The Conference Room with Simon Lader

In this inspiring episode, Anya Cheng shares her remarkable journey from a non-technical immigrant background to leading product and growth at giants like Facebook, eBay, Target, and McDonald's, and ultimately founding Taylor—an AI-driven menswear rental and styling service for busy professionals. Drawing from her experiences during the 2008 recession, Anya discusses overcoming job-hunting hurdles, the birth of Taylor from pers...

In this episode of The Conference Room, host Simon is joined by serial entrepreneur  Kasim Aslam.  Kasim shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Albuquerque to building multiple seven and eight-figure businesses, including the top-ranked Google ad agency Solutions 8, which he sold in 2022. He discusses his entrepreneurial origin story, the challenges he faced, and how he cracked the code on hiring exceptional talent ...

In this insightful episode, Simon sits down with Luiz Rozo, a FIFA licensed football agent and director of Pro Elevate XIV, a global sports agency focused on elevating elite football talent from Latin America to international markets, especially the Middle East. Luis shares his personal journey from Colombia to becoming a football agent, the unique challenges and opportunities in Latin American football, and the critical role minds...

Welcome to a special episode of The Conference Room, where we revisit some of the most insightful conversations from 2025. This episode features a dynamic panel of experts sharing their unique perspectives on business growth, innovation, marketing, and cybersecurity.

Key Moments:

Successful market entry requires thorough analysis of market fit, financial potential, and execution capability.

The U.S. market is more receptive to innovat...

In this episode of The Conference Room, host Simon Leader welcomes a panel of distinguished guests from diverse business backgrounds to discuss critical topics affecting entrepreneurs and business leaders in 2025. The conversation covers the evolving nature of recruitment, startup growth strategies, the impact of chronic stress and burnout, leveraging AI for business efficiency, leadership challenges, and the importance of culture ...

In this episode, Simon welcomes back Andre Lester, managing partner of MS3IT Business Solutions, to discuss the transformative power of AI in business development. With 18 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, Andre shares insights on how AI can streamline operations, enhance customer engagement, and ultimately drive revenue. The conversation delves into practical applications of AI, including automation of lead workflows, c...

In this episode of the Conference Room podcast, host Simon welcomes Andre Lassiter, the managing partner of MS3IT Business Solutions. With over 18 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, Andre shares his journey from cybersecurity expert to AI specialist. He discusses how AI can transform repetitive business tasks into revenue-generating opportunities, emphasizing the importance of understanding business pain points and crafti...

In this episode, we welcome Lisa Zawrotny, a productivity coach with a rich background as a caregiver, mother, and business owner. Lisa shares her journey from caregiving to coaching, emphasizing the importance of compassionate and sustainable productivity systems, especially for those managing ADHD or high-stress roles. We discuss the nuances of burnout versus overwhelm, the significance of self-awareness, and practical strategies...

In this episode of "The Conference Room," we welcome Tiffani Bibb, a leadership coach, speaker, and former Chief People and Culture Officer. With over 15 years of HR leadership experience, Tiffani specializes in helping mid-career women navigate significant life and career transitions. She shares her journey from HR to coaching, her insights on leadership and organizational culture, and her unique "DRIVE" coaching framework designe...

In this episode of The Conference Room, host Simon Lader welcomes back the talented Evelina Kagan for the fourth part of their ongoing series. They dive deep into the transformative role of AI in digital marketing, discussing how it can enhance content creation, streamline processes, and ultimately help businesses scale their marketing efforts. Evelina shares her insights on using AI tools effectively, the importance of maintaining...

In this episode of The Conference Room, Simon Lader welcomes back Evelina Kagan for part three of their insightful conversation on copywriting. Evelina, a high-conversion copywriter, shares her expertise on crafting compelling sales pages that convert visitors into customers. She discusses the importance of understanding the difference between features and benefits, the structure of an effective sales page, and the psychological tr...

In this episode, Simon Lader continues his insightful conversation with Evelina Kagan, a high conversion copywriter. They delve into the nuances of crafting compelling ad copy that not only captures attention but also drives conversions. Evelina shares her expertise on the differences between ad copy and email copy, the importance of understanding your target audience, and the key components of effective ad writing.

Key Moments:

• ...

In this episode of The Conference Room, host Simon Lader welcomes Evelina Kagan, a high conversion copywriter who specializes in helping entrepreneurs sell more digital products through strategic and engaging email content. Evelina shares her journey from a creative child to a successful copywriter, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and genuine connections in marketing. The conversation dives deep into the fundamentals of ...

In this episode of The Conference Room, Simon Lader sits down with Dan Rhodes, an accomplished executive in cybersecurity talent acquisition. With over two decades of experience in IT recruiting, Dan shares his journey from starting in customer service to leading executive search for high-growth security vendors. The conversation delves into the evolution of recruitment, the impact of technology, and the importance of building stro...

In this  episode Simon welcomes Dan Tocchini, a seasoned business consultant with over 35 years of experience in transforming leadership teams. Dan shares his journey from a family of entrepreneurs to becoming a sought-after consultant for companies like ESPN and nonprofits like Homeboy Industries. He discusses the challenges leaders face when trying to elevate their teams and the importance of courageous leadership and creative co...

In this episode, Simon welcomes Christelle Biiga to discuss the benefits of podcast guesting and how it can serve as a powerful marketing tool for entrepreneurs. Christelle  shares her journey from starting her own pitching business to becoming a sought-after expert in podcast placements.

Key Moments

Helps entrepreneurs amplify visibility and establish credibility through podcast appearances.

Began her journey in 2019 by pitc...

In this episode of The Conference Room, Simon Lader welcomes Yichen Jin, co-founder of Fleak, a technology company transforming how enterprises manage complex data transformations. She shares her journey from studying industrial engineering at Stanford to co-founding Fleak

after nearly a decade at Rocketship, a venture capital firm.Yichen Jin discusses her nine-year experience at Rocketship, a venture capital firm, and how it shaped...

In this episode of the Conference Room, host Simon Lader welcomes Patrick Guay, a seasoned sales and leadership expert with over 20 years of experience in the technology sector. Patrick shares his journey from leading sales at various Israeli startups, culminating in his current role as Chief Revenue Officer at Stream Security. He discusses the challenges of building a go-to-market strategy for Israeli companies in the U.S. and the...

In this week's episode of The Conference Room, host Simon Lader sits down with Jeremy Vaughan, an entrepreneur, investor, and CEO of Start Left Security. Jeremy shares his journey from graduating from the University of North Florida to becoming a successful entrepreneur. He discusses the importance of taking risks, the challenges of startup life, and the mission behind Start Left Security.

00:00:  Simon introduces the podcast and th...