Julia Akinyooye is the Chief Operating Officer at Emmanuel Consulting Agency Inc, a premium business consulting firm based in New York. Julia is a masters prepared professional Registered Nurse with over 15 years of experience serving the home care community as an operational consultant, homecare business owner, & serial entrepreneur. Her mission is to provide healthcare entrepreneurs, start-ups, & established businesses with premium training & education to ensure compliance with state regulations. She has developed & implemented frameworks & strategies to set owners up for success through hands-on execution of all necessary business tools to ensure a seamless & efficient run of business. Julia Akinyooye RN MSN, Business and Clinical Consultant Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. Hi, I’m Julia! I am the Chief Operating Officer at Emmanuel Consulting Agency Inc, a premier business consulting firm based in New York. I'm a registered nurse with 16 years of experience. My background includes clinical and business consulting. I started off as a bedside telemetry nurse at a NYC hospital and over the years, I have transitioned in the entrepreneurial space. I have owned and operated several businesses including home care agencies, fashion boutique, and a bed and breakfast. I have a passion for entrepreneurship and building businesses. What is your business name and how do you help your clients? The name of my company is Emmanuel Consulting Agency. We help businesses start-up, obtain licensure within their state, help cultivate their business and adhere to regulatory compliance. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? We help all entrepreneurs whether they are non-clinical, clinical, individuals, corporations, or established business. Are specific niche audience is catered to. Health care organizations, home care agencies, and nurse led businesses. We serve all home care entrepreneurs, and we have a natural affinity to helping BIPOC home care business owners. Do you have any upcoming events or program? Yes, actually we are celebrating 8-year company anniversary today and in honor of that we are hosting a one of a kind round table conference called the NY LHCSA DPS conference in May 2023! The conference will be dedicated to sharpening home care agency Directors and Administrators. It will be a powerful event that will provide clarity for many and allow agency owners to build, connect, and collaborate. Where can they find more information about this event? The details of the event is posted on our website. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? That’s a great question. I would say God has been the push behind all my endeavors. He continuously propels me to do and be better. My family legacy has also propelled me. Knowing where I came from and the values that my family upholds it has inspired me to keep going. What is your work inspired by? My work is inspired by the core values my company was founded on Quality, Transparency, Professionalism, Efficiency, Diligence, Knowledge, Trust, Honesty. Even when I worked for other companies as an employee, I have always held true to these values. Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far. Honestly, there are so many. To say one is or was the greatest would be unfair. I do not necessarily feel one is greater than the other. I have helped so many agencies, and entrepreneurs make a living, create a legacy, and become financially free. I believe my dedication to the industry I serve, the value and solutions I provide for clients every day is my greatest career achievement. In helping my clients practice good business it trickles down to the patients which improves the quality of care they receive. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Hmm. That is a great question! I definitely have a pet peeve with the home care industry. I would say that I wished the industry was more proactive instead of reactive. I see so many agencies that operate out of compliance, out of fear, built on faulty foundations, and wait until the last minute to get their ducks in a row. It doesn’t have to be that way. It creates high stress for all parties involved. My clients know me for one common phrase I have shared over the years and that is ‘be audit ready at all times and not just when the state comes to audit”. I really just mean, do the right thing from the beginning and always do the right despite who is there or not there. When you operate that way you can sleep at night, your clients, employee, and business partners will be happy, and your business will prosper. Slowly but surely, we have been able to change this narrative as we have service offerings that we offer that solves this issue. our annual LHCSA compliance subscription model offerings help our clients seamlessly manage their compliance. The model makes it easy and simple to track and maintain compliance and saves our clients thousands of dollars every year and increases their profits in return. Our NY LHCSA DPS and Administrator’s Training Program for C-level executives gives C-Level executives the foundation and training to run a complaint agency, learn the rules of the industry, and effectively manage their teams. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. For as long as I can remember, I’ve held a deep passion for nurturing and caring for people in the community – which is what led me into the homecare industry. My introduction into business and clinical consulting started in 2013 with helping an acquaintance with setting up his first home care business, which was motivated by the need to provide proper care for his aging mother. In that role, I was tasked with learning and understanding the rules and regulations of the homecare industry and I spent endless hours researching and working with state departments to understand the step-by-step process of how to build and properly operate a homecare business in New York State. ​During the build-out, in combination with my time as a nurse, I couldn't help but notice a great void in homecare operations and management. I’ve worked for several different agencies, including licensed homecare, certified home health agencies and managed long-term care insurance plans; where I noticed a consistent lack of homecare service delivery, quality of care, proper management skills, executive training and poor policy and procedure implementation. I got tired of witnessing the poor execution of business operations that were directly impacting patient care. So, I quit my job as C- level Director and Administrator and took a chance on myself. I applied my knowledge and expertise to establish my own business to help others who struggled in this space. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Youtube, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Julia!

Jacinta Gallant is a respected lawyer, mediator and educator, recognized internationally for her innovative approach to conflict resolution training. Jacinta’s resources for divorce professionals, Our Family in Two Homes, help clients prepare for effective dispute resolution. Her podcast, The Authentic Professional, focuses on how professionals can bring more of who they are to what they do and her latest book, Going Steady, helps engage couples in conversations that sustain and nourish their relationship. Grounded in her home on Prince Edward Island, Canada, and with a global vision, Jacinta Gallant is an innovator who inspires other professionals to be more authentic and effective in work and life. Jacinta Gallant. Collaborative Lawyer, Educator, Entrepreneur Tell us about yourself and what you do. I am a divorce lawyer, conflict resolution educator and entrepreneur. I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and work around the world. My mission is to help people integrate their personal values with their professional lives, rediscover the vision that led them to their profession, make a good living and be a positive force for change in the world. I am a curious, life-long learner, lucky to be part of a large and deeply rooted family, where love and imperfection co-exist. Growing up and living in a place of beauty, peace and abundance, I am grateful for the unique opportunities to be creative and take risks. I am surrounded by people who do not tolerate pretense and who “keep it real”, so my lawyering behaviour (let’s be honest – no one likes a “know-it-all”?!) is kept in check. Curiosity and Lawyering? I never thought of those two words going together! Yeah – It can seem to go against the lawyer “rule” that we shouldn’t ask a question we don’t know the answer to. Conventional law practice casts the lawyer in the role of “expert” – the one with the answers – and I admit we can be perceived as judgmental and detached. But some of the most passionate change-makers in our world have been lawyers – who never bought that so-called rule about not asking. When we are curious, we are open – and then the people around us can open up. It’s like a magic wand! You are also an educator. Who and what do you teach? I teach divorce lawyers and conflict resolution professionals to be productively curious in our work, which tends to have a wonderful effect on us personally. I help professionals engage with clients in a more meaningful way, manage conflict more effectively, and help people discover new ways to work through their differences and reach agreement. I am a student and teacher of the Insight Approach to Conflict, which is grounded in relational social and learning theory – so our conflict interventions are focussed on understanding the threats that get in the way of dialogue, clearing up misinterpretation, and breathing fresh air into problematic interpersonal situations. This approach is really resonating with conflict professionals around the world. And for divorce professionals, it makes sense of what we experience “in the room” working with couples in conflict. What inspires your work? Never Cut What Can Be Untied. I’ll say no more, it’s so eloquent. (I didn’t write it – Joseph Joubert did in the 1500’s) What are you most excited about for 2023? I am bringing some of my favourite themes to my podcast, The Authentic Professional. The podcast invites you to “Bring More of You to What You Do”. In a bi-weekly “Twenty Minute Workout”, I am inviting listeners to a chat about being present and authentic in moments of conflict. So far we have tackled “The Problem With Problem-Solving” and “The Power of Noticing”. My wonderful mother said you can do almost anything for 20 minutes, so I am putting it out there. Podcast guests will include people who have struggled and found a way to be their true selves in their professional world, to inspire the rest of us to be present and real. And we will be launching the second edition of a book for couples who want to enhance their relationship with some fun (and deep) exercises for how they will be together. The book is called Going Steady: A Toolkit for Building Your Future Together and I love how our graphic designers captured the energy of the book. Here's the website. What’s it like to live on Prince Edward Island and work around the world? Well – It’s winter right now and I love the silence that comes from a blanket of snow. Living here connects me to a place with deep roots for my family. It’s beautiful in 4 seasons, and we have great beaches, food and music. I used to travel a few times a year to give training, but since the pandemic started, I have been able to teach around the world through virtual engagements. I am returning to travelling now, but I love being home. Virtual training continues, and the podcast helps me reach out. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? That we lawyers would be able to cast off our armour and become the healers we are intended to be. That we would recommit to our purpose – to help people live in community with one another in a way that respects the individual and the whole. That there would be fewer lawyer jokes (though many of them are quite funny!) And while we are talking about industry, I have a hope for the “industry” of humans. I hope we can be more present in our work – whatever it is – and more patient with one another. That would make a huge difference in our world. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jacinta!

Written by: Chrysanthi Vazitari , 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. Working with more than 200 people around the world and having more than a thousand conversations with people about careers, I came to the conclusion that there is one underlying reason for why people experience career dissatisfaction and that reason is none other than… Drum roll please… Alignment. Alignment on: values, on our goals, lifestyle, usage of our superpowers. Knowing your work "superpowers" or strengths can help you identify tasks and projects that align with your abilities and interests, leading to increased job satisfaction and motivation. This can make work feel more enjoyable and fulfilling. When you use your natural talents, you are more likely to be successful and feel a sense of accomplishment, which can positively impact your overall attitude towards your job. Knowing your values can help you align your work with what is important to you, leading to a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in your job. When your work aligns with your values, you are more likely to be motivated, engaged, and feel a sense of satisfaction. This can make your work feel more meaningful and enjoyable, leading to a positive relationship with your job. Additionally, being clear on your values can also help you make decisions and navigate workplace challenges with greater ease, increasing your overall satisfaction with your work. But what does alignment really mean? Living in alignment with your purpose or your higher self means that you're “vibrating” at a frequency that matches that of your soul's intention. Meaning that whatever you're thinking, feeling and doing right now is that of your true authentic self and not a result of your ego self and societal influences. A simple question comes to mind, that of “Do you know why you do what you do?” We keep seeing all these Venn diagrams about ikigai, or these famous quotes “do what you love as a profession and you never have to work a day in your life”. Unfortunately, that’s not really how it works. You can love your job, every big or small task that you have to do and still be surrounded by a toxic environment or vice versa. You can be exactly where you want to be, and still, feel like something is missing. Career satisfaction is, without a doubt, multi-aspected. From the tasks that you do, the colleagues that you have, to the lifestyle and money a career “provides” you. We are identified from the many hats that we wear, the hat of a child, parent, friend, partner, colleague, sibling etc. The same goes for our career as well. Being able to point the finger on what doesn't satisfy you at work is oftentimes difficult. The lack of clarity on what troubles us at work in addition to the little fire inside, sparkling our deepest wishes and desires together with limiting beliefs and self-sabotage, makes us so freaking confused. Here is a simple guide of 6 areas, which can help you see the requirements needed to have this desired satisfaction in your career: Alignment of your values and work: Find work that aligns with your values and passions, so that you are motivated and engaged in your job. Purposeful work: Having a sense of purpose in your job and contributing to a greater good can bring fulfillment and satisfaction. Skill development: Continuously developing and honing your skills can help you feel confident and competent in your work. Work-life balance: Finding a balance between work and personal life can help reduce stress and increase overall satisfaction. Good work environment: A positive work environment, with supportive colleagues and a fair work culture, can contribute to a happier and more satisfied work life. Fair compensation: Feeling fairly compensated for your work can increase job satisfaction and reduce financial stress. Sounds easy, right? And it is easy, maybe not the easiest, but once you really know what you are looking for, then and only then you can find it! Remember, career satisfaction is a personal journey and what works for one person may not work for another. It's important to regularly assess your needs and preferences to ensure you are on the right track to finding satisfaction in your work. In my programme, Career Bootcamp, we dive deep into each one of these elements, from how to discover your passion or your career superpowers, to build your confidence, make a career plan and work effectively. The Career Bootcamp is a self-paced programme of 10 modules with specialized exercises, tools and techniques to Level UP your career. Curious? Have a look here. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Chrysanthi! Chrysanthi Vazitari, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Chrysanthi is a certified transformational coach working with multi-passionate and highly energetic professionals, who try to get career satisfaction, advancement or who want to completely pivot their careers. Chrysa has successfully pivoted her career three times already, from an educator to communications advisor in big corporations and is now an entrepreneur/coach. She is the founder of Career Grow & Glow and the co-founder of GrowthUP coaching. Her coaching method is the ACC: Awareness ‒ Clarity ‒ Choice (by CMA) in combination with somatic/embodied and cognitive-behavioral elements. Of course, there is constant change, as she doesn't rest and keep incorporating new methods along the way!

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.” He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Indistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works of Literature Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year by Amazon and one of the Best Personal Development Books of the Year by Audible. The Globe and Mail called Indistractable, “the best business book of 2019.” In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today. How did you go about writing your book? For me, I always write books to answer questions that I myself have. My mantra as I’m writing is, ‘Follow your curiosity’. With ‘Hooked’, I was looking for a book on how to build habit-building-forming products. I didn’t find such a book, so I started blogging about the topic, for several years. Then, a business school professor of mine at Stanford emailed me and said, ‘I really like your framework. I love your thoughts on this. Let’s teach a class together.’ That then became a course that I taught at the Graduate School of Business at Standford, and later at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Standford. The development of that class and that curriculum became my first book, ‘Hooked: How to build habit forming products’. The second book, I also wrote for myself, and in this case, was a book about distraction. The reason I wrote the book was that the more successful I became as an author, the more difficult it was to keep doing the thing that made me successful. The world kinda conspired against me in a way, because I had more speaking engagements, and consulting engagements, and all these things took me away from the one thing that I really loved to do. I needed to ensure my future career as an author. I was getting more and more distracted from that thing, and so that is why I decided to write, ‘Indistractible.’ When I read other books on the topic, of how to stop getting distracted, none of them worked for me. I kept getting distracted, so I figured, that really what I need is to dive into a topic. When I read everybody else's book on the topic, and it doesn’t really work for me, that is when I know I need to go back to first principles and original research and write the book that I was looking for. When it comes to writing, do you write intensely or short and steadily? So a big principle I learned while writing ‘Indistractable’, which by the way took me 5 years to write because I kept getting distracted, was the idea of time boxing. This is one of the most well-studied time management techniques out there that very few people use, but it really is game-changing, because many are stuck to this antiquated to-do list method, which I think is one of the worst things you can do for your personal productivity. And what does that look like? To-do lists of writing three pages or doing fifteen hundred words, it’s ridiculous. A much better technique is to timebox. Real professionals show up, put their butt in the chair, and do the work from time x to time y. So whether that’s 30 minutes or an hour, or two hours, that’s your prerogative. What many people do when they use this silly to-do list technique, is only think about the output without considering the input. And your input as an author is two things, it’s your time, and your attention. And so you have to plan for the input if you want to get the output. Sometimes I sit down at my desk and I have nothing, and I’ll sit there for two hours. That’s ok. Sometimes I work 2 hours straight non-stop because the ideas are flowing. But if I don’t make the time to sit in the chair, and do the work, then the work will never get done. If I only waited till when I felt like it, to do the work, there wouldn’t be any output. I know many authors out there, who make up excuses like writer’s block. Writer’s block doesn’t exist. That’s ridiculous. Writer’s block is nothing more than the inability to sit down and do the work, and sometimes the work doesn’t come out. That’s ok, it’s not your job to have the output. The job is to put in the input, the rest will flow. Do you have any other tips for people who want to write a book and how they can articulate their thoughts and stories onto paper? One thing that really helps me is, to never set out to write a book. I instead, set out to write bite-size insights. I blog my way to my books. Sitting down and saying, ‘I’m going to write a book,’ is a really hard thing to do. It’s a gargantuan goal. If instead, I say, ‘Hey, you know what, I’m gonna sit down and write a blog post,’ that becomes a more manageable goal of a few thousand words. Do that consistently and don’t put pressure on yourself. Try to say, ‘I’m gonna blog this out, I’m gonna talk through an idea, and I’m gonna share it publicly, and hear what people think about that idea.’ If you do that consistently, turns out that after a year or two, you have plenty of content for a book or at least the skeleton of a book. After that, you can flush out where the connective tissues might be missing. So that to me, has really been a secret to producing these books. Don’t think of them as books, but rather think of them as blogging your way to a book, and with the miracle of the internet, you get reader feedback along the way. My readers can tell me I am wrong or present new research, that gives me insights I wouldn’t have otherwise thought of. It’s gold. I love that. I’d much rather be wrong in a blog post than be wrong in a published book. What is the premise of ‘Hooked’ really about? Hooked, my first book is about how to build habit-forming products. It’s about how to build healthy habits in users' lives, through the products and services they use. So essentially I stole the secrets from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Whatsapp, Slack, and Snapchat, so that the rest of us could use these techniques and democratize these techniques for good. Instead of just building frivolous video games or silly social networks, we can use the same psychology that gets us hooked to these tech products; to get people hooked to healthy behaviors. Since the book was published back in 2014, it has been used in every conceivable industry from healthcare to financial services, to fitness apps, and to all kinds of education products. These types of products and services used the hooked model, to get people hooked for good, and build healthy habits in their lives. And of course, healthy habits in consumers' life, makes for a healthy bottom line in business life. And so that’s Hooked. ‘Indistractable’ is the other side. If ‘Hooked’ is about how we build good habits with the products and services we use, then ‘Indistractable’ is about how we break bad habits. ‘Hooked’ was targeted toward people who are building products (marketers, product managers, CEO’s). ‘Indistractable’ is for everyone. Everyone who struggles with the fact that: ‘We’ll say we do one thing, and somehow or another, we don’t do that thing, or we do something else despite knowing what to do.’ This is such a fascinating question, right? Even knowing what to do, we don’t just do it. Somehow, we get distracted. So it’s not that we don’t have the answer to what we should do. We know how to do these things, but we don’t know how to get out of our own way. And that’s really the challenge of this century with so many potential distractions. It is really figuring out how we get out of our own way so that we can do the things that we ourselves want to do. So Hooked is about building good habits with technology, and various products and Indistractable is how to break the bad habits that don’t serve us. And the good news is, just to wrap it up, we can have both! It’s not contradictory. We can have good habits around certain products and services, and we can also break the bad habits if we know the deeper psychology for swaying us. How do we build our own habit-forming products or services? This is called the ‘Hooked’ model, and it’s a four-part framework that we see repeated time and time again. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it in the products and services that we use. Every habit-forming product, online or offline (doesn’t matter the industry), you’ll see this pattern repeated time and time again. Essentially there are four basic steps: a trigger, an action, a reward, and finally, an investment. So there are two types of triggers: internal and external. External triggers are all the things in our outside environment that pings, rings, and dings. Then comes the action phase, which might be opening an app, scrolling a feed, pushing a play button, or any of these simple behaviors done in anticipation of a reward. Then comes the variable reward phase, where we find that there is some kind of uncertainty, some kind of mystery. Let’s call that an intermittent reinforcement or variable reward. That’s what keeps us pecking and checking. It’s the uncertainty principle of what we might find. Same reason we like to play a slot machine, it’s that game of chance. Playing on the slot machine uses the exact same psychology as scrolling on your feed. And finally, and perhaps the most overlooked is called the ‘investment phase’. This happens when the user puts in some bit of effort for a future benefit, not for immediate reward, but for future benefit. That accrues over time. This is what I call stored value. A habit-forming product doesn’t depreciate, unlike things in the physical world like a car or clothing. These things lose value. Habit-forming products must appreciate. They get better and better the more they are used because of this principle of stored value. So it’s imperative that your product stores value, and gets better with use. That way, through successive cycles and through these hooks, you eventually no longer need to send customers spammy marketing messages. People start using the product, not because they have to, but because they want to. That’s really where the habit is formed. It is when there is an association with an internal trigger. And, going back to those external triggers: all those pings, dings, and rings, what we find is that habit-forming products, don’t need those external triggers. Once the habit is formed, people start checking the product on their own. They are internally triggered to use these products, and that is where the habit takes hold. Does the psychology of human behavior excite you? Absolutely, so I’ve always been fascinated with human psychology and the book is very much based on peer-review studies. I hate books you read that are telling people to live their life like how the author lives. That’s nice but to me, that’s not good enough. I really want my books to be backed by peer-reviewed studies, so both my books have over 30 pages of citations to peer-reviewed studies in leading journals. This is stuff that very few people take the time to actually read. They are very boring and are written to not be understood. Oftentime, they are generally read by a few dozen people. So that’s really my job, to digest this amazing research that is locked up in the ivory towers of academia and bring them to everyone else so that the rest of us can really benefit from knowing these principles of consumer psychology. How do you go about getting out of your own way? I follow the principles of Indistractable. It took me 5 years to write the book because I kept getting distracted and wasn’t until I dug into the academic research and really learned what the scientists tell us about how to focus, and how to do what you say you are going to do, that I could become indistractable myself. Starting with understanding what the word distraction even means is a really important distinction. Most people will tell you the opposite of distraction is to focus. The opposite of distraction is not to focus. If you look at the origin of the word, the root of distraction comes from the Latin root trahere, which means to pull. The opposite of distraction is traction. It is very obvious when you see it: Traction and Distraction, and both words end in the same six letters a-c-t-i-o-n, and that spells action. This reminds us that distraction is not something that happens to us, but rather it is an action that we ourselves take. So traction, by definition is any action that pulls you towards what you said you were going to do. The opposite, distraction, is any action that pulls you away from what you planned to do. So this is more than semantics. This is actually a very important distinction. I would argue, that any action could be traction or distraction based on one word and that one word is intent. We need to stop moralizing and medicalizing every little potential distraction. Today, people say it’s social media or video games. The last generation said it was TV, and before them, they said it was the radio, and before that, it was the bicycle, and long ago, they said it was the written word. We blame the proximal cause. We blame whatever’s in our hands for causing distraction, but distraction has always been with us. The root cause goes much much deeper and is much more interesting than I think this narrative we hear these days that our attention is being hijacked. That our focus is being stolen. It is not true. It is in our control. We need to distinguish between what is traction and what is a distraction. People go through life and say, ‘I wanted to do this or I wanted to do that,’ without asking themselves in advance, ‘Wait a minute, how exactly do I want to spend my time?’ If you have big, open slots of time on your calendar, what are you complaining about? Everything is a distraction unless you know what it is distracting you from. If you don’t plan your time in advance, you don’t know what traction is. You have to plan in advance how you're going to spend your time, so that you finally know this is traction, everything else is a distraction. If you are interested in these two topics, visit nirandfar.com. The books are called ‘Hooked: How to build habit-forming products’, and ‘Indistractable: How to control your attention and choose your life.’ You can go to indistractable.com, there is a free a/b page workbook, that is not in the final edition of the books. For more info, follow Nir Eyal on Instagram, Twitter and visit his website!

Written by: Katie Scott, business reporter Brainz Magazine Apple's rules around leaks violate workers' rights according to a complaint that is being lodged by The National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) in the US. In a statement, a spokesperson from the NLRB said that Apple's actions as well as statements from executives "tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees" from exercising their rights. The complaint has come about after two former employees - Cher Scarlett and Ashley Gjøvik - spoke out. Scarlett said in a statement that the company’s work rules "prohibit employees from discussing wages, hours or other terms or conditions of employment," and this is in violation of labour laws. It was an email sent by CEO Tim Cook that was flagged by Gjøvik. In it, Cook said: “...we do not tolerate disclosures of confidential information, whether it's product IP or the details of a confidential meeting... people who leak confidential information do not belong here." This message was sent out after a journalist, Zoe Schiffer, live-tweeted an internal meeting. The NLRB will issue a complaint against Apple unless the company settles. Apple has yet to comment, adds Engadget.

Written by: Katie Scott, business reporter Brainz Magazine Ford Motor Co, Hewlett Packard, Danske Bank and Nestle SA are amongst the giants of business who have been included in an index for which their gender diversity policies were scrutinised. The 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index includes 484 companies. They provided data on their leadership & talent pipeline; how they are closing the gender pay gap; details of their inclusive culture; anti-harassment policies; and external brand. The latter category takes in how a company is perceived by stakeholders; how women are portrayed in advertising and external support for women in the community. The Index, which has been published each year since 2015, had an 11 percent increase in participants in 2023 from the previous year. “This year, GEI members’ disclosure for exploratory questions averaged at 92 percent, demonstrating collective interest in extending beyond gender inclusion metrics,” said Patricia Torres, Global Head of Bloomberg Sustainable Finance Solutions at Bloomberg. “The GEI continues to identify areas of impact for companies, helping to facilitate meaningful change that, ultimately, will contribute to more innovation, creativity, and higher performance.” Data analysis revealed that companies in the Index led by women have higher representation of women at all levels. “GEI Member companies with greater than 30 percent women representation on the board have, on average, 27 percent of women executives within the corporation, as compared to 20 percent of women executives in firms with less than 30 percent of women on the board”, states Bloomberg. In 2023, 64 percent of GEI members have implemented diversity and inclusion goals for managers in performance reviews, and this, says Bloomberg, is an eight-point increase from last year. It continues that 86 percent of members offer unconscious bias training, with 74 percent of those companies tracking manager completion. “We cannot underscore the importance of leadership enough when looking to improve gender equality in the workplace,” added Torres. “Change can only be driven when diversity and inclusion are part of executive performance metrics.”

Written by: Sarah Dyer , 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. You cannot force a Rose to bloom. She will do it in her own time. Nurtured In the right environment with the right people. She knows who she is. And she knows she cannot be contained. Cross her, lie to her, manipulate, or betray her. She is not just the Rose. She is also the thorns. Even a narcissist’s ego can be crushed by her, one who has done the inner work. I think of her as the awakened empath. She is a Spiritual Warrior. Strong from having healed her inner child and dove into the shadow work, healing her generational trauma, limiting beliefs and abandonment wound. She has evolved from being co-dependent, wanting to please everyone, be liked by everyone, good girl phase. Yes, she is a loving, compassionate, kind, sensitive soul, but she has elevated. She is moved by her soul and connected to her higher self. She listens to the voice of her intuition, always guiding her. She understands the world of metaphysics and is very spiritual. She is in love with her connection to God/Goddess, the Universe, and Guides, (use your own language here). Her BS Detector She sees right through the manipulation tactics and the strategies used by toxic, narcissistic people, to win at every cost. A cost to her well-being. She is a walking BS and lies detector. A narcissist will treat life and their relationships like a game of chess or poker, always strategising their next move to win at any cost. Jealous of their components. Completely unconscious. Unawakened, with no empathy. Gaslighting her memories, he say’s, ’No, I never said that!’ All in an attempt to confuse her, so, eventually, she starts doubting her own reality. Leaving her thinking, she imagined it all. Then comes the cold, dismissive behaviour, the silent treatment, discarding and devaluing her like a bag of chips. The emotional and mental abuse finally traumatises her. The one who is so willing to give her time, energy, money, and second and third chances to make things work. As she doesn’t give up on the people she loves, she is loyal to her core. And to her detriment. Eventually, one day, she has no more to give. She finds herself cracked wide open, brought to her knees, and she knows it’s her or him. She breaks the toxic karmic cycle and the game of cat and mouse. Until finally listens to her Intuition and leaves. He might attempt to make her jealous of another woman, pretend to be madly in love. Or he returns once again to hoover; this can also look like, a future faking with broken promises. He will love bomb, show his affection, say all the right things, and tell her he has changed, only for the cycle to repeat. The Universe isn’t testing her. It’s responding to her. What she is attracting is a mirror of what she has going on internally. She’s attracting from her wound and not her worth. Attracting from a place inside her that feels unloved, insignificant and not valued. In turn, she has continuously self-abandoned, not nurtured herself, and invested her time and energy, in the wrong people. Now she has to turn inwards. It’s about radical self-love, filling her own cup up, and giving herself what she has been searching for. But looking externally in all the wrong places. It’s about re-parenting herself. Nurturing her inner child. Raising her standards, no longer self-abandoning. Instead, having kindness and compassion for herself. Exploring her own Dharma; purpose, and passions, must become her new love affair as she creates a life for herself independent of anyone. Free from any co-dependency. Becoming the one in her own life leads to a meeting of mind, body and soul with her King and not another Prince charming. Walking away is never easy from someone you love. And for some, it’s extremely difficult. Especially when there are children involved or if there is co-dependency for financial reasons, but walking away is necessary. For the health and well-being of the Empath. Not to mention the children. Happy parents create happy children. Two miserable people staying together for children creates an unhealthy and dysfunctional environment for children to grow up in. Walking away allows her to turn her lessons into Gold. As she dives deep, into the family, and generational trauma, she awakens to where this all started. She takes off on into the dark nights of the soul. Looking at where her needs may not have been met growing up. What was she lacking? Was she emotionally neglected, or abandoned? Did a parent leave? Was she treated as the family Scapegoat, for her caretakers to project their own insecurities on? Blaming, and shaming her for things that were not really her fault. In an effort to look away from their own insecurities and unhealed wounds? Did she watch the other siblings be favoured while she was cast aside, often given the silent treatment and yet she couldn’t understand what she had done? Perhaps her caretakers were busy juggling the many responsibilities of work and life, so she lacked the validation, care and attention walking through her childhood with her needs unmet. For every time she got upset and tried to explain how she felt, her parents or caretakers were not interested in validating her feelings. Instead, she was cast aside. Leading her to believe she is not worthy, not lovable. And here it all starts. These stories she takes with her through life until she wakes up. And chooses a path of radical self-love. She was and still is of a high vibration; empaths are, they are sensitive souls and often born into a family with dysfunctional patterns or toxic ways, to help them heal. By shining a light on the darkness. But she doesn’t understand this growing up. And she doesn’t understand that none of this is her fault. So any sign of love put in her direction she latches onto. As she grows up, she often finds herself in unhealthy relationships, often with partners with an avoidant style. Those that cannot give her what she needs. Those that are emotionally unavailable. She is s a target of the narcissist. She has a weakness for any affection thrown in her direction. He sees her coming. And so the cycle repeats. But don’t be fooled when she does the inner work; when she awakens, she will see through any BS. She will no longer be giving away her power, her time and her energy to people that hurt her. This is when he will discard her when she raises her standards. She has now become a threat to those who want to control and keep her small. When a woman knows her worth and no longer looks for validation outside herself, this makes a narcissist very nervous; they cannot handle her. With all her senses on fire, she will see, feel, and know when they are lying or trying to manipulate, as her intuition is heightened; this time, she will hold the winning hand with her poker face on. Becoming a Boundary Queen She will no longer be willing to compromise her standards with anyone. We all know how kind an empath can be, how loving, sensitive, and compassionate, but cross one that has done the inner work, become sovereign in her own power, in her sense of self and created strong boundaries for herself, she will use those thorns. They will feel shame, guilt for their past actions, and embarrassment for their ways. And the fear of their mask dropping. Even though her demeanour is graceful, elegant, and polite, they can feel she has changed. She is powerful enough now to fire you down. Why? Sensitive souls are stronger than anyone; they’ve got the battle scars they have been through the fire and come out stronger for it. A manipulator will no longer faze her, a drama queen she finds comical. She knows who she is, she knows her high value, and she knows exactly how to spot the red flags. So if this is you, understand she will not tolerate lies, cheating, betrayal, backstabbing, crazy-making, or gossip. Smear campaigns to try to make her look bad while you sabotage the connection by your own doing, creating drama and blowing everything up in your path, to then turn yourself into the victim in front of everyone you know to validate yourself. And make yourself feel better. Bring any of this to her now she has elevated; you will lose. Every time. She knows more than you realise; she has you totally worked out and know that when you do turn everything around to be her fault, playing the victim card, she knows that too. She is just not going to tell you she has you worked out. Listening to her inner GPS, her Intuition So many women and men suffer from this kind of emotional abuse. Narcissistic people are brilliant charmers. So trust your gut; your intuition never lies; listen to that inner voice, and speak to it often. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you. If you feel an uncomfortable shiver down your spine, your body constricts, you tense up, you are nauseous in your belly or anxious with a tightening in your chest, trust it. Why? It means to run. And fast. You can have the kind of relationships you desire, people who really connect with you, and respect and value you for who you are. People that understand relationships are a two-way investment of time and energy, with both people putting in equal effort. Not you accepting breadcrumbs. Emotionally, or in any other way. So, if this is happening to you, love yourself enough to break free. Leave them behind. In time you will heal and find newfound freedom and inner peace. Don’t look for revenge, do the inner work, feel it to heal it. Don’t give them your power anymore. Karma is Queen, and she never loses an address. This has been so many women’s stories. The good thing is that you can heal. If you would like to heal yourself from toxic relationships and start trusting your intuition so you can attract healthier relationships, join my 6-module online course. A deep dive into healing, transforming and creating a new life for yourself. Bulletproof to this kind of BS, which includes workshops, meditations, soul journeys, and journals, to support you on your healing journey, all in my Coming Home ‒ From Wounds to Wisdom Online Course. The link for this is here. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram , and visit my website for more information on services! Read more from Sarah! Sarah Dyer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sarah is a Spiritual Mentor, Women’s Empowerment Coach, Intuitive, Kundalini Yoga & Meditation Teacher & Energy Medicine Practitioner. A childhood accident leaving her with the effects of a stroke, changed her life. Experiencing an awakening at 17 she dove into all things healing. As a child very connected to Spirit, alongside her more formal education a BA (Hons) in Communications and then Journalism, she dove into Energy Medicine, Tantra, Spiritual Psychology and trained in Holistic Therapy, various healing modalities, Coaching, Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Alongside some of the best teachers in the world. Today she’s helping women all over the world go through deep transformation, to heal from trauma, connect with a strong sense of self, their sacred feminine energy & intuition.

Written by: Andrew Cowie, 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. Video Gaming addiction is one of the most common issues I see in the therapy room, particularly amongst younger clients. Gaming might sound like a harmless enough pursuit, but it can become a serious issue when it causes people to withdraw almost entirely from the real world to the extent that relationships suffer and genuine human interactions diminish. Anyone who's ever played any form of video game will almost certainly be aware of the genre's addictive qualities. I'm going to put my hand up and declare from the outset that I've experienced the intoxicating grip of the pure escapism offered by these immersive virtual worlds. Around twenty years ago I became hooked on the highly-acclaimed Thief: The Dark Project – a first-person stealth game developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive. Thief , which was so successful it spawned a couple of sequels as well as a 2014 reboot, was the first PC stealth game to use light and sound as game mechanics and challenged the first-person shooter market by placing its emphasis instead on non-confrontational stealth gameplay. Set in a medieval steampunk metropolis, players took on the role of Garrett, a master thief trained by a secret society who, while carrying out a series of robberies, became involved in a complex plot which threatened to unleash chaos on the world. The game achieved widespread critical acclaim, was placed on numerous hall-of-fame lists and is rightly regarded as one of the greatest video games of all time. Thief enabled me to cast aside the mundane drudgery of my ordinary life and set foot inside an alluring fantasy world in which I finally had the opportunity to be everything I secretly wanted to be – the hero of an epic adventure, armed with the tools, skills and capabilities to take down the bad guys and single-handedly save the world from apocalyptic destruction. However, even I was unprepared for the sheer extent to which the game would take over my life during the next few months. I was so gripped that hours and whole days would pass without me being able to force myself away from the computer screen. The need to crack the next conundrum, steal the next treasure, overcome the latest threat and reach the next level was so strong that I would frequently end up playing right through the night without even being aware of the passing of time. The games are, of course, deliberately structured this way, ruthlessly deploying the age-old use of cliffhangers and story arcs to appeal to the innate human need for instant gratification and keeping you constantly wanting more. When, after several months, I finally cracked the final level and successfully completed the game, the sense of triumph was short-lived and swiftly replaced by one of anti-climax and even profound feelings of depression and loss. There was no new level to aim for, no more booty to steal, no villain to stop or world to save. Completing the game had left a massive void in my life and I experienced a severe withdrawal which was only really satiated by the eventual release of the sequel: Thief 2: The Metal Age , whereupon the whole cycle started all over again. Video games are intentionally designed using state-of-the-art behaviour psychology to keep you hooked in this way. Games are immersive experiences that provide you with a high amount of dopamine, and overexposure to this level of stimulation can cause structural changes to your brain. You begin to live in a world where you expect instant gratification. Games are so immersive that it’s easy to play for hours and hours without even noticing that a minute has gone by. In recent years game developers have increasingly deployed game design features such as in-app purchases, micro-transactions, and loot boxes that some governments have declared illegal because they are a form of gambling. Children are encouraged to splash out on extras stored in virtual “loot boxes”, and some parents have been landed with four-figure bills because their children have spent money without their knowledge. The World Health Organization listed and defined gaming addiction as a medical condition in the 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases. Some countries had already identified it as a major public health issue. It’s common for a video game addict to spend over 10 hours a day gaming, usually well into the night, and many suffer from sleep deprivation. Immersed in their experience, gamers are known to have poor diets consisting mainly of energy drinks full of caffeine and sugar. Many are dehydrated and malnourished. In more severe cases, gaming addicts report agoraphobia – a type of anxiety disorder in which they fear leaving the house. Gaming addicts can be moody and irritable, depressed, physically aggressive, and refuse to go to school or work. They can drop out of school or college. They get divorced. And they struggle with unemployment. The good news is that help is available for those struggling with a video game addiction. Game Quitters is an online peer support community with hundreds of free videos, a community forum, and an affordable program for both gamers and parents. If you or a loved one are struggling with a video game addiction, seek help immediately. It can change your life. Here at Phoenix we have considerable experience of working with this kind of issue and are currently seeing growing numbers of young people in particular for problems stemming from addiction to gaming and other forms of online activity. We treat the issue with a non-judgemental and empathetic approach and employ a wide array of tools and techniques to help clients forge new patterns of positive behaviour. Key to our approach is teaching clients how to derive the same buzz from real-world activities and interactions that they do from gaming. I understand only too well the pull and allure of virtual worlds, particularly at a point in history where real-life is for many people becoming increasingly stressful, depressing and unappealing. However, the secret to true and lasting happiness lies not in escaping from the real world but rather in turning your real life into a magical adventure instead. People are drawn to online avatars because such characters allow them to play the hero. They can dispense temporarily with a real-world identity they might not be entirely comfortable with and lose themselves in the escapism of an alternative, cooler, more glamorous persona. Video games allow us the opportunity to become a spy, a soldier, assassin, master thief, gangster or rebel. They allow us to indulge our inner fantasies and to become the heroic superman we aspire to be. But the fact is that we don't need an avatar to become superman. That perfect version of you already exists inside yourself. It's never too late to become the hero of a real-life adventure. You just need to find the courage to make that leap and to be prepared to unleash the Phoenix within. If you’d like to know more about the services we offer, you can contact us at Phoenix Coaching & Therapy for details. For more info, follow me on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Read more from Andrew! Andrew Cowie, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Andrew Cowie is a transformational life coach, psychotherapist, and author dedicated to helping people overcome adversity and achieve their full potential. He came to the world of therapy after a 20-year career in newspaper journalism was brought to an abrupt end by severe burnout. In the course of his own recovery, he was introduced to meditation, mindfulness, hypnotherapy, yoga, martial arts, and NLP. He went on to retrain some of the world's leading spiritual and personal development teachers to become an expert in these fields. Andrew has since dedicated his life to passing on this knowledge, synthesizing the various disciplines into one overarching system blending ancient spiritual practices with the latest cutting-edge techniques from the field of modern psychology. He is the owner of Phoenix Coaching & Therapy and the founder of its associated 'magical training school' The Ancient and Mystical Hermetic Order of the Phoenix (AMHOP). His debut book Rise Like a Phoenix was published in 2021 and is described as a manual for personal regeneration. Andrew works with clients worldwide and is passionate about mental health and exploring the latent potential of the human mind.

Written by: Tamzin Hall , 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. The Oxford Dictionary defines popularity as “the state or condition of being liked, admired, or supported by many people.” Within the workplace, people's roles tend to fall into one of these categories. Employees' ideologies require them to be liked by their colleagues and admired by their managers. Whilst leaders want to be supported by others. As we explore whether popularity at work is essential for a successful career, let's start with what it means to you. My first question to you is, what does popularity mean to you? My second question asking, is the answer different in a workplace environment versus a social environment? Let us start by casting our memories back to school. Can you recall the most popular person in your class? I am surprised how I can remember someone so vividly 30 years later. Can you remember why were they popular? Where they funny, clever, hardworking, or a bit of a joker? Who were they popular with? Was the student who was popular with the teachers, popular with other students? Or was the teacher's pet viewed by their peers as someone to be avoided? One of my very first mentors told me that if I want to succeed at work, I will not be popular with some of my colleagues. At the time, this reminded me of my school days because in my school, the teacher's pet was never the most popular. In my experience, being the teacher's pet does not make you the most popular kid in school, I was neither but when standing on the side-lines contemplating my choices, I took it all in. Whilst there are some exceptions to the rule, fellow students seem to love a joker and people who make them laugh, organise parties and hang out at the bar. Whereas the student who work hard, studies hard and does not disrupt the class is popular with teachers. This could possibly be why it is common for the most unpopular kids at school to turn up at a school reunion being the most successful ‒ the “geeky” kids are seen as the ones who are good at tests, the ones the teachers admire, and the ones others do not appreciate or understand. Yet! If you are striving to be popular with your leaders and managers, you may not be treated as well by your peers. A 2009 study by The Popularity Contest ¹ concluded that popular co-workers were treated fairly by their colleagues, and unpopular co-workers were not. When emotions such as jealousy and resentment are a daily occurrence in the workplace, especially when some individuals are striving for promotion and recognition, it is exceedingly difficult to be popular with everyone. It is time to ask yourself, who do you want to be popular with? If you are striving for a successful career, does being popular with everyone lead to career success. The simple answer is no. Is anyone in an organisation ever popular with everyone? No. It is impossible, every decision made at work does not please everyone. LinkedIn ² publishes advice on how to deliver unpopular decisions, addressing the fact that any one decision could not please everyone. If you want to be popular with your boss, you may find yourself in a situation where you achieve something that makes your colleagues jealous, which in turn sparks unpopularity! For you to take the next step up the career ladder, who do you want or need to be popular with? Your colleagues? Your clients? Your network? Your boss? The colleague who gets the promotion will encounter jealousy and remarks from bitter colleagues who think they can do the role even if they never put themselves forward. Therefore, if you are striving for an internal promotion, there is a chance you will become unpopular with some of your colleagues. Although please ember this is not a reflection on you, moreover it is them projecting their emotions, disappointment in themselves or jealousy of your ambition onto you and, as explained in The Evolutionary Psychology of Envy ³ , are important parts of what it means to be human Have you ever thought, gosh how did they get the promotion? They are awful at their job? Think back a ask yourself what were they awful at, where they a terrible communicator? Did they not achieve what they needed to achieve? Or where they striving to impress the leadership team and were not concerned with lunchtime drinks at the pub? People are perceived differently by colleagues and leaders. You cannot be the life and soul of the party by making your colleagues laugh and aim to be popular with your bosses. Bosses, potential bosses, and clients are looking for someone who is hardworking and committed. It is possible to be your co-worker's friend and engage in social events whilst being hardworking and committed. Although we need to be mindful to avoid office gossip and strive not to create waves with the wrong people. How can we get the balance right? Let us be honest internal auditors are not the most popular people in an organisation when they turn up to pull apart, question and audit departments. However, auditors have successful careers because they are necessary for the company's regulatory requirements and their job is to be scary rather than popular. You cannot be popular with everyone; you will not get on with everyone. Having the traits that make someone popular can be beneficial, however, my greatest piece of advice is to stay true to your values. If you are committed and achieve all you need to achieve, you will achieve promotions and have a successful career. As you navigate the journey it is inevitable that you will be popular with some and unpopular with others. However, with that all said, a further study by LinkedIn ⁴ explored relationships at work. The study concluded that 46% of professionals believe having friendships at work enhances overall happiness. According to the study, connecting with colleagues, and making friends with them can boost happiness, productivity, and engagement. So, how can we get the balance right? How can we make friends, be popular with the people we want to be popular with and have a successful career? According to Mitch Prinstein ⁵ , it is simple ‒ likability is the key. Every role has a role profile, and in every career, they are a set of activities that need to be completed. If you complete your tasks, help others, and strive for more, you have a good chance of being popular at work. According to psychologist, Mitch Prinstein, to be more popular at work, employees need to be genuine team players. Prinstein believes popularity is not what makes individuals successful. The most successful are the ones who are most likeable. These are the employees who cooperate with others, are helpful, share, and follow the rules. How do you become more likeable? Based on my experience, and through conversations with organisations, the answer is to make others feel valued, included, and happy. There are many ways to do this ‒ here are a few of my favourites; Invest in people by taking an interest in others. Learn about them, be interested in them, listen to them. Find out what they are doing at the weekend, remember and ask them about it. We are instantly lifted when someone remembers and takes time to ask about us. I always remember names of children and ask how did ‘flossy’ get on at her ballet exam. They may not like my decision at work, but they like me because I remember what is important to them. Listen to others, reflect in their ideas. Let others now they have been heard goes a long way. Understand your co-workers' point of view is extremely important. Psychologists Candida C. Peterson and Michael Siegal explained how empathy is a necessary skill that provides the foundations for building relationships with others ⁶. Here is what you can do to gain the respect you need; Communication is key ! If you are striving for a promotion, let your colleagues know. If you are concerned about a decision you have to make, communicate with others. Collaborate with others . Utilise those friendships at work. You do not have to do anything alone. Do not expect everyone to like you. You are fabulous just the way you are. If someone does not like you, it is their loss. Do not gossip, try not to get involved in office politics and try to keep the peace. Yes, it can be easier said than done, but it is worth it. Use and remember names! Dale Carnegie wrote that: “A person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in the world.” ⁷ However if you get the name wrong, this will have a detrimental effect! Get stuck in! According to TinyPulse, the top trait that employees value in their co-workers is teamwork! Showing your co-workers that you are and can be a team player will increase your likability by making you easier to work with ⁸ If you would like to explore this further, this article explains how to become more likeable during networking events, however I believe the concepts are the same throughout the workplace too ‒ after all we are always networking at work! I am sure you can think of many more ways to be likable at work, after all every workplace is different. Research by the University of Massachusetts ⁹ supports the theory that being likeable is more important than being popular. Their study found that people will go along with suggestions at work if they like the person making the suggestions, even if they do not agree with them. Why not jot down a few ideas you have to be likable in your organisation. Final Thoughts I honestly believe you should not strive for either popularity or likability at work. In simple terms, you will never be popular with everyone, and you will never be liked by everyone. Remember the most popular kid at school ‒ where they were liked by every simple child, parent, and teacher? Not everyone likes marmite, not everyone likes chocolate. We are all different and if we strive to be liked by and to be popular with everyone, we are fighting a battle we will never win. My advice to you into focus on your journey, and your career path and get the basics right. Some great advice and according to Michel Page ¹⁰, there is a 6-step solution to how to succeed at work, Never stop learning Keep asking questions Talk to your boss Make friends in the office Have a healthy work-life balance Have your own voice If you would like to understand how to take charge of your career development, this article is an interesting read. We have discussed what it is to be popular. We have discussed what it is to be liked. Here are some further questions to ask yourself; What does your career need? What does your organisation or your sector what do they need from Somebody who is looking to climb the ladder? Are you even looking to climb the ladder? Or do you want a successful career during the role that you are doing? What does what you want to do require you to be does it do you want to be the popular person who makes everybody laughs in the popular person who? Why not flip the script and aim for a successful career instead of popularity? Crave for success before you start wishing to become popular. Once you succeed in life; popularity will come searching for you. Now you see the significant difference between success and popularity. Success at work and in your career has a limited correlation to popularity, success is all about the impact you are making ‒ go and make the impact you are destined to make. I believe in you, I hope you believe in yourself too. If you want to explore this in more detail and ensure success for you or your team, coaching with a high-performance psychology coach is just what you need. A safe space to discuss, explore where you move forward with ease and confidence. For full details and to find out more please visit here. Go and enjoy the career or business of your dreams, on your terms. Connect with me on Instagram and visit my website for more information! Read more from Tamzim! Tamzin Hall, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tamzin is a performance psychology coach specialising in leadership development and executive coaching. Weaving a golden thread of empowerment, happiness and compassion. Tamzin partners with her clients to create high-performing organisations through their biggest asset, their people. Tamzin seamlessly combines decades of leadership & business experience, with a lifetime of learning in the field of businesses and psychology along with ICF-accredited coach training and a recent BSc (Hons) in Psychology to give her clients exactly what they need. A high-performing organisation with happy and dedicated staff. The harsh reality is 79% of employees will quit after receiving inadequate appreciation from their managers. Do you know what empowering appreciation looks like? Tamzin shows you and your leaders how to appreciate your staff for longevity. 69% of employees are concerned that their workplace does not develop their leadership skills. How can businesses lead from the front if leaders are not trained to be the next generation of leaders? Tamzin has a toolkit of support, development and training to ensure people are developed and ready for the future. To ensure they are ready to evolve and ready to lead with empowerment. Businesses are acknowledging the importance of leadership development with 83% of companies saying it is crucial. Which is great news. But there is a huge gap in knowing leadership development is important and having a development programme to support a business. Tamzin bridges this gap. Is your business ready to evolve? Are you ready to develop the next generation of leaders? Are you ready to lead from a place of empowerment? Are you ready to create a high-performing culture? Email Tamzin today, tamzin@tamzinhallcoaching.co.uk. References: [1] https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-00697-008 [2] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-deliver-unpopular-decisions-mark-fryer/ [3] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285722136_The_Evolutionary_Psychology_of_Envy [4] https://blog.linkedin.com/2014/07/08/work-bffs [5] https://youtu.be/VCv-Lc9fAwc [6] https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1348/026151002166415 [7] https://dalecarnegieboston.tumblr.com/post/26913630460/dale-tip-6-a-persons-name-is-the-sweetest [8] https://www.tinypulse.com/resources/employee-engagement-survey-2013 [9] ( https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=1476399 ). [10] https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/advice/career-advice/growing-your-career/six-top-tips-how-succeed-work

Written by: Brooke Summer Adams, 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. One of the most common obstacles faced by first-time online entrepreneurs is the fear that couples up with putting yourself out there and being seen by others online. Brooke Summer Adams – an Internationally Accredited Transformation Coach, NLP Master Practitioner, International Speaker, Trainer and Writer and Yahoo Finances’ Top 10 Female Life Coach of 2021 works closely with first-time coaches to help them become the coach within them who has what it takes to create their vision. She is here with us today to share the top-tips she uses with her 1-2-1 clients to help them overcome the fear of being seen, put themselves out there and take the action they need to take to make their visions their realities. 1. Understand where this fear comes from It’s important first to understand why we experience fear when it comes to putting ourselves out there and being seen by others online. If you imagine a world where you were the only person to exist. In this hypothetical reality, would putting yourself out there online scare you? Chances are, you answered no to that question. While it may seem like a silly question, it actually highlights something very important. It’s not the putting yourself online that scares you, but rather, the people who will see you online. More accurately, it’s the potential for judgement, ridicule and rejection from others when they see you online that is creating this fear within you. It may also be helpful to know that you’re not alone! Everyone at some point in their life has second guessed their own choices and decisions based on the potential reaction they may face from another. And there’s actual science to explain this! Humans are hardwired to seek approval and avoid rejection. We are social creatures. If you look back over our evolution, the rate of our survival greatly depended upon the sizes of our tribes! If you were rejected by the tribe, you’d be left on your own, and you’d probably die. Our survival literally depended upon not getting rejected by other people. Speed forward to the year 2022, this no longer applies. However, our evolution has not yet caught up ‒ we are still hardwired to seek approval and avoid rejection. This alone underpins so many fears and anxieties that we as a society face in the modern world (such as a fear of being seen, a fear of public speaking and so on). Sometimes simply understanding that your response to the potential for rejection is natural, and outdated, can alleviate the anxiety we feel about this possibility. Know that no matter what other people may think when they see you, you’re going to be fine. 2. Get clear on your intentions for being seen What are your reasons for showing up online? Do you have a message to share? Impact you want to make? A business you want to create? Whatever your reason, you’ve realised that showing up online is YOUR way to make your vision your reality. Now here’s the thing. The outcomes you’re fearing; the perceived potential for judgement, negative options, rejection or ridicule… Do they actually have any effect on you making your vision your reality? Is your business going to stop making money because your old school friends thought your latest Instagram post was cringey? Is your message going to stop being heard by the people who need to hear it just because your ex thinks what you’re doing is a waste of time? When you properly think about it, the things you’re fearing are irrelevant. Whether they do or don’t happen, they won’t stop you from making your vision your reality. So what’s the point in allowing them to stop you from starting? 3. Put the fear of being seen in perspective Right now in this moment one of the scariest potentials you could be faced with is the idea of posting content of yourself or your ideas to the internet. And right now, that may seem pretty scary. But what scares you more? The idea of showing up online? Or the idea of knowing, only once it’s too late, that you never tried to make your dream life your reality because you were scared of making an Instagram post? Because here’s the thing… The dream you have in your head that won’t leave you alone can either be something you act on, or something you regret not acting on. As much as acting on it may scare you, chances are the idea of knowing you’ll regret not acting on it will scare you more. Put it in perspective. Showing up online may feel like this massive thing right now, but what’s far bigger and far more important is using your limited time to live in the way you actually want to. 4. Exposure Feel the fear and do it anyway. You won’t want to, but once you do, this will all become a whole load easier. Chances are right now you’re identifying as someone who does NOT show up online. Therefore the action of doing so feels uncomfortable. This is because it’s outside the realm of your perceived identity, it’s outside of your comfort zone. But once you do it… you can no longer hold the identity of someone who doesn’t do it. The moment you show up online, you become someone who shows up online. Owning the identity of the person you want to become is made possible by doing the things they would do. It will scare you, but if you do it, you’ll free yourself from that fear by means of exposure. 5. Get a coach While reminding yourself of all these very true facts can be helpful, sometimes it’s just not enough. Sometimes we need accountability to make sure we follow through on taking the action that scares us. Sometimes we have deep-rooted beliefs underpinning our fears that require deeper identity work than simply using self-talk to pep yourself up. This is where a coach comes in. A good coach can not only help you to shift your identity and mindset to alleviate the fear, but will hold you accountable to taking the action that will mean you truly overcome it. People can connect with me via Email, Facebook, Instagram, or my Website. Wherever you go, you’ll find helpful training and info on all things transformation. Read more from Brooke! Brooke Summer Adams, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Brooke Summer Adams is internationally accredited in Transformational Coaching, certified to a master-level in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a graduate of Psychology with a 1st Class Honors Degree (BS.c), a Yahoo Finance Top 10 Female Life-Coach of 2021, a Brainz 500 Global Award Winner of 2021, a Workshop Facilitator at the worlds 1 Coaching Academy and an international Speaker, Trainer, and Writer. After overcoming chronic stress, low self-esteem and body dysmorphia, Brooke was inspired to take to University to study Psychology, become an Internationally Accredited Transformation Coach and NLP Master Practitioner and set up her own online coaching business. After several successful years in business transforming over 100 women into the best versions of themselves, being recognised as a Yahoo Finance Top 10 Female Life Coach and becoming an International Speaker and Trainer, Brooke then moved into the field of transforming first time coaches ‒ so they feel ready to transform others. This experience, on top her qualifications, allows her to transform first time coaches into the version of them who has what it takes to create their vision, by helping them build unshakeable self belief and confidence, overcome fear and take aligned action.

Written by: Antony Bream, 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. As a FinTech start-up or scale-up company, recruiting the right talent is crucial to your success. The FinTech industry is highly competitive, and finding the right people to join your team can be a challenge. As a start-up or scale-up, it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends and technologies in the FinTech industry, and to have a clear understanding of the specific skills and qualifications required for the job. One of the key strategies for recruiting top talent is networking. Attending FinTech events and conferences can help you meet potential candidates and build relationships with industry professionals. Leveraging referrals from current employees is also a great way to find potential candidates that are a good fit for your company culture. Another important strategy is to be clear about the requirements for the job. Clearly communicating the specific skills and qualifications required for the job, and making sure to screen CVs and applications accordingly, can help you find the right candidate for the job. Utilising online recruitment platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor can also help you reach a large pool of potential candidates. Creating a strong employer brand is also important. Use social media, your company website, and employee testimonials to showcase your company culture and attract top talent. Offering competitive compensation and benefits packages is also important in the highly competitive FinTech industry. Being flexible is also key. Consider offering remote working options or flexible hours, as this can be a key factor for talented candidates. And, as the FinTech industry is fast-paced, be quick to secure top talent before they are snapped up by competitors. However, as a start-up or scale-up, recruiting top talent can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. This is where working with a specialist consultative recruitment firm such as EMFusion Global can really help as they are already geared up from an experience and resource perspective to hit the market fast and find the right candidates to fit both your requirements and culture in a timely, professional and cost efficient way. As a FinTech-focused recruitment firm, they have a deep understanding of the industry and the unique challenges that come with it and so can help you navigate the recruitment process and secure top talent that is well-suited to your specific needs. Firms like eMFusion Global can provide you with industry expertise, access to a large pool of candidates, screening and assessment, salary and benefits negotiation, cultural fit evaluation, time-saving, ongoing support, and cost-effectiveness. They have a deep understanding of the FinTech industry and the specific skills and qualifications required for different roles. They can help you stay on top of the latest trends and technologies in the FinTech industry and identify potential candidates that are a good fit for your company culture. In conclusion, as a FinTech start-up or scale-up company, recruiting the right talent is crucial to your success as bringing the wrong people, or even the right people at the wrong time, into your organisation can have a detrimental impact on your business and waste valuable time needed to keep your eye on the ball of running your company. Networking, leveraging referrals, being clear about job requirements, creating a strong employer brand, offering competitive compensation and benefits, being flexible, being quick and transparent about the company culture, mission and vision and using assessment tools are some of the strategies you can use to recruit top talent. However, working with a consultative recruitment firm like eMFusion Global can provide you with additional benefits and help you navigate the recruitment process and secure top talent that is well-suited to your specific needs. Most often internal recruitment teams won’t have the relevant contacts in their network, specialisation to cover a broad range of roles, from commercial to technical, or capacity to allow you to find the right talent when you need it and at the speed, the market is currently operating in. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Antony! Antony Bream, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Antony Bream, is a business advisor and executive coach working closely alongside founders, boards and their teams to help them and their businesses take the leap to their next level. With a passion for understanding the processes and psychology behind how companies sell their products and customers buy them, he formed Ribbit Consulting to bring that experience and knowledge to his customers to empower them to reach their full potential.

Written by: Ayana Band, 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. I look back at the person I used to be with compassion; I smile with admiration and reverence for her and who she is becoming. She used to be overwhelmed by anxiety, overthinking, procrastinating and engaged in numbing and avoidance activities; she even managed to live through the lowest parts of depression. Today she is me, a vision now being experienced as reality; a content and peaceful being living life on my terms, living successfully. In what follows I will be sharing with you one secret to success I learned, tested, proven and live by. As I continue to unlock and learn these secrets I will share them with anyone ready and willing to learn and apply them to their own lives; after all, I do believe everyone deserves the success they desire in life. The not so secret, secret, ACCOUNTABILITY There’s a saying that accountability breeds responsibility. You may be wondering what that has to do with success, let me explain. Accountability is defined as accepting responsibility for your actions, decisions, and outcomes. It can also be defined as the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable. Accountability is an essential component of success, in all areas of life, personal, professional and business. Accountability requires you to accept responsibility no matter the outcome. This plays into success because success only comes by being responsible for all your actions decisions and outcomes, no matter what the outcome, thus having accountability and being accountable is important for success. Benefits of accountability The ultimate prize is success, which accountability lends itself to, but success requires a few ingredients, the benefits of accountability provide some of the flavoring for success. Benefits of accountability include: Improved performance ‒ knowing someone is watching, will review your performance, and you will perform at a higher level. When you are only accountable to yourself it is easy for us to show up half-ass or not at all for ourselves but when we know there is someone to answer to, we put out our best. Increased trust & confidence ‒ whenever someone follows through our trust and confidence increase in them and whenever you deliver on your promises people’s trust and confidence in you build. Increased focus ‒ While accountability is on the who, the focus is on the what. Having absolute clarity on what needs to be achieved increases focus as the “who” has been decided. Other benefits include; decreased stress, learning from failures, higher quality of work, reduced errors, improved time management, better decision-making, achieving your specific goals, uprooting procrastination cycles and personal development. Being held accountable typically leads to more self-reflection and self-improvement resulting in greater self-awareness and personal growth. Overall being held accountable we achieve our goals and improve overall performance. Types of accountability Accountability can come in many forms and knowing the types of accountability can help you decide which one or which combination will best meet your needs. External accountability These can help you turn internal expectations into external expectations and make them easier to prioritize. Social ‒ peer groups, support groups, online community or a partner. An accountability partner could be a friend, colleague or anyone that you can confide in and willing to call you out lovingly when you are not taking the action you committed to. Public ‒ similar to social but doesn’t exist within the confines of a community, when tackling personal challenges, by sharing my goals with my social media following, and documenting my process. Professional ‒ Hiring an accountability coach like myself will help you gain clarity, set goals that are the right size for you, help you focus, provide resources and time management as well as increase your productivity. Masterminds provide the opportunity for brainstorming, problem-solving, decision making, and sharing of ideas, solutions, and resources. Coaches and masterminds deliver immediate and long-term advantages for both you and your business by helping you develop the skills and knowledge that you need to achieve success. Personal accountability Ownership ‒ Continually consciously choosing to take ownership Commitment ‒ Dedicating yourself to the task at hand Willingness ‒ Taking action because you want to and not because you feel obliged to. Hold yourself accountable by regularly reviewing your progress and making adjustments as needed. Accountability tools Calendar; set deadlines and reminders. Your subconscious mind uses deadlines as “forcing systems” to drive you, consciously and unconsciously toward achieving your goal on schedule. Alarm; serves as a reminder, our brains can only do one task at a time efficiently, remembering to take action is not the best use of our mental energy, utilize alarms. Habit tracker; a system for tracking your progress. I personally like the mandalas, the sense of pride and achievement when it is all colored in. When to use accountability For goal-setting and achievement Increase productivity Striving to accomplish that is challenging Lack clarity, no actionable plan Need to discover self-sabotaging tendencies As a feedback mechanism For the follow-through, push past procrastination Conclusion It is undeniable, having accountability is beneficial, it increases the likelihood of success. If you are ready to maximize your productivity, increase focus and get results I will keep you accountable & taking action with incredible clarity and focus. Join my Time Mastery & Accountability Mastermind or schedule a call to discuss how we can work together. Until next time, whatever you do, make a difference in your own way! Namaste! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Ayana! Ayana Band, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ayana O a highly transformative Business & Mindfulness Consultant, Yoga Teacher and Speaker, combines results-proven methods and mindfulness techniques to help her clients transition from B.O.P.S. (burnout, overwhelm, procrastinating, stressed) to T.O.P.S (triumphant, organized productive, successful), mindfully. Ayana helps to, bring harmony to her clients through creation of new and more productive habits, a high level of accountability, turning goals and ideas into real results and increase success, through mindfulness.