Global Settlement Network

Founding team member and Chief Product Officer
globalsettlement.com

Chief Product Officer

Cryptan Labs

One of the founding partners of Cryptan Labs, an emerging tech Web3 and ai-based venture studio working with companies from pre-seed to series A. 

Areas of expertise include: Technical roadmapping, technical due diligence, early product development, user experience research, prototyping, and more.

Co Founder & Head of Development

Yuzu Health

Special Operations | Head of Support

Birdwell Solutions

Started Birdwell Solutions to build mobile apps, web apps, and custom software for startups and small businesses. We specialized in early stage product development and web3 tech (dApps, blockchain, NFTs, metaverse, cryptocurrency, DAOs, DeFi, etc...)

Co-Founder and CEO

Capital Entrepreneurs

A grassroots community organization for startups, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in Madison

Officer

Virtual United Inc.

Our virtual event platform gives communities a space for informal networking, intentional relationship building, and authentic interactions

Founder

gener8tor

At gALPHA we focus on business ideation and collaboration to provide early stage ideas the tools they need to become high growth companies in any industry

gALPHA Associate

University of Wisconsin-Madison

I was a friendly and energetic IT guy who delivered computers to university customers all over campus. Every computer I delivered was accompanied by a smile and people were always happy to see me

Facilitated projects, delegated workflow, created documentation, serviced customers, led student field services team

Cheerful IT Guy Delivering Computers

The Uptown Diner

If you ever visit uptown Minneapolis, go here. Even 5+ years later this place still feels like home and I know most of the staff on a first name basis and receive the employee discount 🤫

Started as host quickly promoted to food runner and then to to-go server and finally server
Took care of patrons and developed regular customers with exceptional service

Server at my all-time Favorite Restaurant

The Minikahda Club

My first job, started during my freshman year of highschool. Taught me that you can have as much fun while playing golf as you want - you can be great and it can be a horrible experience, or you can take 12 shots per hole and have a blast

Caddie

Building the future of tokenized assets
3+ Companies founded. 30+ Applications built. 100+ Companies advised. Product Development, blockchain, and AI expert. 
Benny leads development teams to build emerging tech products.

Minneapolis ✈️ Madison, WI ✈️ Austin ✈️ Miami 📍

🚀 Benny Pekala

Jeff Olson

Sense & Color

A strategic communications consultancy focused on leadership communications, employee engagement, and brand reputation. We conduct organizational communications assessments and provide consultation/fractional work to drive internal and external brand transformations.

Clients include: Communications counsel for Generative AI initiatives for a Big Four consultancy; CEO communications counseling and media strategy for pet health start-up; communications workshops for financial services organization; thought leadership for non-profit CEO.

"Inspiration, move me brightly, light the song with sense and color, hold away despair.”
- Robert Hunter

We bring sense to your communications, and add color to inspire.

Founder and CEO

RITE AID

Recruited to lead communications function through company’s turnaround and transformation into innovative healthcare organization. 

Led all COVID-related communications efforts for the retail pharmacy. Amid a pandemic, rebuilt the communications team and modernized the communication approach with purpose-driven storytelling, digital and media-rich content, and crisis & issues preparation and process. Named to 
PR Week's 2020 Health Influencer 50 list during tenure.

Vice President Corporate Communications ★ Led Communications Function for Fortune 150 Company

ICF Next

In 2019, the merger between Olson Engage and ICF Olson Agency Partners resulted in ICF’s international commercial marketing agency, ICF Next.

I was retained by the organization following the merger to spearhead growth & innovation efforts, including organizational planning, evolution of purpose and mission, and capabilities integration.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

✔ In the first 3 quarters of developing the near-term and long-range business plans, delivered 3% YOY growth for the company.

✔ Developed an evolving business development process focused on new client development, organic growth and integrated capabilities, growing total integrated sales by 65% and the total opportunity pipeline by 900%.

✔ Established the GTM narrative and strategy frameworks for a 1,700-person organization, including the 3-year roadmap.

Senior Partner ★ Thought Leadership for ICF’s International Commercial Marketing Agency

Olson

From 2015 to 2019, I served as Executive Vice President for Olson Engage and held ownership for the PR agency growth strategy, strategic communications, corporate affairs, crisis and issue management, and business development practices.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

✔ Led the agency to 25% revenue growth in the first two years in the role, and in 2017 was named PR Week’s Mid-Size Agency of the Year, and Holmes Report Consumer Agency of the Year.

✔ Delivered 77% growth in two years for new business by instituting a “Strategy to Win” business development approach which did not exist previously.

✔ Built a 2020 Vision with the Board of Directors, CEO, and CMO of an international QSR while serving as a strategic partner to C-suite leadership teams.

✔ Led a 40-member communications team to hit all KPI, and served as a change agent to build a new culture and talent development program.

Executive Vice President ★ Strategic Communications, Corporate Affairs and Brand Reputation

McDonald's

In 2014, I transitioned into a lateral role to lead global brand reputation initiatives for McDonald’s corporation, including overhauling its entire employer narrative. Key member of the global leadership team for people reputation, engaging regularly with the CEO and US President.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

✔ Delivered presentations to thousands of partners and was featured as the top speaker at numerous internal events and meetings.

✔ Highlighted the company’s people, employment stories and successes through a political-style campaign to engage internal and external audiences.

✔ Built and rolled out reputation plans with senior executives enterprise-wide, including national and local crisis preparation.

✔ Secured buy-in from franchisees for use of a multi-million dollar budget and commitment for national campaigns and execution in local markets.

Senior Director, Communications ★ Overhauled the Employer Narrative for Global Brand Reputation

I was promoted to Senior Director of Strategy and Communications in 2013, where I served as Chief Communications Officer and oversaw all business planning and communications for McDonald’s West Division, which consisted of 4,400 restaurants and 220,000 total employees.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

✔ Developed and introduced a new pilot program across 5,000 restaurants that increased employee pride in the brand, reduced complaints, improved operational scores, and decreased turnover.

✔ Created a division-wide plan that led US system KPI for three consecutive years, including a 5% increase in sales.

✔ Achieved consistency in brand messaging, story, and alignment across 7 regions and 55 television markets.

Senior Director, Strategy & Communications ★ Chief Communications Officer for 220,000+ Employees

Prior to 2007, I served as McDonald’s key point of contact at Golin, and in 2007 I was recruited to McDonald’s in a full-time capacity. As Director of Communications for the West Division, I led internal, external, and management communications for 4,400 restaurants and 220,000 employees.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

✔ Circle of Excellence Award (2012)

✔ CMO Marketing and Brand Team Award (2012)

✔ US Brand Ambassador Award (2011)

✔ Led 21 PR agencies to support the brand and created an annual summit to align and share best practices.

✔ Drove a complete overhaul of the regional communications structure, including developing and launching regional communications teams.

✔ Established a new management communications process that aligned Divisional and Regional executives to an internal brand story.

Director of Communications, West Division ★ Internal & External Comms for 4,400+ Restaurants

Golin

Positions: Vice President, Account Director, Account Supervisor. 

Clients: McDonald's, Levi Strauss & Co, and SC Johnson

Vice President

FleishmanHillard

Positions: Account Supervisor, Senior Account Executive, Account Executive, Assistant Account Executive

Clients: Gatorade, Hormel and 3M.

Account Supervisor

You're a great leader in communications, but that also means you're really busy. I partner with you on comms strategy, fill temporary gaps and level up teams ★ Fractional CCO ★ Former Fortune 150 exec ★ Dadx2

After 25 years of corporate communications, I set out to determine where I can help the communications community the most. That led to my two focus areas today:

1)	Being a fractional communications leader or leadership/project fill-in

2)	Helping communications professionals with their candidate narrative so they can elevate their careers

Regarding the first:

When I was leading corporate comms for a Fortune 150, my life was full of meetings, fire drills, issues, and spinning plates – no time to work on communications plans execute, coach ... you get the idea. 

Sometimes executives just need a little help from someone that’s been there/done that and with the know-how to jump in on most anything needed. I wish I had someone when I was leading corporate comms. That’s why I’m that someone now.

Regarding the second: 

As a “good karma” action, I offered to help people with their candidate narrative to help them stand out in interviews 

The number one finding: Communications professionals are terrific at driving a narrative and messaging for their company or clients. And they are terrible at doing it for themselves and their career.

Simply, you can't read the label from inside the jar.

Long-winded stories, no key messages about themselves or their work, honing in on what they think others want to hear versus what makes them unique, few results (though they are there), and not driving a narrative that's "sticky" with recruiters and hiring managers.

Through these coaching sessions I've found consistent themes and a process has organically come together.

➡️You are the CEO of your career. As such, I treat you like I would treat the dozens of CEO’s and C-suite leaders I’ve worked with. I’m the Chief Communications Officer, you are the CEO.

➡️I pull out every trick I’ve learned in 25 years of corporate communications, including leading comms for large organizations and well-known CEOs, and apply it to the candidate.

➡️ We work through a series of right and left brain questions help us develop unique message threads.

➡️ We focus on results as either transformations (from/to) or Situation-Action-Result that work with the threads. We make them tight and memorable.

The outcomes: I’ve found we get to four C’s: clarity, compelling, concise and confidence.

A big win: helping you see that you are a badass and tapping into that “when I was flying” feeling. 

Of course, the ultimate outcome is landing the job and/or making a strong transition.

Sense & Color is a consultancy and advisory organization. We customize workshops to start, level up or fix organizational communications. We also advise multiple Web3 organizations on growth, brand reputation and communications.

"Inspiration, move me brightly, light the song with sense and color, hold away despair.”
- Robert Hunter

We bring sense to your communications, and add color to inspire.

taplio

The Battle

🚀 Benny Pekala

Jeff Olson

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