Guided by Successful Entrepreneurs

Meet the passionate team who connect small business communities with one another to help each other learn and grow.  

Rob Dandrea

A lifelong entrepreneur, Rob Dandrea launched his first business at the age of 26, with a nationally distributed Frozen Cheesecake on a Stick product, for which he holds multiple design and manufacturing patents.

Rob sold the company five years later and then launched his second consumer product, Herbs Seafood Cooking Sauce, as part of Food Trends Inc, which was sold three years later.

After entering the restaurant and hospitality industry as owner/operator of The Crab Shanty, an Italian seafood restaurant, Rob launched his third business, The Bahama Towel Company.  While there he obtained two additional design patents for his product innovation.

In 1997, Rob joined TracFone Wireless Inc., a recent start-up in the wireless service industry.  As one of the original executive leaders, Rob drove rapid growth and innovation by building and leading diverse teams that ultimately led TracFone to become the largest prepaid brand in the wireless industry. The company was eventually acquired by Verizon Wireless in 2021.

After this acquisition, he co-founded Network Partners Group, a professional services company supporting leading medical device companies.

Rob’s innovative approach to process and strategy, combined with his exceptional ability to lead and inspire employees and customers alike, has resulted in a distinguished track record of launching and growing successful businesses across a wide variety of industries.

Rob is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and currently serves as an Executive Mentor for the RIT Venture Creations business incubator. In 2022, he received the RIT Sarah Gillam Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions and excellence within both industry and community.

Johan Klarin

With a passion for helping businesses launch and grow, Johan has been a lifelong entrepreneur. Before founding his first startup, he gained valuable experience working in traditional public companies across the aviation, finance, and healthcare industries.

Several startups later, Johan now focuses on identifying promising early-stage companies and turning them into commercial successes, leveraging the support of RIT, investors, and alumni.

Originally from Scandinavia, Johan spent nearly eight years living in England and also cherished his time living and working for a year in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Johan currently serves as the Managing Director of the Venture Creations Incubator at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

Sean Popen

Sean is a dynamic marketing leader with a proven track record of driving growth for consumer services at companies such as Feld Entertainment, Netflix, AOL, CenturyLink, Lenovo, Office Depot, Verizon, Off Lease Only, and Matterkind (an IPG portfolio company).

Since 1998, he has successfully operated his consultancy, Shakoi Digital, providing expert guidance and support to businesses of all sizes with a focus on digital marketing and eCommerce. In addition, Sean runs Schooley Mitchell, a business franchise dedicated to helping companies reduce operating expenses and increase profitability.

He currently leads digital initiatives at TheSparkr.

Alex Bailey

Alex is a multidisciplinary creative professional with over 13 years of experience in photography, videography, and graphic design. With a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a deep passion for storytelling, Alex combines technical expertise with artistic vision to craft visually compelling content that resonates with audiences. As the founder of BLIEVE Media and Alex Bailey Photos, he specializes in creating narratives that elevate brand identities and bring ideas to life.

Known for his meticulous attention to detail, Alex excels at transforming concepts into impactful, cohesive visual experiences. His versatile skill set enables him to deliver high-quality results across diverse creative disciplines, consistently exceeding client expectations. Whether working on commercial campaigns or personal projects, Alex fosters a collaborative, innovative environment dedicated to achieving outstanding results.  He currently leads all video production and editing at TheSparkr.