Alex James has spent the last 12 years helping B2B service businesses across the globe become experts at conveying their expertise. He believes the go-to strategies of the 2010s, like niching down, solving problems and sharing ideas are no longer enough. Because in a post-AI world (where output is cheap & everyone's a specialist) you can't just share ideas - you need to own one. You need a perspective. His cut-to-the-bone approach has earned him 120,000 TikTok followers (despite posting no more than 3 times per month), and 10,000 LinkedIn followers from just 40 posts total - proving that a sharp perspective lets you say less, but matter more.

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Melissa Havel is a senior communications strategist, executive advisor, and team coach who blends big-idea thinking with a disciplined approach to problem-solving and delivering results. She has driven powerful storytelling and strategic communications campaigns across owned, earned, and paid channels for organizations of all sizes, drawing on her extensive experience as a senior director at Portland General Electric and an executive vice president at WE Communications. Currently, Melissa also imparts her expertise as an adjunct professor in the Strategic Communication Master’s program at the SOJC.

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Mark Jones is an accomplished educator, producer, and author, known for bridging the worlds of culture, technology, and education. As the Dean of the Faculty of Animation, Art, and Design at Sheridan College and former Director at Seneca Film Institute, Mark has dedicated over 25 years to empowering the next generation of creatives. His book, The Starving Artist Myth, challenges long-standing stereotypes about creative careers, advocating for the economic and social value they contribute. With a career spanning producing award-winning animated films, live art installations, and documentaries, Mark possesses firsthand insight into the evolving landscape of creative industries. This unique perspective allows him to discuss the post-pandemic shifts in audience behavior, the impact of technological advancements like AI on the arts, and the misconceptions that families and educators face when supporting youth in creative fields. As both an educator and a parent who has faced these challenges personally, Mark brings authenticity and passion to conversations about guiding young creatives toward fulfilling, sustainable careers. His discussions resonate with a diverse podcast audience—from parents of aspiring artists to professionals in education and creative industries.

https://www.starvingartistmyth.com/

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Héctor Ayuso has spent the last 30 years chasing ideas and making them real. Call him an artist, filmmaker, creative director, storyteller, or just a guy who can't sit still—labels don’t matter, doing does. From Spain to Mexico, Italy to the U.S., he’s built studios, taught, spoken on stages, and created projects that live outside the usual boxes. For nearly 25 years, he founded and shaped one of the world’s most influential creative festivals, OFFF. Now, he’s building Paradiso, a different kind of gathering—one that ditches the polished and embraces the raw, the real, the human. Alongside this, he co-founded NOT On Sale, consulting and guiding creative projects that push boundaries and break formulas. He currently lives in Mexico City with his wife Bea, Suki the perfect kitty, and the only machine he fully trusts: his road bike. What else do you really need?

https://paradisofest.com/

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Marcel Petitpas is the CEO & Co-Founder of Parakeeto, a company dedicated to helping agencies measure and improve their profitability. In his work as a speaker, podcast host, and consultant, specializing in Agency Profitability Optimization, he's helped thousands of agencies, consultancies, and professional services firms worldwide measure the right metrics and improve their profitability.
He’s on a mission to help firms break free of the outdated management silos between finance, operations & new business, and master their profitability through Parakeeto’s Integrated Profit Management System. In addition to his work at Parakeeto, Marcel is also a bestselling author, weightlifting and biohacking enthusiast and a part-time beekeeper.

https://parakeeto.com/
https://softwarebook.com/

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Mandi Ellefson transformed her life from battling $175k in debt to amassing a multi-million dollar net worth before hitting 40. As the visionary behind Hands-Off CEO, Mandi isn’t just another success story; she’s a lifeline for consulting agency owners drowning in the day-to-day. Her magic? Transforming million-dollar agencies into scalable enterprises with minimal CEO dependency. Mandi has propelled hundreds of agencies toward tens of millions in revenue by refining their offers and attracting premium clients willing to pay 50-600% higher fees—all within 90 days.

But Mandi’s expertise doesn’t stop there. As a former business exit advisor for Millionaire Exits, with $20B in exits under their belt, she knows a thing or two about creating and executing an exit strategy. Her clients rave about adding five figures to their net profit monthly, skyrocketing sales, and stepping back from daily operations to focus on growth or prepare for sale.

Beyond her transformative consulting work, Mandi is the author and host of the Hands-Off CEO Podcast, sharing insights and strategies to triple your fees and profitably scale an exceptional consulting agency that grows without you.

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Cecilia Owens is an esteemed finance and operations executive with over 20 years of progressive experience in financial reporting, budgeting / forecasting, strategic planning, cash management, business operations, HR oversight, and business relationship management. Cecilia is currently the Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer at Grandview Entertainment, a renowned management company that represents awe-inspiring writers, directors, producers, and talent.
She also serves as Fractional Chief Financial Officer of Rogue Planet ATV, an award-winning advertising agency that cuts some of the best movie trailers in the business.
Aside from her work within the entertainment industry, Cecilia serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at EmpowHer Institute, an organization focused on helping young women in marginalized communities gain the skills necessary through education, training, and mentorship to become confident, college and career ready.
Cecilia is a Founding Member of Chief Los Angeles, one of few organizations specifically designed for senior women leaders to strengthen their leadership journey, cross-pollinate ideas across industries, and affect change from the top-down. Cecilia is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Black TV & Film Collective, which provides creative and professional support to facilitate career advancing opportunities for artists of Black and African descent within the entertainment industry.
Although she has earned many titles throughout her career, two of the most important roles Cecilia has are wife to her husband of nine years and mother to their two daughters.
She is also a proud native of Southern California having attended Junipero Serra High School where her admiration for academics flourished, Loyola Marymount University where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting, and the University of Southern California (Fight On!) where she earned an MBA.

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Tony Kadillak has spent 20 years in branding and promotion, servicing today's most recognizable entertainment and sports brands. Currently EP at Versus, he’s been responsible for supporting the strategic growth of his agency teams, while focusing on key clients to drive the value of design-led thinking to their bottom lines.

For over ten years, Carson Hood has played a crucial role as the executive producer at BigStar. He shares a passion for sales, marketing, and collaborating on branding and storytelling initiatives with the creative team. A connector at the core, Carson spends much of the time collaborating with his vast network of peers and influencers, honing client strategy, developing partnerships and expanding upon the BigStar portfolio.

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