The 10 Shepreneurs through Glass Ceiling & Beyond

THE 10 SHEPRENEURS THROUGH GLASS CEILING & BEYOND

STARTUP

Erin Bagwell Film Director Dream, Girl

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Why it's me to press for progress P.34

Invisible Disabili es: Women in the Workforce P.52

In Conversa on with a Shepreneur P.56

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EDITOR’S CORNER

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or years we have seen women in business being sidelined in comparison to their opposite sex. The glass ceiling effect has put forward a pervasive resistance to the contributions and efforts of women to reach the top of the corporate ladder. The glass ceiling is a metaphor showcasing the invisible hurdles that keep women from getting ahead, from grabbing hold of new opportunities, and furthering their career. It was used to place an unfair limitation to the success and achievements of women. Thankfully, today, with the rising focus on gender equity and female empowerment, women have all but established how misleading and discriminating the glass ceiling effect is. Women entrepreneurs are time and again coming up with new, innovative, and disruptive ideas to go beyond the pre-conceived limitations of the glass ceiling. Beyond Exclamation understands the importance and the unparalleled contributions of women entrepreneurs, and have thus come up with an issue titled “Top 10 Shepreneurs through Glass Ceiling and Beyond.” These Shepreneurs are true examples of sheer brilliance and success, and herein we have showcased their inspiring journeys that have surged them ahead to stand out from the crowd.

Featuring as the Cover Story in this issue is Erin Bagwell, an inspiring woman with big dreams and an aspiring vision. She is on a mission to reach the stage of equality where male and female are primary and there isn’t any secondary gender. Her documentary film ’Dream, Girl’ is one amongst many examples of her passion and determination.

Also featuring in this issue are Carissa Reiniger, an extremely dedicated entrepreneur and growth expert who has helped various small business owners succeed through her inspiring programs and ideologies; Ellen Voie, who burst into the entrepreneurial landscape with a determined mission of encouraging women into the trucking business; Karena Belin and Karen Farzam, two pioneering entrepreneurs who have created a platform for budding entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and vision; Kristin Revere and Alyssa Veneklase, two entrepreneurs who created a support system for families in the community; Marina Tognetti, an entrepreneur who has established a pioneering status by providing live online language education; and Stephanie LaTorre, who recognized what the future would hold for the marketing ahead of everyone.

Editor in Chief CHRISTINE [editor@beyondexclamation.com]

Managing Editor JACK [jack@beyondexclamation.com]

Art Director VIJAYKUMAR [design@beyondexclamation.com]

Graphic Artist NICK [nick@beyondexclamation.com]

Project Manager JENNIFER [jennifer@beyondexclamation.com]

Development Manager JUSTIN [info@beyondexclamation.com]

Also, in the newsmaker column we have Connie Linder, the founder of GreenPages Directory, wherein she shares her inspiring journey as a Shepreneur.

CONNECT!

Let’s dive right in!

Jack London www.beyondexclamation.com BeyondExclamation @BeyondEx Beyond Exclamation beyondexclamation

In addition to our print magazine, we also provide relevant industry news and updates, as well as some thoughtprovoking articles and blogs on our website. Make sure to follow the same as we at Beyond Exclamation are looking forward to interact with our readers. Let’s connect on the web!

What’s Inside...

Business Boulevard

B E O N 08

A journey of dreaming big

18

A Leader with a Mission

24

A Founder’s thought in developing leadership voice

Omniscient Voyage

48

The entrepreneur who kept her vision clear

52

Invisible Disabilities: Women in the Workforce

Excellence Causeway

30 A Story of a true Entrepreneur

34 Why it's time to press for progress

Newsmakers Locale

56 In Conversation with a Shepreneur

Younick Corner

Y D

38 An inspiring duo serving smiles

42 An inspiring duo fostering opportunities

DeďŹ nitive Destination

60 Books to Read about Women in Leadership

66 The Woman who Discovered herself and Prevailed

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t has been more than five decades since the then President, John F. Kennedy, signed the Equal Pay Act, which criminalized unequal pay scale of men and women in United States, who worked in the same place with a similar position of responsibility. Yet, the gender pay gap remains a hot topic across the US and the globe.

Five decades forward, the situation has slowly yet gradually changed for the better, with women accounting for more percentage in workplaces than ever before. Today, women are driving the next wave of entrepreneurship across the globe, and we seem to be on the path of closing the gender pay gap once and for all. But, that’s just one aspect of equality and we have so much more gaps to fulfill.

One such woman who is on a mission to reach the stage of equality where male and female are primary and there isn’t a scope of secondary is Erin Bagwell. First with a storytelling blog, “Feminist Wednesday” that uplifts readers through the gutsy tales of women looking to make their mark, and then with a documentary film, “Dream, Girl,” showcasing the stories of inspiring and ambitious female entrepreneurs, Erin is making her dream come true through her sheer courage and passion.

Erin Bagwell Film Director Dream, Girl

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My favorite thing about Feminist Wednesday is that it's an evolution. It started as a newsletter, morphed into a blog, and now is a weekly podcast called BeaverTalk where my production partner Diana Matthews and I give Hollywood unsolicited advice about feminism.

The beginning of everything It all started when Erin worked at a dismal 9 to 5 job, where she was being sexually discriminated and harassed. Always wanted to become her own boss, Erin loved reading inspirational stories of women quitting their jobs and building empires from the stones thrown at them. She felt ambitious when she surrounded herself with these women entrepreneurs and pondered upon how she could become one such strong example of female entrepreneur. She also assumed that other women might feel the same and need the examples for them to lead such life. Taking this into mind, she put together a newsletter and an online blog where women could share their experiences, learn from each other, and uplift each other in the process. And this marked the beginning of Feminist Wednesday. “My favorite thing about Feminist Wednesday is that it’s an evolution. It started as a newsletter, morphed into a blog, and now is a weekly podcast called BeaverTalk where my co-host Diana Matthews and I give Hollywood unsolicited advice about feminism. You can listen to the podcast now on iTunes or where ever you listen to podcasts,” Erin shares.

The journey to Dream, Girl After working on Feminist Wednesday as a side-hustle for a year, Erin knew she wanted to make women’s storytelling her full-time job. She quit her corporate job and freelanced for a while before figuring out her next move. “One day it just clicked! I got the idea to make a documentary about the inspiring female entrepreneurs who were sharing their stories on Feminist Wednesday. I put a Kickstarter campaign to fund the film, asked some of my entrepreneur friends to be in our trailer. I raised $104K in 30 days to produce Dream, Girl, that’s when I met Komal Minhas and our lives changed forever.

Dedicated to amplifying the stories of women, Komal brought an unparalleled energy to our film,” Erin adds.

She also believes that crowd-funding platforms like Kickstarter gives independent filmmakers the ability to not only raise the money that they need but to have full creative control to make something truly unique.

Achievements speak for themselves Dream, Girl screened at the White House in May 2016 as part of the United State of Women Summit and later screened at the iconic Paris Theater in New York City where the tickets were unsurprisingly sold out.

Furthermore, Erin & Komal was named amongst one of Oprah’s SuperSoul100, a list featuring extraordinary individuals that live life intentionally, create great social impact, and bring inspiration to others. Her story has been also featured in TEDx, Vogue, Forbes, The Washington Post, and dozens of other publications. In 2017, Eris was selected to be part of the American Film Showcase, which is part of the U.S. Department of State in coordination with U.S. embassies and consulates. Through these program, American documentarians are sent on trips to different countries around the globe to engage with audiences. Through her work with the showcase, Erin has travelled to Tajikistan and Egypt to screen Dream, Girl and lead filmmaking workshops.

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“I always wanted to be my own boss, and I loved hearing how other women quit their jobs and built businesses.�

Best friend turned best partner Komal Minhas is an IndianCanadian woman bound to uplift the girls and women in this world.

She does this in the only way she knows how: with her pen, her camera, her brain, and her team.

After finishing her graduate studies in Social Innovation, Komal founded KoMedia – a digital consultancy that tells the women’s stories worldwide. Since the moment Komal met Erin in 2014, they have been inseparable friends.

It was when Komal told Erin that she wanted to a part of Erin's project that made her the producer of ‘Dream, Girl.’

Telling stories is the great way to change the narrative Talking about women in general, Erin says, “I think we need to constantly be thinking and

questioning what we know, hear, and are told about women. When men control the majority of the ads we see, news we hear, and how we are reflected in the media it’s easy to believe our place is secondary. I also think because of this stories about sisterhood are lost. We are gendered to think we have to compete and that there can only be one woman at the top. Telling our stories and supporting our sisters is a great way to change the narrative and put the power back in women’s hands.”

Constantly creating and working on new ideas Going ahead, Erin wants to direct the script on which she is working on now. She is also going to continue to work on Feminist Wednesday and record her podcast BeaverTalk. Additionally, she is constantly creating and coming up with new TV and film ideas. One day she’d love to have a production company, where she can put them all her ideas in motion. Finally, she concludes the discussion with an astute advice to women, “You don’t need permission to follow your dreams. Stop waiting for someone to give it to you.”

Ellen Voie President & CEO Women In Trucking Association

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Striking a Change 19

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or long, truck drivers carried a stereotypical reputation of being gruff and tough with a burly machismo, one which we don’t necessarily associate women with. The industry comprised of an inherent stigma against women truck drivers, which eradicated any and every chance of the feminine gender to step foot into the trucking world.

Bursting into the scene with a determined mission of encouraging women into the trucking business, Ellen Voie brought-forward a change that was beyond one’s comprehension. She founded Women In Trucking Association back in 2007 to spiral a change within the industry, and the ‘Shepreneur’ hasn’t looked back ever since.

The Start of Something Big Before forming Women In Trucking, Ellen worked for a large carrier in the Mid-West, where she was given the responsibility to better understand how to attract and retain non-traditional groups, including women.

“At the time, I was working towards my private pilot’s license and belonged to an organization called the Women in Aviation, International, and it occurred to me that there should be a group for women in the trucking industry as well,” Ellen recalls.

This formed the basis behind the inception of Women In Trucking.

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Finding Success in Challenges The hardest task for Ellen in terms of empowering women to thrive beyond conventional boundaries was to make them believe of their potential capability. She mentions, “Women often look at an 18wheeler and it never occurs to them that they could drive it, own it, fix it or design it. In fact, it’s hard to get them to even understand the connection between the truck on the road next to them and the gallon of milk they buy at the grocery store, or the gallon of gas they put in their cars.”

Women In Trucking identifies this challenge and strives to instill a personal connection with the industry and helps women find a career in transportation. The best part in this journey is watching women rise up in the ranks and advance their career, enabling them to find success in these challenges and opportunities.

Stubborn with Goals and Flexible with Methods For Ellen, her goal has always been to challenge herself. She mentions her motto that “life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.” She would tell anyone, willing to create a positive change in the world, to go for it. No matter the challenges, setbacks or the crisis, in the end, the rewards will be worth the effort.

Ellen firmly believes that there is a lot left for her to achieve. “There

are many women (and men) who have not heard about our organization and could benefit from our resources. We have a long way to go before we hit a saturation point in North America and beyond.”

Not Just Achievements Speaking about the growth of the company, the rise of Women In Trucking has been nothing less than incredible, to say the least. This rise can be vividly seen through its long list of achievements.

In only its first year of operation, the company had attracted over 500 corporate and individual members.

At present, WIT has grown on to include nearly 4,000 members across the globe, and Ellen has had the distinct opportunity to address groups in Canada, Mexico, Sweden, Vietnam, France, Australia and New Zealand.

It was back in 2009, when WIT held the inaugural ‘Salute to Women Behind the Wheel,’ honoring some of the leading female professional drivers. In 2011, the company launched its magazine titled, Redefining the Road, one which was sent to all of its members. The following year saw WIT start its ‘Women in Transportation’ event at the Cleveland Indians game. The list of achievements in the subsequent years included an invitation to the th White House for the 50 anniversary celebration of the

Equal Pay Act, creation of a Girl Scout Transportation Patch for young girls to learn about the supply chain industry, as well as the launch of WIT’s weekly enewsletter.

In 2015, the ‘Distinguished Women in Logistics’ award was created to honor the legacy of a female leader in the area of logistics and the company also held its first ‘Accelerate! Conference and Expo.’ 2016 saw the company add an association management firm to its team to help manage its surging growth. This past year, WIT created a truck driver doll to promote the role to young children. This prompted the start of the popular social media campaign titled #WheresClare.

Spearheaded by Ellen, WIT has grown and achieved a position in the industry that is hard to overtake or replicate.

The Close Bond with Literature Ellen wrote her first book titled “Marriage in the Long Run,” which was a compilation of the articles she wrote for numerous publications over a number of years. She had a column by that name, as well as articles which she wrote for numerous publications over a number of years. “I had a column by that name, as well as articles in other magazines, Ask Ellen and Family Matters.” These were the result of her extensive research back in 2002 for her Master’s Thesis called The Complex Identities of Women Married to Professional Drivers. While attending truck driving school at Tri-C in Cleveland in 2008, Ellen wrote another book titled “Crushing Cones.” Ellen has always had a passion for the personal side of the trucking industry and the people who support the driver while they are away from home. Crushing Cones was in a way a guide on what to expect while attending the truck driving school, but it also includes a touch of her own experiences during her training.

“Now, all my writing is for Women In Trucking and I have a monthly blog on our website, but I do want to write a book or two when I retire!”

Driving Past the Misconceptions With the rising advancements in technology, the market will attract more women into the trucking field. This is because technology eradicates driving errors to an extent and makes it safer. The growth in technology will also help WIT to attract millennials who are more comfortable with using technology.

Ellen mentions how one of the primal misconceptions amongst people is that Women In Trucking is just about drivers, rather it is about all the women in the industry. Another misconception is that WIT only accepts women as members. This is far from the truth as nearly 19 percent of the members in WIT are men.

She rightfully points out “We aren’t FOR women as much as we are ABOUT women!”

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Leyah Valgardson Executive Coach & Leader’s Voice Strategist

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arlier this year I decided it was time to focus on a vision I’ve had for years: owning my own business doing something that made a difference in the lives of others.

This wasn’t a decision made easily or quickly. Whether or not I realized it, I’d been preparing myself for this change for years, with the most concentrated preparation happening the last several months with meaningful focus on my purpose and vision.

And guess what? I found it.

challenges has helped shape the person I am today as founder and executive coach of Leader’s Voice.

I identified three traits of my personality that I could own and use to give me my edge: character, confidence, and competence.

Character Though shy as a child, I was always kind. Kind people are eternal optimists, choosing to love even when it may be difficult. This character trait is as much a part of me as my physical traits and has carried me through life.

Why Leader’s Voice?

Confidence I started Leader’s Voice to help professional women move up in their career by owning their voice in a more powerful way. I do this through executive coaching, group coaching, and workshops. There’s a clear need in today’s business world for women to move up and in to leadership positions. Women’s voices are powerful, insightful, and valuable, and do contribute in meaningful ways in business and in life. Yet many women aren’t quite sure what their voice even is or how to be heard. And I can relate.

Voice hasn’t always been my strong suit. Lack of attention as a shy child from a family of seven children. Ignored by my peers as an overweight teen. Appreciated, but rarely respected and listened to in my professional career.

Overcoming each of these

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I made a choice in my late teen years to overcome my weight issue through physical work and determination. Since then, I’ve taken on marathons, a figure competition, CrossFit, and becoming a yoga instructor. The key to growing my confidence was consistently making and exceeding goals. As a bonus, my physical transformation helped to push my confidence to great heights!

Competence Kicking off my career in home construction seemed a likely fit, as I was raised building homes with my dad, a general contractor. I was optimistic I would excel. What I hadn’t anticipated was the challenges I would face as a female in a male-dominated industry.

Reaching the director status in my corporate job wasn’t easy. My credibility was often questioned. I was mistakenly pegged as the secretary or assistant on the job site. I’d been interrupted, dismissed, and overlooked when I spoke up in meetings.

As a young professional, I struggled with my response to those situations. I hadn’t learned to speak up. I hadn’t yet found my voice.

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Carissa Reiniger Founder & CEO Silver Lining

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ver the past 13 years, she has been a millionaire, and also almost went bankrupt.

She has been on the cover of significant publications but has dealt with lawsuits from people trying to hurt her. Her journey is a marvelous mixture of ups and downs, and she wouldn’t trade any of the experiences that entrepreneurship gave her.

The Shepreneur is proud of the fact that she has employed people in over 15 different countries, and has helped over 10,000+ small business owners across 14 countries to become more profitable and sustainable. A striking total of 80% of small business owners who have used a SLAP to grow their business have hit their financial goals and objectives.

Meet Carissa Reiniger, the Founder, and CEO of Silver Lining. Carissa is an extremely dedicated entrepreneur and small business growth expert who has helped countless small business owners grow through her behavior change methodology and program, SLAP. On a personal level, Carissa is hugely committed to building a lifestyle of wellness that includes – rest, travel, good health and a lot of family time.

Continuously learning, tweaking and adjusting.

Although Carissa was very clear and adamant about wanting to make a difference and help people in her life, being an entrepreneur wasn’t something that was ever on her mind.

Back then, according to her, “Ignorance was bliss.” Today, she

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believes that owning a business is one of the most powerful ways to make an impact on the economy.

being perfect was an illusion and that nobody has the right answer to everything.

At the age of 22, Carissa founded Silver Lining. Full of passion, curiosity, and ideologies, she traveled across Canada and personally interviewed more than 400 small business owners to understand, why, over 80% of them fail in their firstto-second year! What is the one problem that, all, small business owner face? She was and is still committed to this day, on changing the economy, one small business at a time.

“Opening herself up to outside help and support with my business was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Carissa states. The impact of such a simple concept had a significant effect on her business. She no longer felt alone and, through this process, created and strengthened an extensive network of ever-lasting relationships with her partner, friends, family, staff and business associates.

Helping achieve financial peaks

Carissa is proud of her 22-year-old self who saw a problem and decided to do something about it! “I have come to realize that there is no such thing as ‘the life’ - that all of us need to keep making the best decisions we can, based on the information we have at any given time. The secret is to learn, tweak and adjust over time continuously,” Carissa exclaims while speaking about her past.

For Carissa, building a business was an incredible journey of personal development. Before Silver Lining, everything she had done had been successful. She had never bear the full responsibility or the burden that comes with being a responsible entrepreneur.

Carissa and her team are on a mission to help more people make money doing what they love. The Silver Lining Action Plan (SLAP) methodology, a five-step process allowing small business owners to build more profitable and sustainable businesses. With years of research & development and behavior change science at the center of it, SLAPcenter act as their very own business CRM and growth training platform. “Think of it as your very own control center. You get a complete overview of the health of your business at any given time!

Receive in-depth behavior analytics and reporting and start making datadriven decisions that will concretely help you reach your financial goals,” Carissa shares.

Carissa knows she’s made many mistakes. However, at the time, she was far too embarrassed to ask for help especially when she needed it the most. It took her around five years to realize that the notion of

She is extremely proud and grateful to have been able to help millions of small business owners through Silver Lining’s Global Movement - Thank You Small Business. “TYSB is all about supporting and celebrating the

A personal development journey

tenacity, passion, and commitment of small business owners,” she shares.

This year, as part of her fight against economic injustice, Carissa launched an initiative called the Silver Circle, where Silver Lining challenges successful business owners and privileged individuals to help a small business who is struggling. “We promise to match every dollar others give! I believe in equal access to technology, knowledge and financial support regardless of gender, gender identification, race, religion or location" Carissa mentions.

Her accessSLAP program is available to all small business owners across under-resourced communities on a global scale.

Inspiring entrepreneurs through penned down words of wisdom

everything she wants to which she passionately exclaimed: “Of course not! If you are someone who is curious, passionate and driven in life - you will never get to the point where you have learned and accomplished everything you would like to. I see a massive world, with hundreds of millions of small business owners who are not realizing their full potential; incredible economic injustice and so much work left to do! Every time I hear success stories about one of our small business that is exceeding his goals, when I see a shift in our data that tells me one of our small business collectives is starting to perform better or even when one of our team members is excelling, it makes it all worth it. That is when I know for a fact, that all my hard work, is paying off! I used to think that there would be a moment where I felt like “I made it.” Now, I believe it’s important to celebrate the progress and accomplishments every single day, all the while, still holding space for what is left to do.”

Going Forward

Alongside spearheading Silver Lining, Carissa serves as an advisor, investor and a board member of numerous other businesses. She wrote her first book in 2008 called Stories From Our Black Books and ended up turning it into a company that included a play version of the book.

Since then, she has written four other books titled, Inspiring Entrepreneurs: How to Build Your Business To Its First Million, I Will: The Mentality and Systems of an Entrepreneur Who Gets Things Done, and Thank You Small Business, the inspiration behind a global movement.

Carissa mentions that her experience of writing books has been a lot different than many of her friends. “It is an arduous, complicated process.” she says. She continues and explains how she felt she approached it very practically. “For all the five books, I blocked out a week, put myself in a room at a retreat center and got a first draft complete before I left. I then involved an editor to help finalize the content. I decided to self-published with the help of a company who takes care of all the logistics.

I created a marketing plan to promote it and initially focused on bulk sales. All in all - it was a pretty easy and fun process. I am currently working on my next book, and I am following the same process - it works!”

Carissa and her team at Silver Lining will continue to passionately support small business every day as they collectively believe that small business is the real driver of our economy. They continuously learn, tweak and adjust and plan on doubling down in product development, and continually leverage the power of technology, increase value all the while remaining accessible for small businesses owners across the world.

Carissa is always exploring new ideas, and at the moment, she is investigating an online small business bank concept that would generate personality assessments and customize her customers’ needs. By introducing data analysis in the mix, this will help small business owners see the relationship between their actions and their results.

Personally, Carissa is incredibly committed to economic justice and will continue to invest significant resources in delivering Silver Lining Global commitment to 1000 businesses and beyond. Carissa doesn’t plan on going anywhere, and she and her team are here to help! Small businesses don’t have to be alone; everyone needs support, accountability, and the right resources.

Curious, Passionate and Driven to Succeed We asked Carissa if she believes she has achieved

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Sophie Devonshire CEO The Caffeine

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he other day I was rooting through boxes in my parents attic and discovered a story I’d written. I was eight at the time. It was about my adventures on a rocket ship and featured a cute brightly-colored illustration of said ship, looking rather like an ice lolly.

So far so good. However the story ended with two major disappointments.

Firstly, the story contained (just before the end) the painful cliché of ‘and then I woke up…’ — an early sign that I was unlikely to make it as a literary original. And then it concluded with a truly heart-sinking final part of the sentence ‘I knew it was a dream because I knew girls can’t be astronauts (sic).’

Oh, the horror. So self-limiting at such a young age. Reading it, I consoled myself, that it was written (quite) a long time ago. Surely things have changed so much since then?

Surely my two daughters and seven nieces would never think similar things? It’s unlikely as they’ve all been raised by fierce feminists (their mums and their dads).

However… it then occurred to me that I might be being complacent.

Astronauts? Possibly? I wouldn’t blame them if they might have some doubts about whether girls can be CEOs in business though — in a world where Indra Nooyi stepping down has winnowed the number of female CEOS in the S&P 500 even further in the States. In the UK the number of female CEOs in the FTSE100 has not increased AT ALL in the past five years — the same period of time which has seen

phenomenal change in technology and business. It’s a world where there are more FTSE 100 CEOs called Dave than there are women. And while I tell my nieces and daughters to believe they can do anything, might they still have doubts in the sort of world where women are chastised for ‘wanting it all’ and men are quite rightly asking ‘can’t we have it all too’?

I believe that equality is good for everyone. I believe that equality and diversity is good for business and the world. I believe that the workplace is changing Superfast. It’s changing so Superfast it places new challenges on leaders and opens new opportunities for them. I’ve written a book about business leadership in this world of speed which will be published in September in hardback in the UK and the US (Superfast: Lead at Speed). I researched the topic because I wanted to find ways to help clients and friends who were either keen to accelerate things and/or wanted to work out the best way to deal brilliantly with the pace of change in business. But I decided to publish this book and to do it with the great team at John Murray Press because I realised women do not often write business books. And I wanted to add to the voices which are writing about time and business and those who are also saying ‘it’s time.’

As I write this there is only one book in Amazon’s top ten of business books written by a woman (June Sarpong’s Diversity) and no books at all in their subsections on Business Management, Change management, Strategy or Entrepreneurship. If you fancy changing that then one option is to help me — then let me know if you have any ideas for how I can

promote the book through speeches or press coverage… or if you’d like to read Superfast: Lead at Speed preorder it here.

It’s time for businesses to speed up.

As the rate of technology gathers space the opportunity for more innovative working practices means its more possible for more flexible working approaches which are good for business efficiency and for lifeflourishing for people. I’ve run a business which won an award for its ‘sexi-flexi’ innovative working style.

For Superfast: Lead at Speed I’ve spoken to forward-thinking leaders who recognize that diversity doesn’t just mean diversity of appearance but diversity of styles and that also comes from diversity of working structures and support. It’s time.

Time for organizations to wake up, time for gender equality in leadership to speed up… and it’s time for women with a point of view to speak up.

So I am very proud that I was nominated for an award and even prouder that I’ve made it onto the shortlist (the Corporate Leader category for Forward Ladies — an inspirational programme that showcases diversity in the UK and recognizes the doers, trailblazers and inclusive leaders across the UK).

And I’m overcoming my natural inclination not to talk about this kind of thing because if we don’t talk about it and if we don’t speak up, how will we speed up the change? It really is time and I want to keep playing my part.

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Alyssa Veneklase Co-Owner Gold Coast Doulas Kristin Revere Co-Owner Gold Coast Doulas

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D

oula – a simple sounding Greek word meaning a women’s servant has become quite a rage in the recent past. But this is in no way a new idea.

For centuries we have seen women help and support other women during their labor period, helping them ride through their pain, providing them with sound knowledge and advice, and comforting them during their period of self-doubt.

The purpose of a doula is to provide physical, emotional, and informational support to the family through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum time.

The Realization After having their own children, Alyssa and Kristin realized how there were very few support systems for families in the community. Both of them realized that families needed more support than one could provide individually as a solo doula.

A former political fundraiser, Kristin has always been passionate about supporting women. Today, the recognized “Shepreneur” works to support women as they start or grow their families.

On the other hand, Alyssa worked in the marketing department of a large construction firm before shifting gears to become a doula. She took the brave decision to leap forward from a very male dominated industry to support women and their families during their postpartum time.

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Today, Gold Coast Doulas serve the Greater Grand Rapids and the West Michigan Lakeshore communities. Led

by Kristin and Alyssa, the company has eighteen doulas and three related subcontractors on its team, which back in 2015 comprised of only four doulas.

The Journey The toughest part of the company’s journey was doing all the planning to build the first agency of this kind in the West Michigan and Grand Rapid area.

Initially, the entrepreneurs struggled to bring their vision to life and convince their subcontracted doulas and clients to share the same vision as they had foreseen.

Once the company moved past these hurdles, it began supporting all families and all birthing and newborn care options. Today, the company prides itself on offering judgment-free support.

“The best parts are working with clients and helping them feel confident and secure in their abilities as parents.

We have developed many positive relationships with hospitals and providers, this has helped with growth and establishing respect in our field,” Kristin mentions.

The Rise In 2017, Gold Coast Doulas has tracked over 350 volunteer hours in the community. The company has also been duly supporting non-profit and neighborhood groups, namely Spectrum Health Foundation, Ele’s

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Place, MomsBloom, Metro Health Foundation, Local First, Eastown Business Association, and Running for Covers.

From having only four doulas back in 2015, the company has surged ahead to boast eighteen doulas to its name, with three additional subcontractors (an IBCLC, infant massage instructor, and placenta encapsulator).

Gold Coast Doulas is also proud to be an all-inclusive business. It strives to hire a diverse group of doulas and also offers team trainings in cultural competency, empathy, disabilities, and LGBTQ family support.

The Services Gold Coast Doulas provides a vast range of services to families, including Birth Doulas, Postpartum and Infant Care Doulas, Bedrest Doulas, HypnoBirthing instructors, Placenta Encapsulation, Baby Wearing Consultations, Newborn Survival classes, Breastfeeding classes, Back to Work Pumping classes, Infant Massage instruction, Lactation Consultations with an IBCLC, a Multiples class, The Modern Grandparent class, Prenatal Stress class, and Gentle Sleep Training.

“Our customers choose us as we offer everything they need and have prioritized customer service and responsiveness. They know they can trust us,” claims Kristin.

The Need A doula is a guide or mentor who provides parents with the right set of information to help them make informed decisions about their labor and post-natal period. At Gold Coast, the role of each doula is to provide complete and undeterred focus on the pregnant person and the partner. The doula will stand beside them during the entire pregnancy journey to offer

Image Credit: The People Picture Company

Together, their vision was to be able to offer families everything that they might need; from providing educational classes to appointing professional birth and postpartum doulas and also helping them through their first year after child birth or adoption.

support using massage, relaxation, and visualization techniques. Having a doula by your side during the labor period gives you a much needed sense of support and builds a trustable bond owing to the common goal of having a healthy baby. Various studies have proved that having a doula strikingly reduces the use of medical interventions such as inductions, pain medications, and others. Driven by the vision of Alyssa and Kristin, Gold Coast Doulas strives to offer support to every family by offering judgment-free care, evidence-bases resources, emotional and physical support.

The Rewards According to Kristin, Gold Coast still has a long way to go to educate its community on what a postpartum

doula offers. “They know about birth doula support; postpartum doulas are largely unheard of.”

It is also worth noting that Gold Coast Doulas were recognized by the Mayor of Grand Rapids in the State of the City for the good we do in the community. “That was a huge moment for our business,” recalls Kristin.

Aside from that, Gold Coast Doulas has also been recognized for several other awards locally, and has branded itself in its community as experts. Alyssa mentions how good it feels to hear someone say, “Wow, we see Gold Coast everywhere! You are doing a great job!”

Amidst all these appreciations, Kristin, Alyssa and team believe that there is a long way to go before achieving all that they have desired. Alyssa asserts, “The business is just turning three years old in October, and we have a long way to go. But in less than three years, we have come so far. We have a lot to be proud of, but lots of work ahead of us still!”

The Roadmap Talking about the future, the goal of Gold Coast in the near future is to become a B Corporation, as it continues to focus on giving back to its community and being stewards of the environment.

The company would also like to offer more online courses to families to provide them with the necessary knowledge and information. They also want to put more focus on their podcast - Ask The Doulas, where they interview local experts in the community about everything related to pregnancy, birth, and parenting. You can subscribe on iTunes and SoundCloud.

As for Kristin, her individual goal is to get her birth book published and branch out beyond their community to make and even more of an impact. Alyssa’s goal on the other hand is to really grow the postpartum end of the business as she believes education to be a key aspect in the community.

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ounding a business is a hard enough task to partake in.

Wearing all the hats and doing everything initially as an entrepreneur is an even harder challenge to face and cope up with.

Fortunately, owing to the rapid advancements in technology and the vast number of emerging startups, there are several companies who provide a platform or a helping hand to these foundling businesses in whatever manner possible.

WHub was incepted with the same ideology and thought. The Startup and Talent platform in Hong Kong provides an opportunity for startups and entrepreneurs to attract the requisite resources that they might need to run a business – talents, investors, and collaboration prospects.

The best way for a startup to attract such resources is for them, the passionate entrepreneurs, to talk about their product or services, about their team, their vision and roadmap, the perks they can oer, and beyond!

Backed by the pioneering minds of two inspiring businesswomen, Karena Belin and Karen Contet Farzam, WHub provides entrepreneurs with exactly the same opportunity.

Beyond Exclamation looks at the journey and the vision of these two pioneering leaders, who have time and again strived to move beyond excellence to achieve success.

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The intent of not letting fear, doubts, hardships, or set-backs push them off-track. Back in 2013, the startup scene in Hong Kong was not the most influencing, it was small and unknown as only a few people considered to jump the ship and work for a startup. “When we started pondering over the idea of WHub; about helping startups grow, recruiting and scaling, people would ask at best how big the market potential was and, at worse, they thought this to be a problem which was impossible to solve,” Karena recalls.

Karena Belin Co-founder WHub

5 years have gone by and WHub is not only the biggest startup community in HK with a staggering total of 18,000 members, but it also represents the nation’s budding and innovative startups on a globular scale. Contrary to popular belief, Hong Kong’s startup community is one of the fastest growing ecosystems in the world, with multiple records to its name. These include, Sensetime, one of the highest valued AI company in the world; TNG Wallet, which is one of the highest FinTech Series A funding round in the world; Zeroth.ai, world’s first AI accelerator; block.one, a company deemed as the world’s largest ICO; LaLaMove and GoGoVan, which are the two most successful unicorns in the logistics space; and the list goes on.

Keep Moving Ahead According to Karen, as an entrepreneur, people tend to become addicted to solve problems. However, falling in love with a solution brings-forward new problems. One needs to stay critical, alert, and open to an ever-changing, exponentially changing market environment.

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or 15 years Karena worked with Procter & Gamble, improving people’s lives and developing leaders with a strong drive and passion for change. These core values at P&G were something to which Karena strongly related with, one which prompted her to work with the company for so long across different regions and for different positions and roles. However, she discovered these values to have totally exceeded expectations in the Tech and Startup space.

“Bringing impact and entrepreneurial skills to an unparalleled dimension has been so life changing and rewarding. It’s the Passion of the founders, the impact they create, that makes me even more passionate to help and support them. And the reward is exponential, when you can help others to help themselves,” Karena rightfully points out.

Making the Impossible Possible This was more than a statement for Karena; it was an intent.

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Thus, rather than becoming satisfied with her journey and the resolutions which she has brought-forward, it is the moments that truly satisfy her. The fleeting moments of realization of having built a strong partnership, trust, and credibility to solve problems faster and with greater impact is what sticks out in Karena’s mind as moments of satisfaction.

Pushing the Company Forward Speaking about the future, Karena believes to share common interests with Karen and pushing themselves to the extreme is certainly a part of the future goal. “But we are also diverse enough to bring different viewpoints to the table that really benefit the company overall,” Karena asserts.

In the future, Karena views WHub to have an impact on a global level, as scaling startups through HK and the Greater Bay area is a powerful value proposition to startups from around the world. Speaking from a personal standpoint, Karena is passionate about education and being involved with a parent organization. She believes there to be valuable lessons from entrepreneurship that can help children become confident and socially responsible world citizens.

company and their idea. And this ignited the spark to create a platform that provides budding entrepreneurs a platform to share about their company, their products or services, their mission and vision, the team of difference makers and beyond! “It is the best way to attract the Resources they need: users, team and investors.”

However, the best part of this journey for Karen is the amazing crop of people she has met along the way and the rewards, which were a result of the positive impact left by WHub on the community. “Being an entrepreneur is hard, otherwise everybody will do it.” Entrepreneurs, in general, are struggling to build the best possible team, to find the right investors at the right time, and to decide where and when to scale. Karen mentions how their company is no different than others, “but the fact that we are going through this journey together with an incredible team makes all the difference.”

Karen Contet Farzam Co-founder Whub

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he thought of being an entrepreneur had never entered the mind of Karen Farzam. She had a totally different life before the inception of WHub, when she was an equity derivatives trader for JP Morgan. Both Karen and Karena had a common passion about the entrepreneurs and the drive and deep belief they have for their startup.

Unlike her days working as trader in investment banking companies, Karen today enjoys working on her own schedule and views it to be more than just work. She is willing and determined to spend hours working for WHub, as she firmly believes that “when you are passionate about what you do, you can work on it for countless hours.”

Nothing is Impossible Probably the biggest strength of both these pioneering individuals is how they do things separately but together, one which according to Karen is their biggest strength. “We come from different background with different skills but we share a common mission and vision,” she asserts when asked about the future roadmap of WHub. However, on a personal note, she mentions her desire to finish her first 100 km trail running during the middle of November this year.

For her, trail running is much like entrepreneurship; “It is a long hard journey but with planning, stamina, and focus, nothing is impossible.”

A Long Way to Go Like Karena, Karen’s answer on satisfaction revolves around the same thought, yet they differ in one way or the another. She mentions how WHub is the biggest startup community in Hong Kong, but as an entrepreneur you’re never quite satisfied with your achievements. Adding further truth to that, she mentions “There are always new milestones to reach, new market to conquer, and new challenges to take. The hard work is never over and that is what is exciting. Our mission is to unleash the full potential of startups and foster the community - there are still many things to be done.” Indeed, there is a long way to go.

Bringing a positive impact WHub was started because of the level of passion Karen and Karena had for startups and entrepreneurs. She mentions how passionate entrepreneurs are about their

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he toughest parts of an entrepreneurial journey are also the best once you overcome the challenges. It is a great motivation to know that no matter what challenges we meet along the way, we can always find a solution and if we are willing to take risks and make the hard choices there is nothing we cannot achieve. An entrepreneur who has established a pioneering status by providing live online language education is Marina Tognetti.

Believing that change is never easy and being innovative meant that there was no set path one could follow, Marina had to discover the way by herself, while keeping here vision clear and focused.

The beginning that paved way for her entrepreneurial journey It all started when Marina was on the lookout for opportunities in China. The first step was to learn the Chinese language. But being a busy manager, finding the way to learn the language was not easy for her. She tried everything; from attending an evening school, purchasing CDs/ DVDs, appointing a Dutch teacher trying to teach Chinese, to even trying to learn from a Chinese student that failed to teach, and all these together frustrated her even more. “If I were living in China- I thought- I could easily find a good teacher! That was when the idea hit me: there are thousands of teachers all over the world, I just need to use the power of the internet to connect teachers with students. This is how mYngle was born. And languages were something I was passionate about!” shares Marina when asked about the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey.

Once mYngle had started, the biggest challenge was when she had to ‘pivot’ from the initial business model to a completely different one. Marina had launched mYngle as a marketplace, something she knew very well from her previous experience at eBay. Everything seemed to be in place according to her: Funding, Awards, PR, and a motivated team. But something in their business model was not functioning as they Marina and Co had expected. “We listened to our customers and they gave us the new direction, from an open marketplace to a

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Marina Tognetti Founder & CEO mYngle

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quality global online school. That brought us in a “different place’’ where companies more than consumers were interested in the service we were offering. The second ‘pivot’ was from B2C to B2B. That is the mYngle that you see now,” she adds. The biggest lesson for Marina as she proudly recalls was change.

“Change is an essential part of being entrepreneur.” And that became the key to success for mYngle.

An adept solution for busy professionals Today, mYngle has prestigious business clients and learners all over the word, with tens of thousands of lessons given each month and 95% of the learners rating the company’s service as nothing less than excellent. mYngle offers customized language training programs through video conferencing in 45 different languages anytime, anywhere. The lessons offered by the company are one-on-one, with highly qualified native coaches and is related to the job-position of the learner. Its virtual classrooms enable learners to take classes 24/7. Simply put, mYngle is the solution for busy professionals who need language training to be successful in international business, and for companies that want great learning results and a transparent and controllable learning process to make their investment a success. mYngle’s lessons score is 4.8 out of 5.0, so the results speak for themselves.

Building a business from scratch is always challenging, and furthermore, building a tech start-up boasting the potential to disrupt a traditional

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industry like education is exponentially more challenging. The concept of mYngle seems logical and sound today, but at the time when Marina started the company, she had to resolutely push the idea forward as very few people initially believed in the same. “One thing that holds most of us back is that we care way too much about what others think. I never really cared much about this, so my motivation came from inside, not outside, from the strong belief that the vision was right, even if I would find a few challenges along the way,” Marina emphasizes.

A journey of learnings Before founding mYngle, Marina had a successful career at prestigious corporations like Procter & Gamble, Philips, eBay, The Boston Consulting Group and others. She believed her experience in managing large teams and wider budget pool, would make her task easier to manage a smaller sized business. Unfortunately, she was wrong!

Marina’s entrepreneurial journey was completely different than what she had expected. “Being an entrepreneur changed me a lot. I have always been a risk-taker, as I lived and worked in different Countries, took challenging jobs in demanding Companies, travelled the world, backpacked for one year in remote locations, I like extreme sports… but now even more, as I know that with time and perseverance, anything can be achieved and, in case needed, adjusted or changed,” Marina asserts.

Marina’s decision and experience in founding mYngle, made her learn to make the toughest of calls in the

easiest of manners. Building a company from scratch means that you have to be prepared to take decisions that have high consequences. “I toughen up during the company pivot/turn-around. But once I had done it, I realized that I was stronger than I thought I were.”

A constant urge to improve and look for opportunities When asked if she has achieved all that she had desired, she firmly denied. She mentions it to be in her nature to constantly improve, and it is in the nature of an entrepreneur to always see new opportunities or areas of development. Marina doesn’t believe in standing still, which for her is equivalent to going backwards. But, she also believes that it is now easier to drive a company during its growth phase than during the initial turn-around.

Her biggest challenge was to do a pivot together with a company turnaround, and the moment she realized that it all worked out well was when all the hard work had finally paid off.

Marina’s advice to women in careers Whether you want to start your journey as an entrepreneur or raise the corporate ladder: stop comparing.

The stories you read about the few that ‘got it all’ are rare exceptions and often exaggerated for public appeal. “Women in particular tend to do injustice to themselves: if we are not perfect, we feel we are not good enough. Let go of that. Let go of trying to imitate the types of leadership you see around but which are not you, and be really true to

yourself. Don’t look around, look inside.”

That is why when Marina talks about her experience, she tries to give the genuine picture of who she really is, including all her failure-induced experiences, as all of them have collectively brought her to where she stands today. A strong leader is not one without faults, we all have faults, but the ones who are confident enough to be able to show his/her vulnerabilities without being scared are the ones who make a difference.

She advices all the young women who are on the verge of beginning their career to remember: confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong.

A constant pursuit of rising above challenges Going ahead, Marina believes that the future challenge for mYngle will be coming up with more innovations and staying ahead as the market shifts from being in its novice stage to being more mature. It is a critical transition phase, wherein it is easy to rest on what is achieved and ignore the new and emerging signals. “The best way to overcome this, is for us to keep on being alert about what is happening around and especially listen to our customers. Customers are critical to understand if we are delivering the right value, if the business is moving in the right direction. This is something that not all education companies have understood. It is one of mYngle core values, the first and most important. I believe it is the key for rising above our future challenges,” Marina concludes.

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Invisible Disabilities: Women in the Workforce Jes Osrow Founder JOSROW

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esearch was performed during the fall of 2017 by Jes Osrow, an HR professional with a focus on Diversity and Inclusion. She is an expert in coaching, mentoring and tech recruitment and has worked her entire career with two Invisible Disabilities (ID): depression and anxiety.

The goal is to expand the pool of input from professional women who are forging forward with their successful, albeit challenged, careers while managing their IDs. The primary step for individuals is to self-identify their ID (though most will not have used this term and many may not have yet seen themselves as part of this group).

Invisible Disabilities: What Does the Research Tell Us? Invisible Disabilities have been explored by researchers on a limited basis with literature reviews in psychology, medicine, education, business and other areas revealing scarce study and insight. Matthews & Harrington (2000) defined IDs as. “…both mental and physical conditions that are not immediately noticeable by an observer…” (p.

405). Regarding IDs in the workplace, as recently as 2014, Santuzzi, Waltz, Finkelstein & Rupp noted that, “Workers with IDs encounter unique challenges compared to [all] workers…and even workers with visible disabilities.”

(Abstract)

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Educational institutions have been most active in supporting students with disabilities in an effort to enhance success in various settings.

Still, IDs are rarely mentioned and akin to many learning disabilities, remain the responsibility of the afflicted person. They are challenged to communicate with staff in environments like Disability Offices in higher education or to the workplace HR. According to the CDC “In 2014 [it was] found that 27.4% of women ages 18–64 identified with a disability in some form (compared to 20.8% of men in the same age range).” While the rest of society has visible cues to indicate (some) disabilities, there is a large faction (sometimes estimated as high as 74% of all disabilities) that are unseen. These IDs are a compelling subject that necessitates study.

Limited research, or even professional conversation about IDs, suggests possible challenges in awareness of their existence, understanding of the demographics and implications for both the workforce and workplace.

Invisible Disabilities Today One industry struggling publicly with issues of D&I is the tech industry. In 2017, Jes Osrow submitted a proposal to speak about preliminary research on IDs at the Anita Borg Institute Grace Hopper Conference (the pre-eminent conference for women in tech). While the anonymous reviewers of the proposal had positive comments, their main constructive feedback was: “Before reading this submission, I was not familiar with the term ID and would guess other attendees

would also need more insight into what it is and more details on the mental illnesses that might be considered IDs.” A complete lack of awareness and understanding of the term “ID” indicates challenges present among reviewers (highly placed and experienced women in tech) in understanding the definition, reach and workplace implications of women in the tech industry. These comments reveals a glaring need to expand the conversation and the need for current research into this topic.

The research conducted focused on women in business but is not solely applicable to the industry; working women in all industries are affected by the challenges of IDs.

areas of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, industry with commentary about their IDs and work situations. The authors intend to publish the findings and data collected in multiple articles to help move the conversation forward and implement change.

Invisible Disabilities among Working Women: Demographics Data from the 102 respondents the average age is 35 years old within the range 18–53 years. All women were working either full or part-time and many were entrepreneurs. Data indicated seven clear career areas with positions in technology being noted as the predominant industry represented.

Invisible Disabilities & Working Women: Qualitative Research 2017 Challenged by her own IDs, Jes Osrow began with the goal of more clearly defining the issue of IDs among working women. She created and administered a survey reviewed by experts in education and market research fields. The survey was then distributed through a network of professional women via networks like Dreamers & Doers, Tech Ladies, WIT PDX, and other communities. It quickly became clear there were gaps in understanding about the breadth and depth of IDs among women previously or currently in the workplace. The goal was to collect data on 100 participants.

Most respondents noted they were working with one or more health care providers for both diagnosis and intervention regarding their ID. Some also noted self-diagnosis, treatment and ongoing self-management.

Despite self-awareness of IDs, the main area of concern responsibility in terms of disclosure with employers and coworkers. Thoughts were shared around stigma, shame, and possible changes in work expectations and trajectory. These matters echoed previous research (2014, Santuzzi, Waltz, Finkelstein & Rupp) noting that, “…current legislation and policies might not be sensitive to the unique experiences and disclosure decisions faced by workers with IDs”(Abstract).

The response was swift and overwhelming with 102 comprehensive survey submissions within five weeks. The survey collected data on the demographic

The article is originally written by Jes Osrow, Casey Sweet, and Pamela Smith EDD, LD, RD on medium.com and is republished with the author’s permission.

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Connie Linder Founder & President GreenPages Directory

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In Conversation with the Newsmaker

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he is an entrepreneur and business strategist with a special interest in sustainability and innovative startups. Recognized as one of Canada’s top leaders and sustainability professionals, she is a passionate speaker who inspires audiences with examples of how business and social responsibility can co-exist, as well as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs through the Women’s Enterprise Centre, the University of British Columbia, the Minerva Foundation for BC Women, and the Women’s Executive Network. She is Connie Linder, who founded GreenPages Directory (recently branded to “Intengine”) to make tangible her commitment to increase public awareness of available innovative solutions and make sustainable products and services more widely accessible. Beyond Exclamation recently had the pleasure to be “In Conversation” with Connie, in which, she took us on her journey of breaking glass ceiling and beyond.

What seeded the vision to working with startups and established businesses to create, implement and communicate innovative policies and practices that support the ongoing transition to a sustainable economy?

Twenty years ago when I was a stock broker, the investment community as a whole was not yet very progressive and I found myself frustrated that my pay structure wasn’t often aligned with what was best for my client and it bothered me that nobody seemed to be asking about the effects of what we invested in. So I went to the company side of the equation and found that I was able strategize what needed to be done next for companies often stuck when the vision is so far from the present. That led to my Insight Creative Communications strategy firm where I helped companies align their business objectives with healthier alternatives.

Through helping with strategy, I learned that most companies (actually all of the companies I worked with) didn’t actually know their strategy so I found a niche to help create the strategy and communicate it. The next step was to implement. I am an organized person and have the ability to see a map in my mind of what to do next.

This is critical because companies that are new or growing have SO many challenges

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with so much to do and management has to deal with so much uncertainty that they get “stuck” with what is the next step.

Then I made a conscious decision to only work on deals that had some sort of ethical or environmental benefit.

The next step was to then work on my own deals as a founder where I could have more influence to ensure the integrity of the decisions would be maintained.

The sustainability piece is another place where management would get “stuck” in the old way of thinking that “you can’t be good and make money”.

This is becoming an outdated way to think but twenty years ago it was the norm. In order to commit to a sustainable economy agenda however, management would have to have a longer-term vision.

What have been the best parts and toughest parts of your journey?

Brief us about the marvelous journey. If possible, kindly help us with statistical insights as an overview of your company’s achievements.

The toughest part of my journey was holding the dream for Intengine, when it was difficult to raise money. I worked on other contracts through ICC to pay the bills to keep Intengine going. The best part of the journey is definitely where I am at now with great financial partners, a new brand and a Team I believe in to turn Intengine into the world’s premier resource for sustainable purchasing. We are able to educate people to make better choices.

What drove you to enter in this field? What was your life like before Insight Creative Communications and GreenPages Directory. And what changes the companies have

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brought in your life since the foundation?

I have always been someone that doesn’t just accept the status quo.

Rather, if there is a way to improve outcomes to make things more healthy, more fair, more efficient, more progressive then I would assert myself for these improvements and modifications. While growing up I was visionary but didn’t initially see myself as an entrepreneur. I was a leader and a changemaker but I thought I would be making change within the political environment. As I grew up, I realized that the negative side of politics was one that I wasn’t sure I would be able to stomach and once in my career as a stock broker, I realized that I was very energized by seeing new companies and innovation and started helping the companies I liked that came to me looking for investment by helping them communicate their “deal” and align with a more sustainable approach. Also, at 26 a friend and I started an armored car company that is now very successful so I guess I was an entrepreneur before I knew that I was an entrepreneur.

Although I am pleased with the results I was able to achieve through Insight Creative Communications (“ICC” for short) – for example I helped change tax policy in support of renewables, it is the GreenPages Directory (now called “Intengine”) journey that I am most excited about. During my work in ICC, I was working with all these innovative companies and realized that the world didn’t (for the most part) realize the progress that was happening and there was not one platform where you could find the most sustainable solution in business. When I incorporated GreenPages Directory, I was told all the time “what you are trying to do is too big – pick a sector”.

I knew my vision was BIG and I also

believed it was doable and that I just needed the right financial partners who shared my LARGE vision. I have found these investors and continue to build a team that is now actively creating the WORLD’S BEST PLATFORM FOR SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING IN THE WORLD. We have the world’s largest database of social and environmental certifications and our database is growing every day.

We just plugged in our new platform at www.intengine.com and we have a partnership with PwC who will provide assurance and we are working on this program so we can offer to our members.

Brief us about the services that Insight Creative Communications provides and tell us why customers choose you?

My clients chose to work with my Company ICC because of my diverse background that lends itself to not only building the strategy, but then knowing how to produce the documentation required in all phases of the business development while private, public or during the transition. For example, I would often get hired to write the business plan but then I would see that management needed help defining the strategy so I would help them with this.

My unique training as a stock broker with an MBA, several languages, international experience in addition to more right brain pursuits such as a counselling degree and spiritual development training, energy healing and reiki helps me as a more wellrounded and trained executive. Word of mouth is powerful and I seemed to always meet people who needed my skillset through the work I was doing and didn’t advertise. Now I get asked regularly from inventors to help them with their company but I am very choosy since I am working on Intengine and one of my other

companies called “Agora Energy Technologies” who are building the world’s first redox flow battery that uses carbon dioxide as an input instead of Vanadium which can transform the field of stationary battery storage.

Have you achieved all that you had desired? Tell us about the moment when you realized that your hard work has finally paid-off.

I don’t think I will ever think I am “done”. I think I will just keep adding higher visions with bigger goals. I am very happy with how my life is right now and I continue to work on my big dream that Intengine will connect those seeking a healthier way to live with those who have the solutions so we can live in a happier, healthier more stable world.

What are your individual plans going ahead? Also tell us where do you see ICC in next couple of years?

My plans going forward are focused on being a good mother to my daughters who are 17, 23 and 26 and focusing on building Intengine into a global brand that helps transform the marketplace. I am also focused on my work as a co-founder of Agora Energy Technologies to bring this important technology to life. I don’t advertise my ICC services however, I am always open to work with innovators who have a leading technology that can transform our world.

Finally, would you like to mention a word of advice for our readers?

Through my work as a mentor and leader in sustainability, I am often asked to speak at universities and for business audiences. Women often ask me if I’ve ever been treated differently as my male colleagues. There are few women founders in my field of environmental startups. It is a competitive industry and can be brutal! I can definitely remember many occasions where I was treated differently.

Mostly I have been the only woman in the Board Room.

However, my answer to this question is to respect yourself and try to bring your best self to your work and be really good at what you do. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck feeling like you are a victim of your circumstance. Step up and write your own story. I believe that the universe supports those who align with positive goals that are good for humanity and have the faith that big, beautiful dreams can come true.

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Michele Weldon Editorial Director Take The Lead

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That’s What She Wrote: 25 Books To Read By, For and About Women in Leadership

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Stephanie LaTorre Founder EGM

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Prevailing through Re-discovery

he past few years have witnessed the rise of digital marketing with an exponential worldwide reach. No longer does a marketing campaign see traditional marketing to be the frontrunner. While, it is still important for companies to raise and maintain brand awareness, digital marketing has proliferated through the ranks and now sits parallel with traditional forms of marketing.

Staying up-to-date with the latest and eective marketing trends is vital from the marketing point of view. Digital marketing has also given rise to the need to stay abreast of the rapid developments of technologies. This, in turn, has forced organizations to rethink their marketing strategies and to take into account new tools that can reach customers in a personalized way.

At the rate in which customers are rapidly becoming smartphone or tablet users, companies need to ensure a positive experience for all through its campaign.

Recognizing what the future would hold for the world of marketing, Stephanie LaTorre, a forward thinker of her time, dived into the digital scene in 2013 when digital marketing was yet to unfold completely. Fast forward six years, Stephanie is a digital marketing mentor teaching entrepreneurs, coaches, and bloggers who are frustrated by the dierent spheres of technology in marketing. Being the Founder and CEO of EGM, Stephanie has been oering and selling digital marketing strategies and implementing strategies like building websites, funnels, and social media activities for clients around the globe.

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The humble beginnings Before venturing on her own, Stephanie worked in private country clubs as a Dining Room Manager. She had started working in the hospitality industry at the age of 19 and thought that she had a future there. She quickly learned the business thoroughly and became the dining room manager of Rio Vista Country Club in California at the age of 21. She learned about reports, accounting, cost of doing business, managing a staff, and so many other things.

Little did she know that her experience therein would later become helpful in her life for the foundation of her own company. At the age of 24, Stephanie was hired as the Dining Room Manager of Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. “I gained invaluable experience working for the Trump organization. And although I loved working in the hospitality industry, I soon realized there was so much more I could and wanted to contribute in the world. That’s when I decided to venture off on my own and start EGM,” Stephanie shares.

her two hobbies: traveling and computers. She had always loved both of them and realized there must be a way to make money from her computer while traveling. “So I sold everything I owned, booked a one-way flight to Paris, packed everything I could in a carry on suitcase, and started travelling through Europe while starting my business from a tiny tablet computer. That was 10 years ago now. Since then, I have built a business I can run from anywhere as long as I have my MacBook and an internet connection,” Stephanie says on her beginning.

The journey of Stephanie had started taking off, however, at the same time, she faced the toughest phase of her business. Initially, due to her lack of experience, no one would hire her services. She was mostly unsure of where the money was going to come from. The decision of quitting job to explore an oblivious path seemed wrong at times. However, digging deep into her mind helped her answer questions like “who I am?” and “who I want to be? This helped her to be aware of her courage and to speak her own voice.

The obstacles of success Stephanie was travelling to Vegas for a business convention, when it all began for her. Everywhere she looked, she noticed advertisements without their phone numbers.

Instead, there were Facebook links.

That’s when it hit her that the world was about to change. It got her thinking how she could combine

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Pioneering at creating best websites Each month at EGM, Stephanie invites business owners, women, website owners, and whosoever that wants to learn how to get a site up and running and make money, in her “virtual home,” as she likes to call it. Herein, she provides one-on-

one intensive training to them and shows them how to set up their site, connect all the dots, and make it all work. Additionally, Stephanie has created a library of material that teaches clients step by step (or button by button) on how to create or improve their website and concept, and how to get it out there by social media marketing, getting their site on Google, and creating a funnel that would let them market their business 24 hours a day.

Listening to yourself and being honest is the key Stephanie remembers how she used to always listen to everyone else but herself. She did what others told her until one day when she decided to stop listening and started living her life on her own terms.

Having gone through the phase of re-discovering herself, she rightfully advises “I would say to anyone who has the slightest idea that they want to do something crazy and reinvent the wheel in the digital world, “go for it and do it.”

Just the fact that you have the idea means you have the courage, strength and the ability to go forward with it. Any ideas of thinking you’re not good enough or you can’t do it are coming from other people and not from you.

Listen to yourself every day every minute and always keep true to yourself.”

The vision of giving back Stephanie’s business this year has gone through an amazing

transformation. She is holding their very first retreat in southern Italy. She also has mentoring programs lined-up to help aspiring female entrepreneurs realize their dream of building an online business. Moreover, she has support systems in place in the form of courses, videos, and so much more to help them realize their dream. tephanie’s vision for the future of her company is growth. It’s about giving back. She believes every entrepreneur that is successful will have reached the point where they have built something amazing and now it’s time to get back.

“Starting next year we will be giving back in big ways.

We will be starting an online resource center for those who have lost their parents to cancer. Will be traveling the world to help those in need of a transformation in the form of retreats and workshops. We will continue to mentor female entrepreneurs but not just with their business. We will help them physically emotionally and spiritually grow in the world,” Stephanie concludes by mentioning the future prospect of EGM.

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