Written by: Michael Dermer Revenue is at risk. Cash is hard to keep and find. Expenses are too high. And there is no end in sight. In normal times, the entrepreneur sits in front of the dam. A hole pops open and she fills it with her finger. Then another. And another. Soon she is using all ten fingers. And then another. And another. No problem. We are creative. She uses all of her toes. Problem solved. And then one more. What to do? She uses her tongue. Welcome to the life of the entrepreneur. Leading an entrepreneurial venture is a 28 hour job when the world is not in crisis. When it is, it takes a certain mindset to lead your organization through. Once you put the big “E” on your chest, you signed up for being a superhero. Being that superhero in these challenging times will require you first to have a few key mindsets: There’s Always a Way Entrepreneurs may lack capital and resources, but they don’t lack the ability to think differently. There are so many times when things seem impossible—times when you don’t have the resources, money or wherewithal to accomplish the things you need to make the business successful. There will be times when your chance of success with a customer, vendor, investor or employee seem slim. You don’t have the money, resources, experience, capital, partners, team-members, investors, facilities, capacity, technology—the list goes on. Forget all that. As we used to say at IncentOne, “We can find lots of people who can’t get it done.” One of the core beliefs you need to practice daily should be the faith or confidence that “there is always a way.” Entrepreneurs have access to creativity that can energize a business. Don’t be deterred by the fact that there isn’t an established path. Most individuals don’t have the inclination or wherewithal to color outside the lines. You do. Many great ideas and visions buck the trend. Amazon told us we would never buy a book in a store again. It’s your innate ability to see things differently and try different approaches that is one of your greatest skills. These are the same skills that allow you to mastermind creative solutions when it does not seem like there are any. There is always a way. I don’t care how many times you fall down, or how little your bank account has in it. Challenges are only speed bumps along the way. If you are as good as you think you are, you will find a way to achieve results even when it seems impossible. Only Spend Time on What You Can Control Being resilient in the face of challenges requires an incredible amount of energy. Entrepreneurs have to dedicate day and night to solving the challenges of the day. That energy and the time of the entrepreneur is scarce. In order to be resilient, and take on the task at hand, an entrepreneur needs every ounce of energy dedicated to what he or she can control. You must resist the temptation to expend energy on things that don’t make a difference. Focus on Building and Executing Your Plan – Not Emotion Throughout an entrepreneurial venture, there will be highs and lows. And certain during COVID-19. First and foremost, an entrepreneur must learn not to react to the ups and downs of the day. This is easier said than done when you are talking about something that is your passion. Nonetheless, it is a must. When we are emotional, we can’t put in place the actions and activities that move you forward. The focus must be on the activities that make a difference. In the movie "Apollo 13," the spacecraft suffers damage and the astronauts move through a series of procedures to prepare the spacecraft for reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Given the damage, success is hardly assured. While they are working, Bill Paxton (who plays astronaut Fred Haise Sr.) questions whether Mission Control in Houston is giving the astronauts accurate information. Tom Hanks (who plays captain Jim Lovell) says: “All right, there’s a 1,000 things that have to happen in order. We are on No. 8. You’re talking about No. 692… We’re not going to go bouncing off the walls for 10 minutes, because we’re just going to end up back here with the same problems!” Work the problem. Focus on the items you determine require your attention that day. The entrepreneur’s path to success is rarely built with “giant leaps for mankind” but steadily-won, determined, daily progress. When we chip away at today’s to-do list, we build powerful momentum for our business. No Time for Doubt In normal times, doubt is a very productive emotion. It often makes us question ourselves in a way that leads to introspection and greater focus and achievement. Unfortunately, when you're in a crisis, there is no time for doubt. Take all of the time and energy you spend doubting yourself and use it to focus on building and executing your plan. Remember, it's not just about you. You have an obligation to yourself and your passion for your business of course. But you also have an obligation to those around you – your employees, your customers, your investors and your family. You need to lead your company through this mess. So take all of the energy and emotion you spend doubting yourself and act quickly, decisively and with an understanding that the better you execute your plan, the more success you have. And when you get through this all, you will have a very little reason to doubt yourself. Demand Accountability, Teamwork, Discipline and Candor You will need the best of your team. Demand these four attributes: Accountability: everyone should “own” their stuff. Take action. Be proactive. Own. Not “own but..” Own. Teamwork: accountability only works well when we are a team. We are all here to help. Candor: it’s all about performing and any feedback or constructive dialogue is not only welcomed but expected. Discipline: have it all together. On time. Prepared. Proactive. Everyone will need to be on the same page, focused and at their best during these times. These behaviors will help you give yourself a greater chance of success. Pick the Tasks of the Day and Execute Every entrepreneur faces an overwhelming set of tasks to be accomplished. The list is endless. Strategy. Technology. Team. Business models. Plans. Tactics. Functional areas. Branding. Staff. Money management. Offices. Fundraising. For every 10 hours of time, there are 100 hours of work. So how do you be resilient in the face of 100 hours of work and 10 hours of time? It is not surprising then that entrepreneurs come to work, and instead of focusing on the tasks of the day, they worry about what is not getting done. If you focus on the 99 things that you can’t do that day or mentally jump ahead to tasks that require multiple days, you will waste time and effort. Once you have decided on your tasks for the day, stop worrying about other tasks and finish the ones in front of you. Overwhelming is par for the course for all entrepreneurs – especially in the midst of a crisis. If you can find an entrepreneur that says, “We’ve got everything under control,” then I have some unicorn hooves I’d like to sell you. When “overwhelmed” is the norm for entrepreneurs, why is one business able to make progress and another can’t? What we need to learn is how to develop the mindsets to be and do better. Learn more on LonelyEntrepreneur MICHAEL DERMER Michael Dermer is an international entrepreneur authority, lawyer, speaker, coach, author and founder of The Lonely Entrepreneur. The Lonely Entrepreneur was born from Michael's harrowing experience of living through the "perfect storm" - watching the company he built from scratch to over 500 people nearly get destroyed overnight by the 2008 financial crisis. What resulted was not only a business success story, but the discovery of a unique method on how to thrive under the pressure, chaos and burden of being an entrepreneur. Michael is an informed advocate for entrepreneurs everywhere. He has championed their struggle in national and international media outlets including MSNBC, CBS, ABC, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Huffington Post, and Telemundo.  A sought-after consultant and speaker, Michael has keynoted and acted as judge in over 100 events serving entrepreneurs in the United States, Mexico, China, India, the UAE, Croatia, Singapore, Spain and Israel.

Helena Busch, 23, is a model, influencer and designer who moved from Sweden to Thailand to invest in her career. Brainz Magazine reached out to do an interview with Helena who currently has over 160,000 followers on her Instagram. What made you move from Sweden to Thailand? - The modeling. I got a good offer and signed with a manager in Thailand, and since my heritage is Thai I felt pretty confident with the choice and was very excited to test something new while staying in the country my mother is from. I also speak the language and have relatives here which of course made it easier. What have you learned during these years? I’ve learned that nothing comes easy in life but it is important to take risks, have the courage to get out of the "comfort zone", only then can you learn, grow as a person and automatically more opportunities will appear. Moving to a new country with a new culture is very challenging but at the same time very fun, you learn to see things in a different perspective and you meet so many new people from all over the world! What do you think are the reasons behind your success? I think it's about having a clear character, it simply depends on how you want people to see you! I’ve also noticed that when you make a debut in various competitions such as pagents, reality shows, comics etc, these are good ways to be "exposed", what you do after to continue to be "interesting" to people is another thing and I think that's where you have to show what your platform is all about. This makes it clear to your followers as they know what content they can expect from you. Would you recommend others to make the same journey if they got the opportunity? - I think everyone should take every opportunity that comes up! It’s a "once in a lifetime"- experience. Even though you may not be the greatest, the best or the most beautiful, you will learn so much from it, and as for me, learning and experience is something you can carry with you for the rest of your life. Because of this journey a lot of other doors will also be opened! What are the pros and cons of your profession? - For me, the benefits are definitely all the contacts you will get. You meet different people, respected women and men, from different types of professions. This gives you so much knowledge and chances to test something new. I have, for example, managed to start my own clothing brand which with my "fan base" makes it easier for marketing. Another advantage is free food, clothing, hotels and offers. How does a normal week looks like for you? - It depends on how many model-jobs I have that week, usually between 2-4. The rest of the week I usually workout and do influencer-jobs on Instagram, right now I'm pretty busy with my clothing brand, so right now I'm spending a lot of my time on that. What are your best tips for someone who wants to succeed and do the same journey you've done? - Be yourself, find something that you like and are good at, be specific in what you choose and something you know you are really interested in. For example lifestyle, fashion, comedy etc... Interact with your followers because they are the one who looks up to you and will be your biggest supporters! Make yourself recognized in a way, for example through a competition, then it will be easier to work your way up. What’s your next goal? My goal is to get my brand all across the world, to get more jobs in the fashion industry, to become a well known influencer and hopefully a role figure for charity and to stop global warming. 10 quick questions: Summer in Sweden or Thailand? - Sweden Swedish or Thai food? - Thai City or beach? - Beach Singing or dancing? - Singing Rice or noodles? - Rice Netflix or YouTube? - Netflix Adventure or chill? - Adventure Morning or night? - Night Comedy or horror? - Comedy Cardio or weightlifting? - Cardio

Katrina Valente is a Holistic Transformational & Wellness Expert. A seeker of truth and Spiritual enlightenment. She has been in the beauty industry for the past 25 years as a leading International Holistic Wellness/Anti-aging Expert. She is unique in the way that she looks at the whole Mind, Body, Spirit of a person and uses her skills of skin analysis, anti-aging facials, NLP, Coaching, Shamanic Healing, Crystal Healing, Colour Therapy and Reflexology to help her clients find their balance. Your motto is: " Inner peace outer beauty". What exactly do you mean by that? - Being an anti-aging aesthetician and Holistic healer for over 25 years I came to know that without inner peace you cannot truly have outer beauty. We must work on our emotional self, healing our childhood issues etc. Once we balance our inner self we shine and glow for all to see. How many times do see you beautiful people but they have no light? This is because the sadness within shines through allowing the phrase, Beauty is only skin deep! You have traveled all over the world. Tell us a little bit about your journey. Have you "picked up" knowledge from specific countries? - I have been on a Spiritual quest for over 20 years now, diving into what drives me, my insecurities etc. I have went on journeys to Peru, Egypt, India, Bali and Mexico learning different modalities and healing myself of trauma, childhood blocks and mother/father issues. Each country has something beautiful to teach me, as I healed the past and let go of that which no longer served me. This in turn, helped me help others to do the same and become the powerful healer and coach I am today. The answers we seek are within us, we just have to go within more often than our daily lives allow. Meditate, be still. Be in the now moment. Only in this space will you find what you seek. Who should hire / work together with you, and why? - Women who want to become their best self, who want more than they have at present or who are transforming their lives and are confused on how to move forward. Women who keep repeating the same scenario over and over and cant see a way out. Women who are successful in one area of their life but not another.  I first look at what's blocking them and we work on the inside with a course of sessions. Then if they are with me physically we can work on the outside (appearance) and skin as well as doing a really powerful re-alignment massage using 9 essential oils neat on the spine and feet. I have a full spectrum of knowledge so we look at the whole being, mind, body and spirit. If I would ask you for your 3 best tips on how to gain both inner peace and outer beauty. What would it be? - I would say stay in the NOW moment as much as possible. In the NOW we always have everything we need. Eat well and drink lots of water. Nutrition is so very important. Use good skincare products as well as having professional treatments to keep your skin in peak condition. What is your ambition? Where are you and your business in 10 years. What is "the big goal" ? - Good question....I am now in the chapter of my career to educate others and help them truly define who they are inside and out. I have a wealth of knowledge that must be shared. I would like to be global, offering courses, packages, maybe even a training school for Aestheticians to teach them the holistic way to treat a skin using alternative methods like crystals, reflexology and color therapy.. (I work in a very unique way). My big goal is to be financially free with my Soulmate partner by my side, and most of my business online. I want to serve humanity and the less fortunate. How do you stand out from the rest? - I studied many different beauty and holistic modalities. Anti-aging and facials were always my thing but I had so much knowledge I wanted to use as many within one treatment as possible. Then I came up with my bespoke treatments using Color therapy, Crystal healing and Reflexology within a facial, working with CLINICAL and ORGANIC professional product lines.  Since I was young Emotional therapies always interested me greatly so I qualified in Reiki, Shamanic Healing, N.L.P., Kineseology, Coaching to Excellence and Timeline Regression therapy. I traveled to different retreats over a span of 15 years really working on myself. I have so much experience through my own life lessons that I am now sharing that knowledge and expertise with others to help transform them into their best self, free of limiting beliefs and self worth issues to love the skin they are in.  End goal...Inner Peace; Outer Beauty Visit Katrina on FaceBook, Instagram and her website to learn more, and stay tuned for her upcoming articles! Katrina Valente, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Katrina Valente has been in the beauty Industry for the past 25 years as a Holistic Anti-aging Expert as well as a Celebrity Facialist.  She has traveled the world treating the rich and famous as a Visiting Practitioner with resorts like Six Senses, Anantara and Aman worldwide She is now more interested in educating people with her wealth of knowledge in Beauty and Wellness on how to look good from the inside out...Inner Peace Outer Beauty is her motto. She has now evolved to be a Trusted Holistic Transformational & Wellness Expert.

Written by: Carmen Benton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine I don’t know you, but I find it very depressing to tune into the news lately. There is one sad, frustrating, uncontrollable topic that everyone is talking about, even to the point of exploiting our human condition and humanity to profit by only giving us one side of the story. This situation that we are all living together is so sad and the news act like a vacuum, sucking all your hope, happiness and light just to leave sorrow, frustration and fear in their place. So where to find happiness despite of the news in today’s world and with the viral we are experiencing? The answer is actually very simple, yet difficult to listen to: The only place where you can find happiness now, tomorrow or in any other time in your life is within. I’m sorry I don’t have a magic pill that you can take and wake up a happier person tomorrow, but it’s true. However, the good news is that all you need to be happy is contained inside you. Awaking your senses to find what makes you sparkle, however, is one of the hardest parts of the process, and that’s why I want to give you here some steps to do exactly that, especially during these times: "Remember that the happiness you are so desperately seeking is within you right now." Take advantage of the quarantine. Learn to love the fact that you have the opportunity for the first time in forever to be with yourself. Alone. Without distractions and pressures. No place to be. No reason to rush. Relearn how to love yourself, rediscover what makes your tickle, re appreciate your own company. I know it can be scary, but it’s worth millions and more. Meditate like it’s going out of style. I know you have heard of meditation before, and I can’t simply convey to you the benefits of it in a fair matter, until you give it a try. Contemplate your breathing, contemplate the emptiness of a quiet space. Appreciate it and enjoy it. This is one of those times when the more the better. I’d recommend you meditate at least 20 minutes a day, but if you can go for hours, definitely go for it. Be grateful for everything you already got. I know you want more, trust me, I want more too! But, have you stop to appreciate and to be grateful for what you already got, especially in these times. Do you have a job? Do you have a roof? Are your love ones safe? So much to be grateful for. This is not by any means a comprehensive guide on how to find happiness, but it’s for sure a start, and if you are not doing these three things already, it’s pointless to go to the next step. Remember that the happiness you are so desperately seeking is within you right now. Xoxo, Carmen For more details and other business strategies for success, follow me on Facebook or Instagram. Carmen Benton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Carmen Benton is an International Life Strategist, dedicated to help women over 40 to find happiness and live with purpose. Why? Because everything you desire in life you want because you believe that by having it, you will be happier… and so how wonderful life would be if you can be happy right now, right here, with the life you already got. Carmen is a Mechanical Industrial Engineer with an MBA from a branch for Harvard Business School, and although she’s been very successful in her professional life after going through a divorced twice, she’s learned a thing or two about not looking for others to fulfill your desire of happiness, but instead to look within and to Live with Purpose and Passion.

Written by: Carmen Benton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Success is usually defined as the accomplishment of your goals and/or your purpose, and it has very little to do really with riches and status, unless of course your goals include them. This statement begs a question that very few people are asking you: how are you going to accomplish success in your business and life, if you don’t know what your goals and purpose are? As you can deduct from the sentence above, for you or anyone to be able to achieve success in business and life, you need to know first and foremost what success means for you and why you want to achieve it. With this in mind, I also want to introduce to you a crucial concept in this process, which is that achieving success is basically achieving your goals, and that the reason you pursue success is because at a deep level, you believe that such accomplishment will fulfill your purpose. So do you know what your goals and purpose are? Statistically speaking 92% of people don’t really know the answer to that question, so figuring this out might be the most appropriate way to show you how to achieve success, especially if you want your life to become a series of successes after another. First of all, you need to know and understand that your definition of success does not need to equal anyone’s else's mold nor need to fit into any predefined pattern, because your definition of success is yours and yours only. So what about starting with that? What does success mean to you? In this time of social distancing, take the time to go inside rather than outside, and spend time trying to answer this question. As I mentioned earlier, success can mean a predetermined amount of money or income, it could be a number of clients, or a pristine title if you work for a company; it can mean traveling to places, meeting people, or even having a family. For others, It could be leaving a legacy, or making contributions to society, but most importantly, you need to understand that success for you probably means more than just one of these things, but the combination of few of them. "All of the sudden, one of the things that makes successful people successful: the continuous pursuit of one’s purpose, becomes the very thing that prevents you from getting the victory, because your idea of success becomes a never ending moving target." Sounds simple, right? But somehow I often see most people overcomplicating this and I’m willing to bet you're not the exception, and it’s not that you can’t recognize what success mean for them today, but the issue is that if you don’t define what is is that you are after, by the time you get it your definition of success or in a businesslike word, your goals, will change making it impossible to achieve them, because they are never still and therefore they are always and constantly out of your reach. All of the sudden, one of the things that makes successful people successful: the continuous pursuit of one’s purpose, becomes the very thing that prevents you from getting the victory, because your idea of success becomes a never ending moving target. See the trap that most people so innocently fall into? You believe you don’t have time to spare in order to define your goals, but instead you spend your entire life chasing an impossible, because without definition, success is more like a platonic state of mind. To summarize, the first thing you must do in order to be successful is: define your goals, so that you can formulate an exact plan to achieve your success and use your time wisely to get to your destination. Then obviously the second thing you need to do in order to be successful is to recognize your purpose. Notice I didn’t say define your purpose, because I believe your purpose could be ever changing and adapting to your circumstances and it doesn’t need to be defined because always is. However, recognizing what makes you happy is a different thing, but one that very few people know or recognize. This is what achieving success is all about, no matter what the economy is doing, or what crazy headwind we are experiencing as humanity, and I promise you can clearly define your goals and your purpose, with the right strategy and action plan to get there, you can have it all. For more details and other business strategies for success, follow me on Facebook or Instagram , join my Facebook Community or visit my website Carmen Benton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Carmen Benton is an International sought after Business Strategist, dedicated to help entrepreneurs around the world stop feeling overwhelmed and overworked, by showing them how to create a real growth strategy and powerful action that is proven to eliminate burnout from any business, including yours so that you can feel passionate about what you do again, and scale you business with ease. Carmen is a Mechanical Industrial Engineer and she holds an MBA from a branch for Harvard Business School. She has served in high management positions in large corporations in the US, and she also has helped companies of all shapes and sizes, create and established a concrete strategy that's actionable and profitable.

Written by: Erica Leary, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine These are unprecedented times! Some of you or your parents may have lived through wars most of us have only read about. Your grandparents may have lived through even worse. But in our times, the Corona Virus is one of the scariest, most unique, and life changing events that we have experienced as a whole. Do you have a new power routine to keep you happy right now? Some people may have had some military training or background; however, as a nation, no one, not a single person, has ever lived through something similar to what we are living through right now. And in a time of crisis, we have 2 choices, crumble or survive. If you are reading this, my guess is it is because you have chosen to survive. What does that look like in your home? All different types of stories have been flying around. Husband is insane because wife won’t stop ________ - (add any favorites here like talking or nagging) – you get the picture. Or wife is at her wits end because husband has forgotten how to groom himself! Or maybe it is parents are taking turns hiding because they are sick of having to break up the kids’ arguments. Or my all-time favorite so far, “kids” are flipping coins to see who is going to take the keys from their (elderly) parents to keep them from going out. Whatever it looks like in your house, more than likely it’s totally different than it was a few weeks ago. But by now we have had our adjustment time and people are getting into their groove. So I would like to share 4 of the best tips for routine that we have received so far. Create a routine He! He! Yes – the top one is to actually have a routine! The surefire way to crumble quick is by not having a routine. Maybe you don’t all need to follow the exact same routine, but everyone in the house should have a routine that they are living by right now. Believe it or not, but when your world feels like it is spinning out of control and we have next to zero power to change it, taking control of your own life definitely helps. Create family time Maybe you have always had dinner together – or maybe not. More and more nowadays, families aren’t even sitting down for even dinner together. It’s a great opportunity to change that. Get wild and crazy and actually have a conversation with your family over dinner. You may just find that you like each other! Take it a step further and play a game together. When was the last time you sat down as a family and really just laughed together? Again, you might just find that it’s something new that you love doing! Exercise It is easy to sit around in your pajamas when you know you aren’t going out today or maybe tomorrow or even the day after that. But don’t do it. Sitting around doing nothing can have bazillions of bad effects on you – depression, swollen limbs, bad mood, annoying others that have to watch you do nothing. You get the picture. On the other hand, you know all the great effects of exercising. But let’s look at this a different way. What else do you have to do? He! He! Right now, is probably the one time when you literally are 100% out of excuses. Everywhere I look on the TV, phone, computer, there is another “free” exercise routine for you to follow from home. No equipment needed. I have even seen dance lessons. If you are reading this, you have the internet; and therefore, zero excuses left. You can’t exactly use “I don’t have the time” anymore! So whether you had a routine before this or not, this could be our new normal for a while. Let’s make the most of it. Let’s take it a step further and come out on the other side better than when we went in! What is your routine? I would love to hear about your favorite way to beat the stress and boredom. Erica Leary, The Life by Design Architect, is a female entrepreneur coach who helps women over 50 (46+) find their passion, get clarity and combine it with their skill and knowledge to build a profitable online business so they can finally start living their dream lifestyle. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she has been designing her dream life in Panama City, Panama since 2007. You can start your journey to find your passion at https://go.ericaleary.com to get your free guide to Finding your Passion and Living the Life of Your Dreams. You can find Erica Leary on her website and LinkedIn Instagram @therealericaleary Facebook @therealericaleary Twitter @realericaleary

Written by: Belén Navarro, Contributor Brainz Magazine I live in Madrid, Spain and as you may know we are in complete lockdown, unable to get out of our house, not even to go for a little walk. We are staying home for the sake of everyone and in hopes that this way we will contain the virus. The situation is meant to be like this for at least 15 days but it’s likely that it will go on for longer. As you can imagine and many of you may be already experiencing staying home for such a long period of time is not something any of us looked forward to. Still, as weird as it may sound I’m finding this crisis to be completely eye opening to a lot of people and to me it seems like the universe or God or whomever is up there has put it here for a reason. We live such fast paced lives that we have forgotten about the things that truly matter, we have forgotten to live the True Human Experience and we have forgotten the reason we are all here for. We often go about life unaware that we are living, we work on autopilot and we don’t dare to stop and take control just in case we might catch a glimpse of something we don’t like. Since we are unable to willingly stop the universe has done it for us, it has pulled the brakes and it has made us find stillness within the space of our homes our sanctuaries. No matter your own situation there are always ways you can shift certain aspects of your life or that you can serve others even if it's simply sharing a few words. It must be addressed that I'm talking fully aware of my own privilege. I live in a world where I have a roof over my head, food on my table, access to healthcare and a community around me. I can not change the fact that I am privileged, what I can do though is try to add some value in the midst of this chaos. By no means I claim that a situation like this is necessary to get to a place where you appreciate the things you have, but since we are here and we can not change the crisis we are facing it let's do our best to instead change our mindset. No matter your own situation there are always ways you can shift certain aspects of your life or that you can serve others even if it's simply sharing a few words. It’s only been a few days but instead of finding people going mad because of the lockdown I’m seeing pure magic arise in my community: As parents we are spending time with our kids, time for real, caring, sharing experiences, giving our full attention to one another As couples we are having real conversations about how we are doing, where we want to go, we are learning to enjoy simple daily activities that usually are cause for arguments such as setting the table, preparing dinner or showing appreciation We are serving our grandparents as they have served us many times before, young people are offering their services to go grocery shopping or to care for them as the elderly are the most vulnerable of groups Adolescents being forced to stay home for so long are willing to put the phone down and open up to their families As neighbors we are coming together to the windows to talk to one another, to let the sun in and share a beer in the distance As a community we are putting our differences aside and we are embracing the tremendous effort the medical stuff is doing in this time of need As a country we are putting our fellow citizens above our own personal desires and needs As individuals we are finding comfort in being part of something greater than us As human beings we are having our faith restored Having this time be an illness or a blessing of sorts is up to each and every one of us. It’s a choice we actively make, here are some things to reflect and act on to make coronavirus a turning point in your life: Self reflect: use this time at home to really explore your thoughts and feelings: Are you happy with the life you are leading? Are you happy with the person you are? Do you like how you treat others? Do you like how you treat yourself? Connect: be open with your family and/or your partner. Share what you are feeling, be vulnerable, ask questions, get intimate. Create a space to have deep conversations to really see each other and to rediscover one another. It’s not like that you get to spend so much time alone together again, use it wisely and appreciate it. When was the last time you were curious about them? When was the last time you discovered something new about your partner? Can you fall in love again in 15 days? Can you put your family before work? Be grateful: for the home you get to live in, for the people you share it with, for the food in your plate, for the doctors, nurses and stuff fighting this virus, for the country you live in, for the opportunities to grow, for peace, for light. Create: do something for the sake of enjoying the process not because it is something to check off your list or because it serves a purpose. Make art, make a wonderful meal, make love, make a movie, take pictures, make a mess, make up stories, make up with someone, just make. Invest: everyone is worried about the future but worrying gets you nowhere, investing will. The only way to get closer to the future you want is to take action. Think of what you need, believe in your idea and put your money where your heart is. Invest in your personal development, in your growth, in your business, in your brand, in people you believe in. It’s the perfect time to make a plan and to plant the seed of the future you want for yourself. If you don’t like something, stop doing it and change it. It’s in you. Personally I'm using this time to continue to connect with others, to grow mentally and emotionally, to appreciate and strengthen my relationship, to turn weaknesses into strengths, to become a better human being. I’m spending quality time with my family, yesterday we played ping-pong and we talked for hours in our garden. I hired a coach a few weeks ago and I’m actively investing in my business and in my future. I’m also helping my peculiar clients to create wonderful brands so they can make a difference in the world. I’m connecting with incredible people and teaching them how to share their stories and live their truths. I'm vouching for having this be a time of change to invest in what you love and to create something you are proud of. I am choosing to making magic within four walls and I couldn’t be any more grateful for being able to despite everything appreciate the cards I've been dealt and make the most out of them. This is what I’M choosing what are YOU choosing? Lots of light to you all. Written by: Belén Navarro, Contributor Brainz Magazine Belén Navarro is a designer and coach specializing in helping peculiar entrepreneurs and small businesses to create their own brands. She wrote her final thesis in the healing powers of mindset and creation and she now applies her methodology in her 1:1 work. Her approach is completely based in human connection which makes working with her a mix between creativity and therapy. She is on a mission to help others to embrace the greatness that comes from owning being peculiar and unique in their businesses. As her studio’s motto goes “Believe in what you do, do what you believe, and do that only” her work aims to find alignment between the person behind the brand and the brand that represents them. Visit my website , follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn or join my Facebook community

Sometimes you have to set out to save the world yourself. Theresa Weber-Qvarfort saw the mediasphere move in a direction of polarisation and misinformation - away from the journalistic ideals of honesty, integrity and ethics. With the Ansofy news App , she wants to change the world of news consumption, using revolutionising AI technology to combat fake news and a truly innovative user experience. Here, she tells the story of where her journey began, and where it will take her. Access to objective and honest news shouldn’t be a luxury. But with paywalls popping up as a response to decreased income, newspapers everywhere are turning it into one. Additionally, fake news is becoming a real problem. Theresa’s idea for Ansofy came with a personal experience that almost every online news consumer today will recognise. In order to access an article she wanted to read, she had to sign up for a local newspaper subscription. She tried numerous strategies with the editor; offering to pay for the article itself, offering to pay for an entire hardcopy newspaper and postage, offering to pay for a time limited access solution. Unfortunately, the large media corporation the newspaper was part of had made it impossible to offer anything other than a monthly subscription for the digital content Theresa wanted to access. - It’s not just a matter of paywalls in and of themselves. It’s the larger societal challenge that boils down to information access. What’s going to happen if all well-written, independent, thoroughly researched journalism is locked up? And also, with the enormous amount of information that’s out there, how are readers going to avoid feeling overwhelmed? Parallel to this information challenge, Theresa was also aware of the issue of fake news-writing intended to misinform its readership - and its impact on the audiences that potentially can’t afford or don’t prioritise newspaper subscriptions. She needed to create something that solved both problems in one. A platform where users could access the information they wanted in the endless flow of publication sources across the globe. And a platform where the news enthusiasts could feel confident that what they were reading was objective and accurate. - The answer was quite simple, really. I would give power of readership back to the reader, and do it with transparency and honesty. So on one hand, Ansofy is an app that makes it possible for the user to build their own news feed, hand-picking sources from around the world in a single interface. And on the other, it’s an app that solves the issue of fake news and algorithmic filter bubbles, with AI technology . In addition to giving the user the possibility of reading international news from Asia, local news from Sweden, and financial news from the States - if you prefer them in that order - Ansofy also provides its own news feeds. These are AI-created, sourced from one of the most cutting edge providers on the market. The AI works as an observational journalist, surveilling a topic over the course of 24 hours. Once two or more sources begin writing about the same event, the AI extracts the facts, removes the emotion from the source material’s wording, and produces its own piece of unique content. As more sources pop up, the article is updated - and can even be branched out into several articles if the initial story begins to expand considerably. The results are news that are practically removed of human bias, and give an objective perspective on trending topics. Combined with access to news sources from the whole world, it makes Ansofy a powerful tool in pre-empting filter bubbles. - Online consumers have begun questioning why they’re shown the information they’re shown as they browse digital news and social media feeds. Do a little research, and you quickly learn that sophisticated algorithms are responsible for tracking your every online move, and so determine what will and won’t interest you. It’s called a filter bubble - and when it comes to objective reporting it’s actually a serious problem. "The only actual way to break the information filter-bubble is by accessing information from several sources reporting on the same event or topic." Filter bubbles occur when you as an online consumer only see a very small piece of the big picture. Paywalls are also a contributing factor to the phenomenon. Who’s going to subscribe to 10 different newspapers, with different political perspectives and geographical contexts, every month? More often than not, you’ll pick one, or maybe two, newspapers you’d be willing to actually pay for. No matter how serious these publications are, though, they still hold bias. The only actual way to break the information filter-bubble is by accessing information from several sources reporting on the same event or topic.   So how does Ansofy actually work? The app’s AI component is based on RSS feeds; compiling enough free information from different publications material and creating a coherent and comprehensive article on the subject matter. RSS-feeds are digital versions of a front page or news flyer - like the ones you can still see posted in newsstands today. On the other hand, Ansofy allows the user to pick and choose which sources they want to follow, organised by categories like Top news, Finance, Gossip and Public Service. The app does not take the user behind the paywall. Instead it provides a tool that essentially makes all other news apps superfluous. The combo gives the reader freedom of choice over their own information flow, and helps them navigate through the news-jungle in a clear way . - Our long-term goal is to give every person in the world fair access to reliable information -and the power to decide over which news they want to consume. Whether they live in an area of war, conflict or peace; whether they’re from a developing or industrial country; whether they’re male or female. It shouldn’t matter. Information is the foundation for understanding - a quality we sorely need today, whether it’s about climate change or the refugee crisis.  "Imagine a world where news consumption has been turned into such an attractive commodity that journalists can focus on in-depth reporting instead of sensationalist headlines." Long-term, Theresa wants to launch Ansofy on a global scale, and is particularly interested in how it can serve as a platform for readers and publications alike. Smaller magazines, sources and periodicals are suffering from the necessity for swift digitalisation. With Ansofy, they don’t need to build an expensive and user-friendly app, because the portal is already in place. Likewise, industries all over the globe are undergoing a shift towards journalistic investment; big businesses are starting to publish their own content. Theresa’s app can help them reach their customers as part of a massive information ecosystem, and eventually, Ansofy will serve as a symbiotic facilitator between publication and audience. - Imagine a world where news consumption has been turned into such an attractive commodity that journalists can focus on in-depth reporting instead of sensationalist headlines. Where we’ve essentially removed fake news from the equation. Where you have the full picture of what’s going on in the world at your fingertips. And you, the reader, are in charge of your news feed, so you can avoid filter bubbles and echo chambers. That’s what Ansofy is: News 2.0, for a better information and media future. Download Ansofy on App Store or Google Play

Written by: Karina Mikhli, CEO and Founder of Right-Size COO Do you remember when "failing" (or "failing fast") was what everyone in the startup world was talking about? I feel like "scaling" (and "growth hacking") took its place as the new thing every startup founder should aim for. In non-startup speak, "scaling" just means that you're growing but the key to scaling is to do it smart. Here are the top three things to consider before you begin to scale: Why are you scaling? What should you hire for and what should you outsource? What will your role continue to be? Why are you scaling? The first thing you need to decide—and know—is why you want to grow. Are you doing it because you have to fulfill customer demand or because your investors are breathing down your neck or because you were told it's what you should aim for? Unless you're doing it for the former (increased customer demand), I recommend you rethink doing it at all. Scaling is not easy to do nor to maintain, and if you don't have enough sales to warrant it, you're going to be fighting an uphill battle. It's also okay to grow slowly and organically, and to not want to grow past a certain point. As long as it supports your lifestyle—and you can pay your employees and bills—don't let anyone pressure you into aiming for more than you know you need or want. What should you hire for and what should you outsource? Assuming you're scaling for the right reasons, you need to get the resources to help you do more. This probably involves upgrading some of your systems and tools, but it also involves getting more human resources, which does not necessarily translate to more staff. Instead of going on a hiring spree, first decide what your core service and functions are and which ones are supportive. The core functions should be kept in-house but supporting and administrative ones are probably cheaper to outsource at first (you can read more about what to delegate via outsourcing  here ). Since technology has made remote work viable, there are more options for hiring both staff and freelancers. You should consider whether you need to hire onsite or offsite (which has its own potential cost-savings), and whether you need to hire full-time or can it start part-time. For freelancers/ consultants, I recommend hiring hourly and part-time, and if possible, remote unless having them onsite has advantages. "There is no one right answer nor will that answer remain the same through your company's journey." What will your role continue to be? The last thing to consider is your role. As a baby startup founder, you had to do it all but as your company scales, you will need to bring on (or outsource to) specialists. And given your strengths and weaknesses, it may or may not make sense for you to remain at the helm. It's better for you to figure this out and be honest with yourself, then to realize too late and/or have that decision taken away from you. This is also your opportunity to return to what you love to do. If you've hated running the business and dealing with everything but "x" (insert whatever function/role gives you joy and/or is your strength), this is your chance to focus on x again. So should you scale or not? There is no one right answer nor will that answer remain the same through your company's journey. But the wrong thing to do is to grow for the wrong reasons or poorly, which will lead to wasted money and alienating your current customers. You can always scale later but it's a lot harder to regain customer trust or recover from a bad first impression. Karina Mikhli, CEO and Founder of  Right-Size COO , started out as a teacher and then migrated to publishing. She spent much of her career managing content operations at various publishing houses, and the rest of it helping startups and nonprofits. Along the way she realized she had a knack for managing and optimizing operations and teams, streamlining processes, and setting up and automating efficient systems, which is something she realized many startup founders and small business owners had a need for. As Right-Size COO, she offers flexible and affordable packages so that everyone can afford the right COO for their current needs, regardless of the size of their business or budget. To learn more about Karina, you can visit her  LinkedIn page  or contact her at karina@rightsizecoo.com .

Written by: Carmen Benton, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Awareness is the most important piece in the success journey, yet the most common missing link among entrepreneurs. Awareness is so important, because it brings you not only attention to a situation in your business that you need to solve or fix, but also it is like literally shining a spotlight into anything you need to make better, and allow your inner and outer resources to focus on amending the situation. In other words, without awareness of where you are today, it is impossible to get where you want to be, because without a clear starting point your goals, your tactics, and strategy can’t be effective to get you where you want to go. Realization is how I like to call the act of being aware of the state of your business, and I invite you to fully realize or accept as a fact where you are in your business today and of course to realize where you want to be, and by becoming aware and fully realize the state, health and outcomes of your business, you will be then ready to start the journey towards success with the right foot. Many studies suggest that lack of awareness as a business owner has more implications and limitations in entrepreneurial success, than previously imagined. For example, believe it or not a lack of realization in your strategy will cost you the ability to acquire the talent that will help you move towards success, and that’s true regardless of the size of your company, even if you are a one person shop currently, the reality is that eventually you will have to hire people to scale your business, and the lack of realization will inhibit your ability to get the right people on your side, which will end up costing you time, clients and money. But closing this gap and finding the missing link of entrepreneurial success is not something sexy that famous people wake up one day and decide to chase, it is something you must do as an entrepreneur if you consider yourself a leader, because leadership is all about recognizing not only the areas of opportunity for your employees and your customers, but for yourself and your business, and that’s when you can leverage your inner and outer resources to ensure you perform at the best every time. Not just converting sales often, but keeping up a steady improvement using conversion rate optimization (CRO) to keep improving. After all, you are in business to guide your customers to a better destination, either with your products or your services, which inevitably means you are or at least want to be a leader in your area of expertise. In this article I want to share with you three techniques to leverage your inner resources, and when it comes to awareness and realization, these are tools that are surprisingly common, and that I know you are familiar with but perhaps not as an entrepreneur, and maybe you haven’t stopped to apply them in your business. The first tool is to do regular Brain Dumping sessions, which is not more than a complete transfer of your accessible knowledge about a particular subject from your brain to some other storage medium, such as paper or your computers hard drive. Then, the second tool you need to practice realization and awareness in your business is to create a categorization of that knowledge you got out of your brain and into a paper, so it’s easier to apply the third step which is creating an understanding of what is coming your way so you can be prepared. As you can see these three tools are simple, easy and free for you to start implementing, and they are the first step of what I like to call Time Hacking Blueprint. For the remaining steps on this process, stay tuned to my upcoming articles. For more details and other business strategies for success, follow me on Facebook or Instagram, join my Facebook Community or visit my website Carmen Benton,Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Carmen Benton is an International sought after Business Strategist, dedicated to help entrepreneurs around the world stop feeling overwhelmed and overworked, by showing them how to create a real growth strategy and powerful action that is proven to eliminate burnout from any business, including yours so that you can feel passionate about what you do again, and scale you business with ease.  Carmen is a Mechanical Industrial Engineer and she holds an MBA from a branch for Harvard Business School.  She has served in high management positions in large corporations in the US, and she also has helped companies of all shapes and sizes, create and established a concrete strategy that's actionable and profitable.

Written by: Hanna Horner So far 2020 hasn’t impressed us business owners much. I’m sure none of us had “lockdowns” as a potential scenario when we sat down to make plans for the year. That doesn’t mean that you need to surrender your dreams, goals and visions for you future. This just means that it is even MORE important than ever before to remain in control of YOU, your own mindset, what you focus on and what you do with your time. You can either set off into the coming months with absolute confidence and the mindset of a winner - or you can curl up back up and watch from the sidelines as the brave ones take on new challenges and opportunities.  Think about what it is that you want to accomplish in 2020 and commit 100% to show up and work smart, while most people run away and hide. We all know that during economic downturns wealth can get redistributed very quickly - and you know you want to be on the receiving end of that. Rather than getting stuck in the collective victim role and look for support packages and bailouts (and I’m not saying those are BAD at all) grab the bull by the horns, accept the new reality, and more FORWARD. In times of social distancing, full on lock-downs and messages of “go home and stay home” the business owners that THRIVE have pivoted their businesses online. Gyms run home workout programs along with nutrition challenges, flower stores have stoppable Instagrams and deliver. All the big stores offer “pick up curbside” (or deliver), restaurants focus on take out, clothing stores make the most of their stories and entice people to shop from home. "We need to look for the good" Success, as you know, is 80% having the right mindset. To be successful entrepreneurs we need to be resilient, solution focused, have a high tolerance for ambiguity and be prepared to risk it all.  I have some “go-to” suggestions to thrive in these times: Get yourself a rock solid morning routine. This routine should involve 3 quick wins over that pesky, negative voice in your head that’s trying to get you to give up. This is how you can build up your mental resilience and toughness. Plan each day in as much detail as possible. Make sure you have clear deadlines and know exactly what to do at any given time. That way you don’t have to stop to think about what’s coming up next. It’s when we stop our momentum, that we open the floodgates to doubt, procrastination and fear. “An object in motion stays in motion." Get yourself an accountability partner. You’re 85% more likely to follow through on your plans, if you have an appointment with someone who cares. It’s smart to spend time on the things that help you maintain a winning mindset. Even as much as 80% of your time can have this as the sole focus. Trust me, your remaining 20% will be more than enough to get everything done WHEN you’re doing it from a feeling of personal power and ability to focus on the right things. Build an online following. Get to know your audience and let “social media” be just that: social. You’ll find that your new friends on social will bail you out and stay faithful to you and your brand, even in tougher times. Don’t try to “go it alone”. Get the support you need. Don’t DIY things you’re not good at. Focus on making MORE money, rather than “saving”. Delegate. Buy traffic online (ads). Reinvest in your business - and be sure to move as much as possible online. Surround yourself with people who also refuse to settle for less. It’s common knowledge that we become the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. Who do you want to be? Get yourself that intentional success-team. To grow beyond wherever we are at today, won’t be comfortable. We’re used to how things are - for better of for worse. Anytime we decide to venture outside that comfort zone it WILL hurt. Be mentally prepared to rise up to the new challenges. Give it everything you’ve got. It’ll be worth it. We need to look for the good. The online and e-learning industry has proven to be somewhat more resistant to economic downturns than others in the past. It is projected that the e-learning industry will reach 325 billion a year by 2025. Right now is the perfect time to position yourself to be a part of that economy. In Italy, in March of this year, e-commerce went up buy 90% as compared to March last year. You can most definitely create an unshakable business. You can come out of this as a winner. In fact, you might be one of the few who CAN “win” in these times - and that’s exactly what we all need you to do. Someone needs to keep the wheels turning. Right now you are being called to step things up and give it your all. Hanna Horner works with driven and ambitious entrepreneurs who want to reach goals faster. Visit Hannas website and schedule a meeting!

Written by: Elena Seranova A lot of times when I discuss business, my scientific studies or my love life, people respond with "you must have been so lucky" or "sounds like an overnight success". I want to address the perspective of overnight success and how you can achieve it. I will talk about my first business, my interdisciplinary studies and my love life as an example. Business First things first. I'm sorry to ruin your dream but overnight success doesn't exist. In order to become successful in any aspect of your life, you have to create a system that works in the long term. After some time of executing the same boring stuff over and over again, you start seeing results. This is what people call overnight success. There are very few exceptions in this rule , and betting that you'll be one of them is not smart. If you put the work in, your chances of overnight success are much higher. My first well-being business went from 0 to 6 figures within 18 months. I was 23. I didn't even know what to do with so much money coming in every day. But how did it all start? After graduating with a major in psychology, I was wondering what to do next. One thing I knew for sure: becoming an employee was not an option. As an undergrad, I used to work night shifts as a DJ to pay my rent while my family's small business got bankrupt in 2008 due to the Greek financial crisis. I knew that I'm not comfortable with taking orders so I was searching for a quick way to set up a profitable business. That's why when I heard about a cool neurofeedback device that other health practitioners use for stress reduction I got interested. Why? Because there was no such device in the north Part of Greece, so I knew that if I import one I'd have a monopoly. I took a calculated risk (now that I look back at it, it resembles more of a leap of faith, but I'm so glad I took it), bought the device, took a few months' training and launched my well-being business. The first month, I only managed to land 2 customers. I went to my mom saying "I have to pay the office rent tomorrow and I didn't make enough money this month". She said she'll pay my rent tomorrow but I have one more month to figure out how to pay the next one. I had a printer at the office. I designed a brochure that would suffice in Word and printed some copies. Then, I went door to door in my building. And the next building. And the next one. I contacted a local radio station for a chance to be featured in one of the shows and they said yes. Customers and cash were rolling in every day and at the end of the month, I was so proud that I could pay my rent! Six months later I had a two weeks waiting list for an appointment because the product was great and I made sure to give my customers great experience each time they would come in. Science studies After being involved with patients suffering from various conditions, I got curious about the symptoms I was observing in my customers. I have previously taken some cognitive neuroscience classes at uni and decided to study the human brain a bit more. Call me an information junkie but I get a kick out of learning cool facts about stuff that interest me, which is mostly science and business. Five years into my business, after growing it into two branches in 2 different cities, I decided to step up my game. The financial situation in Greece was still not as prosperous as in the western European countries. I found a fascinating master's degree in neuroscience and genetics at an English university and ended up applying for it. And I got in! So I took another leap of faith, closed down my business and moved to the UK. I had enough savings from my business to not work for a year and be a self-funded student. This is where I got introduced to wet lab biology. To the actual research that scientists do wearing white lab coats and figuring out interactions between various proteins by setting up cool experiments. And my mind was completely blown. "My life has a purpose, and my research plays a great part in it." I fell in love with lab work and molecular biology. I loved it so much, I actually decided to pursue a PhD in this field as well. The master's degree' lab project was hard. It was harder for me than for most of my course mates because most of them had a biology background, while I was struggling to keep up with the course work and the novice lab nomenclature. In a new language! But I didn't care, it was so cool! I just kept going and applying for PhD positions. After about 20 rejections, it became clear that I'm not the ideal candidate for a wet lab biology PhD project. Or at least this is what my potential supervisors thought. Until one day, I got a positive reply. One positive reply was all I needed. And here we are, 3 years and 7 publications later, I am about to obtain my PhD in neurodegeneration, stem cell biology and drug discovery. Love Life Some may wonder whether I have any time to be dating at all with such a hefty schedule.The little time left for personal use, becomes very precious, meaning you want to make the best out of it. You want the best, most fascinating experience out of it. So how do you find a partner that will be a great match and will make you have the time of your life? That will be considerate, fun to be with, romantic, adventurous, loving... Those are all the wrong questions. Because what we currently describe here, is the top of the dating pool. So why do you think the ideal partner that you would choose over millions of others, would choose you? The answer is simple. Because you are one in a million. In other words, you need to make the offer so irresistible that any candidate you shortlist, will choose you over another woman, over and over again. And how do you do that? The answer to this question is slightly counter intuitive. You don't focus on dating. You focus on yourself. You improve yourself in every way possible. This is something that business taught me. If you have a mediocre product, there is no need to start advertising it before you hone it to the point that as soon as the customer will see the ad, the purchase will be a no-brainer. And then, you do the second counter intuitive thing. You start going on dates, but you keep on rejecting. Instead of looking for reasons to see a guy for a second time, you look for reasons to never see him again. Why? As you improve yourself in every aspect of your life (charm, intelligence, physical and mental health etc), you don't want to settle for the first person you'll go on a date with. You want to wait until you find someone that will tick all the boxes. That will be as caring, loving, attractive and intelligent as you deserve. I was single for over 2 years before I met my partner. We've been together for a year and it's been the best year of my life. Why? Because I kept on rejecting everyone else before I met him. There was always something missing and I was not willing to compromise. As a result, I found someone that has the same mindset and values with me, he is funny, smart, charming and we just admire each other. Lab members are jealous of my regular flower deliveries as I'm doing my experiments, weekends consist of surprise destination getaways and I never felt so emotionally safe and loved in my life. Was it all down to luck? Absolutely no. I just kept bettering myself and saying no until I found the One. Conclusion People tend to blame "bad luck" for their circumstances. And when they hear about other people's success, it hurts them less if they attribute it to "overnight success"; rather than to this individual's will power and consistency. That's what I implemented in business, in my studies and in my love life. There was no overnight success, I just kept on going until the results were achieved. I struggled a lot along the way, but I never gave up. I hope that from now on, you will do the same. Elena has a BSc in Psychology. Run a 6-figure wellness business and was a co-founder of a biotech start-up. Currently a PhD candidate and is the founder of the Guild of Growth, a female exclusive self development community focusing on mindset of success. Visit her website!