admin, Author at Tycoon Success

10 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills

Communication skills is one of the required skill for any employee and businessman in every field of work. Being able to communicate with people creates your impact and impression on them. Better speaking abilities help you to get tangled in daily conversation and people easily. If you have a vast knowledge of things but are unable to communicate your ideas firmly, then your thoughts and innovative ideas cannot reach many people.

The ability to communicate with people often helps you in your personal and professional life. One cannot develop good communication abilities in one night or a year. It is a long process; you must be attentive and a learner throughout your life. If you are practicing daily for the skill which you want to acquire then you can be able to get perfection in any skill. Communication is a two-way process, so the most essential thing is practice, it helps to flourish your abilities and perfect your skills. First, try to understand anyone in front of you, and then by thinking in mind give an appropriate and suitable answer or explanation to him. Many people try to give quick responses to others while discussing, but this is the absolutely wrong thing; you should prepare your solution by analyzing that person’s point of view and then give a response to it.

So, let’s seek some basic steps to improve communication at personal and professional levels.

Enhance your listening abilities

If you think speaking has a vital role in communication, it is not entirely true because listening is also a very important part of communication. If you listen to the other person carefully and give 100 percent attention to him, you get more prepared for your response because if you know the subject and issue, you can conveniently give your response to that person. While talking with another person, if you take a call or are busy with some other work, your distracted personality can make an impression on that person. So be attentive and reactive while talking with others, especially with professional people.

Try to put forth your ideas in a simple way

No matter how much people listen to you or who listens to you, just convey and deliver your ideas in simple words with confidence. One thing is you noticed that people listen and give keen attention towards those things and communicate where they sound like some simple things. Actually, simply delivering complex ideas or things is an art of communication! So anyone can gain it by practicing and observing small things. So it does not matter how difficult things are; make it simple stupid!

Be confident and self-aware

Your good communication is the reflection of your self-belief and confidence through which you are able to impress people. If you are clear about your thoughts, emotions, and ideas, you can easily communicate with people by pulling their attention and interest toward your speech; this is called self-awareness. Emotional intelligence plays an integral part in all processes of communication. Self-aware people with good emotional intelligence can handle various hard and exciting situations with great attitudes. So before listening to others in the communication process, give priority to listening to your mind and inner voice; then you don’t need to hesitate while speaking.

Focus on Body Language

Though now, there are virtual meetings and videoconferencing in business meetings as well as any other meeting. But body language is necessary for the communication process between two people. The position of your hand, crossing your legs, and eye contact with another person define your personality and speaking skills. So give, focus on your movements, and make eye contact while communicating with people.

Pay attention to your tone and voice.

At the time of any conversation, voice tone matters the most. Tone or voice is not much important during informal communication, but at a professional and formal level, your voice tone tells many things about your overall personality. Sometimes many understandings between people happen due to the wrong pitch of voice during the discussion, don’t be so loud. Say your point with politeness and softness. Your low-pitched voice and etiquette tell about your calm nature and thinking mind. So also, in tough situations, think in your mind before you say something and then answer calmly.

Make eye contact

Effective eye contact shows your confidence level with people while communicating. It shows the honest side of your personality. Making eye contact with a communicator tells you that you are paying full attention to his speaking and are interested in talking with him. Don’t creep in between the communication; it creates a wrong impression and misconception.

Ask Questions

Good communication happens when one is eager to ask a question to another person. It shows the interest of that person in his speaking. This questioning of one another results in the exchange of information and knowledge between the two people, which is known as effective communication. As discussed in one of the above processes, communication is a two-way process. The response from another person matters the most to continue the speaking between the two people.

Clear in mind before speaking

If we share our thoughts or ideas with people, especially at a professional level, then make sure to think and plan about the important points in our minds. In formal cases and at any other time, try to speak after you get clear in your mind, which helps you convey your point of view to another. Do not stand in front of people without preparation or practice for any important meeting or presentation because this communication does not impact the audience or listeners.

Be to the point

The sign of an effective communicator is that it catches the desired subject or topic on which he has to speak. You have seen the leaders in the world who communicate with people at the time of the speech, they already prepare the important points and topics to cover, and they can effectively put their thoughts up to their audience. The other benefit of speaking is you get clear about your thoughts and don’t hesitate while speaking. Many times while saying, people think that effective communication means too much speaking, but it makes a wrong impact on other people. If you talk by considering specific ideas and thoughts, then people start to give you respect and value to your sayings and visions.

Record your voice while speaking

Good communication is not an inborn skill. You have to acquire it through practice and keeping yourself updated. But it requires consistency. To improve your communication skills, you can try one simple process. You only have to record or make your video while speaking on different topics and observe your body language, voice tone, pronunciation, and confidence level, which help you brush up your skill daily. By giving only half an hour for this process, you will get better at communication within a few months or years. You will notice your changing personality and communication level in a few years by practicing it daily.

Bizsu: Helping with Best Energy Savings Solutions

Founded in 2019, Singapore-based Bizsu helps companies save 25% on air conditioning consumption by using a very simple and patented net. Bizsu helps its clients by providing the easiest and one of the most energy-saving solutions on the market presently. It does not use high-tech solutions like others; instead, it uses a low-tech solution entirely made of natural ingredients.

Over a century ago, Willis Carter invented the air-conditioning machine, which is about the same type we use nowadays. Although very useful, we humans added this system everywhere possible, resulting in an enormous amount of pollution. So, now we need maximum energy efficiency to minimize its impact as soon as possible. Bizsu wants to help its clients reduce their carbon footprint and energy consumption. For example, the startup ran a pilot at CapitaLand, and the result showed that it has achieved up to 51% savings on their AHU in LogisTech, a certified Green Mark Platinum Super-Low Energy building and one of the most efficient buildings in Singapore.

Bizsu’s primary solution, named CONTINEWM®, is a Japanese patented net made out of a specific ceramic, saving 25% on air-conditioning consumption on average. Unlike any other energy-saving solutions, CONTINEWM® fits every kind of air conditioning system, making it accessible and compatible for all. This also uniformizes the temperature while purifying air, requires only a few minutes for installation, fits any air conditioning system, and lasts a lifetime.

As a startup, Bizsu has witnessed companies set up carbon reduction objectives without the knowledge to implement them effectively. So, the firm also provides sustainability workshops to educate employees regarding climate change, and then according to their company activities, BIZSU helps them define the initiatives they want to carry out in the short, mid, and long term.

Saving the Environment

Brice Degeyter, a serial entrepreneur, a human-centric person, and an environmental defensor, founded Bizsu in 2019. While working on his dream job in 2016, Brice was shocked by how we humans treated the environment and amazed by the solutions and opportunities available to us. Brice then decided to devote his time and energy to bringing sustainability solutions with maximum impact.

Experienced in sustainability initiatives for several big companies, Brice understands the importance of making customers loyal, suppliers happier, and employees prouder. Under his leadership, Bizsu works with some of the biggest companies, including CapitaLand, Keppel, JLL, Bollore Logistics, Food-Panda, etc.

Asian Market Trends

Brice believes that the Asian market has enormous potential, and he feels this is just the beginning. According to a poll by JLL in the Asia Pacific region, as much as 70% of organizations were willing to pay higher rents for green-certified buildings. So, an increasing number of employees and companies want to focus on sustainability and environmentalism. Also, the younger generation prefers to work for an organization that cares for the environment. Another research says, around 40% of millennials have selected a job due to the sustainability factor of the company, whereas 70% feel that their company’s good sustainability plan will encourage them to work there long term. So, working for the environment is essential to attracting and retaining talent. This showcases how all the stakeholders are ready to pay a premium for sustainability; hence, going green is definitely worth the company’s cost.

Changed Priorities

Once founded, Bizsu started offering different solutions. As many sustainable solutions exist, Brice wanted every company to know them and be able to buy and use them. However, it failed to meet the market need. Eventually, Brice realized air conditions represent 30% of Singapore’s CO2 emissions. With the massive number of air conditions across the country, Bizsu and its clients have a lot to gain by saving energy. So, step-by-step, the company focused entirely on air conditions and devoted time and energy towards bringing sustainability solutions to maximize effect and impact.

“Air conditioning represents an astronomical amount of Singapore’s CO2 emissions, roughly 30%, so we want to provide the region with our solution and help save one million tons of CO2 in Singapore by 2027.”– says Brice.

Mission and Vision

As an organization, Bizsu aspires to create fast ROI and easy-to-implement solutions to reduce energy consumption for real estate, hotels, warehouses, and schools. The firm wants to help clients reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible for as long as possible.

Sustainability for Bizsu means reducing the amount of CO2. So, as a business specializing in energy savings, Bizsu’s main priority is to help companies do that. It believes that the best strategy for companies to reach their objective is to focus on sustainability and reducing carbon emissions.

“We should not have to compromise between business and sustainability. Both are compatible, and we prove it every day.“- states Brice.

Preparing for the Future

Bizsu believes that we are currently in the age of the sustainability revolution. Earlier it was the digital revolution of the 1990s and 2000s. Now a sustainability revolution is ready to start, indicating that if businesses fail to choose the proper course of action, they will struggle. We have already seen several companies, like Kodak, Blockbuster, etc., fail due to a lack of adoption. So, as we witnessed decades ago, if businesses are not evolving quickly enough, they will face serious consequences. In the coming years, just like the digital world is crucial to our daily lives now, businesses will have to focus on doing good for the environment.

Mary Radenkovic: Celebrating Feminity by Creating Iconic Styles

Meet Mary Radenkovic, the founder and designer of London-based women’s luxury brand Lavishly Appointed. Hailing from the Mediterranean, Mary’s connection to the sea and nature, coupled with her love for fashion, inspired her to create her own brand that celebrates femininity, style, and luxury with sustainable practices at the forefront of the process. The brand was created for like-minded women seeking unique and eye-catching dynamic pieces that can take them from day through night.

Launched in 2016 in London, Lavishly Appointed offers essential costumes, bikinis, loungewear, innovative body adornments, and dresses that are designed and developed by Mary.

Following its philosophy, ‘buy less, buy better,’ the luxury resort brand creates several unique, multifunctional, and timeless pieces with a razor-sharp focus on craftsmanship. Most of the products made by the brand are artisanally handmade by women for women.

It’s all About Sustainability

Mary says, “The company values are all about sustainability. The swimsuits are made out of recycled plastic. Resortwear is 90% handmade – in that way, we are helping artisan women.” The brand’s garments are made of exclusive, premium, sustainable materials. The brand doesn’t believe in only practicing sustainability. Instead, it strives to create a movement to spread awareness. In order to bring change and awareness, Lavishly Appointed has started the ‘Save the Fish campaign,’ encouraging its clientele to participate in the change. When clients buy any products bearing the brand’s Goldfish logo, 20% of the profit goes to several non-profit organizations working on ocean wildlife preservation and the reduction of plastic pollution.

However, when it comes to practicing sustainability, Lavishly Appointed’s manufacturing process uses solar energy to power its warehouse. Additionally, it is also fighting for equal pay for the workers. Mary and her team at the company want to show that they are not only selling fashion products but are also selling a lifestyle and a message.

In addition to its environmental awareness, Lavishly Appointed takes great pride in handling the production process. The human aspect is also cherished in every step of the production process, taking into account the human rights of every artisan by providing a nourishing environment for their creative process. As a firm supporter of women’s and children’s rights, Mary makes sure that Lavishly Appointed’s female employees have equal status with its male workforce.

The True Mentor

Although Mary is friends with many successful entrepreneurs willing to share their words of wisdom, she only considers her late grandfather as her true mentor. Also, a fashion designer, Mary’s late grandfather helped her develop a genuine passion for fashion at a very young age that has been with her.

Mary made sketches for her first collection at the age of 12 and started working in the fashion world at 15. Initially, she worked as a model for beachwear, make-up, and hair products and became a face for multiple European brands.

Suggestions for Younger Self

Mary suggests that entrepreneurs must love what they do. She says, “You can only be your own and enjoy your own success if you have fought for it, failed several times, and eventually achieved it yourself. I think it is when you turn behind and reflect on everything that happened, and you realize that despite all the difficulties, you managed to get your idea and your dream to come true.”

Picture of the Future

Mary’s goal is to go back to the days of handmade production, just to bring back individuality and uniqueness. So, every design from Lavishly Appointed is entirely handmade by some of the finest artisans in the business.

When it comes to the future, the brand is hoping to have its own fashion show at the Miami Fashion Week. Mary states, “Opening our first branch store would be the next challenge and the next step, but we have not yet decided on the details.”

Rajiv Malik: Revolutionizing the Digital Ink Experience

Established in 1983 in Japan, Wacom is a global leader in the pen display and tablet market for creative users across the planet. The brand Wacom is derived from the word ‘Wa,’ which means Harmony in Japanese. Wacom products are widely used by the creative communities, including; illustrators, animators, graphic designers, editors, fashion designers, and industrial design professionals.

“Led by its current Sr. Director, Rajiv Malik, Wacom India also provides digital ink solutions for its wide range of partners at the global level Wacom is providing Ink solutions to various partners using and producing tablets and smartphones. However, Wacom India is focussed on developing Creative, Education, and Digital Signature solution markets only.”

Journey of the Leader

Rajiv started his professional career with an exciting opportunity to promote Professional Recording Media products in Film and Television Studios, News and Entertainment Channels, Independent Documentaries, and Film Makers.

He says, “As I networked with the industry, and made many good industry friends while interacting with some of the amazing and highly successful Creative Directors, Artists, and Technical Heads, I felt the need to go deeper to understand how technological advancements are helping the industry to unleash the creativity.”

This was the crucial time of transition for the industry from analog to digital. It eventually enabled Rajiv to switch to the core industry of A/V professionals, where core broadcast and digital imaging products have been an integral part of all film and broadcast studios. With Electronics Engineering as a base qualification, Rajiv has always been very passionate about working closely with the Creative Community and Technologists. He has also pursued a master’s degree in Business Administration at a later stage.

Not a Typical IT Company

“What I learned while joining Wacom is that it’s not a typical IT trading company.”– Says Rajiv. Creativity flows in Wacom’s DNA. It designs products with a strong intention of supporting creative professionals. He adds, “Diversified culture, strong leadership, values, and ethics, with creativity at the core, were reasons enough for me to join this amazing company. This very well resonated with my previous work background.”

Rajiv’s most ambitious project is transforming traditional Wacom office set-ups into Creative Experience Centers. He plans to redesign these spaces to reverberate with creative minds, not just for aspiring artists but also for internal team members. He feels Wacom’s customers must get the feel of its products by simulating an artistic environment. Along with the metro cities, Rajiv also plans to expand Wacom India’s presence in smaller cities and towns to provide the best experience to the widely spread creative communities with diverse backgrounds.

Tackling the Pandemic

Rajiv says, “Though the Pandemic was unfortunate for all, however on the brighter side, our business saw exponential growth.”

The pandemic increased the practical usage of pen tablets in the education sector. During the lockdown period, academicians discovered how digital pen tablets and displays play a critical role in remote teaching and learning. It helped people realize the power of digital tools, helping professionals and students communicate much more effectively without missing the natural flow of knowledge transfer.

Soon distance education became much less cumbersome. With more accessible and effective education, many of the ed-tech groups came forward and established themselves very quickly. Rajiv further adds, “The Media and Entertainment industry saw a big shift towards OTT. Access to Creative as well as Academic Education, and WFH for the Corporate sector gave a big boost to our business.”

Current Market

Rajiv feels the market is changing rapidly, even faster than it ever did in the past. With the ever-changing situation, most institutions that have already experienced the advantage of digital tools are constantly working on setting up Hybrid set-ups/classrooms for a long-term perspective. He believes the market has evolved to a large extent and will continue to evolve in segments like education, film, and television production in the coming years. Also, content creation for cinemas is bouncing back to its earlier levels after two consecutive years of slowdown.

Picture of the Future

Wacom plans to further develop and introduce its state-of-the-art products and cutting-edge technologies to support artists express their creativity safely. Rajiv says, “Supporting communities by introducing easier-to-use, highly accurate devices to support creative expressions will remain at the core. There’s a growing need to secure the precious content created by artists, which is being made possible with the help of blockchain technologies.” The company wants to further expand its presence and strengthen close two-way communication with its clients via various platforms. By demonstrating its latest products, solutions, and the best hands-on experience to budding professionals, Wacom’s direct presence as a legal entity in India makes a lot of difference.

The 10 Most Futuristic Business Women Pioneering Innovation, 2022

Leadership Lessons : Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

I have had the privilege of being the country manager for Poly India & SAARC for over 3 years and one of my
biggest learnings so far is: becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. As a business leader, you will have
to be decisive, take tough decisions (and stand by them), and see how you motivate your team to achieve the
best outcomes.

If I could impart five tips and learnings from my personal leadership journey, it would be :

Take that giant leap of faith. You never know; it might just be worth it, and the decision to make that jump may end up changing your life and career.

Often, growth happens when we step outside our comfort zone. Have conviction and self–belief in yourself and your abilities, and take a giant leap of faith when you are presented with an opportunity. It may be scary at first and you may even end up failing, however, you would have had the satisfaction of having tried.

Give in your 100%, no matter what you are doing

The Bhagavad Gita also says, “The wise man lets go of all the results, whether good or bad and is focused on the action alone.”

I want to take this a step further and modify it by saying, give it your 100%, whatever actions you perform, personal or professional, give it your all, and whenever you do this, despite the fact that you may not get your most desirable or ideal outcome, the results still won’t be half as bad because your hard work and efforts never go to waste.

Master the art of intrinsic motivation

Even when no one else is watching you, or there is no one to support you or push you to deliver your best, you owe it to yourself to discover your own potential. When you learn to motivate and push yourself without any external motivators like a manager watching over you or even when there are no sales numbers or deliverables that are attached to your performance, is when you have become a true leader and a great performer.

To be a good leader, you need to learn to lead with your head, heart, and hands.

The head to envision the future and the priorities that are needed to succeed, the heart to inspire and empower my employees, and the hands to ensure innovative and agile–execution capabilities.

Be decisive, loyal, and committed

As a leader, you will have to sometimes make tough decisions. Make these decisions and stick by them. There is no shortcut to hard work; learn about loyalty and commitment and embody its principles. Be loyal and committed to your organization, customers, and partners. Always put yourself in your customers’ shoes and think about their pain points and how you can support them. Be committed not just to your own professional growth but also to the organization’s overall growth and success.

Rohan karnataki: Revolutionizing the Indian Tech-Industry

Hindavi Technologies, led by its founder Mr. Rohan Karnataki, is a US-based IT Services & Product Development company. Over the last 14 years, Hindavi Technologies has been at the forefront of providing IT solutions and has completed over 1000 projects for more than 300 clients globally.

Since its foundation in 2009, the organization has ventured into Product Development in 2015 with its flagship product Xporience, an Event Technology Platform for various exhibitions and conferences. It is now one of the most sought-after products for global event organizers spread across Dubai, Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Till date, Xporience has worked with many coveted clients, including Dubai Expo 2020, MCI(Switzerland), and dmg::events, amongst others.

After the overwhelming success of its flagship product, Hindavi Technologies has launched its second Product – CareerFirst Edutech, which is India’s first 360° degree Career Design Platform for upskilling and making India Employable.

Rohan and Hindavi Technologies has been recognized with awards like “Top 10 Mobility Companies in India – 2018”, “Best Product Development Company – 2019”, and the “Best Entrepreneur Award – 2021”, “Best Companies to Work for – 2022.”

The organization leverages its massive domain and technology experience to provide various services like IT Services (UI/UX, Mobility, IoT, Cloud Computing, and Digital Marketing), IT Solutions (Application Development, Product Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Testing, Startup MVP, IT Consulting, and Enterprise Product Development), Cyber-Security Consulting (Assessments & Audits, Compliance, Infrastructure Security, Vendor Assessment, Cybersec Awareness), Remote Staffing(Staff Augmentation, Offshore Staffing, IT Outsourcing, RPO Services, and Contract Staffing).

The Steadfast Leader

As the founder of Hindavi Technologies, Mr. Rohan Karnataki realized pretty early that India is one of the youngest countries, with over 62% of the population in the working age group and 54% of the population below 25 years of age. He feels the present era of technological innovation provides an excellent opportunity to leverage intellectual capital and positively impact Indian society.

“My main motivation to start a business venture is to work with such bright young minds and create innovative products in the field of education, healthcare, and core technology.” – he says.

A first-generation techpreneur with more than a decade’s experience in the IT industry, Rohan is a Computer Science graduate and holds a management degree from Australian National University, Canberra.

A serial entrepreneur at heart, Rohan started his first business at the age of 8 by selling popsicles at a local bus depot, which helped him learn the value and meaning of time, money, and an honest day’s work. Later while studying in college, he ran a successful facility management service, employing seasonal farmers who were out of work during the off-season. He also curated an entirely commission-free marketplace for farmers to sell their products directly online, eliminating middlemen and increasing farmers’ profits.

Later in 2011, Rohan Co-founded Colortronic Studios Pvt Ltd, a Pune-based creative agency encompassing strategy, design, technology, and media. He launched 100 Days of Walking in 2020, a global health and fitness movement aimed to motivate people and inculcate walking as a part of their lifestyle. Rohan is also the Founder of CareerFirst Edutech, India’s premier Ed-tech 360° Career Design Platform.

Implementing New Ideas

Rohan kickstarted an Intrapreneur Program in the organization, where employees come up with their product ideas, and the company encourages them to work on their ideas by giving them the necessary creative independence to work on a minimum viable product (MVP). Rohan is also making giant strides in upskilling these intrapreneurs to help them understand various aspects of business and become successful.

Additionally, Rohan’s new edtech startup CareerFirst Edutech assists students and employees in identifying their best career roadmap and pursuing the proper education and skill-sets to get their dream jobs or start a business, depending on their aspirations, values, and interests. CareerFirst provides technology training and upskilling to graduate students and also provides full scholarships to deserving students.

Tackling the Pandemic

The 2020 pandemic affected most industries to a great extent. However, Rohan recognized this as an opportunity and created a roadmap to enhance the employee skill sets, create various new future-ready products, and a post-pandemic growth roadmap.

He helped employees to get trained in the latest technologies, and was also allowed to publish white papers related to the IT sector and other domains related to various products of Hindavi Technologies.

In order to upgrade the employability skill sets, Hindavi technologies also conducted various non-technical workshops within the organization. Also, regular brainstorming sessions helped its teams to discuss new product feature ideas, and employees were also rewarded for their valuable contributions.

As a result of these activities, the organization started an entirely online Event Technology Platform for Event organizers, which empowers online exhibitions and conferences and seamlessly integrates with their existing product offerings. Led by its founder Rohan Karnataki, Hindavi Technologies also ventured into its second product CareerFirst, an ed-tech platform addressing the employability gap in India.

Exciting Times Ahead

Rohan feels this is the most exciting time in the technology industry. Innovation is being made in various fields, including AI, ML, Robotics Process Automation(RPA), Quantum Computing, VR, AR, IoT, Blockchain, and Cyber Security.

He says, “There is a huge gap for Product and Service Providers in this trillion-dollar economy. Considering the current startup eco-systems and govt. policies, I believe that the current market scenario opens up a huge business opportunity for the millennial generation.”

When it comes to the future, Rohan aspires to be at the forefront of technological innovation as a technology evangelist. On the other hand, Hindavi Technologies also plans to create various value-based products in the healthcare and education sector by using technologies like AI/ML, AR/VR, and Blockchain.

To achieve this, the firm has an R&D team that works in tandem with educational institutions, industry mentors, and innovators. Hindavi Technologies also has strong connections with the investing and startup community to kickstart various new projects and create the new unicorns in India.

Packiyanath Sivathanu: Enabling Clients To Accelerate Their Digital Transformation Story

An engineer by heart, Packiyanath Sivathanu (Packy), the CEO and co-founder of VueData India, started his journey in the software industry more than two decades ago, just after graduating as a computer science engineer. He was always inspired by the startup culture and was drawn by firms that wanted to do things differently in terms of providing technology solutions to address customer problems.

Initially, Packy worked for several startups in India, which provided him with enough opportunities to learn, do something challenging, and wear many hats while performing different roles. With his eagerness to work more closely with clients, Packy relocated to the U.S. and worked with organizations like Microsoft, TMobile, Amazon, Sequent, etc.

After nearly a decade of working in the U.S., a personal situation forced Packy to return back to India. Along with Muru Ganesan who is Director, and CEO, of the firm’s Seattle office they founded VueData headquartered in Seattle, WA., with offices in Chennai and Bangalore, India. VueData provides end-to-end IT services to some of the fortune 500 companies globally, focusing on Retail, Media, and enterprise markets to achieve business
transformation by leveraging industry insight and technological expertise. The organization helps its clients by using the latest technologies and solving complex problems. Outside of its service offerings, VueData has also a suite of products, ‘Tentkotta,’ an OTT platform specifically made for South Indian films, DB-DAAS, an end-to-end Database Release automation tool, and go-boss.com which is a one-stop solution to create your own white labeled streaming platform/service.

The Motivation to Create VueData

Packy feels that even though people talk a lot about innovation and leadership but when it comes to giving employees the needed room to innovate and grow, there is always a hush-hush and pushback. Often this fear of failure gets ingested, which in turn stops the proper thought process of some of the brightest minds in the business.

“At VueData, it’s always employee first. we give them the freedom to be heard. We do our best to ensure that part of our culture at VueData is reflected in everything we do.”– says Packy.

“It is imperative that not just the leadership but everyone in the organization understands why and how we do what we do. We preach and follow that top-down throughout the organization in anything that we do at work and outside.”- he added further.

Tackling the Pandemic

Even with so much negativity, the pandemic did bring in some very positive aspects for the organization. Challenged with a steep learning curve, it was during these challenging times that employees understood the importance of proactive communication not only with the clients but also within their teams to stay up-to-date. Eventually, this proactive communication led to increased trust between team members and leaders regarding how they work together and who has their back during critical times. Above all, this increased the overall empathy toward colleagues by quite a few notches.

All these together have increased VueData’s overall IT operations efficiency by up to 30 percent. However, the most challenging part for companies was retaining talent during the Great Resignation period. Packy believes that VueData failed on a few strategies, but the HR team quickly learned from the mistakes, realigned themselves, and hit the ground running to adjust to the new norms.

Current Market Situation

Packy feels the IT industry has successfully sustained the uncertainty that the pandemic bought alongside. However, despite rapid growth in digital transformation and technological innovation, there are also signs of a slowdown in business initiatives. In a broader sense, this could be seen as a measured approach adopted by the organizations to keep their eyes on the market, which has a high chance of plunging into recession.

“Positively, this might be seen as a market correction post-uncertainty adjustment rather than a market collapse. It’s a wait-and-watch game while being conservative and planning to sustain, at this point, I guess.”– he added.

Picture of the Future

As a part of its technology focus, VueData is heavily focused on enabling a few of its clients to move towards the Metaverse coupled with blockchain technology. At present, some members of the organization’s advanced technology team are focusing on creating revolutionary products to help some of its clients transition smoothly into a virtual 3D world. Packy explains that moving into a virtual world may seem fancy, but that opens up new concerns about data privacy and security, which VueData is currently focusing on to grow its practices and solutions even further. Additionally, the firm has plans to expand its team in South America and various other countries in Asia. Within India, the company has seen a lot of success in hiring talented individuals from tier II and tier III cities.

Caroline Zimmer: Creating Plant-Based Cheese Alternatives

Surely each of us has already noticed it in ourselves: We eat differently than a few years ago. Plant-based nutrition is becoming increasingly popular, for very different reasons. The focus is on health, variety, and sustainability, aspects that people associate with plant-based products. Nevertheless, hardly anyone wants to do
without one thing: delicious cheese. And that’s exactly what no one needs to do without anymore, because delicious plant-based alternatives to cheese are available from E.V.A. GmbH, a young company from the Allgäu region of Germany.

The organization is a market leader in its segment and develops, produces, and markets purely plant-based cheese alternatives. Currently, the company offers various alternatives to cream cheese, sliced cheese, grated cheese, parmesan, shepherd’s cheese, brand new grill cheese, and curd cheese.

Even though E.V.A. GmbH is a part of the Hochland group, it consciously got separated from its parent company to allow the development of new products, some of which were unusual for a dairy company.

Curious about new things

E.V.A. GmbH is currently led by Managing Director Caroline Zimmer, an ambitious woman who loves challenges and is always curious about new things. Originally from Northern Germany, Caroline has been at home in Allgäu for decades. She has loved cheese and all other dairy products since her childhood. Even at that point in time, she was fascinated by the fact that a cow eats grass and then turns it into something as good as milk. Caroline states, “Since I’m also interested in natural sciences and find topics like microbiology and process technology exciting, the decision to become a dairy engineer was the right one.”

After graduating from college, Caroline wanted to start an apprenticeship. However, companies at that point of time were not interested in hiring women because of the huge and heavy milk cans that one needed to carry.

Caroline says, “I’m still enthusiastic about this craft, which has such a long tradition and to which we owe such wonderful products.”

In addition to her degrees as a dairy and industrial engineer, Caroline is a trained alternative practitioner, Qigong teacher, and a devoted follower of Daoism. Her education and training in traditional Chinese medicine have shaped her way of thinking.

Serving Clients

Regarding the customers, Caroline and her team focus on two directions; E.V.A. GmbH’s primary customers are those retailers who keep the product on their refrigerated shelves. However, the organization makes its products for end customers, so the team convinces both retailers and end customers to buy their products. And for all these, the taste of a product plays a critical role because people only buy a food product when it tastes good.

As the leader of the organization, Caroline takes everyone’s needs into account and ensures that E.V.A. introduces products that consumers love and have the potential to perform successfully in the trade. The organization prefers to focus on the class instead of mass.

Creating the Perfect Substitute of Cheese

Caroline says, “To get ahead, you undoubtedly need your own drive, and you have to be convinced of what you are doing. But the environment is also very important.” In professional terms, she was in very good hands at the parent company of E.V.A. GmbH, Hochland, first in marketing and then as the Head of Business Development/Innovation Management. In this role, her team established an entirely new innovation process based on her holistic approach to thinking and identifying opportunities in various segments, which eventually translated into concrete products. Simply V is one such product; everyone at Hochland recognized its potential very early and gave Caroline and her team the confidence to turn it into something huge.

Tackling Challenges

Developing a cheese alternative that is barely different from cheese was a challenging task. The list of the ingredients had to be manageable. However, the primary criteria were the taste. Simply V was supposed to taste far better than any cheese alternatives available.

On the other hand, the technology for manufacturing the product was another challenge. The team at E.V.A. developed their first product, a spreadable cheese by Simply V. After the team was finally satisfied with the recipe, it had to create a new manufacturing process to produce the product on a large scale.

Initially, distribution was also a challenge. Caroline and her team weren’t just making Simply V for vegans but for the growing number of flexitarians. To do that, products had to be on the refrigerated shelves of regular grocery stores. It was a very ambitious goal, as 7 years ago, finding a shelf with vegan and vegetarian products in the supermarket was very hard.

Since its inception in 2015, Simply V has won at least one award every year. Last year Simply V Genießerscheiben Herzhaft Nussig received the Vegan Food Award 2021 and the Best Seller of the Year 2021 by the trade magazine Rundschau für den Lebensmittelhandel. Also, the new Simply V Grill & Pfannengenuss Tomato Oregano have recently won the Vegan Food Award 2022 from PETA.

On the other hand, The Simply V Hirtengenuss received the Superior Taste Award 2022 with two stars. While the Simply V Streichgenuss Gurke & Knoblauch Ty Tzatziki and the Simply V Grill & Pfannengenuss Mediterrane Kräuter was recognized by the Superior Taste Award 2022, with one star.

Picture of the Future

Caroline states, “We are the market leader in Germany and want to remain so. At the same time, we know that cheese alternatives are a growth market that has awakened many desires.”

Currently, the market is witnessing a lot of movement, but E.V.A. GmbH is confident that it offers retailers an attractive portfolio of products that consumers love. “We are currently working on further product innovations, which I am already very much looking forward to launching.”- states Caroline, without revealing anything more.

“Additionally, the organization hopes to grow not only in Germany but also in Europe. Currently, E.V.A. GmbH’s products are available in seven European nations intending to expand this further.”

Advice for Young Female Entrepreneurs

As the Managing Director of E.V.A. GmbH, Caroline states, “You should believe in yourself and be convinced of what you are doing. You need courage, stamina, and healthy self-confidence because it’s not always easy to assert yourself in a world still dominated by men. But it’s worth it. Be a team player and also rely on the skills of others.”

Mariam Shaikh: Helping Students Fulfill their Academic and Career Goals

Meet Dr. Mariam Shaikh, an eminent professional in the education field based in the UAE with more than three decades of experience and continued success. As a strong, resilient, and futuristic leader, Dr. Mariam’s deep expertise covers Student Recruitment, Academic and Career Counseling, Marketing, Strategic Development, Student Experience, and International Relations. She has held multiple key positions in various reputed and prominent universities in the UAE and has worked religiously to attract aspiring students looking to pursue higher education from all over the world to the UAE.

Her professional journey in the world of education began during the early 80s when she owned a Nursery School, which was inspired by her children. At a later stage, she went on to head a prominent school as a Principal, where she played an instrumental role in the school’s growth.

Following that, she joined the Higher Education sector to help students fulfill their academic and career aspirations. Later in a pioneering move, she sponsored a foreign campus for The University of New Brunswick at Knowledge Village, which eventually encouraged many foreign universities to set up their campuses in UAE. Dr. Mariam has actively contributed to the successful development
of these foreign branch campuses. She has held several key positions with The Canadian University of Dubai, Heriot-Watt University, and Amity University in Dubai.

As a lifelong advocate of education, Dr. Mariam works closely with the UNHCR to provide scholarships for displaced students. She firmly believes that regardless of place, children must go to school. She says, “For Boys and girls forced to flee violence and persecution, an opportunity to study will provide them hope to define their future and realize their potential.”

Recently, Harvard Affiliate Mother Theresa University honored Dr. Mariam with an Honorary Doctorate in Transformational Educational Leadership for her study paper on International Education opportunities for students from all over the world aspiring to develop their career goals from the best the world has to offer.

In 2020, Dr. Mariam founded MS Education Consultants with a vision to support students, Education Institutions, and Innovative Learning Programs to meet the demands of the fast-paced world.

“We are a bespoke Education Services Consulting company with Student Success at the core of all our partnerships. I am delighted to share that MS Education Consultants is the official Middle Strategist for the prestigious University of Guelph, located in Ontario, Canada, to assist students in the Middle East with their admission into the University.”– she says. The University of Guelph is a leading Higher Education Institution in Canada with three majors ranked top 20 in the world, in combination with Student Satisfaction which is consistently top-ranked in Canada. The University of Guelph is one of Canada’s top comprehensive and research-intensive universities. They are known as Canada’s Food University. Established in 1964, the University enjoys a reputation for innovation and excellence
dating back more than 150 years to its founding colleges: Ontario Veterinary College, Ontario Agricultural College, and Macdonald Institute.

The University of Guelph’s commitment to internationalization is reflected in collaboration with Dr. Mariam Shaikh as U of G’s Middle East Strategist. “We are extremely excited about having Dr. Mariam Shaikh onboard to assist us with our student recruitment efforts in the MENA region. We want students to have direct access to our staff members globally, and this is a move in that direction,” says U of G’s Regional Operations Manager for the Middle East and South Asia, Jimmi Hemmenbach.

As an example of its innovative academics, this year, U of G is presenting a new One Health undergraduate major as a response to the ongoing pandemic. Dr. Scott Wease, pathobiology professor at U of G, states that “This pandemic has shown how we need this broad intersection approach to infectious diseases. It cannot just be medicine and veterinary medicine, and it cannot just be science, it [also] has to be social science, it is behavior.”

Known for its beautiful, safe campuses and welcoming, supportive culture, U of G blends historical and modern architecture with cutting-edge technology. Student engagement is fundamental to learning and research at U of G. By focusing on the “whole student,” the University of Guelph gives graduates the tools and skills to make a difference in our ever-changing world.

Helping Students to Achieve Their Dreams

Led by Dr. Mariam, MS Education Consultants presently offer services in University Admissions, Student Recruitment, New Campus Set-up Consultancy, Online Training Programs, and Student Cultural Exchange Programs.

● University Admissions: With its extensive experience with Undergraduate and Graduate applications, MS Education assists students in pursuing higher education in more than 400 Universities spread across UAE, UK, Canada, US, Europe, and Australia.

● Education Consultancy: The firm promotes UAE as an education hub and encourages the growth of various educational institutions in new markets by advising and consulting on New Campus startups and developing student recruitment plans and outreach strategies locally and internationally. It also helps with effective marketing budget utilization and planning, growth and retention solutions, government accreditation, training, and the development of student recruitment teams to create positive student experiences.

● Online Training Programs: By utilizing its valuable partnerships, MS Education Consultants facilitates various training courses by industry officials to boost the interest, knowledge, and skills of students.

● Student Cultural Exchange Programs: Now, students can reap the benefits of MS Education’s Cultural Exchange Program by visiting the state-of-the-art International Campuses in UAE to experience the learning environment and the available Program & Degree options.

Mission and Vision

Dr. Mariam’s primary mission is to develop worldwide educational affiliations, which can help students achieve their dreams with the GPS that will be provided by her own company in Dubai named ‘MS Education Consultants.’ Since its inception, the organization has developed a Student Cultural Exchange Program, which helps students from Europe, the US, Canada, Africa, China, and India to spend their time in Dubai, experiencing a day in top international universities of the region along with visits to Expo City Dubai, Museum of the Future and other cultural attractions in UAE.

The primary vision of MS Education Consultants is to assist global students in meeting their academic and career goals. The firm facilitates the establishment and growth of educational institutions and seeks important partnerships with various new innovative learning programs, specialized initiatives in line with the Government’s vision, and corporate collaborations to arm students with the skills needed in this era of innovation and change.

Future Roadmap

When it comes to the future, Dr. Mariam plans to continue mentoring and empowering students of different backgrounds and nationalities, helping them with their career choices, and encouraging them to pursue their dreams. Under her leadership, MS Education Consultants plans to launch internship opportunities and an innovative learning program for students and teachers.

Dr. Mariam explains, “I am pleased to share our upcoming launches with your readers, such as the Student Cultural and Higher Education Experience Program, for students across the globe to experience UAE culture and heritage and the multinational Higher Education options provided by the leading University Campuses from all over the world based here in Dubai International Academic City. We have already seen very successful visits with student groups from the USA, Europe, and China and look forward to welcoming students from India, Africa, Malaysia and other parts of the world for the cultural exchange visit!”

Giving it Back to the Society

Dr. Mariam feels pleased to support and be affiliated with Ladies in Business Global Community Group, International Women Entrepreneurs Group, Indian Women in Dubai, the UAE Africa Education Initiative, and World Education Community. Additionally, she has also joined IIT E-Cell Mumbai as the Youth Empowerment Mentor and the Youth United Council of India as an International Advisor. She supports UNHCR in providing scholarships for their displaced students. Dr. Mariam also runs and operates an orphanage in Mumbai, India.