Formeraward-winningbroadcastjournalistand
presententrepreneurhelpingorganisations identifyandeliminategenderbiases,Michele Ruiz,oncesaid– If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you cannot hear them anymore.
Indeed,nothingcouldhavebeenmoreaptforwomen businessleadersthanthisiconicstatement. Womenbusinessleadersnolongercomeasasurprise. Theyhavetranscendedthatphaseofbeing stereotyped.Theyhavebeeninstrumentalinthe fundamentalreformofbeliefs,rathermyths,across thesociety.Entrepreneurshipisastrongtoolof empowermentforwomensinceitprovidesflexible waystomanageworkandfamilycommitments. Thoughgenderdisparityisnolongerasstrongasit wasinthepast,womendofacechallenges.
Sometimes,theyhavetogothatextramiletoassert theircontributions,ascomparedtotheirmale counterparts.
Thebrightersideisthatthingshavechanged,andthey continuetochangewhilewomenkeepprovingtheir talentinthebusinessworld.Today’swomenbusiness leadersaretrustedandrespected,morebecauseof theirownhardworkthanchangedmindsets.Infact, theirhardworkhaschangedtheperceptionofthe worldaboutbusinesswomen.Theyareunstoppable
andhavebeensuccessfulineliminatingtheage-told stereotypicaltags.
Pressuresandexpectationshavebeenmanylikethe pressuretobelikeaman,thepressuretobeinchargeof theiremotions,thepressuretobebalancedandthepressure toneverbewrong.Pavingtheirwaythroughthe treacherouspathstosuccessinacorporateorbusiness worldhasbeenanythingbutsmooth.Whileitmaynotbe exactlyeasytosettheirfootfirmlyinbusiness,itisnot impossibleeither Andtoday,thechallengesaremoreor lessthesameformaleandfemaleentrepreneurs.
Theworldthatoncemockeduponthefemininequalities andconsideredtheseasroadblockstobeleadersor entrepreneurs,isnowrealisingtheimportanceofthe emotionalquotientforsuccessfulleadership,ofempathy, compassionandabalancedworkandpersonallife.Women haditinthemallthewhileandtheseinherentqualitiesare thesecrettothesuccessofwomeninbusiness.Inaddition, womenareexcellentmanagersandmulti-taskers.
Womenfromdifferent,ethnicities,socio-economic backgrounds,socialandgeographicalareashavemadea markintheirrespectivefields.Ingeneral,women entrepreneursincorporatesectorsandbusinesses worldwidearemakingtremendousstridesandleavingdeep impact.
Ourlatestedition, Inspiring Women Business Leaders
Making a Difference 2021, isallaboutsuchdeterminedand dynamicwomenwhowereunfazedbyboththetroubles andsuccessthatcametheirway Thesewomenbusiness leadersarenotonlymakingadifferenceinthesocietyand theindustrybutarealsoinspiringaspiringbusinesswomen. Everyonehasastory,astruggle,andchallenges.Notevery womanhadasmoothride.Buttheyhavebeenthegame changers,andthisistheirstory Wecelebratethesuccessof suchwomenwhocontinuetoinspiregenerationsacross genders.
Wehopeyoufindthiseditioninteresting.Haveaninspiring read!
Sumita Sarkar
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AmadeusCapital Partners amadeuscapital.com
CatherineHeald ChairmanandCEO CelesteFralick ChiefData ScientistandSenior PrincipalEngineer AnneGlover CEO ElaineE.Bedel CEOandOwnerRemoteLands remotelands.com
mcafee mcafee.com
BedelFinancial Consulting bedelfinancial.com
AmadeusCapitalPartnersisaglobaltechnologyinvestorandhas backedmorethan130companiesandraisedover$1bnfor investment.
RemoteLandsprovidesmeaningfulpersonalizedtravelthroughout Asia.Thecompany'spurpose,throughitsknowledgeandexperience intheregion,istohelpclientsconnecttothepeopleandplacesof Asia.
McAfeeisaglobalorganizationwitha30-yearhistoryandabrand knowntheworldoverforinnovation,collaborationandtrust.
BedelFinancialConsulting,Inc.isacomprehensive,fee-only wealthmanagementfirm,dedicatedtohelpingclientsachieve financialclarityandsecurity.
EllenVoie PresidentandCEO deCremoux CEO LeaBidder Co-founderandCEO Weijler InvestmentManager MarinaTognetti FounderandCEONicole
RodriguesFounderandCEO
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WomenInTrucking Association Incwomenintrucking.org
SeventurePartner seventure.fr
WomenInTruckingAssociationisanon-profitorganizationwith themissiontoencouragetheemploymentofwomeninthe truckingindustry,promotetheiraccomplishments,andminimize obstaclesfacedbywomenworkingintheindustry.
Withover€660minassetsundermanagementasoftheendof 2016,SeventurePartnersisaleadingventurecapitalfirmin Europe.
Ava avawomen.com
Cottonwood TechnologyFund cottonwood.vc
myngle myngle.com
AvaisthefirstandonlyFDA-clearedwearabledevicethatis clinicallyproventoidentifyboththeopeningandclosingofthe fertilewindow
CottonwoodTechnologyFundisanearly-stageventurecapital fundinvestinginKeyEnablingTechnologies.
mYngleoffersthepossibilityofteachingorreceivinglive one-on-onelessonsfromthecomfortofyourhomeoroffice.
NRPRGroup nrprgroup.com
NRPRGroupisastrategicpositioningagencylocatedin BeverlyHills,CAthathelpsbusinesses,celebrities, entertainmentcompanies,consumerproductsandmore.
Marie Isabelle
The global travel industry has been challenged in 2020. Companies who had debt to pay off or negative balance sheets were the hardest hit, and many have a long road to go. With different safety standards in place, a lot of travel itineraries have changed for a lot of people. People, especially those who travel for business and have their livelihood circled around the travel and tourism industry.
Fortunately, Catherine Heald, the Co-founder & CEO of Remote Lands had some excellent years recently, so she was able to save for a rainy day like this pandemic, and that cushion has helped her get through 2020. “When business returns in 2021, we will be stronger than ever and in an even more powerful position to dominate our niche of ultra-luxe Asia travel and private jet expeditions,” says Catherine.
Catherine enjoys her work daily and it is very important for her to dive
into the little things and simple pleasures of life. “I have a ‘glass half full’ attitude and I am always striving to find the silver lining in everything, even during this terrible pandemic,” she says. She looks up to the great explorer Sir Ernest Shackelton and reveres him as her hero. What astonishes her the most is how his Antarctica expedition in 1916 was a success and none of his men died, against all odds, due to his superb leadership.
“Like Shackelton, I hope my genuine eternal optimism, even during a depressing time like this, has a positive effect on the team and the whole office environment,” shares Catherine.
Talking about the big changes in the travel and tourism industry due to the pandemic, she portrays her opinion about the world borders to be opened so that the people can travel safely. “Vaccines are coming soon, but it will take some time before they are widespread,” Catherine expresses.
The thing that needs to be put into
practice right now is rapid, accurate testing to be performed almost everywhere, from airports to restaurants to stadiums to wedding and party entrances. All people permitted inside will have been tested negative for the virus, so everyone will feel safe and comfortable. “After 911 we all got used to new security rules at airports, and this will be yet another new modus operandi that we will all accept,” she conveys.
She expects that in the long term, people will need to have a more thoughtful and reflective approach towards life after emerging out of this pandemic. People around the world have had time during quarantine to do some real soul searching and thinking about what and who is really important in their lives. They will seek deeper meaning in everything, and this will be reflected in the types of travel experiences they seek.
Guiding aspiring and emerging women entrepreneurs, Catherine explains, “Figure out what it is you absolutely love doing, that you are really good at doing, and more than happy to do seven days a week.” She had spent over a decade in the technology industry and started three software companies, but technology was not actually her calling in life. She did not realize what her actual calling was until she stepped into her early 40’s when she combined her lifelong passion for Asia along with her love for planning extraordinary luxury travels.
Catherine used to do the planning for her family. This excited her the most which led to Catherine’s Eureka moment and evidently, the
birth of Remote Lands. Since cofounding the company in 2005, she has worked seven days a week and has always remained enthusiastic about her work by starting at her computer at daybreak. “Despite the hard work, I have a well-rounded and balanced life with many interests and friends and an active social life,” describes Catherine proudly
She doesn't place ‘boundaries’ between her work life and personal life and believes that many of the people who are happiest in life do work that blurs the separation between professional and personal.
Remote Lands facilitates an experience where the clients find serenity in a journey that fits their pace and follows
their heart by accommodating any diversion effortlessly.
The team of Remote Lands say, “Seek the remarkable. Seek it in the world you know. But also, in a world that you don’t - Asia.” The company under the guidance of Catherine, provides various services that spell luxury in a different way. The enhanced premium experience makes the customers’ travel plans so fantastic, that they always choose Remote Lands as their trusted travel partner for Asia.
In brief, Remote Lands’ travel itinerary includes more or less a distant, idyllic archipelago, explored by luxury yacht, or unforgettable landscapes viewed from a private chopper in palatial hideaways on secret shores. You might find yourself in the natural habitats of the world’s most famous wildlife parks or in the lap of most welcoming remote mountain ranges among the oldest villages and ancient communities.
Remote Lands provides a journey not only for the body and mind, but also for the soul. It creates an opportunity for deeper, prevailing connection with different places and people for you and the people close to you including the ones you meet along the way. “Seek the soul of Asia with Remote Lands,” invites Catherine, to have an ever-lasting experience in a memorable way
LongbeforeDatabecamethegoldthatitistoday,
therewerepeoplewhoweretryingtomineit, processitandtransformitintocomprehensible content.Itistheirintensefocusthattheomnipresentdata todayisbeingutilizedtodevelopsolutionsinalmostevery industry
Dr.CelesteFralick,ChiefDataScientistandSenior PrincipalEngineer,McAfee,issurelyoneofthem.Her40 yearsofprofessionaljourneybeganasaQuality& Reliability(Q&R)EngineeratTexasInstruments.Herfirst assignmentwastodevelopstatisticalprocesscontrol(SPC) whereshebecameenamoredwithstatisticsanddata. AdditionalQ&RpositionsatFairchildSemiconductorand Medtroniccontinuedtofuelherdata-scienceon-the-job training.ShethenjoinedIntel,andstayedwiththespin-out, McAfee,wheresheworkstodayasChiefDataScientistand SeniorPrincipalEngineer.
McAfeeLLCisadevice-to-cloudsecuritycompanythat providesmanystate-of-the-artsolutionsinbothenterprise andconsumersegments.Ourproductscanbemixed-andmatchedtoprovidetherightsolutiontoanycustomer.With overabillionsensorsacrossmultiplethreatvectorsaround theworldthere’saLOTofdatatomoveandanalyzein milliseconds.
ReadonasDr.CelesteFralickspeakshermindandheart outonmattersthatareclosetoher
•Howdoyoukeepyourselfmotivated?Pleasetellus aboutwhatinspiresyouandwhodoyoulookupto.
Iammostimpressedwithourleadershipteam,including ourCTO(SteveGrobman),andVPofEnterprise Engineering(LyndaGrindstaff)whowerelong-timeIntel employees–itisnottritetosayIfollowedthemto McAfee!Iwasabletohireawickedsmartteamthat
inspiresmedaily,andIamsurroundedbytechieswho wanttocatchthebadguyandseamlesslyprotectus.Itisa verymission-orientedmarket–likemedical,wherepeople feeldriventohelpandserve,andtheairiselectricwith theirpassion.Ikeepmyselfmotivatedbylearningdaily fromeachofthem.
•Sharewithusthemostmemorableandremarkable momentofyourlife,inaprofessionalscenario.Also sharewithusthelowestphaseofyourlifeorthe toughestdealtocrack.
Therehavebeenmany!BeingselectedbyForbesin2018 asoneoftheAmerica’sTop50WomeninTech,presenting thekeynotewithMcAfeeCTOSteveGrobmanatthe2019 RSAconference,creatingamedicalproductgroupatIntel, leadinga150-membercompanytechnicalengineering committee,andchangingtheculturefordataandwomen ateachcompany–well,everyinstancewasincredibly memorable.Asalower-middleclasskidfromsmall-town Alaska,Iconsidermyselfquitelucky,butIhaveworked veryhardtoearnmystripes.
MytoughestchallengewasrealizingIwasblindtoa particularleadershippillar(“enablingotherstoact”per thebook“TheLeadershipChallenge”byKouzesand Posner)thatwaslimitingmysuccess.Youcan’tfixwhat youdon’tknowiswrong.Itwasverydifficultbut, followingmyprojectsand“awakening”,Iwasnotonly awardedthe“mostimproved”trophybutmyprojectswere sosuccessful,Iwaspromotedshortlythereafter.
•Stateusyourmajorachievementsandyourcompany’s achievementsunderyourleadership.
Dataisthelifebloodofourcompanyandweare embracingitsleading-edgescienceandpositiveimpactto ourcustomers’experience.Weleadourindustryinthe
studyofAdversarialMachineLearning(“ModelHacking”), DeepFakes,andExplainableArtificialIntelligence,to namejustafew.Ourtranslationalresearchinsecurity analyticsaswellasthecreationofanAnalyticCenterof Excellenceenableourproductstobeinnovativewitha minimumoffalsepositivesandfalsenegatives.I’dliketo thinkwehaveenabledMcAfeetobeadata-driven companywithindustry-bestsecurityanalytics,anditis reflectedinourindustryrecognizedhighratings.
•Howdoyouensurethatthere’sahealthycultureatthe workspace?
AsaStage4breastcancerpatient,Iemphasizetoanyone whowilllistentogetamammogram.Itsavedmylife,as doestheevery-three-weekchemothatIenduretostay alive.WhileIaminremission(beyondfiveyears),the constantchemodoeswearmeoutandIhaveuniqueside effectsthatareoftendebilitating.So,healthcomesfirst. Nostress,nonegativity–stayhappy,stayhealthy.Enjoy yourwork,liveeverydaylikeit’syourlast.Itrytoensure thateveryoneIconnectwith–eventhoughIworkvirtual –feelsthesameway
•Whatwouldyouadvisetothebuddingandaspiring entrepreneurs?
Never,EVER,believeanyonewhentheytellyouthatyou can’tdosomething.Staytenaciousandfocused,goafter whatyouwant.Ifyou’vefailed,pullupyourbig-girl pantsandgoafteritagain.
•Whatarethemostimportantlessonsyou’velearned throughoutyourcareerandwouldliketoshare?
Buildyourcareeronyourstrengths,notweaknesses. Lead-don’tmanage:inspire,challenge,listen,encourage, andmodelthebehaviouryouexpect.Don’tstopthinking yourcrazyideas–justimplementthem.Beaduck–let therainrolloffyourback,staycalm,butpaddlelikecrazy togettowhereyouneedtogo.Don’tgetyourknickers twisted–therearemoreimportantthingsinlife.Keep yourbodyandmindhealthy.And,forgoodnesssakes, enjoythejourney.
Dr.Fralickfoundherselfengrossedwithallthings statisticalassoonasshebeganhercareer.Sheconsiders herselffortunatetolearnfromthebest(likethelateDr JosephJuran);however,in1992shebecamerestlessto
formallylearn.ShebegananMSinBiomedical Engineering,focusedonstatistics,DesignofExperiments, andbioelectricitywhilestillworkingfull-timeandraising twoyoungboys.
SherecallsherIntelinterviewasa‘why-not?’,winging-it, unplannedinterview.Shewasabletoinfluenceamuch largercompanywhileshefinishedherBiomedical EngineeringPh.D.focusedonneuroscience,statistics,and neuralnetworks(NN),atechnologywhichhadsuffereda badreputationforyearsbuthasbecomeincredibly fashionable.Dr.Fralickwasfortunatetobeontheleading edgeoftheircomebackandtransferheracademiclearning toherdailywork.AtMcAfee,herroleistoprovide company-widedatastrategyaswellasleadtheMcAfee AdvancedAnalyticsTeamtotranslateresearchof state-of-the-artsecurityanalyticsintoproducts.
Dr. Celeste Fralick Chief Data Scientist & Senior Principal Engineer
Womenhavehadhugecontributionsinthe societysincethebeginningoftime,but historicallythey’vebeenkeptawayfromthe nobledomainofSTEMstudies.Thisisthedirectnegative impactofthesocialbiasthatexistsinthesocietywhich viewsSTEMfiledsasmasculinetilltoday.
Althoughtherehavebeenseveralrestrictionsonwomenin thesociety,theyhavestillmanagedtogetpasttheobstacles andmakesignificantadditiontotheSTEMfield.Women havefoughtthroughthediscriminativecultureandemerged aseffectiveleaderstoliterallychangethefaceoftheworld andwehavemanyexamplestoprovethesame.
FlorenceNightingale,avisionarydesignerwhoservedin theCrimeanwarasanurse,designedhospitalsystemsina waythatbroughtdownthedeathratefrom42%to2%. AnothersuchexampleisGraceHopper,anAmerican
computerscientistwhowasakeyinventorofCOBOL (COmmonBusinessOrientedLanguage),awidelyused computerlanguage. Wecanfindmanysuchexamplesinthefield,let'slookat thewiderimpactthatwomenparticipatinginSTEMstudies havemade.
Thelargerimpactthatwomenhavemadebyparticipating inSTEMstudiesisthatithashelpedbreakthemyththat womenlackascientificandmathematicalaptitudeandare limitedtoArtsandotherfields.Theuniquecaliberthat womenpossesshasprovedittimeandagainthatthey’re heretoconquer
ThegenderdisparityinSTEMstudiesisslowlybeing curbedwithwomencominginintoleadershiprolesthatare highlydemandingandprovingtheirworthbysuccessfully deliveringtothechallengesthatcomealongwiththe responsibility Womenalsoprovetobebetterinleadership rolesastheyleadbyexamplewhichstimulates productivity.
Womenareknowntohavehigheremotionalintelligence whichenablesthemtobesensitivetoothers’needs.This alsoreflectsintheprocessofdesigninginclusiveproducts. Whenwomenparticipateinthedesigningofproducts,they areawareoftheneedsoftheminoritygenders.Gender inclusivedesignsarecuratedwhenwomenareengagedin thedesigningofproducts.Theobservationsthatwomen makeinthesocietymirrorsinthewaytheydesigna productorservicewhichmakestheworldamore empatheticandfunctionalplace.
Havingahigheremotionalintelligencetranslatesinto womenbeingmoresensitiveproductdesignerswhichalso furtherincreasesthedemandoftheproductorservice.
RepresentationofwomeninSTEMstudiesbringsalotof
exceptionalinnovationtothetable.Womeninheritunique perspectiveoflookingattheworldandhencepromote innovationintheworkplace.Theskillsetandtalentof womenhavethepotentialtospeeduptheprocessofglobal advancementintechnologyandinnovation.
TheparticipationofwomeninScience,Technology, EngineeringandMathematicsalsohasthepotentialto addresstheworld’spressingissueslikeenvironmental damage,poverty,foodsecurity,cleanwater,renewable energyandmore.Thisisbecausewomenunderstand sustainabilitywhichstemsfromtheirinherentfeminine traits.
Aglobaltransformationisnotveryfarawaywithmore inclusionofwomenintheSTEMfield.
Roleofempathyinthefield
Womenhaveinbornempathyinthemwhichmakesthem highlycapableintherolesofprovidingcare.Intimeslike theongoingpandemic,womenhavetirelesslyservedinthe medicalsciencesfieldtodelivermedicalassistancetothe population.Inadditiontotheiractiveparticipationinthe researchoftheCOVIDvaccine,womenhavealso effectivelyhelpedtocurbthespreadingvirus.
Evenafteralltheseyearsit'sstillnotacakewalkfor womenworkinginthefield.Theirexceptional achievementshavedefinitelymadeastatementinsucha shortspanoftimebuttheystillstrugglewiththebiasesthat existintheSTEMdomain.
Evilslikegenderdisparitystilllingeroverthefieldafterall theseyearsasSTEMstillhasthereputationofbeingamale dominateddomainofstudies.
Thestructureofsocietystereotypeswomentobeinclined moretowardstheArtsbutitisslowlychangingwithmore emergingfemalerolemodelsinthefield.Thisaccountsfor apromisingfutureforwomeninSTEM.
Duringthe'80s,whenboys couldtakeshopclasswhile girlswereonlyallowedto learnhomeeconomics,Ellen Voiebelievedherselftobeluckytobe encouragedbyhermothertodowhat sheliked.Hermotherencouragedher whenEllentookshopclassandlearned woodworking,welding,drafting,and automechanics.
Aftercompletingherstudies,Ellenwas hiredinasteelfabricationplantin 1978.Fromthere,hermanager encouragedhertocompletetheTraffic andTransportationManagement Programandlaterpromotedherasa TrafficManager.
Withheryearsofworkinginthe transportationbusiness,Ellenrealized thattherewasnostrongassociationfor womeninthisindustryandfounded WomenInTruckingAssociationins 2007.
Sincethen,asthePresidentandCEO, Ellenhasbeenleadingtheorganization toencourageandsupportwomeninthe transportationspacehelpingresolve theirissuesandbuildingagenderequalenvironment.
Readthefollowinginterviewwhere Ellenshareshowshewasinspiredto foundWomenInTrucking Organizationandhasbeendriving genderegalitarianisminthe transportationindustry
Briefouraudienceaboutyour journeyasthePresidentandCEOat WomeninTruckingAssociation.
Istartedmycareerbyworkinginthe draftingdepartmentofasteel fabricatingplantdesigningmaterial handlingequipment.YearafterwhenI wasreadytomoveonmymanager encouragedmetopursue'Trafficand TransportationManagement'program andwaslaterpromotedasTraffic Manager.
Iwasresponsibleforbringingtheraw materialsintotheplantsandfor shippingthecompletedproductsoutto ourcustomers.Ialsooversawhiring, firing,andmanagingthedriversforthe trucksownedbythecompany
Afterovertwentyyearsofworkingin thetruckingsector,Iwashiredforthe positionofExecutiveDirectorof TruckerBuddyInternationalwhereI ledtheprogramforsixyears.Then,I wasrecruitedbySchneiderNationalto leadtheirretentionefforts.Myjobwas toinitiatecorporate-levelprograms designedtoattractandretainnontraditionalgroups,suchaswomen.
Atthetime,Iwascompletingmy pilot'slicense,andIbelongedtoan organizationforfemalepilots.Itstruck methattherewasn'tasimilargroupfor womeninthetruckingindustry;so,I startedone.
Thatwasin2007whentheWomenIn
TruckingAssociationwasformed.I tookalotofinspirationfromthe femalepilot'sorganization,alsotapped intothepeoplewhosupportedthis mission.Ihadagreatteamwhoshared mypassion,andweputtogethera fantasticstaff,board,andsupport group.Hereweare,nearlytwelveyears later,withasuccessstoryIcouldnever haveimagined.
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemade animpactinthetransportation industrythroughyourstrongholdin theindustry.
AttheWomenInTrucking Association,ourmissionisto encouragemorewomentoenterand succeedincareersinthesupply chain.Webelieveourhighrenewalrate reflectstheimportanceofwhatwe offertoanyonewhojoins.
Topromotegenderdiversityinthe truckingindustry,wehadtofindaway tomeasuredesiredoutcomesand providebestpracticesforcompanies lookingforgreaterdiversity We partneredwithCarriersEdgetocreate aDiversityandInclusionIndexto measureandsetbenchmarksforall areasofinclusion.Thisisanongoing projecttorecognizethosecompanies whoareachievingmorebalancein theirhiringandpromotingpractices. Tocontinuethenetworkingand educationalopportunities,weare creatingWITChapterssoyoucanmeet inyourlocalorregionalarea.
Anotherwayonecanstayinvolved rightnowistoparticipateintheonline EngagePlatformonourwebsite.It'sa waytolearn,connect,andfindothers whosharesimilarexperiences.Weare spendingagreatdealoftimeand resourcestomakethisprogrammore user-friendlyandinteractive.
Along-termgoalhasbeentohavea DriverAmbassadorProgram.Wehired KellylynnMcLaughlin,atraining engineeratSchneider,Inc.Her companyagreedtobrandhertractor andtoallowhertoworkforWITone weekeachmonth.Walmartdonateda trailerwhichiscurrentlybeing retrofittedintoamobiledisplayfor educationalandprofessionalvisitsto schoolsandevents.
Walmartalsoapproachedusabout recognizingtopfemaledrivers,soin 2020wecreatedafemaledriverofthe yearprogram.Ourfirstrecipientwas SusieDeRidderwhohasfourdecades ofexperienceasaprofessionaldriver andisbasedinCanada.Weare currentlylookingforthenext FemaleDriveroftheYear,sovisit ourwebsitetosubmita nomination.
Beinganexperiencedleader,share withusyouropiniononhowthe adaptationofnoveltechnologiesin yournichemarkethastransformed theindustryandwhatmorecouldbe expectedinthenearfuture?
Theinteriorcaboftoday'struck resemblesyourcarmorethanyou realize.First,thetruckhasbeen designedtobemoreergonomically correctforallbodysizes,whichmeans womenarenowmorecomfortablein thedrivingseatthaninthepast.
Today'strucksarealsosafer The opportunitiesareendlesstoprovide technologytoreducedrivererrorby relyingonthesedevices.Frompersonal safetytosafetyontheroad,thereare moreopportunitiestomakeourroads
saferforallofus.
Personalsafetyisalsoaconcern. Insteadofexperiencingworker'scomp claimsfromcrankingdolliesorpulling thehoodopentoinspecttheengine,we nowhavedevicesthatraiseandlower thelandinggearwiththepushofa button.Thereishydraulicsthatopens themassivehoodandevencamerasthe showwhetheryourkingpinhasbeen securedornot.
Thetechnologyremovesmuchofthe physicalstrengthneededtooperatea tractor-trailerinthepast.Thisallowsus toattractandkeepmorewomenas wellasmenwhopreferaless physicallydemandingjob.Eventhe burdenofloadingandunloadingthe cargohasbeenautomated,andthe responsibilityhastypicallybeen transferredtotheshipperandreceiver insteadofthedriver.
Thetruckingindustryhasadopted advancedtechnology;notonlyto complywithgovernmentregulations buttoreduceitsfootprintonour ecologicalresourcesaswellasmake thejobmuchsafer
Takingintoconsideration,the currentpandemic,anditsimpact onglobaleconomies,howareyou drivingyourorganizationto sustainoperationsandensuring thesafetyofyouremployeesat thesametime?
LastJanuary,beforeweknew thatapandemicwould foreverchangeourindustry (andtheworld!)we initiatedsomeprogramsto advanceourmissionin thecomingyears.
We intend to make the trucking industry a more diverse and inclusive environment
“ “
Becauseofthepandemic,ourdrivers wereexperiencingbothphysicaland emotionalchallengesontheroazd.We partneredwithESPYRtoofferour driversfree24/7accesstomental healthcounselorsandhealthcoachesto keepthemsafeandhealthywhile alleviatingsomeofthestressesthey wereexperiencing.AmazonandTotal TransportationofMississippi graciouslyfundedtheseservices. Asthepandemicprogressedintothe summerandfall,wedecidedto acceleratetowardsourmissionby transformingtheconferenceandExpo intoavirtualevent.Thiswasnotan easytask,butwithhundredsof participants,wereceivedapositive response.However,ifthe circumstancesallow,weplantosee theseandmanymoreparticipantsin personthisyearinDallas,Texasin November
Currently,weareworkingwiththe CDCtoprovideinformationtoour membersoneverythingfromCOVID19andwhattoexpect,howtoprotect yourselfandyourfamily.Wearealso givingourmembersinformationabout vaccination.Additionally,wehelp shippersbetterunderstandhowto accommodateprofessionaldriverswho entertheirfacilities.
Whatisyouropiniononadopting genderegalitarianismfroma leadershipperspective?
WearecurrentlycreatingaDiversity andInclusionIndexsoourmembers canlearnbestpracticesandusethe dataforbenchmarking.Ultimately,we wanttousetheannualindextohonor theindustryorganizationsthatpromote diversityandinclusion.
Forthatreason,theboardofdirectors attheWomenInTruckingAssociation determinedthatweneedtoknowifwe aremakingadifferenceinthisindustry. So,wedecidedtocreateourownWIT Index.
First,wepairedwiththeNational TransportationInstitute(NTI)which
graciouslyaddedaquestiontotheir quarterlywagesurveys.Theyasked carriersforthepercentageoffemale over-the-roaddrivers.
ForthosewhorespondedtotheNTI survey,theaveragepercentageofoverthe-roaddriverswhoarefemalewas 7.13%in2017andincreasedto7.89% in2018.
In2019,wepartneredwith Freightwavestoconductasurveyto determinetheindustry'sparticipation ofwomenastechnicians,safety directors,managers,andprofessional drivers.
Overall,therespondentsreportedthat womenmakeup10%ofalloverthe roaddrivers.Wealsolearnedthatonly 4%ofdieseltechniciansarewomen andthatabout38%offleetsafety professionalsarewomen.
IntheUnitedStates,womencurrently comprise7.4%ofallCEOsinFortune 500companiesandabout26%ofall boardseats,despiterecentlegislation toestablishdiversityquotas.
TheFreightwavessurveyfoundthat femaleexecutivesintruckingmakeup 36%oftheleadershipintransportation andjustover45%ofnon-executive employees.
Eachyearwealsoexaminethe publiclytradedtruckingcompaniesby partneringwithMemphisUniversityto conducttheresearch.In2020,ofthe fourteenpubliclytradedcarriers' womencomprised22%oftheboard directorseats,butonly9%ofthe leadingexecutives.
Wehavereinforcedwhatwelearnedto encouragetheemploymentofwomen inthetransportationindustry,to addressobstacles,andtocelebratethe successesofthewomenwhohave becomevisibleandinfluential. Nowthatwecanmonitorthedata,our goalistoseethenumbersincreasein allareas.Weintendtomakethe
truckingindustryamorediverseand inclusiveenvironment.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobe inthelongrunandwhatareyour futuregoalsforyourcompany?
Ourgoalistohaveoneyear's operationsbudgetinreserve.Athird partymaintainsallouraccounts payableandreceivableactivity,andan annualauditensuresthirdparty reviewsallfigures.
Wehadathirdpartyconductamarket assessment,andmorerecently,we completedamembercommunication survey Weinterviewedcurrent, potential,andlapsedmembersto understandbetterhowwecanboth attractandretainbothcorporateand individualmembers.
Thegoalistocommunicateandthen listen.Wewanttohearfromour members,andwewanttomakethe associationbetterbasedonthat feedback.
Anotherareaoffocusismember value.Thenumberonereasonpeople joinisfortheopportunitytonetwork andtomeetotherwomen(andmen) whohavesimilarrolesinother companies.Oneinterestingfactis6% ofourmemberssaidtheyjoined because'Ellenmotivatedthem'to becomeamember
Thefinalconcernoftheboardisthe WITbrand.We'vealwaysheardthe commentthatpeopleassumethe organizationisforfemaledrivers.We representallwomenwhoworkinthe truckingindustry.Infact,driversarea verysmallpartofourorganizationin numbers,despitebeingasignificant focusincreatingchangeinthe industry
Marina Tognetti
Adecadeago,noonewould havethoughtthatthewhole worldwillhavetoadopt everything-digitalovertraditional–fromgroceryshoppingtobankingto education.However,theongoing COVID-19pandemichascertainly acceleratedtheimpendingdigital transformation,compellingboth consumersandbusinessestoacceptthe onlinebrandpresence.
Whilelearningandadoptingthisnew normalwasatoughertaskformany, graduallypeoplestartedtorealizethe advantagesofdigitalplatformstomeet theirneedsandenhancetheirskills duringthepandemic.Consideringthat thesuddendigitaltransformationwas tougherformanybrands,fewwere alreadyastepaheadbyadoptinga technologicalapproachattheright time.
mYngleisonesuchcompanythathas beenbyparwithitscustomized languagetrainingprogramsthrough videoconferencingin45different languagesanytime,anywhere.The company'svirtualclassroomsenable learnerstotakeclasses24/7.Theoneon-onelessonswithhighlyqualified nativecoachesandrelatedtothe learner'sjobpositionhavebeen anotherkeyfactorinthecompany's growthinashortperiod.
MarinaTognetti,theFounder,and CEOofmYngle,explainshowthe platformhashelpedlearnersclimbup thecareerladderbyhoningtheirskills. “mYngleisthesolutionforbusy professionalswhoneedlanguage trainingtobesuccessfulintheir internationalbusinessandfor Companiesthatwantgreatlearning resultsandatransparentand controllablelearningprocesstomake theirinvestmentasuccess,”says Marina.
Readthefollowinginterviewwhere Marinasharesherjourneyofbeingan entrepreneur,howthecompanyhas survivedthroughtheongoingCOVID19pandemic,alsoherviewsongender equalityinthetech-entrepreneurial world.
Briefouraudienceaboutyour journeyasthefounderandCEOof mYngle. Iamatechentrepreneur,founderof myngle.com,butthepassionfor entrepreneurshipcamelateroninmy career
WhenIgraduatedfromUniversityit wasanerawhenentrepreneurshipwas notverycommonforacademics.Ibuilt firstasuccessfulcareerbylarge multinationals,Procter&Gamble, Philips,SaraLee,TheBoston ConsultingGroup,andeBay;living
andworkingindifferentCountriesand gotanMBAfromINSEAD.
Itwaswhenworkingasaconsultanton aprojectoninternetstrategythatIfirst sawthepotentialoftheinternetto disruptentireindustriesandchange foreverthewaywebuy/sell/interact.I hadtobepartofthat!
Enlightenusonhowyouhavemade animpactintheeLearningspace throughyourexpertiseinonline languagelearning?
Whenwestarted,wewerepioneering, amongstthefirsttoprovideone-to-one teachingofalllanguagesoverthe internet.NowCOVID-19has completelychangedtheworldaswe knowit,causingmajordisruptionto manybusinesses.Whilemanyofthe traditionalofflineplayershavebeen challengedbythissuddenshift, mYnglewasalreadyinthe'rightplace'. Webuiltonyearsofexperienceand knowthatmigratingexistingclassroom trainingprogramstodigitalisnotjust themereapplicationofexisting technologysolutions.Rather,it requiresamorefundamentalrethinking ofthetotallearningexperience,from trainerstocontent,totheblendedform. ThatiswheremYngleismakingan impact,keepingaheadinthisdigital transformationbyconstantly innovatingandpursuingthebest possiblequalityandresults,educating
themarketonthedifferencebetween improvisedsolutionsandyearsof expertise.
Beinganexperiencedleader,share withusyouropiniononhowthe adoptionofnoveltechnologiesin yournichemarkethastransformed theeLearningindustryandwhat morecouldbeexpectedinthe future?
EvenbeforeCOVID,the(language) trainingmarketwasalreadyinthe transitionfromofflinetoonline,the shiftacceleratinginthepastyears.This ageofquarantines,socialdistancing, andremoteworkingfast-trackedthe trend,onlineeducationbecamein manycasestheonlypossiblewayof learning.
Nowcustomersarediscoveringthe advantagesofvirtualeducation comparedtothetraditionalonesina physicalclassroom.Itoffersthesame results,butsignificantlymore convenientintermsofflexibility-with lessonsavailable24/7andflexible scheduling-aswellasthepossibility ofbenefittingofskillsofteachersthat arenotlocatedingeographical proximity.Thesebenefitsgobeyond theshort-termlimitationsofthe lockdown,modernizingtheworldof education.
Ibelievethattheadoptionofonline solutionswillcontinuepost-pandemic andthatonlinelearningwillaccelerate overthenextmonthsoryears.L&D budgetswillshiftfromofflineto online,andlearnerswhoembrace onlinelearningduringthesedifficult circumstancesmaysticktoitafterthe pandemichaspassed.Onlinelearning willbeanintrinsicpartofthenew normal.
Takingintoconsideration,the currentpandemic,anditsimpacton globaleconomies,howareyou
drivingyourorganizationtosustain operationsandensuringthesafetyof youremployeesatthesametime? Overall,forourstaff,workdidnot changemuchwhilemovingtoremote working.Manyofourkeyprocesses werealreadydoneatdistanceso,asa company,weareusedtomanaging remoteteams.
CRMandprogramminghavealways beenoffshore,andoursalesstaffhas alwayscovereddifferentgeographical marketsfromonecentrallocation.I usedtosaywhenbuildingour organization: “If our customers can learn a language at distance, we should be able to also run a company at distance.” So,inthatrespect,we wereatanadvantagecomparedto manyothercompaniesoperatingmore traditionally
Whatgotamplifiednowwiththe lockdowns,isthatemployees'wellbeingisevenmorevital,and encouragingandsupportingemployees throughthistimeisalmostmore importantthanproductivity.It'sabout support,empowerment,empathyto keepasenseofbelonging,letour peopleknowthatweareinthis together.
Thismeanshavingasteadystreamof communication,fromthemanagers andbetweenteammembers,tokeep peopleupdatedonacurrentsituation andfurtherstrengthenvirtual connectivityandculture.
Whatisyouropiniononadopting genderegalitarianismfroma leadershipperspective? Itiswellknownthatwomenhavea greatcapacityforleadershipand gender-diverseboardshaveapositive impactondifferentmeasuresoffirm performance.Yet,menstilloccupy adisproportionatenumberofleadership positions.
Thesamecanbeseenintech entrepreneurship.Womenareas innovativeandcompaniesrunby womenareassuccessful,yetonly5% oftechstart-upsareownedby women.Thisleaveswonderingwhatis keepingwomenfromtheseroles. Inbothtechentrepreneurshipaswell climbingthecorporateladder,oneof themainissuesisthatwomenoftendo nottakethefirststep.Ibelievethatthe mainreasonislackofconfidence, whichtranslatesintounconscious'fear offailure'.Byshowingexamplesof truestoriesandthe'how',wecanmake itmoreaccessible.
ThatiswhyIaimtobearolemodel forotherwomenintech,butan accessibleone,tryingtogiveagenuine pictureofwhatittakestobealeader andanentrepreneur,theupsanddowns thatweallhavebutfewwanttoshare.
Whatwouldbeyouradviceto buddingentrepreneurswhoaspireto ventureintotheeLearningindustry? Inthiseraofrapidtechnological evolutionand,morerecently,COVID19pandemicchallengingallthestatus quo,entrepreneursintheeLearning spacemustredefinetheirrolesand drawondifferentsetsofskillstobe abletofacethechallengesahead. Thismeanshavingastrongvisionto setthedirectionbutatthesametime beabletoadaptandchangetokeepthe businesssuccessful,anticipatingand navigatingchallengesofarapidly evolvingsegment.
Italsomeansbeingabletounderstand whatisneededtoprovideagooduser experience,thewaythetrainingis delivered,theteaching,content,aswell asinteraction.Inresponsetothe increaseindemandforonlinetraining, manytraditionalplayershavebeen rushingtofindaquickfix,moving theirexistingsolutionsonline.
Goodremotetraining,however,isnot justamatterofaddingatechsolution forthevirtualclassroomandmovinga teacherfromaphysicalclassroomtoa computer,butitrequiresawholenew setofexpertiseandcapabilities differentfromthoseofoffline education.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyour company'soperationsandofferings in2021?
Ibelievethattheintegrationof informationtechnologyineducation willbefurtheracceleratedandonline educationwilleventuallybecomean integralcomponentofeducation.
FormYngle,thismeansthatweneed tokeeponinnovatingandpursuingthe bestpossiblequalityandresults,also educatingthemarketonthedifference betweenimprovisedsolutionsand yearsofexpertise,sothatwecankeep onbeingaheadinthisdigital transformation.
Webuiltonyearsofexperienceand knowthatmigratingexistingclassroom trainingprogramstodigitalisnotjust themereapplicationofexisting technologysolutions.Rather,it requiresamorefundamentalrethinking ofthetotallearningexperience,from trainerstocontent,totheblendedform. Wewillkeeponimprovingthiswhile aligningwiththisgrowingmarket trend.
Thekeytooursuccessisaligningwith whatcustomerswant.Constantfocus oncustomersandtheirneedsareone ofourkeystrengthsandwhatwill allowustodifferentiatefromthenew playersthatstillhavetoprovetheir value.
In this era of rapid technological evolution and, more recently, COVID-19 pandemic challenging all the status quo, entrepreneurs in the eLearning space must redefine their roles and draw on different sets of skills to be able to face the challenges ahead
“
Discriminationisanunethicalpracticeof prejudicingothersbasedongender,race,religion, color,orage.It'sconsideredharmfulforthe society.Oncesomeonehasundergonediscriminationor harassment,itgeneratesfeelingsofhumiliation,distrust, mortification,embarrassment,shame,indignity,disgrace. Peopleoftengetisolatedandstarttoliveinsolitude.
Awarenessisrightlycomplyingwitheducation.Weobtain educationtoworkingoodcompanies,andcraveforupright reputation,standardoflivingandincome.Employeesareas importantasaproductofacompany.Manypeopleare discriminatedwaytoobeforetheyjointheirfirstjob.
Thedecreaseinemploymentratehasincreasedthe discriminationrateintotheworkplacesinorganizations.As peoplearegettinglessjobopportunities,andoncetheyget ajobthentheyjudgethemaccordingtotheirskillsor experience.Becauseof‘competitivediversity’inevery aspectpeoplewitnessworkplacediscrimination.Ithas becomeasensitivetopictodiscuss.Oneshouldmake peopleawareaboutthisgrowingdilemma.
Followingisalistofaspectsonwhichthediscriminationis carriedout.
BasedonRetaliation–Whenanemployeeprotestsfor employers'wrongdoing.Theyarediscriminatedbecause theyhaveraisedvoiceagainstthehigherauthority This factorranksatthetopintermsofworkplaceemployee discrimination.Whenanemployeeopensupaboutwhathe hasbeenfacing,thestereotypicalimageisformedforthat particularperson.
BasedonSex-Genderdiscriminationcanbeseenin workplaceswheremalesarestillindominantpositionthan females.Thereiscompetitionintheworkplace,whena
womanoramancompeteswellenough,othersstartholding him/herover.Genderdiscriminationiswidelywitnessedall overtheglobe.
Race–Peoplebelongingtodiversecultures,cometowork atasameplace.Peoplereflectattitudes,behaviorand moralsbasedonwheretheybelong.Employeesarestill judgedbasedontheirrace.Whenanativeofeastern countryworksinwesterncountries,thenthepeoplearound thatareatypecastthem,justbecausetheybelongfromeast.
Color–Therehasinevitablybeenaconstantscrimmage whenconsideringblacksandwhites.Discriminationbased oncolorisexperiencedbytheemployees.
Age–Themiddle-aged,experiencedemployeesthinkthat theyknowmoreabouttheworkthanthelessexperiencedor freshers.Onthisbasistheytryharassingthenew employees.
NationalOrigin–Onthebasisofnationaloriginpeople frequentlymakeassumptionsandjudgementsdepending uponthecountry’sreputationworldwide.
Religion–Itisoneofthecontroversialfactors.The employeesgenerallyfacediscriminationdependingontheir religion,caste,creed,sect,orgrouptheybelongto.
Theabovefactorsarethemainreasonsfordiscrimination acrosstheinstitutionsworldwide.Hereistheantidiscriminationlaw.
'TheCivilRightsAct,theAgeDiscriminationin EmploymentAct,andtheAmericanswithDisabilities Actprohibitdiscriminationinemploymentonthebasis ofrace,color,sex,ethnicorigin,ageanddisabilities'.But still,theyarevictimsofdiscrimination.
Thereisastrongneedforemployeestogetawareaboutthe workplacebias.Itisnecessarythattheyshouldknowwhat todowhensuchthingsarehappeningaroundthem.Howto raisevoicewhentheyareharassed.Everyoneisbornequal. Herearefivewaystoeducateemployeesaboutworkplace discrimination:
1)Makingthemawareabouttheconsequences,harms whenoneundergoesdiscriminationbyothers.Everyone possessesfeelings,whenbeingharassedtheemployeesfeel humiliated.Subsequentlythenexttimetheydonotinteract
astheyusedto,becausetheyhavethefeelingof embarrassment.Theyshouldbeinformedabouttheeffects ofharassment,thenthefurtherstepshouldbetraining. Gatherqualifiedtrainersandappointthemtoinstructabout allthethingsanemployeemustdoorknowabout workplace.
2)Theemployeesshouldreceiveweeklynewsletters informingabouttherulesandregulations,andtoabide themthoroughly Thoseupdatesshouldbediscussed conciselyintheworkplace.Conductinginteractive discussionsabouthumansuffering.
3)Televisionprograms,documentariesorshortfilmsshould beshown,describingtheabovediscussedaspectsina structuredstorylinevideo.Humansareabletoconnect emotionallywhentheyseevisualsalongwithsound.There isamorerealisticchanceoflearningandunderstandingthe issuesondeeperlevel.
4)Real-lifeexamplestoriesshouldbediscussedinthe workplace.Whenemployeesgetawareaboutthereal-life examplesofthepeoplewhosufferedwithdiscrimination, thentheygettoknowitbetter Also,theycansharethe outcomesorexperiencesofpeoplewhowereonceavictim ofdiscrimination.
5)HRplaysanimportantroleinidentifyingthedifficulties facedbytheemployees,theyshouldeducatethemwiththe helpofsoftskillstraining.SoftSkillsaretheattributes whichhelpapersontodevelopskillsonhowtointeract effectively.Havingthisskilltaught,manygettheideaabout howtodulyregardtheircolleagues.Askingthemtoreport anykindofmis-treatmentthattheyexperienceinthe workplace,andcomplainingittotheorganization’s complainsection.
Discriminationandharassmentcanbedonebythe employeesworkingtogetherorthehigherauthorities associatedwiththeprofiles.Itcanbeseennotonlyinthe workplacesbutinpublicplaces,events,meetings,etc. Discriminationisdeeplyrootedintothehumansociety The diversityissuchthatlargegroupsofsocietieshavedifferent perceptionsoverothers,hencecreatingscopeandchances fordiscrimination.Iftheemployeesaswellasthepeoplein thatenvironmentarewellacquaintedwithpropereducation andtraining,thenwecandefinitelyseebettertreatmentand equalityamongthemall.Theworldcouldbeabetterplace leavingnoplaceforgrating.
Ambition—theessentialcatalystthatenablesan alignmentbetweenpassionandexpertise—iswhat drivesanyindividualtowardsaccomplishing whatevertheyaspirefor
We’vealwaysread,heard,andwatchedstoriesofpeople andcompanieswho’veaccomplishedgreatthings.Buthave youeverbeencurioustoknowaboutthosestorytellers who’vebeenstrivingtomakethesestoriesreachtheright people?
Well,thisstoryhereisaboutonesuchtelleroftales–NicoleRodrigues,theFounderandCEOofNRPR Group.
Sincethestartofhercareer,Nicolehasbeenpassionate aboutreimaginingandredefininghowtheartofpublic relationsisdoneinthemodernera,whichledhertolaunch herveryownstrategicpositioningfirmoutofBeverlyHills in2014.
FastforwardtoJuneof2021,NRPRGroupiscelebrating itsseventhanniversary,atruemilestone,consideringthe numberofbusinesses(especiallyself-funded,femaleownedstartups)thatfailintheirearlyyearsand/orduring challengingtimeslikethepandemic.
“We’veaccomplishedthisbenchmarksuccessby continuallyrootingourselvesintothemostdisruptive approaches,emergingtechnologies,resilientthinkingand industry-firstserviceofferingsthatgrantourclientsbest-inclasssupport,strategyandresults,”saysNicole. AsCEO,Nicoleconsidersherroletomorecloselymirror thatofagame-winningcoachandmentor,whopushesher A-teamtobethebestofthebestandwintop-tiercoverage trophiesonbehalfoftheclients.
Sheworkscloselywiththem,dayinanddayout,tohelp enhancetheircritical-thinking,solution-mindedstrategies andhelpcultivateanexpert-levelunderstandingofthe industry,clients,mediamembers,andthetargetaudiences theyaresupporting.
NRPRfostersaworkculturethatischallenging, empowering,andenjoyablewhiledeliveringpowerful resultsandexceedingclientexpectationsthroughitshighest standardsofexcellence.“We’vealwaysoperatedwithinour corevaluesoftransparency,integrity,andtenacitywhich hasconsequentlyelevatedouragency’sreputationtothatof aninnovativeindustryleader(asevidencedbythe multitudeofawardstheteamhasreceivedfromprestigious
I consider my role to more closely mirror that of a game-winning coach and mentor, who pushes my A-team to be the best of the best and win top-tier coverage trophies on behalf of our clients.
“ “
Inspiring Women Leaders Making a Difference 2021
organizationssuchasHermesCreativeAwards,theStevie AwardsandtheRaganandPRDailyAwardprograms),” addsNicole.
Havingservedmarqueeleadersacrossindustriesfrom startupstoFortune500companies,NRPRoffersindustry disruptive,end-to-endmarketingandpublicrelations services,includingstrategicmessagingdevelopment, integratedmarketingcommunicationsandcampaigns, digital/socialmediamarketingactivities,influencer relations,executivethoughtleadershipdevelopmentand videocreation/distributionservicesforitsentireclient roster
Thecompany’smostrecentbrandedbusinessventure, NRPRBusinessProductions(BizPro™),isthefirst offeringofitskindwithinthepublicrelationsspaceto provideclientswithcomprehensivebusinessdevelopment services,includingfullconcept-to-closelaunchsupport, legalentitycreation,brandidentity,designand investor/partnermatchmakingandmanagement(among manyotherservicesoutlinedwithinitsportfolio).
NRPRhasscaledtowhereitistodaythroughitsreadiness toevolve,adaptandelevatealongsidechangingindustry, consumer,andmediatrends–andhasactivelyexpandedits servicesportfolio/offeringstomeetclientneeds,increase theirvisibility,impacttheindustry,andpositivelydisrupt howtheartofpublicrelationsisdoneinthemodernera.
WhenaskedaboutthechallengesthatNRPRfaceddueto thepandemic,andhowtheymanagedtotriumphthese challenges,Nicolesays,“Thepandemicbroughtchallenges andopportunities,inequalmeasure,toNRPRandour clients.”
“WhenCOVID-19firsthituslikeithittheworld,wewere abletogetgrittyandcreativeinthefaceoftheunknown, ratherthanallowourselvestobeoverwhelmedbythe collectivestressanduncertaintywewerefacing.”
“Wehelpedourclientsadaptpowerfulbrandmessagingand pivottheirofferingstoreflectthe‘newnormal’,ratherthan advisingthemtostandstilluntilthecrisispassed.Since NRPRhasalsobeenanearlyadopterofwork-from-home policiesandsolutionsthatenableseamlesscollaboration fromanywhere,themid-pandemictransitionto100% remoteworkacrossdispersedlocationswasaseffortlessas possible.”
“Eventhougheverysingleteammemberhadto simultaneouslymusclethroughthepandemic’simpacton his/herpersonallife,theyeachledbyexampleandhelped make2020oneofNRPR’smoststandout,successfuland scaledyearstodate(andagainstallodds),includingseveral clients,service,staff,andawardwins.”
“WheneverwedoreturntoourBeverlyHillsofficeforinpersonoperations,theteamwillremaincommittedtothe safetyofthemselvesandofothersbypracticingallpossible precautionsandprotocolswhileworkingtohelpourclients meet/exceedtheiroutlinedbusinessgoals,”addsNicole.
Whenaskedforheropiniononhowtheadoptionofnovel technologieshastransformedthePRandMarketing industry,andwhatcouldbeexpectedinthefuture,Nicole explains,“NRPRrepresentsandsupportsseveral cutting-edgeorganizationsthatarepropellinginnovation acrosstheindustriesoftechnology,medicine,finance,NFTs anddigitalentertainment,amongstothers.Assuch,our teamworkstirelesslytostayontopofemerging technologies,platformsandresourcesthatenableusto matchpacewithourclients’innovationandreflectitas powerfullyaspossibletothemarket.We’vebeenearly adoptersofintegratedtechtools(suchasOnclusive,Cision, Meltwater,Slack,Zoom,Monday.comandothers)that enableustocommunicate,identify,trackandanalyze industrydataandresultsgarneredforclients,whichmany otheragenciesofoursizedonotyetleverage.”
Whenitcomestoadvocatinggenderegalitarianismfroma leadershipperspective,asaself-funded,solofemale businessownerofLatinAmericanandMiddleEastern descent,Nicolehasalwaysheldinclusion,representation, anddiversityascorevalues,bothpersonallyand professionally
“Ialsobelievethatgender-rolestereotypescanholdpeople backfromachievingtheirtrue,inherentpotential–and thus,Ihaveproudlybuiltadiverse,multidimensionalteam oftop-tiertalentthatspansthecultural,religiousand gendergamut.Werecognizeandvaluetheuniquestrengths, skills,backgroundsandexperienceseachpersonbringsto theNRPRtable,knowingwecanalllearnfromevery singledifferentiator,”sheadds.
sectormustrealizeafewkeythings beforeembarkingonthejourney:First, realizethatnothingtrulyvaluableever comeseasy Yoursuccesswillmatch theamountofeffort,energy,hardwork andsacrificeyouarewillingtoputinto yourwork.Second,educateyourself oneverysingletaskand/orroleofthe companyyouarebuilding,soyoucan moremeaningfullytrainandempower thosewhowilltakeonthoserolesafter you.Third,evenbusinessownersneed mentorsandtrustedadvisors.Fourth, leverageyour‘freetime’todigdeep intoresearchandself-educationabout yourindustry,competitors,value propositionanddifferentiatorsto strategicallypositionyourselfinthe marketanddevelopmeaningful messagingtotellyourstorywell.”
“Truly,oneofthemostimportant qualitiesofsuccessfulentrepreneursin anyindustryistheenthusiastic willingnesstoforevercontinue learningandimproving,understanding thatyoudonotknoweverythingbut canlearnanything,”Nicoleexpresses.
OnaConstantJourneyForward Talkingabouthervisionforscaling NRPRGroup’soperationsand offeringsin2021,Nicolestates, “NRPRwillcontinuetoevaluate markets/trendsandlookforsoftware toolsthatwillhelpustoserveclients. Wewilladdservicesasneededtohelp clientstofulfilltheirpublicrelations, socialmedia,digitalmarketing,and branddevelopmentrequirementsand meetbusinessgoals.”
“In2021,wehavealreadyaddedseven newclientsandfivenewteam members.IenvisionNRPRas continuingourcommitmenttoclients, mediaprofessionals,andourteam memberstocreateamutually beneficialscenario,whereallparties aresatisfiedwiththeinteractionand results,”concludesNicole.
