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Henry Lukenge: Helping you Find the Perfect Caregiver

Healthcare staffing companies provide temporary and permanent staffing solutions for healthcare facilities, including clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other medical institutions. These organizations specialize in recruiting and placing healthcare professionals in various roles, including registered nurses, physical therapists, medical assistants, etc.

Founded by Mr. Henry Lukenge in late 2009, NEXIM Healthcare Consultants Inc. is one such countrywide provider of contingent, planned, and un-planned health and social care staff to hospitals, community living organizations, families with individuals who have developmental delays, and homecare through its Retire@home program for seniors retiring at with their homes. Other value-added services Nexim Healthcare provides include, but are not limited to, call assurance, home modifications to enable elders to stay in their homes, non-ambulatory transportation, and wheelchair-accessible transportation.

The Steadfast Leader

Born and brought up in a family of entrepreneurs, Mr. Lukenge has seen his father run one of the first indigenously owned construction companies in Uganda during the mid-70’s. Initially, Mr. Lukenge worked at his father’s construction company and learned various skills.

In the late 80s, he moved to England with his eight siblings and parents after surviving the conflict and displacement from Uganda. Mr. Lukenge completed his high school in England and joined the University to study Mathematical statistics, a career he had little interest in, but with limited command of the English language, his choices was limited. Later Mr. Lukenge went back to school for the professional accounting exams at the Association of Chartered certified accountants-UK- which combined his great love for numbers, problem-solving, and people engagement. With his outstanding performances in the CA program, he was then hired to join the articling program at one of the Big 4 Accounting firms in the U.K. Eventually, he rose through the ranks to become a junior tax partner – leading larger tax compliance, audit, and financial risk analysis projects across Europe, South  East Asia, and Africa before being headhunted for an investment banking role in Canada’s one of the largest Trust Funds as a Director of Investor Services.

So, in 2006, Mr. Lukenge relocated to Canada. He served the Trust Fund for nearly three years until he got disillusioned and unhappy with his career and decided to walk away from the finance and accounting industry to start his own business.

Initially, Mr. Lukenge wasn’t sure about the nature of his new business. So, he took his time out and visited his mother in Kampala, Uganda, who advised him to set up a healthcare staffing company focused on providing thought staffing solutions to help leading sector players in the health and social care sector fulfill their staffing needs.

Eventually, in late 2009 Mr. Lukenge returned to Toronto, sold all of his real estate, prepared a business plan, and established NEXIM Healthcare as a business.

Revolutionizing Healthcare Staffing

When Mr. Lukenge founded Nexim, he wanted to create a company that would revolutionize the healthcare staffing industry while using some of its net income and technical expertise to advance access to education, wildlife conservation, and the fight against climate change in the third world. Mr. Lukenge’s life journey began in Iddi Amin’s Uganda, East Africa  via  South Africa where he overcame apartheid and a refugee camp to become a CA, enter the largest board rooms, and achieve the enormous success he never imagined possible because he was able to attend school when the majority of the children he was displaced with failed to do so. This is one of the main reasons why Mr. Lukenge established NEXIM more than a decade ago. Through NEXIM, Mr. Lukenge offers internships to inner-city kids who are starting their careers and have no places to find internships, so they don’t have to go through what Mr. Lukenge went through when starting  his career  in 1990s South London, England

“The day NEXIM Broke even is the milestone I’m most proud of, but my greatest career achievement to date was the day I retired from my career as an Investment Banker leaving a whole life to start a new one. Best decision I have ever made in my life.”- he states. 

Primary Challenges of the Healthcare Industry

As NEXIM Healthcare’s founder, Mr. Lukenge always prefers to call challenges opportunities for growth. According to him, the primary challenges lie in the lack of qualified and employable candidates and longer wait times for internationally educated healthcare professionals to be integrated into the Canadian healthcare system because there are no updated and precise professional competence requirements for IEHPs entering the country. Also, the incompatibility between the provincial and federal immigration policies with healthcare professionals’ credential accrediting organizations and the less than adequate supply of amenities like transit and short-term rental units in the hard-to-serve areas of the provinces poses a significant challenge for the industry.

However, Mr. Lukenge and his team at NEXIM are working with all levels of the government, professional accrediting agencies, hospitals, and various stakeholders to help capitalize on these opportunities. Presently, NHCI is setting up its own private career college with a focus on controlling access to training opportunities for healthcare staff and helping with faster integration of IEHPs into the labor force.

NEXIM is also working with the government and other professional accrediting organizations to simplify protocols so IEHPs coming to Canada can be granted shorter wait times to appear for the practice compliance tests. Additionally, with its facilities management unit, NEXIM is building a unique ecosystem consisting of short-term accommodation, site-to-site transportation, and several other amenities for staff who are willing to relocate for projects in hard-to-serve areas. In the process, the organization has created an entirely new business unit through which it has built a substantial real estate portfolio for its stakeholders while providing reliable services to its clients.

“Our vision is to become a leading healthcare manpower planning leader across North America through a combination of local and international healthcare human capital talent acquisition, placement, and career development in partnership with public, private, and Inter -government stakeholders,”- Mr. Lukenge explains.

Assisting Clients During the Pandemic

Overall, the pandemic proved advantageous for NEXIM and gave the business an ideal balance of risk and reward to expand its services. During the pandemic, NEXIM Healthcare grew its service area to the entire province and became a province-wide provider of its services. Due to its ability to combine lodging, site-to-site transportation, and the creation of isolation hubs for staff supporting various clients, NEXIM Healthcare quickly established itself as the go-to business for anyone in its region experiencing a COVID-related staffing crisis.

“Through earlier preparations and a solid business plan that prepared us for the pandemic without us actually knowing it was coming, our operation and logistics units fit perfectly in the country’s drive to lower community spread; hence we experienced rapid growth and grew our business by 150% year vs. year during the pandemic,“- remembers Mr. Lukenge.

Building An Unique Ecosystem to Support Remote Regions

With the help of Mr. Lukenge’s visionary leadership, NEXIM has become one of the very few healthcare staffing firms that have created a distinctive ecosystem to support organizations in remote locations with third-party staffing services without passing on high costs for short-term stays and logistics. NEXIM assists its clients in reducing their costs while still maintaining margins for itself by combining its expertise in real estate, vehicle fleet management, and management services.

NEXIM is one of Canada’s very few 24/365/7 days completely staffed healthcare staffing organizations. It provides seamless scheduling, intake, and timesheet tracking via a technology suite that combines scheduling, payroll, and accounting into one. This enables NEXIM’s clients to monitor staff on shifts from the comfort of their homes to the site with digital time cards used for payment and invoicing.

Looking at The Future

Presently NHCI is diversifying around its core services of providing third-party services to the healthcare industry. NHCI is also planning to set up a countrywide PCC network to help train both social and healthcare workers and to help  quickly integrate IEHPs into the Canadian labor force.

Also, through NEXIM’s philanthropic program NIDO, Mr. Lukenge intends to increase the number of scholarships for East and South African students to 10k yearly. Presently, through its 4E framework, NIDO provides scholarships to 400 students. Additionally, through the NIDO program, Mr. Lukenge aspires to help healthcare organizations with their international healthcare staff recruitment plans while helping them craft faster integration  protocols for  IEHPs.

“We are taking NEXIM Canada-wide though remodeling a dilapidated  commercial unit  which we are  equipping to become a  large Hub in the city of Hamilton, which will contain operations, shared services, and logistics unit hired based on  the different time zones   In Canada ,”- he says.

Entrepreneurship is a Game of Patience

Mr. Lukenge believes entrepreneurship is a game of patience, persistence, discipline, and comfort in loneliness; for the most part, an entrepreneur will work alone toward a business and idea. So, he suggests that young entrepreneurs should never forget it’s a long journey whose results can even take years to manifest, so when things do not work on their time, they should not despair.

“For those starting out, I can say that– our society or world has many needs or problems; find a way to solve one at a price that few can beat and let everyone know about it. Be disciplined and patient in a delay while working hard but find time to play. Remember to bring as many people with you as you can. The rest will take care of itself,”- he concludes.

Navigating The Tax Maze- 5 Blunders Entrepreneurs Should Avoid

Taxes are painful, business owners, but you’ve got to pay them to prevent hassles. Did you know that the IRS collected more than $4.1 trillion in taxes in 2021? And the number increases every year. That sounds gross, right?

And as a business owner, you must do more than file returns and pay your taxes on time. Steer clear of mistakes as you don’t want to leave any money on the table or face penalties. But let’s face it, entrepreneurs; navigating the tax maze can be confusing, overwhelming, and downright scary for newbies.

But don’t worry guys, we’ve got you covered with a list of common blunders you need to ditch to stay safe and keep your business on the right track. Here you go!

Blunder #1- Mixing personal and business expenses

Well, it is common for small business owners to use their credit cards for buying things for business and paying company bills. But it’s a recipe for disaster, guys. You may find yourself struggling to keep track of your business expenses in the first place.

Even worse, mixing expenses can raise a red flag with the IRS, which is the last thing you want to deal with. Use separate credit cards and maintain separate bank accounts to draw the line.

Blunder #2- Not maintaining accurate records

Not maintaining accurate records can surely land you in big trouble with the taxman. Failing to keep detailed and correct records of your financial transactions sets you up for potential errors in tax reporting.

Additionally, you may end up missing deadlines and facing penalties. The solution is simple- just stay ahead of records and keep them organized.

Blunder #3- Going without a strategy

Well, going without a strategy is another mistake you should avoid as an entrepreneur. For example, it makes sense to pay estimated taxes throughout the year instead of leaving them until the last minute. The massive expense may stress you out and topple your startup budget.

Why not rely on proven Tax Planning Strategies to navigate the journey easily? You can collaborate with experts to show you the way and help you stay afloat despite the challenges.

Blunder #4- Misclassifying workers

Misclassifying workers can lead to serious legal and financial trouble. If you’re hiring freelancers or independent contractors, classify them correctly for tax purposes. Misclassifying permanent workers as independent contractors can lead to hefty penalties and legal issues.

So, do your due diligence and classify your workers correctly. It can save you from big problems down the line!

Blunder #5- Not making the most of deductions and credits

Are you making the most of valid tax deductions? Are you claiming the credits you are eligible for? If you’re missing out on either of them, it’s time to reassess your plan. As an entrepreneur, you can explore plenty of legit deductions and credits.

They can lower your bills and help you keep your hard-earned cash. Research thoroughly and take advantage of all the deductions you’re entitled to

There you have it, folks. You must absolutely ditch these tax blunders as an entrepreneur. These mistakes can cost your business a bomb, but a little awareness and planning are enough to stay ahead of them.

Business simplified; 4 ways to help you expand your business

Growing your business is one of the most exciting and rewarding endeavors you can undertake. It requires careful planning, strategy, and implementation to ensure success. By exploring the possibilities of expanding your business, you can open up new opportunities for growth and profitability.

With the right strategies in place, you can increase your customer base, reach new markets, and make more money. In this article, we will discuss some key strategies for expanding your business and how they could help you grow your business even further.

Strategy #1 – Expand Your Reach Through Online Marketing and Social Media

For small businesses, online marketing and social media can be powerful tools to expand their reach and get the word out about their products and services. With the right strategy, small businesses can use these channels to build an engaged audience, increase brand visibility, and drive traffic to their website.

The key is to develop a comprehensive online marketing strategy that includes tactics such as SEO optimization, content creation, email campaigns, paid to advertise, and more. Additionally, it’s important to leverage social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn as part of your overall digital marketing plan. By doing so you can engage with potential customers in real time and create meaningful relationships with them.

Strategy #2 – Focus on Building Relationships with Your Customers

Building relationships with your customers is essential for any business. It helps to create loyalty, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately leads to increased sales. Customer engagement strategies such as customer loyalty programs and customer relationship management software can help companies achieve this goal.

These strategies can help businesses get to know their customers better, understand their needs and preferences, and provide them with personalized experiences that will keep them coming back for more. With the right tools in place, businesses can build strong relationships with their customers that will last for years to come.

Strategy #3 – Expand Your Business To The United States

Expanding your business to the United States is a great opportunity for growth and success. With an E2 visa, you can live and work in the US while running your business. There are many benefits to expanding your business to the United States, such as access to a larger market, more resources, and new opportunities. Many entrepreneurs are shifting their base to Georgia since it is quite a lucrative business field. Many people are heading to Marietta in order to expand their businesses. You can search for immigration lawyer marietta ga in order to help you find the right lawyer to get an E2 visa. These strategies can help you make an international impact on your business.

Strategy #4 – Invest in Automation To Increase Efficiency and Productivity

Automation is becoming increasingly important for small businesses looking to increase efficiency and productivity. Automation tools can help streamline processes, reduce the time spent on mundane tasks, and free up resources to focus on more important aspects of running a business.

These automated processes can be implemented with a range of automation software, from simple task automation to more complex process automation. By investing in the right automation tools for your business, you can save time and money while improving efficiency and productivity.

It is important to understand the different ways through which you can expand your business. Use this service by Markup to help you boost your business internationally.

Mário Leite da Silva: Assisting Clients in their Specific Business Problems

Mário Leite da Silva began his career in the banking industry and the assurance division of one of the Big 4 corporations. He has twenty-five years of experience, 15 of which were spent in top management positions with numerous industrial companies, business family offices, and financial institutions in several nations, including several listed companies on the stock exchange.

Mário was also an experienced university and post-university planning and management control professor until February 2020 and a member of the General and Supervisory Board of Porto Business School till April 2019. Mário also has extensive experience as a member of risk, audit, finance, and remuneration committees.

In 2020, Mário realized it was the right moment to launch his consulting project with an unequivocal and differentiated market position focused on value creation for his clients and not a mass market consulting company fighting on daily rates and with junior consultants. This led to the launch of PTCG, an independent management consultancy boutique that assists clients in their specific business problems related to planning, management, and control, change management, strategic planning, corporate finance, restructuring, project management, and specific challenges arising from family businesses. PTCG has the skills of a large management consulting company without its cost structure, so the company believes it can offer a highly competitive proposal with total flexibility to its client’s needs.

Rethinking the Way of Doing Business

PTCG operates in a reasonably relaxed work environment, and its team members get along well with each other. As part of its process of rethinking how it does business, the organization also promotes the introduction of fresh ideas and carefully considers each suggestion.

As the organization’s founder, Mário believes diversity and inclusion are essential topics not because they are now on the business leaders’ agenda but because they effectively increase the results of the companies. “It’s one of the topics that today, as members of some HR committees, we work more carefully given the cross-cutting impacts it can have on our organizations,“- he explained.

Creating Value for Clients

Since its inception, PTCG has grown a client base that recognizes the value that the company creates in each assignment independently of the experience of the promoters. “This is something special. To realize that the initial vision was right and that we can have a direct impact on our client’s portfolio, our teams, and our community,“- Mário said.

Looking at the Future

Under Mário’s leadership, PTCG wants to continue on the path of growth with consistency and profitability. PTCG also wants to help its teams to have a positive impact on its clients’ business. It is currently working on launching a new project that combines IT technology with management know-how as it believes that lifelong learning platforms are essential to improve its clients’ performance and to give them the tools that meet the current market volatility and complexity requirements.

Suggestions for Younger Self

Mário believes that when someone aspires to launch a new project, the individual should develop the concept carefully and study the market, competitors, and the client’s needs. He feels it is always better to be present in a context of growth, so it’s essential to tackle the timing for the launch properly. It’s never an easy journey, and young entrepreneurs must stay prepared to make some hard decisions. However, if the individual believes in the project and the vision, he/she should fight for it.

Data-Driven Decision-Making: Factors to Consider for Long-Term Success

Have you ever made a decision for your business based on a hunch or a gut feeling? While intuition can sometimes lead to positive outcomes, it’s not a reliable way to make long-term decisions. That’s where data-driven decision-making (DDDM) comes in.

According to a recent study, companies that prioritize DDDM are 5% more productive and 6% more profitable than those that do not. So, if you want your business to thrive in the long run, it’s crucial to incorporate DDDM into your decision-making processes.

But where do you start? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered!

Below we’ll discuss some crucial factors that you should consider to ensure long-term success with data-driven decision-making. So, let’s cut to the chase!

  • Data Quality

When it comes to DDDM, the quality of your data is crucial. Low-quality data can lead to incorrect insights and, ultimately, poor decision-making. On the other hand, high-quality data provides accurate insights and leads to better decisions.

That’s why you must ensure the data collected is reliable, complete, and relevant.

For this purpose, you need to establish clear data collection processes, verify the accuracy of your data, and regularly update and maintain your data.

  • Data Quantity

While making your business decisions, you may be tempted to think that more data is always better. However, the quantity of data is not always the most critical factor to consider. It’s important to focus on collecting the right data rather than simply collecting as much data as possible.

To ensure that you’re collecting the right data, you need to understand the Data Lineage– where it comes from and how it’s processed. It will help you determine which data is relevant to your decision-making processes and prioritize it.

On the other hand, if you stay focused on collecting too much data, it can turn out to be counterproductive. This can lead to analysis paralysis and make it more difficult to identify relevant insights.

  • Right Tools And Technology

When it comes to making data-driven decisions, having the right tools and technology can make all the difference. With the right tools, you can quickly and easily analyze data, gaining valuable insights. Similarly, investing in technology can help you automate data collection and analysis, making it faster and more efficient.

This means you can spend more time focusing on the insights that matter rather than getting bogged down in data processing.

Furthermore, visualizing data through technology makes it easier to understand and communicate insights to others. This can be particularly useful when presenting data to stakeholders or colleagues.

  • Skilled Professionals

Finally, to make the most of DDDM, you need skilled professionals who can interpret and analyze the data effectively. Additionally, they can identify patterns and trends that may not be immediately apparent, giving you a competitive edge in your industry.

Therefore, you should invest in training and development for your team, so they have the necessary skills and knowledge to work with data effectively. This will not only benefit your decision-making processes but also boost morale and job satisfaction among your team.

The Bottom Line,

 Data-driven Decision-making can be a powerful tool for achieving long-term success. By considering the factors discussed, you can ensure that your decisions are based on accurate insights and are optimized for success.

6 Ways To Help You Manage Challenges At Work

In every workplace, employees can face challenges. Organizations are complicated structures and can be influenced by several external pressures and workplace problems.  

So, every employee must learn how to manage their challenges at work. Doing this makes the difference between low productivity and effective high performance.  

Let’s find out ways you can manage challenges at work.  

  1. Speak with your employer 

Employee health is linked to work productivity. So, your employer must create a healthy work environment for the staff. When faced with challenges, start by conversing with your employer. The aim isn’t to complain, but to come up with an effective plan that would help mitigate the problems you have mentioned. 

This will help you to perform at your best. It might be embarrassing or maybe even frightening for instance to report sexual harassment. But, this will allow your employer the chance of correcting the challenge i.e making the harassment stop.  

If it doesn’t, then you know that the employer knows about the issue. When the employer is notified of the problem, they would investigate, find proof, and take the proper actions to address the issue which is usually a lawsuit.  

Not informing your employer about your situation might make the challenge worse. You might wonder what are the effects of sexual harassment in the workplace.  

One such obvious effect is less productivity due to insomnia, anxiety, and emotional distress. So, informing your employer makes the working environment conducive to your health.  

  1. Tackle the challenge piece by piece 

Most people are unable to tackle a challenge they face at work because it looks so big. Every challenge is mainly made up of smaller steps with easy solutions. So, start by finding the best and worst-case scenarios.  

Then try to find the most realistic scenario. Now, divide the issue into more minor problems, and find a solution for each split part. When you go through this motion, you would start focusing on the solutions instead of being blinded by the issue.  

  1. Admit mistakes 

Sometimes, a challenge might be due to a mistake you made. So, admitting to your mistake is the best move you can make. There isn’t a problem with admitting to your mistake, especially if it impedes you from solving a challenge.  

This shows that you want to grow, and are a person of character. Many people view admitting mistakes as a sign of weakness, but ultimately, honesty will always be appreciated by others in the office. 

  1. Seek counsel from experienced colleagues 

While working, you might face problems that you haven’t encountered before. When such a situation occurs, seeking advice from experienced colleagues who might have faced such challenges in the past is best.  

If you have a good relationship with your colleagues, speak with them. Ask them to help you understand your difficulty. Genuinely ask them for help to know what action or decisions to make.  

People love to help, especially when approached positively. Also, you can seek counsel from your community to help you through the difficulty. They can include mentors or trusted peers. Seek out their perspective.  

Seek help from them about the problem and also how you intend to solve it. Ensure they know your thought process and also why you may or may not agree with them. When you have an inquiring mind, it helps you to be perceived as questioning and not negative. 

  1. Take time to understand the challenge  

It can be unnerving when faced with a challenge in your workplace. You would be unable to think straight, start panicking and your face might even turn red. But, you shouldn’t seek to solve the challenge right away as you might even put more stress on yourself.  

Instead, take a break then go for a walk. Take time to think. You can even close your eyes briefly or go to the gym. Irrespective of what you choose, take time to understand the challenge. This helps you get a better view of the problem.  

  1. Use challenges to your advantage 

Sometimes, challenges at work can be a good thing. They can let you grow in your role and better yourself. They are also a good opportunity to build problem-solving skills which you can use as an example of how you overcame a challenge. Challenges also let you learn new things. It could be the right way to interact with others or a new skill.  

Final Words  

One part of the preparation for daily office life is to be prepared for the unexpected. Challenges come unannounced and they can affect the balance of your workflow in the process. But, having the right plans and procedures in place helps in managing the challenges you might face in unpredictable situations

Towerwall: Pioneering Cyber Security Consulting

Established by Michelle Drolet, Towerwall helps its clients by providing them with continuous monitoring and protection against current and evolving cyber threats. As the industry’s leading data security preparedness partner, Towerwall’s end-to-end solutions help to bridge the gap between plan and action to ensure its clients’ security.

Michelle also co-founded the annual Information Security Summit in partnership with Mass Bay Community College, with the purpose of creating an open forum for knowledge sharing between cyber professionals, vendors, and students. Additionally, the summit also serves as a vehicle to raise funds to provide academic scholarships in the field of cybersecurity for MassBay students in their Cyber Program. Till date, more than $55,000 has been raised for scholarships. Michelle also serves on the college’s advisory board to help shape its cybersecurity curriculums.

Recently we got a chance to sit down with Michelle to learn more about Towerwall and how the cyber security company is safeguarding its clients from modern-day cyber threats.

Below are the highlights of the interview.

Please tell us about your professional journey.

Michelle: In college, I studied criminal justice, so from an early age, I’ve been interested in stopping the bad guys. In 1993 I was hired to run the US operations for an IT consulting business that was making inroads into cybersecurity. The company was acquired by a public entity, but I grew disenchanted with its direction and found a way to buy the company back. Since 1999 we’ve been offering customized cybersecurity preparedness and end-to-end solutions that bridge the gap between plan and action to ensure resiliency for organizations of all sizes.

Please throw some light on Towerwall and its services.

Michelle: Regardless of company size, almost every modern organization struggles with cybersecurity. Our clients trust Towerwall to provide them with continuous monitoring and protection against current and evolving threats. We learned early on that there is no single piece of technology or system that will keep any organization completely secure. There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. That’s why Towerwall developed an operational security approach that distinguishes our services in the market. A methodology that is not only consistent, repeatable, and measurable but also flexible enough to adapt to the changing threat landscape. We call this customizable approach the “7 Dimensions of Cybersecurity,” which all organizations, regardless of industry or security maturity, should adopt to establish a multi-dimensional, multi-layered, proactive security defense.

Services include establishing a program and developing policies, conducting security audits and risk assessments, threat detection and response, guidance on abiding by compliance and regulations, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, vendor questionnaires, employee awareness training, and many other security services. Our customer engagements last for several years, and these include Foundation Medicine, Middlesex Savings Bank, Dean College, Milford Regional Medical Center, Perkin Elmer, and local SMBs.

What are the primary challenges of the industry?

Michelle: The primary challenge facing our cybersecurity industry has really been about the glaring shortage of professionals who are well-versed in security, risk management, and compliance. To meet this high demand for skilled talent, Towerwall launched an innovative service called virtual CISO — a personal service to take on the responsibilities and duties associated with the Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO), the virtual Data Protection Officer (vDPO), and the virtual Chief Privacy Officer (vCPO). These roles are brought in-house for client engagements on a fractional or interim basis. These fractional services roles also act as a huge competitive differentiator and advantage.

How is Towerwall disrupting the entire industry for the better?

Michelle: Cybersecurity is multi-dimensional. Organizations need a partner who can deliver a coordinated end-to-end solution response. We like to guide our clients through all the phases of cybersecurity. That’s why we developed a unique security approach (the “7 Dimensions of Cybersecurity”) that is not only consistent, repeatable, and measurable but flexible enough to adapt to the changing threat landscape. As a market leader, our content marketing focuses on sharing the latest in active threats, vulnerabilities, and tactical steps our clients can take. Each month we hold webinars and in-person events to keep our clients and prospects informed and engaged.

Please explain the effect of the pandemic on Towerwall. How did you overcome it?

Michelle: Because we are a security tech company, most of our staff were already working remotely, having been set up with secure VPN connections long ago, ensuring business continuity in the face of the pandemic. We were fortunate to have hired people who are truly self-motivated. Also fortunate to have had 70% of our staff working remotely before Covid hit. We didn’t miss a beat. Today we support a hybrid work week with limited staff who do come into the office. This is what we believe creates a proactive, positive corporate culture that make our team deliver to the fullest.

What are your priorities for 2023?

Michelle: Towerwall plans to continue to grow and expand both our customer base and consultants globally. Our business model is all about partnerships. Recently we forged new vendor partnerships with Pentera and CyberSaint (adding them to our stable of 50-plus cyber-tech partners) to help our customers manage their cybersecurity programs as well as assist our consultants when conducting risk assessments. Other partners include Alert Logic, Varonis, LogRhythm, KnowBe4, Tenable, Sophos, and many other recognized brands.

Give us a piece of advice that you would share with entrepreneurs just starting out.

Michelle: For young entrepreneurs just starting out, it’s important to state your values clearly and upfront.  We believe in finding the right balance between work and family. Our values are about having focus, determination, and compassion. We all face challenges in our personal and business life, but the ability to persevere is the difference between success and failure. Particularly in business, nothing is more important than solving your customer’s needs. We often compete and win against larger players because our team has a ‘run through the wall’ attitude. Make teamwork a priority.

Mehul Mahicha: An Illustrious Film Director Personality creating Engaging Creative Content for Brands

Mehul Mahicha is an Animation Film Director, Producer, and Co-founder at Vivi5 Studios. He is an exceptional film designer in the business of storytelling. Along with his partner, Co-Director Rita Dhankani, the duo aims to help growing brands reach their true potential by connecting them with their audiences, through engaging-impactful film communications!

The Initial Journey

Animation is something that interested Mehul since childhood. It was magnified after his post-graduation in Animation Film Design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad in 2002. He started working in the industry as an Animation Director and worked as a Content Creator for Kids’ Channels in India. During this period, he also worked under some illustrious mentors like Sir. Rammohan at Graffiti Multimedia, Prakash Moorthy at Miditech, and Eeks Suresh at Famous Studios.

In 2009, he started his journey as an entrepreneur Co-Founding “Vivi5 Studios” with fellow NIDian & partner, Rita Dhankani. And in the past 14 years, they have partnered with some of the renowned Advertising Agencies, Corporate houses, Startups, and NGOs; in the country and across four continents.

Unicef India, UNDP, Ashok Leyland, Dentsu Webchutney, McCann, Leo Burnett, DDB Mudra, Tata Sky, Tata Elxsi, SBI Card, Amazon India, DataShurbs, Razorpay, are some of their esteemed clients over these years.

Mentoring is Mehul’s second love after filmmaking and he is ever ready to guide his team at Vivi5 Studios, film students, and aspiring designers in this domain. He is also an External Advisory Board Member for MIT Design Institute, Pune, and a frequent External Jury member at Srishti School of Design.

About Vivi5 Studios

Think, design, create, and connect to bring impact!

Vivi5 Studios is an award-winning one-stop Film Content and Design Agency building stellar Brand Stories for growing businesses.

“When I say stellar brand video content, I mean we do what it takes to grab your audience’s attention, make them pause and hear what you have to say, and ultimately take action to bring you results. How do we do that? By blending storytelling mediums, and design thinking,” states Mehul.

Both Mehul and Rita, come from multidisciplinary backgrounds such as animation, film, art, design, advertising & film-making. And as avid design thinkers and mentors, they make sure they cultivate the same in their teams and help them develop as design thinkers first and then as designers or animators. They nurture a creative team to cater to varied sectors but also multiply the studio’s expertise as a multidisciplinary film and design agency.

Apart from a good quality product/service, every growing business needs a good story to communicate its ‘brand’ value to the customers. Vivi5 Studios help them to do so by designing and developing unique custom-made engaging stories to build up this brand awareness amongst their users for greater returns.

Their USP is a varied story-telling palette such as 2D & 3D Animation, Stop Motion, Motion Graphics, and live action. In short, they do what it takes to help their clients sell better when it comes to creating promotional and awareness films in the most effective ways across varied platforms and geographies.

Their main offers include Content creation from Concept to Screen, Brand Identity, Advertising Films, Brand Films, Corporate Videos, Promotional Films, Explainer videos, Education Films, and Brand Design Consultancy; for both Broadcast, Digital Platforms and at times for print media, as well.

As brand communication experts, their job is to get an in-depth understanding of the brand/client, their requirements, and their target audiences; and bring them the right kind of film and design solutions.

Mehul is proud to share that his partnerships with clients are for the longer run, and his client’s success is his success “What helps us create unique solutions is our design thinking process. It is the magic mantra to building success stories for our clients,” adds Mehul.

Wall of Achievement

  • FOXGLOVE Awards 2022 – Best use of Animation for PSA ‘BHOOK’ The Hunger
  • ANN Awards 2022 – Best use of Animation for PSA ‘BHOOK’ The Hunger
  • FOXGLOVE Awards 2020 – Best CSR Film for ‘HAPPY EARTH DAY
  • FICCI Award 2017 – Best Animation Ad for Y K ORGANICS MYNTRA, INDIA
  • FICCI Awards 2016 – Best Animation Film (nomination) For ‘Wahga Time’ I Khalifa University, UAE
  • TASI Awards 2015 – Best Animation Film (nomination) for Right to Education I UNICEF, India

Cherishing a Collective Growth-Driven Environment

One thing that keeps team Vivi5 going is their common love for storytelling for brands. The company works for diversified industry verticals such as Automobile, Fintech, Healthtech, Lifestyle, E-Commerce, Fashion, FMCG, Health, E-learning, Telecom, Electronics, Consumer Products, Banking, etc. Their primary aim is to create content that touches the hearts and ignites the minds, of all their stakeholders.

Vivi5 Studio’s vision is to empower collective growth for all its Stakeholders: Clients, Teams, and companies. That’s their 3-win formula.

The Studio believes in collective growth and that’s what keeps Mehul motivated. His studio provides consistent in-depth design knowledge, why-s & how-s, and practical experience while unparallel scope on upgrading creative skills for its employees through day-to-day learning and knowledge sharing that is at par with any international design institute.

Current Market Trends

Today’s content has become more user-specific. It’s not simply limited to one celebrity using a product that influences many buyers. Rather it’s the buyer, who is now a celebrity influencing the sales. Personalised content has taken over center stage as there has been a remarkable sales increase of 20% when brands nurture individual customer relationships. Nearly 92% of the buyers trust individual recommendations.

  • Influencer marketing is the most evident trend and has grown multifold, especially during the lockdown. B2C and D2C communications seem to have a great scope when it comes to content creation and business generation. It is in fact, responsible for the fast-growing technology solutions that are equally influencing marketing and advertising strategies. When one sees nearly 4000+ apps being created every day globally, one knows it’s an internet swaraj.
  • Reels are on fire. It’s one trend that every brand is leveraging. Unscripted or scripted, polished or crude; these reels are welcomed by audiences who are content creators or are aspiring to be one. Live videos are helping brands attract leads, get rich customer data, and generate new businesses, and most stay future-ready.
  • Interactive storytelling content is yet another promising format that works well for the current shorter-attention-span criteria for effective communication. More and more brands are building interactive and immersive storytelling content, as they don’t want to lose their audiences amidst many brand promotions, where each is working on bringing more impressions with every post. Brands are moving to bring an immersive storytelling experience.

“If you observe any of the content today, it’s within the first 2 to 3 secs of the video you see the CTA appear to hold the viewer’s attention from clicking the ‘skip ad’ option. Hence, businesses are moving towards more engaging and immersive storytelling narratives now more than ever,” states Mehul.

All in all, it’s a chain effect. With a focus on personalised advertising, there’s a change in the way content is being designed, optimized, and showcased. Storytelling for brands is changing to a concise format to engage the audiences of today, in the quickest way possible.

Getting Future Ready

Vivi5 Studios aspires to assist more and more businesses on their potential growth path through its expertise. “Storytelling has always been as immersive but translating it into a physical space experience is something we are aiming to do,”– explains Mehul. The company is currently in talks with brands to collaborate where its designers, animators, and visualizers can work with programmers, engineers, and data specialists to come up with immersive storytelling solutions for its clients and audiences. With a symbiotic association as such in the upcoming times, Vivi5 Studios aims to expand its horizons and reach a wider audience base.

“As a creative content agency, we will always face new challenges while keeping up with the latest trends in the marketing and advertising industry. We also need to bring more awareness of the importance of capitalising on immersive storytelling video content to growing businesses. And how can they make the most in their social media and the digital marketing campaigns to enhance their brand positioning and generate more value.”– says Mehul.

To bring this awareness, Vivi5 Studios is actively talking about creative storytelling and its need for the hour, through its publications on LinkedIn Vivi5 posts.

They are also developing IPs to help create effective yet affordable video content for brands, who want to engage with their users on regular bases but find it tough to test the waters at a cost that is way beyond their marketing budgets.

A Promising Time

“As we move from the Internet of Things (IOT) to the Internet of Place (IOP)and the Internet of Ownership (IOO), we foresee a paradigm shift in all sectors. Metaverse and Web3 will transform every aspect of the business narratives. Challenge it that it’s going to change how you interact with customers, how we work, products and services we offer, how we make and distribute them, how we run and operate our business/es, everything in-between and beyond.”

Vivi5 Studios is excited to take up this new challenge as it is working towards building content that will be easily adaptable to this versatile, evolving, expanding continuum. Being a multidisciplinary creative agency that is known for creating excellent content in the past amongst its partners, and where information can seamlessly be transformed from 2D to 3D to Live action, Mehul is sure that Vivi5 Studios is ready as it already has the expertise and tools to hone the upcoming new trends of communication of the future.

As an executive director of the studio that offers creative content, design, direction, and production, Mehul aims to explore new ways to ‘immersive storytelling’ in the Metaverse that will shape the future of content in the coming years.

Words of Wisdom

“These are exciting times for all of us as we see 5G on a rollout in India, leading Metaverse & Web3 to come into play. There will certainly be more competition and more challenges, and we all will be part of it. But in the end, a good-story will always be at the core of it all. And it will be our focus, all the time.” – Mehul.

Melanie Kossan: Cultivating Happier and Healthier Souls through Natural Remedies

A lifelong entrepreneur, natural wellness Aadvocate, leader, mother, and innovator, Melanie Kossan is a woman of many virtues.

Professing the significance of self-care, she knew a little about CBD and dove into research further to benefit the community in that area. “If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself”, Mindy Kaling said, and Melanie Kossan perfectly fit in this picture.

The aspiring woman leader has always loved learning, but she has never been able to focus long enough to attend college or acquire a degree beyond high school. She asked questions, read, and listened to podcasts and audiobooks.

Her Initial Journey to Start Mtn Mama, LLC

With a supportive family and her zeal to make an impact, Melanie took to building the foundation of Mtn Mama.

The company manufactures all the products they market, and they are now manufacturing for other companies. Their B2B offerings range widely and include White Label, Private Label, and Wholesale. Essentially, they can create anything you want, label it with your name, and support you in marketing it.

To ensure maximum safety, I tried all the products extensively on my family, my dogs, and myself during the product research. I had a good feeling about the outcome. I’ve since developed all of my own formulations. Product creation is still one of my favourite areas of my job, and I still do it now. She added, “We develop topical and ingestible products for people and their dogs.

With Mtn Mama, Melanie’s mission is to: “Cultivate happier, healthier souls through the production and sale of natural remedies that relieve pain, anxiety, and other ailments which interfere with the lifestyle you DESERVE!”

Stillwater Hemp – The Renowned Montana-based CBD company

Incorporated in 2017, Mtn Mama produces, distributes, and retails all-natural CBD, CBG, and CBN topicals and tinctures for people and animals. Stillwater Hemp is a renowned CBD firm with headquarters in Montana. Here, products are prepared with only natural, organic, and premium cannabinoid extracts from hemp farming in the United States.

Additionally, they are providing business opportunities, Private Labeling Services, CBD School and CBD School 2.0, and training individuals on how to start their own CBD businesses. They also accept speaking engagements and have established the first CBD Distributors Association.

Melanie’s Definition of Success

Melanie believes deeply that when her clients are successful, she is too!

“When my clients and consumers share their success stories with me, I can see that I am doing something right. I enjoy listening to people’s tales since they are unique, and everyone has one. When someone tells me a story about how working with my company has impacted their life for the better, to me, that is success”, she further apprised.

Achievements Along the Way

Sharing accomplishments has never been easy for Melanie. Because it isn’t about her, it’s about her customers. Some of her clients have fur, but others don’t. In any case, she does this so she may watch them accomplish things they previously couldn’t.

The Enigmatic Future of Mtn Mama

Mtn Mama has grown from being a one-woman show in a home office to now having a skilled workforce, a manufacturing and retail facility in Columbus, Montana, and other locations. Their future plan is to accelerate their growth and boost sales.

“My aims are never time-bound because they can turn out to be just that. I’ll be ready to sell much sooner than I anticipate”, shared the inspiring leading lady.

Words of wisdom

I have learned a lot in this business. I’ve learned a lot of lessons the hard way, and I promise you – that is expensive! Always have a mentor or advisor—someone who has done this before. Don’t choose someone who is too encouraging. A mentor who will tell you when you are wrong, your new idea is garbage, or you are wasting your time on a particular project will be far more valuable than someone who only speaks in rainbows. Get a mentor.

From the CEO’s Desk – A Recent Case Study at Mtn Mama

I’ll close by sharing one of my favourite tales about a furry friend or client. Kota is a 12-year-old German Sheppard-Bull Mastiff mix. He is handsome and debonaire and dumb as a box of rocks. He has all heart and no brain. He will bring you a gift as soon as you walk in the door. You can admire it and express gratitude to him for it, but you cannot take it. He enjoys snuggling and being the “small spoon” as well. He was somewhat limping one day. He wouldn’t put any weight on that leg the following day. His ACL tore, according to Dr Vet. Kota would probably require both legs to be operated on, which would be incredibly expensive. He then started using the CBD/CBG/CBN supplement that Mtn Mama, LLC produces. He had previously taken it, but only sometimes. Now he took it in the morning and at night. Within days he was able to run around with his BFF Bea almost as well as he used to! His ACL will heal a little each day, and the pain will be minimal. But as long as he can play with Bea and bring me gifts, everything is right as rain.

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