The Speakers
Sofia Wakabayashi
Sofia, a half-Japanese, half-Swedish model, rose to fame as a finalist on the first cycle of "Asia’s Next Top Model" in 2012. Recognized as the next IT face of Asia, she has successfully modeled across the continent, earning the Asia Model Star Award in 2016.
With an independent spirit and entrepreneurial drive, Sofia has lived in over six countries. She has 21 years of experience in social media and 18 years in business development. Now, Sofia is a powerful 2x CEO/founder of WakaGrowth and WakaGoods.
Sofia’s mission is to help people become sovereign, divine, and free. She is passionate about helping people and companies turn their dreams into reality and awakening the next generation of conscious leaders to make the world a better place. Sofia wants to create a summit to bring together all the beautiful souls, unlock their soul potential, and learn from one another to build a better future.
Misa Chien
Misa Chien is an authentic leader renowned for her ability to inspire others, helping people feel less alone and more connected through her positivity and transparency.
Her engaging and charismatic communication style is shaped by her diverse experiences in various forms of communication.
She has appeared on TV, spoken at prestigious institutions such as Harvard Business School and The Harvard Club, and graced the runway for brands like Neutrogena and Target.
Dr. Ulrich Keller
Before their Big Tech sabbatical, they served as Chief of Staff at Google, where Dr. Keller led strategic planning and execution.
His contributions to Google's growth spanned various senior roles. Dr. Keller holds a doctorate in medical/managerial economics, two master's degrees in international business and law, and a bachelor's degree in international business.
Additionally, he serves on several boards and is actively engaged in venture capital and private equity deals, as well as philanthropy.
Xavien Rafael
Prepare to be inspired at the Entrepreneur Summit by Xavien Rafael, the sharp-witted founder and CEO of Intelligent Credit, a leading US and Canada Credit Agency.
From navigating personal credit challenges to pioneering in the financial sector, Xavien has revolutionized credit services, saving CEOs and budding entrepreneurs invaluable time and money.
With a knack for turning trials into triumphs, Xavien's agency not only offers crucial credit insights but also fosters a culture of financial savvy and empowerment. Join us to glean insights from Xavier's journey and discover how his wit and innovation are reshaping the landscape of financial empowerment at the summit.
Christian DeLongue
A spiritual coach and experienced therapist from Africa, specializes in ancient healing techniques and herbal remedies for physical, spiritual, and emotional health. His work with Sofia significantly transformed her life.
Christian has worked as a career counselor on platforms such as Cerebral and Better Health, helping hundreds of people with their mental health and transforming their lives. He is truly a master in spiritual and esoteric practices with a special gift to connect with the quantum field.
Patricia Gomez-Gracia
Be inspired at the Entrepreneur Summit by Patricia, the experienced Founder, Designer, and Chief Executive Director with a proven track record in the apparel and fashion industry. From mastering trend analysis to excelling in textiles and fashion design, Patricia has redefined the fashion landscape, offering valuable insights and innovative solutions.
With expertise in art direction and a knack for turning creative ideas into reality, Patricia has not only made significant strides in fashion but also fostered a culture of artistic excellence and innovation. A dedicated arts and design professional with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Economics from the University of Florida, Patricia is shaping the future of fashion.
Join us to glean insights from Patricia's journey and discover how her expertise and vision are reshaping the fashion industry at the summit.
David Lewis
A resilient and visionary entrepreneur. Born and raised in Las Vegas, David started his journey as a national figure skating competitor. After retiring, he transitioned to acting in LA, only to face significant health challenges in his late twenties, including an autoimmune disease and an alcohol use disorder.
Returning home to focus on recovery, David embarked on a new venture, Double Shot Café. This café emphasizes organic and sustainable options, with proceeds from certain items supporting organizations aiding individuals with substance issues. Initially focusing on breakfast items like bagels and lox, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries from local bakeries, Double Shot plans to expand its menu to include lunch and dinner.
The café's beverage offerings include a variety of coffee and tea drinks, pressed juices, and mocktails, such as the True Bloody Mary. Committed to eco-friendly practices, Lewis ensures all packaging is compostable and plastic-free.
Kenta Sakurai
Unlock your potential at the Wakagrowth Summit by Kenta, a sought-after model who was a finalist on the hit TV show Survivor Mexico. As a model, you can catch him gracing the covers of esteemed publications like Sense Magazine. Recognized in GQ's grooming section, Kenta shares his captivating lifestyle with over 120,000 global followers on Instagram.
Before his rise to fame, Kenta attended Liceo Mexicano Japonés in Mexico City and later expanded his horizons to live in vibrant cities like Hong Kong and Thailand.
In addition to his successful modeling career, Kenta has showcased his versatility in television commercials for OPPO Electronics, captivating audiences with his charm and presence.
With Mexican and Japanese roots, Kenta brings a rich cultural perspective to his dynamic career in fashion and media, making him a standout figure at the Wakagrowth Summit.
Carlos Siqueira
Carlos Siqueira is an unstoppable force, committed to catalyzing positive change and transforming lives on a global scale. As a dynamic author, top-ranked motivational speaker, growth catalyst, podcast host, wealth strategist, and business acceleration expert, Carlos is on a relentless quest to impact 1 billion lives.
With a proven track record of guiding CEOs, coaches, and everyday individuals from startups to Fortune 100 giants like Xfinity, Carlos has been instrumental in generating billions in revenue through his visionary strategies. His passion for growth fuels his mission to share invaluable insights on scaling business revenues, getting paid to speak on stages, leadership development, emotional intelligence, sales acceleration, and high-performance habits. Carlos empowers individuals to overcome obstacles and tap into their boundless potential, delivering rapid and sustainable results.
Beyond his transformative work, Carlos is an adventurer at heart. He cherishes moments exploring nature's marvels with his daughter, Isabella, and wife, Angie, enriching his life's journey. In his free time, Carlos dedicates himself to feeding those in need, embodying his commitment to making the world a better place.
Chris Salem
Chris Salem is an authentic leader passionate about empowering business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals across industries.
Overcoming personal struggles, including a 12-year addiction, he has found success as a Sales Leader and investor. Chris shares his experiences to help others achieve extraordinary success by aligning well-being and wealth. His mission is to guide others in experiencing true success in both business and personal life.
For 24 years, Chris has been a professional speaker at leading industry B2B and B2C conferences, companies, and entrepreneurial events worldwide. He is also a successful business acceleration strategist and executive coach, helping small to mid-sized companies scale in sales, revenue, and profit.
Chris specializes in crafting custom strategic value propositions across all sales and marketing platforms, increasing sales and revenue while positioning high performers as trusted advisors. His approach significantly grows businesses by creating more impact and influence.
Sergio Robleto
Sergio Robleto is a prolific artist and art instructor based in Los Angeles, known for his unique style that merges organic elements to create innovative works.
Over the past 10 years, his art has evolved to celebrate the intricate innovation found in nature and the human body. Recently, SHEIN commissioned Sergio and four other artists to paint murals across Los Angeles. Sergio's mural, titled "Generations," celebrates tradition, family, and the love of music, featuring members of a family of mariachis spanning four generations.
Sergio praised SHEIN for their support, emphasizing the importance of creating public art that acts as an extension of the community and celebrates Hispanic Heritage through the enduring tradition of mariachi music.
Lance Ding
Lance Ding founder of Startup Village, a membership community that unites 150 founders and creators in Los Angeles.
As the founder and leader, he meticulously curates an environment where entrepreneurs can flourish through co-working, mentorship, and resource-sharing.
Beyond building connections, Lance is actively advancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem by enabling angel funds and spearheading educational initiatives aimed at empowering college students to launch their own startups.
His journey into community building was preceded by a diverse background in consulting and co-founding various venture-backed companies across the fintech, education, and venture capital sectors
Lexi Kaz
She excels at securing prominent media features, establishing a strong digital presence, and implementing efficient automated systems.
By leveraging these elements indefinitely, she ensures sustained growth and influence.
Her approach is all about continuous refinement and repetition of these strategies to maintain and enhance her success.
Cory Warfield
Cory Warfield, a former restaurant professional turned B2B SaaS entrepreneur, founded a company leveraging machine learning to optimize labor scheduling and compliance for restaurants. His journey from launching a startup to scaling ventures has been shaped by his adept use of LinkedIn for networking and personal branding.
Cory has served on various boards, co-founded DCRBN web3 launchpad and venture studio, and held notable positions such as Chief Growth Officer at Agora World and interim CEO at inf4mation.com. He is also the creator of Coryconnects podcast, co-founder of Storkful Metaverse, and an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Founder Institute. Currently, he is focused on WeJ DJ, a tech-powered community aiming to revolutionize the music industry.
Passionate about music, animals, nature, and startups, Cory’s interests extend to AI and its impact on humanity. His weekly AI newsletter, Tech For Good: Building in Public With AI, rapidly gained 70,000 subscribers, reflecting his dedication to discussing AI, blockchain, and societal advancement.
Carla Brizuela-Perez
As a pioneering first-generation Filipina-Malaysian Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), she founded The Filipina Social Worker LLC to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed care. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and case management, particularly in medical social work and psychotherapy.
She is adept in cognitive behavioral therapy, working with children, transitional age youth, adults, and individuals facing various challenges, including HIV/AIDS, chronic illness, gender/sexual identity issues, spousal/partner abuse, and family trauma. Her academic interests include intersectionality, Asian American studies, feminist theory, and LGBTQI+ affirmative therapy.
She earned her MSW from USC and a BA in Women’s Studies with a minor in Philosophy from CSULB.
Yasi Ansari
Yasi is a dedicated dietitian in California, specializing in sports performance, eating disorders, and women's health. She consults in Los Angeles and San Francisco, helping athletes of all ages achieve optimal health and performance.
Her career began at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, educating patients on healthy eating for cancer prevention and treatment. Yasi then worked with UCLA Athletics and CAL Bears, counseling athletes on nutrition for performance, recovery, and healthy food relationships.
Yasi's clinical experience includes roles at Hoag Memorial Hospital and Hoag Orthopedic Institute, where she developed nutrition curricula and educated patients on recovery nutrition.
In addition to her clinical work, Yasi is a freelance nutrition writer with features on CNNHealth, U.S. News, and Yahoo Media. She holds degrees from UCLA and CSUN. A Bay Area native, Yasi loves sharing her health and wellness knowledge with the community.
Braxton Kilgo
With over 25 years of experience, Braxton leads Cloudnine, where they help Agency Owners, B2B Businesses, and Consultants scale into highly profitable ventures. Cloudnine’s expertise lies in addressing three common growth challenges: lack of specialization, absence of effective systems, and inadequate sales processes.
Braxton and his team are dedicated to transforming business dreams into reality by providing solutions that fill client pipelines, enhance demand generation, and create predictable sales processes. Their commitment is reflected in their goal to help clients earn at least $100,000 in their first year, focusing on delivering fast, predictable, and cost-efficient growth strategies.
John Kennedy
John is a renowned #1 International Bestselling Author, Master Executive Brain Coach, International Speaker, Trainer, and Process Efficiency Consultant. He has seamlessly integrated his extensive experience in process improvement with a pioneering field he developed—Applied Neuroplasticity—to create the groundbreaking Peak Performance program known as The Kennedy Method.
From an early age, John was driven by the thrill of “solving the unsolvable.” His career began with innovative feats such as developing the first handheld energy efficiency assessment computer in the 1970s. Over the years, he has helped companies innovate through technology and tackled critical problems as a project rescue specialist for some of Chicago’s largest businesses.
In 2007, John faced his most formidable challenge when the US Marines enlisted his expertise to enhance Warfighting capabilities and reduce casualties in combat. This led him to pioneer Applied Neuroplasticity, an innovative approach that applies his process efficiency methodology to the brain. The Combat Brain Training program, born from this work, has proven highly successful, rapidly improving focus, memory, and decision-making under stress for thousands of individuals, regardless of their cognitive starting point.
After achieving significant results with elite military units, including pilots, snipers, and Navy SEALs, John expanded his program to benefit civilians, continuing to drive transformative performance improvements.
Caitlin Cogan Doemner
Caitlin Cogan Doemner is founder of Virtual Coaching Sales. After studying at Oxford University and getting her MBA from Biola University, Caitlin Doemner launched a sales management company which generated over $11M in new revenue for its clients in 8 years. She has published multiple books, including “The Unseen Sales Machine” and “Sell with Heart” and just returned from digital-nomading to all seven continents with her three kids.
Bob Honadle
Bob Honadle, President & CEO of Honadle Professional Services, LLC, is dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized businesses by providing access to the country’s best loan programs. His approach not only offers funding from $10,000 to $50 million but also educates and guides businesses to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
Through a network of 120 commercial lenders who compete for your business, Bob ensures only the top three offers are presented, keeping you in control. With his innovative FREE Business Success Scan, companies can quickly explore 16 alternative lending options and apply confidently, without impacting their credit.
Beyond financing, Bob helps businesses build strong credit through his cutting-edge SaaS system, setting them up for long-term growth. His mission goes beyond securing funding due to Bob being passionate about equipping business owners with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.
JL Heather
With 20 years of experience in organizational transformations, JL has identified three key factors driving exceptional success in a select group of businesses: Empowering Culture, Transformational Leadership, and Continuous Improvement. JL has collaborated with renowned companies such as VML, Ford, Pfizer, Wendy's, T-Mobile, GE, and many others to elevate and accelerate how these organizations create and deliver value.
JL is a Certified Professional Coactive Coach (CPCC) through the Coactive Training Institute, holds the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and is Leadership Circle Profile (LCP) certified. With hundreds of hours of coaching experience with senior to executive leaders and two decades of applying lean/agile principles to leadership and organizations, JL has facilitated numerous workshops ranging from Design Sprints to executive team building.
As a passionate and skilled facilitator, JL creates safe spaces for teams and leaders to address organizational, product, or interpersonal challenges and co-create effective solutions.
Meet Our Hosts
Oswaldo Navarro
Oswaldo is an experienced and innovative Social Worker with over 12 years of diverse experience.
His journey spans counseling, higher education, business consulting, and the dynamic realm of the music industry.
Oswaldo thrives on the uniqueness each field brings and is fueled by a passion for exploring new ideas and fostering connections with individuals across different domains.
He is excited to continue making a meaningful impact through his versatile skills and commitment to social well-being.
Janica De Guzman
Her journey began as a talented copywriter, where she excelled in both agency and in-house roles, honing her skills in crafting compelling messages.
Over time, Janica expanded her expertise to encompass all aspects of creative content creation, becoming a versatile force in the industry.