FINALISTS

Anaida is a dental professional who has built an award winning business model and now inspires and motivates other dental professionals, and women entrepreneurs to follow their dreams.

Even though she is only 41 years old, she has gone through a dictatorship, a civil war, three countries and many personal and business challenges.

Her humble beginnings start with her and her husband immigrating to Canada from Albania, 20 years ago, with pocket change and no English. She worked 7 days a week while going to school full time. She started everything from scratch. Her business started with only her, booking appointments in her car until she was able to open her own dental office in 2016. Now she is opening more locations throughout the province with the next one coming as soon as this fall.

Her story has been considered a success story not only by everyone that knows her, but also by a lot of national and international media. She has been featured in many TV and radio shows, magazines, newspapers, online platforms and many more to share her amazing successful journey and her dental expertise. Anaida has been a cover story for many prestigious magazines. She was featured on Forbes in October last year sharing her business tips on how to be successful. She was selected as one of the 10 Most Influential Business Leaders to Follow in 2020 in North America by PrimeView Magazine. She was also chosen as a one of the Most Successful Business Women to Watch in 2020 by Insight Success, as well as a 100 Best Companies in 2020 from Exeleon Magazine. She was selected as 10 Best Performing CEO’s 2020 by The Business Berg. In 2021 she was awarded as one of the Most Influential Female Entrepreneur by Woman Entrepreneur Magazine. Anaida has just been chosen as one of the most influential leaders to know in 2022 for Success 125, in honour of the 125th anniversary of the Success Magazine. Anaida is a 2022 Success Women of Influence. Anaida has won many local, national and international awards.

She has been a part of an international book project, The Mind of Female Entrepreneurs by Global Woman. She has been a dental blogger for Huffington Post, Thrive Global and Inside Toronto.

She has founded Mission Kind (Kids In Need of Dentalcare), to help children aged 6-16 obtain much needed dental work at no charge. She does a lot of community work by offering free dental care to immigrant families with low income. Every December our office offers free dental/dental hygiene services to people in need. We have offered free services to 30 people from the Red Door Family Shelter. We had a whole day planned for them, with lunch and a magic show, Santa made an appearance and gave the kids Christmas gifts and much more. We have also offered free services to teenager moms that cannot afford dental services. We had a whole day planned for them and their kids.

Anaida is also a very proud mom of two beautiful kids, Samuel, 18 years old, and Iliana, 7 years old.

Kristen Butler is an entrepreneurial visionary with a huge heart and captivating authenticity. Her mission to uplift the planet has turned into a successful business that inspires millions. As the CEO/Founder of the Power of Positivity network, created in 2009, she has garnered a global audience over 50 million strong to provide inspiration in every area of life, every day of the year.

Kristen is also a best selling author and captivating speaker, sharing how she transformed her life from rock-bottom, using the power of positivity and her comfort zone to find success in every area of life.

Rosemary German is a visionary entrepreneur with a lifelong passion for helping others. As a Latina growing up in the Dominican Republic she developed a love for her vibrant culture and music. Started her career in the entertainment industry as a promising singer and performer. She quickly became a fixture on TV shows, and soon she transitioned into singing and acting in musicals at the national theater in the Dominican Republic.

Eventually, she emigrated to the United States and despite the language barriers, she quickly rose to the top alongside her husband, Carlos German, building one of the most successful real estate teams, Carlos And Team, in the United States today, helping an average of over two hundred families buy and/or sell their homes annually.

As a talented musician, songwriter and now wife, mother, author, businesswoman, event producer, public speaker, and visionary, she is driven by a deep desire to touch lives. Her book, “”The Walls Within,”” shares her personal story and offers advice on how others can overcome their own obstacles and find their own sense of personal freedom.

With over sixteen years of experience in business along with an expert understanding of branding strategy, Rosemary recently entered into the world of e-commers, developing groundbreaking products that are poised to revolutionize the baby industry. Together with her husband, they channeled their knowledge and expertise into founding Cuzy, a baby brand with a focus on quality and innovation that is designed to help new parents everywhere.

Through her organization Igniting The Path, her work as a Robbins Madanes Certified Trained Coach and CEO of CUZY, Rosemary strives to support and encourage new mothers and parents around the world as they tap into their own inner strengths as well as provides valuable resources and support, inspiring others to find the courage they need to face adversity with strength and resilience while maintaining a healthy sense of self.

Whether she is spearheading a cutting-edge business venture or using her talents to help others succeed, with her unique blend of passion, wealth of knowledge, and business expertise, Rosemary truly embodies everything it means to be an unstoppable force for good, a true champion of new parents everywhere and an emerging entrepreneur bringing massive value to the world.

Farida Abjani moved from Chicago, IL to Houston, TX – A home to some of the best healthcare facilities in the nation. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of Aging Gracefully, a Home Health Agency that has a license to work all over the state of Texas. She has a master’s degree in Business administration and a bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.

Farida is intimately involved with several charities; presently, she is on the governing board of Rupani foundation, World chamber of commerce, Fort Bend seniors, Advisory board for Department of Aging and Disability and Kids meals. She has been on the Governing Board of Houston Symphony, board member of Alliance for Multicultural Community Services, Development in Literacy (DIL), Ek Disha, Texas Executive Women, Fort bend Women’s Center, UNICEF – Southwest Region, Crohn’s and Colitis foundation, KnowAutism and Houston
Symphony League. She was an ambassador for KnowAutism and also a conversationalist for Table talk 2017.

Farida was honored with 10 women in business by The Forbes and also by The Fortune magazine (2021), Most admired CEO by Houston business journal (2020), Houston’s 25most beautiful 2019 by H-Texas magazine, Beacon of Light by University of Houston 2019, Top 20 CEO’s by CKW Luxe (2019), Woman of philanthropy by St Jude (2019), Top 20 impact maker by CKW Luxe (2019), Women of Distinction by ABC 13 and CCFA (2019), Community service award by IMAGH (2018), 50 most influential women in Houston by Houston Women Magazine (2017), 30 most influential women of Houston 2016, was named “”IT Girl 2016″” and “”Women who run Houston”” by Houston Chronicle (2016) which recognizes women for their successful career as well as Philanthropic efforts. She was also honored with the “Friends of Charities’ ‘ award by the Indian American Charity Foundation (2016).

Farida has also chaired and co-chaired multiple galas including KnowAutism, Pratham, Daya, Houston Symphony Ball Auction, Society of performing arts Ball auction, The Alliance, Ek Disha, Development in Literacy and World Chamber of Commerce and, is co- chairing The Symphony Ball 2023. She is also part of American leadership forum (class 50) and Project Blueprint United Ways (Class 40).

Tai Christensen, Chief Diversity Officer at Arrive Home, wants to close the real estate wealth gap that’s locking minority borrowers out of homeownership, and she won’t slow down until she’s made a difference. She is on a mission to spread the word about how down payment assistance and other such solutions can help responsible borrowers who have challenging credit histories or unconventional income streams purchase a home. For Tai, it’s crucial that the lending industry embrace new solutions to help underserved borrowers achieve sustainable homeownership. It’s a systemic problem plaguing our country, Tai says, and anyone working in the lending industry right now should be actively thinking about how to solve it. She believes this is what innovators in the mortgage space should be focusing on right now – making homeownership accessible to everyone.

Motivated, determined and – frankly – bewildered by housing marketing’s worsening affordability crisis, Tai joined forces this year with a few former colleagues to launch Arrive Home, a social enterprise dedicated to helping responsible borrowers in underserved communities through alternative credit solutions and down payment assistance programs.

Arrive Home is about helping people build generational wealth – a key ingredient to social mobility and financial security, the secret sauce to the increasingly elusive American Dream.

Tai’s commitment to increasing homeownership in underserved communities compels her to travel the country, speaking at industry events or participating on panels, and engaging mortgage professionals by showing them how they, too, can play a role in creating sustainable change.

Thomas Showalter has identified one critical element of the mortgage lending process that represents a massive industry pain point: the time and cost it takes to underwrite a loan. Knowing that solving this problem could transform the mortgage business, he applied his skills to the task.

And his skills are considerable. Showalter is not your everyday mortgage banker or a tech expert – he is a rocket scientist, literally. A former team member of NASA’s Space Shuttle program, Showalter is a talented data scientist who decided years ago to shift his laser-like focus to the technology used in home lending, leveraging his penchant for problem solving and innovation to revolutionize everything we thought we knew about fintech.

In founding Candor Technology, Showalter set out to tackle what he identified as the most significant and hard-to-solve problem in mortgage manufacturing: modeling an underwriter’s critical thinking. Using his proprietary form of Knowledge Engineering, Candor successfully underwrites a loan to the highest level of integrity with virtually no human assistance, effectively reducing the cost and time it takes to close a mortgage loan.

Showalter’s innovation earned a U.S. Patent earlier this year, but he is not satisfied at that, instead seeking out new ways he can leverage machine learning to solve problems affecting the lending lifecycle.

Showalter says that lenders today are examining how technology could leave them less exposed to excessive underwriting costs and make them “market ready” for any volume. Any tech provider in the mortgage business right now should be focusing on exactly that, Showalter says. That’s where the opportunity for impactful innovation lies.

Hello, my name is Cindy Gama and I’m honored to be nominated. I am an American entrepreneur woman born in Colombia. I have seven years of experience in the construction business, and now I own a Construction Company called LOGOS Design & Construction LLC. Our Company values are compliance, quality, and honesty. I consider myself an Emerging Entrepreneur since this year a had the honor to continue a legacy with this company which has had prestige of forty years in the business, as I’m following in the footsteps of my mentors, hoping to achieve even greater success. I have developed my profession as a supervisor and project manager, in which I have been responsible for a variety of workers and big projects.

I am proud of my Hispanic heritage and my status as an advocate for women in the construction field. Women builders face a lot of difficult challenges, so I want to take the opportunity with my company to strengthen and support those businesses owned by women and with female workers. My goal is to create a more inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable and confident in their abilities to succeed.

I have a professional degree as an architect and communication. I believe that through hard work and determination, anything is possible and through my achievements, I want to Inspire others. On Sundays, I pastor a Christian church with my husband, where I love to teach about personal and spiritual growth but my greatest passion is spending time with my family.”

Brian Townsend was a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent who chose to retire from law enforcement at only 50 years old because he was passionate about things beyond the badge. He wanted to take what he learned in 23 years of arresting criminals and breaking cases and impart that to businesses and corporate leaders.

Immediately after retirement, Brian started Eagle 6 Training. Eagle 6 is a speaking, training, coaching, and consulting company. What distinguishes Eagle 6 from other training companies is the experience they have as undercover agents working in dangerous operations. They have planned and executed multiple search warrants and arrested dangerous and violent criminals. Brian has led people, squads, and massive resources through life-and-death situations and uses this law enforcement experience to train and teach corporate leadership lessons.

Brian has developed a presentation on fentanyl to raise awareness of the opioid crisis that has pushed drug overdose deaths in the United States to over 100,000 deaths every year. He feels so strongly that corporate leaders need to understand this crippling crisis that he travels the country giving this presentation in communities where opioid deaths have impacted families the most. “This is a conversation everyone should be having. Outside of law enforcement audiences, these types of presentations usually just attract families grieving their own loss of a loved one. It is time for everyone to listen and everyone to have these difficult conversations.”

“I launched bLU Talks (think TEDx meets Chicken Soul for the Soul) just over 2 years ago and since that time we have brought upwards of 400 people to stages at our events that have taken place at places like Harvard University and Columbia University, have gotten our book series into Walmart, Target and # 1 at Barnes and Noble and Amazon while featuring over 300 entrepreneurial authors, gotten our bLU Talks show onto a platform that reaches 2 million listeners per episode while also getting our video show and talks on networks like KNEKT TV, Apple TV, Roku and more. On top of that we (our team) have managed to launch co-author books and conduct interviews with thought leaders like Les Brown, Lisa Nichols, Dr. Joe Vitale, Michael E. Gerber, James Redfield (Celestine Prophecy), Kevin Harrington (Shark Tank), JJ Virgin, and Lisa Nichols. On top of that our revenues are between $500,000 – $750,000 in this, just passing our second year with the brand.”

Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx Speaker. He is also the host of the top rated ‘Let’s Do Influencing’ Radio Show, founder of the growing bLU Talks brand, and has been featured in multiple television specials. He is also a Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple Books and Kobo Bestselling Author, Award Winning Author, and the co-author of the Wall Street Journal / USA Today Bestseller, Quitless.

A columnist with Entrepreneur and Forbes magazine, he has been featured in/on various mediums and is one of the few leaders featured twice on the popular Entrepreneur on Fire show. He has also interviewed over 6,500 of the world’s top leaders and he has spoken on-site at Harvard, and Columbia University, and more recently to Microsoft team leaders and at Kyle Wilson’s Inner Circle retreat which has featured everyone from Brian Tracy to Mark Victor Hansen to Phil Collen (Def Leppard).

Also appearing on the popular Evan Carmichael YouTube Channel, he is a New Media Summit Icon of Influence, was recently listed as the # 5 Influencer in Entrepreneurship by Thinkers 360, and listed on the 2021 Brainz CREA Global Awards as an honouree, and he is a Humanitarian Hero Award Nominee, Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee, Champion Award (Business from The Heart) nominee, and to demonstrate his versatility, a Rock Recording of the Year Nominee who has performed stand-up comedy more than 700 times, including an appearance at the famed Second City.

At 31 years old, A.J. Titus’ deep connection to and passion for entrepreneurship has rightfully earned his position as President of Signarama, the world’s leading sign and graphics franchise, and United Franchise Group (UFG), the global leader for entrepreneurs with more than 1,600 franchises in 60 countries.

The third generation in his family to work in the franchise industry, A.J. began his career as an associate at a local Signarama where he expanded his knowledge of the ins and outs of franchising. With continued education that led him to become a Certified Franchise Executive, a prestigious certification that represents the global standard in franchising, A.J. has an in-depth understanding of the industry and leverages his exceptional insight to help franchise owners succeed. He is a small business advocate and supports policies that contribute to the prosperity of small businesses and most importantly, help Signarama franchise owners’ expansion and profitability.

Additionally, A.J. is a collaborative leader with an open-door policy, helping him keep his finger on the pulse of UFG’s corporate office and franchisees across all brands. Beyond business and brand building, A.J. is also passionate about giving back – whether it is volunteering at his church or helping entrepreneurs pursue their business dreams.

Most recently, in 2022, A.J. not only became a father, but published his first book, The List: Lessons from a Father. It shares 18 lessons he learned from his father on their daily drive to school and how those fundamental principles shaped his approach to business, leadership, and what he values most. Today, A.J. sits on the board of the Rinker School of Business and the Titus Center for Franchising at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida.

With a MBA from the University of Miami and International Business degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University, A.J.’s career accomplishments have earned him additional accolades, including UFG’s prestigious J.J. Prendamano Award, which recognizes an employee who exemplifies J.J.’s true values as a mentor, teacher and family member and demonstrates enthusiasm and loyalty while being a great team player, as well as an induction into the company’s Hall of Fame. He was also recognized as an up-and-coming business leader in South Florida by the South Florida Business Journal as part of their 40 Under 40, and South Florida Business & Wealth Up & Comers.

Charles Gaudet is the founder and CEO of Predictable Profits, one of the largest business coaching organizations in America for 7 and 8 figure companies.

As the author of “The Predictable Profits Playbook: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Dominating Any Market and Staying on Top“ and host of The Beyond 7-Figures Podcast, Gaudet is a prominent figure in empowering entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders.

His insights have been featured on Fox News, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, International Business Times, Yahoo Finance, NFIB and more.

Charles has been an entrepreneur since the age of 4, created his first multi-million dollar business at 24, and through his coaching has helped many others earn their spot on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies while generating millions with his strategies.

He’s received numerous awards and recognition (including founding a company named as “One of the Best Seed Stage Companies” by Ernst & Young) and has had his business advice featured around in the world. He was named one of American Geniuses Top 50 Industry Influencers.

He’s training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (two gold medal finishes) and is 3-time wrestling state champion. He lives in South Florida with his beautiful wife, three adorable kid-preneurs and one badass dog.

“After many years of working at some of the biggest NYC ad agencies, Elena founded her own creative agency in the basement of her home, Copy & Art, in 2011. She is an experienced marketer and entrepreneur who has guided her company successfully for 11 years and counting. The agency has grown to almost 20 employees and is now located in a state-of-the-art 8,000 square foot office in the suburbs of NYC.

She now serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the agency. Copy & Art specializes in digital marketing and communications and has seen double-digit growth year after year. The agency was recently named one of the Fastest Growing Privately-Owned Companies in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine, won the 914INC. Best of Business Award in Graphic Design, and won second place for the Best Places to Work in Westchester.

Elena is proud of her Puerto Rican heritage. She makes it a point to support diversity and inclusion initiatives and organizations, and lives that commitment through the inclusive culture and hiring practices at Copy & Art. She was recently named a 2022 Notable Hispanic Leader by Crain’s New York Business and a Hispanic Woman of Distinction by the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

She is a member of The Business Council of Westchester (BCW), Westchester County Association, Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Westchester Multicultural Chamber, and Chief, a nationally acclaimed private membership network focused on connecting and supporting female executive leaders. She was recently awarded BCW’s Hall of Fame Award for Minority Business Success. She was also featured in 914INC. in a Q&A, and on the cover of the magazine for its 2022 issue on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Elena gives back to her community through various volunteer efforts, including being a mentor for both Her Honor Mentoring and the Women’s Development Enterprise Center and a supporter of the Wildlife Conservation Society.”

Nicholas Ilagan is an innovative and passionate commercial real estate professional creating change within the industrial sector for the betterment of the environment, the industry and its people.

Nicholas is a recognized industry leader with nearly 20 years of experience managing portfolios of best-in-class commercial property. His track record of success is best illustrated by his time as partner and SVP of asset management at CapRock Partners, a leading investor, developer and manager of institutional quality industrial real estate. One of the firm’s earliest members, he worked closely with CapRock’s principals in executing the firm’s growth initiatives and fundraising efforts.

In mid-2022 Nicholas moved on an opportunity to enact much-needed change within the commercial real estate industry, which is historically known as a slow adopter to modern social and business practices. A Filipino-American, Nicholas aimed at shaking things up and transforming industry convention. He left his prior role and redirected his career to build a new company dedicated to the mission of reframing and redefining how people interact in industrial real estate. Along with partner, Jessica Quesada, Nicholas established DIV Industrial, a minority- and woman-owned industrial real estate development and investment firm focused on prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and implementing responsible environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices within its industry.

Led by a team of experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds, DIV Industrial brings a fresh methodology to industrial real estate. Responsibility to people and the planet are at the forefront of the firm’s approach supported by its guiding principles around sustainability, partnership, data-driven decision-making, and excellence.

As Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Nicholas oversees DIV’s investor relations, operations and acquisitions. Together with the DIV team, he is building a formidable portfolio of new institutional industrial assets, all of which will meet LEED certification and national sustainability requirements, within select Western and Southwestern U.S. markets.

In December 2022, only a few months since its founding, DIV Industrial achieved its first major milestone with a 94-acre land acquisition within the Las Vegas market for the development of a new cutting-edge 1.7-million-square-foot Class A industrial complex. El Dorado Valley Logistics Center will be LEED Certified and serve the next generation of distribution warehouse users with the highest efficiency building specifications. It will be one of the largest development projects ever in the market and establish a new distribution location in the Western U.S., providing an alternative connection point between key regional hubs, effectively enhancing existing logistics routes. With environmental stewardship at the forefront of DIV’s development approach, the project exemplifies everything Nicholas and DIV Industrial are looking to achieve.

Driven by a personal commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility, Nicholas is leveraging his skillset and experience to create change within an influential segment of the U.S. economy. In conjunction with making a career-altering leap, he actively participates in professional and philanthropic organizations to further support his mission. Nicholas is a member of Filipinos in Institutional Real Estate (FIIRE) and supports Miracles for Kids and the American Cancer Society, among other charities.

Rhonda Swan is a woman to know. She’s the founder of the Unstoppable Branding Agency, the top 10 PR & branding firm for entrepreneurs rated by Forbes Magazine in 2021.

Her company is women owned and 85 % women run. She is considered the “Category Queen” in the PR Industry by creating a unique category all to itself by combining Digital PR, Google Indexing, SEO & Top Tier Publishing into one.

UBA best serves Entrepreneurs, Speakers, Authors, CEO’s and Start Ups that need online brand positioning from PR, and the online footprint from SEO to dominate the marketplace.

She also leads the charge for women empowerment as the founder of the international best selling book series called Women Gone Wild.

Rhonda is the TV host of
New To the Street, “Unstoppable Show” that Is filmed at Nasdaq MarketSite in NYC, and can be seen on Fox Business, NewsMax and as a sponsored program on Bloomberg TV.