DEI in the Workplace Top Strategies to Infuse Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in your Organiza on Towards Social Equity Closing the Gender Pay Gap IssueVol.04182022 Jaime Driving the Wheels of Change in the Fintech Space Top1 Inspiring Women Leaders to watch In 2022
As said, the spiritual nature of inspiration awakens humans to new possibilities by allowing them to transcend their ordinary experiences and limitations. It stirs one's stumps and transforms the way people perceive their capabilities. Hence, inspiration doesn't solely come from someone who can change the world or who has a plethora of Break the Silence, Listen to Inspiring Stories! IssueVol.04192022
NSPIRATION! A term that has helped millionsI spread their wings and acquire new heights. According to Google, Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. Interestingly, it is a much consumed, domesticated, and secular word for what actually is a revolutionary and a spiritual phenomenon. So, what actually is an inspiration, and what are we talking about when we use this term?
Delve in and enjoy the read!
- Shrutika Khedekar
In order to read their inspiring and empowering stories, we urge you to meticulously go through their profiles who have defied the odds and come out on top. While flipping through the pages, glance at the articles written by our in-house editorial team and gain insights about the miracle's women have marked through their leadership positions.
awards. Rather, it is a story, a struggle, or a journey that many can learn from.
Historically, stories and struggles of structural inequality have been persistent. Such stories have inspired a number of women to challenge the status quo and take leads in the unfinished business of empowering and inspiring many women to take leads and authority.
Moreover, having women in the position of leadership will help the world become a more equal place, but by doing so, they can inspire many youngsters to strive for greatness through their 'breaking the glass ceiling' stories. This will not only make them endeavor for greatness but make them aim and aspire to become formidable leaders one day. In this edition, "Top 10 Inspiring Leaders to Watch in 2022 ," we at Insights Success are celebrating incredible women who have paved the way for generations to come.
08 Jaime Driving the Wheels of Change in the Fintech Space Article DEI in the Workplace Top Strategies to Infuse Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in your Organiza on Towards Social Equity Closing the Gender Pay Gap 20 34
Maria Papacosta An Astonishing Leader of the 21st Century Chelsea Andrews A Proud Leader in The B2B IndustrySpaceMarke ngInfluencerServicesfortheTechnology 24 16 30 36 40 Michele Lee Malo Transforming Dreams Into Reality! Stefanie Rollins An Inspiring Leader Bringing change in the EmpoweringIndustry Businesses with Transforma onDigital Tuuli Pärenson
sales@insightssuccess.com April, 2021 Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade Research Analyst Eric Smith Editor-in-Chief Pooja Bansal Anish MillerSenior Editor Kelly, DavidBusiness DevelopmentManagingExecutivesEditor Sherin RodricksBusiness Development Manager Bhushan Bhad Art & Design Head Art & DesignVisualiserAssistant David King Co-designer Rohil MrunalineeShinganapurkarDeshmukh Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza Technical Consultants Prachi, Rajeshwari Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head SME-SMO Executive Gemson Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni Copyright © 2022 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success. Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ www.twitter.com/insightssuccess Corporate Ofce Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-859-2600 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com We are also available on : RNI No.: MAHENG/2018/75953 Sales Executives Mark, Alice Amar Sawant Assisting Editors Trishika, Shrutika Paul Belin
TechMode help companies connect with tech professionals on a massive scale through B2B influencer and brand ambassador programs; thought leadership content production; channel growth and amplification; and event production.
SnapFulfill delivers cutting edge technology at the cost of traditional installations and, unlike other warehouse management systems, its quick and easy to implement solutions gives a rapid return on investment.
Michele Malo Consulting identifies, strategizes, and advances businesses by breaking down barriers through communication. The Consultancy Founder - Michele pulls from 18 years of Fortune 500 corporate experience and five years of being a successful serial entrepreneur to help accelerate your profits within a year of taking on her program.
Presagen is an AI healthcare company that is changing the way clinics, patients, and medical data from around the world are connected through AI. Its decentralized data-centric AI platform, The Social Network for Healthcare, connects clinics and patients globally.
InnoLaw Group ensures that it's legal team help businesses succeed by optimizing and accelerating legal support for contracts.
ChelseaCo-FounderAndrews
Jaime FounderSeniorMcDougallDirectorofGrowthProgramStrategyLucyBassliandPrincipalZaraZamaniHeadofDisruptiveTechnologiesMicheleMaloFounderandCEOMariaPapacostaCo-founder
Sandstone MSCsandstone.com.auTechnologySnapFulfilsnapfulfil.comPresagenpresagen.comMarketingBureaumscbureau.com
Meta Byte is an execution-oriented management and technology consulting firm. Its approach combines project and program leadership with deep domain expertise supported by technical, engineering and analytic excellence.
Sandstone Technology is leading the charge, innovating and evolving as the industry evolves. Its high client retention rate is the proudest achievement with 40+ financial institutions across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the United Kingdom placing their trust in its solutions.
Featuring CompanyBrief TuuliCEOPärenson Meta michelemaloconsulting.comMichelemetabytes.seBytesMaloConsultingDailyPaydailypay.comInnoLawGroupinnolawgroup.comGoforegofore.com
DailyPay is an American financial services company founded in 2015, which provides payroll services such as earned wage access.
Michelle Perugini CEO and ChiefHeadJenniferFounderHarrisofMarketingandBusinessIntelligenceStefanieRollinsOperatingOfficer
techmode.comTechMode
MSC Marketing Bureau facilitates Speaker Management and Marketing Services for elite keynote speakers & thought leaders, Executive Presence & Influence Coaching for leaders and peak performers. Brand Strategy & Personal Branding.
Gofore creates tomorrow’s digital services and work culture today – the compnay leads digital transformation, as well as design and build innovative solutions. The organization was chosen as the Employer Brand of the Year 2020 by Duunitori.
Jaime JaimeMcDougall
Driving the Wheels of Change in the Fintech Space
At DailyPay, we are flipping the financial system by building a financial technology platform that starts working the minute work starts.
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Jaime McDougall Senior Director of Growth Program Strategy
At DailyPay, we are flipping the financial system by building a financial technology platform that starts working the minute work starts. Founded in 2015, DailyPay is the leading on-demand pay service provider that enables employees to control when they get paid.
Perfect and precise communication is undoubtedly the most important trait that an individual in a leadership position must possess. The simple logic behind the emphasis on this particular quality is that effective speech is the outlet through which a person puts their message across. It has the power to make or break things. It can inspire and motivate people to achieve their personal and organizational goals at large. When utilized optimally, communication can drive the wheels of change in any given sector.
"The art of communication is the language of leadership." – James Humes T he argument on what works for effective leadership has existed as long as there have existed leaders. Among all the numerous qualities that have been debated over to be imperative in a leader, everyone would be on the same page when it comes to the quality of having effective communication skills.
The B2B2C side of the business makes marketing to our end customer less straightforward than other consumer brands. Companies that we partner with vary in size, industry, and employee population, which all impact how an employee might learn or consider the DailyPay benefit.
So, I am constantly thinking about creative marketing solutions for reaching employees of our partner companies directly. Tell us more about Dailypay, its offerings, and its stronghold in the financial services space.
The year 2022 is an exciting year for DailyPay and the Growth team. We have new products and services that will deliver value for companies and their employees.
Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders to watch In 2022
One prominent name among such leaders who have recognized the potential of this trait is Jaime McDougall, the Senior Director of Growth Program Strategy at DailyPay. Starting out as the Director of Marketing at DailyPay, Jaime climbed up the corporate ladder through her knack for innovation and creativity. We at Insights Success caught up with Jaime in an interview to learn more about her professional journey in the fintech space and her approach to leadership as an Belowindividual.arethe highlights of the interview: Jaime, please give us a brief overview of your journey as the Senior Director of Growth Program Strategy at DailyPay. My path at DailyPay has always been on the marketing and revenue side of our organization. I started at DailyPay when we were direct to consumer, working with a lot of our customers - Uber and Doordash drivers - and building out an influencer marketing and referral program. I was intimately familiar with how customers viewed DailyPay, challenges in the buying journey, and the key strategies that drove acquisition. When we pivoted to B2B2C, I led our inbound demand generation efforts attracting new businesses to our platform. I learned so much about how to communicate to executives the value of DailyPay. How DailyPay drives value by reducing turnover and improving employee engagement and recruiting, which has a direct bottom-line impact. Marrying the two, I was best positioned to think about our go-to-market strategy for launching new DailyPay programs. I understood how we needed to communicate to companies and to the companies' employees (our end customer). I created standardized launch playbooks to create awareness and consideration for DailyPay inside of our partner companies.
The current payroll system is a failing system that keeps employees in a payment cycle that is dependent on their employers. DailyPay is challenging this old way of thinking by utilizing the Pay Balance to give employees their earned money when they want it while supporting businesses by designing uniquely tailored systems that are revolutionizing how companies pay their employees and interact with pay.
Considering the example of the COVID-19 pandemic, how do you plan to navigate through similar situations in the future?
With our existing Pay Balance model in place, which enables employees to have access to their on-demand pay, we expanded our Pay Balance platform and built innovative solutions on top to efficiently manage pay transactions for employers, employees, banks, and merchants.
Forward-thinking companies across the U.S. turn to DailyPay to help them build a happier, more engaged workforce, which has become especially important as the U.S. economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent workforce shortage. Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies like AI and ML has impacted the financial services industry and how is DailyPay riding the technology wave?
If the pandemic is affecting my employees' health, I need to make the call for all employees to work remotely. If my employees are struggling to make ends meet on a biweekly salary, it's about finding ways to give them access to their pay daily. If the pandemic is taking a mental toll, I need to make sure they have the healthcare necessary to get the medical attention they need. One thing we're still learning from the pandemic is to be prepared for the unexpected. So many companies have had
While companies have been investing in consumer-facing technology to stay relevant and to create a seamless experience for their users, many have neglected their own employees. With the 'Great Resignation' sweeping the country, many workers are now leaving for new opportunities and joining companies that invest in their people. As a result, many companies are seeking new benefits for their employees. With finances being a top priority for many individuals, companies are searching and implementing the best financial technologies and benefits, such as on-demand pay, into the benefits package. The demand for new financial technologies continues to rise, and DailyPay has been garnering much attention in the process. From being mentioned in Fortune 500 businesses' earnings calls to job posts to increase recruitment rates, DailyPay is a key benefit that many companies are leveraging to remain competitive.
The two words that come to mind are employee safety and Nobodyflexibility.likes the unknown. Communication and showing empathy in a time of crisis is the best thing a leader can do, as well as providing a two-way dialogue for employees to connect with each other and feel like the company is listening and has their back.
Employee safety has multiple meanings — physical safety, financial safety, and psychological safety. It's the employer's and my responsibility to ensure that my employees are taken care of in every way possible.
Ÿ How I think about adopting gender egalitarianism in the workplace is first illuminating the differences and potential problems we face as a society and organization. DailyPay actively fights against systemic biases and fights for gender equality in the following ways: Ÿ ERG - DailyWomen programming encourages participation from our allies. We continue to discuss key topics like mentorship, sponsorship, and seeing diverse perspectives.
Personally, I enjoy spending my time mentoring rising female leaders and have female mentees who may have faced similar challenges as me.
What efforts did you take during the pandemic to sustain operations and ensure the safety of your team at the same time?
As an established industry leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the financial services industry?
The safety of our employees is a top priority at DailyPay. With the constant fluctuation of covid cases, DailyPay has decided to extend work from home and opened the office up for the voluntary entrance. To ensure that we maintain our normal business levels, we incorporated new technologies into our tech stack and emphasized communication throughout the organization. As the cases in New York are slowly dwindling, we're noticing that more and more employees are coming into the office and going back to a pre-pandemic work style.
There is so much happening in financial services and a lot of disruption from emerging FinTech companies like ours. Whether it's new ways to provide access to capital for employees or crypto, our legacy financial system is ripe for innovation, and there's a lot of novelty in the space right Inow.encourage leaders, enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs to stay curious by consuming, reading, and participating. I recently started using Affirm as I was curious about the user experience and point of sale installment loans. I also love the integration of Venmo's new crypto wallet. What I love about these companies is that they're empowering consumers and delivering new value to groups that may not have been able to have access before.
Some of my favorite publications and podcasts that keep me informed are Morning Brew, The Motley Fool, Finimize, Andrew Sorkin's DealBook, and Planet Money.
to change their return-to-work dates and other companywide plans because of new variants and rises in covid cases. If a similar situation were to arise, I would say create a flexible plan because you don't know what might change.
Ÿ Blind resume screens - To eliminate the potential for bias in the interview process, we review resumes for performance and merit and nothing else.
Ÿ Merit-based rewards - Promotions and reviews are based on a standard set of values and objective performance measures. Ÿ Goal setting and individual development plans - Every individual at the company goes through the same process of developing a career plan.
What is your opinion on adopting gender egalitarianism from a business leadership outlook? I founded DailyWomen - the women's employee resource group at our company - in 2017 because I knew how critical it would be for a FinTech start-up like DailyPay - which is a very male-dominated industry - to prioritize diversity given that our customers are diverse. Something like 60% of our customer base is women, so it is imperative to us that DailyPay aims to attract and retain talented women with diverse thoughts and differentiated experiences.
Ÿ Pay equity - We use tools to help us understand how other people (gender agnostic) are getting paid in similar sizes, industries, and locations.
Ÿ The DailyPay app was a welcome relief for Kroger's 400,000-plus employees; Monti said: “Overall, the feedback is extremely positive. People see it as insurance. 'It's there if I need it; I have the app, I've downloaded it, I don't use it all the time, but I know it's there if I absolutely need it,” she said. The app was also a big help recently during the snowstorms in the South. With many workers in Texas having trouble getting their paper checks in the mail during the storms, many workers turned to DailyPay to get paid.
Ÿ IntelyCare, which has about 30,000 nurses on its platform, launched DailyPay's EWA product in June 2021 through a partnership with Denver-based human resources outsourcing firm ADP. Shortly after, IntelyCare reported a 300% rise in placements over 2020. EWA is not solely responsible for that growth, but it is a perk in a labor market in which the professionals have an unusual mix of financial challenges and burnout but lots of options for where to find employment.
How do you envision scaling DailyPay's services in 2022?
Ÿ The year 2022 is an exciting year for DailyPay and the Growth team. We have new products and services that will deliver value for companies and their employees. Our scaling plan involves thoughtful go-to-market execution and great collaboration between teams so that we continue to deliver a great customer experience. Please give us a few testimonials of your clients/customers and a list of awards/recognitions that accurately highlight your organization's position in the market.
Ÿ TIME Magazine: The Best Inventions of 2021 Special Mention. Ÿ Newsweek 2021 Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces by Most Loved Workplace. Ÿ HR/WorkForce - Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution 2021. Ÿ Global Brand Magazine - Most Trusted Earned Wage Access Provider, 2021, New York. Ÿ 2021 CB Insights Fintech 250 List of Top Fintech Startups. Awards
A Proud Leader in The B2B Influencer Marketing Services Space for the Technology Industry
In an interview with Insights Success, Chelsea shared with us her journey in establishing the agency as well as insights about its services, which are helping generate sustainable marketing solutions for the clients. Below are the excerpts from the interview: Chelsea, please give us a brief overview of your journey as the Co-founder of TechMode. Beverley Eve and I founded TechMode in the infancy of B2B influencer marketing. When we first started our agency years ago, little was known about the B2B influencer
Watch
Top 10 Inspiring Leaders To In 2022 |April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com16
Chelsea Andrews
Women
People do not like to be fooled. Everyone wants to choose smartly these days. Directly telling customers what the best buy is for them—typically the format of traditional advertising and marketing—is no longer an effective strategy. With the availability of internet-enabled smart devices, people can themselves do research on the products or services that they intend to buy. In such a scenario, a more subtle marketing approach is required to target potential customers and influence them to choose your products. This is where influencer marketing comes into play. Chelsea Andrews (Co-founder) has mastered the influence marketing space with her platform called TechMode. Through the TechMode agency, Chelsea helps clients' companies connect with tech professionals on a massive scale through business-to-business (B2B) influencer and brand ambassador programs. In addition to this, her agency provides thought leadership content production, channel growth and amplification, and event production. It works with Fortune 500 tech companies, leveraging data-proven strategies to amplify clients' digital footprints, boost engagement, and increase exposure and influence.
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It's been a joy to see B2B proudandmarketinginfluencerflourishgrow,andwearetobeleadersinthespace.
At TechMode, we offer custom thought leadership-driven marketing campaigns exclusively to tech companies. What sets us apart is our 'people first' approach, our data-driven strategies, and the workflows we have mastered over the years. There are a lot of moving parts in our campaigns, but our methodology is second to none, and we take a lot of pride in the results we achieve for our clients.
Chelsea L. Andrews Co-founder
What are the distinct offerings of your company that is making an impact on your clients?
approach in the tech space, but we saw an opportunity to mainstream thought leadership-driven marketing and ran with it. It's been a joy to see B2B influencer marketing flourish and grow, and we are proud to be leaders in the space. Tell us more about your company, its vision, and the key aspects of its stronghold in the marketing and advertising space. At TechMode, we always say we're in the business of relationship building. We facilitate relationships between brands and thought leaders. We support thought leaders in building relationships with their community on behalf of brands.
People are at the heart of what we do. The processes and workflows we have built over the years help establish a level of trust for all involved, which is the secret ingredient to our success.
How do you envision further strengthening TechMode's stronghold in 2022 and beyond? 2022 and beyond is all about growth for TechMode. We are working to make B2B influencer marketing a staple in the marketing roadmap for all companies across the tech industry.
– Ronald van Loon, Tech Influencer "TechMode creates win-win campaigns for their influencers & their clients. I love working with them!"
What efforts did you take during the pandemic to sustain operations and ensure the safety of your team at the same time? Prior to COVID, we would frequently send influencers and staff to physical conferences to capture content and provide live event coverage. When events halted, we transitioned to a virtual model, which was a seamless transition. As all marketing activities become 100% digitally driven, it has become more important than ever for our clients to break through an increasingly crowded sea of online content, which is exactly what our campaigns achieve. What is your opinion on the adoption of modern technologies like AI and ML in the marketing and advertising industry? Effective marketing strategies target audiences members at the right time in the right place. When AI and ML are deployed to reach people where they are, I think that is an optimal approach. As a consumer, I appreciate it when I'm served ads for things I'm currently looking for and despise it when I'm targeted for things that don't apply to me or what I need.
– Treasa Dovander, Ericsson Digital "InServicesshort, TechMode is fantastic to work –with!"Prof. Sally Eaves, Senior Policy Advisor "TechMode truly understands the wants & needs of both influencers & clients...& they deliver on time, every time."
– Diana Adams, Tech Journalist |April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com18
Here is What Clients and Influencers are Saying “It's a pleasure working with TechMode on marketing campaigns with Ericsson Digital Services – great team, commitment, energy, and creativity!"
What is your view on practicing inclusivity and diversity at the workplace? Inclusivity and diversity in the workplace are absolute musts. Being in the tech sector, it's not uncommon to witness a lack of cultural and gender diversity, but inclusivity is truly the path to a more just society and is something that is critical in the workplace across all sectors and industries. As an established industry leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the marketing and advertising industry? My advice would be to think large. Think one step ahead. People may tell you that your vision is unimportant or will not work, but if your business idea is grounded in data and you know in your heart that your ambitions have potential, go for it. Find mentors that can help guide you and work to make your dream a reality.
TOP Strategies to Infuse DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION in your Organization
Even though a majority of countries have worked on implementing the Equal Pay Act for many years, the wage gap has continued in 2022. This pay disparity is even more prominent among Blacks and Latin women with respect to the average salary of Caucasian men. As the wage gap is systemic, pay audits can be a very effective tool in the pursuit of pay equity. Hence, organizations should focus on pay reviews of the employees and ensure pay parity. Quick actions must be taken to identify these gaps and fill them through the pay structures. Creating a Robust Mentorship Program
When it comes to inclusion, underrepresented employees can face challenges in their career progression. Under the guidance of a mentor, employees can minimize these challenges and make progress toward leadership positions. Forming a strategy that revolves around the different types of mentorships; Reverse mentoring, Career mentoring, Buddy programs, and mentoring circles can help align
First and Foremost, Conduct Pay Equity Reviews
iversity is a wild primitive state untouched byD civilization. In fact, the survival of the human race ultimately depends on it. Imagine being surrounded by people who are exactly like you. How easy would it be for a minor disease to completely efface humankind? Quite easy, right! But here's a kicker! How much ever diversity, inclusion, and equity sound appealing, it really isn't at the organizational level. The 2018 Women in Workplace Report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org pulled out striking facts. The vast majority of the companies included in this report emphasized the need for gender diversity as their top priority. The report further highlighted the need for implementing fair hirings and promotional practices that correct for biases. It additionally placed a spotlight on actively working to build an inclusive and respectful Thisculture.clearly states that the diverse representation in the corporate world isn't improving in leaps and bounds. Instead, it is not even improving in leaps and bounds. In order to address this age-old question and bring about institutional change, this article reflects on the various reasons to infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion and how they are playing a significant role in creating a massive impact on businesses in the short and long term.
Below are some tips for building an effective DEI strategy:
DEI in the Workplace
Organizational and boardroom diversity, especially in the context of women's representation, has been a top of discussion for more than two decades now. For the first time in 2003, Norway introduced a 40% gender quota for women's representation on corporate boards in the country. Such a composition of board and executives helps mirror the diversity of the geographical areas. Making Leaders Accountable Any DEI strategy that an organization follows will only work if there is a space for accountability and transparency within the organization. Most employees look up to their leaders for guidance, but they will only believe them if they are mentors as well as changemakers for the organization.
with the overall objective of the DEI strategy of the organization. Ensuring Benefits and Programs are Inclusive A number of organizations have successfully established a diverse workforce. However, the practice of including the workforce in all segments of work still remains an unaddressed issue. Not to sideline, there are seemingly innocuous practices that make employees feel alien or Hence,unwelcomed.itisimperative for every organization to structure its inclusive plan and make sure that the benefits and programs run by the organization are all-inclusive irrespective of gender, creed, and ethnicity of the employees. Setting up of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) Employee Resource Groups are voluntary groups led by employees themselves who aim to foster a diverse and equitable workplace aligned to their respective organizations. The function of this group is to provide personal or career development and create a space where the employees get an opportunity to the table without bring their whole selves to the table without any filters. The organizations' top leadership should participate and leverage them to support the organization.
Scrutinizing Board and Executive Team Members
- Shrutika Khedekar
On A Final Note It is time and again proven that the organizations that follow DEI strategies are innovative and thriving because of the comprehensive perspective they bring to the table. This is not just word of mouth but rather a strategically proven Corporatesfact. and organizations of all companies need to invest in DEI not because it is the right thing to do but rather because that's how they will create success in the Evenfuture.though organizations differ in nature, they do have commonalities; selecting the right strategies mentioned above will help them move a long way towards the path of progress. DEI is not just strategies but a rather a journey to grow and change- individually, nationally, and globally. It is not just a box to check but a way to operate, and it will require planning, commitment, and an open, inclusive mindset.
Maria Papacosta
An Astonishing Leader of the 21st Century We know what our clients' audience wants, what works and what doesn't, and as a result, we deliver on our promises.
Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders To Watch In 2022 |April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com S ince our childhood, every one of us must have heard the stories of great leaders. Their courage, passion, and devotion to the desired goal inspired each one of us. They motivate us to shoot for the stars and persevere through any challenges that life may throw our way. Certain qualities that successful leaders demonstrate in their personal and professional journey include a focused approach, self-awareness, understanding the exact need of the hour, and much more. So here it is important to note is that these qualities can be adapted by anyone, whether it is a man or a woman. As a result, we see that the art of leadership is neither limited nor biased to any specific gender. Today, women have emerged as very successful leaders in every field, whether it is cinema, politics, space, or industry. They are not just leading in their professional career but also inspiring others to act and set a course for future Thissuccess.edition, titled 'Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders to Watch in 2022,' places a spotlight on women leaders who have broken all the stereotypes and myths and have set new benchmarks of success. We are honored to introduce one such legendary woman leader – Maria Papacosta. She is the Co-founder of M.S.C. Marketing Bureau Ltd . In an exclusive interview with Insights Success, Maria sheds light on the company's journey, the current industry scenario, and her vision for the future. Below are the excerpts from the interview: Maria, please brief our audience about yourself and your professional journey as well as your business endeavors so far. What inspired you to step into the field of presence and inspired leadership coaching? My professional journey started in the marketing of services field, where I worked for leading international companies and held senior management roles. Each of the companies I've worked for taught me something different and helped me evolve and become the person I am today. However, since the beginning of my career, my vision has been to create something of my own. I wanted to experience the thrill of starting something from scratch and the agony of making it work and grow. This led me to start my first business in the event management sector in 2006 and co-founding M.S.C. Marketing Bureau in 2019. Since the beginning of my career, I have been working with professional speakers, authors, and consultants. 24
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Maria Papacosta Co-founder M.S.C. Marketing Bureau Ltd
Initially, as a client inviting them at our company conferences, later as a speaker agent (my first company represented one of the top speaker bureaus in more than 20 countries), and eventually as a speaker manager and 'presence and inspired leadership coach. I think that one thing led to another in a very natural flow. Working with all these wonderful thought leaders and dynamic personalities, I realized that although they had tremendous knowledge, unique insights, and originality of thought, in most cases they could not communicate these ideas effectively and make an impact. This realization led me to study and research the areas of presence and inspired leadership. How can someone find his/her unique voice? What do people need to help them stand out from the crowd and make an impact while maintaining their authenticity, values, and integrity? What makes some people more inspirational than others? These were some of the questions that became my passion and transformed my career. Kindly tell us about M.S.C. Marketing Bureau and what led you to incept it. As soon as I realized that my interest was in helping others stand out, my mind started focusing on opportunities to work with individuals that needed such help. You'd be surprised what the clarity of purpose can do to your life. If you know what you want, then it is as if you're programming and reprogramming yourself to achieve that Yougoal.start asking the right questions, such as "what do I need to do to get from here to there?" and your field of view broadens to help you spot more opportunities. So, I started working with a couple of professional speakers and senior executives taking small steps at first. My business partner soon realized that to help others stand out, it wasn't just about their self-development. These people needed practical tools as well, such as social media presence, website development, and publicity, to name a few. This led to the creation of the M.S.C. Marketing Bureau, where our mission is to help professionals stand out and make an impact by nurturing their authentic leadership and building their brand voice. We help our clients achieve their goals by offering them the whole array of services and tools that they need in their journey. What kind of services and specialized offerings do you facilitate to your clients? What are the U.S.P. (s) of your company? We take pride in being different and doing things our way. If you're trying to fit in you'll end up copying what others are already doing. We are curious, set on an ongoing journey of rediscovering ourselves, learning, and relearning to earn the title of trusted advisors by our clients. But above all, we're very selective with the clients we work with. The vast majority of people will never be willing to make the sacrifices required to reach their professional goals. We work with the ones that are committed to their goals and understand the hard work involved to eventually stand out and make an impact. This approach has led us to become a leading boutique firm that has received numerous recognitions since our first year of Besidesexistence.ourcore philosophy, I truly believe that it is the level of expertise that has helped us differentiate and grow in such a short amount of time. We are very focused on our micro-niche, and this gives us tremendous know-how and competitive advantage. To give an example, there are numerous companies building websites in the world, but we're the only company that builds websites only for professional speakers, consultants, and Thisauthors.isthearea we're experts in, and by focusing our expertise on such a niche market, we grow stronger and more experienced exponentially. We know what our clients' audience wants, what works and what doesn't, and as a result, we deliver on our promises. 2022 www.insightssuccess.com26
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Our services include speaker management, presence coaching, vision coaching and training, presentation skills coaching, inspired leadership coaching, personal branding, website development, and SEO optimization, social media management and content creation, ghost-writing, publicity and exposure management, book editing, book launch strategy planning, storytelling coaching, and professional services branding. Being an experienced leader, share with us your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies like A.I., ML, and X.R. in the marketing and advertising industry has transformed the industry and what more could be expected soon? Technology has transformed marketing and advertising in numerous ways. Marketing campaigns are more personalized and immersive for people and ecosystems are more integrated and targeted for marketers, to name a few. But it's not just the interaction between brands and people that are transforming. The adoption of new technologies is altering the companies' infrastructure as a whole, making an integrated impact on the consumer. It's not about marketing or advertising departments anymore. The future will be about how each department becomes a well-oiled cog that functions in synchrony and about the other well-oiled company cogs to offer a holistic customer experience. This transformation will break down silos and will give room for further innovation and creativity, pro-active and reactive strategies, and even a redesign in work processes. Enlighten us on how M.S.C. Marketing Bureau has made an impact in the brand awareness space through its stronghold in the industry. Brand trust is everything. I am a firm believer that loyalty can be bought, but trust can only be built. Although brand awareness helps establish brand trust, it's not enough on its Therefore,own. our approach in communicating our brand is slightly different than the usual ones. Our focus since the beginning has been on building long-term relationships with our clients. Our number one priority is to become their trusted advisors. Once this is achieved, then these clients become your company ambassadors and develop your brand's awareness for Theyou.interesting thing here is that customers will always trust other customers more than the service providers themselves. So, for anyone trying to build or increase their brand's awareness, I would strongly advise to first focus on their clients. This approach has led us to receive numerous recognitions, such as ranking 2nd in the World's Best Brand Development Programs for 2022 by Global Gurus (moving up from #7 in 2021). What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the marketing and advertising industries? My advice would be to know themselves and have a clear vision - know their purpose. Self-awareness is critical, and very few people pay attention to discovering who they truly are. Most tend to either overestimate or underestimate Butthemselves.ifyoutruly know your strengths (and your team's), then and only then can you capitalize on them. Similarly, if you're honest about your weaknesses (and your team's), then you can turn them into opportunities for development. Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and how do you plan on scaling your company in the future? In the long run, we would like to develop our people further and grow as a team in order to design more innovative solutions for our clients. Personally, I would like to devote some of my time to empowering others, especially those who cannot afford or do not have access to education and development programs and, as a result (among other factors) face a major barrier to their economic development, inequality, and of course risking their well-being. 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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Michele Lee Malo Founder and CEO
Watch In
Michele Lee Malo
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Transforming Dreams Into Reality! Hitting the roads, COVID-19 has changed a lot over the last few years. The world has witnessed serial lockdowns, changing people's lives tectonically. Reconsidering their career paths and life goals due to an "anything can happen" mindset, millions of people worldwide resigned in 2021 to pursue more adventurous and flexible career paths. We all know that life is all about change. Still, when we are making changes in our professional or personal lives, we must consult with people who have successfully overcome life challenges and are thriving successfully in their lives. Changing people's lives using her career and life experience is Michele Lee Malo, Founder, and CEO of Michele Lee Malo Consulting. Once thought of herself as a "self-imposed sick person," Michele went through many difficulties. But then she decided to fight against these limitations, spearheading the wheel of change. Using her freshly found victory, wisdom, and 20+ years of corporate experience with Fortune 500 companies, Michele has carved out her successful 10-year entrepreneurial journey. She put herself forth as a real success story before everyone and decided to give real experience-based consulting to those who want to make changes in their respective lives and career paths. In an interview with Insights Success, Michele shared her entrepreneurial journey while educating about the Michele Lee Malo Consulting Platform and its offerings, helping Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders To 2022 2022
Below are the highlights of the interview:
· Professional Branding Menu
· Social Media Menu · LinkedIn Optimization In our electronic world, social media presence is key to building your personal brand. This is crucial to building up credibility and trust. Social proof backs up your experience. I will do a full audit of your social media to ensure it is in line with your personal brand messaging. I will also do a full audit of your LinkedIn profile and optimize it based on your goals to promote profile views and position it as a powerful tool for your job search.
· Communication Menu If the rug gets pulled out from under you, buy a new rug. April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com32
many individuals effectively transform their personal and professional lives.
The following are the distinct offerings of Michele Lee Malo Consulting:
· Resume and Cover Letter Development
Michele, you are widely regarded as 'The Change CEO'. Please give us a brief overview of your inspiring personal and professional journey so far. What was your inspiration behind starting behind Michele Lee Malo Consulting? I was the sickest 28-year-old you would have ever met, selfimposed sick. I threw out my back getting out of bed. How does that happen? It happens when your 5'5" frame cannot support 310 lbs. I had to call into work fat. As I got my life back and lost 170lbs, I decided I was done making my bosses rich and missing out on family and friends. I knew the weight loss struggle and knew I could help motivate others. I left my corporate career, which spanned over 20 years, working with amazing companies such as Kraft, Kellogg's, and Barilla, to become a personal trainer to help others get their health back. After working with clients that generally came from peers, I was spending more time helping with career change, business strategy, and health. I expanded my practice to include transition coaching and business launches. Seeing my clients make changes and deal with the hard stuff makes my heart happy. I stand in a position of power, passion, and profit Tell us more about your enterprise, its vision, and the key aspects of its stronghold in the business and brand development space? Over the past couple of years, many of us have been dealt some hard blows, from sickness to losing jobs or even businesses. It is also the time to look at this as a blessing or Nowgift. is the time for reinvention, a chance to change the path in front of you—an opportunity to follow your passion and redefine your next chapter. The old rug was tattered and torn, stained but comfortable and safe. I want to be the person who helps you buy that new rug—walking side by side with you to rediscover all your passions and to help you define your purpose. You have skills that are transferable, brandable, and viable. It is time to step into your greatness. What are the distinct offerings of your company that are making an impact on your clients?
If you are looking for career advancement or looking to follow your passion, it is imperative that you reposition your skills and your transferable skills so you can find your dream job. Plus, you need to get past the dreaded ATS Wesystem.will do a deep dive to get to the root of your passions and skills, and then I will rewrite your resume and cover letter to get your foot in the door. This is only step one.
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· Networking Menu · Mastermind Group Your network and whom you surround yourself with will determine your net worth and success. Napoleon Hill showed us in " Think and Grow Rich" the power of the mastermind. If you are a CEO or business leader in the Phoenix area, Vistage members grow their companies 2.2x faster than non-Vistage members. In 2020, non-Vistage member revenue was reduced by 4.7%, while Vistage member revenue grew by 4.6%. I invite you to interview with me to be a part of my Vistage Group and get more information at http://vistage.com/chairs/michele.malo Please tell us about your unique 'The Success Menus Program.' How do they help in bringing about positive transformations in the personal and professional lives of your clients? I provide a safe place for my clients to dig deep into what is next for them in life. My proprietary in-take process gets to the root of the change that is needed, and then we come up with a customized strategy and action plan to get them to their next stage in life, in health, career, or a new business Weopportunity.buildapersonal branding plan that will enhance their professional and personal persona, designed to establish a connection with their target market and sphere of influence.
There are a lot of fun projects in 2022. I will be helping many clients with their personal branding and career search, helping in the repositioning of their skill sets to get them the career they have always dreamed of. My new podcast, titled "Sparking Results," will be launched soon. I will be interviewing corporate go-getters and entrepreneurs as they unveil the spark that launched their amazing results. My book is titled, "Do it Anyway Lose 185 Lbs in One Day ." 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
· Content Menu Your content and message need to be heard. You have a message, but writing is not necessarily something you enjoy. I will take over the writing of your content, from newsletters to emails to social media posts. Taking your ideas and creating impactful marketing messages.
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Diversity and inclusion are imperative to a business's success. Differences in thinking, race, gender, age, etc., give light to different and creative ways to make business and corporate culture successful and progressive. As an established industry leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the professional and personal consultancy services industry? Search out those that have been there before and seek their counsel. Continuous learning and self-development are not only crucial to mastering your craft but also keep you relevant in an ever-changing world. Have no fear.
This will be the future and needs to be a consideration in the marketing mix. It needs to be researched to make sure it works within the framework of the business and is not done just because everybody is doing it. What is your view on practicing inclusivity and diversity at the workplace?
How do you envision further strengthening Michele Malo Consulting's stronghold in 2022 and beyond?
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· Podcast Menu · Sparking Results Do you want your message to be heard by action takers and business titans? I am looking for successful business leaders to share their secret of what was the spark behind their business and leadership success. How are you living your life like your hair is on fire? Tell me what keeps the fire going within you and how you can inspire others to ignite.
What is your opinion on the adoption of modern technologies like AI and ML in the brand, business, and personal development space? How have you integrated such technologies in your business operations?
· Interview Preparation The ability to express yourself confidently and succinctly is a top deciding factor when employers are looking to hire. I will take you through the process of writing your STAR stories that will take your experiences and break them down into the following: Situation, Tactics, Actions, and Results . You should have at least 5-7 STAR stories at the ready so you can tackle any interview question.
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Closing the GenderPay Gap
- Shrutika Khedekar |April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com35
Increasing the Minimum Wage
You can absolutely share pay information because it is legally protected. Many people do not believe it, but according to the Department of Labor, it is. As a result, you can certainly share it with one another. People believe that more claims of unequal pay are coming to light because more [women] married to men are working, and when they work in the same industries or occupations, they compare their paychecks and notice the wage disparity.
T he 'gender pay gap' or 'gender wage gap' arguably dates back to the beginnings of civilization. Even so, it prominently emerged as an issue of political discussion in the 1860s in the United States. Since then, the struggle to meet the wage gap has been persistent as many social reformists have tirelessly made efforts to bring the problem to light, and the corporate space is recognizing the same. Several initiatives have been taken in the way to ensure equal pay for equal work since the struggle took a head start. In this article, we will explore some of the ways in which the movement to close the gender pay gap can be given a boost. Keeping Transparency in Sharing Salary Information
Formulating Better Structures to Support Caregiving
This is an important step that needs to be taken toward closing the gender wage gap because, according to several surveys, more women are employed at that level than men, and the unwillingness to raise the minimum wage is taking a toll on women.
As a result of the continuous struggle to meet the gender wage gap, the world has made some slow but remarkable progress in the direction of achieving social equity. There still needs to be a stronger push in the same direction to ensure that the gap is closed before the economists have predicted it to be closed. This will not only help empower women but also foster the inclusion of diverse talent in any given organization.
Being Aware of the Law
More women need to be aware of the laws that exist exclusively to tackle the problem of the gender wage gap. If you're a woman working at an organization and you notice that your male counterpart is getting paid more for the same work that you're doing, you can raise a formal complaint about it before going to the law. If the organization fails to acknowledge the disparity and continues to pay you less, take the help of the law to claim your equal share.
Another step necessary to close the gender wage gap is that society needs to have better structures to support caregivers and caregiving. The responsibility to take care of a young one almost always entirely falls upon a woman, be it a working woman or a stay-at-home mother. This makes it difficult for the woman to excel and progress in her career. More community care centers should be in place to assist working women in taking care of their children. This will ensure they're not burnt out working full time both at home and at work.
The Bottom Line
There is more information available, and all of these methods of sharing your salary on the internet are extremely beneficial. And when you're up for a raise or being hired, you can check those websites to see if you're being offered something comparable for your area, job, or company size. Sharing the Workload at Home Women in couples with children frequently take a back seat to men in order for their jobs to be more able to be on-call at home and for men's jobs to be more able to be on call at work. Women are often seen compromising their careers after marriage and having kids because the norm in society says that a woman should be the primary caregiver of a child. So, they not just have to perform in their profession but also have to be a full-time caregiver to their child, which is technically unpaid labor. It is only fair for couples with kids to share the workload at home and support each other in their respective careers. Sturdier Social Insurance Paid family leave; increased public subsidies for the care of children, the sick and specially-abled, and the elderly; legislation to decrease penalties for part-time work; changes to the period of the school day and school vacations; decreased tuition and fees at public universities; and Medicare for All. Sure, all these policies would cost taxpayers money, but they would also cut down out-of-pocket expenses for most families. Because almost everyone is at risk of needing assistance for themselves or a loved one at some point in their lives, social insurance benefits everyone.
SnapFulfilCOO |April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com36 An Inspiring leader Bringing Change in the Industry
Stefanie Rollins
The present is the era of women empowerment, and gender equality is one of the most significant fundamental human rights for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Today, women are bringing about change in the world through their brilliant performances in science-tech, innovation, research, and development. They have emerged as inspirational leaders to all with their remarkable leadership Leadershipapproach.isartwith
I built customergroundprocessescustomizedfromtheup,balancingandbusinessneeds,andamheavilyfocusedonproblem-solving.
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SnapFulfil is a perfect example of a product that is in the right place at the right time. Our whole ethos is based on empowering users to configure their systems in line with evolving demands. The sudden acceleration in the shift from bricks and mortar retail to e-commerce has caught many businesses off guard. Their challenge now is to have the bravery and foresight to invest in the future.
Her firm SnapFulfil is also setting a new milestone in this direction. SnapFulfil is recognized as the most adaptable and scalable Tier 1 warehouse management system (WMS) in the market, offering faster implementation even remotely during the pandemic across multiple sites and locations.
SnapFulfil is increasingly acknowledged as the most adaptable and scalable Tier 1 WMS on the market. It offers fast implementation – deployable in 45-60 days or less and even remotely during the pandemic, across multiple sites and locations. It also improves efficiency and productivity by up to 30 percent, guaranteeing a rapid ROI for those with ambitions to operate effectively in the burgeoning eCommerce space. By meeting ever-evolving customer service demands and innovations that the established retailers are repeatedly introducing, SnapFulfil has the capacity to seamlessly adapt and evolve.
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W omen- representing 49.58% of the world population-are the most beautiful creation of the Universe on this planet.
In an exclusive interview, Stefanie Rollins, Chief Operating Officer, sheds light on the company's journey, its services, and her vision for the future.
great responsibility. A visionary leader always understands the demand for an organizational goal and can accept the challenges and counter them in a particular direction, called success. Today, successful women leaders are setting milestones and benchmarks of success by breaking the hegemony, setting remarkable history by overcoming the challenges, and taking the organization on top of the success ladder.
I started in Support 20+ years ago and rose through the company. I have been a tester, support agent, sales consultant, project manager, account manager, and implementer – so I am uniquely placed to know all the areas I now run. I built customized processes from the ground up, balancing customer and business needs, and am heavily focused on problem-solving – it is wired in, I cannot help it. I am also passionate about workable processes, efficiency, and continuous improvement – why would we carry on banging our head against that brick wall when we can change something for the better? I have also implemented several innovative projects and grown the service desk into three different teams to manage customer requirements. Two years ago, I took over leadership of the UK Implementations team as we pioneered remote onboarding that tangibly saves clients time, money, and resource.
Stefanie, please give us a brief overview of your journey as the COO of SnapFulfil.
Tell us more about SnapFulfil and the distinct offerings that make it stand out in the cutthroat market.
One such inspiring and talented female leader is Stefanie Rollins, who has a passion for problem-solving of any kind for any situation and encouraging others as well to bring changes in their lives. She understands the the supply chain industry's demands, and hence, she has built customized processes from the ground up, balancing customer and business needs, and heavily focused on problem-solving.
Top 10 Inspiring watch In 2022 April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies is impacting the logistics and warehouse management industry and how is SnapFulfil riding the technology wave?
It is important to understand that leadership brings great responsibility, not just to your company, but to the personal lives and families of the people who work for you. We cannot assume that a good manager is a good leader, as they are not the same thing. Leaders inspire people that want to follow them. For me, it is about total trust, being open with each other on limitations, and feeling safe to challenge the status quo. I work with some fantastic leaders, and we don't just hearwe listen. We learn how someone thinks and lift them up to shine when the time is right. But we protect them when they make a mistake because none of us are perfect. We also pick them up when they fall and pay close attention to know the right time to help them get back on the path.
My team is empowered to challenge the status quo, so it is not about 'we've always done it like that' at SnapFulfil. If it is still right then great, but if it is not. let the innovation spark and grow because it breeds enthusiasm. Always look for and then use the talents in your team you never knew you had and arrive at better solutions.
Having built the bond, we naturally recognize when something is wrong and can be there to support them when they need it. This is how we develop trust; it is an evolution; you cannot switch it on - it grows.
What are the core leadership values that helped your team grow and achieve success?
I love my role – there are so many brilliant minds to nurture and grow, and in return, my team teaches me something new all the time. After all, 50 minds are better than one mind in isolation could ever be - and if you can lead them all to pull in the same direction, how powerful that can be!
There is some resistance, I think there are a lot of scared people out there, frightened that their jobs will be taken away by robots and technology that they do not understand. But when cars came along, people were not stopped from walking; it was just easier to get somewhere faster, with less effort, carrying more things – and people still walk! That is how I see technology in Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) evolving too.
The best run warehouses I have seen have simplicity at heart and you can still provide excellent customer service running your business on simple standardized processes, so that your team gets chance to really focus on the exceptions that delight.
What were the initial challenges that your organization had to surpass and what are the challenges now? One of our main challenges has been tackling the goliaths that used to dominate the WMS space. Potential new customers liked us and were blown away by our product, but convincing them to move away from a legacy system was long. We now have several long-standing major multinational customers who did just that and are delighted with the results.
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Despite the ongoing pandemic challenges, SnapFulfil WMS has been able to drive highly accurate storage, putaway, picking, and packing via the RF scanners and massively improve visibility for all parties across unique and diverse product ranges. They are now able to optimize order and return accuracy with SnapFulfil – and full traceability is a real benefit in such a variable business. They geared up from 60,000 to 100,000+ 'green' recycled products processed in and out during 2021, with forecasts of 170,000 in 2022.
SnapFulfil WMS is helping to power forward an automotive salvage specialist's ambitious five-year growth plan, which is predicted to boost turnover to £1/4 billion. Charles Trent Ltd, based in Poole, Dorset, is a leading UK car recycling company, with a thriving online parts business, but their labor-intensive and unreliable paper picking process was not geared up for quick expansion. Having invested £4million in a new 30,000 sq ft distribution center last year, they wanted an architecturally robust, highly flexible, and easily configurable WMS as part of the digital infrastructure. Their high-tech operation has been influenced by Amazon and is the only one of its kind, where you can source a particular part online and have it delivered the next day.
The days of slow and inflexible on-premises systems and large ERP platforms dominating warehouse management are over. Like every other industry, customers can vote with their feet because moving elsewhere is no longer difficult. If a supplier is not doing a good enough job, it is easy for a customer to change - and they probably will.
How do you envision scaling SnapFulfil's operations in 2022 and beyond? We will continue to embrace change - looking for new solutions to our customers' problems and new technologies to improve our efficiency. We will continue to hire, bringing in new voices, new ideas, and new experiences to grow our knowledge and team. Please give us a few testimonials of your clients/customers and a list of awards/recognitions that accurately highlight your organization's position in the market.
Our pending autonomous mobile robot, SnapCart, is a good example of this because it 'clusters' warehouse picks and creates the most efficient route to minimize the travel time and the number of pick locations visited. This makes the staff far more productive.
What would be your advice to the aspirants who are willing to venture into the logistics and warehouse management industry? Warehousing is now an opportunity to get involved in just about anything you like, but good systems and automated processes enable you to keep it manageable if you take baby steps first. Despite the plethora of options out there, don't be tempted to take the most complicated one just because you can.
Digital technology is fast improving the speed and uniformity at which we do some things, but we still use people to make decisions and perform certain tasks. Plus, logistics leaders who communicate properly and prepare their team for the changes happening to help them, gain lots more buy-in from their team.
Tuuli Pärenson Empowering Businesses with Digital Transformation Tuuli Pärenson CEO Gofore Estonia |April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com40
Tuuli takes on issues head-on and makes a change. At Gofore, she is responsible for international business development with the goal of creating a more ethical digital environment. Currently, Tuuli is leading the subsidiary located in Estonia, but on a daily basis, her team works as a crew with the Gofore group.
At the end of the day, all changes are about people and helping build a piece of shared knowledge, why are we changing at all. No matter if these changes are about Gofore or helping our customers to take the digital transformation path. Tell us more about your company its vision and the key aspects of its stronghold in the IT services space.
C onfucius once said, "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." This quote aptly defines Tuuli Pärenson, who is responsible for numerous changes leading agile and lean principles. By undertaking the act of not taking oneself too seriously, she conquered one of the most difficult obstacles in her early Fromcareer.being on digital transformation journeys to being a part of numerous large-scale reforms, Tuuli has come a long way in her career. Currently, she is serving as the CEO of Gofore Estonia, an international software development and consulting company. In this role, her ultimate goal is to see her customers flourish in their businesses.
Gofore is led by agile and lean principles, and we truly believe in them. We believe in working together with our customers to help them achieve their goals. That is why we have consciously decided to be a pure-play consultancy. When we offer management advisory services, then the consultancy approach is probably no surprise.
What has surprised some of our customers is that we apply the same principles to everything we do: may it be the task in the field of security, data, design, or coding. Our experts work hand in hand with our customers to make sure, that we focus on what is important, and make the decisions that are best for the specific customer. We are proud that in the 2021 customer survey, our net promoter score was 54. That is significantly higher than the market average.
Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders to watch In 2022 |April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com41
We at Insights Success caught up with Tuuli in our endeavor to find "Top Inspiring Women Leaders to Watch" to learn more about her journey and how she is driving a transformative change in the IT sector with her expertise. Below are the highlights of the interview: Enlighten us on how your diverse skillset and experience in different fields have helped Gofore to flourish. I joined Gofore about 3 years ago to support Gofore on its international journey. I have a long experience in driving change and IT-related changes in different corporate and public sector organisations. For example, I used to work as a director of development in the banking sector when Estonia took the euro into use. I led the change of replacing the data exchange solution, that was used by all government organisations. I helped one of the biggest telecommunication companies in Estonia (Telia) improve business agility through leading the digital transformation.
We believe
We truly believe that is equally important how we do things, not only what we do. And it is important to also help our customers grow the competencies and capabilities that they need to operate in the changing environment. We can do that through dedicated pieces of training, but we also do it as part of our daily work – through discussions that help us make the best choices together and help our customers to understand why we are preferring one option over another. in working themcustomerswithtogetherourtohelpachievetheirgoals.
For us, as a consultancy, it is of course important to be aware of the modern and emerging technologies and make sure our experts have chances to learn and experiment with them to be able to help our customers make the right decisions.
One of the most important aspects of an agile and lean organization is organizing around value. That is what we believe ourselves and that is what we recommend to our customers. No solution should ever start from selecting the technology. The starting point for designing any solution is understanding the challenge that we or our customers have and then select the best tools.
Please give us a few testimonials of your clients/customers and a list of awards/recognitions that accurately highlight your organization's position in the market.
were well prepared, then we could afford to focus on what we believe matters the most. It is the wellbeing of our experts and staying mentally healthy when working remotely. Please share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies like AI and ML is impacting the IT industry and how is Gofore riding the technology wave?
As an established industry leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the IT industry? I do not like to talk about the IT industry. We do not talk about management or leadership industry, do we? Organisations need IT as they need leadership or accounting. These functions are constantly needed, and experts are constantly needed.
Gofore remains to be the best partner in ICT for organisations who believe in organising around value and want to improve their business agility. Our stronghold has been, is, and will be our customer's success.
We are the leading digital transformation consultancy and therefore we were prepared for the work in the digital environment only. We did not need to invent anything as all the systems, solutions, and working methods were in place before. We were happy to see, that the same applied to our long-term customers. We had prepared together for the digital era, even if we had not hoped it to take over almost Aseverything.ourcustomers
I can share only the remarques that are agreed to be shared also through our website. Although we partner with our customers for years, then there can be smaller projects within the cooperation. We do have a lot of experience with the public sector in Europe and worldwide industries, but also with start-ups.
The best praise for us is when we see our customers succeed in their business. I think that the innovation manager of electricity distribution company Caruna Mika Suomi has summarized it very well: "The number one thing was that the people from Gofore were not afraid to tell us if they thought our ideas were bad." 2022
How do you envision further strengthening Gofore's stronghold in 2022 and beyond?
Think of it as a spoon in the movie "Matrix", where the Buddhist boy said: "Do not try and bend the spoon, that's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth… there is no spoon. Then you'll see that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself."
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Considering the example of the COVID-19 pandemic, how do you plan to navigate through similar situations in the future? What efforts did you take during the pandemic to sustain operations and ensure the safety of your team at the same time?
