Our Team

Understanding, experience & dedication.

Educated in the Trenton public school system, Mr. Syphax received his diploma in 1980. He later attended Mercer County Vocational Technical School. He has spent his 20 year career in business as a strong advocate for ending mass incarceration for non-violent offenders by using proper re-entry tools and entrepreneurship.  

Mr. Syphax is a former Co-Chairman of the Board for the Mayor’s Office of Employment & Training (MOET) in Trenton, NJ. He is a former board member of Capitol City Redevelopment Corporation, having been nominated by Senator Shirley Turner and appointed by Governor Christie to oversee millions of dollars in construction around the Capitol District. He was also the 2011 Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the year, the 1st African American to receive this award in the Chamber’s 51yr history.

In June of 2016, From the Block to the Boardroom launched Reentry Ventures in partnership with Open for Business Ventures with the shared goal of helping returning citizens through entrepreneurship and online support networks. Presently, Mr. Syphax is Co-Chairman of the Board of the African American Chamber of Commerce of NJ and Chairman of the Trustee Board at Union Baptist Church. He was selected as a 2014 White House “Champion of Change” Honoree for his diligent work in the Re-entry field and for being a strong advocate on behalf of the formerly incarcerated from an unprecedented number of 900 nominees throughout the country. One of his proudest programs, of which he is a founding Board member and current Chairman of the Board, is the Minding Our Business (MOB) program; an 18yr old national award-winning program that mentors and teaches 6th & 7th grade public school students how to start and operate a business.

Both national and locally, Mr. Syphax has received many awards for his business success, passion in giving back to his community and uplifting as well as encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs. He was named Empower Magazine’s 2014 “Person of the Year” and is the former host of weekly radio and TV shows titled, “Violence Serves No Purpose” and “Trenton Talks” on WIMG 1300 AM and WZBN Channel 25.

He has been featured in numerous publications, magazines & news outlets such as NJ BIZ, C-Span, The Network Journal, Black Enterprise, NJN News, CNN Ireport, Don Diva Magazine, Young Men’s Perspective Magazine, The Source Magazine and BBC News of London. Mr. Syphax is a contributor in the documentary, “Elementary Genocide 1 & 2” and co-stars in the upcoming documentary, “Incarcerating US.” Mr. Syphax is also the author of the award-winning memoir, “From the Block to the Boardroom” which details his life story.

C.J. Meenan is the co-founder and Startup Strategist of XP Startup Labs - a multi-platform EdTech company that delivers startup training and online collaboration networks via online courses and in-person workshops. C.J. has dedicated his life to making entrepreneurship accessible to everyone, helping entrepreneurs of all walks of life to form deep personal and professional relationships by meeting them where they are and wherever they have an internet connection.

As a startup strategist, entrepreneur and academic, C.J. brings a unique and comprehensive perspective to his students. Through XP Startup Labs, C.J. provides the answer to all questions concerning economic empowerment. From the restoration of communities affected by economic depression to individuals seeking to increase earning potential and startups pursuing growth, C.J. frees entrepreneurs to monetize their gifts and talents.

C.J. co-founded the multi-million-dollar National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, delivering programs to high schools and universities around the world. He’s taught and lectured on entrepreneurship at Wharton, Columbia, Stanford, Babson and Georgetown, and a highlight of his career was bringing entrepreneurship education programs to India and Great Britain. As an adjunct professor, C.J. taught the Veterans Launching Ventures program, designed to help veterans launch small businesses, at FDU. He’s worked with companies such as Microsoft, Bank of America, Koch Industries and Mellon Bank, and his work has been featured in publications such as Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Success Magazine, and Black Enterprise.

Tech Strategist Jill Callahan has been leading the tech vision of XP Startup Labs as its cofounder and CTO since 2014. Through her EdTech initiatives, she has helped XP Startup Labs grow from delivering a single in-person startup workshop to the inclusive and comprehensive EdTech company that it is today. Jill’s main focus has long been in developing unique and engaging educational content as well as delivering impressive overall student experiences via secure educational platforms.

Deploying new and emerging technologies, Jill’s talents are centered in leading students on entertaining and innovative learning journeys while sharing her technological vision and expertise so they might apply this game-changing knowledge to leveling up within their own startups. From Hyperclasses to Masterclasses, online or in-person, Jill’s efforts ensure that every XP Startup Labs’ student can successfully connect, learn, collaborate, launch and grow their startup with ease and confidence. Jill has developed and designed startup programs for individuals as well as organizations such as Street Startups, Bermuda Public Schools, N.J. Department of Corrections, N.J. Juvenile Justice Commission, Washington DC Department of Veterans Affairs, and Washington DC Mayor's Office.