Orange County Power Players

In this episode of the Orange County Power Players Podcast, host Danny Flores sits down with Daniel Paik, a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in finance and operations. Daniel shares how he helps companies turn their back-office teams from “cost centers” into powerful drivers of growth.
From his background as a CPA and former CFO to building systems that create visibility, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making, Daniel explains why most finance and operations teams miss out on strategy—and how his platform changes that.
You’ll hear how companies have reduced burnout, cut unnecessary hires, improved profitability, and boosted growth simply by reallocating time and resources more effectively. Daniel also explains why standardizing how teams work not only saves money but also reduces stress and creates room for innovation.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

This episode features a dynamic conversation with Chan Lee, Sales Manager at Asuene USA, and Ichiro Tanigaki, U.S. Country Manager for Asuene, a global sustainability SaaS company headquartered in Japan. Chan and Ichiro break down how Asuene empowers businesses to meet growing environmental regulations while simultaneously improving operational and financial outcomes.
The trio explores the evolution of SaaS platforms in sustainability, the rise of carbon accounting, and the critical role of AI in accelerating compliance and ROI. They also discuss the global footprint of Asuene and the importance of adapting to local environmental regulations, whether in California or the EU.
You’ll hear how mid-market companies are being challenged to keep up with the compliance demands of larger corporations and why strategic acquisitions and customer success are core to Asuene’s explosive growth.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 powerful episode, host Danny Flores sits down with James McLanahan, a former U.S. Army Special Forces Weapons Sergeant, now thriving as a mortgage loan originator at Expert Home Loans in Southern California.
James shares his remarkable 17-year journey in the military—from enlisting right after 9/11, to mastering Mandarin Chinese, to training and leading elite teams across the globe. Hear how the leadership, discipline, and adaptability forged in combat now guide his civilian career.
The conversation touches on:
Why James joined the military after 9/11
His journey into the elite Special Forces
Learning Mandarin in a high-pressure language program
How teaching through fun and entertainment leads to better learning
Navigating the mortgage industry and transitioning into a new career
His volunteer work as Vice President of the Special Forces Association Chapter 78
Tips for staying sharp, staying humble, and pushing through obstacles
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 conversation, Mel traces his path from early days at Walt Disney Imagineering to founding and leading Storyland Studios. He explains how multidisciplinary teams—architecture, landscape, show set, graphics, tech, and more—come together like an orchestra to deliver immersive experiences at every scale, from freeway gateways to Star Wars–level attractions. Mel also opens up about launching boutique studios, building partnerships, cultivating next-gen talent through the Themed Entertainment Association, and bringing theme-park caliber design into “real life” places like hospitals, hotels, churches, and mixed-use districts—right here in Orange County and across the globe.
What You’ll Learn
How “spatial storytelling” connects film thinking with urban planning and architecture
The behind-the-scenes of Anaheim’s resort district transformation
Why world-class experiences require 100+ disciplines working in sync
Practical advice for students and career-changers: become “master of one,” then scale
Where themed entertainment is headed: from gated parks to everyday live-work-play
Mel’s current work from the Red Sea to local OC projects—and what’s next
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

Founder of Iron Point Insurance Services and Iron Point Agent Programs, Scott Boren walks us through his journey from claims to product leadership at eSurance and GEICO, and why California’s Prop 103 still shapes pricing and availability today. We dig into wildfire risk, the FAIR Plan, and why some carriers paused new business. Scott then unpacks how Iron Point helps independents unlock top-rated markets without direct appointments, plus the shift from personal to commercial with their quoting platform, Compare Quote HQ (built with API rails through CoverForce). He also shares hard-won lessons on starting vs. buying an agency, building recurring revenue, and testing new niches like MexicoCovered.com.
What You’ll Learn
Why California’s regulatory model affects pricing, availability, and carrier strategies
How independents can access premium carriers without hitting solo production hurdles
The difference between marketing-led growth and real sales execution inside an agency
Why commercial lines + API-powered quoting is a big opportunity for agents today
Practical advice on buying an agency vs. starting from scratch (cash flow matters!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

Danny and Bryan trace Bryan’s unlikely path from North Dakota and stealth tech to building and exiting his own apparel company, then being “thrown into the fire” to launch Oakley’s licensed eyewear division that exploded with NCAA/NFL demand. Bryan unpacks why brands are often resource-tepid at first, how early wins unlock internal support, and the “plug-and-play” model he uses at LiquidMind to solve targeted growth headaches without disrupting in-house teams. You’ll hear how virtual teams (pre- and post-COVID) became a competitive advantage, what due-diligence looks like before entering a new category, and how product vision and marketing strategy must move in lockstep to win.
Key takeaways
Start where the customer already has momentum: adapt core products to new channels and fan bases to unlock surprising demand.
Expect constrained resources early; prove revenue, then scale support and infrastructure.
“Plug-and-play” resourcing beats big-agency overhead for specific, high-impact problems.
Virtual, distributed teams give brands access to global expertise and speed.
Product vision and marketing must be developed together — not in silos.
Future-casting: define the barriers to your brand vision, then sequence product and go-to-market to clear them.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

Raised in Santa Ana, Tricia earned a full-tuition scholarship to USC and learned sales the hard way at Xerox. With her husband, she launched what became C3 Tech (Client-Centric Consulting), now a Santa Ana–based leader in copier repair, dark web protection, and managed IT. Tricia opens up about building the company while raising three kids, sweating through the scary seasons, and why service beats size.
We dig into:
Turning world-class sales training into entrepreneurial momentum
Building a business at night while keeping a day job—and when to leap
The 9/11 reset, the 2008 pivot, and breaking from a big manufacturer to control the customer experience
Hiring for character, keeping culture strong, and learning from mis-hires
Winning a multi-year County of Orange copier/printer contract covering 1,000+ devices—and outperforming billion-dollar rivals
Running a business as a married team (EOS, complementary strengths, and boundaries)
Giving back: AMAC, Working Wardrobes, USC Latino Alumni, and more
What’s next: succession planning, health, family milestones, and making space for life
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 conversation, Pete explains the three pillars of Giving Children Hope: weekly food distribution serving 300–350 families in Buena Park, a warehouse that channels 10–15 truckloads of Amazon/Costco returns each month to partner nonprofits, and practical leadership formation that helps parents and teens move from survival to success.We dig into Pete’s “covenant leadership” model—why trust, love, and results create 100% commitment—and how moving the “bottom 20%” from negative to positive engagement can triple output. Pete shares real stories from the nonprofit, from business turnarounds and mergers to student-run enterprises, and previews a Toys for Tots–powered literacy pilot where kids “read books, earn toys.” You’ll hear simple ways leaders can coach, not “hold accountable,” and why hiring for attitude beats hiring for resume.
You’ll Learn
How Giving Children Hope helps families with food, essential goods, and leadership skills
Why “covenant relationships” outperform transactional cultures at work and at home
A step-by-step path to build commitment: become wise, be loving, get results
How coaching replaces fear-based accountability and boosts retention and performance
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

Danny sits down with Tammy to unpack her journey from humble beginnings to building a tech-enabled luxury resale platform. Tammy shares how she bootstrapped through consignment, built community on Instagram, and proved that certain designer pieces can outpace traditional investments. She also talks about launching Moon Tea House in Costa Mesa, balancing startup life with motherhood, and the mindset shifts that helped her delegate, hire, and buy back her time.You’ll hear how her team authenticates every item in-house, why renting is popular with style-switchers and even the ultra-wealthy, and how AI is powering instant pricing, faster customer support, and smarter operations.
What We Cover
Turning pressure into purpose: using doubt as fuel
Zero-capital start: building via consignment and community
Buy, sell, rent, restore: why holding inventory matters
“Try before you buy” for $10k–$20k bags
Investment pieces: how a rare Birkin became a $40k win
Time management: delegation, hiring, and prompts that work
Practical AI: automation for quotes, support, and social DMs
Running a passion project (Moon Tea House) without burning out
What’s next: tech upgrades and an in-progress Series B
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

Host Danny Flores sits down with Bob Cretel, an entrepreneurial insurance leader with 40+ years across Liberty Mutual, State Farm, and AAA/Auto Club. Bob traces his journey from early fraud investigations to senior leadership, and explains why breaking claims into silos created friction for carriers and consumers. His fix: reunite claims under a single point of contact, then supercharge that adjuster with modern technology—AI bill reading, photo analysis, estimate checks, and summarization—so decisions are faster, fairer, and more consistent.
Bob also previews his upcoming book, The Best Advice I Ever Gave, packed with career lessons like “don’t play defense against yourself,” embracing new tools, and leading with an owner’s mindset. He’s now consulting, training teams, and advising insurtechs to help carriers boost combined ratios by being 1–2% better on every claim—wins that add up.
What You’ll Learn
Why claims got siloed—and the hidden cost to customers and carriers
How a single point of contact improves speed, accuracy, and trust
Practical ways AI can flag inconsistencies in injuries, estimates, and photos
Leadership lessons: initiative, promotion mindset, and change adoption
Bob’s next chapter: consulting, conference speaking, and his new book
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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