Orange County Power Players

In this episode, host Danny Flores interviews Chris McCarthy, founder of McHammer Marketing and a seasoned fractional Chief Marketing Officer for e-commerce businesses. Chris brings over 15 years of experience in digital marketing and shares how he helps direct-to-consumer brands scale from six figures to multi-million-dollar exits.
Chris talks about the early days of online marketing, the evolution of platforms like Shopify and Amazon, and how AI and data tracking are shaping the future of e-commerce. He also breaks down what it takes to launch or optimize a Shopify store, and why e-commerce is one of the most complex business models in today's world.
From real-world success stories like California Beach Company to his role in growing brands across Europe and the U.S., Chris gives actionable insight into what makes online stores succeed—and where many go wrong.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

What if you could unlock the equity in your home without selling it—and still benefit from future appreciation? In this powerful episode, Danny Flores sits down with Eddie Herda, a creative executive and marketing leader at Bonus Homes, to explore a groundbreaking model that flips traditional real estate logic on its head.
Eddie shares how Bonus Homes helps homeowners cash out their equity while holding on to their low-interest mortgage—and their property’s future value. From rental management to appreciation splits, this episode dives deep into the mechanics of the model and the benefits for average American families looking to grow wealth without giving up their homes.
Whether you're a real estate investor or a curious homeowner, this episode is packed with insights into how you can rethink your financial future.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
How Bonus Homes helps you keep your home and still access your equity
Why low interest rates are a hidden asset for wealth building
The ins and outs of converting your home into a rental investment
What the IRS 121 rule means for taxes on real estate gains
The growing need for financial literacy around homeownership
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast with Danny Flores, we welcome Jenna Gregory — financial educator, advocate, business owner, and mom — for an empowering conversation about women and financial confidence.
Jenna shares her personal journey from commercial real estate into financial planning, sparked by her experience becoming a mother and her desire to create a more secure future for her family. She explains how financial planning is not just about numbers, but also about emotion, mindset, and personalized strategies that truly work for each individual or family.
Jenna opens up about:
How motherhood inspired her entrepreneurial journey
The emotional hurdles women face in discussing finances
Strategies for empowering women through clarity and actionable financial steps
The importance of financial education, especially in retirement planning and tax efficiency
Building a foundation for financial security and managing risks
If you're looking to feel more in control of your financial future or help others do the same, this episode is packed with actionable insights and genuine conversation.
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

In this episode, host Danny Flores sits down with Robert Pelletier, the CEO of Pacific Hardwood, a premier custom wood flooring manufacturer based in Orange County. With an impressive background that includes leading global operations for massive manufacturing firms and a formal education in engineering and finance, Robert shares the incredible story of how he transitioned from corporate life to entrepreneurship.
Robert opens up about his humble beginnings, the pivotal career moments that led him to acquire Pacific Hardwood, and how he scaled the company from a $2 million to a $25 million enterprise. He breaks down the challenges of managing large teams, leveraging lean manufacturing, surviving the early shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, and using digital marketing and AI to explode growth.
Listeners will learn about:
How corporate experience can set the stage for entrepreneurial success
Why knowing your numbers is critical in business
How EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization) and peer learning can elevate business growth
The power of social media and AI in modern manufacturing
Robert’s passion project, 4K Weeks, and how he’s helping others reclaim their time and purpose
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

What happens when cutting-edge AI meets the dental chair? In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Rushi Ganmukhi, founder of Bola AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the dental industry.
Rushi shares his journey from MIT research to launching Bola AI, a company focused on streamlining dental documentation using voice-driven AI. With deep roots in language processing and a passion for solving technical challenges, Rushi dives into how his technology captures dentist-patient conversations, integrates with existing software, and automates clinical notes—all while saving time and improving accuracy.
Whether you're a tech enthusiast, healthcare professional, or just curious about how AI is transforming everyday industries, this episode delivers insights into what's possible when innovation meets practical needs.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why documentation is one of dentistry’s biggest pain points
How AI is being used to transcribe and categorize dental conversations in real time
How Rushi’s team is navigating patient privacy and gaining trust with older, tech-resistant dentists
What side projects reveal about hiring passionate engineers
The importance of continuous learning in a fast-moving AI world
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

In this episode, Danny Flores welcomes Cynthia West—tech sales trailblazer, serial entrepreneur, and now director at Chapman University’s Leatherby Center. Cynthia dives into her incredible journey from Silicon Valley startup exits to shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs through education and consulting.
Cynthia shares how her early startups like TestDrive and Audio Highway led to quick exits and IPO success, and how she translated those lessons into scalable sales processes. She explains the importance of building repeatable systems, testing messaging early, and why hiring in cohorts can save both time and money. Danny and Cynthia also dive into how AI is reshaping sales—from outbound prospecting to smarter targeting—and how today's sales professionals must adapt to stay competitive.
Cynthia also introduces her work at Resultant, a fractional VP of Sales firm that supports growing businesses without the overhead of full-time executives. She shares how startups can access top-tier sales strategy on a part-time basis—and when it's time to scale up.
Key Takeaways:
The real story behind two tech exits and a public offering
Why building sales processes early helps scale fast
The surprising truth about hiring (and losing) salespeople
How AI is changing the role of sales
Cynthia's vision for entrepreneurship education and her work at Chapman University
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

What does it take to build a top-tier lending company in one of the most complex sectors in finance?
In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast with Danny Flores, we sit down with Joe Tomasello, SVP of Sales at Champions Funding, who shares his inspiring journey from college athlete at UCLA to leading one of the fastest-growing Non-QM lending teams in the country.
Joe opens up about:
His transition from wealth management at Morgan Stanley to real estate finance.
What Non-QM lending really means and who benefits from it.
How Champions Funding is thriving in a tough interest rate environment, setting record-breaking numbers in wholesale non-QM loans.
Why company culture, efficiency, and innovation have been central to their explosive growth.
His passion for mentorship and building strong, results-driven teams.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

Summary:In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Danny O’Malley, the visionary behind Before the Butcher. With a rich background in the food industry and experience at Beyond Meat, Danny shares the origin story behind his own company and its mission to create accessible, healthy, and sustainable meat alternatives.
They explore everything from the ingredients used in plant-based proteins (like soy, pea, and sunflower) to the challenges of creating whole muscle meat alternatives. Danny also discusses how education and consumer mindset have evolved, the importance of complete proteins, and how products like the “Butcher Stick” are making it easier to eat clean on the go.
You’ll also hear how his products are making their way into major restaurants and grocery stores—even if you don’t see the brand name.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players, Danny Flores interviews seasoned real estate investor Ginny Bolling, founder of Pivotal Real Estate Investments. Ginny breaks down what real estate syndication really is and why it's one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available today.
She shares why she focuses on multifamily, medical office, and industrial real estate—explaining the returns she targets, how she evaluates deals, and the unique tax advantages her investors benefit from. The discussion also covers cost segregation, insurance challenges in Florida, and the current real estate market correction creating new opportunities.
If you're an investor looking to earn passive income and tap into commercial real estate without managing properties yourself, this episode is a must-listen.
What You'll Learn:
The basics of syndication and why it’s more than just “sharing”
How Ginny finds and funds high-performing real estate assets
Target returns for multifamily, medical office, and industrial projects
The role of depreciation, cost segregation, and opportunity zones in tax planning
Why Florida’s insurance reforms are helping real estate investors
Ginny’s outlook for the next 12-24 months in real estate
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest

What does it really mean to be a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer? In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, Danny Flores sits down with Angelo Ponzi, a seasoned strategist and marketing expert, to dig into the power of strategy over tactics in business growth.
Angelo shares how over three decades of experience in B2B marketing, brand positioning, and customer research fuels his success as a Fractional CMO. From transforming a niche Japanese beer brand into a national success to guiding companies through strategic acquisitions, Angelo unpacks how fact-based research, strong positioning, and integrated marketing help companies scale effectively.
Listen as he dives into:
The true role of a Fractional CMO
Why data, strategy, and customer understanding drive real growth
Case studies that show how smart marketing transforms companies
How to build aligned sales and marketing teams
What to expect from his new book, The Strategy Blueprint
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Next Guest! Interested in sharing your success story with a wide audience of local leaders and influencers? "Orange County Power Players" is looking for guests like you—successful, insightful, and ready to tell the world how you've made your mark. Here’s why you should consider joining host Danny Flores on our next episode: Ready to Share Your Story? Click below to fill out a short questionnaire and book your interview time. We can’t wait to spotlight your journey! https://ocpowerplayers.com/guest