Written by: Brian John Caddy, 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 COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a change in the way that the world’s workforce approached working in an office environment, and caused organisations to change, in some cases quickly, to support this change in culture. As we move into 2023, is this change here to stay, or do companies want to start having full-time onsite employees again? Remote working has always been possible. However, it has not necessarily been encouraged or fully supported, as it was seen to be a way that workers would be out of sight, with no way of showing that they were achieving their goals. The pandemic started to change this view, with productivity being maintained or even improved away from the normal distractions of an office environment, with more trust having to be placed in employees to carry out their duties. But what of the other benefits? Everyone hears about work-life balance, and looking after yourself, but is this possible if you spend time commuting to and from an office and end up with your working day being a couple of hours longer? Flexibility to achieve work-life balance Remote working allows you to collaborate with team members; it does remove the ability to go and talk to someone directly or work on a whiteboard to go through ideas and problems, but collaboration is still possible. It does give you flexibility and allows you to achieve a better work-life balance, and maybe even live in a more remote area with green space or beaches. More time for family, hobbies, or volunteering It gives you more time to spend with your family, hobbies, or volunteering. The time you spend commuting might allow you to work a longer day, and a shorter week, or it might allow you to do the school run or take the kids to an afterschool club or other activity. It might allow you to coach your local sports team once a week, teach a volunteer class, or learn a new skill. It allows you to be at home for the workman appointment or the need to go to a hospital appointment and it provides you the chance to structure your day while still performing your work duties. Permanent culture change - workers need to feel appreciated However, for remote working to be a success there needs to be a permanent culture change. The current expectation that people will work long hours, with little or no holiday doesn’t get the best out of the workers and may not get you the best workers. To get the best out of workers they need to be happy and feel appreciated and feel that they can switch off and relax. The best workers may not be local to your company, but by enabling them to work remotely, they may become part of your company without the need to relocate themselves and their families. Working from home policies may also allow you to employ workers who may otherwise be unable to contribute because of health conditions that prevent them from working long hours or make it difficult to work in an office environment. Cost-effective for businesses Allowing remote working may allow you as a company to reduce overheads by reducing the office space needed. If you have a remote worker, do they need a permanent desk space, chair, monitor, lighting, heating, etc. Each desk in an office has an associated overhead cost ‒ and you may even be able to expand your workforce without having to expand your real estate while keeping your overhead costs down, including the use of contractors or contingent workers. Despite the overhead saving on office space, it may be cost-effective for businesses to offer home and remote workers office equipment such as desks, chairs, and IT equipment. Crosswires Consultancy Ltd. fully embraces remote working as the best way to provide its services to clients. For more information about how we can support you and the services we offer, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Brian! Brian John Caddy, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Brian Caddy, a graduate of Swansea University, began his career in 1997 when he worked for an independent telecommunication company with whom he had collaborated for his university project for an ISDN (precursor to ADSL) router that won a technology award. Shifting to the defence industry he extended his skill set and became a computer systems engineer specialising in system integration requirements. As an IT Consultant Brian now provides Software and Systems Engineering Consultancy Services where he specialises in system design for constrained environments utilising traditional and agile approaches.

Rani works with established makeup artists to unleash their expertise, develop their niche and work with fewer clients. Rani Bain, Business Consultant to the Beauty Industry What is your business name and how do you help your clients? My name is Rani Bain, I have over 21 years of experience as a Professional Makeup Artist, Academy Owner/Trainer and Business Consultant to the Beauty Industry. The Business goes by the name Makeup Artist College and I am known as The Makeup Artist Business Expert. I help Makeup Artists develop their niche and sell their expertise not their time. They do this by using a unique methodology, in a 6-12 month online programme from £2000-£4000. The majority of makeup artists are busy booking in more and more appointments offering the same service as their competition. Instead of working their business the same as everyone else, the programme identifies how they can work with fewer clients and charge appropriately for their expertise, by developing their niche. In doing so they immediately reduce the competition because, chances are, there is no one doing the same in their area, or even 100 miles radius, I can almost guarantee that. It’s this uniqueness that allows clients to identify the difference between working with an expert and hiring someone who can do what 100 other makeup artists offer this is an important difference. How do your clients use this methodology? Initially, it’s a bit of a mind shift really, they need to unlearn what they have been doing for years, i.e. working back to back appointments, trying to fill their diaries booking in client after client. There is nothing wrong with that, but it does cause stress when you are always chasing the next clients. But the problem with this is clients view this form of servicing clients as a transactional process ‒ they phone around, look for the bridal service, for instance, which most suits their budget. This often leads to these clients demanding more for their money because they view this as getting value. On the other hand, the clients I work with unlock their expertise and look at the whole client experience and the end result they desire ‒ the transformation. They consider the clients needs and how they can help them on a much deeper level. Once this is established the rest is easy. Another reason most makeup artists are struggling is because they are offering too many services and discounts. But when they are charging for their expertise, which many are giving away free, there is a huge opportunity to get their niche in the market and therefore eliminate the competition and charge appropriately for their expertise. In other words they ‘create demand’. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? My clients are established Makeup Artists who have reached a plateau in their business or those who want to get off the ‘hamster wheel’ they are currently on. They are self-motivated, willing to take action and want to work differently to transform their clients life by the results they achieve. There are obviously many deep layers to the process but the clients I attract are those wanting to make this change in their business, those who choose to develop their expertise to really make a difference to the life of their clients and are charging appropriately for their expertise and will also undergo a transformation in themselves, as they step into their expertise. You also work as a Business Consultant to the Beauty Industry, what kind of consultancy work do you do? I love this side of the business, having spent so many years in the industry and gained a diploma (IAP) in Business Consultancy I have enjoyed helping on a commercial level too. My passion has always been an education in the beauty industry. For instance, students in colleges and beauty schools here in the UK are not taught the business side of Hair and Beauty, in any depth. Which, considering 62% (Sourced BABTAC 2023) of Hair and barbering and 65% of Beauty students go on to be self-employed, is very surprising. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? I have always recognised the importance of education in the beauty industry, especially the business side, so much so that I have always included it in my own academy and courses for over 15 years. Today, I am so excited to have had the opportunity of collaborating with the top of the beauty industry and governing bodies to produce an online programme specifically for Hair and Beauty Educators to educate their students on the business side. This has been needed for so long in the industry and to help students and give them advice and knowledge and skills that will help them when they start their own businesses. Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far. I have achieved so many goals in my career so far but undoubtedly to be in a position of authority that helps educators pass on this business expertise to their students is up there at the top of my achievements. It has been a long process because I wanted to create an online programme and for it to have the highest accreditation possible and in achieving this it has taken some time, now it’s really happening and I am so excited to be part of it. You could say I am educating the educators! Originally I started offering zoom and live training direct to the students, then one of the trainers asked ‒ ‘why don’t you train the educators,” and it all evolved from that. This is probably one of the most rewarding achievements I have gained in my career to date.

Daisy Raudales is a leader in the Communications field. Holding a degree in Communications and Digital Media as well as an Advanced Diploma in Public Relations (PR), Daisy has gained extensive experience in the industry conducting tasks in media relations, communications planning, social media marketing, email marketing, website development and more. Having turned her passion into a life-long career, she opened DRPR in August of 2020 in order to provide online marketing solutions to entrepreneurs during the rise of COVID-19. Located in Ajax, Ontario her agency provides long-term support to entrepreneurs in digital marketing, branding and PR. Tell us a little bit about yourself, Daisy! My name is Daisy Raudales, and I am a Public Relations and Communications Specialist. I have a deep passion for content marketing and enjoy supporting entrepreneurs throughout their business growth. I have earned a Degree in Communications and Digital Media Studies as well as an Advanced Diploma in Public Relations. Having turned my passion into my career, I am now the Founder of DRPR Inc, a Public Relations and Digital Marketing Agency located in Ajax, Ontario. I am of Nicaraguan descent, but I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. I am also bilingual and enjoy working with a diverse range of businesses. Outside of work, I am always on the hunt to try out local restaurants, discover local attractions and enjoy travelling around the world. My favourite hobby is dancing and I love spending time with my dog, friends, and family. What is your business name and how do you help your clients? DRPR Inc. stands for Daisy Raudales Public Relations, is a full-service Digital Marketing Agency that provides services in Public Relations, Digital Marketing and Branding. Established in August of 2020, we work with a combined mix of start-up entrepreneurs and established businesses. We provide tailored strategies and support to help entrepreneurs make a powerful impact in the digital landscape. Our services include, brand development, media relations, copywriting, social media marketing, email marketing, and website development. You can learn more about us at www.drpr.ca What kind of audience do you target your business towards? We have worked with businesses across a wide range of industries including those in economic development, real estate, food and beverage, health and wellness, fitness - you name it! What are your current goals for your business? This 2023, we look forward to joining more networking groups both locally and globally to grow our network, build relationships and connect with entrepreneurs who are ready to take their digital marketing to the next level. Soon, we will also be introducing new services including guest speaking and online workshops to help teach entrepreneurs how they can take control of their marketing with helpful resources, skills, and tools. We also look forward to expanding our team further this year. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? I would like to continue to grow my own knowledge in the industry because I truly believe you can never stop learning! Especially as an entrepreneur, we often wear many hats, whether it is marketing our business, overseeing our finances, delegating tasks, and managing other responsibilities. We are constantly, learning, growing, evolving. I believe that a huge part of achieving success comes from being open to learning whether it’s joining an online business course, asking questions to our entrepreneurial friends, or taking solid business advice from experts. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? God inspires me to be the best that I can be. I wouldn’t be where I am in my journey if it wasn’t for Him. My friends and my family also inspire me every day and motivate me to grow and be the best version of myself. I credit a lot of my success to the people who have inspired me throughout my entrepreneurial journey. I believe it is essential to ground yourself with a supportive group of individuals that will motivate and encourage you to grow and achieve success. What is your work inspired by? My work is inspired by my passion to help others and my love for what I do – digital marketing. I have always been a social and outgoing person who loves connecting with people. I am so fortunate in my industry that I get to meet such inspiring, creative, and like-minded individuals. Not only can I learn from them but having the opportunity to help them achieve their goals motivates me to work hard and brings me true joy. Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far. My greatest career achievement so far has been in fact, starting my own business and not giving up. One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome was letting go of self-doubt and fear of the unknown. But once I took the plunge to launch my business it was the best decision I ever made. Today, I am so grateful I get to do what I love while having the ability to be in control of my own time and schedule. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? In my industry, digital marketing is a field that is constantly changing and evolving. I wouldn’t necessarily want to change anything in my industry but ensure that I am staying up to date with the changes that are constantly happening in digital technology. Whether it is staying up to date with social media trends, new tools to automate tasks and other technological changes. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. A pivotal moment in my life that brought me to where I am today is strangely enough my experience through the Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, I lost my full-time job. After being unemployed, I decided to do freelance work in my spare time to keep busy. A few months later, I received the opportunity to work part-time with my local business centre, also known as the Business Advisory Centre Durham. Having earned a role as a Digital Support Specialist, I was responsible for promoting a provincially funded grant and providing digital marketing consultations to local small businesses. I also continued to do freelance work for businesses in copywriting and marketing. Soon after, my boss encouraged me to start my own small business in Digital Marketing. She saw potential in me that I didn’t even see. She encouraged me to join online workshops led by the Centre and to get in touch with advisors. After taking advantage of the services offered to me, I decided to start and launch DRPR Inc.

Written by: Annette Densham, 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’m one of those older types who grew up without mobile phones, YouTube and Facebook. If I wanted to talk or get info somewhere, I had to make an effort. My kids reckon I am OLD. Their eyes roll when I begin “when I was a kid …” I grew up with spirit copiers (I even have licence to operate one), fax machines and hand-written letters to communicate with those you love. Back in my day, if you wanted to say something you had to write or call … and then WAIT for a response or keep ringing them until you got them (there were no VM or answering machines}. Everything took time. We were careful with what we said; choosing our words thoughtfully not to offend or upset. Prehistoric bullies As a kid, I was relentlessly bullied at school because I was tall and broad. I knew exactly who my tormentors were because they have to say horrible things to my face. There were no PMs or emails to hide behind. If you wanted to bring someone down, you had to look them in the eye. How the world has changed. Messages are instant, and bullying is more insidious because of the tools us humans have created to make communicating easier. My mum used to tell me ‘sticks and stones can break your bones, but names can never hurt you’. Great old-world wisdom. But not true. Unfortunately, the modern-day troll/bully can wreak havoc with well-placed words, destroying confidence and the will to share. New form of bullying As much as I love social media, it has breed a new form of bully – the troll. They come in all shapes and sizes. They lurk about in Facebook groups ready to pounce as soon as you post. You send a group message about an event and they are ready with a razor-sharp lecture on all you have done wrong. Or they cushion their nastiness in a flurry of endearments, so they can pretend they are doing the world a favour. They believe their towering intellect and my-shit-does-not stink values and morals gives them the right to share their opinions without dispute. Let’s face it, social media is a fertile playground for trolls. Hunched over their keyboards, safely behind their screens, they spew nasty vitriol and patronising prose at those of us just trying to get on with our lives. They are everywhere – no social media platform is safe. Their job is to get under your skin and they wield their nastiness without compassion or regret. Five types of troll In my experience, I have come across five types of troll. I am sure there are more, but I can only speak from my observations. 1. Grammar Know It All We all make mistakes. The very nature of social media is we often tap out a response to a post or post something on the fly. Damn autocorrect, or a forgotten pair of glasses means there is typo or a misplaced word. Here is where Grammar Nazi comes to the fore. They take great delight in telliboo-boong you that ‘i should come before e’ or your modifier is dangling. Instead of a PM, politely letting you know you’ve made a boo boo, they post it for all to see. 2. Click Bait Reactor Modern marketing tells us the headline is the most important aspect of a post – it is what draws people in. Quite often the headline (clickbait) is different to the actual story. Even if the story is about unicorns and rainbows saving the world, we are more likely to click on EVIL DEMONS THWARTED IN END OF DAYS CONQUEST than WORLD SAVED BY FRANK THE UNICORN. The Click Bait Reactor is not interested in the story; they‘re too busy to ACTUALLY read the article so they start ranting about the headline, going off on a tangent that has nothing to do with the story. Because the story doesn’t matter, the troll just wants to share what he/she thinks. 3. Braggart Smarty Pants I see them all the time in Facebook groups – the person who has an answer for everything. Your kid has nits – they know how to fix it. You have a business question – they’ve been there and one that. You have a personal crisis – well, they have a degree from Whackadoo University and are qualified to help you. You promote something, and they must tell you what you did wrong in your marketing. If you don’t take their advice, they get narky and PM you to tell you you’re an idiot. 4. Bomb Dropper Or ‘the attention seeker’ troll. This person’s life is always worse than yours. Their pain is deeper. Their successes are bigger and better. They hijack conversations to make it all about them. Even when you try to get the conversation back on track, they have these amazing skills of swinging the thread back to focus on them. 5. I’m Offended Sometimes things are just funny …and that is ok. But the offended troll, takes everything personally and turns the post into an attack on them and their place in the world. I get we all don’t have the same sense of humour but if you don’t like something, use that amazing appendage at the end of your hand and scroll past it. Ok … blatantly sexist, racist and nasty content is not necessary. There should be no place on social media for deliberate hate. What to do with a troll As much as I love a good debate and to stand up for myself - I have found there is no point engaging with a troll. Trolls come from a place of nastiness and self-righteousness – there is no defence against that. A troll wants you to suffer. A troll wants you to engage so they can prove they were right all along. I do try to remember the person on the other end of the keyboard is another human with their trials and tribulations. You are not going to change their opinion. They’re bullies – hurt people hurt people. Your words will be wasted, and you will end up feeling worse than you did by the initial engagement. If they are ‘friend’, unfriend or unfollow them. Fire needs fuel to spread, starve them of it. Of course, as a business you do need to ensure you have policies in place to deal with legitimate complaints and to manage trolls. As an everyday person just trying to do their best, I wish I have a better answer. No one likes to be picked on and made to feel awful. If you do attract the attention of a troll and it gets too much, reach out to someone to help you through it. Do not suffer in silence. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Annette! Annette Densham, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Multi-award-winning PR specialist Annette Densham is considered the go-to for all things business storytelling, award submission writing, and assisting business leaders in establishing themselves as authorities in their field. She has shared her insights into storytelling, media, and business across Australia, UK, and the US speaking for Professional Speakers Association, Stevie Awards, Queensland Government, and many more. Three times winner of the Grand Stevie Award for Women in Business, gold Stevie International Business Award, and a finalist in Australian Small Business Champion awards, Annette audaciously challenges anyone in small business to cast aside modesty, embrace their genius and share their stories.

Destiny K (Katy), is an International Psychic Medium Empath Intuitive Reader, Healer, Light Worker, and Earth Angel. She has had her gifts since she was 3 years old, and after having a near-death experience in 2018, she has grown and heightened her abilities to help others. She does not believe in coincidences, and believes that everything happens for a reason. Using her abilities, she helps many around the world as, Destiny K Psychic Medium bringing them positive energies, abundance, blessings, love, and closure. As a Psychic Medium she helps loved ones in spirit pass on messages to those that are needing them. Destiny K, believes in Fate and Destiny. She wishes you all a beautiful, wonderful, and joyful day. Destiny K, Psychic Medium Who is Destiny K? She is the founder of Destiny K Psychic Medium, which helps many individuals around the world connect to their loved ones in spirit that have passed on, with guidance around their current lives, past lives, healing, and inspirational speaking through her online social media presence. She has been through many shifts of energies and vibrations throughout her life, which has brought her here to help others, those who have passed, and continue to spread love and grace to everyone around the world with her gifts. She is a mum to a wonderful daughter who has brightened up her life and brought her closer to her family. Throughout her journey, before having a near-death experience in 2018 she was an entertainer in hotels, a model, and adventurous traveling to Cyprus, and Australia. What is Destiny K wanting to achieve with her gifts? Destiny K would like to help as many souls as she can by connecting to their past loved ones in the spirit world (known as Heaven, Other Side, etc.), helping them through the grieving process, providing guidance and inspiration to those needing it through her gifts, and pointing anyone on their right direction and path. She wants to bring inspiration and motivation to so many through her gifts, and abilities that she has grown through the past couple of years. As she always says, "For me, this is about changing someone who has been feeling very sad and down in the dumps to then coming out of a reading with myself looking and feeling like a Cheshire Cat." Who inspires Destiny K? Destiny K's inspiration was her nan who shared an extra special bond. As they were both spiritually connected. There had been times when they both witnessed and felt the spirit and energetic vibrations around them. For example, there was a time when they walked down a long lane together and a lady walking stopped and said to the both of them "I am sorry I stopped you, but I just wanted to say and let you know that the lane was dark and dull before you both walked down it then a massive huge glow lit up the lane with a bright golden aura around you both" and after she had said that, her nan smiled at her and said "We both share this gift" when she was only about five years old. This is only one of the things that Destiny K and her nan have shared, but she can tell you many more. What is one thing you would change in this industry and why? One thing that she would change in this industry would be to make peace on earth and life a more harmonious place to live in. Also, all light workers come together as one to work as a team rather than there being constant competitive behaviors and jealousy. She feels schools need to know more about empathy, and how children feel by expressing their emotions. As this is something that is not generally talked about. What was a pivotal moment in your life and how has it helped you get to where you are today? She has always been spiritual since the age of three, but she had closed it down for many years. Until 2018 when she was rushed to the hospital because her heart had stopped and the doctors found that she had a rare heart condition. After this moment in her life, she has become more in tune and even more aware of spirit, but as her nan passed away in 2008 she feels that is her nan guiding her to do this as it has always been in her. She can communicate with those that have passed over to the spirit world. To give valid and detailed information on their passed loved ones. As she always says, "For me, this makes me feel happy and I am grateful to be able to help others that need guidance, support, and comfort." Follow me on Facebook and visit my website for more info! Read more from Destiny K!

Written by: Stefanie Magness, 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 an entrepreneur, you need to understand the difference between offense and defense. Offense moves your business forward by growing your market share and increasing revenue. Defense is focused on maintaining your present position in the market and keeping potential threats at bay. So, which strategy is better for entrepreneurs? The answer is it depends on the circumstances of your business. If your business is in a growth phase and you have the resources to expand, then an offensive strategy may be the right choice. However, if your business is facing financial difficulties or market saturation, a defensive strategy may be more appropriate. One strategy that can be useful for entrepreneurs is to have both offensive and defensive strategies in place. By implementing a balanced approach, entrepreneurs can take advantage of new opportunities while also protecting their current assets. This can include investing in new products or services while also cutting costs or expanding into new markets while also maintaining relationships with existing customers. Entrepreneurs also need to be aware of the external environment and adapt their strategies accordingly. For example, during an economic downturn, a defensive strategy may be more appropriate, while during an economic boom, an offensive strategy may be more appropriate. It is critical to be alert to opportunities on the offensive, but that doesn't mean you can abandon a defensive strategy. By having a good sense of the parameters in place around your current business and having a way to respond effectively, you can achieve long-term success. This requires that we always be aware of our surroundings, for no one ever stops playing offense or defense in business. Stefanie Magness, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stefanie Magness is a Legal & Tax Analyst and Business Consultant, Author of Business Hacks…60 Tools for Success, and the LLC Owner’s Manual. Her passion is to help entrepreneurs launch their businesses from the ground up with an emphasis on protection and planning. Stefanie inspires business owners to take action and cover all the bases. She is here to help you succeed, 100% legit, without cutting corners, and without skimping on what's needed! Stefanie will help you go from dreaming to doing. With her business Legit My Biz and television network, LegitTV™, she helps entrepreneurs learn what they need to know to protect themselves from the IRS, State, and other Government Agencies without getting burned by their questions and paper trail.

Scott Robinson is a Finance Professional and Yoga Teacher. He is also the founder of Yogibanker ‒ a specialised yoga & well-being service for the financial services industry. He helped found 'dbYoga' at Deutsche Bank, one of the world's leading financial services companies as well as leading regular mindfulness sessions under the brand of 'Mindfulness Mondays'. Over the years, Scott has helped hundreds of finance professionals become stronger, more flexible and less stressed through yoga & mindfulness. Scott's passion is to bring yoga & well-being to the financial services industry ‒ one that is kinder, more sustainable with well-being at its core. Scott Robinson, Founder Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better. My name is Scott Robinson. I am a finance professional, yoga & mindfulness teacher as well as a well-being champion. Originally from Sydney, I currently work for Deutsche Bank in London as a regulatory policy specialist. At the same time, I help to run the employee-led yoga & mindfulness classes at the bank. I am also a global pillar lead for Balance @ Work as part of People Strategy in the Finance division. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, skiing, football, and classical and modern art. What is your business name and how do you help your clients? My business name is Yogibanker, and I help finance professionals feel better in their bodies and minds. I’m passionate about yoga & well-being. I believe that through a holistic and integrated approach to living, one can thrive both personally and professionally. As a fellow finance professional, I have a unique understanding of what it means to work in a highly intense, pressurised environment. I therefore bring insights and skills that are focused on the specific needs of finance professionals. What kind of audience do you target your business towards? My audience is ambitious and dedicated finance professionals who are motivated to improve their health and well-being. What are your current goals for your business? My goal is to reach as many finance professionals as I can around the world and share what I’ve learned. There is a certain stigma and barrier to entry with practices like yoga. My aim then is to make these practices as accessible as possible to the financial services industry globally. What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future? I aim to deepen my understanding of topics relating to yoga & well-being. There are many different dimensions to well-being. Human nature is also complex. How we function is a confluence of biopsychosocial factors and how they interact with each other. If we are to truly serve others and provide the best environment for them to thrive, investing time and resources into gaining a deeper understanding of this vast subject area is required. For my business, my vision is for every financial services organisation around the world to have access to these life-affirming practices & resources to help them thrive. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? One of my yoga teachers, Tias Little, is the co-founder of Prajna Yoga. Tias is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the United States. Tias’s knowledge of yoga & Buddhism is extraordinary. From anatomy to philosophy, to Sanskrit to yoga therapy, his knowledge and dedication to teaching are very inspiring. He inspires me to learn, to show up and bring the best out of my students. If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? I would like to see well-being first and foremost as a strategic priority for the industry. An organisation that has elevated levels of well-being will result in happier staff. This in turn leads to more customer-focused, productive organisations. Not only that, when an organisation’s wellness is high, then the paradigm shift in mindset that is required for a more sustainable economy is easier to make. This benefits society, especially given that the financial services industry is at the heart of the economy. In short, everyone benefits when there is a strategic focus on well-being. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. In 2017, I took a mini-sabbatical and went to Bali for a month to do yoga teacher training. It’s a cliché however I came back ‘transformed’ and I felt like a new person – I had a brand-new skill set at the age of 40 and I discovered the ‘teacher within me’. I was then determined to offer these services to my colleagues. To think now that I would be offering yoga & mindfulness classes to my colleagues on a global basis is extraordinary. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin, and visit my website for more information. To receive a complimentary copy of my e-guide, ‘5 Things You Need to Start Your Yoga Practice’, subscribe here. Read more from Scott!

Written by: Richard Hilton, 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. Walking in nature has been shown to have a number of benefits for the brain and mind, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood, and boosting cognitive function. One potential reason for these benefits is that exposure to nature can help to reduce the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the body. Additionally, nature can also act as a distraction from daily stressors, allowing the mind to relax and rejuvenate. The natural environment also provides a sense of tranquillity and peacefulness which can ease mental fatigue and improve overall well-being. Fractals, which are patterns that repeat at different scales, have been studied for their potential benefits for the brain. Some research suggests that looking at fractals can have a calming effect on the mind, reducing stress and anxiety. This may be because fractals are found in many natural forms, such as in woodlands going from a large mass of trees to fewer and fewer trees to a single tree, onto a branch, a twig then a leaf and the veins in that leaf. Coastlines and sand dunes have the same effect, and the sea with the waves creating repeating patterns which can evoke a sense of awe and wonder, leading to a decrease in cortisol (a stress hormone) and an increase in feelings of well-being. Fractals also have a unique visual appeal that can engage the brain and promote cognitive function. Studies have shown that viewing fractals can improve attention, memory and perception. Additionally, some studies have suggested that fractals may have therapeutic potential for individuals with certain mental health conditions, such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety. It's worth noting that more research is needed to fully understand the benefits of fractals on the brain and more studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and the potential therapeutic use. Follow me on LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Richard! Richard Hilton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Richard is a former member of the British Army. Upon leaving the military he studied extensively in self-defense, Conflict Management. Due to going through a difficult period on leaving, he realised that he needed to make major changes in the direction of his life He then began to study NLP and Hypnosis. He is now helping veterans and first responders with the difficulties and challenges that they are facing on a daily basis. He has also self-published his first book "Whispers over Windermere"

Written by: Gi Dhanoa Learn about the Ps of what we call the primary characteristics of ‘P Syndrome’, are you Procrastinating, Pretending or Punishing yourself? Let’s overturn the misconception of procrastination and its relationship with laziness or can’t be bothered attitude. Instead, we should understand what is really going on with your thought process and acknowledge what you have been ignoring! What is P Syndrome? From working with our clients we began to realise a pattern emerging of the signs and characteristics related to making that tough decision or taking the necessary action in order to move forward toward success. There is no bias of who, when and how procrastination strikes. Even when working with very driven individuals and teams of senior level, there is always something that tends to hold us back, let's discuss these behaviours in a bit more detail below. Procrastination Procrastination can be summarised into delaying making a choice, decision or more importantly taking action. We want to explore a bit deeper what makes a decision tough or taking the first step of action challenging for you? Let’s take a moment to reflect on a time we procrastinated last and which of the below would relate with your past behaviour and thoughts? Was it because the choices available were so misaligned with your values? Was the situation or subject making you feel stressed and overwhelmed? Or was it simply because you were afraid of getting it wrong? Still not sure if you are a procrastinator? Why not take a procrastination quiz that can be found on Mind Tools website. Top Tip – To break the cycle of procrastination firstly limit the options down. Secondly, list or pick your top two choices that you are most likely to move forward with and will feel proud of your accomplishment. Pretending Pretending is where we avoid altogether that we need to take responsibility and ownership on something that requires our attention. Denial or pretending about your involvement in a decision or action to be taken can be temporarily soothing. Avoidance often takes place when we feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar with a situation. When you begin to pretend to yourself that your priorities are secondary, we tend to fill that key time with unimportant activities such as… Easy tasks on our success list of the day Social media browsing Netflix’s binge Engage in conversation or communication that could have waited Top Tips – Positively challenge yourself to put your best early efforts to tackle the issues, pending decisions or actions from the start of your day. Changing your approach to something and seeing it as an opportunity of growth, as opposed to an obstacle is a great way to strengthen your mindset. Punishing Punishing ourselves for a decision that we made or potentially did not make can become mental torture, where you begin to replay the scenario in your head with alternative outcomes. We would encourage you to stop punishing yourself with retrospective reflections of a choice you did or did not make. Instead, embrace where you are right now with it and go forth if there were learnings to be had from the decision. ‘There is value in every decision we make, more so when things don’t go according to plan’ - ublossom.weblossom Top Tip – When retrospective reflections take over, grab a notebook and take a moment to express it all out via scribing them down. Before you close that notebook write down two things you are grateful for from the situation that has transpired. Moving forward with Progress The most important P of all is Progress! Striving for perfection can be detrimental in breaking momentum and an unrealistic milestone at times. Progress is often frowned upon or underestimated, as it is too slow in feeling and experience that success or accomplishment you want. However, moving forward in a step-by-step approach is the one that serves us well in the long term. The best progress of all is acknowledgment and being honest with yourself when you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed or stressed with a task or situation. Some questions to support you in making a quicker decision! Have you done your best and it’s time to move on and appreciate what you have achieved? Is it time to call in the one who can help excel it much more quickly? Are you struggling as it just doesn’t excite you? Is your environment and lack of inspiration part of why you are not feeling the right energy? Are you simply being too hard on yourself? Learn more about how ublossom.weblossom can help you with overcoming procrastination and any characteristics featured in this article by reading our feature article from last month.

Written by: Jodi-Kay Edwards, 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. Being a CEO often involves juggling various responsibilities at any given time. Being someone with multiple businesses and multiple responsibilities for myself and clients, overwhelm just isn’t an option. For lack of a better word, the show must go on or one of my businesses and all that’s been invested in it risks the chance of well, let’s not go there but you catch my drift. Finding balance can be tricky but there are three core tasks top CEOs focus on for profit. These include: setting the overall direction of the company by effectively communicating the strategy & vision, hiring & managing a team to implement the vision, and to keep the company profitable by setting benchmarks for execution. My 13 years of experience of working with CEOs & C-Suite executives has shown me that these three tasks are consistently essential, despite changes in technology or the economy. Key CEO Roles and Responsibilities: Setting the Direction, Managing People and Ensuring Execution. The role of a CEO is to have a thorough understanding of the essential responsibilities that come with it. First, a CEO must set the overall direction for the company. This requires strategic planning and effective decision-making. Putting the right people in the right places is one thing but I’ve noticed it’s extremely important to allocate the right resources as well so those people can thrive. Which flows into the next task. Second, a CEO must hire, manage and motivate, even if that includes assisting one person or department to take charge of all three. Part of setting expectations is providing direction, and holding team members and employees accountable for their actions. It also requires letting go of employees who no longer align with the company's values, vision and goals. Finally, a CEO must ensure that all operations run smoothly to ensure profitability. Nothing drains a company faster than a dysfunctional team. While some investments make great tax write-offs it’s important to remember that people are people, not just assets and a janky operation can affect team morale which can affect the company’s bottom line. Leading with a Clear Vision: The Importance of Effective Communication Having the best strategy and vision in the world is only helpful if it is communicated correctly, allowing your team to execute it. To effectively communicate strategy and vision, a CEO should create a “brand positioning statement”, a concise statement that provides clarity, strategy and direction for the brand. It can help both employees and customers understand the big picture in a quick and concise way. Building and Leading a Strong Team: The Importance of People Management According to Michael Watkins, author of "The First 90 Days”, in which he shared Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels, people management is one of the most important tasks for a CEO. Inadequate people management can result in missed goals or lost revenue. It helps to establish accountability through regular check-ins, performance reviews and evaluations. Trust and respect are earned by creating an environment where employees feel valued and empowered to do their best work. Ensuring Successful Execution: The Importance of Monitoring Progress and Achieving Goals What is a CEO's job in a company? That’s what we’ve been talking about, you still with me? This can all boil down to how well the company is executing its plan effectively. It is crucial to understand what progress looks like, how much progress has been made, and the team's current standing about their goals. To effectively execute the plan, top CEOs set measurable goals for themselves and their team members. Tasks are then prioritized based on importance within the organization's mission and vision. This can be done by sharing a vision for the timeline of events in which things should take place, refer back to task number one. Prioritizing Between Key Roles & Responsibilities as a CEO By creating a detailed to-do list and sorting tasks by importance, urgency, and potential impact on company goals, a CEO can effectively manage and focus on the most pressing matters. This is how I successfully run two businesses while managing my clients. Prioritization can include, for example, ensuring that while multiple projects have been started, each team has a clear understanding of what needs to be executed. In this case the responsibility is to touch base across all departments and prioritize that first step across the board. Once all teams understand how to move forward the next priority is execution. I use this batch task approach to leadership so I can stay on top of my responsibilities so my clients and team aren’t affected by a never ending to-do list. Project management software like Click Up aids in keeping track of all responsibilities and can highlight those requiring immediate attention in rotation. Becoming an Effective CEO: Tips for Improving Leadership Skills To be a better leader, the following is true, communicate effectively, follow up on your plans, and prioritize. However, make time to reevaluate and communicate with yourself often. Strong communication skills are essential for CEOs to ensure that everyone understands and buys into the vision, but they are also essential to ensure you understand the role. Following up on plans increases the chances of success. Prioritize CEO tasks for better execution and progress monitoring. Remember to focus on what needs to be done today or this week starting with tasks that may be overdue. The Bottom Line As a CEO it's important to recognize that the core duties of a CEO consist of communicating, managing, and executing. These tasks may seem overwhelming at times, but it's important to remember that improvement in any of these areas can significantly impact the business's success. One key strategy to remember is prioritizing and focusing on batching or grouping a set of tasks at a time rather than trying to tackle everything all at once. With dedication and effort, any leader can improve in these areas and drive their organization to success. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jodi-Kay! Jodi-Kay Edwards, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jodi-Kay Edwards is the founder & CEO of Alignment Is The New Hustle and co-founder of Behind The Scenes Agency, a Dallas-based Media and Marketing company. Her coaching framework has helped hundreds of visionaries create a global impact worldwide. Her goal is to help CEOs and creatives get seen and get paid in a way that increases their impact and income.

Written by: Paul Jepson, 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. Nature positive could become one of the most influential terms of our times. Nature positive is something of a buzzword that's been gaining a lot of attention lately. It's being talked about by policymakers, business leaders and activists who are working up ways to address the climate and nature emergencies we're facing. But what does it really mean and why is it so important? At the 2021 G7 summit in Cornwall, leaders of the world's major economies agreed to a "G7 nature contract" and issued a statement that "our world must become both climate neutral and nature positive." This statement shows that there's high-level political support for a more holistic approach to climate and nature policy. It also means that there's a shift from just protecting nature to actively recovering it. Over the past 20 years, research and real-world examples have shown that restoring damaged ecosystems can make us more resilient to the effects of climate change and provide solutions to other problems like rural depopulation and mental health issues. In response, the United Nations has declared the 2020-2030 decade as the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. The European Union has set targets for ecosystem restoration and is planning a new nature restoration law. The UK government has also committed to becoming the "first generation in human history to leave nature in a better place than we found it" in their 25-year environment plan. The term "nature positive" is an aspirational, optimistic, and clear way to summarize these developments and where we need to go. The Paris Agreement on climate change has become a rallying point for efforts to curb global warming. The Global Biodiversity Framework, which was agreed upon at the United Nations COP15 biodiversity conference, could do the same for nature. This visionary document sets targets for restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems and conserving 30% of the world's land, inland waters, coastal areas, and oceans. The business and finance community has been working on becoming "net zero" by reducing carbon emissions and offsetting the unavoidable ones. Now, they need to figure out what "nature positive" means for business, how to integrate it into their strategies, and how to measure and invest in it. There have been studies and pioneer companies that are already implementing nature positive approaches. But there's still a lot of work to be done to define and implement nature-positive practices. It's important to note that "nature positive" is not just about protecting nature: it is about restoring it and making it a force and an ally in navigating climate change. It's a fundamental shift in outlook that has the potential to "unlock" private investment in nature recovery. It could become one of the most influential terms of our times, just like "climate neutral". Paul Jepson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Paul Jepson is an internationally recognised thought leader in nature conservation. His mission is to mobilise technology and entrepreneurship to make nature recovery investable and build confidence in humanity’s capacity to navigate the linked climate and nature emergencies. He is a pragmatic conservationist with a scholarly ‘edge’ and a passion for innovation. His work is informed by a 40-year career in international conservation. He directed environmental master’s courses at Oxford University before taking up the role of Head of Innovation at Ecosulis Ltd. He is an accomplished speaker and his recent book ‘Rewilding: the radical new science of ecological recovery’ is receiving widespread praise.

Written by: Kris Keppeler, 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. My business associate, an author, told me she found her book on Audible, published as an audiobook. An unpleasant surprise as she didn't authorize an audiobook and so received no revenue from sales. How can this happen? Audio Rights Most likely, she did not have the audio rights to her book. I recommended she check her book contract. Your contract should spell out your audio rights. Until audiobooks became a hot commodity, audio rights belonged to the author. The publishers didn't want them. Audiobooks are now over a one-billion-dollar market, and publishers increasingly hold onto the audio rights. Who wouldn't want a piece of a billion-dollar pie? Authors need to be aware of this. They can no longer assume the publisher will give them audio rights. Your Exclusive Rights Your book copyright includes five exclusive rights ‒ to reproduce, perform, distribute, display, and produce derivative works. Audiobooks fall under derivative works, which include translations and film adaptations. If you're self-published, there's a good chance you own all these rights. If you worked with a publisher, you should check your contract. It pays to ask your book publisher to sign the audio rights over to you if they're not interested in producing an audiobook. You may find an audiobook publisher interested in creating your audiobook. You're free as an author to find a narrator/producer on Audible or Findaway Voices to create your audiobook. It is not cheap, but if your book sells well, it brings in revenue and fans. Many people prefer to listen rather than read. The audiobook narrator owns the performance rights unless the contract states they give up those rights in exchange for payment for their work. Audiobooks are long-haul projects with many hours of work involved. If you're using an audio engineer, they own the sound rights. Your contract with them must be similar in rights exchange to your narrator contract. I don't recommend adding music but doing so adds another layer of licensing and music rights. Most recommend using public domain or royalty-free music if you believe music will enhance your audiobook. Confirm that the license of royalty-free music includes audiobooks. Last but not least, there are cover art rights. Cover Art Conundrum Cover art presents a significant obstacle to many authors who want an audiobook. The original cover art for the book rarely works for the audiobook one. The dimensions, quality, and title placement differ. Audible won't publish your audiobook if the cover art does not pass muster. It's best to avoid this problem up front. Go ahead and alter the art or license a new cover design for your audiobook that fits the requirements exactly. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn visit my website for more info! Read more from Kris! Kris Keppeler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kris Keppeler is a narrator, actor, voice actor, podcaster, and writer. After discovering her singing voice in Jr. High Choir, she’s never quit using her voice to amuse and instigate. She’s impersonated a cat, a prince, a princess, an anteater, a dragon, and a president with her voice and narrated/produced over 50 audiobooks. She narrates and produces an award winning weekly storytelling podcast about life and befuddlement. She’s crafted blogs and articles using humor and valuable information to delight readers. Visit her IMDB page for stage and screen credits.