MENTOR dna

I can’t say I know anyone else who’s just had 2 jobs since college graduation. Casey Courneen , CEO, President & Founder of Blackstone Technology Group is the only person I know who’s only worked for one other company before starting his own tech consulting business 23 years ago. He and his partners set out with a very specific mission for their new business, and have shown tremendous discipli...

I can’t say I know anyone else who’s just had 2 jobs since college graduation. Casey Courneen , CEO, President & Founder of Blackstone Technology Group is the only person I know who’s only worked for one other company before starting his own tech consulting business 23 years ago. He and his partners set out with a very specific mission for their new business, and have shown tremendous discipli...

Steve Scalia and I became fast friends during our days at Penn . I considered him my ride-or-die and through the years we've been by each other's side through highs and lows in career and life.  Steve's ability to listen...and I mean truly LISTEN, set him apart from most. He remembers seemingly minutiae details through our conversations and brings them back around years later when I...

Steve Scalia and I became fast friends during our days at Penn. I considered him my ride-or-die and through the years we've been by each other's side through highs and lows in career and life.  Steve's ability to listen...and I mean truly LISTEN, set him apart from most. He remembers seemingly minutiae details through our conversations and brings them back around years later when I&...

He went up for the kill and left Tachikara emblazoned in reverse on the guy’s forehead. Volleyball...I’m talking trash-talking, business school, indoor volleyball! We were a motley crew of a team with players from Army, Stanford, UC San Diego, and Princeton. Somehow I finagled my way onto the team with these guys! Jason Hodell is CEO of Skullcandy . He  and I played volleyball together in business...

He went up for the kill and left Tachikara emblazoned in reverse on the guy’s forehead. Volleyball...I’m talking trash-talking, business school, indoor volleyball! We were a motley crew of a team with players from Army, Stanford, UC San Diego, and Princeton. Somehow I finagled my way onto the team with these guys! Jason Hodell is CEO of Skullcandy . He  and I played volleyball together in business...

As an only child, I always yearned for a sibling. When my husband introduced me to his childhood friend, Jed Weinstein , I was immediately drawn to him. He’s one of the most kind and authentic gentlemen I’ve ever met. Truly, a mensch . And while this sounds weird because he’s younger than I am, he reminds me of my Dad – gentle, well-read, interesting, interested, creative.  I’m in Philly a few tim...

As an only child, I always yearned for a sibling. When my husband introduced me to his childhood friend, Jed Weinstein , I was immediately drawn to him. He’s one of the most kind and authentic gentlemen I’ve ever met. Truly, a mensch . And while this sounds weird because he’s younger than I am, he reminds me of my Dad – gentle, well-read, interesting, interested, creative.  I’m in Philly a few tim...

I walked onto the volleyball court at the Malibu pier in 1990 and Deanna Lyn immediately and unconventionally welcomed and invited me into the group of locals. We became fast friends and spent most of our early 20s learning the corporate ropes. Deanna leveraged her street smarts to get past #metoo moments she experienced early in her career which has led to being a compassionate and strong mentor...

I walked onto the volleyball court at the Malibu pier in 1990 and Deanna Lyn immediately and unconventionally welcomed and invited me into the group of locals. We became fast friends and spent most of our early 20s learning the corporate ropes. Deanna leveraged her street smarts to get past #metoo moments she experienced early in her career which has led to being a compassionate and strong mentor...

Have you ever met a recent college grad and immediately knew they’d be a rockstar? That’s how I felt with Alli Hillgren Warner. She was an intern at my husband’s company, Beacon Pointe Advisors, and I knew that her collegiate volleyball career at USC, zest for life, and collaborative, can-do attitude would lead her into the c-suite quickly.  Alli is now CMO of Beacon Pointe , a Newport Beach-based...

Have you ever met a recent college grad and immediately knew they’d be a rockstar? That’s how I felt with Alli Hillgren Warner. She was an intern at my husband’s company, Beacon Pointe Advisors, and I knew that her collegiate volleyball career at USC, zest for life, and collaborative, can-do attitude would lead her into the c-suite quickly.  Alli is now CMO of Beacon Pointe , a Newport Beach-based...

Dan Smith and I served together on the board for the Wharton Club of Southern California for many years. He's a former executive at Playboy, Fox and American Gladiators and is a digital marketing expert. He's parlayed his learnings from his TV days into consumer product ventures like phone case/wallet company JIMMYCASE , and also advises companies on digital marketing through his venture...

Dan Smith and I served together on the board for the Wharton Club of Southern California for many years. He's a consummate connector and now runs Marketing Mondays for Wharton SoCal as a way to give back to the community. Dan's a former executive at Playboy, Fox and American Gladiators and honed his digital marketing expertise as one of the last executives of the old Playboy regime. He&a...

Grad school can often feel intimidating and competitive, so when I met Matt Laessig , it was clear that I’d met my long-lost 13 year old twin brother. He affirms my silly side and instinct that levity and fun are important in a working environment. He was Chief Marketing Officer for my start-up, snacki, in the late 90s and I was there with him at Venice Beach when he tried out for the very first s...

Grad school can often feel intimidating and competitive, so when I met Matt Laessig , it was clear that I’d met my long-lost 13 year old twin brother. He affirms my silly side and instinct that levity and fun are important in a working environment. He was Chief Marketing Officer for my start-up, snacki, in the late 90s and I was there with him at Venice Beach when he tried out for the very first s...

Dan Beldy and I went to business school together after he served as a Navy fighter pilot for 8 years. During our 2nd year in the late 90s, we both had a sense that something big was about to happen with the internet and found our way into the early tech scene after graduation. He went into venture capital starting at Hummer Winblad in Silicon Valley, then led Disney’s Steamboat Ventures. He’s now...

Dan Beldy and I went to business school together after he served as a Navy fighter pilot for 8 years. During our 2nd year in the late 90s, we both had a sense that something big was about to happen with the internet and found our way into the early tech scene after graduation. He went into venture capital starting at Hummer Winblad in Silicon Valley, then led Disney’s Steamboat Ventures. He’s now...

In 2007, I was working long hours in a new industry that didn’t inspire me and my stress levels were through the roof. So I start my own consulting business to have more control over my schedule. Liz Leung was my first client, hiring me for a new printer launch at Epson . She turned out to be such an incredible mentor and team leader, teaching me the importance of the meeting before the meeting, s...

Fred Croshal is one of the most positive, encouraging and charming people I know. He led the sales team at the WORK Group at Sony Music while I was an assistant for the Product Management team. He graciously wrote my business school reference letters and then he went on to be General Manager at Madonna’s Maverick  Records. During my 2nd year at school, he spoke at the Media & Entertainment con...

In 2007, I was working long hours in a new industry that didn’t inspire me and my stress levels were through the roof. So I start my own consulting business to have more control over my schedule. Liz Leung was my first client, hiring me for a new printer launch at Epson . She turned out to be such an incredible mentor and team leader, teaching me the importance of the meeting before the meeting, s...

Fred Croshal is Founder and CEO of Croshal Entertainment Group. He and his team use their music industry expertise to help artists start their own record labels, working with legendary artists like Herb Alpert, Jackson Browne, and Bonnie Raitt through the past 2 decades.  Fred's one of the most positive, encouraging and charming people I know. In the mid 90s, he graciously wrote my business s...

Jeff Ayeroff is a music industry legend. He started and was Co-Presidnet of  Virgin Records before becoming my boss’ boss at the WORK Group at Sony Music. Jeff is unique, not only being known for his trademark long white hair and beard, but also as the founder of Rock the Vote. I was summoned to his office just before shipping off to business school and I was so nervous! The BIG boss wanted to tel...

Jeff Ayeroff is a music industry legend. He started and was Co-Presidnet of  Virgin Records before becoming my boss’ boss at the WORK Group at Sony Music. Jeff is unique, not only being known for his trademark long white hair and beard, but also as the founder of Rock the Vote. I was summoned to his office just before shipping off to business school and I was so nervous! The BIG boss wanted to tel...

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