“The Quizzer” has been Laura’s nickname since college as she had a constant thirst for discovery and drilling into why things are the way they are. Having majored in art at the University of Wisconsin, Laura expected her path to follow the traditional 2D/3D route. It wasn’t until she was visiting her uncle’s company after graduation that she realized her way of thinking wasn’t as typical as she thought. Her uncle asked her opinion on a product sign for his company. She read the headline and then simply asked, “Why does that make your product better?” His answer brought new clarity to the company’s messaging and ultimately more sales.

Within a year of this insight, she co-founded a downtown marketing and advertising company.

Everything became even clearer a decade later when she was introduced to neuromarketing strategies. That was the game changer—being able to back up her client work and intuition with science. She attended brain marketing conferences and became a voracious reader, swallowing anything neuromarketing-related while still asking, “Why?”

Applying these insights, research, and strategies changed her client outcomes and breathed new life into her perspective, professionally and personally. She’s also a national speaker who shares neuromarketing with others.

Laura lives in Wisconsin with her husband, three kids, and black Lab, all of whom have been tirelessly asked, “Why?” (With a smile, of course.)

Since his youth, service to others was at Ryan’s core. From volunteering at soup kitchens to helping fix houses in impoverished areas, helping others was a big part of his life. When young, he caddied and then worked in restaurants. He felt a connection to the hospitality industry. Management soon followed, but when he did his college internship at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, he was hooked on the industry. He went to work for ClubCorp out of college. His first role was in leadership at the Renaissance Club.

With a thirst for knowledge and relentless commitment to “there is always a solution,” he quickly rose to responsibilities within ClubCorp and was eventually recruited to a club outside of ClubCorp. This started his reputation for building successful clubs that thrive.

He’s worked in all club models, including member-owned, private-owner, management company, private equity, and HOAs. He has successfully found the formula for creating healthy clubs. That balance of leading with member experience and managing the P+L helped build his reputation as being one to elevate clubs.

After 18 years of moving his family around the country, he thought it best to switch to consulting from his home base and started Strategic Club Consulting (SCS). Since, he and his team have amassed many awards with their signature process and results-driven strategies.

Ryan calls Wisconsin his home and shares it with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs.