Laura Sandefer had no plans to start a school, much less turn education on its head. But as she looks back, she has vivid memories of a pre-dawn chat with her father on the morning she left for college. His advice, “Be curious,” has become a consistent thread in her life’s journey. As co-founder of Acton Academy, her school has sparked a global awakening in education. Her book, "Courage to Grow,” documents the journey to pursue the big questions around learning and unleashing human potential.
Jake Carlson was in a career that was mostly satisfying. When his tightly scheduled life made him miss his daughter’s gymnastic tournament, he realized he and his career were not in sync. After 11 years as a tax attorney, he took his three kids out of school for the adventure of a lifetime. They spent a year living in 12 countries. What he had not expected was to observe the need for strong leadership everywhere he went.
Joel Solomon believes that although financial success and power can have great value, it is most important to learn to be successful as human beings. Solomon chairs Renewal Funds, a $98 million mission venture capital firm, delivering above market returns while catalyzing positive social and environmental change. He is also the author of the book, “The Clean Money Revolution: Reinventing Power, Purpose, and Capitalism.”
Emily Pereira played by the rules, giving her highly competitive job 110%. She had proven to others that she could excel in whatever she put her mind to. But when a personal crisis began to crush her, she needed a more radical way to be responsible for herself. A women’s love coach, yoga teacher and international retreat leader, she lives at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica with her beloved and baby girl. Together they are building the Spirit Nature Retreat and Wellness Center.
Arnie Herz knew he was heading to law school, but he took an indirect path that surprised everyone. A brush with his own mortality in college turned his life upside down and sent him on a global search for meaning that changed everything. As a lawyer, mediator and speaker, he often speaks on negotiation, conflict resolution, work-life balance and the attorney-client relationship. Covered in numerous publications, Arnie has received a host of acknowledgements and awards from his colleagues.
Dustin Peterson is the author of "RESET: How to Get Paid and Love What You Do," founder and CEO at Proof Leadership Group, and a career coach. After working an unfulfilling job in public relations, he set out to find his passion and live it, learning along the way the steps to identify purpose and articulate talents. He now dedicates his time to helping others discover their best-fit career.
Julie Young was implementing a half-million-dollar technology program in her school, and loving it. Then, her husband got a promotion and transfer. Starting over in a bare-bones country school, she asked for a computer, a decision she never regretted. Today, she is a leading voice for revolutionizing K-12 online education on the global stage. She is deputy vice-president of education outreach and student services for Arizona State University, and the CEO of ASU Prep Digital High School.
David demonstrated his talent again and again in challenging sales and sales management jobs. But as much as he loved sales, he finally admitted to himself he was not very good at working for others. So, he quit–with no plan whatsoever on what to do next.
As a speaker, coach and best-selling author, he builds on 20 years’ experience as an entrepreneur and sales professional to combine nuanced strategy and real-world tactics. His goal: to help professionals become more effective, efficient, and happy.
Cindy Ashton is CEO of Speaker Stardom Booking Agency, an elite-level presentation strategist, speaker, singer, and national TV host of Cindy Uncorked! She’s an authority on presentation, voice, body language, delivery, and leadership presence. Canadian-born, Cindy lives in the USA, with a green card for a person of “extraordinary ability.” In the top 1% in her field of training, speaking, and performing, she has received awards from former President Obama and Queen Elizabeth II.
Catherine Rains realized, after a particularly overwhelming day at work, she must find a new way to relieve stress. She was convinced she did not have an artistic bone in her body, but she decided to take on collage as a hobby. “Who can't rip up paper and put it back together!” In 2015, Catherine decided to integrate her job with her art and set up an art studio in every hotel where her job took her, and created a ton of art as she traveled. In January 2018, she returned full time to her greatest passion—ART.
Tony Guerra struggled to pay attention in school. His test scores were high, but his grades lagged behind. He felt misunderstood. Understanding those feelings from his youth was a prescription for being happy in his job today as a community college professor of pharmacology and chemistry. He’s also a pharmacist, entrepreneur, host of the Pharmacy Leaders Podcast and father of triplet 6-year-old girls. His book, “Memorizing Pharmacology: A Relaxed Approach,” has sold over 10,000 copies on Audible.com.
Dr. Diane Hamilton is a certified emotional intelligence and Myers Briggs instructor and the author of several books including “It’s Not You, It’s Your Personality.” The former MBA Program Chair at Forbes School of Business, she has taught more than 1,000 business courses. Top companies, including Forbes, have hired her to speak to improve employee relationships, increase engagement, improve productivity, and reduce conflict.
Josh Haynam was creating websites with a friend in college–an easy way to make some money. Clients often had random requests like, could you make a quiz about what kind of salesperson you are? There was nothing he liked better than an interesting problem. That led to him co-founding and self-funding Interact, a quiz software used by 40,000 brands including The American Red Cross, Forbes, and Home Depot. Interact is one of the fastest-growing marketing software firms in the world.
Aimee Teesdale was pursuing her new career in psychology, when she began to feel trapped by the expectations of others. She needed to experience life on her own terms. She needed to break free! By following one of her hobbies fulltime, she began a transformational journey of personal growth. Today, she is a successful transformational life and mindset coach, using her education and experience in psychology and personal development to help people committed to significantly changing parts of their lives.
Caroline Stokes founded The Emotionally Intelligent Recruiter training platform and podcast to help recruiters, leaders who hire, and HR execs adapt their human strategies to the age of artificial intelligence (AI). She’s an executive headhunter, certified executive coach, and EQ.2.0 trainer serving leaders in global technology and entertainment innovation. Her clients have included Microsoft, Disney, Amazon and Google. Widely published, she blogs for The Huffington Post, Thrive Global, LinkedIn and Medium.
Justin Devonshire was full of confidence as he left Wales to begin a new life in Cyprus. He thought, “I'm such an experienced marshal arts trainer, people will just throw their credit cards at me.” But that is not how things turned out at all. He has since consulted some of the top names in coaching on how to attract consistent leads, widen profits and scale a business quickly. Today he helps coaches, consultants and professionals to create businesses that provide freedom and scalability.
Milana Perepyolkina arrived in the U.S. and was absolutely delighted. She decided to become 100 percent Western, leaving behind her Romani culture and spirituality. For years, it worked very well. Then, a sudden accident thrust her onto a different path. Reconnecting with the energetic world she’d glimpsed in her past allowed her to heal and live a happy, fulfilled life. She saw that the simplest techniques could transform the lives of others. She wrote Gypsy Energy Secrets to share her valuable knowledge.
Holly Worton helps women entrepreneurs dissolve their visibility blocks and limiting beliefs about money and success so they can take easy, inspired action and grow their business to new heights. Using a unique process called Heart-Centered Energy Work®, and drawing on her 18+ years of business experience, she is able to quickly cut through the noise and go straight to the heart of feelings of being stuck or overwhelmed, frustration, doubt, and whatever comes up when business is not going as well as you would like.
Patrick Ney is a British film maker and storyteller living in Warsaw, Poland. His provocative and inspiring social media movies drew more than 25 million views in the past year alone. Driven by a passion for his adopted land, Patrick is on a one-man mission to bring the tragic, heroic story of Poland's history to the wider world through viral online videos. In his day job, he's director at the digital marketing agency, James Cook Media, building end-to-end digital sales and marketing systems for global clients.
Dana Pharant was at a low point, announcing a fire sale: “Who wants to buy a million-dollar company for $15,000?” Two buyers came forware but bailed at the last minute. The third offer made her angry. But it opened her eyes, unexpectedly, to the perfect way out. She is now a master healer and life strategist. Formerly she was a dominatrix and past CEO of a 7-figure business. She helps people get out of their own way and live—with no excuses, no apologies—their most powerful, connected and fun-filled lives.
Chris Salem has a passion for empowering people to take their business and life to another level by operating in the solution rather than the problem. “The impact of mindfulness, practiced daily, can be profound in its effects on your life and business. You'll be able to see things more clearly, be more decisive, and be able to follow through with action.” He is an author, including a book he co-authored with Jack Canfield, and is host of a weekly radio show, Sustainable Success.
Shane and his wife thought they had grasped how to sell digital products online, but the first months went by and nothing was selling. Then, it hit them: start with what you know, and match it with what you know people need. And be prepared to work hard. Soon, their sales were replacing their salaries. They went on to quit their full-time teaching jobs, make millions online and build the life of their dreams. Now, they’re helping others control their own destiny through faith and hard work.
Cindy Ashton learned as a little girl that the cards were stacked against her. Casts on her legs, scars and pain drove home the point. But somewhere inside, she knew one day the world would hear her roar. After over 20 years as a singer and entertainer, she’s now the TV host of Cindy Uncorked on e360tv, syndicated worldwide on 186 million screens.
Maddy Niebauer, founder and CEO of vChief, helps overwhelmed leaders spend time where they can have the most impact. Her virtual chief of staff service supports leaders from all sectors who are looking for high-level strategic support on a part-time basis. Maddy became an expert in the chief of staff role in her five years as a chief of staff at Teach for America, and has used this expertise to build a network of talented chiefs of staff who work with vChief clients.
Christine McAlister was living a life of joy, success and service. Awaiting the birth of her first child, she suffered the kind of devastating blow psychiatrists rank among the worst. Gradually, she found and harnessed a fierceness she’d never known. Her company, Life With Passion, helps women start and grow online businesses out of their passions, to do the work they were created to do, replace their incomes and quit or stay out of 9-to-5 for good. She’s also been a professor and career counselor.