Akira Hirai - Managing Director

Phoenix, AZ

With 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management, business planning, financial analysis, software engineering, operations, and decision analysis, Akira has the breadth and depth of experience needed to quickly understand entrepreneurs' businesses and craft the most suitable solutions.

Before founding Cayenne Consulting in early 2001, Akira started two Internet companies in Silicon Valley. Previously, Akira held various management positions in New York at Salomon Brothers, most recently as Vice President in Fixed Income Derivatives Trading, focusing on new business development and risk management. He has also worked as a senior financial risk management consultant to the financial services industry; software engineer; advertising sales manager for the popular Let's Go travel guide series; general manager of an advertising and graphic design agency; and engineering intern at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.

Akira is a regular guest speaker on the topics of business planning, financial forecasting, and capital formation at the Phoenix chapter of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's FastTrac entrepreneur training program and at various programs affiliated with Arizona State University (ASU). He also mentors companies preparing to present before the Arizona Angels and the Arizona Venture Capital Conference (AVCC). Akira has also served on the Board of Directors for ITASA (Information Technology Association of Southern Arizona). He was named Entrepreneur of the Week in October 2000 by vCapital.com.

Akira earned his BA in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University.

Booway Balhaajav, MBA - Principal Consultant

Boston, MA

Booway brings over 10 years of experience in business development, entrepreneurship, strategic planning, financial analysis, and market research in the financial services, healthcare, and IT industries, and an additional 6 years in international diplomacy. An expert financial modeler, he has developed over 100 models including pro forma projections for over a dozen startups, valuations, budget planning, sales forecasting, revenue models, cost analysis, and operations metrics.

He recently served as CEO of a $14 million, 100-person debt settlement company through a turnaround during this period of rapidly evolving federal and state regulatory changes and increasing competitive pressure. In this role, he identified and started the execution of a $500,000/year cost saving and marketing efficiency improvement and $3 million in new revenue opportunities.

Earlier, he spent three years advising startups; co-founded a financial services company; performed international business development at GTech Corporation, the world's largest transaction processing company; consulted to Fortune 500 financial services and healthcare companies at Symmetrix; and conducted financial analysis at Allmerica Financial.

Booway earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, and his MA and BA in Linguistics from Moscow Linguistics University.

Devin Berger, MBA - Principal Consultant

Boston, MA

Devin has over 18 years of experience in marketing and senior management of emerging growth companies, startups, and global consumer products companies, and has advised companies in numerous industries including high tech, biotech, internet/social networking, telecommunications, footwear/apparel, media & entertainment, and consumer products and services.

Earlier, she was the President of Apollo Eye Gear (performance sunglasses endorsed by Ken Griffey Jr.), CEO of Le Coq Sportif in Paris, France (athletic footwear and apparel), and President of a startup apparel company. She was also the VP of Marketing and Sales for a telecommunications company that provided wireless phone services for low income families in Tanzania, Africa. Previously, she was the Director of International Marketing for Converse, where she managed the $200 million basketball category and doubled the sales and profits of the worldwide business. Earlier, Devin was the Director of Marketing and Communications for a billion-dollar commercial real estate development project and a Senior Tax Policy Consultant for Price Waterhouse.

Devin earned her MBA from Harvard University and her BA in Economics from George Washington University.

Phillip Blackerby, M.P.Aff. - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Phillip has over 35 years of experience in management and management consulting to help organizations transform into high-performance enterprises. He coaches executives to envision a more successful future, develop strategies to accomplish it and organize resources to make it happen.

Phillip's two careers include 18 years of consulting experience specializing in business planning, strategic planning, business process improvement using lean practices and grant-writing. He also served 17 years in government, specializing in public finance and program evaluation. As an entrepreneur he has started several businesses, including a travel agency, an architectural-engineering firm and a retail store. He has raised millions of dollars in grants for social services.

His wide-ranging experiences include negotiating banking relationships, running an e-business, managing complex long-term projects, facilitating strategic decision-making, grant-writing, legislative lobbying, analyzing financial markets, improving cost-accounting and managing a $96 million budget. He has published several articles on strategic planning, budgeting and public affairs.

Previously, Phillip was Lead Project Manager for the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), helping small manufacturers improve productivity. He managed the Lean Enterprise and Professional Business Advisor product lines at MEP headquarters at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where his team won the coveted Uriano Award. He developed the FastTrac Manufacturing business planning training program, published four volumes of manufacturing transformation and improvement case studies, and evaluated grant applications. He served as Associate Deputy Treasurer of Texas, budget director for the Texas Comptroller, and management auditor for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Phillip He is a certified executive coach and trainer (CCUI) and FastTrac business planning instructor. He earned a Master’s degree from the LBJ School, The University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor’s degree with honors in economics from Brown University, Providence.

Ryan Chester - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Ryan offers over twelve years of experience in management consulting, entrepreneurship, creating executable growth strategies, and financial analysis. He has hands-on experience in running start-up companies and in managing new strategic initiatives within established organizations.

Before joining Cayenne Consulting, he spent five years advising start-ups and early stage companies. He prepared dozens of business and financial plans, created and implemented new internal business channels, facilitated international negotiations, migrated operations offshore, and formed strategic partnerships. He began his career at Synaptix Impulse, a telecommunications/broadband industry consulting firm later acquired by Paladyne Corp., where he developed and grew xDSL channels for their largest client, U.S. West Communications.

Ryan has worked with clients across a range of industries including Internet and e-commerce, media and entertainment (music, film, and publishing), consumer products and services, industrial software, healthcare, medi-spas, fitness equipment, internet retail, web services (SaaS), modeling/promotion, IT management, manufacturing, medical devices, marketing services, real estate foreclosure assistance, travel and hospitality, rental property management software, and health food vending.

Ryan earned his BS in Business Marketing at University of Phoenix.

Bill Davenport, MBA - Principal Consultant

Austin, TX

Bill is an entrepreneurial executive with over 10 years of experience building businesses. He possesses a strong financial background geared specifically towards meeting the capital requirements of growing companies.

Bill is an expert in financial modeling, corporate finance, and has created countless business plans and funding proposals that have raised millions in capital. He has served as CFO/COO of Sabertec, LLC. a leading manufacturer of non-catalytic diesel filtration equipment, and as the CFO of RVCA Corporation, a fast growing action sports apparel company. During the ".com" era, Bill was a securities broker at Roth Capital Partners where he co-managed $130MM in equity and cash. Bill has extensive international business experience and has managed manufacturing relationships, fundings, and IP portfolios throughout the world. He has also served on the boards of both private and public companies.

Bill holds an MBA with a specialization in finance from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management, and a Bachelors of Arts in Economics and Latin American Studies from The American University in Washington, D.C.

Ken Ducey, Jr. - Principal Consultant

Ridgefield, CT

Ken has over 20 years of experience working within the financial industry both as an entrepreneur seeking funding, and as a decision maker with venture capital firms seeking to deploy their capital. Ken understands what investors are seeking, and has developed multiple presentations to provide the information in a format that exploits the valuable assets of a growing company.

Ken has been sought after as a consultant for many startup companies in a diverse set of industries, from defense contractors, to technology, manufacturing and medical device companies. Ken engages with the company to not only put together a plan, but to identify potential investors. Ken’s vast experience with growing companies assists owners to develop a strategy that will drive the company to success.

Ken has been a founder of multiple companies, and recently a President/CFO of a publicly traded firm with over $70 million in annual revenue in the Homeland Security Industry. Ken understands the differences in managing investors in a publicly traded firm, and how to present information and strategies accordingly.

Every business Ken has been involved with utilized Mergers & Acquisitions, for both growth and exit strategies. Ken started Fairfield Capital at the request of his clients based on his success of buying and selling companies with revenue less than $75 million in revenue. Ken has represented companies in manufacturing, agribusiness, and oil industries.

Ken has developed business plans and ran business development teams in a variety of industries including Technology, Homeland Security, Internet, Manufacturing, Telecommunications, and Outsourcing. Ken has raised over $18 million from a variety of funding sources including angel investors, venture capital, private equity, PIPE transactions, and hedge funds.

Alex Durig, Ph.D. - Principal Consultant

San Francisco, CA

Alex began writing business plans full-time in 2006 after working in sales and management for seven years. He has worked with companies such as Wal*Mart, Ramada Plaza Resorts, and Fairfield Resorts, as well as several small businesses.

Before that he was a college professor for eleven years. Drawing on a background in social psychology and real-world management experience, Alex specializes not only in plan writing but also in start-up and expansion consulting. Alex received his Ph.D. in social psychology from Indiana University. He was a pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellow in National Institute of Mental Health research training programs. Alex has published two books about autism, “Autism and the Crisis of Meaning” and “How to Understand Autism - The Easy Way”, as well as numerous articles in academic journals including a coauthorship in The Encyclopedia of Sociology.

Alex lives in San Francisco and his hobbies include playing guitar and chess.

Tom Dykstra, MBA, CFPIM - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Tom has over thirty years of business experience in strategy development, software design, engineering management, sales, marketing, channel creation, consulting, business modeling, decision analysis, capital acquisition, and new venture start-ups.

He is the co-founder of two ERP software companies: Effective Management Systems (ERP for discrete manufacturers) and EMS Solutions (ERP for automatic merchandising companies). Effective Management Systems appeared on the Inc 500 twice (28 and 37), acquired venture funding, and was taken public.

Before founding Effective Management Systems, he was with the Data Systems Division of AO Smith Corporation, a Fortune 500 diversified manufacturer. He was responsible for all financial and HR systems used by the corporation and the service bureau customers. He also founded the firm's small business computer line of business and the IT consulting practice.

He currently serves on the board of directors of Synergex International, a software firm.

As an adjunct faculty member at Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University, he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in strategy, supply chain / operations management, project management, information systems, statistics, business modeling, and decision analysis.

Tom has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA in Mathematics from Hope College. He is also a Certified Fellow of the American Production and Inventory Control Society.

Julie Fletcher, MBA - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Julie offers over 20 years of experience in business management and training. Her specialties include new business formation, business planning, business development, small business management, organizational development, operations planning, human resources, and insurance.

Prior to joining Cayenne, Julie founded Lanick Corporation, a small business consulting and coaching company. Previously, she co-founded and operated a successful small business development firm for eight years. This company expanded into the Arizona market quickly and within the first five years in business opened six offices statewide. During these years, Julie was recognized as a market leader in the construction licensing and surety bond industry, taught business law seminars, trained and led her team to reach their objectives year after year, consulted and coached hundreds of small business owners one-on-one, and assisted in setting up over 4,000 new Arizona businesses.

As an entrepreneur, Julie understands your reason for doing what you do. Her philosophy to success is simple: "you must be willing to learn and commit to follow-through! So many people dream, so few act." Through training and assistance, she guides you through a transformational process that opens doors to new opportunities and allows you to not only see your success, but actually experience it.

Julie earned her MBA with a concentration in Human Resources from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and holds a BS in business operations from DeVry University.

Jenifer Grant, MBA - Principal Consultant

New York, NY

Jenifer has been involved with finance, strategy, and marketing in a wide variety of roles and industries for over 15 years. In addition to third-party clients, she developed plans and implemented strategies for internal new businesses within IT and investment banking during the corporate phase of her career. Jenifer’s clients range from start-up through high middle market companies in fields including IT, software, green tech / renewable energy, telecom services, wireless, financial services, Internet/e-commerce, media/entertainment, healthcare products and wellness, consumer and industrial products, retail, mining and commodities, energy and tourism.

Prior to working as an independent consultant, Jenifer structured and managed transactions in global merchant banking and derivatives, and held strategic planning and management positions within investment banking and IT functions at Bankers Trust Company. Earlier, she worked in credit corporate finance at Manufacturers Hanover and portfolio strategy, equity and fixed income research at Kidder Peabody.

Jenifer has an MBA in Finance from Wharton and a BA in Economics from Columbia.

Norton Greenfeld, Ph.D. - Principal Consultant

Boston, MA

Norton brings decades of experience in the information technology industry as an entrepreneur, as well as in the fields of product development, strategic market research, research and development, and management consulting. Norton has advised numerous startups as co-founder of a virtual incubator, where he assisted entrepreneurs in refining concepts and creating investment materials, evaluated deal flow, and provided technology perspective, including patent applications. He has also advised dozens of industry leaders including 3M, Amdahl, BankBoston, Cigna, DEC, Great Plains Software, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, NCR, Novell, NTT, Open Software Foundation, SAP, Sun, Sybase, Unisys, Xerox, and Ziff-Davis.

He has served as an industry analyst and columnist, contributing to PC Week, Computerworld, and Unix Review. Norton also holds several patents, and teaches management and entrepreneurship at Babson College in Wellesley, MA.

Norton earned his Ph.D. and MS in Engineering Science (Computer Science), and a BS in Mathematics, all from the California Institute of Technology.

Richard Hasenpflug, MBA - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Richard has been bringing Fortune 100 expertise to startups and small to mid-sized businesses since 1985. He is both a consultant and serial entrepreneur and has participated in several startup teams either as CEO or CFO. After an extensive career in Silicon Valley, he relocated to Arizona in 2008.

Richard has worked with clients spanning a variety of industries, both domestically and overseas, including healthcare, high-tech market research, international trade, multinational operations & marketing, offshoring, publishing, semiconductor equipment, supply-chain management, and telecommunications.

Richard’s focus internationally has been on building strong multi-national teams and bringing the lessons learned in Silicon Valley to other industries and countries. He was active in Russia during the 1990s, working with privatized state-owned companies and supporting local startups and multinational joint ventures. He also led the creation of a worldwide trading network focused primarily in Europe.

Prior to 1985, Richard held a variety of management, development, finance and marketing positions in international and high-tech companies. Based in Singapore, he was Director of Finance and Corporate Credit for Monsanto Corporation’s Asian operations for several years, establishing corporate risk levels throughout the region and actively working with and supporting customers. Richard has served as an officer and/or director of several industry associations and non-profit organizations. He was named Los Altan of the Year in 2002 for his many years of work in support of local education, worldwide AIDS education, and international understanding.

Richard earned an MBA in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, a BA in History from The Ohio State University, and graduated from the Marketing Management Executive Program at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.

David Kaplan, JD - Principal Consultant

Boston, MA

David has written investment grade business plans, consulted in strategic planning and facilitated management strategy meetings for operating companies since 1994. He has advised scores of scientists, researchers, inventors and business innovators in turning nascent ideas into concrete, executable business plans. Client engagements have included biotechnology and early stage drug development, consumer products and services, software, healthcare, medical devices, Internet, high tech, fish farming, automotive products and services, elder care, publishing and others.

Earlier, David founded several successful startups. His first was DSK Cars in Marblehead Mass, where he manufactured sports/racing cars of his own design by hand from raw materials. He also founded PoleStar LLC, a consultancy to entrepreneurs; Your Auto Expert, an alternative Internet based car retailer and; Purgatory Cove Press, the publisher of four fishing guide books he wrote about Middlesex County Massachusetts. David served as an affiliate at the Boston University Healthcare Entrepreneurship Program and taught Entrepreneurial Management at B.U.

David consulted to the world-wide auto industry at Temple, Barker and Sloan; served as General Counsel and Director of Marketing at Callaway Engineering; and litigated on behalf of Native Americans in state and federal courts.

David earned a Phi Beta Kappa and BA Magna cum Laude at Amherst College and a JD with honors from Harvard Law School.

Charles Kickham, MBA - Principal Consultant

New York, NY

Charles brings 17 years of experience in finance, strategic partnership development, organizational restructuring, real estate development, and small business development to Cayenne Consulting. Charles' experience extends from Wall Street to small internet start-ups, delivering large-company fiscal and operational discipline to emerging companies whose structures are most fragile in their early years. Operating both in the trenches as an entrepreneur and on the outside as an investor/advisor, Charles understands the needs and demands of both. Such experience lends well to start-ups, not only in their quest for capital but also in their need for sound judgment in getting their business off the ground. This includes organizational management, process and technology roadmaps, revenue and cash flow projections, financial models and forecasts, legal and capital structures, advisory board and ramp-up strategies, technology development, and team building.

Charles' core financial strength blends operational efficiency with a mandate to always improve on existing structures and best practices. Such strengths were evident at TD Waterhouse where Charles, originally brought on board to help turn around global treasury operations, rose to provide leadership for one of its most profitable and critical business units, directing strategic/operational planning, forecasting, budgeting, firm funding, cash management, and risk management initiatives, with ultimate responsibility over the firm's cash maximization. Charles employs such tactics in the start-up environment where the early years of launching are some of the most critical.

Charles has been, and continues to be, a founding member of multiple internet start-ups and prior to joining Cayenne, operated as a managing partner in two real estate development firms.

Charles holds MBA degrees from both New York University's Stern School of Business and the London School of Economics, and is a mentor both at NYU's Berkley School of Entrepreneurial Studies, and with entrepreneurial programs involving inner-city New York City high school students.

Roy Kosuge - Principal Consultant

Los Angeles, CA

Roy has over 10 years of experience building businesses in the intersection of media and communication technology. He specializes in new business development and change management, with a pragmatic approach of identifying big ideas and translating them into tactical successes. His practice spans across strategy, business planning, M&A, partnerships, product management, and operations and finance support for start-up and corporate clients, ranging across cable, wireless, online, interactive, music and video industries.

Before becoming a consultant, Roy was Vice President of International Strategy and Operations for Faith Inc., a Japanese mobile services provider with subsidiaries located in the U.S., France, Brazil and China. He was an advisor to the Founder and COO of Faith, leading critical strategic initiatives including M&A activities and new business development, including an assignment as COO of Voce Wireless, a subsidiary focused on premium wireless services. Prior to Faith Inc., he served as Director of Business Development at Universal Music Group, where he negotiated various content licensing and distribution deals across online and mobile platforms, as well evaluating the impact of new technologies and business models to the core business. Kosuge began his career as a strategy analyst at AT&T Broadband, where he supported product marketing and channel strategy efforts for High Speed Data.

Roy earned his B.A. in Psychology at Harvard University.

Charles Krakoff, MBA - Principal Consultant

Boston, MA

Charles brings over 20 years of experience in financial and strategic consulting, private equity, investment banking, privatization, market research and investment and trade strategy. His industry expertise includes internet/e-commerce, media, telecommunications, agribusiness, security services, industrial parks and energy. He has been an executive in and fund-raiser for several start-up companies, and has worked with over 20 other established and start-up businesses to develop business and revenue models, prepare business plans and investment memorandums, conduct valuations, carry out due diligence, and raise debt and equity finance.

Much of Charles’s career has focused on emerging markets in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Before joining Cayenne Consulting he worked for a $150-million Africa-focused private equity fund, managed a financial consulting and advisory unit for Standard Corporate & Merchant Bank in Johannesburg, and worked for six years as a senior associate with Abt Associates, a leading U.S. research and consulting firm. He has also worked for the World Bank as an advisor to national governments on business and investment climate issues, and has advised numerous U.S., European and South African corporations on cross-border investments and market entry and expansion strategies.

Charles earned his MBA in finance and international business from Columbia University and his BA in Anthropology from Reed College. He is fluent in French.

Van Lanier - Principal Consultant

Washington DC

Van is a turnaround specialist who helps business owners revive their companies when they become unprofitable. Since 1977, Van has devoted his professional career to small business turnarounds. Clients retain him either as a Turnaround Consultant who comes to their business, or as a Turnaround Coach who provides guidance via the internet.

Van has practiced independently for most of his career. He was National Director of Turnaround Consulting for KPMG BayMark, but returned to private practice after several years.

Van is a Certified Management Consultant and a life-long practitioner of turning things around. He earned his M.B.A. with highest honors before personal computers made the math easy. Van is a long-time member of the Turnaround Management Association, the Institute of Management Consultants, and the Superior Business Firm Roundtable.

In addition to his consulting practice, Van has earned his stripes as an entrepreneur. In 1974, he asked the city of Fernandina Beach, Florida to award him its cable television franchise. It did. Thirty years later, a technology company he founded was named Innovation of the Year by Frost & Sullivan. Van has owned seven other small companies, five of which he started from scratch. He enjoyed success with most, but took it in the gut from one.

Van serves as a director and advisor to corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. He writes and speaks on business turnaround issues for the World Bank and other organizations.

Jimmy Lewin - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ and Deer Valley, UT

Jimmy's background includes over 35 years in international, commercial and investment banking, and nearly a decade as the principal shareholder and CEO of a rapidly growing manufacturing and distribution business in California. Today, Jimmy splits his time between working with early stage technology entrepreneurs including National Science Foundation grantees and advising and consulting entrepreneurs on matters related to business planning, as well as capital markets and funding strategies.

During his 20 years at Security Pacific Bank, Jimmy served in a number of senior management positions in the U.S. and internationally. Applicable assignments included responsibility for the funding of all of the institution’s subsidiaries and affiliates domiciled outside of the U.S., general management of two overseas affiliates and general management of the bank’s California staff departments.

For two years, he served as President, Director and CEO of Guardian Bancorporation, Los Angeles, California. Jimmy has extensive senior management and Board of Director experience. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati where he earned a B.A. in Political Science.

Malcolm McLelland, Ph.D. - Principal Consultant

Sao Paulo, Brazil / Chicago, IL / Bloomington, IN

Malcolm has over 24 years experience in financial modeling and econometric analysis gained in public accounting, commercial lending, and academic institutions. He has been engaged in such matters by firms in the manufacturing, processing, technology, real estate, and financial services industries, as well as by financial institutions and their regulatory agencies. His financial models have been used in financial planning and performance measurement, development of corporate governance and management control systems, merger and acquisition analysis and structuring, negotiating private debt and equity placements, capital (re)structuring and reorganization, business valuation, and commercial damages litigation consulting.

Malcolm's academic research focuses on how accounting information is used in equity markets, how managers make optimal financial reporting decisions, and how professional labor markets in accounting, finance, and information systems work. His research has been published in Review of Accounting & Finance and Managerial Finance, and he has written a number of monographs and articles included in professional publications and periodicals. Malcolm has taught a wide range of courses including financial accounting and analysis, managerial accounting and decision-making, corporate governance, asset pricing theory and business valuation at Michigan State University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Purdue University, and most recently at Indiana University.

Malcolm was graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in 1981, and from Michigan State University with a Ph.D. in 1999.

Sara Moren, MBA - Principal Consultant

San Francisco, CA

Sara brings over ten years of experience in strategy and product development, management consulting, financial analysis, and accounting to Cayenne Consulting. She has worked with Fortune 500 and start-up companies domestically and internationally, and has extensive hands-on experience managing cross-functional teams comprised of marketing, business development, engineering, customer support, design, research, and third party vendors. Sara particularly enjoys assisting small businesses with anything that involves numbers, be it data analysis, financial modeling, or accounting. Her industry experience includes social networking, consumer services, food, manufacturing, wireless technology, and health care.

Prior to joining Cayenne Consulting, she managed six product launches for companies including Match.com and Classmates Online and advised numerous start-ups with their strategic plans, promotional efforts, and financial projections. Sara also has management consulting experience and was an investment banker, working on international billion dollar mergers as well as a medical device venture capital fund.

Sara has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA in Mathematics from Columbia University.

Rick O'Hara, MBA - Principal Consultant

Austin, TX

With over twenty years of experience in management, management consulting, strategic and business planning, financial modeling and analysis, and launching new ventures, Rick has the broad-based experience to quickly comprehend the nuances of your business and create winning solutions that get results.

Rick served as CFO for several startups in multiple industries, including Paramount Digital Entertainment (a division of Paramount Television), Carter Aviation Technologies, and Trinity Thermal Systems. While Director of Business Planning at The Becker Group of Companies, he oversaw development of business plans and financial models for four technology startups, and participated in the merger and IPO of a software firm and hardware manufacturer. As Marketing Manager at Teledyne Analytical Instruments, he managed the launch of four new product lines.

As a management consultant, he has developed business plans, financial models, engineering models, proposals, and white papers used to successfully raise millions of dollars. While still a student at the University of Southern California’s MBA program, where he majored in Entrepreneurial Studies, he founded a software firm that developed and published the first business graphics software for microcomputers. Rick received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University.

George Papaioannou, MBA - Principal Consultant

Princeton, NJ (Serving Philadelphia and New York)

George Papaioannou has 15 years of experience in developing, analyzing, evaluating and executing business models, from an investment as well as an operational perspective.

George worked on Wall Street for a total of eight years, analyzing investment opportunities and positioning them with institutional investors. As a research analyst for Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, he covered the media & entertainment sector. While at DLJ, George played a central role in more than two dozen public offerings and M&A transactions worth a total of over $3 billion. As product manager for Thomas Weisel Partners, George oversaw all aspects of the equity research department's daily product output. He collaborated with the firm's research analysts to develop thematic investment ideas and position them with appropriate investors. George was a member of TWP's Research Review Committee, which reviewed and approved stock rating changes.

As a management consultant for IBM Global Services, George specialized in the development and execution of Internet strategies for Global 2000 media companies. At online music retailer CDNOW, he formulated a strategy and business model for selling digital downloads. Most recently, George was director of business development for Clique Communications, a provider of Web-based video communication technologies. At Clique, he was responsible for developing commercial applications for the technologies, finding new business opportunities and forging strategic partnerships.

George serves as a Mentor for the Eugene M. Lang Center for Entrepreneurship at Columbia University. He earned his BA from Cornell University and his MBA from Columbia Business School.

Dennis Pape, Ph.D. - Principal Consultant

Florida

Dennis brings over twenty nine years of experience with high technology companies, from research scientist to manager to start-up founder to entrepreneur, corporate, and investor advisor. His primary expertise is in advising and directing new venture business, technology, and product development. He has strong technical, communication, organizational, and business skills with technical expertise in optics, photonics, optical networks, acoustics, electronics, communications, and medical devices.

Dennis has authored or co-authored business plans and investor presentations that have resulted in over $200M in institutional venture capital funding. He has hands-on experience as both a CEO and CTO during a new venture’s formative stage. He was a key player in a number of corporate technology spin-outs while he was at Milcom Technologies, a venture capital backed corporate spin-out firm.

Prior to joining Milcom, Dennis founded and was President of Photonic Systems Incorporated (PSI) in Melbourne, Florida. His firm specialized in the development of optical information processing technology products for both government and commercial customers. He secured seed venture capital funding for the firm and was responsible for the firm's technical leadership position in its field, which resulted in the award of over $7 Million of government R&D contracts, which he managed. Before founding PSI, Dennis worked as a Group Leader at Harris Corporation and as a Member of the Technical Staff at Texas Instruments. Dennis is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Central Florida Technology Incubator. He is a member of AUTM, IEEE, SPIE, and OSA. He is the coeditor of a book, the author of 3 book chapters and some 50 publications, and was the organizer of numerous national and international conferences in the field of optical information processing.

Dennis earned an AB in Physics from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Physics from Duke University.

Harry Phillips, J.D. - Principal Consultant

Phoenix, AZ

Since 2004, Harry Phillips has worked closely with companies spanning the start-up through middle market stages in sectors including healthcare and medical devices, consumer products and services, high tech, financial services, energy, industrial products, telecommunications, retail, and automotive. With his assistance, his early stage clients have raised over $65 million in start-up and growth capital.

Before that, he developed business plans, financial models and investor presentations as a member of a team of leveraged buyout specialists at a $1.2 billion private equity firm. He played a key role in 20 transactions through which $9.5 billion in financing was raised to create a portfolio of companies whose aggregate annual sales exceeded $10 billion. He has worked closely with CEOs and CFOs of Fortune 500 companies, and played a significant role in managing a $4 billion a year, publicly traded auto parts manufacturer.

Previously, Harry was involved with investor relations, business development, marketing, finance and operations in a broad range of industries. His corporate management experience includes financial analysis, strategic planning, budgeting, marketing, and corporate communications.

Harry earned a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from Pace University School of Law.

Jim Pinyan, MBA - Principal Consultant

Los Angeles, CA

Jim brings over 25 years of general management, marketing, business development, and program management experience to Cayenne Consulting. He has hands on experience running start up companies and working with boards and investors on strategic planning and corporate development, as well as implementing operating plans. Prior to joining Cayenne, Jim was an operations consultant for a solar engineering company where he developed a new business plan focusing on strategic sourcing partnerships and customer diversification. He was the President and co-founder of Valutrax, a system integrator of wireless solutions for improving asset utilization of large defense contractors. He has held COO and VP of Sales and Marketing positions with Lightcross and InLight, two high-tech start-ups where he was responsible for quickly assessing the companies and establishing and implementing a new business direction.

Jim's public company experience includes key management positions at Raychem Corporation and Tyco Electronics in the areas of domestic and international marketing and engineering program management. He has successfully led joint venture projects and delivered rapid growth products in multiple business categories. He has operational experience with both in-house and outsourced manufacturing models. Jim began his career as an engineer with Bell Labs and has compiled 10 patents while working as an engineer and technical manager.

Jim earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

Scott Pollov - Principal Consultant

North Carolina

Scott brings over 15 years of experience in planning, developing, financing, marketing, and managing entrepreneurial and real estate based ventures, both as a principal and as a consultant. He has managed several hundred strategic consulting engagements for companies in nearly every industry and stage of development. Before joining Cayenne, Scott was the co-founder and managing partner of BizPlanIt, a management consulting and capital advisory firm that assisted clients through the process of creating, financing, growing, and sustaining their business. Scott focused on pre-financing transaction preparation and positioning services, including market and competitive research, business planning services, strategic and growth planning, financial analysis and projections, investor presentation materials, recommendations on value enhancement, presentation coaching, advisory board membership, and the identification and development of strategic, marketing, and technology partners.

Scott has focused extensively on serving companies in the real estate development and finance industries, including master planned community, residential, and commercial developers; multifamily and commercial property investment companies; real estate private equity funds; and commercial and residential mortgage brokers/lenders. Scott has been active as a principal in a real estate investment firm, as well as in the funding of private money and commercial mortgage transactions.

Earlier, Scott worked at at McGladrey & Pullen, a national public accounting firm, where he specialized in financial statement audits for middle market manufacturing, distribution, and medical services companies. Scott holds a B.S. in Accounting and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona, and is an inductee in the University's Berger Entrepreneurship Program Hall of Fame for his role in developing BizPlanIt.

Eric Powers, MBA - Principal Consultant

New York, NY

Eric is a small business and business plan consultant who has worked with a variety of clients, while specializing in service sectors. He endeavors to make sure clients ask the right questions first and then help them to dig deeper into their strategy. Eric’s clients include a skin care product, a water filtration provider, a cellular phone retailer, web software services, a language training center, social service organizations, consulting firms, and a theater company. Projects have included business plans, executive summaries, mission statements, strategy and operations consulting, and technology implementation. Eric developed over forty sample business plan templates for business plan consulting firm clients to help small businesses launch more easily.

He has written numerous articles on business planning, private placement memoranda, and entrepreneurship. Eric has served pro bono non-profit clients through the Net Impact Service Corps and volunteers for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) as a mentor.

Prior to working as a consultant, Eric was Associate Director in charge of operations at Helen Mills Event Space in New York where he sold event rentals to corporate, non-profit and private clients and helped to grow a startup business. He was a founding editor of offoffonline.com and ran development and office management as Administrative Director for Target Margin Theater.

Eric holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management from Baruch College and a BA from Williams College.

Paul Sereiko, MBA - Principal Consultant

Boston, MA

Paul has over 25 years of experience in technology, marketing, business development, franchising and business planning across companies ranging in size from startups to global multi-nationals. He has personally raised nearly $20M for ventures that he has either founded or operated as the CEO, and has been associated with an additional $30M in funding for other enterprises including one NASDAQ public offering.

Paul has developed, launched, and marketed over 20 technology products in his including the world's first notebook computer, the NEC UltraLite. Over the last decade he has become an industry expert in the emerging standardized wireless sensor networking market … the so called Internet of things. Within this sector Paul has helped co-found one not-for-profit development consortium, and assumed leadership roles in organizations creating global standards for sensor networking.

Recently Paul completed an intense fellowship program in alternative energy and green technologies. His capstone project in this program was entitled: "Assessing Federal and State Financial Incentive Programs to Improve Solar Power Investment."

Paul graduated from the University of Illinois' Computer Engineering program and received his MBA at Northwestern University's Kellogg school with concentrations in marketing and investment finance.

Vic Singh, MBA - Principal Consultant

New York, NY

Vic is a co-founder and VP of business development at a mobile software startup. He brings over ten years of experience in the software sector as a consultant, investor and manager. His areas of expertise include business development, product and project management, marketing, strategy, sales, financial planning and capital raising for technology startups.

Previously, Vic was a venture capitalist with RRE Ventures, an early stage venture firm with $850MM under management. At RRE, he focused on investments in cleantech, consumer internet, digital media and mobility. He led the firm's investment in Adaptive Blue, a semantic web startup and closed several deals including Clear, Flipswap, M-Via, Mobo, Payfone and Tendril.

Before RRE, Vic was a software consultant at Andersen and PwC and helped launch a business at Unisys that grew from a cost center to $70MM by selling and implementing ocean cargo tracking systems leveraging telecom infrastructure. He has implemented software solutions for major corporations including Bose, MetLife, LG, Sara Lee and Unilever and has provided guidance to several startups including Hopstop, Exergen, Organic Motion and Remote Reality. He also served as a product manager for Metiom, a venture backed provider of e-marketplaces.

Vic holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering with minors in Economics and Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania where he was awarded the National Science Foundation Fellowship and an MBA from Columbia Business School where he was a Robert Toigo Foundation Fellow, an InSITE Fellow and Co-President of the Venture Capital and Private Equity Club.

Rick Tifone, MBA, CExP - Principal Consultant

Pittsburgh, PA

Rick brings over 25 years of executive management, marketing, sales, consulting, and exit planning experience to Cayenne Consulting. He has hands-on experience running startup companies and working with CEOs on strategic planning, performance improvement, and process improvement. In addition to working on business plans, Rick works with the owners of B2B companies to help them increase the value of their business and plan for the single, most critically important financial event of their lives -- the transition out of their business. He has been working with companies involved with software development, IT services, real estate brokerage, commercial and residential real estate, executive recruiting, medical equipment, construction, manufacturing, and government sourcing.

As founder and CEO of Danet, Inc., a consulting and systems integration company providing solutions for the telecommunications industry, Rick managed the profitable growth of the company from one employee to over one hundred. He was recognized by the Pittsburgh Technology Council as the CEO of the fastest growing company in the $10M to $25M range. During his nine years at Danet, Rick guided the company through dramatic telecommunications market changes and a transition from a software company to a systems integration and consulting company. Rick conducted business throughout the U.S. and Canada, South America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Rick's previous public company experience includes positions at General Dynamics, Alcoa, Wang Laboratories, and Tandem Computers. Rick has also operated a residential real estate investment company. He brings a unique perspective from being both a professionally trained business coach and an experienced business leader who has started and grown successful businesses.

Rick's formal education includes a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Potsdam and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business. Rick also holds a BEI Certified Exit Planner Designation.

Adam Trueblood - Principal Consultant

Los Angeles, CA

Adam has broad experience in new ventures and investor relations. His employment experience includes the positions of VP of Investor Relations at W2 Energy Development Corporation, CFO at Santa Cruz Guitar Company, and Senior Manager at The Charles Schwab Corporation, where he was responsible for project planning in the Schwab Technology Group. In addition to investor relations, Adam has developed expertise in joint ventures and licensing arrangements, both domestic and international.

Since 1999 Adam has worked as a professional writer, accepting assignments such as business plans, PPMs, reports, and other projects. Adam has prepared successful business plans and investment proposals for a long list of clients in industries such as renewable energy, real estate development, high technology, ports, music production, film production, transportation, and investment services.

Adam graduated from Stanford University with degrees in English and Economics, and later received an MBA from U.C. Berkeley. His interests include Romance languages and guitar.

Arlene Zeichner, MBA - Principal Consultant

Beverly Hills, CA

Arlene specializes in advising entertainment and technology companies exploring or already engaged in the convergence of media and technology. She has more than 25 years of experience in entertainment, new business models, market analysis and emerging technologies. She most recently managed film and television content alliances for Intel. Arlene also has deep expertise in cable TV, mobile delivery platforms, connected consumer electronics devices, and out of home networks.

With her experience in content production, business development, and technology enablement, she offers a unique and valuable perspective on video content exploitation via multiple platforms to multiple devices. Her consulting clients span the spectrum of media players, including production, distribution and financing entities: studios, cable channels, production and post-production companies, VCs, Internet ventures, advertising agencies, and consumer electronics companies. Arlene has helped senior executives develop strategies for entering new markets, craft long-term strategies and retool existing ones to respond to market shifts. She has written marketing plans, financial and investor-oriented business plans, and evaluated media-investment opportunities for VCs.

Before joining Cayenne, Arlene managed film and television content alliances for Intel. Previously, she was Vice President of Programming and Business Development at Columbia TriStar Interactive (now Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment) where she developed and executed the plan for the studio's entry into the online business, including advertiser-supported original content, online games based on studio properties, and promotional sites for the studio's shows, films and videos.

Arlene earned a BA from New York University, a MA from Yale University, and an MBA from Columbia University.

Josh B, MBA - Principal Consultant

Tel Aviv, Israel and New York, NY

Josh has over fifteen years of experience in the financial services and healthcare sectors, and has functioned in a variety of leadership roles. Josh currently serves in a leadership position within a top 15 multinational pharmaceutical company where he oversees licensing of pre-clinical stage innovative products across a number of therapeutic areas.

Previously, he served as a founding executive of a VC-backed P2P financial company, where he was instrumental in strategy, business development, operations, and capital raising.

Prior to this, Josh was a portfolio manager for a major international asset management company in New York, where he oversaw $3 billion of institutional equity in the financial sector, which included banks, thrifts, fiduciaries, credit card, and diversified financial companies. During his tenure, his investments performed in the top quartile relative to his peers. In addition, he served as a research analyst (sell-side) at a Tier-1 investment bank, where he followed the large- cap commercial banking space and frequently interacted with company management, institutional investors and sales traders. Earlier in his career, Josh worked in the financial services group of a Tier-1 investment bank, where he executed M&A transactions and public and private financings for commercial banks, S&Ls, home equity lenders, mortgage REITs and real estate related companies. Additionally, Josh performed regulatory compliance at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, with a specialization in credit risk and capital adequacy.

He earned an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School, and B.A. in Economics from Yeshiva University.

Principal Consultant, MBA

San Francisco, CA - Bay Area

Our San Francisco consultant has over twenty years of experience as a management consultant. He specializes in working with San Francisco Bay Area / Silicon Valley companies seeking venture capital. He is the author of numerous business plans leading to successful multi-million dollar investments. His plans have been used to raise capital, to solve critical business problems, and to persuade investors, boards, and senior management to take action. His plans are effective because they are based upon thorough qualitative and quantitative analysis, yet are able to communicate complex ideas in a simple straightforward manner.

He has client experience in high tech, green tech / alternative energy, commercial real estate, construction materials, financial services, biotech, aerospace, manufacturing, hospitality, and service industries.

He earned his MBA from Harvard University and his BA in Biochemistry from Brown University.

Robert DiLoreto - Sales & Business Development Specialist

Boston, MA

Robert has over 20 years of domestic and international sales and business development leadership experience, focused on pioneering and scaling a number of software, technology, and infrastructure solutions for early stage, emerging growth companies.

Robert's solutions experience includes mobile applications, consumer internet & media, smart/predictive analytics, RFID/smart sensor networks, mobile apps, wireless medical devices, and ERP/supply chain. These solutions fall under the following categories: Saas (software-as-a-service), Application Software, Infrastructure Software, Internet & New Media, Health 2.0. Market experience and extensive contacts include pharma, health care, manufacturing, high tech, and retail.

Robert has led sales and business development organizations at ASK Computer Systems, Aspect Development, and GlobeRanger. At ASK, Robert was part of the sales management team, growing the company's revenues from $5 million to $250M before it was acquired by Computer Associates.

Robert led the strategic accounts organization at Aspect Development as revenues grew from $5 to $100M before being acquired by i2 technologies for $9.2B, one of the largest software acqusitions in history. As VP Business Development and International at GlobeRanger, Robert's organization partnered with a number of key global OEM/Reseller partnerships while establishing some of the world's largest RFID/General sensor deployments in the world.

Over 80% of Robert's career revenues have been generated from scratch through the implementation and execution of highly effective strategic sales strategies.

Jan Knight, MA - Market Research Specialist

Tucson, AZ

Jan delivers both marketing and advertising experience to her role as our market research specialist. Her focus is on providing customized business intelligence and secondary market research. Her work has helped to shape business plans, marketing strategies, and new business development for a diverse set of clients. She has research experience in fields such as medical devices, software, IT, healthcare, publishing, beverages, and many others. Jan has access to professional subscriber-only databases that provide authoritative data, nationally and internationally and help her to far beyond what the Internet alone can offer.

Previously, Jan has spent over 15 years working as a client liaison for two successful Advertising/Marketing Agencies and as a Purchasing/Manufacturing Manager for an international educational publisher. She regularly speaks to business groups on the topic of advanced online search strategies and market research related topics. Most recently Jan has begun working with a number of start-up companies researching both government grant funding as well as research for the companies’ SBIR/STTR proposals.

Currently Jan is an active member of the Association of Independent Information Professionals and has been active in both committees and conferences for over 9 years. She has previously served as a Board Member for the Greater Tucson Chapter of National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and on committees for the American Marketing Association.

Jan earned her M.A. in Information Resources & Library Science from the University of Arizona, and her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Damon Danielson, MBA - Senior Advisor

San Francisco, CA - Bay Area

Damon is currently a private investor, virtual CEO, and early-stage company catalyst and advisor. He is a recognized leader in the Web-Content, Enterprise Software, and Specialty Retail sectors, and has a track record of creating, funding, and managing fast growing venture capital-backed companies. Damon has CEO experience leading troubled companies through turnarounds and into growth or successful liquidation events for investors. He has raised over $60 million in venture capital for his various startups.

Damon has been the CEO and/or President of Iwerks Entertainment, Silicon Entertainment, dotcomix, OneMusic, and Moani, and served as a corporate VP of business development for Sony. He enjoys public speaking and has been an effective spokesman and liaison to the media for the companies he has led, with coverage including WSJ, NY Times, Red Herring, USA Today, Wired Magazine, and Fast Company, as well as on national and regional business television and radio interviews. He has been a featured speaker at numerous high-profile seminars, trade shows, and investor meetings.

Damon holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BES in Speech Communications and Music. He is the President of the Yale School of Management Alumni Association Board of Directors, and serves on several boards and advisory boards of private companies and local government bodies.

David Deeds - Senior Advisor

Phoenix, AZ

David Deeds was Founder, President and co-CEO of Conseco, Inc. He and his associate took Conseco from complete start-up to NYSE-listed multi-billion dollar market value company. Mr. Deeds started Conseco in 1979 and held his titles until his retirement on July 1, 1988. Mr. Deeds put up the original $10,000 that grew into a company worth over $9 billion at its high market value.

In 1990, Mr. Deeds started WAVO Corporation, an industry-leading digital media services company. Mr. Deeds took this company public on the NASDAQ stock market in 1995. He served as Chairman of WAVO Corporation from 1990 until 2001. Mr. Deeds also served as Chairman of the Board of Career and Education Networks (CEN), a private company that enabled high school students to make better-informed decisions on their future.

Mr. Deeds started Bank Cash Card Solutions (BCCS) in 2004. BCCS was a payroll-based company that offered VISA-backed ATM Cards to un-banked employees in the United States. This option benefited both the employer and the employee as a better way to safeguard their money.

Mr. Deeds has more than 30 years of executive level experience in corporate management and finance.

David Roberts - Senior Advisor

Phoenix, AZ

David is a serial entrepreneur and product designer with over 35 years of experience in creating and growing start-up companies. His particular area of expertise is the Consumer Products industry, with extensive knowledge of the kitchenware, beauty and consumer electronics industries. His most recent company Chef's Planet, an International Kitchenware manufacturing company, grew to become a multi-million dollar company in less than two years from its inception. He has personally made sales presentations and sold his products to such notable companies as Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Williams-Sonoma, Sur la Table, Target and Macy's. His products have been featured in magazines such as Oprah's "O", Rachel Ray, and Bon Appetit.

David has a wealth of knowledge and experience in every facet of business and can help get your company on track (or back on track) to meet your goals and expectations. From getting your product ideas from a napkin to a prototype, developing a design or utility patent, China sourcing, setting up your company from scratch, developing a sales team or helping you find a rep. group, sales training, product marketing, booth development, trade show knowledge or just getting your company profitable again in these trying times, David is someone who can help you make it happen.

Mario Rosati, Esq. - Senior Advisor

Palo Alto, CA

Mario Rosati is a partner at the Silicon Valley law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. He has represented Cayenne Consulting's founder in previous ventures, and continues to advise him and Cayenne Consulting's clients. He specializes in Corporate Law, especially as it relates to high-technology companies.

Mr. Rosati is a director of Aehr Test Systems, Genus, Sanmina Corporation, Symyx Technologies, The Management Network Group, and Vivus, all publicly traded companies, and a number of privately-held companies.

Mr. Rosati is an adjunct Professor, Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley, and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He earned his law degree at attended Boalt Hall, University of California, Berkeley.

Melissa Schaller, MBA - Senior Advisor

Phoenix, AZ

With over 12 years experience in business planning, financial modeling and analysis, entrepreneurship, marketing, strategic planning, and capital formation, Melissa has the breadth and depth of experience to quickly address your business challenges. As a Senior Research Analyst at Salomon Brothers (now CitiGroup), Melissa covered the medical device industry. She actively participated in several successful capital raises for Salomon Brothers’ investment banking clients. Prospectus drafting and the fine tuning of investor presentations were some of her important tasks as a part of raising capital for clients.

Melissa also has faced the professional challenge of founding, managing, and raising private equity capital for an Internet start-up company. Virtually all of Melissa’s professional experience either in operating companies or the financial services industry has been related to med tech or health care. Her MBA is in finance and marketing from University of Southern California, and she earned her BA in liberal arts from the University of Arizona.

Hal Siegel, Ph.D. - Senior Advisor

Phoenix, AZ

Hal is the founder of Siegel Consultancy, providing strategic and tactical expertise to life science companies, helping them meet FDA requirements from pre-clinical studies through the regulatory submission process and into the post-approval marketplace. He has delivered scientific, clinical and regulatory compliance assistance as well as submission preparation and management services to life science client companies developing drugs, therapeutic biologics, combination products, traditional devices, and in vitro diagnostic products.

Hal previously provided strategic and tactical management consulting services to a start up software company making knowledge management and collaboration tools for regulated life science companies, as well as Sun Microsystem’s Global Life Science group, working with sales, marketing, business development, legal, and professional services groups.

His degrees are from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and SUNY Buffalo (Ph.D., Biochemical Pharmacology).