www.primeview.co | Feb 2022
10 The
MOST INFLUENTIAL
LEADERS
to Follow in 2022
JR Ridinger Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM Founder, Chairman & CEO
EDITORS NOTE For a Leader in business, leadership has more to do with getting the job done. So, it becomes crucial to take important decisions with a lot of patience and research. Managing the team and putting the best people at the best place brings the best out of the team. When innovation and technology are the buzz the business leader takes the courage to implement it in the organization. As it gives a competitive edge over all the competitors and the companies. As the quote from Spiderman goes, “With great power comes great responsibility”. The leader represents the people in the business that is a big responsibility. The motive is serving people for good and making a difference in their lives.
eadership in other words means Power. A leader has a great influence on the people he/she leads, and the actions taken by him directly impacts the life of the people. Before we begin the editorial on leadership, who exactly is considered a leader? Let’s try to be reasonable and make justice by answering the question through this editorial.
L
Anyone who keeps others first and leads should be considered a leader. The one who supports motivates and is always ready to help others is a good leader. A leader can be anyone, just like the healthcare workers working to save lives in the tough times of pandemic. They took the stand to save humanity, risking their lives and can be called a leader. Our parents who work day in day out for us, sacrificing their own dreams to fulfill ours are leaders. In the same way, there are leaders in society who are always there for people in times of need.
Leadership is a calling too. The very fact that you worry about being a good leader makes you already one. To the world, they may be a leader, but to us they are Hero. It is the act of a leader to awake creativity and knowledge in the business and society. The involvement with the team members in the company brings the best out of the employees. As Benjamin Franklin righty quotes “Tell me and I Forget, teach me and I Remember, involve me and I Learn”. Leaders can change the world, examples are Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk. They involve in the ever-learning process of innovation as there is always something to improve. The best part of being a leader is holding the power to mold the team and build a knowledge-based society. Although the position is challenging but success tastes sweeter when earned. And failure is a part of it. With such ability to bring the change in the business or society Insights Success features such business leaders in its upcoming edition - The 10 Most Influential Business Leaders To Follow In 2022. Featuring its Cover is JR Ridinger, Chairman and CEO at Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM. JR Ridinger is involved in the company since 1992.
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The 10 Most Influential Leaders to Follow in 2022 Managing Editor- SONAL K Editorial Staff - STEVE R. and DAVID S Visualiser- DNYANESH K , JOHNSON J. Sales & Marketing Manager- SAM K. Business Development Manager- RICHARD D. Business Development Executive- SAM D. , ALEN A. To Subscribe to Prime View Magazine
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Cover Story 08
RIDINGER Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM Founder, Chairman & CEO
JOSÉ R. SÁNCHEZ
Humboldt Park Health (HPH). - President and CEO
PROF. DR. MILAN KRAJNC - MIlan Krajnc
Rishika Lulla Singh Eros STX Global Corp - Co-President
FARRAH SMITH SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY - Director
EUGEN L. GROSS Aiconix GmbH - CEO & Founder
18 26 34 22 30
Written by- APURVA BOSALE
RIDINGER
Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM Founder, Chairman & CEO
A Successful Leader, An Ultra-Modern Entrepreneur and A Legend in the E-commerce Sector
Cover Story
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09
A
n innovator, a revolutionary
He realized consumers were getting manipulated by outdated
thinker and an excellent
marketing models and systems designed to benefit retailers
ideator, JR Ridinger and his
over consumers. He set out to create a business that empowered
wife, Loren Ridinger, both business
consumers while also providing people with a pathway to
icons with a visionary approach, have
entrepreneurial success - and the rest, as they say, is history.
built their company, Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM, with innova-
Building an Empire
tive products and a unique business
In 1992, JR Ridinger started Market America with his wife,
model that allows entrepreneurs the
Loren, the Co-Founder and Senior Executive Vice President of
means to earn a supplemental income.
Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM. She is also the
Inside the Curious and Genius Mind of JR Ridinger
Founder of the award-winning cosmetics line, Motives®. Since then, what started as a small home-based business flourished and evolved into a global powerhouse, with operations in the
In the early 1990s and before the person-
United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong
al computer revolution, JR Ridinger felt
Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
everything was operating on outdated notions. Like so many people of that era, he had grown disillusioned with different aspects of the business world, mass media and mass marketing. At the time, mass media branding and marketing initiatives would cost millions of dollars to execute, all while ignoring the emerging digital world. Too many business decision-makers failed to foresee the internet - but JR Ridinger saw its power. Back then, he was one of those people who came home every night to discuss the business world and how things were. He was unimpressed with the inadequacies of different business models, which led him to focus on developing new concepts to help people navigate the pitfalls they encountered.
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The SHOP.COM Difference SHOP.COM is an award-winning global e-commerce and digital marketing company that empowers entrepreneurs across the globe. These entrepreneurs, called UnFranchise® Owners, follow its proven system to develop a supplemental income based on retailing products and everyday consumer spending. SHOP.COM, the primary global shopping site powered by Market America Worldwide, boasts millions of savvy shoppers and has generated more than $50 million in Cashback for consumers. SHOP.COM provides access to millions of products, including Market America’s exclusive brands and thousands of
mass marketing and spent a great deal of time and effort analyzing and identifying problems and solutions, which ultimately led to the creation of Market America Worldwide and the UnFranchise Business.” SHOP.COM is a global e-commerce site designed to create a means for any individual to leverage their collective buying power and build a supplemental income through entrepreneurship. It has developed a revolutionary referral tracking system with capabilities that have evolved as the computing age progressed. It has been able to create a unique and accessible entrepreneurial opportunity.
top retail brands. The company’s product categories
“As we grew, we knew we needed a more prominent
include health and nutrition, weight management,
online presence - and with SHOP.COM, we became a
cosmetics, skincare, haircare, personal care, pet care,
leader in online shopping and an opportunity amplifi-
household cleaning products, jewelry, baby/children’s
er for entrepreneurs worldwide,”
products and many more.
said Ridinger.
Living the Dream
An Out-of-the-Box Service Offering
JR Ridinger is a man of his own choices and interests.
As a global e-commerce company, SHOP.COM has
From the start of his professional journey, he wanted
millions of diverse customers across the globe. So, its
something different out of life and was prepared to go
core customer is essentially the average online
out on a limb for it. He has always had the utmost
consumer. The strength of both Market America
appreciation for time and views it as the most precious
Worldwide and SHOP.COM combined lies in their
commodity we all have. He never wanted to waste
unique combination of people power, in-demand
time in a cubicle for 45 years at a 9-to-5 dead-end job.
products and pioneering technology. The company is high tech and high touch - meaning that every shopper
“I realized early on that the grind was really in place
has access to a personalized Shop Consultant who can
to enrich the company you worked for rather than
answer their questions and help connect them with the
yourself,” said Ridinger. “For most companies,
right products.
people are just numbers, mere data to be managed and manipulated. I wanted no part of that and sought
“In the modern age, the human element sometimes
to develop a business opportunity of my own that
gets lost in the mix, but we’ve never lost sight of the
turned the industry upside down. By the late ’80s/ear-
fact that behind every transaction, there are people
ly ’90s, I had grown disillusioned with the state of
and relationships,” said Ridinger. “For us, it’s all
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about building connections and bridging the gaps
to building a forward-thinking, adaptable business.
between technology, people, and products. In fact, one
Building a company requires a nuanced approach that
of our company mottos is “Built on Product. Powered
helps one find the right balance between streamlined
by People.”
efficiency and expansion in a way that doesn’t leave
The Perfect Amalgamation of Effort and Luck
one spread too thinly or overextended or exposed to shifting consumer demand. The rate of expansion must work cohesively with the support structure in
As JR Ridinger grew disillusioned with the modern
place - and any inefficiencies of this nature often lead
marketing paradigm and identified different areas for
to dissatisfied customers and overworked staff.”
revolutionary improvement, his business ideas turned into reality when he met his wife, Loren.
For the organization, it was a matter of building the team, then building its headquarters. JR Ridinger
After meeting her, everything just started to click. His
considers this approach not only beneficial but what
thoughts and ideas soon evolved into viable business
worked best for their company and helped them build
solutions.
their foundation for success, both physically and metaphorically.
“Meeting Loren was either synchronicity or divine providence. Not only is she an utterly brilliant and
“We built our company with the future in mind, and
extremely successful entrepreneur in her own right,
this approach has allowed us to grow exponentially,
but also she helped refine my ideas and focus my
which reinforces our stability and staying power as a
pursuits in a direction that yielded tremendous
company as well as our inherent appeal to entrepre-
returns,” said Ridinger. “Instead of just listening to
neurs,” said Ridinger.
me brainstorm how to improve on traditional business models, she spurred me to action and helped channel
JR Ridinger’s Advice to his Younger Self
my energy, which led us both to build our award-win-
“The first piece of advice that comes to mind is never
ning, global e-commerce and digital marketing com-
losing faith,” said Ridinger. “When first setting out to
pany to what it is today.”
create a business, many factors are still up in the air. It can be a hectic and chaotic experience as challeng-
Recalling the First Challenge JR Ridinger recalls his first challenge was finding the right corporate team who believed in Market America’s vision and plan.
es are a big part of the entrepreneurial journey. So, one should learn from the challenges and mistakes. This will help them become a capable entrepreneur who can make the right decisions to weather the storms that will surely come their way.”
“At the beginning of every journey, belief is the only product,” said Ridinger. “Finding the right people who see the potential of an idea or concept is the key
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JR Ridinger's second piece of advice for any budding
winding path is often mysterious and unknown to you
leader is never to forget where they have come from.
until it unfolds, but believe in yourself and your
“That’s an easy thing to do - especially after one has tasted success,” said Ridinger. “One should remain true to themself and the reasons
mission, and you’ll always find True North,” said Ridinger.
A Day in the Life of JR Ridinger
behind their entrepreneurial endeavors. Remember,
“As serial entrepreneurs, Loren and I operate a little
it’s all about authenticity, no matter who you are or
differently than your average 9-to-5 couple,” said
what business you are in.”
Ridinger. We stay up late because we have so many
His final piece of advice -“surround yourself with people who help push you to become better. If you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room,” said Ridinger. “This advice extends from the boardroom to personal life. Always seek to surround yourself with people who broaden your perspective while pushing you to become better. I was
ideas, hopes and dreams we want to accomplish, and we get up early to make them happen. After some early email checking, I always try to begin the day with yoga, which is as much for my mindset as it is for my physical well-being. After yoga, I spend much of my day meeting with our corporate team or responding to emails.
very blessed in this regard and attribute much of our
For the past two years, many of our meetings have
success to this simple piece of advice.”
turned into Zoom calls or Teams meetings - but even if
Inspiration for Entrepreneurs
we’re not physically together, I think our daily interactions are extremely important from a productivity
JR Ridinger advises entrepreneurs to believe in
standpoint and a team-building standpoint. I always
themselves and the power of entrepreneurship -
have a handful of projects I’m working on or presen-
because it’s the great societal equalizer.
tations and events to prepare for - so I’m typically
“It’s a realm of effort and insight and an arena of
busy with things of that nature.
accomplishment that helps unlock the greatness
I also try to read and learn as much as possible (often
within,” said Ridinger. “Use your naysayers as
through audiobooks and podcasts) because I under-
motivators and your setbacks as learning opportuni-
stand the importance of capitalizing on emerging
ties, and you’ll be well on your way to success.
trends or augmenting your approach to business to
Consider following Loren Ridinger on her social media channels or through her blog, Loren’s World, for valuable insight, inspiration and guidance from her three decades of experience. “Building a business is a personal journey whose
navigate the ever-changing challenges efficiently and effectively before you. Aside from that, any free time I have is spent with my family and our three amazing grandchildren, who have me wrapped around their fingers. As important as business is to me, nothing is more important than family.”
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JR Ridinger’s List of Influential Reads As the Founder, Chairman and CEO of a massive international company, JR Ridinger reads hundreds of reports and memos daily, plus around 300 emails. He prefers to listen to audiobooks to save time, but something about the written word still gives it perspective and context. He doesn’t read as many books now because life is in a digital world, and one can access information in many different ways. He has been a regular reader his whole life and has a
JR and Loren Ridinger on stage to provide final approvals for a 3-day global event.
few favorites he always goes back to, mainly because they played a critical role in his development and thinking process. “It’s difficult to narrow down a list of influential books for me,” said Ridinger. “No matter what I include, I know I’ll leave out an important and influential work - but regardless, I think the following list is a good starting point:”
The Strangest Secret, by Earl Nightingale
Success through Super Conscious Power, by Roy Eugene Davis
JR and Loren Ridinger walk the concourse at a recent event with thousands of UnFranchise Owners waiting to see the power couple in person.
The Science of Success, by Wallace D. Wattles
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Adding a Human Element: The Most Valuable Contribution
established with the Better Business Bureau.
Aside from the fact that SHOP.COM has always been
mirrors our approach to business,” said Ridinger.
a cutting-edge e-commerce site, JR Ridinger feels that
“We’ve recently become national partners with the
even with all the advanced technology it has devel-
BBB, which is without question one of the greatest
oped and implemented, the most important contribu-
honors in our company’s history. It’s our way of
tion to e-commerce has been its approach of connect-
demonstrating our continued commitment to an
ing today’s consumers with real people, who can help
accountable, transparent and fair online shopping
them discover the right products for them.
experience for both UnFranchise Owners and
This personal touch is truly rare in the digital age, but he thinks having Shop Consultants is one thing that sets SHOP.COM apart while helping it maintain the personal connections that have always been so important in business. It all boils down to personal interactions, and it has never forgotten that as a company. The company's motto says it best - “Built on Product. Powered by People.”
Winning Prestigious Awards Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM ranks 19th in Newsweek magazine's 2021 Best Online Shops, No. 52 in Digital Commerce 360s (formerly Internet Retailer) 2021 Top 1,000 Online Marketplaces, No. 79 in Digital Commerce 360s 2021 Top 500 & Top 1,000 Online Retailers and No. 11 in the 2021 Digital Commerce 360 Primary Merchandise Category Top 500. The company is also a two-time winner of the Better Business Bureau's Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics and was ranked No. 15 in The Business North Carolina Top 125 Private Companies for 2021. It has been blessed as a company to receive numerous awards and accolades from prestigious publications and groups around the globe. However, JR Ridinger is proudest of the relationship the organization has
“We’ve always believed in their mission because it
consumers. Market America Worldwide | SHOP.COM has been in business for three decades. During that time, the company has utilized its knowledge and experience to refine not only its products but also its approach to the way it does business. Times change and trends change - but the brand has always been committed to doing the right thing and putting people first, and as a result, it has been named one of the Top 50 Workplaces by The Silicon Review.
A Poem to Cherish Forever JR Ridinger’s favorite quote is a poem titled I Know Something Good About You. He loves it because it speaks about seeing the good in others. It was also his father’s favorite poem. Hence, it’s extremely sentimental for him. He knows it had a huge impact on his father and helped serve as his mantra when interacting with others. He tries to follow in his footsteps in this regard. In today’s world, where everything is so polarized, he thinks it’s important to try and see the best in people, and that’s his favorite aspect of this beautiful little poem by Louis C. Shimon.
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America Worldwide | SHOP.COM continues to grow into one of the most important entrepreneurial busi-
I Know Something Good About You Wouldn’t this old world be better If the folks we meet would say— “I know something good about you!” And treat us just that way?
ness models the world has ever known. He feels strongly about their business and its capacity to change the world. While that may seem like an astronomically lofty aspiration, he truly believes that one must set their goals insanely high, almost to the point of unattainability. “If it hits the mark, one will have the potential to change the world by positively impacting one person at a time,” said Ridinger.
Wouldn't it be fine and dandy If each handclasp, fond and true, Carried with it this assurance— “I know something good about you!”
Simply put, JR Ridinger and his company’s future successes are imminent, with the best for the company and its UnFranchise Owners yet to come.
Wouldn't life be lots more happy If the good that's in us all Were the only thing about us That folks bothered to recall? Wouldn't life be lots more happy If we praised the good we see? For there's such a lot of goodness In the worst of you and me! Wouldn't it be nice to practice That fine way of thinking, too? You know something good about me, I know something good about you?
JR Ridinger takes the stage at a recent World Conference in Miami, FL.
It’s Time to Experience Greatness JR Ridinger sees the continued cultivation of entrepreneurial opportunities on a global scale as Market
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José R. Sánchez
President and CEO
Humboldt Park Health (HPH).
José R. Sánchez is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Humboldt Park Health (HPH). A dedicated senior health care executive with more than four decades of experience in the operational, strategic, and fiscal management of multi-faceted health care systems. Under his leadership, HPH has maintained financial stability and growth throughout his tenure. Besides consistently exceeding benchmarks in quality, safety, and patient satisfaction, José successfully orchestrated the hospital’s accreditation survey six times, including its most recent survey by DNV•GL Healthcare in 2021.
About Humboldt Park Health Founded in 1894, Humboldt Park Health is a 200-bed acute care hospital in Chicago, Illinois. The hospital provides patient-centered healthcare focused on quality of care, ranging from wellness options to everyday care to treatment for each patient’s most critical needs. Humboldt Park Health achieved Primary Stroke Certification from the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) and is recognized as a Patient Centered Medical Home by the 18
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The hospital and its workforce pride themselves on providing excellent medical care for their patients, their families, and surrounding communities with thoughtfulness and respect.
Partnering with a Team of Excellent Physicians Humboldt Park Health has an extensive and talented medical staff, featuring specialists in family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, general surgery, neurology, behavioral health, emergency medicine, podiatry, gastroenterology, internal medicine, and ophthalmology. This team of experienced medical providers offers specialized services to its community, alleviating the challenges of traveling long distances to receive quality medical care.
A Reaffirmation of Its Commitment In January 2021, the hospital completed a major re-branding initiative, renaming the hospital, HUMBOLDT PARK HEALTH to reflect the diverse and inclusive community it serves along with the tagline, “Advancing Health Equity” to emphasize the hospital's renewed commitment to ensuring all members of the community have fair and just opportunities to be as healthy as possible, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or zip code. In June 2020, a $7M renovation of the hospital was completed, which offers patients, visitors, and employees a more vibrant and welcoming experience. In 2021, a multimillion-dollar new MRI Suite, and Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic was launched, offering patients an innovative and quality healthcare experience. A new multimillion-dollar Electronic Health Record system upgrade, Meditech Expanse, was also initiated and is scheduled to go live in December 2022.
A Representation of Strong Leadership José’s powerful leadership has ensured that the hospitals pandemic response remains strong to this day. it continues pushing forward with extreme vigilance in fighting COVID-19 and is proudly saving lives across the community. HPH continually strives to achieve healthy outcomes so that every human
being has an equal opportunity to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle.
Hospital Philosophy & Credo RESPECT – HPH, its leaders, employees, and medical staff demonstrates RESPECT by supporting all our members of our health care team, so they can focus on patients. EMPATHY – HPH, its leaders, employees, and medical staff show EMPATHY by acknowledging our patients, their families, and/or colleagues’ pain and what they have been through. EXCELLENCE – HPH, its leaders, employees, and medical staff believe that providing EXCELLENCE in Quality of Care necessitates that it is free from harm, minimizes redundancy and waste, allows for timely access to needed services, follows best practices, and incorporates our patients’ preferences and treatment priorities. INTEGRITY – HPH, its leaders, employees, and medical staff exemplify INTEGRITY by being honest – telling the truth, being open, and not taking advantage of others INCLUSIVITY – HPH, its leaders, employees, and medical staff embrace INCLUSIVITY – It is the behaviors that make people feel welcome. We motivate our entire workforce to achieve our goals EQUITY – HPH, its leaders, employees, and medical staff promote health EQUITY as a priority for all.
Personal Achievements and Milestones In 2002, José was conferred an Honorary Doctorate from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in recognition of his immeasurable accomplishments and steadfast commitment to improving the health care outcomes for some of the poorest and most disadvantaged populations in New York City. In 2019, was conferred his second Honorary Doctorate from St. George’s University School of Medicine for his contributions to medicine, education, and public health. He also proudly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the City College of New York and a Master of Social Work from Adelphi University. 19
Staying Rooted in the Community As a community-based hospital, Humboldt Park Health reinvests back into the community through programs to serve the poor and uninsured, manage chronic conditions like diabetes, health education, and promote initiatives, and outreach for the elderly. The hospital works hard every day to be a place of healing, caring, and connection for patients and families in the community called home
Mission and Vision Statement As a leader, José’s favorite quote is “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” - Steve Jobs
Words of Encouragement for Female Entrepreneurs As a source of inspiration for female entrepreneurs entering the business world, these words of wisdom will have a meaningful impact.
“
Anyone who claims to be a leader must speak like a leader. That means speaking with integrity and truth.
“
He is a Member of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board of Trustees and IHA Executive Committee; Co-chair of the IHA Committee on Health Disparities; Chair of the West Side Health Equity Collaborative; Member of the City Club of Chicago Board of Governors and Boricua College Board of Trustees.
- U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris
An Accomplished Future
In 2022, HPH secured over $20 million in public He believes in the power of innovation and utilizes it funding for the development of a new in building a significant and strong foundation. Here Wellness Center in the Humboldt Park community to are the remarkable vision and mission statements of address health inequities by offering Humboldt Park Health. concrete solutions to meet community needs. This new center will serve as a place to improve • MISSION the health of community members by extending the hospital’s continuum of care. A Humboldt Park Health is committed to advancing celebratory ground-breaking ceremony will be schedhealth equity and providing high-quality and uled later this year. Upon completion, compassionate health care services by partnering with this will be the only Wellness Center for the residents patients and their families, our employees, medical of Humboldt Park located in the staff, and the communities we serve. community.
• VISION
Humboldt Park Health is the healthcare provider of choice for our communities and caregivers. We strive to be best in class for clinical care, service excellence, and employee engagement by following our guiding principle, “Equity Begins at Home.”
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- Director 22
W
e often use the phrase “two steps forward, one step back” to depict the process of failure. But taking a step back after two steps forward does not have to be negative. Within those movements, there is still progress. The journey to success is rarely linear, so I believe it’s the individuals who know how to overcome roadblocks, setbacks, failure, and rejection that reach their highest potential and live the most fulfilling lives. When I am rejected or hear “no,” I take time to look at the resilience of successful people I know and admire for inspiration. In my current role, I have been fortunate to meet many influential and successful people. One of the individuals I enjoy working with the most is billionaire John Paul DeJoria. Something he says that has always resonated with me is that one of the keys to success is being prepared for rejection. “Throughout your career, you are going to run across rejection. You will knock on doors, and many will close on you. To be successful, you must remain as confident and enthusiastic on door No. 59 as you were on door No. 1. If you realize this is going to happen, the rejection won’t hit you so hard. It will help you be resilient!” - John Paul DeJoria Despite now being a multi-billionaire, John Paul’s route to success didn’t unfold in the streamlined way that most people probably expect. The co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and founder of Patron Tequila had to work incredibly hard to get to where he is today. He lived an impoverished childhood, ended up homeless on two separate occasions as a young adult, and even spent time working as a door-to-door salesman and a janitor. It may be hard to believe, but one of the most profitable haircare companies in the world, started out being peddled from the trunk of John Paul’s car. John Paul DeJoria firmly believes that every ‘no’ allows you the opportunity to mold yourself into a success. When you utilize every experience as a lesson for growth, unearth a sharper and more resilient version of yourself. There are countless examples of iconic people who have achieved success by facing their failings and using them to harness determination and reach the top of their field.
3. Steven Spielberg “Failure is inevitable. Success is elusive.” - Steven Spielberg After being rejected twice by the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, Spielberg persisted on which resulted in him winning three Academy Awards and grossing more than $9 billion from the film industry.
4. Oprah Winfrey “There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.”- Oprah Winfrey After being fired from her first TV job as an anchor in Baltimore, Oprah is now one of the most recognized TV personalities in the world, a multi-billionaire thanks to hosting one of the most successful talk shows of all time, and now even owns her own TV channel.
5. J.K Rowling “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.” J.K Rowling Originally written as an escape from her depression, financial woes, and struggling as a single mother, Harry Potter was rejected countless times until one publisher decided to take a chance on her vision. J.K Rowling turned her initial story into a seven-book world-renowned series, which resulted in corresponding blockbuster movies and made her one of the wealthiest people in Britain.
8. Arianna Huffington “Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of success.” - Arianna Huffington After her second book was rejected a colossal 36 times before publication, Arianna Huffington went on to build The Huffington Post empire and write multiple New York Times Best Sellers. 23
9. Steve Jobs
to heed the lessons of failure.” - Bill Gates
“I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” Steve Jobs
After dropping out of the highly acclaimed Harvard University, Bill Gates launched his first company Traf-O-Data, which ended in a colossal failure. Undeterred, a few years later, he began Microsoft and, as they say, the rest is history.
Contrary to the above examples, Steve Jobs started out incredibly successful in his 20’s when Apple evolved into a lucrative technology enterprise. However, when he was 30, the board of directors decided to fire him from his own company. Undeterred, Steve Jobs founded a new company, NeXT, which Apple eventually acquired. Once back within the realms of Apple HQ, Jobs demonstrated his capacity for greatness by reinventing the company’s image and taking the Apple brand to new heights. He co-created the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad before sadly dying at age 56 with a reported net worth of $7 billion and being hailed as one of the most influential business people of our time. 10. Bill Gates “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important
Bill Gates is now one of the wealthiest and most successful individuals in the business world. I am the Director of Fundraising for one of the most successful ocean conservation organizations globally, and my view of the word “no” helps me raise more money. Contrary to popular belief, “no” should be viewed as the start of the negotiation, not the end of it. You can turn a negative into a positive if you use their resistance as an opportunity to slow down, analyze the situation, and determine what they really want. This will highlight the real issues and redirect the conversation as needed. Often, the individuals who say no at first ultimately provide a higher level of support because we were able to align their specific passion and desire for change with a direct mission we have for protecting the ocean. “Every no gets me closer to a yes.” - Mark Cuban By being prepared for rejection and using your determination to face those adversities head-on, you will set yourself up for a more assured road to success. Failure isn’t and shouldn’t spell the end – it is an opportunity to reevaluate, reassess, and return wiser, stronger, and better positioned for your eventual success.
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P
rof. Ddr. Milan Krajnc has been working as a psychotherapist and researcher of the human mind for the last two decades. He is an expert in solving the challenges that often arise from the interaction of different personalities within an organization. Prof. Krajnc is trained for personal advising, psychology, negotiation, lobbying, and marketing at organizations of any size and scope from the local to international level. Prof. Krajnc is an expert on state psychology and local authorities. While on his work Prof. Krajnc has found that most behaviour comes from childhood which means that we make different decisions in everyday life, mainly because of resentment, anger, complexes that arise from that period.
He started developing various psychological tools, to overcome various psychological patterns. He has also published around 400 books where he talks about relationships and how can people help each other. Prof. Krajnc soon saw his messages in the books positively influencing people to be more confident, more respectful of themselves and their time. In order to achieve greater results with his messages, Prof. Krajnc founded a music group named Monte Cristo, which set his lyrics to music and now spreads his songs in musical form.
Professor Krajnc realized that he needs more ways to communicate with people in order to achieve the greater success of his work. According to Prof. Krajnc, people are now more relaxed, they don't pay attention to other opinions, thus becoming Maximizing the Potential of an Organization independent.
Prof. Krajnc forms a very new, modern, and fairer economy, which eventually takes into account the potential of the working individual and seeks ways to maximize the potential of the organization, that too, without coercion, without creating violence against the individual. Krajnc is a psychotherapist and an educator, specializing in leaders, who help form a vicious cycle, where they have entered. His journey began by observing a natural phenomenon in the laboratory, where he first observed as a student of metallurgy and later as a physics student. Here he witnessed, how regardless of the phenomenon, seven identical successive phases always occur.
A Well Known Author
Also with the Al-Khalifa Business School, he founded Milan Krajnc AKBS Innovation Venture Lab, where he started developing products for all the five human ‘sensors.’ He is also vastly experienced in various fields, he was a member of the Official Minister and President council in Serbia. He also has collaborated with the police and the army in the education field. Prof. Krajnc was a member of other various State committees in the Republic of Slovenia and Serbia. He is a lecturer and an author of the research and scientific works in the field of Psychology Management.
Developing the Purest Food Therefore, the next step is his research and creating solutions to human psychological congestion, creating a taste therapy.
Prof. Krajnc faced many challenges during his journey. The first condition for its creation was that the food However, no one could take away his motivation. was clean, which means that the people who grow this He gained massive experience while running for the food also had to be psychologically clean. President of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia. 26
So food had to be produced by the agricultural method of Biodynamics, and people had to live by the psychological method of Sirius Personal Transformation. Only then does the taste follow. So Prof. Kranjc literally explored and tasted the whole world, and he found space and food in the most magical territory in the Adriatic Sea. The territory is now called ISTRIA, which was a part of Itlay. The area is still famous for lip-smacking food, and here Prof, Krajnc made the project ISTRA.SHOP, where he chose Truffles as the basic product. Truffle has a very specific and healing taste. That is why prof. Krajnc began to create dishes that have an incredible taste and are also healing for human psychological health. Prof. Krajnc has developed a whole series of wine, oil, and food. His foods are mostly enjoyed by people who influence the example of their surroundings with their image. However, this is not any kind of miracle cure or superfood, but it is the purest food in the world and prepared according to the science of Dynamilogy. Prof. Krajnc is also the founder of new scientific science, named Dynamilogy, which can create successes in every field, with the help of nature’s formulas. He was also nominated for the Nobel Prize in Economics. However, he doesn’t grow the food himself, rather he has a huge circle of supporters. The best part is products that are completely useful and clean for overcoming emotional problems receive a certificate that confirms their quality.
With all these revolutionary approaches Prof. Krajnc is trying to change the system. According to him, organizations and businesses are a part of the global economic system, so his approach is changing the economy of our planet. Although economics has never been a primary area of his research, the path has led him towards it, which meant discovering its darkest sides for the sake of ‘higher goals.’
Company name: MIlan Krajnc Management: Prof. Dr. Milan Krajnc URL: MilanKrajnc.com 27
Aiconix GmbH | CEO & Founder
LIVE TRANSCRIPTION
FOR MORE ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION
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n-site face-to-face events have become limited or difficult to access since 2020 due to the global epidemiological situation. This situation has posed and continues to pose challenges to companies and institutions, leading to the increased use of videoconferencing and the broadcast of e.g. conferences or trainings via online live streams. This enables location-independent communication and thus replaces "face-to-face communication" on site. However, the fact that online communication requires different preconditions for successful information transfer and brings new challenges, especially for persons with impairments, are aspects that are often not taken into consideration when switching from "on site" to online. Persons with hearing impairments often have difficulty following the content in online meetings or live streaming, whether due to poor video transmission or presentations with reduced or no speaker video, lip-reading becomes difficult or not possible at all. Live transcription of the spoken presentation can therefore be very helpful.
AI enables live transcription without much effort Subtitles with synchronous translation or so-called live transcriptions (closed captioning) are suitable for circumventing the difficulties that arise when lip-reading using video images. There are two options: "Closed Captioning" with a manual (a person in the meeting types in what is said via a separate window) or an automatic solution with AI.
How automatic transcription works Automatic transcription solutions link acoustic sounds to words in a digital language model - similar to a digital dictionary. When these sounds have multiple possible matches - for example, due to slurred pronunciation - the automatic transcription software examines the overall context and assigns a probability to each possible word and selects the word it thinks is the most likely match. This analysis is driven by deep learning algorithms. Most automatic transcription solutions are designed for post-production. Services of this type run your
audio file through automatic transcription software and send you the result in text form. The processing typically takes place in the cloud, but there are also on-site speech-to-text solutions. However, such post-production solutions are not suitable for live events such as (video) conferences, court hearings or sporting events. AI-driven live transcription offers better options here and works relatively easily: imagine a speaker on stage giving a keynote speech. The microphone into which he speaks is connected to a laptop or other device running cloud-based automatic transcription software. Everything the speaker says is sent to the cloud as audio. In the cloud, AI natural language processing technology matches the various sounds with words in a digital language model. The software then sends the text back to be displayed on a monitor for anyone to read along. The data that the software uploads and downloads is very small, so the whole process happens very quickly.
The advantages of automatic transcriptions: Accuracy and convenience AI-based transcription works well when conditions are optimal. Background noise, poor acoustics, strong accents and dialects, specialized vocabulary, and inferior recording equipment can all affect the accuracy of AI speech-to-text transcription. However, with the constant optimization of neural networks that drive speech recognition technology, machine transcription is getting better every day. With some transcription solutions, you can already ensure before an event that potentially difficult accents or dialects are recognized more effectively than with human transcription. With other solutions, it is possible to add words and terms to the system's dictionary to support improved recognition. This feature is invaluable for events where foreign words, jargon and technical language are used. The accuracy advantage of AI doesn't end there, however. Speech recognition solutions can also analyze context to eliminate ambiguity in word usage. In addition, with live machine-driven transcription software, an editor can make corrections on the fly using a live editor, so small errors can still be corrected quickly. 31
In addition, it's not always possible to bring in human help for live captioning or subtitling in general. Perhaps you have scheduled a meeting on short notice and would like to provide participants with a transcript for review. Maybe there are multiple conferences happening at the same time and no transcription professional with the right skills is available. With AI-based transcription, you don't have to worry about that. You can quickly set up the automated transcription solution and it will do its job. You can also test the system in advance of an event to check the accuracy of speech recognition or customize it to recognize industry-specific words or dialects. Automatic transcription solutions are also more flexible, with many supporting multiple languages at once and offering simultaneous translation into other languages. Now, there are numerous AI-powered transcription solutions on the market, such as those from Google, Microsoft, or Amazon, all of which do a good job in certain fields and languages.
But what if you had access to a variety of providers on a single platform, and even had the option of not having to decide which solution to use at all, and instead always get the best result from all providers delivered to you? Eugen Gross, CEO & Founder of aiconix, and his team have developed various digital solutions that use Artificial Intelligence to convert speech into text and use it to create transcripts of audio files as well as (live) subtitles in videos for people with hearing impairments. At the same time, these subtitles can be automatically translated into other languages, making the audio-visual content accessible to an international audience. Eugen Gross: "We want to show with our solutions that AI applications can contribute to inclusion and improved communication for people with hearing impairments and foreign language speakers." Already, some public institutions are managing to create a piece of digitalization and accessibility together with aiconix, without tying up a lot of resources with manual work.
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The Young, Dynamic and ever so Charming Entrepreneur, Taking Eros STX to New Heights 34
Co-President Eros STX Global Corp
The team at Eros STX is always focused on mapping opportunities and diversifying itself by delivering several industry firsts as it continues to grow in the global entertainment market Filled with vigour, creativity, and intentions to serve the world, Rishika Lulla Singh, the Co-President of Eros STX Global Corp is setting a new parameter in the entertainment industry. She is a high achiever and multi-talented, second-generation business leader with a highly evolved knowledge content. An alumnus of the University of California, where she completed her post-graduation and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in South Asian Studies and Management from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Her passion for creative content along with the entrepreneurial skills led Ms. Lulla to become an integral part of Eros’ growth story.
Journey to Becoming a Global Leader Eros STX Global Corporation is a leading global company in the entertainment industry, which co-produces, acquires and distributes films in multiple formats worldwide. We are one of the oldest companies in the Indian film industry to focus on international markets and we believe we are pioneers in our business. Eros’s legacy of entertaining the masses is a well-trod territory and since inception, Eros Now, South Asia’s leading streaming entertainment service owned by Eros STX Global Corporation (NYSE: EROS), a Global Entertainment Company, developed deeper relations with the audience through its captivating content. One of their initial originals titled ‘Smoke’ was even handpicked to be premiered at the prestigious platform of MIPCOM at Cannes. The series received a stand ovation by the audience combining the global entertainment fraternity including distributors, broadcasters as well as executives from the global entertainment industry. This whole experience was a huge motivating factor.
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Creative Offerings that Diversify the Organization Eros’ wide-ranging slate of movies appeals to Indians as well as a global audience. Indian movies, especially Bollywood, have a massive fan base across countries and Eros has been one of the biggest entertainment studios in the country. Bollywood movies like Vicky Donor, Ra.One, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Love Aaj Kal, to name a few, have been entertaining movie buffs worldwide. Eros Now, the premium OTT platform of Eros STX Global Corporation is a global video-on-demand service catering to more than 205.8 million registered users and 33.8 million monthly paying subscribers worldwide with the promise of offering endless entertainment through its varied product features - video in HD, multi-language subtitles, movie downloads, and high-quality original drama series. The OTT platform is well-known for its massive Bollywood and Indian movie library consisting of 12,000+ titles, originals, short-format content Quickie, music and more. Eros Now also caters to all key markets by offering content in 9 languages (Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali). They recently announced the launch of Eros Now Prime, a category which will showcase international content in partnership with leading studios like NBC Universal. Also, our merger with STX further enables the brand to deliver Indian content in 150+ countries while also catering to the massive audience for Hollywood content in India. The merger between the leading entertainment entities brings the best of Hollywood content to India and also offers the best of Indian entertainment to the global audience.
Eros is delivering star-driven premium content to audience across platforms worldwide and brining billions of people together through the power of story. Greatest Accomplishments Following the launch of Eros Now in 2015, there have been various accomplishments that the platform underwent, and in the process – it entered new markets, achieved millions of users, and offered pioneering services. The journey has been overwhelming. Some of the mega achievements include - Eros Now garnering over 205.8 million registered users and 33.8 million monthly paying subscribers worldwide. Eros Now is the first Indian OTT platform available on Apple TV. The partnership with Microsoft in September 2019 led them to offer the audience next-generation online video platform. In November 2019, Eros Now entered a strategic alliance with YouTube Music & Google to provide consumers with a massive music library in conjunction with their premium film and other programming.
Eros’s Journey so Far and Future In July 2020, the parent company of Eros Now, Eros International Plc, merged with the international studio STX Entertainment. STX Entertainment is Hollywood's fastest-growing independent entertainment powerhouse with presence in over 150 countries. With this merger, their aim to deliver star-driven premium feature films and episodic content across a multitude of platforms to the world's most dynamic and fastest-growing global markets, including the United States, India and the Middle East. 36
The objective of the company has always been to consistently strengthen their reach in significant markets and deliver content that will connect with the increasing audience base for online video streaming which is diversified across genres and taps consumers through various demographics and geographies.
Leadership Principles Rishika believes, as a leader, it is crucial to connect with your team and be relatable also at the same time build trust within your team and the organization. She says, “Trust flows both ways – you trust and empower your team, and at the same time, your team builds confidence in your leadership to achieve the goal.” Another essential thing as a leader is always to listen - you learn more and can have a remarkable impact with an open mind and ear. Collaboration is another significant aspect, as a leader to join forces inside and outside the organization. Always be curious, it never killed the cat, just took the cat to a different dimension! The ability to prioritize. Build a team around you that is smarter than you - if you are the most intelligent person in the room, there is a problem!
New Ideas The pandemic has disrupted the way the entertainment industry operates. Technology will be the key to deliver quality. Eros has always been a frontrunner in adopting new technologies to offer the best consumer experience. They recently also announced an alliance with Epic Games to use its Unreal Engine across production slate, paving the way for real-time technology throughout Indian entertainment.
Success Look Like Success is measured in impact – how much of an influencer and disruptor can you are in your space. Further, Rishika usually analyzes how much this impact will drive positive social change and create a revolution.
The "Secret Sauce" Success comes from the ability to drive the desired outcome in any circumstance which can only happen if the leader is inspiring while providing clarity.
Leadership Style Rishika Lulla is empathetic, a good listener. She learns from people, and that is because she keeps an open mind and ears to new ideas, and that makes him curious as well.
One Characteristic of Leader The ability to inspire. An inspired team births impossible dreams into a reality.
Best Advice Received Know where you are going so you can learn and enjoy the journey.
The Driving Force “Sheer love and passion for entertainment! We at Eros represent the massive global audience that truly loves entertainment and believe in delivering the best consistently to existing and potential consumers worldwide.”Rishika Lulla Singh 37