Exclusive Interview Archives

Jekaterina Stuģe: The Trailblazer of Female Leadership in The Beverage Industry

Be it retail, technology, education, social enterprise, or the food & beverage sector, women are trooping out of their comfort zones and emerging as leaders and change-makers. And Jekaterina Stuģe, CEO of the rapidly growing spirits company, Amber Beverage Group, is the perfect reflection of the world’s top-tier leaders. She is one of the rare female C-Suite examples in the beverage industry.

Designated as the Group Chief Executive Officer and Board Member at Amber Beverage Group, Jekaterina is a business leader, advisor, financial expert, and trailblazer. In addition to her excellent ability to manage and develop a global business, innovation is her second passion as she is truly an innovative leader on an everyday basis.

“My first serious job was with the auditing company Arthur Andersen (later Ernst & Young Baltic). At that time, becoming an auditor in an international audit firm was not easy, it was a great challenge and an honour to get accepted into this society,” shares Jekaterina Stuģe. She spent more than 10 years at Ernst & Young, earning a master’s degree in economics and business administration, as well as expanding her knowledge at other educational institutions.

After work for the audit company, Jekaterina Stuģe joined the newly formed Latvian food producer group NP Foods (currently Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Latvija) as Board Member with responsibility for financial management and information technology. It was very interesting period where in NP Food Jekaterina created Shared Service Centre for servicing NP Food subsidiaries Laima, Staburadze, Gutta, Euro Food, and NP Logistics. After almost four years at NP Foods, Jekaterina Stuģe joined the Eco Baltia team as CFO and Board Member.

Jekaterina joined the SPI Group (Parent company of Amber Beverage Group) as the CFO of the Baltic business unit in 2014. She has participated in the development of Amber Beverage Group (further also – ABG) and since that time, she has worked across many parts of the business. While she held the roles of CFO and COO in the Group, she was made CEO in 2020. As an executive, she has overseen the company’s growth and now is set to reach the main ABG goal: to become a €1 billion company over the next five years.

ABG – A GLOBAL PLAYER IN THE BEVERAGE LANDSCAPE

ABG is a leading beverage producer, distributor, logistics provider, and retailer, with over 1400 brands spanning everything from premium vodka and sparkling wines to specialty Mexican tequilas. The company has grown from its original core production business established in 1900, to become a global spirits industry player that, despite the challenges faced by the industry in 2020, had one of its busiest years with excellent financial results reaching almost EUR 31m EBITDA, which exceeds the previous results.

ABG has transformed from a Baltic enterprise into a global organization with world-class infrastructure. In addition to developing and growing the business ABG already maintains, the Group has been active to acquire and integrate several new companies in the UK, Australia, Austria, Mexico, and elsewhere.

“ABG is operating in a highly competitive environment and faces pressure from both local and international spirits producers. This is the reason why ABG is looking to be a widely integrated company through production, logistics, distribution, and retail. We are distributing and developing our own brands like Moskovskaya® Vodka, KAH® Tequila, Riga Black Balsam®, Rooster Rojo® tequila, Cross Keys Gin®, and Cosmopolitan Diva®, but we are also representing third party Brand owners and we are proud with our capabilities to distribute through our own route to markets even competing brands,” adds Jekaterina.

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES

From local producers to global spirits companies, the Amber Beverage Group faces challenges every day, but the main point, it never stops and finds each day new ideas to be better.

Jekaterina believes that getting used to changes is the biggest challenge in every company. “Thinking of what and how can be changed and done more efficiently is part of my daily life. The main challenge in driving non-stop improvements in such a global company as ABG is to make people believe that they need these changes and convince them to see that as something positive and not as a threat. From my perspective, this is a very interesting process,” she says.

THE BELIEFS AND SUCCESS

“You must always be ready to respond to the most unusual challenges and business opportunities,” reveals Jekaterina Stuģe. She believes that business success is based on continuous development – both at the personal and company level.

“Employees need to be excited! It is important that they want to be on the same team as you because it is impossible to do great things without an excellent team. That is the key to my success. Employees need to be passionate about their jobs, they must want to achieve something more than just work for another day. For that to happen, we as an employer need to offer the opportunity to turn their ideas into reality. The slogan of the Group (in the meantime – also the abbreviation of “Amber”) is – “Ambitious Minds Bring Excellent Results” and I really believe in it,” reveals Jekaterina Stuģe.

THE DRIVING FORCE

“There are two things that helped to reach where I am today. The first one, dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm for the company that I represent. And second, the teams that I have worked with. I’ve always believed that the right team stimulates you to reach the best results possible. The team that pushes each other to the next level is priceless while achieving your personal and also company’s goals,” said Jekaterina Stuģe.

ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In the past Jekaterina has won several business awards including the Best Female CEO from Latvia of the Year 2020 in the Global 100 Annual Awards, the prestigious Business Worldwide Global Corporate Excellence Award in such categories as The Most Innovative CFO – Latvia and The Strongest Growth Strategy Team in Europe. Finance Monthly Magazine has recognized Jekaterina as one of the strongest financial professionals in the region.

EXPANSION GOALS FOR ABG

The key objective of Jekaterina in her role as the CEO of Amber Beverage Group is to pivot the whole organization by means of an innovation agenda. This includes the development of new products, expansion in new markets and consumer segments, the introduction of the latest technologies in AI and automation, and reinvention of operational and production processes to achieve efficiencies.

Overall, ABG is continuing on its path towards its ambition to become a Top 10 spirits industry player globally. This will be achieved through smart brand building, active management of sales channels, expanding ABG e-ambition, further investment in innovation, focused work on efficiency and effectiveness programs, and capturing new business opportunities.

JEKATERINA STUĢE’S WORDS OF WISDOM

Diversity in the workplace, including gender diversity, makes things better. As simple as that. It works like a law of physics – the more perspectives you have, the more active and creative the workplace dynamic becomes, and as a result – the more efficient the outcomes are. To sum it up – you get better performance. And yet this rule is still far from reality and gender parity remains elusive.

Here, Jekaterina presents an optimistic view. The situation for women in the workplace, despite the entrenched obstacles, has perhaps never been better. That glass ceiling is there, but it is now within the reach to be knocked at and eventually shattered. This is the time for us, women, to dare and challenge and take that ambitious step by saying out loud “Yes, I have the competence and the vision, and I will be the leader!”

CLOSING WITH A QUOTE

“I am a fan of one quote but in a little bit adjusted way. In 1962, Malcolm X, an influential African American human rights activist, said that “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” I would like to offer a version we are using at ABG: “The future belongs to those who invent it”, shared Jekaterina Stuģe.

In The Lead Of Business by Susanne Skov Diemer

As a business leader, you have an important duty and task to protect your company´s people, assets, information and brand reputation. And you must set an example for others to follow – mentally and physically, ethically and digitally, personally and professionally.

Real change happens through people, and real risk management happens via the security culture. It is not just about putting up a fence or install an antivirus system. To lead to and assure the highest – and necessary – security standards and culture, it must be rooted and spread.

The first step towards culture change is a shift in mindset, which means that management and staff need to change their habits. If we define a company culture as shared everyday habits, leaders must take steps to improve these daily habits in order to create a new awareness and a new security awareness culture. The risks and stakes are too high not to do so.

I always know what risks might be ahead for my company, business and staff. It enables me to have the proper mitigation processes in place. They are constantly developing and changing, along with the risks and business world. Tomorrow is a new day with new risks and new opportunities. In the security sector, we always look ahead. We think of the unpredictable too, as new risks are constantly arising, along with new measures being required.

To lead or follow

By being aware of the risks, we can prevent. And we must be proactive and preventative in your mindset and actions and take the lead.

In essence, security specialists are the voice of the inconvenient truth and leaders should be too. We must pay close attention to the importance of listening to people and organizations with other views than our own. It is the only way that we can broaden our horizons, know a fuller picture – and lead in the right direction.

It is easy to follow – maybe too easy – what everyone else is doing, but it does not make you a business – or political – leader. It does not minimize risks to the maximum and it certainly does not secure next year´s turnover and your current business

I encourage people to have or to find the courage to speak up if there is something you do not agree with or have critical information about. It can save your business, your reputation and it can save people.

Ways to lead by example

‘Lead by example’ also means that you listen to the people around you. You see what is going on (and you investigate further if there is something you do not understand). You speak with your staff and with the people around you. Make sure you are available to them when they have something they want to say and share. Show respect – also to people you do not agree with. And have the courage to lead.

By following these simple steps, you become a better leader, make sure that your company is open for a new and better security culture, which at the end of the day – and financial year – can mean a higher turnover and valuation of your company and reputation.

Managing Risks & Risk Management

We do business in increasingly uncertain times. Risks are dynamic and predictably unpredictable. We are more interconnected and technological than ever before. The global business environment is constantly changing and leaders should rise and adapt to this new reality. Risk management should be key from a strategic perspective and a key factor to achieve strategic goals and turnover.

With the world being more interconnected, we are also seeing a strong tendency for communities, people and companies to come together, joining forces and operating cross sector and cross borders. Especially in times of crisis, knowledge sharing and synergy are essential and we all need to take responsibility, professionally and also on a private level. One of my contributions is to democratise my extensive security and intelligence knowledge and crisis management experience gained throughout the past 25 years on the global security scene. I recently wrote the book “Your Urban CRISIS SURVIVAL PLANNER” to share and raise the security awareness, understanding and ultimately improve it. We should all contribute in our own ways and lead by example.

A game of dominoes

A crisis can be seemingly small or even insignificant. However, a crisis always creates a domino effect that should not be overlooked. And a crisis is very likely – directly or indirectly – to have an impact on turnover and human resources, customers and employees both internally and externally, and in the present and future. As we are in the midst of a global pandemic and its domino effect, we have a unique opportunity to prepare for and prevent future crises by learning from the current crisis and experiences.

With crises and crime, there are often hidden costs of chain reactions, many of which are long term. From an increase in insurance premium to operational disruption or destruction, lost value in customer relationship and contract revenue, devaluation of brand, etc. Crises certainly never come alone.

The future now

A lack of awareness of risks and of people’s roles and responsibility as far as preventing and controlling risks, and of ways of using risk data and new technologies and tools, increase the challenges of risk management.

Risk management should play an important offensive and defensive role. It is an important tool to preventatively and proactively assist a company in achieving strategic goals, innovation, and resilience. And a future.

How to Support Employee Wellness and Retain Top Talent During the Pandemic: Nicole Mixdorf

As the pandemic rages on, companies everywhere are scrambling to find ways to support the well-being of their employees. Stress levels are at an all-time high, and employees are experiencing burnout in record numbers. On top of this, turnover rates are climbing as employees seek out new opportunities in a hot job market, a trend coined as “The Great Resignation”.

Everyone knows the tremendous costs of turnover – It’s roughly 150% of someone’s salary to replace them when you factor in recruiting fees, loss of productivity, ramp up time, bonuses for the right candidate, etc. Retaining top talent in this market should be a priority for every business.

Fortunately, both issues can be addressed by implementing a comprehensive well-being program for mental, physical, emotional, social, and financial health. Employees are stressed out, stretched thin, and overwhelmed with the pandemic, which is affecting focus, morale, and health outcomes. Providing resources and tools to support them through this challenging time helps employees feel appreciated, which goes a long way toward job satisfaction.

What to look for in a comprehensive wellness solution

With a multitude of solutions on the market, it’s important to get clarity about the vision for wellness within your business. What is your reason for wanting to implement a wellness program? What behaviors or health outcomes are you looking to change? What kind of culture are you trying to foster that a wellness program can support?

Most companies still have remote workers, making a virtual wellness solution an ideal option for greater engagement. But what should it include? Before landing on a solution, it’s always valuable to gather feedback from your staff to better understand their needs and interests. Have you done a pulse survey to see how your people are feeling and what areas of support they need right now? This is always the best place to begin so that you can find solutions that fit their needs.

After gathering information from your team, reach out to your insurance company and see if they can give you data on your Top 10 health care claims for the year. It’s always a wise strategy to incorporate programming that addresses specific health conditions that your staff is already dealing with. That allows the programs to feel more personalized and relevant.

Do you want wellness challenges? Mental health programs? Fitness programs? Nutrition programs? Inspirational or motivational content? Therapy sessions? Team building activities? Or do you want a comprehensive platform that includes all the above? Narrowing down what you are looking for will guide you toward the right solution.

In general, a comprehensive wellness strategy will incorporate elements of physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial health. The idea is to support the whole person, providing them with access to resources that will help them in all aspects of their lives. You want your people showing up happy, healthy, balanced, and motivated each day. That’s a success strategy to spark greater innovation and results in the business.

Other considerations to keep in mind are ease of use, reporting and metrics, and promotional strategy. You can have the best program in the world, but if you don’t promote it well internally, it won’t succeed. It’s important for leaders to walk the talk. How can they lead by example, demonstrating the importance of self-care? Another element to consider is whether you have the internal resources to design and manage a wellness program, of if it’s easier to hire a wellness consultant to drive the initiatives for you.

Communication is key.

The most important way to keep your employees engaged is by talking to them, listening to them, and helping them feel valued for their contributions. Retain your top talent by reimagining your culture to be one of health, diversity, inclusion, collaboration, and appreciation. Offer attractive benefits, a positive work environment, and greater flexibility. Gather insight from your people as you map out your return-to-work policies. Determine what level of flexibility and responsibility you wish to give your employees regarding when and where they work, keeping in mind that this can be a major factor in their overall job satisfaction.

Employees have been through a lot since the start of the pandemic, which has affected each person in a unique way. We are facing a mental health crisis due to the fear, trauma, isolation, and uncertainty associated with this pandemic that has no end in sight. Don’t shy away from the difficult conversations. Talk about the stigma of mental health as you encourage participation in the wellness initiatives that you choose to provide. Drive well-being into your corporate culture by encouraging walking meetings, or by starting Zoom team meetings taking a few collective deep breaths to release tension and feel more grounded. Your people will appreciate it, and it will help them feel supported in showing up as their best selves each day and doing their best work.

Nicole Mixdorf is the Chief Wellness Officer at Balance by Nature, an award-winning employee wellness company. She was recently awarded as a Top 100 Healthcare Leader in the World, and as Most Influential Woman in Corporate Wellness Services USA 2021. You can find out more about Balance by Nature’s programs at www.balancebynature.com.

Oscar Conde Medina: Orchestrating The Growth Of Foreign Investment In Mexico With Novel Legal Solutions

“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit…”

Legem Attorneys at Law is the brain-child of Oscar Conde Medina, an influential leader, seasoned legal professional and inspiring entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience. Under the dynamic leadership of Oscar, the foundation of Legem was established in the Mexican state of Nuevo León on 16 November, 2006 to help empower foreign direct investment in Mexico.

Owing to his invaluable life experiences, Oscar Conde has travelled and transitioned from a young law professional to an established successful entrepreneur in the legal services, providing various life-altering solutions at his own firm.

In February 2005 Oscar Conde decided to start his own firm after having worked 6 years in one of the most important law firms in Mexico. He rented a very small co-working office to continue providing legal services by himself to 2 clients that decided to continue using his services because of his professionalism. One year after, I invited 3 litigator attorneys to become part of the firm. On November the 6th, 2006 Legem Attorneys at Law, SC (“Legem”) was incepted.

Further Mr Conde apprised, “We were together from such date through April 2012 and I continued growing my client portfolio. Due to their different thinking-related provision of services, I decided to continue my path on my own again and bought all of the shares of Legem.”

From 2012 as of today, Legem´s client portfolio has increased exponentially, gathering the most professional attorneys in Mexico, being focused on customer service.

Excellent Legal Advisory Services

Legem was born in 2006 to continue supporting foreign direct investment in Mexico with more than 15 years of experience dedicated to attracting, consulting, and assisting the direct foreign investment in Mexico. Since its inception, the firm is focused on providing excellent legal consulting services which is why international consulting firms have selected it to jointly support them in the business structure in Mexico, as well as to protect the legal interests of these consulting firms.

Legem is a law firm comprised of professionals who specialize in a variety of legal disciplines with offices in the north, bajio, and central Mexico, ensuring the highest ethical, professional, and commercial standards are maintained. Their commitment is to help their clients grow by providing them with opportune legal services oriented towards protecting the client’s personal, economic and commercial interests.

The firm’s areas of practice include Litigation in civil, commercial, criminal, family, administrative, Amparo law and tax law; Counseling which includes corporate, banking, immigration, and real estate law, among others; as well as Compliance covering topics such as money laundering prevention, protection of personal data, anti-corruption, evaluation and management of legal and regulatory risks programs, among others.

Legem is a law firm dedicated to supporting the growth of foreign investment in Mexico with years of experience implementing strategies of business expansion in Mexico. There is a provision of opportune excellent legal services and customer service.

It has national and international business alliances with legal and accounting firms that allow it to offer an integral service to clients.

Legem provides services to clients located mainly in North, Central, and South America; Europe, and Asia. They assist national and transnational companies around the world.

Legem has been awarded as the Foreign Direct Investment Law Firm of Mexico by ACQ5, Leaders in Law, and Global Law Experts for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Recently the Firm has been awarded as Foreign Direct Investment Law Firm of the year by Lawyers International – Legal 100 – 2020 and 2021 as well as been awarded by Latin American Quality Institute for 2020 and 2021 because of the quality and excellence of the provision of services.

The Infusion of Technology

“COVID-19 pandemic introduced a lot of technology to our firm. We have developed internal policies that allow us to work in our offices; from home or any other place. In the end, all of our attorneys have their own activities, responsibilities, and deadlines, so a lot of technology is used in our office nowadays” Mr Conde proudly shared.

Milestones & Achievements

Together with Legem Oscar Conde has been awarded as Foreign Direct Investment Attorney of Mexico by ACQ5, Leaders in Law and Global Law Experts for the years of 2019, 2020 and 2021. Foreign Direct Investment Attorney of the year in Mexico by Lawyers International – Legal 100 – 2020 and 2021; He has also been awarded by Latin American Quality Institute for 2020 and 2021 as Quality Assistance Manager.

Recently (September 10, 2021) Oscar received the “Forjadores de Mexico Award – National Edition 2021. To the Professional – Legal and Social career. A tribute in life to leaders in their respective category, from all over the country, who with their daily work inspire, add value, and have excelled in their environment, as well as impacting socially, being an example for present and future generations.

Favourite Books

Oscar loves to read the classics in his area (Aristoteles, Platón, Hobbs, Maquiavelo).

Expansion Plans

Legem has 4 offices in Mexico, Monterrey, Leon, Aguascalientes, and Mexico City. The team covered all of the countries with these offices now they are open to expanding their offices.

Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

The most important asset in a company is employees. Helping them to grow is the most important activity when you are a leader.

When you are planning to do a business expansion you make sure to have an excellent attorney and an excellent accountant. You will need them for sure.

Closing quote

“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit…”

Ioannis Giannakakis: A Proficient Legal Practitioner, Delivering Unparalleled Legal Solutions Globally

Striving for excellence since its inception, the G+P Law Firm is a legal advisory firm dedicated to offering personalized legal advice and strong litigation services to its clients. Spearheaded by highly qualified, experienced, and dynamic professionals, Ioannis Giannakakis & John Psomas, G+P Law Firm adds great value to various corporate giants and people around the world. The unique approach followed by the firm has been a key factor driving success for the brand.

Ioannis Giannakakis, the Group General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer of Avramar Seafood Group, can be best described as a go-getter, philanthropist, and visionary who is an entrepreneur par excellence. She is armed with 30 years of extensive experience. Her experience and expertise have landed her in an influential position.

Becoming an Influential Leader

The professional journey of Ioannis Giannakakis started 30 years ago when she qualified in Greece and became a member of the Athens Bar Association. During these years she has worked both as corporate counsel in regulated matrix organizations, usually global companies like Unilever Novartis, G4S, NN but also as a freelance consultant and litigator, especially in civil, administrative, and criminal cases. Her consistent goal was to focus on the clients’ needs, deliver pragmatic and sound legal advice but also keep a hands-on follow-up approach until the task has been completed. His litigation experience has proved valuable in his later corporate experience. This journey led Ioannis Giannakakis through more than 6 industries (insurance, real estate, FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Security & Investigations, Agriculture & Food Manufacturing), however, a critical distinguisher from other colleagues has been his deep dive and accumulated expertise in the field of Data Protection Cybersecurity and disruptive technologies, which clearly differentiates from other “one-sided” corporate counsels focusing only on their corporate role and career.

A Glimpse of G+P Law Firm

The G+P Law Firm was established in 2018 by John Psomas and Ioannis Giannakakis with the vision to be a legal partner of choice for their clientele. Their boutique Law Firm has absolute specialization in Digital Transformation, Data Protection, Cybersecurity, and Disrupting Technologies, being one of a handful of law firms in Greece with accumulated experience and expertise in the aforementioned subjects.

The firm serves corporate clientele, spanning from very large to very small and medium-sized businesses in Greece and the EU. The team prefer to nurture strong relationships with their clients favouring long collaborations Their consistent client-centric philosophy combined with their pragmatic and business-oriented advice led to a multitude of international awards e.g Data Protection Law Firm of the Year 2021 in Greece by Corporate INTL Magazine, Boutique Law Firm of the Year in Greece, by Advisory Excellence, and many others

The Inspiration

Ioannis Giannakakis has always valued social and private justice as a key balancing factor of all controversies embedded in modern life full of inequality and differences. Her passion for justice led her to study law and become a lawyer but his later acquired passion for Privacy – as a key personal right and value- harshly attacked by multiple factors – search engines, social media, etc- led her to create the G+ P Law Firm with a clear vision the enhancement and protection of privacy of their clients.

While discussing the interesting part about working in legal industry, Ioannis shared, “The fact that every day is different from the other, the sense of accomplishment when a deal is closed but foremost the sense of serving the provision of justice in all aspects of social and economic life”.

Indicative Challenges for the Current Legal Market

The digital transformation of the modern business world, the consequences of the pandemic driving to new business environments ( with telework and employees isolation being catalysts ) the adaptability the constant learning and adjustment of the legal professional, the transformation from lawyer to business legal partner are some indicative challenges for the current legal market.

Edge Over the Peers

When asked the unique factors about G+P Law Firm, Ioannis Giannakakis shared, “The passion with which I pursue my goals, the consistent vision guiding my practice, the combination of vast corporate practice in a variety of industries, which is rather rare for most corporate counsels usually serving for long periods in the same clients combined with my attraction becoming a passion for Privacy, Data Protection and new Technologies that led me to deep dive at the age of 45 in a whole new world and become one of the leading and most acknowledged and awarded Data Protection Counsels in Greece and amongst the 200 top Privacy Professionals in the European Union.”

Difficulties of Young Lawyers in Entrepreneurship

Young lawyers face a variety of challenges. Some key challenges being digital work, use of technology in everyday business life, global mentality in the sense of being a “ universal” legal business partner instead of a local lawyer are some indicative challenges in my opinion.

The Significance of Technology Infusion in Legal

With proper technical education of the modern legal professional living in a world where legal AI started becoming a usual feature in many large legal firms. The use of legal technologies, digital tools, and platforms are part of the date-to-date legal practice and legal professionals need not only be accustomed but actively utilizing the aforementioned tools to improve their practice.

Accomplished Milestones

A series of litigation victories in Ioannis Giannakakis’s early 30s ( 200.000.000 ML drachmas fine annulment when I was with NN, ) the successful closing of a game-changer acquisition of EVGA ICE Cream by Unilever, the smooth transition of GSK Oncology Portfolio to Novartis, the successful design and execution of G4S GDPR Compliance Program are some career milestones of which she is proud of.

Favourite Book

AMNET by Maggie o Reilly

Words of Wisdom

Don’t be afraid to move outside your comfort zone. Try new things, experiment, stay curious. Be consistent, focus on the needs of your clients and try to be proactive in addressing them, be direct and trustful, be curious, and don’t waste time triumphing over your successes. but strive to become better. Don’t be seduced by easy money, social status, and social image. Success is measured only by the feeling of accomplishment that is unique to each individual. Value justice is the ultimate mission of all legal professionals irrespective of age, experience, or status.

Closing Quote

Quote by Albert Einstein, “Try not to become a person of success but rather try to become a person of value.”

C. F. Tsai: One of the First Patent Practitioners of Taiwan and the Leading Man behind Deep & Far Attorneys-at-law

In 1992, Deep & Far Attorneys-at-law embarked its incorporation with a focus on and specialization in all aspects of intellectual property rights (IPRs) under the guidance of C. F. Tsai, who is the first patent practitioner in his country who both has technological and law backgrounds and is qualified as a local attorney-at-law.

A thought leader with 39 amazing years of experience, Mr Tsai handled diversified disputes over intellectual property laws. He has extensively been involved in works related to mechanical, electric, electronic, civil engineering, chemical, semiconductor, and medical fields since his involvement in intellectual property in 1982. This expertise enabled him to successfully lead the firm and provide an excellent range of legal solutions.

In academics, Mr Tsai had his marine engineering background and majored in National Chiao Tung University. He finished his law degree from National Taiwan University and then passed the bar examination having a pass rate of about 5% on average.

In securing his master’s degree in comparative laws from Soo Chow University, Mr Tsai had the opportunity of perceiving, interlinking and integrating interdependency, interaction, and macroscopic strategy in various aspects of laws. He is admitted to practice before the ROC Supreme Court, the Administrative Court, the Taiwan High Court, IP Court, and various district courts. Certainly, he is admitted to practice before the ROC Intellectual Property Office. He is a member of ROC, Taipei, Kaoshiung, and Hsinchu Bar Associations, APAA, AIPLA, AIPPI, and INTA.

Even with years of experience and extensive knowledge, Mr Tsai still strives for himself to keep pace with all relevant knowledge and practices relating to intellectual property laws and this is what makes him one of the most influential leaders in the industry.

More about the Firm

Deep & Far Attorneys-at-Law is one of the largest law firms in Taiwan. It is a full-service law firm with a focus on all aspects of intellectual property rights (IPRs). Its IPR work includes patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, and/or licensing, counseling, litigation, and/or transactions thereof. The firm is highly regarded and is often one of the main sources from which foreign filing orders originate.

Managed by the highly qualified, experienced, and dynamic leader, Deep & Far Attorneys-at-law strategically supports corporates and individuals around the world in disputes related to IP through competence and efforts.

“We provide competent IP services for clients across the world. We are not just claiming provisions of the most valuable and competent IP services”, apprised Mr Tsai.

“Because we found that other firms’ services may not be imaginarily satisfactory, or cannot provide wonderful services for the clients, we decided to establish the firm”, he further added.

Edge over the Peers

Deep & Far’s philosophy is to provide competent legal services that other firms cannot comparably provide. And, the edge comes from providing the most competent services. Taking the patent as an example, the claim is the core of patent protection. Because everyone tends to boast how wonderful he is or would be, this film feels like taking challenges to show their extraordinary competence by receiving from the client, e.g.:

A pending or granted patent specification for comments about how it can improve the claims.
A patent specification without the claims for the firm to draft the claims for the client’s comparison with the original claims.
With the firm the client is currently using at the same time, an initial disclosure based on which the team and the currently used firm can respectively prepare their claims so that the client can compare and find out which firm can provide the better claims.

Clientele

The clientele includes Armani, Baidu, Beckhoff, BYD, CICC, Chep, Cypress, Dr. Reddy, Gleason, Grenzebach, Haribo, H & M, Infineon, Intercept, InterDigital, Lenovo, Lupin, Motorola, MPS, NovaLED, Oppo, Piramal, Schott Glas, SeeReal, Sun Pharma, Teva, Torrent, Toyo Ink. Long term relationships come from win-win considerations all the time made possible by competence and price competitiveness.

F. Tsai’s Take on

Today’s legal market: Competition is very rigorous nowadays because the number of firms drastically increases.
Dealing with Challenges: Try hard to become experienced, focussed and known to factors leading to success
Infusion of technology: Some new technology will enhance the performance of services and should be introduced into the working facilities.
Achievements: Fame may not straightforwardly come from competence but may brew therefrom if there are no or very few complaints from any client all over the world.
Success: The satisfying look of the clients we saw is the biggest prize we win after they receive our services.
The Secret of Becoming an Influential Leader: The base or secret for surviving in the market or becoming influential is perseverance, toughness, and courage.
Future Plans: Because all firms may have a difficult time, we have no intention to expand unless we find a service that can be provided only by this firm.
Favourite Books: Ancient books like the Bible, Kuran… which were authored thousands of years ago.
Nature of advisory services: We have 60% patent services, 20% trademark services, and 20% general law services.

Words of Wisdom

Try all efforts to stay with the virtues of perseverance, toughness, and courage related to cognition of quality services at all difficult opportunities because one’s fate means what s/he deserves through adhering to such virtues.

Success may not come very soon, but the virtues of perseverance, toughness, and courage may hasten the budding of success.

Closing Quote

If you dare wait for success through virtues, success is a shadow you cannot get rid of.

Axis Geffen: Dealing With Investigative Needs Comprehensively With His Venture, Axis Vero Incorporated

Headquartered in Ontario, Canada, a Private Investigation Agency, Axis Vero Incorporated offers an extensive array of investigative services and security consulting to a broad spectrum of clients worldwide under the competent leadership of Axis Geffen. Designated as the President and Founder of Axis Vero, Axis Geffen is an investigations specialist with extensive experience in Investigations, Undercover Operations, Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM), and Digital Forensic Matters. His experience encompasses all aspects of the investigative industry, and he is a commissioned author as well.

More about the Firm

Incepted in the year 2015, Axis Vero provides only the best investigators who are carefully vetted, hands-on specialists with real-life experience and proven track records within their respective area(s) of practice.

Apart from the head office in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and they are currently opening branch offices throughout Canada to service the demand of their government and corporate contracts. The firm offers almost any investigative service you can think of from research to surveillance to fraud and criminal investigations, and are also industry leaders in TSCM “Bug Sweeping” and Digital Forensics (imaging, analysis. investigation, and data recovery).

Axis Vero serves mostly lawyers or law firms, but they also have a broad base of corporate and government clients. There is no set demographic for who they help. Striving to build long-term relationships with their clients, they are not a product to be bought, but a resource to hold close. Axis Vero is equally committed (if not more so) to resolving their client’s matters quickly, accurately, and as cost-effectively as possible.

The Inspiration behind the Public Initiation

Mr. Geffen was at one time contracted by several firms at the same time. He opened his doors to the public due to a push from one of those former customers that became greedy and wanted to make his services exclusive. Faced with an ultimatum that would have left numerous firms without options, Mr. Geffen agreed to open his firm. If not for that push and the immediate need to survive, he states “I would never would have made the leap”. After opening to the public, Mr. Geffen realized the positive impact that his firm has made on not only his employees’ lives but the overall file quality and influence on his clients’ lives. That has kept him motivated.

What Fascinates Mr. Geffen in the Legal Field?

The visionary loves the interactions with the lawyers and clients that contact him. It has always surprised him how little most lawyers know about what qualified investigators can offer them to build, fix or defend a case they’re working on. He sees this most in the Family Law sector but it applies to every form of law. As lawyers begin to learn what his firm can offer and more importantly how different his firm is to deal with than competing firms, relationships (and many friendships) grow and “it truly feels like you’re helping your friend solve a problem. That’s rewarding.”

What Gives Axis Vero an Edge over your Peers?

Axis Geffen and his entire team care about each case they take in. While it’s important to make money, that is not the primary motivator for this firm. As such, they make a legitimate difference in the lives of those they assist and that tends to be remembered and rewarded in the long run.

Hurdles on the Way

“Although we are investigators, the challenges we face are very similar to those we see in young lawyers or paralegals. When you come in the door you want to be the best on day one, but there is no script to achieve this and it depends on your own attitude as well as who you meet along the way as to whether or not you learn anything at all on the trip. I think the biggest hurdle (certainly for investigators) is finding someone that is invested in making you better at what you do. In many cases, people are happy to keep you where you are rather than risk you succeeding beyond them”, asserted Axis Geffen.

From the Founder’s Desk

I started writing Security Site Post Orders for Burns International Security Services at the age of 14. My mom was a Security Site Supervisor for the company at that time but lacked English writing skills and so I helped her. At the age of 18, the company surprised me with my first Security Guard Licence and gave me a Security Guard job. I remained a Guard for several years learning about the security industry, client care, and the importance of solid documentation.

After a few years, I was hired as a subcontractor by a Private Investigation Agency and very quickly became popular in the field because of my superior documentation skills, attention to detail, and client support. I worked for a few investigation agencies this way. In 2015, one of the PI firms that I worked for gave me an ultimatum, I could either open my own firm and continue to service all of my clients, including his company, or I could become an exclusive employee to his company and stop working for the other security and investigation companies in our industry.

“This was a difficult choice to make because the agency that issued the ultimatum was my best customer at the time; however, becoming exclusive would mean that nearly a dozen other agencies would have to drop TSCM services from their offering to the public. I agreed to open my own firm and the day that I did, the agency that forced the ultimatum terminated my contract stating that I was now a competitor to them. Luckily, the remainder of my client base appreciated that I did not sell them out and work began to come in almost right away. Over the years I’ve trained hundreds of security officers and private investigators and in turn, I’ve learned tremendous skill sets from some of the best investigators in the industry.” In the present day, Axis Vero employs dozens of competent private investigators and Mr. Geffen imparts that knowledge to them. “Collectively, we’ve built this firm into the Best Investigative Support Firm – Canada Wide (as we’ve been recognized for the last three (3) consecutive years and our clients include government agencies, law enforcement bodies, charitable organizations, law firms (around the world), everyday people, and yes, many of those same (and some new) competing firms from around the world.”

Milestones & Achievements

Axis Vero has won a lot of awards but it’s rare that Mr. Geffen displays them or ever accepts a physical award, to begin with. The greatest achievement for him is watching demand for his firm grow. “Every new client that calls feels great. Every existing client that calls in again makes me excited. Now, opening our firm across the country has me elated. It speaks to the quality of our work, the dedication of our employees and the need for our presence in markets that we previously only serviced from a distance”, advised Mr.Axis Geffen.

Message for Readers

It’s not easy to get to the top of your field. You will not do it alone despite what those around you claim. Treat everyone you interact with courtesy and respect regardless of who they are or what you think they may or may not be able to do for you. Many of those interactions will be the foundation of how you are seen in the industry you serve for years to come.

Wies van ‘t Slot, An Award-winning Business Woman, Mother,& An Outcast Visionary Entrepreneur Heading 365Werk in Pursuit Of Excellence

With a passion to do things differently. More transparent above all, and more digital, Wies van ‘t Slot, Director, 365Werk spearheads her brand to do just that – Digitalize the recruitment and hiring process. She aimed at creating her own culture in her teams and this is what kicked her off and keeps her speeding forward. Forty two-year-old Wies became director and co-owner of 365Werk six years ago, after a career in the Randstad and YoungCapital world.

Full of ambition and full of confidence, Wies van ‘t Slot, a passionate, enthusiastic, hard-working entrepreneur, is the mother of three beautiful boys (13, 11, 9). Being a mum has always been her active wish, as has to be an entrepreneur. The inspiring lady had been dreaming of leading her own company for quite some time before she actually had collected enough guts to go out and give it a shot. “Being an entrepreneur is who I am. It’s who I’ve always been”, said Wies.

More about the Firm

In a shrinking market, the online employment agency, 365Werk has managed to grow, year after year. Besides, Wies started concentrating on the service, saying: if we want to be as online as possible, we need the best human service ever in combination with that’. It was a decision and a focus that really led the team to where they stand now. Investing in the software continues undiminished, A-level service is their main goal. To achieve that, the way the teams are composed and working together is key.

In the last six years, 365Werk has been honoured with FD Gazellen Awards four times, a prize for companies with the largest rise in revenues. Also, because of the rapid growth of 365Werk, Wies has been recognized as one of the hundred most successful businesswomen in the Netherlands.

Clientele & Branding Strategies

365Werk is operating in four different industries: catering, logistics, cleaning, and business services. To ensure their service level keeps surpassing the expectation of their clients, the 365Werk team regularly investigate their wishes and criticism. Their wishes are put directly on top of their innovation agenda. Wies and her team always keep in mind that they have to stay flexible, being able to adapt to new insights and desires.

“We are young, fresh, different, a bit puckish, cheerful, not formal at all. Our message is that anyone can be a boss. That’s our tagline as well. Thanks to us, you’re able to manage how, when, and where you’re working”, asserted Wies while talking about her unique branding strategies.

Impacts of Covid-19 & Solutions

From one day to the next, 365Werk lost about two-thirds of their revenues, mainly due to their hospitality and catering clients being closed down. Immediately following that shock, they started mediating their people to other branches. Meanwhile, they went out to connect more clients from businesses that weren’t torn down by the crisis. One of the riskiest parts of their strategy was that Wies decided to stop sending bills to her clients in hospitality, to protect them from stressing out. The plan worked out beautifully when the government started to help out businesses, which she had anticipated. Today, their client portfolio is more differentiated than it ever was, thanks to the strategy during the deep Covid crises.

From the Founder’s Desk

From within my organization, I can’t see any challenge other than always keeping in mind our teams having an eye on diversity. And of course, there’s the ever-going struggle to use ‘female skills’ like empathizing and being vulnerable on the one hand, and being strict and clear on the other, without growing the label ‘bitch’. Outside my own company, challenges are bigger. Inside the business networks, I feel part of, there are only a few women. It’s always difficult to mix naturally with large groups of men. Whereas they seem to be pals, talking about guy’s stuff, I will never completely fit in. Partly because the stuff palls talk about doesn’t really interest me, but mostly because palls tend to feel forced to switch subject and attitude when a woman is around. That’s something no woman wants to happen.

Wies’s Approach to Entrepreneurship

First of all – and this sounds a bit trite – you have to maintain your own course, stay close to who you are. In her opinion, the worst thing you could do is try to change the way you act. Being a woman in a male-dominated surrounding offers opportunities to your advantage as well. For example, it’s much easier for me to stay top of mind than it is for a man in a blue blazer.

Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs & Wies’s Advice

Wies said, “In my country, the biggest challenge is facing criticism regarding motherhood. A lot of people don’t understand or do not wish to understand how a mother can spend so much time being an entrepreneur whilst having young kids. The danger of being labelled a “bad mother” is one of the biggest factors of woman entrepreneurship being relatively rare. ‘How do you manage at home?’ is a F.A.Q. to a female entrepreneur. Men never receive that question.”

She continued, “I think the way to handle this pressure is to believe in what you are doing. The only way to feel free to do so is to make sure things at home are well organised. Once you’re convinced your family is taken care of, and your professional ambition is undisputed, you should be able to withstand the criticism of that kind and move forward in order to achieve your goals. Just accept that people might have other opinions.”

The Current Hurdles

Wies’s main worry now is how to move the company to the next step, with revenues of around 60 million euros. It’s a big and fantastic challenge to figure out in which way my teams are up to it and to prioritize the tasks ahead. It means She is looking into investments, opening new branches, hiring new talent, and strengthening the IT backbone.

A Day in Wies’s Life

The alarm rings at 06.30. Wies gets up, goes out to have a short hike with her dogs, returns to have breakfast with her husband and sons, takes a shower and leaves at 08.00 for a twenty minutes drive to the office. Every day, the leading lady’s agenda is filled with numerous appointments inside and outside the office. Most of the time, she arrives back home at around 1800 so she can assist her kids with their sports training and have dinner. A couple of times a week she goes out in the evening to the gym, on other nights there’s a network meeting. And sometimes she is at home, watching Netflix with her husband.

365Werk in the Next Five Years

“The next few years are dedicated to growing even faster. We’re going to achieve that thanks to a combination of IT and an ever-improving service. Our means is to extend our efforts on making the best ‘Tinder for work’. That’ll give us the possibility to stay strong and grow. In the next five years, we’ll definitely open more offices around the country and strengthen our brand”, Wies proudly shared.

Words of Wisdom

Just do it. Take it step by step, but get started. You don’t need extensive plans, because they’ll change along the way. There are a thousand reasons not to start as an entrepreneur. Don’t listen to them. Give it a shot, the best shot you have.

Dr Sharon Jones: A Passionate Techpreneur & Award-Winning Educator Spearheading dot. Consulting & Dottie Rose Foundation Successfully

“Believe in yourself, your talent, and your ambition.”- Dr Sharon Jones

A self-motivated, out-of-the-box thinker who brings real-life business problems to tech training and teaches applicable technological solutions to those problems, Dr Sharon Jones leads the dot. Consulting & Dottie Rose Foundation in the key position of CEO.

An award-winning, dedicated educator of computer science and technology for 17 years and throughout her career, she has created, implemented, and facilitated computer science workshops that apply the concepts of technology to everyday activities. She has found her passion in education and has served as a Career and Technical Education teacher in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and Wake County Schools as well as a Sr. Technical Trainer with Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC). Besides, she is a well-known industry teacher, trainer, and mentor working for organizations with like-minded missions.

The Initiative & Exclusive Product Portfolio

At the dot. is dedicated to providing innovative solutions to Computer Science education and technology learning. From face-to-face training to blended training techniques, their technology consulting services deliver a distinct advantage for organizations looking to grow. They help people invest in the technical knowledge of individual employees to create an overall collective sharpness, savviness, and greater productivity. Thus, increasing the technological speed and quality of the expertise in your organization. Delivering the key strategies and tools for immediate implementation of short-term and future value. They partner with companies and customize the plan. They offer three ways to work: strategic planning, professional development, and coaching. Their specialty resides in the development of the K12 technology/Career and Technical Education curriculum. Through their hands-on and real-life scenario approach, teachers will use critical thinking and technology skills to solve problems and gain insight.

thedot. Consulting offers three signature virtual or in-person Professional Development opportunities, or they have the ability to create customizable options, so one can choose what best fits his school’s current needs. Below are the three top professional development workshops.

Hello World: Big Concepts of Computer Science and Computational Thinking

Finding Your Tech Genius

Data Science Applied: Creating a Data Culture Through Application

Clients & Branding Strategies

The clientele consists of K-12 entities, including but not limited to Schools, Districts, and even K-12 programs outside of a school. Dr. Jones works directly with teachers, principals, and even the State to ensure they have what they need to integrate Computer Science standards into their curriculum.

Their branding strategy is one that gives educators a glimpse into opportunities to bring computer science into their classrooms. They provide engaging content through their social media, website, and their newsletter that allows teachers to see how easy it is to implement technology into their everyday curriculum.

Major impacts of Covid-19

“The major impact has been to move our work to a virtual platform. All of the in-person workshops were moved to online platforms. In addition, we created videos and content to be shared virtually and created opportunities for students & teachers to connect with community members through virtual talks, podcasting, and live video demonstrations and chats. As we continue to navigate the COVID 19 pandemic, we continue to do a blend of virtual and in-person work. As a technology education company, we have utilized online platforms to communicate and build content for many years as a way to expand our reach, however, the power of in-person can never be replaced. Therefore, the key to our continued success and impact will be with the blend of virtual and in-person” shared the leading lady when asked about the challenges and opportunities during the pandemic.

Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs & Advice to Overcome Them

There are many challenges but here are the top four according to Sharon Jones:

Defying social expectations
Accessing Funding
Owning your accomplishments
Coping with the fear of failure

Each of these challenges has its own hurdles but at the core, each challenge can be approached one step at a time. Own your strengths and be clear on what success means to you. Success is defined by you, not anyone else. Define your goals and take one step forward to achieve them each day.

From the CEO’s Desk

When I went to college, my sophomore year I was asked to create a PowerPoint for our project and I clearly remember turning to the person next to me and asking, what is PowerPoint?

And that is the pivotal moment that really changed my direction in technology. I taught myself PowerPoint and realized how much I enjoyed the learning. Fast forward a few years, and I go to East Carolina University to work on my master’s in education. There I entered my first programming class, Visual Basic.net. I had never programmed before and mind you had just figured out how to do the Microsoft suite of products.

However, I read, worked, failed many, many times, and finally mastered my first two projects of Hello World and turned the light bulb on and off! I received my master’s in teaching in Business and Information Technology and started my teaching career teaching in Career and Technical Education high school in Apex, NC, and then back to my home city of Charlotte. Over the years, my teaching career has been so rewarding as I have adapted learning technology to real-world applications.

I am self-taught in all of the programming languages I know and have continued to learn from my students, in professional developments and continued my education to earn my doctorate in Adult Education. My business started as a side hustle to bring in extra income for my family. I started doing workshops for teachers through Code.org and showcasing that platform and the success of those workshops grew to districts hiring me to lead further workshops around computer science. I stepped into

I have been a K12 educator, a secondary education professional, a corporate trainer, and now a business owner. My work has been a wonderful path of discovery, failures, and finding my true passion.

A Day in Sharon’s Life

Wake around 6:30
Short workout (try to do 30 minutes at least 3 times a week)
Coffee! I love a cup of coffee
Email catches up (8:00-9:00)
Meetings begin
Planning meetings for workshops or content
Collaboration connections
Curriculum planning with teachers during their planning sessions
Curriculum/Content development for Dottie Rose Foundation and schools
Lunch
Meetings continue or in-person visits with schools or Professional Development sessions Dinner with my family
After dinner research and planning for the next day
A good girly show on TV
Bed by 9:30

Future Plans & Jewels in the Crown

Sharon Jones wants her to venture to be the go-to for all things strategy and professional development for computer science integration into a K12 school or district. Here is the list of achievements;

NC Tech Education Technology – Industry EdTech Finalist
Jones was Woman of the Year, Charlotte Magazine
National Women’s Business Enterprise Certification
Top 100 Global Educators Presented by the Global Forum of Educational Leadership, June 2021

Karin Volo, Leading A Novel Training Firm, Evoloshen Academy Bringing Joy to the Workplace

Standing strong on the sturdy shoulders of a flourishing businesswoman, a global leader, an employee engagement expert, and a recognized HR Influencer, Karin Volo, CEO, Evoloshen Academy endeavours to guide employees to be empowered, engaged, and help them reach their full potential. Evoloshen transforms business through culture. It is the team of expert trust advisors to CEOs, CHRO’s, and top management teams to help them work strategically on culture issues.

With over 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies globally, this inspiring leader has insights on business building, cultural transformation, and high performance. Aside from becoming an expert in culture, employee engagement, personal and organizational development, she is an international bestselling author. She is also an accomplished inspirational speaker and a Certified C-IQ™ Coach. Her purpose is bringing joy to the workplace.

Further Karin apprised “I’ve had my own company since 2003 when I started an Executive Search firm in Sweden. My work has evolved from taking the best talent out of companies to helping companies keep their talent through working on their culture. The catalyst for this change came from writing a book called Engage! in 2012 which became an international bestseller. It lead to me speaking on culture, engagement, trust, and purpose and developing impactful training programs in these areas.”

Successful Clientele & Core Values

Evoloshen Academy works actively with progressive CEOs and CHROs who understand the value of culture. They have worked with a number of industries and types of organizations from fast-growing tech companies, global consulting firms, manufacturing, private equity, and governmental agencies to give some examples.

The core is focused on developing and training employees to be empowered, engaged, and to help them reach their full potential. They have training programs such as Ignite Your Trust Factor, am International Cultural Engagement Specialist certification, and Discovering Your Purpose.

The deeper they are able to work with their clients, the stronger the trust and relationships grow. Besides training, they have expanded to offer coaching and group masterminding as well. This has developed from their clients asking the team to support them even more.

Progressing In Entrepreneurship

The absolute key is to know your purpose! Evoloshen aims to bring joy to the workplace and that is what drives Karin and her team every day. They know the power of reaching their full potential and thriving. They share tools and knowledge that are empowering and help people understand who they are. As an entrepreneur, Karin finds it as the complete commitment to a bigger purpose that will drive her through the challenging times. It gives inner confidence and commitment to never give up and to keep going forward no matter what.

From the CEO’s Desk

The two biggest challenges I’m looking at currently are how best to grow my business and to offload many of my daily tasks and projects. As a leader, I’m evolving and growing as well. This is why I’m a big believer in coaching and mentoring! It helps along the way and can save a lot of time and mistakes.

While talking about the branding strategies of Evoloshen Academy to stay ahead, Karin said, “We rely a lot on word of mouth and recommendations. Giving value and building strong relationships over time builds high levels of trust. I also have a podcast called The Amazing Leader Series where I love to showcase progressive CEOs and leaders who are proving that working with culture is great for business because they are actually doing it. This provides a lot of value and inspiration to leaders. In addition, we have published a number of free reports on our website that have great value and information to help support people who want to learn more about cultural transformation.”

Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs & Karin’s Views

She finds it tough to generalize this. She says we all have our own experiences and journeys we are on. Women need to support each other and lift each other up as much as possible. In Karin’s view, young women feel pressure to balance between their personal/family lives and their professional lives. She has noticed that once kids are grown, women seem to step into their power. They have a lot of drive and energy and can really make an impact. And she always encourages mothers to enjoy their time with their children because they grow up too quickly! It’s important to enjoy each stage of life and know that the journey is constantly changing. When you can embrace the phase of life you are in and truly appreciate it, that helps to handle the ups and downs that life will bring your way no matter what. It’s a part of the human experience. So why not enjoy it along the way?

Karin’s Daily Routine

“With an ideal day, I normally wake up around 6:30 or 7:00. I like to enjoy my mornings by easing into the day, working out at home, drinking my daily green smoothie and walking my dog. My days are always different based on the projects I’m working on, which I normally have two to three at a time. It often includes meetings with clients and/or my team, sometimes preparing for workshops, writing articles, checking emails, making videos, working on web pages”, Karin shared when asked about her daily routine.

Milestones & Future Roadmap

Evoloshen has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Organizational Development Companies in Europe by HR Tech. Karin Volo has also been recognized as a Top Thought Leader in Trust, named on the Engagement 101 Influencers several years in a row, Top 10 HR Influencers, and many others.

Evoloshen is on the way to be known globally as the trusted company to help develop leaders and employees, create high trust organizations, and the team is working diligently to transform many lives! Plus, with every client project, Evoloshen will also contribute to support education, clean water, or fighting child sex trafficking.

A Piece of Advice for Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs

The world needs women entrepreneurs now more than ever. Women are naturally caring and nurturing and the business world is changing to be more supportive on a human-to-human level. Karin Volo believes that will make it even easier for women to be themselves and step into their power. There is nothing that can hold female power back and their time is now!

Turning Solutions towards Covid-19

Karin Volo said, “Our world has gone through some severe trauma in recent times. We need to come together to heal and support each other. I absolutely see a world in the future where every person can thrive and reach their full potential. Our children deserve this and together we can solve the problems in our world. It all comes down to love. Love is the currency of business—we want to love our jobs; we want to Live Our Values Daily. So, it’s time for us to realize that when we are united, we become an unstoppable force and we can use this to create momentum to change the world. We must have the courage to care for and love one another!”