Written by: Chuck Bean, 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. There is a saying, “no coach ever tells his/her athletes that they will stop training until they start winning.” And there is another maxim in the corporate training space. What if we train them and they leave? Well then, what if you don’t train them and they stay? So, to the matter of training our staff and ourselves, training needs to be happening everywhere and continuously. Consider these important points: One – The Association for Talent Development states that companies that offer comprehensive training and coaching have a 218% productivity gain and 24% uptick in profit versus those that don’t. Two – Training and professional development encourages individual growth and retains top talent. It causes people to feel valued. Three – ROTI versus ROI. We all know about ROI (return on investment), but do we consider ROTI (return on time invested)? Having well-schooled staffers maximizes time utilization and minimizes waste. Four – Training creates community. Learning is a change agent, and when people learn together, they get energized and can become lifelong friends as a result. Imagine if you never maintained your car or your production equipment, or you never cleaned the floors and fixtures in your business? Smart operators will spend between 3% and 10% of asset value annually updating, upgrading, improving, and fixing stuff. The same logic should be used when budgeting for staff development. There are two great ways to bring training into your organization. One way is to determine the types of training required for your corporate growth, including soft skills, tactical skills, and strategic development. The second way is to offer a selection of professional development options and let people gravitate towards those of most interest. What makes this interesting is that it makes training a reward and by the selection, you can see what your staff are most interested in. At my company, we have spent 23 years bringing customized training solutions from sales training through leadership management, teamwork, and coaching. I can tell you that nothing works better at energizing staff and growing your business than having properly trained people! Connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Chuck! Chuck Bean, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Chuck (Charlie) Bean started his business career at age 6, collecting golf balls at the local driving range for pennies. “I would spend every Saturday and Sunday making enough money to buy a bottle of pop or a candy bar in the concession,” tells Chuck soon after he was selling golf balls to players on the local course and even beer! Fast forward, and Chuck was an award-winning sales professional. Management followed. Moving into the paper industry, Chuck carried on with regional and then national turnarounds, eventually named VP Sales and Service, overseeing a team of 180 inside and outside salespeople, managers, and directors. Following his dream, he opened a consulting and training advisory. Chuck will tell you he has had a great ride. Besides having worked with over 400 companies and over 18,000 individuals, Chuck has consulted and guided some of Canada's biggest stars, including working as COO for one of the world's largest specialty energy service companies. Today Chuck specializes in developing strategies and delivering training and coaching in leadership, sales, communication, business value building, and teamwork. He is no-nonsense and pragmatic and has helped people and corporations succeed for over 40 years. He will call a spade a spade and work quickly to understand, address, and help fix problems, identify opportunities and identify challenges. He has developed business strategies for almost every geo-market. He has worked extensively in oil and gas, general industry, IT, electronics, dental, paper, chemical, wood products, and consumer packaged goods. He specializes in B2B and channel-type organizations. He has authored/contributed to books with Dr. Stephen Covey, Dr. Deepak Chopra, and Dr. Ken Blanchard. Chuck also owns 6 tech start-ups currently in different levels of commercialization.

Jacqueline Rhule is a Business Coach who helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses with much more ease and flow and turn their passion to prosperity faster. She also coaches you in the other areas of your life to ensure an optimum work-life balance, all within the realms of personal growth, spirituality, and the law of attraction. She believes that the majority of the work lies in improving the mindset and clearing any negative thought patterns that are holding you back. When coupled with practical business steps and advice, an unstoppable momentum to success and greatly enhanced overall happiness levels can be achieved. Who Is Jacqueline? I was born in the UK and currently live in East London. The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (home of the 2012 Olympics) is my local playground. It’s been my savior during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. In my spare time, I have loved writing poetry and now have a small stash of poems that I’d like to debut at some point. I’m also a massive “Italophile” and have been learning Italian on and off for the past 4yrs. Also, I can’t live without cake, especially Victoria Sandwich cake, and West Indian rum cake, naturally, having Jamaican heritage. Since I left my secretarial job, I have been an entrepreneur, working for quantity surveyors, way back in the late ’90s. I built my complementary health, teaching, therapy business, and corporate on-site massage agency, and now I’m a Business Coach. With the wonders of the internet and Zoom, I can coach international clients too. During those 23yrs I’ve experienced much success, but also some of those dreaded burnouts! It’s because of those “hitting the wall” moments that I was determinedly spurred on to coach other entrepreneurs so that they wouldn’t reach those dark moments I went through. However, I can honestly say that my spiritual philosophy of believing in a higher power helped me tremendously during those challenging moments. I was also blessed with amazing friends and family who supported me fully throughout those times. That’s why I’ve felt so passionate about coaching my clients on their entrepreneurial journey with the benefit of my experience, successes, and challenges. Holding their hand every step of the way and being one of their biggest cheerleaders. Importantly, coaching them to their own empowerment. I found that lots of people looking for a business coach also wanted someone who coached within the philosophies of spirituality, personal growth, and the law of attraction. Some were interested in those topics, wanting to explore further whilst starting or growing their businesses, and others came to me already fully immersed in them. Why Should People Hire You? I offer an x6 month and x12 month, one to one, coaching program. My program is for you if: You want to grow your business quicker, minus the burnout. You want to change direction within your existing business, develop another idea within it or grow your side hustle. You want to ensure your business aligns with your purpose, core values, and highest life vision for yourself. You’d appreciate “hand-holding” every step of the way and accountability to help you take consistent action. I’m so passionate about helping businesses succeed in a way that perfectly expresses their creativity, business, and life vision. I care that clients are happy and that they know I totally believe in their dreams and know that they can be, do, have their hearts desires. How Do You Help Your Clients? I help my clients grow their businesses with much more ease and flow – turning their passion to prosperity faster. I’m here to assist them in creating that delicious, much sought-after work-life balance. So, although I lead with the business coaching, it is vitally important to coach them in all the other areas of their lives too. It doesn’t make sense to be flying high in one area but crashing and burning in other areas of their life. That doesn’t give full life happiness and satisfaction at all. What Is Your Coaching Style It’s loving but firm when needed. I’m a big lover of people and life. You could say it’s my mission to “love you to success.” Over the years, I’ve found it essential to attend to my own personal growth, studying and living the knowledge. Along with my spiritual beliefs and law of attraction teachings, I coach from those viewpoints. I’m a firm believer that you cannot scold someone into flourishing. It’s so much better to love them into flourishing. When we feel loved, cherished, and heard, we feel like we have wings and can conquer the world. However, I coach you into feeling loved and valid, within yourself, first, so that you don’t need to rely on external factors. What Are Your x3 Top Business Tips For Entrepreneurs? 1. Decide who your ideal customer/client avatar is. Know them inside out, e.g., gender, age group, interests, location, etc., to the point that if someone asks who your target audience is, you’ll automatically conjure up a vision of your avatar and can quickly describe exactly who they are. This will keep you on point with your marketing so that you don’t veer off, confusing and watering down your marketing message. 2. Invest in upgrading your skills. There will nearly always be a need to undertake further training. You want to keep your skills up to date to give your customers/clients your very best expertise. It will also help you remain confident within yourself not to entertain this bogus thought, the “imposter syndrome,” that can sometimes creep up on you. The mind can throw that feeling at you even when you know your stuff, so head it off by at least satisfying yourself that you’re staying current in your knowledge. 3. Make time for self-care. Your health and well-being are non-negotiable. Even when you are in the early stages of building your business and have lots to do and create, you must factor it in. You set a good foundation going forward, which minimizes your chances of burnout as your business grows. When you are well and happy, you will be more productive in your allocated working time. After all, you cannot pour from an empty cup. What Can You Offer To Readers? Offer 1: A FREE x40 minute Business Growth Accelerator Session During that session, you will achieve the following: 1. Crystal clear vision (& pumped up) on your goals and direction that you want to achieve and flow towards for your next 12 months. 2. Uncover any hidden challenges that could be sabotaging your chances of success. Email to request your appointment. Offer 2: Visit my link, and for subscribing, you will receive a FREE gift. You can get a downloadable PDF Guide giving x4 Surefire Tips On How to “Live Your Best Life NOW.” You will also receive regular emails and a monthly newsletter giving business tips, personal growth, mindset, and mindfulness support to ease you through life and business. You can find Jacqueline on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or visit her website! Read more from Jacqueline!

Written by: Rebecca Jones, 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. Would you like to change your life for the better? Do you want to gain personal freedom? Are you ready to be the best version of yourself? As a Clinical Hypnotherapist, over the next year, I will share some of the secrets of hypnosis and hypnotherapy. In my forthcoming articles in Brainz Magazine, I will also be highlighting some of the issues where hypnotherapy can best be used to reprogramme our brains and make them work for us, rather than the other way round. I will be revealing the best hacks to change your thinking, reset your mood, and change your patterns and behaviors. I will also be uncovering some of the unknown facts surrounding the science of hypnosis, dispelling the myths, and separating the facts from fiction. In this first article, I will be sharing how we can use neuroscience and reprogram our brains to design, create, and then live our dream lives. The Brain The brain is one of the largest and most complex organs in the human body. The human brain is the central organ of the human nervous system. It is made up of more than 100 billion nerves communicating in trillions of connections or synapses. It is here that the neurons communicate with each other. An impulse passes an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron across a minute gap. The study of the brain's anatomy is neuroanatomy, while the study of its function is neuroscience. This article will focus more on neuroscience and how we can get the brain to work for us! Here are some quick tips before we get started. Quick Tips — 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Synapses and Improve Your Thinking, Memory, and Life Reduce stress: Make time for leisure activities. Learn relaxation techniques such as meditation. Cut down on unnecessary responsibilities and avoid over-scheduling. Stimulate your brain: Avoid routine. Enjoy new sensory experiences. Challenge your mind and body with new situations. Exercise: A brisk walk or other cardiovascular workout oxygenates the brain and promotes brain growth factors. Challenge your mind: Tackle puzzles, games, and demanding intellectual tasks. Make an effort to learn new information through classes or reading. Stay healthy: Eat a nutritious diet, get adequate sleep, avoid smoking, and if you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. The brain works like a big computer. It processes information that it receives from the senses and body and sends messages back to the body. The brain is arguably the most important organ in the human body. It controls and coordinates actions and reactions, allows us to think and feel, and enables us to have memories and feelings — all the things that make us human. The brain is divided into areas that are each responsible for different areas of functioning. For those of you who would like to know a little more about the anatomy of the brain, here is a simple description of the anatomy of the brain: The brain can be divided into three basic units — the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain. In more detail, within these areas are the Occipital lobe, Temporal lobe, Parietal lobe, and Frontal lobe. As well as the Cerebral cortex, Cerebellum, Hypothalamus, Thalamus, Pituitary gland, Pineal gland, Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Midbrain. Occipital lobe: This is found in the back of the brain. The area is involved with the brain's ability to recognize objects. It is responsible for our vision. Temporal lobe: The temporal lobes are found on either side of the brain and just above the ears. The temporal lobes are responsible for hearing, memory, meaning, and language. They also play a role in emotion and learning. The temporal lobes are concerned with interpreting and processing auditory stimuli. Parietal lobe: The parietal lobes are found behind the frontal lobes, above the temporal lobes, and at the top back of the brain. They are connected with the processing of nerve impulses related to the senses, such as touch, pain, taste, pressure, and temperature. They also have language functions. Frontal lobe: It is concerned with emotions, reasoning, planning, movement, and parts of speech. It is also involved in purposeful acts such as creativity, judgment, and problem solving, and planning. Cerebral cortex: The cerebral cortex controls your thinking, voluntary movements, language, reasoning, and perception. In higher mammals, the cortex looks like it has lots of wrinkles, grooves, and bumps. Cerebellum: controls your movement, balance, posture, and coordination. New research has also linked it to thinking, novelty, and emotions. The limbic system, often referred to as the "emotional brain," is found buried within the cerebrum. Hypothalamus: controls your body temperature, emotions, hunger, thirst, appetite, digestion, and sleep. The hypothalamus is composed of several different areas and is located at the base of the brain. It is only the size of a pea (about 1/300 of the total brain weight) but is responsible for some very important behaviors. Thalamus: controls your sensory integration and motor integration. Receives sensory information and relays it to the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex also sends information to the thalamus, transmitting this information to other parts of the brain and the brain stem. Pituitary gland: it controls your hormones, and it helps to turn food into energy. Without this gland, you could eat, but you wouldn't get any energy from the food. Pineal gland: This part controls your growth and maturing. It is activated by light, so if you were born and lived all your life in a place without a trace of light, your pineal gland would never start to work. Amygdala: The amygdala (two of them) controls your emotions, such as regulating when you're happy or mad. Your amygdala is very important. Without it, you could win the lottery and feel nothing. You wouldn't be happy. Hippocampus: Forms and stores your memories (scientists think there are other things unknown about the hippocampus) and is involved in learning. If you didn't have it, you wouldn't be able to remember anything. People with Alzheimer's disease lose the functioning of their hippocampus. Mid-brain: This section controls your breathing, reflexes, and your swallowing reflexes. It includes the Thalamus, Hippocampus, and Amygdala. Every living thing has to have a mid-brain. Pons — part of the metencephalon in the hindbrain. It is involved in motor control and sensory analysis. For example, information from the ear first enters the brain in the pons. It has parts that are important for the level of consciousness and sleep. Some structures within the pons are linked to the cerebellum, thus are involved in movement and posture. Medulla Oblongata — this structure is the caudal-most part of the brain stem, between the pons and spinal cord. It is responsible for maintaining vital body functions, such as breathing, digestion, and heartbeat. It is possible to improve your brain's function and make it work for you, rather than the other way around and your brain controlling you. Using Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, and Neuroscience, that is exactly what we will do here in my forthcoming articles in Brainz Magazine. Neuroscience, Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy Q: So what is Neuroscience? The scientific study of the nervous system. Neuroscientists focus on the brain and its impact on behavior and cognitive functions. A small selection of advanced hypnotists and hypnotherapists myself included studying neuroscience to advance their work with their clients further. I have used this knowledge most recently to complete my Clinical research study on COVID-19, the effects of Long COVID, and devising a treatment program for patients and clients. Following my clinical study and trial of Long COVID treatment on a sample of my research clients for this research study, I have now been able to develop a unique training program for therapists, doctors, and medical practitioners who can now train in the specific treatment of Long COVID for their patients and clients. Q: What is Hypnosis? Simply put, Hypnosis is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus and concentration. A hypnotist or hypnotherapist uses the unconscious mind to enable a client to reprogramme their brains and utilize their minds in better and more powerful ways. Hypnosis is carried out with the help of a therapist using a variety of hypnotic techniques. When you are under hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed and are more open to suggestions. Hypnosis can be used to help you gain control over undesired behaviors, or to help you cope with illness or control pain, or help build your confidence, motivation, and self-esteem. It is important to know that although you are more open to suggestions during hypnosis, you do not lose control over your behavior. You are always in control, and you can come out of trance anytime you so desire. During hypnosis, nobody can make you do something harmful to you or that you do not want to do. People have been pondering and debating over hypnosis for more than 200 years, but science has yet to explain how it actually works or happens fully. This puzzle is really a small piece in a much bigger puzzle: how the human mind works. It is unlikely that scientists will arrive at a definitive explanation of the mind in the foreseeable future. Hence, it is a good bet that hypnosis will remain a mystery for most. However, several mysteries and numerous hypnosis secrets that a select few of us know and understand. I am honored to be one of these few people and am also blessed to be one of the few valued and much-trusted members of Paul McKenna’s and Dr. Richard Bandler’s Hypnosis trainer team. The best words I have ever heard were, “You are part of the family now.” What a brilliant and epic moment! Being in hypnosis or a hypnotic trance feels extremely good, relaxing, calm, and you will be fully at ease. Most people, and all of my clients, never want to come out of their trance at the end of a session as it is such a wonderful place to be. Q: What is Hypnotherapy? Hypnotherapy is a powerful form of therapy. It is a branch of psychotherapy and therapy. It uses hypnosis to encourage positive change, stop negative or harmful behavior, change negative ways of thinking and destructive ways of being, and treat conditions, as well as to make lasting changes for the better, to bring about good, and to transform lives! Hypnotherapy is a form of therapy that uses hypnosis and therapeutic techniques, including CBT, talking therapy, psychotherapy, and so on. The bonus of Hypnotherapy is that the therapy is carried out whilst the therapist uses hypnosis, and the client is gently guided into a hypnotic trance. And then, the therapeutic work is carried out whilst the client is hypnotized. At the end of the session, the client is brought out of the trance and can go about their daily business and life as normal. And yet, change has taken place, and transformation will follow. In my next article, I will be writing about a specific challenge and issue that many people face in today's world. And I will share how hypnosis and hypnotherapy can help people overcome such obstacles and how we can all change and transform our lives for the better. Watch this space! If you would like to find out more and are interested in working with Rebecca, please email info@paris-st-cloud.com or rebecca@harleystreettherapyclinic.com. For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Rebecca Jones, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rebecca Jones (M.A. DipPCH) is a Clinical Hypnotherapist & Consultant (GHR, GHSC) (GQHP, MAC) and CEO/Founder of 'Paris St. Cloud' & 'The Empire State of Mind' Initially trained by Dr. Richard Bandler and Paul McKenna, & now a much trusted & highly valued part of their team, Rebecca is a highly sought-after expert in her field & her right. With her thriving practice in Harley Street London and a successful clinic on Deansgate in Manchester, Rebecca is an inspirational therapist & consultant. Rebecca works globally with clients across the world. Also, with a clinic on Fifth Avenue, NYC, USA, Rebecca works with International clients F2F and online virtually around the world. Rebecca's clients include VIP & celebrities, Governments and Government Officials, United Nations, British Council, OECD, Diplomats, Silicon Valley, and more. Her new book 'Source Your Inner Jet Pack' will be published later this year. She also runs Hypnotherapy Retreats worldwide. During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, Rebecca has donated her services freely to all doctors, nurses, and medical staff working in hospitals and ICU departments in hospitals worldwide. Moreover, she has also been conducting her clinical research study and clinical trials to treat patients suffering from Long COVID. There is no other such study taking place in the world. It is unique and one of a kind. It is the first of its kind globally and is at the forefront of therapy and innovation, described as a flagship and ground-breaking research study. This has been followed by her uniquely devised therapeutic techniques and treatment plans for patients and clients and a series of workshops, seminars, and training programs for therapists, medical practitioners, doctors, and hypnotherapists. Rebecca is now the CEO and Founder of the 'Long COVID Therapy Institute.' During the pandemic and Lockdown, Rebecca has also provided additional Free Online services, including Free Coaching courses for 'Resilience and Wellbeing in Lockdown' and free services for NHS doctors and nurses in the UK. Rebecca has also been interviewed for the media and radio about her business and her work. As well as working with her private clients in the clinic, Rebecca also provides Corporate seminars, events, & training, as well as well-being sessions and Professional Development courses (CPD) for Businesses, Schools, Corporate, & other Groups. Rebecca is also a professional trainer, training, qualifying, and certifying future Coaches, Mentors, Therapists, and Hypnotherapists. Rebecca is a Guest speaker for public engagements, business events, charity dinners, and fundraisers, both in the UK and overseas. Rebecca's unique methods in Clinical Hypnotherapy and Consultancy enable individuals, private and corporate clients alike to build better lives, redesign their futures, and create personal freedom today!

Written by: Tripp Butler, 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. With peak buying season upon us, here's what analysts are expecting to see this year: Increasing mortgage rates Inventories could increase Millennial movement Growing online trends Private mortgage insurance explained Increasing Mortgage Rates It appears, depending on how the economic recovery progresses, that mortgage rates could continue to increase. Earlier in the year, rates were holding under 3%, but those rates have steadily increased over several weeks. As more and more Americans are vaccinated, it's expected that economic recovery will continue, which will likely contribute to an upward movement in mortgage rates. If you're thinking of buying this summer, it may be in your best interest to lock in a rate as soon as possible. Inventories Could Increase Many home shoppers found the lack of inventory to be a major source of frustration during the past year. It was difficult - if not impossible - to find available properties, and when something went on the market, it was often scooped up in days or sometimes just hours. Some analysts are expecting to see increased inventory this year. As more people become vaccinated and a general sense of stability returns, home sellers who were deterred from making a move in 2020 will be more likely to list their properties. Millennial Movement Another trend that could continue influencing the real estate market this spring and beyond is an increase in millennial buyers. Nearly five million millennials are set to turn 30 this year, and they now comprise the biggest segment of home buyers. In 2018, millennial homeownership was at record lows, but there's evidence that is changing. Around 86% of younger millennials and 52% of older ones are buying their first homes, and some are buying luxury properties that are well beyond what you'd consider a starter home. Millennials will likely drive the market throughout 2021. A survey from the National Association of Home Builders in the fourth quarter of 2020 found that 27% of millennial respondents planned to buy a home in the next 12 months, up from 19% the year before. Growing Online Trends Online real estate services grew in functionality and popularity this past year. 3D home tours, virtual agent/broker teleconferencing, and online closings aided by tools like DocuSign are all ways that technology is facilitating a simpler home selling or buying experience. Regardless of the pandemic state, the convenience afforded by online real estate technology is here to stay. Private Mortgage Insurance Explained When a lender looks at a loan application, their main question is, "what risk do I take by issuing this loan?" Credit checks, bank statements, employment verification – all the documentation required when getting approved for a loan is in service of assessing what the odds are that the the loan will go into default. This is why a down payment is such a crucial part of obtaining a home loan. When a borrower has a substantial down payment (20 to 30% or more), the lender's exposure is lessened in the event of a default. This 20-30% figure used to be required, yet clearly, this kept a lot of people from realizing the benefits of homeownership, especially first-time buyers. That is until 1957, when Max H. Karl, a real estate attorney founded Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation and invented the modern form of private mortgage insurance. PMI is designed to address the hefty down payment hurdle. Instead of coming to the table with 20% or more for a down payment, a private mortgage insurance policy allows consumers to buy and finance a home without a large down payment. With PMI, the borrower pays a small percentage of the total loan amount (0.3 - 1.5%/year) in addition to their mortgage and insurance payments. For example, a $200,000 loan with a PMI rate of 1% will come out to $167 extra a month for a borrower. It's not anything, but for many, it's a manageable trade-off. Yet sometimes PMI can get a bad rap as something to be avoided at all costs. Until the end of the '90s, this attitude was understandable – homeowners had limited resources to cancel PMI and were often stuck with it for the life of their loan. That changed with the Homeowners Protection Act of 1998. It required automatic termination of PMI when the loan balance reaches 78% of the original value through natural amortization. Borrowers can often drop their PMI even before reaching that 78% figure – once a borrower reaches 20% equity in their home, they can request a cancellation of PMI. As home prices continue to rise, borrowers build up equity in their homes faster, meaning they can often drop PMI payments earlier than they think. If you're curious about buying a home for the first time, or you're wondering how the value of your home has changed over time, reach out to me. I have up-to-date market information to help you make decisions with confidence. Questions? Visit trippbutler.homepages.com or contact Tripp at (912) 856-8685/ (912) 651-5400. You can also send an email at tbutler@southbridgesav.com. If you have a brokerage relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a solicitation. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. For more info, follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Tripp! Tripp Butler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tripp Butler has almost 30 years of experience in the residential real estate market. His expertise is taking over real estate companies that are underperforming and increasing not only the growth but the profits by threefold. Tripp started his career at Wild Dunes Real Estate in 1993 as a sales executive, by 1998, Tripp was a Broker and partner of the firm. At the end of 2005, Tripp sold the Company to Lowes Management which was the 5th largest resort management Company in the Country. In 2008 Tripp purchased Southbridge Greater Savannah Realty and had made this Real Estate Company one of the premier real estate companies in the surrounding area. Southbridge Greater Savannah Realty handles the relocation work for some of the biggest companies in the Southeast.

Written by: Laura Flanagan, 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. Mental health problems are increasing globally. The World Health Organization estimates more than 264 million people suffer from depression. Suicide rates worldwide have skyrocketed to more than 60% over the last 45 years. The unfortunate truth is that we still live in a world that normalizes physical health challenges but stigmatizes mental health challenges. As we head into a new post-pandemic reality, we need to reframe our understanding of mental health and well-being. Just because you are not depressed doesn’t mean you’re not struggling. Just because you are not burned out doesn’t mean you’re fired up. By acknowledging that so many of us are in a state of what I call post-pandemic trauma disorder (PPTD), we can start giving voice to the muted despair and begin lighting a path out of the void. What does a healthy future look like? People often asked Dr. Jung, “Will we make it?” referring to the cataclysm of our time. He always replied, “If enough people will do their inner work. This soul work is the one thing that will pull us through any emergency.” Like the overview effect experienced by astronauts, meditation can catapult us outside the bounds of our everyday consciousness, enabling us to look back at ourselves with a new type of self-awareness. Meditation can be thought of as a catalyst for consciousness change. It can induce the experience of oneness and elicit non-dual perception. Meditation also increases our connection to nature. This is so important right now. The ecological crisis we are experiencing is often masked by the psychospiritual crisis – which is at the roots. We must understand that healing ourselves and resolving the contradictions in the human-earth ecology is the same thing ! We should all be thinking about the post-liminal phase of the pandemic. Liminality is an anthropological concept referring to rites in life-course transitions such as birth, marriage, divorce. They mark the passage from one social status situation to another. The pandemic constitutes a 3-phase liminal structure to include: Separation – People separate physically from one another. Liminal phase – The past state and norms are temporarily suspended. Post-Liminal phase – Integration into a new status. Some people may be holding on tightly to a return to the past as if nothing has happened. Hopefully, however, the time in the liminal phase has allowed people to contemplate how they might re-emerge into the ‘new world’ in a way that raises the global vibration, begins to dissolve the illusion of duality, and ultimately save a planet in critical need. It is never too late to learn to meditate. Meditation can help one achieve a deep sense of peace and relaxation as it teaches us to be present – here and now. A common misconception about meditation is that it helps us control the mind. Rather, meditation is about not letting the mind control us. It helps those who practice gain greater sense of awareness and introspection. The powerful practice has been scientifically proven to change the brain through its innate neuroplasticity. In just 8 weeks, MRI studies show changes to the brain. This is why I have developed an 8-week meditation course that is great for beginners and seasoned meditators alike. This course allows participants to cultivate a practice . For those who already have a dedicated practice, the course offers layers of methods to go deeper such as specific pranayama ( breathwork ), mudra (hand positions that can elicit changes in the physical and emotional body), and mantra (vibrational chants that help tune the subtle energies of the body). For more information and to register for the upcoming series, check my website . Follow me on Instagram , YouTube and visit my website for more info! Read more from Laura! Laura Flanagan MS, RYT, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Laura Flanagan is a Scientist by education and career, but she recently left her corporate job and moved to Costa Rica with her horse to open an Equine Therapy Center. Concurrently with her career as a scientist, she has been teaching Yoga and Meditation for over 18 years. Laura is a Yoga Instructor, Yamuna Body Rolling Instructor, Meditation Teacher, and Director of the Socrates Center in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica. She has helped thousands of clients with physical pain through her certification with Yamuna, who uses small ball therapy. She has used her Yoga, Body Rolling, and Meditation practices to help her recover from breast cancer. She is also enrolled in the Functional Nutrition Counselor program through the Functional Nutrition Alliance .

Written by: Sruti Kanabar, 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 has been over a year since the first lockdown was announced in the UK, and we are now easing into a new normality. For some, this entails seeing their family and friends for coffee or lunch after an exceptionally long time. For others, it is going to their first business workshop not knowing what to expect as they have been confined to the online world and the flexibility it brings. All of this whilst witnessing other parts of the world still fighting to keep their people safe and COVID free. Personally, I have had my journey of depression and anxiety over the past nine years, and I have learned to strip a lot of my anxieties away in the past 12 months with success. So how does one still set goals and take purposeful action when they either struggle with their mental well-being or feel anxious because of the current pandemic? Here are some questions to reflect on your current state before we get to the goal-setting part. How are you feeling right now? With what is going on, you may be feeling a variety of emotions, angry, sad, anxious, happy, and the list goes on. For me, it has helped to label the feelings I feel more accurately and go beyond the umbrella term of anxiety. For example, feeling afraid, stressed, vulnerable, confused, worried, cautious, and nervous all fall into the umbrella term of anxiety (David, 2016). So, what is that you are feeling? What is causing you to feel this way? These are all great questions to help you become more ‘emotionally agile’ and embrace change more effectively. This process has helped me greatly. I have gone from saying I was feeling tired when I felt a lot of sadness nine years ago to understand what makes me feel vulnerable rather than going into a state of feeling anxious about feeling anxious. Something I am sure a lot of you can relate to. What is within your control right now? When facing such a pandemic, it can feel very overwhelming, with the constant updates, the changes around working from home, and keeping your family safe. I remember how on edge I felt during my first essential visit to the supermarket. However, it is important to remember that we can only control our behavior, and we do not have to figure everything out in one go to take the next action. Do you find yourself imagining dreadful scenarios of what may happen? Personally, I can empathize with you because that state had become my go-to place for solitude. However, I choose to stay out of it as much as possible because I have realized that reality can be different if we focus on being in the present moment and use our imagination for what we want to happen instead. Imagine the growth you can have within your personal life and the business you want to build! What actually does define you as a person? Is it your illness, problems, mistakes, thoughts, and emotions, or is it your personality, perspective, life experiences, goals, attitude, habits, hobbies, and passions? My life started to become even more beautiful when I realized it was the latter that defined me as an individual. Then, managing depression and anxiety became secondary for me. I stopped using it as a reason not to be the best version of myself and to pursue my dreams. I got the help that I needed; it can be a painful process at times, though so worthwhile. What would you like to achieve within the next 3 months? So now you have a better awareness of your current state, what do you want to achieve in the next three months? Is it to be more proactive to change within your business? Is it to have a better work-life balance during the pandemic? What are the next steps for you to be, feel and do even better? As they say, a goal without a plan of action is just a dream, so what is next? I hope I have encouraged you to get the help that you need. Whether you feel that you may need the help of a counselor, therapist, or coach, you must take the appropriate action right now. If you believe that you can bridge the gap between your present and future, coaching may be the intervention. A coach can assess where you are with your mental health journey and establish if they can support you. If you feel I could be the coach for you, then please do contact me. Love, Sruti For more information, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and visit my web site ! Sruti Kanabar, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sruti Kanabar is a distinguished Life and Small Business Coach. During her journey with Depression and Anxiety, she has found her purpose in helping women accept that they are good enough to live the life and build the business they want. She transforms women by increasing their shame resilience, helping them heal from minor and major traumas from the past, and connecting to a great purpose in life so when setbacks, obstacles, and failures come, they are seen as a beautiful part of the journey rather than being internalized. She empowers women through wisdom and knowledge nuggets from multiple faiths and disciplines to get the right solution to the challenges they face in life.

Written by: Frank Ferrara, 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. Imagine having the sort of confidence that would allow you to sell to anyone. Before we begin to look at these four tips, let’s be clear about this - that this information isn’t for everyone. This information is only for those who want to grow personally and professionally as their first order of priority. See, to be effective in selling, you must be able to influence people. And to influence people, you must first be able to control yourself and your behavior at any given point in time. This is why personal and professional development MUST be at the top of your list. So Who Are These Tips For? You love what you do and have been doing it for a long time. You want to get even better at delivering value to new & existing clients. You want more opportunities, and you want to win more of them. You want to share your message with the world for greater impact. So if we all agree and can identify with these points, what else can we do? Confidence Is An Emotion Let’s start with an understanding of what confidence is. Confidence is a feeling, an emotion, and it starts in our mind and transcends through our body as language. This is great because we can use our bodies and minds to create and control our confidence levels. Why Should We Control This Emotion? Confidence is contagious. If I project confidence in how I communicate, I will pass that same feeling onto my audience. Have you ever watched a nervous speaker and felt the same level of nervousness or awkwardness yourself? Or conversely, have you listened to a brilliant speech and come to life from the experience? Or if I told you right now that these four tips would undoubtedly boost your confidence, would you feel a shift in your confidence? The feelings that are created in these moments are important to create certainty. Certainty is important because it is an essential human need. When you are certain and create certainty in your prospect, you will significantly increase the probability of buying. Conversely, if you do not create certainty, then your prospects will be confused. Confused prospects will not buy. Not only is confidence contagious, but it will also empower you to get in front of as many prospects as possible. If you don't already know this, sales is a numbers game. The best performers in business are the ones that confidently communicate to the biggest audiences. The final point to make about the importance of confidence is that it demonstrates leadership. Leadership is the first step to creating your own brand, your own following, and ultimately your success. Let's look at these four simple tips to building your confidence: 1. Be Perfect We are our own greatest critics, and we often project those thoughts onto others. Because we judge ourselves, we often believe that others are judging us in the same way. The reality is that people spend the great majority of their lives thinking about themselves and what is immediate in their world. They do not devote any time to think about whether what you said or did was perfect. These, at most, are fleeting moments of judgment before people go back to doing what’s important to them. Perfection is a paradox, a contradictory proposition. We cannot be perfect, and yet we are perfect just the way we are. The first step to building confidence is to accept yourself. If you lack confidence in any area of your life, then working on your self-acceptance and your own identity is the place to start: I am. How do you describe yourself? Does your choice of words empower you? If not, change your language, including your inner voice. Our inner voice often tries to protect us with language that disempowers us and reduces our confidence. There is nothing unusual about this. By the way, it’s simply a legacy of the wiring in our brain that acts as a survival mechanism. This is an emotion that comes from the oldest part of our brain, from the days when our top priority in life was survival. It still serves us today because if we need to jump out of the way of a falling object, we need to act fast, and this part of the brain assists us. Everyone experiences this, and the good news is that by changing our language, we can increase our confidence level. As we have evolved, however, our new brain can make many complex assessments and decisions. So if we think about it, there's no ousting or eviction into a wilderness of savages and hunger in a sales conversation or presentation. We now have the chance to silence that inner voice when it doesn’t serve us and replace it with empowering language. So we can now condition our brain, and we are using our new brain to train our old brain to understand that we are perfectly fine and there is absolutely nothing to fear. Exercise: Write down three identity statements right now that reinforce your perfection. Now say it out loud, say it with feeling, sing it, say it in front of a mirror. The more emotion attached to the language, the deeper into your old brain you will condition it. 2. Be Familiar Here’s another little golden nugget of information extracted from our old brain: What we value even more than survival in our primitive brain is familiarity. Our sense of belonging to a community, a cause, a group, a tribe. By creating familiarity, you will also create confidence. So ask yourself: What do I already know about my prospect? Or what could I learn about him/her? How can I find out? Asking questions before constructing your message is very powerful; become familiar with who your audience is, what they're thinking, and what is important to them. With this knowledge, you are going to be more confident that you can serve them. The next step to familiarity is instant rapport. Most likely, you already know how to do that: You smile, you raise your eyebrows, you use a soft tone. You already use these things to create. Familiarity and thus suggesting, “I'm like you.” I want to make two other points to reinforce this idea are the importance of body language & tonality. Body language and tonality combined make up most of our communication in the first moments of our sales interactions. It’s really important to get these right to establish familiarity. Now the good news is that because you already know how to use these modes sub-consciously, I will ask you to use them consciously. Rehearse them, plan them, especially when your prospect is unfamiliar to you. 3. Be Still Inevitably, when you deliver your message, it will likely be met with some level of resistance. In sales, these can take shape as objections. When you learn to better deal with objections, your confidence will sky-rocket! When a prospect says no, or anything similar, they are not rejecting you. They are not aligned with your point of view. This is perfectly normal. They are not you, so how can they possibly see things exactly the way you see them? The treasure in this step is that the more no’s you deal with, the more knowledge you will gain about your prospect. So let's break it down: When you get a no, ignore it. Don't try and force your perspective, and don't retort before they've finished speaking. Let them finish, take a breath to buy you time, and the deeper the breath, the better; the extra oxygen will calm your emotions and give you space to think. This PAUSE is only a few seconds in real-time. I will warn you, this small window of time can be uncomfortable. Whoever learned to do anything in comfort? So practice your pauses. Once you're composed, then keep holding your ground and ask a question. A question you might ask is, "Okay, can I ask a question?” “What is it specifically you don't like?" "I hear you; what do you think the best next steps would be?" "Right, and so can I ask, does what we've covered so far make sense to you? Effectively, instead of objecting to their objection, or worse, not dealing with it at all, we have asked for more information out of curiosity for a greater understanding. We've done this by acknowledging them and by asking permission to go deeper. And from there, we can now build on this new information. 4. Be An Expert Final Tip — and the easiest because it only uses half our brain - the logical half. I am a bit biased here because my natural style tends to be logical instead of emotional. Regardless, it can still be learned. Here it is, collect facts and become the expert on what you are selling. The more expertise you have, the more confidence you will have in the sales process. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to gain this expertise: How has your product or service helped others? For example, get feedback by asking your existing clients what they liked best about your product or service. Where does the product or service come from? For example, what is your company's experience, history, research, or development? What does it do that makes it so good? Make sure you can list the benefits. When did it make its mark? What’s the history? Is it generational, or was it a hallmark moment that brought it to life? Some of these latter questions are great ingredients for stories you can tell your audience. Conclusion Confidence can be learned using these four simple tips. With confidence comes certainty. With certainty comes clarity about how your audience can benefit from what you have to offer. With this formula, you can sell to anyone. For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Frank Ferrara, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Frank is a Sales Trainer & Coach with over 20 years in customer service, sales, and sales management. His previous career was in the electrical industry, selling to contractors, wholesalers, engineering consultants and facilities managers. He spent five years in Sydney running an electrical wholesale operation, which under his management grew to become the most profitable branch in the company. This opened the door to run bigger businesses in Melbourne. He delivered major growth for 3 separate businesses there, increasing sales from $6m to $12m (100% growth in 3 years) from $6m to $30m (500% growth in 5 years) from $8m to $26m (325% growth in 7 years) Frank now applies everything he learned in his own business, providing sales training and coaching to help business owners grow their customer base. Since founding Stellar Education less than two years ago, he has helped over 50 businesses build sales pipeline, shorten sales cycles and increase conversion rates.

Written by: Jane Parmel, 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’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” Maybe Confucius, Lorne Michaels, or Marissa Mayer, or any of 100 other people have been credited with coming up with this quote. Bottom line, it is true – you should never be the smartest person in any room. This is not a tug-of-war between “being” and “thinking”. Ego is the biggest detriment to leaders; where they believe they can be right, it can make them 100% wrong. There is also the question of your perception. If you are the smartest person in the room, who determines that? And can you be simply inflating your self-beliefs? Meaning, what if you only believe that you are the smartest person in the room, but you are not? You might find yourself dismissing other’s ideas to get the results you want. People who believe they are more intelligent than others tend to struggle with delegation because they cannot let go – they believe that no one can do a job as well as they can Lifelong learning is key to growth both personally and in business. When you intentionally surround yourself with smarter than you, you admit that you do not know everything. You are willing to let others share, teach, and fill in the gaps where you might have them. If you are used to being a “success,” a high achiever, giving someone the opportunity to boost or compliment what you do not know can only help to increase the level at which others perceive you. A high level of confidence to surround yourself with a team of people who are smarter than you. You must be secure in who you are and, in your position, as the leader. Putting the vision and mission of the organization at the forefront is crucial to the success of any venture. As a leader, you must be confident yet open, in charge, but willing to learn. Communication is key to your success when you decide to accept the knowledge of others. They can fulfill their role when they have been told what is needed and what they are expected to contribute. Poor communicators talk more than they listen. They have an insatiable need to be right; often unwilling to learn, they also tend to dismiss other’s points of view and have low levels of emotional intelligence. This can raise stress levels amongst team members that can be very detrimental to completing a project. Leaders who can convey an inspirational vision will inspire and engage others – people will want to be part of a powerful group. When you have those “smart” team members around you, you will see higher levels of dedication and drive, and you should know how to manage this to the advantage of the whole. “Smart” team members will continually go above and beyond, dig deeper into their field, and strive to become “experts in their field.” Here are five points to remember when encouraging learning in your team: If it is positive and leading to growth, great. If it is not, you need to communicate that. Even go as far as telling team members that their attitude negatively affects their career. Encourage learning, exploring, taking on responsibility. Encourage self-care. Time for themselves is the most healing and can provide a space where growth can take place. Challenge those members of your team that are indeed “intelligent.” Mentally, emotionally, or socially – so that they do not get bored. Remember not to micro-manage – keep your wanting to do so at bay. Be empathetic! Understand that different people come from other places, literally and figuratively. Different roads traveled; different outcomes experienced – be mindful that everyone benefits when an understanding heart also has an ear. For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Jane! Jane Parmel, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jane Parmel, the creator of "The Profit Project," helps women to powerfully transform their businesses by up-leveling their money mindset, signature system, and pricing to recognize their value and create a more profitable business through authentic marketing and efficient operations. She makes your bottom line the high point of your business! Jane is also the NY Global Business Connector for the Women Speakers Association, hosting events connecting women with resources to amplify their role as a “Phenomenal Message Maker” – clarifying their message, increasing their visibility, and growing their audience.

Clare Tries is an internationally sought-after copywriter and marketing strategist who helps organizations harness the power of marketing to grow their business. She does this by clarifying their story and creating a clear, concise message to guide all marketing initiatives. Clare has a BAH in psychology from Queen’s University. She served in leadership roles for multiple Canadian corporations and today owns a marketing agency called Clash Copy Corp. Clash Copy provides marketing services for businesses of any size or industry, but they have a unique specialization serving technology companies. It’s not every day you get to interview a marketing expert who began their journey during the height of covid. Clare Tries is the Founder and CEO of Clash Copy, a marketing agency that provides quality content to the technology industry. She started her tech content company in July of 2020 after becoming fed up with the lack of quality marketing for the IT industry, which she experienced first-hand. While Clash Copy is only nearing its first birthday, the impact this marketing agency has had on the IT industry has been bold. We jumped on the chance to interview Clare to find more about marketing strategies, tips and tricks, and her team. How did you get started with Clash Copy? And why choose the competitive field of marketing? I spent almost ten years working in the IT industry, learning the ins and outs of the unique culture and language in the technology field. I loved being a part of that community, and while working within it, I discovered that many IT companies struggled with their marketing. It was challenging to find a marketing agency that understood the terminology and the unique opportunity for vendor co-op/marketing development funding. Both IT companies I worked for were in the SMB space, so they required the marketing expertise of an entire team but often couldn’t afford to build one out. Many agencies were charging outlandish rates for simple projects, so it was challenging to choose where to focus the budget to get what they wanted for the business and produce trackable results. There was a lot of frustration! When I decided to start Clash Copy, I had initially intended to provide in-depth and thoughtful content for the IT industry but quickly realized that there was a lot more I could do. We love serving technical organizations with our unique team of talented writers and specialists. We have also now created a new line of business serving an equally underserved market: start-ups! It’s funny; when you tell people that you do marketing, everyone with a new business starts calling asking for advice on what they need to focus on first with a minimal budget. We decided to create a training program to help these budding new entrepreneurs kick off on the right foot without breaking the bank – that program is in the works right now! What inspired you to start your own company and become an entrepreneur vs. looking for a job with an existing agency? Honestly, I never really intended to become an entrepreneur! I just wanted to focus on my passion (writing) and make a living while doing it. Fortunately for me, I am a “yes” person. So, when clients would reach out asking if I could do other marketing-related projects, I found a way to say yes. In the process, I have grown an incredible team of insanely talented women, and Clash Copy now has many raving fans. Where does a successful marketing roadmap start? A successful marketing roadmap must start with a strategy. What are you trying to accomplish as a company? How can marketing help you reach those goals? What is your budget? From there, you can build the right roadmap for your marketing efforts. In this marketing strategy, make sure to define your target audience, have a clear and concise brand message, and track progress with tangible KPIs that make sense for your business. What’s your favorite book relevant to marketing? Why? Right now, Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller is my absolute go-to favorite book for marketing. It sets such a great foundation for crafting the perfect brand voice and messaging when you’re just getting started with marketing (or even to improve the marketing you already have!). I highly recommend it. What is the one underestimated marketing tactic all agencies should pay more attention to? If you’re working in the B2B space, probably LinkedIn outreach. There are tons of ways to create thoughtful outreach strategies on LinkedIn that are cost-effective (without paying for ads). If you are B2B and don’t have a LinkedIn strategy, I recommend getting on that right away! What is your favorite approach to internal marketing and company culture building? I love helping organizations build excitement in their teams around their brand. This is another reason why I love Miller’s book; he touches on the importance of your brand messaging to create an internal culture of raving fans for your organization. Creating a strong culture that people love also relies on ensuring you have the right people in the right positions. Then, treat them with respect, connect with them as people, provide adequate compensation and great benefits, and teach them the company’s core values (until they can recite them back without help!). If every member of your organization feels valued, and they can articulate exactly what the company does and what they stand for, that is valuable marketing in itself! What experiences in the past have best prepared you to be a marketing expert? No one is ever truly a marketing expert! That is the most exciting thing about this field – it is ALWAYS changing. What worked yesterday might not work today, so it’s a lot of trial and error. However, if I were to attribute some of my past experiences to my marketing success, I would say that learning new skills (copywriting, design, email marketing, website building, etc.) and then putting them into immediate practice for the IT companies I was working for has been incredibly beneficial. Today, I believe Clash Copy benefits from my focus on learning what’s trending and the most effective strategies I can bring to my clients. I also learned very quickly that a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none – especially in the vast arena of marketing! So I partner with kick-ass women who are incredible experts at what they do. What is the 1 biggest mistake new businesses make when approaching marketing? How can they best correct/avoid making this mistake? Hands-down, the number one biggest mistake I see new businesses make is overspending on digital advertising without a strategy in place. They pay for online ads with really small budgets that essentially equates to throwing money out the window – it is very tough to get results this way. There are so many other things that need to be done first, and then when you are ready to invest in online advertising, do it with a solid strategy and a proper budget. Be prepared to see few results at the beginning while you figure out what works and then optimize, optimize, optimize. It takes time, patience, and active management to see success with online advertising. And, truthfully, for a new business, there are so many more cost-effective (and free) ways to grow your business first. What is one thing you wish you knew at the start of your Clash Copy career that you know now? I wish I knew how hard it would be to wear so many hats! If I could go back, I would hire an accountant and an editor a LOT sooner. I also wish I would have connected with a mentor who could help guide me through some of those rookie mistakes new entrepreneurs often make, like doing your own accounting (I’m a writer, not a mathematician!). Who have you leaned on for guidance and support throughout your entrepreneurial journey? Definitely my partner! He’s been so incredibly supportive while I navigate the ups and downs of running a business. When I am having a bad day, he keeps me steady and reminds me that I am strong. When we close a deal or complete a fantastic project, he’s right there with me celebrating. Now that I have a team, I have learned to lean on them as well. Having different perspectives when making decisions for clients and Clash Copy is so valuable. Having a team who gets just as excited as I do has been an incredible and fulfilling experience. Where do you hope Clash Copy is headed? Honestly, I just hope to continue serving the technology industry with excellent marketing solutions! On top of this, I am really excited to start supporting new entrepreneurs in their marketing journey. I would love to see Clash Copy become a company that is accredited for being tech marketing experts and helping launch incredible new businesses in any industry. I have so many dreams for Clash Copy in the future. I would also love to continue building a global team of incredible women who love what we do! I want Clash Copy to be a place where we can celebrate being experts in the marketing field while also celebrating being moms, globetrotters, foodies, breadwinners, and anything else that brings us joy. I love having a company that isn’t always about work – it’s also about connecting with the incredible souls who have joined us on this journey. Thank you, Clare, for sharing your marketing journey with our readers. We are dedicated to offering expert advice in areas that matter to our community of entrepreneurs, and we’re confident that they’ll find your insight valuable. From all of us at Brainz, we look forward to watching your agency excel in the IT and new business industries! "No one is ever truly a marketing expert! That is the most exciting thing about this field – it is ALWAYS changing." – Clare Tries For more info, follow her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit her website! Read more from Clare!

Written by: Eva Gregory, 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. Whether or not you are a new entrepreneur or have been running your own online business for a while, if you are here, you know already that you need to take steps to transform your business—and your income. Maybe you love your business, but it’s not bringing in the sort of income you optimistically anticipated. Worse, perhaps you’re barely getting by, or your significant other is griping about how much time it takes and the poor returns it seems to bring. These are common scenarios among entrepreneurs—particularly those who are heart-centered entrepreneurs who put helping others first. But here’s the thing. There’s no need for you to deprive yourself while helping others. That’s counter-productive—and, what’s worse, may make you feel like a fraud. You feel caught in the proverbial “catch 22”, where the harder you work, the more you spin your financial wheels. So let’s look at five simple money mindset steps you can take to get the ball rolling again and break that cycle. 1. Challenge your money belief system Everyone has a belief system about the basics of life. For example, you can probably put a name to your religious system—even if that name happens to be agnosticism or atheism. When it comes to religion, most people know what they believe, but the amazing thing about finances is that most people take their money beliefs for granted and don’t even question them. When you first planned or set up your business, did you stop and think about your money belief system and how it would affect your ability to reach your financial goals? Did you make specific financial goals? Do you know how much you have to spend on your business? Or how much you need to make - or how much you want to make? Before you ever plan to earn a dime, sit down and think about your financial belief system. Write down all the common thoughts you find yourself using whenever you think of money—for example, “money is the root of all evil” or “I’m not as good, so I can’t charge as much as others in my field” or “I’m new. I need to give discounts”. It’s like facing a monster in the bushes. When you sit down and really look at the monster in the bushes, you almost inevitably realize you’ve made it bigger than it needs to be and given it too much power. And what’s more, you realize that it doesn’t even exist! It’s the same with money beliefs buried deep in your subconscious. These are usually so deep, they go back a long way, maybe even back to childhood. Often, these beliefs are not even yours. They’re beliefs you inherit from parents and other authority figures. In my case, I grew up in a family where my parents were always struggling when it came to money. So I heard all the typical statements like: Money doesn’t grow on trees It takes money to make money, and we don’t have any Money is not that important All wealthy people are evil or bad or greedy It’s so hard to make money These deeply ingrained beliefs that we aren’t even aware of (but repeat to ourselves repeatedly) are the types of money beliefs it’s tough to transform. I’m willing to bet that if you examined your frequently repeated money mantras, you wouldn’t need an expert to tell you which of those answers are true or valid—and which are negative and self-defeating. Trust your intuition. Trust your skills and experience. You are more powerful and more capable of generating the income you want than you think. Start by committing to throw out negative money beliefs and replace those harmful, untrue mantras with positive, new ones. 2. Change your money mindset from rigid to flexible If you have tried to change your money beliefs and experienced nothing but resistance from your subconscious, the most likely cause is a rigid, inflexible mindset. That’s not something you consciously decided. It’s just that you’ve developed and embraced one way of handling finances. And you’ve done it that way for so many years, so it’s hard to step sideways and try something else. Think of it like a runner running the same path, day after day. First, the grass gets worn down. Then there’s nothing but a thin ribbon of bare mud where the runner’s feet pass daily. Then grooves get worn into the mud, and it becomes harder and harder to vary that path. The runner needs to make a conscious effort to break through new grass—which has grown up all around the path from never being run on. That is what happens when we repeat the same thought repeatedly or perform the same action the same way. It’s never a question of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. It’s a question of looking for alternate exits that consist of neither and making the conscious decision to try them. It’s leaving the easy paths and trail-blazing new ones: Sometimes exciting to do and sometimes frightening, or even just a nuisance to remember to try. In other words, it’s not just about changing your money beliefs. It’s about changing your responses to money matters and decisions and doing this consciously, noting the results, and repeating new reactions, mantras, or habits until they become your new normal. 3. Stop penny-pinching You thought this was all going to be about overspending, didn’t you? Here’s the kicker. Spending too little is just as bad for business. When you’re constantly on the lookout for free and low-cost tools or working sixteen-hour days because you “can’t afford to outsource,” you’re not doing your business any favors. Sure, it looks like you’re bootstrapping and working hard to make something from nothing, but what you’re doing is digging yourself a rut that will be nearly impossible to climb out of. Not only that, but you’re reinforcing a scarcity mindset that will continue to plague you for years if you let it. Rather than pinching pennies, learn to spend money strategically. Invest in what you need when you need it. Invest in top-quality products and programs rather than settling for the low-ticket, half-baked plans. Like quality clothes, cars, and furniture - quality services and software last longer and work better. And unlike that car, good quality business tools and programs will pay for themselves. 4. Stop undercharging clients and underpaying yourself This is a biggie. It’s all tied in with your life experiences and your “deserve level.” Deserve levels have nothing to do with what a person is worth. Instead, it has everything to do with what people THINK they are worth. If you constantly find yourself undercharging, if your clients are successful, but your fees are still stuck at entry-level, you have a low ‘deserve level.’ In other words, it’s not about what you’re worth at all. It’s about how you feel. A big clue that you might be suffering from an abnormally low deserve level is if you find yourself feeling like a fraud. That’s got a name. It’s called the impostor syndrome, and it occurs when you think that you ought to feel as perfect as your icons and ideals seem to feel. However, talk to any highly successful entrepreneur, and you’ll find that they too often suffer from impostor syndrome. They have just learned how to name it, set it aside, and go for what they want. Even if you are just starting, never undercut your value. Don’t discount prices. Instead, run time-limited “introductory specials”—and stress that time limit. Or offer your introductory rate to ‘the first XX people who sign up.’ Make sure people know any lower rate you set is strictly time-limited, numbers-limited or introductory. Focus on your clients—not on your low deserve level—and make it a privilege to be one of the first few to experience your work. 5. Find a goal that lights you up Find a goal that is going to inspire you. It should feel as if every morning is the first day of a dream vacation, as if you’re playing, not working. The reality is that no matter how much you love your work, every day is not like that. There are boring tasks to take care of, difficult moments to face, hard decisions to make, and days when the routine feels stressful instead of empowering. But there are ways to minimize these and revitalize your business. When we believe in what we are doing on a deep emotional level, we do more, achieve more, and enjoy it more on our way to our goals. People don’t make commitments to things that don’t inspire them. If someone dislikes what they are doing or doesn’t believe in it, it won’t be long before they find ways to procrastinate, avoid tasks related to the goal, or distract themselves. Then the dreams and desires fall by the wayside. When you believe in something strongly enough, you’ll get into the habit of investing in inspired action, and you not only move forward, you create momentum—kind of like running down a hill. Or think of downhill ski racing. You start at the top of a hill, and you push yourself off. You start at a good speed, but momentum soon makes you gather speed, so you have to focus on controlling it and reaching the finish line. That momentum is what makes every money mindset and business habit easier and easier to practice every time you repeat that habit. Or mantra. Or action. Stuck people often don’t realize that it’s hard at first to break a pattern or change a habit. But the truth is, every time you repeat that particular mantra or habit, it becomes easier and is naturally self-reinforcing. There’s another, even better side effect of breaking out of old, comfortable but negative patterns: You start to experience success—and success breeds confidence. The truth is, although there are steps you can and should take to deal with old negative patterns, it’s not all about fixing your self-confidence first, then succeeding at something. It’s about taking inspired action. It’s about making a commitment that helps you to step out of your comfort zone, acting—then surprising yourself with success. Because success breeds self-confidence, it’s the confidence of knowing you can do something again because you did it before. It’s the confidence of seeing a good result from your action. And you are more likely to make that commitment and take that action if you have a goal that drives you and inspires you. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube or visit my website! Eva Gregory, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Award-winning transformational catalyst and business mentor Eva Gregory is the founder of the Enlightened Business Success Academy. She helps established coaches, thought leaders, and spiritual entrepreneurs worldwide scale to six figures and beyond by integrating Inner Guidance with proven business strategies that are working today in an ever-changing market. It's the combination of practical, step-by-step business training and intuitive spiritual awareness that sets her apart from others in her field. Eva was named International Coach of the Year, was named one of Women E-Commerce Association's International Top 100 Who's Who Among Women, and received the California Excellence Award from the Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce. She was the recipient of The Law of Attraction Leaders Award for Best Law of Attraction Coach 2 years in a row. She is the author of "The Feel Good Guide to Prosperity" and "Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction," which she co-authored with Jack Canfield and Jeanna Gabellini.

Written by: Samantha Curbelo & Austin Nichols, 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. Let’s be real. It’s a saturated market — the health and fitness industry. “Everybody” knows best. Susan from across the street tells you “just drink water” to “flush out the fat.” Bob from Instagram says, “just eat less and move more.” Karen swears up and down that keto will solve the world’s problems. But why is none of that working for you? I’ll give you the secret before jumping into it: The reason that you’re failing at diets over and over again and never seeing results is simple, so bear with me and hear me out before jumping to conclusions. When we look back at everything that we’ve tried in the past, putting in all of our effort and energy into these “programs” and “plans,” what does it all have in common? Well, restriction and unrealistic exercises for one, but something a little less obvious... The biggest common factor is that all of these programs don't teach sustainability. And you fall into this crazy vicious cycle time after time. Start a program Get some results The program is making you miserable Quit Gain the weight back Search for a new program Same with fad diets. The point is this: No same car works the same. So why would it hold for our bodies? You need something that works for you. Something that works for your body. So I’m going to show you a couple of things that I teach in my AS Fitness Acceleration Academy, where I educate my clients with 1:1 support to get the results they want and keep them for life. These tactics work if you apply them: First, you want to gauge an idea of what your goal is. This is a given. Do you want to tone up? Lose weight? Add muscle definition? Gain strength? Gain muscle mass? Add more weight? Grow a booty? What is your goal? From there, you can begin to work towards those goals. Second, once you have your goal down, you need to calculate your caloric intake. To calculate your calories, you’re going to apply your age, gender, height, weight, current activity level, and goal. From there, you will be given what is called your “macronutrients.” Your macronutrients are crucial to your success. In short, macronutrients or “macros” are defined to be the chemical compounds that humans consume in large quantities that provide energy. Specifically, they refer to carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, since they are needed in large amounts in the human body. We’ll go over this more in-depth another time. The tricky part is, these are rough numbers. It is really important to learn about YOUR specific body, so you understand what works for you, why, and how. This way, it will be a forever result, not just a short-term fix. Third, you want to keep track of your macros each day for the best results. This sometimes seems tedious and annoying, but I promise you, it will make a difference. Is it 100% necessary? Well, no. Nothing is. However, you will notice a big difference when doing this. I like to use the app MyFitnessPal to track my food and water intake. It makes my life 10 times easier, plugging everything into an app to do the work and calculations for me. You can still enjoy the foods you want, but applying your macronutrients specific to your body and goals will create a much more sustainable and realistic approach for you to reach your goals. Again, these are just some tactics we use in our academy to help you get the body and confidence you’ve always wanted and keep those results. Now add in adjusted exercise, body-specific cardio regimens, and other necessities, and you are GOLDEN. While, of course, I’d love to give you every ounce of information on weight loss there is, that’d be impossible for me to do. When I work with clients, I guide them through the process of teaching them how to unlearn the limiting beliefs they were taught revolving around their health and fitness. We unravel the reasoning behind horrible fad diets and the culture they absorbed in their past while re-teaching them how the body works, their specific nutrition plans, customized workouts, and mindset around the body and getting the results they want. I help them dive into their goals, what they desire, and discuss the real fears they’ve experienced, so they never have to deal with these circumstances again. The point is, when I teach you how to make this “fitness stuff” fit around your lifestyle, you won’t need another self-help program again. I want to teach you how my clients are getting mesmerizing results while still enjoying their lifestyle and eating the foods they love! Weight loss, fitness, and health are very specific to each person. We are all genetically different, so no one thing will work the same for another. I hope this was helpful. If you apply these tactics correctly, they will absolutely make a difference. Cheers, Samantha For more info, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or visit our website! Samantha Curbelo & Austin Nichole, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Samantha Curbelo and Austin Nichols are leaders in the fitness and health industry. They are certified Fitness and Mindset Coaches who show motivated individuals how to build a physique they love while becoming their most confident self, all without restrictions. After both of them had overcome childhood bullying, being overweight, and severely insecure starting from a young age, Curbelo and Nichols quickly fell in love with fitness and health as a strategy to develop a physique they are proud of, better their mindsets, and perform at their most optimal versions of themselves. They believe that fitness is more than "looks." It is a way to express emotion, create better habits, and live a long and healthy life with those you love. Their expertise allows them to have various clients looking to achieve results from losing weight, gaining muscle mass, overcoming eating disorders, and much more. Their passion for the industry makes it easy for Curbelo and Nichols to help their clients and others around them to create a massive impact in each and every individual.

Written by: Rodolfo Parlati, 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. Everything started from a famous quote attributed to US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, "I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” It is well known that during his whole life, he held several positions. He was 34th President of the United States, 1st Supreme Commander of NATO, General of the US Army, President of Columbia University, husband, father, and a passionate golf player, to name a few. So, it’s easily understandable how time management could be important for him. Starting from the two principles mentioned in the quote, urgency and importance, it was possible to subsequently generate a tool, known as “Eisenhower Matrix,” in which you can evaluate your tasks based on the two principles and then choose which ones deserve your focus, and which ones not. Let’s take a closer look at it! Quadrant I: Urgent And Important Tasks In this quadrant, the activities are considered both urgent and important. They require our immediate attention and are also crucial to achieving our long-term goals, values, and fulfillment in life. These tasks usually relate to aspects like urgent and important deadlines, problems, or crises. Here are some examples of these: Health problems Unforeseen events related to home, children, accidents, and similar Tax deadlines Some important communications Housework In this case, the “trap” can be to confuse urgency with importance. Urgency leads to more anxiety and nervousness, while importance refers to rationality and calmness. With effective planning, organization, and prevention, many of these tasks can be better managed or significantly limited. The key question to make is always: “Do I need to do this?” Quadrant II: Non-Urgent And Important Tasks The activities of this quadrant are the ones that, despite the absence of a pressing deadline, help you achieve your important personal and professional goals. These tasks are generally focused on planning for the future, improving yourself, and strengthening relationships. Here are some examples: Long-term planning Learning Quality family time Exercising Financial planning Meditation These are the ones that can guarantee you happiness, success, and a deep sense of accomplishment. So, you should mainly focus on these activities because they are the ones that can make a big difference. There are often some blocks and limitations that prevent you from dedicating the necessary time and efforts to this kind of task. In particular, every time you have a distorted perception of the present moment or when you don’t have a clear idea of what it’s important for you. So, you need to live your life intentionally, consciously, and proactively. Quadrant III: Urgent And Unimportant Tasks In this quadrant, the activities require your immediate attention, but, at the same time, they do not help you fulfill your mission or achieve your goals. In most cases, it’s about interruptions from other people asking for your help in meeting their goals and fulfill their priorities. Some examples of these activities are: Phone calls Most emails Text messages Requests for solving trivial problems People just dropping in unannounced and interrupting your work. Many people love helping others find solutions or solve their problems, but the fact is that these are important for them, not for you. This can lead you to distrust your abilities, higher frustration, or even resentment towards those people in the long run. Therefore, it’s crucial to delegate as much as possible and create the right balance by prioritizing your tasks and goals and overshadowing the other requests. Quadrant IV: Non-Urgent And Unimportant Tasks In this case, the activities are neither urgent nor important. It’s mostly about distractions. Some examples of such activities involve: Playing video games Watching TV Browsing the web mechanically Gambling Scrolling through social networks mindlessly Shopping Such activities are completely time wasters and do not add value to your lives. Hence, be aware and pay attention to give them the right amount of time. Precisely, only 5% of your waking hours should be spent in these activities. After all, casually surfing the Internet or watching your favorite TV show for a short time can help you relax after a busy day. What counts is not to exaggerate! Act as the President At this point, I hope you are considering to have invested your time in reading this article! Yes, because time is the most precious resource you have in your life. It slowly erodes without prior notice. So, why not invest rather than spend it? Seriously think of maximizing the tasks contained in quadrant II. They are the ones that help you move the ball and feel to improve and make progress in your lives. When involved in an activity, ask yourself: “Am I doing it because it’s important, or because it’s urgent?” Begin to act as the President, but mostly be your own President! For more info, follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my we bsite ! Rodolfo Parlati, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Rodolfo Parlati is a Professional Life & Executive Coach. Always inspired by the desire to impact others positively, his mission is to help people and professionals be happy and successful by finding out their inner potential and exploring the right path to follow to "give shape" to their goals. Passionate about building connections, the key elements of his coaching strategy are creating meaningful actions to attain the clients' goals, knowing what is holding them back, and supporting them in finding higher awareness. His natural curiosity has always driven him to be an eager lifelong learner, explore new fields, and look for the answers to any question.