Jeff McManus grows things. As the Director of Landscape Services at the University of Mississippi, he grows plants, people and ideas. Faced with a multimillion dollar landscape beautification project, a demand for excellence, high productivity and a stagnant budget, Jeff knew that growing the people was critical to growing the plants. Understanding that all humans either have or strive for the innate elements of greatness, resiliency, opportunity and wisdom, Jeff developed his GROW Theory into an impactful management and professional development leadership program.
Danny Iny compares the crash of his dream start-up to the painful breakup of a relationship. “As an entrepreneur, your identity is deeply invested in your work.” In hindsight, he can say, “Sometimes the rebound turns out to be the one.” He sees the irony of being a high school dropout who is passionate about providing business education. He has a soft spot for helping entrepreneurs succeed. Together, his acclaimed Audience Business Masterclass and Course Builder’s Laboratory training programs have graduated more than 5,000 value-driven online entrepreneurs.
Meghan Toups found her life as a professional counselor mostly gratifying and rewarding, but she could also sense burnout approaching. By caring for herself first, she opened doors to a whole new life of service and joy. Self-healing led the way. “People feel better, faster when they begin to heal utilizing a whole person approach.” This led her to focus on teaching others how to balance mood, stress, anxiety, energy and overall health with food, mindfulness and other positive self-care practices. Today she has a holistic health and wellness business in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and brother.
Steve Olsher, a 25-year entrepreneur, is the chairman and founder of liquor.com. He's also a New York Times bestselling author of “What is Your What? Discover the One Amazing Thing You Were Born to Do.” Steve is the author of the business technology book of the year, “Internet Profits: The World's Leading Experts Reveal How to Profit Online,” host of the number one rated radio show, Podcast Reinvention Radio, and he is an international keynote speaker who has appeared on CNN, The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur on Fire, and other media outlets.
Vanessa Gaboleiro was sitting on her couch in Lisbon, Portugal, when she looked closely at her life. “It seemed amazing, from the outside. I had everything I needed, but I had nothing.” Later, she would see that moment as the second major turning point in her life. Today she is a transformation mentor who works with positive and empowered women in their 20s and 30s in recreating their lives after divorce. After her own divorce almost six years ago, and with her own transformation and learnings, she now helps women thrive in their own post-divorce lives.
Steve Ozanich learned for himself that chronic and acute pain can take over a sufferer’s life and leave him demoralized. He hit rock bottom with back pain and multiple symptoms that kept returning. Bedridden, he read a book that helped him banished his pain and profoundly changed the direction of his entire career. Over the past 16 years, drawing on his own experiences, the work of John E. Sarno, MD, and 10 years of research, he has helped teach thousands of people how to heal themselves through his lectures, books, articles and interviews.
Damion Lupo is dedicated to disrupting Wall Street by getting people off the stock market roller coaster and in control of their own financial future. An entrepreneur at heart, Damion started his first business at age 11, and has started 30 more since. He is the founder of his own martial art, Yokido ™, and holder of three other black belts. He has also written five books with two more being released in 2017.
Tracey Minutolo, like many young people, brought her college loans and credit card debt with her as she headed for new work on the west coast. When her employer reduced everyone’s salary by 20%, she took charge and entered a debt management program. Three years later, finally coming out of debt, she vowed not to slide backwards. Today she is a financial freedom fighter and side hustle coach. She helps motivated nine-to-fivers to choose, launch, and grow side businesses that they love. When she's not coaching, she's probably playing with microorganisms at her day job.
Paul Lamar Hunter had a good job at Chrysler. Then he heard the plant was closing. At age 40, he wondered where he would go next. His union rep gave him some great news that totally changed the outlook for him and his entire extended family. Paul beat the odds against poor kids being less likely to obtain a college education. As the 19th child out of 21 natural children, he became the first in his family to graduate from college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Upper Iowa University in 2012.
Anna Cragin is the Productivity Advisor at Freeficiency. She teaches online entrepreneurs how to improve their mindset, reduce anxiety, and design their ideal life through effective time management. Anna has a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience, and applies brain and behavior research to design ways to work with and around our brains to reach our goals in business and in life.
Edna Keep never thought just talking to people was a natural talent. “I thought, since it was so easy for me, everybody must be good at it.” Learning how her natural talents distinguish her has been the key to success after success. As a real estate entrepreneur, investment advisor, coach and trainer, she helps people create passive income. With $47MM in real estate assets—built in eight years primarily with “other people’s money”—she finally feels like she is exactly where she is meant to be: coaching and training people in all the skills she has acquired throughout her life.
Blake Brandes loved his dissertation topic—hip-hop and global youth cultures—but was stuck in writing this crucial paper toward earning his Ph.D. His advisor suggested he create a rap album as a last chapter, so he did. A review committee member wrote on his paper that he had never before had the pleasure of reviewing a dissertation that you could dance to. Dr. Brandes is co-founder of the personal development company, Motivational Millennial, and co-host of the Motivational Millennial Podcast. He also runs a hip-hop motivational speaking business in assemblies and workshops to help students “Remix Your Reality.”