Kent Rockwell | Transformational CEOs of the Year | Exeleon Magazine

Khris Thayer: Optimizing digital relevance

IN -

Philip Wride: Pioneering Game-Based Learning with ClassBridges

Kent Rockwell

CULTIVATING SUCCESS

Embracing Excellence

Naomi Lam (Design Ninja)

Matt Reis (Wordster)

Adam Waring (Grafista)

Ian O'Shea, Matt Hale, & John Riggs (Three Musketeers)

Cathy G. (Explorer)

Sales

Project Manager

Marketing Manager

Josh Wilder (Cultivator)

Mike Jackson (Marketeer)

Katherine Price (Sustainer)

Richard Dann (Facilitator)

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CONTENTS

In this era of fast-paced advancements and increasing complexity, the role of a leader goes beyond command, control, and delegation. Transformational leadership empowers individuals to unleash their full potential, thereby fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and shared success.

By nurturing relationships, articulating a compelling vision, and championing the growth of their team members, transformational leaders create an environment where extraordinary achievements are not just possible but inevitable.

One shining example of a transformational leader who embodies these principles is Kent Rockwell, Founder and CEO of Universal Registered Agents (URA).

Since establishing the company in 2013, Kent has inculcated a mindset of growth and built an exceptional team that strives to deliver exceptional results.

Featuring as the Cover of our Transformational CEOs of the Year, we look into the story of Kent Rockwell and Universal Registered Agents.

Growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, Kent always had an entrepreneurial mindset. During his teen years, he started his irst business by cutting lawns. “I purchased the equipment, managed the inancials, and had one person working with me,” he recalls.

Armed with a humble lawnmower and an unwavering determination, Kent went on to work around more than 20 yards as well as some commercial spaces. He enjoyed being his own boss.

After graduating from college, he began exploring different options and spent a year working with ConAgra. However, he soon realized that the lour milling business wasn't exactly for him. He joined ARI Network services soon after to dive into the UCC business, or Uniform Commercial Code.

At the age of 24, working with ARI, he was given the

responsibility of creating products for their online network. After several failures, Kent created an online UCC database for Illinois banks.

“While I worked for a company, the products I developed were truly entrepreneurial and gave me the full scope of developing something from scratch. This product catapulted me into the Registered Agent / Corporate Services industry and gave me the opportunity with National Registered Agents, Inc.”

Over the course of the next 14 years, he served as the Head of Sales & Marketing for National Registered Agents, Inc. Kent was able to help the company attain the position of being among the top three registered agent / corporate service providers in the entire country.

In 2011, the company was sold to Wolters Kluwer.

THE START OF URA

Following a two-year non-compete period, Kent decided to leverage his experience in the industry and recruited two former colleagues to conceptualize the birth of Universal Registered Agents.

“I also explored other job opportunities during that time, but when I couldn't secure a position that aligned with my aspirations, starting URA became the best option.”

Together with Joe Winrich, Vice President Legal, and Will Cleaver, Chief Technology Oficer, Kent was able to create a team of experienced professionals who really understood the industry.

Although the company faced its share of challenges during its initial stages, it never looked back and only focused on providing exceptional services. Today, URA has established its name across 50 states as a premier provider of corporate and registered agent services.

EMPOWERING THE TEAM

For Kent Rockwell, transformational leadership goes far beyond simply managing tasks and delegating responsibilities. According to him, it's about inspiring and empowering others to reach their full potential, both individually and as a team.

He mentions, “I have a clear vision and communicate that vision to team members regularly. This helps to create a shared sense of purpose and direction, which in turn fosters a sense of motivation and commitment among team members.”

Kent further understands that while he sets the direction, it is also imperative for him to be lexible and adaptable in the face of change. Moreover, he makes sure to encourage and support any form of innovation and creativity from his team.

As the CEO of the company, Kent's role revolves around empowering his team and providing them with the support they need to succeed. This involves spending signiicant time on recruiting, training, and motivating his team.

Talking further about his role, he asserts “I also set budgets, establish goals, and collaborate with the team to develop new products and strategic initiatives. Additionally, I actively identify potential strategic acquisitions for the company.”

Kent's commitment to his work and responsibilities, further captures his idea of leading by example.

PEOPLE ARE ASSETS

According to Kent, being surrounded by great people has always been the key behind his success. He explains, “I did learn that hiring / partnering with the wrong people can lead to devastating results. If you get people that don't it the mold or are disruptive to the goals of the company, get them out quickly.”

He emphasizes the need for organizations to hire great people and get rid of the bad apples from the team. In URA, Kent has made sure to pay ample focus on hiring quality people to ensure quality results. Moreover, he stresses the need to provide people with comprehensive training and support.

“Our team goes through extensive customer service training, and we've developed procedures/best practices/training manuals for all aspects of customer satisfaction.”

He continues, “The industry standard for discontinuances in our business is 15 percent annually. We pride ourselves on being almost 10 percent less than the industry average.”

With his simple mantra of living life with no regrets, Kent has cultivated a work culture of being the best and rewarding them with equity.

MOVING FORWARD

Talking about the future, Kent mentions “Each day brings new challenges and opportunities. Our industry has been under considerable pressure to consolidate with Private Equity. We are proud to be independent and the opportunities this presents.”

He aims for URA to be the industry leader for new incorporations, strengthen their presence in law irms, and gain signiicant corporate market share in change of registered agent to URA. Furthermore, Kent is willing to acquire as well as collaborate with companies that will help the company reach its goals.

Book Entrepreneurs Must Read – The Snowball: Warren

Buett and the Business of Life

Productivity Tool that Everyone Should Use – Jira, a project management tool primarily used for issue tracking, sprint planning, and advanced reporting.

Movie / Show / Podcast to Suggest –We Are Marshall / Air / Startup Hustle

One Quote that Motivates you the Most – Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it's the courage to continue that counts.

We Embrace Excellence!

Exeleon Magazine features some of the leading players in business and shares their journey of excellence to inspire aspiring leaders across the globe.

Khris Thayer | CEO & Co-Founder

An inluential leader is a

leader that strives to make a positive impact on people affected by seen and unseen decisions. In fact, good leaders are good listeners and inquisitive about what makes people tick, encourage people to play to their strengths and provide opportunities to strengthen their weaknesses.

Good leaders use this diagnostic approach to provide clarity and purpose through decisive and independent thought. Khris Thayer, CEO and Co-founder of OPTIZMO Technologies, is an ingenious example of an inluential leader. He implements his thought-leadership style through seeking and providing opportunities for others.

Additionally, he proactively contributes in leveling-up his team's knowledge and experience. He says, “I make a conscious effort to empathize without sacriicing high standards in order to appease.”

FACING THE MUSIC— LIKE A REAL LEADER

Khris' earliest memory as a leader is mostly centered around music. Growing up in a small town in rural Texas, it was dificult for him to ind creative outlets. But relecting on his formative years made him realize the importance of manifestations through adversity. This eventually led him to excel in his personal growth and interests.

As he tried to create an outlet for himself, he soon realized that there were other people all around him looking for the same thing:

Inspiration. They needed a catalyst and he wanted to be that for them. Khris shares, “I listened to other young people talk as they were looking at albums at a local record shop. While they were buying albums, popular within the culture of the area, I would hear them comment about wanting to ind something new. They would complain about everything sounding the same or that their parents didn't like it. “

There were plenty of options for new music to be discovered, and Khris took this as a cue for him to lead people towards a free and open-minded perspective. He recalls, “ I walked over to a nearby demo stereo and began to play music that I found interesting. Music not found on any of the top sellers.” He would play the most random albums and after a few weeks of doing this, he made more friends than he ever wanted.

There was a gravitational pull as he explained his reasons for creating music and inding inspiration to inluence his own writing. This was the irst time he cognizantly realized that people want to be led, but not forced into following. Khris believes that “we all want to be inspired by people who are unapologetic about what drives them.”

Inspiration is contagious and we want to follow people who are deliberate and passionate. Those same friends are still his friends now: bandmates, roadies, his unpaid marketing team, his creative consultants and production engineers, and lifelong fans of

anything that he has pursued throughout his life.

A HAPPY CHANCE WITH HIS PASSION

Music has always been a means of catharsis for Khris and integral to his success and sanity. The discipline and focus required to create music, write songs, identify patterns, inspire emotion, and take people on a journey has played a positive role in his life. It also created a positive impact as it taught him about leading and inluencing people to a desired outcome.

But it was a fortunate stroke of serendipity when he was introduced to the email marketing industry. Coincidentally, around that time, his friend and CTO/ Cofounder, Grant Fern had started a think-tank passion project. This led them both to discuss business ideas, concepts, and philosophy. After years pondering a company together, they decided to collaborate and make things happen.

He believed that the market needed a better and more reliable solution for managing the collection, storage, and distribution of email suppression lists. As a result, he and Grant decided to focus on worklow automation and eficiency. Eventually, they built a team dedicated to customer success and this was the impetus for creating OPTIZMO.

Sharing his idea about the name of the company, Khris shares “As with a lot of companies, the name

resulted from some back-of-anapkin doodling, playing around with the word, Optimize. Eventually, Optimization-Gizmos led to the company name, OPTIZMO.”

As a CEO, Khris believes his role is to build a competent team, empower and facilitate them with the tools that they need to succeed, and then let them do what they do best. So, while he is often involved in day-to-day operations, his leadership focus is providing strategic guidance according to the circumstances.

EYES ON THE REAL PRIZE

For Khris, his people are the real assets as he treasures them dearly. From the beginning, he had his vision set on hiring highly entrepreneurial, self-motivated people with expertise in their respective ields. “Results-driven autonomy has created an environment that supports both personal and professional growth for individual team members while inspiring camaraderie and collaboration as a team,” he adds.

Additionally, Khris is driven and passionate to ensure optimal client experience and satisfaction. His focus is simple, impactful and progressive on three key areas: providing the best data management and compliance technology; delivering world-class customer service and support; managing scale while not sacriicing service for growth.

Khris' journey has been an exciting and adventurous one and rarely, if ever, a straight path. It has been a challenging route of many ups, downs, curves, and crossroads towards success. But, he is not

really one for regrets, as he thinks it is dificult to say if there is anything that he would do differently.

However, Khris always strives to improve and become better through experience and learning. “I try to remain cognizant of my responsibility to my partner and my team. I try to remain humble and open to learn from those I lead and those who lead me. I've been fortunate in that many of those, the ones I lead and who lead me, are one in the same,” he concludes.

HIS BIGGEST EXPERIENTIAL ADVICE

Adaptability, mindfulness, and gratitude are rare qualities that should warrant more attention in the context of business and leadership. Khris suggests aspiring business leaders to be adaptable to market trends and changes in the business and pivot quickly and decisively.

He also thinks it is more important to make moves and changes in the right direction than it is to be right about an initial direction or idea. Additionally, being mindful of your actions and decisions impact those you lead. Khris repeatedly emphasizes on being responsible for outcomes and leading by example.

Gratitude is another important ingredient required to cook your delicious success story. Khris also says, “Positive outcomes are often the result of learning from negative outcomes. Be grateful for the learning opportunities, but do not focus on the negative. There is almost always a silver lining.”

Lastly, be deliberate: say what you

mean and mean it when you say it. “Your clients, partners, and team members will respect you for it and it will, likely, earn you goodwill to get you through the moments when you misstep. Work environments may change, but these philosophies never will,” he concludes.

OPTIMIZING FOR THE FUTURE

With over 15 years of experience, Khris still has a fascination for his company and is very excited about the future. As thought leaders in the digital marketing industry, he believes his team is in a great position to anticipate the challenges of the future and rise to meet them head-on, while expanding the business offerings.

“We prepare for this with a sense of cultural readiness as we scale our team to meet the demands of our growing and ever-evolving company,” he shares. Moreover, he will also be focusing on international growth in 2022 and beyond.

A few of his other priorities are to enhance the SaaS platform, scale the infrastructure and team, while continuing to create more value through diversiication of OPTIZMO's product and service offerings. Lastly, he is looking to expand OPTIZMO's network of cross-platform integration partners. “We are always innovating and incubating new business models and ideas,” he concludes.

Chief Executive Officer National Merchants Association

Heather Altepeter

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

eaders are no strangers to L challenges. Oftentimes, when moments in life are tough and the future is uncertain, it becomes dificult for them to summon the internal fortitude necessary to lead. At the same time, they also understand that dificult circumstances bring the opportunity to redirect the path, reinvent themselves, or to uncover a previously unknown pathway that will help them get over the obstacles.

Then there are those who demonstrate true resiliency and know how to not only maneuver through the uncertainty but also use these situations to their advantage.

Heather Altepeter is one such personality who takes adversities as challenges and comes out stronger after overcoming them. She doesn't trust the process, instead she deines it and creates spaces previously non-existent.

A PERSONALITY TO BE REVERED

In addition to being a progressive leader, Heather is a familiar face in the payments sector. She is recognized for her skills as a merchant advocate, her passion towards entrepreneurship, and the creative way she handles her business. Mastering all these skills has enabled Heather to penetrate the sector in a new way through National Merchants Association (NMA).

While Heather today stands tall as the Founder and CEO of the organization, her initial plan of creating this venture was a humble one. She wanted to pioneer the creation of a podium for merchant advocacy groups where they could be heard.

Prior to founding the organization, her experience working for the top payment processors helped her realize

that the merchants needed a voice that must be heard in the industry. As a result, she decided to step up and created NMA to be the representation and voice of merchants.

Heather, now with twenty years in the industry, is someone who is recognized as a trendsetter with a strong personality of perseverance who identiied a challenge, understood its corners, and bridged the gap by inding the requisite solutions. She has guided NMA to extraordinary success, including three straight years on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing businesses and collaborations that provide exclusive access to cutting-edge technologies and solutions.

TURNING CHALLENGES INTO SUCCESSES

Heather describes her life as a series of trials and tribulations,

strong growth and success which she iercely believes all of those pieces are a part of every entrepreneurial journey. She asserts, “It has been fun. The journey has certainly been a roller coaster of learning and growth over the last 17 years. With it comes the ups and downs but that's the life of every successful entrepreneur and business owner.”

According to Heather, leaders who stay ahead enjoy the tumultuous journey and are passionate about it never surrendering to those trials. They take adversities and transform them into goals, pushing their team to be their absolute best during the most challenging moments and lead by example. Heather applies the same traits in her leadership style and oversees everything to deliver the right merchant experience, while empowering her organization to be at its very best.

“As a CEO, I oversee everything, every aspect of the business, while still empowering everyone to be selfsuficient and proactive,” says Altepeter. “We want everyone to enjoy what they do while still feeling challenged. It's a lifestyle career, not a job. At the end of the day, my job is to make sure everybody and everything is working towards NMA's vision each and every day.”

Being the CEO, Heather realizes that perseverance is of utmost importance for one to survive and succeed and makes sure to integrate the same thought into her own leadership. She points out that not all CEO's are entrepreneurs, however all CEO's are tasked with solving problems with a preemptive

strike, staying ahead of issues as much as possible . Perseverance is absolutely critical for anyone to manage a successful company.”

FOR THE MERCHANTS

Being an advocacy group, NMA takes a slightly different approach in delivering the utmost in client satisfaction. From beginning to end, everything and every step the company takes is favored towards merchants and their needs. To Heather, the optimal satisfaction of these merchants means hearing and

pandemic, the organization reduced its fees across the board and for the uphill adventure of the post-COVID world, Heather has set up a beneiciary program for the merchants that will ease up their recovery and help them get back on their feet.

“We were impacted because our merchants were impacted. We did a lot to accommodate our entire client base, we waived minimum fees while also reducing fees across the board during COVID. Now as we are slowly feeling a sense of normalcy, we are introducing a 'stimulate the economy' promo, offering zero cost processing services to help our business community recover and get back up even stronger,” shares Heather.

BELIEF IN THE TEAM

understanding them, while learning to grow with them. To her, the business is all about forging relationships with the clients and not just providing services for the sake of monetary advantages.

Even in the middle of a global pandemic, as the whole world was turned upside down, Heather not only sought out solutions for NMA but also for the merchants and their resurrection. Hence, during the

Heather shares that her biggest challenge so far has been the payment industry's constant regulatory, federal and state changes. She continues by sharing that all such development comes unannounced and even without considerations for companies in the industry. “Although we lobby and meet with regulators frequently to bring the voice of our merchants to the forefront, we are not heard,” mentions Heather passionately.

Consequently, Heather has to make sure that her organization stays on its feet and abreast with the latest norms and policies. One part of such is having to constantly adapt to the ever-evolving regulatory developments, which affects all the facets of the organization and the customers.

“

Not all CEO’s are entrepreneur. But all CEO’s are flagged with solving problems companies don’t even know they have. Perseverance is absolutely critical for anyone to manage a company.

In such challenging times, Heather likes to rely on her employees and considers them the boat that will help her get to the island's shore. “Due to the simple fact that regulators don't understand the industry, they should leave it to the experts who do. From these numerous scenarios, what remains constant is this: ``You take care of your people, and your people take care of you. ”

STORY AHEAD

Heather is excited about the future, describing it as incredibly bright and she has complete faith in her team which has been nothing short of amazing in the industry. She is also looking to expand her team due to the tremendous growth NMA is experiencing including a recent move to Las Vegas. Most

importantly, Heather is looking towards bigger, better and more eficient processes to accommodate her growing lists of merchants. Their satisfaction along with her endless dedication to their success will allow NMA to continue to dominate the processing world one client at a time. CEO at National Merchants Association.

Co-Founder & CEO

MPOWER

Emmanuel Smadja

Empowering Students Across the Globe

The world of entrepreneurship has

witnessed countless success stories, each driven by unique visions and compelling motivations.

Emmanuel Smadja's story as the Co-Founder and CEO of MPOWER Financing is no exception.

An accidental entrepreneur, Emmanuel's journey has been deined by resilience, compassion, and a fervent desire to empower international students pursuing higher education abroad.

Alongside co-founder Mike Davis, Smadja has built MPOWER Financing, a revolutionary inancial solution for international students.

In this exclusive interview, Emmanuel Smadja shares what led to the start of MPOWER, his vision for the company, and much more

In your experience, what are some of the essential qualities a successful CEO should possess?

I think the job requires several skills, some of which might seem contradictory. First, there's a need for undying optimism, bordering on delusion. Startups face ups-and-downs, and CEOs need to guide their team through good times and tough times alike. This requires an ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel, to embrace challenges, and turn these into opportunities. At the same time, there's a need for constant hunger and dissatisfaction with the status quo; the company can always do better and grow faster.

Separately, CEOs need to be able to articulate an inspiring vision, and share that vision constantly with prospective employees, shareholders, partners, and their board. This aspect is essential to the CEO's job of “Chief Resource Oficer”, meaning ensuring the

company has the funding and people talent needed to drive results. Now, beyond the optimism and evangelism a CEO actually needs to be a good manager of the executive team and needs to be able to absorb massive amounts of data in order to stay grounded in the reality of the business. Short of these qualities, the CEO would remain more of a igurehead, president, or evangelist for the company.

What inspired you and your co-founder, Mike Davis, to start MPOWER Financing?

I am an “accidental entrepreneur” in that I was happily on the partner path at the consulting irm McKinsey & Co and never really intended to become an entrepreneur. I was driven to found MPOWER due to my own personal experience as an international student, and a “lightbulb moment” I had about a decade ago.

My experience mirrors that of MPOWER students. I moved to the U.S. as an international student from France to study engineering at the University of Virginia. During my time there, I struggled to pay for my education -- eventually earning enough money by tutoring math, physics, computer science, French, and refereeing indoor soccer. But it always bugged me that it was dificult for international students to inance their education abroad.

I later completed an MBA from INSEAD and worked at McKinsey, where I focused on global inancial inclusion.

Then, about 10 years ago, a student reached out to me for support, it was really an eye-opening moment for me. He was the irst in his family to go to college, had just 3 semesters left to graduate, and was going to drop out for only a small amount of money. After speaking with him I sent him the funds, but I felt pulled in to solve this problem on a larger scale. That's what motivated me to co-found MPOWER Financing.

When looking for a co-founder, I reached out to my INSEAD classmate Mike Davis. Mike is a serial entrepreneur, who was running three successful startups from an ofice in Manhattan before he decided to pursue his MBA. His family led the Iranian revolution and Mike grew up on welfare in Indiana. But he was a sharp student and graduated Purdue University at age 19. To call him an overachiever is an understatement.

As the CEO, what are some of the key challenges that

you have faced while building and growing MPOWER Financing, and how have you overcome them?

2020 was a perfect storm for us. Covid created challenges for international students trying to come into North America or head home, while the past U.S. administration was effectively waging war on immigrants. Our team turned into a hotline helping students. Via partnerships, we started offering temporary housing for students stuck in North America, health insurance that would cover Covid, and immigration guidance.

Covid also represented an opportunity for MPOWER. Our credit data had been phenomenal for the irst 6 years of our existence, but some loan capital providers objected that we'd never seen a inancial shock. Well, March-June 2020 provided just that, and what the data allowed us to show is that MPOWER students performed exceptionally well relative to U.S. private student lenders and other consumer loan providers during inancial shocks. In short, not only did we have better credit performance than the market generally, but the performance was also far less volatile during market shocks. This was a critical proof point for our business and yet another arrow in our quiver as we raised over $150 million in equity and venture debt in 2021.

MPOWER Financing works with over 400 top universities across the U.S. and Canada. How do you establish and maintain these partnerships, and what beneits do they bring to the students and universities involved?

The American and Canadian higher education institutions that host MPOWER students beneit both directly and indirectly from the no-cosigner loan model that enables a larger number and diversity of aspiring students to study abroad, while also allowing universities to prosper and internationalize.

MPOWER students come from over 160 countries, and about 80% are from the Global South. Over 90% of our students say that an MPOWER loan was imperative to their ability to complete their education. As a result, MPOWER loans have not only helped to fulill these students' educational dreams, but our inancing has enabled these institutions to diversify their international student body and to meet their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals -- not to mention their inancial and enrollment goals.

International students contribute in immeasurable ways to the internationalization and global appeal of American and Canadian campuses. Their presence and perspectives are especially valuable to those domestic students who might not have the opportunity to study or travel abroad, and for whom international students offer a window into other worlds and cultures. Increasing access to international students who want to study in the U.S. or Canada is therefore beneicial to both those students and their domestic peers.

The recent $150 million inance deal with Goldman Sachs is a signiicant milestone for MPOWER Financing. How do you plan to utilize this funding to further support and expand your services for international students?

In May, we announced that MPOWER raised a $150 million dollar warehouse inancing facility with Goldman Sachs. We are thrilled that Goldman Sachs is

supporting the MPOWER team as we contribute to the important mission of making higher education and socioeconomic mobility accessible to the millions of international students in North America.

The funding will be used to expand MPOWER's rapidly growing portfolio of student loans issued to international and DACA students across the U.S. and Canada. Both countries saw record levels of international enrolment in 2022 and look poised to exceed this in 2023. Our partnerships with leading inancial services irms like Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, and others ensures that more deserving students than ever are able to fulill their educational dreams.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for MPOWER? What are you most excited about?

Higher education is key to socioeconomic mobility but, unfortunately, millions of students struggle to get into or

through school due to inancial constraints. At MPOWER Financing, our mission is to break down the inancial barriers to education.

It is overwhelming, but incredibly satisfying, to see your mission come to fruition and to help support the educational dreams of so many promising students from around the world. In feedback from our students, the word that stands out is “dream.” Almost daily, our students tell us that MPOWER makes their dreams come true by enabling their educational pursuits. This is what I ind most exciting about my job and about working at MPOWER. As one MPOWER student recently wrote, “Many brilliant students can see their dreams of studying abroad become a reality thanks to [MPOWER's] support.”

Our long-term vision is to be a one-stop shop for the global diaspora: this includes educational loans, but also a host of other products and services that students and migrants need to set themselves up for success in their adopted countries.

MPOWER graduates are contributing signiicantly to the economy and civil society: they're advocating for causes, co-founding companies, registering patents, and serving as elected oficials. As our world grapples with wars, climate change, and the challenges of an aging population, we're honored to have a small part to play in alleviating some of these challenges and fostering a more diverse, equitable world where the brightest minds are able to reach their full potential..

DONALD THOMPSON THE DIGITAL

MARKETING PIONEER

Great leaders bring out the best in other people, pushing their abilities and enhancing their potential. They use their vision to create a goal structure and culture that motivates each person to do their best work. Holding people accountable for their professional commitment, they set the optimum conditions so that every teammate can realize how their personal success can contribute to a team's larger success.

In the ield of digital marketing, Donald Thompson is one such exemplary leader who enables his enterprise to thrive by exalting a culture of excellence. Donald always sets a high standard for his team. He knows that it instills in them the belief that they can achieve and maintain the benchmark, especially when their leader believes in their abilities.

As the CEO of Walk West, recognized among Inc. 5000 for three years in a row as one of the fastest growing marketing agencies in North Carolina, Donald has driven many people to the heights of success from scratch. “Along the way, they have started believing in their own unlimited potential and capacity for growth. That's what inspires me,” afirms Donald.

A REFRESHING ALTERNATIVE

Established in 2007 as a break from traditional marketing strategies that simply provided thoughtless and templatized products and services, Walk West relies on a rich culture of curiosity and learning.

This culture allows Donald's team to cultivate a more thorough understanding of clients and their goals. Donald clariies, “We believe that our competitive curiosity, agility, and diversity of thought help our partners become more successful. Our name harkens

back to American pioneers and reminds us to take the uncharted path; we forge ahead to embrace the unknown.”

Under Donald's skilled leadership, Walk West operates within a simple framework: strategy plus execution equals business results. The company builds data-driven and innovative digital marketing strategies with an incredibly diverse team of specialists, journalists, entrepreneurs, and MBAs. This team foregrounds the diversity of ideas, which helps Donald “marry innovation with a modern, multicultural mindset; this way, we can churn up fresh ideas that transform the way our clients approach their marketing.”

Moreover, Walk West invests time and energy in teaching its clients how to win on their own. It focuses on making its clients' internal teams self-reliant, building their capacity for success through impactful mentorship, modern tools, and other necessary resources.

Speaking about his role as the CEO of the company, Donald explains “My focus is on partnerships, client relationships, and internal training. I seek opportunities to coach and develop the leadership capacities of my team and am still highly involved in daily operations, including pitches for new business and client meetings.”

As the leader of this modern enterprise, Donald sets the perfect work conditions and creates the best milieu for its success.

A CULTURE OF GROWTH, TEAMWORK, AND EXPERTISE

Donald considers Walk West's thriving culture of teamwork and individual excellence as his greatest input

CEO Walk West

to the agency. He claims, “Over the years, we have built an energetic culture that relies on inclusion, collaboration, and innovation.”

As an experienced leader, Donald ensures that each team member is an expert in their role. The ensuing core stability allows everyone to perfectly execute their individual roles while also collaborating with others to ind creative marketing solutions. Ultimately, every member beneits and grows from the consolidated strength of the team.

Donald claims, “Diversity is key, and creating an inclusive, accessible culture unlocks its power. It also helps you win better talent, because people look for organizations where their differences will be celebrated and valued. The more I learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the more excited I am to see that social good and inancial success are intricately interwoven. Walk West excels at celebrating diversity and teamwork, and I'm proud of that.”

As integral as it is, building the right culture is often challenging, as every member might not be in the same page. Over the years, Donald has had to make some tough employee decisions in order to improve the chemistry within his team. He considers those changes to be inevitable, “because they reinvigorate your culture and reset tones for higher performance.”

FULFILLING EXPECTATIONS AND OFFERING VALUE

When it comes to marketing in the new era, the key to maintaining a successful agency is to correctly gauge client expectations and bring something unique to the table. The former is possible through a healthy collaboration between creative minds, while the latter is the result of cultivating individual creativity and innovation.

Donald has learned this while going through a wide range of experiences, at both professional and personal levels. Growing up in the South as an African American with no college degree or technology background, he has succeeded against tough odds and is thankful to have people in his life who insisted on his personal growth.

Donald admits, “As the son of a football coach and a college football player myself, I've always known the value of teamwork and the power of my personal hustle.

My family, along with my mentor and friend Grant Williard, held me to a high standard, showing me how to overcome an unfair playing ield and always keep pushing forward.”

Being a leader in digital marketing, Donald has acquired one crucial lesson that he has turned into his golden rule: always invest generously in client services talent. This is because management expectation is the central factor that decides the mettle of a digital marketing agency. Donald avers, “The consultant-client relationship is based on clear expectations. It's all about making the right promises and deftly managing communication.”

TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE WITH TDM

Donald considers himself fortunate that Walk West is already geared into the digital realm and focused on communication. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is Walk West's mode of operation that has made Donald and his team stand strong in the face of competition. “Digital marketing has helped us reine our message and develop our strength,” Donald notes.

“My future is all about DEI and building my new irm, The Diversity Movement (TDM), which was born from Walk West in 2019. TDM is a tech-based, data-driven learning irm that offers consultancy and education for organizational culture transformation, guaranteeing better business results.”

In the ace digital marketer's opinion, the future of communication requires everyone to learn how to effectively collaborate on business projects. To this end, Donald has been actively pushing for inclusivity in Walk West's daily operations and prioritizing DEI. “my best advice for everyone I talk to is to take our new course, Improving Company Culture Through Inclusive Language.”

What should the coming generation of leaders do to emulate Donald's success? He makes it clear that competitive, receptive, and driven learners are the need of the hour: “You have to be agile and keep on learning as fast as tech and culture are shifting, as fast as the priorities and needs of your employees are changing. The best leaders work hard for continuous growth, and they're open to great insights, no matter where they come from.”

I II EXELEON

EXCLUSIVE

How Private Savings Banks

n the dynamic arena of entrepreneurship, access to capital often determines whether a bold idea can transform into a viable venture. For entrepreneurs to kickstart a business, they must have the necessary funds to drive its growth and navigate through make-or-break periods. The thing is, securing capital isn't a walk in the park, and this signiicant hurdle can overwhelm many budding entrepreneurs. This is where private savings banks can play a pivotal role as they provide the inancial lifeline these businesses need to thrive.

UNDERSTANDING PRIVATE SAVINGS BANKS

With their deep-rooted history, private savings banks have long been pillars in the world of inance. This is no surprise as they can offer individuals a safe haven to deposit and grow their savings. However, their role extends far beyond being mere repositories of money. They also serve as critical intermediaries, channeling the funds from savers to those who need them urgently. One such recipient is the entrepreneur looking to fuel their business dreams.

Empower Entrepreneurs

to meet the speciic needs of self-starters.

HOW PRIVATE SAVINGS BANKS PROPEL FUTURE MOGULS

Discover just how these banks help entrepreneurs get their companies on the road. They:

1. Infuse capital on which to build entrepreneurial dreams

At the heart of how these savings and thrift banks empower entrepreneurs is their ability to deliver much-need capital. For a business idea to come into being, funding is required for various aspects. These include product development, marketing, hiring, and operational costs. Without suficient cash, even the most innovative ventures can stumble at the starting block.

So private savings banks bridge this gap by offering a range of loan options to meet diverse business needs. From capped credit lines to inancing for equipment and real estate, these entities provide entrepreneurs with the inancial impetus to start and expand their startups.

In addition, given their deeper understanding of local market conditions and individual business models, private savings banks can

typically offer more lexible and favorable lending terms (compared to larger irms).

2. Offer inancial guidance and expertise

Aside from providing capital, private savings banks also bring a wealth of inancial wisdom to the table. While experts in their chosen ield, entrepreneurs may not always possess the acumen required to navigate the complex world of business inance.

Through their team of inancial advisors and specialists, private savings banks can offer guidance on a multitude of critical areas. Examples are cash low management, inancial planning, risk mitigation, and investment strategies. For entrepreneurs, especially novices, this can be invaluable in making informed decisions, optimizing their resources, and steering their businesses toward success.

3. Leverage technology to tap opportunities

As inancial technology gains more prominence in the 21st century, private savings banks are now incorporating digital inancial solutions, such as bitcoin banking options for entrepreneurs. This allows startups to enjoy the beneits of blockchain in securing eficient and seamless international transactions.

4.

Provide personalized support

One distinctive advantage of private savings banks lies in their relationship-driven approach. They invest time and resources to better understand each entrepreneurcustomer's vision, goals, and challenges. This enables them to tailor their offerings to address these founders' business problems or concerns.

And this can mean more than just customized inancial solutions. It also translates into faster decision-making, easier access to services, and a inancial partner genuinely invested in their success. In the often-turbulent journey of

entrepreneurship, having such a reliable and competent ally can make a world of difference.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

Despite the numerous advantages, it's important to note that borrowing from private savings banks also involves certain challenges. Entrepreneurs must navigate interest rates, repayment schedules, and sometimes complex application processes. Also, as with any borrowed capital, there's always the danger of over-leveraging (over-borrowing beyond what one can comfortably manage), which businesses must be cautious about.

However, with careful planning, prudent decision-making, and a deep knowledge of their inancial needs and capabilities, entrepreneurs can effectively leverage the beneits while mitigating potential risks.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Indeed, without private savings backs, it can be dificult for entrepreneurs to access capital and do anything. By offering much-needed cash low, expert inancial advice, personalized support, and more, they help pave the way to successful ventures.

As we look towards a future where small businesses and startups continue to drive innovation and economic growth, the role of private savings banks will undoubtedly become increasingly important. More than just inancial institutions, they are your growth and innovation partners. With capital within reach of entrepreneurial individuals, private savings banks are propelling our economies forward and shaping the businesses of tomorrow.

For more effective ways to level up your company, head on over to Exeleon Magazine for exclusive insights from the top business leaders of today.

CEO

Cheesecake Digital

Pioneering Game-Based Learning with ClassBridges

Philip Wride is a remarkable individual

who has left an indelible mark on the gaming industry and now sets his sights on revolutionizing education through gamebased learning. With an impressive career spanning over 22 years in the gaming landscape, Philip's expertise encompasses esports, game publishing, and consulting for renowned powerhouses such as EA SPORTS, Disney, and Square Enix.

Recognizing the growing inluence of video games in children's lives, Philip founded ClassBridges, a groundbreaking project that harnesses the captivating power of popular video games to enhance learning experiences, particularly in the realm of mathematics.

Philip's deep understanding of the gaming industry, combined with his expertise in education, has enabled him to create over 1000 math practice sheets tailored to different age groups (6-11). Drawing inspiration from beloved titles such as Minecraft, Roblox, FIFA, and Fortnite, these resources provide a dynamic and immersive learning experience,

capturing the imagination of students while reinforcing crucial mathematical skills.

In this Interview, Philip Wride talks about his motivation behind ClassBridges, his gaming journey, as well as the future of the esports industry.

Give us some background about yourself and your role as the CEO of Cheescake Digital.

For a question like this it's best to start at the beginning. I began playing games at the age of 7, and one of the early games I fell in love with was a combat light simulator called F-19 Stealth Fighter. I loved it because I was able to pretend to be my dad who was a ighter pilot but retired from the forces before I was old enough to fully understand what he did. Then at 16, I started playing online with friends and we created teams and started taking part in online leagues and tournaments. That was my irst entry to esports and it's a space I've been involved in since.

Talk to us about ClassBridges and how the project aims at developing the math skills of children using videogames they love.

ClassBridges is a project I created during the pandemic. At the start of 2020, just before the pandemic started, I broke my neck playing rugby and didn't get the surgery that was suggested. I let it heal naturally but the whole experience got me to question what I was doing and where I was going in life.

Through some personal development there was a question about what would be said at my funeral and what impact I had made on the world and that got me thinking about how I could use my knowledge and experience of videogames to beneit people.

My partner is a teacher and one day she needed a math lesson for her students. I knew her whole class loved the game Among Us so we worked together to create a lesson plan and resources she could use the next day. From that I created the PARROT Framework which uses different parts of games, and different mechanics, and uses them as the basis for math questions.

ClassBridges focuses on using videogames to support learning and skill development with an emphasis on math. Some of the work we've done includes going into schools and hosting Minecraft competitions and coding workshops along with creating math practice worksheets based on different games. The mission is to use the power of videogames to develop the math skills of 1 million children.

I've now been involved in the games industry for over 22 years and have had the privilege to manage some of the world's best esports teams, travel the world, consult for global brands and governments, and operate events.

My role as the CEO of Cheesecake Digital is to wear many hats – part cheerleader and business development, part strategist, project manager and consultant. Cheesecake Digital is a boutique company, wherein we build specialist project teams rather than have a large staff. I therefore get involved in a little bit of everything depending on the project or needs of the client.

What is your earliest memory or association with gaming?

At the age of 7, I started with an Atari ST. My dad brought it back from one of his trips abroad. By this time, he'd moved from being a ighter pilot to a commercial pilot and was regularly making trips from the UK to the US. There were a handful of games I remember including lemmings, rainbow islands, operation wolf, and the F19 stealth ighter game I mentioned earlier.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the gaming and esports space?

I think this is really a combination of things – my love of gaming and the different experiences I was able to get through playing games whether that was saving the universe, completing puzzles, or working to progress to the next

stage of a game was deinitely a factor. Add in the competitive element of esports and the ability to play in structured competitions and it became the perfect combination.

I've always been competitive and played team sports growing up so esports was a natural extension to that. It also meant I didn't have to ight against the rain and mud in my “normal” sports. At 16, I gained regional honors for rugby but didn't pursue them because my gaming took over – I was progressing rapidly in the community I was part of and I was constantly experiencing new things. That deinitely played a part in my focus on esports – it was always changing with new teams, competitions, and events to think about or participate in.

Although esports has been a booming industry with an evergrowing audience, there is a lot of skepticism surrounding the future of the industry. Where do you think the industry is headed towards?

We are in a correction phase. The money that has been pumped in has not yet returned the ROI and so new investors are more hesitant. The majority of revenue is still tied to sponsorship and advertising, and nobody has yet unlocked the revenue from the players and the fans. Merchandise and ticket sales are a small fraction of revenue compared with sponsorship and advertising and so esports needs to ind a way to move game revenue from players and fans towards esports teams and events.

This is also where the game publishers and IP owners could do more. They already sit making a good amount of revenue and esports is often seen as nice to have rather than a valuable and core part of the overall community experience. If their view changes and they share more of the revenue with teams and event operators it will become a little easier for those involved to keep going. If we look at other traditional sports, there was always quite a long learning and growing curve and esports has skipped a few steps and is now having to do a mini reset.

I still think esports captures the imagination of fans and the spectacle is there, but the revenue is going to continue to be the key driver.

Having consulted some of the biggest game developers and publishers, coached esports entrepreneurs, and actively been involved with the industry for more than two decades, how do you look at your journey thus far?

I feel very blessed. When I irst started playing Counter Strike online back in 2001, I obviously had no idea where the journey would take me. Looking back at the things I've been able to do because of gaming and esports is amazing. Yes, there have been some lows, projects and ideas that didn't quite work, lost championships, and general business struggles but the experiences have deinitely made up for those.

Finally, what would be your advice for new and emerging entrepreneurs in the esports space?

One piece of advice would be about service. How can they serve their customers in the best way possible. What does that look like and what does it enable their customers to do.

Another would be about acknowledging and embracing a level of uncertainty. In the way that I look at esports we are th now entering the 6 age – the age of correction and consolidation. Before that we had the age of investment, the age of Twitch, the age of Championship Gaming Series and how it destroyed the US community for several years, the age of nation vs nation with the Esports World Cup and the World Cyber Games and before that the age of beginning. Each of them has brought uncertainty but also opportunity.

As entrepreneurs we are often driven by something and if we are working towards some goal or vision there will be an element of risk. This is the uncertainty I'm talking about. Esports doesn't have a 100+ year history with everything ironed out and so new and emerging entrepreneurs need to acknowledge and embrace the rollercoaster.