Critical Mass Business Talk Show

Kayla Bartel is the co-founder and CEO of Humanity HR Consulting. As a California Certified HR Professional (PHR-CA) with 20 years of corporate experience and consulting for PEO clients; striking out on her own was a dream realized for Kayla. With experience in varying industries including hospitality, food & beverage, environmental, tech, aerospace, non-profits and beyond, she learned the most important thing in business are the relationships that develop and thrive. Building long-lasting relationships with her clients is what she loves the most about her role at Humanity HR. In her spare time, Kayla enjoys exploring sunny Southern California with her family. She loves to build and lead teams and her purpose in life is to guide organizations in building positive work environments. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF-Orange County. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Jim Madrid is an author, a world-renowned presenter, educator. He embarked on his professional journey at Nordstrom, starting as a shoe stocker at a tender age of 15. Over time, he has evolved into a widely respected thought leader, driven by the empowering belief that "Anything Is Possible." His profound curiosity about the nexus between the mind and performance led him to pen the acclaimed Amazon bestseller, "Get Over It and Get On With It,” which has earned a stellar five-star rating. His newest book, “It’s All About Mindset” is due out this winter. Jim's indomitable mindset proved instrumental in triumphing over formidable adversaries, including stage 4 pancreatic and lung cancer, conquered within a mere year and a half. Beyond his literary accomplishments, Madrid serves as a corporate coach for Fortune 500 companies, imparting invaluable insights to executives and teams alike. He played a pivotal role in crafting the online curriculum "Win Forever" for Pete Carroll, the esteemed former coach of the Seattle Seahawks, showcasing his expertise in fostering excellence. Moreover, Madrid's impact extends to the realm of professional sports, where he collaborates with athletes in the NFL, MLS, and NBA, guiding them towards peak performance. Currently, Jim Madrid holds a prestigious position on TCU’s Chancellor's Advisory Council, contributing his visionary perspectives to the university's strategic initiatives. Jim is the CEO/Founder of Advance Sports Technology, a world-class mental fitness group and Co-Founder of Madrid Partners, enhancing corporate cultures by his process of personal, professional and organizational development. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF-Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Henry Park is the Founder & CEO of 3GC Group, an IT-managed service provider, Co-Founder & Executive Partner of Pandoblox, an advanced technology development company, and Chief Effectuator of Guerrilla Community Movement, a non-profit organization. Henry infuses a business approach to technology management and agile business consulting that helps transform companies into the data age. Focusing on the unique needs and wants of the business as a holistic living entity, his vision is to change the way technology is both sold and delivered to clients. Having experience in deal-making, executive management, architecting, and finance modeling, his approach has been utilized by both enterprises and SMBs around technologies in blockchain, AI, cloud, and cybersecurity. Henry has a BS in Economics and a minor in Psychology from UC Irvine and an Executive MBA from Tuck University. Rooted in the Kundalini yogic framework of existence, he looks at personal, family, business, spiritual, and philanthropic efforts as one integrated way of living. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF-Orange County. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Meghann Butcher is the CEO and founder of RepSpark Systems, the leading B2B eCommerce platform. RepSpark offers cloud-based software applications for sales and eCommerce, specifically designed for the apparel, footwear, and accessories industries. The platform focuses on wholesale businesses, enabling brands to sell intelligently and efficiently. Butcher cofounded RepSpark Systems 15 years ago with a vision to revolutionize the wholesale process. Her entrepreneurial journey began in Southern California, influenced by her father's work in the apparel industry. Early in her career, Butcher gained valuable experience in sales analytics within multi-brand apparel and footwear and as a litigation consultant. In 2007, Butcher took the foundational idea from her father's business and developed RepSpark, addressing critical inefficiencies in the wholesale brand-retailer relationship. Under her leadership, RepSpark has experienced strategic and sustainable growth, becoming renowned for its exceptional customer satisfaction and innovative solutions. Those include a digital catalog, comprehensive reporting, and the upcoming RepSpark payments feature that is poised to uncomplicate the payment experience for brands so they get paid faster. Butcher has built a strong team and fostered a company culture that values work-life balance, collaboration, and continuous improvement, which has led to RepSpark landing on the Inc. 5000 list for two years in a row. Butcher is a magna cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University, and holds two undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Communications, with a minor in English. She was recognized as a Top 50 Women Leader of LA in 2023. Outside of her professional achievements, Butcher is a dedicated mother of three and enjoys activities like hot yoga, which help her maintain a balanced and fulfilling life. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF-Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Lucy Santana has dedicated nearly 25 years as CEO of Girls Inc. of Orange County (GIOC), where she has inspired thousands of girls to be “strong, smart, and bold.” Under her leadership, GIOC has grown to become one of the largest of the 78 Girls Inc. affiliates nationwide, positively impacting the lives of over 7,900 girls annually through transformative programs. These programs address vital topics such as body image, literacy, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, helping girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds prepare for college and careers. In 2021, Lucy played a pivotal role in securing $10 million from Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures’ Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, which led to the creation of Project Accelerate. This initiative aims to increase the power and influence of women in the workplace by 2030, focusing particularly on women of color. Additionally, Lucy has successfully launched other impactful programs like Girls Meet the Workforce and College Bound/Grad Lab, significantly expanding GIOC’s reach and effectiveness. Beyond her work with GIOC, Lucy actively engages in various advocacy and community groups, such as Women in Leadership in Orange County and the Latino Leadership Council of Planned Parenthood. She also serves on advisory councils for the Santa Ana Unified School District and California State University, Fullerton. Her commitment to youth development and cultural enrichment is demonstrated through her long-term volunteer work with the nonprofit arts organization Relampago del Cielo. Lucy’s passion and leadership ensure that girls in Orange County have the opportunities and support they need to thrive. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF-Orange County. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Byron Rodgers is a service-centered Executive Protection Agent, Video Blogger, Published Author, and Veteran on a steadfast mission to improve the quality of the world by making good people more dangerous. Over the span of a decade, he has gained extensive private security experience, conducting private security operations for each available VIP demographic industry-wide in over 60 countries. During his time in the military, he served in the United States Marine Corps infantry with two deployments to Iraq as a Squad Leader for four years. Right afterward, he became an Executive Protection Agent (bodyguard). He was fortunate enough to experience a seamless transition from the military back into the civilian life he was once well-acquainted with. Ultimately, this transition inspired him to author the book, “Finding Meaning After the Military”, and he’s currently working on a few more titles within the personal growth and executive protection categories. Today, he proudly serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Bravo Research Group inc., a boutique private security company out of Southern California. He is the founder of Protector Nation, a training company for first responders, private security professionals, and civilians. Through his life events, Protector Symposiums have trained many protectors from all walks of life both domestically and internationally. He owns and operates his own executive protection school and training organization called The League of Executive Protection Specialists, where he helps private security professionals take their careers to the next level. He is also the one-stop-shop security consultant for many high-net-worth individuals, their families, and various corporate initiatives. After completing his AA in business management, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in the Science of Psychology from the University of Phoenix and finally, he acquired his master’s degree in the art of Psychology with a minor in Forensic Psychology from North Central University. He has also received Strategic Interventionist training at the Tony Robbins Training Center. He lives by the values of wisdom, discipline, purpose, freedom, and excellence and his prayer is that his interaction with you and the rest of the world is in total alignment with those principles as often as possible. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Duran Morley is a distinguished leader among motorcycle enthusiasts and a seasoned entrepreneur, holding the esteemed positions of Founder and CEO at The Van Mart, a prestigious e-commerce store specializing in Van Accessories, as well as Vanspeed, a leading manufacturer of Secondary vehicle body alterations tailored for cargo van conversions in recreational and mobile business applications. His entrepreneurial journey began at a tender age, where he astoundingly initiated three businesses before turning 18, showcasing his remarkable acumen. Fueled by an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit and a deep passion for the great outdoors, Duran Morley embarked on his fourth business venture, envisioning the potential and transformative lifestyle vans can offer to adventure-seeking customers. This led to the creation of Van Mart, an online store offering a wide range of van accessories, and Vanspeed, a specialized custom-built van shop. Through Van Mart and Vanspeed, Duran Morley not only inspires others to embrace the spirit of adventure but also assists businesses in promoting their brands to a wide audience. Duran Morley's journey in the motorcycle industry began at a young age, immersing himself wholeheartedly in mastering the intricacies of building and designing motorcycles. His dedication was evident as he acquired his motorcycle license even before his vehicle license, a testament to his unmatched commitment to his craft. In 2017, under the guidance of his mentor Roland, Duran Morley achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the youngest builder ever invited by renowned motorcycle photographer Michael Lightner to participate in the Motorcycle as Art - Old Iron - Young Guns exhibition at the prestigious Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. This achievement garnered significant media exposure, including a notable 4-page feature in esteemed publications such as American Iron Magazine, Hot Bike Magazine, Roadkill Magazine, and Hot Rod Magazine. Duran Morley's unwavering commitment to hard work has been pivotal in shaping him into the accomplished entrepreneur he is today. Guided by the philosophy that "Life is an adventure or nothing at all," he remains resolute in his mission to help customers bring their visions and dreams to life as they embark on their own transformative "Adventure Life" journey. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF-Orange County. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Raghu Bala is Founder of UnifyGPT.ai , an AI startup, based in Orange County, California. UnifyGPT produces AI and Autonomous Agents for Enterprises. He is an experienced technology entrepreneur and is an alumnus of Yahoo, Infospace, Automotive.com, PwC, and has had 4 successful startup exits. He is a Board Advisor to OpenFabric.ai – a Layer 1 Protocol for Artificial Intelligence. Mr. Bala possesses an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), an MS in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a BA/BS in Math and Computer Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is the Head Managing Instructor for MIT courses in AI, Decentralized Finance, and Blockchain on the 2U platform. He is also an Adjunct Professor at VIT (India), and an ex-Adjunct Lecturer at Columbia University, and a Deeptech Mentor at IIT Madras(India). He is a published author of books on technical topics and is a frequent contributor online for the last two decades. His latest books include - co-author of “Handbook on Blockchain” for Springer-Verlag publications (2022), and a Contributing Editor of “Step into the Metaverse” from John Wiley Press. Mr Bala has spoken at several major conferences worldwide including IEEE Smartcomp – Blockchain Panel (Helsinki), Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong, Global Foreign Direct Investment Conference in Sydney (Australia) and Huzhou (China), Blockchain Malaysia, IoT India Congress, Google IO, and several more. He is also served as a Board member of AIM - The global industry association that connects, standardizes and advances automatic identification technologies. His current areas of focus include Product Development, Engineering and Strategy in the startups related to Autonomous Bots, Generative AI, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, and the Metaverse. His industrial domain knowledge spans Automotive, Retail, Supply Chain & Logistics, Healthcare, Insurance, Mobile & Wireless, and more. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF-Orange County. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow

Debora Wondercheck, M.S., ED is a dedicated corporate leader, with a profound commitment to social impact and equality with close to 30 years of experience in education program implementation, and arts advocacy. Debora Wondercheck serves as the founder and CEO of the Arts & Learning Conservatory, she is also a professor of string pedagogy, a cellist, and an orchestral conductor. Debora remains unwavering in her mission to provide culturally inclusive artistic training and education to thousands of children throughout Southern CA and believes that by nurturing and empowering the next generation, we can contribute to the ongoing healing and advancement of youth and marginalized communities. Wondercheck is also the creator and producer of the county-wide, Juneteenth staged production called "Gospel Voices of OC", and "Music of the March" professional projects that pay tribute to the indomitable spirit and faith of African American ancestors through the lens of the arts. For the past two decades Wondercheck has stayed true to her laser focused mission of high quality and accessible arts which sets students up for success in life. Recognized as one of OC’s 125 Most Influential People and an OC Visionary, she earned acclaim as a Woman of Distinction by the CA State Assembly. In 2024, she was named Commissioner of the Arts by the city of Costa Mesa and from the state organization, She Leads CA, Debora received the Woman of Faith & Distinction award. The Arts & Learning Conservatory, under Debora's visionary guidance, has received numerous accolades, including Orange County's Outstanding Arts Organization of the Year award and the National Youth Arts Award for Best Youth Production in Southern California. These recognitions highlight the Conservatory's commitment to excellence and its positive impact on the community displaying unwavering dedication to preserving high quality music and theatre programs for children especially in marginalized communities. Debora's commitment radiates through impactful contributions, shaping futures through the transformative power of the arts -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning #collectiveintelligence #southerncalifornia #criticalmassbusinesstalkshow .