ADVISORY BOARD
Advisor | Facilitator | Executive Performance Coach | CEO
Joseph brings 25+ years of experience as a global corporate executive and successful entrepreneur focused on the art and science of collaboration and communication. His expertise is firmly rooted in outcome-based learning strategies, leadership development, and the facilitation of meaningful and sometimes difficult conversations among diverse stakeholders and communities. Joseph is known for his engaging and holistic approach, designed to facilitate purpose, productivity, focus, and human connection.
Joseph co-founded the CREATiON Companies in 2017. Located in a secluded nature preserve on the outskirts of Atlanta, the organization combines space, place, and purpose to cultivate inspiration within executive teams, C-suites, and boards. Executives and their teams convene in tranquil, natural settings that promote meaningful experiences, while CREATiON’s world-class learning and events staff provides bespoke facilitation and service levels that empower teams to focus on what matters most — their business and their people.
Joseph has worked with high-profile business leaders and held senior leadership roles for corporate, private, family-owned, and global non-profit organizations. His passion for creating optimized teams and systems and delivering innovative learning experiences has been a long-standing tenant on his journey. Prior to CREATiON Companies, Joseph led start-ups in the learning platform space and spent eight years as YPO’s Chief Networking Officer.
Matt Dernis
Certified Financial Planner™ | Entrepreneur | CEO
With nearly two decades of experience in personal and business financial planning, Matt is passionate about helping executives and business owners find more efficient ways to pursue their financial goals. He is committed to working closely with clients and tailoring financial strategies to meet their personal objectives and unique situations. Focusing on retirement plan consulting and business planning, Matt enjoys making a difference in people’s lives.
Matt started his career as a financial advisor working with several nationally recognized firms, including Morgan Stanley, Dreyfus Investments, and Principal Financial Group. With a desire to work more closely with his clients, Matt founded Retirement Consultant Services, a DBA of Dernis Financial Consultants Corp.
Beyond working individually with clients, Matt is an experienced and sought-after speaker. He frequently hosts workshops on retirement planning strategies and group benefits for mid-sized and large businesses, Social Security workshops for individuals, and has also presented on a number of timely financial topics and C.E. credit courses for accounting practices, legal firms, and other professional organizations. Due to his extensive and thorough knowledge of the industry, he has been quoted in a number of news publications, including The Wall Street Journal and South Florida Sun Sentinel, among others.
Outside of the office, Matt spends as much time as possible with his wife, Erin, and their two sons, Evan and Noah. He enjoys staying active, whether he is running, playing tennis, or hiking mountains.
Seth Fine
Entrepreneur | CEO
Seth graduated with a business degree in finance from the University of Texas at Austin and later earned a Master of Science in Sports Management from St. Thomas University. He began working for the Miami Marlins and Dolphin Stadium out of school until he started his own recognition business. Seth created a widely known online brand and then sold his company after two decades of organic growth in an industry that he truly loved.
Seth is now a partner in two exciting ventures. The first is a travel product called The SkyClip, which he invented with a close friend. Seth also recently launched a new pickleball brand called Phantom. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the US. Seth is building a line of paddles and gear focused on quality. He is also building a team of conscientious players focused on a better world for everyone.
Seth is most passionate about his family, spending as much time as possible with his wife Trudy, three kids Lylah, Asher, and Levi, and their dog Bleu.
Joe Hernandez
CEO | Advisor
Joe is an international authority on high-value negotiation skills and techniques. As a professional negotiator and coach, Joe assists CEOs, senior executives, sales professionals, and buyers in preparing for their most important deals. Additionally, he provides world-class negotiation training programs that drastically improve the way businesspeople negotiate deals with immediate results. Joe has developed a unique methodology of negotiating that utilizes cutting-edge tools and processes. He shatters common beliefs about how to negotiate … unlocking exceptional results for his clients. Psychology and influence create a foundation for Joe’s approach, but more important are the tools he utilizes to ensure a successful outcome — every time.
Joe has proven that high-level negotiating is about understanding human behavior, thorough preparation, and developing credible relationships across the table. Many coaches have insisted that all negotiations can be accomplished using one proven methodology. Joe believes and has consistently proven over a 30-year career, that business negotiations are not the same as any other kind of negotiation. Business negotiations provide the opportunity to create more control, more options, and more reasons to reach an agreement.
Joe has negotiated billion-dollar contracts with Fortune 500 companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and Motorola, as well as numerous small and medium-sized businesses. He is an expert at high-stakes business deals where maintaining relationships is critical.
Franck Saragossi
Founder | CEO | Managing Director
As CEO and Certified EOS Implementer at EOS Worldwide, Franck improves our communities and the world one company at a time through leadership coaching.
His leadership path began as VP of Operations at his family’s paint manufacturing business in The Democratic Republic of Congo. After returning to Florida from Congo, Franck worked in leadership positions at Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Pandora Jewelry, and Bata Shoes. As Country Manager-General Manager of Pandora Jewelry Mexico, Franck established the subsidiary, opened 60 stores, and built a team of over 300 employees with sales of USD80 million in under 3 years.
As Chief Operating Officer of a private footwear company in Florida, he discovered the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) and now helps small and medium-sized companies get more out of their business by focusing on vision, traction, and team health.
Franck has an MBA from St. John’s University in New York and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT.
He lives with his wife, Cheryl in Boca Raton, Florida, and has three children.
_JPG.jpg)
Felipe Sommer
Entrepreneur | Advisor | Investor
Felipe is an accomplished entrepreneur, advisor, and investor focused on education and technology. He has more than 20 years of experience as a founder and C-level operator of companies in Edtech, SaaS, marketing, and real estate.
As co-founder and former CEO and COO of Nearpod, Felipe built one of the most recognizable brands in Edtech and developed a mobile digital platform that empowers educators to create learning experiences that engage and inspire millions of students around the world. In 2021, Felipe led Nearpod to a successful exit to Renaissance Learning.
Prior to Nearpod, Felipe founded companies in the marketing and real estate sectors after spending 10 years in management consulting focused on financial services and venture capital.
Currently, Felipe is working as an advisor to education companies at all stages of growth, venture funds, PE firms, and corporate innovators.
He also serves on several volunteer and professional boards with a focus on increasing innovation and impact, including the Board of Endeavor.
Felipe received an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, and a BA in economics from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Family is Felipe's number one priority. He takes pride in being an Argentinian, a father of three boys, and a husband to his incredible wife, Paula. Felipe’s hobbies include world travel, sports, mentorship, and genealogy.
