Orion3

Orion3 is the interconnectedness of people, experiences, and ideas. When we create a space that is authentic, safe, and built on trust, we start to see how we are connected in ways we never realized. Beneath the surface level differences like titles and industries, there are patterns, shared experiences, and common struggles that tie us together These conversations matter. Jeffersonian Dinner #12 of 2025 was at RPM Steak last night. We live in a social media dominated society where people are having conversations over screens, and our attention spans shrunk to the length of Instagram reels and TikTok videos. Yet, last night this group of women and men, from completely different backgrounds, spend almost 5 hours together (until the restaurant closed) having a conversation that made us see into our hearts and minds. I do everything that I do, everything I can, to help people understand each other and for human beings to see the humanity in each other. Thank YOU Makayla Mizser for coming through, especially last minute, to accommodate my requests at RPM Steak ???? Thank YOU to my friends and Orion3 Members, Donald T. Spann, Malvika Jethmalani, Ana Prokic-Kostic, Kristen Prinz, Rob Krecak, CFA, and Victor M. Polanco for being there and being present. ???? #orion3 #creatingconsciousserendipity

Leadership can feel lonely and sometimes, human beings need to feel the humanity in humans Jeffersonian Dinner #11 of 2025 was last night at the beautiful Vela in River North. How do four people (who didn't know each other) feel so comfortable being able to share their hardest experiences in life and their deepest feelings with each other? How do we spend almost five hours with each other, on a Tuesday night, when it's not a mandatory "work event?" Why have I spent 3.5 - 5.5 hours a night, twice a week this year, doing these Jeffersonian Dinners? (Jeffersonian Dinner #12 is tonight) Because I get to see THE BEST aspects of humanity through these moments. These are specifically for very curated groups of my members and I genuinely love spending time with each and all of them. I don't expect anyone outside of Orion3 to understand what I do for my "business." I post these AFTER the different get togethers because I want people to see that human beings need other human beings. There is a level of connection we can feel, through our consciousnes, that makes us feel connected. If you don't believe me, just ask any of the people I tag in this and the previous posts. Last night was another example of why I am so damn picky on who I invite to be Orion3 Members. Thank YOU Shaan Kapoor, Andrea Marin, Erin Lavelle MBA, FPAC, and Adam Birnbaum for being there last night. ???? I'm so grateful to have all of you as Core Members in Orion3 ???? Kelsey - we loved Vela! Thank you for making this happen ???? #orion3 #creatingconsciousserendipity

A POWERHOUSE group of women from different industries, backgrounds, countries, religions, ethnicities and each carrying a story of resilience. Four years ago, when Orion3 started, I never imagined having a group like this. Now, more than half of Orion3’s members are women. I couldn’t fit them all in this post, but you can see them on the Orion3 website. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I want to honor not just success, but the battles they fought, the sacrifices they made, and the strength it takes to keep going when life throws everything at them. Some of these women left their home countries and families, stepping into the unknown, carrying the weight of their dreams, and their parents’ sacrifices on their backs. Some fought through life-threatening illnesses or sat beside loved ones, watching them suffer, powerless to stop it. Some lost people they loved, financial security, and stability, but refused to break. They rebuilt from the ground up. And then there’s the pain people don’t talk about enough. The pain of bringing a child into this world safely. Even when everything goes right, delivering a child is one of the hardest, most dangerous things a human body can endure. Some of these women have carried life inside them, fought through unimaginable physical and emotional pain, yet still showed up, still chased their ambitions, still led. ONLY a woman can understand that level of strength. Betting on yourself is scary as f*ck. But I’ve watched women in Orion3 walk away from secure and successful corporate careers to build something of their own, and do it with grit, courage, and brilliance. In fact, the catalyst for me leaving my secure job to go all in on Orion3 was one of these women: Amanda Lannert To have such a diverse, unstoppable group of Women (from SIX continents!) in Orion3 tells me the universe is pushing me to keep building. But the best part is that I get to see these women lift each other up through the hardest moments, both personal and professional. Ladies - Thank YOU for being you. For inspiring me. For proving that strength, resilience, and leadership are more than just words. They’re lived, fought for, and earned through actions! (sorry I couldn't fit everyone in this post. I promise that next week's celebration will make up for it! ) #orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity

Celia Balson has inspired me so much over the last 3 years, because of her actions, perseverance, personality, and her drive Celia is proof that you can do what you put your mind to I can write a small book, based on what I've seen from her, on why she is a great example for both women and men. With a background in HR she "accidently" started a consulting company (9 years ago), which started with only her, and now has grown into a great team! Celia doesn't talk about her accomplishments publicly, so I feel like it's my duty as a human to tell you about her, especially for the women who follow me on LinkedIn! It was my friend, Dan Giancola, who kept telling me that I need to meet Celia (several years ago). From the first time we met, I sensed such positive energy from her. All of her clients have come organically from current relationships and referrals. Work Friendly has worked with several of the Core Members of Orion3 and I've only heard very positive things about the work her team does. From when I met her till now, she's grown the business A LOT, built a great team that continues to grow, had two kids, and moved out to the burbs to their beautiful home. Because of how much they were growing, she brought on her husband, Ben Balson, to be the COO of Work Friendly, after selling his previous company. Marriage is never easy and every marriage is different, but I love seeing the LOVE, loyalty, and commitment that Celia and Ben have for each other. They work together to grow the business and more importantly, they work together to live their best lives (for themselves and their children). Seeing Celia and Ben together, in all aspects of their lives, makes me believe that it is possible to have it all, together as a couple. The Balsons are building their empire and I love having a front row seat to see them build it! In Orion3 there are so many incredible women who are great humans AND very successful business leaders; Celia Balson is a perfect example of that. Society tries to put people in boxes based on gender or race or any other category, but Celia is proof that a woman can be anything she puts her mind to. She's proof that when opportunity knocks, you better open that f'n door and embrace that opportunity. She's proof that (as Craig always says) "bet on yourself" and go all in on it, if you want to have real fulfillment. Celia - I'm proud to call you a friend and a Member in the Orion3 family. You inspire me more than you know (so that's why I'm posting this -- to let You know)! If you don't know Celia Balson, I highly recommend connecting with her on LinkedIn, follow what she's doing, and maybe even reach out to get to know her. #Orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity Ashley Bernheim Jordan Waldhart

I wish I had the right words to describe the energy at the "Silk Road Restaurant" last night "You're exactly where you're supposed to be" (last night proved that to me) Jeffersonian Dinner #10, of 2025, was last night at Bambola, in the West Loop When Nicole and Liz Kammel met for the first time, at the table, and started talking Italian to each other, I had a feeling the energy for the night was going to be surreal. That's how the night started and everything got even way more serendipitous throughout the night. "What would the 17 year old YOU think of the current YOU?" That question opened the doors to our hearts and minds last night. I am SO DAMN grateful that these are the people I get to "work" with. Seriously, you cannot understand what I experience at "work" because I can't talk about the details. Last night was Serendipity and last night was an example of how I get to experience the best in humanity. Thank YOU Antonio Morales, Nicole Ruiz, Liz Kammel Tilatti, Deb Roseberry, and Craig Levy for being open, vulnerable, real, and for being you. "A Mexican, A Sicilian, an Egyptian, a Jew, an American Blonde, and a South Indian walk into a Silk Road Restaurant" I'm so grateful to have these incredible humans as Core Members in the Orion3 Family! #Orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity

This is a Thought Experiment to help you with self awareness and something you can do on your own. This was the question that I asked as the topic of discussion for the last 4 (tonight's will be the 5th) Jeffersonian Dinners. The questions I ask do not have right or wrong answers. I ask them to make people think and give them a safe space to express their thoughts. What would the 17 year old YOU think of the current YOU? (this is assuming you're AT LEAST 35 years old) The first part requires you to think about who you were at 17: - What were you like at the age of 17?? - How did you look at the world and yourself?? - What did you think life was going to be like? - How were your relationships with family and friends??? - What did you value the most? (There are so many things that you can think about to get you back to that part of your life)? The second part is for you to imagine the 17 year old YOU seeing the YOU right now: - What would the 17 year old think of the person you've become?? - What would they think about the things you've overcome and what you've accomplished? - What would that 17 year old be proud of and/or be disappointed at, in terms of who you are now? (This requires you to think about your life from finishing high school to the present moment) This is NOT something that you answer in the comments on LinkedIn ?? . I'm putting this out there for anyone who wants to take the time to do it for yourself. I LOVED these conversations at the dinners. There were a lot of different answers and definitely some very emotional ones because it hit people's hearts and souls. #Orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity

How do you make the coldest, darkest, shortest month of the year, into something fun, empowering, inspiring, and energizing? Here's a recap of Orion3 in February: - New additions to the Orion3 Family – Both Rene Velazco and Kurt Woodall, CPA joined as Core Members. Alexandra Levit and AdeOla Fadumiye, MPH officially joined the Orion3 Family as Associate Members! (More coming on these 4 soon) - A beautiful evening with an inspiring Private Fireside Chat – Held at the Old Post Office with Jennifer Guzman, this event had us crying, gasping, and laughing. Another one in the "Stories of Resilience" series. Thank YOU Paola Sprenzel, Nicholas Wienold, Scott Kurinsky, and the BEAR Construction Company Team for hosting. - The 1st Quarter CFO Cohort – Grateful to Joe Del Preto and the team at Sprout Social, Inc. for hosting my Orion3 Core Members who are CFOs. "The CFO version of the Avengers." - A powerful podcast episode with Gregg Mellinger – One of my favorite episodes I’ve done. Gregg went deep, sharing about his past, losing his brothers at a young age, growing up in a home where food wasn’t always guaranteed, and how he came up in the Insurance industry. Recording this with my friend Aliyah K. was so much fun. Check it out on the "Creating Conscious Serendipity" Podcast - The CFO Fireside Chat Leadership Series #1 – Took place in Rolling Meadows at the beautiful BEAR Construction Company showroom. Based on what most people said, it was the most engaging, fun, and real conversation about Private Equity with CFOs. Thank YOU to the 2 CFOs who spoke, William Gorski and Darin Aprati. - FOUR deeply thought-provoking and intimate Jeffersonian Dinners – These were, for the year, Jeffersonian Dinners #6, #7, #8, and #9 in February! Throughout my whole life, I've despised being in Chicago in Jan and Feb. In fact, I ALWAYS planned trips these 2 months because it gets depressing in Chicago with the cold and lack of sunlight. BUT this year was different. I was more energized and excited than ever. I did NOT want to leave because I was happy doing what I did, with who I did it with. If you're interested in learning about Orion3, the best thing to do is to talk to the people you see in the pics (who you know). Otherwise, you can reach out to me directly. Life is different for me because I get to do what I want to do with the people I want to do it with. When things get hard and I'm exhausted, I have to remind myself of that, because what I do is hard and it can get very overwhelming. With that being said, THANK YOU to every single Member in the Orion3 Family! #Orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity #BlackHistoryMonth

This week one of my friends, and Orion3 members, told me something about myself that I didn't realize He said "it's hard to argue or debate with you, because you care more about WHY people think what they think, instead of winning an argument or debate. So that's confusing when people try to argue an emotional topic with you." He's right and that's one of the biggest changes in my perspective over the last two years. I believe there are VERY FEW things that are Right or Wrong. People believe what they believe based on their life experiences and who they are learning from. We like to think of morality as absolute, but history proves otherwise. One society’s villain is another’s hero. One era’s crime is another’s virtue. How can we judge someone and expect everyone else to agree with our judgment of them? If morality were truly objective, wouldn’t it be the same everywhere, across all time? - Killing is wrong, unless it’s war. - Lying is wrong, unless it protects someone. - Stealing is wrong, unless it’s survival. (I would assume everyone reading this post has lied to protect someone else) If morality were truly objective, wouldn’t it be the same everywhere, across all time? Maybe it’s just a story we tell ourselves, a social contract to keep order. Or maybe there’s something deeper, beyond human influence. ?? This also goes into how I perceive God. If God is Omnipotent and created the entire universe, why would we belittle God, by holding God to the same moral standards as us? (I believe in God, but I personally don't believe in religion) I don't expect people to agree with my beliefs because my beliefs are just that.. My beliefs. I genuinely want to know the WHY behind why people believe what they believe. To be honest, I used to like debating and arguing, but now I care a lot more about conversations that ignite my curiosity. I think that's helped me to have a lot more peace and A LOT more understanding. It's unbelievable that my "job" is what made my life and my mind be more at peace. #Orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity #5255

These dinners are about looking into each other's hearts; the definition of "empathy" Nine done, 43 more to go in 2025 ???? There's an energy that people feel at these Orion3 Jeffersonian Dinners. Beautiful, successful, and genuine people at Beautiful restaurants in Chicago: Asador Bastian (2 times), Swift and Sons (3 times), RPM Italian (2 times), The Izakya at Momotaro, and Kinzie Chophouse. This is a VERY safe space and the only people who can understand it, are the people I select to be at these tables. These dinners are THE BEST examples of what I mean by "Creating Conscious Serendipity." At these dinners we get to look into each other's hearts and understand each other on a level that goes beyond layers of "therapy." A therapeutic experience because of trust that is created by authenticity. The formula for the "Who" I have at these tables and the "what" I ask them is something that's deeply personal to me. (Part of the 'Formula for Serendipity' ?? ... ??) Being authentic is a requirement and a "must have" to be an Orion3 member, because I need people who can be vulnerable and empathetic to help each other, to be the best versions of themselves. If you want to learn more about Orion3, it's always best to ask any of the members why they're a part of it. Otherwise you can reach out to me directly. Kenneth Clay Aidan D. Missy Smiler Makayla Mizser #Orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity

How do you make a conversation about Private Equity valuable, educational and fun? Our faces in the 2nd picture is a great representation of how cool, open, and fun this conversation was. ?? The 1st of the Orion3 CFO Fireside Chat Series was about "Private Equity" Having two Orion3 Core Members, who are CFOs with non traditional backgrounds, share their experiences and perspectives made this a great convo. I am so grateful to both William Gorski and Darin Aprati for being so open about their career paths, their perspectives, and how they got to where they're at. Why is #PrivateEquity the place where most people want to be right now? How do you get into #PE, if you don't have PE experience? How is PE different from the regular corporate world? How do you build the right relationships in PE? I loved this conversation and I am so grateful to both Bill and Darin! I'm so grateful to Orion3 Corporate Member, BEAR Construction Company, for hosting this at their beautiful Rolling Meadows space in THE SUBURBS! Thank YOU! Yes, that's right, I went to the suburbs. Its been so long that I forgot that the ETA gets later and later, after you get in the car, when heading out after 3 PM. ?? These private conversations in the CFO discussion series, will feature different CFOs, who are Core Members of Orion3. These are not boring and scripted strictly about Finance and Accounting...(because I don't talk that language). These are PRIVATE, real conversations, with great leaders who I'm fortunate to have in the Orion3 Family, about real issues and topics that matter. I have a goal of having 10 of these in 2025, so nine more to go. Bill and Darin set the tone for this series and I'm excited for part 2, with Varvara Alva and Amy Shelly, CPA next month (perfect timing for Women's History Month). Thank YOU Paola, Scott, the whole BEAR Construction Company team, William Gorski, Darin, and everyone who came out last night. (Craig and Kevin - I tagged both of you even though you had to leave before we got to take a pic ?? ) #Orion3 #CreatingConsciousSerendipity