Game Changers issue 36

Game Changers ISSUE #36

Match-Prime Liquidity to match your needs GC speaks exclusively with Andreas Kapsos & Stavros Economides.

GAME CHANGERS

DIRECTORY O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6

Note from the editor View from the top. 03

Andreas Kapsos Match Trade Technologies. 04-09

Exclusive Capital Lambros Lambrou. 10-13

Svetlana Kulikova Match-Trade Technologies. 14-19

GC:OPINION Imposter Syndrome. 20-21

Gabriel Styllas Five Comply. 22-23

O7

Cristian Vlasceanu

O8 O9

Breinrock. 26-28

1O 11 12 13 14 15 16

Centroid Solutions. 24-25

Iva Bogicevic Noor Farid PSP Angels. 29-30

Helen Astaniou TIO Markets. 31-33

GC:INVESTIGATES 34-35

GC:EAT Milk Bar. 37-39

GC: FEMME 45-49

GC: HOMME 50-58

GC:GOING OUT BARLEYS. 60-61

GC:FITNESS 62-64

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Hello everyone, By the time we publish GC036 the Limassol expo should be well underway after a little while away, and the culmination of the Dubai event. We anticipate that this signifies a return to normal, albeit maybe in a slightly evolved model.

We have two new entrants as our headliners.

Andreas and Svetlana from Match Prime who are now establishing themselves as both a leading technology and liquidity provider.in the local CY ecosystem. It was great to have a chat with them to see what sets them apart from their peers.

Moreover, we are incredibly happy to have some of the originals of GC appearing in this issue. We have a welcome return from Cristian Vlasceanu from Centroid and Gabriel Styllas from FIve Comply, as they always give both considered and an interesting perspective.

We also have new contributors Iva Bogicevic from Canadian regulated EMI Breinrock, and Noor Farid from PSP Angels who are hopefully making the first of many pieces to GC, as we always enjoy seeing fresh opinions and voices in the industry.

Finally you can also read our GC:Lifestyle section including our favorite lunchtime eatery

Milk Bar, and the review of one of our choices for the all important Friday late afternoon post work drinks at Barleys.

We hope that you have had fun at the Dubai expo, and keep the momentum going for the Limassol event!

Paul ORFORD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Game Changers

Know Your Liquidity Test our solution to make sure it's everything you need and more

Connect to our demo set-up via FIX API to check:

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Instruments & Spreads

We provide low latency price streams. The data feed uses proprietary algorithms, assuring prices’ speed and accuracy in various conditions. Full throttle option available at Broker's request.

Our institutional platform offers all necessary features to actively manage your liquidity account including Market Depth presentation up to 10 levels (5 levels available in standard option).

You can verify the number of available instruments and average spreads. Save the ticks to your database and make your own statistics to compare average spreads with the market.

Match-Trader PRO is already integrated with most of the Bridges available on the market.

Match-Prime is a brand owned and operated by MTG Liquidity Limited, authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission under licence Nr 390/20. As a prime broker Match-Prime holds no direct retail clientele.

Match-Prime Liquidity ANDREAS KAPSOS CEO of MTG Liquidity LTD

Q Match-Prime is a relatively new entity in the Cyprus forex scene as you’re just approaching your first anniversary, what attracted you to the brand?

conditions or expand the offer like it’s our own technology. So when I say we can adjust to clients’ needs, it’s not just a marketing gimmick.

For me, it was the opportunity to shape the company from the very beginning. Being able to use my industry experience while creating the offer made me feel I could provide my clients with a solution that would truly meet their needs. Of course, when I joined the team, there was already some vision of how Match-Prime is supposed to operate, but it was similar to how I wanted to run this company. MatchPrime has this unique advantage over other liquidity providers. It works in close partnership with the technology provider. Our liquidity solution is based on Match-Trader PRO, a new generation institutional platform developed by Match-Trade Technologies.

I can safely say it’s the best technology provider on the forex market as they have recently won the Global Forex Award in this category. Thanks to our strategic partnership with MTT, we can customise the

Q As a CEO and leader of your brand. What ethos does Match-Prime stand for, and how do you and your colleagues get this across?

Andreas Kapsos (CEO) and Stavros Economides (COO) of MTG Liquidity LTD

We adopted this strategy of not selling liquidity but becoming the broker’s partner. All of the people behind Match-Prime have extensive experience in working at the biggest brokers in Europe. We have dealt with the LPs’ sales reps pressuring us to increase the number of transactions, we know how frustrating it is, and that’s definitely not how we want to do our business. I’m pretty confident about our offer and service, and I’m sure that once a client tries it, they’ll start trading at some point. Even if they connect just to diversify their liquidity sources. We care about establishing a relationship with our clients and helping them grow. That’s what I believe will bring us the most benefit.

Andreas Kapsos CEO of MTG Liquidity LTD

Q When I worked in selling liquidity, I found that the brands with huge marketing budgets have the upper hand just from visibility. How can you counter this?

Visibility is very important, but nowadays, clients realise that large, established brands have less flexibility and cannot offer an individual approach due to the number of brokers served. A large LP won’t expand its offer with a less popular coin or won’t create a synthetic instrument for a single broker’s request. With such a scale of business, it simply doesn’t pay off. So they’re looking to diversify with smaller, more flexible providers, and that’s where we come in. As I said before, customer relations are essential in this industry, and I’ve managed to establish many connections throughout my professional career.

Today, even though we got our licence only a year ago, we already signed several major European brokers like Skilling, for example. Clients trust our expertise to the point where they want to test our solution, and since we provide such a possibility with no strings attached, they often connect persuaded by the conditions they can check. And Cyprus, the capital of forex, aggregates most of the regulated brokers, who like to keep a close eye on what competition does, and that’s the best reference. I think it’s just easier to sign a client gained by word-of-mouth marketing rather than broad marketing exposure.

Q It seems that luckily we have gone through the period of everyone being ‘Prime Brokerage’. How do you separate from the other established brands?

It’s definitely the technology that distinguishes us from other LPs. The platform we provide to our clients offers access to a transparent, distributed and independent ECN market. It’s modern, very intuitive and what’s most important, it’s already integrated with most of the popular platforms and distribution systems, so most brokers can just connect straight away via Bridge or FIX API without any additional integration needed. Besides, we have our own Bridge, developed by MTT, which we provide along with the Match-Trader PRO platform with no extra charge.

Q You put so much emphasis on technology. Is it really that important for the brokers seeking liquidity solutions? Isn’t it the instruments’ offer that matters more?

Today’s market is already heavily saturated with liquidity providers. I believe that all regulated entities care about such aspects as due diligence on their LPs and banks or compliance and AML. I’m also very aware that other LPs offer more instruments than we do, but judging by our clients’ demands, it’s not the numbers that matter the most. The most important thing is whether our technology will allow them to react quickly to changes in the market. MTT is our parthner, so you can say it is all about the pos-

sibility of adding unusual instruments, such as less popular cryptocurrencies, the popularity of which can skyrocket in an instant as it was with Dogecoin; exotic currencies or whether we can create synthetic instruments. And this is what we are doing not only at a broker’s request, but we exceed our instruments’ offer trying to be one step ahead of the market. It’s our technology, so we’re not limited by any third-party systems. As to the instruments, traders are looking for access to the physical stock market in the brokers’ offer, which is why both forex brokers and liquidity providers often ask if we have such an asset class. And we do have over 2000 equities in our offer, both physical shares with no leverage or swaps and equity CFDs with leverage, which is not very common among LPs. Q I think one challenge that is always out there when you are selling liquidity is to get them to plug in and compare to others. How easy is it to compare your spreads?

It’s like a walk in the park. We can, of course, provide all the reports, but every broker can request access to a demo set-up of our platform, through which they can check how our liquidity works without having to onboard as our client. They can verify the number of available instruments, orderbook market depth (up to 10 levels) and average spreads. It’s enough to save the ticks to their database, and the broker can make its own statistics and compare average spreads with the market.

Q I think a common misconception to the start-up brokerage is that it is all about the spreads. Although they do play a part in the solution, what about your execution? Is there a minimum deposit to try the execution with or to open an account?

As a regulated entity which works exclusively with professional clients and institutions, we are legally bound by our Best Interest and Order Execution Policy. We host all of our servers close to our liquidity sources to minimise slippage and provide one of the fastest execution with up to 90% of orders executed at the requested price or better. A minimum deposit for an active account is 5000 USD, but we offer a three-month free trial period where a client can connect to our liquidity to test it free of charge before signing a long-term agreement. We believe it’s only fair if we give our clients some time to try the solution and see for themselves how we operate and what kind of support we provide. We’re really confident about that.

Q Right, cause most salespeople in FX promise the earth to get the deal signed, once it’s signed, what support do you offer afterwards?

Customer support is very important to me person-

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ally. As I myself have certain expectations regarding how I would like to be treated as a customer, I am trying to transfer the same principles to our company. First of all, there’s no ticket system, our support team is available 24/7 on several messengers like Skype, Whatsapp, Viber or Slack, plus we have an emergency phone. You can say we offer two types of support, IT support to resolve any technical or infrastructure issues that may have occurred, and there’s broker support when a client can call me or someone else from the management with individual cases. We keep close relationships with our LPs, so we can also help our clients to solve possible claims. At the beginning, we schedule regular one-on-one calls with a client to assure them we keep our finger on the pulse and they’re always up to date. We treat our clients’ businesses as our own, so we try to help in every matter and offer our professional advice.

Q So let’s say they love your solution, how easy is it to open an account. Is there a tonne of paperwork and can you help walk them through it all?

Of course, we offer full assistance in onboarding; it’s a part of our support package. We have a dedicated team member to guide clients through this process and help them gather all the documents. We try to make it as easy and smooth as possible. At this point, I can say it took us, on average, seven to ten days to onboard our existing clients.

Q What’s the best way to reach you and Match-Prime?

You can find me on Linkedin, and I encourage everyone to add me to their network and follow our company profile to stay up to date with all the news. And for contact details such as phone number, messengers or our Nicosia office address just visit our website, it’s all in there. We’re also attending major forex expos. I’ve been to Dubai twice this year, you can also meet me here in Limassol at the iFX Expo (booth 16), and in November, we’ll be at the Finance Magnates London summit.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

Bespoke Liquidity Solution for Professional Clients Match-Prime Liquidity, a Forex and CFD Liquidity Provider, combining deep, multi-asset liquidity for over 1000 instruments and equities with ultra-fast connectivity to deliver tailor-made solutions that aim to improve business growth.

We provide transparent conditions and an individual approach to each client to ensure the highest quality of offered solutions.

• Competitive pricing • Ultra-fast execution • Low latency Data Feed • Market Depth up to 10 levels • Quick Bridge/ FIX API integration • Direct access to institutional liquidity pools • Fast-track onboarding • Three-month free trial period • Only Institutional Clients on a Prime of Prime model

Stavros Economides Chief Operating Officer

Match-Prime is a brand owned and operated by MTG Liquidity Limited, authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission under licence Nr 390/20. As a prime broker Match-Prime holds no direct retail clientele.

Andreas Kapsos Chief Executive Officer

Website: match-prime.com E-mail: info@match-prime.com Whatsapp: +357 97 647476

Lambros Lambrou

CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

Q You have been very visible in your new branding

Each and every one of our Exclusive team members have been carefully selected to add value to the brand and most importantly to our clientele. It is vital for us to build the organization and our true value from the inside out and this can only happen with a highcaliber team, for which we are proud.

Q

strongly believe that an honest focus on the team, product, and service is always a great way to enhance

I can genuinely say that a brand needs to be impactful and true to its core value proposition. It is important for us at Exclusive, and for any brand, to ensure that

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

they are and remain client-centric to ensure we never deviate from what we believe in and to always add value. By consistently acting with integrity, accountability, and transparency, we build long-lasting and rewarding relationships to drive sustainable growth for our clients.

Q

We have been developing our Prime Service Solutions for the last 4 years, focusing on what matters the most to our clients and market needs. Due to the focus and commitment of our executive team, we ensure to always be ahead of our clients’ needs.

We contribute our growth and success to multiple moving parts within and outside of the organization.

This comes from our senior management’s vision and the Exclusive team of experienced professionals, along with our strategic partners. Most importantly, we thrive by building and maintaining the trust and mutual support with our clients.

Q As we are a prime multi-asset service provider and we are not just another Brokerage selling Liquidity via API. Our clients trust us to ensure they always have the best products, services, and dedicated support that they deserve.

Selling an API is not enough in today’s fast-paced industry. We need to keep ahead of the competition and listen to the needs of our clients. By doing this we can provide services tailored to our client’s needs enable them to have the continued support they need to grow.

Q

tailor-made solution-oriented approach to dealing with each one of our client’s needs. Whether it is bespoke multi-asset liquidity solutions, full brokerage solutions, or portfolio and asset management solutions, our team is ready and able to deliver whatever service is needed.

Q

I strongly believe in our plan and vision along with the collaboration, trust, and support for the vision by the Madarasz family, all of which have been key to our success.

From this point onward, the right team, products, and outstanding Exclusive team.

Our key selling point is to treat each and every client personally and with the same high level of attention.

Whether you are an existing broker, new to the market, or a hedge fund, our fundamental values are the same, even if the strategies we apply vary from client to client. We strive for excellence within the

Our anthropocentric approach is the key to our success. We understand that behind every institution, brokerage, and asset manager there is a person, and people always have responsibilities, values, and expectations.

from our peers, in other words, our dedicated and

With the proper in-depth market analysis, our team has come up with not only solutions that our clients and partners see value in today but also a vision and actionable plan to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

It has taken us many years of hard work, dedication, and a focus on delivering the product solutions that our clients need to help us stand out and scale in a crowded marketplace. We are ready, now more than ever, to enhance our exposure, reach out to a wider range of clientele, and ensure they know who we are and what we do.

Q

Being a multi-asset liquidity provider allows us to enables us to diversify to multiple client segments such as hedge funds, money managers, and HNW Individuals within the industry. We do not want to limit ourselves as a traditional liquidity provider, expansion. As a regulated fund we show our clients and investors we are here for the long run and focus on clients’ needs within the industry.

Q

It is also important to ensure you engage and speak to as many people as possible. We have many clients, partners, and associates that come to each event we exhibit at and we leverage this by ensuring they have a high caliber member of our team to speak to them and give them the value that they deserve, without the expectation of anything in return.

Being consistent in branding and company image also plays an important part in how we show our products and services to the market.

For us, attending an expo needs to be relevant and

our clients and investors the opportunity to invest in a regulated fund. Being fully compliant, we have taken it up a notch, as funds and strategies are under institutional-level service that is fully in line with the interests of our clients and investors.

Q

It is very easy for companies to get carried away and attend every market event and spend the marketing make sure that there is always genuine value in what we are doing. It also comes down to presenting the right product at the right time and place.

right products at the right time and place. And where better than doing it at hyper-targeted events that receive attention from our institutional clientele from around the world.

Q

The best way is to stop by and see us in person at our Booth #41 at the iFX EXPO in Cyprus that will be taking place October 4-6 at the Park Lane Hotel in Limassol.

a meeting via our calendar from the following link: www.exclusivecapital.com/successful-book-meeting

low the Google Maps location by clicking here.

Alternatively, you can visit www.exclusivecapital.com and reach out to us any time.

Broker Solutions Hub Everything you need to run a successful Forex Brokerage available in one place

WHITE LABELS PLATFORMS

MULTI-ASSET LIQUIDITY & MARKET DATA

BROKER MANAGEMENT APP

MT4/MT5 BRIDGE & AGGREGATION

EFFECTIVE PAYMENT SOLUTIONS

BUSINESS SETUP & CONSULTING

Match-Trade Technologies voted The Best Technology Provider 2021 GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

Match-Trade Technologies SVETLANA KULIKOVA Head of Cyprus Office

Q You had a long-established and successful career with a leading platform provider, what attracted you to joining Match-Trade Technologies?

Q Why? Isn’t it better to create bespoke solutions combining the best products from different providers?

You might say it was destiny. Of course, I’m kidding.

I was approached by Michael Karczewski, Match-Trade’s COO, when I was already working as an independent forex consultant. He told me about the company’s expansion and how, after partnering with Match-Prime Liquidity, more and more brokers from the region are interested in their technology.

Match-Trade was planning to open a new office in Cyprus at that point, and I thought it was a perfect challenge for me. After meeting the MTT team, I realised that we have a similar approach to business.

It was very important for me to develop further, not just as a solution vendor but as a consultant who can offer comprehensive support to brokers by selecting the best products for them and supporting them in building a development strategy and optimising business processes. That was my goal, and it turned out that Match-Trade is the perfect place to pursue it.

I know why people might think that, but it is enough to analyse such a situation to understand that it is not a better solution at all in many aspects. First of all, look at cost-efficiency. It’s logical that one provider who makes money on several products can always offer better prices. And regardless of whether you are buying a White Label platform, Client Office, or the liquidity, there are always some fees for setup, subscription or monthly fee to the tech provider for using its solution and the commission you pay to the Liquidity Provider for each transaction. Plus, if you need a Bridge to connect your Liquidity Provider, there’s also a fee for the bridging technology provider.

And those are all standard costs. So even if you manage to collect the cheapest solutions on the market, it does not mean that you will incur lower charges. If you buy each item from a different supplier, you will bear the cost of maintaining several

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providers. Also, integrating various systems may not be as easy as one might expect, and that also incurs costs. Besides, there is the issue of complaints service and solving possible problems. With different suppliers, their responsibility is blurred, and it can be hard to find out who is responsible for the errors.

I’m not saying it’s a bad idea, but I always advise my clients to go for all-in-one solutions or choose those solutions referred by their current providers.

Different providers on the market have partnerships and cooperated for years. That usually means their systems are already integrated, and they even have a special offer for clients who came on the recommendation.

Q So what are the key points that you are attracting new clients with?

I don’t have one pitch for every client. I start with analysing the client’s situation, taking into account its geographic location and the region from which its customers come. Then I carefully work through their goals and needs, and only when I have a full scope of information, I propose the solution or means by which we can achieve their goal.

Match-Trade Technologies offer is so broad that it gives me great freedom of action. We don’t even call ourselves a technology provider anymore. We are a Broker Solutions Hub offering multiple solutions seamlessly connected to each other. Our team worked hard for many years to create this complete technological environment that guarantees the maximum performance of our applications. We’ve become a one-stop shop where brokers can get everything they need for their Forex business.

Q What actually is included in this HUB? What kind of applications?

All of them. Seriously. How much time do you have?

We offer White Label platforms, those most popular like MetaTrader 4 and 5 and our proprietary Match-Trader, along with back-office applications as well as hosting and support services for those brokers who own MT4/5 servers. Then there are management solutions; Client Office - including a mobile app for traders with a dedicated IB office - and CRM with Analytics. All of it is integrated with different payment providers and also our own crypto payment gateway.

We’ve recently released a Social Trading app to help our clients attract novice, less-experienced traders.

Of course, all these applications are connected to the liquidity distribution system. That’s why we also have a Bridge with risk management, and ultra-fast data feeds. And when I say they’re ultra-fast, I mean it. Match-Trade’s price streams are not subjected to price filtration; therefore, customers will receive all available prices without any delay. And to close the

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

loop, we offer business setup services for start-up brokers and business consulting.

Q Is there a specific part of the market you are aiming for?

Not really, though, along with the development of the company and the technology itself, we are naturally more often approached by bigger, established brokers.

And since we’ve partnered with Match-Prime, a Cyprus-based liquidity provider authorised and regulated by CySEC; we focus on polishing our product offering to better adapt it to the regulators’ requirements. Also, I believe that the new office in Cyprus will help us become more open and available to the MENA region clientele.

Q You’ve mentioned a partnership with a regulated liquidity provider, could you tell me more about how it works, and where’s the benefit for both companies?

Sure. Apart from our offer for Forex and Crypto Brokers, we also provide technology for Liquidity Providers. So Match-Prime’s liquidity solution is based on our institutional platform - Match-Trader PRO. We have formed this strategic partnership to be able to complement each other’s offers.

We can add regulated liquidity to the hub of solutions available to our clients. Match-Prime is working closely with our platform developers and support team to take advantage of the flexibility that only proprietary technology can provide.

Q Would a dealer find it hard to integrate and use?

Not at all. If a broker wants to start their business with us, it’s super quick as the whole system is already integrated. So apart from legal formalities and gathering the documentation, we can have him up and running within a week. But we made sure that our technology will be available for all the clients, so it is already integrated with different platforms, Bridges and even CRMs from the most popular providers. So in most cases, additional integration is not necessary, but even if it is, we’ve got high-quality IT experts who can do it really fast.

Q I saw on your website that you can open a Crypto Brokerage in one week. What does this entail, and what do I receive for my money?

Cryptocurrency margin trading is one of the fastest-growing branches of online trading. So it is not surprising that the demand for a dedicated solution is constantly growing. We provide a complete package of tools for clients who want to start a brokerage business offering only Crypto CFDs. Our package includes White Label trading platform MT4/5 or Match-Trader, Client Office with CRM and integrated crypto payment gateway with exchangers. Our

Svetlana Kulikova, Head of Cyprus Office.

Match-Trade Technologies

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solution allows crypto purchase via wire transfer or credit card and instant conversions from crypto to FIAT and back. So traders can settle all of their payments in crypto while still trading in FIAT currencies. We can add data feeds and access to crypto liquidity with 28 crypto pairs. All of this completed with company registration support and a professional website. So it’s a ready-made business.

Q You also have a Crypto payment gateway, how can you guarantee security with your technology?

Let’s start with basics like full KYC on our clients. We work exclusively with registered companies, and we require a certificate of incorporation and a passport copy certified by a notary. There’s also embedded 2FA for withdrawals, plus we additionally confirm with our clients each withdrawal above a certain level. We also only allow our own wallets to ensure that no third-party system will interfere with our security systems. Of course, Brokers can manage wallets on their own or leave it to us - that’s their choice. Both cases guarantee maximum protection as access is granted to white-listed IPs only. And finally, we conduct due diligence on each exchanger we integrate with our system.

Q You recently won The Best Technology Provider at the B2B Global Forex awards. Why do you think so many people voted for you?

I can only tell what our clients told us after the verdict. They voted because they decided that we deserved to win. After all, they are satisfied with our services and the support we offer them. And this feedback means even more than the title itself.

Q What’s the best way to reach you for a demo?

I’m pretty easy to find. I think I use every messenger there is. You can find all of my contact details on match-trade.com, including the Limassol office address. Plus, you can meet me pretty much at every major forex expo we have ahead of us: iFX Expo in Limassol, FMLS in November and again in Limassol for the Forex Expo B2B.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BROKERAGE Looking for a business partner who can help you take your Forex Brokerage business to the next level? We offer tailor-made solutions based on in-house technology designed to reduce risks and thus help optimize costs. Check how we can change your business.

Svetlana Kulikova Head of Match-Trade Cyprus

Website: match-trade.com E-mail: skulikova@match-trade.com Whatsapp: +357 99131189 Telegram: @SvetlanaMTT P - 19

GC:OPINION Imposter Syndrome

Very Well Health: www.verywellhealth.com

Listening to a podcast about the life of the late great Anthony Bourdain, it was interesting to hear the discussion recount how he struggled to rationalise the transition to becoming successful in both print and TV. Having come from running a kitchen, his daily life consisted of managing a group of line chefs, along with working the long hours and stressful environment that come with running a kitchen. With his initial success of the publication of his first book called Kitchen Confidential, and soon after his first major TV hit No Reservations, he felt it hard to rationalise the success he found in his new life.

His biographer Laurie Woolever discussed he had problems separating the old Anthony Bourdain who would probably not like the new version who had found fame. He would feel he had become a parody of the celebrity chef which they all often laughed at in the heat of the kitchen.

She went further, in saying that during a sell out book tour he always felt that the rug would be pulled from under his feet. and this would be his fifteen minutes of fame would soon end leading to the inevitable return to his life as a line cook.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

It took him a long time to get used to the idea of celebrity and all the wealth and trappings that came with this, including the more challenging aspects of intrusion into your private life which you can only imagine to be incredibly hard to adjust to after many decades of anonymity, After listening to the interview, it led me to think more about the phenomena known as impostor syndrome and how it gets into our head when we initially achieve some modicum of success in our lives. Moreover, if there is a reason for this, assess how to rationalise and manage it.

Imposter syndrome can be loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud in the fortuitous situation that you have found yourself in. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments for one reason or another, with many questioning whether they’re deserving of accolades.

Imposter syndrome, which is also known as perceived fraudulence involves feelings of self doubt and personal incompetence that can afflict you despite your education experience, and professional accomplishments.

If you have ever felt this phenomenon, then don’t worry you are not alone. In a 2019 review of 62 studies, it found that upto 82% of people report having thoughts along these lines at some point. A result of this going untreated it can lead to people working harder and holding themselves to ever higher standards,which inevitably leads to increasing pressure on your mental health and long term performance.

If this is statistically correct with so many of us experiencing this, what are the sensations and thought processes like?

Familiar patterns of behavior could be if your peers are praising your well deserved efforts which you then write off as good timing or luck, feeling that they have not been earned based on your own merit, rather it is outside factors which played a large part in your success.

One of the dire consequences of this process is that you can find yourself working harder which in theory keeps others from recognizing your professional shortcomings or perceived failures. You look to become worthy of the roles you have gained, which you believe aren’t deserved, or make up for what you consider your lack of intelligence.

With the work cycle increasing, your further accomplishments fail to offer you the self assurance you need, and you consider them nothing more of a product of your efforts to maintain the self perceived illusion of your success.

The good news is that this can be addressed by carrying out several actions. You can start by acknowledging your feelings and bring them out into the light which will help a great deal. By discussing the matter with those close to you, this can help you when you are feeling overwhelmed.

Try to avoid the urge to take on all the roles and do everything yourself and learn to delegate roles and

Sam Roberts Rugby. samrobertsrugby.com

responsibilities. By sharing the responsibilities with your team or others in your locale, this can also help them also, as they perhaps may covertly be having to deal with the same condition.

Finally challenge your doubts when these feelings surface. Ask yourself if you have any actual facts to support these beliefs and are true. Look for real evidence to counter them and not focus on the small mistakes that we all make.Focus on the successes that got you to where you are at now.

Logically speaking, if you were incredibly bad in your role, or in your relationship then the other parties involved would soon call you out on this. If you are consistently receiving encouragement and recognition that’s a good sign that you are doing something right and take it for what it is.

In short, give yourself a break. Even if it is only fifteen minutes of fame or 50 years of continued success, just enjoy the ride. You have got to where you are on your own ability so cut yourself some slack and dont be so hard on yourself...you deserve the success.

You can read the books about Anthony Bourdain by Laurie Wollever and Anthony Bourdain with their titles World Travel: An irreverent Guide and Bourdain: The definitive oral biography. Alternatively you can watch his TV shows No Reservations, Parts Unknown, The Layover and A Cook’s Tour.

Hubspot. hubspot.com

FiveComply GABRIEL STYLLAS Founder & CEO of FiveComply

How to Register with CySEC as a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (“CySEC”) on September 13th, 2021, issued a Policy Statement on the Registration and Operations of Crypto Asset Services Providers (“CASP”), where it outlines the registration requirements and provides additional information about how to register as a CASP. Q When was the concept of Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) initially introduced in Cyprus?

The concept of Crypto Asset Services Providers was initially introduced in Cyprus with the transposition of the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive into national legislation. The amended AML legislation was introduced on 25 June 2021 and regulates the digital registry of CASP. CySEC that is the financial regulator in Cyprus, will be regulating the operation and supervision of the crypto-registry.

Q Do crypto assets qualify as financial instruments?

Depending on their structure, crypto-assets may, inter alia: i. Qualify as financial instruments under the Investment Services and Activities and Regulated Markets Law, transposing MiFID II (the “Investment Services Law); ii. Qualify as Electronic Money under the Electronic Money Law, transposing EMD2 (the “E-Money Law”); iii. Be a digital representation of value that is neither issued nor guaranteed by a central bank or a public authority. It is not necessarily attached to a legally established currency and does not possess a legal status of currency or money, but is accepted by natural or legal persons as a means of exchange and which can be transferred, stored, and traded electronically, and it does not qualify neither as fiat currency, nor as any of the instruments referred to in points (i) and (ii) above.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

Q What should be the next steps of the crypto-asset providers?

CASPs that shall provide services in or from Cyprus must submit a duly completed application form, along with relevant questionnaires and any additional information and/or required evidence, in accordance with CySEC’s Announcements on the submission of applications and relevant correspondence, as amended from time to time and also pay the corresponding fee. In addition to the above, an electronic version of the application form (i.e. Form 188-01) should be also submitted at caspregistrations@cysec.gov.cy.

CASPs established in the EEA that are registered with one or more EEA National Competent Authorities for AML/CFT purposes in relation to all services or activities undertaken or intended to be undertaken in Cyprus, must submit a notification form at eeacasp@cysec.gov.cy.

Q When shall they register?

New businesses must register with CySEC before commencing their operations in or from Cyprus.

Existing businesses that demonstrate a material existing crypto-asset activity will need to submit an application before the end of October 2021 and be fully compliant with the AML/CFT Law and the Directives issued pursuant to the AML/CFT Law. Q What are the applicable CySEC fees?

CySEC registration charges are, as follows: •

•

€10.000 for the examination of an application.

Successful applicants will not be required to pay an additional fee for the first year of their registration. €5.000 for the purposes of renewal of registration per year.

Q What are the requirements to apply for a crypto-asset licence?

Initially, to apply for the crypto-licence you need to have an entity incorporated in Cyprus and at least one fit and proper shareholder, as per the requirements of CySEC. In addition, four directors will be required; two of them acting as executive and two as non-executive directors. At least three of them must be Cyprus residents. CySEC will perform an assessment of their knowledge and experience in order to evaluate whether they satisfy the ‘fit and proper’ test.

It is further required for the crypto-provider to have a fully operational office located in Cyprus where local resident staff members need to be hired on a full-time basis to fulfil the key functions of the company. There is a minimum number of personnel that needs to be hired, based on the type of licence selected.

The application to become a crypto-asset service provider is expected to take approximately 6 months and there are currently three types of licences based on different capital requirements; the €50.000, the €125,000 licence and the €150,000 licence.

Based on the €50.000 licence, the crypto provider can provide investment advice services.

With the €125,000 licence, the crypto provider will be able to provide (a) Reception & Transmission of client orders; (b) Execution of orders on behalf of clients; (c) Exchange between crypto-assets and fiat currency; (d) Investment advice; (e) Exchange between cryptoassets; (g) Participation and/or provision of financial services related to the distribution, offering and/or sale of crypto-assets, including the initial offering; (h) Placement of crypto-assets without firm commitment; (i) portfolio management.

With the €150,000 licence, the crypto provider will be able to offer all the above along with (i) administration, transfer of ownership, transfer of site, holding, and/or safekeeping, including custody, of crypto-assets or cryptographic keys or means enabling control over crypto-assets; (j) underwriting and/or placement of crypto-assets with firm commitment; (k) operation of a multilateral system, which brings together multiple third-party buying and selling interests in crypto-assets in a way that results in a transaction.

We can see that CySEC has provided different options in order for each crypto-provider to be able to choose, according to his business model.

Q How can FiveComply team help potential applicants to acquire a crypto-licence?

Given the new CySEC policy and regulatory requirements for the acquisition of a crypto-licence, our team’s expertise and knowledge in the field can play a vital role in maximising efficiency, minimising administrative time & costs and yielding positive results with your CySEC application.

Our team of experts, always works closely with FiveComply clients, in order to understand their business and develop a customised “application package”. We always aim to give priority to each client’s individuality and needs by providing tailored-made advice.

You can contact our team for a free consultation session on how to register with CySEC as a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP).

P - 23

Centroid Solutions CRISTIAN VLASCEANU CEO of Centroid Solutions

Q It’s been a long time since you were last in Game Changers, what’s new with Centroid Solutions?

and we encourage everyone to come see us at our booths and reach out to us to meet.

Thank you, Paul, for having me at Game Changers again. Yes, it’s been a while and we have been working very hard to achieve our goals and plans for the year, release features across both our products and keep up with all our customers’ requirements. We have seen great interest from customers regarding our solutions and in fact we have recently published our customer increase statistics for the first half of the year, which show that all our solutions are very well received.

Q I saw in the news that you signed a collaboration with IG Prime. Are you now making traction in the elusive prime market that all tech providers strive to get into?

Additionally, we have been extremely focused on our efforts to expand our multi-asset connectivity and functionality, with many integrations to exchanges and market data providers, giving our broker clients extra options to expand their liquidity and product offerings.

Last but not least, we have been fortunate to establish several partnerships over the last months, which allow us to better assist our clients and to further promote our brand.

Q You have always been known as someone who travels around the globe to see old and new clients alike. Are you back to travelling and going to events?

Yes, I consider face to face meetings very important, and I enjoy travelling to see our existing and new clients. I have been keen to be able to do so again, I am happy it is now possible and look forward to seeing everyone soon.

There are several upcoming industry events that the team and I will be attending and exhibiting at, starting with the Forex Expo in Dubai, which will be held by the time this interview is out (on 29th – 30th September) and in October, we shall be back in Europe, to exhibit at iFX International Expo in Cyprus (between 5th – 6th October). Toward the middle of November (16th – 17th November), we will hopefully be able to travel to the UK, to exhibit at the Finance Magnates London Summit.

At every event, we hope to meet new and old friends, clients, and partners from the industry, to share our knowledge and hopefully strike new partnerships as well. It is something I am really looking forward to,

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

Yes, certainly. The prime market has always been a focus for us, and we feel we are making good traction here. At the same time, as our systems evolve so do the requirements of our existing customers, which continue to grow and expand their business into different segments. We always aim to ensure that our technology enables business expansion and gives the ability for established and growing players to capture additional market share.

Q It must have felt like a huge validation for all your hard work, but also for your technology when you signed this collaboration. Do you feel like it has given your brand the respect it rightfully deserves?

Absolutely, we believe that every step taken over the last years has been in the right direction, building and following the path and vision we have set for the company, and we have worked very hard to create our brand and reputation, associated with a certain level of quality and standards. I believe our products have become quite well known within our target audience, and we have primarily our customers and partners to thank for that. Of course, such proven collaborations give us huge satisfactions and motivation to challenge ourselves and do even better in the future.

Q For the readers who are from a prime background, what sets your tech apart?

We have added to the systems the right blend of functionality, spanning from flexible liquidity and price composition, support and connectivity for multiple asset classes, flexible trading functionality and strategies, complex risk management capabilities, pre-trade margin engine, accounts back office and reporting, books and records, institutional web trading UI, stress testing and market impact engines, performance dashboards, and so on. Such a comprehensive set of functionalities, configurable and customizable, combined together within a single solution is what makes us stand out and gives us the ability to meet the requirements of customers in the prime space.

Q Is it more aimed at institutional, or can your tech also be used for a retail brokerage?

rather than having to deploy and manage multiple solutions in parallel.

Our technology is available to brokers of any size, whether you are a startup broker, a multi-asset broker, with one or multiple trading platforms, API trading offerings, etc. Our system can accommodate. For example, our Centroid Gateways aggregation engine is a flexible and scalable solution, including all the tools that can facilitate a startup broker to grow to become an institutional large size broker. Additionally, in the context of our industry’s ever changing trading landscape, all the features that we are constantly adding, based on our customers’ feedback and our own insight, are made available across our entire customer base.

Q You have been an industry leader in your field for a long time now, what tips would you give to aspiring CEOs reading this article?

Q Is it a challenge to have technology that is all things to all market segments, is it best to focus on one or the other?

It is definitely a challenge trying to cater to multiple market segments within the same product, as requirements can vary greatly. However, it really depends on the structure of the systems and how flexible they have been designed in order to be able to accommodate functionality that is necessary for each market segments. It would certainly be easier to just have products dedicated each for a specific market however the big upside of having everything within one unified solution is that it gives the ability for brokers to expand their business outside their initial market focus, from a centralized and uniform system,

I usually refrain from giving such advice as I believe I still have a lot to learn. What I know though is that in order to be able to build a scalable, successful and fast-growing operation, the foundation and structure are most important. Having the right structure, and the right team by your side are an absolute must and a lot of focus must be put on this at the very beginning.

With this solidly in place you can gain momentum and achieve more in a shorter period of time later. Putting emphasis and understanding each part and aspect of a business is also critical and this insight allows companies to adapt to changes quickly and stay relevant in a fast-changing market as we see today.

Q By the time this issue comes out we will have the iFX Expo about to take place. Will Centroid be attending?

Yes, we will be there, exhibiting at booth 26. Anyone who is interested in our solutions and want to discuss business opportunities and partnerships can meet us at our booth or contact us at sales@centroidsol.com, to schedule a dedicated meeting with us.

Thank you, Paul, for the interview. Look forward to seeing you and everyone at the IFX Cyprus Expo.

P - 25

Ask Iva! IVA BOGICEVIC Breinrock

Game Changers Magazine is incredibly pleased to speak with banking genius Iva Bogicevic from Breinrock, to pick her brain about how many of your brand’s problems can be solved. Iva has taken the time to answer your questions about how to solve the often complex relationship between a banking solution and your institution.

You can also meet up with Iva at the upcoming iFX Expo in Limassol, who will be at the Breinrock booth where you can find out more about their services. Alternatively you can contact both her and her colleagues via breinrock.com.

Iva Bogicevic Breinrock

Dear Iva, How can I solve my brand’s offshore banking headaches. Opening a corporate bank account with a reliable banking partner can be almost impossible. Also, how can I check that a banking partner is reliable?

Thanks.

Spiros. Limassol.

Dear Spiros, I feel your pain, this is a common story we hear for most of our new clients.

Over the past several years conducting any offshore CFD business and facilitating solid banking relationships has been incredibly challenging. With what seems like almost daily new restrictions being placed on business activities, leading to those operating under an offshore umbrella finding themselves in a highly restricted banking environment.

The offshore CFD industry has been forced to look at what were several years previously considered to be unorthodox methods, using what some may consider to be unsafe transfer methods.

With the majority of offshore brokerages offering a solid trading solution to their clients, they have been tarred with the rush of those who may chose a different path, By moving offshore, this has been perhaps because of the lack of flexibility of the regulator in reducing such things as leverage to name but a few of their criteria.

One challenge we have found when discussing with new clients is that previously they had logistical challenges in finding their account to their liquidity provider, who could accept transparent payments from an offshore brand.. This may have resulted in them having to use third parties or in some incredibly extreme cases having to credit from a personal account, this is not a viable solution to a long term business for obvious reasons.

Since our inception, Breinrock have been incredibly proud of how fast LP’s and brokerages alike have become clients of ours. Our liquidity access network allows those who have an offshore brokerage open an account with Breinrock, and we can send transactions to your LP in seconds.

Moreover, if they are already a client of ours this will dramatically reduce the transaction charges for those involved by using the Breinrock banking ecosystem. Furthermore, if your LP does not currently have an account with Breinrock currently, we can onboard them in a short space of time.

For your peace of mind, prior to opening an account with Breinrock, we can have an informal discussion regarding how we can help you streamline many aspects of your offshore business banking needs. This will help you not only with your FX liquidity needs, but also other business related transactions that will need to be conducted using our industry leading network of AAA rated banks.

In case you are not aware, Breinrock is an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) regulated in Canada, with offices in Toronto, London and Limassol. As an industry, EMI;s are being used and seen by many as replacing many of the functions of traditional banking.

Although there have been many EMI’s that have been developed over the past several years, one challenge that they have found is that if they are regulated in some regions they can only

accept 5% of their clients being high risk.

This can lead to many headaches for the client as they can never really have a truly secure relationship with their EMI, for fear of being asked to maintain a large amount of transactions to stay in that 5%. At Breinrock, we solve this issue with our multiple relationships with AAA rated banks that put us above our peers.

Moreover, based upon our research, aome EMI’s usually have one or two banking relationships which in all probability will lead them to having problems facilitating transfers for high risk business. This has led to a number of providers offering solutions that may appear to be stable, however the challenge of using them could be high as they cannot mitigate the risk when it comes to the banks and your funds.

Having recently won the award for best EMI at the B2B Forex Awards, we saw this as a tremendous validation for all our work we have carried out with our partners since we started Breinrock.

Although some may consider us to be a relatively new brand, our management team has a huge amount of experience working in the banking sector, where our speciality is within B2B banking, Family Offices and UHNW clients. More recently we have looked to expand our coverage into brands that trade CFDs to offer them a solution that can take advantage of our AAA rated banking relationships.

As a business we pride ourselves on discretion, transparency on letting you know if it is possible, along with speed in completing the account opening. Our staff understand that once the relationship begins, we are looking to offer you ideas on how to streamline your banking to something that is more advantageous to your business., Small set up fees on accounts and low transaction.

If you are an LP or offshore brokerage looking to facilitate clean and transparent payments, join the ever increasing client base who are now choosing Breinrock to maximise their business. Moreover, you can meet us at the upcoming iFX Expo in Limassol, or visit our Limassol office for an informal consultation on how to optimise your banking.

Kind regards, Iva Bogicevic

PSP Angels NOOR FARID

Choosing the Right PSP: What to Consider?

Arranging the payments for your business is not an easy thing and it certainly shouldn’t be left to the last minute. Although the thrill of building your business sounds more exciting, setting up your payment plan is vital – it is how you collect money, after all!

Finding the right Payment Service Provider (PSP) is one aspect of building your payment setup, and here is the part where it gets tricky. You can find hundreds of PSPs, but only a few can be ‘the perfect match’, because you need to be sure that the solution which the PSP offers is in line with your business needs, as well as making sure that you fit in their profile so that they can accept you.

Where should I begin?

In an ideal scenario, the right PSP is licensed, experienced and reliable. They also provide good technology and fees for you to process your payments. This is a no brainer. However, your needs might be different than your competition’s. So what perhaps is vital for you might not be important for others.

In order to decide who is a “good PSP” is not always that common.

The checklist needs to fit your specific wants and unique needs.

These are some points you should check:

1. Determine what payment services your business needs exactly.

To do this, consider your business model. For example, if it is a subscription-based model, then the PSP should be able to support recurring payments.

2. List your target markets to see what the most popular Alternative Payment Methods are. Not all countries go by the traditional VISA/Mastercard payments, so if you are targeting, say Kenya, you will need the local payment method which is MPesa. If the PSP does not have the solution which you are looking for, then they might not the right one for you.

obvious risks which we cannot ignore. As a rule of thumb, the higher risk you are, the higher risk your funds are at when you enroll with a new payment partner.

Over the years, we have seen several solutions which became clogged, flagged and frozen ultimately leading to their demise. Even though it’s hard to see the future, there are several red flags you can pinpoint to reduce the risk you take and ensure that you are making the best PSP choices.

Firstly, see how quickly the new provider offers you the solution.

Usually “safer” solutions tend to do more due diligence on you which might take some time. If the provider is cautious with you, they will be cautious with others too, which ensures that the payment pool is safer, longer lasting and more secure for you.

Check their fees and payment terms offered. As usual, the higher the fees the higher the risk that the provider is not here for the long term and wants to make a quick buck. If you get offered ridiculously high fees this is a warning sign that the provider is actually selling the solution on these fees, and this solution is used by merchants who have no other choice but to pay.

Do your own due diligence. It’s a 2 way partnership so you shall evaluate the provider in the same way (if not more) as they evaluate you. Screen their websites, social media platforms, and online reviews that are available on them.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, such as where your funds are kept, what happens if the settlement is late, and whom to call if there is an issue. If there are cloudy replies or vague details at the agreement, this is a massive red flag that you might not work with the provider for long.

3. Your company structure should be clear to your target markets. If you are a company incorporated outside of the European Union (EU) but your target is mainly the EU, you will not be able to get a PSP based in the EU, as you do not have a European presence.

4. Prove that you are a trustworthy client. There is a lot of work that goes into onboarding a client such as compliance’s due diligence procedure and technical integration. The PSPs need to know that you are worth their time to do business with you and it will be financially beneficial for them to accept you.

Therefore, create a solid business plan, have clear and realistic financial projections, and show that you know exactly what you are doing.

A solid PSP should have an established reputation in the industry so try and your peers to outline what are the usual fees and terms offered in your vertical. This will not only enable you to choose between the best PSPs but also to benchmark their fees (which, we know, is all very subjective in the high-risk industry).

Once you select a PSP to proceed with, pay attention to the way they handle your application. A PSP should be able to understand what you need and help you accordingly. If a representative ignores your needs and only wants to hard sell, this should raise further questions whether their solution is suitable for you. To tackle this, clearly state to them what you need and ensure you get a clear response.

Getting on the Road

Who is there to Assist You?

Many times your accounting department cannot help with this, so when you get a lot of rejections, this shows it’s time to call a payment expert. But once your setup is good, the website is set, you have cleared out all payment points and have a clear vision, you can start the search.

The payments industry has a lot to offer but is very dynamic – things constantly change and keeping your finger on the changes might not be the easiest, especially when your aim is solely to get the best available payment solution for your business by spending little to no time. Consulting with a payment expert who is constantly involved in the industry can help you cut down a lot of time and cost. Feel free to reach out to us at info@pspangels.com for a free consultation.

Trusting another company to take care of your hard earned earnings is not an easy thing to do. Although there are some

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

TIO Markets

There are lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on corporate culture, and Cyprus is no exception.

With both private and governmental entities announcing formalised working-from-home policies as well as hybrid office-home solutions, those who are privileged enough to be able to complete their workload outside of their offices are finally getting the chance to do so. Meanwhile, other management teams are entirely evaluating staff efficiency and motivation levels both inside and outside the office.

TIOmarkets, for instance, has made an industry-first announcement that it will offer the 4-day working week to all of its full-time employees.

What’s the catch?

No catch. Our employees will start to benefit from a four-day working week from September 2021 onwards, with no reduction in wage, annual leave or pension funds. By giving so many days back to our team, we believe that we can be a positive case study for greater productivity, increased performance, as well as improved professional care that is given to the company’s clientele. At the time of writing this article, we know of no other company in Cyprus who have trialled the shorter working week.

Why not choose another way to motivate staff?

There is no shortage of successful case studies in Northern Europe and elsewhere of companies who have trialled the shorter working week. A motivated staff-base is what enables our company to grow. And whilst it may seem counter-intuitive, actually by motivating our team and by helping to encourage a healthy work-life balance, we believe that the benefits will ultimately feed into our overall company performance and trajectory.

How will you manage the business when the industry will be open for an extra day?

In the short term, Our Senior management have been hiring additional resources and adopting the technology needed over the past 2 months without letting the cat out of the bag before the big announcement. To ensure that there is no slow-down in productivity or deliverables at company level our management are

more than happy to invest in additional resources and to increase payroll to make this work. We already operate a 24/5 customer support service from 3 different time-zones which will not be impacted and which are more than adequately staffed, on rotation.

Many big tech companies and even countries are considering implementing a 4-day work week, but hardly any brokerage companies have come out with such plans. Why? And do you think TIOmarkets is kick-starting a trend?

It’s a little difficult to say whether we are setting a trend. The industry in Cyprus is very competitive in attracting experienced employees especially as the demand is so great however we aren’t looking to compete with the current trends or create new ones. We just wish to create our own identity and give back to our own employees for their sacrifices. People only see the tip of the iceberg and not the 6 & 7 day weeks many of our loyal employees gave to get us where we are now.

Great companies are made of great people We feel that this is absolutely the best way to say thank you to our skilled long standing team, many of whom have been with us since inception and who all made their own personal sacrifices as well as put their faith in the company, its leadership and its direction. We want our employees to enjoy their lives outside the company just as much as their time working in the company and we believe the most efficient and effective employees are those who love where they work rather than work for the highest bidder.

GC:INVESTIGATES GC:Investigates examines the dark underbelly of social

media and makes up completely untrue stories

ANONYMOUS TRAGEDY STRIKES AT LOCAL HOSPITAL. A tense armed police standoff occurred earlier on today at the brain surgery wing of Frimpton General Hospital, as a local man was found to have zero experience whilst attempting to carry out complex brain surgery on the patients.

Customer support worker Colin Thrupp from MEGA FX has been arrested for attempted murder after a dealdy mix of cheap coffee and potentially psychotic inducing exposure to Linkedin memes..

Thrupp’s lawyers have commented that he been working his standard 14 hour night shift at MEGA FX, to cover the all important Pacific Islands market. His exposure came after what Thrupp argues was a cruel 6 week shift rotation where he began to even question the very foundations of his life, existence and the very foundations of the universe itself.

‘I needed a pick me up after one particularly taxing question regarding increasing the clients leverage, but they are based in the EU. Should I tell them there are offshore options?

To lift my spirits I saw the long time drain on the UK tax purse Richard Branson who seemed to be giving me personal advice in the way that the wide mouthed business boffin can.’

Beard enthusiast Branson is quoted as saying ‘If someone offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes - then learn how to do it later!’ said Thrupp 32 to the onlooking media when being carried out in shackles from Frimpton General Hospital After mentally inhaling the positive message, Thrupp believed that if he repeated this mind mantra enough, coupled with his above average knowledge of MT4 and payment service providers, it would give him a solid grounding in pursuing brain surgery in what Thrupp had decided had become his true calling after 5 nights of minimal sleep.

This incident follows hot on the heels of Margaret Teatowel, who after reading a Morgan Freeman motivational meme decided to follow his musing of ‘Challenge yourself. It’s the only path that leads to growth’.

Margret stated that rather than sitting in my usual bath of baked beans for 2 hours to raise money for the local orphanage,she really inspired me to push myself that extra mile.

‘I decided to set a new record in my local Weatherspoons of 14 double brandies, 4 Pernod and blacks, 2 pint of Guinness and 3 English breakfasts over a 16 hour period. No doubt it was hard, but Morgan’s wise words pushed me on as I had severe indigestion of a nasty incident with a hash brown’. Happily the now boss of booze quipped.’ without his spiritual push I don’t think I could have raised an impressive £42 for them smashing kids.’

Frimptons local MP Sir Humphrey Gallon-Jug said that we really should regulate these meme’s as this is the thin end of the wedge. Whatever next’ frothed Sir Humphry ‘someone reads a deadly inspirational quote from Noel Edmonds (those outside the UK Google him) and ends up as Prime Minister We need some form of protective legislation now.’

MIDDLE EAST CRISIS SOLVED WITH REPEATED POSTS ON LINKEDIN. A new era of peace broke out in the Middle East after nearly 2000 years of continual conflict in what is regarded as the most war torn region of the planet.

Amazingly Frimpton local Jeff Wheelbarrow was crowned as the architect of peace and possible messiah by playing a key role in bringing all sides of the conflict together to find a peaceful resolution.

Mr Wheelbarrow’s cunning tactic of making repeated posts on B2B networking tool Linkedin, about who is right and who is wrong in the ongoing conflict which appeared to draw the attention of all the warring parties involved. With a massive 573 followers on his network, Wheelbarrow spelt out the facts of the conflict, where many international commentators see him as the go-to man when it comes to international relations and crisis negotiation.

Mr Wheelbarrow spoke to an excitable world’s media where he commented ‘I never knew it was this easy to do. I think the corner was turned in global public opinion after my 100th post that day.’ He went further stating ‘by using the various stock images and comic sans font actually brought the heads of state of all the major countries involved back around the table to a power pow wow.’

Within the hour of Mr Wheelbarrow posts, peace had been declared with heads of state from all the different nations releasing a joint statement. ‘We wish to thank Mr Wheelbarrow for his herculean efforts in using caps lock to highlight his position on an argument. It was like the metaphorical scales from

our eyes dropping. The clarity of his positions make us all see that we are at fault. Without these nuanced caps lock based statements, I don’t think we could have got around the table and saw that we have more in common than we had as differences.’

In his professional life Wheelbarrow runs what he describes as a ‘tight ship’ in his role as head of internal technical support for MEGA FX. This has given him the ability to use his spare time online sourcing knowledge from places where only the ‘big boys’ get their information.

His professional profile on his Linkedin states that he is an all round tech guru and ‘absolute f*cking legend’ along with being the self proclaimed motormouth of MEGA FX, who in his own words ‘tells it how I see it’.

Kind hearted Jeff can often be seen bringing a smile to his female colleagues faces by giving them the free daily therapy session by advising them to ‘cheer up, it might never happen’.

Jeff brings balance to the workplace by sharing his knowledge with his male counterparts, by giving them his wisdom on both world politics and current affairs whilst scuffling around under a desk trying to plug something into a desktop. ‘Nothing gives me greater pleasure than letting everyone know my views on immigration and the EU whilst I am formatting their hard drive.’

When asked by an expectant world media what world problem he was looking to solve next. Wheelbarrow stated that he is going to solve the impending fiat currency disaster, with a twin pronged social media strategy of repeatedly reposting clips from the 2008 YouTube phenomenon Zeitgeist, making people aware that all money is worthless, backed up with posts about why Bitcoin is the future and the banks are run by a small cabal who use us as just mere puppets in their dark game.

A world awaits.

Game Changers Magazine

Lifestyle

GC:EAT MILK BAR. LIMASSOL. Tel.25 354100

On a blazing hot lunch time, we took a trip to the Milk Bar for lunch in central Limassol. We were keen to try this, as we have had a number of readers ask GC to review somewhere to go for lunch that is not a kebab, or does not really need you to drive across town. So after some lunch time analysis of the local eateries we decided to give the Milk Bar a try.

At first glance it does appear to be a little breakfast heavy, but in these increasingly hot days sometimes you need the lighter food so you can function when you get back to work. If you are looking at knocking back a pork chop at lunch time and attempting to be a profitable unit of your organisation in the afternoon, I wish you good luck!

If you are not aware where it is, you can find it on Makarios Avenue about 200 meters up from St Nicholas roundabout, with parking by Marks and Spencer. Usually sitting outside in the middle of summer can be an incredibly uncomfortable experience, however eating at Milk Bar is kept relatively cool with an abundance of aircons and fans in the outside area.

We asked why it is more inclined to go for these types of dishes, and we found out that it could be best described as a boulangerie that specializes in breakfast, lunch and light meals which is fair enough when you see the reason for the patrons visiting and the heat etc.

When you walk in it has nice a bright feeling to it, with a clean and elegant design where you know that the menu will also follow this. What I liked about the menu is that you are not overloaded with many choices, which quite often just seem to appear on the menu to fill up space.

On this occasion I had the chicken wraps, which just about beat the smoked salmon bagel which, based upon someone at the other table eating it looked to be bursting with flavour. When the wraps arrived on a wooden platter accompanied with french fries, visually it looked very good. What can be a dish that is easy to mess up, I received a decent sized platter of food that was happily matched by the food quality and taste.

You can also order from a huge selection of drinks, from the now fashionable matcha to their famous Martin & Louis milkshake along with a huge selection of tea’s, smoothies and turmeric based latte’s.

It is well worth a visit with colleagues or if you are looking to have an informal meeting as you can easily hear yourself speak. The service is very prompt, so if you are time restricted this is not an issue of you having to wait and then get indigestion by shovelling the food into your face. Moreover, the happy smiling faces of the waiting staff who are incredibly knowledgeable of their menu were great, and could cater for your every need.

GC: FEMME

With the end of summer and GC’s favorite season on the rock, we can still dress incredibly lightly for the glut of weddings that we will no doubt have to attend. In this edition we take our inspiration world leading brand Dolce & Gabbana.. enjoy!

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Floral print midi dress COST: € 2.450 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Sandals in stretch tulle and grosgrain COST: € 2.986 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Small velvet devotion bag.

COST: € 1.250 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Logo plaque sunglasses COST: € 240 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

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BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Floral-applique sleeveless dress COST: € 2.986 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Farfetch

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: DG cross sunglasses COST: € 200 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Camellia print silk scarf COST: € 395 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Quolted napa mordore devotion sandals COST: € 895 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Dolce box clutch with heat applied rhinestones COST: € 2.750 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

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BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Anna necklace in yellow 18ct gold with different multi coloured gemstones COST: € 27.500 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

AND: Dolce & Gabbana ME: Rainbow alphabet earrings in low gold with multicolour fine gems ST: € 3.450 ww.dolcegabana.com ture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Anna bracelet in yellow 18 ct gold with different colour gemstones COST: € 12.450 www.dolcegabana.com

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Jacquard shawl COST: € 395 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Gold watch with silk strap COST: € 5.950 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Watch with multi coloured gems COST: € 29.500 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana P - 45

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Hook fastening earrings with black golden sapphires.

COST: € 2.950 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

AND: Dolce & Gabbana ME: Floral bracelet ST: € 695 ww.dolcegabana.com ture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Spring yellow gold bracelet with butterfly-shaped settings COST: € 8.750 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

BRAND: Dolce & Gabbana NAME: Rose necklace in yellow 18 kt gold with black jade roses.

COST: € 4.450 www.dolcegabana.com Picture credit: Dolce & Gabbana

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GC:HOMME LOOK No 1

BRAND: Hugo Boss NAME: Slim fit virgin wool blend blazer COST: 430 GBP www.hugoboss.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

BRAND: Loro Piana NAME: Slim fit Baby cashmere sweater COST: 1.015 GBP www.loropiana.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Mulo NAME: Navy Leather trimmed slip on sneakers COST: 175 GBP www.muloshoes.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Dunhill NAME: White tapered cotton blend twill trousers COST: 250 GBP www.dunhill.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

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BRAND: Brioni NAME: Brown 3.5 cm belt COST: € 490 www.brioni.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Ulysse Nardin NAME: White marine automatic 42mm stainless steel watch COST: 7.050 GBP www.ulysse-nardin.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

LOOK No 2

BRAND: Umit Benan B+ NAME: Richard woven suit jacket COST: 2.125 GBP www.umitbenan.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

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BRAND: Loro Piana NAME: Slim fit cutaway collar cotton pique shirt COST: € 590 www.loropiana.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Umit Benan B+ NAME: Richard pleated woven trousers COST: 820 GBP www.umitbenan.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter BRAND: Vans NAME: Wacko Maria UA OG Classic :X printed canvas slip on sneakers COST: € 85 www.vans.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Vacheron Constantine NAME: Traditionalle complete calendar automatic 41mm 19kt pink gold and alligator COST: € 40.500 GAME CHANGERS Issue #36 www.vacheron-constantine.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

LOOK No 3

BRAND: Orlebar Brown NAME: Edgar slim fit stretch cotton searsucker blazer COST: € 475 www.orlebarbrown.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

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BRAND: Kiton NAME: Cotton and cashmere blend t shirt COST: € 570 www.kiton.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Orlebar Brown NAME: Giffon Slim fit stretch cotton searsucker trousers COST: € 295 www.orlebarbrown.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Cartier NAME: Ballon bleu du Cartier automatic 42mm steel and alligator watch COST: € 6.291 GAME CHANGERS Issue #36 www.cartier.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Converse NAME: Chuck 70 canvas sneakers.

COST: € 85 www.converse.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

LOOK No 4

BRAND: Paul Smith NAME: Slim fit unconstructed linen suit jacket COST: € 680 www.paulsmith.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

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BRAND: IWC Schaffhausen NAME: Pilot’s Mark XVIII Automatic 40mm Stainless Steel and Leather Watch COST: € 4.650 www.iwc.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Tom Ford NAME: White Slim fit bib front cotton shirt COST: € 585 www.tomford.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

BRAND: Manolo Blahnik NAME: Chocolate truro leather trimmed suede loafers COST: € 745 www.manoloblahnik.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

BRAND: James Perse NAME: Cotton poplin trousers COST: € 325 www.jamesperse.com PICTURE CREDIT: Mr Porter

GC: GOING OUT BARLEYS. LIMASSOL. Tel.25 212161

Well it looks like we are all back working in a somewhat normal office environment, so we took it on ourselves to get back to doing normal things. One of our favorite rituals of the week is the well earned Friday afternoon ice cold beer after a long week of dealing with other humans in the workspace.

For those who are not aware, the first iron law of sales which has been scribed in stone, is that sales people love alcohol and must consume alcohol on a friday afternoon. We will make up many stories of networking events or hot leads that will lead the brand to untold wealth and universal glory, but really and sorry to say this most of us are making our way to a bar where we can converse with each other about the week, before we return to our homes and speak to people who will never understand the mental challenges of the job.

With that being said. GC was only too happy to dedicate a Friday afternoon to the anthropological study of sales people under the mild influence of alcohol in the test environment of Barleys in the tourist area of Limassol.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

I am very particular about a Friday afternoon venue, which may appear to be very simplistic at first glance, but many establishments fail miserably. I need a very cold pint of beer (preferably the local variety which costs no more than four Euros) that comes served with salty bar snacks so I can kid myself I don’t need to eat for that first crucial hour or so as the dulling effects of a cold beer on a hot day slowly take effect.. Immediately Barleys ticks those two boxes with flying colours For the decor for a post work unit or three of alcohol I personally am not interested in a glitzy place, just somewhere where you can zone out the week with friends. Or alternatively an environment where I can stare aimlessly at Sky Sports News on a rotation, as they try and make a minor story into the biggest sports news ever...until the next breaking story twenty minutes later..

Today myself and my drinking compadre had a particularly long week which required a longer exposure than normal in my reviewing duties.

Being consummate professionals, we really dug

deep into our analysis of how many times we could see the bottom of the glass, all in aid to give an unbiased view for our wonderful GC readers..

Like two high society gentlemen we are, we chose to take on their spicy chicken wings which came with a warning of perhaps seeking urgent colonic medical attention afterwards. Sadly we did not require this. as they had a bit of a kick but nothing where your eyes are going to fall out. They are a nice accompaniment and stomach filler if you are not looking for anything too heavy, and just keep you ticking over for what may lay ahead.

It’s worth noting that it is not a critique of the chef, just in this part of the world they find mayonnaise spicy, so it was to kind of be expected to get it at this level. Unlike our far off cold island home where we see a masochistic amount of spice as some kind of ritual connected to getting drunk. it has never been a thing here so be warned if you are looking for the burn.

Service at Barleys is always great, and the food is first rate if you are looking for some authentic British food to watch football or be with friends. I can highly recommend the pie and chips, although don’t make too many plans to run a marathon afterwards.As a sit down venue, this is probably the best place I have had fish and chips if you are looking for that sort of thing. Moreover, it is a place where you can bring your family, as your fellow patrons I have often found to be real nice people.

If you have the sad affliction in life to be a supporter of Liverpool, then luckily for you this is the bar where you can watch the game with other like minded people who have cruelly been dealt a bad hand in life. I would suggest booking well ahead to get a table as it will get very busy even a couple of hours before a match.

After an in-depth scientific analysis of both the service and drinks, we can happily say that Barleys gets the GC Friday feeling award for services to sales people and is well worth a visit for your end of week decompression, regardless of your employment status or role in life...have fun!

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GC:FITNESS LUIS RIBEIRO Founder of Club Health www.clubhealth.uk

Pilates vs Yoga: It’s Time To Finally Tell The Difference Pilates and yoga are two different disciplines which for some reason, people use interchangeably.

That reason could very well be because they share similar traits: they both involve mats, stretching, poses and they come in the form of a class. You can obviously perform them alone at the comfort of your own house but the instructor-classroom format is the way they have become famous and apparently synonymous.

Today, we’ll finally give you everything you need to know about both workout regiments but most importantly, we’ll help you tell the difference between the two.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

Pilates Pilates was a product of World War I. The brainchild of Joseph Pilates, pilates was not associated or destined to wellbeing, sports or a healthy lifestyle. The discipline was originally used as rehabilitation for wounded soldiers.

When the war was finally over and Pilates came over to the United States, he spent considerable time working on his craft, evolving it into something everyday people could use to their benefit.

The commercialisation of pilates came in waves with hoards of people populating classes all over the world, swearing by its extremely beneficial results. Just to

give you an idea of the popularity of pilates, in 2018 alone, the number of participants in pilates training amounted to approximately 9.08 million.

Before we list those benefits, let’s clearly identify what pilates actually is.

It comes as no surprise that pilates is beneficial for those with the following conditions: • Arthritis • Urinary incontinence • Respiratory conditions

What Is Pilates? The Mat & The Reformer

Yoga

Pilates is a full-body exercise method that mainly engages the core. It comes in two versions: version number one includes a mat and version number two includes a reformer – a very specific contraption made of a sliding platform with stationary foot bar, springs, and handles that create resistance levels.

The origins of Yoga date back to almost 5,000 years ago. It is a discipline that finds its roots in Northern India and it was a ritual that aimed to create a connection between mind and body, achieve self-awareness and discipline.

Whether you’re using a mat or a reformer, pilates puts your body through a series of small movements that deploy your stabilizing back muscles and your core.

Pilates exercise doesn’t involve high intensity, a furious pace or reps.

The principle behind the practice is one of patience, steady movement and ensuring that the right muscles are engaged with each exercise.

Now that we have an idea of what pilates really is, let’s look at some of its key benefits: • • • •

Improves muscle strength and endurance Enhances flexibility and refines posture Decreases joint pain Boosts core strength and develops stability

Today, yoga is one of the most, if not the most, popular fitness class in the world. In the U.S alone, it’s predicted there will be 55 million yoga participants. The reason behind the popularity of yoga rests on the multitude of benefits provided by the discipline.

Once again, before we identify the positive outcomes associated to yoga, let’s dive into the specifics of what yoga really is.

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is a progression through a series of movements and poses that leverage a person’s body-weight and the ground to give a person a full workout. By holding certain positions, yoga employs breathing, core muscles strength and flexibility to achieve its end-result.

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Yoga is considered an amalgamation of movement, breathing and meditation that relaxes the mind, strengthens the body and bolsters the spirit. Yoga practitioners use a mat and incorporate long pauses in-between and throughout poses to regulate and work on their breathing.

Now that we know what yoga is and how it’s performed, let’s look at some of its most prominent benefits: • • • • • • •

Improves flexibility, muscle strength and tone Elevates energy and vitality Helps the creation of a balanced metabolism Assists weight reduction Promotes cardiovascular health Boosts athletic performance Prevents and protects the body against injury

Pilates vs Yoga: How Are They Different?

Now that we have gathered all the necessary information for pilates and yoga, let’s finally answer the question: how are they different?

While they both help with alignment, balance, and strength, pilates is generally more fast-paced than yoga, with a focus on body control and core engagement.

Yoga on the other hand, has strong elements of mindfulness, long pauses and meditation that’s why it is most of the time accompanied by slow, meditative and relaxing music. Yoga is a workout and a spiritual endeavour, helping people distress and recenter themselves.

Club Health might be renowned for its physiotherapy tips and services but make no mistake about it, yoga is available.

Which Workout Is Better For Me?

At Club Health, we offer one-on-one yoga sessions that ensure you get the most out of your workout.

Our qualified instructors will give you tips, advice and guidance on how to build your core, mobilize your joint and get full range of motion in your limbs.

Pilates is great for people looking for a low-impact, structured workout that will improve, posture, core strength, help with injury prevention and reduce lower back pain.

It all comes down to what you’re looking for.

Yoga is ideal for people that seek relaxation, meditation, and an improved mind-to-body connection.

GAME CHANGERS Issue #36

ISSUE #36

THE JOURNAL FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS

www.gchangersmag.com info@gchangersmag.com