Advertise on podcast: Critical Mass Business Talk Show | Orange County’s Longest-Running Business Talk Show

Tony Sciarrino is the Head of BMO Commercial Bank, U.S., where he is responsible for shaping the bank's commercial banking strategy, expanding client relationships, and overseeing the overall financial performance of the business. He leads nearly 3,000 team members dedicated to providing integrated financial solutions, including commercial lending, treasury and payment services, investment banking, real estate banking, mergers and acquisitions advisory, and capital markets support. As a member of the BMO U.S. Management Committee, Tony plays a key role in driving the bank's growth and strategic direction. With more than three decades of banking experience, Tony has built an accomplished career leading commercial banking teams and driving market expansion. Before joining BMO, he held senior leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he specialized in commercial banking, client acquisition, strategic debt, treasury, and capital markets solutions. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of San Diego and completed the prestigious Harvard Business School Presidents Program for Leadership. Beyond his professional achievements, Tony is deeply involved in the business and nonprofit community. He serves on the boards of several respected organizations, including the California Chamber of Commerce, YPO Los Angeles, and the LA Sports Council, and has previously held leadership roles with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation and the LA Chamber of Commerce. Recognized multiple times by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the LA500's most influential executives, Tony is widely respected for his leadership, commitment to business excellence, and dedication to strengthening the communities he serves.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.

Sylvia Pizarroso is a finance veteran with over 30 years of experience in commercial and business banking. Known for her expertise in business development, client relationship management, and risk mitigation, Sylvia has a strong background in credit analysis, cash management, and SBA lending. She has served as a trusted advisor to businesses of all sizes throughout her career. Sylvia holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in Finance. In April 2024, Sylvia joined the OCIE Small Business Development Center (OCIE SBDC) as the Finance Center Director. She came to the SBDC after a distinguished 14-year tenure at JP Morgan Chase, where she held several leadership positions, most recently as Executive Director in their Commercial Banking division. As Finance Center Director, Sylvia leads a team dedicated to providing critical financial support and guidance to small businesses. Her leadership extends to the community as demonstrated by her service as the 2022-2024 Board Chair of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Deeply committed to empowering Latino youth, Sylvia is actively involved in mentoring and community outreach. She serves as the Mentorship Program Advisor for the Orange County Hispanic Youth Chamber of Commerce and is a board member of the Orangewood Foundation, an organization supporting youth transitioning out of the foster care system. An immigrant from La Paz, Bolivia, Sylvia's personal journey embodies the American dream. Her drive and dedication have fueled her success, and she is passionate about helping others achieve their professional and personal dreams. Sylvia is married and has two children, Michelle and Luke.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.

Mor Milo is the CEO and Founder of Relli, a pioneering platform building "The Stock Market of Real Estate." Relli is a Passive Real Estate Investing Marketplace. It helps Commercial Real Estate Sponsors generate Accredited Investor leads for real estate syndications and funds through engaging its community and performance marketing. Mor Milo brings a unique perspective shaped by his immigrant family's real estate investment journey and his experience as a retail investor in stocks and cryptocurrencies. Frustrated by the lack of similar flexibility and selection in real estate investing, Milo and co-founder Ross Iannarelli spent 18 months researching the market before launching Relli. Their approach combines deep customer discovery—interviewing operators, investors, builders, lenders, and flippers—with transparent execution and iterative product development. Before founding Relli, Milo and Iannarelli built multiple startups, hosted a business education podcast requiring them to read 52 books annually, and developed expertise in go-to-market strategy and corporate sales systems. This operational foundation informs Relli's expanded service offerings, which now include CRM buildouts, automated sales cadences, videography services, and messaging strategy for real estate operators unprepared for the leads they receive. Mor brings extensive expertise in finance, HR, business administration, operations, leadership, sales, strategic partnerships, and startup development to his role. Outside of Relli, Mor dedicates his time to various philanthropic efforts. He leads a men's group, volunteers as a coach with a transformational personal development training school, and supports non-profits such as Elephant Cooperation, Fish for Life, and many more.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.

Sandy Eulitt is the Founder and CEO of Galacxia, Inc., a digital health and safety technology company behind Life Backup Plan—an innovative, AI-enhanced proactive, passive response platform designed to protect and empower people across life’s most vulnerable moments. With a background in software engineering, data architecture, and astrophysics, Sandy combines deep technical expertise with a passion for social impact and lived healthcare experience. Her work spans healthcare, elder care, domestic violence prevention, women's and personal safety and patient experience innovation. Under her leadership, Galacxia is driving initiatives that reduce healthcare costs, improve post-discharge monitoring, provide medical data sharing in emergencies and routine visits alike, and deliver meaningful safety and healthcare cost reduction tools to individuals, families, institutions, and employers. Life Backup Plan is targeting Medi-Cal, Medicaid, Medicare, and the VA Health Systems with her app, to reduce the extensive government spending on these programs. Sandy is a frequent speaker on technology for good, female entrepreneurship, and designing for dignity and independence. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.

Cameron Fakouri, CPA is the Founder & CEO of RezzyCheck, a CPA-led recruiting and career coaching firm based in Southern California. After years in public accounting and recruiting, Cameron started RezzyCheck to help accountants and CPAs land jobs they’re proud of and help firms hire smarter. Drawing on his background in both accounting and psychology, Cameron brings a unique people-first approach to recruiting, combining modernized hiring strategies with practical career coaching. Through RezzyCheck, he’s helped dozens of firms grow their teams and hundreds of professionals build careers they love. You can learn more at rezzycheck.com or connect with Cameron on LinkedIn.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.

Designers Resource Collection is a to-the-trade showroom that offers goods from over 250 lines, ranging from entry level to luxury, in every furnishing category. Pamela Kellogg is a passionate entrepreneur who has created an interior design showroom empire, developing Designers Resource Collection into the largest multi-line showroom on the West Coast. For over 20 years, Pamela has been leading the charge with her vision to provide outstanding customer service along with an extraordinary selection of industry leading products and brands. In doing so, Pamela has built relationships with household names in furniture, design, and production, and has partnered with industry leading designers which has resulted in millions of dollars in annual revenue, along with a team of over 50 employees. Because of her success, she has expanded from her 45,000 square-foot flagship location in Costa Mesa, to San Diego — and in doing so, has been able to grow Designers Resource Collection’s reach even further. Because Pamela’s high bar of excellence, DRC has been celebrated countless times. Some of these include, Dealer Of The Year award by TUUCI for the southwest region, Luxe Interiors and Design Magazine Groups' preferred partner, along with being a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year award by Orange County Business Journal, among many others. DRC is constantly being featured on television in the shows like Flip or Flop, Flipping 101, Christina on the Coast, and Rock the Block with Jasmine Roth.   -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com.

Ashwin (“Ash”) Rangan currently serves as CEO with DoubleCheck Solutions Inc., an award-winning Fintech. He is a nationally-recognized and -decorated business and technology leader, and an experienced independent director. Ash chooses to lead and serve on boards in Mission-driven organizations, which broadly and demonstrably deliver safety, affordability and access. Ash “gets technology”. He skillfully guides group and boardroom discussions at the intersection of business strategies, applied information technologies, geopolitics and cybersecurity in simple language, accessible to his audience. Ash is an author, and a sought-after keynote speaker, especially in Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum computing, and Generative AI. Ash brings two decades of experience from technology-led global Brands. Prior to DoubleCheck, he served as Chief Innovation & Information Officer with ICANN – the organization accountable for the security, stability, and resiliency of the global Internet. Before that, Ash served as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) with Edwards Lifesciences, Bank of America online, Walmart.com, Conexant Systems, and Rockwell International. He served as Chief Product Officer with Marketshare (acquired by Neustar).  Currently, Ash serves on the boards of DoubleCheck, GrandPad, and the NACD Pacific Southwest. His prior board experience includes publicly-traded PiVX, an early leader in Cybersecurity (acquired by The Lotus Fund in 2005); Integrien (acquired by VMWare in 2010); and Marketshare (acquired by Neustar in 2015). In 2023, following roughly 10 years of service, Ash termed out as the Non-Executive Chair from the board of the American Red Cross; and stepped down as an independent director from Smart Energy Water, both based in Orange County, CA. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Saleel Awsare joined Lantronix in November of 2023 as President and CEO of the company. Mr. Awsare came to Lantronix from Synaptics Inc., a leading provider of semiconductor products worldwide, where he served as senior vice president and general manager of its Enterprise and Mobile Division, its largest division. After joining Synaptics in 2017, Mr. Awsare was an integral part of Synaptics’s pivot from Mobile to the IoT and enterprise markets, a move that proved instrumental in driving its multi-fold increase in market valuation. Previously, he served in several senior roles including president of Conexant Systems, LLC, and president of Nuvoton Technology Corporation America. Saleel holds a B.S. from Stevens Institute of Technology and an M.S. from Santa Clara University. He has five patents and has written for multiple publications. Mr. Awsare is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Stevens Institute of Technology since September 2017. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Kartik Chandar, Founder of Avant-Garde Ventures, Inc., is an accomplished IT leader with over 25 years of experience architecting, developing, and delivering enterprise-level, business-focused solutions across multiple industries. With more than 15 years in IT management, he has led high-performing teams that align closely with organizational vision and strategy while fostering a culture of collaboration with the business. Throughout his career, Kartik has managed the delivery of solutions that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of critical business processes. He has successfully delivered transformative technology initiatives for clients in the Finance, Manufacturing, Food Service, Health Care, Media & Entertainment, and Real Estate industries. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Helen dos Santos is a dynamic innovator with a proven track record in business and technology. A former student athlete, two-time World Champion in darts, she successfully transitioned her competitive spirit into leadership roles across the automotive and real estate industry. With over two decades at Keller Williams Realty, Helen excelled as finance and operations, a regional leader, brokerage owner, consultant and advisor. As the founder of Market Centric Leverage Systems, Helen now pioneers AI-driven solutions designed to bridge human potential and ethical, inclusive artificial intelligence. Innovating communication models and rewriting the future of business systems and technology. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

If you're looking for someone who blends the heart of a community advocate, the mind of a marketing strategist, and the soul of an 80s music lover—you’ve found her. Brandy Alvarado-Miranda isn’t just a name in the AV world—she’s a force of nature. When she’s not courtside cheering on her kid’s basketball game (or the Lakers & Sparks), you’ll find her chasing waves at the beach, getting her hands dirty in the garden, or spoiling her adorable pug and corgi duo. A true SoCal spirit, she lives for tacos, margaritas, and the synth beats of Depeche Mode—preferably all at once. Brandy dove into the AV industry in 2014 and never looked back. After gaining experience across engineering, manufacturing, and themed integration, she made the bold leap during the pandemic—launching BAM! Marketing & PR Agency in 2021. Since then, she’s helped dozens of Pro AV and Digital Signage brands find their voice and amplify it across the industry with strategic branding, impactful content, and fearless creativity. She’s dubbed her clients her #BAMily, and has created an ecosystem that not only connects them to work on projects together, but to team up to network. But Brandy doesn’t stop at business. She’s a passionate advocate for women in tech, founding WAVIT in 2023—a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting women in AV/IT. From her leadership with the AVIXA Women’s Council to her mentorship and advisory roles, Brandy is determined to leave the AV industry better, stronger, and more inclusive than she found it. With titles like Woman of the Year in AV, Pro AV Watch Lister, AV Living Legend, and DSE Advisory Board Member, her accolades are impressive—but her mission is simple: to empower others, create meaningful change, and rock out to some 80s jams while doing it. Brandy Alvarado-Miranda: marketing superhero, AV trailblazer, taco connoisseur, and always tuned to WII-FM—What’s In It For the Mission. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Athena Yap is a founder, CEO, and engineer with 26 years in aerospace engineering. She specializes in machine learning, iOS app development in the areas of voice and image recognition, augmented reality, backend cloud database management, technical operations, and manufacturing. Athena has 15+ years as founder of a manufacturing, wholesale, and retail company, experienced in product development, marketing, wholesale contracts development and distribution, day-to-day operations, social media, and storefront marketing. Customers include TJX Corporation (HomeGoods, TJMaxx, Marshalls), Gelson's, Albertsons (Vons, Pavilions), Bristol Farms, and UPP Pet Supplies Distributor. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Garrett Marshall brings over 22 years of expertise in driving growth within the wellness industry, with a proven track record across strategy and innovation, executive leadership, business development, strategic partnerships, and technological product development. At a time when health awareness and digitization are at unprecedented levels, Garrett Marshall specializes in creating practical, high-value solutions that empower individuals to improve their well-being. By combining cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of market dynamics, Garrett transforms challenges into scalable opportunities that deliver measurable impact. Garrett has played a pivotal role in the success of multiple ventures, contributing to two IPOs and earning six Inc. 1000 FGC Awards. Recognized as IHRSA’s Rising Star, Garrett consistently drives remarkable results, achieving $5M in ARR within 36 months in each of the last three SaaS startups. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Pete Fowler is a construction consultant, professional cost estimator, President and Chief Quality Officer of Pete Fowler Construction Consultants. Pete received a B.S. in Construction Management from CSU, Chico. He has held certifications from AAMA, ASPE, ICBO, and others. Mr. Fowler has published articles in national magazines, has been invited to speak by the most important groups in the building industry, and has composed and delivered hundreds of educational programs on building inspection & testing, estimating, quality & construction management, project management, and claims & litigation. Pete has experience with successful expert witness testimony, including Federal Court. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Dennis Harris is the founder and executive director of In-Flow Interventions, a mission-driven organization focused on truth-centered restoration and intentional personal growth. With nearly 30 years of experience in volunteer-based human services, Dennis brings together compassion, corporate leadership, and a strong commitment to helping others move forward with clarity and support. His background spans ministry, counseling, education, administration, and organizational leadership—equipping him to lead with empathy and strategic insight. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Dennis has lived in California for over 20 years. He pursued academic studies at William Tyndale College and Maryville University in St. Louis, gaining insight that informs his work with individuals and communities alike. At the heart of Dennis’s work is a commitment to truth, transformation, and service. He meets people where they are, offering direct, undistorted truth grounded in love—defined as looking out for someone’s best interest with no expectation of return. He believes that people matter, their truth matters, and that anyone willing to do the hard work can experience lasting change and embrace a new way of being. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.