Purpose Under Pressure: A Founders’ Fireside with Code One on Change and Growth

Hear from three experienced entrepreneurs who have seen it all in this intimate fireside chat with Code One and Mike Abbott. Hear from founders who turned ideas into thriving businesses, navigated career pivots, faced COVID-driven challenges, and accelerated growth while learning the value of mentorship along the way. 

This session offers an inside look at the highs, lows, and pivotal moments that define entrepreneurial success.

Allison Shok has worked side by side with her husband and partner Rich since Code
One’s inception in 2007. Over the years, she has operated in many roles, including CPR
Instructor, Practical Exam Victim, Intern Supervisor, and Assistant Director, all while
also working as a hospital-based Registered Nurse. Today, she serves as Code One’s

Chief Strategy Officer.
In her current role, Allison is responsible for strategic planning and execution, including
scouting and securing new office locations, overseeing marketing and logistics
operations, and driving the company’s growth initiatives. She finds joy in finding the
perfect spot to open new offices and is always pursuing new ways to improve the
learner experience.

Rich Shok is the founder and CEO of Code One Training Solutions and managing partner of AED TEAM, a national American Heart Association Training Center which prides itself in the delivery of high-quality lifesaving training at 60 locations in the eastern United States.  Code One’s BEACON program integrates technology from RQI Partners to provide adaptive learning and skills feedback to learners obtaining their CPR/BLS, ACLS, and PALS certificates.  Rich is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Nursing with experience as an emergency department nurse and first responder.  He was named a “40 Under 40” recipient by the Citizen CPR Foundation for his contributions as volunteer chair of the HEARTSAFE Program Advisory Committee and hands-only CPR training initiatives.  Rich and his wife Allison live in Roanoke, VA with their two boys.

Mike Abbott, PE, PMP is an innovation strategist, investor, and product development expert who has guided over 4,500 technology teams across three decades. As CEO of Caerus Venture Group, managing director of Cambrian Design and Development, and Entrepreneur in Residence at RAMP, Mike specializes in transforming ideas into growth revenue through proven innovation processes. He serves as an NSF I-Corps instructor and business coach, helping startups and Fortune 500 companies alike break through innovation barriers.

A mechanical engineer by training and serial entrepreneur by nature—having been an equity partner in more than 17 businesses—Mike has guided over 250 products from concept to market across industries from consumer goods to defense and medtech. Recently, he discovered that AI automation represents a fundamental shift in business scaling: for the first time, technology allows us to scale “the chef” rather than just “the ingredients.” Mike is passionate about showing others how AI can multiply expertise and decision-making capabilities, not just automate repetitive tasks, enabling anyone to achieve exponential productivity gains without needing technical programming skills.