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7 Easy But Less Heard Of Methods To Get Rid Of Your Student Debt

With the gigantic increase in education expenses, student debt has turned out to be the sole means of paying for college for many students.

While a student loan might help a student to pursue a career of his choice to fulfill his dreams, the other side of the coin is that some students take a loan but don’t actually complete their studies, and some students take on more debt than their career choice might allow them to pay back comfortably. Moreover many a time, students fail to understand fully the complete consequences of such a decision as taking a student loan quite early in their careers. Most importantly, a student loan cannot be discharged in bankruptcy except in cases of undue hardship.

Keeping all these pros and cons of student debt in mind, here we enlist 7 effective but little known ways to get out of student debt.

1: Know how much you owe:

It might be that you don’t have a clear idea of the number of loans you have or even how much you owe because perhaps you might have taken multiple student loans. So, first of all, calculate the total cost of your loans. A number of calculators, available online, can help you ease your task. You just need to enter a few pieces of information to get a complete breakdown of your payments and how long it will take you to pay off your student loans.

  1. Getting your loans restructured:

Students can go for some agencies where the interest rate is restructured in such a way that can fit your pocket. These institutions can actually offer students alternate repayment options like extending repayment and providing a repayment scheme which is income-based. These may reduce the monthly payment by stretching out the term of the loan. While such an option brings down your monthly instalment, you may have to churn out some extra money as interest on the main principal. 

  1. Refinance Your Student Loans

Students can consider getting a private loan at a lower rate to refinance their existing student loans they if they have already graduated, secured a job and have become quite stable.

  1. Automate Student Loan Payments

Checking online options of repaying your student loan might be another solution to your headache as you stand a chance of getting a reduction in interest rate if your loan is repaid online. So, talk to your banker for an auto-debit, where your monthly loan amount will be automatically transferred from your checking account.

It might be that you don’t have a clear idea of the number of loans you have or even how much you owe because perhaps you might have taken multiple student loans. So, first of all, calculate the total cost of your loans. A number of calculators, available online, can help you ease your task. You just need to enter a few pieces of information to get a complete breakdown of your payments and how long it will take you to pay off your student loans.

  1. Getting enrolled for Peace Corps

You can get a portion of your student loan forgiven if get enrolled to volunteer for Peace Corps. Should you choose to volunteer as a public school teacher, social worker, a policeman or a firefighter, you can also get a part of your loan condoned.

  1. Creating a repayment schedule by making additional payments

Apart from going for an auto debit option to pay your lender and getting a reduction in the loan interest, you can alternatively make additional payments in small amounts whenever you get hold of some cash. You can just log on to your lender’s website and make the additional payment thereby lowering your principal amount.

  7. Going for an Income Based Repayment Scheme

You would do good to opt for an income based loan repayment scheme which not only matches your loan payments with your income and family size, but also typically reduces the size of your loan to 15% of your income and makes you eligible for forgiveness. The balance of the loan remaining after payment for a period of 20-25 years is generally forgiven.

5 Easy Ways to Save Money on a Tight Budget

Most people all over the world live paycheck to paycheck. This means that they have to live within their means and try and maintain a budget. The economy all over the world may be growing but there aren’t enough high paid jobs available for the growing demands for jobs in the world. Wages have been stagnant the world over and the inflation and cost of living continue to rise at a fast rate.

All over the world, people look to save as much money as they can so that they can pay bills and get through the month without running out of money or borrowing money. Living on a tight budget is very difficult but people start getting more and more used to living like this if there is no other choice. Also saving money starts becoming a habit. People find innovative and effective ways to save money when they are working with a tight budget. Once people get into the frame of mind of saving money, there are many easy ways in which money can be saved. The following are 5 easy ways to save money that helps people who have a tight budget:

  1. Switch to Cash

It has been statistically proven that people tend to spend more money using credit cards in comparison to cash. Actually counting the cash in the purse and wallet and then paying with cash makes people spend less money. Another advantage is that there is a hard limit on the cash that can be carried while going out for shopping even for daily household items. Carrying less money helps people spend less money and is a great tip for staying within the budget.

  1. Eat Homemade Food At Home

People spend a lot on restaurants, food trucks, fast food chains and buying or ordering food from outside. The food bill is tallied at the month’s end can be substantial. Food bill can be reduced in a real way if people start eating homemade food. Homemade food made of fresh ingredients from the local market is healthy and also very affordable rather than buying readymade food from out. Learning to cook can seem daunting for many people but basic recipes are easy and there are many guides and videos available online to help beginners learn how to cook.

  1. Look For Deals

Whether it is a personal item, clothes, groceries or any type of gadgets most of these items are either bought at departmental stores or online. Nowadays there are many businesses online as well in each locality selling the same type of items. This means that there are a lot of great deals on offers as many of the business need to give deals to stay competitive. Searching for the best deals for any type of purchase is a sensible choice.

  1. Buy in Bulk

There are many offers available for people looking to buy different types of products in bulk. For example, a pack of four soaps is cheaper than buying just a single soap at a time. Bulk purchase is always cheaper and is a great way to save money while living on a tight budget. Buying in bulk is easy in large departmental stores that are known to keep bulk buy options at affordable rates.

  1. Use Public Transport

It is expensive to own and maintain a car especially on a tight budget. There are many cities and towns all over the world with an excellent public transport system which can be used by locals for a very low expense every month. There are private cab services available where people can hire a cab by using popular cab hire apps on phones. These apps also provide many deals and offers to attract customers. It is cheaper to use a transport service than to maintain a vehicle and this saves money on a tight budget.

10 Beauty Benefits of Eggs for Hair and Skin

Eggs are a common food product that has been used in cuisines all over the world. Eggs are a common ingredient in most sweet and savory recipes and are classified as a “superfood” because of its nutritional value and benefits. Eggs provide essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins, minerals and also reduce the risks of various ailments and diseases. The dietary benefits of eggs are phenomenal and many people include eggs in the diet to remain strong and healthy. There are also many beauty benefits of hair and skin as eggs are used in an external way to benefit hair and skin.

Many people have different types of problems with their hair and skin. Long luxurious hair and beautiful radiant skin is something most people want and maintaining beautiful hair and skin take time, work and effort. There are many natural remedies using eggs for different types of hair and skin problems. These natural remedies can be used at home in and it is a very affordable way to maintain the hair and skin.

The following are some of the beauty benefits of eggs for hair and for the skin:

Beauty Benefits for Hair

  1. Conditioning the Hair

Eggs are great for the conditioning and nourishment of the hair. Eggs directly provide proteins and essential nutrients to the hair. Eggs provide nutrition from the roots of the hair to the ends or tips of the hair.

  1. Promotes Hair Growth and Curbs Hair Loss

Eggs provide the hair with proteins, vitamins; zinc and other nutrients that are essential for building the keratin which helps in promote hair growth and also make hair stronger. Stronger hair is essential to curb hair loss.

  1. Adds Shine to the Hair

Egg has a high concentration of protein and regular application of eggs on the hair not only strengthens the hair but also gives a luxurious shine to the hair. Dull and damaged hair makes the overall appearance look less than appealing and regular use of egg on the hair boosts the shine in the hair.

  1. Heals Hair Damage

The egg helps in building the keratin in the hair which is a need for healthy hair. This keratin helps in healing the damage done to the hair because of nutritional and environmental factor.

  1. Improve the Elasticity of Hair

The egg yolks provide the hair with lutein which helps the hair become stronger and also improves the elasticity of the hair which then protects the hair from breakage.

Beauty Benefits for Skin

  1. Skin Tightening

Many people use an egg mask for skin tightening. The albumin in the egg tones the skin and also helps to tighten the skin making it an effective anti-aging ingredient in the pantry.

  1. Oil Blotting

Oily skin is a major problem for many. Egg white masks are a great solution to these problems as egg white suck the oil from the pores and remove the oil from the skin.

  1. Cleansing the Skin

An egg is a great skin cleanser. It removes oil, dust and other bacteria from the skin in a natural way. Egg removes the impurities on the skin and protects the skin from acne.

  1. Whitehead and Blackhead Remover

Egg white masks on the nose and other areas of the skin with whiteheads and blackheads help gently remove these skin problems. Applying the egg white masks and then reaping it off after it dries helps remove the blackheads and whiteheads from the skin.

  1. Nourishment of Skin

Egg provides different forms of nourishment for the skin. It provides moisture for the skin, hydrates the skin, improves the texture of the skin, and provides essential proteins, vitamins, and nutrient directly to the skin.

Yokohama has Launched BluEarth-GT in India – A Top Environment Friendly Tyre for Cars

Yokohama is a top international tyres brand that has a good reputation worldwide. This Tokyo, Japan based company has been manufacturing tyres for decades and also sells tyres in India. It supplies tyres for international racing events and sponsors many international sporting events throughout the world. Like other automobile manufacturers, Yokohama is also concerned about being environmentally friendly and has strived to make top quality tyres that are competitive yet environmentally friendly.

  • BluEarth Series of Yokohama Tyres

BluEarth is a concept at Yokohama that is used to make the BluEarth series of tyres. These tyres are made in such a way that they are environmentally friendly, human friendly as well as socially friendly tyres. They save fuel, have a nano blend compound, have advanced inner liners, are light weight and have advance aero dynamic technologies. They cause low noise pollution, reduce natural resource consumption, and also reduce Co2 emissions in the air. They save fuel and have an environmentally friendly design. This series was launched in 2010 by Yokohama, and since then there have been many tyres launched in this series. The latest model of tyres launched in this series is the Yokohama BluEarth-GT tyres model.

  • BluEarth – GT

BluEarth-GT is the latest edition of the Yokohamas BluEarth series launched in India. The GT refers to the Grand Touring concept in automobiles and this tyre offers the Indian customers two distinct features of comfort and performance. GT like other BluEarth tyres is designed in such a way that it is human friendly, environment friendly and socially friendly. The BluEarth-GT also has a proud distinction as it is “Made in India”. This tyre is made at the top of the line manufacturing unit of Yokohama India at Bahadurgarh in Haryana. Yokohama decided to make tyres in this BluEarth series because they believe in being environmentally friendly and they look at the bigger picture which is normally not just looking at their bottom line.

  • Features of the BluEarth – GT

BlueEarth-GT is designed for India’s changing road infrastructural landscape as this requires tyres with higher rim sizes as compared to earlier times. The BluEarth-GT is designed to meet the needs of high standards of performance and comfort from modern tyres. It has an asymmetric tread design with many performance enhancing features. It has features like lightning grooves, blade cut sipes and is available in 26 sizes, ranging from 14 to 17 inches. The entire range of sizes will be available by the end of the year. This tyre is suitable for cars from Premium Hatchback and onwards.

  • More Features

It also has features like dimple shoulders, mound profile and has higher pitch numbers which make the drive feel luxurious. These tyres have many features that make it ideal for Cruising and Long Drives like Triple Centre Ribs to improve performance.

Yokohama is a leading replacement company in the world. Besides being a replacement tyres company it also supplies the original equipment to top brands like Mercedes Benz, Audi, Porsche, Honda and many top brands. This new BluEarth-GT Tyre is likely to do well in India.

Kia Motors is Flourishing in the SUV Segment of the Indian Market

One of the top automobile companies in the world is Kia Motors which is a South Korean company with many car models sold all over the planet in different categories and segments of the automobile market. Kia Motors for a long time was looking to enter the Indian market and to establish a firm market share in the vast automobile sector in this country. Kia Motors entered the Indian market in 2019 with its car Kia Seltos and has built a manufacturing plant in India in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It has sold over 100k car units in India since then and is considered one of the best performing car manufacturers in India over the last few years.

  • Target Market Segments for Kia Motors in India

In India, people from all economic and social backgrounds buy different types of cars at different price points. Kia has been smart about the type of cars they have introduced into the market and has picked a few market segments to focus on to capture market share and to increase sales and profits in India. Kia Motors is primarily focusing on two market segments which are the entry-level SUV market segment and mid SUV segment of the market. They have introduced two cars into the Indian market which are both parts of the SUV segment of the Indian market. The Kia Sonet and the Kia Seltos helps Kia Motors capture market share in the entry-level and mid-level segments of the SUV market in India.

  • Kia Motors – SUV Sales

September was a very good month for Kia Motors in the SUV segment of the Indian market. Kia sold over 9200 Kia Sonets in September and went ahead of competition like Hyundai venue and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. It also sold over 9000 units of Kia Seltos which gave it second place in terms of market share just behind Hyundai Creta. The popularity of these two cars is because they have great features and stylish designs. Even the future booking data for these two cars look impressive. Their multi-purpose premium vehicle called Carnival which was launched earlier initially got a poor response but the inquiries for this model also have picked up.

  • Production Capacity of Kia Motors in India

The Andhra Pradesh plant of Kia Motors has a capacity of churning out 3 lakh units of cars in one year with 3 shifts but only 2 lakh cars can be produced with 2 shifts. Because of COVID restrictions and the nature of this pandemic, the production has been hampered. There are delays because Kia Motors also has to depend on their suppliers and during the pandemic supply chain is hindered. Due to the high demand for Kia Seltos and Kia Sonet, the wait time for these vehicles can go up to one month after booking.

Kia Motors just entered the Indian market last year and though it is available in over 160 cities across India, it still has room to grow in this country. They have high expectations for the festive season this year for sales of their cars and the overall outlook for Kia Motors in India looks bullish.

Dr. Cynthia Warrick – Pharmacist, health services researcher, faculty, administrator, business woman

Pharmacist, health services researcher, faculty, administrator, business woman, and now Dr. Cynthia Warrick is the 7th President and the first female to lead Stillman College, a historically black liberal arts college in Tuscaloosa Alabama.  With over 20 years of higher education faculty and administrative positions, Dr. Warrick received a Ph.D. in Environmental Science & Policy from George Mason University after completing a M.S. Public Policy at Georgia Tech and a B.S. Pharmacy degree from Howard University. She began her academic career with the pharmacy school faculty at Howard University, followed by appointments at the University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, Texas Southern University, Florida A&M University, and Elizabeth City State University.  Prior to her selection as President of Stillman, she served as Interim President at Grambling State University and at South Carolina State University.  Dr. Warrick is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and serves on the boards of the United Way of West Alabama, the West Alabama Chamber, the Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority, the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society, and the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama.

Stillman College, authorized by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1875, held its first classes in 1876 and was chartered as a legal corporation by the State of Alabama in 1895. At that time, the name was changed from Tuscaloosa Institute to Stillman Institute. The Institute was a concept initiated by the Reverend Dr. Charles Allen Stillman, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa. The mission of the Institution expanded over the first fifty years as it acquired its present campus tract of over 100 acres as it became co-educational and opened a nursing school and hospital to provide medical care to African Americans in West Alabama. Stillman College is committed to fostering academic excellence, to providing opportunities for diverse populations, and to maintaining a strong tradition of preparing students for leadership and service by fostering experiential learning and community engagement designed to equip and empower Stillman’s students and its constituents.

Since arriving at Stillman College in January 2017 as the Interim President Warrick set out to transform Stillman College into the premier HBCU. Her initiatives at the College establish a model for HBCUs and other small liberal arts colleges to transform themselves by developing sustainable partnerships and programs that increase opportunity and access for their students. This model establishes other revenue streams that reduce the College’s dependence on tuition and fees and increase financial stability. When fully implemented, this model will prevent the need to increase tuition, ensuring a college degree is accessible and affordable, and will increase the competitiveness of Stillman College students as they apply for entry into major graduate programs and professional schools. Stillman College has established the only apprenticeship program at a 4-year institution in the state of Alabama in order to have a positive and major impact on graduates’ lives, families and communities.  Incorporating community engagement as part of the educational programs at the College will ensure that Stillman is one of the first institutions local agencies think of when looking for partners to enhance community service.

Stillman College is located in a designated Opportunity Zone, which provides tax incentives for development investors. Dr. Warrick seized this opportunity to enlist the support of potential private equity partners and consultants to develop investment projects for the school’s vacant and unused property. Opportunity Zones offer a way to mitigate risk for impact investors who are interested in both profit and social good. Stillman is one of an estimated thirty to forty HBCUs with such investment opportunities on their campuses. Many of them are real estate investments or other business partnerships. Intentional development focused on the community needs can provide services that will benefit the students and the community and this type of partnership is the hallmark of Cynthia Warrick’s sustainability plan for Stillman College. The vicinity of the College is a food desert lacking restaurants or other retail outlets that could benefit the community. Development could provide housing for working adults and student veterans and other amenities that would elevate the area and increase its contribution to the standard of living in West Tuscaloosa.; the closest non-student housing is much too expensive for moderate income renters. Additionally, development could provide jobs for students, because most Stillman students do not have cars; transportation is a major barrier to part-time employment.

Dr. Warrick’s leadership at Stillman College has also focused on maintaining its academic achievements. In 2020, the College was reaffirmed as fully accredited by its accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and it was named among the Colleges of Distinction for 2020-2021. These accomplishments demonstrate that Stillman College is not only fully affirmed by its peers as academically, procedurally, and financially sound, but it is also recognized by a national body that measures distinction among colleges. As a College of Distinction, Stillman College earned recognition for engaging students, great teaching, vibrant community activity and engagement, and successful outcomes of its programs.

Community partnerships have grown exponentially through the efforts of Dr. Warrick across all areas of the college. Stillman has been working closely with Chamber of Commerce and businesses in Tuscaloosa, like Mercedes Benz US International, B.F. Goodrich, Nucor Steel, and Hunt Refinery.  Along with other Fortune 500 companies and the federal government, creating opportunities for internships, co-ops, and apprenticeships.  Stillman was one of the first institutions to participate in the Governor’s HBCU Co-Op program.

Stillman College is taking the proactive steps under the leadership of Dr. Cynthia Warrick to build a model for HBCUs and small liberal arts college to transform with sustainability. Warrick sees the tenuous positions of small private colleges in general and HBCUs in particular as a moment of opportunity to rethink their positioning and their relationships. By focusing on external partnerships with local businesses and agencies, as well as with other educational institutions to provide broader opportunities for Stillman College’s students, Warrick is charting a new path for one small college that could become a map for others to follow toward greater opportunities for their students and more secure futures for their institutions.

Women Leadership – Musings of a Co-Founder of a fashion start-up

My background is in advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi; Eileen, my Co-Founder, has a background in fashion working for Nichole Fahri. We have been friends for a long time, having met at the school gate when our children were little. We felt that our complementary backgrounds, skills sets and characters were the perfect combination to start a business together.

We have just celebrated our third anniversary, having launched in September 2017. It has been a roller coaster rider of fantastic highs, some nerve wracking lows, but mostly hard work and lots of fun. We have met some amazing people along the way and it has shown us that there is a kind way to do business – it doesn’t have to be to the detriment of those around you or indeed the planet.

Sometimes, with so much to do on a daily basis, we can forget to pat ourselves on the back and realise how far we have come in those three years, We hope that Cucumber will grow from strength to strength, but either way, we have launched a label that is a recognised brand worldwide with customers all over the globe. No mean feat for a tiny start-up on a shoestring budget with no outside marketing or PR help.

I think to launch any business takes three main characteristics; determination – if you want to go from something you have to give it your all and see it through; organisation – there is always so much to do and not all of it can be done at once; which leads me onto prioritising – and this means in a personal capacity too. You have to learn to prioritise yourself sometimes so that the business can be supported by two mentally and physically fit happy co-founders. If we are flailing, then the business will suffer so it’s in everyone’s interests to stay fit and focused.

The lightbulb moment for our business happened when we realised that we were spending so much of our day in our workout gear. Getting dressed for a gym or pilates session and then not changing as the materials used are so comfortable to wear, stay crease free and are easy to care for. We wanted to replicate all the qualities of anti-crush, cooling, stay fresh and comfortable clothing, but in more stylish everyday pieces from materials that looked as good as they feel. Every piece of Cucumber feels amazing next to the skin.

After researching fabrics for almost two years, we launched with a very small capsule collection of just six nightwear pieces to test the market. We were truly overwhelmed by the response we got which gave us the confidence to expand into more everyday pieces. There was and is clearly a market for ultra- modern performance fabrics that work with your body. Modern clothing should do more than just dress a body. All our fabrics and styles provide women with wardrobe solutions for their busy lives – timeless pieces that fit into their wardrobe, require minimal care and can be worn day or night, at home, at work or globetrotting the world.

Sometimes, being a tiny start-up can have real advantages – it forces you to make everything work that bit harder. We have always had to find innovative ways to achieve our goals. Unconventionality is what we stand for, both in terms of what we are doing and how we get things done. We see ourselves as, amongst other things, educators in this space. Technical fabrics can feel fabulous, they keep the wearer cool and fresh and they can be sustainable. So many women feel that human made fibres by their very nature cannot be sustainable and cannot be luxurious We are here to bust that myth! We are not the scratchy nylons of the 70’s; we are beautiful, luxuriously soft fabrics with all the added benefits of modern technology.

From the very start, we wanted to be mindful of the world around us. We realise that producing anything leaves a carbon footprint, but we want ours to be as light as possible. We are not perfect, but with every new collection we are getting a little better – no small feat for a tiny fashion label. Once our fabric arrives in the UK (nothing like this is produced here), we design, sample, grade and manufacturer all within a 5-mile radius. We also source all our labels and trims within England and have eliminated all plastics from our supply chain. We send out all online orders using Royal Mail, so as not to add to the number of deliveries on the road.

We have more exciting developments planned for the future, but for the moment, we are happy to have come this far and bring our wonderful loyal customer base with us for the ride.

QUESTIONNAIRE- League of Successful Business Women 2020.

Fatima E. Al Shirawi: Leading entrepreneur in GCC

1. At the outset, please give us a glimpse of yourself.

My name is Fatima Al Shirawi, and I am a colour consultant in GCC. I founded The Gracious F in 2008 in Dubai,after pursing my studies in Washington DC, London School of fashion and Polimoda. With a Passion for Travel, education and giving back to the community, my core values are : Empowering women to be educated and their best self individually and professionally Sharing her knowledge and expertise to serve the community and support local and youth talent Learning every day and developing helping her team to grow and exceed in their individual and professional lives.

2. Briefly describe your company and the products or services you are offering.

Successfully combining colour psychology in all spectrums of individual re-branding and self-development, to businesses that are looking to enhance their awareness and strategy through colour solutions in branding & marketing, Luxury Retail training, PR, Workshops or residential and corporate interior design.

3. Going back to your early career decisions, tell us what factors influenced your decision to be an entrepreneur?

My fathers’ side of the family are all mainly entrepreneurs with businesses in diverse industries, and my mother’s side all mainly doctors. At a very young age I was already very creative and perceptive with human psychology, therefore I pursed Sociology and Marketing as a bachelor’s degree, and later specialized in colour psychology from the colour affects Institute in the UK, combining both of my skills. I always wanted to help Individuals & Businesses overcome their barriers & reach their goals with support of colour science, and this was the primary for which I founded The Gracious F.

4. Who are your clients? How do you ensure the unbreakable faith of your clients?

Our services are applicable to many industries, from Interior Design, Retail, Government organizations to Coaching & Training centres. Most of our clients fall within luxury products & services segment.

5. Shed light on your team. What ethos is maintained for the employees in your company?

I believe that its important that your team is motivated personally as much a professionally. I hand them all the tools to help them develop their skills and grow within their careers. A good example is a Individual Colour Session – that allows them to understand their weaknesses & strengths through their personality report, the colour kit that they also receive, allows them to use colour to their power, personally or professionally with the knowledge of which hues fit them best and which occasions to use them.

6. As your company grew, or re-grew from your pivot, what were the primary challenges?

The first challenge was building awareness and understanding of this crucial science, when we speak of colours, individuals automatically assume this has to do with only with fashion, style, or trends. Even though colour psychology has been studied more intensely in early 1980’s, the impact of colour on our products, design, consumer behaviour is unimaginable. Simple way to explain is, 80% of our feelings and reaction over colour is Sub conscious.

7. How did you get where you are today, and who/what helped you along the way?

My family has been my pioneer of my support, and along the way every client, or organization that has benefitted through colour science has been my biggest motivation, to do more, help more individuals and organizations understand the importance of colour science and how to use it to your benefit. Most of my projects and new clients come through referrals.

8. What suggestion you would give for companies on how they can contribute to a more balanced and equal industry?

I suggest companies to Invest in understand their teams better, offer them tools and training which can also enhance their personal lives. Focus on the needs of your team as they are the pioneer of your success, and of course, learn and apply colour science to your branding tools, marketing tools, interior, team building – Your growth in revenues and efficiency will be a incredible 😊

9. Please take us to the routine of your day, from the time you wake up to the time you go off to sleep. Also, share your hobbies.

Once I wake up, I have my breakfast, message a good morning to my team and start planning my day. As the only colour expert in my team, my team and myself must make sure my calendar and schedule are set weeks in advance. My hobbies are reading, drawing, spending time with my family and my Yoga and & Gym keep me balanced and sane after a busy day at work.

10. Tell us about a favourite book that inspires you.

I have many favourite books, currently Its: Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Toll. This book shows us how to become your true self by accepting stillness and silence. The ideology is that when we are no longer limited or bounded  by our thinking mind, any suffering or pain disappears and we are able to move forward towards a new awareness of our relationships, environment and of the profound wisdom that is to be found in stillness. Truly inspiring and especially useful during the worldwide crises we are all currently facing where our overall emotions are very vulnerable.

11. What does the future hold for your company? Kindly share your future goals. What are you most excited about?

Our services have recently been launched online, our clients are now able to have their sessions online, and tool kit and reports are sent to the client upon completion. In 2018 I built a in house training COLOUR MATRIX – specifically for large retail organizations. This 360-program including, customer profiling, buying, visual merchandising and sales training is a cheat sheet to extraordinary performance and revenues. This program is now available online too.

12. Mention any awards and milestones that your company has received.

Business Leader Award

Winner of the Middle East, North Africa & Asia Best Business Leader Awards 2015 – 10th December 2015 – Burj Al Arab, Dubai

UNASCO Award

Honorary Awards for outstanding leading businesswomen across the MENA

APEA Award

Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards winner in 2015

SME Award

SME Beyond Borders. Global Model for Success Award

  1. As a source of inspiration for many, what would your advice be for female entrepreneurs, who are planning to enter in the business world?

I believe female entrepreneurs have a gift, the gift of multi-tasking. I would advise all female entrepreneurs to follow their dreams, nothing comes easy or without hard work, but if you focus and plan your goals, there will be nothing stopping you from success.

  1. What is your favourite quote?

‘Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic Motion’ by RUMI

Lindsey Myers: Fuelling Business Growth

1. At the outset, please give us a glimpse of yourself.

Lindsey Myers founded Concrete Blonde Consulting in November 2016 to pursue her passion for building reputations and revenues through business development marketing strategies.  The company has since been named one of the “Top 15 PR Agencies in New York” by The Manifest and one of the “Top 10 Best PR Agencies” by Web Surf Media.

Myers provides profit and growth solutions and thrives as a consultant. A communications expert and entrepreneur, she has over twelve-years of experience serving various industries including consumer products and services, tech, lifestyle, hospitality and nonprofit companies in NYC and the Hamptons luxury market. And in 2018, Insights Success magazine named her one of the “30 Most Innovative CEOs” of the year.

She graduated from Boston University with a BS in Communications and concentration in PR.   She began her career at WordHampton Public Relations, a firm headquartered in East Hampton, NY and ranked by Jack O’Dwyer’s as one of the country’s “Top 100 Independent PR firms”.  In 2013, she made partner and was chosen to launch the company’s NYC division.

Recognized as a strategic leader, she has earned a track record for counseling clients, including Fortune 500 companies such as NAPCO Security, Inc., to increase profits, manage brand reputations and gain market share. She’s continually driven by her enterprising spirit and innate understanding of consumer influence.  She takes ownership of the business she supports and partners with clients.

Professional, confident and well-respected by her peers, she has also been a guest lecturer at several universities including Hofstra University and Saint Joseph’s University, possessing a presence people often find unforgettable.

2. Briefly describe your company and the products or services you are offering.

Concrete Blonde Consulting is a full-service consulting and marketing firm in NYC.  We specialize in providing custom marketing solutions for profit and growth.  By examining your business development pipeline, we are able to identify new areas for growth, while also creating strategies to amplify current opportunities.  In addition, we provide a competitive media analysis, streamline marketing campaigns and build additional sources of revenue.  We service various industries including consumer products and services, tech, lifestyle, hospitality and nonprofit companies

​Communications is a rapidly changing field and our firm is continually transforming to harnesses the powers of both influence and interaction.  We offer clients a variety of tools from third-party PR endorsements to social influencer campaigns to reach consumers and drive business.

We believe every client is unique.  We partner with them to unearth their core business goals. Then we create bespoke strategic marketing plans with benchmarks to chart our progress and target our methods.  We feel a sense of responsibility to our clients and we are responsive not only to their needs, but also to the ever changing world in which they operate.

3. Going back to your early career decisions, tell us what factors influenced your decision to be an entrepreneur?

I always wanted to be an entrepreneur vs. going the corporate route.  I enjoying working on growing a business from the ground up and being able to see the fruits of your labor.

4. Who are your clients? How do you ensure the unbreakable faith of your clients?

Most of our clients are tech companies — both B2B and B2C.  We earn their faith by taking the time to get to know them and their business goals at the beginning.  We start by unearthing their core values and vision and then creating a bespoke marketing plan to help them reach their destination.  We have regular open and honest communication and monitor and measure specific KPIs to ensure everyone is on the same page about deliverables.  Trust in a relationship isn’t something that is given, but rather built and earned.

5. Shed light on your team. What ethos is maintained for the employees in your company?

Everyone is responsible for their own contributions while listening to and supporting each other.  We don’t micromanage each other.  We just show up.  We are there for one another and our clients.  Everyone brings their own unique viewpoints and experiences, talents and strengths to the table.  We find a way for everyone to shine.

6. As your company grew, or re-grew from your pivot, what were the primary challenges?

I think the biggest challenges for me have always been ones that involved personal growth.  I wasn’t great at setting boundaries, negotiating contracts and confrontation.  It’s taken me a long time to hone those skills and also to learn when to say “no” to a potential client if they aren’t a good fit.  Overall, I believe the biggest challenge for me has always been patience.  If you want to be successful — you need to learn to be just as patient as you are ambitious.

7. How did you get where you are today, and who/what helped you along the way?

Hard word, patience, a little bit of luck and a LOT of support!  There are too many people to name from friends and family, to amazing mentors and collaborations with other talented entrepreneurs.

8. What suggestion you would give for companies on how they can contribute to a more balanced and equal industry?

Remember that a rising tide raises all ships.  It’s not a competition … it’s all about co-creation.  Business isn’t a zero-sum game.

9. Please take us to the routine of your day, from the time you wake up to the time you go off to sleep. Also, share your hobbies.

I get up and the first thing I do is turn on the news and make myself a cup of Nespresso with vanilla creamer.  Then, I hit my email and read my daily news round up (The New York Times, Axios, The Skimm and Thrive Global).  I’ve got a never-ending Facebook messenger chat with a very dear friend where we share our favorite headlines of the day and it’s one of my favorite things.  So, by this point in my day you can guarantee that we’ve had a few back and forths already.  Then, I usually delete the spam and check to see if any emails need immediate attention and respond to those ASAP.  Next, I’ll put together my to do list for the day.  By this point, I’m usually pretty anxious and I Facetime another dear friend who I speak to pretty every morning for my daily dose of calm.  After that I take a shower, make the bed, get dressed and start tackling the to do list.  I try to push as many calls and zooms to the late afternoon as possible.  Then, I hit up my Facebook networking groups, LinkedIn, etc. at the end of the day.

10. Tell us about a favourite book that inspires you.

Atlas Shrugged.  It’s all about great thinkers, entrepreneurship and politics.  I love it!!

11. What does the future hold for your company? Kindly share your future goals. What are you most excited about?

Other entrepreneurs is what inspires me most about my business.  I love my clients and the people I’m able to work with and support is what really drives the heart of my passion.

12. Mention any awards and milestones that your company has received.

  1. As a source of inspiration for many, what would your advice be for female entrepreneurs, who are planning to enter in the business world?

Get a mentor and make sure you have a great support system.  It’s going to be harder than you think and it’s important to have an amazing team by your side.

  1. What is your favourite quote?

I love quotes so there are many!!  A current favorite though … “Underestimate me!  That’ll be fun…”

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