ThePowerful April 2018 by Francie Baldwin

Powerful Magazine April 2018

INSIDE 06_

30_

From Zero to Hero with Mel Gibson

Apple Watch Vs. LG Smartwatch

10_ Stock Market Trading With Jurgen Pallien

14_ Best High-Tech Luggage for Business Travelers

18_ Trump Vs. Bezos Who will win?

22_ April Destinations Worth Noting

34_ To Franchise Or Not To Franchise

54_ Ketogenic Diet Fad or Fiction?

57_

...thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the question

Items You Need On Your Desk

40_

58 _

Is Work Stressing You Out?

The Power Of B r a n d i n g

46_

63_

Do Tattoos Impact Success?

Digital Wallets

50_ Volkswagen Crash or Burn?

Should We Be Using Them?

68_ What A Successful Financial Advisor Would Tell His 20 Year Old Self Today

Nothing is More Powerful then the Truth That is the fundamental idea, and the basis of why The Powerful started. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern culture media has become very one sided, regardless of the side, it tends to only want to discuss whatever side they are in support of. The Powerful is aimed in giving you the power to make your own decision and formulate your own opinion and view. At The Powerful we feel there is no right and wrong only the power of information that you can arm yourself with. In our first issue we wanted to give you, our readers, a sample of the different variety of topics that we want to cover. Everything from politics, business, leadership, real estate and life. Our intent isto discuss a little of everything that is going on in the world today. You can check out The Powerful online for more stories and updated content at ThePowerful.com You can find the stories that are featured here in the magazine online where you can comment and weigh in on what you think. Sincerely,

Francie Editor

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EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTE

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FROM ZERO TO HERO WITH MEL GIBSON Everyone has a story; a path that they took to become successful, but everyone’s path is different and unique. The one thing that does stay the same is having to put in hard work and dedication to create what you want for yourself.

JT Foxx had the opportunity to sit down with actor Mel Gibson to discuss how one can go from nothing to a huge success and what steps need to be taken to ensure you get there.

JT – Wow! You’ve got a beard going on there, is it for a movie? Mel – No, I am just lazy (chuckles), plus my girlfriend likes it so I keep it. JT – So Mel, 68% of the audience here are women... Mel – right?

And everyone is here for an entrepreneurial seminar,

JT – Yes! I watched the movie “What Women Want”. I watched it 5 times, and I still do not know what women want… so tell me, what do they want!? Mel – Well it is somewhere between conversation and chocolate, but I think once you get to know them a little better, they just want your soul ha-ha. Interesting story, this one time I had an interesting experience with this woman, and she told me that she was a clairvoyant, and then she told me a couple of things that were spot on about me and stuff she could not have known. I was about 41 years old. She was talking about all these things, and then casually dropped into the conversation that I would die in 15 years, so I said wait – did you just tell me I’m going to die in 15 years!? I was really upset because the other stuff she said was true… and by the way, I’m 61 years old now so she was wrong!

JT – You’ve made some serious money. Mel – Yes, a lot of dough!

Mel – You know, a lot of people didn’t believe in that movie. At the time, I didn’t think it was going to do as well as it did. I just told myself I was going to do it for me.

JT – Like the Passion of the Christ movie...

Mel – Oh man, I don’t even remember. I think around $1.3 billion JT – Wow! And you built a church, right? Mel – Yes, you’ve got to give something back right. JT – You have a lot of kids, right? Mel – I have 9 kids yeah! JT – So I noticed something, your movies are all really good. The directing, there’s this intricate detail that you don’t see anything else, it’s kind of graphic and you get immersed into the film and you directed Braveheart. But backstage, you spilled salmon on the floor, and you dropped a few things, so how does that Mel fit into the Mel we see on camera? Mel – well, I am probably one of the most disorganized people in the world. I don’t do things like most people. I wish I could take a page out of other people’s books to be organized. JT – So with the movies being so detail orientated, how does that link? Mel – I visualize everything. I have a strong visualization, and I can see how things should be and look. JT– So it’s all in your mind? Well I tried acting and it’s exhausting, doing the same scene over and over again and getting yelled at. Are you a patient person to be able to do that? Mel – Yes, I am. I can do it again and again until I get it right. I have always been like that. JT– What is your process? What does it take to become a great actor? You’ve maintained sustainability, and a lot of actors are kind of one and done, especially older actors, they usually have a hard time finding work. So, what is the key to success? Mel – I didn’t start out thinking wow I want to be “big” but I understood from early on that I needed to just be really good at what I did. JT – Were you driven by money? Mel – Not at all. JT – Never? A lot of people say that, you are a broke actor when you start and you are not driven by money, so at no point did the money drive you to do it? Mel – Well, I was raised in a huge family. I had 10 brothers and sisters, and my family was not wealthy. I was aware that we had financial issues, and when I asked my dad about it, he said “ it doesn’t matter what you make because you are going to live just beyond your means” so I always took that into consideration, and when I was making nothing as a student, I was on $100 a month. It was difficult, but I thought that was a king’s ransom, and of course I hit a peak about 10 years ago when I was taking insane money in and people like Matt Lauer would ask you on talk shows. “do you think you are worth this much money” and my response is, well Hollywood is not a charitable institution, they are not giving it to you because they feel sorry for you, they are giving it to you because they think you are worth it.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

JT – And the movie made how much?

JT – And especially with non-business people, they criticize what people make. Mel – Exactly, they really do.

JT – So what a lot of people do not know is that you are actually also an entrepreneur. So tell us about Mel Gibson, the entrepreneur. Mel – So one time, I went into the meat business. I had a ranch in Montana, and I had one in Australia, and they are animals, yeah, but hey we got to eat, right? So, I started a meat program with organic beef!

Powerful Magazine April 2018

JT – Where is the meat business now? Mel – It’s dead. I never said it was successful ha-ha. JT – So then, the meat business didn’t work, but you are a highly successful actor, so what are the keys to success? Mel – Just try to pursue excellence. For example, I wrote a film, and it was something that just came from my subconscious, and over a few years I just kept putting ideas and different things and concepts into a little box at the back of my mind, and then one day I opened it up and I could create something big with it. So, in a nutshell, just pursue what you love and never stop working at it. JT – So let me ask you, where does this interview rank in your life? (chuckles) Mel – Well I can tell you, this is the liveliest interview I have ever had ha-ha. JT – That’s great to hear! Well thank you for being here and sharing your story with our audience. Mel – Thank you for having me.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

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STOCK MARKET TRADING WITH JÜRGEN PALLIEN Stock market trading has become a huge phenomenon around the world, probably due to the fact that one can trade stocks and make money from the comfort of their own home. It is a very attractive way to invest if we look at the statistics, the entire world’s stock exchanges have a capitalization of $80 trillion, which is massively up from $25 Trillion in 2009 (making it a 320% increase). Many people seek financial liberation for themselves and try to create that freedom, and investing in stocks is definitely a good way to go. There are thousands of different companies and ways to invest and get involved in stock trading, but finding which route is best for you is important because at the end of the day, you are investing with your own money and you need to have the necessary knowledge to create the best ROI. Jürgen Pallien is someone who understands firsthand the benefit of investing in stocks and has over 20 years of experience in the industry. Pallien’s ability to automate success in business and investing creates financial liberation to pursue the most exciting and important things in life. Pallien has used automation as the key strategy for success in his career as an entrepreneur, public speaker, property mogul, stock market investor and now, as a philanthropist. He retired at age 35 just 1 year after declaring bankruptcy; he was able to retire young because he became financially liberated through his investment in stocks. mind courses.

Once Pallien saw financial liberation was possible through stock investing, he started his business 24hProfits and set a mission to financially liberate 1 million people through trading. Pallien is an expert on stock markets and is known as ‘a financial liberation genius’. He has created a platform where people can be educated and learn the how, when and why’s of trading. He is currently traveling around the world to countries such as, UK, USA, Sweden, Germany, Dubai and South Africa to fulfill these Mastermind courses. Pallien says that stock market trading is the most rewarding investment available; it is open to everyone and can be done with very little money to start. Many people are scared to invest their money and trust someone to do it for them but Pallien’s students have demonstrated a huge return on investment since attending his masterminds, some have even doubled their initial investments. Pallien’s main goal is to show his students how to create passive income.

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“Trading is so easy that 13-year-olds can learn it “– Jürgen Pallien. In fact, he is currently training two 13-year-olds and is planning a summer camp this year in London to teach investment principles to teenagers. His 4-day mastermind is designed to equip aspirational traders with all the necessary skills to start earning money straight away. He teaches people to trade profitably in just 4 days. Pallien also offers the Advanced Membership, the 7-day video class as well as a 30-day and a 90-day online course. Pallien is focusing on teaching people how to invest both short-term and long-term by equipping everyone with tools such as the risk management toolbox, secrets of successfuly short selling, earning money when the markets turn down, introduction of the right timing, short-term capital gain strategies, secrets of seasonal advantages and so much more. Pallien wants people to have the freedom to earn money wherever they are, and that is why he is giving people this incredible opportunity to get involved and become successful.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Best High-Tech Luggage for Business Travelers

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Because traveling doesn’t always have to be a pain

Travel has become inevitable for business owners and entrepreneurs. There’s nothing worse than being on the road travelling, suffering with luggage that weighs you down doing little to improve your traveling experience. Luckily for everyone living in today’s technological rich environment, there are all sorts of gadgets and tools to make our lives easier. High-tech luggage may just be one of the best inventions to come about. This is a list of some highly impressive technologically advanced luggage options available today. We are sure they are going to WOW you.

To start, we have Raden A22, with 100,000 and counting sales of this smart luggage, the Raden A22 has definitely become a front-runner for business travelers. The 22-inch carry-on bag is light and only weighs 8.4 pounds. It includes a cool 360-degree spinner wheel, a built-in scale and a clamshell polycarbonate exterior. The Raden A22 impresses people with its 2 USB ports for charging your devices and a removable lithium-ion battery that slides out easily from a zippered pouch. The Raden A22 costs $295 and is available in 8 colors.

We all know what it’s like to walk through an airport trying to juggle your bags and your hot coffee. Well, the Barracuda is changing the game for coffee drinkers.

The

Barracuda

Collapsible

Carry-On Luggage is half smart bag and half mobile office. The handle has two cup holders and a fold-down laptop tray. The smart suitcase has a removable USB charger for keeping your devices powered and a location-tracker so you don’t have to constantly worry and keep your eyes fixed on your bag. The bag is collapsible when empty so you can store it easily when you aren’t needing it. The Barracuda costs $349 and is available in 6 colors.

Heys Smart Luggage comes in a three-piece set, a 21-inch carry-on, a 26-inch and a 30-inch case. The suitcases are packed with high tech aspects

The bags include 360-degree spinner wheels. such as built-in scales, Bluetooth, and smart TSA phone! It also has a proximity alarm that alerts your cell phone when your bag is a distance away from you. Heys Smart Luggage costs $800 and is available in 3 colors.

The Modobag is changing the game for avid business travelers by its ability to convert into a rideable moped and goes up to 5 mph indoors and 8 mph outside. The bag includes dual USB charging ports and companion tracking. The Modobag includes steering, braking and a telescopic handlebar to control when you are moving. The Modobag design is smart with a crush-proof laptop compartment that can accommodate someone up to 260 pounds. The Modobag costs $1,495.

Last but not least, the Travelmate is by far the most high-tech luggage on the market. The bag carries itself! The 21.7-inch bag is a fully autonomous suitcase and can follow you around the airport once itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s synced with your cell phone. The amazing design is fully aware of surroundings and can navigate through crowds and around objects by moving vertically as well as horizontally. It also has a fingerprint lock and unlock system making it super safe as well as USB ports and a GPS to locate your bag. The Travelmate is still a prototype and will be available in blue, black, and pink and costs $1,099.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

locks that you can lock and unlock using your cell

Powerful Magazine April 2018

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TRUMP VS. BEZOS WHO WILL WIN?

The latest Donald Trump saga is his ongoing war with Amazon and owner of Amazon, Jeff Bezos. In the past few days, Trump has been firing at Amazon, claiming in a series of tweets, that Bezos’ benefits from billions in subsidies from the U.S. Post Office while skirting sales taxes. Is Trump this angry because he is concerned for the country, or because he didn’t come up with the idea first? After all, he did start as a businessman.

“Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their delivery boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!” - Donald Trump Just a few days later, he tweeted this “Only fools, or worse, are saying that our money-losing Post Office makes money with Amazon. THEY LOSE A FORTUNE, and this will be changed. Also, our full tax-paying retailers are closing stores all over the country . . . not a level playing field!”

Trump’s tweets caused Amazon’s stock to plunge 5%, but we do not see that slowing them down. Bezos fired back with his own tweet saying “Finally trashed by Donald Trump. Will still reserve him a seat on the Blue Origin rocket. #sendDonaldtospace”.

But his war is not just purely based on that, a small part of Trump’s obsession and hatred actually has nothing to do with Amazon. Bezos owns the Washington Post, one of the news outlets that Trump says has been unfair to him since he became the President of the United States. So that already has Trump angry, and then to make it worse, we add Amazon to that.

Bezos is now the world’s richest man, with a net worth over $100 billion since the start of 2018. As of Monday, March 26, 2018, Bezos’s net worth stood at nearly $130 billion. After Trump’s tweets regarding Bezos and his feelings towards Amazon, his net worth went down to $114 billion, that is a $16 million drop (but, if you’re already worth $130 billion, it’s not too much of a loss).

There is talk that Trump wants the Post Office to increase Amazon’s shipping costs. Trump had that conversation inside the White House, but Gary Cohn explained to Trump that since Amazon has been in business, it’s benefited the Postal Service. A Republican close to the White House said, “He really wants the Post Office deal renegotiated.

“Amazon’s shipping costs would rise by $2.6 Billion.” This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!” – Trump

He thinks Amazon’s getting a huge deal on shipping.” Trump is being advised to cancel Amazons pending multi-billion-dollar contract with the Pentagon to provide cloud computing services and to open investigations into Amazon’s business practices. One of Trump’s main fighting points is tax; he has fired a lot of attention to Amazon not paying as much tax as they should, but in the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump was quoted saying “Number one, I am a businessman, and that’s the way you are supposed to do it. And you put the money back in your company and employees and all of that. But the other reason is that I hate the way our government spends our taxes” so we could argue that it’s a bit confusing why Trump has changed his tune.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Amazon has grown tremendously over the past few years, and in February 2018, 43% of all US online retail sales were done through Amazon. That’s just under half of all online sales done through one company...no wonder they have Trump up in arms. Amazon announced their plans to spend $5 billion on a second headquarters, for around 50,000 employees, at a location in North America. Amazon already dominates Seattle. 7.5% of Seattle’s working population are Amazon employees, and they make up 40,000 of the 300,000 worldwide employees. Amazon’s $356 billion valuation is so huge that it’s larger than Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Macy’s and Sears combined.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

So, Who Will Win? If we look at the statistics and do some calculations, it’s pretty simple to see who is more likely to win this war. When Donald Trump was elected, he received 63 million votes. Although Amazon doesn’t release exact statistics on Prime membership, the investment-research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners used a consumer survey to estimate that around 90 million people have an Amazon Prime membership. Another survey showed that there are 60 million amazon prime member households in the U.S. As most households have more than one person living there, we can safely say that the actual number of people, is at least double that number. If we look at that alone, the Amazon user demographic is larger than the Trump supporter demographic. If Trump does take serious action to increase Amazon’s shipping costs, nearly 100 million American customers will be standing on Amazon’s side of the ring. That will be a political disaster for Trump. He will more than likely run again in 2020, and whichever Democrat runs against him will most definitely try to win the campaign by promising to bring back free shipping. So, is it worth the fight for Trump?

Powerful Magazine April 2018

APRIL

Powerful Magazine April 2018

DESTINATIONS WORTH NOTING April showers bring May flowers, but that shouldn’t stop you from vacationing. Not quite summer, but winter has surely passed (for the most part), April is one of those months that might feel unusual to travel. But it shouldn’t. Traveling in April actually gives you many advantages. This month offers you the ability to explore popular cities right before tourist season begins. You’ll also likely beat the heat that summer brings. Fewer crowds and better temperatures, who’d say no to that? Plus, you’ll probably score some great deals on lodging and activities. Kick off your spring and consider this list when planning your next April vacation.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands If you like to party, then Amsterdam may be your place to go in April. The 27th of April marks the official birthday of the monarch. This rambunctious celebration, known as the King’s Day or Koningsdag, is an annual affair that sweeps the Netherlands. The partying actually begins the night before on the “King’s Night” with street parties and festivities all across the city. It continues on throughout the next day with more partying and huge flea markets selling all sorts of trinkets and festive food. Helpful Hint: If you want to fit in, be sure to pack orange colored clothing as that is the national color of the day.

Havana, Cuba Near perfect weather makes visiting Havana in April the perfect time. Stroll through the historic streets, admire the architecture, or snorkel in the beautiful city’s eastern beaches, there’s something for everyone to do. Previous visitors to Havana recommend waiting until arrival to find lodging if you want to get the best deals as the lack of internet access makes it challenging to find them beforehand.

Dubrovnik, Croatia Avoid the Yacht Week crowds and plan your visit to Croatia in April. You’ll save money and have an easier time relaxing. Plus, April is 100 local winemakers offering samples for your pleasure.

There is

also a half-marathon that takes place at the end of April through the winding streets of the city. If you’re not into either, Croatia is the perfect place to just lounge around with near perfect weather in April.

Rome, Italy The fantastic weather in Italy during the month of April allows you to fully immerse yourself in the culture while being the most comfortable. You’ll be able to get away with a light jacket and pants, sometimes even just a T-shirt. You won’t have to experience scorching temperatures nor should the crowds be as large. April also marks the opening of the Rome Rose Garden- a remarkable little garden with thousands of blooming roses. It’s free of charge to visit but only stays open a couple months out of the year.

Paris, France Spring begins in April for Paris and the weather is pretty great. The crowds won’t start rolling in until the end of the spring season, so you won’t feel like such a tourist. Take your time at some art exhibits without feeling clustered. There are also lots of blossoms throughout the city at this time of year.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

when Dubrovnik puts on Festiwine, a huge wine festival with over

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Mendoza, Argentina Another country where April falls under the Autumn season, Mendoza is where wine lovers come. It’s harvest season for hundreds of vineyards and thousands upon thousands congregate to witness the gathering of the grapes. If you’re looking for a luxurious resort, check out Casa de Uco, a 790-acre estate that allows visitors to catch a glimpse of the winemaking process.

Zermatt, Switzerland If you’re looking for a not-so-typical spring vacation, change things up and take a visit to Zermatt. It’s still quite chilly in this Switzerland resort, and skiing will be at the top of your list of activities. This year-round accessible resort is much more affordable to visit in April, and you’ll surely have a quieter time; no waiting in line at the ski lift, and you can likely enjoy a nice rooftop lunch without freezing.

Washington, D.C., USA If you don’t want to fly all the way to Japan to whiteness some beautiful cherry blossoms at their peak, stick closer to home and visit Washington, D.C. The end of March through mid-April is when you can experience the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This month-long festival consists of street parties, concerts, a kite festival, and a parade- The National Cherry Blossom Parade- on April 14th.

Dry season in Botswana is April through October and is really the best time to visit. With some of the most striking wilderness in Africa, you’ll want to visit in April for the best game-viewing. Traveler tip: check out The Moremi Game Reserve, a place to canoe along the river and witness wild hippos, lions, elephants and rhinos.

Lima, Peru Save some money and visit Peru in it’s offseason. Although the weather is unpredictable at times, you’ll surely save some big bucks as hotel rates drop significantly in their offseason. During April, you’ll also get to experience some major events like the Peru Gift Show, where you can purchase handmade souvenirs, and the Peruvian Paso Horse Festival, a showcase of Peru’s finest breed of horse displayed in ridden and hand competitions. During the event, the horses are elaborately dressed, and the riders wear traditional garments of ponchos, white pants and white sombrero hats.

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Botswana, Africa

Crete, Greece 26

While most tend to picture a Greece vacation in the summer, it’s actually much better to visit in April. The temperatures in the summer, especially near the end of April, really start to rise. Plus, the herds of people start strolling in as the summer sea-

Powerful Magazine April 2018

son begins; Crete is one of the more popular areas of Greece to visit. If you’re looking for an incredible place to stay, check out Kapsaliana Village. This hotel/village includes hillside lodging, a pool, museum, restaurant and even an olive press.

Zambia, Africa Known to be the “shoulder season” in Zambia, April is a great time to visit as it falls between the end of its rainy season and the beginning of the rising temperatures and tourists. With the rainfall coming to a halt, April is actually the first month that the whole country becomes accessible. You’ll be able to visit parks with far less crowds and get to experience Victoria Falls in it’s prime.

Central Otago, New Zealand Missed your chance to see the leaves change this past fall? Well you’re in luck. April begins New Zealand’s Autumn season and visitors from all around flock to its wine region. Enjoy the amazing colors as the leaves change from green to reds, oranges, and yellows. Sip on some wine or take a nice hike as the weather in April is also quite perfect.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Apple Watch Vs. LG Smartwatch

Powerful Magazine April 2018

The Android vs Apple feud is an

ongoing

battle,

constantly

one-upping each other with new features

and

slimmer

devices.

Smart watches have become very popular especially for businessmen and women, but the common question still stands: which watch is actually better? Apple or Android?

Apple Watch Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Series 3 watch is said to have up to 18 hours of battery life, which is impressive compared to most smartwatches out there, but the connection to cellular network substantially reduces this time. Some reviewers have said that they struggled to get through an entire day on a single charge while connected to cellular. Instead of the 18 hours, they are getting around 7 hours per day. The Series 3 comes with the large variety of the Apple App Store, making it a better choice for users looking to tap into those extensive options. Installing apps has been made easy, you can do so via your iPhone, and they include services for travel, messaging, and notes or voice recording. The Apple Watch Series 3 has a scratch-resistant face and is waterproof up to 50 meters, making it a dream come true for people who exercise daily. It is also ideal for withstanding daily wear and tear, as well as swims or other water activities. The weight and size vary by the model, but most watches weigh 1 to 1.5 ounces. These watches also vary in price, the Apple Series 3, with cellular capabilities, costs $499 on Amazon. Apple does also offer the Series 3 without a cellular option, that sells for $403 on Amazon. Although the non-cellular option does require you to have your phone with you at all times to receive texts, calls and messages on the watch, it is still a solid option for a lower price.

watch.

Both of these watches have their own advantages, but for business owners that have and use iPhones, the Apple Watch Series 3 is probably the better choice. While the LG Watch Sport does support iPhones, the app selection for iPhone users is much more limited, so you likely won’t be able to run the same programs for your business.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

The LG Watch Sport has an always-on face, which can drastically drain the battery. Similar reviews to the Apple watch, the battery drains very quickly when you start using extra features like GPS. Despite its more powerful, 430-mAh battery (the Apple watch has a 279-mAh battery), the LG Watch Sport’s battery may struggle to get you through the entire day if you’re heavily using GPS or cellular features. But for general mixed use, without GPS, it’s said to last 24 hours. The LG Watch Sport has access to all of the Google Play Store, and you can download watch-specific apps directly to the watch. It also supports all of the Android apps. iPhone users won’t have the same flexibility, as the watch doesn’t have access to Apple’s App Store. The LG Watch Sport is bulkier compared to the Apple Watch. It weighs more than 3 ounces and sports a thickness of 0.6 inches. It is also waterproof up to 1.5 meters for about 30 minutes. The LG Watch Sport costs $254 on Amazon, making it cheaper than the Apple

LG SMART WATCH

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To Franchise Or Not To Franchise ...that’s the question It happens to everyone differently. Whether you’re stuck at a job you don’t like and think to yourself that starting a business might be your best bet, or you’ve known from a young age that starting a business would be the only thing worth your while, or maybe you even are at the age of retiring but don’t want to stop working, so starting a business is the next best option. The reason, timing, and actual spark that makes it happen are all a bit different for everyone. There is, however, something that remains constant: the moment you decide that you are going to do it, and then asking yourself, “what’s next?”. That is the moment every business owner has gone through. Decades ago, if you wanted to start a business, it meant you had to start from scratch, finding your own space and figuring every detail out on your own. But in more recent years, the internet and social media has given opportunities for people to make money from anywhere, doing just about anything. It can be as simple as posting quality photos to your Instagram account (that has millions of followers) and you instantly have a business. Needless to say, the game has changed in a very big way! So where does that leave you, the potential business owner, who is just getting started? Or, where does that leave you, the successful business owner, who wants to start another business or make an investment? Well, in today’s business climate, it leaves you with choices.

Always a viable option, you can decide to go it alone. Maybe your idea or concept

Start your own business for your business doesn’t require a location or office…seems like an amazing opreally stand: Have you had a successful business before? Do you have proof of concept for your idea? Have you determined what your startup costs will be? Do you know the time frame until you start making a profit? Have you laid out a marketing plan? Do you know how many people you will need to hire? Can you afford the people you will need to hire? Do you know who your competition is? How difficult is it going to be to break through the competition? No one is trying to scare you, but you have to be realistic when starting a business. Yes, we hear stories of Facebook and how it wasn’t planned grow as it did, or Apple, a huge business that started in a garage, but those are the exception, not the norm. You cannot plan on being the exception to the rule, but you do need a plan. So, if you don’t have a great answer for all these questions listed, then you need to get your plan going. You’ve been sent in a direction of what you need to do. But, if you just looked at all of those questions, got incredibly overwhelmed, and immediately said to yourself “wait, maybe I’m not cut out to be a business owner”, then stop right there. Right now, tell yourself you can do it; you just need some guidance and direction first.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

tion to go with. Take a gut check and answer these questions to see where you

Follow Someone Else’s Plan 36

There are other directions to go aside from starting your own business. One of those directions is called franchising. Although it’s not for everyone, there are tons of benefits to owning a franchise, like not having to come

Powerful Magazine April 2018

up with a concept or start from scratch. So, what is franchising really? A highly successful and global fast-food chain, McDonald’s, is a prime example; they’re everywhere. It used to be relatively inexpensive to franchise a McDonalds back in the day, but now it will cost you millions. Not all businesses are that expensive to franchise though, and acquiring one can be based on various things. So, the cost might not be as severe as you’d think, and the benefits can be enormous. When you decide to buy a franchise, you are getting a proven business plan, marketing strategy, cost guideline, and most often market research to determine a best location. A lot of the challenging aspects of starting a business are already worked out for you in a franchise because the business already exists. It’s basically like getting a business-starting kit. Or even better, like copying the test of the smartest kid in class. Today, there are so many different industries and businesses that you can buy in to franchise, so it’s important to find someone to help guide you through the process.

Maybe It’s Time to Expand So maybe somehow you are the exception to the rule, and you started your own business having lots of success and are ready to expand. Do you open multiple locations, hire managers, travel between all the locations, create a training guide, or do all the work yourself? There are so many factors to consider when it comes to growing, but most people don’t end up expanding because they don’t know what to do first.

One common trend when it comes to starting or growing a business is getting guidance and direction from someone who understands and has done it before.

Mellissa Cruz,

coach and owner of Phoenix Franchise Consulting is changing the game for people all around the world. Cruz and her husband moved from New York City to New Mexico and were set on serving good. Together they took in foster kids to provide a better life for the children. Cruz started working in insurance to help people protect their families in case of catastrophic life events. She then obtained the series 6 license (a securities license entitling the holder to register as a company’s representative and sell mutual funds, variable annuities, and insurance premiums) as well as the series 63 license (known as the Uniform Securities Agent license, is required by each state and authorizes licensees to transact business within the state) to better serve the people she wanted to help. She then moved to the Dallas in 2014 after her marriage dissolved. She decided to open her own insurance agency, and after 2 years, she realized her purpose in life; it was to help people in any way that she could. To do that, she invested in being a franchise consultant, focusing on getting people into successful businesses and allowing them to create a better life for themselves.

37 Powerful Magazine April 2018

Expansion of your business and brand can be very tricky, but it can be done. Something to consider would be franchising your concept. That means you’d work with a franchising expert on how best to grow while maintaining the same quality and excellence, and while also not giving away all the secrets to your business. The movie “The Founder” showcases this concept the best; the people who bought into the franchise and did not follow the roadmap did not make it very far.

Mellissa Cruz gives people the opportunity to invest in a franchise with help and guidance from an experienced team. Cruz understands first-hand the benefits investing in a franchise, as she has been a certified franchise consultant (CFC) & coach since 2016 and is actively educating and assisting people to open up and invest in 38

their very own franchise. Cruz runs Phoenix Franchise Consulting, a full- service franchise consulting and development firm with extensive experience in the franchise industry. Phoenix Franchise Consulting developed a proven process of helping others identify and research franchise opportunities that present a true opportunity Powerful Magazine April 2018

for success for their clients and their target markets. Their process takes a close look at oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals, experience, strengths, weaknesses, desired lifestyle and more to help find the opportunities that present a realistic opportunity for long-term success and happiness. With so many franchise opportunities available today, it is much easier to choose the wrong franchise than the right one. Phoenix Franchise Consultingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team of professionals has leveraged their extensive experience in the industry to create opportunities for everyone. They have owned franchises, helped build franchises and help entrepreneurs achieve success in franchising.

Some of the services they provide are: Franchise Brokering- Their team of professional franchise consultants are working with quality candidates every day exploring possible franchise opportunities. As a participating franchise, they will present an opportunity when they believe they have found the right candidate. Should their candidate agree and wish to research a franchise, they will introduce the candidate and remain involved assisting any way they can every step of the way.

Broker to Broker Marketing - The franchise brokering business has grown tremendously in the past few years, and as a result, has lost some of the original efficiencies that once existed. Their Broker to Broker marketing program reintroduces those efficiencies while they handle the large majority of the day-to-day tasks in dealing with large groups of brokers. This includes general broker marketing, routine territory inquiries, information distribution, candidate qualifying and introductions. Phoenix Franchise Consulting Broker to Broker Marketing program offers a full advantage of the power of numerous broker networks without being distracted from the core focus of a business.

Franchise Marketing - Phoenix Franchise Consulting has years of experience in marketing numerous franchise concepts and can help one achieve maximum ROI on their marketing investment. They will work with their clients to make effective advertising placements with detailed reporting to track your clicks, leads and franchise sales.

entire process and build a business that is and will be sustainable.

Examples of Well-known Franchises Phoenix Franchise Consulting Currently Represents: Bright Star Healthcare – Total Investment ($92,371 - $174,032) College Nannies, Sitters and Tutors – Total Investment ($151,500 - $228,000) Fast Signs – Total Investment ($182,329 - $267,520) Fitness 1440 - Total Investment ($150,000 - $950,000) Alpha Graphics – Total Investment ($260,800 - $394,400) Forever Yogurt – Total Investment ($243,800 - $516,700) IceBox Cryotherapy – Total Investment ($199,850 - $310,940) Link Staffing Services – Total Investment ($99,500 - $174,000) Medical Staffing Consultants, Inc. – Total Investment ($60,000 - $200,000)

What To Do The decision to invest in a franchise or start your own business will purely depend on you as an individual and the industry you want to enter. If we look at a few statistics, startups have a higher failure rate compared to franchise businesses. In a study done in 2016, 25% of startup businesses failed within their first year. 50% of startups failed within 5 years and around 25% failed within the last 10 years. It is very risky to launch a startup and do it on your own, but having said that, high risk will almost always lead to high reward, if done right. Before starting any business, whether it’s a franchise or your own venture, a ton of research and homework should be done to be as successful as you can.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

franchise? Now Phoenix Franchise Consulting with strategic partner, Franchise Development Solutions, Inc. can help you determine if franchising your business makes sense. They will work with you to ensure your business is ready and able to branch off into franchises. Phoenix Franchise Consulting is so committed to enabling people to start a franchise that they provide free franchise consulting services to assist anyone in making the best decision in buying a franchise, business or business opportunity. They currently represent over 400 of today’s leading franchise opportunities and are well known in the industry for their professional approach by their franchise partners. Their primary goal is to help their clients navigate through the

Franchise Development - Do you have an existing business and ever wondered if it would make a good

40 Powerful Magazine April 2018

Is Work Stressing You Out? It’s no secret that work can be stressful. Anyone who’s held a job before, regardless of the industry, can likely attest to the struggles of stress in the workplace. Deadlines to meet, challenging projects or pressure from your peers or superiors are all causes of work-related stress. And it’s a big problem in both American and around the world. According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) annual survey on stress in the workplace, “In 2012, 65 percent of Americans cited work as a top source of stress. Only 37 percent of Americans surveyed said they were doing an excellent or very good job managing stress. A 2013 survey also found that job-related stress is a serious issue. More than one-third of working Americans reported experiencing chronic work stress and just 36 percent said their organizations provide sufficient resources to help them manage that stress.” Feeling stressed about work is truly doing you harm and has some seriously negative effects. An article published by CNBC with experts in workplace happiness, Annie McKee and Emma Seppälä, highlight the negative effects of stress at work:

The physical, psychological and social effects of chronic stress It’s important to note that stress is normal and does have its benefits. “Good Stress” is defined as a product of our human fight-or-flight response, where one’s body will prepare itself to fight off a potentially deadly attack or run away.

These are some of the body’s physical responses occurring as a result of our brains communicating a threat to our nervous system, according to McKee: Our muscles become tense

•

Our hearts beat faster consuming more oxygen and nutrients

•

Our bronchial airwaves expand

•

Our pupils dilate to see more around us

•

Our cognitive processing briefly enhances so we can think faster

It should be noted that Seppälä explains that stress can be good, in small doses, helping us achieve shortterm goals. However, long-term stress, also known as Chronic Stress, “is the number one enemy of success,” according to Seppälä.

Chronic-Stress or Long-Term Acute Stress Effects: •

Proneness to illness and chronic infections

•

High blood pressure

•

Heart problems

•

Increased susceptibility to diabetes and cancer

•

Gastrointestinal issues

•

Muscular and skeletal problems

•

Restlessness throughout the day and night

•

Substance abuse

“Chronic stress also has the ability to interfere with social well-being and spread to your co-workers, friends and family, “Anxious emotions such as fear are physiologically contagious through pheromones, chemicals released in our sweat,” Seppälä writes. “When someone emits ‘fear pheromones,’ the people who come into contact with that person show greater activation in brain areas corresponding to anxiety and fear (particularly the amygdala).”

Powerful Magazine April 2018

According to McKee, “These responses are helpful when we’re facing real dangers such as a physical attack or a natural disaster.” It’s not all great, though, explains Mckee, ”Unfortunately, our brains don’t do a very good job of distinguishing this type of serious danger from the kinds of pressures and threats we experience at work.”

•

BUT STRESS DOESN’T HAVE TO TAKE OVER OUR LIVES

Powerful Magazine April 2018

There are ways of coping and relieving stress. •

Figure out what is causing you stress. Whether

•

niques out there to specifically help deal with

about it in a journal at home, it’s important to

stress. Meditation and deep breather are great

identify what situations are giving you the most

exercises to start incorporating into your every-

stress and your responses to them. Who was in-

day life.

•

Get rid of bad habits that contribute to your stress.

you handle the situation?

Are you a perfectionist? Does it take you longer to

Practice responding in a healthy way. Do you

complete a project than it should? Are you constant-

fight your stress with food? Maybe alcohol? Try

ly bashing yourself before even giving something

exercising instead when you feel the tension ris-

a try? All that needs to cease. Forget about doing

ing. You wouldn’t believe how much better you’d

something perfectly. Nobody’s perfect. Perform your

feel after a good workout. Or, if strenuous activi-

job to the best of your ability. Work your hardest at

ties aren’t your thing, give yoga a try.

something, and know at the end of the day you did

Don’t forget about your hobbies. Whether you

everything you could. When you accept the fact that

enjoy reading a book, catching a show, or just re-

mistakes happen and nothing will ever be perfect,

laxing on the couch and doing nothing, be sure to

your stress levels will start to shrink.

set aside time for whatever that brings you joy. •

Learn how to fully relax. There are proper tech-

you jot it down in a notebook at work or write

volved? What was the environment like? How did •

•

Bring it to your boss’s attention. People aren’t mind

Sleep is everything. You need quality sleep for ef-

readers, and when you put on a happy face and

fective stress management. Avoid caffeine late in

show no signs of strain, your boss or superior may

the day, and keep your computer and television

not realize how full your plate really is. Be honest

activities to a minimum.

and communicate. Don’t go in with complaints

Know when to stop working. It might not seem

about everything, but rather establish an effective

like a big deal to check a couple emails or finish a

plan to manage your stress so you can do your job at

project after hours or on the weekend, but it really

the best of your ability. Your plan could include ways

could be doing you harm. Establish boundaries for

to improve your skills (i.e. time management), fully

yourself and know when to turn off. Whether it’s

outlining what’s expected of you, maybe changing

not checking emails from home or not answering

around your work environment, or even getting as-

your phone during dinner, creating clear bound-

sistance or support from colleagues on special proj-

aries between work and

home

can

greatly reduce the potential for worklife

conflict

the

consequencing

stress.

and

ects.

EMPLOYERS CAN HELP TOO According to HelpGuide.Org, “Having your employees suffering from work-related stress can result in er, though, there are things you can do to lower workplace stress. The first step is to act as a positive role model. If you can remain calm in stressful situations, it’s much easier for your employees to follow suit.” Here is a list from HelpGuide.Org for employers to help their employees manage stress.

How managers or employers can reduce stress at work: Consult your employees •

Talk to them about the specific factors that make their jobs stressful. Some things, such as failing equipment, understaffing, or a lack of supervisor feedback may be relatively straightforward to address.

•

Communicate with your employees one-on-one. Listening attentively face-to-face will make an employee feel heard and understood—and help to lower their stress and yours—even if you’re unable to change the situation.

•

Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their jobs.

•

Be sure the workload is suitable for employees’ abilities and resources; avoid unrealistic deadlines.

•

Get employee input on work rules, when possible. If they’re involved in the process, they’ll be more committed.

•

Deal with workplace conflicts in a positive way.

Clarify expectations •

Share information with employees to reduce uncertainty about their jobs and futures.

•

Clearly define employees’ roles, responsibilities, and goals.

•

Make management actions fair and consistent with organizational values.

Offer rewards and incentives •

Praise good work performance verbally and organization-wide.

•

Respect the dignity of each employee; establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.

•

Show that individual workers are valued and appreciated and that job stress is taken seriously.

•

Schedule potentially stressful periods followed by periods of fewer tight deadlines.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

lower productivity, lost workdays, and a higher turnover of staff. As a manager, supervisor, or employ-

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Do Tattoos Impact Success?

As the years roll on, tattoos become more and more popular amongst people, but do they impact one’s professional image and is it harder to become successful if you do have tattoos? A poll done in 2012 showed that 1 out of every 5 adults has at least one tattoo. This changed drastically from a 1995 statistic of 1 in every 12 adults having a tattoo. Tattoos are here to stay, at least for now, and the biggest question people are facing is “If I get this tattoo, will it hinder my chance of getting a good job?”.

a sign of deviant or bad behavior. This can make a huge impact when it comes to the workplace because the majority of older people are in a position of power to make decisions as to whether you stay or go. Having said that, there are older people who have tattoos of their own and don’t mind it. It really does just depend on the person, but studies show that more than 60% When Workopolis

asked 327 employers their opinions on tattoos, 77% said that they wouldn’t consider hiring a candidate depending on their tattoos. 22% replied that the tattoos wouldn’t affect their hiring decision, less than 1% saw tattoos as a positive and the rest said things such as “It would depend on the role I was trying to fill,” and “It would depend on how many tattoos and where they were.”

have large and conspicuous tattoos, you’ll be perceived as less professional. A study done at a University in Scotland asked people to rank job candidates purely based on their pictures. People with neck tattoos were ranked very low. Neck tattoos are linked with gangs and most often prison, and it’s not a surprise that those statistics showed that. But why are tattoos so frowned upon, it doesn’t change someone’s work ethic, so how would it affect their productivity? Could we go as far as to say judging someone

Older generations (ages 40 and over) tend to look at tattoos as

of older generations are against tattoos.

The Economist released a piece in 2014 that showed if you

based on a tattoo or hindering someone’s chance of getting a job because of a tattoo is discrimination? Is it the same as not hiring someone because they have blonde hair or are slightly overweight? Gender also comes into play regarding how people are perceived. Previous studies show that body art is a highly gendered phenomenon. Women who are tattooed are more often viewed negatively than men who are tattooed.

No matter how common and popular tattoos are, there is a long-standing stigma attached to them. One needs to always keep that in mind when entering into a professional space. You can be as proud of your tattoos as you want, but the truth is, that you probably will in some way be judged or discriminated against because of them. Steps can be taken to ensure that judgment is minimized - such as, making sure you look very neat and refined at all times, and trying subtle things to take attention away from your tattoos, whether it is clothing that covers it or being careful to not advertise your tattooed area to everyone. And of course, if you are tatted up, find a job or industry where you’re accepted and feel most comfortable.

Positives •

•

One could say that a person with a tattoo/ tattoos is more open-minded and creative; usually, people design their own tattoos and this demonstrates a certain confidence. Creativity is a quality that many people appreciate, and in most industries, a certain amount of creativity is required in order to do well. A tattoo is a huge commitment, and it’s with you for life, so someone who has made that kind of commitment to themselves is likely to make a commitment to you as an employee/investor/partner etc.

Top 4 ‘tattooed’ Countries • • • •

Sweden (And the Scandinavian Countries) The United Kingdom Australia China

Should You Get A Tattoo? At the end of the day, the decision is yours and only yours. Before you decided on a tattoo, think carefully about what line of profession you are wanting to enter. If you’re aiming for law, medicine, corporate etc., it is probably best to keep the visible tattoos away. Start with something small and hidden and see how it goes from there.

47 Powerful Magazine April 2018

So Where Does That Leave People With Tattoos?

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Volkswagen Crash or Burn? Volkswagen, founded in 1937, is a very

And if that wasn’t enough, the EPA accused

familiar and well-known car brand, pro-

VW of modifying software on the 3-liter

ducing 41,000 cars daily. VW was going

diesel engines that are fitted to some Porsche

strong until a scandal in 2015. In Septem-

and Audi vehicles as well as the VW mod-

ber 2015, the Environmental Protection

els. Although VW has denied these claims.

Agency discovered that many Volkswa-

In November 2015, VW completed tests to

gen (VW) cars that were being sold in the

measure carbon dioxide emissions levels

USA had a defeat device. There was some

that could possibly affect 800,000 vehicles

sort of special software installed in the

in Europe. They said that they had found

diesel engines that could detect when they

“irregularities” in these tests but in Decem-

were being tested, and this was changing

ber 2015, it was established that this only af-

the performance accordingly to improve

fected about 36,000 of the cars it produces

results. Since then, VW admitted to cheat-

each year.

ing emission tests conducted in the US. The EPA’s findings covered 482,000 cars in the US alone, those included the VW-manufactured Audi A3, along with the VW models - Jetta, Golf, Passat and Beetle. VW owned up to fitting millions of cars worldwide with this defect device. They recalled 8.5 million cars in Europe, 2.4 million in Germany,1.2 million in the UK, and 500,000 in the US. Throughout the world, politicians, regulators

and

environmental

groups questioned the legitimacy

of VW’s

sions testing.

emis-

Exact details of how this device works have not been made public, but the EPA has said that the engines had

What Exactly Is A ‘’Defeat Device”? computer software that could sense test scenarios by monitoring speed, wheel. When the cars were operating under controlled laboratory conditions, which involves putting them on a stationary test rig, the defeat device seemed to have put the vehicle into a ‘safety mode’ This made the engine run below normal power and performance. Once the car was taken out on the road, the engines immediately switched out of this test mode making the engines release nitrogen oxide pollutants up to 40 times above what is allowed in the US.

What Did VW say? Well for starters, in late September 2015, Mr. Winterkorn resigned as a direct result of this issue. He went on record to say, “this company has broken the trust of our customers and the public”. Mr. Winterkorn was immediately replaced by Matthias Mueller, the former boss of Porsche, upon taking his new post, Mr. Mueller said “My most urgent task is to win back trust for the Volkswagen Group - by leaving no stone unturned,” and finally, screwed up”.

the VW America boss, Michael Horn said “we have totally

VW also launched an internal inquiry where they have recalled millions of vehicles

worldwide and have set aside $8.2 billion to cover costs, leading VW to their first quarterly loss in 15 years. The EPA also has the ability to fine VW up to $37,500 for each car that breaches standards; this would make VW’s maximum fine of $18 billion.

Now What? Fast forward to 2018 and VW is now looking to replace Chief Executive Matthias Mueller with Herbert Diess, (head of its core brand) as part of a larger overhaul of their management structure to boost efficiency. Insiders say that VW is still struggling to put the 2015 scandal behind them. It is unclear when Diess, who is a former BMW exec who joined VW just a few months before the scandal, would replace Mueller. VW has pulled up their socks and gotten back on track with a record March 2018. It was their best month to date with the new 2018 Tiguan (8,276 units sold), and reported sales of 32,548 units in March 2018 which is an increase of 17.8 percent over March 2017. VW is also reporting a 10% increase in year-over-year sales.

Powerful Magazine April 2018

engine operation, air pressure and even the position of the steering

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Ketogenic Diet Fad or Fiction?

Recently, ketogenic diets are becoming more popular amongst people, but the biggest questions that most people are asking, is does it really work and is it better for me? Despite the recent keto hype, it actually has been around for almost 100 years. Originally it was used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. In the 1970s, Dr. Atkins created his wellknown low carb diet for weight loss, and that in fact starts with a 2-week ketogenic phase.

What is a ketogenic diet? In essence, a keto diet causes the body to release ketones into the bloodstream. Our bodies turn carbohydrates and sugars into glucose which isn’t good for us and is the number reason why fat gets stored in our bodies. Glucose is where most people get their main source of energy from, hence why we feel energetic after eating carbs and sugars. On a keto diet, you cut sugar and glucose completely from your diet and limit carbs to very little, which in turn, forces your body to use fat for energy instead of glucose. So basically, instead of storing fat and putting on weight, your body actually uses up the existing fat from your body naturally and cause you to lose weight. The shift, from using glucose to breaking down stored fat as a source of energy, usually happens over 2 to 4 days of eating fewer than 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. A ketogenic diet is rich in fats and proteins, usually including lots of meats, eggs, cheeses, fat, nuts, butter and vegetables. Ketosis is a natural process our bodies initiate to help us survive when our food intake is low. During this state, we produce ketones, which are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver. The end goal of a keto diet is to force our bodies into this metabolic state. We don’t do this through the starvation of calories, but rather the starvation of carbohydrates. Our bodies are very adaptive to what we put into them. When we overload with fats and minimize carbs, it will begin to burn ketones as the primary energy source. A keto diet is more difficult to follow than a regular diet, even though your options are larger, but most food out there has a high count of carbs and they usually account for 50% of people’s diets. To change that isn’t a quick and easy fix; a keto diet is more of a lifestyle, and it takes time to perfect it and learn what to do and what not to do.

There is solid evidence that shows a ketogenic diet does reduce seizures in children, sometimes as effectively as medication. Because of these neuroprotective effects, people are starting to think it could have a positive effect for other brain disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, autism, and even brain cancer. However, there aren’t as yet any human studies to support ketosis to treat these conditions.

There are ways to measure if you’re in ketosis, either a urine or blood strip. There are also natural ways to know if you’re in ketosis such as:

Weight loss is the main reason people do the ketogenic diet. Research shows evidence of a faster weight loss when people go on a ketogenic or very low carbohydrate diet compared to people on a more traditional low-fat diet. A ketogenic diet also shows signs of health benefits such as: improve blood sugar control for people with type 2 diabetes, improve hair, skin and nails and boost energy levels. The first question people ask is regarding cholesterol and how keto will affect it. A few studies show some people have increases in cholesterol levels in the beginning, only to see their choles-

Dry Mouth - The increased urination leads

terol levels drop a few months later.

experience a much lower hunger level and a

Increased Urination - Keto is a natural diuretic, so you have to go to the bathroom more.

to dry mouth and increased thirst.

Bad Breath - Acetone is a ketone body that partially excretes in our breath. It can smell sharp like overripe fruit, that does go away after a while.

Reduced Hunger & Increased Energy Usually, after you get past the “keto flu,” you’ll “clear” or energized mental state.

How to know if you’re in ketosis:

Powerful Magazine April 2018

Are there benefits of a ketogenic diet?

Bottom line This is typically where someone needs to start their journey to really get an understanding for what cryptocurrencies are, how they work, and what the differences are in terms of the ways someone

Powerful Magazine April 2018

can get involved. There is also information on how cryptocurrencies can work with a traditional investment portfolio or property investment wealth-building strategies. Even when you put cryptocurrencies aside, there is a lot involved in building wealth and investing that most people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always aware of, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to look at the entire picture. It is also important to consider the learning style of different individuals, so that is also taken into consideration. Some people want to go at their own pace, others prefer group settings so someone else can ask the questions, and some prefer to work directly one on one. Regardless of how you best take in information and retain it, they have developed a solution for you.

There are a few key items that should be on your desk at all times, whether you are a 9-5 employee or the CEO of a huge corporation. These items will not only improve your work output but will also get you through the day in the most organized and healthiest way.

A small book: as a human race, we are forgetful because there is always something going on. Some people are more forgetful than others, but chances are, sometime during the day or week – you will forget something important. As a business owner or employee, we all have certain tasks that we need to complete, and writing everything down will help you remember and dominate all tasks. Start a new page every day; throughout the day, write down everything you have to do, things you would like to get done but not crucial and when new tasks pop up, always ensure to make a note so nothing can slip past you. This will not only make you more productive, but irreplaceable! Depending on your own personal preference, you could add in a motivational quote to keep you going through the day, something romantic or funny a loved one said that morning to keep you uplifted during the day, or a religious quote to keep you at peace.

Water: as cliché as it sounds, water is a life saver. It really is; our bodies need and crave water. Not only does water keep you hydrated, but it is good for your mind and brain power. Dehydration can literally kill you. Always ensure you have water on your desk and are constantly sipping throughout the day. I know we get busy and forget to drink or we don’t have time to grab any, but make time. Make drinking water become a part of your life, just like brushing your teeth.

Scented candle or air freshener: most men will crunch their face when reading “scented candle” but honestly, it’s great! A good smelling working environment will change your life. Our bodies react to smell more than we think, so keeping a good smell near you is important to be as efficient as possible.

Calendar: having a calendar on your desk will allow you to always be aware of your upcoming meetings and appointments. This is more of an old school way because most of us use our cell phones for everything, but technology is not always reliable. Your phone could die or have a glitch and not switch on for the entire day, but a good old pen and paper will never let you down! With a desk calendar, it’s always in your face, and you will never let anyone down or be late for a meeting again!

57 Powerful Magazine April 2018

Items You Need On Your Desk

Powerful Magazine April 2018

THE POWER OF

B R A N D I N G Even the world’s most famous people have to continuously work on their brand. Building a sustainable brand is hard work, and you have to be ready to put your head down and do whatever it takes to make it happen. Steps have to be put in place to get you to where you want to be. No one can do it alone, and that is why every successful person has a team, whether it’s a marketing or PR team...or both, there’s always people backing and helping the front man to achieve success.

JT had the opportunity to sit down with Rock Star Gene Simmons, who happens to also be a serial entrepreneur, about the importance of maintaining a strong brand.

JT – Hello Gene! I want to ask you; did you ever count how many times your intro video has the word “Gene Simmons” in it? Gene – Well young man, I have a duty to Gene Simmons, and for those of you in the business world, to thy own self-be true because you have to push yourself and your brand. The mountain isn’t coming to you, you got to go there and promote yourself.

JT – You have to be proactive. Gene – Yeah, in fact, a long time ago, Shakespeare said the whole world’s a stage and we are all just actors, so if people are watching, go out, be bold and grab them by the scruff of the neck and say, “world deal with it, I’m here and I am very important”. I have to say, when I said that, the ladies in particular were knowingly nodding their heads, but the guys are used to it. The ladies are saying it’s our turn! Go get them! I think countries should be ruled by women. I’m not saying that for any other reason but my personal belief is, there would be less wars. Women create life, we just work here. Come on now!

59 Powerful Magazine April 2018

JT – So that’s how you do it huh (chuckles) Gene – Just to change the subject, I have a new book out from the HarperCollins, On Power, a follow-up to my previous book, Me Inc. Remember when we had to read Shakespeare in school, but we really didn’t and we went to the local store and bought cliff notes? Yes, so you’ll notice if you buy the Wall Street Journal, the left-hand margin gives you an accurate succinct(summary) of headlines “McDonald’s shares are down, going back to basics” and that’s true by the way. And you go down and find out very quickly what’s happening in the world. I used to be a 6th-grade teacher in Spanish Harlem, and I may look like I was born in Sweden, but I was actually born in Israel, which isn’t the nicest sounding language with all the harsh sounds, but in English, I do corporate events.

JT – So Gene, you are a master in marketing and branding, and I’ve said this to you before, can you tell me the importance of media? Gene – Well, McLaren, the luxury car company, just hired me as their brand meister and I’m so proud! And this money bag logo I’m wearing on my cap is actually mine. I trademarked that logo and I’ve owned it for 28 years.

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JT – Wow, so would you say Public Relations is crucial? Gene – oh, you must! You have no choice; social media is free! Get out there and tell everyone who you are and what you do, because while you’re sitting still and assuming everyone knows you, they’re actually not. You need to get attention. When a bird goes out and gets food for the baby chicks, who will get the food first? The biggest and strongest or the loudest? It works in nature and it will work for you. And by the way, don’t quit your day job and stay home on your days off. Hopefully you’re blessed to have a job, and you have weeks out of the year, and 2 days per week you do nothing, you binge watch and relax. So, 2 days out of the week times 52 weeks is 104 days where you are doing nothing, then you add Christmas vacation and other holidays, by the time you’re done – more days are spent doing nothing so my suggestion is, listen to the government, because sometimes they have good ideas, and get your kids and your spouses involved in a new limited liability corporation. Remember, you have more days to work at it than actually going to work. Take a room or space in your house, you can deduct square footage from taxes. It’s more efficient and you can do or sell whatever you want because, remember, one day someone woke up and said “I’m going to sell people water “even though they can turn on the tap and get it for free. The other person said, “I’m going to pick up this rock, and call it a pet rock” so I’m telling you people buy stuff they do not need. Take that stupid money and invest in yourself! JT- Unless it’s KISS products (chuckles) Gene – I like that! We have 5,000 licensed products. We outsell Elvis and the Beatles. We have everything from KISS condoms to KISS caskets. We really have everything.

(Gene picks up one of JT’s Millionaire Underdog Hats) is this trademarked? JT – Of course! Gene – But you don’t have the TM JT- Neither do you on your hat! (chuckles) Gene – I don’t need a TM ha-ha, it’s been around for 28 years. JT- that’s right! Gene – How much for the hat? JT – Well now that you touched it, a lot of money!! Gene – I am going to let JT read something to you off my phone, give me one second to find it. Okay so he is going to read this but before, I was asked by the NFL to sing the national anthem at Wembley Stadium in front of 90, 000 people! So the day before, they asked me to do a morning TV show called Soccer AM. So right before we started, I was chewing gum and they said, “Mr. Simmons, please could you remove your gum?” I took it out and jokingly said eBay. The next day they put my chewed gum on eBay, all the money went to London’s children hospital, but do you want to know how much it sold for? It sold for $247,000! JT – Wow, that is an amazing story of how powerful one’s brand can be. Thank you for being here and talking to our guests. Gene – Thank you for having me.

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DIGITAL WALLETS SHOULD WE BE USING THEM?

Most mobile-phone users in this world are users of smartphones, so that means that a big chunk of the population has the ability to take advantage of a digital wallet. The shift from paying for goods and services with tangible credit cards and cash to a simple mobile device seems like a no-brainer; less things to carry or worry about and all of your important items are stored in one place. Forgot to grab your wallet while walking out the door? Not to worry, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on your phone. While some may be reluctant to take the plunge, a lot of people have already begun using this new technology. Here are some reasons why it might be smart to leave your cash and cards at home and just use your phone:

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Security If you’ve ever lost your wallet, or worse, had it stolen, then you know the pain and hassle you have to go through when that happens. Canceling all your credit cards, waiting to get new ones, dealing with any theft or damage to your credit rating are all stressful things nobody wants to deal with. But, with digital wallets, you don’t have to worry about any of that. Unlike a traditional wallet, phones (most of them) already have a passcode. So that’s the first layer of security. Then, the apps that contain your financial information are also encrypted. It’s a lot harder to get access to that info than to just find or steal someone’s wallet from them.

Perks and Convenience Digital wallets have many perks. Some include offers such as cash-back rewards. You can also track your account easier and faster. Convenience factors include bill-splitting (out to dinner with a friend and want to split the bill? It only takes a second to send and receive payments) and avoiding those expensive transactions fees when your travel.

Great for Business

It only takes seconds to tap your phone and pay for an item. No hassle of digging your cash or card out of a wallet, sticking it in the chip reader, entering a pin code and or signing your name. This could essentially cause check-out processes to become much quicker.

Accessing funds almost immediately is possible with digital wallets. You can save money on transaction fees since there are no third parties involved, and you can also avoid having to spend the money on a pricey POS system. None of that is necessary with a digital wallet. Plus, you can access real-time data giving you an advantage, and customers will also be happier as the payment methods you’re providing are quicker and secure.

Accepted Widely

Shop Online Easier

More and more businesses are accepting digital wallets every day. In fact, Samsung, Apple and Android Pay are accepted at millions of stores alone, and that number is only going to grow. Sooner or later all businesses are going to be expected to accept this form of payment.

Shopping online appeals to a number of people, specifically those who want to avoid crowds and all the other hassles of shopping in store. But can it get easier? The process of shopping online is great… until checkout time; having to get up and grab your credit card, enter all necessary credentials, (oops a typo!), re-enter the information again. It can be tedious and exhausting. However, digital wallets are changing the online shopping game. With all your cards stored in one place on your phone, you have the ability to shop instantly. Websites now allow you to access your digital wallet in “store mode”, and then pay for it right on the spot. Quick, convenient and hassle free!

Efficient and Time-Saver

It may seem like more and more places we go, the ability to pay digitally has become apparent. “Now supporting apple pay” is one of the most common signs at the checkout. But with this innovative payment method rapidly growing, why aren’t more people hopping on the bandwagon?

Don’t Completely Trust While the convenience and low-risk factors of digital wallets seem to be apparent, not everyone is buying it. In fact, although digital wallets are growing in popularity every day, a lot of consumers don’t feel them to be safe. A study done found that actually 55% of consumers are sticking to their cash and cards over a digital wallet due to safety concerns. They aren’t keen to the idea of storing passwords, card numbers and other sensitive information in a device that’s highly susceptible to fraud. And since the digital wallet trend is still a new one, banks may not be as likely to have your back in the case of fraud.

Many Stores Are Behind People who do not use digital wallets may be refusing not for the issue of safety concerns, but rather the unavailability from many merchants. Larger companies have already implemented digital wallet payment systems, but other smaller stores are slow in their process of installing technology compatible with phones or smartwatches. They may not have the budget to do so, or it simply is not a priority.

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Digital wallets are not just for debit/credit cards. Just like a traditional wallet, you can add your loyalty cards, gift cards, and any other cards you can think of. Plus, if you’re a savvy shopper and have other apps on your phone that offer discounts or have reward programs, you can load those up as well. There’s essentially an infinite amount of room in your digital wallet, and you won’t have to worry about it weighing you down or giving you pocket bulge.

Holds A Lot Of Cards

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Spotty Internet A huge issue currently in the digital wallet world is internet connectivity. If there are not enough mobile towers to support the system, then paying for an item at a small gas station in the middle of nowhere may not be likely. Developing countries specifically don’t have the infrastructure to support a high enough internet connection. And if the internet connection is not the issue at the time, then system malfunctions are. The information for digital wallets is stored in the cloud, and if there is a system malfunction or shut down, businesses would not be able to process payments, pissing off a lot of people and losing out on a lot of money.

No Phone = No Luck If you’ve lost your mobile device or had it stolen, then you’ll have to wait until you get a replacement to reinstall all of your mobile apps. Not everyone can go out of there way to repurchase a lost or stolen phone immediately, so that could take a huge toll on your ability to pay for things, or worse- bills, while you wait to replace your device.

Temperamental Mobile Devices It’s usually not a shock to a user when their mobile phone starts acting up and not working properly. Smartphones are known for their hardware and software issues. What happens if you need to pay your dinner bill and your phone dies? Or, you’re checking out at a store and your phone decides to freeze? Those types of situations can leave you in a very uncomfortable situation, and there’s nothing you can do until your device goes back to normal. Just one time would be enough for a digital wallet user to revert back to a traditional wallet.

Whether you’re here for them or not, digital wallets aren’t going anywhere. Do your research and decide for yourself. And whatever you chose, it might be best to have a backup either way. We may not be at the point just yet to solely rely on a digital wallet, but that’s for you to decide.

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What A Successful Financial Advisor Would Tell His 20-Year-Old Self Today Robert Pagliarini, owner of Pacifica Wealth Advisors made a list of things he would tell his 20-year-old self if he could. Pagliarini has been working with clients for over 20 years, most of them have had kids and since then, Pagliarini has also helped their kids. His younger clients often have similar questions to what he thought when he was younger; Pagliarini says that he really enjoys these conversations because it reminds him of when he was young and just starting out. On his quoted list, he came up with things that the youth or just anybody who wants to improve their finances and life can implement to achieve great success.

“Take bigger risks. You are playing it too safe. You are worried about little things and worried about failing when you shouldn’t. The time to learn to walk is when you are young and short. If you fall, you don’t fall that far. You think you have so much to lose if you fail, but you don’t when you are young. This is the time to take the big risks because you have time on your side if it doesn’t work out. Do you think when you’re older and have a mortgage, kids, bills, and a career that it will be less risky? Think about a risk that scares you – it could be starting a business, inventing something, taking a year to join the Peace Corps, backpacking across Asia, whatever – and then think about risk versus reward. If it doesn’t go well, what could you lose? I’ve talked to many older people who have regrets. People who say, “When I was younger I wish I would have…” Guess what? You are younger. Now is the time! It will never be less risky than it is today “

“Invest in yourself more. The single best investment you can make is in yourself. This is especially true when you are younger. Why? You get to benefit from the education longer. Think of it this way, who is going to benefit more financially, the person who becomes a lawyer at age 72 or age 22? And it’s not just formal education or degrees that I’m referring to. Invest in yourself can mean anything where you are learning and growing. It includes reading, taking online courses, getting certifications, or even things like personal development programs. You are your best asset. The more you can invest in yourself the more valuable the asset becomes.

where you could benefit – negotiating a better price on cars, houses, and even raises. I always suggest you learn a skill before you need the skill. This means keeping an open mind about what to learn and an open wallet. Nowadays, there are many free courses available, but don’t be afraid to spend money to grow. It’s the best investment you can make” “Get money smart. This is one of my favorites because it is so easy and it will pay you back year after year. One of the reasons people struggle financially is because they make uninformed decisions, but more commonly, they make no decision. Financial paralysis is real. I see it often in my practice. Nobody said investing or tax or personal finance was easy. In fact, it can be mind-numbingly complex. This causes a great deal of people to avoid financial decisions because they lack financial confidence. The mistake most people make is that they think they need to know much more than they really need to know. You don’t have to be an expert in all things money. You just need to learn a few basic principles and you will be far ahead of the pack. I recently published my fourth personal finance book, Wealth. What makes this interesting is that I didn’t even want to write it. A couple of years ago I was working with a 22-yearold client who received a large lawsuit settlement. He admitted that he didn’t know very much about money, taxes, or investing and that he was nervous about being responsible for so much money.

recommendation for a simple book that would give him a brief introduction to the world of personal finance. “No problem,” I said, assum-

come a better negotiator? You’d have 70 years

He was thirsty for knowledge and asked for a

ing there were dozens of great options from which to choose. Well, a week later I could still not find anything even remotely close to what I knew he needed. Instead, we decided to have weekly money coaching sessions where I would take a concept and do my best to explain it as simply as possible. I enjoyed doing this so much I decided to write Get Money Smart based on these lessons. If you want to increase your financial knowledge and confidence, this is a good place to start.” “Move to opportunity. Most people will move for opportunity, but I think you should strongly consider moving to opportunity. What’s the difference? Moving for opportunity means you already have a job or position waiting for you, but moving to opportunity is being in a place where opportunity exists. I grew up in a smallish town where I concluded there was less opportunity, so I moved to Los Angeles without a job or plan. I strongly believe there is a geography of success. There are areas where ideas, jobs, and opportunities flourish. Be flexible and open to moving to these areas. Just because you grew up somewhere doesn’t mean you can’t create a new life somewhere else.”

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What if you took an online course on how to be-

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“Be more thoughtful about your life and goals. It’s

“Do not take on debt for school. This idea is probably

easy to be passive and reactive. That’s the default.

the most controversial. There is one camp that says to

The problem is that when you don’t take an active

do whatever it takes to get a degree – including tak-

role in your own life, you become a pawn for some-

ing on a lot of debt. I am not in that camp. You already

one else and their life. This doesn’t mean you have

know how strongly I feel about education and growth,

to have all the answers, but it does mean that you

but I think you can be smart about how you pay for

have to spend some time and thought about what

it. There is no shame in going to a two-year college

you want to accomplish, be, and obtain. What is

before going to a university. It can save hundreds of

important to you? What do you want from your

thousands of dollars over your lifetime and you can

life? Think about these questions and come up

still get your four-year degree. You should also con-

with answers – even if they change (and they will).

sider working part-time while in school. This can help

Be the architect of your own life.

cover some of your expenses and keep you focused. Most of the successful people I know worked while in

“Be obsessed with growth. This is one of my favor-

college and they agree that it not only helped their fi-

ites because it can mean the difference between

nances but it helped them do better in school because

a mediocre life and an incredible life. Be obsessed

they were more focused and disciplined.”

with growth means that you are relentless about learning, experiencing, and become a better ver-

“Forget about balance. I used to aim for balance until I

sion of yourself each and every day. The common

realized I was getting mediocre results in everything I

theme throughout many of these ideas is replac-

did. Balance, as most people think of it, is a joke and it

ing passivity for activity. Trust me, as you get old-

will cost you dearly.

er there will be more demands on your time and energy. The only way to deal with the onslaught is to set priorities for yourself and not fall into a lull of reactivity. Be obsessed about doing things that are new, that scare you, and that will lead to your growth.” “Develop the habit of saving/investing. Earlier I suggested you should spend money on yourself to learn and grow. You should also get into the habit of saving and investing even if you start with just a few dollars a week. The amount you save is less important. It’s the habit that you are creating that is important. When you make more money, you will already have the “muscle memory” of saving and investing. To make things even easier, there are many apps that can help you save and even invest small amounts of money. Take advantage of these and get into the habit of saving at least 10% of your income.”

If you want more on this idea, one of the best books

to one project or goal, make significant progress, and

I’ve read is The One Thing: The Surprising Simple

then shift to another project or goal. When I write a

Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. It will set you

book, I become obsessed with it. Balance goes out the

straight on finding balance!”

window. Any free time I have I am thinking about or writing the book. This means that I may temporarily

“Keep your core expenses low. No matter what you

neglect other areas of my life, but I’m okay with this

do, keep your fixed expenses low. I know the new

because I know it is temporary. If you have to check

Mustang or Audi or whatever is amazing, but don’t

out from your friend group for a couple of weeks,

even think about signing that lease. I know you

shorten your workouts, or spend less time with fam-

want to move out of your parents’ house, but if you

ily while you tackle a big project then do it! Just make

can hang out there a little longer (sorry parents!),

sure that the quality of time you spend working out or

do it. Month to month expenses are better than lon-

with your family is high even though the hours may be

ger commitments. The idea is that you want to be

limited. Trying to do everything and having balance

as financially flexible as possible. The moment you

will only mean that nothing gets done effectively. If

have a car payment or apartment lease, your free-

your friends aren’t asking you where you’ve been on

dom is limited. You have to continue to work even

a fairly regular basis, you are not focused enough. The

though the job may not be a good fit. You won’t be

less (temporary) balance you have means the more

able to take advantage of a new opportunity such

you are committed to what’s important.

as doing an unpaid internship with a great company. There will be plenty of time to be saddled with responsibilities, but when you are young, you want flexibility. Do this effectively, and you’ll have much nicer cars and houses in your future.” “Upgrade your friends. When I used to recommend this, I’d get a lot of criticism, but because so many people recommend this now the advice is a bit passé. That’s okay. It’s still true and so few people follow through with it that it needs to be reinforced. You need to add new friends to your life. This may include dropping some of your more caustic friends for those who make you want to be a better person, who gives you energy, and who support your big dreams.

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Instead, commit all of your time, attention, and energy

There are two types of people in this world, those who give you energy and help you grow and those

who suck energy from you and make you weaker. It’s rather simple. It’s hard enough to be 20 something and to create an amazing life full of mean-

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ing, so don’t make it harder. Surround yourself with a group of friends who want to do big things and who challenge you to be the best you can be.” “Focus on your health and energy. Talk to anyone who has had a health problem and they will tell you life stops. The book they were working on, the degree they were getting, and the business they started all came to a screeching halt. When you don’t have energy or are in poor health, you can’t think creatively and you can’t get the work done. Yes, you’re young and probably have lots of energy and can eat whatever you want and still feel good, but now is the time to develop good health habits. This means making exercise a priority and feeding yourself with things that will help you perform at your peak. Don’t neglect your health for a second. Your body and mind are your greatest asset. Make sure you are investing in them.” “Always be creating. My clients who have had the most financial/life success are those who have created something -- a business, product, art, or cause. No matter how young you might be, it’s never too early to get into the creating game. In selling you often hear the advice of ABC – always be closing. I suggest you follow a different ABC – always be creating. Start a blog, create a video series, write a book, invent something, start a business, etc. It doesn’t really matter what you create; just create something. A passion project will give you energy and a reason to jump out of bed in the morning. It also gives you the experience of what it is like to sign the front of a check.

Maybe you’ll go on and create the next great tech company or maybe you won’t. Either way, you will take the lessons and skills into the future and you will be better off as a result.” “Use your other 8 hours wisely. The idea is that you work eight hours, sleep 8 hours, and have 8 hours left. In my book, The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose, I make the argument that life happens in those other 8 hours because the time you work you sell to somebody else and the time you sleep is not yours. The only way you can grow, exercise, develop a strong network, and improve your life is after work and before bed. Make the most of this time! It’s all you have to improve your life. Invest it wisely in things and people that will make you better. Don’t fall into the Uber trap. The Uber trap is spending your time thinking you are investing it. Yes, you can make a few extra bucks, but that’s not going to improve your life. What if, instead, you invested that time in learning a new skill? The trap I see most often for young people is that they get locked into a car payment they can’t afford and then have to drive Uber or work some other part-time job just to make the payments. Not only are they stuck with the car payment, they are forced to use their valuable time to pay for it. Value your time and invest it for the long-term.”

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“Stand out at work. I’ve always appreciated the quote from Jim Rohn, “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job,” but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give 100% at work. Be remarkable. Don’t blend. Be bold. Take on jobs that are difficult and that nobody wants. If you think playing it safe is the less risky approach, you are wrong. In the short-term it may be safer, but longer-term it is a disaster. You want to make sure you put yourself on the edge by taking risks at work. Stand up and speak your mind. Offer suggestions and pretend it is your company. The more you can develop an ownership mentality the bigger the difference you can make. Even if your boss is a jerk and doesn’t reward you, someone will notice. And even if nobody notices or cares, do it for yourself. At some point, a new boss or new company will take note of your reputation or maybe you’ll have your own company.”

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TOP 1 FORT MYERS AD

Powerful Magazine April 2018