After graduating college and launching his first startup, Kevin DeFranco set out to gain hands-on experience inside high-growth software companies, especially those outside the coastal hubs to understand what truly drives success. He has a strong foundation in sales strategy and startup operations, which led him to founding his company, OneThirtyFive.

As the founder and CEO of OneThirtyFive, an outsourced business development firm in downtown Cleveland that specializes in working with small businesses and startups on their top-of-funnel growth, Kevin works with a wide variety of founders on a daily basis and specializes in software/IT/tech and healthcare.

Fred Franks is the Chief Strategy Officer at FIT Technologies, where he leads enterprise growth strategy, market positioning, and long-range planning. With nearly two decades of experience driving transformation in the tech and professional services sectors, Fred plays a central role in aligning FIT’s business direction with evolving client needs—ensuring each initiative delivers measurable value and sustainable impact.

An award-winning former CIO, Fred is known for bridging strategy and execution. His expertise spans M&A, brand development, enterprise IT governance, and go-to-market strategy—skills he applies to both internal operations and external advisory work.

Fred is passionate about leadership development, strategic decision-making, and helping mission-driven organizations scale their impact. Fred’s experience with mentorship includes working with students at CWRU, University of Akron, and employees at FIT.

Juan Carlos Gamarra is a strong, dynamic leader focused on Project Management, Project Controls, Operations Management, Small Business Development, and Marketing. He is committed to bringing value to the workplace, making teams and projects successful, and bringing leadership and direction to projects.

As a mentor, Juan Carlos provides confidential guidance to entrepreneurs and small business owners on topics like planning, finances, marketing, operations, and growth. He helps clients think through decisions, identify risks and opportunities, and connect with practical tools and resources to help them launch their venture or build a stronger business. He aims to help entrepreneurs develop their business strategies, improve their processes, and achieve specific growth/expansion goals.

Juan Carlos has experience mentoring in many programs, such as the EforAll (EparaTodos) Program, CollegeNow Greater Cleveland, and JumpStart Encore. He consistently provides support, guidance, and advice to act as a role model for students in mentoring programs.

Jeremiah Landi bridges the gap between rigid engineering requirements and creative, design-first problem-solving. His career has evolved from building animatronics for world-class productions like Phantom of the Opera to testifying before the U.S. Congress and deploying mission-critical hardware for military and medical sectors.

As the founder of Landi Industries, Jeremiah specializes in Modified Agile Hardware Development (MAHD) – applying the speed and iteration of software development to the complex world of physical manufacturing. He solves the “hard problems” that cannot be fixed remotely, spanning from high-precision stamping and welding to complex algorithmic software development.

Jeremiah brings a global perspective to others — having led projects across the Americas, Europe, and Asia for clients ranging from the Nobel Prize committee to ESPN.

David A. Lupyan as a B.S. and M.S. degree in Chemistry with a focus in material and surface science. He attended the Darden business school at the University of Virginia at the onset of his management career. He has been successful in new product development and commercialization in five different industries — construction and building, the automotive aftermarket, household goods, cleaning products, and the consumer optical market.

Dave was the past president of the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Product Development & Management Association, whose mission is the educate and expose business leaders of Northeast Ohio to world-class methodologies in new product development.

After retirement, Dave formed Lupyan & Associates in 2019 to help start-up and mid-markets grow via new product development and commercialization. Along with his consultancy, he works with JumpStart and SCORE as a mentor and sits on several mid-market advisory boards.

Greg Malkin has spent decades as an entrpreneur, mentor, and educator. He previously founded a computer software and services company, as well as the Young Entrepreneur Institute to promote entrepreneurship education in grades K-12. Greg has served on several nonprofit boards focused on business and youth development. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from MIT and a Master’s degree in Education. In retirement, Greg focuses on mentoring small business owners and nonprofit leaders, offering practical tools to help them succeed.

Greg specializes in strategic planning, financial literacy, leadership, and business development for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. He helps small business owners and nonprofit leaders strengthen their operations, improve financial decision-making, and build clear business strategies. With over 50 years of experience founding companies and leading mission-driven organizations, Greg offers practical guidance that helps client move forward with confidence.

Bob Nicolay is a retired senior level leader with 40+ years of experience in various roles with Progressive Insurance, National Interstate Insurance, The General, and California Casualty. In positions as high as CEO, he has developed and executed creative strategies for top and bottom line growth by leading teams in product design/management, distribution/sales, marketing campaigns, customer relationship management, and service delivery.

He remains engaged in the business community through his consulting work, serving on boards and as an active member of the Private Directors Association and North Coast Ventures. He has been a board director for companies and nonprofit organizations in the Cleveland area for over 15 years. He is also an adjunct faculty member in the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University.

Monserrat was born and raised in a small town in the south of Mexico called Oaxaca. She grew up with a love for traveling, art, and learning about new cultures. After graduating from architecture school, Monserrat moved to the United States through a cultural exchange program. What was supposed to be a one‑year experience turned into her returning to school to earn a degree in Urban Planning at Cleveland State University.

After graduation, she landed a job with a community development organization and fell in love with local businesses and community work. Monserrat currently works for the Department of Economic Development at the City of Cleveland as the Near West Neighborhood Investment Manager. She loves her job, representing her community and working with small businesses on a daily basis.

When she is not at work, Monserrat can be found walking through Cleveland’s neighborhoods, attending local events, visiting local shops, or doing arts and crafts.

Noah Toumert is the Executive Director of the Cleveland Soccer Group Foundation, where he leads the effort to expand access to play, build community-driven soccer infrastructure, and grow the sport as a civic asset across Northeast Ohio. His work blends organizing, public-sector strategy, and sport-for-good innovation, with projects ranging from free street soccer programs downtown to a multi-year initiative bringing small-sided pitches to neighborhoods that lack safe places to play.

Noah’s work spans youth access, adult futsal, public space activations, and nonprofit design. Always relationship-first. Always rooted in purpose. He has mentored high schoolers and college students on projects and unique initiatives. Noah specializes in nonprofits and community impact.