Written by: Olivia Radcliffe, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Let’s face it ‒ we’re busy. There’s no way around it. With obligations to our businesses, our family schedules, and (dare I say?) our own needs, it’s understandable if at the end of the day you feel like you just ran a marathon… while trying to change your shoes mid-stride. This feeling can be acutely intensified if you’re trying to follow traditional business and marketing strategies that emphasize live, face-to-face (or screen-to-screen) interactions with your audience to help build rapport and trust. There’s no denying that having a strong connection with your ideal client base is essential in helping your business stand out and vastly increasing your sales revenue and client retention rate. Real-time interactions such as live sales calls, video meetings, and live Q&A sessions can also certainly help fast-track building this connection. But, if this interaction comes at the cost of draining your already depleted energy or mental bandwidth or taking time away from other key needle-moving tasks, then rest assured that there is another way. What is Asynchronous (async) work? The pandemic helped take working from home to a new level. While some businesses simply transitioned their in-office strategies online, others took the opportunity to embrace adding asynchronicity into the workday. Helped by the increased availability of online tools for project management and communication, teams are now able to work together on projects without requiring all members to be working on the same thing simultaneously. This asynchronous work style can lead to an increase in productivity while minimizing interruptions and has the added bonus of allowing people to work in their most productive manner, decreasing stress and anxiety. As an entrepreneur, whether you have a team working with you or you’re a solopreneur, these asynchronous strategies can help boost your productivity and can even be incorporated into your overarching business and sales strategies. Three Strategies for Embracing Asynchronicity 1. Asynchronous Sales Depending on your type of business and niche, there can be a time and a place for sales calls. If you are offering a high-ticket product or service, jumping on a call with a potential client can help build rapport and cement their trust in you while simultaneously answering all their questions about what could be a significant financial investment for them. But if you have limited time or maybe you’re working in an environment that is not conducive to live calls (e.g., a mompreneur with young children), that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on sales. Instead, you can embrace asynchronous sales strategies, like utilizing a voice or text app like Voxer to hold “office hours” that your potential clients can book to chat with you. Example: A wellness coach is selling a high-ticket group program. Her go-to sales practice was to use a traditional two-step funnel that led potential clients to schedule a live 15-minute introductory call. If they were a good fit for the program, she would then schedule a 45-minute sales call with them at a future date. While she appreciated the screening effect the 15-minute introductory call had, she was finding herself spending a vast amount of time on sales calls and unable to focus properly on other aspects of her business let alone her personal priorities. She decided instead to have potential clients fill out an application to join the program, which has very similar questions to the form leads used to fill out to schedule the introductory call. She then reviews the application asynchronously and records a video with her feedback and suggestions for their next steps. By doing so, she maintains the screening effect of the initial 15-minute call and is still able to provide personalized feedback and a taste of her personality and coaching style through the video to good-fit potential clients. If any further conversation is needed, she can then decide on a case-by-case basis to schedule a real-time call. 2. Ditch the Traditional Q&A Traditional Q&A sessions provide a helpful way for participants in group programs, memberships, or courses to stay on track and make progress with the program. Typically, the format consists of a video meeting of sorts (Zoom, Facebook Live, etc.) that participants can join in real-time to get their questions answered by the host coach or consultant. Sometimes a recording of the session is available for those who can’t attend live. While this format may work like a dream for some, for others with limited time, busy audiences, or a global clientele base, it can be more of a nightmare. Not only can it be an issue to find time within your own schedule to host these sessions, but it can also be challenging to coordinate sessions across different time zones, as well as to get active engagement from audience members who are more than likely also balancing other priorities. Instead, you can move to an asynchronous Q&A format with limited real-time elements. Example: A parenting coach for moms with young kids has a membership with a weekly Q&A session for her clients. Her clients, though, are having a hard time taking advantage of the sessions because they are busy at home or don’t feel like they can attend live with their kids. The coach is also facing difficulties working the calls around her own schedule. She often finds herself with no one attending the sessions but everyone listening to the recordings. Instead of hosting live Q&A sessions, she decides to have an open form for her clients to submit questions. At the end of the week, she answers all the questions and then uploads the audio to a private podcast feed for her members. By doing so, she can record answers whenever best suits her schedule and her busy audience is able to listen whenever best suits their schedules. If they think of another question, the next episode is only a few days away. 3. (A)sync Your Calendars While well-structured meetings can be necessary and crucial parts of keeping the team moving like a well-oiled machine, poorly-planned meetings can zap the time and productivity from you and your team. Luckily, there are asynchronous ways to streamline (or eliminate) these meetings. Instead of everyone gathering at the same time, you can discuss details of projects, strategize, and even assign and collaborate on tasks asynchronously using project management platforms and tools. Example: A Marketing and Sales Manager needs to collaborate on projects with the sales reps in different states. They used to meet multiple times a week to discuss the current task list and updates. The information from the meetings was helpful, but so much time was spent coordinating the meetings and reviewing the work that they were having trouble keeping up with the actual task list. They decided instead to meet only once a week. In between meetings, the Marketing and Sales Manager sends video reviews of the team members’ work, and they all update their task lists using a project management platform like Notion or ClickUp. By doing so, everyone can stay up to date on who is focusing on what task when, how the project is progressing, and what requires immediate attention without needing to block out time for a meeting. When all is said and done, asynchronous strategies can offer multiple benefits, including increased flexibility, improved work/life balance, and the ability to grow your network and work seamlessly with others across the world. To truly embrace asynchronicity, though, requires clear communication, discipline, and coordination to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that expectations are being met. For more tips on working asynchronously or guidance for your specific business, reach out to me directly on my website or LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Read more from Olivia! Olivia Radcliffe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Olivia Radcliffe is a much sought-after expert in authentic marketing and business strategy. She works with moms with businesses, meeting them at the intersection of life and business, healing what is holding them back and then helping them use their unique strengths and schedule needs to create a business that stands out and enhances their personal lifestyle goals. Olivia is also a 5-time international bestselling author, women's empowerment speaker, certified Life Coach, co-creator of the Like a Mother Movement, and co-host of the Marketing Like a Mother podcast. Her favorite title, though, is mom to her toddler son and German Shepherd.

Written by: Krisztina Konya, Senior Level Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It is very likely that as a child, you’ve been taught “not to judge others”, and maybe you’ve heard many times the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Yet, as adults, despite our best efforts, we often find ourselves judging others, and it feels like judging is our second nature. We automatically say things like: “What was she thinking?” or “What a stupid decision he/she made.” Or very often, we make remarks about people’s food choices and how they dress; they behave; we scroll on social media, and we find ourselves judging people who are not even in our circle; they are entire strangers to us, yet we are quick in judging. “When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.” – Wayne Dyer The real question here is: why do we judge? Judging others has nothing to do with the people we judge, but it has everything to do with us – what is going on in our lives and how we think and feel about ourselves. So, it is not something external to us. And very often find ourselves on the other side of the story, too – when we are judged. I used to judge people, too. And none of us is likely an exception. Sometimes I found myself judging people in my head, being very harsh with them in my thoughts because I perceived that what they did was out of the norm, wrong, or not aligned with my values. In time I learned that everyone makes mistakes, which is ok; it is a way of learning and growing. When we judge others, we compare ourselves to them to feel superior. The truth is, we don’t live their lives, we don’t know their struggles, and we are not walking in their shoes – therefore, this kind of comparison is very unhealthy and false. We all judge, and measure others based on our own standards. I am not saying that judging is wrong because there are plenty of values in worthy judgement. For example, judging people who are violent or malicious reflects who we are. I believe that because of the way how we human beings are wired, it is almost impossible to stop judging others completely – but what we can do is to be mindful, to learn about ourselves, to know self-awareness because most of our judgements have to do something with us, not with the people we judge. They are a mirror to us, and we are a mirror to those who judge us. Be self-aware and notice your thoughts. Self-awareness is our most incredible power. Notice your thoughts and feelings – because your thoughts lead to judgement. Notice first how you feel, think, and talk about yourself and how other people are a reflection of these thoughts and feelings. In many cases, we judge others and put someone else down to feel better about ourselves. When you find yourself being judgemental, stop yourself. It takes excellent self-awareness and a good understanding of yourself. Therefore, it can be a difficult thing to do at the beginning. Keep reminding yourself to be the observer constantly—this way, you will better understand yourself, your thoughts, and your feelings. Mediation can be an excellent way to become more self-aware and mindful in your daily life. And then, when you get this, move to the next step. Understand Instead of judging someone, try to understand that person. Practice empathy, which means understanding what someone else is going through, what they experience – from their point of view; put yourself in their shoe. Focus your attention on similarities more than on differences with that person. Always remember that there is your perspective, your way of seeing life and their perspective. The two might always be the same; therefore, be open-minded and open-hearted. This will enable you to be more compassionate. Practice acceptance Once you understand the person, or at least you kind of understand, try, and accept it. Acceptance does not necessarily mean that you must agree with their actions; it does not mean approving them or waiving your rights. It means accepting the reality of the other person. Sometimes you may not like it, or you may not even agree with it, or maybe you might get sad about it – but on a deeper level of understanding, be at peace with it. Here’s the plan: As you walk through life, try to do it with eyes wide open and with listening ears. Put yourself in other people’s shoes, and see them for what they are, not for what they try to show to the world. It will help you a great deal. Always remember that we are reflections of one another. You have what you see in others, and what they see in you, they have it, too. So, practice your self-awareness daily, meditate and reconnect with your soul, who you are. That will also help you see other people for what they are. Never let someone else’s opinion of someone get in the way of forming your own. Be compassionate, understanding, and acceptant, first toward yourself. By judging others, you dim your own light. We are here with a purpose, both human and Divine; every day, we can go out there and be the light to others to raise the energy vibration around us. By judging, we dim our beautiful light and lower our vibrations. We are not complicated; we are complex; we are beautiful souls having a human experience. So why not live our lives knowing that we are the light the world needs? “Doubt yourself, and you doubt everything you see. Judge yourself, and you see judges everywhere. But if you listen to the sound of your own voice, you can rise above doubt and judgment. And you can see forever.” ‒ Nancy Lopez Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Krisztina! Krisztina Konya, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Krisztina is deeply a passionate person, who believes that we are all destined for greatness. The first step in achieving success is to unleash the power of self-love and to know ourselves well. From here we can build up successful businesses from the heart and live a happy and joyful life. Krisztina is success & authentic leadership coach, company owner and author. She has a solid academic background with a Degree in Business Management, and she is a Spiritual Life coach. Her mission is to encourage women to find their path towards empowerment, to hold the space for them to achieve this by giving them some of the most valuable and practical tools.

Written by: Vikas Arora, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Change impacts us all in every aspect of our life. Regardless of the global events that have impacted all due to the coronavirus, change is in embedded in nature, the seasons change our landscape, as we grow and evolve from childhood to adulthood, and as we move from career-to-career change is ever-present. In some instances, change is easy to accept when we are aware and prepared for the outcome, but in some, when the change is unknown, we close, prepare for the worst and put up barricades, we feel challenged at every level and begin to fear the potential outcome be that failure, rejection, success, trust, etc. Resistance to change is not uncommon and typically occurs when we are presented with a new situation or set of circumstances that place us outside of our comfort zone. Our inability to change results, in some doubting ourselves and our ability to grow, our ability to evolve and with this, not in all cases, limiting beliefs kick in, and we embody a self-sabotaging mindset. All is not lost, we all have skills, strengths, and abilities to adapt to change as we have been doing so throughout our life. Tapping back into them and adapting them to the situation is not impossible either and doing so will build the resilience, confidence, and belief to make change more acceptable and see it as a sign of growth. Below are some of the steps that I have personally followed to adapt to the changes I have faced in both my personal life as well as my career as a professional and a coach. Clearing Old Baggage …or Emotional Spring Cleaning as I like to call it out with the old and in with the new. Before we proceed on any journey to self-improvement, we must take the time to tackle our EMOTIONS and LIMITING beliefs as these will always hold us back. Releasing and clearing the negative limiting beliefs to formulate new beliefs opens us up to and empower us to adopt a growth mindset. When working to change our beliefs the “Underlying belief here is that something needs to change” ‒ one of the requisites of taking a Quantum Leap (according to Price Pritchett) Our unconscious mind has many repressed memories and behaviours and beliefs that hold us back with negative emotions ‒ but if they are unresolved, they can come back to bite us if we experience that situation again. Emotional clearing is key here, with meditation, journaling, exercise and mindset work with a coach. When you focus on creating space for new behaviours and beliefs you commence the process of allowing yourself to grow. This is not a one-time thing. We must continuously perform emotional clearing as we grow and evolve in our chosen path or profession. Taking Action This phase is only successful once we have gone through the process above by rewiring our internal beliefs. Unresolved, experiences, beliefs and behaviours will always stand in the way of something new. Keeping an eye in the rear-view mirror when looking to the future will continually hold us back. Reprograming our minds by clearing unresolved issues to formulate new neural pathways enables us to create new habits and experiences. We no longer believe in the old assumptions therefore we are now open to taking action that will deliver the desired result. Stepping into the higher version of ourselves, the actions we take now, were previously thought to be impossible, are possible. We can break these actions of change down into more meaningful priorities and by acting on these priorities every day we can adapt and grow. Desire To truly follow our desire we must move deep into the desire itself and not fall victim to the result or the outcome of what we desire. So many fall foul of focusing on the end result which then causes us to lose sight of the desire and our WHY, leaving us frustrated and Questions we must ask ourselves are: What is your vision for every aspect of your life? How will this change bring a positive experience to your life albeit financial, emotional, spiritual, or mental? What skills do I have to help on my journey? What new skills, resources, support and tools do I need to support me? Your vision for what you desire has to be clear, it has to be strong and full of purposeful intention, therefore you need to expand your mind to what you want. As Napoleon Hill states, "Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." Spending time on outlining what you truly desire is a path well served. Digging into this, without limitation, fears, and doubt, be that through what is highlighted on note 1 ‒ journaling, meditating, visualising, etc. will be time well spent. What does this look like for you? What does this mean to you? What new opportunities does this situation present? How can you grow from this? These steps can be performed for every change that comes your way. There is always a new opportunity, new challenge, and experience presented to us. We are always encountering change, and resistance will come, limitations may present themselves, and you will be challenged, and you will be stretched. If experience has taught me anything then it is, change has proven to be the catalyst for adapting to situations that have presented opportunities to learn and grow. You simply need to reset your mindset, reframe and adjust to the new situation or circumstance and go through the above again and again and all the time having fun in the process. I know I do!! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and visit my website for more info! Read more from Vikas! Vikas Arora, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Vikas Arora has a long-standing Corporate Career with some of the biggest names in Telco and Technology industry. Midway through his career Vikas began to focus heavily on personal development which awakened a purpose and mission to help, guide and support people in uncovering their true potential and purpose as a Mindset Transformation Coach. As a certified NLP practitioner, Quantum Manifestation, a Member of the International Coaching Federation and through Instagram as well as hosting "Conscious Conversations" Podcast, Vikas is committed to helping others uncover the best version of themselves.

Written by: Casimiro da Silva Santos, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Nowadays, it is all about the triple P (3P) bottom line approach – People, Planet, and Profit. It's often said that a company is only as good as its people. This applies to not only hiring the right employees while ensuring that they stay engaged in their work throughout their tenure. After all, the more motivated employees are, the more likely they will stay and reach their fullest potential within the company. "Work gives you meaning and purpose, and life is empty without it." ‒ Stephen Hawking You believe in your company wholeheartedly. An entrepreneurial fire burning strong inside motivates you to work harder each day. Unfortunately, the same can only sometimes be said about your employees. In an SHRM Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement survey of 600 employees from 2011 to 2015, only 69% felt they consistently put all their effort into their work. You've hired some stellar people to improve the performance of your team and your company. Now you need to make sure they stick around. While money and benefits are necessary, a study found that they don't top the list of motivating factors. Instead, some essential elements tended to be peer motivation (20%) and feeling encouraged and recognised (13%). If you've tried a variety of incentives and are still seeing the adverse side effects of low motivation, you're not alone. Sometimes even the best managers must think outside the box to find creative and reliable ways to motivate their employees. Motivating and inspiring your employees is not just about giving them a paycheck. It's about creating an environment where they are excited to come to work each day and feel fulfilled by their work. Motivation and inspiration, what is the difference? All of us need motivation and inspiration at some point in life. We tend to mix both words, and more importantly, we need to clarify the role of leaders in these two. Many of us might think these two disciplines are the same. However, they're entirely different concepts. "Don't let the noise of other people's opinions drown out your inner voice." ‒Steve Jobs While motivation is always from an external source in an external environment, inspiration comes from within. So, to make it more transparent, motivation is self-imposed or societal expectations, obligations and peer pressure that pushes us to do something. At the same time, inspiration is a natural calling that comes deep inside us. How exactly can company leaders boost motivation? We constantly hear that leaders are responsible for inspiring their teams to do better and to be motivated by what they do. But how exactly can company leaders boost this motivation? This can be a difficult task, but it is possible. Here are some tips for how to motivate and inspire people in your company: Make sure that the goal you are setting is attainable. If it's not, it's not motivating—it's frustrating. Set realistic expectations for yourself and others so that they know where they stand about their performance. Reward people who perform well with praise (publicly or privately) and bonuses or other perks like free lunches or days off, health benefits, stock options, and daycare and schooling support. Don't punish those who perform poorly. More importantly, do not humiliate them. Instead, find out why they could be performing better so that you can help them improve their skills or abilities and get back on track again! Create a culture of trust and collaboration. People who feel they can be themselves at work will be more engaged and motivated. Give them autonomy over their work tasks and goals. This will help them feel more responsible for their success and motivate them to succeed! Don't micromanage! Give employees enough space to operate independently, hold them accountable for their performance and results (and give feedback when necessary). Be transparent with your goals as an organization, so everyone knows what's expected from them—and why it matters! Inspire them by creating a compelling vision for the team by distilling the company vision into your reality. Be aspirational. Dream big. Be bold. Focus on the positive. Instead of the negative, focus on what you're grateful for and what you must look forward to. This will help keep you optimistic about your future! Closing "Where there is a will, there is a way" is an old saying that motivates and inspires us to work and stay committed to our life goals. There are many ways to motivate and inspire people. One of the best ways is to tell them what they're working towards and why by creating a compelling vision and mission. A culture of authenticity, trust, and collaboration so that people can feel they matter and belong. Another way is to show them that they are not alone in their efforts and have the support of their team and the company. The most important thing to remember is that it's about more than just motivating your employees. It's also about inspiring them. People want to be inspired and feel like they're doing something meaningful with their lives, so make sure you allow them to do so! Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Casimiro! Casimiro da Silva Santos, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Casimiro da Silva Santos, better known as Cas, uses pronouns he/his. He is a dad, a business and climate action leader, a coach, and a speaker. His mission is to create a perspective of abundance, alleviating scarcity so that we can live a brighter future. After a transformational coaching experience with Simon Sinek Inc., Cas decided to create Bring the Best®, a coaching and consulting firm for personal development and business growth. Through individual, career, and executive coaching, Bring the Best transforms lives so that each person can live the life they want and dream about. His coaching style is authentic and empathetic, with a special focus on the LGBTQIA+ community.

Written by: Karen Brown, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Though attributed to Albert Einstein, it has not been definitively established who first uttered this oft-quoted phrase. Regardless, we all know what it means. And its real-life implications for executives in the business world is especially relevant: if an executive is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same (negative) results, it can severely impact a company’s financial situation, not to mention the performance of other executives and employees. Though not actually calling anyone insane, I contend that everyone has behavioral patterns that stifle performance in the business world. These patterns, referred to as “blind spots,” are often unrecognized by the individual – at least consciously. Patterns in which executive leaders get stuck become ruts that prevent them from achieving the elite level of performance required to make a lasting impact in their organization. Because both the behavior and its impact are indiscernible, the individual executive is unable to reach their full potential and help their company accelerate toward its goals. How do leaders overcome these internal obstacles that hold them back from truly outstanding performance? The first step is understanding where behavioral patterns originate. What Is a Behavioral Pattern? A behavioral pattern is a recurrent action by an individual or group toward a given object or situation. Some of the common ruts in which we see leaders stuck are: Too little delegating Insufficient development of team members Reticence to engage in healthy debate with the team Inadequate management of performance gaps with team members Avoidance of confrontation Reluctance to seek or give helpful, clear, feedback for improvement Cultural differences Concept that “my way” is the best or only way Where Do Behavioral Patterns Originate? To save energy, protect us, and achieve our highest good at the time, the mind establishes repetitive behavioral patterns. This is true for everyone and impacts every aspect of our lives. These patterns are formed in the unconscious mind, which processes 400 billion bits of information at a speed of up to 100,000 mph, compared to the conscious mind which processes only about 2,000 bits of information per second at only 100 to 150 mph ‒ like comparing a skateboard to a SpaceX rocket. Therefore, behavior patterns easily become permanent. That’s fine for positive behavioral patterns. But what about the negative ones? Over time, they create deep ruts, from which it is hard to escape until a person becomes aware of them and decides to change. For business leaders, ruts can mean applying the same ineffective methods repeatedly, with the same lackluster results, affecting worker relationships, team development, strategy fulfillment, and more. Attempts to change habits simply through discipline or willpower leave leaders with the same blind spots and unrecognized patterns because they are working only at the conscious, surface level. Changing Ineffective Behavioral Patterns The most effective approach is to use a science-based methodology that focuses on the behavioral patterns that impede performance, replacing them with patterns that produce elite performance. Quantum leaps are possible only when work is done at both the unconscious and subconscious levels, by focusing and aligning beliefs and behavioral patterns to support and multiply results. Any behavioral pattern can be changed using these steps: Become aware of the pattern: Pinpoint the pattern, be aware of when you run it, and note the corresponding results. Identify the desired results and the new pattern that will create them. Interrupt the behavior when you run it: Once you have recognized the pattern, interrupt it every time you run it. Run the new behavioral pattern instead: Use the identified new pattern from Step 1 and run it when the old pattern is interrupted. Visualize what the attainment of your goal will look and feel like and how you can achieve it. How Long Does It Take to Change Behavioral Patterns? The key to change is running an “interrupt” and new behavior pattern every time. As in other areas of business, what gets measured gets achieved. That is why tracking these interrupt cycles helps executives change faster. That said, dramatic change can be achieved in the first 30 to 60 days of a sound, neuroscience-based program. And participants do not revert to previous patterns; the process should build new neural pathways in the brain, and the behavioral pattern change is permanent. Change achieved in the executive suite can then ripple throughout the rest of the team and the entire organization. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Karen! Karen Brown, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Karen Brown is the Founder and CEO of Exponential Results. She draws on 30 years of success as a corporate executive with over 20,000 hours of senior executive coaching experience. Years ago, Ms. Brown discovered the key to greater performance and effectiveness: identifying and addressing blind spots – the repeated thinking patterns that impede success. Using a professional coach and science-based methodologies of how our minds work, she busted through her own blind spots to achieve astounding results. Her discovery led to the creation of Exponential Results’ proprietary Power Pathways™ method, based in neuroscience. She’s also a focused athlete, having competed, as an amateur, in the Ironman World Championship.

Written by: Mei Flynn, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Life is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs, but it is your choice whether to scream or enjoy the ride. As we know life can present us with many challenges, and at the time we may be unsure how we were going to cope. It may be a health, relationship, financial or career issue. When we are caught up in the fog of emotion of certain events, we cannot see the way forward and do not know which way to turn. I know from my own journey that it is these challenging times that have led to great leaps in my personal and spiritual growth. When my husband ended our 5-year marriage in 2016, I was living alone in Spain without a regular job and no permanent home. I had left our life in Abu Dhabi to set up our new life in Spain where eventually he would join me, but it never happened. It was one of those moments of feeling panic and unsure how I was going to cope. I also saw it as an opportunity to put what I had learnt into practice with my metaphysical studies and have faith and trust in the way forward. Continue reading to see how my journey unfolded. Let go of controlling life We often try and control life and stop things happening, this brings up a lot of fear and we start to create scary scenarios about the future. We cannot predict what is going to happen and often the fear we hold onto will bring those scary scenarios into our experience. This is where we can start to focus more on what we want in our life rather than fearing what we do not want to happen. The law of attraction is like a magnet and will match our thinking, and if you missed my article on this please check it out. What we resist persists and grows stronger When we do go through challenging times in our lives we can feel like we are on an emotional rollercoaster. One minute we are feeling positive about the way forward and next slipping back into the dark days and everything feels like a struggle. The invitation is to try and be present in any given moment and you will be supported and guided on the way forward. Tips for riding the rollercoaster Step 1 Acknowledge and allow how you are feelings and please do not make yourself wrong. Everything you are feeling in any given moment is normal. Check out one of my other article on handling emotions. I know when I was going through my divorce, I used to feel angry and my way to express my feelings was to journal or do some power walking to release the energy. Step 2 Take a step back from life and do something that nourishes your soul. Maybe it could be a short vacation or a day trip to somewhere. This can help create some space for that much needed time for ourselves to get clarity on the way forward. It can be hard to think we had a life mapped out only to suddenly find ourselves on a different path, maybe this is an opportunity to trust the magic of new beginnings! Step 3 We often feel like a failure when we experience an ending in life, such as the end of a job or a relationship. One of my favourite quotes by Pema Chodron is that painful endings are disguised as new beginnings. Humanly, we resist change, and we like to stay in our comfort zone, but I always remember and believe that change shakes us up to where we are meant to be. Step 4 When we face a challenging time we often feel like we are entering a very dark tunnel which people often refer to as the ‘dark night of the soul.’ This again can be very uncomfortable and painful to try to rebuild our lives and get clarity on the way forward. The invitation here is to allow ourselves to just be in this space and not try to push for the way forward. If we are patient, it will be revealed to us and as the saying goes there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Step 5 Maybe this challenge is an opportunity to reflect on your life and realign with who you are and look at what is important for you. I know that as a result of my divorce I created my life as a digital nomad, and prior to the pandemic spent an amazing 4 years living and traveling in Southeast Asia. This was planned as a 3-month trip after my training as a Holistic Counsellor but I ended up travelling for a lot longer and loved the freedom of following my intuition and having so many amazing experiences. I actually got to a point where I thanked my ex-husband for ending our marriage as I was grateful for the opportunity to embrace my free spirit side and go with the flow of life. I was able to get to a place of peace and acceptance around our marriage and honoured that part of my life which in turn enabled me to successfully move on. A book that was given to me during this time was by Pema Chodron – When things fall apart. She talked about when we think things are falling apart, they might actually be coming together. I hope that this article has helped you to see that the things that we judge as ‘bad’ can often bring us onto greater paths in our lives. This does not take away the pain and suffering we can feel at the time, but it is can be a good reminder that everything is for us, and we are never given more than we can handle. I would love to hear if you have had similar experiences. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mei! Mei Flynn, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mei Flynn is a Holistic Confidence Coach who inspires and empowers women 40+ to tap into their inner confidence to live the life they really want. She's suffered from low self-esteem most of her life and using a range of different psycho-spiritual techniques she has transformed her life and is now passionate about helping clients to do the same. The key is to help others to let go of limiting beliefs and blocks that's stopping them from living a happy and fulfilled life. Her mission is to help women thrive and not just survive.

Dr. Max Klau is an Integral Master coach, author, speaker, and consultant based in Boston, Massachusetts. He received his doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2005 with a focus on leadership development. He currently serves as the Chief Program Office at the New Politics Leadership Academy, an organization focused on bringing more servant leaders into politics. His writing about leadership has appeared in Fast Company and the Harvard Business Review and his first book, Race & Social Change: A Quest, A Study, A Call to Action, was published in 2017. Dr. Max Klau, Max_Clarity Coaching Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. I’m an Integral Master coach, author, speaker, and social entrepreneur based in Boston, Massachusetts. I consider myself a “service person”: I’m an alum of four service programs, and have led service trips in Israel, Ghana, Honduras and Ukraine. I went on to spend ten years working at City Year, an AmeriCorps program that engages young adults in a year of full-time service. Currently, I’m working to bring more servant leaders into politics. I received my doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2005; I studied leadership and social change. Several years after graduating, I was able to revise my dissertation and publish it as the book Race & Social Change: A Quest, A Study, A Call to Action. I’m also a musician and artist. I’m a singer/songwriter and I front my own folk rock band, the Max Klau Band. We play soulful folk music that rocks, and playing live music is one of my greatest joys! I’m also a husband; my wife Bev Klau is a lifelong educator and community builder who has become a tech entrepreneur; she is the founder of Verbina, an app that makes it easy to share messages of love and support with patients and caregivers. I’m also a dad to Bernie and Sadie, both teenagers who love all things musical theater. We live outside of Boston in Natick, Massachusetts, and there is always a lot of vocalizing happening at our house! What is your business name and how do you help your clients? My coaching business is called Max_Clarity Coaching. I’m an Integral Master Coach, and I offer leadership and life coaching to social entrepreneurs and servant leaders who want to live a life of deeper connection to purpose and greater impact. As an Integral Master Coach, I’ve been trained to work at the level of a clients “way of being”. This goes deeper than gaining skills or knowledge; it’s about guiding clients through a journey of inner transformation. As a result of this work, clients are able to call forth new dynamics in all facets of their lives, resulting in a life of greater inner clarity and integrity. It’s powerful stuff. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? I work with Social Entrepreneurs and Servant Leaders who are looking to grow past their current limitations. The classic definition of a social entrepreneur is an individual who starts a for-profit enterprise focused on addressing a social, cultural, or environmental issue (for example, Mohammad Yunis founded Grameen Bank to provide micro-loans in the developing world). I use the term with a more expansive definition: I think of Social Entrepreneurs as individuals who seek to integrate their work life with their desire to address a social issue in meaningful ways. Perhaps they do mission-driven work in the non-profit sector, or are finding creative ways to address important public challenges via work in the private sector. What matters is the commitment to do work that is socially beneficial and mission-driven. Servant Leaders are individuals who feel a calling to dedicate their life to serving others. Perhaps they have served in the military, or have participated in the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps. Service is a core value and a way of life for these clients, and they experience a painful lack of purpose and integrity if they step off the path of service to others. My clients already have meaningful achievements, but they feel that they have hit some kind of limit or block. Perhaps they feel that they have begun to stagnate in their career, or feel that they have lost connection with their purpose in some meaningful way. Perhaps they want to have a greater impact in the world, or find themselves stuck in problematic patterns in their work or personal life. They are looking for a way to grow beyond those challenges or limitations in ways that honor their deep commitment to living a life of mission and purpose. How do you integrate your background in leadership development with your work as a coach? I had the privilege to spend six years of my life studying leadership, with a focus on the adaptive leadership model developed by Professor Ronald Heifetz at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. My academic work gave me a deep grounding in leadership theory and scholarship, providing a lens on leadership that informs everything I do today. I went on to build a career doing leadership development work in organizational contexts, with a focus on developing scalable, transformational personal reflection experiences. My focus was always on inviting individuals to turn inwards and attend to their inner journey while they were immersed in intense efforts to serve others. Through my work at the New Politics Leadership Academy, I found myself providing coaching to servant leaders who had decided to run for political office. Although I felt that I was providing value as a result of my background in leadership, the coaching context was different enough that I wanted to really build my skills and expertise in that one-on-one work. That’s when I begin the certification process to become an Integral Coach, and found the work and the approach so powerful that I continued all they way through the Master-level certification. I’ve arrived at a place where I’m able to integrate my academic knowledge, my decades of experience with organizational leadership, and my training as a coach into my work with clients. At this point, I feel that I am able to provide clients with a uniquely comprehensive level of support. If you were to distill your approach to coaching into one sentence, what would it be: The most powerful response to complexity in the world around us is the ability to achieve clarity in the world within us. To me, it all boils down to this. As the world grows more and more complex, we are challenged to turn inwards and connect with the sources of purpose and mission that shape our way of being in the world. With that inner clarity, we can navigate the complexity around us with entirely new levels of certainty and power. Guiding people through to work of achieving that inner clarity is the essence of my process as a coach. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Dr. Max!

Written by: Patrick Brown, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Do you know how Sephora recreates its in-store customer experience? One word: omnichannel. Last year, the global cosmetics retailer boosted personalized customer service by relaunching its mobile app’s live help function. The channel lets consumers seamlessly connect with live agents, seek product advice, and read app tutorials. Like Sephora, you can combine your customer service and interactive product guide into an omnichannel solution. Whether through in-house solutions or outsourcing, omnichannel lets you implement your own unique, optimized, and integrated communication solution. Keep reading to learn what omnichannel is and how to maximize it across different platforms. Boosting Customer Experience With Omnichannel Customer journeys span across multiple touchpoints and devices. Imagine an individual who plans to purchase a brand-new tablet, but they cannot go out for some health-related reasons. So they browse through your online store using a mobile shopping app. They ask for a tablet demo via video chat on their laptop. They then finalize the transaction by talking to one of your sales agents over the telephone. That process and all those communication channels are part of your customers’ journey. Your top priority as a business is to make consumers happy at every interaction, from browsing and purchasing products to seeking customer service. You can best achieve that goal by personalizing the customer experience. Globally, 90% of consumers will stick and spend more with brands that offer personalized customer service. Additionally, the demand for personalized brand strategies has doubled since the pandemic hit in early 2020. Most transactions now occur online. Hence, 52% of buyers today feel more satisfied if they receive more personalized digital experiences from brands. So businesses are wise to execute a well-structured customer experience management strategy that is more personal and accommodates individual choices. This strategy leads to high customer satisfaction, increased sales, and an expanded customer base. This is where omnichannel enters the spotlight. Unlike multichannel, omnichannel facilitates an integrated digital customer experience. The approach allows consumers to begin their journey with your brand on one channel and end it on another—without repeating data input or losing crucial information. Introducing the Different Customer Service Channels Businesses used to deliver customer service exclusively via call centers. But over the years, technological advances have led to evolution. We now offer customer service across various communication channels. Each customer service channel addresses consumer needs. For instance, elderly customers, who are used to speaking out about their concerns, connect with your company over the phone. Meanwhile, digital-native Gen Z seeks support via online platforms. As a result, you must consider how your customers communicate with your brand. Check out the different channels listed below before establishing your in-house or third-party customer service team. Voice calls. Phone-based support is the traditional customer service channel. It lets consumers have natural conversations with agents to resolve product issues. Initially, voice calls are done only through physical telephone systems. Nowadays, customer service teams can perform this function through a software solution. Email. Since the early 1970s, email has connected millions of people worldwide. In 2021 alone, global email users reached nearly 4.2 billion. Email has become one of the most widely used customer service channels because it allows for asynchronous communication. It also simplifies the management and distribution of support tickets. Live chat. For those who want a real-time and less time-consuming customer experience, live chat is the ultimate option. This channel enables them to send and receive replies in just a second. Data from Help Scout even shows customers mostly left positive feedback after a chat. Text messaging. This customer service channel is like the traditional type of live chat and email combined. It facilitates sending electronic support requests or follow-ups through short text messages. Because of digital transformation, you can now offer mobile messaging over internet-based services such as Messenger and WhatsApp. Social media. If you want to deliver the most comprehensive digital customer experience, social media helps you reach that target. The channel provides buyers more flexibility in how they express their concerns regarding purchases. They can submit inquiries through social media posts, direct messages, or online reviews. Self-service. Consumers who want to resolve issues on their own appreciate self-service options such as blogs and chatbots. According to Harvard Business Review, 81% of customers will attempt to address their problems independently. If they reach out, it means you have failed to deliver their ideal experience. Video chat. Although video chat is fairly new in customer service, it has already helped boost the customer journey. The latest statistics from Talkative reveal that 94% of customers rate video chat as a positive experience. The channel allows live, face-to-face product demos and problem resolutions over the internet. Note: Simultaneously using these channels in your business does not automatically equate to an omnichannel customer experience. Your multichannel business may have a social media account, a live web chat feature, and self-service. You can operate them with different objectives. But this might lead to high operating costs and conflicts if you cannot integrate them into one solution. Optimizing Omnichannel Experience for Your Business Omnichannel helped Marks & Spencer expedite its online growth. The multinational retail brand rolled out a number of omnichannel programs such as a new digital click-and-collect service. The company's latest move is hosting a live shopping service where customers can watch product demos, ask questions, and purchase items on the spot. Its year-over-year online sales thus increased by nearly 5% for its half-year results, which ended in October 2022. Knowing how to leverage the omnichannel experience for your business allows you to enjoy similar success. Here are some best practices you can follow to gain a competitive advantage, whether in-house or with your business process outsourcing (BPO) provider. Clarify customer experience goals. Tracking your progress is impossible if you do not specify your objectives for implementing omnichannel customer service. Remember the SMART goals? Creating a checklist based on these concepts motivates and guides you toward achieving excellent customer experience management. Identify your target audience. Knowing your target customers is valuable in developing your omnichannel strategy. It helps you identify which channels your buyers use for purchases and support requests. Hence, you will know which ones to prioritize and improve for personalized customer service. Seek consumer feedback. Customer insights give you the all-inclusive details you need to enhance the customer journey. So ask their opinions on how they want to engage with your brand. Seek your customers' reviews and ratings through surveys and online feedback forms to develop a more cohesive omnichannel customer experience. Analyze market demands. Once you identify your goals and customer demands, examine industry trends and expectations. One of the reasons buyers leave is that you do not offer the experience other brands do. Hence, conduct consistent market research to know how you can strengthen your competitive edge with omnichannel. Ensure operational advantage. Remember that you are implementing omnichannel because you want to achieve cost efficiency. Therefore, assess your budget and conduct a cost analysis before finalizing your investment. This step is necessary if you plan to outsource your customer service. Additionally, omnichannel implementation does not have to be a big and intimidating process. Instead, it is best to begin with fewer integrated channels and add more later based on your resource allocation. This is especially significant if you are a startup. You might struggle to balance your budget for human resources and customer service operations if you insist on adopting all channels at once. So you need to figure out which channels you should focus on first as you build your omnichannel strategy. Consider the following situations as an initial guide: Buyers often use social media and email to communicate with brands. Among U.S. consumers, 24% rank social media as their number one preference when interacting with companies. Email and telephone calls follow after. Despite its popularity, organizations still fail to maintain their social media presence. Buyers who reach out to organizations through social media sometimes get delayed or no responses. But such companies reply quickly through email. Businesses invest in omnichannel to address social media and email support needs. Integrating these two channels using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation solutions makes the process smoother. Outsourcing helps ensure an unmatched omnichannel customer experience. Outsourcing reduces operating costs by providing unified software and a skilled workforce. Improving Omnichannel Customer Experience With BPO Many businesses treat outsourcing as their go-to method for advancing customer service. Typically, call centers come to mind once you hear the word “outsourcing.” But due to digital innovation, contact centers emerge to meet the growing demand of your consumers. Further technological advancements such as AI and cloud computing transformed the multichannel contact center into an omnichannel support hub. Let us look at how BPO vendors help improve the omnichannel customer experience below. Better Understand Customers Service providers use modern customer data platforms (CDP) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems to understand buying behavior and support engagement. CDPs and CRM are often included in an omnichannel solution such as contact center as a service (CaaS). They use these tools to help their clients track changing consumer demands and expectations. Leverage Advanced Solutions In addition to deploying data management solutions, BPO providers also leverage new technologies to further boost digital customer experience. They use the following tools to improve their omnichannel strategy: AI and machine learning Robotic process automation (RPA) Natural language processing (NLP) Text-to-speech Cloud service Interactive voice response (IVR) Ticketing systems Automatic call distribution Chatbots Improve Personalization A third-party omnichannel customer center sends individualized messages across channels to enhance personalized support. For instance, agents use the integrated platform to easily view customer profiles and transaction histories. In turn, they can confidently interact with buyers regardless of their concerns, personalities, and preferred communication channels. Expedite Response Time Using the mentioned modern tools, outside agents assist your business in providing fast replies to customer inquiries. For example, a large Amazon ecommerce company tapped into our business as a BPO partner to meet their customer support needs. We designed and set up an integrated communication solution to ensure high response levels. The client thus achieved increased margins and growth targets. Utilize Market Insights Using CRM, AI/ML, and other automation tools within an omnichannel solution, service providers collect, categorize, and analyze customer feedback. The resulting insights help both the BPO company and its clients further enhance their customer engagement strategies. Final Thoughts Begin creating an amazing customer experience by understanding and implementing an omnichannel strategy first. Using multichannel customer service helps you meet varying customer demands, but adopting omnichannel lets you satisfy consumer needs. The approach enables you to personalize the experience for increased customer retention. Take advantage of the integrated channels by following best practices. The recommendations let you optimize omnichannel marketing in-house and through outsourcing to boost your bottom line. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Patrick! Patrick Brown, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Patrick Brown is the founder and CEO of Unity Communications, an award-winning BPO service provider operating globally. As a leader, he has built an international organization that serves clients across the globe, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. With recognition on the Forbes Next 1000 list in 2021, Brown's vision and leadership have made his BPO company a force to be reckoned with in the industry. But Brown's journey to success didn't begin with Unity Communications. He kicked off his career in the U.S. Navy and eventually rose to the rank of IT director for USS John S. McCain DDG-56. After leaving the military, Brown worked with renowned telecommunications companies such as Cox Communications, Mitel, and XO Communications. His international exposure, interest in technology, and passion for entrepreneurship led him to start his own business in 2009. And he has since grown Unity Communications into the thriving BPO company it is today. Despite the demanding nature of running a business, Brown believes in fostering a work-life balance for his employees. He himself also dedicates time to his own family and personal hobbies. In fact, he often competes in sanctioned IRONMAN events throughout the world as a way to acquire goal orientation and develop mental fortitude. Patrick Brown believes that investing in people, leading a disciplined life, and not being afraid to fail are the keys to success.

Written by: Tracey Lee Cook, Senior Level Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Both podcasting and blogging have been around for ages. However, in recent times, the number of people consuming podcasts have grown in leaps and bounds. And there’s a good reason for this growth. In this article, you’re going to learn why podcasting may be the best option for you if you’re looking to grow your brand! 1. It builds trust faster Unlike blogs which can seem impersonal at times, podcasts create a feeling of intimacy. That’s because people are actually listening to a real person, not a robot! We all crave intimacy and listening to podcasts help people feel like they know you. 2. It allows your audience to multitask People listen to podcasts while driving or commuting to work, while they’re doing laundry, or while they’re working out at the gym. Anywhere really. And they don’t even need to be connected to the Internet. They can simply download your episodes in advance, and then listen to it whenever they like! 3. People can gauge your personality Your personality easily shows on your podcast. If you’re trying to force cheerfulness into your voice, it’s going to be heard. If you haven’t built rapport with your podcast guests or even your co-hosts, people are going to know about it. This is why it’s best to act as naturally as possible, so your personality shines through. This way people know you’re a genuine act. 4. You can easily repurpose your podcast content You can use a voice typing tool to transcribe your episodes or you can hire a transcriptionist to do the job for you. You can hire graphic designers to turn your content into graphics. You can even create a YouTube channel for your podcast recordings. 5. It’s easier to consume People can listen to you whenever and wherever they like. They don’t need to stare at a computer or mobile phone screen. They can simply go about their day, and they’d be learning lots of new things from you! 6. It’s relatively easier to create and market Podcasts still need to be organized and planned in advance. However, these are relatively easier to create and edit than blogging. A 5,000-word long-form blog post may take you a few hours, but a podcast episode talking about the same subject can possibly take you half the time to complete! 7. You can grow your network faster It’s easier to get people to guest on your show. They don’t need to write any lengthy articles, they can simply answer your questions. Likewise, you don’t need to write guest posts for blogs (though you can do this too). You can simply volunteer as a guest on popular podcasts in your niche! If you are ready to share your story, the time is now! Take action and take on that driver's seat to catch that expressway to healing and being the leader and achiever that you are. To know more about me and my podcasts, catch me on my website or check out my socials on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Read more from Tracey! Tracey Lee Cook, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tracey Cook is a leader in Brand Storytelling & Podcast Creation. She has unique expertise in helping free-driven entrepreneurs from old beliefs & success blockers by implementing her unique framework of storytelling, speaking, social media & strategy. Tracey has seen her clients increase followers, subscribers, and revenue, to brand their stories & get booked on global podcasts & virtual stages with confidence and authenticity. Working only with people who genuinely want to create a positive impact in the world. Tracey's message is powerful, "Wear your story like a superhero cape & not an anchor!". Tracey's podcast Victim to Victory is a testimony to leveraging your story for passion, purpose & profit.

Written by: David L. Lantz, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. A business strategy is a set of decisions and actions that result in the formulation and implementation of plans designed to achieve a company’s future objectives. Easy to suggest, but not necessarily easy to do. Frankly, there is never just one good strategy to follow. The key to creating a successful business lies in first evaluating your business’ DISC profile. Now, you may have read about the DISC profile as applied to individuals. Today, I’d like to focus on the four pillars of your business DISC profile and why you must first understand them if you are to create a successful business strategy. These four pillars are: Determine your business value proposition. Identify your business goals. Set your distinctive business competitive competency. Craft your business marketing focus. 1. Determine Your Business Value Proposition In Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the late author Steven Covey’s second habit is to “begin with the end in mind.” What are the objectives you have for your business? “I want to make a lot of money” is fine but lacks any details about the things you need to decide, actions you need to take, and routine business operating procedures you need to establish in order to achieve your objectives. In the sales world, there is something called FABS – features, advantages, benefits. In order to build a business strategy, you need to understand what business you are really in, and why people buy from you. Knowing this, you can create your marketing message which says to the buying public: “This is our value proposition.” A value proposition tells customers what they get from you, and why it’s important for them to get it from you. Profitability and economic value is determined by establishing a unique value proposition. What is your value proposition? Only after you have determined your value proposition will you be ready to develop your business strategy. 2. Identify Your Business Goals What are your business goals? These can be almost anything but should refer back to your value proposition and your business strategy. Goals are attainable benchmarks that allow you to measure how well you are doing. For example, some pizza delivery companies have a goal of delivering a pizza within 30 minutes of placing the order. What percent of orders are delivered in 30 minutes or less? That’s a measurable goal. Or, let’s say that you have a goal of keeping your prices 10 percent less than the number one company in your market. That, too, is a measurable goal. The key is to set goals that are quantifiable and can be compared to your competition. Finally, once you have determined your goals, you must establish a set of policies and procedures – the “how tos” – of getting the day-to-day work done. Do these procedures make sense? Are they clearly understood by your employees? Are they easy to do, or does it take a lot of time (and therefore, cost) to follow the procedures? The clearer, more efficient, and easier these procedures are to follow, the more profitable your business will be. 3. Set Your Distinctive Business Competitive Competency Once you have determined the answers to these questions, you next need to decide how you will compete. Think of a basketball team. Will you compete by focusing on the “fast break?” Will you focus on a “half-court offense” strategy? Will you focus on having a defense that causes turnovers and score “in transition” off the energy of your defense? In sports, different teams are known for certain aspects of the game they play. In the same way, YOU must decide what aspect of your business you will be known for. Here are the three major factors on which customers base their buying decisions. The first thing people base their purchase decision on is the product or service itself. People who focus on the product and what it does conclude that it is better to pay more for something that does what they need it to do than to pay a lower price for something that is, well, junk. The second is price. Typically, people focusing on price want the highest value for the least cost. If your prices are higher than the competition’s, and you have not communicated the value your product brings to justify your price, you run the risk of losing to the competition. This is because, in the absence of a quantifiable value proposition, a customer will default to purchasing the product or service with the lowest price. The third factor to focus on to build a competitive business strategy is how you serve the customer and stand behind your product/service after the sale. Customers who value this want to be sure that if they have a question about how to use the product/service or need to make a warranty claim, they WILL get an answer. Choose wisely when deciding these things; poor judgment at this stage of your business design will lead to poor business performance later. Finally, keep in mind that in making these decisions, you are also deciding what NOT to do. This is important, as there will always be things in the marketplace that will tempt you to lose focus and not do things that lead to success. 4. Craft Your Business Marketing Focus Once you decide how you will compete, you must next decide what your marketing focus will be. For example, perhaps your focus is on anyone in a certain geographic area. If you sell hotdogs outside a football stadium, your geographical reach will be very limited, and you will sell to anyone who walks up to buy a hot dog from you. If you sell e-books through Amazon’s Kindle platform, your geographic reach is global. In that case, you may be looking to market to specific types of buyers who are interested in the type of book you write. In this case, you will want to sell to anyone on the planet who is part of a specific marketing niche you have targeted. Conclusion We’ve brought up a series of very important questions that you need to answer. Will you market your product or service as a complement to something else, or as a stand-alone item? You must know who your customers are, where they are, and how they come to find out about you. To see how I’ve developed these ideas further, take a moment to check out this preview lesson from my course, Creating Your Business Strategy. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from David! David L Lantz, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine David Lantz is a leader in the field of online instruction. He was awarded a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University’s School of Public & Environmental Affairs in 1981 and served as their Alumni President from 1990-1991. In 2005, he was named Faculty of the Year by the first graduating class of the University of Phoenix’s Indianapolis, Indiana campus. Having taught both face-to-face and online classes since 2003, he received the distinction of Advanced Online Instructor/Facilitator from the University of Phoenix in 2012. Since 2011, he has been creating online courses in the fields of entrepreneurship and online instruction. A self-published author, he has authored both fiction and non-fiction books, which can be found on Amazon.com. His mission can be summarized in the proverb: “The wise man makes knowledge acceptable.” To learn more about David, visit his website at www.wisejargon.com.

Written by: Jana Morton, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Are you in a relationship that feels incredibly confusing? Do you feel like walking on eggshells, careful not to say or do anything that can trigger your partner's anger? Do you feel emotionally exhausted, often questioning yourself? Recognizing that you are in a relationship with a covert narcissist can be extremely difficult. They are the masters of manipulation and deception. They often hide their true personality traits and are quite skillful at presenting themselves in the best light possible to others. As a relationship coach, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of emotional and psychological abuse on the lives of my clients in a relationship with these personality-disordered individuals. Unlike the covert narcissists, which are easier to recognize for their grandiose sense of self-importance, lack of empathy, entitlement, arrogance, attention-seeking behavior, and tendency to exploit and manipulate others, the covert narcissists, although they possess the same traits, tend to act out these traits in a more subtle and hidden manner. It is highly confusing how charming, kind, loving, deeply caring, and even empathetic they can appear, especially during the love bombing phase. They may also appear shy, introverted, and self-deprecating. During the love bombing phase, covert narcissists use intense affection, attention, and flattery to manipulate you into feeling loved and adored. They want to establish a deep emotional connection quickly to gain control over your emotions and behavior. They often use future faking to create a sense of security and commitment, making you believe you have a bright future together. My clients often say they have felt like they had finally met their soul mate at the beginning of their relationship with a covert narcissist. Common traits and behaviors of covert narcissists and their impact on you: 1. Self-absorption Covert narcissists focus mainly on themselves and their needs and desires. They may have an inner dialogue that revolves around their concerns, feelings, and desires, which hardly ever includes you. Imagine that you are having a conversation with your partner about something important to you. Instead of actively listening and engaging with you, your partner seems distracted and uninterested. They may interrupt you to talk about their own experiences or opinions, or they may check their phone or engage in other activities while you are sharing what really matters to you. This behavior is very frustrating and hurtful, making you feel like your needs and opinions are not important or valued. Your partner indirectly tells you that you do not matter, which has a massive impact on your self-worth over time. 2. Lack of empathy Narcissists have difficulty empathizing and understanding other peoples' feelings and perspectives. They may seem cold or indifferent to you and cannot provide emotional support or validation. Were you ever going through a difficult time in your life, confided in your partner about your struggles, and instead of listening and offering support, your partner responded by saying, "Well, at least you don't have it as bad as me. I've had it so much worse than you back then." Your partner is showing a lack of empathy by dismissing your feelings and experiences and redirecting the conversation back to themselves. They are unable to validate your emotions or offer you the support and understanding that you need, and this behavior only gets worse over time. They indirectly communicate that they are not interested in whatever you are going through, which again has a massive impact on your self-worth and self-confidence. 3. Victim's mentality Covert narcissists see themselves as victims in many situations while refusing to self-reflect and learn from their mistakes. They may use their suffering or hardships to elicit your sympathy and attention. Let's say you and your partner are arguing about something important to you regarding your relationship. You express your opinion, but your partner disagrees and gets angry. Instead of trying to understand your perspective, they say, "I can't believe you're attacking me again. I always try to be understanding, but I don't think you appreciate it. You want to fight and make me feel like the bad guy." Do you think this sounds familiar to you? Here, your partner uses a victim's mentality to deflect attention away from the argument and onto themselves. By portraying themselves as victims, they hope to get sympathy and avoid taking responsibility for their behavior. They may also try to make you feel guilty for expressing your opinion and disagreeing with them. 4. Insecurity and projection Covert narcissists have a deeply-rooted feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem, which they very well mask. They are highly sensitive to criticism and rejection. They may become defensive or hostile when their self-worth is threatened. Insecurity is at the root of many harmful behaviors that covert narcissists exhibit. They have an inflated sense of self-importance and a deep fear of rejection and abandonment. Covert narcissists often engage in a blame game to protect themselves from this insecurity. They project their negative qualities onto others and blame them for things they are responsible for or deny responsibility for their actions and behaviors. Imagine you are in a relationship with someone constantly seeking validation and reassurance from you. They may be overly sensitive to criticism and rejection and require constant attention and affection. Suppose they don't get what they want. In that case, they will blame you for not being affectionate, compassionate, or loving and caring enough while projecting onto you what they lack. In this scenario, the covert narcissist shows insecure behavior by seeking your validation and reassurance. They may do this to boost their self-confidence or to feel a sense of control over you. Over time, this becomes a burden for you as you may feel you can never do or say enough to satisfy the narcissist's needs. 5. Passive-aggressive behavior Covert narcissists often use passive-aggressive behavior to manipulate or control you. They make subtle jabs or comments to hurt and belittle you, while speaking softly to you. Imagine that you and your partner have plans to go out to dinner. However, when you arrive at the restaurant, your partner seems upset and distant. They make sarcastic comments about the taxi driver, the restaurant's ambiance, or your look. Then give you the silent treatment, even though you are unsure what you have done wrong. And, of course, you make yourself responsible for your partner's bad mood because you are trained by now that everything is your fault. In this scenario, the covert narcissist shows passive-aggressive behavior by indirectly expressing anger or frustration. They are not able to communicate their feelings directly, so they resort to subtle forms of punishment, like withholding affection or making snide comments. Again, your sense of reality and your self-worth is undermined. 6. Secretive behavior Covert narcissists are highly secretive about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They may be selective about what they share with you and are highly guarded about their vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Imagine you are in a relationship with someone who is very guarded about their personal life. They may be hesitant to share details about their past, their family, and especially about their emotions. They may also be secretive about their daily activities or where they spend their time. In this scenario, the covert narcissist shows secretive behavior by keeping important information from you. They may do this to maintain a sense of control or to avoid being vulnerable. This creates a sense of mistrust and distance in a relationship, as you don't fully know or understand your partner. On top of that, you begin to feel unworthy of receiving more information. 7. Hoovering This term describes a tactic that the narcissists use to manipulate you back into their life or interaction after a breakup, period of distance or when you emotionally pull away. They might send frequent texts, emails, or even little gifts to suck you back into their life. They might make fake promises to change, saying things like they can not live without you because you are the love of their life. At the same time, they play on your emotions or insecurities to elicit feelings of guilt and obligation. They may pretend to be a different person, create fake social media accounts and use fake identities to contact you. My client Eve, married for 14 years, shared with me that anytime she pulled away emotionally, her husband began to hoover her back by suddenly showing up as loving and caring man. She felt like the person she fell in love with was finally back. She said: "I was sick, my husband was usually oblivious to how I felt and what I needed, especially when I got sick, but suddenly, he appeared so caring and asked me if I wanted tea?!" At that moment, she thought she must be wrong about him and was willing to give him another chance. Unfortunately, this caring phase had a very short expiration date. 8. Gaslighting Gaslighting is a tactic in which the narcissist denies or distorts reality to make you doubt your perception of certain situations. This can include denying that they said or did something hurtful, blaming you for misunderstandings or problems in the relationship, or even telling you that you are crazy for thinking or feeling a certain way. "I never said that." "I would never do that." Sounds familiar? Anytime you hear "I would never," pay close attention! This is a huge red flag and has nothing to do with the temporary loss of your memory or distorted reality. The impact of gaslighting can be devastating. It can leave you feeling confused, invalidated, and questioning your memory and interpretation of situations. It can lead to a complete loss of trust, as you may feel like you can't believe anything your partner says while still doubting yourself: "Can this be the truth?" Over time, gaslighting gradually destroys your self-esteem, dims your light, sucks the life out of you, and strips you of your confidence and sense of reality. You begin to doubt your self-worth and may feel like you are constantly second-guessing yourself. This leads to feelings of anxiety, depression, and even trauma. Not everyone who displays the above-described behaviors is a covert narcissist. However, it can be a red flag for covert narcissism if it is a pattern of behavior accompanied by other narcissistic traits. Who is likely to be susceptible to narcissistic exploitation? Are you a highly empathetic and compassionate person? You might be the perfect match for covert narcissists, as you are more likely to overlook the red flags at the beginning of the relationship and prioritize your partner's needs over your own. People with low self-esteem are drawn to covert narcissists, as they may see the narcissist's confidence and charm as desirable qualities. However, this makes them more susceptible to manipulation and emotional abuse. People pleasers with a strong need for approval or people who prioritize other people's opinions over their own may be more susceptible to covert narcissists, as they are more likely to go along with their partner's wants and needs, even if it is not in their own best interest. Covert narcissists can be incredibly damaging to their partners. Their manipulation tactics, lack of empathy, and sense of entitlement can significantly impact their partners' emotional and psychological well-being. If you suspect that you or someone you know is in a relationship with a covert narcissist, it's essential to seek support from a qualified therapist or a relationship coach who can help you recognize and heal from emotional abuse. I also recommend reading an eye-opening book by Debbie Mirza, The Covert Passive-Agressive Narcissist. If you are unsure whether you are in an emotionally abusive relationship, this book will give you the answer. Debbie in her book says: “Covert narcissists control and devalue their partners through very subtle manipulative tactics over a long period of time. The impact this has on you is devastating. With each year that you are with the covert narcissist, you find yourself feeling less energy, less excitement for life, less confidence, and less joy. You feel like you are just existing but not fully alive. You feel yourself slowly declining but aren’t sure why. The life in you has been drained. It is like the story of a frog. Put a frog in a boiling water, and it will die a quick and painful death. If you put the frog in a lurk, warm water and slowly turn up the heat over a long period of time, the frog will eventually die without noticing what is happening. This is what it is like to live with a covert narcissist. Follow me on Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jana! Jana Morton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jana Morton is a conscious relationship / conscious uncoupling coach, trained and mentored by the relationship expert Katherine Woodward Thomas, M.A., MFT and holds a Brain-based professional coach certification. She collaborates with Hakkini ‒ a virtual well-being platform that caters to individual mental and emotional needs in the Middle East and beyond and L.E.A. Growing people ‒ HR consulting, training, mentoring, and coaching organization. Jana is an empath with deep listening skills, strong intuition, and a genuine interest in people’s love stories and relationship struggles. She is passionate about helping her clients overcome their challenges and limiting beliefs so they can transform their relationships and live and love with more ease and joy. Jana was struggling with unhealthy dynamics inside her own marriage. That is how she found Katherine Woodward Thomas’s methodology, which completely changed her life. She was able to liberate herself from a victimized perspective and transform into a self-actualized and self-responsible woman and partner. She now helps others to understand the mostly unconsciously created toxic dynamics in their relationships and guides them towards ones that are happy, healthy, and thriving.

Written by: Rob Cook, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It was about 10 am and already a great day. I’d finished my workout, ran errands, and felt good. I’m standing in line to send a package at FedEx. As I began my transaction, I could hear the gentleman behind me express his annoyance with my number of tattoos, so much so that he asked why so many. I say nothing and attempt to continue my transaction. He repeats it. By now, the gentleman and women behind him seem offended. The clerk seemed tense because none of us knew how the experience would go. He said a few more things; by then, I’d had enough. As I turned to speak with bad intentions, I couldn’t think of anything. Nothing sarcastic or threatening because racing through my head so loudly was the thought, “tell him the truth, Rob!” Before I knew it, truth vomit. I said…the tattoos are because I always feared waking up one day and not knowing who I am; I have a family history of dementia. And so I put significant parts of my life on my body. I pointed to my kids’ birthdays, my favorite scripture, and even the tattoo of scripture where I replaced the word “love” with loyalty because I didn’t know unconditional love existed. The gentleman’s face turned bright red!! He questioned me even harder. Seriously, he screamed. Why are you saying this to me?? Completely lost by his questions, I tell him, “I’m not sure what you mean.” He pauses, gathers a breath, and explains that his wife, of 50+ years, was in the car, and sometimes she wakes up and does not know who him. He continues that the doctors don’t believe there’s anything else they can do to help. He wept. As he did, I saw it. Here’s what I mean: His questions and behaviors meant nothing to me. He wasn’t even upset with me. He was overwhelmed, scared, and felt alone in the fight. By this point, none of his actions seemed personal at all. They seemed like the actions of someone overwhelmed and losing their perceived grip on life. I offered the gentleman a business card to connect and have a conversation. I just wanted to listen to him and let him relieve some of the pressure he faced. I also wanted to let him know he was not alone. His demeanor adjusted immediately; his face now appeared somewhat disbelieving as he asked, “you would do that for me?” Yes, I will. Cause someone did it for me. And that was my first experience of seeing underneath someone’s words and hearing a cry for help. The gentleman never took me up on the conversation, but reflecting on the encounter, I’d have some insights that would change how I lived my life. One. We’re all human, get scared or overwhelmed at times, and do things to avoid bad feelings when this happens. Two. Be kind to yourself and others when you’re in those moments. Three. Know that underneath most bad behaviors is a cry for help; as best you can, treat them with the respect they can feel and listen to them softly, which will spark healing within them. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Youtube, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Rob! Rob Cook, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rob is a highly respected coach and consultant who inspires self-care, healing and building meaningful lives. He is the founder of Life After Trauma which focuses on finding the balance between mental, physical, and spiritual health to alleviate the adverse effects of trauma-related events. Rob is a retired combat veteran turned transformative coach using the Three Principles, also known as the inside-out understanding, as his guide to help clients overcome traumatic experiences. Rob is an engaging and passionate speaker and consultant who works with start-ups, non-profits, and Fortune 500 companies.