Entrepreneurial Pioneers: Unveiling Success Stories & Strategies for Your Journey

Join us for an inspiring event of entrepreneurial wisdom and success stories as we bring together a panel of accomplished local entrepreneurs who have defied the odds and built thriving businesses from the ground up. Get ready to gain invaluable insights, firsthand experiences, and practical tips that can guide and motivate you on your own entrepreneurial journey.

During this engaging event, our esteemed panelists will share their personal stories of triumph, highlighting the challenges they faced, the pivotal decisions they made, and the lessons they learned along the way. Discover the secrets behind their success as they unveil the strategies, tactics, and mindset that propelled them to the top.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup founder, or simply someone with a passion for business, this event is designed to empower and inspire you. Learn from the best as our panelists discuss topics such as idea generation, funding, marketing, team building, and overcoming obstacles. Gain actionable insights that you can implement in your own ventures and connect with like-minded individuals who share your entrepreneurial spirit.

Moderated by:

Emily Pantelides


Panel


Christie Shumate
Christie Shumate is an award-winning licensed Esthetician and Certified Medical Electrologist, who has been in the beauty industry for more than 30 years. Her spa, Transformations Esthetics & Wellness, boasts some of her personally developed cutting-edge techniques as well as an impressive roster of celebrity clients. Using her esthetics background Christie created the world’s first plant based, aluminum free Underarm Deodorant Granules that actually work! Underarm Deodorant Granules debuted at a private label manufacturing show, where they were awarded one of the “Innovative Products of the Year”. Christie is now on a dedicated mission to educate men and women about the products they use and specifically aluminum and all its effects. She has been featured on CBS News, The Palm Beach Post and many other local and national outlets. She is always open to discussions about health, wellness and of course deodorant. You can buy Underarm Deodorant Granules at Transformations Esthetics & Wellness, One on One Fitness, Salt Suite and online at: www.deodorantgranules.com.



Spero Georgedakis
As a son of Greek immigrants, Spero Georgedakis grew up with a strong love for his country and an equally strong desire to serve. At 19, he became a Police Officer in North Miami; then quickly moved up the ranks to become a member of the elite S.W.A.T. team. While on the force, Georgedakis dealt with countless victims of various moving scams at the hands of rogue movers. It was that experience, alongside his innate ambition to be the best, that inspired him to break the bad reputation of the moving industry and build a $50 multi-million-dollar franchise “the Good Greek way”, Good Greek Moving & Storage – now celebrating 25 years in the business. A thought leader in business and moving & relocation industries, Georgedakis now celebrates Good Greek being recognized as the world’s first and only total relocation company – offering everything from buying a new home and insuring it, to moving, storage and more!



Jeff Lichtenstein
Jeff Lichtenstein is the President and Founder of ECHO Fine Properties in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and author of the New Book: How Making A Sandwich Can Change Your World. Because of his work ethic, Jeff earned the nickname “The Machine.” He’s sold more than 1,100 homes since becoming a realtor in 2001. Jeff was named Best Realtor of the Year in 2021 by The Palm Beach Post. Jeff manages a 70-person team at ECHO Fine Properties. He works closely with his agents as a very hands-on broker and trainer. He’s involved in all aspects of his business—marketing, advertising, creative content, social media, SEO, and more. Before launching his own brokerage, Jeff worked as an agent at Illustrated Properties Real Estate and Waterfront Properties. Prior to real estate, Jeff worked for his father’s company, Western Textile Fashion Drapery Products, as the Vice President of Marketing and Sales. There, he worked with buyers and designers to sell home furnishing fabrics to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, traveling 35 weeks per year. Jeff earned his bachelor’s degree in business management with a major in marketing from Syracuse University. Jeff was raised in Chicago. He and his wife Veronica now reside in Palm Beach Gardens with their two children, Sam and Jade. He enjoys snorkeling, eating out, family vacations, and nature in his spare time. Jeff has been interviewed by WPTV, WPEC, WPBF, WFLX, The Palm Beach Post, The Sun Sentinel, The Spruce, Realtor.com, Inman, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Authority Magazine, CNN, and more.



Charles Bender
Charles Bender III is the Founding CEO and a Board Member of Place of Hope, a faith-based and state-licensed family-style residential child-caring agency for abused and neglected children, located in Palm Beach and The Treasure Coast in Florida. Place of Hope specializes in neighborhood style family foster care, family outreach and intervention, and more. Bender is a proven thought-leader in foster care, adoption, homelessness, human trafficking, federal and state legislation regarding these topics, grant writing, fundraising, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship. He has launched and managed multiple capital campaigns and built reserves in the form of an endowment, so Place of Hope’s mission can continue to leave a lasting legacy long after he retires, which is still at least 15 years down the road. In his day-to-day role, Bender oversees the entire organization, responds to the ever-evolving needs of the community he serves, keeps the organization nimble, and focuses on institutional advancement and fundraising. He is proud to say that Place of Hope operates debt-free. Place of Hope consistently earns a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator year after year. Bender’s philanthropic efforts and social entrepreneurship produce results. He has raised upwards of $100 million which has gone towards helping thousands of families annually. More than 20,000 families have been served, more than 360 children found their forever families through adoption, and more than 300 emancipated or homeless youth and families have been provided with transitional housing at Villages of Hope, a residential facility Bender helped establish in 2006. It was also under Bender’s leadership that Place of Hope opened Opened Hope House, Florida, the first safe house for victims of domestic minor sex trafficking in South Florida in 2012 and structured and launched Place of Hope’s Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness program in 2018. Place of Hope received national attention in 2022 during National Foster Care Month following the visit of former First Lady Melania Trump, who toured one of their properties and met with foster youth. The visit was documented by major national news outlets such as Fox & Friends, People Magazine, and Newsmax. Bender has also been interviewed by The Palm Beach Post, CBS12, WPTV, WPBF, The Shrimp Tank Boca Raton podcast, VoyageMIA, The Boca Raton Tribune, and more.


Photo Release Policy:
By attending this event, you hereby give the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce, their assigns, licenses, and legal representatives the irrevocable right to use, at no cost, your name (or any fictional name), picture, portrait, photograph, visual, and/or voice recording and likeness, in all forms and media and in all manners, including photo, film, audio, video, and all social media representations, for nonprofit, public or educational purposes, and waive any right to inspect or approve the finished product, including written copy that may be created in connection therewith, and any claim or right to compensation for such use.

Event Cancellation Policy:
A notice of cancellation must be received by email within 48 hours (2 business days) prior to the event. NO verbal cancellations will be accepted. All cancellation notices received within 48 hours (2 business days) prior to the event will be given an event credit of equal value. Event credits will be  applied upon request and are good for up to 1 year from the purchase date. There are NO REFUNDS.
 
NOTE:
ArtiGras Tickets, Loggerhead Triathlon Registrations, and The Leadership Awards Dinner do not qualify for an event credit upon cancellation. Contributions or gifts to the Palm Beach North Chamber of  Commerce  are  not  deductible  as  charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.