Conversations with Celeri Network

On Episode 27, we welcome Castleigh Johnson. He is a graduate from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in Management and International Business, and has also graduated from NYU Stern’s School of Business with his MBA in Finance and Accounting. He has then proceeded to expand his career and gain numerous professional experiences by working at large investment banking companies such as J.P. Morgan & Goldman Sachs. Currently, he is the founder of My Home Pathway and CEO of, a Fintech mortgage focused consumer app, as well as Startup Consultant at Triton Advisory Group where he helps startups build out and implement strategic initiatives.

On episode 25, we welcome Leo Lu, Vice President on the Digital Partnerships team at BNY Mellon. Leo graduated from NYU Stern School of Business with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. He has a background in fintech partnerships, venture investments, and has experience in seed stage capital raising, community management, and social enterprise. He also has a blog, called After Hours Project, where he shares stories and interviews regarding how to use your free time in a structured manner.

On Episode 24, we welcome Monica Watkins, the Founder and Executive Director of Beauty for Freedom, a non-profit anti-trafficking organization based in New York City. Monica is an internationally respected and distinguished figure in the worlds of fashion, philanthropy, and women’s empowerment, as she is well known for being a successful model and has worked with Vogue Magazine, Elle Magazine, The Limited, Express, Anne Taylor, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Victoria’s Secret and more. She has incorporated her fashion background into her human rights work as Beauty For Freedom and has served over 2,000 + survivors globally through organized fashion related and creative work events.

On episode 23, we are introducing Patrick Janelle. Patrick Janelle started his career as a graphic designer at Bon Appetit, and has then branched off to start his own business ventures. He has also become one of the most influential lifestyle influencers on Instagram, going by the Instagram handle, A Guy Named Patrick, which showcases his chic New York City lifestyle, and an eye for design revolving around fashion and delicious food. He also has his own Youtube Channel which showcases a variety of lifestyle videos with skincare tips to how to cook something delicious! He was also awarded Instagrammer of the Year in 2014, and since then he has been featured in New York Times, The Architectural Digest, Adweek and more. He has also collaborated with his brother in creating a mobile app called The Liquor Cabinet, which  features cocktail recipes and interesting insights behind the world of spirits and cocktails. Currently, he is now the founder of Untitled Secret, a digital talent management & creative service agency, which is located in New York City.

On episode 22, we welcome June Chin. June graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Economics and a Concentration in Psychology, and has had numerous experiences in the financial world, from investment banking to emerging markets investments to various in-house finance, insights and strategy roles at high growth start-ups.  She is currently the CFO of Context Travel, an innovative consumer tech company on a mission to redefine travel. Context connects intellectually curious travelers with a network of guides with deep subject matter expertise, and brings to life their stories through personal, perspective-changing tours. Context operates in 70 cities across 6 continents and is a certified B Corp. The company has been featured in National Geographic, The New York Times, Forbes and more.

Tune in to hear more about it! 

On episode 21, we are introducing Nick Wu. Nick is a Research & Design Leader at CW Corp,  a California-based technology company developing advanced volumetric display technologies.He has a PhD in electrical engineering with experiences on consumer hardware development from University of Southern California. He is also the Co-Founder and CEO of N3XTCON, a non-profit company that helps connect young aspiring entrepreneurs. Being an experienced startup investor in the industry, he has successfully invested in 30+ startups. He is also currently an Advisor at Giftpack AI, an AI gifting platform which allows an employer to send personalized gifts to their employees in an easy and clever manner.

He also discusses with us, his favorite book that really inspired him to do what he does, and the mentality that one should have in order to pursue entrepreneurship. Tune in to hear more!

In Episode 20, we are introducing Ruben A. Austin, born in Germany and raised in the U.K., he now resides in New York City. He graduated from Pace University in 2012, with a Bachelor of Business Administration and International Business Management & Finance. He has also received several awards while attending Pace University.

He is also a philanthropist and is an active ambassador for Beauty for Freedom, which is an anti-trafficking non-profit organization that focuses on creative therapeutic outlets to raise awareness across NYC. He has worked at various other companies such as GLOSSYBOX, Independent Consultant, Mobility Science and has showcased his leadership and business management skills throughout his career. He is now the director of business development at Burkland, where he focuses on providing expertise on increasing company revenue & growth, financial reporting, and decision support as well as management for other startup companies.

In Episode 18, we are introducing Benjamin B. Friedman today. He graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, then later graduated with a masters degree in Business Management from Columbia University. He has had close to 20 years of experience in regards to working with startup companies, and has had numerous successes during his professional journey. His experience includes working as a VP of Finance and Operations at companies such as Tenthwave Digital, TRAFFIQ and Parsely Inc., which has ultimately led him to become the COO and CFO at Story2. Currently, he is the founder and CFO at Build Scale Grow Inc., which is a management consulting firm that specializes in improving the company’s operational system, the management and the software itself.

On episode 18 we welcome Ronit Bacalu. Ronit began her career as an audit manager at Powerwaterhouse Coopers in Israel where she led engagements of public and privately held companies across a range and was relocated to the US in 2003. She spent over 20 years in the finance industry with transverse experience in technology, real estate, and financial services, where she highlighted her specialties in High-Tech Real Estate, Cannabis Agriculture, Private Equity, and the Start-Up environment throughout her career. Among her recent and current clients as Chief Financial Officer are Celsius Network, a leading Blockchain based P2P lending Platform, Kalyx, a fully integrated real estate development company, leading multi-state provider of commercial and industrial space to the highly regulated cannabis industry and Runway Venture Partners, an early stage venture capital firm.

Daniel holds a bachelor of arts, economics and a master’s degree in accounting. He is often found calling himself a recovering accountant. He started his career early in 2005 working as an intern for a variety of companies fulfilling financial roles. After starting his career at Ernst & Young and AOL Daniel took a leap of faith and started Growth Computer. He has worked as a virtual CFO for numerous startups and is currently the founder for the Start-up Economics 101 and Grow computers inc. Daniel is dedicated to building the first digital operating system for indoor agriculture.