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From Special Education Teacher And Doctoral Level Professor To “Inspiring Coachpreneur”: Dr. Shellie Hipsky’s Journey Of Empowering & Inspiring Women Leaders

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.” – Maya Angelou

Dr. Shellie Hipsky, CEO, Inspiring Lives International personifies this quote which is also one of her favourites, as her motivational media company continues to bring the unique personality, voice, and presence into the media spotlight.

Dr. Shellie Hipsky a charismatic leader with a never to say die attitude, an excellent guide & mentor, an inspiring coach, a great author and an influential business leader who initiated a journey to reach her mission of uplifting other inspiring and empowering women so they can make their greatest dreams a reality and impact others around the world with their stories and knowledge. Known as the “Global Empowerment Coach”, Shellie’s other titles include CEO of Inspiring Lives International, Executive Director of the Global Sisterhood, and the Editor in Chief of Inspiring Lives Magazine. She is educating, entertaining, and inspiring globally.

Her career span includes teaching students from kindergarten to the doctoral level in the United States as well as in Rome, Italy. In academics, Shellie is alumnus of Duquesne University where she completed the IDPEL doctoral program in educational leadership and has presented at an international conference on educational leadership at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. The research methodology she created, called the “Pre-Conceptual Map,” was taught in a Harvard University Research Methodology course.

Inspiring Lives International

Inspiring Lives International is a motivational media and education company that has offered the television show Inspiring Lives with Dr. Shellie, Empowering Women Radio, and 13 books including the international bestseller Ball Gowns to Yoga Pants: Entrepreneurial Secrets to Success for Your Dream Business and Brand. Her coaching is highly sought after by women internationally.

Further the inspiring lady apprised, “My coaching includes my EmpowerU Master Class which is enrolling now which has a seven-week proven curriculum for women to garner inspiration, empowerment, balance, and abundance. Many women have learned through my Exert Level video series how to do branding and marketing. Select elite ladies who are leaders in their field and are ready to rise to the top of their game while maintaining life balance, have engaged in World Class VIP Coaching with me wherein we travel to a fabulous resort and spa to work one-on-one with me on making their business and life dreams a reality. Inspiring Lives International combines empowerment, entertainment, and empowerment for women’s ultimate success.”

The ILI’s clientele include women leaders who desire transformation in their lives and careers. She recently spoke at the Ultimate Wealth Camp in Vegas. When she looks at the clients who joined her there for that experience, more than half of them are women whom she has known for over a decade. They trust her because they can clearly see how she led them from a transitional tipping point in their lives to success and they are growing ever higher towards their biggest goals.

The Inspiration Behind The Initiation

Dr. Shellie was a tenured professor and the decision to become an entrepreneur was based on creating her highest quality of life with her two beautiful children and her passion for inspiring women internationally. She needed to go beyond the four walls of the classroom and make the world her classroom!

“During my 20+ years of teaching and mentoring, I realized that there are so many beautiful, intelligent, and amazing women out there with stories that the world needs to hear. But these women leaders don’t know how to get themselves in front of the crowd, or be noticed enough to get their voices to a higher platform. This is where my completely individualized mentoring methods came into the picture”, Dr. Shellie proudly shared. In fact, her method is so unique for teaching adult learners that she holds a U.S. Patent for her instructional style with Dr. Jeanine Blackburn, who personally benefited from the teachings as a doctoral student of Dr. Shellie Hipsky’s and she is also a proud EmpowerU Alumni.

Major Hurdles & The Driving Force On The Way

The primary challenge during pivots have been looking at the situation from a new perspective. When a shift happens (and it always does), leaders must regroup and remain flexible.

Dr. Shellie said that she has been blessed to have had amazing mentors throughout her life journey. Currently, she is leaning into America’s Small Business Expert Bill Walsh’s teachings and mentorship. Throughout the years, she has had reciprocal mentoring connections from other brilliant business coaches such as Anita Brattina, Wendy O’Brien Lydon, and Marta Sauret-Greca.

Creating A More Balanced And Equal Industry

Dr. Shellie deeply believes in an equitable and inclusive workforce that pays genders equally and respects all on the team while celebrating differences and diversity.

A Day In The Leading Lady’s Life & Hobbies

“If I am not traveling for international speaking engagements, I begin my day early with my morning routine including mediation and exercise, I get the kids to school after a healthy breakfast, and then it really depends on the day what I will be doing. Whether it entails editing Inspiring Lives Magazine or delivering content through multiple online or in-person speaking gigs, podcasts, or TV shows – my calendar is always full. Some of my greatest days include my coaching days when I can help the women, I lead get closer to their fulfilled destinies”, asserted Dr. Shellie.

She loves performing in musical theater productions, singing, (She has vocal singles out on Spotify and iTunes). She also loves exercises such as Pilates, Aerial Yoga, or other fun workouts and she was even certified to teach Kickboxing. She adores hanging out with her kids and doing family-based activities as well.

Favourite Book

Jack Canfield’s The Success Principles is a classic self-empowerment book that this business leader loves to read and highly recommends.

Expansion Goals For Inspiring Lives International

The future of Inspiring Lives International will include touching the hearts and lives of millions of women around the world. She is excited to fill the latest cohort of her EmpowerU Master Class. Her keynote speaking calendar is booking up quickly and she looks forward to connecting with more audiences with messages of inspiration. Her signature talk is currently available on Amazon Prime to Speak Up and it has the same title as her 13^th book Ball Gowns to Yoga Pants. She looks forward to releasing her first vocal album Dr. Shellie and All That Jazz. Now, she is eagerly waiting for her next big red carpet gala fundraiser for her non-profit the Global Sisterhood, because the women who attend and the performances are always amazing. Dr. Shellie’s goal is worldwide inspiration!

Jewels In The Crown

Dr Shellie has a number of accolades and awards, here is a list of the latest awards and recognition won by the leading lady:

2021 “One of the “Top 20 Business Coaches” worldwide – VIP Global Magazine
2021 “Top 10 Inspiring Women to Look out for in 2021” – New York Weekly
2021 “Outstanding Professional Character Award” from Media – The Creative Agency
2021 “Forbes Contributor and Official Member” from the Forbes Coaching Council
2021 “Featured Founding Cover Coach” from Six-Figure Women Coaches Magazine
2021 “Official Member & Founder” from the Global Sisterhood
2021 “Global Ambassador” from the World Heritage Cultural Center
2021 “Featured Selection in the World’s Best Business Book Club” from C-Suite Book Club
2021 “Executive Leader” from the C-Suite Network
2020 “The Author Zone Award in Business” from TAZ
2020 “Five Star Author & Official Selection” from Bedside Reading
2020 “Impact Maker” from Ruchi Singh Talks
2019 “Social Legend” award from Real Beauty Real Women
2019 “Business Choice” award for Inspiring Lives Magazine from The Pittsburgh Business Show
2017 “Women of Achievement” award from Cribs for Kids
2015 “Entrepreneur of the Year in Inspiration and Empowerment” from VIP Events Concierge
2015 “VIP Woman of the Year Circle” award from the National Association Professional Women
2015 “Tenured Associate Professor” from Robert Morris University
2014 “Exceptional Artist Award” Pittsburgh Fashion Week – Fashion Hall of Fame
2013 “Super Professor” from the Faculty Row
2013 “Best Business Woman in Pittsburgh” from the Women’s Small Business Association

Advice For Young Women

Dr. Shellie exclaimed, “Be your fabulous self and show the world who you truly are!”

Leah Kay: An Woman Entrepreneur striking a chord to the Millennial

Let us hear an inspiring tale of this young talented girl who transformed herself into a leading businesswoman by setting a real-time example and inspiring other women along the way. Meet Leah Kay- Founder and CEO of Soulvation, who discovered the business world and stumbled into entrepreneurship in college.

While pursuing her master’s and running around the campus in a messy bun like most other girls, Leah wanted to find a way for her hair to look composed yet chic. The generic headbands during that time were unattractive, uncomfortable, and too sporty. Leah wanted a headband that made her look cute and feel comfortable.

However, she was not able to find any headbands that she wanted. So, she decided to take this matter into her hands and find an ideal solution. She borrowed her mom’s sewing machine, went to the local fabric store, and started hand-sewing her headbands. Leah soon started wearing her headbands that grabbed the attention of her friends, who asked her for the same. This hobby led her to start a side hustle during college. After finishing college, she worked full-time into her side-hustle and built her brand.

The Journey to the Forefront

With zero experience in business and entrepreneurship, Leah decided to put in the work and learn everything with her action-driven approach. In January 2019, she quit her education to follow her dreams. She started hand-sewing headbands around the clock, created her website, started posting on social platforms, and shipped orders alone.

Initially, she started with $300 and dreamt of establishing a multi-million dollar brand. As the profits started swinging in, she rolled it over into buying more inventory. With her go-getter mindset, she built a 6-figure brand in the first year of her business. In 2020, it grew to over $1,800,000 in sales, and in 2021, she envisions closing the year with $5-6 million in sales and project $15 million in sales in 2022.

Today, Soulvation has expanded beyond headbands into other hair accessories and new apparel this year. The brand won the Top 50 Colorado Companies to Watch in 2021 award.

Meeting the Customer Standards

Most hair accessory brands provide mass-produced products that compromise quality for quantity by using sportswear-type fabric and a worn-out design. On the contrary, Soulvation provides high-quality hair accessories for everyday wear, not just at the gym.

It uses butter-soft fabric for products made up of bamboo fibers. This fabric has natural benefits like it is stretchy, super soft, hypoallergenic, moisture absorbing, antibacterial, UV protectant, insulating, and doesn’t absorb stink as cotton-based material does.

Instead of marketing towards a specific target audience like the fitness industry, she developed the brand to pivot into more of a hair and lifestyle brand that is stylish and comfortable for everyday wear. The hair ties are also a game-changer. “We improved the basic black elastic to look like more of a bracelet design. They look like bracelets but work just like an elastic hair tie! These are so popular that we have trouble keeping them in stock. We are always developing new, limited edition colors for all of our hair accessories”, states Leah.

Acing the Challenges with Ease

Every day monotonous work gets in the way and becomes a measure of losing interest in our passion. By working at an organization, one can grow in so many ways. Leah loves building a brand because every day is a new challenge to learn from and grow. These challenges are the growth drivers of a successful future. The challenging scenarios make you think outside the box and adapt to change. Few days like these will be hard, however, taking risks and overcoming challenges is the way forward.

Times of Setbacks

Mistakes are bound to happen as an entrepreneur. However, these mistakes are a way to learn new lessons. Leah’s biggest mistake in building a brand from the beginning was trusting others to take tasks off her plate. Being a perfectionist, she wanted to do it all. However, she changed her mindset and delegated the roles to the right person.

Triumphs to Cherish

Leah’s greatest achievement is creating opportunities and providing jobs to women on the team. The Soulvation employees are hard-working and motivated women; who are growing personally and professionally in all kinds. It has been an exciting experience showing them the ropes and behind-the-scenes action when building a brand.

Leah’s secret passion is teaching; she loves teaching others the power and rewards of entrepreneurship. She loves to invest her time and knowledge into those that want to learn and progress in their lives.

Some of our employees are working on getting their brands off the ground and following in my footsteps or even one day outgrow me. I want them to do big things and to follow their dreams. It’s one of the perks of working on our team – I’ll push you outside your comfort zone if you want to grow.

Leadership Principles the lead the Pack

Every leader is known for their unique leadership style and skill. Here’s how Leah walks her talks:

She recognizes the team members’ strengthens and helps them grow to their maximum potential. The team is skilled in setting goals and creating a positive, empowering, impactful, and motivating work environment. She provides them with regular feedback on challenging projects to promote holistic development.
Keep the team lean and let them reap the rewards for going above and beyond. The employees get rewarded for their performance and hard work with gifts and bonuses for accomplishing their goals.
Cut the cancerous employees who are not able to meet the company standards. On the contrary to hard-working employees, the opposite type of employee inevitably presents themselves on the team. One should hire and fire accordingly. Positivity, hard work ethic, and willingness to grow personally and professionally are must-haves for a team.
Make time for team bonding and always have an open door. Celebrate special days and occasions with the team and enjoy the fun times.

The Enlightening Success Mantra

As an entrepreneur, once you reach the top of the mountain- it becomes easy to make money, and most people define that as success. On the contrary, providing an opportunity and experience to those willing to grow is how Leah defines her success.

Her mantra in life is to keep growing and vouching towards personal growth. She will continue to pursue things out of her comfort zone and help people follow their dreams and turn them into realities.

A Sheer-Leader

Leah is a holistic leader; who aims towards the utmost growth of her team. She works with an easy-going approach, where she assigns and teaches employees the task and gives them their space to work on it. She refuses to micromanage and let the employees learn on their own.

She has got their back at all times; however, if an issue arises, Leah is confident that the employees should figure out a solution before coming to her. This way, the employees feel a sense of independence and courage.

The Next Steps

Soulvation is a 100% women-owned and operated brand completely bootstrapped with zero investors and zero debt. It encourages all women to look and feel their best without sacrificing comfort.

Earlier this year, we donated thousands of our headbands to Sanford Health nurses as a thank-you for all their hard work during the pandemic. The organization has also donated headbands to cancer unit patients and staff. Soulvation aims to give back to many industries and continue supporting female founders to build their empires. Changing people’s lives for the better – that is true success to me.

A Combination Of Inspiration, Innovation, And Expertise: Meet The Accomplished Legal Practitioner, Henzie Healley

Responding to the pressing need for a platform where lawyers can join and serve their clients, without taking the stress of running a sole business, an accomplished and skilled lawyer, Henzie Healley has launched Mezzle in the Middle East with her esteemed business partners Mel Kang and Raj Sumal, who also launched Mezzle in the UK. Henzie is a common law qualified lawyer living in Dubai but servicing clients from all around the world.

She studied Business Management in Canada, before going on to study law in New Zealand. She qualified with an LLB with Honors in New Zealand and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2014. She then moved to Dubai in 2014 after being offered a permanent role at an international law firm she interned for during her school vacations.

In 2019 Henzie founded her own legal consultancy and simultaneously, started an organic paint company both of which have been hugely successful and have grown very quickly. In 2021 she merged the Abu Dhabi legal consultancy with a UK firm, rebranded, and is now a partner in, and Managing Director of, Mezzle Middle East.

Mezzle, all set to Disrupt the Provision of Legal Services

Mezzle Middle East is a legal consultancy that is seeking to disrupt the provision of legal services and the way that lawyers conduct their business. Providing a platform through which lawyers can join and continue to service their clients, without having to worry about the endless non-billable hours taken up by admin and running a business solo.

Mezzle allows lawyers to join a global brand, have the support that they need to provide the highest level of service efficiently and effectively to their clients while having the freedom to enjoy life and be their own boss.

Clients & Corporate Ethos

Mezzle Middle East services clients from all over the world, having started predominantly with a focus on start-ups and high-growth companies, it has since grown to include many SMEs, large international companies, and family offices in the UAE.

Mezzle is a technology-focused law firm that provides clients with the best possible service. Here is a team of legal experts who strive hard to ensure each project gets done right, fast, and efficiently. The team is always looking for new ways to improve their services, whether it be through technological advancements or process improvements.

The Driving Force

God played a huge role in getting Henzie Healley to where she is today. From the beginning, when she started the company, they never had any problems getting clients. Big names wanted to work with them, and they would receive calls out of the blue from people they had never heard of, that wanted to help them grow their brand, promote them and use their services.

Further the leading lady apprised, “We have many people to thank for our success including Yann Mrazek and the team at MH/Q, Greg Shippee/David Linklater and the team at Re/Think, Pratik and the team at Sanctuary, Tasawar Ul Haq, Preston McIntyre (one-man army), Sherif El Hennawy and the team at Plug & Play, Zille Rehman and the team at Astrolabs, Rosheen Ngorima (founder of Neeps Consulting), Maxime Casinelli (owner of MCG), Leo Garcia (Women’s Investment Empowerment Forum), and a mystery Mr X (who would like to remain anonymous, but knows who he is) and all of our clients that have supported us along the way.”

The Phenomenal Team

When asked about her team Henzie shared, “One is also only as strong as one’s team and we have been blessed with a phenomenal team at Mezzle. Everyone that is a part of the Mezzle team, is genuinely committed, pitches in, and works hard as a team. A special shout out to Shameeg who has helped me significantly along the way, my family, who invested in me and all pitched in when things got really busy (my mom, my dad, and my stepmom – literally, I would not have been able to do this without you), my friends who were always happy for me and stayed friends with me even though I was too busy to see them (and still helped me with all kinds of things which needed to be in the media when I could – Kohl & Rouge), and Khader who pushed me to start the business and supported me all the way.”

Creating a more Balanced & Equal Industry

The legal system is changing. COVID has shown people that so much more can be done remotely, and money is no longer the most important thing to work for. Traditional law firms are becoming a thing of the past. There’s never been a better time to join the movement and help create something new: one that works for you, not against you.

Henzie stated, “Everyone loves money, don’t get me wrong, but a lot of people are seeing that freedom from a desk is way more valuable. In my opinion, companies need to be more flexible, understanding what is important to people and realising that not everyone’s the same. They should embrace technology and be open-minded to new ways of doing things”.

Favourite Book

The Efficientpreneur by AK.

Future Roadmap

Henzie Healley is most excited about the possibilities that Mezzle provides and how it can change people’s lives. It gives lawyers freedom, freedom to work for themselves, earn a good living, but also make more time for the important things in life and loved ones. Mezzle is the way of the future. It’s what every lawyer should strive for. Life is short and time is precious. Time spent is time that one will never get back… it should be rationed and used wisely. Mezzle is for people who are tired of the old ways.

A Piece of Advice for Female Entrepreneurs

“You can do it! We live in a society that tells people they can do anything and achieve anything. Some think that’s wrong and breads entitlement or too much emotional sensitivity, but I truly believe the sky is the limit. If you put your mind to it and have God supporting it, you can do anything”, advised Henzie.

“While many women have found it challenging to enter the workplace and have encountered various obstacles, I don’t want to offend anyone, but I have never felt that my gender has been a hindrance to my success in the workplace or in the legal sector. Quite the opposite actually. I believe both men and women in this industry can achieve equal success”, she further added.

Favourite Quote

“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more days to do the things you wanted. Do it now”.

Farah Emara, Young Inspiring Entrepreneur Focused Towards Disrupting the Agri-value Chain with FreshSource

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

Quote that describes the mindset of the inspiring young entrepreneur Farah Emara, CEO, FreshSource, a great initiative to streamline the fresh food value chain through the use of data and technology. The 30-year old leading lady, Farah is passionate about entrepreneurship, value chains, and getting rid of unnecessary inefficiencies. With her co-founder, Omar Emara, they are the brains behind FreshSource Global, they launched the firm in January 2019.

The inception that happened just three years ago, grew into a strong innovative platform. FreshSource is currently disrupting the Egyptian agriculture industry by streamlining the value chain through technology. It is the region’s first platform for fresh produce, transforming the lives of producers, businesses, and consumers. As of now, the firm is working with many established businesses in the country with a belief that the level of service it provides is what makes them loyal to FreshSource. Because of their outstanding contributions and innovative solutions, Farah and her venture were honoured with the Digital Agriculture Award of the year by the World Bank and the IFC. They were also awarded the Mashrou3 Amal award by MBC.

Further, the leading lady apprised, “An idea, no matter how unique or great it is, is just an idea. Determination, perseverance, and transforming your setbacks into comebacks is what will build a truly successful enterprise. We work hard to prepare our team and our company for exponential growth and always make data-driven decisions for our strategies. We are building a strong team with a solid foundation and processes in place that will enable us to transform the Egyptian agriculture industry.”

The Inspiration behind the Initiative

Omar and Farah grew up in the agriculture industry and it was always a passion for them. At the time she was working in P&G and Omar was in London. Farah had a background in FMCG and Omar in Finance and Technology in Goldman Sachs London. They always knew that they wanted to start something that will have an impact on their country. They started researching the industry and uncovered immense inefficiencies that exist in the value chain. Through their research, they found that an average of 45% of crops are lost before hitting store shelves due to poor harvesting, transportation, and storage. With an exponentially growing population, greater stress is being placed on food security. Producers are not getting their fair cut due to middlemen and businesses are overpaying for their crops making prices extremely high for the end-consumer.. So, they launched FreshSource to revolutionize agriculture in Egypt and transform it through technology.

Major Hiccups & Support on the Way

The agriculture industry is always very risky and dynamic, so challenges are how to withstand some of the changes that were caused by the global pandemic and how to build a foundation that can strive.

While talking about her support system, Farah happily said, “My co-founder, Omar, is the number one reason I am where I am today. He provides unparalleled support and a great direction for FreshSource that has made it possible for us to achieve what we have.”

“To create a More Balanced and Equal Industry, Always focus on the female representation in the workforce, if you are not tracking it then odds are you have an extremely low number of females in your team. Without this diversity, companies are missing out on so much, from Sales to Operations”, she further added.

A Day in Farah’s Life

She wakes up at 7 every day as the fruit and vegetable industry is one that is most active in the mornings. She begins her day by checking the communication channels with the team. After that, she gets up and walks her two beautiful dogs, Mocha and Yogi. Then she goes to the gym at Gezira Club to get some morning endorphins and grabs a coffee. After that, she either goes to the office, meets with investors, farms, or cold storage facilities depending on the situation.

Favourite Source of Inspiration & Education

A podcast- Startup Theory.

“I love Startup Theory and I recommend all entrepreneurs listen to it. Being an entrepreneur can sometimes be a lonely journey. I am lucky enough to have my brother with me, but other sole founders don’t. They need to get the message that obstacles will always arise and sometimes doubting yourself can be more detrimental than the actual issue you are facing. We usually only see the tip of the iceberg on media platforms of startups raising millions and it usually looks so easy. However, each startup is going through its own pains, and keeping your headset in the right direction is what will make you sink or swim”, Farah apprised.

The Future

The young woman believes that blockchain will have an immense impact on the value chain of food. This has already started happening and will only continue to transform the industry. Agriculture accounts for 40% of the global workforce and represents 6.4% of the entire world’s economic production. Getting food from farm to table is an extremely complicated process with a lot of intermediaries. People are oblivious to what has been sprayed on the food they are eating or how it has been handled. Using blockchain to promote the traceability of food will have a transformative impact.

Advice for Female Entrepreneurs

You must be aggressive, while it may be uncomfortable for some people to be assertive and it might not come naturally, unfortunately, it is seen as a sign of weakness by investors and other stakeholders. So, if you want to get far, you must be determined and assertive.

Trust Capital TC – Enriching lives, creating Reliability!

Businesses come and go, what stays is the presence, the impact, and the name of the enterprise. Business is more about creating a relationship between the company and the customers than selling something to someone.

A company is always on the search and hunt for the next big innovation, which could carve their name in the hall of fame, but, what about the existing products/services they offer?

There are a lot of companies offering similar products/services but only a few prevail and take the top spot. What makes the customers follow these names only, and overlook any other, despite discounts, extra benefits, etc.?

The answer is Trust and Reliability.

Farah Hawilo is one of the leading and eccentric businesswomen of 2021. She is not only an effervescent leader but also a great persona, inspiring budding entrepreneurs and exiting businessmen/businesswomen.

Farah is the Executive Director of Trust Capital TC. Trust Capital TC provides a secure, reliable, and transparent environment to trade CFDs on Forex, Metals, Commodities, Indices, and Cryptocurrencies.

Offering direct access to the financial markets with the benefits of competitive pricing, tight spreads, low commission, and negative balance protection.

Since Brokers do not share a good image in the market, Farah and her company aim to eradicate that by providing services that are unmatched, top-notch, and completely transparent. Trust Capital TC revolutionizes the traditional image and perception of Brokers.

Farah, and her will to create something extraordinary and change the face of trading and the air around it, makes her one of the most dynamic businesswomen to watch in 2021

“To achieve something that you’ve never achieved, you have to do something that you’ve never done”

The Company, the Journey

Trust Capital TC started a revolution in the securities market. Licensed in 2018, with a mission to provide an environment where traders have transparency and reliability. Their base of operations is set up in Cyprus, with the representative office in Dubai UAE.

They offer a trading platform for clients to invest, whether they are retail or professional clients. They offer a lot of instrument support, such as Forex, Metals, indices, energies, Commodities, and now cryptocurrencies.

To cater to clients of all kinds and offer different account types suited for all kinds of investors, professional or starting out, Trust Capital TC offers a one-stop solution.

Being a broker, a company faces many claims, which are on the negative side. But Trust Capital TC rises as the knight in shining armor for all those cheated, mistreated, or conned by traditional brokers. The defining characteristic feature of Trust Capital TC is the education they offer, and that too free of cost! They conduct webinars, seminars, and provide online education. They also have a program called the Forex Mentor, providing one-on-one training.

Trust Capital TC and its team know trading into Indices, Forex, etc. is a risky job. They offer education so people and their clients can learn. They impart education, not to get accounts, but to establish trust and eradicate improper knowledge which stains the occupation of trading as a whole. They are the change, by being the change!

They also offer practice accounts, so people can practice trading with virtual money. This does not stop here as Trust Capital TC monitors the account with them, and tries to give them some tips, etc. on how to trade and how to get better, and much more.

One of the most challenging tasks for Trust Capital TC and its team was to get their license. As they moved and chose Cyprus as the base of operation, CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) had introduced regulatory changes, implied stringent rules, and regulations. As the leverages were reduced to 1:30 from 1:100, making it less risky for traders, brought in a lot of compliance work, etc. to get a license.

Moreover, to get the license they had to plan and regulate policies, in adherence to the regulations, keeping it completely transparent at all times. With dedication, hard work, and luck on their side, they were one of the last companies to get a CySEC license!

After the license, next was the task of setting up the company, but that was something they were already prepared for, making it easy for them to establish their firm.

What pushes Trust Capital TC to grow and succeed?

A lot happened during the pandemic, and for Trust Capital TC it was a make-or-break situation. There were many changes going on in the markets and people’s mindsets too. The shuffle in employment opportunities pushed people to become more aware of what trading can offer, especially as a second income source.

To tap this space, Trust Capital TC conducted online webinars, a lot of them. Projected towards educating and creating awareness about trading online, what it means to invest online, and it is not as difficult as it seems. This not only led to more clients, but traders who are educated, aware, and understand trading, which Trust Capital TC strives to achieve.

People of different fields also became more interested in trading, because Trust Capital TC broke many myths along its journey for its clients and students.

‘You can only trade if you know finance’.
“This is not true; you can learn anything that you’re interested in. All it takes is time, effort, and education. This is why we are here to help”. – Farah Hawilo, Executive Director, Trust Capital TC

Trust Capital’s roots for its long-standing success

What makes Trust Capital TC successful and the first choice of traders is its reputation with its clients. As there are hundreds of brokers, spread across different instruments, regulated, and not regulated, etc. The unregulated ones, unfortunately, have made a bad reputation. There are many cases where clients face difficulty receiving their profits, customer service was bad after they opened an account, and so on.

Trust Capital’s ethics is to have great customer service and to make sure client is aware of every stage of their account. Even after they closed the account, they make sure they’re doing okay. They keep a check and make sure their clients receive anything they need, along with the surety of debiting/crediting funds on time. They do frequent follow-ups, making sure the client has received profits, is up to date, etc.

Another factor making Trust Capital TC sought-after and acclaimed is the transparency with cost. Their pricing is everywhere, on the website, and on terms and conditions, etc. They make sure the client doesn’t miss anything because it is the money that they’re investing. So, they make sure to take care of that very much and be transparent with the client!

Services offered by Trust Capital TC, and what sets them apart

Trust Capital TC offers a variety of instruments to trade in, right from Forex, Metals, Gold, Silver, Commodities, Indices, and now offering Cryptocurrency. They offer CFDs (Contract for Differences) on these instruments. CFDs are more based on speculation, thus allowing one to trade without purchasing an instrument. This means one can trade with a higher quantity, with a lower amount. CFDs on crypto are being offered by very few, but with reliability and trust on Trust Capital TC, there is no better option out there!

As mentioned earlier they provide education too. They have created a mobile app that helps the client track their trades, making their trading simple and easy, thus, saving their on-screen time. Clients also get pop-up notifications showing trade information, etc. They also receive other benefits right from the calendar of news to calculators that they might need, and much more.

They also offer affiliated partnerships. If someone wants to refer clients, they have a program for them. Also, liquidity offering is also provided. If it’s a corporate account and they want to open an account, get liquidity, etc. Trust Capital TC also provides that.

There are a lot of factors that set Trust Capital TC and its services apart. They make sure that pricing is competitive. They offer different account types with different pricing and different commission. So, clients can choose accounts, pricing, etc. to their needs.

They also provide as many payment methods as possible. They have PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, credit card debit card, and bank transfer, so no one feels restricted with one payment method.

Also, the free education is a huge plus, because almost all the Brokers have great offerings but only a few offer education, and that too on a condition if you’re a funded client with them.

Trust Capital TC also offers immersive and proactive customer service. It’s 24 hours, 24×7, all days a week, even when the markets are closed, making sure clients receive regular updates about everything, are always in the light!

New additions to Trust Capital’s service arsenal

They are in the works of offering equities, which would make Trust Capital TC a one-stop-shop for the client. Clients will be able to open a trading account with them and trade Apple, Amazon, and other equities. The best part being, one account with Trust Capital TC enables you to trade a variety of instruments, right from crypto to gold, crude oil, currency, and much more!

What makes it interesting as now equity CFDs will be available to trade along with education, making Trust Capital TC a complete solution for traders and investors.

How Trust Capital TC goes ahead with changing times and trends

Trust Capital TC offers various instruments to trade and invest. They are integrating new instruments, such as cryptocurrency, which is being offered by very few in the market. Also, the regular additions and updates to the mobile app, making the whole experience seamless. Moreover, the team is always looking for changing trends, new technology, etc. which can be integrated to make sure their services are unrivaled and always the best the industry has to offer!

The Leading Lady, Farah Hawilo

Farah started her education in finance, got her bachelor’s degree in banking and Finance in Lebanon. Right off the bat she started working and initiated her journey to get some experience in the Forex industry.

She started from customer support, to learn all the ins and outs of the Forex world, right from client account opening, back office, etc. She also pursued and accumulated few certificates including risk and investment compliance by Reuters, Bloomberg terminal, etc. that fetched her more knowledge, skills, helping her get up the ladder.

All this prepared her and provided her the knowledge she needed to start her company. Followed the start of Trust Capital TC, where she was handling different roles and departments, such as operations, HR department, Compliance department, dealing with sales, etc.

Farah feels the highlight of her professional journey is getting the CySEC license, owing to stringent norms, compliance, regulations, etc., and nurturing her company to become a successful and respectable name in the market.

From there to open up a new office in Dubai, dedicating herself to bring more awareness and education amongst traders, eradicating the bad image around Brokers, and expanding the business is one of the major highlights of her career!

What Farah thinks are the responsibilities of an entrepreneur

Number one is to be true to what you are doing. If you’re working on something and comparing yourself all the time to similar businesses, you won’t ever be ahead of the competition. Your work should keep you more into a tunnel vision, towards the goal, in the end, to have other people look at you, copy you, and not the other way around!

Be true to yourself, true to what you are doing, and at the same time don’t only look at it as a profit-making making business. It will get there as long as you have your ethics and the company. You have to make sure about the way you treat your employees, make sure to relay the message that the employees are not working for you, they’re working with you. To build a culture where works towards the same goal.

Always keep learning. No One Ever Knows enough. Keep trying to develop yourself, make sure you’re up to date with whatever new is going on in the markets and technology because times are changing very fast.

“They say you have to do what you love but to be honest to get to that goal you want; you have to go through phases, where you are not enjoying the process so much. I was doing compliance work, working in different departments that were not my initial passion. But in the end, this is what led me to the goal. You’re going through phases that you don’t love and you don’t enjoy at that point. You have to get through them. And you will reach your end goal!” Farah adds.

Team of Trust Capital TC

Every member of Trust Capital TC goes to work with the goal of personal development, which is something that they love in the company.

They don’t go for a nine-to-five shift, they focus on their personal development in the company, and how to best provide their clients. Trust Capital TC and its environment promotes learning and pushes its team to pursue certifications, seminars, and education.

So, this approach helps the team grow and motivates them to apply their knowledge and skills, bringing out the best of Trust Capital TC!

This culture inspires the team to branch out, and do even more than their job description. Inspiring a feeling of oneness towards the company, providing clients with 110% dedication and focus, and innovating along the way, make the team of Trust Capital TC exceptional and one of the best there is!

Farah’s views on constant vigilance- as a need or strategy

You cannot be naïve about what you’re doing, the company, etc. thus. You have to be aware, and keep up with the changes. So, definitely, it’s a need and a strategy!

You need to see what’s going on around you, need to see what market is offering, so you can offer better.

“Whether it comes to marketing your products, you always have to be listening”

You have to be doing your research, see the trends, etc. Then comes the part of keeping up with the trends around practices, this is where your strategy kicks in!

Farah’s take on the competition in the market, and how she deals with it

On a personal level, one has to get some balance in the personal life. As the work doesn’t stop after 5 or 6 p.m. and keeps going. So, you have to have that balance, for your mental health, for your well-being, etc. you need to balance.

Also, spending time with oneself is important. Give your thoughts space and time, moreover, give yourself the time you deserve!

On a professional level, always read the news. Stay in tune with what’s happening, so you can keep up. “If you get drowned in your work only and you’re not aware of what’s going on the outside, you won’t be able to reach the daily tasks that you want to reach.” – Farah adds.

A Combination Of Innovation, Passion, And Expertise: Meet The Influential Leader, Meti Ketner

Incepted in 2008, an Excellent Legal Consulting Firm offering a comprehensive and strategic approach to the Intellectual Property Challenges of modern times, both for corporations as well as individuals is KETNER, the brainchild of dynamic leader, a businesswoman, Founder and CEO of KETNER® Ltd, Meti Ketner.

Meti, is a well-known name in the legal field due to her work on key issues. The firm has established a reputation for delivery of quality legal advisory services in different fields with a special focus on industrial property protection (patents, trademarks, industrial designs, etc.) It is constantly progressing and expanding and following the key trends of Intellectual Property Protection to which clients can rely on. Strategic and progressive advocacy is the hallmark of KETNER!

Law is a profession like any other profession, but it is used to be a male-dominated turf. That was past tense. In the last few years, there has been a shift as more female power have made the choice to lead rather than to follow. A lot of strong-willed women have come blazing through and have made their mark in the legal landscape. And Meti Ketner is the perfect reflection of the influence of female leadership in the legal sector.

The passionate and innovative lawyer, Meti Ketner is creating her unique mark with her talent and inspiring countless young women. She possesses over 21 years of rich professional work experience as a legal practitioner. With her venture, Meti tackles everyday tasks ambitiously. Her goal is to raise awareness of the importance of intellectual property and its protection and encourage the development of copyright, industrial property rights, and other rights arising from human creative activity.

KETNER– CUTTING OUT LEGAL NOISE WITH EXPERIENCE AND VISION

With foundation stones of knowledge, faith, integrity, and trust, KETNER® has grown from advising its first client on industrial property to becoming with a notable service portfolio with a comprehensive approach to the Intellectual Property Challenges of modern times. Meti Ketner is aware that the Intellectual Property Protection sector is constantly evolving. Ideas of the future are already changing the present moment. She is very proud to show the world the intellectual capacity of Slovenia – the rising star of this world.

KETNER®’s professional field extends from the personal touch of in-depth analysis of the idea itself focused on problem-solving inventions and related patent technical documentation, supported by legal advice, expert reports, IP searches, and monitoring, evaluating, to the other specialist support in the field of industrial property rights and beyond.

To maintain a strong market position KETNER® company represents their clients in Intellectual Property Proceedings at the national, European, and international levels. Operating with vision and optimism, KETNER® ‘s protected Intellectual Property is manifested through brilliant industrial property rights reflecting the originality of its owners. The KETNER®’s coverage ranges from representation in the process of acquisition, registration, maintenance, to enforcement of industrial property rights in Slovenia and worldwide.

WHAT MAKES KETNER STANDS OUT?

KETNER is a Slovenian law office specializing in the field of intellectual property with an emphasis on industrial property ( trademarks, models, patents …).

The firm focuses on providing commercially sound and pragmatic legal advice while cutting while ensuring regulatory and statutory compliance. The endeavour focuses on providing the most effective and efficient delivery of quality legal services for all sectors.

Backed with all-rounded experience covering the entire spectrum of matters in the corporate commercial arena and expansive career experience, Meti propels KETNER to fulfill the legal advisory role as a legal partner in the industrial property protection strategy being at the heart of achieving pragmatic legal solutions.

The team of experienced professionals is ingrained to have a client-centric approach and in-depth understanding of practical legal issues faced by the clients focusing on efficient and effective service delivery.

They offer legal advice and expert opinions, perform inquiries, perform tracking and provide other professional support regarding industrial property rights and other areas with the most effective solutions.

They represent clients in the procedures of acquiring, registering, maintaining, and enforcing industrial property rights (patents, trademarks, models …). We are an official patent attorney entered in the Register of Patent Attorneys at the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Intellectual Property (No. 258) and at the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (EU) (No. 46191).

BEING A LEGAL LEADER

Meti Ketner has had an exciting journey since the inception of her career as she held various leadership roles in her career. What motivates her? Well, the strong leader believes, her work is her passion and whether working for the larger Slovenian professional legal offices or as for institutions of public importance and in the frame of international projects of great importance for Slovenia, she continues to deliver the best. Meti Ketner strives for success working together with a team of highly qualified experts by doing the best for their clients.

Here is the timeline of Ketner’s emergence in the legal industry prior to practicing law in her own company:

2006-2009: AGENCIJA VEBO, družba za invencije, pravno svetovanje in nove medije, d.o.o. – Director
2005-2006: HIGHER COURT IN MARIBOR – Judicial intern
2004-2005: INSTITUTE OF SHAREHOLDERSHIP – Legal consultant and project manager
2003: MIRO SENICA – ODVETNIK – Attorney, lawyer intern
2001-2002: SCHOENHERR, d.o.o. – Head of Legal Department
2000-2001: STATISTICAL OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA – Lawyer intern

In academics, Meti has done her Law from University of Ljubljana and different other training course from reputed institutions. During her studies, she worked as an Assistant in the framework of two international PHARE projects; “Further Alignment of Slovene Statistical Methodology with EC Requirements and Reinforcement of the Institutional Capacity of Slovene Statistical Office in View of Accession to the EU” (SORS) and “Approximation of Legislation and Enforcement Programme” (Government Office of the Republic of Slovenia for legislation).

Farrah Smith: A Renowned Fundraising Professional Dedicated to Ocean Conservation & Animal welfare

Creative, Compassionate, Result-driven, and Risk-taker executive fundraising professional with entrepreneurial Passion, Drive, and Vision, Farrah Smith, Director of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, has navigated through 20 years of journey in generating revenue and increasing support bases for nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

She joined SSCS in 2011 and has spent a decade working here. She is also a proud member of Former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Corps. Farrah is a regular contributor to Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global and she is one of her Thrive Stars (Wellness Ambassador). As part of her commitment to empowering teens and young adults in leading happier, more intentional, productive, and purposeful lives she founded Farrah Smith Coaching.

An alumna of Brendon Burchard’s world-renowned High-Performance Coaching Academy is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Bruin Professionals (BP) member. Because of her outstanding work, the inspiring woman was named one of the Top 10 Life Coaches Who Will Elevate Your Life in 2021 by Yahoo Finance. She is also a proud TEDx speaker and TED member.

More about the Initiative

Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international non-profit marine wildlife conservation organization. Our mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) from the Liberian Ministry of Defense. The order is the highest military award given by the ministry.

The New Beginning

In 2008, Farrah was working as the Director of VIP Sales at City Center Residential, the biggest real estate project in North America, when she read this quote by Winston Churchill- “To each, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for what could have been their finest hour.”

She was disappointed because she thought she was not “preparing for her moment” to make a difference in the world. Her passion had always been kids and animals, and she had lost sight of that while successfully climbing the corporate ladder. She knew it was time to put service over stature.

She determined the best way to do that was to transition to the nonprofit sector. At first, she was focused on helping land animals, but then she saw the show Whale Wars on Animal Planet. She loved how Captain Watson and the brave Sea Shepherd crew put their lives on the line to save whales. She thought, now these were people living a life of purpose and passion.

Having a background in sales and VIP relations made her the perfect candidate for the position they had open. Her years working with wealthy and high-profile clientele and hosting events for the entertainment industry were all preparing Farrah to be the right person, with the right skillset and the right connections to make a difference at her favorite charity. All the relationships she had made over the previous ten years in Los Angeles and Las Vegas came to be invaluable in her new role.

Here, she is responsible for major donors and she manages VIP Relations, which includes the Advisory Board members, celebrities, and their entertainment industry contacts for Sea Shepherd Productions.. She also organizes all the US-based high-profile fundraising events.

“Last month marked my 10th anniversary at Sea Shepherd. Over the past decade, I have had the incredible opportunity to raise millions of dollars to help protect the ocean and save marine wildlife. I feel honored to be a Sea Shepherd and surrounded by such devoted and passionate individuals all of whom I consider heroes. I am grateful to finally be living a life of purpose, making an impact on two of the causes that matter to me most, ocean conservation and animal welfare”, Farrah Smith proudly shared.

‘As our founder says, “If the oceans die, we die” so I have devoted my life to protecting all beings, human and animal’, she further added.

Hurdles on the Way

When asked about the primary challenges on the way, Farrah said, “Sea Shepherd has grown and evolved quite a bit over the last few years. For a long time, people thought of Sea Shepherd as an anti-whaling organization due to the popularity of Whale Wars, but we have always been an anti-poaching organization. It has taken people a little time to see that stopping illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is where we can have the greatest impact on protecting all marine wildlife, including the whales people love so much. Millions of sharks and over 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises die each year from entanglement in fishing gear. I think people finally understand we are saving a lot more lives with our new approach of partnering with governments to stop IUU fishing.”

Daily Routine & Favourite Books

Farrah Smith begins her days at 5:30 am during the week. Then, she does meditation before shifting to her workday around 7:30 am or 8:00 am. Before she finishes, Farrah always takes time to reflect on the current day’s progress and determine where there is room for improvement. Often, she reads or takes courses in the evening. During weekends, the leading lady spends a majority of her time working as a life coach for teens and motivational speaker.

She loves reading How to Win Friends and Influence People, but her recent favorites include High-Performance Habits and Atomic Habits.

From the Director’s Desk

It can be seen that the model of cooperating with government bodies worldwide is showing increasingly good results. For example, just in Africa alone, Sea Shepherd’s work with eight coastal states has resulted in the arrest of over 70 vessels for illegal fishing and other fisheries crimes.

Cooperation, awareness, and education are the way forward to tackle the most critical issues we face today, whether it be climate change, overfishing, plastic pollution, or social justice.

A Piece of Advice for Female Entrepreneurs

There should be no “male-dominated industry” in the 21st century. We must all do our part in changing that for the younger generation of female leaders.

Favourite Quote

“Your goals should scare you a little and excite you a lot!” – Joe Vitale

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.