Ed Lee is a go-to-market expert, and CEO of HelloAdvisr, a growth consultancy helping leadership teams accelerate growth with high-impact strategies. Ed works with businesses across growth stages and draws on experience from industries including eCommerce/retail, software, digital health and wellness and consumer goods.

Doug Korte is an internationally recognized global technology business executive, investor, and transformational leader, experienced in turning-around and growing high-tech companies sized from start-up to Fortune 50.  In addition to serving as an executive for IBM, HP and Harris Corporation, responsible for multi-million-dollar business operations, he has helped over a thousand C-level and other top executives at companies of all sizes around the world break through to new levels of success. Today, Doug serves as an Executive Partner, Leadership Advisor, and Interim Executive, providing actionable, outcome-based advice and execution to accelerate the achievement of client goals.

Noel Heredia has more than 25 years of global experience and an outcome-driven, entrepreneurial mindset that underpins his successes in establishing, supervising and motivating multinational teams of specialists. His visionary thought leadership is based on a solid, routinely updated, engineering background. He is a practicing software engineering process architect and enterprise management executive with a servant leader mindset and business acumen, accomplished at inspiring and driving successful tactical teams on a mission, as well as managing complex international operations. He designs and implements digital-centric operating models for enterprises and governments looking to compete and grow in the evolving digital economy.

Shalene Hayman, B.S., has worked in the accounting industry for more than 20 years. She has experience with local public accounting firms and as a partner and principal in her own firms specializing on managerial finance/accounting functions. She is the CFO/Controller for many large nonprofit organizations and small businesses in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Erin Fredregill, B.A., is the Founder/CEO of a full-service social media agency providing strategy, content marketing, and implementation services to small and medium-sized brands in a variety of industries. Her experience spans over 6 years of in-house and agency experience managing integrated marketing campaigns for accounts in numerous industries as diverse as software, retail, entertainment and construction.

Melissa Forziat is a Hermosa Beach-based marketer, speaker, consultant, and author. She helps small businesses market on a budget with specialties including marketing strategy, email marketing, social media marketing, sponsorship marketing, and partnership marketing. Before starting Melissa Forziat Events and Marketing, Melissa’s career involved roles with the Olympic Winter Games, Rugby World Cup, and the US Olympic Committee. Now she adapts this knowledge for microbusinesses and those operating with more limited resources. Melissa is the author of the free eBook Small Business Marketing on a Budget and is the former Board President of Ventures nonprofit in Seattle.

Gonzalo Fernandez has a business degree from La Salle Business College in Havana, Cuba. He is the founder of a small business financing advisory firm. His areas of expertise are analyzing and securing business loans, and strategic planning. An experienced banker, he had held senior management positions at national, regional and community banks, including First California and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. He has also developed and grown SBA lending programs throughout California.

Anthony Curtis Elliott, B.A., CPA, is a forensic accountant and intellectual property “royalty audit” specialist who performs royalty and contract compliance and related consulting services to a broad base of companies. With more than 30 years’ experience in accounting and finance, he has held positions as accounting director and controller for both medium and large companies. In 1993, he developed a broad-based accounting and consulting practice. His corporate clients are based in the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Deborah Deras has a Master’s degree in Education and Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Deborah is a business owner since 2002, providing Fortune 100 companies with peak performance corporate training, and is also an international speaker and author. She has served as a marketing consultant to various Small Business Development Centers with expertise in digital marketing with a specialty in content creation, social media strategy, YouTube, SEO, Facebook, livestreaming, podcasting, Instagram sales, and how to speak with confidence on camera. She speaks English and Spanish and has been a sought after professional speaker for over 20 years.

Dean Dela Cruz, B.S., is a principal consultant with a consulting firm supporting business leaders in the deployment and training of Lean Six Sigma in manufacturing and healthcare. In addition, his team of highly skilled consultants provides specialized engineering-based studies key to generating cash flow: R&D/manufacturing, software development tax credits, cost segregation and energy management.