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Ashley M. Williams is the leading Millennial and Gen Z content marketing strategist, spokesperson, consultant, and global speaker for brands that want to reach younger generations — helping brands to create the right content, craft the right messages, and produce experiences that bring them, Millennials, and Gen Z together. She is excited and determined to use her love of journalism, social media, and live experiences to inform and inspire. Ashley is the founder and CEO of RIZZARR, a tech-enabled content marketplace. Through RIZZARR, brands are able to find and work with Millennial and Gen Z content creators worldwide – particularly nano-influencers and micro-influencers. She is also the founder of Millennials Change, an event series created to inspire Millennials to make a positive impact on the world. In addition to overseeing RIZZARR and its events series, Ashley regularly moderates or speaks at gatherings around the world for numerous entities such as the U.S. Department of State, in which she travels to U.S. Embassies and consulates. She also hosts a video and podcast series called, The Ripple Effect of You. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Ashley was an award-winning journalist. She worked for NBC News, WBAL Radio, and USA TODAY. She graduated with honors from the University of Southern California, earning a B.A. in broadcast and digital journalism as well as minors in international relations and Spanish. Fun fact: Ashley was a collegiate debater; she received a scholarship and placement on the USC Trojan Debate Squad. In her spare time, Ashley is a board member for various mission-driven entities that connect with topics of importance to her. Some of these entities include Techbridge Girls, the National Association for Media Literacy Education, the Global Shapers Community, and First Independence Bank. Connect with Ashley further by visiting her website: www.ashleymwilliams.com.

Hi there! I am a prospective freshman at Stanford University intending to pursue Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Management Science. In addition to pursuing rigorous coursework with a concentration in Computer Science, I strive to infuse my passions into my extra-curricular activities and projects. I am the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bits N’ Bytes Cybersecurity Education, a 501(c)(3) that sustains international partnerships with school districts, corporations including Facebook and IBM, and educational platforms like Discovery Education, all in efforts to increase awareness and fluency in privacy and cybersecurity. Through these efforts, I have gained experience working in Threat Intelligence Research, Cybersecurity and Privacy Program Management, and Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). I’ve also had the privilege of sharing my passion on stages including TEDxChicago, NIST’s NICE K12 Conference, RSAC-US 2019, and RSA-APJ 2019 in Singapore. I strive to be an advocate for both cybersecurity education as well as the critical mobilization of Gen-Z youth. With this, I am also the co-founder and co-director of GirlCon Chicago, Chicago’s premiere high-school tech conference that unites 300+ industry professionals and students annually to discuss bridging the gender gap in tech. Resume is available upon request.

Resilience in action

 

Resilience has become a popular word this year as it represents one thing that people can lean on to get through this clear and present crisis.

 

But it’s a word that might make you feel like you need to take on more than you have already - when you might feel less and less like doing anything at all.

 

It’s funny because by definition it refers to our ability to both “cope with adversity” and “protect ourselves from it”...which is why it’s such a sticky word. From that perspective, we should really think about how we do both of these things.

 

So, despite the challenges we’re facing, I’d guess that we’re all still doing stuff. Still getting up and finding something that needs doing - and doing it. And what I’m talking about is framing up those actions in the form of a roadmap to resilience that builds over time.

 

A plan that puts Cause and Effect in a perspective that has them pumping in unison.

 

Do you know how the heart works? Basically it receives oxygen-poor blood from veins into the right ventricle - and it pumps oxygen-rich blood into arteries from the left ventricle. But what happens in between? The heart also circulates oxygen-poor blood through the lungs to oxygenate it before pushing back into the body…  

 

In a similar way, we act because inbound information informs the energy we need to output - but that outbound information must be enriched by the oxygen of purpose and purity of meaning and intentional outcomes…in order to keep us “alive”

 

That’s how I think about resilience - a way to oxygenate my actions so that they are focused on long term results and some sort of health benefit...for me, my family, my business partners and associates, my clients and any others indirectly affected by the things I do...

 

Purpose, focus and diligence - not intrinsically heroic words. But anybody who has tried to get fit - lose weight - learn a skill - run a marathon - get elected (ha ha) - knows that their success will be achieved incrementally - that every little decision and action over time adds up...

 

And, they draw from their experience and the experiences of others - unavoidably fraught by failures, disappointments, injuries, losses (or gains, in the case of weight loss)... Resilience is a mental callus - not to totally dull sensation, but to endure the pain of repeated effort… To minimize the risk of injury, while improving chances of greater success.

 

This year has required a lot from us all. And, a lot more from some. And, for others it’s even meant paying the ultimate price… From all of this sacrifice we can learn and draw strength.

 

As you and I, Thiago, shared our experiences from this year we landed on this topic for a few reasons...Eileen McDargh’s podcast on your Business Access feed stood out as really insightful. She spoke about the perpetual energy required for Resilience - and how it’s all about moving forward and adapting to change… This resonates with me.

 

Then we talked about your “rake in the car” story...I don't know if you’ve already shared this story on your podcast, but you should... It concluded that failure doesn’t have to be a foregone conclusion…

 

What’s really cool and motivating about all of this is that much of the value of Resilience lies in the storytelling - which proves it’s a universal theme -  it’s relatable and accessible… This is super important. In some ways, Resilience is contagious. Take that, CoronaVirus!

 

In fact, the New York Times has dedicated a series to Resilience…with subsets in Health, Wellness...and even Horse Racing - incredible storytelling - and ingredients for Resilience themselves...  

Feel like you’re going out of your mind? Consider your mindset

Fixed mindsets don’t believe their abilities, intelligence and personalities can morph and change; they see mistakes and setbacks as incompetence -- and they tend to give up...

Growth mindsets understand that intelligence and capabilities are malleable; they see base-hits are part of baseball, not just home runs...they see strike-outs as ways to help the next batter gauge the pitcher… They see success as incremental attempts at moving forward, not binary win/loss moments to be judged with finality…

Is resilience overrated?

Meaning, is it enough?

Is it too much of an additional burden?

Is it fair to ask of us?

And more very human, very relatable anecdotes worth reading…

 

The point is, this word is salient right now - but we have to agree that it must be put into action to mean anything. And, those actions must be part of a Ritual of Resilience for each of us…

 

For me I had to think hard about how to respond to the toll Covid-19 has inflicted on my industry - live events… Pretty much overnight the whole industry vanished in a fog like Brigadoon. It’s been devastating for many people - agencies, vendors, suppliers, and experts of all sorts… It’s been hard on our clients too.

 

And clearly it’s been hard on everybody. No question...

 

But it’s also been a source of great invention, like this podcast. And, for me, it’s been a source of jet fuel for my business - enabling it to ascend to a new level and see the world much differently. We’ve increased our vernacular, expanded our expertise, and brought an arsenal of new skills to market...and while business is still challenging (really challenging), we feel very optimistic - and that enables us to achieve new milestones every day…

 

As I thought about what we’ve done and decisions we’ve made this year that have enabled us to realize true progress… I landed on 5 essential inflection points in our process that made a huge difference. And I thought they might be worth sharing on this podcast…

 

Since we don’t have visuals, think of a 5-pointed star where each point is an angle supported by 2 sides... maybe that helps following along. And we’ll start at the top...

 

RESILIENCE: Begin by seeing resilience as a process of equilibrium. We have to intend to achieve Resilience, not assume that bouncing back from adversity will just result in resilience. From this starting point recognize a balance between Ingenuity and Preparedness

Preparation: There’s a great McKinsey series on Building a Resilient Organization... It’s all about preparation. Preparing for resilience by investing in agility, speed and flexibility - and understanding that adversity can’t be avoided, only anticipated...

Ingenuity: Set goals for ingenuity - meaning newness of approach and fresh perspectives on potential… And recognizing that ingenuity needs space to breathe - it needs a place to grow and become something discernable and valuable… Preparation buys you that time...

Balancing Preparation with Ingenuity is the necessary overarching condition.

RESET: Reset your business plan and its related actions. This means striking a balance between what most people have said or heard in the form of “pivoting” -- and the concept of “unrealized potential”

Pivoting: As annoying as it sounds, came from this notion of doing what you do, but in a different direction. At face value it actually understates what’s really important and misleads around what’s really happening… But the important part is that a pivot literally changes scenery, alters perspective and forces minds to open to new options.

Unrealized potential: The balancing part of this duo is employing necessary introspection to identify untapped skills, dormant or sidelined assets, unrealized expertise, raw abilities and potential applications.

Seeing your Pivot as the key to unlocking otherwise latent potential (i.e., potential revenue opportunity)

EXPERIMENTATION: The action that follows point 2 is Experimentation - the cause that begets effect...this is subjecting latent potential or unrealized potential to real world conditions… The balancing factors for Experimentation are (1) recognizing that a “new normal” is a fiction...a security blanket of belief that never covers your entire body; and (2) that risk and reward share an inextricably codependent relationship…

No New Normal: Don’t get sucked into the notion of “new normal” because you cannot allow yourself to cozy up to regularity - good or bad. This extremely stressful COVID condition has forced us to feel discomfort - and it’s the gnaw of discomfort that we have to draw inspiration from…

Risk & Reward: This condition pushes us into an exploratory mentality that’s more creative and more excitable than our more comfortable self - inviting experimentation into our workflow - and opening ourselves to the joys of new discovery. Risking failure (at all levels) is paramount to reaping the benefits of success… So it’s important to determine what you’re 100% willing to risk (i.e., possibly lose) in order to gain something otherwise unattainable...

Without oversimplifying too much, we can’t truly be good students of our crafts without staying uncomfortable - and inviting risk into our lives…

MENTALITY: Adopt a Mentality that can survive your new Resilience - this is what professional sports coaches teach the greatest amateur talents...making success a practice, not a result. You cannot truly be Resilient if you see it only as an end state and not infuse it into the essence of who you are…

EQ: The two-parter here starts with EQ - which sounds super pretentious. But since there’s a ton of great info out there from reputable medical and psychological sources, I’ll just say that this means digging our heels into the soil of our humanity...the primordial grit we have as evolved animals whose instincts are somewhat atrophic, but not gone. Patience, focus and desire for fulfillment…

Break-e

Kip brings over 25 years of entertainment industry, marketing, and product development experience to S.O.U.L., ranging from from Hearst Ranch and Windy City Novelties, to Carlos Falchi Designs and Will Vinton Studios, and is the co-founder of the United Filmmakers Association. In the world of entertainment, Kip has produced many works including: Loophole, Restorations Unlimited, Breaking Bud, The Road to Fenderville, One Hundred Things, Cold-Pressed, and Love Floats. He also co-created the popular and influential reality series WEED COUNTRY in cooperation with Studio Lambert and The Discovery Channel. Through philanthropy, Evan discovered new ways to support programs he felt would proffer what seemed like good ideas to advance our collective progress toward a society that is more focused on the health of us all and our planet, including science museums, humanitarian organizations, and custodians of natural Earth restoration.

Dr. Joel Selanikio (@jselanikio) is an award-winning physician, TED speaker, futurist, and emergency responder working in the fields of technology, healthcare, entrepreneurship, innovation, artificial intelligence, big data, child health, global health, and disaster response. He is the winner of the Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award for Healthcare, and the $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainable Innovation, and a founding member of the World Health Organization Digital Health Roster of Experts. A frequent keynote speaker, Dr. Selanikio speaks and consults on the intersection of technology, health, and healthcare, identifying ways in which advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence will alter healthcare, global health, the pharmaceutical industry, and our personal health. He has consulted and/or spoken at Davos, Foo Camp, Nasdaq, WHO, UNICEF, IFRC, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Google, DARPA, CNN, Fox News, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Royal Society of Medicine, and for many leading organizations in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry – and has been profiled by the Guardian, Wired, Forbes, TED, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, the BBC, NPR, Information Week, and the Washington Post, among many other publications. An emergency responder and former CDC epidemiologist and outbreak investigator, in December 2014 - January 2015, he was the lead physician at the IMC Ebola Treatment Center at Lunsar, Sierra Leone. As an officer of the Public Health Service, Dr. Selanikio served as Chief of Operations for the HHS Secretary's Emergency Command Center after the 9/11 attacks. In 2005, he was given the Haverford Award for Humanitarian Service for his work in treating tsunami victims in Aceh. He currently practices pediatrics at Georgetown University Hospital. Find out more: LinkedIn: Joel Selanikio magpi.com

As an award-winning, accomplished C-level executive & board member, I partner with organizations to create go-to-market (GTM) strategies that scale operations, brand awareness and customer success programs to increase retention and ongoing revenue growth. I have deep cloud technology & transformation experience, business & financial acumen, & an expert in uncovering business revenue opportunities, cash flow & operational efficiencies. As an educator, keynote speaker, and published author, I strive to inspire a culture of mindfulness when utilizing technology and an environment of innovation & collaboration. ♦ SCALING GROWTH: Scaled GTM programs with increasing customer acquisition, while maintaining headcount. ♦ CUSTOMER SUCCESS LEADER: Experienced Chief Customer Relationship and Success Officer, led teams in to expand post customer relationship, nurture retention and ongoing revenue growth. ♦ BUSINESS LEADER: Led teams nationally & internationally, leadership roles in Fortune 500, start-up, & small company rapid growth. ♦ SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR: Owner/operator of accounting practices & other business ventures, now owner of The B3 Method Institute and DRISHTIQ yoga. ♦ SPEAKER, AUTHOR, THOUGHT LEADER: Sought after keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, panelist & published author of 2 books & contribute to numerous articles in industry publications/online journals, including: Entrepreneur.com and Inc.com. ♦ BOARD MEMBER & ADVISOR: Board Member for Project Yoga, an Advisory Board Member for Pantheon & Logikcull, Technology Innovations Taskforce leader for the AICPA IMTA Executive Committee, past Board Member for Data Coalition. ♦ AWARDS: Recognized as Top 100 Most Influential Person in Accounting Today’s Listing, Most Powerful Women in Accounting by CPA Practice Advisor. Follow @ www.amyvetter.com. Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @amyvettercpa

I am a Talent Manager who manages clients in various industries. I am also a Controller & HR Coordinator for a digital marketing company that specializes in the automotive industry.
Additionally, I am also a seasoned accountant with over 35 years of experience in full-range accounting responsibilities. I am advanced in everything from simple bookkeeping to full-scale accounting including journal entries, budgets, forecasts, and all financial reports. I am a paid tax preparer with both the IRS and the California FTB.
I am a Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and am fully capable of getting your company set up with using a QuickBooks software solution. I can set up and operate your company's books either remotely via QuickBooks, or I can be contracted for on-site visits on a weekly basis. 

 

Find out more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sapphyremedia/

                                   https://www.sapphyremedia.com/

Christopher Erb founded Tripleclix in 2014 as a consumer-facing promotional marketing agency focused on the video gaming industry. Tripleclix oversees promotions and lifestyle programs with gaming clients such as Xbox, Warner Brothers, and Wizards of the Coast and brands like Kellogg’s, Mondelez, and Taco Bell. Prior to launching Tripleclix, Christopher was the EVP of Brand Marketing for LEGENDARY ENTERTAINMENT and was responsible for rebuilding the overall brand architecture and developing strategic programs that elevated LEGENDARY’s brand awareness. He oversaw a cross-functional team that built and executed branding strategies effective across all lines of the business, provided a backdrop for future strategic initiatives, and delivered a seamless message directly to consumers. Christopher worked closely with the CEO and President to understand and communicate critical elements of the film slate to enhance the brand. He also provided strategic insight and guidance to the Executive Team regarding new business opportunities, partnerships, and alliances for the long-term success of the LEGENDARY brand. As VP of Brand Marketing for EA SPORTS, Christopher was responsible for driving strategy and marketing for the EA SPORTS brand. Christopher oversaw a cross-functional team that focused on consumer marketing, licensing, brand identity, consumer engagement, and brand partnerships. In addition, his team is responsible for partnership activation across franchises within the EA SPORTS label including Madden NFL, FIFA, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, NHL, NBA, NCAA, and Fight Night. His leadership within the entertainment industry revolutionized the way EA SPORTS marketed to their consumers. His team pioneered applying the theatrical model of partnership and collaboration to video games and has been one of the driving forces behind bringing the EA SPORTS brand out of the living room and into the mainstream. He has helped develop EA SPORTS into a lifestyle brand that delivered new and engaging social and digital content to its consumers year round. Christopher joined EA SPORTS in 2005 bringing with him more than 10 years of marketing and general management experience within the entertainment industry, including a successful career at Wizards of the Coast running the Pokémon and Dungeons and Dragons portfolios. Find out more at tripleclix.com

Tom, 2020 OnCon Icon Top 50 Global Marketer Award Winner, 2020 & 2019 Professional of the Year for Marketing & Emerging Technology, 2019 Tech Titan Technology Advocate award winner, 2019 OnCon Icon Marketing Trailblazer & Contributor award winner and recently named by Advertising Age as a Marketing Technology Trailblazer, is a data-driven, digitally-centric marketing/technology executive and professional futurist speaker. Tom specializes in the integration of emerging technology, digital transformation, thought leadership, innovation, and leading strategic teams. Tom has developed a significant base of experience across multiple industries, which has led to strategic interactive and innovation-led consulting engagements with hundreds of Fortune 1000 organizations. Tom also speaks regularly as a professional futurist, including TEDx, Ad Age Data, Mobile World Congress, and many more. Full speaker bio: https://blackfin360.com/tom-edwards-speaker-bio/ Tom leverages experience from previous initiatives to create buzz, drive awareness, develop new business, contribute to the direction of great products & create captivating marketing programs that span early adoption through to mass mindshare. Tom has a proven track record advising start-up & early-stage organizations by providing strategic guidance, direction, insight, and access to investor networks. Tom has experience as both a formal advisor or board member. Find Out More: blackfin360.com

Elnaz is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in technology, business, sales, and marketing. Currently, Elnaz is the CEO and Founder of ROYBI; an investor-backed EdTech company focusing on early childhood education, AI, and robotics, that recently raised $4.2 million in its seed round. Elnaz is also a Board Member at the Consumer Technology Association, Small Business Council. ROYBI is the creator of Roybi Robot, an interactive language learning and STEM skills robot for children ages 3+. With over 500 lessons, including primary STEM, stories, games, and songs, Roybi Robot creates a fun, interactive, and personalized learning experience for children. ROYBI earned many prestigious awards and recognition, including TIME Magazine Best Invention, CNBC World’s Most Promising Startups, Fast Company's World Changing Ideas (2019), the EdTech Award in Robotics (2019), the Katerva Awards in Behavioral Change (2019), and the Silicon Valley Top 30 Innovation Award (2018). ROYBI has also been featured on Forbes, NYT, Washington Post, CNET, Fox News, CNN, EdSurge, NASDAQ, VentureBeat, ABC News, and CNBC. Before starting ROYBI, Elnaz co-founded and led a consumer electronics/IoT company, iBaby, serving as the company's President. As an immigrant and female founder, Elnaz has made worthy accomplishments in a short duration living in the US. Honors include being selected as Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Milestone Maker 2018, named the Woman of Influence through Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2016 and Entrepreneur of The Year in 2016 in Silicon Valley. She has been a speaker at several conferences such as the Mobile World Congress, ASU GSV Summit, Consumer Technology Association, and more. Find out more at: roybirobot.com