Orange County Power Players

What if you could unlock the equity in your home without selling it—and still benefit from future appreciation? In this powerful episode, Danny Flores sits down with Eddie Herda, a creative executive and marketing leader at Bonus Homes, to explore a groundbreaking model that flips traditional real estate logic on its head. Eddie shares how Bonus Homes helps homeowners cash out their equity while h...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast with Danny Flores, we welcome Jenna Gregory — financial educator, advocate, business owner, and mom — for an empowering conversation about women and financial confidence. Jenna shares her personal journey from commercial real estate into financial planning, sparked by her experience becoming a mother and her desire to create a more secure...

In this episode, host Danny Flores sits down with Robert Pelletier, the CEO of Pacific Hardwood, a premier custom wood flooring manufacturer based in Orange County. With an impressive background that includes leading global operations for massive manufacturing firms and a formal education in engineering and finance, Robert shares the incredible story of how he transitioned from corporate life to e...

What happens when cutting-edge AI meets the dental chair? In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Rushi Ganmukhi, founder of Bola AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the dental industry. Rushi shares his journey from MIT research to launching Bola AI, a company focused on streamlining dental documentation using voice-dr...

In this episode, Danny Flores welcomes Cynthia West—tech sales trailblazer, serial entrepreneur, and now director at Chapman University’s Leatherby Center. Cynthia dives into her incredible journey from Silicon Valley startup exits to shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs through education and consulting. Cynthia shares how her early startups like TestDrive and Audio Highway led to quick ex...

What does it take to build a top-tier lending company in one of the most complex sectors in finance? In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast with Danny Flores, we sit down with Joe Tomasello, SVP of Sales at Champions Funding, who shares his inspiring journey from college athlete at UCLA to leading one of the fastest-growing Non-QM lending teams in the country. Joe opens up abou...

Summary: In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Danny O’Malley, the visionary behind Before the Butcher. With a rich background in the food industry and experience at Beyond Meat, Danny shares the origin story behind his own company and its mission to create accessible, healthy, and sustainable meat alternatives. They explore everything from th...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players, Danny Flores interviews seasoned real estate investor Ginny Bolling, founder of Pivotal Real Estate Investments. Ginny breaks down what real estate syndication really is and why it's one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available today. She shares why she focuses on multifamily, medical office, and industrial real estate—explaining the...

What does it really mean to be a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer? In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, Danny Flores sits down with Angelo Ponzi, a seasoned strategist and marketing expert, to dig into the power of strategy over tactics in business growth. Angelo shares how over three decades of experience in B2B marketing, brand positioning, and customer research fuels hi...

In this episode of The Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Martin Schreiber, a seasoned leadership consultant and former Jesuit with over two decades of experience. Martin opens up about his incredible journey—from working in corporate finance to joining the Jesuit order and eventually transitioning into leadership development within the healthcare sector. Togethe...

In this powerhouse episode, Danny Flores sits down with Daniel Shi, a dynamic fintech operator, investor, and startup advisor who played a pivotal role in scaling Remitly from a modest 30-person team to a global powerhouse with over 3,000 employees and a successful IPO on Nasdaq. Daniel shares stories from his time launching international operations in the UK, Europe, China, Vietnam, and Australia...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Tammy Cooper, the dynamic CEO/CFO of Technologent, a women-owned tech company headquartered in Irvine, California. Tammy shares her remarkable journey from her early days in Cleveland's steel industry to leading a nationwide tech firm through explosive growth—from 25 employees and $25 million in revenue to...

In this episode, Danny sits down with Jami Eidsvold, the powerhouse behind Smarty Social, to discuss how she built one of Orange County’s leading social media agencies from the ground up. Jami shares her journey from agency burnout to entrepreneurial success, revealing how motherhood inspired her to create a more flexible, female-driven business model. Listeners will get insight into how Smarty So...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, Danny Flores chats with Nicole Dankovich, West Regional Sales Manager at Alpatronic, about her impressive career in the electrical industry. Starting at just 19 years old with Westinghouse, Nicole carved out a path in a technical, male-dominated field—all while raising her son as a single mom and later earning her business management degr...

In this episode of The Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Rhonda Ducote, AIF®, President and CEO of Apriem Advisors, a leading wealth management firm in Irvine, CA. Rhonda shares how she built a career rooted in trust, education, and long-term client relationships — helping families manage over $1.2 billion in assets. Rhonda discusses the evolving landscape of we...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with seasoned business coach Joe Ball, whose career spans over 25 years across industries like aerospace, nonprofit social services, and global real estate investment. Joe shares how his journey from the factory floor to aerospace division manager shaped his values in leadership, operations, and sustainable gro...

In this insightful episode, host Danny Flores sits down with Maneesh Goyal, the Chief Operating Officer of the Mayo Clinic Platform. Maneesh shares the winding path of his career—from engineering at TRW to venture capital, healthcare startups, and now leading transformative healthcare innovations at Mayo Clinic. You’ll hear Maneesh’s story of taking chances, embracing unexpected opportunities, and...

n this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores chats with Mauricio Rauld, founder of Platinum Legal Consulting. Mauricio shares the story behind his pivot from running one of the most respected boutique syndication law firms to launching a hands-on legal coaching program for real estate professionals. Listeners will hear how a chance encounter with Rich Dad Poor Dad c...

James Bohan blends the analytical strength of accounting with the bold vision of real estate development. In this deep-dive conversation with Danny Flores, he walks us through his journey from Big 4 accounting to running his own firm and launching impactful real estate ventures. James explains how his CPA background gives him and his clients a strategic edge in minimizing taxes, cleaning up financ...

In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Duna Raoof joins host Danny Flores to discuss cutting-edge advancements in cataract, LASIK, and corneal surgeries. Dr. Raoof, based in Newport Beach at New Vision Eye Centers, shares her inspiring journey from medical school to becoming an internationally recognized eye surgeon—and the life-changing impact of restoring patients' vision.     ------------------...

In this episode, Danny Flores welcomes legal operations expert Mori Kabiri, CEO of InfiniGlobe. Mori shares how he helps corporate legal departments and law firms work smarter with technology, data, and AI. They dive into the transformation of legal departments from cost centers to strategic business enablers and how legal KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are changing the game. Mori also talks ab...

In this powerful episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, Danny Flores sits down with Javier Vasquez, President and CEO of Miguel’s Restaurants, for a deep-dive conversation on legacy, leadership, and long-term vision in the family business space. Javier shares the incredible story of how his immigrant parents founded Miguel’s in 1974, and how he stepped in after graduating from USC to...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Jonathan Frank from Alliance Funding Group to explore the nuts and bolts of equipment leasing and financing. Jonathan unpacks how businesses across the U.S. are strategically using financing to access equipment without major upfront costs—freeing up cash flow and boosting ROI. From construction and manufac...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, Danny Flores sits down with Brian Franco, founder of Meritage Partners, a mergers and acquisitions expert with more than two decades of experience. Broadcasting from Newport Beach, Brian shares powerful insights on how entrepreneurs can scale their businesses, secure strategic capital, and maximize valuation through roll-ups, private equi...

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores chats with Dr. Jeff De Leon, COO of a leading clinical trials organization based in Anaheim. Dr. De Leon walks us through the complex and often misunderstood world of clinical trials—from early-stage testing to full-scale development of life-saving medications. With over 180 team members and a nationwide network, Dr. De...