LARISA B. MILLER

POWERHOUSE GLOBAL MAGAZINE (PGMAG) INTERVIEW WITH:

LARISA B. MILLER (LM)

PGMAG: Larisa, so good to have you on today’s interview with Lady Anita.

LM: It’s a pleasure to be recognized by Powerhouse Global Magazine as a leader amongst women by a woman, Lady Anita, who is a true vanguard of women’s empowerment, leading and mentoring women around the world by example.

PGMAG: Please briefly introduce yourself.

LM: Where to begin. I’ve had a very unconventional life and career, exposed to many industries and sectors – many innovations and operational frameworks from around the world throughout my career. Having done business in the Middle East for many years, I was fortunate to build my knowledge-base and a phenomenal network around across 6 continents. Drawing from the most innovative strategies and concepts shaping the way forward for business, as CEO of Phoenix Global, a consulting and investment firm working with companies and governments, we pride ourselves on our ability to help our clients transform their business models, connecting new and unexpected dots and filling fractures before they even appear in the operational structure, supply chain, target markets, all of which allows them to architect a stronger, more sustainable model for growth and profitability.

Companies who are brave enough to discard their legacy business models, scripting a new way-forward, are the ones who will emerge as the architects of the transformational future of business. Integrating ESG strategies, technology and the most innovative and disruptive concepts for business and governance emerging across the globe, I’ve built Phoenix Global on a platform of sustainable disruption, recognizing that our global business environment is accelerating and changing in ways and at a pace never seen before in history. We pride ourselves on our ability to help organizations challenge the way things used to be done, scripting a new sustainable model for business, based on the principles that we are never going back to normal because normal was our problem.

PGMAG: Looking at some of your work (past and present) and because you are a woman, how have you managed to achieve such global presence in the boardroom?

LM: Throughout my career, I’ve done business in a way nobody else does it, and subsequently, I’ve had opportunities no one else has. Yes, there are days when our gender disparity is apparent, making me wonder at times if we’ve gone to sleep in 2021 and woke up in 1950, but overall, businesses, governments and societies are recognizing the collective value of gender equality, and the diversity of perspective represented therein. If women have perspective, knowledge, experience and can demonstrate results, the value this adds to clients or to an executive board transcends gender.

As for a global presence, what COVID has shown us is that our business community is no longer within our community or regional, it’s global. Through the power of technology, we can have more control over our supply chains, expand our markets and form valuable global collaborations, and this helps all of us to build our global networks and presence. For me, it’s all about finding ways that I can add value to my network through access to opportunity, helping them make beneficial connections, or helping them solve a problem – many times before they even realized they had a problem. These fundamental principles which allowed me to not only build, but to maintain a global presence.

PGMAG: We know that ‘Agriculture’ is very close to your heart, and you have been actively involved in the development of sustainable future for famers in your area. Please share some light on this topic (Agri-Tech).

LM: There won’t be another investment in any industry or sector which will make sense if we can’t feed ourselves. As we are urban sprawling ourselves out of food security, we must find new models for production which will allow us to improve efficiency, quality, and yield, while producing more food on less land and with less physical manpower.

www.powerhouseglobalmag.com Integrating techniques for precision agriculture, technology (real-time machine learning, drones, microchips, etc.) and understanding how the way we farm can positively or negatively impact the environment are critical elements to a strong and robust agricultural future capable of feeding our burgeoning global population.

Having grown up on a farm in central Pennsylvania and starting my career with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, no matter where I live and work in the world, agriculture is one of my priorities of focus. Creating new models for production, increasing yield and nutritional value, and integrating technology to allow for enhanced quality, efficiency and profitability allows me to have a direct hand in an industry that is singularly responsible for our collective survival. It is said that the Stone Age didn’t end because we ran out of stones…it ended because of progress. This same comparison applies to agriculture. We can’t allow progress to circle around agriculture, we must ensure that progress accelerates agriculture, allowing our global population to have access to fresh, nutritious food, making the U.N. Sustainable Development Goal’s “Zero Hunger” goal a reality for everyone, from the most complex nations to the developing nations.

PGMAG: As a global leader, how has the pandemic affected the Agricultural industry, and are some of the steps needed to mitigate the damages caused by the global shift?

LM: COVID has shown us that we need to take a serious look at the agricultural industry and how we can expand efficiency and productivity, while mitigating our carbon footprint. Farmers, particularly in American, are often at the mercy of large processors/ packers and logistics providers to move product along the supply chain, from farm to supermarket shelf. With our critical labour shortage, a scarcity of truck drivers and essential logistical providers, and our growing dependence on major multinational processors and cooperatives, challenges precipitated by the COVID pandemic meant that, in many times and geographical locales, we no longer had the surety of supply.

To mitigate the risk associated with both the apparent and unexpected societal and environmental stressors on our agricultural industry, we must reimagine our legacy business models for production, creating models that give us greater control over the industry from farm to fork – conception to consumption, while refining our production methods to allowing us to produce more with less while minimizing – and in many cases, positively impacting our environmental footprint. Envisioning and introducing these new models for agricultural production is a personal priority of mine, and I am committed to doing this here in the United States and in the regions of the world which will serve as the bread baskets of the future, such as Africa. Recognizing our vulnerability to food insecurity, we have no choice but to do things differently, if we expect different results. Innovation rarely comes from inside an industry, so modernizing, accelerating, and incorporating the technology into agriculture will require innovative and out-of-the-box concepts, and that will require us across the agricultural supply chain to be collaborative, cooperative, and conscious.

PGMAG: What is your message for world leaders?

LM: You are leading people and economies at one of the most pivotal moments in history, when mankind stands on the precipice of global acceleration or systemic collapse, societally, environmentally, and economically. Decisions made today will not only affect nations and constituencies in the short-term but will determine our long-term health and prosperity. Lead with a mind toward sustainable development, as we have a responsibility to leave this planet better than we found it. Prioritize education, as access to education is not only a basic human right, but necessary for future generations to have the knowledge and resources to be able to guide us forward into a future revolution and progress. In the enduring words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, “we have done a horrible job of preparing the future for the youth, so we must prepare the youth for the future”.

PGMAG: Considering that the future rest on the shoulders of our youth. As a leader, what could be put in place to support the young people to become ‘positive players’ in the development of sustainable future for all?

LM: It is important that our youth recognize the challenges that we are facing on the planet, environmentally, socially and in business and industry, but it’s not simply enough to recognize these challenges, we must give them the resources, education, and the freedom to contribute to businesses with their forward-thinking perspectives, weaving these perspectives – ideas, processes, and innovations into our business models.

The United Nations has given us a gift in the form of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is a phenomenal framework for the future. As important as reading and the STEM courses are to our education, I believe that the SDGs should be a mandatory part of our academic curriculums, taught with increasing degrees of complexity as the students advance from primary to secondary levels of schooling. Our youth won’t fully understand their responsibility to be the changemakers of the future unless they are given the tools and thought-processes necessary for them to be the solution.

PGMAG: What were the top three books that changed your life?

LM: I am a huge reader, and there are so many books that I love and reread frequently, but three that come to mind – all of which have given me passages that I carry with me as motivators and reminders are: Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!, by Robert H. Schuller; The Traveler’s Gift, by Andy Andrews; and, Make Your Bed, by Admiral William H. McRaven

PGMAG: We are honoured to know that you will be speaking at the next Powerhouse Global Summit taking place in London next May. What should our delegates expect from your involvement?

LM: I am truly looking forward to joining this esteemed group of global business leaders, investors, philanthropists and thought leaders who will come together to explore strategies for transformation. I spend a great deal of time working with clients to help them take apart their existing business models, reassembling them in a way that will make them adaptable, sustainable, and profitable for the future. I look forward to sharing my thoughts, strategies, and concepts for business acceleration as we move forward in this transformational future.

PGMAG: What are some of the keys to building a sustainable business?

LM: Businesses which will be the vanguards of the future must make a commitment to prioritize more responsible operational performance, a commitment to the SDGs, have a full line-of-sight of their supply chains, and prioritize community outreach and a strong platform for corporate social responsibility (CSR). In our hyperconnected world, where people have the ability to compare businesses and their impact and institutional conscience, stakeholders, employees, and consumers are demanding that companies conduct business in a more responsible and impactful manner. As consumers are increasingly more aware of their environmental and social footprint, they seek brands and products that align with these values. Nearly 60% of consumers say they will adjust their brand loyalty according to a brand’s commitment and vision for sustainable impact. Businesses should prioritize impact to one or two of the SDGs, the ones where they can make the greatest impact and, thus, realize quantifiable results to both the planet and their profits.

PGMAG: What would you say to your younger self?

LM: Courage is the antivenom to regret. Live your life being brave enough to take risks and don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is one of the necessary steppingstones of life. Sometimes the end is bitter and sometimes it’s sweet, but each conclusion you reach will leave you stronger than you were at inception. If you make a mess of today, forgive yourself and start fresh with the sunrise. Never stop learning, as we are only afraid of what we don’t understand. Life never stops teaching so we should never stop learning.

Always look for ways to add value to others, for that is how you build a network of extraordinary individuals and enduring friendships. Not everyone will like you, and you can’t control anyone’s thoughts or actions except your own. You can be the most fragrant, beautiful rose and not everyone will like roses. Most importantly, never give up. Solutions to some of the most extraordinary problems appear when you least expect it, so play attention. Don’t waste time worrying about yesterday. There is a saying that there is a reason the windshield is bigger than the rear-view mirror…there’s only so much you can do with what’s behind you, but a whole world of opportunity lies in front of you.

PGMAG: Finally, how important is global collaboration in staying relevant in the marketplace?

LM: Collaboration is the key to the future. It can no longer be us against each other, it MUST be us together for a solution. It is only through collaboration and competitive collaboration that businesses, governments, and our society will achieve longevity, sustainability, and success.

PGMAG: Thank you for your time – much appreciated.

LM: It’s my pleasure! Looking forward to seeing you at the Powerhouse Global Summit next May in London!

PGMAG: Please share your links with us.

LM: www.phoenixglobal.us

@LarisaMiller @LarisaBMiller @Larisa_B_Miller