We are looking for talented speakers that are brave enough to talk about their failures while walking down the path to success! Apply today, and we'll be in contact to speak at the conference!

2015 Speakers Include:

Dana Severson - Keynote Speaker

Founder, StartupsAnonymous.com
Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | AngelList

Dana Severson is the founder of StartupsAnonymous.com, a place for entrepreneurs to share stories, ask questions or get something off their chest without fear of retribution. Often described as an AA for startups. Startups Anonymous is backed by Mark Cuban and has been featured in Inc., The Atlantic, NPR and Business Insider. Founders stories from the site are syndicated each week on PandoDaily.com.

In addition, Dana Severson is the founder of the gourmet beef jerky subscription company, Stickinabox.com and a weekly columnist for Inc. Magazine. He writes and speaks regularly about his personal experiences of startups, failures and mental illness in tech.

Prior to launching StartupsAnonymous.com, Dana was the cofounder and CEO of the highly-publicized influence-for-equity startup, Wahooly, which in 2012 was named the most hyped startup in Silicon Valley. The rise and fall of Wahooly is what ultimately led Severson to create a portal for founders to share their war stories anonymously online.

Kathleen Kurre

Founder, Fusion Advisors, LLC
LinkedIn | Personal Blog

As Founder of Fusion Advisors, Kathleen is a change catalyst, helping emerging companies and large organizations discover their path from where they are to where they want to go. A seasoned executive across healthcare, nonprofits, higher education, and financial services, she thrives on entrepreneurship, transforms ideas into sustainable results, and creates platforms for revenue and profit growth while attentioning the deeper dynamics of people, teams, and change adoption.

Living the insight that the world is an interconnected ecosystem for participation, contribution, and learning, Kathleen’s career trajectory has included leading a technology nonprofit to create “sustainable impact” through technology. She was a faculty member at Georgia Tech’s Scheller School of Business directing business plan competitions; and teaching entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, and leadership.

Having begun her career in technology innovation within large organizations, Kathleen caught the entrepreneurship passion during her role as a venture capital analyst for Humana after which she dove into the emerging world of healthcare technology services taking on key-senior roles in two venture-backed companies, one in claims recovery, the other in clinical informatics.

Kathleen is an international speaker, writer, and life adventurer. She has a B.S. in Mathematics from Purdue University, a Masters of Divinity in Spiritual Peacemaking, and is Certified Heart-Centered Hypnotherapist.

Tom Ellis

Founder & CEO, Swarm Agency

Tom Ellis has led The Swarm Agency, Inc. to becoming a leading provider of Conversion Marketing, SEO and Social Marketing as well as Web Design and Development services with a roster of regional, national and global clients. His gift for innovative thinking and listening to clients’ needs lays the foundation for positivity and an open-minded approach to problem solving at Swarm. Tom is also President of Georgia CxO Forum and Board Chair for Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association (AIMA) and thrives on sharing knowledge and gaining new perspectives by networking with other leaders in the industry. Looking forward, Tom has big plans for his future and for Swarm’s. “The sky's the limit for Swarm; I plan to continue to grow the agency by simply continuing to serve our clients every day to the best of our abilities.”

Tom was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he majored in Computer Science. When not at work, Tom enjoys spending time with his wife, Alexa, and their two sons, Hunter and Asher.

Kevin Sandlin

@atltechblogs | @pitch_practices | @_GAAtlanta | Mentoring at ATDC

Servant leader. Believer. Husband. Daddy. Entrepreneur. Blogger. Speaker. I run @atltechblogs, @pitch_practice, teach #DGM @_GAAtlanta, mentor #startups @ATDC. Sandlin is a serial entrepreneur who has failed far more than he has succeeded, but just can't get rid of the tech startup itch, having been part of 7 tech startups, including 1 IPO and 2 acquisitions, but also 5 failures. Kevin and his wife have 2 kids, whom they adopted from Kazakhstan 10 years ago this June. Kevin loves to run, lift weights, golf, and fight cancer (3x).

Brian Rudolph

Co-Chair, Social Media Club Atlanta
Twitter

As business owner of Coca-Cola’s Social @ the Core strategy, Brian literally “wrote the book” (well, at least the PowerPoint) on Coca-Cola global social marketing strategy. His mission at Coca-Cola as Capabilities Manager was to ensure Coca-Cola maintains the ability for strategic global leadership in digital marketing by building social and digital marketing capabilities in local markets around the world, and was a strategic resource and subject matter expert in digital marketing for Coca-Cola's global and local marketers.

Now at AT&T, in 2015 Brian will be launching a brand new expansion of the Digital Life platform called Digital Life Care, a smart home expansion focused on helping those that need extra care to safely and independently remain in their own home, providing peace of mind for their family and allowing them to remain independent for a much longer period of time.

Brian is Co-Chair of the Social Media Club of Atlanta, is the Southeast Director for Brand Innovators, sits on the Marketing Board of Directors for the Terry School of Business at the University of Georgia, and speaks frequently on a wide variety of social and digital marketing topics.

Bem Joiner - Moderator

Bem Joiner has managed and/or consulted on many Lifestyle/Cultural Immersion projects for a variety of clients including Sprite, Mississippi Dept. of Education, truth.com, National Black Arts Festival, Nissan, Jack Daniels, Vitamin Water and countless others. He has also booked "early-adopter" shows for Drake, Kendrick Lamar and the Goodie Mob reunion. Bem is also one of the founders of CreativeCall.org which is a community service effort/collaboration between Atlanta and Stockholm creatives. Photo courtesy of Church Impact.

Bronwyn Morgan - Panelist

Classically trained marketer, strategist, sales and business development senior leader from The Coca-Cola Company and Procter & Gamble, where she managed many business units and large accounts, strategy, media, music, consumer engagement, brand growth, strategic partnerships, technology ventures and emerging markets.

She has a history of creating and leading high level alliances domestically and globally in CPG, interactive, branded entertainment, social innovation, M&A, global water access and consumer lifestyle arenas in both the public and private sectors for the biggest and most niche brands in the world.

She is an entrepreneur and visionary with a mind rooted in curiosity and change.

Her success is characterized by an amazing tenacity, innovative entrepreneurial mind, leadership, enthusiasm, keen interpersonal skills.

Morgan is a founding advisory board member at World Water Relief and TEDxPeachtree and is meditation coach and founder of Bliss In Me Meditation.

Kembo Tom - Panelist

Kembo Tom is Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer of GTM, Inc. As Chief Creative Officer, Kembo envisions and develops innovative marketing and advertising programs that engage local and international audiences.

At GTM he serves as the lead creative voice for many of the corporate clients seeking to create a lasting impact on their target consumer. His creative experience spans over several disciplines inclusive of experiential activations, traditional, non-traditional creative charges (TV, Print, OOH, Digital) and nontraditional research. He creatively led accounts in a wide array of disciplines – packaged goods, hair care, automotive and non-profit.

Prior to GTM, Kembo has been the creative provocateur for several burgeoning creative entities. In 1998 he was offered to be URB Magazine’s international correspondent during the 1998 world music festival in Rimini, Italy. During this voyage he cemented his love of global culture and an understanding of its symbiotic relationship with marketing.

In 2008 Tom was award the innovator of the year award from AdColor, the leader in diversity and advertising excellence. Tom found himself in excellent company and shared the stage with Russell Simmons who was honored that same year with the Legend award. Tom brings his creative marketing skills and his ability to identify with youth sub-cultures and taste-makers worldwide.

Jeffri Epps - Moderator

Innovator, Instigator, Entrepreneur and Strategic Advisor

Her diverse business experience spans Fortune 100 companies to technology startups. She has major experience with new products and innovations, and held leadership positions with The Coca-Cola Company, Chupa Chups USA, WHSmith and Ralston Purina. Discovery research and analysis is critical to brand planning. Jeffri knows how to listen, gather vital insight, and develop coherent perspectives that make powerful go-to-market and brand strategies happen.

She earned her Bachelor’s in Finance from Georgetown and attended Atlanta University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with an MBA in Marketing. Jeffri serves on the Atlanta Leadership Team for Startup Chicks. She's a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and The Junior League of Atlanta.

Brownell Landrum - Panelist

Brownell Landrum is one of a kind - and it's not just because she's the only person in the world with her name!

She's also many people in one. She's an innovator, the inventor and founder of DrawSuccess and DrawSuccess 4 Students. Brownell is a songwriter and the author of several books, including fiction, nonfiction and even (coming soon) children's books!

She’s also a study in failure and resilience, having lost everything and started over many times. Writing her book, Five Reasons Why Bad Things Happen: How to Turn Tragedies Into Triumph, propelled her forward toward her next incarnation: inventing the breakthrough program DrawSuccess. And in 2015 she will be launching a revolutionary anti-bullying program to students with DrawSuccess 4 Students.

Tia Buckham-White - Panelist

Tia Buckham-White is the founder of Notre Internationale, an Atlanta based firm focused on Self-Awareness and Personal Support Coaching with a focus on Group Support and Team Engagement. Notre helps individuals, teams, and organizations become more self–aware. At her core, Tia believes that a truly self-aware individual is the foundation for successful living.

Buckham-White’s revolutionary and unique coaching approach is borne out of 20-plus years of personal and professional relationship experiences. She’s done the work and is personally committed to the understanding and realization of self-awareness, authenticity and transparency.

Buckham-White developed the NotreMethod from a place of personal discovery and development. She knows it works because she’s lived the pain, owned the journey and now lives the progress.

She is involved with organizations such as the Buckhead-Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill, Inc., Black Data Processors, The Black and Latino Council, and has served as a Mentor for Year Up. Tia is featured in the book 'Pink Mastermind' giving information on personal growth, self-awareness and her path to understanding who she is and where she wants to go. She has 2 children and has shared her adult relationship journey with her husband, Michael for 20 years.

Jim DeBetta - Panelist

Jim DeBetta’s product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide.

As the founder of DeCavi Corp, Jim has helped thousands of inventors and start-ups learn how to get their products developed and sold to major retailers. Today, Jim continues to broaden his reach into the world of consumer products and has formed DeBetta Enterprises which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products.

Jim teaches inventors how to create sales and marketing strategies, understand the world of licensing, develop a product using CAD design, raising money to fund a business, and locating factories overseas to produce products. Jim is now reaching out to individuals who want to learn how to do it for themselves.

Jim is a Professional Member of the United Inventors Association, a member of the Georgia Inventor’s Association, Rocky Mountain Inventors Association, and was the former co-host of the Launch Hour. He is also the author of The Business of Inventing and has written hundreds of articles for industry publications, newspapers. Jim also appears as a guest speaker for leading trade and consumer organizations, speaks at international conferences, and hosts forum and blog discussions on prominent invention and entrepreneurial websites.