KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Shark Tank Success Stories: Behind the Pitch — A Candid Conversation With Successful Founders

Nicole Denise Phillip is a Brand Intelligence Strategist and founder of CoAgency, where she helps coaches, consultants, and online service experts turn clarity into consistent conversion. Through her Intelligence Pillars framework — Business Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, Capital Intelligence, and Well-Being Intelligence — Nicole equips leaders to scale without burnout by aligning their messaging, automation, systems, and capacity. With over a decade of experience in brand positioning, business development, and strategic advisory, Nicole is known for helping high-capacity entrepreneurs eliminate confusion, install intelligent systems, and build businesses that support their life instead of competing with it. Her work bridges the gap between calling and conversion, strategy and sustainability, visibility and profitability. When Nicole speaks, audiences leave with clarity, conviction, and a framework they can immediately implement.

In 2018, Mitch Allen walked into the Shark Tank dressed as an elf. He walked out with a deal, and HireSanta.com hasn’t been the same since. ABC brought him back for follow-up features in 2019 and again in 2023, each time catching up on how the business had grown. Behind the elf costume is a career spent in internet marketing, where Mitch has founded, scaled, and sold several small businesses, and still owns a marketing company today. He’s a serial entrepreneur who loves helping other small business owners grow, and lately he’s obsessed with AI and the ways it’s reshaping how small businesses compete.

Best known for his Shark Tank success story. Lori Greiner’s very first deal in season 3 with his magnetic eyeglass holder called Readerest. But that’s not where it started. He’s been inventing things since he was a kid. Back in the 1900’s at age of 13, one windy day, he built a sail for his skateboard. He borrowed some of his dad’s pvc pipe, some duct tape and an old bed sheet. And if his mom can see down from heaven, she now knows what happened to that old bed sheet. Many childhood inventions and several years later, he figured out how to protect his ideas and turn a profit. In January 2001, he developed a line of products for the door and window industry. He launched Trimquick with a $5,000 investment and turned it into millions in a few short years. Then came Readerest in 2010… his most fun project to date. Rick recharges his batteries at his 160-acre ranch with his cows under the star filled sky. Rick is the director of “Biz Owners Ed” where they serve serious committed entrepreneurs through mentorship and training at no cost. He is currently working on a couple of new business ideas as he travels the country with his mobile studio capturing stories of wisdom and experience from business owners and other legends. “the rick hopper show”. Author of “The Bridge From Idea to Money”, a practical, experience-driven business book that guides readers from inspiration to execution, focusing on clarity, decision-making, and real-world momentum rather than theory or hype. His tombstone will read…."Rick Hopper…He could have made more money, but he couldn’t have had more fun.” Lastly, as Rick always says…”God believes in you, you should give him a reason.”