Small businesses power the U.S. economy, but today are at the center of an unprecedented crisis. The CNBC Small Business Playbook virtual summit will bring together the most trusted and inspirational voices in business to provide critical advice and vital resources to help owners overcome extraordinary obstacles, and create a path forward.
WHO SHOULD JOIN: This program is geared toward small business owners and leaders.
Gary Vaynerchuk is the chairman of VaynerX, a modern-day media and communications holding company and the active CEO of VaynerMedia, a full-service advertising agency servicing Fortune 100 clients across the company’s 4 locations.
In addition to VaynerMedia, VaynerX also includes Gallery Media Group, which houses women’s lifestyle brand PureWow and men’s lifestyle brand ONE37pm. In addition to running VaynerMedia, Gary also serves as a partner in the athlete representation agency VaynerSports, cannabis-focused branding and marketing agency Green Street and restaurant reservations app Resy.
Gary is a board/advisory member of Ad Council and Pencils of Promise, and is a longtime Well Member of Charity:Water.
Gary is a highly sought after public speaker, a 5-time New York Times bestselling author, as well as a prolific angel investor with early investments in companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo, and Uber.
Gary is currently the subject of DailyVee, an online documentary series highlighting what it’s like to be a CEO and public figure in today’s digital world, as well the host of The GaryVee Audio Experience, a top 100 global podcast, and host of #AskGaryVee, a business and advice Q&A show which can be found on both YouTube and Facebook.
Gary also appeared as judge in Apple’s first original series “Planet of the Apps” alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba and Will.i.am.
Margaret is head of the Urban Investment Group (UIG), a domestic, multi-asset class investing and lending business that provides equity and debt to real estate projects and social enterprises to benefit underserved communities, within the Merchant Banking Division (MBD). Established in 2001, UIG has committed nearly $8 billion to community and economic development investments, serving as a catalyst in the revitalization of distressed urban neighborhoods. Margaret serves on the MBD Real Estate Investment Committee and is chair of the Urban Investment Group Investment Committee. She is also on the Board of Advisors of Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs’ $500 million commitment to invest in companies and investment managers with diverse leadership.
Previously, Margaret worked in Equity Derivatives in the Securities Division. She joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in 2003 and was named managing director in 2013 and partner in 2018.
Margaret serves on the boards of several community and economic development nonprofit organizations, including the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, Center for an Urban Future, Core Innovation Capital, Low Income Investment Fund and Food Bank Of New York City.
Margaret earned a BA in Computer Science from Harvard College in 2003.
Kevin O’Leary was born in Montreal, Canada on July 9th, 1954. As the son of a United Nations ILO official, he had the opportunity to live and be educated in Cambodia, Cyprus, Tunisia, Ethiopia, France and Switzerland.
Kevin attended the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada where in 1977 he received an Honors bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and Psychology. He attended the University of Western Ontario where he received his MBA in 1980.
After working briefly as an assistant product manager at Nabisco Brands, he left to pursue a career in television production and became a founding partner in Special Event Television, an independent production company that produced original sports programming such as “The Original Six”, “Don Cherry’s Grapevine” and “Bobby Orrand the Hockey Legends”.
Kevin co-founded SoftKey Software Products in Toronto, Canada in 1986. SoftKey was the first software company to apply the principles of consumer goods marketing to the software industry. SoftKey grew quickly as the price of personal computers declined and millions of North American families began to buy software for family education and entertainment.
In January of 1994, SoftKey became a catalyst of consolidation in the software industry, raising over $ 1 billion in a series of debt and equity financings and completing the first trans-border three-way pooling, merging with Spinnaker Software and WordStar International. As a result of this merger the company moved its headquarters to Boston, Massachusetts. In late 1995, SoftKey acquired Compton’s New Media and The Learning Company. In early 1996, SoftKey completed the acquisition of the Minnesota Educational Computer Company. In late 1997 and early 1998, the company acquired three more of its competitors, Creative Wonders, Mindscape and Broderbund making SoftKey the world leader in the development of educational, reference and home productivity software and the world’s second largest consumer software company with annual sales over $800 million, two thousand employees and subsidiaries in 15 countries.
In 1996 SoftKey changed its name to The Learning Company. In early May 1999, The Mattel Toy Company acquired The Learning Company for $4.2 billion.
In 2003 he became co-investor and a director in Storage Now, a leading developer of climate-controlled storage facilities. Through a series of development projects and acquisitions, Storage Now became one of Canada’s largest owner/operator of storage services with facilities located in eleven cities serving such companies as Merck and Pfizer when it was acquired by the In Storage REIT in March 2007 for $110 million.
In July of 2007 Kevin became a founding investor and Director of Stream Global Services Inc., focused on the growing outsourcing business services market.
Kevin O’Leary is the Chairman of O’Leary Funds the Manager of the publically traded family of O’Leary Global Equity and Income Funds. He also serves on the board of The Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of Boston’s 107 year old Hamilton Trust. Kevin O’Leary is a contributing columnist to CTV, BNN and the Bell Media Radio Network. He is a contributor to CNBC, ABC News and Good Morning America and an entrepreneur/investor co-host for the Discovery Channels Project Earth series that explores innovative ways man could reverse global warming implementing large scale geo-engineering infrastructure projects. He is also an investor/host of ABC Television’s Emmy Award winning venture capital reality program “Shark Tank” produced my Mark Burnet/Sony/ABC.
Kevin O’Leary is an active photographer, guitarist and author of three number #1 best selling books “Cold Hard Truth”, “Men, Women and Money” and “Family Kids and Money”.
George "Monk" Foreman III is an entrepreneur, boxing trainer/coach, and son of the legendary businessman and former two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman Sr. In addition to being his father’s business manager for seven years, George spent his entire youth working at the George Foreman Youth & Community Center where he not only developed the habit of giving back but his ability to use boxing a platform to to effect change in individuals from all walks of life. After earning a degree in kinesiology from Rice University, George went on to pursue his own professional boxing career in 2009 and finished with a perfect 16-0 record.
In 2013, George III founded a chain of luxury boxing fitness gyms called EverybodyFights, which now has locations in Boston, NYC and Chicago. In 2018, the company started their National expansion with over 30 new locations planned to open by 2022. George’s mission is to fight for people who fight for others. In 2013 he published his first book The Fighting Spirit which includes his original 12 Fight Laws.
A four-time Olympic gold medalist and 16-year WNBA superstar with the Indiana Fever, Tamika Catchings was elevated to vice president of Fever basketball operations on March 4, 2019. She works directly with the Fever coaching staff while maintaining day-to-day operations. Previously, she served as director of player programs and franchise development with Pacers Sports & Entertainment since April 2017, working with all three PS&E basketball franchises – the Indiana Pacers, the Indiana Fever and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Widely regarded for her own community work and professional leadership as a player, Catchings is uniquely qualified for her position. She joined the Indiana franchise in 2001 when she was the club’s first-round draft selection – just one year after the Fever was established. As a face of the Fever franchise through 16 seasons, she has been a constant ambassador and respected representative of the NBA, WNBA and Pacers Sports & Entertainment throughout her career.
More than a basketball player, Catchings has routinely earned distinction as one of the nation’s finest citizen-athletes with committed community engagement throughout the country and even internationally. In 2015, she was inaugural winner of the ESPN Sports Humanitarian of the Year. In 2016, she became the first two-time recipient of the WNBA’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award and the first three-time winner of the WNBA’s Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award. Following her final season, she was honored in consecutive weeks with the Pathfinder Award by the Indiana Sports Corporation, honoring those who improve the lives of America’s youth; and the Musial Award by the St. Louis Sports Commission, for extraordinary sportsmanship.
Catchings matched an Olympic basketball record for men or women by earning her fourth Olympic gold medal in 2016. The 12-time All-WNBA recipient and 10-time WNBA All-Star helped lead the Fever to a league-record 12 consecutive playoff appearances, 13 overall. The 2011 league MVP and 2012 Finals MVP, she retired as the leading rebounder in WNBA history, and its No. 2 all-time scorer. She was named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year an unprecedented five times.
Catchings continues to serve as a national and international ambassador for the NBA and WNBA, and was recently named to USA Basketball's Women’s Developmental National Team Committee.
She also began a broadcasting career as a college basketball analyst during the 2016-17 college season with ESPN. In 2019, she will begin her third year covering Fever games broadcast on MyINDY-TV 23, alongside Pat Boylan.
Married in February 2016 to former Pike High School and University of Buffalo basketball player Parnell Smith, she added local business owner to her resume when she purchased a tea shop, TeasMeIndy, in March 2017. She is the daughter of former NBA star Harvey Catchings, and her sister, Tauja, was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in 2000. Tamika and Tauja established the Catch The Stars Foundation in 2004.
Quentin L. Messer Jr. is President and CEO of New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA).
As the leader of the accredited economic development organization (AEDO) focused on growing the Orleans Parish economy, Quentin leads initiatives and programs related to making New Orleans the most attractive city of its size for financial and human capital investment. These initiatives and programs are conducted across four workstreams: business attraction/retention, small business growth, talent and workforce development and strategic neighborhood development. He was named by Biz New Orleans as Businessperson of the Year (2019, Consultants Connect as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers (2019) and selected by Ebony Magazine’s for its Ebony Power 100 as a Power Player (2018). Immediately prior to joining NOLABA, Quentin was the Assistant Secretary for Louisiana Economic Development, (LED) the state department of economic development. To learn more about the Business Alliance, please visit, www.nolaba.org.
Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has spent two decades working directly with congressional committee chairpersons and other high-ranking policymakers to achieve solutions. At the Chamber, Bradley is responsible for aligning the organization’s overall policy priorities and advocacy efforts. He oversees several major policy divisions within the Chamber: Economic Policy; Employment Policy; Small Business Policy; and Cyber, Intelligence and Security Policy. Health Policy, Transportation Infrastructure Policy and Environmental Affairs and Sustainability Policy are also under his leadership.
Before joining the Chamber, Bradley was president of Chartwell Policy Solutions, LLC, a research, analysis, and advisory firm focused on public policy issues. In addition to his work at Chartwell, he served as chief strategy officer for the nonprofit Conservative Reform Network (CRN), the leading organization supporting the Conservative Reform Movement. There he produced, incubated, and promoted ideas, policies, and efforts to grow the American economy, expand the middle class, and create opportunities for all Americans.
Prior to founding Chartwell and joining CRN in 2015, Bradley spent nearly 20 years working in the House of Representatives, including 11 years working for the House Republican leadership. He served as deputy chief of staff for Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA) where he developed the legislative agenda for House Republicans, oversaw policy formulation in the leader’s office, and coordinated committee activity in the House. Bradley held the same position for Eric Cantor (VA) during his tenure as majority leader. Previously, he was policy director for House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (MO).
Earlier in his career, Bradley served for four-and-a-half years as executive director of the Republican Study Committee. He also held numerous positions in the office of then-Rep. Tom Coburn (R-OK).
While working on Capitol Hill, Bradley was regularly named to Roll Call’s list of 50 top congressional staffers.
Bradley, a graduate of Georgetown University, resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Kiki, and their son, Peter. He is a native of Sapulpa, Oklahoma.
Jesse Itzler only eats fruit 'til noon, loves Run-D.M.C., and enjoys living life "out of the box." In fact, he doesn't even have a box. The author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal, co-founded Marquis Jet, the world's largest private jet card company which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. Jesse then partnered with Zico coconut water, which he and his partner sold to The Coca-Cola Company.
He's a former rapper on MTV and wrote and performed the NBA's Emmy Award-winning "I Love This Game" music campaign and the popular New York Knicks anthem "Go NY Go." When he's not running ultra-marathons, eating vegan food or being a dad to his four kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA's Atlanta Hawks games, where he's an owner of the team. He is married to Spanx founder Sara Blakely.
Andrew Zimmern is a four-time James Beard award-winning TV personality, chef, writer, teacher and social justice advocate. In 2020, Andrew returns to television with two new programs. What’s Eating America premiered on MSNBC in February and Family Dinner, currently in production, will air on the forthcoming Magnolia Network. As the creator, executive producer and host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food and Emmy-nominated The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. Andrew is the founder and CEO of both Intuitive Content, a full-service television and digital production company, and Passport Hospitality, a restaurant and food service development company. He is passionate about to his charitable endeavors and sits on the board of directors of Services for the UnderServed, Project Explorer/EXPLR, Soigne Hospitality and Taste of the NFL. He serves on City Harvest’s Food Council and is the International Rescue Committee’s Voice for Nutrition. Andrew is a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, fighting to save restaurants affected by Covid-19. He resides in Minneapolis.
Maria Contreras-Sweet is an American businesswoman, banker and civic leader who served on President Obama’s cabinet as the 24th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The U.S. SBA provides business owners with capital through government-backed loan guarantees, a complex international counseling network, and by directing to them 23% of the federal procurement spend. The SBA manages the world’s largest fund of funds and the largest seed fund in the world.
Ms. Contreras-Sweet was the Founder and executive chairwoman of ProAmérica Bank. Prior, she managed a private equity firm and earlier served as the California cabinet Secretary of Business, Transportation, and Housing. Ms. Contreras-Sweet is the recipient of five honorary doctorate degrees, including from her alma mater Cal State University, Los Angeles and Tufts University. The Maria Contreras-Sweet Public Policy Impact Award was established in her honor for her efforts to expand entrepreneurship around the world and deepen democracies. She is currently serving on the board of The Bipartisan Policy Institute.
PLEASE NOTE: she is referred to as a member of President Obama’s cabinet or the 24th Administor of the US Small Business Administration. You are welcome to add: President and CEO, ContrerasSweet Companies.
Chris Voss is CEO and Founder of The Black Swan Group and Author of "Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It."
He has used his many years of experience in international crisis and high-stakes negotiations to develop a unique program and team that applies these globally proven techniques to the business world.
Prior to 2008, Chris was the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the FBI’s hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. During his government career, he also represented the U.S. Government at two (2) international conferences sponsored by the G-8 as an expert in kidnapping. Prior to becoming the FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator, Christopher served as the lead Crisis Negotiator for the New York City Division of the FBI. Christopher was a member of the New York City Joint Terrorist Task Force for 14 years. He was the case agent on such cases as TERRSTOP (the Blind Sheikh Case – Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman), the TWA Flight 800 catastrophe and negotiated the surrender of the first hostage taker to give up in the Chase Manhattan bank robbery hostage taking.
During Chris’s 24 year tenure in the Bureau, he was trained in the art of negotiation by not only the FBI but Scotland Yard and Harvard Law School. He is also a recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement and the FBI Agents Association Award for Distinguished and Exemplary Service.
Chris has taught business negotiation in the MBA program as an adjunct professor at University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. He has taught business negotiation at Harvard University, guest lectured at The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, The IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland and The Goethe School of Business in Frankfurt, Germany. Since 2009 Christopher has also worked with Insite Security as their Managing Director of the Kidnapping Resolution Practice.
Orvin Kimbrough serves as the Chairman and CEO of Midwest BankCentre, where he helps to empower people, enable businesses and energize neighborhoods through the strength of the Bank’s financial services. Midwest BankCentre is St. Louis’ 2nd largest privately owned local bank, with over $2.0 billion in assets and $1.5 billion in loans. Under Orv’s leadership, Midwest BankCentre creates the conditions that allow everyone to DREAM BIG and RISE TOGETHER.
Prior to joining Midwest BankCentre, Orv spent nearly 20 years in leadership roles in prominent nonprofit agencies, most recently as the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. During his tenure as CEO, the United Way of St. Louis grew to the nation’s largest affiliate, raising nearly $80 million annually. Orv started with United Way in 2007 as vice president of major gifts.
Orv is unlike any other bank CEO in the nation. From humble beginnings, he became an inspiring leader who has boosted the life trajectory of tens of thousands of people through his work in the nonprofit sector, while becoming the first and only African American to lead one of the 100+ mainstream banks in the St. Louis region.
After being born to a single mother in East St. Louis, Illinois, Orv grew up in an abusive household and then foster care at Annie Malone Children’s and Family Services and Emergency Children’s Home (ECHO) in North St. Louis City. He is a product of the St. Louis Public Schools, graduating from Gateway Tech in 1994 with probationary acceptance to the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC). He went on to earn bachelor and master degrees in social work from UMC, an MBA from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a master of theology degree from the Aquinas Institute of Theology. Orv has more than beaten the odds.
Orv is an adjunct instructor at Washington University in St. Louis teaching effective team leadership. He serves on the board of Mid-America Transplant, Washington University’s Olin Business School – Bauer Leadership Center, St. Louis Club, The Crossing Church and on the board of St. Louis Regional Economic Development Alliance. Orv has been married for more than 20 years and has one college bound daughter and a son who is a junior in high school.
Holly Wade is the director of research and policy analysis for NFIB, where she provides analysis on public policy issues and economic trends affecting small business. She also produces the monthly Small Business Economic Trends survey with NFIB’s chief economist. She is a member of the National Association of Business Economics, National Economists Club, and the Department of Commerce’s Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business. She has undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Washington and a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Denver.
Bert is the co-founder of the $100 million lifestyle brand Life is Good. When he and his brother John started the company in 1994, they had $78 in their pockets, lived out of their van, and sold t-shirts on the streets of Boston. Was this their way of avoiding the “real world”? You betcha. Did it turn into something much bigger? Absolutely.
It has been 25 years since they sold their first t-shirt, but Bert and John champion the same mission: to spread the power of optimism. On their journey, they’ve been inspired by a vibrant community of resilient optimists—people from all walks of life who identify deeply with the brand and who constantly demonstrate the depth and meaning behind the three simple words “Life is Good.”
But here’s the thing: While Bert and John believe life is good, they also know life isn’t perfect, which is why Life is Good donates 10% of its annual net profits to the Life is Good Kids Foundation. Through its signature Playmaker Program, the Life is Good Kids Foundation helps over 1 million kids overcome the impact of poverty, violence, and illness each year. In making their company a fully integrated for-profit/ non-profit model, the brothers hope to use their business as a vehicle to do good in the world.
As the co-host of the Life is Good Ping Podcast, Bert interviews some of the world’s most influential thought leaders about using optimism as a practical way to overcome adversity and lead a fulfilling life—all over a game of ping pong. Naturally. Guests include Ringo Starr, Katie Couric, Scott Avett, and more.
Because of his unique perspective that ties rational optimism to business, Bert has been asked to share his transformative message at a wide range of corporate and thought leadership conferences including Inc 5000, Morgan Stanley, SAP Sapphire, Discover, and more. He and John have been featured in Forbes, NPR’s How I Built This, CNNMoney, CNBC’s Business Nation, ABC News’ Nightline, NBC’s The Today Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, and Men’s Health Magazine, among others.
Professor Deborah Small’s research interfaces psychology and economics, examining fundamental processes that underlie human decision making.
Professor Small’s research has been published in journals across Psychology and Marketing. She serves as an Associate Editor for Journal of Marketing Research and is a member of several editorial boards.
At Wharton, Professor Small was voted “Iron Prof” in 2014. She teaches consumer behavior and Marketing for Social Impact.
She received her PhD in Psychology and Behavioral Decision Research from Carnegie Mellon University and her BS from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a member of the graduate faculty of the Psychology Department at Penn.
Melissa L. Bradley is Founder of 1863 Ventures, a business development program that accelerates New Majority entrepreneurs from high potential to high growth. Melissa serves as General Partner of 1863 Venture Fund, Venture Partner at NextGen Ventures and serves an advisor to Reign Ventures, New Voices Foundation, as well as the Halcyon Fund. She is also a member of the Milken Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Asset Management Initiative, Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women Advisory Council, Launch with GS Advisory Council, Fast Company Executive Board, Square & Forbes Small Business Advisory Team, as well as the Target Accelerators Entrepreneurs Advisory Council. Melissa is the former Co-Chair, National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and was named one of The Most Entrepreneurial Women Investors in 2018.
Melissa is a professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University where she teaches impact investing, social entrepreneurship, P2P economies, and innovation. In 2021 she was awarded Peter W. Gonzalez, Jr. Award for Excellence in Adjunct Faculty Teaching. In 2020, Melissa received The Ideas Worth Teaching Award which celebrates exceptional courses that are preparing future business leaders to tackle society’s largest challenges and create a more inclusive, just, and sustainable version of capitalism.
Melissa's educational background includes graduation from Georgetown University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the School of Business, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration in Marketing from American University in 1993.
Deirdre Bosa is a co-anchor of CNBC’s bi-coastal tech-focused program “TechCheck” (M-F, 11AM-12PM ET/8AM-9AM PT). Previously, Bosa served as a technology reporter based out of the network’s San Francisco Bureau, owning stories on the biggest names in tech from Amazon to Alphabet, key players in China’s tech scene like Alibaba and Huawei, and Silicon Valley’s largest disruptors from Airbnb to Uber to WeWork. Prior to that, she was a frequent presence on air and online as a CNBC contributor, reporting out of Vancouver, Canada.
Bosa joined CNBC in 2012 covering the markets and economies of London and Singapore. She has co-anchored morning programs including “Squawk Box Asia,” “Squawk Box Europe,” and “Worldwide Exchange.”
Prior to CNBC, Bosa was an anchor and reporter for CCTV News International based in Beijing, as well as a contributor to Fox Business News. Deirdre also worked for several multinational corporations including Barrick Gold in Toronto and Rio Tinto in Shanghai.
She is a graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Canada and University of Hong Kong’s Masters of Journalism program.
Kate Rogers joined CNBC in September 2014 as a reporter based at the network's Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Rogers covers small business and entrepreneurship for the network appearing on CNBC's Business Day programming and providing daily stories and videos to CNBC.com. She will also contribute to the network's overall markets coverage.
Previously, Rogers was a personal finance and small business reporter for FOX Business and FOXBusiness.com. While there, she reported across FBN's and FOX News' daily programming. She also created and hosted a web series on entrepreneurship and startups called "Growing Your Business" for FOXBusiness.com.
Prior to FBN, Rogers was a reporter at the Nonprofit Times covering the business aspect of nonprofit management, and was an editor at the Union County Local Source.
Rogers holds a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Journalism and a minor in Women's Studies from the University of Delaware.
Jim Cramer believes there is always a bull market somewhere, and he wants to help you find it. He is host of CNBC's "Mad Money," (M-F, 6PM ET) featuring lively guest interviews, viewer calls and most important, the unmatched, fiery opinions of Cramer himself. He serves as the viewer's personal guide through the confusing jungle of Wall Street investing—navigating through both opportunities and pitfalls with one goal in mind—to help them make money.
Cramer is also co-anchor of the 9 a.m. ET hour of CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" (M-F, 9AM-11AM ET) and the founder of TheStreet, a multimedia provider of financial commentary.
He graduated from Harvard College where he was president and editor-in-chief of the prestigious daily, The Harvard Crimson. After graduation, he became a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat and later for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, where he covered stories ranging from homicides to sporting events.
Cramer is a former hedge fund manager and founder/owner and senior partner of Cramer Berkowitz. His compounded rate of return was 24 percent after all fees for 14 years at Cramer Berkowitz. He retired from his hedge fund in 2001, where he finished with one of the best records in the business, including having 36 percent-plus year in 2000.
He helped Steve Brill launch American Lawyer magazine before attending Harvard Law School and earning a law degree. Upon graduating and passing the New York State Bar Examination and being admitted to the N.Y. State Bar, Cramer joined Goldman Sachs in sales and trading. While at Goldman, Cramer wrote for The New Republic about stock market issues.
In December 2013, he published the book, "Jim Cramer's Get Rich Carefully," in which he creates a guide to high-yield, low-risk investing. Cramer is also the author of "Jim Cramer's Getting Back to Even," "Stay Mad for Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich," "Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich," "Jim Cramer's RealMoney" and "Confessions of a Street Addict."
Julia Boorstin is CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent based at the network’s Los Angeles Bureau. She covers media with a special focus on the intersection of media and technology. Boorstin also plays a key role on CNBC’s bi-coastal tech-focused program “TechCheck” (M-F, 11AM-12PM ET/8AM-9AM PT) delivering reporting, analysis and interviews around streaming, social and the convergence of media and technology. She joined CNBC in May 2006 as a general assignment reporter and in 2007 moved to Los Angeles to cover media.
In 2013, Boorstin created and launched the CNBC Disruptor 50, an annual list she oversees, highlighting the private companies transforming the economy and challenging companies in established industries. Additionally, she reported a documentary on the future of television for the network, “Stay Tuned…The Future of TV.” She also helped launch CNBC’s ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative covering the people and companies closing gender gaps, and leads CNBC’s coverage of studies on this topic. She is currently writing a book called, “WHEN WOMEN LEAD: What they achieve, Why they succeed, and How we can learn from them,” about female founders that Simon & Schuster’s Avid Reader imprint is publishing in October 2022.
Boorstin joined CNBC from Fortune magazine where she was a business writer and reporter since 2000. During that time, she was also a contributor to “Street Life,” a live market wrap-up segment on CNN Headline News.
In 2003, 2004 and 2006, The Journalist and Financial Reporting newsletter named Boorstin to the “TJFR 30 under 30” list of the most promising business journalists under 30 years old. She has also worked for the State Department’s delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and for Vice President Gore’s domestic policy office.
She graduated with honors from Princeton University with a B.A. in history. She was also an editor of The Daily Princetonian.
Dominic Chu is a senior markets correspondent for CNBC, located at the network’s Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. He appears during CNBC’s Business Day programming and contributes to CNBC.com.
Previously, Chu was a New York-based markets correspondent for Bloomberg Television, where he covered the stock, bond, currency and commodities markets. During that time, he interviewed some of the world’s top money managers and business executives, and he also was part of the team that covered Hurricane Sandy and the Boston Marathon bombings. In addition, Chu handled sports business reporting for the network.
Chu brings extensive knowledge of the financial markets, having worked in sales and trading for UBS Investment Bank, mutual fund management for Hennessy Advisors and investment management for Seascape Capital.
He has spoken at numerous industry conferences and was a regular contributor to radio and television outlets across the country.
Chu holds a Bachelor of Science degree in hotel administration from Cornell University.
Tyler Mathisen co-anchors CNBC's "Power Lunch" (M-F, 1PM-3PM ET), one of the network's longest running program franchises. He is also Vice President, Events Strategy for CNBC, working closely with the network's events team to grow the rapidly expanding business.
Previously, Mathisen was co-anchor of "Nightly Business Report," an award-winning evening business news program produced by CNBC for U.S. public television. In 2014, NBR was named best radio/TV show by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW). Since joining CNBC in 1997, Mathisen has held a number of positions including managing editor of CNBC Business News, responsible for directing the network's daily content and coverage. He was also co-anchor of CNBC's "Closing Bell."
Mathisen has reported one-hour documentaries for the network including "Best Buy: The Big Box Fights Back," "Supermarkets Inc: Inside a $500 Billion Money Machine" and "Death: It's a Living." Mathisen was also host of the CNBC series "How I Made My Millions."
Prior to CNBC, Mathisen spent 15 years as a writer, senior editor and top editor for Money magazine. Among other duties, he supervised the magazine's mutual funds coverage, its annual investment forecast issue and its expansion into electronic journalism, for which it won the first-ever National Magazine Award for New Media in 1997.
In 1993, Mathisen won the American University-Investment Company Institute Award for Personal Finance Journalism for a televised series on "Caring for Aging Parents," which aired on ABC's "Good Morning America." Mathisen served as money editor of "GMA" from 1991 to 1997. He also won an Emmy Award for a report on the 1987 stock market crash that aired on New York's WCBS-TV.
A native of Arlington,Va., Mathisen graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia.
Shibani Joshi is an experienced journalist who has covered business, technology and general news for global media outlets including ABC News, Fox News Channel, Yahoo! Finance and Huffington Post. She provides commentary on business, technology and lifestyle topics and hosts events for leading corporations.
Previously, Shibani anchored a daily markets show and had her own dedicated segment on TV called “Joshi on Tech” on the Fox Business Network in New York City. In her almost 6-year tenure, she evolved into the dedicated on-air tech reporter at both Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.
Shibani also reported extensively live on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq and NYMex exchanges, covering the 2008 market crash, historic interest rate cuts, record oil prices and the biggest point drop in Dow history (at the time).
Throughout her career, Shibani has interviewed large-cap tech CEOs and executives from companies including Apple, Qualcomm, Google, Sony and Ebay. She has also interviewed execs from Uber, Dropbox, Rent the Runway and Angie’s List in their early stages.
Her unique business perspective stems from real-world corporate experience and a distinguished business education. After double majoring in finance and accounting, she worked as an investment banking analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York City, where she focused on corporate finance and M&A projects.
Joshi later moved on to Disney/ABC Media Networks, where she was the firm’s Senior Manager of Digital Strategy. In 2014, she created ShibanionTech.com, a blog focused on stories at the intersection of lifestyle and technology.
Shibani teaches at the University of Oklahoma, sits on the Board of Advisors for the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma, and served as a Trustee to The Children’s School in La Jolla, California.
Shibani is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and holds an MBA from The Harvard Business School. She currently lives in the Bay Area with her 3 children.
Amy Friedrich leads Principal’s U.S. insurance businesses, serving 100,000 employers and 3.5 million individuals. Through a broad range of protection solutions, Principal helps employers attract and retain key talent, protect against loss of income and assets, and secure their financial future. Friedrich leads 3,500 employees responsible for group employee benefits, life insurance, disability insurance, and nonqualified deferred compensation, along with the distribution arm, which includes Principal’s advisor network.
Previously, she served as senior vice president of the specialty benefits division, which saw above-industry growth under her leadership. She holds an undergraduate degree from Buena Vista University and a master’s degree from Purdue University.
Melinda F. Emerson, SmallBizLady, is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. She has been a thriving entrepreneur for nearly 20 years and is an internationally known keynote speaker and expert on small business development and social media marketing. Her small business advice is widely read reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week online. A pioneer in social media marketing, she is the creator and host of #Smallbizchat, the longest running live chat on Twitter for small business owners. Forbes magazine named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter.
Eileen Aparis is the Vice President of Seattle Goodwill Job Training and Education, a non-profit organization that provides quality, effective employment training and basic education to
individuals experiencing significant barriers to economic opportunity. Her commitment and background focus on social justice and community impact. She has worked at the City of Seattle and King County to provide affordable housing and human services programs. She has also worked on asset building in Native American communities with the Northwest Area
Foundation, and had the opportunity to work internationally on rescue relief, education, gender equity and development.
Ms. Aparis is a 1.5 generation Filipino American. Her migration experience help her to advocate for others, and create pathways for the next generation of leaders. She acknowledges the
importance of ancestors and mentors, who have significant roles of the opportunities she has today.
Cliff Hokanson graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He joined HHI Corporation straight out of college working in every department throughout his career. Cliff’s tenure in HHI’s Procurement Department led to HHI’s first multi-million dollar contract. Two decades later, Cliff and his wife Regina purchased HHI Corporation and expanded HHI’s capabilities into the world-wide market. Specializing in construction and metal fabrication, HHI Corporation’s focus is on solving unique problems never before achieved. HHI has completed over 200 projects nationally and over 10 projects globally from construction design-builds to in-house fabrication of goods and everything in between. Helping to obtain 19 Outstanding Federal/DOD Ratings coveted by the industry, Cliff currently is the Executive Vice President and Co-Owner of HHI Corporation.
Zach McLain has worked in the technology and communications industry for nearly 25 years with roots at Qwest/CenturyLink, 3Com, and Creative Labs. Since 2004, Zach has worked for T-Mobile and has held positions in Sales, Solutions Engineering, and Product Development. In his current role, Zach leads the Strategic Solutions Engineering organization for T-Mobile for Business.
Zach solves business problems. During his early career at Sprint, Zach worked out of the Oklahoma Market acting as both a Wireline and Wireless Solutions Engineer. He helped to win and support large customers like QuikTrip, ConocoPhilips, Hertz, Dollar/Thrifty, and many others by addressing their critical business challenges and introducing new technology.. He also helped win and support many large accounts in Dallas and Houston, providing remote support to those markets. Since 2010, Zach moved to the Kansas City area where he has sought to expand his career with T-Mobile in leadership and management positions. While still focused on customers in everything he does, he is now solving problems in the Solutions Engineering organization, part of T-Mobile for Business.
Zach has a bachelors degree in Computer Science from Oklahoma State University. Additionally, Zach has Cisco Certifications including CCNA/DA/NP/DP and other minor certifications from FortiNet, Microsoft, and Apple.
Zach currently lives and works in the Kansas City area with his wife Nicole. We have three children (17, 20, and 22) who are in various stages of completing high-school, learning about life, and beginning their careers. Zach’s key mantra in life is Do What You Say You Will Do (DWYSYWD) and holds both himself and those he works with accountable for delivering.
David Dodson is a faculty member at Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), and teaches Strategic Management 355 “Managing Growing Enterprises” and Strategic Management 543 “Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition”. Mr. Dodson is a graduate of Stanford University (Economics ’83, MBA ‘87), and a former case writer (1988).
David Dodson has been active for twenty-five years in the formation of new businesses through entrepreneurial acquisition. Prior to entering the Stanford GSB, Dodson worked at McKinsey & Company, where he worked for clients in oil field services, gas pipelines, liquefied natural gas, and offshore drilling. After graduating from the GSB, under the direction of Professor Irv Grousbeck, he wrote the original course material for search funds—then in its infancy. After one year as a case writer, David raised his own search fund.
Between 1990 and 2004, Dodson operated as CEO or Executive Chairman of five companies, including co-founding Wind River Environmental, the largest specialty trucking company of its kind; ADAP, Inc., an auto parts retailer that was eventually sold to Auto Zone; Smith Alarm Systems, Inc.; Paragon Systems, Inc.; and Worldbridge Broadband Services Inc, which was eventually sold to C-Corp.
Dodson has been an active mentor and investor in over fifty early stage companies, and has been on the board of directors of over a dozen companies, including Asurion, LLC, an insurance company with over 15,000 employees operating in 14 countries.
He has also been active with the creation of market-based solutions to problems related to health and education, with an emphasis on approaches that reduce dependency on charity and instead use the free-market system for sustainable solutions that end the cycle of dependence on charity or government support. To this end, he co-founded Project Healthy Children with Stephanie Cornell in 1999 to address issues of micronutrient deficiency among mothers and children without access to healthy and nutritious foods. Project Healthy Children focused on sustainable solutions to malnutrition, and its programs reached over 25 million children and adults throughout the world.
Dodson also co-founded Project Healthy Children (recently renamed “Sanku”) which was named one of the world’s most innovative companies by FastCompany in 2019, and 2013 Ashoka Changemaker prize-winner. In collaboration with Stanford University, Sanku invented a gravimetric device that accurately fortifies wheat flour in small rural mills, eliminating heart-wrenching birth defects and maladies for the “poorest of the poor”, using a market-based approach for a sustainable solution to malnutrition. The Sanku device is the only machine of its kind in the world, and coupled with a unique business model harnessing IoT, Sanku hopes to reach 100 million people by 2025.
In 2018, David ran for US Senate for the State of Wyoming.
AGENDA
12:45pm EDT
Program Begins
The State of Small Business: Where We’re At and Where We’re Going
As the U.S. enters into a fifth month of economic crisis, we provide a snapshot into the current state of small business in America and what the road to recovery looks like. Neil Bradley, EVP, Chief Policy Officer, US Chamber of Commerce Maria Contreras-Sweet, Fmr. Administrator, US Small Business Administration Holly Wade, Director of Research & Policy Analysis, National Federation of Independent Business Interviewer: Tyler Mathisen, Co-anchor, “Power Lunch”; Vice President, Events Strategy, CNBC Watch the full interview
Get Your Mind Right: The Psychology of Success During times of crisis, it’s not about looking back, it’s about looking forward and controlling what you can control … like your mindset. Entrepreneur Jesse Itzler will draw on his own experience and offer up tips to tap into your reserve, get your mind right and take your business to a new level. Jesse Itzler, Entrepreneur and best-selling author; Co-Founder, Marquis Jet; Co-Owner, Atlanta Hawks Interviewer: Dom Chu, Senior Markets Correspondent, CNBC Watch the full interview
Mastering the Art of Online Influence Now more than ever, business owners are being forced to innovate, particularly when it comes to marketing. Entrepreneur and internet personality Gary Vaynerchuk offers strategies on how to use this time to up your online presence—by overlooking the question of why and instead delving into why not. Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO, VaynerMedia Interviewer: Julia Boorstin, Senior Media & Entertainment Correspondent, CNBC Watch the full interview
Reimagining the Customer Experience Gone are the days of crowding into an establishment and sitting or shopping shoulder to shoulder. Now owners must reimagine a new normal that will instill confidence into their customers and keep them coming back. Andrew Zimmern, Host, “What’s Eating America,” MSNBC; Founder, Independent Restaurant Coalition
Quentin Messer, CEO, New Orleans Business Alliance
Interviewer: Kate Rogers, Reporter, CNBC Watch the full interview
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
Negotiating Survival Whether it is negotiating with a landlord, a supplier or a creditor, small business owners need to be armed with the best techniques to strike a good deal. The FBI’s former hostage negotiator will give you the tactics to gain the upper-hand. Chris Voss, Founder and CEO, Black Swan Group; Former Lead International Kidnapping Negotiator, FBI Interviewer: Deirdre Bosa, Technology Reporter, CNBC Watch the full interview
Black Businesses in Crisis: Tackling Unique Challenges Presented in partnership with CNBC’s Make It Black
A recent study by the Federal Reserve shows that more black-owned businesses have been disproportionally affected by COVID and federal relief programs have not been properly targeted to address this disparity. This when black businesses have historically been denied loans and pushed out of business by rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods. We will examine the unique challenges facing Black-owned small businesses, and answer questions on how to chart a better path forward. Shelley Willingham, CEO and Founder, The Douglas Alexandra Agency Teri Williams, President and COO, OneUnited Bank
Interviewer: Rahel Solomon, General Assignment Reporter, CNBC Watch the full interview
How the Power of Mobile Connectivity Can Help Your Business Survive and Thrive in the New Normal Sponsored and programmed by: T-Mobile for Business
This session will showcase the firsthand experiences of two businesses and how each addressed their communication challenges and disruptions brought on by COVID-19. Attendees will learn how taking a mobile first strategy for your communication needs can help you survive in these uncertain times and how new 5G technologies will be the enabler for future growth and success. Eileen Aparis, MPA, Vice President of Job Training & Education, Goodwill Cliff Hokanson, Executive Vice President, HHI Zach McLain, Director, Strategic Solutions Engineering, T-Mobile for Business Moderator: Shibani Joshi, Business Journalist Watch the full interview
Embracing Uncertainty – Building Business Resilience Sponsored and Programmed by: Principal® Financial Group
This session will highlight three key ways that small businesses have adapted in a tumultuous business environment. Attendees will leave the session with a roadmap to help get their business better suited to weather the storm, whether it be COVID-19 or another unforeseen circumstance. Amy Friedrich, President, U.S. Insurance Solutions, Principal Melinda Emerson, Nationally Recognized Public Speaker, Former Columnist, Small Business Owner
Moderator: David Dodson, Lecturer in Management, Stanford University Graduate School of Business Watch the full interview
Show Me the Money! With another stimulus still in question, we’ll talk about what every businesses owner should do now to stay financially afloat, as well as examine other options for financial relief. Margaret Anadu, Head of Urban Investment Group, Goldman Sachs Orvin Kimbrough, Chairman and CEO, Midwest BankCentre Interviewer: Tyler Mathisen, Co-anchor, “Power Lunch”; Vice President, Events Strategy, CNBC Watch the full interview
Tough Love: Knowing When To Fold ‘Em Sometimes the best decision is to wind down a business, as emotionally and financially difficult that may be. We’ll take a hard look at the metrics and signals that should determine whether one keeps a business going or shuts it down and lives to fight another day. Kevin O’Leary, Co-Host, “Shark Tank”; Chairman, O’Shares ETFs Interviewer: Kate Rogers, Reporter, CNBC Watch the full interview
The Facebook Equation There is perhaps no single company more critical to American small businesses’ success, or has a better sight-line into how small business is doing, than Facebook. In our closing conversation, “Mad Money” host and small business owner Jim Cramer and Facebook COO will discuss how Facebook views the economy, and what they’re doing to help small business. Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook Interviewer: Jim Cramer, Co-Anchor, “Squawk on the Street”; Host, “Mad Money,” CNBC Watch the full interview
4:00pm EDT
Event Concludes
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Sponsors
Principal helps people and companies around the world build, protect and advance their financial well-being through retirement, insurance and asset management solutions that fit their lives. Our employees are passionate about helping clients of all income and portfolio sizes achieve their goals—offering innovative ideas, investment expertise and real-life solutions to make financial progress possible. To find out more, visit us at principal.com.
T-Mobile for Business brings the Un-carrier experience to customers unwilling to settle. With a network that now covers 99% of Americans, the nation’s most advanced 4G LTE, and in hot pursuit of 5G, T-Mobile continues solving industry pain points and has businesses of all sizes ready for the future of wireless.
