Top 10 Influential Business Leaders Making a Difference 2022 February2022

tartingandsurvivinginabusinessisnoteasy

SButitismorechallengingtobeonthetopand beaninfluentialbusinessleader.

Wehavealwaysbeenconditionedtobelievethatitis acompetitiveworld,andweneedtobraceourselves forthecompetition.Wewerealsoaskedtocompete witheachother Therewerecomparisonstopush ourselveshardertobeaheadofothers.

Later,weweretoldthatweshouldindulgeinhealthy competition.Thisledtoanothertheory–compete withyourself.Allthesetheoriesweremeanttodirect onetowardssuccess.Littledidanyonetellusthatitis okaytofailandthatrisingafterthefallismore importantthanfailure.

ButjustlikeRome,successstoriesarenotbuiltina day.Successfulpeoplenevergiveup;theytakerisks, aimhigh,respecteveryemployee,client,andfellow entrepreneur.

Thefirstthingtobeanentrepreneurisvisionand translatingthevisionintoreality.Foranyvision/idea toberealized,onemustgaugethemarketneeds, analyzethechangingmarkettrendsandsatisfythese demands.Tomaketheirentrepreneurshipdreams cometrueandsucceed,onehastocomeoutoftheir

comfortzone.Self-disciplineandtimemanagementgointo buildingempirestoinspireothers.Passionforwork, confidence,multi-tasking,cleargoals,purpose,developing selfandothers,prioritizingtasks,planning,etc.,need diligence.Despiteallthese,onecannotguaranteesuccess. Buthowhightheyriseafterafalldeterminestheirpower andconfidence.

Successfulpeoplealwaysread,constantlyupgradetheir knowledge,embracechange,andfindwaystowin.They faceproblemshead-on.TheCOVID-19pandemichasbeen agamechangerofsorts.Thosewhoembracedthechange andworkedoutwaystomeetthechallengesnotjust survivedbutalsothrived.Evenotherwise,thebusiness worldisveryvolatile,andtobealeader,oneneedstoadapt quicklytothechanges.Theyrulethebusinessspaceoftheir respectivedomainsandyetremainhumble.That'swhat makesthemdifferent.

Tocelebratethesuccessstoriesofsuchbusinessleaders,we havefeaturedafewwhostrolledtheunbeatenpathto

influencemanyaspirantsintheleague.Readabouttheir exceptionaljourneysinourlatestedition-Top10 InfluentialBusinessLeadersMakingaDifference.Please donotforgettoreadtheinterestingarticlescuratedbyour editorialteam.

Haveaninspiringread!

Sumita Sarkar

Maddy, and

Featuring BriefCompanyName

AgeWave agewave.com

KenDychtwald(PhD)

CEO

AgeWaveisthenation’sforemostthoughtleaderonpopulation agingwithgreatexpertiseinitsprofoundbusiness,social, healthcare,financial,workforceandculturalimplications.

AmericanFinancial Resources afrcorp.com

BlueChips bluechips.app

Donlen donlen.com Eleveo eleveo.com

LauraBrandao President

ShawnK.McGee

CEO TomCallahan

AmericanFinancialResources,Inc.(AFR)isaprivatelyowned full-serviceresidentialmortgagecompany.Headquarteredin Parsippany,NJ,AFRisoneofthenation’stopdirectand wholesalelenders.

BlueChips,anewsocialnetworkingplatformdesignedtohelp student-athletesgetexposurebyliterallyputtingthetoolsthey needtoattractattentioninthepalmoftheirhands.

EuroEximBank euroeximbank.com

President BrianShore CEO GrahamBright HeadofCompliance andOperations

Donlenisafullservicefleetmanagementcompany,providing servicesforthewidestrangeofassetsintheindustry

GauvreauAccountingTax LawAdvisory gauvreaucpa.ca

InternationalLeadership ofTexas iltexas.org

RobertGauvreau

Founder LucyMariappa

Elevēostrivestosimplifycomplexityforcontactcenters, minimizeserviceinterruptionsandprovideshostinganywhere, user-friendly,secure,andscalablesoftware.

EuroEximBankLimitedisaninnovativeglobalfinancial institutionwithHeadOfficeinSt.LuciaandRepresentative OfficeinLondon.

GauvreauAccountingTaxLawAdvisoryisanawardwinning licensedpublicaccountingfirmthatspecializesinproviding proactiveaccounting,advisory,andtaxationservices.

Lowenco lowenco.com

CIO MikaelHoier

InternationalLeadershipofTexas(ILTexas)isafree,public charterschoolservingK-12studentsthroughouttheDFWand Houstonareas.

SparkCompass sparkcompass.com

CEO ErikBjontegard President&Founder

Lowencoisoneoftheleadingmanufacturersofcoldstorage facilities,andhasformedastrategyonhowtochangethe expensive,inefficient,andnon-environmentalfriendly temperaturecontrolledstorage.

SparkCompassisapatented,fullyintegrated,contextually intelligentmobilecommunicationsplatformledbyitsbrilliant PresidentandFounder-ErikBjontegard.

Ken, Maddy, andElyse

Age Wave’s Unbeatable Leadership Trio “

Over the decades, Age Wave has developed highly effective, customizable products servicesand to help companies position themselves and prepare their team for the mature marketplace opportunity.

“

Top 10 Inuential Business Leaders Making a Difference 2022

Maddy Dychtwald

Ken Dychtwald, (PhD) Co-founder and CEO

Inthiswide-ranginginterview,theleadershipteamof AgeWave—Co-founderandCEOKenDychtwald, PhD,Co-founderMaddyDychtwald,andPresident ElysePellman—sharewhatmotivatedthemtostartAge Wave—theworld’spreeminentthinktankonlongevity, aging,andretirementissues,whatmarketopportunitiesare hidinginplainsight,andsomuchmore.

KenDychtwald,hasemergedastheforemostvisionary andoriginalthinkerregardingthesocial,economic, healthcare,marketing,financial,andworkforceimplications oftheagewave–atermhecoinedinthe1980’s.

Kenisapsychologist,gerontologist,documentary filmmaker,andbest-sellingauthorof18books,including histwolatestWhatRetireesWant:AHolisticViewofLife’s ThirdAgeandRadicalCuriosity:OneMan’sSearchfor CosmicMagicandaPurposefulLife.Hehasservedasa fellowoftheWorldEconomicForumandwasafeatured speakerattwoWhiteHouseConferencesonAging.

American Demographics honoredhimasthesinglemost influentialmarketertobabyboomersoverthepastquarter century.In2018hereceivedtheInspireAwardfrominthe InternationalCouncilonActiveAgingandin2020,wasthe firstrecipientofthePioneerAwardfromtheRetirement CoachesAssociation.

Recognizedby Forbes asoneofthetopfiftyfemale futuristsglobally,MaddyDychtwald,hasbeendeeply involvedformorethan35yearsinexploringallaspectsof theagewaveandhowit’stransformingthemarketplace,the workplace,ourworld,andourlives.

Thishasledhertobecomeaninternationallyacclaimed publicspeaker, Wall Street Journal blogger,thoughtleader onlongevity,aging,thenewretirement,andtheascentof womenandauthorofthreebooksincluding - Influence: How Women’s Soaring Economic Power Will Change Our World for the Better

Maddyhasbeeninvolvedinmorethan25thought leadershipresearchstudiesworldwideonaging,longevity, retirement,health,family,caregiving,housing,andleisure, whichhavecumulativelygarneredmorethantwentybillion mediaimpressions.Sheiscurrentlycompletingherlongawaitednewbook Women’s Longevity Bonus: The Art and Science of Ageless Aging.

ElysePellmanbrings40+yearsofexperiencein managementandconsumerandB2BstrategytoAgeWave whichinformsheroversightofbusinessdevelopment, operations,clientmanagement,andmarketing.

We wanted to help companies governmentsand see the vast opportunity connected with better serving a new generation of older adults

ElyseoverseesAgeWave’smultidisciplinaryteamof internalandexternalprofessionalstoensurefirst-class thoughtleadershipaswellasrenownedclientsatisfaction. Sheworkscloselywithclientstocreateresults-oriented strategies,marketingprograms,andservicesthatoptimize businessgrowthwitholderadults.

UnderElyse’sdirection,AgeWavehascollaboratedwith leadingFortune500companiesandnon-profit organizations,asvariedasBankofAmerica,PBS,Edward Jones,AmericanSocietyonAging,UnitedHealthcare, MerrillLynch,theXPrize,andthe New York Times.Sheis currentlyco-editor,withKenDychtwald,ofanewbookfor studentsandprofessionalsinthefieldsoflongevityand aging, Sages of Aging: A Guide for Changemakers

Followingarethehighlightsoftheinterview:

Ken and Maddy, what motivated you to start Age Wave, and what were your initial goals?

Ken:Duringthepastcentury,dramaticbreakthroughsin medicine,publichealth,andlifestylemanagementhave causedtwopredictabletrends:decliningfertilityand increasinglongevity.Thesedemographicforces,together withincreasingnumbersofolderadultsduetotheagingof themassiveBabyBoomergeneration,arecreatingan“age

wave,”transformingeveryaspectofourpersonal,social, financial,andpoliticallives.

Thisprofounddemographicrevolutionisshiftingthe epicenterofconsumeractivityfromanexclusivefocuson youthtoanincreasedfocusonmidlifeandmature consumers.Companieswhoseproductsandservicesare alignedwiththeneedsoftoday’sandtomorrow’smature consumersareonthethresholdoftremendousgrowth.We wantedtohelpcompaniesandgovernmentsseethevast opportunityconnectedwithbetterservinganewgeneration ofolderadults.

Maddy:Backin1986,Kenwasalreadyworkinginthe thfieldofagingandwritinghis8 book Age Wave.His passionforthesubjectwascontagious,andIcaughtthe bug.Withnobusinessexperiencetospeakof,wedecidedto startAgeWaveatourkitchentable.Fastforwardtotoday andwehavehadthegoodfortunetohavegrown dramaticallywhilepositivelyimpactingthewaycompanies andthegeneralpublicthinkaboutandvaluethemature market.Ourmissionhasalwaysbeenclear:

1. Alerttheworldtothepowerofthecomingagewaveand thevastopportunitiesandchallengesitholds.

2.Liberatethebusinessmarketplacefromitsageist perspectivesandyouth-obsessedorientation.

3. Preparebothourhealthcaresystemandconsumersfor thechronichealth/longevitychallengesoftensofmillions ofolderadultsandtheircaregivers.

4. Turbochargeglobalscientificresearchtobeat Alzheimer’sbeforeitbeatsus.

5. EnvisionanewpurposeforolderadultsinwhatKen calls“life’sthirdage.”

Ken, can you explain what you mean by the “third age” of life?

Ken:Decadesago,acompellingphilosophyemergedfrom theEuropeantraditionofadulteducationcalled“Le troisièmeâge”–“thethirdage.”Itproposesthree“ages”of life,eachwithitsownfocus,challenge,andopportunity.

Inthe first age, frombirthtoaboutage30,theprimary tasksoflifecenteraroundbiologicdevelopment,learning andsurvival.Inthe second age, fromabout30to60,the focusofadultlifeisonfamilyformation,parentingand

work.Untilthelastcentury,mostpeopledidn’texpectto livemuchbeyondthat.

But,withtheriseoflongevityworldwide,a third age is unfoldingwithnewfreedoms,challengesandpurposes. Withchildrengrownandmanyoflife’sbasicwork establishedorachieved,thisisamorereflectiveperiodfor furtherdevelopmentoftheintellect,emotionalmaturityand evenspiritualidentity

There’salsoplentyoftimeandopportunitytotrynew things,explorenewfacetsoflife,andcontributetosociety innewways.Fromthisperspective,weseeolderadults,not associaloutcastsorburdens,butaslivingbridgesbetween yesterday,today,andtomorrow.

What makes Age Wave the world’s leading think tank on aging, longevity, and retirement issues?

Elyse:Overtheyears,we’vepartneredwithmorethanhalf theFortune500andamassedanunparalleledunderstanding ofthedesiresanddemandsofnewgenerationsofmature

consumersandworkers—theirexpectations,attitudes, hopes,andfearsregardinglongevityandaging.

Wehavehelpedcompaniesdevelopproductsandservices fromvitaminsforthenutritionalneedsofolderadultsto superfoodcookiesforlongevity,fromlongtermcare productstoanewdefinitionofretirement,allwiththegoal ofimprovingthelivesoftoday’sandtomorrow’solder adults.We’reconvincedthattherisingagewavewill continuetocreatenewopportunitiesforproducts/services targetedtothisgrowingmarket.

What are the key services that Age Wave offers?

Elyse:Overthedecades,wehavedevelopedhighly effective,customizableproductsandservicestohelp companiespositionthemselvesandpreparetheirteamfor thematuremarketplaceopportunity.

• KeynotePresentationsthatinformandmotivate audiencesontheopportunitiesandchallengesofa maturingmarketplace.We’vealreadygivenlive presentationstomorethan2.5millionpeople worldwide.

• ThoughtLeadershipResearchthatcontinuallybreaks newgroundandgeneratesunmatchedmediacoverage, enhancingthesponsoringcompany’sbrand.Todate,

The time has come for innovative solutions to the challenges, opportunities, andneeds, hopes, dreams of what will soon be two billion men womenand worldwide.

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• ourresearchhasgarneredmorethan20billionmedia impressionsglobally.

• Books,reports,anddocumentariesonvariousaspects oftheemergingagewaveanditssocial,health, financial,andmarketplaceimplications.

• EducationandTrainingProgramstoempower professionalstomeettheneedsofmatureadults, includingturnkeyseminarsystemsforclientactivation andenrichment.

What are some suggestions for companies trying to better reach older adults through advertising and marketing?

Maddy:Afterhavingbeenonthisbeatforalongtime, we’verealizedthatunlessyou’reaMedicareoraMedicare supplementinsurancecompany,don’ttargetpeople exclusivelybyage.Noonelikesthat.You’rebetteroffto focusonlifestage.Aretheygrandparents?Arethey newlyweds?Aretheynewlyretiredorstartinganew career?Targetlifestage,notage.

Second,generationalanchorsareasuccessfultool.Whatdo Imeanbythat?WhenTomSelleckappearsinareverse mortgagead,everybodywhogrewupwithMagnumPIcan relate. HearingasongbyTheDoors,BobDylan,orThe RollingStonesinthebackgroundofanadcatchesthe attentionofthegenerationthatgrewupwiththatmusic. Actors,athletes,heroes,musiccanbeeffectivegenerational anchors.

Third,beaspirational,notdesperation-al.Nobodylikesto beputdownormadefunof. Besuretoshowrespectfor olderadultsjustasyouwouldforanyothergroup,andif you’regoingtousehumor,whichisalwaysagreatidea, haveitlaugh with not at theindividualorthegroup.

Andlast,beinclusive.There’salotofemphasison inclusionregardingrace,ethnicity,andsexualorientation, butwhataboutwithregardstoage?Ifpossible,seek universalinterests,solutionsandmessagesthatmight appealtoa20-year-old,a40-year-old,a60-year-old,oran 80-year-old,allatthesametime.

There’snoreasonwe’vegottoputpeopleintoboxesbased exclusivelyontheirchronologicage.IwouldaddthatAge Waveresearchhasshownthatmanyolderadultsfeelyears youngerthantheirchronologicageanddon’twanttobe pigeon-holedbyanumber.

That raises a thorny question: What is ageism and why is it so prevalent in our world?

Elyse:Weliveinaworldwhereyouthhasbecomean obsession.Ironically,thisobsessionbeganwhenthe Boomergeneration—nowbetweentheagesof58and 76—wereyoung.Itremainstodayandmostproductand servicedevelopersandmarketersdirectmostoftheirtime, attentionandresourcestoMillennialsandGenZers.

Butthosecohortsarepredominantlybroke,timeconstrained,andonlymarginallyloyaltoproductsand services.Focusingonthehistorically“sought-afteryouth market”isacostlymistakeforcompanieswhentoday’s oldermenandwomennowhaveconsiderablewealth,time, andintereststosatisfy.

Instead,tomorrow’sbiggestuntappedopportunityishiding inplainsight.IntheU.S.alone,the50+population's economicfortitudeisstrongerthanever–andgrowing moresoeveryday.79%ofthetotalnetworthiscontrolled bypeople50+.

Theyrepresentthepurchaseof51%ofallgroceries,52%of adultapparel,52%ofallpersonalcareandbeautyproducts, 56%oftravel,61%ofhousewares,twothirdsofallthe books,68%ofallOTCdrugs,71%ofallthemoneyin banks,74%ofallvitaminsandsupplementsand77%ofall prescriptiondrugs.

Seizingthismassivegrowthopportunityisgoingtorequire afreshappreciationfortoday’sandtomorrow’solder adults:whatthey’llwanttofeel,eat,drive,wear,andbuy; andhowthey’llwanttoenjoytheirlongerlivesandfind purposeintheirnewfoundtimeaffluence.

Ken:Thetimehascomeforinnovativesolutionstothe challenges,opportunities,needs,hopes,anddreamsofwhat willsoonbetwobillionmenandwomenworldwide.At AgeWave,wefeelit’sourjobtohelpcompaniesand governmentsseewhat’scomingandenvisionthenew solutionsrequiredtomeettheneedsofthisunprecedented longevityrevolution.

FormoreinformationaboutAgeWave,visit www.agewave.comorfollowusontwitter.com/agewave

Top 10 Influenal Business Leaders Making a

Laura Brandao

Leading with Opmism and Perseverence

Outofalltheessentialqualitiesthatareapplauded inaleader,theonethathelpsaleaderthemostin timesofadversitiesisoptimism.Whenaperson managestokeepapositiveattitudeandseesopportunity eveninthemostchallengingtimes,theyareabletocome upwithcreativeandeffectivesolutionstodealwith complexproblems. Theseoptimisticpeoplearetheonesthatnotjustpersevere toachievetheirowngoalsbutalsoinspireotherstodothe sameevenwhenalloddsareagainstthem.

OnesuchinspiringnameinthemortgageindustryisLaura Brandao Apartfrombeinganinfluentialvoiceinthe businessworld,LauraisthePresidentandPartnerofone ofthenation'stopprivately-ownedfull-serviceresidential mortgagecompanies,AmericanFinancialResources,Inc. Inthefollowinginterview,Lauratalksindetailabouther journeyinthemortgageindustryandhowshehashelped hercompanyreachitsgoalsthroughherroleinthe organization.

Laura,pleasegiveusabriefoverviewofyourjourneyas thePresidentofAmericanFinancialResources.

In2007,whenIlaunchedAFRWholesale,justasthe industrystartedcrashing,Irememberthinking,"Thisismy moment.ThisisthetimewhenIcanbuildacompanymy way ThisisthetimewhenIcanusemywomanlyinstincts –myempathy,mycompassion,myenergy,mypersonal touch,myuniquenesstobondwithpeople,andputthose peoplefirst–andchangetheindustryasweknowit."

Fifteenyearsago,themortgageindustrywasextremely male-dominated,andbeyondthat,thewaypeoplemanaged inthe80sand90swascompletelyfear-based.Itwasyour

Modern technology is here to make our lives and the lives of our customers easier, so why not take advantage of that!

bossmicromanagingyou,hoveringoveryourshoulder, threateningyou,andifyoudidn'tdowhatyouweretold, youwereyelledat…infrontofeveryone.

WhenIhadtheopportunitytocreatemyowncompany culture,IknewIhadtotakeit,despitetheindustry'scurrent climate.IknewIwouldnevertreatpeoplelikethat,but insteadfosteracompanyculturethatwascollaborativeand caring.IhadtheconfidenceinmyselfthatifIbuildthe rightteam,providethemwiththebesttools,andtreatthem well,thentheywouldbelieveinmymission.Theywould wanttoseethecompanybesuccessful,andsowewould be.Andweare.

TellusmoreaboutAmericanFinancialResources,its vision,andthekeyaspectsofitsstrongholdinthe mortgageindustry.

Sincethebeginning,AFRWholesalehasalwaysfocusedon uniquemortgageproductstargetedtowardslowto moderate-incomefamiliesandfirst-timehomebuyers.From renovationloanstomanufacturedhousingloans,thereare somanyoptionsavailabletothosewhothinkowninga homewillneverbeapossibilityforthem.

Brandao

WhenIstartedAFRWholesalein2007,Ihadneverworked withmanufacturedhomesbefore.Butwhenoneofthe largestwholesalelendersthathandledmanufacturedhomes wentunderin2009,consumerswerelookingforanew experttofillthevoid.AFRWholesalebecamethatexpert.

Fromthatmomenton,AFRfullyleanedintomanufactured housing-rollingouteveryprogramwecouldthinkofto helpthefamiliesontheotherendofthedeal.These programs-renovationloans,one-timeclose,Down PaymentAssistance,thelistgoeson-arethecoreofwhat AFRisallabout.We'reaboutprovidingfirst-time homebuyersandthosewithlowtomoderate-incomethe abilitytobuildgenerationalwealththrough

homeownership,whenotherwise,itmaynothavebeen possible.

Fromaleadershipperspective,whatisyouropinionon theimpactofthepandemicontheglobalmortgage industry,andhowdidyouaidAmericanFinancial Resourcestoovercomethechallengesrootingfromthe pandemic?

Thepandemichasprovidedthemortgageindustrywith record-breakinglowratesthateventuallywillgoup,but thatdoesn'tchangethethousandsoffamiliesthatarestill lookingtopurchasetheirfirsthome,downsize,ormoveup.

Despitetheunprecedentedtimeswe'vefaced,Istillbelieve nowisagreattimetobuyahomeorrefinance.Therearea tonofdifferentloanprogramoptionsoutthereforfamilies, whetherthey'relookingfornewconstructionoranexisting home,totakeadvantageofthestillverylowrates.That beingsaid,propertyvalueshavealsogoneup,makingita greattimetorefinanceandcashout.

Withallofthecurrentprostobuyingrealestateand refinancingyourmortgage,ofcourse,thatmeantmorework atAFRthaneverbefore.Wenavigatedthisincreasein businessbymanagingtherealityofwhat'sgoingonright nowandrisinguptotheoccasion!We'veweatheredups anddownsforyears,andit'staughtustoembracetheups!

Beinganexperiencedleader,sharewithusyouropinion onhowtheadoptionofmoderntechnologiesinthe mortgagesectorhastransformedtheindustryandwhat morecouldbeexpectedinthenearfuture?

WhenIstartedAFRWholesale,itwasallpaperfiles.There wasayoungwomanthatwouldliterallydrivethefilesfrom theofficeinNewJerseytomyoffice,andoncetheyarrived, theunderwriterswouldgettowork.

ThedayafterTaylor,Bean&Whitaker—ahuge lender—wentoutofbusiness,shemust'vegonebackand forthadozentimes,bringingmoreandmoreboxesfullof filesofmanufacturedhomefamiliesthatneededourhelp.

It'ssoeasyintoday'sdigitalworldforthingstobeoutof sight,outofmind,butthatimageofourofficestuffedtothe brimwithboxesofmanufacturedhomefamilieswho neededhelpisforeverburnedinmymemory.Allofthat said,beingagoodbusinessleadermeansadaptingtothe changingmarketandbeingaheadofthecurve.Modern technologyisheretomakeourlivesandthelivesofour

customerseasier,sowhynottakeadvantageofthat! Myteamisconstantlylookingtoimproveourdigital platformandsuiteofservicestomakethemortgage experienceefficientandseamless.Soonenough,nopartof themortgageprocesswillbepaperanymore.

I'mexcitedtobuildonthesolutionswecurrentlyofferour clienteletoalwaysensureourtoolsareassistingfirst-time homebuyersandthosewithlowtomoderate-income navigateouruniqueproducts.

FromtheAFRLoanCenter,ourLoanOriginationPortal, whichallowsyoutoefficientlymanageyourmortgage pipelinefromstarttofinishwithease,toourAlexa Integrationhelpingyoutomanageyourpipelinehandsfree.Iamproudtosaythatcurrently,allofoursystems workharmoniouslyfromplatformtoplatform.Toappease millennialsandGen-Zhomebuyersstilltocome,ofcourse, therearesomanymoredigitaladvancementsstilltobe made!

Ifgivenachance,whatistheonethingthatyouwould changeaboutthemortgageindustry?

Interestinglyenough,Ihavetakenmattersintomyown handstoactuallytransformtheonethingIwouldchange aboutthemortgageindustry.It'ssoeasytojudgemortgage professionalsliketheusedcarsalesmanstereotype-trying tostickyouwiththehighestrate,chargeyoupoints,cost youmoremoney-soin2019,Istartedapodcastcalled "What'sYourWhy."

IdidthisbecauseIwantedtoshowtheworldthatmortgage professionalscareabouttheirclients.Wehaveanimpacton thefamiliesweserve,andweLOVEthataboutourjobs!To drivethispointhome,Istartedthepodcastaskingeach guestIinterviewed,"Tellmeastoryofwhenyourealized themonumentalimpactthatyouhaveontheworldbybeing amortgageprofessional."Everysingleonewasableto immediatelynoteamomentintimeasifithappened yesterday.

Whetheritwasasinglemotherthattheyhelped,anelderly womanthattheyconsolidatedafterherhusbandpassed away-savingherfromlosingherhouse,achildthatfinally gothisownbedroom-therearecountlessstoriesmortgage professionalscarrywiththemeverydayasmotivationto continuechangingthelivesofindividualswhodidn'thave anyotheroptions.Mortgageprofessionalswakeupevery dayandchangetheworld-wearesomuchmorethan salespeoplelookingtomakeaquickbuck,anditisthe

numberonethinginthemortgageindustrythatIwantto shedlighton.

Asanestablishedleader,whatwouldbeyouradviceto thebuddingentrepreneursaspiringtoventureintothe mortgageindustry?

ThemostimportantadviceIcangivetobudding entrepreneursthinkingaboutenteringthemortgageindustry isthatyouMUSTknowyour"why."Iftheanswertothat questionismoney,myresponseissimple:don'tdoit.

Throughthedarktimes,moneywon'tbetheretocatchyou, anditwon'tbeenoughtokeepgoing.Butyourkids?Your spouse?Abettertomorrowforyourself?Thefamiliesyou work,dayandnight,tohelpputaroofovertheirheads?

THOSEarereasonstogetoutofbedinthemorningand keepgoingnomatterwhat.Whenyouknowyou'remaking adifferenceinthelivesofothersandthatyourlovedones arerelyingonyou-youwillfightthroughthehardestof times.

HowdoyouenvisionscalingAmericanFinancial Resources'operationsandofferingsin2022and beyond?

AsImentionedwhendiscussingmoderntechnology,AFR isconstantlylookingforwaystoimproveourdigital platformandsuiteofservicestomakethemortgage experienceefficientandseamless.Beyondourcurrent ®offerings–AFRLoanCenter,MyLoanCenter ,AFR RenovationPortal-thisyearandinthefutureAFRhas planstocontinuetoexpandandgrowmoreopportunities forfirst-timehomebuyersandtheunderservednomatter what.

Thisgroupofpeopleinournationaren'twell-represented andareunawareoftheprogramsavailabletothemthatwill allowthemtobecomehomeownersdespitetheirfinancial situations.Theythinktheywouldn'tqualifyordon'tknow aboutDownPaymentAssistanceorourotherprogramsbutifAFRhasanythingtosayaboutit,witheachpassing day,moreandmoreindividualswillknowtheyhave optionsandbeabletotakeadvantageofthoseoptions.

A

Lesson in Accessibility

Can Everyone Pay for Your Products and Services?

Howdoesapizzaendupinafive-yearlawsuitthat ultimatelygetsrejectedbytheSupremeCourt? Oneword:accessibility.Itwasacasethat resultedinahugelossforabusinessandalargegainfor disabilityadvocates.Ablindmanwantedtoorderapizza fromDomino'sbutwasunableto-neitherontheirwebsite norontheirmobileapp–despiteusingscreenreader software.Thisgentlemanthentriedtoorderbyphone,only tobeplacedonholdfor45minutes.

Abasicbusinessprinciplewasclearlymissinghere.If someonewantstopayforproductsorservices,itisthe responsibilityofthebusinesstomakethatpossible(and,I willargue,incrediblyeasy).Iftheymustjumpthrough obstaclestopayyou,you'lleitherloseacustomeror,asin Domino'scase,seeyourcustomerincourt.

Onthesurface,itwouldappearthattheproblemwasnot technology.Byallaccounts,Domino'swebsiteandmobile apparerobust,dynamic,andhaveeffectivelyresultedin significantgrowthforthecompany.Domino's acknowledgesthatoverhalfofglobalsales(over$16 1billionin2020)camefromdigitalchannels.Theirdigital channels,however,failedtoaccountforaprominent segmentofthemarket:thedisabledpopulation.

Fromaneconomicstandpoint,theglobaldisabilitymarket boastsaspendingpowerofover$13trillioninannual disposableincome,makingtheircombinedmarketbigger 2thanChina.Thathardlysoundslikeamarkettoignore.Yet

Domino'sstandsaccusedofhavingviolatedtheAmericans withDisabilitiesAct.Theydisagreedandappealedina litigationsagathatlastedforfiveyears.WhentheSupreme Courtrefusedtoheartheircase,theyappealedtothelower courtthatruledagainstthem.

Ultimately,theylost.Buttheyaren'ttheonlyones.Thisis aneconomiccrisisthatshowsnosignsofslowingdown. Businessesineveryindustryhavefacedtheselawsuits,with over22,000webaccessibilitylawsuitsfiledin2020and 32019alone Whenbusinessesspendthousands(ormillions) ofdollarsonlegalfees,onlytobehandedajudgment againstthem,itdoesn'tjusthurtthebusiness.Economies arelargelydictatedbythesuccessofthebusinessesthat servethem.Wecountonthemtoemployusandprovideus withgoodsandservicesthatweneedorwant.Our livelihooddependsonbusinessesdoingwell.

Asabusinessowner,considerthefollowingthreepractical waystomakeyourwebsiteormobileappaccessible:

Don'tassumethattheengineersyouhireknowhowto codeforaccessibility

Theoppositeismorelikelytobetrue.Becausethistopicis notyetconsideredtobeamainstreamrequirementfor front-endengineers,itisnotaddressedinmostschoolsor programs.Therefore,adeveloperwouldhavetocontinue theireducationontheirownaccordandpursueaccessibility training.

Knowtherightsofyourusers

Goingintobusinessmeanshavingtobecompliantwith applicablelaws.Thatincludesthelawsthatapplytoyour disabledusers.TheAmericanswithDisabilitiesActisonly oneofthem.Thereareotherfederalandstatelawsthatmay apply,andasthesayinggoes,anounceofpreventionis worthapoundofcure.

FollowWCAGstandards

TheWebContentAccessibilityGuidelinesareconsidered aninternationalstandardforwebsitesandmobileapps. Lawsuitsfiledagainstbusinessesmentionspecific violationsofWCAGstandards,inadditiontothelawsthat arebeingviolated.SinceDomino'swasorderedbythecourt toconformtoWCAG2.0,you'dbesafetoassumethatalso conformingistoyour–andyourusers'-benefit.Nowfor thequestionoftheday.Caneveryonepayforyourproducts andservices?Thisincludesthosethatcannotsee,hear,or move.Ifyouareunsureorfearthattheanswermaybeno, committochangingthattoayesverysoon.Forthesakeof yourusers.Andyourbusiness.

DanPrince,illumisoftCEO,andVanessaTillemans, illumisoftClientResultsExecutive

Dan Prince, illumiso CEO

Dr. Graham Bright

Visionaryindividualscomprehendthattocarryany internationalfinancialinstitutionfromablanksheet tothemostrecognizedglobalbrand,needsa dynamicanduniqueapproach.

Theyaretheoneswhocreatetheirownrulebooksof disruptiveinnovations,andinsightfulsolutions,andthey becomeinternationallysought,thoughtleaders. Dr.GrahamBrightisthatkindofaleaderwhohasstriven todriveEuroEximBanktothepeaksofsuccessand excellence.

Inthefollowinginterview,Dr.Brightshedslightonthe currentlandscapeoftheindustry,hisopiniononadoptionof moderntechnologieswithinthebankingspace,andhis futurevisionforEuroEximBank.

BriefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyastheHeadof ComplianceandOperationsEuroEximBankaswellas inthefinancesector.

Spanningmorethan40yearsinthefinanceindustry,my experienceencompassesworkingcollaborativelywith industryutilities,regulatorsandCentralBanks,consulting, andpartner/channelsmanagement.

IhaveaBA(Hons.)degreeinBusinessStudies,a ProfessionalDoctorateinLeadershipandManagement.I amalsoaservingUKJusticeofthePeace,sittingonthe CrownCourtappeals.

Previously,IhadworkedatCDC,SWIFT,Financial TradewareandEMC.InmycurrentroleasHead–ComplianceandOperationsatEuroEximBank,Ihave receivednumerousindustryawardsandaccolades,with publishedthoughtleadershiparticlesinfinancialtechnology press.

Redefining Banking through Exemplary Leadership

Further,Iamarecognizedspeakerattradeindustry conferencesacrosstheglobe.Ihavealsowonseveral prestigiousindustryawardsincluding‘MostInnovative ExecutiveinTradeFinance–2020’.

EnlightenusonhowEuroEximBankhasmadean impactinthebankingspacethroughitsstrongholdin theindustry?

Firstly,wehavespecializedinourrangeofservices,with particularfocusonpuretradeinstrumentssuchaslettersof credit,standbys,performancebondsandguarantees.Asan independent,agileorganisation,wedonotprovideloans, deposits,nordowecollateraliseormonetiseinstruments, providemortgages,orotherhighstreetbankfacilities.

Wehaveidentifiedavitalmarketsector,thatisinternational buyers,wherewefacilitateissuanceofinstrumentsto corporatesandSME’slookingtoimportpossiblyforthe firsttime.

Manyofthesecompaniesareinexperiencedinthe mechanicsofcross-bordertradesandfaceseveralbarriers fromtraditionalfinancialinstitutions.Barriersintermsof hugecollateralandfundingrequirementsandservice pricing.Itincreasescostsperdeal,immediately disadvantagingsmallerplayers,whomaybeputofftrading altogether,astheirtradesbecomeuncompetitive.

Therearealsoissueslikeonerouscustomsandpaperwork requirementsfromBrexit,COVID-19restrictionsand requirementsforexpensecollateral,costsforforeign exchange,adherencetocomplextermsandconditions.Add tothatrisksoffraud,theft,misrepresentation,andhigh insurance,andshippingcosts.

It,therefore,comesasnosurprisethatcompaniesseek alternativeproviderswithcompetitiveratesandquick

turnaround,tosmooththeirnavigation ofinternationaltradechannels.

Beinganexperiencedleader,share withusyouropiniononhow theadoptionofmodern technologiesinthebanking sectorhastransformedthe industryandwhatmorecould beexpectedinthenear future?

WithnewFintechcompanies enteringthefinancialarena, banksneedtocatchupquickly orfacedisintermediation.The optimumapproachisoneof cooperation,asbanksneedtoembrace difficult,costlytechnologiesfrom trustedsourcesratherthanembarkon theirowndevelopments.

Thisisespeciallythecaseintrade finance,wheretheprocesscanbevery complex.FromthebeginningEEBhas takenakeeninterestinmaximizing valueandefficiency,andhasinvested innewtechnologies,tocopewiththe manyfieldsofcriticaldataincluding dates,legaljargon,buyers,sellers, banks,ports,importers,insurers, inspectors,andshipperswithoften complexconditions.

Wecontinuetodigitizeandautomate thisprocess,withrapidonlineonboardingofclientsandnewagentsand partnerswithduediligence,AMLand indemnitychecking,scanningidentity,shippingdocuments, billsofladinganddocumentsetc.Thisisachievedby gatheringallthedocumentselectronicallyandwith innovativeworkflow,coveringtheentiretradelifecycle, supportedbythelatestOCR,blockchainandAI innovations.

Technologybringsbenefits,buttheseinnovationsare merelyenablerstorefinestandardise,rationaliseandre-use systemsanddata.Thepersonaltouchremainsthetrue differentiator

ConsideringtheCOVID-19pandemic,anditsimpacton globaleconomies,howdidyoudriveyourorganization

tosustainoperationswhileensuringsafetyofyour employees?

Digitaltradefinanceproviders,suchasEuroEximBank, arenowabletomorewidelyofferdigitaltradesolutions suchaselectronicLCs,guaranteesanddigitallydriven supplychainfinancing.Smartcontracts,poweredby blockchainarehelpingtoautomatetheenforcementand settlementofcrossbordertransactions.

EEBisoneofthefirstadoptersofblockchaintopower internationaltradesettlements.Throughournewly

Dr. Graham Bright

of

developedstate-of-the-art,multi-currencyglobaltrade settlementplatform,EximWave,withinstantaccesstoover 150globalcurrencies.

Whilstweareinthegripsofmorevariantsandongoing restrictions,tradeisstillgrowing.Thepost-covid environmentwillseedigitaltradefinancefurtherincrease, alongwithdigitalizedend-to-endsupplychainmonitoring. Together,thesedevelopmentswilllubricateandstreamline globaltrade,resultingin,whatwebelievewillbe,anew, leanerbutmorelucrativeageofinternationaltrade.

Safetyofourstaffhasbeenandremainsakeypartofour operatingmodel.Fortunately,wehadalreadyimplemented remoteworking,useofelectronicmediaforconferenceand videocallswithmanyagentsandpartners,locatednowin over100countries.

Videoalsoallowedustorolloutourcomprehensiveweekly trainingandsalesupdatesviaZoom.Again,wegained greatefficiencyandfinancialadvantageovertraditional methodsofassemblingteams,fromacrosstheworldfor meetingsinasinglelocation.

RespectingCOVID-19rules,office-basedstaffmaywork fromhome,supportedbyoursystemsandprocesses,giving secureaccessandavailabilityasrequired.

Whatisyouropiniononinculcatinggender egalitarianismwithinthecompanyculturefroma leadershipperspective?

Tradefinanceisacomplexbusinessarea,anddespite,aswe rapidlygrowourcompany,werecruitonthebasisof willingnesstolearn,experienceandaboveallabilitytodo thejob.ThisisnobetterbornoutthaninourSt.Luciahead office,whereweareproudtomentionthatoftheeight employeesthere,sevenarewomen,withBoard,Director, andseniorroles.

OurRepofficeinLondon,hassevenstaff,ofwhichtwoare womeninseniorlegalandaccountingroles.Similarly,we haveexcellentgenderrepresentationinover100countries inavarietyofrolesincludingcompliance,IT,HR,and sales.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothebankingindustryandthe relatedmarket?

Thefinancialspaceisextremelydiverse,covering payments,funds,forex,trade,retail,wholesale,and complexcross-borderchallenges.

Wecannotberightallthetime.Butwemustmakeall effortstolearn,adaptandapplyoneselftolessenthetimes wearewrong!

Myadvicewouldbetoseekoutthebestresources, collaborativestaff,andsalesagentswithexperience.Find mentors,analyzethemarket,sharethecorporatevision, keepinmindbusinesssustainability,setrealistictimely goals.Also,recognizeindividualsforperformanceand actions,whilepromotingstafftomanagementroleswhere appropriate.

Ourphilosophyhasalwaysbeentoencourageteamwork, consistent-frequenttrainingandaboveallprovide developmentopportunities.Notallstrategieswork,sobe flexibleandopentochange,asworldevents,pressures, politicalandgeographicchallengesaremorepressingthan everanddemandsconstantattentionandaction.

HowdoyouplanonscalingEuroEximBankandits offeringsin2022andbeyond?

ScalingtheBanktobereadyforpost-COVID-19trade,and thelatestdynamicsorworkingthroughthepandemic,has alreadystarted.From300agentsoneyearagocovering20 countries,weareonthecuspofreachingouraggressive growthtargetsforouragentandpartnernetworktoworking withover2000people,acrossmorethan100countries.To dothiseffectively,weareconstantlywatchingmarketsand crossindustrydevelopments,especiallywithautomationof onboardingandtradingplatforms.

Clientsaremoredemandingandlessloyalthanever.With expectationsofservicedrivenbysocialmedia encompassingimmediacy,greatuserexperienceandabove all,rapidcommunication.Thefinanceindustryisplaying catchupinitsefforts,toimplementnewtechnologiesand becomemoreagilethroughdigitaltransformation, blockchain,assettokenization,AI,paperlessprocesses,and robotics.

EuroEximBankisoneofthefirstadoptersofblockchainto powerinternationaltradesettlements.Itisthroughour newlydevelopedstate-of-the-artmulti-currencyglobal tradesettlementplatform,EximWave,withinstantaccess toover150globalcurrencies.

WebelievetheBankisaheadofthegameandcantake nothingforgranted.Fortunately,withatech-savvyBoard, strongITdevelopmentandimplementationservices,we havepurposefullyinvestedandworkedtoembrace technologyasaprimebusinessenabler.Ithelpedusin refiningourinternalprocesses,improvingefficiencies,and ultimatelyassistinggreatenduserexperience.

Top

LeadersMakinga

Despitethechangingeconomicscenariosand conditions,thepublicaccountingsectorremainsan importantsectorandpublicaccountingfirmsplay acrucialroleinsuccessofaparticularbusiness.Whenit comestofinancialdecisionmakinginanybusiness, accountingprofessionalsplayanimportantrole.

Thisnicherequiresanexceptionalskillsettounderstand theneedsanddemandsoftheclientstoofferboth personalizedanddiversifiedservices.Publicaccountants demonstratethisuniqueskillsetdependinguponthe financialoverviewofthefirmsandindividualstoexecutea varietyoftasksthatareintegratedintoafunctioning business.

Ontheotherhand,thereisanincreasingcompetitioninthis industrywithbusinessesandindividualsstrivingtowards changinghowtheyoffertheirservicesandtheirapproach towardsclients.

However,trustanduniquenessarethekeydifferentiators withtheco-existenceofinnovativesolutionsthataregoing tohelpbusinessownersinadvancingtheirsuccess.This placesthespotlightonGauvreau&Associates.

Gauvreau&AssociatesisapublicaccountingandTaxLaw Advisoryfirmthatprovidesthehighestqualityoffinancial reportingandtaxationserviceswithaproactiveapproachto accountingandtaxationplanning,offeringthehighestlevel ofclientservices.

Inanexclusiveinterview,RobertGauvreau,Founderand Partnershedslightonthecompany’sjourneyinpublic accounting,advisory,andtaxationspace.

Robert,pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyas theFounderofGauvreau&Associates.

WhenIstartedmystudyat‘UniversityforBusiness Administration,’IrealizedIwouldbegraduatingwith 2,000otherpeoplewhohadthesameexperienceand educationasme.

Wantingtodifferentiatemyself,Idecidedthatmystrengths inaccountingandfinance,mynaturalabilityinhelping others,andmyenergyforentrepreneurshipcreatedaunique opportunitytoenter,energize,andmakeadifferenceinthe financeindustry.

WhenIstartedworkingataglobalCPAfirm,Iexperienced ‘howtraditionaltheaccountingindustrywas,’which reinvigoratedmydesiretocreatesomethinginnovative, contributemoretothesuccessofothers,andgofor extraordinary.

In2008,whenIstartedmyownpractice,Icouldnothave imaginedtheimpactwewouldhave.Incombiningmy accountingexperience,mypassionforhelpingbusiness owners,andbeinganentrepreneurmyself,wehavehadthe greatpleasureofgrowingsomethingincredible,tonow beinganindustryleaderacrossNorthAmerica.

Gauvreau&Associates focusesonworking exclusivelywithbusiness ownersandwecontinue toinnovatesolutionsthat willhelpadvancetheir futuresuccess.

RobertGauvreau

and

Therehascertainlybeensomegreatmomentsandsome challengingmomentsthroughoutmyjourney,buttonowbe herewithateamofmorethanfiftyprofessionalsisan incredibleaccomplishment.

EnlightenusonhowGauvreauAccountingTaxLaw Advisoryhasmadeanimpactinthepublicaccounting, advisory,andtaxationnichesthroughitsstrongholdin theindustry?

Thepublicaccountingindustryisalargelywell-respected, globalindustrywithlotsoflargeandsmallcompetitorsthat areallslightlydifferentiatedinhowtheyapproachtheir businessandthesolutionstheyoffer

Ourkeydifferentiatoristhatwefocusonworking exclusivelywithbusinessownersandwecontinueto innovatesolutionsthatwillhelpadvancetheirfuture success.Forme,ourcontributiontowardschangeinthe accountingindustrycomesdowntotwokeyareas.

Thefirstisourinvolvementininnovatingnewcreative solutionsbuiltonproactivitytohelpentrepreneurscontinue tobesuccessfulandbuildfinancialwealthfortheirfuture. Thisisakeydifferentiatorsversustheothersolutionsour industrytraditionallyofferswhicharemorehistoricalbased complianceandreporting.

Thesecondisachangeincultureandconventions. Traditionalpublicaccountingfirmsallofferthesamething andworkinsideaperceivedboxofcalculatingnumbers, tryingtofigureouthowtominimizetaxes,oruncovering complexproblemsthathappenedinthepast.

Weprideourselvesonbeingdifferentinhowweapproach ourculture,ourclients,andourinnovativesolutions.We areinvestedingrowththroughinnovation,alwaysfocused onproducingthenextbestofferingforourclientssothat theycanbeastepaheadoftheircompetitors.

Beinganexperiencedleader,sharewithusyouropinion onhowtheadoptionofmoderntechnologiesinthe financeandaccountingsectorhastransformedthe industryandwhatmorecouldbeexpectedinthe future?

Technologyisessential,asmanytechnological advancementsarefocusedoncreatinggreaterefficiency whichenablesustoredeployourresourcesmoreeffectively intootherareasofourbusiness.

Frommyperspectiveasinnovationandtechnological advancementscontinueatarapidpace,reportingon businessfinancesisgoingtobecomeamoreautomated processthatislessindemandfromthepublicaccounting industry

Rathertheexperience,adviceandknowledgethatpublic accountantshaveonhowbusinessesoperateandhowthey canmaximizetheirfinancialsuccesswillbethefocusand morewidelysoughtafter.

TheFinanceindustryandaccountingfirmsespeciallyhave beenslowtoadoptthetechnologythatmakesofferingthese innovativesolutionspossible.AtGauvreau,wewantto redefineandpushtheboundariesofthefinancialindustry byasking,

“How can we use our financial expertise to empower entrepreneurs to create something that will make a difference in the world?”

Weinvestintheimplementationoftechnologytoinnovate ourservicestoprovidetheentrepreneurialcommunitywith moreinsightsintotheirbusinessperformance,time-saving automation,andtocreatemoreaccessibleprogramsfor businessownerswhootherwisewouldnothaveaccessto strategicfinancialadvice.

ConsideringtheCOVID-19pandemic,anditsimpacton globaleconomies,howdidyoudriveyourorganization tosustainoperationswhileensuringthesafetyofyour employees?

Ourteamhasseensubstantialgrowthduringthepandemic, somuchsothatwewererecognizedasoneof‘Canada’s Fastest-GrowingCompanies’byTheGlobeandMail, Maclean’s,andFinancialTimes.Weknewwiththe economicshutdownourcommunityneededusmorethan ever.

Toensurethesafetyofourteamandclientsweclosedour officetovisitorsandshiftedtoonlinemeetings.Whilethis shifttovirtualcamewithitsownsetofchallengesitalso camewithopportunities.Wequicklyimplementednew projectmanagementtoolsthathelpeduscollaborateon projectsmoreeffectivelyandautomationthatimproved turnaroundtime.

Anothercriticalfactorwesawisthatentrepreneurswereno longerusinglocationasadecidingfactorwhenselectinga

firm.Wehaveseenaninfluenceofclientstransitioningto usfromacrossNorthAmericaasaresult.

Whatisyouropiniononinculcatinggender egalitarianismwithinthecompanyculturefroma leadershipperspective?

Historically,theaccountingindustryhasbeen predominatelymaleled,althoughthishasbeguntoshiftin recentyears.AtGauvreau,webelievethathavingadiverse team,bothingenderandculture,makesusstrongerbecause wecollectivelylearnfromeachother’sperspectiveswhich fostersgreatercreativity

Weareproudtohavestrongfemalerepresentationat Gauvreauwith56percentoftheleadershipteamand66 percentarewomeninourentireteam.Additionally,54per centofthemareworkingmothers,whichiswhywehave alwaysmadeacommitmenttoourteamforwork-life balanceandflexibility Thishasprovenevenmore importantduringtheglobalpandemic.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothefinanceandaccounting industryandtherelatedmarkets?

First,dosomethingmeaningfultoyouandsurround yourselfwithcollaborativeexpertsthatshareyourvalues.

Keepthingsexciting,fun,andbuildsomethingyoucannot imaginenotbeingpartof.

Second,ifyouareinthepublicaccountingindustryand youarenotfocusedonprovidingproactiveadvicethenyou aremissingagreatopportunitytobeaheadinimplementing whatthemajorityoffirmswillofferinthefuture.

HowdoyouplanonscalingGauvreau&Associatesand itsofferingsin2022andbeyond?

GauvreauAccountingTaxLawAdvisorywasestablishedin 2008asaCPAfirmbuilttohelpentrepreneursadvance theirbusinessthroughproactivefinancialservices.In additiontotraditionalaccountingfirmcompliance solutions,weenhancedourofferingtoencompassthe strategicfinancialadvisoryservicesandleadership coachingneededtohelpentrepreneurstaketheirbusinessto thenextlevel.

Thefutureofourbusinessislimitless,andourgrowth trajectorycontinuestoevolve.Aswecontinuetostriveto bethe(#1)financialexpertthatentrepreneursturnto countlessopportunitiesexisttoexpandintoother disciplinestoprovidethegreatestvaluepossibletoour clients.

Forinstance,werecentlyexpandedoursuiteofbusiness professionalservices(specializedtax,wealthmanagement, andbusinessfinancing)tonowofferlegalservicessuchas corporaterestructuring,realestateacquisition,wills,and estates,andmore.

Wealsocreatedanonlinecoachingprogram,The‘Ascent PeakPerformanceProgram’toscaleourabilitytoinstil businessownerswiththeknowledgeandconfidencethey needtoachievefinancialsuccessinbusinessandlife.

AtourvirtualeventonJanuary25-27,TheAscent‘Million DollarYear’Summit,welaunchedournewFinancial Masterygroupcoachingprogram,‘MillionDollarYear.’

Thisprogramengagesentrepreneursvirtuallythrough on-demandtrainingcourses,andweeklygroupcoaching withindustryexperts.

Mikael Hoier CEO

Mikael Hoier

Powering Innovations in the Refrigeration Industry

Newtechnologieshavemadeitpossibletogetfresh, perishablefoodsfromonesideoftheworldtothe otherwithoutputtingtheintegrityofthefoodsat risk.Similarly,state-of-the-arttemperature-controlled containersandtrailersmakeitpossibletogetvaluable, perishablebiopharmaceuticalstoareasofneed.

Butasmuchaswetalkaboutrefrigeratedtransportation,we oftenforgettotalkaboutoneoftheaspectsofcold-chain logisticsthatmakesitpossible:coldstorageand refrigeratedwarehousing.

Asdemandforthetransportationofrefrigeratedgoods increases,sodoesthedemandforvalue-addedservices suchasrepackoperationsandconsolidation.Customers tendtohavemorestringentrequirementsforthethird-party logisticstheyareoutsourcingto,sinceretailersand end-usershavehigherexpectationswhenitcomestopalette buildingandtraceability.Onecompanythatisfulfilling suchdiversedemandsofitscustomersisLowenco.

Lowencoisoneoftheleadingmanufacturersofcold storagefacilitiesandhasformedastrategyonhowto changetheexpensive,inefficient,andnon-environment friendlytemperature-controlledstorage.Italsoholdsa strongexperiencewithcoldstoragefacilitiesforhigh demandmarketslikethebiotechandpharmaceutical industries.

Inthefollowinginterview,MikaelHoier,theCEO,sheds lightonthecompany’sjourneyasaleadingmanufacturerin coldstoragefacilities.

Mikael,pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyin themanufacturing/refrigerationindustryandasthe CEOofLowenco.

st

IjoinedLowencobackonAugust1 ,2017,asSales Director/CCO.Atthattime,Lowencowasatypical entrepreneur-drivenupcomingcompanyheadedbythe founder–withthehighestfocusonR&Dandoptimizing theexistingproductandthedevelopingofnewproducts.

Oneprojectatthetime–niceandeasy–allemployees focusingonthemanufacturingoftheunits,deliveringand on-siteinstallation,andthenhomeagain,relaxingandthen waitingforthenextprojecttocome.

Thisisfarawayfromhowthebusinessisrunningtoday WhenIjoinedLowenco,Imadeastrategyandstartedto movethecompanyfromtheentrepreneurmindsettoa muchmorebusinessprofessionalfocusedmindset–and fromapassivesalesapproachtoaproactivesalesapproach.

Nowbyexecutingandfollowingthestrategyclosely, focusingontheclientsandtheirneeds–focusingon visitingalotofpotentialnewclientsandsowingalotof seedsoutinthemarket–wehavedevelopedfromasmall one-projectatthetimecompanytonowrunningseveral projectsinparallel,expandingtheclientbasedramatical, deliveringsolutionstonewmarketsabroadEuropeand muchmore.

TheroleofCCOdevelopedintotheCEOroleofficialin 2020–whichofcausehavechangedmydailyworkabit.

Butmymindsetisstillbusinessprofessionaldriven,witha fullfocusontheclients.AndthismindsetiswhatIam pushingthroughouttheentireorganization.

AsCEOofLowenco,thecomingyearswillbemore focusedonstrategy,expansions,developmentoftheentire organization,andthecompanyingeneral,tokeepgrowing thecompanyatanevenfasterspeedthanwehaveoneuntil now.

Itiscrucialtohavethefeelingofwhatishappeningatthe clientsandinthemarket,tokeepmovingLowencointhe correctdirectionwiththerightproductsandservices.

WhatkindofservicesandsolutionsdoesLowencooffer toitsclients?

LowencoA/Sisoneoftheleadingmanufacturersofcold storagefacilities,andwehaveformedastrategyonhowto changetheexpensive,inefficient,andnon-environment friendlytemperature-controlledstorage.Thesolutionhas beendevelopedunderthebrandnamesCON20andLSSU andmorecoldstoragefacilitiesareunderdevelopment.

AtLowenco,weproducehigh-endcoldstoragefacilities, refrigeratedunits,andfreezersfromwell-knownquality componentsinourfacilitiesinDenmark,butwearealso abletodelivercustom-madefreezersandcoldstorage facilitieswhereGMPguidelinesmustbeapplied worldwide.

AtLowencowehaveuniqueproductsolutionstothe pharmaceuticalmarket.Aproductthatissomuchmorethan justaproduct.

WearenotonlyofferingLargeScaleultra-lowtemperature freezerstoragesolutionsbutsolutionswherethehighest qualitygoeshandinhandwiththehighestpossible safety—safetyforthepeoplehandlingtheproductsgoing intotheverylow-temperaturestorageareaof-80Cand safetyoftheproductsbeenstored—andauniquelow energyconsumptionperliterofproductstored.

Ineveryproductwearedeveloping–savingenergyis essential–withoutanyreflectiononthequalityand performance.Wewanttohelp,makingtheworldabetter placetolive.ThenameLowencocomesfromlowenergy cooling–andoursloganis–Creatingabetterworld–one unitatatime.

Everytimewecanreplaceexistingsolutionsusedinthe marketwithourinnovativesolutionswithmuchlower

energyconsumption,wearehelpingtoreducetheCo2 footprint–andcreatingabetterworld.

ForusatLowenco,mostofourmanufacturingitselfisstill handmadebyourstaffandnotbyahugemachinepark.Of course,wehavediversifiedmachinestosecurethevery highandconstantqualitye.g.,bendingoftherefrigeration pipesetc.

However,fornicheproductionslikeours,itisnotalwaysa greatideatousemachinesandtechnologiesforeverything –andnoteveneverythingofoursispossibletodoby machines.

ConsideringtheCOVID-19pandemic,anditsimpacton globaleconomies,howdidyoudriveLowencotosustain itsoperationswhileensuringthesafetyofyour employees?

Thepandemichasbeenachallenge–alsoforus.Wehave beenbusier–manufactured,delivered,andinstalledmore unitsthanever.Butwithmoreandmoreinstallations aroundtheworld–inaworldwithclosedairports,more planesonthegroundthaninoperation,closedroutes,travel restrictions,quarantinesetc.,havewebeenforcedtothink morealternatives,beenevenmoreforeseeandisbetterto planmoreaheadoftimethenbeforethepandemic.

Duringthepandemic,wehavebeentravellingfor installationintheUS,India,andthroughoutEurope.This hasofcoursegivenussomechallengingmoments.

Moreover,testinghasbeenveryimportantforus,notonly whentheemployeesneededtotravel,butalsoformaking surewewillnotshutdowntheentirecompanyfordays, weeksormonths.Buttesting,quarantinesetc.,havegiven challengesinourplanning–forsure.

Aswithinmanyothercompanies,wehavealsohad employeesandtheirfamiliesinfectedbyCOVID. Fortunately,theemployeeshavehandleditvery professionalandbeenextremelyflexible,whichhave helpedustobeabletokeepuptheproductionandon-site installationjobsthroughouttheentirepandemic.

Whatisyouropiniononthechangingdynamicsof organizationalleadershipafterthepandemic?

Thepandemichasgivensomecompaniesawake-upcallin termsofallowingpeopletoworkfromhome,usingonline meetingsetc.AtLowencowehavealwayshadavery liberalpoliticsaboutworkingfromhomeorattheoffice.

Withpeopleworkingathomeandhereofatmorelocations –andnotjustbeingaroundintheoffice,asaleaderyou needtoadjustyourleadershipaccordantly.Forme,thishas notbeentoomuchofachange,sinceIusedtohave salespeoplelocatedatotherlocations.ButIcanimagine, thatforsome,ithasbeenahugechangeandachallenge.

Butinmyopinion,thiswillbethenewnormal.Weas leadersneedtobeableandcapabletoleadpeoplefromthe distance,letpeopleworkfromhome,havemoreonline meetingsetc.

Bygivingtheemployeesmoreflexibility–youwillgetso muchmoreinreturn.Showingandgivingtheemployees flexibility–meansfortheirfreedom–whichshowsthat youasleaderstrustyouremployees.

Andifyouremployeescannothandlethefreedom,either youasaleaderneedtodeveloptheemployeestobecome capableofhandlingit–iftheystillcannot,theycannot havetheflexibilityortheyarenottherightemployees.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whowanttoaspireintothemanufacturing/refrigeration industry?

Beyourself–tryingtobeanotherisnotyou!Developthe peoplearoundyou–theyarethekeytoyoursuccess.Give yourselftothecompany–insteadofexpectingtohave. Giveyourselftoyouremployeesanddonotexpectjustto have.

Bydoingso–youwillgetsomuchmorereturnthanyou aregiving.Youandnobodyelsecantakecareofyour

careerandyourlifeingeneral–takefullresponsibilityfor yourownpersonaldevelopment–andyouwillgetsuccess inlife.Andthisadviceisnotindustrydepended–thatisfor youasaleader

HowdoyouplanonscalingLowencoanditsofferingsin thefuture?

MyvisionistobringLowencotothepositionofthemost recognizedandtrustedsupplierofhigh-endcoldstorage facilitiesforpharmaceuticalsandbiotechfirmsaroundthe world.

Butnotonlythebest-in-classproduct,butalsokeepthe positionofbeingthemostinnovativeand‘green’solution forthebenefitofourclients,theenvironment,andforthe individual–allofthem.Creatingabetterworld–oneunit atatime.

Forme,theplansareclear.Iwanttocontinueleading Lowencothroughthegreatdevelopingprocessalready started,tobecomeanevenstrongerandgreatercompanyto beingapartofanopenandhonestenvironment,whereall areimportantandknowtheyareimportanttothecompany, positiveness,andhumor–createagreatworking environmentatLowenco.

ThewholeLowencoteamandIarecloselyfollowingthe trendsinthemarketanditssegmentofproductsolutions.

Ourinnovativeprefabricatedmodular,scalable,andhighly flexiblesolutionsareuniquetothemarket–andwithour dailydevelopmentandfocusonoptimizing,withmoreand moreinstallationsmade–nolongeronlyinEurope,but alsointheUS,andAsia,weareexpandingintonew marketsandbecomingmoreandmorevisibleinthefield.

Thishasbeendiscoveredbymoreandmoreclients–and thebestmarketingeveryoneiswhenclientsspeak positivelyaboutyoutoanewpotentialclient.

Andwhatisgreatis,moreandmoreofourexistingclients buymoreandmoretimes,forexpansionsofthe facilities–butalsofornewsites.Wearebecoming“the internalworldwidesitestandard”.

Mypersonalplanandgoalasabusinessleader–isto developpeople,gettingthemtoperformandfulfiltheir individualpotentialtobecomeasuccess.Developingthe companytogrowthandsuccess,performingonthehighest level,bringinggreatproductsandservicestothe clients–andfulfillingthehugepotentialofLowenco.

Lowenco’s vision is to create a better world –one unit at a time.

Ithinkwearenow aboutthesee anotherroundof disruptiveleaps wheretheutilityof thetechnologywill enableustodo more,better,and faster.

ErikBjontegard CEOandFounder

Erik Bjontegard

AProficientLeadershipPersonality

Corporateleaderscomprehendwhattheyvalue,and theimportanceofethicalbehavior.Thebestleaders exhibitboth,theircorevaluesandtheirethicsin leadershipthroughtheiractions.

Theleaderswhoareeffective,customer-centric,and employee-oriented,developaclearconcise,andshared meaningofvaluesandbeliefs,priorities,anddirection withintheirorganization.

Theywanteveryemployeetounderstandthevalues, contributetothevalues,andlivethevalues.Oncedefined, theseelementspositivelyimpacteveryaspectofthe organization.

Suchleadersexhibitauniqueblendofcharisma,vision,and charactertraitsthatattractpeopletofollowthem.Onesuch exemplarypersonalityisErikBjontegard,theFounder andCEOofSparkCompass.

Erikhasalwaysbeendrivenbythechallengetocombine scienceandinnovationinwaysthatimprovepeoplelives. Intoday’sever-changingdigitalworld,thisisespecially significant.Erikandhisteamhaveanexcitingopportunity tobringunprecedentedvaluetomillionsofpeoplethrough SparkCompass.

SparkCompass,a Total Communicator Solutions Inc company,isacutting-edgedatacompanythatprovidesrealtimedataoutcomes,specifictoreal-timeactionsusing uniquesolutionmodules,inturndrivingbettercustomer outcomes.

Inthefollowinginterview,Erikshedslightonhisjourney atSparkCompass,hisopinionsonthecurrentindustry scenario,andhisvisionforthefutureofthecompany

Erik,pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyas theFounderandCEOofSparkCompass.

WhileIwaspartoftheCorporateR&Dexecutiveteamat Qualcomm,Irealizedtherewasaneedforatechnology platformthatwouldbeabletoprovidevaluetothe

connectedfuture–IwaspartoftheteamslaunchingAR, proximitybeaconsaswellaswhatisnowknownas 5G.

Ileftongreattermstobuildanecosystemthatwouldbe abletoconnecttheworld–andthisiswhattheSpark Compassplatformdoes.

EnlightenusonhowSparkCompasshasmadean impactintheindustrythroughitsdistinctiveofferings?

SparkCompassisadata-drivencommunicationplatform.It enablesitsoperatorstounderstandtheend-users,their location,theiractivities,andtheirinteresttodeliver relevantinformationandcontentthereandthen.

Ratherthanfocusingononeverticaloronetechnology,we havecreatedanecosystemthatcanincorporateand integrateaseriesoftechnologiesintoonecommonplatform deliveringthecommunication. Thiscommon communicationplatformdeliverswhatwecall“Datawitha TMPurpose .”

Beinganexperiencedleader,sharewithusyouropinion onhowtheadoptionofmoderntechnologieshas transformedtheITESindustryandwhatmorecouldbe expectedinthenearfuture?

AsIaman“old”guyhavingstartedmycareerintheUSA workingontheSpaceShuttleandaerospacetesting designingonvellumpaperwithinkpens,beingpartofthe earlydaysoffaxmachines,copymachinesandeventually CAD/CAM,Ihavebeenpartoftheincrediblegrowthof datatechnologies–frombeforePCsandtheinternet.

Now,asaninventor,workingonthenextrevolutionsof Web3.0,Industry4.0,6Gandtheblockchain-enabled financialfuture,Ithinkwearenowabouttheseeanother roundofdisruptiveleapswheretheutilityofthetechnology willenableustodomore,betterandfaster

ButIamalsoconcernedthatalotoftechnologiesareused becausetheyarecoolandmoreofafadthanprovidingreal sustainablevalue.IftheITESindustrycanremainrootedin

theessenceofwhatarewetryingtoachieveandfocuson results,wewillsteerclearofthefadsandfocusonthe utility.

DuringtheCOVID-19pandemic,whatinitialchallenges didyoufaceandhowdidyoudriveyourorganizationto sustainoperationswhileensuringthesafetyofyour employees?

Beingaglobalcompanywithinternationalcustomersand havingfocusedon3specificverticalsattheendof2019of Sports,Health,andRetailwewereinitiallyhitveryhard.

Contractsthatwerejustabouttobesignedaftermonthsof workwerepostponedandshortlythereaftercancelled, clientswhohadsignedcontractscouldnotpayastheyhad toclosetheirdoors–soitwasveryhard.

Weareavirtualteamandoperateaswepreach–wewere alreadymobile-firstandcouldworkfromhome,soreally didnotneedtochangethat.And,eventhoughwehaltedall travel,weworkedcloselywithourclientsasthey transitionedintothe“newnormal”ofremoteworking.We werealreadysetupforthis.

Whatisyouropiniononthechangingdefinitionsof organizationalleadershippostthepandemic?

Thepandemichasclearlytransformedthewaybusinessis beingconducted.Somechangesareheretostayandcan becomebetterforallparties.However,Iwouldputa questionmarkwiththewayweoftenfindourselvesin back-to-backzoom/videoconferencesandifitreallyisthat muchmoreeffective.

Iusedtobeabletospeakonacallandstillrespondto emails—atleastkeepaneyeonthem—nowthatishard. Also,theeffectivenessingettingcontractsclosedand finalized–inthepasthavingthedeadlineofthereturn flighthomewasarealincentivetoclosethemeetingwhile stillfacetoface.

Nowwecansay–wewilljustscheduleanotherzoomand chatthen.AndIseethatmanypeoplewhoareworking fromhome,arenowworkingmuchlongerhoursthan before,so,everyelementofprogressmayhaveanotherside toit.

Itisnowfortheorganizations’leaderstostrikethebalance betweenalwaysbeingavailableworkingfromhomevs. actualresults.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothedataintelligencespace?

Exploreconnectivity,IoTsensors,communicationmethods, andtechnologiesinadditiontotheAIitself.Howtogather data,howtocommunicate,andhowtodelivertheoutput intotheareaofinfluence–thosewhowillgetthisdonewill surelyexcel.

HowdoyouplanonscalingSparkCompassandits offeringsin2022andbeyond?

Wedowhatwepreach;wearemobile-firstandwecan workfromanywhere.Itisimportantforustoworkwith partnerstoshowwhatcanbedone—soweliketosaywe don’thaveclients,wehavepartners—weexplorenewways together,workalongsideeachothertodeliverbetter outcomes.

Thisisanewlevelofcollaboration.Wearealsoworkingon brandnewinteractionsbytakingtheinteractionsinthe physicalworldsuchasastadium,collectingdatafromit andusingthistoenhanceandactivateavirtual representationofthatstadiuminthemetaverse.

Also,collectingdatafrominteractionsinthemetaverse, thenportingthisbackintotheuser’smobiledeviceandor interactingwiththestadium.Thisiswheretheexciting futureforSparkCompasslaytheconnectionsbetween humansandtechnologiesandtheconnectionsbetweenthe physicalandthedigital.Excitingtimes!