From concert pianist to leading a $20M company, Inna Tuler’s leadership journey is one of discipline and perseverance. Arriving in the U.S. with just $200, Inna and her husband built Maintco Corp, a construction and facility services company. After her husband’s passing in 2011, Inna took the leap in becoming CEO while raising three kids.

In 2002, Jeremy left his Wall Street career to help his third-generation family business, Acme Corrugated Box Co. Inc., which provides packaging customization to the Mid-Atlantic area. With an engineering background, his leadership has transformed the company by implementing complex industrial systems and spearheading a $50M expansion project.

Gary's adventurous spirit seized the opportunity to transform his boutique agency into a global sourcing powerhouse, utilizing a $250,000 budget to spend in China. Now 22 years later, he has offices in Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Dubai and Houston, with plans to expand to Mumbai this summer. Generating $11M in revenue with only 10 employees, Gary follows the philosophy of “figure out what you do best, do those things and get other people to do the rest.” Outside of Avela Global, Gary owns a portable inflatable planetarium business called Go-Dome, a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit.

At The Wave Carwash, Mike Opitz is delivering clean cars and creating shared growth through a commitment to excellence. A West Point graduate and former Army officer, Mike lives by the principle of “mission, men and me” – a philosophy prioritizing purpose and people. In 1997, he took a risk by starting his own residential and light commercial construction company despite having no steady income. By 2005, he pivoted to pursue a longtime idea: Building his own car wash – a move that saved the company during the 2008 recession. Now preparing to open their 8th location, Mike’s passion for employee growth is shown through “The Wave University,” where team members gain skills in business principles and car wash procedures.

Choose the right thing even when it’s hard. This principle guided Christine when she stepped into leadership just months before ASCI almost collapsed, facing the potential loss of all existing contracts, and experiencing a 90% revenue decline in her first two years. She built trust by sharing cash flow updates with her team while steering the company through a partial liquidation to emerge as a woman-owned small business. Pivoting into federal contracting, the turnaround fueled fivefold revenue growth in three years. Her advice during tough times: start with self-care. Your team needs you at your best when times are at their worst.

While some avoid discomfort, Jennifer Welding chases it — seeing each challenge as her cue to lead. When Unlimited Designs needed direction, she stepped in as CEO and helped grow the company into a premier manufacturer of custom architectural components for temples, airports, and hotels across the world. To meet rising demand, she and her team consolidated leadership, opened a manufacturing plant in Mexico, and increased revenue by 33% while guiding 140 employees. At the heart of their work is a culture rooted in shared values, simplified solutions, and a commitment to grow together through both challenges and wins.

Guiding American Pipe & Supply Co. (APS) in its mission to support the construction industry, John Howe drives growth while investing in future leaders and community initiatives. Early on, he pivoted from auto parts to office distribution, relocating his family to California and expanding his management from 50 to over 300 people. As CEO of APS, he champions internal growth, overseeing 50 promotions in five years and fostering development through quarterly roundtables on financial training, strategic reviews and reading assignments.

From his early days in Scouting and as a Subway "sandwich artist" to his current role as President and CEO of Mulcahy Company, Rob Grady has always been drawn to leadership. After 15 years working with a capital equipment manufacturer in Minneapolis, Rob joined Mulcahy in December 2014 as VP of Sales and Marketing. His rapid ascent to Executive VP and later to President and CEO coincided with Mulcahy’s transition to an ESOP in 2020. Under his leadership, the company’s share price increased twentyfold, its enterprise value nearly doubled and EBITDA nearly tripled since 2020.

After growing up in his family’s catering business, Dennis King built a career in tech before returning to the food industry inspired to launch SchoolFoodies. What began as a side venture now serves over 3,000 fresh meals daily across Bay Area schools, preschools and camps. By taking risks, including investing $1.1M in a custom facility and automated production line, Dennis positioned the company for sustainable growth, nearing $4M in revenue. Today, SchoolFoodies is a Certified Green Business, pioneering compostable meal trays, sourcing local ingredients and partnering with schools’ zero-waste programs.

Trading estate plans for termite inspections, Lauren Thrasher's leadership journey proves that sometimes the best plans are unplanned. What began as a short-term job helping her husband’s garage startup while she finished law school became a full-time role. Under her leadership, Thrasher Termite & Pet Control has become a thriving $7M business.Lauren’s commitment to growth earned her a spot in the National Pest Management Association’s Executive Leadership Program, a distinction awarded to only ten people annually.

With roughly $800, no outside funding or debt and a “say yes” attitude, Lawrence Hromek founded Omega Contractors in 2016 – growing it into a $12.5M firm in 2024. Today, Omega is a trusted Tier 1 supplier for Tesla and SpaceX, delivering production line infrastructure, primary power systems and mechanical and electrical installations