Digital First Magazine – March 2023 – 10 Must-Watch Innovative Coaching Service Providers – 2023

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March 2023 Vol - 4 Issue - 4

Must-Watch Innovative Coaching Service Providers 2023

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Sarath Shyam

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TheChanging Paradigmsofthe CoachingIndustry

Despite an industry of intelligent individuals, the professional coaching business is massive. With an estimated market size of US 2.85 billion, coaching has become a rapidly growing industry, with more and more people looking for ways to improve their lives and reach their goals. As per the industry reports, 99% of individuals and companies who hire a coach are “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the experience. In fact, constructive coaching enhances employee engagement, retention, and well-being, which are crucial to success in the modern world and essential in a highly competitive global job market.

“When working as a Business Coach, I’m frequently confronted with the suffering of employees, team leaders and executives in connection to their professional activities,” says Eleonora Bonacossa, an effective, versatile, and internationally active Management Consultant and Leadership Coach. The founder of ARETA, New Perspectives for Leaders, a consulting firm based in Frankfurt, Germany, Eleonora provides clients with tools, frameworks, and exercises that effectively develop their leadership

confidence, courage, and inner connection, through deep awareness and proven methods. This issue of Digital First Magazine results from our efforts to bring inspiring stories of coaches like Eleonora, who have successfully positioned themselves as experts in their field and built a solid personal brand to thrive in this ever-growing industry.

We congratulate Dr. Kapil Apshankar and Rupali Apshankar, Dhairya Udeshi, Eleonora Bonacossa, Grace C. De Castro, Jeremy Stegall, Kawtar El Alaoui, Lidia Kuleshnyk, Pamela Kurt, Dr. Priscilla “Dr. P” Kucer, Ryan Nicholas Leong Wei Ren and Susan Carabello for being featured in among the Must-Watch Innovative Coaching Service Providers - 2023.

Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

BUILDING CONFIDENCE, COURAGE AND CONNECTIONS

64

Blissvana

Coaching the Universal Language of Change and Learning

Dhairya Udeshi

Executive Director, Shape Up LLC, Personal Trainer, Career, & Confidence Coach

Transforming Clients To Feel More Confident & Better About Themselves

Jeremy Stegall

Founder, Where the Change Happens Coaching, LLC

An Agent for a Positive Change

Kawtar El Alaoui

Founder & CEO, Conscious Togetherness, Inc.

Unfolding Potential and Peace from Within

114

Lidia Kuleshnyk

Founder, Apona Healing

Helping Individuals Become Centered, Connected, & Conscious Leaders of their Lives and of the World

Pamela Kurt

Professional Women Life Coach, Best Version of You LLC

Guiding Women to Successfully Establish & Lead Their Own Successful Careers

Dr. Priscilla Kucer

Founder, CEO, and Principal Coach, Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC ®

Empowering Micro Business Owners to Achieve their Business Goals & SoAR High

Ryan Nicholas

Creating Career Solutions for the Young by the Young 126

142

Leong Wei Ren

Susan Carabello

Manifestation Coach, Author, & Motivational Speaker

Helping Clients Transform their Lives with Purpose, Vision, & Gratitude

Grace C. De Castro Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, V+A Consulting

Nicolas Babin, President, Babin Business Consulting

Many Industries

Dr. Djamila Amimer, CEO and Founder, Mind Senses Global

Susan Walsh, Founder & MD, The Classification Guru

Do

How ChatGPT

Changing Content Marketing 138

Prized Possessions

Ending Up on The Dark Web

COVER STORY

Eleonora BUILDING CONFIDENCE, COURAGE AND CONNECTIONS

Born in the coastal town of Pesaro, Italy, Eleonora Bonacossa and her family have called Frankfurt, Germany home since 1990. An effective, versatile, and internationally active Management Consultant and Leadership Coach, Eleonora is the founder of ARETA, New Perspectives for Leaders, a consulting firm based in Frankfurt, Germany. Through deep awareness and proven methods, she provides clients with tools, frameworks, and exercises that effectively develop their leadership confidence, courage, and inner connection. She is a master at getting to the “heart of the issue” through her pro-active listening skills and well-focused questions. Equally at ease in a one-to-one Leadership Coaching, leading a Dynamic Workshop, or giving a Keynote Speech, Eleonora is also passionate about emboldening women around the globe to become Change-Makers. Her clients value her for her exceptional dedication and overall commitment to excellence. Her book, 6 Leadership Skills to Unleash the Game Changer in You and Your Team: A Compact Guide to Creating Transformational Leaders, Teams and Workplaces, aims to place the human side of the business in the foreground, and encourage leaders and employees to become real Game Changers. It serves as a companion to her, 6 Top Core Leadership Skills to Inspire Conversation, Reflection, and Internalization, as well as aid in practising and applying the skills themselves. We caught up with Eleonora to learn more about her recent endeavours. Here are the excerpts.

Life Experiences that Made Me a Leader

Leadership means ‘being of service.’ You might laugh, but it’s the same spirit of service I used to feel as a young Girl Scout in Italy, and I experience the same feeling when doing the following:

Coaching my clients

Writing about virtuous leadership

Living out ‘Business’ as a vocation

Serving as a Eucharistic Minister or Reader at a Catholic Mass Striving each day to live out the Social Teaching of the Church, which has as its first pillar, placing people at the heart and centre of everything.

Looking back on my earlier life, one of the most meaningful things for me was accompanying the monk Brother Elias as his

translator during his multiple visits to church communities throughout Germany. I can still recall witnessing how he spoke with different people: attentively listening to each of them, asking them profound questions, sitting quietly as each person opened their hearts up to him, and creating a space where each individual felt safe to reveal their own profound pain and suffering. In this intense process, Brother

Elias also taught me what leadership is truly about. In many aspects, the many hours spent with him inspired my work and my book, “6 Leadership Skills.”

Something else that profoundly impacted my career development was attending a 3-year course in Rome on the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church. This course not only opened my eyes to the meaning of Servant and Transformational Leadership, but it revealed to me the inestimable treasure the Church

LIFE IS REFLECTION AND ACTION. THERE ARE NO STANDARD PATHS BUT ONLY PERSONAL PATHS, WHICH ARE AS UNIQUE AND UNREPEATABLE AS THE INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES

LEADERS HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE THEY MANAGE. THEY CAN FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIVES; THEREFORE, THEY MUST LOVE THE PEOPLE THEY MANAGE IF THEY HOPE TO EFFECTIVELY LEAD THEM

possesses in Her teachings on the beauty and value of the Human Person.

Though my career has not been linear, I don’t perceive that this has negatively affected me or my career. In fact, I find linear careers dull and often need more experience and variety! Life should be about continuous transformation

and development. Life is reflection and action. There are no standard paths but only personal paths, which are as unique and unrepeatable as the individuals themselves.

Being an Italian, I have naturally been very creative in mixing my passions for humanistic studies (European languages and literature at

the Alma Mater in Bologna and Heidelberg) with Management (SDA Business School in Milan), with a fascination for Church Social Teaching (Lateran University, Rome), with Business and Leadership Coaching (Cologne, Germany), and later with Solution-Oriented, Short-Term Coaching (Munich, Germany) and Facilitation. These various paths ultimately led me to become the successful woman and leadership coach I am today; for that, I will be forever grateful.

The absolute highlights of my career have been, in addition to living abroad and having a young family in Germany:

Completing my humanities studies in Bologna with top marks

Completing a Master of Science in Social Management at Bocconi with Honors

Attending a 3-year course in Rome on Church Social Teaching and, in the end, receiving a diploma with honours.

And later:

Being granted the honour of speaking officially to Pope Benedict XVI. (October 2011)

Publishing my book and workbook on leadership in both German and English. Receiving an honorary Doctorate in Advanced Studies from Azteca University in Mexico. (Dec. 2022)

The Role of a Business Coach: Helping Organisations to be Successful and Future-Proof

I agree with Patrick Lencioni when he wrote, “I believe that management is a ministry,” and with Pope Francis, who declared, “Business is a vocation, a noble vocation!”

Leaders have a huge impact on the people they manage. They can fundamentally change people’s lives; therefore, they must love the people they manage if they hope to effectively lead them.

Teams, organisations and companies are not just abstract entities. First and foremost, it is always about the people who make up a team or organization, whether these are forprofit or non-profit.

That means we are always and exclusively talking about people! (PeopleCenteredness). It’s not enough to say, “we believe in People first,” leaders and managers must really acknowledge them, see them, and listen to them!

As a business coach, I am constantly reminding my clients that they are human beings, that they must remain “human,” and that it is okay to make and admit their mistakes.

The heart of much of my work often includes working on relationships, helping to train and develop relational skills, those very skills that make us human.

I tell organisations, for example, that they need to rethink their role in helping to safeguard the mental health of their employees if they want to continue to exist and stay in the marketplace.

This includes asking leaders if they really love their people.

Often, it is my role to encourage my clients to become Game Changers (which is why I wrote my book, 6 Leadership Skills) so that they might become someone who dares to admit that the rules of the game have become dysfunctional and obsolete and no longer serve them or the organisation.

In doing so, they have become someone who has chosen the future by taking control and choosing to Change the Game.

Game-Changing is first a bold decision, then a bold strategy and finally a bold mindset. Moreover, Game-Changing is a skill, a skill that can be learned.

So, my role is coaching others how to initiate Game Changing!

Overcoming the Challenges as a Business Coach

When working as a Business Coach, I’m frequently confronted with the suffering of employees, team leaders and executives in connection to their professional activities.

The former often site feelings of alienation, loneliness or of feeling ignored, unheard, and unappreciated. Further facets of their distress include working in a fearful environment where they are uninformed, afraid to give honest feedback or able to develop to their fullest capacity.

I often meet managers who have yet to learn what drives their employees, how they can be motivated or even how to reach out to them. Loneliness, existential fears, loss of control, and an inability to connect heart and head when making decisions are often their chief concerns when seeking coaching.

I witness how my clients suffer due to their inability to increase productivity and innovation, develop a positive workplace culture, or counteract the frequent turnovers and departures due to mental health issues.

The greatest cause of the described grievances lies in managers’ difficulty to see and acknowledge their employees as their company’s greatest asset, in whom management should be committed to investing fully.

It is not easy to reach this type of breakthrough, as it requires lots of intense, proactive listening, helping others feel safe to speak openly about vulnerability and courage, and then working to activate the resources that everyone has deep within. Doing so often reveals the surprising truth that we have always possessed “at least 25 possibilities” to act differently! This is the type of work I get to do, and I love it!

ARETA and Its Vision and Mission

The name ARETA derives from the ancient Greek word “Noble” or “Virtuous”. Even Socrates, Plato and Aristotle described it as the sum of all the human virtues that serve our common good and the means for cultural prosperity and economic success.

When creating ARETA - new perspectives for leaders, my initial vision was to empower people to realise their full potential to reach “human flourishing.” My definition of “human flourishing” is encouraging consciousness and empowering individuals, both personally and professionally, for the benefit of everyone. Ultimately, my goal with ARETA is to accompany you as you reveal, in the truest sense of the word, the best version of yourself right now, whether in a team, an organisation or a company.

When you grow as a leader yourself, you allow other people to grow with you. Using Transformational Leadership, we strengthen this reciprocity, providing you with a 360° view that brings together all the many dimensions of your humanity, allowing your leadership qualities to flourish.

My concern for the future is easily seen by ARETA’s logo: It shows a head turning to the right towards the future. The words that form

the head are the building blocks of my coaching, which also form the whole human being. Within the head, the heart is visible. It stands for the fact that we can only successfully evolve when we combine Emotion with Reason, Heart with Brain.

Creating a human-centered working environment and establishing a humane business culture are my main goals, as well as those of countless people on this planet. So why are we so slow to transform this environment when so many desperately yearn for it? According to my vision, the work world should be redesigned so that people feel good, achieve common goals, grow together, and strengthen each other. If business – one of the oldest human activities –can become more humane, it will significantly enrich humankind and preserve our environment.

My aim with ARETA is to support everything you do as a person and leader, in order to help you achieve excellence. Excellence is the sum of your values and virtues, your know-how and knowledge, you’re your individual skills and talents. You can fully exploit their potential and use it for the benefit of all.

My belief in “human integral development” means I will guide you in this transformation process. Using your business as a force for good, you can help to build a new, values-based business culture: motivate your team, improve relationships, communicate constructively, and implement your shared objectives together. This creates sustainable, long-term success at all levels!

My philosophy can be summed up as: clear management + solid strategy + values-based culture = sustainable success.

Each of us should continue to maintain these values so that more people will participate in a values-based culture.

My Core Values:

ULTIMATELY, MY GOAL WITH ARETA IS TO ACCOMPANY YOU AS YOU REVEAL, IN THE TRUEST SENSE OF THE WORD, THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF RIGHT NOW, WHETHER IN A TEAM, AN ORGANISATION OR A COMPANY

The human person is at the centre of everything.

Doing good is more important than good doing.

The future of leadership lies in uniting

heart and mind - harmonising discord between strategies and values.

Inner-rooted values:

Be honest. Take action. Be in complete agreement with your values and your attitude

Be authentic. Remove masks and stop playing roles.

Believe in yourself. Believe in others. Respect yourself. Respect others. Take responsibility for everything you do.

Use your emotional and social intelligence. Be reliable.

Outwardly directed values:

Business and Professional Work are a vocation. Understand the connection between what you do and your service to people and society.

Strive in everything you do based on our highest human and cultural values and the “Ethic of virtue” for excellence.

Act in the public’s interest for the “common good.”

Communicate honestly and confidently. Remain constant in your credibility, reliability and humility.

The Process of Customizing Training Programs

The client or organisation that has requested coaching from me will formulate and then communicate the goal they wish to achieve to me - in as concrete and precise form as possible. I ask them to write it down in black and white; this is of enormous help.

This is followed by an initial phone call or meeting, in which the client/coachee and I briefly introduce ourselves. In the phone call or meeting, I outline in advance (depending on the type of program chosen) the coaching structure, the number of sessions, online or in-person mode, etc.

I then send the coachee a very detailed questionnaire, as well as a request for a list of their strengths, giving them adequate time to complete it.

Before the official session begins, the coachee receives some reminders, a small surprise gift, and a personalised, handwritten card of encouragement from me.

As far as I am concerned, the coaching process starts long before the first official session. It starts from the first contact, from when I first received the pre-set goal, written out in black and white, and from that moment, I carefully read the things written on the questionnaire and their list of personal strengths. From that moment, having already received precise information through a very creative process, I began to think and feel which methods, tools and questions I could use to support my coachee so that the solution - already in them - could emerge clearly and effortlessly.

Coaching is a highly impactful, creative process which is incredibly individualised and as unique as the people themselves are.

Impactful, unique and unrepeatable because I am interacting with a human person. Of this, I am fully aware. In coaching, each session is different, even though the challenges can often be similar for some leaders.

Structuring the Contents

The first step is to define for which target audience I want to offer the program, to clearly identify its challenges, and to construct an

ad hoc “Time-frame” (number of sessions, overall duration of the Coaching) that is objectively realistic to achieve the set goal. The content should be chosen and tailored to the established goal after carefully researching and speaking with a few key clients. This is a crucial moment because it is from them that the most important choice of content comes. Not least, special attention should also be given to the choice of the program title, which, besides being “eye-catching,” should also be inspirational, thoughtful, and perhaps even slightly provocative.

The Most Successful Coaching Initiative

My most successful Coaching Initiative is my best-selling Coaching Program, “I can do it!”

This is a highly intensive, one-month, accompanied coaching, focused on achieving the client’s desired goal.

The overall effectiveness of the program lies in its remarkably successful mix of systemic Business Coaching, Solution-Oriented ShortTerm Coaching, Career-Coaching, as well as some highly valued psychological support in the form of a 24/7 “Help-line,” a type of open channel between my client and me during their coaching period. In this way, the coachee doesn’t have to wait until their next Coaching session to ask questions and share emotions

LIFE-LONG LEARNING IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND SO I AM CONSTANTLY IN LEARNING MODE. IT IS ALSO PART OF MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ETHOS TO CONSTANTLY UPDATE MY KNOWLEDGE REGARDING METHODOLOGIES AND THE ACQUISITION OF NEW TOOLS TO HELP MY CLIENTS

or ideas but can communicate via a private Messenger Chat with me, their Coach. This is a very innovative feature of my program.

Generally, there are three ways for me to feel and know that the coaching/training was successful:

1.My highly developed 6th sense. It is a moment during Coaching when I internally have a “Wow” effect. It is that moment when I sense the coachee is activating their (often hidden and/or unknown) inner resources, is regaining confidence in themself or their team, and has decided to do something bold and courageous. That “wow” moment signals to me that the coaching is succeeding. I literally witness the person blossom before my eyes!

2. At the end of coaching, I am often privileged to be given direct and honest feedback from my coachee about their overall experience.

3. Suppose I work for an institution or an organisation. In that case, I receive feedback in the form of a very structured survey, anonymously filled out by the coachees, that the organisation forwards back to me.

About the Book: 6 Leadership Skills

I am well aware of the vast amount of Leadership literature currently flooding the Market. With my book however, I am aiming to reach the often, forgotten hearts of Leaders with a simple message written in clear and

authentic language. After all, the determination to change one’s behaviour is not only made with the head but, above all, with the heart.

I also know that many other skills are being extensively discussed and researched. I have chosen, however, to focus on the 6 Top Core Leadership Skills that trigger the most sustainable and revolutionary changes.

My book is designed to serve as a companion to the 6 Top Core Leadership Skills, to inspire conversation, reflection, and internalisation, as well as aid in practising and applying the skills themselves.

Engaging further with key competencies, not just theorising about them, helps develop our leadership style by actively shaping a new world of work that is more humane, inclusive, and open.

With this book, I want to accompany people to the next leadership level. This journey begins by admitting that you don’t have all the answers and then demonstrating a willingness to listen to others proactively and treat everyone involved, including yourself, with compassion. Ultimately, it leads to the most important task of a leader: creating the right work environment so that people on the team can thrive. The right work environment is created through three specific qualities: valuing, caring, and encouraging.

This book is deliberately short, compact, and to the point.

Things that are not in the Blurb

I’m going to share with you the 6 leadership skills:

1. Recognise You Don’t Have All the Answers

2. Listen Proactively

3. Provide Safety

4. Appreciate

5.Care

6.Encourage

I hope the readers become so courageous as to initiate Game Changing in their organisation by experimenting and applying just some of these skills.

Can you imagine Leaders admitting and showing their vulnerability?

Leaders that proactively listen to their team members and let them feel heard and seen?

Can you imagine how concretely impactful this could be?

I would like the readers not to refer to them as “Soft skills,” for they are anything but soft. They are HUMAN SKILLS that cannot be learned in a Business School but only through ordinary, everyday interaction and relationships with others.

These are Game-Changing skills; these are real leadership skills!

The Most Challenging Part of Writing

It’s certainly an inspiring and creative process. I am aware of the responsibility I must carry for what I am writing, which is a legacy I am leaving to the world. The moment of release or publication feels like letting go of some part of myself out into the world.

The more difficult times are when I lack inspiration and when I simply can’t move forward despite having made a detailed daily schedule.

My writing schedule resembles a Benedictine monk’s: “ora et labora,” “pray and work.” I am fully immersed and focused on my writing, with no distractions and absolutely no devices!

But it’s my wonderful husband, my best friend, who I must truly thank for supporting me and taking extra special care of me during those challenging periods of writing. It’s his

loving support, constant friendship, and great humour that sustain me most, not to mention his incredible skills in the kitchen, that make it all possible.

As an example, I would like to share with you a story. Before writing “6 Leadership Skills,” I gave myself a deadline. I told my husband that if I didn’t finish the manuscript on time, there would be consequences, specifically plunging into the icy waters of the Nidda River in front of the ARETA Coaching Institute. On May 1st, my husband came into my office, and I still hadn’t finished the book, so I knew what to do. Mustering my courage, we stepped out of my office together, walked to the edge of the

river and without saying a word, I dove into the waters of the frigid Nidda. While I swam around for a couple of minutes, my darling husband looked on and, without saying a word, made a video of me and smiled. We still laugh about it to this day!

Education and Life as a Student

I always enjoyed learning new things and was diligent in school. My mother often told me how proud she was of me after the annual conferences with my teachers. I also have a very vivid memory of my first English book, which I really loved and still cherish to this day, as well as the object I absolutely loved the most in my youth: the globe,

WITH THIS BOOK, I WANT TO ACCOMPANY PEOPLE TO THE NEXT LEADERSHIP LEVEL. THIS JOURNEY BEGINS BY ADMITTING THAT YOU DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS AND THEN DEMONSTRATING A WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO OTHERS PROACTIVELY AND TREAT EVERYONE INVOLVED, INCLUDING YOURSELF, WITH COMPASSION

which I used to spend endless afternoons studying as I memorised the various cities and countries of the world. This most likely stems from my love for the planet earth and explains my emotion when I see photos of the “blue planet” taken from space. It moves me every time.

Lifelong learning and staying in LearnModus are deeply ingrained in me and have become my personality traits. Having studied classical ballet from the age of ten until my early twenties meant that I experienced the following:

The discipline of performing exercises at the barre, first on one side and then the other. Having a mirror in front of me developed the ability to be slightly selfcritical and a remarkable aesthetic sense for a successful movement.

The practice of continuous training and repetition of, e.g., a particular step or move until you get it right.

Many years of ballet ultimately taught me that mastery takes massive amounts of practice, devotion, patience, and the ability to be completely honest with yourself and your mistakes. For it was only by being truly honest with myself that I could ultimately improve and grow as a dancer.

Significant Milestones

There is a moment in my life that, besides being - and remaining - absolutely unique, has also given and taught me so much about my work as a coach.

In October 2011, I had the honour of delivering a short speech of greeting to the Pope Benedict XVI on behalf of the German Branch of the Centesimus Annus Foundation. After that speech, I had the opportunity to engage the Pope in conversation while looking into his smiling blue eyes and holding his delicate hands in mine.

Why do I share this story? Because from that moment on, I recall the energy and courage of that moment when I am “on the spot” or face something extra challenging, such as an important keynote, a seminar, etc. I say with a certain lightness and irony, “Eleonora, you’ve spoken to a Pope, so what are you worried about? You’re going to be great!” Reliving that meeting with Pope Benedict XVI is like

I HOPE THE READERS BECOME SO COURAGEOUS AS TO INITIATE GAME CHANGING IN THEIR ORGANISATION BY EXPERIMENTING AND APPLYING JUST SOME OF THESE SKILLS

receiving an added injection of courage, reminding me that no one is unapproachable and that, in the end, we are all just human beings in need of a hand to hold.

Life-long learning is important to me and so I am constantly in learning mode. It is also part of my personal and professional ethos to constantly update my knowledge regarding methodologies and the acquisition of new tools to help my clients.

Many of these I have learned and acquired at various training and refresher courses, featuring some of the most world-renowned coaches, business leaders, scientists and scholars in their fields today, including Keith Ferrazzi, Robin Sharma, Patrick Lencioni, Joe Dispensa, Carla Harris, Brené Brown, Seth Godin, Maya Storch, Sabine Asgodom and many others. In addition, attending international meetings, such as the Nordic Business Forum (NBF), has allowed me to not only listen and learn from many of these experts but also meet and interact with them personally.

Finally, being a member of DVCT, the German Association of Coaches and Trainers, has allowed me to learn about the latest trends in Leadership and Coaching and constantly expand my areas of expertise alongside many of my wonderful and distinguished German colleagues.

Tips to Avoid Burnouts

I am a polyglot and offer coaching in three languages: German, English, and Italian. I know from experience that the quality of the language spoken is directly proportional to my energy level that day.

Suppose I arrive at a coaching or training session tired, without enough rest or the necessary positive relational energy. In that

case, I may have trouble finding the appropriate wording in my language.

And in Coaching, not using the right “wording” is crucial to success.

When I can’t find the right words in the language in question and am forced into a long paraphrase, that is a sign that my energy level that day is not at its optimum.

The lessons here are:

Avoid being sleep-deprived.

Always take time before a Coaching to centre myself and “charge” myself inwardly.

Be easy on myself if a coaching session is not as successful as planned.

Remember that I, too, am a human being and not (always) superwoman.

Can only inspire if I’m inspired. I must actively work to keep my enthusiasm, energy and inner fire burning.

Handling Pressure and Staying Calm

All Day

I belong to that breed of humans who identify with the hashtag #5amclub. This routine has been a total Game Changer for me!

My day begins by waking up early and immediately performing a 20-minute workout, a 20-minute meditation/prayer, and then 20 minutes of reading or journaling.

Next, I shower and get ready, afterwards enjoying breakfast with the family before settling into my workday.

If I don’t have coaching sessions, my work routine is structured into 90-minute time slots, always followed by a 15-minute break. Since I live in a nature preserve, I usually head out for a short walk in nature and then start again with the same rhythm: 90 Minutes, total focus on work, followed by 15 minutes of rest. It works!

Lately, I have been feeling immense pressure because of a series of wonderful but challenging commitments featuring tight deadlines and much preparation. I need to avoid caffeine completely, because it makes me even more anxious, and to kindly ask my partner if there are some things I might delegate to him. I am so glad to have him on my team at such moments!

In addition, learning to simply say “no” to many requests, especially over LinkedIn.

Something else I have found particularly helpful is performing some mindfulness routines during one of my 15-minute breaks. This might be a moment of stillness where I simply focus on my breath or a “body-scan” meditation to the beautiful voice of Danny Penman.

I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THE GREATEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO US IS REALISING THAT OUR TRUE PATH AS LEADERS, TEAM LEADERS, OR COACHES IS THE PATH TO OUR PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION

In the hot summer months, after doing intellectual activities in the office, I love spending some time in my “food forest,” my little garden oasis where I can escape and enjoy picking fruit with my own hands.

Finally, I am an art lover, so being around artists and great works of art, are also endless sources of inspiration.

Bringing Changes into People’s Lives

I want to help leaders, team leaders, or coachees understand that the greatest thing that can happen to them is discovering that their true path is the path of personal transformation. Meaning that each of us, through the activities we do, the interactions we share, and the lessons we learn, are growing and transforming ourselves to become fully human and fully and truly who we were made to be.

We are born to flourish. Human flourishing is both a path and a goal. I want to communicate and instil this awareness in every person and organisation I interact with.

Advice for a Successful Life

To the leaders, I want to remind all of you who are passionate about business not to forget that you are, first and foremost, a human being, and you must commit yourself to remaining HUMANE, investing in people first.

Moreover, we must remember that those leaders who manage other human beings have an enormous impact on other people’s lives and are thus in the unique and privileged position of being able to decide the future destinies of others. This must be managed with a deep sense of commitment and responsibility.

I would also like to remind leaders that each person is a unique and unrepeatable human

being. Their task as leaders must be to provide the conditions for each individual to develop and flourish (Human Flourishing).

Leadership is a vocation, and “it’s not about us. It’s all about others.” After 2000 years of poor leadership examples (with exceptions, of course), the world is in dire need of thoughtful leaders.

At this time, I would like to urge all Leaders: bring your diversity into the world, create and develop your own personal leadership style that will help you and your team enjoy their work and take leadership to the next level - to the level of Reciprocity and Co-Elevation.

To the people, I want to remind you all that life can change in a moment, so it is important to savour the blessings of each day.

Lastly, I would ask everyone to remember that we are on this incredible planet together and that the Earth is our common home.

Only by each one of us, living out our uniqueness, in respect for the differences of others, and in the full dimension of reciprocity and collaboration, can we all live full, thriving and flourishing lives.

Goals and Plans

I am currently preparing for a truly unique experience: I will be a member of the Soroptimist European delegation attending the United Nations in New York to participate in the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

The theme of this year’s 67th session is “Innovation and Technological Change, and Education in the Digital Age for Achieving Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Women and Girls.”

There is a Zero Draft that delegation representatives from the world’s largest organisations will work on. They will meet

I AM CURRENTLY PREPARING FOR A TRULY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE: I WILL BE A MEMBER OF THE SOROPTIMIST EUROPEAN DELEGATION

ATTENDING THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

in that iconic building, discussing what should become the Final Draft. So, we will undertake one of the most challenging things to do when the biggest organisations of civil society worldwide come together: gathering all the many different perspectives and then attempting to integrate them while ensuring that each of us feels our individual voice has been heard.

I will also be busy promoting my book in India and other English-speaking countries and continuing to expand my global network, which I have been expanding over the past few years.

Currently, I am developing a new, 6-month Premium Coaching Program for my clients. It is still in the early stages, but I am

really excited about its potential results for my clients.

A TedTalk is one dream I hope to realise this year if I can make the time.

Further optimising my best-selling “I Can Do It” program with the insights I have gathered over the past two years. During that time, I successfully offered it to several German educational institutions. It is often a matter of tweaking small things, ultimately making a significant difference for everyone involved.

When preparing different Webinars and conferences, I always aim to touch people’s hearts and make them feel good in my presence. That is what they will remember: not the words said or the things done, but how they will have felt when I said those things.

Applications of the Metaverse Across Many Industries

Nicolas Babin, President, Babin Business Consulting

Alot has been written about the Metaverse since Marc Zuckerberg announced his new vision for the then named Facebook company.

Today, I would like to explain more in detail about where it comes from, all markets involved and the transformation the latest web development (also known as web 3) is bringing.

As a definition, I looked at Wikipedia and found:

“In futurism and science fiction, the metaverse is a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal and immersive virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets. In colloquial use, a metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection.

The term “metaverse” originated in the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash as a portmanteau of “meta” and “universe.” Metaverse development is often linked to advancing virtual

The rising world for all types of realities such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Extended Reality with VR headsets now being launched and available for the mass market

Nicolas Babin is an agile Senior Executive with over 35 years of international, multilingual, and multicultural experience. He is a Key Opinion Leader and Influencer for many international brands as well as Start-ups and Scale-ups. He has had management experience in both the East and West, setting up and managing international teams in Europe, US, and Japan. Nicolas has started and developed over 26 companies in the US, UK, and France. He has been involved with AI since 1996, launching the robotic division for Sony Europe and has received many distinguished awards. He has had two IPO experiences on the Nasdaq and NYSE and many Fundraising experiences. He is a sought-after international keynote speaker on innovation, e-health, digital and robotics. He is also the author of the award-winningbookcalled‘Thetalking dog’ – immersion in new technologies. He has sat and sits on several boards intheUS,Europe,andJapan.Currently, Nicolas is the President at Babin Business Consulting.

reality technology due to increasing demands for immersion…”

The Metaverse is the combination of several “worlds” as I see it:

First out of the internet as we know it today, we can isolate all users connected thanks to phones (with 5G connections), tablets and PCs (with high connectivity such as fiber, Wifi 6…). It is true that experiencing the Metaverse requires fast access to servers with performant cloud services. But also, as we see happening, all new services come now as immersive applications/solutions.

The rising world for all types of realities such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Extended Reality with VR headsets now being launched and available for the mass market.

The Metaverse is coming to life in a very efficient way because new technology allows it to, but let’s ensure we use all our knowledge in protecting ourselves as we move to a phygital world

The commerce world of the web 3 and the availability of blockchain technologies: This allows buying and selling things in a much easier and virtual way with NFTs (NonFungible Tokens).

Finally, the expansion of the social media world that will allow communication, exchange and promotion of services and assets.

To ensure success in the Metaverse, the above 4 worlds will be your environment, your sand pit if you would.

The Metaverse is happening now due to 2 factors:

All the technologies that make the 4 worlds mentioned above have become available to the general public. Moreover, many large companies in various fields such as social media, conventional media, Fintech, sports, retail and fashion industries have started to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in this “new” development.

It was tried before with the environment called second life that launched back in 2003. Second life did not have a chance to make it because the technologies were not mainstream and because we then lacked several elements (such as Blockchain and NFTs) as well as big companies investing large amounts of money to make it successful. Second life helps us to ensure we have learned from the past.

Today, brands see the benefits that the Metaverse can bring to the table. It not only offers an immersive world that gamification mechanics have been promoting for a long time to create engagement and loyalty, but it also allows brands to reach new audiences. We now have Generation G (or Z) users coming to the market as customers and they expect new

and immersive experiences. These users have been immersed in the internet and gaming for a long time now (since they can remember) and the rise of the Metaverse allows them to excel. They find several elements that make them comfortable. The fact that the Metaverse is always accessible; it is real-time with very low latency (hence the need for fast connections); many people, businesses and objects can interact and operate at the same time (the link to social media is important here); it can be commercially or non-commercially focused; it is immersive and combines physical and digital environments (what we call the phygital world) and last but not least, it has an efficient economy (as I mentioned, you can buy, exchange, create, mint, own a variety of physical, digital solutions, services and assets).

Now that we understand better the whys and hows of the Metaverse, let’s have a look at the markets that are involved in this new world.

As I mentioned above, we see many companies getting involved and pouring large sums of money into the Metaverse. I am not going to name them all, but they are mainly in the following areas: Social Media, conventional Media, Fintech, Sports, Retail and Fashion industries. However, more markets will need to get involved as I believe we will see more and more applications coming to main stream market such as the luxury or art markets (as we see NFTs being minted for watches, paintings, photos…) but also the automotive market, the electronic market and any market where Extended Realities are being used across the value chain (from engineering to logistics, marketing, sales, support, communication….). The gaming market will benefit also from the

rise of the Metaverse as it will allow easier ownership of virtual assets. It will be also the easiest entry point for a lot of people who have been gamers for years (like myself). My first Metaverse experience besides games was with Nikeland on Roblox (Nike).

The legal market will also need to evolve and transform itself. It will need to prepare contracts for the commerce side of the Metaverse, but it will also need to prepare itself and serve clients present in the Metaverse in a new and disruptive way.

The metaverse will allow us to create cities and check their efficiency in terms of traffic, energy, better living conditions and efficient governance. We will be able to live a virtual experience and understand the consequences of our actions before we move them to a concrete world. The concept of smart cities and digital twins will be enhanced and more efficient.

Finally, I would like to share a wider element to the Metaverse. I strongly believe that working in the Metaverse will ensure better collaboration, better learning and will definitely reshape the way we work in very disruptive but positive way. Thanks to Covid

19, we now have experienced the use of digital tools that allow us to be performant on different platforms (like Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp or Skype). The Metaverse will allow us with the use of avatars to participate, vote, communicate in unsettling ways.

As a conclusion, I would like to focus on the issues that the Metaverse could bring if we are not careful. Cyber security will need to be tightened as with every new development, risks to personal data could be higher. The Metaverse is coming to life in a very efficient way because new technology allows it to, but let’s ensure we use all our knowledge in protecting ourselves as we move to a phygital world. As described above, legal teams will need to work and be ready to strengthen and prepare new legal documents that will protect their clients for this new environment.

My last message to you will be to start experiencing the Metaverse. You have platforms available like Roblox, Fortnite, The Sandbox and many others (like Horizon Worlds from Meta – ex Facebook or Mesh from Microsoft with integration of Teams and HoloLens headsets) and enjoy the ride.

The legal market will also need to evolve and transform itself. It will need to prepare contracts for the commerce side of the Metaverse, but it will also need to prepare itself and serve clients present in the Metaverse in a new and disruptive way

GRACE C. DE CASTRO

Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, V+A Consulting

COMBINING VISION AND ACTION TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Grace C. De Castro, a mom of two beautiful boys, is Mama G to many. She is passionate about her boys and a couple of other things: business and BTS – yes, the K-pop sensation. It is a statement highlighting what Grace values most: leaving things better for the next generation, partnering with industries and individuals to strengthen the "human" before the "resources," and celebrating the awe-inspiring magic in our differences. “Always leave it better than you found

it. This personal and professional mantra speaks about doing what I can to always add value to every interaction I am a part of. As a consultant and business coach, I strive to help others in making changes, big or small, that matter most to them. Change that sticks, change that allows them to grow and be good in their own skin,” says Grace.

As a leadership and team coach, a certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator, and the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer of V+A Consulting, Grace is authentic, fun, and deeply

IN AN EVEREVOLVING BUSINESS LANDSCAPE, I BELIEVE A COACH’S ROLE IS ABOUT HONESTY AND GUIDANCE. WITH THIS IN MIND, I HELP ORGANIZATIONS BY PARTNERING WITH MY CLIENTS. WE CONTINUE BUILDING LEADERSHIP SKILLS BY IMPROVING MINDSET AND SHARPENING CAPABILITIES

Grace C. De Castro Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, V+A Consulting

caring. In fact, these traits are evident in her business advisory work, coaching practice, and customized people programs, making her a trusted collaborator and sought-after speaker. “In an everevolving business landscape, I believe a coach’s role is about honesty and guidance. With this in mind, I help organizations by partnering with my clients. We continue building leadership

skills by improving mindset and sharpening capabilities,” pinpoints Grace.

The Leadership Journey

Success in life is not something that came on a platter for Grace. She lost her father in her teenage years, and that taught her the value of making the most out of any time given to her. She

V+A STANDS FOR “VISION + ACTION” AND ENCAPSULATES THE COMPANY’S MANTRA: AS FUTURIST JOEL BARKER SAYS: “VISION WITHOUT ACTION IS MERELY A DREAM. ACTION WITHOUT VISION JUST PASSES THE TIME. VISION WITH ACTION CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.”

was a single mom in her late 20s, which taught her so much about resilience, faith, and the power of a support system. Grace says, “Becoming a mother again in my late 30s, this time to a child on the spectrum, constantly teaches me about the magic of simple joys in a simplified life, prioritizing what matters most, and being clear about my own measures of success.”

Although personal life experiences have had the biggest impact on Grace’s life, professional

experiences have contributed to moulding her into the leader she is today. Starting as an English teacher before moving into the corporate world, Grace has worked with some of the world's biggest and most well-known companies. For nearly 20 years, she moved up the ranks in the human resources space across many industries. Six years ago, Grace became independent by launching V+A Consulting in the Philippines. “V+A Consulting, short for Vision et Agir Management Consultancy Inc., was born out of a desire to spend more time with my eldest son and return to my entrepreneurial roots. We now do business advisory, consulting, and coaching engagements, mostly around Asia, with plans to expand later this year, moving into 2024,” adds Grace.

Vision + Action

V+A stands for “Vision + Action” and encapsulates the company’s mantra: as futurist Joel Barker says: “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” However, Vision + Action was not Grace's first name choice when she conceived the idea of her coaching firm. She recounts, "When the company was being set up and registered, it took nearly 8 months to finish the process because of all the name changes we had to submit before it was approved! Maverick Management, Mavericus Consultancy, Goodness Graces Inc., and numerous other permutations were considered before Vision and Action passed government regulations –after slightly modifying it into another language (hence Vision et Agir) to finally pass obscure naming conventions/requirements.”

V+A Consulting works closely with its clients to create customized learning programs. Starting

with detailed discussions about business needs, the company considers desired outcomes and audience demographics before drafting the training program. “In most cases, when we have numerous runs of the same program, we take comments and feedback after each session and then tweak the succeeding runs accordingly. This ensures

that a program stays fresh and relevant and meets the learning objectives and client expectations,” shares Grace. Today, V+A Consulting has longstanding relationships with most of its clients. “They keep coming back to partner with V+A because they are delighted with us and how we do our work,” adds Grace.

V+A CONSULTING HAS SEVERAL ONGOING COACHING ENGAGEMENTS, TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS, LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, AND CHANGE INITIATIVES IN VARIOUS STAGES WITH NUMEROUS CLIENTS. IN THE COMING MONTHS, GRACE AND HER ASSOCIATES ARE EXCITED TO EXPAND AND DO MORE WORK ACROSS ASIA - AND THE GLOBE!

Due to fierce competition in the coaching sector, engagements are getting more complicated for V+A Consulting, and there never seems to be enough time. Grace says, “Overcoming these challenges is often a creative exercise vis-àvis a balancing act. At V+A Consulting, we are fortunate to have amazing coaches and consultants on our roster who make it easier – and far more

fun - to meet different clients' different needs, both here and abroad.”

However, for Grace, the firsts tend to be the most memorable and significant – first coaching client, first international client, first team coaching client, first repeat engagement. “You never really forget your first(s) because they taught me so much about preparation, agility, and adaptability.

With one of her best friends, Audrey, who is a frequent collaborator and a fellow certified LSP facilitator.

These firsts allowed me a foundation to build my name on my business, which has afforded me opportunities to partner with other service providers and so many wonderful talents as we continue to expand our geographic reach and improve our list of offerings,” shares Grace. V+A Consulting has several ongoing coaching engagements, transformation projects, leadership programs, and change initiatives in various stages with numerous clients. In the coming months, Grace and her team looking at expanding and doing work in countries across Asia.

Being a Leader

Grace is one step ahead of being punctual when she works with a client. When she has client meetings or work sessions, she is usually online or with them in person before their agreed time. On quieter days, she brings her youngest to school and works in her favourite coffee shop until she fetches him. “Once home, we eat together, and then I continue with my phone calls, meetings, and paperwork (proposals, billings, presentations, design work). As I have been dividing my time between Manila and Melbourne, a typical day also means working out time differences with various clients,” says Grace.

After going through many ups and downs, Grace now understands what it takes to be a leader. She says, "What matters most to you. When that is clear, what matters to others may not be of value to you. So, measure success in your own way, with your own standards.” Grace’s mantra of life success is clear: go beyond the external trappings of what “successful” looks like and be honest with

Some feedback from one of Grace’s many talks

yourself about what you really hold dear, what sort of person you strive to be, and what you would like to leave behind in this world.

As for advice, Grace shares 5 things that have helped her in life’s journey so far.

Gratitude: I’ve never forgotten this saying: “Your attitude of gratitude determines your altitude.” Be thankful for your blessings and

burdens. The former allows you to celebrate the good you now enjoy; the latter reminds you of the work it takes to make good things a reality.

Respect: Our paths are different, our experiences are varied, and our timings are our own. Respecting others and their choices should start with respecting myself and my life's journey so far. No comparisons are necessary.

Grace and some of her colleagues on a break during their recent workshop in Bangkok (back L-R: Monica, Grace / front L-R: Dingdong, Bibay)

Authenticity: After countless years of trying to conform and be "prim and proper," as I was often reminded while starting my career, I have accepted and embraced who I really am –someone who is often loud and bold and brash, and whose ways and style are not for everyone. And I am absolutely okay with this. So, stay true to yourself and keep doing you – everyone else is already taken!

Competence: Stay curious. Learning agility is key in my business. Continue to build capability and gain new skills. This helps keep the mind sharp while giving you a competitive edge in business.

Environment: Beyond your physical spaces, I see the environment as the community you belong to. Surround yourself with your tribe, your people. The ones who lift you up, champion you, and are your biggest fans. The same ones will call out your b.s. and keep you grounded and real. This support group is your lifeline; mine make up the "secret sauce" to my success.

The sayings “the clearer the why, the easier the how” and “always leave it better than you found it” are Grace’s personal guiding principles. Though recognized for the many hats she wears in her professional career, her favorite roles will always be life partner to one, Mom to two, bonus adult to another two, and Mama G to many. “My partner, my kids, our blended family, my extended family are the reasons I can do what I do because they are my safest spaces and I can be exceptional at what I do because of their love and support.” At the end of the day, Grace says: “Cheesy as it may be, I simply want to do what I can to make this world a better place. And I want to make my loved ones proud while I do so.”

#TeamDeCastro dressed as unicorns for a family celebration: Grace with her beloved boys, John (in glasses) and Tomas

10 MUST-WATCH

COACHING SERVICE PROVIDERS

2023

MUST-WATCH INNOVATIVE COACHING SERVICE PROVIDERS 2023

Blissvana

Dhairya Udeshi

Executive Director, Shape Up LLC, Personal Trainer, Career, & Confidence Coach

Website: Website: https://blissvana.com/ https://www.shapeupllc.biz/

About:

Blissvana is a boutique, holistic coaching studio that combines traditional life coaching with spiritual and wellness practices. It offers an integrative approach to personal growth and transformation, helping clients find greater balance in their lives.

About:

Based in UAE, Dhairya Udeshi’s mission as a personal trainer and life coach is to transform people physically and mentally to feel more confident and better about themselves. He is the Executive Director of Shape Up LLC, a company that provides personal and group fitness training services in the gym, outdoors, or online.

Website:

http://www.areta.global/de/

About:

An effective, versatile, and internationally active Management Consultant and Leadership Coach, Eleonora is the founder of ARETA, New Perspectives for Leaders, a consulting firm based in Frankfurt, Germany. Through deep awareness and proven methods, she provides clients with tools, frameworks, and exercises that effectively develop their leadership confidence, courage, and inner connection.

Website:

https://wherethechangehappens.com/

About:

An author, coach, and speaker, Jeremy Stegall uses his education and professional experience to bring new creative energy to the workplace, working with entrepreneurs to step through fear and commit to a new possibility for their lives and organizations.

Website:

https://www.conscioustogetherness.com/

About:

A conscious leadership consultant, coach, facilitator, mentor, and speaker, Ms. Alaoui partners with conscious leaders and organizations to create cultures of wellbeing, belonging, and peace—replacing the old paradigm.

Website:

https://www.aponahealing.com/

About:

Established in 1997, Apona Healing (derived from Epona, the horse goddess) is an innovative global leader in coaching, healing and personal development. The organization recognizes the rapid evolution of the planet.

Founder & CEO, Conscious Togetherness, Inc.

Founder, ARETA

Founder, Apona Healing

Founder, Where the Change Happens Coaching, LLC

Kawtar El Alaoui

Eleonora Bonacossa

Lidia Kuleshnyk

Jeremy Stegall

Website:

https://bestversionyou.com/

Pamela Kurt is a seasoned lawyer with over 13 years of experience and the Owner of Kurt Law Office, LLC. She has recently transitioned to career coaching to help other female lawyers take the steps they need to set up successful practices.

Website: Website:

https://drpksolutions.com/

About:

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleongweiren/

About:

Ryan’s creation and personal adoption of the GENIUS Generation Youth Coaching (GGYC) coaching framework have unlocked significant career milestones in his 20s. He is a bestselling author on Amazon for a book he co-authored with influential changemakers around the world, ‘Xtraordinary: Strategies to Live an Exceptional Life.’

About:

Dr. Priscilla Kucer (aka Dr. P) is an awardwinning business coach and the Founder & CEO of Austin-based global management consulting company Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC. Dr. Priscilla is an Adjunct Faculty at Nova Southeastern University’s School Psychology Program, which is her alma mater.

https://suecarabello.com/

About:

Susan Carabello is a highly sought-after mindset, manifestation, empowerment coach, and motivational speaker. Her most significant gift lies in her ability to communicate with clients to change their perspectives towards life, set inspirational and achievable goals, become mindful of their choices, overcome limiting beliefs and blocks, and really go after what they desire in life.

Professional Women Life Coach, Best Version of You LLC

Manifestation Coach, Author, & Motivational Speaker

Founder, CEO, and Principal Coach, Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC

Ryan Nicholas Leong Wei Ren

Pamela Kurt

Susan Carabello

Dr. Priscilla Kucer

Blissvana

Coaching the Universal Language of Change and Learning

At some point in life, we will need someone to guide and inspire us to create an actionable plan to achieve our life goals. Personal life coaches can be a great help in such situations. In fact, the demand for life coaches has been snowballing. Between 2015-2019, the number of life coaches went up by 33%. Dr. Kapil Apshankar and Rupali Apshankar, the founders of Blissvana, say,

“The life coaching industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. It is estimated that the global market for life coaching services was valued at $2 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $3.48 billion by 2026. This growth can be attributed to increasing awareness about the benefits of life coaching, combined with an increase in disposable income and the availability of more affordable coaching services.”

Dr. Kapil Apshankar & Rupali Apshankar, Founders

The relationship coaching industry has seen significant growth globally in recent years. This is due to an increased focus on selfcare and personal development and a greater understanding of the importance of healthy relationships. As people become more aware of the benefits of relationship coaching, they are increasingly turning to professionals for advice and guidance. Additionally, with the rise of technology, it’s now easier than ever for people to access quality relationship coaching services online or in person.

Dr. Kapil and Rupali say “We discovered early on in our careers that people only focus on improving the material aspects of their life and ignore the other dimensions. Hence, we decided to practice what we discovered and learned throughout our lives. And out of this experience, Blissvana was born. Today, Blissvana empowers entrepreneurs, business leaders, and high-performance individuals to discover, create, and live their dream life, a life full of bliss.”

Blissvana is a boutique, holistic coaching studio that combines traditional life coaching with spiritual and wellness practices. It offers an integrative approach to personal growth

and transformation, helping clients find greater balance in their lives. Blissvana programs also provide clients with tools for self-discovery, mindfulness, and self-care to help them achieve their life goals.

Blissvana is positioned as an accessible, affordable, and comprehensive coaching service. It provides personalized training and coaching to help individuals reach their goals in life, from career and relationships to health and wellness. Blissvana coaching offers a unique approach that combines traditional coaching techniques with modern mindfulness practices for lasting results.

Blissvana’s journey so far

Dr. Kapil and Rupali created Blissvana’s transformational life, business, and relationship coaching because it was something that they longed for in their own lives. They said, “We had experienced hard times, drained by failed relationships, struggling to succeed personally and professionally, and often feeling like we weren’t living our true purpose. Despite going through difficult years and challenging circumstances individually, something inside of us wouldn’t let us give up.”

Dr. Kapil and Rupali created Blissvana’s transformational life, business, and relationship coaching because it was something that they longed for in their own lives

They eventually discovered that the answer to the transformation they were seeking lay in the depths of their being. They also add, “we realized that successful relationships, businesses, and lives do not come down to luck or coincidence but require tools and strategies that can be learned. So, we started on a journey dedicated to uncovering what it takes to craft the life we wanted rather than try to make sense of who we had become due to our past.”

The Blissvana name was inspired by the idea of helping people discover, create, live and follow their bliss. In the words of Joseph Campbell, “If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet

people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss, and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”

They wanted to create a safe and nonjudgmental space and experience that would be calming and uplifting for everyone, so it felt like the perfect fit. “The journey has been amazing so far; we’ve been able to reach thousands of people across the world with our programs and services, and we continue to grow every day,” they add.

Blissvana has seen tremendous success in the past few years. “We have consistently achieved record-breaking business metrics, and our customer satisfaction scores have steadily increased. In addition, we have launched several new programs that have been well-received by

industry experts and consumers alike,” said Dr. Kapil and Rupali. Overall, Blissvana has been performing exceptionally well in recent years.

The business has seen steady growth since its inception. They have expanded their customer base, increased revenue, and added new programs, products, and services. They have also invested in new technology to improve efficiency and customer service. Overall, the progress has been absolutely positive, and they are confident that their success will continue.

Blissvana has seen incredible groundswell over the last few years. “We’ve seen increased customer satisfaction, revenue, and overall performance. It’s been an awesome journey, and we’re excited to see what the future holds!” they add.

Standing out from the crowd

Blissvana stands out from the crowd by offering a unique combination of holistic coaching services and programs. Dr. Kapil and Rupali say, “our offerings focus on Blisswork techniques, self-love, self-care, and mindful living, with an emphasis on reducing stress, embracing presentmoment awareness, leveraging the mind-body connection, discovering and honoring the unique purpose that we all have - and improving overall well-being across the four key areas of life: health, wealth, relationships and career. We are also strongly committed to sustainability and support organizations worldwide that share our vision. Finally, our team of amazing coaches provides personalized coaching to help clients reach their goals.”

The Blissvana philosophy to success in life is straightforward: your wisdom comes from your heart, not your head. Your true passion, purpose and the life that is perfect for you are found in your heart, not your head. So that’s what is so unique about their programs.

They have now helped more than 10,000 clients radically transform their relationships, health, mindset, and life.

Creating a safe and supportive environment for the clients

Dr. Kapil and Rupali say, “Blissvana strives to create an atmosphere of respect and acceptance by being open, honest, and non-judgmental in all interactions. Additionally, we maintain confidentiality and provide resources to help our clients reach their goals. Finally, we encourage open communication, so clients feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings.”

Blissvana clients benefit from a range of services designed to help them reach their goals and live happier, healthier lives. These include one-on-one coaching, group coaching, online programs for life-relationship-business strategies, inner work, and energy psychology techniques, and access to an online community for support and inspiration. Additionally, clients benefit from regular accountability to ensure they stay on track and make real progress toward their goals.

“Blissvana clients experience significant life and relationship transformations, including improved sleep quality, reduced stress and anxiety levels, increased energy and focus, improved mood and overall well-being, and enhanced creativity,” they add.

Ensuring clients’ satisfaction

Blissvana’s Live Your Bliss Life Transformational Framework (TM) starts with the premise that all power lies within the clients. The answers they need to live their bliss are theirs alone. Their role as coaches is to hold a loving and non-judgmental space for them and allow them to get in touch with their higher, sacred selves. They also work with various psychological tools and frameworks to create differentiated coaching and learning approaches

Blissvana stands out from the crowd by offering a unique combination of holistic coaching services and programs

that are deeply meaningful and relevant to each client.

They say, “We strive to ensure our clients are delighted with our coaching services by offering a personalized approach, providing measurable results, and following up with each client to ensure they are satisfied. We also make sure that clients have access to all the resources they need and provide ongoing support throughout the coaching process.”

Blissvana recently conducted a case study on the benefits of Blisswork for stress relief. Results showed that participants experienced a significant decrease in stress levels after just two weeks of regular Blisswork practice. Another recent case study focused on the effectiveness of Active Sound Meditation in improving focus and concentration. Results showed that participants experienced improved focus and concentration after just one week of regular Active Sound Meditation practice.

Blissvana’s clients are consistently satisfied with their results after attending a Blissvana program. “Many reports feeling more relaxed, balanced, and energized after a session. Clients regularly experience improved relationships and reduced stress levels. One of our clients recently commented that Blissvana’s services were “a truly transformative experience.” Another said they were “so glad to have found Blissvana and highly recommend it to others” they add.

They have been fortunate to have many satisfied clients from their programs. Here are a few of their testimonials:

“The. Best. Teachers. Ever. Dr. Kapil and Rupali are two of the most authentic, knowledgeable, and loving Humans on this planet! I am grateful and honored to have attended their playshop and look forward to future experiences with them.” - Edna

Gray Taylor

“Dr. Kapil and Rupali, you are the best teachers ever. The thing that I am

Blissvana clients experience significant life and relationship transformations, including improved sleep quality, reduced stress and anxiety levels, increased energy and focus, improved mood and overall well-being, and enhanced creativity

learning most about is myself. Thank you. Always happy to see your smiling faces and to learn more from you. You both are so knowledgeable. When we meet on Zoom, I just want to absorb everything from both of you. I like your gentle manner and how you patiently convey the topics. The team approach really makes it interesting. Thank you so much for leading this class. I am looking forward to the next time!”

- Victoria Ludkowski.

“Very positive and nice energy in the online program. Dr. Kapil and Rupali are very kind and patient. Also packed some powerful meditations. The program introduced me to new thoughts, which were simple and easy to understand but seemed powerful. Look forward to practicing.” - Nayan Pathak.

“Kapil is an incredible business success coach. He has a knack for understanding complex business situations and helping me to find real solutions.” - Alice.

“Rupali’s approach to relationship coaching is both knowledgeable and compassionate. I highly recommend her!” - Bob.

“Kapil and Rupali’s guidance was invaluable in helping us reach our life and relationship goals. Their insight and advice were incredibly helpful.” - Padmaja and Raj

Helping clients with meaningful goals

Dr. Kapil and Rupali say, “Our individual and group coaching has helped clients set and reach meaningful goals such as increasing their self-confidence, improving their relationships, and achieving career and business success.” They have also seen clients become more mindful of their

emotions, build healthier habits, and make positive life changes. All of these successes have been incredibly rewarding to witness.

They also add, “Our online programs have helped clients to realize a range of meaningful outcomes, from deepening relationships with loved ones to achieving professional success and financial security. We have also seen clients gain greater self-confidence, overcome personal challenges, and make positive lifestyle changes that have enabled them to live healthier and more fulfilling lives.”

Blissvana clients have achieved some fantastic goals through their events and retreats. They have seen them gain more confidence, increase self-esteem, and develop better relationships with those around them. “One client started her own business and is running a successful venture. Seeing the growth and progress of our clients have been incredibly meaningful and fulfilling,” they add.

Global market

Blissvana is focused on providing innovative growth and wellness experiences and programs to the global market. This includes online courses, virtual retreats, and live summits that promote physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial well-being. Dr. Kapil and Rupali say, “we believe there is a huge opportunity to reach people in different markets around the world with our unique programs. We are confident that Blissvana can make a real difference in people’s lives through these experiences.”

Blissvana is planning to expand its offerings by introducing new programs and experiences. “We are also looking to open up new markets

and increase our presence in existing ones. Additionally, we are exploring opportunities for partnerships with other companies that share our mission of creating a better world through sustainable business practices. Finally, we are investing in research and development to create innovative programs that will help us reach even more customers,” they add.

Future ahead

Dr. Kapil and Rupali say, “we share a grand 5-year vision for the company. As part of this plan, we want to take Live Your Bliss to a million people worldwide and empower them to create more love, happiness, and abundance in their lives. We also have some exciting short-term projects in the pipeline, including publishing Live Your Bliss as a book, launching a Blissvana growth platform, and leading research on the power of meditation, visualization, sound healing, and the mindbody connection. Apart from coaching, we are working on launching online programs on self-love, Blisswork techniques, and creating a happier life that is easily affordable and more accessible so that we can impact more people and take our vision beyond what we currently do.”

Blissvana is committed to providing its clients with the best possible personal growth and self-development experience. In the coming years, we plan to expand our services and offerings to include more virtual events and online experiences, and new ways for our clients to connect with each other. They are also working on creating a more personalized experience for each client, so they can get the most out of their Blissvana experience.

Dhairya Udeshi

Transforming Clients To Feel More Confident & Better About Themselves

Apersonal fitness coach has become a requisite in today’s fast-paced world. This is so because people’s lives have become sedentary. If people are at home, they tend to sit around, or if at work (working from home or in the office), they sit and work for longer hours. In all these scenarios, there is a lack of enough movement. Additionally, people do not consume enough water as they don’t feel thirsty while sitting, nor do they walk enough. To make matters worse, they eat junk foods like chips or sweets or oily foodstuffs to relieve the stress they experience at work. They don’t realize the dire consequences at that point in time, but as

their bodies change, they likely become prey to various lifestyle-related disorders and diseases.

Based in UAE, Dhairya Udeshi’s mission as a personal trainer and life coach is to transform people physically and mentally to feel more confident and better about themselves. He is the Executive Director of Shape Up LLC, a company that provides personal and group fitness training services in the gym, outdoors, or online. With 9+ years of experience in health and fitness, he has trained a large number of clients with all kinds of health and fitness challenges, such as running a marathon, playing at the national level, heart issues, disc injuries, spasms, arthritis (both

Executive Director, Shape Up LLC, Personal Trainer, Career, & Confidence Coach

Dhairya Udeshi, Executive Director, Shape Up LLC, Personal Trainer, Career, & Confidence Coach

rheumatoid and osteo), diabetes, blood pressure, depression, and anxiety.

Life Experiences that Led to a Career in Fitness

Dhairya had a happy childhood. In school, he showed more inclination toward sports and athletics than academics which is one of the reasons why he chose to become a fitness coach. Throughout his academic journey, he found learning with understanding to be of great importance. He admits to taking time to understand this concept, but after realization, he has continued to apply those understandings to his day-to-day life.

Having personally undergone a physical transformation, Dhairya knew its importance and

Having personally undergone a physical transformation, Dhairya knew its importance and how it helps to boost people’s confidence

how it helps to boost people’s confidence. Hence, a fitness career felt like a true calling to Dhairya. After taking on this role as a fitness coach, he witnessed many ups and downs. He dealt with different people and coached clients with varying health conditions and challenges. In all these cases, there is one established pattern, and that is dealing with pain. “My job is to help clients heal and come out of the pain — healthier, stronger, and more confident, and this is what I work towards, and this driving force has made me who I am today,” shares Dhairya.

Likewise, Dhairya’s clients bestow trust in his knowledge and expertise in fitness coaching. That is why he has been able to continuously serve a large number of clients over the years and create a mark for himself. He also feels that every individual should be a lifelong learner, and this mindset is what can make them become successful individuals.

Customizing Training Program for Every Client

To determine the training needs of a client, several parameters are considered, such as personal goals, age, weight (body fat, body muscle percentage), medical history (injuries or ailments), etc. It also depends on how active or sedentary the client is, whether they are coming for the first time (beginners), have been previously trained at the gym by a professional trainer, or have played some kind of sports to stay active.

If the client is a beginner, Dhairya teaches him basic exercises like 1 exercise with three sets of 15 repetitions. Once his body gets used to these forms of exercise after a month, his stamina increases, he feels stable and confident with his body, and he remains injury free, all under Dhairya’s monitoring

and guidance. Then, two new exercises are added called super sets. For example, if a client is doing a bench press and a dumbbell press or bench press or a sprint or a light jog for 30 secs in a row, then taking a 30 secs rest. If a client has been previously trained, knows how to use the equipment correctly, is well-versed with the exercises, and has good strength and stamina, then Dhairya gives him the next level of training.

Challenges that Come with Fitness Coaching

As a fitness coach, Dhairya faces different challenges as all clients are different. He shares an example to show what kind of challenges he faces exactly.

For example, a client is coming with a longsustaining injury such as a disc injury, say lower back disc injury, has continuous pain in the back and legs due to nerve compression, and is experiencing a lot of mental distress, like feeling grumpy or angry all the time. “In that case, I assure my client not to worry. We are here to fix the problem together. Hopefully, with a proper diet and exercise regime, you will overcome this problem,” shares Dhairya. This is not just applicable to clients with injury, there are clients with ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease, etc. From a mental perspective, they might be going through similar pain, and they may not be feeling very healthy from the inside, sometimes due to low blood pressure or low sugar levels, weakness, chest pain, dizziness, etc. Dhairya further adds, “Constantly assuring the clients, giving them hope, and motivating them that they are doing a good job and are nearing their goals is what I do as a fitness coach.”

Learning from Past Mistakes

One of the training initiatives that didn’t go well but came as a blessing in disguise for Dhairya was training a slipped disc patient. This patient had severe back pain with a higher body weight. In the initial days, Dhairya made a few postural mistakes, like making him do slightly intense exercises that caused him a lot of back pain, so much so that he could not walk properly. It took Dhairya a few months to realize he was doing something wrong. As soon as he realized this, Dhairya changed his training strategies and began implementing them. In the next twelve months, the client not only found relief from his back pain but also lost weight and started feeling confident about himself. As a coach, Dhairya considered this a fantastic opportunity to learn and implement different strategies that are helping his current clients.

A Day in the Life of a Fitness Trainer

A fitness trainer’s typical working day is quite different from that of a corporate professional. Dhairya’s day may begin as early as 5 am, followed by a few other sessions. These sessions are not continuous, so he has breaks to rest, exercise, have meals, and plan for the upcoming sessions. His client appointments again begin in the afternoon till 9 pm. Since Dhairya is passionate about his work, he doesn’t find this aspect of work stressful.

However, he considers visiting one client at one location and then traveling to some other place, maybe, in a gym or at a client’s house, taxing. Due to heavy traffic and extended sessions, there might be a delay in reaching the next client’s session. At times, they display angry outbursts, yell, or get frustrated. Dhairya, like his name, patiently listens to

the clients, understands their perspectives, and stays calm and relaxed.

Spreading Awareness on the Need to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

The change Dhairya wishes to make in people’s lives is educating them about living a healthy life. He feels that just making them

exercise doesn’t make them live healthy life. A healthy life is about following a good exercise routine, diet, and sleep pattern; these are the three pillars of living a healthy life. A person might be exercising well and eating well but has a wrong sleeping pattern, which will make him unhealthy. Similarly, a person might have a good exercise routine and a

suitable sleeping pattern but consumes a lot of junk food or eats at the wrong time. A person might have a good sleeping and eating routine but exercises once a week. That, again, doesn’t help him stay healthy.

“Therefore, I would like to create awareness about this ideology among people and help every member of every family,” shares Dhairya. This, in fact, will help keep the number of diseases down. He further explains, “Diseases mostly happen because of a bad lifestyle. If your lifestyle and food are under control, you are eating on time, sleeping on time, and exercising correctly, then the number of diseases and injuries will reduce. This is how we can have healthy people and families in our community.”

The change Dhairya wishes to make in people’s lives is educating them about living a healthy life

Currently, Dhairya focuses on expanding his company for personal training and general fitness by incorporating dance, yoga, and Zumba

Advice to Live Happy, Healthy, & Successful Life

“My advice to people who wish to lead a successful life is to not run behind success. Success is just a by-product of your process. Success will come to people doing the process right, meaning you’re waking up on time, sleeping on time, and staying humble and grounded at work and home. In short, having a disciplined lifestyle. Likewise, you’re doing your work properly and keeping the people happy at work, and truly finding joy, contentment, and peace with what you’re doing. If you’re doing a good job and people like your work, they will automatically recommend you to others in their network,” says Dhairya.

Dhairya adds, “There are many enormously talented people, but their problem is arrogance. They display unprofessional behavior, such as being impolite and not showing up for meetings on time and appointments. Behaviors such as these make them lose their game and invariably limit their growth. Another thing to keep in mind

is that success doesn’t come overnight. It takes years and years of hard work. When you have to stick to it, and when you have to be happy with your work, only when you are happy with your work will you be successful. When a person is unhappy with what they’re doing and how they are doing it, they will never be successful because they will always be frustrated. So, I would advise you to do something you like and not come under anyone’s pressure; be it from your parents, relatives, teachers, or friends. If you have different thoughts, ideas, or hobbies that you are passionate about, you must take them and turn them into your profession. You will definitely achieve success.”

Work in Progress

Currently, Dhairya focuses on expanding his company for personal training and general fitness by incorporating dance, yoga, and Zumba. In the next few months, he hopes to achieve his goal, which will enable him to help more and more people stay fit and healthy both physically and mentally.

Jeremy Stegall An Agent for a Positive Change

2016 was a tragic year for Jeremy Stegall. He lost his mother to cancer and was removed from being divorced. Jeremy soon began noticing repeating patterns in his relationship that reflected similar issues as when he was married. He recounts, “I couldn’t shake a profound sense that life would never be long enough and that if I was going to do something to change my behaviour and live a life of purpose and meaning, I had to begin immediately doing something different.” Jeremy’s mother was a nurse. Hearing the stories of her impact from her coworkers left him desiring that same impact and connection. At the time, he felt he lacked a

meaningful contribution to the retail store he worked in and applied for a job relocation.

“One day in the new sales territory, I was reprimanded for asking for help to resolve a customer’s urgent problem, despite the lastminute call to fit them into a busy day. Their frustration with how I went about helping them left me feeling like there had to be another way I could be of value, and I began my blog,” shares Jeremy. He began to write about what he was doing and the results his experience produced. The writing was cathartic for Jeremy. He enjoyed the process and soon began talking to his new community about becoming a coach.

Founder, Where the Change Happens Coaching, LLC

Jeremy Stegall, Founder, Where the Change Happens Coaching, LLC

However, he was still determining how he wanted to do it.

Jeremy says, “After relocating to Seattle, I self-published my first book. I hired a writing coach to deepen my writing ability and develop my competency to write better conversations. After publishing the book, my writing coach knew I wanted to transition into coaching and suggested enrolling in a Coaches’ Training

Program while I completed my second book.” Jeremy’s first book, Where the Change Happens, is about developing specific areas in life after divorce. It helps readers look for new ideas to help build an improved mindset in our new normal. First published in November 2020, the book has reached readers globally and is consistently ranked as a top seller of books on divorce on Amazon.com.

The success of his first book inspired Jeremy to enroll in The Coaches’ Training Program with Accomplishment Coaching In 2021. He received vital training from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited program to learn tools and core competencies in support of launching his coaching business, Where the Change Happens Coaching, LLC, in 2022.

north in the coaching industry, Jeremy had his fair share of challenges. “Kids in the neighbourhood often teased me and made fun of how I spoke. I was an outlier as an African American that liked hockey and didn’t play basketball. I decided around age 13 that I would be me and lean into what I liked, alternative music and hockey,” says Jeremy. He grew up in what he describes as a black-and-white world in Joliet, Illinois. With the opportunity to travel playing hockey, he could experience different communities of people and the similarities and differences in the cultures of varying regions.

“Leaving home to play hockey was the first step to realizing I would be ok following my dream. I moved to Canada alone and was committed to getting better at hockey,” recounts Jeremy. Even after being chased off the ice in one of his first games, Jeremy found a new level of courage training in Banff, Alberta. “My challenge from starting hockey at a later age was always one of perseverance and a willingness to get up more than I was knocked down.” He adds, “Moving around allowed me to reinvent myself into a version that reflects the many communities I’ve lived in and to declare what my values are and the vision I am creating.”

A Terrible Manager Turned

Transformational Leader

Today, as an author, coach, and speaker, Jeremy uses his education and professional experience to bring new creative energy to the workplace, working with entrepreneurs to step through fear and commit to a new possibility for their lives and organizations. However, from childhood to finding his true

Jeremy was also a manager at a movie theatre for a few summers after high school. However, he wasn’t a good manager, often walking around with writeups in his pocket and being the demanding manager no one liked. He shares, “I knew nothing of leadership back then, but I eventually learned the hard way about what to do and not do as an assistant manager.”

As an author, coach, and speaker, Mr. Stegall uses his education and professional experience to bring new creative energy to the workplace, encouraging entrepreneurs on their journey to improve client relationships in their businesses

As Jeremy moved to a professional career in retail sales, he realized he still had areas he could improve in his leadership and communication styles to encourage his staff to work with him. Jeremy says, “Around that time, I had begun listening to podcasts and reading personal development books, implementing what I was learning and could apply in my store.” He soon started finding success in the store and applied for relocation to South Florida, beginning a new sales territory. “I learned something about

humility during my two years there, and continuing success brought me to Seattle. Continuing my education has supported me in developing new ways to be, and it’s helped my ability to connect with people,” he explains.

Bringing Changes in People’s Lives

Jeremy was trained in the ontological approach to coaching, a study around our being, what we bring into our relationships and the results we create. Before Jeremy starts his coaching sessions, he asks his clients to fill out a Life Evaluation Questionnaire to get a sense of their well-being and gather insight into how they view their life and the areas that bring them to coaching. From there, sessions are structured around the client’s commitment and vision. Jeremy shares, “I begin sessions by asking questions, like, what you want to talk about and what you want to get out of the conversation. From there, it depends on the person and where they are. Being with my clients and reflecting on their behaviour or pattern can lead to a conversation about a belief that may no longer be true or highlight a tendency holding them back.”

The clients and groups Jeremy works with hire him for either three, six, or twelve-month contracts. His 1:1 session is structured around the client’s vision and commitment, with conversations, focusing on creating that once and for all shift or achievement. The Men After the Divorce Group Coaching programs have more structure around practice areas,

creating a vision with community support, and completing the end of a relationship to create a path forward. “When I left Iowa in 2017, I knew there was something meant for my life and that it was possible that I may have to create it to realize what gifts I uniquely contribute. Each day, each week, and each year, I continue to act committed to creating the life of my dreams and to be in service of supporting the lives of as many people as my creator gives me the capacity to be with,” Jeremy says humbly.

For Jeremy, a challenge for the moment is addressing the need for more awareness of what coaching is and how it can be of value. Remembering an incident from one of his training sessions, Jeremy says, “I was coaching a client and asked an individual a direct question, and they shut down. I thought it was probably a topic they weren’t open to discussing. Still, in reviewing my experience with my coach, I noticed how my context around the client’s experience they were avoiding crept into my pushing the session rather than meeting the client with curiosity into the line they drew in the sand and not being attached to any result one way or another for the client. In hindsight, I would like to ask more about what came up for them that triggered their response and ask them about their experience if that barrier wasn’t there.”

Jeremy believes that many understand the role of a coach in sports. Still, personally and professionally, Jeremy clarifies how coaching supports expanding businesses and expands individual

capacity and commitment to create new levels of achievement. Writing his second book, After the Divorce:

From Looking Back to Leaning

In, as a fiction novel is part of Jeremy’s answer to what coaching is and how it can be of value in relationships and the workplace. In fact, Jeremy has been fascinated with human nature since childhood and majored in psychology at Iowa State University. Jeremy adds, “Continuing to read about the topic and write about it has become part of my mission. I’m also sharing my story on podcast interviews and discussing what coaching is and who I serve with Where the Change Happens Coaching.” Jeremy considers self-publishing his first book, Where the Change Happens, the most successful coaching initiative, as it finds new readers and inspires his vision to provide tools and support to uplift our well-being and communities globally.

Life of a Coach

Jeremy’s workday begins at 6:15 am with his morning routine to set the tone for the day. He walks his dog, meditates and journals for fifteen minutes, and reads for an hour. After breakfast, he will answer emails or join a networking meeting. Jeremy says, “The details of each day vary during the week. Still, I schedule time each week to engage in social media marketing and have a weekly educational presentation I put together for my networking group, which meets every Thursday morning.” Jeremy also records podcast interviews weekly and continues working on his writing projects around his personal development journey and ways to make minor shifts in our daily behavior.

When Jeremy has a coaching call scheduled, he dedicates 30-45 minutes before to meditation and to reviewing notes from previous calls or tools he has available that may support the sessions. However, to handle the pressure and stay calm all day, Jeremy has a self-care practice to support his well-being. “Exercises such as meditation, selfinduced hypnotherapy, journaling, and going for a walk are all parts of well-being practices I’ve listed to re-centre if I feel off. I also utilize writing exercises to support addressing the feeling of overwhelm or having a breakdown,” explains Jeremy.

Jeremy aims to achieve his first coaching certification with the ICF this year. He is also

Mr. Stegall considers self-publishing his first book, Where the Change Happens, the most successful coaching initiative, as it finds new readers and inspires his vision to provide tools and support to uplift our well-being and communities globally

working to collaborate with one hundred podcasts to share the value and impact of coaching and his writing. Jeremy also has goals of speaking on twenty stages and hosting the Men After the Divorce Group Coaching program this year. Jeremy concludes, “Being recognized as someone to look up to internationally last year, selling hundreds of copies of something I’ve written, and starting my own business realizes what once was a dream and are my result of consistent intentionality. These milestones are part of my experience of creating from a vision. As a coach, this highlights that creating a life of purpose and meaning and living a dream born from a vision is possible.”

Making Sense of Generative AI: Current State, Its Promises & Pitfalls

Dr. Djamila Amimer, CEO and Founder, Mind Senses Global

Introduction

ChatGPT frenzy release did not go unnoticed! You can hardly ignore the fact that it has crossed one million users within a week of its launch and sparked a $10 billion investment discussion with Microsoft. There is no doubt that 2023 is going to be an exciting time for Generative AI!

But What is Generative AI?

To put it simply, Generative AI is a subfield of Artificial Intelligence, which uses complex

machine learning models to generate text, images, videos, and code. Unlike many AI subfields and applications that focus on analysing data and detecting new patterns, the main focus of Generative AI is to generate novel content.

There are two main techniques used in generative AI: generative adversarial networks and transformer based. The latter is used in large language models. Examples of Generative AI language and text-to-image models include Google LaMDA and OpenAI ChatGPT, GPT3 and DALL-E2. Generative AI models such as large

Unlike many AI subfields and applications that focus on analysing data and detecting new patterns, the main focus of Generative AI is to generate novel content

Dr. Djamila Amimer is the founder of Mind Senses Global, an AI management consultancy, which helps businesses andorganisationsapplyAIandunlockits full potential. Djamila is an experienced business leader and an entrepreneur with a broad range of experiences across AI and Business. She has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Energy and developed novel frameworks and AI techniques in the area of investment decisions, dealing with uncertainty in project evaluation. In addition to helping organisations reshape their business using AI, Djamila spends significant amount of my time exploring the next wave of AI. Djamila is ranked among Top Thought Leaders in AI.

language and text-to-image models require significant computing power and huge data sets to be trained on.

Most Generative AI models generate text or images outputs based on an initial prompt from the user. Users may need to combine multiple prompts or go through several iterations as the quality of the output is directly impacted by the quality of the prompt.

What are the Top Applications of Generative AI?

There are several applications and outputs that are generated by AI including:

Generating text: users can use generative AI models to write blogs or articles. This is a useful tool for content generation. The AI models could also be used as agent/ assistant that you can interact with via dialogue to answer questions for example.

Generating images: by using generative AI models, users can transform text into images. Prompts could be used to guide the model in terms of colours to use, the style, what to include in the image and what to exclude. This functionality is very useful for creators and designers.

Altering images: existing images could be altered using AI models such as changing the background, the colours, and the lightings in the image. Generative AI could also be used to enhance the current resolution of images, this could be very useful when dealing with old materials for example.

Producing videos and music: generative AI models can be used to write a script for a video, which then could be converted into a video. It can also be used to guess the next sequence in the video, this is a handy functionality if dealing with HSSE risk

Large language models are trained on huge data sets from the web and social media, these models are prone to bias as there is no sure way to ensure the quality of data and no guarantee that the data is bias free

detection/ prediction for example. Similarly, generative AI can be used to produce music.

Generating Speech: by using generative AI models, text such as a script, or a book can be converted into speech. This is very useful tool if we want to tap in into the audio market.

Generating code: generative AI models could be used to produce code; it can also suggest ways to improve an existing code/ programme. This is a very useful functionality for both technical and non-technical professionals.

What are the Current Challenges and Opportunities?

Gartner’s 2022 report on Emerging Technologies and Trends Impact Rada has classed generative AI as one of the most disruptive technologies.

Generative AI is expected to have significant impacts across several sectors of the economy such as logistic, manufacturing, marketing, and healthcare. Gardner predicts that 50% of drug discovery will be driven by generative AI, thanks to speeding the process of identification of potential drugs and the testing of effectiveness. Generative AI can also be used in other areas of healthcare such as personalised medicine and medical imaging.

The main draw backs and concerns about AI are around ethics and bias and generative AI is no different. There is no doubt that if the generative AI models are trained on biased data, the generated content will be biased too. Large language models are trained on huge data sets from the web and social media, these models are prone to bias as there is no sure way to ensure the quality of data and no guarantee that the data is bias free. There have been several studies that showed that large language models

contained implicit bias towards gender, ethnic groups and people with disabilities.

Another concern is copyright issue. Because generative AI models are trained on millions of data sets, creators are concerned about copyright infringement. There are also concerns whether AI generated content should compete with human generated content. In September 2022, an AI artwork won the first place at the Colorado State Fair’s fine arts competition, artists were furious that AI generated arts could enter the competition.

Other concerns include the costs and the carbon footprint of Generative AI models. The size of large language models is getting too big. For example, OpenAI’s GPT3 has 175 billion parameters, its training costs were about $12 million, and it is estimated that its associated carbon footprint was equal to driving to the moon and back. The new GPT4, which will be released sometime during 2023, is expected to have 100 trillion parameters.

Conclusion

Now that OpenAI made its move there is no doubt that the tech giants will enter into a battle of the titans. The battle will not only focus on conversational AI but will spill into other areas such as search engines with Microsoft plans to combine ChatGPT with Bing. With commercialisation in mind, we will see business applications extending to sectors such as marketing, advertising, legal and customer services.

However, despite the latest successes, Generative AI models lack crucial capabilities such as understanding and reasoning, addressing AI ethics and bias needs to remain a top priority.

Kawtar El Alaoui

Founder & CEO, Conscious Togetherness, Inc.

Unfolding Potential and Peace from Within

With more experts extending their expertise to help people make significant and lasting life changes, the coaching industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. A billion-dollar market that encompasses an extensive range of occupations, coaching will continue progressing in 2023 and beyond. “The coaching industry has grown very rapidly in the last decade. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) has reached 50.000 active members globally. This growth speaks to the increasing need for innovative approaches to leadership, well-being, and social issues,” says Kawtar El Alaoui, Founder & CEO of Conscious Togetherness, Inc.

A conscious leadership consultant, coach, facilitator, mentor, and speaker, Ms. El Alaoui partners with conscious leaders and organizations to create cultures of wellbeing, belonging, and peace—replacing the old paradigm. Her coaching and consulting firm, Conscious Togetherness, Inc, supports conscious leaders in humanizing business and systems, making business a force for good that takes care of people, profit, and the planet. She shares, “We provide leaders and teams with the foundational skills to work from their strengths, aligned with personal and organizational values, communicate effectively, and transform conflict.” Ms. El Alaoui has created an

Kawtar El Alaoui, Founder & CEO, Conscious Togetherness, Inc.

evolutionary model, yet highly practical in application and adaptable to cultural contexts.

The Journey of Conscious Togetherness

Ms. El Alaoui was confronted early in her career with the reality that leadership and policies can be dehumanizing and toxic. She recounts, “It did not make sense to me that with our incredible human capacity to solve problems, we are recreating dysfunctional dynamics at the personal and collective levels.” Conscious Togetherness was born from Ms. El Alaoui’s journey of exploring the best approaches to change.

After many years of experimenting with methods for change, personal growth, and consciousness, learning from a variety of

disciplines and cultural lenses and with global mentors, Ms. El Alaoui found that we can only resolve deeply rooted issues if we address the beliefs that hold us in an unconscious and unproductive paradigm driven only by our linear, left brain. She says, “We need to look below the surface of what we see and believe in finding the answers to the complex issues of our world and creating a more empowering and holistic model of leadership and social change. In short, shifting to a paradigm honouring people, resources, profits, and the planet.”

Ms. El Alaoui also realized the principles that underlie these changes are the same for individuals and groups. “We can only change if we examine the beliefs creating the current

In

outcomes, and we can only thrive and create peace if we recognize that we are connected, and learn to celebrate diversity, hence the name Conscious Togetherness,” explains Ms. El Alaoui. In her book, Unfolding Peace: 9 Leadership principles to Create Cultures of Well-being, Belonging, and Peace, Ms. El Alaoui shares more in-depth about these unconscious beliefs and how we can shift them.

“My leadership model, the Conscious Togetherness Leadership Framework ® takes leaders and groups through the journey of making these paradigm shifts by breaking down the application of nine conscious leadership principles into simple and clear concepts through an experiential learning model,” asserts

Ms. El Alaoui. In the Conscious Togetherness Leadership Framework®, she weaves tools for deep inner healing and meaningful service to guide leaders in creating a more equitable, peaceful, and prosperous world. Crafted to bring humanity back to business and systems, this model offers principles and tangible tools for self-awareness, conscious communication and collaboration, conflict transformation, social equity, trauma-informed relating, and personal and organizational purpose.

Creating a Paradigm Shift

Recently, Ms. El Alaoui received a call from a client after nearly a year of working together. She had worked with this client to align his leadership style and business around his values. Also, she worked with him to enable his team to work from their strengths to improve his work-life balance and reach his profit targets.

Ms. El Alaoui’s client is now grateful to have his time with his family back. His team is more productive and working well together, and the business is on its way to a record profit this year, with a high satisfaction rates with their clients due to the alignment in their values of service and excellence. “What delights clients is to experience the shifts and growth they want to experience, to witness us modelling our values in action, and know that we care about them as people. So, we ensure our clients know we care about them and their work, and we ensure a high quality of work. Ultimately, the test for the quality of our work is when our clients refer us to their network,” shares Ms. El Alaoui.

Conscious Togetherness offers two streams of services: coaching and consulting. In the consulting stream, the company provides a 9 to 12 months conscious leadership program for the

the Conscious Togetherness Leadership Framework®, Ms. El Alaoui weaves tools for deep inner healing and meaningful service to guide leaders in creating a more equitable, peaceful, and prosperous world.

foundational leadership skills needed to support a holistic leadership paradigm and works with its clients to adapt it to their cultural context. Ms. El Alaoui and her team then map the next steps with them and sometimes support the implementation. She says, “Through coaching, I support servant leaders in recognizing and living their purpose. This enables them to step the paradigm of wholeness for themselves and, in turn, become catalysts for transformation in their environments,” Ms. El Alaoui also collaborates with other coaches to support teams through the Conscious Togetherness holistic leadership coaching program.

Since Ms. El Alaoui works from a paradigm of wholeness, she focuses on listening to what the clients are not saying. In her client meetings, she supports their process to uncover deeper issues and find the best solutions for

their environment and context. This approach promotes self-leadership and responsibility while generating the most adapted solutions for any client. “Psychological safety is a pillar for both human connection and creativity. Without it, we cannot tap into the resourcefulness and implement generative solutions,” pinpoints Ms. El Alaoui. Conscious Togetherness provides a trauma-informed leadership model that supports leaders and their teams balance care and accountability. Ms. El Alaoui adds, “Our model enables self-leadership and self-responsibility.

This enables clients to create internal safety and spaces of authentic relating where both people and results matter.”

The Making of a Conscious Leader

Ms. El Alaoui has lived and worked in different cultures: Morocco, Egypt, Canada, South Korea and India. “These experiences have taught me the vastness of our human experience, the potential of finding connection across differences, and the need to learn to thrive together through our differences,” says Ms. El Alaoui. Having

Ms. El Alaoui’s leadership is not limited to Conscious Togetherness. She is a Faculty & Mentor with Leadership That Works India, a Trained True Purpose ® Coach, a Co-host of the Gathering of Change Agents with the True Purpose ® Institute in the USA and a Senior Facilitator with the Business Plan for Peace in the UK.

studied economics in high school, in Morocco, and graduated from law school in Canada, Ms. El Alaoui asserts that she loved learning legal principles and reading supreme court decisions with intricate rationale. She believes law has

helped her to hone her skills of seeing complex problems in simple and neutral ways.

“Coaching has taught me to unleash human potential and that dedication and commitment are not enough when dealing with complex

issues. We need the willingness and tools to expand our understanding of the world within us and around us. My biggest breakthrough in leadership is learning that we are the leaders we have been waiting for and that leadership is not position based,” asserts Ms. El Alaoui. Her legal background, mediation training, and leadership profile give her access to a systemic view that holds the interests of diverse stakeholders with equal care.

“The old leadership paradigm from power and control has not proven to work because it

operates from lack, separation, and power over rather than with. The hardest part as a conscious leadership coach and consultant is to see the solutions available, yet still undervalued,” states Ms. El Alaoui. The ideas of hierarchical leadership and the goal of business to only generate profit, according to Ms. El Alaoui, are putting a considerable strain on people and the environment. She believes that left-brain leadership is costing societies staggering amounts to deal with health care costs, mental health crises, environmental damage, and polarization.

Purpose-driven organizations operate from a holistic model that cares for all stakeholders and the environment. This paradigm has been shown to generate more profit, well-being, and social cohesion. “The transition is the most difficult part because shifting paradigms requires time and effort to adjust. It’s important to work with leaders closely during this phase to ensure they have the support needed for a successful transition,” explains Ms. El Alaoui.

The Path Ahead

Ms. El Alaoui’s leadership is not limited to Conscious Togetherness. She is a Faculty & Mentor with Leadership That Works India, a Trained True Purpose ®Coach, a Co-host of the Gathering of Change Agents with the True Purpose® Institute in the USA and a Senior Facilitator with the Business Plan for Peace in the UK. She was awarded the 2020 Woman of the Year Award in the Education Category by the Global Institute of Evolving Women and featured in Brainz Magazine as 1 of 7 Women Entrepreneurs Changing the World for

International Women’s Day 2021. Recently, Ms. El Alaoui has been selected for the finalist’s list for the Leader of the Year Award as part of the Women Changing the World Awards 2023, a global platform which acknowledges, elevates and embraces Women Change Makers and the feminine way of living and working, encouraging qualities such as collaboration over competition, innovation over conformity.

As a young firm that has experienced steady growth, Conscious Togetherness now focuses on creating a solid foundation. Ms. El Alaoui plans to continue to grow at a pace that allows her team to live meaningful and generative lifestyles rather than only aim for profit. For her, that is the new paradigm in action. “We bring a much-needed skillset to leaders everywhere. Due to our leadership model’s cross-cultural and trauma-informed nature, the global market holds much promise. However, we recognize that growth is not linear, and we are mindful of ensuring our growth takes place in a sustainable and true way,” concludes Ms. El Alaoui.

Lidia Kuleshnyk

Founder, Apona Healing

The coaching industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade. In fact, it is currently the second-fastest-growing industry on the planet, only second to the IT industry. From career to relationship to health and wellbeing, life coaches bring their experience and expertise to help clients achieve their goals and reach their true potential.

Based in Ontario, Canada, Lidia Kuleshnyk (aka Lady Apona) is one such multi-talented high-performance wellness coach and founder

of Apona Healing who helps overworked, stressed-out, high-achieving men and women master their inner power, manage their energy and stress, and create their highest state of health. As a 21st-century Renaissance woman, Lidia is also a healer, thought leader, horse advocate, and a 3X best-selling author.

Personal Transformation Journey

Lidia was born with chronic health conditions. At age 10, she read the Power of Positive Thinking, the Lord of the Rings, and the

Helping Individuals Become Centered, Connected, & Conscious Leaders of their Lives and of the World

Lidia Kuleshnyk, Founder, Apona Healing

Little House on the Prairie books and found connections, insights, guidance, and inspiration to go forward step-by-step in life. Refusing to live a life of chronic pain, struggle, dependency, and decline, she took her life into her own hands and sought ways to heal her incurable health conditions. From thereon, her journey to reclaim sovereignty began. She achieved academic success with three university degrees, financial success by running her own small business, and personal success by healing her chronic illnesses.

There was one driving factor that stayed with Lidia—horses. For more than 30 years, horses acted as spiritual, powerful guides to her who came into her dreams, leading her to make decisions for her highest and best life and her mission to help humanity evolve. “I brought

together the three modalities that changed my life – holistic coaching, reiki energy healing and macrobiotic healing foods – with my academic and holistic training into my Apona Healing Method,” explains Lidia. “It was through helping clients resolve their chronic health conditions that I worked with CEOs, corporate leaders and high-achieving men and women in helping them manage their energy and stress, create their highest state of health, and master their inner power.” As a result, offering highperformance wellness coaching was a natural extension of her 25 years of experience and expertise in healing and personal growth.

About Apona Healing

Established in 1997, Apona Healing (derived from Epona, the horse goddess) is an innovative

global leader in coaching, healing and personal development. The organization recognizes the rapid evolution of the planet. It has created programs and services to help clients navigate the overwhelm and challenges of uncertainty so that stress becomes a success and challenges become new opportunities.

Moreover, Apona Healing’s coaching programs are founded on the three pillars of lasting success: becoming Centered, Connected and Conscious™. Today, through its High-Performance Wellness Coaching, the organization continues to help conscious leaders cultivate an inner feeling of security, an inner knowing, beyond confidence, that they can turn any crisis or situation into success and activation human potential to turn lead into gold.

Stepwise Approach to Customizing Training Programs

For creating a Centered, Connected, Conscious™ life, Apona Healing offers four key pathways for self-empowerment: HighPerformance Wellness Coaching, Apona Healing Method, Apona Healing Ranch, and Apona Healing Retreats. All these pathways offer customized coaching programs for the client’s unique needs, goals, and desires.

To begin with, an introductory free coaching call is arranged to determine which pathway is best suited for each client. Then, once the pathway is determined, an application or questionnaire is completed to help refine the specific needs and goals of the client. A second complementary call to personalize the coaching programs is arranged so that each person is honoured for who they are, where they are now, and what they want to achieve.

Established in 1997, Apona Healing (derived from Epona, the horse goddess) is an innovative global leader in coaching, healing and personal development

After enrolling with Apona Healing, clients are empowered to reclaim their health, regain their energy, and refine their power. This healing process, personal transformation and growth leads to mastering their inner strength, managing their energy and stress, and creating their highest state of health. Then an inner state of lasting self-empowerment and personal power is created, with the flow and inner ease, feeling more grounded, energized, and focused and living a Centered, Connected and Conscious™ life.

Nurturing a Safe & Supportive Environment for Clients

Apona Healing creates a safe and supportive environment by deeply listening to and supporting clients without judgment or prescription. While all the coaching programs offer a guided, step-by-step process to achieving one’s goals and desires, Apona Healing recognizes each person’s unique path and gifts. In addition, advanced coaching recognizes that clients have the answers to their own questions and create their own path, utilizing the coaching services as a guide, framework, and foundation.

“As I always share with clients, “I don’t know your soul path. I am here to support you with HELP Health, Energy and Lasting Power,” states Lidia. “Self-empowerment of each client is my goal, and the programs and services of Apona Healing always honour the personal sovereignty, unique essence, and life path of every client.” Furthermore, for the past 25 years, Lidia has used her LOVE Method (Listen, Observe, Validate, Empower™) with her clients. Therefore, judgment is not a part of this. “If my LOVE Method is considered

a foundational pillar of leadership in life and business, then one’s life and business will grow and flourish,” adds Lidia.

Tackling Challenges that Come with the Territory

One of the biggest challenges Lidia considers is being recognized as an expert and leader in multiple disciplines. This is so because humans have been taught to place people and things into categories and assume that if an individual is an expert in one specialty, he/she cannot be an expert in other disciplines. It has been challenging for Lidia to break through this collective mindset. Nevertheless, she has overcome these challenges by being true to herself and her clients through honest and open communication.

Client Testimonials

As a seasoned wellness and healing coach, Lidia’s genuine care for clients’ well-being and passion for witnessing their progress and success makes her an exceptional coach. Following are some of the testimonials shared by Lidia’s clients.

Doug Marks, CEO at A.D. Marks and Associates Inc., said, “Out of chronic addictions, fear, anxiety into a new life of fulfillment, stability and peace, Lidia has been a primary instrument in my healing, and I consider her to be my master counsellor and coach. I continue to be amazed at Lidia’s incredible insight. Lidia is so very astute. Two years later, I am light years away from where I was. I continue to realize the depth of Lidia’s awareness of my experiences.”

“Lidia is nothing short of a master in the truest sense of the word,” shared Darcy Polito.

“As a trained counsellor, Lidia has a wonderful way of helping to shift one’s perception of a situation while offering healing treatments.” Likewise, from cancer diagnosis to lasting empowerment, Lenir S’s story is about being declared cancer-free by medical tests and exam results within two months from the beginning of the implementation of the macrobiotic and reiki protocols under Lidia’s guidance and support.

Early Life Lessons that Helped Shape into a Leader

The greatest lesson Lidia learned from her childhood was to trust her instincts, put boundaries down, say “enough is enough,” and choose to move her life forward in the new

direction she wanted. “I realized that I was the one who would suffer in physical pain and miss out on the daily joy of living if I followed others’ advice that was not supportive for me,” mentions Lidia. “Therefore, I connected with my inner value and self-respect, honoured myself and decided to find a way to create a life of health, happiness, and peace.”

During her college days, Lidia learned to be true to herself. Instead of taking courses, everyone pushed her to take, she chose courses that felt right to her and were fulfilling. Connecting with her true essence and beliefs allowed her to enjoy the university experience and create a future with limitless opportunities. Fear and overthinking do not hold her back

Apona Healing creates a safe and supportive environment by deeply listening to and supporting clients without judgment or prescription

now because she knows that solutions are always available. “As my mentor and coach, the great macrobiotic forefather Michio Kushi often stated that for every problem, there is a solution. Sometimes you must have Sherlock Holmes’s mind to find the best solution for you,” reveals Lidia. Altogether, these early life experiences have greatly helped shape the leader she is today.

Going Global

Concerning Apona Healing’s global expansion strategy, Lidia plans to enhance the organization’s four pathways of coaching services through a foundation of health, wellbeing, and high performance. More specifically, she is aiming to expand teaching her Capacity Principle™ of Conscious Leadership and Success to individuals, corporate leaders, and organizations so that leaders avoid burnout, exhaustion, and depletion, can effectively manage their energy and stress and create highperformance wellness as the new foundational model of lasting growth and abundance.

Exciting Things to Watch Out for in the Future

Moving forward, Apona Healing will continue to grow and build on its existing services to help humanity evolve and reclaim its sovereignty. Lidia considers her journey as the HighPerformance Wellness Coach and Founder of Apona Healing to have just begun. She plans to share and extend the wealth of her personal and professional experiences, knowledge, and wisdom with her clients. Moreover, she regards this as an exciting time to be on the planet as people collectively move

from an old paradigm of control and obedience to a new paradigm of freedom, responsibility, and empowerment. She further explains, “I am passionate about offering coaching programs for individuals and organizations to learn how to navigate this paradigm shift with clarity, less stress and overwhelm, and avoid the “crash and burn” of exhaustion and burnout.” Therefore, Lidia’s ultimate mission is to guide and support clients on how to live in a flow state without attachment to the drama, drain and distraction of external stressors, and stay Centered, Connected and Conscious™ so that they can become conscious leaders of their lives and of the world.

Pamela Kurt

Guiding Women to Successfully Establish & Lead Their Own Successful Careers

From experiencing a difficult childhood to leaving an abusive marriage to becoming a lawyer, Pamela Kurt’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. She is a seasoned lawyer with over 13 years of experience and the Owner of Kurt Law Office, LLC. She has recently transitioned to career coaching to help other female lawyers take the steps they need to set up successful practices.

Surviving Tough Times by Building Resilience

Pamela grew up in a rural community in Ohio. She lost her father at a young age which was

a pivotal experience for her. Then, pursuing an education became a stepping stone and a door to numerous opportunities and a better life for Pamela. In every test of every class, she drove herself to earn the top ranks, and if she couldn’t, she felt less worthy of herself. Her personal life was difficult too. She experienced domestic violence in her first marriage.

But as they say, with courage and determination, one can overcome any hurdle in life. Pamela left her husband and pursued further education. She was a single mom who worked full-time and attended a full-time college. Being a strong-willed and bright student, she successfully completed

Professional Women Life Coach, Best Version of You LLC

Professional Women Life Coach, Best Version of You LLC

Pamela Kurt,

her MPA and JD simultaneously. “I look back at that time now, and I legitimately have no idea how I did it, except that I knew I had to have an education so I could create the life I wanted,” shares Pamela. “I wanted better for my son.”

These years of hardships taught Pamela that if she put her mind to something, she could

accomplish her desired goals. After leaving law school, she opened her own law practice to start building her dream. She made it happen.

In her current role as a professional women’s life coach, Pamela is helping other women to successfully establish & lead their own successful career with confidence and panache.

Taking lessons from her experiences and hardships, Pamela now helps her female lawyer clients stand their ground, compete with their peers, and learn how to overcome challenges with class, grace, and keeping their personal and professional boundaries intact

Building a Customized Training Program for Each Client

For every client, Pamela begins her training program by conducting a series of assessments, including the Enneagram personality assessment and learning style and communication styles. Together with the client, she reviews the assessment outcomes, followed by learning about their ideal long-term goals and case planning.

is built for every client, making it unique, effective, and achievable. In addition, clients complete both an entry and an exit survey, so they can measure their responses when they start against their results when they finish.

One of Pamela’s most successful programs to date was training the staff on maintaining client expectations. “I know it was successful because the group I trained also passed the information along through their feedback and inputs,” Pamela adds.

A Stepwise Guide to Leadership Coaching

Pamela divides her training program into three sections: Dream, Believe and Achieve. The dream stage includes taking a honest look at the client’s life with them and discussing what is working and not working for them, what they want to change and why, and what got them to this place? Next comes the believe and to create an action plan stage, where Pamela and the client take an overview of what they discovered during the assessment period, including all the limiting beliefs, and from there, begin to make an achievable action plan to tackle goals and create the ideal life identified.

“While I have a workbook I created based on my own experiences and training in domestic violence, trauma, professional growth and development, and coaching, each client journey differs based on what their goals look like and the time, effort, and energy they have available to grow,” explains Pamela. Therefore, a customized training program

For Pamela, the achieve step is the most rewarding part of the program. This is so because the client now starts taking the steps identified in the action plan to achieve the goals outlined during the assessment and her ideal life on her terms.

Overcoming Male Preference and Male Prejudice at Work

As a female attorney, one of Pamela’s most daunting challenges was overcoming both male

Currently, Pamela is working with a long-time business friend on getting a domestic violence recovery course in the hands of survivors so that together they can stop the recidivism of domestic violence victims

preference and male prejudice. Even today, many clients still prefer to work with male attorneys; hence competition for clients is steeper for female attorneys. She also faced male chauvinism and patriarchy in business as a business owner and in the courts. But being resilient, Pamela rose above and beyond these adversities and created a niche for herself.

Taking lessons from her experiences and hardships, Pamela now helps her clients stand their ground, compete with their peers, and learn how to overcome challenges with

class, grace, and keeping their personal and professional boundaries intact.

A Variety-Filled Working Day

No two working days are the same for Pamela. As a women’s life coach, she is actively involved in teaching and training, speaking at public events, or immersed in writing for her next book. This variety and diversity at work bring Pamela great joy and a deep sense of purpose. She likes to plan and organize her daily schedule to remain calm and focused on her goals.

Making a Positive Impact on the Lives of Many

When it comes to empowering people and impacting lives, Pamela is driven to connect with the other world changers, be it attorneys, decision makers, hope dealers, legacy builders, and/or mental health professionals who can identify the problems and devise and implement action plans to fix them. “I want every person to know and truly believe they can become the best version of themselves they can envision,” passionately mentions Pamela.

Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Women Leaders

Pamela suggests aspiring women leaders remain focused on their goals instead of getting distracted by the shiny object syndrome. Individuals can only become the best versions of themselves if they stay true to themselves and their values. Hence, being authentic is the key to success in life and business.

“The world needs YOU, your magic, your shine, your hope, your story, and your glow,” states Pamela. “You have experienced every chapter in your story until now because you’re going to be able to offer it to someone else as a survival manual.”

Work in Progress

Currently, Pamela is working with a longtime business friend on getting a domestic violence recovery course in the hands of survivors so that together they can stop the recidivism of domestic violence victims. She is also looking forward to accepting more speaking opportunities to reach and empower more women around the world.

Pamela suggests aspiring women leaders remain focused on their goals instead of getting distracted by the shiny object syndrome

WanttoSellorfind Investorforyour Business?

Do you have Dirty Data?

Susan Walsh, Founder & MD, The Classification Guru

Not sure? Well, the unfortunate truth is probably, as any data that is incorrect can be classed as dirty data! The interpretation of incorrect data, however, varies from person to person. For example, one person might consider DHL a ‘courier’, while another might log it as ‘logistics’ or ‘warehousing’. So, it’s important to note what is dirty data for you, so that you can keep it clean!

Here are some examples of dirty data you can watch out for:

Misspelt Names

This is an easy one to miss. Have you heard of Typoglycemia? It refers to the ability to read words clearly despite the letters being in the wrong order. Take for example, ABC Printing, this could be ABC Printign, or a missing letter such as T Shoemit instead of T Shoesmith, or something much more subtle like AT Jones, instead of TA Jones which may not be easily picked up. In this busy world we live in, it’s easy to skim over something and think it reads correctly.

In a world also involving regulations such as GDPR, it’s doubly important to ensure your

In a world also involving regulations such as GDPR, it’s doubly important to ensure your data is spelt correctly for personal information

With a decade of experience fixing your dirty data, Susan Walsh is the founder and MD of the Classification Guru Ltd, a specialist data classification, taxonomy customisation and data cleansingconsultancy.Sheisanindustry thoughtleader,TEDxspeakerandauthor of the ‘Between the Spreadsheets: Classifying and Fixing Dirty Data’. She’s also the founder of COAT. Susan has developed a methodology that her team use to accurately and efficiently classify, normalise, cleanse and check data for errors which will help prevent costly mistakes. This could save days, if not weeks of laborious cleansing and classifying and can help your business find cost and time savings, driving profitability and supporting better, more informed business decisions.

data is spelt correctly for personal information. Not only can it insult someone and put them off working with you, but it can also lead them to make a complaint.

Incorrect or Misleading Descriptions

Again, all information is up for interpretation, so it’s important to ensure your descriptions are correct. This issue can be found quite commonly in invoice and PO descriptions. It could be something as simple as “services” in the description, and the person’s name as the supplier. This vague description leaves us wondering who are they then? The copywriter, the lawyer, another consultant of some sort? You may think it doesn’t matter, but the risk of data being classified wrong, say in ‘Professional Services’ instead of ‘Facilities’ leads you to add up spend incorrectly.

The consequence of this is to then make decisions based off of this data, for example you might think you need to cut back the budget for ‘Professional Services’, but it’s actually in ‘Facilities’ where the large spend lies!

Missing or Incorrect Codes

This is a most commonly occurring issue in the manufacturing and supply chain industries. With so many areas of production heavily reliant on the product code, it can be catastrophic if there is no code! So why would a product code be missing? Several reasons, if it’s an older product then historically it might never have been assigned a code. Or perhaps the code wasn’t available when the product was set up, but no one followed up to add it in once the code had been created.

And then there’s the “can’t be bothered” aspect. Unfortunately, many are overworked and underpaid, so understandably lacking the drive to follow the correct processes.

To avoid multiple versions of the same items, make sure you are being clear and specific with your team, and within your processes

No Standard Formats for Addresses

This dirty data issue is seen A LOT in both supplier and personal data. It’s a very common problem. We have found that address recording changes to some degree in nearly every data set! Sometimes the address is all in one cell, sometimes split over a few columns, and then there’s the mix-ups, like cities with counties/ states, and postal/zip codes in cities.

Not to mention abbreviations. What is normally considered a benefit (easier to read), now has the potential to become a nightmare! Terrace could be Terr, Place – Plc, Road – Rd, Street - St, etc… and this could lead to nearduplicates, multiple records, and information split between these multiple records, leading to incorrect information and reporting being used in the business.

No Standard Units of Measure

Here is where the minor things really become an issue, so having an eye for detail is key. Imagine you have a space between the number and the unit of measure, this can cause near duplications, which can cause a lot of issues when you are trying to analyse or report on a specific product.

To avoid multiple versions of the same items, make sure you are being clear and specific with your team, and within your processes.

Currency Issues

With so many different types of currencies out there, it’s no wonder this one is easily done. If you are not aware that the values you are working with are in multiple currencies, then you could spend hours trying to get figures to match up.

Particularly when working with something like Swedish Krona versus GBP or USD, the

values are significantly higher, so it could end up looking like you’ve spent £500 on a taxi…

Incorrect/Partially Classified Spend Data

You may think this is better than not having classified data at all, but when it comes to classifying data, it’s got to be done again from scratch. Why? You wouldn’t be using classification services if there wasn’t a problem somewhere, meaning it is far easier and time efficient to work from a clean slate.

You want your complete data to be set at a certain standard, this ensures data coming in is met with the same processes, and you do not repeat your mistakes.

Dreaded Duplicates

They’re everywhere; in your invoicing, in your customer/supplier records, in your orders, duplicates can, and will, appear anywhere. Duplicates create multiple records, meaning the information is split between the two, resulting in you only seeing part of the picture.

Likewise, near duplicates are just as frightful! In business this could be PWC, P.W.C, or with personal information, this could be Robert Smith and Bob Smith.

Avoid the consequences of Dirty Data by keeping your data protected

You might think it’s low-risk dirty data, but the reality is without proper protection your data, and your company will succumb to exposure from the elements. We’re talking financial risk, job loss, business performance or even fraud!

So, make sure your data has its COAT on – it’s Consistent, Organised, Accurate and Trustworthy!

Dr. Priscilla Kucer

Founder, CEO, and Principal Coach, Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC®

Empowering Micro Business Owners to Achieve their Business Goals & SoAR High

Dr. Priscilla Kucer (aka Dr. P) is an award-winning business coach and the Founder & CEO of Austin-based global management consulting company Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC®. Dr. Priscilla is an Adjunct Faculty at Nova Southeastern University’s School Psychology Program, which is her alma mater. She is also an active Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society member and the Director of the Development Board Member for Jamsz Konnections, a nonprofit in Austin.

Dr. Priscilla strongly believes in the power of education, especially for girls internationally. For

this reason, when a micro business works with her company, 5% of its payment goes to the Weiss Scholarship Foundation (WSF), which helps educate children in Dago, Kenya, by assisting with covering their school fees. Her ultimate goal is to use her coaching, consulting, and training services to help increase the number of global micro businesses that make it to five years and beyond!

A journey from Humble Beginnings to Phenomenal Success

Dr. Priscilla was born and brought up in Barbados, the Jewel of the Caribbean. During her primary and secondary school years, she struggled in

Dr. Priscilla Kucer, Founder, CEO, and Principal Coach, Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC®

We provide business coaching, management consulting, and training and development to help improve client’s business goals, processes, and operations related to Organizational Development, Personal skills/abilities, Leadership, and Education (OPLE)

several areas. Thanks to her parents, Louisa and William, and a few teachers, she found strategies that helped her learn better in school.

At 16, Dr. Priscilla applied to the University of the West Indies (UWI) and was accepted. She was among the only two students accepted at such young ages that incoming year. A highly commendable feat indeed! At UWI, she pursued her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with upper second-class honors. Afterward, her dream and goal of becoming a psychologist took her to Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Florida, USA. Here, she completed her master’s degree in Psychology and her Specialist in School Psychology degree.

Walking down memory lane, Dr. Priscilla shares, “As a student in NSU, I took advantage of opportunities to become involved in student organizations. My on-campus leadership roles helped with my acceptance into the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Leadership Society. I learned the importance of cross- and inter-departmental collaborations when working toward shared goals. Interacting with and completing projects with individuals from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds gave me foundational experiences for understanding and accepting diversity.”

In 2011, Dr. Priscilla began her professional career as a school psychologist in Orange County, Florida, US. She further states, “My various leadership roles within my first job reinvigorated my passion for organizations and systems. This resulted in me researching degrees that could provide the training I needed to work with individuals and systems within organizations to reach strategic goals. So, this desire drove me to pursue industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology.”

Since Dr. Priscilla was working full-time, she needed an online doctoral program to give her time flexibility, and Grand Canyon University (GCU) provided her the required platform. She completed her Ph.D. in General Psychology with an Emphasis on Industrial and Organizational Psychology. This was followed by completing a certificate program at Cornell University.

Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC: Where Solutions Plus Actions Equal Results

In Jan 2020, Dr. Priscilla established Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC, to support micro business owners in strengthening their organizational development and personal skills while understanding their leadership style through education.

“We provide business coaching, management consulting, and training and development to help improve client’s business goals, processes, and operations related to Organizational Development, Personal skills/abilities, Leadership, and Education (OPLE™),” shares Dr. Priscilla. “When businesses find their OPLE™, they are on their journey to strategically tackle their futures so that they will survive in their respective economies.”

Stepwise Guide to Customising Training Program for Each Client

Individuals interested in receiving coaching and/or consulting services from Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions company must complete an application. It is then reviewed by Dr. Priscilla to determine if the applicant qualifies to receive a strategy call. In that call, the applicant undergoes an assessment to determine their needs and whether they would be a good fit for working with her company. The applicant is also introduced to the Planning Guide

Dr. Priscilla’s most successful training initiative has to be the customized SoAR with coaching™ program. As the name suggests, it is a fully customizable, research and databased program crafted per the business owner’s unique situation and lasts 6, 12, or 24 months

outlining the four must-haves for a successful business. If the applicant is a good fit, Dr. Priscilla and her team undergo an onboarding process to transition them from applicant to client. This process allows for the design of their wholly customized program to meet their needs.

Most Successful Training Initiative

Dr. Priscilla’s most successful training initiative has to be the customized SoAR With Coaching™ (SWC) program. As the name suggests, it is a fully customizable, research and data-based program crafted per the business owner’s unique situation and lasts 6, 12, or 24 months.

The successful implementation of the SWC program was evident from the feedback of the

clients, who shared how much they appreciated learning how to improve their planning within their business, improving the internal structures and processes, and being able to implement and learn how to monitor their actions that they implemented to be able to know when to make changes in their business.

Tackling Challenges with Experience & Subject Expertise

Dr. Priscilla points out three main challenges she faces as a business coach. The first challenge is individuals not understanding the difference between coaching, consulting, and mentoring. They each have different purposes that yield different outcomes for businesses and

organizations. To overcome this challenge, she provides education to them.

The second challenge relates to business owners and organizational leaders who want quick fixes to their problems. They know that their business is struggling and know that they need to hit their strategic targets, but they are hesitant to put in the work over the time necessary to

make the change. To overcome this, Dr. Priscilla conducts an analysis with them to help them see what is truly happening, where they want to go, and finally, outlining how they will achieve their goals (i.e., being successful).

The third challenge is funding to develop and implement new programs to help microbusiness owners and hire consultants and

coaches. “To overcome the issue of funding, I have learned how to be strategic in utilizing the revenue that my company obtains from clients and research the available financial options. Luckily, I have qualified for some, and those have been helping my company’s growth in these early stages,” reveals Dr. Priscilla.

Significant Career Milestones

Throughout her career trajectory, Dr. Priscilla’s most meaningful early milestone is completing her doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, a long-awaited dream of hers. She says, “This is the milestone that really helped propel the actions that led to me creating the concept for my company and registering it with the state.” Launching her business with the Secretary of the State was like a cherry on the cake.

Likewise, Dr. Priscilla considers ignoring the outside noise and identifying her competitive advantage and value proposition important. Receiving her first interview opportunity to discuss her company’s objectives, mission, and vision on a bigger platform at the beginning of 2021 was an extraordinary experience for her. She later participated in several interviews, giving her a different opportunity to share more about her journey and her company’s growth. She was immensely honored to be given a chance to teach graduate students at Nova Southeastern University about the role of visions, mission, goals, and more when working within an organization and outlining operations.

“Gaining my first client is a day I will never forget. It took a while to get my first client, but all the planning was worth it,” reveals Dr. Priscilla. Moreover, Priscilla Kucer Consulting Solutions LLC, earning the Certified-Women’s Business Enterprise status from the Women’s Business Council in the United States, followed by Sam.gov status, and Texas Small Business Administration Women-Owned Business status have been mega milestones for her. For Dr. Priscilla, being recognized as a ‘Woman

As a coach, entrepreneur, and leader, Dr. Priscilla has an endless list of tasks, challenges, and projects to tackle and focus on daily. She utilizes a time-blocking technique to stay focused and get desired outcomes throughout her workday

Leader to Look Up to in 2023’ and her company being awarded as the ‘Promising Start-up of the Year in Consultancy’ are a great way to begin this year and to aim higher and achieve more in the coming days.

A Day in the Life of a Multidimensional Leader

As a coach, entrepreneur, and leader, Dr. Priscilla has an endless list of tasks, challenges, and projects to tackle and focus on daily. She utilizes a timeblocking technique to stay focused and get desired outcomes throughout her workday. She explains, “The highlight of my workday is completing tasks/ sessions related to the coaching and consulting

Dr. Priscilla is developing an exclusive course for aspiring and current business owners that will provide unique content and is yet to be included in a university-based entrepreneurship course

packages for our clients.” There is a set time for administrative tasks such as emails and text messages and for essential operational tasks that she must accomplish each day. Moreover, each week, Dr. Priscilla has time reserved to complete financial or legal tasks. She also schedules time for supervising the I/O Psychology interns from one of her company’s partners, Purdue Global University. In addition, she also engages in team meetings for operations, marketing, and sales.

Utilizing project management software combined with the other software and applications that Dr. Priscilla has in her company truly helps her stay calm and deal with pressure well. She admits to experiencing stress at times when she did not write things down, did not create and follow lists and maps, and didn’t conduct periodic evaluations of her progress. However, the pressure seemed to disappear once she got back on track and did these things.

As for unplugging from work, Dr. Priscilla loves spending time with her supportive and loving boyfriend, Roger, who helps her unwind and relax. She also finds peace in taking her little dog for walks, listening to music, and spending time with her family and friends. “Oh yeah, and sometimes I watch a little Netflix,” exclaims Dr. Priscilla with a twinkle in her eyes.

Making a Difference in the Lives of Micro Business Owners & Ultimately the Community

The change Dr. Pricilla wishes to bring is by working on her mission of helping micro business owners and founders to focus on aspects of their business besides marketing to clean up their processes and operations that will help propel their marketing and sales in the

direction that they want to see for their revenue. As Dr. Pricilla helps them find their OPLE™, they will strengthen the likelihood of building a sustainable business that will become a pillar in their community and grow their local economy. The growth of local micro companies will likely translate into increased job opportunities and improved support for local schools. When the community supports the improvement of schools, it leads to increased resources, which can lead to improved educational outcomes for students. When educational outcomes increase for all students, children grow up to have access to opportunities to help them pursue their dreams, especially girls.

Advice on Living a Successful Life

Dr. Priscilla suggests individuals looking to lead a successful life not be limited by what others think they should be doing with their lives, nor should they accept things the way they are. They must develop the confidence to challenge the status quo and be courageous enough to pursue their dreams, whether small or large.

“The only person who can truly stop you is you,” says Dr. Priscilla. “There is always an option. Sometimes it might take longer than you were thinking to reach a goal, but things happen in the time that they are supposed to. Ultimately, you define your success, and guess what? That definition can change as you move further along your journey and you gain clarity on what you actually want!”

Exciting Projects to Watch Out for

Dr. Priscilla is developing an exclusive course for aspiring and current business

owners that will provide unique content that is yet to be included in a university-based entrepreneurship course. This course will be released in Spring 2023. Another project she leads is a time management course designed to fill an existing gap yet to be tapped upon regarding time management courses

for entrepreneurs, business owners, and C-level executives.

Additionally, Dr. Priscilla is actively involved in securing international speaking engagements and participating on a team that will launch gamechanging financial support for diverse business owners globally!

Ryan Nicholas Leong Wei Ren

Creating Career Solutions for the Young by

the Young

An exemplary personality with a unique view of life and a drive to succeed despite all circumstances is Ryan Nicholas Leong Wei Ren. Being diagnosed with cancer can be difficult pill to swallow, and to be diagnosed with such a severe disease at such a young age can be more taxing and stressful for everyone involved. Defying all odds and beating cancer, Ryan became the first GENIUS Generation Youth

Coach, who evolves youth to expand their career dreams and make their employability desirable in the 21st Century.

Ryan gathered his skills at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Career Centre, award-winning start-ups, and from transformational thought leadership. This gave him a future-ready and action-oriented mindset, giving him the tools to become an exceptional entrepreneur. Now an accredited,

award-winning mentor, Ryan is on a global mission to accelerate the development of life skills for youth by giving them peace of mind and excitement to create legacies of impact in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) world.

Ryan’s creation and personal adoption of the GENIUS Generation Youth Coaching (GGYC) coaching framework have unlocked significant career milestones in his 20s. He is a bestselling author on Amazon for a book he coauthored with influential changemakers around the world, ‘Xtraordinary: Strategies to Live an Exceptional Life.’ He won the GeniusU Wealth Dynamics Masters 2022 in Bali, a grand prize for the entrepreneurial business-pitching of GGYC’s unique selling point, as well as awards for leadership and excellence of his accomplishments in 2022. With many accolades at such a young age, he shared insights as an international speaker and was invited to speak in Genius Central SG, the home of the entrepreneur movement. He was also the speaker at many life skills workshops held across the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF), and education-based social enterprises.

Today, I consider myself a leading learner who values self-awareness, self-mastery, and self-expression in my pursuits. It is an accelerated learning pathway to identify abundance and opportunity in any context, especially during such disruptive times globally

Talking about Education

Ryan grew up in an educational environment of scarcity, competition, and pressure from elders. Much of his schooling progress was motivated by the fear of being useless, the fear of missing out, and the fear of failure. Despite these difficult circumstances, Ryan performed with grace under pressure and built up discipline through his routine. Some educators he faced were of the ‘my way or the highway’ mentality, which tends to belittle and ignore the student’s thought process. This type of schooling causes more harm than good, where students have mental scarring from what they went through years after their schooling years. This realization motivated Ryan to find alternative, more effective ways of teaching that caused less stress.

“For a while, I was always scrambling towards the safest, tried and tested route, viewing mistakes and favor as taboo. Unfortunately, this conditioned me to learn to pass exams and not learn out of a passion for bettering my life. Thankfully, I realized my mistake when I received feedback that I could churn out theory flawlessly but falter in applying it,” Ryan analyses.

Besides academics, Ryan had much to learn in terms of soft skills, of which a hard lesson surfaced when he ran into leadership troubles at a young age. This setback made him understand the importance of an education beyond

grades, from which it became a setup to kickstart his journey of life skills and a more holistic education model, helping students transition into adulthood. As life progressed, Ryan started to evolve his perception of failure altogether. “Rather than see failure as separate from success, failure is paramount for success. It’s like learning how to ride a bike – you fall, but it directs you to try until you master it! Failure also gives one social currency, as it tells others that you have the confident openness to try, the humility to learn from mistakes, and the resilience to continue onward,” he explains.

Shining Example of Leadership

Ryan sees his life as an accumulation of growth toward success. Having to stop school due to

his cancer diagnosis was a turning point, giving him the time to wonder about the fragility of life, the value of time, and self-esteem. “One’s world may be filled with costly adversities, but the choice to respond in a manner that serves you is priceless. This formative period of my internal compass enabled me to focus on living a life without regrets,” he shares.

Now, as a survivor, he sees it as a second chance at life, cultivating an action-oriented mindset to develop life skills for fulfilled living. Through this worldview, he developed an attitude that helped him excel at school and learn transferable skills, such as integrating systems for more productive and enjoyable outcomes. It helped him evolve his leadership skills which were quickly recognized by his

teachers and elders. They entrusted him with many responsibilities and leadership roles for his intense focus on results, which was encouraged by his educational environment. But, focusing solely on the result-oriented approach, he feels, was a mistake as it led to the loss of valuable friendships and got him ostracized.

“Thus, I learned the hard way that life was not all about academic brilliance. More emphasis and awareness had to be dedicated to emotional intelligence and street smarts,” Ryan explains.

His worldview faced a paradigm shift as he sought more holistic lifestyle lessons, furthering his growing interest in education. Hence, he tried to find environments that encouraged his direction of progress and joined the career center at NUS. “I also transformed my consciousness by engaging with mentors and learning from their best thinking. By applying their wisdom to improve my quality of life and advising peers who were also interested in developing their best potential, I built a strong mindset of future readiness and servant leadership,” Ryan shares.

Ryan respects the time and efforts of others connecting with him and having inspiring

GGYC focuses on developing a resilient competency of life skills like mindsets, tools, and case studies that enable one to efficiently learn new skills and topics for their career

conversations to gain direction from the noise and achieve their goals. Bringing leadership to the table, Ryan always encourages them to step out of their comfort zones and apply their ideas and personal philosophies in everything they do.

“Today, I consider myself a leading learner who values self-awareness, self-mastery, and selfexpression in my pursuits. It is an accelerated learning pathway to identify abundance and opportunity in any context, especially during such disruptive times globally,” opines Ryan.

Overcoming Challenges

Being young can be a challenge, and Ryan learned this fact firsthand. The frustration over the viewpoints elders impose on youth as the ‘only truth’ compelled him to make a difference. After taking a step back and figuring out the problem, he realized that it stemmed from the environment of systems we are all brought up in and that it needs a change. He aims to cultivate the independence of decision making and time freedom – life’s most precious currencies desired

Though its practices stem from over 5 years of experimenting and refining, Ryan’s youth coaching business is his most recent endeavor

by millions, and why many obsess over money to achieve these ultimate goals. The learning point for Ryan was to always recognize blind spots with the constructive feedback of others.

Ryan understands that the most efficient way for educators is to use linear learning, or a one-size-fits-all approach. But, he realized that this isn’t necessarily the most effective way of learning. So, after a lot of experimentation, he found that giving students interactive choices through gamified learning attuned to the cultural trends of their generation yielded the most wholesome experience for them. This helped them feel more valued and have more trust in their teacher, thus being willing to ask more questions and engage more with the content they were learning. “Students were energized by their own ‘Eureka’ moments, having accomplished feats they didn’t know they could ever pull off,” Ryan shares.

Bespoke Training Modules for Clientele

GGYC focuses on developing a resilient competency of life skills like mindsets, tools, and case studies that enable one to efficiently learn new skills and topics for their career. This ensures that in a VUCA world, no matter one’s pivoting of technical skills to fit the trends, their internal compass of life skills such as adaptability and creativity still hold firm and ease their shift into any new role that the uncertain future may bring. “While ‘structure’ can sound rigid and stubborn, the structure can actually be liberating. My coaching content is arranged in tiers and in order of force multipliers. This means each tier enhances the understanding of the next tier significantly,” explains Ryan.

The end goal of every tier is to cultivate a lifelong habit that the mentee can apply throughout their lives. There are 5 tiers that respond to key problems faced in the existing

education systems. These help in evolving a mentee’s ideas of education, thus respecting an individual’s approach to growing their life skills and enhancing their ownership of these skills. By applying these methodologies in coaching, mentees will have clarity and confidence about how to live their best professional lives with minimal regrets. “Applied well, education is a powerful social leveler that enables one to achieve their dreams regardless of background, personality, or age. It is highly liberating and transformative for the individual and creates wealth for their social circles and communities,” shares Ryan.

In a VUCA world, what stays constant is the know-how to sustain any career. So by beginning with the end in mind, Ryan employs vision mapping to get clients to envision their future, thus helping them define their existence’s purpose. “We then work out the details of where

they are at their current point in life, and from there, acknowledge the gap between their current reality and future vision. Now, this can be a painful exercise as it clearly shows what efforts or sacrifices have to be put in to close the gap,” reveals Ryan. But this pain can be soothed by empowering them incrementally, via ‘donefor-you (DFY) checklists to done-with-you (DWY) challenges, ultimately resulting in doit-yourself (DIY) initiatives.’

Once the client has mastered the proactive attitude of improving their quality of life, there is a check on their future vision to see if it can be stretched towards a higher ambition. “We highly value 1-1 personalized and optimized learning, where the mentee is learning at their most comfortable state of mind in their most conducive environment,” explains Ryan. These conditions accelerate their learning rate. With safety and enjoyment prioritized, mentees have

Ryan aspires to write more books and create a series of videos to complement his 5-tier curriculum. As someone passionate about integrating systems for better outcomes, he aims to crystallize his best thinking, practices, and other inspiring content into easy-to-digest formats

assured peace of mind that they are valued and are living out their idea of who they want to become in society.

Career Forward

Though its practices stem from over 5 years of experimenting and refining, Ryan’s youth coaching business is his most recent endeavor. One of the most memorable milestones for Ryan as an educator was developing the unique skill

of creating conducive conditions for learning. Though it sounds easier than it seems, Ryan realized that as an educator, there is a need to consider the technicalities of the subject being shared, the resources at hand, and the group dynamics of the students present.

Starting the day in a quiet space, Ryan makes time to tackle the most challenging tasks of the day. This way, every other task feels motivationally easier and less stressful.

Throughout the day, Ryan always seeks peace of mind to motivate the efficient delivery of projects and to discover how to optimize his limited energy. When pressured or fatigued, Ryan sometimes listens to motivational orchestral music to boost his energy, switch up activities, do chores, or play video games.

When Ryan isn’t coaching a client or creating content, he likes to focus on his entrepreneurial ventures by following this cycle:

1. Evolving his skills creatively with the latest trends.

2. Building up his personal brand to demonstrate relevant proof of his competencies.

3. Developing sensory leadership for himself and others.

4. Improving efficiency and effectiveness of workflows with systems.

“This continuous rhythm of working days adds to my goal of time freedom – I aim to be at a point where I can wake up going:

‘My own daily needs can be easily met. Now how can I spend my remaining time being present with and helping others achieve their dreams?’” Ryan further elaborates. Though all days are different, he ensures that his weekly schedule has free time and mind space to do what he desires.

Ryan takes time to go for evening strolls at his neighbourhood park, which help him process thoughts, and he uses the exercise to reflect on how well he has spent the day. “It boils down to this statement: ‘What stories do you tell yourself every second? It may be laughably simple, but the choice of words we tell ourselves can empower or impair our growth to the extreme and whether we end up hitting our goals in life,” says Ryan.

As an author and speaker, Ryan has an urgency and motivation to change communities and people for the better. His philosophy is that when one is educated and empowered, they can define a life that is purposeful and can independently transform their quality of life towards achieving more growth and fulfillment. “We are fortunate to live in a time when education is democratized, courtesy of the internet. All it takes is the story within “I’m curious to learn” to kickstart one’s journey, and sharpen the learning process through mentorship.” clarifies Ryan.

Encouraging Like-Minded Youth

Being a motivational and inspiring coaching leader, Ryan has much to share with those at the start of entrepreneurial ventures. “It is natural to be unsure of where to start, but if you’re looking to build a solid foundation for leadership and career-building, check out what your alreadysuccessful role models are doing – their best thinking and life hacks included,” he advises. While continuity may get boring, it is the sole activity that builds ecosystems over time. In this fast-paced world, it is easy to make promises in the heat of the moment and lose track the next day. However, by maintaining continuity through a mentor, you can flourish with the strength of

those who have walked before you and can impart wisdom to juniors in the future. “The power of mentorship is recognized as integral to shaping a more enlightened generation of changemakers to save this world. Singapore, for instance, is looking to grow a national culture of mentoring for young people, upping their chances of sustainable and enjoyable careers,” Ryan shares.

Ryan aspires to write more books and create a series of videos to complement his 5-tier curriculum. As someone passionate about integrating systems for better outcomes, he

aims to crystallize his best thinking, practices, and other inspiring content into easy-to-digest formats. “I hope these resources will empower young minds with the skillsets that they can use in their careers forward, or even help them out of seasons when they lack the direction or motivation to continue onward,” Ryan conveys. Ryan recommends joining the GENIUS Generation Youth Coaching Telegram Channel, which compiles resources and programs to accelerate learning for an enjoyable and successful career life!

Defying all odds and beating cancer, Ryan became the first GENIUS Generation Youth Coach, who evolves youth to expand their career dreams and make their employability desirable in the 21st Century

Gone with a Click: Preventing Our Most Prized Possessions from Ending Up on The Dark Web

Christine Gadsby, VP, Product Security, BlackBerry

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow morning and your phone’s photo library disappeared? Or you found pictures of your children being used in an advertisement? The most intimate moments of your life held hostage for ransom thanks to a compromised password d -- and unless you pay up, they could be gone with a click.

The birthday parties, vacations, Christmas mornings, Halloween nights and all the unexpected moments that get captured in an instant and stored in both our collective and literal memory banks – our phones.

Valuing Data Like We Value Our Vehicles

Just like how we lock up our cars and houses containing our most ‘valuable’ possessions, we need to put the same value and stringent security safeguards on our data and its accompanying

With well documented instances of cyber criminals selling unsuspecting victims’ selfies among their dark web data dumps, it’s no longer out of the realm of possibility

Christine Gadsby is Vice President of ProductSecurityatBlackBerry.Christine is an accomplished Application Security Executive and highly regarded industry expert known for strategically orchestrating security operations and programs, SDLC capabilities, automation, security tooling, risk mitigation strategies, and multi-party coordinated incident response and disclosure. She has contributed to several security working groups in the U.S and Canadian governments. Her current focus at BlackBerry is driving the secure software supply chain efforts focusing on the NIST SSDF, Cybersecurity Executive Order, ISO 29147, ISO 30111, Open Source software licensing and compliance, and SBOM efforts. She is a known keynote industry expert speaker and contributor, including RSA, CCTX, Black Hat, IoTSF, ISACA, CAV, Women in IT, and FIRST.

footprint. Data is now the proverbial breadcrumbs we can’t help but leave behind. They can contain a virtual treasure trove of insights; as more of our world gets ‘connected’ and moves online. For businesses, the same ethos applies, with data all the riper for the taking in our post-pandemic, work-from-anywhere world where the old castle and moat approach to corporate security can no longer be counted on.

With well documented instances of cyber criminals selling unsuspecting victims’ selfies among their dark web data dumps, it’s no longer out of the realm of possibility. The BlackBerry-revealed BAHAMUT threat group took personal photo stealing to a new level. The group seized what was originally an information security news website and pushed out content on geopolitics, research,

The dark underbelly of the web is known as a black market where shadowy individuals and criminal organizations do brisk trades in the sale of illicit weapons or drugs, and data –both personal and corporate

and industry news on other hack-for-hire groups by a list of fake “contributors” that used the names and photos of real journalists (including local U.S. news anchors) to appear legitimate. Despite these brazen incidents and the fact that phones and laptops top the list of things people would grab first if their house was on fire, the average person is woefully unprepared when it comes to backing up and securing what are often thought to be our most personal and prized possessions.

The Dark Web Cybercrime Bazaar Where Data is a Hot Commodity

The dark underbelly of the web is known as a black market where shadowy individuals and criminal organizations do brisk trades in the sale of illicit weapons or drugs, and data – both personal and corporate. Data has become the most popular commodity, owing to the importance people and businesses place on it and the intrinsic value it holds. The growing sharing economy is gathering steam in the cyber criminal underground, which now mirrors the well-oiled infrastructure that makes the business world hum. Organized threat actors can tap access brokers and outsourced consultants to deliver more timely and personalized deceptions to their victims at the individual or corporate level. It’s not a stretch to say that the hacker in the hoodie stereotype has graduated and now has a seat at the boardroom table.

In the face of this disturbing trend and the ‘success’ with which well-organized malicious actors have had compromising enterprises and individuals in the form of data

breaches, the urgency with which we need to close the gap between what we value and what we leave at the mercy of those that would cause us harm for maximum financial gain, has never been greater.

Cleaning Out Your (Data) Closet

We are in the midst of a data revolution and citizens and enterprises must pay closer attention to the security of their information and where it lives. Just like your closet, your data needs to be clean and organized. With that in mind, we must take data maintenance a step further than knowing where data lives and how many layers of security it has, to ensure information won’t be lost in the case of an attack, outage, or accidental erasing keystrokes.

Businesses should implement a unified approach to consistent backups to ensure their internal and employee data is protected and retained. Scheduling regular patch updates, data backups and keeping copies off-site are simple but effective methods that can make or break your organization’s ability to deal with ransomware attacks and threat actors. Similarly, individuals should look to make backups of their irreplaceable photos and sensitive information on a backup cloud service or hard drive.

Whether you’re Jane Doe the person, or John Deere the company, the onus is on all of us to understand our information, protect it and back it up. If you don’t, you might as well consider it gone, posted up on the dark web where ‘data’ equals ‘dollars’, and personal photos or corporate files are just another asset to be bought and sold.

Susan Carabello

Manifestation Coach, Author, & Motivational Speaker

Helping Clients Transform their Lives with Purpose, Vision, & Gratitude

Susan Carabello is a highly soughtafter mindset, manifestation, empowerment coach, and motivational speaker. Her most significant gift lies in her ability to communicate with clients to change their perspectives towards life, set inspirational and achievable goals, become mindful of their choices, overcome limiting beliefs and blocks, and really go after what they desire in life. As

a motivational speaker, she shows people that if they can trust themselves, they can trust their lives fully, that everything always works out.

Last year, Susan added another feather to her cap. She published her first book, ‘Beauty Behind the Veil’ where she discussed her personal transformation from anxiety, selfsabotage, self-doubt, and fear to powerhouse manifester, in hopes of inspiring people to take charge of their lives as she did and how it helped

Susan Carabello, Manifestation Coach, Author, & Motivational Speaker

to shape her life to what it is today. Living second-handedly through her experience, she hopes to offer the readers a chance to give that boost to their own lives, all through a spiritual will.

A Journey from an Award-winning Make-up Artist to a Manifestation Coach

In 2014, Susan began her career as a make-up artist and climbed the ladder of success in a short time. However, her established career halted when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world unexpectedly. “Not knowing where to turn, I had to start trusting that inner nudge that I was meant to be of service to others as a coach,” shares Susan. “I followed that nudge and learned as much as possible. When I did, my life started to change.” From then on, her

mission as a manifestation coach became to help individuals develop strong self-worth and confidence by mastering self-love, creating life with intent, and seeking happiness from within.

To make this happen, Susan implements three fundamental principles, i.e., purpose, vision, and gratitude, as she believes that all the things that we do in life should be done with purpose, on purpose, with vision, and with gratitude. “When you have a goal and apply these principles, watch what happens in your life,” says Susan. She also infuses Reiki as an added bonus in her coaching sessions.

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

Susan has a very optimistic perception when it comes to looking at and dealing with challenges. She says, “When something is

challenging us, it is an opportunity to recognize that there is a lesson we may need to learn.” She further explains, “In my experience, these challenges call us to go within for the answers we seek. This is one of the important pillars of my coaching practice; learning to go within for the answers we seek. We always have the answers; if we go within, we can always find everything we are looking for.”

When Susan comes across a roadblock in her life, she meditates on it and looks for the lesson. She admits that it takes practice to unravel the lesson, but the outcome is worth it. “Because when you find it, you will find that you are much less reactive and more responsive and open to the lesson(s) that need to be learned,” mentions Susan.

Customized Training Program for Every Client

To begin with, Susan sits with clients to discuss what their objectives are and which goals they are looking to achieve in life. Next, she asks them to envision what those goals would look like for themselves and attach a feeling associated with them. For example, if someone is looking to build their dream vacation home, they may connect a feeling of relaxation. In this case, the sense of relaxation draws the goal into their experience. Susan then teaches the client how to surrender, let go, and receive everything they have asked for.

However, there are times when people tend to have limiting beliefs about certain subject matters. So, for this reason, Susan and the client focus on developing purpose, vision, and gratitude and building up the selfconcept. “I assist my clients by letting them know what self-concept is and why a strong self-concept is vital when creating your desired reality,” asserts Susan.

“It consists of our self-image and selfworth, so if we can observe our selfconcept and bring it into alignment with our goals and dreams, everything is achievable.”

Leading Most Successful Coaching Initiative

Susan’s most successful initiative was participating as a speaker on manifestation. It was a dream she had created for herself, and she had trusted that the opportunity would present itself at the right time. In due course, the moment presented itself, and the speaking engagement was well received. Looking back at it now, the event was everything Susan had imagined and much more. Moreover, getting positive feedback from the participants was like the cherry on the cake.

Life Experiences are the Greatest Teacher

Susan has always been passionate about learning new things. Even today, she often

Susan implements three fundamental principles, i.e., purpose, vision, and gratitude, as she believes that all the things that we do in life should be done with purpose, on purpose, with vision, and with gratitude

finds herself signing up for new classes and workshops just to expand her knowledge. But she considers life experiences as the greatest teacher. “It shows us what has worked, what has not, where we need to shift and flow, and where we need to make changes,” reveals Susan.

One of the greatest lessons that Susan has learned over the years is never to give up. There are times when life has different plans for us. It doesn’t mean that our goals are not meant for us; it just means that a lesson may be required before we reach our desired goals. Therefore, Susan calls life’s journey the best part because that is where the actual growth happens.

Career Milestones

There have been numerous instances that have made Susan proud. However, her most significant milestone must be learning to trust herself and putting herself out as a coach.

Transitioning from a previous career as a makeup artist into coaching required learning, studying, and trusting that she could make it work. “The trust in myself paid off, and it’s my message now. Trust yourself, and you can trust that everything works out in your life,” states Susan.

A Day in the Life of a Coach

Being a multi-tasking leader, Susan’s working schedule is not the same. Her days vary between doing research, compiling social media marketing ideas, conducting 1:1 coaching sessions, and writing for her new book. Irrespective of these varying tasks at hand, Susan enjoys her work and wouldn’t have it any other way. But practicing breathwork, meditation, journaling, and gratitude is a constant for her. She states, “This morning routine allows me to stay centered, focused, and prepared to tackle the day’s tasks efficiently and effortlessly.”

“I assist my clients by letting them know what self-concept is and why a strong self-concept is vital when creating your desired reality.”

- Susan Carabello

Tips on Leading a Successful Life

According to Susan, people have the power within themselves to achieve anything they desire in life. She further explains, “Often, we seek advice from others about what we should or should not be doing. But, the game changes when we recognize that we have all the answers within. Flex your self-confidence, believe in yourself, and watch the magic happen.”

Something Exciting is Brewing

Currently, Susan is finishing her second book, ‘The Gift, A Practical Guide to Loving Yourself, Leading Yourself and Learning The Lessons of Your Soul,’ due June 27, 2023. She is also working on speaking engagements for Spring 2023 and is super excited about all the opportunities.

How ChatGPT is Changing Content Marketing

Yakup Özkardes-Cheun, Founder & CEO, Content AI Tools

What is AI-Powered Content Marketing & How Does It Work?

AI-Powered Content Marketing is the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to create content that is more relevant, engaging and personalized. It is based on natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning AI technology to generate content in a more efficient way.

AI-powered content marketing can be used to automate repetitive tasks, such as creating blog posts or social media posts. By leveraging AI-powered content marketing, businesses can increase their efficiency and effectiveness in creating personalized content for their customers. This will help them stay competitive in today’s digital world.

The accuracy of GPT-3 and ChatGPT depends on the quality of data fed into them. If the data is biased or incorrect, then the generated content will also be inaccurate

Yakup Özkardes-Cheung is Founder and CEO of Content AI Tools and author of the book: Content AI: Save time, money and 10X your marketing impact with AI. Yakup worked for different media companies before he became a content manager and started leveraging his own time with AI tools. The idea of Content AI Tools was born when he realized that there is no other publication that focuses on this niche.

Exploring the Benefits of Using AI to Optimize Your Content Marketing Strategy

Content marketing is an essential part of any successful brand’s marketing strategy. However, it can be time consuming and expensive to create content that resonates with your target audience. AI-powered content creation tools are becoming increasingly

popular as a way to optimize your content marketing strategy and save you time and money. With these tools, you can easily create high-quality, engaging content that is tailored to your specific audience. AI-powered content creation tools can also help you analyze the performance of your campaigns so that you can make data-driven decisions about how to improve them.

ChatGPT – A New Way How We Produce Text

ChatGPT is an AI tool that is changing the way we produce text. It uses natural language processing and natural language generation to generate text that reads like it was written by a human. ChatGPT can be used for a variety of use cases, from generating customer service responses to creating content for websites and blogs. With its advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, ChatGPT can help copywriters save time by automatically generating content ideas and providing feedback on existing content.

How Does ChatGPT Work?

The technology that is used to create the content by ChatGPT is called GPT-3 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3), which is an advanced natural language processing (NLP) technology that uses deep learning algorithms to generate humanlike text. GPT-3 is a major advancement in the field of AI, as it can generate highly accurate and human-like text without any human input. This technology has been used to create ChatGPT, a chatbot that uses GPT-3 to understand and respond to user queries in natural language. ChatGPT is able to understand complex semantic searches and provide relevant answers quickly and accurately. With the help of GPT-3, ChatGPT can be used as an effective tool for customer service agents, helping them save time and improve customer experience.

A Simple Framework to Use ChatGPT

Ask yourself the following question:

What Kind of Content Do I Already Create?

If your answer is: Blog article, newsletter, social media captions, than you can use ChatGPT for content creation. But always see the results as your first draft and not as your final content piece.

Understanding Limitations of GPT-3 & ChatGPT Technology

While these technologies have enabled us to generate content at scale, it is important to understand their limitations.

The accuracy of GPT-3 and ChatGPT depends on the quality of data fed into them. If the data is biased or incorrect, then the generated content will also be inaccurate. Moreover, fact checking is necessary after generating the content in order to ensure accuracy and consistency.

In addition, GPT-3 and ChatGPT can only generate basic content that requires minimal editing. More complex tasks such as creative writing are still beyond their capabilities. Therefore, it is important to understand these limitations before using these technologies for automated content generation.

How to Start?

The best way to start using AI is testing some tools and create content for yourself. Here are some tools that I can recommend:

● Rytr: This was the first writing assistant that I used and continue to use. It’s helpful for social media captions. Rytr has a 5K character free trial and starts at $9 a month for upgraded services.

● You Write offers a free month trial. It’s $15 a month after that. You can produce social media

posts and choose the audience that you want to communicate. It offers only five tones (neutral, friendly, professional, witty, and persuasive).

● Content Forge focuses on longer content. With a $29 monthly fee, it will produce 20K words or 100K characters for you. In the seven-day free trial, it will produce up to 1K words so you can see if it is a good fit.

There is also a website where I from time to time find new GPT-3 tools for free which is called Appsumo. It is worth visiting this page and checking lifetime deals that you can purchase - which will save you a lot of money in the long term.

Conclusion: Start Today but Don’t Overestimate the Power of AI

AI is a powerful tool that can help us in many ways. It can automate mundane tasks, increase efficiency, and free up human resources to focus on more creative tasks. However, it is important to remember that AI should not be seen as a replacement for people but rather as an aid in their work.

When it comes to copywriting and content creation, AI tools can be used to speed up the process and generate ideas quickly. However, the success of these tools depends on how well they are trained and how well people use them. Therefore, it is essential that we focus on training people who will use these tools and giving them the possibility to make the most out of them.

In conclusion, AI is here to help us, but we should not overestimate its power or underestimate our own capabilities. Start using AI today but always keep in mind that human creativity and emotions are still needed for successful copywriting projects.

When it comes to copywriting and content creation, AI tools can be used to speed up the process and generate ideas quickly. However, the success of these tools depends on how well they are trained and how well people use them