2 / 2018
Bots are all the buzz • Finding strength in failures • Trend: self-publishing Marketing secrets 101 • Dealing with challenging situations • City tip: San Francisco • Empathy: why it matters • And much more
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Find your new job right here: Call: +49 911 9339 3636 | E-mail: career@sellbytel.com | WhatsApp: +49 151 126 77 164 Find more vacancies at sellbytel.com | Please refer to The HUB
WORD FROM THE CEO W
ith spring around the corner and the new year left behind us, I wonder how your efforts to implement new rituals or learn new things have flourished in 2018? Maybe an app has supported your new resolution? Apps have become a significant tool not only in making our life easier, but also by providing the feedback and motivation we sometimes need – to do a better job, to manage our time better or to simply drink more water. We have put together the most amazing app trends for 2018 to give you some valuable information about the latest developments. And if things did not go as planned with your goals for this year yet, we have some insights for you on how failures are an opportunity to find strength. The latest tech updates are what we particularly want to focus on this year, from cyber security to bots – read on and find out more. If it´s our travel section you crave each issue, we have another amazing city to offer: San Francisco! And if your next (business) trip has you wondering how you could optimize your journey, we have some tips for you as well – hint: there´s an app for that. If a career boost was your goal for this year, read our inspiring success story and browse through our open positions and move a step closer to your dream job. I hope you enjoy our spring issue and as always: I look forward to your feedback, thoughts and ideas! Remember to share them with us at TheHUB@sellbytel.com
Michael Raum Founder, CEO & Chairman of the SELLBYTEL Group Member of the Board BBDO Worldwide
#sellbytel_group
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CONTENT 6
Short news
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APPSolutely 2018
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Home sweet home, SELLBYTEL! New HQ in Nuremberg, Germany
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Stay healthy at the office
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Bots are all the buzz
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Recap of our AI-event "AI meets Sales" in Barcelona
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Marketing secrets 101 Messenger marketing
20 Cyber security
Mastering the risk
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Finding strength in failures
Yin Yoga for office benefits
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Survival guide for business trips
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Empathy What it is, why it matters & how you can get more of it
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A reason to celebrate 20 years Interview with Daniela Bollmann Head of Finance & Accounting
City tip: San Francisco
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Dealing with challenging situations in a business environment Go publish yourself! Self-publishing is revolutionizing the book market
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Success story Interview with Joan Tionko, Marketing Development Manager
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Find your new job at SELLBYTEL: job ads
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Sneak peek: The HUB issue 3 / 2018
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SHORT NEWS
Information from all around the (SELLBYTEL) world Twitter accounts on AI you should definitely follow in 2018
It’s springtime! Did you know that… …the first day of spring is called the vernal equinox and has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness
• • • • •
Demis Hassabis | @demishassabis Future of Life | @FLIxrisk Singularity Hub | @singularityhub AI | @DeepLearn007 Joanna J Bryson | @j2bryson
A trend we cannot wait to return this year: HATS! Hats used to be so much more than just a cover for your head to shield you from the rain or the sun. They were an indicator for your social status, displayed your standing as a warrior from far away, or even functioned as a kind of jewellery (think ancient Egyptian times). 2018 will be another revival of the trend, so stock up on Panama hats, Fedoras and Berets. 6
…the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere is the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere …spring begins, on average, about three weeks earlier than it did in the 1970s …the myth that it is only possible to balance an egg on its end on the vernal equinox is just that: a myth (with a little practice, you can do that any time of the year) …spring is the most popular season to sell / buy a house …children actually grow faster in the spring than during other times of the year
Most popular sports worldwide…
Soccer With a four billion worldwide fan base, soccer is No. 1 when it comes to the most popular sport. Most of us have kicked a ball at one point in our lives.
Cricket Among the most popular sports worldwide, cricket is estimated to have two billion fans, with the majority coming from India, South Africa, the UK and Australia.
Tennis It's not only interesting to watch but also to play! This sport has set a record with 30 different countries at least winning a grand slam. Since the early 14th century, tennis is one of the longest standing sports with over one billion fans. Basketball
Why is high intensity intervall training (HIIT) so popular? Training programs like CrossFit and Tabata, have gained popularity in recent years. These kinds of exercises involve high intensity workouts, repeated at short intervals, with varied but short breaks in between. HIIT enthusiasts are drawn to this kind of training because it covers an intense workout within a short timeframe. The benefits are: • Lowered blood pressure • Better balance of insulin sensitivity that supports muscles by rapidly turning glucose into energy • Improved aerobic and anaerobic fitness • Improved cholesterol profiles • Better cardiovascular health • Body weight and abdominal fat decrease while the muscle mass is maintained
This game has rapidly grown into a massive sport not only in the US but also in China, Europe, Africa and South America. Basketball is estimated to have over 400 million fans around the world. Track and field athletics Representing various disciplines like running, long jump and other events, these sports are universally enjoyed by many nationalities. They are also the most watched sports during Olympics and World Championship seasons. 7
APPSolutely
2018
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The development, usage and worldwide availability of various applications (apps) have exploded over the past few years. Chances are, you are also using your apps for much more than just a pizza delivery or tracking your run. With AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) being a hot topic for developers and users alike, the focus on app usage and benefits is going to shift. AMP means, that users are now going to benefit from much faster loading times for mobile websites in general but also for applications when they are installed and running. This creates a lot of new opportunities for apps that were previously not as popular in daily usage due to long loading times and high data usage, convenience in navigation or availability when no Wi-Ficonnection was established.
Latest app developments are also technically more advanced, with additional options to synchronize to other devices, thus making daily life easier – from personal developments to professional execution and the delegation of repetitive tasks. With so many apps hitting the stores each week, it's hard to pick and choose. Here are our favorites so far this year: EFFICIENCY REVOLUTION GOOGLE ASSISTANT
With hardware connections available to many external devices you can do so much more than just solve a math problem through voice command, for example regulate lighting or heating at your home, get up-to-date local advice or set reminders in your calendar – in multiple languages. SKANAPP
There have been several apps that allow you to scan your documents right from your mobile phone. But with a surprisingly user-friendly interface, this app allows you to upload documents straight to your dropbox and email or share them – in no time.
CONTINUE ON PC
It has happened to all of us: you begin to work on a project on your phone, maybe on the train commute to work. With the help of this app you can now easily continue working on your project from a desktop computer at work or any other device you have connected the app to. This creates a whole new opportunity to be creative anytime and continue your projects at your convenience on a different device.
LIFE IMPROVEMENT APPS BUYCOTT
Conscious living has just improved. This application allows you to retrieve background information on a company, the production process of certain items and much more, right inside the store by simply scanning the barcode. The display makes it easy for users to navigate straight to the information that is relevant by sorting data in categories. Making a conscious purchase decision has never been easier. Happy shopping, with your mind at ease. 9
MY FITNESS PAL
While this app is not new, the continuously growing database of items and exercises paired with automated learning of your habits have made it one of the most popular apps to get in shape, stay in shape and keep track of your goals. From counting calories of over one million products to motivating you to reach your daily step goal or connect with other likeminded users – this fitness pal has it all. PRODUCTIVE – HABIT TRACKER
There are different opinions on how long it takes to turn a task into a habit, ranging from a short 21 days to a more realistic 66 days. Regardless of what you would like to become a new habit, your workout-goals, reading more or studying focused for an hour each day. This app keeps track of your new habit goals and reminds you when it is time to pitch in, helping you to make 2018 your most successful year ever. SMART BUDGETING FYLE
processing. When a business trip lasts longer, this application diminishes long periods of waiting time for reimbursements to hit employees accounts. Compliance checks and other useful functions also save valuable time for accountants. BUDGT
Keeping track of your spending and planning your financials throughout a month can be quite challenging. After providing a monthly budget and expenses inside this app, it will give you a clear daily or weekly available budget, according to your goals. Additionally, a feature keeps track of what you spend on and suggests improvements to optimize your finances. ACORNS
This app will help you save big! After adding your bank account information and debit / credit card details, this app will divert small amounts straight into a portfolio of different stocks and bonds with each purchase you make, thus building up a little fund for your next dream vacation or a down payment on your dream car or house. AI-POWERED APPS CASE
This app uses advanced AI technology to extract data from receipts and expense documents, then processes and files all data. This saves administration time and increases employee satisfaction by providing expenses quickly for 10
This powerful app combines machine learning and a large medical knowledge database for
physicians and other medical professionals. Through algorithms this app learns preferences and keywords of medical professionals that are using the app and helps navigate to the relevant and interesting content faster. RECENT NEWS
This AI-powered app not only provides the latest news and updates, it learns from your interest and will continuously improve suggested topics of interest that fit your reading. You can get updates on local or international news, share interesting articles to your social media channels and benefit from super-short loading times.
SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT CREATION VISME
Powerful images and graphic implementation will take your content creation to the next level. Faster loading times for many mobile sites as well as apps, mean that more users are focusing on images, and so should you! This app helps you integrate images and turn your content into a visual storyline. This comes particularly handy for reports, data and other input that is otherwise more challenging to display in a fun and visual manner. You can then easily share your finished presentation or download it to your device. While the following two genius content helpers are not traditional apps for download, they are still so amazing, we simply had to feature them as well.
WORD2CLEANHTML
If you were ever in need of a clean and short HTML code to insert into your WordPress template or another CMS, you know the pain of not being a top programmer (yet). Simply copy your input from a word template in this website's interface and out comes a clean HTML code, ready for you to use. As simple as that. BLOGTOPICGENERATOR
Probably one of the most valuable websites for content creators out there. Regardless of your blogging background or industry, it is sometimes quite challenging to brainstorm new ideas. Simply provide a few relevant terms or combination of terms that you are interested in and the site provides you with suggestions and ideas or topics that might be very interesting and may spark new ideas. THE FUTURE: QUICKER, EASIER AND WITH LESS EFFORT
Apps have graduated from being a fun entertainment and a way to pass time on the daily commute to industry dominating necessities. Cloud based app development and a strong increase in virtual reality and AIpowered apps will bring benefits to many users in many areas of life. So, dive in deep and take full advantage of easy and improved ways to work and live. Hanni Guerra
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HOME SWEET HOME, SELLBYTEL! After months of anticipation, all of the approximately 700 employees from our hub and locations in Nuremberg and Fuerth are finally united in the new headquarters. We asked our colleagues what they enjoy most about the new premises:
• Beautiful bistro with delicious food • Coffee and snacks • Modern building • Glass fronts and lots of daylight • Showers after an active lunchbreak • Excellent traffic connections • Cool design • Positive work atmosphere
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• Foosball table for a friendly match • Open lounge areas • Nice meeting rooms • Food trucks all week long • Environmentally friendly air conditioning system • Beautiful surrounding near the Wöhrder lake
As you’re reading this, do a quick body scan. How is your lower back feeling? How is your posture? Are your shoulders and upper back hunching and rounded? If you answered “yes”
complement to not only other types of yoga practices, but other types of sport and fitness – the yang. Not to mention the calm meditative benefits that come from the long holds of the postures!
to any of this, you are most certainly not alone. How can Yin Yoga help my body feel better in
These days, it seems like almost everyone is suffering from some office or electronic devicerelated physical problem. In some people, this presents itself as neck and shoulder pain; in others, through low back pain. To top it off, many of us live all-too-sedentary lifestyles, spending hours on end sitting in an office. Being sedentary, likely in a position that’s less than ideal for the posture, can have a massive impact on the body. It can affect circulation, digestion, joint health, and overall mental and physical wellbeing. There are easy steps you can take to begin to alleviate these issues: changing positions regularly, walking, and taking breaks are great. But the best thing you can do, without a doubt, is to increase your flexibility.
the office?
Human bodies simply aren’t designed for a sedentary lifestyle! Fitness classes, walking, and sports are good antidotes for too much time at a desk, but Yin Yoga in particular provides the deep muscle tissue stretch that can increase flexibility and help ease back pain caused by extended sitting in the office. Yin Yoga also increases circulation around the joints, countering hip pain in addition to back pain, knee pain, and even wrist pain. Certain Yin poses, for example the Sphinx (see next page) can help alleviate “iPad back”, the rounding of the shoulders and upper back.
FOR OFFICE BENEFITS
What is Yin Yoga?
Yin Yoga is a beautifully deep, restorative yoga practice where all poses are done on the mat and held for 3-5 minutes, often using props like blocks and bolsters. You’ll take the time to set up the postures right, allowing the body to fully take in the benefits of each pose. Yin Yoga gives you the time to be still and listen to the body, and access the deeper connective tissue and fascia. It’s enormously different from Vinyasa Yoga (a dynamic and fast paced yoga style) and a great
How can Yin Yoga help my mind feel better in the office?
Yin is a physical meditation. When holding the poses for a longer time, it can be difficult to tune out the mental chatter – this challenge is something we can overcome on the mat and also in the office. With a regular Yin practice, you’ll build mental stamina, and the ability to find comfort in a place of discomfort and observe your surroundings from a perspective of calmness – which is certainly something that can benefit everyone in an office. Yin Yoga reminds us that staying still and taking things one breath at a time can help us grow. 13
What are some Yin poses I can do in the office?
Don’t have a regular Yin practice yet? Here are a few poses that you can try at home or maybe even in the office, if you have a quiet room or meditation space. They can be really beneficial in countering the effects of your daily routine. Remember to breathe deeply, and hold each pose for 3-5 minutes. Sphinx pose:
This is a great pose to counter “computer shoulders”, the persistent rounding of the upper back and shoulder area due to desk work. Lie down on your belly. Grasp your elbows with opposite hands and move the elbows just ahead of your shoulders, propping yourself up. Notice how this feels in your lower back. If the sensations are too strong, you can move your elbows further ahead, lowering your chest closer to the floor. If you like, you can place your palms flat on the floor in front of you. You can modify this pose by using a bolster or pillow under your elbows, or separating or closing the legs more. Don't forget to breathe deeply, and hold each pose for 3-5 minutes.
Butterfly pose:
Seated, bring the soles of your feet together and slide them away from you slowly. Allow your back to round, and fold forward, lightly resting your hands on your feet or on the floor. Your head can hang down toward your feet. You can use a bolster or blanket with this pose, vary the hand/arm positions, or try the reclined (on your back) variation of this pose.
Caterpillar pose:
Sit on a cushion with both legs straight out in front of you. Fold forward over the legs, allowing your back to round. You can bend your knees and use a yoga prop under them for further support, and try different hand positions to see what feels best for your body.
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Savasana:
You might want to set a timer for this one, especially if you are practicing in an office! Savasana is a total body relaxation pose practiced lying on the back. The mind remains alert, yet relaxedaware of the body sensations. Kate Resch
STAY HEALTHY AT THE OFFICE Balance is what matters
top of your food game throughout the day:
Give your water the extra vitamin and flavour kick by adding fresh fruits like raspberries or vegetables like cucumber. This makes it more fun to drink and you will automatically increase your water intake.
Start your day right
Make your own vitamin water with just four
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It helps you to be alert and awake and gives you the boost of energy you need in the morning. Our tip: add some fresh fruit to your (plant based) yoghurt or cereal or eat a slice of wholegrain bread with an extra serving of veggies.
ingredients:
Eat a healthy lunch
How do you like to stay fit and on top of your nutritious game at the office?
Healthy nutrition is the key to staying fit and healthy at work. A well-balanced diet at the office keeps you on track! Here are some helpful nutrition tips to stay on
Stay energized with a nutritious lunch. Our tip: Brown rice with your favorite steamed vegetables and a side of protein is a perfect mix to feel full and satisfied throughout the afternoon.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Filtered water Sliced lemons Sliced limes Sliced cucumber
Mix and enjoy
Write us at TheHUB@sellbytel.com
Lena Hofmann
Treat yourself to snacks
To keep your blood sugar levels from spiking and dropping you can treat yourself to healthy snacks whenever hunger strikes. Not the kind from a vending machine, but rather the ones that come in their natural packaging: a banana, snack carrots, an apple or a piece of dark chocolate. 15
BOTS ARE ALL THE BUZZ Bots are automated computer programs (sometimes in the form of apps) that are designed to perform tasks according to scripts. Many bots are self-learning, meaning they will learn from each human interaction, thus being able to provide an increasing amount of information the longer they operate. Through NLP (Natural Language Processing) they continuously expand their knowledge base and store data for later retrieval. Offering clients personal and customized care is important, but companies are also striving to implement the latest technologies and automated tools in order to optimize digital efficiency.
But bots can do so much more - they can also serve as medical aids, for entertainment purposes or even support humanitarian causes. There are TravelBots, ProductivityBots, SocialBots, EntertainmentBots and many more.
route should be travelled are not relevant to CAI, as the most effective and most convenient solution will be chosen – at a fraction of the traditional cost. Build your bot
The bot-revolution has been well on the way for a few years and has now found its way into most private homes. While many users are not aware of the interactions that are happening through bots, many tasks and digital interactions are supported this way. CAI – Conversation at the next level
Conversational Artificial Intelligence (CAI) will answer many of your questions in the future. Whether you are looking for the support of a virtual assistant or are looking to dive into data and predictive analyses. Learning about your needs, professional demands, personality and many other aspects will mean that very soon bots will know, and suggest, when you should set up a meeting with your client and immediately find a free slot (in all participants calendars). With a quick voice command, the flights and accommodations are booked and your presentations will be synchronized to all your devices. Scary thought? Not really. While it was humans who often carried out those tasks in the past, this required a lot of trust, loyalty and commitment. Personal opinions and ideas about how something should go or what
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You can actually build your own bot without extensive programming or developing skills. Similar to the template systems many websites are now based on, there are several programs that allow you to build your own bot. Various steps will guide you through the process of installing all the tools you need, then you can get creative and finally add it to your social media messenger. The tasks that those bots can complete are limited but it is a fun tool and it gives you a glimpse of what will be possible in the future. Human-like interactions – not HUMAN
Many companies already use chatbots in customer service, tech support, HR or even banking services. Bots can help to quickly answer customer questions, direct candidates to the appropriate department for status on applications or provide information like balance on a bank account. But even loan applications or mortgage services can be supported through bots. This saves a lot of time, and potentially money for companies. But while many fear that bots will render many jobs obsolete, it is rather a shift that is happening. Implementing bots in order to complete repetitive functions
allows for certain tasks and jobs, where a human interaction is not only necessary, but increasingly requested, to flourish. Chatbots can also support many positions by acting as an assistant, thus allowing customer service specialists to offer faster and more detailed answers to customers. The travel industry for example, could significantly benefit from this function. If travellers run into problems or complications on a trip, a chatbot could pre-select the correct service required and then support the travel representative to provide fast and accurate information. For certain industries, time and quality of answers are often of essence to the customers.
From personal use to e-commerce and medical support, chatbots will lead the way in CAI and will become a dominating force in the professional world and a household necessity – making life easier and work more efficient. Hanni Guerra
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To honor one of the longest existing business partnerships, the SELLBYTEL Group hosted the second exclusive Artifical Intelligence Day in the successful series of events on March, 13. With the promising title “AI meets Sales”, the day revolved all around groundbreaking innovations in artificial intelligence, opportunities for omnichannel management, bots, predictive analyses and the AI-supported sales process. Next to the impressive and entertaining keynotes by the renowned AI experts Fabian Westerheide (Asgard.vc) and Felix Schlereth (TRENDONE),
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the participants had the opportunity to enjoy a unique synchronized VR experience. Moreover, Thomas Kaschner (VP Global Key Accounts), Julio Jolin (VP Operations) and Markus Schoellmann (VP Strategy) discussed automation and its practical opportunities for our joint global projects. With an amazing view over Barcelona’s harbor and the Mediterranean Sea the day was concluded with an inspiring exchange among guests and SELLBYTEL participants over dinner and drinks. We look forward to our next event in 2018. Carina Gössl
MARKETING SECRETS 101
Messenger Marketing
With hundreds of millions of users daily, mobile messengers are a fast and effective way to reach your target group.
Reaching your customers where they spend a lot of their free time can create a marketing advantage. In the past, specific target groups were often approached in a more conservative manner when marketing to them during leisure time. For example, by marketing sports drinks effectively inside a stadium with a strategically placed banner. But the marketing tools to reach your crowd in 2018 have become much faster, more fun and more to the point. With an open rate of up to 4 times higher (source: modernapp.com) than in traditional email marketing, messenger marketing can take your communication efforts to a whole new level. One of the reasons for this are existing spam filters for inboxes but also the fact that messenger marketing is a relatively new medium, with many marketers not using it to its fullest potential yet. This means customers are not overwhelmed with communication yet and are more likely to listen to your message. Marketing automation also enables messenger marketing to give your efforts the extra boost by providing feedback on the user’s habits, interest, etc. according to groups. This allows you to provide them with exactly the content that is relevant for them. You can integrate messenger
marketing into your marketing mix through social media channels, WhatsApp or push notifications. Messenger marketing can also be implemented trough personal interactions like one-on-one conversations online, or through bots that send your customers automated updates, for example on products that might be of interest to them. Bot integration offered through messengers will also increase feedback collection, conversion rates and provide better customer service through better availability. Keep in mind that messenger marketing will require fast reaction times as this is one of the benefits of this medium. Customers will provide feedback quickly and also expect a solution in the same manner. Personalized content is more important than ever in order to surprise customers with a message rather than intimidate them. Hanni Guerra
What is your marketing secret for 2018? Write us to TheHUB@sellbytel.com
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CYBER
SECURITY Mastering the risk
Cyber security is the process of safeguarding the integrity, availability and confidentiality of information on the web. It encompasses a system of technologies, mechanisms, and practices created to secure networks, programs, computers and data from potential damage, intrusion or violation. The importance of cyber security
Cyber security is imperative because all institutions such as governments, corporations, medical providers, financial institutions and the military not only collect, but also process and store remarkable volumes of data on computers 20
as well as other electronic devices. A compelling amount of data – financial, personal or intellectual, contains delicate information with damaging results if exposed to potentially harmful sources. Every day, organizations around the world transfer very sensitive data across networks as part of
their daily procedure, this makes cyber security a very important and sensitive matter. Some major components of cyber security are: Information security (InfoSec) – involves a set of procedures for controlling processes and tools necessary to not only protect and secure but also hinder threats and unauthorized access to the digital information. The major techniques that firms use are cryptography and the identification, authentication and authorization of the user. Many large companies hire a dedicated security team to maintain and implement the InfoSec program. Generally, this is managed by a chief information security officer. In addition, the security team takes care of the risk management where threats and vulnerabilities to the information systems are constantly assessed and appropriate defensive measures are applied. Application security – indicates the process of
protecting software and hardware applications from foreign threats. Applications are nowadays a necessity and a “must-have” because they make our lives easier and help us to save a lot of valuable time. But, they are readily available across networks and therefore vulnerable to numerous threats. Security measures seek to minimize the risks that can emerge through the loopholes during an application’s lifecycle with regards to its development, design, upgrade, deployment and maintenance. An example of a software countermeasure is a firewall application. The firewall is built to restrict the harmful phishing of files by installed programs. On the other hand, a typical hardware countermeasure is a router which can supress the visibility of a user’s IP address while browsing the internet.
Network security - comprises of measures to secure the safety, integrity, usability and reliability of networks. For a network to be considered as secure, a mixture of different threats has to be eliminated before access is granted. This is done
through anti-virus and anti-spyware applications. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) are also used to invalidate and block unauthorized network accesses as well as offer reliable and secure Virtual Private Networks (VPN) remote connections. Cloud security – as cloud usage is expanding
the challenges are significantly growing as well. Organizations and cloud providers are establishing new advanced security parameters and monitoring policies to help the users store and secure their data.
The current and future outlook on cyber security
Unfortunately, the magnitude of cyber-crimes has increased tremendously as computer networks continue to be targeted by criminals. The greatest challenge faced in fending off these attacks is the dynamic nature of the security risks themselves. Conventionally, governments and institutions focused their security perimeters to only protect their most important systems whilst safeguarding known threats. Today this has become by far insufficient and many additional features are constantly implemented to ensure highest levels of security. According to a research done with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), cyber related crimes costed the global economy approximately $ 600 billion in 2017. (Source: CSIS). Luckily, this sum is projected to reduce in the future, as the awareness of cyber security continues to increase remarkably. Many corporations are proactively investing on advanced and sophisticated software to curb the vulnerability along with the threats of cyber-attacks. This will greatly scale down the plight in the breach of cyber security. Evelyn Kamau
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FINDING STRENGTH IN FAILURES | We've all been there.
Maybe you thought you did great at that job interview and had it in the bag, only to find out they picked someone else. Maybe you trained for months for a race and didn’t finish as well as you expected, or tried to lose weight only to find yourself lost in a mountain of desserts that you don’t even necessarily want. Maybe you studied for weeks for an exam and didn’t pass. Maybe you put everything you had into a relationship, and it didn’t work out in the end. Whatever it is, we’ve all experienced some type of failure at some point in our lives, that’s a universal human truth. It’s painful, it’s demoralizing, and sometimes it’s tragically disappointing. However, there is hope
It’s possible to switch your mindset so that you can begin to perceive failure as a good thing, not a bad thing. Researcher Carol Dweck identified two psychological mindsets when
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it comes to dealing with mistakes: fixed and growth. People with a fixed mindset tend to believe that their intelligence and abilities are innate, and not fluid. They tend to beat themselves up, dwell on mistakes, and believe that talent alone leads to success. When a person with a fixed mindset fails, their lack of self-compassion can cause them to spiral into hopelessness, low self-esteem and even depression. Alternatively, a growth mindset is marked by the belief that you can learn from mistakes and improve over time with experience. When people believe that they can get smarter, and realize that their effort has an effect on their successes, they achieve more. A growth mindset goes hand in hand with resilience, improvement, and selfcompassion. Imagine if we all could just learn at a young age that it’s okay to mess up and make mistakes, that our basic abilities are just a starting point for potential. We could nourish a generation of self-compassionate, resilient kids with a set of coping skills and confidence to do anything. Take the example of a school in Chicago, where kids have to successfully complete a certain number of classes in order to
graduate. Instead of assigning an F or a failing grade to students who didn’t pass, the school simply gives them a grade of “Not Yet”. This simple, small change is tremendously powerful in changing our mindset.
“what’s the point of continuing my diet”, you can use growth mindset thinking and decide to have a salad for your next meal and move on with your life. Damage to our motivation
Now you may be thinking, this growth mindset thing sounds great, but … I’m no longer a little kid. How can we change months, years, or maybe even a lifetime of negative thinking about our failures? Learning to recognize the emotional bruises we sustain when we fail is the first step in treating them, recovering more rapidly, and increasing your chances of success in the future! There are some “psychological wounds” that can be inflicted or aggravated by failure, and ways to treat them.
Several studies have proven that the amount of effort that we put into a task is directly impacted by whether or not we believe we’ll succeed or fail at it. Not only do we perceive our goals as more difficult to reach when we fail, we also tend to view our own selves as less capable of reaching them. You can recharge your motivation by reminding yourself of the reasons you began pursuing the goals in the first place. Maybe you didn’t successfully quit smoking the last time you tried, but remember the reasons why you initially wanted to quit: your grandkids, your health, your wallet. Visualize how you would feel if you succeeded and how your life would change. Aversion to risk
Goals seem more distant and difficult
When we fail, we tend to begin to subconsciously perceive our goals as farther away, and less attainable than we once thought. In one study, dieters were given the option of pizza, and those who ate it were told that they had “ruined” their ultimate goal. These dieters subsequently ate 50% more cookies in the following time period than those not even on a diet. Failure, even one time, can cause our brains to say “Abandon ship!”. How can we treat this emotional bruise? You can fight the distortions. Recognize that failure will distort your perceptions of your actual skills and abilities, so don’t buy into it! We all know logically that eating a piece of pizza here and there isn’t going to break your dieting goals in and of itself. Try not to fixate on one past failure, and move on to how you’ll change it next time. Instead of reaching for a box of cookies because,
The less confident we are about taking risks and failing, the less likely we will be to take risks in the first place. Have you ever had a difficult breakup and thought to yourself “I’m never leaving the house again”? A good strategy to fight this emotional bruise is to take “calculated risks”. Make a list of all possible approaches to the situation, rank them according to the risks they pose, and make informed choices about where to go from there. Training the brain to be okay with taking risks and not be afraid of failure takes time, but it’s possible. Incorrect generalizations
These generalizations can be not only incorrect, but also damaging! When we fail at something, it’s human nature to characterize the situation in sweeping, self-punitive ways. For example, “I failed at the test because I’m terrible at math and should probably switch
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careers” or “Why bother even trying to lose weight when I can’t stop eating junk food?” We often draw incorrect conclusions about our general abilities, skills, and even about our greater purpose in life and what’s “meant to be” because of one or two failures. However, the only conclusion you can draw from a failure is that you weren’t successful at that particular goal, at that particular time, in those particular circumstances. Reframing the failure as a single incident rather than something broader can help, and with a growth mindset, you can learn and improve. Consider all of the circumstances that might be different the next time you approach the task, your mood or health, the weather, your mindset, and how you slept, to name a few. Learned helplessness
Psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier coined the term “learned helplessness” in the 1970s. Participants were given a test that was way outside their intellectual abilities, inevitably setting them up to fail. They were then given a subsequent test, one that was well within their abilities, but after having already failed the (rigged) test, most participants acted helpless and failed the second test too! But did they fail it because their abilities were hindered? More than likely, they simply failed because
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they thought they would fail. Understanding this phenomenon of “learned helplessness” is critical in reminding us that we are not, in fact, helpless. Redirecting our focus towards things we can control can be another helpful way to recover. Failure limits our ability to think outside the box
Once failure makes us feel averse to risk, our ability to think creatively for solutions can be greatly inhibited – as creative, unconventional solutions often inherently come with risks. But all is not lost – reenergize and recharge your creativity by brainstorming new approaches without considering how possible or likely they are. You can edit your list for viability and realism later. By allowing your brain to free-flow, without being censored, you’ll quite possibly find some new, innovative solutions you hadn’t thought of before. You can find strength rather than weakness in your failures, when you have a growth mindset. While changing the way we think doesn’t happen overnight, a little selfcompassion can go a long way. Kate Resch
SURVIVAL GUIDE
FOR BUSINESS TRIPS
Business travel can be an exciting and rewarding time, but if not properly planned, it can easily become stressful and exhausting. Deadlines, meetings, and the unknown can hinder the possibilities of having an enjoyable and successful trip. Knowing what you’re up against and planning ahead will help you overcome any unnecessary delays or dilemmas.
Here are a few survival guide basics that can help ensure your next business venture will be a success, no matter where your next assignment may take you. Plan ahead
Planning allows you to maximize your trip to its fullest potential when time is of essence. Creating a light itinerary will help you make wiser decisions such as what to take, how much to pack, and what accessories you may need to
capitalize on your time away. Take a moment to look up your meeting schedule and possibly corresponding local events, the weather forecast, the areas with the best hotels and restaurants, and even what transportation services will be available such as taxis, buses, or Uber. If you find the details of planning a little daunting, simply download an app, such as TripAdvisor or Google Trips, to help organize your itinerary on a simple platform. 25
Pack light
Minimizing the number of bags you bring will save a great deal of time throughout your entire trip. Try to aim for one personal item (such as a laptop case or backpack) and a carry-on item only. This will eliminate the long wait times at baggage claim and the unfortunate possibilities of lost luggage. For your attire, be sure to pack plenty of neutral basics, that can fit any meeting with clients or colleagues. When packing, be sure to bring along only the essentials to eliminate unnecessary bulk items in your carry-on. Packpoint is the perfect app that can assist you with all your packing needs. Simply download the app and it practically organizes your suitcase for you! It even gathers the local weather data of your next destination to help you make wiser decisions. Packing smart offers many benefits and may even snag you some extra room to bring home a little something for yourself. After all, you’ve earned it for packing so wisely! Stay organized
Purchasing products for packing and organization will help arrange personal belongings and make traveling a breeze. Look for ways to secure your identification, credit cards, and high value items. Have a safe place to store receipts that may be reimbursable, notes and documents from any meetings, and any other important documentation needed for recordkeeping. Also, having a specific compartment to store all your charging wires and electronics will help ensure they aren’t left behind when arriving or departing. Packing cubes are essential in this department and can assist you with all your organizing needs. Minimize jet lag
Unfortunately, jet lag may be an issue due to the natural rhythm of your body. There are, however, a few things you can do to make things easier. First and foremost is hydration! This important aspect will help keep your body functioning at its fullest potential. It’s a great idea to bring 26
along an empty water bottle to fill up after the security checkpoint. Also, be sure to pass on the booze as it is shown to have harmful effects at altitude when flying. Another essential key factor to arriving in tip-top shape is to pack healthy snacks, such as granola or fruit. Rest is important too and should not be overlooked. Taking a brief twenty minute power nap during the flight will give you that boost of energy to help you push through the day as you adjust your sleep schedule to the local time zone. Download useful apps
Utilizing applications on your handheld device will help keep you on track and save valuable time. Some notable benefits from apps are; checking in with your airline, flight delay notifications and arrival times, tracking your Skymiles, and checking into your hotel. Most companies offer their own mobile app to help manage their services effortlessly. Once you’ve arrived, other apps will help locate
restaurants or make dinner reservations, such as OpenTable or FourSquare. Transit and Moovit are examples of amazing apps that offer real time transit information to assist you with organizing your transportation needs. Apps like Airbnb will also allow you to easily find a suitable accommodation. Overall, downloading apps is the number one way to keep up with your schedule and make the most of your next business trip. These simple guidelines will help maximize both your health and your time during business travels. Doing so will open many opportunities for you to accomplish your tasks in an effective and efficient manner. You may even find some spare time to experience local sights and flavors that will enhance your journey! When you arrive home, you’ll feel successful, happy, and maybe even a bit relaxed too! Dana Renee Fulghum
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Have you already made your travel plans for this beautiful spring season? We have the perfect location tip for you. Home to SELLBYTEL’s North American operations, the architectural wonders and attractions of SAN FRANCISCO are a must see!
Fun Facts
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GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE The Golden Gate Bridge is not only a technical masterpiece but also an elegant iconic structure. The dream to connect San Francisco with its northern neighbors turned into reality in 1933 as the building commenced. It took only four years to build this fascinating suspension bridge, finishing it earlier than originally scheduled. With a height of 227 meters and a length of 2,700 meters, the bridge is one of the largest and most famous landmarks in the world. 28
GOLDEN GATE PARK
UNION SQUARE
Golden Gate Park is an astonishing urban park that measures 1,017 acres (4.12 sq. km), one of the largest in the country. Within this spacious public expanse, you will find some of San Francisco’s most beloved destinations – the De Young Museum, The California Academy of Sciences, and the Japanese Tea Garden, to name a few. Surrounded by diverse plantation and a number of lakes, be sure to come enjoy the natural environment at its best in San Francisco.
A visit to San Francisco would not be complete without experiencing the city’s Union Square, centered among prime shopping, dining, and theater destinations. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of one of San Francisco’s archetypal cable cars running on Powell Street. Oh – and make sure to snap a photo with one of the iconic heart sculptures that sit at the plaza entrances!
City tip : SAN FRANCISCO
FERRY BUILDING MARKETPLACE
CRISSY FIELD
The San Francisco Ferry Building is located on the Embarcadero of San Francisco and serves as the city’s central terminal for ferries that travel across the bay. Within the expansive building, you will find a food hall that features local and artisanal selections that showcase the bay area’s incredible diversity. Also note that the Ferry Building hosts a fresh farmers market that brings approx. 40,000 shoppers to the event every week!
Formerly a military airfield, Crissy Field has been restored into a beautiful landscape where you can take a walk through the trails or go for a bike ride. As you have a picnic on the grass or go windsurfing at the beach, this promenade also holds one of the most stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge – a breathtaking opportunity without the tourist crowds. Joan Tionko 29
EM PA THY
What it is, why it matters & how you can get more of it
At age 26, Patricia Moore decided to conduct what would become one of mankind’s most defining experiments around the concept of empathy and
anticipating market niches for corporations. Before I go into further detail about this, let me just briefly introduce Ms. Moore to you.
In 1979, Ms. Moore was working for the New York based company Raymond Loewy. At that time, she was placed in the team responsible for designing a new and highly innovative refrigerator. During one of the team meetings, Ms. Moore brought up the idea of slightly altering the design of the door, 30
so that people suffering from arthritis could open it. But the team refused. In response to this, Ms. Moore decided to experience for herself, what it must feel like, being in the shoes of a person 85 years of age. With the help of a professional make-up artist, she transformed her appearance. She even wrapped splints to her arms and legs so that she would be unable to bend her limbs. Ms. Moore embarked on a three-year journey across the world, studying the daily obstacles old people would face. Crossing the streets, going up and down multiple-level buildings and, not to forget, opening refrigerators.
In short, the result of her little experiment revolutionized the direction of product design. Ms. Moore became famous for designing products fitting the abilities of all age groups – from young children to elderly people. A simple example includes a handful of products such as kitchen utensils with rubber handles, which can be found in almost all homes nowadays. The power of empathy is broad. Surely, Ms. Moore was one of a kind, who successfully managed to do what most of us would perceive as empathy – ‘Putting ourselves in the shoes of others’ or ‘seeing life through the eyes of those around us’. There is no doubt that practicing the act of empathy is often more easily said than done. We live in a, what we like to refer to as an ‘individualist’ society, where everyone tends to be rather selfish and makes a great effort in maintaining a good image to the external world and people around them. The act of deeply caring about others’ emotional well-being can quickly be overlooked. So what can you do to be more empathic? Take off your mask
The answer lies in authenticity. Being authentic means sharing our deepest thoughts and things that really matter to us with the people who surround us. Whether those are feelings
of loneliness, pain or beliefs of how the world should be etc. This simple act however, requires us to embrace vulnerability. It sounds simple to tell those around you, what you truly believe in, however this equally requires us to expose our uncertainties and take emotional risks. Taking off our mask brings upon our weaknesses. We might not be resilient enough, not confident enough or more simply put not ‘good enough’. Yet the benefits of showing the world our true inner self, by far outweigh the negatives. Scientific research has shown that embracing vulnerability does lead to positive outcomes. In any moment we decide to expose our deep feelings and ideas to the world, we begin to experience the true meaning and purpose in our lives. Doing something risky – like accepting that we require help on a project, admitting we are not confident and afraid or even falling in love. It is in these moments of personal breakthroughs and moments of joy that greater empathic connections can be created. Empathy, therefore, can be practiced at its best when we begin to embrace and share with the world who we really are. It doesn’t only give those around us a better chance at seeing the world through our eyes but showing empathy
also works as the antidote to feelings of shame and fear. In this respect: start to share your story! Step into the world of
diverse facets life has to offer, we cannot only make small incremental steps, but rather leaps to develop a better understanding of those around us.
experience
There is no need to have the courage that Patricia Moore had. What Ms. Moore did, certainly was something remarkable that had allowed her to fully understand the physical challenges of elderly people, yet there are alternatives that are less extreme that we all can make use of. By paying close attention to our daily activities like cooperating with others or exploring the
You may want to travel to another country or study another culture. There are no limits to what we can do, to understand the life of others. But why is this so important? To put it into a little more perspective, empathy is exactly like learning a new language. Pick any language you like. We may start to work our way through various textbooks, online courses and endlessly
TAKE OFF YOUR MASK
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repeat various phrases. Yet if we truly want to become a master, there is no substitute for hanging out with native speakers and having to practice the language every day. Surely, we may stumble across some words and elements that are difficult at first, but after some time, it will come just naturally. Empathy is no different. We learn to empathize best, if we begin to leave the ‘instruction manuals’ behind and embark on a journey of experiential adventures.
Be the last to speak
In his biography, Nelson Mandela reveals what he considers to be the key to effective and lasting leadership: empathy. Showing empathy towards those around us, we begin to prioritize the needs of others over our own. You might be asking; why would I do that? What’s in it for me? The great thing about enabling others to get what they want first and putting ourselves at the back of the line is, it allows something remarkable to
BE THE LAST TO SPEAK 32
emerge: trust. Trust is the key to not only build a strong, stable and effective team within the organization, but also things like faith and harmony can emerge. Mandela stated, that to show empathy to those around us, we must learn to be the last to speak. Being the last to speak gives everyone in the group the chance to share their thoughts, views and opinions about the matter at hand and hence makes them feel valued as they get the feeling of contribution. It sends out the signal that you appreciate the fact that not everyone in the room might be the most outgoing or have ideas jumping right out of their head. No. It allows and gives people a chance to take the time and think and say what they truly believe matters. Empathy is a major component of emotional intelligence. It becomes vital when wanting to understand the emotions of others. It is something we need to practice every day. Start by observing the world around you. Can you witness any acts of empathy? By consistently looking out for acts of empathy and incorporating little things into our lives, we can begin to re-wire our brains for it and make it a daily habit. Maximilian Distler
A REASON TO CELEBRATE 20 YEARS Interview with Daniela Bollmann on her 20th anniversary with SELLBYTEL new goals and enjoy giving my best every day. In 20 years of SELLBYTEL, what do you feel has changed the most during this time?
To see and experience SELLBYTEL’s growth over time has been amazing! New locations have evolved, the number of employees has multiplied and we are continuing to grow. Which qualities allowed you to progress in your career?
I am a very organized person that stays calm even in the most challenging situations – I perform even better under pressure. Do you have any advice for women that are just starting their career?
Be proactive and make yourself visible! Don’t simply work, but dare to think outside the box. People will notice. It was January 1998 when Daniela started her career at SELLBYTEL's headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany – full of anticipation and motivation. Little did she know she would be spending the next 20+ years of her professional life there – and build an impressive career. So we simply needed to find out more and asked Daniela herself.
Have you ever encountered any gender specific challenges or obstacles in your career?
Not really. I’ve always experienced that people take you seriously if you show competence, assertiveness and integrity – no matter what your gender is. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Daniela, thank you for giving us an insight into your working life. You are Head of Finance & Accounting and also part of SELLBYTEL’s Management Board – are you proud of what
Find a job that suits you and makes you happy. There’s one out there for everyone. I was very lucky to find mine so early in my career.
you’ve achieved? Thanks for the nice interview and all the best
Yes, I am. Not necessarily because of my position, but rather because I am constantly striving for
for your continuing career! We are happy to have you on board.
Carina Gössl 33
DEALING WITH CHALLENGING SITUATIONS Rise above IN A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT | the conflict How often do we find ourselves at the crossroads of situations in our personal and work environment? We will always encounter challenging situations, it is human nature.
When different people with different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs come together, conflict can sometimes happen. These challenges shouldn’t be ignored but rather confronted and corrected when possible. It is true that you can’t change the actions of others but it’s also true that you can change your reaction to the different events around you. Knowing how to handle these challenges with grace and an open mind is essential. It leads to a conducive environment where everyone can thrive and freely bring out their best potential. Here are some examples of difficult situations you may face at your workplace and tips on how to deal with them.
around it. Negative gossip might initiate many unnecessary issues. These controversies damage interpersonal relationships, disrupt the daily work life and harm employees’ moral. Consequently, the productivity, turnover and employee engagement get affected in the long run. It can be counteractive to a company’s sustainable growth and only leads to a toxic work environment. The best way to deal with office gossip is to avoid it at all costs. Uphold the trust of your colleagues by not participating. You are better off distancing yourself from it. Your credibility, reputation and integrity are more important. Interpersonal confrontations
Office gossip
While you may be inclined to find out the gist about who did what or said what, it is certainly one of the worst settings you can find yourself in. Office gossip will always be there without exception. Irrespective of the industry or the nature of the job, there is no way of getting
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No matter what you do in life or how nice you are to your fellow colleagues, there’s always that one person you don’t quite connect with. We are all different and everyone’s personality doesn’t complement with our own. You likely will not get along with everyone you meet in life. Remember to ask yourself: what causes the problem at hand? Could it be a simple irritation like talking (or laughing) loudly or something similar? If it's an
issue you cannot deal with, do make a point of talking to the person. Remember to be nice when you reach out to the person. Being rude will definitely not get you the desired result, it will instead make the situation a whole lot worse. Challenging co-workers
Challenging personalities are everywhere and they come in all varieties. Some are constantly talking and are never ready to listen. Others always fail to fulfill their responsibilities while criticizing
everything. It gets even tougher when competition for power and privilege creeps in. Dealing with challenging personalities is not an easy task. It involves a great deal of self-esteem and confidence to handle such situations. Additionally, it also depends on how close you have to work with such individuals. Handling a challenging behavior is made easier if you are not the only person affected. You can address the issue by speaking to the colleague directly or asking for a private meeting with your boss.
Stay motivated when facing challenging situations by using the following tips: Don’t avoid the situation – Avoiding difficult situations is not a solution. On the contrary, it escalates
the situation even further. Conflict is often unavoidable in our place of work. It’s all about how we choose to deal with things. This is especially true if you hold a leadership position. Lead by example as your employees are always observing the way you deal with things – whether you are aware of it or not. Privately discuss the situation with the work colleague. A problem stated is a problem half solved.
Examine yourself – During difficult times, it’s important to take a step back and look at everything as a whole. Where is the problem coming from? Could it be that you are overreacting? Was it a misunderstanding that can be easily solved? What can you do differently to solve the situation? Is it possible that you also do things that annoy your fellow co-workers? Take your time to reflect and check in with yourself. Think it through and sooner rather than later, you will be able to solve the issue in a timely and more appropriate manner. Admit mistakes – We are sometimes too proud to admit that we were wrong. There is nothing wrong in
acknowledging that you made a mistake, because it is a learning opportunity. Unfortunately, our society sometimes views admitting to mistakes as a weakness while it is actually a strength. It exhibits strong character within you and it is definitely one of the bravest things you can do. If you find yourself in the wrong, be the bigger person and admit your mistake and thus create a peaceful environment at work.
Minimize the interaction – If it is a colleague who you don’t have to work with on a daily basis, try to give them more space. Keeping your distance where necessary does help to diffuse a tense situation. Body language – Your body language speaks volumes before you even say a word. Be cautious about the way you sit, stand or talk to other people to ensure that you subconsciously are not pushing your workmates away.
Ultimately, every conflict or disagreement brings about the potential of growth as well as development. Communication is key in conflicts and a resolution of common ground is always found when a dialog takes place. Evelyn Kamau 35
GO PUBLISH YOURSELF!
Self-publishing is revolutionizing the book market
It is no secret anymore that the concept of the first-time “rich author” is a myth. Only a few out of hundreds of thousands of authors can be considered really wealthy, like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling and co. Most writers can’t even live from the sales of their publications, as they sometimes only receive less than 10% royalties on each sold book, depending on their contract. Finished book, what’s next?
A constantly evolving industry
Let’s assume you’re the next Stephen King and have just finished your very first and extremely promising thriller. What is your next step after months or even years of writing? You are going to look for ways to bring your book into stores and people’s shelves. To be honest: finding a publishing house that is interested in your book can be tiring. The road to find a publisher can be tough: J.K. Rowling’s manuscript of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was turned down by 12 different publishers before one saw the magic that was going to happen with that book series. Stephen King even topped Rowling, his debut novel “Carrie” was rejected 30 times. It seems to happen to the best of us.
Let’s take a quick glance at the evolution of selfpublishing. It has been around for a long time, even Mark Twain did it. Things started to get interesting around 20 years ago, when the first self-publishing service providers began to emerge. The internet certainly played a significant part as well. The service providers didn’t only offer mere printing, but also complete packages including editorial and marketing services, so it wasn’t necessary anymore that the author had to take all the steps on his own when choosing selfpublishing.
So why not go along with the trend, spare yourself the hassle and become a publisher yourself? The system of self-publishing is quite easy: all the activities that are usually shared with a publisher, including the design of the cover, pricing, editing and marketing are done by the author himself. The advantage is obvious: the writer is in total control of the outcome and retains all his rights and privileges. However, the risks cannot be denied either. Publishing houses are experts, work with the best in their fields and are very well connected. Sometimes having the possibility of leaving major decisions to the specialists is more of a relief than a burden as authors can focus on what they do best: writing.
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Recently, the self-publishing industry has grown tremendously. Anyone can publish a book now and it has become so easy. You don’t have to be king for that. Not even a Stephen, for that matter. There are platforms that offer high formatflexibility and are completely free of charge, for the distribution of e-books at least. Plug and read
Talking about e-books: you’ve most likely heard about them or are even owning a reader yourself. In the beginning (which was in the 1970s by the way) it seemed like a project doomed to fail. Who would want to give up that great feeling of holding, smelling and reading a real physical book? Well, these days many do. The chance of storing thousands of books in only one small device, saving lots of money and baggage space on vacation is tempting. Also, e-books can contain images, videos and links which is real added value,
especially in the non-fiction and scientific genre. Appreciating those advantages, an increasing number of people are diving into e-books each year and have adopted that format into their reading habits. Print on demand
This is great news for every self-publishing author. Publishing an e-book is so much easier and cheaper than the distribution of prints. Still, classical print books account for 75% of the market share, so relying only on a digital version of your book will probably make you miss out on a lot of potential readers. The solution to that problem is simple, yet effective: sell it, then print it – that’s the principle of “print on demand”. Whenever someone purchases your book, it will be printed and delivered in the exact amount that was ordered. This may lead to a higher price per book but still reduces the overall costs enormously. If no stock is actually held there are no up-front printing costs and no storage costs. Authors no longer have to carry the risk of printing books without knowing whether they will sell or not.
Go for it!
Self-publishing isn’t only for those hoping to eventually get a traditional book deal anymore. It allows authors to write about whatever they want, finding niche audiences for their books, however small they might be. So if you really want to have a go at writing and don’t depend on the earnings – just try it, options are countless. Bestseller vs. indie-book
Also from a reader’s point of view, it’s really worth taking a look away from the common bestseller lists and world-famous authors to more indieauthors. Embark on that exciting journey, there are so many amazing unknown books waiting out there that are worth your time! You don’t know where to find self-published books? For example on smashwords.com. The core mission of the platform is to publish the work of independent presses and individual authors. With currently almost 500,000 books online, 75,000 of them even for free, you’ve got a lot of reading ahead of you. Enjoy! Carina Gössl
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“ALWAYS STAY PROACTIVE, CURIOUS, AND CHALLENGED!” Interview with Joan Tionko, Marketing Development Manager, San Francisco
Originally from Los Angeles, our lovely colleague Joan moved up to the Bay Area in 2011 and has since found a home there, enjoying San Francisco and growing her career. She joined SELLBYTEL shortly after finishing her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley in 2014. In this interview, she gives us an insight into her career with SELLBYTEL so far.
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Joan, please tell us some more about your career at SELLBYTEL.
– at SELLBYTEL this has always been acknowledged and rewarded.
Sure! I joined SELLBYTEL in 2015 as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) for one of our clients in Mountain View, California.
How do you spend your free time?
I was very fortunate to find myself in an environment where I was able to apply and develop the skills I previously gained in my architecture studies. While practicing my communication and customer relation skills as a SDR, my familiarity with graphic design, data analysis and data visualization allowed me to transition from a SDR to the team’s Data Analyst where I worked as a bridge between the client and the performance of our team.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
I love art and music. I frequently attend concerts, visit museums, and find myself wandering the city on nice days.
SELLBYTEL gave me the opportunity to visit our projects in other countries where I was able to expand my understanding of our global counterparts. I strongly value diversity in thoughts, people, and environment – it’s great to have an employer who shares these values! Thanks a lot for the interesting chat and all the best for your continuing career with SELLBYTEL!
Carina Gössl
When did you start your current position and what does it involve?
Earlier this year, I transitioned to work as a Marketing Development Manager, supporting multiple SELLBYTEL clients globally and actively growing our scope in North America. I stay in close contact with my colleagues and offer consultative and hands-on support to promote operational excellence. You do sound like you have found the perfect spot for yourself – what do you particularly like about your current position?
I am thankful that I am able to work with a team and managers who encourage me to stay proactive, curious, and challenged. I particularly enjoy the flexibility of my position and the trust that is put in me. I also love to challenge myself, advance and push a little further 39
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JOB ADS
Content & Online Marketing Manager / Editor (m/f) 0816B You love reading our magazine „The HUB“ and would like to contribute inspiring articles? That’s perfect, because our amazing marketing team is currently looking for reinforcement. Your field of responsibility will also include the development and execution of email campaigns and content creation for our website, blog and social media. Sounds good? Apply now! Location: Nuremberg
Sales Manager / Business Development / Global Key Accounts (m/f) 1215V
Workforce Team Manager (m/f) 0717C Your tasks
Your tasks
Coordinate and plan the capacities
• Building strategic partnerships with an assigned key
for a team and ensure that
account by developing sales approaches in order to
targets are met. Monitor schedule
extend our long-term client relationship
adherence and productivity and
• Managing the whole sales cycle from first contact
create reports
until deal closure • Develop individual solution concepts and offers for clients
Our desired profile Previous experience in workforce management and excellent
Our desired profile
organizational skills with a high
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration / a
level of English as well as Spanish
commercial education with initial work experience in account management or sales • Solution-oriented work style and an entrepreneurial mindset • Near-native English skills with the ability to apply
Our offer Great career progression and development for outstanding achievers
them in a business environment Location: Barcelona Our offer • A professional work environment with international top clients • Long-term support during the onboarding phase • Short decision paths and flat hierarchies
Apply now: Call: +49 911 9339 3636 E-mail: career@sellbytel.com WhatsApp: +49 151 126 77 164
Location: Nuremberg
Please refer to The HUB Find more vacancies at sellbytel.com
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Program Manager Operational Excellence (m/f)
Account Manager Global Key Accounts (m/f) 0216AT
Your tasks Define the scope of the project, manage the resource
Your tasks
allocation proactively and measure the project
Build and maintain strategic
performance with the help of relevant tools
partnerships with assigned international clients by extending
Our desired profile
our long-term client relationships
Associate / Bachelor’s degree, experience in project and account management, excellent communication skills in
Our desired profile
English and Malay
Initial work experience in account management or sales, the ability to
Our offer
identify the needs of our clients
Challenging position with a high level of creative potential, flat hierarchies and an amazing team
Our offer Interesting and challenging tasks
Location: Kuala Lumpur
in an international environment with great career perspectives and opportunities for your personal development
Report Analyst (m/f) 0915AD Location: Nuremberg Your tasks • Assure that all levels within the project are up to date on current performance
Team Manager (m/f) 0118Q
• Create presentations for quarterly and annual business reviews • Advise on improvement for the project based on your analysis
Your tasks Manage and support your team in identifying sales opportunities and
• Take care that quality targets are constantly met
improve team workflows
Our desired profile
Our desired profile
• High / native level of English and Spanish
High / native level of English,
• Expertise in IT with previous experience in a similar
knowledge of a second European
position • Profound knowledge in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
language is a plus, outstanding communication and presentation skills
Our offer • Full-time (39 hours / week) and long-term contract
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• Internal development program
Full time position with extensive
• Multicultural team with a great spirit in an international
training on market leading
work environment Location: Barcelona
products Location: Lisbon
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SNEAK PEEK HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HUB MAGAZINE 3 / 2018
MY CITY
Nuremberg
The HUB Magazine is a quarterly publication by the SELLBYTEL Group SELLBYTEL Group GmbH Tullnaustrasse 20 90402 Nuremberg Germany www.sellbytel.com TheHub@sellbytel.com Editor in Chief (V.i.S.d.P.): Hanni Guerra Hanni.Guerra@sellbytel.de Editors: Carina Gössl Carina.Goessl@sellbytel.de Evelyn Kamau Evelyn.Kamau@sellbytel.de Lena Hofmann Lena.Hofmann@sellbytel.de Joan Tionko Joan.Tionko@sellbytel.com
SUCCESS STORY
Nasima Salimova, Global Account Director, Spain
Maximilian Distler distler.maximilian@hotmail.de Katherine Resch katherineresch@gmail.com Dana Renee Fulghum luvleenae@gmail.com Art Direction: Martin Kloha Martin.Kloha@sellbytel.de
MASS MARKETING VERSUS SELECTIVE MARKETING
Alexander Zeus Alexander.Zeus@sellbytel.de Printed at: City Druck GmbH Eberhardshofstrasse 17 90429 Nuremberg
Communicate your brand through personality
HOW TO STAY CREATIVE!
SELLBYTEL GROUP: CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
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Verena | Sales Assistant Key Account Management | SELLBYTEL Group | Nuremberg, Germany Models in her free time www.sellbytel.com 44