Best Business Digest Magazine June 2021 Issue by Business Digest Magazine

June 2021

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

SKILLS ARE KEYS THAT OPEN UP WEALTH

WHY SMALL BUSINESSES FAIL ANGELIQUE REWERS

THE CYPHER SKIN JOURNEY DR SHAKA BAHADU

WHERE IS CURRENCY IN CRYPTO? TOM O’GORMAN

BREATHING CLEAN AIR STEVE LEVINE

TITLES SIMON HALL

AUTOMATION IN BUSINESS JESSE WOOD

CONSISTENCY: THE KEY TO SUCCESS VENUS MORRIS GRIFFIN

WINNING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS STEVE LARET

DIGITAL TOOLS FOR TEAMS MAXIME BOUROUMEAU-FUSEAU

HOW TO REVAMP YOUR BUSINESS LUCY SPENCER

From the Editor GUESTS ANGELIQUE REWERS

CEO & FOUNDER OF THE CORPORATE AGENT

TOM O’GORMAN

INVESTMENT MANAGER AT AP WEALTH MANAGEMENT

DR SHAKA BAHADU

COO & COCOFOUNDER OF CIPHER SKIN

VENUS MORRIS GRIFFIN

WELCOME!

VICE PRESIDENT & ASSOCIATE BROKER AT MEYBOHM REAL ESTATE

Skills determine the success of dreams. Skills are keys that open wealth.

MAXIME BOUROUMEAU-FUSEAU FOUNDER AND CTO OF DIGICOOP

STEVE LEVINE

Some people discover the key of how to make things work better be it through trial and error. The sill is the finding that link that produces a desired end.After they have results, they then sell that art of msaking things work. Not all of us can find that art that produces results. We can continue working on it or seek help from those who can easily get result.

President and CEO of AtmosAir Solutions

JESSE WOOD CEO of eFileCabinet

STEVE LARET

Owner of The Steve Laret Team

COLUMNIST SIMON HALL

Unfortunately small businesses are often limited in resources and they cannot get access to those with skills that open doors. They spend years grinding the same place. Successful entrepreneurs have a knack for creating value in a product or service. They also have another key, selling the product and managing the profit for growth.

DIRECTOR, CREATIVE WAREHOUSE, BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANCY

LUCY SPENCER

This edition features successful business people who can impart knoledge and wisdom that can help you master skills to get ahead in business.

Fanele Moyo Editor

June 2021

A Revolution for UK SME Businesses

Bizdaq, the UK based tech company, has launched a platform that empowers business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to buy, grow and sell their business for FREE.

The world of SME business sales, in the main, has been ‘sleepy’. Until now. Bizdaq has launched a pioneering platform to revolutionise the market making it completely free for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to buy, grow and sell. “After working alongside SME businesses and start-ups for many years, and particularly over the last 12 months, we recognised that to thrive

businesses and entrepreneurs need support from like-minded people,” said Tim Whitworth at Bizdaq. “Thousands of businesses were launched during the pandemic whilst many existing ones were forced to close or hibernate. These businesses need somewhere to turn for guidance not only to survive but to grow and thrive. That’s why we wanted to give business owners a space to access game-changing resources and become part of a rapidly growing business community without a catch”. With the UK economy bouncing back, the launch of this exciting online platform has come at the perfect time for business owners and potential buyers looking to take control of their future. Created by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, the Bizdaq mission is to help businesses unlock their full potential, offering engaging, informative insights and guides

on a wide range of topics - providing inspiration for everyone, regardless of experience. Bizdaq is also launching a series of webinars, collaborating with big brands and experts across different fields to offer practical advice on everything from how to get seen on social media to what you can do to boost your business’s sales. One of the main shifts that Bizdaq is bringing to the market concerns owners looking to sell their business and move on to something new. Traditionally, a business broker or agent will

charge 5-10% of the business sale price as commission a charge that might not be appropriate or offer the best value for money. Using Bizdaq, business owners can sell for free… no catches, no hidden charges and no restrictions on use.

Having grown a small business to a multi-millionpound operation he has in-depth experience of varying scale, operations and teams. He led the MBO of a small chain of loss-making clothing stores in 2002. As CEO he created a highly successful multi-channel retail business by driving the business through turnaround and explosive growth. He also steered the business through three successive, successful, private equity investment stages, culminating in a deal worth £300m with a major US PE house.

Tim went on to say: “We operate Intelligent.co.uk, a leading UK business sales agent. We know the cost to serve can be high and we know many clients do value these services appropriately. However, we also know from our experience the agent model isn’t necessarily appropriate for all businesses and/or owners. Bizdaq is an online, self-serve platform, benefiting from decades of expertise but without the substantial costs and overheads involved in the bespoke high-service agent model. I just want to help as many buyers and sellers find their perfect match; Bizdaq can do this and save them money in the process!”

With a passion for business and a genuine desire to see entrepreneurs and teams flourish, Tim is the perfect example of an agile, successful entrepreneur; he brings a wealth of operational, transformational and management expertise to his portfolio. To contact Bizdaq: Chloe Byrne Tel: 07508845008 Email: chloe.byrne@mybizdaq.com

Bizdaq has been built using innovative technology, it is intuitive to use and quickly allows sellers through their dashboard to input their key business information and receive an instant valuation; it then produces a highquality, SEO rich, digital listing that has been optimized to be visible to all those looking to buy. Bizdaq reduces what has previously been a slow and daunting process into five simple steps, meaning with Bizdaq a business can be live on the market in under 30 minutes, immediately connecting buyers and sellers. You can join the fastest growing worldwide business community instantly at www.mybizdaq.com. Tim Whitworth

Tim has worked within and led all major disciplines within business.

June 2021

ANGELIQUE REWERS

Angelique provides business training and advice to thousands of small businesses across 72 countries worldwide on how to secure 5, 6, and 7-figure corporate contracts. Named “The Undisputed Champion at Helping Small Businesses Land Big Clients” by Inc. Magazine and Enterprising Woman of the Year by Enterprising Women Magazine, Angelique has been featured by Huffington Post, Forbes, Inc., Yahoo Finance, American Express, Washington Post, Entrepreneur, ABC and more.

ho is Angelique Rewers?

clients was higher than what the clients were actually worth to their bottom line. You don’t have to be a math genius to figure out that if it costs more to get clients than what they bring in, your business will soon be bankrupt.

I certainly hope I’m doing a good job of using this lifetime to explore that question! In a nutshell, I am a mother of twin boys, a wife — married to my high school sweetheart and best friend of 26 years, a dog lover, a die-hard Baltimore Ravens fan, a wildly driven entrepreneur, a globetrotter, and a fierce champion for small business owners.

At the same time, I knew that corporate clients provide tremendous benefits. You can find these companies easily in the market. They have substantial budgets. They like to keep buying from people they like working with. They always have another problem that needs solving. Having consistent cash flow creates predictability. Predictability creates the ability to invest and grow. I could keep going, but suffice to say, B2B organizations are the most valuable clients in the market.

You have over 20 years experience guiding small businesses. What common mistakes do small businesses make? The most devastating mistakes are the single points of failure — and yet those are the ones we see most often. If you don’t stick the landing on a keynote you deliver, or you hire the wrong executive assistant, so what? It’s inconvenient and might cause a shortlived blip on your results. But it’s not going to cause engine failure.

At the same time, 95% of what is being taught out there about how to win these clients is off the mark. It’s strategies that make B2B decision makers want to run and hide. Think about that: strategies that actually repel your target market! However, having been on that side of the decision maker table, I knew it could be done better. It could be done in a way that focuses on the long game.

The mistakes you really need to worry about are things like not finding a compelling problem to solve for your clients — a problem that is so urgent and so expensive and so tangible to your target market that they are willing to commit their money and, more importantly, their precious time, to solving it.

So, over 10 years ago we created The Corporate Agent to help small business owners — especially experts and professional service providers — to win these high-quality, coveted clients. And do it in a way that is authentic to them and the work they do and that builds genuine relationships with decision makers.

You also need to know how to message and position what you do so that it appeals to the eyes and ears of that target market. A huge mistake we’re seeing more and more for both small business owners, as well as larger companies alike, is a watering down of their messaging. It’s just gobbledygook. Messaging that says absolutely nothing other than strung together buzz words. That’s a huge problem when you think about how noisy the online world is — and how distracted and stressed-out people are today.

“The mistakes you really need to worry about are things like not finding a compelling problem to solve for your clients.”

You are the CEO and Founder of The Corporate Agent. Why the Corporate Agent? About 13 years ago, I started getting more involved in the small business market. And one of the single-points-of-failure mistakes I spotted right away was that many small business owners failed to identify a profitable target market for their business.

It’s been quite a journey but the results really speak for themselves. The work our clients are doing in the world — with brands like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Delta, Mercedes and more, to companies practically no one has heard of, and everything in between — is absolutely transformational and inspires me every single day.

Instead, they were chasing after clients who could barely afford to work with them, let alone offer a significant lifetime customer value. And so, the math just didn’t add up. The time and money to win those

June 2021

The right community to be a part of. One of the most surprising things about entrepreneurship is that just because you’re highly intelligent, or just because you’re great at what you do, or just because you’ve had tremendous success in other areas of your life, doesn’t mean business ownership will come naturally to you. In fact, statistically speaking, it probably won’t. There will be days where it feels like up is down and left is right. Everything about how we’re raised, to the skills that are taught in school, are designed to turn us into great employees — not entrepreneurs. So you will need to change not just what you’re doing, but how you are thinking. You need a mentor. You need training. But you especially need the right community — comprised of business owners who have high integrity, like-minded, and who are building similar kinds of businesses as you. That’s going to create the right environment for you to forge new mindsets and also provide a container of support, which every business owner needs. That’s probably the thing I’m most proud of here at The Corporate Agent: the global community we’ve created of mission-driven change agents. These are small business owners, primarily professional service providers, consultants and other experts, who are based all over the world. What are the key skills that a startup entrepreneur cannot do without? Three things: Math. Mindset. Marketing.

They all have taken the time to understand how to build their businesses long term. And they not only support one another, but they also team up with one another to take on incredible market opportunities. It’s truly taken on a life of its own, and these entrepreneurs inspire me every single day.

Most business problems can be solved with a fivedollar calculator. But you can’t solve those problems if you’re not thinking like a CEO.

What legacy do you want to leave behind? My all-time favorite quote is from Oscar Wilde: “The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.”

And clients can’t buy from you if they don’t know about you.

That sums up the essence of life in just nine words. Life is designed to be an exciting expedition.

So, make sure you know where your target clients are. If you’re selling to younger consumers, then yes, you want to be on Instagram and Tik-Tok.

I hope my legacy is that I inspire entrepreneurs and business owners to say “yes” to that expedition. To seize the moment. To stop hiding. To make bold decisions. To go, go, go.

However, if you’re selling to B2B and corporate organizations — you can’t do without knowing how to get line of sight with the true decision makers who control the “go” decision. So, make sure you understand how to get visibility for your particular market, as opposed to following what everyone else is doing, which probably isn’t working for them anyway.

How do people seeking business advice contact you? The best place, of course, is our website: www. TheCorporateAgent.com. There are terrific resources there for serious entrepreneurs. Three other fabulous ways to connect with me are on Instagram (@ AngeliqueRewers), Clubhouse (@AngeliqueRewers) and LinkedIn.

And get your calculator out. It will save you a lot of heartache. What should one look for when opting to start a business?

“Aligning yourself and your business is the best way to raise the profile of your brand & be seen as a serious business professional in your industry” Email for details on how you can be included. info@BestBusinessDigest.com or use the button below

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June 2021

Where is Currency in Crypto?

Tom O’Gorman, a tenured investment manager, joined AP Wealth Management in 2016, bringing with him over 17 years of experience in the investment industry. Prior to working in wealth management, Tom worked in corporate finance for several large companies, including Coca-Cola Bottling, Altria, and the former American Can Co. Tom earned a BA in Economics from Fairfield University in CT and a MBA in Finance from NYU-Stern.

itcoin and other cryptocurrencies continue to dominate the headlines and prices seem to fluctuate more in line with Elon Musk’s latest tweets rather than changes in the underlying fundamental value, whatever that may be. Clients rarely call to inquire about investing in traditional currencies, so why are cryptocurrencies suddenly top of mind for so many investors? No one knows the future of cryptocurrency but cryptos seem to be building momentum and it makes one wonder, ‘Where exactly is the currency in crypto?’ Let’s remind ourselves what a currency is. Most countries have a local currency. America has the US $, Europe has Euros, China has the Yuan, etc. Each of these currencies serves three functions: a unit of exchange (medium to buy and sell goods), unit of account (1 gallon of milk = $3) and a store of value (deposits in a bank). The extent to which any single currency can fulfill these functions determines how stable that currency is viewed around the world. The historically stable value of the US $ has enabled it to become the world’s number one reserve currency, meaning foreign countries buy US $ and hold them in reserve. They do this to hedge against a devaluation in their own currency and to conduct international transactions in dollar-based assets (oil, copper, corn, etc.). Cryptocurrencies don’t yet serve these functions. Few transactions are conducted in crypto (although it is growing) and very few items are priced in crypto, so its use as a unit of exchange and unit of account are practically non-existent. Ironically, cryptocurrency’s lack of store of value is what makes it so attractive, as its value can swing wildly on a daily basis enabling traders to make quick profits (and losses). Put a $100 dollar bill in your wallet and you wake up the next day fairly confident about its value. Put a bitcoin in your crypto wallet and you wake up and run to an app to check the price. Sounds a lot like Venezuela. Crypto investors believe crypto values will increase once

they fulfill the functions of traditional currencies and gain acceptance in the world economy. Eliminating exchange rate considerations in cross-border transactions and removing third party transaction fees from credit card swipes are two highly attractive features of cryptocurrencies. The naysayers argue that the world’s powerful central banks (Federal Reserve, ECB, etc.) will stifle the growth of cryptocurrencies, therefore universal acceptance will never happen and cryptos will become worthless. As I began, no one knows the future of cryptocurrencies, but they seem to be gaining a foothold in the world economy. The quicker they can start to look like a currency, and less like a day-trading investment, the better for all of us.

Tom’s disciplined approach to wealth management enables clients to attain their financial goals and preserve their wealth. He believes that proper asset allocation and the ability to maintain a long-term focus have been key to his clients’ success. In addition to individual clients, Tom also serves as a financial advisor for small businesses, advising the owners on maximizing cash flow and helping them implement 401K plans.

June 2021

TI TL ES Tr i u m p h a n t Ti t l e s by Simon Hall Creative Warehouse people. They’re all important and busy, and it’s unlikely your presentation is the only one they’re seeing. Their time is precious so they scan through the eager hopefuls, and what if… It’s all very standard, boring, average and ordinary, but… One of the pitch titles really stands out. Before you’ve even begun, you’ve won their interest and raised their expectations. Which are small advantages, it’s true, but still well worth having.

basic mistake bedevils all important areas of communications, from pitching for investment, to writing a report, to giving a talk. I see it time and again and to be frank, it drives me mad. Because it’s so easy to deal with and can also be fun to get right. I’m talking titles. Which is why we’ve used this photo for the article, and not just as a blatant plug for my books… honestly!

Top Titles Let’s look at the titles of a Magnificent Seven (note the great title reference!) books, blogs, academic research papers and news headlines to help us craft a killer of the kind. By the way, in the media headlines serve as the titles for stories and usually have the most senior people in the newsroom working on them. Which is another indicator of their importance. •Dancing With Your Cat (book) •12 Weird Tips to Hit the Top (blog) •Safety Meeting Ends in Accident (news) •Is This the Rail Price? Is This Just Fantasy? Caught up in Land Buys. No Escape from Bureaucracy!

A title is often the last thing to be thought about, when it should be one of the first. And why is that? Imagine you’re sending out an investor deck, or pitching for funding in front of a group of business

(news) •Do Woodpeckers Get Headaches? (academic paper) •The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, and Other Clinical Tales (book) •Creative, Compelling and Comprehensive Communication (pitch) Yep, you guessed it. The last one is a title I sometimes use when I’m pitching for work for my company, Creative Warehouse. But moving on from yet more shameless plugs, what can we learn from those seven? Apart from the obvious fact that I like strange titles?

Incidentally, if you were wondering about the rail price one it’s from Northern Ireland about a troubled new infrastructure scheme. And if you’re struggling to place why it works, sing Bohemian Rhapsody to yourself. Intrigue The final box your title should tick is to intrigue me into making me want to find out more. Again, all our seven examples do that, however strangely. Who doesn’t want to know about how to hit the top, or mistaking their partner for a hat?

I think of the trick to titles as the three Is. That’s the letter I three times, in case you were wondering, given how odd it looks. But run with me, these are useful insights.

Concluding With A Cuegle If only for its strangeness I bet that title got your attention. See what I mean about their importance?

Interest This is probably the most important element of a good title. You’ve got to grab the interest of the reader in an instant.

If you didn’t know, in legend, a cuegle is a creature with three eyes. It also has three arms (without hands), five rows of teeth, and a horn.

See how all our examples, above, do just that?

Quite a scary beast, in other words.

Whether it’s through irony, asking questions, or just being plain fascinating, your title needs to be a big, proud banner saying, Good stuff coming, stand by. But you can’t just make up anything to try to attract interest, which is where our next letter I comes in.

Our three Is are happily more handsome and helpful. Put them into action and you should have a triumph of a title that does the trick nicely, whatever you’re communicating about.

Inform Your title has to say something about your subject. The seven I’ve featured do that as well, from dancing cats to headbanging woodpeckers.

Author - Simon Hall Director at Creative Warehouse About the Author; Simon Hall runs his own business communications agency, Creative Warehouse, and is a journalist, author, business coach and university tutor. He teaches communications, media and business skills at the University of Cambridge, for government departments and agencies, and private business. Simon has eight novels published, all in the thriller genre, and a non-fiction book on business communication, with follow ups on public speaking and presentations, writing blogs, appearing in the media, and business storytelling due out in 2021 and 22. Previously, Simon was a broadcaster for twenty years, mostly as a BBC Television, Radio and Online News Correspondent, specialising in business and economics, home affairs, and the environment. He has also contributed articles and short stories to a range of newspapers and magazines, written plays, screenplays, radio comedy, and even a pantomime.

For more on Simon and Creative Warehouse see www.thetvdetective.com

June 2021

CONSISTENCY: THE KEY TO SUCCESS Venus Morris Griffin is an award-winning realtor and mom of 7. Overcoming adversities, Venus rose above it all to quickly grow her business while putting her life back together.

VENUS MORRIS GRIFFIN

efore we jump into your real estate business, you had a very interesting journey that led you to the industry and ultimately to this present day. Can you tell us a little about that? I had recently earned my real estate license when I got a call in the middle of the night from a prostitute. Rev-

elations from her led to me divorcing my ex-husband. After he was sentenced to decades in jail, I became the sole provider for our 6 children whose ages ranged from 1 to 15. I found out from the prostitute my exhusband allowed her to drain our bank account. I had a bachelor’s degree, but no work experience. I was entering the real estate business in 2008 when

most agents were leaving. Over the course of a couple of years, I became my brokerage’s top performer, making tens of millions of dollars in real estate annually.

even if it meant upsetting the client. This helped me to build trust with my clients. One time, I told a client their home wouldn’t sell for as high as they were wanting to list it. They went with another agent. It only took a few months for them to return to me and ask me to represent them.

Did your personal life affect your business at all? I grew up in a dysfunctional and abusive family. I broke the cycle of abuse by refusing to allow my children to grow up in the same kind of environment. My family became my “why” in my real estate business. I had to succeed to support them. I couldn’t fail in providing a good home life for them. As a result, I refused to listen to any naysayers. I put my head down and worked through the monotonous days of building a clientele.

Besides your personal life, what were some obstacles you faced in your professional life? I climbed my way up the ladder very quickly. A lot of people couldn’t believe how quickly I became the top producer in my brokerage. Keep in mind, I entered the industry with no book of business contacts. It wasn’t long before a nasty rumor started circulating insinuating I had slept my way to the top. It affected my reputation, my relationships with brokers, and was absolutely false. Meybohm ended up hiring a private investigator who tracked it to the 2nd top seller in the company. I confronted him and he was apologetic, saying how he just couldn’t believe how quickly my successes came to me. As a peace offering, he wanted to send my entire family on a trip to Disney World.

You experienced a huge growth in your business in a short amount of time. What were some of your practices that were different from competitors? There are a few things that I believe really set me apart from my competitors: ●I I built a customer base by offering to do open houses every weekend for free for listing agents. It didn’t take me long to realize, I had to focus on homes between $200,000-$400,000 to get clients who walked in unrepresented. I would offer to be their buyer’s agent. Doing this helped me quickly build my database. ●I I wasn’t afraid to put myself out there. I would drive around town looking for signs that said “for sale by owner”, and I would call the number on there or go up to the door to ask if they would be interested in taking me on as their agent. ●I I offered some consulting services for free, such as appraisals even if they didn’t end up choosing me as their agent. ● To get my name out there, I put my face on two gigantic billboards in town. ● But most importantly, I gave the honest truth,

Do you have any advice to others wanting to join the real estate industry? I always say nothing is impossible with hard work, determination, and faith. If you are willing to work hard and keep at it, you won’t see results overnight, but you will eventually start to see them. My success has come from my consistency. For women who want to join the real estate industry,

June 2021

I say welcome! Work hard, be smart, and never give up. Women dominate this industry. Find a mentor, and learn everything you can from them. And keep in mind, you have to be willing to talk to people. Prospecting is how you build your pipeline of customers. Treating them well is how you get repeat business and referrals. Do you have any projects at the moment you would like to share with our readers? I’m putting the finishing touches on my memoir titled, “Validated: Learning to Matter Through Breaking the

Cycle of Abuse”. It focuses on the lessons I learned along the way to becoming the person I am today. I’m thrilled to get to share my story with others. You will learn step by step how I built my real estate empire. I’m already hearing from women who have heard me talk about my life how they felt inspired to be more courageous and make their own life changes. What’s the best way to contact you? The best way to contact me is through LinkedIn, but the other channels are great for keeping up with me.

June 2021

DIGITAL TOOLS FOR TEAMS

Maxime Bouroumeau-Fuseau is co-founder and CTO of Digicoop, a Paris-based company developing online tools for teams. He discusses their non-traditional road to startup success and how the team’s shared co-op values - transparency, autonomy, self-management, collective intelligence - can (and should be) be adopted by traditional companies in the new era of work management.

an you tell us about Digicoop and what it’s all about? Digicoop is a French startup that develops digital tools for teams. We are remote-first and operate as a worker cooperative, which means everyone on our team is involved in making decisions and has a stake in the business. Our current product in Kantree, a flexible platform for work management and team collaboration. Think

of it as an all-in-one toolkit to organize, plan, and manage work across departments in any type of company. We launched Kantree 9.0 last fall with new features. What makes Kantree stand out? When we started our company, we were fed up with work tools available in our old jobs. We set out to create a tool that wouldn’t be another cookie cutter

solution, but instead allow teams to organize their work as they see fit. Our goal is to empower teams, not just managers, to take full ownership of their work processes and deliver their best work as a result of that. We continue to develop Kantree with the goal of fostering human interactions and we believe that any company can benefit from adopting some of our co-op values. We stress autonomy, shared responsibility, and self-management. Our modus operandi is collective intelligence. Why did you start your own business? After completing my Master’s degree in Computer Science, I worked for various startups and wished that employees could be more involved in growing them. Then I took some time off to travel the world and when I got back, I co-founded Digicoop in 2015 with colleagues who shared the same vision of company culture.

What hurdles have you faced? Funding was tricky, because we are not a traditional startup and you can’t profit from shares. As a worker co-op (called SCOP in France), we are not looking to scale up and sell, but build a sustainable business. 51% of the capital is in the hands of our team, we all participate in decisionmaking (one vote per person, no matter their investment). Because of all that, it took time to convince people to listen to us and understand our vision. We also had to resort to smaller investing amounts and more traditional investments. What’s the best advice you could give to any aspiring entrepreneur? Hire people who share your values and give them a real stake in the company. Transparency, collaboration, and tapping into collective intelligence is the future of work post-pandemic. Also, invest in marketing early on. We’ve always been very

engineering-focused, so now we have a product that can easily compete with major players on the market, but it needs more brand recognition. There is some catching up to do. Which business, marketing or self-help books do you recommend and why? We like many ideas shared by Basecamp. Our companies seem to have a lot in common and their books are pretty good. What goals do you have and where do you see yourself in the future? I’d like to have 15-20 employees to further develop and support Kantree, with a large enough client base to cover these expenses. Another goal is to develop our SaaS offer. Social links: https://twitter.com/kantreeapp https://www.linkedin.com/ showcase/9311418/

June 2021

Whatever Happened to Gunther?

Ahead of the much-anticipated Friends Reunion episode next week, UK business broker Intelligent Business Partners couldn’t help but wonder what happened to Gunther once the main gang had all moved on. They believe he would have sold up shop, so they’ve taken a look at how he would have done it. First airing in 1994, Friends has become a bingeworthy favourite amongst fans of all ages. Recently, followers of the series received some much-anticipated news – a reunion episode has been confirmed and is set to hit our screens on 27th May.

weekly takings and come up with a business valuation. Let’s see how they did it: Central Perk was perfectly placed in the centre of Manhattan, meaning there should be no shortage of customers popping in for a hot cup of java. After keeping a count of the average number of customers sitting down and queueing for coffee to go, Intelligent guesstimated that Gunther and the team were serving around 51 thirsty coffee lovers an hour. When the show aired, customers could pick up a

But whether you can’t wait for this latest instalment of this iconic series, or you’ve never seen an episode in your life – chances are you’ve definitely heard of the characters’ favourite hangout spot: Central Perk. But, have you ever wondered what happened to its blonde-haired frontman, Gunther? Well, if so, wonder no more! The team at Intelligent Business Partners have a theory. They think that after years of hard work, once all of the main character’s had moved on to pastures new, Gunther would probably have looked to sell up shop and transfer the business to someone new. With this in mind, the team at Intelligent spent some time crunching numbers to figure out how much the infamous coffee shop would potentially fetch on the open market. After spending several hours doing “important research” (i.e. rewatching episodes and getting reacquainted with the unmistakable orange couch) they’ve pulled together some estimated

coffee and a muffin for $4.50 – but that was back in the ’90s. Taking inflation into account, that equates to an average order value of $9.30 per person today. Here comes the technical bit: Based on a 10-hour working day, this would mean Central Perk was pulling in just over $4,700 a day. This would give them a pretty impressive weekly turnover of $32,900.

Intelligent are confident that if he had ever thought of selling Central Perk he’d have turned to them! To check out more interesting business insights, or get a free and instant business valuation, head on over to www.intelligent.co.uk. Intelligent Business Partners Intelligent is the UK’s leading business broker. Operating across all business sectors and all business sizes, they’ve built the fastest growing business community, now with over 130,000 active business owners looking to buy, grow and sell. Headquartered in Leeds, the company has team members across the UK who support business owners on a national level.

Given its prime position, and real estate prices in central New York, it seems unlikely that the building the coffee shop operates from is owned outright – chances are the property is rented. However, the business does have a few assets that would be pretty valuable: such as coffee machines, furniture and POS systems. Intelligent would estimate the business’s asset value to be around $25,000, which would all be included in the business’s sale price.

If you would like to get in touch with Intelligent, contact Chloe Byrne, Tel: 07508845008 Email: chloe.byrne@intelligent.co.uk

So, if Gunther did want to sell Central Perk in real life, how much would he be getting? If Intelligent were marketing the business, they’d be suggesting an asking price of around £550,000. Given the business’s fantastic reputation and large, loyal customer base, that’d be a pretty good bargain for any potential buyer. Whilst we may need to wait until the reunion to find out what really happened to Gunther,

June 2021

The Cipher Skin Journey from Seed Round to Series A By Shaka Bahadu, COO and Cofounder of Cipher Skin

who got us in front of opportunities to workshop our messaging and value propositions. While Series A investors care about vison too, they want to speak with companies who have conquered two specific hurdles: 1) Finding product/market fit 2) Gaining at least one notable customer

Cipher Skin, the team I helped cofound, recently closed a Series A round of funding. And the process was quite different from our experience raising seed money. Of course, the common denominator for any fundraising journey was present — the frustrations, the elation, and even the psychological stages of grief. Yet for our Series A, we had to come prepared with the right narrative and right data sets. And, most importantly, we had to cultivate the right relationships. Seed vs Series A — The Big Difference The biggest difference I experienced when interacting with seed and Series A investors is that seed investors are willing to take a bet on an idea. They want to invest in our vision and ability to build something from that vision, whether a prototype or a proof of concept. We found a handful of true believers, like Benjamin Moody and Ryan Lemoine,

What’s interesting about Cipher Skin is we are “industry agnostic.” Our solution — a sleeve embedded with sensors that tracks real-time motion and metrics around any object — can be applied to markets ranging from human wellness to industrial performance. No matter what the sleeve is wrapped around, the information captured provides a comprehensive and gapless database that can predict failure and enhance performance. We assured investors with backgrounds in physical therapy, clinics, wineries and car washes that we had a solution which delivered value. We proved we could fit into many markets without losing product integrity, focus and the ability to execute. Now we needed our first customer. Our seed funding gave us the resources to get hardware right and test market opportunities to find market fit. Our first customer was the United States Air Force. They partnered with us to win more than $1.5M in a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. Through SBIR, our team accelerated research and development, as well as product refinements. We built and shipped products while also modifying our solution to help keep soldiers safe. Our contract was milestone based — and we reached each one on time and on budget. We proved to investors we could execute on our idea and satisfy a customer. Finding Our Lead Investor We started our Series A raise armed with a track record

million. We were able to connect with a diverse group of people who all had varying interest in Cipher Skin and how it could be applied to the industry they represented. For example, some of our investors are interested in wine production and distribution. Other investors own real estate and shipping trucks. We also have investors who are executives in large apparel companies. We have investors who work for Mr. Boyett and simply believe in what we are doing. We work hard for all these folks. Now the Real Work Begins With more money comes more responsibility. The thrill of the close was followed by the reality that the stakes are higher, and we must continue to deliver. It’s time to scale our team and product market fit, drive revenue, and continue to be good financial stewards.

of execution and a satisfied customer. The next step was an important one: finding a lead investor. We needed someone who was a true believer in Cipher Skin and would help us recruit other investors. So, they had to not only be a funder but an evangelist.

We currently operate by delivering milestones, executing due diligence, and addressing problems headon so we can move forward with clarity and conviction. The road hasn’t always been smooth, but I can say with confidence that having the right people who invest and believe in us has been pivotal in our company’s upward trajectory.

In 2019 we were introduced to investor Dale Boyett, who owns and operates an independent fuel supplier and retailer. We knew it could be a fit; our technology wraps around pipes and monitors, predicts, and prevents leaks. Still, we had to do our homework. First, we had to craft a narrative. The key was figuring out what mattered most to Mr. Boyett and aligning our story with how we could help each other. We also had to be ready for tough, datadriven questions. Why were we raising this specific amount? What exactly would we do with it? We had to be incredibly clear on the direction of the company and where this investment would be used. After our first conversation, we spent a significant among of time building an honest relationship. We never asked for a single penny as we got to know each other. After a few months, Dale invested in our company and offered to plan a pitch event so we could meet his network. His offer was tremendous. Not only did he invite people to hear our pitch, but he started the evening with a short speech about why he invested and why we were worth a listen. I will never forget that kindness and support. Having warm referrals to other investors was huge, and ultimately enabled us to close our Series A at $5

June 2021

BREATHING CLEAN AIR

ness –

Steve Levine is the President and CEO of AtmosAir Solutions, www.atmosair.com, in Fairfield, CT, an indoor air quality company. Founded in 2004, AtmosAir provides clean green indoor air technology to over 7,500 commercial buildings, health care, hospitals, assisted living, hotels, cruise lines, universities and sports facilities in the US and globally.

ell us about your startup story? After a successful career in the alarm business, I thought about what I wanted to do next and considered a future career in energy, water, or air. I wanted to be in businesses that affect people and AtmosAir Solutions was a business concept that would help people breathe better, live longer, and eventually save lives. I wanted to be in a business that involved sustainability. AtmosAir had all those attributes creating better air reduces sickness, improves productivity, reduces energy costs— AtmosAir hits on all the above and truly helps people! Indoor air is key to the spread of coronavirus. How has your company dealt with the pandemic? The pandemic has resulted in a surge of inquiries and new orders that have caused our sales to soar seven-fold. We’ve already exceeded this year’s original sales goal and now looking at surpassing last year’s revenue by more than double. This success was caused, in good part, by testing of our technology by Microchem Laboratory, one of the world’s preeminent laboratories for testing sanitizing products

registered by the EPA and FDA. The tests confirmed that the presence of coronavirus was reduced by 99.92 percent within 30 minutes of exposure to our patented bipolar ionization technology. Who is using your technology and in what fields? Our BPI technology is currently in place in over 7,500 locations in the US and globally. In businesses, we are installed at Google, JPMC, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Alvin Ailey and the National Football League. Our commercial real estate customers include: Empire State Realty Trust, Brookfield, CBRE, JLL and Cushman & Wakefield, Among hospitals: LBJ Hospital, McLaren Hospital, Walter Read Medical Army Hospital in Bethesda, MD. In the travel industry, our customers include: Hilton, Sheraton,

Marriott & Kimpton Hotels, Virgin Voyages, Norwegian Cruise Line, LaGuardia Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, We are on college campuses at USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Northwestern, etc. In professional sports, we work with the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Cubs, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Pirates, Dallas Cowboys, and Atlanta Braves. And among sports facilities: The Staples Center in Los Angeles, US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. TD Garden in Boston, Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland and the new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

How does BPI work? How BPI works is highly technical and complex but putting it in layman’s terms: our tube devices, installed in a building’s HVAC system, emit ions into the air that seek, attack, and neutralize coronavirus, other viruses, germs and basically any airborne contaminant. The ions attach themselves to airborne viruses, odors, and pollutants, rendering them inactive. Our technology takes pesticides and spores out of the air creating a much cleaner and healthier breathing space.

with AtmosAware, a real-time environment monitoring system that measures concentrations of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Particulate Matter 2.5, and Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC). It also measures temperature, and relative humidity, and checks current conditions to detect important changes. This real-time monitoring technology helps assure the health, well-being, and performance of a building’s occupants. It’s this kind of real-time monitoring that will help reopen offices and create wellness, safety and trust among employees.

We also provide our customers

What’s the future for AtmosAir

Solutions? It’s really unlimited. The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way most people think about indoor air quality. Once an afterthought, indoor air quality is now a priority in commercial and residential buildings. Our recent deals with brand name companies like Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, Virgin Voyages, Columbia Property Trust, the Sioux Falls School District, Hilton, So-Fi Stadium and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is further proof that there is a huge demand for companies like our that provide a healthy, safe indoor air environment.

June 2021

Automation in Business Jesse Wood is the CEO of eFileCabinet, an automation and document management platform used as a centralized solution for documents. He has a strong leadership background with over 20 years of experience he brings to the industry. Prior to eFileCabinet, Jesse developed innovative custom technical solutions for a wide-range of business applications.

allows people to perform complicated tasks simply and efficiently. I’m passionate about problem-solving, so automated processes are really what drew me into this kind of work. Businesses create and implement lots of amazing technology that doesn’t always hit the mark, because the return on investment only comes if you can understand it and use it in an accessible way. With automation, you only need to program that technology once.

hat brought you to where you are today?

My background is in automation and process. I started out in smart home automation, where my early years in the field were focused on leading hardware and software teams for the company. Later on, I worked in sales and project management, so I’ve got experience in both the technology and business-side of things. I joined eFileCabinet in 2014 as CTO, because of the incredible potential I saw to impact processes and efficiency for businesses and individuals in literally every sector. What drew you to this industry? Automation is what drives business to succeed. It

What specifically drew me to eFileCabinet was seeing the product itself and its potential to help businesses succeed. Business process automation allows people to connect back with what their business really does. When there’s not as much need for redundant business operations, they can get back to what they do best and why they got into business in the first place. Tell me how you are changing up document management. Document management sometimes has a stigma of just being a storage solution, but it’s so much more than that. We want to provide a product that brings true value to our customers. Our approach to document management is a focus on simplifying our customers’ processes. Some businesses will find that their growth is plateauing because their overhead from regular business operations keeps ballooning. Our goal is to

years ago was just a dream. With the launch of our latest product Rubex, I’ve really seen incredible drive within our company and a commitment to fulfilling our customers’ needs. Ever since then, we’ve been constantly building upon this new platform with better features and improvements to increase the value for our customers.

help organizations actually reduce that overhead through the streamlining of those regular processes that require so many labor hours. Tell us how COVID has affected the subscription industry and what it has changed Like most of the rest of the world, COVID forced us and many others to a work-from-home model. Fortunately, as a cloudbased solution, we could quickly adapt and help our customers adapt to this change of pace. A lot of negatives have come as a result of the pandemic, but people and businesses should remember to take with them the positive lessons they’ve learned, that way the interruptions to their business are minimized when these types of events occur.

What advice would you give other entrepreneurs? Business success is important, but people are more important. Care for and nurture your relationships both with customers and your employees. I’m a big believer that success is the result of drive and commitment, and I personally feel more successful as a CEO when my customers find true value in our product. Give your employees both the tools and the autonomy to be more productive. When they have the tools they need, your whole business is productive.

“Business success is important, but people are more important”

What brands have you worked with and what types of industries are they in? A large sector of our customer base is in accounting and finance. We’ve since expanded into nearly every industry including insurance, government, education, and healthcare. Every business has an operation side of things, so our product is a great fit for every type of business.

Besides saving paper, what are some benefits of having a DMS? The ability to streamline day-to-day tasks allows businesses to free up their teams to get back to the work that really matters. Our founder came up with the idea for eFileCabinet when he saw how many times his assistant would walk back and forth between their desk and the filing cabinet in his office. With a digital system, you save more time than you know filing and retrieving documents. And that’s just the beginning of what processes that DMS can simplify.

What draws companies to use a service like eFileCabinet? Digitalization in business is standard these days. Companies are bringing their business to the web, including their day-to-day operations. There’s a surprising amount of organizations still dealing with physical documents and storage, but more businesses are seeing the advantages of a digital environment, which is becoming more than an excuse to throw out the old filing cabinet. When your documents are in a digital space, you’re able leverage automated workflows to make them more dynamic and continue working for you, rather than taking up space.

One of the most common workflows we see customers setting up are accounts payable and accounts receivable workflows. It saves so much time when you can route invoices to the right people to approve and reject, and accounting managers no longer need to run around collecting signatures.

As a CEO and business owner, what has been a highlight in your journey? When I joined eFileCabinet our product was focused largely on document storage. I am very proud of the vision we’ve achieved and continue to achieve for our product. It’s capacity to create workflows and automate processes makes everyone’s jobs easier. I love that we’ve been able to realize that functionality that several

Furthermore, compliance can be completely automated. You can route finalized documents to locations with governance rules, that apply the correct retention and protection requirements. Once you’ve retained a document for the required amount of time, the system can automatically delete it from the system. Plus, accurate audit

June 2021

reports can prove that those documents were completely tamper-proof.

eFileCabinet they had nothing to worry about.

Can you talk about how much more efficient companies are that use a DMS? Our best customer success stories are those who find themselves with more time than they know what to do with. The immediate changes they see like clearing up space in the office and being able to access their records from any device is invaluable, but the true value they begin to see is the more time they get to spend on working with clients, improving their product, and truly growing their business.

What has been the most surprising thing you have found regarding this service to businesses? I’m always happily surprised whenever I hear that our product and service has not only helped a business be successful, but also made a positive difference in someone’s life.

Team Select Home Care is a healthcare organization that saw tremendous growth since implementing eFileCabinet. The company went from 600 to 2,700 employees in a matter of a few years. Since implementing they’ve saved nearly $150,000 a year in labor hours. During 2020, we’ve had several customers tell us that eFileCabinet was a life-saver when their businesses were ordered to work from home. The HVAC trade association AHRI has strict compliance standards they need to adhere to. Something that would be nearly impossible without a cloudbased DMS solution. Audits still happen, and with

What is next for eFileCabinet? We’re not stopping the momentum we’ve had on enhancing our product. We’ve already got a stacked schedule of new enhancements and offerings that no other DMS is providing. I’m really excited to share them with customers. What is next for you? I’m going to continue rallying my team to keep driving towards our goal of fulfilling our commitment to our customers. What is the best way for people to contact you directly? People can contact me at my LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-wood9077a982/

WINNING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS IN REAL ESTATE Real estate expert Steve Laret, shares his personal experience on what makes his team successful

hy did you get into real estate? What made it an attractive business to you and how are you different from other real estate pros? In the early 2000s I had been a serial entrepreneur - mostly focused on owning smaller businesses - though none had the earning potential, coupled with the flexibility and freedoms that I truly desired. In 2011, I decided to get a real estate license after the purchase of my first home. The experience I had was an abysmal one and while I was left with a painful experience, my real estate agent collected a big check. After that, I had this overwhelming sense of resolve that I knew I could sell homes and do it better. I knew my style would set me apart because I would give home buyers a fair and frictionless experience. Once I dedicated myself to earning my license, I was hooked on the fast pace and results driven environment. I finally found a field that I could thrive in. As I absorbed as much experience, as well as learning and education I could, I found I had a natural flare for negotiating. This is a skill that has proven to be one of my valued assets. For me, negotiating and sales -- particularly in the real estate market -- is psychological. How I see it is the most important difference between a drowning victim and a rescue swimmer is

the mindset they’re in when they enter the water. This has been my approach before going into any new deal. Now, with more than a decade into this field, I’ve learned and gained a lot of experience and know-how and am training my own team and future real estate professionals to be results oriented and focused on the win -which requires having the right mindset from the start. This is what sets The Steve Laret Team apart from other real estate firms. For a majority of other real estate agents, they are consumed by getting the deal to the settlement table so they can quickly get their money. My team is relentless about winning! And I’m not talking about winning more big financial deals, but rather winning at customer expectations, winning at offering the best deal for our clients, and winning at finding our buyers their perfect dream home. We know that when we win on these things, the money will take care of itself. This drives us to accomplish feats for our clients far beyond just getting them to the settlement table! How do you manage your team?

How do you keep them motivated and what style of coaching do you consider yourself to have? Since day one, I’ve considered myself a leader but not a manager. I tend to surround myself with, and bring on team members who are self-starters. They are willing to go above and beyond for their clients -- which exceeds their client’s expectations time and time again. I see each member of my team equally talented to - if not more than - myself. My team continues to amaze me on their abilities and their hunger for the business. If there’s one thing that separates us -- even though I consider each team member my peer -- is our years of experience in the real estate business. Our organization is committed to being open, honest and

June 2021

you hope to leave them? Being a father has been one of the greatest and most grounding experiences for me. It continuously teaches me far more than I ever planned to learn and parenting shines a light on all the things -- great and small - that I am not.

transparent so we can all succeed by being fully invested in one another and as a team. How do you keep your skills sharp? In the real estate market, selling is where teeth are cut and the wetness behind the ears dries! I find that my knowledge and skills continue to be honed and refined from doing the work. I am still an active real estate expert today -- selling more than 40 homes a year on average. This is how I can keep my fingers on the pulse of the market and community.

When all is said and done, I want my children to lean into their own minds. I have seen too many people wander through life only affirming their negative self-talk and self images -- which are often projected on them by others. I want everyone in my life -- and most importantly my daughters -- to know that how they think of themselves is far more important than what others think of them. I want them to remember that their self-talk and their inner compass should be more valuable to them than to anyone else. My belief is that if no one else shares your thoughts, it doesn’t make you wrong, it may just make you a leader who has found themselves alone only because they are running ahead of the pack!

You were a recording artist at one point in your life. How did performance, musical talent, etc. drive you to succeed in real estate today? My career as a recording artist feels like a lifetime ago but there is no doubt that it prepared me for a life in real estate. As an artist, I was a one man show -- just as I have been for much of my real estate career. The years spent performing live on stage certainly helped boost my confidence and provided me a level of comfort of being in front of crowds. Part of live performance is about negotiating with the crowds -- the songs they want to hear, introducing new music, listening to their feedback and levels of interests -- it all taught me that I was capable of having great influences on people. To be successful in real estate, you have to be extremely flexible and be ready to make adjustments on the fly. You never know whom you will encounter on the other side of the door and so, you must find it in yourself to be accommodating to everyone.

Steve Laret has been helping people buy and sell homes for more than a decade in Pennsylvania, Alaska, and North Carolina and currently owns and leads The Steve Laret Team with Vanguard Realty Alliance in West Chester, Pa. His team is in the top .05% of all Realtors in the country. Steve and his team achieve unparalleled results through expert negotiation and conscientious service! Learn more about The Steve Laret Team: https://www.teamlaret.com/.

At the end of the day, what things do you reflect on that encourage you or help motivate you? As many of us can attest to, we’ve all had our fair share of ups and downs. And while I’ve been very fortunate to have a fairly upward trajectory in my career, I certainly had challenges and obstacles along the way. For me, every loss comes with a lesson. And it’s within those lessons that I can either let it defeat me or define me -- and most often I choose to let it make me a stronger and better person. While no one wants to experience the downside of life, we can actually learn from the mistakes we make and grow. Of course, if we learn from the mistake -- we will never make it twice. I’m thrilled that everyone at The Steve Laret Team can make honest mistakes and grow from them. It has been an incredible and humbling journey to track our growth over the last couple of years and be able to project an exciting future for us. You’re a parent of two children -- what legacy do

How to Revamp your Business to Thrive in today’s changing world by Lucy Spencer

Business has always evolved whether that’s as a result of the latest fads, advancing technology or new methodologies. However, today’s business climate, fuelled by a global pandemic, is even more challenging than usual. Restrictions are being repeatedly enforced on businesses, with many small and medium sized enterprises unable to survive in these conditions. So, what can be put in place to keep a small business operational? Consider reviewing the products and services you provide to your customers, along with the delivery mechanism. Now that your customers are changing their buying habits, how relevant are your current products? How can you adjust them so they better meet the new needs of your customers? Is there anything you can do to help make your customer feel safer at a time when physical safety is at risk by COVID-19? For instance, perhaps you usually meet customers face-toface but can change your business model so more meetings take place over one of the popular meeting apps. Or maybe you just want to work on your customer support or add more value to what your customers receive so that they experience an even better product and service. Remember, it’s the little things that could change a customer’s bad day into a good one, ensuring your company is remembered for all the right reasons. It may have been unheard of years ago to work with other businesses in your sector, but collaboration is the way forward. It allows you to combine strengths to improve upon the products which can be supplied to custom-

ers. And this concept can be utilised numerous ways to benefit both companies. Maybe you have a new, innovative product, but not the distribution channels so could link up with an established company who already has a great distribution set up. For a small company, searching out other companies that really compliment you and have a similar outlook on business can be essential to survival. Your employee’s welfare is another fundamental factor. This is a difficult time for everyone; being restricted in your personal life can have a big impact on your health and happiness levels which can in turn affect morale and performance. And what if an employee or their family member has had COVID-19? What can you do to ensure your company eases the situation rather than impacting it further? Perhaps flexible working is brought in as a long-term option in your company, allowing your employees to have peace of mind that they can successfully balance all of their life roles and responsibilities. And have you rearranged your working practices so your employees can comfortably and effectively work from home? This

could entail ensuring all the necessary files are easily accessible and there are easy-to-use communication channels in place. Maybe you’ll even have a regular check-in with each employee to confirm they have no problems and are overcoming the challenges of working from home; for a short period of time, it’s a great perk to be able to work from home, but eventually home and work life blurs together and it’s not as enjoyable as it first was. So be prepared to make further adjustments to ease any new challenges. Most companies will regularly reassess all aspects of their business, yet with the current economic situation even more in-depth assessments are required. Taking decisive steps that promote a collaborative and caring way of working, whilst readdressing the needs of your customers, will put you in a strong position to overcome any challenge. And if there are any aspects of your business which you haven’t recently reviewed, now is the time. What steps will you make today to upgrade your business?!

Best Business Digest Magazine June 2021 Issue

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