Mridu Khullar Relph is a multiple award-winning freelance journalist who has lived and worked out of four continents and has written for The New York Times, TIME, CNN, ABC News, The Independent, Global Post, and The Christian Science Monitor, to name a few.

John is the author of the soon to be published book "How to Create and Deliver TED-worthy Pitches, Presentations & Communications." His pet peeve and the stuff his nightmares are made of? Great ideas that are poorly communicated. John has spoken at hundreds of conferences, business schools, and other venues all over the world, including the renowned TED Conference since 2011. John receives rave reviews from top level execs at Prescience International, Motorola Solutions, the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Labs in the Silicon Valley and Boston, Stone Brewing Company, and many others. People regularly call John's “Creating ‘TED-worthy’ Pitches, Presentations and Communications” the best communications training they have ever received.

We are delighted to have Joanna Penn with us today. Joanna writes bestselling thrillers under J.F. Penn, with over 80,000 books sold in 30 countries. She’s also the author of non-fiction books, including the Amazon #1 bestseller ‘How To Market A Book’. Joanna was voted one of The Guardian’s Top 100 Creative Professionals in 2013, and her site for writers www.TheCreativePenn.com has been voted one of the Top 10 Blogs for writers three years running. Joanna is also an international professional speaker and entrepreneur.

Kathleen has published ten books, nine nonfiction and a debut novel, Shadow Campus, described by Forbes as a “masterful debut mystery.” Kathleen’s work has also appeared in the Harvard Business Review where she has published several times. Kathleen is professor of Management at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and has just received the University of Connecticut Alumni Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic work. She originated the concept of college prep programs for foster children and is a co-founder of First Star, which develops the academies with universities to change the 3% college graduation rate of foster children. She and her husband, Chris Noblet, are a team when it come to writing and editing books.

Dorie is the author of “Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future”. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she is also a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review and Forbes. Dorie is recognized as a “branding expert” by the Associated Press and is a marketing strategy consultant and speaker for clients including Google, Microsoft, Yale University, Fidelity, and the World Bank. She also frequently appears in worldwide media including NPR, the BBC, and MSNBC.

Jeff is a full-time blogger, speaker, and author. He has a passion for travel, missions, and making a difference in the world. His first book, Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life, addresses the issue of how we live purpose-filled lives by serving the needs of others. Jeff’s blog, GoinsWriter.com, is one of the fastest-growing blogs on the web and a well-respected resource for writers, artists, and entrepreneurs. In 2011 and 2012, it won the Top 10 Blogs for Writers award on WritetoDone.com. Each month, Jeff receives over 100,000 visitors to his website. Jeff’s work has been published online and offline in a variety of publications, including RELEVANT Magazine, Copyblogger.com, and ZenHabits.net. His forthcoming work, The In-Between, is a memoir about the lessons we learn while waiting.

Norman holds four college degrees, including a doctorate in the humanities. He is also Professor Emeritus at Polk State College in Florida, a reviewer for The New York Journal of Books, and the LinkedIn group owner of Authors Writers Publishers Editors & Writing Professionals with over 20,000 worldwide members. Norman has also authored over 200 articles, several college textbooks, three novels, and two non-fiction books. Last but not least, he is the owner of Mélange Publishing, a small independent publishing house.

Award-winning novelist Ann Charles writes mysteries, romance, comedy, and whatever else feels right. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, the Guppies, and Romance Writers of America. Ann has also written several contemporary, award-winning novels, including a couple of different series. When she isn’t dabbling in fiction, Ann’s penning writing-themed articles or standing on her workshop soapbox sharing what she has learned over the years about the writing craft and self-promotion.

Carol is a longtime business writer and also the owner of her own six-figure blog-based business, Make a Living Writing and its membership site, Freelance Writers Den. Her new book is The Pocket Small Business Owner's Guide to Starting Your Business on a Shoestring. Carol’s work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Seattle Business, Seattle Magazine, among others. Corporate writing clients have included Costco, American Express, Dun & Bradstreet, and Dell, as well as top websites Copyblogger, Problogger, Freelance Switch, and many more.

Joshua blogs at Becoming Minimalist, where he has encouraged millions of others to find more life by owning less. He is the best-selling author of Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life, and one of the country's leading voices inspiring and equipping others to own fewer possessions. Joshua and his young family decided to pursue a minimalist lifestyle in 2008. Consequently, they removed all of their nonessential possessions. Their story has been featured on numerous media outlets around the world, including the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, and the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.