The Quest - Issue Six

Issue Six 2018

Vanessa Louise Moore ANGELA MAKEPEACE ANNE GOULD

Issue Six

IMPACT

BAIJU SOLANKI CAROL MAY

Collaborator Profile: SIMON THOMAS

The Quest is a BeCollaboration digital publication

Published by BeCollaboration, 21 Victoria Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 4JZ UK Issue 6, first published on 13th April 2018 All rights reserved.

Copyright Š BeCollaboration and Contributors, 2018 While aligned to the vision and values of BeCollaboration, the views expressed here are soley those of the contributors and are not expressions of policy on behalf of the BeCollaboration leadership.

For more details about The Quest and about BeCollaboration, visit our website at www. becollaboration.com. You can contact the team by writing to thequest@becollboaration.com, or to one of the contributors whose contact emails can be found at the end of their articles.

The Quest is a publication platform open to members of BeCollaboration to contribute to major debates and issues of concern. Operating within the UK economy, and part of a global economic system, contributors to The Quest hold a big picture. They are personally involved with complex issues that require the skills and intent of many to solve. They are on a passionate, sometimes a life-long search, to secure change in the world and as such hold a great responsibility for benefitting future generations.

BeCollaboration believes in working for a world where every individual has the opportunity to be the best they can be: where we are empowered to recognize and honour our ‘innate genius’, exploit our full potential and make our dreams real. We seek a world where business and work are designed to meet a Human need for respect, to be valued, to achieve and to contribute to others. Most of all we seek a world where everyone has the opportunity to have their voice heard and make a positive difference to the planet and humanity.

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Issue Six

C O N T E N T S

About the contributors Editorial Be the impact Angela Makepeace Nature's barefoot impact Anne Gould How entrepreneurs can make a game changing impact Baiju Solanki The impact of hidden sugars on our health, weight, energy and brain function Carol May To be impactful or not to be impactful... That is the question Vanessa Louise Moore Collaborator profile: Simon Thomas

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About our contributors Angela Makepeace Angela makes award winning videos for business who want to change the world. Based in Essex, England, she wants to make the world a better place by spreading positivity and love though whatever medium possible. She is currently writing a book of love stories that she hopes will uplift and inspire people to get out and see how beautiful the world is, despite what you see on TV. While juggling her book and her video day job, she also volunteers at the local animal shelter… because animals need to be shown there is love in the world too.

Anne Gould Anne Gould is a Suffolk-based journalist, editor, writer and visual storyteller who helps businesses and entrepreneurs become visible through content and smartphone video.

She runs online Smartphone Video for Business training, edits an executive lifestyle magazine in Suffolk and loves the outdoors, adventures, ideas and photography.

Baiju Solanki As an award winning entrepreneur, psychologist, speaker, coach, trainer and Founder of EnSpirit Baiju has worked across a number of sectors including academia, corporate and sales. Baiju is the founder and inspiration behind the successful Wanna Be An Entrepreneur events that have touched the lives of hundreds of young entrepreneurs in the south east of England. He is a social media evangelist, and coaches a growing network of engaged and highly motivated people.

Carol May Carol is a Transformational Health and Lifestyle Coach who inspires and empowers women to embrace, nurture and love their body and themselves whatever their age, shape or size. She works with women experiencing weight, body, health & lifestyle issues, using my own unique holistic approach which is focused on long term weight management alongside developing a peaceful relationship with food and their body.

Vanessa Louise Moore Vanessa’s mission is to enable others to recognise their own magnificence, move through their fears, express their essential selves with confidence and purpose. Just as nature intended the cocoon to become the butterfly, you too are destined to live a magical and harmonious life – The life of your choice!

Simon Thomas Simon loves teaming up with clients to take them to new areas of knowledge where innovation and opportunity leads to better and unexpected outcomes. He provides a “goto” digital resource, being in his flow with web applications where he can create a positive impact on businesses and beyond.

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Editorial Gill Tiney

When you set an intention and ask if people want to contribute you have a vision of what will come back to you. We chose this edition of The Quest to revolve around IMPACT, and I had assumed we would be looking at striving for goals, individuals who had created an impact or even frustrations at an inability to even make a dent. What we have been gifted is an incredible stance on what impact can mean, to one and to many. From business impact where Baiju Solanki considers the effects of Game Changing Impacts to our basic human need of food and as Carol May explains the profound impact on our health when we eat the wrong thing – or one thing in particular.

Anne Gould paints a beautiful picture of what an impact her early morning adventures have done for her, connecting her to nature and back to herself. Vanessa Louise Moore illustrates the impact we have over each other when we acknowledge that we are all connected, our actions will always have impacts on others. Finally, Angela Makepeace tells us that impact starts small.

It can simply be YOU making a difference and creating an impact for one other person. What will you do TODAY that will have a positive impact on another?

I was struck by the article on Forbes.com where Kathy Caprino listed 9 traits of people who make an impact 1.

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They dedicate themselves to what gives their life meaning and purpose.

They commit to continually bettering themselves.

They engage with people in open, mutually-beneficial ways.

They invest time and energy not in what is, but what can be.

They embrace critique.

They spread what they know.

They uplift others as they ascend.

They view the journey as the goal.

They use their power and influence well.

The writers in this edition epitomise these traits.

I believe the culture of BeCollaboration is the lush fertile soil where these traits can grow. A community that pulls for your success, and at every single meeting words impact actions and incredible possibility is born. Simon Thomas is the Collaborator who is profiled in this edition and Join the discussion...

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[Editorial - continued]

he shares his personal transformation while being part of the BeCollaboration community. You will see as you read the following articles that the writers (all BeCollaboration members) are passionate about helping others, they are writing not simply to BE KNOWN but to share what they know for the benefit of others. Let us know if they have had an IMPACT on you!

And if you would like to meet them in person they will be at a BeCollaboration meeting near you.

Check out dates here

About The Quest Team The Quest is produced by the BeCollaboration Digital Team and is made possible by, you

For her proofreading skills, many thanks to Linda Burns. lifeinsideout8@gmail.com

For marketing and communications, our huge thanks go to Scott Campbell of Affecting Peoples Lives scott@affectingpeopleslives.com

For creating and the maintenance of the website and the proofreading, a huge thanks to Kay Westrap. kay@couragetogrow.me.uk

For concept design, layout and art, our warmest gratitude to Angela Makepeace of Angela Makepeace Motion Graphics Studio info@angelamakepeace.co.uk For being a great technical lead, our huge respect to Simon Thomas of Toucan Internet LLP. simon@toucanweb.co.uk

Our warmest gratitute to Anne Gould, for her proofreading skills. isworkingwordzmedia@gmail.com For her driving force to bring the project to fruition, proofing and liaising with contributors, writing of editorial and case study and being our Team Dynamo we give huge thanks to Gill Tiney gill@becollaboration.com 6

Lead article

Angela Makepeace

BE THE IMPACT

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Modern media has watered down ‘impact’ or change to a career in politics. It starts with through over-use. “Impact on the economy,” … maybe one person, you.

“Social Impact” and “Impact analysis on leaving the EU”.

What if you became the change you wanted to see?

It is talking about events and collisions that we, as the general public have no control over, What if you chose to behave in the way you’d yet will be left to pick up any pieces. We are like others to treat you? left feeling helpless. All this “impact” around us makes us feel powerless - and us mortals Next time you are sitting static in traffic, notice have to go with the flow. Impact is apparently, all the humans in their cars. They are all trying happening elsewhere. to get to work, they are all in a hurry, they all have better things to be doing, just like you.

What can we do to create an impact? Well nothing, if you turn on the news, but switch off If you show compassion and let someone the news and look around and you’ll see there join your lane in front of you, notice that within are plenty of people and places where you can 60 seconds they have let someone in front of make an impact. them too? Your compassion and understanding made such an impact, they have shown An impact can be a violent force, or it can be an someone else the same compassion too, effect or impression. Where we can’t all create maybe with realising. Could you imagine a a violent force without damage, we can all be world where people passed on their kindness an effect or impression. they received? Could you imagine a world where they created kindness even without Can you remember the last time you sat receiving it first? Kindness lifts and empowers quietly and wondered how you can change people. It has an impact. the world? How you can make an Impact?

How you can give value to society? - only to Have you ever walked to your local shop and get overwhelmed by the responsibility and a stranger smiled at you? How did it make mountain to climb just to get to a place where you feel? Uplifted, connected? That simple people will listen. You could take a political smile could have made your day. I always hear route. You could to rally the people, create stories of how a simple smile from a stranger speeches, change your career to politics, start changed someones life. In an article I read in, form the bottom and scale the ladder to be the ‘The Mighty’ , a woman was thinking of killing next prime minister or president. Or, you could herself. While driving home she saw a farmer start your impact from home. and his dog. The farmer smiled at her and she felt the loneliness dissipate. A smile, that Jeffrey Brown’s Ted Talks from 2015 says costs nothing, had such an impact in her life, it ‘Movements don’t start with a grand convention. stopped her killing herself.

It starts with just a few people, maybe just one.”

We have no control over what happens in the Why don’t we think of this in terms of Impact. world, what we can have control over is our Impact starts small, not with a grand convention choice to impact those around us. We can 8

“We have no control over what happens in the world, what we can have control over is our choice to impact those around us..”

choose to let someone in our lane of traffic, we impact, that I believe that we should celebrate can choose to smile at strangers, knowing that when an ethical business wants to change the world... it’s worth shouting about, and video it will benefit them (and us). It is free! shouts.

How many people can you smile at today?

It is up to you what you throw into your pool.

Impact starts at home. It starts with showing If you throw happiness, connection and your children to respect others. It is in the abundance, that will ripple out to others. If carrying of the strangers heavy shopping you throw fear and hate, that will only spread. bags to her car. Impact is in the watering of Be aware of what you are giving to others. your garden so that when people walk by they Cutting people up and tailgating while in your marvel at how beautiful nature is. It is in the car is only creating isolation in others. Spread chat at the bus stop, it’s in the sharing of your compassion and love. Impact people right. umbrella, it is your volunteer work, your charity donation, giving way in your car. You can make If you have a vision of the world you want to an impact by making a connection, no matter see, then be that vision. Whatever that vision how small. It can be in the day to day activities is, it can start with kindness. Impact isn’t what you do. you see on the news, it’s what you do to others.

Think of the impact in terms of its original There is no such thing as a small impact. meaning, a verb, to do. Be the impact, do the Imagine throwing a stone into a pool. No matter impact and have the world you create. People how big or small the stone is, it ripples out and will follow. excites the water around it. Your impact will always disturb the stillness of someone life, You can contact Angela at: whether it’s for the better, or worse. Your impact will always create an effect or impression that info@angelamakepeace.co.uk spreads to others. I believe that it works within businesses too. Businesses who want to make an impact for the greater good deserve to have their messages shared, which is why we make animated videos. It is so important to focus on what we can change, where we can make an Join the discussion...

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What are the BeCollaboration meetings all about?

We are a community of motivated and passionate people who choose to work closely together so we can make a positive impact on businesses, organisations and the lives of individuals we work with.

People get involved with BeCollaboration for the buzz of being part of something larger than themselves. They want to be able to fulfil their dreams and ambitions with a team of collaborators who are as passionate as they are, and share the same goals.

Collaboration creates empowerment for personal, professional and philanthropic growth. In short, we are up for changing the world. Fancy a bit of that?

You can see a little more about the whole BeCollaboration approach to life and business here: www.becollaboration. com/our-vision

Details of all our meetings are on our website: www.BeCollaboration.com

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Anne Gould

NATURE’S BAREFOOT IMPACT

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We often think it’s a book, an idea, a person or something altogether more catastrophic that creates impact. But, as Anne Gould discovers in difficult times, immersing yourself in the great outdoors can make a positive personal impact too.

Now we often think that it’s something, someone or a happening that can create impact … but as human beings our connection to the planet, the earth and wilderness has the potential for positive impact too.

The simple act of getting outside in the fresh John Constable is probably one of Britain’s air can influence everything about the way you think and the way you are, and as a result, can most famous landscape painters. effect enormous change as well.

His art is renowned throughout the world - and has turned Flatford Mill on the River Stour and How often have you found that taking a walk in the whole of the Dedham Vale into a tourist the park, in the woods, along the river, or next to the shore has given you a new idea or made honeypot, especially during the summer. you rethink a problem in a creative new way?

Like a dutiful Suffolk parent when my children were younger I dragged them off to see Studies have long shown that people who Constable’s esteemed “works of art”, some of live in the countryside are happier and more which are housed in Christchurch Mansion in optimistic….. but, only if you get outside, away from your computer and experience the our then hometown - Ipswich. scorching heat, the freezing rain, splash about They weren’t much impressed actually and in muddy puddles and always always watch neither was I really - give me Monet’s floating the skies. waterlilies, Hockney’s swimming pools or Botticelli’s Birth of Venus with big bright colours My personal Odyssey came in the midst of difficult domestic issues. I’d simply stopped and heart-thumping visions any day. sleeping and instead of wiling away the wee But then, in the way that impact doesn’t have hours fretting, drinking tea or reading books, to be violent or tragic or catastrophic, but I started to get up and go for walks close to can instead be gentle, fluid, imperceptible home and discovered something exquisite and transformative, something remarkable and beautiful. happened.

Living on the east coast of England, the sun What made the “penny drop” was travelling rises over the sea and if you are prepared to back and seeing Constable’s skies in real time get up in the darkness and drive for 20 minutes or so you can witness incredible daybreaks on - well almost.

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“The simple act of getting outside in the fresh air can influence everything about the way you think and the way you are, and as a result, can effect enormous change as well.”

the Heritage Coast while everyone else is still It makes you feel like you cease to exist, where tucked up and asleep. momentarily there’s no beginning or no end and you are at one with a world that is offering Standing by the water’s edge on Aldeburgh respite from cares, stress and weariness.

Beach at 5am in the morning absorbing the healing power of the blue hour/ the pink hour Equally, there are also days of high drama with creates “energy impact” by setting you up for a big black clouds when the sun peeks out on new day, offering a new perspective, changing the horizon with golden brilliance for seconds your mood, your thoughts and everything. before slipping back into obscurity.

See the sunrise and anything is possible.

You also feel virtuous because you can start and achieve so much before breakfast and there’s the added bonus of also having today’s pictures on social media for the world to see when they awake.

Of course sometimes, as this is England, sunrise can be a damp squib but even so, there’s a mindful quality to walking in solitude in the rain, freezing fog and the wind.

Who could resist - seeing all this beauty - taking pictures to record these special moments and There are sunrises with such visual impact the very first time I did so and looked on the that your eyes simply ache because they are screen of my phone my heart thumped. standing out on stalks in sheer amazement…

There with its bits, bytes, pixels and 21stThe windless mornings when all is still, with century touchscreen was Constable’s Suffolk wildfowl bobbing about as a flooding tide from hundreds of years previously. laps at the shore - reflecting a multi-coloured landscape with extraordinary breathtaking In that instant there was a complete aboutbeauty. turn in my feelings towards Constable’s genius - he had witnessed the same big skies On days like this, it seems like the Universe albeit without the need for HDR, contrast and is gently reaching out and putting on a light Instagram filters. show of blue, of violet, of pink, red, orange and And it created a connection, an anchor, besides yellow just for you.

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sharing the same birthday, there was the sky, change in the road, a new direction and new the countryside - and if you half closed your way of seeing things. eyes for a moment you could imagine him with his sketchbook at the field margin.

I’d been in a place where I found it impossible to express myself in words and suddenly a new Did all this have an impact? Witnessing the language had emerged. sunrise and the very act of taking beautiful Suddenly so much started to make sense, dreamy photographs did something to my brain.

Sunrises and sunsets that are cloudy are just better in much the same way that problems that Having spent a lifetime working with words impact your life can be seen as opportunities I started witnessing beauty seeing pictures for massive rapid learning. everywhere.

Stormy skies may feel oppressive, casting dark There was the random and artful collection of oppression and tension across the land but the overripe shoes left in the downstairs hall by my impact can bring rainbows. son and his bandmates after their gig.

And, as they say, “Every cloud has a silver I even found myself one day taking a picture of lining”. the washing up!

You can contact Anne at: It was like being clobbered over the head, in a nice spiritual sort of way, a turning point, a isworkingwordzmedia@gmail.com Join the discussion...

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Baiju Solanki

How Entrepreneurs Can Make A Game Changing Impact.

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I want to start by actually defining what see possibilities that others don’t and bring an entrepreneur means. obsessive drive to turn those ideas into reality.

Game Changers are those individuals who will If someone asks you to define an entrepreneur, transform our future through business, politics, what would you say? Most people I ask reply art, literature, music etc. These people struggle “someone who takes risks, sees an opportunity to accept ‘what is’. and thinks in an innovative way”. And they would be right.

We now know how to identify these characteristics and the potential that comes That is why, many people associate with it in people. ‘entrepreneurship’ with starting a business, as starting a business requires these traits.

Not surprisingly, we know, from research by The But what does the word entrepreneur actually GC Index Ltd, that Game Changers are drawn mean? to ‘doing their own thing’, including running their own businesses. They need freedom to When we look in some detail at the origins of explore ideas which traditional corporate life the word, we can see that it comes from the often does not allow.

French word ‘entreprendre’.

Game Changers have a drive to both survive Entreprendre means ‘to undertake’ and thrive by not only adapting positively to their environment but by shaping it with anticipation I believe there is no greater undertaking than and vision. They are certainly not ‘creatures of your life’s purpose. habit’; they are individuals obsessively driven to convert ideas into reality and will take risks What raises the hairs on the back of my neck to make this happen. even more is when we look at the etymology of the word entrepreneur. The word is based It is these Game Changer capabilities that on the Sanskrit phrase ‘Antha Prerna’, which in often underpin creative and successful startup translation means ‘self-motivated’. businesses, facilitate growth and development, and drive transformational change.

When we consider how an entrepreneur thinks Game Changers see possibilities that others and behaves you can see that they need to be don’t. highly motivated and single-minded in their approach to life.

Not only are game-changing capabilities important for entrepreneurial start-ups, they Entrepreneurs are game changers, they want are vital to the survival and development of to make an impact. But can we define game the largest corporation: In a Darwinian sense, changing and game changing behaviour? organisations adapt, innovate, transform or die.

The answer is yes.

We are living through the age of disruption.

You can’t transform things if you are content Game Changers (as defined by The GC Index® with things as they are or simply making them as in The DNA of a Game Changer Study 2015) just a little bit better than everyone else.

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“We know that the key to success is to transform individual action into collective power. “

Today, the most successful businesses don’t just successfully compete against their rivals by capturing greater market share’ they redefine the terms of competition by constantly transforming what they are doing and how they are doing it. Agility and acting quickly is critical to survival.

When you develop strong values and communicate this, you will start to attract the kind of people who match those values and want to be part of your vision.

Strong values do two things, they position your proposition and help you build your team, which identifies the talent you need around 4 Critical Steps To Make Your Game-Changing you.

Impact As An Entrepreneur 2. Focus on How You Can Make an Impact Groundbreaking creativity and innovation may lie within an individual. But it’s only a We can all make a positive impact. You can game changing team that can achieve step make an impact through: change innovation and transformation that has People - Enabling everyone to make an impact. longevity.

Ideas - Exploring possibilities and making Think Boeing, Google, Apple – in today’s sense of them. digital world there is the demand to carry on Tasks - Getting things done and getting things with ‘business as usual’ while we challenge done well. ourselves to invent, implement and execute Now is the time to focus on the real impact creative and transformational change. that we personally can make as well as others We know that the key to success is to transform within our team – focus on who is ‘best’ for the individual action into collective power. Not job at hand. everyone is a Game Changer but everyone can make a game changing impact and here’s By understanding how each person will make an impact through their ideas and the actions how... they take, each person can contribute to the team, project and to the wider organisation, 1. Develop Strong Values making us far more likely to create a gameIt is worthwhile spending a little time to develop changing culture. a set of strong values to demonstrate what we 3. Identifying Talent stand for.

Employees and often customers will buy into Once you understand how you make your your vision, share your values and help us impact, it’s important to identify the additional talent you need in your team – do you need develop and turn great ideas into reality.

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someone who can understand what needs to be done now – an Implementer? Do you need someone to make things better – a Polisher?

Do you need someone to map out the future – a Strategist?

We also need to get everyone to start shifting their mindsets and put contribution and impact at the heart of everything they do. This focus on culture will ensure we all make our game changing contribution.

Identifying and embracing how people in your team can make their game changing contribution will help you make your own game changing impact as an entrepreneur.

As an example; BeCollaboration is an organisation where culture is strong, core values constantly explored and talent readily shared, a community where they are fully prepared to make game changing impacts.

The Entrepreneur Impact Profile (see www.EnSpirit.Global) provides you with a These four critical steps will help to unleash groundbreaking framework to identify the right the game changing impact you can make in talent and the game-changing team you need. the world. The world is ready and the world needs more and more people to make their game-changing contribution in order to create 4. Focus on Culture our own better futures.

In today’s fast-paced digital world it’s important for everyone within the business to feel they You can contact Baiju at: have the freedom to challenge things. We need everyone to be looking for new opportunities. baiju@enspirit.global This will only occur when the people within an organization feel secure because of the culture that has been created. A culture to challenge and be challenged, when ‘one up man ship’ is not the ulterior motive to questioning another.

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Carol May

THE IMPACT OF HIDDEN SUGARS ON OUR HEALTH, WEIGHT, ENERGY AND BRAIN FUNCTION

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We are all eating far too much sugar, and this is having a life changing impact on our health, weight and wellbeing. Slowly but surely the evils of sugar are finally being discussed (the first book on sugar was published in 1972!) but the majority of people I talk to and the majority of my clients, have no real idea how deeply sugar is impacting on their lives or how to remove it. They also have no idea about ‘hidden’ sugars, so even though they reduce their consumption of sugar, cakes, desserts, biscuits, crisps, wine and chocolate, they are unknowingly still consuming large quantities of hidden sugars.

while…. It is then followed by a dramatic drop in blood sugar levels leading to us feeling low again. Low in mood and low in energy. And so we seek out that chemical stimulant again…

People regularly consuming sugary foods have a delayed satiation response. As a result, they do not feel satisfied when full and seek out even more food, which can lead to excess weight.

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• In addition, sugar is not only very addictive, and many people experience withdrawal symptoms initially when trying to give up, but for many, sugars and simple carbs (which turn to sugar in our body) also fill an emotional need. Ever really ‘needed’ a glass of wine or a chocolate bar??

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But giving up sugar is tough when sugars are “hidden” in nearly all processed foods, and they are not even listed as sugar on the list of ingredients!

When you eat something every day and then cut it out, it’s always a challenge. In addition to this, sugar has some unique properties that make it especially addictive: Sugar stimulates dopamine release in a similar way to class-A drugs. Dopamine is a hormonal chemical that affects our feelings and emotions, making us feel good, for a short

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Sugar provides no vitamins, minerals or nutrients of note plus, it interferes with the absorption of essential minerals and vitamins.

Sugar is highly refined and causes rapid rises in blood sugar, followed by a crash.

If this happens daily, sugar consumption will lead to insulin resistance, which in turn leads obesity and to Type 2 Diabetes.

The majority of people find sugar addictive and experience intense cravings for it – it is in fact as addictive as cocaine!

Sugar is in almost all packaged foods – reading packet labels is essential if people wish to avoid it.

Sugar appears to play a leading role in causing medical conditions like high blood pressure and insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and even cancers.

The vast majority of studies show that people with a higher sugar consumption have a shorter life and a bigger risk of chronic disease.

While sugar is in almost everything these days, at one point in the Western world, it was something only the wealthy could afford. But

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“The truth is this: our society has normalised sugar consumption. As a result, the majority of people don’t even realise they have an addiction”

by the 1700s sugar was on the menu for all people regardless of social class. However, never in history have we consumed as much sugar as people are doing today. We are no longer solely eating it either, and almost all drink products contain sugar – especially canned drinks.

Symptoms of Sugar Addiction The truth is this: our society has normalised sugar consumption. As a result, the majority of people don’t even realise they have an addiction. Here are some common signs:

• Sugar is sweet and most people enjoy the taste. In fact, some people can’t seem to stop enjoying it and it’s one of the two the most common ingredients in the world of • food manufacturing…the other one being salt.

However, it is devoid of beneficial nutrients so WHY is it used in almost everything we eat, and why is it disguised?

• The simple answer is Money!

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Sugar is a cheap ingredient.

Sugar makes food taste sweet and so we crave it and then we buy & eat more of it until a ‘habit’ is formed.

With cheaper ‘ingredients’ processed foods became cheaper, so we are encouraged to buy more of them.

Corn syrup was developed as a way of bolstering the US agricultural system over 40 years ago when corn production far exceeded demand, and manufacturers discovered the many financial benefits of them of adding this to the products they produced.

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Emotional eating – had a bad day at the office and need a sugar fix? Be that a glass of wine or some simple carbs or some chocolate. Is this now a ‘habit’ for you?

The desire to eat more food, even when you are full, particularly when eating emotionally causes us to eat quickly and without tasting what we are eating (or drinking).

Visiting a bakery and instead of buying one thing, choosing several and eating them all in one sitting.

Making excuses to justify eating sugary food.

Feeling guilty afterwards about what you ate. Often this guilt is because you didn’t want to eat the food in the first place, but couldn’t resist the urge. Or you ate way too much of it!

Eating sweet food only when alone, hiding it, and making sure there’s no evidence left behind (receipts/packaging).

Eating mindlessly, maybe standing up at the fridge or while watching TV.

Does any of this sound familiar?

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Craving Sweets and Products Full of Sugar

While most people know about the impact of sugar consumption on body weight, the majority do not know about any of the other ways in which sugars impact on our health and day to day wellbeing. Plus, it is not easy cutting out sugar when it is hidden, and even many health-conscious people are eating way too much sugar without realizing.

People suffering from sugar addiction often find themselves craving sweet foods. As a natural side-effect of this, they seek out and choose more highly processed foods. In other words, sugar addicts will also be eating lots of refined carbohydrates (which simply turn to sugar in the body) vegetable oils, and possibly So, let’s look at some of the surprising places trans-fats too. All of these industrial products sugars are hidden, the 72 different names have a very damaging impact on our health in for sugar, why sugar(s) are harmful, and the their own right. strong links to chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and Cancers. It is also important Unfortunately, these foods are what most to realize how prevalent sugar is in our diet, people are eating every single day. In a the impact it has on our health, and how to review of a recent study into American dietary eliminate it. habits, ultra-processed food contributed 57.9% of all consumed calories. On average, Hidden Sugars in Everyday Food processed food contains 21.1% sugar by weight, so a quick calculation suggests that 12% of the Sneaky sources of sugar are everywhere; it average US diet is pure sugar. It is therefore even hides in supposedly healthy foods and in not difficult to understand how hard it is for the places you wouldn’t expect. average person to cut sugar from their diet.

To give you an idea of how widespread sugar is: If any of this sounds like you, then the next step is to think about cutting out sugar altogether.

• Sugar is found in most packaged foods However, in truth, there is no easy way to give found in supermarkets – even those we up sugar because most of it is hidden in not so think of as being ‘healthy’ and even in obvious places… ALL processed foods contain savoury foods. sugar, even savoury ones... BUT it is hidden • It is disguised in ingredient labels under at because it’s listed by a name other than sugar. least 72 different names Join the discussion...

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The average person eats about 94g sugar per day (approx 24 tsp) The maximum recommended limit by the World Health Organization is 25 grams per day.

There is a myth that sugar is just “empty calories” and that it is simply the root cause of weight gain if eaten in excess. However, studies show that sugar increases the risk for serious chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers. And that risk is independent of weight gain.

In other words, you don’t have to be overweight to be in danger - sugar causes harm even if you are slim.

Consuming sugar doesn’t just impact on our health and our weight either – consuming sugar impacts on our energy levels throughout the day, our ability to think clearly all day every day, our relationship with food, the Menopause, and of course our teeth!

72 Alternate Names for Sugar It’s surprising how many foods, both sweet and savoury, don’t contain the word ‘sugar’ on their label, yet they contain sugar. Processed

sugar is hiding in plain sight, and it hides under at least 72 different names. So, to help you spot them here are the 72 different names for sugar.

However, this list is not exhaustive…

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Agave Nectar Agave syrup Amber sugar crystals Barbados cane sugar Barley malt sugar Barley malt syrup Beet sugar Blue agave syrup Brown rice sugar Brown sugar Cane juice Cane juice crystals Cane juice solids Cane sugar Caramel Carob syrup Castor sugar Coconut palm sugar Coconut sugar Confectioner’s sugar Corn sweetener Corn syrup Corn syrup solids Crystalline glucose Dahlia syrup Date sugar 24

“Consuming sugar doesn’t just impact on our health and our weight either – consuming sugar impacts on our energy levels throughout the day, our ability to think clearly all day every day, our relationship with food, the Menopause, and of course our teeth!”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Dehydrated cane juice Demerara cane sugar Dextrose Evaporated cane juice Fructose Fruit juice Fruit juice concentrate Glucose Glucose solids Golden sugar Golden syrup Granulated sugar Grape juice concentrate HFCS High-fructose corn syrup Honey Icing sugar Invert sugar Light brown soft sugar Maize syrup Malt syrup Maltodextrin Maltose Maple syrup Molasses Muscovado Nib sugar Organic sugar Palm sugar Panela Panocha

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Pearl sugar Piconcillo Powdered cane sugar Raw cane juice Raw honey Raw sugar Rice syrup Sorghum syrup Sucrose Syrup Table sugar Tapioca syrup Treacle Turbinado sugar Yellow sugar

Sneaky Sources of Hidden Sugar: 10 Common Foods Not until we realize how pervasive sugar is can we start to cut it out of our diet. With this in mind, here are 10 of the worst culprits when it comes to hidden sugar – and most of them are savory foods.

Cereal: While most people know frosted flakes and fruit loops are full of the white stuff, the cereals which are marketed as “healthy” cereals contain a significant amount too. The only way to eat a healthier cereal is to make it yourself eg. Porridge from pure porridge Join the discussion...

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oats or a muesli containing mostly oats and nuts with no dried fruit in it but which I would suggest you eat with fresh berries and some whole (not low fat) yoghurt. Unless you are dairy free as I am of course! In which case I would recommend eating eggs for breakfast, preferably with some avocado.

Salad dressings: One of the most surprising sources of hidden sugar is a salad. For one thing, many people automatically equate the word “salad” with healthy. However, shop bought salads tend to be full of flavoured vinaigrettes and mayo-based dressings which contain vegetable oil and large quantities of corn syrup. Sometimes the dressing is in a separate pot which you can discard – but do you? Or would you?

As an illustration, ready-made wine vinaigrette can contain 14g sugar per 2 Tbsp serving. In other words, it’s about 50% sugar by weight!

A healthy replacement is to make your own vinaigrette with olive oil and plain wine or balsamic vinegar – just pop them in a jar with seasonings and shake.

Yogurt: Unfortunately, despite having a healthy reputation, 95% of the yogurts on supermarket shelves contain a pile of sugar, particularly the low-fat varieties. One of the worst offenders contains 18g sugar per pot!

And all the flavoured yoghurts contain hidden and not so hidden sugars. The healthy option is to buy pure Greek yoghurt (not the type which is Greek Style) and either eat it plain or add some whole fruit to it eg. Blueberries.

Fruit Smoothies & Juices: Smoothies tend to be high in natural sugars, but some are okay very occasionally. For example, pureed berries are very low in sugars and pretty healthy. That said, most of the smoothies on the market use high sugar fruits such as banana as a base (because they are cheap!) and even then, they still add extra sugar. Some recent research in the UK found that the average smoothie contains 13g of sugar per 100ml – a huge amount. A typical 500ml bottle would include 65 grams of sugar (or 16 teaspoons).

However, juices are worse…. and will encourage you to consume a lot more sugar than you 26

would do just eating the fruit, plus the fruit itself would provide you with much needed fibre. In fact, the fibre in fruit is as important to health as the vitamins and minerals. So, 10 glasses of fruit juice still only counts as ONE of your eight a day. Plus, without the fibre to slow down its conversion into glucose, the impact of a juice on your blood sugar is the same as eating some sugar cubes!

Dried Fruit: Dried fruit still has the vitamins of regular fruit, but not the water content. As a result, dried fruit is a more concentrated source of sugar. It does still have some benefits, but it’s very easy to overdo it as dried fruits obviously taste sweeter as a result. Additionally, many producers add extra sugar to make it even sweeter.

Stock Cubes/Pots & Gravy Granules: What would you expect to find in a stock cube or stock pot? I found sugar, dextrose, and caramel syrup listed in just one brand of stock cubes, while lactose & corn syrup also feature in other brands… In one brand of gravy granules I found maltodextrin & sugar listed amounting to 14.6g per 100g!

A healthier option is to make your own smoothies from predominantly green veggies, plus a mix of avocado, nut butter and just ONE serving of fruit, preferably berries. And my advice would be don’t juice anything – we are made to eat whole fruits and veggies in order to get the benefit of the fibre + juicing can impact on the nutritional content as many vitamins and minerals start to degrade as soon Coffee Drinks: Coffee drinks are one of the as the fruit or veg is juiced. most shocking sources of hidden sugars. As an example, if you opt for a venti size white Sports drinks: Despite marketing pushing chocolate mocha from Starbucks, you’ll be them as a healthy drink and the associations downing 18 teaspoons of sugar (about 72g). with exercise, sports drinks are no more than Ready Meals: In addition to a multitude of other flavoured sugar water, ie they are the same as questionable ingredients, the vast majority of cans of soda just under a different name and frozen meals, ready meals, and TV dinners all given clever marketing. Your body only needs contain added sugar. to be hydrated with water, and recent studies have proved this to be true. So, the impact on There is no Such Thing as “Healthy Sugar” our body of drinking sugary drinks will more than negate the benefits of the exercise!

The first thing to remember is that no matter what the source, the same two components Soups: Soup is a traditional, hearty meal full of make sugar: fructose and sucrose. And your nutrients – if you make it yourself! But shop- body doesn’t care from where this fructose bought soups from powdered to fresh, are and sucrose comes. Whether it’s organic, from mostly full of vegetable oil, flavourings, and a tree, or refined from grapes – it’s all sugar, and sugars; in fact, thanks to the addition of High it has the same biological effect. Just because Fructose Corn Syrup, a small 10oz can of a label says ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ or the name of Campbell’s tomato soup contains 24g sugar a fruit, it doesn’t make sugar healthy. So yes, (6 teaspoons). Soups are so easy to make that includes all honey, coconut sugar, agave yourself from almost anything you have in nectar, maple syrup, monk fruit sugar etc. It is your cupboards and fridge, without a recipe, all metabolized the same way in the body and and the impact on your health along with will have exactly the same impact on it! the satisfaction of creating it yourself, will be immediate.

Generally speaking, many people are beginning to see that sugar is harmful. However, the Sauces for Pasta and Rice: Pasta sauces are majority don’t realize the huge amounts of another of the most sugar laden foods around hidden sugar they are consuming every day and, surprisingly, a jar of Dolmio Bolognese or just how harmful it is…. Imagine sugar as Sauce contains 34g sugar ie. 8.5 teaspoons. A shards of glass that are cutting up your insides basic tomato sauce is quick, easy and cheap to and causing inflammation in your body. And make yourself as well as much healthier. that eating sugar regularly is like throwing Join the discussion...

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petrol on the fire of that inflammation turning it into a roaring blaze. Inflammation leads to multiple types of diseases including Arthritis, heart disease, insulin resistance, Autoimmune – and there has been a surge of autoimmune conditions in our modern world eg. Crohn’s, Colitis, Lupus, MS, leaky gut and more. And leaky gut is one of the reasons our body stops fighting the cancer cells we produce daily and focuses elsewhere…. thus leaving that cancer a chance to develop… which sugar has now been shown to feed….

it each week. Not surprisingly, stress also impacts food cravings and causes people to overeat.

Foods to Avoid While Quiting Sugar

In the initial stages of quitting sugar, you might find it helpful to minimize consumption of starch, grains, bread and other significant sources of simple carbohydrates as they can also cause blood sugar levels to spike, and stimulate hunger and cravings. However, you can resume eating them after you no longer Over exposure to sugar suppresses our immune have sugar cravings. system, making it inefficient, especially when it has to fight infections. Sugar will suppress After overcoming sugar cravings, you can white blood cells for about 10 minutes after it start to include healthier food choices that is consumed – so if you eat lots of sugars and contain sugar. This includes foods such as dark simple carbs eg. drink lemon and honey or eat chocolate and berries. biscuits while fighting a cold, your recovery will be slower.

Sugar Substitutes: Why You Should Avoid Them The active ingredient in poppy seeds is heroin, and eating just two poppy seed rolls is enough Whenever I see a discussion about sugar to test positive for morphine – a byproduct of addiction or quitting sugar, I often see sugar heroin which is made from poppy seeds. Sugar substitute recommendations. Sugar substitutes is the same kind of end stage extract of sugar come in three sizes, below are a few examples: cane and sugar beet as heroin is to poppy seeds, and just as addictive and lethal.

• Sugars processed from food: agave syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey, yacon The impact of sugar on our body is life changing syrup – yet we continue to consume it in some form • Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, in almost every meal we eat…

Acesulfame-K, Saccharin, Sucralose • Natural sweeteners: Erythritol, Stevia, Xylitol Healthy Lifestyle Choices to Beat Sugar Withdrawal However, if we look to the science then maybe it’s best to avoid any sugar substitutes during You can help minimize difficulties by adopting the early stages of trying to quit sugar. You can healthier lifestyle practices. add them back in once you are over the worst, although your taste buds will have become • Try and ensure at least 7 hours sleep per very sensitive to sweetness so you will be night. Studies show that sleep deprivation using very much less than you would have alters hormones that regulate appetite. In done before giving up sugar, or maybe even other words, less sleep may equal more none at all…. cravings.

• Consider starting an exercise program. In Cutting out sugar is a tough process to go addition to the direct benefits, studies through, and many studies suggest that sweet suggest that it also reduces cravings and taste alone is enough to trigger hormonal decreases hunger hormones. cravings for sugar, so it will benefit you hugely • If you have any stress in your work/family if you go cold turkey. life, then take some time for yourself. Find something you love doing, something which Let’s take a look at some of the evidence for give you joy, and set aside some time for this: 28

“For many people, eating enough protein and healthy fats, particularly at breakfast, helps minimize sugar cravings throughout the day.”

•

•

•

Sweetness without calories provides only partial activation of food reward systems in the brain, which may cause us to seek more sweet food. Artificial sweeteners encourage sugar cravings and sugar dependence, precisely because they are sweet.

Out of 3682 individuals monitored for 7-8 years, those who drank artificially sweetened drinks had a 47% higher increase in BMI than those who did not.

A controlled study showed that drinking aspartame-sweetened drinks increased appetite in young men compared to those who didn’t.

Final Thoughts To sum up, the vast majority of us are consuming far too much sugar, every day, and the impact on our health and wellbeing is becoming a burden to ourselves, our families and society in general. It is reducing the length and quality of our lives, and causing unnecessary and avoidable disease.

Stick to fresh food as much as possible – sugar laden foods are not a treat, they are a disaster waiting to happen. However, once detoxed, you can consume small quantities of sugar substitutes without too much problem, and the Often, people make the decision to quit sugar occasional square of plain dark chocolate is with the best possible intention. However, allowed!! I usually have mine with a large G&T!! when they see the amount of food products that contain it, they feel overwhelmed. Go You can contact Carol at: slowly and, if applicable, involve the whole family. Make simple changes to begin with, start slow and learn to make your family favorites by simply removing the sugar and processed carbs. Strive for improvement, not perfection.

I like to prevent sugar cravings before they start. For many people, eating enough protein and healthy fats, particularly at breakfast, helps minimize sugar cravings throughout the day.

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Vanessa Louise Moore

TO BE IMPACTFUL OR NOT TO BE IMPACTFUL… THAT IS THE QUESTION

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So, what is impact? The effect or impression It is however, worth discussing, that negative made by something. impact (impact that is backed by fear-based intention) can cause discomfort for yourself and Whenever I think of impact, ‘The Butterfly others. Resulting in breakdown of relationships, Effect’ comes to mind - ‘The gentle flap of a communication and health, to name only a few. butterfly’s wings in San Francisco affects the weather in Shanghai’ Unless of course that you believe, as I do, that everything happens for a reason and that life There are three reasons this message strikes doesn’t happen TO you but FOR you. the impact cord with me. Firstly, however small the movement or physical, mental and/or I have learned over time, that what has stopped energetic shifts, any action taken, results in big me from making an impact is a belief that change, as it naturally expands over time. We impact was only significant if it was massive only have to think of the ripples created in a and massive action was needed. pond after a stone is dropped into the water.

Secondly, the butterfly only knows how to flap Or that the end result was only worth it if it its wings and fly. It doesn’t try to bark or climb a was big and made a difference to thousands/ tree, it simply does what it was born to do. millions of people.

Lastly, no impact is made if no action is taken.

Just Start…..do something ~ anything with loving Or that impact only came about when all my intention and be open to what happens next. ducks were in a row. All these beliefs did was fuel my fears, which in turn kept me stuck, Too many of us dream of the impact we want to small and frustrated and believing impact was make without recognising the three principles an outside job. that are necessary to make a positive impact: What I soon came to realise was that each and 1. The natural Laws of the Universe are in every one of us makes an impact in and on this place to bring about impact world by simply being who we are, and that it is 2. Purpose: your individual expression is your our choice as to whether we make that impact gift to the world positive or negative, big or small.

3. Action: You are a vital part of the IMPACT What I know for sure is that it is an inside job Formula and we may or may not see the results of the impact we have made and continue to make in So WHY do we want to make an impact? this world.

• • •

Maybe we want to contribute and add value to the lives of those around us or maybe your vision is about global impact Maybe you want to change something in your own life, community or the wider world to reduce pain and suffering.

Maybe you feel called or inspired to create change and have an impact, simply by fulfilling your purpose

So HOW do we make an impact? I can explain this best by what I have defined as ‘The Human Prism Principle’ ™ ~ we are everything and nothing all at the same time.

The Human Prism Principle ™ concept came to me as a result of asking the Universe…” show me how I can make a difference in this world ~ THANK YOU”

Whatever the reason, the impact you make, One spring morning, the sunshine was beaming as long as it is backed with loving intention, is through my window and as I asked this question, making a positive difference. a rainbow appeared on my dresser. I looked up Join the discussion...

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“The spirit or soul that we refer to is a formless energy that cannot be created or destroyed and it is infinitely and evenly present at all times, in all places. It is everything and where everything is created from”

to see what it was that created the cascade of My next question is, “what happens to the human colour. It was a glass prism I’d been given as a body that is left behind?” and the answer is, “It’s either buried or cremated”. My next question is, gift. I LOVE triangles, especially prisms. “so do we agree that the physical body is finite and when it is left as the shell of someone who “That’s it! Of course!.....” I shrieked in delight. once was alive, it will either way, disintegrate Have you ever seen anyone in a Chapel of into nothingness ~ dust?” The answer is always, Rest? The one thing people say when they see “Yes”. a loved one who has passed over, is, “they are not the person I knew”.

What I mean when I say we are everything and nothing all at the same time, is, as long as our When I ask “why?” the reply is “because their hearts are beating, we have an energy living spirit or soul has left their body” in and through us. It is my belief that once we grasp this concept and accept it as a fact of My next question is “and what do you think life, our lives become a whole lot simpler. happens to that spirit or soul?” and the reply is something like… “well, it disappears up to So, going back to my rainbow on my dresser heaven or the ether” (depending on peoples being the answer to my question to the belief systems). My next question is “would universe… Let’s use the analogy of the sunshine you agree that its nowhere to be seen and beaming through my window as the everything continues to formlessly exist even though we energy, spirit, soul. Once the sunshine/energy can’t see it?”. The answer is always. “Yes”. hits the glass prism, which I will ask you to see as representing us as human beings, by The spirit or soul that we refer to is a formless refraction (the bending of light as it passes from energy that cannot be created or destroyed one substance to another) it creates a rainbow. and it is infinitely and evenly present at all times, in all places. It is everything and where What this represents for me is, the invisible and infinite energy needs us as human and finite everything is created from.

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beings to be able to express ourselves fully Impact is there for the making and yours for the and in true form. You could say “It’s our true taking. colours”. This expression of colour represents “Every action we take impacts the lives of others our unique purpose. around us. The question is: Are you aware of For us to make an impact in this world and for us Your Impact?” Arthur Carmazzi to all thrive from the residual impact of others, I believe we need to accept and embrace we You can contact Vanessa on: are more than our physical bodies and allow the invisible power that turns the world, grows vanessa@trustvanessa.com the grass and beats our hearts, to flow to and through us to fully express itself as our purpose.

How we choose to express ourselves is up to us and a whole other article.

Before I am challenged with, “It’s not as easy as that Vanessa!”, I totally agree with you.

This is not an easy concept to understand let alone embrace because of all our other beliefs we have adopted from outside conditioning and programming.

The Human Prism Principle ™ is simple but not necessarily easy.

Imagine a world where we are all living The Human Prism Principle ™….well I think we’ve made a great start within BeCollaboration!

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Profile: Taking a look at a key Collaborator in the community.

Simon Thomas

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Who is Simon Thomas?

As with anyone I’m a mixture of the past influences and future aspirations and who I am to people on the surface depends on my role at the time I suppose, but underneath my approach to all is being true to my values.

I regard myself as lucky in that life is largely without trauma and on the whole surrounded by genuine people in family and friends who share similar Christian values. My father’s valuing people and giving the benefit of the doubt both in the army and in business is something that’s rubbed off on me and, even though it does leave you open to the exploitative from time to time that can make for less beneficial outcomes, but hey, I sleep nights with a clear conscience.

I qualified as a Mechanical Aeronautical Engineer and during my early 20s picked up my Fender Stratocaster when living and working in Chicago where my love of Chicago blues music was discovered. Then I had another a possible career path as Rock God - it seemed to have a lot going for it!

In business I’m still the same logical authentic creative person, just framed appropriately. In writing this, I realise that there has been a lot of variety so far as I’ve applied my interests to all manner of things including developing international agencies, conceiving and developing products for the Human Genome Project, designing and building the temperature reference standard used in all UK hospitals, publishing a paper on electronic temperature measurement and getting associated with DNA technologies in the ‘80s.

Denise, my wife of 30 years and business partner has a good antenna at spotting the less than ideal clients so we seem to dodge that bullet more than most. This year is my 60th and surprisingly at an Essex BeCollaboration Meeting I found out I’m not alone as there were three of us in the room.

Sitting on the side-lines is not for me; no matter what I get involved with, I seem to end up taking a significant role and it’s not out of design, rather a more serendipitous outcome. That word seems to pop up in my life pretty often and amongst others I’ve ended up, company director, chairman of my Round Table, chairman To my family I love being Dad and even now, of my 41 Club, Comms Officer on the 41 Club with kids in their mid to late 20s we find different national board, president and secretary of my roles together; guiding them buying property rifle club and other miscellaneous posts. and establishing businesses and I learn from them as much as they learn from me. Millennials What ‘floats my boat’ – literally being on water think differently and seem more accepting in any manner from skis to dingy sailing to of everything diverse in society. I encourage power boats to yachts. Also music; music in the influence of this demographic in my web seedy Chicago blues bars, to resonating Bach development teams especially if the market organ fugues in large cathedrals, to the raw for the website project under development is power chord rock music at a big gig; anything predominantly under 40. that gives you that shiver down your spine.

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John Turner Photography

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“Honesty... underpins your very being and who you are with yourself and everyone around you”

If you could choose one value that you identify with, what might that be?

Would you say that Be Collaboration has given you a clear vision going forward with your business? Have you been able to create Honesty. That one was an easy clear leader. IMPACT with your fellow Collaborators?

That value underpins your very being and who you are with yourself and everyone around you. As an ‘Accumulator’ in ‘Wealth/Talent This is a gold standard I apply to all who work Dynamics’, I watch and learn as the ‘Stars’ with me and with whom we choose to work. make the big splashes, however like the impact craters on the moon, the impacts I You have been a member of BeCollaboration make, I like to think, are subtle and long lasting. for around three years now, can you remember As BeCollaboration’s Comms Team Leader what first attracted you to the organisation? we were an eager team without significant purpose; we needed a project around which Just pure inquisitiveness. Having known Gill for our skills could coalesce, then The Quest a good number of years initially via BNI, her’s was born out of the idea that we needed was an invitation to be taken seriously and something outside of meetings to project the then having engaged with Erkan I knew there movement’s values and introduce members was a journey to somewhere interesting, so to a wider audience. Then wow did we see BeCollaboration became a new area for me. I’ve people at their best - copywriting, branding, seen many come to BeCollaboration and ‘get setting and maintaining exemplary standards, it’ in a trice; for me it was like Spock to Captain project management, designing, layout, Kirk “but it’s not logical”. Notwithstanding that, proofing.... it was total collaboration and done I’ve come to highly respect the relationships I instinctively and with ease. Additionally, the was making with authentic people who have scoping of the first draft of a blueprint for the shared so much and provided inspiration BeCollaboration platform has started the ball in different ways too numerous to list here, rolling on something that will ultimately be a but they’ve all shaped my new approach to powerful enabler and propel the movement to everything with which I choose to become make greater world impact. So “Yes” I suppose involved. I’ve no problem with anyone setting individually and as part of the Comms Team the bar high, or even at unexpected angles for my impact has made a positive difference, that matter. leaving a lasting impression. More to come.

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The biggest impact on my business was to stop operating in the ‘Do -> Have’ cycle and start with the ‘Be’. People will either understand this or not, it’s not for explaining here except to say how massively empowering it is to discover your genius and bring it to the world. Everyone without exception should identify with their own innate genius.

If you’re reading this and want to share a new journey with me, you’ll find me at: Email - simon@toucanweb.co.uk Web - www.toucanweb.co.uk Twitter - @toucan_group Phone - 01279 871694

For the future I’m always open to opportunities with others where I’m in my flow – applying technology, being on or around water, food exploration, music, or something I’ve yet to discover. In business the really exciting website projects are where we can extend the programming into web applications that engage with clients’ processes in innovative ways that bring about significant gains in ability and efficiency.

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The Quest Invitation to visit.

BeCollaboration believe that true collaboration – as you have witnessed here in The Quest, occurs when people develop and deepen their relationship, building trust through sharing their authentic self. This doesn’t generally happen as a result of online communication. Meeting face to face is the best way to create amazing possibilities where wonderful projects happen. The Quest is just one such project.

We believe that meeting regularly is fundamental to our growth and learning so we have monthly meetings for guests and Collaborators to meet and discuss new ideas, issues and potential solutions.

Each meeting delivers knowledge sharing, business insights, personal development opportunities as well as thought leaders in the making presenting their genius to the room. All of this in an atmosphere where fun and laughter are paramount. At the end of the meeting, we find no one wants to leave so we continue the conversations in a social get together for as long as you want to stay.

If you would like to visit and meet our community you are very welcome. There is no cost to attend, simply bring an open mind and a listening heart.

You can get full meeting information including upcoming dates and venue details here www. becollaboration.com just click on ATTEND A MEETING. We look forward to meeting you soon.

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Dates: 5th April 13th April 19th April 24th April

Essex, Herts, Surrey, London,

Chelmsford Hertford Banstead Shad Thames

3rd May 11th May 17th May 22nd May

Essex, Herts, Surrey, London,

Chelmsford Hertford Banstead Shad Thames

7th June 15th June 21st June 26th June

Essex, Herts, Surrey, London,

Chelmsford Hertford Banstead Shad Thames

What happens at a BeCollaboration meeting.

2pm – 3pm is the Introduction for guests. Learn more about what inspires us to be part of the community, our journey so far and how to make the most of your visit.

3pm – 6pm The Collaborators will join you to share, create, discuss, inspire and learn – plus have fun!

6pm onwards there is always a social vibe to continue the conversation, you are very welcome to stay and we can get to know you more too.

We look forward to welcoming you to a BeCollaboration event soon.

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