Most Trusted Cybersecurity Leaders in 2023

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F r o m E d i t o r ’ s D e s k

nanerawheredigitalthreatsloomlarge,thecybersecurityindustryisashieldprotectingour interconnectedworld.Trustedleadersinthisfieldarenotjustguardiansofsensitivedata;they arearchitectsofresilienceandarchitectsofresilience,shapingthefutureofdigitalsecurity Theirvision,expertise,andunwaveringcommitmentareredefiningthecybersecuritylandscape, fortifyingorganizations,andensuringthesafetyofdigitalecosystems.

FeaturingforTheEnterpriseWorld’sthisissueof are MostTrustedCybersecurityLeadersin2023 thestoriesofsuchstaunchleadersoftheindustry.

Forthecoverreadabout-

Dr.BlakeCurtis’strailblazingjourneyincybersecurityencompassesmultifaceteddomains, includingauditing,governance,risk,compliance(GRC),andprivacy.Hisprevioustechnical experienceinsystemsandnetworkingengineeringandvariouscybersecurityrolesgivehimaunique skillsetandinsight.Thisexpertiseledtothecreationofmulti-million-dollarcybersecurity,audit,and riskprogramsandstrategiesforrenownedentitiessuchasDeloitte,Cigna,andVanderbiltUniversity

Hisinsightsextendintoacademia,whereheshinesasaresearchscientistandlicensedskills consultant.However,heisbetterknownasthescientistwhoconductedthegroundbreakingstudy, TheNextGenerationCybersecurityAuditor.

ThisstudydiscoveredasignificantknowledgegapbetweenITauditors’theoreticalknowledgeand theirpracticalskillsinfirmslikeDeloitte,PwC,KPMG,andEY

Dr.Curtis’saccomplishmentsreverberatethrougheducation,industrytransformation,andworkforce development.Hiscompletionofamaster’sdegreein10weeksandhisinstrumentalroleinaiding over150studentstoexpeditetheirdegreesspeaksvolumesofhisdedicationandmentoring capabilities(Seerelatedarticle).

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Forthecoverreadabout-

Dr.BlakeCurtis’strailblazingjourneyincybersecurityencompasses multifaceteddomains,includingauditing,governance,risk,compliance (GRC),andprivacy.Hisprevioustechnicalexperienceinsystemsand networkingengineeringandvariouscybersecurityrolesgivehimaunique skillsetandinsight.Thisexpertiseledtothecreationofmulti-milliondollarcybersecurity,audit,andriskprogramsandstrategiesforrenowned entitiessuchasDeloitte,Cigna,andVanderbiltUniversity.

Hisinsightsextendintoacademia,whereheshinesasaresearchscientist andlicensedskillsconsultant.However,heisbetterknownasthescientist whoconductedthegroundbreakingstudy,TheNextGeneration CybersecurityAuditor.

ThisstudydiscoveredasignificantknowledgegapbetweenITauditors’ theoreticalknowledgeandtheirpracticalskillsinfirmslikeDeloitte,PwC, KPMG,andEY

Dr.Curtis’saccomplishmentsreverberatethrougheducation,industry transformation,andworkforcedevelopment.Hiscompletionofamaster’s degreein10weeksandhisinstrumentalroleinaidingover150studentsto expeditetheirdegreesspeaksvolumesofhisdedicationandmentoring capabilities(Seerelatedarticle).

L E A D E R S I N S P O T L I G H T

C O N T E N T S

Dr. Blake Curtis

Dr.Curtis’sBackgroundandExpertise

Dr.Curtis’strailblazingjourneyin cybersecurityencompassesmultifaceted domains,includingauditing,governance, risk,compliance(GRC),andprivacy.His previoustechnicalexperienceinsystems andnetworkingengineeringandvarious cybersecurityrolesgivehimaunique skillsetandinsight.Thisexpertiseledto thecreationofmulti-million-dollar cybersecurity,audit,andriskprograms andstrategiesforrenownedentitiessuch asDeloitte,Cigna,andVanderbilt University

Hisinsightsextendintoacademia,where heshinesasaresearchscientistand licensedskillsconsultant.However,heis betterknownasthescientistwho conductedthegroundbreakingstudy,The NextGenerationCybersecurityAuditor

Thisstudydiscoveredasignificant knowledgegapbetweenITauditors’ theoreticalknowledgeandtheirpractical skillsinfirmslikeDeloitte,PwC,KPMG, andEY

ThestudyrevealedthatwhileITauditors exhibitedadequatetheoreticalknowledge inareaslikeSegregationofDuties(SoD), leastprivilege,andRole-BasedAccess Control(RBAC),theyfacedsignificant challengesinapplyingthisknowledge practicallytomoderntechnologiesin cloudcomputing,operatingsystems, firewalls,containerization,networking, andmore.Thisshortfallinhands-on skillsandproceduralknowledge influencesdatabreachlikelihood.This studyandfutureresearchwillbecritical inunderstandingtheroleITauditors’ competencyplaysinrelationtonotable breacheslikethe2017EquifaxBreach.

TowardsUnchartedHorizons

Dr.Curtis’saccomplishmentsreverberate througheducation,industry transformation,andworkforce

development.Hiscompletionofa master’sdegreein10weeksandhis instrumentalroleinaidingover150 studentstoexpeditetheirdegrees speaksvolumesofhisdedicationand mentoringcapabilities(Seerelated article).

Heshatteredthefoundationfor MalcolmGladwell’s10,000-hourrule withempiricalevidenceandstatistical support,advocatingforobjective hiringandpromotionpractices(See originalstudy).Hisgroundbreaking ModernEquityExperienceModel (MEEM)conceptdoesnotsolelyrely onusingyearsofexperienceto measureknowledgeandskills objectively.Instead,hechampions task-basedexperienceandpromotes skills-basedhiringovertime-based experience(e.g.,yearsofexperience). Inaddition,hehasothernotable achievements:

Ÿ Co-authorofISACA’s CybersecurityAuditorStudy Guide/Certificate,whichalignsthe industrywiththeNationalInitiative forCybersecurityEducation (NICE)andSkillsFrameworkfor InformationAge(SFIA)objective skillframeworks.

Ÿ Co-authorandtechnicaleditorfor ISACA’sDigitalTrustEcosystem Framework,prioritizingtask-based experienceovertime-based experiencetoensurethe appropriateprofessionalsarehired toprotectdigitalinvestments.

Ÿ AwardedtheExecutiveLeadership CredentialbytheNationalSociety ofLeadership&Successfor completingtheBetterWorld Project.

Ÿ AwardedtheroleofGlobal GovernanceCOBITTopicLeader atISACA.

Ÿ Offersinnovativeinsightsasa memberofISACA’sEmerging TechnologyAdvisoryBoard.

Ÿ RecipientofWesternGovernor University’s2021Distinguished AlumniAward.

Ÿ ReceivedtheVanderbiltUniversity InformationTechnology2018 PacesetterAward.

Ÿ ArchitectedDeloitte’sSecure SystemDevelopmentLifecycle (SSDLC)2.0Frameworkand Program.

“My journey is far from over.”

He’snowworkingonasecond doctorateinCyberpsychology,which marksanewtrajectory,pivoting towardBusinessConsulting Psychology,workforcedevelopment, andestablishingobjectivemetricsfor measuringtechnicalcompetence.Dr. Curtis’svisionaryleadershipand transformativecontributionscontinue toreshapethecybersecurityandGRC landscape,infusinginnovation, resilience,andarelentlesspursuitof excellence.

LeadingTheWayinCybersecurity AuditingandGRC

Dr.Curtis'sextensiveresearchinthe NextGenerationCybersecurityAuditor studyshedlightonthegapsand challengesintheITauditingand cybersecurityprofessions.Hisstudies haveprovidedvaluableinsightsinto theneedforstandardization, competency-basedtraining,andthe importanceoftask-basedperformance assessmentsforprofessionalsinthese fields.Withhiscontinueddedicationto pushingboundariesanddriving positivechange,Dr.Curtis’simpacton theindustryissettoreachnewheights.

BridgingtheGapBetween TheoreticalScienceandPractical Experience

WithasuccessfulcareerinGRC andcybersecurity,Dr.Curtisbrings practicalindustryknowledgetohis researchandcontributionsviahis hands-onexperienceinauditing, assessingtechnicalrisks,and recommendingsafeguards,which addscredibilitytohisresearch findingsandrecommendations.Dr Curtis’scommitmentto volunteeringinprofessional organizations,suchasISACA, SFIA,DVMSInstitute (ISC)² ,and , showcaseshisdedicationto advancingthecybersecurityandIT auditingprofessions.Throughhis involvement,heactivelydevelops standards,promotesbestpractices, andmentorsfutureprofessionals.

ChartingtheFuture:Dr.Curtis’s InfluenceonCybersecurity TrainingandEducation

Dr.Curtisplaysapivotalrolein shapingthefutureofcybersecurity trainingandeducationbyauthoring severalbooksandarticles,leading globalgovernancediscussions,and sittingonadvisoryboards.His contributionsandreputationenable himtoinfluencepolicies,strategies, andinitiativesaddressingthe evolvingcybersecuritychallenges.

Dr.Curtis’ssystemsthinking approach,scientificresearch,career experience,andboardinvolvement positionhimasacriticalinfluencer andadvocateforadvancingand standardizingcybersecurity,GRC, andITauditingpractices.His effortscontributetocreatingamore competentcybersecurityworkforce capableofaddressingthecomplex challengesofthedigitalage.

LearningMoreAboutDr.Curtis’s ScientificContributionsin Cybersecurity,GRC,andITAudit

Dr.Curtis’sresearchfoundthatobtaining higheracademicdegrees,suchas bachelor’s,master’s,anddoctoraldegrees, didnothaveasignificantinfluenceonthe overallperformanceofITauditorsand subjectmatterexperts’(SMEs)task-based experience(demonstrableskills)(See originalstudy).Thestudyexaminedthe relationshipbetweenobtaininghigher academicdegreesandtheparticipants’ declarativeandproceduralknowledge scores.WhilesomeITauditorsand cybersecurityprofessionalswithhigher academicdegreesachievedhigher performancelevels,thedifferenceswere insignificanttoestablishaclear correlationbetweenhigheracademic degreelevelsandtheirinfluenceon improvingtask-basedproficiency

However,therewasastandoutfindingin Dr.Curtis’sresearch.Combining implementingandauditingskillsfroma systemsthinkingperspectivewasstrongly associatedwiththetopperformers.This insightrevealsnewpossibilitiesforthe profession,encouragingaspiringexperts toembraceamultidisciplinaryapproach towardskillacquisitionbyobtaininga comprehensiveunderstandingoftheir domainfrombothanimplementationand auditingviewpoint.

MostITCertificationsDidNotDirectly InfluenceHands-OnSkills

Asabyproductofthisresearch,Dr.Curtis discoveredthatprominentcertifications liketheCISSPandCISAdidnot significantlyinfluencetechnical proficiency.Infact,liketheDunningKrugereffect,researchparticipantswho heldthesecertificationswere overconfidentintheirabilitytointerpret technicalevidence;conversely,theywere eitheraverageornoviceperformers.He stressedthatoverrelianceonmultiple-

choicequestionsinsteadofusing fictitiousscenariosandtask-based assessmentswouldcontinuetopaint afalseimpressionoftechnical competencyandtrustinone’s knowledge,skills,andabilities (KSAs).

Despitethesefindings,thereisa silverliningthatpointsustoward positivechange.Dr.Curtis’s researchopensthedoorto reevaluatinghowweassess technicalproficiencyand certifications.Byincorporating scenarioandtask-based assessments,wecanbetteridentify trueexpertiseandnurturethe growthofprofessionalswiththe practicalskillsnecessarytoexcelin cybersecurityauditingand informationtechnology

WorkinginanUnregulated Industry&DefiningKnowledge Skills,andAbilities

Dr.Curtispointsoutthatthe cybersecurityfieldisactually unregulatedand,unfortunately,less maturethanotherprofessions,such asaccountingandhealthcare(See relatedarticle).Onereasonisthatit lacksfederalandstateboardsthat definecompetencyandethical behaviorstandards.

Unliketraditionalprofessionswith licensurerequirementsand regulatorybodies,thecybersecurity industrylargelyreliesonproprietary certifications,standards, benchmarks,andguidelines developedbyvariousorganizations andvendors.

Dr.Curtiscouldnothelpbutfind thissituationquiteironic.“Itis interesting,”heremarked,“that professionalslikebarbers, cosmetologists,andbuilding

inspectorsneedlicensesbeforepracticingtheircrafts, ensuringpeople’sappearancesandbuildingsareupto standard.Yet,intheworldofITandcybersecurity, wherewehandlecriticalinfrastructureandprotect sensitivedata,there’snosuchrequirementfor licensure.”

Hebelievesthatthislackofstandardizationand regulationisoneofthesignificantvariablesthathinder theestablishmentofacommonbodyofknowledge, consistentworkforcetraining,andprofessional development.Asaresult,thecybersecurityprofession faceschallengesinobjectivelyassessingandensuring thecompetencyofitspractitioners,leadingtogapsin theknowledgeandskillsneededtoaddresstheevolving threatsintheinformationage.

TheTechnologyFieldStrugglestoDefineand DistinguishKnowledge,Skills,andAbilities(KSAs)

Dr.CurtisstatesthatIT,cyber,andGRCindustriesare stillrelativelyyoungcomparedtomatureregulated industries.Therefore,therearenumerous misconceptionsaboutdefiningandquantifying

knowledge,skills,andabilities(KSAs)andtrulyunderstanding theirdifferences.Broadlyspeaking,hestatesthattherearethree holisticlevelsofcompetencyorproficiency:declarative knowledge,proceduralknowledge,andautomaticity.Declarative knowledgereferstoknowing“what”somethingis,suchasfacts andinformation(book/theoreticalknowledge).Procedural knowledgeinvolvesknowing“how”todosomething,likethe stepsrequiredtoperformatask(demonstrableskills).

Automaticityistheabilitytoperformaskilleffortlesslyand reflexivelywithoutconsciouseffort(maturehabits).For example,knowingthecapitalofacountryisdeclarative knowledgewhileridingabikeisproceduralknowledge,and typingwithoutlookingatthekeyboardisaformofautomaticity.

ITCertificationsPrimarilyTestDeclarativeKnowledge

AccordingtotheresearchconductedbyDr.Curtis,morethan 85%ofITcertificationsusedeclarativeknowledgepractices ( ).Thesecertificationsprimarilyassess Seeoriginalstudy candidates’knowledgethroughmultiple-choicequestions,which testtheirtheoreticalunderstandingofconcepts,definitions,and principles.

Unfortunately,manyofthese certificationsdonotcomprehensively evaluatecandidates’practicalskillsand abilitiestoimplementandapplytheir knowledgeinreal-world scenarios—however,Dr.Curtisstates thatITcertificationsarenecessaryin thesefieldsduetothelackof standardizationforeducationand experience.

Fortunately,hisstudydiscoveredthatIT auditorsandcybersecurityprofessionals possessadequatelevelsofdeclarative knowledge.Notably,therearesomeIT certificationscreatedbyOffensive Security,Microsoft,andothervendors thatintroduceproceduralknowledge practicesortask-basedexperienceinto theirtrainingprograms.

Task-BasedExperienceandSkill

Frameworks:YearsofExperiencevs. YearsofExposure

Yearsofexposure,oftenmistakenfor experience,indicatesthetotaltimean individualhasbeenexposedtoa particularfield,includingbothactive andpassiveexposure,suchasbeing

presentinaworksetting,evenifnot activelyparticipatinginrelevanttasks. Dr.Curtisstatesthatthisiswhatwe havebeencallingyearsofexperience fordecades.

Conversely,Dr.Curtisdistinguishesthis fromactualyearsofexperience,which involveyearsofdemonstrabletaskbasedexperience,activelyperforming tasksatacertainproficiencylevel, receivingconstantfeedbackregarding taskperformance,andaccumulating additionalknowledgeandexposureto refinethoseskillsovertimeina measurablemanner

Unfortunately,mostfields,suchas cybersecurity,GRC,andITaudit,do notuseanobjectiveskillframeworkto measureexperienceinthisway,likethe NICEorSFIAframeworks.

TheEchoChamberandSaturation

Effect:Dr.Curtis’sPushfor DisciplinedThinking

Dr.Curtishighlightshowtheecho chamberandsaturationeffecthave resultedinasocietywhereindividuals

arecommonlyexposedtoinformation thatreinforcestheirexistingbeliefs, makingthemlesslikelytoconsider alternateviewpointsorleadingtothe exclusionofdiverseperspectives.The saturationeffect,ontheotherhand, occurswhenamessageisrepeatedso frequentlythatitstartstoappear authenticsimplyduetoitsprevalence, regardlessofitsfactualaccuracy.In response,likemostfields, cybersecurity,GRC,andITauditrely heavilyontime-basedexperience(years ofexposure)toindicatesuccess, wisdom,andexpertise.

Unfortunately,thereisnotmuch evidencetosupporthowincreased yearsofexperiencesignificantly influenceperformance.Butwhy? We’vealwaysusedit,soitmustbe accurate,right?Unfortunately,no. Throughhisquantitativecorrelational research,Dr.Curtisilluminatedthe assumptionsandlimitationsofusing theyearsofexperienceruleasareliable measureofexpertiseandproficiency.In fact,usingyearsofexperienceistoo broadtoobjectivelymeasureskill developmentbecauseitdoesn’t considertheactualhoursworkedina year.Inresponse,heassessedthe relationshipbetweenobtaining additionalyearsofexperience(inwork hours)anditsinfluenceonimproving task-basedperformanceintheITaudit andcybersecurityprofessions.

Interestingly,asthenumberofyears (brokendownintoworkhours) increased,ithadminimalinfluenceon theresearchparticipants’overall performance.

Hestatesthatwealltendto unconsciouslyassumethatadditional “yearsofexposure”(commonly confusedwithyearsofexperience)or timespentonearthautomatically translatestoexpertiseorknowledgeina particularfield.

YearsofExperiencevs.Hours Worked:TheTrueMeasureof Expertise

Throughamathematicalexercise,he debunkstheconventionalnotionof ‘yearsofexperience’asanaccurate measureofactualexpertiseor experience.Dr.Curtisadds,“The exerciseinvolvescalculatingthe averagenumberofworkhoursyou acquireinayear(E.g.,fivedaysa week,times8hoursaday,times52 weeksoutoftheyear=2,080hours). Next,youwillmultiplythisnumberby youryearsofexperience(e.g.,2,080 hourstimesfiveyears=10,400hours).

Lastly,youwilldividethisnumberby thenumberofhoursthatmakeupa trueyearofexperiencetodetermine theactualamountofexperienceyou haveobtainedinworkinghours(e.g., 10,400hours\8,760hours=1.18 years).Thisexerciseshowedthatthe numberofyearsofexperienceclaimed byanindividualmaybesignificantly inflatedwhentranslatedintotheir actualworkhours.”

Throughdatacollectedduringhis research,Dr.Curtisconfirmedthatthe averageprofessionalspends approximatelythreetofourhoursout oftheireight-hourworkdayactually workingonthetasksspecifiedintheir jobdescription( ). Seerelatedvideo

Theremainingtimeisoftenoccupied byplanningactivitiesordistractions, suchasmeetings,emails,andinstant messages.Moreinterestingly,given thatayearconsistsof8,760hours, mostprofessionalsonlyaverage1,800 to2,080hours,whichisnotequivalent toaquarterofayear Toputthatin perspective,itwouldtaketheaverage personfourtofiveyearstoobtainone quantifiableyearofexperiencewhen youcalculateitintoworkhours.

Therefore,using“yearsofexperience” asthesolecriterionforevaluating proficiencyorcompetenceisnot scientificallyvalidandwillresultin hiringindividualswhomayhaveagreat dealofexposurebutmaynothavehigh levelsoftaskproficiencyor demonstrableskills.Instead,Dr.Curtis emphasizestheimportanceoffocusing ontask-basedexperienceandadopting performance-basedinterviewsand competency-basedhiringassessmentsto evaluatecandidates’abilitiesand knowledgeobjectively

StandardizationforEquity:Aligning JobDescriptions,Hiring,and Promotions

Dr.Curtis’sstudyexposesthe divergencebetweentheoretical knowledgeandpracticalskill, underscoringtheneedforstandardized jobdescriptions,hiringpractices,and promotionprocesses.Additionally,it emphasizedtheimportanceofadopting objectiveskillframeworkslikeNICE andSFIAtoevaluateITauditors’and cybersecurityprofessionals’ performance.Ultimately,hisresearch hascontributedvaluableinsightstothe fieldandservesasacatalystfor advancingthecybersecurityprofession withdata-drivenapproaches.

Debunkingthe10,000-hourrule

Dr.Curtisdispelsthefamed10,000-hour rule,originatedbyMalcolmGladwellin ‘Outliers,’whichsuggestsittakes 10,000hoursofpracticetoachieve masteryinanyfield.

However,Dr.Curtisarguedthatthis oversimplifiedinterpretationdisregards criticalfactorscontributingtoexpertise andtask-basedperformance,like:

Deliberatepractice:Thenatureof deliberatepractice,asoriginally researchedbyAndersEricsson,

emphasizesgoal-directedtasks, feedback,andincreasinglycomplex activities.

Task-basedexperience:Aspioneered byBlakeCurtis,considersthenumber oftimesataskisperformed,thehours spentperformingthetaskatwork,and thequalityoroutputofthetask.

TheoryvsPractice:Thedistinction betweendeclarativeknowledge (theory)andproceduralknowledge (practice)andhowbothareessentialin achievingtrueexpertise.

TheUnconfirmed10,000-HourRule: LackofVerificationfromOriginal Researchers

Interestingly,Dr.Curtisdidn’tneed statisticstoprovehispoint.Hefurther unravelsthe10,000-hourrule’sorigin, tracingitbacktoAndersEricsson,the authorityonexpertise,revealing Gladwell’smisinterpretationsof Ericsson’soriginalstudy(Seeoriginal study).EricssonstatedthatGladwell’s interpretationandgeneralizationswere neverconfirmedbytheoriginal researchersinhisbookPeak:TheNew ScienceofExpertise,anarticlecalled TrainingHistory,DeliberatePractice andEliteSportsPerformance,andona podcastcalledFindingMastery, Episode45:TheScienceofExpertise.

Dr.Curtis’sworkhighlightstheneed foraparadigmshiftinhowwe measureandevaluateexpertise,urging theadoptionofobjectiveperformance measuresandtask-basedassessments foramoreaccurateunderstandingof truemasteryinanyfield.

ChallengesandTriumphs

Dr.Curtisencounteredformidable challengesinhisascentthrough cybersecurity,GRC,ITaudit,and academia.AsanAfricanAmerican,he

hadtoovercomevariousstereotypesand biasesassociatedwithhisethnicity, whichsometimesledtobeing underestimatedornottakenseriouslyin professionalsettings.Drivenbytenacity, heconfrontedsuchbiaseshead-on.He coinedtheterm‘TitleBias’inanarticle hedraftedforISACA,whichdelvedinto theissueofbiasbasedonjobtitlesand itsimpactonprofessionals’self-efficacy, careergrowth,confidence,and independence( ). Seearticlehere

Hearguedthattreatingsomeone differentlybasedontheirroleortitleis nodifferentthandiscriminatingagainst someonebasedontheirrace,age, religion,orsexualorientation.The publicationofferedpracticalsolutions andstrategiesfororganizationsto combatTitleBiaseffectively

TheNeedtoGoAboveandBeyond

Heelevatedhimselfasayoungindustry leader.Architectingnumerous cybersecurityand complianceprograms,leading groundbreakingresearch,andobtaining numerousaccoladeswerepivotalin establishinghimselfasatrustedauthority inthefield.Dr.Curtisstatesthatasan AfricanAmerican,thereisanage-old sayingthatmostyoungblackwomenand menweretaughtearlyon:

“You are going to have to do twice as much to get half as much.”

Climbingtheranksinthecybersecurity industryasablackmanandchallenging thestatusquorequiredbreakingthrough glassceilingsandadvocatingfor diversity,equity,andinclusion.Most importantly,Dr.Curtis’spursuitof equitablehiringpracticesanduseof standardizedskillframeworkshelp addresssystemicbiasesandbarriers underlyingphraseslike“yearsof experience.”

However,achievingallofthiswasfar fromeffortless.Pursuingadvanced degreeswhilemanagingademanding careerincybersecurityrequired exceptionaltimemanagementand dedication.Dr.Curtishadtojugglethe responsibilitiesofacademiaandwork, oftenputtinginlonghoursandworking numerousjobstoexcelinbothdomains simultaneously.Likeanyprofessional’s journey,Dr.Curtisfacedrejectionsand setbacks.

“From stepping down from leadership roles to prioritize his family and education to overcoming life-threatening health challenges, each experience fueled his growth-oriented outlook and forged his path to success.”

TheSecretBehindDr.Curtis’s Success

Dr.Curtisattributeshissuccesstoa combinationoffactors,includinghis pursuitofexpertiseincyberpsychology andrelatedfields,hisdedicationto continuouslearninganddeliberate practice,hisabilitytoprocessandretain informationusingmemorytechniques, andhisstoicapproachtoemotional regulationandself-governance.

Additionally,heemphasizesthe importanceofsettingcleargoals, maintainingastrongworkethic,and beingopentomentorshipandguidance fromothers.

Dr.CurtispracticesStoicismasa philosophyoflife,particularlyfor emotionalregulationandselfgovernance.Stoicprinciplesenablehim toretaincomposureamidstchallenges, makerationaldecisions,andgenerate valueforhislovedones,friends,and thosewhoarelessfortunate.Before reactingtoanysituation,heinvokesthe Stoicconceptof“MementoMori” (RememberDeath)topauseand considertheimpactofhiswordsand

actionsonothers,fosteringmorecompassionateandunderstandinginteractions.

Stoicismhelpshimfocusonhisgoals,prioritizehiseducationandpersonal growth,andultimatelyshapehisapproachtoleadershipandmentorshipinthe industry

Interestingly,Dr.CurtisdevelopedacustomLifeOperatingSystem,Exigence, usingtheproductivitytoolNotion,towhichheattributesmuchofhissuccess.His disciplinedapproachmirrorsaCEOmanagingabusiness,featuringamission statement,strategicgoals,variousprojects,actionitems,andacomprehensiveset ofdailypractices.

Thesepracticesencompasscognitiveexerciseslikememorytechniques, communicationscience,andforeignlanguagetraininginthemorning. Additionally,heengagesinactivitieslikestrengthtraining,scientificresearch,and studyingforITcertificationsintheevening.Regularprogresstrackingand frequentreviewsensurehestaysontracktowardhisyearlyobjectives.

DiscoveringtheManBehindtheScience

In2010,Dr.Curtisfacedalife-alteringeventwhenhewasdiagnosedwitha musculardystrophydisorder

Withinthreeweeks,hewentfrombeingastrong,activeindividualtofightingfor everybreathintheICU.Itwasaterrifyingexperiencethatmadehimrealizethe fragilityandtransienceofhislife.

Butthemostprofoundlessoncamenotfromthefearofdyingbutfromthefearof leavingthisworldwithoutmakingameaningfulimpact.Hemadeavowto himselfthatifhesurvived,hewouldliveeverydaywithintentionandpurpose, cherishingeverymomentandleavingapositivemarkonthelivesofothers.

Thistransformativeexperiencepropelledhimonajourneyofgrowthand achievement.He’shadtheprivilegeofsupportingover150studentsincompleting theirmaster’sdegrees.Withaburningdesiretoshareknowledgeandinspire change,hebeganpublishingcontenttoupliftandmotivateothers.Alongtheway, herecognizedtheimportanceofbreakingbarriersandfosteringinclusivity, especiallyforminoritiesandwomen.

Hislife-changingencountertaughthimthattimeisapreciousgiftandweshould embraceeveryopportunitytomakeadifference.Eachstephetakesisatestament tothepowerofpurposefulliving,andhe’sdevotedtoempoweringotherstodo thesame.

Dr.Curtis'ssocialmedia:

Google launches watermarks for AIgenerated images

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Falsephotosandeditedimages

Techcompaniesarefranticallytryingtocomeupwithareliable methodtorecognizeandflagmodifiedinformationasdeep fakesandeditedphotosandvideosbecomemoreconvincing.In recentmonths,AI-generatedimagesofPopeFranciswearinga pufferjacketandtheformerpresidentoftheUnitedStatesbeing detainedwereextensivelysharedbeforehewascharged.

VeraJourova,vicepresidentoftheEuropeanCommission, urgedsignatoriestotheEUCodeofPracticeonDisinformation, whichalsoincludesGoogle,Meta,Microsoft,andTikTok,to “putinplacetechnologytorecognizesuchcontentandclearly labelthistousers”inJune.

WiththeintroductionofSynthID,Googlehasjoinedthe expandinglistofBigTechfirmsandstartupsthatarelookingfor answers.SomeofthesebusinessesgobynameslikeTruepicand RealityDefender,highlightingthepossiblerisksinvolvedinthe questtosafeguardourperceptionofwhatisgenuineandwhatis false.

Trackingthesourceofcontent

WhileGooglehasmostlyadopteditsownstrategy,theCoalition forContentProvenanceandAuthenticity(C2PA),anAdobebackedgroup,hasbeenattheforefrontofdigitalwatermark efforts.

Private company wants to clean up space junk with ‘capture bags’ in Earth orbit

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SecondContractforInflatableCatchBags

ThiswillbeTransAstra’ssecondcontractforinflatablecatch bagsinrecentyears.Additionally,theyweregivenaNASA early-stagecontractfor2021,whichinitiallyhadan emphasisonasteroidorspacerockcaptureHowever, TransAstraquicklyunderstoodthatasteroidsandspace debrisfacemanyofthesamedifficulties.Accordingtofirm representatives,asteroidsproducepebbles,whilespace debriscanproduceminutefragmentsthatmimicthemotion ofpebblesinspace.

JoelSercel,founderandCEOofTransAstra,statedinthe study,“Wesubsequentlyrealisedthisisthegreatestthing everfororbitaldebriscleanup.”Thebusinesssuggestsusing aspacetugtheycallWorkerBeetomanoeuvrethisbag aroundlowEarthorbitinordertocollectnumerouspiecesof junk.

Suchtechnologymightnotbereadyforspaceflightfor severalyearsorevendecades.Buttherewillbealotofwork toaccomplishevenifthemissioncompletelysucceedsand getstospace.

Hurricane Franklin Gains Strength, Takes Aim at Bermuda

SwellsareexpectedtomovetowardtheeastcoastoftheUnitedStates

Franklin’smaximumsustainedwindswerecloseto105mph(165kph)ataround11p.m.Easterntime(0300GMT)whenit wasabout530miles(855km)southwestofBermuda,accordingtoawarningfromtheMiami-basedcenter.

Accordingtotheadvisory,HurricaneFranklinwillcontinuetobuildandintensifyintoamajorhurricaneonMonday.

Majorhurricanesaretropicalstormsthathavetopsustainedwindsof110mph(177kph)ormore.

AnNHCgraphicshowsthatFranklinwillsteerawayfromtheU.S.easternseaboardintheearlyhalfoftheweekbutwill passrelativelyclosetoBermudaonWednesday

AccordingtotheNHC,BermudastartedtoexperienceswellscausedbyFranklinonSundaynight.

Accordingtothestatement,“TheseswellsareexpectedtomovetowardstheeastcoastoftheUnitedStatesoverthenext coupleofdays,possiblyproducinglife-threateningsurfandripcurrentconditions.”

Mexicohasalwayspiquedtheinterestoftouristswithitsbeautifullyrichhistory,culturalroots,andglobally celebratedcuisine.Thecountryisalsonaturallyblessedinotherregards,suchasancientruins,breezybeaches, spectacularmountainsandcanyons,sandydeserts,anddeepforestsonlyaddtoitsbeauty

Thecountryisaparadisefortouristslookingtoembarkonexcitingplaces.However,ifyouareunsurewhether ornotyoushouldsvisitthisbeautifulcountry,youareattherightstartingpoint.Wewillhelpmakethatdecision easyforyou,let’sdivein!

ATrulyWorld-ClassMexican Cuisine

WhilefoodsinMexiconeedno Introduction,herearesomedishesthat wehavehandpickedthatyoushould notmiss:

Tacos

Tacoisthemostfamousdishinthe country,savoredglobally Ataco,in general,isanythingeatenonapieceof softtortilla.Whilethereareseveral typesoftacos,theclassiconeisgrilled overcoalandservedwithafillingof thinlyslicedmeat—ofyourchoice, toppedwithOnion,Guacamole,anda wedgeofLime.

2.Mole

Recognizedasthenationaldish,a Moleisatypeofsaucepreparedusing morethan20ingredientsandserved overchickenorturkey.Themolescan varydependingontheregionyouare visiting.However,themostcommon varietiesincluderedmole,greenmole, yellowmole,andblackmole.

3.ChileEnNogada

Preparedusingpoblanopeppers,the dishisstuffedwithamixtureofmeat, fruits,andnutsandpouredwitha smoothwalnutsauceontop.To creativelyshowcasethecolorsofthe Mexicanflag,thedishisoften garnishedwithpomegranateseedsand cilantro.

Guacamole

AswithTacos,Guacamoleisalsoone oftherenowneddishesrepresentatives ofMexicanfoodculture.Asthelargest producerofthefruit,Avocadosof Mexicoareusedtomakethedip,and it’sgenerallypairedwithtortillachips. Thename,Guacamole,stemsfromthe

Nahuatlword“ahuacamolli,”meaning “avocadosauce.”Thedishlovedbythe globalfoodiepopulationisamusthaveifyou’reinthecountry

5.Chocolate

Whilechocolatesfromcountrieslike SwitzerlandandBelgiumhavemadea nameforthemselves,notmanyknow thatthebirthplaceofChocolateis actuallyMexico.Atonestage, Chocolateswereusedasacurrency duetotheirhighperceivedvalueand haveplayedapartinreligious ceremonies.

Tabasco,oneoftheMexicanstates, producesaround70%ofthecountry’s cocoa.Chocolateloversvisitingcan takethingsfurtherastheyexplorethe localchocolatemuseums.That includestheMuseoDelChocolatein PueblaandtheMuseodeChocolate MayainRivieraMaya.

6.

Tequilaisonedrinkyoushouldcount ontoupgradeyourdrinkingpalette. TequilainMexicoisasubjective matter,however,ouradviceistofind theonethatsuitsyourtaste,andit shouldn’tbetoodifficulteitherwith manybrandstochoosefrom.

OriginatinginMexico,Tequilaismade withtheuseoftheblueagaveplant. Aninterestingfactabouttequilaisthat ithastobemadeinspecificregionsof thecountrytoearnthehonorofa Tequila.Theauthorizedpartsinclude Guanajuato,Jalisco,Michoacán, Nayarit,orTamaulipas.

isaMexican-bornFormulaOne RacingdriverrepresentingtheRed BullRacingTeam.Afteracareer kickstartwithcarting,Checoslowly madehiswayuptothepinnacleof motorsport,F1,withhisgritandtalent. WithFormulaOnegainingglobal popularity,Checo’sfanbaseisalso reachingnewhighs.Today,manyfans andpunditscallhimthe“Mexican MinisterofDefence”forshowcasing hissuperiordrivingskills.

SalmaHayekisarenownedMexican ActressborninCoatzacoalcos, Veracruz.Sheaspiredtobeanactor fromayoungage,androsetofame withhercharacterintheMexican telenovela“Teresa”in1989.Although shebeganwithrelativelysmallerroles, shelaterplayedcharactersin prominentfilmssuchasFrida, Desperado,andTraffic,andotherfilms, ashercareerprogressed.

CarlosSlimisaMexican-born entrepreneurwhooncetoppedthelist ofwealthiestpeopleintheworld.He hasamassedhiswealththrough contributionsinvarioussectorssuchas communications,insurance, construction,energy,mining,retailing, finance,andmore.

Formanyyears,aprimarypartofhis holdingwashisownershipofthe Mexicantelecommunicationcompany Teléfonos de México, alsoknownas Telmex.Inadditiontothat,hehasalso contributedtothephilanthropyfieldby foundinganot-for-profitartmuseum calledMuseoSoumaya.

JavierHernadez,alsolovingly nicknamed“Chicharito,”isafootballer

1.

4.

Tequila

4RenownedPersonalitiesfrom Mexico

1.ChecoPerez SergioPerez,nicknamedChecoPerez,

2.SalmaHayek

3.CarlosSlim

4.JavierHernández

borninGuadalajara.Howdidhe gethisnickname?Chicharito, meaningpea,wasgiventohimfor hisgreeneyes.

Footballwasalwaysabigpartof Chicharito’sfamily,withhisfather andgrandfatherbothrepresenting theMexicanteamatanational level.Inhiscareer,hehas representedseveralworld-known clubssuchasManchesterUnited, RealMadrid,andSevilla,andthe latest—LAGalaxy

7Unheard-ofFactsaboutMexico

1.RealNameofMexico

Whilealmosteveryonecallsit Mexico,thecountry’sofficialname isEstadosUnidosMexicanosor theUnitedMexicanStates.

2.HairlessDogofMexico

ConsideredsacredbybothAztecs andMayan,Xoloitzcuintlehas beenanintegralpartofMexican culture.Itsnamecomesfrom Xolotl,godoflightninganddeath, anditzcuintli,whichmeansdog. TheAztecsheldabeliefthatthis dogwascreatedbythegodto protectlivingbeingsandguidethe soulsofthedeadthroughMictlán, knownastheunderworldof Aztecs.

3.Don’tShave&Drive

In2008asasafetymeasure,the MexicancityofTorreonstarted penalizingpeoplewhoputon make-uporshavedtheirbeards withelectricrazors,whilethey drovetheirvehicles simultaneously.Don’tsaywe didn’ttellyouandmakesureyou don’tshaveanddriveordoyour makeupwhenyouvisit.

4.

Most-VisitedInLatinAmerica

AreportbytheWorldTourism OrganizationplacedMexicointhe 10thspot,alludingthatitisthemost visitedLatinAmericancountry,with themostnumberofglobalvisitors.

5.WorldCultureHeritageCuisine

ItisnosecretthatMexicancuisineis oneofthemostlovedcuisineinthe world.Asatestamenttotheglobal adoration,itwasdeclaredaglobal culturalheritage,withafeaturein UNESCO’sIntangibleHeritageof Humanitylist.

6.35WorldHeritageSites

OnthelistofUNESCO’sWorld HeritageSites,thecountryranks seventhwithatotalof35World HeritageSites.Thosesitesinclude varioustouristattractionssuchasruins, mines,canals,andmore.

7.NotaSingleOfficialLanguage

That’sright,whileSpanishisthe country’sdominantlanguage,Mexico doesnothaveasinglenational language.However,the60-plus languagesusedacrossthecountryare nothingbutatestamenttothecountry’s diversity

OurVerdict

WhileavisitbetweenNovemberto Marchisideal,eveninothermonths, Mexicoisstillafascinatingplacetobe in.Fromitsgobsmackingfood,world heritagesites,andscenicnatural beautytothewelcomingnatureofthe locals,Mexicoisoneofthemost iconicglobaldestinationsthatone shouldvisitatleastonceintheir lifetime.

From Cold Wars to Global Empowerment

Analluringweekendvibeisabouta bunchoffriendsvisitingyourplaceto watchyourfavoritesportsteamplay The funisboostedupwhenyouhaveordered pizzasandPepsibottlesarewaitingfor youintherefrigerator Afewhourslater, justtopassthetimeafterhalf-time,you getLay'spacketsformunchingandmore Pepsibottles.Howdoesitsound?Before yougointothepastandcravethetasteof pizza,Pepsi,andLay's,webringyour attentiontotheinterestingstoryofhow theseproductsreachyou.Inthisarticle, youwillreadaboutthejourneyof PepsiCo,aparentcompanyofPepsi, Lay's,andmanyotherproducts.

CrucialMomentsinPepsiCo's History:

Aleadingfoodandbeveragescompany, PepsiCohascomesofarandinthis section,wearegoingtothrowlighton thesignificantmomentsthatpusheditto whereitistoday:

• 1898:Pepsi-Colawasinventedby CalebBradham

• 1965:PepsiCo,Inc.wasfoundedby DonaldM.Kendall,theCEOof Pepsi-Cola,andHermanW.Lay,the CEOofFrito-Lay

• 1967:ThePepsiGeneration advertisingcampaignstarted

• 1976:Afterbeingintroducedin Dallas,Texas,thePepsiChallenge becameanationalcampaign

• 1981:Nutritionallabelingbeganfor Frito-Lay

• 1988:“TheChoiceofaNew Generation”foundMichaelJackson asitsspokesperson

• 1988:Doritos,producedbyFritoLay,becamethebest-sellingsnack chipsglobally

• 1991:SingerRayCharlesandthe Uh-HuhGirlswerefeaturedin commercials

• 1993:Freshnessdatingwas introducedbyPepsi-Cola

• 1996:PepsiCo.comandPepsi Stuffwereunveiledin

• 2000:ThePepsiChallengewas revived

• 2002:GatoradeICE,GoSnacks, andPepsiBluewereintroducedby PepsiCo

PivotalFactorsContributedto PepsiCo'sBusinessBreakthrough

Withasplendidcombinationofunique visionandstrongmanagement, Pepscioisdominatingnotjustthefood andbeveragesindustrybutalsoother companiesintheworld.Oneofthekey factorsthatledtothegrowthofthe companyisthatitneverlosestouch withchangingtrendsandlifestyles.In thispart,wewillshedlightonsuch factors:

• ThePepsiChallenge:The Pespicocompanyannounceda 'PepsiChallenge'inwhich consumerswereinvitedtotaste theColadrinksblindly The campaignwasahugesuccessfor thecompanyleadingtoearninga greatershareofprofitfromthe market.Throughthisevent, PepsiCochallengedthegiantof thebeverageindustryCoca-Cola.

• Diversifyingtheproducts:In 1990,PepsiCodecidedtodiversify itsproductsandmanufacture beyondsoftdrinks.Itacquired brandsofsnackssuchasFritoLay,QuakerOats,andTropicana. Furthermore,theproductswere expandedintoothercategories

suchassportsdrinksandenergy drinks.Thismovegavethe companyanextraedgeoverits competitorsandbuiltawellroundedassociationwhosesales werelessreliantonsoftdrinks.

• StrategicAcquisition:PepsiCo wasinvolvedinseveralstrategic acquisitionsthatexpandedits businessandhelpedtoenterinto newindustries.Oneofthebest examplesofacquisitionisbuying theRussianJuiceandDairy companyWimm-Bill-Danndueto whichPepsiCogainedafoothold intheRussianmarket.

• ConsistentInnovationand GlobalExpansion:Currently, PepsiCooperatesin200countries andreachesnewcustomersby tappingintoemergingmarket economieslikeIndiaandChina. Moreover,itneverfailsto innovateandproposenew productsinthemarket.Itsnew productsPepsiMaxandPepsi Nextareforhealth-conscious consumers.

• SustainableBusinessPractices: PepsiCoistakingserioussteps towardsenvironmentconservation thatincludessustainablebusiness practices.Itencompassesreducing carbonfootprint,conservingwater, andpromotingrecycling.Now,the companyhasattracted environment-consciouscustomers andbecametheleaderincorporate sustainability.

• DigitalTransformation:PepsiCo isinvestingheavilyindigital transformationbyusing technologytoimprovemarketing strategiesandsupplychain management.Itsdigitaltoolsare improvinginventorymanagement andreducingdelaysinproduct

Case S tudy

Case S tudy

• delivery.Thecompanyisusingsocialmedia platformsinnovativelybyusingvarioushashtags initscampaigns.

Lastly,PepsiCo'sabilitytoadapttochanging customerneedsandpreferencesdirecteditsglobal expansionandstrategicacquisitions.

NewAcquisitionsofPepsico

PepsiCohasbecomeacolossalcompetitorinthefast food,snacks,andbeveragesmarketsinceithas acquiredthreerestaurantchainsthatconsistofPizza Hut,TacoBell,andKentuckyFriedChicken(KFC). However,afewyearslater,PepsiCosoldthemand introducedseveralnewdrinksnamely,DietPepsi, PepsiFree,andSlice.Furthermore,PepsiCohas signedtheworld'smosttalentedandfamous superstarslikeMichelJackson.In1940,thecompany announceditsfirstradiojingle,called“Nickel Nickel”.

ChallengesFacedbyPepsiCo

In1980,PepsiCofacedadifficulttimeofuncertainty andscandal.ItsemployeesinMexicoandthe Philippineswerecaughtinascandalwherethey submittedfalsedocuments.Documentsshowedthat thecompanywasmakingmoremoneythanit recorded.Theincidencereducedthesharemarket valueofthecompanyanddecreaseditsprofitby 25%.Afterafewyears,itchangeditsrecipetoa century-oldsyrupandintroducedanewtasteofthe productcalledNewCoke.However,itsloyal customerstrolledthenewproductandaskedtocome backtotheoldone.

SuccessofPepsi

ConsumersenjoyPepsibecauseofitsengagingand entertainingcommercials.Similarly,Pepsibecame moresuccessfulthanotherproductsofPepsiCo becauseofitscommercials.Itdebutedadsduring mostratedtelevisionprograms.PepsiCoSpent6 milliondollarsadvertisingitsdrinkthrough celebritiesonanannualbasis.Duetothis,itstayed aheadoftheColaraceandPepsiCobecamethe largestsearchedcompanyovertheinternet.Celebrity endorsementandsponsorshipofsportscompanies enhancedthebrandappealofPepsiandmadea deeperconnectionwithcustomers.

MarketingStrategiesofPepsiCo

Practicallyspeaking,thecolaracehasoccupieda majorshareofthebeveragemarket.PepsiCo's successandgrowthcanbeattributedtoits advertisingandmarketingstrategies.Hereare fourmarketingstrategieseverybusinesscan learnfromPepsiCo:

1.Investingintherightchannels:Accordingto PepsiCo'sreport,thecompanyhasincreasedits globalmarketshareby12%in2019.Amajor partofthisgoestodigitalmarketingand advertising.However,PepsiCoisspendingon traditionalmarketstrategiesliketelevision advertisementsandposters.Recently,thebrand isfindingaconnectionwithsocialmedia customersandbecamemoreconsciousabout customerservices.

2.Choosingtherightsponsorship:Inaddition topromotionalcampaigns,PepsiCofocuses moreonchoosingtherightsponsorsand partners.In2016,thecompanypartneredwith theBoardofControlforCricketinIndia(BCCI). In2017,itpartneredwithUEFAChampions Leagueforthesecondtime.

3.Attractallkindsofcustomers:PepsiCodoes notfocusonspecificcustomers,asittakescare ofalltypesofthem.Thecompanyisexpanding itsnutritiousproductstotargethealth-conscious consumers.Itswideportfolioisfullofavariety ofproductsthathavedelicioustastesandflavors. Itkeepsfollowingnewtrendsinpackagingand updatingdesigns.

4.Purpose-relatedmarketing:PepsiCoattracts sociallyconsciouscustomersbyfeaturing purpose-relatedmarketing.Itsenvironmentorientedcampaignsbuildcommunity engagement.#PepsiCoRecyclingcampaignis raisingawarenessabouttheimportanceofwaste management.

Throughamulti-channelapproach,celebrity endorsement,socialmediaengagement,and creativecampaigns,PepesiCostriveshardto maintainitspositionasaleadingplayerinthe foodandbeveragesindustry

PepsiCov/sCoca-Cola

PepsiCoandCoca-Colahaveastrongpresenceinnotjustthebeverageindustrybutalsointhefastfood andsnacksindustry.However,therearenotabledifferencesbetweenbothofthemintermsofmarketing strategies,brandings,andproductofferings.

Inconclusion,thereisalotmorecompetitioninthemarkettodayinthefoodandbeveragesindustry PepsiCoiscopingwiththechangingtrendsandupcomingchallenges.Itisachievingnewheightsof successwithbreathtakinginnovationsandexperiments.IfyouwanttogrowyourbusinesslikePepsiCo, youcanrefertothisarticleasagoodcasestudyandimplementitsstrategiesforabrightfutureforyour business.

Ifconveyedinanengagingmanner,goodstoriescandevelopintogreat ones.AtTheEnterpriseWorld,weareonapursuittogivevoicetosome oftheuntoldsuccessstoriesfromtheworldofbusiness.Ourproficient teamhastheknackforidentifyingsuccessfulstoriesandtransforming themintocompellingstoriesthroughourprofessionalandartistictouch. This,combinedwithourprovenindustryexperience,makeourmagazines compellingandinsightful.

Inthesebusinessstories,wecoverclientsacrossvarioussectorssuchas technology,consulting,finance,manufacturing,healthcare,etc.These includeinspiringsuccessstoriesofcompaniesaswellasbusinessleaders fromtheseverticals.FromNorth&SouthAmerica,Europe,andMiddleeasttoAfricaandAPAC,weserveclientsacrosstheglobe.Theseclients includestartups,smallandmedium-sizedbusinesses(SMBs),aswellas largeconglomerates.

Wefocusonbuildingpositiveandlong-termrelationshipswithourclients. Toalignwiththeclient'svisionandmission,wegiveahumantouchto everystorywepublish.Ourteamprioritizesthepromotionofservicesand productsofclientsthroughourreader-friendlyplatform.Ourexperiencein storytellinghelpsusconnectwiththefeaturedleaders/companies,helping themachievesteadyorganicgrowthwithouthavingtoinvesttoomuch timeormoney.

Wealsokeepinmindouravidreaders.Throughtheseneatly-depicted businesssuccessstories,weaimtoinspiretheyoungergenerationto pursueentrepreneurshipandbusinessasalucrativecareeroption. Moreover,throughourexclusivesection'TheEnterpriseDiary',we providereaderswiththemuch-necessarymarketinsightsandtrendsfrom thebusinessworld.

Keep reading our magazine to get inspired and stay up-to-date with everything business!

10 Steps to Finding a Banking PartnerThat SupportsYour Entrepreneurial Vision

Everybusinessstartswithan entrepreneurialvision,whichconsists oftheboldandinnovativeideasthat driveentrepreneurstofollowtheir dreamsandmakeamarkintheir desiredmarket.Torealizethisvision, however,would-bebusinessowners needtofindafinancialpartnerthatcan understandwhatthey'retryingto achieve.

Withasupportivecommercialbankby theirside,entrepreneursinthe Philippineshaveeasieraccessto tailoredfinancialsolutions,resources, andexpertisefrompeoplewhocanhelp themrealizetheirvision.Boththe fundingandguidanceofferedbya reliablefinancialpartnerwillenable buddingbusinessownerstonavigate thefinanciallandscapewithconfidence, propellingtheirentrepreneurialvision towardsuccess.Howcanyoureap thesebenefitsandfindapotential bankingpartnerforbusinessthatshares yourvisionforyourcompany?

Here'sastep-by-stepguidefor findingapotentialbankingpartner.

1.Defineyourentrepreneurialvision

Beforeyouevenstartlookingfora potentialbankingpartner,it'sessential foryoutohaveaclearunderstandingof whatyourentrepreneurialvisionis reallylikeandwhatsetsitapartfrom thoseofothers.Beginbydefiningyour goals,mission,andvaluesforyour business.Byrunningyourown business,whatdoyouaimtoachieve? Then,whatkindoffinancialsupport willyouneedalongtheway?

Byclearlydefiningyourvisionandthe natureofthefinancialresourcesyou require,youcaneffectively communicateyourneedsand expectationstopotentialbanking partners.Thiswillalsoensureabetter alignmentofyourvaluesandgoalswith thoseofyourfinancialpartners.

2.AssessYourFinancialNeeds

Afterclarifyingwhatyourvisionis like,yournextstepistodefinethe nitty-grittyofyourfinancialneeds andrequirementsasanentrepreneur. Considerallthespecificbanking servicesandproductsthatyoucan utilizetosupportyourvision.These couldincludebusinessloans,linesof credit,merchantservices,cash managementsolutions,oreven internationalbankingcapabilities, dependingonthenatureandscaleof yourbusiness.

Assessyourfundingrequirements, cashflowmanagementneeds,and anyindustry-specificfinancial challengesyoumayencounterwhile runningyourbusiness.Reviewing theseitemswillhelpyouidentifythe typesofbankingservicesthatwill trulysuityourbusinessinyourquest tofindgrowthandsuccess.

3.DoSomeResearchonYour BankingOptions

Next,ifyourunasmall-tomediumsizedbusiness,dosomeresearchto identifybankingoptionsthatcater specificallytoentrepreneursas opposedtolargebusinessesor multinationalconglomerates.Check outaPhilippinecommercialbank thathasastrongtrackrecordof supportingsmallbusinessesand startups.Explorewebsites,read customerreviewsandtestimonials, andseekrecommendationsfrom fellowentrepreneursorindustry associations.

Payattentiontobanksthatspecialize inprovidingfinancialsolutionsfor businessesatyourstageofgrowth. Researchingmultipleoptionswill helpyounarrowdownyourchoices andselectabankthatalignswith yourentrepreneurialvisiongiven yoursizeandyourneeds.

4.EvaluatetheBank'sServicesandExpertise

Whenassessingpotentialbankingpartners,becarefulaboutweighingtherange ofservicesandexpertisetheyoffer.Again,lookforbanksthatprovide customizedsolutionstailoredtotheneedsofentrepreneurs.Considertheir experienceinprovidingonlinebusinessbankingservicestostartupsandsimilar typesofbusinesses,innovativedigitalbankingsolutions,andbusinessadvisory services.

AbankingpartnerlikeMayaBusiness,whichboastsspecializedexpertiseinthe financialindustry,canoffervaluableinsightsandguidancetohelpyounavigate variousfinancialchallengesandseizegrowthopportunities,allwhilehelping youoverseeyourday-to-dayfinancialneeds.You'llalsowanttotrustinyour potentialbankingpartner'sabilitytoprovideproactivesupportandstayupdated withthelatestfinancialtrendsandregulationsrelevanttoyourbusiness.All thesewillsettheperfectbankingpartnerapartfromothers.

5.ConsidertheAccessibilityandTechnologyoftheBankingSolution

It'salsoagoodideatoconsidertheaccessibilityandrangeoftechnologies offeredbyprospectivebanks.Determineiftheyhaveconvenientlylocated branchesorarobustonlinebankingplatformthatcaterstoyourneedsand doesn'trequireyoutoadjusttoasteeplearningcurve.

Intoday'sdigitalage,it'salsoessentialtoseekoutseamlessonlineandmobile bankingexperiences.Lookforbanksthatprovideuser-friendlyinterfaces, advancedsecuritymeasures,anddigitaltoolsthatcanstreamlineyourfinancial managementprocesses.Accessibilityandtechnologyplayacrucialroleinhow efficientlyandsecurelyyoucanmanageyourbusiness'sfinancialtransactions, soconsiderthesetwofactorsdeal-makerswhenchoosingabank.

6.ReviewtheBank'sTermsandConditions

Neverforgettothoroughlyreviewthetermsandconditionsofbankingservices providedbyyourpotentialbankingpartners.Paycloseattentiontofees,interest rates,transactionlimits,andanyrestrictionsorrequirementsyoumayhaveto

observe,andensurethatthesetermsalignwith yourbusiness'sfinancialgoalsandexpectations.

Beawareofanyhiddenfeesorchargesthatmay impacttheoverallcost-effectivenessofyour bankingrelationship.Familiarizingyourselfwith thetermsandconditionspresentedbyapotential bankingpartnerwillhelpyoumakeaninformed decisionandavoidanynegativesurprisesdown theline.

7.SeekPersonalizedSupportfromYour potentialbankingpartner

Entrepreneursoftenbenefitfrompersonalized supportfromtheirbankingpartners.Lookfor banksthathavededicatedrelationshipmanagersor businessspecialistswhounderstandtheunique needsofentrepreneurs.

Banksthatarecommittedtobuildingalong-term relationshipandarewillingtogotheextramileto supportyourentrepreneurialjourneyareagood choice.Whetherthey'regivingyouadviceonyour financialdecisions,openingupnewnetworking opportunitiesforyou,orconnectingyouwith industryexpertsandresources,you'lldefinitelyget morevalueoutofyourrelationshipwithyour bank.

8.ConsidertheBank'sReputationandStability

Reputationandstabilityarecrucialfactorsto considerwhenchoosingapotentialbanking partner.Youshoulddoyourresearchonthebank's reputationinthemarketanditstrackrecordof supportingbusinesseslikeyours.Assessits financialstability,longevityintheindustry,and commitmenttoservingentrepreneursaswellas bigbusinesses.Astableandreputablebankwill instilconfidenceinyouandprovideyouwiththe necessaryassurancethatyou'llbeamplysupported inyourentrepreneurialvisionforthelongterm.

9.ScheduleMeetingsandAskQuestions

Onceyou'veshortlistedpotentialbankingpartners, schedulemeetingsorconsultationswiththeir representatives.Usethisopportunitytoask specificquestionsabouttheirservices,expertise, andhowyourvisionandtheirfinancialapproaches align.

Inquireabouttheirresponsivenessandwillingnesstounderstandyour business.Takenoteoftheirabilitytoprovidecustomizedsolutions, theirknowledgeofyourhomeindustry,andthelevelofenthusiasm theydemonstrateforsupportingentrepreneurs.Theseinteractionswill helpyougaugethecompatibilityandsuitabilityofeachpotential bankingpartnerandnarrowyourchoicedowntoone.

10.WeighYourFinalDecisionCarefully

Aftercompletingtheprevioussteps,itwillbetimetomakean informeddecisionandselectthebankingpartnerthatbestalignswith yourcurrentbusinessgoals.Again,weighfactorsliketheir understandingofyourindustry,theircommitmenttoinnovation,their compatibilitywithyourbusiness'svalues,andthepotentialtocultivate along-termpartnershipwiththem.

Assessingthesefactorswillallowyoutoconfidentlychoosea potentialbankingpartnerthatwillsupportyourentrepreneurial journeyandcontributetothegrowthandsuccessofyourbusiness.

Whenyou'vefoundabankthattrulysupportsyourentrepreneurial vision,you'llbewell-equippedtogoevenfurtherwithyourbusiness. Takingalltheinsightsaboveintoconsideration,chooseyourfinancial partnerwiselyandstaytruetoyourvisionofmakingadifferencein theworldthroughyournewbusinessendeavours.

Adobe InDesign Review

EstablishmentYear:1999

Founder:AldusCorporation

Headquarters:Indianapolis,Indiana,UnitedStates

No.ofEmployees(asof2022):26000+ Website:https://www.adobe.com/products/indesign.html

Overview

AdobeInDesignisapagelayoutdesigningsoftware anddesktoppublishingapplicationproducedby AdobeInc.Itcanbeusedtodesignstunningpersonal businesscardsandcreatecompanyposters,resumes, brochures,magazines,etc.Itistheultimatepage designappforanycreation.Itexportsdocumentsin Adobe'sPortableDocumentFormat(PDF).It supportsmultiplelanguagesanditwasthefirst nativeMacOSXpublishingsoftware.Adobe InDesignprovidesadvancedtypographywithOpen TypeFonts.Itslaterversionsintroducednewfile formats.

HistoryofAdobeInDesign

AdobeInDesignisthesuccessorofPageMaker, whichwasacquiredin1994bybuyingAldus.It receivedaboostinthemarketofdistributionthrough bundlingwithPhotoshop,Illustrator,andAcrobatin theCreativeSuite.AdobedevelopedInDesignCS3 (CreativeSuit3)asuniversalbinarysoftwarewhich iscompatiblewithnativeIntelandPowerPCMac machines.Adobewillbethefirstwithacomplete lineofversatileapplications.Itcametobethefirst DTPapplicationtosupportUnicodefortext processingwhereadvancedtransparencyfeatures wereused.

FeaturesofAdobeInDesign

AdobeInDesignhasspecificuseandpropertiesthat differentiateitfromothercompetitorsinthemarket. Itsuniquefeaturesprovideadistinctidentitytoit whichishelpfulforeverydesignerforflawlesswork. HereisthelistofuniquefeaturesofAdobeInDesign:

1.MasterPageFunction:InDesigncouldbea defaultsoftwareifanyprojectneedsamulti-page designpublication.Itprovidesamasterpage functionbyautomaticallyputtingpagesinserial numbers.Thisprocessallowsuserstoeditnumerous pagesinasingleedit.

2.ResizingContentinFrames:Resizingcontentis avitalpartofInDesign.Itcouldbebeneficialfor completingprojectsifthesizeofthecontentcanbe changedindependentlyoftheframesize.Adobe InDesignmakessurethatcontentmaintainsthe integrityofimagesandalterspublications appropriately

3.Interactivity:InDesigncaneasilydesignaform andexportitdirectlytoPDF.Itbecomeseasierto representdesignsthroughslideshow,e-books, animations,pdf,etc.

Therefore,thereisnoneedforanyotherspecific applicationtoconvertdocumentsindifferent formats.

4.ContentConveyor:Thecontentplacerand contentcollectorbotharecrucialpartsofInDesign. Acontentcollectortoolcaneasilyreplicatethe contentofanyshape,object,orimage.Itcollectsthe contentintothepanelandtheroleofthecontent placertoolistoestablishthecontentwithinthe severaldocuments.

5.Textframefitting:Adjustingtextinaparticular framecouldbeatoughjob.However,Adobe InDesignoffersflexibilitytoadjustthewidthand columnoptions.Withthehelpofthesefeatures,it becomeseasiertoeditandresizethecolumns,and marginsanytime.

CustomerReviews

AdobeInDesignprovidesdigitaldocumentslike flyers,posters,andothertypesofmediareportswith richgraphicsandimages.Herearethemostrecent customerreviewsofAdobeInDesign:

Ÿ Easeofcreatingprintablebooklets“Adobe InDesignisaperfectpickfordesigningand publishinglayouts.Ialmostusethissoftware dailyinmyworktopresentideascreatively.Itis bestsuitedfororganizingcontentandisusedto makemostprintanddigitalstuff.Integrates seamlesslywithAdobecreativesuite.”RuchikaSave(GraphicDesigner)

Ÿ TheGo-ToSoftwareforDesigningIntricate andComplexDocuments“AdobeInDesignis currentlybeingusedinourcompanytocreate and/orreceivedesignfilesforourclients'direct mailneeds,thismostlyincludesformsand envelopes.Wealsouseittocreatethecopy decksforthedirectmailwesendout.The softwareisonlyusedbyourMarketingand Lettershopdepartments.Thereasonwechoose AdobeInDesignoverotherproductsisbecause ofitscomplexityandstandardizationinthe industry.”-AllieEServer(Marketing OperationsManager)

ProsandConsofusing Adobe

Indesign

Likeeveryothersoftwaretool, AdobeInDesignhasitsprosandcons. Takealook:

RegardingAdobeInDesign

1.WhattypeofsoftwareisInDesign? InDesignisadesktoppublishingandpage layoutdesigningsoftwareapplicationthatis producedbyAdobeInc.Ithelpstocreate brochures,magazines,posters,etc.

2.WhatisthelatestversionofAdobe InDesign?

ThelatestversionofAdobeInDesignis Version18.3whichcametothemarketin April2023.Itprovidesfixesforstability, performanceissues,andfunctionalities.

3.IsAdobeInDesignfreetouse?

Itisnotcompletelyfree,however,Adobe InDesignprovidesa7-dayfreetrialinwhich youcanuseallfeaturesandupdatesofthe tool.

8 Common Mistakes When Buying Commercial Truck Insurance

Atransportationbusiness,especiallydealingwithtrucksis alwaysrisky.Whetheryouownasingletruckorafleetfor yourbusiness,perfecttruckinsuranceisagreatdealto catch.

Gettingagoodinsurancedealisnotalwayseasyandthere isabigroomformistakesthatyoucanmakewhilebuying truckinsurance.So,wehavepreparedanencyclopediclist ofcommonmistakeswhenbuyingcommercialtruck insurance.

Continuetoread!

8CommonCommercialTruckInsuranceMistakesto Avoid:

1.Selectingthefirstavailableinsurance

Whenyoustartpurchasingtruckinsurance,youmayget throughsomanyoptions.Italsomakessensetokeepaneye onallaroundtogetthebestdeals.

Butifyoudohurrywhilechoosingtheinsurance,thenit maybeablunderonyourside.Justyoushouldknowthe

exactcoverageneedsandfeaturesanddoagood comparisonofpricesandthenselectthebestone.Thisone isapplicableespeciallywhenyougetyourownauthorityin trucking.

2.Takingintoconsiderationthecostonly

Thisisoneofthemostcommonmistakeswhenbuying commercialtruckinsurance.Thecostofthepremiumplan shouldnotbetheonlycriterionforselectinganinsurance policyforyourbusiness.

Theexpenseofthepremiumdependsuponthefeatures includedinit.Ifyoufallforanycheappolicy,thenitmay costyoumoreinthefutureasitmayhavesomeloopholes init.So,it'sveryessentialforyoutoknowwhatexactly youneed.

3.Notreadingthecompleteagreement

Readingthewholedetailsoftheinsurancebeforebuyingis amusttoavoidanyhiddencostsinthefuture.Many companieshaveaprovisionofsomeannualfeesorsome kindoffinesfornewtruckdrivers.Actually,thereisa

reasonbehindthisasnewcommercialbusinessescanberisky fortheinsurers.

So,Don'tlettheirmentalstateorrisk,setyouback.You shouldtrytoreadthewholeagreementThenonlyyoucanfind aninsuranceproviderthatwillnotpenalizeyouinanycase.

4.Notgettingproperneededcoverage

Thedifferenttransportlocationsmayhavedifferent requirements.Butthataloneisnotenoughforyoutofindthe rightcoverage.Ifyouhavecommercialvehiclesonlease,then maybethelenderwantstobesecuredbylettingyoucarry collisioncoverage.

Also,ifyouhaveanewcollectionoftrucksthenthestate minimumisunabletobeartheactuallosscost.Ifyoudon't haveenoughinsurancecoverage,thenyoumayface difficultiesinreplacingexpensivetrucksortheirparts.

5.Avoidingdeductibles

Adeductibleisthesumofmoneythatyouhavetopayforthe lossbeforethestartoftheinsuranceclaimbythecompany underyourpolicyterms.Alowdeductibleamountmeansa highpremiumvalue.Thesetwoareinterrelatedactually.But whatyouhavetochoosebetweenlowdeductiblesorlow premiumcostentirelydependsupontheriskyourtruckmay face.

Practically,ifyourtruckoperatesinalow-riskareawithalow accidentrate,thenyoushouldgoforahighdeductiblepolicy thatisfitinthiscaseasyoudon'tneedtoclaiminsurance often.

Lowdeductiblescancostyouhighmonthlypaymentsbutcan assistyoutosavemoneyinthelongterm.So,itwillbesucha hugemistaketoignorethedeductibleswhileoptingforany commercialtruckinsurance.

6.Crossingyourbudgetlimit

Thelastbutmostimportantonethatfitsineveryfieldis crossingyourbudgetlimit.Commercialdriver'slicense(CDL) insurancerequirementscanvaryasperdifferentlocationsand yourrequirements.

Ifyoufindthelowestpriceforthiscover,itcansound interestingbutnotcontainallofyourrequirements.And oppositely,ifyouwanttogoforlowdeductiblesorfull reimbursementsthenyouhavetocross-checkthatvery carefullyasitmayburnyourpocketwithoutanyneedforit.It maynotgowellwithyourcompanyandburnyourpocketin thelongrun.

7.Notbeingpunctualinpolicyrenewal

Ifyouarethinkingtostayfreeafteroptingforapolicy coverforyourcommercialtruck,thenyoumaybe wrong.Thisisablackholethatmayleadyoutoavery unsettlingplace.It'simportanttohavecommercialtruck insurancecoverageatalltimes.

Youdon'twanttotakeanychanceswhenitcomesto yourvehicle'ssafety.Increasingcasesofrashdriving, naturalcalamities,androadaccidentsarereferencesto thekeenneedforvehicleinsurance.Beingpunctualin policyrenewaleasesthepressureofnotbeingfully securedwhenyouaredriving.

8.Alwaysstickingwiththesameinsurer

Drivingatruckforthefirsttimeisfrequentlyaproving ground,justlikewithanynewundertaking.Your insurancepremiumsmightincreaseifyouencounter costlyissues.However,ifyouaresuccessful,the majorityofinsuranceproviderswillreducetheirrates.

Afterayear,tomakesureyou'restillreceivingthebest deal,explorecoverageoptionsonceagain.Giventhat youhaveevidenceofyourbusiness'scapabilities,there maybeanotherinsurerinclinedtotakeachanceonyour businessifyourexistinginsuranceprovidercannot provideyouwithbetterterms.

KeyNote

Investingmoneyonanythingneedsadeepconsideration andbuyingcommercialtruckinsuranceisoneofthem. Youspendthousandsoncoveringyourcommercial vehiclewhichshouldpayyououtatthetimeofneed.

Ensuringthesafetyofatruckuntilitreachestheservice stationorotherlocationisrisky.So,protectingyour moneyisimportant.Youshouldgothroughyour commercialtruckinsurancetermsandconditionskeenly Ifyoufaceconfusionorarenotsureaboutanysegment, asktheinsurerrightawaybeforeputtingyourinitialson thepaper

Makecomparisonsfairly,don'tjustgobytheprice. Keepalltheabove-mentionedmistakestoavoidin mind.Onceyouseethattheinsurancecompanyis providingtherighttypeofcoverageforyour commercialvehiclesthenonlygoaheadwiththedeal.

Thinkwisely,andmostimportantlystayprotectedwith thefinestcoverage!