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2020 Volume -09 Issue-04
2020'S MOST
INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
TO WATCH
EDITOR’S DESK "Crisis is what suppressed pain looks like; it always comes to the surface. It shakes you into reflection and healing" ¬ Bryant McGill
T
he current global health pandemic COVID-19 has altered our still increasingly evolving environment more and more irrevocably. The crisis posed unparalleled obstacles, which would certainly change the very element in our economy and culture in their existence and how we react.
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2020 Volume -09 Issue-04
2020'S MOST
INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
TO WATCH
Crisis Forges the Path to Innovation
The advancement of technology is certainly helping all of us overcome certain problems as we attempt to respond to lockdowns. This includes work from home and the social distancing mechanisms that are hopefully in effect in time to force profound systemic shifts in conventional business models and industry. However, history has taught us that in moments of turmoil, revolutionary technologies gather traction when a conventional global order is broken, helping such disrupters to breakthrough. The tragedy of COVID-19 has now contributed to the greatest work from home experiment in human history. In order to avoid viral infections,
businesses, colleges, institutions, and governments have sent workers and students to work or study from home remotely. Working and studying from home requires a technology that operates by being omnipresent and enables peers to work together. Cloud computing and modern networking solutions that have been marketed by organizations such as Salesforce, Microsoft, and Cisco Systems for over a decade, are almost suddenly relevant today, allowing the transition from decent job to a platform that is mission-critical. Furthermore, as the home is now the core center, we anticipate users’ investments in digital entertainment services including video streaming and games, as well as educational training and online retail services to increase. As is common during crisis times, customers and organizations are prepared to reconsider their process and actions. Although they are searching for easier and more innovative ways to work, to connect, and to entertain, we think revolutionary technology resonates with consumers and achieves market momentum. The idea of technological disruption can be the motivating factor behind a great deal of this transition and this is why this latest edition 2020’s Most Innovative Companies To Watch is our focal point. Through these companies, we need to learn what technological innovation is, why it is necessary, and how
it can transform the industries in which we participate. We have included Anexsys Ltd, providing a range of consultancy services and legal tech software to law firms, corporations, and government bodies; EMMA International Consulting Group, a global leader in FDA consulting services; Flora Coating, an innovationdriven company that promotes sustainable high performance and most advanced coatings; ChainSequence, Inc., a unique consulting group with extensive hands-on experience in high-tech manufacturing in combination with broad consulting experience in Supply Chain management; 20Four7va, a provider of virtual assistant staffing services for Ecommerce needs; and last but not the least GoingClear Interactive, an in-house Boston digital growth agency of designers, developers, marketers, and strategists offering customers to lead the quality business through the right digital channels. Other than that, we are privileged to mention; BlockchainSpace; Citrus Informatics; MultiTech Systems; Denny Cherry, and Associates Consulting. Not to mention, the articles curated by industry experts and our in-house editors. Happy Reading!
Sneha Sinha
08 20four7VA Enabling a Cost-Effective Virtual Staffing System
16 Anexsys Offering Technology-Driven & End-to End Litigation Services
24 EMMA International Consulting Group, Inc. Taking Care of Your Quality, Regulatory and Compliance Needs
30 Flora Coatings Smart and Sustainable Coatings Rest is fine
38 GoingClear Interactive Redefining the Benchmarks of Graphic Designing
INTERVIEW WITH INSIGHTSSUCCESS
ARTICLE
20 Challenges Ahead Digital Transformation Challenges in the Time of Crisis
10 ChainSequence– Committed to Enhance Supply Chain Processes and Operations Goals
26 CXO
34 CXO Standpoint MARGARET HIRSCH – A ceaseless legacy.
Expert Insights What will the world of commerce be like after the COVID-19 Crisis?
CONTENTS
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Senior Editor Anish Miller Managing Editor Vishal Muktewar Publishing Control Team Rahul, Shruti Quality Assurance Team Abhishaj, Darshan, Sneha Visualiser David King Art & Design Head Amol Kamble Art & Design Assistant Priyanka Rajage Co-designer Paul Belin Art & Picture Editor Deepanjali Jena Business Development Manager Jennifer Winget Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza Business Development Executives Stephie, David Sales Executives Alice, Joe Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head Amar Sawant Technical Consultants Pratiksha, Aditya, David Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Prashant Chevale SME-SMO Executives Gemson, Uma, Manoj Research Analyst Eric Smith Circulation Manager Tanaji sales@insightssuccess.com
September, 2020 Corporate Ofď€ ce Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com
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09| September 2020
ChainSequence Committed to Enhance Supply Chain Processes and Operations Goals
T
oday’s age of cut-throat competition calls for every company and industry to think out of the box and emerge with promising and innovative products and services. This challenge also applies to leading supply chain solution providers. They deliver the best services in terms of highly optimized inventory management, flexibility, and speed with order fulfillment, customization, energy sustainability, and compliance. One such leading company is ChainSequence, Inc., which facilitates change with industryleading expertise in supply chain/ S&OP planning solutions to back it up. In an interview with Insights Success, the company sheds light on its journey, various offerings, major features, and future plans. 1. Can you tell us about the inception story of the company, its progress throughout the years and its mission and vision? ChainSequence is the culmination of several evolutionary companies, and was founded based on a collective 50+ years of Supply Chain and Sales and Operations planning experience. Bill Mrzlak, founder of ChainSequence, says, “Our mission is simple, but clear–we are committed to helping enterprises identify challenges, create innovative solutions, and
10 | September 2020
implement lasting improvements in Supply Chain processes to advance Sales and Operations goals.” After more than 10 successful years, the firm has held true to this mission. Although ChainSequence initially started with a heavy emphasis in the high-tech and semiconductor industry, over the years the firm has successfully applied its business model, knowledge, and experience in other industries. ChainSequence continues to expand in electronics, CPG, food and beverage, retail, education delivery, and even in the services sector. 2. Brief us about the key personality (Founder/CEO). Founder and President of ChainSequence, Bill Mrzlak, is passionate about Supply Chain and Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP). Mrzlak began his career in management consulting as more of a generalist, but in the mid-90s, a former colleague presented him with an opportunity to join a new firm specializing solely on Supply Chain Planning. This also involved supporting international client needs, which would change the trajectory of his career. Taking a leap of faith, Mrzlak’s years of diligence, study, and natural affinity for this specialized work has paid off. After 25+ years in this arena,
Bill is a top-tier specialist, currently among the leading experts in the complex art and science behind successful Supply Chain and S&OP planning. As a talented communicator, skilled in the nuances of working with multinational organizations, Mrzlak continues to lead staff teams while incorporating advancements in software and AI to help client partners improve operations and become more competitive in their respective marketplaces. 3. Brief us about your products and services that makes your company stand ahead in the manufacturing industry. ChainSequence specializes in Supply Chain and Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP). Within these areas, we offer three primary services: a. Education and Training b. Process and Organizational Development c. Change Management and Systems Deployment Governance ChainSequence has found that experience can be the best teacher—no two companies are the same, and even different business
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Mrzlak stresses the importance of the relationships he builds with client partners, observing that, “Clients often forget that we’re consultants by the end of the project, because we become embedded within their organization.” However, he added, “It’s crucial we ensure our clients ultimately own the final process so they can continue executing it successfully long after ChainSequence is gone.” 4. What are the key attributes that helped to overcome the challenges which were faced by the company during its establishment? The world of Supply Chain and Sales and Operations planning management consulting is a crowded one. ChainSequence knew the risks involved in carving out a domain in such a competitive sandbox, as larger, more generalist organizations have subbusiness units that deploy thousands of consultants to accommodate the growing demand in this space. However, the stark contrast between these larger organizations and ChainSequence is what sets the
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Bill Mrzlak Founder
INTERVIEW WITH INSIGHTS SUCCESS
units within the same organization can be unique. Rather than use a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter approach, ChainSequence factors in organizational, cultural, and geographical differences into its projects, so that business solutions and outcomes more effectively respond to each specific client’s challenges.
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firm apart, offering, in many cases, a more attractive and economically viable option for many companies. ChainSequence doesn't rely on volumes of consulting bodies to meet internal corporate profit quotas; rather, the firm's smaller, more nimble teams are able to facilitate more appropriate, client-focused solutions through leading expertise, global experience, on-site teamwork, and educational knowledge-sharing. 5. Share with us the accomplishments and achievements of the company. ChainSequence’s laser focus that targets supply chain and S&OP challenges has helped numerous multi-billion dollar global corporations 1) centralize, streamline, and improve processes and operations; 2) achieve in-house proficiencies; 3) improve collaboration and accountability across business units; and 4) sustain continuous gains long after engagements are complete. Other consulting firms may have a general knowledge, and some may even have some proficiency in these areas, but ChainSequence has become an elite specialist, with the experiential background, expertise, and proven results from serving a diverse range of organizations and industries that more conventional consultant groups can’t match. 6. How does your product help clients improve productivity and efficiency? As the saying goes, it’s sometimes hard to see the forest for the trees, and this is true for many organizations out there. Mrzlak says, “When your internal
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organizations are dealing with the day-to-day chaos of producing and moving products out the door—within a stressful environment—to support demanding customers, it’s almost impossible to imagine that you can actually escape this environment.” He recalled, “We had a client who would joke, half-seriously, ‘Strategic planning is anything outside of the end of next week.’ With this kind of mindset, the thought of change can be overwhelming.” Mrzlak stresses that an outside, expert assessment is essential in helping enterprises see the bigger picture first, to identify how the pieces should fit together, before solving any individual problem. ChainSequence’s streamlined assessment model takes a pragmatic, surgical approach to improving productivity and efficiency more quickly. “You can’t solve all problems at once, but creating point solutions without a vision of the bigger picture won’t work either,” Mrzlak says, adding, “We help our client partners achieve incremental gains through a series of targeted solutions with an ultimate end-game in mind.” 7. As an industry expert, what is your opinion on the future of manufacturing? What are the possibilities we can expect? In ChainSequence’s experience, a company’s business process is the lynchpin supporting the overarching Supply Chain planning and manufacturing environments. Many organizations still struggle to recognize the value—in integration,
efficiency, speed, and quality control—that clearly defined processes bring to their business. Technology should be incorporated into every organization’s roadmap to alleviate this persistent problem. AI, ML, IoT, data integration and many other advanced tools continue to advance, bringing higher speed, accuracy, and insights. While technology is not the sole solution and won't solve the issues of a bad process, assimilating well-designed technology into process improvements will provide the best outcomes. 8. Where do you see your company in the near future? ChainSequence is expanding its services to assimilate advancements in data analytics and the use of AI and ML in the planning space to best leverage and integrate rulesbased supply chain principles with robust S&OP programs. The firm's growing network of data science partnerships continues to yield promising results in research and development on behalf of our clients both in the U.S. and overseas. Work continues to focus on developing programs that effectively improve operational performance in supply chain planning through process and technology. As our experience expands in different industry sectors and geographic regions, the firm is introducing cross-sector solutions that many organizations have not previously considered.
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2020 Volume -09 Issue-04
2020'S MOST
INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
TO WATCH
Choose E xc e l l e n t, Choose Insights
ANEXSYS
Offering Technology-Driven & End-to End Litigation Services
T
hough a relatively late adopter of technology, the traditionally cautious legal sector is now changing gradually. As they move towards automation, technology is transforming law professionals to be more proficient. The advent of technologies has impacted every aspect of the legal field, starting from the corporate practices, courtroom operations to document management. Digital forensics, eDiscovery, electronic billing, e-filling are some of the areas wherein technology has improved the efficiency of professionals. Digitalizing the legal process also helps law practitioners to deliver a cost-effective service, that too in real-time.
to diversify the eDiscovery solutions that we provide to clients. We can combine eDiscovery technology with solutions from major cloud service providers (such as AWS and Microsoft Azure) as soon as they are released, giving clients immediate access to the latest technologies.
However, to leverage the pervasive power of technology, one needs an expert, who is proficient in both technology and legal proceedings. It is the duty of such law technology firms or service providers to streamline processes that helps legal professionals achieve their goals.
IS Team: Describe the experiences, achievements or lessons learnt that have shaped the journey of the company.
Recognizing the surge in such legal consultancies, we had an opportunity to interact with Rob Crowley, Managing Director of Anexsys. This firm leads the industry with eDisclosure, digital forensics, among many other legal practices. The following conversation with Mr. Crowley provides insights into how technology is being used in practice of law and how his company differentiates from others. IS Team: Give a brief overview of the company, its solutions and services? Mr. Crowley: Anexsys is an independent legal technology consultancy that provides eDiscovery, digital forensics and litigation support services to law firms, corporations and government bodies in the UK and Europe. We specialise in custom software development and our in-house team design eDiscovery and legal technology solutions. IS Team: How do you diversify your products/solutions in ways that would benefit your clientele? Mr. Crowley: Our software development team enable us
16 | September 2020
We have recently integrated software which enables the identification of personal information within documents and we have previously integrated numerous technologies into eDiscovery platforms, widening the scope of services we provide to our clients.
Mr. Crowley: Since rebranding as Anexsys in 2013, our team has grown from 6 staff to over 50. During this period of consistent growth, our consultants have gained invaluable experience through the management of eDiscovery projects worldwide. We have received multiple nominations for innovation awards within the eDiscovery industry for the bespoke applications we have built for Relativity. Receiving this recognition has inspired the ethos of the company and we to continue to push boundaries and expand the capabilities of eDiscovery technology. This has led to the development of our own eDiscovery platform Entity which was built over the last two years. Entity is a cloud-based legal technology platform for lawyers. It simplifies eDiscovery and incorporates a variety of cloud technologies. IS Team: How does the company contribute towards assisting developments in the landscape of the discipline of Law? Mr. Crowley: We aim to bridge the gap between law and technology for our clients and we have legally trained staff who ensure that our clients benefit from the technical services we offer.
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2020's Most Innovative Companies to Watch
Rob Crowley Managing Director Anexsys
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17| September 2020
We provide legal updates to law firms and professional bodies. We have recently provided an update on the Disclosure Pilot Scheme (new disclosure rules applicable in the Business & Property Courts from 2019-2021) to the PNLA (Professional Negligence Lawyers Association) and to the Birmingham Law Society. We are members of ILTA (International Legal Technology Association) SCL (Society for Computers & Law) and UKLTA (UK Legal Technology Association). We aim to contribute to initiatives which bring the legal and technology sectors together and our consultants participate in panels and discussions focussed on the application of eDiscovery technology. IS Team: Where does the company see itself in the long run and/or what are its future goals? Mr. Crowley: Long-term our goal is to continue the journey we have been on since 2013 and to grow our team of highly-specialised technical consultants, who can overcome any challenge experienced by users of eDiscovery technology. We want to play an integral role in the development of eDiscovery technology and to create more solutions which are adopted industry wide.
THE CATALYST OF ANEXSYS Having emerged as a leader in digital litigation services, the company attributes its success to Mr. Crowley. He has worked in the eDiscovery industry since 2009 and gained experience at two of the ‘Big Four’ consultancy rms (Ernst and Young & KPMG) before taking over as Managing Director of Anexsys in 2013. Mr. C row l ey h a s ove r s e e n t h e c o m p a ny ’ s consistent growth in terms of turnover and personnel whilst at the same time building a team of experts renowned for innovation in eDiscovery. Under his leadership, the company has built software applications which have been adopted sector-wide, widening the scope and application of eDiscovery technology for law rms, eDiscovery providers and corporations alike. What others say about Anexsys?
IS Team: Considering the rising number of e-discovery solution providers, how does your company sustain its competency in the global market?
“Anexsys combines a deep technical understanding of the Relativity platform with excellent project delivery skills.” -Ben Shellie, CEO of Intelligent Voice
Mr. Crowley: We foster an environment of professional growth to ensure the continuous development of our staff. We welcome the increase in competition in the eDiscovery sector, knowing that it can only result in an improvement in the services we offer. Our track record of growth and delivery indicates our understanding of the market and how to address our clients’ needs.
“Our exciting new partnership with Anexsys highlights our commitment to the UK market and we are keen to support the innovative approach of Anexsys.” -Dean Kuhlman, Vice President of Sales at Brainspace.
We understand the importance of not standing still and ensuring that our clients have access to market leading technologies. We have recently partnered with Brainspace so that we can offer their cuttingedge analytics to clients, alongside cloud-based eDiscovery platforms RelativityOne and Entity.
18 | September 2020
“It’s always great to see a long-time Relativity partner say ‘yes’ to the growth possibilities of RelativityOne. We’re excited to see how they leverage the extensibility of the platform to further build out their suite of innovative ediscovery services.” -Steve Couling, Managing Director and VP Sales EMEA at Relativity
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Digital Transfor 20 | September 2020
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Challenges Ahead
T
he world has gone digital, and there's no returning. Nearly everybody uses a mobile phone nowadays which assists them consistently to help decide, discover brands to purchase from or get familiar with an item. Today, the organizations that are ready to utilize technology and re-evaluate their plan of action for the future by optimizing digital transformation, will be ones in front of their competition. While this may look like great change, but it presents some novel challenges for organizations. Here we share probably the greatest challenges faced by the ever-evolving digital world and give a way ahead to each. #1Challenge The Changing Customer Experience We live in an experiential economy. Like never before, clients uphold how they experience brands. That stretches out to both on the web (online) and oine stores, just as social media or other potential touchpoints along the way. Furthermore, most organizations agree that client assistance will be simply the key way that they separate from their rivals.
rmation
Challenges in the Time of Crisis
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21| September 2020
The way to change is to building a client experience from the base up. Your objective ought to be to zero in on client ventures. If you enhance the touchpoints along this excursion rather than only attempting to win deals, at that point you'll have a superior potential for success at keeping clients around longer. This gives the chance to improve deals and maintenance, which means stable development in the years to come. It's likewise imperative to consider what we call the "specialty of the client experience." This expects you to investigate your present nearness, and discover approaches to survey the degree of delight in every client's understanding. #2Challenge Employee Pushback People are one of the mainstays of the business. You can't achieve your objectives without the help of the whole organization. The superseding worry for most organizations considering a digital push is employee adoption and how it will affect the organization's way of life and hierarchical structure. Huge numbers of your "privileged few" of employee may feel that their activity is compromised by these changes, which won't be useful for assurance or efficiency. Additionally, there's a noteworthy ability gap with regards to finishing the kind of progress that most organizations need. The handy people are as of now busy with other basic assignments, and can't be saved to fuel digital or train others. In case you need to make an organization culture that limits representative pushback and spotlights on being agile, you have to fabricate a client-driven culture. Choose to work on these three essential fields:
Customer administration Employee preparation and improvement Culture
#3Challenge Omnichannel Adaptation Nowadays, clients bounce from channel to channel when making a purchase. They'll look on your site, search from cell phones, or even stop by your store just to purchase online later. That implies extending your business by selling on commercial centers, your site, and through other digital methods. What's more, it additionally implies that you have
20 | September 2020
to build up a wide assortment of channels for help, and afterward embrace a client commitment framework that takes into account omnichannel selling. #4Challenge Poor Analytics 53% of present day organizations are disappointed with their examination capacities. There's more information to gather than any time in recent memory, and neglecting to gauge the correct ones could end in a disaster. Implement AI technologies to help improve data collection and personalization endeavors. AI and chatbots are as of now changing the way in which organizations crunch information and customize discussions with clients, and it won't be long until this training is inescapable. It's as yet worth proceeding cautiously into AI, however you have to begin looking in the near future. Better analytics implies better decision making, and the estimation of that can't be downplayed. #5Challenge Legacy Business Models Your business depends on a product and rules that have permitted it to survive to the present. In any case, now and again, that legacy can weight even more than an asset. Getting free from your legacy framework at the opportune time is basic to building yourself up in this digital world. What's more, most advertisers feel that legacy frameworks are as of now hamstringing client experience endeavors. There's no one-size-fits-all answer for this legacy issue. It will require development, an eagerness to acknowledge the danger, and a great deal of hard work. Try not to let the narrative of your business end with an inability to change. Conclusion The digital world will consistently be changing and developing, and it's dependent upon you to change with it. Try not to let the challenges your business faces in today’s digital world become offbeat detours. Rather, face them head on and find innovative solutions which will fuel accomplishment for a considerable length of time to come. -Shruti P Jambhale
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EMMA International Consulting Group, Inc.
Taking Care of Your Quality, Regulatory and Compliance Needs
C
ountries all over the world have begun the process of reopening amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The first few months this year saw complete lock-down in several countries bringing normal life to a halt and putting a huge negative impact on the global economy. Even as steps are being taken to restore normal economic activities with new social norms, those in the Life Sciences industry are aware of the work that still needs to be done. While developing a vaccine by Pharma companies is just one part of the huge task ahead, readying the other industries as they try to get their workforce back to work also requires effective guidelines. As COVID-19 continues to spread, many industries are finding themselves scrambling to do what they can to assist in protective measures like PPE shortages.
9001:2015 certified for its quality management system. Apart from a wide reach and capability in FDA compliance, the company’s core competency lies in its ability to develop and implement integrated Quality Management Systems (QMS) that conform to a multitude of international regulatory requirements and/or ISO standards. As FDA regulations become more stringent, EMMA International strives to serve companies across the globe by helping them develop an individualized plan to mitigate major challenges in implementing QMS processes. Adept Leadership The two co-founders of EMMA International wanted to create a company that provided a true management consulting experience for the Life Sciences industry.
Michigan-based EMMA International Consulting Group (EMMA International) believes that it is their role and responsibility during this time to continue to be a trusted resource to assist companies in navigating these uncharted waters. The company does this by leveraging its deeply rooted expertise and relationships.
Kira Jabri, MPH, MSW is a co-founder and serves as EMMA International’s CEO. Mrs. Jabri has over sixteen years of experience as a healthcare professional culminating extensive experience and knowledge of FDA regulated industries. She is responsible for overseeing EMMA International’s ongoing operations, strategy, and development.
In March of this year, EMMA International was selected to serve on the Oakland County, Michigan “Saving Business, Saving Lives” grant review panel as the expert in FDA compliance. This funding helped companies either scale up production or pivot to produce PPEs. To date, this grant has awarded $519,000 with $1 million in funding approved by The Oakland County Board of Commissioners and County Executive, David Coulter.
Mrs. Jabri serves on the advisory board of Medical Main Street and also on the Membership and Diversity Network committees of MichBio. Additionally, she is one of the founders of the Michigan Medical Device Innovation Forum (MMDIF), which focuses on connecting medical device professionals, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers to discuss some of the current challenges and opportunities to advance the medical device sector in Michigan.
About the Company Over the years, EMMA International has emerged as a global leader in FDA consulting services. It focuses on quality, regulatory, and compliance services for the Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Device industries. It provides specialized services to satisfy all quality and compliance needs, which are backed by extensive knowledge and industry experience.
Dr. Carmine Jabri, PhD, MSJ, MSQM, MHA, the other co-founder, serves as EMMA International’s President. Dr. Jabri is an experienced Healthcare and Quality Assurance professional with more than twenty years of experience in implementing, improving, and directing Quality Management Systems and Healthcare Operations. His career includes expertise in the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device industries.
EMMA International is certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). It is also ISO
Dr. Jabri’s extensive knowledge of regulations and guidelines, coupled with his training and facilitation skills, help him lead the team of EMMA International consultants
24 | September 2020
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2020's Most Innova ve Companies to Watch
“
Our mission is to provide significant value to your operations and leave you completely satisfied that your expectations were fulfilled.
“
Dr. Carmine Jabri President
Kira Jabri CEO
Fighting the Pandemic “In March of 2020, as the Covid-19 virus began to close down the Michigan economy, it was evident that PPE was in critical demand among Oakland County’s health care workers and first responders. In response to this critical need, Oakland County Economic Development launched the first of its kind grant fund for companies that were converting or pivoting to produce critically needed PPE. The propose of the Saving Businesses/ Saving Lives grant was to help Oakland County small businesses boost their PPE manufacturing capabilities. The fund had $1 million allocated to it and the need was to find someone who would lead a review team of experts with impeccable credentials and credibility for wise allocation. Dr. Carmine Jabri willingly volunteered to be part of the SB/SL grant review committee. He has, by now, donated many late nights and weekend/ holiday hours to assure the success of the program. Through insightful questions, a deep understanding of the medical device, FDA and entrepreneurship and a balance of technical knowledge with real empathy for the entrepreneurs, Dr. Jabri has proved to be an invaluable member of the Oakland County Saving Businesses/ Saving Lives grant program.” – Greg Doyle, Manager, Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center
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to help organizations improve their quality management systems, reduce costs, reduce errors, and comply with federal, state, and international standards and regulations. Dr. Jabri is an internationally sought-after quality systems expert. Striving for the Ultimate Goal EMMA International anticipates that Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) will play a significant role in the Life Sciences industry. In particular, the medical device industry is on the verge of some amazing technological developments that incorporate AI/ML in their composition. Going forward, one can expect to see EMMA International become an innovative pioneer in the industry. “We want to become a think tank in the life sciences’ innovative technology space, and further nurture our strategic partnerships and alliances toward shared goals. Ultimately, effecting change on a global level is a goal,” concludes the team.
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CXO Standardpoint
MARGARET HIRSCH A ceaseless legacy
H
irsch’s is a truly South African family business. Founded 41 years ago by Allan who is the Chairman, it is the largest independently owned Appliance and Electronics retail outlet in South Africa. Margaret is Executive Director of the company, son Richard is CEO and daughter Luci - Brand Manager. Hirsch's was not created overnight. When Margaret lost her job as a receptionist and pregnant with her first child, she and Allan needed to plan for survival. Allan had been working as a refrigeration repairman, but this would not have been sufficient to provide for the family. Allan suggested they start their own business. It started off as a refrigeration and air conditioning repairs shop and eventually, they were opening one store after the other. Today you will find Hirsch’s stores scattered around the country. In Gauteng (11), KwaZuluNatal (6) and Western Cape (2). Margaret regards herself as a “jack of all trades”. She has done selling, invoicing, demonstrating, deliveries,
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installing, and generally taking care of almost everything at Hirsch’s for the past 41 years. She doesn’t have an office at any of the 19 branches. But before the pandemic, she visited each of them every week – joining the staff on the floor to get involved with customer queries, and enjoying every minute of it. “Keeping our customers happy and providing them with a unique, hands-on service has helped our business grow and we are continuously finding ways to improve our service to them.” She says. She is itching to get back on the floor to join her customers and staff when the time is right. Her knack for empowering everyone involved with the company is inspiring. In 1994 Hirsch’s decided to empower their drivers. The company sold its trucks to the drivers at a low price over an extended period. The ripple effect of this was that more than 20 delivery businesses have started up over the past 21 years, and these delivery businesses now employ
more than 800 people. With more than 2 000 people in their employ, Hirsch’s mostly invests in turning their staff into motivated employees with sound goals. Objectives that are encouraged, including investing in their own homes to live comfortably. Values that are embedded with the staff are honesty, integrity, and loyalty. As far as a recipe for success goes, there are intriguing points of difference in this family operation. The company has honed the concept of customer care to a unique level. It starts with building customer loyalty that made Hirsch’s a household name. The approach being that Hirsch’s is not just about shopping. They aim to add value to the shopping experience by hosting functions and demonstrations instore that revolve around the product. This is driven by embracing 21st-century technology and social media platforms. Customers are drawn to follow Margaret on their website and social media. On the website she provides entertaining and lifestyle sections
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on motivation, content for businesswomen, a sound cloud, and blogs on recipes, decor, and fashion. These sections are not trying to sell anything. They merely add value with a wealth of useful content to be enjoyed by followers.
attend school, attendance has increased from 40% to 80% and their marks have also improved dramatically. Another initiative is the Margaret Hirsch Women in Business Achiever of the Year Award.
Before Covid-19, Hirsch’s stores ran active community involvement projects like networking sessions for local entrepreneurs, training sessions for domestic workers and regular cookoffs by children in-store, or Margaret teaming up with celebrities for fun culinary experiences. The networking programmes facilitate businesswomen and men to connect, share knowledge, and support each other. Successful business people in the community or Margaret herself regularly do a talk on their business model, providing motivation and business tips useful to the audience. During Lockdown, Margaret has held these networking sessions in a virtual setting, and the response has been exceptional. During networking sessions, wannabe entrepreneurs often ask Margaret about borrowing capital to start their business. She believes entrepreneurs should never borrow money to start a business. She says, eventually they would need to pay back the money with interest. “Start slowly, use the money you have. Get what money you can, sell everything. And every cent you make, you plow back into the business.” www.insightssuccess.com
Businesswomen in each of the areas where Margaret Executive Director
In the day-to-day business operations, Margaret savours customer interaction. “What I love in our industry, is seeing two and sometimes three generations from the same family coming through to furnish their homes with us.” There is also no short supply in social responsibility drives by this brand. Margaret has been involved in promoting the Girls With Dignity project to support young girls throughout the country who used to be absent from school while menstruating. Following extensive talks at schools, motivating girls to
business.”
Hirsch’s operate are recognised for their achievements in the workplace. Margaret established the competition after she saw how well her business did and how winning many awards herself - gave her an edge over her competitors. “Winning these awards has been wonderful – both for Hirsch’s and for me personally, and I would like to see this happening to other women in
Empowering women and helping them to realise their true wealth is something that she thrives on. An example is Anna Mhlanga, an aspiring baker who she met at her Meadowdale store several years ago. Margaret told us the story. “Anna is the wife of a preacher and she needed to find something that
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would help boost the family income.
Hirsch branches that had a kitchen. This was in Centurion.
When she came to see me at the Hirsch Meadowdale branch, it was to get ideas on how to start a baking business. It was something that she was passionate about but didn’t know how to go about building a business around it.
Anna started with a small group of women and gradually the group grew. She passed on her knowledge of baking and icing and charged the women a flat rate to attend the lessons. Although she continued to make speciality cakes, she found that she got some much pleasure out of teaching that she asked if she could do lessons at one of our other branches.
I suggested that she start out making something she was comfortable with and selling. She started with cupcakes and before long she was getting large orders. She was also approached to make speciality cakes – wedding cakes in particular. She put herself on an icing course and then set out to make and sell the cakes. Before long she was tripling her profit and the orders kept coming in.
When the ladies who attended the Centurion branch baking lessons graduated I attended the graduation and was delighted to see that they had brought their children along to watch the ceremony and applaud their mothers for their achievements. It was also clear to me that they would all have a good grounding for becoming entrepreneurs themselves. The women who attended the course have all ended up with successful baking businesses of their own.
At one of our meetings she explained how much she enjoyed baking and had thought about starting up her own baking school. I agreed that it would be an excellent idea and together we put together a programme where she would hold lessons at one of the
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Anna took her baking business to our Brakpan store where she continued to teach baking skills to the local community. These women also graduated and have ended up running their own baking businesses. One, Abigail, holds regular classes at our Brakpan branch and has regular orders for her wedding cakes. Anna’s husband was transferred to Somerset West three years ago and we agreed that she continue with her lessons there. She had an influx of Zimbabwean women coming
through for lessons, many of whom were destitute and had to support their families. They were determined to make the most of their lessons and become breadwinners for their families. They have all done extremely well with their baking businesses and some have gone on to teach baking skills themselves. Others have gone the health route and devised healthy menus for families on a shoestring. Once again it has been hugely gratifying to see the reaction from the children of these women. All have seen how hard their mothers have worked and are on a path to achieve goals of being equally hard-working and successful. ears ago. Margaret has become a leading example to businesswomen in Southern Africa – coming from a humble background to co-founding and running the family’s multimillion rand appliance and electronic retail operation. She has been recognised with a multitude of business awards, including two Lifetime Achievement Awards in business and entrepreneurship. This leading businesswoman believes that entrepreneurs could make a difference in the future of the country. “I am passionate about business. I am passionate about South Africa and I think we as a country need to be strong. We as South Africans have to be entrepreneurs.”
www.insightssuccess.com
FLORA COATINGS Smart and Sustainable Coatings
A
ll the man-made surfaces have one thing in common and that is coating. A thin layer of coating over the substrate material is expected to keep the surface and material underneath protected and free from the aggressive environment that it is exposed to. While they offer longevity to substrates, the same cannot be said about their interaction with the environment. Several coatings available in the market use solvents that emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which pollute the air around us. With common people and regulatory authorities are seeking environment friendly products in all walks of life, the coatings industry has also made a transition towards development of Ecofriendly coatings. Flora Coatings LLC is one such innovation-driven company that develops and manufactures high performance smart sustainable coatings. With a highly-trained team of coating experts, the company manufactures and delivers safer alternatives to the toxic coatings and paints that are in use. Carving its Niche Flora Coatings LLC is a start-up company operating in the heart of Phoenix. Company is focused on the development and manufacturing of novel high performance smart sustainable coatings. It aims to develop products that are single component and ready to use that shall eliminate or minimize the unwanted waste generation during manufacturing and 30| September 2020
use of the products. Since inception, the company has been working towards its vision to become the world’s most advanced coatings company with products that are environment and human friendly. Sustainability has been the key and an inspiration for all its work. Flora Coating has a strong technical advisory board consisting of highly influential personalities with deep knowledge and understanding of corrosion, coatings, material science, bioscience and mechanics of materials. Similarly, company has business advisory board with apex level business personalities from leading organizations who advice our company regularly on basic business approach. Collectively, the team at Flora Coatings has over 20 years of research and development and advanced materials manufacturing experience. An Inquisitive Personality Dr. Atul Tiwari, the Chief Executive Officer at Flora Coatings, is conferred Fellow at The Royal Society of Chemistry. Previously, Dr. Tiwari has served as a research faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hawaii, USA and at the Arizona State University. He has achieved double subject majors, in Organic Chemistry as well as Mechanical Engineering. He has also received Ph.D. in Polymer Materials Science along with the earned Chartered Chemist and Chartered Scientist status from the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK. Dr. Tiwari is an active member of
several professional bodies in the UK, USA, and India. His area of research interest includes the development of smart sustainable materials including high performance silicones, coatings, graphene and bio-inspired biomaterials for various industrial applications. Dr. Tiwari zeal to develop new materials and has created over ten international patented technologies. He is also a winner of two business plan competitions in the USA and have created small businesses in the past. Additionaaly, he has published over 75 research articles in peer reviewed journals, trade magazines, conferences and have also published 19 books on topics related to science and engineering. He has also published 5 books on advanced coating technologies that have gained high reputation. Catering Global Needs Flora Coatings has developed a single component, ready to use, environment and user-friendly, high-performance Universal Coating Technology. The liquid smart sustainable coatings can be applied to a wide variety of substrates. Through rigorous research and development protocols in coating technology, Flora is constantly developing highly suitable alternates to harmful chromium products that usually initiate the corrosion of the expensive items. With its unique approach, Flora is proud to be one of the best and efficient coating providers for different purposes including households, architecture, marine, medicinal equipment, and automotive. Flora Coatings’ business encompasses a majority of the challenging fields www.insightssuccess.com
2020's Most Innovative Companies to Watch
Plethora of Products At present, company manufactures four patented products for various application areas including anticorrosion, heat resistant, icephobic, healthcare, heat exchangers, electronics and home appliances. Flora’s products cater to diverse industries' demands and attend to different requirements. They are categorized as: Corrosion Barrier Coatings – with the surge in the use of aluminum, the corrosion prevention of aluminum alloys became a challenge. Historically, aluminum alloys have been protected with chromate conversion surface treatments or coatings. But the use of hexavalent
www.insightssuccess.com
span of such implants is highly unpredictable as service condition varies from one person to another. The abrupt failure of such implants could be extremely painful and expensive. Flora has developed INVESIL™ coating that can provide corrosion protection to metallic implants and is compatible with biological fluids.
Dr. Atul Tiwari Chief Executive Officer
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We are determined towards inventing the cutting-edge coating technologies that have never been envisioned earlier.
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where special coatings are required across the world. It provides coating solutions that are sustainable as well as long-lasting. Its balanced approach to serving each project with quality and precision helps it extract the desired coating result in every case. It has upstream and downstream businesses with global partners that further make it a more renowned and acknowledged coating solution provider in the world. Flora’s global reach gives it access to new tools and technologies that it leverages to develop new and improved coating technologies. It operates businesses across different platforms and its services encompass various operations. The main areas in which it provides coating products are Architectural coatings, Marine coatings, Automotive coatings, Aerospace coatings, Healthcare coatings, and Specialty coatings It has both scale and resources to deliver error-free coatings. Its continuous research and development process ensures that it provides optimal coating products to asset owners, contractors, applicators, and fabricators across the world.
chromate ions has now been regulated. FLORYL™ coatings, by Flora, are an environment-friendly solution to protect aluminum alloys from corrosion. Antimicrobial Coatings – The exponential growth of the human population has pushed scientists to develop a permanent solution forever occurring microbial activities. Scientists at Flora have developed a novel formula that can be coated on almost any surface. The INVESIL™ coating forms a strong bond with the substrate and provides anti-scratch and antimicrobial* properties Biomedical Implant Coatings – There is a surge in the need for metallic biomedical implants. The service life
Anti-fingerprint Coatings – Flora has developed a user-friendly transparent AVIRAL™ coating that can be applied on practically any surface just by wiping it with a wet cloth. The dried coated surface won’t stick any fingerprints. The surface will shine like glass and won’t scratch easily. Anti-fouling Coatings – Shipping and marine industry is desperately looking for an environment-friendly option to prevent extensive biofouling activities. The use of tin compounds has been regulated and there is no viable alternative. FLORYL™ Coatings is the perfect solution to protect biofouling activity. High-Temperature Resistant Coatings – High-temperature ceramic coating can be applied to engine components and exhaust systems to prevent damages at elevated temperatures. Flora’s ceramic coatings can withstand over 2000 degrees centigrade temperature and have impressive abrasion resistance. Apart from these innovative SolventBorne Smart Sustainable Coating Products, Flora Coatings also manufactures best-in-class sanitizers. Scientists at Flora Coatings have been working on a new coating technology that could potentially revolutionize the industry. With unprecedented results in the lab, it wouldn’t be long enough before the company introduces it to the market.
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Expert Insights
What will the world of commerce be like after the COVID-19 Crisis?
T
here’s an expression based on an apocryphal Chinese curse, “may you live in interesting times”. The chaos and unpredictability of interesting times can be a nightmare for consumer businesses across sectors, and this has been one of the most interesting times for business in living memory.
consumption has rocketed during the lockdown, with 42% consumers stating they are drinking more than usual. Our research found 40% are drinking more on weekdays, 30% have started drinking earlier in the day and 30% admit having more alcohol at home is leading to more drinking. Key triggers include alleviating stress and boredom and negative thinking. Interestingly for brands, consumers seem to be getting more experimental, with 30% trying new types of alcohol and 30% trying new brands.
With COVID-19, everything has changed, and every brand has the same question: Consumer behavior is shifting drastically, but what will ‘stick’ post-pandemic? At buzzback, we’re obsessed with such changes in consumer behavior – who they are and how they live and feel, and COVID-19 has only amplified our obsession. We are running several concurrent studies, including a weekly tracker, to uncover how COVID-19 will impact consumers, and importantly our clients.
Snacking and eating habits during lockdown have a similar profile to alcohol, with 47% US consumers stating they are snacking more during COVID-19. More than half are snacking more often during the day and admit having more snacks at home has led to more eating. For brands it’s important to outline that more than a third of consumers are focused on price and buying more, but less expensive, snacks. Like alcohol, snacking triggers are centered around a kind of restlessness with more than a third of consumers eating more snacks out of boredom, and 18% to keep themselves happy. Top choices include cookies, chips, and ice cream, with around a third eating these types of food, followed closely by cheese, candy and chocolate.
Some key themes: Our data shows that although we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, more than two-thirds of consumers in the US still estimate the pandemic will impact them for at least another five months, and more than three quarters are still concerned about the potential of a second wave. This will have an impact on what they buy and how they approach brand loyalty. Ÿ
As a result, clients across every sector are trying to figure it out – some racing to research to get ahead of consumer shifts, and others pausing because they fear the consumer’s mindset is different and it’s not the right time to do research. Here are additional broad stroke changes we are witnessing, evidenced across our work: Ÿ
Food & Beverage – Alcohol & snacking has been on the rise. It may be no surprise to know alcohol
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Financial Services – more than three in five are worried about their finances, with around a third also worried about their jobs. Their attention and concerns have shifted to saving and thinking about the future, and they desire brands that can be ‘consultative’ and provide guidance for these financial needs. This concern dominates all sectors and purchases. Says one consumer: “I feel as though I'm on a daily treadmill to continue earning money to pay for essentials. I also feel that I’m having to watch my finances closely so as not to run into problems. Above www.insightssuccess.com
Carol Fitzgerald Founder & CEO
About the Author As the Founder and CEO of buzzback, Carol Fitzgerald is an experienced senior-level executive with proven success in the management of both established and start-up companies. buzzback just celebrated its 20th year, realizing a vision for changing how consumers interact with marketers online, and focusing on making the research experience fun, engaging, and intuitive. Its clients include the top 100 global FMCG, healthcare, and technology/ďŹ nancial services, dedicated to innovation and growth. Over the years, buzzback has repeatedly garnered a spot on the Crain's 100 Best Places to Work in NYC list as well as 2 years on the GRIT Top 50 Most Innovative Companies list. Carol is a recipient of the Enterprising Women of the Year and International Women's Entrepreneurial Challenge Foundation awards, both of which highlight her strong dedication to helping those in her community and female business owners through education, access, and mentorship opportunities.
www.insightssuccess.com
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all, it’s a question of balancing income and expenditures carefully” Ÿ
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Technology – more than half are using video to connect, both personally and for work, and they expect this to continue as their need to keep close ties with others is essential. They need strong partners (brands) for services, with greater reliability and other services to better stay in touch and provide entertainment (content, streaming). Travel – travel, and hospitality have been especially hard hit, as we all know. Consumers, however, are still optimistic about planning future trips, but short-term, local will rule. That means to travel via cars, frequenting local venues for meals & socializing primarily. Those are 'safer' alternatives in consumers’ minds. And when they do get back to trips, they will look for deals, plus importantly, cleanliness, disinfecting, and sanitizing are expected in all venues – brands will need to deliver and reassure on this as cost of entry.
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Shopping – they will continue to purchase cleaning and sanitizing products and get ahead of stockpiling so as not to be left short with no supplies – probably no surprise. More than half say they are sanitizing everything that enters their homes. And importantly, they also remain frugal, as evidenced in their concern about finances, they will be selective about purchases and may gravitate to value-brands vs former loyalties. Some say e-commerce has leaped forward decades as a result of COVID-19 and more and more will be purchased online in the future. Says one consumer “I have decided to avoid shops all together in favor of online shopping, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed I can do that until things get back to normal…”
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Healthcare – what was once skepticism around virtually connecting with healthcare providers is now more accepted and becoming more of the norm. Only around 1 in 10 used telehealth services at the start of the pandemic, but more than 60% say they will increase usage going forward. The need to ‘stay in touch’ and ‘stay connected’ with practitioners and they will adapt to both online and in-person visits. And importantly, more than half also say they will require mental health
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professional services, as fear, isolation and other emotions linked to COVID-19 have impacted their daily lives. We are already seeing brands start to market aggressively around this increase as sleep aids, calming, wellness, and other related services have become more prevalent to target these mental health concerns. Defining the ‘Next Normal’: So, what next? The new normal has become ‘the next normal’ in terms of how rapid changes in consumer behavior are impacting brand experiences. In short, brands need to build trust bridges. As businesses begin to reopen globally, and consumers and clients try to get back to some semblance of what they perceive as normal, we expect there to be some prevalent themes for all brands (across all sectors): Ÿ
Safety & hygiene is the new currency – it has to be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected and provide consumer assurance to support this. Whether it’s travel accommodations or Amazon deliveries, consumers will support those purchases and behaviors that adhere to their needs. They will want to ‘feel safe’ with demonstrated reassurance of this. Safety & hygiene needs to be part of every brand's consideration – even if it’s how they interact with their employees.
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Value is a new obsession making it harder for brands to sustain premium positions and long-term loyalty. Brands need to consider how consumers are making choices in their category, and what the trigger points are around driving behavior.
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Empathy still rules – consumers don’t want to see another sappy TV commercial with somber piano music and hear ‘we’re in this together.’ There is a YouTube video floating around with how all COVID-19 ads look the same. Now is the time for brands to figure out how to empathize and stand out from the crowd. This probably means more research – of course! - or at least greater empathy to anticipating their consumer needs, including loyal and lapsed users to build greater loyalty.
www.insightssuccess.com
Redening the Benchmarks of Graphic Designing
I
n this day and age of everything-digital, the screen—handheld or desk mounted—has become a significant part of our lives. So much so that everything you need arrives at your doorstep with the click of a button. This digital evolution has also provided businesses with opportunities that potentially drive them to the peaks of success. If ‘what makes this possible?’ is what lingers in your mind, possibly the most evident answer is design. Everything you see on the screen is an idea that was molded, polished and exhibited through graphic design. Since the time when the internet became a place where we continue to spend the most amount of our time, graphic designing has become an indispensable aspect. As end users, our purchase preferences have been changing significantly—thankfully for the better—being a result of personalized advertisements, email newsletters, prolific digital marketing strategies and other creative marketing and advertising efforts. For businesses, to achieve customer, user or subscriber retention, graphic design has to be given the most critical of thought and leverage the best creativity, followed by expert marketing, and a compelling website. Now that this importance of graphic design and a digital presence has been conveyed, allow us to introduce you to an organization that offers you all that you need, under one roof. GoingClear Interactive, a Boston based digital growth agency of designers, developers, marketers and strategists, is doing just that and more. The company’s mission is to power the growth of the businesses and brands that it works with. It does so by listening and identifying the key challenges its clients are facing and then delivering and implementing solutions to solve them and drive their business forward.
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Benchmark Expertise As a Boston, Massachusetts based digital growth agency, GoingClear’s core services are: Strategy: GoingClear excels at helping companies create a clear and effective strategy across digital channels that delivers results. Creative: Whether it’s visual/brand identity work, content production, supporting design collateral or video production, GoingClear leverages creativity to power a brand. Websites and Web Apps: GoingClear has the knowledge, expertise and innovation ready for web design and
Our job is to help our clients position their brand in an optimized way and do better business through the right digital channels.
www.insightssuccess.com
2020's Most Innovative Companies to Watch
development projects. Digital Marketing/Advertising: GoingClear helps drive more leads to the client website with creative and proven digital marketing strategies and tactics. GoingClear believes that at the core, the User Interface(UI) and User Experience(UX) of any website, web app and or the creative design and messaging of any ad, design collateral or creative project it works on, needs to be spoton and aligned with the company or brand it Paul is working with. Besides, it should represent a portion of the company or brand’s mission through every one of their customer touchpoints.“We stay focused on clear results for any client or project we work on. To be clear and gain clarity at the initial steps of any campaign or creative or site build is key to confirming the success of any project we’ve worked on,” says the team.
J. Scott CEO
Innovative Designs for the Future Defining Excellence Paul J. Scott, the CEO of GoingClear Interactive, also serves as the Chief Brand and Digital Strategist. He oversees the success of the brands and companies that GoingClear works with. At the same time, he continues to grow his team of core valued sync specialists which allow continued client successes. “With GoingClear Interactive being founded in 2001, it’s been a journey, but one thing always remains the same which is making sure we are adding value and growth to any campaign, website build, creative project or digital marketing/advertising project or account we are working on,” says Paul. As a seasoned leader, Paul advises the young entrepreneurs saying, “Get experience wherever you can. Complete projects for free just to grab that experience. The end result is that you want your portfolio to speak for itself. And, if I may be hypercritical on your work every so often to look back and think of a few ways of how it could be better. Then bottle those thoughts for every new design project you work on.”
www.insightssuccess.com
Innovative design has always been at the core of GoingClear. To incite creativity and keep it flowing throughout, they feel that space to breathe is the key which needs to be followed up by optimizing the experience of design from client meetings. To rethink, right after a draft is completed, is almost a necessity when it comes to more innovative design. With that being the baseline, the company also sees AR and VR as the next step on taking design into a more interactive experience for the brands and companies it works with. “We’ve designed elements of AR experiences as well as VR experiences and are excited to see where it takes us! As a digital growth agency we care about the end results we deliver for our clients. We have a motto of only being as good as our latest project which then syncs our team to always be delivering the best we can during the life of any project,” concludes Paul. If you’d like to chat about a project you have in mind, feel free to get in touch at https://goingclear.com.
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