The 10 Most Innovative Business Leaders to Follow in 2022 April2022

Chairman&Co-founder Virtuzone

Editor’s Desk

Innovative Leaders, Innovative Businesses

nnovationissynonymouswithcreativity,asfree-

Iflowingcreativityinvolvesagreatdealofrisk-taking. Aninnovativeleaderhashigh-risktolerance, consideringeverypossibleoutcometomakewellresearchedbetstodothebestfortheemployeesandthe organization.Acapableleaderhaseveryaspectofthe organizationcoveredintheirplan,adaptinga360-degreein everydecision.Alltherisksaretakenbasedonemployee appetitesforpushingtheirlimitsandexperimentingbeyond theusualareasofinterest.

Technologyorientationamongseveralindustriesis advancingrapidly Withtheintroductionofthemetaverse andweb3,companieshaveasurgeoftechnicalexpertsand employees.Itisnecessarytohavetherequireddomain expertisetocommunicateeffectivelywiththeteam,radiate aunifiedvision,andgeltheorganizationintoaneffective group.Withsoundknowledgeoftheprocesses,Leaderscan headthecompanytowardsabetterfuture.

Innovativeleadersgoastepfurther,havinganin-depth understandingofallcompanydepartments.Onlywiththe knowledgeoftheexistingprocesscanleadersthinkofnew ideasandinnovations.Mostofthedisruptivechangesinthe technologicalworldarebroughtaboutwhenasmall problemisidentifiedandfixed.Mostoftheseminor problemsarehardtospotforgeneralemployees.Itrequires attentiontosmalldetailintheeyesofaleadertoidentify theseminorproblemsand,moreimportantly,workonthem infavorofthecompany Theabilitytonoticethingsthat mayhavegoneunaccountedforwillhelpinnovativeleaders makeaccurateassessmentsanddeterminethebestsolution toaproblem.

Arecenttrendhasseenthatmaximuminnovativeleaders haveonetraitincommon-confidenceintheirteam.Once

theleaderhasgainedconfidenceintheteam,afree handisgiventotheemployeestoexperimentandtry outnewideas.Aleaderassertsconfidenceinthe teamsothattheteamfeelsencouragedtotakerisks, goawayfromthetrackandcomeoutwith distinguishedresults.Thisconfidencemaynotpay outeverytimebutwillpavethewayfortrustbuilding,andthefewjackpotswillmakeitupfor failedattempts.Aconfidentleader,employees,and teamsarethepillarsofaninnovativeenvironment.

Agoodresultrequiresgoodefforts.Leadersare spendingmoreandmoreonR&Ddepartmentsso thatthebestfacilitiesareprovidedtoresearchersto makeinnovativeinventionsandground-breaking processes.Aninnovativeleaderknowsthevalueof anadvancedR&Ddepartmentasmuchasan innovativeemployeeandpushestheboundariesin thecompany'sbestinterests.Withthesupportofhis staffandmachinery,aleadercancreatethebest innovativeproductsandservices.

Thus,InsightsSuccessembarkedonavoyagetofind suchleadersinthiseditionof"The 10 Most Innovative Business Leaders to Follow in 2022."

Whileflippingthroughpages,haveaquickrundown ofthearticleswrittenbyourin-houseeditorialteam.

Happyreading!

Raunak

Raunak Mhetre

Cover Story

Neil Petch

Enroute to Success

or Startup, Which is Better?

contents

Accelerating Decision Making with Data and Technology

Passionate About Personal Development and Constant Learning

Impacting Lives by Bringing Financial Inclusion

Leading with Inventiveness

BriefCompanyName

ArlinSorensen CEO

FeaturedPerson

HTGPeerGroups htgpeergroups.com

HTGPeerGroups’visionistoconnectleadersbyfostering authenticrelationshipsandopportunitiesforsharing.

DavidKelly CEO KPS kpslife.com

KPSdeliverfunctionalservicesthroughaprogressivemodelonethattapsthebestclinicalopsprofessionalsintheindustry, supportsthemtodotheirbestwork,deploysstate-of-the-art technologies,andenablesfullsystemintegrationwith Sponsors.

DanielWilson CEO PSL yourpsl.com

JonWinsett CEO NPI npifinancial.com

JohnCushing CEO

LeighRust Founder&Director

MirnaSleiman CEO

MikeUtting CEO

NeilPetch Chairman

PaulGuenther CEO

mnAI mnai.tech

SafetylineJalousie LouvreWindows safetylinejalousie.com.au

EntegraEuropeisamarginenhancementbusinesssupporting thehospitalityandcateringindustriesacrossEurope.

NPIisanITprocurementadvisoryservicescompany

mnAIaimtoreducethetimeittakesinvestors,companiesand individualstoidentify,andthenunderstandanindustry, businessordirectorsandshareholdersfrommonthstominutes.

SafetylineJalousielouvrewindowsarethemostversatile, highestperformingandbestvalueformoneysingleglazed louvrewindowsonthemarket.

FintechGalaxy fintech-galaxy.com

SpringTide springtide procurement.com

Virtugroup aspirawh.com

KnowledgeHubMedia knowledge hubmedia.com

FintechGalaxyisanOpenFinanceplatformthatfuels innovationandseamlessintegrationinfinancialservices.

Springtidefocusonchangingattitudestowardsprocurement andgobeyondcostsavingstodeliverenduringvalueacross wholeorganisations.

AspiraWomen’sHealthInc.istransformingwomen’shealth withthediscovery,development,andcommercializationof innovativetestingoptionsandbio-analyticalsolutions.

KnowledgeHubMediahasbeenaleaderindeliveringtech news,expertopinions,andthenewestandmostrelevantwhite papers,webinarsandcasestudiesacrossallindustryverticals.

Neil Petch Chairman & Co-founder Virtuzone

The 10 Most Innovative Business Leaders to Follow in 2022

C O V E R S T O R Y

Neil Petch

Transforming Businesses with Trust-Based Leadership

If you are an entrepreneur, you are going to be looking at your phone at 3:00 in the morning. So do something that you love. Focus on what you are really good at.

Whenentrepreneurshitthewheelinthe rightplaceandtime,theydrive businesseswithinnovationand resilience.Startingfromincorporating value-basedworkculturetoinculcating trustwithintheworkforce,businessleadersyieldfruitful resultsfororganizations.OnesuchvisionaryleaderisNeil Petch,whofoundedVirtuzonetofacilitatecompanysetups inDubaiandUAEwithavisionoftransformingbusinesses throughvisionaryleadershipskills.

Embarkingonhisentrepreneurialjourney,Neilfaced multiplechallengesturningeveryobstacleintoabusiness opportunity.Helaunchedaradiostation,newspaper,and publishingcompanycalledITPthatgrewupto70 magazinesand600peopleinhisearlycareer.Neilrealized media'spotentialindrivinganybusinesslikelytobe profitable.AsperNeil,onemaybeanexpertatagivenskill oraphenomenalworkflow,butmultiplefactorsareatplay, includingtheabilitytomarkettopeople.

OvercomingChallenges

Inspiredbyhisbestfriend'sexperiencesettingupan outdooradvertisingcompanyinDubai,Neilrealizedaneed toprovidequasi-governmentalservicestoentrepreneurs willingtoestablishabusinessinDubaiandUAE.

Neilshares, "He wanted to set up an outdoor advertising company but encountered many stumbling blocks along the way. He couldn't get a hot desk, and it was challenging to communicate with the free zone he wanted to set up in. That's when he realized there's an opportunity in this market and shared this idea with me."

TheyestablishedVirtuzonewithauniversalnamethat peoplecouldeasilyassociatewith.Hesays, "Back then, we were competing against Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah, names that are, to the non-Arab speaker, a little foreign. We deliberately wanted to be approachable and modern."

WhileinDubai,Neilobservedthatthedecision-makersfor mostbusinesseswerebasedinEurope.Itwaschallenging toconveytopeopleaboutthebusinessopportunities througharemotemodeofcommunication.Another challengewasbuildinghisteam.Hesays,"You need someone in your team who says 'Yes, we can do it!' and believes 100% that it's possible, but you also need someone who thinks about the implications and ramifications."

AtVirtuzone,Neilassistsbusinesseswithcompanysetups inDubaiandUAE,takingcareofalltheredtapesinvolved intheUAEfreezoneandmainlandcompanysetupprocess.

Being13yearsinthebusiness,Virtuzonewasableto competeandmaintainastrongpositioninthemarketdueto itsthreeessentialpillars-brilliantprocesses,excellent customerservice,andfantasticmarketing.Talkingaboutthe companyphilosophy,Neilnotes,"What we seek as an entrepreneur is an ambitious person with a vision. If we don't conform to ourselves, we wouldn't understand them. I'd like to think that Virtuzone is created in the image of our customers."

OnaMissiontoNurtureEntrepreneurialSpirit

Neiliscommittedtoenablingentrepreneurstoconducttheir businessessafely,efficiently,andinaconducive environmenttosucceed.Heputs,"When you're in outer space looking down on Earth, you don't see borders. You don't see a point where you have to hand in your passport, and that is what we want to achieve. Yet at the very center of that world, we believe that there's an opportunity for the UAE to be the startup capital of the world."

Neilunderstandsthatentrepreneursarethelifebloodofthe globaleconomy,andVirtuzone'sjobistomakesurethat anyonewhoisanentrepreneurwillhaveaneffortless experiencesettinguptheirbusiness.Withabout60different jurisdictionsthatonecanuseintheUAE,havingitspros andcons.Heasserts, "It falls upon Virtuzone to hold the hand of the entrepreneur, save them time and money, and make sure that they get it right the first time because there's

Make mistakes and learn from your mistakes.

nothing worse than embarking on a journey, going the wrong way, and having to do a U-turn after six months."

Neilemphasizessolvingchallengesandprovidingasafe passageforbusinesseswillingtosetupacompanyin Dubai.

EnvisioningFuture

Neilenvisionsscoutingforthehurdlesfacedby entrepreneursandworkingtomitigatethem."You want to keep it as easy as possible for people to set up, to live in the country, and to have a working company. Which means they need a bank account. They need a telephone. They need a business address. It's not just about giving them a license. It's making sure that they can conduct their business," expressesNeil.Whilebusinessesgrowwithfewerhurdles

andhighefficiency,Neilismakingasignificantimpactin facilitatingcompanysetup.

Virtuzonehasstartedinvestinginselectstartups,suchas Hotdesk.ItalsojoinedBYVenturePartners'USD50 millionventurecapitalfundtosupportearly-stage technologystartupsintheMENAregionandglobally.

Speakingaboutthefuturegoalsforthecompany,Neil marks,"We want Virtuzone to be synonymous with entrepreneurship and startup success. You may have heard that the UAE is aspiring to be home to 20 unicorns in the next decade. As we have always aimed to align our goals with the government's vision, we also seek to enable and nurture these startups and their founders and help them achieve regional and global success.”

MakinganImpact

Beingatthehelmoftransformingbusinessesthrough companysetupsupportservice,Neilworkswith400to500 companieseverymonth.

Hementions,"Virtuzone is just the catalyst. We are the thing that makes it easier for someone from London or Canada to run their global business from Dubai. I want us to champion that, and I'd love to go out there, to the rest of the world, and tell them why they should be here."

ImpactfulLeadership

Neilisfocusedontrust-basedleadershipwithanapproach ofabusinesscatalyst.Hementionsthatonethingthat

makesleadershiphaveanimpactistrust.Overtheyears, Neilhascontinuouslybeeninvestedinhispeople's professionalandpersonalwell-being.

Hementionsthat,duringCovid,thecompanyhadtotake careof110peoplewithprobably90families.Everyoneof 110staffmembersviewedthatasacommonchallenge, ratherthanbeingforcedtooppositeendsoftheroombeing likemanagersandemployees.That'swhenNeillearnedthat theinvestmenthehadmadeingainingeveryone'strusthad paidoff.

Talkingaboutteambuilding,Neilsuggestsrecruiting peoplewithstrengthinareasyoudon't.Headds,"One of the things about leadership is to be confident and not feel threatened. If you find a peer who does well and your first thoughts are that you're happy for them, then I would say that's a good sign that you can go on to bigger and better things in the future."

DrivingBusinesseswithaPositiveWork-Culture

Don't take shortcuts

Neilhasfocusedonestablishingtrustwithinhisemployees asateam-buildingeffortandexpectshisworkforcetopush themselvesbeyondtheircomfort.Heputs,"We have come to a point where we can say to our staff, 'We want you to make mistakes.' If you're not making mistakes, you're not pushing yourself hard enough."

Beingcommittedtopracticing innovation,Neilfeelsfortunatefor thousandsofsupportivecustomers thatenablehimtostartpushingatthe envelope.Hebelievesinmakingthe processmoreautomatedtohelp somethinghappenalittlebitfaster, drivingtinymarginstodohuge businesses.

SpeedingUpwithTechnology

Automatingcompanyworkflowshas becomeanessentialfactorsincethe pandemic.Neiltriestoanticipatehis customers'challengesanddevelop correspondingsolutionsaccordingly Whenface-to-facemeetingswere restrictedduringthepandemic,hehad partneredwithtrustedservice providerswhohelpedhimfacilitate remotecompanysetupforhisclients. Neilcanevenhelphisclientsstart theirbankaccountopeningprocess online.

Talkingaboutleveraging technologicaladvancementtomake servicesresourceful,Neilsays,"We always review and scrutinize our internal processes, adopt the latest software and systems, and continually increase our efficiencies and the quality of our customer service. The better and the faster we can serve our customers, the more we make entrepreneurship accessible."

ASteptowardsKindness

Neiladvisesbuddingentrepreneurs,whethertheybe18or 60,it'snevertoolate,andit'snevertooearly.Hesays, "First thing is, the best financial decision you can make is not to jump into something underprepared. Do your research, speak to your network. Do not be afraid to ask for help from your family and friends. Ask them to tell you the truth; ask them to play devil's advocate to your idea."

"If you do that research, then one of the things it is going to show you is the benefits of starting a company in Dubai. And when you finally take the leap, make sure that an

organization like Virtuzone can guide you through it and can help you."

"If you are an entrepreneur, you're going to be looking at your phone at 3:00 in the morning. So do something that you love. Focus on what you're good at. And as I say, look to recruit colleagues in areas where you are weak.

"Finally, stepping outside of what we've been taught forever. Re-evaluate the rules. Find out which ones work for you and find out which ones you can rethink and reinvent," Neilconcludes.

John Cushing CEO mnAI

John Cushing

Technologyhasthepowertomakecomplicated thingsmoresimplifiedandsavethevaluabletime ofbusinesses.Itispossibletogainvaluable insightsusingthestatisticaldataandtechnologytomake calculatedbusinessdecisions.Technologyenthusiasts utilizethedataandtechnologytoacceleratethespeedof decisionmakingandtherebysavetheirvaluabletime.John Cushingisonesuchtechnologyenthusiastwhobelieves thatitisvitalforbusinessestobealignedwithnewer technologicaldevelopmentstoacceleratedecisionmaking. JohnisCEOatmnAI,agrowthstagedataandtechnology company.mnAIbelievesinaworldwheretechnology acceleratesdecisionmaking. John’sdaysatthecompany areincrediblyvaried-fromhelpingwithsalesthroughto productdevelopment,hisroleistoensurethatthestrategic aimsofthebusinessareachieved.

EnablingUsersTargetedInformationMoreRapidly

Likeanystart-up,thejourneyofmnAIfrominception hasn’tbeenwithoutitschallenges.Agoodexamplewould thesizeoftheopportunity:itwouldhavebeenveryeasyto launchbothaconsumerandanenterpriseproductbut, givenitsresources,itneededtofocus.

Today,mnAIisaplatformforinvestors,advisorsand corporatesthatprovidesinformation,insight,research,and duediligenceonallunlistedcompaniesintheUK.Itholds 7.5bn+datapointson7m+UKcompanies,applyingawide varietyofmachinelearningalgorithmsandfilterswhich enableuserstoaccesstargetedinformationfarmorerapidly thaniscurrentlypossible,oftencompletingwhatusedto takemonthsofworkinminutes.Asthisawardtestifies, buildingtheenterpriseproductwasdefinitelytherightthing todo!

AdaptingtoNewerTechnologyandPlatforms

Theimpactofpandemicisgenerallypositiveasthe pandemicforcedachangeinpeople’sperceptionofhowto work.Companiesandindividualshadtoadopttechnologies andplatformsthatenabledhomeworkingandgaveboth easieraccesstoinformationandbetterwaysofsharingit. JohnopinesthatmanyInformationTechnologyand

Servicesrelyonpeopletodeliver,maintain,andupgrade andhecanimaginethatforsometheirexperiencemayhave beenverydifferenttothatofcompanieslikeTeamsor Zoom,whichsawusernumbersswellasaconsequenceof theneedtobeabletoworkcollaboratively.

Johnbelievesthattechnologycanenhanceandsupport operationsforbusinessesandtheircustomersthrough innovationanddigitization,improvetheirinsight, accelerategrowth,andreducecoststhroughincreased efficiency.

RelentlessFocusonInnovationandExcellentCustomer Service

mnAIprovidesasinglesourceofunifieddatathatmakes dealorigination,duediligence,andcustomersearchreally easy.Ithasmoredatapoints,agreaterlevelofdetailaswell ashighspeed,whileitsGenderIdentificationtechnologyis trulyunique.

mnAIisacomprehensive,easytouse,andanefficient productatacompetitivepricepointwhichisbackedbya relentlessfocusoninnovationandcustomerservice.Every detailmatters,asthecompanyputsitscustomersfirstand aimtomakethemhappyatalltimes.

TheworkcultureatmnAIreflectsthismantra–being collegial,transparent,listeningtoeachotherandalways tryingtodotherightthing.Itscustomersexpect professionalismandintegrityandsodoesthecompany

Theworkisdemandingbutsuccessissatisfying.mnAI encouragespersonalandprofessionaldevelopmentandtrust itsemployeestodotherightthing.

ActivelySupportingBusinessesAcrosstheCountry

Onapersonallevel,John,andsomeoftheseniorteam mentoryoungentrepreneursthrough1-2-1programs,or, whenasked,throughvisitinglecturerspotsattheirlocal collegetosupportBusinessStudiesstudents.Asabusiness, theyworkwithlocalGrowthHubswhichareactively supportingbusinessesacrossthecountryataverydifficult time.Inaddition,mnAI’stechnologyhasbeenadoptedand

endorsedbyanumberofleadingadvocatesforfemale entrepreneurismandithelpsalltypesofcompanies measureprogressagainstanumberoffemaleinitiatives includingtheRoseReview

Startinganynewcompany,whetherintechorotherwise,is tough.Johnsaysthatthereisalreadyadecentamountof permanentgovernmentsupportthrough,forexample,SEIS, EIS andtechcreditsbutthereisnodoubtthatCovid relatedsupportthroughvariousloanschemeshasbeen enormouslyhelpfulandanyextensionofthoseschemes wouldbehelpful.

AValuableNotetoAspiringEntrepreneurs

JohnencouragesaspiringentrepreneurstoventureintoIT industry.Headvisesthemtobepreparedtoworkharder thantheyeverhavebefore.Hetellsthemtodotheirdue diligenceontheirchosenmarketandcompetitorstoavoid wastingmoneyandtime.Hesuggeststhemtotakeadvice frompeoplemoreexperiencedthanthemandbeprepared forset-backs!

ContinuingDevelopmentofTechnologyandScaling Internationally

mnAIisconstantlylookingforwaystoimproveits technology,sellitsproductandbetterserveitsclients. Thosehavebeenandcontinuetobeitspriorities.Asapure techbusinessmnAI’sentireinfrastructureiscloudbasedso, despiteCovidrestrictions,ithasbeenabletocontinuethe developmentofitstechnology.Recentexamplesinclude Insight,whichallowscustomerstogeneratetheirown industryreports,andGenderAnalysis–itsentiredataset cannowbefilteredbygenderwhichhashelpedmake compliancewiththeRoseReviewquickandeasy.Looking ahead,mnAIisalmostatthepointwheretheplatformis readytoscaleinternationally-ahugechallengebutonethat Johnhasnodoubttheteamisreadytomeet.

With billions of data points, mnAI’s award-winning technology instantly provides and filters uniquely accessible insight and analysis across sectors, companies, geographies and individuals.

hegreatnessofapersonorleaderhastobe

Testimatedbyhisorherabilitytothriveeveninthe mostprovokingorchallengingsituations.Itisin thetoughtimesthatone’smettleistested.Anditisatthe sametimeonehastheopportunitytoproveone’smettle.It issaidthatpatienceisbitter,butitsfruitsaresweet.The moreoneisabletoholdone’snerveseveninthe challengingtimesandcontinuetofightforsuccess,the moreonewillbeabletocrossovereventhetoughest challenges.Liferewardsthosewhoputinsincerehardwork andstriveforachievements.“Aswesow,soshallwereap.” Successisnotthecakewalk,butitisaboutrepeatedefforts dayinanddayout.

Thereisnofreelunchinthisbusiness-mindedworld.One hastobepreparedtomakethenecessarysacrificesfor accomplishingsomethingworthwhileinthisworld, especiallyintheworldofbusiness.Onehastoaccomplish somethinginthisworldtoearnthetrustofpeopleand therebytobethewell-wisherofpeople.Onecancontribute alottootherswhenheorshehasgainedworthwhile accomplishmentstocreatehisorhercredibility The reliabilityofleadersincreasesingreatproportionwhenthey deliverresultsmorethanexpectedbyothers.Thereliability orcredibilityofleadersisdirectlyproportionaltothe expansionofthebusinesses.

MoralityistheFoundationforVictory

Greatbusinessleadersareawarethatitisimportanttolead withmorality Theyconsideritisveryimportanttokeepthe moraleofeveryoneintheirorganizationveryhigh.High moralehelpsintakingthemostcourageousdecisions.They understandthatitisessentialtodeliverwhatisexpectedby clientsorevenbeyondthinkingwellaheadoftheclients. Thisiswheretheinnovativenessinleadersplaysabigrole. Thatisthereasontheykeepitonhighprioritytobewell updatedwiththelatesttechnologiesandtheyarekeento implementthosetechnologiesintheirbusinesses.

Determination,Dedication,andDiscipline

Determination,Dedication,andDisciplineformabigpart ofsuccess.Thereisahugesignificanceofresolute determinationtosucceedintheworldofbusiness.The worldisfilledwithcut-throatcompetition.Tosustainone’s competencyinthebusinessworld,onehastokeepon improvingoneselfandeveryoneintheorganizationto createmassivesuccess.Thejourneysometimescanbefilled withalotofchallenges,butifonehasadeterminationto persistthenonecanachieveone’sgoalsinduecourseof time.Dedicationgiveslifetoone’spurposeandgoals.Itis verymuchsynonymouswithleadingwithpurposefulness. Thestrongerthepurposethegreatercanbethededication

toachieveit.AndDisciplineisthebridgebetweensuccess andfailure.Withoutdiscipline,nothingsubstantialcanever beaccomplishedinlife.Onehastopaythepriceofresolute determination,absolutededication,andhighdisciplineto besuccessfulintheworldofbusiness.

WhatNottoDo?

Asmuchasitisimportanttoknowwhattodo,itisalso equallyimportanttoknowwhatnottodo.Doingwhatis favorableforsuccessandavoidingwhatisharmfulfor successshouldbeavoidedatanycost.Forbusinessleaders tosucceedinthebusinessworld,theyshouldbewellaware nottowastetheirpreciousresourcesafterbadmoneyorbad deals.Theyshouldnotthrowtheirgoodmoneybehindbad moneyvianegativedeals.Theyshouldbecalculativeand shouldtakecalculativedecisionsrelatedtowheretoinvest andwherenotto.

HavingaRightMentoristheKey

Havingagoodmentorgoesalongwayinmakinghighvaluedecisions.Oneshouldchoosethatpersonasone’s mentorwhohasdemonstratedone’scharacterand competenceinone’schosenfield.Greatleadersarenotjust interestedinbeinggreatleaderthemselvesonly,butthey wouldliketocreatemoregreatleaders.Bychoosinga capableleaderasone’smentor,onewillbeabletoattain greatheightsinlifeinashortspanoftime.Onegood mentorisworthmorethanallthebooksinthelibrary.

Booksalsoplayahugeroleinthelivesofgreatleaders,but thehelpofamentorispricelessasonewillbeableto developoneselfmorequicklywiththehelpofagood mentorandavoidthemistakesthatpreviousleadershave done.Greatleadersbecomegreatbecausetheydon’tshyat acceptinggoodmentorsinlife.Theyareopentolearning fromall.Theyknowthattheydon’thaveallthetimeinthe worldtocommitallmistakesandthenlearnandthenapply Therefore,theyprefertoavoidmistakesonthejourneyby havingagoodmentorinlife.

Itisamarkofgreatleaderstodojusticetotheirroles, routines,relationships,andresponsibilities.Theyalsobuild suchatypeofcultureintheirfellowteammatesand employeesandstaffintheorganization.Thishelpsthemto achievegreatnessintheirbusinessbybuildingan organizationwithresponsibleandcompetentpeople.They leadbyexampleandwithresolutedeterminationandwitha goaltodelivermorethanneeded.Theythriveontheir purposeandnecessaryactions.Theydowhatneedstobe donewithduediligenceandtheysetthestandardsfor everyoneelsetofollowandthatisthereasontheybecome admirable.

Leadership Redened

Leigh Rust

Passionate About Personal Development and Constant Learning

Innovativeleadersbelieveinconstantlearning.They learnthroughavarietyofways.Theyarefilledwith greatinsightsthatallowthemtomakesmartbusiness decisionsthatcount.

OnesuchinnovativeleaderisLeighRust,whois passionateaboutconstantlearningandsomeonewholikes totakecalculateddecisionsandmakethemcount.Leighis theCo-founderandDirectorofSafetylineJalousie-an Australianlouverwindowmanufacturer.Leighestablished thecompanyalongsidehisbrotherNathanin2010after theyspent10yearsworkingattheirfather’smanufacturing businessVergola.

DrawingInspirationFromGreatPeopleandAuthors

Leighhascertainlydrawnalotofinspirationfromhis fatheranduncleovertheyears.Growingup,havingbothof thesefiguresinhislifebeinbusinesscertainlyhadabig impactonhimandthepathhechose.

Outsidehisimmediatecircle,Leighisalsoinspiredby businessleadersincludingMarkBourisandSirRichard Branson.Assomeonewho’spassionateaboutfitnessand mindset,LeighalsodrawsinspirationfromDavidGoggins and"Jocko''WillinkwhoarebothUSNavySEALveterans andauthors.

Leighispassionateaboutpersonaldevelopmentand constantlearning,sohelovestoread.Acoupleofbookshe hasrecentlyreadwhichhehighlyrecommendsareTheArt ofResiliencebyRossEdgley,TheAlchemistbyPaulo Coelho,InOrdertoLivebyYeonmiParkandMan’sSearch forMeaningbyVictorFrankl.

WorkingTowardsSharedObjectives

InLeigh’spositionatSafetylineJalousieheisinvolvedin overseeingtheday-to-dayoperationsofthecompany, includingfindingandpursuingnewbusinessopportunities andworkingonnewproductlaunches.

Onethingthat’salwaysbeenatthecoreofthecompanyisa commitmenttomanufacturingitsproductslocallytokeep jobsonshoreandhelptostimulatetheeconomy.

SafetylineJalousieisalsocommittedtopursuinggreater sustainabilityintheindustry,anditbelievesthatthelongterm,environmentalimpactofaproductshouldalwaysbe considered.

Thecompanyiscurrentlyintheprocessofestablishinga group-SuppliersDeclare-toconnectthoseinthe manufacturingindustryandworktowardsshared sustainabilityobjectives.

CreatingCultureandHighMorale

Fosteringapositiveworkplacecultureisattheheartof Safetyline’sorganization,asLeighthinksitshouldbefor allbusinesses.SomeofSafetyline’sstaffhavebeenwithit thecompanysinceitwasfirstestablishedover10yearsago, whichLeighthinksisagreattestamenttotheculturethat’s interwoveninthecompany

Safetylineviewsitsstaffasfamilyandfriends,andwhen theyarebringingnewpeopleontotheteam,Leighbelieves thatattitudeandworkethictrumpstechnicalskills,as workingwithpeoplewhoaremotivatedandlovewhatthey doisgreatforthemoraleofacompany

OperatingonScheduleWithoutanyDelays

Leighmentionsthatthepandemiccertainlyreinforcedthe importanceoflocalmanufacturingwithflawsin internationalsupplychainsshowingandtherebeinga growingneedtosupportthelocaleconomy.

It’sgreattonowseemorecompaniesmovingtheir manufacturingon-shoreasaresultofthepandemicand Safetylineisproudtobeacompanythat’ssupportedthis fromthestart.Manufacturingitsproductslocallyduringthe pandemicalsomeantthatSafetylinewasabletooperateon

schedulewithoutanydelays,whichwasgreatforits businessandcustomers.

Covidalsohighlightedtheimportanceofbeingadaptablein business.Asyouneverknowwhat’sgoingtobethrownat youinbusiness,beingabletopivotquicklyissoimportant. Safetylinewasabletocomeoutoflastyearinaperiodof growthandexpansionwhichhasgivenitgreatconfidence movingforward.

MeetingandExceedingStandardsConsistently

Oneofthebiggesttechnologicaladvancementsoflouvre windowshasbeenthedevelopmentofitsSmartAirSystem. Thesesophisticatedsystemsallowbuildingstobreathewith morningandnightpurgecycles,creatingbetterindoor environments-withnotonlybetterairqualitybutalsothe inclusionofmorenaturallight.

ThestandardsSafetylineworkwithininAustraliaaresome ofthehighestintheworld.Itssystemsnotonlymeetthese, buttheyalsotranscendtheminnearlyeveryclass.By carefulscrutinizationoftestdata,carriedoutbythirdparty authorities,thebenchmarkforSafetylineisnotjustmeeting keyperformancemetrics,butexceedingthemby continuallylookingtoimprovewhatitdoes.

Theproduct’sincrediblesealingcapabilities,whichremove humaninteraction,andtheefficiencyinwhichitcanbe installedarefacetsthataddtothealreadygreattriple bottomlinebenefitsgainedthroughusingSafetyline Jalousie.

LeighispersonallyveryproudseeingSafetyline’slouvre windowsbeinginstalledinplacestheyhaven’tpreviously, namelybecauseithassurpassedthecriteriaforthese buildingsandinfrastructureswithsuchgreatconviction.

ProvidingSustainableandQualityAirSolutions

Safetylineispassionateaboutsupportingsustainabilityin themanufacturingindustryandiscontinuallyworking towardsthisinitsbusiness.

IfLeighwastomakeachangeintheindustryitwouldbeto havemorepeopleconsideraproduct’slong-term environmentalimpactwhentheymakeapurchase,rather thanmakingpurchasingdecisionsbasedoncostalone.

Asacompanythat’scommittedtoprovidingsustainable, qualityairsolutionsforthebuiltenvironment,Safetyline Jalousiehasrecentlylaunchedanewproductwhichusesa cleaner,low-carbonaluminiumthatreducesthecarbon footprintperkgofaluminiumto4.0-lessthanaquarterof theglobalaverage.

ChoosingInspiringPeopleandCollaborating

Leigh’sadviceforanyonelookingtopursuealeadership positioninmanufacturingistoestablishastrongnetworkof connectionsintheindustry-somethingthatwillallowyou tobeonthelookoutforanyopportunitiesforcollaboration.

Hesays, “When you’re entering a leadership position, backing yourself and your skills is so important, as is surrounding yourself with people who inspire you.

I’d also recommend that you consider what initiatives or groups you can join, either as an individual, or on behalf of the business, which are in line with your values. For instance, we’ve recently joined the Living Future Institute which connects people working in the built environment industry across the country.”

Asonelastpointofadvice,heassertsthat, “You should make sure you are on the right side of sustainability.”

Safetyline Jalousie Louvre Windows are well known for challenging and overcoming the design, safety and security limitations of conventional louvre windows.

Franchise or Startup, Which is Better?

Ifyou’rewonderingifinvestingin afranchiseisabetteroptionthan startingabusinessfromscratch, therereallyisnoclear-cutanswer.It reallydependsonwhoyouareand whatyouwant.

Inaway,comparingafranchisetoa startupislikecomparingorangesto apples.Yes,theybothinvolvebusiness ownership,butthat’swherethesimilar itiesend.Therearealotoffactorsthat couldmakeeitheroptionamoreattrac tivechoicefortherighttypeofperson.

Daszkowski

Twoofthemajordifferencesinclude thetimeandeffortittakestoopenfor businessandtheamountofcontrol you’llhaveonceyou’reupandrunning. So,howwillyouknowwhichoneisfor you?Here,weasksomequestionsto helpyoudecide.

HOW MUCH RISKARE YOUWILLINGTOTAKE?

Oneofthemainreasonspeopleseek franchiseownershipisbecauseit’sless riskythanstartingabusinessfrom scratch.Afranchisedbusinesshas

alreadybeenproveninothermarkets.Asaprospectivefranchisee, youcandoyourduediligenceto findoutwhatyou’regettinginto. Youcanreadthefinancials,talkto otherfranchiseownersandweigh theprosandconsbeforeyouever getstarted.Anddependingonthe brand,youcantalktocustomers orevenvisitafewlocationsand experiencethebusinessfirst-hand. Youcantastethefood,workout atthegymorusetheservice.Of course,thereisstillriskwithany franchiseinvestment,butit’smuch less.Astartupisanewbusinessthat noonehaseverheardof,beento,or hasbeenprovensuccessful.Youcan onlytakeaneducatedguessonhow thebusinessmightperform.Excit ingforsure,butmorerisky

tegicplanning,andsomuchmore. Thesearen’tnegativesnecessarily, buttheydorequireafocusedeffort andlotsofresources.Somepeople prefertoputinthatextraworkto haveabusinessthat’strulyunique andinlinewiththeirownvision.

Butothersdon’tnecessarilyhave avision,andsimplywanttoruna solidbusiness.

Withfranchising,allthatworkhas alreadybeendoneforyoubythe franchisor.Youwalkrightintoa turnkeybusiness.Ofcourseyou havetopayforitwithafranchise fee,whichcanbequiteexpensive— upwardsof$35kormore.Butmany, manypeopleseethevalueinthat one-timepayment.

Withastartupbusiness,thereare manymoreunknownsandthings todobeforeyouevenopenyour doors.Youwillhavetostartevery thingfromgroundzeroincluding themarketresearch,branding, creatingthebusinessmodel,stra

HOW MUCHWORKAREYOUWILLINGTO PUTIN?

“With franchising, all that work has already been done for you by the franchisor. You walk right into a turnkey business.”

Leader’s Viewpoint

CANYOU FOLLOW A SYSTEM?

Followingthefranchisor’s systemisanessentialpart offranchiseownership.Noncomplianceisthereasonmany franchiseesfail.Ifyoucan’tcomply,thenfranchisingissimply notforyou.Thinkaboutit,the franchisoralreadywentthrough allthehardwork,madethe mistakesandrefinedthesystem. Allyouhavetodoisfollowthat provensystem,sowhywouldn’t you?Notonlyisitfoolishto disregardafranchisor’smodel, butitcouldalsogetyoukicked outofthesystem.Imagine,for example,ifaMcDonald’sfran chiseedecidedtochangethe iconicGoldenArchestogreen orchangedthenameofthe HappyMeal?Itsimplydoesn’t work.Consistencyisthekeyto brandingandafranchisesystem’ssuccess.

Ofcourse,franchiseescanmake suggestionstofranchisors,and often,manyofthosesuggestions cometofruition.Butanychange hastohappenatthefranchisor levelorthebrandiscompro mised.

IFPG Franchise Consultants help people determine if franchise ownership is the right path.

Beingpartofacommunityis oneofthebestpartsofjoining afranchise.Franchiseesinthe samesystemcancalloneach othertosharebestpracticesand askforadvice.It’satrulyunique relationship.And,allgood franchisorsofferongoingsup port.Withafranchise,yougeta corporateteambehindyouwho isconstantlylookingforways toimprovethebusinessmodel withinvestmentsintechnology, ongoingtraining,andsupport. DuringCOVID,franchisors helpedtheirfranchiseesinmany ways,includingnavigatingthe government’sfundingprograms andalteringtheirbusiness modeltoaccommodatethenew normal.Whileindependent businessownershadtogoit alonethroughthepandemic, franchiseeshadsupportand guidancefromtheirfranchisor’s corporateteam.

Everyoneisdifferent.Tosome, thethoughtofstartingabusi

nessfromscratchisterrifying, whileotherswouldn’thaveit anyotherway.Somefolkswel comethesupportandstructure ofafranchisesystem,andothers finditlimiting.Italldependson whoyouare.Thereisnoright answer.Forsome,investingin afranchiseisabetteroption, forothers,startingabusiness fromscratchisthebestwayto go.Butonethingisforsurefor everyoneconsideringbusiness ownership:it’sabigmoveeither way.Makesureyoudoyourdue diligence.Ifyouwanttoknow moreaboutfranchiseowner ship,youcanseekthehelpofa CertifiedFranchiseConsultant whocanhelpyoudetermine whichpathisbestforyou.You canalsodointernetreserch,vis ittradeshowsandkeepupdated withfranchisenewsplatforms likewww.franchisewire.com whereyoucanreadfranchisee successstories,learnaboutfran chisebrandsandgetthelatest franchiseindustrynews.

DOYOU WANTTO BE PARTOF A COMMUNITYOR GO SOLO?

Mirna Sleiman

Impacting Lives by Bringing Financial Inclusion

Greatbusinessleadershavetoadapttodifferent stylesandattributesofleadershipbasedonthe differentcircumstancestheyface.However,the oneaspectofleadershipthatneverchangesistheabilityto leadfromthefrontbytakingresponsibility Today,leaders aredrivenbyinnovationandpassiontocreatepositive impactthroughtheirtalents,skills,andabilities.Onesuch innovativeandpassionateleaderisMirnaSleiman.Mirna istheFounderandCEOofFintechGalaxy,theMENA region'sopenfinanceandinnovationplatform.Sheis advisinggovernmentsandfinancialinstitutionsondigital transformationprograms.Shehasmorethan15yearsof experienceininnovationprograms,governmentaffairs, investorrelations,journalism,strategicdigital communications,andglobalpartnerships.

DeliveringInclusiveFinancialServices

FintechGalaxywasfoundedintheUnitedArabEmiratesin 2018asaregionalplatform.FromdayoneMirna’sfocus wastousetheFintechGalaxybrandasanenablerof innovation,soshehadthedualresponsibilityofcreatinga platformandaspacefortheindustrytocometogether,and theeverydayjobofbuildingitsownbrandanddevelopinga scalablebusiness.ItwascleartoMirnabeforeshefounded FintechGalaxythatmovingtheneedleonfinancial inclusionwascriticalforArabworld.Therewasalsoaneed toconnectglobalfintechswitharegionalopenfinance platformthatincludesanAPIsandbox,afintech marketplace,andenablescross-borderopeninnovation. Theseimportantobjectives,whichultimatelyareallabout creatingafuturethatdeliversinclusivefinancialservices, serveasalong-termguideandtheyunderpinmuchofwhat Mirnadoesday-to-day

FacilitatingIntegrationofFinancialInstitutionsand FintechCompanies

FintechGalaxyfuelsinnovationinfinancialservices,drives ecosystemcollaborationandfacilitatesintegrationbetween

financialinstitutionsandfintechcompanies.Fromscouting todeployment,FintechGalaxyaimstobuildfutureof financialservicesacrossthe22Arabcountries.TheFintech GalaxyOpenBankingAPIsandboxenablesdevelopment, testinganddeploymentoffintechsolutions,offersa marketplacethatconnectsinstitutionstothousandsof fintechsfromacrosstheglobe,anddeliversmatchmaking andcrowdsourcingcapabilitiesthatsolvecustomerpain points,ultimatelyspurringdisruptiveandtransformative innovationacrossthefinancialservicesindustry

Galaxy is a regional platform that fuels innovation in

services, drives

collaboration and facilitates integration between

institutions and fintech companies.

AcceleratingMovetoCloud-basedInnovation

Mirnaopinesthatthepandemichasclearlycontributedto theaccelerationofdigitaltransformationacrossevery conceivableindustry,andthewaythatorganizations interactwithconsumers.ThemovetoCloud,whichwas alreadywellonitsway,isexpedited,thankstothe emergenceofmyriadnewAI-poweredsolutionsand services.AIisnowbetterunderstoodbymorepeople, thankstothebehaviorshiftswehavewitnessedasaresult ofthepandemic.

WhereasbeforeCovid-19,manypeoplewereawareofAI anditsconnectionto4IRpossibilities,butnowmarketisin aplacewherebusinesses–particularlyserviceproviders–havebeenforcedthroughcircumstancetounderstandwhat itdelivers,andinsomewaysforcedtosharplyfocuson whatthesetechnologiesareandhowtheyimprovewhat theydo.

Therealityisthatcloud-basedplatformsareano-brainerin apostpandemicenvironment.Openfinanceplatforms,in particular,offeralevelofconnectivityandimmediacythat wasimpossibleafewyearsago.Businessescanpickup innovations,adaptthem,trialnewapproaches,andlaunch newproductsandservicesfasterandwithmoreprecision thaneverbefore.Businesseshaveadutytoengagewith newcloud-basedinnovationplatformsfullyand competentlytofutureproofwhattheydoandservetheir customerswell.

ProvidingtheEnablingWorkEnvironment

Aboutworkculture,Mirnabelievesthatifbusinessesdon’t haveapositiveworkculturetheydon’thavepositive

colleagues.WhenMirnahiressomebody,shelooksforthe personalityandtheattitude,therightskills,andtheright outlook:acan-do,passionate,andambitiousindividual.She thenwantstoprovidethemwiththemostpositive,can-do, enablingenvironmentwithinwhichtosucceed.She believesinhavinganopen-doorpolicyandafearless culturethatsays,‘neverbeafraidtoask,toquestion,ordo’.

EmbracingNewwaysofDoingThings

AccordingtoMirna,thekeytosustainabilityisinnovation andpassion.Sheneverlosessightofwhyshefounded FintechGalaxy:toimpactlivesandbringfinancial inclusiontotheArabWorld.Toachievethis,shestays groundedandaccessiblebylistening,learning,and watchingasmuchasshetalksanddoes.Thisreflects havinganopenmindtocollaboratewithindustrypartners, workwithregulators,andunderstandtheneedsofthe startupcommunity.Embracingnewwaysofdoingthingsis whatMirnapreaches,andasleadersitisofutmost importancethatwepracticeittoo.

BeingOpentoLearn

InheradvicetoemergingCEOs,shesays, “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Find your voice, build your niche, and get noticed. This is not about ego, but about finding your place within the industry so that you can navigate towards the right people and ideas. In ‘normal’times, I would work hard to attend panel discussions, speak at forums, and share ideas and experiences with my peers. That’s incredibly useful because there is always somebody else out there with a new perspective to learn from. The beauty of the digital economy is we can now do all of this –and more frequently – through webinars and other online forums.”

Paul Guenther

LEADING WITH INVENTIVENESS

Thegreatentrepreneursaredrivenbycore confidenceandcompetence.Theyarenotfearfulof pressure.Theyactuallycravepressureandthrive underit.Theyexhibitcourageandgraceevenunder pressure.Theyunderstandtheimportanceoffairnessand alwaysmaintainalevelplayingfield.Theydemonstrate logicalandefficientdecisionmaking.Theythink deliberatelyandactonconclusionoflogicalthought.They don’tletemotionscloudtheirjudgementordrivetheir decisions.Theyarerationalandpracticalintheirdecisions.

Thegreatleadersdemonstratetotalaccountabilityand possessanunwillingnesstomakeexcusesfortheir shortcomings.Theyknowhowtogetjobdone.Theyseize opportunitiesandmakethemcount.Theydon’trecognize failure.Theyknowthereareotherwaystoachievetheir intendedresult.Theyfindoneofthosewayswiththeir inventiveness.Onesuchpracticalandinventive entrepreneurisPaulGuenther.HeistheCEOof KnowledgeHubMedia,acompanythathelpsbusiness professionalsbyprovidingusefulinsightandanalysison themostcurrenttopicswithintheirindustry,andacross multiplejobfunctions,includingIT,marketing,finance, humanresources,mobility,operations,salesandmore.

MinimizingMistakesandMaximizingEfficiencies

ThemostofwhathasalwaysdrivenPaulcomesfromafew differentthings.First,completefinancialindependencefor himselfandthosewhoworkforhim.Second,total accountability.Third,anunwillingnesstomakeoraccept excuses.

Paulholdshimselfandeveryoneelsetothesamestandard. Herecognizesthatnobodyisperfectandeveryoneisgoing tomakemistakes,buttheideaistominimizemistakesand increaseoverallefficiencies.Alotofthishappensnaturally wheneveryoneunderstandsacultureofaccountability.

Whenaquestionneedstobeansweredoraproblemneeds tobefixed.Itdoesn’treallymatter“why.”Whatmattersis toattendit,andthatPaulbelievesindoingthatefficiently andeffectively

DeliveringEngagementOpportunitiesforClients

TheofferingsofKnowledgeHubMediaarediversebytheir verynature.Itscorecompetenciesfallintheareasor demandgenerationandcontentsyndication.Itoffers multipleengagementopportunitiesforitsclientsto effectivelyreachtheirtargetaudience(s)throughhigh impactonlineadvertising,contentsyndicationanddemand generationprograms.Itpromotesitsclients’whitepapers andwebinarstogenerateanddeliverhighlytargeted,highly qualifiedB2Bsalesleads.Aseachofitsclientshave differentproducts,solutions,andservices,theytarget differentsegmentsofpeople(andcompanies).Itsofferings arecustomized,fullytailoredtotargetfolkswithintheright jobroles–attherightcompanies–whoaretypically alreadyinthebuyingcycleforitsclients’solutions.

Generallyspeaking,theleadsthatKnowledgeHubMedia generatesoriginatefromcompaniesthatare,atthevery least,currentlyresearchingthesolutionsofferedbyits clients.Inmostcases,though,theyareintheprocessof evaluatingvendorsandgettingreadytomakeapurchase decision.Thisiswhereitcomesin,whereitreallyshines. Bypromotingtoverytargetedgroupsofpeople,itlinesits clientsupwiththeperfectbuyers,attheperfecttime.That is,companiesthatnotonlyhaveaneedandbudgetforthe productsandservicesthatitsclientsoffer,butthatarealso readytopullthetriggerandmakeapurchasedecision.

LeadingfromFront

PaulmentionsthatclientsofKnowledgeHubMediaareall veryunique–eveniftheydogenerallyresideintheB2B technologysector.Eachclienthasaspecificsolution,or

Paul Guenther CEO Knowledge Hub Media

groupofproducts,thatistargetedtoaveryspecific audience.Forexample,enterprisesoftwaresolutionsused byITpeople,marketers,salesteams,HRprofessionalsor financeprofessionals.Thetargetinggetsalotmoregranular thanthat,andthennotonlyarethejobrolesunique,butthe typesofcompaniestargetedarealsouniquetoeachclient. SomemightbelookingforSMB’s,whileothersmight promotetomid-marketcompanies,orenterprisesized organizationswith5,000+employees.

BeingatthehelmisalwaysinterestingforPaulashefaces withanewchallengealmosteveryday Thosechallenges arenotjustfromastandpointofsales(managingclients), butalsoinvolvesmarketing(toitsuserbase),operations, financeandhandlingitstechnologyinfrastructure.Thereis trulyneveradullmomentforPaulandtheKnowledgeHub Media.

Besides,thereadersofKnowledgeHubMediavaluesand trustthesuggestionsofferedbyitsexpertbloggers,trending newsarticles,andextensiveresearchlibrarytofacilitate strategicdevelopment,projectmanagementandtomake intelligentpurchasingdecisions.

StayingAheadoftheCurve

Mediaindustryisinherentlybasedintechnology,andas

such,itisalwayschanging.ForthisreasonKnowledgeHub Mediaischangingandinnovating.Ithasexperienced annualrevenuegrowthyearoveryearin11ofits12years running,butPaul’svisionofthefutureisneverrevenueor salesbased.Helikestothinkthatinfiveyears,company willbeatleast“fiveyearsmoreadvanced”thanitisnowas acompany–justastechnologyadvanceseachandevery year.Optimally,though,Paullikestothinkthatit’llbe closerto10yearsmoreadvancedinfiveyears;staying aheadofthecurve,justasithasbeensinceitsinception.

BeingRealistic

KnowledgeHubMediaisveryproactiveaboutnever “overpromisingandunderdelivering.”Itforecastsforlead outputanddeliveryaswellasanyoneintheindustry,andit isusuallydeadon.Evenso,itistypicallyconservativewith theprojectionsthatitgivesclients.Thisprovidesanother layerofprotectionthathelpstoensurethingsgosmoothly anditkeepitspromisesintermsofgoals.

NotbeingAffectedbyExternals

Paulsustainshisleadershipjustthewaythathehasalways donethings.Hisleadershipapproachrarelychangesbased onwaveringcircumstancesorexternalforces–including thiscurrenteraofeverchanging,everimproving technology Tobeclear,though,externalforcesorchanges canhaveanimpactoncompany’sstrategy,forexample,or theproductsandservicesthatitcurrentlyoffers.But externalforceshaveverylittle–ifany–effectonPaul’s leadershipspirit.

“Make money. That’s the name of the game. If you are making money, and your employees are making money, and your clients and vendors are making money as a result of your business process, you are doing a damn nice job."