VMH Magazine - January 2016 by VMH Magazine

MAGAZINE!

VMH

W or ld

in Hi 201 gh 6 B lig re ht ak s fas t

Vikki M. Hankins!

PAINKILLERS & YOUR KIDNEYS

10 Internet Marketing Facts for Marketers

How to Ensure You Get It

Are you powered by purpose?

Digital Tools Foster Business

Growth

January 2016

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found

it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” Steve Jobs

Ryan Prentiss Photography

ryanprentiss.com

Small Businesses Expected to Grow by 25% Digital Marketing Levels the Playing Marketing Levels the Playing Field Small businesses in the restaurant industry that are active on Yelp were most upbeat about 2016, with 92% of respondents expecting an overall revenue increase.!

10. The Payoff Principle: Secrets for Getting What You Want Out of Life and Work

“When you find Purpose in what you do, exhibit Passion for the outcome, and master the Process to make it happen, you produce the Payoffs you want, need and deserve in every achieve this through dumb luck,” says Dr. Zimmerman.

By Alan Zimmerman, PhD

12.

Protecting Your Credit from Identity Theft With millions of Americans not sure if their money and credit are safe, protecting your credit. A hacker isn’t looking for someone with bruised or bad credit. They’re looking for those with good to excellent credit so if you have any credit issues you are most likely not in the cross hairs. If you have good credit you may be vulnerable. Learn tips to help you protect yourself and avoid future issues regardless of your credit standing.

By S. Louis Blisko

VMH MAGAZINE

13. Powered by Purpose: Identify Your Values, Discover Your Purpose, and Build Success for Life.

A Review by Funmi Osinubi

18.

Know Your Worth - Tips to Ensure You Get It!

26.

10 Internet Marketing Facts for Marketers

It is important that you know your worth. Otherwise you could end up accepting business deals well below your value, in unhealthy relationships, develop low selfesteem or never reach your full potential. Learn tips on getting your worth.

! !!!

By Vikki Hankins !

24.

Changing Law Enforcement Policy Commentary by Retired Lt. Garry Jones (FBOP), on matters face by communities at the hands of law enforcement. ‘If Law Enforcement doesn’t change their training strategy on how to handle possible violent situations there are going to be many killings in the future.’

Internet marketing, or online marketing, refers to advertising and marketing efforts that use the Web and email to drive direct sales via electronic commerce, in addition to sales leads from Web sites or emails. Internet marketing and online adver tising effor ts are typically used in conjunction with traditional types of advertising such as radio, television, newspapers and magazines. By Vikki Hankins

28.

Painkillers and Your Kidneys

‘Many

analgesics (pain medicines) should not be used if there is decreased kidney function, because they reduce the blood flow to the kidney. Also, long term use with higher doses may harm normal kidneys.’ - National Kidney Foundation. Read a first hand account of a man that developed kidney disease as a result of painkillers.

Don't watch the clock, do what it does. Keep going.

-Sam Levenson

Publisher! Vikki M. Hankins Editor-in-Chief Vikki M. Hankins Assistant Director Garry Jones! Journalist/Contributors Vikki Hankins Garry Jones

Identifying and Exploring the Issues That Shape 2016 !

Pg. 22

Contributors (Visiting) Morgan Amos Funmi Osinubi Alan Zimmerman, PhD S. Louis Blisko

Photography Vikki Hankins Garry Jones Alisha Davis Sherman Hankins

!! !! !! !!

Media Assistant Alisha Davis

Cover Photographer: Garry Jones

Photo Credit; Vikki Hankins www.vmhmagazine.com

Vikki Hankins

Vikki Hankins WWW.VMHMAGAZINE.COM 7

Small Businesses Expected to Grow by 25%!

‘Digital Marketing Levels the Playing Yelp Inc., the company that connects consumers with great local businesses, today released its first annual Small Business Pulse Survey, finding that 85% of American small businesses active on Yelp expect their revenues to grow in 2016, estimating an increase of 26% growth in the year ahead.

This optimism prevailed throughout the survey, with young companies leading the charge and predicting 48% growth over the next year. The "can-do" spirit of American businesses extended across a wide variety of industries, from food service, health and medicine to retail and home services. Small businesses in the restaurant industry that are active on Yelp were most upbeat about 2016, with 92% of respondents expecting an overall revenue increase.

Small businesses are a growing demographic of overall business owners in the United States. They represent more than 99.7% of all employers, accounting for 55% of all jobs and 54% of sales in the U.S.; small businesses also produce nearly half of non-farm private gross domestic product (GDP).

"Small businesses are an important part of the economy. They provide roughly half of all private sector jobs, and also provide direct benefits to the communities that get to enjoy their goods and services," said Harvard University Professor of Business Administration and Yelp's Economist in Residence, Michael Luca, an expert on how businesses influence local economies. "It's interesting to peek into the minds of small business owners, to see how they're feeling and what they're thinking about. This group of businesses is clearly optimistic, which is consistent with relatively strong consumer sentiment and a recent uptick in retail sales.”

! Unexpected Challenges Top of Mind !

Despite this optimism, there is no shortage of challenges that small businesses confront. Yet, while media reports see small businesses worrying about health care costs and minimum wage compliance, Yelp's survey shows that small businesses see developing competitive growth strategies as their greatest challenge.

Specifically, the top identified issues include attracting and retaining customers (60%), managing a limited marketing budget (32%) and competition from larger businesses (30%). Neither health care nor minimum wage concerns troubled small businesses as much as growing their customer bases and rising above competition. Only 18% of businesses identified time spent on non-core business elements as the main disadvantage of running a small business.

"Small businesses worry about their own ability to grow, even as they remain optimistic," added Dr. Luca. "Health care and other concerns, while important, seem to be less of a problem for many small businesses as they prioritize growth.”

! Digital Marketing Levels the Playing Field !

As advances in technology continue to break down geographic, economic and social barriers, an online community – increasingly known as the "Feedback Economy" – has evolved and allows consumers to share opinions, rate businesses and connect with companies of all sizes. Businesses surveyed overwhelmingly felt that feedback economy platforms like Yelp are giving them the digital tools and confidence they need to engage with and attract new customers: 85% of small businesses believe digital marketing has helped their business grow its customer base, and 91% use digital marketing tools such as social media platforms (75%), consumer review platforms (48%) and search engine advertising (48%).

"It's clear that the best local businesses value the feedback of their customers," said Jeremy Stoppelman, CEO of Yelp. "Consumers now have the power to effortlessly share their opinions and experiences, which is a game-changer, helping savvy small business owners quickly improve and grow.”

The majority of small business owners agree that digital tools allow their companies to remain nimble and personal even as they scale rapidly. An impressive 79% of businesses surveyed believe that digital tools allow them to provide a more personal touch in their communities, enabling them to address the individual needs of their customers. Today's feedback economy – where customer-business interactions are easier than ever – is becoming an even bigger resource in helping small businesses build relationships and improve customer service.

"There's a misconception that only big companies have the capacity and resources to use sophisticated, high-tech marketing tools. Back when billboards and Super Bowl ads seemed like the only way to reach customers, small businesses were more constrained, but things have changed dramatically," added Dr. Luca. "With an expanding set of tools to engage with customers, small businesses can leverage consumer feedback platforms to build higher-quality customer relationships.”

Political Concerns Mirror Those of Big Businesses, Nation As a Whole

Politically, small businesses share the same concerns as large businesses. The issue top of mind for small businesses surveyed is reducing the regulatory burden and simplifying the tax code, which could make the process of filing taxes faster and easier for small businesses. Small businesses – already facing a robust set of challenges to their growth and constant competition from rivals – support changes that would allow them to focus on these core issues and grow in 2016.

PATIENT -VSDOCTOR MISDIAGNOSIS

! Methodology  !

The Yelp Small Business Pulse Survey was conducted using an email invitation and an online survey from November 17, 2015 to December 3, 2015. Yelp partnered with Wakefield Research, a leading national research firm, and polled 901 self-selected Yelp small business members in industries as diverse as food service, retail, health, medicine and home services about their needs in a changing economy. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.3 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

Yelp Inc. (NYSE: YELP) connects people with great local businesses. Yelp was founded in San Francisco in July 2004. Since then, Yelp communities have taken root in major metros across 32 countries. By the end of Q3 2015, Yelpers had written approximately 90 million rich, local reviews, making Yelp the leading local guide for real word-of-mouth on everything from boutiques and mechanics to restaurants and dentists. Approximately 89 million unique visitors visited Yelp via their mobile device on a monthly average basis during Q3 2015**. Approximately 79 million unique visitors visited Yelp via their desktop on a monthly average basis during Q3 2015. For more information, please visit http://www.yelp.com.

amazon.com 9

The Payoff Principle: !

Discover the 3 Secrets for Getting What You Want Out of Life and Work

! !

By Alan Zimmerman, PhD

A problem many individuals face today is getting the most out of both their personal and professional lives. In fact, you may wonder whether or not you can have a fulfilling career and a quality home life at the same time. After all, as Dr. Alan Zimmerman points out, “Life is tough, work is challenging, relationships are demanding. And it takes an extraordinary amount of clarity, energy, and skill to bring it all come together in a positive and productive way.”

extraordinary payoffs on and off the job. To be specific, you will learn how to:

• • • •

Release the power of purpose into your personal and professional lives Create an unshakeable positive attitude Keep on going when you feel like quitting Guide your decisions and behaviors with a high level of character Program your mind for success so can you easily achieve your goals Continue your learning and development so you never get outdated Communicate so others are drawn to you Implement the process of compassionate listening to build teams and relationships

• The good news is you can have all the personal happiness and professional success you desire – as • long as you are following the right formula. That formula is revealed in Dr. Zimmerman’s forthcoming • title, The Payoff Principle: Discover the 3 Secrets for • Getting What You Want Out of Life and Work. As a celebrated speaker to more than a million people over the last thirty years, with a variety of organizations Alan Zimmerman, PhD has spoken to more than one from Fortune 500 million people across the companies to small and United States and around the medium-sized world, giving them the tools “When you find Purpose in what you do, businesses, from they need to achieve their goals exhibit Passion for the outcome, and government and on and off the job. As a master the Process to make it happen, you healthcare to education prominent, sought-after author and professional and speaker, Dr. Zimmerman produce the Payoffs you want, need and a s s o c i a t i o n s , D r. works with a variety of deserve in every achieve this through Zimmerman’s research organizations and professional dumb luck,” says Dr. Zimmerman. “You says the formula for associations. His clients eliminate the guesswork and gain a rampant success is: universally characterize him as Purpose + Passion + genuine, down-to-earth, practical set of strategies that will deliver Process = Payoff. practical, and powerful. what you want the very most: greater

happiness and more success.”

“ W h e n y o u fi n d Purpose in what you do, exhibit Passion for the outcome, and master the Process to make it happen, you produce the Payoffs you want, need and deserve in every domain of your life,” says Dr. Zimmerman. “Of course, a few people achieve this through dumb luck. When you understand and implement the payoff principle, however, you eliminate the guesswork and gain a practical set of strategies that are guaranteed to deliver greater happiness and success.”

The Payoff Principle empowers you, the reader, to take responsibility for your own life and success instead of waiting for it to happen. Further, The Payoff Principle reveals the skills and tactics you need to get

Dr. Zimmerman has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions in the fi e l d s o f a t t i t u d e , communication, leadership, and speaking. Most recently, the National Speakers Association awarded him its highest honor, the Council of Peers Award of Excellence.

Website: www.DrZimmerman.com Twitter: @dr_zimmerman

The Payoff Principle: Discover the 3 Secrets for Getting What You Want Out of Life and Work is a v a i l a b l e f ro m w w w. a m a z o n . c o m , www.barnesandnoble.com and through all major booksellers

Protecting Your Credit from Identity Theft By S. Louis Blisko|

With millions of Americans not sure if their money and credit are safe, here are some tips on protecting your credit moving forward. A hacker isn’t looking for someone with bruised or bad credit. They’re looking for those with good to excellent credit so if you have any credit issues you are most likely not in the cross hairs. If your credit is solid (680 – 850 score) you might be vulnerable.

Here are some tips to help you protect yourself and avoid future issues regardless of your credit standing.

Do your homework. Most lenders will tell you what score is required to be accepted. Therefore you can save yourself from adding needless inquiries by simply making a phone call to the lender (merchant) first and asking what is the minimum score required for your application to be accepted.

Don’t allow any vendor (car and mortgage mostly) to “find the right lender for you”. They will put your application in as many places as they need to in order to get you approved somewhere because they want to sell you the home or car. You end up with a bad loan and many inquiries on your credit report that will lower your score for up to 2 years.

Protect Your Family - If possible don't sign anything together with your spouse. People often make the mistake of signing for credit cards and loans together because they think they would be hurting the other one by not "including" them. To the contrary you are protecting them. If one of you gets sick, disabled or dies the other untouched credit file becomes a safety net. I've

been married for 18 years. We have signed NOTHING together and therefore have redundant credit if needed.

Check Your Credit at least once each year to be sure it’s accurate. You can do so for free by going to annualcreditreport.com . Think of it like your bank statement. If the bank didn’t send you a statement each month you would find another. Why would you treat your credit any differently. I always recommend checking twice a year to keep tabs on where you stand. The first each year is free and the second is more than worth a few bucks to stay on top of your credit status.

Do NOT Give Out Yo u r P e r s o n a l Information – When we go to the mall or elsewhere it seems it has become common place for employees of retail and other businesses to ask our phone, zip and other info as they ring up the sale. They are not entitled to this information and it serves you no purpose to give it other than to propagate out information that someone can use to do damage should it fall into the wrong hands later on down the road. It’s called personal information for a reason. Keep it that way!

Identity Theft and The Law – Under section 605(b)(a) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act you are protected from credit damage in the event it was caused by identity theft. The law states “(a) Block. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a consumer reporting agency shall block the reporting of any information in the file of a consumer that the consumer identifies as information that resulted from an alleged identity theft, not later than (continued on page 15)

Funmi Osinubi|

If you’ve ever been disregarded during a presentation- you need to read Scott Deming’s Powered by Purpose. If you are wondering how to gain an online audience, you should read Powered By Purpose. If you are a business owner looking to leave a positive lasting impression on customers and employees, not reading this book could determine whether you succeed or fail at this goal.

Powered By Purpose is an important read for so many individuals in and outside of the business world because it teaches that self-awareness and a commitment to your value system is step one towards authenticity- that magical and instantly recognizable element that draws readers, customers, listeners and even friends.

MAKE IT SIMPLE BUT SIGNIFICANT DON DRAPER

Scott Deming’s Powered By Purpose is really about selfexpression. It’s about realizing who you are, what values you silently live with daily and letting that inform every action and every choice. It’s a how to manual to making sure your message hits and lands. It gives you the map – Start with your values.

Deming handles this book like a good teacher should, striking a balance between his roles as a pubic speaker, a businessman, and an author. He diligently delivers practical crash courses within each chapter. First you will learn how to take a hard look at yourself to identify your own values through key questions, critical thinking, and insightful quizzes. He follows with strategic examples that resulted in company cultures that either failed or succeeded. By the end of the book you will not only know how to identify your own values. You’ll also get instructions on how to turn your value system into a culture, how to maintain that culture, and how to get your message out to the right people in the right way to ultimately achieve your purpose.

VMHMAGAZINE.COM

What's Your Along the Way?

Like any good teacher, Deming takes every opportunity to impart knowledge on his key topics as well as topics somewhat related. He sacrifices some clarity and brevity with his unwillingness to leave anything out so the book’s flow is at times inundated and long winded. But as we would for our beloved instructors, we can overlook this with a simple gratitude for the wealth of advice and pearls of savvy wisdom packed in this book. Deming puts forth his own value system even in the way he chose to craft it.

So here’s what you do: Get Scott Deming’s Powered by Purpose. Read it with a stack of post it notes in hand. And when you are finished place it visibly on your bookshelf because you’re sure to be back to it again and again on your journey of self expression, sound decision making, and genuine fulfillment in the face of greed and distraction. To learn more about Scott Deming and his work visit: www.scottdeming.com

Design By Grace, LLC

Share Your Along the Way... M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N C O M I N G S O O N

E S T . 2 0 1 5

“STYLE IS A WAY TO SAY WHO YOU ARE

WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEAK.” STYLISH MEN + WOMEN

RACHEL ZOE

(continued from page 12)

4 business days after the date of receipt by such agency of-- (1) appropriate proof of the identity of the consumer; (2) a copy of an identity theft report; (3) the identification of such information by the consumer; and (4) a statement by the consumer that the information is not information relating to any transaction by the consumer.

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." !

--Anonymous

Monitor Your Bank Account Regularly – Every bank in the U.S. offers online banking. Use it! Check your bank account for any charges or fees you did not authorize or were unaware of. If your debit or credit card was compromised in a hack you need to be diligent for months to make sure you don’t wake up to being wiped out.

Create A Redundant Bank Account – If you have a checking and savings with a given bank this would be a good time to create a third account that you do not use other than for deposits. You can then move your money online as needed. If your main account debit card is compromised and you keep your funds in the redundant account for the most part you will have created a “stop loss” of whatever amount you leave in the primary. For example if you leave $100.00 in your primary and the rest of your usable cash in the redundant account then the

Change Passwords on All Accounts – If you think you may have been compromised by the Target / Retail hack issue go online and change your password which will create another new layer of protection. Many banks will also let you reset your PIN on debit cards either online or in person. USAA does it on the phone. Either way it’s always better to err on the side of caution.

Folks we live in a world where things happen at the speed of light. You need to know your rights and how to enforce them so that in the event you are attacked or just take a hit credit wise you can defend and recover instead of being a victim. S. Louis Blisko Author - Credit Warfare CreditWarfareBook Facebook.com/CreditWarfare Twitter - @CreditWarfare

Photo Credit: Workandapix

2016

Top Ten Food Trends

The Food Channel® (foodchannel.com) has released its Top Ten Food Trends for 2016. Based on research conducted in conjunction with CultureWaves® and the International Food Futurists®, the list identifies some of the significant changes expected to hit the food world.

"We're seeing a huge emphasis on clean label, sustainability, functional food, and knowing the story behind a product," said Kay Logsdon, editor of The Food Channel. "We've called out both flavors and industry behavior in this report, with something for the consumer and the food professional alike." This marks 28 years since The Food Channel began identifying trends around food. Highlights follow:

! The Food Channel Top 10 Trends for 2016 !!

1. Clean Label. Growers and food manufacturers are removing preservatives, artificial flavors, antibiotics, and other potential allergens in response to consumer demands for transparency.

! !

3. Tangy: the newest flavor palate. What used to be sweet, now is savory, and vice versa. Expect stronger flavors that pack a punch in order to make sure we notice them. 4.

5. Searching for Super. Everyone is trying to find the next superfood. It has become a never-ending search, leading to quick introduction of new foods with quick turnaround if they don't "stick." 6. Merging Markets. We haven't seen a lot of innovation in the food world recently.It seems the only way to grow is to combine. Are we making better companies or just bigger?

7. Cultural Diets. People are searching for their own culture, and, in doing so, are realizing that there may have been health benefits for their genetics and body type.

8. Decadent Desserts. Decadence is making a comeback. Restaurants have developed a competitive culture where each tries to outdo the other with the spectacular.

9. Coffee Flavor and Flair. Instead of flavoring our coffees, now we are flavoring nearly everything else with coffee: chewable coffee cubes, coffee candy, coffee rubs, and coffee beer are just a few.

10. Food Entertainment. We called out TV and YouTube years ago, and now we're seeing our love of food show up in mainstream television and movies, not to mention merchandising.

!Recipes are also available for some of the trends; see more at foodchannel.com.

2. A No Tipping Future. Joe's Crab Shack is the first major chain to test a no-tipping policy, and New York restaurateur Danny Meyer is a leading advocate. Watch for "hospitality included."

that means figuring out how to eat at a fast food restaurant on a vegan diet.

The

! About The Food Channel®   !

The Food Channel (www.foodchannel.com) includes original video series, great feature articles, chef-tested recipes, chef profiles, 4-star food photography, reviews and food-event coverage. For additional food news, trends, recipes, and reviews, visit www.foodchannel.com. Follow The Food Channel on Twitter at www.twitter.com/foodchannel or Facebook at www.facebook.com/FoodChannel.

New Vegan. Consumers want true personalization around what they eat . . . and

KNOW YOUR

WORTH How To En

ure You Get It

By Vikki Hankins Written by Vikki Hankins

It is important that you know your worth. Otherwise you could end up accepting business deals well below your value, in unhealthy relationships, develop low self-esteem or never reach your full potential.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve encountered a number of individuals that did not want to pay the fees associated with my services. Based on my experience and the experience of other skilled entrepreneurs, there are those that try to convince the business owner to lower or alter their rates to meet their budgets. I have two opinions on this:

1. If a business has established itself as providing quality services, meet deadlines, sells a great product, and has ethical characteristics, why lower the rates. Clearly, if rates/prices are set by a principled business; the product/services are worth it’s due. Hence the rates.

end up with no clients. I had to move passed this fear.

2. Lack of Self-Confidence: As I continued to develop my skills and produce quality that measures up to my competitors, yet stands apart my selfconfidence grew.

3. Surroundings: I found that when I surrounded myself with a different group of people, my outlook grew beyond the status quo and what I’d been accustomed to.

4. Mindset: As I researched and listened to other successful people in my field, my mind opened up to how it should be versus how it is.

The above two opinions are applied not only in business, but as a basic principle in life. If that guy or that girl wants you to alter yourself in order to meet their wants, in my opinion this may not necessarily be the best match, in particular if they persist. Such scenarios places you in a position of ‘settling’ and boarders tampering with your worth, your value.

It takes courage to move beyond familiarity and into unfamiliar territory where others are doing the same things you’re doing, but getting a whole lot more. When I attended business conferences and summits in New “For a long time York City, I was I was afraid no one baffled to see the would not want to use my services due to cost and I mindset and would end up with no success of these clients. I had to move people. I’m sure they passed this fear.” had their down days but overall they were way beyond what I considered to be success.

So how do you determine your worth? How do you know if your rates/prices are too high or too low? Below are a few things that stand in the way of determining your true worth:

That first conference really opened my mind and pushed me to improve everything, including my target market. Greater than this is understanding what I should be receiving.

1. Fear: For a long time I was afraid no one would not want to use my services due to cost and I would

When you surround yourself with people that are not limited in their thinking, who refuse to settle for

2. My second thought on this is when a potential customer decides to go an inexpensive route, generally they receive a less quality return. The saying,‘you get what you pay for,’ has merit.

! !

mediocre or the status quo, you’ll be amazed at the impact this has on your life. Again this applies in all aspects of life. Sometimes we live by what we’re taught or by the things we are exposed to; there’s nothing like interacting with people that live their lives on a different level and/or by stronger principles.

When this happens, it helps in determining your worth. Furthermore, it’s difficult to settle back into accepting what others want you do; you begin to replace fear with confidence and refuse to settle for anything less than your value.

! How to get your worth: !! 1. Set your rates/standards and stick with them.

2. Do not allow others to alter you or convince you to lower your rates/standards. 3. Surround yourself with people that help you build confidence. 4. Do the research to learn and develop ‘true’ cost. 5. Determine your target market and promote your product or service to that market. 6. Learn as much as you can learn. 7. Read books that promote improvement; reflect and evaluate the material.

!! Information, understanding and execution are three instrumental

components to moving forward. When you come into that knowledge, it’s best you use it; it’s a sad and at times a painful thing to know what you should be receiving yet, not have the courage to demand it. Demanding your ‘due/worth’ should not be approached in an aggressive manner, but simply make it clear, this is who I am or this is what my service/product cost; earn your respect otherwise ‘you’ lower your self worth. Learn your worth, then know your worth and lastly embrace your worth! Now move forward!

!Blessings! ! ! !

digital

photography

Vikki Hankins, Publishing/Marketing

vikkihankins.net

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VISIBILITY! BRANDING! MARKETING!

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Economist Executive Editor, Daniel Franklin

THE WORLD IN 2016 BREAKFAST

Identifying the Issues That Shape 2016 At the World In 2016 Breakfast Series, venture capitalists, business leaders and top entrepreneurs came together to forecast trends for 2016. World in 2016 Breakfast uncovered disruptive forces shaping business globally, nationally and locally. Those in attendance enjoyed breakfast, networking and more clarity on how to identify new opportunities, as well as prepare for the threats that have yet to materialize.

With a look at emerging technology trends and their impact on every industry’s future, the breakfast provided insight for navigating the dynamic relationship between business and technology. A few points brought by the panelists and moderator:

Economist Executive Editor, Daniel Franklin shared the Daniel’s Dozen, which included predictions for 2016. At the top of the predictions are the influences women will have on the world.

“Women will be at the heart of really big decisions in the world.”

Also included in his predictions were the new Chinese growth rate. Said Franklin, “I do not expect China to crash; parts of China is moving up very rapidly.”

Regarding technology and business many points were brought out by the panelist. Said Jan W. Breen, President, Corporate Strategy UPS, “Technology consumption and reduces urban congestion.”

! !

reduces

fuel

Venture Partner Ann Winblad shared her insight: • • • •

“Innovation are about a lot of young company’s” “Our money goes to company’s very early.” This is the “Real era of intelligence; artificial intelligence.” “Big data is about smart data.”

The World in 2016 Breakfast also addressed the business & technology concerns of the audience.

Moderator D. Franklin Panelist : J. Breen, A. Winbald, N. Morris Photo by Vikki Hankins

Nate Morris, Chief Executive Rubicon Global

Powerful Women in 2016

Jan Willem Breen - President, Corporate Strategy UPS

Changing Law Enforcement Policy

Commentary by Garry L. Jones (Retired Lieutenant - FBOP)

Garry L. Jones Photography by Vikki Hankins

A number of Law Enforcement officers are setting themselves up for killing season. I know some of you all think that I’m advocating the killing of Law Enforcement, but that is further from the truth; I am retired law enforcement, but, I see the writing on the wall. If Law Enforcement doesn’t change their training strategy on how to handle possible violent situations there are going to be many killings in the future.

Most Law Enforcements are trained to 'shoot to kill' or 'shoot center mass' (in the chest and stomach area) when they have probable cause to believe a suspect poses a serious physical harm either to the officers or to others. There is also something called, 'shoot to stop'; if their life is in danger, they are not trained to shoot to disable. If the Law Enforcement officers shoot at a limb and miss then there is a possibility that bullet could wound innocent bystanders.

When I used to train on the firing range we were taught to shoot center mass, we are not trained to shoot in the

arm or leg. Center is because center mass is the largest part on the body. You don’t get high scores when you shoot the silhouette in the arm, head, leg, and shoulder, the instructor grades you on how many shots you can hit in the chest, this is engrained in our heads.

Not too long ago Law Enforcement was friendlier. Growing up officers used to talk to people now they kill people, I’m not saying there aren’t situations where a life has to be taken. That is one reason why they are killing our babies; 97% percent of the time they are going to be found not guilty because they are following their manual and what they have been taught. Every violent situation is different and should be treated different. You can’t treat all perceived violent situations the same.

! Protect and Serve !

Personally, I don’t think a person should join Law Enforcement just to receive paychecks and benefits; join

Law Enforcement just to receive paychecks and benefits; join because you want to protect and serve. If this is not the reason you are joining the force then don’t fill out the application. There is nothing like a scared Law Enforcement officer with a gun; they unload every bullet in their gun. When I was growing up I remember a police officer named Mr. Cliff in my neighborhood; he was one of the nicest police officers you would ever meet. He always engaged in conversation with people in the community and he received respect. This doesn’t happen as much anymore. I’m aware this is a different time era and people hearts have grown colder; the community doesn’t trust Law Enforcement.

and when they do get a chance to engage in real combat they are happy to fire their weapon. Most of the time this drama is played out in broad daylight or in the news.

The community is tired of seeing their babies dying by trigger happy, afraid officers. I’m not condoning the people in the community inflicting violence on other people nor do I condone damaging or taking others property without paying for it. I was once a kid I did take a few things in the store that I didn’t pay for but, my punishment was getting my ass tore out the frame by uncle and grandmother. I’m glad I wasn’t gunned down in the street by Law Enforcement.

In conclusion I think citizens who are not causing trouble should be able to walk the streets and not be harassed. Law Enforcement killing unarmed teenagers and not being charged with a crime is going to cause citizens to start fighting back and also killing innocent people and Law Enforcement personnel. It’s inevitable. Once this happens then martial law is going to be enforced. ~

The reason I said there is going to be killing season on Law Enforcement is because it appears to the community Law Enforcement doesn’t value the human life.

! Why Outrage in the Community !

The reason there is an outrage in the community, take for an example if one Law Enforcement officers arrives on the scene and one citizen is causing trouble or they perceive a threat from that citizen, why does every officer shoot at the same time. Sometimes they shoot innocent people 30 times. I never understood why Law Enforcement surround the individual who is causing the threat and when the individual who is causing the threat lunges at the Law Enforcement officer in front of him, why in the hell would the policeman that is in the back of the individual fire his weapon when the person ‘back is turned’ and they are not causing a threat. I think I know the answer to that question. Most officers trained all their life and never see real combat

!Although my children are grown I texted them the

other day and said “…if a policemen stops you say yes ma’am or yes sir, I instructed my daughter if she is driving in a dark area without any lights and a policemen pulls behind her and cut on his light and siren I told her to call 911 and tell them she is not eluding the police but she is trying to go to a location where there is light.”

! Those Not Causing Trouble !

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10 Internet Marketing Facts for Marketers Written by Vikki Hankins|

Internet marketing has long become a necessary component for business success. Whether its the entrepreneur with a social agenda, a new startup or the company that been around for decades, the various forms of internet marketing aid in sustainability and company growth.

Although there are millions of internet users, a number of business leaders and educators are resistant to the idea of embracing the reality of our tech-savvy world. On another note it appears investors and venture capitalists focus on millennial’s who actually embrace the dominance of internet marketing.

I’ve decided to list ten facts gathered from the CMO Council surrounding internet use. The below list is sure to help direct marketing initiatives for 2016: 1. Pinterest grabs 41% of the ecommerce traffic compared to Facebook’s 37%. Food is the top category of content on Pinterest with 57% of its user base sharing food-related content. February 2015

!2. !3. !4. !5. !6.

There are over 1.39 billion monthly active Facebook users worldwide. 890 million users log on daily. February 2015 Globally, 46% of consumers with a digital device used social media to help make purchase decisions. November 2014

!7. !8.

games at 14.3 percent and broadband at 9.2 percent. December 2015 More than a third of CMOs say that digital marketing will account for 75% or more of their spending within the next five years. November 2015 With increased use of smartphones and tablets, net US mobile advertising is projected to increase to $28.48 billion in 2015. Google dominates with 35.17% of net US mobile ad revenue share. Facebook is second with 16.68% of net US mobile ad revenue share. March 2015

!9. Two-thirds of revenue growth from consumers and advertising will be digital. December 2014 !10. On average, 60% of a marketers' time is devoted to

digital marketing activities, fueling demand for digital marketing skills. November 2015

!Gone are the days when marketers had to depend on door-to-door sales, mailers, and cold-calling. The boom of internet use, allows companies to connect with potential consumers and engage a wide range of audiences. Although the facts are clear, as entrepreneurs we still have to ‘get out there’ and interact with the people.

!Reference: CMO Council, cmocouncil.org !

Vikki Hankins is a business leader who’s empowered markets, and assisted entrepreneurs in various aspects of digital marketing. Further, she has successfully mentored college graduates in the field of journalism, marketing, publishing & production. To learn more about Vikki Hankins visit: twitter, Facebook or her website.

Online marketing, which includes electronic ads, targeted emails and selling information to brokers, is worth about $62 billion October 2013

!*60% of all Internet activity in the US originates

95% of brands tweet. 82% of brands tweet 1-6 time per day. 48% of brands replied to at least one tweet per day. 68% of brand Tweets are @replies. March 2015

Digital

advertising was the fastest-growing category in 2014, with a 16.1 percent increase in spending, followed by video

from mobile devices and about half of total Internet Traﬃc flows through mobile apps. (Source: cmocouncil.org) *On average, 60% of a marketers' time is devoted to digital marketing activities, fuelling demand for digital marketing skills (Source: Smart Insights and Ecommerce Expo)

HEALTH TALK

PROTECTING YOUR KIDNEYS

AS TOLD BY GARRY L. JONES

It was June 2007 I was on my way to Charlotte, N.C. for my nephew’s graduation. During my travel I felt fine, but once I arrived, I began to feel nauseated. Being that nausea was common for me, I attributed it to acid reflux or eating too much fried food. Normally, I mix baking soda with warm water and drink it or take me an Alka Seltzer to rid the nausea (it does the trick every time).

On my way back from my nephew’s graduation to Atlanta, my stomach began to hurt very bad. I stopped to a service station and purchased more baking soda, but this time it wasn’t working. I took Aleve (naproxen) for the pain, but it got worse. Once I arrived home and started to prepare for bed, pain brought me to my knees. I immediately got in my car and drove to the emergency room. On the way to the hospital, I received a call from my cousin, asking did I just leave the house and I said yes, I’m on my way to the emergency room.

She asked what was wrong, I told her I didn’t know, but I can barely stand up because of the pain in my stomach. She said angrily, “Why didn’t you let someone know I could have called the EMS.” I hung up the phone and continued driving 85 North until I arrived to the emergency room. The emergency room personnel rendered aid to me very quickly. They thought I was having a heart attack, but I wasn’t, my stomach pain was killing me and then my head started pounding. I yelled for the doctors to give me something for this pain! They hooked me up to an I.V. and started giving me fluids and administering pain medication through the I.V.

Later I was taken to the examining room for an M.R.I. on the brain. When the M.R.I. came back the doctors discovered three spots on my brain, but they said the spots looked old and there is a possibility I had a sinus infection in the past. The doctors also informed me that my kidney levels were low and he asked me to follow up with my family physician. After leaving the emergency room, I immediately went to my family physician the next morning and explained to her what had happened. She took more tests and confirmed what the emergency room doctors had said that my kidney wasn’t functioning that well, but my liver levels were back to normal. She asked me to come back for a check-up in two weeks.

The next week I went back to North Carolina for a wedding that was called off when I arrived. Considering the groom didn’t let us know until we got in town we informed him we were having a cookout and he was buying all the food an alcohol. We brought at least $150 in meats. We had a feast eating hamburger, ribs, chicken, and bacon. I began to feel bad again. I left North Carolina and came back to Atlanta to

see my family physician. She took blood work and said “Garry, your kidney levels are low” I’m sending you to a nephrologist (the study and treatment of the kidneys, i.e. kidney specialist).

! The next week I went to see the nephrologist. !

“Mr. Jones you are in 3rd stage renal failure. I want you to go home and get every medication that you are taking and bring them back to me.”

I did as the doctor requested. The next day when the doctor examined me he said, “How much Aleve (naproxen) do you take and how long have you taken them. What other pain medication do you take?” I told him I take Motrin, and naproxen to get me through my workouts. He said “How long have you been taking these agents?”

! “About 15 years.” !

“Mr. Jones you can’t take anymore antiinflammatory medication ever, these agents have destroyed your kidneys. I noticed a lot of protein in your kidneys. How much protein do you eat a day,” he asked.

! “I don’t know I don’t keep count.” !

“Well you have to cut back on protein and stop taking antiinflammatory medication.”

Out of concern, I asked, “Well, what can I take for the pain?”

! “Mr. Jones you can take anything with Tylenol in them.” !

“Doctor Cooper, how many stages does renal failure have,” I asked.

He said, “There are 5 and once you get to number 5, you are either going to have a kidney transplant or dialysis. Mr. Jones your GFR is 55 (http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/ gfr.cfm). If you do what I tell you, you can live a normal life. Mr. Jones you have excellent blood pressure, keep it that way because high blood pressure can finish destroying your kidneys. You have to start eating food with little or no salt. If you develop diabetes you will be in big trouble.”

Most of the time my body hurts and I know the antiinflammatory medication will take the down the swelling, but I also know it has damaged the kidneys and I don’t want to be on anyone’s dialyses machine, so therefore I deal with the pain, unless there is something available with Tylenol in it. 29

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. GROWTH IS OPTIONAL.

JOHN MAXWELL

Successful Startups: Why We Need Them and How to Be One SCORE, – www.score.org – the nation's largest network of volunteer expert business mentors, has gathered statistics on successful startups, including why our country needs them and how small businesses can thrive.

!Americans Have Positive View of Entrepreneurs !Entrepreneurs in the U.S. are viewed as having more

opportunities for success and hold higher status than business owners in other developed countries.

!• • • •

50% of Americans believe entrepreneurs have opportunities for success vs. 40% of residents in other developed countries. 78% of Americans believe entrepreneurs hold a high status vs. 68% of residents in other developed countries. 72% of Americans believe entrepreneurs aren't deterred by a fear of failure vs. 63% of residents in other developed countries. New Businesses Create the Most Jobs and Patents

!Companies less than one year old have created an average of 1.5 million jobs per year for the past three decades. Between 2005 and 2011, small firms produced 15 times as many patents per employee as large ones.

!Closings Have Exceeded Startups Since 2008 !Creating a small business is still risky. The number of business startups in America has been declining for more than 30 years. Since 2008, the number of business closures has exceeded the number of business startups.

!Tips for Successful Startups !Thriving new businesses share these characteristics: ! • 59% are more likely to have more than one • • •

founder. 78% are more likely to have a formal business plan. 58% of small business owners prioritize a worklife balance. 70% of small businesses that receive mentoring survive more than five years; this is twice the survival rate of those who don't receive mentoring.

Originally Published at Pr Toolkit

1. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (83%) are own smartphones or some form of cell phone, and for many these devices are a key entry point to the online world. Pew Research Center

2. Half of all adult cell owners (51%) had used their phone at least once to get information they needed right away.- Pew Research Center 3. Mobile digital media time in the US is now significantly higher at 51% compared to desktop (42%). - CMO Council 4. 65% of US smartphone users check their phones within 15 minutes of rising. 64% check their phones within 15 minutes of going to bed. - CMO Council

We live in a world where mobile device use has become one of, if not the primary resource for information. The world over relies heavily on mobile devices for a number of reasons, including but not limited to quick access to information, emergency situations, entertainment, etc.

!With this in mind mobile marketing has also in-

clined. Entrepreneurs can now run effective marketing campaigns from a mobile device. As with any business marketing is instrumental to the success of the company. Being that we have come to rely on mobile devices, why not place a greater emphasis on mobile marketing.

!“Mobile Marketing is broadly defined as including advertising, apps, messaging, mCommerce and CRM on all mobile devices including smartphones and tablets.” - Mobile Marketing Association

!Below are a few statistics on the popularity of mo-

bile phone use, which aids in reaching your mobile audience:

5. 87% of millennials always have their smartphone at their side, day and night. 78% of millennials spend over 2 hours a day using their smartphones. 68% of millennials consider their smartphone to be a personal device. CMO Council 6. 78% of Facebook users are mobile-only. CMO Council 7. 77% of the world’s population subscribes to mobile – 5.3 billion people - CMO Council

With these statistics in mind, plan your mobile marketing campaign and reach your target audience! If you need assistance, contact Vikki Hankins for your mobile marketing campaign.

! !

References: Mobile Marketing Association Pew Research Center CMO Council

Justine SanFilippo

“I think that success is measured by setting goals and reaching them, despite the obstacles and roadblocks that may come your way, but with each obstacle is a learning lesson.” - Justine SanFilippo

by Morgan Amos Photo Courtesy of Justine SanFilippo

Justine SanFilippo’s personal struggle with her weight while in college sent her down a path of self-discovery, which ultimately led to her becoming a Certified Health Coach for ten years, personal trainer, nutritionist, and author of the book Lose Your Inches Without Losing Your Mind!:10 Simple Weeks to a Slimmer Waistline and a Healthier You. Through her struggles, Justine was not only able to learn more about herself, but she was able to take what she had learned to help, inspire, and motivate others. Before pursuing a career in health and wellness however, Justine attended the University of Notre Dame to study information systems. “I really sort of fell into wellness as a career; I thought computers would be good to know one day, but it was during my college years that I put on a lot of weight especially my junior year,” she said. Justine said she gained 45 lbs. resulting in her joining the ‘diet rollercoaster’ that several people do where you try several diets and nothing works. “I felt like I was losing my mind,” she shared. Those diets consisted of one summer deciding to eat mostly cereal during the day and doing an hour of cardio afterwards, taking diet supplements, to even attending a juicing retreat with her mother at Martha’s Vineyard one year for her birthday. “I had never really done too many cleanses before and as somebody who loves nutrition, I’m always sort of experimenting with myself as a guinea pig to see

what things work in the long run. So we went there and I was so hungry. For three days, I was lightheaded, nauseous, and could barely function,” she expressed. The amounts of juice they gave you were so miniscule that we just basically felt terrible.” Not all hope was lost though because Justine lost 8 lbs. However, nearing the stint of their stay, guests were allowed to eat something before leaving the retreat. According to Justine, she had a bowl of soup and raw vegetables. She explained that the weight came back and she soon realized that the weight she had lost while at the retreat was simply water weight. Justine learned something valuable through this experience. “I realized that juicing should be used as a kick starter to your healthier lifestyle versus quick weight-loss because the weight doesn’t stay off and you can be really hungry.” She shared that what she tries to teach people with her coaching and the different seminars she does is, sustainable lifestyle changes. “Whatever a person’s goal is, whether it’s to shrink their waistline, gain more energy, or just feel better in general, I try different things. So, for example, juicing is a great way to get the nutrients in the morning before breakfast, but then eat breakfast,” she said. “So it was part of my homework to figure out what are sustainable lifestyle healthy habits that makes sense for a person. Only juicing in the morning and then eating real food during the day seems to be a fit for me.” 15

Justine shared that she’s been able to keep the weight off for ten years, and explained that having gone through what she’s went through, she can relate to her clients and people who are having issues with their weight. “All of my clients can relate to me and why I’ve helped a lot of people is because I’ve been there and done that, and I understand what they have gone through or are currently going through in their lives.” She explained, “My goal as a health coach and nutritionist is to not have people go through what I went through, to keep them feeling sane and to establish healthy habits that can easily fit into their lives that I like to call baby steps and then at the end of the day they’ll feel better about themselves.” When asked what are five things people can do when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle she said to start small. ”Healthy weight-loss is one to two pounds a week. The weight didn’t come on overnight, it’s not going to go off overnight, but what’s great about losing those inches slowly is it will stay off in the long run.” She continued, “Somewhere in there I need to say hide the scale. The introduction of the book is called breaking up with your scale, so maybe breaking up with your scale would be good because again, we want to keep you sane…number four is to incorporate baby steps, baby goals; setting one to three goals that can fit into their life that are really easy.” Justine suggests having an extra glass of water, one less cup of coffee, or eating breakfast. “Number five is to stay focused on the long-term goal. Why are you doing this? Is it to fit into a different size pants or is it because you want more energy for your kids, to be more productive at your job or happier for yourself. When you stay focus on the overall goal of why you want to be healthier that keeps a person motivated,” she explained. Staying motivated and being persistent is exactly what’s helped Justine reach her goals, especially when it came to writing and publishing her book. According to her, it took six years before Lose Your Inches Without Losing Your Mind!:10 Simple Weeks to a Slimmer Waistline and a Healthier You was finally published. “After I completed the first draft, I sent queries and proposals out to numerous publishers and literary agents, only to receive numerous rejections,” she shared. “My lesson there was that the book needed to be edited and reformatted. I needed to make it more of a program that the reader can easily follow.” She reworked her manuscript, hired an editor to help with restructuring the book, and sent the book out again, and was able to obtain an acceptance letter from a publisher. “I was persistent and never gave up because I know that this book can help a lot of people be happy and healthy,” she expressed. The inspiration behind the book derived from not only Justine’s personal experience with weight-loss, but also with the relationship she has built with her clients. “A few years ago, I owned a women’s gym and we would do this challenge every quarter where a person had to work out three times a week for three weeks. So we would measure them at the beginning and the end of three weeks…we would measure weight and inches,” she

explained. “What I saw with that was hundreds of women would do this challenge during the year, and every single person always lost inches and sometimes wouldn’t necessarily lose weight.” Justine soon began to realize that losing inches seemed to have more of an effect on women than necessarily losing weight. “Sometimes they would look at the scale and only be down by a couple pounds, but if they lost ten inches, I would say, how do your pants fit, and they would say, I went down a size or two. I would then tell them to focus on that number on the scale.” And this is what Justine wants people to take away from her book. “They can do it,” she said. “They’re not alone in their struggles and what’s really great about the book is the person only needs to read one chapter per week which is unique. So that alone is not overwhelming, and then when they read the chapter I really act as their personal health coach guiding them to actually select their own baby steps and baby goals to focus on for that week.” “So for example, in week one which is also chapter one, I guide them to take their measurements, they have a few lessons and then they can pick one to three baby goals and then that’s all they focus on for that week,” she explained. For Justine, it’s the little things that have made her career worthwhile. “Just the little things that people tell me, make me happy, and give me gratitude for what I am able to do.” This also includes some advice she received from her father. He said, “Do what you love because then you’ll never work a day in your life.” “So every day, when I wake up, I think, what am I going to do today to continue on my goals because once you reach one goal, you’re always going to want to reach another one,” she expressed. Five years from now, Justine said she’d like to be on the Today Show or be able to build a platform similar to the show The Biggest Loser where she could help a lot of people at one time. She also plans to release one more book, possibly a follow-up to the first one, which could include documenting people’s experience with the first book to adding different sections such as a section on current health issues, and she will also be working on digital products that will be on her site to help people lose their inches if they can’t work with her p e r s o n a l l y. I f yo u would like to purchase Justine’s book visit www.happyhealthypeople.com. Her book is also available on Amazon.com and

BarnesandNoble.com.

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