Written by Mel Abbott, Therapist in Chronic Illness Recovery Mel Abbott is a mind-body health specialist and founder of The Switch Program, a pioneering approach that helps people recover from chronic illnesses such as ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, CRPS, anxiety, and many other conditions. After being told there was no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome, one young woman’s life collapsed into exhaustion and despair. Years later, she discovered how science-backed mind-body retraining could calm the nervous system, restore balance, and make full recovery possible — offering new hope for thousands living with ME/CFS. The day my world fell apart I remember that day with crystal clarity, one of the worst days of my life. I was 21, sitting in a cold consulting room that smelled faintly of disinfectant. Across the desk, the chronic fatigue specialist adjusted her spectacles and looked at me with a deadpan expression. “You have chronic fatigue syndrome,” she said flatly. “There is no cure. Here is a pamphlet so you can learn how to manage your symptoms.” That was it. No warmth. No hope. Just a sentence that took any chance of a recovery away from me. The thought of a whole lifetime of suffering ahead was unbearable. She handed me the pamphlet, a depressing page of “tips” on pacing, rest, lowering your expectations, and acceptance, then moved on to her next patient. I remember walking out of that office feeling a strange mixture of numbness and an inner screaming all at once. I sat in the car and stared at the pamphlet in my lap, reading the words “There is no cure” over and over. That was the day I lost my future. Or so I thought. The descent into illness It hadn’t always been that way. At 18, I was bright, busy, and full of dreams. But after a concussion, things began to unravel. It started subtly, headaches, fatigue, and trouble concentrating, common concussion symptoms. But over time, I developed muscle weakness and exhaustion that sleep could never fix. I could no longer climb even one flight of stairs unaided. My heart would race at 118 beats per minute while lying down. I couldn’t read or study or drive. My world shrank to the size of a couch and a stack of audiobooks. Even the smallest tasks became monumental. I’d wait until I was very thirsty before reaching for a glass of water because lifting a glass felt like too much effort. I’d delay walking the ten steps to the toilet because I knew it would trigger a wave of exhaustion that might last for hours. Every afternoon, I slept for three hours. It felt like the only way to get through the day. Seeing friends for half an hour would send me into a crash so severe that I would be bedbound for two weeks. I was twenty, and my life had become one long horizontal blur. All I had were my symptoms and my thoughts. I felt like a ghost of my former self. When that doctor told me there was no cure, it was like being sentenced to a lifetime in a body I could no longer bear to live in. I remember thinking, genuinely, I don’t want to be alive if this is all my life will ever be. That was my rock bottom. Thankfully, that specialist was wrong. But it would take years before I learned just how wrong. The hopeless narrative For decades, the narrative around ME/CFS has been one of hopelessness, that it’s incurable, mysterious, and beyond repair. This message is repeated so often that it has become a collective belief system that seeps into patients, families, support groups, societies, care workers, and doctors. It is such a deeply entrenched belief that even though there is a huge amount of evidence-based research for ME/CFS recovery, this evidence is often ignored. Related article: Research into effective treatments for ME/CFS When someone in authority says, “You’ll never recover,” it becomes more than just words. It becomes a prognosis that shapes your biology, your emotions, and your future. It’s one of the most dangerous sentences a doctor can say. Thankfully, my illness was before the age of widely used internet, so I was not exposed to the doom scrolling that people experience now. Despite it feeling like an impossible task to recover, I always kept seeking answers. Learning how to recover After a decade of chasing dead ends, specialists, supplements, and alternative therapies, I came across something that seemed different, mind-body retraining. I was open-minded because a friend with ME/CFS had done it and recovered. I don’t know how I would have felt about it otherwise. My illness was very real and physical. My blood cortisol levels had been measured every three months for 11 years and were always triple the normal healthy level. My doctor would comment that I would feel very unwell with levels like that, but other than temporary management with Propanolol, there was nothing she could do. I had terrible constipation that even daily strong laxatives often couldn’t shift. Despite being so exhausted, my sleep was terrible. But when I began learning about the neurophysiology of chronic illness, something clicked. I discovered that my body wasn’t broken, it was stuck. My nervous system had become trapped in a chronic stress response, the same “fight, flight, freeze” mechanism designed to protect us in emergencies. Only mine had never switched off since my concussion. All my physical symptoms were a result of my body living in constant survival mode, even though the original threat, the concussion, was long gone. Finally, someone had explained to me why I was so sick. Just understanding the physiology of my illness started helping me to calm down, and the symptoms were not as severe. Further training taught me techniques to calm that physiological stress response more, how to re-educate my brain to stop perceiving danger where there was none, and how to make thinking and lifestyle adjustments to restore balance to my body’s systems. It wasn’t about denying that I had an illness, it was about understanding the illness differently. Related article: Brainz Magazine – Chronic Illness Recovery – Address the 5 Main Causes Recovery: The return to life Initially, I had to work really hard using the techniques over and over again to keep calming my nervous system and reinvigorating my body. I had to shift out of habitual thinking patterns around energy conservation, fear of being awake all day, and micro-monitoring my symptoms. But every day, I could see evidence in small ways that it was making a difference. As my physiological stress response calmed down, I was able to do more in a day without having the post-exertional malaise effects that even a one-minute walk used to cause me. My afternoon sleeps were gone. I began to sleep deeply at night for the first time in years. I realised one day that I hadn’t taken any laxatives for over a week and my bowels had been fine. Another day, I realised I’d walked up a flight of stairs, easily and joyfully, and hadn’t even thought about it. My most special moment was seeing a clock in a town square, 2 p.m. My goodness, I had been out since 9 a.m.! I had energy, walking the whole day, and had not even thought about fatigue. At 29 and a half, I was fully recovered. After 11 years of illness, I finally had my life back. That experience changed everything. It ignited a fire in me, not only to help others recover but to change the entire negative narrative around chronic illness. From patient to practitioner After my recovery, I trained in all the techniques that had helped me, and I founded Empower Therapies. My mission was, and still is, to help others do what I once thought was impossible, to heal. Over the past fifteen years, I’ve worked with thousands of clients around the world, 75% of whom were told they would never recover. And yet, the majority of them do. In one calendar year, I saw 95 clients with ME/CFS. Of those, 82% reported resolving all or most of their symptoms, and 83% now rated their health as good, very good, or excellent. Doctors now refer patients to me. In fact, medical professionals are my second largest source of referrals after word of mouth. I’ve presented six times at national GP conferences and been voted Best Speaker twice out of more than 200 presenters. I also contribute to the Otago Medical School programme, teaching future doctors how to discuss mind-body factors in a way that empowers patients instead of invalidating the severity of their illness or implying that it is made up (more on that later). The science behind ME/CFS recovery Over the years, I’ve worked with people who developed chronic fatigue syndrome from remarkably different beginnings. Some fell ill after glandular fever or a severe flu. Others after an injury, surgery, or chemotherapy. Some after emotional trauma, a divorce, bereavement, or abuse. Others burned out from high-pressure careers or the relentless drive of a perfectionist, Type A personality. With such a wide range of origins, it’s unlikely that there’s a single biological cause. What all these experiences have in common is that they triggered a prolonged physiological stress response, the same fight, flight, or freeze state that keeps us safe in moments of danger but becomes destructive when it never switches off. This, I believe, is the true cause of CFS and other chronic illnesses. When the body remains in survival mode for too long, every organ and system begins to suffer. Stress hormones flood the body, raising heart rate and blood pressure while diverting energy away from digestion, immunity, and healing. The longer this continues, the more depleted the system becomes, until it can no longer repair itself. Helping clients calm their bodies out of this chronic stress response allows their natural healing mechanisms to resume. The scientific evidence is also supporting this opinion. A 2023 paper in the Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care states: “After 40 years of research into CFS/ME neither a specific biological defect or pathology, nor a specific biomarker, has been identified. Whilst many pathophysiological abnormalities have been reported, these remain as non-specific associations. Similar abnormalities have also been found in patients with other illnesses including chronic pain and fibromyalgia… We therefore think it is time to explore alternative perspectives that include psychological, social as well as biological factors… Whilst we regard the symptoms of these conditions as real, we propose that they are more likely to reflect the brain's response to a range of biological, psychological, and social factors, rather than a specific disease process… Possible causes include persistent activation of the neurobiological stress response… Recovery is often possible if patients are helped to adopt a less threatening understanding of their symptoms and are supported in a gradual return to normal activities.” (Alme et al., 2023) This understanding isn’t new. In the 1930s, endocrinologist Hans Selye first described the General Adaptation Syndrome, showing how prolonged stress leads to “adrenal exhaustion” and systemic breakdown, what we might now recognise as burnout or chronic fatigue. When the body stays in fight-or-flight mode for too long, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis floods the system with cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are lifesaving in emergencies but toxic when chronic. They raise heart rate, tense muscles, and redirect blood flow away from digestion, immunity, and healing. Over time, every organ system begins to pay the price. More recently, Dr Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory expanded this model by identifying how the vagus nerve, a major pathway connecting brain and body, governs our sense of safety, social connection, and healing. When the vagus nerve signals safety, the body shifts from defence to restoration. But when the brain perceives threat, whether physical or emotional, it keeps the body in protection mode, suppressing digestion, immunity, and energy production. In essence, chronic fatigue isn’t a failure of willpower, it’s the body doing its best to survive under constant perceived danger. Mind-body retraining doesn’t “cure” illness by positive thinking, it teaches the nervous system that it is safe again. Once the body feels safe, it physiologically calms down, which allows it to restore its natural innate healing abilities. The DecodeME study: Genetics and hope Then came the 2025 DecodeME study, the largest genetic study ever conducted on ME/CFS, involving more than 15,000 patients. It found eight genetic variations that may increase susceptibility to ME/CFS. Related article: DecodeME Study: What ME/CFS Genes Really Mean for Recovery For many, this was long-awaited validation. One of my clients told me through tears that her husband finally believed her illness was real, after 30 years of doubting her, only because of this study. I am so sad for this lady to have been disbelieved by her closest loved one for so long. People should not need a genetics study to be believed. Thankfully, my family and my doctors always believed me, so I never dealt with this judgment at such a deeply personal level. I can understand that for people who have been doubted in this way, being validated for having a real illness would become even more important. While the DecodeME findings are important, they don’t determine destiny. They show risk, not certainty. Genes can load the gun, but environment, stress, and lifestyle pull the trigger, or put the safety catch back on. Research in epigenetics proves that genes can switch on and off based on how we live, think, and manage stress. One landmark study found that men who changed their diet, exercise, and stress levels switched the activity of more than 500 genes related to cancer growth in just three months (Ornish et al., 2008). If genes are flexible in cancer, why not in ME/CFS? That’s why the DecodeME findings should give validation, but not hopelessness. My fear is that for many ME/CFS sufferers, the results of this study are going to further add to their belief that their illness can never be cured. The message should be, “Your illness is real, and you can still recover.” Understanding the divide: Why the ME/CFS conversation became so emotional Over the years, I’ve shared my work with people from many different chronic illness communities, from autoimmune disease to endometriosis to chronic pain, and most are curious and open to learning about mind-body approaches. They’re often relieved to discover that there may be a way to reduce their symptoms without endless medication or surgery. But in the ME/CFS community, the reactions can be much more complex. Some people respond with warmth and curiosity. Others feel deeply wary or even hurt at the very mention of mind-body methods. And I think I understand why. In the 1980s and 1990s, many people with ME/CFS were told their illness was “all in their head.” They were dismissed, gaslighted, and sometimes pushed into harmful exercise or return-to-work programmes. That experience was traumatic. Being told that your illness isn’t real cuts deeply, and it leaves an understandable legacy of mistrust. So when people now hear about mind-body interventions, it can trigger old wounds. If I had been told for years that I was faking my illness, I would feel cautious too. But here’s the crucial point, mind-body does not mean “made up,” “all in your mind,” “fake,” “psychosomatic,” or “choosing to be sick.” And it does not mean “pushing through,” “pretending to be well,” or “just think positively.” It means that the mind and body are constantly interacting, and that we can use that connection to influence physical healing. ME/CFS is real, serious, and physical. And it’s also, often, recoverable. It’s time to find middle ground. The old narrative, “It’s all in your mind,” was wrong. But so is the recent one, “It’s so physical that it’s incurable.” The truth lies between, ME/CFS is real, serious, and physical, and the body can recover when we address the neurophysiological processes driving it. Compassion and change I want to say something important to anyone who has been dismissed or disbelieved, I see you. Having ME/CFS was not your fault. The pain of being told your illness is psychological, or being ignored altogether, can be as damaging as the illness itself. It’s traumatic, and it leaves scars of mistrust. That’s why any conversation about mind-body healing must start with empathy, not defensiveness. We need to create safety first, the very thing this illness has taken away. Only when people feel seen and validated can they open to new possibilities. I’m not here to argue that my way is the only way. There are many wonderful approaches out there that can help people recover from ME/CFS. Just because I’m saying that ME/CFS is curable does not mean that I’ve ever said it’s not real or serious. I’m here to invite a broader understanding, one that honours both science and human experience, and enables the best opportunities for healing. The power of healing stories Nothing illustrates this better than the words of one of my ME/CFS clients, Charlene, now aged 75, who emailed me just a few days ago: “It’s just short of a year after meeting you and taking your Switch programme. I continue to marvel at the opportunity you’ve given my mind to unlock its power and consequently, my body! My personal trainer and ballet teacher say I am a miracle, as I am now stronger at age 75 than I was before I got sick five years ago. I can literally run up three flights of stairs, do ballet developés over 90°, and walk five miles after a 90-minute class. I give gratitude for all my mind and body do, and I thank you once again for your courses and insight. Anything is possible when thinking positively, showing gratitude, being happy and calm. You do good work, Mel. Great job!” Related article: Read Charlene’s full story here When I read letters like that, I’m reminded why I do this work. Because healing is not a miracle, it’s the natural intelligence of the body, restored. How doctors can talk about ME/CFS and recovery The medical profession holds enormous power through language. A diagnosis can validate, but it can also imprison. When doctors say, “There’s no cure,” it is emotionally catastrophic for the patient. Instead, they could say: “ME/CFS is a complex, real condition. Recovery can be challenging, but it is possible, and there are ways to support your body’s natural healing.” That single sentence can reignite hope. And hope is not naïve, it’s neurochemical. It reduces cortisol, releases dopamine, and motivates behaviour change. It literally fuels recovery. Here’s what compassionate communication can look like: Validate first: “Your symptoms are real, and what you’re going through sounds incredibly hard.” Normalise complexity: “We don’t fully understand why this happens yet, but we do know your body is reacting to prolonged physiological stress in a very physical way.” Introduce hope carefully: “Many people improve by retraining their nervous system to calm down so that the body can re-engage its own rest and digest healing systems. It’s not psychological, it’s biological learning. Would you like to explore that?” This approach honours suffering without reinforcing helplessness. It gives patients both validation and agency, the twin pillars of recovery. When patients feel believed, their nervous system shifts toward safety. And that physiological safety is the foundation of healing. Because the truth is, recovery isn’t rare. It’s just rarely talked about. Danny’s Story: Finding balance again Another story that moves me deeply is from a client, Danny, who shared his experience publicly. He lived with ME/CFS for six years. He described feeling like “a human husk,” his once active life reduced to surviving each day. After years of trying every supplement and therapy imaginable, Danny found hope through my programme, The Switch, breathwork, and gentle lifestyle shifts to rewire those pathways. He describes his recovery not as instant or perfect, but as steady and self-compassionate: “I’ve stopped trying to perfect everything. Eight out of ten is usually good enough. I quit drinking, cut caffeine, learned to rest without guilt, and now I’m about 95% recovered. Progress isn’t linear, but I’m running 10km again. Health is a work in progress, after all.” Danny’s story shows that recovery isn’t about denying reality, it’s about reshaping it. Read Danny’s full story here . What I do now Through Empower Therapies , I offer a range of programs to help people retrain their nervous systems and rediscover wellness. The First Steps to Recovery : A free 40-minute webinar introducing the five key traps that keep people stuck in illness. Next Steps to Recovery : A practical follow-up program teaching techniques for calming the stress response. The Switch : My flagship live four-day course, teaching the Quick Switch and Deep Switch methods for rewiring neural pathways, releasing stored trauma, and rebuilding health and hope. Closing thoughts: The gift of suffering If I could go back and speak to that 21-year-old girl in the specialist’s office, the one clutching the pamphlet that said “no cure,” I would take her hand and say: This is not the end. You are not broken. You will recover, and one day, you’ll help others do the same. I wouldn’t wish those years of illness on anyone. They were lonely, terrifying, and heartbreaking. But they also gave me the gift of understanding the human body and recovery in ways no textbook ever could. Now, every time I stand in front of a group of doctors or a room full of patients desperate for recovery, I remember that day in the consulting room. And I think, if I can stop even one person from feeling as hopeless as I did, then it was all worth it. Because recovery isn’t a miracle. It’s biology, empathy, and belief working together. And it starts with one powerful idea, healing isn’t something we force, it’s what happens naturally when we switch our nervous system out of survival and back into safety. Follow me on Instagram , and Linkedin for more info! Read more from Mel Abbott Mel Abbott, Therapist in Chronic Illness Recovery Mel Abbott is a mind-body health specialist and founder of The Switch Program. After an 11-year struggle with chronic illness herself, she made a full recovery and has since helped thousands of people worldwide overcome conditions such as ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, CRPS, anxiety, and more, achieving around 80% success rates. She has been voted best speaker at two national GP medical conferences and is a contributor to the Otago Medical School Year 3 handbook, where her insights help shape the next generation of doctors. Mel’s work blends science, compassion, and practical tools to calm the nervous system and unlock the body’s natural healing ability. Her passion is simple yet powerful, recovery is possible!

Written by Jon Addison, Performance Coach Jon Addison is a specialist in surf and snow sports performance. As the founder of Mtnwave Fitness, he provides tailored online fitness coaching for ocean and mountain sports, in addition to organizing adventure coaching tours that integrate his rider-focused training with incredible surf and snow experiences. Being surf fit isn’t just about spending more time in the water. It’s about becoming strong, capable, and pain-free so you can keep performing and progressing in the sport you love for years to come. Surfing demands a unique mix of surf strength training, endurance, mobility, and recovery that few sports can match. It’s not enough to paddle harder or surf more. Your body has to be ready to meet the demands of the ocean day after day, year after year. In the end, it’s about building the kind of physical freedom that lets you surf how you want, when you want, without limits. Whether you’re chasing waves daily or having weekend sessions with friends, fitness is what gives you the freedom to surf with confidence, catch the maximum number of waves, and progress faster. The fitter you are, the longer you last in the lineup, and the more fun you have doing it. In this article, we’ll break down exactly how to tackle your fitness for year-round surfing. If you’re heading off on a surf trip and want some quick, practical tips to get paddle-ready, check out my " Surf Trip Fitness Blueprint to Help You Prep Like a Pro ." If you’re ready for a complete roadmap to set yourself up for your best year of surfing yet, this guide is for you. Why surf fitness became non-negotiable for me Years back, I realised the difference between just surfing and being surf-ready. After long surfs and heavy swells, following long periods out of the water, my body often couldn’t keep up with what the ocean had in store. Shoulder pain, tight hips, and fatigue would creep in every time I got in, all signs that I wasn’t maintaining the fitness needed to perform in the water and enjoy my surfing. I loved the ocean, but I hated feeling like my body was holding me back. After I moved to Hossegor, France, where the waves are relentless and powerful, I quickly learned that surfing rewards physical preparation. When working away, I’m not always in the ocean, and when I make time to train consistently, building strength, mobility, and surf-specific fitness, I can paddle stronger, pop up smoother, and recover faster. But when I don’t, the ocean reminds me quickly that I’m out of my depth again. That’s when I realised training isn’t separate from surfing, it’s what allows you to keep showing up and performing. Surf performance, for me, isn’t about embracing the pain or surfing through it. It’s about building and maintaining the athleticism that allows me to keep performing every time I get in the ocean. Building surf performance for life Surf fitness isn’t one size fits all. The way you train depends on how often you’re surfing and what your body needs between sessions. When the waves are flat or life gets busy, training on land is where you build the foundation that keeps you strong. When the surf is firing and you’re in the water several times a week, the focus shifts to recovery and maintenance. The key is learning how to switch gears, training smart when it’s flat and recovering smart when it’s firing. The following two-phase training approach is how I like to structure my fitness year-round so I can stay surf fit and ready whenever the swell hits. How to train when you’re not surfing much Flat spells or busy times when you're away from the ocean are your chance to build the foundation that carries over when the surf is pumping. This is when you should focus on surf strength training, endurance, and movement prep. Put the time in here, and every paddle out gets easier, every take-off feels sharper, and every session lasts longer. Think of it as your off-season, the time to rebuild, recharge, and come back stronger. Upper body power Surfing begins with paddle power. Use pull-ups, rows, straight-arm band pulls, and Y, T, and W exercises to build the lats, shoulders, and back strength that keep you paddling efficiently. Add push-ups, yoga push-ups, and dumbbell presses to develop the power to drive through duck dives and explode to your feet during your pop-ups. Together, this push-pull balance is what keeps fatigue at bay during long sessions. Lower body strength Once you’re on the wave, your legs and hips do the heavy lifting. Include squats, lunge variations, hip hinges, and single-leg drills to build the stability and power to pump down the line, generate speed, and drive through turns. Try adding accessory exercises like glute bridges and adductor planks to strengthen your stabilisers so you stay rooted to your board even in unstable conditions. Core control Your core links the upper and lower body into one powerful chain. Focus on planks, rotational band work, and back extensions to train your torso to absorb force, transfer energy, and stay stable when you’re rotating through maneuvers. Think of it as the bridge that connects your paddle posture with your wave riding and board control. Cardio endurance Surfing is stop-start by nature, but it demands both stamina and recovery. Use interval training to improve short bursts of effort followed by rest, mimicking the sprint-and-sit rhythm of surfing, so you can recover quickly in the lineup and still have power to go again on the next wave. Then include longer steady-state cardio, like running, rowing, or swimming, to build an aerobic base that prevents you from gassing out halfway through a long paddle. Together, they give you the gears to surf strong from the first wave to the last. Surf movement Strength alone won’t make you move like a surfer. Use yoga exercises to improve flexibility, Animal Flow drills to sharpen coordination, and kettlebell exercises to develop hip drive and power. Try adding sport-specific moves like surf-stance push-ups and rotational lunges to help replicate the transitions you face in the water. I like to combine these into movement training sessions, choosing six to eight exercises, working hard on each for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest for three to four rounds. These sessions can double as your HIIT workouts. The goal isn’t to look athletic, it’s to feel fluid. The more you train like a surfer on land, the better you’ll move in the water. Recovery habits The harder you surf or train, the more recovery matters. Use foam rolling and massage balls to release tight necks, backs, shoulders, and lats. Follow this with long-hold static stretches to restore the tissue to its resting length. Eat balanced meals to refuel and repair, and make sure you sleep well to regenerate for the next session. Sample “out of water” training week Two strength sessions, one interval (HIIT) conditioning day, one steady-state cardio, one surf movement, and at least one recovery day. To capture all this within a week's training can be challenging, so if you're short on time, focus on your deficits and train the areas you're lacking most. How to train when you’re surfing often When the surf is pumping and you’re in the water several times per week, the ocean becomes your training ground. Your priority now isn’t building big fitness gains but maintaining your strength and staying loose and fresh enough to handle repeated sessions. At this point, it’s all about balance, surf hard, recover harder. Mobility and recovery first Regular surf mobility and recovery work keep your shoulders, hips, and spine healthy. Without this, breakdown and fatigue take over quickly. Tailor your recovery sessions to include yoga flows, foam rolling, and long-hold stretches targeting the lats, traps, chest, posterior shoulders, hips, and lower back between sessions to keep your body supple and reduce the risk of paddling pain or stiffness. Even light walks or low-impact activities can help speed up recovery. Light strength and movement circuits When you’re surfing often, heavy gym work can leave you burnt out and flat. Keep it simple. Focus on movement-based flows like in the surf movement sessions mentioned above, but without overloading. Include kettlebell work, Animal Flow, yoga, and surf-specific exercises for sharpness. Structured as short circuits, these sessions aid recovery and complement your time in the water instead of competing with it. Nutrition and sleep If you’re surfing hard, you need input to match the output. Stay well-hydrated and use nutrition to fuel your athleticism. Focus on replenishing energy with non-processed carbohydrates, repairing muscles with ample protein intake, and supporting recovery with plenty of fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats. Most importantly, prioritise getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night so your body can regenerate for back-to-back days in the water. Think of food and sleep as part of your training, not an afterthought. Sample “surf-rich” training week Two to four surf sessions, two mobility and recovery flows, one to two light strength or surf movement sessions (only if you're not surfing all week), and one to two full rest days. Why this two-phase approach works Surfing is unpredictable. Some weeks you’re in the water daily, others you hardly paddle out. Training like a surfer means matching your fitness plan to your surf frequency, knowing when to push and when to pull back. It’s about having a plan to build your base when you’re out of the water. Then, when the waves arrive, shift gears to surf hard, recover well, and keep your body energised and resilient. Train smart, surf often, and let consistency do the rest. This flexible approach keeps you surf fit year-round, ready for every swell, enjoying and progressing session after session. It’s how you stay surf-ready for life instead of getting stuck in surf survival mode. Take the next step in your surfing The fitter you are, the more freedom you’ll have in the surf. You’ll be able to paddle longer, catch more waves, and keep doing what you love without pain or limits for years to come. Use this two-phase guide to stay surf fit and ready for every swell. The ocean will always test you, but with the right training, you’ll always be ready for it. If you want a clear path to follow, our new 30 Days/30 Ways Surf Fit Series is now available. It’s designed to give you practical tips and proven strategies to build the strength, endurance, and confidence you need in the surf. No guesswork, just methods that help you catch more waves, recover faster, and surf pain-free. Click here to join our 30 Days/30 Ways Surf Fit Series. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jon Addison Jon Addison, Performance Coach Jon Addison is a performance coach, surf and snowboard instructor, and former snowboard athlete specializing in fitness, rehab, and readiness for ocean and mountain sports. As the founder of Mtnwave Fitness, he helps athletes and enthusiasts overcome frustrations, plateaus, and pain through personalized coaching programs designed to elevate their performance. Jon’s own journey of injury recovery and sustainable fitness has fueled his commitment to helping others unlock their potential. With a focus on functional movement and sport-oriented fitness, he is dedicated to helping riders reclaim and enhance their abilities in surf and snow sports.

In a world flooded with trends and quick fixes, Dr. Oksana Didyk stands out as a strategist who blends intellect with intuition. With a PhD in Political Branding and a passion for cultural storytelling, she helps organizations find clarity, connect with their purpose, and build brands that resonate deeply across cultures and industries. Oksana Didyk, Strategist, PhD in Political Branding, Author Who is Oksana Didyk? Introduce yourself. I’m Oksana (but also go by Roxana or Sana, depending on where I live or work), a strategic consultant, PhD in Political Branding, writer, and cultural translator who believes that real strategy lives somewhere between the head and the heart. I grew up in Ukraine, studied and worked in the Middle East, and eventually landed in Copenhagen, so I often feel like a bridge between worlds. My work centers on helping solopreneurs, think tanks, and mission-driven organizations turn complexity into clarity, especially when crossing cultural borders. I’ve been lucky to work with companies of all sizes, from global giants to beautifully niche projects. After almost fourteen years in consulting, I can say it openly: I like companies with a concept, something that means something. “Cosmopolitan” is probably the word that best describes me. I don’t like boxes, that’s why I live between marketing and science, between regions, between ideas. My book The Master Watching Over, published in August 2025, blends customer insight, leadership theory, and political branding. It explores how everything around us, from what we eat to what we watch, shapes the choices we make, often in ways we don’t notice. Being a published writer, I am also an unashamed reader, from dense research on political marketing to love stories and children’s books in Danish (which, honestly, helped me learn the language faster than any textbook). When I’m not consulting or writing, I’m probably curating playlists, getting lost in philosophy, or sneaking out to a Copenhagen café to people-watch. I love weaving narrative, emotion, and structure together and occasionally bending the rules. At heart, I’m a strategist with a poet’s soul: grounded, curious, and unafraid of beautiful contradictions.   What makes your approach different from others in your field? Everyone sees branding from their own angle: designers focus on visuals, marketers chase trends, and psychologists study emotion. I see branding as a complex strategic exercise that demands both sophisticated knowledge and the sensitivity to turn it into something people actually understand, trust, and respond to. I’ve been fortunate to work with business unions, chambers of commerce, and organizations from industries that could hardly be more different, from heavy industry to education and culture. That diversity taught me to recognize hidden patterns beneath systems that are entirely different. I come from the worlds of science and NGOs, so I understand the client categories that many consultants with purely commercial backgrounds struggle to serve. And because I’ve also worked with artists, actors, and athletes, my approach blends analytical precision with creative intuition, structure with soul. Besides, everybody today is a “branding advisor,” but very few have done the deep work, worked in diverse industries, or have a clear understanding of the effective process and the tool choice. I also wrote and defended a 300-page PhD dissertation on branding and cultural narratives, but what really defines me is curiosity, the ability to listen across disciplines, and turn complexity into something people can feel. That’s what makes my approach unique: I build strategies that bridge worlds, academic and commercial, artistic and institutional, and at those intersections, real clarity emerges.   What’s the biggest challenge your clients face, and how do you solve it? Most of my clients come to me in a state of overload. They’re expected to be strategic, creative, digital, and data-driven all at once. They’re bombarded by advice from every side: investors pushing for growth, marketing teams chasing trends, consultants preaching best practices that don’t always match reality. It’s exhausting. Many end up losing touch with what made their organization meaningful in the first place. They’re also under enormous pressure to follow whatever the market claims is “working” right now, even if it’s not the right fit for their category, size, or audience maturity. That’s how so many good ideas get diluted before they even have a chance to breathe. My role is to slow things down and bring the signal back through the noise. I use analytical tools to uncover the actual decision drivers, the patterns, tensions, and emotional cues that define their ecosystem, and then translate those insights into something human and actionable. Together, we rebuild from the inside out: precise positioning, consistent story logic, and emotional architecture that makes sense to both the boardroom and the customer. One recent client saw their visibility triple when we reshaped their stakeholder strategy, transforming their network and even their audience into active brand advocates. It’s less about fixing and more about reconnecting with their own voice, their values, and the people who want to hear from them.   What do people most misunderstand about your industry or service? One of the biggest misconceptions is that branding is decoration, just logos, colors, and slogans. In reality, branding is anthropology, psychology, and emotional architecture. It’s the invisible scaffolding that holds everything together, from how people make decisions to how they remember you. Another misunderstanding is that strategy is something only big corporations can afford, too expensive, too abstract, or too academic for smaller players. In fact, it’s the opposite. The smaller the organization, the more critical clarity becomes. When you have focus, you don’t need a massive budget to make a big impact. And there’s another quiet myth, that strategy ends with the plan. I believe that’s where it actually begins. Real strategy breathes. It evolves, listens, and adjusts. My goal isn’t to make clients dependent on consulting. It’s to help them understand their own system, so they can grow at their own rhythm. Some want rapid scaling; others prefer sustainable depth. I teach them how to fish, not just how to eat. The best compliment is when a client no longer needs me, because that means the strategy has become theirs.   Where do you see your industry heading, and how are you preparing clients? I believe we’re entering the age of quiet power. The marketing megaphone era is fading. The next frontier is resonance brands that don’t shout but draw people in through meaning, consistency, and emotional truth. AI and automation are quickly taking over tactical marketing. But machines still can’t replicate the one thing that truly moves people, narrative intuition, cultural sensitivity, and moral positioning. Those are the muscles I train my clients to flex. Another clear tendency, which is now new but still very relevant, is the shift from product thinking to concept thinking. In the time-and-attention economy, people no longer have patience for brands that only sell. If your concept isn’t clear, if you don’t solve a real problem or offer an experience that feels alive, your audience won’t enter the funnel. The brands that will thrive are those that stand for an idea and make it tangible in everything they do. I also see a rise in ethical awareness and emotional literacy, clients and audiences alike want to understand not just what a company does, but why it exists. And as someone who has worked across regions and sectors, I know how culture shapes that “why.” That’s why my clients don’t just build market-entry strategies anymore, they build relational ecosystems: how to talk, listen, and adapt across audiences and systems. My work helps them feel seen, speak nuance, and become bridges between worlds. That, I believe, is where the future of strategy truly begins, not in selling louder, but in meaning deeper. Follow me on LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Oksana Didyk

Written by Mel Abbott, Therapist in Chronic Illness Recovery Mel Abbott is a mind-body health specialist and founder of The Switch Program, a pioneering approach that helps people recover from chronic illnesses such as ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, CRPS, anxiety, and many other conditions. Have you been told that your illness is incurable and that you’ll “just have to live with it?” For 11 years, I lived with an “incurable” chronic illness, too. I saw multiple specialists, tried every treatment I could find, spent $100,000, but nothing worked. And then, I recovered! The key to chronic illness recovery is understanding why you became so ill in the first place, and then addressing the underlying cause. There are five main causes that keep people stuck in long-term illness. The good news is that each one has a way out. Let’s explore them! 1. The physiological stress response The number one underlying cause of chronic illness is when your body is stuck in a physiological stress response. This isn’t just “feeling stressed”, it’s a full-body survival mode. Your body pumps blood and energy to your heart, lungs, and limbs so you can run fast from a tiger. That’s lifesaving. The problem is that modern tiger situations go on for decades instead of seconds. Mortgages, early childhood trauma, work stress, and even the stress of living with an illness all cause your body to stay in an elevated stress response for too long. It takes huge amounts of energy to keep your body fired up, ready to fight or flee, and all that energy must come from somewhere. It gets “stolen” from your immune system, digestion, hormones, reproductive system, detox pathways, and even your brain. Over months or years, this stress “lock” can trigger migraines, gut issues, autoimmune disorders, fertility struggles, chronic fatigue, and more. It also causes POTS and restless leg syndrome, those organs are being constantly over-fueled, so they race too fast. Infertility recovery I once had a client who had 11 miscarriages in a row. The more miscarriages she had, the more stressed she became. When she learned how to calm her nervous system, she conceived again and went full term. Your body must be calm to have the resources available to grow a baby. Celiac recovery I’ve worked with several clients with Celiac Disease. That’s “incurable,” right? They learned how to calm their systems, allowing natural repair. When they did follow-up endoscopies, their amazed doctors gave them the all-clear. Your body is a powerful self-healing mechanism Your job is to create the right conditions, to calm your system enough so that natural healing becomes possible. 2. Bad neural habits Do you scan your body constantly, predicting what will hurt or make you tired? Habits aren’t just what you do, they’re how your brain wires itself. When illness becomes chronic, the brain can get stuck in “loops,” sending illness messages long after the original trigger is gone.  Chronic pain recovery Take chronic pain, for example. Around 75% of amputees experience pain in a limb they no longer have. That’s because the pain isn’t coming from the limb, it’s coming from the brain’s pain centre. I’ve seen clients avoid spinal surgery simply by rewiring their thoughts about pain, altering predictions of what will hurt, and breaking old neurological loops. Multiple sclerosis recovery I had a client with multiple sclerosis (MS). She said, “My whole body burns all of the time”. We recalibrated this statement to “a third of my body is sore a quarter of the time”, which she was surprised to realise was more accurate. And do you know what happened next? Her pain levels shot down to about 20% of what they had been at the start of this conversation! By a week after the course finished, she had thrown away her electric leg stimulator and could walk her children to school.  Does this mean that MS is not real? No! Her illness was real. The myelin sheath around her nerves had diminished, but calming the physiological stress response and shifting the bad habits allowed her body to go into a calm state that allowed healing of her neural pathways.  3. Unresolved trauma A trapped emotion is an unprocessed feeling that the body continues to hold long after the original event is over. If the healing response is interrupted or suppressed, the leftover tension is stored as body memory. Over time, these stored emotions can contribute to chronic conditions.  Related article – How to release past trauma from the body. Fibromyalgia recovery A client’s fibromyalgia had gotten w orse each time her ex-husband had physically attacked her. As we worked together to release the trauma, her pain dropped by around 30% with each memory released until she said, “All my pain is gone!”. It never came back. Endometriosis recovery A client suffered from endometriosis so severely that she was bedridden for five days each month. Working with her inner child to release sexual abuse trauma made a profound difference. To her astonishment, her very next cycle was pain-free. She later became pregnant, something her doctor said was impossible. 4. Lifestyle factors Health isn’t just about what’s happening inside your body and mind, it’s also shaped by your environment and daily habits. The science of well-being research has identified 12 key factors that strongly influence well-being, diet, exercise, good-quality sleep, sunlight, downtime, fun, a positive work environment, having purpose, deep social connection, helping others, participation in spiritual or community life, and intimacy.  Repetitive strain injury recovery One client had been on three months of sick leave due to RSI in his wrist. During ' The Switch ' , he realised that he had spent the entire three months playing computer games, using a mouse for hours every day, with no pain at all. The real problem? He hated his job. Once he changed careers, his pain disappeared completely. Multiple chemical sensitivities recovery A client suffered from multiple chemical sensitivities so severe that he thought he’d have to leave his city life entirely. During 'The Switch', he discovered that his reactions weren’t caused by chemicals or Wi-Fi, he was reacting to ongoing tension in his marriage. Once he worked through his relationship challenges, all his symptoms disappeared, and he was comfortable living in the city again. 5. Beliefs If you believe your condition is incurable, you are less likely to seek solutions or to be open-minded to solutions that you read about. You are also more likely to be depressed and feel helpless, which affects your hormone balance and can further deplete your well-being. Many of my clients report improvements to their symptoms just from applying for 'The Switch' before they actually attend it. This surprises them, but it doesn’t surprise me. Getting hope for recovery is a powerful way to start shifting hormone balance, lower stress levels, change neural pathway wiring, and generally start creating better well-being. ME/CFS recovery For decades, ME/CFS has been trapped in a narrative of hopelessness, that it’s an incurable, lifelong condition with no effective treatment. But this perspective is not only outdated, it’s being actively challenged by both patients who are recovering and a new wave of integrative research.   Related article: Research into effective treatments for ME/CFS I have seen hundreds of ME/CFS clients recover. It is very possible! Like with MS, recovery does not mean that the condition was not real and physical in the first place. It’s about putting the body into a physiological state where it can heal a physical condition. Anxiety recovery A nine-year-old boy was diagnosed by a psychiatrist with anxiety and told that he was incurable. What a terrible message to give to anyone, let alone a 9-year-old! The biggest part of my job was to break down the belief that the doctor had given him. “But it’s incurable. The doctor told me”, he kept saying. Finally, I managed to help him shed that belief, and it was amazing how fast he then recovered from anxiety. He bounced into the psychiatrist's office to show him what he had achieved. The surprised doctor initially congratulated him, but then made a terrible remark, “Your changes may not last.” His mother said she watched her son’s shoulders slump, his head lower, and he became very quiet. By the time they got back to the car, he was anxious again. We had to work through this new belief together, and then he was calm. Thankfully, his mother chose not to make any more follow-up visits to that psychiatrist! What you believe creates your reality Challenge limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones. When the mind believes recovery is possible, the body often follows.  Solutions for chronic illness recovery Calm your stress response: Teach your nervous system that the tiger is gone. Breathing exercises, yin yoga, slow walking, mindfulness, meditation, and brain retraining programmes are all helpful. Change your thinking habits: There are many brain retraining programmes to help you stop recycling illness messages. My programme is called 'The Switch'. There are books such as Unlearn Your Pain, though guided, structured programmes can offer more personalised strategies. Release unresolved trauma: There are many 1-1 methods to release trapped emotions safely, EMDR and The Journey are both well-regarded. 'The Switch' is one of the only brain retraining programmes that has techniques specifically for releasing past trauma, which you can then use yourself afterwards for ongoing emotional release.  Address your lifestyle : Take an honest inventory of your lifestyle and environment. Aligning your daily life with well-being principles can shift your body and nervous system back into balance, supporting long-term recovery. Challenge faulty beliefs: Don’t let yourself do any more doom scrolling. Follow recovery stories and logical information about recovery, rather than focusing on negative information. Shift your beliefs so that you are ready for recovery. Attend a free webinar: Visit here  to sign up for a free 40-minute webinar “First Steps to Recovery” so that you can learn more about how stress affects well-being and how to catch those illness thinking patterns. Sign up for a webinar package: At Empower Therapies , I offer a range of webinar packages  to suit your health needs and your budget. These range from two hours to a comprehensive 6-week programme. Attend 'The Switch' programme: 'The Switch' is the deluxe approach to chronic illness recovery since it is fully live training with me. It is four days in a small group setting, attended in-person or online. It covers all the components of chronic illness recovery and has extensive follow-up. Around 80% of participants repor t great results, despite 75% of them having been told by doctors that they are incurable. Recovery is possible It may have felt like there would never be a way out of chronic illness, but for most of the people I see, chronic illness recovery is a reality! Start finding your hope again. There is usually a way out! Follow me on Instagram , Linkedin , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Mel Abbott Mel Abbott, Therapist in Chronic Illness Recovery Mel Abbott is a mind-body health specialist and founder of The Switch Program. After an 11-year struggle with chronic illness herself, she made a full recovery and has since helped thousands of people worldwide overcome conditions such as ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, CRPS, anxiety, and more, achieving around 80% success rates. She has been voted best speaker at two national GP medical conferences and is a contributor to the Otago Medical School Year 3 handbook, where her insights help shape the next generation of doctors. Mel’s work blends science, compassion, and practical tools to calm the nervous system and unlock the body’s natural healing ability. Her passion is simple yet powerful, recovery is possible!

Written by Alesha Marie Lange, Transformational Healing Coach Alesha Lange is a recognized leader in the healing and self-development space and co-founder of Divine Time Healing, a heart-centered wellness business. She uses her clairvoyant gifts to channel messages from clients' spirit teams, helping them gain clarity and reconnect with their true selves. For centuries, the concept of divination has been clouded by fear, misunderstanding, and cultural misinterpretation. Many people still associate it with superstition or darkness, something to be avoided, distrusted, or dismissed as “evil.” But the truth is far more beautiful. Divination, when understood in its purest form, is not about summoning external forces or controlling fate. It is a sacred language, a way of listening to the Divine presence that already lives within us. At its core, divination is a spiritual practice of connection. It is a bridge between the conscious and the subconscious, the seen and the unseen, the human and the Divine. Throughout history, nearly every spiritual tradition has used some form of divination, whether through prayer, dreams, meditation, or symbolic tools, to seek guidance from the higher power that transcends yet exists within all things. What society often calls “mystical” or “supernatural” is, in truth, profoundly natural. Understanding the true nature of divination Divination is not about predicting the future, it is about gaining clarity in the present. When used with integrity, it becomes a mirror, reflecting your inner state, your emotions, your choices, and the energy surrounding your path. Tarot cards, pendulums, oracle decks, runes, or other spiritual tools are not magical objects in themselves, they are instruments that help focus intention, intuition, and awareness. Think of divination as a conversation with the universe. Just as prayer allows you to speak to God, divination allows you to listen. It provides insight into the questions your soul is already asking. The guidance that comes forward is not foreign, it’s the wisdom of your higher self, echoed back through symbols, imagery, and intuitive messages. When people experience divination in this way, they often describe a feeling of peace, clarity, or even Divine recognition, as though a part of them that was quiet for too long has finally been heard. Releasing the fear and misconceptions The fear surrounding divination often comes from misunderstanding. Many have been taught that divination is inherently dark or “demonic.” But the essence of darkness in spirituality is separation, the belief that we are disconnected from God or the Divine source. Divination, on the other hand, reminds us of our connection. It doesn’t pull us away from God, it pulls us closer. The negative stereotypes stem largely from cultural conditioning. For generations, society has labeled intuitive gifts as dangerous or forbidden, especially when they empower individuals to seek Divine guidance without intermediaries. Yet, the truth is that divination honors free will. It encourages personal reflection and spiritual independence, not dependency or fear. When approached with reverence and discernment, divination becomes an act of love, a way of seeking truth and understanding. It’s not about controlling outcomes or forcing destiny. It’s about co-creating with the Divine flow of life, learning to trust your intuition, and honoring the lessons that unfold along your path. How I use divination in healing At Divine Time Healing, I incorporate divination as a sacred part of my work with clients. Through intuitive tarot and energy readings, I connect with the energetic field of the individual to uncover what their soul is trying to communicate in the present moment. These readings are not about fortune-telling, they are about awareness. Often, clients come to me seeking clarity in areas like relationships, emotional healing, personal growth, or life purpose. The cards and intuitive messages act as a spiritual map, helping them see where their energy is aligned, where it’s blocked, and what they can shift to create balance and fulfillment. Divination allows me to tune into the emotional and energetic layers that words alone can’t always reach. It reveals patterns, suppressed feelings, and intuitive insights that can support emotional healing and self-discovery. When combined with mindfulness, spiritual coaching, and subconscious healing techniques, it becomes a powerful catalyst for transformation. A sacred language of the soul Divination is not a trick, nor is it entertainment, it’s a form of spiritual communication. Every reading is a conversation between your human experience and your higher consciousness. It allows you to see yourself through the eyes of compassion and truth. In this sense, divination is a sacred language. It speaks through intuition, symbols, and energy. And just like any language, it must be practiced with integrity and love. A true reader does not seek control or validation, they seek to guide, illuminate, and empower. When we open ourselves to this sacred practice, we begin to experience life with deeper awareness. We notice synchronicities. We listen to our intuition more closely. We make choices aligned with our highest good. That is the light within divination, it helps us see clearly, live consciously, and walk with faith instead of fear. Walking in the light It’s time to release the old narratives that painted divination as something to fear. In truth, it is a Divine gift, a way of reconnecting to the infinite source of wisdom within us. When used with intention and heart, it becomes a tool for healing, guidance, and spiritual awakening. Divination isn’t dark. It’s the gentle light that helps us see ourselves, our paths, and the Divine more clearly. It’s a reminder that God, Spirit, or Source has never been separate from us, only waiting for us to listen. At Divine Time Healing, every reading and session is rooted in that principle, to guide, to uplift, and to remind others that the light they seek has always been within. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Alesha Marie Lange Alesha Marie Lange, Transformational Healing Coach Raised in a challenging and often chaotic household, Alesha Lange experienced parental divorce at a young age and grew up with emotionally immature parenting. She faced childhood bullying, neglect, and trauma, including deep feelings of abandonment, and later encountered narcissistic abuse in both family and romantic relationships. As a neurodivergent individual, she has navigated life with CPTSD, depression, BPD, and anxiety. Today, Alesha is dedicated to breaking generational trauma cycles and transforming her pain into purpose. Her journey of healing has inspired her to help others reclaim their power and live more authentic, liberated lives.

Written by Nicolas Grebenkine, CEO of Aetsoft Nicolas Grebenkine is CEO of Aetsoft, an emerging tech software services company. As an investor and an entrepreneur, he’s launched 10+ products across AI, blockchain, fintech, and sustainable energy. Recognized in international accelerators, he now helps startups attract venture capital and scale globally. Alternative financing makes it easier to raise traditional investments. As an investment manager, I’ve seen hundreds of pitches. Some were great, some were not. But I’ve learned what makes me invest, and that later helped me raise financing for my 10 products. So here’s what I know about financing startups.  Today, we’ll focus on the early stages of the startup financing cycle, seed capital or even what comes before that. We’ll see how alternative financing options help avoid the valley of death in the beginning.  Preseed stage, do your homework Before we dive into alternative financing options, let’s get the fundamentals right. Any startup, by definition, has ambitious goals, but they have to survive while finding a working model. The number one thing that kills a startup is the end of the runway. But without outside investment now, you can experiment as much as possible early on. Before hiring employees, you need to answer these questions: Who needs this? Define your core user segment as specifically as possible. How do they currently handle the problem?  How large is the potential market? Is the idea feasible? Assess whether you can build the product with available skills, technology, and time. What should the unit economy be? Do the math, how much it costs to acquire a customer and what each is worth over time. Are people ready to pay for the value? Build an MVP to find out.  You can test a single hypothesis with only $500 for most SaaS. In most cases, you only need a landing page and some digital marketing skills to run the ads. Stripe started with a “seven lines of code” payment API that let developers accept cards instantly.  Your solution can’t be so simple? Robinhood started with just a waiting list for commission-free trading. They gained 10,000 signups on day one and a million waiting users by the end of the first year. Seed stage – Start small, grow bigger At the seed stage, you begin attracting outside capital. Unless you’ve already built a unicorn, raising money on reputation alone will be an uphill battle. For most founders, meaningful investment comes once they have a functioning MVP.  Fortunately, by now you should have solid evidence from the pre‑seed phase: A clear picture of your target audience and their needs A view of your competitors and market gap A defined total addressable market A realistic project plan and funding requirements Basic unit economics showing potential profitability Early traction and results from your MVP If you have convincing answers to these, start approaching angels. Don’t try to skip the seed stage by continuing to bootstrap. Investors like to co‑invest, and each new backer strengthens the signal of market demand. If you’re the only person funding your company, it’s harder to convince future VCs that others see value in it. Your customers are often the best early investors. They’ve already validated your product with their wallets and enthusiasm. So if they’re willing to invest personal money, that’s a powerful signal for future rounds. Most startups begin with several small checks before finding a lead investor. You might attract multiple angels investing $5,000-$25,000 each, totaling under $500,000. Angels typically invest through convertible notes or SAFE agreements. Since your company doesn’t yet have a formal valuation, these instruments act as short‑term loans that convert into equity once a lead investor prices the round.  So why choose alternative financing options  Did you notice a gap in traditional financing? Here’s a hint, you’re missing retail investors. Startup financing starts from low to high. First, you attract friends & family, then angel investors, and only then do you unlock VC funds.  Then why did we not mention really small checks? A hundred dollars, not five thousand. Sure, angels are wealthy individuals, they may have little interest in investing pocket change. But what about the general public? Retail investors might be very interested in fractional investment. But they face more limitations. In the U.S., there are Blue Sky laws to protect retail investors from fraud. They also require disclosures, limits, and/or intermediaries.  I’m simplifying, but there are 3 main ways to raise from the general public in the US:  IPO . Obviously not applicable at the seed stage. Regulation A (Reg A) .  A “mini‑IPO” framework that allows public fundraising with audited disclosures and ongoing reporting. It’s powerful but also very expensive for an early stage. Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) .  An exemption designed for early‑stage raises with lower limits and simpler filings. Note, that Reg CF is for equity crowdfunding. Investors receive a security (e.g., a SAFE, note, or share), not just perks.  There are limitations as well, but equity crowdfunding and crowdsourcing are viable ways to raise capital from the general public.  Some limitations founders should know: Intermediary required. You must run the raise through a registered funding portal or broker-dealer. One option would be a white-label STO platform . Raise cap. You can raise up to $5 million within a 12‑month period. Investor limits. Retail investors have annual caps based on income/net worth. Marketing rules. Communications are constrained, most solicitations must route to the portal and remain consistent with filed disclosures. Plan your campaign around these rules. Resale restrictions. Securities sold under Reg CF are generally restricted from resale for a year (with some exemptions) before secondary trading is possible. Get leverage before a priced round When you approach Series A, your company should look at its best. VC investors operate on FOMO. They have no reason to finance your company except that they fear missing the next breakout success. Once your bank balance gets low, you lose all negotiating power. If you’ve reached the end of your runway, it means that no one else was willing to support you while you still had momentum. So why should new investors step in now?  It’s a paradox, but the healthier your company looks without VC money, the more VC wants in. Alternative financing can give you leverage. Or, if you’re already at the end of your runway, you can get some breathing room. Rather than waiting endlessly for a lead VC, you can bring in hundreds of smaller checks to reach your next milestone. Key advantages: Extra runway. Raise 3-9 months of capital to keep growing without losing momentum. Higher valuation later. Hitting one or two key milestones can double your valuation before you negotiate with institutional investors. Operational simplicity. Using standard instruments (like Crowd SAFEs) or tokenized contracts keeps your cap table manageable while cutting legal overhead. By the time you’re ready for a priced round, you’ll have stronger metrics, more leverage, and a larger audience of believers who already backed you. Build a community of owners Again, your customers are the best first investors. They already buy your product and believe in your mission.  When people own a part of your company, they behave differently. They have an incentive to recruit others on board. Every token holder becomes part of your growth loop. So a crowdfunding campaign is also a marketing campaign.  Key advantages: Higher retention. Owners don’t churn, they care about what they helped build. Built-in marketing. Every investor has an incentive to spread the story. Sharper insights. They think like customers but advise like partners. The future of alternative financing Equity crowdfunding is just one piece of a much bigger picture. Over the last few years, a new wave of financing models has been reshaping how startups and investors interact.  And even if you don’t always see it in the headlines, the same technology quietly powers most of them, tokenization. We’re talking about more than just equity rounds. Today, companies can unlock cash through all sorts of creative, digital-first tools: Tokenized debt – loans or bonds issued as on-chain assets, repayment flows stay transparent and can be traded. Invoice funding – a company sells invoices as fractional tokens to investors, gaining instant liquidity without taking on new debt. Revenue-based financing – founders raise capital in return for a fixed share of future revenue, with payments tracked through smart contracts. Asset-backed lending – real estate, renewable energy projects, or intellectual property become tokenized assets that serve as collateral or investment products. Tokenization ties it all together. It standardizes how ownership, debt, and cash flow move between people and platforms. It makes once-opaque private markets faster, cheaper, and more trustworthy. Even when a platform doesn’t call itself “blockchain-based,” there’s often tokenization under the hood handling compliance, ownership records, and settlement with quiet precision. This shift isn’t theoretical anymore. The tokenized finance market is growing fast, connecting private markets to digital rails and lowering the cost of trust for everyone involved. For startups, that means more ways to raise capital without losing control. Want to learn more about how digital assets transform modern finance? Visit Aetsoft. Follow me on LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Nicolas Grebenkine Nicolas Grebenkine, CEO of Aetsoft Nicolas Grebenkine is an entrepreneur, blockchain pioneer, and CEO of Aetsoft. Starting as an Investment Manager, he built expertise in spotting opportunities for emerging technologies: AI, blockchain, IoT. He has overseen the creation of 10+ in-house products, several featured in international accelerators. He now leads Aetsoft, a software company that delivers complex emerging tech solutions for enterprises and startups.

Written by Joanne Angel Barry Colon, Certified Wholistic Personal Trainer, Intuitive Healer & Cosmic Energy Reader Joanne Angel Barry Colon has 30+ years in the health, fitness, and wellness industry. She is the Wholistic Fitness owner located in NY Queens, certified holistic personal trainer, intuitive healer, cosmic energy reader, student of Astrology, Master of Numerology, and Creator of Chakra Balance Numerology Cosmic Energy Forecast Deck. Did you know that in theory, 1+1 = 11 and represents two leaders working side by side, building a masterpiece? The whole month of November carries this energy due to it being the eleventh month. According to numerology, the number eleven is known as the Master, Teacher, and Healer, and anyone born in November carries the magnetic energy of a healer and teacher. This could be the traditional school teacher, nurse, or doctor, or the metaphysical teachers, acupuncturists, sound healers, chiropractors, and herbal medicine practitioners. Anyone born in November carries the Sun energy in Scorpio or Sagittarius, and those born on 11/11 or 11/29 have agreed to pursue their relationships in mastery. In astrology, Scorpio represents intensity, passion, the shadow, and transformation, often associated with secrecy, power, and emotional depth. It is a fixed water sign ruled traditionally by Mars (action and desire) and, in modern astrology, by Pluto (death and rebirth). Scorpios are known for being resourceful, determined, and fearless in confronting life's cycles of death and regeneration. Scorpios are always transforming. Sagittarius represents the free-spirited explorer, symbolized by the archer (centaur) aiming for the heavens. Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign, representing adaptability and change. Ruled by the planet Jupiter, Sagittarius is associated with optimism, adventure, philosophy, higher learning, and expansion. Key traits include a thirst for knowledge and experience, and a love of freedom. Below are important dates to remember: November 2 – Daylight Saving Time November 4 – Mars enters Sagittarius (Nov 4–Dec 15). This transit influences energy and action by injecting a sense of purpose and a drive to expand horizons. It’s a time to pursue big goals, embrace new experiences, and act on beliefs with greater urgency. November 5 – Full Moon in Taurus. A time for stability and accepting change as part of your life. Embrace self-respect so you do not seek material things. Accepting yourself as you are helps you find peace in the outside world. November 6 – Venus enters Scorpio (Nov 6–30). A time for deep, passionate relationships. The fear of being too vulnerable is powerful during this cycle. We are deeply engaged in pleasure, activities, projects, and art. Things that are profound, mysterious, or unusual can be more appealing now. During this cycle, finances improve when working in partnership. Be open to unexpected opportunities. November 7 – Uranus backspins into Taurus after spending four months in Gemini. It will transit Taurus from November 6 through February 3, 2026, and move forward into Gemini on April 25, 2026, where it will transit for the next eight years. Uranus in Taurus is a period of radical and sudden changes to foundational areas of life like money, values, security, and material possessions. This cycle is known as the “Great Awakening.” November 9 – Mercury in Sagittarius slows down during its retrograde. It’s a time to reassess beliefs, conversations, personal philosophies, goals, and long-term plans. On November 18, Mercury backspins into Scorpio, helping us reassess subconscious thoughts, confront our fears, and examine relationships. During this cycle, misunderstandings, delays, and technical issues may occur. November 11 (11/11) – Make a wish. Jupiter in Cancer goes retrograde (Nov 11–Mar 11, 2026). During this period, it’s a chance to reflect on your personal growth, adjust your goals, and consider what “family,” “security,” and “feeling at home in your body” mean to you, allowing you to make adjustments once Jupiter becomes direct again. November 21 – The Sun enters Sagittarius. A time for freedom, higher learning, adventure, and thinking outside the box. November 27 – Saturn in Pisces goes direct, helping us reestablish boundaries, build stronger foundations, and turn our dreams into structured reality. It’s a time for deep spiritual transformation. Saturn moves forward into Aries on February 13, 2026, through April 12, 2028. November 29 – Mercury in Scorpio goes direct and moves forward into Sagittarius on December 11, 2025. Learning how to navigate through Scorpio and Sagittarius season can help you manifest your intentions at a faster pace. Mention this article when booking your Intuitive Cosmic Energy Session to receive a special gift. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Joanne Angel Barry Colon Joanne Angel Barry Colon, Certified Wholistic Personal Trainer, Intuitive Healer & Cosmic Energy Reader Joanne Angel Barry Colon has 30+ years in the health, fitness, and wellness industry. She is the Wholistic Fitness owner located in NY Queens, certified holistic personal trainer, intuitive healer, cosmic energy reader, student of Astrology, Master of Numerology, and Creator of Chakra Balance Numerology Cosmic Energy Forecast Deck. She is the Host of Joanne's Healing Within T.V Show and Joanne's Cosmic Energy Radio Show and Author/Self-Publisher. Joanne's mission is to help women (men by referral) release issues from their tissues as they release emotional weight and fall in love with themselves while witnessing their transformation of being the best version of themselves.

The I Am Ready Podcast , hosted by Success and Transformation Coach Indre Ratkele, is back for its second season, streaming on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Podbean , Listen   Notes , Podchaser ,  and YouTube . Season 2 continues to inspire personal growth, resilience, and self-discovery, featuring global experts and inspiring individuals sharing actionable strategies and heartfelt stories. Listeners are guided to overcome life’s challenges, embrace their potential, and step confidently into their best selves. Host’s personal journey: Turning challenges into purpose "My life has been full of ups and downs, moments of self-doubt, struggles with judgment, and even battles with addictions," says Indre Ratkele. "Through it all, I realized that every experience, every lesson, every challenge is given to us not to waste, but to grow wiser, stronger, and better. I didn’t want to let my experiences go to waste, I wanted to build something meaningful and help millions of people worldwide." "I also understand that everyone faces different challenges, traumas, and setbacks. That’s why I created Season 2 of the I Am Ready Podcast, to bring together experts and inspiring individuals from around the world so that everyone can find a piece of their own story in others, feel motivated, inspired, and supported, and take steps toward healing and personal growth." Season 2 highlights: Expert voices, real stories Season 2 starts with featured guests such as: Reah Hagues: Parenting and Relationship Coach, author, and podcaster, empowering families to strengthen connections and cultivate resilience. Matthew D. Hutcheson: Former advisor to two U.S. Presidents, helping people turn adversity into growth, purpose, and impact. Catherine Gallacher: Global Mental Health Trainer and Senior Accredited Psychotherapist, equipping individuals and organizations to build confidence, navigate challenges, and thrive through change. The season also includes many other inspiring voices from around the world, appearing in upcoming episodes, offering diverse perspectives and experiences. Each episode blends practical strategies with heartfelt stories, giving listeners actionable tools for personal transformation, self-discovery, and lasting growth. Availability and engagement: Join the conversation Season 2 is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Listen Notes, Podchaser, and YouTube. Listeners are encouraged to share their own stories and potentially appear as podcast guests via the “Apply Here” link. Related offerings: Extend your journey In addition to the podcast, Indre Ratkele offers the I Am Ready personal development course, designed to help individuals cultivate clarity, confidence, and resilience through structured growth practices. Learn more and access resources here . About the I Am Ready podcast: A safe space for growth I Am Ready is a supportive platform for personal growth, healing, and embracing life’s changes. Each episode invites listeners to step into the unknown, sometimes challenging, sometimes transformative, to uncover opportunities for growth and empowerment. Through inspiring conversations and actionable strategies, the podcast helps listeners navigate challenges, heal past experiences, and move confidently toward their best selves. Media contact Indre Ratkele Success & Transformation Coach contact@indreratkele.com https://www.i-amready.com

Shivashanker Kanugula is a technology entrepreneur and founder of RegionalReach Limited, an AI-powered platform connecting creators with businesses. With a Master's in Advanced Computer Science from Cardiff Metropolitan University, he has three years of professional development experience and has achieved notable performance improvements in production systems. He's built a strong presence in the developer community through educational content articles, with several receiving official recognition and sharing by platform administrators. He mentors junior developers through workshops and maintains resource platforms for international customers. His current platform achieved promising early adoption with 170+ creator registrations during its initial trial phase. Currently advancing through Stage 2 development with sophisticated AI integration, RegionalReach is positioned for transformative global impact with its official February 2026 launch Shiva Shanker Kanugula, Full-stack Developer What inspired you to begin your journey as a technology transformation coach and platform builder? COVID-19 was actually a turning point for me. While everyone at Vaagdevi Engineering College was worried about cancelled placements, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to prove that remote work could be just as effective. I immediately started applying for work-from-home positions and landed a data analyst role at Nexus Software Systems right during lockdown. That experience taught me something important, if you have the right skills and determination, your location doesn't define your potential. The real transformation began when I moved into backend development at Infinite Tech Solutions. I wasn't just writing code, I was solving actual business problems. I realized technology could be a powerful tool for creating real change. While working as a backend developer, I started preparing for full-stack technologies and created an Instagram page that's now grown to 111K followers. This led me to pursue my Master's at Cardiff Metropolitan University. While doing my Master's, I got my first major client project, Warangal Market. Successfully launching it on both App Store and Play Store gave me tremendous confidence in my abilities. After completing my Master's, I began documenting my technical journey through writing. I published 250+ technical articles on Medium and Dev.to , with several gaining significant recognition and official platform sharing, which made me incredibly proud of the impact my knowledge sharing was creating. I then remembered the struggles I faced during my full-stack journey. There simply weren't good-quality resources available for developers. I saw an opportunity to solve this problem, and over 1000+ developers bought my premium resource collections. But when I needed to promote my resources, I contacted 15-20 influencers for collaborations. Everyone quoted unreasonable prices, so I ended up promoting everything on my own. That's when the idea for RegionalReach hit me. I decided to build a platform connecting businesses with creators through fair pricing and transparent processes. RegionalReach Limited is now my registered international business, transforming the creator economy. We completed Stage 1 successfully with 170+ influencers and 24 business campaigns in just 4 days. Now we're working on Stage 2 with AI integration to scale globally. How do you help developers and creators bridge the gap between technical skills and business success? I approach transformation through three integrated pillars, Technical Excellence, Strategic Implementation, and Community Amplification. Most people fail because they focus on just one area. Technical excellence: My platforms eliminate the barriers that waste valuable time. BoilerCode provides 120+ production-ready templates, JavaScript Studio offers 550+ tested projects, and UI Studio delivers React components that developers can implement immediately. Instead of spending weeks on basic setup, they can focus on solving unique business problems. Strategic implementation: I use a proven 4-stage methodology that I developed for RegionalReach. Stage 1 validates concepts with real market testing, Stage 2 integrates AI for scaling, Stage 3 makes wider in different countries, and Stage 4 focuses on sustainable growth and is ready for collaborations. This systematic approach prevents the common mistake of premature scaling. Community amplification: Through my 140K+ community, I've seen that success multiplies when people support each other. My platforms don't just provide tools. They create ecosystems where developers and creators learn from shared experiences. The results speak for themselves: RegionalReach achieved 170+ influencer registrations and 24 business campaigns in just 4 days. My developer platforms serve 1000+ paying customers with 99.9% uptime. When you combine technical capability with strategic thinking and community support, transformation becomes inevitable rather than accidental. What makes your AI-powered coaching methodology different from traditional approaches in the field? RegionalReach Limited proves the difference immediately. We achieved 170+ influencer registrations and 24 business campaigns in 4 days, while traditional agencies take weeks for similar results. AI-powered aut omation: My platform uses artificial intelligence to match businesses with influencers within one hour instead of weeks. The AI analyzes audience demographics, engagement patterns, and geographical relevance to create perfect matches, enabling simultaneous launches in India and the UK. Performance-driven res ults: Every recommendation comes from real production experience, 40% server improvements, 60% database optimizations, and 99.9% uptime while serving thousands of users during RegionalReach's launch. Ecosystem strategy: Instead of isolated solutions, I build interconnected platforms. My eight developer tools work together while RegionalReach connects the entire creator economy, creating compound benefits. "Build the tool you wish you had when you were struggling." Most coaching talks about transformation, I deliver registered businesses that create it systematically. Can you share a story of how RegionalReach or your platforms created real transformation for users in just days? RegionalReach's Stage 1 trial launch perfectly demonstrates how technology can create immediate transformation. I designed this as a one-week validation test, expecting maybe 10 influencer registrations per day and 1-2 campaign requests to prove the concept worked. The 4-day reality completely shattered my expectations: Day 1: 40+ influencer registrations flooded in from across different regions.  Day 2: We hit 70+ registrations.  Day 3: Over 100 influencers had joined the platform.  Day 4: 170+ influencers registered and 24 businesses submitted campaign requests. My philosophy of "less staff, less investment, more results" drove this success. While traditional agencies require large teams and charge 30-50% commissions with ₹50,000 minimums, Stage 1 proved that AI-powered systems could deliver superior results with lean operations. One business owner from Warangal told me, "I spent 1 month contacting agencies and got nowhere due to budget constraints. In just 4 days on RegionalReach, I connected with local influencers who perfectly matched my target audience." An emerging creator shared, "I was ready to give up on brand collaborations after facing unfair rates. RegionalReach gave me three genuine campaign opportunities in my first week." Stage 1's overwhelming success validated the entire concept. Currently in Stage 2, I'm developing sophisticated AI integration for our official February 2026 launch. Those 4 days proved that when you eliminate artificial barriers through smart technology and fair pricing, transformation happens immediately. What common technical or strategic limitations do you often see holding developers and creators back from their true potential? Through mentoring my 140K+ community and serving 1000+ paying customers, I've identified five critical patterns that consistently prevent people from reaching their potential. First is manual thinking in an automation world. During RegionalReach's Stage 1, I was manually verifying profiles instead of leveraging proven solutions. Most developers waste weeks rebuilding basic functionality rather than using tools like my BoilerCode platform. Second is performance blindness, developers ignore optimization until a crisis hits. My experience achieving 40% server improvements taught me that performance is foundational, not optional. Third, creators have economic misconceptions about their value and fair pricing. Before RegionalReach, I struggled with this despite having 140K+ followers while agencies charged 30-50% commissions with ₹50,000 minimums. Fourth is isolation instead of ecosystem building, people try to succeed alone rather than creating interconnected communities. Finally, there's strategic fragmentation, where they focus on immediate problems without systematic solutions. The consistent pattern is that people know what they want but lack systematic approaches to get there sustainably and profitably. How do technical excellence, strategic thinking, and community building come together in your transformation work? These three elements create powerful synergy that amplifies individual capabilities into systemic impact through RegionalReach Limited and platforms serving 1000+ paying customers with a 140K+ community. Technical excellence forms the foundation, my 40% server improvements build reliable foundations for scaling. Strategic thinking ensures sustainable growth through my 4-stage methodology, preventing startup mistakes by validating concepts, integrating AI, gathering feedback, and then focusing on expansion. Community building creates an exponential impact as my community actively contributes to platform improvement. When developers use BoilerCode templates within my systematic methodology while participating in discussions, they achieve results faster than using any single element alone. What impact do you hope your platforms and mentorship leave on the developer and creator communities? My vision is to democratize access to tools, knowledge, and opportunities that traditionally required significant capital or connections. Technology should amplify human potential, not create artificial barriers. Through my eight platforms serving 1000+ paying customers and educational content reaching 140K+ professionals, transformation is already happening. Developers save weeks using BoilerCode templates, creators will earn fair compensation through RegionalReach's February 2026 launch, and I've published 250+ technical articles solving real problems. RegionalReach Limited challenges traditional agency models, charging 30-50% commissions with ₹50,000 minimums, by planning 20% commissions with ₹500 minimums while maintaining premium quality, proving technology can make professional services accessible without compromising standards. With 60% of my customers from international markets, I'm bridging the global digital divide. My platforms work equally well for developers in Cardiff and creators in Warangal. My legacy goal is inspiring others to solve problems they've personally experienced, then share solutions that benefit entire communities globally. For developers or creators ready to take that next step, how can they start working with your platforms or guidance today? I've designed multiple pathways because transformation happens differently for everyone, but success always starts with taking the first step. Having mentored 500+ junior developers through free workshops, I understand that everyone begins their journey from different starting points. For developers ready to accelerate their impact, visit UI Studio for React components that eliminate weeks of setup time, explore BoilerCode for 120+ production-ready templates, or dive into JavaScript Studio with 550+ practical projects. Templates Hub provides complete website foundations for immediate implementation. For creators seeking fair opportunities, RegionalReach is currently in Stage 2 development. Join our early access community to be among the first creators when we launch officially in February 2026. You'll gain access to campaigns starting at ₹500 with transparent 20% commissions through our AI-powered matching system. For learning and community growth, follow my daily insights on Instagram @ss_web_innovations with 140K+ community members, join technical discussions on Telegram Helpme_coder with 24K+ members, and read my articles. I regularly conduct free workshops because I believe knowledge sharing creates lasting impact. Ready to transform your approach? Visit here  to see all platforms in action, then connect with me on LinkedIn to discuss your specific goals. The technology exists. The community is waiting. Your potential is unlimited. "The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is right now." Follow me on Instagram , and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Shiva Shanker Kanugula

When Justin Knox talks about work, he doesn’t use buzzwords or boast about numbers. He talks about people. “This business has always been about relationships,” he says. “My great-grandfather believed that success doesn’t come from the customers you gain – it comes from the ones you keep.” That simple idea, passed down through four generations, still guides Knox Pest Control, the family business Justin helps lead today. What began as one man walking the streets of Atlanta with a leather satchel full of roach powder and mice bait has become one of the Southeast’s largest pest management companies, serving customers across Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. From summers on the job to leading the team Justin’s story begins long before his first paycheck. He grew up surrounded by the family business. “I started working summers when I was twelve,” he recalls. “If there was something that needed doing – mowing the office grounds, washing trucks, helping with termite jobs – I was there.” Those early years taught him what he calls “the hands-on side of leadership.” Before he ever managed people, he learned the value of hard work, attention to detail, and customer respect. “You can’t ask someone to do a job you’re not willing to do yourself,” he says. “That lesson has stuck with me ever since.” After graduating from Troy University in 1997, Justin joined Knox Pest Control full time. His younger brother, Sean, followed in 2000. Together, the two represent the fourth generation of the Knox family to run the business. Continuing a nearly 100-year family tradition The Knox story began nearly a century ago, with Justin’s great-grandfather Forrest H. Knox. In the 1920s, Forrest and his brother Roy built their pest and termite control business on a simple promise – treat people right and stand by your work. Forrest’s son Jim Knox joined after World War II and helped expand operations into Columbus, Georgia, which remains the company’s home base. Later, John Knox, Jim’s son and Justin’s father, brought legal training and strategic thinking to the growing family firm. “When I joined, I wasn’t just stepping into a business,” Justin says. “I was stepping into a legacy. Every generation before me built something worth protecting.” That heritage drives Justin to maintain the company’s values while moving it forward. Bringing big ideas to everyday work Under Justin’s watch, Knox Pest Control has evolved with changing times. From digital scheduling and training systems to improved safety practices, innovation has become part of its routine. “Our work might seem old-fashioned to some,” he says, “but behind the scenes, we’re constantly improving how we serve customers.” Justin emphasizes that innovation isn’t only about technology – it’s about mindset. “We sell peace of mind,” he explains. “People call us because they have a problem. Our job is to fix it quickly and stand behind it completely.” That philosophy is reflected in the company’s 100% satisfaction guarantee and its push for same-day and next-day service. “We’re in people’s homes,” he adds. “We never forget that trust is earned.” A leader who values faith, family, and integrity For Justin, success isn’t measured just by business growth. It’s about how the company treats its people – both customers and employees. “We try to create an environment where our team members feel valued,” he says. “If they’re happy and supported, that shows in the service we provide.” Knox Pest Control’s mission statement captures that spirit clearly: “To glorify the Lord by providing exceptional service to our customers, a positive environment for our team members, and a commitment to the communities we serve.” That mission isn’t just framed on a wall – it’s lived out in how Justin leads. Colleagues describe him as humble, patient, and quietly determined. “Servant leadership isn’t just a phrase we use,” Justin says. “It’s how we run this company. The best leaders serve first.” Life beyond the business Away from work, Justin’s life still reflects the same balance of hard work and gratitude. He’s been married to his wife, Jackie, for 15 years, and together they raise three children. “Family keeps me grounded,” he says. “It’s easy to get caught up in work, but the real reward is time together.” On weekends, you’ll likely find him outdoors – on his farm, hunting, or working with cattle. “It’s my way of clearing my head,” he shares. “Being outside reminds me of where I come from and what really matters.” Looking ahead As Knox Pest Control approaches its hundredth year, Justin sees both responsibility and opportunity. “We’re stewards of something bigger than ourselves,” he says. “Our job is to make sure what we build today lasts for the next generation.” That generational mindset is rare in modern business. It’s what makes Justin’s story more than a company timeline – it’s a lesson in long-term thinking, family values, and the quiet power of consistency. “Every time I see one of our trucks on the road,” he reflects, “I think of my great-grandfather walking those Atlanta streets. I like to believe he’d be proud of what we’ve built.”

When you ask Elaine Ollerton George what makes a great nurse, she doesn’t start with clinical skills or credentials. She starts with people. “Before I check a chart, I check in with the person,” she says. “That’s where real care starts.” Elaine’s story is one of steady growth, grounded leadership, and a deep understanding that the best healthcare doesn’t just treat symptoms – it sees people. With over 14 years of experience in nursing, Elaine has become a respected Charge Nurse, Clinical Educator, and advocate for trauma-informed care. But it all started in a modest neighbourhood on the west side of Salt Lake Valley. From local roots to lifelong purpose Elaine grew up in West Valley City, Utah. Her dad worked for the utility company, and her mum served meals in the local school cafeteria. Service wasn’t a buzzword in her house – it was just daily life. In high school, she joined Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and volunteered at Pioneer Valley Hospital. That experience shaped everything that came next. “Helping someone find their way to the right department or just being kind – it showed me the small stuff matters,” Elaine recalls. “That’s when I knew I wanted to be a nurse.” After high school, she enrolled at Salt Lake Community College and earned her Associate of Science in Nursing while working part-time and helping raise her younger siblings. She later completed her BSN through Western Governors University, graduating with honours. Finding her voice in a fast-paced hospital Elaine’s early nursing career started on a busy medical-surgical unit. It was intense, high-volume, and the perfect training ground. She didn’t just keep up – she led. Her ability to stay calm and focused under pressure quickly earned her the trust of her peers. Over the next few years, she rotated through orthopaedics, telemetry, and step-down ICU, building a wide-ranging skill set. “You learn a lot by listening – patients, coworkers, even your own instincts,” she says. “I didn’t always have the answer, but I knew how to ask the right questions.” By 2019, Elaine had stepped into a leadership role as a Charge Nurse and Preceptor. She now mentors new nurses, coordinates daily shift activities, and helps bridge communication between bedside staff and hospital leadership. Leading through compassion and big-picture thinking Elaine didn’t stop at mastering clinical care. She became a leader in trauma-informed practice and behavioural crisis response – certifying in both and bringing those tools to the teams she leads. One story stands out. A young patient in the telemetry unit refused to let anyone near him. Staff were frustrated. The patient was panicked. Elaine stepped in. “I asked if he wanted me to sit down instead of stand over him,” she says. “That small shift made him feel safe. Then he let us help.” That moment wasn’t about a diagnosis. It was about trust – and the kind of care you can’t chart in a file. Community care beyond the hospital walls Elaine’s commitment doesn’t stop at her hospital’s front doors. She works closely with the Salt Lake County Health Department to support underserved communities, leading outreach events focused on preventive care and chronic disease education. She also volunteers at school wellness nights and health fairs, where she gives students a realistic look into healthcare careers. “I tell them it’s not about straight As or being perfect,” she says. “It’s about showing up and being willing to learn – every single day.” Her work brings public health and hospital care together in a way that few others do. In 2022, she was named her hospital system’s “Nurse of Distinction”, recognising her leadership, compassion, and impact on the broader community. Building systems that actually work Elaine isn’t just mentoring people – she’s improving systems. She’s led initiatives aimed at reducing hospital readmissions and improving transitions of care. She’s known for using checklists, visual handoff boards, and simple communication strategies that help teams stay aligned, especially during busy shifts. “It’s not about making things harder,” she explains. “It’s about making smart habits that support both staff and patients.” That mindset – practical, thoughtful, and people-first – is what makes her leadership work. A life built on showing up Elaine still lives in West Valley City with her husband Greg, a union electrician. They’ve raised two children – one now studying mechanical engineering, the other in high school student leadership. In her spare time, she gardens, walks the Jordan River Trail, and bakes sourdough bread – a hobby that started during the pandemic and never left. “Baking bread taught me patience,” she laughs. “It’s like nursing – slow steps, attention to detail, and care.” To learn more about Elaine Ollerton George, her work, or to explore trauma-informed care in nursing, visit her official website. Why her work matters right now With burnout rising, nurse turnover growing, and healthcare systems under pressure, leaders like Elaine bring something we can’t afford to lose: calm, purpose, and people skills that turn care into healing. She’s not chasing headlines. She’s building something better – one patient, one shift, one community at a time.

For Leonard Cagno, success has never been about shortcuts. It’s been about discipline, flexibility, and the drive to create something meaningful. His journey – from flying planes to leading multiple businesses – shows how focus and adaptability can turn experience into lasting impact. From the cockpit to the boardroom Cagno grew up in West Hempstead, New York, where he played football, volleyball, and basketball. Those sports shaped his early ideas about teamwork and grit. “Sports taught me that effort beats talent when talent stops working,” he says. “You learn to show up even when it’s hard. That mindset has followed me into everything I do.” After high school, he attended Dowling College, where his love for aviation took off. He earned his Aviation Management degree and became a certified flight instructor (CFI, CFII, CPL, INS Rating). Flying, he says, was about more than skill – it was about precision and decision-making under pressure. “When you’re in the cockpit, you can’t afford to panic,” Cagno says. “You rely on training, logic, and calm thinking. Business is no different.” Shifting gears: From aviation to finance After years in the air, Cagno made a career pivot. He joined AXA as a financial advisor, earning his Series 7, 66, and health and life licenses. It was a move that blended his analytical side with his passion for helping people plan for their future. That time, he says, taught him how money connects to every part of life. “Finance is about trust,” he explains. “People don’t just want numbers – they want to feel understood. Listening is everything.” It was also during this period that Cagno began developing his interest in entrepreneurship. He saw how systems worked – and where they broke. Over time, he learned to bridge those gaps himself. Entrepreneurship and the power of adaptability Cagno went on to help build and grow several businesses, including Cambridge Who’s Who, Marquis Who’s Who, ACS Consulting, TEG Health, and TEG Wellness. His work spans health insurance, wellness benefits, technology integration, and payroll – industries where innovation and regulation often collide. He says the key to navigating it all is adaptability. “You can’t cling to one way of doing things,” he says. “The moment you stop learning, you start falling behind.” That mindset has helped him lead teams through rapid industry change. “Being flexible doesn’t mean you don’t have structure,” he explains. “It means your structure can move with you. You can adjust the plan without losing sight of the goal.” How Leonard Cagno defines success Cagno’s definition of success has changed over time. In his early career, it was about proving himself. Now, it’s about balance and purpose. “I used to think success was all about hitting targets,” he says. “Now I measure it by impact – on my team, my family, and the people we serve.” He sees every achievement as part of a larger story of growth. “Sometimes a project doesn’t end the way you planned,” he says. “But if you’ve grown, helped others, and learned something new, that’s still a win.” This perspective comes from experience. After years of leading in different industries, Cagno has learned that integrity and consistency matter more than quick wins. “Success that lasts is built on character,” he says. “It’s how you act when no one’s watching.” Staying grounded in growth Even after decades in business, Cagno continues to make learning and growth a priority. He blocks time each week to read, explore new technologies, and mentor younger professionals. “Every level of success demands a new level of skill,” he says. “If you’re not evolving, you’re falling behind.” He also believes in learning through action. “You can’t grow in your comfort zone,” he adds. “You have to take on challenges that stretch you. That’s where you discover what you’re capable of.” Cagno often mentors others through his companies, helping them develop structure and accountability in their work. He teaches them to use clear frameworks – like his favorite ‘must do, should do, nice to do’ system – to stay focused on what matters. Balancing work, family, and purpose For Cagno, balance isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. Between his professional responsibilities and family life, he’s learned to define success on his own terms. “Without balance, even your biggest achievements can feel empty,” he says. “Work is important, but so are the people waiting for you at home.” He makes time for his kids, hockey, and flying, which still brings him peace. “Flying clears my head,” he says. “It reminds me of how far I’ve come and what’s possible when you stay calm and focused.” A leader who leads by example Ask anyone who’s worked with Leonard Cagno, and they’ll say he leads with clarity, discipline, and heart. He doesn’t just tell people what to do – he shows them how to do it through his own habits. “I’ve had great mentors,” he reflects. “They didn’t just give advice – they lived it. That’s what I try to do. I want people to see consistency, not just hear words.” From teaching others how to set goals to reminding them to stay flexible, Cagno’s leadership style blends accountability with empathy. “You can’t just manage results,” he says. “You have to invest in people. When they grow, everything else follows.” The flight path ahead Today, as a partner and business leader, Leonard Cagno continues to build companies that connect wellness, technology, and purpose. His career – rooted in discipline, adaptability, and heart – shows how lessons from the field, the cockpit, and the boardroom can all lead to the same destination: growth that matters. “I want to leave things better than I found them,” he says. “That’s the mission that drives me every day.”