The Most Influential Women Leaders To Watch In 2023 | CIO Women Magazine

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The MostINFL UENTIAL W OMEN Leaders T o W at ch In 2023 HELPING BUSINESSES THE INDUSTRY COMPLEXITIES WEED OUT ERIN O'DONNELL FOUNDING PARTNER E m p o w e r i n g O r g a n i z a t i o n s A n d I n d i v i d u a l s T o T h r i v e A t T h e I n t e r s e c t i o n O f H u m a n i t y A n d H i g h P e r f o r m a n c e Pg. 40 Pg. 50 7 SEO Strategies to Scale Your Creative Business Meryl StreepHow Meryl Streep became the best performing artist of her time?
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From Editor’ s Desk

"Anyone Can Hold The Helm When The Sea Is Calm.” - Publilius Syrus

Butthetruetestiswhenyoucanseeastormcoming,whenthesearoarswithitswildestroar, andtriestoengulfyouwithallitsmight.ThatiswhentheGodsarelookingatyou controllingtheshipandgettingthrough.

FeaturingforCIOWomenMagazine’sthisspecialeditionofTheMostInfluentialWomen LeaderstoWatchin2023arethestoriesofsuchastuteleaders.

Forthecoverreadabout-

“IamtheFoundingPartnerofInfusedBanking,Co-FounderofBankersHub,andCo-Founder andformerCEOofBankerstuffoverseesproductinnovationandeducation.Ihaveover30 yearsofexperienceinstrategiceventmanagement,specializingintechnologyandonline deliveryofcontent.BankersHubofferseducationandcertificationinthebankingindustry andlaunchedtheindustry’sfirstcertificationforCannabisBanking.”

What inspired you to direct your journey in this particular field?

“I’vealwaysbeenpassionateaboutcreatingmemorableexperiencesforpeople.Asa professionaleventplanner,I’veseenfirsthandhowtechnologyhastransformedtheevents industryoverthepastfewyears.Virtualevents,inparticular,havebeengame-changers. They’vemadeeventsmoreaccessiblebyeliminatinggeographicalbarriers,allowingpeople fromallaroundtheglobetoparticipate.Thismeanswecanreachmorediverseaudiencesand createtrulyglobalexperiences.”

Withmorethan30yearsofexperienceinlaw,business,education,andadvocacy,EllieShefi hasdedicatedherlifetocreatinganimpactthroughtheempowermentofothers.A multifacetedexpert,Ellieisauniquelyqualifiedconsultantandadvisortoorganizations, governments,NGOs,andindividuals—atrueunicornintheindustry.

“Idecidedtocomeoutfrombehindthescenes.Isaidtomyself,“Nomoreplayingsmall.I amgoingtostepoutfromtheshadows,usemyvoice,andstepintothefullembodimentof whoIammeanttobe.”Ibeganwritingbooks,speakingonstages,andbeingmoreofamedia presence.Isteppedupmyindividualadvisingandconsulting.Wantingtofurtherintegrate mylegalandadvocacyroles,IbegangloballyadvisinggovernmentsandNGOsoncriminal justicereform,civilrights,andhumanrightsissues.

AndonceIbecameatrustedadvisortoNGOsandgovernments,Ibroughtmyeducation, entrepreneurship,advocacy,andlegalexpertisetoHRdepartmentsandC-suiteexecutives.”

Shalmali W. halmaliS

This list is NOT a ranking. The companies on listed in magazine serve different aspects of the market, making ranking them in any order except revenue impossible and unfair. We try to bring a perfect platform for business organization to showcase their valued products/ services.

Copyrights © CIO Women Magazine | 2022. All Rights Reserved. The images and content included in this magazine
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Magazine omen C o CIO Women Magazine, 1985, Henderson Rd, Columbus, Ohio, 43220 CIO Women Magazine Publisher Pamela Wilson Jimmy B. Monica Sanders Sankalp K. Narendra S. Garry Williams Chief Editor Marketing Coordinator(USA) PR & Marketing Coordinator Business Development Executive Creative Design Head Social Media Manager Digital Circulation Manager Shalmali W.

PR News Section

AmantyaTechnologiesRankedaLeaderinthe ER&DServices–Telecommunications,SME Category,inZinnovZones’2022GlobalER&D ServicesRatings

~ AmantyahasbeendeclaredaleaderintheSmall andMediumServicesProvidersverticalinER&D Services–Telecommunicationssegmentandhas beenrankedintheExecutiveZoneintheoverall ER&DcategoryinZinnovZones’annualER&D Servicesratings.

AmantyaTechnologiesInc.,aleadingglobalproduct engineeringandsystemintegrationcompany, announcedtodaythatithasbeenrankedinthe ‘LeadershipZone’intheER&DServices–Telecommunicationsverticalandinthe‘Executive Zone’intheoverallER&DServicescategoryin ZinnovZones’2022GlobalER&DServicesRatings.

Theannualreportbytheprestigiousglobal managementconsultingandstrategyconsultingfirm providesa360-degreeevaluationofengineering researchanddevelopment(ER&D)service providers,identifyingtheirexpertiseandscalability acrosskeymarketsandtechnologies,andis consideredanindustrystandard.The2022study evaluatedover75+topglobalserviceproviders acrossindustryverticalsandmicro-verticalsfortheir digitalengineeringprowess.Theratingshavebeen assessedonmultipledimensions,including scalability,growthrate,innovationandIP,services capability,maturityofdeliveryandservices capabilities,ecosystemlinkages,andfeedbackfrom enterprisebuyers.

“Wearethrilledtoreceivethisrecognitionandbe includedinZinnovZones’ER&DServicesratings. It’sahugehonortobefelicitatedbysucha prestigiousbodyandberecognizedforourstrong capabilitiestodelivervalue-addedservicesand solutionsinthe5Gwirelessanddigitaldomains. BuildingacultureofR&Danddisruptingnew

technologiesareattheheartofwhatwedoat Amantya.Ourin-houseinnovations,5GSACore, 5GNetwork-in-a-Box,and5Genterprisesolution, 5GAstra,areatestamenttothiscommitment.

Theratingacknowledgesourcontinuedabilityand deepcommitmenttoexploringanddisrupting cutting-edgetechnologiesthatdrivenext-gen digitaltransformations.Overthepastfewyears,we havepartneredwithsomeofthebestcompanies globally,andourleadershippositioninginZinnov ER&DServicesreiteratesourgrowingstaturein themarket.Welookforwardtoacceleratingand broadeningourexpertiseinemergingtechnologies andbeingafrontrunnerinprovidingsolutionsthat transformeverydayexperiences,”saidAnuradha Gupta,CEO,AmantyaTechnologies,Inc.

Thecompanywasalsorecognizedas“BestSMEin TelecomEcosystem2022”atIndiaMobile Congressand“MostPreferredWorkplacein IT/ITES2022-23”byMarksmenDaily

ToknowmoreaboutAmantyaTechnologiesand thecompany’scompleteecosystemof transformativesolutionsin5G,IoT,AIML, Digital,Cloud,andEdge,contact connect@amantyatech.com

AboutAmantyaTechnologies,Inc.

AmantyaTechnologiesisaleadingproduct engineeringandsystemintegrationcompanywith operationsintheUSA,Canada,andIndia (Gurugram,Bangalore&Nagpur).Aglobal organizationwithprovenexpertiseinnextgenerationtechnologieslike5G,IoT,AIML,edge, andcloudservices,Amantyaworkswithsomeof theworld’sbestbrands,includingFortune500 companies.

Formoreinformation,pleasevisit amantyatech.com

C O N T

ERIN O'DONNELL

The Many First Women

Meryl Streep - How Meryl Streep Became The Best Performing Artist Of Her Time?

Profile

Empowering Organizations And Individuals To Thrive At The Intersection Of Humanity And High Performance

Monuments

Eiffel Tower - All You Need To Know Before Visiting Eiffel Tower In Paris

7 SEO Strategies to Scale Your Creative Business

E N T S Article
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Sheleapsintoherroleseffortlesslytotransformintoa completelydifferentperson.Sheportrayshercharacterlike nobodyelseandbecomesirreplaceableintheentertainment industry.Whoisshe?That'sourbelovedSophie(FromSophie's Choice),MarylStreep.Foranaveragehuman,ittakesmonthsor yearstomastertheroleforanymovie,however,Merylcandoitina matterofweeksbeforefilmingarole.Shehasactedandsungin dozensofmoviesfordecades.Inthisarticle,wewillreadaboutthe biographyofMerylStreepandsomelesser-knownfactsthatwill blowyourmind.

FromaCheerleadertoanActress

Almosteveryactor/actresswhomakeitbighavetogothroughsome sortofstruggleatleastonceintheirlives.ThisholdstrueforMerly Streepaswell.MerylStreepbeganhercareerattheageof12with voicetrainingandtookupactinginhighschool.Inherhighschool days, sheevenwasacheerleader.Duringherstrugglingdays,sheworked asawaitressattheHotelSomersetinSomerville,NewJersey After graduatingwithadegreeindramaandcostumedesign,shestarted workinginsummerstocktheatre.Later,shemovedtoNewYork Cityforherprofessionalcareerasanactress.

Despiteherstruggle,shewasquiteabrightstudent.Shehas acknowledgedmultipletimethatshepossessesphotographic memory,whichallowshertomemorizelinesinonereading. ShehadlearnedtoplayViolin,bypracticingforjustsixhoursaday foreightweeksaspreparationforherrolein“MusicoftheHeart (1999)”.However,themostsurprisingthingisshehasaweirdfear ofHelicopter

MemorablePerformancesfrom'MissPerfectionist'

MerylStreepisbestknownforherperfectionistnaturewhile workingonset.Famousforherabilitytomasteranyaccentfluently, shehasplayedreal-lifecharactersofJuliaChild,EthelRosenberg, KarenSilkwood,KarenBlixen,RobertaGuaspari,Lindy Chamberlain,SusanOrlean,andMargaretThatcherinmovies. Moreover,shehasfrequentlyworkedwithdirectorMikeNichols,an Academy-award-winningdirector.

Inherearlydays,MerylhadappliedtoLawSchool,however,she sleptonthemorningofherinterviewandmissedtheopportunity. Shetookitasasignandstartedworkingonthingsthataredestined forher Today,herfanscalledthemselves'Streepers'.

Meryl'sperformanceasSophieZawistowskain“Sophie'sChoice”is rankedthirdamongthe100GreatestPerformancesofAllTime (2006)byPremieremagazine.Shegained15poundsforherrolein “Julie&Julia”.You'llbesurprisedtoknowthatshereplaced MadonnaintheleadroleofRobertaGuaspariinMusicoftheHeart. MerylStreepplayedthecharacterofKarenSilkwoodinthemovie “Silkwood”whichwasranked47thinthelistofthe100yearsofthe GreatestScreenHeroesandVilliansbytheAmericanFilmInstitute

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Heroes.Moreover,shebecamea memberoftheAcademyofMotion PictureArtsandSciences(AMPAS). Merylhasreceivedherhonorary degreefromPrincetonUniversityin Princeton,NewJersey.Fortheseand manyothermemorableperformances, shewasranked37thGreatestMovie StarofalltimebyEntertainment Weekly.

Thingsyouprobablydon'tknow aboutMerylStreep

DoyouknowMerylishernickname givenbyherfather?Beingadie-hard fanofMerylStreep,youmightknow manyinterestingfactsabouther.Inthis section,youwillexploresomelesserknownfactsabouther

Ÿ Merylhadappliedtotrademark hername

Justacelebritything,MerylStreephad appliedtotrademarkhername.She appliedtotheUnitedStatesTrademark Officetotrademarkhernameofficially Itgaveherexclusiverightstouseher nameintheentertainmentindustryof Hollywood.Thisapplicationreferred tohermovieappearances, engagements,television,etc.toprevent anyoneelsefromusinghernameand earningmoneyofftheirbrand.Itgave heranextraadvantagetoprotecther namefromanyunauthorized commercialuse.

Ÿ Sheholdsanadvanceddegree fromanIvyLeagueuniversity

Beingacheerleaderinhighschool, Meryldidn'tneglectherstudies.In 1969,shejoinedVassarCollegeafter completingherhighschoolstudiesand receivedaBachelor'sDegreeinFine Arts.Laterin1975,shecompletedher Master'sdegreeinthesamefieldfrom YaleUniversity.Furthermore,shewas awardedanHonoraryDoctorofArts degreebyDartmouthCollege.Meryl StreephashonorarydegreesfromIvy Leagueuniversities.

Ÿ MerylStreepwasonceevicted fromherapartment

MerylStreepwasinvolvedina relationshipwithJohnCazalewhowas apartof“TheGodfather”movie.She sharedanapartmentwithhimandtheir relationshiplastedforalmostthree years.Johnwasdetectedwithlung cancerandMerylhadtosettlehis medicalbillsafterhisdeath. Consequently,shewasevictedfrom theapartment.Eventually,Merylhad tostaywithherbrotherandhisfriend.

Ÿ Shegaveawayhersalarytothe Women'sHistoryMuseum

In2011,MerylStreepplayedtherole ofBritishPrimeMinisterMargaret Thatcher,thefirstfemaleprime ministeroftheUnitedKingdominthe movie“TheIronLady”.Surprisingly, shewaspaidonemilliondollarsforthe movieandtherolemadeherwinthe thirdOscar.Shedonatedherentire earningfromthemovietobuilda HistoryMuseumattheNationalMall inWashington.Themuseumwasbuilt toteachthehistoryofwomeninthe world.

Ÿ MerylStreephastakentraining foroperasinging

YoumightknowthatMerylStreephas beennominatedforGrammyAwards forherworkin“MammaMia”.She hasbeentrainedasanOperaSinger underherteacherEstelleLiebling. MerylStreepstarredinMusicalssuch as“IntotheWoods”,and“Mamma Mia:HereWeGoAgain!”

Ÿ Shewasnominatedfor21 AcademyAwards

MerylStreepwasnominatedforatotal of21AcademyAwardsandwonthree Oscarsforheroutstanding performancein“Kramervs.Kramer”, “Sophie'sChoice”,and“TheIron Lady”.Mostofthesenominationswere forBestActressandBestSupporting Actress.

Ÿ MerylStreepdonatedDevil WearsPradawardrobeforthe causeofcharity

MerylStreepplayedtheroleof MirandaPriestlyin“TheDevilWears Prada”.Itwasoneofthemostfamous rolessheplayedeverinhercareer Morethanonemilliondollarswere spentonhercostumedespitetheloans fromvariousdesigners.Themovie spenthugemoneyonthecostumeas itsmainfocuswasonhigh-end fashion. Ratherthankeepingthat wardrobe,Meryldonatedittoacharity auction.

Ÿ SheleftherfirstOscarAwardin theladiesroombymistake

MerylStreepwonthefirstOscar AwardforherroleinKramervs. KramerastheBestSupportingActress in1979.Aftergivingheracceptance speechonthestage,shewenttothe ladiesroomandmistakenlyleftthe award.Themomentwashilariousas shegottoknowaboutitonlywhen someoneshouted,“Someonehasleft theOscarAwardintheladiesroom.”

AwardSeriesofMerylStreep

MerylStreephasbeentheTop AchieverinvariousAward Nominationsandhaswonmanyof them.Sheistherecipientof3 PrimetimeEmmyAwardsalongwith nominationsfor17ScreenActors GuildAwardsand15BritishAcademy Awards.Merylhad31GoldenGlobe Nominations,however,shehad received8suchawards.Furthermore, in1979,sheperformedinthesmall televisionseriesknownasHolocaust, whichgrantedherEmmyAward.Later on,shegotnominatedforAcademy AwardforthefilmDeerHunter

VariousOscar-assignedrolesofMeryl Streepinclude,TheFrench Lieutenant'sWoman(1981),Silkwood (1983),OutofAfrica(1985),Ironweed (1987),EvilAngels(1988),Postcards fromtheEdge(1990),TheBridgesof

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MadisonCounty(1995),Doubt(2008), OneTrueThing(1998),Musicofthe Heart(1999),Adaptation(2002),The DevilWearsPrada(2006),Intothe Woods(2014),andFlorenceFoster Jenkins(2016).

10Must-WatchMerylStreepFilms

MerylStreephasperformedinnumerous moviesandhasbeenacclaimedforher performancenotjustbyaudiencesbut alsobycritics.Since1975,shewas featuredin75moviesandappearedon someotherplatformsinmedia.Itisa difficultjobtochoosethebestMeryl Streepperformance.However,therearea fewMerylStreepfilmsyoucan'tmiss:

1.Sophie'sChoice(1982)

2.Doubt(2008)

3.TheHours(2002)

4.TheBridgesOfMadisonCounty (1995)

5.Adaptation(2002)

6.KramerVs.Kramer(1979)

7.LittleWomen(2019)

8.Manhattan(1979)

9.FantasticMr.Fox(2009)

10.TheDeerHunter(1979)

FAQs

1.HowoldisMeryl Streep?

Currently,in2023,Meryl Streepis73yearsold.

2.WhatisMerylStreep's networth?

AccordingtoCelebrity Networth,MerylStreep'snet worthis160milliondollars.

3.WhoisMerylStreep's husband?

MerylStreepmarriedDon Gummerin1978andthe couplehasfourchildren.

4.WhendidMerylStreep startacting?

Merylstartedactinginher earlycollegedays,however, shewasfeaturedfirsttimein 1977inthemovie“Julia”.

CIO Women Magazine |17
Erin O’Donnell Helping Businesses Weed out the Industry Complexities C O V E R S T O R Y Founding Partner 20
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Evenwithallthelawsandrestrictions, theCannabisindustrycontinuesto flourishrapidlyacrosstheglobe.While Cannabishasbeenusedinthemedical fieldforyears,mostfieldsdon’thave thatluxury.Seeingthecontinuous growthoftheindustry,itisonly naturalthatbusinessesand entrepreneursareattractedtothe cannabisworld.

WhileseveralUSstateshavemade Cannabislegal,manybusinessesand entrepreneursstillstruggletoaccess safeandreliablecannabisservices. Althoughtheindustrysatonan estimatedvalueof$13.2billionin 2022,federally,itisstillcategorized alongsidethelikesofheroin,crystal meth,andotherSchedule1substances. Asaresult,businessesthatrakein largesumsofmoneythroughcannabisrelatedsalescannotusebanking servicesandhavetogothecashroute instead,puttingtheminatoughspot.

Noticingthelackofreliablebanking services,InfusedBankingcametolife. Today,througheducationandresearch, thebankaimstoguideentrepreneursor businessestounderstandtheintricacies ofthecannabisindustry,whilealso enablingthemtoaccessbeneficial informationeasily

Initslatestissue, The Most Influential Women Leaders To Watch In 2023, CIOWomenhasfeatured,Erin O’Donnell(FoundingPartnerof

EInfusedBanking).Belowaresomeof thesnippetsfromthefascinating conversation.

1.Whatinspiredyoutodirectyour journeyinthisparticularfield?

I’vealwaysbeenpassionateabout creatingmemorableexperiencesfor people.Asaprofessionalevent planner,I’veseenfirsthandhow technologyhastransformedtheevents industryoverthepastfewyears. Virtualevents,inparticular,havebeen game-changers.They’vemadeevents moreaccessiblebyeliminating geographicalbarriers,allowingpeople fromallaroundtheglobeto participate.Thismeanswecanreach morediverseaudiencesandcreatetruly globalexperiences.

2.Howdifficultweretheinitial years?Stateafewchallengesyou faced.

Theinitialyearswerecertainlytough. Bootstrappingabusiness(wejust celebrated11yearsin2023)requiresa lotofhardworkanddedication,and beingasinglemotheraddedtothe challenge.Ihadtobalancemytime andenergyinbetweennurturingmy childrenandgrowingthebusiness fromthegroundup.

Thereweresleeplessnightsandlong hours,butIwasdeterminedtosucceed asbothamotherandanentrepreneur.I liketothinkthesetwothingsare similar,IworkedthewayIdidtotake careofmykids.Workingfromhome gavemetheflexibilitytobehomewith mykidsafterschool,whichmeansa lottomelookingback.

3.Pleasewalkusthroughyour professionalbackground.

IamtheFoundingPartnerofInfused Banking,Co-FounderofBankersHub, andCo-FounderandformerCEOof Bankerstuffoverseesproduct

innovationandeducation.Ihaveover 30yearsofexperienceinstrategic eventmanagement,specializingin technologyandonlinedeliveryof content.BankersHubofferseducation andcertificationinthebanking industryandlaunchedtheindustry’s firstcertificationforCannabis Banking.

Previously,Ico-foundedBankerstuff, anonlineportalofbankingeducation andinformation,wherewelaunched thebankingindustry’sfirstvirtual conferenceandexpoandservedasthe CEO.Ifrequentlyspeakatindustry conferencesonplanningvirtual events,includinglive-streaming eventsandwebinars.Ihavealsobeen afeaturedkeynotespeakeronthe topicoftheimportanceofsocial mediainfinancialservices.

Inthelate1990s,duringthe “dot.com”boom,IworkedinSan FranciscoforVentureOneCorporation (nowownedbyDowJones)whereI wasresponsibleforcreatingand leadingthecompany’sevents department.AtVentureOne,Iwas responsiblefortheP&Loftheevents businesswhichIgrewfrominception intomorethan25%oftheoverall corporaterevenueforVentureOne.

PriortoVentureOne,Iworkedinthe renewableenergyindustry,creating industryeventsforTechnology TransitionCorporationinWashington, DC,focusingonthescalabilityand growthofthePhotovoltaic,FuelCell, andHydrogenPowerIndustries.Ialso workedwithrenownedGeophysicist, Dr.GordonMacDonald,atthethink tank“InstituteonGlobalConflictand Cooperation”attheUniversityof California(SanDiego)foundedby HerbertYork,whereIplanned conferencesforgovernmentofficials, scientists,andacademics.

IamaCannabisBankingProfessional

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(CBP),acertifiedDigitalEvent Strategist(DES),andaCertified MeetingManager(CMM).Ialsohold aB.S.inMarketing/Business AdministrationfromBloomsburg UniversityinPennsylvania

4.Withtheyearsofexpertiseyou bringtothetable,whatareyour futureplans?

I’mreallyexcitedaboutthefutureand thepotentialopportunitiesinthe cannabisindustry.Oneareathathas myattentioniscannabisbanking.As theindustrycontinuestogrow,thereis avitalneedforlegitimateandsecure bankingsolutionsthatcatertocannabis businesses,whichstillfacemany financialchallengesduetothelegal complexitiessurroundingtheindustry.

Asthecannabisindustrycontinuesto expandandevolve,thereisagrowing needforeducationandresources. InfusedBankinghascreateda comprehensivelearningplatformthat bringstogetherprofessionals, researchers,andenthusiastsfrom acrosstheentireindustry.Ourplatform offersacentralizedhubforknowledge sharing,networking,andcollaboration.

5.Awordforbudding entrepreneurs?

Ialwaysgivethesameadvice,because Itrulybelieveithasbeencriticaltomy success.Donothirefriendsorpeople whothinklikeyou.Hiresomeonewho pushesbackandchallengesideas, especiallyyours.Mybusinesspartners andIareverydifferent,butweshare thesameworkethicanddesiretomake thecompanythebestitcanbe.

6.Ifyourlifestorywasabook,what woulditbecalled,andwhy?

“ZeroSumGame”becausebeingan entrepreneurisaboutbalancinggains andlossestostayafloat.Itrequiresa lotofflexibilityandthingsoftendon’t

gothewayyouhope.Youhaveto evaluatelossesandmistakesquickly andmoveon.

7.Howhasyoureducationhelped youtoshapeyourenterprise?

That’sathought-provokingquestion,I attendedcollegeatatimebeforethe internet,email,socialmedia,and widespreaduseofcomputers.Over time,Ihaveadaptedandembracedthe latesttechnologicaladvancementswith enthusiasm.Additionally,mycollege yearspredatetheubiquityofcell phones,whichfosteredadifferent modeofinterpersonalinteraction.I considermyselffortunatetohave struckabalancebetweenharnessing technologyandmaintainingstrong peopleskills.

8.Howhaveyourpersonallife experiencesinfluencedthe entrepreneurinyou?

Ibelievethatourexperiencesshape ourperspectivesanddriveour decision-making.AsImoveforward withInfusedBanking,Iwillcontinue todrawonthelessonsI’velearned throughoutmylife,bothasasingle motherandasanentrepreneur.My fatherwasahighschoolEnglish teacherwhoworkedthreejobstokeep ourfamilygoing.Hetaughtmethe importanceofperseverance,creativity, andastrongworkethic.Ilearnedfrom thebestandI’dbehonoredifmykids learnedfromme.

9.Lookingback,whatadvicewould yougivetoyouryoungerself?

IfIcouldsharesomewisdomwithmy youngerself,thereareafewkeypieces ofadviceIwouldoffer

First,Iwouldemphasizethe importanceofbelievinginyourselfand yourcapabilities.Self-confidenceand trustinyourownabilitiesarecrucial forovercomingchallengesand

achievingsuccess.

Secondly,I’dencouragemy youngerselftoseekoutmentorship andsupportfromothers.Buildinga strongnetworkofmentorsand supporterscanprovideinvaluable guidance,encouragement,and opportunities.It’simportantto rememberthatyoudon’thaveto navigateyourjourneyalone.

Next,I’dadvisemyyoungerselfto prioritizeself-careandmaintaina healthywork-lifebalance.Asa singlemotherandentrepreneur,it’s easytogetcaughtupinthe demandsofbothroles.Buttaking timeforyourself,setting boundaries,andfocusingonyour well-beingisessentialforlongtermsuccessandhappiness.

Finally,I’dtellmyyoungerselfto embracechangeandbeopento newexperiences.Theworldis constantlyevolving,andbeing adaptableisakeytraitforany successfulentrepreneur.Keepan openmind,staycurious,anddon’t beafraidtotakerisks.

10.Whatwastheonepieceof advicethathashadanimpacton yourleadership?

Onepieceofadvicethattruly resonatedwithmeandhasmadea lastingimpactis“Don’tbeafraid ofmakingamistake”.Thisadvice hasbeentransformativetome becauseit’shelpedmeembrace challengesandapproachsetbacks withamoreconstructivemindset. Insteadoffearingfailure,Inow viewitasasteppingstoneto success.Bylearningfrommy mistakesandapplyingthose lessonstofutureendeavors,I’ve beenabletogrowbothpersonally andprofessionally.

11.Whenwasthecompany

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C O V E R S T O R Y

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incepted?

InfusedBankingwasinceptedin2022 withthemissiontohelpbankers navigatethecomplexlandscapeofthe cannabisindustrybyensuring compliancethrougheducation, research,andexpertwitnessservices. Recognizingtheuniquechallengesand legalintricaciesthatfinancial institutionsfaceinthisrapidlygrowing sector,InfusedBankingprovides comprehensiveresourcesand specializedguidancetoempower banksandotherfinancialentitiesto operatesafelyandconfidentlywithin thecannabismarketwhileadheringto allrelevantregulations.

12.Whatwereyourinitialchallenges andhowdidyoupaveyourway throughthose?

Initsearlystages,InfusedBanking facedseveralchallenges,including navigatingtherapidlychanginglegal landscape,establishingcredibility,and gainingthetrustoffinancial institutionsinahighlyregulatedand oftenstigmatizedindustry.Our companysuccessfullyovercamethese hurdlesbyconsistentlydeliveringupto-date,accurate,andreliable

informationthroughin-depthresearch andcollaborationwithindustry experts.Bydevelopingtargeted educationalprogramsandresources, InfusedBankingdemonstratesits commitmenttoaddressingtheunique needsoffinancialinstitutionsinthe cannabisspace.

13.Whatwasthevisionofyour companywhenyoustarted?

TheinitialvisionofInfusedBanking wastorevolutionizetheonline cannabisbankingindustrybycreating asecure,transparent,andcompliant financialecosystemtailoredtothe uniqueneedsofcannabis-related businesses.Recognizingtheexisting gapsandchallengesfacedbyboth financialinstitutionsandcannabis businesses,InfusedBankingaimedto provideacomprehensiveplatformthat wouldfacilitateseamlesstransactions, promoteregulatorycompliance,and fostergreatercollaborationbetween thebankingsectorandtheburgeoning cannabisindustry.

Byfocusingoneducation,research, andexpertguidance,InfusedBanking soughttobreakdownbarriers,dispel misconceptions,andultimately

contributetotheestablishmentofa moreinclusiveandsustainable financiallandscapeforthecannabis sector

14.Howwouldyoufurtheryour services?

InfusedBankingplanstobroadenits scopeofservicesbyextendingits expertisebeyondthebankingsector andofferingtrainingtocannabisrelatedbusinessesonadiverserange ofprofessionaltopics.Byleveraging theirindustryknowledgeand experience,thecompanyaimsto providecomprehensiveeducational programsandresourcestohelp cannabisbusinessesnavigatethe complexitiesoftheirindustry, includingregulatorycompliance, financialmanagement,marketing strategies,andoperationalbest practices.Thisexpansionofservices reflectsInfusedBanking’s commitmenttofosteringthegrowth anddevelopmentofthecannabis industryasawhole,empowering businessestooperatemore efficiently,responsibly,and successfullyinanincreasingly competitivemarket.

CIO Women Magazine |27

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING

L T O W E R 30
IN PARIS E I F F E
CIO Women Magazine |31

B B

Backinmychildhood,oneofmy friendsgiftedmeakeychainofthe EiffelTower.Iwassoawestruckbyits sheerbeautythatIcouldn'ttakemy eyesoffit.Istartedresearchingaboutit ontheinternetandgottoknowabout theEiffelTowerinParis.Sincethen,I havebeencuriousaboutthemonument andwantedtoexploresome enchantingsecretsregardingthesame.

ThisUNESCOWorldHeritageSitehas afascinatinghistoryandstunning architecture.Youcanunraveltheallure oftheEiffelTowerinPariswithme throughthisarticletodiscoversome mesmerizingfactsandinsightsabout it.Moreover,throughthisarticle,you willunlockthedynamichistorical backgroundofthetowerandknow moreaboutthelavishhotelstostay nearthemagnificentEiffelTowerin Paris.

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VibrantHistoricalBackground

EiffelTowerorLaTourEiffelin French,isaneminentsymbolofParis andoneoftheworld'smost recognizablelandmarks.Gustave Eiffel,aFrenchengineerandhisteam constructedthetowerin1889forthe occasionofExpositionUniverselle (World'sFair)whichwasheldinParis tocelebratethe100thanniversaryof theFrenchRevolution.Theheightof theEiffelToweris330metersanditis thetallestman-madestructureatthat time.Despitefacingcriticismfrom citizensforwastingmoney,thetower wasacclaimednotonlywithinFrance butalsoattheinternationallevel.

Severalglobalfilmmakerscravefor shootingfilmsorsongsneartheEiffel TowerinParis.Itisoneofthemost visitedmonumentsworldwideand attractsmillionsoftouristseveryyear. Byservingasapowerfulsymbolof Parisianbeauty,theEiffelTowerstands asatestamenttohumaningenuity.Its richhistoryandtimelessbeauty continuetocaptivatevisitorsfrom aroundtheworld.

UnveilingFascinatingFactsabout EiffelTower

Beingoneofthemosticonic landmarksintheworld,theEiffel Towerenduresnumerousintriguing secretsandcaptivatingstoriesthatwill blowyourmind.Hereareafew interestingfactsaboutthisarchitectural marvel:

1.EiffelTowerusedtolookyellow earlier

E I F F E L T O W E R

EiffelTowerhasbeenstayingupdated withthechangingfashionofParis City.In1889,itusedtolookreddishbrown,coatedinyellowpaint.In1968, thetowerwasadaptedtobrowncolor, andtoday,itispaintedinthreeshades. CIO Women Magazine |33

Aftereverysevenyears,60tonsof paintisappliedtothetowertomakeit lookyoungforever

2.EiffelTowerusedtobetheworld's largestbillboard

During1925-1936,duskfellacross Parisandquartermillionbulbs attachedtoitssidewereilluminatedto spellthenameoftheFrench automobilecompanyCitroën.The advertisementincluded100-foot verticleletterswhichwerevisiblefrom 20milesaway

3.ThePetitionagainstEiffelTower inParis

EiffelToweriswidelyrecognizedas thesymbolofromance.However, artistsfromParisclaimthatthedesign ofEiffelTowerwasnotoriginal.A petitionwasfiledby300peoplethat includepainters,artists,sculptors,etc. Theycalledita“giganticblackfactory chimney”thatevencommercialmindedAmericadoesnotwanttobuy andtheyfiledthepetitionin1887on theoccasionofValentine'sDay

4.Hometoascientificlaboratory

Namesof72Frenchscientistsare engravedontheEiffelTowerandon thetoplevel,ascientificlaboratory wasinstalled.Scientistsusedtostudy anatomy,astronomy,meteorology, physiology,etc.byexperimentingin thelab.Eiffelinstalledan aerodynamicswindtunnelin1909at thebasetochecktestsofexperiments.

5.Itwassupposedtobetorndown after20years

Theintentionbehindbuildingthe EiffelTowerinPariswastoshowoff theindustrialprogressofFranceand destroyitafter20years.TheFrench governmenthaddecidedtodemolishit byestablishingaradioantennaand

wirelesstelegraphtransmitterinthe tower.However,thankstoits increasingpopularityamongmasses, thatdidn'thappen.

HiddenGemsnearEiffelTower

Undoubtedly,EiffelTowerisan impeccableexampleofan architecturalmonument.However, youcanvisitsomeotherplacesnear itonceyouareinParis.Thesegems giveyouanunforgettableexperience thatwilladdmoretoyourEiffel Towertrip.

1.MuséeduQuaiBranly-Jacques Chirac:Inthismuseum,youwill findinformationabouttheartand civilizationsofAfrica,Asia,Oceania, andtheAmericas.Ithaspreserved variousartifactsandculturalobjects aroundtheworld.

2.TrocadéroGardens:Itislocated justacrosstheSeineRiverwithina fewstepsfromtheEiffelTower The Gardensofferexcitingviewsofthe towerfromwhichyougetthebest picturestopostonsocialmedia.The fountainnearthegardengivesyoua soothingfeelingandthelightsinthe waterareatreattotheeyes.

3.ChampdeMars:Itisavastgreen spacethatstretchesfromtheEiffel TowertotheÉcoleMilitaire.Ifyou arelookingforanidealpicnicspot, thisistherightchoiceforyou.Along withenjoyingtheiconicviewofthe tower,youcanhaveastrollthere.

4.MuséeRodin:Itshowcasesthe workoffamoussculptorAuguste Rodinandissituatedinabeautiful mansionnearEiffelTowerinParis. Theextensivecollectionofthe museumincludesiconicsculptures like“TheThinker”and“TheKiss,” setamidstaserenegarden.

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5.Invalides:Itisestablishedatashortdistancefromthe EiffelToweranditisacomplexofbuildingsthathouses severalmuseumsandmonuments,includingtheMusée del'Armée(ArmyMuseum)andthetombofNapoleon Bonaparte.

BestHotelstostaynearEiffelTower

TherearedistinctotherattractionsnearEiffelTowerin Paris.IfyouwanttostaynearEiffelTower,youshould beawareofthesehotelsthatarelocatedinitsproximity

E I F F E L T O W E R

Ÿ SplendidHotelParis:Itprovidesasplendid experiencetoguestsjustasmentionedinthenameof thehotel.Eachroomisair-conditionedandthestaff isguestaswellaspetfriendly.Thehotelis1.1miles awayfromtheEiffelTowerand1.4milesawayfrom theParisExpo-PortedeVersailles.Youcanvisit OrsayMuseumwhichis1.9milesawayfromthe hotel. CIO Women Magazine |35

Ÿ BulgariHotelParis:Thehotelis thelatestjewelintheGolden TriangleoftheCityofLightsthat islocatedelegantlynearAvenue GeorgeV.Ithasavibrantbarand loungethattakescareofthetaste ofeverykindofguestatthe internationallevel.Thepenthouse providesapersonalbathroom, bathtub,coffeemachine,minibar, safetydepositbox,etc.toenjoya lavishstayatthehotel.Itis1.2 milesawayfromtheEiffelTower

Ÿ MaisonVilleroy:Thepropertyis locatedinParisandgrantsallergyfreeroomsandrestaurants.You canhavefreeWiFieverywhere andenjoyacomplimentary breakfast.EiffelTowerisa16minutewalkfromthehotel.Spa andwellnesscenterservicesare thecherriesonthecakehere.

Ÿ Relais12bisBed&Breakfastby EiffelTower:Thehotelis500m awayfromtheEiffelTowerand situatedonthe1stfloorofthe building.Itsroomsare individuallydecoratedandit includescontemporaryfurniture thatgoeswiththetasteofguests. Yougetthefacilityofluxury toiletries,ahairdryer,abathrobe, andslippers.Dinneratits restaurantsmatchestheexperience ofhavingdinnerattheEiffel Tower

Ÿ RésidenceCharlesFloquet:The hotelislocatedintheheartof Parisandis50mawayfromthe EiffelTower.Inevery accommodation,youwillfinda balconyforeveryroom, comfortablebeds,andminibars. TheHotelisrenovatedbygiving historictouchtoit.Everyroom providesapicturesqueviewofthe EiffelTower

TipsforVisitingEiffelTower

GoingforaParistripandcoming withoutvisitingtheEiffelToweris somethingthathappensveryrarely! ButbeforeplanningyourParistrip, youshouldknowwhatprecautions needtobetaken.Hereistheessential informationyoumustknowbeforeyou visittheEiffelTowerinParis.

Ÿ TheIdealtimetovisitEiffelTower isintheearlymorningafter9.30 am.Ittakesmostly1to1.5hrsto seeEiffelToweroverall.Thenyou canhavebreakfastorlunchat MadameBrasserie,onthefirstfloor oftheEiffelTower.

Ÿ YoucanusetheParistravel guidebooktoavoidtimedelaysand mismanagement.Itwillenrichyour tripexperienceandcreate memories.Itisadvisedtouse comfortablewalkingshoesand wearlightweightclothesinaddition tocarryingaselfiestickandthe camera.

Ÿ Itisimportanttogetthe'museum pass'onedaybeforeifyouare planningtovisitmanyplaces withinlessduration.The'citypass' givesyoutheextraadvantageof freetransportoryoucanbooka privatecabasperyour convenience.

Ÿ Itisbettertobuyonlineticketsto EiffelTowersothatyoudon'thave towaitinalongqueueforalong time.Furthermore,youcangeta tourguidewhowillexplain everythingindetailaboutEiffel TowerinParis.

TheConcludingNote!

EiffelTowerinParisisamarvelof engineeringandthemostacclaimed monument.Itscaptivatingbeautyand historicalsignificancehavemadeita must-visitdestinationfortravelers aroundtheglobe.Fromitsstunning

viewstoitsintricatedesign,theEiffel Towercontinuestoinspireaweand admiration.Wehopeyouenjoyed readingourblogandreceived importantinsightsonEiffelTower

FAQsrelatedtoEiffelTowerinParis

1.Whatisthenearestbusand railwaystationtoEiffelTower?

“ChampdeMars-TourEiffel.”isthe nearestbusstationaswellasarailway stationfromtheEiffelTower.Itis locatedatwalkingdistancefromthe landmarkandyouwillfindthemost convenientstationtoreachEiffel Tower.

2.HowoldisEiffelTower?

EiffelToweris130yearsoldandone ofthemostdistinctivesymbolsofnot justthecapitalcityofParisbutalso everyFrenchcitizen.

3.WhatisParisfamousfor?

InadditiontoEiffelTower,Parisis famousforLouvreMuseum,and Notre-Damecathedral.Duringyour vacationsinParis,youcaninclude thesetouristspotsinyourlist.

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CIO Women Magazine |37
E I F F E L T O W E R

FOUNDER & PRESIDENT

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ELLIE SHEF I

Empowering Organizations and Individuals to Thrive at the Intersection of Humanity and High Performance

CIO Women Magazine |41

Withmorethan30yearsof

experienceinlaw, business,education,and advocacy,EllieShefihasdedicatedher lifetocreatinganimpactthroughthe empowermentofothers.A multifacetedexpert,Ellieisauniquely qualifiedconsultantandadvisorto organizations,governments,NGOs, andindividuals—atrueunicorninthe industry.Let’sgettoknowEllie,oneof CIOWomenMagazine’s“Most InfluentialWomenLeadersToWatch In2023.”

1. You are an expert in numerous fields—law, advocacy, education, and business. What inspired your journey into these fields?

FromthetimeIwasthreeyearsold,I wantedtobeRuthBaderGinsburg. ShehadnotbecomeaSupremeCourt Justiceyet,butIwantedtobeher becauseshewasatrailblazingfemale attorneyusinghervoiceasan instrumentforchange.Listeningtoher waspowerful,profound,andresonant. Shewasoneofthefirstwomen attorneystosuccessfullyfightagainst

injustice.Unfortunately,backthen, women—especiallyfromethnic minoritybackgrounds—didnothavea platformormanyopportunitiestobe heard.SoRuthBaderGinsburgwas,to me,evenasayoungchild,ashining exampleofstandingupandspeaking upwhenyouseesomethingthatisnot right.

Inelementaryschool,mynickname was“Defender”—becausewhenIsaw somethinghappeningthatwasnot okay,Ialwayssaidsomething.WhenI sawsomeonebeingbullied,Istepped inandspokeup.WhenIsawsomeone beingtreateddifferently,Isteppedin andspokeup.Whentheboyswouldn't letthegirlsplay,Isteppedinandspoke up!

IknewthatIcouldusemyvoicetocall outinjustice.Myvoicegavememy power.Becomingalawyerand advocatewasanaturalfitandaway thatIcouldalignmycareerwithmy values.

However,gettingmycollegeandlaw degreesdidn’tcomeeasy!Becoming

anentrepreneurwasbornof necessitysothatIcouldpayformy education.Growingup,myfamily didn’thavemoneyforextras,soI launchedmyearliest entrepreneurialendeavors— tutoring,proofreading,andediting, andteachingartanddance—topay forclothes,shoes,movies,concerts, andotheractivities.

By19yearsold,Iwasworkingin managementtraining.Ifolloweda potentialjobopportunityinthefield thattookmefromCaliforniato Texas.Iarrivedtherewithnohome, noconnections,and,ultimately,no actualjob.ButIhadskills;Iknew howtotalktopeople,howto motivatethem,andhowtohustle! So,withwhatlittlecashIhad,I rentedofficespacetoopenmyown managementtrainingcenter.Iwould recruit,teach,andtrainpeopleto manageandmotivatethemselves andwhateversalesteamstheywould oversee.Oncefullytrainedbyme, mymanagementtraineeswereready togettoworkatwhatevercompany neededthem!AbusinessthatI startedoutofnothingprettyquickly allowedmetogetanapartment, buildacommunity,andpaidformy collegeeducation.Thatwasreally whenIbegantolevelupmy entrepreneurialskills.Andthedaily needtofigurethingsoutnotonlyfor myselfbutformyclientsandmy traineesaswell,wasthegenesisof beingatruestrategist.Timeandtime again,I’vereliedonbeingamaster problemsolverwhocouldquickly andadeptlynavigatethetwistsand turnsoflife…andbusiness.

Throughmymanagementtraining company,Ihelpedtolaunchthe careersofhundredsofindividuals, whichfeltwonderful.Butforme,it wasasuccessfulventurethatserved apersonalpurpose:fundingmy

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collegeandlawschooleducation. BecominganattorneysothatIcould advocateforhumanrights,civil rights,andconstitutionalrightswas (andstillis!)mypassion.

Afterlawschool,Ispenttwodecades asastaffattorneyforafederaljudge writingopinionsoncivilrightscases, constitutionalrightscases, discriminationinemploymentcases, andprisonerconditionsof confinementactions—causesthatI havelongbeenpassionateabout.I alsoadviseduniversitiesregarding theirdisabilityservicesandnonprofitsregardingtheiroperationsand theiradvocacy.Ithenwasappointed bothDeanoftheSchoolofLawand DeanoftheSchoolofCriminology andCriminalJusticeatCalifornia SouthernUniversity

2. Amazing! In your early career, you went from living in your car to managing a small, but thriving personal business, to rights-based judicial work, to university deanships! And now, you’re a best-selling author, speaker, advisor to NGOs and governments, publisher, and consultant to individual entrepreneurs and global organizations. How did you get from there to here?

It’salot,right?!Duringallthoseyears asastaffattorneyandadvisorfor academia,Iwashappybeingaforce forgood“behindthescenes.”Buta 2019cancerdiagnosisspurredaneven strongerdesiretobeavisibleforcefor good.

Idecidedtocomeoutfrombehindthe scenes.Isaidtomyself,“Nomore

playingsmall.Iamgoingtostepout fromtheshadows,usemyvoice,and stepintothefullembodimentofwhoI ammeanttobe.”Ibeganwriting books,speakingonstages,andbeing moreofamediapresence.Isteppedup myindividualadvisingandconsulting. Wantingtofurtherintegratemylegal andadvocacyroles,Ibeganglobally advisinggovernmentsandNGOson criminaljusticereform,civilrights, andhumanrightsissues.

AndonceIbecameatrustedadvisorto NGOsandgovernments,Ibroughtmy education,entrepreneurship,advocacy, andlegalexpertisetoHRdepartments andC-suiteexecutives.Throughmy consultingcompany,MTCConsulting, Ihelpcompaniestocreateamore inclusive,diverse,participatory organizationalculturethatseeseachof

CIO Women Magazine |43

theiremployeesasawholeperson, givingthemavoiceandaplatform.I guidecorporatemanagement,aswell asgovernmentsandNGOs,tooptimize theiroperations,mitigatetheirrisk, modernizetheirorganizationalculture, andstrengthentheirbottomlineby trulydevelopingtheirpeopletobuild world-classteams.Iofferassessments, audits,andstrategicplans,plusfull implementationassistancethat includesworkshopsandtrainingfor HRandexecutives,aswellasongoing quarterlyassessmentsandrefinements.

Forindividuals,Idevelop,deliver,and leadinternationalcourses,training, workshops,retreats,andmasterminds likeMonetizeYourExpertise,BestSellingBookBootcamp,Monetize YourMessage,andMastertheMedia. Throughthese,Iofferplatformswhere everydaypeopleandsix-,seven-,and eight-figureentrepreneurshavean opportunitytofindtheirvoice,tell theirstories,andsharetheirmessage withtheworld.

Iespeciallyloveworkingwithhighachievingwomenwhoaretiredofthe ratraceanddoing,being,andactingas othersexpect.Inadditiontoadvising them,Ialsoleadretreatswheretheycan exchangeideasandinsights,aswellas decompressandrechargewithan alignedgroupofhigh-achievers.The SedonaSisterhoodRetreatisasafe spaceforwomenleaderstogatherwith peersandjustBE…aplacewherethey needn’tleadorhavealltheanswers.

3. You speak of optimizing operations and modernizing organizational culture. Why is that necessary, and why would an organization look to you to help it reach those goals?

Thepandemicanditsweightonthe workforcemadeitundeniablyclearthat organizationshavetochange.Theway themajorityoforganizationsarerun leavesnoroom—noalternative— forpeoplewhohavetocompletely upendandrearrangetheirlives.Theen masselossoftheworkforcerevealed

that,totheirroots,traditional organizationswerenottrulybuilttovalue andcelebratetheirpeople.Thisturnover hasfinallyhurttheirbottomline,asthey haveopenpositionsthattheyarenotable tofill,resultinginorganizationalgapsthat hamperproduction,innovation,and results,andnecessitatingongoing expenditureonrecruitmentandtraining. Furthermore,iftheydonothavean enticingcompanyculture,peoplewho haveoptionsoftenleaveasfastasnew employeesarehired.Businesssimply cannotcontinueasithasinthepast.We areattheintersectionofachanging workforce,achangingworkplace,anda changingworld.

Moreover,therisingworkforceconsists predominantlyofMillennialsand GenZers.TheGreatResignation,Great Reset,andQuietQuittingphenomena representtheirchangeincorporate philosophy—aphilosophythatisvery differentfromthatoftheBabyBoomers. Itisashiftinprioritiesandvalues solidifiedbythedisproportionateburden

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theycarriedduetothepandemic. Now,thisrisingworkforcehasa needtoalignwiththeir organization’smissionandvalues, andaneedtofeelthattheirrole makesareal,impactfuldifference beforethey’refullyinvested.They needtofeelseen,heard,and valued,andtheyaredemanding thattheirorganizationexhibits sometypeofsocialresponsibility Ifitdoes,theybecomemuchmore engagedandinvolved.

Becauseofmyexpertiseand experienceineducation,business, law,andadvocacy,Iamuniquely qualifiedtoadviseorganizations fromalegal,HR,employment, business,resilience,andsocial perspectivesotheycanoptimize theiroperationsandtheirimpact.I offercorporateHRdepartmentsand C-suiteexecutives,aswellas governments,universities,and NGOs,myexpertisetoholistically

modernizecompanyculture,mitigate risk,optimizeoperations,andstrengthen theirbottomlinebytrulydeveloping theirpeople.Thisnotonlyfacilitates innovationandeconomicopportunity,but fostersthedevelopmentofhuman potentialaswell.

It’sarolethatIreallylovebecauseit allowsmetobringallmyexpertise together

4. Your clients are very committed to you. Why do you think that is?

Clientscometomebecause,asan optimizationexpertandstrategist,Ioffer practical,easy-to-implementsolutions andaccountability Theycometome whenthey’retiredofgeneralizedtheories andwantcustomizedactionplans--no fluff,justresults.

ClientsstaywithmebecauseIwalkthe walk.I’vebeeninthetrenches—Ihave thereal-worldexperience,thepassion,

CIO Women Magazine |45

andthedrive.BecauseI’vewalkedin theirshoes,Iunderstandmyclientsina waythatsomeonewhohasn’t experiencedthejourneysimplycannot. Organizationstrustmebecausethey knowthatIunderstandthevarious rolesintheworkforce.This authenticityandintegritypermeatesall ofmyservices.Myclientsknowand respectthatIamdedicatedto empoweringthemtoliveasaforcefor good,andtheywantthesame aspirationsdeeplyintegratedintotheir businesses.

5. On your journey, you must have faced roadblocks. What advice would you offer about conquering challenges?

I’vehadmany,many roadblocks—personally,professionally, andfinancially—fromdomestic violencetomycancerdiagnosis.Here’s astoryaboutoneofmyearliest businesschallengesandhowI overcamethem.ImentionedhowI

launchedmymanagementtraining company—myfirstfull-scale business—shortlyafterIgraduatedfrom highschool.Myplanwastofindpotential salespeople,managers,andreceptionists forotherbusinesses,traintheminthe skillsrequired,sendthemtothe businessesthatwerehiring,andcollect referralfees.But,alongwithhavingno job,Ihadverylittlemoney,andwaseven livingoutofmycar!Ihadamajor obstacle:whereandhowwouldIdothe training?

Yousee,eventhoughIhadaplan,Iran intoroadblocks.ButIallowedthe obstacletoinspiremetocomeupwith creativewaystogetpastthatbarrier.And Ikeptmovingforward.Istartedlooking foraninexpensivespaceandfounda buildingthatofferedaverysmall(120 squarefeet),verycheapofficewitha desk,achair,andatelephone.Ithada low-securitydepositandtwomonthsfree rent;itincludedelectricity,heat,air conditioning,anditsownphoneline. Twomonthswasenoughtimeformeto

startgeneratingrevenue,soI signedtheleaseforthelocation thatwouldbecomemy managementtrainingcenter Bonus:Ievenmovedoutofmycar andsleptonamatunderthedesk! Withinafewmonths,Igenerated enoughmoneytomovefrommy tinyone-roomofficeintoabigger one.Soon,mymanagement trainingcompanybecamea healthy,growingbusiness.

Ibelievethatchallengesmakeyou stronger…especiallyifyou approachthemasopportunities justwaitingtoberevealed!I’ve foundthatratherthanfocusingon anobstacle,it’smuchmore empoweringtofocusonfinding thesolution.Askyourself,“How canIgetaroundthistoachievemy goals?”Ibelievethatbigger opportunitieslieontheotherside ofbigobstacles.Withthis perspective,you’llsmashthrough whateverisintheway

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6. That is some grit! Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self?

Bepatient…everythingthat’s happeningtoyouisgoingto becomeyoursuperpowerand you’regoingtouseyour superpowerstobeaforceforgood intheworldandimpactmillionsof lives.

7. How have your personal life experiences influenced your entrepreneurial life?

BecauseIliveonealigned,unified life,it’simpossibleformypersonal lifetonotinfluencemy entrepreneuriallife.Mylife experiencescertainlyhaverefined myperspective,focusedmyvision, andenhancedmyabilitytorelateto others.Iliveanauthentic,abundant lifeofservice—alifeofimpactthat Idesignwithclarityandintention, whereIliveinalignmentwithmy fullpowerandpurpose.Andthis imbueseveryfacetofmylifeand everyrolethatIplay

8. What advice has most profoundly impacted your leadership?

Betheleaderyouwouldwantto follow

Also,treatyourbusinessasa living,breathingentityandprovide asafespacewhereallareseen, heard,valued,andrespected.Don’t micromanage;rather,acknowledge yourteammembersasthe professionalsandexpertstheyare. Givespaceforeachmemberto operateintheirzoneofgenius,and, thus,eachmemberwillshine! Overall,leadwithauthenticity, integrity,empathy,compassion, vision,anddedication.

9. If your life story was a book, what would it be called, and why?

Limitless…becauseIam!

ToconnectwithEllieandlearnmoreaboutherwork,pleasevisit ellieshefi.com.

CIO Women Magazine |47
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STRATEGIES TO SCALE

CIO Women Magazine |51
YOUR CREATIVE BUSINESS 7 SEO

Searchengineoptimization,

sometimesknownasSEO StrategiestoScaleYourCreative Business,isanessentialcomponentof keepingarobustpresenceonthe internet.UnderstandingSEObest practicesandusingthemtogetabetter rankinginsearchenginesisoneofthe mosteffectivewaystoboostthe performanceofyourcompanyand attractmorecustomersintoday’s increasinglydigitalenvironment.

Hereare7SEOStrategiestoScale YourCreativeBusiness:

1.ConsiderConductingaStudyon YourDemographic

Knowingjusthowtoappealtoyour targetmarketisoneoftheessential methodstobroadenyourreach.Thisis oneofthekeytechniques.This requireshavingagraspofthelanguage thatisspokeninthemarketSEO StrategiestoScaleYourCreative Business.

High-rankingwebsitestakeuseof keywords.Peoplesearchforagoodor serviceusingcertainwordsand phrasesthatarereferredtoas keywords.Carryoutsomestudieson keywordstofindoutwhichonesare usedthemostofteninyourregion.

2.MakeYourSiteMobileFriendly

Whenitcomestosearchengine rankings,awebsitethatisuser-friendly onmobiledevicesismorelikelytoget ahigherpagepositionthanonethatis not.Thismightbeasstraightforward asselectingaresponsiveplatform insidethewebsitebuilderthatyouare using.Simplymakesurethatthe functionalitydoesnotdifferbetween thedesktopandmobileversionsof yoursite.

SEOStrategiestoScaleYourCreative Business

StudyonYourDemographic

PPCCampaignManagement

3.Backlinks

Whenitcomestohowhighlyyourank insearchresults,backlinksplaya significantrole.Reachingouttoother websitesthatprovidecontentand askingthemtolinktoyourworkisan effectivestrategyforaccomplishing thisgoal.Youmightalsogooutto websitesthatincludeinformationthat isnolongerrelevantandofferto replaceitwithyourcontentonthose websitesSEOStrategiestoScaleYour CreativeBusiness.

Yourwebsite’sperformanceislikelyto improveifsearchenginesdiscoverthat otherwebsitesareconnectingtothe materialthatyouhaveposted.Unless youalreadyhavelinkswithalarge numberofhigh-trafficwebsites, implementingthismethodwon’tbethe simplestthingyou’veeverdone. Despitethis,itisstillsomethingthat oughttobeattempted.

4.PPCCampaignManagement

Itishighlyrecommendedthatyougive employingaPPCmarketingfirmto handleyourpay-per-clickcampaigns seriousconsiderationifyouhavethe financialresourcestodoSEO StrategiestoScaleYourCreative Business.PPC(pay-per-click) advertisingrequiresbusinessestopaya feeeachtimeauserclicksononeof theironlineadvertisements.

Whenitcomestoincreasingthe numberofpeoplewhovisityour website,workingwithamarketingfirm mayhelpyoumakethemostof serviceslikeGoogleAdWordsand Bingadvertisements.Thesecampaigns maybekeptorganizedbyamarketing firm,andthedatatheyprovidecanbe analyzedtodevelopevenmore effectivemarketingstrategiesforthe

future.

5.DevelopContentThatIsMore Targeted

Thereisawidevarietyoftacticsthat mayassistyouinclimbinghigherin thesearchenginerankings; nevertheless,noneofthemareas effectiveaswebsitesthatprovidetheir customerbasewithmaterialthatis specificandin-depth.You’llhavea greaterchanceofrankingonsearch enginesifyoudevelophigh-quality contentandgiveSEOStrategiesto ScaleYourCreativeBusinesssome considerationintheproductionofthat material.

SearchenginessuchasGooglecan determinewhetheranindividualis onlyattemptingtogametheranking systemfortheirbenefit.Instead,you shouldconcentrateonproducing contentthatisbothvaluableand appealingtoyouraudience.

6.InternalLinking

Yourwebsitemustbeuser-friendly, whichmeansthatallofthepages shouldbewell-organizedandsimpleto navigate.Includinginternallinkson yourwebsiteisonestrategyyoucan usetoboostthenumberofpeople seeingeachpageonyoursiteSEO StrategiestoScaleYourCreative Business.Forinstance,ifyouwanta visitortoberedirectedfromthehome pagetothecontactpage,youmight includealinkonthehomepagethat reads“clickhere.”Whenthenumber ofvisitsacrossdifferentpagesonyour websiteisdistributedevenly,it demonstratestosearchenginesthatthe materialyouareshowingisofhigh quality

7.MakeUseOfAnchorText

Anchortextisthetextthatmaybe clickedonandservesthefunctionofa link.Usinganchortextisa

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straightforwardSEOtacticthat,when usedcorrectly,hasthepotentialtohave asignificantimpactonSEOStrategies toScaleYourCreativeBusiness.When readersseelengthylinks,theyoften navigateawayfromthecontentor perhapsgiveupreadingitentirely Anchortextgivestheimpressionthat yourmaterialismoresmoothandmore orderedthanitis.Thisenhancesthe

userexperienceandreducesthe likelihoodthatyourcustomerbasewill misstheessenceoftheinformation youprovide.

Conclusion

Ifyouputtheprecedingseven suggestionsintoaction,youwill positionyourselftogetahighranking onsearchengines.

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