Vlada Galan – Founder and Principal of Oracle Advisory Group and Author of Success Mentality: Lessons From a Geopolitical Strategist

One of the most important things you can invest in, even if you’re a small business just starting, is talent. Is not hiring the cheapest labor, but hiring even if you have one employee, it’s hiring somebody who really is talented and very intelligent and very experienced.

Vlada Galan is a globally recognized geopolitical strategist and crisis management expert. She advises Heads of State and high-level candidates on political and multilateral agency election campaigns across five continents. She is renowned for her expertise in crisis response, Track 2 diplomacy, international lobbying, and sanctions strategy. With a proven track record in some of the world’s most complex political environments, Vlada has led electoral and strategic advisory efforts in over a dozen countries, including Austria, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mexico, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Vlada is the President and Chairman of the Board of the International Ukrainian Crisis Fund and serves on the Advisory Board of Directors of Captis Intelligence. She is also the Founder and Principal of Oracle Advisory Group, a global consulting firm headquartered in the United Arab Emirates with offices in the United States. Prior to founding Oracle, she held senior roles at top-tier public affairs firms in Washington, D.C., including Mercury Public Affairs and Actum. Originally from Odesa, Ukraine, Vlada holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Georgia State University and a Master of Liberal Arts in International Relations from Harvard University. Her insights have been featured on major networks including CNN, Fox News, and Newsmax. October 2025 Vlada released her book Success Mentality a blueprint for achieving more in life. In 2023 Vlada was awarded a medal by the Ukrainian Government in recognition of her leadership and unwavering support for her native country, Ukraine. Nathan Strum – CEO of Abby Connect

We realized very, very quickly that that was culture was going to be most important in our company, and that was how we were going to provide the great customer service over the phone. It’s not magic. It’s not a very hard formula to provide that great customer service. You just have to have a happy place to work.

Nathan Strum, CEO of Abby Connect. Nathan is a leader in integrating AI-powered tools with live human services to help businesses scale while maintaining a personal touch. He offers a unique perspective on how technology, human empathy, and business growth intersect to elevate customer service. Nathan is a strong advocate for inclusive workforce development, focusing on creating career pathways for entry-level employees to advance into AI and tech roles. This is a crucial and often overlooked aspect in today’s automation-focused environment. With his hands-on approach, Nathan is deeply involved in product innovation, client success, and process optimization, aiming to bridge the gap between customer service and artificial intelligence.