JSuccess Magazine Q1 2024 by Jewish Link Marketing Solutions

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Zevy Lamm

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Cover Story:

WHAT’S THE COMMON DENOMINATOR BETWEEN

NACHMAN, IRA, JOE, YOSSI, & DAVID?

TA B L E O F C O N T E N TS

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eMagazine

6-12

What’s the Common Denominator Between Nachman, Ira, Joe, Yossi, & David? by Zevy Lamm

13-16

Featuring Shlomo Rechnitz, CEO, TwinMed by Zevy Lamm

17-22

Fear of Asking for Help by Moshe Hirschhorn

Accountability Partnerships by Zevy Lamm

24-25

Interview with CEO, Jared Wasserman, Alert Protective Services by Zevy Lamm

26-27

Our Experts

More JSuccess Member Perks!

30-31

JSuccess: About Us

32-33

Make Your Values Mean Something by Rachel Lebowitz

34-35

Water Your Business and It Will Grow! by Yisroel H. Levovitz

36-37

What Do You Want? by Chany Rosengarten

38-39

Introduction to EFT by Hendy Mandel

40-41

Let’s Go Client Hunting by David Hochberg

42-43

The Information Tax: The Trick to Getting Information From Anyone by Hindy Raichik

44-45

Changes to Travel in Europe Since Brexit: Impact on Travel by Ben Robbins

46-47

On Recession by Isaac Bardos

Community Photos

From the Archives of the Business Halacha Institute by Rav Chaim Kohn

Money As A State of Mind by Simi Mandelbaum

54-55

Are You Fishing in the Right Lake? by David Hochberg

56-57

Exploring the Growing Opportunities for Kosher Travel in a Post-COVID World by Ben Robbins

58-59

Conquering the Fear by Eliezer Blatt

60-61

Core Focus by Rachel Lebowitz

Showcasing Soft Skills as a Manager by Hindy Raichik

What Is Your Why? by Yisroel H. Levovitz

4 Ways to Find – and Fine Tune – Your Selling Points by Yisroel H. Levovitz

JSuccess Book Club

66-67

So, You Want to Improve Your Selling Skills? by David Hochberg

88-89

How to Proactively Find the Best Talent By Naftuly (Tuli) Kraus

68-69

The Foundation of Your Business by Rachel Lebowitz

Company Culture 101 By Zev FreundlichNDLICH

What is Branding? by Yisroel H. Levovitz

Do You Own Yourself? by Hindy Raichik

Jsuccess Community Impact

72-73

Flying Blind – Your Eyes are Closed! by Simi Mandelbaum

9 Reasons Why You Should Be Setting Goals – and Achieving Them! by Bentzy Rosenberg

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Pictorial Tour: South Africa by Ben Robbins

Fears or Facts – What Drives Your Business Decisions? by Simi Mandelbaum

Dear Coach

JSuccess Membership Perks

78-79

Introduction to Psychological Safety Series by Dave Linn

98-99

Discovering Financial Infidelity by Simi Mandelbaum

100-101

Minimizing Our Distractions to Create A More Productive Day by Avi Friedman

102

Understanding Sugar: How it Affects Your Productivity at Work and Energy at Home by Chaim Loeb

104

3 Quick Tips For Business Growth by Yisroel H. Levovitz

106-107

The Hidden Danger of High Performance and The Path to Sustainable Success by Tania Friedlander

108

The JSuccess Podcast

110

Planning for the Cash Flow in your Seasonal Business by Dan Katibian

112-113

Our Experts Respond

114-115

The Validity of Your Business Idea, or, Is There a Future for Your Product (Service)? By Tal Paperin

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Psychological Safety: What Psychological Safety Isn’t (Part 2) by Dave Linn

Psychological Safety (Part 3) by Dave Linn

Unleashing Creativity: The Rise of the Citizen Developer by David Genger

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Psychological Safety (Part 4) Inclusion Safety by Dave Linn

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RECENT JSUCCESS EDITIONS

MAY 2023 EDITION

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A Message From the Founder

On B2B Marketing

Introducing New Series on Avi Shulman’s book, Lifelines

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Expert Quotes

High performance: Your Most Productive Day

The Importance of Investing in Mindset

Nine Reasons You Should Be Setting Goals - and Achieving Them!

A Message From the Founder

Action Plan

Understanding Self Regard

BOOK CLUB

JUNE 2023 EDITION

Interview with Ira Zlotowitz

JULY 2023 EDITION

Interview with Joe Apfelbaum, Founder & CEO, Ajax Union P4

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Scan the QR Code to view all eMagazine editions

AUGUST 2023 EDITION

Interview with Rabbi Yossi Wallis, CEO, Arachim

Navigating the Modern Landscape of Distractions

Interview with Naftali Status

Accountability Partnerships

Let’s Go Client Hunting

Dear Coach

Community Impact

Are you saying NO to money?

Our Experts Respond

JSuccess Podcast Ep. 2 With Guest Ira Zlotowitz

Philanthropy: Featuring Shlomo Rechnitz, CEO, TwinMed

Planning for the Cash Flow in your Seasonal Business

Discovering Financial Infidelity

SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITION

Interview with David G. Greenfield, CEO, Met Council & former New York City Council Member

OCTOBER 2023 EDITION

What’s the Common Denominator Between Nachman, Ira, Joe, Yossi, & David? JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

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COVER STORY

What’s the Common Denominator Between Nachman, Ira, Joe, Yossi, & David? by Zevy Lamm - Founder, J Success, LLC

ear JSuccess members!

Since launching our eMagazine 5 months ago in May, we’ve had the privilege of interviewing some very successful & diverse individuals for our cover feature! Since its inception, our goal has been to interview the top 100 greatest impact-makers of our time, spanning the gamut of industries; from business leaders to communitybuilders, from health & wellness trailblazers to universedenting kiruv outreach professionals, from high-tech super entrepreneurs to charity organization visionaries, and from government activists to Jewish education icons. True to our goal, the common denominator of the interviews we have done to date is that the feature introduced our members to the success process of the most successful & inspirational achievers & and impact-makers of our time.

We’ve featured: 1. Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, Author & International Speaker 2. Ira Zlotowitz, Founder & CEO, GPARENCY 3. Joe Apfelbaum, Founder & CEO, Ajax Union 4. Rabbi Yossi Wallis, CEO, Arachim 5. David Greenfield, CEO, Met Council & former NYC Council Member In each of these interviews, our success icons shared some of the secret formulas of their success “process” so that the rest of us can learn and apply some of their habits & disciplines to experience similar levels of success in our own professional and personal lives. In this month’s edition, we’d like to stop and reflect, to compare and contrast, and to draw out the lessons gleaned from these interviews.

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Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, Author & International Speaker

Rabbi Seltzer is the author of forty-five books, including such classics as 90 Seconds, Living Legend, the Zera Shimshon series, Incredible! and Incredible 2, and The Rebbetzin. He is a columnist for the International Hamodia Magazine, where his true-life stories are beloved around the world, as well as a popular international speaker.

Ira Zlotowitz, Founder & CEO, GPARENCY

Over the course of his career in the commercial real estate mortgage industry Mr. Zlotowitz has earned extensive accolades, including being nominated in Crain’s “Forty-Under-40”, NJBiz’s “Forty-under-40”, and honored in Real Estate Forum’s “Tomorrow’s Leaders”. He also holds a pile of plaques that recognizes his role in the rapid growth of Meridian Capital, which is where his story begins. A year prior to his first at Meridian, the company closed $300 million in loans. Just four years later, in his final year there, they had closed over $2 billion. In 2021, Ira left Eastern Union to start GPARENCY, shaking up the world of commercial real estate mortgage brokerage by allowing landlords and developers to work directly with banks without the need for a broker.

Joe Apfelbaum, Founder & CEO, Ajax Union

Joe is a business strategist, marketing expert, AI consultant and certified Google trainer. He is the author of six books, including High Energy Marketing. He trains over 600 business and sales professionals on how to leverage AI & LinkedIn each year in his online courses and coaching sessions with Evyrgreen Networking. Joe is an active member of the Executives Association of New York City, a premier business networking organization, which includes members of Vistage, EO, YPO, YEC, and the INC5000 community.

Rabbi Yossi Wallis, CEO, Arachim

In Incredible! From Bronx to Bnei Brak: The amazing story of Rabbi Yossi Wallis, we read about Yossi’s fascinating metamorphosis from Bronx gang member to head of one of the world’s largest kiruv organizations. With more than 30,000 copies in print, Incredible! left readers inspired, engaged, fascinated – and clamoring for more. And in Rabbi Seltzer’s incredible sequel, Incredible 2! From Corporate LA to Arachim Seminars, we joined Yossi on his journey from successful weapons dealer to totally committed Torah Jew. Arachim has achieved astounding success in their goal of education & support of Jewish people towards living a life of Torah. Founded in 1979 by a group of educators and Torah observant academicians, the organization employs some 700 staff members and thousands of volunteers working around the clock throughout Israel and around the world to restore the Jewish people to their heritage. Arachim hosts over 200 seminars per year in many languages across Israel, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Canada, England, France, South Africa, Hungary, Hong Kong and India. 30,000 Jews participated in Arachim seminars in Israel and throughout the diaspora last year and some 100,000 new participants join Arachim’s neighborhood workshops and other programming every year. With Yossi at its helm, Arachim’s accomplishments have helped thousands reclaim their Jewish heritage, bridging the gap between secular and Torah observant Jewish communities, strengthening communal and individual Jewish identity, and stemming the tide of Jewish assimilation worldwide.

David Greenfield, CEO, Met Council & former NYC Council Member

David Greenfield is the CEO and Executive Director of Met Council. He is an accomplished legislator, popular law professor, and noted media personality with broad experience in government and not-for-profit organizations. David has expanded Met Council’s mission and services to help over 325,000 New Yorkers in need each year through a multitude of direct services and policy advocacy. David has received numerous commendations and recognition for his work as a civic and non-profit leader. He was ranked as the 51st most powerful New Yorker in City & State’s Power 100 list in 2014, ranking him one slot behind billionaire George Soros, and in 2021 he rose to the 14th spot on the list—in a city of 8.8 million residents! He was also recognized by City & State as among the top ten most influential residents of Brooklyn—NYC’s most populous borough, with over 2.7 million residents!

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Rabbi Nachman Seltzer What would be your most important piece of advice if I were just starting out in your career? Make sure that you are suited to a job where you are your own boss, because as a writer you are the one creating your own deadlines. If you work for a magazine, you have an editor telling you to get a move on, but if you are a freelancer, then you need to be self-motivated. Next – make sure you are passionate about what you are writing about, and that your subject matter is something that the public is interested in as well. Otherwise, nobody will read your books. Next – Keep your word to the people you work for or with. Do what you say you are going to do. Go above and beyond whenever possible to make people happy. Make your clients happy. Could you tell me about the biggest career mistakes you’ve made and the best decisions you’ve made? Mistake? Trying to chase after a particular project. It doesn’t work. You get what you are supposed to get. I thought that I was going to write the book about Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel but in the end, it went to someone else – even though I tried very hard to get it. It was the same thing with Rav Chaim Pinchus Scheinberg. But then along came Incredible and that was a book that I didn’t work for at all – but Hashem wanted me to have it so that was that. It was a huge life lesson. How would you describe your top three qualities that made you successful? What are your greatest strengths? What comes easily for you that is difficult for others? First of all, Siyata Dishmaya. Now – My writing style. My work ethic. My love for the craft. Next – I have been blessed with an ability to put myself in another person’s mind. I listen to every project that comes my way – even if I don’t do it. I don’t focus on just one type of writing style or project. Instead, I vary between many different kinds of projects. That keeps me fresh. Next – Getting the words down on the page the way I want them – more or less in the first draft. Sitting down to write without pushing things off. Five years ago, how did you imagine your life to look like right now? According to a Google search, you had published 22 books with a 23rd one on the way in 2016, which is only 7 years ago… Which means that you doubled your literary output in this short timeframe! It used to be that when I finished one book, another person would reach out to me. At a certain point, things began speeding up and I started having a waiting list – and I developed a certain method to the madness, which gave me the ability to finish projects at a quicker pace.

Do you care to share your method to the madness? People love to hear how others “control the chaos”… I write one book at a time. Interviews for future projects can be done – but for the actual writing one at a time. This allows me to begin another project as soon as I finish the one I’m working on. Streamlining. I also usually wait until I have a bunch of stories for Hamodia and then write them all during one week – as opposed to stopping what I’m doing every time I hear another new story. What’s your definition of success? What type of people do you consider successful? Rav Nissan Kaplan is a very successful person. Eli Beer is a very successful person. Rav Yitzchok Dovid Grossman is a very successful person. This doesn’t mean that they didn’t have their fair share of life challenges – because all three of these people have had many challenges. However, they continued striving towards their goals despite the hardships and impediments that came at them throughout their lives. Success doesn’t mean that a person was born wealthy. Success means that a person sets goals for themselves and managed to achieve those goals by dint of Siyata Dishmaya, never giving up and natural talent. Can you share 3 secrets that help you accomplish much more than the average person in your field? The main secret is to keep your focus and ultimate goal in mind. Other people started writing at the same time as I. At some point they dropped off the wagon. I didn’t. If your goal is to become the best fashion designer in town, then you need to keep on doing your thing and to keep on getting better and better at it. In a way you need to outlast the competition while constantly honing your skills. Which types of people or groups in the world do you dislike the most and why? I dislike ambiguity. I like clarity. I don’t like when people don’t know who they are and what they stand for. I do not connect with kanoim. I do not think you can change anyone by yelling at them. What are the 3 most important values you want to pass on to your children? Be yashar. Be straight and reliable. Be kind. Practice what you preach. What are your 3 core values? Menschlichkeit—Generosity, being straight & reliable Clarity—Standing up for beliefs & being a Ben Torah Motivation—Setting goals, focus, and getting things done

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Ira Zlotowitz Could you tell us a little bit about your father? Obviously, we know your father was the founder of Artscroll and we know some of his major accomplishments, but more specifically, how that influenced you. So it’s not so much how he influenced me. It’s what got him to do that; that was influence. And we were always brought up to use the talents that Hashem gave us to better the klal. Try to give back where you can. How did that influence your career? Go out and do it. That was the push. Don’t be worried. If you fail, get back up and keep going. Each success is a certain number of failures. And later the successes outweigh the awkward failures. As a frum person, we believe our job is to establish the inputs. If something goes bankrupt, another career or something is waiting to happen. How do you manage as a leader to bring out the best in people? Each person has something good to offer and try to take that good. And as a company, really try to surround yourself with people where their best attributes are your weakest. Then your whole team is a perfect team because when you have to deal with a certain type of trait, you bring person A, B, C, D, and so on…

You’ve accomplished some really audacious goals. And the question is, how do you do it? How do you approach it? How do you deal with the fallout? You know, in certain areas I procrastinate. But when it comes to fear, I know that I have to deal with bad news. I won’t wait six months there. Same with disciplining children. Do it quickly and move on.

What comes easily for you that’s more difficult for other people? Talking about ideas, big picture, and talking to people; those types of conversations are obviously easier. Having to do the actual consistent work is much more painful for me than other things. I can do so much more on origination. I find somebody that loves working on the details.

I know a lot of people have this fear of big numbers. What kind of advice could you offer people to approach money in a different way? You never saw a hearse with a U-Haul attached, right? So I’m doing a business deal and I think, G-d willing, I’ll make $10 billion; so what charities can I do with that money? That’s the drive. So if you worked your whole life, and you’re not going to have that money, so be it. It’s what you could do with that money.

How did you get started on personal development and how much time, time and money did you invest personally and as a company? The tough part for me in the beginning was that I would mix business and pleasure. I take it personal when someone works for me; I treat them as family; I really care about them. So if I have a friend who is about to make a career decision that I consider career suicide, I would get frustrated and start screaming at them. Everything has pros and cons. That’s the negative. I had to learn to draw a line that when someone’s working for me, I can say my opinion, and stop there. So we started on personal development. Many people ask; if a coach is that good, why aren’t they successful doing whatever. The answer is that the coach has a certain inclination to help out on certain things, and that’s their niche. They may not know anything else, but it’s irrelevant. Take the good they can actually help you with and not the other parts. What are the characteristics of the best leaders that you have worked with? I spend my time analyzing different people what works and doesn’t.

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What kind of people do you have a hard time working with or do you dislike? Dishonest people and people that don’t take accountability. I have no patience for that. I had to let people go and they made me money. Those are the things I can’t tolerate. But everything else, like the work and all of that, I try to make it work. But not being accountable or honest? You can’t build on that. What’s your definition of success? I saw a saying today, that when you get to the point that you’re controlling your day… And I think along those lines. And being able to give back. How many people can you help and influence when your time is up, to look back and say that I helped them get to a better place. Which one person changed the course of your life? It’s not really one. So this is where I break it down. There’s nothing like a bunch of little events. So I’m always looking to ask and learn. Like my mom taught me; take the best of each person. I’m watching clips of different motivational things that people do. I’ll take one line that’s good and keep learning and asking.

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Joe Apfelbaum If I was just starting out in one of your fields, what is the most important piece of advice you’d give me? Get a coach. Invest in your personal development, get a mentor who is where you want to be and get close to them. What would you tell the naysayers who believe coaches are for wannabes and unsuccessful people? I tell them they are right. If you believe it’s not for you, you are not coachable. I just let them be. I do not argue with people. What are the greatest career mistakes you’ve made? I failed so many times: failed to prepare, failed to communicate properly. I failed and failed but that is why I succeeded. If you could start your career over again, what would you do differently? I would work on my personal development, speaking, writing and communication skills the most. Can you share three secrets that help you accomplish much more than the average person in your field? Take risks, hire coaches, love yourself, do right by people, ask for what you need. Help 10x more people each week, month, year than you think you can. Can you share how you’ve successfully overcome an unproductive behavior or turned weaknesses into strengths? I tend to start things and not finish them, so now I help other people start things and they can finish them. I’m an activator. I stay focused now and I don’t start new things like I used to, but I help others start things. I also have a good support system with people who help me finish. How do you hope your friends describe you? Funny, smart, approachable, kind, helpful, high energy. What types of people do you have trouble getting along with? I love connecting with people and I can get along with most people. I do not like associating myself with people who gossip, people who are negative, people who are abusive or hurt people. In general, if you are positive, kind and a good-hearted person who is into personal development, we will get along. They say that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

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What would you consider to be the top three qualities that made you successful? What are your greatest strengths? What comes easily for you that is more difficult for other people? I would say the top three qualities that made me successful are never ending learning, being strategic and not emotional or impulsive. My strengths are activator and ideator. Which means I can have an idea and get it started. For me being creative comes easily. I am an idea machine. Let’s brainstorm and you will see how many ideas I can come up with in minutes. What are the three most important values you want to pass on to your children? By the same token, if you were teaching values to a graduating class that would give them the best opportunity for success in life, what would those be and why? Curiosity, creativity and having fun are the three most important values to me that I would like to pass along to my kids. Learn by asking questions; use your imagination and explore and do things that excite you with passion. That is how you live life to the fullest. What is your definition of success? Success is setting a goal and achieving that goal. Fulfillment is enjoying life and feeling good about yourself and what you are doing. Success without any joy or fulfillment is the ultimate failure. What do you consider the top 3 qualities of the ideal person? Curious, creative, kind.

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David G. Greenfield We all witnessed your impassioned denouncements regarding anti-semitism and the Holocaust. I remember one particular powerful, impromptu moment in January of 2015. It was on the floor of the city council. I watched that video a couple of times. Tell us more about it. This happened nearly ten years ago, but it was the first time where we saw the very far left stand up and openly protesting the Holocaust, Jews and Israel in City Hall. They were yelling and screaming anti-Israel statements while we were commemorating the Holocaust. I gave an impromptu speech that went viral that got tens of millions of views. What’s your formula for going viral? Answer is, no one really knows how to go viral. People spend millions of dollars and they have teams of people trying to help them. I think a lot of people don’t know this, but I think that the more you work and the more you become an expert at something, the more natural it becomes and effortless it becomes. I had spent 17 years of my life working on issues that I care strongly about, including fighting for the Jewish community, denouncing anti-semitism, respecting Holocaust survivors and commemorating the Holocaust, and improving the overall state of the Jewish community in New York. And so I think that all of that came together and created that moment. And when your moment comes, you’ll be ready, because you’ve worked on it for a very long time. On a personal level, what does the Holocaust and anti-semitism mean to you? So you know, my grandparents were Holocaust survivors. A lot of my family was wiped out in the Holocaust. The reason my grandfather survived was because he had assumed the identity of a Christian teenager who had died. He had access to the streets, and under his long flowing robes, he would deliver food and supplies to people who were living literally underground in the sewers. I think that sort of speaks of the selfless generation that was of Holocaust survivors who really gave everything and risked their lives for other people in a way that sadly we don’t see anymore. And yeah, so for me it definitely is personal interacting with Holocaust survivors. It gives us a sense of achrayus to protect, cherish and respect the survivors that are out there. Tell us about your parents and how they impacted you. In my home, I had seen my parents were very involved in chesed. My mother, Sara A”H, actually would always take time to prepare food and deliver it to people in the community who were in need. And after my father, Yisroel A”H, passed away, she actually did it on a larger scale. She was doing hundreds of families a week until she passed away.

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My father was someone who people used to come to for help and advice before there was Google and you couldn’t look things up and you had challenges and issues. He was someone who was a businessman and he was involved in a lot of different businesses, and people used to come to him and he spent a lot of his time helping other folks. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? So the truth is, it’s not that difficult for me. It’s a pretty simple question. I always wanted to be a lawyer. Since I was very young, I was very intent on being a lawyer, because my notion back then of a lawyer was that a lawyer was someone who upheld truth and justice and differentiated right from wrong. And I was very committed to that goal. So what happened that you left law? When my father passed away, I asked myself, is this where I want to be? Did I accidentally end up somewhere else? I had started out wanting to help people and then the goal somehow became landing a job at a prestigious firm… So the lesson is to constantly make sure you’re headed where you want to be headed. So I chose to focus on what I wanted to do, which is to try to make a difference on behalf of people in the community. And in our organization if there’s something that we do that is okay, but we think we could use those resources in a different way, let’s consider putting that on the chopping block. Sometimes you have to trade things that are good for things that are going to be great. What’s your secret for success? A lot of folks sort of ask me, what’s your secret? And the answer is, when I believe in something, I just focus on it, and I work very hard. My friends and colleagues and staff will tell you I sleep a few hours a night. I will absolutely work 16, 17, 18 hours a day, 20 hours a day, sometimes. What’s your current focus at the Met Council as an organization? When I joined, the organization was $7 million in the red and it was a difficult time. And we decided, with the support of my board of directors, that we were going to focus on a handful of things, and part of it was really understanding what our priorities are. So we decided to focus on 4 key areas; food would be very important, holocaust survivors are very important, victims of domestic violence would be important, and the quality of our housing would be very important as well. And that’s really what I focused on from a programmatic perspective.

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Rabbi Yossi Wallis What books have shaped you the most? Mein Kampf What types of people do you have trouble getting along with? Arrogant people What do you value most in a friendship? Loyalty How do you hope your friends describe you? Straight-forward Which personality trait, attribute or quality do people compliment you on the most? Honesty If I was just starting out in your field, what is the most important piece of advice you’d give me? Be honest What would you consider to be the top three qualities that made you successful? What are your greatest strengths? What comes easily for you that is more difficult for other people? Taking chances Overcoming fear Can you share 3 secrets that help you accomplish much more than the average person in your field? Persistence, partnership, positive thinking What is your definition of success? Helping people What type of people do you consider successful? Those who help people a lot

Which three types of people or groups in the world do you dislike the most and why? Lefties What are the three most important values you want to pass on to your children? And by the same token, if you were teaching values to a class that would give them the best opportunity for success in life, what would those be and why? Honesty, determination So no matter if the industry is professional writing as is the case with Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, Commercial Real Estate Financing with Ira Zlotowitz, B2B marketing with Joe Apfelbaum, the world of kiruv with Rabbi Yossi Wallis, or political activism and community service with David Greenfield, after analyzing the key takeaways of each of these interviewees, we see many similarities in thought, practice and attitude among our 5 interviewees. Let’s analyze and internalize some of these “secret” success formulas and experience similar levels of success in our own professional and personal lives b’ezras Hashem!

As the leader of a super-strong team of NYC permit consultants, Zevy Lamm needed to learn how to achieve more. He spent lots of time and money learning from the best mentors. To hear more about some of his personal challenges and successes, visit www.jsuccess.net/about-us. Today he’s really proud of what he’s accomplished as a team & as a company B”H! That’s why he launched JSuccess to help other achievers in the community achieve more too!

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PHILANTHROPY

Featuring Shlomo Rechnitz, CEO, TwinMed by Zevy Lamm - Founder, J Success, LLC

his column celebrates extraordinary people in the global Jewish business community whose philanthropic contributions have impacted industries, communities, and the personal and professional lives of others. It’s no secret that the Orthodox Jewish community is comprised of some of the most generous philanthropists in the entire world. It’s a fact that should serve as a source of pride for members of our community and the broader Jewish community at large.

This month we have the honor to feature Shlomo Rechnitz as the inaugural profile in our column on philanthropy! Shlomo is an American entrepreneur, visionary, philanthropist, community activist, humanitarian, and musical composer. Shlomo lives in Los Angeles, CA, with his wife Tamar and their six children, and has been able to provide employment opportunities for tens of thousands of people over the course of his professional career. Shlomo began his business career by founding TwinMed together with his brother Steve. The company rapidly became the largest supplier of medical supplies to nursing homes in the country. It has also led to Rechnitz receiving numerous awards within the corporate world. Along with his brother Steve, Rechnitz has lectured for students in the MBA program at Stanford, where TwinMed has been presented as a case study. Rechnitz brings the same innovative business spirit to the philanthropic world.

One of the most famous philanthropists today is Shlomo Rechnitz, a businessman who has dedicated his life to helping others. Through his work as a hospital administrator and owner of nursing homes, Mr. Rechnitz has shown incredible selflessness and compassion in caring for vulnerable populations. He has established several nonprofit organizations that provide healthcare services to underprivileged communities, as well as donated millions of dollars to countless yeshivas, Jewish organizations, and charities worldwide. His vision and determination have led to a tremendous impact on the health and quality of life for countless individuals around the world. JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

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About Shlomo Rechnitz Born in Los Angeles, Shlomo began his career in 1998 when he and his twin brother Steve co-founded TwinMed LLC. Together with his brother, Shlomo rapidly expanded TwinMed to become one of the largest medical supply companies in the United States and a trailblazer in the industry as well.

Music has always been one of Shlomo’s passions, and he has put out four albums of original compositions and reprises. Shir 1, Shir 2, Shir 3 and Matana Tova all feature prominent Jewish singers and became instant favorites in the world of Chassidic music.

In addition to his continued leadership in the healthcare industry through TwinMed, Mr. Rechnitz also founded the care provider Brius Healthcare Company in 2004. Like TwinMed, Brius has grown exponentially and now provides employment to over 8,000 people in the nursing home industry.

Shlomo serves as President of Torath Emeth and is the first Chairman of the Board for the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation. His entrepreneurial and community work has earned him several awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the UCLA Icon Award for Visionary Leadership in Business and Philanthropy, and a tribute from the LAPD Eagle and Badge Foundation.

Shlomo’s knack for innovation inspires his other endeavors too. Often described as having redefined traditional philanthropy, the Rechnitz name — both through private endeavors and the Shlomo and Tamar Rechnitz Foundation — is known as an address to whom anyone, regardless of affiliation, race, denomination or creed, can turn.

Speaking of men and women in uniform, Rechnitz made headlines globally when he bought 400 of our nation’s courageous servicemen a meal during a layover in Shannon, Ireland. As People Magazine and dozens of other media outlets reported at the time, on his way to visit Israel with his family, Rechnitz noticed that a group of 400 US Soldiers were preparing to eat their paper sack dinners. He immediately asked the commanding officer if he could purchase hot meals for them, instead. Minutes later, Rechnitz handed over his credit card and disbursed $50 to each serviceman and servicewoman to afford them the opportunity to dine out at a restaurant in the airport of their choosing. As he was quoted as saying at the time in a video clip, “You guys risk your lives to protect me and my family. If I get to go out and see a whole bunch of Army soldiers and Marines, it’s something that makes me proud. I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

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Philanthropy Shlomo Rechnitz’s approach to philanthropy is that it’s not merely a task or a duty to be discharged. It’s a way of giving back, of expressing gratitude both to G-d and to the community, city and country that has given and continues to give opportunity to so many. According to Mr. Rechnitz, everybody can give something, whether it’s money or time or guidance. No one is exempt, because charity and giving transcend all boundaries of financial wealth, ethnicity, religion and location. Consequently, the Shlomo and Tamar Rechnitz Foundation wasn’t established to benefit any one cause or category of giving. The recipient organizations and initiatives are completely non-denominational and range from educational institutions to literacy to support for the homeless and the mentally ill — and beyond. One cause that is particularly close to the Rechnitz heart is cancer research. To date, both through the Foundation and together with his twin brother and business partner Steve, Shlomo Rechnitz has dedicated millions of dollars to fighting cancer. Recipients include (but aren’t limited to) Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UC San Diego, UCLA, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and MD Anderson in Houston, Texas. Another cause of great importance to Shlomo is the Mir Yeshiva, where he learned in his late teens and early twenties. Home to over 9,000 students from 24 countries, Mir is the largest yeshiva in the world. For Shlomo, it’s a privilege to help underwrite the obviously enormous costs, and he has headed a number of campaigns on the yeshiva’s behalf. In a historic announcement at a recent Mir dinner in Bell Works, R’ Shlomo Yehuda announced that final touches are being put on a plan to raise the checks of Mir yungerleit by a whopping 20%.Since the petirah of HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l, he has personally donated at least $40 million to the Mir. Aside from his personal work and the work of the foundation, Shlomo Rechnitz is involved in myriad private philanthropic endeavors to assist individuals and families in need.

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Some of the organizations and institutions the Shlomo and Tamar Rechnitz Foundation works with are:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Blue Line Chaplaincy Service OneOrlando Fund Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation FoodFinders Bergen County United Way Cedars-Sinai JP HRO (Haitian Relief Org) Boys Club of America Pin-Ups For Vets Eagle & Badge Foundation UCLA Foundation Sandy Hook School Support Fund The Emilio Nares Foundation

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Nora Sandigo Children Foundation National Military Family Association NAACP LDF Children’s Health Fund Padres Contra El Cancer AARP Foundation Aleph Institute American Jewish University GYE Corp American Friends of Hebrew University Bait Tshuva Project Witness Friends of the IDF Simon Wiesenthal Center

Mr. Rechnitz has redefined the traditional definition of philanthropy, and it’s an honor to feature Shlomo in the first article of our series on philanthropy. From rescuing local businesses to opening his own home to serve as a hub for providing direct and individual giving, Shlomo continues to serve as a role model for many philanthropists both young and old, to emulate.

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DEAR COACH

Fear of Asking for Help by Moshe Hirschhorn, Life & Business Coach , School of You Coaching

ear Coach,

I’d like to get a bit vulnerable here and share certain fears I have so I can properly identify them and perhaps find the underlying cause (if any) so I can come up with a strategy to overcome these fears. As a background; I’ve already overcome different fears in my life, and as a business leader, I actually make it a daily challenge to see how many times a day I can do something in spite of my fears. That has ranged from making a difficult call to a teammate, client or vendor, to negotiating a deal, to sales prospecting, to approaching that scary-looking person at a tradeshow, etc. I’ve also overcome the fear of davening for the amud on Shabbos. I’m a decent baal tefillah and the strategy I’ve used is something I heard from Dr. David Lieberman and that is to take myself out of the picture while up there at the amud and focus on one thing; giving the people a nice inspiring davening. Once I stopped thinking about the fear of failure and making a fool out of myself, I actually started relaxing and doing a great job! Same thing with public speaking. It’s a muscle that I’ve worked on and strengthened over several years to the point where I’m a natural now BH! And this brings me to my current unresolved issues; the fear of asking for help, asking for money, appearing unsuccessful, needy, etc. This fear seems to be very ingrained from a young age where I was embarrassed to ask my father for money and when I did, I asked for too little. So when I was away in yeshiva and needed $100, I only asked for $60, although my father usually gave me $100 (since he probably knew my weakness) ;) So how do I go about this? I suspect there may be underlying issues of shame and lack of self-worth, and I’m not looking to pull the “self-esteem” trump card here, but I want to be sure that if I’m working on a muscle or muscle group, I should be working on the strengthening the right one. Please help! Thank you in advance. Sincerely, A Business leader with the Fear of Asking for Help

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Dear Business Leader with the Fear of Asking for Help, It takes courage to share what’s keeping you stuck, so thank you for reaching out. I want to acknowledge you taking this action. By reaching out with your request in this not-so-private forum – you are displaying real courage. In fact, you’re already on the road to doing what’s hard for you. This is you, doing what your fear. You have a fear around asking others for help. And you did it – you send me this note. You asked me for help. You’re already doing it! Good for you. You are showing up committed – you will not let this fear hold you back from moving forward. Your share here is a great example for anyone reading this – of how to self-coach themselves through this kind of challenge. You said you wanted a few things from this interaction with me here. You want: 1. To properly identify the fear. 2. To find the underlying cause (if any). 3. To come up with a strategy to overcome these fears. Thank you for so gallantly modeling the first steps it takes to overcome fears that keep us stuck.

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For you and anyone reading – let’s break this down into steps – you can reuse this recipe for the next fear, and the next one. Step One – Notice the Fear The first step is to notice the fear, give it borders and space. You did that, as is proof from you reaching out, and wanting to overcome this. Step Two – Label It After you gave space to the fear, it prompted you to create clarity on what you are up against. This you did precisely. You labeled it as a “fear of asking for help”. Step Three – Explore It You then asked yourself, “Where else is this showing up?” “What else does it look like for me?” and “What’s the deeper fear?” These are great self-coaching questions you can ask yourself to go deeper with anything. You came up with some more answers: This shows up as a fear of asking for money, and a fear of appearing unsuccessful and needy. (If this was a coaching session, I might ask you: What’s really going on here? The point would be for you go yet deeper and focus on the core of all this, and see what deeper truth comes up for you in the presence of a powerful coaching conversation.) Step Four – Normalize It Remind yourself that you’re not the first, nor the last person to face this challenge. And you’re not unique in struggling with this. Often times we want to put our problems up on a pedestal of “I’m the only one in the world with this challenge.” That angle is simply not true. What is true is that you are 100% unique when it comes to your gifts, talents, and your unique DNA and mix of aptitudes, gifts and in your personal mission. That uniqueness is there to embrace. G-d needs you here – there is nobody on this planet like you – you are integral. On the other hand, calling out your challenge as unique gives it undue strength – and weakens your belief in your natural ability to overcome it. Let’s go one step further. This challenge is not only not unique – it’s the most common one out there. Fear of social situations, also known as “social phobia” in more technical terms, is an incredibly common experience that affects somewhere around 1 in 20 people in a significant way. This type of

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fear is normally characterized by an overwhelming self-consciousness in social settings. It’s important to highlight for anyone reading this that social phobias take various forms and can range from mild discomfort to paralyzing anxiety. The more stuck you feel, or suffering it is causing you, the more help I encourage you to seek to break free from this. One particularly common way social phobia shows up: the fear of being judged by others. And people will then avoid situations such as speaking in public, attending social gatherings, or even something as seemingly simple as eating in front of others. So it’s normal to feel challenged by what others might think or more specifically, how they will judge you, perhaps as needy or unsuccessful – even thought it’s not true. Step Five – Search Your Historical Toolbox Now that you know what you’re facing – it’s going to be really valuable to lean on the skills, strengths and experiences you already have under your belt. You asked for a strategy. The truth is – you don’t need a new strategy when you already have ones that work. In fact you have strategies that you’ve customized over your past experiences. And those will come in handy. In your own words you shared, “I’ve already overcome different fears in my life.” You have already overcome the fear of davening from the amud on Shabbos. You’ve also overcome the fear of public speaking. That’s no small feat, and I challenge you to find ways to remind yourself of that as you pass through this latest form of: “What will they think?” If you’ve already developed the muscles and habits to daven from the amud on Shabbos in front of a crowd, and give talks to groups, then I am certain you can also overcome this fear of asking others for help, including asking for money. You’ll want to ask yourself now: If someone else asked me for help in overcoming a fear – what would I tell them? Imagine your son comes to you and asks: Ta, I really want to be the chazzan at school but I’m

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so afraid of what my classmates might say. What if they laugh at me? What if they talk about me and how I’m no good? What would you advise him? You might tell him: First of all, my dear son, I’m so proud of you for sharing this fear with me. And, great job giving it a name and putting words to all this. It’s so brave of you to bring this up, and to be vulnerable in sharing it. And what a great “want” you have – to be the chazzan, that’s holy work – good for you. And then you’d probably advise him to take himself out of the picture while up there at the amud and focus on one thing: My son, go give the people a nice inspiring davening. And you’d probably share your own experience: I was also fearful of this once upon a time. But when I stopped thinking about the fear of failure, what people might think, and making a fool out of myself, I actually started relaxing and that allowed me to do a great job! When you’re ready to give it a try – focus on that – creating inspiration for the kehilla. Nothing else. Step Six – Apply Custom Strategies to New Challenges In the past, you have already overcome different fears in your life. In fact, as a business leader you have leaned on what I like to call: Creating a project or a challenge. You have actually created daily challenges before: to see how many times a day you can do something in spite of the fear, such as making difficult calls (to teammates, clients and vendors), negotiating a deal, sales prospecting, approaching the “scarylooking person” at tradeshows and more. So in the past you said: I will not let this fear stop me. I will turn it into a project, a game or a daily challenge to see how many times a day I can do something in spite of my fears;

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You’ve done this before and you can, without a doubt, do this again. So I’m curious, if you ask yourself this question what can you come up with: What daily challenge can I create that gets me into action despite my fear of asking for help, asking for money or otherwise appearing unsuccessful or needy? Step Seven – Get to Work (Action is the best teacher.) After you come up with your own answers, see if my challenge here fits with that. I challenge you Business Leader With a Fear of Asking for Help, to the: “BIG ASK” DAILY CHALLENGE. Every day (Shabbos not included) your assignment is to make one BIG ask from anyone in your world: a family member, a client, a colleague, a vendor, or someone in line at the supermarket. For example, you mentioned asking your father for $60 when you really needed $100. So in this challenge, you might ask a client: I’m working on a project/challenge from my coach to ask a big ask – every day. So I’d like to ask you: What would it take for you to send me 10 referrals before the end of the week? Or, you might ask: I’m looking for help with my start-up – I need seed money. Who do you know that would consider investing $10,000 to $100k into my business with a guarantee to double his return? To make it simple: The ask has to feel “BIG” to you. So if you are used to asking for people to give you 15 minutes, start asking them for an hour or two. If you are used to asking someone to pass the salt, starting asking if they will clear the table. If you are used to asking someone for $100, ask them for $1,000 or $10,000. Remember, my challenge is an add-on to whatever you feel is the right daily challenge for you. I’m curious to hear what you come up with and how many BIG asks you can get in this month.

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And in regards to finding the underlying cause, it doesn’t matter. By the time you complete this challenge, you’ll no longer be wondering if this “comes from somewhere”. You’ll be onto the next exciting business idea, sales prospect, negotiation, convention, talk or tefillah to lead. Wishing you much continued success in your personal journey to uncover and use the power and greatness that lies inside of you, waiting to conquer the world and fulfill your personal mission here on earth. One more thing, don’t worry if this is the “right muscle to be working” or not. If you strengthen one muscle, the whole body also gets stronger in the process. So when you get good at doing something – your whole person is shifting into who you need to become. G-d’s got your back. You can do this. With love and blessings. Coach Moshe.

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Moshe Hisrchhorn is a Certified Insight Coach, Certified Professional Coach by ACTO, Certified Professional Coach by Darco, Board Member of the IOIC (Institute of Insight Coaching), trained with coaches who trained under the godfather of Coaching, Steve Chandler, and student of Esther Gur. His coaching services are 100% Confidential; he’ll give you honesty – even if it’s not what you want to hear, believe in you when you don’t, and challenge your limiting beliefs. However, success & results are NOT guaranteed – that depends on the ACTION you take; and your level of engagement measures your outcome,

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PARTNERSHIP

Accountability Partnerships by Zevy Lamm - Founder, J Success, LLC

ccountability involves accepting responsibility for tasks and deadlines that contribute to your productivity. As a business leader, forming peer partnerships to keep yourself focused and motivated can contribute greatly to your personal & business development!

What does an accountability partner do? Similar to a mentor in how they encourage and listen to you, accountability partners offer peer-to-peer counsel. They help you meet goals by setting expectations and holding you to specific standards. Accountability partners often fulfill the following tasks: • • • • • • •

Meet with you on a regular basis Communicate with you frequently Make themselves available to listen or offer advice Offer support for difficult situations Remind you of important deadlines Watch for and identify negative behaviors Rely on you for similar help and counsel

Benefits of an accountability partnership Having a partner who encourages you to achieve your work goals and personal goals can increase your professional success. If you’re looking to improve your work productivity, you may find an accountability partner helpful for any of the following reasons: • • • •

Increased motivation Built-in support system Progress monitoring New perspectives

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Qualities of an effective accountability partner Here are a few qualities to look for in a strong accountability partner: • • • • •

Similar goals Positivity Communication skills Honest and wise Disciplined and committed

As a member of the JSuccess community, let us help you find an accountability partner today! Scan the QR code and fill out the form to get started.

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SPONSORED

Interview with CEO, Jared Wasserman, Alert Protective Services by Zevy Lamm - Founder, J Success, LLC

A Jared Wasserman is a Senior Executive, Advisor, and Thought Leader with more than 15 years of success spanning across the Accounting, Distribution, Finance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Security, and Tourism industries. Mr. Wasserman earned Master of Business Administration, Master of Finance, and has practiced as a Certified Fraud Examiner since 2009.

lert Protective Services was founded by Midwesterns in 1982. Since then, they have grown to become Midwest’s most trusted name in home and commercial security services and products. While their headquarters are in the heart of the Midwest, they service clients throughout the entire greater Midwest area and beyond. As a leading security company in the Midwest, they pride themselves in offering sophisticated security systems to their residential and commercial customers alike. Their goal is to provide peace of mind to their clientele, whether they are seeking to provide safety for their families, businesses or possessions. Their experienced technicians customize security systems to meet each need so they can ensure customer satisfaction on every level. Today we have the honor of interviewing the CEO, Mr. Jared Wasserman. Good morning, Jared. Let’s dive right in!

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COMPANY FACTS

YOUR SPACE

When were you founded? Our company was founded in 1982 by Charles “Chuck” Mishoulam who had a vision in helping communities throughout the Chicagoland to protect their homes and business. See more on our About page. Now we are expanding that vision for the Midwest and further.

Who are some of your clients? GIORDANO’s, Discount Tires, GEO Foundation, Blue Bird School, Markum School, Take 5 OIL

How many employees do you have? 40+ How many markets are you in? Currently we are marketing in the residential, commercial, and DIY markets for all systems How fast are you growing? We’ve been growing quickly since we’ve been acquiring other companies to expand our brand and services to make the lives of our customers easier. We currently grow 5.2% organically and 7.9% through acquisitions.

Who are your main competitors? ADT, Simplisafe, Brinks, Sentry Security How are you different from the competition? We are different from our competitors because unlike some of our competitors who have gotten too big to service their customers we still manage to make time for ours. We also maintain the family focus environment with every customer speaking with a live agent, with a live person returning all calls daily It was a pleasure interviewing your company, Jared, and I’m confident many in the JSuccess community will reach out for their home and commercial security service and product needs!

YOUR STORY Where did you get the idea for the name of this company? The founder picked Alert as it was a critical word to our industry and expanded on the full name so the abbreviation would be easy for all to remember: APS What problem are you trying to solve? We are trying to help both business owners and homeowners protect their properties so that they can feel safe and secure if any misfortunate events happen in or around their premises. What’s your background? We have a background in installing fire alarm, burglar alarms, intercoms, automation, CCTV and access control system for our customers. We’ve recently launched our DIY brand to attract customers who might want to install their alarm system themselves. How did you get here? We got here by having a strong focus on our customer service and assisting our customer the best way we can. With our strong work ethic, we managed to build a strong network with our customers which has helped us grow through the years because of the positive referrals we have gotten from them.

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ABOUT US

Zevy Lamm

Our Vision

Founder, JSuccess As the leader of a super-strong team of NYC permit consultants, I needed to learn how to achieve more. I spent lots of time and money learning from the best mentors. To hear more about some of my personal challenges and successes, visit www.jsuccess.net/about-us. Today I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished as a team & as a company B”H! That’s why I launched JSuccess to help other achievers in our community achieve more too!

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Build a cohesive personal & business development hub for Jewish super achievers globally.

Our Mission Help 10,000 Jewish achievers achieve more success—founded on the core values of growth, harmony & impact.

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The Products & Services We Provide We’ve created a comprehensive online hub offering personal development resources by top industry experts for Jewish business leaders globally, plus a dynamic community in which to thrive. This includes a full array of live, virtual and video courses & training, plus the opportunity of accountability partnerships & groups, access to live webinars, oneon-one & small group mentorship and coaching, book clubs, member-only meetup seminars, and much more.

Who We Are Targeting A dynamic community of growth-minded, impactful, Jewish achievers ready to take full responsibility for their own success by consuming inspiration, ideas, strategies, training and more on the topic of success, among a supportive community of likeminded individuals.

Our Competitive Advantage In a world of abundant business training options, there are many delivering content that offer enterprise-wide solutions for growing companies. There are only several offering solutions for individuals to improve themselves. What we’re setting out to accomplish BS”D is to establish our hub as the leading Jewish voice in the field of personal & business development for positive, growth-minded, achievers & impact-makers seeking comprehensive content which synthesizes success in the areas of business, money, community, spirituality, family, and health & wellbeing, among other areas.

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The Problem We Are Solving Self-motivated business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking training resources, information & inspiration on the topic of success, currently lack a high-quality hub in harmony with their Jewish values that serves and supports their need to grow and make an impact within and beyond the community. We are here to fill this need!

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Make Your Values Mean Something by Rachel Lebowitz - Professional EOS Implementor

ould you bank at a bank that touts themselves to have “integrity” as a core value?

In our last article we discussed the importance of having company values. Company core values are the foundation of your business. They are the guiding principles which you use to hire, fire, reward, and recognize employees. No one wants a wishy-washy leader. It creates an environment of low trust and doubt. Yet, as humans, it’s hard to be consistent at all times. Especially at hard times. Having predetermined core values takes the anxiety and doubt out of decision making for your company! When you have an employee that is creating subtle chaos or not getting along with other employees, it’s easier to make the decision of who should be let go when you have a set of company values to use as a guide to make those decisions. Do they fit our values? Great! Then they stay and we have a serious conversation with this person. Do they not fit our values? Then it would be a waste of time to invest energy in such a person because they simply won’t “get it”. They will never value and appreciate the things that you do. Statistics show that 80% of your business problems are “people” problems. That means people inside or outside of your organization that don’t appreciate and adhere to your core values. They don’t respect and honor what you value and therefore it creates great frustration and friction. Now, here is where I want to set the record straight. Most leaders fail to understand the true meaning of values and how to go about determining what their company’s Core Values are. I am going to spend some time telling you what core values are NOT, so you can understand what they truly are and how they are discovered and implemented. P32

First of all, most people confuse values with morals, ethics and virtues. Morals are principles on which one’s judgment of right and wrong is based. It is hard and fast rules that usually don’t have room for flexibility. It is influenced by society, culture, and religion. It is not related to the workplace, and it varies by culture and religion. It is safe to say that things like “thou shall not kill” is a moral principle. Ethics are the standards of right and wrong that are established by society and organizations. Ethics, as per Santa Clara University, are well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do—usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Those are things like dealing honestly in the workplace, medical ethics and obligations. Ethics are more nuanced and debatable than morals.

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Virtues are qualities that are considered to be admirable and desirable in a person. Virtues are qualities that are universally accepted to have high moral value. Virtues are things like honesty, integrity, responsibility. (As you can see, they are all interrelated and build on each other). Now we come to values. Values are behaviors that you distinguish and value above other equally great values. For example, do you value succeeding at all costs over helping others first? Do you value perfection over speed? Do you value “doing the right thing” vs. “winning”? None of these values are inherently wrong. It’s a matter of preference. There are no “Wrong” values. There are values that don’t align with you, but “thou shall not kill” is not a value. It’s a moral. Honesty, integrity, responsibility, & timely, aren’t values either. They are ethics and virtues. Would you bank at a bank that touts itself to have “integrity?” No! That’s basic permission to be a player in the banking arena! So many businesses make the mistake of choosing basic permission-to-play virtues as their values! Here’s a visual graph to help you differentiate the 4 categories:

Values

Virtues

Values are principles or standards that are considered as important or desirable

Virtues are qualities that are

All values may not be desirable or have moral goodness (self vs. altruistic motivations)

considered to be good or desirable in a person Virtues have high moral values Qualities that are universally

Ethics

Morals

Guiding principles of conduct of an individual or group

Principles on which one’s judgments of right and wrong are based

Influenced by profession, field, organization, etc.

Influenced by society, culture and religion

Uniform compared to morals

Lastly, core values are NOT made up out of thin air. You don’t just create a list of nice adjectives and tick off the ones that appeal to you the most. Real core values are actually discovered from within your organization. They already exist. The best way to determine your core values is to look at your star employee and see what it is about them that you love? What makes them so pleasant to work with? What characteristics do they possess that if you would hire a full staff of people that share those characteristics you can take your business to unimaginable heights. Imagine replicating your star employee times 100; can this take your business to the moon? I bet the answer would be a resounding yes!!! But here is the catch: Do you exhibit those core values you appreciate? If you would have to rate yourself on the core values you appreciated in your star employees, would you be a star employee? Because as a leader you must walk the talk!

Subjective and personal since an Individual can decide what is important to him or her

Related to professional work

As a business you want to declare how you distinguish yourself from your competitors and other businesses! Why should people work and do business with you! What do you stand for?

accepted to have high moral value

Not related to professional work Vary according to different cultures and religions

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You must exhibit the values you ask your employees to amplify! Every organization has an existing culture. You might not be aware of it. It might be weak or even stinky. The vibe and energy might be low and uninviting. But you possess the power to change that. The things you give attention to, multiply. So If you start shining a light on positive values; if you start hiring, firing, rewarding and recognizing employees based on your company values that every employee knows, appreciates and believes in, your culture will shift and blossom.

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MARKETING STRATEGY

Water Your Business and It Will Grow! by Yisroel H. Levovitz - CEO, Profound Business

veryone is looking for the formula for success. Here it is: More Clients + More Business Growth = More Success

That’s it? As simple as that? Well, it actually is a pretty simple formula, though simple doesn’t mean easy. So how do we master the formula and ensure steady business growth across all aspects of a business? Before we offer some tried-and-true “Do’s”, please remember the most crucial “Don’t” of all: DON’T approach your business opportunistically. Yes, of course good opportunities sometimes fall into your lap, but if you rely on them as a business funnel instead of strategizing, planning and positioning yourself to capture new business, you will find yourself out of luck quick. With the “Don’t” out of the way, let’s focus on 7 “Do’s”, a list of effective ‘new client acquisition’ tips, which will hopefully be beneficial to help jump-start that stalled business growth and help your business engine start revving again.

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1) What do you do?

5) Know your process.

If the answer you give to that question and the answer a potential client would give to that question is not one and the same, “Houston, we got a problem!”. In the current global marketplace where everyone and their uncle are doing everything under the sun, make sure you know exactly what you do (and what you don’t do) and stay on script. The clearer you are, the clearer those who need what you do will be, and they will find you.

Even if you are very good at what you do, make sure you have a “method to your madness”, as processes help your clients understand what you are doing and how you are doing it. Processes also allow for other members of your team to assist you better, since if they don’t know what you’re thinking and why you do things a certain way, it can lead down a road to disaster.

2) Know your “core business”. Even if you offer peripheral services related to your main business, make sure your core is always at the center of your business. Don’t lose sight of the main things, at the expense of making a quick buck or for any other reason, as doing so will dilute your core and risk it being totally overshadowed. 3) Who are your target clients? Hint: The answer is not “Everyone and Anyone”. Know your targets. Know what they want, need and expect, and deliver that to them and them only. 4) Have multiple revenue streams. Relying on a too-narrow roster of clients (even if they are big ones) or providing too narrow a scope of services is a dangerous gamble, as clients leave and service needs shift. Make sure you have enough channels within your space to allow for breathing room even when things get rough in one of the other channels.

6) What’s their problem?! Your clients’ problem, that is. Make sure you – and your clients - know what problem you solve. More often than not, the reason clients will seek you out and find you is because they are looking for solutions to a problem, remedies to pain points, answers to conundrums. Make sure it’s clear what solutions you offer and how you solve said problems. 7) Be the Go-To Person. If you want clients to go to you with their needs, make sure you have established yourself as the expert to go to within the industry and the space that you function. Think of your business as a plant and the aforementioned ideas as the water it needs to maintain its healthy and luscious growth. When your business is growing and healthy, it will attract more customers, and…… More Clients + More Business Growth = More Success Yes, it will take work and it won’t always be easy, but hey, nothing worthwhile is easy! Simple enough, right?

Yisroel H. Levovitz is a Business Strategist, Marketing Expert with over two decades of experience. With Siyata D’Shmaya and a Common Sensical approach, he guides Frum businesses in going from struggle to success.

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WEALTH

What Do You Want? by Chany Rosengarten - Wealth Coach

et’s start with a question for you to ponder: “What do you want?” Take a deep breath and give it some thought. What is it that you truly want? Go ahead and write it down. Don’t be shy or hesitant; just be honest with yourself. Congratulations, you did it! You took the first step towards getting what you want. Before you start feeling silly or ashamed for wanting what you do, or writing it down, let me tell you something.

Being honest about your desires is the most important thing when it comes to actually getting them. It’s the first step that will lead you to having what you want. As entrepreneurs and professionals, we often believe that success comes from external factors. We believe that if we take the right actions, or say the right things, we’ll achieve success. We think that if we’re well-liked, cool enough, or have a high number of likes and comments on social media, we’ll achieve success. We may believe that success comes from driving the right car or wearing a good watch, or from being better than others in our industry. But what if our success didn’t come from outside ourselves or from the approval of millions of people? What if the desires we have come into our lives and become our reality because we were strong enough and courageous enough to admit that we wanted them? Because here’s the truth. Our actions are important, but we don’t have full control over what they will accomplish. We can’t control what others will think of us, or when the market will turn. But we do have the ability to map out our desires. P36

And what is clear to us in our inner world is the most impactful factor in what the outcome will be for us. If you haven’t yet filled in the blank about what you want, go back and do so now. I’ll wait. There’s another question you can ask yourself next. If someone you trusted and loved came over to you, patted you on the shoulder, and said, “Hey, I just saw what you wrote there. Nice! So you want a _______. Okay. Well, I want you to know that within a very short period of time, you will have that. That, and more. My only question is, what do you want the more to be?” What would you say? What else would you like? If you can take a moment to jot it down, that would be great! Phew. That took guts. Now, as you look at what you wrote, I want to ask you a question. If you already got all of this, what would make it even better? What else would you say you wanted? You can see where this is going. These are your desires, your goals, your wishes. It’s what you work for. It’s what you wish for. And it’s what is meant for you to have, to achieve, to create. But why is it so important for you to know your desires and have the courage to admit them? And how can you create a desires list that helps you achieve your goals? Here’s the truth: The desires we have become our reality. Have you ever been told, “Watch what you wish for?” It’s because our minds are powerful. Before Pesach, I did this exercise with a large group of women. They asked themselves, “If I could have the perfect Pesach, what would it look like?” JSUCCESS.NET

What can I add to this picture to make it even better? And what else can I do to make it EVEN better? A simple enough exercise. Except three weeks later, when Pesach was all done and over, many of the women who participated in this exercise reported that their Yom Tov went exactly as they had envisioned it. “I’ve never had a Pesach in which every one of my desires was met,” one woman said. “Down to the diamond necklace my husband treated me with.” “This was the first time we paid for everything we needed, in full, with no credit cards,” another woman said. “And I had everything I wanted.” How is it possible that simply by writing down their desires, those things happened for them? Here’s the truth. Your desires are powerful. We all have many things we desire. Right now, you can probably think of many things that “would be nice to have.” But most of us are reluctant to admit them. Even to ourselves. We’ll admit we have some desires. We usually are okay with admitting the desires that are socially acceptable, and that others around us have. But to say you want to be even more successful than all your family members? To admit we’d like to use our creativity to build a business that is different than the mainstream, when that’s been considered weird by those around us? That we don’t do.

Once you have identified your desires, it’s important to give them the attention and effort they deserve. One way to do this is to create a desires list. A desires list is a written record of all the things you want to achieve, acquire or experience in your life. It can be as specific or as general as you like, and can include anything from material possessions to personal achievements, to life experiences. If you want it, it goes on the list. Creating a desires list is an important step in achieving your goals because it helps you to focus your attention and energy on what you really want. When you have a clear idea of what you want, you are more likely to achieve it.

Here’s how you can create a desires list: •

Be specific. Instead of writing down a general desire like “I want to be successful,” be specific about what success means to you. Does it mean earning a certain amount of money, having a certain job? • Take some time right now to reflect on what you want in your life. Think about what would make you happy, really happy. What would bring you fulfillment and help you to live the life you really want? • Write down your desires in a nice notebook. Be as specific as possible, and include as much detail as you can. In conclusion, knowing your desires will be pivotal in achieving success and fulfillment in your life and business. So take the time to ask yourself, “Dear, what do you want?” and start living the life you are worthy of. As we wrap up this article, I want to leave you with some takeaway questions to reflect on: • • •

What are some desires you have been afraid to admit to yourself? How can you trust yourself more with the things you want? What would it feel like if the things you want already happened? These questions will help you dive deeper into your desires.

We’re afraid to trust our desires, much less admit them, and we don’t even think about getting these things.

•

But what if those desires were given to us for a reason?

And stay tuned for next topic, where we’ll be exploring the exact steps to getting your desires fulfilled.

When we write them down, we are taking ourselves seriously.

If you want to grow your business, your success and your wealth, be sure to check out my content on the JSuccess website. We offer valuable resources and insights to help you in your business towards achieving your desires.

You have permission to want what you want. You have permission to trust that you can get it, as well. By taking our desires seriously, we make room for those things to really come to us. JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

Chany G. Rosengarten is a mother of four young children, and #1 Amazon bestselling author. She teaches empowerment, self-care and boundaries in business, love, and relationships, and her online courses have changed the trajectory of many lives. JSUCCESS.NET / P 3 7

HEALING

Introduction to EFT by Hendy Mandel - Certified Reclaim Your True Self Coach

i, my name is Hendy Mandel. I want to introduce you to the magical world of EFT, or as some call it, Tapping. Today I will give you a short description of EFT, its magic and why it is beneficial for you and your business. Are you confused as to why you are feeling stuck, why you feel you are sabotaging yourself or holding yourself back in your business? Why you can’t make the right decisions? You had such passion when you thought of your business idea. You knew without a doubt that you had the qualities to be successful. You knew that so many people could benefit from your idea, service or business. Yet it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. You find that you are constantly overthinking or doubting every move, every decision or even your services. You don’t want to lose your long-desired dream, but you are losing it. You’re barely holding on for dear life. “Why,” you question. “Why is this happening to me? Why do I keep failing? I have done all my work, my research, invested x amount of money. HELP!” It’s time to check internally what is going on externally. What are your limiting beliefs? Where do your fears stem from? You keep on doing affirmations, yet you still don’t see any positive changes. It’s time to figure out why. B”H our bodies work in very intelligent ways. Their job is to constantly keep us safe. They do their job so efficiently they literally run our life. If something very painful happened to us in the past that didn’t clear or got metabolized in our bodies, our emotional brain, whose job it is to keep us safe, will continuously hijack us, wanting us to avoid feeling that same feeling or making that same mistake again. Our brain actually sabotages us now as we seek to grow. It keeps on pulling us back, like our hands automatically pulls back from a hot oven, not letting us do the next thing. In this case, like being seen, public speaking or making more money.

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This is where EFT comes in. EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique. It is an easy-to-follow tapping technique, very similar to acupuncture, but instead of using needles we gain access to the meridians through tapping. EFT is very powerful because it works on three levels simultaneously: body, mind and energy system. That is why breakthroughs happen very quickly. By tapping we tap into our physical body, where all our emotions, subconscious beliefs and stories live. We address our emotional mind by bringing the truth of what is holding us back or any issue we struggle with to the surface. EFT also addresses the energy system in our body by moving the stuck energy through our body and thus putting us back into a healthy, balanced, peak state.

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By bringing the issue to the surface and using the tapping formula, we bring acceptance and love to it. Love always melts fear. Once that fear and unmet need feels understood and safe, our outdated decisions are given space and dissolve. We can then tap in new, empowering beliefs and decisions which will support us in making optimal decisions in our business and everyday life. Why would you continue fighting your fears and limitations when you can totally get rid of them, by finding their source, bringing love to them and moving them through and out of your system with EFT? Today, where stress rules our world, our emotional brain takes over, putting us in survival mode. Our body now prepares to go into fight, flight and freeze. In order to do that, our body, which will always try to keep us safe, starts pumping more cortisol into our body, which in turn raises the stress in our body. Our logical brain, where all our inner wisdom, creativity, insights and clarity live, goes offline because now we need to concentrate on survival. This leaves us both depleted of energy and almost unable to access any logical, sensible solutions we so desperately seek. When we fight danger, creativity can actually put us into more danger. It stops us from saving ourselves. We then go in loops, stressing ourselves out even more, using our almost depleted energy which is now concentrated to fight the stress and overwhelm, lowering our productivity, which very quickly pulls us into a very negative place. There is no energy left to grow our business. Nothing productive can come out of this place.

EFT is known to lower our cortisol levels by sending a calming signal to our amygdala, the smoke alarm in our brain, that things are safe; nothing dangerous is happening right now; it can calm down. This is one of the many side effects of doing EFT. The calm that kicks in after doing the work is just so rewarding. As soon as our body lowers its stress levels and the emotional brain that anticipated the threat clams down, we can once again access our intelligent, logical brain. Wouldn’t you want to catch your breath, gain clarity, and once again be in control of your life instead of having the emotional brain run your life? In addition to all that, I am very passionate about doing group clearing for employees in highly stressed workplaces. Do you want more productive, composed, relaxed workers? Who will have the capability of getting more things done in a short amount of time? Give them the gift of releasing anything that overloads their system, be it a very overwhelming season, too many demands or very emotional states, as in, for example, medical facilities, and put them into a calmer, clearer, more empowered state. If you want to experience this, you have got to try it for yourself. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

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SELLING

Let’s Go Client Hunting by David Hochberg - CEO, DH Group

et’s go client hunting.

Imagine your dream clients. Your ultimate clients. The clients you enjoy working with for so many reasons. Let’s go find them. Step One: Identifying what an ideal client looks like in your business. There are several ways to do this, but I’m going to highlight one approach.

For example, you appreciated that they were open to feedback because it made it much easier to work with them in a collaborative way. Or you enjoyed that they were creative because you place a high value on creativity. Or you were grateful that they always paid on time because you have several clients who don’t do that.

If you have already worked with an ideal client, this will be easy.

This exercise will provide you with much of the information you need to create a composite of your ideal client and, perhaps more importantly, WHY they are your ideal client.

Make a list with two columns.

There is no “one-size-fits-all.”

Label column one as “Detail” and column two as “Why.”

But there is a size that fits YOU and your business.

Choose a detail about your previous ideal client.

If you have never worked with an ideal client, here’s a trick to figure it out.

It will take you less than 20 minutes and really fast-track your sales.

For example, they were open to feedback or were creative, or always paid you on time. Write it down in column one.

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In column two, write down why you valued or enjoyed that aspect of working with them.

Make the same two-column list and choose your worst client.

The “pull your hair out” client. In column one, write down the detail that was so upsetting to you. In column two, write down why it bothered you. For example, in column one, you might write down that they were a huge time-waster or were very argumentative. In column two, write down why that throws you. Perhaps you appreciate the value of time and people who don’t value your time are difficult for you to work with. Or you love to collaborate with your clients and a client who thinks “my way or the highway” rubs you in the wrong direction. Once your list is complete, you will have a composite of your worst client.

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Now, simply flip it around to see your ideal client.

business and want to take a giant step up.

not being completely dialed into your ideal client.

If your worst client is a time-waster, your ideal client will value your time and work efficiently with you.

Add in the client profile you created in step one.

Forget everyone else.

If your worst client is constantly arguing with you, your ideal client is one who loves to collaborate together with you. See how it works? Play around with it and you will come up with your ideal client. Don’t forget to add demographic details too. Business revenue, number of employees, position or role, etc.

Mix it together with your demographics and you are staring at your ideal client. Get specific in your targeting.

Let go of all the other potential clients.

There are infinite clients in infinite industries.

The more research you put into this, the more targeted and focused your networking, marketing, branding, and selling will be.

Don’t get hung up on needing to find the best ones.

Do as much of the work upfront and the sale itself will naturally flow.

Every industry and business that sells has clients.

Otherwise, you will find yourself working very hard at the sale every step of the way.

The ones that don’t have clients don’t stay around very long.

Get specific. Step Two: Where do you find your ideal client?

Identify your ideal client and get razorfocused on only finding him/her.

When you get this right, people will throw money at you.

Take your ideal client profile and start thinking.

Work smarter, not harder.

Where can I find this client?

Good luck out there!

Time to get creative. You know who you are looking for. For example, you are looking for C-suite level executives in a business that does $5-10 million a year in revenue with at least five employees. Or you are looking for creative solopreneurs who are bringing in $300k a year in a service

Who does this client do business with? Leverage your network.

Masterfully blending psychology with business, David Hochberg drills right to the core of the problem, successfully transforming your business and income.

Who do you know who is connected to your ideal client? Who is connected to a connection? Work your network to get connected with your ideal client. One of the biggest mistakes is

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MANAGEMENT

The Information Tax: The Trick to Getting Information From Anyone by Hindy Raichik, COO, Motif Studio

et’s be real: Working in management, while rewarding, isn’t always a walk in the park.

Human beings are wonderful. They also can be difficult to manage — and some are especially tricky. All of our quirks and idiosyncrasies can make it hard to work efficiently, confidently, and calmly together as a team. Most teams are less well-oiled machine, more cobbled-together, uncoordinated apparatus! Across my years in management — first a project manager, then a COO — I learned that ruling with an iron fist works poorly when it comes to getting people to get things done. Pushing my agenda on my team just wasn’t working. I had to learn to change the way I communicate to suit their style, not mine. And doing that made all the difference. That’s how the Information Tax was born.

An example? Ask them a question about scheduling (like, “When do you think you’ll complete this project?” or “Can you log your hours for this branding project?”) and you’d think you just asked them to build a software program for scheduling for the company. In another instance you might ask them to find the file that they saved and share it with you. You may as well have commissioned them to reorganize the entire file server and send out a memo to the rest of the team with a video on how to use their new and improved system. I’m only mostly joking. In the beginning, I’d probably argue. And wheedle. And beg. I thought I was pretty good at it, but honestly? I just ended up losing their trust. They would turn their headphones up and bury themselves in work — anything to avoid being asked about deadlines, client changes, or nitpicky details!

Wait, let me illustrate this for you: Working alongside creatives, every day is fresh and exciting, but can also be frustrating. Loyal to their names, most creatives — graphic designers, art directors, copywriters, motion artists, videographers, you name it — are loathe to support their manager in anything that smells even slightly un-creative.

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But very quickly, I realized that I was going to have to change how I approached things. I couldn’t change them. But I could change myself. The Information Tax was my way of making their job as easy as possible by putting all the information on the table before asking for what I needed. I broke it down into 3 simple steps:

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Step 1: Here is everything that I know about this subject/issue.

Show them that you respect their time and would not be asking them to do this unless it was truly necessary.

For example, if I needed a designer to speak to the client explaining why we did what we did on the project then I might say: “We showed the client the work we did for them yesterday, via zoom. They didn’t fully understand why we chose the color blue for the main brand color. I explained to them that blue is a trustworthy color and suitable for tech since it brings a sense of calmness to an otherwise messy product. They still aren’t sure about it and want to hear more from the designer who chose the color”.

By putting effort into making my request clear, simple, and strong, I actually got what I needed!

The key here is to include ALL the details that you know, try not to leave anything out even if it seems insignificant to you. It’s only unnecessary information to you because you already know it.

But creatives, busy clients, and anyone else not in my position? They can’t afford to take ownership of the ball. So when I had lobbed it to them, they would simply drop it. And when I’d wheedle — that just felt like I was slamming the ball at their chest!

Step 2: Here is what I need to know from you. “I need you (the designer) to get on the call I scheduled with them, for this afternoon at 2pm, and talk through your thought process in choosing the color.” Who, what, where, when and how. Cover all of these in this step. Step 3: Here is why I couldn’t get it from anyone else. “The client feels that I, as a manager, am just selling the color to them so that we can close the project. They would feel much more secure with the answer we give them if it comes from the creative team who, in their eyes, has no other agenda.”

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After seeing success with my team (they stopped turning up their music — a win!), I started implementing this with tricky, unresponsive clients as well. And I started looking at communication as a ball. Being in management, my whole job is the ball. I’m comfortable holding it, giving it, and receiving it.

But by ensuring their hands are free, and that they know how important this ball is — by gently handing it to them in a way they could accept — they did start accepting it. I just needed to learn how to get what I needed in a way that suited the people I was getting it from. Because as always, in life, the only thing you can control is yourself. With a passion for developing effective management techniques, Hindy Raichik coaching approach focuses on balancing accountability and empowerment, equipping managers with practical tools and strategies to address specific challenges.

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TRAVEL

Changes to Travel in Europe Since Brexit: Impact on Travel by Ben Robbins - Director, Bespoke Kosher Travel

he historic decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, commonly known as Brexit, has brought about significant changes to various aspects of life, including travel. Here we will address a little bit about how Brexit has impacted both business and personal travel in Europe and, specifically, we will focus on the restrictions on transporting food from the UK to mainland Europe and the subsequent impact on kosher travelers. Despite these challenges, the availability of kosher options in Europe has grown, enhancing the overall travel experience for those adhering to kosher dietary laws. Impact of Brexit on Business and Personal Travel Brexit has brought about several changes that have affected both business and personal travel in Europe, especially for those from the UK. One of the notable areas of impact is the movement of goods, particularly food, between the UK and mainland Europe. Since Brexit, transporting food from the UK to Europe has become more restricted due to new customs and regulatory requirements. These changes have disrupted supply chains and caused delays at borders, leading to challenges for businesses reliant on the timely delivery of goods. The Impact on Kosher Travelers Among those affected by the restrictions on transporting food are kosher travelers, who traditionally carried their own

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food when visiting Europe from the UK. With the restrictions and uncertainties surrounding food transport post-Brexit, some kosher travelers have found it increasingly difficult to bring their own food and maintain their dietary preferences during their travels. However, for the most part, most have been able to carry on as normal and for those coming from America, there has been little change. The response to these changes has been remarkable. The number of visitors to Europe is increasing as are the number of kosher options in Europe. The number of kosher restaurants, hotels and local Chabad houses have grown in many European cities, catering to the needs of kosher travelers, meaning travel to Europe is becoming easier and easier. There are still many amazing places across Europe which sadly are not within reach of kosher travelers. However, working closely with EU-based suppliers and couriers, we are proud to be supplying kosher meal options to clients across all of Europe and are rapidly responding to the requests to get kosher food far and wide, wherever it is requested and needed. The Opening of a Kosher Café in Dublin An example of the growing availability of kosher options is the recent opening of a kosher café in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. Ireland has seen an increase in the number of kosher tourists recently and they have responded to this with this

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great initiative. Travelers now have the opportunity to enjoy kosher meals, snacks and beverages in a welcoming environment. The opening of this café has not only enriched the travel experience for kosher tourists visiting Dublin, but will certainly attract more Jewish travelers to Ireland, contributing to the local tourism industry. We are grateful to Chabad of Dublin for making this possible. Layover Market

Visits

and

the

Don’t miss out on creating memories that will last a lifetime. Book now and let the adventure begin! W: www.bespokekoshertravel.com E: info@ bespokekoshertravel.com USA: +1 917 336 1182 UK Office: +44 (0)20 3151 1660 UK Mobile: +44 (0)7932 658 255 SA: +27 (0) 11 083 8977

Jewish

Another trend that has emerged in recent years is the increasing popularity of layover visits in Europe, particularly for the Jewish market. Europe is strategically located on the route to Israel, making it a convenient stopover for travelers en route to the Holy Land. Previously, travelers often bypassed Europe entirely, opting for direct flights. However, with the changes brought about by Brexit, many travelers have chosen to embrace the opportunity to explore European cities during their layovers. This trend has not only positively impacted the European travel industry, but has also created economic opportunities for local businesses. Hotels, restaurants and tour operators have adapted to the needs of layover visitors, offering tailored services and experiences. This growing segment of the Jewish market has fueled the development of specialized layover packages, allowing travelers to maximize their time in Europe by exploring cultural, historical and culinary highlights. We are working on many of these “short hop” experiences as they add so much value to a holiday. Brexit’s Impact: Conclusion Brexit has undoubtedly brought about significant changes to travel in Europe, affecting both business and personal travel. The restrictions on transporting food from the UK to mainland Europe have had a notable impact. However, the travel industry has responded by expanding the availability of kosher options in Europe and generally we are seeing a much larger trend of those wanting to visit Europe for short stops, but also extended holidays. With the evolution of kosher travel options and the growing popularity of layover visits, Europe remains an attractive choice for travelers, offering rich cultural experiences, historical sites, and now an even wider variety of kosher culinary delights. Our array of enticing destinations extends across Europe, so whatever the occasion, be in touch and we can discuss your next European adventure. From shopping in Paris, the wonders of Barcelona, ancient Rome or the beaches of Greece, reach out to us today, and let’s start planning your next vacation.

JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

Following his degree in Management, Ben began his career as Operations Manager for AISH UK, working on all areas of development for the Operations Department including running all of there overseas programmes. After this Ben spent 5 years as Operations Manager for Chana UK. In 2011, alongside this Ben set up Bespoke Kosher Travel focusing on bespoke holidays for the Kosher Traveler. The business has seen clients visit over 30 destinations around the world with everything being taken care of from start to finish. His experience in travel and business has led to the growth of the business which Ben runs along side other ventures he has begun in recent years. JSUCCESS.NET / P 4 5

BUSINESS STRATEGY

On Recession by Isaac Bardos - Founder, Business Breakthroughs

aking money in a recession isn’t difficult when you have the right niche, the right offering, and you know how to maximize your offer in your niche for max profit margin. Here are 5 points: 1. Understand recessions are part of the pattern Recessions aren’t scary when you understand they are part of a pattern. If you don’t know that falling off a bike and scraping your knee is part of learning to ride, it may seem scary. As a parent looking at it from a 30,000-foot view, you clearly understand that it is part of the learning process. As a kid, you realize it’s part of the pattern, and you start enjoying the ride. Just as seasons exist in annual weather, they exist in the economy, and one of the seasons is a recession. Just like you know how to set up your home and wardrobe for the weather, you have to be ready when things are good and it’s a well-oiled economy, and also for when bad “weather” comes. You need to be prepared. Be prepared for when clients start freezing contracts and cutting spending, and your prices and costs are increasing. If you’re not prepared, it’s probably because you didn’t set up your business to be able to handle a recession. “There is so much good in the world, a lot more than one person can take.” 2. Recessions are u-turns Historically, every 12-15 years, on average, there are changes in money patterns. In a period of 50 years, there are about 4-5 times when it will happen. Since 1980, there have been 5. When a recession comes, it means that some things are about to take a u-turn. A u-turn won’t stop you from getting to your destination; it just means you went too far in one direction, and you need to correct by going in the opposite direction. Most people think that a recession or an economic u-turn is bad, but it can be a great thing. If you think, “I came all this way, let me keep going until I get there,” you will never make it. You can’t keep driving straight, assuming perseverance will beat the economic pattern. You need to make a u-turn to get back to where you need to be.

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Let me illustrate with an example of a current-day u-turn occurring because of the recession. During covid, employees were laid off. As businesses slowly opened up, employers were looking to hire. However, potential employees were getting unemployment benefits and did not want to return. Towards the end of covid, the benefits started coming off, and people started returning to work. Since employees were in high demand, they were able to ask for high wages. Currently, many companies are beginning to lay off those employees due to the recession. Here’s where the u-turn happens. Employees start realizing they can’t demand as much pay as they did a few months before the recession. This “corrects” the overpay employers were paying employees. Recession is another word for correction. We like corrections. A common pattern seen during a recession is that costs rise and entry-level employees’ salaries go down. This is a correction. “Most people think that a recession, or an economic u-turn, is a bad thing, but it can be the greatest thing you could ever ask for in business.” 3. It’s up to the business owner and decision-makers rather than the business itself. In 2020, there was a form of recession for several months. People were freezing spending, pulling back, and canceling contracts. The businesses that struggled the most during those times were those that were not around in 2008 and

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had never experienced a recession before. In my business in 2008, I learned that to get through, I had to better understand what people wanted more than anything during that time. I needed to figure out how my product or service could directly align and support them. This could be done by either achieving the desired experience or directly helping them avoid what they did not want. It’s up to the business owner to see that opportunity and think: How can I set up my product or service to meet the outcome desired by my target audience, or how will it help my customers avoid the things they want to avoid? 4. Get lean to stay green. Many business owners don’t realize the power of technology as an opportunity to scale even during a recession. CRMs, AI, and automation can relieve a tremendous amount of work of the people on your payroll, which is often the most significant ongoing business expense. A business that works on automation will come out of this recession having been able to decrease expenses and increase profits. Because they cut their expenses and increased profit margin, they can afford to survive with fewer sales, which naturally slow during a recession. What about the livelihood of the people losing their jobs to technology? As technology replaces jobs, new jobs and sometimes new industries are created by that technology. “Take a look at what the most successful players in your industry are doing.” 5. Success leaves clues. Look at what the most successful players in your industry are doing. How are they making their product or service attractive to the current clients? What language, branding, and demographics are they using to get their customers’ attention and generate sales? You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. If you see others doing something that works, figure out what they’re doing and do the same. Take a look at your product and service and think: Is it optimized for the niche that we’re in? How can we make this more efficient? How can we make this easier for our customers to do, with fewer steps and less cost? How can we complete the service we are providing without losing quality? Business owners often don’t have an answer to these questions, which is why they get stuck and struggle in a recession. Those who ask these questions and go in the right direction will get so much more market share and business growth during the recession.

Isaac Bardos educates business owners on topics including Mindset, Marketing, Sales DAS, Productivity & people & Emotional wealth. JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

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COMMUNITY PHOTOS

Submit your photos!

Community Photos T his is a place for JSuccess Members & Experts to submit company photos celebrating a new move, new hire, company anniversary, event or trade show attendance or sponsorship, and other milestones.

New office! JSuccess opens shop at Nexus Towers, 36 Airport Rd, Lakewood, NJ Submitted by Zevy Lamm

Recent event with Isaac Bardos in Lakewood hosted by JSuccess Submitted by Isaac Bardos

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BUSINESS HALACHA

From the Archives of the

by Rav Chaim Kohn - Founder, Business Halacha Institute

roper Pricing #1

By Rabbi Meir Orlian, based on the writings of Rav Chaim Kohn, ‫שליט”א‬ Q: I called in the local plumber to fix a burst pipe, but didn’t confirm the price before he began working. How much do I owe him for the job? A: When a price hasn’t been set, the general rule is that we follow the accepted going rate, k’minhag hamedina. (Choshen Mishpat 331:2) If there is a broadly accepted standard rate, this is easy. However, often there is a range of fees, with some workers charging more and some charging less. In this case, Ketzos Hachoshen (331:3) cites the Ritva that the workman, who is claiming payment, has the weaker hand, and can only demand the lower end of the price range. However, Pischei Choshen (IV:8(11)) suggests that if this particular workman has a known fee scale for his jobs, or if his quality of work is of a particularly high standard, we would follow that pay scale. To avoid misunderstandings and possibly cheating the worker, the Chofetz Chaim (end of Ahavas Chesed, Part I) strongly recommends getting a price quote before beginning any work.

Payment for an item is due upon consummation of the sale, and therefore the price quoted for immediate cash payment is typically viewed as the “true price.” Therefore, if the vendor charges more for credit or payment in installments, he is considered as charging interest for the delay in payment. According to most authorities, a heter iska would be required to allow such a pricing system. Otherwise, one is only allowed to pay the lower, immediate cash price. [There are some authorities, though, who maintain that if the credit price clearly reflects the true market price, and the cash price is a discount from the true price, it is allowed. (Chochmas Adam 139:5)] In any case, it is permissible to quote a single price, allowing for credit or payment in installments.

Harav Chaim Kohn is the founder of the Mechon L’Choshen Mishpat/Business Halacha Institute, Dean of Bais Hora’ah Eitz Chaim and the Av Bais Din of its affiliated Bais Din. Rav Kohn authored Hilchos Mishpat, a comprehensive commentary on Choshen Mishpat. His halachic guidance is frequently sought throughout the world.

Proper Pricing #2 By Rabbi Meir Orlian, based on the writings of Rav Chaim Kohn, ‫שליט”א‬ Q: Can I charge one price for immediate cash payment and a greater amount for credit or payment in installments? A: This common question of two-tiered pricing relates to the issue of ribbis, interest.

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SCIENTIFIC, EVIDENCE-BASED COACHING AND TRAINING

Entrepreneurs, leaders and high performers who are committed to maximizing their potential

Tania is an attorney and a former champion athlete. She was one of the top Austrian table tennis players, Vienna champion and European Jewish Olympic champion. She has trained at world-leading coaching institutions. She is an International Coaching Federation Professional Certiﬁed Coach (PCC) and a Certiﬁed Gallup Global Strengths Coach. She has the privilege of working with executives and emerging leaders from Google, Facebook, Salesforce, Neiman Marcus, Morgan Stanley and other leading companies.

SHE HAS HELPED 300+ HIGH PERFORMERS ACHIEVE: • Clarity & Direction

• Conﬁdence

• Productivity

• Peak Performance

• Identify & Leverage their Strengths • Leadership & Business Development • Motivation

• Goals

• Personal & Professional Growth

WAYS TO WORK WITH ME:

Group Coaching

www.taniafriedlander.com

One-on-One Coaching

Workshops

coachfriedlander@gmail.com

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Speaking Engagements

www.taniafriedlander.coach/masterclass JSUCCESS.NET / P 5 1

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Money As A

State of Mind

by Simi Mandelbaum - CFT-I, AFC, FBS, Founder, PROSPR Financial Wellness

atan and Yael are married and founding partners of NY Realty* a real estate brokerage and management company. They built it from the ground up and are supremely proud of their achievements. Building relationships, creating strategic partnerships and maintaining a stellar reputation. It all adds up to where they are now. Their monthly finance meetings used to be the highlight of their month. They’d go out to a local Steakhouse, on the Company’s expense of course, and review the company’s financial performance compared to their budget. With their consistent growth and profitability it was a time to celebrate. Tension At The Table These past few months have been different. With the economic downturn and high interest rates, closings on new sales declined and the business has been missing it’s marks. Today’s meeting had a very different tone. Yael reviewed the numbers with Natan and showed him how revenues were dropping while expenses were increasing. She mentioned that she was very concerned that promotional gifts were at an all time high. “Natan, you’ve got to stop sending all those meat boards and sushi platters to our referral sources! We just can’t afford it with the business drying up,” she said. Natan vehemently disagrees. “In order to maintain our relationships and bring in more business, we have to INCREASE our promotional spending, not decrease!” What Mindset Has To Do With It Most people are programmed to relate to money through their childhood experiences. Whereas Natan grew up in a stable, solidly middle class home, Yael was raised in a single parent home where money was tight. In fact, covering the monthly expenses was not a guarantee and this fear still affects her when their bank account dips. Natan clearly has an abundance mindset which is quite opposite to Yael’s security mindset. People with an abundant mindset tend to spend more. They believe there is always a way to make more money. People with a security mindset tend to need more money in the bank to feel safe. Natan and Yael’s different money mindsets are causing them to approach the same situation from different angles . While each one serves a purpose, their mindset is only helpful if it serves their common goal! P52

Defining and Setting Common Goals At the end of that meal, Yael and Natan agreed that they couldn’t operate ‘Business as Usual”. They agreed on 2 goals. One, they were committed to increasing profitable revenue. Two, they had to cut overhead until they achieved their revenue goals. They agreed to brainstorm separately and meet again to discuss their plans. Yael realized that Natan was right. He had to continue sending promotional gifts to an expanding network. She would suggest a more affordable solution, such as fruit or chocolate platters, instead of meat boards and sushi platters. Natan realized that Yael was right. He reviewed all the expenses in the company and suggested changes. Same Direction - Less Stress At their next meeting, things became productive again. Natan agreed with Yael’s innovative solution on promotional gifting, and Yael appreciated the expense cuts Natan suggested. They were both energized to move their business forward, together. Takeaways: The next time you are going through you finances, ask yourself the following: • What mindset am I using right now? • Does this mindset serve me? • If yes, great! Lucky you. • If not, what can you do to challenge (or broaden) this mindset? Bonus challenge ideas: • If you tend to Scarcity- Gift someone just because. • If you tend to Security- Buy an ‘extra’ you normally wouldn’t just because - without looking at the bank account. • If you tend to Abundance- Delete one item that’s sitting in your amazon cart that you don’t really need.

“Different money mindsets approach the same situation from different angles.”

Simi Mandelbaum is the Founder and CEO of PROSPR Financial Wellness, a center dedicated to reducing the stress and anxiety people feel around money. Incepted in 2019, Simi has helped hundreds of clients reduce debt, increase income, and most importantly live their money lives true to their goals and values!

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SELLING

Are You Fishing in the Right Lake? by David Hochberg - CEO, DH Group

ou worked hard to develop an incredible service or product and are convinced that your clients and customers will line up to buy it. You invested countless hours into it.

If you have done good market research and know that there is a hungry market for what you are selling, then the fish should be biting. If they don’t bite, it simply means you are fishing in the wrong lake.

Long days and even longer nights. After the final tweaking and polishing, you present it to the world. And…

You don’t need fishing rod.

new

You don’t need new bait. But you might need to find a new lake.

Silence. Not even crickets. No one is buying. Why?

There are an unlimited number of clients and customers in the world, all hungry to buy goods and services. From pens to accounting services to gold-plated toilets.

What’s going on? Do you need to go back to the drawing board and redo everything you have done so far? Should you spend countless more hours changing your idea?

Yes, you can buy a gold-plated toilet. Google it. If someone is selling goldplated toilets, it means there is a market for it.

No. Here’s what probably happened. (Important: If you didn’t do market research and have no idea if there is a market for your service or product, you need to do that before reading any further!)

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There are always clients and customers ready to spend money and buy all sorts of things. The key is knowing where to find the people who want what you are offering.

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The person looking for a sweater at Walmart is not looking for a $3,000 designer sweater.

Because although they love what you have to say, they aren’t the market for your product and service.

The person looking to hire a business advisor for a $10,000 monthly retainer is not searching Fiverr and Upwork to find one.

Wrong lake.

Ask yourself some questions.

So you need to either change your content to speak to the potential clients and customers you are looking for or find other channels to market to them.

Are you selling a high-ticket item to a market that cannot afford your service?

Here’s another selling tactic that works hand-in-hand with this concept.

Are you selling a low-ticket item to a market that typically spends thousands of dollars on the product you are selling?

Think synergistically.

Different lakes have different sized fish.

Who does your ideal client typically do business with?

You won’t find whales in a goldfish bowl.

What else does your ideal customer typically buy?

And it’s really difficult to catch tiny goldfish in the ocean. You may have the perfect fishing rod and bait, but the fish you are trying to catch don’t hang out where you are fishing!

Secondary networks.

For example, if you are marketing accounting or fractional CFO services to healthcare facilities, what are some other businesses that your client probably deals with? Attorneys? Bookkeepers?

So, what can you do to fix this problem? Medical supply companies? Here are two options: Temp nursing providers? One, you can spend countless more hours redesigning your product and service to match the lake you are fishing in.

Where do they “hang out?” Talk to them.

Good luck with that option. It is doable, but there are easier ways to fix the problem. Two, you can switch to a different lake, a lake where your ideal fish are swimming. If you are selling $200 pens, find an upscale market to sell them in.

Get involved with your client’s secondary network and they will provide you with backdoor access to new, similar connections within their primary network. If you sell printed T-shirts to camps, go find places and people that are connected to camps. Network with schools, popular fun activity places, etc. For example, find a water park and talk to the manager there. He can probably put you in touch with some camps.

No one will buy them in Walmart. Get creative with your networking. If you are selling $10 coffee mugs, don’t market them in Bloomingdales. If you are selling high-end design services, focus on businesses that can afford highend design work. You also may notice this on LinkedIn. You have your community of people who always engage with your posts and content. But they don’t buy from you!

Most importantly, remember to find the lakes where your ideal fish are swimming. You will find that with the right fishing rod, the right bait and the right lake, fish will bite. Again and again. Wishing you much hatzlacha and success! Masterfully blending psychology with business, David Hochberg drills right to the core of the problem, successfully transforming your business and income.

Why?

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TRAVEL

Exploring the Growing Opportunities for Kosher Travel in a Post-COVID World by Ben Robbins - Director, Bespoke Kosher Travel

he COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the travel industry, leaving a lasting impact on various aspects of tourism. However, despite the challenges faced, the kosher travel sector has emerged stronger than ever before. In fact, the pandemic brought about positive changes, resulting in the opening up of new destinations and a wider range of kosher options for travelers. In this article, we will explore how travel for the kosher client has grown even bigger since COVID and how there are now exciting holiday options for kosher travellers in Cuba, Mexico, Thailand, Kenya and Tanzania. 1. Cuba: Unveiling the Hidden Gem of Kosher Travel Cuba, a Caribbean island known for its rich culture, historical charm and picturesque landscapes, has recently become an attractive destination for kosher travelers. With the relaxation of travel restrictions and the increased availability of kosher amenities, Jewish travelers can now explore the beauty of this tropical paradise. In Havana, the capital city, visitors can have access to kosher provisions while exploring Old Havana’s cobblestone streets, relaxing on the stunning beaches of Varadero and immersing in the unique Cuban experience. 2. Mexico: A Kosher Haven With Diverse Offerings Mexico has long been a favorite destination for travelers seeking sun, sand and vibrant culture. In recent years, the country has made great strides in catering to the kosher market. Kosher restaurants, resorts and grocery stores have sprouted up in popular tourist destinations like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Mexico City. Visitors can savor delicious Mexican kosher cuisine, explore ancient Mayan ruins, snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of the Yucatan Peninsula, or simply relax on the stunning Riviera Maya beaches. Mexico offers a diverse range of activities and experiences while catering to every kosher traveler’s preferences.

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3. Thailand: Exotic Kosher Getaways in the Land of Smiles Thailand, with its fascinating blend of ancient traditions and modernity, has become an increasingly popular destination for kosher travelers. Kosher restaurants can be found in major cities like Bangkok and Phuket, and the local kosher stores have expanded its kosher range for those seeking a taste of authentic Thai cuisine, as well as the option for kosher provisions being provided. Exploring Bangkok’s bustling markets, visiting ornate temples, and enjoying traditional experiences await Thailand’s visitors. Additionally, Thailand’s stunning islands, such as Koh Samui and Phuket, offer breathtaking beaches and luxurious resorts, ensuring a memorable kosher vacation. 4. Kenya: Safari Adventures and Kosher Delights Kenya, a country renowned for its wildlife and natural beauty, has opened its doors to kosher provisions, providing an exceptional opportunity for Jewish travelers to embark on unforgettable safari adventures. Beyond the city, Kenya’s worldfamous national parks, such as the Maasai Mara and Amboseli, offer awe-inspiring encounters with Africa’s iconic animals. Witnessing the Great Migration, interacting with Maasai tribes, and enjoying a sunset safari become extraordinary experiences when combined with kosher-friendly facilities. 5. Tanzania: Serene Kosher Retreats Amidst Natural Splendor Adjacent to Kenya, Tanzania offers a plethora of attractions for kosher travelers. The picturesque island of Zanzibar has stunning white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. Enjoy kosher food while exploring Tanzania’s world-famous national parks, including the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. One of the significant advancements in the kosher travel industry post-COVID is the increased availability of accommodations and services that cater specifically to kosher travelers’ needs, allowing them to maintain their dietary requirements and observe Shabbat while exploring new destinations. Many hotels now accommodate kosher meal options, ensuring that kosher travelers can enjoy travel without compromising their religious practices. JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

In addition, as we specialize in kosher travel we can arrange Shabbat-friendly accommodations, synagogues for prayer services, and even kosher tours and activities to enhance the travel experience. These developments have opened up a whole new world of possibilities for kosher travelers, making it easier than ever to explore different cultures and still maintain kosher and Shabbat observance. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about remarkable changes and opportunities for kosher travelers. The world has become more accessible and exciting for those who wish to explore it while adhering to their kosher dietary restrictions and Shabbat observance. Whether it’s indulging in Cuban flavors, basking in the sun in Mexico, immersing in Thai culture, embarking on safari adventures in Kenya, or enjoying the serenity of Tanzania’s natural beauty, kosher travelers can now experience the best of all worlds. There has never been a better time for kosher travelers to embark on enriching journeys that combine cultural exploration with religious observance. So pack your bags, embark on new adventures, and let the world be your kosher oyster! Reach out to us today, and let’s start planning your dream trip to South Africa or any other exciting destination. Don’t miss out on creating memories that will last a lifetime. Book now and let the adventure begin! W: www.bespokekoshertravel.com E: info@ bespokekoshertravel.com USA: +1 917 336 1182 UK Office: +44 (0)20 3151 1660 UK Mobile: +44 (0)7932 658 255 SA: +27 (0) 11 083 8977

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PUBLIC SPEAKING

Conquering the Fear by Eliezer Blatt - Public Speaking Coach

s a professional speaking coach, I think about the presentations that have shaped our Jewish history: Moshe trying to convince Pharaoh to free the Jewish people, the spies urging the people not to conquer Eretz Yisroel, and Shlomo HaMelech delivering his verdict in the most famous custody dispute in history. Often these presentations have pertained to matters of life and death for masses of people. Most of us never have to make a presentation with lives hanging in the balance. I make presentations for a living. I speak before groups of people, sometimes hundreds at a time, almost every day. And I get paid to do this, so you might think of me as a professional presenter. But what if I told you that those presentations are only a fraction of the number of presentations I deliver in a day? How many presentations do you make in a day? What really is a presentation anyway? Do you need a large audience in an auditorium, a podium and a microphone, or is a presentation defined by what you are trying to accomplish? Maybe every time you communicate with your boss, that’s a presentation. What if every time you send an email or WhatsApp to win over a friend to your point of view, you are making a presentation? Then any time you are attempting to convince anybody, anywhere of anything – in business, at home, on the phone, in person, one-on-one, or in groups

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– that’s a presentation. In which case, you might actually be making hundreds of presentations a day and your audience can be one person or 1,000! Well, if we are going to make so many presentations each day, we might as well learn some tools on how to be more effective at delivering them. One student had great content and presentation, but his delivery was somehow not effective. I brought to his attention that he wasn’t smiling enough. This one modification changed his entire presentation. A few weeks later I received a phone call from his wife thanking me for getting her husband to smile more at home; the change had had a ripple effect on his entire life. Another student was not using effective eye contact and her glance was darting from one person to another, giving off a nervous vibe. I suggested she look at each audience member of her small group for a few seconds, to create more of a feeling of connection. She later shared with me that her new awareness of effective eye contact had not only helped with her presentation, it also changed the dynamics in her family and at work. One of the most important tools that I share with my students is how to control fear. Aside from politicians and professional speakers, who really loves speaking in public? Not many. In fact, public speaking ranks among the things Americans fear

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most in the world, according to a Gallup Poll which found the only thing we are more scared of – is snakes!

my mind would freeze and I couldn’t remember what I wanted to say.”

I have found that many people who are successful in many areas still suffer from fear of public speaking. Even though it may be masked by other activities in their lives, many people don’t have a very strong self-image and when they find themselves in front of any audience, they become very vulnerable.

Nonetheless, she wanted to conquer her fear. After being coached by me, she went on to deliver an eightminute speech to the judges at Yad Vashem. The usual symptoms that followed her whenever she had to speak were no longer there and she was able to keep the audience’s attention for the entire eight minutes. Best of all, she even enjoyed herself! In the end, she was so happy with her accomplishment that she no longer cared if she got the job at all. Needless to say, she did.

So here are three tips to get you started: 1. Practice, practice, practice. Don’t think that you won’t be nervous if you are getting in front of an audience unprepared. Repeat your talk a few times while recording yourself, or recite it to a trusted friend who will give you honest feedback. Don’t just wing it! 2. Don’t focus on yourself. Focus on your message and make sure that the message benefits the audience. The more you believe in your message, the more passionate and focused you will sound in your delivery. 3. Know that the audience wants you to succeed. They don’t have it in for you. People feel that someone in the audience will

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“I feel this was a real breakthrough for me and the beginning of something that I was always hoping for,” she said. With proper training and practice, most people can control their fear of public speaking. I know because I’ve helped thousands of people control the “butterflies in their stomachs.”

know more about the topic than them and ridicule them. Trust me, they won’t. Controlling our fear of public speaking, learning to be an effective communicator, and presenting efficiently can transform many areas of our lives because life is a series of presentations. The better your presentations are, the better your life will be.

Eliezer Blatt is a world-renowned speaker trainer and presentation skills expert. After years as a child actor and singer performing in front of large audiences, he went on to graduate with a BA with honors in Television Production and Professional Speech.

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Core Focus by Rachel Lebowitz - Professional EOS Implementor

veryone is in business to make money.

Yet there is only so much you can incentivize people with money. No matter how much money you are giving to your employees as compensation, incentives and bonuses, they are most probably calculating how much more you are making and taking out of the business. “If all you care about is money, then all your people will care about is money!” (you can quote me on this) So how can you get your employees to care beyond a paycheck? The answer is in your business’s purpose and long-term goals. Money is like gas in a car. It is the fuel to get you somewhere. The question is, where are you going and why are you heading there? Everyone wants to hire superstars and winners, but if you are hiring winners, they want to know what they are winning. What is in it for them? People like and want money, because of the emotional gratification you get when you have money. What it gets you. A nicer car? A bigger house? More recognition? Security?

Therefore, it is important to inspire your people beyond money. Mayo Clinic pays doctors 10% below market value, yet they have the most dedicated staff and are one of the top medical clinics in the United States. How is that? Because their employees have deeply bought into the company’s mission. Money isn’t the only compensation employees receive from work. There are actually five ways we compensate employees in the workplace. • •

• • •

Financially - Paying them a fair price for their value. Emotionally - Do they love what they do? Everyone wants to GWC their seat! (Get it, Want it and have the Capacity). People enjoy feeling accomplished and fulfilled. Socially - Is the work environment a nice place to work? Does everyone align with the company’s core values and fit like a glove as a cohesive team? Psychologically - Do your employees see opportunities for growth within your business? Spiritually - It is a human need to work for a greater purpose. To be a part of something bigger. Do your employees share in the company’s mission?

Now you see the importance of creating a “Mission” for your company, also known as a “Core Focus” in EOS terms. What other purpose does your core focus serve?

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Your core focus serves as a narrative for your business’s WHY. Have you ever tried telling someone “I’m totally fine” while you are not and having them challenge you and say, “I can feel you aren’t being honest or telling me the whole story?” Human creatures feel energy and can sense motives and reasons beyond words. In the absence of a story, people make up their own story. Unless you tell the world your narrative loudly and clearly, your consumers and employees will make up their own narrative and it may be fragmented or even worse, a negative narrative that drives people away. Besides being a dictating narrative, a “Core Focus,” as we call it in EOS, serves much more. As the word suggests, it comes from the core of the business. The founder and organization must stay laser-focused on it so as to not get distracted by shiny stuff. Visionaries by nature get easily distracted. You start a project and somewhere down the line it gets monotonous and boring and you decide to change course (maybe because of your weak follow-through abilities), but by doing so you are confusing and distracting your whole organization.

clients, consumers and employees. Does this employee resonate with my mission? Does this customer appreciate why we do what we do? If they don’t, you will never see eye to eye and never be able to satisfy them. Disney’s mission statement is “to make people happy.” It doesn’t say what they do or what they sell. It involves everyone. Their employees and their customers. You will never see a grumpy employee in DisneyLand. Why? Because they are so focused on making people happy, including their employees! Mary Kay’s mission is to empower women. We all know someone who felt so proud of selling Mary Kay products and maybe winning a pink car. Mary Kay succeeded in empowering her salespeople AND customers. It is not just a cosmetic brand! It is a brand that sells empowerment!

Part of your core focus is defining your “niche.” What are you great at? What is that ONE thing that you were planted on this planet to do more awesomely than anyone else? THAT should be your niche. We all know people who were successful in one industry and then started divesting only to lose focus and business. “He used to be in healthcare and then went into real estate and it all went downhill from there.” Why is that? That is because we are each genetically encoded to do ONE thing superbly and are not meant to multitask and stretch our resources too thin and in many different ways. A business owner’s core focus is deeply personal. You cannot separate business from personal. Contrary to popular belief, business is deeply personal. We all have a reason for going into business and that is deeply personal. We all have a purpose, cause or passion that drives us beyond money. We may not be aware of it or ready to admit it. It all goes back to when you were around 7 years old. Each of us had a challenge when we were younger, when we were defeated and vowed to “show them.” Maybe you were bullied in school, maybe you didn’t have the things your classmates had and felt left out, maybe you always wanted to innovate but felt stifled by your community or the system. Maybe you wanted to influence but instead kept being pushed into a “follower” seat. It is that motive that is still driving you today. Maybe unbeknownst to you. It is not a bad thing. It is what drives you beyond money. That is what makes you a visionary. Visionaries are driven beyond money.

To conclude, your company’s mission statement: • • • • • • • •

Is stated in three to seven words Is written in simple language Is big and bold Has an a-ha effect Comes from the heart Involves everyone Goes beyond money Is bigger than a goal

Your core focus is also used as a tool to filter out the right fit

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MANAGEMENT

Showcasing Soft Skills as a Manager by Hindy Raichik, COO, Motif Studio

orking in management often means your skill set is not easily proven in the interview process. Soft skills, in particular, can be challenging to detect as an interviewer and hard to showcase as an interviewee. However, there are certain core basics that companies look for in their leaders, and here are some effective ways for interviewers to identify these qualities during the interview process: Clear Communication: Communication is the foundation of good management, and it plays a crucial part in various job roles. As an interviewer, pay attention to how candidates communicate throughout the interview and beyond. Notice if they effectively convey their understanding of the topics discussed and demonstrate enthusiasm to learn more. Every interaction provides an opportunity for candidates to showcase their communication skills, and it’s important to read between the lines to understand the strengths they bring to the table. Punctuality: Punctuality is a key aspect of time management that reflects reliability. As an interviewer, observe candidates’ timeliness and assess their ability to manage their own time effectively. Notice if they prioritize being on time and take responsibility for any potential delays. Candidates who show respect for others’ time and demonstrate accountability exhibit qualities essential for managerial positions. Resourcefulness: During the interview process, watch for candidates who display resourcefulness and problem-solving skills. Instead of relying on simple information provided by the interviewer, observe if candidates take the initiative to find answers independently. This behavior showcases their ability to be resourceful and their willingness to go the extra mile to find solutions. Active Leadership: As an interviewer, focus on candidates who exhibit a strong presence and active leadership during the interview. Encourage them to ask relevant questions and evaluate their ability to engage in a meaningful dialogue. Look for candidates who take ownership of the interview by actively participating and maintaining a balanced conversation. Assessing their capacity

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to lead and command a discussion provides insights into their potential as effective managers. Task Performance: One effective way to assess a candidate’s skills is to give them a task that is relevant to the role they are applying for. For example, if the job requires using a management software to input tasks, provide them with a task and ask them to demonstrate their ability to follow instructions and handle a task. Provide any necessary information that they cannot access on their own, such as showing them how to navigate the software or explaining specific functionalities. Observe their approach, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail during the task. This exercise provides valuable insights into their practical abilities and how they handle real-world scenarios. Attention to Detail: Throughout the interview, pay attention to candidates’ listening skills and their ability to notice and remember small details. Observe if they actively listen and make connections between different aspects of the conversation. Candidates who demonstrate attentiveness and attention to detail show their ability to grasp important information, which is crucial for effective management. While many individuals possess exceptional personalities, it is important as an interviewer to assess their ability to showcase the desired soft skills during the interview process. By closely observing candidates’ behavior, responses and practical task performance, you can identify those who possess the qualities companies seek in managerial positions.

With a passion for developing effective management techniques, Hindy Raichik coaching approach focuses on balancing accountability and empowerment, equipping managers with practical tools and strategies to address specific challenges.

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MARKETING STRATEGY

What Is Your Why? by Yisroel H. Levovitz - CEO, Profound Business

ver the years, I have had discussions with many small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Their industries are all different: health products, education, photography, travel, dentistry, construction, demolition, transportation, solar panels, plumbing and flooring, just to name a few. Their levels of business expertise are all different: some are start-ups, some are veterans of their field and some have a few years under their belts. Their issues are different, their pain points are different, their approaches are different, their obstacles are different and their goals are different. The common thread that I found among them all, virtually without fail, is that they had a hard time answering the simple (or actually not so simple at all) question of, “What Is Your Why?” Many topics were discussed, and many questions were asked and answered. Many ideas were presented, and many solutions were thrown around, and other than the elusive answer to the all-important question of “What Is Your Why?” most of them seemed to know and understand the general direction their business needed to take to ensure steady growth. Understanding the importance of the question “What Is Your Why?” and, more importantly, taking a long, deep look inward and answering this question, goes a long way in alleviating a lot of the pain points that business owners deal with. Knowing and understanding your “Why,” and crafting your “what,” “when,” “where” and “how” around the foundation of your “Why,” will allow for a better

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balanced approach to your business. It will also enable you to stay focused when the going gets rough and will ensure that you remain motivated to do what is necessary to fulfill the goals that come along with reaching your “Why.” Parenthetically, or maybe this should be the main point of this article, if your only “Why” is “to make money,” your business is in some serious trouble in terms of sustainability … perhaps we will elaborate more on this in a future article. So, do you know your “Why?” If you do not, I suggest you do some serious business introspection to start figuring it out!

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MARKETING STRATEGY

4 Ways to Find – and Fine Tune – Your Selling Points by Yisroel H. Levovitz - CEO, Profound Business

ver many years of working with business owners, I have discovered a very important, yet simple, principle that differentiates those who succeed from those who struggle: Selling Points. Yes, the businesses that are crystal clear as to what their selling points are tend to focus better on doing what is necessary to ensure that they “stick to the script” and become the best they can be at accentuating those selling points. So, how do you figure out what your most viable selling points are? And how do you fine tune those for maximum clarity? It boils down to four essential philosophies, as follows: 1.) What questions are your potential customers asking? What may be a simple tenet of your business to you may be news to them. Perceptively LISTEN to their questions and you will learn which selling points to focus on. 2.) What reactions are they giving to your info? Develop your selling points based on their “Aha,” “Oh,” “Interesting!” and “Really?!” responses and the like. Natural reactions, as terse, blunt and offhand as they may be, are loaded with usable feedback for you to decipher and use to sharpen your selling point power.

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3.) Furthermore, body language and grunts are extremely telling. “Uh huh,” “Mhmm,” eye rolls, shoulder shrugging, arm crossing, eye contact, smiles, gleaming eyes and the like are a treasure trove of pointers, if you pay attention to them and read them correctly. As you speak, watch and learn and educate yourself as to which selling points resonate with them and which do not. [And speaking of “speaking”… do it less! Instead, add a hefty dose of listening and observing. Now that’s a point I’m selling … and it’s worth buying.] 4.) F inally, selling points should be you offering solutions, not you proposing sales pitches. They should be the reasons for them needing you, not your way of letting them know you need them. In other words, despite them being called “selling” points, avoid the mistake of turning them into “sales” points. Put these four principles into practice and your potential clients will soon start to have a much clearer grasp of what your business is, what it stands for, what it does, and which solutions it can offer them!

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SELLING

So, You Want to Improve Your Selling Skills? by David Hochberg - CEO, DH Group

o, you want to improve your selling skills? Fantastic. That’s a smart move. Selling is the core of every business. Without sales, all businesses curl up and die. We are going to go over a lot about sales in this series of articles. How to land big clients. An open and honest look at some sales strategies…what works and what doesn’t. How to use rejection in a powerful way. And much more. I’m going to share with you some principles that will be the core foundation of all that we discuss. Master the principles below, and everything that we cover here will fall into place.

You cannot change without discomfort. Unfortunately. Think about exercise. You cannot get stronger by lifting weights that are easy to lift. You cannot improve your stamina if your heart rate doesn’t increase. Get ready to face some discomfort if you are willing to change something about the way you have been selling. As the Navy Seals say, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Change is not easy. But all kinds of good stuff is right on the other side. You will survive the discomfort. Guaranteed. Grit your teeth and jump into trying something new. This brings me to the next principle.

Principle #1: Most of the challenges you are facing related to selling have to do with you. Sorry, but it’s the truth. You are both the strongest AND weakest link in your operation. The sales tactics you use. The way you work with your sales team. The things you avoid doing when it comes to selling. You are in your own way. Be open to this idea. Notice where it shows up for you. Be open to doing things differently. You know what your results have been until now. If you continue doing things the same way, you will continue to get more of the same. If you want new sales numbers, be open to working on yourself and getting out of your own way.

Principle #3: Make sure you are leveraging what works. Did you ever climb up a down-moving escalator as a kid? You CAN do it. But it wastes an enormous amount of time, energy and effort. It is much smarter to take the up-moving escalator. Maybe even run up. That’s leveraging what works well and efficiently. The same is true of sales strategies. Yes, you will probably be uncomfortable as you become skilled at something new. But it must be something you will actually do. The best strategy in the world is worthless if you procrastinate doing it or avoid it altogether. Stop telling yourself that you need to do XYZ strategy if you keep avoiding XYZ strategy. Let it go. Stop climbing up the down-moving escalator. Find and leverage the strategies that work for you. The ones you will actually execute.

Principle #2: You will get uncomfortable if you do what it takes to achieve more.

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Principle# 4: Get out of your client’s/customer’s head. I don’t mean you should skip market research. That is critical to identifying your target market. We will discuss this later. I am referring to what you believe your client is thinking. About your price. Your service. Your offer. Your presentation. Etc. The times you tweak your sales presentation because of what you believe they are thinking. Stop it. Please stop it. You have no idea what they are thinking. Follow your sales system. If the system needs to be adjusted based on facts and data, you will adjust it. But do not adjust it based on your belief of what the customer is thinking. Stay out of his head. Let your system and sales strategies do their job. Principle #5: Learn to tell stories. Did you ever watch a master salesperson work their magic? You find yourself getting caught up in the story they are weaving. Let’s use an example. Imagine you just walked for an hour in the heat. You are hot, sweaty and exhausted. Really try to picture it. Now imagine a tall glass filled with Coke and ice. Wet droplets sparkle on the glass like diamonds. See yourself drinking that tall, delicious Coke. That cold, refreshing drink mixed with ice flowing smoothly down your throat. Would you pay more for that Coke right now? Probably. You are paying for the story of you drinking the refreshing Coke after being so hot. Understand this concept well. Clients and customers are paying for a story, not simply a product or service. The more masterfully you can tell a story, the better you will be at selling.

There are many ways to tell a story. More about that later. Principle #6: People buy with their emotion and justify their purchase with logic. Your car? Emotion. Your clothing? Emotion. Your furniture. Emotion. Your accountant? Emotion. Our emotion makes us feel that we need to have something…for whatever reason…and then we rationalize the purchase. “We really need it.” “It makes sense to get it.” “It’s a great value.” Disagree? I will prove this to you. Think about the times you turned down a good deal on something because you didn’t really want it. Logically, it remained a good deal. Emotionally, it wasn’t working for you. Or how about the time you bought something that was more expensive than you wanted to pay? Why did you buy it if you didn’t want to pay that price? Did you rationalize the purchase to yourself? See my point? Many salespeople have this backward. They try to sell the logic of the sale, explaining why it makes sense to purchase it. They share 100 reasons why it logically should be bought. The problem is that people don’t buy on logic. Instead, do it the other way around. Sell the emotion of the sale, and your client will explain to himself why it makes logical sense to buy it. You won’t have to say a word. As we discuss different sales strategies, keep this idea in mind. Master these six principles and start to find ways you can use them in your selling. Some of them you can implement immediately. Stay tuned for more…

Masterfully blending psychology with business, David Hochberg drills right to the core of the problem, successfully transforming your business and income.

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The Foundation of Your Business by Rachel Lebowitz - Professional EOS Implementor

n our last article in this series, we discussed that business is an “art and science” and that most businesses spend too much time becoming “smart” with systems and processes and not enough time on being “healthy” with open and honest communication for the greater good of the company.

for each segment that create a whole. A cell has a nucleus, membrane, mitochondria etc. And each of these know their role and they stick to it. The mitochondria will fail if it tries to do the nucleus’s job. The same is in business.

Before we discuss the science of business, we must take a moment to step back and appreciate that a “business” is an independently functioning organism.

The universal truths of business are that all profitable businesses must have three major functions. Sales/ marketing, operations of making or providing a product or service, and finance/ human resources.

In order for a business to have longevity, it must become its own breathing organism. As an owner and entrepreneur, you must find ways to have your business function without you keeping your hands on the lever all the time.

Typically, the larger an organization becomes the more those functions are divided into separate departments and branch out. A company with 100 employees will have a whole HR department while a company of 10 will presumably just have the finance person doing the human resources tasks.

Your fingers will get numb. You’ll get tired and run out of gas. Creating a self-propelling organism can mean hiring people to help you run your business, creating systems and processes and automating some of your business procedures.

I want to add here, if you are a solopreneur (a single person running a business), these concepts apply to you, too. Take a moment to think, what is your future goal for your business?

You must be able to step back and see how your business can self-function. Just like your body’s organs must coordinate in order to function properly, your business is the same. Your people, functions and processes must run on a pulse and in sync.

Do you want to stay a solopreneur forever? That is great too. Not having to oversee employees saves a lot of time and headaches. A friend of mine sells appliances and says she never wants to hire anyone. It frees her of being able to travel, not account to anyone and not hold anyone else accountable. She’s willing to grow her business only to the maximum point where she can handle all the work herself. It is so important to be aware of where you want to take your business (more on the vision of business another time), because you don’t want to find yourself with a business that spiraled way beyond the energy you are willing to give to it.

Healthy and well self-living organisms must have defined roles

Yet, your business still needs to have those three major

Even more so, businesses evolve.

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functions defined and you can imagine yourself wearing those different hats as you do the work for each function of your business. That would mean to discipline yourself and work in blocks of time on each function, not to try to do the bookkeeping while filling orders, and to know the difference between generating sales and customer service. Creating a defined structure for your business will create that “pulse” we are looking for. It will clear up and define lines of communication and accountability. What happens when one or more of these major business functions are weak or broken? Let’s see… You have a great sales and marketing department; you are creating demand! Turning that demand into orders at lightning speed. But once this demand gets transferred into the operations department, operations are lacking. There is no process or system, quality control and consistency is poor. You are essentially creating a terrible customer experience and losing the opportunity for repeat customers. Other potential customers will eventually find out and stop patronizing your business. Here is another scenario: Your sales and marketing game is strong. Your operations is “on point!” You have a process and consistency. You have the capacity to accommodate the demand of business. You have well trained employees who are delivering each and every time par excellence.

It’s powerful because it crystallizes the right structure and illustrates all available seats in your organization. In addition, it clarifies who reports to who and who is accountable for what. Then, each seat must have three to five roles to define what the person sitting in that seat is accountable for. Only after we have all this done, do we place people in seats. It is dangerous to build a business around a person. The structure of your business will outlast people. Each person sitting in a seat on the accountability chart must GWC their seat. That means “Get it, Want it and have the Capacity” to do their defined roles. You can’t teach a fish how to fly and you can’t pay people enough to want their jobs. As you can see, there is a clear fundamental science to running a business. Focusing on getting each function strong and healthy is vital to your success. Homework: Take five minutes to draw out the structure of your business. What departments do you have? What are the roles? Who sits in which seat?

But there is a black hole in your finances. You can’t figure out how to price your product profitably. Money seems to be running out the back door and you can’t seem to track it down. Your numbers aren’t matching up, or maybe there isn’t even anyone monitoring your numbers. You get the picture. The probable chances of surviving in business with a weak finance function are pretty bleak. Lastly, what happens when you have a stellar operations and finance function but you aren’t generating interest and demand to turn into orders? You might be marketing to the wrong target market. Or your sales department is weak and turning people away at the front door. They are not showing interest, enthusiasm and assurance. You’ll find yourself with employees sitting around waiting for work. Surely something that won’t last too long either. Therefore, before focusing on any particular department we must focus on the business as a whole. We must define the structure of the business, preferably in the form of an accountability chart. An accountability chart is an organizational chart on steroids. It’s built looking towards the future, where you want to be in the next six to 12 months in your business. We start by defining the structure of the organization and building each function.

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MARKETING STRATEGY

What is Branding? by Yisroel H. Levovitz - CEO, Profound Business

randing.

It’s one of those words that is thrown about and uttered by so many, yet is often misunderstood and misinterpreted, especially by small business owners who are focused on running their business, and not on understanding the branding and marketing behind it. Let’s see if we can pinpoint what branding is – and, perhaps more importantly, what it is not - and walk away with a clearer understanding of how to maximize it to achieve better results and greater success. Designing a logo and adding your website to the World Wide Web is not branding. Yes, a good logo is important and a well-designed website (with copy that works) is vital, but that is not branding. Yes, they support your brand and yes, they help tell your brand’s story, but they aren’t branding per se. The ones that determine what your brand is, what it represents, and most importantly, if it succeeds, are the customers you attract to use your products and services. They decide if you are a GO or a NO, they decide if you will be around for the long term or not. Branding is your promise to your customers. Branding is your mission statement to your potential clients. Branding is the essence of what makes you different from your competitor. Branding is an idea, a mission, an attitude and an internal thought process that must be internalized and honed before it can be put out there and projected. In order to convey that branding, you will need to employ a strategy that best conveys it and use various “branding techniques” to educate the world about your inner workings. Branding is something you do between you and yourself,

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regardless of the audience (sort of like ‘finding yourself’), and once that is solidified it can be conveyed to as large an audience as possible via steady and proper tactics. Small businesses often cannot compete with big businesses in method, but in form their branding can be just as big, if not bigger. In fact, the passion beneath the surface of many small businesses often lends itself to better and more authentic branding. While Coca Cola and Amazon have a much larger “brand name” than most small businesses can ever dream of, the passion behind them is quite possibly a lot weaker than “Yossi’s Homemade Herring” or “Eli’s Personal Training.” That passion can, and should, be taken advantage of when considering how to attract new customers who appreciate the passion that is lacking in the larger brands. Large companies have the advantage of recognized trademarks, but small businesses have the advantage when it comes to “making their mark,” especially in their local communities. Once your branding is established, then you must embark on the long and steady road of communicating that branding via a cohesive branding strategy. So, how do you create a strategy that works? Ah, the million-dollar question! Tune in to the next article, as we will tackle that aspect of things and provide some practical strategy and guidance.

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FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Flying Blind – Your Eyes are Closed! by Simi Mandelbaum - CFT-I, AFC, FBS, Founder, PROSPR Financial Wellness

oes the thought of looking at your numbers bring a certain feeling to the pit of your stomach? Do you stay up at night thinking about how you’re going to pay your payables? Are your palms sweaty when you think about paying for the large shipment coming in, or on the personal side paying for holidays and seasonal clothing shopping? Many small business owners and solopreneurs feel that they are flying blind and have no idea if they’re making money. Even worse, some feel they are always short of cash, both

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in the business and at home. This creates stress in their business and personal relationships. If you feel that way, you are not alone! Research shows that the six most common reasons businesses fail revolve around the entrepreneur not knowing their numbers. Additionally, many small business owners commingle their business and personal funds. That means there is competition between business needs and personal needs.

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Knowing your numbers means you are opening your eyes to your financial world. Knowing what, when and how much you spend on both your business and personal life will allow you to bring order to the chaos. You can now plan and live your financial life the way you want to live it. What to do? Recognize that you are running two separate businesses. Your home and your actual business. Each business has to know its numbers! How else can you really stop flying blind?

Below is a basic example of how a business person would look at their numbers. ACME Home Business

Commingled

Business

Personal

Income - deposits

$35,000

$19,000

Direct Business Purchase

5,000

Shared fixed business & personal expenses

10,000

7,000

3,000

Variable shared expenses

7,000

4,000

3,000

Direct personal expenses

12,000

Total Expenses

$34,000

$16,000

$18,000

Net Cash Income/(Loss)

$1,000

$19,000

$1,000

Initially, the business owner feels totally cash poor. At the end of the month, he’s lucky if he walks away with $1,000. That’s because all he sees is the number at the end of the Commingled Account. Once he created the sheet above, he was able to see that his business is showing significant profit, so although the owner may be feeling tight, it’s not that he’s doing anything wrong. With the information in hand, the owner can now gain the confidence that his business is performing well, and he can focus on increasing sales. A small increase in sales will drop a large amount to the bottom line.

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For all of you reading this article, take a sheet of paper or use a spreadsheet and follow the model shown. Don’t worry about complete accuracy, just make a start. Starting is the biggest hurdle. Soon you will be flying through clear financial skies! Simi Mandelbaum is the Founder and CEO of PROSPR Financial Wellness, a center dedicated to reducing the stress and anxiety people feel around money. Incepted in 2019, Simi has helped hundreds of clients reduce debt, increase income, and most importantly live their money lives true to their goals and values!

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TRAVEL

Pictorial Tour: South Africa by Ben Robbins - Director, Bespoke Kosher Travel

elcome to Bespoke Kosher Travel, your trusted partner in tailor-made kosher travel experiences. With over 20 years of industry expertise, we specialize in crafting personalized trips that cater to your unique needs and desires. Whether you’re planning a family vacation, a romantic getaway or a group excursion, we are here to create a seamless and unforgettable journey for you. Our team of experienced professionals understands the importance of kosher requirements, and we take pride in curating exceptional experiences while ensuring all your dietary needs are met. From choosing the perfect destinations to arranging accommodations, transportation and kosher dining options, we design every aspect of your trip based on your preferred dates, specific requirements and budget. Discover the world with confidence and comfort through our custom-made kosher travel services. For our first stop, we invite you on a captivating pictorial journey through the breath-taking beauty of South Africa. Join us as we explore its diverse landscapes, encounter majestic wildlife, and immerse ourselves in its vibrant culture. Let the images transport you to this mesmerizing destination and inspire your wanderlust.

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1. Kruger National Park: Our first stop is the magnificent Kruger National Park, an expansive and awe-inspiring wilderness that stands as one of Africa’s largest and most renowned game reserves. Spanning across an impressive area, this remarkable park offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of the African savannah and witness an extraordinary array of wildlife. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure as you embark on thrilling safari excursions through the park’s diverse ecosystems. Kruger National Park boasts an abundance of diverse terrains, making it a true haven for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers alike. As you traverse the rugged terrain, your senses will come alive with the sights, sounds and scents of the untamed wilderness. Nothing compliments Safari life than a fresh African Braii – the traditional BBQ. Our team will organize kosher meals throughout, from breakfast in the bush to the freshly cooked evening meals. 2. Cape Town: Next, we embark on a journey to the lively city of Cape Town, where the majestic Table Mountain stands tall, casting an awe-inspiring shadow across the urban landscape. Ascend to its summit via a captivating cable car ride and be mesmerized by the breathtaking vistas that unfold before you—cityscapes, vast ocean expanses, and picturesque surroundings that paint a tapestry of natural beauty. This iconic landmark guarantees an unforgettable experience, leaving you in awe of Cape Town’s charm and scenic allure. Cape Town is home to a large selection of kosher restaurants and eateries – The Press, Café Retieve and Avrons to name a few. In addition, we will organize kosher breakfasts in the hotels, lunches for your day trips and Shabbos meals in your room, or even with local families if you wish. 3. Robben Island: A visit to Robben Island is a must. This UNESCO World Heritage site is known for its significant role in South Africa’s history, being the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Explore the prison, hear inspiring stories, and learn about the country’s struggle for freedom. 4. Boulders Beach: Now, let’s head to Boulders Beach, a haven for African penguins. Watch as these adorable creatures waddle along the shore and swim in the crystal-clear waters. Don’t forget your camera for some fantastic close-up shots! JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

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5. Cape Point: Located at the southwestern tip of the Cape Peninsula, Cape Point awaits with its captivating views. Embark on a picturesque coastal drive, where majestic cliffs and azure waters form a stunning backdrop. As you arrive at the renowned lighthouse, a surge of excitement fills you, for you are standing at the very edge of the continent. Here, surrounded by the vastness of the ocean, you can truly appreciate the sheer beauty and grandeur of Cape Point.

6. Garden Route: Our journey continues along the breath-taking Garden Route. This scenic stretch offers picturesque landscapes, charming towns and diverse wildlife. Capture the beauty of lush forests, pristine beaches and towering mountains along the way. 7. Tsitsikamma: Tsitsikamma, located near Plettenberg Bay, is a spectacular coastal region. Its ancient forests, dramatic cliffs, and vibrant marine life make it a paradise for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. Don’t look down as you cross the wooden bridges and take in the views. 8. Plettenberg Bay: Our penultimate destination is the enchanting Plettenberg Bay. Renowned for its immaculate shorelines, this coastal haven beckons with its allure. Here, one can bask in the sun’s warm embrace, partake in invigorating swims, and indulge in thrilling water sports. The ocean’s vast expanse becomes a spectacle as dolphins and whales gracefully frolic, enchanting onlookers with their presence. Plettenberg Bay promises a tapestry of natural wonders, beckoning us to explore its enchanting realm. Although there are no kosher establishments in Plettenberg Bay, we work with our local suppliers to ensure fresh kosher meals are delivered directly to you – we will handle all the logistics and work with the hotels to ensure the kashrut is maintained throughout.

In conclusion, South Africa awaits, beckoning you with its vibrant landscapes, diverse wildlife and rich cultural heritage. Whether you crave the thrill of safari adventures, the allure of cosmopolitan cities or the serenity of pristine beaches, this extraordinary country has it all. But why stop there? Our array of enticing destinations extends beyond South Africa, presenting you with a world of possibilities. From the mesmerizing wonders of ancient ruins to the captivating charm of bustling markets, let us be your guide to unforgettable experiences. So, are you ready to embark on a journey of a lifetime? Reach out to us today, and let’s start planning your dream trip to South Africa or any other enticing destination we have in store. Don’t miss out on creating memories that will last a lifetime. Book now and let the adventure begin! W: www.bespokekoshertravel.com E: info@ bespokekoshertravel.com USA: +1 917 336 1182 UK Office: +44 (0)20 3151 1660 UK Mobile: +44 (0)7932 658 255 SA: +27 (0) 11 083 8977

9. Soweto Soweto, an iconic township in Johannesburg, is a vibrant and historically significant destination. From its famous Vilakazi Street, where Nelson Mandela once lived, to the Hector Pieterson Memorial, Soweto tells a compelling story of resilience and struggle. Discover the heart and soul of South Africa in Soweto’s streets and be captivated by its rich cultural heritage. South Africa boasts diverse kosher restaurants and a wide range of kosher items in local shops, complementing its popular tourist sites. With options to suit every palate, there’s something to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Don’t forget to sample the kosher Billtong and the kosher Nandos! Following his degree in Management, Ben began his career as Operations Manager for AISH UK, working on all areas of development for the Operations Department including running all of there overseas programmes. After this Ben spent 5 years as Operations Manager for Chana UK. In 2011, alongside this Ben set up Bespoke Kosher Travel focusing on bespoke holidays for the Kosher Traveler. The business has seen clients visit over 30 destinations around the world with everything being taken care of from start to finish. His experience in travel and business has led to the growth of the business which Ben runs along side other ventures he has begun in recent years.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

Introduction to Psychological Safety Series by Dave Linn - The Gratitude Dude

ost of us spend a decent amount of time asking Google questions and relying, at least in part, on its answers. “Google it” has become a common refrain to someone asking a question to which we don’t know the answer. But Google had its own question that was perplexing it: What is the most important factor in team/group success?

We will dive into how that manifests within a company and for each team member, but first let’s highlight why Psychological Safety is critical to business success.

Google has hundreds of teams, and despite its own expertise in data and solutions, they couldn’t find the common denominator for team success. They had several hypotheses: individual team member performance, team size, team location, workload size, seniority of team members, education of team members, introversion/extroversion of team members, etc. However, every hypothesis was eventually disproved. After several years of formal inquiry through what was called the Aristotle Project, they finally identified Psychological Safety as the single greatest driver of team success and company innovation.

• • •

Psychological Safety has become “fashionable” over the past decade, and marketplace turbulence, the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting are driving its popularity and interest, but it is not a new idea. The term Psychological Safety may be fairly new (it was coined in 1965) but the concept and reality of Psychological Safety has existed for as long as people have lived with others in families, communities, and workplaces. Let’s start with a quick definition and over time we will develop it further. Psychological Safety is the level to which team members feel comfortable to be vulnerable and take risks. P78

Team members in groups with high levels of Psychological Safety:

•

Are less likely to leave the company Are more likely to harness the power of diverse ideas Are twice as likely to be rated as effective by their executive teams Produce more revenue

On the flip side, in teams that have low levels of Psychological Safety: • • • • •

48% of the team members decrease their efforts 47% of the team members decrease their time spent at work 66% of the team members report that their performance declined 78% of team members say that their commitment to the company has declined 25% of team members admit to taking their frustrations out on customers

Over the next few issues, we will be diving deep into the Four Stages of Psychological Safety and provide insights and practical tips to increase the Psychological Safety of your JSUCCESS.NET

own teams. In the meantime, if you want to drive home your own understanding of how Psychological Safety feels, try this thought exercise: Think about the best teacher you ever had in a group setting. That could be in school or outside of school. Think about how they made you feel in terms of whether you felt safe to ask questions and learn new things. How did that affect the way you felt and learned? Now, think about a different teacher who created an environment where you always had to be worried about whether you were part of the group and the learning process. Ask yourself whether you felt comfortable asking questions or whether you feared a backlash or some other type of repercussion that tamped down your desire and ability to learn and grow. JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

If you tap into the way that these two teachers made you feel in their respective environments, you know how Psychological Safety feels. Our goal is to help you create that feeling for your entire company.

Dave “The Gratitude Dude” Linn doesn’t just “believe” that ordinary people can change the world, he KNOWS it. As an Executive & Company Culture Coach, Dave has guided hundreds of leaders to create and foster flourishing company cultures– places that people come to work because they want to, not because they have to. His Gratitude Workshops highlight the importance and benefits of gratitude and teach the lasting techniques that build the habits that transform lives and organizational cultures.

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Psychological Safety: What Psychological Safety Isn’t (Part 2) by Dave Linn - The Gratitude Dude

n our introduction to psychological safety in part 1 of this series, we defined it as the level to which team members feel comfortable to be vulnerable and take risks. What often happens when a concept or tool becomes popularized is that those who don’t take the time to truly understand it develop and spread misconceptions about it. This is certainly true about psychological safety, and the misconceptions continue to proliferate as its popularity grows. The true danger of these misconceptions is that they seemingly provide permission to leaders to discount or dismiss psychological safety, something that is an extreme danger to the success of their teams and their companies. While there are many myths surrounding psychological safety, let’s just address three of the more popular ones: Myth: Psychological safety is just a nicety that has crept into the business world from the self-help, feel good community (or whatever you might call that). Myth Buster: Psychological safety has been studied and applied for decades and is recognized by the top businesses (ex. Google- “We learned that there are five key dynamics that set successful teams apart from other teams at Google. . . . Psychological safety was far and away the most important.”), business consultancies (ex. McKinsey- “Psychological safety is a precursor to adaptive, innovative performance—which is needed in today’s rapidly changing environment—at the individual, team and organization levels.”) and business schools (Harvard Business School’s Prof. Amy Edmonson, who is the

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world’s leading academic on psychological safety and has been ranked as the number one global management thinker is the author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth) Myth: Psychological safety creates a group decision model that doesn’t work for lean businesses. Myth Buster: Psychological safety does not change the decision making process of a company. What it does is positively change the amount and quality of the information and data you receive so that you can make better decisions. In effect, we are democratizing input, not decision making. Myth: We create a culture of psychological safety by telling others that they are welcomed and free to provide their input at any time. In other words, announcing that you have a “speak up” culture is what creates psychological safety. Myth Buster: This is a particularly insidious myth because it tricks leaders into falsely thinking that they already have a culture of psychological safety or that they can establish one, effectively, by fiat. Psychological safety is created, over time, by changing the way you lead, interact and inquire, and by modeling and rewarding the behaviors that encourage psychological safety and risk taking. Announcing that you are “now a psychologically safe company” is not only foolhardy, it can be seriously damaging if your teams know that isn’t really the case and will now become resentful of the two-faced nature of their leadership

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Don’t be misled by myths and shortcuts. Psychological safety is: • A serious and critical aspect of business success recommended and recognized by the world’s greatest companies, consultancies and business schools and backed by reams of rigorous data and long term studies; • Not a way of wresting decision-making power from leaders, it’s actually one of the primary ways that they become empowered to make better decisions; • Like any other part of a flourishing business culture, a thoughtful process that cannot be mandated; it must be carefully developed, modeled, rewarded and maintained. Next article, we will be discussing the four stages of psychological safety: • Inclusion Safety • Learner Safety • Contributor Safety • Challenger Safety The first step of psychological safety is inclusion safety. In order to begin thinking about the concept of feeling included, ask yourself about a time when you were the “newbie.” Perhaps you had moved to a new neighborhood, started a new school, joined a new company or entered a party or social scene where you didn’t know others. How did you feel in that first moment? Did anyone make you feel excluded or included? What did they do to make you feel that way? Did you “put yourself out there” by introducing yourself or taking some other step that involved personal difficulty or risk? What can you do to make others entering your culture feel included?

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PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

Psychological Safety (Part 3) by Dave Linn - The Gratitude Dude

e have previously defined Psychological Safety as the level to which team members feel comfortable to be vulnerable and take risks. In this installment, we want to break down Psychological Safety into its four component stages: Inclusion Safety, Learner Safety, Contributor Safety and Challenger Safety. Teams, and individuals within those teams, generally progress through these stages in order. Although the stages are different, they all share an important foundation, which is: Psychological Safety is established along the axis of Permission and Respect. What that means is that the more permission or autonomy we give someone while at the same time having greater respect for them, the further along we will find ourselves in the four stages. Having a great deal of respect for someone but granting them very little permission is paternalistic; it’s like a helicopter parent who really loves their child but doesn’t allow them to do anything on their own. On the flip side, when we grant a great deal of permission but have very little respect, we end up exploiting employees because we have essentially commoditized them. Let’s take a look at the Four Stages: 1. Inclusion Safety: This is the absolute minimum we need for anyone to become part of a team and a company. On a certain level, this is about welcoming new members of the team or company, but it also includes taking the steps to make others understand and believe that your culture is one where everyone who has something to offer is welcome, regardless of any external factor. In this stage, we would find high levels of respect but lower levels of permission since people who have newly joined a culture have generally not yet earned high levels of permission. 2. Learner Safety: Learning is a critical aspect of any job but for new members of a culture, feeling safe to learn about their jobs and about the culture itself is critical. Learner Safety exists when people feel safe to engage in the learning process by asking questions and taking very small risks without the fear of shame, ridicule or job-related repercussions. Here, the level of respect should remain high and the level of permission increases slightly as people are permitted to ask and experiment.

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3. Contributor Safety: Most humans want to take their talents, skills and knowledge and contribute to something greater. This stage is where people who have felt included and then had the opportunity to go through the learning process start contributing to discussions, work, feedback and ideas. As you would expect, here the level of permission increases as people prove they have valuable things to contribute. 4. Challenger Safety: This is the pinnacle of Psychological Safety. It’s where people feel safe enough to challenge the status quo and even, respectfully, leadership. The graveyard of failed companies and missions is littered with organizations that did not have Challenger Safety. This lack allowed problems that were seen by less senior individuals to remain unspoken for fear of being shut down, shut out or just simply ignored. Here, the levels of respect and permission are extremely high, which places us in the coveted upper right quadrant on the axis. This is the place where new ideas bourgeon and mistakes get noticed and corrected. This is where teams perform at their peak. In our next installment, we will dive deeper into Inclusion Safety and share practical ideas that you can employ to create Inclusion Safety in your business or in any culture, personal or professional.

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TECHNOLOGY

Unleashing Creativity: The Rise of the Citizen Developer by David Genger - Co-Founder, Devx Staffing

hile tech can be a significant expense, exciting shifts in the industry are making it easier for the average business or manager to achieve results. Fast. If you’ve developed any technology project, you know that building software is complicated. From determining the look, identifying problems, setting timelines, coding the solution, and then dealing with all the bugs that follow. As has happened time and again, the tech industry is evolving. And with that, a new type of developer is coming into view. Introducing the “Citizen Developer.” As the name suggests, these are regular people within your company or organization that are implementing transformative solutions with out-of-the-box technology. And now you can do so much with them. In fact some companies are running their entire operation on systems created by technical noncode people. Building a House, Building Software Imagine building a house a hundred years ago. You would need to do all aspect of the job, from cutting the trees, preparing them into logs, creating the nails—the list goes on. You’d need to master various crafts or coordinate with a team of specialists to get the job done. Today, most of the required skills are no longer needed. All material gets delivered and all we have to do is put them together. Modular homes and pre-fabricated materials will allow almost anyone with a will and some skill to build a house, even with limited experience. Software. Evolved. Not long ago, the only way to create any software was to write. Every. Single. Line. By. Hand. The process was hard, complicated, and reserved for the few with the right aptitude. Today, for the most part that’s still the case. But as was the case with Wix for informational website and Shopify for eCommerce, it’s now possible to create digital enterprise solutions with a much lower bar of entry. Prefab software

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and specialization has allowed for a division of labor. Now, a warehouse manager that has some technical skills can systemize a specific task, without all the complexity of regular software development. Low code/no code platforms are technologies answer to digital solutions the same as prefabricated construction was to housing. They come with ready-to-use components that enable people—regardless of their code experience— to construct something meaningful. Just as you don’t need to be an expert in carpentry to build a modern house, you no longer need to understand Databases and compilers to solve business problems. This opens doors to rapid innovation. The right code for the job Focusing on solving business problems is the key to success when building software. Modular homes is a solution to specific problems and are implemented for specific use cases. Always read the warning label and follow instruction; building it in a hurricane zone means it won’t last long. Low code/no code is not the answer for complex, high-stakes enterprise projects. But, with time the capabilities and stability will rise and business will benefit. By understanding the trends in technology, business owners can make strategic decisions whether to implement a SaaS solution, create a custom software, or utilize new and creative solutions to solve their business challenges.

After a decade of hands-on experience in building software, David decided to move on from his day job as a successful CTO, and together with his business partner, founded his dream company to apply his acquired knowledge and expertise to help business owners and their software teams scale their products, their teams, and ultimately – their vision.

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Work ON your business, Not in I.T.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

Psychological Safety (Part 4) Inclusion Safety by Dave Linn - The Gratitude Dude

e have previously defined Psychological Safety as the level to which team members feel comfortable to be vulnerable and take risks. In part 3 of this series, we discussed how Psychological Safety is broken down into four component stages: Inclusion Safety, Learner Safety, Contributor Safety, and Challenger Safety. Today, we will dig in a little further on the first stage: Inclusion Safety. As a review, we have already discussed that Inclusion Safety is the absolute minimum we need for anyone to become part of a team and a company. It includes taking the steps to make others understand and believe that your culture is one where everyone who has something to offer is welcome, regardless of any external factor. Remember that Psychological Safety sits on a dual access of Permission and Respect. When it comes to Inclusion Safety, we will find high levels of Respect but lower levels of Permission since people who have newly joined a culture have generally not yet earned high levels of Permission. Inclusion safety allows others to gain entry to a social unit—a team, a division, an entire company—and engage with the members of that social unit without fear of rejection, embarrassment, or punishment. Creating Inclusion Safety is mostly a belief that is backed up by behavior. The belief is that if you’ve been hired, you belong. You don’t have to do anything to earn that; it’s given to you.

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Think of it this way, if you’re a part of our company and you haven’t done anything to threaten me or anyone else, you belong, we want you here, and we want you to be comfortable here. Inclusion Safety is important for two reasons: 1. None of the other stages of Psychological Safety can be achieved if people don’t first believe that they are included; and, 2. 92% of respondents in a massive global study of employees said that the first human need they need to fulfill in order to be productive at work is to feel included, accepted and valued. So, the belief is clear; you belong here, we welcome you. What are the behaviors that evidence this belief? There are countless behaviors that show someone that they are included. We will share just five ways that can serve as a general guideline to other behaviors. 1. Be proactive in introducing yourself. When someone is new to an environment, they might be hesitant to break the ice. It’s much easier for someone that is already included to do that. So, be that person. 2. Learn people’s names. This is one of the simplest ways to break down barriers. If someone has a name that’s new to you, ask them how to pronounce it. Use their name when introducing them to others in the group. 3. Don’t use rank, status, or positional authority as a badge of success. These things don’t define you and they often build barriers. 4. Meet people where they are, physically. This is particularly true if you’re in an ownership or leadership

position. Go meet the person in their workspace or place, don’t ask that they always come to you. 5. Create situations for newer employees to share about themselves by asking for whole team shares, and not just singling them out and putting them on the spot. I will leave you with one way that I have approached Inclusion Safety for new employees. When I ran culture for a growing Inc. 5000 company, we would constantly have new hires. I would meet with each hire for a good hour, and we would share about ourselves to create an initial bond. Then, we would co-create a 10 Question interview where they would be comfortable with the questions and have a general idea of how they would answer them. I would create fun/funny graphics for the questions and then we would have a live “podcast” interview with the entire team where I would ask the 10 questions. I believe that this worked really well for a few reasons: First, it created an immediate connection between me and the new hire, giving them someone they could turn to with questions and challenges and who could serve as their ally. Second, it created a sharing situation where we knew in advance that they were comfortable with the topics. Finally, the questions included many nonwork related topics so people really got to know the new employee and piped in to share their interests and commonality. In the next article in the series we will move on to the second stage of Psychological Safety- Learner Safety.

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TALENT SOURCING

How to Proactively Find the Best Talent By Naftuly (Tuli) Kraus - CEO, Blackbird Recruiting

Tips for Talent Sourcing:

Talent sourcing is a critical aspect of building a successful team. To proactively find the best talent and make them interested in your organization, you need a strategic approach. Here are some effective strategies that can help you source and attract top talent: 1. Define Clear Job Descriptions: I have gotten calls from clients asking me to help them find a bookkeeper for example and when I ask them to send me the job description, they might sometimes respond by saying, ”Just send me bookkeeping candidates. I don’t have a job description”, and it gives the impression that having a job description is not important to them.

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My response to them is that when you make the time to put together a job description it helps YOU gain clarity on what you should expect from the candidate, and it also tells the candidate what you expect from them. There are times when a bookkeeper will just do: • Accounts receivable • Accounts payable • Payroll • Reconciliation of the bank accounts and credit cards Be Specific: Clearly outline the skills, qualifications, and experience you’re looking for so the employer and candidate are both on the same page with the expectations of the role.

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2. Leverage LinkedIn:

5. Engage Passive Candidates:

LinkedIn can have 2 great benefits for someone hiring. It is a much longer conversation, but I’ll keep it short and brief here:

Personalized Outreach: Craft personalized messages highlighting what you admire about the candidate’s work and how they would be a great fit for your organization.

You can use LinkedIn to create content about you, your company, and your culture. So when candidates are doing research on your company and they see your content, it brings them a little closer and shows them an inside peak of what the day-to-day looks like in your company. On the sourcing side, almost everyone from my team I have gotten to know through LinkedIn. The searching capabilities for great talent are fairly simple and easy. I always tell people “Your network is your net worth”. Use it. 3. Build a Talent Pipeline: Networking: Going to industry events, conferences, and seminars. Network with professionals who might be potential candidates now or in the future. Employee Referrals: Employers do not realize how powerful this can be. Encourage your current employees to refer suitable candidates. Offer incentives to make this process more enticing. I see many employers offering incentives like $500, but many times that won’t work as it might not motivate your team enough. You might need to go bigger than that and maybe quadruple that offer, or maybe a team-wide incentive like a trip, etc.

Networking Events: Invite potential candidates to company events or webinars. This provides an opportunity for them to learn about your organization in a relaxed environment. 6. Offer Competitive Benefits: Compensation Packages: Ensure your salary and benefits packages are competitive within your industry and region. Professional Development: Highlight opportunities for learning and career growth within your organization. 7. Streamline the Hiring Process: Quick Response: Respond to applications promptly. Delayed responses might make top talent lose interest. Efficient Interviews: Make the interview process smooth and respectful of the candidate’s time. Multiple rounds are fine, but keep them focused and well-structured. 8. Continuous Evaluation and Feedback: Analyze Data: Regularly assess your sourcing strategies. Analyze which methods are bringing in the best candidates and focus more on those.

4. Employer Branding: Company Website: Have a dedicated careers section on your website. Showcasing your company culture, values, and employee testimonials can be compelling. Content Marketing: Create blogs, videos, or podcasts related to your industry. This establishes your company as a thought leader and attracts like-minded professionals. Online Reviews: Positive reviews on platforms like your Google business page enhance your employer brand.

Candidate Feedback: Even if a candidate doesn’t get the job, ask for feedback. This can provide valuable insights into how your company is perceived in the job market. Remember, attracting top talent is not just about finding them; it’s also about making them want to work for your organization. Showcase your company culture, values, and opportunities for growth. Treat candidates with respect and provide a positive experience throughout the hiring process. This not only attracts great talent but also enhances your employer’s brand in the long run.

Tuli Kraus is the visionary founder and CEO of Blackbird Recruiting, a thriving recruiting agency that has been making waves in the industry since its inception over two and a half years ago. With a relentless passion for connecting talent with opportunity, Tuli embarked on a journey to transform the recruitment landscape. Under Tuli’s leadership, the agency has achieved remarkable milestones in a remarkably short time. Having successfully partnered with over 400 companies in less than three years, Tuli’s dedication to matching the right candidates with the right organizations has been nothing short of impressive. JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

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CORPORATE CULTURE

Company Culture 101 By Zev Freundlich - Corporate Culture Coach & CEO of TeamCorp

ompany culture is the actual way you feel when you go into a place, an organization, your home, your shul, etc. What keeps you coming back day after day? Because it’s a culture. If you feel that it’s a warm, inviting place, that’s the culture you want to come back to. So your company is the same thing. Now, why does a company culture matter? Well, basically in 2022, 40 million Americans resigned. There has been coined the phrase, “The great resignation”. What really happened is that the world got the message that it’s not about money. I want to feel like I count. I want to feel like I’m doing something for society. I want to feel that I have meaning in my life. And if you create a culture where people feel appreciated and they’re doing something that’s meaningful, they’re going to want to stay, and you’re going to retain your top talent. It’s much more important now than in the past, because in the past, money was very important, but values were really in the home. A lot of that has now been broken down in general society. What are the key elements of a great company culture? There’s a fascinating book called The Five Dysfunctions

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of a Team by Patrick Montioni. And basically, the real key element is called Vulnerable Trust. Vulnerable trust could be summed up in an amazing Google study that was done in 2018. Google wanted to get some data. They like your data, they like my data, and they spent six months trying to figure out what are the key components that create the most amazing highfunctioning team. And after six months they concluded that the number one ingredient that creates the most amazing high-functioning teams is psychological safety. That means an environment in which people feel psychologically secure. I can make a mistake. I can ask to continue my learning, my growth. I can be myself. And when you can be yourself, the company will thrive; your organization will thrive. And once you have that, the second ingredient would be communication. Healthy, good, honest, healthy conflict which allows growth and breaking the status quo. And then there are a few more components that would really help the culture. But these are the most important; visible trust, which would create good healthy communication and dialogue and conflict, which really creates growth.

Core Values: Company culture really goes back to core values. If you look around the world today, companies have a very hard time finding work. It’s an employee’s world today. Employers are desperately looking for help, and people don’t want to work anymore. Even frum people are having a hard time unless you pay them a lot of money. Why is this shift happening? Is it because people are lazy? It could be a part of it, but I think there’s an inner awareness that people are saying, “Why am I doing this?” The world is soul-searching at this point! The whole world is wondering what to do. And when people say ‘what am I doing’, that means you’re touching upon points that no one’s been touching; the point that making money is not the end all, be all. And the world is asking those questions. And as the world becomes liberal— liberalism is not just the government—the world is soul-searching… When you join Google, you’re not just working to help get people quick internet; you’re helping people get a better life. That’s called core values. What am I doing in this world? We’re not selling widgets; we’re helping you to have a better life! It used to be my home was my value. My religion, my family, my goals in life, aspirations, etc. Now these are not values. So core values have become huge. And that’s why in frum circles this is not as prevalent as in general corporate America. For the general workforce, however, the only place that has value, is work. So you’ve got to start with developing core values. Zev Freundlich, Founder & CEO at TEAMCORP helps companies create a positive corporate culture that helps support their ambitious growth plans.

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results You know you need to grow your business, but you are not sure how. You know you want more sales plus market share, but don’t know if it is possible. You are frustrated with how things are going, but you don’t know how to change it. You want to sell to different audiences and be featured on other channels, but not sure if it’s attainable. You want results, but you are not sure how to get them. Enter SoMad - the CMO + marketing team that will bring you the strategy, the execution, and the RESULTS that will increase your sales plus brand awareness exponentially.

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MANAGEMENT

Do You Own Yourself? by Hindy Raichik, COO, Motif Studio

hen I first started out in the working world I was a 19-year-old who thought she was very talented. In my mind, I had it all figured out: I’ll show up, work hard, show everyone how capable I am, and be super successful! Great plan right? Well, I learned pretty quickly that that’s not the case. As good as I might have been at the time (I thought VERY:) I was missing 2 other fundamentals of attaining success: Accountability and, most importantly, opportunity. Capabilities, or talent, are something you’re born with. For me, I am naturally inclined to see things in a very organized, black-and-white manner that helps me make decisions quickly and easily. Very good skill for someone in management or leadership. Everyone has one or multiple of these types of abilities. It’s your God-given, inborn resource to tap into when you’re going out into the world. For some people, it may be less obvious and harder to pinpoint but it’s definitely there. Our job is to find that ability and build on it to maximize its potential. And that brings us to our second necessity for success: Accountability. So you’re good at something. Woohoo. It doesn’t mean much if you leave it at that. Accountability breaks down into 2 parts: 1. Accountability to yourself and your future: owning that part of yourself and utilizing your talents correctly to grow and feel fulfilled. It’s taking all the necessary steps, big or small, to achieve what you set out to do. 2. Accountability to your work: you need to build trust, become reliable within your work, and be someone that people can count on to do what you say you’ll do. P92

It took time for me to start owning my decision-making. I had to build a lot of confidence and also humble down and listen to learn so that I could come up with thought-out and clear resolutions. There were so many times that I answered too quickly only to find that I was missing vital knowledge. Accountability is all about taking what makes you innately valuable and cleaning up the edges. Making it available and usable to others. That’s when you get to see step 3 which is opportunity. Opportunities. You need them but the fun thing is that you can’t just get them. You need to wait for someone to offer them to you. What’s cool about Opportunity is that when you sufficiently work on your Capabilities and your Accountability, Opportunity usually follows. The people around you will naturally start to notice once you’ve presented yourself to them in a way that benefits them and it isn’t just a mess of wild potential. So yes, hard work definitely plays a huge part in achieving success. Finding and cultivating your talents is your challenge to bear and it’s not a simple one. But feeling fulfilled and feeling successful doesn’t come from accomplishing a task or getting a certain award. It comes from knowing that you own your potential and are building off of it every day. What can be better than that?

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GOAL SETTING

9 Reasons Why You Should Be Setting Goals – and Achieving Them! by Bentzy Rosenberg – Success Coach

hy should a person have goals?

In his classic book ‘Lifelines,’ Avi Schulman lists 9 reasons, and we’ll go through them and give a little elaboration on each one:

meaning people, who will be discouraging, trying to save you from yourself. And again, by having a goal, there’s the most chances for a person to successfully stay the course, even though there may be discouragement around them.

1. Purpose: Now, we know as observant Jews that we have a purpose. We’ve been taught purpose. However, for a person to actually write down and give themselves their own feeling of purpose, and to have weekly check-ins to make sure that they feel that sense of purpose and that they keep on staying the course with that sense of purpose—that is where goals and the strength and the power of goal setting and living with goals come in.

6. Encouragement: Once a person has reached their goals, they have the encouragement to start again.

2. Motivation: A person who has goals has an inherent builtin motivation. From the step that they’ve set aside time and they’ve created in their own mind (not something that’s been dictated to them and therefore it’s external) and it’s something that they have set within themselves that they want to get done; therefore they’ll have the motivation.

8. Accomplishment: Accomplishing one goal, gives you the enthusiasm for further inspiration for being able to go further.

3. Discipline: A person can get very distracted over the course of time. If somebody has goals that they’re having check-ins with, they have a path that they’re sticking to, the chances of them getting distracted are much less. 4. Overcoming frustration: Things can frustrate a person as they’re trying to reach what they’re trying to get to. But if it’s a set goal with a set plan with everything that’s been put in place, then they’ll overcome that frustration and they’ll keep going. 5. Overcoming discouragement. There will be times where there are people in your life, sometimes they’re the most well-

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7. Horizons: Your horizons have then opened up. You’ve reached somewhere where now you can see much farther and you can have even bigger and loftier goals. And therefore, you can start that whole process over again.

9. Self-mastery: A person who has reached a goal, who has done a goal, feels that they can overcome their own flaws and master themselves, and go higher and creating greater goals. And so with all that understood, we’re going to keep on exploring further as we go into what are the best ways to set our goals.

As a self-proclaimed student and researcher in the areas of self-help, selfcoaching, and coaching methods for the past 15 years, Bentzy Rosenberg has developed a method for coaching that is congruent with a Torah-true, Observant Jewish outlook and lifestyle. This is in response to the demand for help, guidance, mentorship, and coaching that does not borrow from authors known to be antithetical to our values such as Freud, Nietzsche, Darwin, etc.

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FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Fears or Facts – What Drives Your Business Decisions? by Simi Mandelbaum - CFT-I, AFC, FBS, Founder, PROSPR Financial Wellness

or Chaim Gold* business is good. So good in fact, that his secretary is overloaded and the hours he spends at the office are stretching further and further into the night. There’s so much to be d o n e that Chaim is pitching in to help with managing the office, returning client calls, answering emails, and troubleshooting with the tech team. His mantra used to be “Busyness is good business.” But lately, Chaim can’t even think about growing sales and next steps because there’s so much to do in the office. He can’t even return all the potential client calls coming in, forget about growing his vision.

maybe he’s right that the business can’t afford to sustain another salary right now. What we really need to know: Is it the business or Chaim’s risk aversion that can’t afford the salary? It is vital to check in with yourself when you find yourself stuck or holding back from a shift in your business. One night Chaim sat down and created his “Fears and Facts” sheet. He drew two columns on his iPad, wrote all his fears in one column and the corresponding facts in the other column. He discovered that the business has steadily grown quarter over quarter so it is unlikely for things to slow down anytime soon. He also confirmed his aversion to risk. While the business could handle another salary today, Chaim realized that if he had three months of salary in the bank, it would allow him to hire another employee without fear. After all this introspection, nothing changed today, but everything is different. Chaim is building up his “salary fund” and he has a plan with a clear goal. He now looks forward to this next milestone in hiring and ultimately scaling his business.

The stress doesn’t help either. His secretary keeps saying, “We need another pair of hands.” But for some reason, Chaim can’t take that next step even though he knows it makes sense. Instead, he wrings his hands and worries. “I know I should hire but I just can’t. We need to be more profitable first. How do I know if it’s the right time? Should I hire a sales person or an office support person? What if this is just a busy period and in a month things will slow down?”

Takeaway: 1. What do I feel when I think of expanding my business? Is it a truth or a fear? 2. What are the facts? What are my fears? 3. What creative solutions can I come up with to move forward (small steps count!)?

In this overwhelmed state, Chaim has some valid concerns. He’s also very frustrated with himself for being so stuck.

Bonus activity: Create your own Fears and Facts sheet.

We need to understand where Chaim’s worries stem from. Are they factual concerns or fears? Perhaps it is both, and if so, which is leading the other? Business decisions may appear to be logic based, but that’s usually not the case! Before making a change in your business, it’s important to recognize what’s pushing the decision. There are facts and there are emotions, but which are making your “executive decision?” In Chaim’s case, it’s possible that fear is overriding the logical next step - to hire - as his secretary has implored him. But JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

Remember: There’s fact and there’s emotion. Which one is making your “executive decision?”

*Fictional character Simi Mandelbaum is the Founder and CEO of PROSPR Financial Wellness, a center dedicated to reducing the stress and anxiety people feel around money. Incepted in 2019, Simi has helped hundreds of clients reduce debt, increase income, and most importantly live their money lives true to their goals and values! JSUCCESS.NET / P 9 5

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The Validity of Your Business Idea, or, Is There a Future for Your Product (Service)? By Tal Paperin

urning a business idea into a successful venture is not an easy task. The success of your journey will heavily depend on the validity – and the success - of your business idea. In this article, we’ll explore various factors that will determine that validity and suggest guidelines on how to assess (and refine, if needed) your concepts. 1. Problem-Solution Fit A strong business idea (followed by a product) begins with a deep understanding of the problem you intend to solve. How real are the pain points in the market? The more acute the problem (and the more effectively your idea addresses it), the greater the potential for success. For the initial assessment, start by asking these questions: - What exactly is the problem that am I solving? - Is this problem significant (painful, costly) and how widespread? - How unique is my solution (or better than existing alternatives)?

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- Have I properly identified the target market that experiences this problem (Country? Region, vertical, industry, persona?) The clearer your answers, the more chances for success your business idea have. 2. Market Research Market research is crucial for validating your business idea. It involves deep and extensive gathering of information about your target market, competitors, pricing, current solutions and market desired solutions. Without such research, you WILL be launching a product into a fictional market that doesn’t exist (simply because no one needs your product or service). When conducting market research, focus on: • Map out your target audience (ICP – “ideal customer profile”), and understand their needs and pains. • Think outside the box. Where is that ICP (geographically)? Who else can it be?

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Review your competitors to assess their strengths and weaknesses. If you can’t find any – you haven’t been looking deep enough. If there is a problem out there – there IS a solution already.

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offer complementary products or services (cross-selling / up-selling)? Will the business model accommodate increased demand without a proportional increase in costs?

3. Testing

6. Feedback and Adaptation

Create a minimum viable product (MVP). An MVP is a simplified version of your product (or service) that will allow you to gather feedback and test it on actual users. Testing is needed to validate your assumptions regarding the product fit and the ICP (and make the adjustments demanded by the market).

Your business idea (product/service) is not set in stone. It should evolve over time. Always seek feedback from your paying customers AND potential future target audience and adapt accordingly. Staying agile is crucial to maintaining your idea’s validity.

This feedback can help you determine whether your product or service truly addresses the problem and whether people are willing to pay for it. 4. Financial Viability The potential revenue from your business should exceed the costs of running it (obviously). You must create a Sales plan that will include both your expected expenses and (mainly) revenue streams. Consider the following financial aspects: - How much capital do you need to start (and run) the business until it becomes self-sufficient? - What is the pricing strategy for your product or service and what is it based on and why? Test the validity of that. - What are your expected profit margins? 5. Scalability A good business idea (product) has the potential to scale and grow over time. Ask yourself: • How will the business grow and what additional resources or personnel will be required? • Is there potential to enter new markets or

In Conclusion The validity of your business idea is the beginning of the journey. It is the crucial foundation upon which your product and company rests. To ensure your idea’s validity, start with a deep understanding of the problem you’re solving – and the people who are experiencing it. Conduct in-depth market research. Test your idea, assess its financial viability and scalability, and … Start! Also, remain open to feedback and be prepared to adapt your ideas as needed. Sure, there’s no guarantee of success in the world of entrepreneurship. However, a valid and well-researched business idea significantly increases your chances of building a successful and sustainable business. So, before you take the plunge, take the time to evaluate the validity of your business concept and make the necessary adjustments to increase your odds of success. And now let’s talk about YOU: Do you KNOW the answers to the questions asked in part one of this article OR do you speculate? What is your knowledge based on? What is the EXACT problem you are solving for your customers AND is it the actual problem or only a symptom? Can you tell the difference – and how can you tell which is it? Those are the points we’ll be covering in our next article.

Tal Paperin was born in the USSR in 1981 and immigrated to Israel in 1990. After military service in the Israeli Air Force he completed 2 B.A.s in International Relations and + Eastern Asia Studies/Chinese from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He has over 12 years of diverse professional experience in International Sales and Marketing.

JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

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FINANCIAL WELLNESS

Discovering Financial Infidelity by Simi Mandelbaum - CFT-I, AFC, FBS, Founder, PROSPR Financial Wellness

Wanted to Protect You!

In my office the other day, my clients Yishai and Sarah* were discussing a recent spike in their family expenses. To solve the issue, Yishai offered to bring in money from a different account to cover the unusually large expense. At first Sarah looked relieved, but then her face reddened with anger. It was clear she had no idea about this “other account.” “What’s the matter?” Yishai asked, “I’ve been putting extra money from my payroll away every week in a separate account so we should have something extra in the future. I’m protecting you and the family!” Sarah couldn’t even muster a response, but the look on her face said it all. All those weeks of denial and stress flashed through her head. Questions about what else was hidden caused her stomach to clench. Surprise gifts? No problem. Surprise bank accounts, big problem. In some relationships, one spouse doesn’t want to know about money and appreciates the other handling everything. If that works, fine. It’s when both spouses are supposedly working together to manage their funds and expenses that secret accounts become very problematic.

*names changed

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What is Financial Infidelity? In financial therapy terms, this is called “Financial Infidelity,” the act of keeping information about family money away from your spouse. In business, it would be one partner keeping financial information and resources hidden from the other. Financial Infidelity causes the same pain and loss of trust as any other act of infidelity. One Step Forward The first step for Yishai is to apologize for his mistake. It will take a lot of time and work to repair the lost trust.

“Financial Infidelity causes the same pain and loss of trust as any other act of infidelity.”

Yishai realized he needed to make changes so he will never make this mistake again. That evening, Yishai asked Sarah to sit down with him so he could share their financial numbers and account access information with her.

Activity: 1. Set aside a money date with your spouse or partner. 2. Enjoy a coffee, tea, or Mojito together. 3. Create a shared spreadsheet with all your accounts, contracts, passwords and usernames. 4. For business, review your financial statements together, on a monthly / quarterly / annual basis. Have your accountant / controller join, so all questions are answered.

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PRODUCTIVITY

Minimizing Our Distractions To Create A More Productive Day by Avi Friedman - Productivity Coach, Managed Minds

n our fast-paced world, staying focused on our work can be quite challenging, with external distractions like phone notifications and interruptions, as well as internal distractions like worries and boredom. To tackle this issue effectively, we previously addressed two aspects: setting clear intentions and priorities (traction), and managing internal distractions. This article explores four steps to reduce external distractions and help us regain our focus: setting clear goals, creating focused time, taking breaks, and hacking back your phone use. By following these steps, you can enhance productivity and overall well-being.

Step 1: Set Clear Goals When you start your day, take some time to decide what you want to achieve. Identifying your most important tasks and setting clear goals will give your day purpose and direction. Break down your objectives into smaller, manageable tasks and prioritize them based on their importance and urgency. Avoid overwhelming yourself with an unrealistic to-do list; instead, focus on a few crucial tasks that align with your long-term goals. To start your day on the right foot, incorporate a 3-5 minute mindfulness practice or meditation session. This practice can help clear your mind, reduce stress, and set a positive tone for the day ahead. By beginning your day with a clear sense of purpose and calm, you’ll be better equipped to tackle distractions and stay on track. When setting your goals, consider using the SMART goalsetting framework: Specific: Define your goals precisely and avoid ambiguity. Instead of saying, “I want to be more productive,” specify, “I want to complete three major tasks in my project by the end of the day.” Measurable: Establish criteria to measure your progress and success. For example, if you want to read more, set a target of reading 30 pages each day.

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Achievable: Set realistic goals that are within your reach. Unrealistic goals can lead to frustration and demotivation. Relevant: Ensure that your goals align with your longterm objectives and values. Focus on what truly matters to you. Time-Bound: Set deadlines for your goals to create a sense of urgency. A deadline will encourage you to stay on track and avoid procrastination. Step 2: Create Focused Time Designating specific periods for undisturbed work is essential to maintain focus and boost productivity. Communicate these periods to others around you, making it clear that you need uninterrupted time to work on your tasks, as people can be a distraction as well. This could be as simple as letting colleagues, friends, or family members know when you’ll be in “focus mode.”

Distractions can be incredibly disruptive to our productivity and can take a toll on our ability to perform deep, concentrated work. JSUCCESS.NET

To counteract this, consider implementing the following strategies: Time Blocking: Divide your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or projects. During these time blocks, eliminate all distractions and focus solely on the designated activity. Create a Distraction-Free Environment: Designate a specific workspace where you can work without interruptions. Keep your workspace tidy and free from distractions. Prioritize and Eliminate Distractions: Identify the main sources of distraction in your environment and work to eliminate or minimize them. This may involve silencing your phone, using website blockers, or finding a quiet space to work. Set Boundaries: Communicate your need for focused time to those around you and ask for their support in minimizing distractions during these periods. The “Pomodoro Technique” is a popular time management method that can help you create focused time. Set a timer for 25 minutes of uninterrupted work on a single task, followed by a 5-minute break. After four rounds, take a more extended break. This structured approach helps maintain your energy levels and keeps you motivated. Step 3: Take Regular Breaks While it might seem counterintuitive, taking regular breaks throughout your workday is crucial for maintaining focus and productivity. Continuous work without breaks can lead to burnout and diminish your ability to concentrate effectively. During breaks, step away from your workstation and engage in activities that help you recharge. Physical activity during breaks can have a significant positive impact on your energy and focus. Take a short walk, stretch your muscles, or do some light exercises to get your blood flowing. If stepping outside isn’t possible, do some deep breathing exercises or mindfulness practices to clear your mind and reduce stress. The key to effective breaks is to use them intentionally. Avoid checking social media or engaging in activities that can lead to time-wasting and distract you from your work. By incorporating purposeful breaks into your routine, you’ll return to your tasks with renewed energy and focus. Furthermore, consider implementing the “52-17 Rule,” which involves working intensely for 52 minutes and then taking a 17-minute break. Research has shown that this ratio optimizes productivity and enhances overall well-being. Step 4: Hacking Back Your Phone Use Our smartphones can be both a valuable tool and a source of distraction. To ensure your phone serves you well, consider implementing these hacks: JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

Disable Unnecessary Notifications: Go through your app settings and disable notifications for non-essential apps. Limiting interruptions will allow you to stay focused on tasks without being constantly drawn to your phone. This includes group WhatsApp chats, social media notifications, and sales on Amazon and/or Target that pop-up throughout the day. Organize Your Home Screen: Keep only the essential apps on your home screen and place non-essential ones in folders or on other pages. This simple organization can reduce the temptation to mindlessly open distracting apps. Schedule Communication Windows: If possible, designate specific times during the day for checking messages, emails, and social media. By setting designated communication windows, you regain control of your phone usage and minimize distractions. Utilize “Do Not Disturb” Mode: Enable “Do Not Disturb” mode during your focused work periods or when you need some uninterrupted time. This feature will silence incoming calls and notifications, allowing you to concentrate without distractions.

Conclusion By following these four comprehensive steps – setting clear goals, creating focused time, taking breaks, and hacking back your phone use – you can effectively handle distractions and improve your productivity. Remember to implement the SMART goal-setting framework to set achievable objectives and prioritize your tasks. Create dedicated focused time and maintain a distraction-free environment to optimize your work performance. Embrace purposeful breaks and use them as opportunities to recharge and rejuvenate your mind. By managing your phone use intentionally, you can ensure that your device serves as a useful tool rather than a constant source of distraction. Stay focused, stay intentional, and make the most of your time to achieve your goals and maintain a healthy work-life balance. With these strategies in your arsenal, you’ll be well-equipped to master the art of focus in a world full of distractions; becoming a “Pro” in Productivity.

Avi Friedman help overwhelmed small biz owners and solopreneurs manage their projects, time & finances | Putting the “Pro” in Productivity!

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FITNESS

Understanding Sugar: How it Affects Your Productivity at Work and Energy at Home by Chaim Loeb - Founder, FitYid Academy

hat happens when we have a Medium amount of Sugar in one sitting (15 grams):

Blood Sugar Regulation: When you consume a small amount of sugar, such as 15 grams, the body can typically handle it without causing significant spikes in blood sugar levels. The pancreas releases a small amount of insulin to help cells absorb the sugar and convert it into energy. Energy: A small amount of sugar can provide a quick source of energy. However, the energy boost is relatively short-lived and may be followed by a mild energy slump as blood sugar levels return to baseline. Minimal Impact on Health: Consuming 15 grams of sugar in one sitting is considered a moderate and manageable amount for most people. It is unlikely to have an immediate negative impact on health.

Increased Sugar Intake Over Time: Regularly consuming high levels of sugar can contribute to the development of insulin resistance, where the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin, potentially leading to long-term health problems.

What happens when we have a lot of Sugar in one sitting (30 grams):

It’s important to note that individual responses to sugar intake can vary based on factors like genetics, overall diet, physical activity, and insulin sensitivity. Additionally, the type of sugar consumed (e.g., natural sugars from fruit, honey, etc. vs. added sugars in processed foods) can have different effects on the body.

Blood Sugar Spike: When you consume a larger amount of sugar, such as 30 grams, the body’s response is more pronounced. The pancreas releases a larger amount of insulin to help regulate the increased sugar levels in the bloodstream. This can lead to a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. Energy Surge and Crash: A high intake of sugar can result in a noticeable surge in energy shortly after consumption. However, this is often followed by a crash as blood sugar levels drop. This crash can leave you feeling fatigued and sluggish. Potential Health Risks: Consuming 30 grams of sugar in one sitting is considered a substantial amount. Over time, frequent consumption of high levels of sugar can contribute to health issues like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dental problems. It can also lead to increased triglyceride levels and inflammation in the body.

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For overall health, I advise eating supportive nutrition (whole and minimally processed foods) as a habit and being mindful of the quantity and quality of sugar in your food and beverage choices.

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MARKETING STRATEGY

3 Quick Tips For Business Growth by Yisroel H. Levovitz - CEO, Profound Business

s we are deep into 2023, and 2024 is already around the corner, now is a good time to take a quick look at what went right, what went wrong, what went OK, and most importantly, what can be done differently to ensure more vibrant business growth ahead. Here are 3 areas to look at: 1) SHARE GOALS. Setting goals is one of the most fundamental things to ensure business growth. However, the gap between setting goals and achieving said goals is often wider than anyone cares to admit. One of the things I notice is that when goals are shared with others – either with others in the company or with objective outsiders – they tend to be more concrete, more attainable and more real. One of the reasons many hesitate to share goals is that doing so will lead to accountability from those with whom the goals were shared. That is precisely why you should share your business goals with others, and hopefully that accountability will be the very thing that helps your goals become reality. 2) X MARKS THE SPOT. How many times have you met people – in person or virtually – and left the conversation with something to the effect of “it was great meeting you, let’s keep in touch!”? How many times do you actually follow up to keep in touch with that person? I think we know the answer to that! Going forward, try a different tactic. Instead of a courteous “See ya around” or “Let’s keep in touch” or “Call me next week to pursue this”, make a concrete follow-up meeting or conversation, something to the effect of “I really enjoyed this conversation and I feel there is more to explore in regards to mutually beneficial collaboration. Are you available next Tuesday at 12pm for coffee or a phone chat?” While this approach won’t work every time, it will prove a lot more effective in actually getting more follow-up meetings and conversations.

Get that follow up and mark it in your calendar, and both of you will receive a digital reminder to take your initial pleasantries to the next level and thus be on your way to boosted business growth. 3) IN WITH THE OLD! Remember the Rolodex? In this digital age where virtually everything (pun intended!) is done via technology, sometimes things and people that don’t keep up with the fast pace of technology get forgotten. Try this little experiment and you will understand what I mean: Dig up your old Rolodex or address book or another relic of ancient times [AKA B(before) C(computer) E(era)], and see if there are any contacts in there that you have lost touch with due to their not being part of your digital world. Choose a handful of these, and reach out to them in the old-fashioned way (remember the phone?) and see what they are up to, see if you can rekindle the business relationship, see if you can once again add them to your network. Technology is great, but don’t let it rule your business and don’t let it rule out business relationships that may be worthwhile having. (P.S. for those of you who have no clue what a Rolodex is… Google it!)

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OUR PILLARS EDUCATION • MENTORSHIP • COMMUNITY AS A JEWISH PROFESSIONAL WOMAN, you face unique opportunities and challenges. The Jewish Woman Entrepreneur and Executive aims to help women reach their professional aspirations while embracing their personal values. Through education, community and mentorship, The JWE cultivates financial independence; improving the lives of the women we support and the Jewish community at large. JSUCCESS MAGAZINE | Q1 2024 | PRINT EDITION VOL 1 | ISSUE 7

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LEADERSHIP

The Hidden Danger of High Performance and The Path to Sustainable Success by Tania Friedlander - Leadership Coach

he Silent Killer - Burnout

High performance is often glamorized in our society. Professionals racing against time, entrepreneurs burning the midnight oil, and individuals pushing their boundaries—these are the images we associate with success. But lurking behind this relentless drive is a silent killer: burnout. Many high performers thrive under pressure. It fuels them. However, akin to a lawnmower running non-stop, even the most efficient machines eventually run out of gas. In the human context, they just stop working. Suddenly, abruptly, poof!

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The Illusion of ‘Earning’ a Break Now, one might argue, “Why not just take a break?” But it’s not that straightforward. Several factors compel individuals to constantly accelerate. But before we delve into solutions, the very first step is self-awareness. Interestingly, most high performers resist introspection. They avoid the inward gaze, often because it may reveal something they’re trying to evade. In our fast-paced world, we often neglect the art of ‘pausing.’ Many feel they have to ‘earn’ their rest, making relaxation and breaks a luxury rather than a necessity. But why is this feeling so prevalent? A significant reason is a lack of clarity in one’s goals. Without a clear roadmap, it becomes challenging to discern what genuinely matters, leading to misguided priorities and, ultimately, burnout. Clarity - The Beacon of Balance However, envision a scenario where your calendar mirrors your aspirations. Each day brings you one step closer to your dream. By crystallizing your goals and setting milestones, the self-imposed pressure to “earn” a break fades, making way for a more balanced approach to life. Life’s Rollercoaster Life is unpredictable, full of highs and lows. The basketball legend Kobe Bryant once said, “You’re winning, then you’re losing, then you’re winning.” But what

if failure wasn’t an end, but a means to an end? What if every experience, win or setback, was a lesson in disguise? By adopting a growth mindset, where every event is a learning opportunity, the constant pressure to succeed diminishes. Each ‘failure’ becomes feedback, a stepping stone towards mastery. Instead of being bogged down by setbacks, we can use them to refine our strategies and move forward. Growth Mindset gets you off the hamster wheel. The hamster wheel is what triggers the burnout to come much faster. If you’re constantly learning, progressing, the pressure diminishes, allowing you to breathe easier. Harnessing Innate Strengths Gallup’s 80 years of research on human nature emphasizes utilizing one’s strengths. But how does one identify these strengths? A simple exercise I advocate is ‘Name it, Claim it, and Aim it.’ First, introspect. What are you naturally adept at? What tasks do you perform effortlessly? Recognizing these strengths is the initial step. The next is owning them, embracing them as integral parts of your identity. Finally, channel these strengths towards your goals. Harnessing your innate abilities not only makes the journey enjoyable but also more efficient. Efficiency with joy is a major hack for avoiding burnout.

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Strategies for the Overwhelmed For those feeling overwhelmed, consider these three strategies: Define Clear Goals. Ensure your objectives resonate with your passion and values. These will serve as your guiding light, offering direction and purpose. Prioritize Effectively. Understand what truly matters. Delegate secondary tasks and focus on activities that align with your strengths and push you toward your goals. Master Time Management. In our digital age, multitasking is a trap. Embrace focused, uninterrupted work sessions to maximize productivity. Wrapping Up While high performance is commendable, it’s essential to approach it sustainably. Burnout is a real threat, but with selfawareness, clear goals, growth mindset and effective strategies, it’s one that can be mitigated. Remember, true success isn’t just about achievements but also well-being, joy, and fulfillment. So, strive not just for success but for a balanced, enriched life.

Tania Friedlander has successfully helped 150+ executives from Google, the Federal Reserve, Salesforce, and other leading companies identify their goals and achieve them. JSUCCESS.NET / P 1 0 7

PODCAST

The JSuccess Podcast: Where Achievers Achieve More! Now you can tune in on your favorite podcast platform or via phone and enjoy one audio/video episode per month by one of the top experts in the JSuccess hub while you’re on the go! This is also an excellent place for you to consider promoting your business to hundreds of listeners.

Episode 1: B2B Marketing Guest: Joe Apfelbaum, CEO, Ajax Union

Episode 2: Mentorship Guest: Ira Zlotowitz, Founder & CEO, GPARENCY

Topic: Embracing Authenticity: The Key to Building Lasting Business Relationships

Topic: Success, failure, leadership, money, family, core values & more!

You will learn how to:

You will learn about:

• Know Yourself • Embrace Your Authenticity • Be a Value-Based Entrepreneur • Differentiate Personal From Private • Express Authenticity in Business Interactions Sponsored by: • Tuli Kraus, CEO, Blackbird Recruiting

Dial into our new podcast @ 732-677-4809, listen on your favorite podcast app @ jewishpodcasts.fm/jsuccess or scan here to watch!

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• Ira’s father & how that influenced Ira’s career path • Ira’s audacious goals, his approach it, his philosophy on failure & overcoming fear • Bringing out the best in people, respecting their strengths & sharing the spotlight • The things which come easily for him that’s more difficult for other people • How he got started on personal development personally and as a company • How he approaches money; his drive & values around money • The kind of people he has a hard time working with or dislikes • The life values his kids hear him most often • His definition of success Sponsored by: • Jared Wasserman, CEO, Alert Protective Services, LLC

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FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS

Planning for the Cash Flow in your Seasonal Business by Dan Katibian, CPA, CFO Financial Solutions, LLC

s business owners, we are tasked with keeping our businesses financially sustainable. Cash Flow is the lifeblood of a healthy business. Often, unexpected things occur in our business which are impossible to plan for such as a war, a commodity shortage, a sudden economic downturn, etc. For the unexpected, a business can protect itself by building cash reserves and having a health line of credit to tap into. However, often events occur that are predictable in nature and occur annually. To illustrate, a squirrel works diligently in preparation of the winter, storing acorns in multiple locations to tap into. Many businesses are seasonal in nature with peaks and valleys of activity and cash flow throughout the year. Some examples to illustrate: L a n d s c a p i n g C o m p a n y/ G e n e r a l C o n t r a c t o r s : Significant activity during spring and summer; limited activity in fall and winter. W h o l e s a l e/ Re t a i l : Cash outflow to invest in the new line of inventory.

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Large cash inflow during peak sales times such as preceding holidays. Annual Subscriptions: Large cash inflow prior to main month of annual renewals. Steady cash outflow other months. CPA Firms: Large cash inflow month following tax deadlines, steady cash outflow other months. Businesses catering to Frum Population: Significant activity before yomim tovim. No activity during yom tov, 3 weeks, sefiras haomer depending on the nature of your business; limited activity in fall and winter and holidays. Healthy businesses are not cash positive every month. That is not a red flag or an indication of a problem. Even when responsible for the cash budget of a Fortune 100 company that did billions of dollars of business a year, there were known months where the business would have major cash crunches. Here are some best practices we coach our clients to implement: Document your seasonality: No one knows your business better than you. Spend the time to document your peaks and valleys. Build a cash projection: Start with your current cash balance. Build in your expected cash inflows

and outflows including large 1-time expenditures. Also, layer on your recurring net cash flow. For example, if you are typically cash flow positive or negative by $20k, layer that on as well. Use this as a barometer for where you will have your cash peaks and valleys. Plan Accordingly: Using your cash projections, use your cash valleys as a starting point and work backwards. Are you in a sustainable cash basis as is? Do you need to borrow? What liquidity resources do you have at your disposal to rely on? Do you have a line of credit that has room in it? Do you have credit cards that can hold you over for a month or two? What terms do you have with your key vendors? Do your part to prepare your business. At times of cash abundance, take your equity draws and pay off your large bills which are outstanding. Use these best practices to keep your business healthy and protected during the known cycles. Dan Katibian is the founder of CFO Financial Solutions. He is a CPA licensed in the state of Maryland. His focus is on improving profitability and cash flow for businesses with annual revenues of $1 million – $10 million. Dan uses financial analysis to identify the areas of the business that are hurting and develop a clear action plan to put these improvements in place. He then supports the action plan implementation through a series of coaching sessions.

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OUR EXPERTS RESPOND

Our Experts Respond We’d love to hear from you! If you have any thoughts, takeaways, questions, or comments on any article, please share them with us through this email info@jsuccess.net and we’ll do what we can to have the expert address your message in next month’s edition! As an added bonus, if you’re a Premium member, you can share your company name and your position, and the expert will include that when addressing your point!

Question submitted by a JSuccess member to: Eliezer Blatt, Presentation Skills Expert Article: You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression

As a public speaking coach with 25 years of experience, your insights are very valuable. Could you share a specific transformational journey of one of your clients? How did they progress from struggling with public speaking to achieving confidence and effectiveness in their presentations under your guidance?

A: Eliezer Blatt is a world-renowned speaker trainer and presentation skills expert. After years as a child actor and singer performing in front of large audiences, he went on to graduate with a BA with honors in Television Production and Professional Speech.

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A grandmother once came to me to help prepare her for an audition to be a tour guide in Yad Vashem. She had no idea how she would ever get the job because she was petrified of speaking in front of small groups – even when the audience was only her children and grandchildren! “Over the years I had developed a bad case of stage fright, which had actually become a phobia in every way,” she recalled. “If I even had to say my name and address in front of more than five people, my heart would beat rapidly, my mouth would get dry, and my back would hurt so badly that I almost buckled over. But worst of all, my mind would freeze and I couldn’t remember what I wanted to say.” Nonetheless, she wanted to conquer her fear. After being coached by me, she went on to deliver an eight-minute speech to the judges at Yad Vashem. The usual symptoms that followed her whenever she had to speak were no longer there and she was able to keep the audience’s attention for the entire eight minutes. Best of all, she even enjoyed herself! In the end, she was so happy with her accomplishment that she no longer cared if she got the job at all. Needless to say, she did. “I feel this was a real breakthrough for me and the beginning of something that I was always hoping for,” she said.

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Question submitted by a JSuccess member David Hochberg, Sales Coaching, CEO, DH Group Article: Let’s Go Client Hunting

to:

Hi David, I found your strategy for identifying ideal clients through contrasting positive and negative client experiences fascinating. Could you elaborate on how a business owner can effectively leverage their network to connect with these ideal clients? Are there specific tactics or steps they can take to reach out to potential clients within their network or extended connections?”

Great question. Networks are incredibly powerful. Are you familiar with the concept “six degrees of separation?”

Here’s the backstory. In the 1960’s, Stanley Milgram, a social psychologist, conducted an experiment on social networks between people. He gave packages to 160 people to send to a random stockbroker in Boston. However, if they didn’t know the stockbroker personally, they had to send the package to someone they did know, hoping that person would personally know the stockbroker.

the introduction. If not, ask them who they can connect you to that might know your ideal clients. It’s like using steppingstones to cross a river. Use one stone to reach the next stone to reach the next. Use one connection to reach another to reach another until you get in touch with your ideal client. The good news is that it probably won’t take more than five or six connections to get there! With this approach, you don’t need to be connected with your ideal clients.

Masterfully blending 25 years of practicing psychology with an expert business sense, David drills right to the core of the problem, provides effective solutions and strategies, and works with you to successfully transform your business and income to the next level.

Your network will help you do that. The next person would follow the same procedure. If they knew the stockbroker, they would send it to him. Otherwise, they would send it to someone they knew, hoping they would know the stockbroker. Milgram discovered that the packages that made it to the stockbroker passed through an average of six people until they arrived. This means that you are only six people away from anyone you want to connect with! Were there problems with this experiment? Of course.

Use your network to generate client leads. Start with the easy connections, the close ones. Invite your network connections to refer a client to you. If they don’t have any referrals, ask them to connect you to someone who might have a referral. Just like the stepping-stones in the first approach. However, with this approach, you aren’t focused on reaching specific clients.

However, the concept is very powerful. Here are some strategies for leveraging your network. Find the clients you want to work with and use your network to reach them. With this approach, you start with finding your ideal clients. Don’t worry whether or not you are connected to them. Your goal is to simply find them, wherever they are. Once you have a list of clients, turn to your network. Start asking members of your network if they are connected with your ideal client. If they are, simply ask them to make

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Instead, you are focused on leads developing and evolving as you explore deeper into your network. Go deep. Don’t stop. Keep connecting until client leads start appearing. You can use both these approaches at the same time to really leverage your outcome. Good luck out there!

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