“Street Smarts” columnist and senior contributing editor Norm Brodsky is a veteran entrepreneur who has founded and grown six businesses. In 2008 he sold CitiStorage, a document-archive business based in Brooklyn, New York, for $110 million. Along with Bo Burlingham, Norm has chronicled his entrepreneurial journey in his column in Inc. and in the book The Knack: How Street-Smart Entrepreneurs Learn to Handle Whatever Comes Up. Norm Brodsky is one of the most sought after business-advice experts in the country.

A former editor at Harvard Business Review and founding editor of WebMaster magazine, she writes regular columns on leadership and workplace culture, and she contributes Inc.’s capsule book reviews, “A Skimmer’s Guide to the Latest Business Books.”

Lee J. Colan, Ph.D. is co-founder of The L Group, a consulting firm serving leaders since 1999.  The L Group equips and inspires leaders at every level to engage teams and execute plans. Lee’s cut-through-the-clutter models resonate with leaders living in an information-rich, time-poor world.  He has authored 12 popular leadership books that have been translated into 10 languages, including thebestselling Engaging the Hearts and Minds of All your Employees and Stick with It:  Mastering the Art of Adherence.

Follow: @LeeColan

Called the “Apostle of appreciation” by the Globe and Mail, Canada’s largest newspaper, and “creative and refreshing‚” by the New York Times, Chester Elton is co-author of several successful leadership books. The Carrot Principle and The Orange Revolution by Simon & Schuster have been New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestsellers, and his new book All In will be released in April 2012. As a motivation expert, Chester has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Fast Company magazine and the New York Times, and has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, National Public Radio and CBS’s 60 Minutes. He serves as a leadership consultant to firms such as American Express, Avis Budget Group and Cigna.

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Randy Hetrick is the creator of the TRX Suspension Trainer® and founder of TRX, one of the fastest growing companies in fitness and training. As an inventor, entrepreneur, athlete and former commando, Randy’s professional experience spans a broad range of domains in both the public and private sector. TRX produces some of the fitness industry’s most innovative training products and exercise programs and has redefined the application of bodyweight training for sports performance. TRX is changing the way that thousands of soldiers train for combat, athletes train for sport and regular people of all ages and abilities train for life.

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Gary Hirshberg is co-founder of Stonyfield Farm, the world’s leading organic yogurt producer, and Managing Director of Stonyfield Europe, with organic brands in Ireland, and France. Gary serves on many Boards, including Applegate Farms, Honest Tea, Peak Organic Brewing, Late July, RAMp Sports, Glenisk, Danone Livelihoods Fund and AGree. In 2011, President Obama appointed Gary to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. He is a founding Partner of “Just Label It,” the national campaign to label genetically engineered foods.  He has authored two books, received nine honorary doctorates and numerous awards including a 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award by the US EPA.

Follow: @Gary_Hirshberg

Meg Cadoux Hirshberg is a contributing editor for Inc. magazine.  Her regular column, “Balancing Acts”, examines the effects of business on families.  Meg’s new book, For Better or For Work:  A Survival Guide for Entrepreneurs and Their Families, expands on column topics such as the queasy necessity of raising money from friends and family, the emotional risks for couples that work together, and the entrepreneur’s feelings of guilt concerning the limited amount of time spent with children and family. As the wife of Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Yogurt, Meg has faced most of these challenges in her own life.

Susan Leger Ferraro is currently the Chief Innovation Officer for The Lupoli Companies and its real estate division of Riverwalk Properties. Susan started her career at the age of 17 in her parent’s house and ended up building an empire 30 years later. Susan is the Founder of Little Sprouts Inc., Inspirational Ones, Imajine That, and Peace Love and Happiness, LLC. Under the leadership of Susan; Little Sprouts Inc. received the prestigious 10 MM US Dept. of Education Early Reading First Preschool Center of Excellence Award 3 times.  Susan was able to grow Little Sprouts 225% in 4 years. Susan has been recognized most recently with the US Small Business Administration’s Massachusetts Woman in Business Champion award.

Follow: @susanvibe

Vanessa Merit Nornberg got her start in accessories at the tender age of 11. Her love of Fashion drew her to New York City, where she received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from NYU.  Fluent in three languages, she worked abroad in communications and business development until 2004, when she returned to the United States, and opened Metal Mafia, a wholesale body jewelry and costume jewelry company.  Metal Mafia was named to the Inc 500 list of America’s fastest growing privately owned companies in 2009 and now sells to 5000+ independent specialty shops and large retail chains in 23 different countries.  Vanessa is a member of the Inc Business Owner’s Council and the Young Entrepreneur’s council, and her writing has been featured on the Huffington Post, Open Forum, Jobtrakr.com, and AllBusiness.com. She is also the author of a weekly In the Trenches, column on Inc.com, in which she shares her own experience in building and growing businesses to help other entrepreneurs.

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Since the 1980s Curt Richardson has owned several companies in the tooling and molding industry, where he developed an intimate knowledge of manufacturing and supply chain. In 1998, from that knowledge and expertise he created OtterBox^® — a line of waterproof, crush proof boxes popular among water sports enthusiasts. Leveraging a set of core values and the principles of E-Myth, Richardson cultivated OtterBox for growth by installing strong systems and processes and by putting the customer at the center of all decisions. At the same time, he instilled a culture of innovation, passion and integrity to create an award-winning company culture. Richardson served as CEO of OtterBox until September 2012, when he transitioned into the role of chairman.

A scientist by training, a teacher by nature, and an entrepreneur by will, Michael Rose drew from his life experiences to create a new communication methodology and ultimately his book, ROE Powers ROI – The Ultimate Way to Think and Communicate for Ridiculous Results. Michael is the CEO of Mojo Media Labs, a digital marketing agency. He and his family live in Southlake, Texas. He serves on the board of directors of the Pro Players Foundation, is a long-standing member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, an adjunct professor at Texas Christian University, and a guest speaker at Southern Methodist University. His business office is located in Las Colinas, a suburb of Dallas. Michael notes that with ROE, he’s broken the code of business. “Once you adopt ROE and are disciplined enough to put it into practice, it will change the way you think and communicate, both at a personal level and in your position, whatever that seat might be, in any conceivable organization.”

Click here to read more: Mojo’s ROE Powers ROI

@RMichaelRose

Lewis Schiff is the executive director of Inc. Business Owners Council, a membership organization for Inc.’s top entrepreneurs. He maintains a blog about behavioral entrepreneurship on Inc.com. He has co-authored two books, The Influence of Affluence: How the New Rich Are Changing America and The Armchair Millionaire. His new book, Business Brilliant: Surprising Lessons From the Greatest Self-Made Business Icons, which focuses on the wealth-creating behaviors and attitudes that work best in the new economy, was published by HarperCollins in March.

Follow: @lewisschiff

Paul Spiegelman is founder and chief executive officer of The Beryl Companies, which includes: Beryl, a technology-focused patient experience company dedicated to improving relationships between health care providers and consumers; The Beryl Institute, a research and educational entity that publishes information about improving the patient experience and how that activity links to better financial outcomes for health care providers; The Circle, a training company that helps businesses enhance employee engagement and develop more positive workplace cultures; and The Small Giants Community, a global organization that brings together leaders who are focused on values-based business principles. Paul is leading a unique, people-centric culture that has remarkably high employee and customer retention rates. Beryl has won nine “best place to work” awards, including being voted the #2 Best Medium Sized Company to Work for in America. Recently, Spiegelman was honored with the Ernst & Young 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Paul is a sought-after speaker and author on executive leadership, entrepreneurship, corporate culture, customer relationships and employee engagement. His views have been published in Entrepreneur, The Dallas Morning News, Inc. Magazine, Healthcare Financial Management, Leadership Excellence and many other noteworthy publications.