Explore The Real Deal
Influential Network of Resources
CONNECT WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS & CEOS
Our six-month business growth program will connect you with other CEOs around Oklahoma City who understand what it is to own a business. Each class works together; you'll provide and receive feedback, share your expertise and learn from our civic leaders and community sponsors across numerous industries.
POWERFUL CURRICULUM
Learn from your peers and our powerful curriculum. Sessions cover finances, marketing, sales, operations, leadership and how to create your own strategic plan. You'll walk away with a custom, concise 3-year Playbook™ to implement your vision.
Education
Access to Financing and Banking Insights
RESOURCES FOR YOUR NEXT STEPS
We facilitate access to financial resources and connect business owners with experienced advisors. We'll discuss banking and finances for taking your business to the next level.
INDIVIDUALIZED STRATEGIC PLANNING
Throughout the program, we will help you explore your business, evolve your vision, and craft a strategic 3-year growth plan. We refer to this as your Playbook™ because you can always find your next move inside.
Business Planning
The Real Deal Team
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Gene Hopper is a dynamic entrepreneur, strategic thinker, and trusted advisor known for her prowess in unifying executive teams around groundbreaking ideas, new directions, and high-stakes outcomes. Her extensive consultancy experience spans across diverse sectors, including Fortune 20 corporations, non-profit organizations, and ventures in the medical, technological, and service domains.
At the heart of Gene's expertise lies her ability to lead executive teams through the transformational journey from crafting real-world strategic plans to their successful execution, all while fostering high-performance teams dedicated to tangible results. Gene thrives in complex and challenging environments, where she excels at bringing order and assembling teams of visionary leaders who collaborate to achieve remarkable success.
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Kati is a visionary growth strategist and operations expert with extensive experience in strategic consulting, business scaling, and entrepreneurship. Her career encompasses leadership roles in top consulting agencies and as a successful business owner. With over twenty-five years of experience, Kati has partnered with more than 300 companies globally, helping leadership teams define and meet their growth and strategic objectives. Her expertise lies in crafting comprehensive growth strategies and optimizing organizations.
As a business and executive coach, Kati excels in advising CEOs, senior leaders, and emerging talent, providing deep insights and actionable strategies. Her understanding of both human psychology and business dynamics aids her in driving success for leaders and companies alike. Kati is dedicated to developing tailored leadership programs, focusing on leadership development and operational alignment across various industries.
Kati’s significant contributions also include her role as the Managing Partner in two national industry initiatives that significantly impacted the publishing and music industries, aligning 22 publishers and 19 record labels under unified strategic goals. Her clients consistently describe her as insightful, challenging, incredibly honest, and deeply invested in their success, affirming her reputation as a dedicated leader in the consulting and entrepreneurial landscape.
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Meet Dana Draper, the glue that holds The Real Deal together. As our Office Coordinator, she’s the first face you see and the friendly voice on the other end of the phone.
With a knack for organization and an eye for detail, Dana ensures that our office and client action plans runs like a well-oiled machine. Dana is essential in a coordinating interviews, schedules, travel, and more for the team on all the client projects. But she’s not all spreadsheets and schedules; she brings a sense of warmth and community to our team that’s simply irreplaceable.
When she’s not juggling tasks at Mettise, you’ll find this Oklahoma-native cheering on the Sooners or grilling poolside with family and friends.
Trust us, with Dana at the helm, you’re in good hands.
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Sherry is a visionary entrepreneur and mindfulness coach whose career spans across multiple industries including professional services, real estate, retail, and technology. She excels in roles that leverage her executive-level expertise in finance, operations, strategic planning, and general management. As a co-founder and partner at Jones & Dale, CPA's, Sherry played a pivotal role in business development and firm management. She also founded and led Express Meat Company, growing it to a multimillion-dollar enterprise before its acquisition by Cargill in 2004.
Following her success in the meat distribution industry, Sherry founded Strategix Consulting Group in 2004, focusing on strategic planning and executive team development for high-growth companies. Her leadership prowess was further demonstrated between 2009 and 2015 as Chief Operating Officer for a consulting client, where she managed extensive operations and played a key role in overseeing a major government contract and launching a technology company subsidiary. Sherry’s entrepreneurial ventures also include a restaurant, real estate development firms, an executive coaching company, a technology startup, and a food processing plant.
Sherry is a Certified Public Accountant with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Economics, having started her professional journey at renowned firms like Coopers & Lybrand and Arthur Andersen. Her diverse experiences and ability to drive success in various enterprises underscore her reputation as a skilled strategist and a trusted advisor in the business community.
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Alyssa Loveless is a dynamic leader with over a decade of experience in higher education, nonprofit management, and community development. She’s known for building strong teams, driving engagement, and forging strategic partnerships that boost efficiency and amplify impact.
Her background spans roles in residence life, workforce development, and policy administration, with accomplishments like managing multimillion-dollar budgets, fostering inclusive communities, and leading professional training programs. Alyssa excels at bringing people together, creating spaces for collaboration, and curating impactful events that unite diverse groups around shared goals.
Passionate about connection and community, Alyssa’s approach emphasizes inclusivity, careful planning, and a deep understanding of group dynamics. Her work inspires collaboration and meaningful outcomes.
Outside of her career, Alyssa stays active in her community as a certified therapy dog team member and through various leadership organizations. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma and is pursuing a Doctorate in Education from Southern Nazarene University.
The Real Deal Modules
Each month, participants in The Real Deal Collective explore a key business topic through dynamic, facilitator-led sessions featuring insights from guest experts. Sessions are hands-on and interactive, with activities designed to directly support each entrepreneur’s final presentation: a customized, actionable growth plan to elevate their business to the next level.
Module 1: Your Playbook: Strategy, Vision, Values and Metrics
Module 2: Demystifying Finances
Module 3: Operational Excellence
Module 4: Marketing & Sales
Module 5: People & Leadership
Module 6: Final Presentation & Graduation
2026 Cohort Dates
Thursday, January 15, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, January 29, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, February 19, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, February 26, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, March 12, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, March 26, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, April 9, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, April 23, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, May 14, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Thursday, May 21, 2026 1 PM to 5 PM
Friday, May 29, 2026 All Day - Graduation