Mark is a seasoned entrepreneur bringing over 26 years of experience and a proven track record of success in the marketing/fulfillment, aerospace, military, and automotive industries. He has a deep understanding of the global business landscape and has developed regional manufacturing facilities and distribution channels to support a worldwide sales strategy. Mark is an active investor in early-stage emerging technology companies and serves as an active board member for these investments. He is passionate about bringing new technologies and innovative solutions to the market in order to bring positive returns to investors. In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Mark has been competing in Ironman Triathlons for over 25 years. He is a proven leader who continues to push the limits of what is possible both personally and professionally.

With more than four decades of leadership in manufacturing, operations, and business growth, Steven Depew is a cornerstone of The Kythera Group’s strategic consulting expertise. Throughout his career, Steven has held pivotal executive positions, including Senior Vice President roles in contract manufacturing and the medical food sector, Manufacturing General Manager, and Senior Project Manager at Coca-Cola.

Steven’s leadership has fueled the successful development and launch of multiple product lines, each surpassing $10 million in revenue. His proven ability to drive growth and steer companies through financial challenges has made him a trusted partner to businesses at every stage of development.

Specializing in the food and beverage industry, Steven’s expertise spans product development, manufacturing, supply chain optimization, and operational turnaround strategies. Known for his hands-on leadership style and practical, real-world insights, he brings clarity, focus, and direction to both startups and established enterprises poised for expansion.

As a Principal Partner at The Kythera Group, Steven merges deep experience with strategic vision and operational excellence to help organizations unlock new levels of performance and profitability.

Braelyn Davis is a growth-focused entrepreneur with deep expertise in business development, brand strategy, and product innovation. He has helped build and scale multiple national businesses with a sharp focus on sustainability, consumer trends, and market readiness.

With hands-on experience raising capital, navigating public markets, and leading go-to-market strategy, Braelyn brings a strong understanding of branding, sales, and distribution. His work spans breakthrough product launches, national retail expansion, and mission driven brand building.

Today, Braelyn supports early stage ventures and growth stage companies in driving business development, refining brand positioning, and building scalable infrastructure for long-term success.

Lexie Giusti holds a B.S. in Integrated Strategic Communication and a minor in Psychology from the University of Kentucky. Her early career in hospitality and food and beverage allowed her to refine her communication and management skills, demonstrating that a harmonious work environment can co-exist with robust business processes and effective execution. She applied these innovative techniques to the financial services sector, achieving notable success in creating more cohesive sales and marketing strategies. This led her to focus on delivering complex marketing campaigns and corporate strategic initiatives.

Lexie's accomplishments caught the attention of a food and beverage start-up, where she crafted the entire brand profile, including product and point-of-sale campaigns, and established comprehensive marketing, sales, and distribution protocols. Her efforts resulted in a highly successful launch of the company’s first two products. When Lexie is not working, she enjoys cooking and exploring new culinary trends. She is an avid golfer and loves spending time with family and friends on and off the course.

For the last 25 years, Travis Mottet has served in a variety of financial and operational leadership roles focused on providing strategic implementation, finance and technical expertise to start-up and early-stage ventures.  Travis has played a pivotal role in the successful sale of two leading finance companies and has been instrumental in growing several multi-million-dollar enterprises.  Travis holds a BBA in Business Economics and an MBA in Finance from the University of San Diego.

Corey T. Nyman, Vice President of Operations for The Nyman Group, is passionate about the total Food & Beverage experience, believing that in an operation, “You need to be the consummate host, always anticipating guest needs – even beyond the culinary elements – to give them an extraordinary experience, from the moment they walk through the door until they leave. It’s important to make each and every guest feel special in some fashion.”

Corey has been able to transition this care and zeal for the guest into the development of new projects for The Nyman Group, along with day to day operations working with clients domestically and internationally. He is a partner and co-founder of Labor Wines, a boutique wine project from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, starting with the 2009 vintage.  Corey has worked with acclaimed chefs and companies including Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Piero Selvaggio, Hilton Worldwide and Caesars Entertainment.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management from the University of Denver and is a founding member of the Executive Advisory Board at the Knoebel School of Hospitality Management, Daniels College of Business at the university, currently serving in an Emeritus capacity.