
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
Your Trusted Partners
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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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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.
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