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RUF THE NETWORKING LEADERSHIP

THE NETWORKING LEADERSHIP

to Freedom

Joseph Oubelkas

The amazing story of ...

Anna Santiago

Charles D.A. Ruffolo - MPA

Ensure your next sell

COLOPHON MANAGEMENT RUF Charles D.A. Ruffolo & John H. Olsen EDITORIAL BOARD Charles D.A. Ruffolo, Herma P. BroesderRuffolo, John H. Olsen, Shakila Olsen and Sandra Kalicharan MANAGING DIRECTOR Sandra Kalicharan EDITORIAL OFFICE Kristin Andress DESIGN Galilee.com PHOTOGRAPHY Maik Hewitt, Tycho Muller and ADVERTISING & MARKETING CONSULTANTS Shakila@galilee.nl BOOKINGS & SUBSCRIPTIONS Shakila@galilee.nl

The Amazing story of Anna Santiago

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PUBLISHED BY Galilee Media (galilee.com) The Networking (thenetworking.com)

For questions and suggestions about The RUF magazine you can contact contact@galilee. com. Journalistic tips or topics can directly be send to the editor in chief: sandra@galilee.nl Copyright ©2019 by Galilee. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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‘Belief in your natural ta

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Who is ...

Petra Brussen

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Column | David Davis

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It’s about ...

Margriet de Schutter

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To Freedom Joseph Oubelkas

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Experts in AI & ML Target

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Social Selling Tips Effy Shkuri

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The Oven Azer Khan

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Culinairy

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10 [

The

lents and gifts’

First Word Charles Ruffolo

Characteristics that ensure your next sell

]

For more information, bookings and latest events visit us at

thenetworking.com

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THE NETWORKING LIFESTYLE

MORE ...

RUF Contents

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Network CLUBEVENT

The

“You can influence others by talking about what they want and showing them how to get it. That’s leadership.”

Charles D.A. Ruffolo - MPA

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FIRST WORD WOW! What a blessing to have you reading and receiving The RUF Digital & Printed Magazine!

The RUF Magazine has grown because of your support and your interest in NetworKing. Because of the overwhelming importance of keeping up to speed on the developments and opportunities, we have added The RUF Digital Magazine to The RUF Print Magazine.

With the power of technology (Internet) we are able to reach over a quarter of a million people using The RUF Digital Magazine. You can now read articles while you are anywhere in the world, share your inspiring and favorite articles, and pictures with others in your Network. The RUF Magazine is always available to reinforce your Networking skills and capabilities to generate new contacts, leads and make more sales!

I am pleased that our NetworKing message touches the lives of so many people across the globe. We could not do that without your total support of our NetworKing mission, your attendance at The Network Club events, your requests for me to lecture at your activities, your desire for me to train your company’s personnel or clients, your amazing personal articles in The RUF Magazines and your genuine concern for others by you keeping the spirit of Giving Back alive. All of us at RUF Magazines offer a heartfelt Thank You! This edition of The RUF magazine focuses on how effective Networking leads toward increasing your value and closing that deal. Remember, Networking is not what YOU want or need. It is always about what the OTHER person in your network needs or wants at that moment.

There are many similarities between networking in and selling to your network. The process is the same. Your goal in networking is to interact with others in your network to

obtain or reach your goal, which is the same goal of selling.

Selling is not always about a product or service it could be about your idea, your dream or someone in your network helping you to reach your goal.

Effective NetworKing increases your ability to sell yourself, products, services, idea or dreams but your actions must follow to include in your daily life characteristics the foundation for which Networking is based. A solid Networking character that is based on Enthusiasm, Trust, Working hard, Optimism, Respect, Knowledge, Integrity, Never giving up & Giving back = NETWORKING! The best way to sell yourself or a product or service to your Network is to earn their respect, trust and demonstrate the spirit of Giving Back to those in your Network. Whether today or tomorrow, a prospective customer may need or want you to be on their team.

Networking all starts with your attitude. As you maintain a positive attitude, and control your state of mind you will take control of your results and increase your ability to promote and make sales. Remember to listen to your Network because if you do someone else will and they will make the next sale.

Now use your Networking skills and capabilities to reach your goal and make that NEXT SELL !

Charles Ruffolo Charles D.A. Ruffolo - MPA The NetworKing!

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PROFILE

Who is ...

Petra Brussen

Petra has been an international businesswoman, entrepreneur, Hearts Leader, and inspirer in the field of Hearts Business development and Hearts Leadership for more than 25 years. She inspires and guides women and men to find unity through the HEART and to create a new world together. She was Vice President at Royal Wessanen / Natudis and CEO of Prénatal where she was the spiritual mother of the Prénatal Hearts Center on the A1 near Amersfoort and based on the concepts “The silent bond of moms” and “If you we become”. As a business woman and entrepreneur, she stands for bringing the HEART back into companies through the people who work there. Together with those involved, she creates shared value for people, businesses, society and the earth.

Why did you make the choice to become an entrepreneur in the field of Hearts Business and Leadership?

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After 25 years at the helm of beautiful companies, I felt a strong calling with my experience and what I saw was necessary to share with others. As a woman at the business top echelon, I have often felt lonely when it comes to leadership from the heart. I did more with my feelings and intuition than my colleagues, whereas during my studies and in my career I had learned to use my mental side. It has been a process and a long path to get me out of that thinking and let my heart decide the course.

CEO of Prénatal

I did it. From the time as CEO at Prénatal, I have completely put my heart into my entrepreneurship and with success! I see daily how leaders and entrepreneurs struggle with the question of how they can be meaningful in their role and at the same time deal with the pressure of the necessary financial performance. I know from experience how you can combine these two in a more balanced way.

I now guide companies, CEOs, and entrepreneurs who would like to function differently and want to bring the heart back to our society. These are people who are looking to create a new world and dedicate themselves to it with their company.

Of course, that always starts with yourself. I like that. I like to contribute to that. What could be better than when happiness and success go hand in hand!? It fits perfectly in this new era. An era of unity, transparency and love.

“What will Hearts Business add to that?”

Hearts Business is the form of business of this modern age.

We bring the HEART consciously back into our businesses, in our society, in ourselves! We are guided by new values.

We share what we create and develop. This is about what matters, and about attention to help and connect with people and all life on earth.

Last word

“I want more than 1,000,000 Hearts Leaders to stand up for a new world that we create together.”

How do we bring back the HEART in our society, in our companies, organizations and in ourselves? I find it very exciting to live in this time of transition. How beautiful is it that we can experience this and make our contribution to a world of greater solidarity and love. For ourselves and for our children and future generations.

Youngest generations

The younger generations understand this much better than the older ones. They have an inner wisdom that lives more from connection, unity and transparency. Please do not let that distort us with our old beliefs. That has brought enough misery. More and more children are highly sensitive and have a great diversity of potential to develop. They have a higher consciousness than the older generations. It is the challenge to live with them from an inner mature perspective.

Everything indicates the necessity of creating a new world, a new future. That’s why I call on everyone to become a Hearts Leader. A Hearts Leader is someone who leads his life from the “direction” of the heart. Or better yet: from the voice of his heart. There is so much to be rediscovered about the power of the heart center. When people really are in their heart center, there is a creativity and connection with everything and everyone. Fed by a loving force that points the way.

How can we then rediscover the balance?

The new era that has now emerged calls for more collaboration, creating a new form of value with your company. Values such as happiness, leisure, individuality from your personal mission, being together and living, transparency, life fulfillment, clean air and water, freedom, connection, a green environment and enjoying the importance of earning a lot of money. It is about business that really matters to us as humanity. That includes the important question that we can ask ourselves: “When will we have enough?” “Why do we want more?” Our urge for material “more” causes many of our problems. Satisfaction begins in yourself as does having a clear picture of what really matters in your life. The business of the heart is where the real value can be found for me.

For more information about Petra and her life, see: http://petrabrussen.com/over-petra/ theRUF| 7

Special offer for readers of Ruf Magazine!

Hearts Business Mastermind including Hearts Leadership Masterclass by Petra Brussen. Are you ready to develop your business into a meaningful Hearts Business? Are you ready to become a Hearts Leader? Join this unique day and get introduced and guided to the life and business of your true purpose. Discover what this could bring to you and your business. New visions and inspiration on Leadership, Business development and your contribution to a new earth where unity is the way of living and our mission for the future.

Special offer for readers of Ruf Magazine: â‚Ź97,- (ex VAT). Regular price: â‚Ź 197,February 15, 2019 (Dutch spoken) Seats2meet Amersfoort Buy your ticket: https://petrabrussen.com/aanbodruf/

The Value of Communication in Golf NETWORKING AND THE LINKS

By David Davis

By now it should be clear that communication is an essential part of networking but how is this reected in the game of golf?

First and foremost, communication is essential for relationships to run smoothly and be able to maximize their effectiveness. At the professional level on the PGA, LPGA and European Tours, there are no relationships as vital to the game as those between the players and their caddies.

These relationships have many dynamics which need to come together in order for the team to compete for the top prizes. These same dynamics would naturally be relevant in nearly all communication-based relationships and include the ability to listen, to carefully take in all variables in order to come to a decision and finally the ability to trust your caddy.

To a professional, the caddy is their partner in crime. They spend as much or more time with the pro as their actual spouse in many instances, and the ability to listen is every bit as important as listening in any other relationship. It is the caddy that has mapped out the course and provides the player with the distance and all the variables at hand. These variables range from wind direction to temperature and moisture effects on the ball, to elevation changes to specific undulations on a fairway or green to aim for and take into consideration. If a lay-up shot is being played (such as the 2nd shot on a par 5 where the green is not safely reachable in two) the caddy will suggest the best distance, not only for the shot but also for the layup for the approach.

Once the player has carefully taken in all the variables, there is an ensuing discussion as to what club, shot shape and target to at which to aim.

This is what’s happening when you see them debating for a few minutes. What’s noticeable is that in some of these situations a relatively intense amount of communication is taking place only for a single shot that might take about 2 seconds to complete. This is most often the case and underlines the essential importance of communication.

There is infinitely more time involved in the communication aspect of golf than the actual action of hitting the ball.

Once the decision has been made and the most important part, the communication has finished, the final determination of success as to how effective the communication has been is the trust with which the player can make the agreed upon shot. If there was a communication breakdown the ensuing shot will almost certainly fail. If everything resulted in an agreement and full trust has been given then the shot will have the best chance of being a success.

This process the player and his caddie go through are no different than the communication required in any relationship in life, whether they are with a partner, a networking relationship or a solid business contact. Golf simply serves to reflect this in yet another way with the end result being the determination of success. theRUF| 9

NETWORKING

Characteristics that ensure your next sell The table below illustrates that to increase your ability to sell yourself to your network you need to possess certain characteristics. Selling always starts with Networking and develops into relationships with others producing the positive results you desire.

NETWORKING CHARACTERISTICS

HOW NETWORKING INCREASES YOUR SALES CHARACTERISTICS

Networking is making connections among people or groups of a like kind. It is about being able to help or benefit from contacts with individuals with whom you have a direct or indirect relationship, in short, a positive process of mutual support.

N

Networking

It is about linking common interests that surface throughout life, about making connections among people you meet on a daily basis. It’s about gathering and exchanging information, assistance, ideas, resources and advice. It’s about benefiting from those vital links, and giving back in return.

Networking is not rocket science. It’s a common sense way of life. But you have to learn the ropes or the loop of success won’t swing your way.

Networking is, indeed, a behavioural and Enthusiasm is an intense and eager feeling that moves or motivates you from within by the power of God.

E

Enthusiasm

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Use enthusiasm as we use honey to attract bees. Use enthusiasm to attract attention toward my network, toward doing business. Possessing enthusiasm catches people’s attention in your network and causes them to sit up and take notice of what you’re

organizational skill, but those are just fancy terms for something so basic and commonplace that you already do it without thinking. The problem is that you most likely do it on such a minimal basis that you may not recognize it, and, therefore, it barely impacts your life the way it could.

Networking is a philosophy of life. It’s about not settling for the status quo. It’s a philosophy built on trust, respect, honesty, integrity and making things happen with a lot of enthusiasm. It’s an art of interacting with and influencing people while listening to their needs and wishes. And, it’s a science of chemistry between people in all walks of life. It’s pure and practical and, above all, it works.

It’s about making that next sell!

saying or doing. Your enthusiasm draws attention to who you are and what you stand for in your LIFE! Nothing can stop a person who is filled with enthusiasm. He or she will keep going no matter what, because they know they are doing the right thing for the right cause and for the right reasons!

It’s about selling with enthusiasm!

Trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength in someone or something.

Trust has a major part in the foundation of establishing a network.

If you put the effort of trust-building in your network, there is a big chance that you might find success.

Trust is heartwarming and it is a great attribute.

T

Trust

hope. Trust does not make you to be afraid of the future. It helps you to be inspired, motivated and enthused to reach your goals and objectives.

Probably the most important step to lay a solid networking foundation is building trust, based on doing what you say you will do. At least try doing it, with a genuine intention to fulfill the trust.

It’s about selling with trust!

Trust in someone or something gives you Working Hard means creating a lot of value and value is economic worth

W

Besides the faith you have in being prepared for ups and downs in life, you have to work hard to achieve the things in life and in your business that you want to achieve.

Working Hard

With hard work, perseverance and self-belief there is no limit to what you can achieve.

You have to be proactive, a self-starter, having a strong drive for success and having

Optimistic is a state of mind by maintaining a positive attitude.

O

Optimistic

It means your state of mind. You can move forward more constructively and have a good effect with optimism. When you demonstrate a positive attitude, expect favourable outcomes.

Optimistic people can envision success and therefore are able to achieve goals.

People are naturally drawn to others

Respect is a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.

R

Respect

You need to gain and earn the respect and admiration of others in your network by displaying adequate interpersonal or professional ability to effectively network.

Remember: it takes respect to earn respect.

Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people in our network. Respect is trusting

sufficient self-confidence while being consistence and persevere when things gets tough.

Other important qualities of hard workers include a detail-oriented mindset and a strong desire to reach their goals.

Hard workers take full responsibility for their actions, and they realize that no one else is going to do the work for them. They maintain a positive attitude that carries them over low points and snags.

It’s about working hard to close the deal! with happy, cheerful dispositions so friendships and relationships are easier to develop. Positive thinking can even give your immune system a boost.

Your attitude creates the way you feel about others in your Network and a situation. Your actions are a result of your attitude, and positive attitude creates a positive reaction from others.

It’s about selling a positive attitude!

that all people in our network want the best for us.

Within our value of respect, self-respect is a vital ingredient, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort.

Your network is your life, your existence, your family, friends, and each person in your network has something to contribute. The secret is finding out who is the right person to effectively network with at the right time.

It’s about earning the next sell! theRUF| 11

K

Knowledge

Knowledge is being familiar, aware and understanding someone, something or a situation through experience and education to make a wise decision.

Possessing the knowledge to handle work and clearly understanding the purposes, objectives, practices and procedures of all aspects of the job.

Demonstrating an excellent experience

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles Although we are born innocent, integrity is not an integrity we have naturally. It is a value based on honesty and it will be developed over a lifetime.

I

Integrity means adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, honesty, and the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished as to morality.

Integrity

Never Giving Up - Perseverance is steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

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Never Giving Up

In networking, perseverance is the ability to adhere to a set of rules that enables you to reach your goal, regardless of the time devoted, the energy used, the effort applied, or the results achieved.

In our lives as in business one should possess perseverance - steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose.

Giving Back is freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone); handing over.

G

Giving Back

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There are many reasons that are good about giving – not only for the other person, but also for yourself – it is a critical element you need to develop in your networking life.

Some of the things we gain by making giving a greater part of our lives are a sense of empowerment, pride, happiness, security, peace, love and feeling of accomplishment.

and understanding of the “real world” while being well informed on business, political and social issues.

Be competent and learn the skills of networking, gain knowledge from others and increase your ability to do good things and good work.

It’s about selling with knowledge!

It is the willingness to do what is right, even when no one is looking. It is the moral compass, the inner voice, the voice of self-control and the basis for the trust, imperative in networking.

Integrity is the ability to hold together and properly regulate all of the elements of a personality and your network.

It’s about selling with integrity!

Please remember that you need to believe and understand that each day is your new day and that each day you’re getting closer in finding the strength to persevere.

We need to stop thinking that we are not good in networking and looking over the fence to see that the grass is greener for others in our network. If you do see the grass being greener on the other side of the fence, please realize that their water bill is much higher to keep the grass so green!

It’s about never stop selling!

When you give with joy, selflessness, and love, you will benefit greatly.

Giving enriches our lives with meaning, fulfillment, and happiness. It allows us to unleash our full potential and create breakthroughs in our networks.

The Carnal Rule of NetworKing is Giving!

It’s about selling with the spirit of Giving Back!

In our lives as in business one should possess perseverance steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose and close the deal.

In networking as in sales, perseverance is the ability to adhere to a set of rules that enables you to reach your goal, regardless of the time devoted, the energy used, the effort applied, or the results achieved. For example, your commitment, endurance, patience and hard working toward setting up your company, making the sell or studying to pass your school finals. Very often, people ask me: “how do you do it; how do you have the perseverance to be able to come across so calm and having everything under control? Well, it’s easy - if you don’t like something in your life, change it, because you are the only person who can change your situation. If you are not getting the grades in school, study harder. If you are not getting the job you think you should have, go find the right job. If you are not getting the clients or making the sell, get off your butt and hit the streets. Besides the faith you have being prepared for ups and downs in life, you have to work hard to achieve the things in life and in your business that you want to achieve.

Everyone is faced with challenges and obstacles in their live.

We all encountered what might be considered setbacks in our lives and also in work. But, please remember that you need to believe and understand that each day is your new day and that each day you’re getting closer in finding the strength to persevere. We need to stop thinking that we are not good in

networking and looking over the fence to see that the grass is greener for others in our network. And again, if you do see the grass being greener on the other side of the fence, please realize that their water bill is much higher to keep the grass so green!

To reach your goal, you need to learn to energize your network to gain support and to draw upon the strengths of others in your network. Once you have learned to incorporate the factor of energizing your network to make things change, you will also realize that things have to change. Changes always present new challenges and realization of these changes is never easy. There are some changes that we make ourselves, and some changes are imposed on us such as political turmoil, unemployment, additions to the family, or loss of a beloved one.

The current difficult times we are faced with, financial, spiritual, emotional or physical, may cause us to question our dreams, vision, goals, ambitions, enthusiasm or ability to persevere. Our belief that we must abandon our dreams or ambitions because the current times have become too hard regarding the circumstances we are facing, a situation that we never asked for or never experienced before, is something that we need to get control of. A look back in history, or reading the writings on the wall again, will show us that history is repeating itself, and others who have faced situations worse, did persevere, by staying focused and energizing their network to make change occur in their lives!

It’s about selling a positive attitude!

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COLUMN

It’s not about what you are It’s about who you are!

By Margriet de Schutter www.Extopsporter.nl

If you know Ruf, you know the importance of networking. When you meet the right person, or even better, when the right person meets you, you might get the opportunity to take the next step, which can change your life completely. Therefore it is really important to tell the world what you do and what your dreams are, which increases the chance of getting connected with the right person.

first time of my life I had the courage to take the first step into the big unknown, in order to find my true self again.

But, what if your life change completely, for example: you lose your job, you get injured or sick with the result you can’t follow your dream anymore. It is difficult to tell the world what your job is or what your dreams are if they are gone. In this phase, people experience difficulties when going to a network event, since they believe they can’t tell a ‘story’ anymore.

Because of the fact I was open about my struggles and my ‘identity crisis’, I got the opportunity to produce a documentary about my struggles during my failure to reach the Olympics and about my journey to find my true self again. Eventually, the documentary even won an Award during the International Film Festival in Milan in 2012. As a result I was asked to write a book titled Stop & Continue, exploring this process.

I experienced the same. It was Friday the 18th of December 2009. I was laying on the couch in the living room. I was alone and I couldn’t stop crying. I felt panic all over my body. I just decided to quit short track speed skating. It was everything for me. It was my identity. I was a short track speed skater and now for the first time of my life I abandoned this identity and I abandoned my dream to become an Olympic Champion. My body was broken, as were my dreams.

I realized I needed to discover my true identity, without being a professional sports athlete. Even though I had these extremely insecure feelings, I listened to my heart.

My intuition told me it was the best thing to do. For the 14 | theRUF

Believe it or not, since that moment, beautiful things have happened. It seems to be all the things I wanted to reach during my short track speed skating career, have come true right from the moment I quit skating. Surprisingly, in a field I did not expect before.

Through this process I realized all the setbacks I faced as a skater, didn’t help me reach my dreams, but they had made me special. My failures had become my strengths, which also became ‘my story’.

So when you experience any difficulties to go to a network event, because you are convinced you don’t have a story to tell, don’t fool yourself. Dare to listen to your intuition and don’t be afraid for the big unknown. Take the step to be your authentic you and tell the world what you feel and what you love.

It’s not about what you are. It’s about who you are!

to...

Freedom Joseph Oubelkas

When a toast is being made in a good company, use than the following words: “To Freedom.”

I am sure that nine out of ten cases the respond will be striking. Not negative, but rather surprised. Normally there is a toast to “health” or “love” or “happiness”. Because freedom, well, that is normal that we have that.

Normal.

This word itself is no longer normal for me. Because nothing is normal, nothing is taken for granted. Also freedom not.

While it should be the case and while we often experience it that way. Fortunately, because in many places on this earth it is a dream or fantasy. A dream or fantasy to be free.

Physically free. And also a dream or fantasy to be free of who you are or who you want to be.

During my years of unjust imprisonment in various prisons of Morocco, I red in the cell the book “Au nom de tous les miens (from the name of all the mines)” of Martin Gray.

How this man survived the horrors of the Second World War is indescribable, but yet he did it. Sixty years later he inspired a boy of twenty-five years somewhere unjustly behind bars with his story. He inspired me. Martin Gray once said: “To be a man you have to persevere.”

I am reading Martin Gray’s book and the feeling that is beign described when, at the beginning of the Second World War, it was thought that it will not be long, because “the Americans and the Britisch are coming” to save them, was a hopeful feeling that unfortunately would not be satisfied for a long time. It would take years. Instantly I put the parallel with my own situation. Many people know that I am innocent here and they try to help me. But how false is the hope that I will be released soon. I do not know, nobody knows it and I don’t want to think too much about it.

I just live on, day by day. It is very inspiring to read how Gray was so courageous at such a young age. The constant thought that he must stay alive runs like a red thread through

the story. Every time after an escape, torture or the loss of a loved one, he himself speaks in courage, he says he must survive. Once Martin Gray says that the most important thing in life, is life itself. Beautiful and impressive to read from someone who has changed his name so often, lost his wife and children, but feel blessed with many friends! The description of the Treblinka camp is detailed and lifelike.

It reminds me of the films and documentaries that I have seen about the Second World War. An event that intrigues me beyond measure.

It reminds me of the tears of Grays mother, how he describes them, on the train during the transport to the camp. It reminds me of the tears of an old man enlarged on a picture in a magazine, which has experienced the horrors of the past and is still suffering from it. It reminds me of my own tears that I let go during my mother’s second visit and mom brushed them away so tenderly with both her thumbs as she held my head up in her hands. They are tears of powerlessness and injustice. How people deliberately mess up, destroy the lives of their fellow men.

It is very recognizable to read how Gray continually wonders when everything will be over. The determination that dominion, the evil, will never last forever, contributes to an extra solid fighting spirit.

“Hold on. Stay alive.”

The shivers run over my back just to keep reading how courageous Gray remains. You would like to let some tears for the loss of his mother and brothers, but he himself speaks with such a strong will that it also gives you strength. It is an interaction, which I also experience with myself and my mother at home.

“I was determined to stay alive, I was determined to escape.

In the name of all the mines.” * Therefore I toast: “To health, love and ... freedom.”

Forever.

* Quoted from the book “Gezondheid, Liefde, Vrijheid” (ISBN 9789077607985), the sequel to the bestseller “400 letters from my mother (ISBN 9789077607831). Date of release: May 5, 2014.

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Network CLUBEVENT

The

Impression of The Network Club Event Exclusively hosted by

Expand your horizons visit The Network Club Events. Register at thenetworking.com.

NetworKing members have free access to The Network Club Events.

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Experts in ArtiďŹ cial Intelligence (AI) & Advanced Machine Learning (ML)

Target grew its roots in 2009 as a front-runner in handling data in the petabytes regime. Right from the start, we developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Advanced Machine Learning (ML) solutions for complex data sets.

This head start has given us at least a 3-5 year knowledge advantage in this rapidly growing market.

With the inventive, persistent and forthright mindset one might expect from the Dutch, we have grown our professional services into numerous market segments over the past 10 years. We serve renowned international customers in, among others, music & entertainment, scientific publishing, human capital and energy & water management.

Today, Target has developed into an independent company fully specialized in big data and AI innovations. We build sophisticated self-learning processing engines and big data is the fuel driving these engines. As a team, we have a passion for mastering data. We are excited about complex data sets, challenging projects, and believe in jointly tackling problems.

Additionally, we have developed numerous independent data platforms and AI solutions: • e-Vitality is our personalized lifestyle e-health platform supporting self-management and wearables (FitBit trackers, iWatch, Moves etc.) • MusicDataHub is our professional service for the music industry. It spots the next big hits and artists by continuously monitoring and analyzing statistics and

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• • • •

• •

•

content of existing tracks and 300.000 daily new music uploads on the internet.

Songa is our YouTube based music platform allowing community playlist sharing and personalized music recommendations.

Incident Intelligence is an anomaly detection toolkit that supports the transformation from reactive into proactive SLA management.

EnergyDataHub is our service for smart meters supporting energy forecasting and asset management and health.

Author Data Graph is our disambiguation solution applied to scientific authors enabling business applications such as journal recommendation and peer reviewer selection.

Our moderation tool allows automated filtering of unwanted content before publishing on the web.

Target-4-Jobs is a Tinder-like job matching solution based on our advanced semantic matching technology.

It continuously learns and improves based on user feedback.

Remembr.com is a community platform for sharing memories of deceased loved ones.

While data is our passion and our lifeblood, our network is the beating heart that keeps our organization running.

Without the close connections we have formed over the years, we would have missed out on some highly skilled colleagues, compelling business opportunities and our crucial circle of support.

Most of our colleagues with novel and highly valued expertise were found through our existing employees. In a business landscape where companies are fighting for the best data scientists, we are proud to have the largest team of machine learning graduates in the north of the Netherlands.

These experts are difficult to attract solely with monetary rewards. Most strive for an environment in which they can continuously learn and improve from other highly proficient analysts. By keeping the quality of our staff high and providing stimulating data sets, our employees feel propelled to introduce their most talented connections into our company.

Similarly, we would not have found our most interesting business partners if it had not been for the enthusiasm that sparks our network. Many of our most successful services started during spontaneous introductions and informal brainstorm sessions. They initially came to life as small proof of concept solutions incited by mutual trust and an eagerness to see each other thrive.

Fostering trustful relations also runs at the core of our company philosophy. The bonds that we form are not merely financially strategic. They should also and foremost contribute to the sense of meaning and pleasure that we derive from our work. Many of our business partners allow us to push forward state of the art AI innovations due to their multi-dimensional, exceptionally complex data. Yet others partners are just getting started on the adventurous road of computational intelligence. They need help figuring out where to start and in taking their first steps. We derive great joy from guiding these organizations and seeing them flourish.

During and beyond the current AI boom, we are to stay a solid partner for any (prospective) data driven organization. Our historic expertise, devotion to constant research innovation and personal craving for intellectual data challenges set us apart. AI and data automation are here to stay, and we are looking forward to exploring and shaping this future path together. theRUF| 23

Dare to Dream

The Amazing story of Anna Santiago Anna Santiago is founder of Cool Bear® since 2014. The driving force behind the birth and passion of Cool Bear® is to see children grow up in a healthier world.

My wish is to market delicious and responsible products for children and adults, and to be a brand that you can trust as a consumer. As a little girl I dreamed about life and what my future would look like. You can say I was a dreamer.

Early on, this was passed on and taught to me - to DARE TO DREAM! As a young couple, my parents moved from Puerto Rico to the United States, hoping to find a piece of the American dream, including a life with future opportunities and chances for their children. I am the youngest of five, raised in the United States. A country that to me represents Dream big as anything is possible. Dreams and reaching for something better is the red line in my life.

I made my first dream come true by establishing a Bear Franchise. I was very inspired by this experience and it thought me a lot about creating a concept with a long-term vision. At the point that I sold the franchise, I missed the 24 | theRUF

families, the kids the big dream and I felt very sad. Then I remembered the saying, ‘When life gives you lemons, Make lemonade’ and that is what I did, but now it would be healthy lemonade syrup with 0% sugar added, no colors, no artificial sweeteners and basically the best 100% natural alternative for children drinks.

I am an example of having a vision and never giving up. I did some research and I was the first in Europe to introduce a 100% natural syrup with only fruit juice concentrate and Stevia. It took a lot of knocking on doors and running into people saying it was a bad idea and they could not participate in creating it. Until I found my ‘Yes’ and that is my example still today, it takes a vision and determination.

I was also facing a very tough market and it took an oldfashioned approach, taking my product all over the country and selling it at small markets and anywhere I could. People started helping me with word of mouth promotion, telling their friends because they felt they could relate to my story and me. It took me 2 years of going everywhere and talking about my product and slowly it has been catching on.

Anna Santiago I also listened to my customers and I kept adjusting my product, my packaging and my brand. After 2 years we got our big breakthrough with a major supermarket Albert Heijn.

It’s a very tough market and it requires a lot of determination, creativity and money.

My biggest challenge as entrepreneur has been to embrace the idea that we all have an unlimited capacity to create our lives and our fortune. As I embrace this idea more and more, I see it come true and I overcame all the challenges that used to look like obstacles. I do the things that seem impossible and because I now believe I can achieve all my dreams.

So the biggest challenge for me is to believe and then do whatever it is I set my mind to do.

At the moment I am building a brand that I once had envisioned and to see it happening one step at a time is amazing. Believing does not mean I sit back and do nothing, believing means I cooperate with the universal powers that help me to achieve my dreams. I go out every day and do my work. When others say no, I say yes and I don’t accept the limits others want to put on my dreams. I say that every day, like David, I must go out and slay the giant Goliath.

My vision is to create a global brand for children that bring them inspiration to help them believe in their dreams and to be an example that anything is possible. My brand is about bringing healthy products, it is about a book series Cool Bear

our Mascot, and how he and his friends learn about dreams and how to make them come true. This is my greatest joy, to create this brand and to share the things I have learned about dreams and about being a responsible company that does good through what it creates.

What I have in common with Ruf is that he has done the very same thing with the NetworKing. We share the desire to help others reach for their dreams. I am a member of the NetworKing because I can share and I can meet new dreamers and we can inspire one another. I met a book publisher at the NetworKing event and we are teaming up to bring my book series to reality. How cool is that?

I am very proud of what I have been able to accomplish, I have a great team of employees and I have a management team that brings their special expertise to this dream. Together, we have made very big steps in the retail sector and even bigger steps now in the leisure and out of Home channels. It is very humbling and beautiful to see that leading parks and leisure groups have joined us to bring the dream of healthier drinks to the families visiting their locations. The fact that they support and share in my dream is the proof that when you really believe and your dream is a good dream that helps others, then anything is really possible.

My Life’s Purpose: To inspire people to have faith in themselves and believe in their natural talents and gifts.

theRUF| 25

SOCIAL SELLING TIPS

How to create a winning sales funnel

By Effy Shkuri

Social selling tips for Linkedin? Great topic, but a fool with a tool is still a fool. So let’s start with another perspective: Social selling tips about winning in every stage of the sales funnel by using a simple concept.

Effy Shkuri “So what do you give?”, I ask. “What do you mean with that?

Aren’t we going to discuss the sales funnel and stages?”, he says. ” Yes, of course,” I reply. ” I want to talk about the essence of every sales stage, and that is building trust and increasing commitment by giving first.

criteria. Abbreviations, terminology, acronyms and all the other stuff..it’s important, but it is the basic. And nothing more. And the biggest problem..too many ‘things’ to remember! My advice. Read between the lines and think conceptually.

It is an example of a conversation I had many times in my career. I love this subject because the design of the sales funnel is about effectiveness. And for salespeople effectiveness should be everything.

Every sales stage has its specifics. Every stage is different, but at the same time, every stage has its similarities. And there is only one rule that makes all the difference. ‘ Give and receive,’ that’s it. It is, however, a very delicate balance. If you give too much, you will be out. If you ask too much, you are out.

Let me give you an example. You have an impressive lead, and you have a great rapport with your contact. There are no commitments, but your contact has a serious project coming up. Happy? Of course. The lead becomes an opportunity

The problem is that most sales can’t comprehend what the sales funnel represents. Reason? Most sales managers use a technical approach. So most salespeople know sales stages, they know percentages, and they know the qualification 26 | theRUF

and goes to stage 2 (just an example). You follow-up (give respect), you ask great questions (give attention), invited your contact for an in-house event (give expertise). And all for free. Now your contact asks for more. First, he tells you that he likes what you have done so far (receive appreciation).

Now he wants to meet on of your top consultants. What do you do next? You already gave so much. If you agree to give more expertise without asking something back, it can backfire. Why? The delicate balance becomes imbalanced.

Can you count? You gave five times and received only once.

You’re probably wasting your energy

Social selling tips for winning at every sales stage of the funnel.

1 Listen carefully

This looks like an obvious topic, but it isn’t. Listen with a specific purpose. Listen to understand what to give! Don’t focus on the deal, but just the person in front of you. Give value: information, respect, understanding, expertise, knowledge, etc.

2 Be the first to give

People have the need to reciprocate. So, if you give first, you have the mental advantage. And if you want to learn from the best talk to Charles Ruffolo. A lot of salespeople know this but make one mistake. Sometimes you give something that has no value for your prospect or customer. Then it doesn’t count. So back to tip nr. 1, carefully listen what to give to make it count.

3 Always feel equal

You can win yourself a new customer, but the prospect can win a great new ‘supplier.’ Your prospect can choose, but you have the same power. You have the right to say ‘no.’

4 Be explicit

Go from implicit to explicit. Let say you agree to set-up a meeting with one of your top consultants for free (you are in stage 3 and received a lot of commitment in return). So you feel safe to proceed. The day rate of this consultant is EUR 2.000,- and he works worldwide. To find a suitable date is complex, but this consultant is somebody you know well. He goes the extra mile for you.

It takes you one full day of arranging this meeting. You call your contact to discuss a date. “Not ideal, I have to reschedule some internal meetings..but ok”, he says. What do you think?

Did you give something or did he give something? Depending on his personality he can either believe that it’s equal ‘give and receive’ or that he gave (he rescheduled..remember). Let the prospect know how much effort you are putting into this arrangement. Tell him explicitly how much you give in this case or you will be deceived by perception. Why you will always win with these social selling tips You can’t lose if you live by the ‘give and receive’ principal.

If you lose a deal and your prospect is appreciative of what you’ve done, you will win a relationship. So what if you lose a deal and he is not appreciative? You can’t lose something you never had. Can you?

theRUF| 27

OVEN

By Azer Khan - www.theoven.nl | www.officialbrand.eu

28 | theRUF

Azer Khan is born and raised in the Schilderswijk, The Hague, the Netherlands. He has completed a Bachelor study and comes from an entrepreneur’s family. In 1985 his father Founded Beltona Sports. As a child he experienced doing business from a very close distance, so he knew at an early age that he would be an entrepreneur.

Fulldo Fulfilment.

I founded The Cotton Express. It is a company with several labels including the printing company The Oven, Official Brand, Bake and Warehouse Online. These are all labels that have to do with clothing. We print and deliver clothing for merchandise, fashion, promotion etc. We print this in a modern way compared to the traditional printers. We use the latest digital printing techniques and also “Fulldo Fulfilment”, which means that we also carry out production for web shops without the customer having to order large stocks.

Rebellious!

Giving Back led my Charles Ruffolo (the NetworKing), played a crucial role in my life. I studied at the Johan de Wit College. This was one of the first schools that participated with Giving Back. The criteria to participate were to work with young talented people who stood out above the rest and to shape their potential. This was for students of the age of 15 and 16 years. I was one of the students. I was rebellious, but also a dreamer and driven. My view only existed on the Schilderswijk and Johan de Wit College and greatly expanded when I was with the Giving Back foundation as we went to other cities and met successful business people who shared their time and knowledge as mentors. In addition to that we went to five star hotels, which I could never see in my life. It gave me a luxurious feeling that all is achievable.

With the guidance of my mentor and with these experiences, I came to realize that nothing is elusive and all is attainable.

Dreamer!

Honestly, I am an incredible dreamer. I dream out of the box and I have a lot of confidence in creating success for certain things. I’ve had this since childhood. I do not dream of the things I already have, but of the things that are not there yet and that gives me perspective. You should never have an excuse for not doing something.

Charles Ruffolo was my first example beyond my family.

With his motivating skills, he has been able to encourage young people to get more out of life with enthusiasm. I have been lucky to get to know his network. The moment you notice that you are blessed, you must be grateful for it.

That is the right way to be blessed repeatedly. The moment you are lucky to get in someone’s view or you come in the right place by chance and you realize this afterward, just be grateful. I was very aware of how the system works. I waited until I was in a certain position before I activated my network. For that I retained my network, but activation came only after I knew that I could add value to this network.

Networking.

It’s very important for my company. You need to network, stay in contact with people and you have to make

connections. It’s a web that you create just like the Internet. You create your own network with contacts that you make with the right parties, companies and customers, then you can profit from years of success.

If you don’t activate your network, than you are working passively. Networking is to be active, proactively approaching customers and maintaining relationships. I personally should do this a bit better. I am working on networking but have not yet fully expanded.

Relationships.

Networking should be able to bring longterm, new relationships and a step higher in the business world on a corporate level. We do business with customers, medium-sized companies and a number of other companies in between. But it would be good if we could even earn more with the corporate business level.

Values!

The most important values are respect, gratitude, hope and giving back. Another important value is to be able to add something in someone else’s life. For example, we have added value in Fan Fiber merchandise. Fan Fiber is a company with a few hundred workshops which include big Youtubers like Spinning Records and the Kraijcek foundation. There are a lot of them. We also do separate assignments for McDonald’s, Hilton hotels, etc. We are an innovative corporate printing company. When you visit us, you have the feeling of being in the most complete printing company in the region of South- Holland.

Online Platform.

At the moment we are currently in the start-up phase. We have been working on growth, applying and moving. A few years ago we started with one small machine, in a small space. Now we have more machines and had to move to a bigger place. With the online platform, we saw the increase of customers. We have been continuously adding to and expanding our services. At the moment I feel that everything is going the way it should be. This is why my focus is now also in Pakistan, so as we give the opportunity the right attention we can benefit from in the coming years.

Ambition!

My ambition is that The Cotton Express with the labels and the Official Brand are on autopilot, meaning everything is digitized/automated, and staff and managers are at work, so I don’t have to be busy with that every day. After I have done the necessary work in Pakistan, I hope Pakistan can also run on its own. My personal ambition is to have a coffee shop. I like a cup of coffee that gives me a relaxing feeling.

Added Value!

Be of added value! In all that you do, first consider adding value and increasing your value to those you serve. Add value in all actions and this increases your chances of becoming a successful entrepreneur. theRUF| 29

CULINAIRY

Pizzaiola di melanzane

Antonella Barbella is an international chef who organizes dinners and experiential journeys promoting happiness. She utilizes the vibrational field of food Cucina di mamma style, in locations such as Amsterdam, Milan, New York and the Trabocchi coast in Abruzzo. Her dream is to share this message of well-being and happy lifestyle with as many people as possible, visiting all the continents. One of her favorite foods is the aubergine, which is why she has chosen to offer you a delicious quick recipe. The recipe can be made year round, with ingredients that are readily available.

4 persons|vegetarian|gluten free

Ingredients

Preparation

2 large aubergines

•

Heat the oven to 220 degrees.

200 g peeled tomatoes

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Pour the peeled tomatoes into a bowl, crush them with a fork and

2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan 200 g cherry tomatoes 1 mozzarella 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil a pinch of dried oregano salt

30 | theRUF

add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, salt and oregano.

•

Add the tomatoes cut into 4 parts and mix.

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Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and keep aside.

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Slice the aubergines in about 1 cm thick discs, sprinkle with salt and grease with a little oil in both parts.

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Spread the aubergine slices on an oiled greased baking sheet.

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Put a tablespoon of tomato sauce on each slice, add a few pieces of mozzarella, and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

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Bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy...

Everybody has a story to share!

It is our passion to help you sharing your story across the lake...

Visit us at:

galilee.com theRUF| 31