phillips (Founder, Board Chair) – Mark is all about hiring and sustainable business practices, remote company culture, and mental health for leaders. His narrative is relevant to EdTech professionals, startups, ethical innovation and remote leaders, and even small business managers that have gone through sobriety and/or enjoy endurance athletics. They help education and talent management organizations sell their organizations to prospective employees. They work for schools (sometimes), Ed Tech companies that sell to schools, Ed Tech and Talent Management companies that sell to corporations, and Learning organizations within those corporations.

Anthony Nitsos – Founder and Lead Guru at SaaS Gurus
Anthony Nitsos is CEO and Founder of SaaS Gurus, is a seasoned financial strategist with a unique background in human medicine and finance. Since establishing SaaS Gurus in January 2020, he’s devoted to delivering fractional CFO services tailored to SaaS startups’ distinct needs. With a proven track record, Anthony excels in elevating financial strategy, addressing root causes of challenges, and driving company value. His expertise extends beyond finance, providing insights into sales operations, HR, and risk management. Nitsos has contributed to unicorn exits, such as Duo Security ($2.35B to Cisco) and LLamasoft ($1.5B to Coupa). Anthony empowers SaaS startup CEOs and Founders with holistic business insights, redefining the CFO role in the dynamic SaaS finance world.Lyle Myers – Chief Development Officer at iFlex Franchise
Lyle Myers is Chief Development Officer at iFlex Franchise, a unique business with opportunities to create Stretch Studios that seeks to ease pain and prevent potential injuries by utilizing professional assisted stretching techniques. Lyle’s entrepreneurial journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of strategic excellence, particularly in franchise investing and recurring revenue models. With a wealth of experience spanning diverse sectors such as Franchising, Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Consumer Products, Beverage, and Retail. Lyle has not only demonstrated a keen ability to identify strategic opportunities but has also excelled in navigating the complexities of change required to leverage those opportunities. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Lyle is adept at developing and executing business plans and also has a unique knack for steering organizations through ongoing development. His visionary leadership has translated into noteworthy achievements in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, and Brand Building, making him a sought-after guest for podcasts delving into the nuances of investing and franchise success.