CXO Outlook – March 2023 – 10 Most Inspiring Business Leaders – 2023

Most Inspiring Business Leaders - 2023

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Leaders With a Change Mindset

Aprolonged success is inevitable for leaders who can break from the past to follow new practices.

In today’s dynamic business environment, leaders must review obsolete strategies and set new models relevant to present times. We need visionaries with learning agility to make companies profitable, productive, and innovative. Agility helps leaders make quick decisions in times of crisis or change. Therefore, developing a change mindset is crucial and tops the leadership trend for 2023.

“Organizations must have a results mentality and be open to introducing new and innovative ways to develop inclusive and equitable policies,” says Johnathaan L. Pannell, President & CEO of District Partnerships, which was founded in 2018 to help organizations take a deeper look at equity initiatives and have expert support to advance their mission. Working against all odds and understanding defeat to sharpen his skills, Jonathaan L Pannell makes it to the list of Most Inspiring Business Leaders in 2022. In this issue, we feature him on the cover.

Another big story we cover in this issue of Anthony Godley, CEO of Logix BPO, who has over 15 years of experience bringing brands to market and delivering high-performance teams. Logix offers its partners access to the bestskilled people who are genuine, hard-working, and motivated to progress in their careers. We have already featured Tinna Jackson, Founder and Principal of Jackson Consulting Group, as the Most Inspiring Business Women of the Year - 2023. Tinna is committed to helping others achieve success, to establish successful organizations and leaders. We hope our efforts to bring exclusive stories of leaders worldwide will help our readers get inspired and make the world a better place to live. Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

JOHNATHAAN L. PANNELL PRESIDENT & CEO OF DISTRICT PARTNERSHIPS

DRIVING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE THROUGH THE DIVERSITY LENS

Natasha Makhijani, Group Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Sanderson Group

What’s Your Value in 2023?

Adora Nwodo, Software Engineer, Microsoft 16

Steve Schroeder, CEO/Founder, Twitter Fundraising 58

Bitcoin The Technology LEADER'S INSIGHTS

COVER STORY

JOHNATHAAN L. PANNELL

DRIVING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE THROUGH THE DIVERSITY LENS

PRESIDENT & CEO OF DISTRICT PARTNERSHIPS

There is a need to be the best for success. Good grades, good character, and a good background to be successful. But there are those who persevere, make the most of what they’ve got, and create a path to success on their own. These are the ones who are truly successful. Working against all odds and understanding defeat to sharpen his skills, Jonathaan L Pannell makes it to the list of Most Inspiring Business Leaders in 2023.

Though there were times that he felt defeated by his non-black classmates and times when he didn’t understand how he would get where he wanted to be, Mr. Johnathaan worked diligently to ultimately became the President and CEO of District Partnerships and continues to prove his worth worldwide. Mr. Johnathaan attended Henry W. Draper Elementary, Charles Hart Junior High, and National Prep High School, all in the Ward 8 area of Washington, DC. He remembers what his third-grade teacher said and continues to live by it even today. She, Mrs. Etta Burt, said to 8-yearold Mr. Johnathaan, “John, all you have to do is believe, and the rest will work itself out.” “I thought she was just trying to get me to finish the English work I was doing, but I later realized that she was absolutely correct. All I needed to do was believe. Looking at my life today, I am only in this position because I believed,” says Mr. Johnathaan.

Realizing Eminent Success

With his teacher's words in mind, Mr. Johnathaan has succeeded in his field. One of the milestones he shares was when he joined Ingenuity Prep PCS in Washington DC as their Talent & HR leader. Known for the difference they make in the black

and brown community, Mr. Johnathaan knew he could make a difference at this institution that he had known about since its inception. On meeting the cofounder Will Stoezter before the launch of the school. The mission that he communicated was simply incredible. After going to college and working as an HR professional at another nonprofit, Mr. Johnathaan was eager to apply when he saw the opening at the school. “It was there that I realized my true potential. I helped lead the school's DEI and HR infrastructure. I was charged with analyzing existing policies through an equity and inclusion lens and often proposed solutions to enhance the existing policies, including the time I designed and implemented,” explains Mr. Johnathaan. The Progressive Discipline Policy (the first the school had) ensured all staff was treated equitably while having a chance to coursecorrect their performance. Mr. Johnathaan served as the diversity, equity, and inclusion leader working in partnership with various teams to design annual initiatives (e.g., Black History Month celebrations) while building a multi-year strategy for Ingenuity Prep as they continued their progression towards becoming an antiracist organization.

Mr. Johnathaan was exposed to the effects of disproportionate resource allocation from a very young age. He saw firsthand how this impacted not only the social and economic wellbeing of children but also the mental well-being of families

around the city. This adversely affected how Mr. Johnathaan studied in school and what he thought he could do as a student. But, he persevered and used those experiences to educate himself and others

Youth & Government Program. Both of these programs were instrumental in my development as a leader and activist,” shares Mr. Johnathaan.

Championing Equitability

As A Human Capital Leader, Mr. Johnathaan understands that it is his responsibility to advocate for equitable systems and processes within an organization. “The tough part is that sometimes organizations are not ready and committed to producing the change needed to enhance their Diversity, Equity & Inclusion infrastructure. Shifting an organizational culture is not easy, and it takes a great deal of commitment and patience,” explains Mr. Johnathaan. Along with organizational culture are morale and productivity; both are essential to recruiting and retaining highquality talent. To overcome these challenges, Mr. Johnathaan believes we must take a deeper look into the organizational philosophy, what the organization is setting out to do, and how it can accomplish it. “Furthermore, organizations must have a results mentality and be open to introducing new and innovative ways to develop inclusive and equitable policies,” he adds.

on the importance of advocacy and community engagement and development. “During my adolescent years, I was intentional about joining groups where I could make a meaningful impact on my community. Programs like Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s Youth Advisory Council and The YMCA

District Partnerships (DPC) was founded in 2018 to help organizations take a deeper look at equity initiatives and have expert support to advance their mission. DPC initially started providing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion services to small businesses and expanded in its second year to give HR & Executive Search Services. District Partnerships also helps companies to determine the skills and knowledge required in a job role by analyzing the challenges unique to the role & the organization, establishing client priorities through the search process. DPC doesn't just provide services but creates long-lasting relationships with clients. “We often check in with past clients

District Partnerships have helped dozens of organizations intentionally diagnose their shortfalls and create new and innovative ways to enhance their organization

about their work, offer pro-bono support, and engage in discussions with leaders afterward about ways they can develop equity expertise and support internally at their organization,” Mr. Johnathaan clarifies.

District Partnerships have helped dozens of organizations intentionally diagnose their shortfalls and create new and innovative ways to enhance their organization. What started as a firm providing DEI services to clients has evolved into a company that caters to HR and Executive search services. Mainly, DPC has provided over 100 hours of pro-bono support to organizations, especially during the pandemic, where they supported companies trying to survey staff, develop DEI initiatives, and conceptualize their internal policies.

Encouraging Growth and Responsibility

Motivation is important in any organization. Mr. Johnathaan understands that when the staff doesn't feel motivated to do their best work, to speak up, and to challenge the hurtful narrative, they will simply show up, do their job, and say nothing. Furthermore, their morale and productivity will decline with motivation, leaving them feeling drained and overwhelmed at work. “At DPC, I encourage all of our staff members to stand up for what is right, even when that means conflict will arise. We must stand firm on denouncing toxic workplace cultures and find a way to

drive engagement in our teams with motivating tools,” Mr. Johnanthaan explains. DPC realizes that motivation isn't just about saying a good job or “you should do it.” It's about setting clear expectations and targets, recognizing and rewarding great work, and lastly, making sure that everyone understands the “why” behind decisions the organization is making.

Maintaining a company culture is a challenging task. Sustainability is critical, and pushing through difficult times is a strong commitment business owners must take to succeed. “We’ve helped communities look at policies and staffing to develop plans of action that support a greater community within the organization. In 2022 there are many ways to change your culture, but most organizations are not successful at it because they lack the essential ingredients to do so,” opines Mr. Johnathaan. These ingredients include linking desired outcomes with data and problem-solving, capturing raw and transparent feedback from valued stakeholders, and taking it one step at a time. “To see an improvement in your culture, the first step is to link your desired outcomes to the data you have and to address the problems head-on. You must look at the problems, diagnose where they are coming from, and use data points (from surveys, suggestion boxes, etc.) Lastly, most organizations want to see a change overnight, when the real change does not happen for months, even years down the road,” he concludes.

Cloud Computing and its Impact on Business Operations

Adora Nwodo, Software Engineer, Microsoft

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. It allows users to access and use shared resources, such as data, applications, and computing power, through the internet, referred to as "the cloud," rather than having to maintain and manage these resources in-house. This technology has revolutionized the way businesses operate. This technology allows companies to access data, applications, and services over the internet, rather than having to store them on in-house servers. This has led to an increase in efficiency, cost savings, and flexibility for companies of all sizes. In this article, we will explore the positive impact of cloud computing on business operations.

Flexibility

Cloud computing offers exceptional adaptability for companies, allowing them to effortlessly modify the amount of computing resources they utilize as their requirements change. This eliminates the need for companies to invest in expensive hardware and IT infrastructure, reducing initial expenses and providing a more effective way of managing resources. For instance, during peak periods, a company can rapidly increase its computing resources to handle increased demand without having to make substantial investments in new hardware. Conversely, during slower periods, the company can reduce its resources to cut down on computing costs. This level of adaptability is particularly significant for small businesses, which often have limited budgets and are

Adora is a multi award-winning Software Engineer based in Lagos, Nigeria. She currently works at Microsoft where she builds Mixed Reality on the Cloud. She is also the Vice President of the Nigerian chapter for VRAR Association. Her work there involves creating more awareness for Immersive Reality Technologies. Apart from building and advocating for mixed reality technologies, Adora is a Digital Creator. She has courses online that teaches people about Infrastructure automation, she has also published multiple content on Software Engineering, Productivity & Career Growth on her blog and YouTube channel , AdoraHack. Currently, Adora is a student of LEAD in the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Adora is the Author of "Cloud Engineering for Beginners", “Beginning Azure DevOps” and “A Handy DevOps Roadmap and Study Guide”. She co-organizes community events, contributes to Open Source, and speaks at technology conferences worldwide.

Cloud computing offers exceptional adaptability for companies, allowing them to effortlessly modify the amount of computing resources they utilize as their requirements change

looking for ways to reduce expenses. With cloud computing, small businesses can access enterprise-level technology and resources, enabling them to compete with larger businesses on an equal footing.

Collaboration

Cloud computing has a significant impact on the collaboration and communication within organizations. By storing data and applications in the cloud, employees can access them from anywhere, at any time, and on any device, which provides increased mobility and flexibility. This makes remote work possible, which can boost productivity and lower costs associated with having a physical office and equipment.

In addition to this, cloud computing promotes teamwork and coordination as employees can easily share information and work together on projects from any location. This leads to improved efficiency and quicker decision-making processes, which can have a positive impact on the overall success of an organization. By having access to information and resources from anywhere, at any time, businesses can stay ahead in a constantly changing business environment. This advantage is especially important in today's fast-paced business world, where being able to quickly respond to changes and adapt to new challenges is crucial for success.

Security

Cloud computing also enhances the security of business data and applications. With data and applications stored in the cloud, businesses can rest assured that their information is protected against physical threats like fires or floods. Additionally, cloud service providers offer

robust security features, such as encryption and multi-factor authentication, to guard against cyber-attacks. These security measures help ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of business data, reducing the risk of data breaches, theft, and loss.

Moreover, cloud service providers employ highly trained security experts who continuously monitor and update their security systems to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats. This allows businesses to benefit from the latest security technologies without having to invest in their own security infrastructure.

Business Intelligence

In addition to the benefits mentioned, cloud computing has made a major impact in the realm of business intelligence. Cloud computing enables businesses to access advanced analytics tools that aid in making informed decisions. These tools can process and examine vast amounts of data, giving businesses valuable insights

into customer behaviour, sales patterns, and various other crucial business metrics. This data-driven approach to decision-making can greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy of business operations. Companies can use the data to identify areas for improvement, develop new strategies, and track their performance over time. By having access to up-to-date information, businesses can make quick, informed decisions that can greatly impact their bottom line. Moreover, cloud computing allows businesses to implement these advanced analytics tools without incurring large upfront costs. With cloud computing, businesses can subscribe to the services they need and scale up or down as needed, reducing costs and avoiding the need for expensive hardware and software investments.

Costs and expenses

In addition to reducing the costs associated with hardware and software maintenance, cloud

With cloud computing, small businesses can access enterpriselevel technology and resources, enabling them to compete with larger businesses on an equal footing

computing can also help businesses lower their energy expenses. By utilizing cloud services, companies can reduce the energy consumption required to run their IT systems, as many cloud service providers utilize renewable energy sources to power their data centers. This not only saves money for businesses but also has a positive impact on the environment. By embracing cloud computing, companies can adopt a cost-effective and sustainable approach to managing their IT operations, allowing them to better allocate their resources and maximize their profits.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cloud computing has significantly impacted the operations of businesses. It offers

various advantages like flexibility, scalability, collaboration, security, business intelligence, and affordability, which are crucial for businesses to thrive in today's competitive market. Cloud computing allows businesses to utilize technology resources as needed, without having to make significant investments in hardware and software. This results in streamlined operations, enhanced teamwork, better data management, and improved security of sensitive information. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness of cloud computing helps businesses reduce their IT costs and focus more on growth and innovation. Overall, cloud computing has been a transformative force for businesses of all sizes and its impact will continue to expand as technology advances.

MOST INSPIRING BUSINESS WOMEN OF THE YEAR2023

Founder and Principal, Jackson Consulting Group

HELPING EXECUTIVES AND EMERGING LEADERS ACHIEVE THEIR GREATEST SUCCESS

Tinna Jackson is a seasoned executive coach, certified emotional intelligence practitioner, and an accomplished, results-driven strategic operations expert. With a career spanning over 25 years, Tinna has successfully navigated non-profits, trade associations, law/ lobby firms, defense contracting, and national politics as deputy chief of staff in the United States Senate and held C-level positions with a national political committee. Moreover, her background in personnel and human resources renders her with a charismatic

ability to connect with people effortlessly as she develops and implements training and management processes that successfully staff diverse talent for critical management and executive positions. She is also a member of various professional organizations, such as the Center for Executive Coaching, the International Coaching Federation, the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team, and the Forbes Coaches Council.

As the Founder and Principal at Jackson Consulting Group, Tinna is committed to helping others achieve success, to establish

Tinna Jackson

TINNA JACKSON FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL, JACKSON CONSULTING GROUP

Photo by Mike Nelson, Washington, DC

successful organizations and leaders. “Our vision is to be the go-to company for top-level executives and emerging leaders to develop meaningful and lasting change through inspiration, empowerment, and innovative strategies,” reveals Tinna.

Life Experiences that Helped Shape into a Successful Leader

Walking down memory lane, Tinna had a tough upbringing. She encountered numerous challenges and coped with the grief and loss of family members. However, these experiences contributed to her mental conditioning to be more resilient, calm and collected during times of crisis. "Having experienced many twists and turns, peaks, and valleys throughout my career, I have learned how to always stay the course and manage my emotions effectively, which are big factors in leadership development," shares Tinna. Ultimately, these experiences assisted her in obtaining promotions and helped her become the inspiring leader she is today.

The Founding Story

Jackson Consulting Group is the brainchild of Tinna Jackson. She established her company out of deep concern for friends and colleagues with an impressive amount of subject matter expertise who were moving into leadership positions ill-equipped for the challenges they would eventually face in their roles. Having previously held various C-Suite positions

Photo by Mike Nelson, Washington, DC

in her career, Tinna knew that executives would get to certain points in their tenure when they would call to seek her advice on managing their teams, dealing with personnel issues, and communicating organizational change effectively. Tinna's suggestions benefitted them, and the frequency of those calls intensified after a while.

In 2017, Jackson Consulting Group was born to help executives and emerging leaders create successful outcomes through straightforward tactics and solutions that promote selfawareness, inspirational motivation, and transformational leadership. Presently, the company offers three key solutions: people strategy, team development, and executive coaching.

Key Partner Benefits

“We provide an objective perspective to help identify and address blind spots and help clients gain clarity on strengths and

opportunities with a development plan of action to reach individual and organizational goals,” states Tinna. Hence, by partnering with Jackson Consulting Group, clients derive improved organizational efficiency and productivity; more efficient problemsolving; improved employee engagement, and thriving corporate culture.

Onwards & Upwards Growth

Post-COVID-19 pandemic, Jackson Consulting Group witnessed increased growth which is resonated through the type of clients and the longevity of engagements the company has served and held. Tinna's contribution as the Founder & Principal of the company has been in nurturing and maintaining relationships with her network of seasoned professionals and offering support. Moreover, her effective communication skills, problem-solving mindset, and strategic leadership prowess continue to attract new clients.

Jackson Consulting Group is the brainchild of Tinna Jackson. She established her company out of deep concern for friends and colleagues with an impressive amount of subject matter expertise who were moving into leadership positions illequipped for the challenges they would eventually face in their roles

Most Successful Training Initiatives

Tinna’s most successful training initiative has been offering executive coaching for varying levels of leaders, including C-Suite. She considers her training successful when clients find value in the plan of action alone which garners excitement and supports the game

Tackling Challenges with Expertise and Experience

As the Founder & Principal of Jackson Consulting Group, Tinna encounters multiple challenges specific to how crowded the market is in management consulting and executive coaching. This is so because there are numerous advisors and coaches available than ever before.

What sets Tinna apart in client development is that she has a combination of over 25 years of battle-tested experience; various certifications in both executive coaching, emotional intelligence, and leadership assessments; served in C-level positions in her career and worked with leaders at the highest levels of U.S. government and national politics.

Significant Milestones

Reaching a C-level position with an organization and starting a business in management consulting and executive coaching have been the most significant milestones of Tinna's career. These were special because becoming a part of the C-Suite was a confirmation that she had finally been recognized for the experiences and work she had achieved and was proud of. “Becoming my own boss by starting my own business has given me a path towards endless possibilities and impact,” mentions Tinna.

plan for success. In addition, she views being fully transparent with a potential client at the outset as critical because the ultimate success relies heavily on the willingness of the client to commit and do the deep work necessary for improvement.

A Typical Day in the Life of a Coach

Tinna’s day begins around 4.30 am to 5.00 am, during the quiet and peaceful hours, which she devotes to reviewing and responding to emails, hydrating, and exercising. She works at home for a couple hours before heading

What sets Tinna apart in client development is that she has a combination of over 25 years of battletested experience; various certifications in both executive coaching, emotional intelligence, and leadership assessments; served in C-level positions in her career and worked with leaders at the highest levels of U.S. government and national politics

to the office, and from then on, it's meetings, calls, and strategizing and creating, which is never-ending. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night with an idea, immediately pulls out her laptop, and gets to work! Rather than feeling the pressure and getting anxious, she welcomes it as pressure helps her determine what resources she can pull from to achieve the desired result.

Additionally, Tinna is one of those leaders who are completely devoted and passionate

about working on their goals and bringing them to life so that work doesn’t feel like work to them. Any type of unplugging for her is about setting boundaries on other situations and people who distract her from her purpose.

Hacks to Stay Focused

Staying focused can be challenging as one is being pulled in multiple directions with family commitments and working to keep up with clients, industry trends, and news. What truly

Photo by Mike Nelson, Washington, DC

works for Tinna is getting up early, keeping a schedule, and maintaining a routine designed to stay focused on her goals. She also keeps tabs on her vision board which helps her to stay aligned with her goals.

Roadmap to Fostering Innovation & Creativity at Workplace

From a seasoned coach’s perspective, Tinna believes that to create an environment that encourages innovation within an organization, leaders must ensure that the organization’s culture not only rewards good ideas but also supports taking risks and embracing change. They can begin by identifying the areas where changes can be made to maximize the potential for innovation. This could involve reviewing the existing systems, processes, and procedures to see if they are still relevant or if new strategies or approaches could yield better results.

Moreover, Tinna also suggests assessing the current technology used within the organization to ensure that it is the best fit for their needs. This assessment would involve a careful balance between the cost of implementing new technology and the expected returns on investment. Lastly, leaders must create an organizational culture that encourages collaboration and innovation. This means providing employees with the necessary tools, resources, and incentives to work together and create lasting solutions to challenges. It also involves providing support for employees who are willing to take risks and offer new ideas. By doing so, the firm will create a culture that fosters creativity and innovation.

A Note for Female Leaders

Even today, women continue to face unique challenges on the path to senior/ executive leadership. Tinna considers these challenges an opportunity to build character, become more self-aware, and develop resilience while maintaining personal authenticity. To do so, Tinna recommends four essential pieces of advice for women leaders aiming for success in top management. Firstly, building solid relationships with peers and mentors and establishing connections with influential people will help open doors and create opportunities. Secondly, confidently voicing opinions, ideas, and suggestions and speaking up in the workplace are vital. Thirdly, believing in oneself, developing a growth mindset, and an ‘I can do it’ attitude are necessary. Finally, taking risks and being open to new possibilities can help women leaders break through barriers and lead to unexpected successes.

Work in Progress

Currently, Tinna is finalizing a program focusing on emotional intelligence as the foundation for leadership development. From this foundation, there will be programs for young professionals, women, BIPOC, and emerging leaders. This program will be accompanied by online tools to support participants and create communities of empowerment. Moreover, given Tinna’s vast years of experience and expertise in strategic operations, additional offerings will be available in the near future.

Transforming the Executive Search Industry & Making an Impact

Natasha Makhijani, Group Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Sanderson Group PLC

According to you, what are the top three recruitment trends to expect in 2023?

Flexibility will be a priority for candidates. In December 2022, the government announced plans to ‘Make flexible working the default’, and as part of this plan will give millions of

employees’ day one rights to request flexible working, empowering workers to have a greater say over when, where, and how they work. Flexible working doesn’t just mean a combination of working from home and in the office – it can mean employees making use of job-sharing, flexitime, and working compressed, annualized,

Natasha Makhijani is the Founder and CEO of Oliver Sanderson Group. Having set up executive desks at both Hays and Michael Page, Natasha decided to launch her own business. Oliver Sanderson was born in her dining room, and what began as one lady, and a laptop has grown into an international business at the cutting edge of executive search. Oliver Sanderson has built up a strong track record of senior and c-suite appointments at FTSE 100, FTSE 350, and Fortune 500 companies. Natasha combines purpose-driven leadership and a strong understanding of executive search with an expertise in digital recruitment solutions. She is a pioneer in this field, leading the creation of Oliver Sanderson’s new executive apps and Snapp CV, the world’s first mobile job board with voice technology capability and Amazon Alexa connectivity. Natasha is passionate about tackling D&I challenges with clients and is currently establishing a charity to address a range of issues related to race equality, disability, and gender. A founding member and co-chair of APSCo’s HR Sector Group, Natasha’s advocacy has helped achieve progress on these issues across the industry and beyond. In a recent interview with CXO Outlook Magazine, Natasha Makhijani reveals the top three recruitment trends to watch out for in 2023, the inspiration behind starting her own company, Oliver Sanderson, future plans, and a lot more. Following are the excerpts from the interview.

Flexible working doesn’t just mean a combination of working from home and in the office – it can mean employees making use of job-sharing, flexitime, and working compressed, annualized, or staggered hours. Businesses are set to benefit from higher productivity and staff retention as a result

or staggered hours. Businesses are set to benefit from higher productivity and staff retention as a result.

LinkedIn Sales Director Cara O’Leary recently revealed that flexibility has become the number one priority for candidates searching for a new job on the platform. It’s clear, then, that employers will need to be offering flexibility in location, hours or other areas to attract talented candidates in the competitive market.

The 4-day working week will become a reality for many.

The traditional 5-day, 8-hour week has been challenged over the past few years, with working habits changing dramatically as a result of the Covid-19

The traditional 5-day, 8-hour week has been challenged over the past few years, with working habits changing dramatically as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic

pandemic. 2022 also saw the UK undergo the largest trial of a four-day working week, which saw more than 70 companies cut their employees' working hours to 32 hours a week while still paying them their full salary. At the midpoint of the trial in September, 95% of the companies surveyed anticipated that productivity had either stayed the same or improved since the adoption of this model. We are likely to see more companies adopt a four-day week in 2023, especially if the final results from the trial are positive, and candidates may begin to favour companies that have already adopted a four-day week.

The recruitment tech ecosystem will continue to grow.

A shortage of talent and a rise in openings since the pandemic has seen recruiter workloads grow rapidly, and they show no signs of slowing down. The widening gap between supply and demand is forcing recruiters to work harder to find talent and fill roles. This is where technology and automation can help massively to reduce recruiter workloads and help relieve pressure. New tools and evolving technologies are entering the recruitment space all the time, and 2023 will be no different. Of course, there’s no substitute for a talented recruitment team, but HR tech stacks can include solutions for chatbots, candidate screening, AI skills matching, video interviewing and much more! This can all help to streamline the recruitment process and help the recruiter focus on what they do best.

As an Executive Search and Recruitment Consultant, what does diversity and inclusion mean to you? How important is it to have those authentic conversations with people to create more acceptance across industries?

Oliver Sanderson integrates Diversity and Inclusion at the heart of its search processes, shortlisting programmes, and consultancy work, helping clients to create a more inclusive culture and to improve representation in their organizations.

Research shows that companies that champion diversity and inclusion are more successful and innovative, and more attractive to customers, staff, and potential job applicants. McKinsey’s study (2018) showed that companies with ethnically diverse leadership are 33% more likely to outperform on profitability and 21% more likely to have above-average profitability with gender diverse leadership teams. D&I is no longer just a box ticking exercise, but a pivotal part of developing a strong and successful business and more important than ever.

Oliver Sanderson is at the forefront of an evolving industry, developing research-informed practices to foster change and tackle diversity and inclusion challenges for clients.

Natasha, please tell us about your professional and personal background.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from City, University of London and a Master’s from DePaul University in Chicago, I began my recruitment career on the Graduate Scheme at Hays. Fast-tracked into management roles, I achieved four promotions in four years and took a team from billing £10,000 to £80,000 a month.

From Hays, I then moved to Michael Page, where I worked on a hybrid desk across permanent and interim senior leadership roles. I was given responsibility for growing Michael Page’s Public Sector division from its offices in London. I soon became the company’s number one biller in HR

What inspired you to start Oliver Sanderson? What sets it apart from other market competitors?

I left a comfortable job as a recruiter to go it alone and set up my own company. It was a leap of faith, but it was always a dream of mine to build something important and lead a team. I come from a very entrepreneurial community, and I knew that I could make a wider impact as a business leader. People questioned whether it was the right thing to do, but I took the risk. I knew it was right for me, and I have never looked back. What started as one woman on a laptop has grown into an international business at the cutting edge of executive search, working with big clients, winning awards, and making a difference internationally!

Our pioneering digital solutions set us apart from the competition. With our innovative suite of digital apps, including Snapp – the world’s first voice-technology enabled mobile jobs platform with exclusive Amazon Alexa integration – we are leading the way in discovering the next generation of business leaders.

In your current role, what kind of challenges do you face and how do you overcome them?

across the UK, but I always wanted to pursue an entrepreneurial route. Having already set up executive desks at both Hays and Michael Page, I switched my focus to establishing a business of my own, and in 2011, Oliver Sanderson was born.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on our daily business operations, but we have managed to survive and thrive since the first lockdown. Our firm has had to adapt quickly to meet new challenges, becoming more flexible in our delivery models and transitioning to digital platforms through our in-house recruitment software Snapp and the OS Executive app. Thanks to our flexibility, we have managed to grow and expand our team.

Our aim is to open up the possibility of a new kind of commitment through a co-created programme of researchled innovation, alliance building, championing values of dignity and mutual respect, and supporting breakthrough action

In my view, the recruitment industry has already undergone a process of transformation triggered by the pandemic. We are now seeing a candidate-led market –talented candidates are in demand, and they are now setting their own terms, especially with regard to flexible working arrangements. There is also a bigger global talent pool to choose from, but the competition for talent is also increased. We work with our clients to help them understand what they need to do and what to offer in order to attract top talent in today’s competitive market, and the right candidates for their organization.

You are also a board member of the Black Leadership Advisory Council.

Can you please tell us about this UK based charity and your role in it?

Statistics show that black people are still the most underrepresented racial group in UK workplaces and career progression. By any measure, work to improve black representation at leadership levels in business is failing, despite the recent rise in the Black Lives Matter movement, the critical reports, and the marketing and awareness campaigns. The Black Leadership Advisory Council aim to engage decision makers and those on the front line in a different kind of dialogue about these critical topics and find a route to making progress. Our aim is to open up the possibility of a new kind of commitment through a co-created programme of research-led innovation, alliance building, championing values of dignity and mutual respect, and supporting breakthrough action.

Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you? Why and how did this person impact your life?

Marija Simovic is an ambitious and dynamic COO with Transformation & Change experience. She was originally a client of mine, who I recruited for and got to know well. She subsequently became an NED and investor of Oliver Sanderson. Marija is a corporate entrepreneur and businesswoman at heart who has inspired me to believe in myself and make the impossible possible. She has stood by me and the business through good times and bad times and has encouraged me as an Asian female leader to become a thought leader and an example in the marketplace. Being a headhunter in executive search is second nature to me but being a business owner and running a business was and still is my biggest learning curve. This is where Marija gave me the strength and insight to think outside of the box and empowered me to scale Oliver Sanderson.

Another person who really inspired me and was my partner in crime who encouraged me from a young age was my partner Ash Daswani who sadly passed away after a short illness in August last year. Ash was proud to watch me grow Oliver Sanderson from nothing to become an international business with major clients like British Airways and Aviva. Together we founded Snapp CV under the Oliver Sanderson Digital Division. Together we took on the world, and often won.

Which one of your accomplishments makes you the proudest till date?

I am lucky enough to have celebrated a number of achievements throughout my business journey. A major highlight has been watching Oliver Sanderson become established in the UK and begin to grow overseas – having set up the company from my dining-room table, it is so rewarding to see how far we’ve come! Other successes include winning exciting new client relationships with major businesses like British Airways, Aviva, and Engie, and winning many different awards.

Most recently, I was honoured to be invited to feature in the 2022 Platinum Jubilee Pageant Commemorative Album, as an organization with aligned values. We were selected for “our transformational contribution” to the sphere of business. It is one of my proudest achievements. Being a British Asian, my life has been shaped by our Royal Family. In particular, I have always been inspired by our Queen – her values, her global presence, her exceptional work ethic, and the way that she has always upheld service, even in the most challenging circumstances.

What is the one lesson learnt that’s unique to being a woman leader?

Never be afraid to speak up in the boardroom and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other leaders, but at the same time be open to listening and change. Nobody knows everything and there is always room to learn from others in industry.

Where do you see Oliver Sanderson in the next 5 years?

I would like to accomplish growth to an exceptional level in the interim side of our business. I would also like to open offices internationally, and have

already started exploring New York, India, and The Netherlands. I think it is essential for us to diversify our working practices and reach out; there is still so much for us to learn and expand.

We also recognize that we must be mindful of a changing workplace due to the pandemic and companies changing working practices and how they hire. There is a rise for change embracing new ways of working is vital. Change brings opportunity, but it’s about navigating your way through the choppy waters to ensure a successful outcome.

What piece of advice would you give to

aspiring professionals

across the globe?

Being specific with your market proposition is probably the most important part of the initial journey as an entrepreneur. I believe it is essential to know what your goal is, devise a strategy and a business plan, and continuously refer back to it. This way you never lose focus on what your goal is and where you want to go. Throughout your journey always be open and adaptive to how things can change. There will be stumbles and knockdowns, but you can’t let them define you. What matters is how you get back up and get back on track.

I think it is vital to be aware of the needs of the sector, the job market, and the requirements of one’s company and people. I firmly believe that a leader should have passion, drive, energy, honestly, integrity, and humor, to name a few! A leader has to be open-minded and find solutions through difficult times. Leaders must be challenged, actively listen, constantly know that they are always learning, and be open to others guiding you. As a business grows, a leader should be apt at identifying and cultivating talent; proper succession planning can lead to great leaders.

MOST

INSPIRING

BUSINESS LEADERS 2023

Website: https://logixbpo.com/

Headquarters: Queensland, Australia

About the Company: Logix BPO is a Remote Staffing Company working with partners around the world to build and help manage their global remote teams. The company ensures that its partners have access to cost-effective, talented, motivated and committed workforces.

Website: https://croow.com/

Headquarters: Florida, USA

About the Company: CROOW is an innovative platform that streamlines creative collaboration for faster, better, smarter projects.

CEO, Logix Founder and CEO, CROOW

Anthony Godley David Capece

Website: https://www.endpointprotector.com/

Headquarters: North Carolina, USA

About the Company: Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys is an advanced all-in-one DLP solution for Windows, macOS, and Linux, that puts an end to unintentional data leaks, protects from malicious data theft and offers seamless control of portable storage devices.

Website: https://www.districtpartnerships.com/

Headquarters: Virginia, USA

About the Company: District Partnerships and Consulting (DPC) is a leading global HR and DEI consulting firm with a team of experts, conveners and thought leaders who align business and people strategies to create a thriving workplace for employers and employees.

Website: https://www.realtyexecutives.com/

Headquarters: Arizona, USA

About the Company: Realty Executives is one of the largest and most established real estate systems, with over 8,000 agents working across the globe.

Website: https://www.veracitysolutions.com/

Headquarters: Utah, USA

About the Company: Veracity Solutions helps enterprises, especially those in highly regulated industries, with custom application development and adopting cloud-native technologies as a platform for innovation.

Owner, Realty Executives First Class

Channel Manager, Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys

Chief Architect and Executive Security Director, Veracity Solutions

President & CEO, District Partnerships

Lauren Parrella

Filip Cotfas

Lonnie Buchanan

Johnathaan L. Pannell

Website: https://www.arctoris.com/

Headquarters: Oxford, United Kingdom

About the Company: Arctoris combines its unique automation platform, Ulysses, with advanced computational approaches and a world-class team of seasoned drug hunters to guide and rapidly progress its wholly owned and partnered drug discovery programs in oncology and neurology.

Website: https://inceptionfertility.com/

Headquarters: Texas, USA

About the Company: Inception Fertility (Inception) is a family of fertility brands committed to helping patients build their own families.

Website: https://pinpointpredictive.com/

Headquarters: California, USA

About the Company: Pinpoint's turnkey platform allows insurers to compliantly leverage unmatched risk selection at the very beginning of the customer journey.

Website: https://www.unstoppablebrandingagency.com/

Headquarters: California, USA

About the Company: Unstoppable Branding Agency offers complete brand solutions for CEOs, Consultants, Speakers, Authors, and Brick & Mortar Businesses.

CEO, Pinpoint Predictive

Co-Founder and CEO, Arctoris

CEO and Founder, Unstoppable Branding Agency

Chief Marketing Officer, Inception

Scott Ham

Martin-Immanuel Bittner

Rhonda Swan

Nicole R. Braley

Want to Sell or find Investor for your Business?

MOST

LEADERS

Anthony Godley

HELPING BUSINESSES TO SCALE WITH PRODUCTIVE & SKILLED WORKFORCES

Anthony Godley, CEO of Logix BPO, has over 15 years of experience bringing brands to market and delivering highperformance teams. He studied Business Administration and learned the fundamentals of economics, accounting, labour laws, and risk management. Following his education, Anthony spent 5 years working in the recruitment industry, where his education had little impact. However, during the following 15

years working as a Digital Director for multiple businesses across the UK and Australia, the tools he had acquired in college became quite valuable and were developed. Those skills later played an essential part in shaping the type of leader he aspired to be. Also, in his previous career, Anthony spent more than 10 years in digital marketing and 5 years in highlevel talent acquisition. Now, Logix benefited from those years of ethical marketing and recruitment experience.

CEO, LOGIX

ANTHONY GODLEY CEO, LOGIX

Overcoming Challenges

Coming from humble beginnings, Anthony supposes it is apt that Logix launched under similar circumstances. When he launched the business, he wanted to ensure that Logix benefited from the harrowing learning experiences of his life. “I wanted to ensure the business had no debt, so the business was launched and financed independently, and to this day, Logix has no debt, no loans, and no investment,” Anthony shares. Logix is a strong, independently owned business that delivers on key cultural virtues created to ensure that Anthony’s previous experiences working in unenjoyable and toxic environments were never replicated within Logix.

Logix BPO operates in a highly competitive industry. “In our early months of operation, it was a challenge to attract the best talent to our business with so many reputable competitors around us,” he adds. As Logix developed as a brand, its cultural virtues and exceptional employee benefits started to build a reputation, and talent attraction became much more straightforward. Now, talent attraction is the least of its concerns as Logix has the best talent queuing at its door. Logix benefits from a beautiful and rewarding working culture that promotes ethical and high-integrity working processes and rewards hard work.

Over the last few years, Logix has progressed well, and through 2022 Q1 to Q3

Over the last few years, Logix has progressed well, and through 2022 Q1 to Q3 company experienced 100% growth, month on month

WINLOVE TOBAMO CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGER

company experienced 100% growth, month on month. "The business evened out through Q4. However, 2022 was a massive success for Logix BPO. We plan to hire several hundred new team members through 2023," Anthony shares.

Unique among the global BPO firms

Logix BPO had very humble beginnings. The business started from a co-working space on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. It was founded to create an enjoyable and productive working environment for its future team members. One of the first documents created was the Cultural Objectives of Logix. Anthony says, "This document was where the company started, our vision for the teams, our virtues for the culture, and how these cultural intentions would ensure that our partner’s investments with us were secure and that staff retention was high.”

Logix offers its partners access to the bestskilled people who are genuine, hard-working, and motivated to progress in their careers. The company has extremely high retention rates across all its teams, fueled by a distinctive

JENNIE PEREZ HR AND FINANCE MANAGER

culture. “We utilize only the most credible tools, software, and technology to ensure efficient workforces, protection of data, and live visibly on remote teams. A savvy business owner should be looking at Logix BPO when considering the development of remote teams,” he adds.

Embracing Innovation while motivating team members

The culture of Logix BPO is not only important to the people who work there but has also been one of the key pillars of its success since its inception. Logix has built the business around core virtues encouraging high staff retention across its partner teams. Anthony says, “our teams are motivated, well-trained, supported, and have operational structures around them that ensure they are determined to remain within the Logix BPO network.” These highly

skilled teams deliver efficient work, and the combination of efficient work, highly motivated teams and high retention protects their partner's investment and delivers ROI. The technology within the operational framework does play a role in this delivery of ROI, but it is more geared toward data protection, privacy, and live visibility of team members as they operate. “Our culture has been shaped by a skilled leadership team that includes Jennie Perez, who heads up HR & Finance, and Winlove Tobamo, our Customer Relationship Manager,” he shares. Logix has a very motivated workforce. The organization is selective with whom to hire, and brings in skilled resources that want to work, are career-minded, motivated, and align with our core virtues. Logix provides an exceptional employee benefits package that can rival any benefits package in the Philippines.

“Our teams get access to coaching opportunities, incentives, social events, and various awards. We provide an enjoyable, friendly, and supportive environment for our teams to work in, which further ensures retention,” Anthony adds.

A Day in the Life of a Leader

At times when pressure is high, the well-oiled processes created by the company ensure that cracks do not appear while maintaining a very smooth delivery. Typically, Anthony’s day starts around 6:30 am – 7 am with an early morning jog or swim, and he gets to the office around 8:30 am. “I am heavily involved in sales and marketing across the business, and these are areas I thoroughly enjoy, so typically, my days are consumed with sales meetings, working on marketing strategy, and trying to make 3-4 perfect decisions per day to influence the business positively,” he shares.

Future Plans

Logix launched its Recruitment University in 2023. This service benefits customers by bringing exceptional graduates into a training program as interns and providing them with intense training, work behaviour, and business ethics insights ensuring that the organization partners have access to skilled resources well-prepared to join teams worldwide.

As a business, Logix is constantly innovating. The Logix BPO that will operate in 2024 is expected to be very different from the Logix BPO of today. However, any changes will be positive and made purely to deliver the core business virtues of Happy Teams & Happy Clients. “Through 2023, we plan to launch several new offices in the Philippines and a new office in Nottingham, UK. Our teams will grow, our technology will adapt to every changing need, and we are confident that our teams and partners will continue to be happy,” Anthony concludes.

The culture of Logix BPO is not only important to the people who work there but has also been one of the key pillars of its success since its inception. Logix has built the business around core virtues encouraging high staff retention across its partner teams

The Future of Work: The 3 W’s that Matter

Barry Winkless, CSO Cpl Group & Head Future, Work Institute

The future of work for organisations is a story not yet fully written but there are enough plotlines to point towards a broadly defined first draft.

Things look vastly different in the world of work. At a global level businesses and governments alike are dealing with the great crises of our time - Covid 19 and the environmental

catastrophe. At a business level the very essence of what 'work' is, what constitutes a 'job' or what represents an 'organisation' is evolving at a rapid rate. Digital technologies are rewriting the rules of engagement and there are exponential challenges for organisations trying to attract and retain the best talent globally (being popularised as the Great Resignation or Great Evaluation). Whatever lens

These are the 3W’s that really matter- Workplace, Workforce & Worktask - when it comes to the future of work

Barry is Chief Strategy Officer of Cpl Group & head of the future of work institute. He is a thought leader on the future of work, strategic design, and business creativity. Over the past 25 years he has worked globally with some of the world’s most respected organisations and is a frequent author and speaker at numerous client and external events. As head of the future of work institute Barry leads a multidisciplinary team working globally to question, explore and design future work solutions with organisations. So, he isn’t just a speaker but is actively pushing the frontiers of the future of work every day in the real world.

We are already seeing several organisations harness a hybrid working model with many continuing to work from home while others utilise the office at intervals

we look at the future of work through, it suffices to say that it means one thing for organisations: Seismic change. And, as with all change, there is an opportunity for organisations to strategically embrace it and to design for it.

From our research at the Future of Work Institute with over 100 participating organisations (and counting), we are starting to see a fundamental

evolution in the value system of businesses towards a more human and societal centred model. (More than 57% of business are aiming to be more human centric and 80% more society centric in the next 5 years).

From a practical, actionable perspective more human means: demystifying technology and applying it in an ethical manner, pursuing

Figure 1: 3W Model – copyright Future of Work Institute

flatter & more flexible structures, a deeper understanding of the human experience, a new approach to truly inclusive leadership and a focus on balance, inclusiveness, and authenticity.

Societal centred means thriving through being more inclusive and diverse, embracing circular practices, seeing caring as a key business asset, a renewed focus on total stakeholder engagement and being a responsible business with sustainability at core. As Declan Bogan, Engagement & Sustainability lead FOWI states "We need to fundamentally change all of our behaviours - consumers, societies and businesses. We need sustainability built in; we cannot wait any longer."

The Three Future of Work Pillars

As leaders how can we start designing our organisations to be future fit now? These

are the 3W’s that really matter- Workplace, Workforce & Worktask - when it comes to the future of work. Within these 3W’s there are several levers organisations can use to gain new collaborative advantages

Workplace – Where the work takes place across physical and virtual space.

Workforce – How the overall workforce is designed and managed.

Worktask – The methods, tools and mindsets that deliver the work.

The Workplace: Flexible, Smart & Distributed

It is likely that we will see a greater harnessing of collaborative platforms, new forms of mixed, multi rich engagement tools, as well as a greater drive towards appropriate forms of flexible, distributed or hybrid working. It is also clear that a formalised approach to what the workplace is and what it means for employees will be a critical design component for organisations to consider in getting the most out of the physical-virtual opportunity. It is likely also that in some instances that some parts of the physical footprint of an organisation and its role may well need to be reconsidered.

We are already seeing several organisations harness a hybrid working model with many continuing to work from home while others utilise the office at intervals. From our research which sampled over 1000 employees a blended mix of in-office & at-home is the preference for 85% of those surveyed. For many organisations the physical workplace will remain as is, in manufacturing settings, for example. However, for

others we may see a re-evaluation/re-imagining of the role of the physical office as a hub, club, a place for deep social collaboration, an experiential place, or an area where the important meetings need to happen. Perhaps it will become a “park and ride” for employees with an ability to be there from time to time and smaller offices becoming the norm (the Hub & Spoke). In saying this, how we mange people across these hybrid working models will continue to be a key consideration now and into the future.

The Workforce: Design, Experience & Care

There is no doubt we will continue to see a broadening of what the workforce is with a greater use of the blended workforce to access the best talent globally- everything from permanent employees to ‘hire by the hour’ knowledge workers Libby Kelly, Director of Cpl Technology says that “Clients are already looking to hire on a short term/ contract basis and looking further afield for candidates, this is only going to rise as leaders get better at managing people remotely.”

Organisations will have to place a greater emphasis on designing people propositions and purposeful employee experiences that are value lead and create a sense of care & belonging, harnessing appropriate platforms to create real engagement & meaning for employees. Aine Fanning, Director of the Talent Evolution Group at Cpl says “Employees across all generations are rapidly moving from traditional career paths to more experience led careers. To stay relevant, organisations need to be able to manage blended workforce models that strengthen their own strategic goals and the career journeys of independent talent”. It is likely that Leadership

Automation and augmentation of people and associated tasks to deliver work is set to accelerate over the next 5 years according to our study

will need to evolve towards a more empowering, orchestration and coaching style coupled with a general move towards blended, self-managing teams allowing employees to experience a greater sense of ownership and autonomy along their career journey.

Some of the key challenges highlighted to us by leaders in managing virtual or hybrid teams included a lack of social connection, teamwork and camaraderie and long-term negative impacts on employee mental health. Elysia Hegarty, Associate Director and Wellness Lead at the Future of Work Institute highlights that “Workplace wellness needs to broaden and evolve if it is to fully support the future of work world. The future of wellness can have a strategic impact on both the business bottom line and the employee’s general well-being but it must be tailored to the needs of the employees and the organisation rather than a blanket one-size fits all approach.”

Work Task: Automation, Autonomy & Human Skills.

Automation and augmentation of people and associated tasks to deliver work is set to accelerate over the next 5 years according to our study. There are strong considerations for the importance of a conscious and ethical approach to technology. Given the evolving workplace as a much more dynamic physical-virtual place, it is worth considering the need for a future shift for teams to focus on work outcomes as opposed to work activities. A move towards work practices that enable a greater sense of ownership, community and collaboration are likely to see greater adoptionlike agile and design centred approaches. As with technologies, pockets of units within organisations are already well on the way to adopting these

practices but as such, they are not always evenly spread across organisations.

An increased importance on human & transversal skills will continue to emerge as we move into a more augmented future including stronger communication skills, self-awareness, self-management, team collaboration and an ability to adapt and understand new technologies. The global crisis has also resulted in a greater requirement for leadership at distance and in many organisations the skillsets needed to do so are maturing rapidly. From our research 67% of organisations rated evolved leadership and managerial skills as one of the top skillsets need for the future of work.

The future of work is a strategic leadership imperative and as such it is not something that is ‘owned’ by HR, or the People function. It should be driven and sponsored at the very top and viewed as a strategic opportunity for collaborative and competitive advantage. Given the current challenges & changes facing us surely now is the time to create exemplar future fit organisations and ignite the beacons for the next generation of work and talent. As Lorna Conn, Cpls Deputy CEO, states “the future of work is about how we find, recruit, manage & motivate the best talent. Ultimately it is talented teams who transform businesses and exploit change.”

It’s the popular thing to say that the future of work is already here- it’s not- but it is in a state of becoming- and it is up to us to harness the change and build something fundamentally better for our colleagues, customers, and communities alike. It offers a genuine opportunity to create collaborative advantage for those organisations willing to harness it. Let’s not squander the opportunity. Over to you.

What’s Your Value in 2023?

Benjamin Cutler, Founder, Project Family

Ileft an abusive, 10-year marriage in 2019. Divorced the first time in 2020. Remarried in 2021 to someone else. Divorced again in 2022. Reunited again in 2022 to break up again in 2023. I’m launching two companies in 2023 and I’m writing this article from a mountainside paradise in Colombia.

When was the last time you were involved in launching a business or a new product? When was the last time you were hiring and managing a team remotely? When was the last time you’ve seen so many layoffs and when was the last time you’ve seen so much uncertainty? Leadership is tough in 2023.

My name is Ben Cutler and I’m just coming out of a very successful tech career where in December of 2022 our small bootstrapping startup finished up another record year, solidifying its position in a new market, with new strategic

client engagements to help pave the way of the future, and I said goodbye.

I passed on my book of clients, passed on all my final suggestions for the product roadmap and as much knowledge transfer possible, and I received a big letter of thanks from the Founder, the Founding team, my junior, my clients, and several of my business partners. Everything squared away.

There is so much fear and uncertainty in 2023. So many people afraid to speak. People are seeking meaning, truth, and support. People are seeking value, purpose, and real relationships. As I move on to navigate my own journey, I look at all the people around me, perhaps less certain about the future.

I’m here to tell you that we’re going to be ok. It’s going to be ok. And if this isn’t the type of story you need to hear right now then please feel

Benjamin Cutler is the Founder at Project Family and Experts Connect. He has 25 years of wealthy and progressive experiences ranging from restaurants, retail, and professional fundraising, through to data and technology and living overseas. He has spent more than a decade in sales, management, technology, and working with small businesses, and nearly a decade with bootstrapping startups, selling, and supporting B2B software. In this previous life, Barry brought a successful and innovative new technology to market, and also produced and presented a series of live webinars and LinkedIn Live events for WinPure with 10k+ views on YouTube.

People are seeking meaning, truth, and support. People are seeking value, purpose, and real relationships

free to continue scrolling. It’s not the end of the world, at all.

Let’s start by clarifying a very important business concept. At a minimum, successful people and business ideas will have these two very important components:

1. Strong Value Strategy

2. Strong People Strategy

The best ideas deliver a ton of value (output), require very little time, sell themselves, and cost little in comparison (input). In the year 2023 we’ll see that the best ideas with the best strategies for people and value, will become very disruptive. Everything else should be secondary.

The two characteristics above should be the foundation of anything we do in business. If we break things down to the basics, we’ll see that our visitors, subscribers, customers, employees and business partners alike, these are relationships, and we should feel a connection with the business.

Employees want to feel supported, valued, and challenged. Customers want to be supported, valued, and happy with their investments. Business partners want more meaningful relationships and want to grow with our businesses. This is peer to peer value creation.

Economic value creation sits at the center of trade. A friend of mine, Bill Schmarzo, says that the concept of economic value creation is one of the most important concepts in our history. He says that business leaders (especially CDO’s) need to be strong creators of economic value.

Scott Taylor, the Data Whisperer, and visionary leader, says that businesses are designed to deliver value through their relationships at scale.

How are you creating value through your relationships? Are you a good team player? Are you a good listener? Are you empathetic and

genuinely concerned with the well-being of others around you? Are you a problem solver? Do you like to connect the dots? Whatever it is, hone in on that in 2023.

How we create our own marketplace value is something that we as individuals need to understand. And all teams and brands are made up of talented individuals sharing common purpose. Vanity metrics have nothing to do with value. Value is something akin to being tangible. Value is usually observable.

A lot of people and companies are suffering today but a lot of others are doing really well. Not everyone lives in FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt). I’m sharing this for learners and for business leaders across the globe. Seek to reinvent and to multiply the way that you create value in the marketplace in 2023.

What else can we say about value creation in 2023? Start by looking at what’s working and what’s not working, starting with your own friends, family and business partners. Look at the science. Companies like Amazon, Uber and Netflix did really well during mandatory lockdowns.

Look at your client base. Are you more resilient due to existing relationships? It’s because you have relationships with those people and because they recognize and appreciate your value. Hone in on the value being exchanged in those relationships.

Whether you choose to double down on existing relationships and value propositions in 2023 or to reinvent, you’re still channeling some of the same basic strategies for people and value creation.

Keep it simple and stick to people and value.

Employees want to feel supported, valued, and challenged. Customers want to be supported, valued, and happy with their investments

Bitcoin The Technology

Steve Schroeder, CEO/Founder,Twitter Fundraising

In 1998, Billy Graham, the famous theologian and Christian speaker was asked if he would deliver the closing remarks at the biggest tech conference in the world at Silicon Valley. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Billy decided to do it, even though his doctors told him it would be dangerous. It was his first appearance in over 4 months. He was suffering from a number of problems which he states in the very beginning of his technology speech.

Interesting that a person so committed to theology would put a priority on technology and risk his health to speak to people who we might think had no interest in theology whatsoever. Billy even lets the audience know that if they have a problem with it, they can go to the organizer and take up their beef with him.

As you can hear from the video below, Billy said he felt like a fish out of water or like an Owl out of a tree.

Bitcoin is the first time that property can be transferred to any person in the world without Western Union or money transfer companies and can be done for virtually free and it’s getting better by the day

Steve Schroeder is the founder and CEO of Twitter Fundraising, Smart Community Technologies, DeCoy (Decentralized Customer Loyalty) and FAAST (Fundraising as a Service Technologies). All companies are focused on expanding the bitcoin ecosystem around the world. Steve has been in the customer loyalty space for over 20 years. Long before Bitcoin, Steve was devising a custom currency in the form of USD rather than points, miles or stars but after learning about Bitcoin the asset in 2019 and then spending considerable study on the subject over the past 3 years, Steve’s passion is helping others and using his past experience to create a fun, easy, and lucrative way for people to secure their own digital asset and learn how to hold property rights for their families which can’t be confiscated or inflated away.

At the age of 80 Billy Graham was asked to give the closing remarks to a room full of technology leaders who had just presented some of the most amazing technological advances the world had ever seen and they were so proud of it, they wanted someone who believed in God to comment on all this amazing technology.

You can watch the entire closing remarks here https://youtu.be/90mj79GqWhc

Let me summarize. Billy was completely amazed at what he had heard, seen, and witnessed. He absolutely loved the conference as you can hear in his voice.

Billy said there were 3 main things that stood out to him as missing from the current technology conference and he wanted to see Oracle address it ☺

Oracle was unable to as well as Microsoft and Apple, but here are the 3 things Billy said were missing from all the great technologies he had witnessed at the conference.

1. Human depravity, greed, selfishness, and evil from influencing the technology.

2. Technology that addressed human suffering and inequality.

3. No technology had ever addressed death or the inevitability of dying.

10 years later in 2008, it’s possible all three were addressed by bitcoin. At age 90 Billy was still alive, he would live 10 more years until he died at age 100.

1. For the first time in human history a technology was released based on math, consensus algorithms, and cryptography without human involvement known as a DAO or Decentralized Autonomous Organization. This allowed the technology to run without human involvement, no CEO, no board, no headquarters, no employees, no customer service, no humans involved as far as the base protocol was concerned. Humans were involved in the verification process but not really, they just turned-on computers which verified the code, it was not subject to human interpretation or manipulation.

Fix the money, fix the world is a popular belief and it appears to be playing out in front of our eyes and many are not aware of what this profound technology is doing and how they might learn more about it

The protocol was immutable or unchangeable, but it was also flexible. In other words, there could be upgrades made but not to the base protocol.

Nobody had ever understood this prior to bitcoin and very few understand it now.

In order to prove the above, the founder of Bitcoin, a person who went by the alias of Satoshi Nakamoto, had to disappear from the entire project and not only from the entire project but from the entire world so no human greed or involvement would be present as Mr. Graham had stated 10 years earlier.

There was a big problem with disappearing, however.

a. It would cost Satoshi billions of dollars.

b. Satoshi would get no recognition, awards, or Pulitzer Prizes.

c.Satoshi would have to forego fame, money, and power for the benefit of the world and humans don’t usually do that. Satoshi knew that if humans were involved it was prone to corruption so humans had to be eliminated from the protocol but that had never been done before.

To make matters worse, Satoshi had to figure out how to disappear.

a. Without a trace of anyone seeing him EVER!

b. No friends, no family, no mother, no father, no girlfriend, no work history. Satoshi had to disappear like an alien even though he was emailing a group of cypher-punks who knew everything about how to track people online.

c. He succeeded, but it has never been done in human history. Interesting.

2. What about human suffering and inequality? Here is another first in the history of technology.

a. If delivering hope and a purpose for the future is a good anecdote for suffering, then bitcoin fulfills a key need that can go a long way

in enduring pain and suffering. Bitcoin is hope for billions of people who live outside the U.S. in an inflation torn economy which is eroding in front of their eyes.

b. Millions of people have put videos online saying bitcoin is their only hope and bitcoin even has a website www.hope.com We will not delve into all the evidence of what long-term thinking and hope can do for people who are suffering, but the benefits are tremendous.

c. Bitcoin is the first-time technology has allowed billions of people to own property without fear of having that property confiscated, stolen, seized, or devalued by their government.

d. Bitcoin is the first time that property can be transferred to any person in the world without Western Union or money transfer companies and can be done for virtually free and it’s getting better by the day.

e. Open-source protocols means everyone is invited to bitcoin no matter their race, color, religion, or socio-economic status. Everyone is welcome. Banks are no longer needed, and circular economies are forming around the world. Fix the money, fix the world is a popular belief and it appears to be playing out in front of our eyes and many are not aware of what this profound technology is doing and how they might learn more about it.

In other words, there is no inequality with bitcoin, it is already affecting millions of people’s lives for the better and books are being written about what is called ‘The Bitcoin Effect’.

No technology has ever had this effect on human beings and it’s growing exponentially.

3. What about death? Certainly, no technology can solve the problem of the inevitability of death, right?

a. I guess it depends on your definition of death. In other words, many believe human beings have a spirit and a body. Many human beings are dead right now spiritually even though they are alive physically. What is better? We don’t know but being alive spiritually has profound effects on being alive physically.

b. Blaise Pascal the famous mathematician and philosopher put forth Pascal’s Wager which challenges human beings to test and see if there is a possibility that there is life after death and C.S. Lewis the famous author said the same thing.

Maybe human beings need purpose to live and without that purpose, life is not really worth living and we find ourselves empty looking for more.

Is there a technology that can help us live on the inside and bring purpose and meaning to our outside physical lives? Maybe.

We don’t know these things, but it is interesting that a new technology known as Bitcoin is currently challenging those who study it the most with concepts and beliefs in which the person has never felt previous. Interesting.

Thank you for reading.

Maybe human beings need purpose to live and without that purpose, life is not really worth living and we find ourselves empty looking for more