On The Brink Magazine Issue 10 - Rise of the Young Titans

Issue # 10 Mar-Apr 2015

PUBLISHERS’

NOTE

Kahlil Harris

“Be prepared, because you never know when you will be called upon” That sounds like a line all our parents used when the wanted us to tend to our studies. As usual they were right, and it does pay off to be prepared.

That’s actually the theme behind our latest issue of On The Brink Magazine where we feature the upcoming titans Javette Nixon of Vein Centres of Jamaica and Lisanne Chai of The Stationery Centre.

Javette and Lisanne epitomize the true meaning of our magazine, to be dynamic, bold and on the brink of greatness. The winners of the coveted NCB Capital Quest competition both demonstrated to the entire Jamaica just how prepared they were to pitch, present and highlight their company on a dime. This being done while under the scrutiny of some of Jamaica’s most prominent figures in business.

Our interview not only paints the future plans of these young titans, but also gives a picture of their journey from those first steps on entering the business world, to their latest achievements. Their lives may have been fast tracked and plans propelled forward through the marketing genius of Ms. Nadine Thompson and the NCB Capital Markets team, however, it was their passion, dedication, drive and of course preparedness which brought them to the prize of winning $50 million dollars toward their businesses.

The On the Brink team also had their own moment of preparation paying it forward with the highly publicized visit of President Barack Obama to Jamaica. The team participated in the various media opportunities as is featured in this issue, alongside a detailed interview with Ms. Natasha Clark, the tour guide who became an instant media sensation. As the Jamaican representative who took President Obama through the Bob Marley Museum, she shares with us exclusive details of her experience and observations of Barack Obama.

Christopher Goulbourne

As we complete this issue, I hope you are inspired by the story of Javette and Lisanne and how they prepared themselves for the NCB Capital Quest competition or by Natasha who took meeting Present Obama with pride and represented our country and the Bob Marley Museum well by being prepared to present her tour no matter her audience.

This is what we aim to do at On the Brink, inspire you our readers with freshing stories of the people with great courage, passion and drive that are ‘On The Brink of Greatness’.

ON THE BRINK MAGAZINE | 2

CONTENTS

...of Marketing, Technology & The World of Business

32 19 NCB CAPITAL QUEST

34 The Big Secret

ON THE BRINK WITH

Lisane Chai -reveiling life’s story........................................6-7

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly...................................................8

Javette Nixon -road to the promised land..........................9 -12

Meet the Woman Who Met Obama!...................................14-15

#OBAMAINJA.................................................................16-17 CAREER BIBLE

The Big Secret......................................................................19 7 Ways to be more ambitious and achieve your goals.............20 5 Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes to boost your career......23 Wait for these qualities........................................................24 Mapping out the Job You’ll Love.....................................26-27 Who is the entrepreneuiral titan?.........................................30

WHATS THE BUZZ

Derrimon on the JSE & SAMPARS opens new location...28-29

SOCIAL EDGE

Connected Marketing: Creating a Viral Buzz........................34

THE VERGE TECHNOLOGY

The Next Big Google Update ................................................36

PG. 14-17 PRESIDENT OBAMA MAKES HOUSE CALL Bob Marley’s Museum Gets Presidential Visit

Connected Marketing

EDITORS’ NOTE

T

OBAMA IN THE BUILDING he dream for many journalists, having studied and crafted their skills, is to travel the world while covering the most impactful stories, getting the ‘on the ground’ perspective and to deliver these stories in such a way that a room can be silenced as it runs through the airwaves over the radio, on a TV or as it is read word for word. Professional paths vary and can be deeply influenced by your surroundings, but for a journalist the job is to see the opportunities for a story where the average mind sees nothing.

This time around Kingston was the city of excitement…

Kingston was recently held at a stand still with the news of Barack Obama’s visit to the island spreading like a wildfire. More so social media spun on its head as Obama’s visit took over the headlines and trended. The OTB team features in this issue his visit to the island and an exclusive interview with the lady of the hour Ms. Natasha Clark who’s picture overnight circulated worldwide as she granted the President a private tour at the museum of the late Reggae icon Bob Marley.

His visit while on the basis of some serious business brought a spotlight and excitement amongst citizens that imprinted lasting memories for many. From the scores who flocked the streets hoping for a glimpse to see the President to the veteran journalists who came out to partake as one in greeting the President.

In times like these, riveting our attentions to the press, play by play, journalists feel right at home.

Jheanelle Maturah Editor In Chief

CREDITS

Publishers Monumental Partners Ltd. 9 McKenzie Close Kingston 8, St. Andrew Tel: (876) 969-2646 Email: info@monumentalpartners.com Website: www.monumentalpartners.com .......................................................................

Managing Editors Kahlil Harris Christopher Goulbourne Tanya Sue Brice ........................................................................

Editor Jheanelle Maturah Graphic Design Kristopher Kerr Contributors Krishana Davis Christopher Kaylo James D. Best Thinesh Kumar Photography JDash Photography Copyright 2015 Monumental Partners Limited ........................................................................

Facebook: OnTheBrink Twitter: @OntheBrinkJa Instagram: OnTheBrinkMag Website: www.onthebrinkmag.com

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By: Jheanelle Maturah

For Lisanne Chai, the week of February 28th seems to be the best week of her life, to date. Just two days before winning the NCB Capital Quest competition and up to $50 million in private equity investment, she got engaged to beau Cory Hamilton of Hamilton Multimedia. This enchanting 2nd generation businesswoman proudly states she’s been working from the tender age of 7 in the family business ‘The Stationary Center’. Once packing shelves, working through school breaks, summers and Christmas holidays, the winner of the Capital Quest competition won as the General Manager and part Owner of the company founded by her parents.

Her big plans for the company propelled her entrepreneurial spirit all the way in the seven-week competition, though she reveals she never thought she would actually win.

Admittedly, not every family member was on board, her father was skeptical at first but came around by episode 1. And as viewers tuned in for the finale, now etched in our minds are the final emotional moments where Lisanne phoned her father with the big news.

So what was the most difficult challenge for the young general manager? Oddly it was the one where she prevailed as the winner, ‘the networking challenge’. Describing her personality as shy and reserved outside the office, Chai found it difficult It was curiosity that brought her into the competition, to dig in and ‘network’ given the constraints of the challenge. following a link on the hosts’ website advertising a chance In the end she proved to be rather personable and to have to win $50 million. Her infectious laughs echoes as she exactly what it takes to get the job done. sarcastically questions, “who wouldn’t click for a chance to win $50 million?” An act that paid off immensely as Chai speaks readily on all the new attention the Stationary Center has benefited from since her big win. Mentioning the benefits of participating for all the contestants was estimated at $12 million in marketing, the Stationary Center and Chai alike agree to have felt its impact.

In speaking with her, the level of passion for her company is unavoidable. The long road the family has taken to arrive here today is painted on her face with pride and triumph as she speaks to tough times right off the bat. The business started out amidst many discouraging but concerned friends but founders and parents of Lisanne, Albert Michael Chai later spilled the scoop on the behind the scenes action, identifying Javette Nixon, her winning counterpart, as the jokester of the bunch. Looking back to the long hours of production, she recounts his many jokes and conversations to keep the group cheerful. Adding to that, she’s built many lasting relationships and maintains a whatsapp group ‘CapQuest’ with the other contestants where they all keep in the loop.

Chai and Judith Chai pushed on and now 26 years later are But what is next for the competition winner? The initial talks with NCB Capital Market and Norbrook Capital Management mighty glad they did.

Ltd have gone underway and assessments are taking place.

Following the decision to press on was Hurricane Gilbert, But as far as the Stationary Center, Chai intends to grow which we can all remember too well, held the country beyond the borders of Jamaica; working with a 5-10 year at a stand still; together though her parents pushed on. plan to become the number one stationary center in the This journey Chai seems to hold dear, has propelled the Caribbean. With all areas of operations to be expanded, her company forward in hard times faced throughout the years. focus will be on reinventing the customer service department.

More recently Chai got a firsthand taste of the effects of a In her own words, Chai aims to be the number one choice Hurricane, this time around it was Ivan, which destroyed the of stationary supplies in the Caribbean by “systemizing the company buildings, and a substantial amount of products processes and humanizing the exceptions”. were lost. Time after time the family pulled through and Her personal goal is to become a renowned business owner matched every challenge. and remarkable wife and her advice is simple: “do not be a In her capacity as General Manager, Chai has played an slave to your business. Don’t think you can do everything integral part in systemizing the business and trying to keep yourself and best. Others can do it better. So hire the right up with the changes of the times. When the time came to take people and use this principle as the foundation”. the leap and enter the grueling competition: NCB Capital Congrats Lisanne!

Quest, she landed with optimism.

ON THE BRINK MAGAZINE | 7

Marketing management, recruitment and trainingYour company’s sales and marketing function requires you to take some of your most critical staffing decisions. For small businesses, the employment of average or poor salespeople can have a disproportionately harmful effect.

The smaller the firm, the fewer the resources to manage and develop under-achievers. Getting the recruitment process right can be critically important at this level; managing and training your marketing and sales staff may require more of your time than you have budgeted for.

DON’T TRY TO REPLICATE YOURSELF _________________________________________________

Firstly, be realistic about what your sales and marketing staff can achieve. You may be your company’s best salesperson because you know exactly what your product or service can do – and if anyone can communicate what your company does with passion, it’s you.

However, your enthusiasm may be the sole reason for the sales you’ve made to date. Yours is a personal connection to the business which cannot be replicated – so don’t attempt to. It is also beneficial for your business to bring in a wide range of skills, experience and styles. You should be wary of the tempation to recruit someone in your own image.

Initially, your sales and marketing staff may not have the same passion or in-depth knowledge you have; they’ll need to work harder to make sales, and they won’t necessarily have the same appeal to prospects as you in your position as owner-manager.

RECRUITMENT – ­ EXPERIENCE, ENTHUSIASM – OR BOTH? _________________________________________________

Recruiting salespeople can be expensive – and risky. It’s easy to pay too little to an inexperienced sales person and risk missing sales targets. You may be better off employing someone with greater experience and a record of successful selling. You’ll pay more – but the chances are your more experienced salesperson will have a greater chance of making those crucial sales.

You may also have someone you can build your sales team around as sales increase. Employing salespeople with industry expertise and credibility is not easy, but such people can make your life a lot easier by managing their own time efficiently. If your business is selling professional services, this is even more important.

If you do choose to go with experience, enthusiasm can be a more important consideration than pay. You’re likely to need someone to develop new business rather than act as an account manager – a position that a more experienced salesperson might assume is the role on offer. Make sure your expensive new salesperson appreciates the effort required.

Finally, consider recruiting people with relevant contacts.

People buy from people, so employing salespeople who already have a list of prospects could lead to more sales.

The best salespeople will always have such a list and, as a rule of thumb, the better their list, the more they’re worth.

Contacts are also vital when it comes to employing marketing staff. Your marketing people need to have good connections, networking skills and a solid understanding of social media marketing as well as having a good grasp of more traditional marketing strategy.

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MOTIVATION – CRITICAL FOR SALES AND MARKETING STAFF _________________________________________________

Motivation is a key component in the successful management of sales and marketing employees. Incentive schemes typically form part of this process, but if they are poorly planned there can be unhealthy competition within the team. You should also consider the distinction between sales and marketing – your salespeople may focus on sales to the detriment of customer service, so you may need keep these functions separate.

TRAINING – A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITIES _________________________________________________

Training and development is perhaps more important in sales and marketing roles than in any other part of your business. Accompanying your employees on sales calls, or using coaches or marketing consultants to help develop marketing and sales skills, can be crucial elements in the success of your staff. Sales and marketing is particularly well served by training workshops, seminars and online training.

After 6 episodes and a grueling fifty-minute finale, I will be the first to admit I got emotional over the announcement of the winners. Particularly the moment where entrepreneur Javette Nixon informed his wife on their victory. It was a fine way to end the first investment reality show of its kind, ‘NCB Capital Quest’.

For those of us watching, the show wasn’t just entertaining, it was rather educational for the budding entrepreneurs in raising awareness over private equity; the two proposed and achieved goals of the NCB Capital Market camp.

Equally as entertaining as the show is a 50-minute sit down with winner Javette Nixon. Representing Vein Centers of Jamaica, Javette and its medical directors Dr. Hilary Brown and her mentor Dr. Bart Muhs were approached by their business banker at NCB on participating in a new and exciting reality series to be hosted by NCB. We spoke at length on his participation in the Show, Vein Centers, and his Career and Personal Life.

The Show. Nixon sums it all up as great experience both personally and professionally. His cheerful yet composed demeanor is felt constantly and was cemented by his winning counterpart Lisanne Chai revealed he was quite the jokester on set. Once the decision was made to participate in ‘CapQuest’, Nixon relaxed and remained both open minded and curious to the activities that laid ahead.

Unexpected to him at the time would be the coming outpour from friends, family and even strangers whether through social media or just in dining at restaurants once the show began airing. He describes going to an Island Grill the very morning of our interview where a gentleman approached him to shake his hand and commend his efforts on the show; an act that has been a regular occurrence throughout the season.

The show, being shot amidst regular business day activities, kept contestants on their toes.

This meant arriving on set and hearing of challenges only seconds before start time.

By: Jheanelle Maturah

But for Nixon, in his other arm of professional operations as the CEO of Point Global Marketing, he runs a team of creative minds and commands some of Jamaica’s top marketing campaigns. Thus he felt pretty confident taking on the challenge of this competition.

As a marketer, he naturally favoured the marketing challenge but identified the networking challenge as his most difficult. Left in a room with some of Kingston’s top movers and shakers, challengers were tasked with networking and making some form of impact on their targets while racing the clock. Calling the challenge “extremely nerve-racking”, Nixon recounts racing time with lengthy pitches to his first two targets. Ironically though, Nixon came out the winner in his toughest challenge. A message that prevailed throughout the show, that Vein Centers of Jamaica was rightfully suited for an investment.

processes. Over time and despite these limitations, he absorbed the necessary knowledge in key areas of business and decided to take the leap and start his own company Point Global Marketing. He describes his first few weeks, notably unlike other entrepreneurs, as almost casual and carefree, going at his own pace until struck by the harsh reality check at end of the month, where his customary paycheck was missing. A brief panic attack ensued, and as he recounts, a ‘freak out’ over the potential state of his finances.

Thankfully, he quickly became more disciplined in his approach which lead to taking the business more seriously; a decision which paid off. Just years later this discipline and innovative character proved to be the ideal candidate to not just appear on NCB Capital Quest but to win.

Vein Centers. The Vein Centers of Jamaica’s practice is described as providing fresh, innovative and minimally invasive solutions for patients suffering from disorders of the veins. The patients of Vein Centers suffering from spider and varicose veins and are characterized as those who are willing to take a step towards a pain-free and confident life. The Vein Centers operation has been quite successful and has recently expanded with a second clinical site in the Sagicor Center, Montego Bay.

Nixon positively tracks the backstory of Vein Centers of Jamaica with a drive to Portland with his wife Dr. Hilary Brown and her mentor Dr. Bart Muhs. As the two doctors embarked on a conversation over medical needs in the country, Nixon planted the first seed to start this type of medical practice, new to Jamaica.

The idea to have such a practice became a desideratum as time progressed and all three eventually set out to see it through to fruition. A little way down the road has brought us to the Capital Quest where Vein Centers have enjoyed added awareness and interest by potential patients.

Nixon’s Story. Nixon proved early in his career to be more inclined to not just think, but to also operate outside of “the box”. Upon finishing university and entering the corporate world, he quickly became frustrated in positions where he was unable to have full control over brand strategy

Personal Life. This Gemini outright states balance is key, however achieving that balance is a whole other story. He confidently describes his dual personalities, where on one side, he loves his friends, going out to parties and hanging out. On the other side, he’s process driven, likes clean surfaces and his life structured a certain way, describing himself as minimalistic in his approach.

He advises all to partner with someone “who buys into your vision and understands where you want to go”.

Recognizing sacrifices will have to be made along the way, he acknowledges how fortunate he is to have the chance to work alongside his partner. Pinpointing family as top priority, he mentions how fortunate he is to have a healthy relationship that allows he and his partner to regulate their choices. In addition, Nixon has made an attempt to “keep it all in the family”, whereby his partnership in Vein Centers is with his wife and at Point Global Marketing he works alongside two of his sisters. continues of page 12 ON THE BRINK MAGAZINE | 11

...continued from page 11

On The Brink. Though the competition is over, it has only just begun for the Vein Centers of Jamaica. Their first sit-down with the Capital Quest advisors has taken place and the next step is an assessment of their organization and the value of their investment.

NCB is now tasked to assess the processes of operation for Vein Centers and determine if the proposed value for the percentage of the company is accurate. As seen on the show Nixon proposed a 15% stake and a buy in of $25 million. They’ve won the prize, and now an equity investment will be embarked upon by NCB Capital Market & Norbook Investments.

While the road is long for both winners, the raising of private equity is proving to be a surefire way to success. And as Nixon puts it, “there is no one way to get to the Promised Land” and certainly the Vein Centers of Jamaica is well on their way. The investment will be used to expand to six Caribbean islands within the next six months to a year. The progressive practice is currently evaluating the locations and the possible synergies to make this happen. As the Vein Centers of Jamaica proves to be On the Brink of success island wide and in the Caribbean diaspora, we congratulate Javette on his victory and stepping stone to the Promised Land.

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Features: • • • • • • • • • •

GAME CHANGER

Email Marketing Asked to describe ‘We Are Mail’ in three High email deliverability words, General Manager at Monumental Partners responded with “High-Quality, Gears traffic towards your website Connectivity and an Engaging Experience”.

Easy to use customizable templates The email platform has implied thus far it will Ongoing technical support be a game changer on the market.

Feedback and report In an increasingly virtual age, email marketing is Time saving still one of the fastest way of informing people of Cost efficient your product, brand, promotion or simply a news alert. With the market rapidly changing and a new Emails won’t get spammed must have social media app flying on the market in Partner benefits available the blink of an eye email marketing stands firm as an effective means to market.

The ‘Why’ for email marketing is no longer a question, it’s now about the how and to whom. ‘We Are Mail’ answers both questions. By providing this platform that ensures your target market is reached, informed and engaged.

Meet the Woman Who Met Obama!

It was a much-anticipated visit to the island that marked the second time since Independence that a sitting U.S. President would be visiting Jamaica. Set to reemphasize the U.S.’s commitment to the Caribbean region, the days leading up to Obama’s arrival were met by a scurry of secret service men, emergency road patches for the President to drive on and announcements of road closures.

As hundreds lined the streets waiting to get a glimpse of Obama, social media lit up as on-site press published the first shots of Air Force One’s arrival, and following, Prime Minister Simpson Miller and the U.S. Ambassador Luis Moreno there to greet him. To the many who flocked the streets’, disappointment arose as Obama was airlifted from the airport by his private helicopter, to what was assumed to be his final destination for the night.

Approximately one hour and 15 minutes after the President arrived, he promptly embraced the Jamaican culture as he deviated from his official itinerary and paid an unannounced visit to the Bob Marley museum on Hope Road.

Natasha Clark was the lady of the hour as she was the tour guide chartered with giving the President the full tour. In speaking with her, she was still elated by the experience and the recognition she has been receiving worldwide.

After all, she did have a one on one with the leader of the free world.

In recounting the details of her momentous evening, she dished that her day started as per usual when she was asked by her manager to work overtime on the night of the 8th of ON THE BRINK MAGAZINE | 14

April. Clark laughs as she explains it was ‘overtime’ so she had no problems working the shift, but had her suspicions about which ‘delegate’ she would be giving a private tour to.

Noting that in her 20 years of giving tours at the museum, many distinguished guests have walked the halls hanging on word for word as she told the life story of Marley. Though she kept silent hopes, she would be meeting the President.

As she prepared herself around 7:30pm, her curiosities were quelled as a vehicle arrived and she was greeted

by Obama’s head of security. She observed car after car arriving, anxiously waiting for the Big Man to arrive. Pure excitement running through her veins as finally one car showed up where all officers flocked towards.

She knew this was the moment she was to meet the President of the United States of America.

“Good night Mr. President” were her first words to him as unbeknownst to Clark, overnight her picture would be doted on all major press pages world-wide. ‘One Love’ played through the airwaves as all entered the museum where she gave the President a 25-minute tour as they engaged in conversations about the Reggae phenomenon that is Bob Marley.

Giving us a little inside scoop on Obama, Clark revealed he was in a “deep mediation” as the tour guided throught the moments where Marley got shot. Obama watched breaking news clip later sharing he played Bob’s hit album ‘Exodus’ as Air Force One made its way to Jamaica; a statement that saw the secret service men laughing and nodding in concord. Clark identified his cool composure throughout the tour; adding its evidence “that he takes the time to listen to exactly what you are saying.”

Obama has been a public and longtime fan of Bob Marley stating, “I still have all the albums” and “what a wonderful tour.” With his visit, Bob Marley trended on social media worldwide as one staff member of the museum stated, “we are very honoured to be a part of such a rich legacy.”

But just how has Clark’s life changed since her pictures have been plastered all over the Internet? She laughs once more to this question stating her daughter, a 4th form student at Wolmer’s High School, has become her own superstar overnight; riding off her mother’s recent rise to fame. Speaking to the attention the museum has received and jokingly saying she’s been so busy she’s taken her lunch home for days following Obama’s visit; not a free moment to spare.

The woman next to Obama in all the pictures though, has plenty to add to her tour guide stories at the Museum as she participated in a historic moment for the country and fans of the Reggae icon.

ON THE BRINK MAGAZINE | 15

PRESIDENT BORACK OBAMA VISITS JAMAICA

#ObamaInJa. Not even a hour after landing in #Jamaica and before any of his meetings President Barack Obama made a unscheduled tour of the Bob Marley Museum, Kingston, Jamaica He has been reported as commenting that he “still has all the albums”. Maximum respect to you Mr. President for doing this and doing this before you meet with any of the leaders in this region. We have nothing but the Highest Respect for you. #BobMarley

Photo credits: JIS ON THE BRINK MAGAZINE | 16

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Turn Around Your Small Business With This Big Secret

By: Christopher Kaylo

I have seen it so many times over the years that it is almost boring now. Sales of the small business dry up and the owner gets increasingly desperate but they either run around like a headless chicken doing all the wrong things at the same time.

Or they just sit around doing nothing. Either reaction has exactly the same result. The business continues to slowly but surely sink like the leaking Titanic in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. And it does not matter whether you are talking about a bricks and mortar business or an online enterprise the scenario is usually exactly the same.

And yet most of these small businesses can be saved and completely turned around into profitability. It is all so simple that it pains me why there has to be so much pain and suffering and losses as small businesses with great potential go down when they could have been so easily saved.

The easiest surest way to turnaround any small business is to create a winning selling system that will start generating sales and revenues for the small business. It is like injecting blood into a dying man who has lost way too much blood, usually the recovery after the blood transfusion is almost instantaneous.

What is this selling system thing and why is it so effective in turning around any ailing business?

Almost any work can be systematic. “Systems” are how the military makes it look so easy to manage so many people and organize them into a ferocious fighting machine that wins wars. Systems are how good work gets done. Highly successful household names like McDonald’s did not grow to what they are today by hiring people and then asking them to get the job done the best way they know how.

Actually what McDonald’s did was to carefully document systems that worked best for the business. The result is that it is simple for virtually anybody to duplicate the system and become successful at the business. It is simply a matter of working the system - if it is a good system it will respond and give you miraculous results.

You can imagine that this is even more crucial when it comes to the most difficult aspect of running any business.

And that is selling whatever it is that you sell. Anybody who has ran any business for any length of time will know how difficult it is to generate leads and then find a way to convert them into actual sales. This is exactly what a selling system does for a small business.

Actually a good working selling system should constantly generate new leads and then gradually process them by moving them along a process until they are ready to buy.

If you have designed a good selling system it should work like clockwork.

Even if your business is not doing badly, you need a selling system to take you to the next level. There are various ways to come up with one. For instance you can study the most successful companies in your industry and discover the selling systems they have adopted for their success. Always remember that success is never an accident.

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Ways to be More Ambitious and Achieve your Goals

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FIND A ROLE MODEL – Who inspires you? The good thing here is this person doesn’t even need to be alive. Some of the best role models have passed on, leaving a legacy for generations to aspire to live by.

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4 VISION BOARDS Goal setting is key! Without goals you won’t have anything to work towards. Be clear about what you want to achieve and the timeline.

Create a vision board and place it somewhere you can see it every day. You will be amazed at what you can achieve if you visualize it.

MIND GAMES Spend a few minutes a day sitting 6 comfortably with your eyes closed and just meditate. Additionally, when working on a task, try to focus on one thing instead of trying to multi-task.

READ BIOGRAPHIES – The stories of triumph over adversity, their genius or force of will, and their accomplishments can be incredibly inspirational.

NO ROOM FOR QUITTERS Talk of quitting is now in the past. If you weren’t convinced previously, well today is a new day. Ambitious people don’t see obstacles, they see challenges; they don’t see rejection, they see redirection; they don’t see failure, they see opportunities. It’s all about mindset and the way in which we look at the things that happen to us.

VOCABULARY No negativity. No fear; just positive affirmations. Being more ambitious requires a certain kind of inner dialogue, which doesn’t involve words that may limit us.

LEARN TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT Enjoy life and relish every day. View each day as a new opportunity to grow and achieve great things. Celebrate each win, small or large.

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Sometimes our inner voice isn’t enough to let us stay positive and motivated, especially when it comes to our careers. For those moments here are 5 of Steve Jobs quotes relating to your career that are sure to inspire you: 1. “I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”

2. “My favourite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”

3. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

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Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes to Boost Your Career

4. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

5. “Bottom line is, I didn’t return to Apple to make a fortune. I’ve been very lucky in my life and already have one. When I was 25, my net worth was $100 million or so. I decided then that I wasn’t going to let it ruin my life. There’s no way you could ever spend it all, and I don’t view wealth as something that validates my intelligence.”

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WAIT FOR THESE WORK QUALITIES To become a business titan, one needs a great team behind them. To get the best output from your team, we’ve identified these work qualities needed to achieve success in running a business:

#TitanInfluence – The ability to convince those in authority to agree, work together and participate when not necessarily needed.

Titans are able to influence those around them easily.

#TitanLeadership – Step aside and distinguish yourself from the rest. A solid leadership style follows the formula: Leadership = Vision + Execution. A good leader will have a clear vision of what needs to get done and then marshal the resources to do so.

#TitanThoughts – Titans display remarkable business acumen throughout their career.

They should be able to balance the needs of growth in all departments and balance these with operational efficiency and new developments.

#TitanZooming – What is zooming? This is the ability to zone in on a problem, find its roots then take a step back and consider all possible solutions. The important trick here is to select the solution that not only solves the problem for today, but takes into account future problems. #TitanWorkEthic – Focused work ethic is the primary purpose. This means consistently working hard, taking the initiative and going the extra mile even when it isn’t needed, all while working smart.

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#TitanProactivity – One has to be able to anticipate problems before they take shape and then take overt action to address these in a logical and businesslike manner. #TitanSwimmers – Titans should be comfortable swimming in the deep end of the pool. Even on the brink of success, titans must be comfortable seated at the big boys table, right up to earning that seat.

Mapping out the Job You’ll Love It is a lot easier now than it was let’s say when you were a kid to achieve your dream job. Back then being a pop superstar or an astronaut seemed, well, light-years away. Some decades later and the list of dreams have gotten a lot longer and a lot easier to reach. Startups arrive all year round and with much more potential to become Fortune 500 companies.

Opportunities to study abroad are more readily available, learning a second or third language can be right in front of the TV along with getting a degree with the click of a button. Suddenly you’re leaving that entry-level position to be a worldrenowned pastry chef, an actress or an engineer. Yes, modernization, as tired as we are to hear the word, has paved the way for endless possibilities and options to be reached globally.

Despite this reality, still you can find persons unsatisfied in their positions and remaining in that state. Of course fear of the unknown has a lot to do with staying

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where you’re discouraged to work. This is why we’re mapping out your road to the job you’ll love.

STEP 1: PERSONALIZED MAPPING

Step one was pretty obvious, now go ahead and list all your dream jobs and achievements you’d like to accomplish.

Remember here, there is no such thing as unattainable.

Think big, start small.

STEP 2: DO AWAY WITH THE PAST

Let’s not forget fear has become increasingly the reason you have not been able to move forward. The biggest thing you can do to get past your fears is to meet them head on.

Repeat after me, in every today lays the power to create a new and better future.

STEP 3: FOREVER IS BUT A DREAM

Never forget the only constant in life is change. You don’t have to up and quit your job, you can find ways to tailor your role to what better suits you or seek other positions in

Mapping out the Job You’ll Love Continued your company. Considering this doesn’t change you know. how you feel, start researching open positions at other companies or avenues to start your own STEP 6: WORKING TOWARDS IT company. What are your passions?

Now its time to put the work in! You may need to brush up on new skills, or learn some more, either STEP 4: GAIN RETROSPECT ON THE SITUATION way its time to set things in motion. Before making So you’re not focusing or motivated to go to work. any drastic changes, set a flexible work schedule.

But ask yourself this: of all the tasks assigned to The goals have been identified, documented, you, is there even one that isn’t so daunting? That now go on…..research, create action plans and one task that you look forward to and willingly execute. execute without a self-pep talk. Now zero in on it and use this as number one on the list of things STEP 7: BONUS – TEST-DRIVE you love about your job.

YOUR DREAM JOB

If this isn’t possible, make it possible. Testdrive your dream job to get some real hands on Ok, so now we’ve identified a few things that you experience. View this as an opportunity to learn as love. New list…how many of these things can much as you can about the job, the hidden dayyou start a career out of? How many once you’ve to-day activities and just what it takes to succeed. started, you don’t look for a way out of? Go with what you’re obsessed with, which is usually what STEP 5: LOVE-LIFE-JOB

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1. Tania Waldron-Gooden

1 2. Cotterell Placing Listing

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4 Ian Kelly Rule Book acceptance

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Executives of SOL & Shell at the launch of the Shell Helix Ultra with “Pure Plus Technology”.

-From Left- Murray Forseca (Shell), Karoline Smith (SOL), Jonathan Briceño, Juan Veras (SOL)

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10. Giving Back to the Community

3. Derrick Cotterell addressing JSE

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6 6. Cutting the Ribbon.

Shop Sampars is now officially opened

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11. Oral Tracey Interviewing Craig Robinson 8 . Kahlil Harris, Creative Director at MPL w/ Camille Wilson & Mureen Thomas, Vice President & Managing Director (respectively) at CGM Gallagher Insurance Brokers

By: James D. Best

“Conviction is a belief you hold... and it holds you.” -Bobby Allison Entrepreneurial titans envision dominating an industry. Walt Disney, Howard Schultz, Bill Gates, both Watsons, Coco Channel, Bill France, Sam Walton, and Henry Ford didn’t just rise to dominate their industry they created or unalterably changed their industries. Each suffered disappointment as fellow pioneers couldn’t or wouldn’t share their vision. Each struggled for years against enormous financial odds. Each remained steadfast, carefully putting in place one block after another until everyone could finally see their castle in the sky. Each endeavor eventually reached critical mass, exploding onto the world scene with all the appearance of an overnight success christened by luck.

Each industrialist achieved their vision through audacity, perseverance, and uncommon skill.

None understood the enmity or envy of those who declined to take the trip with them.

What each of these entrepreneurs had in mind was something larger and grander than anyone had previously imagined. They didn’t want to merely win; they wanted to elevate the game to a whole new level. The world is filled with dreamers, but these people had a quality that went beyond dreaming: They had the ego, skill, and determination to make their dreams a reality for the rest of us.

Entrepreneurial Titans, independent of their business, display a surprising consistency in character. We call these characteristics the Ten Traits of Entrepreneurial Titans. The titans love

what they do, constantly imagine taking their empires to a higher elevation, communicate clearly, approach their business with a marketing perspective, continuously improve their products and services, stay in constant contact with every aspect of their business, think strategically and act opportunistically, relentlessly pursue their goals, take whatever risks are necessary, and surround themselves with exceptionally talented people.

Since few of us will ever try to reach their level of accomplishment, how valuable is it to study these traits? Success in any endeavor requires the same attributes. It is not a difference in kind, only in hue. The titans single-handedly change our lives, but our economy is moved along more by the cumulative effect of thousands of smaller successes. Understanding-and emulatingthe traits of the titans will help you dominate your small corner of the world.

The Ten Traits of Entrepreneurial Titans 1. Love of Aspiration 2. Uncommon and Unwavering Vision 3. Skilled Communicators 4. Market Focused 5. Product Obsessed 6. Always Engaged 7. Strategic, Tactical, Opportunistic 8. Driven and Tenacious 9. Risks Takers 10. Collectors of Bright and Talented People

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It was the first of its kind, this Jamaican business reality TV series, and as with any new, innovative and creative concept, once premiered on January 20th the show took off.

As 7 entrepreneurs competed to take their businesses to the next level, NCB Capital Quest’s season 1 hit the ground running with viewers tuning in over a seven-week period to find out just who was most impressive to the judges.

The intention was straightforward, seven Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) competed for a private equity investment valued at up to $50 million JMD, depending on their needs. The investment pool is primarily funded by sponsor NCB Capital Markets, (led by CEO Steven Gooden) with Norbrook Capital Management Ltd (led by Khary Robinson as a co-investor) and NCB SME as a co-sponsor.

Aimed at highlighting the fundamentals to successfully pitching a business to financiers and introducing the Jamaican public to the concept of private equity and venture capital, the TV program kicked off with a weeklong boot camp of over 18 companies, where each was trained in key subject areas; including leadership, corporate governance, and investor pitching. This first stage was geared towards shaping the SMEs to better position themselves to attract investors.

Starting off strong, episode one saw the entrepreneurs tasked with a 45 second elevator pitch. Testing their abilities to not just be knowledgeable of their companies but also their level of articulation given a short window of ON THE BRINK MAGAZINE | 32

time. Coming out of the tracks very early was Javette Nixon of Vein Centers, who had Mr. Lee-Chin and the judges going by establishing Vein Centers’ trajectory to date, providing some solid figures and delivering all with an air of easy confidence. The challenger’s victor proved to be Lisanne Chai of the Stationary Center, but the effort by these two proved to be a foreshadowing of what was to come.

Episode one mirrored the six that followed as contestants demonstrated their entrepreneurial drive and business acumen over the various challenges. The vying SMEs competed in ‘The Elevator Pitch’, ‘Sales & Strategy’, ‘Pitch & Networking’ ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ and the ‘Investment Pitch’. Each challenge and elimination allowed contestants to prove their worthiness of the equity and its value to NCB. In the end, two emerged victorious; businesses The Stationary Center and Veins Center.

Primary judges and guest judges alike including: Steven Gooden (CEO, NCB Capital Markets Ltd.), Khary Robinson (Founder & Managing Partner of Norbrook Capital), Audrey Tugwell Henry (Senior General Manager. Retail Banking Division), Zachary Harding (President of the Phoenix Group), Thalia Lyn (CEO, Island Grill), Michael LeeChin (Chairman, NCB Jamaica Ltd.), Nadeen Matthews (Senior AGM: Strategy, Marketing & Communications & CEO, NCB Foundation)

and Marcia Reid-Grant (Assistant General Manager, Retail Banking Division) kept the show interesting with cliffhanging moments right up to its final moment.

Speaking with Nadeen Matthews (Senior AGM: Strategy, Marketing & Communications & CEO, NCB Foundation), she described the reception of the show as being “overwhelmingly positive”.

Asked when and why the decision was made to have two winners, Matthews stated “we (NCB Capital Market & Norbrook Capital Investment Ltd.) had sufficient capital to support the investment request of both companies, which the investors were equally drawn to”. In fact, Matthews revealed they were always willing to invest in up to three companies. Personally though, Matthews chalks the experience up as a rewarding one where she was able to “see my vision realized and to see that so many Jamaicans benefitted”.

Certainly though, season one has proved to be a definitive guide to the processes that influence investors and securing equity to expand your business. As viewers patiently await season two, for which Matthews tells us planning stages are underway, the chapter has just begun for Veins Center and the Stationary Center.

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Connected Marketing: Creating a Viral Buzz.

Is creating the next viral buzz on your marketing to-do list? If you’re in marketing then the answer is probably “Yes!” (Even if you’re not, the answer is still probably “Yes!”) After all, every business needs to get the word out, every leader wants their ideas shared more. I mean who wouldn’t want “free” promotion?

After winning his 200m race at the LIME-sponsored ISSAGraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletic Championships, 19-year-old O’Hara removed the top of his team’s jersey to reveal a red and green undershirt with the words ‘Be Extraordinary’ for a packed National Stadium, television audience and those watching via the Internet. Immediately Twitter exploded. Persons tweeted: “#LIMEChamps lool O’Hara show off digicel tagline at champs guess its #digicelchamps now”, “Was it a #LimeChamps or #DigicelChamps ??? #ThePeopleWantToKnow” It was no surprise that major newspapers chimed in, with the Jamaican Gleaner headline reading “Guerrilla Marketing - LIME Furious over Digicel’s Advertising Hijack at Champs” only a day later. Whether it was ethical or unethical, right or wrong, the fact still remains, Digicel created a viral buzz through this one simple ingenious action and got fans talking about #DigicelChamps instead of #LimeChamps.

As a marketer, often your ultimate aim is to create enough content to provide value to your audience and keep readers engaged by creating content that will appeal to their emotions, is shareable and will ultimately go Viral.

Now you may be wondering, what makes content go viral?

How do I create content with a viral buzz element? While there isn’t a set formula, Jonah Berger, specialist in discovering what makes ideas and products go viral and author of the research paper “What Makes Online Content Go Viral?” provides us with a “recipe” for driving people to spread the word.

Here’s a summary of his recipe for creating viral content: People want to seem smart.

From their recent work promotion, their kids doing well in school, to even getting a great bargain on a product that is otherwise expensive, people generally love talking about

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things that make them look good. The better it makes them look, the more likely they’ll be to pass it on. So why not do just that, make them look good. How? Create remarkable information and they’ll tell others in order to make themselves look smart and in the know.

Content that connects emotionally grabs the users’ attention.

People talk about what they care about most. If you’re excited about a piece of news, angry about a decision, or amazed about a discovery, you’re much more likely to tell others. So focus on feelings rather than functions. Build an emotional connection to any message you want to take viral and keep in mind that positive emotions tend to do better than negative emotions.

Stories are the currency of conversation.

From newspaper ads, television ads, phone app ads to even the branded clothes we wear, from the time we wake up we are constantly bombarded with advertisements. While no one wants to seem like a walking advertisement, they will talk about a product or brand if it’s part of a broader story.

The recently televised NCB Capital Quest reality series did just that. Instead of doing the traditional advertisements, NCB developed a reality series that introduced the Jamaican public to the topic of equity financing. An otherwise boring topic was made rather interesting and engaging. Persons took to popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to show support of the contestant they wanted to win. At the same time tuning in week after week to see what exciting new challenge will be next.

As an added benefit the show also highlighted the keys to running a successful business and taught viewers how to prepare their business to successfully access financing. Which brings us back to creating remarkable information. So, build a story, one that carries your brand along for the ride. Make your message into an enjoyable tale, and you can be sure it will be told.

While no one can guarantee that the content they develop will go viral, most of the time, the content people choose to share isn’t random. By taking into account a few of these principles, you can increase the likelihood that your content will be shared and your chances of it “going viral”.

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THE NEXT BIG GOOGLE UPDATE – DOES IT IMPACT YOUR STARTUP BUSINESS? By: Thinesh Kumar The increased rate of searches and views from devices other than a desktop has lead to yet another Google ranking update. It is been officially confirmed by Google that, after April 21, 2015 websites optimized for mobile viewing will score higher ranks than the nonmobile friendly websites in mobile search. Webmasters had well anticipated this from the search engine giant when it was found out that 84% of the smartphone users (1.4 Billion users around the world) prefer smart devices than desktop for searching for information.

How Google update

affects small and startup business?

It is undoubtedly important to keep a business website optimised for smartphones viewing. Most of the wellestablished companies have already provided their customers with mobilefriendly user experience and it is time for the small companies and startups to leap in. Research shows that mobile searches are made when people on the go are looking for a quick information about a local business service. Small businesses cannot take the risk of losing the customers whose purchase decisions

depend on smart devices (smartphones and Tablets) search. Hence, for any small or a startup company targeting the local customers, this is a mandatory update.

Browsing for basic information (product price or store location) through smart devices can be tedious if the website is not compatible with all devices.

A landing page with small buttons & fonts, overlapping links and adjustable screens can annoy the customers.

Hence, to keep customers content, keep your website updated.

GET READY FOR THE MOBILE ERA Recent studies have shown that 1 out of 5 persons owns a smartphone. And this mobile technology is catching up real soon in all the parts of the world. And so, adapting to this is one of the most prime factors to be considered if you are planning to establish a long-term flourishing business.

Read on to know more about preparing a small or startup company for the next Google update.

• The Website viewers’ search behaviour needs to be analysed and checked if they prefer smartphones or desktop browsing to gather information.

• If there is huge smart devices traffic directed to the site, it is vital to check if the website is in adherence to the latest Google guidelines(issued by Google for webmasters).

• If the website is not optimised for smartphone viewing, the next step is to recreate your website into mobile usable website ?by abiding with all the Google guidelines.

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• In addition to the above steps, small businesses also need to update their Google maps address and local directories listing so that customers can get a detailed picture of your products & services.

Building a multi-device versatile website for your business, can save you from getting lost in the search listings. Reaching customers through their smartphones can be the best way to connect with them. Get maximum visibility towards your website through optimizing website for mobile views.

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