Small Business Summit 2012

Rhonda Abrams

Nationally-syndicated columnist, best-selling author, and successful entrepreneur, Rhonda Abrams is widely regarded as one of America’s most respected and knowledgeable advocates for small business. She has written over 15 books on entrepreneurship. Her first book, Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies is America’s best-selling business plan guide.

Rhonda’s books are used in over 700 business schools, have been translated into more than 30 languages, and have been adopted by 22 of the top 25 graduate entrepreneurship programs. Rhonda writes the weekly small business column in USA Today.

An experienced entrepreneur, Rhonda has started four successful companies herself, and, living in Silicon Valley, she embraces the advantages technology offers to small and medium businesses. She launched an Internet company as early as 1995. Currently, she is President and Chief Entrepreneur of PlanningShop, America’s leading publisher of content on entrepreneurship.

Rhonda lives in Palo Alto, California. She attended UCLA, where she was named Outstanding Senior, and Harvard University.

Marian Banker, Host

Marian Banker, MBA, is a Business Leadership Coach and President of Prime Strategies, providing the small business community with coaching, consulting and training in business leadership skills since 1996.

Marian has provided targeted training and workshops in academic, professional and corporate settings for such sponsors as AT&T, AWED, McGraw-Hill, Citibank, Melard Technologies, Westchester Community College, Hunter College, Webgrrls and others. She was featured Business Coach on ABC's World News This Morning and Channel 12 News New Jersey. She has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal and numerous small business publications.

In 2006 she completed and launched the unique self-study Business Success System Course, which provides entrepreneurs with the tools, techniques, strategies and guidance to set their business on the fast track to success.

In 2010 Marian started focusing on women entrepreneurs age 60+, offering them insights, guidance and resources for managing their business and their lives from this point forward.

Shashi Bellamkonda

Shashi Bellamkonda works for Network Solutions as a "Social Media Swami." He's been named toWashingtonian magazine's Tech Titans list. Shashi speaks on "Social Media Tools for Small Business," "How to Sell Social Media to Your Boss," and "Online Reputation Management - Best Practices & Lessons Learned," at national and regional conferences. He has been featured in the Washington Post, on WUSA9, NY1 TV, Webmaster Radio, BlogTalk Radio, the Washington Business Journal, Tech BizNow and other digital and media publications

Wendi Caplan-Carroll

Wendi is a marketing expert with over 25 years experience developing and implementing marketing strategies for businesses and organizations spanning a variety of industries. As Senior Regional Development Director/Business Development at Constant Contact, Wendi uses her expertise to provide coaching for small businesses and organizations on best practices of email and social media marketing. Additionally, she creates powerful business alliances and initiatives throughout New York and New Jersey to help empower Constant Contact customers and its partners.

Wendi is a popular speaker and educator. She delivers real-world tools and strategies that drive stellar results immediately! And although the topics and strategies may be cutting edge, it doesn’t take an interactive guru to “get it.” Wendi simplifies the information and provides essential basics, secrets, and shortcuts that make it easy for seminar attendees to get on their way fast.

Wendi gives her groups the “Know How” to boost business, awareness, and customer loyalty.

Austin Craig

In addition to being the first spokesman for Orabrush, Austin Craig has been part of the creative marketing team there since the company's launch over two years ago. His entrepreneurial streak began at college (Brigham Young University, Go Cougars!) when he designed and sold shirts featuring the University President. After selling almost 30,000 shirts, he decided it was time to get back to school and earn a degree from the University.

Austin worked in radio and television before turning his talents to web video. While still a student, he was the first intern with a journalism background to join the tech team at MSNBC.com. He and Jeffrey Harmon met while working at FamilyLink.com on the company's Twitter and Facebook team. He starred in the first and most successful Orabrush video, and continues to work with the Orabrush marketing group today, with responsibilities ranging from graphic design to video directing to public relations.

Shannon Duffy

As the Senior Director, Data.com Marketing, Ms Duffy leads all of the corporate and community marketing efforts related to Saleforce.com's Data.com business unit. Prior to Data.com, Ms. Duffy ran the marketing team at Jigsaw (which was acquired by Salesforce.com in 2010) From 2003-2007 she ran various marketing functions at Sourceforge (now called Geek.net), the publishers of Sourceforge.net, Slashdot and ThinkGeek and also ran online marketing at Fawcette Technical Publications. She started her career in online marketing as the Assistant Product Marketing Manager on the HitBox product at WebSideStory and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Communications from Boston College.

Kathleen Q. Fable

For over 20 years, Kathy has channeled her creative skills into her role as Founder and President/CEO of Quinn Fable Advertising. With the goal of making every communication work in an aesthetic sense as well as a business sense, she has introduced many Fortune 500 companies to creative excellence and results. In addition, she has been a pioneer in leveraging digital solutions as part of the creative mix to enhance response rates, and enable more accurate measuring of results—as well as to achieve greater ROI. With clients ranging from telecommunications to packaged goods, financial services to public services, Kathy has established Quinn Fable as an important player in the advertising world.

Prior to starting her own agency, Kathy has led other creative endeavors at Saatchi & Saatchi, Lowe Marschalk, Scali McCabe Sloves, and Leber Katz Partners. Accounts serviced include Xerox, AT&T, Braun, Citibank, Chase Manhattan Bank, Minute Maid Orange Juice, Medipren and many others. Kathy is a graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), and has been an adjunct professor in advertising at FIT, as well as a guest speaker at other colleges and organizations in the Tri-State area.

She serves on various NYC and national boards and participates in many industry organizations. She has three children and resides in NYC area.

Loren Feldman

Loren Feldman is the new Editor of the Small Business Section at The New York Times. Prior to joining The Times, Loren was the Editor-in-Chief at Inc. Previously, he has served as Deputy Editor of Inc. magazine, Editor-in-Chief of Philadelphia Magazine, and Executive Editor at George Magazine. Additionally, he has been a contributing writer to GQ, New York Times Sunday Magazine, and Rolling Stone. Loren has won and been nominated for several awards for his editorial work including, a 2008 Folio Gold award for Best Online News Coverage, a 2008 ASME nominee for editing best magazine column (“Street Smarts” by Norm Brodsky), a 2006 ASME nominee for editing best magazine column (“Street Smarts” by Norm Brodsky), and a 2002 City and Regional Magazine winner for general excellence. He received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Scott Hintz

Scott Hintz is the Vice President of Business Development and co-founder of TripIt, the leading mobile travel organizer that makes it easy for millions of travelers to organize and share trips, no matter where they book. Scott led the company to acquisition by global travel and expense leader Concur® in 2011.

As an online travel industry veteran and former road warrior, Scott has experienced firsthand the challenges of frequent travel and keeping all the details organized. As Senior Vice President of Product at Hotwire, Scott led the Product Management, Business Development and Travel Relationships teams prior to its acquisition by Expedia for $650 million. Previously, Scott was a strategy consultant for Accenture, advising clients like United Airlines, Hewlett-Packard, and Visa USA on corporate strategy, process design, and business planning. Scott received a bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Connie Kadansky

Connie Kadansky is the President of Exceptional Sales Performance, an international sales training and coaching practice. She is a recognized expert in identifying and eliminating Sales Call Reluctance. Connie has a proven track record in diverse industries. She was interviewed by Wall Street Journal, made a radio commercial for American Express and is the author of a Sales Coach book. She is a graduate of the Adler School of Professional Coaching and has her Professional Certification. Connie coaches salespeople, mortgage brokers, realtors, financial advisors, bankers, entrepreneurs in the US, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia and the Caribbean.

Connie was chosen to participate in a prestigious scholarship program for executive coaching in Beijing China. She facilitated public speaking training for the Women in Parliament in Rwanda through a French interpreter and sales training for Rwandan entrepreneurs. She facilitates training classes frequently in Trinidad West Indies for British Gas, Nestles, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, University of West Indies, Canadian Embassy and other public sector organizations.

John "ColderICE" Lawson

John "ColderICE" Lawson is an E-commerce expert that specializes in small business social marketing. John is the CEO/President of 3rd Power Outlet, Inc. and founder of the industry famous blog at www.ColderICE.com.

Everybody wants to make a lot of money online, but most people don't know how. John Lawson is one of eBay's most productive sellers and the success of his efforts earned him the recognition as a small business representative on a nationally broadcast American Express commercial. He was dubbed "The Undisputed Guru of eBay" by the host of Fox 5's Good Day Atlanta!

John has an excellent understanding of E-commerce as well as social media marketing and using tools like Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Linked In, eBay and Amazon to really take your sales to the next level. John has seen his enterprise from a home-based business, conceived at the kitchen table, to generating million of dollars in online sales. John has been growing and changing his business with the continuously growing world of E-commerce since he began selling a few used books online for extra money back in 2001.

John is a top rated E-commerce professional with sales channels on Amazon, eBay, Yahoo Stores and company web site. He is a certified eBay Platinum Powerseller with more than 100,000 transactions and 135,000 views on YouTube. In business social marketing, John has tens of thousands on of followers on Twitter, Facebook and social marketing sites.

His award winning business blog at ColderICE.com is home to thousands of business owners and John has been featured on TV in the national American Express commercial and news outlets like Fox 5 Atlanta's morning show. John has been featured in media such as MSN Money, American Express Open Business Forum, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, PC Magazine, and many others. John travels around the world as a highly regarded keynote speaker. He continually ranks as the #1 speaker at every speaking event he is apart of.

Brent Leary

Brent Leary is a crm industry analyst, advisor, speaker and award winning blogger. He is co-founder and Partner of CRM Essentials LLC, an Atlanta based CRM advisory firm covering tools and strategies for improving business relationships. His client list includes Sage, Microsoft, Intuit, Cisco, Research In Motion and the state of Georgia's Depart of Economic Development.

Recognized by InsideCRM as one of 2007's 25 most influential industry leaders, Leary also is a past recipient of CRM Magazine's Most Influential Leader Award. He serves on the national board of the CRM Association, and as a subject matter expert for the Small Business Technology Task Force. He's been quoted in several national business publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and Entrepreneur magazine.

Leary writes regular online columns for Inc. and Black Enterprise magzines. He hosts and produces the popular "Technology For Business $ake" radio program.

Gene Marks

Gene’s weekly columns and blogs for The New York Times, Forbes, The Huffington Post, and Philadelphia Magazine are read by thousands of small and medium sized business owners around the country.

Gene has written five books on business management, specifically geared towards small and medium sized companies. His most recent is In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash — Simple Lessons from Smart Business People (Create Space, 2010). Gene has also written the #1 Amazon Small Business Best Seller The Streetwise Small Business Book of Lists (Adams Media, 2006), The Small Business Desk Reference (Alpha Books, 2004), Outfoxing The Small Business Owner — Crafty Techniques for Creating a Profit- able Relationship (Adams Media, 2005) and The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Successful Outsourcing (Alpha Books, 2005).

Nationally, Gene frequently appears on FOX Business, FOX News and CNBC discussing matters affecting the business community. Gene also appears quarterly on MSNBC’s “Your Business” program and monthly on various TV outlets in the Philadelphia area. In addition, Gene has appeared as a guest on numerous radio talk shows including The Sean Hannity Radio Show, authored dozens of articles for many publications and has been quoted frequently in the national media, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Chicago Tribune and Business Week. He is also a member of the National Speaker’s Association.

Through his keynotes, workshops, seminars and executive retreats, Gene helps busi- ness owners, executives and managers understand the political, economic and technological trends that will affect their companies so they can make profitable decisions.

Gene owns and operates the Marks Group PC, a highly successful ten-person firm that provides technology and consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. The Marks Group PC, launched in 1994, has grown to help more than 600 companies and thousands of individuals throughout the country.

Prior to starting the Marks Group PC Gene, a Certified Public Accountant, spent nine years in the entrepreneurial services arm of the international consulting firm KPMG in Philadelphia where he was a Senior Manager.

Laurie McCabe

Laurie McCabe brings more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry to her current role as Partner at the SMB Group. Laurie’s expertise in market, channel and competitive analysis helps vendor clients capitalize on shifting market trends, and create successful go-to-market and outcomes. Laurie has built widespread recognition for her capabilities and insights in the small and medium business (SMB) market in several areas, including cloud computing, software-as-service (SaaS), collaboration, business solutions, social networking and managed services.

Before forming the SMB Group with founder Sanjeev Aggarwal in 2010, Laurie spent 2009 as a partner at Hurwitz & Associates, providing SMB-focused research, analysis and consulting services to technology vendor clients. From 2004 through 2008, Laurie was Vice President, SMB Insights & Solutions at AMI-Partners for five years. In this role, she directed syndicated research in the business solutions area, and led numerous projects to help clients enter new markets, launch solutions, and elevate brand awareness and consideration in the SMB market. Prior to this, Laurie was Vice President at Summit Strategies for seven years, where her original research and analysis of the emerging SaaS market earned her broad recognition as a thought leader in this area. Laurie’s nine years at Digital Equiprment Corporation, including her last role as Director of Market and Competitive Intelligence, provide her with critical experience from the vendor perspective.

Ms. McCabe is frequently quoted in leading business and trade publications and has been a featured speaker at many industry and vendor events, is a regular contributor to Small Business Computing, and a co-author of Collaboration for Dummies (Wiley Publishing). She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology from the University of Delaware, and has completed numerous graduate-level courses in business administration.

Bill Odell

As Senior Director for Dell Business Cloud Applications, Bill is responsible for the overall go-to-market strategy overseeing product direction and all marketing activities. With over 20 years of experience leading marketing for several innovative, category creating technology companies, Bill is a well-known and respected cloud expert with deep expertise in the areas of cloud strategy, success and integration.

Prior to joining Dell, he served in executive roles for emerging SaaS companies Helpstream, Right90 and JobVite as well as senior marketing roles at Latitude Communications, Interlace, Compression Labs and Sun Mircosystems. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Berkeley and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

Ramon Ray, Host

Ramon Ray is the editor of Smallbiztechnology.com and author of Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses (Amacom). He has written thousands of technology articles and news items for Smallbiztechnology.com. He is a contributing editor to the New York Enterprise Report and has written business small business technology articles for Inc Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, CNet, Var Business, TechTarget, Entrepreneur.com, Small Business Resources and other media.

Ramon has also written for technology vendors including Microsoft, FileMaker, Everest and others. He is often quoted in the media, including the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc Magazine, WCBS Radio, Crains New York, National Federal of Independent Business, Small Business Advocate Radio Show, Wells Fargo Small Business Roundup and more.

Not "just" a technology writer, but as a former small business technology consultant, Ramon has years of hands on experience in building networks, installing software, upgrading computers and supporting the technology small businesses use on a daily basis.

John Rote

John Rote is VP of Customer Experience at Bonobos. He is passionate about turning customers into promoters, scaling and evolving operations and systems and recruiting people into a culture where customers are front and center. John helps make things tick on a day to day level by delivering customer service, running social media, managing the warehouse and store and making the occasional last-minute midnight package delivery to a customer in need.

Grant Wickes

An experienced strategic marketer and small business evangelist, Grant Wickes excels at helping companies understand market opportunities, develop products and craft marketing programs that drive profitable growth and business value. As an advocate of customer-focused activities, Wickes enjoys interacting with customers, partners and prospects in the pursuit of mutually beneficial solutions.

Wickes is deeply involved in the small business market, lending him an unparalleled understanding of the power of connections, influencers, and word-of-mouth referrals. He loves dabbling with the latest technology and social marketing tools to effectively reach, educate and motivate this audience.

Wickes has gained 25 years of sales and marketing experience at a wide range of organizations including startups, publicly traded companies and private-owned business in the United States, Canada and abroad. Currently, he serves as vice president of business development with Wasp Barcode Technologies, a leading provider of small business productivity solutions.