Perry Cohen realized a lifelong dream of combining his love of the outdoors, his commitment to social justice, his own trans & queer identity, and his professional life when he founded The Venture Out Project, a business that brings the queer community together to experience the beauty and fun of the wilderness with trips run by queer people for queer people. Perry also serves as the lead facilitator and trainer for the Venture Out Project’s gender and diversity training program, where he has presented in front of audiences at UC Davis, The University of Maryland, Colby College, Middlebury College, The University of New Mexico, and other institutions. Perry has two children, a partner, and a chocolate lab, and calls the hills and trails of Western Massachusetts home.

Matthew VanHorn co-founded LGBTQ Entrepreneur, a coaching business aimed to support rainbow family members take the entrepreneurial leap. Matthew started his first coaching business 7 years ago where he supported gay, bisexual, and queer men gain more confidence and self-love so that they could improve their intimate lives. He and his partner Caleb both experienced great success building their own businesses, and now they work together helping people in the LGBTQ community gain the confidence, clarity, and courage it takes to make a big difference with the work they do.

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John Graham is the CEO & co-founder of iObjx (i-objects), a NEW entertainment lifeform. His company utilizes artificial intelligence to automatically assemble an event’s photos and videos into an automatic cinematic experience during a live event. As a seasoned start-up founder, John started and self-funded his first business from 1994-2005, and as a marketing guru he has led the national marketing for brands including McDonald’s, Sony, M&M Mars, and DeVry University. I had the pleasure of meeting John through the StartOut online network for LGBTQ entrepreneurs, and I’m thrilled to share his entrepreneurial journey.

Molly Cameron is an American professional cyclo-cross racing champion winning elite competitions including the 2004 Cross Crusade single speed series. She is the only out transgender athlete to compete in a UCI cyclo-cross world cup. When she’s not racing, she’s runs the Portland Bicycle Studio, a business she founded in 2001. In this interview, we talk about her pioneering efforts to cultivate a more gender inclusive industry.

An award-winning speechwriter, Elaine Bennett helps leading corporate executives tell their stories memorably. She also teaches writing and storytelling skills to entrepreneurs and others who want to become leaders. A great believer in the benefits of writing every day, Elaine runs writing challenges to help people start their own writing practice. Elaine’s daily writing streak currently stands at 673 days. Sometimes she's also award-winning cabaret singer Elaine St. George, by one account the first out lesbian to do a cabaret show in NYC, way back in the ‘90s.

Ty Walrod is the CEO and Co-Founder of Bright Funds, an organization that helps leading businesses like Cisco, VMware, Box, and Campbell's Soup Company power their charitable giving. Ty Also serves on the boards of Sustainable Silicon Valley and Startup & Tech Mixer, and he is an active member of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and Founders Network. Ty’s a real mover and shaker when it comes to blending business with social responsibility, and we are so lucky to have him on the show.

Thank you, MBA Orlando, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and the greater Orlando business community for your support in helping launch The Out Entrepreneur's inaugural live podcast recording and LGBTQ marketplace event. With your support, the event was an enormous success! The stories shared about the power of LGBTQ businesses offered encouragement and support for those of us in the rainbow family, and to our corporate allies, especially those who work in the world of supplier diversity.

Andrea Barrica is CEO and Co-Founder of O.School, an online shame-free platform for pleasure education, powered by live-streaming and chat to help people unlearn shame, process trauma, and learn about sex and pleasure. Previously, Andrea co-founded YC-backed accounting and tax platform, inDinero.com, where she led sales and operations. She also served as a venture partner and entrepreneur-in-residence at 500 Startups, one of the world’s most active, global seed funds.

Bob Witeck founded his Washington, D.C. based firm, Witeck Communications, in 1993. For the past 25 years, he has received countless recognitions as one of the nation’s leading business communicators, strategic consultants, and research experts on many aspects of the lives and households of LGBTQ people, families, and communities. In his work, Bob partners with nonprofit organizations, allies, experts, and business leaders to advise major corporations and advocacy groups on their missions, strategies, messages, and occasional crises.

Ben is an executive coach and Founder & CEO of the career improvement startup PILOT. After holding a number of executive and leadership roles at Lockheed Martin, Oliver Wyman, and Marsh & McLennan Companies, Ben decided to utilize his professional development experience and start his own career and executive coaching firm in 2013. PILOT, his new tech startup dedicated to helping people be happy at work, launched in 2016.

Eduardo believes that every person has voice and a story to share. He works with leaders and changemakers at the intersection of voice, body and mind so they share from a place of power and not from a place of panic. He is the CEO and Founder of Fearless Communicators a dynamic public speaking coaching business which seeks to work with those poised to make the biggest impact on the planet and elevate the way they speak and share their message.

Paul Grossinger is the Founder of Gaingels, the first investment network backing LGBTQ founders, which has 120 members, and has led to $10 million in investment for LGBTQ founded companies worldwide. He has served as a Board of Governors member for StartOut, advisor to Out in Tech, and Board Member for Marriage Equality USA. A regular speaker and panelist, Paul has spoken for a wide range of organizations including Slush, International CES, and CTIA Wireless. He writes regularly for Inc.com, and is a graduate of Columbia University’s School of Journalism and the Johns Hopkins University.

Mike Dieterich is a LEED Accredited Professional, environmental scientist, best-selling author, speaker, explorer, and entrepreneur determined to bring balance between the environment, people, and profitability. Over the past decade, he has written policies and programs that support sustainable development. His efforts have culminated in the success of passing historic sustainability efforts in Washington, DC.

Andy & Al Cramer are best friends, and partners in business, and in life. Their journey together began nearly 20 years ago when they created the bold vision of developing the website, gay.net. The goal of this business was to pioneer an interactive online service connecting LGBTQ folks virtually for the first time. With some hearts, smarts, guts, and luck powered by the internet, they busted down the walls of social isolation for many LGBTQ folks, connecting millions of rainbow family members. For over 40 years and counting, they continue to remain engaged in the LGBTQ movement for social justice, making positive change through expanding economic opportunities for the community through entrepreneurship ventures.

Melissa DaSilva is a licensed Social Worker and founder of the Rhode Island based mental health agency East Coast Mental Wellness. She specializes in providing therapy and hypnosis services to members of the LGBTQ+ community. She is also the host of the LGBTQ+ podcast Pride Connections. She is an artist on her off times and a proud wife and pet parent.

Re is a seasoned Brand Consultant and founder of BRANDING FOR THE PEOPLE, the leading full-service branding agency that helps entrepreneurs and expanding businesses achieve rapid growth, market leadership, and increased impact through the power of Fortune 500 branding. Re’s background includes senior-level positions at top branding firms. Since January 2011, Re’s agency has inspired and helped thousands of entrepreneurs across 45+ different industries around the world—from start-ups, Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies, and established multi-million-dollar businesses.

Celebrate episode FIFTY with guest host Christa King interviewing The Out Entrepreneur host and creator, Rhodes Perry. Rhodes is an award winning social entrepreneur, and a nationally recognized diversity, equity, and inclusion thought leader. Media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and The Huffington Post have featured his accomplishments in transforming large organizations into ones that are more respectful and inclusive of diverse stakeholders. Rhodes is the founder of a national strategic management firm helping leaders build workplace cultures of belonging. As a part of his inclusion work, he created The Out Entrepreneur to empower thousands of LGBTQ people to pursue building the businesses of their dreams, all while being their authentic selves 100% of the time.

Carson Cooper is a leadership development consultant who works with innovative businesses creating social change. Carson has been a coach, trainer, and mediator for 6 years whose passion is to connect leaders to their highest potential. Carson's belief is that everyone is a leader by choice or default, and that when leaders are connected to their highest potential they are most effective and free. His mission is to help high performers lead from a place of authentic empowerment by providing leadership development through adventurous and transformative experiences.

Kat Halushka has spent the past several years creating and mastering Meetup.com groups, which led to the creation of her business, Meetup Tribe. Meetup Tribe helps entrepreneurs generate more leads and convert them into paying clients through hosting live events via Meetup.com. She has successfully used this online platform to build her business, sell her products and services, become a pillar in her community, and even secure major sponsorships to fund her events. Hailing from Edmonton, Canada, let Kat share the secrets of leveraging live events to attract and generate more leads for your business.