High Profile Magazine: The Christmas Edition by highprofilemagazine

EDITOR'S 3 LETTER MEET 5 THE TEAM

COVER STORIES: OPRAH WIN FREY:

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A PERSONAL BRAND GROUNDED IN AUTHENTICITY

SUSY SH I KODA: TURNING LIFE'S CHALLENGES INTO ASSETS

HOW TO SURVIVE OR EVEN THRIVE IN A PANDEMIC ENDING THE YEAR WITH DIFFICULT DECISIONS: HOW TO PRACTICE LETTING GO

ENTREPRENEURSHIP:

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90 DAYS TO PROFITS: GET YOUR MOST PROFITABLE 90 DAYS OF THE YEAR NOW

7 STEPS TO SELLING BETTER MEET NIYATI JAGIRDAR, A RENOWNED ARCHITECT FROM MUMBAI AN INTERVIEW WITH PHIL SPENCER, COLOMBIAN EMERALD EXPERT

CELEBRITY & INFLUENCE:

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HOW TO GET INK IN 0, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE MEET INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER RICARDO DE OLIVEIRA

CULTURE & SOCIETY:

RACE FORWARD: TACKLING RACIAL INEQUALITIES IN THE WORKPLACE

HEAL TH & WELLNESS:

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5 EASY STEPS TO STOP DWELLING ON EMOTIONAL ISSUES MEET MONA HAYAT, FOUNDER &AMP; CEO OF NEXUS DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

3 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH THIS CHRISTMAS NAVIGATING ROCKY RELATIONSHIPS WITH RELATIVES DURING THE HOLIDAYS

MARKETING & BRANDING:

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THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDING CHRISTMAS SPARKLE TO YOUR PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS

DOES ART PLUS TECHNOLOGY EQUAL DESIGN?

GOOD VIDEO EDITING WITH SAHAR HECHME WHY PR IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR ORGANISATION

FASHION & BEAUTY

THE TRANSITION TO MORE CONSCIOUS FASHION CHOICES THIS CHRISTMAS

FOOD:

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CHRISTMAS RECIPES TO WOW YOUR GUESTS WEAVING PURPOSE INTO THE WAY WE EA

PRODUCTS:

THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST MOTIVATIONAL BOOKS FOR THE NEWYEAR

EVENTS:

THE BEST OF BRAZIL EUROPEAN AWARDS

2020

Rafael dos Santos, Editor in Chief: Rafael dos Santos is the owner and editor-in-chief of High Profile Magazine as well as a writer for Forbes. Rafael is the CEO and co-founder of Guided PR.com, an artificial intelligence platform that connects journalists with business owners He has won seven awards including the Sunday Times 'Top 100 Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs in the UK'. His award-winning TEDx Talk 'What It Takes To Be A Migrant Entrepreneur' has been watched over 757k times. With over 78+ years running businesses in the UK, USA and The Netherlands, he combines real world-experience with an MBA from Henley Business School to manage his several businesses

Lola Sherwin, Assistant Editor: Lola is our Assistant Editor. She started at the company as a Journalist Trainee and progressed up the ranks after a few months of working with us. She is also a First Class Honours graduate in Hispanic Studies from The University of Nottingham, and is currently studying for a Masters in International Journalism at The University of Leeds. Lola runs a personal blog in her spare time, which has over 6,000 all-time views! She also speaks 4 languages and has spent time living in Spain, Mexico, and Brazil, as well as her home country, England

Cheng Liu, Graphic Designer:

Sahar Hechme, Video Editor:

Cheng is the Graphic Designer and Social Media Manager at Guided PR She is studying at University of Leed and hopes to graduate with a Bachelors in Digital Media. When shes not checking what Guided PR followers are up to, she's either netflixing or painting

Sahar is a video editor who studied in Lebanon, and now has over 4 years' experience. Her clients include SME businesses, influencers, fitness gurus, and many more. With over l million views across YouTube and social media, Sahar helps clients grow their social presence and stand out in a competitive market

Andrei Koscina Fashion Photographer:

Wanja Muthee, Contributor:

Andrei Koscina is a co rporate, lifesty le and fashion photographer from Bra zil. He is currently based in Lond o n, and has a degree in Advertising from PUCRS, as well as a HNC in Photography from LCCA. In 2020, he reached ove r 7.2 million views and 270,000 downloads o n Unsplash. His main clients are entrepreneurs deve loping th eir personal branding.

Wanja is an avid reader and writer who lives in Nairobi. She's a PR Assistant and Blogger at Guided PR. She holds a Bachelors in Mass Communication from JKUAT and has worked in print media and in academia. When she's not researching current affairs, you'll find her on social media, keeping up with what's hot!

When someone mentions the name "Oprah" in a conversation, you don't need to ask for her surname to know who they mean, or wonder who she might be - she is recognised globally by just her first name. Oprah Winfrey is an American television personality, entrepreneur, actress, global media leader and philanthropist. Nicknamed "Queen of All Media", the business mogul has become one of the most well-recognised figures in the world with unpara Ile led influence.

Overcoming adversities throughout her life professionally and personally, the media tycoon has consistently broken barriers and used the media to transform herself into a global presence and a household name.

Winfrey famously rejects the idea of being a brand - which is in itself part of her brand. She has stated on multiple occasions that she is a person, not a brand, fearing she wou Id lose the rare connection she had with her audience. Later, she realised that she was the brand.

1'/0 I HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND AND SAY, THIS IS HO I A

A leading figure of the entertainment industry, Winfrey is known as the pioneer of television confessions. Hosting her own talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey attracted an impressive average of 12-13 million viewers each weekday during peak years. With an estimated net worth of USD 2.6 billion, the one-woman powerhouse became the first black female billionaire in 2003. She has been on Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential People of the 20th Century six times; more than any other individual.

"I was once afraid of people saying, "Who does she think she is?" Now I have the courage to stand and say, "This is who I am." Equally as important, is how she took this admired brand and capitalised on it - giving rise to diverse projects and products across a plethora of channels. Yet, despite her immense success,

it hasn't always been a smooth ride. Born into rural poverty in Kosciusko, Mississippi, Winfrey had a difficult upbringing. With asingle teenage mother who worked as a housemaid, Winfrey lived with her grandmother until shewassixyearsold. They were reportedly so poor that she went to school wearing dresses sown from potato sacks.

it as a form of accepting defeat. She was su bsequently recruited to host her own show, A.M. Chicago, in 1984. The time slot clashed with competitor Phil Donahue, also known as the 'Ki~g of Daytime Talk'. Despite this, A.M. Chicago gained 100,000 viewers in comparison to Donahue's show, largely due to Winfrey's warm persona. Instead of trying to fit the mould of what audiences liked, she provided an original slant to hosting a talk show. "Failure is another stepping stone to greatness."

Winfrey's childhood was tainted by more than economic hardship; she faced several traumatic experiences as a young girl. Winfrey herself has revealed that she fell victim to sexual abuse and was raped by several family relatives when she was as young as nine. At 14, she became pregnant as a result of the harrowing events she endured. Even worse, the baby was born prematurely and died during early infancy. In 1986, she addressed this publicly for the first time on her show.

Winfr~y's acting career over the years has largely contribute~ to strengthening her brand, and she has gained many fans from her film performances in films such as The Colour Purple and The Butler. ~.M. Chicago beca~e The Oprah Winfrey Show 1n 1986. Its premiere marked history; Oprah became the first black woman to host a nationally syn~icated daily talk show. Within the year, production company Harpo Productions was fo~nded (_H?rpo being Oprah spelt backwards), swiftly ga1n1ng the show's full ownership.

FAILURE JS AN____.. TH ER STEPPING STi~NE Ti~ GREATNESS Following this experience, she moved to Nashville to live with her father and went on to study at Tennessee State University. Winfrey's problematic beginnings would inevitably trigger deep-rooted issues and trauma. It was during the debut of Piers Morgan's US talk show Piers Morgan Tonight in 2011 that she disclosed feeling su_icidal at the time, reach a point of such desperation that she attempted to drink de~ergent. She also spoke about later viewing losing the baby as having another chance at Iife. In 1976, Winfrey started working as a co-anchor at WJZ-TV, a television station in Baltimore. Oprah lost the respected role after a short eight months, as producers deemed her unable to s~parate emotions from presenting news stories. She was demoted and given the role to report weekend features.

Many times, Winfrey has voluntarily told stories of her personal life, from experiencing · traumatic abuse to her adult journey with weight loss. Her candour in sharing experiences with the audience - even the hardest ones - paid off.

Winfrey was then asked to host chat show People Are Talking, a role which she took despite her perception that she had hit rock-bottor:, in her_ career. After launching, Winfrey quickly realised that she was in her element and that she had been wrong to originally view

These admissions became not just a characteris.t ic of her talk show, but of Winfrey's brand. Her transparency in •··. :- ·• .

Originally seen as a tabloid show, over time, Winfrey used the platform to educate viewers by focusing on topics like social issues, self-development and health. A big success, the show raked in earnings of $125 million within its first year of production. ,

The Wall Street Journal coined the term "Oprahfication", to refer to using public confession as a way of therapy.

The Path Made Clear, in 2079. The success of her books was consistently furthered by her fans' trust in her brand and credibility.

"If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit."

In 2000, 0, The Oprah Magazine, also commonly known as simply 0, was launched. This next venture into the publishing industry built on the successes which Winfrey's brand had experienced so far. Featuring herself as the cover star in every edition, the monthly lifestyle magazine is aimed primarily at female readers, diving into topics such as beauty, wellness and culture.

Winfrey first dipped her toes into the publishing industry by introducing "Oprah's Book Club" into the show. Featuring books by undiscovered authors, the segment helped them immensely to gain popularity and go straight to bestseller book lists. Her book club continued after the show ended, with it being announced in 2079 that it would join Apple TV+. The Oprah Winfrey Show ran for 25 years, reaching an audience of 70 million people, and ended in 2077. Winfrey is also the accomplished author of six books, ranging from her first novel, Journey to Beloved, in 7998 to her most recent release, The

A philanthropist at heart, Winfrey has founded several charities and projects. In 7987, she established the Oprah Winfrey Foundation. A private foundation, financial grants from Oprah's personal account are given to non-profit organisations which support causes that she is passionate about, such as leadership, development and education. Later, in 7999, Winfrey founded the public charity Oprah's Angel Network. Publicised on her talk show, Winfrey urged viewers to get involved and donate to such charitable initiatives. Winfrey's dedication and commitment toward philanthropy became a recognisable trait of her personal brand, reflecting her compassion and authenticity. This was acknowledged when she received the first Bob Hope Humanitarian Award in 2002. A few years later, Winfrey dived into her third charitable project, starting the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation which opened its doors in 2007. An independent boarding school in South Africa, the foundation intended to provide education to underprivileged young girls from surrounding communities. Unfortunately within the same year of opening, rumours of child abuse on a number of girls at the school began to circulate. A victim of child abuse herself, Winfrey stated that when she heard about it, it shook her to her core and that she was deeply devastated. Winfrey spoke out publicly about the allegations and pledged to eliminate the issue. A polar opposite to the traditional expectations of a successful talk show host at the time, Winfrey captured her audience's attention differently. Taking an alternative approach - known for remarkably striking and unprompted confessions and storytelling -Winfrey's style quickly gained admiration from the public for her willingness ,._ to be open. Views skyrocketed as ' viewers tuned in to watch her embrace her distinctive brand, shifting stereotypes and promoting diversity in the entertainment industry.

Winfrey has shown us is that the key to refining your brand is about finding out what you stand for, and how you can create value as an individual. Through defining and maximising her brand, she has created an entire empire of projects of significant value. For Oprah, a leading quality that distinguishes her from others is that of empathy. Through opening up about personal experiences and expressing vulnerabilities to her audience, her storytelling of other's stories, and the telling of her own stories, she was able to form an emotional connection with her viewers. Not long after The Oprah Winfrey Show concluded in 2011, Winfrey set in motion her next enterprise. OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is a cable television network that began as a joint venture in collaboration with Discovery Communications. Targeted towards African American audiences, the network featured content on lifestyle and entertainment topics. Despite economically unstable beginnings, the network grew steadily and gained momentum when Winfrey interviewed Lance Armstrong in 2013. The interview saw his confession to doping charges which had led to him having his Tour titles stripped from him in 2012. Throughout her career, Winfrey continued to carry her signature down-to-earth and open attitude when interacting with guests on her show, no matter who they were. To celebrate her notable contributions to her country, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama, America's highest civilian honour, in 2013. In 2018, during an episode of SuperSoul Conversations, a podcast series featuring the world's thought leaders, figures and best-selling authors, she revealed another confession which shocked listeners. Interviewing stand-up comic and actress Amy Schumer, the two discussed the topic of being in an abusive relationship. Following Schumer's story which revealed her personal experience, Winfrey disclosed that she had also faced a similar situation earlier in her life, during her twenties.

By no means has Winfrey had an easy journey, nor has she ever had things handed to her on a silver platter. From financial struggles at the beginning of her life, falling victim to child abuse, abusive relationships, to navigating through challenges throughout her career, Winfrey has remained transparent and true to herself. Unafraid to hold her own, Oprah Winfrey has paved the way for a global audience. Her ambitious, authentic and multi-faceted style has inspired viewers, fans and entrepreneurs alike over the decades. The media mogul even had to publicly address speculation and calls from fans to run for US President in 2020. During her speech at the Golden Globes awards event, she supported those who have spoken out against sexual misconduct. Winfrey stated that this was "definitely" not a plan in the works. She might not be running for the presidential election, but she's certainly not slowing down anytime soon. Last year, Winfrey announced that she would be embarking on a national tour for Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life In Focus. Exploring topics such as wellness and personal development, the motivational speaker will be sharing personal experiences of her journey with wellness and living a balanced lifestyle. Winfrey's entrepreneurial ways show us that embracing difference is the key to success. Rather than fitting to the mould of fellow competitors, or competing against them, Oprah's triumphs are a credit to her brand remaining true and genuine. Winfrey's authenticity has shone through her diverse ventures, which are firmly rooted in the foundations of her brand. This can be seen through her ability to continually create products that give value to others from this brand. Refusing to accept failures as failures, but rather seeing them as lessons to learn from, Winfrey's enduring perspective is perhaps something we can all take some inspiration from. Words by Katie Chan.

' IFYOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OF YOUR LIFE, YOU HAVE TO BEGIN WITH THE SP/RJJ:,

Sections of the popular press tend to f)aint a verY, bleak picture of the pandemic and the associated loss of lives and livelihood, but in amongst this dark cloud, there is a silver lining for you if you can understand the hidden link between education, emploY,ment and entref)reneurship. This skill can be learnt, it is not genetic and can make success achievable even at turoulent times.

learners' needs m talent.

NTREPRENEURSHIP

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SUSAN HARROW

HOW TO GET INI( IN 0, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE

Susan Harrow (Website here}, is a top media coach, martial artist+ author of the best-selling book, Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul (HarperCo/lins). For the past 37 years she's run Harrow Communications Inc. where she's media trained thousands of CEOs, celebrity chefs, start-ups, speakers, entrepreneurs+ authors to shine on Oprah, 60 Minutes, The Today Show, GMA, NY Times, Inc., 0, Parade, People.

Being featured or quoted in 0, The Oprah Maga zine means that your business, book, product, service, story or cause has Oprah's implicit endorsement. Authors, experts, entrepreneurs, makers, innovators and thought leaders dream of seeing themselves or their wares splashed on the pages of 0, where legions of devoted Oprah fans purchase their products, buy their books, sign up for their services or enroll in their programmes.

After you've been selected, "As seen in The Oprah Magazine" can be on your website and promotional materials forever. Once you get that endorsement, you have it forever, and you can use it as leverage to get into other prominent national magazines, gain access to be featured in catalogues of goods that reach millions, and perhaps even get selected as one of Oprah's Favorite Things where your offerings would be available on Amazon to a worldwide audience.

Why "The Oprah Touch" Matters

So how do you get ink in O?

O Magazine's 2.4 million readers create best sellers out of books and sell out products that receive "the Oprah touch." It's not an exaggeration to say that your sales could double or triple after an O mention.just as they have for the hundreds of people who have graced the pages of O Magazine. (click here)

7 Secrets for Getting Ink in Oprah's Mag azine

And "the Oprah touch" travels, with O's pass-on rate being estimated to be six people per issue. That puts you in front of 78 million Oprah fans who take Oprah at her word that the goods and services featured on her pages are worth the price.

Here are 7 ideas and insights about crafting a perfect O pitch, including a warning about what not to do. (click here) - Tell an inspirational story about family or community. How have you helped change the world, or one person's life7 What have you taught people to do? The more dramatic, the better. - Share breakthroughs in health, anti-ageing, diet, dealing with health care and innovations

Celebrity & Influence

on optimal healthy living. Have research or case studies? Highlight them in your pitch. - Craft gorgeous packaging that appeals to women. Does your book cover or product capture the eye? If you were in a store and walked by it, would you stop? If not, the 0 isn't for you. - Pitch pet ideas ... especially about dogs. Oprah adores dogs - and is well known to protect and cherish animals. The magazine often features pieces about how to care for pets, why we love them and what to buy for them to make them comfortable, beautiful, and well -fed . - Offer tips on surviving and thriving in this economy. These are financially and psychological ly trying times. How can you help Oprah's readers find their way to financial freedom or security? Do you have specia l remedies or relaxation techniques to relieve the stress and strife that we are experiencing? - Appreciating life's blessings family, friends, health and (yes) pets - is something Oprah tries to teach her readers. Helping her do that wi ll increase your chances of getting into 0, because gratitude is one of Oprah's favorite topics. = WARNING: Do not inundate Oprah's editors with random email and snai l mail material and pray that something wi ll pique their interest. The editors receive at least 500-700 books per month, and choose just 75-20. Their inboxes are stuffed with pitches from people who never even read the magazine. Don't be one of them! To get their attention, you need a strategic plan and specific pitch that shows the editors that you understand their readers and have something of obvious va lue for them .

BONUS: Are you a black owned business? Right now there is a great opportunity, especially for businesses that cater to the unique needs of the black women community. Want MORE Oprah Secrets? Want to know where you fit into the Magazine? This guide shows you how page by page. (It's free!} What are Oprah's other favorite topics? How can you stand out from thousands of people pitching the magazine? In 70 simple steps you' ll discover how here. Susan's free masterclass, 7 Secrets For Getting Featured in Oprah's Magazine Click Here

and making it pay off

Words by Susan Harro w.

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Cover Story

TURNING LIFE'S CHALLENGES INTO ASSETS Susy Shikoda is an International Speaker, Mind Trainer, Neuro Coach, MCC and Master in NLP. She found her true purpose after an experience with breast cancer, and she now spends her life teaching and inspiring others with what she has learnt on her path. What drove you to pursue a career in mind training and neuro coaching? Everything started ten years ago when I woke up one morning and could feel a lump on my chest. Within three months, I had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and from that point onwards, my whole life changed . It's pretty life-changing to think you might die, and it sort of

shocks you into finding your true purpose. It really affects your life and your relationships, and you need to be strong to overcome something like cancer. My daughter was what helped me to pull myself out of the shadows of my mind. She gave me hope, and I decided I was going to fight this illness for her. During my battle with cancer, I learned so much , I used techniques that I am still putting into practice to this day, for example, manifestation, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) . I believe that using these techniques helped me to not lose my hair during the chemotherapy stage-I looked better than I ever had , so much so that people were shocked when they found out I was having chemotherapy!

Three or four years later, I decided I wanted to share my story. I found a mentor in Brazil, and he helped me bring my story to the public. Over the next 6 yea rs, I started to rea Iise the power of the mind . I launched my first book, Be Your Own Miracle, and I spent time becoming a master in NLP with Richard Bandier, the founder of the technique. I started to learn more about neuroscience and the mind, and I realised that before you can understand the mind , you need to know how to use the brain, because the brain is the computer, while the mind is simply software on that computer. So now I'm doing a postgraduate course in neuroscience and psychology to

Having cancer introduced me to a new career field, one in which I can express myself and do exactly what I've always enjoyed doing, which is working with and talking to people, teaching them, and inspiring them . Before all of this happened to me, I was an accountant, and it just wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. So, for me, I think having cancer was the wake up call I needed to find my true purpose in life.

What are your top tips for turning challenges into an asset? The first one is that you need to know yourself. Take time to learn who you are, this is a basic skill that you will need to overcome challenges in your life. A lot of people,

SHE SAID "MUM, IF YOU LOSE YOUR HAIR BECAUSE OF THE CHEMOTHERAPY, THEN /'LL CUT MINE TOO, SO /'LL BE EXACTLY LIKE YOU." ' understand more about the physical side of neuroscience, which I then connect to what I know about the mind . Every situation you go through in your life is there for you to learn from it. Whether that's sickness, grief, whatever it may be, you can learn from it.

when they're in a bad situation, find that they struggle to get out of it. Why? Because they don't know themselves, they don't know who they truly are. When you get to know yourself better, then comes the next tip, which is that you need to know how to control your emotions. Once you've taken the ti me to learn who you are, this should come naturally to you . Knowing how to control your emotion is key to handling difficult situation effectively. My third tip wou Id be to know what your "why" is. Know why you are doing whatever it is that you are trying to do. For example, my daughter was my "why" when I decided I was going to overcome cancer. She came to me and she said "Mum, if you lose your hair because of the

chemotherapy, then I'll cut mine too, so I'll be exactly like you." She really just inspired me to keep going and to never stop fighting, and I think that's why I'm here today. Without my daughter, maybe I wouldn't have overcome my illness. The fourth tip is that you have to move your ass! Literally, don't just sit around waiting for things to happen for you, you need to go out and get things moving. It's important to get out of your comfort zone and set the ball rolling if you want to get anywhere in life. I do this every day, every single day I do things that challenge me, things where I need to learn something new, but I don't let it phase me, because I know it will help to get me where I want togo. My final tip is to manifest what you want in life. Your life is what you make of it. Realise that we can't always put in 700%, but that when we can, we can manifest for the missing percentage. Manifest the smaller things, like getting a call for a job interview, or passing an exam. Once you've started to manifest the small things into existence,

then you can start working on the big things, and eventually,you will be manifesting the Iife you a Iways dreamed of, if you work hard enough at it. When you do get there, make sure to be grateful for it, or it will all have been for nothing!

You've lived in a number of different countries-have you ever found it challenging to adapt to a new culture? I'm Brazilian, and in general, we Brazilians are very flexible when it comes to adjusting to new environments and new cultures. However, of course there have been challenges, there are always going to be challenges when you move to a country with a culture that is completely different from what you are used to. I have lived in Spain, Japan, Russia, Croatia, Hong Kong, and the UK since leaving Brazil, and each of them came with their own challenges, there's no doubt about it. But what I love about moving to a new country is the ability to explore. I love learning new things, so for me it has been wonderful to have the opportunity to experience so many different cultures.

RAYMOND AARON "'York Times Bestselling Author, Estate Investor & Success Coach

Wh?t would be your greatest piece of advice for someone who is battling cancer? Embrace your pain. It is so important to fef:1, and to not try and push down the pa1~ !hat you ar~ ,going through . You can tJust pretend 1t s going to be fine tomorrow, because it's not, you are going to have to rea Ily battle with th is i 11 ness and to do so, it's important to acknowl~ ~dge the pain. Accept the pain, embrace 1t, and be grateful that you are still alive. Pain is there for a reason. If you need to cry, then cry. If you want to throw yourself on the floor and kick and scream, then do it. Release your a_nger! release your pain and your emotions 1n whatever way you need to in order to get through this. It's really important to be aware of your emotions, it helps cleanse you from the inside out. I wish I'd had a book like the one I am currently writing when I was going through my cancer battle, because it would have helped me a lot to see that you can get through it.

On the topic of your books, could you tell me a bit more about your new book The Essential 7 Senses: How to Use You; Mind to Live, Laugh, and Love? So my new book is a 11 a bout what I became through the journey of my cancer battle. My first book, Be Your Own Miracle, told the story of what I was learning on my journey, and now this second one is basically the story of how I've put all of that into practice. I want to show that the mind is the key to everything, but that first you need to learn to use your brain . It links the brain and the mind through the use of our seven sense. These consist of our five normal senses of taste, smell, sight, hearing and touch, and then the sixth sense is intuition, and the seventh sense is our energy, or our spirituality, as some people call it. The book is kind

of a guide on how to access each of the senses and how to use them to change the course of your life.

What's your biggest career goal? I would say to be famous, but I don't like the term famous because famous is a dangerous word . What I want is to be able to share my story with a big audience, and to help people through what I have experienced in my life. The more people I can help with my story, the more I will feel that I have achieved . So although in essence I suppose it could be said I want to be famous, my true goal is to inspire people to take control and to overcome any major challenges or setbacks they might experience in their lives.

How has holistic therapy helped you in your life? Holistic therapy has completely and utterly transformed my life. The holistic approach is all about who you are as a person, and it uses that to target any sickness that has come from inside you, from your emotions. Effectively, it helps to treat your sicknesses more effectively, because it is looking at you as a human and using that to treat you . I think holistic therapy is essential because it opens up so many doors and allows you to learn things about yourself and your body that you never knew existed before. Of course, if you are sick, you cannot forget about regular medical doctors, but I would say that using holistic therapy in conjunction with medical doctors is the best approach in a lot of cases, as it can make treatments a lot more effective, in my opinion. Interview by Lola Sherwin.

' 'EMBRACE YOUR PAIN. IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO FEEL, ANO TO NOT TRY ANO PUSH DOWN THE PAIN THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH. ,

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Health & Wellness

ADAM BALDWIN Adam is a certified Independent teacher of Transcendental Meditation, Mindfulness facilitator and Reiki Master. Teaching his processes internationally, both face to face and Online, he is now based in Sydney. With a large client base in London, his goal is to improve your life with simple and powerful Meditation Techniques.

5 EASY STEPS TO STOP DWELLING ON EMOTIONAL ISSUES Do you sometimes find yourself ruminating about past hurts? You're thinking about that argument at work. It is 7.30 in the morning and you are still thinking about it? Have you ever wished there was a way to help you clear your mind of it?

3,500 peer-assessed papers have praised its effectiveness. Large corporations and celebrities have adopted it into their lives (some even accrediting Meditation as the source of their success). It all starts with acceptance.

Dwelling on negative emotions can make you lose sleep, cause restlessness and increase frustration. It eats up massive amounts of your time and it is in fact impossible to be happy whilst dwelling on past pains. If left unchecked, dwelling on your negative thoughts can lead to a loss of confidence, self-worth and, in extreme cases, depression. This can have a knock-on effect in all aspects of your life. There is however a practical way that you can stop this issue. It is easy, effective and if done regularly can maintain a better balance in your life. I call it the Mindful Emotional process. As a teacher of Meditation and Mindfulness, I have often been surprised by how some of the simplest techniques can be life-altering. It was during my time working with a woman who had obsessive thoughts of their ex-partner that I first noticed this. This client was unable to get through the day without hoping that she would receive a call from her ex, despite knowing full well that this would not happen. This longing became a craving which she could not control, gradually tearing down her self-esteem. By employing the Mindful Emotion process, I was able to assist in creating a space between her and her thoughts. This helped her to manage her emotions more easily. She was finally able to see when her obsessive thinking would arise and know how to neutralise it. The ability to recognise that you are not yourthoughts but the observer of them creates great freedom! Mindfulness and Meditation has come under a lot of scientific scrutiny over the past 4 decades. Over

To approach an issue positively is to acknowledge it. It is ok to say, 'I am hurting'. Acceptthe pain. Accepting it creates new ground for a new relationship with it. As opposed to struggling with it and fighting it (creating further inner conflict), acceptance opens space to handle this problem with greater creativity! Acceptance disrupts the pattern of hurt by saying 'I'm going to look at this in a different light', and allowing you to take an observer's stance as opposed to a participant's role. Treat it not as an oppressor but as something to study. The Mindful Emotion process removes you from the problem and places you high above it. By releasing you from the tyranny of the emotional pain, you can observe the thoughts for what they are - passing sensations. You get to experience the thoughts in your mind without getting caught up in them and see how they feel in your body. You start to understand how these feelings rise and fall. As your understanding of your own emotions develops you become more aware of your moods; this awareness puts you in the driver's seat of your life. You are no longer managed by your negative emotions; it is you who manages them. In adopting Mindful practices, you are able to maintain a greater mental balance in life. If you are interested in finding out more, please email me at adam@baldwinwellness.com and I will send you 5 easy steps to stop dwelling on emotional issues.

Words by Adam Baldwin.

Training & Development

LOLA SHERWIN

HOW TO WRITE ENGAGING CONTENT AT CHRISTMAS In the run-up to Christmas, we are all being constantly bombarded with promotional content, so much so that it can be difficult to make an impact on your clients. If you use biogs to promote your business, you may feel that they are getting lost amongst the noise. So, what do you do to make your business stand out in the Christmas rush? Spruce up your text with some Christmassy references If you want to get in on the Christmas feel , then try and reflect that in your content. People love to read about Christmas in the festive season. Obviously, don't overdo it - if it isn't relevant to what you're writing about, then don't try to force it, but if you feel that some festive cheer will fit in with the tone of what you're writing, don't be afraid to pop it inl Make sure that whatever you write is actually relevant to your business too, you don't want to end up going off on a tangent, as that will likely have an adverse effect on your readers who will just feel lost and confused by your content, as you'll be trying too hard to fit in. However, do stick to your brand personality With that being said, though, it's important to make sure you stick to what your customers expect from you. If you're a business who typically uses a serious tone in your content, then maybe sprinkling in some Christmassy touches isn't the

right approach for you. It's important to recognise that there isn't a one-fits-all approach when it comes to promotion , and Christmas doesn't change that. Your customers are loyal to you because they trust what you are offering them , so if you feel that going off on a festive tangent isn't in keeping with your brand personality, then don't feel that you have to do it. Bring some festive cheer to your content with images A huge part of making your content appealing is the use of appropriate and engaging images, as I'm sure you already knowi None of that changes at Christmas, you just need to make some small tweaks to suit the new festive mood of your customer base. When writing your content, have a think about some festive images that you could use when promoting your new blog or article on social media. The important thing is to keep the images relevant to your business whilst also adding that little festive twist. So, for example, if your business blog is about food, use images of a Christmas table laden with food to catch people's eye. If you run a fashion business, try and use blog images with some cute Christmassy outfits to make the posts stand out. It's not hard, and it can make all the difference. When people are in a jolly Christmas mood, the last thing they're going to want to click on is something which has been promoted with a dull image, so bear that in mind. Highlight any pre-Christmas promotions you may be offering It's important to highlight any promotions you may be offering on your products or services in the run-up to Christmas, as people are in the mood to splash the cash and so may be enticed to buy whatever it is you are selling them. This could mean you've just secured a long-term customer, just by offering a Christmas promo and promoting it in your written content 1 However, don't make your blog or article into a hard sales pitch, as this can be boring, just make small references to your offers, and if people are interested, they'll get in touch 1

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BEST OF BRAZIL EU RO PEAN

AWARDS 2020

WA N) A MUTH EE Wanja is an avid reader and passionate writer, living and working in Nairobi. She's a PR Assistant and Blogger at Guided PR. She holds a Bachelors in Mass Communication from JKUAT and has accordingly worked within the print media industry and in academia. When she 's not researching current affairs and millennial trends, you 'll find her on social media, keeping up with what 's hot 1

"The Best of Brazil Awards 2020" took place on the 19th of November 2020 from 19:00 GMT, and the show was a resounding success. The show began with a rendition of the Brazilian national anthem, evoking a sense of national unity and patriotism for all the Brazilians who were tuned in, but also emphasising the indelible mark created by migrant Brazilian entrepreneurs across Europe. This fantastic event aimed at celebrating and promoting Brazilian entrepreneurs in Europe had initially been planned as a three-day extravaganza, which would have comprised three days of events, including an exhibition of businesses owned by Brazilians who are living and trading in Eu rope, workshops on topics such as PR, marketing, and branding, and culminating in a prestigious awards ceremony on the final day. The awards show would have been held at the iconic Houses of Parliament in London, however, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only the awards part of

the event was able to take place, and it had to take place in an unprecedented online format. Luckily, the change of plans did not dim the party. The awards, which were broadcast via Facebook Live, were viewed in 74 countries by almost 4,000 people, with an impressive 2,300 comments and 735 shares of the live event broadcast. Hosted by Rafael dos Santos, the exuberant CEO of GuidedPR, a public relations company based in London, the extravagant awards show had 90 finalists and 25 winners in 25 categories, all of whom were thrilled to be honoured by their fellow members of the Brazilian community. Luiza Brunet, one of the guest speakers, in her speech at the beginning of the event, thanked Rafael profusely for the invitation to attend and said that the event was incredible and grand, whilst also commenting that she loves events such as this one which highlight all the achievements of Brazilians across the world.

"WE'RE BASICALLY THE 'JUST EAT' OF THE WELLNESS SPACE!" MONA HAYAT Founder & CEO of Nexus Digital Technology

Mona Hayat is a Clinical Fellow and is the founder and CEO of Nexus Digital Technology, a disruptive healthcare technology startup. Mona has extensive experience leading large programmes across the UK healthcare industry, including as the executive healthcare lead for the Grenfell Tower disaster. In 2079 she was awarded the "Top 700 Global Healthcare Leadership Accolade".

What gave you the desire to work in healthcare? Interestingly, my journey into healthcare began from a mental health angle. When I was at university I started volunteering for Nightline, which is a service that students who are struggling can call to talk to someone about what they're going through. I found the work really interesting, and it led me to also begin training as a Samaritan, a role which made me really curious about learning more about the world of mental health. I realised this was something I could be really good at, and I decided to train as a psychotherapist. After completing my undergraduate, I went on to do a Masters, and at the same time, I was training in psychotherapy. It was a really academically intensive period of time, but I think it was worth it. Whilst doing my psychotherapy training, I had the opportunity to work across all kinds of settings, from substance misuse to domestic violence and everything in between. After completing my training I decided to specialise in addiction treatment, and that's really where my career started. 32

diction treatment, and that's really where my career started. Inevitably I fell into the NHS, where I worked for 25 years. I started off as a clinician, but over time I moved more onto the management side as my experience grew. When I eventually left the NHS last year, I decided I wanted to do something disruptive in the healthcare space, and that's how Nexus Digital Technology was born.

You've worked on some incredibly high-profile projects, including the Grenfell disaster. Why is it that people choose you to do these jobs over your competitors? Firstly, I think I've demonstrated a huge amount of integrity over the years. Anyone who has worked with me knows that I always put my patients first, regardless of the circumstances. Even in the latter part of my career at the NHS, when I was operating at C-suite level, I still continued to practice privately, because it was so important to me to stay connected to patient need and keep doing the groundwork. So, I think that's one big reason, my integrity around delivering effective patient care. Another reason I get chosen to work on important projects is that I'm quite a courageous person. This is an incredibly important asset to have in these projects, as you need to be willing to act as the voice of your patients, which can take a lot of courage in some situations. I also think it's important to be comfortable working on such high-profile jobs, and that helped me to stand out as the right candidate for the job too. Grenfell was a really interesting one for me, because a lot of what I had to do was completely outside of my job description.

Health & wellness I was having to manage the media and communicate with politicians on a weekly basis, which was really new to me. I had to be aware of the fine line that exists between delivering palatable information to the public and the reality of what the community were going through, and it was so important to me to accurately represent this community's anger and grief. The community in which the disaster happened has high deprivation rates and a long history of enduring mental health problems, so I felt it was even more important for these people who were so used to facing health inequalities to be heard.

What made you want to move more into the technology side of healthcare? Let me start by saying I'm a huge fan of our beloved NHS and I always will be, I was incredibly sad to leave the NHS . However, I'm not naive about the lack of innovation and new technologies available to the NHS. The systems don't talk to each other, they're quite simply draconian, and this means that patients have to answer the same questions, again and again, every time they go through a new loop in the healthcare system. This was an aspect of the NHS that I found absolute ly maddening . It's incon ve nient for patients, it's clunky, and it leaves you open to clinical risk, among other things. With Nexus, I wanted to develop a platform that would act as a central repository of information for people w hich wo uld be easy to access and wo uld prov ide a positive experience for service users. Our ethos is that we believe in the w hole health of a person , we don't separate physical and mental health. We've created an integrated platform w here service users get allocated tokens which they can spend on any of the services available on our platform . We have so many wonderful services, from book clubs to gym classes to language lessons, and they can choose any of these to spend their tokens on. The platform is also tailored to each indiv idual 's specific health needs, and at the end of each month , it prov ides you w ith a dashboard informing you of the physical and mental progress yo u 've made, how many people you've connected w ith that month and loads of other data w hich motivates people to keep going. We're basically the Just Eat of the we llness , space! We have loads of people offering amazing services, and by having them all in one place it makes it easier for our service users to connect with services

As an executive coach, how do you teach people to become better leaders?

The one consistent thing I find w ith executive leaders is that they don't have enough time. They' re liv ing in a reacti ve environment w here they're constant ly reacting to deadlines, emai ls, the needs of their team , and it takes up all of their time. My role is to help them carve out thinking time and to show them how to use it in a constructive way. I have a lot of tools which help them figure out whether they're happy w ith where they're at in their career, w hat's the next step for them , and how they can use their time more smartly. It's about getting great leaders to reflect more on their performance and how they could improve. I absolutely love doing executive coaching, and I get an awful lot out of it. What's the biggest cha ll enge you've faced in yo ur career, and how did yo u overcome it? I've definitely had a few challenges Grenfell was probably my biggest challenge. The NHS is quite predictable in many ways. The systems and structures are really clear, and people w ho wo rk for the NHS do it because they really care, not just for the sake of hav ing a job. It's like wo rking for a giant community w here everyone has the same ethos and everyone is va lued. In some respects, that makes wo rking for the NHS comfortingly formulaic. 1

In contrast, Grenfell was so far out of my comfort zone, it was unlike anything any of us had dealt with before. It was the biggest disaster the UK had had since World War Two. At first, I was a bit out of my depth . All of a sudden I w as in charge of commissioning and setting up bespoke services for the survivors and the bereaved . Working w ith such a dive rse community was a cha ll enge in itself because everyone had such different needs. I essentially learnt on the job! Of course, I had extensive experience in healthcare, but this was like nothing I'd ever dealt w ith before. To gi ve you a tangible example, usually, when the NHS is assessing someone w ho has been traumatised , part of the assessment invo lves asking them if they feel suicidal. Well , there we re a lot of Moroccan wo men w ho lived in Grenfell Towe r, and if y ou ask a Moroccan wo man w ho is Muslim if she's feeling suicidal, she may neve r come to see yo u again, because su icide is against the Qur'an . So, essentia lly w e had to get creati ve rather than asking that typically scientific, Euro-centric question of these w omen, and that's w hat we did. We set up the Moroccan Women 's Cous Cous Group, and every Wednesday they would all come together and make delicious couscous, and do you know w hat? They felt comfortab le enough in that setting to be able to talk about their trauma . We had to get creative a lot throughout the course of m y time w orking on the project, but it was important for us to help these people engage w ith their trauma and their grief. It didn't matter that we had to do it creative ly, what mattered was that we were doing it in the right way for each individual person. It was by far the toughest thing I've ever wo rked on, but I'm incredibly proud of w hat we delive red , and I believe that we did the best we cou ld for the community.

Interview by Lola Sherwin. 33

3 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR MENT/\L H E/\LTH TH IS CHRISTMAS CAROLINE EMILE Founder & Happiness/Fulfilment Coach at Butterfly Me In spirationa l & TEDx Speaker

Caroline believes that happiness is a choice and can be cultivated by anyone. Experiencing breast cancer in 2077 fuelled her to pursue her mission of empowering individuals to unleash the best version of themselves one day at a time. In 2079, she received the Women Economic Forum's Award of 'Iconic Women Creating A Better World For All'.

It's the most wo nderful time of the year for many of us. And yet, w hether you celebrate or not, the festi ve season can also be the most stressful time of the year! This applies every year, before we've even added COVID-79 into the mix, which we' ll all inevitably be doing this year, so here are my top tips to help you nimbly navigate your way through to 2027 wi th your mental and emotional we llbeing in positive condition: 7) Manage Expectations

We can easily feel pressured at this time of the year to do more, spend more, eat and drink more ... you name it! It's therefore key to allow yourself to step away from all the external 'chatter' coming yo ur way from family and friends, advertisers or society at large luring you to stretch yo urself physically, emotionally and financially, and ask yourse lf how you truly want to experience this season: - Do you really want to play host on Christmas

Day again or attend the annual gathering at your in-laws'? - Can you really afford to splash out on that lu x ury holiday for your partner or on fancy gifts for all of your siblings' children? - Do you really enjoy spending days putting up all those lights and decorations all over yo ur home? It's always healthy to pause and reflect on w hy we do w hat we do, and this year, COVID-79 has made it even more important than ever before that we honour our true needs rather than seek to appease others out of fear of being judged. So whether you're uncomfortable wit h mixing with those outside of your immediate household, or you need to cut you r Christmas spending because your finances have been thwarted by the lengthy lockdowns, or w hatever other seasonal habits you'd like to change because they really fill you w ith more dread than joy- allow yourself to be honest, both w ith yourself and w ith others. Change is seldom easy, so w hy not leverage the 2020 theme of 'a new norm' to purposefully redesign your life? Yes, it may initially upset the person inv iting you or expecting yo u to host them as usual, or your child may sulk for a couple of days that they won't get that costly gift they had their eyes on. However, in the long term , it w ill be far more beneficial for everyone that you prioritised protecting yourself and yo ur loved ones from

Health & wellness exposure to a potentially deadly virus, or that you didn't risk your mental health from the unnecessary

2) Identify Your Triggers We may spend more time at Christmas with family and friends than we normally would, which increases the chances of our being 'triggered' by them . When this happens, we react disproportionately to a comment or behaviour due to unhealed emotional wounds that - under normal circumstances - would not bother us much. For example, if you fly into a rage or burst into tears when someone comments on your outfit, this is likely due to your being triggered as it reminded you (consciously or unconsciously) of when your clothes were cruelly ridiculed by a classmate as a child. Alternatively, you may get triggered by certain people, no matter how well-intentioned their comments are e.g . by your Uncle John or parent-in-law because you generally have a strained relationship with them.

The more self-aware and prepared you become, the less intense a triggering situation will likely be, and the more peace you'll be able to enjoy.

3) Be OK With Not Being OK Finally, you may not be feeling festive at all this Christmas. Perhaps it's your first one without a loved one or you feel lonely as a single person at this time of year. Whatever the cause, acknowledge it rather than trying to cover your emotions by trying to fit in with those around you. You may find it beneficial to journal around what you're feeling, or if you dislike writing, speak it out loud and record it on your computer or phone. Often, just the act of releasing any trapped emotions is sufficient to help relieve us. At other times, we may need more time to heal, however we'd have still taken a step forward on that path . Whichever the case, give yourself the love and patience that you would give to others in your position, and don't pressure yourself to feel a particular way during this season. Similarly, if someone around you is struggling to embrace the season as you'd like them to, reassure them that this is their right and that you're there for them regardless. With a little more honesty, love and compassion (for ourselves and others), we can truly all have a more joyful, peaceful and heart-warming Christmas! Words by Caroline Emile.

So take some time to reflect on who or what can make you lose emotional control within seconds, then prepare yourself with a suitable coping mechanism. For example, you may decide that if you feel yourself getting triggered , you'll count to three silently in your mind then make a dash outside to get some fresh air, or phone a trusted confidante to offload your experience.

Market & branding

SAHAR HECHME Sahar is a video editor with over 4 years' experience. Her clients include SME businesses, influencers, fitness gurus, and many more. With over 7 million views across You Tube and social media, Sahar helps clients grow their social presence and stand out in a competitive market.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDING CHRISTMAS SPARl(LE TO YOUR PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS The popularity of promotional Christmas videos has exploded over the last decade as consumers have shifted online. Christmas adverts from big brands can now rack up tens of millions of views on YouTube, and with the most businesses' potential customers now spending a significant amount of time on social media every single day, any business without a Christmas video is losing out on what is arguably the biggest trend of the year, every year.

the difficulties of location-based shooting. This can be perfect for either a static background without having to go to the effort of setting up Christmas decorations everywhere, for example, or from transitions from pre-product to post-product, for example, a family sitting inside, opening a gift and being magically transported to the North Pole with Santa.

How to make your videos "Christmassy"

Once you have an idea of the visuals, your video editor will also need to know how to pair them with the right sounds. This may be the crackling of a roaring fire, or bells jingling softly in the background. It may sound basic, but it is fundamental - bad sound editing will ruin a video no matter how good the visuals are, whereas good sound editing elevates an advert from a DIV job to professional marketing.

As with all promotional material, the first question when making a Christmas video must always be "What message am I trying to convey?". There is no set answer to this question as every business is different, but whatever message you are trying to communicate with your market, there are multiple ways in which a video editor can help you to achieve it. Visuals

One of the most simple and effective changes I work on with my clients is the adaptation of their branding. This is not just the logo, but also the colours and themes that run throughout the video. By changing the theme, you are presenting something new to the viewer, which makes them pay that little bit of extra attention - think of how you switch off when you see an advert for a certain brand on TV, but then when their Christmas advert comes on, it grabs your attention because it's just that little bit different from the normal. It is important for the brand to still be recognisable,ognisable, so having a video editor who really understand that balance is key. A skilled video editor will be able to turn a blank white background into any number of locations (just make sure no-one is wearing a white T-shirt, or they will become a floating head!), removing 36

Sound

Aside from these fundamentals, the sound of an advert is often what sticks in consumers' minds after the advert has ended - think of Coca Cola's "Holidays Are Coming". You may want to think of what your audio "hook" is, if that is the angle you are going for. Again, a good video editor will be able to ensure that this comes in at just the right moment for the viewer to be able to create an association between that piece of audio and your brand. Putting it all together

There is no doubt that the marketing opportunities around Christmas time are huge - consumers are buying gifts for loved ones, businesses need assistance to meet demand, and a little Christmas sparkle can help you to stand out and create the goodwill that will build relationships throughout the rest of the year. Words by Sahar Hechme.

Entrepreneurship

SIMONE VINCENZ!

Simone Vincenzi is a multi-award winning serial entrepreneur and author who helped people launch more than 500 profitable businesses before he reached the age of 30. He writes for Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine and regularly features on TV and radio. Here he will teach you how to make quick profits from your business.

90 DAYS TO PROFITS GET YOUR 90 MOST PROFITABLE DAYS OF THE YEAR NOW If you are an entrepreneur and you want to increase your profit, then you know that you need a clear strategy to implement. There are so many different strategies out there for you to use. However, the problem entrepreneurs face is choos ing which of them to focus on. In this article, I will show you the top 4 strategies that we use with our clients to help them make a profit in 90 days. The GTeX Method

Over the last 8 years, I have gained great insight and ex perience in the world of business through having owned multiple businesses. What I have learnt is that in busi ness, there are patterns. By following this strategy, you will learn to take control and make a profit within 90 days. The 4 pillars of the GTeX Method are: - Clarity: the strategic part of the business - Conversion: client acquisition - Expansion: audience growth - Influence: your profile and how influential you are in your field It is important to work on all 4 pillars because they work hand in hand. These 4 pillars are the foundations of a solid business. Conversion Strategy

Conversion is the ability to generate clients, and to devel op your offer and learn how to sell it to clients. These are the steps to follow to do that: - Create a high conversion offer that looks and sounds at tractive. - Create a Google Sheet or landing page with all the infor mation about the offer. - Invite people from your inner circle to join the offer at a discounted rate. - If they say yes, send them the document or page. Follow up and ask if they want to join or if they have any questions. By following these easy steps, you will be able to create a high conversion strategy that will help you gain clients and refine your offer. Create Your Product Ecosystem

The product ecosystem is the customer journey that you will provide to your clients. it is important to have one. If your journey is confused

then your client will be too. By creating a product ecosys tem, you will provide a clear and easy journey through it for your clients. Attract New Clients

Essentially, you have 3 different types of audiences: - Cold: the people who want your product/service but don't know you exist. - Warm: the people who like you and look at your content but need a little bit more convincing. - Smoking hot: the people who are very interested and are ready to buy your product/service. In order to reach all of your audience, you need to target all 3 types, otherwise, you will not be maximising your profits or your reach. Gain Visibility

In order to gain more visibility and raise your profile, you need to get yourself out there. There are two main ways to do this: Get featured in publications whose readership is your ideal client. This is such an effective way to reach your target audi ence. Make sure you are writing for the publication and not for yourself, otherwise you are only going to tap into your 'warm' target audience. Find Podcasts to speak on. By being a guest speaker on podcasts, you tap into their community and network. This could generate clients for you, and you can also use the podcast as content for yourself. As you can see these are two ways of gaining visibility. The difference between the two is that they tap into two types of audiences. Some people prefer listening and some prefer reading. A great resource to use is guidedpr which will help link you up with reporters in need. By focusing on these 4 pillars, you will have your most profitable 90 days. Using these simple, straightforward strategies will really help you refine and clarify your busi ness strategy as a whole, as well as helping you to make a profit in 90 days. Now it's time for action. Apply this strategy and let me know how you get on. Words by Simone Vincenzi.

Fashion & beauty

Renata Aron is this year's winner of the Fashion category at the Best of Brazil European Awards. She is the founder of Nothing To Wear Image Consultancy and the NTW opp, as well as being on the board of A/Cl Portugal and having created the Impulse Method.

Christmas, the most-awaited season of the year, is just around the corner. It's the season where we are surrounded by magic and the spirit of gifting, and the time in which our hope is renewed and we are reborn for a new year. In this strange year in which we have all faced huge changes in every aspect of our routine, our work, our relationships, our relationship with consumerism, and even with fashion, we want to start over, and to start a new year in a better place. Despite the financial problems this year has brought with it, despite the fear and the uncertainty, people have shown hope through their Christmas shopping. The pandemic has definitely accelerated some tendencies which were already appearing little by little in people's behaviours and their consumption habits! The move to home working completely changed our relationship with fashion. We came to value comfort over style, something which we had already started to see in the past few years, as people began wearing trainers on all occasions. This has now been reinforced with the revival of the tracksuit bottoms in more stylish fabrics like loose knit. Many brands raced to reinvent themselves as the pandemic loomed over us, launching their "loungewear" lines to meet the new needs of their buyers. Spending more time at home also changed our eating habits, and we all spent more time cooking our own meals. Kitchen gadgets and other electrical domestic items normally aren't on many of our Christmas lists, but that is something that's likely to have changed this year! The "stay at home order" showed us the importance of a more cosy home, one in which we have space to work comfortably, whilst at the same time being practical for us to live in. This transition to home working has pushed office furniture,

chairs, and technological items right up our Christmas lists, too. The importance of sustainability was already starting to become a hot topic, with the less-is-more narrative taking over, and messages about the importance of knowing about a brand's production methods and working conditions being broadcast everywhere we looked. Today, post-pandemic, after having been stuck inside for so long, many people will have realised they don't actually need that much stuff, and instead they have started to value other things over materialism, and they have left behind egocentric attitudes and moved more towards the good of humanity as a whole. As a result of this, we have started to see more campaigns to shop local, which in turn has led to an increase in homemade and handmade gifts being highly wish listed all around the world this Christmas. The secondhand market has also risen to the forefront of people's consciousness, and we now see it in a totally different light. Whereas before, many people may have looked down on secondhand shopping, it is now seen as an attractive option which is more politically correct, more conscious and more sustainable. Just as was seen post-wars, I believe that the post-pandemic world will bring with it an evolution in which people will be more aware of the changes we need to make to our lifestyles, our behaviours and our consumption in order to be better citizens. The first place we will see this is in our Christmas wish list this year, as I'm willing to bet there are things on there you would never have put on there last year! Here's to better days that are coming. Merry Christmas, enjoy this one, you deserve it after a strange year' Words by Renata Aron.

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What's your biggest career goal?

I just want to show people that everything I'm trying to say to them is real. I want to teach people to be kind , because that's really lacking in the w orld . People love to criticise each other, and I just don 't like that at all , that's not how the world should be. The problem is that people think that the process ends once they've been invited into the room , but that's not true. The process isn't finished until you've been invited to sit down in that room, because that shows that people want to hear what you have to say. Getting in is easy, but staying there is difficult. I just want people to really understand my message, and I want to help people be kinder in their lives. It shouldn 't be all about the numbers. You have to believe in w hat you 're selling to people, or you 're never going to make a difference. Anyone can be an influencer, you just have to influence people, the road is there, you just need to follow it. But unless you are conveying a real message, people will eventually get bored of you, because you'll just be yet another influencer saying the same things as so many other people. Share your message, show your personality, and teach people the importance of kindness through that message. What's the biggest challenge you've faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?

When I started off on this journey, nobody believed I was going to get anywhere. People thought I was just messing around, they mocked me, I had a hard time of it at first. Right in the beginning, when I first started working with small businesses, I contacted more than 500 companies over 2 months, and only 70 of them responded, the rest ignored me. WhatsApp is the worst, because it shows you when people are ignoring you! I still remember the first time someone told me that I didn't have the personality to make it in this world, but the important thing was that I knew I did have the personality for it. That's how I overcame it, by believing in myself and what I was selling. I knew that as long as I believed in myself, then others eventually would too. Now, I turn negative comments into followers by creating a conversation around the negative feedback. Human beings love gossip, so if you create a conversation, they will be driven to you to find out more. Criticism doesn't upset me as much anymore. I'm human, so of course I care, but I don't care enough to let it stop me from continuing on my journey. I use my energy to keep growing my career. When people come for

Celebrity & influence me, I never let it affect my work. In the media, it's important to be prepared for criticism, because sitting and crying with a kilo of chocolate every time someone says something mean isn't going to get you anywhere. Separate your self image from what other people think of you . I'm not saying it's easy, but it is worth it. And make sure what you're selling is the real you, or you're just opening yourself up to criticism for being a fake. I'll never forget once when I was travelling Brazil and I saw a girl vlogging her plate of salad and talking about the importance of health and fitness, and then as soon as she turned the camera off, the waiter brought over a huge slab of lasagne. Her followers would never know she wasn 't just eating the salad, and that is so fake. That's exactly what I don't want to be like. It's important to be real, and to believe in yourself, or you're never going to be able to overcome the criticism that will come your way. What's your plan for Favela Chic after the lockdown ends?

So for some context, Favela Chic is my Brazilian music party. I created it because I was tired of seeing people getting attacked at parties for being gay, for being black, for being anything at all . At my party, everyone is welcome, and you can be whoever you want to be. Everyone should be happy at parties! You don 't go out to get annoyed do you? No! You go out to have fun, do some tequilas, and enjoy yourself! So the plan after lockdown is just to continue all the incredible work I've been doing with Favela Chic, and showing that everyone can be whoever they want to be with no judgement. Interview by Lola Sherwin. Find Ricardo on lnstagram: @perolasderikardo

Entrepreneurship

Pl ERRE COOMBES Entrepreneur Pierre Coombes is considered a leading authority in Sales & Marketing. He recently featured in BBC One's show 'Call That Hard Work?; where he showed what it's like to spend a day as Telesales person in his award-winning B2B lead generation agency Big Wolf Marketing.

7 STEPS TO SELLING BETTER During this pandemic, you could be forgiven for thinking 'selling' was a bad wo rd. If you are in sales, or more specifically in 'business to business' sales, then recently you'll have had to add a little bit more sugar and spice to your pitch. Why? To navigate an easily offended market and charmingly manage objections from the 'new toolbox' of objections. I fully understand that the pandemic has been tough , and in many cases, it has been very personal, but business has to survive! Sales is the bloodline of any business. To run a half-hearted sales strategy may well be catastrophic. Taking into consideration that 'stopping selling' simply isn 't an option, how do we move forward into the new year when the general buying mindset is low? In my monthly column I'm going to look at 7 ways that you can 'sell better', each time covering a different idea, tool or strategy. There is so much psychology at play when selling. Take the simplicity of buying a loaf of bread , as I did this morning. There are several 'conscious' and 'subconscious' thoughts that occur in the lead up to my edible acquisition. Firstly, I am hungry. Simple. Despite my currently rocking 'the dad bod look', my internal wiring is telling me 'eating to survive' is a good idea. Secondly, there is the emotional thought process which, in my case led to the purchase. This thought process, like most emotion-driven purchases, even encouraged me to increase my spend. I upsold to myself and coupled the bread with a delicious Danish butter and of course creamy tomato soup. Yes, you got it, it's cold, its winter, and the thought of snuggling up on the sofa w ith a cup of soup and some crusty buttered bread sings happiness to me. In case you're wo ndering w here I'm going with this, people buy for different reasons, usually a multitude of reasons. Consumer products are perhaps an easier example, but with business-to-business products or services this is equally true. Whatever you are selling, there is generally

a reason , a need and an emotional story behind a purchase. What problem does your offering solve, or if it doesn't solve a problem , how does it make the customer feel? We all too often dismiss the emotional narrative of a buying journey, opting for a 'one fits all approach '. Not only does selling from an emotional standpoint better push the sale along, but it helps the customer to feel understood and thus the brand relationship they have with your product and with you is better. Good customer relationships lead to customer retention. It's all very well and good 'getting to know your prospective client' to make your sale more tailored , but you might think it's too time-consuming. That's where prospect emotional mapping comes in. You can create a very personal approach with a simple exercise: look at your prospects - who are they? What's their role, w hy do they buy? Ask yourself as many questions as possible to understand your prospective client better. It's likely that there are a few different types of prospect, each of w hom thinks from a different standpoint. For example, a company owner may buy something if it saves money or increases productivity, or for another reason that is directly impacting the business. They w ill have various emotional ties to the business, they may be trying to grow the business or perhaps times are tough , and they need to save money, or they need a solution to their problem. When the prospect is an employee rather than a business owner, you should map out their thinking in relation to their job, what do they buy, w hat impacts their decision. Going into a tough recession as we may well be will heighten all of these emotions and problems. Your prospects w ill be needing different things so to solve their problems and move forward. Selling using emotional understanding will be even more important if you want to increase your sales. Using psychology in selling is the first of the seven steps to selling better!

Words by Pierre Coombes

NI CO LE WEATHERBY Nicole is a senior graphic designer and the "boss lady" of Green House Media. She is based in South Africa, but has worked with businesses across the world. Nicole is passionate about animal welfare, and her dream job is using graphic design to help animal charities to promote the work they are doing.

DOES ART PLUS TECHNOLOGY EQUAL DESIGN? In the spirit of Christmas and to just process all that has happened, or hasn't happened, this year, here I hope is an article to lift spirits and inspire, to move forward and start 2027 with a much needed positive attitude. I am Nicole Weatherby, a Senior Graphic Designer for my company, Green House Media. Green House Media was established by my late mother, Diane Weatherby, who was an Accountant, but decided a design company would be a great asset for me to have. I wish I could tell her how grateful I am for the opportunity she gave me with this company, and despite it having been hard at times to grow a company given that I had never previously owned a business, I have loved the journey, and it has been such a wonderful opportunity for me. My Design journey started when I completed my MA in Media Art from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2073. I was intrigued by what the difference was between art, technology and design, and I wanted to understand the relationship between all of these aspects. Coming from a Visual Arts/Multimedia background, I disagreed with people who thought design could not be considered art. First you must know- technology makes possibilities, design makes solutions and art makes questions. There is no definition for art as art is constantly changing especially with its relationship with technology. Everything around us is considered art because it was designed by someone to have a specific look and feel. Art may have a message to portray to a viewer or it may be used solely to accomplish other tasks. Technology is often thought up by either a person or group of people to make our lives easier. Design is the realisation of a concept or idea into a configuration, drawing, model, mould, pattern, plan, or specification. So how do technology, art and design relate? I did art as a child, which consisted mostly of painting and craft until I studied my BA (Art and Culture) with specialisation in Multimedia. My works

consisted mostly of videos but as I progressed to my MA in Media Art, I finally started looking into Art, Technology and Design as one. I was infatuated with augmented realities, so for my final piece, "White Noise", I used art, technology and design to see whether these three can be separated or if art and technology equals design. "White Noise" was exhibited at the Manchester Metropolitan University in 2073. It was based on my experience as a child with hearing difficulties. You would enter a dark space, with white noise playing and a spotlight on a kaleidoscope which was placed on a tall, white wooden display box. People were encouraged to interact with the artwork and to pick up the kaleidoscope. Once picked up the sound would switch off, lights would come on and the projector would play an illustration on the adjacent wall. I passed with High Merit, and it helped me to realise that maybe Graphic Design was my way forward as I do so well with technology and art. So, does that answer my question that design is a combination of art and technology and if so, then why is Graphic Design not considered by most to be a work of art? Today, millions of people around the world own their own computer and they use it for a variety of things. Even though there are still artists using the traditional pencil to paper or paint to canvas, a large number of artists today use the computer to produce art for a variety of purposes including; movies, website design, video games, digital prints, illustrations and so on. As a Graphic Designer, I combine art and technology to produce design on a daily basis, so I would argue that they are, most definitely, inherently linked. I wish you all a safe festive season, and to all those upcoming designers, artists and developers ... let us create a work of art! Words by Nicole Weatherby

"CREATIVITY IS THE l(EY TO GOOD VIDEO EDITING!" - SAHAR H ECHME Sahar is a video edito r w ith over 4 years' experien ce. He r clients in clude SME busin esses, influen ce rs, fit n ess g urus, a n d m a ny m ore. W ith over 7 millio n views across Yo uTu be a nd socia l m edia, Sah ar h elps clien ts t o grow t h e ir socia l presence a n d sta n d out in a competitive m arket.

What inspired you to become a video editor?

What's your favourite area of video editing?

Since I was at school, I've always had a keen interest in watching movies and learning about how they were made, so I knew from early on that I wanted to go to university and major in Audio Visual Studies. Once I left school, I started the course at a university in Lebanon, which was a really interesting few years as it gave me new insight into the world of video editing . Since graduating a few years ago it's been really nice to be able to put what I've learned into practice. Video editing is a job that allows me to constantly learn, as there's always new technologies and programmes for me to get used to, which keeps it interesting!

To me, each aspect is special. To make a good movie or video, you need to incorporate all elements of video editing, because if one element is missing, then the whole project will end up not as it should. It's really a combination of everything, but I do really love seeing different types of footage on different jobs. Every project I take on allows me to learn something new, and I get to see what different kinds of clients like, so that's an aspect of the job that I really love.

If you could edit videos for one particularly industry or company, which would it be, and why? I think events management is a really interesting industry to edit videos for, because every event is different to the next, and so each one rrequires a different kind of video content. Another thing I love doing is helping people build a YouTube

channel, because it's really great to be able to watch the channel grow over time. It's a very hard question really, beÂcause I love working in all kinds of areas, but I guess right now events is a good one too, because with all the virÂtual events that are going on, it's added a whole new dimension to video editÂing in that industry. So I would probably have to say events management, as it's the area in which I'm learning the most right now.

What does your 5 year career plan look like? My number one priority is to help more people with their video editing needs. Hopefully in the next couple of years I'll be able to hire someone to help me with the projects I take on, but for now I'm just really enjoying the journey. I love to see my growth, and seeing the results that I can give clients is a really rewarding feeling. If my clients grow, I grow in a sense, and as I grow my editing techniques improve, so I just want to keep going with this path and see where it takes me! What's the biggest challenge you've faced in your career, and how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge I've faced was actually right at the start of my career. After I graduated, I worked with a few production companies in Lebanon. When you get out of university, you're still very much in a university mindset, and starting in a workplace makes you realise that the working world might not be quite what you expected it to be. The challenge for me was that the payment was nowhere near what I had thought it would be, so I felt I was working really hard and not really being rewarded for my efforts. I did a lot of different work on different kinds of

productions and series, but I just didn't feel I was being appropriately paid for my work. The way I overcame it was by taking the leap to becoming a freelancer. I finally decided I didn't want to run around and stay up late for companies who weren't paying me fairly for the amount of work I was doing. As a freelancer, I can choose when I work, and I set my rates, so I never end up disappointed. It was hard at first as I had to build up a client base, but after a while, I knew I'd made the right decision, and I'm really happy with where I'm at currently. What makes you different to other video editors? So I always make sure to know everything I can about a project before starting it, that way I don't have to go through loads of corrections, and everything can be delivered on time. It's really important to me to understand the client's vision. I think I also have a unique style, and whatever my client asks for, I make sure to give them a little bit extra, so that I can be sure they'll love it. Adding a bit of extra creativity, that's the key! interview by Lola Sherwin 49

MOT VAT ONAL BOO <S FOR THE NEW YEAR By Lola Sherwin

As the New Year creeps closer, and the end of 2020 is finally in sight, we are probably all in need of a little bit of motivation. In this article, I will share some uplifting and motivational books that everyone should be adding to their reading lists in the New Year to help them tackle any challenges that may come their way. The books on this list are written by inspirational people, and we hope that they will help to inspire you to achieve all your goals in 2027.

A PROMISED LAND

A Promised Land, Barack Obama £35,Amazon (Buy Here)

Next on the list has to be the most recent book by Michelle's ex-president husband, Barack Obama. This is a story of transformation, from a regular citizen to the leader of the free world. He tells the story of his time in the White House, and just like Michelle's book, A Promised Land has the ability to makes its readers feel inspired to chase their dreams and to never give up, because you can do anything. What a great message to start off a new year with I

Be Your Own Miracle, Susy Shikoda £4.72, Amazon (Buy Here)

Our very own cover star is our next feature on the listl Susy's story of overcoming cancer is immensely inspiring for anyone who is suffering their own battles, health-related or otherwise. Be Your Own Miracle will lead you to reflect on your own life, and will inspire you to make significant life changes. Follow it up with her new book which is out soon, The Essential 7 Senses: How To Use Your Mind To Live, Laugh And

The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life's Direction and Purpose, Oprah Winfrey O PII.All Wl NF II. E Y

£18.99, Amazon, (Buy Here)

Another cover star for the next entry on our listl Oprah is one of the most inspirational people to grace the planet, and her book is in keeping with that position. The book is meant as a guide for activating your deepest vision of yourself, and will help you find happiness on your path to self-discovery. If you feel you need some guidance as we enter this new year, then this is the perfect book for you.

Make Change, Shaun King £20,Amazon (Buy Here)

Shaun King is an activist and journalist, and is one of the figureheads of the Black Lives Matter movement. His book, Make Change, reflects on his life in activism and guides the reader through how they can join the fight. If you want to take the new year to become more invested in social justice matters and become motivated to make change in the world, then definitely purchase this incredible book.

A Life on Our Planet

A Life On Our Planet: My Witness Statement and A Vision For The Future, David Attenborough

My\Vimcs~ Siatcmcni nnd a Vision for ihc Fuwrc

David Attenborough

£20, Amazon, (Buy Here)

There are few people more inspiring than David Attenborough. His new release is a reflection on the life he has led on this planet, and what he envisages for the future. He urges readers to act now in order to save the planet, and this is one of the most important books available to us in this age of climate change. If you needed something to motivate you to make more conscious choices, then pick up this book and start reading.

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N IYATI )AG I ROAR Niyati Jagirdar is an architect from Mumbai who focuses on human-centric designs which centre on what people want and need from a space. I spoke to her about being a woman in the architectural industry and why human-centric design is important to her.

What drove you to pursue a career in architecture? I didn't initially intend to be an architect, I actually wanted to be a doctor. I just ventured into architecture almost by accident, but once I'd started training, I completely fell in love with it. I spent a lot of time reading about great architects, their journeys and philosophies, and I learned a lot about the process of designing a great architecture. I became really interested in how design has evolved and how it affects everyday life, and I just couldn't get enough of it. It may not have been love at first sight, but it is definitely true love!

Why is human-centric design important to you? I believe that architects have the ability to make people's dreams come true. It's important to me that my clients connect with their spaces and enrich their lives. and businesses in the process, and I love being able to make their dreams a reality. I think having the right space to work in is key to empowering our clients to move

forward in their journeys. More often than not, when architects become well-known, their work starts to become more about them than the client, and that's what I want to avoid. I never want to stop putting the client first, because ultimately it's their space that I'm helping to bring to life, it shouldn't be about me. We put our clients at the heart of everything we do, and I really want to empower people to improve their lives and help them to work better by improving the spaces they are in.

What is your favourite kind of space to design, and why? Definitely retail spaces and commercial spaces! The reason I started my practice was that I wanted to do retail, as there was no retail architecture in India at that time and I really wanted to explore that avenue. What excites me is that people inadvertently spend a lot of time in retailers and offices, whether that's spending money or making money, so it's important that space is really well designed and suits what the customer wants from it.

Taking 6 months to design a home is fine, but offices and retail spaces usually need to be ready quickly. These spaces are governed by rental and overhead costs, and more often than not they just want them ready quickly so they can start making money from them or running business immediately without a deep dive into the impact of these spaces. For me, it's important that the client is involved in all aspects of the design because I recognise the importance of having a space that works for its people and isn't just thrown together quickly. If a client comes to me asking for office space, I will go back to them and ask about their organisational structure and other such details, which allows me to determine for eg how much collaborative space they need and that kind of thing, so ultimately they end up with space which has been tailored to their business needs and will last them well into the future.

Do you feel that it's been more difficult to get to where you are in your career because you're a woman? Initially, it did take a lot of effort. For the first few years, I had to stand my ground a lot in order to get people in the industry to take me seriously as an architect. After a while, once I had established myself it got easier. As I evolved, I too stopped taking the gender difference negatively and instead dedicated my time to upgrading my knowledge so that I was on par with all the men in my industry.

Their respect for me eventually grew because I stuck to who I was and I stood my ground. Often, women find architecture to be tough , because you have to put long hours into your practice, and you have to balance that with your home life, which can be a lot of pressure. I understand that it's the same in many other industries but that's why it's key to establish yourself and stand your ground and never give up because once you've built respect and credibility, I think it becomes easier to find a suitable work-life balance.

What's the greatest challenge you've faced in your career, and how did you overcome it? I think there have been 2 really major challenges for me over the course of my career. The first is trying to strike a balance between knowing when you 're needed at home and knowing when you need to focus on your career. It's really tough, like I said earlier, because it's a high-pressure career, and you need to establish yourself. So to begin with, that was probably my biggest challenge, but now I've worked out how to shape my career in a way that allows me to have time for both my job and my family. My other big challenge was adapting to think like an organisation. It's easy enough to think you 'll be great at running an architecture business if you ' re great at architecture, but actually, there's more to it than that. You need to learn how to run an organisation, and that is tricky when you first try and get your head around it. We have conquered that challenge now though, and we have really good employee retention, so that's really nice for us. Interview by Lola Sherwin .

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Marketing & Branding

WHY PR IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR ORGANISATION WANJA MUTHEE

Public relations is essential for all businesses, big and small. In appreciating the power of PR, business magnate Bill Gates has been quoted as saying, "If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on public relations." But what exactly is public relations? The Chartered Institute of Public Relations defines PR a "the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you." It's a process of perception creation that boils down to one thing - the organisation's reputation. When you think about it, getting someone else to say that you're good adds credibility to your organisation compared to other methods of putting the organisation out there such as advertising. All in all, a good reputation is hard-earned, over time as people assess the organisation's track record of promises made through the brand and actions taken to stay true to the different stakeholders. While seemingly intangible, a robust, positive reputation is just as important as other key drivers of organisational growth and resilience that are also difficult to quantify, such as intellectual capital and brand equity. The Institute of Public Relations defines reputation from two perspectives, that of the organisation and that of the stakeholder.

"allows the company to better manage the expectations and needs of its various stakeholders, creating differentiation and barriers vis-a-vis its competitors." In other words, "what you see, is what you get." From the stakeholder's perspective, it is "the intellectual, emotional and behavioral response as to whether or not the communications and actions of an organisation resonate with their needs and interests." These different views about reputation morph into the need for organisations to embrace reputation management, a strategic function of public relations which incorporates tactics such as stakeholder engagement, crisis communication and corporate social responsibility. The reputation management role of PR professionals is crucial in the increasingly competitive world of business as the reputation of an organisation should move it to a differentiated position amongst the competition, and lead to the posting of better financial results. "A company's reputation is pegged on having the stakeholders' needs and interests met by the organisation. This can be achieved through a mutually beneficial relationship, created through public relations methods."

From the organisation's viewpoint, reputation

Where's your favourite place to source gemstones from?

How has the pandemic affected your work?

It has to be Colombia. It's a beautiful country, and it has such a long history of producing gemstones. The ancient peoples of the Second Mayan civilisations initially began mining the emerald regions about 2,000 years ago, so there's a long history right through the Spanish colonial period to the 21st century.

A lot of our business was done remotely anyway because we have customers all over the world. Even way before COVID, we were regularly dealing with customers in Australia, Singapore, the US, etc., so in that sense, nothing really changed. We don't have retail premises per se, but we do have a sales office in London where we meet with some customers in person. For some months during the lockdown, we couldn't meet any customers, so it's pushed us more towards the digital space. We have started back up tentatively doing face-to-face meetings, obviously subject to the ongoing advice from the government, but going forward we will retain the office in Hatton Garden, but also will continue to develop our digital marketing channels. We are now offering personalised virtual consultations, enabling people to engage with us on webcam via Zoom from the comfort of their own home if they prefer.

We're gradually developing more connections in South East Asia, and we're looking to develop supply lines into Thailand and possibly Sri Lanka, so that we can expand our range of the coloured gemstones they produce such as rubies and sapphires (known collectively as corundum) and spinel. Our focus has largely been on emeralds and diamonds until now, we do supply other stones as well, but we're looking to expand more into the coloured gemstone industry, including some rare and beautiful stones such as Parafba tourmaline from Brazil, which I'm really excited about.

How did you find the transition from working with the navy and in finance to working in gemstones? I moved from the navy into financial services just because I thought it would be a good career, but actually, it didn't inspire me that much. I'd always wanted to be an entrepreneur, be my own boss, and build an ethical business sustainably, and around the same time that I was having career doubts I was made redundant, so it was a great opportunity for me to take the leap and make that career change into gemstones and jewellery. In many ways, it was a good transition because I much prefer what I do now, and it has been a really great experience for me.

What has been the highlight of your career? I think it would have to be winning the NAJ "Jewellery & Watch Supplier of the Year" 2018. The NAJ is the National Association of Jewellers, and we had entered their awards every year, and in 2018 we finally won. It was a really proud moment because we'd finally got some industry recognition, which as one of the younger businesses in our industry meant a lot to us. It was great to finally get some recognition and draw positive attention to what we were doing.

What's the greatest challenge you've faced in your career, and how did you overcome it? Fundraising. We started on a shoestring, and very gradually and slowly built up. Obviously to expand you have to raise funds, but at first, it was a very slow and tedious process. By 2018 we'd finally started to gain some traction, and we've now raised almost ÂŁ1.5 million. That's probably the biggest challenge that we've positively overcome and turned into a strength, as we're now raising funds quite regularly, which makes us really optimistic for the future!

Interview by Lola Sherwin.