Lisa Richer has devoted more than 20 years to supporting parents, educators, and professionals who face challenges navigating neurodiversity, both as a consultant and through her own lived experience raising neurodiverse sons. Lisa is the Executive Board Chair at By With & For Autistic Adults, Neurodiversity Advisory Chair at The Mandala School, and Advisory Board Member for Parents Alliance for Inclusion. Her work stands out for its focus on simplifying complex journeys and fostering real collaboration.

Many of her clients mention feeling more empowered and seen after working with her. Amber, a parent she supported, credited Lisa with helping secure much-needed educational resources for her daughter and creating a space for open communication between parents and schools.

Lisa's practical insights have resonated with thousands, and her social media community continues to grow. You can learn more about Lisa Richer at https://journey2bloom.com/.

Jonathan Todd Schwartz, once a towering figure in Hollywood's elite financial circles, lived a life that many could only dream of. As a power entertainment business manager at GSO Business Management, Schwartz was entrusted with managing the wealth of some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Alanis Morissette, Linkin Park, Halsey, and Gwyneth Paltrow. His reputation as one of Hollywood's most "trusted" financial advisors earned him the moniker "diva whisperer," reflecting his ability to cater to the unique needs of his high-profile clients. However, beneath the surface of this seemingly perfect

life, Schwartz was hiding a dark secret. Consumed by a monstrous drug habit and an uncontrollable gambling addiction, Schwartz began to embezzle millions from his clients to fund his destructive lifestyle. His double life was a carefully constructed house of cards, built on lies and deceit, which ultimately came crashing down in 2016 when Alanis Morissette discovered that Schwartz had stolen over $4.7 million from her accounts. The fallout was swift and brutal. Schwartz's crimes were exposed, leading to his arrest and subsequent conviction. The once-celebrated financial guru was now a disgraced criminal, reviled by the very industry that had once revered him. His actions not only ruined his own life but also brought significant financial

losses and reputational damage to GSO Business Management.

But Schwartz's story doesn't end with his fall from grace. Since his release from prison in 2020, Schwartz has embarked on a journey of redemption. Sober and a co-chair of his local Gamblers' Anonymous, he is determined to make amends for his past wrongdoings. Schwartz is now dedicated to proving that he is no longer the "defrauding monster" he once was, and is desperate to clear his name, particularly with his ex-wife and children, who continue to harbor doubts about his sincerity. Schwartz's life is a tale of extremes— from the heights of Hollywood success to the depths of criminal infamy. It raises the question: Can Jonathan truly change, or is this

just another act in a long-running con? Schwartz's story is a compelling exploration of human nature, redemption, and the thin line between good and evil.

In his own words, Schwartz acknowledges his flaws and the damage he has caused, but he remains committed to telling his story, hoping that it will serve as a cautionary tale for others and perhaps, one day, lead to his own redemption. His story is a modern-day parable, echoing the themes of the latest viral scammer tales like Inventing Anna, Tinder Swindler, and Bad Vegan—a once-in-a-lifetime narrative that promises to captivate and dominate public consciousness.

You can learn more about Jonathan through the article he wrote at https://medium.com/authority-magazine/jonathan-schwartz-of-altus-rehab-on-how-to-go-beyond-your-comfort-zone-to-grow-both-personally-and-9992ea419846.

Paul Voss is a father of eight children. In 2022, our youngest daughter was diagnosed with autism. Like many families, we were thrust into a world of sleepless nights, constant stress, and the feeling that we were doing everything right yet getting nowhere. There were long stretches when sleep felt impossible, hope felt thin, and the future felt overwhelming.

Out of that chaos, Paul wrote my first book, Autism Sucks: Finding Hope in the Chaos. He didn't write it as an expert or clinician. Rather, he wrote it as a tired dad seeking real solutions. One of his greatest goals was simple: if anything we did could help just one parent finally get six hours of uninterrupted sleep, every hard moment would be worth it.

Beyond sleep, he shares how his family's autism journey reshaped them. The changes they made didn't just help their autistic child. The awareness unexpectedly helped their other kids, too. Their oldest son, who was diagnosed with ADHD, was possibly the most positively affected. What surprised the family most was that autism didn't just change their child; it changed their family. It forced them to become more patient, present, and intentional parents. As hard as this road has been, it has ultimately made his family better.

Paul speaks to parents new to autism who are overwhelmed, exhausted, or quietly struggling in dark moments. His message is honest, practical, and hopeful. While autism is incredibly hard, it doesn't have to steal a family's future.

Joyce's supervisor suggested appealing to baby boomers about social media. Near the end of her sales career, when she was 61, her boss pointed out, "You've got a real knack for helping our clients understand social media." He then asked whether she had ever thought of helping others in her age group understand social media. She had to contemplate that possibility for a while, but she decided to start her own business. Before starting her business as a social media coach, she devoted 17 years to sales, helping businesses grow and succeed. During that time, she discovered her unique ability to explain complex concepts in a way that made sense to people.

It was then that she realized her true calling! Within six months, she launched her business, Boomers' Social Media Tutor, which focuses on tutoring baby boomers (and others!) on social media, with a specialization in LinkedIn.

Her path to becoming a social media coach has come full circle. When she graduated from high school, she planned to follow in her family's footsteps and become a teacher. However, life led her into the world of sales instead.

Now, she is fulfilling that teaching dream by educating business owners and job seekers on navigating the ever-changing landscape of social media.

Angie Weinberger is an inclusive entrepreneur based in Zurich, Switzerland. She combines executive coaching with expertise in global mobility. She is an interculturalist, a certified Master Coach with a background in systemic consulting and the VERMEULEN® method, and a transactional analysis practitioner.

Weinberger also serves as a workshop facilitator, intercultural trainer, guest lecturer, speaker, and consultant. She has coached more than 600 clients. Her company, Global People Transitions, was founded in 2010. As an entrepreneur, she brings strategic thinking, business development, social media, and technology expertise to her work.

To reach this point in her life, she had to understand and overcome post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) later in life. For leaders, it is possible that you have people within your circle of influence who exhibit symptoms similar to Angie's. Leaders must become aware of these symptoms and know how to work with those whose performance is adversely affected.

Weinberger has lived and worked in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, India, and Australia, spending 30 years in an international environment. As a university guest lecturer, she focuses on global mobility and inclusive leadership.

She also writes and has authored several workbooks, including The Global Rockstar Album – 21 Verses to Find Your Tact as an Inclusive Leader (2023), The Global Mobility Workbook, Third Edition (2019), and The Global Career Workbook (2016). Her working languages are English and German. She speaks French and Spanish at a conversational level, understands Swiss German, and is studying Arabic.

Leah Ellis is self-professed and diagnosed as neurodiverse. She is an entrepreneur. When working with her and other neurodiverse children, she understands that children can also be entrepreneurs. It's about discovering and nurturing their talents.

Leah founded The Society of Child Entrepreneurs after seeing how much kids can surprise us with their bravery, ideas, and grit, especially when they're given the chance to build something from the ground up. Whether that's writing engaging stories like Astra & Zeke or guiding young leaders through the Ignite – Empower - Lead curriculum, the focus is on creating real-world impact through hands-on learning.

The nonprofit Society of Child Entrepreneurs is committed to equipping young minds with the knowledge and confidence to start and run their own businesses, preparing them to succeed in an ever-changing world. The organization empowers children by fostering entrepreneurial spirit, leadership, and financial literacy through practical experience.

Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset early is essential. By offering hands-on experiences and educational resources, the society seeks to develop leadership skills and financial knowledge among children, enabling them to innovate and make a positive impact in their communities.

The programs emphasize hands-on learning, where children learn by doing. Through structured workshops, mentorship, and real-world projects, participants acquire valuable skills in business planning, marketing, budgeting, and teamwork. These experiences support their academic growth and teach essential life skills such as critical thinking, resilience, and problem-solving.

You can learn more about Leah Ellis and The Society of Child Entrepreneurs at https://societyofchildentrepreneurs.org/.

Jim Anderson recovered from losing a very profitable information technology business he had started. Through his business failure, he also lost his wife and business partner. That was because he now realizes his business was profitable on paper, but only in the short term. He was unaware of what negative cash flow was, which led to his business's collapse. However,

Do you want to know if your business is as stable as it seems on paper? If the market changes tomorrow, would your company be ready? Most founder-led, privately held businesses earning between $500k and $20M are profitable, but cash flow issues persist. You're responsible for payroll, for families, and for long-term survival. Yet, no one ever trained you to understand the financial story your business is telling.

Jim understands that burden well. He has built and led a national company through rapid growth, cash flow challenges, market fluctuations, and the tough lessons when revenue exceeds stability. He has also worked with privately held business owners who were profitable but quietly uncertain.

What he has learned from his business experience is that profit measures performance. Cash determines survival. Over the past 30+ years, Jim has helped founder-led businesses uncover the deeper story hidden in their numbers — the patterns, risks, and opportunities often overlooked — and turn that insight into disciplined cash management and long-term resilience. The most common challenges he has identified include: revenue growth masking fragile cash flow, businesses overly dependent on the owner, lack of a clear framework for understanding what's actually working, growth limited by the "cash Catch-22," and leaders experiencing more stress than they admit.

Jim shares his past business failures as lessons learned. He admits he gained knowledge from his previous ventures without blaming those experiences. Instead, he has benefited from them and now partners with other entrepreneurs to help them avoid his mistakes.

You can learn more about Jim and his business at https://www.psalmtreecfo.com/.

Jaime Hrobar is an autism advocate, a woman in recovery, and an author whose journey of rebuilding her life after addiction is rooted in radical honesty and faith. Jaime uniquely navigates trauma, motherhood, and personal growth without glossing over the hardships. As a mother to two sons with autism (one with severe needs, one high-functioning), she offers a compassionate and straightforward view on parental burnout, guilt, and grace. She shares with thousands of parents and individuals in recovery the truth that healing is rarely neat, but always possible. Her dynamic message transforms pain into hope through practical wisdom. Jaime provides actionable encouragement and insights to help others through different seasons of life. You can learn more about Jaime at https://www.jaimehrobar.com/.