Th e
VOL 11 | ISSUE 06 | 2021
1
Taking the Forefront Evolution of Women Leadership
Most Successful
Businesswomen to Watch, 2021
Unity in Diversity
Amanda Buhse Spreading Smiles & Lighting Up People's Life
www.insightssuccess.com
Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
Editor’s Desk T
he definition of leadership is different for different people.
Leadership is not GenderDependent
For George R. Terry, “Leadership is a relationship in which one person influences others to work together willingly on related tasks to attain what the leader desires.” According to Koontz and O’Donnell, “Leadership is the process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly towards the achievement of group goals.” For Chester I. Bernard, “Leadership refers to the quality of the behaviour of the individual whereby they guide people on their activities in organised work.” There are many other such definitions of leadership, but not a single definition states the gender of a leader. It is the result that matters. In today’s competitive business world, what organizations look for is strong leadership. It doesn’t matter which gender fills that space. If a startup company is making huge strides from its initial years and its employees are getting handsomely paid to raise their family well, are they bothered that it is a woman who made it possible? I don’t think so. That being said, today, women are making waves in almost every sector with their creativity, exemplary leadership skills, and solution-oriented mindsets. Their abilities and way of leading have been proven instrumental to an organization’s success. There are many such examples of women from across the generations, who have either climbed the corporate ladder
and attained coveted positions or are running their businesses successfully. In this edition, “The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021”, we have curated a list of women leaders who are setting new benchmarks for excellence in their respective domains. On the cover, we have Amanda Buhse, the CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Coal and Canary. Amanda is an entrepreneur who has held multiple titles in her journey, proving herself time and time with her leadership and commitment. She harnesses the power of creativity to enhance every aspect of the business. Her dedicated efforts and focused engagement have resulted in the fruition of Coal and Canary spreading its wings through its products in the household. Delve in to unveil more alike and inspiring stories of successful women leaders and their remarkable contributions to the business world. Lastly, while flipping the pages, you will come across the articles written by our in-house editorial team and CxO standpoints of some of the leading industry experts to have the know-how about different industries. Let’s get on board!
Hitesh Dhamani
hitesh@insightssuccess.com
Cover Story
08
Amanda Buhse
Spreading Smiles & Lighting Up People's Life
ARTICLES
24 Unity in
34 Taking the
Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
Evolution of Women Leadership
Diversity
Forefront
CONTENTS 20 Cloé Caron Guiding Leaders to Develop their True Potential
Carol Stewart A Pioneer in the Research Park World
26 30
Kate Headley Challenging the Conventional
Jillian Weston An Astute Digital Marketer Leading with Relatability and Empathy
38 44
Robyn Bordes Offering Consistent Top-Tier Solution in Public Relations
Editor-in-Chief Hitesh Dhamani Managing Editor Anish Miller
Executive Editor Sharad Chitalkar
Assistant Editors Jenny Fernandes
Visualizer
Art & Design Director
Associate Designer
David King
Priyanka Rajage
Shubham Dali
Co-designer Kartik Balapurkar
Senior Sales Manager
Business Development Manager
Kshitij S
Peter Collins
Marketing Manager
Sales Executives
John Matthew
David, Martin, Vinod
Technical Head
Business Development Executives
Jacob Smile
Steve, Joe, Dharmendra
Technical Specialist Aditya
Digital Marketing Manager Marry D'Souza
SME-SMO Executive Amol Wadekar
Research Analyst Frank Adams
Database Management Stella Andrew
Circulation Manager Robert Brown
Technology Consultant David Stokes
sales@insightssuccess.com November, 2021
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Th e
1
Most Successful
Businesswomen to Watch, 2021
Featured Person
Company Name
Brief
Amanda Buhse CEO & Chief Creative Officer
Coal and Canary coalandcanary.com
Coal and Canary creates hand-poured luxury wood wick candles for every occasion.
Anna Warren CEO
Acrelec acrelec.com
Acrelec is a global technology company.
Carol A. Stewart Associate Vice President
Tech Parks Arizona, The University of Arizona techparks.arizona.edu
Tech Parks Arizona attracts and retains technology companies and talent in alignment with the research, mission and goals of the University of Arizona.
Cloe Caron President & Founder
o2Coaching o2coaching.ca
o2Coaching strongly believes that any person or organization can acheive its goals by adopting simple fundamental shifts in mindset, attitude and behaviour.
Ellen Ryan Mardiks Chairman
Golin golin.com
Golin is a global public relations agency that helps companies create change that matters.
Jillian Weston Owner & Founder
Jillian's Circus jillianscircus.com
Jillian's Circus help all industries and professionals gain real, organic, leads for their business.
Kate Headley Director
The Clear Company theclearcompany.co.uk
The Clear Company is the UK's leading provider of services to employers to support inclusive recruitment and talent management practice.
Lisa Collum CEO and Author
Top Score Writing Inc. topscorewriting.com
Top Score Writing® prepares students for the state writing assessment providing both interactive online and blending learning resources to schools and districts.
Robyn Bordes CEO
Illuminaon PR illuminationpr.com
Illumination PR is a lifestyle Public Relations firm.
Shelby CEO & Director of Research
Ocean Rescue Ocean Rescue Alliance is a marine conservation and restoration Alliance non-profit organization. oceanrescuealliance.org
COVER story
Amanda Buhse
CEO & Chief Crea ve Officer Coal and Canary
Amanda Buhse Spreading Smiles & Lighting Up People's Life
We like to say we don't take ourselves seriously while taking the product we produce very seriously.
I
n uncertain ways of business, one has to be ready for spontaneous challenges. If one can mold these challenges and utilize them as a ladder to climb up to the next level, one can bring a disruptive change with an innovative approach in their business niche. Following the zeal from graphic designing to lead a passion project that turned into a renowned brand in the hand-poured candle industry is Amanda Buhse. An entrepreneur who has held multiple titles in her journey, proving herself time and time with her leadership and commitment, she has gained valuable recognition as one of the most successful businesswomen in Canada.
As the CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Coal and Canary, Amanda harnesses the power of creativity to enhance every aspect of the business. Her dedicated efforts and focused engagement have resulted in the fruition of Coal and Canary spreading its wings through its products in the household.
Coal and Canary creates hand-poured luxury wood wick candles for every occasion and every day. Its candles are made with the highest quality vegan soy and vegetable wax blend and true to scent fragrance oils. All of its candles feature a cozy, crackling wooden wick. Dive into the exhilarating story of Amanda and her experiences! Placing the Wick Amanda's professional journey began as a graphic designer, and later she worked as a marketing executive for large and small companies in retail, fashion, and agency environments. She gained diverse experiences, which gave her a global perspective on leading a brand, business, and team. Without formal business education, Amanda used her work experiences to learn from the ground up and started her passion project, which became the Coal and Canary that everyone knows today! Since Coal and Canary's initiation, Amanda faced the challenge of keeping up with a rapidly growing hobbyturned-business, with no financial assistance other than the
$40 each from her and her previous business partner. Learning to delegate tasks and not take on too much has been another difficult challenge for Amanda. She says, "When the company began, I was responsible for all marketing efforts and business development, and I never expected to one day have employees to help take on those areas of the business with me! It's been sometimes challenging to let go and hand over full control to my trusted employees.”
Coal and Canary loves making candles but also love making friends!
Mission and Vision Since its initiation in 2014, the mission at Coal and Canary has been to make people smile. Amanda mentions there weren't many hand-poured candles with any story or personality behind them, and she wanted Coal and Canary to be more than just a candle on a shelf. It's very important for the brand to express who it is and pull back the curtain behind Coal and Canary to show its customers. The brand's goal is to make all of its customers feel like their best friends, and Amanda feels that this approach isn't currently the standard in the hand-poured candle industry- and it should be.
Amanda expresses that Coal and Canary love making candles but also love making friends! The company is in the business of fun first and happens to make deliciously scented candles second. Coal and Canary's mission statement is as follows: Make candles. Have a kick-ass time. Sissy that walk. Have hustle. Care about the details. Play nice with others. Be creative. Pop bottles. Be sassy. Enjoy the ride. Becoming Beloved
Cheeky candles for playful personalities.
Coal and Canary's innovative approach has gained the brand a robust position within the hand-poured candle space, setting it apart from the competition in its pursuit of being the best and unique. Even though Amanda started Coal and Canary as a passion project, not intending on becoming a business, she still did ample research on what was currently offered within the industry; and what wasn't. With this research, she discovered a gap in the niche candle market and felt an opportunity to fill it. Coal and Canary set the standard for candle production in Canada. From innovative packaging to youthful and trendy design, Coal and Canary remain at the forefront of the hand-poured candle industry. It has successfully married two typically juxtaposing attributes, selling luxury candles at an affordable price while focusing on the fun. The brand is the first of its kind for small batches, locally made candles, focusing on authenticity between its team and customers, fun branding, and design while not sacrificing quality.
Uniquely Driven Work Ethics A mixture of fun and smart work is what makes Coal and Canary a unique beloved brand. Though Amanda says, "We like to say we don't take ourselves seriously while taking the product we produce very seriously," she loves to instill fun into every extension of the company.
other business owners who identify within these groups to give everyone a seat at the table. These efforts are demonstrated through C&C's seasonal "I Can See Queerly Now" candle is re-released every summer. A portion of the proceeds from that candle is donated to a local LGBTQIA+* non-profit organization. Into the Mix
Every wall at the office, warehouse, and storefront is painted with the brand's signature pink color. Amanda integrates music at work to have fun and treats the staff to monthly Coal and Canary Fun Days by going on a special outing or participating in a fun activity together. She immensely believes in giving back to the community with value and respect while giving them a voice with utmost importance. Helping Hand to Community Coal and Canary were founded by a woman and member of the LGBTQI2S+* community; the brand has created the space for these particular minority groups. It strives to invite others into this space and connect with customers and
What makes Coal and Canary a unique brand is the mix of conventional and modern blends. Amanda asserts that candles are a "very old" and traditional product, but the way these candles are marketed is innovative, fun, and current. Almost 100% of the company's marketing efforts are executed through social media and email marketing. She continues that communicating through social media has been the most effective way to build stronger relationships with customers, expanding brand awareness and reach, which are incredibly important. Shifting Tides Amanda believes that design trends change every day; that is why she stays current by releasing different candle collections seasonally. Amanda enjoys researching new trends and ensures those trends are continuously incorporated into Coal and Canary's marketing and design efforts!
Over the Horizon In the long run, Amanda aims to continue to grow and hopes to be known as the number one hand-poured candle company in Canada. She would love to expand the brick and mortar of her venture across the country in anticipation of allowing her customers to be in a fully immersive Coal and Canary space. Only time can tell where Coal and Canary make their mark; however, Amanda wants to make her stores interactive and experiential by having people prep, pour, and box candles in the store space. In her opinion, this initiative will create a stronger connection with customers and help to demonstrate the love and care that goes into making every candle! Lighting the Candle In her advice to budding women entrepreneurs aspiring to begin their venture in the marketing sector, Amanda recommends speaking to other women in the community who currently work in the market sector and asking them about their firsthand experience and advice! She says, "Entering any maledominated industry can be intimidating at times, but it's important to stay focused, and remember that as a woman in the business community, you bring a unique voice and perspective that's important to be heard.” "You're going to make mistakes along the way, but make sure to use them as learning experiences to continue to grow, improve, and hone your craft," Amanda concludes.
Carol A. Stewart Associate Vice President
Tech Parks Arizona, The University of Arizona
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The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021
Carol Stewart
A Pioneer in the Research Park World
W
ith an enriching experience of working with research parks, technology commercialization, business incubation, governmental relations, and business development, proactive leader Carol Stewart leads by example. Currently, Carol is steering the ship of Tech Parks Arizona as Associate Vice President at the University of Arizona, bringing her knowledge and experience after serving as a champion of Canadian innovation and entrepreneurship. Carol is at the leading edge of innovation, willing to jump in and bring others along for the ride. Her diplomacy, political acuity, and steadfast leadership provide focus, stewardship, and vision to the networks she leads and which she is part of. She not only serves as a role model, but is a friend to this community, eager to collaborate and serve the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the international community. Supporting and Mentoring the Community Building on decades of experience in the research park world, Carol landed in Tucson, Arizona to elevate the success of the University of Arizona (UA) Tech Park and to build a second park – The UA Tech Park at The Bridges which is located closer to the main UA Campus. It was also Carol’s vision to transform the UA Center for Innovation into a business incubator network that not only serves as a vital part of the Southern Arizona entrepreneurial ecosystem but also as a key soft landings location for international businesses. Her commitment to the region is to advance the community and make a real impact through university-based economic development.
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Leading-edge Innovation Tech Parks Arizona creates the place, environment, and interactive ground that generates, attracts, and retains technology companies and talent in alignment with the research, mission, and goals of the University of Arizona. It directs the UA Tech Park at The Bridges, and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation with the highest priority of recruiting companies seeking connections to the UA to locate at these facilities. For over 25 years, Tech Parks Arizona has significantly contributed to regional economic development by advancing the University of Arizona’s impact in many ways: Ÿ Supporting technology innovation and commercialization Ÿ Generating economic impact through the UA Tech Park Ÿ Advancing new technology Ÿ Enhancing R&D efforts of industry Leads by Example In the opinion of Carol, the pandemic has motivated educational institutions and businesses to push beyond traditional activities and take new creative approaches. Carol and her team have seen the University of Arizona mobilize as an agent of change to support COVID-19 research, testing, and vacation site. The University of Arizona mobilized quickly and has continued to inform the public through weekly briefings and lead the region as a Point of Distribution (POD).
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tech giants work side by side. The company has reimagined what the new workplace looks like postpandemic.
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Find your tribe and use your network. Business is about relationships. Each relationship you build is foundational to success.
It is building flexible environments and developing programming that is highly adaptative to meet the growth trajectory of each business, including the nearly 60 startups that are currently in its UA Center for the Innovation incubator program. Looking Forward Prosperous businesses equal a prospering community. Carol listens to the needs of companies and connects them with the resources necessary. The business that connects with the collective expertise of the University can solve grand challenges to the problems society faces. She has never settled for mediocre and believes this has served her well. Carol sees many opportunities for collaboration and growth in Southern. Arizona, and works tenaciously toward those goals.
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The institution also took the opportunity to be proactive and review all of its assets and opportunities. The acquisition of the Ashford University, now UA Global Campus, is an example of being disruptive in these business unusual times. Much More than Buildings and Conference Rooms When asked, what is the one thing you would change in advancing knowledge worldwide, Carol highlights what has been achieved by scientists all over the world by collaborating on a vaccine solution and stresses that what can be learned and achieved with such concentrated endeavors. Carol states that we can collectively streamline the process to support businesses to not duplicate efforts. Ideally, there would be a worldwide database for businesses around the world to plug into. By showcasing organizations and their unique offerings, she believes startups would have more valuable resources which would supercharge their path to market. The Best Workplace Carol notes that culture is king. Employees and employers thrive in environments where networking and spontaneous discussions unfold. UA Tech Parks serves as the campus where community thrives, where emerging businesses and
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Unity in Diversity
Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
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A
variety of opinions and ideas lead to better innovations and more increased creativity. The power of unity is always very strong. Redwood trees are a great example of how all the trees together can face all the storms because their roots are intertwined with each other. Similarly, all the people working together can face anything together with more confidence and more potential. Diversity should always be celebrated as it is very significant in promoting a variety of new thoughts and inventions. There should not be any discrimination against anyone in the workplace, and everyone should be respected and cherished for a higher purpose of achieving organizational goals. Organizations with a culture of celebrating diversity and promoting overall inclusiveness flourish in their businesses with more creativity and innovative ideas coming from everyone. The culture of celebrating diversity is paramount to the success of all organizations. There is no better sight than seeing everyone united together for the purpose of achieving the goals of organizations. Therefore, building a diverse and inclusive workplace is vital for the success of all organizations. When everyone feels included and is cherished in the organization, they feel like contributing better for the cause of the organization. The approach of inclusiveness and diversity is important for avoiding any form of unnecessary discrimination against anyone. Unity in Variety Having ‘Unity in Variety’ is the best approach workplaces should have to ensure cooperatively working together even if there is a lot of variety. There can be variations in the organization based on gender, caste, creed, religion, or race. Still, all these apparent differences are of less importance, but ensuring unity in the organization despite all variety is the right approach for the good cause of the organization. Celebrating, Respecting, and Appreciating Everyone Promoting the culture in the organization to celebrate, respect, and appreciate everyone can lead to a more harmonious workplace. Besides, promoting values such as equality, unity, fraternity helps in building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Taking disciplinary actions against those who create a threat to the culture of diversity and inclusiveness can also be beneficial
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for fostering a diversified and inclusive culture in the workplace. Celebrating differences of opinions and coming to the right conclusion that is in the best interest of the organization and all its stakeholders with an inclusive approach increases the cultural value of the organization in the industry. Leaders should promote the culture of celebrating achievements of each other and should inspire, encourage, empower all the people in the organization for doing their best. Inclusive Approach Leads to Better Decision-Making The inclusive and broad-minded approach in the leaders leads to diverse and inclusive workplaces. Leaders should see the bigger picture. They should make sure that the teams are united with keeping the organizational goals in the center. Healthy contribution of the goals of organizations is possible in organizations with an inclusive culture. Diversity leads to better decision-making because of the good opinions that come from everyone. More informed decision-making is possible with a diverse and inclusive culture. Listening to all employees can help leaders to make decisions. The culture of diversity and inclusiveness leads to a stronger workforce, and this increases organizational outputs. Leaders should take into account the thoughts, feedback, and opinions into consideration and make the best decisions that will drive successful organizational results. Building a diverse and inclusive work culture using various ways is a win-win situation for all the stakeholders related to the organization. This culture in the workplaces can lead to heightened organizational success and broader growth. Using inclusive ‘we and our’ language in the organization instead of ‘I and mine’ language can also lead to more inclusive workplaces. Concluding Words Supporting a diverse workforce leads to better inclusiveness and better organizational achievements. Building diverse and inclusive workplaces by putting aside all the differences like race, gender, religious background, age, nationality, and such apparent differences is highly beneficial for all organizations from all angles. Integrating inclusivity and diversity into the core values of organizations can lead to building diverse and inclusive workplaces. The business leaders who are accountable to practice inclusive leadership will lead to more diverse and inclusive workplaces and better organizational results overall.
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The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021
Cloé Caron
Guiding Leaders to Develop their True Potential
After a transitional career change from manager to coaching leaders on the impact they wish to have on their team and organization, Cloe is now the head of a coaching company named o2Coaching, which counts five employees. From being a coach to an entrepreneur, her role has evolved, and she feels that it is now her responsibility to share and implement an inspiring vision to her team for them to achieve the goals that she had in mind when she started the company. Besides, she is also an Author of Empower Your Team and the Founder of the Empower Your Team Movement. We, at Insights Success, interviewed Cloe to unveil her inspiring entrepreneurial journey and her contribution to the coaching industry through o2Coaching. Below are the highlights of the interview: Take our readers through your journey of being at the helm of o2Coaching. I have been challenged every day since day 1. I was always a high performer, but as an entrepreneur, I had to let go of my ego and my desire to be perfect. If I wanted my business to be successful, I had to shift from me performing to helping others to perform. A shift I had started as a leader in the pharmaceutical industry but that was completed by me having to be and act as the CEO of my company. To reach the goals I have set and to have an impact on organizations, team dynamics is so important, especially in a small company. I am proud that my company now employs 5 great women who work with me in the realization of my vision. I call them the Exceptional Contributors. When was the company established, and what was the idea behind starting it? Younger, I studied law, hoping that my contribution would be grand. I realized that it was not my path, that it didn’t
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suit my empathetic nature. I wanted to make a difference, to have an impact in people's lives, to be the change as they say. I managed to land a position in the pharmaceutical industry at GSK, a place where communication and leadership were valued. There, I had the chance to develop my leadership abilities, and I discovered coaching. It led me to launch my coaching and leadership company o2Coaching, six years ago. It’s been a great journey ever since. What is your idea of impactful leadership? What style of leadership do you personally prefer and have implemented at your company? I believe that an optimal leader knows how to juggle numerous leadership styles depending on the situation, people, and context. It requires empathy and perspective. The more we use the leader-coach style, the more we develop people and create engagement, autonomy, and accountability. This leadership style is the one I use as often as I can. It allows my team to be innovative and to fully contribute to achieving the goals of the organization. What were the challenges you came across in becoming what you are today? Before becoming an entrepreneur, I had a great job, prestige, security, and notable growth opportunities. Somehow, I was willing to give it all up to focus on what mattered most to me: people. Am I going to be successful? Will I make the difference that I want to make? I realized that I had a great network, experience, and skills to make it happen. Therefore, I took the plunge and created my business o2Coaching.
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Our mission is to create a new generation of professionals and inspiring (and inspired) leaders.
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D
riven by the passion to help, inspire, and develop individuals, Cloé Caron has transformed the lives of many leaders and organizations through her human approach to entrepreneurship.
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Cloe Caron President and Founder
o2Coaching
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This biggest challenge I’ve had to face since was the pandemic. Would my business survive or disappear? Have I done all of this for nothing? I had big ambitions. I choose to maintain my company and support the leaders of tomorrow. Elaborate about o2Coaching’s Professional Training & Coaching and its importance. Our main feature at o2Coaching is that we are flexible, and we adapt to the needs of our customers. All our coaching and programs are delivered by ICF certified coaches available 100% online through virtual meetings, microlearning tools, blogs, podcasts, and my book, Empower your Team, in which you find my 5C Model to help any leader and team to perform. The needs change from one client to another. In the past years, we have developed multiple programs to support those needs such as individual and group coaching, leadership development program, and one-team support approach. As coaches, we bring a different perspective from a consultant when working with teams and organizations. We start from the premise that our clients have their answers, their solutions, and that we are there to help them access it,
achieve it and ignite the best way to work with their team. One of the keys that I have developed to do this is the very powerful concept of the Unique Strategic Contribution (USC). By identifying their USC, leaders become aware of the impact they can AND must have on their team to ensure that everyone develop to their full potential and achieve desired results. Every year, we accompany hundreds of leaders in the development of their leadership through our programs and curated coaching methods. What are your plans for the company’s future? My mission is to create a new generation of inspiring and inspired leaders by making a positive impact in the lives of a million leaders through my book and the Empower your Team Movement. To succeed in our mission, we want to reach leaders around the world. The Covid-19 pandemic has put additional responsibility on educators and institutions in terms of hygiene and safety precautions. How do you intend to prepare the people for the same? The pandemic has been unexpected and very challenging. Its effects are felt worldwide in every field. Everybody has been impacted by it. At the beginning, I was very nervous about how we would position ourselves. I reflected seriously and realized that we would rise above. I wanted to be there to accompany leaders during the pandemic and seize that opportunity to make a difference in the worldwide culture shift I want to create. Moreover, I acknowledge that our biggest strength came from our business model; my team was working remotely since the start, six years ago. I want to make changes, to evolve and adapt our methods as humans and coaches. I aspire to contribute to developing caring and inspiring leaders, the leaders that will rise above, the leaders of tomorrow. As an established business leader, what would be your advice to the budding leaders aspiring to venture into the Professional Training & Coaching industry? You can start by being very clear as to what I call your USC – Unique Strategic Contribution. It’s what you, in your current role, are the only one that can and should make as a contribution at the highest level. And if you were to focus most of your time on your USC, you would not only maximize your contribution but the one of your team. You would elevate everybody’s game.
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The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021
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“Jillian’s Circus is a
full-service online marketing agency that regularly makes magic happen for clients.”
Celebrating Success of Each Other When it comes to driving an organization’s success, maintaining a positive work culture is essential. Jillian’s Circus strives for a positive work environment. Its training manual goes beyond basic skills/rules. It stresses interoffice relationships and collaborative strategies by encouraging a non-competitive environment, offering ongoing training/team meetings, and hosting several parties every year for all employees and clients. Jillian’s Circus celebrates one another’s successes and provides incentives to reward excellence. Besides, Jillian expresses, “If there is even one negative Ned/Nancy in your office- get them out!!! Like right nowstop reading and fire them. If you’re the person who is negative, then you need to stop because it’s killing your business.” One Desired Change If given a chance, one change that Jillian would bring in the way brands and people connect is to remove people's skepticism when it comes to sales. She states, “Every business is in business because it fills a need. If there is something you need or want, and you hear about someone
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who has or can do it, then book a meeting with them to see if what they offer makes sense. If it does, move forward. If it doesn’t, let them know and thank them for their time.” Creating Strong Base and Building on that Jillian advises aspiring businesswomen to start by creating a strong base. She instructs, “Think about your client’s journey from hearing about your business to working with you for 10 years. Think about what they will see, what they will hear, what they will receive, etc. when they interact with your business and employees. Will they see a professional website? When they call how does someone answer? What does follow-up look like? If they walk into your office, is it comfortable? Then create a consistent, professional, branded flow every customer will experience.” Creating Authority in Digital Marketing Space and Growing Like a Wildfire Over the next 5 years, Jillian’s vision is to establish Jillian’s Circus as an authority in the digital marketing space, work on digital advocacy, and grow like wildfire.
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Evolution of Wom
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Taking the Forefront
men Leadership L
ong ago, there was a huge skepticism towards women’s ability to lead businesses. But today, we can see that they have gone beyond all prejudices and are playing a pivotal role in every field. They have crossed over all the barriers, and today they are the drivers of most successful businesses and are the most resourceful asset to many businesses worldwide. The leadership of women is evolved over the years and is continuing to evolve. They might have faced challenges in their evolution but they have been determined to thrive in the world of business. They have proved their value to the world. Understanding how female leadership has evolved over time can help us tap the potential for their advancement in the future. The evolution of women's leadership is not an abrupt thing. It has been happening for long years, and this evolution will continue to happen in the future. Since the event of the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, progress for women leadership has proven quite more substantial. Women leaders have proved that they are capable of taking the right decisions. They have proved that they understand the strategy and are rational in their approach. They have a vision, mission, and guts to play the role of leadership without being afraid and drive the businesses in the appropriate direction of growth and development. Today, women realize their potential and act on their greatest strengths to address the challenges that minimize their efforts to build successful, rewarding, and sustainable careers. Women’s perception of themselves as potential leaders today has undergone a remarkable shift. They address the needs that are to be addressed much diligently and calculatedly. They don’t take irrational decisions but are capable of taking high-value decisions that drive the profitability of the businesses. Women leaders have become more confident that they can contribute significantly to any field. They are not limiting
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themselves to any area, and are thriving even in the maledominated industries. Besides, they are setting an exemplary example for many women to come ahead and be a part of the workforce. They have learned the value of female solidarity and supporting each other. They are open to learning from each other. They are comfortable working with men allies and prove themselves as capable and resourceful assets to the organizations with their leadership abilities and soft skills. The women-led movements and government support have also contributed significantly to the rise of women's leadership. Today no one can dare to underestimate the value women leaders bring to the table. Many women today are in leadership positions of global institutions and influential companies. More women leaders have also been elected to represent the high office in the world. Today in 2021, almost 24 countries are being led by women leaders. The pandemic has also contributed to the evolution of women's leadership. As there is an increasing shift towards remote work culture, there is an opportunity for the inclusion of the number of women into the workforce. Today women leaders are creating many opportunities for themselves and are seizing the opportunities when they are available. They are not casual and are ready to play a key role by being in leadership positions. They are demonstrating their excellence by leading effectively and producing successful results. They are strengthening their capabilities and resolve to push through all the barriers and come out victorious. Today women leaders are defeating all prejudices and biases, setting the standard of exemplary leadership, profoundly contributing to the businesses, and proving their excellence. Over the years, the leadership of women has evolved incredibly and will continue to evolve more in the future.
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Kate Headley Director
The Clear Company
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The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021
Kate Headley Challenging the Conventional
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ecognized as one of the leading experts of inclusive recruitment and talent management best practice, Kate Headley is changing the face of employment. Kate co-founded The Clear Company in 2003 and as a company Director remains actively involved in the day-to-day running of the business. Positive, disruptive, and unafraid to ask the difficult questions, Kate is known for making change happen. A qualified HR leader whose career began at Marks and Spencer, followed by senior roles at Manchester City Council and Capita, Kate has created impact and change through her ability to reach senior decision-makers and influencers in government and businesses. She has successfully created and bought several digital products to market.
Moreover, Kate is a published author, prolific speaker, and facilitator, regularly speaking at prominent conferences and events. She has led a proactive, practical response to the challenge of Covid-19, enabling employers to embed an inclusive approach to the pandemic through best practice and thought leadership. In addition to her role at the Clear Company, she is also a founder member of the UK Governments Disability Confident scheme and founded and chairs the UK’s ‘Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative’, a national program to remove barriers for disabled job seekers. Kate has Lupus, an autoimmune condition that has caused significant sight loss during the last five years but has not brought a stop to her level of professional influence and activity. In our endeavor to find “The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch 2021”, we caught up with Kate to learn about her journey. It feels great to interview someone who is filled with passion and persistence and driven by values. There is a lot to know about her and Diversity and Inclusion at work.
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Below are the highlights of the interview: Please list your strategies and services that make you and your company standout from the competition. Our teams are passionate about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I), and our mission is to disrupt and innovate to create an inclusive world of work. Our clients make DE&I business as usual by understanding the barriers to inclusion in their workplace and achieve positive, sustainable change rooted in practical plans that treat the causes, not the symptoms. Inclusion Maturity Assessment of an organisation’s inclusion maturity status based on robust diversity monitoring data, document and process reviews, stakeholder interviews and focus groups. Regular reviews track change as organizations work towards agreed goals and outcomes, it is applicable to the complete employee lifecycle or specific processes. Change Management and Continuous Improvement Our global DE&I experts work alongside clients to implement focused action plans, training and access to ongoing expertise via our scalable digital solutions all designed to improve internal skills and enable teams to successfully move from policy to best practice. Inclusive Leadership Programmes When leaders embody inclusive leadership behaviors and act as champions for diversity across their organizations, there is a noticeable culture shift to the diversity of thought, customers, markets, and talent. Our high-impact and transformational coaching programs focus on the personal DE&I journey of leaders, enabling them to shape their learning and move forwards. What were the challenges and experiences overseeing human resources across different industries and at The Clear Company? November 2021|39
The central challenge has always been to attract and retain top talent and improve productivity against changing economic and social influences. Currently, we are seeing a much more holistic approach to investing in people and systems, and HR teams have the opportunity to measure the impact of their activity with meaningful data analytics. Being an experienced HR leader, what is your opinion regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Human Resources industry? And how has The Clear Company managed to overcome this significant challenge? Covid-19 has created many unforeseen challenges for HR leaders and teams in managing the early impact of redundancies, furlough, and home working, and now by navigating what a return to the office will look like in the new working world. As businesses compete to attract and retain top talent, those that prioritize DE&I and can demonstrate their ability to do so will be the ones to grow
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The Clear Company provides businesses with the ability for change at all levels building the condence, knowledge and skills to challenge conventional thinking and behaviors, aligns local and global strategies, inuences change in supply chains, communities and inclusive customer solutions.
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This also demands a change in approach by business leaders too. At the Clear Company, we have more than ever taken a holistic approach, as the leadership team balances the challenges of virtual leadership with empathetic skills that support the wellbeing and mental health of employees. What is your opinion on the necessity for businesses to align their offerings with newer technological developments, especially when it comes to Digital Transformation? Digital interaction has become the primary contact with employees and customers during the last 18 months, and we have an unprecedented opportunity to change how time at work and working processes are managed. Internally, it’s important to balance the technology-driven opportunities for flexibility against the wellbeing and specific needs of each workforce. For the majority of people, it’s still hugely beneficial to have regular face-to-face contact in some form. The Clear Company has long recognized the potential of Digital Transformation to enable our clients to achieve their goals. Our digital solutions range from inclusivity
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diagnostics, virtual audit and stakeholder engagement platforms, online learning and inclusion standards, and accreditation, all applicable globally. What people, what books, what life factors have influenced and impacted you? Books, I was a Charles Handy fan in my early years and by far one of the most impactful reads for me recently - Why I no longer talk to white people about race by Reni EddoLodge - should be mandated for all CEO’s in my opinion. Life factors of influence include growing up in South Manchester, having amazing parents, my 30 year marriage, our daughter and more recently my sight loss What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging women entrepreneurs in the HR Industry?
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Do it, be bold, hold true to your values, and have the confidence to create a team that will increasingly overtake you in their thinking. Do not let your own lack of selfesteem hold you back, my generation did enough of that, you don’t need to anymore! What is your vision for the company for the next five years? The Clear Company’s vision is to expand our reach to businesses of all types and sizes, making our expertise available to organizations with global locations and SMEs alike. To enable this reach, we are bringing a series of innovative online solutions to market to make best practice available to everyone. Watch this space, The Clear Company is about to go truly global.
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Robyn Bordes CEO
Illumina on PR
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The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021
Robyn Bordes
Offering Consistent Top-tier Solution in Public Relations
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ith digitalization came a massive wave of transformation that changed the face of the Public Relations industry to a scale that it had to expand its channels to engage with audiences through various social platforms. Various types of content are created strategically and implied effectively to ensure the brand's success to differentiate from its peers. Propelling a dedicated team to fulfill the needs and surpass clients' expectations is Robyn Bordes.
As the CEO of Illumination PR, Robyn implies a modern approach to public relations by implementing innovative methods to produce real results that contribute to the overall growth and success of the clients' brands. Illumination PR is a lifestyle, boutique PR firm that values and drives a work culture with ethics, dedication, honesty, and perseverance of its entire team. The Journey Robyn's journey began when she was 13 years old; her first job was at a local restaurant in her hometown in NJ as a busgirl. From an early age, she always wished to open a restaurant called Robyn's Nest. She was sure to be in the restaurant industry until she realized that she could do more things in her career. Later, Robyn got into various business sectors from development, web design, and event planning, which led to public relations.
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Public Relations got Robyn excited as she witnessed the growth in the business through the eye of the media. She knew she was bringing her skills to the table that moved the needle for the business. She says, "It was tremendously rewarding for me to see others excited watching their business take off. My business grew very quickly, and the challenges for me were just that my business grew very quickly. I was a one-woman show and had some big names to start my business. I was learning and growing at the same time.” Mission and Vision Robyn's vision for Illumination PR is to build a younger generation of publicists and managers to work with me and ultimately grow into bigger opportunities while advancing and managing deals, press, and social media content for everyone on its roster. When she started her journey at the firm, she focused on public relations; however, as she grew and got connected to more celebrities, she realized that management is what she thrives. Robyn always wanted to give more to her clients, which drove her to be successful in negotiating deals and being creative about deliverables and brand deals. She doesn't like to say no to the clients and always finds a way to continue their success and creatively bring in opportunities to build
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their brand and exceed expectations without becoming stagnant. Robyn wants PR & brand development to have criteria of education or a specific length of internship that people must have before getting into PR or management. Impactful Pioneering Expertise In the pursuit of being the best, Illumination PR always strives to be cost-effective for everyone, even if it means customizing a package for a new business to enable them the opportunity to have PR, even as a start-up business. Robyn always puts herself in the position of a new business owner, knowing the importance of PR; her team and she build packages for all brands and people to ensure that everyone can have PR, even for a shorter term or at a budget-friendly rate. She believes that everyone deserves the chance to see their dreams come true. Technological Implementation Robyn expresses that Illumination PR has a diverse age range and demographic on its team. Anytime something new comes out technology-wise, at least one, if not all, on its team starts to research to see if it has the potential to become a source of revenue. If the technology has the potential, the team over familiarizes themselves with the platform to continue innovating their entire roster. Once they know that new technology can be monetized, they start suggesting it to brands when they are doing their outreach. Only If Robyn wants brand development to have criteria of education or a specific length of internship that people must have before getting into PR or management. She has experienced a certain client issue that frequently occurs; clients come to Illumination PR after spending thousands
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At Illumination PR, we are constantly looking for what's new, now and next; to ensure that your brand will have success and nothing less.
on other publicists who couldn't deliver or garner any press. It frustrates Robyn because this issue makes it harder for companies to be trustworthy. She says, "It's even more frustrating in the industry she works, but more importantly for the businesses that believe in the people they hire until they have exhausted their savings trying to make it. That's the change I would like to bring to this industry to protect business owners that are just starting or businesses/brands that are trying to grow to the next level.” Setting Up Goals Looking ahead, Illumination PR plans to expand more into the travel industry, electric car market, and additional innovative products. The firm has had great press and awards generated for international properties that it has worked with. It is already seeing Amazon start to broaden its influencer database. Robyn is excited to be a part of the initiative from the start, as it intends to give brands a new platform to advertise and influencers an existing platform to monetize. Guiding the Next Generation In her advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the PR sector, Robyn says, "Intern. Intern, Intern. This is a market that you want to make sure is right for you. It's a lot of hours. It's constant availability. Make sure you are going into the field you are interested in for the right reasons. "An internship will properly prepare you for the field and for the type of clientele you want to work with. In speaking at colleges nationally, I saw a void in what they teach you for PR, as opposed to what you learn from working in PR. There needs to be that level of experience and understanding that you can truly only get from an internship," Robyn concludes.
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