Editor’s Desk
Influential CEOs with their Innovative Ways
henatureofbusinesshaschangedalongwith
Tmainstreaminnovationanditsapplicationsacross industries.Innovationcarriesdifferentmeanings andimpactsonbusinesses,touchingonvariousaspectsof organizationaloperationsanddevelopmentstrategies.
Theprevalenceofdigitalbusinesseshastransformedthe natureofleadershipintoday’snewbusinessmodels.There isadirectimpactontheleaderstokeeptheorganization competitiveandleveragetheirknowledgeofconsumer preferences.Innovationallowsbusinessestoentirely reimaginetraditionalbusinessmodels,givinganadvantage tobusinessleaderssuchasCEOs.
CEOsrespondtothechangingmarketconditions,customer needs,andtrendsbyleveraginginnovativetechnologies withinnovativemodels,includingself-learningplatforms thathelpcreateopportunitiesforthepeople.
Withallthefascinationaroundinnovativetoolsand technologies,ithasalreadybecomeanimmensepartofthe future.CEOshavebroughtinnovationtoagriculture,theoil andgasindustry,radiology,financialtechnology,security, etc.SuccessfulCEOsstronglybelieveininnovation, investingsubstantialtimeandresourcestoharvestits potential.CEOsthatleverageinnovationeffectivelyenjoys acompetitiveedgeforyearstocome,conductingthe necessarygroundworktoattracttalentwhocanwalkonthe pathtowardsanewreality.
TechnologicaladvancementsallowCEOstooperate globally,increasingcompetitiontoquicklyadaptand allowingbusinessestojumptoanotherlevelofefficiency
andexperience.Asinnovationspreadsquicklydueto itstechnologicalnature,itiseasierforbusinessesto functionandjumpoverbarriers.
Althoughtheraceforinnovativetalentisfierce,itis notunprecedented.AstheCEOshavematuredalong withinnovation,theyhaveanewfoundappreciation forwork-lifebalance,benefitsofthework-fromhome,andtheopportunitytoimpacttheworld positively.Onaglobalfront,CEOsserveasa‘digital tunnel’forcompanies,crossingoceansandreaching newaudiences.
Asaresult,weatInsightsSuccessarefocusingon suchinnovativebusinessleadersthroughour upcomingedition, “CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovation, 2022.” Weshedlightontheir journeysinbecominginnovativebusinessleaders andchangingthemotivationsofincumbentsto innovate.Thisisacompetition-drivenfield,where innovationfallsshort,andCEOscometoourrescue withtheirpragmaticapproach.
Lastly,donotforgettogothroughthearticleswritten byourin-houseeditorialteam,whichwillgiveyoua briefunderstandingoftheinnovativeknow-howand trends.
Jude Gomes
Bessant
Mohammed Mubin Mallick
Mr. Sami Sharif
Rob Rosenberger
Shivers
DescriptionCompanyNameFeaturedPerson
CarolineLafferty FounderandCEO
ChristopherAmos CEO&Chief DigitalArchitect
EdwinBessant CEO
ErhardtPreitauer President&CEO
CaliCoin calicoin.me
NoBoundaries MarketingGroup noboundaries.marketing
CeutaGroup ceutagroup.com
CareSource caresource.com
JudeGomes ChiefExecutiveOfficer
Mohammed MubinMallick CEO&Founder
Mr.SamiSharif CEO
RobRosenberger CEO&Co-founder
UnionAssurancePLC unionassurance.com
KiranSmart kiransmart.com
KuwaitInsurance Company kic-kw.com
Blackdragon blackdragon.expert
ThomasA.Bock MD,MBA,CEO Notable notablelabs.com
ThomasP.Shivers CEOandPresident
FourStonePartners fourstonepartners.com
CaliCoinisacharitytokenfocusedonhelpingwhatweterm, “AnimalsofDetermination”(“AOD”)–Animalswhichsuffer fromadisabilityand/orarehomeless.
NoBoundariesMarketingGroupwasfoundedonthebasisof simplifyingthemarketingandadvertisingworldforsmallto mediumsizedbusinesses.
CeutaGroupisaglobal,consumerbrandservicesbusiness workingwithsomeofthemostdynamicbrandsinHealth& PersonalCareandFood&Drink.
CareSourcehasbeenprovidinglife-changinghealthcareto peopleandcommunities.
UnionAssuranceisprotectinglives,empoweringpeople achievetheirdreams,andprovidingpeaceofmindtothousands ofSriLankanssince1987.
KiranSmartisaTopITCompanyinKuwaitthatprovidesan industry-standardintegratedsolution,ITconsulting,IT maintenance,ITconsultancyandITsolutions.
KuwaitInsuranceCompanywasestablishedin1960byAmiri DecreeNo.7of1960asthefirstinsurancecompanyinKuwait andtheGCC.
Blackdragonisthefederalcontractingindustry’smost advancedtechnologyplatform.
Notableisaclinical-stageplatformtherapeuticcompany.
FourStonePartnersisaninnovativeconsultingfirm specializinginbusinessdevelopment,salesoutsourcing,and operationalsupportservices.
President & CEO CareSource
Erhardt PreitauerO V E R S T O R Y
CEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on- 2022
Erhardt
CareSource has been providing life-changing healthcare to people and communities for more than 30 years, and we will continue to be a transformative force in the industry by placing people over profits.
ttakesvisionanddeterminationtochallengethenorms
Iandchangetheconventionalcourseofanindustry.Due toitscomplexnature,manydetailsneedmeticulous attentiontobringtransformationalshiftsinhealthcare,but therearesignificantopportunitiesfordisrupterstoprovide smartsolutionsthatmakepeople'slivesbetter When ErhardtPreitauerjoinedCareSourcein2018,hefound histwodecadesoftransformationalleadershipand government-sponsoredhealthplanexpertisewereaperfect fitfortheorganization.
Asanaccomplishedhealthcareexecutivewithatrack recordofdrivingsignificantgrowth,profitability, innovation,andoperationalexcellence,Erhardtwasableto leveragehisextensiveexperienceinbuildingandleading mission-drivenhealthcareorganizationstoquicklyadaptto theleadershiproleatthecompany.Hesucceededthe foundingCEO,whohadledtheorganizationfor30years. Afterjustoneyearintheposition,Glassdoornamed Erhardtoneofthehighest-ratedCEOsinthecountry alongsidesomehouseholdnames.Heranked#20onthe annuallistbasedonthefavorabilityofemployeereviews.
Erhardtcreditsemployeeswithbeingtheheartofthe mission-focusedcompany.CareSourceisanonprofit managedcareorganizationwithover2millionmembersin sixstates.Foundedin1989,CareSourceadministersoneof thelargestMedicaidmanagedcareplansintheU.S.and offershealthinsurance,includingMedicaid,Health InsuranceMarketplace,MedicareAdvantageanddualeligibleprograms.
Atitscore,CareSourceunderstandsthechallenges consumersfacenavigatingthehealthsystemandis transforminghealthcarewithindustry-leadingprograms thatimprovethehealthandwell-beingofitsmembers.
TheHumbleBeginning
GrowinguponasmallHawaiianislandwithadiverse communitybasedonsolid,butstraightforward,values pavedthepathforErhardt'sjourneygavehimaperspective thathelpedhimfaceseveralchallengesinbothhis professionalandpersonallife.Heembracedthese challenges,knowing "this too shall pass" andthatgothim
totherightplace.Inhisview,everychallengehefacedset thefoundationfornavigatingthelasttwoyearswiththe pandemic.
Erhardtbelievesthatlifeisshortsohemakesitapriorityto integratefunintowhateverhedoes.Hecreditshissuccess tobeingsurroundedbyremarkablepeopleandemphasizes theimportanceofthis:“it's all about people.”Erhardt considershimselffortunatefortheincredibleopportunities he'shadthroughouthiscareerandfeelslikeheisexactly wherehe'smeanttobe.Heexpresses, "I've worked for a few of the bigger national companies, but CareSource is where my heart is. I'm so grateful to lead this truly amazing and unique company."
HealthcarewithHeart
CareSourceisuniqueinthatitistheonlyorganizationthat istotallyindependent,nonprofit,andpurelyfocusedon government-sponsoredhealthcare,suchasMedicaid, MarketplaceandMedicare.With$12billioninrevenue, ErhardthighlightsthatCareSourceisbigenoughtohave scale,investinitspeopleandcommunities,andcontinueto fosterthestrongestmission-orientedorganizationinthe industry—butalsosmallenoughtopivot,innovatequickly anddriveorreacttonewopportunitieswithlittle bureaucracyorconflict.Thecompanyalsomakesdecisions differentlyandondifferenttimelines,allowingforahighly transparent,straightforward,andlonger-termview
Erhardtbelievestheseuniqueelements,alongwithsomeof thestrongestoperationalandqualitymetricsintheindustry, willpropelitsvisionofbeingtheleaderinservingthose withthemostcomplexneeds,whilealsoachievingits missionofchangingthelivesandcommunitiesofallthe peopleitserves.
ATransformativeImpact
Initspursuitofbeingthebestofthebest,CareSource's leadershipthinksaboutwhatitdoesintwoways.First,it likestoraisethebarforeveryoneinamarketitenters. Second,italsohelpstheentiresysteminthesesame markets—evenwhenitdoesn'tdirectlybenefitCareSource. Attheendoftheday,everyone.
ErhardtisespeciallyproudofCareSource'srecognized programsthathelppeopleputtheirlivestogetheroutsideof healthcare,commonlycalledsocialdeterminantsofhealth. Manyofthepeopleithelpsendupgettingjobsandleaving theMedicaidprogramaltogether.Henotes, "We are the only organization that will invest in getting people off our membership rolls. We also partner with and help missionaligned community-based organizations gain access to additional funds. Often, these organizations don't have the needed business infrastructure or grant-writing capabilities. Helping these organizations benefits the entire ecosystem—even our competitors. We are also among the best operating and most innovative organizations in the industry. We often work with states in raising the bar in what stakeholders expect of health plans, which means everyone wins."
EmbracingTechnology
Technologyhasadvancedrapidlyoverthelastcoupleof years,andErhardtseesvastopportunitiestoutilize
We care about YOU and YOUR health.
Erhardt is ac ve in the Dayton community. He is pictured here recognizing a veteran at a Dayton Dragons baseball game as part of the CareSource Veteran Salute program.
technologyinnewandbetterways.Therearealotof traditionalusesoftechnologyintheindustrysuchas telemedicine,dataintegrationandclinicalplatforms. CareSourceisinvestingheavilyintheseareas,butalso investinginlesstraditionalareas.Thisincludesengaging peoplebehindsocialmediawalls,supportingmorebeing doneinthehomeorcommunity,andutilizingAItohelp peoplemakedecisionsandcommunicate.Erhardtsays, "Engaging people is a big deal for us. Despite my team sometimes thinking I'm crazy, I also like to spend a little time and resources thinking way ahead – the Metaverse could hold a lot of potential for what we do. I realize that to the average person in Silicon Valley, these ideas are pretty mundane. In the healthcare world, this is fairly forward looking—which brings me back to the fact that there's a lot of opportunity here."
ThePotentialChange
Erhardtalsohasaboldpointofviewonthecomplexitiesof theindustry.Lookingatthedifferentpillarsofhealthcare suchashealthplans,doctors,hospitals,pharmacies,
We have crafted partnerships and initiatives in our markets that are truly unique in helping the system to better align in a fully transparent manner.
ancillaryvendors,PBMs,bigpharma,andmuchmorehe wonderswhethertheseentitieshavecreatedunnecessary complexitiesandcoststopreservetheirplaceinthe ecosystem.Thelackoftransparencycanaddtothe challenge.Heasserts, "There's a lot of dialogue about how these different pillars can get more aligned, but I'm not sure it's happening as fast, or as transparently as it should. I think about our mission, how we make decisions, our corporate form, our approach, our focus on lifting the entire system; we need to play a role in this. And, we are. We have crafted partnerships and initiatives in our markets that are truly unique in helping the system to better align in a fully transparent manner."
PivotingShifts
Lookingatthedata,Erhardtbelievesthatthefutureisin helpingstatesservepopulationswithcomplexneeds.He seesanopportunitytomakeabigdifferenceinpeople's lives,improvingqualityandimpactingtheoverallcostof care.CareSourceispreparingforitineveryaspectofthe organization.Itsplatformsareoptimizedforcomplex populations,itispilotingspecialprogramsandhashired manynationallyrenownedcomplexcareprofessionals. Additionally,itacquiredacompanywithahistoryof complexcare.It'sclearthatthisisanissuethatErhardtis passionateabout.Henotes, "People with complex needs exist in every segment and population within the government-sponsored health plan. There is no clear leader in this area today—but I believe there will be one soon . . ."
FutureGoals
Whenconsideringwherehemightbeinthefuture,Erhardt seeshimselfatCareSource.Heenvisionscontinuingto buildonCareSource'smissionandmakingapositive impactinpeople'slives.Hesays, "I love the difference we make, love the people I get to work with, love the company, and love the communities we serve."
ExperiencedGuidance
Erhardtadvisesupcomingleadersaspiringtoventureinto healthcaretokeeppointingforward,nomatterwhat.He reflectsonaconversationhehadwithafamouspoker
player.HetoldErhardt, "Any idiot can win when the cards are running well." Whatultimatelydecidedasuccessful versusanunsuccessfulgamblerwashowtheyplayedwhen thingsweren'tgoingtheirway.Erhardtbelievesthisapplies tolife,too;howyouplaywhenthingsaren'tgoingwell determinesyoursuccess.Inhisconcludingthoughts, Erhardtsays, "Don't get too comfortable. Don't get institutionalized. Shake things up occasionally. Surround yourself with amazing people that want to make a difference. Do the right thing for the right reason.”
AboutCareSource
CareSourceisanonprofit,nationally recognizedmanagedcareorganizationwith over2millionmembers.Headquarteredin Dayton,Ohiosinceitsfoundingin1989, CareSourceadministersoneofthelargest MedicaidmanagedcareplansintheU.S.The organizationoffershealthinsurance,including Medicaid,HealthInsuranceMarketplace, MedicareAdvantageanddual-eligible programs.Throughitsnetworkofhealthplans, CareSourceservesmembersinArkansas, Georgia,Indiana,Kentucky,OhioandWest Virginia.Thecompanyisleadingthewayin servingpopulationswithcomplexneedsand extendeditspresenceinto12additionalstates withtheacquisitionofTheColumbus Organization,atrustedpartnertohealthcare agenciesandproviderorganizationsin improvingcoordinationandsupportfor individualswithintellectual/developmental disabilitiesandbehavioralhealthchallenges throughitsstaffing,qualityimprovementand carecoordinationservices.Asamission-driven organization,CareSourceistransforminghealth carewithinnovativeprogramsthataddressthe socialdeterminantsofhealth,healthequity, preventionandaccesstocare.
Caroline Lafferty
& Chief Execu ve Officer CaliCoin
Caroline Lafferty
The Entrepreneur at the Intersection of Cryptocurrency and Animal Advocacy
Thefoundationofhumanityhasalwaysbeenhelping eachother.Therearepeople,andcertainlyanimals, whoarelessfortunatethanus.Animal-based charitiesareinperpetualneedoffinancialsupport—onlyan estimated10%ofallcharitablegivingisdirectedtowards animal-basedcharities;butunfortunately,thesecharities alsosufferfromthesameissuesoffundingandgovernance manycharitiesface.
Now,imagineacharitytokenexistingtoaddresssuch animalwelfareneedswithtransparent,seamless,and documenteddonation.
MeetCarolineLafferty,wholeveragedthisrelativelynew worldofcryptocurrencytoopennewavenuesofdonation forneedyanimalcharitiesbyfoundingCaliCoin.
CaliCoinisthefirstandonlycryptocurrencydevotedto helping,whatCarolineterms,AnimalsofDetermination (animalsthatsufferfromadisabilityand/orarehomeless) aroundtheworld.Itprovidesa100%flow-throughoffunds (0%commissions,overheadfees,orothercharges)directly topre-qualifiedanimal-basedcharitiesservingAODs aroundtheworld.ItensuresCaliCoindonorsthattheir donationsarehelpinganimalsofdetermination,andtheir fundsaregoingdirectlytohelpingtheanimalswithoutany oftheissueswhichcanplagueexistingcharitablegiving options.CarolinewearsthehatoftheCEOinthecompany
ABlendofPassions
CaliCoinisawonderfulblendofpassions.
Carolinehasalwaysbeenanavidanimallover.Shealong withherhusbandJamesMichaelLaffertymovedtoDubai withtheirwonderfulYorkiedog,“Cali”.Shortlythereafter, theydiscoveredthatshehasageneticdisorderofherbones. So,they,unfortunately,hadtoamputateoneofherlegs.
Calihoweverneverletthissituationbringherdown;she continuedtorompandplayandenjoylife,inspiringthem all.Shortlyafter,theybothfoundanabandonedkittenon thestreetinapileofrubble,whofollowedthemhome.She isalovableArabianMaunamed“Karma”.Botharebest friendsandintegralpartsofthecompany’sfamily.The three-leggeddogandtheorphancat!
Besidesherloveforanimals,Carolinealsohadaspecial affinitywiththeemergingworldofcryptocurrency.Shehas beendeeplyinvolvedasaninvestorforthepast5years. Shesawauniqueblendofthetwo,anideainwhichitcould leveragecryptocurrencyandtheuniverseofcryptousers,to openentirelynewpathwaystosupportAnimalsof Determination.AndthatishowCaliCoinwasborn! CaliCoinmarriesCaroline’sloveofthecryptocurrency worldwithherloveforanimals.
MakingtheWorldaBetterPlaceforAnimalsof Determination
Inessence,CaliCoinwascreatedoutofthepandemicto bringurgenthelptoanimalcharitiesaroundtheworldthat sawtheirdonationsandfinancialsupportdryup.Caroline hearsfrommanycharitiesabouthowCaliCoinhashelped keepthemoperatingandservingAnimalsofDetermination. “I get a huge sense of pride and joy in being able to help these noble causes. I firmly believe it represents the best of humanity when we can help those on our planet truly less fortunate than ourselves. It’s hard to imagine a population more in need than animals who suffer from disabilities or
This is all about helping the world be a better place, one needy animal at a time.CEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on- 2022
are homeless and roaming the streets,” expressesCaroline. CaliCoin’smissionisverynoble:Ithelpsperhapsthemost disadvantagedsubsetonthisplanet—Animalsof Determination.TheteamatCaliCoinhasfinanced100%of thestart-upofCaliCoinandittakesnofeesorcommissions ondonations.
BuiltfromtheScratch
ThebiggestchallengeforCarolinebyfarwasdoingwhat anyentrepreneurknowswell—doingthingsprudentlyand onyourown!MostICOsareexecutedvialargeteamsand theengagementofmanyconsultantsandadvisors,whereas CarolineandherhusbandlaunchedCaliCoinentirelywith aninternalteamofjustahandfulofpeople.Theteam createdthisentireprojectfromscratchwithlimitedbudgets andlotsofsweatequity,alldrivenbyacombinedpassion forgivingbackandhelpinganimalsinneed.Andsofar,she isproudoftheearlyresults:CaliCoinhasgainedglobal tractionandhasappreciatedover300%sinceitslaunch.
SourcesofInspiration
Carolinewasgreatlyinfluencedbyherparents.Shelearned fromthem,thecourageandwilltosucceed.Theyemigrated fromHongKongtoCanadawithnothingandbuiltalifeso thatCarolineandherbrothercouldhaveopportunitiesthey neverhad.Shewatchedthemsacrificeandworkendless hours,justtogivetheirkidsachance.Shewasn’tgoingto letthemdownandsquanderthesacrificestheymade.
Carolinewasatopstudentandthus,sheworkedtogetinto thebestschoolssuchastheUniversityofTorontoand studiedthemostdemandingfields.CaliCoinisonlythe latestofseveralsuccessfulstart-upsshehaslaunchedover thepastdecade.
ThesecondgreatinfluencerwasherhusbandJames,who co-foundedCaliCoinalongwithher
ThePinnacleofProfessionalism
Carolinehasalwaysbelievedthatsuccessstartsandfinishes withpeople.Hersmallteamislikeafamilytoher,andshe takescareofherfamily!Shetriestobreedacultureof ownership,whereeveryemployee“owns”apieceof CaliCoin.Shefurtherbelievesindevelopingtalent,as peoplearemostinspiredwhentheyseethemselvesgrow Shesays, “We are fair and principled, and we do the right
thing. It’s a passionate and caring team and I think this directly reflects on the culture we put people in at CaliCoin.”
AProfoundNotetotheEmergingOnes
InheradvicetoemergingCEOs,Carolinesays“This industry, cryptocurrency, is rife with questionable ethics and people out to make a quick buck. And it is undermining the entire space and the adoption of what is an amazing and forward-thinking concept. Be able to look in the mirror at yourself and be proud. Look at any industry and eventually, ethics wins out. If you want to be both proud and sustainable, embrace strong ethics as a core of your business. It will be harder and take more time. But choosing the “harder right” over the “easier wrong” is always the winning way.”
and Chief Digital Architect
Boundaries Marketing Group
Christopher AmosCEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on-
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTOPHER
AMOS AMOS
A Profound Trailblazer Offering Marketing Solutions for Micro-Enterprises
aveyoueverwonderedwhileenjoyingascoopof
Hthedessertthatyouwantedtotrywhilerelaxing onyourcouchwhatmadeyouchoosethespecific brandtosatisfyyourhunger?Wasitthebrandjingle,orthe tagline,orwasitthemind-bogglingpostthatyousawon socialmedia?Whicheverreasonitmightbe,oneofthe essentialfactorsthatmakeanyproductpopularamongthe massesisthemagicofmarketing.
Often,itisquiteamisconceptionthatonlylarge organizationsinvestinmarketingtheirproductstocreatea buzzwhenitcomestomarketing.However,itisnotthe caseanymorewithsimplifiedmarketingandadvertising servicesprovidedbyNoBoundariesMarketingGroup.
ChristopherAmos,theCEOandChiefDigitalArchitect hascultivateduniquemarketingstrategiesandsolutions thatassistmicroandmedium-sizedenterprisesin promotingtheirproductsandachievingsuccess.
TheSynopsisBehindtheVenture
Christopherhashadquiteajourneyoverthelastfewyears todesignanagencythatcanconsistentlyexceedthe expectationsofsmallbusinessesbothlocallyandnationally. Withoveradecadeofexperienceintheindustry,heknows businessownersneedmoreasateam.Theyneedadditional transparency,leads,andextraeffortsoutoftheirmarketing team!
NoBoundariesMarketingGroupwasfoundedtosimplify themarketingandadvertisinggameforsmalltomedium-
sizedbusinesses.Itsgoalistoproducetransparent, measurableresultsforclientstofocusongrowingtheir business.
Asafull-servicemarketingandadvertisingagency,No BoundariesMarketingGroupusesvarioussoftware platforms,applications,tools,andresourcestoensureits clientsgetthebestvalueoutoftheirmarketingdollar.
CultivatingaValue-DrivenWorkCulture
Christopherhaslearnedthatthekeytoanawesometeamis tofosterapositiveworkculture.Aworkenvironment wherepeopleareencouragedtosharetheirthoughts,grow thebusiness,andcollaborateacrossproductsandplatforms eliminatesservicebarriersandultimatelyhelpsproducean amazingresultforclients.
Thetruthis,Christopherhasanamazingteamwithskill setsthatrangefromformerbusinessowners,customer serviceprofessionals,webdevelopers,SEOstrategists,and more!Eachpersonprovidesvaluableinsightandproblemsolvingskillsthathelpthecompanyproduceabetter experienceandoutcomeforitsclients!
TheAdaptationthroughthePandemic
Christopermentionsthatthepost-pandemicworldhas changedconsiderably,fromthewaysconsumerssearchand findlocalbusinessestothewayoneshopsforgoodsand services.Theneedforastrong,consistentdigitalpresence
“Your Business, Our Forte.”
hasneverbeengreaterthanitistoday.Evenpost-pandemic asconsumersventurebackouttorestaurantsandlocal shops,themeanstowhichtheyfindthesebusinessesalmost alwaysoriginatesonadigitalplatform.
Formanybusinesses,thismeansthathavingawebsiteor socialmediapagejustisn'tenough.Businessesownershave tofocusonprovidingconsumersaccesstohigh-quality contentanddynamicimagesacrossnumerousplatforms. Thisiswhereaccesstoanexperiencedmarketingteam comesintoplay.Businessownersarealreadystretchedthin, sotheneedforareliableandexperiencedmarketercannot onlydriveleadsbutcansavetime,createefficiencies,and somuchmore.
UpscalingTechnologicalAdvancements
Thepost-pandemicbusinessenvironmenthasreallyforced businessestobecomemoredigitalortechnologysavvyto meetthedemandsofconsumers.Thisdigitaltransformation hastakenownersandmarketersalikeoutoftheircomfort zonesandthrustthemintodiversifyingtheironline presence.Now,thingslikereputationmanagement,social
media,emailmarketing,andmorearenolongeroptional. Creatingasynergybetweenplatformsandbrandmessaging hasneverbeenmorecritical.Christopherputsthiswitha saying, “You get one shot to make a great first impression!”
StrategizingProductsandServices
Christopherexpressesthatforabusinessownertomeetthe challengesofthefutureistocommunicatewiththeir marketingteam.Sadly,becausebusinessownerswear multiplehats,itcanbedifficulttostayuponthedataand trending.Thiscanleadtomissedopportunities,diminished results,andpoordecisionsinthelongrun.Thebestwayto avoidfiredrillsandgetthemostoutofthemarketing strategyistostayconsistent,understandthedata,and communicate!
WeavingUpwiththeCommunity
Whenitcomestogivingbacktothecommunity,No BoundariesMarketingGrouppridesitselfinbeingapartof theveryfabricthatmakesupthiscommunity!Itinvestsin severallocalchambersofcommerce,volunteersat
communityevents,anditsteammembersvolunteertheir timetohelpeducatestartupsandnewbusinessessothey canhitthegroundrunning!
Christophersays, "If given a chance, I would absolutely love to get additional resources into the hands of aspiring entrepreneurs. A common issue that we hear after meeting with a new client is "I wish I found you guys sooner" or "I wish I knew about that before I wasted my money.”
"Sadly, many new business owners just don't know the insand-outs of the marketing game, and so they are susceptible to being taken advantage of. So, if I could change something, I would love to see more transparent information about marketing and advertising provided to new business owners to help them better navigate the marketplace," Christopherasserts.
GuidingUp-and-ComingGeneration
Inhisadviceforaspiringentrepreneursintothemarketing space,Christophersays, "Be transparent and communicate.”
“Most marketing professionals are great at the sale and the creative. Sadly, what most marketing professionals lack is the transparency and communication skills necessary to truly wow a client. As an entrepreneur myself, we made significant investments into our reporting platform to make sure clients have access to data in real-time, and we made significant investments in our CRM platform to ensure we can effectively communicate with our clients,” concludes Christopher.
Edwin Bessant
Leading With Courage, Tenacity, and Diligence
ettingupandstartingabusinesssoundslikeaneasy
Stask,butevenafterhavingahighlysuccessfuland lucrativecorporatejob,itisnotasimplefeat.It requiresonetohavealotofgutsandcouragetogiveupon suchajobandentertheworldofbusinesswithaleapof faith.Acourageousleader,EdwinBessant,spottedagapin thehealthcarearena27yearsago,gaveuphishigh-flying careerinconsumerhealthcareatPfizerConsumer [FormerlyWyeth],andsetupCeutaHealthcarewithhis foundingpartnerAnnetteD’Abreo.Edwinisnowserving astheCEOofCeutaGroup Tenaciouslyanddiligently, Edwincontinuedtoretainavisiononthefuture,ensuring thatCeutawasalwaysfitforthefutureanddeliveringa marketneedforhisclientbase.CeutaGrouphasastrong andtrustedglobalManufacturing&PrivateEquity[ consumerbrandacquirers]clientbaseandisagloballeader withfirstmarketmoveadvantage.
PioneeringaUniqueVisionandExpandingBusiness Model
Startedin1994asanomni-channelsales&marketing outsourcingpartner,CeutaHealthcarehasnowtransformed intoaGroupoftwelvecompanieswithaccessto114 internationalmarkets.Together,CeutaGroup’sbusinesses deliverthenextgenerationofanindustry-unique
‘IntegratedConsumerBrandOutsourcingServices’ business–Globalservicesinclude:Advisory,Digital, Shopper&CategoryInsights,CreativeDesign,Data Analytics,FieldMarketingSales&MarketingExecution andLogistics[https://www.ceutagroup.com/.]
EdwinandAnnettelaunchedbrandmanagementspecialist CeutaHealthcarealone,withnoclients,fromathree-desk officeinBournemouthin1994.TodayCeutaGroup, throughEdwin’spioneeringanduniquevision,hasseveral officesaroundtheworld[including:NewYork,Dublin, Amsterdam,Singapore,Bangkok,andSydney].Ceuta
Groupemploysmorethan400people,turnsoveraround $140m,andafterawhirlwindofacquisitions,comprises twelvedistinctcompanies.Severalofthesebusinesseswere boughtaftermeticulousplanningtologicallyexpandthe businessmodel.Edwinpredictsthattheirnetincome, currentlyaround$13m(EBITDA),willdoubleoverthe nexttwo–threeyears.
LeadingaPioneeringInitiative
EdwinwasworkingforPfizerConsumerwhenhespotteda gapinthemarket.He’dbeenwiththepharmagiantfor18 years,whichledtoaDirector’sroleonaEuropeanfast trackprogramme.There,hesawagrowingdemandfor “Outsourcing”and“BrandFostering”–wherean organizationgivestotalresponsibilityforoneormoreofits brandstoathirdparty.Certainly,hecouldbuildacompany tomeetthisuntappedmarketdemand,andusingallhis blue-chipexperience,Edwincraftedoutavisionaryand pioneeringbusinessplan,lefthishighlysuccessfuljob,and settowork,encouragingAnnetteD’Abreotojoinhimas equally,shehadasuccessfulroleatPfizer.Annette immediatelyunderstoodtheopportunityandtrustedEdwin toleadthepioneeringinitiative.
“By the end of Year One, Ceuta Healthcare had 30 employees,” Edwinsays,togivetheimpressionofhowhe hasneveroncedoubtedCeuta’sabilitytobecomeaglobal powerhouse.Headds,“We made a loss of around £300,000 [ $414,000] in the first two years [in line with the bank’s support]. And in year three we made a profit of £50,000 [ $69,000].” Sincethen,thegrowthandinvestmenthave beenexplosive,leadingCeutatobetheONLYcompany thatcandeliverasinglepointofcontactforacompanythat needsinternationalreachandcompletemanagementfor theirbrands.
CEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on- 2022BeingInspiredbyPioneeringInnovatorsand Entrepreneurs
Edwinadmiresthepioneeringinnovatorsandentrepreneurs whohavetrulytakenuptheopportunityofspottingagapin themarket,definingandshapingthenewwayweliveand shopwithphenomenalsuccess,changingconsumer
engagementandtechnologicalenhancementi.e.:JeffBezos
–Amazon,ElonMusk–PayPal,Tesla,Space-X,Steve Jobs–Apple,TravisKalanick&GarrettCamp–Uber,Will Shu&GregOrlowski–Deliveroo&JackMa–Alibaba, LarryPage&SergeyBrin–Google,LarryEllison,Ed Oates,BobMiner–Oracle.
Edwinexpressesthathedoesnotliketoplagiarisewhen readingbusinessbooks,butofcourse,heconsidersitis importanttoneverstoplearning,andthereisnoharmin havingagoodmentor.Hedoeslikereadingbooksthathave actuallybeenwrittenorco-writtenbysuccessful entrepreneursi.e.:‘TheAlchemist’byJimRatcliffe[The IneoStory]andtheseriesoftheBlueOceanStrategy& BlueOceanShiftbyW.ChanKim&ReneeMauborgne.
AcceleratingBrandMarketingDevelopment
Duringthecovidperiod,CeutaGrouphasthankfullyhada record-breakingyear,workingwithintheHealth&Personal CareandFood&Drinkindustries,andhavingpartofits workforceworkingfromtheofficesandthemajorityof personnelsuccessfullyworkingfromhome.Ceuta experiencedmorechallengeswithBrexitaffectingits
Ceuta Group provides a unique collective of services to enhance, grow and support the brands it represents; delivering everything a brand owner would ever want or need from one outsourced partner.
‘‘ ‘‘
MarketingAgencies,ascorporationswereholdingback becauseoftheuncertaintyofelectionsandgettingthe Brexitbillpassed.Intheshortterm,therewasatemporary holdonMarketingbudgetswithinsomesectors,butoverall, itsawarapidchangetobrandmarketingdevelopment whichcontinuestoaccelerate.
EnsuringInclusiveWorkCulture
Further,Edwinopinesthatculturecreationwithinany organizationiskey,andthishasalwaysbeenanimportant mantraforCeuta.CeutaGrouphasfourdifferent generationsofemployees,andtheyallhavedifferentlevels ofexpectationsfromanemployer.Ceutamustdeliverto ALL,andtherightculturegluesitsworkforcetogether.In additiontoculturecreation,ithasalsoengagedwithfurther intent,monitoring,support,andexecutingfortheright reasonssuchas‘Diversity,InclusionandGenderbalance[ CeutaGroupisapprox.48%female/52%male]’.Also, sustainabilityandenvironmentalprotectionarekey imperativeforCeutaGroup.
SupportingLocalCommunity
CeutaisemersedandengagedthroughitsCSRteamand supportsadifferentnumberofinitiatives:
Supportlocalcharitieswithfinancialcontributions
Organizeclean-upevents
Volunteerinlocalschoolsorcommunityprojects
Localfund-raisingevents
Edwinisa‘FellowofthePrince’sEnterpriseTrust’which helpsvulnerableyoungpeoplegettheirlivesbackontrack.
Itsupports11to30year-oldswhoareunemployedand thosestrugglingatschoolandatriskofexclusion.Edwin periodicallygoesintoclassroomstotalktostudents[from allethnicities]onbusinessbuildingandthewatchoutsetc. whichhereallyenjoys.
ExpansionaryApproach
Inaconclusion,Edwinmentionsthatforthenextfiveyears, CeutaGroup’svisionistocontinuetobuildoutitsGlobal Digitalservices.Itwantstocontinuetobuildoutits ‘MarketplaceSupportPlatform’–USA,Europe,andChina. ItwantstoselectivelyacquireotherCeutatype organizationsworldwideandtoacquireConsumerHealth& Wellnessbrands’.
Edwinisalsoa‘LifeFellowofTheRoyalSocietyof Medicine’.
Enroute to Success
hegreatnessofapersonorleaderhastobe
Testimatedbyhisorherabilitytothriveeveninthe mostprovokingorchallengingsituations.Itisin thetoughtimesthatone’smettleistested.Anditisatthe sametimeonehastheopportunitytoproveone’smettle.It issaidthatpatienceisbitter,butitsfruitsaresweet.The moreoneisabletoholdone’snerveseveninthe challengingtimesandcontinuetofightforsuccess,the moreonewillbeabletocrossovereventhetoughest challenges.Liferewardsthosewhoputinsincerehardwork andstriveforachievements.“Aswesow,soshallwereap.” Successisnotthecakewalk,butitisaboutrepeatedefforts dayinanddayout.
Thereisnofreelunchinthisbusiness-mindedworld.One hastobepreparedtomakethenecessarysacrificesfor accomplishingsomethingworthwhileinthisworld, especiallyintheworldofbusiness.Onehastoaccomplish somethinginthisworldtoearnthetrustofpeopleand therebytobethewell-wisherofpeople.Onecancontribute alottootherswhenheorshehasgainedworthwhile accomplishmentstocreatehisorhercredibility The reliabilityofleadersincreasesingreatproportionwhenthey deliverresultsmorethanexpectedbyothers.Thereliability orcredibilityofleadersisdirectlyproportionaltothe expansionofthebusinesses.
MoralityistheFoundationforVictory
Greatbusinessleadersareawarethatitisimportanttolead withmorality Theyconsideritisveryimportanttokeepthe moraleofeveryoneintheirorganizationveryhigh.High moralehelpsintakingthemostcourageousdecisions.They understandthatitisessentialtodeliverwhatisexpectedby clientsorevenbeyondthinkingwellaheadoftheclients. Thisiswheretheinnovativenessinleadersplaysabigrole. Thatisthereasontheykeepitonhighprioritytobewell updatedwiththelatesttechnologiesandtheyarekeento implementthosetechnologiesintheirbusinesses.
Determination,Dedication,andDiscipline
Determination,Dedication,andDisciplineformabigpart ofsuccess.Thereisahugesignificanceofresolute determinationtosucceedintheworldofbusiness.The worldisfilledwithcut-throatcompetition.Tosustainone’s competencyinthebusinessworld,onehastokeepon improvingoneselfandeveryoneintheorganizationto createmassivesuccess.Thejourneysometimescanbefilled withalotofchallenges,butifonehasadeterminationto persistthenonecanachieveone’sgoalsinduecourseof time.Dedicationgiveslifetoone’spurposeandgoals.Itis verymuchsynonymouswithleadingwithpurposefulness. Thestrongerthepurposethegreatercanbethededication
toachieveit.AndDisciplineisthebridgebetweensuccess andfailure.Withoutdiscipline,nothingsubstantialcanever beaccomplishedinlife.Onehastopaythepriceofresolute determination,absolutededication,andhighdisciplineto besuccessfulintheworldofbusiness.
WhatNottoDo?
Asmuchasitisimportanttoknowwhattodo,itisalso equallyimportanttoknowwhatnottodo.Doingwhatis favorableforsuccessandavoidingwhatisharmfulfor successshouldbeavoidedatanycost.Forbusinessleaders tosucceedinthebusinessworld,theyshouldbewellaware nottowastetheirpreciousresourcesafterbadmoneyorbad deals.Theyshouldnotthrowtheirgoodmoneybehindbad moneyvianegativedeals.Theyshouldbecalculativeand shouldtakecalculativedecisionsrelatedtowheretoinvest andwherenotto.
HavingaRightMentoristheKey
Havingagoodmentorgoesalongwayinmakinghighvaluedecisions.Oneshouldchoosethatpersonasone’s mentorwhohasdemonstratedone’scharacterand competenceinone’schosenfield.Greatleadersarenotjust interestedinbeinggreatleaderthemselvesonly,butthey wouldliketocreatemoregreatleaders.Bychoosinga capableleaderasone’smentor,onewillbeabletoattain greatheightsinlifeinashortspanoftime.Onegood mentorisworthmorethanallthebooksinthelibrary.
Booksalsoplayahugeroleinthelivesofgreatleaders,but thehelpofamentorispricelessasonewillbeableto developoneselfmorequicklywiththehelpofagood mentorandavoidthemistakesthatpreviousleadershave done.Greatleadersbecomegreatbecausetheydon’tshyat acceptinggoodmentorsinlife.Theyareopentolearning fromall.Theyknowthattheydon’thaveallthetimeinthe worldtocommitallmistakesandthenlearnandthenapply Therefore,theyprefertoavoidmistakesonthejourneyby havingagoodmentorinlife.
Itisamarkofgreatleaderstodojusticetotheirroles, routines,relationships,andresponsibilities.Theyalsobuild suchatypeofcultureintheirfellowteammatesand employeesandstaffintheorganization.Thishelpsthemto achievegreatnessintheirbusinessbybuildingan organizationwithresponsibleandcompetentpeople.They leadbyexampleandwithresolutedeterminationandwitha goaltodelivermorethanneeded.Theythriveontheir purposeandnecessaryactions.Theydowhatneedstobe donewithduediligenceandtheysetthestandardsfor everyoneelsetofollowandthatisthereasontheybecome admirable.
Leadership RedenedCEOs Transforming Business Through
Jude Gomes
Protecting Lifestyles, Dreams, and Ambitions of Sri Lankans
napandemic-riddenenvironmentthatwasuncertain,
Icomplex,andfast-evolving,ahandfuloforganizations haveshowntrueresilienceandbusinesssuccessunder theguidanceandnavigationofleaderswhohavebroken awayfromthearchetypal'commandandcontrol'mouldof traditionalleadership.
JudeGomes,theChiefExecutiveOfficerofUnion AssurancePLC,isamongthoseleaders.Hedrawsfroma highlyaccomplishedcareerinfinancialservicesspreadover threedecadeswithexperienceaccruedacrosskeyAsian marketsandkeyglobalfinancialinstitutions.Withover threedecadesofindustry-leadingsuccess,UnionAssurance (UAL)isthecountry'soldestprivateLifeInsurer empoweringtheSriLankandream,offeringarangeof insurancesolutionscoveringeducation,health,protection, retirement,andinvestmentneedsofSriLankans.Powered byanetworkof76branchesanda3,000-strongteamthat sharesacustomer-centricapproachtobusiness,the companycontinuedtoinvestinpeople,digital infrastructure,productsandprocessestoremainagileand responsivetoemergingandunprecedentedchangesunder Jude'sguidanceandvisionaryleadership.
Underthebanner'Yourlife,Ourstrength,'thecompanyhas nurturedtheSriLankandreaminuniqueandpersonalways tosupportitspolicyholdersandthepeopletheylove. Excellence,ethics,integrity,innovation,andacustomercentricmentalityaretheheartbehindday-to-dayoperations atUnionAssurance.
ActingasaCatalyst
Thecoronaviruspandemicbrokeoutjustafewmonths afterJudetookthereinsastheCEOofUnionAssurance.
However,heguidedhisteamonajourneyof transformation,positioningthecompanyasamodern, customer-centric,digitallifeinsurertoaddressthelagin technologyadoptionwithintheindustry
Withthemissionofsimplifyinginsuranceandempowering customers,thecompanyshifteditsfocustowards digitisationduringthistime.Thetransformationwas initiatedbysimplifying,innovating,anddigitisingcomplex processes,culminatinginanoverhaulofitsoperating systemtoadigitalmodel.Toprovideuninterruptedservice toitspolicyholders,thecompanyestablishedatrilingual callcentrethatoperated24/7,anonlinechatbotandenabled digitalplatformsandgatewaystomeetthegrowingdemand incustomerqueries.Furthermore,UnionAssurance disruptedthefutureofLifeInsurancebyaddingadynamic facettoitscustomerexperiencewitha100%digital platform-Clicklife,whichofferscustomerstopurchase productsinstantlywithoutanypaperworkandphysical interactionaswellasaplatformwithrealtimeselfservicingcapabilityaspartofitsend-to-endonline insurancesolution.TheappfeaturesWorldHealth Organizationapprovedchallenges,rewards,andother excitingin-appfeaturestoengageandmotivateusersto stayfitandhealthy.
NavigatingthroughChallenges
Speakingaboutchallenges,Judementionedthataspectsof economicgrowth,socio-culturalfactorsandfinancial literacyhavebeenbarrierstoindustryexpansion.Inhis view,financialliteracyislowcomparedtodeveloped marketsinwhichinsurancepenetrationishigh.Thisisan importantfactorforimprovinginsuranceconsciousnessand awarenessacrosssociety.
Gomesarticulatedthreekeystrategieshebelieveswilldrive theinsurancesector:first,cohesivestrategiesshouldbein placetoattractandretaintherighttalent,especiallygiven thattheindustryismanpower-dominant;second,there shouldbeafocusonanomnichanneldistributionmodelto providegreateraccessibilitytocustomers;third,isin creatingefficienciesinoperationsanddeliveryplatforms makingthebuyingcycleeasy,convenient,fast,and transparent.
PeopleEmpowerment
Judeisanardentbelieverthatleadersshouldconstantly challengethemselvesandtheirteamstoexceed expectationsandembracenewopportunities.
Empowermentisanimportantcriterionforleadingpeople andorganisationstosuccess.Tothisend,Judenurturesa workplaceenvironmentinwhichsafetyandtrustare prerequisitesforpeople’sempowerment.Whenpeoplefeel empoweredandsafeintheworkplace,itpavesthewayfor moreinnovationandadvancementstotakeplace.He believesincultivatingaculturewhereemployeeslearn frommistakesandstrivetowardsexcellence.
AcceleratingGrowth
Insurancehastrailedotherindustriesandinparticular financialserviceswhenitcomestotransformation–digital orotherwise.Inanincreasinglydata-drivenenvironment, poorpublicperceptionofinsurerscamedowntoa combinationoffactors.Thelackoftransparencyaugmented byarchaicprocesses;lowunderstandingand misinformationofinvestmentvs.protection,lackof confidenceininsuranceagents,inadequatefocusontraining andskilldevelopment,restrictedchannelsandlimited productsuitesskewedtowardsinvestmentratherthan protection,aresomeoftheindustrychallenges.
Gomesbelievesadefiningfeatureforgrowthaccelerationis inthedepthofcustomer-centricityadopted.Protection shouldcentrearoundthepeopleitprotects.
Byrollingoutasimplifiedcustomer-focuseddigitalagenda in2019,UnionAssurancemappedoutacomprehensive customerjourney,addressingpainpoints,eliminating complexities,andcustomizingsolutionsthroughthe applicationoftechnology,settingthebenchmarkfora future-readyoperatingmodel.
ANotetoEmergingLeaders
“When you’re in a leadership role, developing your intuition plays a big part as your employees rely on you to make trustworthy decisions meeting needs of all stakeholders.
It is important to note that staying true to your values and morals is key in your journey. Understanding that you don’t know everything is a very valuable lesson to learn early on. Admitting to failures, taking accountability, and making necessary changes fast is important for success.”
Understanding that you don’t know everything is a very valuable lesson to learn early on. Admi ng o failures, taking accountability, and making necessary changes fast is what is important for success.
“ “
Mohammed Mubin Mallick
A Doyen in the Field of Robotics
Sincedecades,technologicaladvancementshavebeen assistinghumansinalmosteverysphereoftheir lives.Eveninthispandemicsituation,technology didn’tfailtoofferassistancetous.Theuseofrobotswas exploredextensivelybymostoftheresearchersand businesses,especiallyhealthcareorganizations,considering thefactsthattheydon’tneedmask,theycaneasilyget disinfected,andtheydon’tfallsick.Withthisidea, MohammedMubinMallick’sKiranSmarthas significantlycontributedtothedevelopmentofadvanced roboticsinthisongoingpandemicthroughitsstate-of-theartroboticssolutions.
TowardsVisionaryProject
Intheyear2017,Mubinpredictedthefutureasitisgoing totakeaturntowardssomeadvancedtechnology The thoughtcameintohismindwasrobotsasitwashis childhooddreamtohaverobots.Buthewasdemotivated anddiscouragedafterbeingrejectedonhisroboticsideaor topicbymany Thesenegativefactorsmadehimstrongerto faceandchallengethemarket.
Sincehischildhood,Mubinhasseenmanydifficultiesand hastackledthemsuccessfully,beitstudies,sports,
traveling,orlivingaloneawayfromhome.Hehasnever brokendownandhasalwaysstooduptofightthesituation. Astimepassed,thingsbecameeasierforhimtohandledue totheexperiencehegained.
MubinfoundedKiranSmartwithlotsoflovefrompeople whoreallywantedtohavetheseservicesandsolutions.He didmarketresearchinGCConrobots.Hedevelopedevery singleroboticssolutionforeveryindustryandaswellfor hometoo.HedidnotfindsuitableCEOwhowould understandhisvisionandthatisthereason,hedecidedto wearthehatofCEOaswell.
Wellversedwithdifferentroboticsmanufactureraroundthe world,MubinisworkingonhisVisionaryPrimeProject whichcouldmakehimthepioneerintheworldonrobotics servicesthathumanhasneverimaginedorexpectedonthe idea.
GettingtheBestoutofEverything Mubinmentionsthateveryjourneyisnotpleasantandthus, runningacompanysuccessfullyisalsonotaspleasantas wethink.Therearealwaysupsanddowns,becauseasa holisticviewitisacompanyandnotabusiness.
CEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on- 2022
Mohammed Mubin Mallick CEO / FOUNDER Kiran Smart
ForMubin,buildingacompanywaslikebeingonthe battleground.Asachallengehesawfinancialcrisis,getting therightpeopleforrightplaceandrightjob,findingexpert peoplewithinnovativeideas,andgettingtheinvestor. Mubinkeptongoingandtoday,KiranSmartisafirst HumanoidRobotSolutionsandServicescompanyin Kuwaithavingexistenceinmultiplelocation,providingIT servicestobusinessandhomeusers.
DevotedtoServeHumanity
Mubin’sfatherlatehajiNoortaughthimtoliveforothers andservehumanity.Oneoftheincidentsthatimpactedhis lifewasthecasewherehefoundaladywhowascryingfor themoneytodothetreatmentofherdaughter.Hewasjust achildandonlycouldunderstandthatsheisaskingfor money.Hehad50paisainhispockettobuyachocolatefor heryoungersister.Hecouldnotsaynototheladybecause hertearsbroughthimdownsoemotionalthathestarted weepingandgaveher50paisa.Theladyjustsawthecoin andsaid,“My son GOD will give you enough so that you can help others and GOD will make your heart big enough to help others.” Hecanneverforgetthisincident.
InnovationinRobotics
KiranSmartisintoInformationTechnology,Digital Transformation,Robotics,ArtificialIntelligence,and Fintech.Mubinisofthebeliefthatthesetechnologieswill playamajorrolepost-pandemic.Thus,ifbusinessesinany industryhavetosurvive,theywillneedtoimplement Robotics,Automation,andArtificialIntelligencetomake advancedhybridsolutionstosurviveinthefuture.
AtpresentKiranSmart’sRobotServicesareinclusiveof HumanoidRobots,ServicesRobots,DeliveryRobots, EducationalRobots,LogisticsRobots,PetRobots, DisinfectionRobots,CleaningRobots.Otherthanthisithas smartdigitalscreenswhichthecompanysellassolutions andalsorentsthemout.EvenforRobots,itprovidesthe solutionsandalsorentsouttherobotsinmulti-purposeuse, providingservicesgloballyaswell.
Atthesametime,Mubinisalsoworkingonthe“Riseof RoboticsGeneration”whereheistrainingchildrenabout robots,teachingaboutrobotsbutwithlivedemoonthe company’sdifferentmodelsofrobots.Hisvisionissimple forthenext5years–toberecognizedasoneofthebest brandserviceprovidersgloballyespeciallyintermsof RoboticsServices.
GoodNetworkforBusinessOpportunities
Mubinandhisteamgeneratejobsforeverycategorysothat peoplecouldsurviveandfeedtheirfamilies.Heandhis teamcreatejobsfordrivers,engineers,managers, supervisors,developers,skilledandunskilledlabor,waiters andwaitress,andcleaners.Also,hesharesthecompany profitonacertainpercentageascharityacrosstheworld wherethecommunityishelpingtosurvivetheirlife. Heislookingforagreatopportunitytochangetheworld intoasmartvillagebutofcoursetheremustbeagoodteam toexecuteitlikeinvestors,businessmen,entrepreneurs, partners,engineers,andalotmore,becauseheisworking ononeofhisprojectcalledROBO2050whereeveryhouse willhaveKiranSmart’srobots.
“Information
Technology will be so advanced and if we don’t adopt ourselves in terms of business and personal life then we will be left alone to suffer.”
Mr.SamiSharif
AnEmbodimentofaProvenLeadership
Thepioneeringleadershipisacombinationof exemplaryskills,abilitiesandtalents.Tolead organizationsuccessfully,itisessentialforleaders tohavegoodamountofcompetence,asitplaysa significantroleinthesuccessoftheorganizationandits clients.Whenthesamecompetenceispairedwithstrong managerialandtechnicalskills,theresultsattainedare excellent.AnembodimentofsuchaleadershipisMr.Sami Sharif.HeistheCEOofKuwaitInsuranceCompany (KIC)since2016.
PriortoKIC,Mr.Sharifhasheldvariousleadershiprolesin differentrenownedcompanies.HeearnedhisBachelor’s DegreeinMathematicsandSpacePhysicsandaMaster’s DegreeinMathematicsbothfromtheUniversityof Houston–USA.Heworkedforseveralyearsasalecturer inmathematicsandstatisticsatthesameuniversity.Heisa FellowoftheSocietyofActuaries(FSA)intheUSAsince 1996andamemberoftheAmericanAcademyofActuaries (MAAA)since1993.Besides,healsohasanin-depth experienceinlife,health,andgeneralinsurance,and takaful.Hecarriesanimmenseknowledgeofstrategic managementconsultingcombinedwithsoundactuarial background.Healsohasin-depthexperienceinlaunching andleadingnewinsuranceoperationsindifferentcountries.
KIChasafulllineofconventionalandtakafulinsurance productsforcorporateandindividualscoveringgeneral insurance,lifeinsuranceandmoneyaccumulation.Ithas morethan200employeesand10branchesinKuwait.
BeingDrivenbyAchievement,InnovationandPeople Development
Mr.SharifisdrivenbyKIC’ssharedvaluesi.e. Achievement,InnovationandPeopleDevelopment.He mentionsthatthecompanycaresforitsstaff,shareholders, andclients.Itadherestoasetofvalues.
KIC’svisionistobethefastestgrowingcompanyin Kuwaitandtoexpandgeographically.Itaspirestobethe
companyofchoiceforpersonalandcommercialinsurance productsandservices.Itaimstobethefastestandthe simplestindeliveringitsservicesandthemostadvancedin usingtechnology.Itenvisionstobethecompanyofchoice foremployment.AlltheeffortsofMr.Samiareinthe directiontowardsachievingthisgoal.
KIC’smissionistoprovideitsclientswiththemost competitiveproductsintermsofbenefits,valuesand services,toprovideitsdistributionchannelswithstate-ofthe-artservices,toinvestondevelopingitsstaff,andtobea schoolofinsuranceandmanagement.Besides,thecompany alsobelievesinbeingsales-drivenandinachievingitssales target.Itbelievesindifferentiatingitselfwithinnovative Products&Services,DistributionChannels,and Technology.ItbelievesinitspeopletoexhibitKnowledge, Leadership,andCommunication&InterpersonalSkills.
HavingAdvantageofExperiencedStaff
Talkingaboutthechallenges,Mr.SharifsharesthatKIC hadtodealwithachallengeofpoliticalrisksincethearea isinflamedwithmanypoliticalproblemsthatleadtosome businessinstabilityintheregion.Maintainingthesizeof theportfoliowasamajorchallengeforKIC.
KICisthefirstinsurancecompanyinKuwaitandtheGCC. Ithastheadvantageofkeepingexperiencedstaffwhohave beenwiththecompanyfordecades.Takingsomeofthekey stafftothemostadvancedwaystorunabusiness,in particulartherelianceontechnology,wasachallengethat theyenjoyedthestagestoovercomeit.
BeingInfluencedbyWorkingwithGreatPeople
Mr.Sharifisanex-consultantwithMcKinsey&Co.thathe considershisbestschool.Hestillcherishesthedayshe workedforMckinsey,thepeopleheworkedwith,andthe leadersthatheworkedundersuchasMr.DominicBarton. Inaddition,hehasworkedwithpeoplewhohadagreat influenceonhim,like:
CEOsŸ
HismathematicsprofessorDr.KlausKaiseratUniversity ofHouston.
HisspacephysicsprofessorDr.BeringatUniversityof Houston.
ontheinsuranceindustryasawhole.However,Mr.Sharif seesmoreprosthancons.Thewayofdoingbusiness becamemoretechnology-driven,astechnologyisakey successfactorforallindustriesincludinginsurance.
Ÿ
HisfirstactuarialmanagerMr.MarcPitoniacwhotaught himhowtosurviveunderanyworkchallenges.
Mr AbbasKhalaf,RegionalpresidentofALICO, MEASARegionwhotaughthimleadership.
Mr.BarryJacobson,PresidentofACELife(nowChubb) agreatleader.
AKICputsabalancebetweenpeoplesafetyandbusiness safety Assuch,itwaspresentandfunctionalinitsmarket.
Ÿ
Mr.GhaziAbuNahl,PresidentofNestInvestmentshard workandperseverance.
EvaluatingEmployeesObjectivelyandCompensating themFairly
Mr.SharifhascreatedapositiveenvironmentatKICwhere everyonethrives.Thecompanystronglybelievesinthe well-beingofitsemployees.Itstronglyencourages educationandpaysalleducationexpensestoitsemployees. Moreover,itcreatedthefirstcompanykitchenrunbya professionalcheftoprovidedailyhealthymealstoitsstaff atminimumcharges.Itcreatedanurseryatworktohelp motherswithbabykids,age0-5atnocharge.Ithasa thorough360systemtoevaluateitsemployeesobjectively andtocompensatethemfairly.ItestablishedKICacademy toofferprofessionalcoursesandtrainingtoitsstaff.
StrikingaBalancebetweenPeopleSafetyandBusiness Safety
WhenCovid-19pandemicarrived,ithaditsprosandcons
ContributingtoCommunitywithWelfareServices Whenitcomestogivingbacktothecommunity,KIC alwaysstandstall.Onalmostmonthlybasis,itruns differentcampaignsexamples:
CleaningthebeachinKuwait
BloodDonationcampaign
Brestcancerawarenesscampaign
Diabetesawarenesscampaign
BeingPeoplePersonandExpandingRobustly
Mr.SharifadvisesaspiringandemergingCEOsinthe insuranceindustrytoworkontheirtechnicaland managerialskills.Hetellsthemtolearntheessenceof leadershipandcultivateahealthylifestyle.Heasksthemto berough,tough,butreasonable.
Besides,healsoadvisesthemtobepeopleperson,havea largeconnectioninindustry,andtoavoidarroganceand givesmiletoeveryone.
CEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on-
Thomas A. Bock MD, MBA, CEO Notable
CEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on- 2022
Thomas A. Bock
A Recognized Life-Science Leader Developing a New Class of Oncology Medicines
ecentadvancesinscienceandtechnologyhave
Rresultedinaneweraofmoretargetedtherapiesfor manydiseases.Theseadvanceshavematerialized forpatients,resultinginsometrulytransformative treatments,thankstothetalentanddedicationofthelife sciencescommunity
Meetonesuchlife-scienceleaderwhohasdevelopedand commercializedsixlifesavingparadigm-changing blockbustermedicinesincancer,ultra-raredisorders,and inflammation,andwhohasbuiltfourentrepreneurial organizationsthatcreatedamajorimpactforbothpatients andinvestors.-ThomasA.Bock,MD,MBA,andCEOat Notable.
Inspiredbyhiswork,weat Insights Success hada conversationwithThomastoknowmoreabouthisjourney andhowNotableistransformingthewaycanceristreated.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Giveusabriefoverviewofyourpositionatthe company,andyourjourneysinceinception. IjoinedNotableasanIndependentBoardDirectorin2020 andthenstartedservingastheCEOinFebruary2021.At thattimeourcompanywasknownforourpredictive technologyplatformdevelopedtohelpphysicians determinewhichcancertreatmentsaremosteffectivefor theirindividualpatients.
Today,wearebeginningtoleverageNotable'sleadershipin predictivetechnologytodevelopcancertreatmentsfocused onindividualpatientswhoweknowwillrespondtoa specifictreatment.Myroleistodriveourorganizationtoa leadingprecisiontherapeuticscompanybycreatinganew classofprecisionmedicines– predictive precision medicines.
Pleasedescribethetechnologythatmakesyour companystandoutfromthecompetition. Notable'spredictivetechnologycombinesmachine learning,laboratoryautomation,andhighthroughput screeningdirectlyonpatientbloodsamplestopredict responsestotherapieswitha92%accuracy.Overthepast years,wecreatedauniqueandcontinuouslygrowing libraryofoptimized(outofmillionsofoptions)platform conditionsandpredictivedataacrossapprovedand investigationalcancertreatments.Thisenablesustofocus onthemostpromisingcandidatemedicinesanddevelop themaspredictiveprecisionmedicinessolelyinclinically respondingpatients.Patientbypatient.Cancerbycancer
Whatisyouropinionontheadvancementsofbusinesses toimprovetheirofferingswithnewertechnological developments?
Notablerepresentsthenextgenerationofpredictive precisionmedicinesforpatientswithcancer,basedonthe emergenceofnewtechnology.Ourplatformcanpredictan individual'sclinicalresponsetocancertreatmentfroma bloodsampletaken before beginningtreatmentwitha92% accuracy.Iamproudofhowourproprietarytechnology addressesthequestionthatmattersmosttopatients,yet previouslycouldnotbeanswered:"Doctor,willthis treatmentworkforme?"
Whatisyourthoughtonthenecessityofapositivework culture?Inwhatwaysdoyouimplementitatyour organization?
Notable'scultureextendsfromitscoremissionof redefiningtreatmentforpeoplewithcancer.Forus,the patientmattersmost.Thismeansthatwenotonlypursue transformativemedicalimpactbutalso,proceed responsiblyandwiththesenseofurgencythatpatients deserve.Ourteamisspearheadingtherapeuticsolutionsat theinterfaceoftherapeutics,diagnostics,andengineering.
Scientists,engineers,andexpertsfrommanyfieldswork togethercloselyandalsobuildoffoftheinsightsandideas fromeachother Theyworkhandinhand,peertopeerina uniqueandcollaborativeapproach.Leadingthispatientfocusedandintegrativecultureiskeytoaninnovative environment,andIbelieveitisbecauseofthisthatwehave beenabletorecruitandretaintoptalentacrossindustries.
Inwhatwayshaveyouoryourcompanycontributedto thecommunity?Ifgivenachance,whatchangewould youbringincreatinga"communityofhealthy business"?
Today,mostcancertreatmentsdeliveronlymodestclinical responseratesandfailforthemajorityofpatients,exposing themtoineffectivetherapiesandunnecessarysideeffects andtoxicities.Notable'smissionofdeliveringpredictive precisionmedicinethatworksforeachcancerpatient,and reducingunnecessarysideeffects,makesanimportant impactforthecommunity Thesetypesofadvanceswill revolutionizetreatmentforpeoplewithcancer
Whatisthebestwaytomeettoday's/tomorrow's challengeswithyourcompany'sexceptionalproducts andservicesforurgentneedscomingourway?
Inordertocreatethestreamofpredictivemedicinesthat patientscanrelyonwiththeurgencytheydeserve,itis criticalthatwecontinuetocollaboratewithindustry partnersandacademia.Havingdevelopedand commercializedmedicinesforcancerandrarediseasesfor morethantwentyyears,Iknowthatmanymedicinescan deliverahugemedicalimpactbutunfortunatelyonlyfora smallsubpopulationofthepatientswhoreceivethem. Wehavecreatedaplatformthatreproducesthehuman cancercellmicroenvironmentthatcanbeusedtotest cancertherapies,patientbypatient,witha92%accuracy,
beforetheyreceivetreatment.Thankstoourplatformand itspredictionaccuracy(asreportedbyStanford University*),wecannowengagewithprospectivepartners toco-developandlicensesuchtransformativemedicines solelyfocusedonrespondingpatients.Patientscanbe confidentthattheirtreatmentwillworkforthem,andour lifesciencespartnersbenefitfromafasterdevelopment speedandahigherlikelihoodofsuccess.
*Source:MichaelA.Spinner,…,PeterL.Greenberg;Ex vivodrugscreeningdefinesnoveldrugsensitivitypatterns forinformingpersonalizedtherapyinmyeloidneoplasms. BloodAdv2020;4(12):2768–2778.
AsanestablishedCEO,whatwouldbeyouradviceto thebuddingentrepreneursaspiringtoventureintothe industry?
Beabletopivotquicklytotakeadvantageofemerging opportunities,expectbumpsanddetoursalongtheway,and mostimportantly,staytruetoyourcorevalues.Whenyou developproductsforpatients,proceedwithextraurgency andcare.
Howdoyouenvisionsustainingyourcompany's competencyinacutthroatandvolatileworldof Security?Wheredoyouseeyourselfandthecompany inthenextfiveyears?
Partofourintegrativecultureistobeexternallyfocused andequallyseizeopportunitiesandaddresschallengeswith thebestpossibleapproaches.Challengesmakeusstronger andwillexpediteourvisionofdeliveringastreamof predictiveprecisionmedicineandredefiningthestandardof care,alwaysensuringthebestpossibleoutcomesfor patients.Patientbypatient.Diseasebydisease.
Each patient is notable and can benefit from a predictive precision medicine that works for them.
“ “
The Break from the ORTHODOX LEADERSHIP
Tourselves."Well,whatdoesittaketobecomeone?
hereisasaying,"becomethebestversionof
Itisthebreakfromtheordinary,challenging orthodoxthinking,andcomingoutasthebestversionof ourselves.Itappliesthesameinleadership;today,itisthe breakfromorthodoxleadership,whichweneedwith innovativeideas.Whatelsefollowsinthejourneyofa leader?Let'shavealookthroughthisarticle.
Long-lastingLeadership
Thewilltolearnnewthingsbycollaboratingwiththe expertsofthatparticularfieldexpandstheknowledgeofthe businessleaders.Whilewemayagreethateveryone's journeyinlifeisdifferent,itfollowsyoutilltheendonce youchoose.Buttheendgoalistomakeanimpactinthe lifeofothers,beitintheformofbusiness,sports,politics, entertainment,oranyotherniche.And,whenitcomesto business,thereisapositionwhereassisting,motivating, andimpactingthelivesofothersistheresponsibilityofthe businessleader-CEO.ThedecisionstakenbyaCEOcan haveahugeimpactontheorganization'slifeandthe people.
TheCEOIngredients
WhenwespeakabouttheCEO,whatarethemust-have qualitiestowatchoutfor?Theprimaryaspectcomesfrom knowingtosolvetheproblemsoftheemployeesandthe company Theteam'ssupporthelpstheCEOincritical timesandwithoutateamplayer,onecannotsucceedin businessoranyotherfield.Therestofthequalitiescomes frommaintainingaculturethatisworthinspiringand following.
TheCEOisthemostappropriateandresponsiblepersonfor meetingtheneedsoftheemployeesandthecompany The ideas,decisions,andculturesetbytheCEOmakethe companyshineineverysituation.He/sheisinvolvedin everymanagementdecisionandisthepersonwho understandstheclientsandtheemployee'sneeds.He/she
alsoactsasamediatorwhodigsdeepintoeveryproblemof allthecompanylevels,astheCEOisinvolvedinseveral meetingsrightfromtheemployeetothecompanygrowth. ThereisnosingledecisiontakenwithoutaCEO;asa matteroffact,he/sheisthefaceofthemanagement.
ThereisalotofvalueforintegrityinthelifeofaCEO becauseyouhavetoprovidehonestrecommendationsand instructionineverypartoftheorganization.Additionally, beingawareofthemarketupdatesandknow-howcomes naturally,asyougottobethebestinbusinessfortheteam andthecompany.Lastly,promotinginclusivityand diversityintheorganizationmakestheorganizationaplace tothrive.
WhereareweNowandtheFuture
Today,weseemoreintelligentCEOswithapositiveand freshapproachenteringthebusinessarena,breakingthe trendoforthodoxleadership.Withtheirinnovative thinking,companiesareresultinginmoreinnovative practices.TheCEOisbringingthetransformationand successfullymeetingalltheexpectationsfromtheclientsto theemployees.Ultimately,onlylivinguptothesevalues canbringtheoveralltransformationintheindustry.
ThejourneyoftheCEOisnodoubtchallengingbutlooking attheresults,itisallworthyintheend.Inaworldfullof transformation,itisbesttobalancebothtechnologyand compassion.Itwillleadusalltoabetterfuture,wherewe ashumanscannurtureandprogressevenmore,makingthe worldabetterplacetoliveforusall.
Lastly,withthis,let'sallhopethatwelivealifefullof compassionandkindnesswhatevertimewehaveonearth. Afterall,itshouldnotalwaysbeaboutthebusinessand profitbutalsoaboutcreatingaworldofopportunities, whereallthepeoplefeelincluded.And,beingaCEO,it becomeshis/herroletoleadallsuchpeoplewiththebest skillset.
Changing Leaderships
Thomas P. Shivers
and President
Partners
CEOs Transforming Business Through Innova on- 2022
Thomas Shivers
A Relentless Leader with a Progressive Approach
Relentlessleaderssetdirectionstomakeideasinto reality.Theyfocusonproducingideasthathave practicalimplicationsforthem.Whatmakesthem standoutfromtherestistheirabilitytolistentotheirteam andrecognizetheeffectivenessoftheirofferings.Onesuch pioneerofrelentlessleadershipisThomasP.Shivers,who hasbeenconsistentlyrecognizedasanindustryleaderfor hisconstantfocusonresults,accountability,andpractical application.
Withover25yearsofexecutiveandentrepreneurial experienceintheworkers’compensationmanagedcare marketplace,Tomhasbeeninstrumentalinshapingthe industry AstheCEOandPresidentatFourStone Partners,hehascreatedauniqueconsultingfirmthathas beenwidelypraisedforitsinnovation,effectiveness,and efficiency.
We,atInsightsSuccess,caughtupwithTomtounveilhis entrepreneurialjourneyandhowFourStonePartnersis optimizingtheperformanceofbusinesses.
AnEntrepreneurialJourney
TomfoundedFourStoneasastartupthathasnowgrown intoanationalorganization.Thefirmstartedwithoutany privateequitymoney;FourStonehasbeenself-fundedsince itsinception.
Alongtheway,Tomhasmetgreatpeopleandgreatclients who,inonewayoranother,havecontributedatremendous
amountoflearningexperienceforhim.Ithasbeenan incrediblejourneyforTom,andthereisyetmoretocome.
TheValuesthatOptimizePerformance
FourStonehascontinueditsexpertiseintheworkers’ compensationindustryandcommercializinghealthcare productswithauniqueapproach.Tomhascentered FourStonearoundpracticalapplicationandcollaboration. Hefocuseshistimeandattentiononpracticalapplication thathelpsclientsmaximizetheiropportunitiesbasedon whattrulyworksanddevelopsimplementableand actionablestrategies.
Tombelievesinlesstheoryandmorepracticalactions.In hisopinion,whatdifferentiatesFourStonefromits competitorsisthatitprovidesitsclientswithimpactful strategiesandthenexecutesthemontheirbehalf.
SculptingStrongLeadership
FromtheperspectiveofTom,impactfulleadershipis collaborativeinnature,anditisalsoneveraskinganyoneto doanythingthatyouwon'tdoyourself.Aleaderneedstobe accountableforthedecisionsofhisorherteam.
ThepersonalphilosophyofTomis 'everybody in the room is the smartest person in the room based on the subject.' He implementsthesameatFourStone.Thisway,thebestidea wins,nomatterwhocreatesthatidea.Thisallowspeopleto beattheirbestselveswithoutanyfearandexpresstheir
pointofview,thoughts,andideasonthesubject.Atsome point,theseideasandcanbeembracedandmovedforward. Overall,thisempowerspeopletofeelfreeandnotbeafraid tomakemistakes.Thisapproachwillunlocktheir maximumpotentialinthelongterm.
Inaddition,Tomalsobelievesthathumilityisanessential traitforaleader ACEOshouldbeopentonewideasand understandthateverycolleaguebringstheirknowledgeto thebusiness.Itiscrucialtobeabletolisten.Ontheflipside ofbeingahumbleleaderisbeingrelentlessinpursuing goalsandsuccess.
Tomsays, “I've got a team of employees that count on me to be very good at my job. So, I have to be really good at my job for them. And I feel like one of the traits that I have that has allowed me to succeed is that sort of relentlessness and tenacity. If you combine that with humility and behaving honorably, I think it creates a nice culture. And I think the culture at our firm is something we're very proud of.”
AHealthyWorkCulture
Whenaskedaboutmaintainingpositiveworkcultureat FourStone,Tomsays, “I don't think you can overvalue a positive work environment and a positive work culture. I think it's incredibly paramount to the success of a firm long term. We take an immense amount of pride in the culture that we have.”
ThecultureatFourStoneiscollaborative,competitive,and family-orientedthatprioritizesperformanceandtakingcare ofeachother Thecultureisalsobaseduponpractical application;theteamatthefirmtreatsthemselveslikethey treatitsclients.Thereisn'tanytheory,esoteric, unquantifiablesortofmissionorgoal.Whenpeoplebring ideastothetableforthefirmortheclients,theyhavetobe basedonpracticalapplication,focusingonrealworld solutionsthatcanbetrackedandmanaged.
Tomandhisteamarefearlessandtenaciouswhen implementingnewthings.Theyaren'tafraidtoquickly makeeducateddecisionstorolloutnewproductsand enhanceexistingproducts.Theyworkcollaboratively,both internallyandwiththeirclientsandotherconstituents.The teamtakesmuchprideinhowtheypresentthemselvesto oneanotherandtheirclientsandindustry.
TheHighsandLowsofPandemic
FourStonemanagedtosurviveandexperienceaslight growthduringthepandemicbecauseofitsdiversified portfolio.Someofitsproductsandservicesdidsuffer,but someofthemcouldmaintainandgrow.
Culturally,thepandemicaffectedFourStonethemostas everyonehadtoundergoaremoteworkculture.The companyimplementedsomevirtualmodelsforsomeofits productsandservicesinabrieftimeframe.Italsomeantto
We are a high energy, high intensity, results driven organization that fully engages with our clients to optimize performance.
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trusttheteamtodotherightthingandworktherightway Fortunately,Tomhasspentmuchtimeonhiringbasedupon character Thishelpedthefirmwhenitwentremoteandhad todothingsdifferentlyovernight;thehiringphilosophy provedsuccessfulastheentireteamadjustedremarkably well.
Tomopinesthatitwascrucialtoadapttothecircumstances. Theperformanceofthecompanyinmanywayshas exceededexpectations.Infact,someoftheFourStoneTeam willcontinuetoworkfromhomepost-pandemic.
TechnologicalAspectstoMoveAhead
Technologyhasplayedsuchanincredibleroleinthe evolutionofhowcompaniesfunctionduringthispandemic, andTomdoesn'tthinkthat'severgoingtorollitselfback.It willgetmoreimportantmovingforward.
HeadingIntoNewHorizon
Tomhasanabsolutevisionoforganicgrowth,whichisa challengingroad,andhethinksinthefutureFourStonewill alsogrowthroughacquisition.Thecompanyisactively lookingatsomepotentialacquisitiontargets.Thefirm wouldalsoliketodiversifyandexpandtheservicesthatit offerstoitsclients.
WordsofWisdomforAspiringEntrepreneurs
Inhisadvicetoupcomingentrepreneurs,Tomsays, “Be absolutely relentless in your pursuit of success. Listen to people who know more than you, surround yourself with the best team that you can find that has complementary skills to yours, and allow them full opportunity to help grow the company with their own expertise and spirit.”