Who We Are

Suzanne Duret — CEO & Founder

As a renowned strategist, advisor and mentor, Suzanne has tackled all facets of starting and growing businesses, wearing every hat from idea generator to CEO. This unique expertise brings the skills to guide any size and type of business with an understanding that academics doesn’t offer. She has extensive experience in nurturing human potential, strategy deep dives, growth innovation, digital and non-traditional marketing tactics, shaping corporate cultures, mindset, and rapid problem-solving.

In order to help leaders and entrepreneurs, Suzanne developed the Synergy Conversation methodology, innovative thinking to separate from competitors, leadership coaching, and unique sales and marketing tactics. She has passionately helped clients advance with customized solutions and has played a role in the success of countless startups, medical practices, corporations, small businesses, and professional individuals.

“All problems have a solution when
you know how to ask the right questions.”

The entrepreneurial mindset. In her early days, Suzanne co-founded a medical device company and successfully raised venture capital. Using her communication and strategy skills, she negotiated a manufacturing contract for an initial inventory of devices with no upfront money. She then negotiated multiple signed contracts, within only 10 days, for nationwide sales and distribution coverage. Just a short 21 months later that business was successfully sold to Ballard Medical Products (later acquired by Kimberly-Clark).

In the mid-90s Suzanne wrote and self-published Inventing for Wealth, with a Foreword by world-renowned businessman Tony Robbins. Her book has long been off the market and a second edition is now in the works. Suzanne also appeared in Tony’s “Personal Power” television program where she shared her inspirational success story. Given her love of entrepreneurs and inventors, Suzanne has also developed a course on raising capital and is a mentor for Florida’s #1 Accelerator, the Tampa Bay Wave. She is also a mentor for professional women. (Suzanne’s Website)

Gary Rennilson — CTO & Partner

Gary helps clients “look under the hood” on their digital marketing, sales funnels, and tech in order to discover opportunities, reveal potential problems, and train teams on digital strategies and implementations. He has spent a lifetime developing and implementing cutting edge IT platforms, web-based and digital strategies, complex online sales funnels, CRM management, software development, and technology-based growth tactics.

Gary was responsible for designing and directing implementation of the first successful B2B e-commerce solution within the computer distribution industry. This was an e-commerce sales application for Intelligent Electronics (later acquired by Ingram Micro) that generated $2 million per day in sales via the Internet, at an 8x cost savings.

Utilizing his innovative approaches, Gary managed the design and deployment of a live e-commerce production environment for Celestial Seasonings tea manufacturer and also worked with Boston Market to streamline their customer satisfaction processes.

“Companies that embrace an entrepreneurial approach
to tech and marketing will win the competitive race.“

Historic times… Gary had the thrill of working with Apple and Steve Jobs back when Steve still wore flip-flops to the office. In addition, he had the opportunity to work with Tim Cook before Tim became CEO of Apple. Gary was also heavily pursued by Microsoft after solving a Microsoft-related problem while working for a different company. He chose a different path instead of Microsoft but has a fascinating back-story on his conversations with Bill Gates.

Lisa Rothstein — Collaborative Partner

A quick study in any industry category, Lisa specializes in “translating” innovation and complex topics into relatable human messages, and rapidly distilling a high volume of information down to its essence. Brands impacted include Intel, Chevrolet, Capital One Bank, Samsung Electronics, the RSA Cybersecurity Conference, and many more. She has also helped shape the messages of thought leaders such as Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki and Loral Langemeier.

As a brand strategist, visual facilitator and speaker/trainer, Lisa uses a combination of words and drawings, as well as brand storytelling frameworks, to help organizations see and talk about their customers, products, culture, and stories in ways that foster innovation, collaboration, creativity, and communication.

“We can only get somewhere
when we truly ‘get’ each other.”

Lisa’s talks on Brand Storytelling and on Doodling for Communication have been featured at the Adobe 99U Conference, the Backend of Innovation Conference, and at Merck’s Product Manager Day. She is also a published New Yorker cartoonist, an award-winning screenwriter, and a featured author and illustrator in several best-selling books.

In her over two decades of agency experience that began on Madison Avenue and included 11 years in Paris, France, Lisa created and led national and international campaigns for IBM, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, and many more. As a native New Yorker, Lisa is usually the fastest talker in any room.

Liat Zohar — Collaborative Partner

Liat is a keynote speaker, body language expert, and advanced empowerment and leadership trainer. Her work spans corporations, universities, and individuals; clients have included Lockheed Martin, Hyatt, Precision, Arizona State University, Colgate University, and San Jose University, to name a few.

Liat’s exceptional skills in reading body language and micro-expressions is pivotal for the work we do with our Synergy Conversations and other evaluation processes for clients.

For over twenty years Liat has helped employees, students, and individual clients through interactive workshops and coaching. Clients learn to expand communication and leadership skills, navigate past challenges and experiences, increase motivation, enhance creativity, and positively change how they communicate with others.

“Everything is meaningless
except for the meaning we give it.”

Liat is the creator of a body language card kit and a body language phone app for fast learning and quick reference. Upon hearing of her BA in Psychology and Child Development from SJSU, she was hired by Bay Area Project P.R.I.D.E. (Prevention, Resource, Information, and Drug Education) to create interactive workshops for teens at risk. She also received her Empowerment and Leadership Coaching certification from IPEC (Institute for Professional Empowerment Coaching).

Liat was first contracted by Suzanne in 2012 to participate as a speaker for her women’s event. Together they enjoy training clients on emotional well-being, workplace stress, perceptions and attitudes, leadership, body language, micro expressions, and confidence skills.