Inspiring Business Leaders Making a Difference 2021 Edition 1 January2021

EDITOR’S DESK

Leading from Distance:

business leaders can improve productivity while working remotely

Outofsightmaysometimesgooutofmindwithnot-sopalatableconsequences.Oneofthemostlikely scenariosofsuchathingtakingplaceisinthecaseof remoteworking.Whatwasonceaone-offthingisslowly turningcentralforthesheersurvivalandgrowthofcertain industries.Infact,practicallyeveryindustry,beitrelatedto productionorservices,islookinguptoremoteworkingtocut costsandspeedupservices.

Thatsaid,notallisgreenontheothersideofthefence.Some, infactisincreasinglyturningbrownwithtimegiventhatnot enoughtimecouldbespentstudyingthephenomenonofWork FromHomeanditsoutcomesacrossindustriesandjobprofiles. Prosandconsaside,therearecertainstepsthatbusinessleaders oughttotaketomotivatethoseworkingfromremotelocations sothatthelattergivestheirbest,whilekeepingthe organizationalflagflyinghigh.

Mapoutthosejobsandprofilesthatarebestdoneremotely! Noteveryjobcanbedoneremotely.Someinfactneedthe presenceofpeopleandsystemsallthetime.Thisincludesjobs directlyrelatedtoproduction-linesandshopfloors.These obviouslycannotbedonefromremotelocations.Thatsaid, therearethosewhichneedtobedoneremotelyeitherbecause ofthewaytheyarestructuredoraffordstheopportunitywhile keepingqualityofworkandcostseitherdownorwithinlimits. Jobstypicallydoableatremotelocationscouldinclude research,writing,data-entryandaccountstonamesome.By takingawaysuchjobs,mostbusinessleaderscaninfact motivateexistingstaffinofficeandremotelocationstoperform better.Oneofthefirstthingsthatbusinessleadersthusneedto doistosegregatejobsintodoableremotelyandotherwise,and onlythenproceedtowardstakingfirmactions.

DR.

HAAS

Dailyface-to-faceinteractionsinastructuredmanner withafixedagendathatismixedwithsmalltalk(not necessarilybeingstrictlyrelatedtowork). Oneofthebiggestdrawbacksofremoteworkingisthe feelingofalienation,andmoresoforthoseusedtotheair ofanofficewithpeoplemillingaround.Workingalonecan bedisturbing,boringandinsome,canleadtofeelinglow whichifnotaddressedintime,mayleadtodepression.The goodnewsisthatthefeelingofbeinglonelycanbedone awayjustaseasilywiththeuseoftechnologieswhichhelps interactwiththeoutsideworld,especiallyseniorsand businessleaders.

Withbroadbandinternetnotbeinganissueinmost countries,platformsincludingGoogleMeet,Zoom,Xoho etchavecomeupwithelaboratesystemswherebusiness leadersandthosedownthelinecaninteractwiththose workingremotelywiththesameeaseandflexibilitythat appliesinthephysicalworld.Whileitmakessensetohave structuredmeetingtomakethemostoftime,it’sequally importanttokeeptimeasideforsmallchit-chatsaboutthe family,theweatherandtopicsnotstrictlyrelatedto employmentandajob.

Whiletheformerhelpsstreamlinejob-relatedwork includinggettingrequisitepermissionsinplace,thelatter helpsengenderclosenessamongco-workers.Thisis especiallytrueintimesofcriseslikethepresentpandemic orwhenremotelyworkingco-workersgothrougha personaltragedy

Set-upclearKRAsandderivewaystoachievethem. Treatdeviationswithrequisitesignificance. Salesisanactivitywherebeingopaquedoesn’thelp.Itin

factmuddlesthingswhichaffectsproductivityand employeemorale,andmoresoofthoseplacedawayfrom anofficeset-up.Productivitythusdemandsthatonebeas openandcleartotheextentpossiblewithfiguresandfacts inplace.

Forinstance,inthecaseofwriting-relatedassignments,it makessenseforbusinessleaderstobeopenwithaspects includingword-count,toneandtenor,datesofassignment etc.Byprovidingrelevantdetailsanddoingsowithclarity, businessleadersmaketheirexpectationscleartoeveryone includingthoseworkingremotelywhichgoesalongwayin motivatingworkerstoperforminaclear,precise,and output-relatedmanner.

Wherepossible,insistonphysicalinteractions. Wherethereexistsapossibilitytomeetinpersonatfixed intervals,itshouldsurelybeencouragedandutilized.Body languageandnuancesaresomethingonecannot understand-despitethebestoftechsupportunlessone comesface-to-facewithapersoninaparticularsetting.It canhavevariousformsincludingofficeattendanceat regularintervals,meetingcolleaguesininformal(though structured)settings,presenceinsharedspaceswhichdoes awaywithtravellingtofar-offplaces.

Formsaside,what’sofimportanceistomeetinperson where-everpossible.Sometimesit’sjustonemeetthatdoes thetrickofmotivatingpeople-andofthat,mostofthe talkingisdonebygesturesandbodylanguage!

Abhishaj Sajeev abhishaj@insightssuccess com

A Trendsetter

How a Techie built a Million-dollar Venture that empowers businesses with the power of mobile apps

Dr . T igr an Haas PRO VIDING A V ERSA TILE OUTLOOK ON IMP A C TFUL LEADERSHIP 08

CO VER ST OR Y

ARTICLES

New Directions

6 Trending career opportunities that have emerged post COVID-19 pandemic

Approyo Inc

The leading global SAP provider

Ray Pasquale

An epitome of Leadership, Innovation, and Excellence

Digital Everything

5 Reasons why Digital Marketing will Boom in 2021

Nicole Martin Empowering People, Empowering Companies

Rob Leslie Pioneering the Cyber-safety Magic

Inspiring

BUSINESS LEADERS

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2021

Featuring CompanyName

AdamBelsher CEO

MagnetForensics magnetforensics.com

ChristopherCarter CEO

DonBerchoff CEO

KenBond CEO

Approyo approyo.com

TruWeatherSolutions LLCtruweather solutions.com

adrizer adrizer.com

MarcInkol President

ExplorerResearch explorerresearch.com

NickWagner Co-foundr

PremiseLED premiseled.com

NicoleMartin CEO HRBoost hrboost.com

RayPasquale CEO

UnifiedOffice,Inc. unifiedoffice.com

RobLeslie CEO TigranHaas DirectorandCEO

Brief

MagnetForensicsisagloballeaderinthedevelopmentof digitalinvestigationsoftwarethatacquires,analyzesandshares evidencefromcomputers,smartphones,tabletsandIoTrelated devices.

ApproyoprovidesfullSAPservicetechnologywithextensive capabilitiesinconsulting,solutionsarchitecture,hostingand managedservices,inordertodeveloptherightsolutionforour customers.

TruWeatherhasaprovenframeworkforrecoveringthoselost profitsforweathersensitivebusinesses.

AdRizerisafull-servicetrackingplatformforadvertisers seekingROIoptimizationanddigitalanalytics.

ExplorerResearchisanaward-winningproviderofintegrated researchspecializinginpackagingandshopperresearch.

Sedicii sedicii.com

PremiseLEDisdedicatedtobeingaone-of-a-kindlighting company;faster,stronger,smarter,andforjustonereason:to makeitscustomersloveitsproducts.

HRBoost,LLC.isSharedServicesHRfirmspecializingin buildingHRfromscratchandimplementingpracticesthatadd value.

UnifiedOffice,Inc.isaleadingproviderofSDN-basedhybrid cloudmanagedVoice-over-IP(VoIP)andUnified Communicationsservicestosmallandmedium-sized businesses.

Sediciiallowstwopartiesthathaveaccesstothesame informationtoprovetoeachotherthattheybothhaveexactly thesameinformation,ornotasthecasemaybe,withoutever exposingtheunderlyinginformationtoeachotherinthe process.

KTHRoyalInstitute ofTechnology kth.se

KTHRoyalInstituteofTechnologyinStockholmisoneof Europe’sleadingtechnicalandengineeringuniversities,aswell asakeycentreofintellectualtalentandinnovation.

DR. TIGRAN HAAS DIRECTOR

Inspiring

BUSINESS LEADERS

A DIFFERENCE 2021

Dr. Tigran Haas

We must learn and adapt, and we also need to prepare for the tougher challenges ahead of us, as unfortunately there will be many more of these to come.

PROVIDING A VERSATILE OUTLOOK ON IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP

Cover Story

Toprovidestudentswithan easilyaccessibleonline versionoftheircourses, universitiesarebetterplacedina networksocietyinthisnewdigitalage.

Iffornothing,thispandemichastaught ustobelocalized,lesswasteful,more attunedtoecologicalfootprint, comradeship,andtheimportanceof microscale.

Also,thenewideasforcitiesofthe futureintermsofdensityandspreadof peopleandinfrastructure,newoffice environments,andnewpublicplaces aregoingtobeomnipresentinany futureplanninganddevelopment processes.Newtheories,newdata, newapproaches–allofthatis necessaryinordertoproducenew resilientandjusttechnological environments.

Universityandcollegecampusessuch asKTH–RoyalInstituteof TechnologyandMITareplaceswhere studentsstudy,socialiseandlivein closeproximitytoeachother These campusesarealsothenexusforsocial

If you’re striving to be a top leader, you probably need to have a winning spirit and a clear purpose – drive and spirit

andculturalhubswherestudentsare broughttogetherfromallcornersofthe worldwheresocialandhumancapital isproduced.

Duetotherapidspreadofthe coronavirusandtheunprecedented impactithashadonoursociety,they hadtoadapttoteaching,researchand networkingonlineandmost importantly,todoeverythingtheycan toprotectthelivesoftheirstudentsand faculty

Maximisingonlinelearningand teaching,developingrobustbut flexiblesystems,gatheringinformation andapplyingthebestpracticeshave beensomeofthehallmarksofthis difficultperiod,aswellasgreat collegialandcomradeshipthroughout thedays. “The higher education sector has withstood pandemics and turbulent

economic times in the past and it will withstand them again, preparing to be adaptable, resilient and sustainable in the long run,” saysDr.TigranHaas, DirectoroftheCentrefortheFuture ofPlaces(CFP)atKTH.

ImpactingDynamically

Dr TigranhadstudiedArchitectureand UrbanismintheUSA,Former YugoslaviaandCroatia,aswellasin Sweden.Hehadalsocompletedpost-

doctoralfellowshipsinUrbanism, SustainablePlanning,Information TechnologyandUrbanFormatthe MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology (MIT),MediaLab,UCBerkeleyatthe InstituteofUrbanandRegional DevelopmentandtheUniversityof Michigan,AnnArborattheTaubman CollegeofArchitectureandUrban Planning.Hewasaguestprofessorat theZagrebSchoolofEconomicsand Management(ZSEM)aswell.

Knowing your people is a must of musts

Dr Tigranhaswrittenover100 scholarlyarticles,55conference papers,10books,fourresearch anthologies,andhavebeeninvolvedin teachingininternationaleducational programssuchasRealEstate Management,Environmental EngineeringandSustainable Infrastructure,SpatialPlanning, StrategicManagement,UrbanPlanning andDesignalongwithSustainable UrbanPlanningandDesign(SUPD). Hehasalsohelpedinsettingupan MBAprograminCroatian,Zagreband foundingandrunningtheOne-year AdvancedMaster’sProgramin UrbanismStudies(MUSE).

Tobeanimpactfulleader,Dr Tigran believesthattheabilitytolearnfrom thepastandfrommistakes,strong communicationskillsandbuilding sustainablerelationshipsatalllevelsis

‘important.Hestressesonlistening, understandinganddoingwhatis necessaryalongwithmaintaining optimisticapproachtowardsrisktaking toaspecificdegree. “We need to read people and adapt to their behaviour,” sharesDr.Tigran.Itisoneofthe necessarytasksintheorganizationthat helpsinanticipatingproblems. Thinkingoutsideofthebox, eliminatingthreatsandassessing psychopathicpersonalitiesiscrucialto criticaldecisionmaking.

Oneofthebiggesthurdlesisthe environmentatthemicro,mesoand themacroscales.Itisnotedthatmacro bringstheimmediateonewithallthe challengesofcompetence,tasks,staff, rapiddecisions,administration,and leadership. “Optimism and assessment of the risk factors should be the ultimate factor of a research-oriented company’s chairperson,” thinksDr. Haas.

Masteringandanticipatingthe problemsastheyarise,andsolving themimmediately,oftendoingit

outsidethebox,usingintuition,fast decisionmaking,improvisationand decisivetimemeasures,aresomeof thekeyelementsofagoodleader.

Finally,eliminatingthepsychopathic personalitiesthatmightbecome hurdlesfortheworkingenvironment andbusinessoperationsbydisabling theirdestructiveandnegative operationsisamust.Thisisoneofthe keyhurdlesforthewholeresearch teamandthebusinessworld,whichis oftenwronglyside-tracked,forgotten andunderestimated.

AGuidingLight

Roadblockswillbemanyfrom personalchoices,communication, decisionsandprojectsalongwith programworkthatcanbringmany knownaswellasunknownfactors.The keythingisatightorganizationwith goodleadershipanddelegationof responsibilitieswherethechemistry functionsandallareonboardtowardsa commongoalandwheremutual benefitmustprevail,availing individualgainandvanity

Toomanyleadersseethosetheylead justasscrewsinamachinethatneeds someoilattimesorlittlebytesina softwaresystemandrarelytakethe timetolearnaboutthem. “Continuous learning and never losing your enthusiasm are the key to being successful,” informsDr.Tigran.

Afreshandenthusiasticapproachis necessaryallthewayasleadingothers isbothascienceandanart,asKTH’s logoandmottodepictsaboutScience andArt. “A science, in that good leadership requires some knowledge of human nature; an art because there will always be the need for creativity”, assomebodyoncesaid.

Afterthefive-yearsequelofthe Centre,Dr Tigranisinterestedin seeingwhatthefuturehasinstorefor himandtheinstitute. “We will see what the future has installed for us,

The attitude of having a clear vision will serve you well, but only with a grain of caution

that is where the next focus will lie in the coming five years, either continuing in the path we have set or turning the ship into another, slightly less (un)charted destination,” hedescribes.

Themainissuethatneedstobe addressednowisthatthecitiesare gettingmorecomplexandthe challengesarerisingonadailybasis withmultipleconvergingcrises.This situationdemandsanswersfornew theories,toolsandapproaches. “The Centre will try to answer these calls as it goes into the next period,” concludes Dr Tigran.

Approyo Inc

TheleadingglobalSAPprovider

EversincethefirstEnterprise ResourcePlanning(ERP) softwaresteppedinthemarket inthe1990s,theyhavebeen experiencinggrowthandenabling companiestoseamlesslymanage businessactivities.

Technologyhasproventobethefastest waytopropelyourbusinesstosuccess. Itisimportanttoconstantlylookfor solutionstoyourbiggestbusiness problemsanddrawbacks.Stayingupto datewiththelatestandgreatestinERP systemsspecificallywillallowyouto gainaone-uponyourcompetitorwhen youareinnovatingwhiletheystay stagnant.Updatingsystemsand implementingnewsolutionsenables companiestoincreaseReturnon

Investment(ROI),decreasedowntime, improveanalytics,andorganizedata, improvingoverallcustomer,partner, andemployeeexperiences.

“Ifyouwantbetterresults,youmust usethebesttechnology,”advises ChristopherCarter,Founder& CEO,ApproyoInc.Christopher’s professionaljourneystartedwhenhe studiedSAPtechnologyatGeorgia Tech.Today,heisblessedtohave nearly30yearsofexperienceinSAP andhasbeennationallyrecognizedby TheAmericanSAPUsersGroup, Inc5000,Forbes,andmanymore.

Hespeaksandeducatesonthebenefits ofselectiveERPmanagement solutions,Cloud,andSAPsolutions,to

otherprofessionalsaroundtheworld. Hewasfortunatetohavebeenthe creatorofthefirstSAPcloudeverto beusedbyanSAPclientbackin2005, andthefirstSAPHANAProduction cloudusedbyatrue-blueclient.

DeliveringTechnologySolutions

AtApproyo,Christopherandhis teamworkwithfirmstoassistthemin theirjourneytotheusageofSAPand theirHANAsolutions.Inthe beginningstagesofdefiningApproyo, theteamfounditdifficulttodraw largenumberofclientsduetothelack ofeducationaroundcloudcomputing atthetime.Tryingtoconvince companiestousecloudtechnology whenitwasanewconceptwasno easytask.Manycompanieswereokay withstickingwiththeiroldlegacy systems,andtheyhadtocomeupwith aplantoshowthemhowthecloudis

AWARDS GALORE

has been named on the Inc 5000 list four times. This year they were listed as no. 9 in Milwaukee, no. 40 in Wisconsin, and no. 231 in IT Management.

• Approyo named One of The ‘10 Most Renowned Brands to Watch in 2020' by The Leaders Globe

• ‘5 Best SAP Solution Providers Companies to Watch’ by The Silicon Review

• Chris Carter Awarded Bravo! Entrepreneur and I.Q Award by Milwaukee’s BizTimes Media

• 2020 USA’s ‘Best Practice Operator of the Year (SAP Solutions)’ by ACQ5

• Approyo Ranked no. 36 Among The 2020 World’s Most Elite 501 Managed Service Providers

• “Best 100 Companies to Watch Out for in 2020” by Exeleon Magazine

muchmoreagile,scalable,and reliable.

Today,Approyoprovides implementations,migrations,upgrades, and24/7SAPsupportfortheir customersaroundtheglobe.Theyalso providefreeconsultations,alongwith hostingandmonitoringofSAP systemsandapplications.Theysupport organizationsthatarelookingfor knowledgetosupporttheirownfirm’s growththroughcurrentbusiness processes,whereeven1%ofchange canleadtomillionsofdollarsinthe businessflow.“Byprovidingthebest SAPSolutionsintheworld,tailoredto individualbusinessneeds,andby providingafocusonourPlatformasa Service(PaaS),allowsustolaunch systemsinhoursratherthanweeks, allowingcustomerstoinnovateand experiencesuccessatafasterratethan theircompetitors,”explains

Christopher

Trusting,notJustDirecting

Asanexperiencedleader,Christopher believesthatthemostpowerfulformof leadershipishavingtrustinyourteam. “Takethetimetoeducatethemand

helpthemalongtheway,but ultimatelytrustthemtomakethebest decisionsthatwillleadyourbusiness tosuccess.Leadershipshouldneverbe adictatorshipbecause,withoutyour team,yourcompanywouldbe nothing,”hesays.

Advisingyoungentrepreneurs,hesays, “Ifyouhaveanidea,aconcept,ora dream,gooutanddoit,don’tgiveup onit.Takerisksandleanintoyourfear offailureoryouwillneversucceed. Approyowouldnotbewhereweare todayifIdidn’ttaketherisktoinvest init.”

AllforChange

Whenaskedwhathewouldliketo changeaboutthecurrentbusiness ecosystemintheUS,Christopher sharedthathewouldmaketwo changes:

“First,Iwouldwanttobringmore entrepreneursintotheworldtoexpand innovationevenmoreso,fastand furious.Failfastbutifyoukeep gettingup,you’llbeonthepathto success.Second,Iwouldwanttoadd moresecuritytotheapplications

Inspiring

BUSINESS LEADERS

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2021

currentlyavailableinthemarket.Firms likeFacebook,Twitter,TikTok,etc. needtostopsellingtheirdatatothird partycompanies,andthereshouldbe lawsputinplacetostopthisfrom occurringinthefirstplace.Notonly canithurtbusinesses,butitgoes againstindividuals’rightstoo,ithurts everyone.”

GrowthisEssentialwhateverbethe Circumstances

ThecurrentCOIVDI-19pandemichad sentthewholeworldintoatizzyand businesseslookingforsolutionsthat couldhelpthemsurvive.Regardlessof

thepandemic,thesystemsmust continuetorunefficiently.Therefore, Approyohascontinuedwithits responsibilityofprovidingitsSAP servicesandsolutionseventhroughout thesedifficulttimes.Ithasprovidedsix monthsoffreeSAPservicestooldand newclientstofreeuptheircashflow, helpingthemcontinuetostay innovativewhilestressinglessabout theirbudget.

“Asfortheorganization,themost importantthingIseeforusisgrowth. Alreadywithin2020wehavegained moreclients,startedmore conversationswithnewexecutives, gainedmorestaff,etc.Mymaingoalis togrowourteamofSAPexpertsto takecareofourgrowingnumberof customersandpartners,”concludes Christopher

Trending CAREER OPPORTUNITIES that have emerged post COVID-19 PANDEMIC

he COVID-19 pandemic continues to be the

Tenemy at the gate. With vaccines having limited use, and the fight likely to be a long-drawn one, there is one thing everyone in every sphere wants to do in order not to get infected.

And that is, maintaining social distancing. Though it may not sound alarming and on the contrary, quite innocuous, in reality it’s affecting industries where distance (the nearer, the better) does matter, or where maintaining the right distance as mandated, is tough.

This aspect of the disease has led to the demise of a range of industries while paving the path for the creation of new ones which, besides taking care of the likely spread of the pandemic, could change the very way industries run in future. We mention a few below.

• Specialists in robotics and integration!

AI, ML, Robotics and beyond aren’t simply buzzwords anymore. They mean business, and for some, this actually mean business in that specialists in comprehensive robotics across industries be it BFSI, Healthcare, Logistics, and even education, are high in demand.

The industry has gone way beyond websites, apps, CRM integration with ecommerce companies to mean leveraging the power of data through AI to power robots to do everything that till a while back was done by humans.

In a few years from now, jobs like data entry would be a thing of the past with machines taking care of gathering data be it through voice-activated systems, capturing innage gestures to gleaning information using NLP Those who can help companies integrate the entire exercise are in need.

• Specialists in data gathering and utilizing

Data has been the new crude oil for quite some time now. Covid-19 just brought that understanding to every place where data could be gathered – without the need for human interface! Be it waiting tables at a restaurant, operating earth-moving equipment at constructions sites or administering medicines, every situation generates data every second which needs to be cleaned, sorted, completed, and put thru the right program to generate insights and predictions. The need for specialists who can predict points where information of the right kinds can be had in the right quantities is thus the need of the hour.

You could call them information specialists or whatever, but they are here to stay. As for the pandemic, it has upset the applecart by bringing about the element of unpredictability. Such specialists can help gather data, insights and actionable information to bring further mechanization and robotization and help reduce the element of unpredictability.

• Specialists in remote assistance

It started with work-from-home. And now it’s work from anywhere- other than an overcrowded office. As long as the objective is met, one’s physical location isn’t a matter of concern for most organization any longer. That said, connecting the remotest outpost to a centralized system while maintaining speed, accuracy and most of all, data security is of utmost importance in the present post-pandemic order Working from a location other than a centralized office is affecting everyone from a services company to a manufacturer, distributor, logistics entity to even service providers including medical practitioners whose ambit now has increased to doing surgeries online, attending to patients online, and providing post-procedure care.

Specialists who guarantee seamless connectivity while maintaining integrity and data security are the need of the hour.

• Communication experts

Before the pandemic broke-out, communication among others meant written and spoken stuff with a certain human element. Now, with the human element all but gone, and in most instances taken over by bots, the need to communicate right from the very first instance is important. This calls for communication experts who understand the language, the medium, technology, and to an extent the product. In all, such a person would seamlessly guide most marketing campaigns which these days aren’t stand-along activities but integrated to the very act of selling and making loyal clientele.

• Re-trainers

With the whole world undergoing lockdowns in some form or the other, industry across the spectrum took a severe beating. Add to that the steady movement towards mechanization, and the advent of independent systems including the cloud. Put together it shall see vast swathes of humanity either unemployed or under-employed, and not in a position to provide for themselves.

In order not to cause social unrest, most governments worldwide are seeking the assistance of specialist re-trainers who not only train people but in some instances make them unlearn certain things (as is the case with data-entry operators) before training them afresh. Learning and development and re-training are thus one industry which in some form or the other, can thank the Covid-19 pandemic for exacerbating the situation.

• Psychiatrists

Lockdown, losing jobs, losing mobility, losing dear ones, re-assessing life ab-initio. A sizable population worldwide has been made to go through this agony of which predictably, a sizable number hasn’t responded positively. A shrink is then everyone’s favourite person these days who besides playing the perfect agony aunt, has helped near-collapsed individuals pull back from the edge to find a new meaning to life. Be they seasoned ears or newbies, those with the right credentials are a real need of the hour. And for a change, it’s ambit is worldwide.

M. Purushoutham

Anorganizationisonlyas successfulasitsemployees.”

Anyonewhounderstandsthe importanceofhumancapital, understandsthisadage.Businesses,no matterwhatsize,arebuiltonthe productivity,commitment,and integrityoftheiremployees.

Finding,acknowledging,andretaining employeesthatcanaidthesuccessof yourbusinessmustbeponderedupon asmuchasforprofitsandgrowth.

NicoleMartintheFounderandCEO ®ofHRBoost stronglybelievesinthe same.

®NicolefoundedHRBoost ,ashared servicesHRfirmspecializingin buildingHR,basedontheideathat

Inspiring

BUSINESS LEADERS

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Nicole Martin

EmpoweringPeople,Empowering Companies

full-serviceHRissomethingsmall businessesdeserve.“Everyperson deservesjoyandpurposethroughtheir work,andwefeelcompaniesthat enablethiswillprosperandgrowwith acompetitiveadvantagethroughtheir people,”saysNicole.

®HRBoost deliversskilledtalenttoits clients.Thecompanybelievesclients needbothstrategicandtactical resourcesatthesametime.“One humanisnotidealastherearevarious cognitiveabilitiestooptimizeHR strategically,”saysNicole.“Webelieve oursharedservicesapproachtothe middlemarketisthePEO(professional employerorganization)alternative. Andyes,themiddlemarketneedsan alternative,”sheadds.

Nicoleloveswhatshedoes,andshe doesitremarkablywell.“I’man accidentalentrepreneur,”saysNicole, “Ilookedbackafterstartingmyown businessandsaid,‘Istartedabusiness. Whoa!’” Nicoledidn’tsetouttocreate HRBoost.Shesimplyfollowedher passiontohelpclientsunderstandthe importancehumanresourcescanplay indevelopingastrongbusiness.And today,Nicoleisasuccessful entrepreneurandanHRindustry innovatorwhoisdedicatedtohelping smalltomid-sizebusinessrealizetheir potentialthroughtheiremployees.

NicolegrewupinMontana,where,she says,“Everyoneknowsyouandgreets youonthestreet.”Nicolewasalso luckytohaveagreatmentorearlyin life:hermom.“Mymotherishighly spiritual,andsheraisedmewiththe philosophyofbeinghappy,”Nicole expresses.“Shealwaysbelievedinme

NicoleMartin

FounderandCEO

andsaidthatyouareaspecial person—sheingrainedthatinme—and youarecapableofanything.”

Attheageof18Nicolewasreadyto startprovinghermomright.Sheleft Montanaandmovedinwithher godmotherinLibertyville,Illinois.

Rightoutofhighschool,Nicolegota jobasareceptionistatapre-Y2Kfirm whereshefoundherpassionquiteby accident.“Theywerehiringallthese computerexpertsfromoverseas,but whentheyarrived,thecompanyjust puttheminthereceptionareabecause theydidn’tknowwhattodowith them,”recallsNicole.“Itwasjust inhumane.”

Duringthesametime,Nicolewas workingonatrainingprogramfora collegehumanresourcesclass.“I wantedtohelptheseguysoutinthe hallway,soIjustmarchedintothe director’sofficeandaskedhimifhe wantedtoseethetrainingprogramI createdforschool.”WhenNicolewas finishedwithherpresentation,the directorcreatedahumanresources departmentforthesite,hireda

managerandmoved18-year-old Nicolefromreceptiontohuman resources.

NicolehasbeenbuildingHR departmentsfromthegroundupever since.Whatmakesherapproachso unique,shesays,isthatshebegins withthebusiness’visionandcreates HRprogramsthatarecompletely integratedwiththatvision.Fromthe hiringprocesstoannualreviews,the programsNicolecreatesaredesigned tofurtherthebusiness,boost productivity,andhelpemployees understandwhyandhowtheir contributionsaremeaningful.

“There’salotofmisinformationout thereinthebusinesscommunity.These bigbusinessesarecomingintosmallto mid-sizecompanies,andtheyare offeringsomethingthattheycallfullserviceHR,butit’snot.It’stactical HR.It’sjusttakingcareofpayroll, benefits,databasestuff.It’snotthe strategicintegrationthathelpsa businessthriveandperform.”Nicole explained.

Today,NicoleMartindoesherbestto representherindustry,notjustasa seniorexecutive,butasapublic speaker,thoughtleader,blogger,board memberandvolunteer.Asan ambassadorfor101BestandBrightest CompaniestoWorkFor™,sheis helpingChicagobusinesstoseeallthe benefitsafullyintegratedhuman resourcesdepartmentcanbring.

“Ifyougointoabusinessandtheyare a101BestandBrightestCompanyto WorkFor™,youcanfeelit.Youwould seeonthepeople’sfaces,the authenticity,thehonesty,constructive criticism(whichislevelofrespect)not complacencywheremanagersactually thinksomethinginsilenceanddon’t communicateit,”explainsNicole.

ButNicole’sbrandoffull-service integratedHRprovidesmorethanjust acorporatecultureboostoragood officevibe.ShelinksHRBoost’s servicesdirectlytoprofitabilitytime andtimeagain—andshe’sgotthe analyticspathchartsandthelogic modelstoproveit.

How a Techie built a MILLION-DOLLAR VENTURE that empowers businesses with the power of MOBILE APPS

Ishan Gupta Founder and CEO

Noteveryengineerbecomesa companyleader Andnotevery companyleaderunderstands howtowritecode.ButMeetIshan–a perfectexampleofa“Successful Technopreneur”whoispossessing sharpTechnicalInsightsalongwith ProlificLeadershipethics.

Acuteatwritingcodestoleada globallyrenownedmobileapp developmentcompanywherehe marvellouslyunlocksthepotentialof employees,empowerthemtoperform theirbestwhiledriving&monitoring businessoutcomes,hehasformulated aninspiringsuccessstorythatevery emergingstartupcanuncovertomark successintotech-world.

Comingupwithastrongbeliefthatthe inclusionofmobiletechnologyand digitalizationofprocessesforany individualorabusinesswillhelpthem toeasetheirlifesothattheycanbe morefocusedontheirCoreBusiness functionsalignedhimtoestablisha venture.

Theintentandwinningtechnical experiencedriveshimtomakea growingventure–RipenApps Technologiesmillion-dollarstartup, whichisemergingasa show stopper at AppDevelopmentStartups’success walk.

Hisbeliefinprioritizingpeopleover processesforthefastestresults,most efficientwork,leastwaste,andthe highestlevelofqualityhasmade RipenAppsTechnologiesaSuccessful Startup.

“His passion for Empowering world with Mobility Solution incepted RipenApps Technologies.”

SuccessStoryofRipenApps

Alignedtoprovideconsultancyto buildnext-generationmobile applicationsforEntrepreneurs/Startups toEnterpriseBusinesses,RipenApps develops&deliversoptimumquality servicestoindividualswhowantto launchtheirbusinessinthemarket withthemostapproachablemedium i.e.,Mobile&dreamingtounlocka massivenumberofROI.

RipenAppsisateamofpassionate peopledrivenbyonezealousvisionto craftimmortalmobileappsolution& deliverunparalleledresults,thereis nothingthatkeepseveryRipenerupat nightmorethanthinking,howweshall collaborativelydeliverenormousvalue totheindividualswhoarewillingtogo digitalwiththeirbusinessonthemost usedandapproachabledigital platforms.

ThiszealanddedicationofeverytechnerdundertheroofofRipenAppshave keptthemalignedtowardsthepathof success&thishasresulted-ina concisespanourBrand“RipenApps Technologies”hasaddedmultiple successfeathersinitscapvia developingavastcountof400+ featured&chartbusterapps,whichare experiencinggiganticcountsof downloadsandhaveenabledtheir foundersraisingmillion-dollarfunds frominvestors.

RipenAppsdeliversoutstanding solutionsandhasalreadydelivered variousmobilitysolutionsacross variousindustriesconsistsof healthcare,education,agriculture, travelandtourism,realestate,fashion, sports,entertainment,andtheappsare witnessingasuccessassignedto RipenApps.

“Outstandingworkgetsaccolades” RipenAppsisgettingadmiredbytheir clients,variousrenownedplatforms, andwell-versedresearch&listing agencies.Allhavegiventhemagreen flagbyentitlingRipenAppsasa leadingmobileappdevelopment company.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Being the Founder and CEO of the fastest growing Mobile App Development Company, Ishan Gupta, loves to solve a real-world problem for Businesses, Entrepreneurs & Enterprises to optimize their business operations while scaling their revenue RipenApps got founded in 2017 & has clocked 1 Mn USD, expanding its workspace from 400 Sqft. to 8700 Sqft. and Team of 3 to 100+

Inaconcisespan,RipenAppsrewarded asafastest-growingcompanythatgot associatedwithMulti-TrillionUSD GlobalCorporateslikeDELLInc., ADOBE,JanaMarinesServicesCo., EP&TGlobal,andmanyothersfor theirsoftwareneedsandproductively addingvaluestotheaboveUnicorns, wehavealsomassivelyraisedthe revenuebarsofourStartup associationsthatconsistsofeGurukul, InTheRooms,UltimateFitnessPass, andmanymoreviarenderingthem hot-sellers,Top-Trending&Millions ofDownloadsrecordedmobile applications.

RipenApps’successstoryisa confirmationof“Whenyoubuiltit Right,itwillbemarkedasaSuccess”.

Ray

Pasquale

AnepitomeofLeadership, Innovation,andExcellence

RayPasquale FounderandCEO

There has to be the vision to invent a new market category or to significantly improve an existing one. You have to create something that really matters,”says RayPasquale,CEOandFounder ofUnifiedOffice,Inc.

Throughthiseditionentitled, Inspiring Business Leaders Making a Difference,weatInsightsSuccess areonajourneytofindsignificant personalitieswhostriveceaselessly tomakeapositiveimpactonthe world.

ThisisthestoryofRayPasqualeand hisjourneythatexemplifiespassion,

perseverance,andpossibilities. Rayhasover30yearsofexperience inthetelecommunicationsindustry Hehasheldseniorexecutive positionsatCascade Communications,Ascend Communications,Lucent Technologies,andSonusNetworks, tonameafew.

Whenaskedabouthowhedefines himselfasanentrepreneur,Ray states,“Itrytotreadthedelicate balancebetweendemonstrating commitmenttopurposeanda willingnesstopivotwhennecessary Ihavelearnedovertheyearsthatitis veryimportanttorelentlesslyfocus

onexecutionandtobewillingto listentoyourcustomersandyour employees.”

Talkingabouthissourceof inspiration,Raysays,“Ihavealways beeninspiredbySteveJobsandthe wayhetransformedthemusicplayer marketbackin2001withthe introductionoftheiPodandlaterthe iPhone.WeatUnifiedOfficearealso transformingtheVoIPandUC marketinmuchthesameway.”

ABenchmarkofQuality UnifiedOfficeisahighlyinnovative managedservicesprovideroffering reliable,hybridcloud-basedbusiness

communicationsservices,IoT services,andreal-timedataanalytics.

Raystartedthecompanybecausehe sawashiftinworkhabitswith companiesbecomingincreasingly virtual.Geographicdistancehadto becomeirrelevant.Theonlywayto accomplishthiswastofirstmake VoiceovertheInternet(VoIP)work reliablywithouttheneedfor expensivelegacytechniqueslikeT1 orMPLScircuits.OnceUnified Officeachievedthis,itwastimeto maketheirVoIPservicegotowork forsmallandmedium-sized businesses.

UnifiedOffice’suniqueservice architectureistheresultoftheteam’s collective150yearsofexperiencein boththetelecommunicationsservice providerandlargeenterprisedata networkingindustries.“Our executiveteamhasdesigned protocols,developedscalable products,andintegrated,deployed, andsupportedcarrier-grade equipmentinmanyofthelargest convergednetworksaroundthe world,”addsRay

UnifiedOffice’sserviceandproduct offeringsareconstantlyevolvingin ordertoprovideunmatchedquality, reliabilityandinnovationsinahighly configurableplatformthatcaterstoa multitudeofdifferentvertical markets.UnifiedOfficehelps improveoperationalexcellence throughitsInternetofthings(IoT), ArtificialIntelligence,andReal-Time DataAnalyticsservices.And,the companyoffersallofthiswithinthe contextofa24/7managedservice thatallowscustomerstofocuson runningtheirbusiness.

Talkingabouttheworkcultureat UnifiedOffice,Raystates,“Wepride

ourselvesinprovidingasafeand nourishingworkenvironmentthat valuesandwelcomesopen communicationandclose collaborationacrossteams, encouragesemployeestothink outsideofthebox,fosterscreativity andnewideas,andempowersour employeestomaketheirown decisions.Westrivetoappreciateour employees’uniqueness,diversity, andindividualskills,andto encouragepersonalgrowth.”

ChangingtheOrdinary

ExplaininghowUnifiedOffice revolutionisedthetelecommarket, Raystates,“ManyVoIP/UC

Inspiring

BUSINESS LEADERS

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2021

Protocol™(HQRP™)OverThis

“OverTheTop”(OTT)transmission technologythatcalculatesinrealtimethousandsofdiversepaths throughitsnetworkofserversacross thecountry,creatingpathsforthe reliableandflawlesstransmissionof voiceanddataovertheInternet.”

TowardsNewHorizons

AskingRaywhatadvicehewould givetoaspiringentrepreneursand businessleaders,heoffered,“Welive inareal-time,hyper-connected, push-buttonworldtoday,whichis evidentintheubiquitousadoptionof smartphones,ondemandtaxiand rideshareservices,nearreal-time

companiescameintobeinginthe early2000slargelybydisruptingthe pricingofthelegacyPBXphone marketwithlittletonoinnovation. Thiscameprimarilyfrom centralizingaPBXinthecloudthat wouldhandlehundredsof subscribersindependentoflocation viaaVoIPdeskphone.Therewasan inherentlackofqualityand reliabilitybecausetheInternetwas notbuiltforreal-timeapplications likevoicecommunications.”

“UnifiedOffice—throughourhybrid cloud,managed,voice-business communicationsservicesand productsdeliveredtosmalland mediumsizedbusinesses—disrupted thismarketparadigm.Weinvented ourpatentedHighestQualityRouting

productdeliveryandever-increasing broadbandspeeds.Peopleexpectan immediateresponsewhenshopping forthings.Itisreallyimportantto helpyourcustomersnavigateand adapttothisfast-changingworld.”

AsforUnifiedOffice’sambitionsfor thenearfuture,thecompanywill continuetoevolveandtransformthe communicationsmarketplacehelping businessesofalltypesadapttothe speedofmarketchangesthatoccurat apacethatishistorically unprecedented.

‘

‘

5

DIGITAL 2021 MARKETING

Every business needs one thing to survive and thrive – revenue generation. And this could only happen by acquiring new customers and retaining the old ones. While many businesses have been choosing the traditional routes of Billboards or TV and Radio ads, very few decided to take the plunge into the digital market exploring new avenues.

While the traditional marketing approach may have served well for most businesses, this won’t be the case post-pandemic. COVID-19 pandemic forced consumers and in turn businesses to enter the digital era firmly as online shopping, be it essentials, electronics, fashion, or furniture, became a necessity.

Moreover, Millennials and gen-z, a huge consumer base for most niches, have been digital-savvy already waiting for their favorite brands and local shops to open digital stores to shop from.

The new normal of social distancing and consumers’ growing shift towards online shopping is leading businesses towards digital marketing.

Let’s see digital marketing will not only be a necessity but a new opportunity for businesses to thrive in 2021.

1. Wider reach in less investment. After surviving from the huge economic toll due to the pandemic the businesses have only one way to go

Digital

forward – cos-cutting. Digital marketing in that sense is a blessing for businesses as it has proven to generate high ROI in less investment.

With different social media platforms providing access to marketing campaigns, audience analysis, and other business tools, small businesses find it easier and efficient to promote their products and services online to reach new audience.

Even with the modest budget businesses can get the right pulse of their audience and change marketing campaigns without experiencing a significant economical setback.

According to Gartner’s Digital Marketing Spend Report, 40% of businesses claimed considerable savings in promotional campaigns through digital media.

2. Boon for online retail businesses. While the traditional retail sector was running in parallel with e-retail, the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to take the digital route. Even the businesses that did not sell online are paving the Ecommerce route now. For these businesses, digital marketing will be a necessity in 2021 as there will be no other way to attract a huge customer base to their shops.

Also, not only as a necessity but the precise digital marketing strategy will help businesses establish brand identity and stand tall in the competition.

3. Power of social media

The success of any marketing strategy depicts how much of the incoming audience is converted into consumers. Conversion optimization can help businesses and brands target the right audience increasing their chance of conversion in less investment.

While the whole array of digital mediums is available for businesses to access, according to the digital marketing giant HubSpot SEO, Social Media, and Email marketing are the most effective in terms of high conversion rate.

Furthermore, with millennials and gen-z spending huge time on social media, this makes it easier for brands to reach their large, targeted audience through these platforms. Not only do social media platforms provide an easy base for brand reach it also makes for quick interaction with your brand audience.

4. A better understanding of your audience. User interaction has become paramount for businesses.

It’s the only way you can understand their wants and needs by asking the consumers. Encourage them in taking part in the brand’s marketing campaigns. Not only this builds transparency and create a loyal consumer base, but moreover, consumers feel more important for brands than just a means of revenue generation.

Well, there are more benefits of user interaction through digital mediums.

• Precise audience targeting campaigns.

• Improved customer experience and satisfaction.

• Increased customer retention rate.

• Revenue generation through cross-sells and personalized offers.

5. Accessing tools for fair competition

The digital revolution has brought the change of inclusivity for businesses. Digitalization and globalization have truly made the world borderless. With access to the global market, small businesses can now have the necessary resources that were once available to large organizations.

Today, most home start-ups and local brands with the power of digital resources are experiencing prominent success in their niche market. Not only this has made it easier for the brands to reach their diverse audience but also has leveled the market competition for small businesses.

What’s next: Getting ready for the Tech-future? With the ongoing technological revolution, there’s no doubt that consumers will soon want their favorite brands to incorporate technology and innovation into their marketing strategy. Mobile apps are already a thing now and soon we will be firmly entering the era of IoT where people can interact with each other through the internet using the global ecosystem of interconnected devices.

Then there is Augmented Reality, another widely accessible technology on the verge of changing the digital marketing space by enhancing the user experience. This points towards the upcoming techfuture and only businesses with a strong digital presence adapting the innovative ways into their marketing strategies will strive in the tech era.

As Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

– Vrushali R

RobLeslie Founder

Rob Leslie

PioneeringtheCyber-safetyMagic

nApril2015,theUnitedStates

IOfficeofPersonnelManagement (OPM)discoveredthatsomeofits personnelfileshadbeenhacked.

Amongthesensitivedatathatwas exfiltratedweremillionsofSF-86 forms,whichcontainextremely personalinformation,alongwith recordsofmillionsofpeople’s fingerprints.Thiswasarguablyoneof thelargestidentitytheftcyber-attack ever

Affecting22millionpeople,including millionsoffederalemployeeswith securityclearances,thishackputa spotlightontheneedtoprotect personalinformationlikenameand

address,evenfingerprints–notjust creditcardnumbers.Withhumanity beingnudgedmoreandmoretowards digitaldependence,weareinserious needofsafetyandsecuritywhilewe surfandmakeuseoftheinternet.

Otherwise,hackslikeandworsethan theOPM-hackwillkeepdistortingand destroyinglives.

Thankfully,asuccessfulentrepreneur andatruevisionary,RobLeslie,rose tothechallenge.

RobfoundedSediciiinDecember 2011,withthedesiretoseethat everyonecouldliveaprivatelife withouthavingtocompromisetheir personalinformationonadailybasis.

AnengineerbybackgroundRobhas seriousinterestinidentity,trust,and security

Toenlightenourmindswithhis incrediblejourneyandtogaininsights intothecybersecurityandidentity protectionworld,weconductedan exclusiveinterviewwithRobLeslie.

So,withoutfurtherado,letusdive rightintotheinterviewandrelishthe knowledgeweareabouttoreceive.

Kindlybriefusaboutyouandyour journeysincethebeginningofyour career.

Iamanelectronicengineerby professionhavinggraduatedfrom

Inspiring

BUSINESS LEADERS

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2021

DublinCityUniversityinIrelandinthe 1980’s.Ispentthefirst20yearsofmy professionalcareerworkinginsenior anddirectorlevelroleswithDatacraft Japan,eSafeJapan,andDellJapan whereIwaspartoftheinitial managementteamthatlaunchedDell intotheJapanesemarketandthen growingthebusinessfromzeroto closeto300employeesandanannual turnoverofover€300millioninthe firstfouryears.SubsequentlyIbecame apartneratPTSJapanwhichwassold afterfiveyears,havingachieveda$33 millionvaluationatexit.

IreturnedtoIrelandintheearly2000’s andhavecontinuedmyentrepreneurial journeyco-foundingKyckr (ASX:KYK)in2007whichisnow listedontheAustralianStock Exchange.IfoundedSediciiin2013 whileextensivelyresearchingthecore cryptographictechnologycalledZero KnowledgeProof(ZKP)whichisat theheartoftheSediciiservices.In 2016,IleftKyckrtoconcentratefully onthebuildingofSediciiwhichisthe platformthatenablesaglobal, federatedprivacynetwork.

IamaWorldEconomicForum TechnologyPioneerandhavespoken atDavosinrelationtodigitalidentity, cybersecurityandothertechnology issuesaffectingtheeconomiesofthe world.

Howdoyoudescribeyourselfasa businessleader?

AsabusinessleaderIampersistent, patientandIcertainlypersevere!

IbelieveIworkhard–toohardsome wouldsay–andIdomybesttolead byexamplewithmycolleagues, customers,andinvestors.Ethicsand integrityareveryimportanttomeandI believewholeheartedlythatby buildingtheSediciiglobalfederated privacynetworktheinternetwillbea

better,safer,moreaccessibleplacefor allitsusers.

Whatisyoursourceofmotivation andinspirationthatdroveyouto becomeanentrepreneur?

Iwasbornwithaninquisitivemind. Frommyearliestmemories,Iwas alwaystryingtoconstruct,deconstruct andreconstructthingsinabetter, biggerway.Ialwayswantedtobean engineerandsowhenIseesomething broken-inthiscasethepersonal privacyelementoftheinternet–Iwant tofixit.Afterall,asAndrewGrove formerCEO,COOandChairmanof Intelsaid,“Privacy is one of the biggest problems in this new electronic age”.

Asfarasyourindustrydynamicsgo, whattypeofchallengesdidyouface whilesettingupyourbusiness?

Ibelievethatnomatterwhatthe industryortheserviceyouarelooking toprovide,allnewstart-upsandevery entrepreneurwillagreewithmeforthe mostpart,onthesetwochallenges–raisinginvestmentanddelivering productsthatcustomerslove.

InthecaseofSedicii,whereour technologyverifiesidentitywithout sharingpersonalinformationbyusing theZKPprotocol,youcouldsaywhat wearetryingtoachieveisakinto convincingpeoplethattheimpossible ispossible. However,Ifirmlybelieve asdidBBVA’sformerheadofopen innovation,MarisolMenendez,in describingourFintechforthefuture awardthat“Sedicii is the start up with the greatest potential to transform the financial sector in the next 10 years.”

So,thechallengeistocontinuetogrow thenetworkinthefirmbeliefthat Sediciiwilltransformthelivesof internetuserseverywherewhilst havingfullregardtotheirprivacy, security,andanonymity

Whatisthecurrentscenarioofthe industryyouarecateringto?

Covid-19hasactuallybroughtaboutan accelerationininterestinZKPandour KYC,KYBandAMLservices.

Incredibly,asurveyconductedby Gartner Inc foundthat88%of businessorganizationsalloverthe worldmandatedorencouragedalltheir

employeestoworkfromhomeas Covidratesrose.Additionally,54%of ITprofessionalsthinkthatremote workinghasagreatersecurityrisk (OpenVPN).Thus,remoteworking bringswithittheincreasedthreatof fraud,impersonation,theft,and misappropriation–bothfinancialand physical.Intandem,personaluseof theinternetforonlinetransactions,be theyfinancialorotherwise,hasseenan exponentialriseinfraudandtheft. So, governments,nationalagencies, financialinstitutionsandtelecosareall lookingforwaystocombatthese threats.

Asabusinessleader,whatdoyou thinkarethefactorsoneshouldtake underconsiderationforgoingabout openinghis/herownbusiness?How doyouthinkinitiatingastart-up decisionshouldbebasedon?

Seektofindabusinessproductor servicethatyouarepassionateabout andifitissomethingsouniquethat usersmaynotrealizetheyneedituntil presentedwithit,allthebetter.Once settledonabusinessidea,researchitin detailanddrawupabusinessplan.If thereiscompetitioninthemarketplace, doextensiveresearchandseehowand whereyoucanenhancetheoffering. Talktolike-mindedpeopleandtake everyopportunitytolearnbyattending webinars,conferences,andsummits.It ismybeliefthatthemorepreparedyou areasyousetoffonthestart-up journeythemorelikelyyouareto succeed.

Berealistic.Initially,youwillbea one-ortwo-personbusiness.Thiswill meanbeingthepersonwhofinds investment,marketsthebusiness,finds suppliers,hires(andfires).Youwill becomea‘jackofalltrades.’

Bekindtoyourselfanddonotbeat yourselfupwhenthingsgowrong.

Andwhensuccesshappens,takethe timetoenjoyit.

Whatadvicewouldyougivetothe new-ageentrepreneurswhoare steppingintothestart-upculture? Firstandforemost,findanichemarket orproductthatyoubelievein. Secondly,youneedtosurroundand testyourideaonpeopleyoutrustand respectandpreferablyhavegonedown thestart-upprocessthemselves.You willprobablyfindafterthesefirsttwo actionsyou’lleitherwanttomove forward,ornotasthecasemaybe.Ifit istheformer,thenextplanofaction wouldbetoresearchthehow,why, whereandwhenofthebusiness.How willyoufinanceit?Howwillyou produceit?Howwillyoudistribute andgetittomarket?Andhowwillyou priceit?Itismyexperiencethemore researchandplanninggoesintoanew businessthemoresuccessfulitislikely tobe.

Would-beentrepreneursneedtoexpect challenges,embracethem,learnfrom them,andcontinuallyrefinewhatthey do.InthewordsofAlbertEinstein,“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new”.

Whatcreativewaysdoyouderivein yourorganizationtomakethework environmentvibrant?

TheSediciiteamiscurrently16strong andmulti-locational.Ourheadquarters areinWaterford,Irelandwhere operationsandfinancereside, innovationandstrategyisbasedinthe U.K.andourdevelopmentteamisin BelgiumandtheCanaryIslandof Tenerife. Asyoucanimagine,creating avibrantenvironmentwithsucha diversegroupcouldbeachallenge. However,Ibelieveachallengeisan opportunityandcommunicationisthe keytomakingitwork.

Thewholeteammeetsweeklyand evensometimestwiceaweekto discussourcurrentprojects,our achievements,andourchallenges.Like somanyotherbusinesses,Covid-19 hashadanimpactonourorganisation whereeveneachofourteamsare workingremotely. Sorecentlywe havecommencedaprogrammeof ‘systemicteamcoaching’which hopefullywillfurtherenhanceour understandingofourorganisationand improveourcollectiveperformance andhowweworktogethertothe benefitourstakeholders,thewider team,andthefuturedirectionofthe business.

Whatareyoulookingforwardtoin thefuture,foryourselfandyour organization?

Itissaidofanentrepreneurthatonce thechallengeisgonefrombuildinga successfulbusiness,theytendtomove tothenextchallenge.Thechaseto makeasuccessfulbusinessisasgreat asthemomentwherealltheeffortis realized.DavidSkok,five-timeserial entrepreneurbelieves“In the start-up world, if your primary focus is on making money, you usually won’t make money. When you work because you are passionate about your work, I believe you will maximize your chances of making money ”

So,IwouldliketoseeSediciimakea differenceinthelivesofthosewhouse theinternet.Iwouldliketorewardour investorswhohavesteadfastlystood withusandIwouldlikethecompany tobesuccessfulandgrowtoscalefor thebenefitofourpresentandfuture colleagues.Asthisismysixthstart-up, Iwilltakethetimetoenjoythe rewardsitbrings.Itismylast.