As an Indian-American actor and comedian, my journey to Hollywood has been anything but 'typical'. I had always had a flair for the dramatic as a teenager, dancing in & MCing cultural shows at my temple. The trend continued into college, where I realized something: I am much better at entertaining people than I am at attending class. I MC'd every cultural show my group had on campus over a 2 year span. When it came time to host an Indian classical dance competition at school, I taught myself Adobe Creative Suite so I could edit promo videos to attract guests. From there I learned the entire filmmaking process through YouTube tutorials starting with post-production and ending with pre-production and development. I ended up dropping out of college and moving to LA to write and direct movies. While out there, I took an improv class to keep the performing spirit alive within me. My classmates convinced me that I should try stand-up and acting, which ended up becoming my career. Fast forward till now and I have performed in every single comedy club in LA, got my first national commercial and first speaking role on television, and just played the lead role in a movie for the first time. All while building and maintaining relationships in a brand new city 2,000 miles away from home with no connections when I first moved there.

Anand Mahalingam's Website

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Tracee Lydia Garner is an international best-selling author of more than 20 books, a motivating speaker, humorist and book coach. She has taught at the academic level as an adjunct professor for 14+ years, teaching several courses including, Small Business PR and Promotion, Self-Publishing Boot Camp, and How to Write the Novel. Offered a book publishing contract at just 24 years of age, back then with one of the "Top 5," Tracee went on to write more work for publication and has also been published in her alma mater's literary magazine. Tracee loves public speaking, teaching workshops, and talking about the craft of writing at every opportunity. Tracee holds a BS in Communications, and a nonprofit management certification. While her heart is in romance, she also writes self-help, books on craft and publishing for writers, and teaches two, intensive writing courses for Romance Writer's Association's Pen to Paper programs. Tracee is a life-long disability advocate, diagnosed at two years old with a form of Muscular Dystrophy and scoliosis, she has used a wheelchair since elementary school.

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Empty nest Dad, musician, podcaster and collector of people - I love having conversations with creative people and building bridges with others via podcasting.

In a world that seems to value our differences over what we have in common, I am hoping that we can leverage the power of our words and a life well lived and well loved. I believe in the power of story,

I believe that everyone has a message and a platform - your story can change a life. I live by the apple seed principle - that you can count the number of seeds in an apple but you cannot count the number of apples in a seed. A single listener, viewer or reader that takes your content and lives it could change their world and the world that surrounds them - so be the change you wish to see and use the talents that you have that makes you uniquely you - nobody else can reach the world the way that you can - you are the sum total of every interaction, friendship, lesson learned and example displayed - we need you, we need your message and we need you now more than ever!

I use podcasting as my platform, I love the creativity of music and a deep connection with guests and listeners keeps me podcasting - happy to connect with like minded, change seeking humans on a similar journey

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Alexa Nazzaro is the founder of the Aaxel Author Group, an agency providing authors with turnkey support in editing, book design and book marketing. Alexa has worked with over 100 authors in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, and has experience in all genres, including non-fiction, memoir, fiction, children's books, coloring books and journals.

A graduate from Concordia University in Creative Writing, Alexa is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and the Writers' Union of Canada. She has spoken at the ALLi SelfPubCon24 as well as at the 13th Annual IPNE Publishers & Authors (Virtual) Conference.

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Steve Selengut is a #1 Amazon bestselling author of Retirement Money Secrets (2023) and a trusted retirement income independence coach with over 40 years of experience in the financial industry. As a retired private investment portfolio manager, Steve once managed over 300 portfolios with more than $100 million in assets before successfully exiting his firm in 2023.

Throughout his career, Steve introduced innovative financial concepts, including:

• QDI + PT™
• Smart Cash™
• The Investor’s Creed
• Base Income™
• The Investment Grade Value Stock (IGVSI) identification system

Today, he coaches both individuals and financial professionals, helping them build reliable, consistent retirement income—without the need to sell investments during retirement.

Steve’s breakthrough book, Retirement Money Secrets, is designed for anyone looking to retire with confidence and peace of mind. This practical guide teaches how to:

• Build enough money to retire comfortably
• Create reliable income regardless of market conditions
• Protect against inflation
• Stop worrying about market volatility
• Focus on spending money instead of chasing returns

If you're seeking a smart, stable, and sustainable retirement income strategy, this book is your blueprint.

Connect with Steve: Email: [email protected] Website

With years as a high level executive in the corporate world, Shannon knew all about high-pressure decision-making and leading with purpose. However, it was a personal family health crisis that set her on a new path, one focused on healing through food. When her young child faced serious health issues, the family tried every available solution—only to discover that real recovery came from clean, unprocessed, nutrient-rich foods. This transformative experience sparked a life-changing passion for wellness and ultimately led her to step away from the corporate world to found Vibe Foods, a family-owned juice bar committed to making healthy eating accessible for everyone.

Today, Shannon leads Vibe Foods with a mission: to educate and empower others to embrace clean eating and healthy living. Through her experience, she’s developed practical strategies for families and busy professionals to adopt a sustainable, gluten-free, nutrient-rich lifestyle without chemicals, GMO's, and processed sugars. Whether it’s through delicious superfood smoothies, organic bone broth, or gut-healthy juices, she’s inspiring people to take control of their health with simple, accessible food choices.

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Dr. Mark A. Hicks is an experienced author, ghostwriter, speaker, counselor, and relationship specialist dedicated to helping individuals and couples build strong, lasting connections. With a deep passion for exploring the dynamics of love, relationships, and emotional well-being, Dr. Hicks believes that healthy relationships are the foundation of a fulfilling life and successful career.

His powerful book, Learning Love: Building a Life That Matters and Healthy Relationships That Last, delivers practical wisdom for anyone looking to strengthen their emotional bonds. In it, Dr. Hicks outlines the five core components of love that can be learned and practiced by anyone—regardless of past relationship challenges.

In a world overwhelmed by loneliness, dysfunction, and emotional trauma, Dr. Hicks provides hope, healing, and practical tools for building deeper, more meaningful connections.

Discover More

• Visit Dr. Mark A. Hicks’ Official Website

JOHN DAVID GRAHAM is the founder of Good Samaritan Home, a housing / mentoring program helping men and women restart their lives after prison. Prior to that he was a door-to-door salesman, a children's home counselor, substitute school teacher, truck driver, fireman, building contractor, minister and journalist.

Sometimes the road home takes many twists and turns to develop what he calls the "calloused hands and tender heart" needed to help people through a crisis.

His recent novel, RUNNING AS FAST AS I CAN, that tells the "second chance journey" of Daniel Robinson, has garnered 26 awards for literary and inspirational fiction.

He gives all the credit for the success of Good Samaritan Home, and the completion of his novel, to Kathy, his wife of forty-seven years. "She has given me the strength to go on whenever the going seemed impossible. She has been, and always will be, my best friend."

Learn More

• Good Samaritan Home
• John David Graham’s Official Website
• Buy the Book – Running As Fast As I Can on Amazon
• John’s Substack

Jason Barnard is an entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, and award-winning innovator. He's the CEO and founder of Kalicube, a premium Digital Branding Consultancy in France and the United States. Jason specializes in personal brand intelligence, giving business leaders control over how decision-makers perceive them on Google and AI when million-dollar decisions are at stake.

Links :

• Website
• Kalicube
• Jason on Google Knowledge Panel

Kaylea Van Arsdale is a business and life coach with over 14 years of experience helping entrepreneurs build six- and seven-figure businesses. Holding a Master of Science in Psychology with a focus on Business & Life Coaching, Kaylea has developed hundreds of courses that have generated millions in revenue and fostered thriving communities.

Her journey began after escaping an abusive relationship, rebuilding her life through self-taught skills in website design, course creation, and operations management. Kaylea's passion lies in empowering women to rise from adversity, set boundaries, and create the lives and businesses they deserve.

Her work emphasizes resilience, accountability, and actionable growth strategies. Kaylea believes that no matter how stuck or broken someone feels, they can transform their lives with the right support and mindset. She inspires others by sharing her story and guiding them toward success, freedom, and personal fulfillment.

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