Oneofthequalitiesthateachleadermusthaveistheabilityto showothersthepath.Hefocusesontheimportanceofbeinga goal-oriented, structured person. An organized, goal-oriented individualknowswhentoquitputtingfortheffortandwhento concentrate.
Theepidemichasbeendifficult,andithasputleaderstothetest. In these changing times, leaders must grow as well. These are theoccasionsthateducateustobehealthy,spendtimewithour families,andlivealifefreeofregrets.Asforleaders,theymust continuetolearnaboutthenewnormalsituationsintheirfirms.
Stress is something that should be avoided at all costs. Stress may be reduced through networking, speaking at numerous events, and managing an extremely hectic workday. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts; attaining work-life balanceisanever-endingjourney,andonemustdothebestshe orhecan.
Listeningtoandlearningfromothersisalsoseenasabeneficial methodofself-improvement.Knowinghisstaffisbeneficial.It aids in addressing market dynamics in the Digital Transformation age.The present requirement is for businesses to connect themselves with technology, and with the correct tools,anyonecanachieveanygoal.
Small steps must be taken until the objective is reached. Too manyleadersareconsumedbyobstaclesandissues.Successful leaders and entrepreneurs concentrate on achieving their objectives.Furthermore,iftheaimbecomeschallenging,adjust it and, most importantly, keep moving ahead. Resilience, persistence, and adaptability are crucial leadership skills in today'sworld.
Setting objectives and writing them down are critical. It will
assist you in meeting your goal and keeping you on track. Keeping up with market trends may help you stay ahead of shifting client wants at work while also keeping you socially connected.
Initsmostrecentedition, “World’s Inspiring CEOs to Watch in 2022,”World’sLeadersrecognizedthemostrenowned leadersbasedontheirvisionandsuccess.
ThecoverfeaturesColinBrown,PresidentandCEOof StratfordUnderwritingAgencyInc.,Colinis72yearsold,lots ofmilesontheclock,butstillgoodenergy,steeringthe companythroughtheearlyyears,buildingateamthatwillbe goodforthelongtermandleavingthecompanyinthebestof hands.Mr.BrownworkedfortheInsuranceCorporationof BritishColumbiafor22yearsthatisaquasi-monopolythat essentiallysells90%ofallautoinsuranceinBritish Columbia.HewastheChiefUnderwriter,responsiblefor determiningratesandcreatingcoverages.In1994/5,ICBC offeredanewprogramtomakethecompanymore competitive;but,theBoard,whichwasverypolitically motivated,didnotembracemanyofrecommendations, promptingColintodepartinmid-1995andstarthisown companytocompetewithICBC.
Inthisspecialissue,we'llsharesimilar,inspirationaltalesand interviewswithmanyofthesededicatedleaderstoraise awarenessabouttheireffortstomaketheworkplaceanabode improvementandgrowth.
Also,whileyouflipthroughthepages,don'tforgettoreadthe articlescreatedbyourin-houseeditorialstaffandindustry experts.
Happy Reading!
“Taking the road less traveled leads to better outcomes and greaterprofessionalexperience!”
World's Leaders Magazine is a Media Company that covers stories of business leaders around the globe. Consistent updatestoouronlinepublication,internetbasedlifeandmastersentiment give a substance rich pursuing knowledge loaded up with fascinating perspectives and remark on the issues of the worldwide business. World's Leaders Magazine inspires readers and users to think beyond traditional boundaries, lead conversations and create the future of business. Everyone wantstoknowthejourneyofasuccessfulpersonalityoraventure.Theywant toknowmoreabouttheestablishment,aboutthepaththatledthemtothe pinnacle, about the obstacles overcome, and the all hard work about the Success.World'sLeadersMagazineistheplatform,whereweareunwinding theuntoldstoriesofbusinessleadersandthestoriesofstartupturninginto the venture. World's Leaders Magazine is a trustworthy and honesty acquiringacknowledgmentfrombusinesspioneersuniversally.
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President & CEO
Stratford Underwriting Agency Inc
It’sunclearwhyentrepreneurshipis socommonlyassociatedwithyouth ratherthancorporateexperience, especiallygiventhatageisbecoming amajorcontributortoentrepreneurial success.Only15%ofemerging entrepreneurswerebetweentheages of55and64in1997.Accordingto theKauffmanIndexof Entrepreneurship,thatnumberhad risento24%by2016.Incentives existforseniorprofessionalstostart newfirmsorworkasindependent contractorsintheirindustries.They canprovidealotofsupportfor individualswhocouldfollowintheir footstepsbypursuing entrepreneurshipintheir"retirement" years.
It’sunlikelythatyourbusiness abilitieswillchangeasyoubecome older.It'snotamatterofnothaving ideas.Noneofthisshouldcomeasa surprisetoanyone.Thetruthisthat somepeoplearebornwithan entrepreneurialspirit.Andexperience clearlyhelpssuccess.MeetColin Brown,PresidentandCEOof StratfordUnderwritingAgency Inc.,72yearsold,lotsofmileson theclock,butstillgoodenergy, steeringthecompanythroughthe earlyyears,buildingateamthatwill begoodforthelongtermandleaving thecompanyinthebestofhands.Mr
IBrownworkedfortheInsurance CorporationofBritishColumbiafor 22yearsthatisaquasi-monopoly thatessentiallysells90%ofallauto insuranceinBritishColumbia.He wastheChiefUnderwriter, responsiblefordeterminingratesand creatingcoverages.In1994/5,ICBC offeredanewprogramtomakethe companymorecompetitive;but,the Board,whichwasverypolitically motivated,didnotembracemanyof recommendations,promptingColin todepartinmid-1995andstarthis owncompanytocompetewith ICBC.
ThenColinfoundedCanadianDirect Insurance(CDI),WesternCanada’s firstdirectinsurer.Itwasawholly ownedsubsidiaryofHSBC,which wasatthetimetheworld’slargest bank.Hewastitledthefirst “Disruptor”intheCanadian insurancebusiness.HSBCsoldCDI toCanadianWesternBank(CWB) for$25millionin2005.CDIwas sellinghomeinsuranceandauto insuranceinBCandAlbertaatthe time.Afteraboardchangeatthat bank,CDIwassoldfor$200million toIntact,Canada’slargestinsurer,in 2015,tenyearslater.Inaddition, CDIhadpreviouslypaidCWB$35 millionindividendstomaintainthe capitalratio.Itwashailedasahuge success,andColinwasnamed ExecutiveOfficerofIntactasa result.Attheageof66,heretiredin 2016.
Whatimagecomestomindwhen youthinkofanentrepreneur?Doyou imagineayoungpersonjustoutof collegedreamingaboutwaysto maketheworldabetterplace?If that’sthecase,you’renotalone. However,whilethatpictureisa commonmisconception,thetruthis
thatyoumaybeanentrepreneurat anyage.Severalpartiesapproached Colinin2017to"doitallover again,”andbyinspirationfrom everyone,hegotmotivatedtocheer himselfupagainandagreedto launchanotherBCautoprovider.
StratfordUnderwritingAgencywas foundedinthismanner.Itisa ManagingGeneralAgency,orMGA. Theycreatedtheautoinsurance product,sellingitthrough200 brokers,andhandlesallclaims.All riskiscarriedbytheunderwriting partner,aleadingglobalreinsurer. Theywrote$10millionintheirfirst year,$27millioninthesecondyear, andareonscheduletowrite$40 millionthisyear,allinBCauto.One newauto-relatedproductwas introducedin2021andanothernonautoproductisintheworks.
Amultidimensionalapproachis
somethingMr.Brownstrongly believesin.Hestartswithawellpriced,qualityproductthatis remarkableforahavingseveral secretingredients.Theorganization’s goalistosavemoneyfor80%ofBC driverswhilealsoprovidinga productthatoffersmoreandprovides exceptionalservice.CDIhad receivedthreeJDPowerscustomer serviceawards,andColintriesto maintainthatstandardforStratford UnderwritingAgencyInc.Stratford createdthedistributionnetworkof brokersonceithadaproducttobe proudof.Ithasagreementswiththe majorthreebrokerchainsandhas alsoaddedseveralsmallerofficesto ensurethatitservestheentire province.TheCEOhandlestheradio adssinceColinhasbeenknownfor over25yearsastheguywhobeats thegovernmentandICBCattheir owngame,savingpeoplemoney whileprovidingexcellentservice. Theagencyoffersawebinterface thatallowsbrokerstosenddatato
thesysteminrealtimeandallows consumerstorenewtheirpolicies online.Better,cheaper,andeasier. Thatishowtheagencygrowsits business.
Everyonerequiresexcellenceintheir professiontostayafloatinthe insuranceindustry.Andbeingan expertinunderwritingiscritical whenitcomestoadministering policies.Colinbelievesthatoneof thekeystosuccessisgood underwriting.Hetooka22-yeartrack recordofsuccessfromCDIto Stratford.CDIprovidedhimwitha 20-yearChiefUnderwriteranda CFO.Asastart-up,heknewhe'd needthedisciplinehe’d demonstratedatCDI.Thefactthat Mr.Brownhadareadymadeheritage (anewfirmwith22yearsof experience)madethenewstart tremendouslyeasier.Colin’smission istoprovideoutstanding underwritingresults.Itisattheheart ofalltheagencydoes.
ColinBrownattemptstoleadby example;havinglearntover50years inCanada’shighlyregulated insuranceindustrythatitpaysto haveaclearlywell-run,controlled companytokeeptheregulators happy.Allowthepersonnel,however, tobeindividuals,innovative,and happyinthatsetting.Hemakesan efforttoliveuptothoseprinciples suchastobeatease,involved,andas handsoffaspossible.
Hehasestablishedalaid-back,teamorientedatmosphere.Heisalways readytomakeeveryefforttocreate technologythatsupportsnotionslike workingfromhomeandother family-friendlyconcepts.Hesays thatalldoorsarealwaysopen. The employmentpackageincludes benefitsformedical,dental,wellbeing,andsavings.Colinandhis teamcreateawell-runbutrelaxed atmosphere.Thatassumptionwas supportedbythenumberofstaffthat cameoverfromCDItoexperience
theStratfordbuzz.
Oneofthemostprevalentsourcesof stressforworkingadultsisbalancing workandfamilylife.Intoday’s productivity-drivenenvironment,an increasingnumberofpeopleare findingitdifficulttofullyfulfilltheir obligationsathomeandatwork.
“My wife, Mykie, and I have four kids and seven grandkids. We are heavily involved with the latter. We have an apartment in Vancouver and some acreage and a house about an hour away. That is our getaway. We go year-round for about 50% of the time. It is a complete change in surroundings and adds real balance. ”—saysColinBrown.
ColinBrownhasbeenbuildinghis ownstyleforover50years.Things thatweresuggested30or40years agonolongerwork.Hesticksto whatheknowswillwork,whichisn't difficult.Hiregoodpeople,believein them,andpayattentiontothem.He
believesinhislegacyandfollows quotesthatsay,“As a reporting manager, do not agree with me if you do not. I hired you for your brain and opinions. Give them to me. And: plan, do it precisely, based on the best data, but then, monitor, because plans rarely go according to plan. “ I try to walk the talk. Trust is the key, upwards and downwards. ”
He’dliketoseethecompanyreacha comfortableposition.They’reintheir thirdyearandwillbeprofitablethis yearandgoingforward.Hebelieves thathewillbeabletoretireagain aftertwoorthreeyearsofstability andtheformationofastrong,young, dynamicsquad.Heviewsthe companyasa$100millionplus enterpriseandagemintheindustry.
capacitytobeopentochangewhile alsodiscoveringandenergizingthe grouphasledtothecompany’s definingsuccess.
Mr.RizwanSajan’simaginative approachearnedhimaspoton ForbesMiddleEast’s“Top100 IndianLeadersintheUAE”list.
Anentrepreneurrecognizesaneedin societyandcreatesabusinesstofill it.Mr.RizwanSajan,backedbythe principleofperpetualevolution,has beenthedrivingforcebehindthe DanubeGroup’ssuccess.His
Belowarethehighlightsofthe interviewconductedbetweenWorld's LeadersandRizwanSajan:
Describewhoyouareasaperson, insideandoutsideofthe workplace.
Iamasimpleandhumbleperson.I startedlifeabitearlierthanothers–attheageof16,rightafterthesad demiseofmyfather,andstartedto takecareofthefamilythroughthe meagreearningsthatIcouldgenerate byworkingsidebysidewithmy classesincollege.
Inbusinessandmanagement,Iama verystraightforwardperson.Iwant toempowerpeople,takerisks,give responsibilitiestopeoplewho deservethem,andholdthem accountableifanythinggoeswrong. Transparencyandaccountabilityare veryimportant.Iamatransparent person,andIamaccountableforthe
successorfailureoftheentiregroup. ButIcanonlybesuccessfulifmy teamworksintandem.
Describeyourbackgroundand whatdidyoudobeforeyou started/joinedthecompany?
Icomefromahumblefamily background–inMumbai.Myfather usedtoworkinaprivatecompany. Mymotherusedtobeahomemaker Wearetwobrothersandasister.We werebroughtuponstrictprinciples andethics–imbibedinourcharacter byourparentsinourearlychildhood.
Lifeusedtobenormalinthe Mumbaineighbourhoodwherewe grewupandhadourschooling. However,thingsalmostcametoa standstillafterthesuddendeathof
myfather.Iwas16andnoteligible towork.However,Iwasoffereda part-timepositioninthesame companywheremyfatherworkedby hiscolleagues—tosupportour family.So,Iusedtoworkatthe companyintheeveningwhile continuingmycollegestudies.
Afewyearslater,oneofmyuncles offeredmeajobinhisbuilding materialsshopinKuwaitwhenI reachedtheageof18andwas eligibletowork.So,Iwentto Kuwaitandjoinedhisbusiness.I learnedtheinsandoutsofthe buildingmaterialstradeinmyuncle's shopandsoonhelpedtoexpandit throughmyknowledgeandhard work.
Atonepointintime,Iwasentrusted
bymyuncletomakebusiness decisionsforhim–andrunthe business–tilltheoutbreakofthe Iraq-Kuwaitwarin1991.Wehadto closethecompanyandreturnto India.
Tellusabouttheinceptionofthe company.Howdiditallstart?
AfterthesetbackinKuwait,Istarted thinkingofcomingbacktotheGulf tostartmycareer.That’swhatIdid.I cametoDubai–thelandof opportunity.
SinceIknewthebusinessofbuilding materials,Ijoinedacompanyastheir salesperson.Iusedtoprocureorders forthecompanyandensuresupplies. However,thecompanydidnothave alltheproducts,soIhadtosource themfromothersuppliersforthe
client,asIdidn’twanttosay“No”to theclients.
Thisway,Ihadbuiltastrongrapport withclientsandsuppliers,who startedtotrustme.In1993,Istarted DanubeBuildingMaterialsasasmall supplierofbuildingmaterials.Dueto myefficiencyandcontacts,we startedtogetordersinbulkand continuedtosupplyinlarge quantities.
Asbusinessgrew,Ihiredpeopleto supportme.Wetookthewarehouse, increasedtheshowroomspace,and thenstartedtoimportmaterialsin bulk.Thisishowitallstartedfroma two-personcompanytowhatitis currentlyalargebusinesswitha diversifiedportfolio.
So,mydecisiontostartabusinessin buildingmaterialswasduetomy experienceinKuwaitinthisfield.
Whicharethemajorservicesof thecompanyandhowdotheythe companytogetaheadinthe competition?Whatvalue-added servicesdoesthecompany provide?
Asmentioned,westartedasa buildingmaterialstradingbusiness andlaterintroducedjoineryservices. Thenwelaunchedourretail operationsunderDanubeHome— whichisthehomeimprovementarm ofourbusiness.
In2014,westartedourrealestate developmentarm–Danube Properties–whichhasbeenamajor success.Wehavesofarlaunched16 projectsanddelivered11ofthemto morethan3,000happyfamilies. In2021,welaunchedourHospitality
SolutionsDivision—forthehotels andcateringsector,whichispicking up.
So,wearepredominantlyinto trading,export,import,wholesale, retail,andservicessectors.
Whatarethemostimportant aspectsofacompany'sculture? Whatprinciplesdoyoubelievein andhowdoyoubuildthisculture?
Thestrengthofthebusinessliesin ourcorevalues:integrity,quality services,transparency,accountability, strongethicsandsoundbusiness practice.Youneedtobehonestand sincereinyourdealings.Ifthereisa problemwithaproductorservice, thenitisimportanttocommunicate withthecustomersothattheyare awareoftheproblem.
Whatisthesignificanceof innovativeideasinthecompany?
Thesurvivalofabusinesswill dependontechnologyadoption, innovation,andcreativity.Abusiness couldcollapseifitfailstochange withthetimesandifitlacks innovation.
Businessiscarriedoutbyhumans.It isskill-based.So,youneedto develophumancapitalacrossthe organisationandinculcateastrong cultureofproductivity,accountability andtransparency.Continuous training,mentoring,anddevelopment ofhumanresourcesarecritical. Youneedtointroducetechnology andensurethattheteammembers keepabreastofthelatesttechnology.
Giveusyouropinionon;do organisationsrelyheavilyon
individualheroicsorteam processes?
Businessisaboutteamwork. However,withinteamwork,you needheroes—rolemodelsforothers toinspireandimprove.
Whatareyourresponsibilitiesas theFounder/CEOofthecompany? Whatisthehappiestpartofyour dailyroutine?
Asabusinessman,Itakestrategic developmentdecisions,andtheteam runsthebusiness.Iassisttheteamin runningthebusinessinaccordance withmystrategicthinking,whichis alignedwiththegovernment'svision.
Whatadvicewouldyougive someonegoingintoaleadership positionforthefirsttime?
Doyourhomeworkbeforeventuring intoanything.Youneedtofindagap insocietyandthendevelopa businessaroundit.Whateveryoudo, putyourheartandsoulintoit.
Businessisnotaboutmoneyalone. WorkingforacauseThemoneywill come.Developabusinesstofixa problemandmoneywillpourin. Learnhowtomonetiseyourskills.
Don’tbeafraidtofail.Don'tlose hearteverytimeyoufail.Buttryto analysewhyyoufailed,sothatyou canrectifythemistakes.Failureis thepillarofsuccess.
Behonest,humbleandremain grounded.Resultwillcome.Think global,actlocal.
ratherthanafailure.
ABelowarehighlightsoftheinterview conductedbetweenWorld'sLeaders andAbdulazizFahadAlJouf:
Describewhoyouareasaperson, insideandoutsideofthe workplace.
simplifyingthemerchants'and consumers'paymentjourney.
Tellusabouttheinceptionofthe company.Howdiditallstart?
AbdulazizFahadAlJoufisaSaudi entrepreneurandthefounderand CEOofPayTabs,arevolutionary paymentprocessingfirmthathe foundedinSaudiArabiainJanuary 2014.AbdulazizfoundedPayTabs aftergainingextensiveexperiencein foundingpreviouse-commerce businessessuchasSaleTaband Extabs.
HisteamreferstohimasAA,andhe isadynamic,passionate,focused, andhands-onnaturalleaderwhois fiercelysupportiveofhisteam's personalgrowthanddevelopment. Hebelievesingivingbacktothe community,andhedoesitthrough mentoringemergingbusinessesinthe area.Headmitstobeingarisktaker whoisalwayslookingfornew possibilitiesandmakingthemostof them.Heseesfailureasalessonin whichhemaygainvitalexperience
Anyonethattrulyknowsmewould sayI'maworkaholic.Thesunis alwaysshininginsomepartsofthe world,andItrytokeepupwiththat energy.Idon'tbelieveinboundaries, obstacles,orchallenges.Ibelievein settinggoalsandtrends,beingafirst mover,andgettingthingsdonealong withmyteam.Outsideofthework place,Icontinuetoleadafast-paced lifestyle.However,familyisequally importanttome,andtheyaremy rockandfoundation.
Describeyourbackgroundand whatdidyoudobeforeyou started/joinedthecompany?
Icomefromapredominatelytech background.Ihaveauniversity degreeininformationtechnology fromtheUS.Beforestarting PayTabs,Ifoundedotherinnovative startupcompaniesfocusedonsales optimizationandevents management;lookingback,Iliketo thinktheywereexperimentsin preparationformyultimategoalof
ItstartedwithUSD10,000andabig ideatoenablee-commerce businessestosellonlineandcollect paymentsseamlessly Aftermonths ofsleeplessnights,Isuccessfully pitchedtheideatoinvestors,andthe rest,astheysay,ishistory
Whathasmadeyousuccessful? Whatdoyouvalue?
Ivaluepeople.Aboveallelse, Products,solutions,services, platforms,machines,theyarethe intangiblesideofbusinesses.But peoplewhohaveavision,dedication, commitment,passion,enthusiasm, andthedriveanddeterminationto makePayTabssucceedarewhatI valuethemost.It'sthepeople–employees,vendors,merchants, successfulpartners,investors,wellwishers,fans,followers–whoform thebackboneofthiscompanyIhave built.
Whicharethemajorservicesof thecompanyandhowdotheyhelp thecompanytogetaheadinthe competition?Whatvalue-added servicesdoesthecompany provide?
PayTabsisanaward-winning paymentprocessingcompany thatoperatesintheMENA region.Thecorebusinessofthe companyistoprovidepayment gatewayservicesforstartupsand SMEstosellsuccessfullyonline. PayTabsoffersB2Bservicesto seamlessly'plugandplay'features onclientwebsites.Itoffersecommercewebsitesseamless integrationwithAPIplugintools andofferselectronicinvoicing, QRcode,andsecuresocialmedia paymentlinksolutionsfor merchantstoeasetheirpayment collectionefforts. Ÿ
Backedbyprivateinvestment, PayTabshasevolvedsinceits foundingfromahome-grown paymentscompanyinthe KingdomofSaudiArabiain 2014,toaregionalGCCmarket playertoaniconicglobal payments'solutionsenterprise withglobalpresence.
Overtheyears,PayTabshas forgedstrategicpartnerships worldwide.PayTabsin-builtand exportedafullstackofgame changingmobileapplications, hospitality,governmental, education,airline,travel, transport,andbillingsolutions,to interlinktheenterprisemarket chainintheMENAregion. Ÿ
InApril2021,PayTabslaunched
PTTouch,thefirstsoftPOSsolution intheMENAmarkettotransform smartphonesintomerchantpointof sale(POS)terminals.PayTabs enablesyoutoacceptpayments digitallythroughtheSocial Commercesolution.Securing transactionsonsocialmedia platformslikeFacebookMessenger, Instagram,Whatsappandother channelsbyprovidingonline paymentlinks,QRcodesand complimentaryonlinestorefrontsfor afastercheckoutexperience.
MorerecentlyPayTabshas introduceditsproprietarySwitch technology.
Thepaymentcardindustry(PCI) certifiedsolutionincludesa switchingandauthorization system,acardandwallet managementsystem,anda merchantmanagementsystem.
Orchestratedtoofferbanks, financialinstitutions,andother fintechfirmsa360-degree paymentexperience,PayTabs SwitchOnhasbeenvalidated globallyandisnowavailablefor localdeployment,atafractionof thecost.Theflexibleand compellingpricepointsoffered aimtoempowerprocessing,and scaleintheregion,resolvingthe challengesofprocuring astronomicallypricedswitch solutions.Withfreshthinking andaflexibleapproach,PayTabs Switchonprovidesin-depth whitelabelingsolutions, addressesregionaldatasecurity concerns,andgrantsaccessto premiumswitchingand settlementprogramsatafraction
oftheusualcost.
Whatarethemostimportant aspectsofacompany’sculture? Whatprinciplesdoyoubelievein andhowdoyoubuildthisculture?
Ourbrandvaluesembodyour companyculture.Everythingwedo atPayTabsisledbyvalueswhich defineourgoals,andthewayswe wishtoachievethem.Ourteamis diverseinnationality,culture,and gender,yetweareunitedacrossall themarketsweoperatein.Our valuesarethefoundationofour businesscultureandareembeddedin dailyoperations.Webelievethese valuesprovidebothusandour stakeholdersacompetitive advantage.
Whatisthesignificanceof innovativeideasinthecompany?
Myteamcomprisessomeofthe smartestmindsinfinancialservices andtechnology,includingexbankers.Wearenevershortof thinkingcapstobrainstormand generateinnovativeideas.Mostideas makeittothedrawingboard,andthe bestonesgetfiltered.Andfromthere, someofthemostground-breaking paymentsolutionsareborn.For example,PT2.0isourenhanced BusinessManagerDashboard,which tracksandmeasuressales performance.Itenablesmerchantsto crafttheirowncustomerretention andloyaltyprogramsandstrategies forzeroadditionalcostoreffort.This productwasbornoutofahomegrownidea.
Giveusyouropinionon;do organizationsrelyheavilyon individualheroicsorteam processes?
Ithastobetherightcombinationof bothforthecompanytobe
successful.Whilepeopleare visionaryanddynamic,processesare vitalforsuccessastheykeepusin checktoensurewemeetindustry standardsinexecutinganypayment productorsolution.
Whatareyourresponsibilitiesas thefounderandCEOofthe company?Whatisthehappiest partofyourdailyroutine?
I'maveryhands-onCEO.WhileI haveanA-teamthatIdelegateto,I'm alsoinvolvedindecisionmaking, especiallywhenitcomesto engineering,products,commercials, expansiontonewmarkets,andthe marketingaspectsofbusiness.Ialso enjoynetworking,meetingsuccessful partners.
Thehappiestmomentsofmydaily routinearethegoodnewsstories.For example,abreakthroughwithregard tofacilitatingpaymentsolutionsfor anenterprisemerchant,aground breakingpartnershiporanewsarticle ortweetthatfeaturesPayTabsbrand alwaysbringsasmiletomyface.
Whatadvicewouldyougive someonegoingintoaleadership positionforthefirsttime?
Iwouldtellthemtoconquertheir fearsandsetexpectations.Youare onlyasgoodasyoubelieveyouare. Sodobelieveinyourself.Mistakes arepartofthegame.Butifyoudon't play,youwillneverwin.
ErikSimins,theCEOofWORKWOLF,started MAGNUS,amedicalstaffingservice,in2011andit continuestodevelopfinanciallywithlessthan2hoursof hisattentioneachweek.Hismostrecentcompanyis WORKWOLF,adigitalplatformdesignedtoaddresshis clients'mostpressinghiringconcerns.
Erikisreadytogrowthefirmforaninternational transactionwithaGlobalRecruitingPowerhouseafter earningfirstplaceatboththe2020EnterpriseBlockchain Awardsandthe2021VivaTechBreakthroughAwardsfor hisinnovationinrecruitingtechnology.Reading,problem solving,leadershipconcepts,highperformance,andteam buildingaresomeofhispassions.
Belowarethehighlightsoftheinterviewconducted betweentheWorld'sLeadersandErikSimins:
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leader?Tellusaboutyourbackgroundandwhatyou didbeforeyoustarted/joinedWorkwolf?
ErikSiminshadnoideawhenhestartedhiscareerasa businessleaderthathewouldbeaskedtopresentto audiencesinJapan,Korea,Switzerland,France,orDubai, orthathewouldbemeetingwithcountryPremiersabout histechnologyinnovationforgovernment applications.Whathedidknowwasthathelovedtosolve problems,hadaninsatiablethirstforlearning,andever
CEO WORKWOLFsincehewasayoungkid,enjoyed pushingthelimitsofwhatwas "acceptable"orpossible.
Siminsbeganhisfirstentrepreneurial ventureattheageof19.Hefounded Fitness101andquicklygained credibilityinthefitnessmarketby trainingcelebritieslikeTrishStratus (WWE)andShaunDavis(Mr Universe).Thisprovidedhimwith plentyofincometoputhimself throughschool,andhegraduated withadegreethatspecialisedin physiology,anatomy,and metabolism,andallowedhimto purchasehisfirstpropertyat21years old.Aftergraduation,hebeganhis careerasaproductdevelopment specialistforaTorontobased nutritioncompanyandledthe formulationoftheirsupplementline. Today,thatcompany,AllMax Nutrition,isagloballyrecognised brandinsportsnutritionandaleader inthenutraceuticalspace.Enjoying theperksofthejob,whichincluded allthefreesupplementsyoucould safelyconsumeandbeingthehead judgeforfitnesscompetitions,wasn't enoughforhim,sohetransitioned intothepharmaceuticalindustry, workingforBelgiumbasedSolvay Pharmaceuticals.
Leveragingmanyofthecontactshe hadmadeintheindustry,at25,he foundedhissecondcompany,Health NetworkCommunications,amedical advertisingfirmthatconnected physicianofficewallspacewith pharmaceutical-sponsoredcontent. HisfirstlargedealwaswithMCI medicalclinics,spanning26 locationsandover100offices. Siminswaslearningwhatheneeded togrowateamandsuccessful business,buttheadvertisingbusiness wasn'ttherightenvironment.
Siminsstayedtruetothemedical industrybutswitchedgearsand beganrecruitinginthemedical industryin2006afteronerecruiter showedhimhisT4(Canada's governmentstatementofincome) andhowmuchmoneythatrecruiter hadearnedinthepreviousyear.It showed$300,000+.That'sallSimins neededtoseetogivethebusinessa shot.Itturnedoutthatrecruitingwas theperfectfitforhispersonalitytype. Afterfouryearsofindividual success,hewantedtosharehis insightswithateamthathewould buildforthepartnerswithinthe company,butthefirmhadother plans.So,hestartedMAGNUS PersonnelCorporationin2011.
Hisfirst$1,000,000+start-up success:MAGNUSHRS
MAGNUSwas,andstillis,ahuge success.Initsfirstyear,thecompany reachedover$1,000,000ofrevenue anddoubledthatinyeartwo.Today, afterrecruitingthousandsof
candidatesandworkingwith hundredsoflifescienceand healthcarecompanies,MAGNUSis thetrustedtalentacquisitionresource formanyoftheworld'sleading medicalorganizations.
Owningastaffingbusinessprovided Siminswiththeexposureand oversighttowitnesstheinefficiencies inhowhisclients'recruitedandhired newemployees.Hediscovered quicklythatneithertheexisting technologynortheautomation solutionsaddressedwhathecalls "therootproblemofallhiring inefficiencies".Theresumeusedto filterandhireemployeesis inaccuratemorethanhalfthetime. Thequestionwas,howdoyou improvethetruthfulnessand accuracyofmillionsofresumesthat goouttoemployers?Itseemedlike anunsolvableproblem,butifitcould bedone,itwouldchangehiring practisesforever
Siminsbelievesthatyoumakeyour ownluckandthatyouareonlyas strongasthecircleofpeopleyou surroundyourselfwith.So,shortly afterfoundingMAGNUS,hejoined anentrepreneurforumthat,tothis day,heisstillaloyalmemberof. Here,hecouldshareideasand challengesinasafe,confidential environmentandhecouldconnect withpeerstodiscussthedifficult roadofentrepreneurship.In2016, oneofhisforummates,Dmitry Buterin(entrepreneurialgenius behindthreemulti-million-dollar companiesandfatherof cryptocurrencygiantVitalikButerin, founderofEthereum),suggested "youguysshouldreallyhavea deeperlookatblockchain,it'sgoing tochangehowdataismanaged". WhenErikfinishedhisresearch,it turnedoutthatblockchainwasthe perfectusecaseforresumecredential verificationanditwouldindeed changehowauthenticateddatawas accessed,stored,andmanaged.
Fortheemploymentmarket,itmeant thatanewgoldstandardofresume couldbedeveloped;onethatwas authenticatedandthenimmutableor
(tamper-proof)butstillverifiablein real-time.InSeptemberof2017, Workwolfwasbornand,afterfour yearsofdevelopment,customer feedback,severalprototypes,andtwo roundsofinvestorfinancing,Simins commercialisedthetechnologyin 2021,bringingtomarkettheDigital WorkPassport(real-timeverifiable profilingforprofessionals)andthe Packfinder(apredictiveanalytic softwarethatemployersuseto automateapplicantfiltration). Combiningthesetwotechnologies intooneplatform,Siminshopesto optimisethehiringprocessforhis clientsatMAGNUSandalsotohelp professionals"skiptheapplicant line"byhavingaprofilethathas beenauthenticatedbythe100,000+ credentialissuersthatarenowpartof Workwolf'sgrowingnetworkof validators.
AsWorkwolfpreparesforitsnext roundoffinancingtosupportits growthandinternationalexpansion afterwinningthe2021 VivatechnologyStart-UpChallenge inEurope,Siminsletsdatadrivethe decisionsandfuturepathofthe company.Intheworldoftechnology startup,youhavetostartwithsome assumptions,butthesooneryou
realisethoseassumptionsarewrong, thesooneryoucaniterate.Only customerfeedbackanduserdatacan tellyouthis.Ifanyoneisthinking aboutstartingatechnologycompany, Siminswouldrecommendthatyou "failfast".Theideathatyoustarted withwillprobablybeentirely differentbythetimeyourproductis readyforcommercialization.Don't fallinlovewithanypath,becauseit WILLchange.However,believingin yourideaiscriticaltoenduringthe agonyofpeoplecallingyou"crazy," "itwillneverhappen,"orsimply gettingthroughthetoughdays.
Siminsbelievesthatbalanceis unachievableinatraditionalsense. Hisapproachtoworkingthrough competingresponsibilitiesistogive whateverhe'sdoing100%ofhis attention.Insteadofbeingwithhis twochildrenandworkingonhis phone,he'llshutoffhisphonefor15 or30minutesanddonothingother thanfullyengagewithhiskidsand playwiththem.Vacationsarealso somethingheloves(especially Europe),butCovid-19,putthis 'escape'onholdforhim,makingit moredifficultto"shutoff"and dedicateallhisattentiontohis amazingwifeandfamily
Makhijani started her recruiting career at Hays on the Graduate Scheme after graduating with a Bachelor's degree from City University of London and a Master's degree from DePaul University in Chicago. She rose through the ranks quickly, earning four promotions in four years and taking a team from £10,000 to £80,000 in monthly billing.
She went from Hays to Michael Page, where she worked on a hybrid desk that included both permanent and interim senior leadership positions. Makhijani was given the task of expanding Michael Page's Public Sector business from its London headquarters. She quickly rose to become the company's top biller in HR across the UK. Makhijani, on the other hand, saw a diferent route for her career, and after setting up executive desks at both Hays and Michael Page, she set her sights on starting her own firm.
NNatashaMakhijani,CEOofOliver SandersonGroupPLC,ischanging thefaceofexecutivesearch.A pioneerofnewdigitalplatformsand apowerfuladvocatefordiversityand inclusionprogrammes,Makhijanihas ledOliverSandersontotheforefront ofanevolvingindustry
OliverSandersonGroupPLCisa Staffing&Recruitingfirmwithover 22yearsofexperience.Oliver SandersonGroup'sstrategyis unrivalledinthebusiness.Its presenceintheUKand internationallyallowsittoprovidea collaborativeapproachtoclients. Clientconnectionsarecriticaltothe company'ssuccess,sincetheyensure thatthecompany'svalues, organisation,andfuturevisionareall understood.
Reflectingontheentrepreneurial ambitionsthatmotivatedhermove, Natashasaid: "I come from a very entrepreneurial community, and I always felt that there was something more out there. People questioned whether it was the right thing to do, but I took the risk. I knew it was the right thing to do, and I have never looked back.”
Oliver Sanderson was founded in 2011, and what started out as a
single girl and a laptop has evolved into a global executive search firm. She recounted, "I quit a good job, sold my vehicle to combine my funds, and set up an office in the dining room." She developed an international executive search business with a dedicated research team in just a few years.
"Things have snowballed – we've made exceptional progress.”
ThePermanentPracticeofOliverSandersonprovidesend-to-endexecutive recruitmentandconsultingservices.Thefirmbreaksthemouldbydeliveringa trulyconsultativeandpersonalisedpartneringapproach,helpingcustomers accomplishtheirobjectivesbyattracting,developing,andkeepinghigh-calibre
businessleaders,thankstoateamofexperienced consultantsandresearchers.OliverSandersonalso providesuniqueindustryresearchandinformation, candidateprofiling,successionplanningsupport,and projectinsightstohelpbusinessesadaptandgrow.
Inrecentyears,thebusinesshasestablishedagoodtrack record,placingCEOsandseniorexecutivesatFTSE100, FTSE350,andFortune500firms.CEOsforaFTSE100
businessservicesfirmandaFortune500technology company,aGroupHRDirectorforaFTSE100client,and aGlobalHeadofLearningandDevelopmentforaFTSE 100FMCGcompanyarejustafewofthehighlights.
Makhijani'steamdiscoveredthepotentialbenefitofa dedicatedexecutiveinterimsdivisionafterseeingtheneed forexpertinterimexecutivestohelpsteerorganisations throughmomentsoftransition.OliverSanderson'snewly formedJustInterimsbusinessnowspecialisesininterim executivesearch,notablyintheareasofboardpractise, businesschange,organisationdevelopment,andHR Transformation.
Afterrecognisingthenecessityforskilledinterim executivestohelpleadorganisationsthroughtimesof transition,Makhijani'steamsawthepotentialvalueofa specialisedexecutiveinterimsdivision.JustInterims, OliverSanderson'snewlyestablishedinterimexecutive searchfirm,currentlyspecialisesinboardpractise, businesschange,organisationdevelopment,andHR Transformation.
asaTransformationalBusinessLeader
Makhijaniisapioneerofdigitaladvancesinexecutive searchandrecruiting,andnewtechnologyhasbeen fundamentaltoOliverSanderson'squickdevelopment. SnappCV&SnappResume,theworld'sfirstmobile employmentboardwithspeechtechnologyandAmazon Alexaintegration,wasco-foundedbyher.Theappnow hasadatabaseofover25millionindividualsintheUnited KingdomandtheUnitedStates,withover250,000jobs advertisedonitsmobilejobboard,anditsfoundersare lookingforaseriousinvestmenttogrowfurtherintothe UnitedStatesandIndia.
MakhijanihasreleasedadedicatedOliverSanderson Executiveapp,afterthesuccessoftheSnappsuite,which includesSnappResumeUS&Global,SnappCVUK,and SnappINViewvideointerviewingsoftware.Theapp, whichwasdesignedanddevelopedbyherin-housetech team,includesintroductorycandidateandclientprofile films,fingerprintandpassword-protectedonlineNDA signings,digitalapplicantpackets,integratedjob applications,andvideointerviews,amongotherfeatures.
OliverSandersonisleadingthewayasdigitalplatforms becomemoreprevalentintheexecutivesearchand recruitingmarket,usingthepowerofcontemporary
Recognized
technologytoidentifyandconnect withthefuturegenerationofbusiness leaders. "Although digital platforms are simplifying some of the manual tasks of recruitment and sourcing, they will never replace the headhunter," Makhijaniobserved. "However intelligent they are becoming, machines still can't match great people with great jobs like we can. But digital platforms can help us unlock a new world of global talent.”
In 2020, a series of global events pushed diversity and inclusion to the centre of the business agenda, and Makhijani has used her unique experiences as an Asian woman CEO to help Oliver Sanderson create an inclusive culture. "Being a BAME woman CEO in the recruitment industry has not been easy, but I've always seen it as a strength. I have always been unique, slightly
different. Most importantly, I have had to be extremely assertive to get where I am today."
Recenteventshavedrawnmore attentiontoraceandgenderequality issues,buttheyarenothingnewfor MakhijaniandherteamatOliver Sanderson. "Building an inclusive culture has been pivotal to our success, not just for us but also for our clients and our candidates. It's not just something we do as a check box.”
Makhijaniisenthusiasticabout helpingherclientsaddressissuesof diversityandinclusion.Heractivism hasaideddevelopmentthroughout theindustryandbeyondasa
foundingmemberandco-chairof APSCo'sHRSectorGroup.Sheis nowforminganon-profitwitha groupofindustryexecutivesto addressissuessuchasraceequality, disability,andgenderequality.
Makhijanihasabigplanforthenext fiveyears,inadditiontothedebutof herneworganisation.Sheislooking forfreshfundingpossibilitiesto assistOliverSanderson's developmentgoalsinEuropeandthe UnitedStates.
Theglobalworkforcehasrecently beenpushedtoadjustto unprecedenteddifficulties,andfirms nowmorethaneverrequirestrong andsavvyleadership.Oliver Sandersonisattheforefrontofan industrythatremainscrucialtothe corporateworld,discoveringand positioningtheseleadersinplaces wheretheycanmakeagenuine difference.
Founder & CEO illumisoft
DanPrincesetouttoimprove healthcareasthefounderandCEO ofillumisoft.Buildingclosetieswith clients,hefeels,aidsin understandingtheirneedsand providingthemwiththebest softwaresolutions.Danhasmore than20yearsofexperienceinthe softwarebusinessandknowshowto leaduniquesolutionsthatassist healthcareorganisations,practises, anddoctorsfunctionmoreeffectively andmakeadifferenceinthelivesof theirpatients.
Belowarethehighlightsofthe interviewconductedbetweenWorld's LeadersandDanPrince:
Briefouraudienceaboutyour journeyasaTechleader.What challengesyouhadtofacetoreach whereyouaretoday?
Buildingabusinessisnotwithout challenges.Iwasgivenanultimatum atwork,andIwoundupquittingthat jobinMayof2015afterayearof workingonUnidoor'sprojectonthe side.InJuneof2015,Unidoorpulled theplugontheproject.Myincome suddenlydriedup.IknewIcould've gottenmyjobback,butatthatsame time,itmademefeelabitguilty The reasonwasthatoneofmysonswas workinghardtryingtogrowhis businessandwasstrugglingwithit. Hewasn'tthrowinginthetowel,and asIponderedwhattodonext,Ifelt
obligated,asafather,totake advantageofthisopportunitytobuild myownbusinessinsupportofhim growinghis.
Anothertime,inearly2018,wehad foundaconsiderablenumberofnew clientsandnewprojectsandwere hummingrightalong.Wehadhired 20peoplewhensuddenly,the majorityofourworkwaseither completedorcancelledwithinashort time.Wefoundourselvesunableto makepayrollmorethanonce,andas aresult,weleteveryonebut3people go.Itwasaverydarktime.I consideredthrowinginthetoweland evenlookedforaCIOpositionfora fewweeks.But,itdawnedonmethat Istillhadclientsthatneededtheir projectsfinished,sowecontinuedto work.Wechangedourmodelfrom onshoredeveloperstooffshore,from rapidturn-aroundtimetoscheduling projectsabitfurtherout,andwe madeitthrough.
Describeillumisoftofferingsthat addresstheneedsofyour customers.
Ingeneral,theservicesthatillumisoft providesaredescribedassoftware developmentservices.Peoplehireus tohelpthembuildsolutionsthatthey thentakeoverandmanagegoing forward.Often,theyhaveaninternal developmentteam,buttheydon't havethenecessaryexperienceto architectmodernsolutionsusing moderntechnology Theirhopeis thatifIprovideacodebase,Ican teachtheirdevelopershowto maintainit.Inmyexperiencewith supportingentrepreneurialeffortsin thisarea,Iwouldsaythethreemain stepsthatyouneedtotaketobuilda strongcommunityofusersand subscriberswouldincludebuildinga strongbrandthatalignswithyour intendedaudience,makingsurethat
yoursoftwareiseasytouseandeasy tounderstand,andbeingconsistentin nevertakingadvantageofyour subscriberbasebymarketingtothem andupsellingthemadnauseum.
Aftercompletingasuccessfulproject forlocalChildren'sHospital,the focusofthecompanypivotedtothe healthcareindustry
Enlightenusonhowyouhave madeanimpactinthisindustry throughyourexpertiseinthe industry?
Asoftoday,wehavedoneabout42 projectsworthover$10M.Our projectshavehelped30different clients,andchangedthelivesof 100'softhousandsofchildrenand familiesofchildrenwithdiabetesand otherdiseases.WehavehadZERO failedprojectsalthoughwewerenot abletocompleteoneduetoa shrinkingbudgetandcostoverruns. Wehave100%5-starreviews.After alltheseefforts,illumisoftwas awardedthe2021GlobeeAwards GoldMedalforBestHealthcare& MedicalInnovation.
Whatarethechallengesyouand yourteamatillumisoftcomeacross inyourday-to-dayoperations?
Ourapproachtoprovidingcustomer serviceistohavemultiplepeople firstineachandeveryprojectsothat wecanensurecoverageeveninthe caseofwhatwecall,"TheBus Factor."There'sprobablyabetter, moreappropriatenameforit,butthe busfactorforusattemptstoanswer thequestion,"Whatarewegoingto doifsomeoneimportanttoaproject getshitbyabus?"Thatisprobably ourbiggestchallenge,notonly becauseittakesalotofworkto becomesemi-expertonsomany differentthings,butalsobecause
educatingoneselforone'steamis hardtobillfor.
Describeindetailthevaluesand theworkculturethatdrives illumisoft.
Beingcenteredaroundhelpingothers iswhyweatillumisofthavefocused ourservicesonthehealthcare industry.Werealizedatsomepoint severalyearsagothatbuildinggreat solutionsfeelsgoodanddelighting ourclientsfeelsgreat.But,building greatsolutionsthatdelightour clients,andthenrealizingyou've helpedliterallyhundredsof thousandsofpeoplearoundtheworld livehappier,healthierlivesfeels noble,heroicandworthit.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourself beinginthelongrunandwhatare yourfuturegoalsforillumisoft?
WeseeIllumisoftbecomingthego-to customsolutionproviderfor hospitals,privatepractices,and researchcentersacrosstheUnited States.Eventually,wewillspread worldwide.Wehavealreadyseena consistent,incrementalincreasein ourgrowth,andweexpectthatto continueatanexponentialrate. Additionally,weplanonbecominga productcompanyandcombiningthat withourserviceofferings.Wehave severalproductideasintheworks, andwealreadyhaveacoupleof productsbuiltthatwearebeginning tomarketnow
Whatwouldbeyouradviceto buddingtechleaders?
I'vegotalotofadviceforemerging leaders,butitdoesdependontheir situationtoacertainextent.IfIhad togiveblanketadvice,Iwouldsay read,andreadconstantly.Learn everythingthatyoucanlearn.People areflawedandyouhavetoaccept themfortheircontributionrather thantheirproximitytoyourideal. Operateyourlifeoutofaplaceof loveforotherpeople.Itrulybelieve that,althoughitiskindofcorny
TiffanyYuisCEO&founderof Diversability,anaward-winning socialenterprisetorebrand disabilitythroughthepowerof communityandthefounderofthe AwesomeFoundationDisability Chapter,whichawardsmonthly micro-grantstodisabilityprojects ($53.5kto54projectsin9 countries).
Belowarethehighlightsofthe interviewconductedbetween World'sLeadersandTiffanyYu:
Enlightenusonhowyouhave madeanimpactinthisindustry?
Iseemybiggestimpactinthis spaceisempoweringasmany disabledpeopleaspossibletoget fromthatfirstdisabilityoriginstory tothatseconddisabilityorigin story,becauseIreallybelievethata winforoneofusisawinforallof us.Witheverythingthathappened withBlackLivesMatterforme,it's reallybringingthisdisabilityinclusivelenstotheDiversity, Equity,andInclusionworld.Ithink thatalotoftimes,whenpeople thinkaboutdiversity,theyforget aboutdisability Theyforgetabout thefactthatthereareabillionof us,oroneinfourintheUS.Ialso thinkIapproachmyworkthrough
Tanintersectionallens.I'malso Asian.I'malsoawoman,andthese compoundidentitiesofbeing Asian,awoman,anddisabled allowmetobringaunique perspectiveintomywork.And finally,Ihaveexperienceworking inthecorporateworld.Ithinkthat beingasocialjusticeoriented companyisimportant.
OneofmymantrasishowcanI turnthisobstacleintothegreatest thingthat'severhappenedtome?
AndI'vetakenthatnotonlywith mypersonalstoryofwhat happenedtomeasakid,butalso intohowIhavenavigatedhowI've navigatedthebusinessworld. Numbertwo;describediverse abilitiesofferingsthataddressthe needsofyourcustomers.Sowe havetwoaudienceswithdiverse ability.Oneismoreonagrassroots levelthedisabilitycommunityfor us,it'sreallyhowcanweendthe
cycleofsocialisolationandsocial exclusionfordisabledfolks.There isaHarvardstudyoutthatsaysone ofthekeystolongevityand happinessandwell-beingis throughsocialconnectionand healthyrelationships.Andbeing sociallyisolated,isanexperience thatdisabledpeopleknowsowell. Sowithus,ourbiggestofferingat diverseabilityforthedisability communityforthedisability communityiscommunityandwe dothatthroughtwodifferenttypes ofcommunities.Oneisagroupthat acommunitythatisonFacebook, andtheotheristhroughamore curatedcommunitycalledthe diverseabilityleadership collective.
Whatpeople,whatbooks,what lifefactorshaveinfluencedand impactedyou.
Thereisabookthathasheavily influencedme.It'scalledDaring GreatlybyBreneBrown.Itisa bookaboutthecouragetoleadwith
vulnerabilityandbuildshame resilience.AndIthinkIspentalot oftimefeelingalotofshame aroundmystoryandnotshowing vulnerability.AndafterIreadthat bookin2016,Ireallydecidedto changehowIwantedtoliveand peelbacksomeoftheonionlayers andletpeoplein,andIhavefound thatithasenabledustoand enabledmetojustfeelmore liberated.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourself beinginthelongrun?Andwhat areyourfuturegoalsfordiverse abilities?
WheredoIenvisionmyselfbeing inthelongrun?Mypersonal missionistocreateasmuchaccess andopportunityinthedisability communityaspossible.AndIhave donethatthroughtheteamthatwe builtwithdiverseabilities.I've startedacoupleofotherinitiatives. OneiscalledtheAwesome FoundationDisabilityChapter, whichinvests$1,000indifferent disabilityprojectsaroundthe world.I'vealsoseenmypersonal brandgrowduringthepandemicas acontentcreator.So,forme,it's reallyabouthowIcansetagood exampleforotherdisabledpeople, especiallyotherAsianwomenand disabledpeople.HowcanIshow othersthattheirstoriesmatterand thattheycanleadwith vulnerability?HowcanIbuildmy ownthoughtleadership?Andhow canIdothatinawaythatmylifeis balanced?Inmypersonallife,I wanttomakeroomforplay,fun, enjoyment,andlaughter.Anddo thatwhilealsobeingadisability thoughtleaderandabusiness
leader.Whatareyourfuturegoals? Fordivisibility?Myfuturegoals fordiversecivilityarethatIwant tocontinuetobethetalent incubatorfordisabilitytalent.I wanttocontinuetobuildourbrand equitywithinthedisabilityspace withinDiversityEquity.and inclusionspace.Iwanttocontinue to.Iwanttogettoapointwhere wearefinanciallysustainable enoughthatitisalienmachineand thatwecancontinuetoinvestin disabilitytalent.
Myadvicetobuddingbusiness leadersistounderstandthatyou haveinfluencewhetherornotyou arealeader.AndIthinkthateven veryearlyoninmycareer,Iwas mentoringfolkswhowere
interestedinbreakinginto investmentbanking.Ihadpeople shadowme,haddisabledcollege studentsshadowmeduringmyjob, andreviewedresumes.SoIguess maybemyadviceistojustnever forgetthejourneythatgotyouto whereyouare.Andso,becauseof that,Ihavebeenthinkingabout waystocontinuetopayitforward tomycommunity.Andagain,just rememberthatawinforoneofus isawinforallofus.Sojust rememberthatyoubeingyou,as authenticallyyouand unapologeticallyyouaspossible,is openingupthedoorsandpathways forsomanyotherstopotentially followinyourfootsteps,butinthe possibilityofwhotheycan become.Andthatisallthe questions,andIwillgoaheadand sendyouthephotosaswell.
ValarieKing-Bailey's journeyasabusinessleader beganin1976whenshe enteredtheUniversityofWisconsin –MadisonCollegeofCiviland EnvironmentalEngineering.She alwaysknewthatonedayshewill becomeanentrepreneur.She prioritizesherstudyoverherpassion tobecomeanentrepreneurandnever conceivedofstartingabusiness withoutfirstcompletingher education.ShegraduatedwithaB.S. inCivilandEnvironmental Engineeringin1982andwentonto pursueanM.B.A.fromKeller GraduateSchoolofManagementin Chicago.Sheasserts, “The completion of my full education in engineering and business laid the foundation for my success.”
Today,Valarieisleadingacompany andservingasCEOofOnShore TechnologyGroup,anindependent Chicago-basedconsultancyfounded in2004specializinginIndependent ValidationandVerification(IV&V) servicesandsolutions.
“Life sciences companies are our target market,” saysValarie.These companiesseektobringnew productstomarketfaster.Inpursuit oftheirbusinessobjectives,they leverageadvancedenterprise technologiesandsoftware applicationsthathelpthemachieve efficienciesinpursuitoftheir businessobjectives.TheU.S.FDA (FDA)mandatesthatallsuch technologiesmustbeVALIDATED. Thus,OnShoreTechnologyGroupis anIndependentValidation& Verification(IV&V)firm.
OnShoreprovidesaportfolioof softwareproductsandservicesthat helplifesciencescompaniesmeet FDAregulatorymandatesfor validation.
Itsflagshipsoftwareapplicationis called'ValidationMaster™'.This solutionautomatesthefulllifecycle ofvalidationanddeliversan automated,paperlessprocesstohelp lifesciencescompaniesensure
regulatorycompliancewhile maintainingoperationalefficiencies.
Themostpopularserviceofferingis ValidationPro℠-A“turnkey” professionalservicethatdeliversa fullyvalidatedsystemwithminimal impactontheclient'sorganization. TheteamatOnShoreconductsall projectmanagementactivities, preparealldocumentation,execute alltestscriptsandsummarizethe entireproject.Thebenefitstothe clientarethattheygettoadoptcloud ormobileapplicationsquicklywith minimalimpacttotheirproduction operationswhileensuringsustained compliance.
Beforethedevelopmentanddelivery ofOnShore'sValidationMaster™ suite,
validationwasapaper-basedmanual process.Thisprocesswasvery inefficientandtime-consumingfor mostcompanies,andbecauseofthe
regulatoryrequirementtoproduce validationdocumentation,manylife sciencescompanieswererestrictedin theirrapidadoptionofthese technologiesandwastedprecious timethatcouldhavebeenusedto bringnewproductstomarketfaster.
Theproduct,ValidationMaster™ usheredintheeraofEnterprise ValidationManagementandQuality Formanyinthelifesciences community,automationwasviewed asaluxuryandnotanecessity.Since COVID,manycompaniesnowview automationasanecessityandnota luxury
Asorganizationswereforcedtoclose theiroffices,manylifesciences companiessoughtwaystobecome moreefficientandthusadoptedthe ValidationMaster™atarapidpace duringthepandemic.The managementstates, “Many of our clients were seeking to develop new vaccines and COVID products and quickly bring them to market through automated supply chain management. ValidationMaster™ helped them do this quickly and with
minimal impact to their organizations.” In2021, ValidationMaster™receivedthe Global100awardfortheBest SoftwareSolutionforIV&V The companyalsoearnedaspotonthe coveted2021INC.5000listofthe FastestGrowingCompaniesin America.
Thelatestchallengeiskeepingup withtherapidadoptionof ValidationMaster™asmoreand moreglobalcompaniesseekto deploythisvaluablesolutionto automatetheirvalidationprocesses. OnShorehasaddeda ValidationMaster™Training Academytohelpitsclientslearnand usetheapplicationattheirownpace.
TheLoveforLiteratureand Inspiration
Themostinfluentialbookfor technologycompaniesthatValarie haseverreadis'CrossingtheChasm' byGeoffreyA.Moore.Hisfollowup
book'InsidetheTornado'isMUST READINGforanyoneseekingto buildabusinessinthetechnology industry.Valariealsolovedthebook 'GoodtoGreat”byJimCollins.She mentions, “Good to Great taught me how to focus on what I am good at, what can I make money at and what I have a passion about. The intersection of these three things will direct your efforts. It is a simple yet profound concept for building a GREAT business and not just a good one.” Shefurtheradds, “Crossing the Chasm and Inside the Tornado taught me how technology companies grow and achieve market success.” Shefindsthatthese3bookshavehad aprofoundimpactonhowshe developedOnShoreTechnology Group.
RemoteWorkingduringthe Pandemic
AsperValarie,movingthe company'soperationsremotely duringthepandemicwaseasy OnShoreTechnologyGroupisa flexibleworkplace.
Manyofitsemployeesalreadyhad homeoffices.Theteamsalreadywere usingZoomandMicrosoftTeamsfor meetingssinceitisdispersedaround theworld.Thus,whenthepandemic hit,therewasnotmuchofa “transition”fortheteam.
Theyjustsimplydidnotusethe officelocationsforwork.Valarie opines, “We were able to effectively social distance, and no one in the organization got COVID. We all have been vaccinated but are still taking precautions in light of the delta variant. We will remain vigilant until this crisis ends.”
OnShorevalueshardwork,discipline,honestyand integrity,andcustomerserviceexcellence.Theteamworks hardtoearntheclientstrustandtheirbusiness.Withevery engagement,thefocusisonprovidingoutstandingservice andtreatthecustomerswiththecarethattheydeserve. Valariesays, “We are passionate about our work, and we love what we do. OnShore Management treats every employee with respect, and we often seek their advice and input on how we can make the company better.”
OnShoreflexibleworkenvironmentisahitwiththe employees.AccordingtoValarie,itisawin-win-win wherecustomerswinbecauseemployeesworkhardto fulfiltheirobjectives,andOnShorewinsbecauseits employeesarededicatedandtheemployeewinsand enjoysthebenefitsofaflexibleworkenvironmentand rewardsforoutstandingwork.
OnShoreseekstobethegloballeaderinadvancedtesting solutionsworldwide.OnShoreTechnologyGroupsees
itselfinmarketsbeyondlifescienceswhereitstrivesto helpcompaniesmeetregulatoryimperativesandaccelerate theirbusinessobjectivesthroughtheadoptionofadvanced technologieswithminimaldefects.
Believeinyourself!
Valarie'sadvicetoemergingentrepreneursis “Believe in yourself and pursue your passion.” Sheadds, “Don't be afraid of hard work because the rewards are great. Think big. The world has many challenges, and we need more innovation to solve the issues of climate change, aggressive viruses that can destabilize the world, new energy solutions, infrastructure challenges and new solutions that improve life on this planet. Recognize that you are the next generation.”
Every day is a new beginning for a business leader to be successful," saysAsokan Ashok.Mr AsokanistheCEOof UnfoldLabs,aMobile&Cloud PlatformTechnologies [AI/NLP/ML/Analytics]Innovative &StrategicProduct Solutions/DevelopmentCompany
Hehasatrackrecordofturning consumerideasintoprofitable enterprisesandscalinguptechnology products.
Mr.Asokanisanexpertin recommendingmethodstomeet technologicalandmarket developments,aswellasstrategic partnerships,asatopstrategistinthe technologyindustry.Heisawellknownspeakerattechnology conferencesthroughouttheworld. Hewritestechnologicaland visionarypiecesformajor publicationsallaroundtheworld.
Belowarethehighlightsofthe interviewconductedbetweenWorld's LeadersandAsokanAshok.
Briefouraudienceaboutyour journeyasabusinessleader.What challengesdidyouhavetofaceto reachwhereyouaretoday?
Ihavealwaysbeenverypassionate abouttechnologyproductsand solutionsthatcanmakeadifference intheworldandhelphumanityina largerway Asapathtowardsmy passion,Istartedworkingand implementingideasforahostof award-winninginnovativeproducts atUnfoldLabs.Ineverresistdoing theunthinkable-thiszealdrovemeto comeupwithsolutionsthatbeat industrystandards.Itwastough duringmyearlystagesof entrepreneurship,butnowIamvery confidentthatnothingisimpossible
toachievewitharealattitudeand aptitude.Thepainoflosing,working hardgetshealedwithsuccess.
DescribeUnfoldLabs'offerings thataddresstheneedsofyour customers.
Wethriveoninnovationinproducts &serviceswithafocusontheCloud, MobileandTechnology Themajor differenceisinthewaywethinkand approachtheproblemwithcustomer experienceinmind.Weloveto strategicallyworkonrealworld problemsandcreatesolutionsthat arefuturisticanduser-friendly Continuouslearningkeepsus updatedwithtrendsthathelpus developcreativethoughts/solutions.
Overthepast5years,wehave deliveredanumberofproductsthat are:
· RedGreen,ourfirstproduct, reached500Kuserdownloads andreceivedmanyawardsfor productinnovation.
· 2020Applock–Wegotgreat feedback,whichboostedour progressandmadeuscreate moreinnovativesolutions.
· SecureME-AnAndroidKiosk Launcherthathelpspeopleuse devicesininnovativeways, broughtusextraordinary feedbackfromtheworld community
· MyFamily–Acreativedigital parentingplatformthatgivesus happyuserstomaketheirlives easier,secure,andbetter.
· uFallAlert–TheWorld'sbest FallDetectionapplicationwith aninnovativehome-grown algorithmthatcandetectfallsin familyandbusiness environments.
· unfoldQuotes–Bestapplication withawidecollection/varietyof quotesthatcanmotivate,inspire andinfluencepeoplearoundthe planet.
Enlightenusonhowyouhave madeanimpactonthisindustry throughyourexpertiseinthe industry.
Wefeelthatexplorationand innovationareimportantforan organizationtogrow.Asapartofour extraordinarythinking,wehave
developedmanydigitalplatforms andproductsthatmakelifeeasierfor humanity Wearealsoworkingonan innovativenext-generationproject thathelpswith"MoodDetection", whichcanunderstandhumanmoods andmakepeoplehappier
Whatarethechallengesyouand yourteamatUnfoldLabscome acrossinyourday-to-day operations?
Asalways,peoplearethebackbone ofanyorganization.Innovationcan nothappeninisolation,andhence, collaborationisthemostimportant aspectofbuildingcreativeproducts.
Withthe2020Pandemic,lifehas changed-everythingismoredifficult, moredifficulttoachieve,bordersare closed,peopleareafraid,travelis difficult,andeveryattendancemight beapossibleobstacle.Team UnfoldLabsalsofacedproblemsin early2020–nowthatthingsareback tonormal,weareupandrunning withthesamespeedandenthusiasm asbefore.
Whatpeople,whatbooks,whatlife factorshaveinfluencedand impactedyou?Throughoutmy career,I'vehadmanywonderful experienceswithmanyexcellent people.
Ienjoyreading,learning,writing, travelling,andspeakingtoavariety ofpeople–betheynormalor businesspersonnel.Itwasn'tsimply onebookoronepersonwhogotme tothispoint.Butthereisonequote thatIabideby:"Changes–Choices –Chances".Ihavebeenvery adaptiveandopentochanges–whichisonemajoraspectof experiencingsuccess.
Herecomesthesecondone-"If you want something that you have never had, you have to do something that you have never done".Presenceis morethanjustbeingpresent-when I'mfeelingstressed,allIdoissay thistomyself,andittakesmymind, body,andsoulbacktothepresent moment.
Describeindetailthevaluesand theworkculturethatdrive UnfoldLabs.
Excellence,Safety,Care,Innovation, andResponsibilitydefine UnfoldLabs.Ourcultureisfounded onaflat,hierarchicalstructureinthe sensethatwehaveanopen-door policyandweworkcloselywithall membersoftheteam,beitajanitor oraCEO.Toguaranteethatwe retaincommunicationandamuchneededsenseofbelonging,wehavea well-organizedstructureofregular meetingsandweeklyface-to-face briefings.Thisismoreimportantthan everbefore.
Throughoutallourproduction processes,westriveforStrategic Precision.Wesetouteachteam's goalssothatouremployeesknow whatthey'reworkingtowards.Itwill notonlyimprovetheirperformance, butwillalsoincreasecollaboration amongourteammembers.Wemake surethateveryemployeeunderstands ourorganization'slong-termgoals,in additiontocreatingdepartment goals.Thisistoassistouremployees indevelopingasenseofprofessional purpose.Whileourworkcanbe difficultattimes,wemaketimeto maketheworkplacealittlemore cheerful.Thatliftseveryone'sspirits.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourself beinginthelongrunandwhatare yourfuturegoalsforUnfoldLabs?
Inallthebusinesssegments,I,asthe CEOofUnfoldLabs,havealways beenthemarketleader,technologist, andstrategist.We'rehungryand insecureenoughtoalwayskeepusat thetopofourgame.AtUnfoldLabs, thereisnoroomforcomplacency–wealwaysstriveforbettermentand perfection.Intermsofgeography,we willcontinuetogrow.Weaimto contributetowardsmakingtheworld abetterplacetolivebyusing technology
Bigorsmall,successorfailure–everythingthatcomesshouldbe acceptedandmovedforwardwith hope,passionandhardwork.Each businessstoryisaninspiration–Iam inspiredbyUnfoldLabs,thoughI maybebiased.Thatiswhatkeeps megoingeveryminuteofeveryday. "Love Yourself and Live Life Fully" is mymotto.
A Man of God with the Vision 'Good Health and Better Life for All'
AMinistriesin1997asachurchand alsothePneumaCommunityLink asanNGOtoorganizecharitable programmesandactivitiesto addresssensitiveissuessuchas teenagepregnancy,drugsand substanceabuse,HIVprevention andmanymoretomakea significantdifferenceinthelivesof thevulnerablepeopleintheBAME community
peoplelivingwithandthose affectedbyHIVinchurchesinthe UK.
InGhana,Actionplusstartedby
ApostleFredOseiAnninwasborn atOboKwahuintheEastern RegionofGhanaonthe28thof November1955.Fredcompleted hiselementaryschooleducationat theageof17.Duetofinancial challenges,hedidnotgetthe chancetocontinuehiseducation andhadtostartworkingasaField AssistantGrade3withtheMinistry ofAgricultureajobthatwasmeant foradultsandnotateenageratthe ageof17.Heasserts, “By the grace of God I managed to keep this job despite the numerous challenges as a teenager until I was lured into a band as a singer and adopted a wild lifestyle coupled with excessive drinking and drugs.” Afterfacingalltheselife challengeshebecameanordained reverendministerinaPentecostal churchinGhana.
In1990,Fredwasinvitedtothe UKtoholdseriesofrevival meetingsacrossEnglandon worshipbytheChalkFarmBaptist ChurchbasedinLondon.Hesays, “It was through this missionary trip that God spoke to me that he would bring me back to the UK when I return to my home country to do a special ministry which was not disclosed to me then.” AsperFred, WhenhereturnedtotheUK,he openedthePneumaOutreach
Spreading
FreddiscoveredthatLambethwas thehighestHIVprevalent communityinthewholeoftheUK secondedbyitsnext-door neighbourSouthwarkwherethe headquartersofActionplus Foundationisbased.Healso learnedthattheblackAfrican communitywasalsooneofthe communitiesatriskofhavingthe HIVinfectionandSouthwarkalso wasthesecondcommunitywiththe highestHIVprevalenceinthe wholeofUKaftertheMSMgroup. Hesays, “It was through this discovery that made me gain more understanding about the reason why God brought me back to the UK to set up the charity right in the heart of Southwark and no other place.”
Fredtherefore,decidedthatthe charitywasgoingtospendmore timetoconcentrateonHIV preventionbycreatingawareness oftheinfectioninLondonto reducethespreadoftheinfectionin churchesbecausemostpastorsthen wereignorantaboutHIVandwere unawareofthemodeofthe transmissionofHIVandtherefore forlackofknowledge,thoughtHIV wasataboooracursefromGod. Thissituationthereforecreated stigmaanddiscriminationamong
focusingonpeoplewhoarenot havinggainfulemployment,who arevulnerableandaretherefore gettinginvolvedinagrowinglevel ofprostitutionandawful behaviours.Theprojectwas developedtofocusontwospecific clientgroups:Thesearepeople whoareatimmediateriskof acquiringHIVbecauseoftheir ignoranceabouttheinfectionand thosewhowereinvolvedin prostitution.Thestrategyofthe projectwastofocusoncreating awarenessofHIVandalsothe preventionoftheinfectionfrom growinginthecountry
ActionplusFoundationrealized thatthereweregreatchallenges becauseofstigmainpeople's minds.Theprojecttherefore graduallygotmoreinvolvedin creatingmodulestouseinbreaking stigmaandprejudice.Thismodule includedChallengeandBreakHIV stigma,'YourHealthisYourLife', includingthemajor'TakeAction Now'Modulewhichsinceits launchinghasgrowntobecomea globaltoolinaddressingHIV interventionwithinthefaith communities.
Actionplusfromtheinitial stagesofitsoperationhad determinedthatitwould deliversexualhealthmessages onasustainablebasisnotonly inoneparticularchurchbut rathertobuildcapacityinfaith leadersbytrainingthemto delivertherightfulmessages
aboutHIVbythemselvesin theirvariouschurchesand denominationswherethey pastor Thisprojectiscalled “TakeActionNow”.Itisabout supportingfaithleadersto addresssexualhealthissuesin churchesandisnotabout addressingsexualhealthfor faithleaders.Actionplusworks withfaithleadersandthefaith communitiestoaddresssexual healthandHIVissueswithin thewholecontextofhealthto helpnormaliseanddestigmatise HIVforthechurch toknowthatHIVisneithera taboonoracursefromGodbut ratheroneofthehealth conditionswehaveinour worldtoday.
ActionplusFoundationhas trainedover6,000pastorsand churchleadersbothintheUK andAfricaforthemtoknow
andembracethefactsabout HIVandthroughthisproject ignoranceinthechurchis removedandstigmaisbroken.
ActionplusFoundationisthe firstorganisationinboththe UKandinGhanatoopenfree HIVtestingcentresinchurches whereHIVhasbeena“Nogo” Zone.Since2015Fredhaswon manyLocal,Nationaland InternationalAwardswhich includes:SouthwarkMajor'sCivic Award,TheDiversityChampion AwardForCharities(UK).The HeroesAward,TheAfrican PrestigiousAwardandthelatest beingthe2020BestHIV PreventionServiceAward(UK)
Actionplusstartedsmallfromthe beginninginSouthwarkbuthas grownovertheyearstobecome
oneoftheleadingHIV organisationswithbranchesinthe UK,Ghana,KenyaandUganda.
EveryCharityorNGOcannot operateorfunctionwellwithout fundingbecauseitdoesnotmakea profitbutActionplusthroughoutits operationhasnotreceivedany majorfundingtosupportitswork bothintheUKandAfrica.Fred says, “We sometimes are fortunate to receive off grants and small donations to support our work but despite these tough financial challenges, we have managed to sustain the work by God's grace through our passion and the sacrifices we make.” Withits unconditionalloveforhelping others,Actionplushasdeveloped overtheyearandhasseen uncountablemiracleshappeningon dailybasis.Theorganizationhas operatedintheUKfor24yearsand 14yearsinAfricaandthroughout
thisjourneyithasneverhadthe opportunitytoemployonestaff becausethereisnotenoughfinance toemploypaidworkers.
Alltheworkthefoundationdoesis donewiththehelpandsupportof itsvolunteerswithFredhimself beingthemainpersondrivingthe projecttosafetybyGod'sgrace. FredhasseenmanybigHIV organisationswhichhefirstmeton thewaycloseddownforlackof fundsbutActionplusisstill workingandgrowingdailydespite itslackoffinancialresources becauseGodateverycritical challengeprovides.Heopines, “We
know that a car without petrol or gas cannot move but, if a car without fuel in it can run faster than the one whose engine is filled, then you should know that it must be God behind it.”
In2019,Actionplusmiraculously receivedadonationfromthe RichardKingBequest,andwith that,ithasmanagedtorunits communityworkinAfricatillnow ServicesduringthePandemic
DuringtheCovid-19pandemic, Fredagaintooktheleadin organizingonlinetraining programmesandconferencesto createawarenessoftheinfection hereintheUKandAfrica. Actionplus'volunteersalsoledthe FoundationtodistributefreePPE'S toschools,institutions,tradersin marketplacesandthegeneral publicinAfrica.Thoughthe Lockdownimpactedtheprojectsof theorganisationyetFredmanaged touseeveryopportunitythe foundationhadtodevelopnew strategiestoconfronttheimpactof whichthepandemichadhadonthe project.Hesaysthatmeasureswere
alsoputinplacetoengagewiththe clientsonlineandonthephoneas therewerenooneonone interventionprogrammesor physicalcontactstohelpsustainthe gainswhichtheorganisationhad madethroughtheHIVprevention project.
Valuesandtheworkculturethat drivesActionPlusFoundation
“The values of Actionplus Foundation in our intervention is connected to our faith in God and seeing HIV as a human issue and the devastating effect it has brought into the human race since the beginning of its interception in the year 1980 make us believe that we are called of God to fight it until HIV is completely eradicated from our world,” saysFred.Hefurther describesthatitisacallingfrom Godtohimpersonally,andsoitis hisresponsibilitytosharethe visionwitheveryonewhoispartof ittoknowandunderstandthe purposeofthisbattletomakeita reality.Heopines, “We are all going to be accountable to God one day if we fail to win.”
AtActionplus,Fredplanstobuild anUltraModernSocial EmpowermentCentreinGhana. AccordingtoFred,thisCentrewill bethepermanentheadquartersand theadministrativebaseforits operationsinAfrica.Theteamwill builddifferentfacilitiestohost Actionplus'sempowerment programmessuchasanHIVClinic fortestingandtreatment,a vocationaltrainingschooltotrain disadvantagedboysandgirlswith skillstoattainjobsopportunities.It
willalsohosttheCampusHIV EmpowermentProgramme(CHEP Programme).Inthiscentre,the teamwillrecruityoungpeopleto betrainedaspeerhealthadvocates toworkwithyoungpeopleinthe community.Theseyoungpeople thatwillbetrained,willbethose whoarewillingtosetthemselves aparttobeempoweredwithhealth empowermentgoalstochange behavioursknowntocauseill healthandprematuredeathamong youngpeoplesuchassmoking, unhealthyeatinghabits,physical inactivity,drugsandalcohol,and otherhealthissues.
Fredadvisesthepeoplewhoare facingtheircareerchallengesthat successcan'tbeachievedona silverplatter.Itstartsverysmall withthelittlethingsonedoesin lifeandwhenheaddsextravalue toit,hewillsucceedinthatgreat ambition.Hesays, “It takes time but, with God on your side, every dream comes through at the right time.”
