Everyone has heard a Jim Sonefeld song – even if they don’t know it. He is the drummer of one of the top-selling rock bands of all time, Hootie & the Blowfish, as well as an award-winning songwriter and solo artist. Throughout his prolific career, his music has reached every corner of the globe and captured the imaginations of people from every walk of life. Sonefeld shares inspirational, never-before-heard behind-the-scenes stories from his life and the rise of Hootie & the Blowfish to illustrate how anyone is capable of overcoming any obstacle to achieve their purpose in life.

As an entertainer for over twenty years, Jon is known as the NFL's “Magic Man" and is respectfully referred to as the "Entertainer's Entertainer." He also has performed personally for Jason Statham, Nicholas Cage, Garth Brooks, Magic Johnson, the entire New England Patriots football team, Joe Montana and Dan Marino.

Maurice Ashley made history in 1999 when he became the first African-American chess grandmaster. He is a three-time national championship coach, author of Chess for Success: Using an Old Game to Build New Strengths in Children and Teens, ESPN commentator, iPhone app designer, puzzle inventor, and motivational speaker. Maurice is well known for providing dynamic live tournament coverage of world-class chess competitions and matches.

A political powerhouse with a reputation for building consensus where it was deemed impossible, The Honorable Stephanie Murphy is widely regarded as an impactful legislator who cuts through the partisan gridlock to create meaningful results for our nation. In 2017, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Florida’s 7th congressional district in a remarkable tenure that concluded in 2023. A leader among the moderate Democrats, during her three terms in the House, she was consistently named one of the most effective and bipartisan members of Congress — working across both sides of the aisle to address key issues ranging from trade to national security policy. Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed her to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, and she co-led the Select Committee’s seventh hearing alongside Representative Jamie Raskin. With extensive public service and private sector experience under her belt, Murphy is a widely respected strategic advisor to government officials and senior business leaders alike.

The Right Honorable Jean Chrétien is the former prime minister of Canada and is one of the most respected world leaders of the last 25 years. His career spans more than 40 years in public service, and under his leadership, his party won three consecutive majorities in the House of Commons. Queen Elizabeth appointed Chrétien to the Order of Merit, an award given to “individuals of exceptional distinction in the arts, learning, sciences, and other areas such as public service.” He addresses global / geopolitical matters, such as globalization, the economy, security, and social issues.

Charlie Rodman is an expert in consumer behavior and has used these insights to craft the brand stories for a number of iconic global whisk(e)y brands. So he understands the power of storytelling to elevate a glass of whisky from a beverage into an experience. Blending rich histories from around the world of whisky with personal anecdotes of sipping whiskies around the world with renowned industry personalities, Charlie distills his years of working in the spirits industry into a bespoke masterclass. Having sampled and catalogued thousands of drams, he will profile your palate then curate a curriculum paired with a befitting selection of whiskies to take you on an unforgettable whisky journey, while teaching how to get the most out of your drinks long after the session ends

In 2018, Joe Cunningham became the first Democrat to be elected to South Carolina's First Congressional District in over 40 years. The Charleston Post and Courier called his victory the "biggest upset in modern South Carolina history." During his two-year term in office, Cunningham was widely recognized for his “people-first” approach to legislating. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranked him the 4th most bipartisan member of Congress and endorsed him in his re-election effort. The bipartisan Lugar Center ranked him as the most bipartisan freshman in the House in 2019. Delivering on a campaign promise to put “people over politics,” he made constituent services a bedrock of his tenure in Congress and his Congressional office closed more cases than any other freshman House Democrat. Cunningham served on the Veterans Affairs and Natural Resources Committees where he passed two bills into law in his first term, including the Veterans Tele-hearing Modernization Act and the Great American Outdoors Act. In 2019, Joe delivered on another signature campaign promise when the House passed his bipartisan bill banning offshore drilling. Cunningham was unafraid to make legislative points in creative ways. In 2019, he blew an airhorn in a Natural Resources subcommittee hearing to highlight the dangers of seismic airgun blasting to sea life. In his farewell speech in December of 2020, he became the first known member in Congressional history to crack a beer on the House floor in a toast to bipartisanship and cooperation. The video of Cunningham's farewell speech has been viewed over 1 million times. Even in defeat, Cunningham still enjoyed significant crossover support in his district. He lost his reelection bid by only 1% of the vote in a district that Joe Biden lost by 6%.

Mark Esper has led a distinguished career as a visionary leader, innovator, reformer, and change agent with a proven record of accomplishment in a wide range of roles and organizations. He attributes his success to the importance he places on character and values, coupled with boundless energy and a can-do spirit that puts the organization and its people first, and treating everyone with dignity and respect. A graduate of some of the nation’s top schools, Esper has led military organizations as small as platoons and companies, and as large as the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense. His private sector experience includes service as a senior executive in a Fortune 100 company and as a leader in major trade associations that represent a range of businesses and industries. He has an intimate understanding of the Executive Branch, Congress, and American politics, and has built a broad network of relationships globally. Mark Esper will offer any audience an array of insights, ideas, forecasts, and strategies that can help them improve as individuals and teams.

Kostya Kimlat is known as “The Business Magician” — a world-renowned speaker, entertainer, and thought-leader. Kostya reveals the secrets that make magicians the ultimate masters of perception—empowering professionals to communicate more effectively with customers, clients, and coworkers. Kostya is the founder of See Magic Live, which trains and books magicians for events virtually and around the world. His company’s local team began serving as the magicians for the NBA’s Orlando Magic in 2010. Kostya fooled the famous Vegas duo, Penn & Teller, on their hit CW TV show, “Penn and Teller: Fool Us” and became the closing act for their show at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. In 2020, he pivoted his business and has now also performed for thousands of virtual audience members.