May 22, 2026 – The Alloy Market Brandon Aversano and Legal Rights Cindy Cohn

June 17, 2026 – Water CEO FluidLogic Sara Blackmer and Hiring Improvement Doug Levy

Sara Blackmer – Senior Partner at Solyco Capital [https://www.solycocapital.com/] and CEO of FluidLogic [https://www.linkedin.com/company/fluidlogic-usa/] Every single time a new innovation comes that people are frightened of it, in fact creates more jobs. Sara Blackmer is a technology executive, investor, entrepreneur, and retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who has built a career at the intersection of leadership, innovation, defense, and emerging technology. As Senior Partner at Solyco Capital, she works closely with portfolio companies to accelerate growth, strengthen operations, and build high-performance cultures that drive long-term value creation. She also serves as CEO of FluidLogic, a pioneering human performance technology company developing adaptive hydration systems designed to optimize cognitive and physical performance in demanding environments. Throughout her career, Sara has delivered results for technology-focused organizations serving both defense and commercial markets. Her expertise spans executive leadership, business development, corporate strategy, team building, customer engagement, and operational excellence. Recognized as one of Crain’s Notable Women in Tech and featured in dBusiness Magazine’s Powered by Women, she has become a respected voice on leadership, innovation, and technology commercialization. Sara is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, universities, and professional events, sharing insights on leadership, emerging technologies, organizational culture, and the challenges of scaling innovative companies. Her influence extends across numerous advisory and governance roles, including service on the Executive Boards of the Robotics Technology Consortium and the National Advanced Mobility Consortium, as well as advisory positions with Oakland University, the University of Michigan’s M-TRAC Transportation Program, Intel, and NVIDIA. Drawing on a family legacy that spans generations of military service, Sara brings a mission-driven approach to leadership and innovation. Whether guiding technology companies, investing in transformative ventures, or advancing human performance solutions, she is passionate about helping organizations achieve meaningful impact while building cultures that empower people to perform at their highest level. Doug Levy – Founder of Lexington Rose Consulting [https://www.lexingtonroseconsulting.com/] and LogicWise Ops [https://logicwisehiringsystem.com/about/] We’re hiring on vibes, and there’s a lot more of a process behind it. Doug Levy is an operations strategist, business consultant, and founder of Lexington Rose Consulting and LogicWise Ops. He specializes in helping founder-led service businesses improve operational efficiency, strengthen accountability, protect margins, and build the systems necessary to scale successfully. With more than two decades of operations leadership experience, Doug has worked closely with business owners who have outgrown the systems that helped them reach their current level of success and are looking for a more sustainable path forward. Before launching his consulting practice, Doug served in senior operations leadership roles, including as Chief Operating Officer of a multi-million-dollar services company. Throughout his career, he has overseen hundreds of hiring decisions, managed complex business operations, and helped organizations navigate the challenges that come with growth. His experience has given him a practical understanding of where businesses commonly experience bottlenecks, inefficiencies, accountability gaps, and profit leakage. Through Lexington Rose Consulting, Doug works directly with small and mid-sized companies to analyze how work flows through their organizations, identify operational obstacles, and implement practical solutions that improve performance. His approach is highly customized, focusing on the specific realities of each business rather than relying on generic consulting frameworks. Doug is also the creator of LogicWise Ops, a platform designed to provide growing businesses with structured operational systems typically found in much larger organizations. Its flagship offering, the LogicWise Hiring System™, helps companies make more consistent and effective hiring decisions through a disciplined, repeatable evaluation process. Known for his straightforward and practical approach, Doug helps entrepreneurs build businesses that are easier to manage, more profitable, and better prepared for long-term growth. His core belief is that most business frustrations are not people problems but systems problems, and that the right operational foundation can unlock significant improvements in performance and scalability.

June 16, 2026 – Bully Pulpit Corp Comms Bradley Akubuiro and Radical Responsibility Fleet Maull

Bradley Akubuiro [https://bradleyakubuiro.com/] – Head of Bully Pulpit International [https://bpigroup.com/] and Author of Faster. Messier. Tougher.: Crisis Communication Strategies in an Era of Populism, AI, and Distrust [https://www.amazon.com/Faster-Messier-Tougher-Communication-Strategies/dp/B0G529SPPS] Truth should always be the absolute standard, but the way that businesses are interacting with consumers, and leaders are interacting with their workforce and with others, they’re finding that people actually generally expect that they are lying about many things unless they have a trusting relationship with that leader or with that organization. Bradley Akubuiro is a nationally recognized expert on corporate reputation and crisis communications, known for counseling Fortune 500 leaders and boards through high-stakes situations that threaten business resilience. A partner at Bully Pulpit International—an advisory firm founded by leaders of the Obama campaigns and administration—Bradley leads the corporate communications practice, providing strategic counsel to some of the world’s largest brands across sports, tech, fashion, financial services, food and beverage, manufacturing, and more. He also guides clients on inclusion-related strategy and communications, helping organizations navigate complex cultural, reputational, and stakeholder expectations. Previously, Bradley served as Chief Spokesperson and Head of Global Media Relations for The Boeing Company during the 737 MAX crisis and COVID-19. Before Boeing, he led global media relations and public affairs for United Technologies (now RTX), navigating industry-altering M&A, presidential intervention, and other complex stakeholder challenges. His career includes experiences that shaped his approach to communications: serving as policy advisor to Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., working as a governance reform consultant in post-civil war Liberia under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and operating as a management consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. A frequent writer and commentator, Bradley’s columns appear regularly in Inc. Magazine, where he writes about corporate leadership and communications. His insights have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Axios, and The Boston Globe. In 2022, he was named to 40 Under 40 lists by both Crain’s Chicago Business and PR Week. He is the author of Faster. Messier. Tougher. Crisis Communications in the Era of Populism, AI, and Distrust. Bradley is an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications – his alma mater – where he also serves on the school’s Board of Advisors. He serves on the boards of The Institute for Public Relations and The 19th News, and is a member of the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. He is based in Chicago. Fleet Maull – Founder of Heart Mind Institute [https://www.heartmind.co/], Prison Dharma Network [https://prisonmindfulness.org/], Prison Mindfulness Institute [https://prisonmindfulness.org/], Center for Mindfulness in Public Safety [http://www.mindfulpublicsafety.org/], National Prison Hospice Association [http://www.npha.org/], and Windorse Seminars & Consulting The place where we have any real power is with our own choices. Dr. Fleet Maull is a pioneering mindfulness teacher, author, social entrepreneur, and leadership trainer whose work has helped bring mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and resilience training into prisons, public safety agencies, healthcare organizations, businesses, and communities around the world. He is the co-founder of the Engaged Mindfulness Institute, Transforming Justice Initiative, Rwanda Bearing Witness Retreat & Peace Initiative, and the Center for Contemplative End-of-Life Care at Naropa University. He currently serves as CEO and Director of Training, Research & Development for the Prison Mindfulness Institute, the Center for Mindfulness in Public Safety, and the Engaged Mindfulness Institute, while also serving as CEO and senior trainer for Heart Mind Institute and Windhorse Seminars & Consulting. With more than five decades of meditation practice and over four decades of teaching experience, Dr. Maull has trained extensively in the Tibetan, Zen, and Vipassana Buddhist traditions. He was a close student and personal attendant of renowned Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, founder of Naropa University, and a Dharma successor of Zen master, social entrepreneur, and peacemaker Roshi Bernie Glassman. Dr. Maull is a fully empowered senior Dharma teacher in both the Tibetan and Zen traditions, serving as an Acharya in the Shambhala Meditation Community and a Roshi in the Zen Peacemaker Order and Soto Zen lineage. He is also a fully ordained senior Zen priest in the Soto Zen lineage of Maezumi Roshi. Since 1981, Dr. Maull has taught mindfulness-awareness meditation to thousands of practitioners worldwide, leading more than 100 meditation retreats and offering programs for both newcomers and advanced students. He is widely recognized as a thought leader in the modern mindfulness movement and has developed innovative mindfulness-based emotional intelligence, trauma-informed leadership, and resilience training programs. His pioneering Mindfulness-Based Wellness & Resiliency (MBWR®) programs have been used to support first responders, law enforcement professionals, correctional officers, healthcare workers, and social service providers. A certified professional mindfulness teacher and teacher trainer, Dr. Maull serves on the advisory board of the International Mindfulness Teachers Association (IMTA), the Institute for Organizational Mindfulness, and the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism. He is also a certified Council Trainer with the Ojai Foundation and the Center for Council Training. Dr. Maull taught Socially Engaged Buddhism, Buddhist Psychology, Contemplative Approaches to Peacemaking and Social Action, and Integral Politics at Naropa University from 1999 to 2010. He has also been a guest lecturer at institutions including Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Medical School, Brown University, Emory University, the University of Colorado, the University of Illinois, Colorado State University, and Smith College. A sought-after keynote speaker, he regularly presents at conferences and professional gatherings focused on mindfulness, corrections, social work, trauma recovery, resilience, and end-of-life care. He is the author of The Mindful C.O. (2021), Radical Responsibility: How to Move Beyond Blame, Fearlessly Live Your Highest Purpose, and Become an Unstoppable Force for Good (2019), and Dharma in Hell: The Prison Writings of Fleet Maull (2000), along with numerous scholarly articles and book chapters. Throughout his career, he has trained public safety professionals, treatment providers, trauma counselors, and prison volunteers across the United States and internationally, including Canada, Chile, France, the Netherlands, Poland, and Rwanda. Today, Dr. Maull continues to travel globally leading mindfulness retreats, transformational leadership programs, resilience training, prison initiatives, and bearing witness retreats, while also offering these programs online through his various organizations.

June 15, 2026 – Built Ready to Sell Jonathan Sherrill and Thrive Fred Marshall

Jonathan Sherrill – Founder of Waypoint Founders [https://waypointfounders.com/] and Co-Author of The Extraordinary Exit: How to Sell Your Business for Maximum Value, Protect Your Legacy, and Walk Away with No Regrets [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G8LHWC5P?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.S1u9tIwZocPXWXGyCNglfPGTvy_RKomWC4-Ph5mfZVg.3cv9_k_GY1c8WxK2EdGw3qpkCYAW__Fiukamy0cvYgM&qid=1767624369&sr=8-1&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true] It takes time and it’s extra work to train someone to do something that you do, and so we fall into the trap of it’s just easier to do it myself. Jonathan Sherrill is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and founder of Waypoint Founders, an organization dedicated to helping business owners successfully navigate the personal and professional challenges of selling a company. After spending more than twenty-five years building, scaling, and investing in businesses, Jonathan developed a unique perspective on entrepreneurship, mergers and acquisitions, leadership, and what happens after a successful exit. Jonathan is best known for transforming a shuttered sawmill into Quicken Steel, a high-growth company that achieved Inc. 500-caliber success before being sold in 2022. The transaction delivered a 6.5 times return on invested equity, but the experience also revealed an often-overlooked reality of entrepreneurship: the most difficult part of selling a business is frequently what comes next. The unexpected challenges of identity, purpose, relationships, and life after the deal inspired Jonathan to devote his work to helping founders prepare for the transition beyond the closing table. He is the co-author of The Extraordinary Exit: How to Sell Your Business for Maximum Value, Protect Your Legacy, and Walk Away with No Regrets. The book provides practical guidance for entrepreneurs navigating one of the most significant events of their professional lives, addressing both the financial and personal dimensions of a business sale. Through Waypoint Founders, Jonathan works with founder-operators before, during, and after an exit, helping them prepare for the emotional, relational, and strategic realities that traditional advisors often overlook. He is also an active investor, speaker, and advisor whose insights on entrepreneurship, business growth, succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, founder psychology, and life after exit have resonated with business owners across the country. Today, Jonathan’s mission is to help entrepreneurs achieve not only a successful transaction but also a successful transition, ensuring that the next chapter of life is every bit as rewarding as the business they worked so hard to build. Fred Marshall [https://thrivefutureyou.com/] – CEO of Quantum Learning [https://quantumlearninginc.com/] and Author of Thrive: The Antidote to Future Shock [https://www.amazon.com/Thrive-Antidote-Future-Fredric-Marshall/dp/1965419283/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0] The superpower to develop is the ability to learn fast and adapt fast. Fredric Marshall is the founder and CEO of Quantum Learning, a performance improvement and consulting firm that has helped some of the world’s most innovative companies accelerate growth, navigate change, and launch successful new products. Over the course of his career, Fred has become a recognized expert in change management, leadership development, sales force effectiveness, and high-performance behaviors, working with organizations including Apple, Pfizer, Genentech, Biogen, and Janssen. For more than three decades, Fred has studied the research-based behavioral patterns that separate top performers from the rest and has helped organizations scale those behaviors across entire teams. He has personally trained more than 130,000 professionals in fourteen countries, while the Quantum Learning team has supported the launch of more than seventy new biopharmaceutical brands that have generated billions of dollars in revenue and growth. Known for his ability to simplify complex challenges and transform uncertainty into action, Fred has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to executives, sales leaders, and organizations operating in highly competitive and rapidly changing markets. His work focuses on helping individuals and teams develop the mindset, skills, and adaptability needed to thrive in environments defined by constant disruption and accelerating change. Fred is the author of Thrive: The Antidote to Future Shock, a practical guide for navigating uncertainty, reducing overwhelm, and building momentum in both business and life. Drawing on decades of experience helping organizations compete and win in fast-moving industries, the book provides actionable strategies for transforming anxiety into confidence and change into opportunity. In addition to leading Quantum Learning, Fred has served as a guest lecturer at Cornell University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Wharton-Japan Program. He is also a frequent contributor to industry publications and conferences, where he shares insights on leadership, innovation, performance, and the future of work. Through his consulting, speaking, and writing, Fred continues to help leaders and organizations thrive in a world where change has become the new constant.

June 12, 2026 – eReleases CEO Mickie Kennedy and FranBridge Jon Ostenson

Mickie Kennedy – Founder of eReleases [https://www.ereleases.com/] and Author of Worth Building [https://www.amazon.com/dp/162557181X/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_W3JGB4E65YX10VESRBHQ?linkCode=ml1&tag=bookpreviews&linkId=37ff85038fba9dc7f6a625c172e6300d] & Glandscape [https://buttonpoetry.com/product/glandscapes/] A lot of people feel they’re too small to matter, but that’s an advantage when it comes to the media. Mickie Kennedy is an entrepreneur, author, poet, and founder of eReleases, one of the leading press release distribution companies serving small businesses, startups, authors, and entrepreneurs. For more than two decades, he has helped organizations gain media attention, build credibility, and increase visibility by connecting them with journalists, news outlets, and influential media platforms. Through eReleases, Mickie has assisted thousands of businesses in earning meaningful press coverage and establishing themselves as trusted authorities in their industries. A recognized expert in public relations and media outreach, Mickie is passionate about helping small businesses compete with larger organizations by leveraging strategic publicity rather than expensive advertising. His work focuses on helping entrepreneurs build trust, strengthen their online presence, and create the kind of third-party validation that drives growth and credibility. Through speaking, consulting, and educational content, he shares practical insights on media relations, press releases, branding, and authority building. In addition to his entrepreneurial career, Mickie is an accomplished poet and author. He is the author of the poetry collection Worth Burning and the chapbook Glandscapes. His work has appeared in numerous respected literary publications, including POETRY, Prairie Schooner, The Threepenny Review, The Southern Review, and The Sun. His writing often explores themes of identity, resilience, family, memory, and personal transformation. Mickie earned an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University, where he studied under acclaimed poet Carolyn Forché. Originally from rural North Carolina, he now divides his time between Maryland and Delaware. Whether helping businesses earn media coverage or sharing stories through poetry, Mickie is driven by the belief that authentic stories have the power to connect people, build trust, and create lasting impact. Jon Ostenson – Founder & CEO of FranBridge Consulting [https://franbridgeconsulting.com/] and Author of Non-Food Franchising: The Better Path to Business Ownership [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJNDCGN4/?bestFormat=true&k=non-food%20franchising&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-bk-ww_k0_1_20_de&crid=29FKQM9VMM6YX&sprefix=non-food%20franchising] Non-sexy is the new sexy when it comes to business ownership. Jon Ostenson is an entrepreneur, franchise investor, consultant, speaker, and author specializing in non-food franchising and alternative paths to business ownership. He is the founder and CEO of FranBridge Consulting, a two-time Inc. 5000 company, where he helps entrepreneurs, executives, and investors evaluate franchise opportunities and build wealth through business ownership. Recognized as a top franchise consultant, Jon has guided hundreds of clients through the process of selecting, financing, and launching franchise businesses that align with their financial goals, lifestyle preferences, and long-term objectives. Drawing on experience from both the franchisor and franchisee sides of the industry, Jon brings a unique perspective to franchise investing. Prior to founding FranBridge Consulting, he served as President of ShelfGenie, an Inc. 500 franchise system with more than 200 locations across North America. He is also a multi-brand franchise owner and investor, giving him firsthand insight into the opportunities and challenges entrepreneurs face when building businesses through proven franchise systems. Jon is the author of the bestselling book Non-Food Franchising: The Better Path to Business Ownership, which highlights the growing opportunities available outside of traditional food and restaurant concepts. He is a frequent contributor and thought leader on franchising, business ownership, and entrepreneurship, with insights featured in publications including Forbes, Inc., and Bloomberg. Before entering the franchise industry, Jon held executive leadership roles with major national companies, including serving as Vice President of Sales for Carter’s, Inc., where he oversaw more than $350 million in annual sales. He began his career as a consultant with Accenture, working with clients both domestically and internationally. Jon earned both his BBA in Finance and MBA from the University of Georgia and was recognized by the University of Georgia Alumni Association as a recipient of its prestigious 40 Under 40 award. Today, Jon is passionate about helping professionals create financial freedom, diversify their investments, and pursue business ownership through scalable franchise opportunities. Through his consulting, writing, and speaking, he helps aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the franchise landscape with confidence and clarity.

June 11, 2026 – If He Can, You Can Patrick Engasser and Personal Brand Anne Candido & April Martini

Patrick Engasser [https://patrickengasser.com/] – Author of If I Can Do It, You Can Do It!: Inspiration for Eliminating Excuses, Overcoming Challenges, and Succeeding in Business and Life [https://www.amazon.com/Can-You-Inspiration-Eliminating-Overcoming/dp/B0CRQMG9FX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34JHB0FQO7WM4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NrTV1D6ZCT44pJ4afgBmmg.L2Yj_bjb-CqBCaibPw9hf5hMSMYaWhlYFKHKDfYGuao&dib_tag=se&keywords=Patrick+Engasser&qid=1780413928&s=books&sprefix=patrick+engasser+%2Cstripbooks%2C158&sr=1-1]  Find out what your dream is, find out what your version of vacation is, and do your best to build your business around that lifestyle and build that life the way you want it. Patrick Engasser is a bestselling author, business coach, motivational speaker, and sales leadership expert who has spent his career helping individuals and organizations achieve extraordinary results by overcoming obstacles and maximizing their potential. Blind since birth, Patrick has built a successful career by refusing to let limitations define his future, becoming a powerful example of resilience, determination, and achievement. Patrick began his professional career with a Fortune 500 insurance company, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the organization’s top-performing sales professionals. By his third year, he earned recognition as a Top Account Closer and later advanced into leadership roles, building and managing a seven-figure sales organization. Throughout his career, he has coached and mentored numerous sales professionals, helping them develop successful careers while earning three of the company’s highest honors for Management Excellence. Today, Patrick is the author of If I Can Do It, You Can Do It!: Inspiration for Eliminating Excuses, Overcoming Challenges, and Succeeding in Business and Life. Through his writing, coaching, and speaking, he shares practical lessons on personal responsibility, perseverance, leadership, sales success, and overcoming adversity. His message resonates with entrepreneurs, executives, sales professionals, students, and anyone seeking to break through self-imposed limitations. A highly sought-after speaker, Patrick has delivered hundreds of presentations and training programs across the United States for corporations, universities, leadership organizations, sales teams, and youth groups. His unique combination of business expertise and life experience allows him to inspire audiences while providing actionable strategies for achieving success in both business and life. Through his coaching and consulting work, Patrick continues to help professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and high achievers eliminate excuses, overcome challenges, and reach their goals faster, proving that determination and mindset often matter far more than circumstance. Anne Candido & April Martini – Co-Founders of ForthRight People [https://forthright-people.com/] and Author of The Power of Your Personal Brand: A Playbook for Struggling Middle Managers Who Want to Do Big Things [https://www.amazon.com/Power-Your-Personal-Brand-struggling/dp/B0GTYZT9MH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2VAYH7WM5FJ2N&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.D-__IIdiVKSrIzvxEfdYrw.uZW4hFbCSwXG8qaE9Ols2KJjmXKPdBck-bos-QilVWQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=Anne+Candido+%26+April+Martini&qid=1780407180&s=books&sprefix=anne+candido+%26+april+martini%2Cstripbooks%2C108&sr=1-1-catcorr] If you don’t define your personal brand, somebody else is going to do it for you. Anne Candido & April Martini are the authors of The Power of Your Personal Brand: A Playbook for Struggling Middle Managers Who Want to Do Big Things, and co-founders of ForthRight People, a leadership performance company focused on building high-performing leaders from the inside out. They believe a leader’s Personal Brand is their greatest competitive advantage – and when understood and activated intentionally, it becomes a powerful driver of influence, credibility, and impact in pursuit of a leader’s “Big Thing.” Their perspective is grounded in more than 45 years of combined experience navigating the realities of middle management and coaching hundreds of leaders through career inflection points. Having lived the challenges of the “struggling middle,” Anne and April bring practical frameworks, candid stories, and real-world application to help leaders move from a state of struggle to one of clarity, intentionality and credibility. Together, they challenge the idea that Personal Brand is something you manufacture. Instead, they teach leaders how to uncover what’s already there – and use it to guide decisions, shape presence, and accelerate growth for themselves, their teams, and their organizations.