ROI’s Into the Corner Office Podcast: Powerhouse Middle Market CEOs Telling it Real—Unexpected Caree...

As Co-Founder and CEO of Fable Beauty and Fable Beard Co., momtrepreneur Megan "The Princess" Gray has built a multi-million-dollar business while raising three children. Based in Franklin, Tenn., Fable is no ordinary wellness and grooming brand: each scent is developed with a character in mind, and with hundreds of characters across the brands since the company's inception, there's always a new story to tell.

What began as a hobby reviewing beard care products on YouTube grew into a passion project, and eventually into Fable Beard Co.—launched by Megan ("The Princess") and her husband and co-founder, Collin Gray ("The Wizard"), out of a desire to create products that actually smelled great. The couple later expanded into Fable Beauty, blending the masculine and feminine sides of their storytelling-driven approach. Megan has since built Fable Beard Co. into a nationally recognized brand featured in Forbes, Inc. 500, The Tamron Hall Show and the AskMen Annual Grooming Awards.

Peter J. Katsufrakis, MD, MBA, is president and CEO of NBME. Dr. Katsufrakis previously served as senior vice president of Assessment Programs at the National Board of Medical Examiners and is recognized nationally in the medical education and assessment community, both for his work at the NBME and in past roles advancing professionalism, HIV education, clinical training, and medical education administration.

Prior to joining the NBME, Dr. Katsufrakis’s positions included associate dean for student affairs and associate professor of clinical family medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, where he received several teaching and outstanding service awards for his work. He has also served as a clinical associate professor of family and community medicine, at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.

Dr. Katsufrakis is licensed to practice medicine in Pennsylvania and is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and has served many organizations as a member, including the International AIDS Society, the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Student Affairs in many roles on committees and task forces.

Etinosa Agbonlahor is a behavioral economist and CEO of Decision Alpha, a behavioral firm that helps businesses understand what customers value and turn that into clearer pricing and growth.

Passionate about helping people reduce financial stress and live healthier financial lives, Etinosa brings over a decade of experience working across the U.S., Australia, Africa, and the U.K.

She has shaped financial wellbeing, engagement, and customer behavior strategies for global financial institutions, private businesses, and venture-backed startups.

Her work has been featured in MarketWatch, Morningstar, and other leading platforms, highlighting her focus on how behavior drives healthier financial outcomes.

Etinosa is the author of How to Talk to Your Parents About Money, a guide to navigating complex financial conversations.

Nick Turner is the CEO of Dreamdata. Nick is a seasoned B2B software leader with nearly two decades of experience building and scaling go-to-market teams, helping companies grow from early traction to tens of millions in revenue.

Randy Lyman is a physicist, entrepreneur, and expert in emotional intelligence and service-based leadership. He built the American Dream from humble beginnings, eventually founding multiple 8-figure businesses, including an Inc. 500 company. He discovered that lasting success requires embracing the emotional aspect of being human. Randy’s entrepreneurial journey spans four decades, earning multiple patents and growing his businesses 30x after integrating spiritual principles. He now shares these principles through his book, The Third Element, which offers useful tools and techniques for emotional healing and personal growth.

Jason Perez is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of YARDZ. As CEO, Perez manages the overall strategic direction of the company as it expands in scope and size. Before establishing YARDZ, Perez founded the Veritas Group, a consulting and management firm that had great success in the mission critical world. Before that, he was the Manager of Southeast Region Construction for Syska Hennessy Group. He also serves on the boards of organizations and is an Ambassador for the Marine Raider Foundation. 

A transformation and growth leader at heart, Paul Idziak is a CEO who thrives in complexity and turns bold vision into disciplined execution and scalable results. Like a catalyst for momentum, he does not just grow businesses; he engineers ecosystems where people, process, and performance move in sync. He leads from the front, combining grit with clarity to transform underperforming operations into high-impact, multi-location enterprises.

What he brings to the table is a rare blend of private equity acumen, operational rigor, and commercial instinct. He builds strong leadership teams, installs KPI-driven cultures, and creates structures that scale with precision. From due diligence to exit readiness, he aligns strategy with execution, driving profitability, expanding markets, and reducing risk. He operates with urgency, accountability, and a relentless focus on value creation.

Over the years, Paul has scaled businesses from the ground up, launching new divisions, expanding across the U.S., Canada, and international markets, and building distributed workforces of 300+ technicians. He has driven 35% revenue CAGR and 110% EBITDA growth, transforming operational performance and positioning companies for successful exits. He has secured tier-1 OEM partnerships, negotiated MSAs, and led high-value projects exceeding $20M while building diversified, resilient customer portfolios. From sourcing more than 100 acquisition targets and supporting approximately $3B in transaction value to executing value creation plans targeting 4X returns, his experience spans the full investment lifecycle. He has improved margins, reduced the cost of poor quality, implemented Lean 6S practices, and built safety cultures, achieving 0 recordables, consistently delivering measurable, repeatable results. His previous experience across Johnson Controls, Siemens, and AWC has further sharpened his leadership approach, strengthening his ability to scale operations, build high-performing teams, and drive consistent enterprise-level impact.

What matters most to Paul is building businesses that endure and teams that win long after the strategy is set. He measures success not just by growth, but by the legacy of performance, discipline, and leadership he leaves behind.

Laura Manion is the President & CEO of the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry, the region's premier business advocacy organization representing a diverse membership of 600 businesses — from small enterprises to multinational corporations — across 155 zip codes in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

As the voice of the business community, Laura advocates for pro-business policies at the local, state, and federal levels through a range of initiatives including hosting elected officials, convening roundtable policy discussions with community partners, and authoring sign-on letters and letters of support for members seeking government funding. She drives strategic efforts focused on economic growth, workforce development, and public policy engagement, while leading the Chamber's work to attract and retain member businesses through value-driven engagement and impactful networking opportunities.

Laura oversees the Chamber's $800,000+ budget, revenue streams, and day-to-day operations with a focus on long-term sustainability and organizational excellence. Under her leadership, the Chamber produces 50+ annual events spanning high-profile convenings, leadership programs, and economic initiatives that support business leaders and advance workforce development. Her impact is reflected in the numbers: from 2022 to 2023, event attendance grew 105% and new membership increased 106% — momentum that carried into 2024 with 150 new members welcomed to the organization.

Manion most recently served as a Manager for the Great Lakes Regional Office for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In this role, she cultivated legislative, political, media, and grassroots resources throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to further the chamber’s public policy goals.

She also helped lead the chamber’s efforts to strengthen its relationships with members of Congress through member businesses, associations, and local and state chambers of commerce across the region. Her policy portfolio at the U.S. Chamber focused on small business, workforce, and education.  

Prior to joining the U.S. Chamber, Manion was the Assistant Director of Government Affairs and Community Relations at Villanova University. She handled all local matters pertaining to the university, working closely with county and township officials and business associations and chambers, as well as the university’s neighbors. 

Manion hopes that she can take experience from the different roles in her career to strengthen her connections within the community and further the mission of the chamber.

“The pandemic showed the vital role that chambers of commerce play in their community,” she said. “We are a resource, rich with information and connections to benefit our member businesses. I look forward to working with the chamber’s board, volunteers, staff, and members to continue to grow and expand the organization. As a lifelong Chester County resident, it’s humbling and exciting to be tapped for this position.” 

Manion graduated from Franklin & Marshall College in 2013 with a degree in Government and holds an MPA from West Chester University.

In 2018, City & State PA presented her with its Above and Beyond Award, which recognizes 25 exceptional women from Pennsylvania for their accomplishments across various sectors, including politics, healthcare, education, and nonprofits.

Gene Millman is a dynamic and forward-thinking business leader with a track record of driving innovation, breaking the status quo, and fostering high-performance cultures. With extensive experience in executive leadership, Gene is known for his ability to transform organizations, align teams around a winning mindset, and create strategies that propel businesses toward sustainable growth.