Written by: Ceinwyn Rudnick, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Though I may be personally in denial, we are well on the way to wishing 2020 farewell. I remember the last time I felt normal, very vividly. My husband and I were at a construction convention in Las Vegas for his company. We went to dinner, took pictures by tires on equipment 100 times my size, and gave away a little money to slot machines. It was amazing! By the end of the convention, booths were shuttered early, and people scrambled to get on flights back home as the Strip emptied out in an eerily apocalyptic scene. All across the world, physical offices suffered the same fate. People left their desks without a clue of when they would return. Some never have. Some never will. A prime example is the sparkling new REI corporate campus near Seattle, which is now for sale as they have fully transitioned to working from home. Obviously, this trend is here to stay. So what does that mean for us small to medium size business owners? Well- there is some good news and bad news. The good news is that your talent pool suddenly became exponentially larger, and you are not tied to geographic areas with very high pay rates. For workers, perhaps they also have access to better-paying jobs and upward mobility that previously was not possible. But this also comes with challenges such as managing your team effectively and creating connections when there is no casual chat or downtime together. In addition, as an accountant, I work hard to make sure my clients can tackle the three biggest tax and accounting challenges that come with having a work-from-home team. So what exactly are these three hurdles, and how can you overcome them? 1) Your employees cannot take a tax credit for their home office. Many people who have worked from home historically took advantage of deducting their home office expenses on their taxes. When the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed, all the miscellaneous deductions on Schedule A (itemized deductions) went completely away, including unreimbursed employee expenses. This means that if you ask your employees to spend out of their own pockets to furnish their home office, whether it is something small like pens or something large like a computer. They will be doing so out of their own pocket in a way that is not tax-deductible. They may not blink right now, but I am willing to bet that after most employees file their 2020 taxes and discover these expenses are not deductible, they will be coming back to their employers asking for a stipend or reimbursement. Be ahead of the game here and create a policy to reimburse or purchase office supplies for your employees, and you will create a positive and proactive environment where employees feel taken care of. 2) Know who is an employee and who is a contractor. There seems to be a trend towards hiring workers as contractors rather than employees, especially when working remotely. It is important to label employees and contractors correctly; just because you are not physically together in an office does not mean your workers are automatically contractors. Rules vary by state, but the IRS provides some basic guidelines at a federal level. Ask yourself these questions. Do you control what work and when it is done? Do you evaluate the work done? Do you provide training to the worker? Is the work regular and on-going? If you answer yes to most or all of these questions, it is likely that your worker is an employee. If you misclassify them as an independent contractor, you could be liable for employment taxes plus penalties. Don’t let this be you! 3) Know where you stand with income tax laws when your employees live and work in a different state Congratulations! You now have access to a pool of talented and amazing employees across the country! But wait- get ready to deal with a patchwork of state laws that will make your head spin. Making your best hire regardless of geography, is a great gift of the work from home revolution, but it comes with a price. When you hire an employee out of state, you will have to register with that state and setup employer accounts and withholding for each state you hire. I have personally spread my workforce across three states, and the task has so far been more annoying than daunting. This is mostly since there are payroll providers (we are a Gusto partner) that will take the heavy lifting off your shoulders once you register for your initial accounts. This isn’t an insurmountable task, but make sure you know before you go on a nationwide hiring spree that you will have some boring admin work to do to ensure your team is paid properly. I have mixed feelings about the massive amount of change we have all been subjected to under such stress, and in such a short amount of time. However, I relish the chance to make the best of our new frontier and continue to personally build my team with the best people I can find-whether over Zoom or a handshake. I also strive to make sure our clients also thrive in this new frontier of remote work, new rules, and ever-changing boundaries. For more information, follow me on LinkedIn , Facebook and visit our website ! Read more from Ceinwyn ! Ceinwyn Rudnick, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Ceinwyn Rudnick is an Enrolled Agent and Certified Tax Coach based in the Pacific Northwest. She opened her boutique accounting firm, Veritas Accounting Solutions PLLC, to help business owners realize the benefits of transitioning their accounting services to the cloud. Recently she has completed advanced training through the AICTP to become a Certified Tax Coach-making tax planning a leading service offered by Veritas Accounting Solutions PLLC. Ceinwyn has two degrees, a B.A. in English Education as well as a B.S. in Accounting. She loves helping her clients achieve a better understanding of the role accounting, money and taxes play in their business. Her goal is to guide business owners to a place of peace and confidence regarding their taxes and finances through education and customized tax planning.

Written by: Allie Stark, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Healthy living as well as healthy leading requires a top to bottom evaluation of every aspect of your life, including the types of people you are associated with. Whether it is in your professional, social or home life, your world may be filled with toxic and unsupportive individuals. If you’re not careful, certain colleagues, friends and even family members can instrumentally affect your life in negative ways. A healthy leader needs to know when it’s time to remove or detach from an unhealthy relationship. The question becomes both, how do you recognize that someone close to you is toxic and how can you remove an intricate person from your life even though you know they are negatively affecting you personally and/or professionally? Being a leader means having to make hard decisions on a daily basis. Good decision making involves firmly knowing your goals and objectives, appropriately weighing the pros and cons of the situation, having effective time management capabilities, access to a strong and trusted support system, and feeling secure in reaching out to them when needed. There is an ancient African proverb that states; “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The people you choose to surround yourself with can be one of the most important decisions you will make. While colleagues, friends, and even family members can be a positive influence, they can also fill your head with doubts, negative images and toxic thoughts, especially those who do not have your best interest at heart. When you hear negative comments often enough, they become ingrained in your mind. By no means is this a suggestion to surround yourself with “Yes Men,” but when you are encircled with toxic people, the words and thoughts that you invoke and share will tend to be negative. Find the people who value your contributions, thoughts, and opinions, even though they won’t necessarily always agree with them. There is a marked difference between people who are genuine and people who are just telling you what you want to hear, and people who are toxic. In some cases removing these distractors from your life will be as simple as hitting the “unfriend” button. But, when it involves people close to you, “removing” will look more like “detaching”. Detaching is an emotional concept that has little to do with physical or social distance. It involves not reacting, not taking things personally, and most importantly, not feeling responsible for someone else’s feelings. You need to emotionally detach so that their comments and opinions have no bearing on your mood, attitude or decision making. Healthy relationships energize you, they inspire you, they lift you up. Toxic relationships will suck the life out of you, which can take a toll on you emotionally, mentally, and potentially even be harmful to your physical health. Some examples of how to tell when it might be time to detach from a toxic person, or what I like to call “Energy Vampire,” are; if after spending what should have been a nice time together, perhaps a collaborative brainstorming meeting, a lunch date or a family gathering, you walk away feeling mentally and physically exhausted instead of energized. You often worry about their thoughts, feelings and needs over your own. Or, you engage in a conversation to discuss something that happened specifically to you, but the conversation quickly turns about them. You should regularly leave interactions, especially social interactions, feeling happy and inspired. You should be able to lean on someone's shoulder occasionally without feeling like a burden. If you're feeling tired after being around them and have little to no feeling of contentment or joy after having interacted with them, it probably means they’re not putting as much into the relationship as they are getting out of it. Toxic people will always pull the attention onto themselves, rather than it being a reciprocal back and forth. They will belittle your achievements and find faults in everything you do, no matter if it’s a personal achievement or a professional one. They will turn everything into a competition, often trying to “one-up” everything you say or do. They often will try to lift themselves up by tearing you down. Their mistreatment will vary from exclusion, ignoring, and subtle but hurtful remarks to even stronger verbal abuse. You might also hear comments from them such as, “You’re too sensitive” or “You need to learn to take a joke.” A toxic person will rarely celebrate you. They will seldom be happy for you. Even if, on the surface, it might appear they share in your enthusiasm and happiness, there will typically be an undercurrent of jealousy. A true support system will celebrate milestones and achievements. They will genuinely be happy to see you succeed and be the first ones to say “congratulations” or send kudos. However, not every person who expresses negativity is necessarily toxic. Some may initially be negative out of fear that your new role will change you or your relationship. It’s also possible that they might not see the value of your position at first, so they will be unsupportive until they see some success in it. These people might later become very supportive of you and your instinct to detach will be short-lived. Most of us have likely had moments of selfishness and lack of self-awareness, where you can look back and recognize that you weren’t your best self. But, if you are seeing a pattern of behavior where someone is continuously taking more from your relationship than giving and/or repeatedly putting you down in order to make themselves feel or look better, then that is truly harmful. Whether you have chosen and worked diligently towards the path of leadership, or it has been thrust upon you, there will always be people who believe that they are much better suited for the spotlight. They will consistently try to diminish your achievements and work behind the scenes to convince others to do the same. These people do not warrant your attention. Every bit of your energy is important. Detach yourself from toxic relationships and focus on the people who you can trust, who are genuinely happy for your accomplishments, and who routinely show up for you. Finally, after removing and detaching yourself from negative and toxic relationships, actively seek out communities of like-minded successful people with similar goals, who will inspire you, and empower you to grow into the best leader and person you can be. To become a member, go to Moxie and join other successful women in business who are already making connections. Allie Stark, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Allie Stark is the Founder and CEO of Moxie. Inspire. Empower. Grow., a social network designed specifically for women in business. Moxie brings women from across the globe, together on one app, to support, inspire, and empower one another with the goal of helping its members grow in business and beyond. Allie is passionate about forging meaningful connections and also an administrator of several women’s friendship Facebook groups across the United States and Canada. Allie holds degrees in Psychology and Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and for nearly four years, has helped thousands of women make significant and worthwhile connections. Allie resides with her husband and two teenage children in Gilbert, Arizona.

Written by: Alina Machita, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. We all want to forge meaningful, loving relationships. Connecting with others is one of the most important elements of our mental and emotional well-being. It's a vital part of building any lasting happiness in our lives. What if you struggle to do this, though? You give your all to your relationships, but they never seem to work out. If this sounds like you, you may have a heart-wall you're not aware of, and this is what's causing the problem. What is a heart-wall? Let me explain. What a heart-wall is and why it keeps you closed off? Almost everyone has had their heart 'broken' at some time in their life. When this happens, your heart becomes vulnerable to emotional injury, and negative emotions get trapped in your heart. Since emotions are pure energy, this energy lodges in your heart; your subconscious puts up an energy barrier around your heart called the 'heart wall.' While these 'barriers' may be good and needed for a while, if you never remove them, these negative trapped emotions you close yourself off from having healthy, functional relationships. You may also find yourself constantly attracting the 'wrong' kind of person in your life – over and over and over. Once you remove the heart's wall, you will be able to give and receive healthy love more freely. What problems does a long-term heart-wall cause? A heart-wall is not selective. It doesn't keep the bad emotions out and let the good ones in. It blocks off all feelings from flowing both in and out. This means that over time you begin to feel numb. If you're cut off from positive emotions like love, desire, or excitement, it is impossible to feel happy. Even if you do feel happy, the wall prevents these positive vibes radiating out to the people around you. If a person you love is getting no good vibes from you, it is challenging to sustain the relationship. They may feel you're distant or unhappy and assume you're dissatisfied with them. That's when they decide to remove themselves from your life whether you want them to or not. If this happens often enough, the pain you feel intensifies. The wall now becomes stronger in response. In time you will find yourself moving through your life like a zombie. You go to work, meet friends, and appear to be living a normal life. You're not living, though. You're surviving. If all that wasn't bad enough, negative emotions trapped behind your heart-wall could have a physical effect on you too. Your body may not heal itself as well as it should due to the emotional stress it's under. You may feel tension pain in your neck, back and shoulders. In short, it affects your whole life. I have a heart-wall! How do I remove it? Once you are ready, the heart-wall is removed by using the Emotion Code. To heal, you have to release all the trapped emotions around your heart. Once they're gone, you won't need the wall anymore. Every person is different, so some people can release them all in one session. For others, it takes time and multiple sessions. The key is to start, not how long it will take. When the Heart-Wall is removed from the body, the difference can sometimes be felt immediately. At other times, the change is more subtle and takes place over time. Are you ready? Are you interested in having your 'Heart-Wall' removed? CONTACT ME to set up an appointment so you can give and receive healthy love freely! Expect miracles! Book your free session today ! For more info, visit my website & follow me on Instagram ! Read more from Alina ! Alina Machita, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Hi, I’m Alina. I’m an empath, a transformational healer and a Subconscious mind Specialist. I have an unshakable passion and gift to help women stop self-sabotage, unlock their subconscious mind, release trapped emotions and subconscious blocks, keeping them from living in love, accomplishments, and balance. Most of my work is done directly within your Subconscious Mind where your Power is; utilizing muscle testing is a way to communicate with the subconscious mind and sophisticated systems like Emotion and Body Code and Raising levels of consciousness, removing physical and emotional blocks and stored trapped imbalances that can keep you from abundance, creativity, emotional balance and lightness of being.

Written by: Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. While living in a volatile world characterized by significant changes and uncertainty, it can be very challenging to stay positive. However, remaining optimistic is a core ingredient in coping successfully with a crisis. Below you will find five powerful tips to help you stay positive in challenging times: 1. Focus on positive facts. When we experience challenges or obstacles throughout the day, negativity will likely come in our mind. You may think I'm not good at this. I'm lazy, or start working about: What if I won't be successful? What if the worst happens? Think about it. No matter how difficult or bad it may be, remember this is only a temporary situation, and it will not be this way forever. Transform your negative phrases into positive statements. Instead of spending more time feeling sorry for what you could not achieve, start framing in your mind something like Because today I was not effective as I wished to, I will plan better for tomorrow so I can accomplish all my tasks. Think about what you can do to overcome those moments and improve your life. 2. Cultivate gratitude. Many studies have proven that gratitude makes us happier and healthier. Similar to other emotions, gratitude should come naturally and should not be forced. By practicing gratitude, you will create a habit to focus more on the positive things surrounding us. For instance, you can practice gratitude regularly by writing down five things to be genuinely thankful for – either when waking up, during your lunchtime, on your way back home, or before going to bed. When something negative comes to your mind, remember the things you expressed gratitude for, including even those you did not ask for or the negative ones that allowed you to move forward and opened new opportunities in your life. Showing gratitude doesn't necessarily mean that everything in your life is great, but by acknowledging your blessings, in time, you will feel more in control of your life, and staying positive will become a way of life. 3. Do more things that matter. As a Coach, I often hear from my clients that they feel overwhelmed with too many things they have to accomplish, and their goals have become too distant, and they are not getting closer to them. Asking yourself What really matters to you is crucial to identify your path and set your priorities. How important is something that you need to accomplish, and how the result impact your life? By prioritizing your actions and constantly working on the important things, you will think more clearly and have the confidence that you are moving in the right direction. Even though developing a positive mindset is not easy, by regularly practicing to stay focused, you will feel more empowered and cope better with challenges. 4. Get support. When you surround yourself with positive people, you will hear more positive stories and enjoy more daily activities. Their positive attitude and words will influence your way of thinking, and you will find yourself using more affirmations and improving your state of mind. Work with a coach or mentor to help you remain productive and build up your confidence and skills to be successful. 5. Celebrate small achievements. When working with my clients on their strengths and values, I often hear that they haven't accomplished anything special in their careers, and they were merely doing the job. Remember that employers don't expect you to know everything, but emphasizing your smart stories with an optimistic attitude will make them feel that you are willing to learn and open to embrace newness. Hence, reviewing your priorities regularly and celebrating your small achievements is crucial in staying positive and focusing on what matters to you. Last, as mentioned above, showing gratitude for others will increase your enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy. At the same time, it is equally important to cultivate a state of gratitude towards your actions and celebrate your small achievements. Follow me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Adelina! Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Adelina Stefan is a Professional Certified Coach & Intercultural Facilitator specialized in Career Development, with a deep expertise in international HR recruitment and selection and Training and Development. Having worked for 10+ years across cultures, Adelina seeks to catalyze individuals’ potential, helping them create and implement their unique career blueprint and, at the same time, achieve a healthy work-life balance. She specializes in working with expats and mid- to senior-level executives dealing with challenging work environments that can affect both their performance and well-being. She supports organizations in building a corporate coaching culture by highlighting individuals’ maximum potential and engagement so that they become dedicated and highly successful employees. Her practice includes Career, Life, Executive, and Agile Coaching for individuals, as well as developing and implementing corporate Human Resources practices for improving intercultural relations.

Written by: Dana Neacsu, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It was a cloudy and cold October day. Even worse, a Saturday morning when everything is supposed to be sunny and warm, and great for things like a breakfast outside and a market stroll. But I really did not care much about that. I was on-call at the hospital, and there was something so heavy about the morning that it made me head straight for the Starbucks area amazingly available in the lobby. I know I should not like it, but there is something so comforting about the colors and the smell and everyone there is so young and happy and they call you by name... It’s just like a warm heavy blanket over unsettling emotions and worries. My pumpkin spice latte is ready! The calming energy and memories are flowing, the fall colors outside are now in my mind. The crispy air whiffs me to the mountains somewhere, happy and carefree... and then the phone rings. I reluctantly answer before taking my first sip, hoping there is no emergency. It was way worse than that: the lab tells me about the biopsy results for one of my patients, and it's bad. In fact, it is super bad - it's cancer. Suddenly, the coffee doesn’t taste good, the pictures in my head are gone, and I am back in the grayish-white hallway. My heart is really heavy. I got to know this patient well over the last couple of days. I met his wife, and we shared stories about our kids (theirs are much older than mine, lucky them). We discovered along the way that we are from Transylvania – the land of vampires thanks to Mr. Stokes and his book but in reality, the most beautiful land in Eastern Europe. We bonded over food and holiday memories, talked about upcoming trips, and what we would do once there. He was retired, so his plans were always longer than mine and made me sigh every single time. And now it's all gone. It’s cancer. It’s an upcoming fight and medications and hospital visits. I walked to his room and right before knocking; I just peeked inside. The big doors have a window area so I could see him and his wife talking and smiling at times. She was showing something on the phone and he was nodding. They were so much at peace in their own world. And that was when it hit me. I was about to shatter all that. Their world their peace their plans their life. Their life won’t be the same the moment I step into that room and say the word cancer. I don’t even need to say anything I have one of those faces easy to read - bad for gambling. And suddenly I could not do it. I could not make myself enter the room. In 18 years of hospital work, this certainly wasn't the first time I had to share bad news with someone. After a certain point, we as doctors get used to pain and have our armor up, so whenever moments like this hit, the shock is blunted and absorbed by it. But sometimes the pain goes through and you feel like hit by a bullet. So, I kept on watching them. I reasoned with myself: maybe I'll come back or at least I give them a bit more time before their life is changed forever. Just a few minutes. Why not let them have a bit more time with normalcy and calm and worry-free? "What are you dreaming of here?? Did you talk to them? I need him to go for the tests you all want. Go talk to him!" - she almost shoves me in. 'She' is one of the nurses on the floor, one of the best, in fact, but boy, she is not for the faint-hearted. She reminds me of Rachett, the nurse from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and here now I was the poor Jack Nicholson's character trying to rebel. But I knew better. Some nurses make doctors feel like young residents still, even with two decades of experience. And I knew she was right. I needed to tell them. So I walked in, and, yes, the moment his wife looked up at me - she knew, so her hand went over his. He was less attentive, probably still thinking about their conversation. But he was listening, and as I was talking, I could see the waves of emotions flowing through his eyes and the sadness was the worst of all. I made the message it as hopeful as I could while making sure I go over everything and trying to forget that I just shattered their peaceful day and I now will always be that mark in their life that changed everything for the worst. And they were so gracious. They accepted the news, asked their questions, and silently cried. And all this time I was apologizing for the news as if I were the cancer cell myself. And then they looked at me... and thanked me for being there for them, and taking care of him, and "just being an angel who tried to comfort" them. They shifted their focus to make me feel better and, my goodness, we are so funny as human beings – I did feel better! I eventually came out of the room and burst into: "They called me an angel". I couldn't help it – feeling a bit less heavy on my feet, seeing the light and the colors coming back. And right there and then: "You are an angel alright, the angel of death". The nurse's voice came out of nowhere and hit my bubble like a missile, exploding me back into the grayish-white world. I have been the angel of death many times before and after that. Sometimes it hurts like hell. Sometimes, we manage to hold our breath until the stinging pain is gone, and we can move to the next patient and fight the battle. Me and all my fellow doctors - we know that we do sometimes lose, even when we do our best. And the very next day, we have to stand up and fight again against sickness and death, fully knowing we might still lose and someone s life will be shattered. And it takes the life out of us so many times and leaves scars nobody will ever see. But we have no choice - we fight. In fact, even if I had had a choice, I would still do this. Every time. Because it’s a privilege and an honor to be someone’s angel even if in the end it’s the angel of darkness. I still bring compassion and care and a steady hand that they can lean on - until the end. And I just can’t think of a better place to be. This is a tribute to all my fellow doctors and nurses and everyone struggling to do their best during this year and pandemic. In this darkness, I SEE YOU! For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website! Dana Neacsu, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr Dana Neacsu is trained in both conventional and integrative medicine and her goal is to offer her patients the best treatment from both medical worlds. Her practice is a unique combination of ancient medicine techniques like Reiki, functional medicine cutting edge protocols and biohacking devices of the future. The core of her practice remains however the patients themselves and their incredible power of self-healing and courage.

Written by: Betsy Kauffman , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. We all hear the terms “hustling” or “grinding” used to describe working hard or achieving breakthroughs in our work. Emerging leaders are a prime example of this description — they are talented high-achievers who thrive in their current roles. They regularly outpace their peers in their job performance, are considered subject-matter experts, challenge the status quo, and are driven to accomplish the lofty goals they set for themselves. But is there more to being an emerging leader than just grinding and outworking your peers? Absolutely! While having a strong work ethic, and being a high achiever are valuable and desirable skills, there are several other key characteristics an emerging leader should possess. ● Confidence : One could assume this characteristic comes naturally with being a high-achieving individual, but sometimes a lack of confidence can undermine and sabotage potentially great leaders. An emerging leader is confident in their skillset and ability to lead and possesses enough humility to know how to be a good listener when others offer innovative ideas. ● Emotional intelligence : Being calm under pressure and focusing on the solution instead of dwelling on the problem is a great trait in an emerging leader. It’s easy to lose your cool when things spiral out of control, but to have someone with a level head who doesn’t get caught up in blaming, self-sabotaging, or paralysis by analysis can be the difference between success and failure on a project. ● Resiliency : The real test of an emerging leader is how they respond to adversity. So that project they spearheaded didn’t go so well, or that new initiative didn’t accomplish what they had hoped it would. Their next steps are in the wake of failure or disappointment is what separates them from others—they take accountability, regroup, and dive fearlessly into the next project or challenge. Are you thinking of someone on your team who exhibits these characteristics? If yes, that is fantastic. If not, how can you build a culture that incubates these emerging leaders and creates potential within your team? I believe as a manager and a leader, you should constantly be looking out for potential talent and possible emerging leaders on your team. If not, I can guarantee someone else is, and they will quickly snap up these high-potential individuals. Now that I have shared my thoughts, I am curious to hear any additional traits you have discovered in your teams' emerging leaders. What do you think is the most crucial skill for emerging leaders to develop as we enter a new era of remote work? Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Betsy ! Betsy Kauffman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Betsy Kauffman is a globally recognized Leadership and Organizational Agility Coach with more than 20 years' experience working in Fortune 500 companies. Her company, Cross Impact Coaching, helps leaders create innovative, aligned, disruptive organizations. Betsy has observed and worked side by side with hundreds of CxO leaders and has seen just about every variation of how Leadership Teams operate and execute (both successfully and not so successfully). She deeply understands and has experienced firsthand when the team of individuals charged with leading the organization aren't aligned, focused, and working as one, the rest of the organization suffers. She is a published author providing thought leadership to both the agile and project management communities and speaks internationally on topics around leadership, corporate culture, and achieving organizational agility. She just completed her first TED talk - “How To Have Open and Honest Conversations at Work” in September 2020 in conjunction with the TED@PMI partnership and was selected by the TED editors to have her talk highlighted on TED.com in the near future – stay tuned for more details!

Written by: Samantha Touchais, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. It is such an exciting moment the first time you think of a business idea and start mapping it out in your head. There’s a buzz that comes from all that possibility before your brain starts going over the details and some of the doubt sets in. While I have heard this from others, I am definitely speaking from my own experience. For over twenty years, I had a successful international marketing career with some of the world’s largest companies and have traveled and lived worldwide thanks to this career. For various reasons, I decided one day to put it all behind me and start my own business. The idea I had was a strong one and I validated it with several rounds of market research. I felt confident, excited, and really happy with the decision to move forward, particularly when one of my best friends decided to join me in the business venture. Fast forward eighteen months and we were feeling bitter, dejected and actually quite angry, as we had gone from the initial highs and elation of planning out a really exciting business to legal battles with a horrible supplier, fierce competition in the market that hadn’t existed when we started the idea [our business idea was stolen by somebody, but that is a whole other story!] and a high cost of delivery that couldn’t be circumnavigated and was pricing us out of the market. We lost money , time and sleep, three things we will never get back, but we learned so much in the process and that experience truly is invaluable. A big plus is I never lost my friendship, and I have gained so much insight into running my own business, and from the three subsequent successful businesses I have run, that I am now able to share all my learnings with my coaching clients. There are three key learnings I have taken from this experience and if I could go back in time this is what I would tell myself. Lesson One - Launching and running your own business takes enormous amounts of patience. I am a go-getter and like to get on with things almost before the idea is fully formed in my head. I want to take action and I want to see results and I want it now. I really was quite naïve when it came to how long it would take to see any form of success in my first business. This was partly from the fact that I had managed some of the world’s largest brands on a global level, which obviously meant I had a much bigger advertising budget than I did for my own personal business and a huge team behind me. While decisions would take longer, action could be faster, which meant results were often much quicker to achieve. It takes time , and sometimes a lot of time, to start to build a brand and get the awareness out there. While I am an optimistic person, this optimism is what led me to overestimate the forecasted sales and underestimate the reality of how long it would take to reach those sales. The market research had been so positive but setting up supplier agreements and sorting out logistics took a lot longer than I had anticipated. So my advice here is to be patient. Take your time to plan your sales forecasts, particularly for the first twelve months, recognizing that it may take longer than you initially anticipated to reach your target. Be clear on your business goals and break them down into actionable steps with associated timings. If you have someone you can trust, ask them for feedback on the timings you have given yourself, as an outsider’s point of view can be quite insightful. There are many associations for entrepreneurs, so find out what local resources you have, or alternatively I suggest joining some online business support groups or networking groups. Getting advice from someone who is further along the path than you can be invaluable. Lesson Two - Who you surround yourself with is crucial. Running your own business can be a lonely affair. I was surprised at just how lonely I have felt along my path to entrepreneurship, particularly as I had gone from working in companies with upwards of 100,000 employees to me. Just me. But I realized early on that having a business partner, where appropriate, can make a huge difference to how you feel emotionally about the business, and I found having someone else in the trenches with me when things got tough was crucial. If you are a solopreneur, then a business coach can be a great way to have someone on your side, supporting you and motivating you to stretch yourself and keep showing up. It is really helpful to have someone act as an accountability partner and a business coach can also fulfill this role. Along with Covid-19 and home-working has come an abundance of online support groups for home workers and entrepreneurs, and co-working spaces have become all the rage over the last few years. In order to feel supported and keep yourself feeling fresh, it is really important to connect and engage with others outside your business whenever you can. Those initial days of setting up a business can be tough and lonely, and so I always recommend to my coaching clients to have an accountability partner, someone they can share their visions and goals with who can help keep them on target. Business-focused Facebook groups are a great way to connect with others in the same boat as you, and you never know, you may even find some clients or customers in these groups. I don’t suggest you join them with the sole purpose of promoting your business but use these groups as a sounding board for ideas or to find support when you are finding things tough or need advice. Lesson Three - Knowing your why is critical to business success. For those stuck in corporate jobs that they do not enjoy, the life of an entrepreneur can seem very enticing. Social media presents us with stories of Lamborghini-driving 20 somethings who have made it rich running their own online businesses and what used to be the path chosen by few is now becoming much more mainstream. I have spoken to quite a few people over the years who have decided to launch their own business as a means of escape rather than basing the decision on an empowering dream of the future. They want to be their own boss; they don’t want to keep putting in long hours for someone else’s benefit, they no longer want a three-hour daily commute. While I can totally see where these people are coming from, escapism is not a good reason to become an entrepreneur. If you are not truly clear on why you want to start your own business, apart from trying to get out of a situation you are not happy with, then as soon as the going gets tough, you will simply want to run away again. Without a positive view of the future and an associated goal, you can easily lose your way and walk away from the success that could have been yours. One of the first questions I ask my new clients is why they want to start their own business. What are their dreams and aspirations for their life and how does this business help fulfill them? Your ‘why’ may be made up of one reason or several reasons. I find the most common ‘why’ is made up of a financial freedom goal as well as a lifestyle goal. Many of my clients have children and/or other life responsibilities and they want to free up their time to balance work with being with their children or fulfilling their other roles. It is very empowering to feel in charge of your time and your destiny and entrepreneurship is a great way to achieve this. Having a clear goal in mind for your life and your business is what will pull you through the tough times. When I have had moments of doubt or feelings of overwhelm over the years, I have remembered how running my own business is helping me achieve the work-life balance I wanted, and I compare my life now to my corporate life and then I know I have made the right decision for my family and me. That is comforting and inspiring and is what urges me on even though the going may feel tough. While the path to successful entrepreneurship can be difficult at times, the rewards are enormous, but you must set yourself up for that success in the first place. Anticipation and preparation are the name of the game, so I hope that these lessons have been useful to you. You may fail at times, but you will get back up, dust yourself off and keep going. Failure is part of learning, which allows us to grow and to ultimately succeed. Keeping an open mind, as well as your sense of humor, and your eye on the horizon where your goal is waiting for you, will help you navigate your way to the successful business and wonderful life you deserve. You can find Samantha at her website , wellbeingseries and LinkedIn ! Samantha Touchais, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Samantha Touchais is a Business and Mindset Coach helping women create a safe and secure path to launching their dream business by providing them with the support and tools to make it a success. She has over 20 years of marketing and strategy experience working for large international companies around the world and it was her love of how the mind works and how to create the right mindset for success that led her into coaching. She lives and breathes marketing and mindset, and loves sharing her learnings with others. Author of four books and the creator of the Well Being Series (a collection of apps and books that provide meditations and affirmations for well-being based on the latest neuro-science), she loves exploring Europe, where she has been for the last 14 years, but misses the beaches of her native Australia.

Written by: Sukanya Datta, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Perception is a way an individual judges another person based on behavior or personality. There are many factors that influence this. Let us consider the perspective from both beholder and target. When we look at a person, we look at their personality, attitude, facial expressions and energy vibes they give. This is what a first impression looks like. Sometimes a person’s work routine can also influence the outlook. But something that we see may not always be true. As it is said, “All that glitters is not gold”. When it comes to the target, they are looked at either as an individual or a collective race. Moreover, they are also judged on the basis of their background and ethics. A perception might go wrong and it might create differences at work. This usually depends on the type of situation the beholder and target are in. Most of the time we judge or are judged through a selective process. These are selective, halo, contrast and stereotype effect. We can link the above concept to individual decision making. The ability to make firm decisions, say no to illegal notions all depend on how we perceive the situation. Certain times, not all information is available and hence we tend to take wrong decisions. Most of the time, factors such as environment, background, other problems make us take decisions. Intuitive decision is another kind. Our sixth sense helps us in judging a circumstance. This occurs if we have dealt with a similar problem or experience in life. How does it affect daily life? We often find ourselves in the dilemma of judgment. And it seriously inhibits us from meeting people. People who are introverts and especially INTJ type personalities find themselves in the ocean of thoughts and fear that stops them from networking with people. Sometimes, the agitation of others judging us brings us to a halt with questionable pondering. “How should I approach them?” “What will they think about me” “How do I break free from this” This can affect adversely. You might be missing some major events in your life because of the low feeling that goes through your heart and mind. How to remain optimistic in every matter? Establishing a gut feeling to overcome these inhibitions is of utmost importance. The ability to understand different views of people and be open-minded to their perspective helps in developing our own mindset. When we lend an ear to someone’s issue, we tend to correlate it with our personal lives. This helps in developing a greater bond that helps us break through our own barriers. Developing a chart, where you could chalk out your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This is famously known as the SWOT (matrix) analysis. With this, I can 101% guarantee that you will be able to plan your present life and future. As you note down the weakness and strengths, you will soon realize how you can use your energy to overcome the shortcomings will make you see a positive approach towards every aspect of life. Visit my Instagram for more info! Read more from Sukanya! Sukanya Datta, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sukanya Datta is an electrical engineer. Along with the tech side, she is also a certified fashion designer. Being a tech lover, she has had a penchant for creativity. Entrepreneurship is a big journey and both tech and fashion have been a boon in her life. From developing monetary strategies and embark on the body positivity mission across the world and bridging the gap between women and fashion.

In Lanna's words, “Life is much like a natural phenomenon to many who live here on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, Canada .” It has been said by locals here that this is the exact spot where the ocean meets the rainforest! Inspiration takes hold. Diagnosed with C-PTSD, clinical depression, anxiety, and migraine headaches due to childhood trauma and many hardships life threw at her. Lanna knew all too well that she had to pave her own path. She is the eldest sibling of four who grew up during the 1960s and 1970s with a family who lived in poor conditions due to a lack of financial resources, community support, basic life skills, and very limited paternal and maternal nurturing. Her siblings, whom she has great admiration for, had suffered frequent heartache, chaos, and lack of stability or support, yet they still move forward in the most positive light they can find in their path. The ability of her parents to nurture their children or guide them appropriately due to mental health challenges proved difficult for all involved. Yet, she still has empathy and awareness in her heart. From a very young age, Lanna's mission in life has been focused on advocacy, and Paying It Forward, as she puts it. As Lanna had left her family home a conflicted runaway just before her 15th birthday, she had survived a multitude of dangers, such as being sexually assaulted multiple times by a close friend's father when she was just 14 years old. Another dangerous and heartbreaking situation was losing a young friend to alcohol poisoning at 14 as Lanna attempted to revive her at an outdoor party. The most heartbreaking and dangerous experience was losing a friend who was sadly never heard from again after hitchhiking with her from Northern BC to Vancouver BC in the winter of the late 1970s. They were separated by Lanna accidentally getting on the wrong bus in Vancouver that was headed to the US. She frequently contemplated where her journey could have ended up or where her friend would be today. Sadly, there is no closure for the loss of her friend, and her friend's family still all wonder where she went or if she survived. Speculations of her disappearance from the police in recent years and evidence showed that some of her belongings, as well as DNA, were found at a Port Coquitlam pig farm, but has yet to lead to anything concrete. Lanna said, “This experience had taught her to be more cautious, empathetic, and to rely more on her instincts.” Eventually, Lanna put herself through college to improve herself after an unfortunate arrest in her early 20s and briefly losing custody of her beloved daughter. A court Judge was merciful to her and let her choose her own outcome as a first time offender. Her mission at that point and time was to be an appropriate role model for her own daughter and to live a calm life. “ I want to Pay It Forward, as I have a lot of Karma to work through!” she stressed. She’s not saying she never made any more mistakes; on the contrary, she made many after this! She called it “ A roller coaster ride to self-improvement.” Lanna spent over 3 decades working for nonprofits and spent many of those years also volunteering her free time helping those in need of resources. Now at the age of 58, a happy and proud wife, mother and grandmother, who is the founder, creator and designer of Expressive Designs by Lanna. She feels her journey could open eyes for many who feel trapped or hopeless to move forward. Her husband and daughter are Lannas most dedicated supporters; she includes they are her cheering squad and have helped her remain focused these past few years. Her husband and herself have two elderly cats who have provided much comfort on those days when she felt like giving up. She is a grandmother to two amazing teens! She couldn’t be prouder of these two young humans. She feels with young people like her grandchildren emerging into adulthood, the future looks brighter, knowing there are more humans like these to lead us into our future! What is it that you do for your clients? I am a graphic designer, multimedia artist and blogger/writer. As well as a social media manager/Virtual Assistant, I’m also an advocate for vulnerable people of society. What I do as an artist is I paint and draw various natural subjects, like wildlife and nature. As well, I enjoy drawing humans and pets. I can make prints for someone’s custom order or sell my own prints. As a graphic designer, I can make custom logos and web banners. Also, I design prints for T-shirts, accessories and gift items and have them shipped directly to my customers. I can do a custom design or sell my own designs on merchandise. As a social media manager/Virtual Assistant, I can help manage your social media accounts, write articles for your website, and write blog posts with SEO assistance; all Copyscape approved. Who should hire/work with you? Anyone who wants custom-designed merchandise, such as T-shirts, accessories, or home decor and poster/canvas prints, would benefit. Anyone who needs assistance with the virtual part of their business could save time by letting me do it for them. What do you do as an advocate? I am affiliated with a couple of nonprofits, raising awareness to the public and raising funds through sales in my store. One such nonprofit is an Autism Support Society called SASS. They are a family-run society in Sooke BC, Canada providing much-needed resources to families in need. For every item sold in the Autism Awareness Collection, $2 is donated to SASS. My hope is to raise enough funds to support families efficiently! I’m always open to accepting applications from other nonprofits, especially nonprofits who support mental health. What is your big goal? Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now? Now that is the question I’ve wanted to answer for so long! It’s interesting to admit that the answers are multileveled. If you had asked me this 30 years ago, I just would not have had a concrete answer how things change so much overtime with life experiences. One of my goals is to be completely independent in business. What I mean by that is to rely solely on my business with no outside financial assistance. I see myself retiring in the next couple of years from my job in public education, and to be financially secure by them while doing what I love, would be a dream come true! Another goal is to have my business affiliated with several nonprofits. Paying It Forward is a very real focus for me! Lastly, I’d like to be able to afford to one day employ people who are marginalized in society! Just because someone makes questionable choices at some point in their lives doesn’t mean they want to live that way. Most people, I believe, want to feel useful and have a purpose in life. I know it takes trust for people to accept help and for some to offer it. I have great instincts, especially now that I have trust in my own judgment and confidence to move forward. For myself, to Pay It Forward is the ultimate reward! Connect with Lannette on Facebook , Instagram and visit her website for more information! Read more from Lannette !

Written by: Moira Hutchison , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. How can you manage your feelings if you do not understand or know what they are? Only about one-third of adults can accurately identify their emotions, according to the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 . Maybe you were discouraged from expressing your feelings when you were growing up. Perhaps you judge yourself harshly for becoming irritated with your children or jealous of your partner. Whatever the reason, bottling things up could be holding you back. Discover a new and more constructive approach to getting in touch with your emotions. Exploring the Benefits of Connecting with Your Emotions: 1. Gain self-knowledge. Increasing your self-awareness enables you to develop and grow. You can clarify your goals and direct your energies toward the activities that are meaningful to YOU. It is the first step in living with a sense of purpose instead of operating on autopilot. 2. Enhance your relationships. Understanding yourself and others also makes greater intimacy (* into-me-see) possible . You will be more sensitive to how your loved ones are likely to react to any situation, and you will be able to provide more empathy and moral support. 3. Build emotional resilience. Any challenge is easier to overcome when you can ascertain and regulate your emotions. You will have the motivation and the skills to deal with setbacks without letting them undermine your self-esteem. 4. Achieve more. Emotional awareness also maximizes your productivity . You can collaborate effectively with others and make sound decisions under pressure. Strategies for Identifying Your Emotions: 1. Name your symptoms . Try to label what you are feeling. Make your language as specific as possible. Sadness could mean grieving for a lost pet or feeling listless on a rainy day. 2. Look deep within. Keep in mind that your behavior may be deceptive if you tend to stuff down feelings that you think are inappropriate . For instance, do you hesitate to show affection because others might take advantage of you? Examine your true motives . 3. Listen to your body. Physical sensations can reveal important clues about your emotional state. A clenched jaw and creased brows could indicate anger. Relaxed muscles and a warm glow suggest you are happy about something. 4. Meditate regularly. Create a quiet time and place for exploring and acknowledging your emotions. Observe your feelings without making judgments . Strategies for Sharing Your Emotions: 1. Talk it over. Practice putting your emotions into words. Tell others how you feel and why. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable can be scary, but the rewards are worth it. You will connect on a deeper level and feel more secure. 2. Start small. If certain subjects seem too sensitive, you can prepare yourself by discussing things that feel less risky. As you become more confident in your skills, you will be able to address larger issues with ease . 3. Work out. In addition to conversation, physical activity can be another outlet for strong feelings. After a rough day at the office, invite your coworkers to join you for a CrossFit class or a long walk. Tensions may melt away without saying a word. 4. Do something creative. Art projects can tell the world how you are feeling also. If you struggle with painting or sculpting, you can choose any medium that works for you. Pour your heart into baking cookies or designing a board game. 5. Seek coaching, therapy, or mentoring. If you need more help dealing with your emotions, ask your friends for recommendations for a coach, therapist, or mentor you can talk with. Coaching and therapy can be a safe place to process past experiences and try out new behaviors. You may feel uncomfortable temporarily as the emotions you have ignored come to the surface but stick with it. Increasing your emotional awareness will prepare you for a happier and more successful life. For more info, follow Moira on Facebook , Instagram or LinkedIn , join her Facebook Community or visit her website ! Read more from Moira ! Moira Hutchison, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As an Intuition Cultivator and Mindset Mentor, Moira Hutchison guides her clients to access the inherent power they have available when they ignite their personal trinity of trust, inner awareness, and self-confidence. Moira works with professionals who have a feeling that there is something better in life for them, but they have no idea how to access it. However, they have a yearning to be guided by their intuition and align with their unique calling. What makes her distinctive and different in this work is that she has developed the ability to take complex energetic and spiritual ideas and interpret them in ways that people find easy to understand, integrate and implement.

Written by: Joe McKee , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. First of all, let's recap why engagement is so important for successful Facebook marketing. Interaction on a Facebook post takes place when the message makes an adequate influence on people (and frequently sparks organic involvement) that they feel obliged to respond. Influential time and emotional involvement with a target market are clearly at the heart of effective social media advertising and marketing. Human nature being what it is, seeing reactions and comments on a post will certainly spark interest and push more focus and influence. Nevertheless, for numerous services, the utmost objective is to have their messages shared because the content (and the business name) will certainly get to a whole new target market as well as the sharing itself adds an endorsement, or social proof, to the blog post. Facebook offers users endless content and entertainment. It can be difficult to drive interaction to your business’ Facebook page while keeping up with everything that users see on their Facebook feed. With all of the information out there, how can you make your business stand out? Interactive Social Media Contest Some of our clients have found ways to have more engagement and interaction on their social media pages by boosting monthly contests on their business page with a reward for the winner. It is a fun and simple way to gain more interaction from your current followers and build that relationship with them while seeing all of their creativity. For example, Riverside Grocery took part in a National Day of the Cowboy contest, where their followers had to post a photo of themselves dressed as a cowboy for a chance to win a $25 Gift Card from Riverside. As it turned out for their contest, Riverside reached 881 more people bringing it to a total of 2,170 people reached with this post and had a total of 40 participants in the challenge. The contestants also shared this post with their friends to like the photo they entered to have a better chance to win, which also drove more people to Riverside`s business page, giving Riverside more interactions with users that may not have seen the page before. Another example of how these social media contests provide more interaction can be seen with the Halloween Costume Challenge that Jawbone BBQ recently ran. Jawbone`s Halloween Costume Challenge reached 1,229 people and had 230 engagements while having 22 people participating in the contest. Although Jawbone`s contest doesn't seem very successful than Riverside`s contest, we must consider that Riverside`s following is much larger than Jawbone`s at this point. These contests can really be great for building relationships with your loyal customers as well as trying to build new ones. With outsiders seeing your business page's creativity and the chance to win free giveaways, people will be more likely to check out your page constantly. This is where you can promote your own businesses daily specials since now you have more and more people visiting your page looking for your contests. To learn more, visit Invoteq Read more from Joe! Joe McKee, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Joe McKee is the CEO of Invoteq, which offers free processing for credit card processing and full-service custom-designed marketing programs. Offering local companies a strategy to Strive and Thrive in the current economy and future economies that are still ahead of the service industries.

Written by: Vicki Chisholm , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Did you ask for validation again? A second opinion from someone else, other than your instincts? Oh, how I remember those days of chronic self-doubt. Gaining validation from others can sometimes be the one thing that takes you from “Yes, I’ve got it” to “I’m not good enough.” Let’s compare these for a second here, “Yes, I’ve got it!” means you are following your heart. Compared to following others where their opinions give you a feeling of “I’m not good enough .” Not being good enough in business is a self-projection into business life, and this ultimately transforms to YOU being your business. Let us clear something up here; you are NOT your business. This is where many get emotionally enthralled in the rollercoaster of the Entrepreneur. You are an aspect of your business. Without you, your business would not exist. Without you, your business would not be a selling point. However, how you run your business DOES NOT DEFINE YOU as an individual. If you can master this, your emotional resilience will be phenomenal. Your inspiration and aspirations are TO DO, BE & HAVE. Trust yourself to have all these three. When you fully trust yourself, your gut, intuition, ideas, etc., you stop wasting time. The more you trust yourself, the more you can then learn to trust others too. In business, you need trust! Running a successful business takes strength and confidence. Confidence to make decisions, confidence to take a leap of faith and follow your intuition. The same goes for your life. To be clear, seeking feedback is not the same as seeking validation. This validation is quite different from feedback. Feedback tells you how your message/service/product is being perceived. Validation says, "I’m lacking confidence" and need approval that this is something I can run with. When you enter the validation stage of thinking, something in your gut is already telling you it is not right. Here are some things you can do to help yourself work through this: Take a step back, go for a walk, distract your mind from the topic itself. Once you have focused on something else for a while, you can come back to your topic and revisit it with a fresh perspective. Pick up a pen and paper and ask yourself what the pros and cons are. Tune in to your body’s response to what you want to do. Your body will give you the answers. On another note, seeking validation is a TRAUMA RESPONSE that shows up when you are about to do something that is moving you out of your comfort zone. Business owners find this a recurring theme. There is another way to clear this up, re-wiring your brain and falling back into love with yourself. When you learn that the old habits of fear and uncertainty are creeping in, you can choose again. (Gabrielle Bernstein taught me this phrase in her book, and it has stuck with me.) This is something I help my clients with on a daily basis, to learn to trust themselves in life and business, to follow their instincts to trust their guts, and to listen to the inner voice that is guiding them to be EXACTLY who they are, in life and in business. One of my best-selling programs is the "Fast Track Your Life and Business in 6 weeks". Using holistic therapy and coaching for the ultimate transformation, you too can learn how to trust your instincts again and overcome the fears of getting it wrong, build up your emotional resilience and succeed with the goals in your deepest desires. Book your FREE 30-minute session HERE , and let's help you fast track to success in your life and business. For more information, follow Vicki on Facebook , LinkedIn and visit her website ! Vicki Chisholm, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Vicki Chisholm is an International Personal Power Coach in the UK, combining coaching and holistic therapy to transform the lives and business development of mumpreneurs and female entrepreneurs. She is highly engaged in Transforming the Lives and Businesses of Mums and Female entrepreneurs around the world. Vicki transformed her own life from: Domestic Abuse, Autoimmune Disease, Anxiety, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and is also a former successful Virtual Assistant. Vicki’s incredible intuition has guided her to retrain and overcome the impossible in her own life and now she shares this success with her growing list of clients. Vicki’s passion to lead women back to their inner empowering world is what makes her work priceless.