JONATHAN DAPRA

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AS FEATURED IN:

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ABOUT

Jonathan Dapra is a leadership and strategy practitioner who researches, writes, teaches, and consults about small business. Dr. Dapra has over 20 years of diverse experience as an executive, entrepreneur, trainer, instructor, and leadership coach. He began his career at Dun & Bradstreet, started firms in the tech and gaming industry, and built the special effects company AutoFX. Jonathan was part of the leadership team at Dynamic Graphics, president of Pandromeda3D, and CEO of the middleware company Meta4 Interactive. He later joined The Early Start Fund. Jonathan has worked with EDMC, The Art Institute, and currently, is the Rosenblum Endowed Professor of Business at Plymouth State University. Dr. Dapra earned a Doctorate of Business Administration and an MBA in strategy.

SMALL BUSINESS THOUGHT LEADER

Jonathan Dapra is an expert in small business leadership. In his research, he has sought to not only understand how to segment the range of small companies and their needs but also identified the first Small Business Leader Success Factors© and Derailers©. His years of experience as a small business leader, consulting with, investing in, and continued field research of small companies has inspired his advocacy. “Practically 100% of academic research, practitioner products, and leadership books speak to about 2% of leaders. The fact is, that 98% of companies throughout the world are small companies, and these solutions are all based on larger organizations. This is like asking someone to teach you to be an expert ping pong player and being given a tennis instructor.”

Jonathan writes about the challenges and opportunities small business leaders face on his LinkedIn page, and soon at his new editorial home, the Alaric Leadership Blog.

AUTHOR
International Bestseller — Available Now

at your favorite bookstore or online bookseller, including Amazon 

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Written specifically
for
small business
leaders!

FROM 50 TO 500:

MASTERING THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES OF GROWING SMALL COMPANIES

In From 50 to 500, the authors identify critical characteristics of small companies with the potential for rapid growth. Using this perspective, they present a highly relevant, easy-to-understand, and actionable model, defining the Motivators, Capabilities, and potential Derailers unique to small business leaders. Readers are then invited to explore the distinct business challenges two typical leaders face over a business cycle. Opportunities to evaluate each leader’s decisions and outcomes provide valuable insights into their effectiveness and impact, and tools are provided to strengthen leadership effectiveness and achieve improved organizational results.

#1 bestseller in small business as well as the management & leadership categories!

Shortlisted—Best International Book for the 2024 Business Book Awards 

Buy now on Amazon

Sign-up for news and information specific to
From 50 to 500 in the contact section.

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Jonas Akerman, Richard, Dapra, and
Jonathan Dapra – co-authors of From 50 to 500

LEADERSHIP PRACTITIONER

A leadership development professional with practice specialization in small business. In addition to his training & development experience and assessment credentials, Jonathan has considerable practical instructional design skills. This unique skillset, combined with executive coaching and consulting experience, has made him a well-known and highly sought-after practitioner.

In 2022, Jonathan joined Jonas Akerman, former president of BTS, USA to co-found Alaric, Inc. This new leadership development firm is focused on the unique opportunities and challenges faced by leaders of small companies. As Alaric’s Chief Innovation Officer, Jonathan brings his thought leadership and development experience to this exciting new practice with a vision of being partners to the world’s small business leaders.

VISIT ALARIC

STRATEGIST

News: Jonathan Dapra and Roxana Wright create the first strategy textbook approved by ACBSP for supporting the accreditation standards for a culminating business experience—Strategy 2.0

With several successful executive positions in small to midsized organizations and private equity-backed startups, working with clients and potential investors on business plans and due diligence evaluations, and teaching management and executive strategy to undergraduate and MBA students, Jonathan is also known for his strategic research and planning capabilities.

In Fall 2023, he will join Dr. Roxana Wright in publishing Business Strategy 2.0: A Relevant Toolkit for Achieving Innovation and Competitive Advantage.

This textbook represents a new approach to undergraduate teaching, presenting strategy tools as a practitioner’s guide. Check back for updated information throughout the year, or sign-up for news and information specific to the strategy textbook in the contact.

EDUCATOR

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Dr. Dapra was awarded the
O.B. Rosenblum Endowed
Professorship recognizing excellence
in business research. He teaches
undergraduate and graduate classes
at Plymouth State University.

Associate Professor — School of Business 

Plymouth State offers a unique approach to education
through its Cluster Model, that allows for cross-disciplinary
collaboration and experiential learning. The approach allows
Jonathan and his students to regularly work as consultants to
small businesspeople throughout the state, fueling his
research and insights into the unique needs of small
business leaders. Students provide research, analyze
strategic choices, offer feasibility studies, and even suggest
product and service ideas.

“These classes reinforce much of my small business leadership research: the capabilities one needs to be highly-successful are distinct from leaders of large companies.”

Students have seen everything from manufacturing companies to dog training and boarding companies, cleaning services, organic farming, and non-profit organizations such as the New Hampshire Boat Museum.

Dr. Dapra is also responsible for the School of Business culminating business experience, the capstone class: Strategic Management.

“Regardless of your major – accounting, finance, marketing, management, etc., every student is a business student. To be truly effective and capable contributors in the workplace, they need to know how to use the range of their business knowledge to make effective decisions – and that is a capability I strive to ensure every student builds during our time together.”

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Interested in learning from Dr. Dapra and his colleagues at Plymouth State University’s School of Business?

Use the contact form to specify your interest in undergraduate or graduate study and Dr. Dapra or an associate will contact you.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

- PETER DRUCKER

Jonathan is known for his engaging, authentic, and genuinely fun presence. Keynotes or smaller corporate retreats are the perfect way to talk about leadership and becoming a leader at every level of an organization. Workshop appearances can be arranged for your leadership team to help you better assess your capabilities and help each other build (and be accountable for) personal self-development plans. Reach out using the contact form, and our speaking coordinator will be happy to talk with you about onsite or virtual appearance options.

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Jonathan welcomes interviews, biline contributions, expert opinions, and all types of media appearances including podcasts and guest blogging. His book PR firm or Alaric Inc’s Communications Team handles all press. Please use the contact form and select PR/Media as your subject. Someone will be in touch within three business days.

PR & MEDIA INQUIRIES

CONTACT

FILL & SUBMIT FORM