Small Business Summit 2012 - Speakers

Calling All Speakers

We are always looking for great speakers (solo or panel) for the Small Business Summit. We want INSPIRING individuals who have information, passion, energy (even a bit of humor is encouraged) to share with our audience. Topics such as sales, marketing, HR, technology (and others) are all welcome.

We are NOT looking for companies with great tech products or companies who have a product or service that our attendees would like. These companies can sponsor a great speaker and give a 10 minute commercial.

If you are, or wish to recommend, a GREAT speaker, please send us an email to , providing their name, title, company, link to a video of them speaking (if available), and suggested topics. Let us know who might recommend them, especially if Marian (Prime Strategies) or Ramon (Smallbiztechnology.com), the co-producers, might know the referral source.

Marian Banker, Host

Marian Banker, MBA, is a Business Leadership Coach and President of Prime Strategies, providing the small business community with coaching, consulting and training in business leadership skills since 1996.

Marian has provided targeted training and workshops in academic, professional and corporate settings for such sponsors as AT&T, AWED, McGraw-Hill, Citibank, Melard Technologies, Westchester Community College, Hunter College, Webgrrls and others. She was featured Business Coach on ABC's World News This Morning and Channel 12 News New Jersey. She has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal and numerous small business publications.

In 2006 she completed and launched the unique self-study Business Success System Course, which provides entrepreneurs with the tools, techniques, strategies and guidance to set their business on the fast track to success.

In 2010 Marian started focusing on women entrepreneurs age 60+, offering them insights, guidance and resources for managing their business and their lives from this point forward.

Austin Craig

In addition to being the first spokesman for Orabrush, Austin Craig has been part of the creative marketing team there since the company's launch over two years ago. His entrepreneurial streak began at college (Brigham Young University, Go Cougars!) when he designed and sold shirts featuring the University President. After selling almost 30,000 shirts, he decided it was time to get back to school and earn a degree from the University.

Austin worked in radio and television before turning his talents to web video. While still a student, he was the first intern with a journalism background to join the tech team at MSNBC.com. He and Jeffrey Harmon met while working at FamilyLink.com on the company's Twitter and Facebook team. He starred in the first and most successful Orabrush video, and continues to work with the Orabrush marketing group today, with responsibilities ranging from graphic design to video directing to public relations.

Scott Hintz

Scott Hintz is the Vice President of Business Development and co-founder of TripIt, the leading mobile travel organizer that makes it easy for millions of travelers to organize and share trips, no matter where they book. Scott led the company to acquisition by global travel and expense leader Concur® in 2011.

As an online travel industry veteran and former road warrior, Scott has experienced firsthand the challenges of frequent travel and keeping all the details organized. As Senior Vice President of Product at Hotwire, Scott led the Product Management, Business Development and Travel Relationships teams prior to its acquisition by Expedia for $650 million. Previously, Scott was a strategy consultant for Accenture, advising clients like United Airlines, Hewlett-Packard, and Visa USA on corporate strategy, process design, and business planning. Scott received a bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Connie Kadansky

Connie Kadansky is the President of Exceptional Sales Performance, an international sales training and coaching practice. She is a recognized expert in identifying and eliminating Sales Call Reluctance. Connie has a proven track record in diverse industries. She was interviewed by Wall Street Journal, made a radio commercial for American Express and is the author of a Sales Coach book. She is a graduate of the Adler School of Professional Coaching and has her Professional Certification. Connie coaches salespeople, mortgage brokers, realtors, financial advisors, bankers, entrepreneurs in the US, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia and the Caribbean.

Connie was chosen to participate in a prestigious scholarship program for executive coaching in Beijing China. She facilitated public speaking training for the Women in Parliament in Rwanda through a French interpreter and sales training for Rwandan entrepreneurs. She facilitates training classes frequently in Trinidad West Indies for British Gas, Nestles, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, University of West Indies, Canadian Embassy and other public sector organizations.

Ramon Ray, Host

Ramon Ray is the editor of Smallbiztechnology.com and author of Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses (Amacom). He has written thousands of technology articles and news items for Smallbiztechnology.com. He is a contributing editor to the New York Enterprise Report and has written business small business technology articles for Inc Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, CNet, Var Business, TechTarget, Entrepreneur.com, Small Business Resources and other media.

Ramon has also written for technology vendors including Microsoft, FileMaker, Everest and others. He is often quoted in the media, including the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc Magazine, WCBS Radio, Crains New York, National Federal of Independent Business, Small Business Advocate Radio Show, Wells Fargo Small Business Roundup and more.

Not "just" a technology writer, but as a former small business technology consultant, Ramon has years of hands on experience in building networks, installing software, upgrading computers and supporting the technology small businesses use on a daily basis.

Grant Wickes

An experienced strategic marketer and small business evangelist, Grant Wickes excels at helping companies understand market opportunities, develop products and craft marketing programs that drive profitable growth and business value. As an advocate of customer-focused activities, Wickes enjoys interacting with customers, partners and prospects in the pursuit of mutually beneficial solutions.

Wickes is deeply involved in the small business market, lending him an unparalleled understanding of the power of connections, influencers, and word-of-mouth referrals. He loves dabbling with the latest technology and social marketing tools to effectively reach, educate and motivate this audience.

Wickes has gained 25 years of sales and marketing experience at a wide range of organizations including startups, publicly traded companies and private-owned business in the United States, Canada and abroad. Currently, he serves as vice president of business development with Wasp Barcode Technologies, a leading provider of small business productivity solutions.