Written by: Felicia Shanken, 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 many of you are in groups or host a group page on social media? Do you know whether you are in a group? Are you taking advantage of the groups you are in? What are you contributing if anything? Let’s begin the conversation. Ready? Let’s Go! How many invitations do you get a week, asking you to join someone’s group? I have seriously lost count. I remember when I started on social media. First, I had to learn what to do and how to navigate the application or website. Surfing the “web,” I had no idea what people were talking about. Fast forward to the present day. Now, I am savvy when it comes to the web, networking online, joining groups, and utilizing social media. I had to perform a serious “purge” one day on my social media pages and the groups I was following. When I looked up, I realized that I was in almost “30 groups.” Why? There is no way that I could devote time to 30 groups. Seriously, with my schedule, I was lucky to give time to 2 lets alone 30. I had to go through these groups and figure out what value they added to my business and life? I think for me it was the benefit of saying, “Yes I belong to these groups,” but what difference did it make if I wasn’t participating? The whole concept of being in a group is to get value from it while contributing and supporting that group. If people would engage in groups more often, networking events wouldn’t be necessary. You can build, make, and find connections from the comfort of your home in your pajamas. I remember when I started my Philadelphia Women’s Network Connection group on Facebook. It took us a while to grow our community, but we got there. The 1 1⁄2 years we grew to more than 1,000 women. Then, I purged about half of my followers. Why? There was no engagement with those I removed. Most of them probably didn’t even remember they joined. Why have 1,000 people in your group and most of them are doing nothing? Think about it. You constantly engage and post vital information including sharing business-building information, sharing programs, how to find grants, and encourage networking among your followers. Mostly it is the same 40-50 people engaging if you’re lucky or none at all. Now granted we know Facebook changes its algorithm from time to time. Right? I don’t believe that’s the reason. Are people just not interested in the content they are getting? Are they bored with their group or are they like me when I was part of 30 groups and not able to engage with them all? So, after purging my group down to about half I started growing it again. This time I was more strategic in my planning. Not everyone could join and there were screening questions to answer. If you did not take the time to answer, I didn’t approve your request. Simple, right? Not really. One of the questions asked to provide an email address for connection purposes only. My organization does not send unwanted emails or spam if you don’t request it. Many people skipped over the question about providing an email contact. This didn’t make sense to me. If I close my group tomorrow how would we stay connected? Trust me I don’t have the luxury to track down more than 1,200 people from our group page. When It Became Real For Me I see some groups with more than 10,000 people. How do they keep their followers engaged? Do the people in these groups support you? Have you seen them at your events, webinars, or trainings? Are they participating in your programs? Are they networking with each other? This is when it became real for me. I have an email list that has grown tremendously. Don’t get me wrong we do get some support from the Facebook Group but considering how many are in the group we would love to see more engagement. People don’t realize, except for those that have these social groups, the commitment that it takes every day. To inspire and motivate a massive group can be very draining and very time-consuming. I work on building momentum and engagement, encourage networking, and market to get people out to an event. It takes time, planning, and execution which is a whole lot of work. So back to my original question, is your group supporting you? Are you supporting them? Is it a 50/50 type of relationship or are you investing more than you are getting out? These are hard questions that you must ask yourself. You may have a difference of opinion and ask if you have a community of 10,000 why shut the group down or purge some from the group? My answer is always the same. A lot of the people either don’t know they are in the group, not interested, or not engaging with you or others in the group. So why should they stay? What value are they adding? That is why I took myself out of so many groups, I wasn’t adding any value. I didn’t contribute and I definitely didn’t use any of the resources they were offering. So why stay? I felt better in doing this. Why would I take the spot of someone who could bring value and be a phenomenal presence in the group? So, what I am saying is if you have any groups that you are heading up or a part of, take a good look inside. What value are people or you bringing to the group, are they supporting you or them? Support One Another Here is what I find interesting. Everyone is willing to post about their business events, training, and course offerings but will not attend an event hosted by the group they are part of. Does this make sense? Small business owners need the support of each other to survive. We are supposed to support one another. That is the overall goal, right? So why isn’t this happening? Currently, I have people in my Facebook Group, who have been followers since I created it over three years ago. They have yet to come to an event, webinar, or training. What I’ve Learned I had to learn to let it go and not focus so much on things that don’t matter. I had to start focusing on those that did support PWNC because they are the ones who do matter – the businesspeople we assist, uplift, and inspire each day. I am referring to those that need extra inspiration to carry out their day. This way I narrow down the gogetters, those that need support and those that support me. So, I circle back to the question. Do I purge the group again or shut it down completely and start anew? I think this time, I will go into the group, see who is worth staying connected with, and start with a new prospective. Whatever you decide to do with your community groups, promise yourself one thing. No matter how many people you have, if at least half or most of the group is not supporting you, then it is time to think about doing something differently. Good luck in your decision. Have a great day on purpose! For more information, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my website ! Read more from Felicia! Felicia Shanken, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Felicia Shanken is a Women Strategist and Builder. She is the Founder/CEO of the Philadelphia Women's Network Connection, LLC and PWNC Foundation 501(c)(3). PWNC is about helping local businesswomen build their businesses, connect with like-minded individuals and benefit from shared resources. The Foundation is committed to helping women growing a business as solo entrepreneurs transition from a full-time or part-time job to full-time entrepreneurship. Felicia has also been recognized and honored by " Fun Times Magazine " in their March/April 2020 edition for being " 2020 Philadelphia Who's Who Black Women of Influence". Felicia had the opportunity in September 2019 to have her own show on RVNTV , a digital television platform called " Power Up Your Passion" where she brings guests on to talk about their passion in life and how it leads to where they are now. Felicia was raised in Queens, New York. She moved to Philadelphia over 20 years ago, where she met her husband, Paul, a native Philadelphian. They live in the Fairmont area of Center City, Philadelphia.

Written by: Traci Philips, 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. If you have spent any time at all in the world of leadership over the past few years, you will have heard words like “empathy,” “collaboration,” “workplace culture,” “diversity and inclusion,” and “employee experience.” The current changes we have all been navigating have shifted us from the face-to-face experience of being with one another to a virtual and distanced reality where we are challenged to find ways to stay connected while being separated from one another. In some cases, we have been spending much more time with those in our immediate families and circles than ever before. This, too, has challenged and placed a spotlight on how well we manage our relationships and get along with others. All in all, this time has driven us to look more closely at our interpersonal skills and development and how it all affects our environments. This is a great thing, as both our strengths and weaknesses have become plainly obvious, both to us as individuals, and as collective cultures. Just as a diamond cannot be formed without pressure, we cannot move through real, sustainable change and towards improvement without discomfort, messiness and a break-down of old paradigms that no longer serve us. When it comes to leadership and what is being called for as we move forward, we will need leaders who know how to create stability, trust, faith, and real, human connection both in their immediate physical environments and from a distance. This means these people will have to embody these traits and develop them within the very core of their being, not just practice them as an external checklist to accomplish a given goal. In this new world, there is no “faking it.” We are being called to rise to the challenge of bettering ourselves within to improve the world around us. When I first began coaching, I would have some potential clients question the ability to feel fully supported by a coach they weren’t meeting with face-to-face. Not only have I always conducted client sessions virtually, I have also always done them over the phone. This means my clients only have my voice to interact with during our time together. There have been, even before the pandemic, very intentional reasons for this, on my end. My auditory senses increase without the distractions of seeing or physically interacting with clients, and with this, my innate talent for reading patterns in language that lead me to better understand what is hidden behind the spoken word also sharpen. They say, when one of our senses goes away the others become enhanced. We hone our skills when we can focus on them. For me, as I minimize distractions to my ability to listen, at all levels, I maximize my value to my clients. As leaders, we are being shown a new path. It requires us to develop all of our capacities to the greatest degree of their innate potential. It is not only the physical senses but other senses, as well, that we will need to evolve in the years to come. Head Brain, Heart Brain, Gut Brain When I talk about “listening on all levels” I mean with my head, heart, and gut. The 5 physical senses that we have – hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste - are all connected to our head brain. We measure the head brain information through what we call IQ – our Intelligence Quotient. What comes through our 5 physical senses is registered and processed through the brain in our head. But, did you know we have two other brains, as well? According to Neuroscience, we have three brains, not one. There are cellular structures in our head brain and in our heart and gut regions that are connected and share information back and forth. In fact, in order to process the full extent of available information from our inner and external environments, it is essential to have both health and effective development within each of these three brains. Up to this point, only focusing on what our head brains can access has left us functioning on, at best, one-third of this obtainable information. Interestingly, there is also a growing body of leadership literature that points to the fastest-growing, most innovative, and best places to work as companies with leaders at the helm who have developed and tapped into the benefits of leading from their three brains. Just as the head brain is measured through the physical 5 senses, there are 5 other internal mirror senses that we also have at our disposal. Internal Sense No.1 Inner Voice: this is the mirror to our physical sense of hearing. Just as we need to move from hearing to listening in order to understand and work with what our external auditory sense picks up, we must, too, develop an ability to distinguish this inner voice, which is tied to both our heart and guts brains, to hear and listen to what it has to share with us. Internal Sense No.2 Intuition: This is sometimes referred to as “inner sight” or insight. It is the mirror sense to external sight. This is our ability to “see” or know things that are not visible to the eye and even, at times, don’t align with rational understanding. This sense is often tied with the gut-brain, although there could be information that we collect through our emotional heart-brain center that plays into our intuition. Internal Sense No.3 Emotional Touch: We have heard sayings like, “that sentiment touched my heart,” and “I was deeply touched by his kindness.” This speaks to the heart brain’s ability to internally feel the vibrational sentiment of someone’s words and actions. When we feel heartache or joy over a simple thought, without any physical interference, this is our heart-brain connecting vital information and sending us cues. The ability to truly practice empathy, for example, is only available to those who have open access to their heart brains. Internal Sense No,4 Inner Smell: There is that well-known saying, “I smell a rat!” This speaks to our specific sense of identifying where things are not congruent or on the up and up. When we sense or “smell” danger, this is our fourth internal sense letting us know that we are picking up critical information that we need to acknowledge, process, and consider. Internal Sense No.5 Discernment/Inner Taste: In order to develop personal boundaries, we must grow our fifth sense of discernment. This is when we say things like, “that experience left a bad taste in my mouth,” and “that isn’t really my taste in clothing style.” Simply recognizing what we like and don’t like, personally, or what is comfortable or uncomfortable for us is not enough. Acting on discernment allows us to create a safe place for ourselves and others. With clearly set rules of engagement, everyone knows what to expect and the parameters within which to interact. The ability to create and sustain safe and secure environments is one of the top traits desired in leaders according to recent polls. As a final note, I mentioned that the head brain is aligned with the concept of IQ. Similarly, the heart and gut brains also have quotients that are used to measure our abilities to process and utilize information within and from these brains. The heart-brain is measured in EQ or Emotional Quotient and the gut-brain is measured in PQ or Percipience Quotient. So far, we have spent years studying and focusing on IQ. More recently, we have dived into the waters of understanding the place and significance of EQ, but we have barely begun to look at or investigate the role of PQ in human potential and leadership. As with all things, it will be exciting to see what does develop and how it changes our understanding of our own capacities and what that means to the future of how we interact, innovate, influence and lead. Want to learn more from Traci? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or visit her website. Read More Traci Philips, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As an Executive Leadership & Performance Strategist, Traci Philips supports visionary business owners and corporate executives to learn and practice better communication, resolution strategies, decision-making, and leading during times of change and when the stakes are high. A three-year stint co-facilitating a men's transformational program for industry leaders incarcerated in Federal Prison taught Traci more than she could ever have learned elsewhere about high-stakes leadership and the cost of bad decision-making. This experience fueled a passion in her to help top leaders learn what they needed to know so they wouldn't end up losing what matters most. Her ultimate goal is to support her clients to live authentically and lead powerfully by creating more awareness about who they are, how they want to be seen, and what legacy they want to leave behind. Traci is the co-host of Eavesdrop in the Moment, a bi-weekly podcast that discusses current trends and leadership. Her book, Looking In: Discover, Define and Align the True Value of Your Life, Leadership and Legacy is helping leaders around the globe increase their confidence and self-identity to meet leadership demands and their personal performance potential.

Written by: Kristen Bilodeau, 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 not uncommon, especially in times filled with uncertainty, to get caught in catastrophizing the worst case scenario. We let our thoughts go to places where we imagine situations going wrong or others hurting us - whether this stems from fears, prior life experiences, trauma, abandonment, or a history of negative thought patterns, anxiety, or depression. Not only can it be a vicious cycle, but it can take our self-worth and mindset into a spiral while damaging the relationships we have with ourselves and our partners. Catastrophizing defined Catastrophizing is a cognitive distortion where irrational thoughts create the worst case scenario for current or future situations. It is a creation of a reality that is magnified and intensified in a negative way that can be limiting - even crippling- to our mental, physical and emotional well-being. For example, if you worry that if you let someone down or say the wrong thing they will leave you. If you don’t exceed expectations or overperform at work you will be fired. Maybe you believe that when you don’t hear from a loved one hat something terrible has happened to them. These irrational and extreme patterns of thinking can impact your ability to think clearly in situations of ambiguity or uncertainty (which is most of life!) Impact on Self What we think about the most grows. The thoughts and feelings we experience are directly connected to our physical and mental processes. By allowing our minds to be controlled by negative thoughts such as fear and worry, we create a destructive pattern of thinking that gives power to toxicity. If you give your power of choice to the negative energy of these thoughts, it can become like a freight train wreaking havoc on the everyday thoughts and experiences of your life. You may become so consumed by intrusive worry that it is difficult for you to focus. It can negatively impact your self-confidence and sense of self-worth. You can become overwhelmed or anxious and struggle to be present at the moment. Being aware that these catastrophic thinking patterns are present is the first step towards change. By accepting them, not shaming yourself for feeling them, you can begin to reconceptualize them so that they do not become your dominating default thought pattern Impact on Relationships When we are in a catastrophic thinking pattern we create scenarios that can project onto our partners and loved ones. We may distrust them or feel the need to control their decisions or behaviors to avoid adverse situations from occurring. The negative emotions of fear, worry, and anxiety could create distance or discomfort or lead to tension and arguments. We may be unable to enjoy the present moment or feel gratitude and appreciation for our partners. It can also create major communications blocks and breakdowns that can perpetuate cycles of anger, resentment, and disconnect. Power to Choose and Heal There are few things we can control in our lives; but we can control our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Being aware and owning your thoughts and feelings is a courageous and beautiful step towards self-healing. When you are able to frame these feelings from a place of groundedness, not fear, you can start to unpack the experiences that are connected to these thoughts so that you are able to reframe and reconceptualize them. This is no small feat; but advocating for the support you need to help accomplish this goal can be life-changing Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website for more info! Read more fro m Kristen ! Kristen Bilodeau, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine As a Personal Development and Marriage Coach, Kristen Bilodeau leads women through their own personal journey of finding their voice, healing their marriage, and releasing their inner wild woman. As a woman who struggled in her own journey to self-awareness and truth in her life and marriage, Kristen uses the power of a woman’s story as the tool and catalyst for change, healing, and growth. She helps women uncover their truth through questioning and reflection so that they can be the creator of their experiences and thrive as the woman they were meant to be.

Written by: Michael Neill , 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. A business strategy you might not have tried yet. “Business” can be defined in many ways, but one of the simplest is that it is a vehicle to facilitate the exchange of value. We put in value, generally in the form of our time and creativity, and the business gives us back value, generally in the form of money. The reason we would build a business (as opposed to simply making the exchange directly one on one as an employee or service professional) is leverage. With a well-designed business, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and we don’t have to keep doing everything ourselves. We’re effectively putting our time and creativity into designing a goose that, if properly fed, will give us access to a theoretically unlimited number of golden eggs on demand. On some of my public courses, I share the two fundamental reasons that people build businesses. While this is just a model, I’ve found it to be a useful one as it quickly delineates whether we are building a business to address a money problem (which can actually be solved with more money) or to address a fundamental misunderstanding problem, which can’t be solved with money but dissolves all by itself in the face of a deeper truth. While there are times where human behavior seems remarkably complex to me (like pretty much any time I go looking for my car keys when they’re already in my hand), it’s actually surprisingly straightforward: We will always do what makes sense to us at the time as best we can, given the thinking we have that looks real to us. Let’s take money as a prime example. We look at the world around us and see people with money who seem happy, secure, powerful, and free — what we might call “OKness”. We assume that there must be some kind of causal or even correlative element to the amount of money someone has and the experience of life we make up they’re having. To the extent that the money = OKness hypothesis looks real to us, it’s only natural that we will pursue money as if our security, freedom, power, and happiness depended on it. So a common strategy is to grow a business in order to buy as much OKness (via money, or “golden eggs”) as we think we need. The problem is that if we follow this strategy over time, the “goose” of our business starts to take on some pretty monstrous qualities. It starts to get ravenous to the point where it needs to eat more and more in order to continue to produce golden eggs. Not only does it begin to consume more and more of our time and our energy, but it also needs to consume consumers. And rather than question our basic premise, we spend even more of our time and energy looking for food for the “goose monster” so that it will keep laying more and more eggs so that we can be even more OK and even more free. And before we know it, our lives have become about creating golden eggs to buy our happiness by feeding more and more people into our business. A popular strategy for finding food for the monster is called “service”. We’re taught that if we put our attention on serving people, they’ll get interested enough in what we do to spend time with our business — which can then eat them up and lay more golden eggs. So “service” goes from being a commonsense way of creating value to a strategy for creating golden eggs. But because we don’t see that this whole cycle has been created out of our own insecurity, it gets to the point where we start worrying that if we don’t keep finding food for the monster, it’s going to turn around and consume us. And the very thing that we created to help becomes the biggest problem in our lives. A quick aside — this is my story as much as it may be yours. For the first 20 years of my career, I built businesses in an attempt to keep myself safe, make myself happy, and give myself more freedom. And I wound up feeling more and more insecure, miserable, and stuck. The way out, at least for me, was in seeing that the fundamental premise from which I was starting was just wrong. I realized in a moment of absolute clarity that I was fundamentally OK, intrinsically secure, and already free. I was born happy — and it was only later on in life that I came to think that my levels of security, freedom, and power were correlated to a specific amount of money in the bank. Here’s how “strategy two” works — a business built from the starting point of already being complete, happy, and well. You begin in the unknown — the big nothing — the fertile void of the present moment. An impulse arises to create. It might be a piece of art or furniture, a new way of getting around town, or a space where people can go to make their work lives easier. It could be a service or product that would meet a real human need arising from genuine compassion for those whose circumstances limit their access to opportunities in the wider world. These creations are not designed to create golden eggs — they’re designed to express something that wants to be expressed through us and/or contribute to the wellbeing of the planet. And when our business is an expression of that desire and intention, something very different comes into form. When we look out at the world from the field of pure possibility, we don’t see people as potential monster food. We see them as our friends and family, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. I get that might sound idealistic. But when we’re not obsessing about keeping the goose alive (to keep ourselves safe and happy or make ourselves free), we start to see places where we can share our expression and people who will benefit from what we have on offer. We stop looking to reach some arbitrary external targets and look instead for opportunities to do what we do, give what we give, offer what we offer, and share what we share. And the business starts to take care of itself. We grow from need, not to grow our business into whatever form we think business should take. Form follows function instead of continually morphing into whatever shape we think will attract enough people to feed the goose. If we can’t do everything ourselves anymore, we bring in people to help. If we realize there’s too much information to process and track with pen and paper, we implement computer systems. If we see the scope of our creative vision is such that it will take time before we can be self-sustaining, we seek outside investment. Our business may wind up looking (from the outside) remarkably similar to one that exists purely to make enough money for its founders to thrive. But it’s all coming from what’s wanted and needed in real-time. It’s coming from the best we have inside us — our compassion, love, and creativity — not our insecure thinking, fear, and lack. It’s coming from presence and possibility, not from a place of cleverly tricking people into being eaten by my monster so that it will lay enough eggs so that my loved ones and I will be OK. And here’s the irony of it all: When people can taste the love and care in everything a business does, they will happily give their money to support that business and get a taste of that love and care for themselves. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Read more from Michael! Michael Neill, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michael Neill is an internationally renowned leadership coach, author, speaker, and thought leader. He has worked with executives and teams from Disney, Google, Netflix, Pixar, Public Health England, and more, challenging the prevailing mythology that stress and struggle are prerequisites to creativity and success. His TEDx Talks, bestselling books, podcasts, keynotes, training, and retreats are designed to unleash human potential with intelligence, humor, and heart and have inspired and impacted millions of people at the United Nations and on six continents around the world.

Written by: Jennifer Sharp, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. As a business owner, the last expectation I had was one of dealing with a global pandemic. I had to quickly adapt to changes for my business to survive and continually succeed. I had to learn to navigate new challenges with an open mindset and added enthusiasm. I had to remain optimistic regardless of what was happening around me but also not allowing this optimism blind reality. I often questioned, “who am I to lead? Can we get through this pandemic relatively unscathed? Will I remain focused on my passion?” along with so many others. I continually have to have faith in myself. I learned and relearned all I knew. Growing stronger internally, passionately, purposefully as a leader, as a small-business owner, along the way. Here are 6 tips in leadership that I’ve been able to take from this pandemic. 1. Embrace Change Head-On Have you ever felt like that bull having the red flag waved at you? The pandemic has done this many times over to me. I have had to make decisions I would not previously have considered. Tough love has been required. And I’ve had to do it all wholeheartedly. People were relying on me. As I relearned all I knew, my passion grew stronger, as my faith in myself as a leader did. By tackling change head-on, instead of allowing the pandemic to create fear within, I secretly began to enjoy the challenges. A newfound excitement was bubbling inside me. 2. Be Fearless I have a love-hate relationship with the word pivot . But It’s something I had to do and continue to do. As an introverted leader, who much prefers to work behind the scenes, I had to put myself out there. I had to face the camera. I knew if I was going to not only survive but thrive in business during the pandemic and beyond, I had to become visible in every way. And this was the silver lining for me. I had to transform, internally and externally. I had to pivot , fearlessly. 3. Harness the Wisdom of Your Cheer Squad Collaboration is everything. I quickly learned in the early days of being in business, that I can’t do everything myself, and learning to ask for help is okay. I know now its okay to source out other people’s wisdom, and to share those gold nuggets often found in zoom conversations which foster mutual respect and appreciation. This revelation has strengthened us as a team. I don’t have all the answers and I don’t need too! 4. Create New Paths Know when it's time for a new plan. I took my business online creating new courses that have become essential in many ways. This was new territory for me but also a part of this newfound fearlessness and tackling change like that bull that I knew I had to do. Initially, this change was only going to be temporary as we wade our way through the pandemic. Now, its here to stay. I had to be optimistic, show faith in myself and my team. And it worked. For me. For us. For our clients. 5. Be Boiling Water Have you ever noticed that boiling water makes hard potatoes soft and soft eggs hard? We need to keep boiling the water. As leaders, we need to rise as boiling water does, rise and fall. Bubble to the surface and rise again. We need to show tough love, and we need to be able to show empathy. We need to be authentically us by being strong and showing our vulnerabilities. We need to reach out and share those nuggets. As Jacinda Ardern has previously stated, “I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong.” 6. Stay Calm in the Face of Storms. Keep a calm mind. Deliberately. Consciously. Instead of seeing Covid as a threat that keeps the storm brewing, see it as an opportunity for innovation and possibilities. Staying calm with a positive mindset is a part of our self-care as leaders. We can’t change what is, but with intention and purpose, we can look to the future with hope. By fearlessly embracing change head-on, by leaning in with your cheer squad to find and create gold nuggets, to shift and continually boil water, we are all making changes, facing the storms calmly and rising together. It doesn’t matter why, or even what we do, it’s how we are adapting, evolving, continually pivoting, that allows for our survival. Follow me on Facebook , LinkedIn , Daisy Lane Publishing , or visit my website for more info! Read more from Jennifer ! Jennifer Sharp, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer Sharp is a leader in the publishing industry, having founded an award-winning publishing press. She has assisted many with telling their success stories globally, whether it be in business or life. She has created coaching and mentoring programs that develop the writer's confidence in themselves and strategies that help them stay confident within themselves in all areas of their lives authentically. She is the founder of Daisy Lane Publishing and Mindset Magic - Confidence Coaching. Jennifer is on a mission to support as many as she can with living their life fully with positive intentions and to assist them with publishing their story along the way. Jennifer is also passionate about children's picture books and poetry, bringing to life stories that deal with trauma, displacement, homelessness, separation, domestic violence, and language learning.

Written by: Abigail Tiefenthaler, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. As a brand strategist and co-owner of a marketing and sales agency, I spend a lot of time working with clients who want to get more clients but don’t know how. Many have invested thousands buying programs that help them identify their client avatar, marketing message, and offer, but for some reason, they’ve been unable to use this foundational knowledge to build a better client getting system. Our clients work with us because we develop marketing systems that are unique to our clients, their business, and their customers, and even if a client tells us they have their brand elements dialed in, we take time to assess their readiness to answer the question, “If I brought you a client today who would they be and what would you do with them?” As basic as this question is, without your brand strategy in place, you will not be able to effectively answer this question. Why? The breakdown that happens with most coaches, speakers, and other service-based professionals is that their answers are too broad, not totally thought out, or incomplete. Getting your brand to a place where you can answer the question above is simple. But it requires some risk and a willingness to commit. Are you ready to AMP your brand? Here are 3 things to consider and put into practice. None are earth-shattering, but if you take the risk and commit to seeing it through, you will find answers to help you move forward and maybe even get a client or two! AMP is an acronym for Audience, Message, and Position. Let me take the sections one by one. Audience Think of it this way. You own a stable with 6 horses. You’re going out riding. Which horse can you ride? A butt can only saddle one horse at a time, so which one do you pick? This is the same with your audience. Every expert has multiple target audience syndrome. We all suffer from being able to help different groups of people, but not every group is created equal. You don’t bring a nag to a ¼ mile race. You don’t bring a mare when you need a stud. They’re all horses, right? YES, and they all have different values to you as the stable owner. I’m not comparing people to horses, but I am suggesting you think about what you want to do with your ideal client and then identify the target audience that can best receive and transform from that work. If you’re a grief coach, do you want to support a spouse who’s lost their partner? A family who has lost a child? A high-level executive who has lost their job? Even though grief may be the underlying issue, each of these groups are going to feel differently about their specific grief. And they may not relate to another group’s grief. By the way, choosing an audience DOES NOT mean you have to walk away from any other audience. Your business. Your choice. You can always say yes to a prospect who fits your primary audience profile. And this also doesn’t mean that the audience you select now has to be a forever and forever audience. I recommend a minimum of 6 months and monitor as you work your business. You’ll quickly see whether this audience is a good opportunity for you. And you for them. Message At the end of the day, you want your message to sound as clear as you calling someone by their own name. Your message has to be compelling and disruptive and spoken in a voice that resonates with your prospect. The best example I can give you is to imagine that you’re in a playground with other moms or dads, and there are 20 2-year old’s playing. One gets hurt and cries, Mommy or Daddy. Anyone who is a parent knows what happens next. First, all the moms or dads are quiet and perk up their ears. Then with the next cry, some go back to their conversation or activity because they know it’s not their child. The sound of a child’s cry is unique to every parent. We simply know it’s them crying or not. Your message is like this. You want your ideal client to hear what you say or read what you write and think, “This person is talking to me. They get me.” When a message is so relative that if you show up where your ideal client can hear it, they will. Now, they may not respond immediately. They may take time to really hear the message, feel your heart and soul in the message, and look inside themselves to realize they’re ready to heed the call. Consistency. Persistency. Redundancy. They are your messaging support system. Again, give your message a minimum of one month to get noticed. If it’s not working, change one thing about it and start again. Position Imagine you are standing on a street corner, and in front of you is a street lined with storefronts that do exactly what you do. What is it about your storefront that makes your ideal client walk in to browse or shop? How have you made your storefront more appealing to your ideal client before they even walk into the door? In other words, what’s your curb appeal. Have you sent them to your shop through marketing such as direct mail, email, billboards, a tie-in with another store, a referral from a complimentary business? What space in your marketplace do you specifically own? Do you know? This isn’t about transforming the industry as Starbucks or Apple did. This is about staking a claim around a very specific result. Performance. (BMW) Safety. (VOLVO) Brick oven. (Very specific style of pizza baking) Most service-based professionals create generic positioning because that’s what everyone else is doing, and they don’t want to miss an opportunity. Or, they want to reach a broader market because they can help so many different types of people and/or situations. By being generic, they not only miss opportunities, but they also reach no one because they drown in a sea of sameness. Repeat after me. Generic positioning doesn’t work. And I’m going to say it again. Generic positioning doesn’t work. Generic positioning doesn’t give your ideal audience a chance to say, “They’re talking to me.” Generic positioning doesn’t give your ideal audience a chance to find you because you’re a needle in a haystack. Generic positioning robs you of being unique. And it robs your ideal audience of knowing the special sauce only you bring to your work. Pick a lane. Find a horse. And create a language that makes your ideal audience say, “Ah, they get me.” Clients will come. Follow Abigail on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also visit her website anytime. Read more from Abigail! Abigail Tiefenthaler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Abigail Tiefenthaler, known as the “Launch and Leverage Strategist,” is the Co-Founder of Savvy Sales Strategy, a marketing and sales agency that works with professional coaches, speakers, and consultants who are ready to minimize start-up struggles, leverage their expertise, and get online clients consistently, so they can spend more time doing what they love, in both business and life. With over a decade in the fast-paced corporate world of advertising, Abigail honed her strategic branding and marketing skills, working with prestigious clients such as Mrs. Smith’s, AT&T, Hershey Foods, and Kodak. Through these experiences, she learned that a hospitality approach created connections between companies and clients and that team member working in their zone of genius translated to more efficient and effective results. Abigail has a deep respect for business fundamentals and how the development and implementation of those are critical for a successful business. As the Owner of Sunshine Promotions, a company she started in 1997, she applied these, enabling her to hit the one-million-dollar revenue mark at the end of her second year in operation. Today, she is passionate about helping business owners create a solid foundation to support their biggest dreams. In 2019, after several years of working together through their individual businesses, Abigail partnered with Tami Crea and founded Savvy Sales Strategy, an agency that closes the loop between marketing and sales and moves coaches, speakers, and consultants into the six and seven-figure revenue arenas through brand strategy, messaging, and a pathway to create revenue and results, her clients say her practical, no-nonsense approach provides them with clarity on what they want to do and why they want to do it, shifting them from being practitioners of their expertise to a powerhouse professional and ultimately, fully stepping into the role of bona fide Business Owner. When not working, Abigail loves traveling and renovating homes. She can be reached at abigail@savvysalesstrategy.com or 954-804-9413

Sarah Jones - Published author, speaker, accredited personal & executive coach helps motivated, ambitious professionals & executives improve their careers, find a new career, and help teams accelerate success & performance. Due to significant early challenges in her own life, Sarah has always been tenacious, entrepreneurial & unafraid to speak her mind. At times being the only woman in the boardroom amongst international corporations in her early 30s, she is a beacon of strength for leaders and individuals. In Sarah’s former career, she was a leader in corporate affairs but founded Sarah-J Coaching to help individuals & leaders become their personal best in life and their careers. She is dubbed the phrase 'regroup, reboot, and reinvent' - a three-step change process - having helped to pull out individuals from the trenches & into their own spotlight through her transformative and action-based coaching approach. Her book ‘From Vulnerable to Invincible’ helps readers identify how to step into their challenges, reframe & learn, to launch themselves to success. She also regularly contributes to the media such as BBC, The Guardian & Sky. She regularly speaks and has delivered empowering talks for Pearson Business School and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Sarah Jones is a renowned coach with a focus on leadership and career progression. She’s led execute teams around the world, working with leading firms such as EMEA, AstraZeneca, Abbott Nutrition, DHL, and Freud Communications, to name a few. Sarah’s career has taken her from government affairs to media relations, where she’s trained individuals and teams in crisis management, employee communication, and managing upwards. She’s led large-scale change programs, with a mind to diversity and female leadership, as well as global product launches and executive training programs. Today, the accredited and highly accomplished coach mentors individuals and conducts team training in the executive sphere, combining her professional expertise with a deep knowledge of human nature and psychology. What initially drew you to coaching? I was the first person in my family to earn a degree and had to work up through the corporate levels at my job in London. Eventually, I landed a role on the board, and that’s when I noticed how few women were in upper management, and how challenging it was to adapt to a cutthroat environment without any guidance or role models. A few years later I hit a wall in my career and reached out to a coach. It was a life-changing decision that led to huge breakthroughs across my life and gave me a new sense of purpose. I realized I wanted to help others gain the same confidence and perspective, and that led me to pursue coaching as a career. I’ve been coaching ever since, and it’s been not only transformative but deeply fulfilling. What is it that you do for your clients? I offer a few programs, for individuals and groups, and utilize a range of different methods depending on my clients’ needs. The root of my work is self-development—as clients get to know themselves and their true motivations, they’re able to make concise decisions and develop the courage to follow their own path. We work with body language, communication, mindset, and conflict resolution in tandem with developing a personal brand, managing upwards, leadership tools, and career progression. It’s all interconnected, but the goal is to help my clients discover their true passions and break down the barriers so they can tap into their potential. So what results do your clients get? Many of my clients gain confidence and success via a process of eliminating negative beliefs and mental blocks they weren’t even aware of. As they develop more confidence and a deeper sense of self, they often let go of goals that weren’t serving them and are free to pursue what they want. They get a clearer vision of what they truly want to achieve, and I provide tools to assist them on that journey. Corporate teams benefit most from workshopping team dynamics and improving communication, resulting in higher performance levels and job satisfaction. Tell us a bit about your background. What made you who you are? Well, I grew up in a large family in Hertfordshire, where I still live. My parents faced a lot of economic and health issues and worked terribly hard for my siblings and I would have better options in life. Being aware of their sacrifice has driven me to take responsibility for my life and not waste a single opportunity. They instilled a can-do attitude that has allowed me to help others develop a positive mindset. I wouldn’t be the coach I am today without them. I’ve heard you’re quite a passionate diver… Yes, I have quite a few hobbies—boxing and paddleboarding—but deep-sea scuba diving is my true love. It’s like visiting another planet, the fascinating marine life, the sublime beauty of nature. And it’s been my greatest teacher. Diving requires a sort of heightened focus and awareness like nothing else. I’ve met incredible people from all sorts of backgrounds and developed technical expertise I never thought possible. It’s taught how to stay calm in a crisis and the importance of teamwork, but most importantly, it reminds me that life is an adventure and that we must always keep exploring, keep playing, and pushing our boundaries. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram! Read more from Sarah!

Written by: Kc Rossi, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The year 2020 will be remembered as the year of consummate challenges. Yet right on its heels, 2021 brought along a series of tragedies and suffering plaguing our nation, from the ravaging fires in California to the Covid-19 Delta variant. As a result, not only do we see global chaos, but individuals are also experiencing personal disruption. Like many of you, life experiences have tested me from the heartache of losing my beloved pet to financial loss, entrepreneurial repositioning, physical ailments, and a life-changing diagnosis that threw me on an emotional and physical rollercoaster. “Suffering is imposed on us time and again so that one day we would become brave, wise masters. That is, a strong being who is confidently aware of their intended direction in life, and fearlessly adding value to the world and their future.” —Suzy Kassem How can one begin to make sense of it all—let alone find solace? Yet, there is a way to harness life’s obstacles to fuel personal growth and stimulate holistic resilience. The mantra of the hero’s journey helped me. It is “obstacles make me stronger"—OMMS for short. Think of a time when you overcame a difficult experience in your life. Now think about something positive that was a result once you overcame it. For example, perhaps you went through a heartbreaking divorce. But in the end, you discovered your internal strength and mental toughness. Or maybe you were fired, which led to turning within and discovering your true passion. Challenges are opportunities to pause, get clear, and build character strength. Yet, when you’re in the messy middle, it may be harder to embrace that concept. When you are going through hardship, here are 4 things that will help you get to the other side with grace: 1. Acceptance There are many things we can control in our lives. For the things we can’t, acceptance is the best choice. If we fight the current situation, we increase our suffering. Moreover, the emotional strain from resisting weakens our physical response system. When I received the diagnosis of Lyme disease I had to eventually accept it. No amount of denial, anger, or frustration would change the fact. Moreover, allowing unsupportive thoughts to circulate actually causes a downward spiral, which is counterproductive to our healing. "Negative attitudes and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can create chronic stress, which upsets the body's hormone balance, depletes the brain chemicals required for happiness, and damages the immune system." Karen Lawson, MD 2. Perspective It’s easy to feel as if the sky is falling when we are facing challenges. Zooming out and expanding our viewpoint adds space and clarity. How can you look at your current situation with new eyes? Where does it land in the big scheme of things? After falling down an entire flight of stairs, I laid naked on the floor alone. It literally provided an instant new perspective. I heard the message from the Universe loud and clear to “slow down.” It gave me a chance to think about other people’s trials and tribulations much greater than a fall which helped manage the pain. 3. Gratitude Being grateful for our life and the good things in it is always a valuable practice. Yet during times of physical disease, pain, and emotional upset cultivating gratitude is a powerful healing balm for the soul. Appreciating even the smallest blessings can provide comfort. Despite exercising extreme caution, this March, I contracted Covid-19. After being bed-ridden for 3 weeks, I began to feel normal again. However, one of the persistent side-effects is impaired taste. At first, especially being a foodie, I was upset. Cultivating gratitude is helping me focus on the things that I can taste and smell. I am grateful it’s a shortlist of intolerable items. This allows me to enjoy the food that still tastes good even more! 4. Fortitude Like they say, “the show must go on.” History has taught us that time has the power to change things. When we forge ahead in the best way, we know forward motion rewards us. Little by little, we begin to carve a new path—one of wellbeing and peace. Courage is our greatest asset when it comes to overcoming adversity. One thing that I know for sure is through challenges, we have the ability to rise from the ashes stronger than before. Whether you are observing global events that are rocking our nation or are personally being tested, know that you’ve got what it takes to endure. You can process situations in a way that is empowering. When you adopt the “OMMS” mindset, you will triumph over tragedies and inspire others to do the same. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Kc Rossi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kc Rossi is a Mindset and Self-Leadership Coach who supports entrepreneurs scale a profitable and soul-aligned business. She’s been a full-time entrepreneur since 1991 and has built six and 7+ figure businesses. Kc is a Certified Aromatherapist, Mind-Body Eating Coach, and NLP Practitioner. This allows her to bring an integrated and intuitive approach to her coaching. Kc is the Founder of The Soulprint Method™, a system that combines energy, mindset, and spirituality. This holistic approach provides extreme clarity, dissolves limiting beliefs, improves performance, and opens the way to experience and share your full potential. She is the host of Women Developing Brilliance® — The Spirit of Business, a show dedicated to cultivating confidence, increasing visibility, elevating vibration, and leading with purpose without burning out. When she’s offline, you can find her whipping up plant-based eats or hiking the Finger Lakes Trail in Upstate, New York. Kc is an Executive Contributor of Brainz Magazine. Her work has been highlighted in ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Thrive Global, SmallBizDaily, International Journal of Professional Holistic Aromatherapists, Female Entrepreneurial Association, and The Smart Girl Tribe.

Written by: Mary Patricia Smiley, 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. Planning. It’s such an interesting concept. When you think about how it fuels our existence for certainty, it’s pretty much what we rest our future endeavors on. There’s an element of having something to look forward to, it offers the solace of direction and control over our lives. I used to date someone whose father booked holidays a year in advance. We knew what we were doing for Xmas every year, for ten years. It’s incredible the comfort we get as humans from planning and certainty. But does planning allow for consciously living in the present moment? By planning so far ahead, does that mean we have predetermined an event that possibly takes us away from the fated path? There’s an element of manifesting it once you’ve paid for that holiday in Bermuda. We now have something to tell our friends when asked about future plans, but in doing this, are we depriving ourselves of the awe and wonder that resides between all these strategic and precise plans? There are functional plans that we need to organize ourselves daily. Pay the electric bill - so we can use the internet and connect to the world. Pay the car insurance - so we can get around to compete for daily tasks Pay for the nanny - so the kids are looked after while we work Nearly every Monday, I read a social media post that fills me with absolute dread. Not because it's awful, but because there’s always this need to professionally chronicle all the planned things that will be achieved, and if they have not been ticked off by the end of the day, we feel we have failed miserably. It very much feels like an autopilot reaction to the beginning of the week keeping ourselves accountable, and it’s commendable, it really is. But I wonder if we decided to circle back to these posts to ask if everything listed was achieved, what would happen? My guess is not everything would have been achieved but imagine if we did that? It would result in a general feeling of despondency for the distinct lack of productivity - even though you may have achieved a lot on that said day, it suddenly seems futile in the face of society… But when we talk about planning our future, how much of that is left open for the universe to participate? What is your planning archetype? Future planner: I have a five-year plan that I’m committed to fulfilling. Functional planner: I pay the bills at the scheduled time and make lists for daily tasks to stay organized Mystic planner: I live predominantly in the moment. I have some immediate plans, but I leave space, just in case. Whichever one you identify with, we can all learn from each other. Yes, it’s important to have a vision and roadmap as to how you can navigate attaining your dreams and desires, but it’s equally as important to be open to surprises that create new connections and adventures that change the trajectory of your journey. Considerations for the planning archetypes 1. If you identified with the future planner, look at the reasons why you feel the need to have a five-year plan? How rigid is this plan? Would you be open to a detour if it presented you with an intriguing opportunity? If the answer is yes, what would happen if it was unsuccessful? How would you feel? Would you consider it a learning curve or a complete waste of time? Lots to unpack here… 2. If you are a functional planner, what does your day look like? Are you constantly working on the fly? Do you spend a lot of time troubleshooting to the point where nothing really gets accomplished? How do you deal with things under pressure? Do you have a support system in place? 3. If you are a mystic planner, what do you do when you wake up? How do you know what needs your immediate attention? What does your diary look like? How many new opportunities arise in your day? The key is to be open to another way. No one way is perfect. They all have their pros and cons, but the most important is maintaining a sense of presence in all you do. That is where we have control, this is where we can make pivotal changes and have the pleasure of creating magic. Create the magic team; this is what we are here to do in our various sectors and specialisms, and watch portals open to experiences and opportunities you would least expect. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Mary Patricia Smiley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mary is a Holistic Guide teacher and mentors with a background in Corporate HR & Marketing. After quitting her last HR job after ten days due to irreconcilable differences with management, she escaped to Morocco to consider her next step as she knew another corporate role would reap the same result - it was time to just not search for a job but to seek the purpose. After a few weeks of deep soul searching, journaling and contemplation, a new path was born. Upon returning home, she trained to be a yoga teacher. Her journey took another life-changing turn when she discovered Human Design and Gene Keys. The contemplations and deep transmissions enabled her to feel into the aspects of her inner landscape that she felt restricted growth and expansion - she examined the changes over many years and realized that this would be the lifelong work that she would share with others. After immersing herself deeply into the teachings, she recognized that there was a need for this work within the wellness sphere of the corporate workforce, having been one of those stressed people. It had such a dramatic impact on her life; she developed her own system to help others combat inner conflict in order to magnetize the life they desire. Most of the work is based on managing fluctuating emotional states to cultivate desire; through the modalities of Human Design, Gene Key contemplations, neuroscience tools, and embodied mindful practices. Mary Patricia is a strong believer that inner alchemy is the catalyst for embodied energetic synergy. She teaches her clients how to shift out of spiraling emotional mindset patterns to feeling the spaciousness that clarity can bring, which grows through desire. The majority of her work has a deep focus on managing fluctuating emotions and shifting quickly to a space of ease, flow, and abundance.

Written by: Mona AlHebsi, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The topic inspired by: Ali Noura For many people, work constitutes a major portion of life and thus can be a direct source of satisfaction or misery. Many of us use our work as a means to express our creativity, live our values and create meaning for ourselves and others. In this article, we are going to shed light on the factors you need to consider when opting for your career path or professional orientation. There are different routes you can take professionally to further develop yourself, contribute and achieve tremendous success. These routes include being: An Employee (Working in a company and having set tasks, responsibilities, and salary). A Senior Executive (Managing or leading other people and getting work done through them). A Mover & Shaker (Handful individuals who are change drivers and game-changers in organizations) An Entrepreneur (Running your own business). Regardless of the endless campaigns and endorsements, we see these days everywhere around us that aim to convince everyone to start their own business, let me tell you that entrepreneurship is not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone can start a company from scratch and keep it up running in a profitable way. This option will only suit you if the characteristics of entrepreneurship are congruent with your prevailing personality, temperaments, and overall lifestyle. Some people can be more creative and productive in a work environment that is already set and operational. They join such organizations to add more value and contribute in their own unique ways. Some people can add more value and achieve more success being managers, others being executives, and others working as an average employee in a corporation. Others who can build things from scratch are the ones who can choose to be entrepreneurs. I will tackle the differences between employee VS entrepreneur a little later in this article. Let’s first highlight the “Movers & Shakers” category, which is quite interesting. These are people like me ;) when put in any company, it will thrive and reach its peak performance. These powerful and smart few are those who apply a high level of intelligence and combine both soft and hard skills to fix pressing business problems and, as a result, turn the game to the business’s advantage during their tenure with any company. I call them organizational geniuses because they know how to influence people around them and get things done so courageously and gracefully. Put them in any business that is going through hard times, and they will turn things around and make it flourish. Once they have established the right systems, structures, and organizational culture and get things up and running smoothly, it’s advisable that they are moved to another challenging project to continue thriving and making a difference. They are not like the average employee who wants a stable job and routine tasks. The Movers & Shakers in organizations strive on challenges, driving improvements and creating an impact. The company is not the same before and after their presence in it. Now, let’s discuss the many elements that you need to think about before you decide which professional route or career orientation works best for you, these key elements include: Flexibility & Adaptability Many people perceive being an entrepreneur as quite attractive. They have the impression that people who run their own business are mostly free, traveling, spending time with family & partying! Not really the case! Yes, having your own business will give you some degree of flexibility in some aspects like the ability to choose things like your working hours and where to work, etc. However, it’s also a great responsibility, and you are 100% accountable for both positive & negative outcomes of the business. In other words, the stress you get as a result of such big responsibility should not be taken for granted either. Mind you, and many business owners don’t get time off or necessarily enjoy weekends or holidays like employees. Many times, they are required to work for long hours and till very late as well. Alternatively, if you are working as an employee, then you lose this perceived flexibility in terms of deciding your working hours and the nature of the task you need to complete. You will be expected to report on duty at a set time and leave on a set time predetermined by your company and agreed by you and your employer beforehand in your employment contract. You will also be expected to complete a certain set of tasks, adhere to your company’s policies & procedures, and show good performance to maintain your job or be considered for future pay raises or promotions. However, as an employee, you will have better flexibility and less stress when it comes to having a guaranteed pay at month-end and more stability in terms of tasks or responsibilities you need to carry out. This is in addition to set working hours, allocated weekends & holidays so you can plan your life around that. Dealing with Superiors When it comes to dealing with superiors and receiving instructions, some people are more adaptable in this matter than others. This again had to do with the individualistic traits and temperaments of each person. If you have the willingness to work under a boss, receiving constant directions and guidance, and collaborating with other people and teams under a set structure, then being an employee will be more suited for you, and you can even be very successful in a corporate environment. On the contrary, I know many people who don’t like to receive instructions or be managed by other people. They are more creative and productive when they work individually rather than with others. These are the ones who can consider to be bosses themselves and manage others by starting their own business. Income Potential When it comes to income, we can agree that in most cases, entrepreneurs generate more income than an average employee. However, who said employees don’t make big money and don’t enjoy lucrative lifestyles? Look at senior and c-level suite executives in big corporations, they are also employees, and their position, status & expertise enables them to make more money than a lot of small & medium size entrepreneurs do. This, though, makes up a very small category in the total employee population. So, if you are an employee and aiming at increasing your money-generating scale throughout your employment lifetime cycle, then you got to be very smart about learning and improvising to be able to climb the corporate pyramid. Personality/Temperament This must be one of the key aspects on which you determine your career orientation, i.e., Personality Fit, which includes your temperament, where you are more likely to contribute and make a difference, where you will be more fulfilled, achieve success, and create an impact. For instance, people of a more agreeable temperament and conforming nature will make good employees because they will easily be able to work with different people and have smooth relationships with superiors and co-workers. Besides, if you are someone who appreciates security, routine, and stability, then being an employee will be the best option for you. Contrarily, people who are open to experiment, take risks, and constantly try new things, then having their own business would be ideal according to their personality profile. On occasion you are considering starting your own business or enterprise, you will still need to think about what kind of entrepreneur you want to be as follows: 1. A Builder/ Initiator: Have creative or new ideas that no one has done before and enjoy starting things from scratch and building their business this way that then takes the market by storm. Examples: Late Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. 2. A Mediator/ Agent: Those who are very skilled at connecting the person who has the business idea with the one who has liquidity and cash flow so that a partnership can be formed and the business materializes. These mediators then solicit a percentage for this kind of effort, and this is how they make their money. An example of this is what we see in many restaurants, clubs, and cafe concepts. 3. An Investor: Are those people with capital funds or cash flows who are willing to invest their money in other people’s businesses without any interference from their side on how those businesses are being operated as long as they are receiving their share of profits. Just ask yourself: “will I be better off as an employee or as an entrepreneur”? Consider the above-mentioned elements like flexibility, freedom, responsibility, risk-taking, and temperament and what you are so passionate about. To sum up, there are numerous career paths or orientations one can choose from depending on one’s persona and temperaments, so no one career option is superior nor inferior to other ones. It’s only a matter of suitability, best match, and where an individual sees him or herself. Let’s not forget that whatever you eventually choose, you’ve got to love what you are doing to be able to deliver your best work. As Steve Jobs said: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” If you find yourself struggling to overcome toxic work patterns and feel stuck in a mediocre job, know that you are not alone. Career & Success Coaches like myself can help you be aware of your blind spots while guiding you towards career options that will make you achieve personal effectiveness and fulfillment. You can email me at info@monaalhebsi.com For more personal effectiveness and career success tips, visit my website. Connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook! You can also subscribe to my channel on YouTube. Read more from Mona! Mona AlHebsi, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Mona AlHebsi, is an Award-Winning Hotelier, HR Practitioner, Success Coach, Renowned Author, and Speaker. She has recently been named “Most Influential Woman in Hospitality Human Capital” and "Inspirational Female Leader" due to her eminent contributions to the hospitality industry and Human Resources profession. Through her book “Beat The Odds,” Mona aims to provide a roadmap to all hoteliers and working professionals on making their work a vehicle to delivering excellence and achieving astounding success. She instinctively knows how to ignite the courage in others to stay true to their values and capitalize on their strengths, which will ultimately steer them towards success and fulfillment. Mona's life mantra is, "The more odds you beat, the greater will be your feat!"

Written by: Keri Faith Knudtson , 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. If you've been keeping abreast with the recent passing summer Olympic Games, then you probably have heard talk about the importance of mental health on the performance of athletes. The science of performance has been applying academic research in the area of Sports Psychology for years. But little focus on the actual psychology of the athletes themselves. Now more than ever, thanks to advocates such as American Olympic icons Michele Phelps and Simone Biles, there is the need to focus on the mental well-being of athletes and spectators alike. And as you know, entrepreneurship is not a spectator sport or for the faint of heart. It mirrors the competition and opposition of any sport. The parallels betw een a marathon and success in the business are frighteningly transparent. The life of an Olympian, as well as an Entrepreneur, has inescapable pressures day and night. Perhaps the expectation to perform without a moment to rest is always at the forefront of your mind as a busy, hard-working Entrepreneur. What are the last thoughts before going to bed at night and the first thoughts upon awakening? That success or failure is just one click or one step away. The worry of the world is on your shoulders as an entrepreneur, or at least it feels like it. Especially for those entrepreneurs who have mortgages, children going off to college, childcare to cover, and perhaps even student loans to pay off. Some common thoughts running through your head might sound like, "What if I fail?" "I've spent so much time and money without a guarantee on a return of my investment. What if I lose my home with this investment?" As an entrepreneur, I know you can relate. You may have a team from 2 to a few thousand relying on you to stay strong or a family who depends on you and your financial stability. The weight of expectation as an entrepreneur can be more than one signed up for. Similar to those Olympians who were the chosen ones to represent their countries. The worry on your shoulders might be comparable to that of an Olympian but equally challenging on your mental well-being. It's no wonder that mental health became a hot topic of discussion for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. It's time for Entrepreneurs to see the importance of it too. And the responsibility you play to keep the conversation moving forward. Let's explore five ways in which you can put your mental well-being first as a busy, overworked, and sometimes underappreciated (and/or underpaid) entrepreneur. Tip 1: Show yourself appreciation, gratitude, love, and forgiveness. Not always will you meet your income goals or hit your KPI's and that's where a lot of shame, guilt, and feelings of failure come from. And when you combine those feelings with little sleep and few days off, it can create wear and tear on your soul. Don't drive yourself into the guilt and shame cycle. They both can cause physical and psychological wear and tear that will affect how you show up in your business, for your clients, and those that you serve. It also takes a large toll on your self-doubt. Many professionals are their own devil's advocate by advising to lead others and not walking their talk. A long-term misalignment inevitably feeds ill feelings. As we know, a little appreciation can go a long way for employees. Be your best boss and express that appreciation, gratitude, and love for yourself before giving it to anyone else. Tip 2: Get outside daily. Did you know that hospital rooms that have nature photos on the wall or even fake plants have quicker recovering times than hospital recovery rooms without any nature photos or simulations of nature? What does this mean? A little nature goes a long way. The best way to support overall immune health is to be with nature or assimilate it with wall decor, plants, taking short breaks outside, or even buying an artificial plant or flowers in your working space. Tip 3: Socialization. The number one indicator of subjective well-being (SWB) is social connectedness. As an entrepreneur holding the weight of the world on your shoulders can feel lonely and isolating. That's why scheduling time with others is vital for your mental wellness. I know that networking can be another thing on your 'to-do list' and a chore if you are an introvert... When you go to networking events, use the opportunity to go deep with just one or two people... Do not approach it with the intention to grab as many business cards as possible. The depth of your relationships is related to your depth of happiness. And if you are limited to online socialization ONLY because of the current pandemic situation, find yourself a virtual Mastermind. Moving forward in all areas of your life, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically with like-minded people, will enhance your interpersonal and intrapersonal needs during challenging times. Authentic online communities make or break any virtual business owner. Don't limit yourself. Find different types of groups as well. One that will feed your spiritual needs, a different one for your emotional support, and perhaps another for your business growth. Remember, though, it's not about how many people support you. It's about how willing you are to go deep into your own needs for support. Tip 4: Clear your physical spaces. Since everything is energy, the cluttering spaces create a cluttered mind. The clutter in your mind can lead to confusion, frustration, overwhelm, anxiety, and worry if you want to eliminate distractions, feeling drained and empty at the end of the day, clean and clear your physical environment. Now is the time to 'let go' of all the old things that are not going to help you in the future. And that includes old material items you are holding onto for a 'rainy day'. How often do you have clothes in your closet that you haven't worn for a few years? Or old papers that you have no clue about in your office space? Building the habit of clearing and eliminating is going to make you primed for grabbing new opportunities as they arrive. Even as simple as shredding an old contract for a new one. Tip 5: Ask for help. Too many times, pride, guilt, or shame get in the way. You built your business to solve a problem. But that doesn't mean you forget about all your own. It's okay to take time off. Take a 'mental health day'. Or just take a personal day. Trust me, and it is going to save you in the long run. Taking short breaks now will allow you to avoid the catastrophe of burnout later. Be honest with yourself about where you are and how you need to show up for yourself before showing up for everyone else. In summary, how often do you feel like what you have been preparing for your entire life comes to one moment? That big online launch or negotiating a HUGE contract? Then you psyche yourself up and get into your head, and it fails? Remember, there is no such thing as failure. Failure only comes when you give up. And giving up is not an option. Whether you are participating or being a spectator in your life, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Take time to honor both today and find the joy and adventure of not knowing the outcome but being your biggest fan. Follow me on Facebo ok , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Keri Faith Knudston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Keri Faith Knudtson is a Conscious Energy Healer, Speaker, and Author. After overcoming a lifetime of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain with self-healing energy modalities, she has made it her mission to guide women to step up into their divine purpose while accessing their infinite power and potential from within. From Certified Sommelier to serving entrepreneurs in over 150 countries, she is bringing healers and leaders together with Masterminds, Workshops, and Retreats. As host of the 'Keri Faith On Purpose Podcast' she loves to transform lives; one thought, one mind, one day at a time.

Written by: Oksana Irwin, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. The ‘Friendzone’ is not an actual ‘space’ in the ethers like an imaginary ‘waiting room’ where you patiently sit and wait for things to get better and hope that the person you have an interest in will change their mind, come to their ‘senses’ and recognize that you are a prize to have. That never happens! The ‘Friendzone’ is a VIBE - a frequency you send out that is translated by the person you are interested in. It is a vibe that says he or she is a ‘nice’ person but I have is no romantic, sexual, or passionate pull towards them. It is a friendly, neutral, and ‘nice’ frequency, which leads you nowhere or at least not where you’d like to be. The worst part of it all is that once you get sent to that ‘friendly trap’, you are destined to stay there forever! So many ‘nice’ people hang around in the Friendzone, waiting for the other person to recognize their values and to see how nice, smart, reliable, understanding, sincere, helpful, serious, and loyal (you name it!) they are. They hang around there hoping that the person they are attracted to will see all the ‘qualities’ they are bringing to the table and will give them the validation and recognition they deserve by falling romantically for them. They are hoping that their qualities get recognized, that they will be given the keys to the Romantic Kingdom, and that the person of their admiration will ‘wake up’ and start feeling intense romantic feelings towards them. All while the person of their admiration is actively dating others and looking for that intense feeling of attraction and desire elsewhere with someone else. This misplaced hope and misinterpretation happen when people don’t understand where desire, attraction, and passion come from. This happens when they are trying to figure it out logically and provide logical reasons and solutions for an emotional situation. Most people don’t know how to activate romantic feelings in their potential romantic partners and think that it ‘just happens’ with some but not others and leave their romantic endeavor up to luck and chance. The reality is that they are not aware that they have the power to activate romantic feelings in those they are attracted to. They don’t realize that some of their actions cause the person to fall romantically for them, be intrigued by them, and fall in love with them, while other actions turn those feelings off and catapult them straight into the Friendzone! Instead of learning the cause and effects of their actions, they instead get frustrated and remain unsure about what happened and why they ended up in the Friendzone yet again. They question if the other person is not serious or playing games. They try to get answers from their friends who just give bromides like ‘Time to move on’ or ‘It’s ‘their’ loss’. But deep down inside you know it’s your loss because you really like that person a lot. And your heart is breaking... You want to fix things. You are tired of being ‘just a friend’. You want more out of a relationship. You want passion, romance, and connection, but you don’t know how to get there. So you go back into the dating marketplace and continue with the same old, same old pattern of being ‘nice’ and hoping to find romance and passion. Well, the dating reality of today is that Quality People have options. They do not ‘settle’ for neutral feelings. They are looking for intense passion and a deep emotional connection with someone. Someone who is different, who is exciting, who stands out, who is fun to be around, who turns them on , who sets their soul on fire, and who gives them butterflies in their stomach over and over and over. In today’s ‘sea of possibilities’ quality people are not just looking to be in a relationship. They want to feel intense emotions of attraction and desire for their partners. They want to feel desired by them. They want to feel the pull of I-want-to-be-with-him/her-no-matter-what and not just be in a relationship. But the problem is, not many people know what actions to take to create that intense attraction and passion. Most people are looking for certainty, direct answers to questions, instant gratification, a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ while not understanding that attraction is created in mystery and requires uncertainty to grow and evolve. Intense closeness and desire are created in space and need room to ‘breathe’. It’s time to take charge of your love life and understand how to activate romantic vibes and stay out of the friendly Friendzone trap. Here are some dating Do’s and Don’ts to activate those romantic vibes and avoid wasting time, emotions and experiencing heartbreak in the dreaded Friendzone: Don’t be ultra nice, extra-giving, super understanding, and overly accommodating. Do focus on being interesting, independent, confident, and fun to be around. Don’t look for certainty and being attached to the outcome in the early stages of dating. Do provide variety by being an independent thinker, express your own perspectives and feel free to go against ‘popular opinion.’ Don’t turn a date into a job interview by asking direct questions. Do create an interesting conversation with flow and reciprocation where you share things about each other that you are passionate about and enjoy doing. Don’t try to fit in and blend with the crowd. Do focus on standing out and owning yourself and your life accomplishments and being proud of them. Don’t feel inferior to someone and start overcompensating by being ultra nice and overly accommodating. Do act like your time is valuable and that it is a privilege to spend time with you. Don’t give your power away by waiting on ‘them’ to make a decision and provide you answers, validation, or acceptance. Do focus on leading yourself knowing that you are already enough and their validation is just a confirmation of what you already know - that you are a prize for someone to have! You are meant to find the person of your dreams - everyone is! Find that person by turning on your romantic vibe, be charming and flirty, laugh and smile and be interesting and fun to be around. Create a little mystery and mystique and most of all, have fun and enjoy yourself. For romance and passion to blossom, be unique instead of blending in. Speak your mind and your truth and stand out. Make it easy for them to see your true values and how truly amazing you are. If you want help powerfully articulating your values, projecting effortless confidence, activating your magnetic sex appeal, and positioning yourself as a prize for someone to have and avoid ending up in a friendzone, connect with me at my L inkedIn , Facebook Profile and connect with me on Instagram or visit my websi te . I look forward to sharing my zone of genius with you! Read more from Oksana! Oksana Irwin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Oksana Irwin is a Certified Mars – Venus Life and Relationship Coach, trained by the legendary John Gray. She is on a continuing mission to change the world one love story at a time! Oksana is a leader in the dating and relationship coaching field. She equips her clients with powerful behaviors, winning mindsets, and gender intelligence knowledge that empowers them to unleash their mental and emotional constraints and achieve their very best in love, life, and career. Within 3 years of sadly losing both her long-term marriage and role in a thriving family business, Oksana has created a new loving, passionate relationship and built a successful coaching business. She turned her pain into passion, passion into purpose, and purpose into profit by helping many women along the way. She impacts her clients by unlocking access to feminine power, lowering stress, and skyrocketing confidence. Her clients learn effective and powerful gender dynamics, sufficient hormonal balance, and potent attraction and polarity techniques that produce outstanding results in creating loving and lasting passionate relationships and thriving successful and fulfilling lives.