Leading Brand Development Advisors Experts

Mark MacDonald is a seasoned strategist and creative with 4 decades of expertise in powerful Branding and Marketing Communication based on reliable research. He's the go-to guide for effective church communication, branding, and logos. As a bestselling author, engaging speaker, and founder of BeKnownforSomething.com, Mark empowers church leaders to communicate with impact.

I’m Cristy Verdeja Zaldívar—a strategic communications and marketing leader with over 15 years of experience transforming how brands connect, grow, and lead. As CEO of Pointe Connect, I consult for companies across industries—from nimble startups to global Fortune 500s—offering high-level strategy rooted in clarity, creativity, and results. I specialize in diagnosing challenges, crafting messaging that resonates, and building marketing and communications frameworks that drive real business impact. Known for my sharp instincts and innovative thinking, I’m the person teams call when they need to elevate their brand, reset their approach, or navigate complexity with confidence. My expertise spans corporate communications, PR, digital strategy, crisis and issues management, and multicultural marketing. I’ve advised industry giants, led global campaigns, and built cross-functional teams that deliver. I’m a bilingual storyteller (English/Spanish + conversational French) with a global mindset and a deep belief in the power of connection. Whether I’m guiding an executive team or rolling up my sleeves with a small business owner, I bring vision, structure, and momentum to every engagement.

Hailey Widrig, founder of Art Partners Advisory, is a seasoned art advisor and appraiser specializing in 20th-21st Century Fine Art and Photography. With over 15 years of experience in the art world, Hailey has analysed thousands of artworks from galleries, artists and auction houses on behalf of clients. A member of Association of Professional Art Advisors and an accredited member of the Appraisers Association of America, she provides USPAP-compliant art appraisals for insurance, donations and estates. Hailey is the only art advisor holding these qualifications in Paris, France, where she has lived since 2014. Her unique position in the art market allows her to work with private collectors and corporate clients to build and maintain some of the most significant art collections in Europe and abroad. Hailey is fluent in both English and French languages.

Shantanu is a young strategic maverick who turns digital complexity into business poetry. As CEO & founder of Tenet, he's the architect behind transformative experiences for fortune 500 companies such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and IQVIA; and also global powerhouses like Americana Group, Gartner, G42, SLB, and Mubadala Group. With a global footprint spanning offices in UAE, UK, India, and USA, Shantanu leads a razor-sharp team of 40+ in-house experts and a curated network of 250+ elite talent partners. His approach isn't about building technology—it's about engineering digital ecosystems that redefine how brands connect, convert, and conquer. Having crafted growth strategies for 400+ industry giants across technology, finance, consumer sectors, and 15+ other industries, Shantanu doesn't just understand digital transformation—he architects it. His methodology bridges UI/UX, growth marketing, software engineering, and strategic design, delivering solutions that impact the future.

High-level digital marketing professional with over 20 years' experience in a contemporary, large-scale business environment. Skilled in producing strong content to optimize business sites that increase visibility and brand awareness. Credited with combining excellent problem solving skills, extensive SEO, reputation management, and marketing experience to drive sales, control costs and maximize profitability. AREAS OF STRENGTH Reputation Management (Removal and Burying of negative content/reviews) PR (Promoting branded content on top tier sites and publications) SEO (Ranking for industry keywords that convert into leads and sales)

Interdisciplinary Global Marketing and Human Resource Development (HRD) executive with over 20 years of experience scaling brand ecosystems across enterprise, high-growth, and startup environments – from Fortune 1 (Walmart) to VC- and PE-backed ventures. Adept at developing emotionally resonant, data-driven brand strategies that drive top-line growth, market share and long-term equity. Proven expertise leading cross-functional and regional teams, launching go-to-market strategies across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas, and overseeing portfolios with budgets up to $100MM. Known for transforming complex market insights into differentiated brand positioning, unifying internal culture with external messaging and operationalizing high-performing marketing infrastructures. Fluent in growth strategy, creative storytelling, product innovation alignment and maximizing ROI through global-local execution.

Founder & CEO, The D2D Experts - A sales training/coaching company. Serial Entrepreneur. Built multiple 7 figures brands.

Lauren Diana is the founder of Laurea Consulting and Soul Empowered. Through Laurea Consulting, she provides expert digital marketing services to online entrepreneurs—especially coaches and course creators—helping them scale and succeed in the online space. Soul Empowered, her business strategy and coaching brand, focuses on guiding purpose-driven entrepreneurs to build profitable, values-aligned businesses. With a blend of marketing expertise, technology, and personal empowerment, Lauren supports her clients in achieving both financial success and personal fulfillment in their business journeys.

Australian marketing leader, with 15+ years of experience in marketing, with the last 7 years in Head of Digital Marketing roles. As a marketing leader, I am passionate about driving digital transformation, growing brands and building high-performing teams through a people-first approach. My leadership style focuses on collaborative and strategic thinking, enabling me to navigate complex challenges with ease. Adam’s journey into the world of strength sports began at 16 in a local gym in Melbourne. Over the years, he has cultivated a deep passion for powerlifting, CrossFit, bodybuilding, and strongman competitions. Professionally, Adam brings extensive experience in digital marketing, having held senior roles in both government and tourism sectors. His expertise in these fields has been instrumental in developing Turtle Strength’s online presence and connecting and building our community of lifters.

I's the founder and Creative Director of So Swell Studio, a boutique graphic design studio based in Brisbane, Australia. I specialise in branding, website design, packaging, and custom Canva graphics that help businesses stand out and connect meaningfully with their audience. With over 15 years of experience, I bring a thoughtful, strategic approach to design, balancing creative originality with real business results. I'm a recognised Canva Creator and trusted design partner for brands that value clarity, consistency, and creativity. I offer: Brand design Website design and development Print design Packaging Design Digital asset design SEO strategy & implementation

I am the founder of BeastBI GmbH, a digital consultancy specializing in digital marketing. Whether it's marketing analysis, restructuring, or migration. We focus on optimize marketing budgets and improve ROIs. HubSpot and Google Ads certified and partner. With over a decade of experience across CRM, Paid Ads, SEO, (B2B) leadgen and marketing analysis, I combine technical know-how with a deep understanding of marketing & business strategy. I work and lead a remote team, scaled international campaigns. I also support companies as interim head of marketing and similar positions.

With over two decades of experience as an International Protective and Intelligence Specialist, Denida Grow has cultivated a wealth of expertise across various countries and cultures. In 2002, she founded Athena Worldwide & Athena Academy in Greece, a pioneering training and placement company exclusively dedicated to female security professionals. Her vision was to establish a nurturing and empowering environment where women could receive comprehensive guidance in essential areas such as soft skills, protective intelligence, covert protective details, and conflict management. Inspired by the ancient Greek goddess Athena, Denida’s focus was to teach her students to “protect through wisdom and intelligence.” Expanding her portfolio in 2008, she introduced Nannyguards, a groundbreaking hybrid service merging childcare with protective services. Throughout her career, Denida has assumed numerous leadership roles including Executive Protection Operative (both Covert and Overt), Security Consultant, Intelligence Analyst, Instructor, Investigator, and Project Manager. Her clientele has spanned the globe, with work experience in countries such as India, Greece, France, Italy, Albania, and the USA. Holding a BSc in Counseling and Psychology from Teesside University, Denida has received training in various Executive Protection methodologies from esteemed British, American, and Israeli organizations. Over the past decade, she has honed her focus on Protective Intelligence, Intelligence Analysis, and Open-Source Intelligence. Currently serving as the managing partner for LeMareschal LLC, an International Risk Management, Protective Intelligence, and Logistics company headquartered in Seattle, WA, Denida continues to drive innovation and excellence in the field. Fluent in Albanian, Greek, and English, she remains deeply committed to delivering bespoke security solutions and training programs to individuals and organizations worldwide.

I’m P. Blake Renda—entrepreneur, investor, and co-CEO of Veedor Holdings LLC based in Naples, FL, with a satellite office in Santa Monica, CA. Veedor Holdings LLC, in addition to making strategic investments, owns and operates Dragon Horse Agency, Dragon Horse Publishing, and Moxie Creed. My professional journey began while attending the University of Southern Calfornia as an intern at NBC Studios, which led to a full-time position upon graduating. I then pivoted to law and then finance which ultimately lead me to Wall Street in 1996, where I was part of small team in Palo Alto, CA managing over $20 billion in technology-sector assets at J. & W. Seligman & Co. and in 2000 I earned recognition as one of Institutional Investor Magazine’s “Best of the Buy Side.” In 2006, I joined the New Dimensions Growth Team of American Express Asset Management in La Jolla, CA, as the T/M/T manager across six growth funds with $40 billion plus in AUM. In 2004, I was nominated for Institutional Investor Magazine's "Best of the Buy Side." Those years instilled in me the importance of rigorously vetting opportunities and leading with foresight—skills that I have consistently applied to every entrepreneurial venture. From 2011 to 2015, I helped transform a boutique Florida skincare startup into a nationally recognized, multi-award-winning brand, culminating in its public listing via SPAC. I exited that company and launched Veedor Holdings LLC with my Co-Founder, Julie Koester. Today, we own and operate Dragon Horse Agency, a multi-award-winning, bi-coastal agency serving global clients known for delivering business strategy and marketing under one roof. We also own Dragon Horse Publishing, an award-winning publishing company, and Moxie Creed, a wellness lifestyle e-commerce company. Beyond the accolades, successes, challenges, and failures, I live with a deep belief in resilience, mentorship, and shared success. I’m a proud father, a former youth volleyball coach, and a passionate advocate of Ubuntu—"I am because we are." Whether scaling startups, navigating global markets, or building culture, I bring the same competitive spirit and collaborative ethos to every endeavor. Success isn't about accolades—it’s about legacy, community, and the courage to keep moving forward. As Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Experienced Sales And Marketing Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry. Skilled in Sellers, Negotiation, Customer Service, Sales, and Marketing Strategy. Strong marketing professional with a Bachelor of Engineering - BE focused in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from RMIT University.