Sovereign Magazine - Issue 14 - February 2019 by Sovereign Magazine

GLOBAL MAGAZINE FOR EXECUTIVES AND LEADING ENTREPRENEURS SOVEREIGNMAGAZINE.CO.UK FEBRUARY 2019 ISSUE 14

TITANS OF TITANIUM

The story behind the worlds most exclusive gardening tool set

THE ELEVEN WOMEN CHANGING THE WORLD IN 2019

HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD WHEN YOU CAN’T FIND A BABYSITTER Catherine Edsell

TIME TO WATCH & LEARN Giselle Rufer on what it means to be the only female Swiss Watch marker

P O W E R F U L

B U S I N E S S

W O M E N ’ S

N E T W O R K

TINEKE RENSEN

Introducing

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WHO IS CHANGING THE WORLD IN 2019? The World Happiness Report leaves out what really matters to you and me: trust, mental health and the environment. For an entire year, Sovereign Magazine has been focused on bringing you the good news. Turning the tide in the fight against bad news and poverty, we work with Purposeful Leaders who are tirelessly bringing prosperity to their local communities. Is it possible to diagnose and close the achievement gap globally? In this first issue of our second year, there is an untold story on self leadership in every page. The human story on prosperity that didn’t make it into the tabloids or premium broadcasts is here to teach you what you don’t know about yourself. We celebrate each Sovereign who shares their story with us and offers their unique solution to prosperity with the world. While all around you the traumatic waves of bad news are piling up into a brick wall, blocking your unbiased perception, our readers have access to real life success stories and their protagonists and start asking themselves: can I contribute to the progress happening all around me and put my name on it? The New Year’s Honours list 2019 recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom and while we briefly mentioned them, we are in the lookout for the next big thing, for your untold story and to create together the first global Solutionary Directory in 2019. Stories of human progress, closing the gender gap, massive innovations for global health, World Happiness milestones, mental health, relationships with yourself and others, building business trust and embracing your truth. Being a woman in business isn’t easier now than in 2018 and I can’t see any signs that 2019 is going to be plain sailing or painless. We invited Tineke Rensen, founder of The Powerful Business Women’s Network, from the Nether-

lands, who after concluding an extraordinary carrier as a white-water kayaking champion decided to run an international business club for women that she could never find when struggling to up-scale her business. She doesn’t come empty handed, she brings along Giselle Rufer, the only Swiss female Watchmaker, Ivana, the designer who redefines women’s power, Monique, who turns cold leads into hot leads, Wilma, one of the titans of titanium garden tools, and Jeanet who believes in Freedom Entrepreneurs. I love it when powerful business women are inspiring raw talent, business women in the making. You can identify them from the cover story throughout the whole magazine, which is celebrating love this month, but a different kind of love: the love for who you are and who you could become. There is a magic to each story, the Sovereign touch to each one of our contributing editors and their message, that brings all of us together to close the achievement gap. Running three magazines myself, I understand everything that each one of the business women who share their success story had endured, loved, sacrificed, struggled, learned, attracted, lost and found to be where they are now. I hope you will empathise with the commitment that comes with their vision, the pressure to exceed expectations, the draining process of achieving success, while maintaining an all-consuming image and smile. What can you learn? Love yourself, don’t try too hard to please others, be your authentic self, deliver your unique vision and be kind with no reason. I am a great believer that only women can change the world, make it better for our children. I think women are more aware now than three decades ago, as we shift the focus from the Gross National Product to the Gross National Happiness. Happiness is the first holistic step you take inwards towards personal success to contribute to the GNH.

Dr. Marina Nani

Editor-in-chief

Marina Nani5

Sovereign- Global Magazine for Executives and Leading Entrepreneurs

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Table of Contents 06

The Inside Gems of Success Interview with Dr Wendy Sneddon, founder of Lodestone Lounge and GEMS Cloud Based HR Software.

Sovereign Magazine is available in print, online and on digital platforms. Visit our website for more fascinating stories on the leaders of tomorrow www.sovereignmagazine.co.uk

The World Needs More Powerful Business Women This month's cover story features Tineke Rensen, founder of Powerful Business Women's Network

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Editor-in-chief: Creative Director:

Dr. Marina Nani Darie Nani Donia Youssef

With special thanks to:

Columnist

Tineke Rensen Columnist

Cedric Vinclair Columnist

Laura Amherst Columnist

Kostas Kapelas Guest contributor

Katherine Ewen Guest contributor

Time To Watch The Woman And Learn Giselle Rufer, the only female Swiss Watchmaker in the world.

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Power Redefined Ivana de Haan on why you should always put your name on it!

Do you have a story to tell? We want the world to read it! Get in touch by email editor@sovereignmagazine.co.uk

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Interview with Dr Wendy Sneddon RVN, MSc, FInstLM, AssocCIPD ‘I am passionate about doing what I love and loving what I do. I help entrepreneurs to build solid foundations for a successful business, through engaging and motivating their teams, so they love what they do and stay with you. We design & implement strategies to attract, recruit and retain Great Employees & Loyal Customers.’ Dr Wendy Sneddon says. Also a property developer, Wendy is converting commercial property to residential, and have a few projects underway. She is on the board of a homeless charity, Rowan Alba, based in Edinburgh, supporting them to provide accommodation to end homelessness.

Founder of the Lodestone Lounge, an online community supporting entrepreneurs with business skills; creator of GEMS (Great Employee Management system), an online filing system for all your employee data and records, Dr Wendy Sneddon is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, associate member of CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development), and an award winning author. Kind and compassionate, Dr Wendy Sneddon is an experienced Business Mentor and Purposeful Leadership Coach with 20-plus years of experience helping startup businesses to grow, strategic planning, and team management/ training.

The secretary of the Links Group, Wendy is involved in raising awareness of the link between animal abuse and human abuse. ‘We teach vets to recognise non-accidental injuries and how to deal with the clients in the consulting room. We teach social care professionals to understand animal welfare in violent homes and to include the family pet in their assessments, and what to do if they suspect abuse. There is a lack of suitable accommodation for families with pets to move to when they want to escape a violent home. The Say Something Foundation has been set up to work towards developing suitable properties for this purpose.’ What was the motivating factor that made you leap into being your own boss? Its always been a dream of mine, when I was 17, a psychic told me I would never be my own boss. That became my belief and held me back for a long time. I am quite good at problem solving and I’m always looking for a better way to get things done. Over the years, I have been very frustrated by the way people run their businesses, this led to by Dr Marina Nani

SOVEREIGN me deciding that by the time I was 45 I would retire from employment and do my own thing. The month before my 46th birthday I was no longer employed – it was just me! When I made that wish in my late 30’s I had no idea how it would happen – or really consciously gave it any more thought! Now I have part time employees, and I get to choose who I work with. I work harder than ever, and I take time out when I need it, because I can. What problems are you solving? The pain of building a team of people! Our HR software keeps you legally and procedurally covered for business-critical functions, saving you time and money!

How does it work? We offer a membership to an online community, provide contracts of employment and all the policies and procedures you need to keep you legal. A forum to ask questions moderated by experienced HR professionals. For

The last few years have been very challenging for business owners and 2019 will have its challenges too. I am making plans for supporting even more amazing entrepreneurs who want success in business. The Lodestone Lounge will become a physical space, a hub where you can network, rent desk or office space, hold events etc. We will provide support services and coaching for all the members and support the creation and growth of businesses. Who are the people who could benefit from your unique solution? Any business owner employing people. Whether you employ 1 person or 1000’s you need the same policies and procedures in place. More specifically, we work with entrepreneurs who have ambitions to grow their business, work in multiple locations and are building a team. Who is one person you admire most and why? I have always admired Andrew Carnegie. He was very successful despite a tough start in life and the many challenges he faced. He saw opportunities and he took them, giving his all. He was probably the instigator of self-development. He believed that knowledge was important and wanted everyone to have the opportunity to read. His legacy included building 2,800 libraries across the world. One of his quotes which resonates with me is “The man who dies rich, dies disgraced.” I do believe that any business should have a strategy for giving back

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Most entrepreneurs start a business because they are really good at something, or they come up with a new innovative product or service. They are often not skilled in basic business skills and muddle along learning as they go. I coach them through the challenges, mainly around employing people. The first mistake they often make is not recruiting the right people. You need to be really clear about where your strengths lie and what you want to do in the business, and then recruit to fill the gaps. Business owners like to do everything themselves, so micro managing is quite common. They find it hard to trust their employees and give them responsibility. Or they do the opposite and abdicate all responsibility without proper guidance and support. The biggest mistakes include not giving appropriate feedback to their employees. It can seem like they don’t appreciate the good work, but are quick to pick out the bad bits. Quite often they ignore issues, or discuss with anybody but the employee. Then when it happens for the tenth time they blow their top!

early stage businesses we are your HR department. We have software to systemise your business and keep everything together. And access to an employment lawyer if things go wrong. We can also offer coaching, support and training for anyone who is managing people within a business. We help with vision clarification, strategy planning, culture creation and values clarification. Get all of this set up at the beginning of your journey and you are laying the foundations for success.

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SOVEREIGN to its community. What have you found to be the most challenge thing about working for yourself? The biggest challenge is sharing my worries. I made a bold decision to go on my own, there’s a lot of pressure to succeed and prove the doubters wrong! I was scared to admit that sometimes I find it really tough. The WHYs women network has been so supportive, as have some of the other people who get what I’m going through and won’t tell me to just pack it in and go get a real job. The fear of running out of money, the fear of failing and having to be employed again , are challenging aspects when working for yourself!

improve how they treat their employees. You have a business offering that helps small businesses with the people aspects of doing business, what are the common mistakes that small businesses make with people?

If you could travel back to that time just before you made that decision to be your own boss, what advice would you give to make your business grow even faster?

The first mistake is not recruiting the right people. You need to be really clear about where your strengths lie and what you want to do in the business, and then recruit to fill the gaps. Micro managing is quite common as business owners find it hard to trust their employees and give them responsibility. Or they do they opposite and abdicate al responsibility with proper guidance and support. The biggest mistake is they don’t give appropriate feedback, they don’t appreciate the good work, they are quick to pick out the bad bits, which they often ignore or tell everyone else it’s a problem and then when it happens for the 10th time they blow their top.

Figure out who your customer is and get some sales before you drop the secure income. Outsource what you can afford to and focus on what you are really good at. Consider partnerships or joint ventures. Build multiple income streams, so if one thing fails you have other income.

Read my book and learn how to be a great employer, join my club and I’ll support you on that journey providing you with everything you need to set up your HR department, use my software to manage your team, keep their data secure and accessible from anywhere you can access the internet.

You are a published author, how has writing a book helped you with your business?

What are your 3 top tips for growing a business?

When I was working for a start up business, I did my HR training and set up policies and procedures and systems. There was no support to do this and I did a lot of research into how other companies did this. It was the same in the next business and I was surprised that so many people who were starting business and employing people didn’t know what their legal obligations were to employees, many weren’t even issuing contracts. I wrote Get Out Of Your Way, the step by step guide for entrepreneurs in how to attract, recruit and retain a winning team, to help entrepreneurs consider how to prepare themselves for bringing in their first employees. The book has helped to build my credibility and has helped many of my clients to

Define your purpose, why you do what you do, where you want to go with it and plan out how you are going to get there. You need to be able to articulate this to attract customers and employees. Take great care of your employees, give regular feedback – tell them what they have done, tell them what impact this has on the team/customers/the business, and if something’s not gone well, tell them what you want to see instead. Be spontaneous. Make it fun! For you and everyone involved, makes the tough days bearable when you can share a bit of humour.

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WHERE IS THE NETWORK THAT WORKS FOR YOU? Since I was the only female business owner in my niche, I was surrounded by men and I found it difficult to find other businesswomen. The instructors who worked for me were also mostly men. 30 years ago, I was always looking for businesswomen, but I couldn’t find many. I wanted to know how women grew their business, what their challenges were. When I listen to the kind of challenges they were facing, I realised that were no challenges at all. When I compared myself with most of the businesswomen, I met I had to conclude that they were lacking ambition and their business strategies were not scalable. For these reasons I focused on networking with men. They had bigger businesses, had clear goals, they knew where they wanted to go, and my way of doing business matched theirs. When I won a prize for the best female business owner in The Netherlands, someone offered me a membership to a businesswomen’s network. Finally, I met one or two like-minded business women. Women who run an office, employed staff and made a commitment for their business. I never knew you could be self- employed. I couldn’t call it business. Yet, most of the women I met were working for themselves and called themselves business women. I wanted more than that, so I decided to quit with this. 22 years later when I sold my business and had to start all over again, I wanted to find a good network of powerful businesswomen. But everywhere I went, I couldn’t find the support I needed, and the only business owners who owned a really successful business were all

men; and they weren’t prepared to offer me any help. Statistics show that in The Netherlands only 20% of the businesswomen have an annual turnover in excess of 100.000 euros. Business women’s networks started to be more popular, but I only came across with start-ups and women who work for themselves, again. How long does it take for business trends to change? After many disappointing networking events, in November 2017 I decided to start a network for powerful businesswomen, who, like myself, want to grow, scale up their business and have big goals. The Powerful Business Women’s Network is designed to serve two biggest wishes: make meaningful connections with like-minded women and support each other, grow their business and make an impact internationally. The initial launch in the Netherlands was a success. I was thrilled to see the need for my unique solution. Members really appreciate the support they receive during our meetings and the hot seat sessions are very popular as each participant can ask for help for the challenges they face. Few month later we launched a new chapter in Switzerland (Zürich), and on our first anniversary, we launched a new location, in the financial capital of the world, in London. At present we focus on growing the local groups and expand further in Europe, to make connections with more powerful businesswomen visit our website PowerfulBusinessWomensNetwork. com

- TINEKE RENSEN, FOUNDER

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By Dr Marina Nani & Laura Amherst

Tineke Rensen on how to create a better reality for woman in business. You might have heard that Dutch women are the most beautiful women in the world. We went behind the scenes to find out how they become powerful business women. Last year we sponsored The Wintrade Week in London and I’ve met Tineke Rensen who was a keynote speaker. What struck me while listening to her wasn’t necessarily her elegance, even it was difficult to ignore it, but her beauty within. Tineke was talking about learning from men how to work together, how to focus, how to do goal setting, how to stick to a plan, how to budget and focus on money without losing your femininity. At that point I realised that she is a woman on a mission, and we have to work together to help more women become powerful business women. We followed Tineke Rensen for almost a year now, and since she launched three chapters of the Powerful Business Women’s Network in Zurich, London and Amsterdam. She kindly agreed to be the cover girl for Sovereign Magazine and share not only her story with our readers but her vision for a world that needs more powerful women who own a successful business.

www.powerfulbusinesswomensnetwork.com

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Tinekeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story

I am the first-born child and have a younger sister. We had quite a hard upbringing and did not have a lot of money, as my dad suffered an injury on a moped that left him unable to work for many years. He started drinking and our home life was very turbulent. Despite this, I have great memories of my childhood. My main passion has always been sports. I started going to a gymnastics club that opened in my village and when I was 12, I had the opportunity to go to a club in another city and develop myself as an athlete, but my parents did not have a car and felt too proud to ask for any help. I found out from a young age that you can only depend on yourself to achieve something. I remained at the gymnastics club and was still very talented. I won many competitions but was never able to break through to the national level, and it was there that that particular dream ended. As I got older and had to choose what I was going to study, I chose to study sports teaching. The main reason why I started to study sports was that I wanted to become a gymnastics trainer. I decided if I could not become a national champion myself, I would train other girls to become one. Back then there was stiff competition; about 80 people got chosen out of a thousand each year! Everybody told me not to try, but there was nothing else I wanted to do, so I applied. I got through a few rounds to the lottery, but I was not good enough yet to get a place. I heard about the rule that when you apply three times and every time you have to go to the lottery that they give you a spot, also because that shows determination. So that was my plan. As I moved from middle school to higher education, it was challenging, and I had to study a lot. I was only there so I could wait for my third time to apply, and the second time I also made it through, and I got a ticket to start.

And so, I was 17 and I had to move out of my house, and I felt like it was the biggest achievement ever; I had a chance to start a new life. When I left, my mum filed for divorce and I found out she was only staying for me and my sister. Mum moved into shared accommodation, and it was a rough time, as I started the challenge of a new life and not having the safe haven I always had, to go back home to. I studied sports for three years and learning many new sports and skills. During my internship in recreational sport I went to the Belgian Ardennes to do outdoor and survival sports, such as rock climbing, white water kayaking and abseiling. It was a life changing experience. I learned what real friendship was about, and the couple that ran the white-water kayaking became my role models. I kept going back for trips until I passed my exams and officially became a sports teacher. I soon realized that I could start to make money through my skiing and kayaking. I started working and while I was not paid much, I did get to spent five months of the year outdoors skiing . When I was 29, I applied for the national team mogul skiing in The Netherlands and I was selected. My hope of becoming a national champion was renewed. I was invited to compete at the Dutch Championships hosted in Switzerland, and I had high hopes that I could become a champion. The track was very difficult, and I ended up falling and breaking my thumb, and had to be transported home by ambulance. It was such a sad day. Whilst this was happening, I was teaching outdoor and survival sports for a company in Luxembourg but I decided to leave because of the safety standards. I then started my own business. I initially bought five kayaks and I strapped them to my roof, and I used to take people to Belgium. When the business grew, I took friends of mine to instruct alongside me and we had a great time. I

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SOVEREIGN was discovering how to find clients on my own, but got some help with bookkeeping with a mentor, who I learnt a great deal from. My business grew steadily, and, in the summer, we started moving everything to Italy. I sold my programs to the tour operator that I was working for in the winter as a ski guide. I never realized I was doing something extraordinary. I was doing business in multiple countries employing people. I was just doing what I loved with people who loved it too. I met my husband through whitewater kayaking, a Dutch man who I met in Turkey with some friends, but he did not become a part of the business as it was not making enough money for the both of us, as there were dry periods during the winter months and I had little income. I became pregnant and had to employ an admin co-worker because I wanted to work less. So, then I felt like a real business owner because somebody depended on the income I provided. When my first daughter was born, I soon had to move my office out of the house, and I rented a new place. I started to build up more equipment and eventually had to rent a bigger space. My business grew steadily every year. I had no loans from the bank, and I could always grow with the money I could put back into the business. In my last year, we were at 5 locations in the summer and 25 people were working for me. I felt very proud. In the meantime, Freestyle Kayaking was born! Having such a young child did not deter us, she came along on all our trips. We would camp in the wild and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d bathed her in a bucket, we slept in the together in a campervan and when she was sleeping in the pram near the river, we would train. I have truly wonderful memories of those times that I will always cherish. We drove all over Europe to compete in competitions and I became better and better. It is no wonder that when they started a national team of this new sport I was elected. And I remembered my old dream of becoming a Dutch champion. Would it be third time lucky? When we had the Dutch championships in France, I was very excited. I was the oldest competitor, and the only mother and the rest were young girls, but my mindset was the best and guess what, I became the national champion at 38 years old!

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What inspired you to create your business? My first business was in outdoor sports and I decided to sell it after 22 years as I was not growing anymore as a person and wanted a new business challenge. I started to learn an array of skills in entrepreneurship such as online marketing, public speaking and social media for businesses. After a while, I started teaching business owners to help them to grow their business. I loved working with men because I always had been a tomboy, but I faced some challenges where I was not taken seriously, and I switched to working with women. I soon found out that women were keeping themselves small in business for a number of reasons, and I challenged them too much as I saw through their excuses. But I was not growing my business the way I wanted, I was not happy with my income and was not achieving my goals. And I was not used to this at all. I was having problems marketing and selling myself and was still having problems with mentoring women. My personal coach asked me the question one day, “Is it possible that you avoid the feminine part inside of you?” Could my coach be right? In my opinion what I saw from women was weak and I did not want to be weak. Could it be that what seemed weak to me, was being realistic? That what I called excuses was being self-aware? Did I need to be so harsh on myself all the time and believe that failure was not an option? But I did have a huge advantage. I had learnt to focus, to do goal setting, to stick to a plan, to budget and focus on money too. I practiced thinking fast and implementing quickly, and

to go through the fear instead of listening to my insecurities. I realised that a lot of business women were not as successful as they wanted to be because they lacked these skills, and I found that there were certain ways that women liked to work that worked against more traditional business models, yet were very valuable, such as working together, keeping everybody involved and not only being focused on money! And then everything changed for me. I encountered many powerful and successful businesswomen who had integrated the masculine and feminine very well. When I stopped seeing businesswomen and the way they do business as being less successful I could start to help them, and they accepted my help.

typical masculine skills without having to use the masculine behaviour. It is such an eye-opener for my clients when they can see that their beliefs about business are driven by masculine behaviour and rules, which are not serving businesswomen at all.

How does it work? I coach, train and mentor them one on one and I often zoom in with specific trainings on various matters where women can grow their business. I love to serve women. I believe in helping them grow their businesses so they can impact a lot of people.

I also saw that life was lonely for many of these strong and powerful businesswomen. They did not have many role models, and they had to find out their own way, like I had to do for twenty-two years. And I thought what a waste of potential. Why not create a way where they can all meet and where they can support and help each other? So, I started the Powerful Business Women’s Network where like-minded women can meet online and at monthly meet-ups. We now have three groups: in the Netherlands, in Switzerland, and in the United Kingdom.

What problems are you solving? II work with business women who have reached a plateau. I help them learn new skills, and I mentor them to implement new strategies, but most importantly I am a soundboard for my women. No matter how successful they are they can still be insecure because they feel the pressure of making the right decisions for everyone involved.

I developed a model that I use during my sessions and this model is called the “Blueprint for a Successful Business MakeOver”.

I also help them to learn the

But it is not always me coming

I have not met a woman in business yet who is facing issues I have not faced or that one of my clients has not faced. There is always a solution.

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SOVEREIGN up with the solution when working with a client. I believe when we start working, a flow starts developing and synchronization evolves. And in these moments my client can come up with the best solutions herself. If women first want to get to know me, they can also buy my book. “Maximum Business Growth for Women, 8 Secrets from a National Champion to Accelerate your Business” https://www.maximumbusinessgrowthforwomen.com/ My business is called Powerful Business Academy. It is only for powerful business people and preferably women.

Who are the people that could benefit? Serious business women who want to scale up and are willing to work on their business instead of in their business. Who also want to work on themselves? Because a business can only grow as big as its business owner is. My work is always about personal and business growth.

What are the challenges to make the public aware of your work? To make them aware is not the issue, branding nowadays is very easy with free social media. But how to stand out and have my potential clients pick up the phone and call me is another story. I have various ways to find new clients. 1. I love to give presentations. Being on stage has always been something I love to do. To be able to reach out to as many people as possible at the same time and having a connection with them is amazing. (With email marketing I could reach so much more people, but I feel no connection with my tribe

when I send an email) 2. I also have a video funnel on Facebook, with a lot of videos. We target the businesswomen who have seen my videos and they will get an invitation to have a free talk with me. This is only for the very serious ones because I cannot talk to everybody who wants to talk to me, although I would love to. From every conversation I learn, and, in every conversation, I am able to contribute to a person’s life or business. Both things make me happy 3. I have a very good online questionnaire for business women. https://www.powerfulbusinessacademy.com/ free-next-level-consultation/ It takes time for them to fill in the answers, but when they do make this effort, they will already get a lot more insight into their business and the challenges they are facing at the moment. And some of them I give a reward in the form of a free conversation with me. 4. And of course, I have a free download with exceptional content. I found out that in my country, The Netherlands, there was not much statistical information about how women do business and what their challenges are. I gathered information of nearly 400 businesswomen. All the questions are in a report what you can download here. https://www.powerfulbusinessacademy.com/ebook/ All these women will get recent updates about my work. 5. And now this Powerful Business Women’s Magazine, with many powerful businesswomen out of my own network who share their stories. I am very proud of this beautiful achievement, where business women get the attention, they deserve in the business arena. Often

SOVEREIGN our businesses are not as big as those of men, and often we don’t promote ourselves as much as men. But that does not mean that we are not out there. I advocate for bringing a new way of doing business where there is also a lot of attention for the feminine approach. An approach that is needed very much in the world nowadays.

Who is one person you admire most and why? I am a big fan of Walt Disney. When my children were young, we travelled to the States to Orlando quite a few times. We visited the parks and went on many Disney cruises. It was always an amazing experience. Like making dreams come true and that is exactly their motto. ‘If you can dream it you can do it.’ That is my favourite quote from Disney. Together with the belief that you don’t need to know exactly how you are going to achieve it, accompanied with the trust that somehow you will meet the right people at the right moment you can really achieve everything.

Why do you believe it is important to be part of a women’s network? Women have a different way of communicating than men. They also have a different way of doing business. They love to help others and connect, and they want to belong to something; they like to create together. Women go to a deeper level of conversation very quickly and we can talk about a variety of important meaningful things together.

Why do you believe it is important for women to support each other? Women have a different way of doing business than men. So, we understand much better what works for us and what doesn’t. Many of their businesses are too small to be noticed. So, women need a lot more help and support to grow their business because it is still a very masculine thing to scale up and grow. But we can too. And when we support and help each other instead of competing with each other or being jealous of each other or judging each other I am sure that much more female-owned businesses will thrive. And that is needed in the world because women have so many qualities to bring to business. So, this is why women should support each other. We all agree we need more women in politics, we all agree we need more women in boardrooms. Well, I am a fierce supporter of having bigger female-owned businesses. And I will do whatever I can to help achieve this. Many women in this magazine are stepping up and are proud to talk about their business and their interesting stories, without bragging because that is not what women like to do. But we can be proud as hell too!

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The only female Swiss Watchmaker explains how she captures the spirit of the women who wear her designer watches.

Facing a non-emotional data driven reality, more people decide to invest in themselves and learn to monetise their big ideas. The old paradigm ‘time is money’ is no longer representing the quintessential definition of prosperity. Time is life, instead. More women find their way into a new economy that is shaping the future of society: The Talent Economy. By Dr Marina Nani

Giselle Rufer

Time to Watch the woman and learn

With the average person spending four hours a day facing a smartphone outside working hours, and the internet wildly available to walk one step further into serendipity with every search, is it possible that we will make progress without being overwhelmed by it? As confused as most of us are about what is happening next, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the world is going to be changed by those who suffered the most.

See the full collection at delancewatches.com

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Is the talent economy going to help us close the achievement gap? We reached out to Giselle Rufer, Creator of the DELANCE Swiss Watches, who made her life mission to encourage women and tell them how marvellous they are, empower them to be all they can be. Mother of two, Ivan (49) and Rachel (47), Grandmother of Zoé, Mael, Loïc (18, 16 and 9), Giselle is an exceptionally talented entrepreneur who leaves in Macolin, Switzerland, near Biel, a renowned watchmaking city, home to Rolex, Omega, Swatch Group and many other world renowned companies. Her life story was captured by an American writer in ‘BUTTERFLY IN A STORMLady to watch’. Here is what she told us… ‘Sometimes it takes external forces to activate the latent entrepreneurial spirit; for many women, this moment of inertia occurs when they reach the glass ceiling in their jobs. In my case, the desire to create a special watch for women is the inertia that pushed me forward. This desire became a mission.’ Giselle advocates for women’s commitment for a better world. ‘Women’s intelligence and skills are very important on all levels. It is very important to take a step further. If you have a dream, make it come true. Put all your energy to achieve it. If you are not happy in your job, change it. You will find the perfect one just for you. It will perhaps take a few years but follow your star.’ Giselle shows women how to stand up for what they think is right and good, to go back on, after life knocks them down, to search for unique solutions, to develop and deliver their vision, work with other women, make a significant difference in the world. ‘Many times in my life I had to change my plans, as life was not going in the direction I would have like it to go. Depending of the circumstances it can be easy to change or very difficult. However, sometimes it happens that the small changes can have a big impact’

The only woman in the Swiss watch industry with the ability to make designer watches, Giselle decided to create a special watch, made by women that capture the spirit of women. Because the timepiece she created is connected with who she is as a woman, she had to gather the courage to create her company rather than selling up her design to a male competitor. Her first step was to create an international business network, to reach out and make meaningful connections with women around the world. She travelled extensively to find out how women define “time.” Interestingly, not one woman said that ‘time is money’. The most frequent answer was ’time is life!’ Women told Giselle that as they give their time to raise a family, or to build a business, they organise and manage life. Women are always the givers, the managers of life and for them, time is life, not money ! ‘Women do not measure the value of time in dollars and cents; this is not the value women give to their time and life. When I asked women what is important in their lives and how they spend their time and what business women want, their unanimous answer was that they are striving for harmony. Women want to be in a harmonious state with everything in their lives.’ A lot of women also said that they wanted something more than just everyday life, something spiritual. ‘In addition to capturing the strength and eternity of women, I also wanted the DELANCE watch to capture the sentiments of life, harmony, and spirituality. This is why I have chosen the diamond shape, because it symbolizes life and harmony.’ Giselle’s next step was to learn if women would invest in a high-quality watch that did not have a famous label. Many women said they would buy the kind of special watch made for her with two condition: if they loved the watch or if there was a special reason to buy the watch. Giselle’s challenge was to satisfy this niche of the market by making a

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SOVEREIGN watch that was very beautiful and recognizable at first sight and which was designed to make each woman feel that the watch was made just for her. Once she clarified and refined her design concept and the ideal target market, her next step was to identify all of the pros and cons of embarking upon this global venture. At the time, Giselle was well known for successfully launching Flik-Flak, the watch for children for the Swatch group. Knowing her worth as an engineer, an artist, a good communicator and a good saleswoman, helped Giselle face the challenges in front of her: ‘I am a woman. I am over 50. I have no money. In Switzerland, men between the ages of 35-40 are responsible for most new business start-ups. It is quite unusual for a woman of my age, 48 years old at the time, to venture out to start a business on her own.’ She decides to turn this challenge into an opportunity, cross an internal psychological boundary and refrain from feeling that her femininity and her age was a disadvantage, but an unfair advantage. ‘For the femininity I would do something with the spirit of a women that no men could have done. For the age, bringing with it maturity, experience, and my well-established name in the watch industry I would do a masterpiece, a resume of my life. For the lack of money I have to consider me as my capital, I have to be creative, use synergy and opportunity. I have connections, so my strategy is to go as far as I can without having to obtain formal financing. I engage a network of friends, family, and business partners to invest in my venture. So in Mai 1996 I created DELANCE inc.’ Since, Giselle partner with exceptional female entrepreneurs, from all over the world who are in a position to both invest and launch DELANCE in their respective countries. ‘The Delance watch is a silent mentor, an anchorage which remind you at every moment to be true to yourself. The Delance watch is also a sign of recognition for women who want to participate in all field of life.’ Fighting against big brands is impossible, so

she decided to use her unique talent to create the buzz, to put the word out, make women aware of their silent powers. Distinctive, always the same, yet different for each woman, this magical timepiece discreetly reflects the personal story of the woman who wears it. ‘I combined universal symbols to create a very unique watch meaning Life Harmony Spirituality. At the center, the diamond shape is a universal symbol of life and prosperity. At the Zenith, 12 o’clock, is the spiral, symbolic of water, moon and femininity. The stone at the Nadir, 6 o’clock, represents the south, the sun, and radiates the masculine energy. Finally, the infinity knot links the feminine and the masculine for all eternity.’ Giselle named the watch after her father and the true meaning of Delance watch, is a universal symbol. While the basic form never changes, the watch becomes unique for each woman with a unique personalization. ‘Empowering another woman is a reciprocal gift. I have a social goal as well as a business goal in terms of what I want to accomplish with my company. Just as I want the DELANCE to express the excellence in women, I also want to engage all women in the production and execution of my watch business. The women who work with me share my dreams and we work harmoniously together. My dream is to find DELANCE Ambassadors around the world and let them make work of mouth publicity.’ Giselle’s role is to lead talented women into prosperity, generously sharing the spirit of the company. A woman on a mission, Giselle travels all over the world to bring us the good news: now is the time to watch and learn from women the true meaning of life. ‘Together we are stronger, more creative and better in all dimensions. I believe that it is important for women to support each other. This is what Powerful Business Women Network do! Delance is made by women for women. I am certain that the success of one woman is the success of all women. It is now time for all of us as women to be all what we can be, to help each other, to reach for the sky so we may all become stars and shine bright.’

www.delancewatches.com

By Dr Marina Nani

From Cold Calling to Hot Leads

“If it looks like work, we stop.” Interview with Monique Hoogkamer, Founder WeCallForYou Imagine that one day when you go to work, your boss tells you ‘You are out of date. We have to let you go’. What could be worse than working with a manager who doesn’t see your dedication and effort? And what could be better than leaving them behind to start your own business?! When Monique was fired, she did not know that being free to make better choices for herself is going to fire her up and change her life for good. Her desire to be an independent woman was inspired in early childhood by her mother who stopped working once she got married. Monique learned from her mother, who was an incredible woman, leading a happy life, to focus on what she had, instead of what she didn’t. Happily married, mother of two gorgeous boys, Monique is the founder of WeCallForYou, the defining midfielder which is designed to help

SOVEREIGN companies grow fast from start-ups and scale up to SME. ‘We believe people deserve a life of passion, doing what they love, and we free them from doing jobs they hate, like cold calling. People find it difficult to call, especially cold calling. Furthermore, people do not even like it or do not have the time. We call the whole day and are not distracted by other tasks. Everyone’s time is valuable. Our solutions remove the pain of chasing decision makers, and get the job done for them.’ Monique’s team is a powerful pull of talent as she learned from her manager who not to be and what not to do as a leader. Her formula brings her clients profits in excess of 400%, not just a hot team of cold callers. ‘We work with women only. Female voice sounds much better on the telephone and our clients are aware of that. We work with male clients and they appreciate our feminine charm and listening ear. We work together as a team, we support each other to master our natural skills: leading good conversations, open communicators, we are able to focus to the point of conversation, and switch quickly, to close the deal’ “Monique is very passionate about the approach and the follow-up and that is often lacking in sales. Even after the campaign ended, Monique insisted on keeping calling one of the prospects. She had made that agreement and wanted to keep her word.” One of her clients says. Monique understands that success is a two-way street and she teams up with each client, while under contract, become part of the client’s company, sometimes, they even move in to run the calls from the clients’ premises and understand their ideal demographic, target audience and lead generation process. ‘We do everything we can to ensure that our assignment runs smoothly and successfully. Until now I haven’t done that much on marketing. Our

customers find us by word of mouth. More than often, we are recommended by our clients. We want to grow more and more. I know that we have something unique in our hands, something special. We work already for international companies who started new locations in The Netherlands. Our clients trust us to make appointments with companies like Heineken and RTL. We have a script, but we never stick to it.’ Monique says with a confident smile...

MAKE THE CALL NOW!

+31 06 55 10 53 01 www.wecallforyou.nl

“The use of WeCallForYou gave us even more than we expected. We closed the deal in 95% of the cases Of the leads that they generated for our consultants.” Another client says.

Could Business Woman’s World?

become

Aware that business is still ‘a man’s world’ Monique understands women’s strengths and how to enhance their unique skills within a healthy work environment. ‘Women are more emotional and make decisions with their heart. For women money is important but not the most important thing. When I need guidance, I ask women for advice, because they understand me better. I don’t want to make decisions purely based on profit only. Growing a team of exceptional talented women is more important to me, and being the leader I never had is my true purpose.’ Monique is an active member of The Powerful Business Women’s Network, and believes business women can support each other in more ways than one. Women are able to understand each other’s vision and their desire for growth goes far beyond financial rewards, they complement each other and make meaningful connections. ‘This is a network for only serious businesswomen who are in business for quite some time and have a minimum turnover of 100.000 euro or far above. We all want to do business internationally, but we want to know how to help each other grow. This is how we do business with other businesswomen worldwide.’

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Woman’s Power Redefined By Dr Marina Nani

Growing up in a foreign country, without her grandmother, was very difficult for Ivana de Haan. As an adolescent, she had different life expectations than her mother and despite being so young, she decided to live on her own before reaching her eighteenth birthday. Ivana started a job as an administrative assistant at an employment agency and worked her way up running a whole department. For as long as she can remember, Ivana had a big dream and created business relationships with people who, she thought, will be honest and put their weight on to succeed and turn these dreams into a better reality together. During her full-time job, she took a five-year course and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2001. In that same year she started her first business, a recruitment agency for technical staff, with two other business partners. Eighteen months later she launched her second business, a metal factory that made components for the food industry and delivered the parts to several countries in Europe. One after another, both partnerships collapsed after nine years, bringing Ivana’s dreams down and challenged her to start again, for the third time another business, on her own, this time, but from ground zero. Many of the ones who let her

www.ivanabags.com

down while working in the same business, forced her realise that she doesn’t need anyone to complete her, she is the complete deal, she got it all. What failure and success have in common? The girl who couldn’t trust business partners anymore because of the people who betrayed her, learned to trust herself and become a woman of substance. However, that painful process transformed her into a powerful business woman, and it didn’t happen overnight (it took more than ten years of her life to solve all the problems) and continues to evolve. What at first Ivana perceived as a distrust for business partners, was her perception from two difficult experiences, trying to articulate that she didn’t relate to her own talent, she did not feel good enough to start the business on her own, and she paid a very high price for not trusting herself. She thought that business was supposed to be success not failure, so the other partners who let her down, as they felt she was threatening their success, where, in fact, she wanted limitless success. When desire makes you challenge your limiting beliefs As Ivana grew wiser, she decided that these sad memories can’t

control her present or her future and she let them slip away. She began to realize where these sad experiences originated from and how she can now benefit from those lessons. Ivana became aware of her own powers and saw more business women being successful around her, on their own right. Ivana understood the importance of manifesting courage and being determined in business and her desire to bring her vision into the world, as a whole, not just as a part of somebody else’s success, grew her confidence to new heights. Finally, Ivana created her own brand, a high end of luxury handbags and ties, and put her name on it: IVANA ‘I had a desire to do something completely different with my life. I wanted to experience what I was capable of and I challenged my own limiting beliefs. I did ask myself, what does make me happy? The answer to this question made me create my own high end of luxury handbags and ties, with my name, IVANA. My collection is more than a beautiful product. It represents me, the story of my life, my identity and the woman I am today. Everything I have gone through in my whole life did inspire me and I want to reach out to other people and inspire them, tell them that everything is possible if you believe in yourself and never let go of your dreams. ‘

SOVEREIGN The World is bigger than you think While others agree with the old saying ’is a small world’ Ivana realised that reaching out to a global audience is a huge challenge. ‘The world is bigger than you think. The question is how do you manage to reach out to all the people you want to serve, how do you position yourself in a global market? You need to network, connect and collaborate with different people all over the globe. You need to be at the right time at the right place.’ After launching her first collection in December 2016 at the LXRY Fair in Amsterdam Beau(c)se, she was approached by new clients who asked her to design an exclusive handbag with matching ties for the Royal Family in Monaco. Everything else is history, Ivana was invited to international fashion shows in Monaco, Paris, Madeira and Amsterdam. Her success story didn’t stop, on the contrary, attracted speaking engagements in London, Dubai, Ghana and soon enough Ivana launched her own stage for speaking events in Holland. ‘I want to reach out to as many people as possible. We are all unique individuals. We all have our own talent, experiences, difficulties, problems, insecurities and baggage. We do not need to be ashamed of anything. We do not need to compare ourselves with others. We only need to look inside ourselves and see the beauty and the strength we all have within.’ After everything she experienced on her quest to success, Ivana realised that life is a wonderful gift. ‘Only life can teach you this and that’s why I am so grateful for everything life taught me. Everything I have learned, I did was a choice. I was the one who took all the steps. No one forced me to do anything- it was me. I chose to embrace all difficulties, changed my mindset and kept my focus on my goals. When facing difficult decisions, my inner voice whispered: ‘you can do it’. And I am so happy I did listen. I am the living proof that it is possible to make a difference for yourself, and others, if you want to. You can overcome your problems, if you believe in yourself and act. Every

little step you make is progress. I have learned so much about myself, how strong I am, who I am, who I want to be; all the challenges I faced, made me the woman I am today.’ Celebrate the growing presence of women in business Ivana takes her inspiration from real life and the strong people who experience hardship. ‘Think about all the volunteers who help great causes. Think about homeless people, children without parents, survivors, we can’t forget that they contribute daily in their own way, as much as they can. I believe we can learn a lot from the people who need our help.’ Ivana wants to inspire other women to dream big, show them how to overcome fear and give them the confidence they need to succeed in business. She believes that, if you dare to be yourself, dare to follow your passion, dare to take the first step, dare to make the change, you will be surprised. Member of The Powerful Women’s Network, Ivana’s core message is very clear: Dare to be yourself ‘You are never alone. It is very important that women support each other. Connect, stay in touch, help, listen, be kind, share your (success) story, ask for help if you experience difficulties. You can achieve your big dream as long as you have the courage to put your name on it!’

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derstanding ads into un le e m o d is w f o gives you th The pursuit wledge and ile o h n k W l . ra d tu in a n uman m h e th the laws of to in adventure res, our courage to cent adventu ory, who re ’s d rl o w g e Edsell’s st investigatin ss Catherin ro c a eir comfort e m a c team ep out of th st to n e m o w encourages e ter one of th n e d n a , e zon ormative, most transf aginative, spiritual, im periences: generous ex Adventure!

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y l i p p a H

Together they track desert elephants, push their limits and meet challenges head on.

PAID IN SUNSETS

After becoming a mo ther, Catherine redisco vered her sense of herself thro ugh adventure. Conn ecting with nature and wildness he lped her find her inner confidence and her story opens Ca therine’s world to othe r women who dare. - Interview by Dr Marina Nani For the last two decades, Catherine mastered her passion for real adventure and effective conservation through independent and collaborative expedition work around the world. With a vast expertise in both terrestrial and marine environments, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an avid naturalist and lecturer in coral reef ecology, a PADI Divemaster, jungle trainer and a true adventurer at heart, Catherine is inspiring generations of mothers and daughters to push their own mental and physical boundaries, and rediscover themselves. Eldest daughter of a family of five with four brothers, Catherine grew up in a small, noisy house

in North London that gave her a ‘hankering for freedom’ at an early age. After graduating as a choreographer at Nottingham University, she felt frustrated with the limitations of planning her life a year ahead of time. With no room left for creativity Catherine decided to leave everything behind and explore the world. For the first five years she worked with Leatherback sea turtles in Costa Rica, line-handled yachts in the Panama Canal, worked for an NGO in India, trekked in the Himalayas, visited ashrams, lead exploratory hikes in the jungle, amongst other things’. With her new-found love of the tropics, she earned the position of jungle trainer for a biodiver-

t nture a m e v d a e o Join th nture.c e v d a h at www.c

SOVEREIGN sity science expedition company. ‘I would spend one week training volunteers in jungle survival, and then the next week setting up all the logistics for remote base camp surveys in the rainforests of Indonesia. This, interspersed with working for other expedition companies in the jungles of Belize and deserts of Namibia, taking time out to go on my own expeditions to the remotest corners of the planet, and also set up a new biodiversity operation in Honduras kept me very busy.’ Catherine says. During this time, she met her husband, the expedition’s medic, and they had their first child together. ‘At this point my world tipped on its axis, and I soon realized that nothing would be the same again. My naive idea of strapping my baby to my back and carrying on was nipped in the bud, when my daughter hated being wrapped like that - I was not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that having a baby brings.’ Unlike other mums who were going back to work at the bank or at the law firm, her work was in a jungle! Taking a job in Australia for a year, to look after her baby, came as a temporary solution and with a forever parental commitment, as Catherine gave birth to her second daughter, in Melbourne. ‘When my husband went to spend 3 months at Everest base Camp conducting medical research into altitude sickness and hypoxia - I was at home with two children who wouldn’t sleep! Around this time it became apparent that my eldest daughter was exhibiting quite substantial development delays and some sensory processing disorders. My world closed in, again, and it was hard to carve out any time or focus for myself. My brother sent me a card for my birthday one year with the words ‘I wanted to go out and change the world, but I couldn’t find a babysitter’ emblazoned on the front. He’d meant it to be

funny, but it was so true, it hurt!’ Her brother’s message, made Catherine thinking… She decided to take her girls (aged 4 and 6) into a month-long adventure to Thailand, working at an elephant sanctuary, which gave her the confidence to lead diving expeditions. ‘I felt like I had really found myself once again and could stop talking about myself in the past tense.’ Going on these amazing adventures and expeditions Catherine realized that she could create an adventure just for women, an adventure to challenge and transform, an adventure that would take them so far out of their comfort zone, but in a supportive nurturing environment, allowing them to return home to their everyday lives more confident and ready to take on the challenges that life threw at them. Catherine discussed her idea with her contacts in Namibia and The Matriarch Adventure was born!

Mother & Daughter Adventure a new wilderness bonding experience for mums and young teenage daughters. I also lead The Bluemoon Adventure an all-female coral reef conservation retreat in the wilds of Madagascar.’ Each experience is an immersion in wilderness and it appeals to all women who are going through a transition period - children leaving home, reaching a plateau at work, or just, as was Catherine’s original intention, to take time out of ordinary life, leave the family behind for a few days and have a real adventure.

‘We practice yoga every morning as the sun rose, we sleep out under the stars, we track elusive desert elephants by day and chat and sing around the campfire at night eating delicious food. I now lead not only The Matriarch Adventure, but The

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SOVEREIGN Sometimes they just want to do something great for themselves by themselves. ‘Coming on one of my adventures is very different than going on a tour or a safari - firstly it is a real expedition, and my motto for that is ‘always expect the unexpected!’, secondly I don’t give everything away - often as women we are the ones who organize everything, the holidays, the kids, the food, so I want this to be a real treat where the women who come don’t have to organise or think about anything. At the beginning of the week all phones are handed in and they are not given back until the end. I keep things secret and then surprise them - it’s amazing to hear how quickly laughter and giggling come back into the vocabulary of these women (…) this stripping back reveals all sorts of things that the women may have forgotten about themselves!’ Catherine believes that women need each other and supporting each other’s dream in the business world is a moral duty. ‘We are naturally cooperative, we work well in teams and we think laterally about issues from our own experience. Sharing this experience gilded with our own personal wisdom is the key to forward thinking relationships. My expedition, ‘The Matriarch Adventure’ is all about fostering this wisdom, creating a ‘herd’ which works for the good of the group and the individual. Matriarch’s can sometimes get a bad rap, and

are thought to be bossy and dominating, but a true matriarch leads with a gentle touch - it is her wisdom and experience that guides her decisions, not fear, anger or greed. Watching elephants in the wild with their powerful matriarchal systems in place is a fine example of this harmony and is also awe inspiring at the same time!’ Catherine’s story is not about changing the world or finding a baby sitter but about ‘a deeper understanding of your own strengths and resourcefulness in the face of self- limiting believes that can easily be dispelled by spending time in the co mpany of other women, just like you’ Catherine’s life is an adventure into what is possible, and while we could only guess where she is taking us next, we learned with gratitude that being a woman, or a mother, or both doesn’t need to be a spiritless affair but rather a leap of faith into the human kind’s courage, for the daring soul.

the e g n a ch d n a t ou o g to d te n a “I w ” er tt si y b a b a d n fi ’t n ld u co I world but Catherine Edsell PHOTOCREDIT: CHRISTIN WINTER

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By Dr Marina Nani

Marion Tjin-Tham-Sjin, 45 years old lives in The Netherlands and takes her inspiration from Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba,’ a self-made man with a crazy idea (at that time), who had the guts and persistence to make it happen’ Marion says. The daughter of a Chinese father and a Dutch mother, her feelings for her Chinese roots became stronger and stronger after her father passed away in 2003. The loss of her father in combination with her extensive experience as an export manager, her love for China, the fact that the Chinese economy is the fastest growing of Asia, and her International Business Management degree build up her professional confidence to found her own company. Her business, Splendid China, with offices in both Shanghai and The Netherlands, helps European entrepreneurs export their products and services to China.

Export to the biggest market of the world- challenge or opportunity? ‘Most of all it was my father who inspired me. But I also saw many business people returning from China, stating that it is impossible to do business in China, stating that all Chinese are liars. Of course this is not true! So it has

become my mission to show that you can do business in China! In fact, with a market of 1.4 billion people the business can be really well, once you understand the cultural differences and are willing to adjust to the market.’ The cultural differences between Europe and China are huge! Of course, the language is a barrier. Not speaking the language, makes you “blind and deaf” at the same time when you enter a foreign country. Research has shown that finding a trustworthy partner is also very difficult for Europeans. In a country so big, like China, where do you start? ‘The internet is also not helpful in this case, if you can’t write or read Chinese. So this is what we do! We help overcome all these cultural differences, help you find the right partner, distributor or customers and even continue relationship management afterwards. ‘ Marion says. ‘It all comes down to one thing: localize! If you want to do business in China you have to be there! And we are there for you. With our office in Shanghai we can be anywhere in China within a few hours. The Chinese partners, distributors or customers can call us in their own language in their own time zone. They can

SOVEREIGN also visit us and find us on the Chinese social media. This all helps them trust us, and therefore trust you. If you need to build up that trust yourself it would cost you much more long flights to China and much more money. Not mentioning the fact that you have to have knowledge of the market in order to know where to go. But we also help you to be present on the Chinese social media so the Chinese can find you!’ In general many industries are very interesting for China, as long as the products and services are of high quality, innovative or rare in China and which they have a demand for: chemical industry, energy, high-tech & ICT, horticulture, water. ‘Since my mission is to help as many people as possible we are not disclosing any industry but at this moment we are strong in agriculture & food, build & design, life science & health, tourism and the pet industry.’ Marion comments.

What are the challenges?

What is the key to business success for women? ‘If you go to China, you will notice that men and women are maybe not equal, but yet are equally ambitious. Of the high end jobs and business owners, 51% is female. So to me personally it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. Hardworking, sharing and collaboration is the key to success! But it is true that women are less visible. So in order to get to know each other, to be able to share knowledge and networks and maybe even to collaborate in the future you have to get out there! And women’s networks are just one of the possibilities to do so.’ Marion says. Contributing to the Powerful Business Women Network, Marion believes that ‘ It is important to support each other and why shouldn’t we? There is no reason not to support each other, is there? That is one thing we can surely learn from men: they always support each other! ‘

‘There are still a lot of prejudices against China. Luckily I am invited to speak at many events in The Netherlands and through the years I noticed that the image of China is slowly getting better, more in balance. Especially young people tend to see the opportunities rather than the difficulties. So this is a good trend! Since we are doing well helping the Dutch companies who want to export to China, the next thing is to expend our services to the UK: helping UK companies to export their high quality products and services to the biggest market of the world! This is the new challenge for 2019!’

www.splendidchina.eu

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Freedom Entrepreneurs

By Dr Marina Nani

How to think about yourself without being selfish Jeanet Bathoorn is a 52-year-old business woman, mother of three, living in The Netherlands, who’s core value is freedom. She left her corporate job and started her own business as an entrepreneur. Not knowing what to expect, her whole entrepreneurial journey is one of discovery, action, failure, success but she decided to never give up and keep learning. Jeanet is an exceptional woman with a big dream: Freedom Entrepreneur Transatlantic Cruise. She loves being independent and earning her own money. After becoming a successful entrepreneur, she realised that self-employed entrepreneurs build their own prison and experience a total lack of freedom. They work too much, earn too little and let their clients fill their calendar. This is when she decided to help them take back control of their freedom. “I love to work with entrepreneurs who chose freedom. They earn enough money to come by, they can pay their bills. They have clients but have no time. Clients always go first. I start to work with my clients on the choice of their business model, their pricing, their dream client and their money mindset. I love to push them out of their comfort zone and introduce them to a new way of online working. The internet changes everything for self-employed entrepreneurs who sell their knowledge.” A business woman now, Jeanet remembers some

defining moments from her youth. “Most of us grew up with the ‘you can’t have it all’ mentality. When I turned 10, I wanted a go-kart for my birthday. My relatives had one, and we used it in the woods to slide down the small hills and sandy paths. I loved it! But I didn’t get the go-kart because ‘that was for boys’. I asked for it, but never got it. I remember a day in high school, when I just turned 15. Our class was split up in two groups. The boys went to the cool part- a workshop where you can do the woodwork, the welding, the sawing, the hammering. The girls were sent to the needlework classroom, for stitching, knitting, crochet, the less cool stuff. There was one other girl, red-haired, who disagreed with this school decision based on our genders. We did not accept it and went to the principal’s office and asked to be placed with the boys. A week after we were granted access to join the boys in their cool classroom and left the girls with their needlework. This felt like a victory. I remember a day in my first real fulltime job. I had been working there for at least a whole year when the company merged. That meant new salaries and new job titles. I was shocked the day I found out that all men had higher salaries than the women. All my life events proved to me that women have to fight harder. And I did. Not on a political level, but on a more practical level. Just walking the talk and stepping up to become a role model.”

Books are a big source of inspiration for Jeanet and she surrounds herself with people with a positive mindset, with a drive to succeed. ‘I get inspired by global icons like Michelle Obama, but I also get inspired by the first female student in the Netherlands, Aletta Jacobs. Both my grandmothers always have inspired me to take opportunities, get a proper education and make sure I always have my own money. They never had the chance to go to university or to travel the world. I am so grateful for the life I can lead now.” Jeanet believes that women entrepreneurs are ambitious, they like to create excellency, but they need to learn to work on the business, not in the business. Most business women do not have an exit strategy, they have a “prison strategy”, a business which will not collapse when they are not present. “I feel it is my mission to create awareness, connect like-minded people, share my knowledge and vision. I love to be surrounded with women who are so successful and make the news, write books and appear in tv shows. I love to be inspired by women who show me what it is possible, women who believe that we can be millionaires and still be ourselves.” Jeanet is supporting other women’s dreams and is performing better when bonding with other business women. “We give birth to our children, first we have our life cycle, after the 50th birthday women enter the menopause stage. A women’s body and mind are different. Unfortunately, I grew up in a society in which I could not become an airline pilot, an ambulance driver or a navy captain. We have come a long way since then. I believe in sisterhood, I believe in sharing, I believe in harmony, I believe in win-win. I want to build a better world. Cruising with likeminded entrepreneurs is a step forward to change the world, bit by bit. I encourage women to have fun, to live a fulfilled life. We are mortal but we could leave behind a better place for our children. I believe in the power of the next generations’

When is last time when you took away a memory that will last a lifetime? “The sea wind in your hair, the fantastic people around you, the quality of the food, the deep relaxation, the fun, the conversations and connections and the moon glistening on the water… Imagine holding memories from a once in

a lifetime experience! It is my dream to bring together 1500 Freedom Entrepreneurs, and embark our own cruise ship, sailing the ocean, enjoying life, talking about our businesses, our life journeys, about growth, about the legacy we want to build. The cruise starts on 21st of November in Genua, Italy. After a few stops in France and Spain, we will sail to the Caribbean and have the first stop in Barbados. We will disembark in Guadeloupe on 8th of December. During the days at sea, I will host The Conference@Sea with keynote speakers and inspirational talks. During the crossing, we will offer a variety of workshops and implementation trainings.”

www.freedomentrepreneurcruise.com

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Jeanet created this adventure to inspire female entrepreneurs to think big, take action, take some risk and be the better version of themselves. “Female entrepreneurs tend to undercharge and work long hours. They want to stay friends with their clients and are afraid to set boundaries. We have to accept that female entrepreneurs think too little about their own wellbeing and as a consequence, they think small. Thinking small is our default and that is one of the biggest obstacles in up-scaling a business. It is difficult to find female role models and be inspired to recognise our inner strength and silent powers, to allow personal growth. And this is exactly my bottle neck: how do I get this message out in an appealing and acceptable way without losing the connection with the women I want to reach? I want them to help women take time off from their children and family without neglecting their children and family commitments. I want to help them think about themselves first without being selfish. I want to live in a world where no one tells someone else what to do and what to think. I want to help women to think about the consequences of their choices. My biggest challenge is that I think that the world is not ready for my message. Is the world ready for strong women who earn their own money and are creating their own destiny? I want to contribute in building a world that sees the strength of women, encourages every individual to live their best life, men and women alike.”

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www.sneeboer.com

TOOLS FOR LIFE and generations to come... Start a conversation with Wilma scan the QR code with your LinkedIn app

f: Sneeboer t: @sneeboer

Wilma Peelen and husband, Jaap Sneeboer. The Dutch workshop Sneeboer perpetuates the secret of craftsmanship since 1913 and elevated garden tools to a higher level to add a very luxurious quality.

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TITANS of TITANIUM Interview by Dr Marina Nani

The story behind world’s most exclusive Titanium garden set.

Gardening for beauty is as old as farming and it is not just a source of herbs and fruits, but an everlasting inspiration for our daily life. English gardens are known for its creation of wonders way before Elizabethan times and many contemporary people are making a significant difference in today’s world and are known for leaving a legacy in gardening. Monty Don, BBC presenter who has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last month, has dedicated his life’s passion to gardening. Monty Don identified a new approach to younger people’s perception on plant awareness and recently said: “Gardening is not a retreat from the world, it’s a connection to the world.” How fashionable is gardening in the modern world? We reached out to Wilma Peelen who is the director of Sneeboer since 1986, to find out what is the latest in ‘the

garden’ of Sneeboer tools: ‘The planting trowel has sharp sides and a pointed end allowing you to cut easily through the soil for all your planting and gardening needs. Use it for planting bulbs, seedlings and small plants or use the large head for breaking and turning the soil. The planting trowel can even be used to separate smaller perennials. The forged stainless-steel head will stay sharp and provide you with a lifetime of service. It’s also Monty Don’s favourite tool.’ Wilma says.

What is available for gardening enthusiasts? The Dutch workshop Sneeboer perpetuates the secret of craftsmanship since 1913 and elevated garden tools to a higher level to add a very luxurious quality. When Wilma met Jaap and learned about his business and

the beautiful products they made by hand, she decided that everybody deserves to enjoy the gardening experience from a different perspective and enjoy their way into discovering a new blacksmith. ‘Everybody should be able to experience and enjoy the high quality of our tools; the way we produce, the way we care for our environment, the ways of our blacksmith, the family orientation and the high range of different tools (more than 240!) is something I am very proud of.’ In addition to the tools most regularly used by all of us in the garden, Sneeboer has worked hard to resurrect many of the old traditional tools that have proven their worth down the centuries - as well as striving to offer new innovative products. ‘To contribute to this mission is something that gives

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SOVEREIGN me energy. In 2013 an important milestone was achieved when the company celebrated its centennial and received the Royal Warrant of Appointment by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.’ Wilma says while her voice was getting deeper with humble satisfaction. Known as the green sustainable factory, which produces gardening tools with care for the environment and keen on sustainable production, Wilma and her husband Jaap constantly aim to improve the production processes and machines to create a cleaner and safer working environment for their employees. ‘When we took over the business, it was a very small company and the garden world was not as big as these days. Every week we brought our tools and story to countless exhibitions together with our 2 young children to promote our tools, which was a big effort. Then we had a great article written about us in the magazine “Gardens Illustrated”, which gave us a huge boost internationally. From England to the USA, Sneeboer was suddenly well-known all over the world. After this article, we could sell a selection of our tools in Harrods, we created a limited-edition garden tool bag with a famous Finnish designer Harri Koskinen and we were invited by the Wall Street Journal to attend the design week in Milan.’ Wilma tells us. Crafting quality tools by hand takes a lot of time, and up-scaling the business had a big impact on the small firm’s resource planning, challenging existing production lines to upgrade some parts of the process, like the

implementation of a robotic water-jet to cut the stainless steel. The team had to ensure the craftsmanship in the elementary parts of the production process. ‘At this moment, we still have some waiting time for bigger orders. But this was a sacrifice we, and (luckily) our customers, loved to make for true quality. The next challenge arose when we wanted to create an online web shop combined with an online marketing strategy to use the limitless possibilities of the Internet. As this was something we had never done before, we had a steep learning curve. It took almost two years to master this new outlet of Sneeboer but now it’s one of our strongest sales points. Really something to be proud of!’ Renowned for its winning coalition of timeless utensils that have been used for centuries to till and nurture the soil with contemporary finishes that sharpen them up for the 21st-century – both literally and aesthetically, this garden set is an elevation to luxury. ‘Designed to last a life, to be transmitted from generation to generation, Sneeboer’s exclusive Titanium line is made from a special grade Titanium, of course, hand forged and comes with a hand-made walnut handle. Intended to be truly elite amongst garden tools the three available hand tools, transplanting trowel, hand-fork and hand-hoe have a design of pure charisma, this set is a legacy for gardening and gardening enthusiasts’ Getting inspiration from the direct contact with their customers, who are invited to visit the factory

or visiting their customers, their gardens, Wilma met amazing people from all walks of life, from the local enthusiastic gardener to famous people like Monty Don, Elton John, Catherine Deneuve, up to The Royal Family. Wilma is exceptionally inspired by Queen Maxima, who is ‘a leading example of female power in the Netherlands, making a difference from her special role, by providing micro credits for people in need, empowering them to make the most of themselves.’ Wilma says. Wilma understands people who love their garden and their gardening experience well. ‘Our founder famously said: “One who has once held a Sneeboer in his hands, never wants to use anything else again”. By delivering on this promise, our loyal fans are to be found worldwide: from the UK to Japan to the USA, but also very local in the Netherlands.’ Wilma believes that ‘We should never underestimate the power of women connecting and supporting each other at work, it is great to use this network to its highest potential. We experience the same obstacles and can learn from each other’s challenges and solutions to make the most of opportunities at hand. I believe that having more women in leadership roles will help social progress and prosperity in the future. All researches show that the best companies are led by a well-balanced mix of men and women. As women haven’t achieved full equality yet, this should have our attention until it becomes reality.’

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Lola Owolabi

Think it See it Live it

As an award-winning leadership/transformational Coach, Lola has coached and mentored women via her organisations Proudtobeme, Women of Destiny and Ebony Business Network. She holds a masters in coaching and and is also an accredited mediator. Passionate about women, creativity and entrepreneurship, she is very keen to see women fulfil their potential, to unlock all their latent and abilities. “Through coaching other women, I have understood how low self-esteem’ low self confidence and selfdoubt can hinder women, which led me to create organisations which focus on boosting self-esteem and well being”

35 www.lolaowolabi.com SovereignMagazine.co.uk

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Mahnaz Rizwana Sewgobind, 34, lives in Amsterdam and being a gifted and yet compassionate business woman has decided to discover new heights of personal fulfilment: Serving other’s wellbeing. She became a healthcare professional specialising in personal wellness where her professionalism and determination to heal her patients’ pain has gained her a well-deserved international recognition. As a result she often travels abroad to treat private clients who are amazed by her work.

But how exactly did she discover her passion for well-being? Little she knew that visiting New York with her family would change her life. During the trip, her mother experienced pain and discomfort in her feet and Mahnaz bought a foot lotion and gave her mother a foot massage. ‘Both of us were feeling the love and care for another. I decided then that I would love to help people with physical problems. Back home, Mahnaz started to study physical therapy and learned about alternative medicine and healing forms like Aryuveda. Later when her clinic was launched, Mahnaz integrated Aryuveda and Yoga into her physical therapy practice. She is treating people with stress related problems, who experience lower back and or neck pain, often referred by their doctor. The consultation always starts with a health check, before the massage, which can take up to an hour. The therapy treatment takes up to 6 weeks and helps people who suffer from stress and all manner of physio related issues. However, as a small business it takes time and effort to make a difference in the marketplace. She explains: “I focus on being available all the time. In the Netherlands, Physiotherapy is popular and makes it difficult to make a name for yourself because there are so many competitors. The insurance company pays for our patients and they want to pay less every year instead of considering the rise of running business costs. There is a wide spectrum of services within the healthcare and wellness industry, and as a practitioner you need a good profile to be visible in your niche. I found it challenging to by Tineke Rensen

SOVEREIGN differentiate my unique solution from the rest of the market and show the true benefits of specifics practices and techniques I apply during the treatment. I am happy to go the extra mile and provide an enhanced experience. Unlike other therapists available I have the freedom to combine my passion for healing my patients with travel. I love to travel to my clients who live abroad, and more and more international clients are requiring my services. I am told they appreciate the fact I am not just a physiotherapist; I focus on providing a whole body and mind experience. I cure not only their temporary pain, I also make sure that their whole body will become healthier. My clients feel happier at the end of the treatment; and happy clients are the best promotion.â&#x20AC;? Mahnaz believes that â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is human nature to support each other and connect with people who share the same values in life. There are moments when you feel lonely or insecure, when you are facing difficulties in life, and being surrounded by like-minded women who are there for you when you need them, gives you the strength you need to succeed. I become aware that serving my community is a twoway street. Nobody can achieve on their own, what they could achieve as a community. Women always need the love and support of their sisters. We need each other to feel comfort, to inspire each other, to share our knowledge, truth, love and wisdom. To feel strong as a woman you have to surround yourself with women who are already where you want to be. Women have the emotional intelligence to support other women without competing against each other but sharing success.â&#x20AC;?

www.yourfysio.net

Being passionate about her work, Mahnaz is finding inspiration, knowledge and wisdom in everyday life, listening to music, while treating her clients, as well as travelling to international business events and engaging with like-minded people in the US, UK, Spain and Germany. Her mentor JT Foxx inspired her to think big and upscale her business internationally. At present she is planning her next trip to India. Waiting with bated breath to see what is happening next...

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Success By Design How to activate the powers within with Zineb Nassrou, Creator of the Heart Mastery Revolution Zineb was born and raised in Morocco in a completely different culture where women are not expected to have a voice. She realised that her mother, who would spend many hours in the kitchen each day, had to go back to the kitchen doing more chores. Her mother gave a lot of devotion to making a good meal, but nobody would have the courtesy to wait until she sat at the table before eating. Zineb found it disrespectful, but they told her that is the local custom. She had since moved to Paris and fully embraced the difference Western culture affords women and the lifestyle, they choose to pursue. She found a job, she had a nice home, she drove an expensive car and she made plenty of money. Still however, she couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t escape the nagging feeling in the back of her mind, she simply was not happy. Although she had everything, everything she thought she ever wanted, Zineb felt a void in her life which was deepening each day. She felt as if she was living someone else life and she did not understand who she was and what she truly wanted. She met many women in the

same situation who, just like her, could not admit to themselves or others that they were unhappy, lonely and alienated while doing the things others were expecting them to do, instead of living up to their own expectations. One day she decided to leave everything behind, and she left for Australia without any plans. Was leaving a secure life behind and quitting her corporate job the right move? Four years later, she returned to Europe as a different person: happy, knowing who she is and what she wants, understanding what her life mission is: Living with purpose. Zineb understands how difficult it is for women to succeed in the boardroom. Now she is helping women executives, who feel unfulfilled and unhappy in the path they chose. She loves to support them and offer them the guidance they need to take control of their own destiny and live their true potential. Being a woman in business is a lonely journey. Creating your own set of rules to feel happy and fulfilled, takes a different approach to business, be your authentic self. Whether or not by Tineke Rensen

the boardroom is ready to accept that women perform better in business when they are accepted for who they truly are is another matter. However, women like Zineb are paving the way for a new paradigm in business and the boardroom will no longer have a choice but to adapt to this new way of thinking. “Aligning your values, your actions with your beliefs, makes life more joyous; working in a business environment become stress free and brings so much more fulfilment. Every human being resonates with a special vibration and every vibration is different. People who listen to their heart and have their own set of rules have a much higher vibration. When you encounter these people you immediately feel attracted to them, they shine, they are vibrant; self-awareness brings compassion into the workplace” Zinab says. She doesn’t believe in coincidences. Instead she believes that “when you live in complete alignment, the magic happens. And we call it “coincidence” because we cannot explain it in a logical way. It seems like a miracle. But it is just a reflection of a high vibration. High frequency attracts the results you expect”

Don’t be mistaken, Zineb is not against luxury, on the contrary, she believes we can have it all. She loves her beautiful clothes, her jewellery and a great car, but now she does not feel that void inside. She created a system that is transferable, so other women could live the life of their dreams. Zineb doesn’t focus on questioning who she is or what she truly wants anymore; she designs her own reality.

www.heartmasteryrevolution.com

Zineb works with women willing to find who they are, women who listen to their heart more often than not and want to make work and business exciting and enjoyable. ‘High vibration is the extra force each one of us have already and is available within to become successful. The definition of success changes when you align with who you are. Suddenly it is not about money anymore or having a great car a wellpaid job- it is not about things you could have in the outside world, but a powerful state of being.

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Raised in Equatorial Guinea, Margarita comes from a big family of 8 brothers; 4 girls and 4 boys, now grown up responsible adults. When she was 24 years old, she decided to learn more about other cultures and she moved to Spain, where she took a course to become a hairdresser. Her dream was to become the first person in her family to have a degree in English Language from the UK. After 13 years in Spain, she moved to Dublin. The country was in deep recession at the time, and it was very difficult to find a job, to settle down and to make a living. She realized that if she wants her dream to become a reality, she will need to learn English and work at the same time.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My column in Sovereign Magazine is all about Powerful Business Women. But how do you become a Powerful Business Woman yourself? What does it take for a businesswoman in the making to reach success? In this article I want to introduce you to Margarita Oyana, a candidate with high ambitions who wants to become a powerful business woman.â&#x20AC;? Tineke Rensen

The biggest challenge she faced when moving to the UK in 2010, was the language barrier. She could barely speak English, but she was determined to overcome her limitations, and she joined a course to study English at the same time, while being a housekeeper in a local hotel. Once her English improved, she went back working as a professional caregiver. With over 20 years of experience in this field, once she became fluent in English, she noticed her confidence growing and her work performances improving.

by Tineke Rensen

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Success means different things for different people. What does success mean for Margarita? Besides her job, she has always been studying to improve her knowledge and her skills. At the same time, she realized that her colleagues, even her boss, had a lot less experience and fewer years of working in the caring industry. Margarita considered that the pay gap wasn’t fair and decided to make a positive change. She refused to work for big companies for minimum wage pay. The prospect of being treated as an immigrant worker for the rest of her life, appalled her. This is when she decided to start her own business and provide a better service herself, a service which really reflects her values as a dedicated caregiver who loves serving her clients. Margarita has just registered her business in the UK, and she has already tested her determination and commitment to achieve success. More than just another job Making money is never women’s main drive. They are totally aware that money must be made, but there are things in life which are far more important to women: her client’s well-being, her team’ s satisfaction and social recognition. Margarita is no exception. She believes that her clients, who are disabled people, handicapped people, old people, deserve a good service so they can be happy again. Her goal is not barely to make a living but thrive, serve her clients, contribute to their happiness, even in a small way. ‘These people already have too much to worry about, they have

other things to be unhappy about. I want to bring them hope and happiness’ Margarita says. This is what I love about Margarita, a businesswoman in the making: her willingness to go the extra mile, her desire to be more, to give more. Gathering her courage, she has started her own business, Paloma Home Care. Her choice of name is reflecting the symbol of peace and freedom. ‘The dove delivers good news’ Margarita says. Right now, Margarita focuses on her business acumen, and enrolling private clients, who are willing to pay for high quality services. Once she enrolls enough clients, she can create more jobs and employ other women who love what they do, who understand that they work to help another human being, not just to receive a pay check at the end of the week. What a brave thing to do! At present she needs to overcome her lack of business experience, shortage of capital, rejection, solitude, alienation, and the list of challenges goes on and on. Feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place is common to any startup business owner, regardless the industry. If like myself, you did not come from an entrepreneurial background, you had to find out everything through trial and error. It is not easy to be an entrepreneur, but everything is possible. I know exactly what this means and how does it feel to start a business by yourself. ‘What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger’ Margarita says and I agree. She is well aware that success is not coming overnight, but she is fiercely working on it, while building up her confidence to be better, to be more. Success is her birthright.

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By Cedric Vinlair

Six Often Overlooked Details You Need To Know When Investing in Real Estate At the core of our property investing philosophy is that we ensure that our investors are always properly informed about what’s going on with a deal. Regardless of who you invest with it’s vital that you have the ability to look at the deal itself and analyse the numbers. Today, we’re going to be looking at the six details that many overlook when they’re investing in property.

“Property investing can feel complicated. We’ve found that the reason a lot of our clients didn’t invest in property before meeting us, was that they didn’t know how to tell if the deals they were being presented with were any good.”

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How secure is the deal? The main priority with any investment is minimising the risk to you and your wealth. To do this, you need to ensure that your money is “secured” against something. This means that if anything does go wrong with the deal, you’ll get your money back or, at least, gain an asset. Typically in Real Estate your investment will be secured against the property itself or another asset that the property investors own. Imagine yourself as a bank, you want to make sure that if the deal does go wrong that your wealth is protected. This is similar but different to a guarantee, which we’ll cover next.

What is the guaranteed return? There are a number of different property investment strategies that you can go for. One is a joint venture and another is a loan. With a joint venture

SOVEREIGN (JV) you and the property investor will share the risk and potential profit, these deals are usually structured so that you’ll both get capital gains (if the property raises in value) and a return on the rental income. However, it’s unlikely that an investor will guarantee a return on a JV. If you loan the investment then the investor will guarantee a return. This means that no matter what, the investor will need to pay you the percentage of your money that they’ve promised. Make sure that you ask the investor what your money is guaranteed against. In the same way an investor will “secure” your investment on an asset, if they offer a guarantee, you need to make sure that your return is guaranteed against an asset or source of income.

The duration period An aspect of property investing that can be disastrous if overlooked is the length of time your wealth will be invested for. In a traditional loan-based investment, the investor will have your wealth for a certain amount of time, pay you the interest, and then give you back the money once the period is over. Remember that property is a long-term investment, so it’s not uncommon for investments to last three to five years. Similarly, once you’ve invested your money, there may be costs involved if you need the money back urgently. Make sure you check the duration period of the investment so that you can play ahead for your cash-flow. What’s the “Market Crash” plan? The 2008 financial crash took a lot of amateur property investors by surprise. An easy way to tell if you’re dealing with professionals or amateurs is to check if they have a plan if there is another market crash. Like with any investment there’s always a chance that you’ll lose your wealth. However, if you

invest with professionals (like our clients have) there will be a “worst-case scenario” plan built into your investment agreement. Ask questions like: • If I lose my capital, what will my return be? • How would you change investment strategies if there was a market crash? • How have you dealt with situations similar to this before? • There are actually a number of ways to increase your return during a market crash. Just because the property isn’t worth as much as it used to be, that doesn’t mean the investment will lose money. All it means is that the investment strategy needs to change.

•

• •

•

the properties Similarly, to minimise the risk to your wealth, professional property investors will look at what will make the property attractive in the next five years; Government investment in the area (e.g. plans for new schools or hospitals) Commercial investment in the area (e.g. what new businesses are attracted to the area) New transport links

Remember that the property market evolves and considering it’s a long term investment, make sure that the investors you work with have looked at all the eventualities.

What’s the personal liability?

What’s next?

A market crash is one disaster, but what if tragedy struck and something terrible happened to the people you’ve invested with?

If you’re looking to retire earlier than you thought and build your wealth, real estate is (I think) the best way to do that. The most important thing is that you’re informed and able to look at a deal quickly and make sure the people you’re investing with are professionals. Remember to check: • What your investment is secured against • If there’s a guaranteed return and what the return is guaranteed against • When you’ll get your investment back • What the “Market Crash” plan is • What the “Worst-case scenario” plan is • If the investors have looked at the future of the property deal

When you invest in property make sure that there’s a process written into the contract about what would happen if the investors you’re working with die or become ill. Similarly, only invest within a limited company as this will make it far simpler for you to protect your wealth should the worst happen.

What about the deal itself? Finally, we come to the numbers of the deal itself. Now the numbers you need to know will change depending on what type of investment you’re looking to get into. With that said, any number’s you need to know will focus on answering the question: What makes the property attractive? This will focus on understanding: • Property prices in the area • The trends in the property prices (i.e. if they’re going up or down) • Average rental income from

Property deals can quickly be read to see if they are worth looking at deeper. Use this 6 point system to rapidly sort through potential deals. If you’re looking to build your wealth, retire early, and look after your family, send me a PM. Start a conversation with Cedric Scan the code with your linkedin app

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SOVEREIGN by Donia Youssef

I set up my own company from scratch back in April 2013 and now we are the leaders in the field with an amazing team on board. I have recently set up a publishing company in which I am producing a book series to help cancer survivors publish their stories and inspire people all over the world. As a mother of two beautiful girls I was 39 when my cancer diagnosis struck back in April 2017 and I wrote a book for my daughters to understand the new reality we were facing as a family. When the Monster in Mummy ranked no 1 on Amazon, I couldn’t feel more grateful for empowering other mothers who were struggling to tell their toddler what cancer is.

I had an interesting conversion with some friends recently on whether it is at an advantage to take risks or better for all to be overcautious. Whilst in discussion, I found myself amongst the group as being the wild risk taker and my ideas being deemed upon as completely unachievable. However, I just smiled and felt warm inside knowing I know my dreams are without a doubt ACHIEVABLE! But I will remain calm and just remember we all think very different. I have never been one to play safe; I guess I was a little adrenaline monkey as a child and would love taking risks…. the bigger the better! My parents brought me up as a child in the middle east. My Father was a Doctor in the army, so we travelled a lot and I never really had a permanent base. I guess attachments to material possessions from young I learnt to never get attached too as one week I could live in Bahrain and the next day I could be in Sharjah. I went to various schools out in the middle east and being brought up and home schooled for some terms by my catholic mother and Muslim father, I often got quite confused what it all was about. People ALWAYS annoyingly used to question what religion I was, and you might if you are lucky get asked your name, but religion is the first question I remember as a child constantly being asked….so my reply was ‘MOSCAS” and that was my new religion for me but gave them something to think about!

My life became special when I decided to achieve something to help others. Regardless how challenging the path is, I simply can’t rest until I deliver what I have to offer in this lifetime. I learned to never let my fear get the better of me as fear is what stops you achieving your dreams. Taking a risk to achieve a goal requires courage to face the fear of uncertainty. No matter the outcome, either way, we grow through the process and become more resilient and confident. Better yet, building those skills helps in taking more risks and improves the chances of achieving future goals which I strongly believe. Many people are turned off by risks. It is easier and more comfortable to sit down in the safe spot and wait for things to happen while you are asleep. But taking risks distinguishes the doers from the sleepers. While the sleepers are still waiting for the best moment to act, the risk taker turned the has caught the rewards. Risk takers are more likely to be successful because they do not limit themselves and willingly put in their energy when others hesitate.

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8 Reasons Risk Takers Are More Likely To Champion their Life First simple rule in life: If you don’t go after what you want. You’ll never have it. Take risks. No risk- No return. Go get it. They experience a passion in every risk they take With risk comes a fire, a burning push to keep you going and reach the finish line. Most times people who are adventurous are the ones who take risk. It ignites them with a zeal to reach new heights and enthusiasm empowers them to be more creative and prepared to win.

They stand out

People who take risk are bold. A small percentage of the world population shows courage but is so endearing when that happens! With courage also comes confidence and compassion. When every other person withdraws, the courageous is willing to stay the course. This makes risk takers leaders as they are anointed to be by their own self.

They gain knowledge

The pain you know doesn’t hurt. It is actually what you don’t know hurting you. Knowledge is vital to success. Risk takers can identify such knowledge because they will undergo a process that will provide not only the knowledge but the resources they need to succeed. Through such knowledge they can navigate any distance and sail through difficult waters.

They pursue success

Risk takers know success won’t fall in your lap. Chase and hunt for it. That is what they do when they take risks. They are shooting for the sky amidst the storm. Through that chase they find seemingly rare opportunities that may never have been found if they had waited. Risk takers are active and ready for the pursuit of success.

They are not afraid of failure

The more risk you take the less you see anything that can stop

you. You are practically unstoppable because risk taking has strengthened your will to keep ongoing no matter what. Fear is a mental block that hinders you from achieving your dreams and becoming successful. Risk takers face that fear with an open mind and go through it with laser precision..

They set a higher standard

Risk takers are prided with dreaming big. It all starts from having an experience that changed their perception. After attaining something worthwhile from previous actions they took, risk takers want to get more because they know is possible. With every risk comes the will to be above their average self and trudge into newer and undefined destinations.

FACING THE MONSTER RELEASE 15th JANUARY 2019

They learn all the way through

It is not simply about knowledge. They discover themselves and harness their own inner strength. Against certain opinions is important to know: risk takers are not stupid. They are smart. Because of the learning and knowledge, they garner through many processes they can understand what they can take and what they cannot take. They don’t just dip themselves into every risk, rather they dip themselves after perusing the areas and dimensions of what they are about to pursue. Then they go for it.

They change

There is nothing static with risk takers. They attain more freedom and flexibility and they know it is not enough to want them. Taking a risk helps you to either define a change or adapt to a change. Risk takers can never be stuck with the tide. Rather, they move with it and set the tone for even bigger changes. Doing something different could mean discomfort and redirection. How large is your comfort zone? Could bear your mark and bring you the life you want? Risk takers will always make their own rules! Next edition I will discuss properties and have some exciting news to reveal…..

The 2nd book in Donia’s Monster Series, was released on the 15th January 2019. A special collaboration between Donia Youssef and photographer Imalda Bell, the coffee table book brings together powerful stories and striking portrait photography to tell the story of surviving cancer from those directly affected. Already receiving fantastic media coverage and a foreword written by Benedict Cumberbatch, we are expecting this fabulous coffee table book to be another best seller! Huge well done to both Donia, Imelda and all the cancer patients featured in this book sharing their stories. For all orders of this truly special book, please visit: www.themonster-series.com Proceeds from the book are going to be donated to cancer charities of Imelda’s choice. 45

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Interview with Jacqueline Onalo FRSA A government-backed review has found that a £24bn could be added to UK economy each year, should black and minority ethnic (BME) people receive help to access professional success on equal footing with their white counterparts. How damaging is discrimination for humanity? How fast can you go when you only promote what is called ‘your own’? What is society’s loss, in figures, when leaders across industries and across the globe, promote people similar to themselves and ignore those who are ‘Different’? How far can you go alone? I reached out to Jacqueline Onalo, Human Rights Lawyer, purposeful leader and passionate Diversity and Inclusion expert, from London, UK, to share her story with us. Jacqueline decided to become a lawyer when she was just eight years old, while other kids her age were playing with dolls, she was toying with the idea of being a world leader and addressing global issues. Against the odds, she begun her practice as a criminal defence barrister, she then stumbled upon human rights and never looked back, this became her true passion. At the core of her activities is leadership development and she has worked with hundreds of professionals in the past few years. She loves that she supports individuals and organisations to accelerate their productivity, improve work relationships, increase innovation whilst achieving personal and organisation ambitions, all of this through leadership development. “I was going to impart the lessons I had learnt, the cautionary unwritten tale not just how to do it. I used my training, expertise, my failures and my successes to devise my own leadership development programmes, and the vehicle for this is JOLT. The name is what it says on the can - it’s jolting individuals and organisations to fulfil their potential. Although I have supported the development of hundreds of leaders be they mid level

www.joltinternational.com

SOVEREIGN managers, executives or those on preceptorship programmes, the most rewarding work has been that with our youth, they challenge the stereotype with their ambition, work ethic, energy, innovation and community spirit. I listen to them, I am candid with them and they exceed all my expectations. They face far more obstacles than we did, the world is more competitive, and intolerance is on the rise but they have proved to be up to the challenge. My mentees are pursuing degrees in Russell group universities, seeking policy making roles, volunteering, running successful businesses, pursuing their passion, applying for roles they were once reluctant to or procrastinating.” Jacqueline says. “This is the most rewarding of all the work I do, empowering emerging leaders to chart their own course, overcome obstacles, seek opportunities, be active citizens and crucially fulfil their potential with choices that suit them.” The UK education system focuses on academics with nothing or little taught about essential career, life and active citizenship skills. The consequences of this on those without social mobility is reduced life chances, opportunities, income, health, quality of life and even life expectancy. Jacqueline used her own experience, expertise and research to develop a unique holistic programme that focuses on these skills, JOLT Youth Leadership and Mentorship Programme which she has run for over 3 years at various Universities including Kings College, UCL, University of a Roehampton, Kingston University, EdSpace, Equip Boys Summer Camp, Face of Kenya etc. She has also run this programme in Kenya under the name Ignite. She believes real leaders create new leaders and for her, this is the most important part of her work. Legacy making, she remembers an audience with world acclaimed photographer, James Bannor where she first heard this proverb, “A society grows great

when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” It is crucial that everyone realises that their life, journey is not just for themselves but for the benefit of society. “ I have taken a rickety ladder up, it is encumber on me and everyone else to send the elevator back down.” Her extraordinary contribution to leadership development, her heartfelt efforts could not be overlooked. Jacqueline was selected as one of the top African Diaspora leaders in the U.K. and Comic Relief sponsored her oneyear Women in Leadership training programme where she met some incredible women(now called Power 14) , who “motivated, inspired, rebuked and challenged me all at once which led to tremendous personal growth. Never underestimate the influence of the passionate and ambitious.” Jacqueline says. Being a consultant solicitor, gives her the independence to be involved in grassroots community and international development work. She has been a trustee for Community Development Initiatives UK for almost a decade and is its current chair. Through CDI U.K. she has been involved in the in numerous projects including building a healthcare centre serving hundreds in this rural part of Kenya. Maana Meals - a community led project to assist vulnerable individuals battling homelessness, alcohol and drug addiction, domestic violence, mental health issues, loneliness and a Comic Relief funded livelihood security programme for 100 women and their families from Dandora Dumpsite. Jacqueline says that her time volunteering in Kenya is challenging but extraordinarily uplifting. The women she encounters have survived the unimaginable but still maintain hope, their resilience is incredibly inspiring. These are the real unsung heroes. “I am candid about my good, bad and ugly always aiming to share lessons learnt by me and others, a real desire to support others

where they can to fulfil their potential not just for themselves but for our communities. We live in interesting and challenging times which means that I have to challenge intolerance even within my own personal sphere. There is much to do and we all must play a part, I do mine.” In Jacqueline’s journey she has faced racism, sexism and ageism. The former was surprising to her because in Kenya, race was never an issue but its institutionalisation here perpetuates historical inequities. She decided to devote her efforts to challenging the aforementioned. She has established herself as an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expert and has worked with several NHS Trusts, The Home Office, Connect4Better, Brent Council and Comic Relief to name but a few. She is keen for organisations to not only adhere to the Equalities Act 2010 but crucially be values led. Jacqueline worked with Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust (BEH) on Change Management, assisting in developing their Strategic Plan for their Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff network and had an instrumental role in helping establish. The staff network is tackling racism and its consequences . She acts as a catalyst and guide for change and then lets stakeholders navigate the change sought, empower people to resolve their challenges. Jacqueline supported the former North Essex Partnership Trust (NEP) in establishing their BAME staff network which was launched in February 2017 to tackle race relations. She delivers leadership training programmes at NELFT & keynote speeches including the pivotal “Changing the narrative of the “snowy peaks of the NHS.” This speech was the catalyst of several leaders emerging to tackle issues at their own trusts including BEH and NEP.

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From Surgeon to Patient, Inside the CT Scan By Dr Marina Nani

Stella has a strong interest in training and encouraging medical students and foundation years to pursue a career in surgery. She is a champion and advocate for trainees, ensuring their voices are heard. Stella was awarded the NHS Leadership Academy London Mentor of the Year in 2015 and the Silver Scalpel Award as well as the Dr Rose Polge Award in 2018. She has been the Foundation Program Director at Croydon University Hospital for 10 years and holds many roles including those of Core Surgery and Higher Surgery Training Programme Director. She has previously completed terms as JCST Chair for Core Surgical Training and General Surgery Surgical Advisory Committee member. She is one of three Clinical Directors for Croydon University Hospital and Co-Chairs the London Diabetic Foot Network within the Diabetes Strategic Clinical Network. She was elected to RCS England Council in 2016.

Dr Stella Vig is a Consultant Vascular and General Surgeon at Croydon University Hospital, South London. Born in Bangor, North Wales, she trained at the University of Wales College of Medicine. She was appointed as a consultant in 2006.

She developed an Acoustic Neuroma and underwent surgery in 2017 We reached out to learn more about Stellaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story, the story of an extraordinary woman who had no choice but take the journey from being a surgeon to become a patient and survivor.

SOVEREIGN You brand yourself as an NHS Enthusiast and Survivor. What was your recent experience as a patient? Luckily, I had an Acoustic Neuroma, which is a benign brain tumour. I can remember realising that I had a mass as I came out of the CT scanner. There was an immense relief when I found out that it was not a cancerous growth and that there was an option for surgery. The NHS was amazing throughout my journey. I underwent a CT scan rapidly and was given a diagnosis by a Consultant before I could blink! In fact, it was too quick, and I had to spend time catching up with my diagnosis and coming to terms with it. I had fantastic care both at Croydon University Hospital and then at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. My surgery took over 12 hours but was uneventful. My Surgeon explained that it would take 6 months to recover and though I was desperate to beat these odds, it did take me 8 months to be anywhere near normal. The NHS is in dire crisis right now and as a healthcare professional you have experienced both sides of the NHS. Stripped of who you are as a mother, friend, wife, and NHS Professional, what has the doctor, Stella Vig, learned from being a patient? It took a matter of minutes to convert me from a Consultant Vascular and General Surgeon to a patient. As a professional, I am aware of the funding crisis and the increased need for NHS care which is outstripping current capacity. Whilst I knew what was going on in the background, as a patient I was shielded from this everyday chaos. I was given time to talk in my appointments, my operation took place on the day it was planned, and I had all postoperative care as needed. I never felt rushed or that I was wast-

ing valuable clinical time. The nurses, though overstretched, made me feel as if I was the most important patient every day and the physiotherapists forced me to walk, even though I did not think I could do it! How this experience impacted your values as a surgeon? This experience has reaffirmed my values as a Surgeon that the patient always comes first and you must do the right thing, first time to the best of your ability. The Surgeon was fantastic and although there was a 40% chance of facial nerve injury, I managed to escape this devastating complication, due to his skill. The honest discussion during my consultations, which were frank and informative, helped develop a strong bond of trust and faith in my Surgeon and their team. The experience has also reinforced how vulnerable a patient feels under one’s care as well as the wider impact to the family and friends. The surgeon’s role is not just to ensure that the patient is looked after but also that the family are kept up to date with post-operative care and discharge plans. What was apparent was that the Surgeon’s leadership was evident in the behaviour of the ward and more junior team. Being a Consultant Surgeon is not just about the surgical skill. The compassion and communication as well as leadership and development of the surrounding team, ensures excellence in patient care. There is a lot of frustration both with communication and compassion, not only with patients but with NHS staff. What can the NHS do to survive? The NHS is a valuable institution and the recent survey by the Kings Fund, evidences that the public still consider this to be vital to the United Kingdom. As a member of

the public, we need to ensure that the NHS is used wisely. It is sad to see patients not attending outpatient appointments, tests and operations. Each of these wasted appointments costs money but also stops another patient from using this time for their own care. As a Clinician, we need to be aware of the cost of tests we order and practice evidence-based medicine. There is a constant need to innovate and to challenge ourselves to deliver the best care in the most efficient way possible. The NHS has its own hierarchy and economy, and while looking at systemic flaws, we have a moral duty to acknowledge the rapid growing demands for healthcare. What are politicians missing to understand and address, what they need to know from your viewpoint as a NHS Enthusiast and Survivor? Politicians are aware of the crisis that is developing within the NHS, mental health and social care. The current promise of £20 billion is needed immediately to avert capacity issues but this must be spent across all the sector. The ageing population has not yet soared as the post war baby boomers are still young at 70 and intend to live well into their old age. There is now an increasing need not just for health care but social care as the family networks have disintegrated, increasing the need for government aid. The need for investment is not just cash based. The NHS has long survived on the goodwill of altruistic staff, but the removal of NHS bursaries and the Junior doctor contract discussions have developed a major chasm in the NHS culture. Investment is now needed in developing the NHS workforce of the future. You are known for your contribution as an educator. How important is education in the work place? SovereignMagazine.co.uk

SOVEREIGN Being an educator, mentor and trainer, brings huge rewards. The small daily investments in your future colleagues across the multidisciplinary field soon causes major ripples. Once one has invested in you, you feel duty bound to invest in another. This circle of kindness, care and interest in the work place creates an atmosphere that engenders innovation and a wish to try without recrimination. This is the culture that needs to permeate through the NHS but sadly is still only palpable in small pockets. You received The Dr Rose Polge Award. Whilst a doctor never chooses to be ill, when they are, is anyone prepared to give them a chance especially while when they are struggling with their own mental health?

wellbeing but services remain stretched as the NHS becomes more and more challenged fiscally. There is still a long way to go to eliminate not only the stigma of current mental illness among the medical profession but raising awareness for their wellbeing. It is a global epidemic and there are no easy answers. What does it take to change NHS attitudes towards doctors’ wellbeing? One of the major challenges in supporting doctors is the pride and stigma of health and mental illness. There is a fear that once one is labelled one cannot return to

Receiving the Dr Rose Polge award was humbling. Dr Polge’s death was tragic both for her family as well as the NHS. We need to look after each other and this just takes an investment of one’s time and a passion to nurture. If just one trainee reaches out, then this is worth it. There are very few ‘Difficult Trainees’ and if one probes sensitively, there is always a back story to the trainee in difficulty. It is important that the culture supports the notion that no one comes to work to cause harm or intends to become ill. Doctors are human and have the same life challenges as everyone else. Bereavements and family circumstances may cause an individual to become the sole bread winner whilst managing a taxing career. Illness may creep up slowly without an individual realising the effect on their work. Support and understanding at this difficult time allow a doctor to return to their profession in some way that allows them to succeed. The NHS is supportive of health and

a normal working life. It is imperative that the workplace champions the idea of asking whether one’s colleagues are okay and creating a safe place for individuals to talk if they need to. All hospitals have an occupational health department and they are fantastic at signposting to services that are available. From a personal point of view, the support I have had from colleagues has empowered my return to work with an increased loyalty to the NHS that looked after me.

Communication is the very fabric of the healthcare profession. For centuries people went to the doctor and told their story and the doctor prescribed a remedy based on what they heard. While this is a very basic definition of the patient- doctor relationship, do you think communication is utilised to our advantage at present? How can we use the power of words to communicate better as a patient and as a healthcare professional? The basic tenant of communication remains the story telling by the patient to the doctor. The details of the story are vital to the diagnostic abilities of the doctor but the skill of asking the right questions is still key. Underlying this is the need to develop trust to enable the story to be told without any concerns that the information will be used unwisely. As a patient, this was the key in ensuring that my treatment was a positive journey. Consultations often carry explanations of difficult concepts and details of complex management plans. These conversations are embedded in the delivery of bad or difficult news which engenders fear, desperation and the defence mechanism of denial. It is therefore difficult to ensure what is said is what is heard, whether by the patient or the professional. Listening and checking what has been heard and understood is essential to reach a common understanding. Key to this communication is the multidisciplinary team who encompass a wide variety of skills. The specialist nurses are a fantastic resource that are not only extremely professional and knowledgeable but also approachable providing care plans in a practical and long-lasting relationship.

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NGHITTI ALVARES From Pains To Gains I want to create more love in the world. There is way too much hostility. I do that by being the light my readers need. As author of From PAINS to GAINS, an easy read but bold confessional and self help book for those who sufferted sexual abused or molestestation. What drove me to write this book is first of all my long journey into healing this past, and I am determine to use my own experiences to assure that younger generations have the tools to heal faster. And I’d love for survivors of a sexual abuse to experience the other side, when they’ve healed, when the internal blockages are gone, when they finally feel free, liberated and are ready to finally live life fully. And by facing your own trauma’s, when you finally have kids, you get a whole other generation that is born free of this burden Let’s break the cycle!

www.frompainstogains.com

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An Uber approach to Mental Health

by Dr Marina Nani

Recent research has shown that two thirds of us experience a mental health problem in our lifetimes. While not taboo anymore, the dialogue on mental health is not solving the problem and more needs to be done. An alarming 60% of our work force have experienced mental health issues during their professional life. We know that work is good for health, but evidence shows that work related mental health issues, like stress, affect your work performances and personal fulfilment. The country is currently suffering a crisis in mental health provision with waiting lists of 6 months or more. With ÂŁ42 billion lost to UK business due to mental health issues last year there is dire need for businesses to deal with mental health issues in their staff. Who can provide a fast access and deal with issues before becomes a problem? What is the solution to solving this crisis? Could modern technology provide fast convenient access to appointments with qualified vetted therapists in wellgoverned environment? We asked Dr Julian Nesbitt, an ex A&E, now GP Doctor and NHS clinical entrepreneur at NHS England , who is known for his wide experience in work-

www.dr-julian.com

SOVEREIGN ing in the NHS, what are the options when experiencing mental health issues. Working in Accident and Emergency he was on the front line, where people are at their most vulnerable with many having just tried to end their lives, he met a large number of patients who weren’t able to access help. Working in GP surgeries and in secondary psychiatric units he has also seen how the current provisions and funding given to mental health are inadequate and made it his mission to work out a uber mental health support. ‘I have been interested in mental healthcare since my schooldays. To me there is nothing more interesting than how the brain and mind functions. I have seen first hand the difficulties that people face with mental health problems and through my years of experience have seen an increasing number of people suffering with these issues. Working in Accident and Emergency I was on the front line, where people are at their most vulnerable with many having just tried to end their lives. A large number told me they had ended up in this situation as they were unable to access prior help.’ Dr Julian Nesbitt says. Dr Julian has previously published original research and has good understanding of this process. With the benefit of unique skills like leadership, organisation and time management, he has been able to design, co-ordinate and lead his team to deliver a novel solution, ‘Dr Julian Medical Group’. Inspired by his father who was a very successful entrepreneur and founded OUR Price records and Ragdale Hall, although he unfortunately passed away when Julian was 13, Julian’s never-ending energy and enthusiasm leads the team to keep motivated and succeed. Known for his genuine desire to

improve mental health access for the country, Dr Julian has built meaningful connections with excellent mental health experts practitioners, as well as a number of NHS trusts and corporate organisations. ‘Having waiting lists of 6 weeks or even longer for a therapy session is inappropriate and therefore I have made it my mission to try and provide quality therapy and mental healthcare in an accessible form. I have seen the likes of UBER® transform the taxi market by utilizing technology and I wanted to bring technology to the forefront of mental health care and therapy by making it more widely available. There is already high quality evidence proving that online video technology works for mental healthcare. I therefore set up Dr Julian with the aim of bringing therapy into people’s homes and to give them the convenience of having an appointment with whoever they want, when they want and where they want. We believe in improving accessibility for mental healthcare and wellbeing in the UK.’ Dr Julian Medical Group offers private services where patients can book anywhere in the world. Anyone with a mental health problem in the NHS can benefit and corporate companies to provide services to their employees to reduce absenteeism and presenteism and gain back a return of 8x the investment as employees now do not take 6 months off work. Dr Julian’s solution is very efficient and allows to deal with mental health issue quickly, before it becomes a problem. Patients are connected almost immediately, seven days a week, to vetted mental healthcare professionals offering them choice of time and type of appointment ie video/audio/text they want. All therapists are appropriately qualified and have on-line training/ experience. ‘We match patients to therapists using filters of language/issue and

therapy type or they can choose their own.As part of the system patients take anxiety (GAD7), depression (PHQ9) or WSAS assessments, which are stored in the patient’s own profile as a permanent record. Text conversations are also kept in the patient’s own profile for ongoing reference.’ Dr Julian explains ‘The system is designed so that every Mental Health Trust/Provider/ Corporate company that we work with has their own portal branded and customized to their needs. Using our therapists the NHS can use Dr Julian to address periods of high/exceptional demand or reduce waiting lists. The NHS could use their own staff on the platform thus providing patients with further choice. Mental Health services to Corporate Companies Dr Julian Medical Group also offers mental health services to corporate companies allowing each company to have their own branded portal that they can assign their employees to. Employees can then gain access to the therapists from wherever and whenever it suits them. This allows vast choice and the specialist required for that person. ‘Providing mental health support for employees has shown to give a return of 8x the initial investment from reduced presenteeism and absenteeism according to the thriving at work report so it makes financial sense to. So long as patients have Internet access they can have appointments from wherever it works best for them. ’ Dr Julian Nesbitt says. Any challenge has a solution. Like any solution design to revolutionise an overwhelmed system, there are challenges which could delay implementation. ‘Marketing is always difficult to corporates as its getting access to the right people and decision makers’. This is why Sovereign Magazine is presenting Julian’s idea to the policy makers during the Solutionaries Conference at the very beginning of 2019.

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On the Borderline A diary of recovery

through complex mental health issues My name is Laura Amherst, psychology student, writer and mum to one daughter, my world Adriana. I am excited and grateful to share with you, the dear readers of Sovereign, my no fluff experiences with complex mental health issues, what treatment I am getting, how I am feeling, what I am learning and what changes are happening in my life. All I can hope for is that it will provide a little insight, relief and hope. In my week by week account, I will explore with you the real time experience that I’m unravelling with and for myself, through the unique lens of mental illness and recovery. The main message behind my writing to you dear readers is this; there is always a way through even the darkest of times, you just have to hold on for the ride, and believe that things will get better no matter how long it takes. “When we are loved, we begin to genuinely heal and grow” Here is a little of my backstory that I really want to give you as context to set you up for what I will be sharing in the weeks to follow. By no means am I defined by a diagnosis, but I am a woman living with borderline personality disorder, depression and social anxiety. I recently started an excellent therapy specifically for my issues and I am going to dive deep into my thoughts and feelings about my progress here with you.

So, in less than a year I will be 30. I’m an only child who was separated from my mother at the age of 2, and I have struggled with issues of identity (confusion and emptiness) for my entire life. My borderline disorder has affected all aspects of my experience in interlinked ways and has caused me a lot of pain. Bear with me, it’s not as bad as it first seems! In a nutshell,

SOVEREIGN borderline people have gone through trauma (usually absent, or invalidating/abusive parenting) and have developed an extreme sensitivity to feelings of rejection and abandonment. Due to this they have some very unhelpful patterns of thinking, infused with shame and defensiveness, and this causes them to act in emotionally unstable ways in their interactions with others. They have not learnt the necessary life skills to overcome their intense reality (even though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in their head from a time long ago!) And there are quite a few social barriers for them, due to how they have become. They are stuck in destructive cycles to try to get relief from their intense emotions that stem from feelings of inadequacy, their longings and in certain respects their misguided lives, and in some way they try to get their needs met. Their emotions mainly affect relationships, and their behaviors can range from addiction to attempting suicide; but they are not inherently anti social or criminal or other things usually associated with personality disorders due to lack of understanding. This is the jist of it, but it does manifest in different ways in different people. Borderline is very unique, raw and sad. But underneath it all lies a lot of beauty and hope. Due to my BPD, I have suffered with depression and anxiety as accompanying issues throughout my entire life. Bullied badly in school, I developed social anxiety on top of the other stuff I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to cope with, and was trying to ignore! I could go into much more detail, and to be honest I am quite passionate about the complexities and reasons behind personality disorders, and a part of me is desperate to share information about it with anyone prepared to listen, to break the stigma and help people who really need it, receive the understanding, acceptance and love they deserve to heal. My perspective as someone with borderline personality is as follows: there are very real reasons behind it all that can be unravelled and understood and worked through. Sufferers did not ask for these specific set of issues, and they need skills training to overcome them. Nobody can help them until they are ready to help themselves. Lack of knowledge, misdiagnosis and stigma are the main barriers to helping these people find relief and live more happy fulfilling lives. effective communication, unconditional love, radical acceptance and genuine support are key. Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I am really going to enjoy writing and sharing with you next week.

All my love Laura

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SOVEREIGN by Kostas Kapelas

THE POWER OF PREVENTION How a Health MOT can help you… Despite the obvious boom in interest for health and wellness over the past few years, as official statistics are showing, British people are not checking the status of their health enough. It’s becoming a serious concern; especially given that as a nation overall, our health is on the decline – and in some areas, quite dramatically. Our growing lack of responsibility towards our health and early prevention, plus the flood of junk foods and cheap alcohol upon the country, is having a suffocating effect on the health of our nation - and of future generations too. Yet it doesn’t have to be this way; and it doesn’t have to involve major lifestyle overhauls either. At the Total Health Now clinic (found near Russell Square station in Bloomsbury, London), founders Kostas and Lana Kapelas have established an in-demand Health MOT to resolve this growing problem – and it’s one of the best holistic solutions available. Whether you need to lose weight, detox, improve energy, overcome allergies or chronic problems, the Health MOT service is the goto option for many clients. As Kostas and Lana were finding, many people aren’t putting enough emphasis on preventative health-care, only seeking guidance when a serious health issue actually occurs. By this time, the ability to reverse everything is much harder and takes a lot longer. The Health MOT

To get started with servicing your body, just like you would your car, book your free 15-minute consultation www.totalhealthnow.co.uk

+44 (0) 207 293 0440

SOVEREIGN is a service that can be taken at any time in your life, providing clients with a renewed sense of health and energy. It’s a health saviour.

Why does it matter? We’re not doing enough to prevent the decline in our health from happening. In 2015, 58% of women and 68% of men were categorised as being overweight or obese. Likewise, between 2015/16, more than one in five children in Reception class, and over one in three children in year six were measured as being obese or overweight. During this same period, there were 525,000 admissions in NHS hospitals where obesity was a factor; and that’s not taking into account other preventable illnesses. In addition, only 26% of adults were reported as eating five or more portions of fruit or vegetables per day in 2015; and, in 2014, only 52% of 15-year olds were found to eat the recommended daily amount. That means almost half were eating an inadequate and often unhealthy diet – and they hadn’t even reached adulthood. Although the odd fruit and vegetable being missed from dinner may not seem of grave concern, it has long-term health implications, including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses. During 2015, of the 495,309 people who died in England that year, 129,147 died because of cardiovascular disease. Almost the same amount of those who died from cancer (138,509 people in England).

What a Health MOT involves… At Total Health Now, the Health MOT is an effective way of determining your overall wellbeing and health status and identifying key ways for becoming fitter and healthier. The MOT check takes approximately three hours with a qualified health practitioner, who will give you expert support, guidance and advice

throughout. Using the latest medical screening systems and equipment, readings will be taken to ascertain your cardiovascular, respiratory, nutritional and digestive health. Other important measurements will be taken too, including your heart rate variability, your liver function, the effects of stress on your body, oxygenation and your hydration levels. These will all be analysed by a trained professional. With all these results, Total Health Now can then quickly produce a personalised report for your current health status, which also outlines any future health risks and diet/lifestyle recommendations. It will show you ways of improving your health to prevent any problems from arising or escalating; and, in some cases, they may even be able to reverse symptoms that you are experiencing, depending on the concern. During your Health MOT, you will have a: • •

•

Health questionnaire: this will identify any current or potential health problems. Non-invasive cardiovascular scan: amongst other key issues, this will look at the state of the artery wall to identify your risk of cardiovascular disease. Thermographic intestinal scan: this is also non-invasive and helps your health practitioner identify the levels of mucoid plaque within your intestines, as well as the fat hardening level of your abdomen. Although there is wide debate over mucoid plaque and its effect on the body, the thinking is that it is created by the body to help protect it from toxic compounds and acids, such as those found in medicines like aspirin, alcohol, chemicals, table salt, incomplete digestion and heavy metals.

However, with mucoid plaque in your bowels, your body is

unable to function properly, and optimal healing is not able to occur. It is thought mucoid plaque stops nutrients from being properly absorbed, as well as attracts toxins and parasites. This can lead to discomfort and disease, including constipation and bloating, compromised liver and decreased kidney function. The good news, however, is that where this is identified, it can be flushed from your system naturally and effectively.

- Full body composition analysis: dur-

ing this, your body will be measured for your percentages of fat, water and muscle. This will identify your metabolic age and will allow Total Health Now to give you the most appropriate diet and lifestyle recommendations. An imbalance within these areas can specifically affect your health, especially if you have too little water in the body or too much fat versus muscle. There is a lot that can be done to improve this.

- Stress management test:

this will help identify the stressors in life that are depleting your energy. It will be scientifically monitored using a BioFeedback sensor to identify your emotional and physical health. Following this, an oxygen test will identify whether you are breathing correctly. It will also assess if you are hyperventilating, and how this will be impacting your health.

- Toxicity test:

through this test, Total Health Now will look for toxic heavy metals, pesticides, moulds, bacteria and cosmetic ingredients within your system. As the latest 2017 WHO statistics found, more people living in Britain are likely to die from dirty air than those residing in Sweden, Mexico or America. In fact, in the UK, those living there are 64 times more likely to die of air pollution than those living in Sweden. There is a mortality rate of 25.7 for every 100,000 people in Britain – while Sweden’s rate (as the cleanest nation in Europe) was 0.4. In

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SOVEREIGN wealthy European nations, the biggest problem was high levels of air pollution from fine particulate matter, with an average of 12.4 micrograms found in each cubic metre of air. This does come behind Germany at 14.4 and Poland at 25.4. Pollutants can include traffic, wood burning, industry, oil and power plants. Meanwhile, when it comes to beauty products, even some of the most reputable brands are using an astonishing and scary amount of chemicals. These include parabens (which are chemicals linked to cancer), petroleum waxes and formaldehyde. Many people are starting to make the move to natural and organic beauty products, many of which come from Fair Trade sources with biodegradable packaging. Not only does this help your health, but the environment too.

- Bioresonance test: this health screening helps to identify where there are imbalances in the body and what physical and emotional impact these may be having. You will get the results of this in a written report, which will be explained to you by your health practitioner. They will also conduct a lifestyle analysis, exploring any potential health risks. - Food intolerance test: this is conducted using kinesiology/bioresonance

and will enable you to find out which foods are aggravating your gut health. Blood tests are available too if they are deemed necessary.

Managing the results of a Health MOT… Once all these tests have been completed by Total Health Now, you will have a comprehensive and full picture of your health status, with a series of clear and detailed recommendations on what you need to do moving forwards. A series of bespoke treatments may be advised, depending on your needs. Many clients who have attended Total Health Now have been thrilled with the results. As David B Robson comments, “My own health and energy have increased and I’m already seeing significant gains in my personal performance, which quickly translate into positive impact upon my business.” Meanwhile, Ektoras Charalambides notes “I have stopped taking my asthma medication, which I started a few months ago. In addition to that, my general wellbeing has improved – I perform better at sports, I feel healthier and I have more mental clarity. I have also learnt how to make better food choices, as well as which supplements are best for my health and why. I would recommend Total Health Now without any hesitation for everyone, irrelevant of their age or state of health.”

Taking our health forwards… By tackling our health head-on and holistically, we can certainly be a more productive, happier and healthier nation – and it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure this, employers and employees alike. We don’t need to be filling our bodies with medication in order to survive and thrive. Preventative holistic healthcare is the medicine of the future. When you feel good, everything else benefits too. You’re more alert, engaged and energetic; you also feel more positive about yourself. Healthcare isn’t just about looking at the symptoms and masking these with drugs like much of medicine can seem. Instead, it’s about getting to the root of the cause and finding ways of eradicating this holistically instead, understanding that every individual is different. There are so many areas of our life that feed into our health, many of which we don’t fully recognise or understand until our health is properly broken down in this way.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Restoring hope and happiness in your lifeâ&#x20AC;? Margarita Oyana

Founder of Paloma Home Care read her story on page 40

+44 (0) 7831561963 www.palomahomecare.co.uk

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by Laura Amherst

From Cancer, to Love

Wendy and Lynda are the founders of the LANDUU company and are doing vital work to provide wonderful health support programs for survivors of cancer. As spiritual coaches, they help people transform their challenging emotions and beliefs, to become the best people they can be; loving themselves and others, and working to make a difference for the better in this world. Having weathered the storms and accumulated excellent knowledge along the way, Wendy and Lynda are using their belief in holistic health care, their personal experiences and their heartfelt dedication to empower women to achieve greater emotional wellbeing; leading them through a challenging time and on to a path of peace and joy. Their depth of understanding enables them to administer a powerful program with genuine impact. With a diagnosis of bladder cancer in 2017, Lynda began looking at alternative approaches to compliment the service she was receiving from the NHS at the time. With the support of Wendy, she transcended her former struggles, and out of this blossomed a lovely collaboration, where they get to fulfil their life purpose every single day, alongside the inspiring ladies they work with. “We both believe in spiritual practice and that things happen for a reason. I have watched Lynda heal, grow and develop following her experience. I’ve been privileged to help. I strongly believe the reason was for us to come through this to help others to do so. It has led to our developing as people, as business women and now we are honoured to share this with the women who use our services.” Their meaningful work is based upon the recognition that emotions play a vital role in the lives of Cancer patients; “I had become semi-retired after being set up by an employee who had subverted my position. This was the emotional conflict which triggered the bladder cancer which I discovered a year later after I had agreed to join Wendy in her new business venture as a care home consultant. We worked on healing my emotions around my last work situation and healing the emotions triggered by cancer. Having lived through the trauma of living with cancer, being treated for cancer, and dealing with the trauma of how I lost my job and my identity, we realised the vital service which was missing during my treatment” Lynda talks of her beautiful journey in becoming a spiri-

thelanduucompany.com

+44 (0) 1709 209661

SOVEREIGN tual coach, where she learned how important it is to love herself and to make better choices, which have led her to the place she is at now, helping others who are fighting similar battles. Lynda is also an NLP master practitioner and trainer, a teacher, and a company director, and her experiences really add a depth and a uniqueness to her practice. Wendy, an equally qualified business lady with multifaceted skills, helped Lynda give birth to her baby under hypnosis! Together these women form a strong and exciting team. Due to the public being deeply conditioned into a medical paradigm, with a heavy reliance on the NHS, plus the influence of the pharmaceutical industry, they face challenge in helping people to believe in the importance of their work, and how it could assist them. Despite this they seek to share their practices with everyone who can benefit from them, and not only do they draw inspiration from their personal lives, they draw it from wise influential individuals such as Deepak Chopra. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having been trained and educated in the medical system as nurses we love that Deepak is a doctor who bridges Eastern and Western philosophies of health and wellbeing. He remains at the cutting edge in research on the impact of holistic programmes of care, and applies this in practiceâ&#x20AC;Ś It has been well documented the impact of emotions on our cell biology. How you think and feel at any given moment can impact the activities of your cells and genes. By releasing toxic emotions and replacing them with love and healing emotions, the body then reverts to homeostasis and positive health. We believe many people are still at the stage where they are disconnected from their inner healing capabilities as a result of having grown up in a culture which programmes them to seek health solutions external to themselves. We help people release the emotions of fear, anxiety, anger and hatred, which can cause illness and prevent the body from healing. We help people to heal the traumas that cause illness and the traumas that illness causes. Many people proceed in a stoic manner through the NHS treadmill. They are grateful for the care they receive whilst not being aware of the impact on their bodies of the additional trauma caused by investigations, treatments and the subjugation of being a patient. Genuine healing heals the body the mind and the spirit. The key emotion to healing is love.

We help people to connect to thisâ&#x20AC;?

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By Dr Marina Nani

“I quit my high pressure job (and salary!) and thought that if I started my own business I had nothing to lose. I retrained at the Healing and Acupuncture College in Bath. Soon after I qualified I knew everyone needed Acupuncture in their lives, so Acupuncture That Works was born.” Although Acupuncture may be used for many things, Emma specialises in Fertility and has been referred to as the ‘baby maker‘. Emma came to Acupuncture after a period of illness where she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. She tried Acupuncture and it worked, but it was also at that point when Emma fell in love with Acupuncture and declared that ‘everyone needs this in their lives’.

Emma is changing lives for the better and her clients couldn’t agree more: “Over the last couple of years, I have been suffering badly with stress, anxiety and depression, I had been to the doctors a few times and all they wanted me to do was take some pills.

‘When I look back now, my life was full of lots of stress and anxiety. Back in 2006 I had just had my son William, my Dad was dying of cancer and I was in a high pressure role running a Sales team with huge targets across the North West and Midlands. My diet and lifestyle were pretty poor and this was mainly due to putting

I didn’t want to go down this route and tried almost everything to help me feel better naturally. With a fear of needles, my last resort was to try acupuncture! Best decision I have made.”

www.acupuncturethatworks.co.uk

0800 051 76 88

SOVEREIGN others first. I just wasn’t looking after me.’ Emma says. Struggling with horrendous pain, Emma started looking for alternative remedies and tried Acupuncture. After starting the treatment, which has been practiced in Chinese medicine for over three thousand years, and used in many NHS general practices, as well as the majority of pain clinics and hospices in the UK, Emma decided to help others who are facing the same challenges. ‘The treatment consists of stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and as a result the body starts producing natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins with beneficial effects experienced through Acupuncture.’ Emma explains. Emma worked at St Luke’s Hospice in Winsford for six years, specialising in Acupuncture for Cancer patients. Her experience with Oncology and Acupuncture has led to a deep knowledge and understanding of how Acupuncture can help with palliative and restorative care. Emma pioneered the use of the ‘Guy Protocol’ to treat patients suffering from hot flushes in post-operative cancer care. Emma is also a CPD visiting lecturer at the Healing & Acupuncture College and Shulan College of Chinese Medicine. Her vision is that every town and city in the UK should have a centre where people can benefit from professional Acupuncture treatments. ‘I am passionate, that Western medicine and Eastern medicine should be working together more often. Western medicine is seen as reactive medicine whereas Eastern medicine is seen as proactive. Acupuncture in lots of hospitals abroad is an effective alternative to pain relief instead of using opioids that can potentially lead to addiction. There is more and more research now being done in the UK to produce evidence that Acupuncture works. From where I stand, from my own experience as a patient, if we could work much more closely together I believe that we would see a shift change in wellbeing around the globe ’

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www.dianametello.com International Results Coach, Trainer and Public Speaker CEO an Founder of Action For Success NLP Master, Social Panorama Consultant Founder of “Women That Inspire” Start a conversation with Diana scan the QR code with your LinkedIn app

f: Diana Metello t: @dianametello ig: DianaMetello

Diana Metello, the International Results Coach, lives in Portugal but shares her life between Lisbon and London. An Internationally Certified Master Life & Executive Coach, NLP Master and a Social Mental Panorama Consultant, Diana is regarded as a Change Catalyst. But her thirst for knowledge didn’t stop once she received the licence for qualified training and certifications in personal branding & marketing, public speaking, Jungian psychology and healing therapies amongst many others.

‘I’ll be Thirsty of Knowledge until the last day of my Life... and beyond! ‘ Diana says. From a very young age, Diana understood that she had to work to get what she wants. Diana was only six when she first earned her “pocket money’ and learnt the “value of things”, because her parents encouraged her natural creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Before leaving school, Diana started her first real job when she

was 16, and since then accumulated a wealth of extraordinary experience and mastered her commitment to ‘Real Life’ taking responsibility for her financial freedom. With a Master’s Degree in Graphic Design, Diana dedicated her time and energy as a Creative Director in Advertising & Media Companies, in the Publishing industry, and the Events & PR sector. In 2000, Diana founded her first business in design, PR and Event Planning industry.

by Dr Marina Nani

DIANA METELLO B E Y O N D

T H E

A philanthropist at heart Diana invested a lot of her time and knowledge to make a significant difference and recently her dream came true, when she launched Woman that Inspire, ‘An empowering environment for women, where meaningful relationships can flourish through collaboration and mutual contribution, providing opportunities for high achievers, elevating the standards of networking, based on our main core values: Contribution- Empowerment-Meritocracy- Leadership- Ethics’ Diana says. ‘On reflection, I became the Person I needed then and couldn’t find to help me understand and welcome those tough moments in my life, so I learned how tremendously resourceful human beings are, naturally. Life has definitely shown me, that I can be a beacon of hope, a living example and inspiration for so many that find themselves alienated, feel blocked, frustrated and hopeless. I can help them, not just because I’ve read it in a book, or done a thousand trainings on that topic, but because I know how it feels to be there. I had the fortune to deeply understand human vulnerability, first hand, and the abundance of inner resources we can access to change a challenge into a real opportunity!’ Diana says. While surpassing numerous challenges, Diana acquired a deep understanding of human strength from her own experiences. ‘I believe in the extraordinary potential locked in each individual, in each Human Being. Her no nonsense attitude helped her developed an authentic range of techniques and therapies. ‘Expanding

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O F

my consciousness and learning that practical resources bring real results, I know what works with what, and what doesn’t. I learnt how to overcome and transform what has happened to me, into an amazing power and priceless wisdom. I didn’t become just another survivor, I become a Thriver!’ Diana says. ‘Woman that Inspire’ ‘Woman that Inspire’ A woman on a mission, Diana advocates for excellence and continuous improvement and she is aware that it is her moral duty to be visible. Leading by example and with an enormous passion for what she does, investing in herself and others, creating the opportunity to excel in her endeavours, Diana never stopped her education and she is learning from the best to transform each challenge into a personal or professional victory. She says: ‘Being worthy of others trust is the mantra of professionals across industries. Taking responsibility for your unique talent and being visible is as important as your integrity. The market place is overwhelmed by a constant overflow of information, an aggressive wave of marketing for “advertised services” and it is hard for anyone to find the “real deal”. Giving your clients the chance to hire you, making yourself visible, coming from a place of integrity, responsibility and high ethical standards, is a prime duty- you own it equally to yourself, and to your clients.’ In total alignment with her values, believes and actions, Diana

K N O W L E D G E

was the Official Representative and All Cities Leader of “First Tuesday” (Worldwide Network for Entrepreneurs and Investors) in Portugal, and in 2001 she was acknowledged by GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) as one of the Top Entrepreneurship References in Portugal. ‘Acquiring a vast realm of working experiences, I founded my first business in the design, PR and event planning industry in 2000, then discovered my passion and unique vocation so mastering my professional skills, I become an International Results Coach in 2006, and few years later, in 2012, my current business “Action For Success”, was born!’ Action For Success was created to deliver bespoke solutions for established leaders, entrepreneurs and Business Executives, ‘extraordinary who want to connect with their personal power, influence, make the change and really get results’ Diana says. ‘ I’m committed to transform each challenge into a personal or professional victory. Through Strategic Intervention Sessions I create a valuable confidential space to work with my clients and help them discover a higher Self- consciousness, their true potential. Once they learn how to activate their own resources, they find it natural to lead others, and get access to greater insights into what they really want to achieve. I take my clients through a profound Transformational Experience, I become their Support & Accountability Partner and help them turn their own vision into a better reality.’

By Katherine Ewen Visionary artist, ethical clothes designer and teacher of Ageless Wisdom, Rita Hraiz is one of the growing number of women committed to raising planetary consciousness. Her aim is to inspire love and this is suffused throughout her work. From her uplifting paintings of goddesses, expressing the beauty of the female form, to her use of colour therapy clothing to encourage body confidence she is on a mission to break through the old moulds of what a woman should be and what she can achieve. Her courses and retreats, help both individuals and couples gain the wisdom needed to transform their lives. Born of eastern parents and brought up in the west, Rita had made it her lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work to transcend the divides our societies impose. Her father was a young Sindhi Caste Hindu and her mother an aristocratic Lebanese Catholic. Her parents eloped to London in 1960, escaping the rigid societal frameworks that said they could not be together, daring to marry for love. She was taught by her parents to be herself in all that she did. When Rita was eleven years old she discovered a book about Tibetan Buddhism at the Catholic girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school she attended and this changed the course of her life. It awoke in her a deep knowledge of past life experiences in Tibet, and a lifelong love of esoteric teachings. This was an early awakening that no matter how profound did not save her

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As a young fashion designer in London, her star was rising with her clothes appearing in Vogue and other leading fashion publications. This should have been a time of success but with a string of difficult relationships and a busy life caught up in the material excesses of the 80s she suffered a crisis of faith and loss of confidence. Unhappy and alone she reached out for help and found a spiritual teacher that would transform her life. He taught her the solar philosophies of Ageless Wisdom and through this and the use of meditation she decided it was time to leave London and start again. In 1994 she moved her family to Glastonbury, to continue her spiritual awakening. In Glastonbury Rita flourished, building, from nothing Seriously Scrumptious, a very successful cakemaking company supplying Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and QVC. It was also at this time that she met the love of her life, Jeremy and gave birth to her fourth child. “Seriously Scrumptious started when Shiloh, my third child, was a baby. It was something I could manage inbetween breastfeeding and Jeremy helped me with my sons and building the business. He held me and encouraged me to fully go for it”. But as so often happens in life it was then that misfortune struck. Jeremy was suddenly and tragically killed in road traffic accident and Rita again found herself alone, dealing with four children and a consuming business. She lost the cake company and at the same time began a deep shamanic journey that helped her to recognise her soul purpose was not about giving people cakes. With four children depending upon her, Rita focused upon her Tibetan Buddhist practices, a shamanic path and trust in the Great Mystery. Once again she brought herself and her family back from the brink. It was then she got the idea for Mudra- a clothing label designed for all

women, no matter what their shape or size. She threw herself back into work, making beautiful clothes that helped women deal with their own pain and insecurities through the use of colour therapy and positive body image techniques. It was also at this time that Rita began teaching and running retreats. She discovered that her years of experience, using daily practices to overcome difficulties could be passed on to others, helping them, in turn to meet them selves and how to transform sorrow into joy and transform stuck energy. Her Ageless Wisdom courses arose from being asked by people who came to her retreats to share the practices of how to consciously align to the highest of who we are. Now, at the age of 56, Rita is an inspiration to strong aspiring women and men worldwide. With a large family support network and successful ethical businesses, she is respected as an elder in the community having walked her talk, inspiring harmony and healing to families and people of all ages. She enjoys nothing more than teaching this simple and sacred philosophy to others and her courses are becoming more and more popular as she helps countless others with her deep insight and practical support and through sharing her life experiences.

WWW.RITAHRAIZ.COM

from the slings and arrows of life.

“At this point in my life, I am completely blown away by the consistent transformation and grace I get to witness on a daily basis. There is a massive spiritual revolution happening and people are fast track waking up to face their pain and take responsibility for what they are creating and their transform Karma. I am graced to have tasted the very nectar of the Absolute and feel so utterly fulfilled. I live my life in service to humanity in every possible way that I can and I can never take credit for the healing I witness, as I know this to come from the Presence Of The One. I am grateful for my ego to get out of the way enough to watch miracles unfold continually ”, Rita Hraiz.

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by Laura Amherst

Finding Your Spiritual Compass

Your intuition connects you to your true sense of worth, your inner strength and your own wisdom. As you develop your intuitive skills and build its “muscles”, step by step, day by day – an unfolding of your path and purpose is revealed. Meet Fiona Radman, an intuitive consultant, driven by inspirational spiritual teachers and her depth of insight into her own experience. Taking fundamental teachings, she has created a business that impacts many of her clients in a vital, lifechanging way. Fiona has been able to use powerful concepts such as listening carefully to the inner guidance of their heart and soul, which helps people understand their beliefs, emotions and the situations they find themselves in, for what they really are, and she is able to guide them in this process. Originally having a lengthy thirty five year career in the textile industry, she then set up her current business, helping people tap into their intuition. This was initiated because during many years she experienced challenging issues around low selfesteem and loss of purpose through childlessness. Although she eventually started a family, she regretted not following her inner guidance at that time. After extensive introspection of her

www.fionaradman.com

SOVEREIGN personal circumstances she had gained meaningful insight and realized just how accurate her intuition had always been. She decided from then on to tap into it to guide her choices and decisions in life. When she realised that there must be a book out there that could help her she came across certain information that totally revolutionized her perspectives. The two books she feel impacted her the most are “You Can Heal Your Life” By Louise Hay, and “Conversations with God, Book 1” by Neale Donald Walsch. Really identifying with Louise Hay in particular, Fiona went on to train in her teachings, and has run workshops and coached clients using her philosophies. There she learnt the tools she needed to work through her grief and sense of helplessness. Louise Hay ran workshops to showcase her authors with her publishing house (Hay House) and Fiona was exposed to Sonia Choquette, who she feel impacted her and changed the direction of her life even further. One event naturally lead to another, when she listened to her inner guidance system, and she found herself moving consistently in the right direction for her life purpose. “10 years later I can say that following my intuition has been an incredible, expansionary and exhilarating ride. Life is just so much more interesting and rewarding than it was before. I have learned to trust and listen to that guidance and feel I am finally living my purpose… It doesn’t mean that my life doesn’t have challenges, of course it does, it just means that I have learned to surf the waves better, with the expectation of

good things and surprises along the way, when I have the courage to step up and take action, and life is just a lot more FUN!” She delivers intuitive workshops and provides readings to clients to give them clarification, affirmation and inspiration through life’s uncertainties. She teaches about what intuition is and isn’t, and she shares useful practices to help the people she works with on their personal spiritual journeys. “I teach other skills such as spiritual hygiene, daily practices, and how to uncover creativity… Consultations usually result in suggestions for action or changes clients can make to improve their lives” She uses her experiences in her practice, combined with books, meditation, friends and like-minded people plus pilgrimage experiences, to continue to deepen the insightful service she offers her clients. “I have people who come for their very first reading with me and are surprised how accurate and helpful it can be” And the effects are far reaching, “ anyone can benefit from developing their intuitive skills. The more you use them the better you get; the easier you can surf life’s challenges. My clients are mainly women between 30 and 60 years old. I offer 20, 30 or 60 minute consultations, either in person or on Skype. I run my workshops from my home in south west London, and I usually communicate with clients via email. You can also find me at various events and shows, where I give talks” Fiona is doing a huge service in raising consciousness and guiding people to the solutions that change how they view themselves and their interactions with the world!

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A story of Adventure and

By Laura Amherst

Kiki Fuerte author of the book series ‘Never Saw You Coming’ shares with us why she is inspired to create this powerful love story. I sit across from Kiki, a beautiful, graceful author with wonderful creative purpose. We begin by talking about her roots and how she was moulded from a young black girl, into the empowered black woman she is today. “I was born in the French Caribbean, on the beautiful island of Guadeloupe, and I had the best childhood any child could wish for, because I was surrounded by so much love! My life was filled with a lot of strong and kind women and many books, and they both shaped me to become the woman I am today. As a teen, I moved to Paris with my immediate family. It was less picturesque; much colder and gloomier. But there I learnt to be resilient, to work hard and excel. I was the only black child in the top class at school. It was a role that I feel proud of. My life in Paris blossomed when I went to university, and I discovered romantic love. Oh, love, when you catch us young and full of promise! It feels like anything is possible. If my young love dreams had come true, I would have been married by twenty with an amazing man and student of politics… but life did not turn out this way. At the time I didn’t know that all these beautiful bittersweet memories would inspire me to develop fictitious worlds with complex characters, in the form of thrilling romantic stories…” Kiki’s business is writing books, and it has been her lifelong passion. “My dream is to influence the people that read my work, to open them to matters of the heart, and for them to find a character that

SOVEREIGN they can identify with on a deep level. I used to record my dreams and turn them into short stories, but they are extremely intimate and I don’t think I will ever publish them. I want to keep something back for myself. My experiences with love as a teenager and an adult, combined with the experiences of my close friends and family, were a mixture of hopes, dramas and dreams. One day, I was in deep turmoil, and I sat down and wrote my first novel, ‘Never saw you coming’” We are both sipping on creamy coffees, and I hold a copy of her book, turning it over in my hands, while she explains to me in detail the essence of her writing. “‘Never saw you coming’ is a love story which starts like a fairy tale, but turns out to be very different. It is a story of turbulent romance, filled with a rollercoaster of emotions. I think many of my female readers will easily be able to identify with the main character Beatrice, and as we follow her journey, we begin to realise that love has many faces, and not all of those faces are smiling at us. The message that I want to express is that we have to see the warning signs to protect ourselves. I ask some fundamental questions. How do we learn to let go of a love that hurts? How do we protect ourselves and ensure that we are ready to receive a love that we deserve? All these questions demand deep inner growth and soul searching. “Never saw you coming” is a trilogy, and I immerse the reader in a journey of practising self love and finding love in return. I think women will be able to connect more to my books, but they are for anyone who wants to deepen their awareness of love and go on a magical emotional journey.” She tells me that her biggest challenge in getting her work out there is finding the time to promote it and write in general, as she is a busy mum and a full time teacher. “I have the luxury at times to visit a countryside retreat and focus exclusively on my writing, blissfully leaving the outside world behind for a while” When she talks about her role models she tells me of Toni Morrison. “A quote from Toni has stuck with me throughout my journey; “When writing, start with what you know...you must know your past history, to protect your present and create your future” She has inspired me to write from a position of strength, and she has instilled in me many of my values. Inspiration is everywhere, and the world is my open book; ready to be recorded, ready to be transformed into a powerful beautiful story to deepen our own experience of life and love. People’s capacity to bounce back from adversity fascinates me, and I believe a tragic story can be turned into a profound message”

It is the month of Love, the perfect time to grab your copy of Never Saw You Coming, available on Amazon!

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SOVEREIGN

The Chocolate with Soul

Following the Sugar Reduction Programme published by Childhood obesity and the tax on sugar introduced last April. We ask, is it time to give up chocolate and what if we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to? When we first heard the story of Mani and Ash Himani, we all instantly knew that they live their own story, the story of Chocolate with Soul. Mani worked in the city of London for 22 years, when she found herself fundamentally questioning her current predicament in life and how far from her purpose she was living. Trying to run her city career alongside her holistic health vision, was like running on two parallel paths which would never quite meet and the energy to keep running both routes simultaneously, was beginning to impact her health. When Mani went on a juicing detox course four years ago, she decided to deliberately create a healthier balance in her own life. At the end of the course, she loved the way it had made her feel on the inside, and that lead her to make few conscious lifestyle changes which impacted her life at first and then the lives of others. Her husband, Ash, had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and his chocoholic tendencies were a running concern for Mani, especially when he would return to the supermarketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s checkout with multiple chocolate bars, claiming that his rea-

www.thevedasoulcompany.com

vedasoulcompany

SOVEREIGN son for bringing back the variety was that he could not make a choice amongst so many amazing flavours. Mani started to ask herself a more realistic question: How could she embark on a quest for a healthier lifestyle that could work for the complete chocoholic? Together, the couple began to create sugar free chocolate recipes and The Veda Soul Company was just an organic step forward into their journey into a new found freedom. Her husband Ash is a qualified pharmacist, who currently continues his pharmacy career while building The Veda Soul Company in alignment with their holistic approach to health and well being. ‘It took a while to get things off the ground, because we were trying to find a way of doing the artisan chocolates whilst aligning it to our vision of helping people fall in love with themselves. We always knew that our entire range would be made with organic, ethically sourced ingredients and made with all our love in a positive environment, but our lack of confidence forced us to believe that this was not enough of an offering to deliver our vision. Learning to overcome fears and insecurities is part of the journey of any passion-led business. Soon enough, we found our way and connected to our inner confidence and we launched in October of 2017.’ Mani says. Through a labour of love and a ‘serious dose of passion’, Mani and Ash put every ounce of love and soul into tahe process end to end. They created a range of decadent treats, 100% Vegan, 100% Organic, free of refined sugar, a perfect alternative sweet treat, which they both enjoy. ‘The products provide a conscious treat that is nourishing, decadent and filled with goodness, packaged into tins and boxes which make people feel special and feel inspired. Our mission is to change the world one box or tin at a time. As we grow we would like to work more directly with the farmers and support local communities.’ Ash says. They make every effort to ensure that their unique creations are made from nothing but the finest organic ingredients, sourced from suppliers that value ethics and care through the entire food chain. ‘Every tin of oat delights and every box of chocolate bars contain an inspirational quote, written by us. Our aim with this is to inspire a mindful moment, where the consumer pauses and enjoys some inspiration and then continues into the eating experience with mindfulness. All of our packaging utilises recycled waste from the cacao industry and it is important to us that we use up the waste that we are creating within the industry that we are part of.’ Mani adds proudly. ‘We sell online and visit lots of vegan festivals and other markets and events to showcase our products. We love to share our story and encourage people that visit us to believe in their dream. We meet other business owners with a passion for their offerings and we support each other. Our business is more about the experience than it is about the products. When people are eating our chocolate, they enter a journey of flavours and understand the passion and love that has gone into them, they appreciate and value the offering and our vision is fulfilled each time.’ Ash says.

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MAYAapp

The world’s first tool to help identify and monitor infections

Interview by Darie Nani

“When patients describe the symptoms for which they are seeking professional attention, they are also reporting the story of an illness as they experienced and remember it, and so it can vary. The duty of a doctor is to listen and offer a solution, not a prescription”

Dr Kadiyali M Srivatsa

THE WORLD’S FIRST TOOL TO HELP REDUCE COST, FIGHT INFECTIONS, ANTIBIOTIC ABUSE, SYSTEMISE HEALTHCARE AND SAVE LIVES. When patients describe the symptoms for which they are seeking professional attention) they are also reporting the story of illness as they experienced and remember it, and so it can vary; the duty of a doctor is to listen and offer a solution, not a prescription.” Dr Kadiyali M Srivatsa; QHC (BMJ)1996 Jun; 5(2): Page121.

Why did you start talking about infections? As a doctor, I have to share information to help alleviate pain and suffering to a fellow human. I worked for almost 25 years (since 1983) as a physician in paediatrics and intensive care. Here I started seeing MRSA in neonatal units but not in children or adults. One morning in 1989, I encountered a healthy fourteen year old boy who walked into A&E and died that evening. The cause of death was labelled as “Normal Commensal”, but this was in fact MRSA (Superbugs). The rapidity of spread and his death was very traumatic and so I was determined to find a solution to reduce spread in hospitals. I was sure then as I am now that

the rise of superbacteria would soon overcome our exisiting treatements and procedures, especially since reasearch and development of new antibiotics is not a priority, even today. It is, for lack of a simpler explentation, an army of deadly microscopic organisms we are unable to fight. I organised pilot projects and observational studies to identify how infection spreads, invented devices, techniques and published articles in medical journals, all to help reduce the spread in hospitals and the wider community. At that time, the pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, nurses and doctors (the entire industry really) were all focused on HIV (it was the top health concern at the time) and I am sad to say my concerns were widely ignored. As you said, “Doctors were scared and assumed I was paranoid” so I became disenchanted with the entire field and stopped working in the hospital in 2000. I felt as if I continued I would have to go against my judgement, against my values and morals and effectively lie and conceal the truth to patients about the danger they were in just by being admitted to a unit. So I retrained and started working as a family physician. Here I noticed how doctors were labeling illness and abusing antibiotics. Least to say, a landed on the other

side of the same coin.

Why should we change the way people access healthcare? In 2002, my wife was admitted to hospital to deliver our first baby. I was watching the doctors and nurses and noticed errors that could have result in sepsis and death. I started talking about this tiny micro-organism with doctors, but they did accept we have sleepwalked into a situation where easily trateable infections are starting to turn deadly because of our over enthusiatic use of antibiotics. Scientists were preoccupied with whether or not we could butthey did not stop to think if they should. They believed we have the knowledge, technology to develop new treatment to fight infections. Now the majority of doctors know the era of modern medicine has come to an end, but their ego does not allow them to step out from the comfort zone and accept we need a new way of doing things. The culture of dependence has increased demand and cost of healthcare. To reduce waiting time and cost, healthcare providers licensed nurses and chemist to diagnose infections and prescribe antibiotics. As a doctor who managed critically ill patients in the hospital, shared my knowledge with students and doc-

SOVEREIGN tors for more than 30 years, I find it hard to differentiate bacterial and viral infections. I found this practice very uncomfortable and raised concern. Desperate to help protect healthcare workers, patients and our children I started collecting information, compiled a list of common symptoms and created a simple tool using colour-coded symptoms and called this “MAYA (Medical Advice You Access)”. My mission is to help reduce the need for access to healthcare, in turn reducing cross infections that lower their spread. I was hoping that healthcare providers, nurses and receptionists will use the tool to differentiate minor and serious illness and identify infected patients but they did not, this was dissapointing. However, there was a silver lining. A majority of patients who used my tool were pleased because it helped them reduce wasted consultation, delay, wrong diagnosis and treatment. I realised that my tool is actually more effective in the hand of the patient rather than the professional. Allowing for a more holistic approach to self prevention. There is a deeply rooted belief in this proffesion that individuals are somehow incapable of looking out for their own wellbeing. So it has been the established method that we shouldn’t educate people on how to take care of themselves. This feeds directly into people attending A&E, coming into GP practices etc to seek treatments when, in

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SOVEREIGN fact, it would be cheaper, healthier and more effective if we simply educated and empowered people to take control of their own health. AND most importantly it would help combat the spread of superbugs and over prescription of anitbiotics. With this in mind I integrated MAYA with CALL111.com (an online self help too) and also developed the Dr MAYA mobile apps. It’s still early days but I am confident the tools I am developing will prove both useful and successful.

Why do you healthcare providers are reluctant to change? And what would the result be if they did? My mission is to protect friendly bacteria that are essential for us to survive. When our body temperature is very high, people rush to consult and often demand antibiotics. Doctors knowing the cause is viral are often prescribing antibiotics because they are scared of litigation, the threat by the medical council and people in power. The receptionists, nurses or chemists are unlikely to have adequate medical training to differentiate minor and serious illness, nor have the knowledge or experience but rather use protocols and guidelines. By allowing patients choose from three possible symptoms, Maya will help patients differentiate common and serious illness and consult doctors only when they must. Patients who book an appointment but fail to turn up to consult is said to cost millions just in the UK. By asking patients to use Dr MAYA app or CALL111.COM, we can help save money and also reduce waiting time.

Do you see a role for this tool in developing nations? Perhaps areas where access to medical facilities is limited? Using my tool, healthcare workers and nurses working in the community in the impoverished

nation can identify infected patients early and help avoid epidemics and pandemics. Scientists can now rapidly decode the basic structure and pathways of most drugs and new diseases, in ways that were unimaginable even a few decades ago. Unfortunately, this ultra-modern technology has not helped us understand how these bugs developed resistance to chemicals and drugs. To fight this threat, we must invent twenty-eight new drugs to stop bacterias, viruses, fungus, parasites, TB, Malaria, Zika, Cholera, and mosquitos, bedbugs, housefly spreading all over the world. We can only rely on patients coming forward to say they have a symptom that may require investigation and treatment. Knowing from experience that patients with serious symptoms are often in denial and ignore them until it’s too late; they avoid seeking help from doctors because they do not want their fears confirmed. We can conquer this problem, and we can do it without requiring a top to bottom reform of the public health infrastructure that would take many years to implement. So I developed a simple method to help people share information about their symptoms using IT to help consult doctors or go to hospitals only when they must and also encourage patients who avoid consultation due to fear of cost. Maya will identify an infected individual to alert public health department to impose quarantine. This technology allows us to develop a monitoring system that identifies clusters of infections in the community, town, hospitals, and even entire countries.

So how does your system work in practice? Let’s imagine that a person is feeling ill, and apparently, he wants to know what is wrong with him and decide who to consult. He logs into the system using a computer, smartphone or a kiosk and enters three symptoms, just as

you might call a medical receptionist to explain why you need an appointment. Dr MAYA then evaluates the combination of symptoms and advises the patient based on medical knowledge. It does not give an ad-hoc depending on the receptionist’s, nurse’s or chemist’s knowledge or experience. Patients will be directed not to call a doctor, nurse, self-care, book appointment or rush to the hospital. If the Dr MAYA system identifies infection, the public health service will be alerted to help isolate the patient. This we hope will prevent patients with contagious disease visiting hospitals or healthcare centres to begin with, helping to protect other patients and healthcare workers. Patients who require clinical examination or specific tests will be advised to book an appointment, thus reducing wasted consultation by about 60-80 per cent. The doctors will focus their time and expertise on patients who indeed require face-to-face consultation.

Who do you believe could benefit? Patients, doctors, healthcare providers, army, airlines, infection controllers, nations with poor healthcare service and the WHO will benefit if they implement the tools. Dr MAYA can particularly help poorer countries because it can enable them to skip the time and expense of building already-obsolete medical communications systems. They can offer healthcare using social workers because the advice and treatment provided are based on the protocol created by doctors and not based on their discretion. This is the only tool that will reduce “Social InEqualities in healthcare” because a patient living in the impoverished nation will be offered standardised treatment similar to any developed country.

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Sovereign Magazine - Issue 14 - February 2019

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The World Needs More Powerful Business Women

The Inside GEMS of Success