Author: Fotis Georgiadis

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Simone Clow of Zebrar

Take time out to work on the business, not in the business. Step out of the day to day and take a wider view by looking objectively at every part of the business and make sure you are keeping both eyes clearly on the business long term goals. All decisions, including decisions about projects you take on, should be made through that lens.

The Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality & Mixed Reality Industries are so exciting. What is coming around the corner? How will these improve our lives? What are the concerns we should keep an eye out for? Aside from entertainment, how can VR or AR help work or other parts of life? To address this, as a part of our interview series called “Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Simone Clow, CEO of Zebrar.

Simone has worked in experiential, design, visual effects and mixed reality for over 30 years in New York, London and Sydney. She has produced global channel rebrands, feature films, and bespoke large format content as well as creating XR (extended reality) products from scratch. Whilst Head of Production at Cutting Edge, Simone built and managed the VFX department, producing visual effects for TV commercials and feature films.

Since co-founding Zebrar in 2017, Simone has acted as CEO leading both the strategic direction and commercial growth of the global business. Zebrar produces cutting edge mixed reality experiences including augmented, mixed and virtual reality activations and installations for brands such as Facebook, IBM, Salesforce, Accenture, Optus, Woolworths, Westfield, McDonalds, and Singapore Airlines. Simone is passionate about building purposeful technology in all its forms, and utilising her visual effects expertise to bring the craft of feature film visual effects into real time technologies.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up in Melbourne, Australia. I finished school in the mid 80’s and attended an all girls school that prepared us for being career women with the belief that we could be just as successful as men in whatever vocation we chose, which was still a rarity at the time but something that was instilled in me early on. I started my career in television commercial production and quickly gained a very good technical understanding of post production and visual effects, even back in the days where digital VFX (visual effects) was just starting.

It felt like a natural progression for me to become a Visual Effects Producer where I worked in commercials, film and television. I was fortunate to work all over the world with so many talented artists (including Oscar Winner, Andrew Jackson!) over a career that spanned a couple of decades before moving into X Reality and starting this new adventure.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The podcast STARTUP had a profound impact on me starting this business. It normalized startups for me. It felt possible. I was able to learn from the success and failures of the companies it profiled. And I understood the emotional toll it would take on me before I started on my own journey. It immersed me in the startup space, and put me in the right headspace to actually take the leap.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

I was approaching 50 and realized that I could soon “age” out of VFX, so I needed to find a way of controlling my own destiny i.e. start my own business. I had run visual effects companies before, but project based work is not easily scalable. The STARTUP podcast had taught me scale was the key to success so I was looking for that next step. In 2016 I was contracted to travel around the world creating branded films for a premium car company for all the motor shows for a season. In that role I worked alongside the Virtual Reality team. In some ways VR is an obvious extension of visual effects and what I have always done, but I didn’t know that until I put the headset on and was completely immersed in another world.

My first experience with VR and 6 DOF (degrees of freedom) blew my mind, I was completely immersed in a fully CG world and believed I was on the ship with the Kraken tentacles trying to wrap around me — disbelief was completely suspended. It was literally taking what I used to do in film on a 2D screen and bringing it to life as an immersive realtime fully 360 experience that I could control.

The lightbulb moment was when I first put on the Hololens (Microsoft’s mixed reality glasses). I could see so clearly that this was the future, wearable AR devices with a digital layer over your view of the real world — this would be the next evolution of mobile technology.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Oh my goodness, nothing but mistakes when I was starting. I am still making them… but in software development mistakes are a normal part of product development. My funniest ever career mistake was back in in my first days of television commercial production working on live action shoots. It was my first shoot and I was given a list of equipment to order for the camera department, the grip department and the lighting department.

The Cinematographer asked me to order a “henway” and to ask the Grip (technician) what size he needed. The Grip said he thought a large but I should check with the Gaffer (lighting) and this went on and on for days until the Cinematographer said “just ask the question — What’s a henway?”. I did. He answered “4 pounds”. Ugh.

It was a joke that was all the more ridiculous because I never asked the question “What’s a henway”. With equipment such as dolly, apple box, pancake, etc the henway seemed to fit right in!

The lesson was don’t pretend to know something you don’t….people are always happy to share their knowledge. That lesson is as relevant to me today as it was 30 years ago, the more you know, the more you realise you don’t know.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are so many people that have helped me along the way so it would be impossible to note them all here and to single out one individual, when it takes a village 🙂

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We’ve definitely got some exciting new projects in the pipeline but my favorite is a big healthtech initiative. We’re working with our corporate and government partners to develop the first AR powered glasses for dementia patients. Patients with dementia will have more independence and autonomy than ever thought possible through the use of real time, AR glasses that inform or remind the patient of important details about their surroundings, both animate and inanimate — basically filling in the gaps in their memory. This not only provides the patient with more confidence and dignity, it also takes some of the heavy burden off of their carers and families as well. I think this could have a profound positive impact on society as a whole.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. The VR, AR and MR industries seem so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? Can you explain or give an example?

5G is one of my favorite subjects because it is truly game changing technology that unlocks so many other game changing technologies. Sure it will mean videos on your phone will download faster, but it’s so much more! It basically enables technologies that have been hyped for a long time, but have not been able to thrive because of connectivity and latency issues. High speed and low latency means real time communication between device and web, which enables technologies with incredible social impact like autonomous vehicles and vehicle-to-vehicle communication, telemedicine, AI diagnosis, robotic surgeries, smart cities, connected farms and agriculture, as well as the fun retail and entertainment stuff like holographic entertainment, VR multiplayer gaming or try before you buy virtual dressing rooms. There is so much more, 5G will make the impossible, possible.
Wearable X Reality Technology — AR Glasses. I truly believe augmented reality or mixed reality glasses will become mass market which will unlock so many opportunities. We are seeing Google, Apple and others putting a lot of effort into building MR glasses which have so far been used almost exclusively for enterprise in training and remote maintenance but once the processing power is offloaded to the web — thanks to 5G — the glasses become lighter, less of a battery drain and more viable as a consumer device. No more head buried into the phone — everything that is currently displayed on our phones will then be a digital layer over our real word as viewed through the glasses. That’s what we are planning for and working towards.
Realtime Technologies for filmmaking. The biggest shakeup in the film industry in my lifetime since digital cameras replaced film cameras is the use of realtime technology. Using realtime engines such as Unreal Engine through pre-production, production and post provides enormous efficiencies and is changing the way VFX heavy films are made.

Virtual Production is something that I am particularly interested in given my background in VFX. Rather than greenscreen, actors can now be filmed on an XR stage where they can be in the environment rather than have to imagine the environment. The improvements in real time engines mean we are now able to use traditional film VFX methods to build photoreal CG environments in engines. It’s pretty cool stuff.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

I think a bit of healthy scepticism is a good thing — like we see with A.I and social media — especially now that we have a better understanding of their negative implications. It’s important to be cautious about how new technologies can be used not just for the good but potentially for bad as well — it keeps us honest and aware as we create.

A few things that I am mindful of in the XR industry:

Extended screen time in general, especially by younger generations does concern me, and I know things like XR won’t necessarily help that. The link between screen time and chronic diseases like depression, anxiety and even attention is something I’m mindful of. In terms of addressing that, I think it’s all about transparency and education on behalf of the creators or publishers (whether that’s an Apple, Google or small content creator), and then intentioned awareness by the audience. That could be as simple as limitations on screen time, putting a stop to the endless scroll or content loops, a time stamp on content that shows how long a consumer has spent there, or even a warning notification about the detrimental effects of screen time (much like cigarette packaging). I’m just spit balling here, but there are certainly things we can do as content creators to be conscious with our work.
Equal access to technology. The digital divide is very real and that is certainly a concern for the XR industry particularly as things like wearable technology and physical hardware is still very expensive. 5G will also likely become available faster in wealthier countries and communities which may extend this divide. Creating inclusive XR content, experiences and products with this in mind is important to cater for the widest possible audiences — especially those things with important social impact. Thinking globally and advocating for technological development in communities where it’s needed (and wanted) is very important.
Synthetic media or “deep fakes” being used malevolently and without permission are a concern for the industry, and especially for the people being affected. I hope it doesn’t get to a point where it gives the whole industry a bad name, but it’s concerning. Where there is new and exciting technology or content development, a “black market’’ tends to follow.

Again, I think the antidote is transparency and education from the legitimate players in the industry to enhance audience awareness and how to spot deep fake content. We need the publishers and social platforms to be educated and do their part to ensure audiences aren’t being misled. In good news, there is also corporate and government funding to support research to detect deep fakes from authentic content which is pretty cool.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

I think the most important component of VR, AR and MR for the workplace is the ability to tell stories in an easier, more engaging and more impactful way than any other medium. Since the workplace can be a complex environment, these crafts can bring complex ideas to life and make them tangible for people.

For example, we worked with Accenture to develop unconscious bias training using virtual reality to help teams truly experience what it is, how common it is and how to identify it. By putting on the headset, the program provides a deep dive into two people’s perspectives during a conversation. The script was based on real interviews with people from Accenture. By experiencing the behavior, rather than just reading about it or watching a video about it, ultimately teams can develop a more inclusive environment and lead to far more long term behavioral change.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Naturally the quality of healthcare is synonymous with the quality of our lives, so I see this as the most important area of focus for these technologies that would have the biggest impact on our lives — whether that’s for the patient, carers or training for healthcare workers.

Let’s zoom out a bit and talk in broader terms. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? If not, what specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?

Technology is traditionally a male dominated space so of course I would like to see more females in senior management and in engineering or development roles. I think we will see change in the next 5 to 10 years as more girls are encouraged to study STEM subjects at school and college. Right now, globally, to be frank — it’s still very much a boys club.

In 2019, less than 3% of all VC investment went to women-led companies, and only one-fifth of U.S. VC went to startups with at least one woman on the founder team. The average deal size for female-founded or female co-founded companies is less than half that of only male-founded startups. That number has only reduced though covid with women taking on the brunt of the domestic work. There is a lot of work to do to get us even close to an even playing field.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

That we’re gaming or walking around with a VR headset in a quasi-Matrix simulation all day. I mean, that’s only true half the time 😉

Working in mixed reality is really like other professional creative industries — there is the creative brainstorming and trialling new technology during the research phase which is really fun, but there is also a lot of hard work. We spend most of our time in the development phase with tricky and challenging technical issues to work through. It takes a lot of diligence, grit and patience to make sure we get the job done right.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Take time out to work on the business, not in the business. Step out of the day to day and take a wider view by looking objectively at every part of the business and make sure you are keeping both eyes clearly on the business long term goals. All decisions, including decisions about projects you take on, should be made through that lens.
Resist the temptation to micromanage. Be generous with your knowledge and praise, and give your team members responsibility where you can — it empowers them to learn and succeed.
Be completely transparent. You don’t have all the answers, and no-one expects you to. Tech moves so fast that you need to keep learning. If you make mistakes, and you will, own those mistakes.
Give your team members choice and autonomy where you can, for example through the pandemic we have all learnt that it is possible in many roles to work from home, so allow for this flexibility where possible. Be generous with parents having flexible hours. Having been a working mother for much of my career, I am a supporter or both mums and dads being able to spend time with their children and working flexible hours.
Balance: This is something that I still struggle with as I am definitely a workaholic. But make sure that you and your team find work/life balance because the alternative is unsustainable and not conducive to good culture or good work.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

One of the tech ideas I am passionate about, that is now possible with 5G thanks to real time data processing, , is to scan a product in store to reveal information about the manufacturing and material sourcing of that product. For example, where the product was manufactured, was it made with renewable energy, do they recycle waste materials, were the materials ethically sourced etc. This enables customers to make more informed purchasing decisions by giving a score on sustainability and ethics in the supply chain.The higher the score, the more environmentally friendly and ethical the sourcing of materials and manufacturing process is. This transparency will force brands to act more responsibly.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Melinda Gates. She is the most powerful woman in philanthropy, an advocate for women and girls rights and she works tirelessly to solve global challenges from poverty and education to sanitation and contraception. And of course she understands technology and helps female founders through her incubation company. What an incredible human!

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Simone Clow of Zebrar was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dr Jason Collier of Southern Dental Implant Center: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First…

Dr Jason Collier of Southern Dental Implant Center: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Surgeon

Care for people and people will take care of you! I can think of countless times when I had a patient that was considered to be “difficult to deal with”. All of these people just want to feel heard, loved, respected, treated fairly and cared for. Although I haven’t been able to make everyone happy throughout my career due to unrealistic expectations…I have learned lessons in communication. I try to make all of my communication begin and end with my intent for love.

As part of my series about healthcare leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Collier.

Meet Jason Collier. A dental implant surgeon, single father of four, and now viral sensation with a simple mission: to spread goodness in the world, one cup of coffee at a time.

So how did this dentist find himself in the spotlight? Waking up one morning to texts, and comments from friends and family Jason found himself mistaken online for ANOTHER Jason Collier. In an effort to save his name, he created a post that soon went viral and brought thousands of others to have an interest in the “GOOD” Jason. After another video he posted went viral again, he figured he should use this leverage to give back, and “Good Guy Coffee” was born. Good Guy Coffee is a fair-trade, organic coffee company that gives back to organizations such as Children’s Hospital Women Against Abuse, and The Hoffman Process.

Tune in for “Coffee with Jason”, candid conversations with special guests on topics ranging from mindfulness, authenticity, presence, how to show up in relationships, entrepreneurship, wellness, health, meditation, and so much more. Jason is more than your average Joe spreading love through good conversation over a good cup of Joe.

Ride the wave with Jason, and follow him through his mission with his coffee, his dental implants, or tune into his new show, “Coffee with Jason.”

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! What is your “backstory”?

Of course. Thank you for your interest. So obviously there is a lot of back story that is extremely interesting…to me! LOL…and that is likely to be all who it would be interesting to. But seriously…it has been a magical road! I will however significantly cut it down to save room for everything else on the internet.

I was born the son of a father who was a welder/Vietnam marine veteran and a mother who has been a career nurse/nursing administrator. I played baseball as a boy…and had dreams of playing professional ball. At that age I did not know the power of a dream yet nor the power of a strong work ethic…and I allowed that dream to fade. The very next dream I adopted was that of becoming a surgeon…at age 11. Also at the age of 11 my father and lifelong best friend died very suddenly. It was on his 40th birthday, which also fell on Thanksgiving day. Later in life I was told that it was suicide…but did not know this as a young man. With a strong mother and loving support around me from others I progressively matured, made mistakes, grew, matured more, and never gave up my dream of becoming a surgeon. In college I learned how to study. I also learned the meaning of completely dedicating my life to something I strongly believed in and wanted for the ultimate goal of doing something greater than myself. I believed that in medicine I could be of very practical help to those in need, while also allowing me an avenue of helping the less fortunate…and use the natural abilities I had been given for good. After my first year in college I buckled down and became a studying machine! And I made excellent grades. As I approached the completion of my degree, I began to hear of certain aspects within the medical profession that I was not so excited about and turned me off to it in many ways…but then someone asked if I had ever considered dentistry. Really? Working in people’s mouths? Why would I want to do that? LOL

I decided to look into it more. Dentistry would allow me to do the same things I wanted within the general medical community. It would be very surgically related. It allowed me the opportunity to more practically own my own practice and control my environment. My schedule was much more flexible and relaxed. My family life would be much easier. The pay wasn’t too bad. It would allow me the opportunity to be a very practical help to people both medically and cosmetically. Being that I had always been very artistically driven, this excited me. Long story short, I took my entrance exam, did very well, got in on the first try, took to dental school like a baby duck on the water, taught underclassmen while still a student, graduated, while also focussing strongly on my continuing education. In doing so I received an award that I never knew existed…for receiving more continuing education than any other doctor in the state. Over time I became more and more skilled and specialized. The more I study and know, the more I realize what I do not know…while also finding better and better outcomes as I progress.

Can you share the interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

You know…people have a tendency to do and say the funniest things while sedated. My favorite was a sweet lady whom we had gotten to the state where she was very comfortable through the use of IV sedation. She was extremely happy with her results thus far. In an effort to show her appreciation she asked me if I would marry her. Certainly I very much appreciated the offer…but the moment was made slightly awkward due to the fact that her husband was in the corner of the room. I nervously looked over at him, relieved to see he was having a good laugh about it. Sheeew! That could have gone a number of different ways…but to end with everyone having a good laugh was the best case scenario.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

In my first few years in practice I gained a reputation for playing pranks on people in the office. One day after all of our patients had left for the day, my assistants got together and played one on me. My older assistant laid on the ground and pretended to be unconscious. One of my other assistants ran up to me and said we had an emergency. “It’s Donna. She went down to the lab.” She told me to hurry and started running down the hall. My mind immediately starts racing through all of my freshly studied emergency protocols. When I got to the lab, the light was off! Like what??? I stayed calm, got down to check on her and start my assessment. When I asked for the lights to come on, she had some kind of cream on her face to try to make me think she was foaming at the mouth or something. When I shook her to try to get a response, she tried to hold it in…but couldn’t. She and the rest of the team started laughing. I didn’t think it was as suuuuper funny as they did. The lesson I learned was to be careful playing too many pranks.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now?

I did just start a new coffee company recently called Good Guy Coffee. There is an interesting story that I tell about it on our website at www.GoodGuy.Coffee…but we sell an excellent fully organic, fair trade coffee out of Guatemala…and we are working on expanding soon! We have decided to give all of our profits to charity at least for the first few years. I am also working on a TV show project that is still currently under wraps but hopefully not for long.

There was definitely not one person. There were so many! Two that stand out most though include my mother and a mentor through college name Paul Miller. I remember as a child my mother working with me on my homework every night. I learned to be thorough and to do something over and over until it was perfect. She taught me to carefully care for the sick and hurting through volunteering my time for multiple summers at the hospital. Here I grew to become comfortable with and love the medical field. As I grew and matured a friend and mentor stepped in as a significantly influential role in my life. He loved me as my authentic self…and encouraged me to dream big! He also led me where he could toward those dreams. Once while struggling with whether I had what it took to really achieve what I was dreaming about…he gave me an audio book called Goals, by Zig Ziglar. That short audio…changed. my. life. I listened to it over and over, took notes, and followed Zig’s advice…exactly. My life skyrocketed off from there! Thank you Paul Miller wherever you are!

Is there a particular book that made an impact on you? Can you share a story?

Goals, by Zig Ziglar was a major influence in my college years. More recently I have enjoyed The Way Of The Superior Man by David Deida and Awareness by Anthony De Mello. I guess I am too ADHD to read most books lol. I tend toward audio books. De Mello is such a good speaker and so funny…but also chops this book so full of wise insight. It doesn’t seem to matter where I start back into the book or how long it has been since the last time I listened. Every time I start back after a break I feel intellectually/spiritually fed within minutes. I am on my fifth time through the book I believe…and have my kids listening now too.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Soon after the purchase of my practice I decided to start a charitable program my team and I decided to call The Gift Of A Smile. I was looking for a particular way of using my unique skill set to give back to others. I had dentist friends who would volunteer for a day a year to de dentistry for the poor. I joined in a few of these efforts…but wanted to do more. The premise behind The Gift Of A Smile for us was to take nominations from individuals in our community for a potential candidate who had been serving their community or family in some extraordinary way. This person needed to have significant dental problems as well as the lack of funds to help themselves with it. We partnered with implant companies, bone graft companies, dental labs and dental supply companies as well as donated our time to provide the highest level of care we could come up with for that patient…and do it all completely free. On our first patient alone, we provided about $100,000 worth of free dental care at no charge…and changed her life. That taste for deep service became intoxicating for me…and we had to continue. We still take 1 patient a year to provide this level of care for…however some patients have rolled over into two years due to the extensive nature of what we provide.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story about how that was relevant to you in your own life?

On a sticky note over my light switch in my office I have the quote, “Eat the frog.” If you have to eat a frog, you can sit around in disgust over the fact you have to eat it. You can let it ruin your day, your week, your month…draining your energy and happiness that you could be fully devoting to other projects. The premise behind “Eat the frog” is if you know you have to eat a frog, don’t let it suck happiness from your life. Get it out of the way as soon as possible and move on to the things that bring you joy. Take the project you are dreading the most. Do that the first thing in the morning when you have your highest energy level…and the rest of your day you can pretty much guarantee will be downhill from there! I try to follow my own advice…but…obviously need the reminder on my office wall.

Can you share your top three “lifestyle tweaks” that will help people feel great?

Meditate, get to know and love your deep spiritual self, workout, eat fairly healthy :-), engage in a career that is a rewarding outlet for you, try to think outside the box just a little, let loose on occasion, and love hard and invest in those that are closest to you. That is my life in a nutshell.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

Care for people and people will take care of you! I can think of countless times when I had a patient that was considered to be “difficult to deal with”. All of these people just want to feel heard, loved, respected, treated fairly and cared for. Although I haven’t been able to make everyone happy throughout my career due to unrealistic expectations…I have learned lessons in communication. I try to make all of my communication begin and end with my intent for love.
Find an excellent consultant. Hire them early. Take out a loan if you have to…and follow their advice. A colleague of mine recommended a consultant to me midway through my career. When I looked into this consulting firm, I found it was very expensive. I put it off for years. One year I just decided I was ready to go to the next level and bit the bullet. It was a scary move but has now nearly doubled my yearly income after finding myself flat lined for years.
Hire great people. Hiring great staff has been key to my success in caring for patients and building a business. I have hired people with decades of experience and I have hired people with non dental experience. The most important element that I have found is to hire people with the best attitude and work ethic. Everything else can be taught. Once I hired a waitress from a restaurant simply because she had such great customer service and I could tell she was sharp. She caught on quicker than anyone I had ever hired and became one of my best assistants to this day.
I have learned to not be afraid to fire someone that needs to be released. People need to be allowed and encouraged to experience who they are to the fullest, and should be given the full freedom to do so. Sometimes that is under the employment of someone else. This was such a hard lesson for me and still is. But it is so important for their success as well as your own.
When you have good team members, praise them and pay them well. A weakness of mine is to get focussed on a task or a goal and sometimes forget to encourage those in the trenches with me. Sometimes I am reminded by others or ideally remind myself that those people need to have deposits made into their emotional bank accounts more than withdrawals are made. All of the advice just given all comes down to again…loving people…and they will take care of you as well. I try to make it all start with love.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

I would start the self awareness and love movement. Most of my poorer choices in life have stemmed from a lack of self awareness and love while the majority of my great decisions have come from their presence. The Hoffman Institute was an extremely powerful influence in my life toward self growth. I wish everyone could have that same experience…and would therefore be central to my movement.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

One of my favorite people on the planet is Dolly Parton. She is talented, completely authentic, loving, kind, successful yet humble and has given so much back to others. She is an inspiration to anyone…and in my own state of Tennessee! Dolly, let’s make it breakfast ok?

Dr Jason Collier of Southern Dental Implant Center: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Marta Stylianou of Canon…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Marta Stylianou of Canon USA

Leadership is not about a title, or about providing solutions, it’s about the ability to create opportunities for action in others’ listening so that they make choices that inspire them. We cannot force anyone to do anything, but we can open a conversation about an idea that inspire others to take action.

Stylianou is the Director of training and Service marketing of the Engineering Services and Solutions sub-group of Canon U.S.A.’s Business Information Communications Group. She is responsible for overseeing direct operations of service training strategies and service marketing. Prior to joining training and service marketing, Stylianou was leading the award-winning Customer Solutions Center which utilizes augmented reality technology to deliver excellent service and support.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I started with Canon as a product support specialist over 25 years ago, providing phone-based technical support to field technicians on the company’s solutions. At that time, commercial internet access was in its infancy, and since then, many technological advances have occurred. The “holograms” we saw in Star Trek do not seem farfetched anymore. From DSL modems to fiber optics, from beepers to cell phone access, from voice to video calls, augmented reality and virtual reality, I have lived through this amazing part of technological history, and working in this industry and watching these advances has been such a tremendous learning experience.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The Matrix was a movie that opened up a new realm of possibilities before my eyes. Watching as humans created artificially intelligent computers that took over the world and a brain being uploaded as if it was quite normal was very interesting to me. The idea of this simulated reality felt real and it was a virtual reality experience that resonated and stayed in my mind.

Movies like The Matrix have inspired me to pursue a career in a field where humans and technology can work together to create amazing advances using virtual reality and artificial intelligence. It helps to make every day interesting.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

While working in the Canon Customer Solutions Center, I was a part of a team that provides high-level technical support on complex hardware equipment. At times, witnessing the technical struggles of those on the other side of the phone can be very challenging. A specific moment that stands out and inspires me in my career is when a member of the support staff said, “I wish we could provide technicians with a helmet containing a Canon camera to show us what they see.” Since this predates video calling, we started looking for solutions that would address this need. It was like a call to the universe because soon after that, new technologies started emerging everywhere.

During my career at Canon, I have had the opportunity to work with amazing individuals who have supported, encouraged and taught me so much. My managers have always supported my ideas and provided mentorship. The skills that I have today are a reflection of what I have learned from the brilliant people working with me every day.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

At this moment, one of the pressing needs in my industry is remote virtual learning. We are researching various technologies to make virtual technical learning as engaging, exciting and as productive as possible. This will allow us to connect with more people anywhere, and provide them with the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful servicing our products in the field.

Development of applications that can enhance human learning and productivity. Virtual reality simulations can be used to train individuals in all different fields and technology.
The need for distance learning can help create a new opportunity to use virtual reality to bring instructors and students together in the same room in an immersive, interactive way.
The introduction of 5G communication networks can provide even further possibilities for augmented and virtual reality as it increases the bandwidth and responsiveness of wireless communication. Augmented reality applications combined with physical objects are revolutionizing the service industry. For example, the Canon Customer Solutions Center utilizes ‘Virtual Presence” to allow a support specialist to virtually reach out and touch what the field technician is working on through their mobile phone, assisting in resolving complex issues rapidly and precisely.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

The main concern I have about the future of this industry is the dependency humans will continue to have on technology, which can lead them to lose some of their creative element and work ethic. Yes, we can certainly create applications that make certain jobs, tasks and maneuvers easier, but at the end of the day, humans and technology need to work together. We cannot replace the humanity in humans.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

These technologies can help in almost every field. Earlier, I shared one example about how Canon’s technical support specialists have been utilizing augmented reality to provide high-quality service to our customers. Virtual reality will transform education. It is already being used in healthcare training simulations. Soon these technologies will even bridge the distance between people around the world, bringing them closer together in a collaborative virtual digital experience. I look forward to seeing the impact of virtual reality applications as more and more are developed to support other areas including engineering, infrastructure, sports and many other industries.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

As long as we put technology to work for humans, and not to replace humanity, the applications are unlimited. If we focus on developing applications that enable people to be more productive while minimizing the level of effort required to achieve certain goals, the quality of life can also improve.

Although women are making a significant gain working in STEM related fields, and I am happy to witness some of the positive strives women have made since I joined the workforce, I’m not satisfied with the current status. In areas like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, there are less females in the workplace than there are men. I think at times women can get discouraged because often they do not find the level of support that they need in a field that is largely dominated by men. To help make this field an environment where women feel comfortable, inspired and motivated, we need to inspire young girls through science-related activities that may include exposure to robotic competitions and computing. We also need to encourage men working in these fields to mentor and support women as they come onboard to be successful.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Be open to learn from every opportunity. If you always assume that you know something, you miss the opportunity to enhance what you already know and learn a new way. It is better to find answers together.
Leadership is not about a title, or about providing solutions, it’s about the ability to create opportunities for action in others’ listening so that they make choices that inspire them. We cannot force anyone to do anything, but we can open a conversation about an idea that inspire others to take action.
Be courageous and never give up. Be persistent in achieving your dreams. When you focus on what you really want, there is always a way to overcome obstacles. There are as many reasons not to do something, as there are to do them. So every time you think of quitting, remember the reason why you started and find your inspiration again.
Always voice your opinion or ask questions. There is always someone listening. Sometimes we shut down before we even try because we give ourselves an invalid excuse. I’ve learned throughout my career that if I am curious about something, there is always someone else with that same curiosity. Communication is of paramount importance in every aspect of our lives.
Be present, authentic and honest. When we are present and listen to others, new opportunities open up. Never be afraid to show your true self while treating everyone with respect. You always get back what you give.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Marta Stylianou of Canon… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Camilla Bertolini: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country

Think of sustainability as an holistic concept . I believe sustainability is composed of three aspect: personal health (body and mind), community health and environmental health. There is a deep link between these three, and one cannot exist without the other. An unhealthy community is made up of unhealthy individuals and will lead to the degradation of the surroundings. One has to work on all three aspects.

As part of our series about 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country, I had the pleasure of interviewing Camilla Bertolini.

Camilla is a benthic marine ecologist. She lived in the U.K., Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands and has now returned to her roots in Venice Italy to do a Marie curie postdoctoral project looking at including native oyster restoration within aquaculture practices. She also curates a blog ‘the holistic fish’ http://holisticfish.weebly.com which aims to ‘make people think’ by bringing sustainability news and scientific facts to everyone, simplifying the science jargon while maintaining the original meaning.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

I was raised in the city, but was always taken to nature spots : my father taught me the love for the sea , as we spent every summer sailing, and my mother the love for snow, as we went skiing in beautiful places every winter. My father also lived in the countryside and was into organic agriculture, so I was always really aware as to ‘where food comes from’.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Oh. Books: there are too many important books. If I have to pick one that made an impact when I was young I would have to say the book by Louis Sepulveda : The Story Of A Seagull And The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly. The moment when mother seagull dies because of the oil spill. I learnt about the sad side of pollution from a young age.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?

Another book I really loved was the alchemist. In there you can find a say The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them — I guess this is still very relevant in my life as I like to appreciate everything and seeing beauty in simple living. Give me a tent and starry sky, I much prefer that than a holiday in a big 5 star resort.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

I don’t know if I have a definition, but to lead one has to be confident and competent. If you are an expert you can lead others. A leader is not a boss, a leader should take on board as much of the knowledge as possible and then decide on actions.

In life we come across many people, some who inspire us, some who change us and some who make us better people. Is there a person or people who have helped you get to where you are today? Can you share a story?

Oh. I don’t know if I can pinpoint one person. I have met so many people in my life and I tend to take some sort of inspiration from everyone I meet… everybody has the power to inspire everybody.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. The United States is currently facing a series of unprecedented crises. So many of us see the news and ask how we can help. We’d love to talk about the steps that each of us can take to help heal our country, in our own way. Which particular crisis would you like to discuss with us today? Why does that resonate with you so much?

It may not come as a surprise that I am going to talk about climate change…

This is likely a huge topic. But briefly, can you share your view on how this crisis evolved to the boiling point that it’s at now?

We have been ignoring signs so that capitalism could go on. Sorry, I am a bit radical about this. Instead of finding solution for a new economy we kept going with the old and now we are where we are…

Can you tell our readers a bit about your experience either working on this cause or your experience being impacted by it? Can you share a story with us?

As a marine ecologist I see effects that can be related climate change in everyday work. It is happening, and now — not in 20,30 years. Whether is temperature data that I am analysing, or new species/range expansion records, or mass mortality events.. I also see opportunities to make a change and have an impact, bring different foods to the market, inspire and educate.

Ok. Here is the main question of our discussion. Can you please share your “5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country”. Kindly share a story or example for each.

I’d like to make the choice of 5 steps quite broad but applicable, leaving some leeway for personal interpretation:

Life is more than money. Remember the quote from the alchemist. Enjoy the little things. The smiles, the connection are worth much more than a pay check figure
Think of sustainability as an holistic concept . I believe sustainability is composed of three aspect: personal health (body and mind), community health and environmental health. There is a deep link between these three, and one cannot exist without the other. An unhealthy community is made up of unhealthy individuals and will lead to the degradation of the surroundings. One has to work on all three aspects.
Ask questions . Curiosity can help us avoid being greenwashed. Asking about the meaning behind certain words or labels , understanding where our food and clothes and other materials come from, who made it, at what cost.
Don’t be afraid of stepping out of comfort zone . Dream of a better future and act on it. Nothing good ever came easy. If you want change you have to do something. That something will likely not be comfortable in the immediate but it will bring great rewards.
Voice your choice . Be loud about it. About who you voted and why. About the choice you have made of not buying that item and why. You don’t know who you may end up inspiring..

It’s very nice to suggest ideas, but what can we do to make these ideas a reality? What specific steps can you suggest to make these ideas actually happen? Are there things that the community can do to help you promote these ideas?

A lot of what is said above can just be summed up with this simple rule : be mindful. Of what you say, what you buy, what you do on a daily basis…

And then one of the things about these days is that you can do great things just with the tips of your fingers. You can do a lot of what is listed above just from your socials. Using them mindfully of course.

We are going through a rough period now. Are you optimistic that this issue can eventually be resolved? Can you explain?

I think that somehow the crisis we are living now is linked to the climate crisis. So I would really hope that we will concentrate on tackling both at the same time. I am optimistic and think people are becoming more and more aware. I already see some steps in the right direction. Yes, they should be bigger, yes, they should be faster, but they are there and they are reasons to be hopeful.

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

That is absolutely rewarding to do it. You get to wake up in the morning and feel that you have a great reason to be alive, and there is no better feeling than that.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂

If I could choose anyone ? David Attenborough! Such a great educator, his documentaries are legendary and have been such an inspiration in my career.

How can our readers follow you online?

If you go to http://holisticfish.weebly.com/contact You will find links to the main medias

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!

Thank you too, this was a pleasure.

Camilla Bertolini: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Bethany Boarts of Iron…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Bethany Boarts of Iron Mountain Entertainment Services

Stay updated on technology and trends. Keep your involvement in new tech solutions and attending trade shows, and conferences around these solutions at an all-time high. Education about new technology is critical when working with media customers.

Bethany Boarts, the lead imaging project manager at Iron Mountain Entertainment Services (IMES) is leading the way to help clients across the entertainment, music and sports sectors adopt AR solutions. She joined IMES in 2004, and created the imaging department for IMDS; designing workflows, improving techniques, and crafting standard operating procedures. Boarts has worked to digitize assets using VR/AR to drive immersive experiences for clients by giving them the ability to look back through a company’s history and see models of original prototypes or unique parts or pieces of special units. Boarts believes that more companies will pivot to digital vaults to protect their assets, and she leads the development of offerings for 3D capturing for clients giving them a new way to relate to their customers using AR on their websites.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

My love for photography and obsession with cameras began at a very young age. I was mesmerized by the entire idea of stopping a moment in time, the intricacy of a camera, and the magic of processing film. When I started at Penn State University, I realized I wanted to be a photojournalist and landed a photographer position with the Daily Collegian. While in college the digital revolution of photography took hold. I had the unique opportunity to not only learn the film end of photography but also the digital side. After college I worked at a newspaper in Pittsburgh, PA for the next five years. As I grew in my career, I realized I wanted to pivot into the archiving field. I was able to get my foot in the door with a new archiving company called Xepa Digital. Xepa quickly flourished and was subsequently purchased by the global entity Iron Mountain in 2007.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Thanks to my love of photography, I broke the binders on every National Geographic magazine I could find. I was especially inspired by two photographers in particular, Ansel Adams and Steve McCurry. I read every book I could get my hands on that even mentioned their works. I was lucky enough to photograph in the same location as Ansel Adams at the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park and then visit his art studio in California. Steve McCurry’s popular photo of Afghan Girl inspired me to follow my dreams and work in photojournalism. It also really connected me to my alma mater, Penn State — as we are both fellow alumni.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

In light of COVID-19, our IMES team was looking for a new way to archive our clients’ assets and give the client the ability to activate their archive in a whole new light — 3D was an easy leap! By adding 3D to our achieving solutions, we’re able to open up a whole new world to preserving our client’s archive and cultural legacies. The potential to grant more accessibility for our clients during a time where access is limited, provided more value from their assets.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

A few years ago, we had the pleasure of working directly with a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer. I had the opportunity to work hand in hand with this person to digitally capture their award-winning work! As someone with a photography background, being a part of this project and helping to capture their work in a digital format was exciting. Through this digitization project, the client was able to preserve their legacy so an entire new generation of people can enjoy it.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I was hoping to sweep that moment under the rug. When I first started, I was hoping to impress my boss by baking a cake for his birthday. I made a chocolate cake with a nut frosting — usually a big hit at friend/family functions. As I presented my best recipe to him, he smiled and kindly said thank you then promptly walked away. What I didn’t know is that he was severely allergic to nuts! Needless to say, I never made him that cake again.

Lucky for me, I have had more than one! Narrowing it down to one particular person, I’m most grateful for the support of VP of Technology at IMES, Denis Leconte. When we first started to go down this idea of creating a new solution using 3D he was supportive in listening to points about why our clients would appreciate this type of solution and ways this type of innovation will improve accessibility to assets. Denis challenged me to find a solution that would meet our clients’ needs and be on the cutting edge of technology.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, several! For starters, we are currently working through a vast archive of a popular American-born company. We are utilizing our new solution of 3D capture to document their unique assets. This is exciting for the future of media preservation because by using AI, ML and AR to capture details for various metadata and per each unique asset — we’re better equipped to enhance the way we preserve assets for future generations to come. We are also working with a popular US company that will be turning 100 years old this next year to digitize their collection, focusing mostly on their vast photography collection. Using AI and ML we can help this client find gems within their collection that they would have never known existed.

Three factors of the VR, AR, MR capabilities that we are excited to initialize would be the hands-on capability for our clients, capturing the historical reference of a specific asset, and the ability to create a whole new virtual world around an archive.

I am loving the hands-on capability that 3D captures will provide to clients in the VR environment. With all the effects of COVID-19, most companies cannot be on location to dig into their archives, therefore the ability to see their archives in a virtual environment is a reminder of the range of accessibility that digital solutions can provide. The files we create from the 3D assets will offer new historical reference for clients, especially those assets that are deteriorating at an alarming rate. Thanks to the capabilities of 3D capturing, we can preserve these assets for future generations.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

Some general concerns I have about the virtual industry are the ease of use for our clients to utilize the 3D captures we supply and the development of those user platforms. One issue that I have are concerns about best practices around the use of the VR, AR and MR specifications in general. It will certainly be interesting to see how that moves forward.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

I would agree and think it’s obvious that this is a whole new opportunity for unique fan experiences for all types of industries, with the entertainment world at the forefront. From archives of set designs to viewing and having hands on experiences with your favorite musical artists instruments is the wave of the future. Even the sports industry can utilize this type of innovation to have a more immersive fan experience, and it’s interesting to see how the pandemic has forced many industries to think outside the box.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

These types of ‘realities can give us a new perspective when it comes to viewing special assets. For example, if a client has a particularly interesting archive around 3D assets for costumes from a particular movie or TV set, a fan could visit a virtual museum and see these pieces up close. They would theoretically be able to zoom into the particular fibers of a hat or shirt that their favorite character wore during filming. To expand on the previous question, I see a world in which we would be able to sit behind our favorite drummer’s drum set and use that particular musician’s specific set up to create our own sounds.

I think that is an ever-changing and evolving topic of discussion. I have been pleased to see growth in the resources available to Women in Tech. For example, the Women in Technology group has a wonderful online presence. More reputable conferences are realizing that they need to step up and recognize the value in speaking directly to women. I just received an email from CES that addresses gender and racial biases in AI. It gives me hope when I see these difficult but necessary conversations being had at such a high level. Internally, at Iron Mountain we have an employee resource group that is based around women in our company, and I hope more companies adopt similar internal programs to break barriers and support more women in STEM.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

One of the most popular myths would be that women just aren’t interested in technology. This couldn’t be further from the truth. By nature, I am a problem solver, so my interest in technology comes naturally! Technology helps push us in so many ways — solving problems for our clients and creating new worlds of entertainment.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Team work. Build your team around trust and support each other by being present. Listen openly to your team’s opinions, frustrations, and ideas.
Stay updated on technology and trends. Keep your involvement in new tech solutions and attending trade shows, and conferences around these solutions at an all-time high. Education about new technology is critical when working with media customers.
Staying hands-on with solutions. I find value in working with each solution we offer to our clients. Understanding the solution from end to end helps me create solid workflows, competitive pricing for future jobs and research new technologies and solution options.
Solid Communication. Communication between your team members is critical but keeping in mind creating a solid relationship with your clients is necessary. I find it so valuable to keep an open line of communication, even if it’s for a few minutes a week- speaks volumes to your clients.
Find yourself a mentor. One of the best decisions made is finding myself a valuable mentor. In Lisa Rabasca Roepe’s article 10 Tips for Finding a Mentor I found guidance in finding the right mentor and how to establish our relationship to help me along the way. Having this person gave me peace of mind to have a reliable source to bounce ideas off of as well as guide me through my career.

I would love to inspire a movement that brings together a media preservation course that’s available to colleges and focus on the importance of archival preservation, while teaching the necessary skills to keep preserving archival assets that the next generation can enjoy. From a personal mantra, I’d like to have more visibility to the people that work in the trenches of our company. There are so many people who show up, work hard, are good partners to their fellow coworkers and truly get the job done .Even through the effects of COVID-19, our team was able to find a way to survive, support each other and lean on each other during some difficult times. The team stepped up by showing a willingness to learn new things, work varied shifts and meet tight deadlines. Being a bit kinder and recognizing these smaller unique teams around all types of companies would empower people to have pride.

I am a big fan of podcasts and multitasking, so one of my favorites is the tech podcast, ‘Accidental Tech Podcast’ — it’s easy listening and helps me keep current with new gear. The hosts Marco Arment, Casey Liss and John Siracusa, do a good job of mixing in the new tech talk with current tech issues, and it would be great to dive into a few tech conversations over lunch with one (or all) of them.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Bethany Boarts of Iron… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Rising Through Resilience: Sevetri Wilson of Resilia On The Five Things You Can Do To Become More…

Rising Through Resilience: Sevetri Wilson of Resilia On The Five Things You Can Do To Become More Resilient

How you deal with disappointment will be the key to strengthening your resiliency. Knowing that disappointments are constant, disappointments are certain but that disappointments can be conquered is key. When I say “Overcome Anything” what I mean by that is that most of the time it’s mind over matter. You have to strengthen your mindset and what you tell yourself. Reaffirming that you can come back from anything is the key. 5 steps: 1) Know you are worthy 2) Don’t remain idle 3) Create daily affirmations of strength, courage and prosperity 3)

In this interview series, we are exploring the subject of resilience among successful business leaders. Resilience is one characteristic that many successful leaders share in common, and in many cases it is the most important trait necessary to survive and thrive in today’s complex market.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sevetri Wilson.

Sevetri Wilson is the Founder and CEO of technology startup Resilia, founded in 2016. Headquartered in New Orleans with a second office in New York, Resilia is revolutionizing how nonprofits are created and maintained, and how enterprises (cities, private foundations, and corporations) scale impact. The company has raised over $10M in venture capital to date. In September 2020, Sevetri was named a Rising Star on the Forbes Cloud 100 List. Resilia was named to Venture Beat’s top startups to watch out for in 2019; also in 2019, Sevetri was named to Inc. Magazine’s 100 Female Founders building world-changing companies and to PitchBook’s 27 leading black founders and investor list. Prior to Resilia, she founded Solid Ground Innovations, LLC., a strategic communications agency which was named to the LSU 100 list of fastest growing Tiger- led businesses in the world for two consecutive years. In 2018, she authored Solid Ground: How I Built a 7 Figure Company at 22 with Zero Capital which spent 6 weeks at #1 on Amazon in the startup category. Her new book titled Resilient was released on April 6, 2021 via Wiley and was an instant WSJ Best Seller.

Sevetri is a 2010 recipient of the Nobel Prize for Public Service, the Jefferson Award; and her work was featured in the U.S. Senate report to the White House on Volunteerism in the U.S. Sevetri’s work and that of her clients has been featured in national publications such as USA Today, Time Magazine, and CNN. She serves as a voice for communities as a Forbes contributor and has amassed over 200,000 followers across social media.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?

Where do we start? I was born and raised in a small town called Hammond, Louisiana about 45 minutes outside of New Orleans where my mother was born and where I now call home. I’m the youngest of 12 kids (my father and mother were married previously). I’m a first-generation college student that went to LSU on a full ride via the Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship, TOPS, Pell Grant and a bunch of other scholarships I was awarded. Around 14 I realized that my mother wouldn’t be able to send me to college. In college I majored in Mass Comm and History for the longest I thought I would be a historical film maker and make documentaries, but life had other plans. My first year in grad school my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and would pass away less than 3 months of being diagnosed. A few months later I would start my first company, Solid Ground Innovations which I would grow into a 7-figure company before spinning off a new company in the tech space called Resilia which I’ve now raised $11M for.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?

I would say the most interesting story from my career didn’t come from tech but from working in politics. I led communications for who would become the first African American Woman Mayor of the City of Baton Rouge/East Baton Rouge Parish in Louisiana. There on the political battlefield I would learn so much about what it takes to win, but also even to victory how many failures and losses you take along the way. It was during that time I really felt deeply more than I had ever felt before that I was a solution maker.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Today, Resilia stands out in a number of ways, but one way is that we center nonprofits in tech in away it hasn’t been done before. Historically, tech has focused in on pleasing the grant maker. It’s always been about what the funder wanted and needed of the organizations it was funding. That’s what I love most about our product, is that we are democratizing philanthropy and recentering the nonprofit at its core. The way it should be.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Even in my book Resilient I talk about Dr. Leonard Moore who is at UT of Austin. I met Dr. Moore at LSU and through sitting in his class I feel I really discovered the things I was most passionate about. He would say, “if you love what you do you don’t have to watch the clock.” I remember this because he was referencing how a lot of people are in careers that they can’t wait until it’s time to go home. This notion would be the framework in which I built my entire career on.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. We would like to explore and flesh out the trait of resilience. How would you define resilience? What do you believe are the characteristics or traits of resilient people?

I remember one day I just googled the word resilience and one definition that returned was, “ capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture.” That definition literally described my entrepreneurial and founder journey. As an entrepreneur, I look back on my journey and I’m so glad I didn’t let the process jade or change me. Building a business can be volatile. There are so many ups and downs, so many “no’s”, so many “maybe next time” and doors that close on us that it can harden you if you let it. Being able to have the resilience to withstand what’s thrown at you and to still come out of it better and on top is what Resilient means to me.

When you think of resilience, which person comes to mind? Can you explain why you chose that person?

My mother and grandmother without a doubt. My mother managed to raise 9 children alongside my grandfather up until his death. She had no formal education pass the 6th grade, but in rural Louisiana she managed to do it. The second person would be my mother. My mother dropped out of college when she was married, and she too raised 4 children including my brother and I when my father passed away. She did it with so little but we wanted for nothing. I grew up having enough and feeling like I had enough. She also believed I could do anything, and that was the most powerful lesson I would take with me.

Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us?

I’m a Black woman from the rural south who started a tech company and successfully raised over $10M for it. I think my entire life is an act of rebellion against what would seem possible. When it came to raising capital especially when I needed to keep the company a float and begin to scale, I received a ton of no’s. People didn’t think what I was building could turn into a scalable company, but I would prove to them it was in deed possible.

Did you have a time in your life where you had one of your greatest setbacks, but you bounced back from it stronger than ever? Can you share that story with us?

Losing my mother in college was a huge set back for me. I felt that the person who I was working tirelessly for was taken from me almost without warning. Yet, my mother’s death was the fuel I needed to make it through my most challenging days. Anytime I’m facing a challenge I think I’ve already survived losing my mother so I don’t think there can be a challenge greater than this is or at least to date there hasn’t been.

Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share a story? Resilience is like a muscle that can be strengthened. In your opinion, what are 5 steps that someone can take to become more resilient? Please share a story or an example for each.

How you deal with disappointment will be the key to strengthening your resiliency. Knowing that disappointments are constant, disappointments are certain but that disappointments can be conquered is key. When I say “Overcome Anything” what I mean by that is that most of the time it’s mind over matter. You have to strengthen your mindset and what you tell yourself. Reaffirming that you can come back from anything is the key. 5 steps: 1) Know you are worthy 2) Don’t remain idle 3) Create daily affirmations of strength, courage and prosperity 3)

I think I’m already apart of a movement. A movement of minority founders who are not accepting anything less than what we deserve particularly when it comes to access. We are breaking glass ceilings and yes, we have a long way to but we won’t be denied.

We are blessed that some very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them 🙂

Melinda French Gates. I was a Gates Foundation Scholar and I would let her know the profound impact that her work has had on me and my trajectory. Now as a Woman tech founder, though very different, in many ways I feel that our journeys have paralleled each other’s. I would tell her thank you but also would love to chat about our plans to change the future and make a better world especially for women.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

@sevetriwilson on all channels

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Rising Through Resilience: Sevetri Wilson of Resilia On The Five Things You Can Do To Become More… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Adriana Vecchioli of…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Adriana Vecchioli of Velvet Unicorn

Speak up! You know what’s more painful than expressing an uncomfortable truth? Silently putting up with it. This one is a hard one for me still as I tend to avoid conflicts, which I mitigate in doing what I can today that my future self would thank me later for.

As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adriana Vecchioli.

Adriana Vecchioli is a French-Italian actress, filmmaker and AR/VR creator, living in Los Angeles.

She quit her software job to follow her passion for filmmaking. Since then, Adriana Vecchioli designed and engineered immersive experiences for the likes of: Warner Bros., Viacom, The Hunger Games, NBA, Coachella and Snapchat.

Layered female protagonists, dark humor and immersive storytelling are the staples of her cinematic language. Her short film ‘How Far’, which she wrote, starred in and produced, is currently in the festival circuit.

Adriana then produced and starred in the viral comedy series ’Shoot Your Shot’, written and directed by Tanyaradzwa Fear (‘Doctor Who’). Adriana is the lead in ‘Portals’, an independent sci-fi feature film currently in post-production. She is developing her first feature film ‘Mermaids’, a psychedelic horror story on consent and female desire.

Adriana Vecchioli’s work has been exhibited in Paris and Los Angeles. She speaks 5 languages.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

Sure! I’m Adriana Vecchioli, a French-Italian artist, filmmaker and XR designer, living in Los Angeles.

I was born in Paris, raised in a rather traditionalist culture. I became a dutiful science student, following a long line of engineers. Well, that was in the daytime, because at night, I was an actress… You could find me performing on the stage of Paris’ Théâtre Bobino or training at Cours Florent on evenings and weekends.

After a challenging year, I paused acting at 16 to focus on math and science… the break lasted a decade. Fast forward to 2016, working as an engineer in London, I was pretty successful at it and yet, it didn’t feel quite right.

So I quit my job and booked a one-way ticket to Brazil.

I then spent 2 years as a ‘digital nomad’, roaming in Latin America, while remotely consulting for tech companies. I delved into VR and got a growing interest in filmmaking. That’s when it clicked and I finally reconnected with the arts.

Today, I’m an artist using several media to express myself: acting, filmmaking… and of course, XR design! I am proud of my path, blending software magic with artistry. I am making movies and designing immersive experiences for the likes of: Warner Bros., Viacom, NBA, Coachella and Snapchat. Technology empowers me to create new tools to bring stories to life.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

‘Edward Scissorhands’, directed by Tim Burton, left a lasting mark on me, growing up. I watched this movie when I was a little too old to be a child, too young for the world I lived in, never quite fitting in. I was first intrigued by its mix of pastel pop with gothic aesthetics, before the characters’ rich emotional universes pulled me into the story.

Edward is a gentle and sensitive artificial being, whose recluse creator dies before finishing to assemble his hands. Despite his frightening appearance and the cruelty of the outside world, Edward finds a loving family who accepts him as he is and nurtures his artistic talents. The ending is bittersweet; Edward is cast away but never forgotten by the ones who love him. This film resonates with me as it shows there’s beauty in being different.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

Oh yes, it was in 2014 and I was attending a Game of Thrones exhibit. Facebook hadn’t acquired Oculus yet — VR was still little known outside of nerd zones. The event culminated with a virtual trip in the elevator taking Jon Snow atop The Wall — and a surprise freefall. With a (pixelated) Oculus Rift DK1 strapped to my face and headphones blocking the real world, it only took 90 seconds to take me out of my reality.

I took the VR headset off. My clothes were ruffled, my hair disheveled, my mind blown. This was my first VR experience — it was madness. I got a taste of what entertainment would look like in the future.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

I believe XR is a revolution in entertainment, as radical as the shift from analog to digital. Just last year, for the launch of The Hunger Games’ prequel; The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, I designed an AR experience that transforms the book cover into a portal towards the city of Panem. It inspired fans all around the world to edit screen recordings of this experience. For instance, some readers used nifty transitions and props, blending digital and practical effects, which they shared on social media.

As I was watching these videos, I had my eureka moment: AR brings VFX straight to the camera, which opens infinite possibilities to marry post with production and open the medium. Actors and performers interacting with the visual effects and coming up with new storytelling ideas, on the spot. We’ve seen prolific creators on TikTok and Instagram making mini-films using a variety of effects; different face filters to represent different characters or green screens and 360 videos to replace diverse locations.

We pushed this idea further when Tanyaradzwa Fear wrote, directed and starred in the viral comedy series ‘Shoot Your Shot’, a romantic comedy exploring pandemic era love. I stepped in to produce her project and used AR filters to enhance the cast’ performances, all recording remotely.

Therefore, even though COVID-19 has disrupted the movie industry, filmmakers can still thrive in the post-pandemic world. I am inspired by visionaries like John Favreau who leveraged VR technology to shoot The Lion King and The Mandalorian, such as the use of headsets to block his shots and 8K video backdrops.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

One of my very first professional experiences was in marketing at the NYC HQ of luxury house Hermès. The VP of Finance was showing a very serious presentation on quarterly earnings (or something in that vein) and asked at the end if there was any question in the audience. Back then I thought that “BS” stood for “Business School”. Anyway, I don’t remember my exact words but I practically said that I found his presentation “BS”, in front of the whole company. I was an intern. Communication is an-going challenge when moving between different worlds.

Only one person? It takes a village! I am fostering and nurturing a community of loving, creative souls. We continuously support one another.

To name just one, it would be Tanyaradzwa Fear. Tanyaradzwa is an actress, filmmaker and writer. She has been playing a critical role in my artistic journey. She’s constantly seeking to speak with truth and empowering others to do the same.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

My directorial debut is comin’ in hot! Well, literally, since “COMIN’ IN HOT” is the title of my next film. We’re in pre-production and we’re about to launch an ambitious crowdfunding campaign to fund it..

This is a singular story about a young and introverted woman, running away from her marriage, who crosses into the desert… to surrender to her secret splashy obsession.

Women do not belong only in front of the camera; our stories matter. I’m hoping it will inspire young women to achieve whatever they set their minds to.

Additionally, most people feel weird about themselves, it is paradoxical that this feeling is commonly shared. This film will be an invitation to embrace our free nature and be our odd silly selves.

I cannot wait for future generations of hardware that gracefully fit the human body. Look at us, slouching behind screens and letting algorithms make decision for us. It’s high time to remember that technology is meant to serve us and not the other way around. Rather than adapt ourselves to the devices (huddling in packed offices behind monitors, close to power outlets), I’d love to see these devices disappear into our lives (untethered, truly wearable and not obstructing the view). The pandemic might accelerate these changes, proving how unsustainable our lifestyle and use of technology are.

Then I’m looking forward to discovering new forms of entertainment at the intersection of interactive and cinematic storytelling. That is, the interactivity of video games, coupled with the emotional power of movies. Netflix’s “Bandersnatch” was a taste of it and VR is poised to offer many more trail-blazing experiences.

And finally, an on-going process of lowering barriers to entry for storytellers. Just smartphones democratized photography and filmmaking, the same is happening with mobile AR and 360 videos. Anyone can be empowered to craft and tell their stories.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

First, not enough attention is put on hardware to fit most humans. Heavy headsets, clunky devices, standardized sizes. Not enough care is put into hardware design for disabled people or comfort. For instance, when I moved to the US, my accent was pretty thick and Siri or Alexa would not understand my commands. Plenty of XR experiences rely on voice-activated commands and this is the type of issue that many product designers would disregard as an edge case. Everyone deviates from the norm, one way or another, and this should be the consensus.

Access is another issue I’m concerned about: high-speed connection, room-scale equipment, just to name a few, are expensive and hard to access for many around the globe.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

There are tremendous opportunities in education as well! Learning by doing. Flight simulators are ancestors of virtual reality, after all. VR and MR are also used in the healthcare sector to train new surgeons and practice performing critical procedures.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Oh the possibilities are endless! I’m staying focused on entertainment and storytelling, both being my passions.

Pay women. Plain and simple. Plenty of STEM companies plaster their flyers with pretty women smiling and do not put their money where their mouths are. For instance, they create mentorship programs with no intention to hire women, BIPOC or LGBTQ folks in positions of leadership. Frankly, this is insulting as it perpetuates the idea that women need to constantly better themselves to reach professional levels.

To quote Cindy Gallop: “don’t use words for women like ‘empower’ and ‘celebrate’. Use words like ‘hire’, ‘promote’, ‘pay’, ‘raise’, ‘bonus’, ‘invest’, ‘fund’, ‘enrich’ — and DO IT. Leaders, ask for that employee pay spreadsheet, find the women, raise their pay to the same as men’s”.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

It’s a myth that you need a prestigious degree or studying a field for 4 years to get a decent job. This industry evolves so quickly that, by the time you graduate, your classes will be outdated. The right curriculum may not exist yet. Hands-on experimentation is the key to sky-rocket in your career.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Let me preface that I rarely know what to say when I’m asked something “as a woman”. I never lived as a man. Instead, here are five leadership lessons I learned as Adriana Vecchioli.

First, speak up! You know what’s more painful than expressing an uncomfortable truth? Silently putting up with it. This one is a hard one for me still as I tend to avoid conflicts, which I mitigate in doing what I can today that my future self would thank me later for.

Second, learn to set boundaries and enforce them. What you say no to, defines what you can say yes to and make room for it. For instance, accepting “just okay” projects, for fear of not getting work, does not leave any bandwidth to jump into “hell yeah” dream projects.

Third, don’t avoid the hard things. The only way is through. This is how we learn and level up for bigger things.

Fourth, take responsibility. Mistakes happen all the time, some yield more consequences that others but they can become teachable moments. Sometimes it isn’t fair. It doesn’t matter: own it. I felt restless in my life a few years ago ; some unpleasant events seemed to keep repeating themselves. Then I realized I was stuck in a state of victimhood, waiting for an external rescue, which didn’t allow me to take ownership of the situation and change it. Now I remember that the wound may not be my fault, but healing is always my responsibility.

And finally, have fun! Fun is your heart’s way of telling you something’s right for you. Doing what lights you up ensures you stay inspired and passionate. This is how you find what medicine you were destined to bring to the world and inspire others in turn. And that’s how you do your finest work — so having fun is actually a killer productivity tip!

Thank you for your kind words. A close friend once said they saw me as “an artist who creates art that creates artists”. It touched me, and that would be my movement: all of us have a spark that can brighten up the world and deserve to express it.

Céline Sciamma, the writer and director of the movie “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”. I’m extremely inspired by the uniqueness of Céline Sciamma’s voice in her art, her sensitivity and the subtlety of her work. Every single frame and detail feel intentional.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Adriana Vecchioli of… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Rising Through Resilience: James Webb of Paradigm Development Holdings On The Five Things You Can…

Rising Through Resilience: James Webb of Paradigm Development Holdings On The Five Things You Can Do To Become More Resilient

Surround yourself with good people, both in terms of partners and employees. If you can’t trust them with your life (business) get rid of them. Once you trust them, implicitly, make sure they are part of the financial journey as well. Equity partners/employees who are riding the journey with you will almost always have your back. Even with full trust, there can be underlying deceit, but it eventually comes to the surface and you can deal with it then and continue forward. Equity, structured right, for your team can mean a lot when needed.

I had the pleasure of interviewing James Webb.

James Webb is the author of Redneck Resilience: A Country Boy’s Journey To Prosperity. His career in radiology saw him rise from a technologist to becoming a leader in the industry as the entrepreneur of several companies. After over 40 years in the medical field, Webb focused on the fitness sector, owning and overseeing the management of 33 Orangetheory Fitness® franchises throughout North Texas.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?

I grew up in a small town in southern Mississippi, raised by two teenage parents. They fell in love a little early and could only offer a roof over our heads and their love and attention. Our lives pretty much revolved around the church, Little League baseball, and Cub Scouts. I started working at 5 years of age by making potholders for the local church bazaars. When I was about 8, I started mowing yards and raking leaves in order to make enough money to buy my first 10-speed bicycle. This quickly led to a newspaper route and then to working at the local printing shop, where I stayed through high school and my first two years of junior college.

Once, while walking through the science building of the local junior college, I saw a sign that said, “Interested in being an x-ray technician, call Liz Bush.” Two and one-half years later, I graduated with my radiologic technologist license and began working the night shift, in the emergency room, and at the community hospital while returning to college in the daytime to pursue my bachelor’s degree.

In 1997, I started my first company, developing and operating medical imaging clinics in Latin America and the Caribbean. I sold this company in 2000 to a larger player and reinvested some of the proceeds in a venture with two friends back in Dallas. In 2001, I moved a 3-year-old son, a 3 week-old-son, and a supportive but hesitant wife back to Dallas to take the reins of a new venture called Preferred Medical Imaging. The next few years were as tough as it could get in business, but by late 2004 we turned the corner, ultimately building the largest outpatient imaging company in Texas with 28 locations. Additionally, we ventured into pain management surgery centers and built nine facilities working with 53 pain management physicians.

I did a few side projects, including two toxicology labs, a compounding pharmacy, a medical billing company and an HR company. In 2013, I ventured into the world of fitness, specifically Orangetheory Fitness. By 2019 we owned or managed 33 Orangetheory gyms across Texas and, for a time, I was considered the largest franchisee in the U.S.

I sold the toxicology labs and compounding pharmacies around 2015. I sold Preferred Medical Imaging in 2017 to a Canadian-based company that eventually became a public company on the Nasdaq (I’m a board member). And I sold Orangetheory gyms (33 of them) to a private equity group in December 2019, just two months before the pandemic.

Currently, I sit on four boards and have invested in 43 private companies, of which I am actively involved in four of them. And finally, I bought into a new franchised-based natural hormone balancing weight-loss concept called BeBalanced Centers. At present, we have three stores open with plans for another 18020 across Texas.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or takeaways you learned from that?

There are so many that sometimes it’s hard to choose, but I usually settle on the one that changed my direction from climbing the corporate ladder to becoming an entrepreneur. When I graduated from the University of North Texas with my master’s degree, I was pretty set on becoming a hospital administrator. But I was convinced to leave the hospital world and join a start-up company developing mobile MRI routes. In the very early days of MRI, the machines were put in large trucks and routes were established between hospitals. We’d have five or six routes per week, going between hospitals and providing this technology.

Over the next three years, I worked my tail off helping build this company from three routes to 53 routes across the country. I was 30 years old, vice president of the region, sitting in a high-rise office with a secretary and staff and living the dream … until the phone rang. It went something like this, “Mr. Webb, we have just sold the company and since you have no equity, you are terminated. Your desk needs to be cleaned out by the end of day.”

While I was initially shocked, I quickly realized that I had been chasing someone else’s dreams and not creating my own path. In short, I was a hired gun but not an owner. Because I was somewhat known in the industry, I had another job, in Atlanta, within a week. But this singular event of being terminated, without warning, started pushing me down the entrepreneurial road. Would I have possibly gone that route anyway? Maybe. But being blindsided and terminated taught me a true lesson: define your own fate and path.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

I’ve sold most of my companies, but I can share with you my thoughts and culture related to Preferred Medical Imaging. When we entered the Dallas market, besides the hospitals, there were several “larger” competitors. As we evaluated our competition, including the hospitals, it was evident that customer service was secondary to cost containment and patient care. We chose to be the opposite, and in our terms, became the Neiman Marcus of outpatient medical imaging centers. We painted the machines and rooms with elaborate art (an aquarium, a flower garden, a wine venue, etc.). We furnished our facilities with beautiful décor. We also focused on the experience for the patient and the physician’s office. We wanted every patient going back to their doctor “raving” about their time with us and we wanted every doctor to have an MRI report, in hand, within 24 hours.

When we were opening our third facility, a local hospital administrator asked me to lunch. I naively joined him thinking we were being welcome to the “neighborhood.” It was quite the opposite and a veiled threat that if we opened in their market, they would “shut us down.” I learned a long time ago that people don’t attack you when they are confident; they “attack you when they are scared. We opened up anyway and proceeded to become the dominant player in that market for medical imaging services — all based on the quality of our operations and the customer experience. Word got out and we never chased another deal; they all came to us. Community leaders, physicians, and others came to us and asked us to bring that level of service to their communities.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful toward who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

There have been so many people who have helped guide and mentor me along my journey. Barry O’Brien was the gentleman who convinced me to leave the hospital world and go into the business side of medical imaging. I learned so much from him about leading people and directing business until about 2 ½ years into our relationship, we had a big falling out over a personal issue. It got to the point we had to be separated in the corporate office to avoid a physical altercation. I was deeply saddened by losing Barry as a mentor and friend and was eventually terminated from the company as outlined previously. I don’t think Barry had anything to do with that as he was removed as well.

Fast forward three years and he and I had a chance to meet for dinner, in Boca Raton, and mend our relationship. It was such a good dinner that we talked about joining forces again down the road. He left the next day for home in Connecticut to go snow skiing with his family. A few days later I received a call. Barry had died while skiing. I was shocked and devastated, but those emotions quickly turned to gratitude. I am forever grateful for Barry’s mentorship, but even more grateful that we made up and were friends again. I have learned so many times through my life that one never knows what tomorrow will bring, and this lesson, with Barry, reinforced that point.

There is nothing reasonable about resilience. Quite frankly, it doesn’t make sense to get knocked down and then get back up to be knocked down again. But I am one of those people who doesn’t always think in reasonable terms. From a business perspective, when you’re knocked down, it is not just about getting up. It’s about getting up and finding another path. If you hit a roadblock, turn the corner and look for another way, or correct the path you are on. Resilience doesn’t just get back up. Resilience finds a way.

Resilient people do not give up. They do not ask, “Why?” but rather, “Why not?”

When you think of resilience, which person comes to mind? Can you explain why you chose that person?

President Calvin Coolidge said the following:

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

President Coolidge will not go down as one of our “great” presidents, but his resilience will always strike a chord with me.

Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us?

All of us who choose this entrepreneurial journey have been told “it won’t work” more times than not. For me, the most recent example was Orangetheory Fitness. If I heard “boutique fitness” has too much competition and “nobody knows what that is” once, I heard it 100 times. When we became successful with the brand and ultimately sold it, I was told I was lucky. Of course, there is always some luck involved but, in this case, we had a new and exciting brand, access to capital, and a team that did not/would not sit on the sidelines and wonder if we could do this. Resilience at its best.

Did you have a time in your life where you had one of your greatest setbacks, but you bounced back from it stronger than ever? Can you share that story with us?

My greatest setback and “bounce back” is a personal story that many people have heard. It was unexpected, devastating, and changed me forever.

On November 28, 2011, my wife, Marcia, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. No previous recognizable symptoms, no hints, no pains, and yet we stood at a crossroad that morning knowing that with this disease, there was very little chance of long-term survival. In 48 hours, our world and the worlds of our family and friends were rocked to the core.

On May 20 the physician told us there was no hope left. In a private conversation with me, he estimated she had no more than 60 days to live. On that same day, while we were driving I suddenly had a very sharp and knife-like pain in my lower back and immediately self-diagnosed myself with a kidney stone. I couldn’t believe it and thought, not now, I don’t have time for this! I downed a few of Marcia’s pain pills and somehow we made it back to Frisco. Once home, I tucked her into bed and headed over to the local Baylor hospital emergency room. Some more pain medicine, blood work and a CT scan later, I received more shocking news that day. I didn’t have a kidney stone; I had a tumor the size of a baseball and a diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma. Yep, I had cancer. I again asked the doctor to see the films and, once I viewed them, and in some sort of zombie-like state, I simply walked out of the emergency room, against much protest, and went home to be with my wife.

The next day, while arranging hospice care for Marcia, I began meeting with doctors regarding my own situation. Chemo and radiation were offered as options to shrink the tumor and possibly save the kidney. I thought of Marcia, thought of my boys, and thought of our family and said, “No, just cut me open and take it all.” Two-and-a-half weeks later, I had my right kidney and a nasty tumor removed, and 19 hours later I walked out of the hospital and was home and by Marcia’s side. Six days later, she passed away.

Over the summer, the boys and I traveled together and began the process of rebuilding our lives. As a single parent raising two young boys, the “bar scene” was not for me. Enter Match.com, and I played on the site for a few months but no dating. Well, that was until Cathy came along. Like many things in my life, I did not see Cathy coming but eventually we had, what I describe as, my first, first date in 20 years and the last first date for the rest of my life. We slowly built our relationship, introduced our families, and were married three years after that magical first date.

There have been many times in my life when resilience served me well, but none served me better than during the time I took care of Marcia, survived my own ordeal, and gained the forward momentum that led me to Cathy.

Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share a story?

When I was in high school, my mom decided to go back to school for nursing. She was the first person in our family to go to college. I can remember her up at nights studying late and then being up early in the morning to make us breakfast, every day, before school. My dad never went to college but he told me. “I want you to go to college so you don’t have to work for a living.” I never understood what he meant by that until years later. I was stuck on an overpass in an ice storm and remember looking in the distance and seeing an electrical lineman climbing a pole in this terrible weather. Then I knew, this is what my Dad meant by “not working for a living.”

But wanting and achieving are two different things. When I was a senior in high school, my dad started an HVAC company. But one day the IRS showed up and took just about everything he had. Turns out his accountant was skimming and not paying the taxes. So in the blink of an eye, everything was gone and my dad was saddled with debt. He could have quit right there, but instead, he rebounded, got a job, and paid off every last cent to the IRS and to all his vendors.

When I think back on my youth, I see the building blocks of what I became. I got my mom’s instinct to take care of people, while still working long hours, and my dad’s work ethic and resilience in the face of failure. Work hard, don’t quit, and you can achieve your dreams.

Resilience is like a muscle that can be strengthened. In your opinion, what are five steps that someone can take to become more resilient? Please share a story or an example for each.

1. Work harder than anyone else. When you are tired, send another email. When you are ready to quit for the day, make one final phone call. When your employees are watching you work late, send them home while you stay.

2. Find your mentors and use their knowledge. As you go through your journey, be open to new mentors but never forget what the others have taught you. Be appreciative and grateful to all of them.

3. Be prepared. Always. Hope for the upside but have a plan for the downside ready to go if needed.

4. When you get knocked down,” get back up, pause, and find your new route or direction. For me, I’d go away and play golf or go fishing so I could just THINK. Once my head was clearer, I’d address the issue, fix it or move around it.

5. Surround yourself with good people, both in terms of partners and employees. If you can’t trust them with your life (business) get rid of them. Once you trust them, implicitly, make sure they are part of the financial journey as well. Equity partners/employees who are riding the journey with you will almost always have your back. Even with full trust, there can be underlying deceit, but it eventually comes to the surface and you can deal with it then and continue forward. Equity, structured right, for your team can mean a lot when needed.

I have always been a fan of education and, especially, education for the underprivileged in our communities. I’ve tried many times over my career to help young people remove themselves from bad situations and pursue education as the primary mechanism for changing their fate. I even set up an endowment fund in my deceased wife, Marcia’s, name for Community in Schools. CIS helps children fight those things that keep them from completing their high school education.

Two other groups have caught mine and my families’ attention. City House, based in Plano, Texas, works with homeless youth. They are an amazing group, and we are helping support their efforts. Additionally, someone I admire greatly, Scott Turner, is working on an initiative. Scott is a former NFL star, a Texas state representative and presidential appointee who is working on bringing economic opportunity, mentorship and access to sports to children and families in areas of low income and poverty.

I am a true believer in helping those less fortunate than me and my family, and I hope others will follow the paths of those like CIS, City House, and Scott Turner. Happy to make introductions!

We are blessed that some very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them 🙂

I have always been a fan of our 43rd President, George Bush. I know many think he was not one of our “great” presidents, but if anyone demonstrated resilience in the face of 911, it was George Bush. He had some tough decisions to make, and maybe not all of them were correct, but he never backed down and he kept getting back up. He is a Texan. He is local. It would be cool to meet him in person.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

www.jamesharoldwebb.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesharoldwebb/

https://www.facebook.com/Jameshwebb

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Rising Through Resilience: James Webb of Paradigm Development Holdings On The Five Things You Can… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Rising Through Resilience: Paul Thallner of High Peaks Group On The Five Things You Can Do To…

Rising Through Resilience: Paul Thallner of High Peaks Group On The Five Things You Can Do To Become More Resilient

Know How You Get Stuck. Your company’s collective brain reacts to inputs the same way your individual one does. Being exposed to continuous stress creates fear — a highly contagious emotion in companies. Building resilience skills enables your teams to recover from and grow through stresses. At Jay Peak, for example, there was no shortage of fear when the SEC came in to shut down operations. But, a longstanding culture where employees had deep multi-generational ties to the resort counterbalanced the shock brought about by the closure.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Thallner.

Paul Thallner is an organizational development, team effectiveness, and resilience expert. He founded advisory firm High Peaks Group to eradicate the chronic workplace stress epidemic. High Peaks Group now creates workplace greatness in business, non-profit, and government clients across the United States. Paul has served in a number of senior-level roles including as a partner at Great Place to Work, where he advised organizations including the NBA and Carhartt. Paul co-developed a novel resilience model first tested with 200 mountain resort leaders in North America. The positive reception has led to further research and a forthcoming book that asserts we have been thinking of resilience backwards, and it’s time to reinvent resilience so we can grow through challenges.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?

Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here. I grew up in a single parent household where my mom held three jobs and raised four kids by herself. Seeing her persevere through the numerous and continuous challenges she faced every day deeply impacted me. I carried her tenacity into my career where I would seek unconventional, challenging jobs that many avoided or thought were foolish…like education reform or being an intermediary between techies and end users. I ultimately landed positions of authority like Executive Director (at a nonprofit) and Partner (at a consulting firm) where I could create deeper, longer lasting impact at scale. The impact I try to make every day is creating more workplace greatness. I don’t want people going to work feeling like my mom did: stressed, singled-out, never good enough, etc. That’s my mission, and I’m always seeking ways to help people thrive at work, and doing that at speed and scale will help the most people over the shortest period of time.

Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?

I was working at a tech startup during the initial boom in the 90s, and the company went from a few hundred employees to a few thousand in a year or two. I had a client facing role, I traveled a lot, my team was awesome, and I was very happy. However, I would hear stories that others in the company were miserable. They didn’t feel seen, heard, or appreciated. Folks were sleeping under their desks to avoid “wasting time commuting” when deadlines loomed. I took away some important learnings about “culture” that stick with me today. It’s really important to challenge our narratives. I believed the entire company was awesome because I was having an awesome experience. However, seen from another vantage point, the company wasn’t that amazing after all. We have to examine what we believe and why pretty regularly if we want to grow through challenges.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

High Peaks Group is unique in the marketplace for two reasons: 1) we don’t seek problems to solve. We believe organizations are full of inert potential, and our job is to identify and activate potential to accelerate business results. Creating workplace greatness is our shorthand for doing that; and, 2) we’re really clear about the people and organizations we work with. We close a skill gap many organizations have — they want a great workplace where employees thrive, but they don’t know how to make that happen. Or they’re frustrated by how long it’s taking. We fully invest our time and attention in our clients, tap into the collective wisdom of the whole organization, and move them forward fast.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

First of all, there are lots and lots of people that helped me along the way. I’m nothing without them. Relevant to resilience, however, I am thinking of Scott Hill one of my first bosses. While we were working together on education policy for the state of California ages ago, he introduced me to the Federalist Papers, and №10 in particular. In that work, James Madison posits that one cannot control “factions,” but we can control their effects. This lesson has helped me many times throughout my career, and is at the root of my pragmatic belief system about how/why organizational cultures can change. That is, organizations can fall victim to internal (and external) “factions,” but the role of leadership is to build sufficient organizational resilience to stay clear-headed when they flare up.

I’m writing a book on resilience because I believe we are thinking about it backwards. Resilience is based on a “bend, don’t break” mindset. Like a palm tree in a hurricane, you just hold on until the wind subsides. When it passes, the sun will come out, and you can go back to being a palm tree. However, that’s not how life works, and our deficit-based, one-dimensional view of resilience doesn’t serve our complex, ever-changing, multi-dimensional lives. I’ve developed a new framework for resilience centered on building the confidence and courage to grow through difficult challenges — not just bounce back. Rather than closing a deficit gap, our model helps close the abundance gap. Moreover, the framework scales beyond the individual to teams, organizations, communities, and beyond.

When you think of resilience, which person comes to mind? Can you explain why you chose that person?

Steve Wright, General Manager of Jay Peak Resort, a ski area in northern Vermont. I interviewed him for my book and learned about the incredible growth he, his team, and his company experienced after the resort was raided by the SEC. The full story is here, but in a nutshell, Steve — who was Chief Marketing Officer — woke up one day thinking about his daughter’s track meet and by the end of the day was in charge of the entire resort. He had to get his bearings in a suddenly volatile situation, quickly prioritize a huge volume of challenges, and continue to move forward. His inspiring story helped me realize how resilience scales.

Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us?

Of course, I started my own company. I won’t mention names, but when I started High Peaks Group it seemed to activate something in a lot of conversations I was having at the time. For instance, I did what a lot of people do when starting a new venture, I started sharing the news with people. So many people started projecting their fear about that situation onto me. I had hoped to start my company with a co-founder, but despite wanting to join me, she ultimately decided to stay with her salaried job. Had I waited for her to be comfortable, I never would have gotten started. So many people just need a small dose of courage, and I know it’s in them, to take a step they want to take. But, at the end of the day, you’re alone with your choices. I don’t recommend hitching your dreams to someone else unless they’re as committed as you are to achieving them.

Did you have a time in your life where you had one of your greatest setbacks, but you bounced back from it stronger than ever? Can you share that story with us?

I have an aversion to the word “setback.” At is core is a deficit-based assumption that you start at point (a), experience a setback (x) and end up at point (a-x), and your job then becomes closing the gap to “get back to normal.” In my model, I offer an alternative to that way of thinking. We’re always moving forward, but sometimes the headwinds are stronger than other times. So, when a gust comes, our job is to use whatever resources we have to become more aerodynamic. For me, during the pandemic the winds were howling. Lost clients, lost revenue, a business model that wouldn’t work in a virtual environment, my mom’s declining health, and (woosh) my sister was diagnosed with a serious health condition. How would “bouncing back” work in that case? What would I bounce back to? There were no landing spots, so I decided to re-think and ultimately reinvent resilience in a way that worked for me. With the help of grad school classmate Tanya James, we created a new framework that takes a strength-based approach to resilience. (described in more depth here).

Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share a story?

Yes, I grew up in central Pennsylvania. When I was in sixth-grade, a huge pin came along and jabbed my childhood bubble. Three Mile Island. If you don’t remember, it was the worst nuclear power plant accident (until Chernobyl) and it created havoc in our lives. In pre-internet days, we got all our news from broadcast TV, and based on what we heard, we decided to pack our things and leave. I had no idea if we would ever come back. I imagined Harrisburg becoming a desolate post-apocalyptic landscape unsuitable for human habitation. It was jarring to say the least. We didn’t feel prepared to exit our house for God knows how long…we just did it. And that’s the thing with resilience; you can’t really build it at the moment you need it. I believe we already have a lot of what we need right now to grow through tough times. It’s a matter of managing your response to a situation, accepting the situation for what it really is, using the resources you’ve got at your disposal, and — as we say in the book — dwelling in possibility.

Resilience is like a muscle that can be strengthened. In your opinion, what are 5 steps that someone can take to become more resilient? Please share a story or an example for each.

My five steps apply not only to individuals, but to teams, organizations, and even communities. Here we go:

Reframe. Using terms like “setbacks” primes the mind for trauma. Language matters, so we prefer “headwinds.” Instead of using the “knocked down/get up” metaphor so common with resilience, think of yourself as always moving forward — like you’re riding a bike. You will always encounter headwind…that’s just life. But when it gets really windy, tuck into a more aerodynamic position. I’ve seen this in a number of successful companies, but I’ve been most impressed with how communities like Durango, Colorado move ever forward in a context of losing a disproportionate number of young people to fatal backcountry/outdoor accidents.
Know How You Get Stuck. Your company’s collective brain reacts to inputs the same way your individual one does. Being exposed to continuous stress creates fear — a highly contagious emotion in companies. Building resilience skills enables your teams to recover from and grow through stresses. At Jay Peak, for example, there was no shortage of fear when the SEC came in to shut down operations. But, a longstanding culture where employees had deep multi-generational ties to the resort counterbalanced the shock brought about by the closure.
Slow Down to Speed Up. You can gain more control of your collective response to threats. Practicing our “See it, Slow it, Own it” technique will strengthen your ability to put challenges in proper perspective and think more clearly. A client of mine — a publisher — had a deadline driven mindset and employees were seen in a rather binary way: they perform or they don’t. After using our resilience model, she emphasized individual and collective self-care. The company has innovated in new ways and has further raised its profile as a source of industry knowledge and healing.
Accept Reality to Imagine Possibility. How we think about things impacts our ability to move forward and grow. Try creating several stories about your current situation. Then, filter out the fiction. If you’re not sure what’s fiction, look for concrete evidence. A client in New York was experiencing conflicting narratives about how it was seen to clients and stakeholders. Internally, employees would selectively use those narratives to manipulate leadership. When the whole system came together to write their own shared narrative, they began to take control of the possibilities (instead of having others dictate possibilities for them).
Start by Starting. It’d be nice if resilience was a linear process, but it’s not. We have to work all areas of the resilience model (Situation, Triggers, Resources, Possibilities) at the same time. Start at a point where you’ve got some energy/optimism and move forward from there. The best way to build resilience is simply to start. A management company in Chicago was stuck. They were experiencing headwinds brought on by the pandemic, and the management team was falling apart. They didn’t know what to do. Many companies spend a lot of time deciding how, when, and where to start. But, they just started. The first few steps were awkward and uncomfortable, but they ultimately decided on a direction that included regular facilitated dialog sessions (and other strategies) to practice effective teamworking.

There are a lot of movements and organizations out there getting things right: The Teal Team, Take Back Work, XCHANGE, and some practical solutions from books like Lead Together. Even concepts of masculinity at work are being challenged. There’s definitely a hunger to change our paradigms about work, and if we’re not careful, we’ll end up creating more stress to an already stressed workforce. So, I’d like to see these and other forward-thinking folks come together to rethink and reinvent resilience with me so that we can truly achieve workplace greatness at speed and scale.

Zuzana Čaputová — President of Slovakia. Slovakia’s story of how it’s grown through challenges is remarkable, and I’d love to hear her tell it.

Hamdi Ulukaya — CEO of Chobani. I’ve read about him, and I’d love to hear how he thinks about resilience.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Me — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulthallner/

My Company — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/highpeaksgroup/

Instagram: @highpeaksgroup

Facebook: @highpeaksgroup

Twitter: @highpeaksgroup

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Rising Through Resilience: Paul Thallner of High Peaks Group On The Five Things You Can Do To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Is Now: Oleksii Orovetskiy of Loio On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up…

The Future Is Now: Oleksii Orovetskiy of Loio On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up How We Write Contracts

Because of the things I have or have not done, I have become the person I am today. There is nothing I would change or regret. I’m just grateful for everything and everyone I have had in my life. I guess that’s the lesson I’d love to pass on.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Oleksii Orovetskiy, Head of Product at Loio, an AI-powered Microsoft Word add-in for faster contract review and editing. A seasoned IT veteran with over 15 years of experience in developing B2C and B2B SaaS products globally, Oleksii is leading the creation of the legal tech product that can potentially influence the lives of over one million legal professionals in the U.S. and beyond.

Named a Legal Software Product Leader by the advanced business software discovery platform Crozdesk, Loio has also been featured among the Top 3 Free Contract Analytics Software and the Top 8 Free Document Drafting Solutions Software by the world’s leading B2B software and services review platform G2.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Happy to be here!

I graduated from the university as a Manager of Foreign Economic Activity being 100% certain I would never work as a manager of any kind. So, I started out as a programmer.

It wasn’t long before my fascination with the “why” rather than the “how” behind the product prompted my then-boss to make me an offer I couldn’t refuse. He offered me to try out the role of Product Manager and build a team and all the processes from scratch. I did it and, at one point, managed a team of nine professionals.

But the time passed. The product grew out of the stage of active development into the stage of maintenance. I felt I was ready for new challenges. That’s when Loio’s team found me. I felt immediately hooked by the company’s mission, approaches to work, as well as its fast growth and great potential! That’s how I found myself building a legal tech product that can improve the lives and performance of over one million legal professionals worldwide.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

No one likes to talk about their failures. And I think we should.

My story is about the importance of the right communication between stakeholders. At my previous company, we almost lost our major client to miscommunication. We committed ourselves to build a tailored functionality for this client, which took us months. But somehow we failed to check up with our implementation team and take their requirements into account. When building the functionality, we based our decisions on the international implementation standards. Meanwhile, our client needed a customized solution.

Luckily, we managed to retain that client. But it was a huge lesson for us.

Here’s the main takeaway. Assuming that everyone knows everything is a very dangerous path. You have to ensure that all stakeholders know all the key things about the project. These are expectations, requirements, and a timeline.

Can you tell us about the cutting-edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

We are using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) technologies to help contract pros speed up contract review. This is the most advanced technology stack there is to date.

Drafting, reviewing, and editing contracts is an extremely important job. But it can also be very mundane, time-consuming, and irritating. There are many little things that make the whole process far less pleasant than it could be. Contracts are long, deadlines are tight, typos and inaccuracies are ubiquitous. Besides, the risk of making a mistake is high.

As a Microsoft Word add-in for faster contract review and editing, Loio gives lawyers, paralegals, contract drafters and negotiators (you name it) a map to their contracts. It solves the problem of consistency. Loio showcases all the key elements of the contract such as names, dates, and places, among others. It also helps fix broken formatting, as well as quickly check references and numbering. My personal favorite is a feature that shows if the date is past due or a weekend day.

By using Loio, legal professionals break free from mind-numbing routine tasks that are more suitable to a machine. Instead, they can focus on what humans do best, that is creative, rewarding, and higher-risk tasks.

All of this translates into boosted efficiency, more satisfied customers, and the ability for law firms, legal departments, and independent professionals to differentiate from their competitors by being innovation-friendly.

How do you think this might change the world?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 813,900 lawyers and 337,800 paralegals and legal assistants in the U.S. alone. Loio has the potential to make all these professionals much more effective and satisfied with their jobs.

Even if not each of them deals with contracts on a daily basis, chances are that someone in their teams is. This means that either way we can better the performance of legal teams — be they a legal department, a law firm, or a one-person operation. This way, they will get the chance to bring even more value to their clients. From our numerous conversations with law practitioners, we know that it’s crucial for them and their employees. It’s also becoming increasingly important as the legal industry is getting more customer-centric.

Another aspect I hope Loio can influence is mental health management. The legal profession is known to be extremely stressful. Tight deadlines are a huge part of this stress. By speeding up routine work, legal pros get control over deadlines. This way, they become much happier human beings with more time for creative activities and, by extension, lives.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

While working on a previous project — an edtech startup — we were surprised at how much time our legal team would spend on the routine task of contract review. Our lawyers were simply drowning in the ever-growing number of contracts and were becoming sadder and sadder. It was unbearable to witness this growing frustration. Knowing that technology could make the matter much better by automating some stages of the process, we set out to work.

For now, our product best fits the needs of solo law entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized law firms, and legal departments. We have already enjoyed positive feedback from our clients!

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

An excellent product speaks for itself.

However, launching massive marketing campaigns that showcase our biggest benefits for small and medium-sized law firms, legal departments, and independents practitioners is still the best way to promote Loio.

What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?

We’ve been using a variety of marketing and PR strategies to learn from our potential clients and simultaneously educate them about our product.

I’m particularly proud of our blog created to bring value as a knowledge hub for legal professionals of any kind. Some of our articles have enjoyed thousands of views! Our stars are our guide for law firms to adopting legal tech, a piece on the benefits of legal tech, a Microsoft Word guide, and a LinkedIn guide for lawyers. Also, we are particularly grateful for being able to feature such legal experts as Lisa Lang and Colin Levy in our interview series!

I’d say that my manager from the previous company is my mentor. I remember our heart-to-heart talks when having a walk around our office in Silicon Valley. By the way, our first office was located in the same building as Steve Jobs’ wife’s charity organization.

It was my then-boss who offered me my first job as a Product Manager and believed in me enormously. He trusted in my abilities long before I had earned it. For example, he would invite me to important business meetings when I was just starting out. This made me feel that I could do much more than I could imagine at that point — and I did it. He would also help me ask the right questions when setting goals or discussing tasks and direct me towards the right solutions.

I am very thankful for this!

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

As the Head of Product, I serve as a mentor educating my team and helping them grow personally and professionally. What’s more, I teach a course in Product Management and am a frequent speaker at industry events. That’s my contribution 🙂 I spread the joy of learning!

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

I don’t have any 🙂 Because of the things I have or have not done, I have become the person I am today. There is nothing I would change or regret. I’m just grateful for everything and everyone I have had in my life. I guess that’s the lesson I’d love to pass on.

I’d start a movement promoting self-confidence.

I have met so many talented people who have not reached their fullest potential just because they doubted themselves. They would more often concentrate on a negative rather than a positive scenario. Meanwhile, everyone should remember that those who cultivate an abundance mindset win.

I believe it’s better to take a leap of faith and learn from the results. Be brave and fail fast. Sticking to the agile methodology pays off both in professional and personal life.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

To be honest, inspirational quotes are not my cup of tea. I’d rather learn from the wins and failures of other people by analyzing their motives and decisions.

However, there is one phrase I find curious: “Be brave, go nuts.” It’s cool, isn’t it? 🙂

Some very well-known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Our product is truly great! So, delivering an elevator pitch will be easy for me.

Loio is a Microsoft Word add-in for faster contract review and editing. It uses the power of machine learning to deliver three key benefits:

boosted effectiveness and reduced stress for end-users;
more value brought to clients;
innovation as a competitive edge.

Requiring an investment of $19 per month and virtually no change management efforts, Loio is a win-win for legal professionals, their clients, and employees.

The Future Is Now: Oleksii Orovetskiy of Loio On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

SLAP: Cathy Mahon’s Big Idea That Might Change The World

Most people are unaware of why it has been so difficult to effectively address their pain. That has left people feeling isolated and thinking it is their personal problem that they have not found a solution. They do not know they are a part of a bigger global problem in which the cause of pain is unknown so only symptoms are being treated.

To effectively share this idea of how to identify and address the cause of back pain, I needed to give it a name. Since the focus is that the body works as a system and that the pain can be a sign that there is a mechanical limitation in the system causing the pain, the name is, the System Limitations Approach to Pain (SLAP-ouch.)

As a part of my series about “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” I had the pleasure of interviewing Cathy Mahon.

Back pain expert, Cathy Mahon, is a physical therapist, kinesiologist and consultant of 30+ years, specializing in chronic pain. In the first half of her career Cathy worked in over 40 facilities, as either a, staff PT, travelling therapist, or consultant, giving her a wide view of patient’s experiences in healthcare. Cathy returned home, started a private practice and for the past 20 years she has spent over 3 hours on the initial evaluation of her patients. Cathy noticed a strong connection between limitations in range of motion and the positions that bring the pain on. Addressing those limitations resulted in significant success in alleviating back pain. Cathy has spoken on this topic on various stages including continuing-education classes for physical therapists, at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab for the Conference of Safety Engineers and at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis for the spine and joint therapists. For more information you can go to her website at cathymahon.com

<a href="https://medium.com/media/40a2fa7916033277b34ead4dc84af718/href">https://medium.com/media/40a2fa7916033277b34ead4dc84af718/href</a>

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Thank you, I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you on this topic.

In middle school, my friends and I volunteered to work with children with special needs. Each child was partnered with a volunteer, and the physical therapist provided a list of activities that would be helpful. I was partnered with a child who, I was told, would not do anything asked of him. Our first activity was swimming, and, as forecast, he spent the entire time keeping his distance from me. When it was time for us to leave the pool, he approached me so that I could wrap the towel around his back. As I did, I also lifted him up, flipping his legs way up over top of us. He loved it! He wanted to do it over and over again! After that, we were best buds, and he participated in most of his activities. That was when I decided to become a physical therapist. For years my mother would say, “It is not always going to be that easy,” and while, of course, that was true, it was a great decision for me.

Can you please share with us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I spent a day in court because I filed a complaint against an insurance company on behalf of a patient who was not well enough to do it for herself. The insurance company had denied her further approval for PT at a time when, because of her back pain, she was unable to sit in a car and had to pay someone to drive her to work while she lay down in the back seat. The complaint was for the denial of approval, and I included that they were not practicing in good business faith. The complaint progressed from the state insurance administration to court. While I was familiar with everything that had been happening with this patient, I was completely unfamiliar with courtroom procedure. The insurance company’s attorney argued with me for eight hours, tirelessly trying to pick apart my position.

It was well worth the time, effort, and stress. In a 23-page opinion the judge found that the insurance company failed to adhere to the contract. Early in the day the insurance company attorney requested that the case be sealed. The judge denied that request and further ordered that the decision be reflected in the State Insurance Administrators records and publications.

Even though I was trained to be a physical therapist, at times my job requires more. It was certainly an interesting day and out of the ordinary for me. While I don’t necessarily wish to return to court, I will do what I can to help my patients.

Which principles or philosophies have guided your life? Your career?

I was fortunate to have two wonderful parents who set the example of how to live a life doing what was right. Seeing their consistent effort with ethics was important because that is often not the easy path. My life and career have been guided by their example: I try to do the right thing.

Ok thank you for that. Let’s now move to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about your “Big Idea That Might Change The World”?

I have identified the cause of back pain.

The premier medical journal Lancet published a series of articles in 2018 on low back pain, in which the authors report that for nearly all low back pain it is not possible to identify a specific cause, further stating that the underlying mechanism of back pain is poorly understood.

After over 30 years of industry experience and research, I have determined that the cause of back pain is — -drum roll please — — limitation in range of motion. Let me explain.

Limitation in range of motion is similar to decreased flexibility. In this case, the loss of range of motion or flexibility prevents a specific joint from moving in a specific direction.

Loss of motion causes trouble for the activities and positions that need that motion. When someone does an activity or is in a position that needs that motion, another joint in the body substitutes to provide the motion. With back pain, it is the back that is forced to move to compensate for the loss of motion. Pain is how the back lets you know there is a problem.

The best example of how limited motion impacts the back is when sitting increases low back pain. A person needs to have at least 90 degrees of motion at the hip to bend to sit. When a person only has 70 degrees of motion at the hip, the spine is forced to flatten in order to reach the 90-degree bend to sit. That flattening over time is a problem for the spine. Again, pain is how the back lets you know there is a problem.

Other mechanical issues, such as strength, stabilization, and postural alignment can be limited and contribute to the cause of pain too. I have found that range of motion is the most significant problem because it is the most prevalent and the most difficult to improve. If range of motion was easy to improve, I would be on the street corner giving out exercises because so many people are in trouble. However, increasing range of motion is difficult, which is likely one of the reasons that back pain has been so difficult to eliminate. I have found the other mechanical issues easier to improve, although they take a long time, particularly stabilization.

It is consistent with the statistics that up until now the underlying cause of back pain has not been identified for most people with back pain. If the cause is not known it is not treated and so the problem persists. As such, back pain is the number one cause of disability in the world and has been for the past 30 years. It affects 540 million people at any point in time.

Most people are unaware of why it has been so difficult to effectively address their pain. That has left people feeling isolated and thinking it is their personal problem that they have not found a solution. They do not know they are a part of a bigger global problem in which the cause of pain is unknown so only symptoms are being treated.

To effectively share this idea of how to identify and address the cause of back pain, I needed to give it a name. Since the focus is that the body works as a system and that the pain can be a sign that there is a mechanical limitation in the system causing the pain, the name is, the System Limitations Approach to Pain (SLAP-ouch.)

In addition to identifying the cause of back pain for many people, there are a number of advantages that come naturally with this approach.

First, this approach is systematic, measurable and reproducible. The evaluation is the same for everyone, it is the data from tracking the pain and the data from the measurements that reveal each individual’s unique pain and unique combination of mechanical problems.

Second, this approach helps to readily identify subgroups and patterns, both of which help patient education and the development of a treatment program.

Third, this approach is centered around the position(s) that increases the pain. Identifying the position that increases the pain helps the PT focus on the mechanics specifically needed for that position. To the patient the focus on the position that increases the pain is helpful because it means something to them. Also, it is important that the patient track how long they are in the position before the pain increases and the intensity of pain. Those two measures help track their progress.

Fourth, a daily home program, with intermittent follow up to progress the program, is the focus of treatment, making this approach cost efficient.

Important to note, regarding the evaluation, there is a difference in the timing of when people will tolerate the measurements. There are people who will tolerate all of the measurements at the initial evaluation. However, most people will need to make progress before they tolerate certain measurements. Then, there are people who will never tolerate the measurements their spine is so fragile. Typically, they have a long history they can share instead.

A wide net should be cast during the evaluation to minimize the risk of missing problems. In 20 years of spending over three hours evaluating each patient and doing a deep dive into the mechanics of range of motion, strength, stabilization, and postural alignment, I have found that over 90% of my patients had a lack of range of motion needed for the positions that increase the pain. When we effectively increased their range of motion, the pain significantly decreased or completely went away, identifying the loss of motion as the cause of their back pain.

How do you think this will change the world?

Back pain is a humanitarian crisis. In addition to the astronomical numbers of people impacted, back pain triggers other serious problems such as drug addiction, loss of jobs, loss of relationships, depression, and suicidal thoughts and actions to name a few. This is happening in every country in the world.

Decreasing and eliminating current disabling back pain will significantly reduce the financial cost of back pain. More importantly, for many, it can eliminate the path to depression, addiction, homelessness, and death caused by back pain.

The ultimate goal is to help people reclaim their lives. Helping millions of people shift from disabling back pain to a life where they can contribute to their family, community, and society, will change the world.

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this idea that people should think more deeply about?

The only unintended consequence would be the creation of competitiveness or division between healthcare providers, researchers, or organizations. Given the gravity of this crisis, it is best to have a coalition, an all-hands-on-deck effort, to tackle this enormous problem.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this idea? Can you tell us that story?

There were two parts to the tipping point. The first occurred in 1994 when I worked in Molokai. I attended a course given by Beverly Biondi in Honolulu. Beverly recommended that we make sure the patient had the range of motion needed before starting stabilization exercises. I returned to Molokai and formally measured each patient’s range of motion. I was surprised how limited people were.

The second part of the tipping point occurred when I returned to Annapolis. In 2002, I started a private practice where I could take as long as I needed to evaluate a patient. I heard each person’s experience with pain in measurable terms, which helped us figure out the positions that increased their pain. Then I took a deep dive into the mechanics, formally measuring their range of motion and comparing that to the activities and positions that increase the pain. That is when I realized that the pain was brought on because people did not have the range of motion needed for the position that increased their pain; this was compromising their back.

I realized I was onto something new after I looked for articles. I went to the National Library of Medicine at NIH to search for articles on range of motion. There was only one old study about hamstrings in which they reported that there were no consistent findings. I belonged to an orthopedic association and in 2008 they published a continuing education course on low back pain and the evidence for treatment, their comments revealed that they had not identified this as the cause of back pain.

What do you need to lead this idea to widespread adoption?

There are two main steps needed to lead this idea to widespread adoption.

First, people with back pain need to be educated that there is an approach that might identify the cause of their pain. It would be helpful to have people — — such as leaders, media personnel, and celebrities — — who have platforms reach out and educate those in pain about this approach. Millions of people asking for this help will provide momentum towards widespread adoption.

Second, the 2018 article Low Back Pain: a call for action, in the medical journal Lancet, bulleted the points needed to implement an international response to the global problem of back pain. Those points focused on three areas: politics, public health, and healthcare. It is a comprehensive list. They included that a solution for back pain is needed and it needs to be a context-specific cost-efficient solution. The cause of back pain I present here the context-specific and cost-efficient solution they are looking for.

The bulleted points in the call-for-action married to this solution provides the road map for widespread adoption.

I will share one important step that can help people with back pain immediately. Provide physical therapists and physiotherapists the time needed to do a full evaluation, educate the patient, and develop a treatment program. In most cases, other than getting films taken, evaluations for back pain are 45–60 minutes at most before treatment is started. That is not enough time, and, it is not easy for most clinicians to increase the time they are scheduled to spend with patients.

It is possible to allow more time for evaluations in health care. My husband had cancer, his initial evaluation was in July, he was seen regularly and the treatment started in September. He was at Hopkins and the surgeon said they could not do it any faster and be safe. It is possible to allow more time for patient evaluations. Back pain would not take months to evaluate, however a day is reasonable and that would likely be more successful and cost less in the long run.

This back pain evaluation is basic and requires the skills physical therapists already possess. Resources to facilitate their understanding of patterns and details for the evaluation are immediately available.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

5 things I wish someone told me before I started:

1.) Before I started, I wish someone told me how hard it would be. It is hard. The days are long and there are many nights with just a few hours of sleep.

2.) Before I started, I wish someone told me that I would get in my own way. I am a healthcare worker, and my skill set works well for being in healthcare. It turns out that maybe it is not the best skill set for sharing a big idea. For instance, I wrote a book which has a lot of good information. Yet when the opportunity arises for me to say something about the book, I often find myself shying away, for a number of reasons, such as I don’t want people to feel like I am trying to sell them something. In short, there are times when I have definitely gotten in my own way.

3.) Before I started, I wish someone told me that there would be current ideas that would present resistance to sharing my big idea, even if it is unintentional resistance.

The example I will share regards research. I have the utmost respect for research and for researchers. I am 100% behind pursuing evidence-based information. I believe it is the perception and assumptions around research that need to be tweaked. For example, I was at a conference and the statement was made, ‘if you provide treatment that is not evidenced based (meaning not researched) that is unethical.’ There are couple of problems with that statement. First there are areas of health that have not been fully researched. There are people who have health problems in those areas. They need to be able to seek help from providers, and have the providers try to help them without the fear of being accused that they are unethical because someone has not yet researched that area.

Second there are areas that have been extensively researched and yet there are still unanswered questions. My topic, back pain, is a good example of that. There has been a lot of research about back pain. Yet it is widely accepted in medicine that the cause of back pain is unknown for most people who have back pain.

I am a kinesiologist and a physical therapist and I have been practicing for over 34 for years. For the past 20 I have spent over 3 hours on most of my patient evaluations, doing a deep dive into their mechanics, range of motion, strength and motor control. It is crystal clear to me what the underlying cause of back pain is for most people

When I take the steps to try and share that information, I have often met resistance, with questions like, ‘where is your research?’ Ironically that was often during my attempts to share this idea to encourage research.

I am a sole practitioner. This research is going to take the collaboration of multiple universities, and internationally, because back pain is the number one cause of disability in the world and has been for the past 30 years, likely because the cause of back pain has been unknown. There is a need to coordinate trials, to gather baseline information, to study the patterns I found, refine that, and move forward.

Meanwhile there are millions of people suffering in pain. Fortunately, the underlying cause of back pain is basic. I could take five people to a stage and they could talk about the positions and activities that bring their pain on. We could then look at their range of motion. By the end it would be crystal clear to the audience what the cause of back pain is. The underlying cause of back pain is basic and easy to demonstrate.

As a refresher from our early conversation, the cause of back pain is that people have limitations in the range of motion needed for the positions and activities that bring the pain on. When people do those activities anyway the back pays for it and that causes the back pain. Pain is how the back lets us know there is a problem.

Experience is an idea that has taken the back seat to research. An illustration of the importance of experience is, ‘I am standing at the door of a plane, I don’t ask if there has been research to prove that I need a parachute, I take the parachute.’ Similarly, if someone has glass in the bottom of their foot, I don’t wait for research to take it out. Fortunately, life provides us with much experience so we can make good decisions for ourselves.

Considering that the cause of back pain is basic, that we have experience on our side and that there are licensed physiotherapists around the world, we could take steps now to identify the cause of back pain for many people, and that would be huge. We can also take the next, more difficult, step of working to improve those mechanics. It will not be easy or perfect, however we cannot stay where we are with hundreds of millions of people suffering.

We know that it will take research years to do trials, collect and analyze data and we eagerly await their information to make needed adjustments to better serve people.

In number 3 of what I wish someone told before I got started, I have used research as my example of a current idea that can provide resistance to sharing a new idea. If I had known there would be resistance, I would have been better prepared. I would have been more flexible and would have made more plans of how to share this information. It would have saved me time and money on effort that was not helpful. This idea is very easy to demonstrate and extremely important, I was naïve. I had no idea that it would be difficult to share.

I will say that, with respect to research things have improved, before I started there was one study on range of motion and it had been done years before. There is more research on range of motion.

However, the big idea of being able to identify the cause of back pain, should not be met first with resistance.

4.) Before I started, I wish someone had told me about people and platforms that could readily help me share my message. For example, this interview with Authority Magazine on A Big Idea that Might Change the World. This topic is perfect to help me share information that I need to share for people who need that information, whether they are suffering, or whether they can reach out to help people who are suffering. The follow up questions are perfect they are definitely the questions that I need to answer. I am grateful to Authority Magazine for the opportunity that this interview provides.

I also found Chris Winfield and Jen Gottlieb who have a PR agency. I have seen them give and then give more, to help people with a message reach the people who need that message. I am extraordinarily grateful for their help.

I wish I had known about these people and this platform before I started, it would have saved time and energy and I might have been able to help people sooner.

5.) Before I started, I wish that someone had told me that if I have an idea, I know it is right, and I have the perseverance and the support of my family, that is all I need. I will make it through the fact that it is hard, that I will get in my own way, and that there will be resistance, and I will find people and platforms that will help me share this information, so that maybe one day this big idea might change the world.

Can you share with our readers what you think are the most important “success habits” or “success mindsets”?

I believe a positive mindset is important, failure is an opportunity to grow, perseverance plays a big role in success and you should envision yourself accomplishing your goals.

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Back pain is the number one cause of disability in the world. Informing the world of the cause of back pain is going to be a significant game changer.

There are numerous opportunities as this long overdue shift takes place.

A few examples include:

Facilitate the ability of physical therapists to help: Fund or start PT clinics that schedule the patient to be fully evaluated to identify if there are mechanical limitations related to the pain. This directly contributes to alleviating the back pain epidemic.
Hire and train a PT for your self-insured business: Have an in-house PT who can fully evaluate your employees and address the cause of their pain to help them reclaim their lives and be more productive.
Build effective technology highways: Technology will help significantly as education and information will need to be shared globally effectively impact the epidemic.
Develop implementation strategies. Middle- and lower-income countries are going to require help as their back pain numbers are projected to rise over the next few decades. These efforts will help people reclaim their lives and contribute to their communities.

Identifying and treating the cause of back pain will reduce the overall cost of back pain both financially and to society on numerous levels.

Currently those who are self-insured are well positioned to make this shift. @warrenbuffet @berkshirehathaway @jpmorgan @jeffbezos

I look forward to collaborating with you on this historic project.

Contact me for more information.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Instagram: @cathymahonpt

This page has a series of 5 videos with the instructions on how to record/track pain

Website: cathymahon.com

The website has the resources including, the book and a video library with videos that: demonstrate the recommended measurements and demonstrates steps for telemedicine.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CathyMahonPhyscialTherapyLLC

LinkedIn: cathy-mahon-physical-therapy-llc

Twitter: @cathymahonpt

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

SLAP: Cathy Mahon’s Big Idea That Might Change The World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Author Carole Robin: Giving Feedback; How To Be Honest Without Being Hurtful

…And finally, be a role model — people pick up signals on what is expected of them by watching what their boss does and does not do.

As a part of our series about “How To Give Honest Feedback without Being Hurtful”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Carole Robin.

Carole Robin is a former award-winning Stanford Business School prof (with a bunch of fancy titles) who taught the legendary Interpersonal Dynamics (aka “Touchy Feely”) course for almost two decades before co-founding Leaders in Tech, a non-profit which brings what she taught at Stanford to Tech startup CEOs and their organizations. She is not a career academic, having previously run a large sales and marketing organization for a Fortune 500 company, been a partner and principal in an international consulting firm, and an executive coach. She is the co-author, with David Bradford, of Penguin Random House’s acclaimed Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends and Colleagues which contains the lessons of “Touchy Feely” that students consistently describe as life-changing since it didn’t only make them better leaders — it made them (and continues to make them) better human beings.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

When my husband and I decided to get married, ten years after I began my career, we made a deal. At the time, we were both junior executives on the rise in big corporations. We both wanted the experience of being full time caregivers at home and fulltime wage earners supporting our family. The deal we made was that we would take turns in each role instead of both trying to juggle a demanding career and raising kids at the same time. As part of the plan, I agreed to be the first to stay home and we froze our standard of living so that when it was my turn to go back to work and support us, I would not have to re-enter the workforce at my husband’s future salary, and we would additionally have the benefit of a financial cushion accumulated as he earned more and more.

I anticipated I would go back to high tech-based sales and marketing where I had been very successful and had a large network. However, one of the consequences of staying home with small kids and subsequently taking on some part-time leadership roles in our community led me to decide that instead, when it was my turn to support our family, I wanted to go into Leadership Development. That prompted me to go back to school to initially get a master’s degree in Organization Development and subsequently a Ph.D. That fork in the road led to my eventually meeting my co-author David Bradford and ending up at Stanford, teaching Interpersonal Dynamics for nearly two decades and ultimately becoming known as the “Queen of Touchy Feely”.

I left Stanford in 2017 and co-founded Leaders in Tech, a non-profit backed by a who’s who of Silicon Valley with a mission to develop leaders who are committed to building high-performing and culturally healthy organizations, bringing all I once taught at Stanford to pre-IPO CEOs and founders in Tech.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I went to work in 1975 as the first woman hired into a non-clerical job at a very large Industrial Automation organization. I learned quickly that if I was going to succeed, I was going to have to play by what I saw as the “men’s rules” which primarily meant leaving emotions at the door. This, along with my drive, work ethic, and talent served me very well and I steadily rose up the ranks.

Ten years later after several promotions I was running a $50 million dollar business when, at a management offsite with my team, I got a tad choked up while passionately speaking about what I believed we could achieve if we all pulled together. I was met with stunned silence. One of the managers who worked for me looked at me in wide-eyed amazement and said, “Wow, looks like you’re human after all.” Then I burst out crying. “You don’t think I’m human??”

What followed was one of the most genuine and rewarding business conversations of my career in which a LOT of feelings were expressed by all of us. We realized we had been leaving half of ourselves, perhaps the most important half, in the parking lot. That was the moment we became an unstoppable team, and I became a real leader.

It is worth noting that had this happened earlier, when I had less credibility, confidence or power, the outcome would probably not have been as good. However, by the time of that offsite, I had internalized a message that had long ceased to serve me or the people I was leading. It was that watershed moment that led me to become so passionate about leadership development and so committed to the importance of interpersonal dynamics.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

After I was first promoted to manager, I was invited to attend a casual back yard BBQ with a bunch of executives and their partners, hosted by the Division Vice President. It was a big deal and an honor to be invited to these as not all of the managers were. Standing by the hors d’oeuvres table chatting with one of the senior managers, I bit into a canape and then tried as politely and surreptitiously as I could to spit it out into my napkin.

The senior manager asked if I was OK. I said, “Yeah, but beware, I think the fish in that canape has gone bad.” To which he responded, “Really? My wife made those.”

Turning beet red, I said, “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry — I’m so embarrassed!” He smiled and said, “Don’t be — I actually find your honesty refreshing. I thought they tasted weird as well!”

It’s funny now but I didn’t think it was at the time. At that moment, I learned that telling the truth doesn’t necessarily end up in disaster. I also learned to take much smaller tastes of items at an hors d’oeuvres table and maybe even smell them first!

What advice would you give to other CEOs and business leaders to help their employees to thrive and avoid burnout?

Remember that people do business with people — much more so than with ideas, products, strategies or even money. The so called “soft skills” are actually the hardest and it is when leaders stop paying as much attention to what is going on for their employees that organizations start to fall apart. Unfortunately, too many leaders ignore issues they consider “small”, especially “people issues” which often turn into bigger issues, as discussed in the book, Connect, that I co-authored. “Pinches” become “crunches” when left unaddressed for too long. Pay a bit now or pay a whole lot later.

Related to this is to learn how to create environments where people speak up and tell each other (and especially YOU as the leader) the truth. You can’t help someone if you don’t know they are struggling. You can’t address small issues unless you know they are brewing. Be genuinely curious and convey your interest in your people and they will sense it. As an aside, curiosity is impossible unless you are prepared to suspend judgment (at least temporarily.)

And finally, be a role model — people pick up signals on what is expected of them by watching what their boss does and does not do.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

Leadership is ultimately about mobilizing people to achieve a common goal. It requires a vision that inspires and the capacity to create a culture that motivates, focuses, develops and releases people’s potential in the organization.

In my work, I often talk about how to release and relieve stress. As a busy leader, what do you do to prepare your mind and body before a stressful or high stakes meeting, talk, or decision? Can you share a story or some examples?

I am a big believer in mindfulness and meditation and have been committed to my practice for many, many years. I meditate at least a half an hour a day, and when more stressed, twice a day. I also walk 4 miles a day and try to hit the gym a couple of times a week. Those are the ways I routinely manage my stress level. I have a short stretching routine and a few favorite 5-to-10-minute meditations I do immediately before high-stakes meetings or talks.

Ok, let’s jump to the core of our interview. Can you briefly tell our readers about your experience with managing a team and giving feedback?

Let’s start with why feedback matters in the first place. Human beings are intentional animals, meaning when I do something I have a particular desired outcome in mind. For example, in writing this piece I am hoping readers will feel compelled to get better at giving better feedback and become more effective leaders. But I will have no idea whether I have hit the mark unless someone tells me, which is why I need feedback! Feedback is data. The more data I have the more choices I have in how I proceed and the more you can help me develop. If what I have written is boring, too long, too basic, or irrelevant, I will argue that I am better off knowing that than not knowing. In that regard, your feedback to me on something I have not done well (and don’t know I have not done well) is a gift. Sometimes feedback is delivered in wrapping that is so ugly it’s hard to recognize there is a gift in there, but if I believe feedback is data and I am better off with more data than less data I will thank you for it.

I have led many teams in multiple organizations over the years and in establishing a “feedback-rich culture” in all of them, I have always framed feedback as a gift — meaning we also had a norm that the first thing a receiver (including me, as the leader) was expected to do upon getting feedback was to thank the giver. That does not mean people did not need to learn how to give feedback effectively and that is why skills and competencies in giving and receiving feedback are such a core part of the Interpersonal Dynamics (aka “Touchy Feely”) course I taught at Stanford and the book (Connect) which I co-authored. The five suggestions below under the question about how to give honest feedback in a way that doesn’t come across as too harsh speak to this further.

This might seem intuitive, but it will be constructive to spell it out. Can you share with us a few reasons why giving honest and direct feedback is essential to being an effective leader?

The main reason is that there is nothing more efficient than the truth. When you hint at an issue, the other might not know what the key point is or how important it is. When you say, “Something you might want to consider…” the other person doesn’t know whether it’s a casual suggestion, a really important issue, a request or a command. If you intend the last, but it is heard as the first, then the other person is likely to ignore the feedback to the detriment of both of you. And if you intend the first, but the other hears the last, you might both waste precious time.

A related problem is that when feedback is delivered indirectly, the receiver has to work hard to `read between the lines’ which is exhausting and ripe for misunderstanding. It can be challenging to seek clarification directly — especially when a power differential exists between you. If your direct report says, “I’m not clear about what you’re asking” they might fear you will see that as a criticism or as a sign of weakness or inadequacy.

The third problem is that being indirect can be experienced by the other as insulting. It can carry an implication that “you aren’t strong enough to handle the truth” or “our relationship is so fragile it can’t take the truth.” That message does nothing to build better or stronger relationships.

One of the trickiest parts of managing a team is giving honest feedback, in a way that doesn’t come across as too harsh. Can you please share with us five suggestions about how to best give constructive criticism to a remote employee? Kindly share a story or example for each.

Before answering the question, I’d recommend not using the word “criticism” since my belief is that language creates reality, and my assumption is that the giver’s intent is to be helpful and not to just criticize. Personally, I never use the words positive and negative when referring to feedback because all feedback is data and therefore all feedback is positive. Now as to five specific suggestions:

1.Understand that in any interaction between two people there are actually three realities, and in order to deliver honest feedback effectively, you need to stick with your reality.

The 3 realities are: 1) the other’s motives and intentions; 2) their behavior (what they say and do) and 3) the impact of their behavior on you. You only know the second and third. Avoid drawing conclusions about the first, which you don’t know but rather assume. When you do assume, we call that being “over the net” since our model describes a metaphorical net between reality #1 and reality #2. For example, your colleague has repeatedly arrived late to meetings for the last month (whether on Zoom or in person). That is reality #2 and you both know it, as would anyone watching a video of what happened. You are annoyed– that is reality #3. You have no visibility into reality #1 (what is going on for your colleague) and often it is in thinking you do that the situation goes awry — for example you say, “You don’t seem to care.” And for those of you who have been taught to stick with “I” messages, “I feel that you don’t care” means the same thing. It is over the net and playing in the other person’s back court. You don’t know whether they care or not unless they’ve said so. The same applies to “I feel that you aren’t committed.” The moment your feedback imputes a motive or makes an attribution such as these, you are much more likely to make the other person defensive and that will get in the way of moving into a productive exchange. It is also likely to feel more hurtful.

2. Identify all the ways the other’s behavior affects you.

How does it make you feel, how is it likely to influence your responses and how will it affect how you deal with that person in the future? That is your basis of influence. If we continue with our example above, you might be feeling increasingly irritated, worried about their level of commitment, or resentful because of the additional burden it is placing on you to defend their behavior to the rest of the team. Your colleague is well served to know this. People change for their reasons, not yours. Which of these personal reactions is more likely to influence your colleague to move toward a problem-solving conversation (which, by the way, is the purpose of feedback)?

3. Whether face to face or remote, it’s important to convey that you are doing this because you want to help the other person.

When somebody does something that bothers you, ask yourself, “is that behavior hurting them?” This ties into point #2 above. If their behavior is triggering this response in you, might it be happening with other people in the organization too? Is your direct report better off knowing that you are getting more and more irritated and therefore less and less likely to give them that next plum assignment? Or that you may not be the only one who is worried about their level of commitment?

4. Once you share the impact of their behavior [and why it is costly to them], get curious about why a well-intentioned person would act that way.

Few people get up in the morning, look in the mirror and ask themselves how they can be an even worse colleague today than they were yesterday. What might be happening for your colleague that is making it difficult for him to arrive on time?

5. Ask whether you are doing anything that is compounding the problem.

Remember that most interpersonal issues have an interpersonal component. Have you continued to schedule Friday morning meetings at a time when he has repeatedly said that Friday mornings are when he has to drop off his kids at school?

Can you address how to give constructive feedback over email? If someone is in front of you much of the nuance can be picked up in facial expressions and body language. But not when someone is remote. How do you prevent the email from sounding too critical or harsh?

The first answer is to avoid email as much as possible! Research shows that a feedback exchange is more likely to be successful if conducted by phone or Zoom if it can’t be in person. However, if you absolutely have to use e-mail, be as explicit as possible in taking the feedback steps outlined above; make it behaviorally specific, include the impact of the behavior on you (sharing feelings is much harder online, even with emoji’s), share your intentions (and concern for the person), and before telling them what you think they need to do, check that they are clear about what you find problematic. Ask how they are feeling in hearing the feedback and be prepared to do some clarification and recovery. One email rarely does the entire job and feedback, when well done, is an exchange, not an information dump. And, again, best not done by email.

In your experience, is there a best time to give feedback or critique? Should it be immediately after an incident? Should it be at a different time? Should it be at set intervals? Can you explain what you mean?

Generally, the closer the feedback is to the incident the better (if nothing else, the behavior is fresher, as are your reactions). However, there are times when it might be good to wait a bit. Are you so upset that you are likely to be more punitive than you want? Do you need some time to sort out your reactions? And there are times when the other is so upset they aren’t ready to hear what you have to say.

But if you do put it off, don’t wait too long, and let the person know your reason for wanting to wait. This may be nothing more than saying, “I am quite upset about this incident and we need to talk about it, but I need an hour to sort out my thoughts and feelings.”

In addition to addressing specific incidents, it can be useful to periodically “check in” with the other person by asking “how are we doing?” This makes feedback part of the normal course of interaction and is different than a performance appraisal — this invites exploration of any issues between you that need attention anytime. Related to this is the fact that one piece of feedback rarely changes 30 years of behavior. Be realistic and persistent. And last, acknowledge progress and address regression.

How would you define what it is to “be a great boss”? Can you share a story?

Great bosses:

· Speak the truth [even to authority/power]

· Are willing to be vulnerable and allow themselves to be better known

· Care for their direct reports

· Don’t let their own needs for approval/affirmation get in the way of doing what is best for the organization

· Make the tough decisions

· Are able to influence others AND remain open to influence

· Balance concern for the organization’s success with concern for people

· Tolerate ambiguity/uncertainty and are willing to make decisions under those conditions

· Have a compelling vision

John was a company president in a multinational corporation. He built a strong team that collectively made the major decisions and in being willing to be confronted when others thought he was wrong, established a culture of transparency and truth telling. He set high standards and helped members achieve them. He committed to his own and his team’s development, acknowledging they were all “a work in progress”. All of this produced higher performance on every metric than they had ever achieved.

I believe that if we could arm a critical mass of people with the skills and competencies I’ve written a book about, we would have healthier, and more functional families, communities, schools, teams, organizations and, if I’m really going to dream big, governments. Given business’ tremendous influence, if I were independently wealthy, I would send a copy of Connect to every business leader in the country, in hopes of mobilizing them to show leadership and provide the knowledge necessary to build more functional and robust relationships to all of their people. I stand behind the mission of the Stanford Business School even though I now run my own leadership development non-profit -– Change Lives, Change Organizations, Change the World.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In that response lies our growth and our freedom.” Victor Frankl.

I believe the concept of choice is key to self-empowerment, building strong relationships and ultimately leading a fuller, more meaningful life. When something feels difficult (such as responding to someone’s feedback) or risky (such as giving tough feedback), I substitute the words “I can’t” with “I have a choice” to remind myself that when it comes to my own attitude and behavior, I always have a choice.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

For more about the book please visit: www.connectandrelate.com

For more about Leaders in Tech please visit: www.leadersintech.org

For more about me visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-robin-ph-d-a8b5a91/

Thank you for these great insights! We really appreciate the time you spent with this.

Author Carole Robin: Giving Feedback; How To Be Honest Without Being Hurtful was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Danielle Burnstein of…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Danielle Burnstein of Sixense Enterprises

Trust your team and allow them to do what they do best. Leaders are at their best when they empower their team to do what needs to be done. If you micromanage, you’ll wind up piling more work on your plate, but if you empower your team, not only will things be much smoother, you’ll all be more enthusiastic and willing to share creative ideas.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle Burnstein.

Danielle Burnstein is the vice president of business development at Sixense Enterprises Inc., a leading developer of immersive computing solutions for companies across industries. An experienced strategist, Danielle comes from a diverse background in investing, entertainment, and technology. Prior to Sixense, Danielle focused on corporate strategy and strategic initiatives at Ingrooves, the media technology subsidiary of Universal Music Group. While there, Danielle spear-headed Ingroove’s VR/AR initiative where she developed strategies for implementation of immersive computing products for artists and independent labels that directly impacted the bottom line. Danielle joined the Sixense team in 2017 and is focused on finding ways to further expand the practical implementations of VR/AR — not only in assisting companies in bringing successful VR/AR solutions to the market — but in ensuring that these solutions improve lives.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

Like many other people, my path has not been linear. I started out focusing on something I was deeply passionate about, and that passion and ambition wound up leading me to something else entirely. I grew up in the East Bay, and beginning in middle school I played music for four hours every day. By the time I started at UC Davis, I was booking concerts. I studied Music and Anthropology there, and interned as an audio engineer for the Warner Music Group. From there, I was hired by INGrooves Music Group, an independent label and artists services organization, where I worked for three years. Eventually, an assignment in this role brought me into the world of Virtual Reality. I’d been asked to look into VR and its potential for music. Looking back, perhaps my boss at the time made a mistake by assigning this to me, because I found it so fascinating that I wound up completely pivoting, and pursuing my career in VR.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

In the 4th grade, I begged my mom for Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People — this was at the height of young girls starting to bully and be mean in school, and this book helped me to figure out how to navigate these situations wisely. More contemporarily, Jeremy Bailenson’s books Infinite Reality and Experience on Demand were also influential for me, and helped me to better understand the incredible potential of immersive technologies.

I’m also generally inspired by writers in Science Fiction, who are able to envision futures that bring hopeful (or cautionary) outlooks to the present. Working in the XR space often feels like inventing the future, and I draw particular inspiration from Ursula Le Guin, whose work incorporates sociology and philosophy to construct deeply compelling work.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

Before joining Sixense, while I was still working on my research assignment for IMG, I had a meeting with Bob Shaw, who is one of our Sixense board members. At this point I was still wondering about whether the excitement surrounding immersive computing technology was a fad or gimmick, or if the potential I kept hearing about was real. In the meeting, Bob mentioned that his wife, Deb, had suffered a stroke that resulted in a loss of cognition and motor function. He told me about the progress she had been able to make by coming into the Sixense office and using a prototype the team had created. The strides she had made in such a short time were profound, and any uncertainty I had about the potential for VR to improve people’s lives quickly vanished.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

It’s hard to pick just one — but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of material. Seeing the looks on people’s faces as they enter a virtual environment for the first time is always incredible. We’ve all seen those funny videos of people who are utterly convinced by the environment they’re in, so much so that they forget what’s going on in the real world and do something silly, like fall over or run into a wall. I’ve seen plenty of things like that happen first hand, and aside from the comic relief, they are reminders of the power of VR: if you can truly convince a person’s brain that they are in a different environment, there is so much you can teach them. At Sixense, we respect this power and are focused on using it wisely.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Wow, I have the perfect answer for this. When I first started at Sixense, I would frequently test out our products, but for some reason, I couldn’t quite master the movement, I couldn’t pick things up or trace effectively with the controllers. I figured there was just a learning curve, and everyone else just had the right muscle memory down. Of course, I was too proud to ask for help, or why it wasn’t working for me. This went on for over a month, until finally someone told me that I had been holding the controllers wrong the entire time.

At that moment I was embarrassed… But looking back, it was a good lesson that no matter how accomplished you feel, you’re never done learning, ever, and being too proud or shy about asking for help only gets in the way of your growth.

Two people come to mind, and the first is Bob Shaw, our board member who I mentioned earlier. Getting to know Bob was one of my main motivations to become involved with this industry. Early conversations I had with him really opened my eyes to the potential of this technology — and with advice from all his years of success in business, he was very clear about the importance of looking at mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

The second has got to be Bob’s wife, Deb. She has had three strokes, and served as patient zero for the development of the prototype I mentioned earlier, which is now known as the REAL System. I can think of nobody who exemplifies resilience the way she does — not only by doing 8 hours a day of rehab and diagnostic work, which in itself is exhausting, but also by becoming a champion for other people who are recovering from strokes by providing resources and encouragement to them. She founded the organization Champion the Challenges, which provides resources for stroke survivors and helps them find the right fit in terms of resources, which ultimately helps to improve outcomes over a one-size-fits-all approach. I’m really inspired by both her personal journey and the way she has been able to give back.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

The things I’m the most excited about right now are the products we are developing for rehabilitation and training. Currently, we’re seeing a lot of real-world validation of our technology across our different platforms, which give people the tools they need to improve their health and learn new skills. There have been quite a few studies demonstrating the benefits of immersive technology for these applications, and they are broad: cost reduction, knowledge retention, more engaging rehabilitation outcomes, and increased consistency across the board.

Moreover, while improving outcomes — which to me is exciting on its own — the products we’re bringing to market also generate important data that can be used by doctors, teachers and scientists to improve immersive technology in the future.

A great example of this is the REAL System, which is an FDA-approved, custom VR solution for stroke rehabilitation. It is designed to improve outcomes simply by putting patients in a more engaging environment. It transports patients to a virtual world, then guides them through exercises with a therapist, all while precisely and accurately tracking the physical movements in 3D space much more precisely and accurately than has ever been possible with traditional analog therapy. This benefits providers, researchers, and of course the patients themselves.

First I think is the growing level of engagement. We’re seeing a lot of activity in the hardware space from bigger companies like HTC, Sony and HP, which points to a healthy amount of interest both from investors, companies and consumers. I think that once some of the more obvious barriers, such as consumer cost and current hardware limitations are overcome, we’ll begin to see adoption proliferating.

Second is of course in software, where we’re starting to see all sorts of new immersive tools that can help us improve our lives. Along with all the games coming out, we’re starting to see more and more things designed with wellness in mind, and I think that says a lot about the potential for immersive tech to have a positive impact.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, is the potential for immersive tech to bring more resources to more people. Being able to access things like skill training or a speaking event in a virtual environment makes it possible for people to learn and grow in a way that was not previously not possible.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

At Sixense, we’re fortunate to have a culture that values ethics and the empirical process over quick profit. Our products are designed to make the world a better place, and we take that worldview seriously. In line with this, my main concerns are about the ethical use of immersive technology, the data it generates and the possibility that its potential could be wasted in exchange for profit. We can’t forget about the ultimate goal of healthcare, which is helping and protecting patients. When you have tools designed specifically to track their data for medical records, it becomes important that this is done in a way that is HIPAA compliant.

At this moment, there is potential for VR to democratize access to healthcare and training, simply by increasing access. With telemedicine and training for advanced skills, it could be possible for underserved populations to improve their health, increase socioeconomic mobility, and create more equitable foundations, but only if we approach this new frontier with that sort of equity as a top priority. At the moment, there are some practical barriers to this: consumer cost being the most prohibitive.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

Entertainment is clearly a driving factor in the XR industry, and it has a complicated effect on the rest of the space. This is neither unwelcome or unnatural: using a new technology to delight audiences and engage public interest is a long-lasting trend in media, from the Renaissance to streaming video. What this means, however, is that the potential for pure entertainment can overshadow some of the more practical use-cases like training, healthcare, and advanced skills. When I look at some of the skill training VR applications out there, such as the welding training platform we developed in collaboration with Lincoln Electric, I can’t help but picture the amount of resources that will be saved in the future: if students learn to weld by consuming only a fraction of the aluminum necessary for a welding certification today, that alone would have a huge impact on both efficiency and the environment. On top of that, I often think about the direction of the welding industry; with the average age of a welder at around 55 in the US and less than 20% under 35, it’s on the decline despite the fact that the need for good welders is only increasing. With a generation of master welders now entering retirement age, there is a huge wealth of knowledge that could be lost if we don’t find a way to pass it on. VR almost completely solves this issue by creating safe, repeatable and reliable content to help people enter an artful and lucrative career. If you expand this thinking to other advanced skill training, a cascade of possibilities emerge.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Absolutely. One of the things that makes human beings so special is our ability to adapt — be it to cold weather, local food sources, or the demands of a modern world, we have enormous potential to grow and evolve, both within our own lives and as a society. What makes this possible is neuroplasticity. Our brains evolved to recognize patterns of animal behavior, weather, and other natural phenomena, to influence our surroundings for our betterment. Now, with modernity creating new challenges to our wellbeing, be it our health, our skills, or perceptions of our neighbors, XR presents us with a new way to quickly adapt, learn, and overcome some of our oldest adversaries, such as mental and physical illness and limited access to training. It can even improve our ability to show empathy.

I think that in a lot of ways progress is being made, but there is of course more that needs to be done. It’s clear that this discrepancy between men and women in STEM fields is the result of a type of thinking that permeates all aspects of life, from the very beginning. Speaking from personal experience, when I was young and deciding between an advanced math course or an advanced art course, mentors or peers would say ‘pursue art! You don’t need math.’ This message would come from fellow students, teachers, even my guidance counselors. Looking back, it’s easy to see how omnipresent the conceptions of gender-norms are, and the effect they have on the choices you make.

Presently, I see a lot of progress in terms of women in leadership positions at a given company, but less of a presence on boards. Similarly, we see more women in marketing and commercial efforts, but less on the development and technical side of things. Even now, when asking why, I still hear that it’s a ‘question of inclination.’ Really? Well, perhaps we should take a look back at how we foster these inclinations from early childhood onward, and focus on making sure that young people feel empowered to pursue whatever interest they have, no matter who they are. In short, I believe that great strides are being made, but there is undoubtedly more to be done.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

Frankly, the notion that it’s all an entertainment industry. Some of the most valuable tools that VR presents us with are in healthcare and training — the potential for VR to engage the plasticity of our minds and to help us learn and grow is huge, and it’s sadly overshadowed by the public perception of this technology as just video games. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the occasional round of Beat Saber, I just see the platform reaching so far beyond that, and really touching people’s lives in a way that goes beyond entertainment.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Lead with kindness and respect. I can’t stress enough how important a positive attitude is when leading a team to accomplish a goal.
Always ask questions. No matter the context, you’ll do a better job if you’re able to speak up, clarify and get a better sense of a situation. I promise that questions, no matter how dumb you may think they are, are preferred to silence.
Trust your team and allow them to do what they do best. Leaders are at their best when they empower their team to do what needs to be done. If you micromanage, you’ll wind up piling more work on your plate, but if you empower your team, not only will things be much smoother, you’ll all be more enthusiastic and willing to share creative ideas.
Do not frown upon mistakes — they are a sign that you and your team are developing and growing.
Continuously show your team the real meaning and value behind the work you are doing. Give real world examples of how it is improving lives. We all want meaning from our work — sometimes we get too bogged down with the details to remember it.
Have some fun! Life is short. We all need to have some fun. Encourage group bonding activities.

I think democratization of healthcare would represent a huge leap in our ability to overcome inequity, in terms of culture, economics, and many other factors in life.

For an example of this, we need look no further than the recent transformations in healthcare brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. In many cases, general practitioners and specialists have begun meeting patients virtually, which has had a streamlining effect on their appointments, increasing their availability. From the patient’s perspective there are also benefits — rural communities that might otherwise have to travel hours for healthcare can be seen immediately, or people seeking help with depression or anxiety can connect with a therapist from the comfort of their homes. Of course, there are many important parts of healthcare that must happen in person, but Covid safety protocols have had the unintended effect of showing what’s possible when we embrace telemedicine — and by extension, healthcare delivered in an immersive digital environment. What we’re seeing right now is that this kind of access is possible, and I think bringing healthcare to a place where it is more readily accessible to all could really change the world.

I know this is probably not exactly what you are looking for here, but I’m going to have to answer it this way: my brother, who just recently passed away. After the most courageous battle against physical disease and mental ailments, he took his own life. I would want him to know that I am fighting for causes that meant so much to him every single day. That his legacy- one that is rooted in providing care to those that need it most will continue to live on forever. I am eternally grateful that I get to dedicate my time to a technology capable of improving patient outcomes for people like my brother and many more.

I want my brother to know that he will never be forgotten, and that he will live on through the change my team and I are able to bring to the world.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Danielle Burnstein of… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Stephanie Menjivar of Menji Media On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a…

Non-Fungible Tokens: Stephanie Menjivar of Menji Media On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry

Do your research: Make sure to understand things like the basics of the blockchain, and how crypto wallets work, Ethereum, and if you’re overwhelmed by all the info don’t be afraid to consult others that have minted and sold NFTs successfully.

Many have observed that we are at the cusp of an NFT boom. The thing is, it’s so cutting edge, that many people don’t know what it is. What exactly is an NFT and how can one create a lucrative career out of selling them? To address this, as a part of our interview series called “5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Menjivar.

Stephanie Menjivar is the founder and Art Business Mentor behind Menji Media, a creative marketing and business development consultancy pushing artists and creative professionals to reach their highest potential. Her art business mentorship platform has programs that help artists magnetically attract their loyal buyers and collectors. From coaching visual artists of all levels with online training programs, to hosting creative workshops, and interviewing game-changing artists about their journeys, Stephanie opens the doors of new opportunities for creatives. Her mission is to make the art world more accessible by teaching artists how to build profitable independent careers and sharing their stories with everyday people outside of the art world.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

Thank you so much for having me! I was born and raised in Miami, FL and grew up in a multicultural household (my mom is from Dominican Republic and my dad was from El Salvador) where creativity and structure always co-existed. I like to believe that I got my analytical side from my mom who’s a nurse/healthcare leader and my artsy side from my dad who was a graphic designer and artist. Early on, my interest in design and art was ignited by my dad. Some of my earliest memories involve my dad bringing me scrap paper from work to draw on, visiting museums with both of my parents, and even designing my first birthday card on my dad’s Mac back in 1995!

Years later as a teenager, I was introduced to the world of Contemporary Art and my outlook of what art was changed forever. I was completely hooked by the conceptual ideas that art could represent, the political statements art could make, and the way the “art of today” set a precedent for our culture. My obsession for art led me to pursue an art degree in hopes of one day contributing to our culture.

After experimenting with a variety of mediums, I felt connected to digital media and design. This led to creating work inspired by fine art for myself and my clients. But creating work for others wasn’t enough… I realized that a large aspect of what I enjoy is solving problems while collaborating with creatives. That’s when I realized that marketing and fine art was the perfect fusion for me. So, one day I sat down and began writing my thoughts on what the art world is missing, what I can do to improve the lives of creatives, and how I can use my knowledge to empower artists to go further in their careers. Once it all clicked in my head, my purpose became clear.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Definitely! The one book that impacted and inspired me to learn more about myself and psychology was The Confidence Gap: A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt by Russ Harris. Prior to reading this book I didn’t know how impactful or detrimental self-talk can be to one’s confidence. It made me realize that in order to succeed you have to be aware of your thoughts and believe in yourself before anyone can take a chance on you. Thanks to the lessons I learned in this book, conquering self-doubt and building confidence in your abilities is one of the core concepts I teach my clients.

The one podcast that gave me the courage to jump into entrepreneurship was NPR’s How I Built This hosted by Guy Raz. While driving home from my day job I would listen to the inspiring interviews from big name entrepreneurs like Sara Blakely, Kate Spade, the AirBnb Founders, and so many other amazing founders. I was always fascinated by the myriad of ups and downs they went through to build companies bigger than they ever thought possible. At the end of each interview I would feel so inspired and motivated to become an entrepreneur.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry? We’d love to hear it.

After working in the arts since 2006 everything came crashing down for me. The museum I worked at dismantled, then I was part of a gallery in Miami’s hot new arts district but it ended up closing down. I was back to square one and had no idea what to do next. After doing some freelance work and working for Apple for a year, I landed a job as the head of marketing for an artist-run textile company. That’s where my career took a turn into the world of marketing. Thanks to that career switch, I’m now able to combine my knowledge of art, marketing, psychology and technology by teaching artists about all the new business opportunities they can take advantage of like NFTs.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

One of my most interesting (and favorite) stories to tell is one about a client I had in Ohio. When we started working together he was focused on selling abstract paintings. But as he navigated through my program we realized that he could combine his other passions for music, mindfulness, and indian culture with his art. In the end he wrote and illustrated a children’s book inspired by one of his mentors and throughout the process he got acquainted with digital media to build, publish, and promote his book. Neither of us would have imagined that he was going to publish a book by the end of his journey. Perhaps he’ll even turn some of the book’s illustrations into an NFT.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I have a private Facebook group called Artists Building Empires where I host live videos and quick workshops where artists can learn how to promote their art. At the time, Facebook had just switched their user interface so everything was in a different place. I consider myself a techy person so I quickly looked over the new features and just went live. As I was talking I noticed that no one was interacting with my video. I thought to myself “Maybe everyone is sleeping in since it’s Sunday…” and I just continued teaching.

20 minutes later I ended the stream and realized I was talking about art marketing to a random group that wasn’t mine! It was really silly… Luckily I saved the recording and was able to share my 20 minute lesson with my group later that day. This funny mistake taught me to always double check everything before going live. Seems obvious but on that slow Sunday morning, this completely slipped my mind.

I’m so grateful for my partner, Deniss. We’ve been together since high school and from the moment we met he always supported my crazy creative ideas. Deniss always pushes me to be better, is always ready to help me with anything, encourages me to learn topics that challenge me and he’s the best art show buddy. He is one of the biggest reasons why I jumped into entrepreneurship. Ever since I can remember, he encouraged me to start a business and one day I just decided to combine all my skills and go for it.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, I’m constantly improving my personalized online training programs and coaching frameworks. With each iteration I help artists and creative businesses build confidence in selling their art independently through deep introspection, digital marketing, and how to use their story as a competitive advantage. These concepts help creatives in so many ways because for years we’ve been taught to focus on creating beautiful work, but when it’s time to share and sell the work, self-doubt consumes us. One of the many ways that I do this is by educating creatives about how valuable their work is and how to connect with people who appreciate their vision.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. I’m sure you get this question all the time. But for the benefit of our readers, can you explain in your own words what an NFT is, and why people are spending so much money on them?

An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a unique digital token that holds a place in the blockchain. This “token” can be traded but not replicated because it has a code in the blockchain that makes it unique. That code that makes your NFT unique let’s people know who is the creator of it and who has purchased it. Think of it like a digital certificate of authenticity.

NFTs are often compared to rare baseball cards (or even pokemon cards). These cards are made in limited quantities, they showcase someone/something that’s in demand, and they are usually purchased with money rather than being exchanged. The fact that NFTs are like limited cards that can only be traded in exchange for currency like Ethereum is what makes them “non-fungible.”

I think that the people who are spending a lot of money on NFTs are early adopters who see value in digital art (which has been underrepresented for many years), others want to support the future of a decentralized cryptocurrency economy and make it mainstream, and others might just be buying a lot of NFTs because of the recent hype around them.

Regardless of people’s reasons for buying NFTs, I believe this is the beginning of a new movement that may lead to something we can’t even fathom right now (kinda like the dot-com bubble).

The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

Most of the things that excite me the most about NFTs revolve around the art world. The top 3 things I’m excited to see are:

The future of how art will be sold. One of my favorite things about NFTs is that when an artist sells one of their digital works, they receive royalties from the secondary sales of the NFTs.
I love how NFTs have encouraged artists to learn more about tech and the blockchain. I’m excited to see how artists that use traditional mediums will adapt their style to the digital world.
New ways that we’ll experience art. Since NFTs will make digital and interactive art more popular, I can’t wait to see the type of digital art experiences that will be available in the future.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

The 3 things that concern me about the cryptocurrency/NFT industry are:

The environmental aspects of mining: As people become more aware of the benefits of using blockchain technology, the more computers we’ll need to compute the complex blockchain transactions and the more energy these transactions will use. In the future I would like to see energy efficient ways that can improve how we mine and transact cryptocurrencies.
Artists losing money: This concerns me because social media has made it enticing for anyone to jump on the NFT train. Many people are trying to release NFTs without considering the amount it costs to mint an NFT or doing their research. If you’re a creative who thinks it will be beneficial to release an NFT, I suggest talking to others who have sold NFTs successfully, know how much money you’re willing to spend to mint your NFT, and make sure you understand how it works before jumping in.
Digital bootlegs: I’m not sure if anyone else has thought of this but I’m concerned about people who might want to copy someone’s NFT, alter it a bit, and mint it as if it’s something new. Since the digital world is so vast and anyone can alter digital works. It makes me wonder how NFT marketplaces can prevent this from happening.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?

One myth I would like to dispel for artists is the idea of making “fast” money when you release an NFT. Although many artists have released NFTs and sold them for thousands of dollars, that doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. If you’re looking to drop an NFT, don’t look at it as a quick way to get rich. No matter how tempting people’s social media posts are, always do your research and consider your audience.

The other myth is for people considering buying NFTs and that is that “NFTs are definitely a good or bad investment”. Since this topic is so new it’s difficult to determine whether buying NFTs will be a good or bad investment in the future. Whatever the case is, don’t take investment advice from anyone who isn’t qualified and make sure to do your research.

Personally, if I was considering buying NFTs I would take the art collector approach. I would buy the digital art piece (or whatever the NFT is) because I love it, believe in the artist, and want to support them and not because I’m looking to make quick cash in the future.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry. What can be done to avoid that?

Some of the most common mistakes I’ve seen people make when entering the NFT industry are:

Not understanding their audience — I’ve seen many creators release NFTs without thinking about who their audience is. For example, if the majority of people who support your work are part of an older demographic that doesn’t understand the blockchain, you probably won’t have much luck selling your NFT. So, to avoid the hardship of not having any bids on your NFT make sure to gage your audience’s interest.
Not understanding the blockchain — Many people are excited to release their NFTs but they have no idea where to start, so they get overwhelmed and just follow what everyone else is doing blindly. Before jumping into any new venture take time to learn a bit about the technology, how it works, and how much it will cost to mint your digital work. This will allow you to see whether it’s worth your time or not.
Not promoting their NFT — If you have a large audience that’s always engaged with what you share online it’s likely that you can release an NFT and instantly get feedback (and sales). For example, this is the case for the popular Instagram account @visualizevalue that has 230K followers. On the other hand, if you have a much smaller audience you’ll have to put more time into promoting your NFT as much as possible to encourage people to support it.

How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?

I think NFT’s have the potential to contribute to society in many ways. I believe that the new NFT craze is introducing people to new forms of art that they can appreciate and many creators will be able to support themselves with this new way of selling their art. This is great because for a long time the art world has been controlled by a small percentage of elite people, but with NFTs creators will have more autonomy and more people will be able support the arts.

NFTs have also made the concept of the blockchain a bit more mainstream. As a result, many people are excited to learn about this technology which can lead to new inventions. In the future I also think that NFTs will give rise to new companies that will result in more jobs for people.

Ok, fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

Do your research: Make sure to understand things like the basics of the blockchain, and how crypto wallets work, Ethereum, and if you’re overwhelmed by all the info don’t be afraid to consult others that have minted and sold NFTs successfully.
Know your audience: Analyze your audience/social media following and see if they are interested in NFTs. If your audience loves your work but isn’t tech savvy or is part of an older demographic they might not understand the value of your NFT. You can gage your audience’s interest on social media by asking them what they think about NFTs. You can even start hinting what you want to release so that they don’t take your NFT drop as a surprise.
Look at the NFTs that sold: See what kind of NFTs have sold and what aspects can be adapted to your work. Some of the most popular NFTs have 3D elements, are animated, or are looping gifs. Think about what would look best with your style and create something one of a kind for the digital world.
Find a marketplace with like minded creators: Mint your NFT in a marketplace that aligns with your work and audience. Some of the most popular NFT marketplaces are Nifty Gateway, Super Rare, Foundation and Makersplace. Each of these marketplaces has different requirements for joining and they attract specific types of buyers and creators. Look at the type of work that people are bidding on and decide which marketplace would fit your situation the best.
Spread the word: Once you’ve been accepted to one of the NFT marketplaces make sure to engage people on your social media platforms. It’s important that your future “NFT drop” is cohesive with what you’re sharing/talking about. Once you are ready to announce your NFT make sure to promote it as much as possible. The goal is to bring awareness to your new digital creation so that someone will invest in your NFT.

Bonus Tip: Start by releasing just one NFT and see how people react. If it sells and people are interested in seeing more, that’s when you’ll know your audience is interested in seeing more NFTs from you.

Many people believe that they need to know how to draw or paint to be creative, but I encourage everyone to practice any creative activity like cooking, dancing, or even building as a way of expressing themselves and getting in-tune with their thoughts. When people are in-tune with their own creativity they discover a whole new world within themselves that can inspire, attract, and connect others in a way that they don’t even realize. If I can get just one person to experience this feeling, I would feel like I achieved my purpose and that’s why I want to turn the giving of this creative connectedness into a worldwide movement.

Artist and activist, Shepard Fairey — I’ve always been a fan of his work, business savviness, and how open he is about the causes he believes in. He makes art that impacts so many people’s lives, inspires people to speak up, and I love how his art evolves with what’s happening in the world.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Non-Fungible Tokens: Stephanie Menjivar of Menji Media On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Melissa Miller of Gratitude Investors: Giving Feedback; How To Be Honest Without Being Hurtful

Show workers how their actions tie in to the team’s goals, as well as their own. Feedback doesn’t feel critical when presented as a coaching tool to achieve goals. Get specific about your employee’s impact on the company. It’s important to use detailed examples of how their attitude, skills, and actions positively impact your organization. Also, be transparent with progress toward goals so workers can see momentum. Focus your conversation on the end goals, or objectives, workers are pursuing — not just the tasks or key performance indicators surrounding the goal.

As a part of our series about “How To Give Honest Feedback without Being Hurtful”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Melissa Miller.

Melissa Miller is the owner of Gratitude Investors, a company focused on increasing employee retention, engagement, and performance for individuals and companies through the implementation of gratitude and appreciation programs. Melissa’s educational background makes her uniquely qualified to work with businesses looking to take their recognition programs to the next level. With B.A. degrees in Economics and Psychology from Centre College, Melissa believes investing in employees creates the largest returns.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I really enjoy people. I love meeting new people and forming a connection. I’ve made friends in the shoe department while shopping. The team at my favorite Atlanta hotel and I are on a first-name basis. I am fun to sit next to on a plane (however, if you fall in the camp of immediately putting your earbuds in, I’ll give you space). It boils down to I am interested in people’s life stories. A few years ago, two of my aunts and I created The 180° Letters, a letter-writing kit to make sharing stories and gratitude simple. I loved working in appreciation and was drawn to the business sector from my professional life and education. Because I love people and connection, helping companies foster happy, fulfilled individuals is my company’s mission.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Gratitude Investors implements employee appreciation programs based in gratitude. I think the power of gratitude surprises people who are stepping into it for the first time. Their stories of how gratitude is changing things in their lives are heartwarming, and you can often hear a sense of wonder in their voices. Almost like “I didn’t expect this, but…”. Gratitude and appreciation are catalysts for changing work cultures and how we show up in our professional lives.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

When you are highly motivated, I learned that you can push out of your comfort zones and have great success. Fear of change will be there, but it is mixed with excitement as well. At the beginning of my career, I jokingly like to think I was similar to Olivia Pope, from Scandal, without the murder and intrigue. Essentially, I “handled” things. I took situations that called for creative solutions and made them happen. I found the hard-to-get items, pulled off the surprises, and made the impossible a reality. And although every day presented a challenge, I was comfortable there. When I started my business, it was intimidating to step into all the new roles I needed to master. I used gratitude to lessen my fears and forced myself to try new things. As an entrepreneur, I wear many different hats, and it falls on me to push out of my comfort zones to do jobs I’ve never done before. Building up the ability to take on a daunting situation, get creative, and handle it is essential. Great success never comes from comfort zones.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The devil is in the details. And my geography skills are abysmal. I have verified both of these statements to be true. One snowy winter, I was booking a private plane for a client to fly to islands south of Florida. I called the aviation company, gave the name of the destination town, and booked the flight. The day before takeoff, I was going over the itinerary and noticed a Mountain Time Zone reference. When I called the company to clarify the seemingly impossible fact that the Caribbean is actually in the Mountain Time Zone, they explained the plane was set to fly to South Dakota. There is apparently a shared name between a town in South Dakota and the islands. Who knew? I could not stop imagining the train wreck of my life if I hadn’t caught that mistake. I could envision this group of people deplaning in shorts, flip flops, and cover-ups into fifteen feet of snow. And the blowback that would happen from my error. Now when I get swept up in moving quickly, I try to remember to slow down and go back over the details.

What advice would you give to other CEOs and business leaders to help their employees to thrive and avoid burnout?

Years ago, my best friend was in an extraordinarily stressful job and she was not feeling any sense of professional accomplishment to help buffer the emotional drain. Each day on the job looked like the previous one, and she did not see progress. So as soon as she opened her eyes on Sunday morning and knew the workweek was right around the corner, her entire day became one of dread. Workers, now more than ever, may have symptoms like this pointing to burnout. In 2020, 75% of workers surveyed by FlexJobs reported experiencing burnout. If you feel like a clock is ticking over your head on Sunday, you need to examine what is causing the stress. Is your work/life balance nonexistent? Can you speak with your manager to address concerns and see if there is room for adjustment? Are you delegating and outsourcing to move things off your plate? Does your employer provide the opportunities you need to achieve long-term goals and advancement? Find what work activities fuel you and work in your strengths to keep your energy levels up. Preventing burnout requires continuous check-ins with yourself.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

Let’s start with what leadership is not. It’s not a title or a plaque on your desk. It’s not how big your salary is or how many people report to you. I think Brene Brown says it best, “A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.” We’ve all likely had bosses who operated in a scarcity mindset — there’s never enough work hours, effort, or money in the bottom line. A leader rooted in scarcity creates shame around people falling short. That approach creates fear and competition within the ranks. But the leaders who guide with abundance and vulnerability — those are the special ones. These are leaders who take the time to develop their team and offer growth opportunities. They are clear and transparent with their colleagues. These leaders admit when they don’t have all the answers and encourage everyone to be their best without being fearful of appearing weak. Great leaders balance asking for input with making the final decision. Leadership can be found throughout all levels of your business in people who respect and value others.

Stress shows up physically for me by wiping out my appetite, so I try to avoid letting it go unchecked. I control the things that I can. I work out and meditate most mornings, and that calms me physically. In addition, I try to overprepare, anticipate all possible scenarios, and repeatedly practice so I feel ready mentally. Once I’ve addressed the physical and mental aspects of stress, I can be excited about the opportunity.

Ok, let’s jump to the core of our interview. Can you briefly tell our readers about your experience with managing a team and giving feedback?

Gratitude Investors teaches leaders and companies the value of authentic feedback in achieving the company’s mission. Feedback helps employees see how their daily work is connected to personal and organizational goals. You can use it to help direct career advancement paths. Leaders can also use communication to prevent team losses with timely feedback. Despite all the benefits of using feedback, 44% of leaders say it is stressful, and 37% of managers say they avoid providing it (Harvard Business Review). I’ve found that by building connections and relationships first, having conversations centered around feedback becomes easier. It feels less like an annual review and more like two people coming up with best practice solutions together.

This might seem intuitive but it will be constructive to spell it out. Can you share with us a few reasons why giving honest and direct feedback is essential to being an effective leader?

Remember the days of taking a road trip with just verbal directions? You’d get in the car and head out only with a vague idea of the best-suggested route. Run into an accident? If you were lucky, you had a paper map in the backseat and could spend time making adjustments. However, you had no idea how far the traffic was backed up or where to find gas stations on the way. Trying to run your team without using honest feedback is just like driving without GPS. There is a lack of direction, and it is hard to make adjustments in the fast-paced work environment we face. Feedback works similar to having navigation on your phone. It yields clear directions to reach your destination, alerts you to potential hazards, and reroutes you as your course changes. Direct feedback allows teams to pivot when the project changes. Influential leaders use detailed, authentic assessments to drive behavior on their team.

1.Feedback should not feel like an annual review but more like a conversation. That discussion is easier when you communicate frequently and build rapport before it’s time to offer feedback. The relationship becomes even more important with remote workers because of the reduced chances for casual interaction. Be intentional and check in regularly to build a connection. Harvard Business Review found when managers have a conversation — any conversation — with employees, worker performance improves. It doesn’t matter what is actually discussed. Face-to-face time builds connection and trust. As communication between team members becomes more frequent, it will make feedback feel less like an assessment and more like a part of daily work.

2.Learn what your employee’s goals are. Meaningful, personalized work breeds company loyalty. Once you discover their “why,” use coaching and feedback to align personal motivations to company goals. Feedback should be used in career development conversations as well as team objective discussions. Start the meeting by going through a colleague’s strengths, what they love about work, and their intrinsic motivations. Now you will know how to use feedback to tap into what fuels them. If a correction is needed, refer to the company mission as the guideline for decision making.

3.Show workers how their actions tie in to the team’s goals, as well as their own. Feedback doesn’t feel critical when presented as a coaching tool to achieve goals. Get specific about your employee’s impact on the company. It’s important to use detailed examples of how their attitude, skills, and actions positively impact your organization. Also, be transparent with progress toward goals so workers can see momentum. Focus your conversation on the end goals, or objectives, workers are pursuing — not just the tasks or key performance indicators surrounding the goal.

4.Be mindful of your ratio of positive to negative comments. Research has shown that feedback should be given at a minimum of 5 to 1 positive to negative comments for optimal performance.

5.Think like a coach. Gallup reported only 23% of employees strongly agree that their manager provides meaningful feedback to them. Managers should behave more like coaches with operational check-ins happening on a weekly or biweekly basis. Employee developmental conversations should occur every 6 to 8 weeks. Just like a coach getting her team ready for March Madness, sometimes a loss helps the group refocus and discover what they can do better before they get to the championship. If you want innovative employees, there is no such thing as failure — only teachable moments.

How do you prevent the email from sounding too critical or harsh?

Every time you provide feedback, be specific and authentic. That is the case whether you are having a conversation in person or through email. Start your email by showing appreciation for your employee. If you are paying attention to your colleagues, you will be able to find at least one thing they are doing well. Even if that is as simple as, “Thank you for showing up every day — I know I can count on you.” Find something positive. Make sure you balance your tone and message. Emphasize individual and team progress and how to move forward with specific action items. Keep your feedback related to project and company goals to avoid making it feel like a personal confrontation. Finally, nail down a follow-up time to answer questions and review action items to move forward.

Imagine if you made a note to tell your son in the first quarter of next year what a great job he did cleaning his room this past weekend. Or if you scheduled a time once a year to tell your partner how you feel about her. My guess is those relationships would suffer from a lack of appreciation and connection. Yet, this is precisely how many leaders use feedback in the workplace. In contrast, a Workhuman survey showed 60% of people want positive feedback as events occur, and 61% want constructive feedback immediately. Feedback should be timely and specific. Depending on the situation, waiting a couple of days may be best for everyone to step back and take a breath, but don’t hold off longer than that. To keep it fresh in your mind, jot down notes of specifically what worked and didn’t work for the conversation. You can always have set times throughout the year to touch base, but feedback should be part of a continuous conversation.

How would you define what it is to “be a great boss”? Can you share a story?

Statistics show people don’t leave companies — they leave bosses. Management and their leadership style play a huge role in company culture. Great bosses see more potential in us than we see in ourselves. Their goal is to help us learn to see it too. I have a friend who emphatically attributes her present-day success to her former boss and mentor. This manager showed her the ropes in every aspect of the business world, from handling six-course meals to dressing for the job she wanted. Her mentor paid the bill for a personal public speaking coach. One Saturday, when my friend was going to leave town for a football game, her boss reminded her there would be many games to go to in the years to come; this wasn’t the time to skip work now if she wanted to be successful. Those words kept her eyes on the goal and proved to be true. Great bosses connect with people’s personal lives. They coach up, set clear expectations and goals, reward progress, provide “face time,” and are safety in times of uncertainty.

We spend one-third of our lives working. An outdated model of thinking is unprofessional to bring gratitude or compassion into the workplace. However, studies show appreciation and gratitude are vital to creating the very type of workplace environments people actually want to work in. One of our most fundamental needs as humans is to feel appreciated. Leaders and companies who understand this principle, and practice gratitude, create productive, engaged employees. I would love to see a corporate mentality where leaders implement this approach in all phases of work-life from the hiring process until retirement.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“I’m grateful but not complacent.” When I first came across this quote, I thought what a great way to sum up appreciating the present moment and going after your dreams at the same time. I think too often, being grateful can be misconstrued as being so happy you couldn’t want for anything more. That’s unrealistic. Gratitude helps relieve fear and anxiety in your head. The more I use gratitude, it helps me become braver to tackle parts of my life that need improvement. Just because I am grateful for my life doesn’t mean I’ve settled or stopped striving. I am thankful every day for many amazing things, but I know even greater ones are coming. It’s why I took a chance and started my business.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

We would love for you to stop by www.gratitudeinvestors.com and learn more about our gratitude-based employee appreciation programs. Catch up on daily information regarding gratitude in the workplace on Facebook and Instagram at @Gratitudeinvestor or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/gratitude-investors. You can also find daily inspiration on all things related to gratitude @180degreesgratitude on Instagram.

Thank you for these great insights! We really appreciate the time you spent with this.

Melissa Miller of Gratitude Investors: Giving Feedback; How To Be Honest Without Being Hurtful was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Is Now: Ben Stallard of Hotspring On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up…

The Future Is Now: Ben Stallard of Hotspring On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Tech Scene

If you are a runner or in a similar junior position, and want to be Producer for example, be the best runner you can. When i saw someone who was always two steps ahead and not trying to be the best at the role they were in at the time, it raised alarm bells.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ben Stallard, Global Head of Production at Hotspring

Ben has 25 years experience at the forefront of commercial visual effects, having spent eight years at MPC and twelve years at The Mill as head of production, group production director and executive board member. Since leaving The Mill in 2019, he founded ArtclubVFX, a start-up VFX outsourcing business based in London. In 2020, Ben joined Hotspring as Global Head of Production to grow their network and help studios across the world work seamlessly with the best talent, wherever they may be located.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I have spent 25 years in VFX, producing all sorts of Commercials, music videos, title sequences and motion graphics projects, including 6 years as Head of Production at Mill London — the largest commercial Production team in the world. In my latter years I was involved in how The Mill (part of Technicolor) utilized its Bangalore studios to get work done efficiently and quickly. During that time I saw how sharing work in that way freed up artists locally, allowing quick scaling and also driving financial efficiencies. When I left The Mill in 2018 I set up ArtclubVFX to service work from the UK and US in India. Soon after the pandemic started I linked up with Jon and Varun, founders of TraceVFX, the largest VFX outsource company in India which they had sold to Technicolor, and they asked me to join them at their startup, Hotspring. It’s the perfect blend of what I have done in the past with what I believe the future in VFX will look like. Hotspring is reinventing VFX workflows and has the capacity to service a whole multitude of other industries.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I can’t get it down to one story. When I look back, rather than individual stories, it’s more chunks of time that I remember most. There were two periods of time that stand out. The first was the mid 1990’s when I had just started working in Soho at MPC as a runner on Noel street. It was just so much fun in Soho then, the era of big name Directors, huge Productions with budgets to match, Britpop, house music and hedonism. We were in the final throes of being unencumbered by phones, apps and the internet. Anything seemed possible. The second period of time was being Head of Production at The Mill from 2010–2016. The Mill was a company at the very top of it’s game, winning everything, doing some really fantastic work and firing as a team. I did enjoy working with some great Directors along the way like Anthony Mingella, Jonathon Glazer and Frank Budgen. The stars were aligned at those points and I think that’s happened here again at Hotspring.

Can you tell us about the cutting edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

The Hotsping platform automates the triple bidding, management and delivery of outsourced tasks. In the VFX industry, outsourcing is not new but it has always been a laborious, manual task which can lead to mistakes and inefficiencies that ends up being a big time waster for Production. Hotspring is a marketplace, a project management tool, a communication system and an operational scaling function all wrapped up in one package, and we have proven over the last year that it makes businesses more efficient. It centralises and consolidates what can be a fragmented and varied way of working, giving greater control and visibility to the whole company.

Using virtual machines hosted on AWS, Hotspring can be deployed on projects securely as the talent working on it never actually receives the material. They just login to our system, access a VM in the cloud, work on the pixels in front of them and log out. No material is ever uploaded, downloaded or shared. It is fast, secure and enables talent to work more remotely.

As a Producer looking to outsource work, it will dramatically speed up the outsource process, saving hours of time. Think about simultaneous triple bidding — an instant time saver. As a manager, scaling your business on demand through Hotspring delivers a cost effective way to take on bigger projects without having that cost baked into your business model. As an artist working for Hotspring, you can earn more money and work where you like — something unimaginable in VFX outsourcing even a year ago.

In fact, any industry that needs CG or VFX related tasks executed by remote teams can benefit from Hotspring — think CG assets for e-commerce sites, architectural assets, teaching assets or infrastructure project assets — the list is long, and as Hotspring is designed to execute manual tasks in an automated way, it’s very scalable.

How do you think this might change the world?

The world is becoming more and more decentralised. Technology is allowing industries to invent new ways of working, democratising the marketplace. Hotspring unlocks vast networks of remote talent, provides the stability needed in executing tasks remotely and frees up the artists actually doing the work to work from wherever they like.

Hotspring provides the infrastructure — the ‘roads and bridges’- for a new way of working globally, fairly and more efficiently. As we have very low overheads, our model also provides fairer pay levels to artists in low cost centres and allows traditionally migratory talent to work where they like — reducing global travel which is a positive for the environmental crisis, and crucially, serves the best interests of clients worldwide saving money and time.

Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

If having more TV series and movies to watch is a bad thing, then yes — we should be increasingly conscious as a society of making sure we’re thinking about how much content we’re consuming, and providing alternatives — especially for children — that we know have a more constructive impact. I was happy playing with star wars figures as a kid, now young people expect photorealistic graphics and complex narratives!

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

Jon and Varun build a very successful bricks and mortar outsource studio in India. They know that model better than anyone and saw firsthand that it was unsustainable. They also saw some really great talent in India that was unable to access the market (and vice versa) coupled with a growing demand for content around the world.

It became a simple question — how best to service VFX work in the future, knowing demand was increasing and dependency on outsourced tasks was also increasing. Build even bigger studios with thousands of people, managers, upkeep, travel, salaries? The answer was a clear no. The alternative was to build a platform that connects content creators to the huge network of talent, allowing a networked model of execution — meaning capacity is only restrained by the talent that exists, not the schedule of any given company.

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

We are starting Hotspring in the VFX sector and have a strong presence in that market. Our short term goal is to move into adjacent industries like architectural and e-commerce asset creation.

We are underway with proof of concept in other industries and from there will scale organically or if needed, with further funding. Word of mouth is very important in the VFX industry, as is credibility. Beyond that bubble, targeted marketing strategies plus engagement of experts in targeted areas will all help.

What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?

Reaching new clients outside your circle of influence is hard in any sales capacity. We have found, particularly as we are not travelling, having local, established specialists with great reputations showcasing how Hotspring can add value has really paid dividends. We’re in the midst of growing our online presence, having just launched a revamped version of our website and getting more active on social media. It’s part of our mission to put the artists centre-stage and celebrate them, so we’re looking at some marketing strategies to engage the VFX community and spark discussion.

Occasionally in your career, you come across people who believe in you and trust your potential to grow and deliver, given the right support — the team at The Mill did that for me When I became Head of Production, that really gave me the self-confidence I lacked up until that point, even though I had been successful previously. Lots of people suffer from imposter syndrome to some degree but having someone else validate you is a great confidence booster. It taught me in turn to look for the potential in people and try, as a manager, to support my team to grow personally and believe in themselves and also that I had their back.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I strongly believe the changes we’re making around leveraging cloud technologies to change VFX workflows will have a significant impact on the lives of people all around the world who choose to pursue a career as an artist, doing this type of work. We’re reducing the need for artists to physically relocate to creative hubs to work, so people can choose to stay in their community if they want and avoid inflated rents. Empowering individuals to be able to make decisions that are in their own best interests is really gratifying, as well as supporting artists, all too often an overlooked profession that is so fundamental to our general happiness and wellbeing.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

If you are a runner or in a similar junior position, and want to be Producer for example, be the best runner you can. When i saw someone who was always two steps ahead and not trying to be the best at the role they were in at the time, it raised alarm bells.
Growth is not going to be linear — it’s always reassuring to hear there will be dips along the way, and it’s not a reflection on you if growth doesn’t stay on the up..
Find someone you admire or want to emulate and learn from them. Watch how they interact and how they communicate with others. (without being creepy)
If you are working late every single day, something is wrong with the way you are working, your workload, your support structure (team) or the way you are managed. It is not a badge of honour to get burned out. I used to see Producers working late every single day as habit, because they thought they should be. With mutually supporting teams, regular workload catch ups and a grown up culture, people do what they need to do, then leave and see their families and friends, which is how it should be.
Take personal ownership of absolutely everything. Your relationships in the office (good and bad), the quality of your work, your timekeeping, your learning, your attitude and your ego. With humility and a strong work ethic, you will succeed.

Like many people, I am very alarmed at the climate crisis. I think right now the absolute priority for individuals, businesses, institutions and governments should be to aim to be Carbon negative by 2030 or sooner. If i could inspire a movement it would be to push more businesses to take ownership of their carbon output. It is hard, no one is perfect, but it can be done if we all mobilise toward the same goal and there is some great work being done already, like B corp certification, but we are up against it. I think the pandemic has shown us we don’t need to travel anything like as much as we used to, for example. Also, rather than start a new movement, let’s encourage the readers, particularly in the Advertising sector, to join an existing one like the Advertising Association.

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Hotspring is ultimately an ecosystem of people. The unique technology around it is a tool to let that ecosystem flourish in a global, flexible and decentralized way of working. We have proven its value in the VFX world and continue to scale at speed from advertising into episodic and film. Simultaneously, we are developing some marquee projects in the architectural world, especially through the use of Unreal experiences. In fact the growth potential at Hotspring extends through any industry or sector that requires transactional task based execution of certain services. Integrations into adjacent internal software will further increase our ability to capture large parts of the outsource market.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

You can find me on Linkedin or visit our website thehotspring.com. Alternatively, you can follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

The Future Is Now: Ben Stallard of Hotspring On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Sonia Jackson Myles of The Accord Group: How Diversity Can Increase a Company’s Bottom Line

Diverse employees can be ambassadors to communities of customers. One of the groups SWAB connected with, which already existed, was the Ford African ancestry group. Together, we started to think of some unique ways that the group could help Ford Motor Company speak to the Black community, and we realized we could help people understand why they should buy a Ford, given all the car options that were out there. We started an incentive program that extended our employee discounts to people in the African-American community and we were able to directly drive sales of vehicles.

As a part of our series about “How Diversity Can Increase a Company’s Bottom Line”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sonia Jackson Myles.

Sonia Jackson Myles is an advisor and executive coach to Fortune 500 companies and private companies. Her firm, The Accord Group, LLC, works with CEOs and their teams on leadership development; DEI, unconscious bias training, and women’s initiatives; change management; employee engagement; and creating a culture where employees can thrive. Prior to starting The Accord Group, Sonia held leadership and executive roles at Ford Motor Company, The Gillette Company, and Procter & Gamble, where her last role was Director, Global Packaging Purchasing, managing $6 billion in spend.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive into the main part of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit more. Can you share a bit of your “backstory” with us?

Professionally, my back story is that I started my career at Ford Motor Company and was there for 13 years before I went to the Gillette company in Boston, Massachusetts. Then when Procter & Gamble acquired Gillette, I led part of the integration team and the company created a new role for me as the head of a global media sourcing organization. I was responsible for buying all of P&G’s media which was a big shift for the company because prior to my role being established, that was all done by marketing people.

I started to notice a lot about women in the workplace. I saw that my male mentees were coming to me and talking about things that were different than my female mentees. My male mentees would say, “Sonia, I’ve got this new business idea, I need you to help me flesh it out.” My female mentees were saying things like, “I don’t like working for women. I’m struggling with Tina, and I don’t trust her.” You have to remember, I had teams across the world and I was working with every demographic — people of every socio-economic background, every religion, every race.

You know, so many of us are socialized as little girls to distrust each other. It shows up as early as the age of four, and continues all the way through high school, and then we take those behaviors into the workplace. And the patterns I was seeing at all of the companies I worked for were really a direct result of that. I knew that if women, in particular, stayed in these patterns, we’d never get to the C-Suite or boardroom.

I began to ponder what my role in changing this could be and I knew I couldn’t do it while I had my corporate role (by that time I was responsible for all packaging globally for P&G) and so I left a job that I loved. I established the Sister Accord Foundation to work on these issues with young women and then went on to establish my company, The Accord Group, LLC, which takes a similar message back to corporate America.

But I have to say that an important part of my backstory and what gave me the inspiration and made me brave enough to leave my job was my family. I am the youngest of four children and my siblings are 11, 12, and 13 years older than me. Growing up I essentially had three mothers and two fathers, and I didn’t like it. I was mad that there were so many people telling me what to do. I think that is one of the big reasons why I am a creator and a disruptor. From a young age I said, “No, I’m going to do it my way.”

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us the lesson or take away you took out of that story?

I remember one session with one of my executive mentors when I was at the Ford Motor Company. He took me to lunch at a really nice, upscale restaurant in Dearborn. I like to eat. I like a good meal and I love eating out. I sat down and looked at the menu and my gut told me to order the salad, so that I could make sure I was paying attention and getting all of his wisdom and that I could easily talk. But then there was this other side voice that said, “No, get the pasta, this is your opportunity to eat something really great.” So, I got the pasta.

I was wearing a gray suit, which may have been a little snug in the waist in the first place, and I ate so much during that lunch that I had to unbutton my skirt. I was subtle about it and he didn’t notice, but by the end of lunch I had totally forgotten that I’d unbuttoned my skirt. I stood up and was about to leave the table, and felt the skirt falling down. Luckily, I realized it quickly and sat right back down to button the skirt. I was laughing so hard inside and my mentor didn’t notice anything.

I remember this story not because it was embarrassing but because it taught me to trust my initial instincts. I know myself deeply. The first thought I have is typically the right one. I may go through all of these other iterations and overthink it, but I have come to learn that I am better off when I go with that first thought. My internal GPS is usually spot on.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you tell us a story about how that was relevant in your own life?

“In the absence of information, people make stuff up.”

This is an important one because when they make it up, they typically go negative and then we have to spend time unraveling all of these untruths. What I’ve learned, and what I tell other people, is there’s no need to have people filling in the gaps of information when we can literally just tell the story.

I learned this firsthand when Procter and Gamble offered me the global media role. They explained that they been trying for seven years to centralize the operations, but hadn’t been successful. I was wondering why they thought I could make it work if no one else had been able to, and started to question if I was being set up for success. They had confidence that I had the skills to bring this thing to life.

As soon as I started talking to people within the organization, I began to understand what had been going on. The reason for the change had never been fully explained. No one understood fully why the company wanted to bring all of this purchasing into one place. So, people started to create their own narratives around the world because it’s a global organization, and they were all negative. “Oh, we’re going to lose our job.” “Oh, this is going to be a reduction in force.” “Oh, we have to totally change how we do our work.”

It was none of that. It was about being able to buy more effectively and efficiently. This was the largest advertiser in the world, but it wasn’t achieving efficiencies aligned with being the largest advertiser, so it couldn’t harness its collective influence. Now, put that all together in a group whose expertise is buying and it’s far more powerful.

It had not been explained in these terms over the years and so people filled in the blanks. My job was to simply tell the story. I went around the world to explain it. I showed up and was fully present and engaged and I told the story. And I think that was a big part of why we were able to be successful in establishing the organization within a little over a year.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?

I think it has to be my parents. My older siblings thought I got away with murder but that wasn’t it. The notion my parents planted inside of me very early was “Sonia, if you are willing to do the work, if you are willing to operate in excellence, you can do anything that you put your mind to.” I carried that with me throughout high school and my college years and into the workplace. I think it prevented me from feeling like I was in a box. I know that sometimes other people will put you in a box. But if you stay there, it’s because you allow them to keep you there. I didn’t do that. And so, yes, I was an executive in purchasing, but I studied marketing and I had ideas and I was confident in sharing them because I wouldn’t stay in my proverbial box.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

I remember I was pitching what I wanted to do for a particular company and the CEO looked at me and said, “You are the only person in my entire career that has ever come to me and talked about love in the workplace.” I think this is what makes my company stand out — the values I founded it on and the values I bring to the work. Talking about leading with love from a business perspective and how this drives growth and profitability is unique, but I’m just bringing my authentic self and doing what I feel called to do.

When I think about my work on the integration of Gillette and P&G, which was the largest coming together in the consumer products industry, the most important thing I did was make sure that respect and love was the cornerstone of how we connected. I don’t have to know you, I can have just met you and care about you as another human, and that’s the reason I want to serve you with excellence.

This is the philosophy on which I founded my company, and this is what I work with executives to understand. What does it look like to serve with excellence and how can it engage and excite your workforce so that they move through to their own next level of excellence?

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that might help people?

My newest program is called the Power Hourish. We virtually go to a city and offer a six-week course, once a week for about 80 minutes, in which we focus on mental, emotional, and physical health. I launched it last May, toward the beginning of the pandemic, because I wanted to help people understand how to stay strong in the midst of something none of us had ever experienced. I partnered with two amazing women, Dr. Shantel Thomas and Iris T. London, because collaboration is a big part of what I like to do. Dr. Shantel works on the mental health (the mind), and she talks about how to have vision and sit in a quiet space. She helps people really envision what they want in their lives. I work on the emotional health (the soul), and talk about a lot of things, including forgiveness which is so hard for so many people, but necessary in order to move forward in our lives. And Iris does the physical (the body); we exercise together online. We’re on the fifth round now and the feedback has been fantastic.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

When I left the corporate world, even before I started my business, I launched a foundation called The Sister Accord®️. The three pillars of our mission are educating girls and women,

enlightening girls and women of the Power of Sisterhood, and eradicating bullying and violence against girls and women. This really grew out of my experience in the corporate world and what I said earlier about how women are socialized at young ages to be mean to each other. Mean girls grow up to be mean women and mean bosses. Nearly 50% of the U.S. workforce is female, and it’s essential to the viability and profitability of any company or organization to ensure that an environment of collaboration, not competition, is promoted. I wanted to help women, in particular, understand how to create this environment and live the values of sisterhood.

Our Tea Party Programs help young women understand the importance of strong, healthy, positive relationships with other women as part of their personal development and their development as exceptional leaders. Our goal is to have participants learn how to love themselves and each other through a combination of self-awareness exercises and leadership development training. Together we call this #theheartwork™️.

Participants in these events are a combination of younger women and those already established in their careers, and the results have been amazing. We’ve had people say it helped them overcome anxiety disorders and past trauma, we’ve had some come together and start businesses with each other, and we’ve forged so many ongoing mentor-mentee relationships. We don’t ask people to make this kind of commitment, it just happens because we give them the safe space to connect with each other. These events really do change the trajectory of women’s lives.

In addition to changing women’s lives and improving relationships, my goal is for these events to be a pipeline of talent for our partner companies in the form of co-op/internship opportunities during high school and college, and, ultimately, permanent positions upon graduation.

Ok. Thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main part of our interview. This may be obvious to you, but it is not intuitive to many people. Can you articulate to our readers five ways that increased diversity can help a company’s bottom line? (Please share a story or example for each.)

I think these are the five things I would choose based on what I’ve seen in my career.

All boats rise. Oftentimes when you say equity and inclusion, people automatically start to shut down because they think that somebody else is going to be disadvantaged. I first noticed the issues with women not playing nice with each other when I was at Ford Motor Company which was, as you can imagine, a male-dominated industry. So, I started a group for women, an employee resources group, and we called it Sisters Who Are Buying, or SWAB (I know I probably could have picked a more attractive marketing name). I really just wanted women to be able to come together and share best practices and learnings. I asked a mentor of mine to help me so I could show support from leadership. The truth is that at first leadership was skeptical because they worried about singling out one group, but when I explained my vision, they understood helping one group is good for all of us. And, after a while, other people created additional employee resources groups.
Diverse employees can be ambassadors to communities of customers. One of the groups SWAB connected with, which already existed, was the Ford African ancestry group. Together, we started to think of some unique ways that the group could help Ford Motor Company speak to the Black community, and we realized we could help people understand why they should buy a Ford, given all the car options that were out there. We started an incentive program that extended our employee discounts to people in the African-American community and we were able to directly drive sales of vehicles.
Diverse employees can tap into additional talent. Another aspect of the work I spent a lot of time on when I was at Ford was recruiting more diverse talent. It was too easy for leadership to say, “we’re doing okay, we have Sonia, she’s a Black female” and check a box. But I didn’t want to be the only one and I wanted to leave a legacy. I started recruiting from Florida A&M University which is an HBCU that I had attended, because I wanted to show that there’s some really amazing talent out there, like, forget what color they are, these are just amazing people with amazing talent. I got the company to put some money into it and we started a relationship with the university. I actually took the CEO and some of the other leaders to Florida. As I moved on, I did that for all of the companies I went to as a way to get them engaged in how we can drive diversity, equity, and inclusion, and bring in different people with different experiences.
Diverse staff helps retain diverse staff. The other piece of this is retention. You want to attract great people, but if you have a revolving door because some people don’t feel that they can be successful there, that’s a problem. As I said earlier, I didn’t want to be the only Black female and feel like my employers were satisfied with having me on board. It’s important to create environments where everyone, regardless of who they are or what their background is, has the opportunity to win.
Working with diverse people brings innovation and creativity. My grandmother used to have a saying, “make a way out of no way,” which really means that when you don’t have resources, you have to be creative. I think when we don’t have diverse workforces and don’t partner with small women- and minority- owned businesses, we miss out on a lot of innovation. When I first started at Gillette, there was a gentleman who owned a temporary staffing agency. He told me that he had been trying for years to become an official vendor with the company but he kept getting turned down. I was new, so I asked around and people kept telling me that his agency did not have the wherewithal or the structure to effectively serve Gillette. I think they made a lot of assumptions that simply weren’t true. They wanted to stick with larger, more established staffing services. But here’s the thing, when I dug a little deeper and found out who had actually been sending temporary workers, it was his company. He was doing the work all along. With that information, I was able to get approval to officially bring his company onboard. It proved to be a very good decision because he was able to drive greater innovation, efficiencies, and savings.

What advice would you give to other business leaders to help their employees to thrive?

I think we spend too much time on weaknesses and what people aren’t doing instead of spending time identifying and strengthening their strengths. As a leader, you have to find a way to unleash each employee’s superpowers. People come with a lot of really amazing talents and skills, but oftentimes in structured organizations, they don’t know how to or feel like they can’t use those skills to drive success for themselves. As a leader, you have to be willing to engage with people deeply so you can recognize their strengths and leverage them. The truth is that a lot of people don’t even recognize their own superpowers — I ask people and so many will say “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure I have any.” Great leaders can see the greatness in others and inspire them to tap into it. When you identify something someone does well and tell them “you have a way with numbers” or “you have a lot of wisdom,” you actually speak it into them. Just sharing it can sometimes be the one thing that actually unleashes it.

What advice would you give to other business leaders about how to manage a large team?

Be present. Leaders are pulled in so many different directions and there’s so much going on. Trying to keep up with all of these things and then have your own life at home is very hard. What I have found to be most effective is being present in whatever I’m doing at that moment. If I was talking to the team in Spain, I made it all about the team in Spain. I learned how to be fully present and not thinking about two or three steps down the road. That really allowed me to engage with all of my team in a way that helped them to understand how important they were to me and led them to feel empowered to do great work. It helped that this was in the days before the pandemic when I could travel and be with people, but it’s a lesson we can all take with us even when we’re on the phone or Zoom. Make sure you are fully present and engaged with what they are talking to you about. We’re not good at multitasking. Once I learned to focus on one thing, it made a huge difference in terms of how I showed up as a leader.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC Funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this 🙂

Warren Buffet. He seems wise, humble, and kind. So many people think that to be successful or wealthy, you have to be mean and undermine others, but he’s just the total antithesis of that which is what I’m trying to teach through my foundation. And, he also has done so much with and for philanthropy. He seems to know when enough personal wealth is enough, even for his children. He really embodies the values that I try to live every day, so to be able to sit down with him would be a blessing.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

They can read about The Sister Accord®️ and see our upcoming programs on the foundation’s website and they can follow me on my website at http://soniajacksonmyles.com/.

Thank you for these excellent insights. We wish you continued success in your great work.

Sonia Jackson Myles of The Accord Group: How Diversity Can Increase a Company’s Bottom Line was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

FuelCell Energy: Jason Few’s Big Idea That Might Change The World

You won’t be able to get it all done in one day, so set clear priorities. It’s important to have ambitious goals, but it’s just as important to understand the smaller steps that it will take to achieve those goals. Whenever I enter a new sector or company for the first time, I often find myself envisioning what we might be able to achieve in the longer term. But it’s critical to never lose sight of the process or get too far ahead of yourself.

As a part of my series about “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” I had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Few.

Jason Few is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCEL), a global leader in fuel cell technology and clean energy solutions. He has more than 30 years of experience leading Global Fortune 500 and privately held companies across the energy, technology and telecommunication sectors, and he has overseen transformational changes across these sectors. In addition to his work at FuelCell Energy, Mr. Few also serves on the Marathon Oil Board of Directors (NYSE:MRO), as a Senior Advisor to Verve Industrial, an industrial cybersecurity software company, and on the board of Memorial Hermann Hospital. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer systems in business from Ohio University, and an MBA from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’m originally from Ohio, and while I’ve moved around quite a bit over the years, the Midwestern values I grew up with very much shaped who I am. Both of my parents had an incredible work ethic, never quitting a task until it was done. Their tenacity made a big impression on me, and I always strive to approach everything I do with that same work ethic.

One of five children, I was the first in my immediate family to graduate from college. I’m proud of that, but I also know that I might not have been able to do it without the support of the important role models in my life. For that reason, I’ve always tried to set positive examples for my siblings and other people in my life, encouraging them to strive to be the best that they can be. In my professional career, I draw inspiration from those around me, while also pushing them to reach their full potential.

I value my faith, my family, my personal and professional connections, and the challenges I’ve faced that have helped to make me the person I am today.

Can you please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’ve been involved in the energy sector for some time. In 2018, I was recruited to join FuelCell Energy’s Board of Directors, at a time when the company knew it needed to pursue a new strategic direction, aimed at bringing FuelCell’s energy innovations to a broader set of customers. My previous experience across the technology and energy sectors gave me a different perspective on FuelCell’s business, and I was excited to work with my fellow board colleagues and the management team to reimagine the company’s vision and strategy for growth.

Several months later, after serving as an independent board director, I was asked to take on the role of President and CEO. This was not my original plan, but I was honored to be given the offer, because I understand just how genuinely transformational FuelCell Energy’s work is. We don’t just deliver cleaner power — we’re developing and delivering systems that have the potential to radically transform the global energy landscape while positively impacting the environment. So, after discussing the opportunity with my wife of course, I happily accepted.

Can you please share with us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of the most interesting aspects of my career is that it has given me several opportunities to be part of projects that would have a major transformative impact on the world.

The first one involved helping to launch the broadband business more than two decades ago. Last year, when the world had to very quickly shut down and adapt because of the global pandemic, the fundamental tool that allowed the seamless transition to remote work was our nearly global broadband internet network. Back in the 1990s, I was part of a team that launched broadband for what is now AT&T. Now, when I look back and think about how transformative access to broadband has been for the world, I get goosebumps knowing that I played a small role in making that happen.

More recently, my role in helping to advance a transformative clean energy platform has also been incredibly motivating — and I imagine that when I look back on this experience years from now, it will give me similar goosebumps. My current role at FuelCell Energy has given me the opportunity to be on the front end of the coming energy transition, contributing to a major world goal of mitigating climate change and addressing one of the greatest challenges that our planet has ever faced. Without a doubt, this energy transition is poised to be one of the most significant shifts in modern history, and FuelCell Energy is contributing in material ways. To me, that is really exciting, and I get up every morning fired up to be a part of a solution that will enable the world to live powered by clean energy.

Which principles or philosophies have guided your life? Your career?

My faith in God has been a guiding principle for me throughout my personal and professional life. I also deeply value my family and everything that family means. Faith, the support of my wife, children, and family at large serve as my main fuel. These are all things that give meaning to life and inform my sense of morality.

With regard to my career, the most important principles for me have always been integrity and meeting my commitments exactly as I make them. I try to act with what I call a high “say/do” ratio, meaning when I say I will do something, I will. Every day at work, I’m very focused on delivering results for customers, my team, our stakeholders and our shareholders. I also believe in developing teams and building relationships inside the workplace. I think it is critical to invest in other people, bringing the best of you to work every day, getting to know people on a human level and engaging with them in their lives. I believe in direct and honest communication. Candid, constructive, and direct dialogue is very important, and it has helped to guide me in my career and my life.

Finally, I try to spend time with people outside of work who add to my life and whose lives I can add to. Warren Buffet has been quoted as saying, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” I want my average to be amazing.

Ok thank you for that. Let’s now move to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about your “Big Idea That Might Change The World”?

I fundamentally believe that the right kind of fuel cell technology, deployed in the right way, can radically transform the energy landscape — delivering reliable baseload power to the world in a much cleaner way than it is currently being done in most places.

In case you’re not familiar with fuel cells, they’re a technology that allows us to cleanly and efficiently produce electricity from a fuel (like hydrogen, natural gas or biogas) without burning that fuel. Importantly, fuel cells are able to produce what the energy industry calls “baseload” power — meaning they can be relied upon to continuously power our lives 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — which is something that wind and solar, as intermittent technologies, unfortunately can’t achieve.

Within the context of our energy landscape, where we’ve typically been forced to choose between “clean” and “baseload,” fuel cells are something of a paradigm shift: Fuel cells mean we can deliver reliable baseload power without burning any fuel. We can reliably power a city or a factory, while outputting virtually zero NOx or SOx emissions. We can finally have it both ways, or as some might say, “have our cake and eat it, too.”

That’s pretty amazing in and of itself, but FuelCell Energy’s approach goes even further. Our carbon separation capabilities decrease CO2 emissions by about 70%, and we’re able to capture CO2 that’s pure enough to be used for carbonated beverages. The same fuel cell that generates electricity can also directly convert electricity (and water) into clean hydrogen, for immediate use or long-term energy storage. Our fuel cells can be configured to run on hydrogen, which is a zero-carbon energy source, generating only electricity, heat and water. And our “tri-generation” system — delivering electricity, hydrogen, water, and thermal energy, all from a single platform, is game changing. We have the platform technology to lead our customers and prospective customers on the path to decarbonization.

There are other advantages as well. Our entire system is extremely compact and power-dense, delivering 10 megawatts per acre (compared to an intermittent solar system that would require approximately 395 acres of land to produce the same amount of power), so our fuel cells can be situated close to where power is needed. And our systems are designed for the circular economy — we recycle 93% of the materials in our platforms and products and put them back into productive use. I could go on and on!

But what does this mean for the world? The bottom line is that we don’t need to choose between radically decreasing emissions and delivering reliable baseload power — we can do both, today. We don’t have to accept that decarbonization means deindustrialization or that developing nations have to miss out on their own industrial revolution to be “good” global citizens. We don’t have to redo our infrastructure to enable distributed hydrogen, since we can efficiently and effectively capture carbon, and we can leverage zero-carbon hydrogen as a fuel to help us achieve our climate ambitions.

How do you think this will change the world?

It’s difficult to overstate the impact of what we’re talking about here. We can deliver clean, reliable baseload power, virtually anywhere in the world. We can radically decrease emissions and decrease our impact on climate change without compromising on energy reliability or availability. That’s pretty amazing.

In developing nations, there are some particular advantages. Our platform’s fuel flexibility means we can leverage whatever energy source is most readily available, whether that’s biogas, natural gas, propane, LNG, or something else. If there’s no readily available fuel source, anaerobic digesters can be deployed anywhere in the world to convert food and wastewater into clean biofuels. There is food and water waste everywhere around the world, and our platform can use that fuel to create and generate baseload power.

The other advantage, which I alluded to previously, is that our fuel cells don’t just generate baseload power — they also generate hydrogen, industrial-grade CO2, water and thermal energy such as steam. That hydrogen can be used to generate additional power, or it can be stored for future use. That carbon can be used in products such as cement, concrete, PH water balancing, beverages, dry ice and more. And that thermal energy can be used for indoor climate regulation, district heating and cooling or other industrial processes. This is an all-in-one system that can address virtually every energy need, all from whichever fuel source happens to be most readily available. That significantly cuts down on the infrastructure that would typically be needed to support those kinds of applications.

Having spent time in the telecommunications industry, in both the landline and cellular business, I think there are some significant parallels to be drawn between energy and telecommunications. Today, in a market like India, telecommunication providers are not spending time building out poles and wires for landline service; instead, they’re deploying cell towers and 5G networks to enable wireless communication. I think about distributed generation the same way: We don’t need to build big, centralized power generation plants or expensive, high-risk, high-voltage transmission lines, with poles and wires, and we can significantly reduce above-ground risks associated with natural disasters. With fuel cells, we can put the power exactly where it’s needed — even in urban areas or on remote islands, and even in parts of the world that lack power infrastructure today.

Virtually anywhere in the world, we can deliver clean, reliable energy — without sacrificing one for the other.

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this idea that people should think more deeply about?

At a higher level, we should think more deeply about the energy transition. I think it’s critical for all of us to realize that there’s not a single one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how we should decarbonize our energy infrastructure.

I don’t think the right answer is to simply say, “we need to do it all with renewable resources like wind and solar,” because that’s not reality. There are industries that simply do not lend themselves to electrification, such as cement, steelmaking, chemical processing, and glass, just to name a few. We can’t just stop making steel — and moreover, it would be incredibly unfair to tell a developing nation that they’re not allowed to make or use steel, when steel is needed to provide housing in highly populated communities, for example.

There is a potential for many unintended consequences given the rhetoric around energy and the way people are approaching the energy transition. It’s incumbent upon both industry and political leaders to take a very thoughtful approach to the energy transition; we need an approach that doesn’t lead with headlines but addresses the matter in a constructive way, without requiring deindustrialization or drastically changing the way we live.

Take a look at cars today that have rubber tires, a hydrocarbon; are we going to use wooden tires instead? Even an electric vehicle has rubber tires on it. So, the unintended consequence is that, in order to engage society in a conversation and to make progress, we must have open dialogue with all, including those that believe the answer is very binary.

I encourage you to take a picture of your favorite room in your house, print that picture, get a red Sharpie and draw an X through every item that is in full or part made using a hydrocarbon. You will be amazed at what is left if anything. The point is not that we shouldn’t, or that we can’t do things differently — the point is that real innovation, and real progress in transitioning away from hydrocarbons, is a complex task that will require a thoughtful, integrated approach.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this idea? Can you tell us that story?

I was always interested in the potential of fuel cells, but I really became convinced when I joined FuelCell Energy. I began to think much more deeply about the right way to drive an energy transition, and the role our company could play in enabling that transition.

It’s been interesting to me that different members of our team seem to have different opinions about which aspects or advantages of the fuel cell system they find most impressive or world-changing. For some, it’s the fact that we can create hydrogen. For others, it’s simply that we can deliver baseload power without burning any fuel.

For me, I think the fact that we can deliver fuel cells virtually anywhere in the world, even in places without much existing energy infrastructure, is most transformative. This same platform can help developing nations to industrialize while at the same time allowing them to be part of the global push toward clean energy. For me, that realization was the “ah ha” moment.

What do you need to lead this idea to widespread adoption?

The good news is that the world is increasingly committed to finding a way to take on climate change, and there is of course a desire to do so while maintaining abundant power. So from that perspective, there is already a huge appetite for a cleaner baseload power source.

There’s also already a strong desire for long-duration energy storage solutions, which again is another advantage of our fuel cells, given their ability to output hydrogen. That kind of storable energy is critical to support intermittent renewable resources. So on several fronts, the demand for exactly these solutions is already there. In many ways, the biggest catalyst that we need is educating the public about the opportunities that fuel cell systems offer. Ultimately, what we need is for business leaders, political leaders, and general consumers alike to think of fuel cells when they think of cleaner power and renewable energy.

Again, there’s already some good news here, in that many major business leaders have already recognized the importance of fuel cells. Just looking at FuelCell Energy in particular, some of our clients include Pfizer, which currently relies on our fuel cells for enhanced grid reliability and for steam in their manufacturing operations as they continue to work on the Covid-19 vaccine; ExxonMobil, who we’re working with to continue to push the limits of decarbonization; and global utilities who are working to decarbonize the electricity grid. So, the fuel cell movement is certainly gaining traction — but I’d love to see it accelerate even faster.

Finally, we need smart and clear policies so that companies like FuelCell Energy and others in the energy sector know exactly what the rules of the road are. In any business, the thing we need most is clarity. What are the rules? Once we know how we want to move forward, we will figure out how to be successful within that framework.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

You won’t be able to get it all done in one day, so set clear priorities. It’s important to have ambitious goals, but it’s just as important to understand the smaller steps that it will take to achieve those goals. Whenever I enter a new sector or company for the first time, I often find myself envisioning what we might be able to achieve in the longer term. But it’s critical to never lose sight of the process or get too far ahead of yourself.

Change always takes longer than you expect, but stay focused on the goal. Many years ago, when I first learned about fuel cells, I thought, “This is amazing! If we can just get the word out, virtually everyone will want to transition to fuel cell-based power.” The reality is that, while we’ve made significant progress in helping to get our customers realize the advantages of fuel cells, we still have some work to do in reshaping the energy landscape.

Listen more than you talk. I’ve been fortunate to have been surrounded by some very impressive colleagues throughout my career, but I’ve also been struck again and again at the fact that a critical insight or revelation can come from virtually anywhere. Always be ready to listen.

Know the difference between a mentor and a sponsor. In my professional journey, I’ve had several excellent mentors who offered me sound advice that has helped to shape my success. But my career has also been greatly shaped by my “sponsors” — those individuals who used their position not only to advise or mentor me but also to help me grow my career, to recommend me for the next opportunity, and to speak up for me when it mattered. I’ve benefited from both mentors and sponsors, and I’ve played both roles myself, so I thoroughly understand the value that each role brings. But it’s critical to know the difference and cultivate both.

Dysfunction is corrosive; make decisions quickly. As a leader, it’s critical to keep your teams moving. In many cases, indecision can be just as problematic as making a bad decision. Don’t be rash or jump to an answer without thinking it through, but trust your instincts and act decisively.

Can you share with our readers what you think are the most important “success habits” or “success mindsets”?

Meet your commitments; focus on outcomes and results; and build great teams that empower you to be a great teammate.

Some very well-known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

We’re not actively pitching VCs, since we’re already publicly traded, but I’ll take any opportunity I’m given to hammer home the opportunity for fuel cells.

Fuel cells are the most important energy source that almost no one is talking about — and FuelCell Energy’s portfolio of dynamic, scalable energy solutions delivers the options that the world needs to effectively build a path toward decarbonization.

The FuelCell platform delivers clean, dependable, megawatt-scale baseload power for markets across the globe. Our fuel cells are fuel-flexible — running on hydrogen, natural gas or biogas — without burning/combusting the fuel, thereby releasing virtually zero NOx or SOx emissions. And our tri-generation system delivers electricity, hydrogen and thermal energy — all from the same single platform, using the same fuel source.

FuelCell Energy delivers more than just cleaner power — we deliver platforms that can transform the global energy landscape.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

You can find me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbfew. You can also find FuelCell Energy on Twitter at @FuelCell_Energy, and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/fuelcell-energy/

FuelCell Energy: Jason Few’s Big Idea That Might Change The World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Christophe Verdot On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly…

Non-Fungible Tokens: Christophe Verdot On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry

Create a relationship with collectors. Once you have your first few collectors, it means you are on the right track and it is an incredibly positive thing. Try to get in touch with your collectors and thank them and eventually airdrop them some special NFT too. If a collector purchases more than one artwork from you, that speaks a lot. Most importantly, it is a sign of trust. Build a relationship with your collectors. They trust you with their money because you give them value in exchange.

Christophe Verdot is a freelance developer for nearly 2 decades. He is the Founder and Lead Developer of Signature Chain, an entity building dApps on the Waves Blockchain. Christophe’s most recent and popular brainchild is SIGN Art, a Digital Art Gallery and NFT Marketplace on Waves Blockchain

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I was born in Bordeaux, France, and grew up in Ares — a small town in the southwest seaside of France. Growing up, I was into street art and skateboarding.

I went to an art school in Bordeaux and worked as a full-time Web Designer, switching from agency to agency. After a while, I decided to switch to freelancing, initially and primarily into web design, and eventually into web development.

I moved to the Philippines in 2009 and am now living there with my wife. I started my own Filipino Martial Arts school and spends most of my time working and training.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The podcast that kind of changed my life was the speech of Gary Yourofsky about Veganism. I watched it 7 years ago and have been vegan ever since.

Aside from this, I play a lot of video games. Dark Souls had a significant impact on me, similarly from years of Martial Arts training, to never give up.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry? We’d love to hear it.

For the last 8 years, I regularly work on developing Metadata Registries for Carbon Unit Management. The registries were mostly financed by the European Union or by banks.

While working on one of these registries, I was asked to incorporate Blockchain-Based Document Certification. At that time, I did not know about Blockchain.

In early 2018, I started to read and study Blockchain. After a year later, I started Signature Chain and launched its first project — sign-web.app, a File and Document Certification tool on the Waves Blockchain

Following this, I decided to combine both things I loved — Art and Web Development. After a year of development, in February of 2021, I launched my second project under Signature Chain — SIGN Art (sign-art.app), the first and only Digital Art Gallery and NFT marketplace on the Waves Blockchain.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

First, I would say, are the Grants I received from Waves Blockchain to develop these projects. I received a few, including 10,000 Waves in December 2020, which allowed me to work full-time on SIGN Art.

More interestingly, a few days ago, was a record-breaking sale on SIGN Art which reached $1 Million. Such achievement reminds me that hard work always pays out.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I think I did a few, not sure which could be considered the funniest. I would say my biggest mistake and it happens still, is doing and handling everything alone.

I learned to delegate work, especially in fields that I am not 100% confident in. Leaving it to experts helps to ease a lot of stress, gives me more time for my self and is overall better for the project.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

As the sole developer of SIGN Art, I did everything alone in terms of development, but I had huge help from some community members that ended up being SIGN Ambassadors and are continuously doing an amazing job every day — managing community and things I don’t have much time to do. This was very important as it allowed me to focus on the development of the SIGN Art web application.

Recently, I started to open more opportunities for people to get involve and take part in the project. I have outsourced web development for improving our infrastructure and for building important tools to scale better. I, now, delegate more and I regret not doing it sooner.

I’m also very grateful to Sasha Ivanov (Waves Blockchain Founder) and the Waves Association members for their constant support of my project.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Currently, all my focus is on SIGN Art. The NFT platform was released almost 2 months ago, and the result is amazing! I am working on the secondary market, aside from several updates, which are planned for release this quarter.

SIGN Art helps digital artists by offering fixed and low transaction fees (no gas), and also an important feature — creation source certification, as compared to other NFT marketplaces.

NFT or Non-Fungible Tokens are unique and indivisible tokens linked to something unique. In the digital art field, for example, each NFT will be associated with unique art. What makes a creation original and unique are two things: 1) The artist’s intent and 2) the number of original copies in limited quantity or edition. What is the advantage of this? It’s about giving ownership and right, based on who owns this token.

The problem with digital files is that you can easily duplicate them, and they would all look exactly alike, with no way to know which one is the original — and this is where NFTs kick in. By creating NFT and linking it to unique artwork/s, artists can indicate which one is the original and whoever owns the NFT is the owner of the original artwork.

The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

What excites me the most is that it starts to become a thing even outside the initially small circle of NFT users. The technology is reaching well-known traditional artists that want to switch to the digital art scene. It is such a great honor to have these great artists onboard the NFT scene.
Also, as the NFT industry is constantly evolving as is Blockchain technology, a lot of interesting things around NFTs will come out in the coming years. Cross-Chain Technology is being developed by Gravity. I love to see how this will bring a new generation of artists and collectors, and communities from different blockchains.
NFT is currently focusing on digital art. Another exciting thing for me is the opportunity of NFT to branch out into the different industries, where applicable. NFTs give more power to the people and give access to things that were unreachable before. It would be awesome to see NFT getting applied to common and practical aspects of life, e.g., Ticketing and Property Real Estate.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

People often describe the NFT as a being in a bubble. It has been a constant debate and people worry that the bubble will pop soon and the hype will disappear. As long as there are artists and collectors that support the digital art movement, NFT marketplaces will not die. SIGN Art supports the community by releasing new features and regular improvements to the platform. Even with a small but strong group base of enthusiasts, with a common interest in Blockchain and Digital art, the industry will never die. As with Cryptocurrency, which up to now, some people are still calling a bubble. Haven’t we proved it otherwise?
Another issue that concerns me is that these NFT marketplaces are getting populated by “so-called” artists that get random images online, putting them together using a mobile app that does all the job. A couple of screen touches after, it sells for several hundred dollars. We try to keep SIGN Art exclusive for legitimate digital artists. We find it important to clean up the space by checking the background of all applications and randomly verifying the authenticity of artworks minted on the SIGN Art platform.
I see a few artists that are reluctant to use non-ETH marketplaces and it is of important concern for me as the lead developer of SIGN Art. Cross-Chain Technology is an interesting development and implementation, one that our platform can greatly benefit from. By implementing Cross-Chain, users can freely use $ETH on SIGN Art, and vise versa.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?

The biggest myth for me is that because you can put 2 images together and add some automatic effects to it, you are suddenly an artist. Our team at SIGN Art tries to screen the artist that we onboard the platform. We require a certain number of digital art/portfolios, to qualify as a digital artist.

Also, NFTs does not work for everything. People start to tokenize every random stuff. Many of them do not need a token, to begin with.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry? What can be done to avoid that?

Many artists want to sell right away. People see the hype around NFT, they try to post as many artworks as possible, instead of taking their time and work on high-quality art. A common mistake I see in the Digital Art NFT field is posting to many instead of a few of higher quality. Having 50 low-quality unsold NFT will not help you, versus 3 top-quality ones.

Also, it is sometimes better to wait and improve, before starting to sell. If you are a beginner, then work on getting better first. Once you start posting, it stays, and your image will be attached to these drops.

How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?

As of now, NFTs can be applied to collectibles, gaming, art, virtual worlds. I believe NFT has real-world asset and documentation use, however, the legal base needs to be determined thoroughly firstEspecially if we start to link them to physical counterparts. Once this happens, then it will help society, based on their immutability and transparency.

Do not start too early!

We see a lot of users that want to be an artist, legitimately or simply because of the NFT hype. People are getting an epiphany and want to change their career to become an artist. The thing is, while we understand everyone deserves a chance and must start somewhere, it does not make any sense to us to apply on a marketplace if you are not an established artist yet.

Perfect your art! Do not sell mediocre art or experiments. Strive to excel, rather than simply being good.

An NFT marketplace is a place where established artists sell their best creations. If you do not have a portfolio, no previous quality creations to show, or just a couple that you made following a tutorial — chances are that either you will get rejected by the platform and if not, then you’ll simply take the high risk of associating your name to a complete beginner and when you give such first impression to potential collectors, it is always very difficult to change it.

On SIGN Art, we assess and arbitrate our Approved sets of artists.

Learn first, get good at it then eventually consider joining a marketplace. Not the other way around.

At some point, the state of Crypto Art will correct and when this happens, only high-quality artists will remain in the space. Be one of them!

2. Quality over Quantity.

Many artists seem to think that the more they post, the higher the chances for them to make some sales.

While there is no golden rule about it and some top-selling artists happen to also drop new artworks regularly and are often sold out most of the time. However, for many others, they are just overloading their portfolio and sending a red flag to their visitors that no one is buying their creations.

If you can create a new artwork every day and have 50 unsold pieces in your portfolio, most probably you should consider create less and spend more time and improve each new creation. From a collector’s point of view, seeing an overloaded portfolio with very few to no pieces sold at all is not going to appeal to me at all.

Spend more time on your creation, post only the best of them and think about scarcity, as well. Better sell a 1/1 or 2/2 polished piece at a higher price, rather than rushed artworks made 10/10 at an exceptionally low price.

Also, avoid selling photographs of artworks. Many newcomers tend to just take a picture of their old hand-drawn physical art and try to stretch it out on a digital market, to sell it once again. While you are free to do that, unless it is an enhanced version with some digital post-treatment that makes it a digitally extended version of the physical version, this has little to do with digital art. Experienced collectors know that.

3. Price yourself correctly.

Pricing is an important part of the process. We notice that many talented artists have quite a hard time pricing their work and it is not rare that you will come across artworks that are sold at a certain price, with several bids, and eventually getting sold at 10 times lower the indicated price.

This could be double-edged, as basically, you are telling collectors that you have no idea what your art is worth to you. Some artists put a random price, but accept bids at any price.

The takeaway is that you should take the time to think about the price of your artworks. Define the price that makes sense to you and place a limit in terms of accepting offers.

4. Be active with the community and promote yourself.

If you just entered the space and were able to join a marketplace, you would have to make a name and connect with the community to maximize your exposure and the chance to attract collectors.

Be active on Twitter Instagram, Telegram, and Discord as these are among the most used social media and messaging platforms in Crypto Art.

Joining these groups will be extremely beneficial, as you get the chance to connect with fellow digital artists and collectors. Consider collaborating with other artists that share your passion and creativity. Share your work, receive feedback, and learn from seasoned artists.

Creating a bond with a community of both artists and collectors is extremely important. You are not competing here, you are sharing and thriving together. The most active and best-selling artists are often the ones active within a community — helping others. Connecting helps you build a large, reliable customer base, and strengthens the pool of collectors you can count on to repeatedly purchase NFTs from you.

Also, it is important to know that no one can appreciate art more than artists themselves. Unsurprisingly, artists are among the most active collectors.

Make sure to also have a fully completed profile on the marketplace and give as much information about you and your art, including links to your social media and portfolios to build trust among collectors. From a personal point of view, as a collector, if a profile has none of these and I have no way to do my research about the artist, I am unlikely going to buy any of his pieces.

5. Create a relationship with collectors.

Once you have your first few collectors, it means you are on the right track and it is an incredibly positive thing. Try to get in touch with your collectors and thank them and eventually airdrop them some special NFT too. If a collector purchases more than one artwork from you, that speaks a lot. Most importantly, it is a sign of trust. Build a relationship with your collectors. They trust you with their money because you give them value in exchange.

Some collectors will remain anonymous, but you know their blockchain address, so it is easy to airdrop them something from time to time or just post a general tweet to thank the anonymous buyer.

What is also important is to share with the collector some information and history about the creation you sell, why you made it, how you made it and what story you are telling through it. Art should try to tell a story, send a message, and create some reaction. Who knows, the collector may relate to these stories and come back for more.

Do not be too aggressive in selling, which I often see. Find the balance between promoting and being too pushy.

Consider the following:

You had your first sale, and you know who the collector was and did thank him for this, perfect.

On your next drop, you may tag him and call him out to have a look. Fair enough but please, stop there! Do not insist or call him out on every of your drop, asking him to buy just because he collected once and is maybe your only collector. This will make you look cheap and make him unlikely to want to get more from you if he feels constantly called out. Do not rely on one collector and make sure to focus on attracting more of them.

I would love a movement around quality NFT. Currently, where everyone tokenizes almost anything and everyone suddenly labels themselves as artists, it becomes hard to find artists as they tend to be like a hidden gem.

Most importantly, protect the planet. We only have one, Consider less meat and less plastic. Strive for a healthier lifestyle ?

I would love to finally meet with Sasha Ivanov and Aleksei Pupyshev, Sasha to thanks him for all the help he did provide to my project, and Aleksei for his support on making SIGN cross-chain through his Gravity project. I would ask for their advice on how to make the project even better. Must be a vegan lunch of course ?

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success in your great work!

Non-Fungible Tokens: Christophe Verdot On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Vladislav Ginzburg On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly…

Non-Fungible Tokens: Vladislav Ginzburg On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry

In order for NFTs to do anything we want them to do they need to run on a smart contract. If this movement makes sense, then we don’t just talk about the charities we support, but we actually put our money where our mouth is and write what our mouth is saying with smart contracts. With all the money flying around in blockchain, I’m dedicated to utilizing smart contracts to route some of the money directly into charity.

Vlad serves as Chief Operating Officer of Blockparty. Earlier he ran an art hedge fund and was a former director at Rock Paper Photo, a LiveNation backed photography marketplace. He also previously managed a blue-chip artwork investment fund and individual artists, during which he closed $100mm in art transactions.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I was born in Kyiv in 1987, left the Soviet Union with my family when I was young and came to America by way of Austria and Italy, eventually ending up in Brooklyn. After I graduated college, I was looking for a career in finance and ended up getting into the fine art industry. I did some odd jobs for auction houses and realized that the art business was a financial market but was lacking in the tools and analytics that financial markets rely on, and felt I could make an impact there. Combining that knowledge with my love for music and art and experience working as an art dealer and managing art collected by musicians, I found myself at the intersection of music and art. I stepped away from art briefly to focus on and pursue technology until I met Blockparty co-founder Shiv Madan. We worked hard on creating a ticketing use case for NFT’s, eventually expanding our scope to NFT’s for music, art and culture collectibles. Given my experience in the art world, I stepped in as CEO to lead the expansion.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

I think that Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is a book that resonates with a lot of people in the industry, myself included, because of how much it ties retro futurism into a future that is largely lived online and tying into things like the Metaverse, and how important of a role gaming plays into the development of exciting products.

As for other books, I get asked a lot about the fantastical prices being made in NFT’s in this early hype cycle and if there’s any precedent in the Contemporary Art market. While I wouldn’t say that this book necessarily impacted me, nor do I agree with many of it’s assessments, I recommend The 10 Million Dollar Stuffed Shark by Dan Johnson to folks trying to understand the parallels of the art market to what’s happening now with NFT’s.

Books like the Truth Machine and The Age of Cryptocurrency by Michael Casey were instrumental in turning my blockchain/bitcoin hobby into a legitimate career interest.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry?

Most tech companies or founders largely build products for ourselves, something that we would use or something that would matter to us. I’ve always been a fan of music and art and wanted to be a part of and give back to the industry. I also spent my career studying the psychology of collectorship, so with that knowledge and my passion for music and art I was able to better understand the intersection of the two and help create something authentic.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

The first time we ticketed a music festival end to end we came into it from the perspective of solving the market problems (ticket scalping, fake tickets, etc.), all of which NFTs did solve, but what we realized is despite the problems with incumbent ticket platforms, people didn’t understand NFTs yet, and were used to convenience and habit, so we had to learn how to add value to the market while also creating a platform and service that is easy to use. Confirmation times, requiring one ticket (NFT) per wallet, non allowance of 3rd party marketplaces confused the consumer, leading to some frustrated interactions at the entrance to the festival. I laugh when I remember that day, thinking about how the consumer didn’t exactly feel better about their customer service needs because they were among the first to use an NFT for a ticket. Lesson learned that we continue to carry with us to this day as an organization.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Early in my career I met a massively significant artist named Astrid Kirchherr. We met shortly after the fine art investment fund I managed acquired the copyrights to her iconic first-ever photographs of the Beatles, in order to begin creating prints that she would sign and sell to collectors via galleries and exhibit in museums around the world.

That day, I arrived to meet her at her attorney’s office in Hamburg, DE. I flew in from New York with a portfolio box containing prints of her photographs that I had made at a leading photography print studio in Manhattan. I also flew with a ceremonial pen I purchased as a gift. I thought presenting her with the first run of high-quality prints, and a ceremonial pen for the first signing was the right move.

Quite quickly, she let me know that the prints were not created with the correct attention to detail that she demands in prints of her work, and that she never, ever signs in pen. What a faux pas, and a tremendously embarrassing moment to say the least.

Fortunately, I would go on to have commercial and cultural success with her archive of works, and she and I would laugh about that moment later on.

However, that day (and that feeling) has stuck with me every day since and reminds me never to fall into the trap of mistaking artworks (or NFTs now) for assets first and foremost. These are artworks, and above all else the art and artists perspective must be respected to be truly authentic — and the authenticity is the value, and authenticity often means more than just real.

That’s an ethic I bring to work every day at Blockparty and to the artists that trust us with their artworks.

My parents first and foremost have had a big impact on my success. They’ve always instilled the ‘immigrant mentality’ of never giving up, even if the odds are stacked against you and that definitely is something that has driven me throughout my career. My wife has also been an integral part of my success — she was extremely supportive in 2016 when I decided to change career paths and has been a support system throughout. As a highly accomplished marketing and brand professional, she’s taught me a lot about brand and how critical the mission and story is in the business I run, and how living that mission is vital to the success of the company and brand. There were also quite a few people who took the time to explain the music industry to help me become more thoughtful about the industry, which was important for me as well.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, we recently launched a refreshed platform, which offers a variety of tools and options for creators including bespoke and customizable storefronts, auction functionality, tooling, and multi chain-support. This updated platform provides a more personalized experience for artists and musicians, allowing them to manage and conduct their own drops, direct sales, auctions and reach new audiences with their authentic NFTs.

For the benefit of our readers, can you explain in your own words what an NFT is, and why people are spending so much money on them?

NFTs are a type of cryptographic token initially made possible by the Ethereum blockchain, which is a decentralized and open-source blockchain that allows developers the freedom and tools to create custom tokens for whatever purpose they see fit. In this case, each token is fully unique and therefore its value is derived only from the characteristics that make it unique.

It is therefore easiest to think of an NFT as a digital certificate of title. Owning the NFT means you own the media that is connected to it (just as the certificate of title you have on a car means you own the car that is connected to the certificate).

Digital art has existed for many decades, but faced a great challenge to develop a culture of collectorship: It’s hard to prove ownership of a digital asset. NFT’s help by establishing a digital certificate of title that is linked to a digital artwork, and ownership is guaranteed, and tracked throughout resale.

One of the main benefits of owning a digital collectible versus a physical collectible is that each NFT contains distinguishing characteristics that make each unique and easily verifiable. This is a major selling point for collectors, because it means that their investment is protected since the original can be traced back to the original creator, so any fake collectibles won’t hold up.

The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

One thing I’m excited for is when the industry gets out of the pandemic. Right now, the great equalizer of NFTs is that we’re all on our screens 24/7, but once we’re back in the world there’s an opportunity for NFTs to be usable in the real world and to continue to deliver value.

On the flip side of that, I’m excited to see how digital solutions will continue to have an impact post-pandemic. As virtual experiences become more robust and high quality, digital ownership within those things will really start to matter and we have to step out of our defaults and think about reaching a digital generation.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

Celebrity Takeover: with the influx of celebrities coming into the NFT space, it might take audiences away from entering creators.

Data Security: creators and fans not using established platforms that have clear security guidelines when it comes to collecting personal and financial information.

NFT’s becoming a ‘fad’: people may try to jump on the bandwagon and invest in NFTs or creators that they’re not passionate about.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?

NFTs are complicated

NFTs may sound complicated, but they’re not. Logically, it’s no different than two rectangular sheets of canvas. If I paint on it, thus making that canvas completely unique to characteristics I applied, it’s only worth something to my mom. If Andy Warhol does it, it’s a commercially-viable asset. The same goes for NFTs.

NFTs are a bad investment

If you are passionate about the industry and creator that you’re investing in, NFTs are a great investment because they have the potential to exponentially increase their value, which not only benefits the investor but also the creator who developed the work.

NFTs are pointless

Crypto art is the future as it enables traditional artists — who still prefer canvas and paintbrush — to create new digital features of their works. By allowing these artists to expand their creative mediums, they’re able to create a more well rounded experiences for fans and collectors and open up a new revenue stream.

NFTs promote forgery and misattribution

While NFTs do guarantee ownership of an asset, they do not guarantee that the creator of the asset isn’t knocking it off. My advice to consumers looking to purchase NFTs is to buy from a legitimate NFT platform that vet creators to ensure their work is legit.

NFTs are bad for the environment

The problem that must be solved here is not NFTs being bad for the environment, it is the energy consumption associated with proof of work mining. This is actively being worked on by the Ethereum community with various solutions, including new approaches to mining and scaling solutions. Also, we must not assume that all NFTs are made on Ethereum.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry. What can be done to avoid that?

The most common mistake people make when they enter the NFT industry is investing in an NFT as a way to make money. While many NFT’s are going to skyrocket in value, an overwhelming majority will not. My main piece of advice to avoid that is to invest in quality NFTs that you love and that are from a reputable source.

How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?

NFTs tap into culturally relevant trends and moments that are present in society and therefore have the potential to open up different aspects of culture to various groups of people. NFTs also provide an engagement opportunity for both creators and fans to connect over their love of art, music and more.

1. Be Authentic with what you have to offer

2. Have passion for what you’re creating/what you’re buying

3. Give time to build up your audience

4. Take advantage of the NFT marketplace to build your network

5. Don’t force blockchain to do something it can’t do, instead, adapt to what the technology will allow us to do

If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

In order for NFTs to do anything we want them to do they need to run on a smart contract. If this movement makes sense, then we don’t just talk about the charities we support, but we actually put our money where our mouth is and write what our mouth is saying with smart contracts. With all the money flying around in blockchain, I’m dedicated to utilizing smart contracts to route some of the money directly into charity.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why?

We have been quarantined in a pandemic for over a year. I would love to host my friends and family for lunch.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Vladislav Ginzburg On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Tovertafel: Hester Anderiesen Le Riche’s Big Idea That Might Change The World

To stimulate the physical activity of people with severe dementia, I designed the Tovertafel. It is an original interactive light projection system that entices those with cognitive challenges to interact and have fun together. The Tovertafel means ‘magic table’ in Dutch and is an innovative device with infrared sensors that project interactive games and vibrant images onto a surface such as a table to promote play. The games also help loved ones and caretakers better connect with patients, and are adaptable to social distancing guidelines.

We show the world what technology can bring to the quality of life in terms of long-term health and the shift in primary care to wellbeing. There is nothing more important than a patient’s quality of life and happiness.

We contribute and design products that show the more beautiful moments in the dementia journey with those two trends.

As a part of my series about “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” I had the pleasure of interviewing Hester Anderiesen Le Riche, CEO and founder of Tover.

An engineer by training, Hester Anderiesen Le Riche is the CEO and founder of Tover and the creator of a pioneering cognitive stimulation system — the Tovertafel. Hester has a PhD in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology. She found her passion during design projects that influence people’s behaviour and contribute to their health. Her dissertation ‘Playful Design for Activation’ entails an evidence based approach of developing a product service system to stimulate physical activity of people with severe dementia. During her PhD, she designed the Tovertafel: the original interactive light projection system that entices those with cognitive challenges to interact and have fun together.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Two parts of my life were crossing. On the one hand, I graduated studying industrial design engineering from the Delft University of Technology, where I was tasked with a six-month graduation project. That’s when I designed a conceptual product for the elderly of the future to uncover how we can look after each other from a technology standpoint. I was in the mindset of designing an engaging product with a social tenant for the elderly generation.

My other track was as a professional windsurfer in the Canary Islands, and I was always involved in healthy living and activity. That’s when I met a woman intrigued by my sports and design background, particularly for those of the silver age. She encouraged me to meet her professor at the University of Amsterdam, enthusiastic about stimulating everyone’s minds and bodies, particularly those who have dementia. Within an hour, he convinced me to use my design background and ideas along with my healthy living and active mindset to encourage the older generation to become more active themselves. Ultimately, he was the inspiration and person who led me to this career path.

Can you please share with us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of my most memorable experiences was meeting the queen in the UK and presenting the Tovertafel during a state visit. During this time, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to share their products, and I was so engrossed by her personality. She has this incredible balance between being approachable and exceptionally well-informed.

She asked spot-on questions, and I thought how wonderful it was; after seeing fifty people a day who all want to share their idea and company, she was able to ask these perfect questions. She was incredibly generous with her headspace that she could have an open meeting, and there was no feeling of it being fake or a setup. From a female point of view, I was like, “wow, that’s power.”

Which principles or philosophies have guided your life? Your career?

What brought me this far is curiosity and an eagerness to learn.

From creating the Tovertafel for an untapped sector to competing in windsurfing competitions, my hunger for knowledge through experience has been a constant theme in my life. I have noticed that discovering bits of wisdom from unexpected mentors and reflecting on my failures has fueled my desire to work harder.

Even in windsurfing world tour competitions, I never did very well, but it allowed me to travel anywhere and meet the best training partner and friend. We had an excellent time training and filming each other to prepare for the competitions. Although we did poorly in the competition, it never killed my spirit in the sport, which translates to how I see business.

When entering my career, I had an engineering background and was a designer, but I had zero theoretical knowledge or experience running a business. However, I was curious and eager to learn. There are so many people you bump into and meet throughout your life that have a unique type of knowledge that you can use — these people quickly become your mentors. Just by asking questions, you can learn a lot. I pride myself in staying curious and eager and ensure I always continue to ask questions — you will be surprised who will share their knowledge and enthusiasm within their respective niche.

Ok thank you for that. Let’s now move to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about your “Big Idea That Might Change The World”?

To stimulate the physical activity of people with severe dementia, I designed the Tovertafel. It is an original interactive light projection system that entices those with cognitive challenges to interact and have fun together. The Tovertafel means ‘magic table’ in Dutch and is an innovative device with infrared sensors that project interactive games and vibrant images onto a surface such as a table to promote play. The games also help loved ones and caretakers better connect with patients, and are adaptable to social distancing guidelines.

I don’t think the Tovertafel itself will change the entire care sector, but I think we present and are revolutionizing a new product category. We show the world what technology can bring to the quality of life in terms of long-term health and the shift in primary care to wellbeing. There is nothing more important than a patient’s quality of life and happiness.

We contribute and design products that show the more beautiful moments in the dementia journey with those two trends.

How do you think this will change the world?

Most people are absolutely terrified by the idea of dementia. With the Tovertafel, we prove that you can still have that intense moment of happiness and moments of contact despite challenges with the mind. If we can explain and show that it’s possible and that patients’ memories are still there, we hope that people will realize the dementia journey is not your worst nightmare. If we have a less terrifying expectation, we can help change how people perceive the journey itself. Though there are some things patients can’t do, we are showing them what they can do.

Leading by example, we are changing the world by using technology for wellbeing in dementia care. I hope we inspire caregivers and companies to see it as a category that is worth designing for.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this idea? Can you tell us that story?

My Ph.D. assignment was to design a playful product that would stimulate more physical activity. My idea was to stimulate activity in daily living with the added value of giving patients independence.

As a case study, I projected taking coffee around the dining table, and it had a beautiful secondary goal of getting patients to drink more. I imagined more physical activity and more self-efficiency would create awareness of what patients were capable of while having them drinking more in a day.

We used projections as our playful experience and sensory stimulation to attract their attention to the cup of coffee to give them a subconscious reminder to take another sip. At first, it was very subtle; we were careful not to overstimulate them and then added a little bit of light and stars.

I projected around the cup, “are you thirsty” and the entire group answered yes, and no one took a sip.

I was distraught with my projections and my confidence as a designer. However, it taught me the strength of co-design and adding your target audience in the creative process of design.

So we went back to the drawing board and tried to take it to the furthest extreme to see if this concept could work with the help of outsider behavior. We wanted them to see something but transfer that experience to take an actual sip of coffee.

Even though I was studying dementia patients’ brains and environments for years, I could not anticipate their behavior. In my car ride back, I reflected and realized that one of the patients picked up her coffee cup and played with the lights that went back to my goal of stimulating physical activity. I figured if that was my goal and the prototype had been constructed, I could play with the lights and respond to when they laughed, smiled, or displayed emotion. That’s when we began exploring how we can play with life (i.e., what is fun, what is enjoyable, what doesn’t make any sense).

It was a tipping point because it was never the goal to make serious games; it was just to use the light for serious activities.

What do you need to lead this idea to widespread adoption?

We need awareness, space, and budget. Tover needs the space to explain our product, so someone can entertain the idea that physical activity via games is vital for people with dementia. In some countries, it is not a high priority on the agenda.

In some areas, professionals are even offended that we would introduce a game instead of their traditional tools. Once the caretakers are on board, the financial system in care needs to allow for these types of inventions. We are in the budget of additional activities, but the quality of life should be the primary caretakers’ concern, so we should be in their budget stream. Also, we need to build awareness around the product category, which revolves around healthcare transition. There’s movement but, every country is in a different stage of acceptance and implementation.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

Refer to Words of Wisdom. You don’t always understand the significance of what someone is saying. Later on, we realize how true and beneficial a piece of advice was. For example, rereading a book such as “Good to Great” by Philip Collins, I will learn different lessons each time and pick up on specifics I had not initially.
Learn the Operational Side. I realized later that implementing a new financial system is very time consuming, expensive, and requires dedication and focus. Figure out what your company needs so you do not have to switch.
Work with Opposites. The people I have hired are always the opposite in terms of focus and knowledge. In hindsight, I realized how important it is to engage complementary partners for business. They offer different advice and enhance your strengths. Of course, you will bump heads, but that’s fine.
Find your Mentors. People are eager to share their strengths. When you meet someone, ask questions and see how you can learn from them.
Trust your Gut. If you view your product as servicing one audience, do not let others convince you otherwise. Welcome outside opinions and advice but do not let it deter you from your goal.

Can you share with our readers what you think are the most important “success habits” or “success mindsets”?

• Be stubborn in the pursuit of getting where you want to go.

• Don’t get sidetracked from your goals.

• Stay passionate about your business.

• Stick with the clear vision for your company.

• Listen more, talk less.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

The Tovertafel: Hester Anderiesen Le Riche’s Big Idea That Might Change The World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Kim Savaroche of Clay AIR

I think the main goal for a leader, aside from setting a main direction and arbitrate, is to spread team spirit. If someone works just because they have to and not for an idea or a project which is close to their heart, then it’s delusional to expect the best from them. On this same topic, treat your colleagues with the same respect, there is no place for favoritism or affection unless you want to institute an unfair system. I’m not saying it’s bad to be friendly, I just think there is a time for everything and when it’s time to work, don’t get loose.

As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kim Savaroche.

Kim is a research engineer with expertise in computer science, computer vision and data science. She contributes to Clay AIR research and development lab as a PhD candidate with a focus on machine learning and object annotation in a 3D space and image reconstruction. She is passionate about manga, novels and comics, and is a tennis player.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

Thank you for your attention. As I am an adopted and only child, my “family” and my friends are my bearings. I grew up in a small town in the South West of France, reading books (novels, comics or manga), playing video games and tennis. I try to improve myself or learn something new everyday. Balance, perseverance and regularity are my keys.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The animation Revolutionary Girl Utena from the late 90s has a special place in my heart. When I first watched it, I was very young, I did not understand all the metaphors or the serious subjects, and the end was a little confusing. However, the drawing style was unique, the narration was excellent, the swords fighting and the soundtrack were epic. The universe (reversed castle in sky, infinite staircase, time loop, witch tale, etc.) are still unmatched for me. I am aware that this piece of art can be disturbing and I would recommend that you inquire a minimum before watching it.

On a more serious note, Kohler (Figures Du Savoir) Victor Rosenthal and Yves-Marie Visetti was the first book that resonated while working on the computer vision part of the Clay solution and beginning my thesis. It addressed the question of “what is a shape ?” In the latter, it explains that in the act of perception we do not just juxtapose a host of details but we perceive global forms (Gestalt) which bring the elements together. To illustrate this idea let’s take a musical example: when one remembers a melody, one remembers a global structure of music and not a successive series of notes taken in isolation. To link this notion with my work, the question was “how is it possible to group a cluster of pixels into a harmonious shape?” To answer this question, Wertheimer proposed laws that helped me to craft and refine the rules written in my code.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

I love video games so naturally I was quite curious about the challenge represented by the Clay AIR project: locate and follow the hands of users in real time so that they can interact with the virtual world without adding any accessories (controller, joystick, glove, exoskeleton, etc.). From an UX perspective, becoming aware of the limitations related to AR or VR settings makes me look forward to what ingenious solution the XR industry will opt for.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

I think it would be the patent process: looking for the state of the art, finding why each solution does not suit my problem and creating a new solution. Finding there was the possibility to write a patent about an home made tool was the cherry on the top, I felt blessed.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The story is linked to the cognitive bias named “inattentional blindness”, it happens when we’re failing to notice a stimulus that is yet perfectly visible. In my case, and every software engineer can relate, I was editing my code and testing it on a VR device. Without a doubt, I began to draw conclusions : it’s better when i do this but still not fine for that.. No need to describe how disappointed I was when I found out my work was not in what I was testing, no update, absolutely nothing has changed. To avoid this error, I rely on test-driven development methods : set up unit tests before writing a solving code.

Jean-Baptiste Guignard is my thesis supervisor so I can only be thankful for introducing me to cognitive science and helping me through this academic journey. I know how tedious proofreading is… At the time Clay AIR was still a startup and putting together a team, I am really grateful he gave me his trust as I was just out of my engineering school so I‘m doing my best to contribute to the project.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

As Clay AIR allows us to locate and follow the hands of a user in real time from a 2D camera provided by AR / VR / MR devices, I’m working on how we can improve our machine learning procedure to be more precise on estimating how far the hand (adding the Z dimension). Once the hand has been spotted and the gesture has been identified, it is possible to link it to an action / instruction: increase or decrease the volume of a sound file, enter a 3D object, activate commands in a car interior or airplane, etc. The experience will be more immersive, just playing with 3D elements with your bare hands is amazing.

As touch screens have revolutionized our daily lives, I’m curious to see what the new UX standard will be, how menus will be designed, which gesture will be democratized for such and such an action (like closing an application for example).

The video game industry is beginning to test VR gameplay. On one hand, I can easily see how narrative and puzzle solving can incorporate users’ actions so that their choices are more subtil than selecting a special dialogue. On the other hand, any games that need players to move precisely in a virtual world, like in adventure and platform games, do not seem to be easily adaptable. I’m skeptical about how varied the game catalog can be without the constraints of suits or treadmillssuit, treadmill, etc.).

I am convinced that the educational scope is substantial. Wearing a headset to observe a 3D model, interact with it while listening to a detailed description, you can’t find more pedagic tools. Moreover, you can still visit museums, art galleries or any educational places, which is quite convenient nowadays.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

My first concern is about how energy consuming XR hardwares are. Batteries are drained quickly, in particular if you are outside, which is the worst setup for AR glasses by the way as video feedback on the screens are not strong enough. If the power comes from your smartphone, and not from the glasses, its autonomy is drastically shortened.

The second one is my uncomfort while wearing glasses or bigger headsets : my forehead is burning. Temperatures increase briefly and you naturally want to put down the device just to get fresh air.

The last one depends on the quality of the six degrees of freedom (6DoF) which refers to the freedom of movement of a rigid body in 3D space. When you are not moving and the virtual world is drifting away, you can be subject to motion sickness. Combined with how hot your head feels, hardware will be a negative association with nauseous symptoms.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

I would say the main advantage is the 3D modeling. A mock-up is ideal to convey ideas. On a taller scale, production chains can be checked with a layering process : put the virtual object with requested measures on the real products so that we can compare them and spot differences. Quality assurance is impacted but XR devices are not yet democratised.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

With this technology, it’s easier to project ourselves in another environment or to represent an object. Visiting an apartment or a house, alternating the placement of furniture in an empty area, choosing the colour for an object are great examples of what we could explore before making a decision. Still on a pedagogical level, tutorials, furniture assembly kit or recipes could be followed step by step, we only have to reproduce the actions. It would be easier than reading instructions and imagine what the right move is.

Well, I didn’t work with many female software engineers, and in my cursus we were only 3 women in a class of 35. Computer science is not really popular… So let’s say that I’m satisfied in the way that if a girl wants to learn about STEM, the educational system will not deter her. What I’m a little bit more impatiente about is the cultural evolution regarding what is considered to be a job, a school subject or a quality more attributed to women or men. To be clear, I’m against either negative or positive discrimination, skill evaluation should be genderless.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

In fact, AI products are only highly specialized tools. They can be compared to cogs and springs in mechanical devices, they cannot magically modify themselves or improve their autonomy. AI models are not smart; they are static systems trained by human hands. Even if they are efficient, the product is perceived as dumb as it fails to answer the client’s needs.

I invite you to read the article “HAI as Human Augmented Intelligence: from Cognitive Biases to the Nature of Cognitive Technology”, the full argument repositions AI ethics within the framework of actual AI development and human decision-making. This inevitably involves demystifying some of the myths surroundingAI, and explaining and critiquing the underlying assumptions about human cognition from a philosophy of science perspective. It helps to understand how AI can not self-modify itself or surpass humans or become independent if you are interested in this subject.

To sum up, the design of a computer program is inevitably biased. It reflects the values of the designer and the choices for the target audience. Development is not a neutral activity, at any stage of writing code, the developer does not have the ability to make objective choices. His choices are written down and frozen in the code. In the case of machine learning algorithms, the training product changes without changing the code. The result may be different from one trial to the next by leaving the hyper parameters as they are and not changing the learning base. The influence of the creators will be visible in the choice of the learning base, the categories of outputs and in the architecture of the model. In both cases they are only reflections of human biais and contextual constraints.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

The first is the most difficult for me : you can say “no”. I am very anxious when I answer with a negative response, even if I am entitled to do it or even if it’s a logical choice. I would feared my interlocutor takes it badly or think I am incompetent. Now, I don’t consider it so bad anymore, I firmly answer and take time to explain my choices.

Your colleagues have got very different skills from you so suggesting if there are some volunteers to share their knowledge, assure them there is always time for formation. The more you know and the more you can understand. A new constructive point of view is always welcome, whether you want to organize your thoughts or test your knowledge.

I think I will state the obvious with this one, but I saw too many enterprises with this default to not borach it: communication is the key. Let down your ego, it won’t help you progress or navigate through a toxic environment. Be limpid with your intention, your success and mostly your failures so you can learn from them.

Problems need to be solved, whatever the cause is. The worst case is ignoring one until it turns into an omerta. I know the best solution sometimes implies to do something you dislike profoundly but avoiding a snowball effect is worth it.

I think the main goal for a leader, aside from setting a main direction and arbitrate, is to spread team spirit. If someone works just because they have to and not for an idea or a project which is close to their heart, then it’s delusional to expect the best from them. On this same topic, treat your colleagues with the same respect, there is no place for favoritism or affection unless you want to institute an unfair system. I’m not saying it’s bad to be friendly, I just think there is a time for everything and when it’s time to work, don’t get loose.

I’m quite fond of politeness, exchanging a kind greeting or being the author of a gentle attention for example, so I can only invite readers to stay delicate. We all have our bad days but we can still temper our mood. In particular on digital platforms, it’s not because we don’t see others that we can slacken and become rude. Even more in this pandemic time, the more responsible we act, the less damage we’ll do.

That’s a very good question… I can’t stop listening to Brigitte Lecordier and Dorothée Pousséo’s voices, I have a deep respect for their dubbing work… However, to stay on topic I would really like to meet madame Pénélope Bagieu, the French illustrator and comic designer known for Culottées or Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World for the English title if I’m not mistaken. Her work consists of thirty short biographies (5 to 10 plates), each one centered on a girl or a woman who, during her life, defied prohibitions or social norms relating to sexism or patriarchy. Her style and her humour do not detract from the seriousness of the subjects discussed. I would love to learn how she chose her ladies, which one is her favourite and why she chose to focus on this part of one story rather than another. I highly recommend this book if you didn’t have the pleasure to read it yet.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Kim Savaroche of Clay AIR was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Heroes of The Homeless Crisis: How Kim Rockwell is Helping To Support Some Of The Most Vulnerable…

Heroes of The Homeless Crisis: How Kim Rockwell is Helping To Support Some Of The Most Vulnerable People In Our Communities

Get involved. Whether you put boots on the ground and help a homeless person or just donate money to a cause that helps them. Be active in solving this crisis. We tend to dress up and attend balls and gala charity events thinking that is all that is needed. It’s good to donate money but try to step out of your comfort zone and really see if there is one step more you can take to help out an individual.

As a part of my series about “Heroes Of The Homeless Crisis” I had the pleasure of interviewing Kim Rockwell.

Kim Rockwell worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 22 years. She is now retired and lives in Del Mar, California with her husband Ken and her two children.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know you’ a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your personal background, and how you grew up?

I grew up in Laguna Hills, California. I graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Psychology and Sociology. I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 22 years with companies like Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Johnson and Johnson. I am currently retired and volunteer my time to different causes. I currently live in Del Mar, California with my husband Ken and our two children.

Is there a particular story or incident that inspired you to get involved in your work helping people who are homeless?

I had a friend that I was very close to that had a father that struggled being bi-polar. We were on a trip to Italy when she shared with me that her dad would get off of his medication and end up on the streets from time to time. When he was medicated he was healthy and fine. I never looked at the homeless the same way. When I saw someone homeless, I saw someone’s brother, dad, mother etc. I had another friend that inspired me that unfortunately passed away from cancer. She was very giving.. To honor her on her birthday, we help others with a note telling her story and how she was always so kind. We try to carry on her legacy of kindness to strangers. My kids have now adopted this way of living and help me give back to the homeless in our community.

Homelessness has been a problem for a long time in the United States. But it seems that it has gotten a lot worse over the past five years, particularly in the large cities, such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. Can you explain to our readers what brought us to this place? Where did this crisis come from?

You are exactly right. I especially remember living in San Francisco and seeing this number grow. I have a friend that works for a pharmaceutical company that promotes anti-psychotic pharmaceuticals. She said the homeless population is often just in need of strong mental care. The majority of patients that have illnesses such as schizophrenia either cannot get access to medical care because of a lack of medical insurance or choose not to take the medication. They need an advocate to help keep them on their meds. Also, the treatment for substance abuse is lacking or ineffective. My brother is an ER doctor. I remember him mentioning someone that was young and a genius student at MIT but he developed severe paranoia and became homeless. It ruined his whole life. Many times, these patients may not even trust their own families that try to help.

For the benefit of our readers, can you describe the typical progression of how one starts as a healthy young person with a place to live, a job, an education, a family support system, a social support system, a community support system, to an individual who is sleeping on the ground at night? How does that progression occur?

There is a 79 year old man I am trying to help get back on his feet that could help illustrate this. Les was a very successful businessman. He had a wife and a home in front of the water and living the American dream. He and his wife divorced. Then he had to sue a large corporation because they didn’t keep their side of the agreement and as the case dragged on, he ended up losing everything and having to move into his car. He had wonderful friends but everyone had their own families. His best friends had already passed on. His step-brother was in a different state and had his own family to take care of.

In this year of the pandemic, we can all see how life can turn on a dime. Very successful people lost their businesses and livelihood almost overnight. Even a medical illness could wipe someone out. In addition to mental illness, a lot of cities are short affordable housing. Imagine a family relying on just one income.

Les was very smart and loved to read but had no idea how to apply for Medicare or Medi-cal. He did not know where to access social services. He could not even apply for the vaccine shot as he needed to “sign up online”. He has a flip phone without text messaging. My parents are the same age and they needed my help signing up for the vaccine. Consider the homeless person who probably does not even have a phone. They have no access to the internet and no idea what resources are out there or how to access them.

A question that many people who are not familiar with the intricacies of this problem ask is, “Why don’t homeless people just move to a city that has cheaper housing?” How do you answer this question?

If they have no money then they have no money. So living in sunny southern California on the street beats the cold streets of somewhere like Detroit, Michigan. Also, maybe being in an affluent neighborhood, like Del Mar, they can get more money (or help) from the affluent people in the area. Les had numerous people that stopped in at his hangout (McDonalds) that helped him with car repair bills and even paying for his cell phone.

If someone passes a homeless person on the street, what is the best way to help them?

First and foremost, remember that we are all human beings. Some may have mental issues so be aware and stay safe. Ask them if there is something they need. Don’t just assume they want food or money. In the case of Les, he needed someone to help him find and access to resources and medical care. Just talk to them. I plan to carry around a flyer now with numbers of resources on them. I will give it out to a homeless person in case they do not know that there are community resources available in the area. Les did not even know there was free medical care for the indigent. He could have treated his skin cancer on day one five years ago. Now he has a life threatening tumor. He could have had social security money and Medicare. He did not know how to apply or get these services set up. He had no one to help him.

What is the best way to respond if a homeless person asks for money for rent or gas?

I usually do not like to give money. I ask what they need in terms of clothing, blankets, pillows or help with resources. I also like to tell them I will buy them a meal. Then I always follow up. If they need a blanket, I make sure to get them a blanket.

Can you describe to our readers how your work is making an impact battling this crisis?

I’m trying to make a difference one person at a time. If we each did this, imagine the world we would live in. Some cities have so much homelessness that it’s easy to become numb and not see them as human beings. One may think they are in this situation by choice because of drugs and alcohol. But most are people like you and I that have been dealt a bad hand in life. We need to hear their stories and humanize them. Be an advocate if even just for one person. Many people told me the homeless just don’t want help. That is not true. Some may not, but the majority are begging (literally) for someone to help them. That is someone’s family member and we are fortunate to have the means to help them. My parents are lucky they have 3 kids to care for them but many elderly are not so lucky.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the homeless crisis, and the homeless community? Also how has it affected your ability to help people?

It is already scary living on the street and I think this added another layer of fear. I liked hearing about the hotel voucher system where someone can stay clean and get a 28 day voucher to a hotel room. I have to admit that until I was vaccinated, I was a bit wary of talking to anyone or getting close. But I still tried to help Les because I saw him as a fellow human being. Every day of life has risks involved but the feeling you get from helping someone is unlike any other. It just feels like it’s the right thing to do.

Can you share something about your work that makes you most proud? Is there a particular story or incident that you found most uplifting?

My kids encouraged me to talk to Les and hear his story. It started a chain of events. I helped a stranger, then strangers helped me. I posted on an app called “nextdoor” that I was trying to help this homeless man and I was in a bit over my head. Within minutes, 200 people replied wanting to help. It made me proud of my community and my kids. I also met some wonderful like-minded friends along the way. My kids now consider Les as their “adopted grandpa”.

Can you share three things that the community and society can do to help you address the root of this crisis? Can you give some examples?

Get involved. Whether you put boots on the ground and help a homeless person or just donate money to a cause that helps them. Be active in solving this crisis. We tend to dress up and attend balls and gala charity events thinking that is all that is needed. It’s good to donate money but try to step out of your comfort zone and really see if there is one step more you can take to help out an individual.
Never be afraid to talk to the homeless. You will be amazed at the stories you will find. When I saw Les’ pictures of his childhood, it brought me to tears. To think of his life and where he ended up. It is such a tragedy.
Make access to social services readily available. Community outreach is needed so the homeless know where to go for help. I found numerous resources just by doing one simple post on a community app called Nextdoor.com. The homeless do not have the ability to learn where these resources are. Most do not have access to the internet. When I tried to help Les, the 211 resource center told me Les had to call himself. I think they should allow advocates to help. Community resource centers need people promoting their services to the homeless community.

If you had the power to influence legislation, which three laws would you like to see introduced that might help you in your work?

Better mental health coverage
Hotel voucher programs beyond the pandemic
Advocate program like they have for foster parents but for the homeless.

I know that this is not easy work. What keeps you going?

Les was so grateful. My kids were so happy we got involved. The amazing group of people that came forward to help me were so wonderful that it all motivated me to keep going.

Do you have hope that one day this great social challenge can be solved completely?

I am ever hopeful but realistic. We instituted great plans when the pandemic came around. This is needed all the time and not just during the pandemic.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

Do not try to do it all yourself. You will burn out. Learn to ask for help and delegate. Many times, people want to help but just don’t know how.
Do not let it be all consuming. You need to balance family and your work.
Always have an end goal or plan for the person you are trying to help.
Never give up on trying to help them — you are all they have.
Take a leap of faith. Just know that doors will open to help you once you begin your journey of helping someone in need.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I would love to see people “adopt a homeless person”. It doesn’t have to be literally into their home. Be an advocate for someone. Social workers have thousands of people that check in with them. If we could all be assigned one person to care for, be and advocate for, I bet we could change a lot in terms of the homeless population.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime”. I think of the quote as “Don’t just give money but help the homeless to stand on their own two feet again”.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂

Bill Gates. He has been extremely successful and he always gives back. He spent the first half of his life creating ideas for the general population. Rather than just sit back and live the good life, he put a ton of time and effort into helping the underprivileged. I have watched numerous documentaries on him. He inspires me to be more giving and generous. The kids watch “Mr. Beast”. He is a good example of how giving back can make you feel good.

How can our readers follow you online?

I am on Linked-in.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much!

Thank you for having me! If you could, I would appreciate it if you could include Les’ GoFundMe link:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-les-get-back-on-his-feet

Heroes of The Homeless Crisis: How Kim Rockwell is Helping To Support Some Of The Most Vulnerable… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Brian Gallagher of Partisia Blockchain: Five Things I Learned As A Twenty-Something Founder

If you can, go work at a startup first. The experience you gain could make your own startup a success rather than a failure, based on learning from the mistakes you will see first hand by working at another startup.

As a part of our series called “My Life as a TwentySomething Founder”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Gallagher.

Brian Gallagher is a council member at Partisia Blockchain, a Web 3.0 public blockchain built for trust, transparency, privacy, and speed-of-light finalization.

A serial entrepreneur, Brian has founded numerous startups over the last decade, including Underground Cellar, the online wine marketplace for discovering and buying premium wine. Brian was also Chief of Staff at Grubmarket. Inc, the digital food marketplace which he scaled from 16 full-time employees to over 120 full-time employees. Brian is also the Co-founder of Insights Network, a conglomerate of consumer applications based on mobile and web specializing in the collection of targeted consumer data that rewards users in digital currency for participating. An alumnus of Y-Combinator, a world renowned startup investment accelerator, Brian obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) focused in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Arizona State University, W. P. Carey School of Business in 2012.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! What is your “backstory”?

Thanks for having me. My name is Brian Gallagher, I am 31 years old, and have been launching and operating startups since I was 23. Things really changed for me when my first startup was accepted into Y-Combinator in 2015 and we were given the three month education of a lifetime on how to launch and operate your startup. Our company is still going, and I’ve since moved on to launch a couple more startups as well, most recently as co-founder and CEO of instars.com and participating as a Council member of the Partisia Blockchain Foundation based in Switzerland.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you started your company? What lessons or takeaways did you take out of that story?

I’m not sure if it’s the funniest or most interesting, but it’s a story of how one random act of kindness and aggression ended up leading to us getting Venture Capital investment. Long story short, relationship building over time is one of the most valuable traits a founder can have. The only way to truly get investment from some of the top venture capitalists is to build relationships over time. For example, when your metrics hit their targets, and you let them know, they’ve already been following your progress, seeing your growth, and beginning to trust you as a founder. Outside of the movies or one-off stories of insane growth like Facebook where the VC’s find you and beg you to invest, the reality is that you need to build solid relationships first. In our story, my Co-founder went and sat in the front row at a startup event with some notable speakers. Our Co-founder at the time rushed the stage with bottles of whiskey and introduced himself as new to the Valley and was able to get their email addresses. Over the next year and a half, he sent quarterly updates to keep them apprised of our progress. They always remembered him as the friendly whiskey guy and ended up reading each of the updates. After we posted a great month of revenue, the division was easy, and they ended up investing in our company. Build relationships over time — take kind actions that stand out from the crowd and you will be remembered!

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

What makes Partisia Blockchain and instars.com stand out is that we’re one of the first live public use cases combining the privacy-preserving capabilities of Multiparty Computation (MPC) and blockchain. Instars.com is just one use case, addressing user privacy in a social network and ad/survey targeting setting. Partisia Blockchain’s scope is unseen in the industry today. It is an end to end dedicated solution that merges the transparency and security of blockchain with MPC and the privacy-preserving capabilities it can offer. This allows for a nearly endless amount of use cases to build on top of this infrastructure. Beyond the technical innovation is the foundational innovation We launched Partisia Blockchain as a Swiss Foundation with a publicly stated purpose to open source this amazing technology for the public benefit, where all of the users are welcome to download the software and create their own use cases and applications. This is going to be a major point of disruption to the traditional private company model, where private ownership is usually consolidated to the founding upper management and Venture Capital firms who back the project in the early stages. With the foundation model, not only can any of the users code their applications and use cases, but they can also receive the long term benefits of holding the tokens and operating nodes on the network, which de facto makes them the earliest backers of the project since they’re the ones who power the nodes and keep the network running.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

My first Co-founder Jeff Shaw when I was 23. I was right out of university and helped out with a marketing video for my first startup, undergroundcellar.com, an online wine marketplace backed by investors such as Y-combinator, Jason Calcanis, and Barbara Corcoran. Jeff was 26 at the time, which felt at the time a lot older and more experienced, even though in hindsight he was just another young 20’s founder himself! He had already sold a small startup of his, and was very experienced at a young age in creating, launching, and scaling business models. After I completed the marketing video for him, it was a huge success, garnering almost 100k YouTube views right away (keep in mind this was back in 2013 when that number was a much greater milestone). Revenue went from $1,200 per month to 12k, to 27k, to 80k in the few months following. The next thing I knew, I was thrust into a Director of Operations role. Within a few months, we got into Y-Combinator, I was promoted to COO of the company, and recognized as a Co-founder. This is why I tell everyone I meet right out of university who is thinking of going into the business world, skip consulting gigs at Deloitte and go straight for the startups! You will never get the same type of opportunities and rapid learning curve as you will at a good startup.

Do you have a favorite book that made a deep impact on your life? Can you share a story?

Harry Potter was my favorite series. There are many life lessons based on love, friendship, determination, and morals that are baked into almost every page. Diversity, how to act, and how to compose yourself under pressure. It may sound childish but honestly, if you haven’t read the series you have no idea what you’re missing out on!

What are the main takeaways that you would advise a twenty year old who is looking to found a business?

If you can, go work at a startup first. The experience you gain could make your own startup a success rather than a failure, based on learning from the mistakes you will see first hand by working at another startup.

Elon Musk or Michael Jordan. One of the hardest things in a startup is to “keep going” — meaning there are anxious moments, lonely moments, and moments of burnout, where you start to think it’s time to give up or that you can’t do it anymore. Whenever you hear Elon Musk or Michael Jordan talk, they constantly remind their viewers to never give up, and that’s the way to success. I don’t think there would be many more motivating breakfasts than meeting with one of these two individuals, who are the greatest of all time at their craft. It would make everything you’re doing as an entrepreneur feel so much more worth it and accomplishable.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

You can follow me on instars.com @brianinstars. I believe it is extremely important to use your own product and engage with your own users to get their feedback and understand what is or isn’t working on your platform.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Brian Gallagher of Partisia Blockchain: Five Things I Learned As A Twenty-Something Founder was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Is Now: Tomer Shalit of ClimateView On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up…

The Future Is Now: Tomer Shalit of ClimateView On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up How Cities Take Climate Action

The one thing I wish someone had told me before I started would be to surround myself with a core team of people who think about scaling from the beginning. It’s so easy to go deep into the technology and problem area, and to get caught up in product development, but at the same time, you’ve got to also keep an eye on the bigger picture at all times.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tomer Shalit, CEO and founder of ClimateView (www.climateview.global), the Swedish climate tech company behind ClimateOS™ the world’s first platform designed for cities serious about tackling climate change.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My background is in agile development and I spent the first half of my career as a coach and consultant in agile transitions, working to drive change in the corporate world. During this time, I guided businesses and improved their capacity to tackle complex projects and problems using agile strategies, and yielded great results. But I couldn’t shake the notion that we could be using the very same tactics to move beyond corporate profit margins and solve bigger problems, such as those of a nation attempting to transition to a fossil-free economy. It was this disconnect between all the powerful methods we have at hand already, and how little we make use of them to solve some of society’s most pressing issues, that led me to start looking at Sweden’s climate transition as one big, agile project.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

My career in climate all started with a 16.5 foot long poster summarizing Sweden’s transition to a fossil free transportation sector. The fact that what once was a piece of paper has now become a powerful and intelligent digital dashboard for the nation of Sweden — endorsed by the Swedish Climate Policy Council — that is playing a pivotal role in Sweden’s path towards net zero is without a doubt the most interesting thing that happened to me!

Can you tell us about the cutting edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

We recently launched ClimateOS, a first-of-its-kind platform designed specifically for cities to build Living Climate Action Plans. For a long time, cities and others have tried to create climate action plans in isolated silos, trying to solve an interconnected problem with disjointed solutions. What we have done with this platform is create a fully integrated tool that responds dynamically to each city’s local climate journey, while putting collaboration and interdependencies front and center. This is made possible through powerful visualizations, community building and a balancing feature, which allows cities to instantly see how policy choices are interdependent on each other and to recalculate their role and impact in the transition. In doing so, we are helping turn month-long flawed assumptions into fast, verifiable collaborative calculations.

Another problem in climate action is the lack of certainty surrounding data. What we are providing cities is a turnkey dashboard, pre-populated with data in order to take the guesswork out of climate planning, and enable them to act from the get-go.

We constantly hear from cities all over the world that they feel as though there are gaps in their action plans, whether it’s in their data or methodology. The fact is, climate strategists do not want to be data officers. As such, we take the complexity out of climate planning, make it easy for them to assess targets and goals, as well as how the city is doing relative to them, so that the focus remains on implementation and acting fast. When we’re talking about something as pressing as inciting climate action, there really is no time to lose.

How do you think this might change the world?

The world already knows what needs to be done but, collectively, we’ve been stuck. At ClimateView, we are firm believers that our solution can help overcome this, and change the world by giving cities — that are responsible for more than 70% of the global CO2 emissions — the tools and the methodology needed to finally act, and do so before it’s too late.

Above all else, we think our solution proposes a mindset change, which we, as a society, have been lacking all along: it moves away from siloes, towards collaboration, across all scales and disciplines. It also moves us away from the constant need for certainty, and encourages us to embrace uncertainty, approximations and iteration, which are all characteristic of the climate transition, and are better seen as allies, than elements to fight against.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

We have been working with the Swedish Climate Policy Council since 2018, on a way to visualize the climate transition for the Nation of Sweden, which led to the creation of Panorama, the Swedish dashboard.

Throughout our work with them and several other European cities, we came to the realization that visualizing was a good first step, but that it was not enough. We then embarked on a journey to create an operating system that would enable more than visualization, that could handle all the technical and social interdependencies involved in climate action and make the most of the potential for collaborative intelligence. So we set out to find a new process, starting with Transition Targets, which we launched last year as building blocks of a successful transition, and culminating in the launch of ClimateOS, which offers all the tools and functions necessary for climate strategists to define and execute their plan to net zero.

For us, the true tipping point is when a city understands the power of the approach behind the Transition Targets. When that penny drops, a new world of possibilities opens. It is deeply rewarding when I have that kind of conversation with a city climate officer, and am able to see them see the potential.

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

We are already operating in the U.K., Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain, and around 26,000,000 global residents are currently benefiting from our technology, and this number is set to grow fast as we look to expand further into North America.

However, given that money talks louder than good intentions alone, we understand that for the transition to occur — not just faster, but at all — we have to make it about the bottom line. This means governments and their taxpayers must see the returns on their zero carbon investments, which is impossible if you don’t connect the necessary shifts required to the economic realities of making those shifts.

Everything before ClimateOS was about guesswork: top-down estimates by big nation states. At ClimateView, we knew we had to go from the bottom, up through every shift necessary, and begin to calculate the economic impacts as precisely as the carbon mitigation impacts.

We’re proud to say we’ll be the first company we know of to undertake this feat in this manner, and we look forward to making our first ROI visioning feature this summer.

What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?

Word of mouth is very important to us. With our target audience being city governments, who are by nature quite collaborative, and open to sharing ideas and solutions, we try to harness these network effects and encourage cities to talk to each other and tell their colleagues about our tool. It is also a win-win situation as, globally, we can solve issues better together by learning from each other, and more importantly, the more our user base scales, the sharper our data and model become.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

With ClimateView, the aim was never to fight battles against climate deniers. The aim was always to work with and compound the goodness that already existed, because I’ve realized that there’s plenty out there. As such, I’ve really focused on empowering those who want change, but who don’t really know how to make that change happen. My way of bringing goodness to the world has really been by lifting and empowering change makers to perform change better and faster.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

The one thing I wish someone had told me before I started would be to surround myself with a core team of people who think about scaling from the beginning. It’s so easy to go deep into the technology and problem area, and to get caught up in product development, but at the same time, you’ve got to also keep an eye on the bigger picture at all times.
On another level, don’t be scared to continue looking at things at the micro-level. Things are super complicated at the macro level and when they interact, but if you dig deep enough, if you persevere and seek to carefully understand how things work one by one, it’ll be super rewarding. And that’s exactly the approach I took with the climate challenge.
Diversify the way you communicate. The pandemic and the changes it forced upon us in terms of the way we work has actually taught me the value of mass broadcasts and sharing information more productively. There’s a lot of value in mixing written communications with short videos, and short meetings, as opposed to never-ending meetings.
Be more protective and efficient with your time. Commuting can take a lot of time away from deep concentration and thought. There’s a lot of value in working in phases and focusing on one task at a time.
Be patient.

At the risk of being redundant, the movement that I would like to inspire is a collaborative one, a movement that enables us to pull together all our learnings, knowledge and intelligence about the climate challenge. We need to share everything: our models and simulations, our data and insights on cost, our policies and implementations and our reasoning. The reason being that all these things, when brought together, can take us closer to our goals, faster.

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Trillions of dollars are being deployed globally to manage the transition to a low carbon economy, with little guidance, accuracy and transparency.

We have created an antidote to that in the form of a machine learning platform that powers the transition to a low carbon economy. The proprietary carbon abatement model behind ClimateOS precisely predicts and recommends the optimal transition pathway for each customer, whether they are a small town or an entire nation.

Cities house most of the global population, are responsible for the majority of emissions, and face unexpectedly symmetrical challenges. This initial core market creates network efforts that improve data, collaboration and outcomes for all stakeholders.

Our platform was developed with the nation of Sweden and is now used in 30+ cities across Sweden, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Canada.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Follow ClimateView on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/company/climateview) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/climateview?lang=en)

The Future Is Now: Tomer Shalit of ClimateView On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Stefan Hauswiesner of Reactive Reality: The Future Of Retail In The Post Pandemic World

Interactive and fun — Few technology providers realize that any technology is only as valuable as its ability to be adopted by users. Make it useful, interactive and fun for users and they will come back and spend more.

As part of our series about the future of retail, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stefan Hauswiesner, CEO and co-founder of Reactive Reality (www.reactivereality.com), the Austrian augmented reality leader enhancing the e-commerce experience for retailers and consumers

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

During my research and PhD studies at the Graz University of Technology, I worked on creating a virtual fitting room. It was a room-sized box with multiple cameras which allowed users to step in and see themselves wearing virtual outfits on a large TV screen. Around this time, I met my co-founders Philipp Grasmug and Philipp Pani. We quickly realized that software allowing consumers to try on outfits before buying them online had huge market potential, but that the existing technology was geared primarily towards laboratory use and was far too expensive for wide-spread adoption. We saw the need to scale up the technology, bring the functionality to mobile devices and lower the bar to entry for e-commerce businesses of all sizes. This is when Reactive Reality was born.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

The most interesting story we have to tell is something fascinating we have learnt about consumer behavior. We set out to solve the return rate problem of e-commerce, caused by online shoppers being unable to try on and experience the products before buying, leading to return rates of up to 50%. Our virtual try-on solution, PICTOFiT, helps to solve this problem of high returns by letting shoppers pick the right size and styles, leading to lower returns; however, what we hadn’t anticipated is how fun and addictive consumers would find this. As soon as our PICTOFiT became available publicly to users, they started to mix & match thousands of outfits and spent hours doing so every month, leading to significant increases in sales and user loyalty, and engagement. This ‘fun factor’ was a big surprise to us back then, and has now become a major focus for us. We now know that a frictionless, fun experience is just as important as e.g. accurate size recommendations.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson or takeaway you learned from that?

There is no typical workday of a founder, and every stage of the company comes with new and different challenges. The beginning was dominated by technical developments and a lot of testing, and when working with early adopters of our technology, we learnt that, often, their creativity knew no limits. People came up with hilarious combinations of clothes, such as putting a swimsuit over a coat, to see what was possible. Naturally, this really stretched the technology’s limits and triggered intense development cycles. Often, it was challenging but also funny. In the end, all this helped us to make PICTOFiT what it is now — a robust solution scalable to millions of products and users.

Are you working on any new exciting projects now? How do you think that might help people?

We are working on exciting developments all the time. For example, advanced rendering methods which can reproduce the appearance of products at an unprecedented level. It shows the reflections on a shirt button, and complex reflective materials like satin and leather. Another great example are interactive user avatars, which can not only be used in virtual try-on applications but even in 3D teleconferences, gaming and health & fitness.

These developments help people to enjoy their days even during the pandemic, when friends are far away or time is too short to go to stores, cafes, gyms and other places. The world is fast becoming more and more digitalized and people will increasingly look for personalized, virtual embodiments of themselves for communication and interactive shopping experiences.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful, who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Professor Dieter Schmalstieg, head of the Institute for Computer Graphics and Vision (ICG), has been a long-term supporter of our development as a company and of our invention of new technologies, and is a real inspiration to all of us. He is a world-renowned researcher in the field of AR/VR, who has been awarded for his achievements, and is the author of the definitive book on AR. We still work closely with Dieter and the institute on solving some of the most challenging problems in computer graphics, vision and deep learning.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

In recent years, online shopping has delivered great benefits to consumers in terms of cost and convenience. However, the huge increase in items being returned, as consumers deliberately purchase several of the same item in different sizes and turn their bedrooms into fitting rooms, means that this shift is unsustainable. It is not only having a very negative impact on the environment, as billions of kilos-worth of returned items end up in landfill, but also on retailer profits, as many are poorly equipped to deal with the complex logistical challenges posed by returns.

With PICTOFiT, we are preventing the need for consumers to over-order by enabling them to create avatars of themselves together with true-to-life products that can be tried on in a ‘virtual fitting room’, giving a clear indication of what a product will look like when worn by the consumer. According to customer surveys, our technology is highly effective in enabling frequent and well-informed purchase decisions.

Ok super. Now let’s jump to the main questions of our interview. The Pandemic has changed many aspects of all of our lives. One of them is the fact that so many of us have gotten used to shopping almost exclusively online. Can you share a few examples of different ideas that large retail outlets are implementing to adapt to the new realities created by the Pandemic?

More and more companies are implementing consumer engagement technologies like AI, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), accelerated by the pandemic. We have multiple projects helping brands and retailers present their collections at virtual fashion shows, virtual shopping malls, or directly in online e-commerce shops: for example, our PICTOFiT platform enabled the digital shows of young fashion designers during the Milan Fashion Week last fall. Another great example showing the power of AR in retail is our recent collaboration with Microsoft and the London College of Fashion on the Digital Human Stylist. It is a lifelike digital twin of the online shopper, animated and voice-controlled through AI, which understands what the shopper needs to make their daily outfit decisions, not only in terms of fit and size but also taste, style and occasion.

These developments are not only exciting to us — our customers reported that shoppers spend 5x more time with the brands and products, and make up to 6x more purchases through PICTOFiT, our AR-enabled fashion shopping platform. These are extraordinarily good results, and show that online shoppers will adopt and welcome these new technologies.

In your opinion, will retail stores or malls continue to exist? How would you articulate the role of physical retail spaces at a time when online commerce platforms like Amazon Prime or Instacart can deliver the same day or the next day?

We already know the traditional model of retail will not completely return. Bricks and mortar stores need to find new ways to attract consumers, as many have discovered the convenience of online shopping during the pandemic and will be reluctant to switch back.

Brick and mortar stores will be centered around customer experience i.e. less about a purchase process and more about shoppers’ engagement and brand loyalty. Retailers will provide services to connect online and offline channels, and shoppers will expect a consistent level of service between digital and physical. To vastly improve shoppers’ omnichannel experience, retailers could implement AR allowing, for example, brick and mortar customers to view & try on clothes that are not currently available in stores on their own avatar. The shopper could then leave the store with their own online sign-in credential, where all the experiences from the store and their own avatar would be captured, allowing the shopping experience to be smoothly picked up later at home.

The so-called “Retail Apocalypse” has been going on for about a decade. While many retailers are struggling, some retailers, like Lululemon, Kroger, and Costco are quite profitable. Can you share a few lessons that other retailers can learn from the success of profitable retailers?

We would advise that retailers get out on the front foot by innovating and differentiating before their competitors do so. We often see in fashion retail that the adoption of the new technologies is rather slow, with retailers behaving conservatively and waiting for the first mover. However, those first movers then ultimately secure a significant advantage for themselves, while others play catch-up.

Amazon is going to exert pressure on all of retail for the foreseeable future. New Direct-To-Consumer companies based in China are emerging that offer prices that are much cheaper than US and European brands. What would you advise to retail companies and e-commerce companies, for them to be successful in the face of such strong competition?

Despite the cost-competitiveness of these new Chinese companies, U.S. and European retail companies can take heart from the fact that online shoppers are not solely motivated by getting the lowest possible price. Therefore, these companies can gain the upper hand by offering the most enjoyable and frictionless online shopping experience possible. All too often, today’s online shopping experience is transactional and repetitive, with most online stores essentially appearing the same to shoppers. Integrating things like AR and interactive virtual dressing rooms into the e-commerce experience allows online shoppers to have more fun while gaining confidence in the buying decision, with the ability to try garments on their own body virtually, share on social media, hear the feedback, and more, before buying. Our customers reported extraordinary user engagement numbers after integrating PICTOFiT into their shopping apps, with average users spending over 3 hours every month — a 5x increase.

Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things one should know in order to create a fantastic retail experience that keeps bringing customers back for more? Please share a story or an example for each.

Interactive and fun — Few technology providers realize that any technology is only as valuable as its ability to be adopted by users. Make it useful, interactive and fun for users and they will come back and spend more.

Frictionless — E-commerce experiences should not distract shoppers from making purchases. They should facilitate the process by providing value to the shopper.

Seamless — Not all AR/VR technologies work together seamlessly. They may be compatible, but have different visual styles, leading to an incoherent result.

Scalable — Solutions for e-commerce need to be scalable. Shoppers only benefit from the technology if a large quantity of products are available for viewing, virtual try-on etc.

Photo-Realistic — AR/VR assets, such as avatars of shoppers and virtual representations of products, need to be photo-realistic. People are particularly sensitive to inaccuracies in their own depiction. Product visuals need to be realistic to enable users to shop with confidence.

Since we founded Reactive Reality in 2014, we worked with numerous retailers, brands and shoppers to figure out these core attributes. Needless to say, our journey was full of hard work and dedication, setbacks and progress driven by continuous development and verification, to bring us to where we are today. PICTOFiT incorporates these 5 core attributes in a single solution.

13. Thank you for all of that. We are nearly done. Here is our final ‘meaty’ question. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Our PICTOFiT platform has a positive impact on the environment by bringing down product returns. This is important to us, but we find it equally important to create an excellent user experience. Any technology is only as valuable as its adoption, which is driven by the quality of the experience. We are dedicated to, and take pride in driving AR forward and making it an everyday technology. First in e-commerce, and then later in gaming, teleconferencing, health & fitness. There will be a big shift away from flat screens to entirely immersive visuals, and the early adopters of today have the opportunity to shape what this future will look like.

How can our readers further follow your work?

They can visit our website (www.reactivereality.com) to find out more about the company, and they can follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/reactive-reality/) to hear our latest company news and updates.

Stefan Hauswiesner of Reactive Reality: The Future Of Retail In The Post Pandemic World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Is Now: Laurence Newman of Coinmama On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up…

The Future Is Now: Laurence Newman of Coinmama On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Tech Scene

Setting people free is the ultimate goodness we can bring to the world. By getting bitcoin into the digital wallets of as many people as possible, we are helping to ensure people are financially empowered with control over their own value around the globe. Not only myself, but a vast majority of the Coinmama team come to work in the morning with a sense of mission to help onboard as many people onto the Bitcoin lifeboat as possible.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Laurence Newman, Co-Founder of Coinmama, a serial entrepreneur and a veteran in the Bitcoin space. After struggling to buy Bitcoin himself, Laurence set out to create a seamless, secure and engaging buying experience for one and all, and hence Coinmama was born. In addition to serving on its Board of Directors, Laurence heads up marketing and strategic partnerships at Coinmama and is passionate about educating the mass of newcomers about Bitcoin and its potential.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

A friend sent me an article about the new currency threatening Europe’s monetary system: bitcoin. Learning that there was an alternative to the flawed, central bank-driven financial system was exhilarating because it meant an opening up of novel opportunities to improve access to finance. Ensuring that everyone has the chance to participate in the cryptocurrency revolution is a big part of what inspired me to start Coinmama.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

At one point, my bank told me that I couldn’t buy bitcoin. The level of control exerted by financial institutions like in this scenario helped me realize how important Bitcoin is as a harbinger of financial freedom. People should be able to make their own financial decisions without an overseer from a centralized institution telling them what they can and cannot do with their own value.

Can you tell us about the cutting edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

As the co-founder of Coinmama, a global crypto exchange used by over 2,700,000 people across 188 countries, our goal is to make buying crypto as easy as possible. I firmly believe that Bitcoin is the future, and so it’s essential for financial well-being that people acquire bitcoin. Bitcoin isn’t here to make people rich, it is here to set them free. Coinmama’s mission is to help people get hold of Bitcoin in a smooth and secure way, and everything we do is geared towards improving the experience of buying and holding Bitcoin. For example, Coinmama leverages machine learning-driven risk mitigation on every transaction to offer a secure onboarding experience at scale.

How do you think this might change the world?

The financial system is experiencing a tectonic shift. Money as we know it is changing as more and more institutions and individuals wake up to how decentralized, borderless currency like Bitcoin will change the world by giving people control over their own value. Additionally, with the rise of DeFi, the unbanked are gaining access to financial services like lending, borrowing, insurance, and savings that were not previously available to them. Coinmama supports people from around the globe to acquire their first piece of bitcoin and Ether, gain access to DeFi, and everything crypto has to offer. Finally, the rise of the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) as a way to manage assets and projects collectively using blockchain is changing industry as we know it. We could see an increased shift from shareholder management to community-managed enterprise as the decade progresses.

Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

Personally, I believe there are only positives to bitcoin adoption. However, the benefits of being your own bank comes with added responsibilities such as securing the keys to your wealth. We’ve heard the horror stories of people being locked out of vast sums of Bitcoin, and that’s why we prioritize education and close customer support. On a macro scale, organizations and states can co-opt the underlying blockchain technology in a way that replaces decentralization with domination by making the blockchain private.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

It took me fourteen days to first buy bitcoin. The fact that the process was so arduous frustrated me immensely, because I wanted to encourage my friends and family to participate in this growing digital currency revolution, but how could I motivate them to join in when the process was so challenging? This struggle was what led me to found Coinmama with the mission of making it as easy as possible for people around the globe to purchase bitcoin.

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

Mass adoption is unfolding as we speak via the network effect. More people are joining than ever, including industry heavyweights like Elon Musk, Visa, and Paypal. As the regulatory fog continues to disappear and the on-ramps into the crypto economy become more easy-to-use and familiar, the adoption of Bitcoin will accelerate along its trajectory.

What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?

Our community loves us. A big portion of our users comes from people referring us to their friends and family, and we continue to foster a trustworthy brand. We are also participating in virtual events, speaking on podcasts and youtube channels, and publishing op-eds on our perspectives.

First of all, I’m grateful to Ilan Schuster, who sent me the article about Bitcoin, which set me on this course of being immersed with cryptocurrency and who later became my co-founder. I’m also grateful for Nimrod Gruber, my third co-founder, who never gives up no matter what, and to all of the amazing Coinmama team members, who have so much care and dedication to what they do and how they keep pushing the needle forward.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Setting people free is the ultimate goodness we can bring to the world. By getting bitcoin into the digital wallets of as many people as possible, we are helping to ensure people are financially empowered with control over their own value around the globe. Not only myself, but a vast majority of the Coinmama team come to work in the morning with a sense of mission to help onboard as many people onto the Bitcoin lifeboat as possible.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

Learn how to say “no”
Learn how to ask for help
You can’t do it all alone
Don’t change you; be more you
Curiosity is powerful

Bringing bitcoin to the masses is my mission. Bitcoin can free people from financial censorship by giving them control over their own value. Bitcoin can give people without bank accounts the ability to participate in the global economy — to save their earnings and generate wealth. Bitcoin is changing the world.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Time in the market beats timing the market.”

Lots of people reach out to me and ask if now is a good time to buy Bitcoin. Most of them end up saying that they’ll wait for the price to go down, some have been waiting for it to go down since it was $1,000 😉 The same is true for those looking to save on fees, while they wait days for a broker to verify their account or to fund it. Don’t worry about saving a percent here or there; just get in the market. Sometimes, and perhaps especially with Bitcoin, time in the market beats timing the market big time!

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Coinmama is a financial service company that makes it fast, safe, and fun to buy digital currency anywhere in the world. Trusted by over 2,700,000 people across 188 countries since 2013, Coinmama makes it easy for anyone to buy bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies with a credit card, bank account, or Apple Pay. Coinmama aims to bring the billions of people currently outside of crypto into the fold. By supporting users with world-class customer service and education, Coinmama ensures no one is left behind when it comes to financial freedom and the opportunity to participate in the rapidly-growing crypto economy.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

You can visit our website to get started buying crypto: https://www.coinmama.com/

And you can follow us on our social media channels:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coinmama

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coinmama/

Telegram: https://t.me/coinmamanews

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

The Future Is Now: Laurence Newman of Coinmama On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Jeff Martinovich of MICG Investment Management: Giving Feedback; How To Be Honest Without Being…

Jeff Martinovich of MICG Investment Management: Giving Feedback; How To Be Honest Without Being Hurtful

Study leadership. Inspire people. Give your teammates someone to look up to. Take great pride in not your own achievements, but in the success of your subordinates, and you will be rewarded both financially and personally beyond what your ever dreamed possible.

As a part of our series about “How To Give Honest Feedback without Being Hurtful”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Martinovich

Jeffrey A. Martinovich is a First Gulf War Veteran, MBA, and Founder and CEO of MICG Investment Management, a billion-dollar wealth management firm. After the 2008 Financial Crisis, Jeff rejected three government plea offers, resulting in a 14-year prison sentence. Yet the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed twice, two U.S. District Court Judges were removed, and after nearly 7 years, he was released to home confinement in May 2020 to begin rebuilding his life. His book is Just One More: The Wisdom of Bob Vukovich. Learn more at jeffmartinovich.com.

<a href="https://medium.com/media/43649b92ebb14a73c95bd41e4b5f623e/href">https://medium.com/media/43649b92ebb14a73c95bd41e4b5f623e/href</a>

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I was extremely fortunate to attend the United States Air Force Academy, earn an MBA at night from The College of William of Mary, and serve our country in the First Gulf War. These opportunities built a strong work ethic and confidence in my abilities. They gave me the courage to be an entrepreneur and not be afraid to fail.

Entering the business world, I was lucky to have successful mentors and role models who were gracious with their time and wisdom. They, along with a voracious appetite for studying leadership, economics, and organizational psychology, enabled me to begin to build a small enterprise of startup ventures. With my growing team of A-players, we built companies in asset management, investment banking, insurance, real estate, financial planning, and three hedge funds. We also consulted in software sales, medical distribution, and green energy.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Our current consulting-incubator firm is JAM Accelerator, which is basically a holding company for our business advisory, M&A, publishing, and speaking businesses. We are currently helping build a small portfolio of firms in the defense industry, as well as assisting a few clients on targeted acquisitions.

I believe the great value we bring to the table is the past three decades of success, but probably more importantly, is founded on mistakes and failures as well. I always tell my team, “Don’t worry about making a mistake, I’ve made a thousand more!” The ups and downs of business have given us tremendous real-world experience, much different from many consultants and academics — The Man in the Arena, if you will.

Since we have built companies from the ground up, we have had to wear all hats — operations to HR to legal to finance. So we have a holistic view of where an organization is today and what needs to happen to grow significantly. One of my junior associates told me a few years ago, “Working here is like getting an MBA for free!”

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

Are you ready for this one? Following the 2008 Financial Crisis, our proprietary hedge fund business experienced regulatory scrutiny and allegations. As CEO, I vigorously defended our firm, refusing multiple settlement offers and instead choosing to defend my employees and myself in federal court. In a bizarre narrative, I was convicted and sentenced to 14-years in federal prison. The trial court was reversed twice by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, two separate U.S. District Court Judges were removed, and my successful federal suit uncovered wrongs holding me at a higher-security, violent prison. After nearly seven years, I was released to home confinement and began this journey of rebuilding, restoring and turning disadvantages into advantages. I bet you don’t get that answer too often!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I wish I could be like Michael Jordan and not really remember all the shots I’ve missed, but I must admit that my embarrassing moments stay with me, and there are so many! To name a few:

For my first educational workshop presentation, I spent two months mailing a zillion flyers, making invite phone calls, bartering with the caterer, and cleaning the library auditorium. One person showed up, clearly just for the sandwiches, and I was compelled to give my hour presentation to the echoing room, determined to quit this business as soon as I finished!

The first time I gave a keynote speech in front of an audience, I was so nervous that I perspired more than any man ever has in a suit. The audience could certainly tell how nervous I was, and I quickly ran through the entire box of Kleenex wiping my brow!

What advice would you give to other CEO’s and business leaders to help their employees to thrive and avoid burnout?

I agree with Confucius: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” It is truly sad that most people do not like their J-O-B’s. I always make it very competitive and arduous to get a position in our company, which filters out the casual workers and ensures everyone on the boat is rowing together. Everyone must be passionate about our mission. Then, there is no burnout. I believe in good stress instead of bad stress: good stress gives you energy and empowers you to outproduce your competitors, but you must align your self-interests with the goals of the organization to achieve this state. Otherwise, your id and ego are always in conflict. Alignment is key. People simply want to be inspired. Everyone wants to be part of something special.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

I believe the only true and effective form of leadership in the world today is Leadership by Example. Position Leadership is dead, and Servant Leadership has failed to perform. It’s clear that the great majority of business associates and citizens are craving effective leadership. And the most effective leadership style has always been by example.

It is popular today for everyone to have a coach, but what truly inspires people is a captain. Anyone can stand on the sideline, or behind the desk, and tell people what to do, but the captain shows them how to do it. The captain instructs them, does it with them, encourages them, and takes the front position when times are the toughest. They roll up their sleeves to do even more work than their subordinates, while giving their team all the credit for success and taking all the blame for failures.

This leader engenders great loyalty and conviction from their organization while creating an army of new leaders by example to enable exponential growth inside an organization or among a community. If we want everyone healthy to reduce the skyrocketing healthcare premiums, we run the 5k’s and the half-marathons right alongside them. If we want our associates to handle problems with class and grace, we never lose our cool or correct others in public. If we want everyone to the office early and being wildly productive, we beat them there every single morning and produce, ourselves, more than they thought humanly possible. You cannot lead A-Players unless you, yourself, commit to being an A-Player at all times.

Perception is reality. We must change, and control, the lens on our camera. Also, using the proper language is vitally important. What appears as scary and terribly stressful to one person may be a fun and exciting opportunity to another. The only reason some people show no fear is they simply have had more of these experiences. Tony Robbins teaches us how to create the feeling in our mind, in our emotions, that we are trying to achieve prior to actually experiencing that success.

Many of us have experienced this same story. For years I could not get my son Cole near a rollercoaster. One summer we made a commitment together to get over this fear. Standing in line was quite a spectacle, as young Cole was having a meltdown for the ages, but after the ride he could not wipe that smile off his little face. Of course he yelled out, “Can we go again?”

Can you briefly tell our readers about your experience with managing a team and giving feedback?

Over the last thirty years, I have had the pleasure of leading and managing teams from 1–2 to more than 100, striving to get better at giving constructive feedback. Plus, I have worked to be more approachable and let others know I am available for reverse-feedback up the chain.

Can you share with us a few reasons why giving honest and direct feedback is essential to being an effective leader?

As Dale Carnegie taught us nearly one hundred years ago in How to Win Friends and Influence People, all success boils down to our ability to communicate. We live on a planet full of humans, and humans have survived and thrived through effective communication which enabled communities to foster mutually-beneficial interests. Without effective communication, success is nearly impossible, and since we all see the world in 8 billion different ways, we must have feedback. To make things even more difficult, 70–93% of all communication and feedback is non-verbal!

The Sandwich Theory is mandatory. If your employee cannot hear you (figuratively, not because the Zoom mute button is on), then they will never be open to your viewpoint and ultimate objective. We open them up with a sincere compliment, bringing down their defenses. Then we address the issue in a productive manner. Finally, we wrap up the conversation with encouragement and a show of confidence in their ability to achieve more: “John, I want to thank you for spending all weekend on this report for our new acquisition. The entire team always appreciates your work ethic. On this particular project, I think you missed the mark and I’ve highlighted the areas in your report. So, I’m going to need you to prepare a stronger analysis for the clients. But, before I let you go, I want you to know I also highlighted a few sections with the great recommendations you came up with. I had never even considered those possibilities. Thank you.”
Sit on the same side of the table, even remotely. My personal offices always include a small circular table where I meet with clients or team members. We must get up from our power desks and spend the five seconds to situate alongside each other. This simple act erases 80% of the defense mechanisms and posturing misperceptions that cloud our interactions. It expresses, “We are in this together.” Therefore, in today’s decentralized workspace, when at all possible, we should embrace our video-conferencing options so that we better express our excitement and empathy in meetings, especially when constructive criticism is required. Just your smile has massive communication power. Aren’t you totally thrown off balance by the frowning, brooding associate during your Zoom? You can’t stop focusing on what the problem may be. Most importantly, your language gets you and your subordinate rowing together from the start. I always say “we” and not “you.” I always first point out my plethora of mistakes first to show my humanism. I may even allow emotions to be expressed to show my own vulnerability. We have to connect first, be on the same side of the table, for my teammate to hear and understand my message.
Provide as many specifics and details as possible. Communication is difficult to begin with, but even much more so when giving criticism and corrective action. Many managers skirt the true issue, do not use candor, and simply make the issue worse by upsetting the subordinate and leaving them with no clear understanding or positive action plan. Once opening up a positive line of communication, address the issue in the most-direct manner possible. Your subordinate deserves this respect. They will appreciate your character and leadership — trying to help them succeed so everyone succeeds. Speak of exactly what needs to be fixed and help your teammate visualize the solution. In my earlier years, I was terrible at this part because I’m a Meyers-Briggs ENTJ and I just want everyone to like me and get on board! But I got better at it, and so will you with practice.
Tell people about all the mistakes you, yourself, have made. As noted earlier, opening yourself up to show others your silly mistakes and great failures tightens the bonds among your team. I love Michael Jordan’s Nike commercial, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” This allows your associates to not catastrophize over the current failure. They see you have done even worse and now you are extremely successful. This strategy aligns with all the current business psychology telling you to fail fast, early and often so that you will sooner find great success. In our organizations, we never punish for mistakes, yet we are unforgiving for lack of effort, for lack of trying. Show people your crash landings, and you will give them permission to soar.
Show your teammates the path to success. Without the path to success, constructive criticism is useless and certainly not constructive. Unfortunately, most people have ascended to management positions through tenure or unintended circumstances and have never understood leadership fundamentals, much less committed to learning them. Most criticism in corporate America is meant to give the boss more power and protect their own insecurities and, likely, their own tenuous position in the company. Don’t be that manager. Study leadership. Inspire people. Give your teammates someone to look up to. Take great pride in not your own achievements, but in the success of your subordinates, and you will be rewarded both financially and personally beyond what your ever dreamed possible.

Can you address how to give constructive feedback over email? When someone is remote, how do you prevent the email from sounding too critical or harsh?

Language is everything, yet most of us do not take the extra moment to ensure our message is communicating exactly what we want to convey. My wife, Ashleigh, always makes fun of me when I’m reading my emails or texts over and over before I hit send (it actually is a problem!).

Of course, the Sandwich Theory is even more critical when using email in place of in-person communication. Most of us, though, don’t want to take the time for this extra effort. Try to never type “but” because everything you just typed before the “but” has been erased in the mind of the receiver. Always say “and.” Practice your social graces by politely asking for the desired result instead of demanding it. Your associate knows it means the same thing, but the delivery is better when phrased, “May I request that before you send out the next newsletter, you give us a chance to review this together?”

In your experience, is there a best time to give feedback or critique? Should it be immediately after an incident? Should it be at a different time? Should it be at set intervals?

I believe the optimum time, if possible, is to give the critique not after the failure, but before the next one occurs. After mistakes and mis-steps, emotions are running high and our disappointment can be easily communicated without World War III. Most people are aware of their mistakes and certainly want to be an overachiever (if not, they shouldn’t be on your team to begin with), so allow emotions to cool and find that productive window to communicate the path forward.

On top of that, regular reviews allow this communication to get easier and easier. I prefer quarterly huddles, and I really want reverse-feedback so I have the opportunity to get much better in my own role.

How would you define what it is to “be a great boss?”

A great boss ensures their organization is wildly successful and that their team has grown and found fulfillment in the process. Without both, the great boss has not achieved success. Our mission is not to have a good time with office ping pong tables and free lunches, but to that achieve greatness in our space that everyone else thought was impossible. At the same time, if each associate has not personally realized tremendous growth and development, then we did not achieve greatness.

People want to be part of something special, something difficult. They want to overcome fears and for the world to believe they made a difference. They won’t first tell you this, and many don’t even know they are capable of this, but this is what truly makes them happy and fulfilled.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement what would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I would like to inspire a movement to bring power back to the people, if that doesn’t sound too dramatic. Our amazing nation, the greatest political and economic experiment in the history of the world, is now suffering from its own success. All organisms develop and expand to further their own interest, just as the natural evolution of governments and corporations is to further expand their power and bureaucracy. We, as individual citizens and business owners, then naturally accept this environment as homeostasis. We think it is natural.

We hold 5% of the world’s population but 25% of world’s incarcerated individuals, and my own bizarre experience proved to me that a great percentage are truly innocent. Government regulators learn their trade on tax-payer-funded salaries then transition to significant paychecks at the very Wall Street firms they were supposedly regulating. The national debt is $28 trillion (actually more), and we have no idea what that even means.

I am inspired to help people become more educated and aware, and most-importantly to take back control of their own lives and destiny.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite all-time life quote is from the Man in the Arena speech President Theodore Roosevelt gave in Paris in 1910. I even put it in the front of my recent book. I relate to it well since it seems my life has been a series of great achievements followed by great disappointments and failures and, at least so far, strong comebacks. Roosevelt said the “credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood … not with the critics … not with the timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.” His words have given me strength when I have let down my employees, my shareholders, and my family, even repeatedly on the front page of the newspaper for all the wrong reasons.

At 5’9” I achieved a Division I basketball scholarship, only to be cut from the team the next year. I built a billion-dollar investment company from zero, only to watch it implode back to zero. Terrified, I chose to stand up for the truth and go to trial against the federal government, only to be sentenced to fourteen years in prison. The list goes on, but what I believe is important is that we get off the canvas just one more time than being knocked down, and only then will we have lived our best life.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

My book, Just One More: The Wisdom of Bob Vukovich, has been recently published by Ash Press and is available at Amazon Books, Just One More: The Wisdom of Bob Vukovich: Martinovich, Mr Jeffrey A: 9781790554850: Amazon.com: Books

www.jeffmartinovich.com

https://jeffreyamartinovich.blogspot.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-martinovich/

https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.martinovich.1

https://www.facebook.com/Jeffrey-Martinovich-Author-113750764136118

https://twitter.com/JeffMartinovich

https://author.amazon.com/profile

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLIvBIfotBiHSuPAZE3woA

Jeff Martinovich

JAM Accelerator, LLC

[email protected]

www.jeffmartinovich.com

(757) 407–8194

Get info on Jeff’s Latest Release

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Jeff Martinovich of MICG Investment Management: Giving Feedback; How To Be Honest Without Being… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With IBM’s Adi Raz Goldfarb

Never forget yourself; try to allocate time for things you are passionate about, even if it appears like there is no time at all: I really wanted to learn and work on a new technology, but it never felt like the right time. In the end, I decided to take some university courses (and pay for them!) and do all the homework and submissions. It wasn’t easy, but since I had strict deadlines and commitments, I had to find some time in between everything else, and I managed to do that.

Adi Raz Goldfarb is an AI researcher, developer, and the leader of the Augmented Reality team in IBM Research — Haifa in Israel. Together with other great minds from all over the globe, she is driving the adoption of augmented reality technology among enterprises, while trying to change the way technicians and workers interact or access knowledge.

Adi is also active in exposing teens to technology and helping young women at the beginning of their academic and professional careers.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up in Akko, a town in northern Israel. My parents both immigrated to Israel as children; my mom is originally from Latvia and my dad from Morocco. They are very different from one another — my mom is a social worker and my father is an electrician — but they are both hard workers and very diligent. I’m sure I got the drive to work and excel from them. I think I’m a good combination of the two of them — I have the interpersonal skills of my mom and the technical skills of my dad.

Growing up, I was a good student with good marks. I skipped a grade and graduated from high school at the age of 16, but I hated it. I really wanted to be like everyone else; social aspects of life were very important to me. I was very good in math, but science was not on my agenda, even though I had studied physics, but only because my dad literally forced me to do so. Today, I know that my resistance to science wasn’t entirely my fault. The idea of girls studying and working in the sciences was not really spoken about back then, especially in more rural or outlying areas of the country. None of my friends’ parents were in the STEM fields, I had never met an engineer, and I had no idea what it really meant to be one. I just knew I might have the skills to become one, but back then I wasn’t even certain I wanted to.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

That would be Sheryl Sandberg’s book “Lean in”. Before I came to IBM, I was sure I wasn’t ready for leadership positions, even though it was always part of who I was. Since I was young, I always found myself leading and managing in different situations. I even served as an officer in the Israeli army. But I always had the feeling that I was just lucky to be at the right spot at the right time. When I read Sheryl’s book and learned about the impostor syndrome, it felt like she was describing exactly how I felt. I also understood that I would never feel quite ready for the next challenge, and perhaps if I did, it would probably mean that it was too late. That’s why I accepted the challenge when my manager offered it.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

I’ve always loved makeup, but it’s a tricky thing to buy because you can never quite tell what the right color is for you. I remember thinking ten years or so ago how cool it would be if you could try out any makeup you wanted virtually and then decide what to buy. It seemed so futuristic at the time. Later, I learned that AR can actually address that.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

A little while ago, I went on a business trip to a client site in Texas. That was the first time I saw how our AR technology was being used not just for fun or testing, but for actual, real-world industrial use cases.

For example, when working on some maintenance procedures, the technicians were following printed instruction from a printed manual. It looked so tedious. We gave them the option to get all those instructions on AR; by pointing their iPad at the machine, they could see exactly where to tighten a screw or which piece should be removed and how. They were also using AR with a remote expert for troubleshooting. Instead of just trying to explain the problem on the phone, they could show the expert what they saw in real time, and he could instruct them by annotating the video.

One of the most interesting aspects of that visit was to see the challenges the enterprise world is facing in this area, as opposed to consumer apps. The end users for enterprise AR are often not teenagers. For them, embracing new technologies after working for so many years in a certain way is not always natural.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I was 15, I volunteered as a counselor at a summer camp in the Jewish community center in Canton, Ohio. That was the first time I had ever been in the US. One day, I called my parents from the community center office. During that call, I remember I saw a small blue button under the desk. I don’t know why, but I decided to press it. I guess I thought to myself, what could possibly happen? Well, as soon as I ended the call, two police officers suddenly showed up. Apparently, I’d pushed some emergency alarm that directly notified the police. That was very embarrassing, not just because the community center needed to pay for this emergency service, but also because those cops refused to leave before they were 100% positive that I did it by mistake and there was no actual emergency that someone was now trying to cover up. What did I learn? First, that American rules are very serious! I couldn’t imagine something like that happening in Israel. Israeli cops would probably laugh or yell at me and then quickly leave, but those cops were very serious and really cared about our safety. I think it says a lot about the cultural differences. Second, I learned not to press (or click) any button without knowing what it does first ☺. I think that really helped me in my software development career — never leap before you look.

Today I’m confident enough to say that I’m the person who helped me the most, by being motivated, hardworking, and focused on my goals, and I don’t feel like I owe it to anyone else. It’s also important to me to convey this message to other young women: Don’t wait for someone else’s recognition; push yourself forward. (Although I’m pretty sure if I had to respond to this question just a few years ago, my answer would be entirely different.) However, I do appreciate my managers along the way who placed their trust in me, even though I wasn’t the exact profile they were looking for.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Actually I am, but I can’t say much about them because they’re still confidential. Let me just say that we are working on the next generation of AR applications for enterprises.

First, I think the entire industry is straight out of science fiction movies. This technology is really something we’ve all dreamed about, and now it’s actually becoming accessible reality. That’s just incredible to me.
Second, even though it’s not here yet, the day that everyone will have AR glasses just like smartphones is not far off. We know many companies are working on that currently. It’s going to change the way we consume content.
Third, and maybe the most important thing, is that the COVID-19 pandemic put remote collaborations and virtual communications in the spotlight, so the need for AR and VR is stronger than ever.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

My biggest concern is the adoption rate. Technology is not always embraced by everyone so quickly. In the XR industry, there is a huge dependency on devices and hardware, and not just the software. And while it looks like the software is mature enough, the devices are not yet there, and that effects the willingness of users to buy it and try it, as many products are also still quite expensive.
Another thing that concerns me is a possible outcome of people using AR/VR on a daily basis. This of course is a problem connected with every new technology — how do we maintain and even strengthen our interpersonal connections? When we don’t have reasons to meet people face-to-face (you can play remotely in VR, meet your team members in a virtual meeting room, and so on), what might happen? If you watched any “Black Mirror” episodes, you probably get the idea.
Finally, as in other tech areas, we also have to be very cautious about privacy in the AR/VR space. Working with these amazing technologies usually involves a lot of data, and it can often be very personal (such as knowing where users are or what they see) or confidential corporate information (such as hardware specification or defects). Along with all of our research and development efforts, privacy continues to be a central area of focus.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

The potential is enormous, especially around technical work where technicians can use AR or VR to simplify procedures or easily access information in real time from IoT sensors (temperature, pressure, etc.). There is also a lot of potential in the medical world. For example, doctors can be trained on VR simulators. While many people are familiar with the visual aspects of this technology, haptic technology that uses VR is perhaps even more exciting. That VR application can allow a doctor located in Seattle to perform a surgery on a patient in New York by transmitting his hand movements to a robot while he is watching the patient in VR! Isn’t that fantastic?

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Think about all the things you do today with your mobile device. Now imagine it in front of your eyes, without needing to hold something or shift your gaze. For example, imagine seeing driving instructions on the road itself instead of on a map. The most interesting potential surrounds the connection of AR with AI. Imagine tech that can not only learns your preferences and habits, and gets online information about your current environment, but that presents you with relevant, customized information at the exact right place and time, such as promotions for your favorite dairy product when you walk by it in the supermarket.

No, I’m not satisfied with the current situation. When we try to hire new developers, we rarely get females applicants. That’s truly frustrating. Our research lab is doing a lot to help improve that, as is IBM overall. I recently saw in an IBM report, for example, that the company’s efforts to promote diversity resulted in the hiring of more than 38% women in the U.S. last year. But we still have quite a way to go. I’m also active in Facebook groups for women in tech and academia and try to help female students and young developers as much as I can to find jobs to improve their CV and build their self-confidence in general. The changes must start at a young age. Girls need to be exposed to technology from childhood. When we buy spaceship toys for boys and dollhouses for girls, we perpetuate the inequality.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

People sometimes think that if you are an engineer or a software developer, that’s your only interest in life. Well, most of us have a lot of other passions, such as cooking, traveling, or music. So, no, we are not robots.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Don’t be afraid to do something you never did before: Our mind usually tends to freak out when something new comes along that we never did before. I usually take such unfamiliar tasks and try to break them down into small items. That’s how I get better clarity on how to address it.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; that’s the best way we learn: Every time I say or do something wrong — it stays in my mind for a while and makes me think and analyze the situation again and again. In this way, I get a lot of good ideas on how to improve for the next time.
Don’t try to be the smartest person in the room. Listen to others: If someone knows something better than you, it doesn’t mean you can’t lead him. Ask for advice; the more opinions you get, the smarter you become. When I started my current job, I felt like I knew nothing! I remember I had a notebook with me at every meeting and I was writing down a huge number of technical terms that I had never heard before. After the meeting, I would review those gibberish terms, search for them on the Internet, or ask friends what they mean. I had much more experienced developers on my team when I became a team lead, and I never made a decision without first asking their opinion or understanding what they thought. I think that’s what really allowed me to grow.
Never forget yourself; try to allocate time for things you are passionate about, even if it appears like there is no time at all: I really wanted to learn and work on a new technology, but it never felt like the right time. In the end, I decided to take some university courses (and pay for them!) and do all the homework and submissions. It wasn’t easy, but since I had strict deadlines and commitments, I had to find some time in between everything else, and I managed to do that.
Invest time in transferring knowledge to others, and “let go” when you can; you don’t need to control everything: I think this is extremely important. It helps me to become more focused and keep my sanity. You don’t want to be overloaded with meetings, tasks, and responsibilities because usually it just creates frustration. It’s also important to empower the people you work with; let them feel independent and responsible.

I’m really concerned by educational inequalities as a byproduct of the wealth gap, which lead to fewer opportunities for children from underprivileged or disadvantaged families or for kids who live in rural or more outlying regions. Children from wealthier families from major urban centers benefit from greater and easier access to aid with their studies, and more access to technology and science. I want our political leadership to increase investment in public education to close that gap and give these kids equal opportunities.

I’d love to sit down with Kamala Harris if I ever had the chance. She’s so charismatic, smart and talented, and of course I’m so impressed with her as the woman who has reached the highest office yet in the history of the US. She really inspires me and a lot of women around the world.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With IBM’s Adi Raz Goldfarb was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Andy Alekhin of SnarkArt On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly…

Non-Fungible Tokens: Andy Alekhin of SnarkArt On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry

Communicate — In the NFT space there are no middlemen — no galleries and art advisors. At least for now. This means that artists are now responsible, not only for creation, but also for promoting and selling the work. It requires a slightly different skill set.

Andy Alekhin is CEO and co-founder of Snark.Art. Snark.art collaborates with international artists exploring the creative possibilities of blockchain and other emerging technologies, developing projects in the fields of art, performance, music and literature. In 2020, Snark.art also launched a platform for selling digital art on the blockchain.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your background story and how you grew up?

I was born and grew up in Moscow, Russia. Studied mathematics in Moscow Aviation University and planned to become an astronaut (actually some of my classmates are already active astronauts). But an entrepreneurial spirit brought me away from building spacecraft and I started building companies instead. My interests ranged from IT to finance to digital arts. I built a couple of small startups and even launched a digital arts and music festival in Russia.

Several years ago I moved to NYC and decided to launch an art & tech production company there.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Except my passion for arts, I was a huge fan of science fiction — everything from Ayzek Azimov to Phillpe Dick to William Gibson. So, when blockchain, virtual worlds, and digital goods ideas started coming into reality — I was not surprised at all. All these things already existed in my imagination, in my world, for many years.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry? We’d love to hear it.

I was fascinated with the ideas of Marcel Dushamp and his ready mades. Such a simple and powerful concept made me think that anything is possible in this world, if only you can think of this. Imagination is the most powerful thing in this universe and people are actually gods as they can imagine new things. Everything we can imagine sooner or later turns into reality.

And this is what true artists are doing — inventing things that never existed before: they are building our universe.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

A lot of cool things happened. I met some great artists and helped them realize their vision using new technology. We experimented a lot and sometimes months of work brought us to nothing, but some results were interesting and definitely worth the effort. Sometimes things we did were so new that we didn’t have the right words yet to explain what we are actually doing and why. I remember after we launched 89seconds Automized with Eve Sussman, my partner and I were invited to Chadder TV: this was a complete disaster as I was not able to explain the nature of the project I worked on for 8 months day and night

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I make a lot of mistakes. That is the nature of experimenting — trying new things, trying something that nobody else did before you. The biggest lesson I learned — you not only need to believe in what you are doing, you need to bet on it. High bets increase the likeliness of success, of turning new ideas into a reality.

Sure. My partner Misha Libman, my wife Anya, and of course our early investors — who believed in what we are doing and trusted our vision.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yep, we are developing some cool projects right now. From something simple but extremely cute collectibles Ksoids.com that aims to preserve wild life to serious NFT projects with world leading artists like Kabakovs and Joanna Vasconchelas.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. I’m sure you get this question all the time. But, for the benefit of our readers, can you explain in your own words what an NFT is, and why people are spending so much money on them?

NFTs are scarce digital objects. Just like for scarce physical objects their value depends on the creator, content, and the total number of copies created.

If there is a unique painting that was created by Diego Velazquez and considered to be the first selfie in the history of art (I am talking about Las Meninas of course) — it might become very expensive. Same for NFTs: if a digital object was created by a famous artist and has some revolutionary content — it might be worth millions.

NFT technology makes digital files unique, but creators make them valuable (or not).

The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

The ability to own digital objects is extremely powerful. It makes art close to regular people. You can now have your collection right on your phone and experience it while commuting for example. I hope this technology will not only turn more people into collectors, but make this world a bit nicer place to live.

Because of NFTs art can become more interactive right now. It is not happening yet, but it will. Imaging artworks that mutate with a change of ownership or appear in full only in 100 years from now. With NFT technology all these things become possible — it is a new medium for experimentation for artists.

Global aspect. As digital objects can move at the speed of light there are no borders for collectors anymore. We all become one global village.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

Hype and marketization of art. We are seeing a huge inflow of new artists into the space, but surprisingly, most new projects are copy/pasting each other. New mediums provide so many opportunities, but almost nobody is using them so far.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?

Myth 1: NFT will eliminate forgeries. While NFTs give some additional transparency — they will not solve this issue completely.

Myth 2: Secondary royalties for artists. While NFT tech allows to embed secondary royalties into artworks, there are (and always will be) many ways for collectors to avoid paying these royalties. So the problem cannot be completely resolved with technology and should always imply a collector’s willingness to pay these royalties

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry. What can be done to avoid this?

People think that tokenization and NFTzation will make their art better or higher priced. But it is not about that -NFT is a new canvas, new medium, but art is still about ideas and imagination — only these things are really important.

How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?

NFTs will make art more accessible to normal people. Art will not be a niche elite market anymore. I think this will help to heal society faster, but we’ll see

Bring fresh ideas — Adding to conversation, not just repeating somebody’s else thoughts or approaches
Experiment — Be brave — try new things and don’t afraid to fail hard
Know your medium well — Blockchain technology is the basis for NFTs, if you know how it works, its strengths and weaknesses, you can create many more things
Collaborate — NFTs came from startup/silicon valley culture that knows, and collaboration is more powerful than competition
Communicate — In the NFT space there are no middlemen — no galleries and art advisors. At least for now. This means that artists are now responsible, not only for creation, but also for promoting and selling the work. It requires a slightly different skill set.

We need to start creating multiple decentralized government systems. The idea that each territory has only one government at one moment of time seems ridiculous to me. I want to have a choice at any moment of time and want governments to compete with each other constantly just as insurance companies are. I don’t want to choose between democrats and republicans once every 4 years — I want them both active with people paying taxes to the government of their choice. In an ideal world I can switch from one political system to another a few times per day without going out of my apartment.

I’d love to have lunch with David Hockney. I want to live in the world he creates in his paintings. Can you please help me with that?

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Non-Fungible Tokens: Andy Alekhin of SnarkArt On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Bruno Fruscalzo of NFT Inc On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly…

Non-Fungible Tokens: Bruno Fruscalzo of NFT Inc On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry

Be involved and pay it forward. The NFT space is still in its infancy, and there’s plenty of time to gain traction and establish yourself. In the meantime try to inspire others, and collaborate. Be aware of the great many issues and frustrations buyers and sellers have, and of who has ideas to solve those, then try to introduce those who wish to action those solutions.

Bruno was an early adopter of bitcoin, below $500, and bassist / bandleader for Carly-Rae Jepsen (“Call Me Maybe”) from her first rehearsal to the doorstep of global stardom. He is an NFT curator and creator, and has over 23 years’ experience in capital markets as a director and officer of publicly listed companies. IG: @nftcurations

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up in small-town Western Canada, the son of European immigrant parents — a hard working former athlete and exceptionally kind father, and a super-smart, fierce mother who highly valued and encouraged individuality.

I moved out at age 17 and have lived a generally care-free, active and happy life marching to my own drum and pursuing my passions ever since, while seldom answering to anyone.

After studying economics in university, a brief career in a major bank’s head office led me to burning that bridge and never looking back. Afterward I had stints in film & television and IT, which were fun but I discovered what works for me is working for myself and moving ideas forward.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

“Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer. It’s absolutely fascinating, thrilling, and an extremely rare event that such a skilled writer very familiar with high-altitude climbing happened to have been part of, and survived, one of the most infamous mountaineering disasters of all time.

For me it resonates as a strident reminder that no matter how good you are at something if you waver from the proper path calamity can ensue, and that success isn’t getting to the top; it’s surviving being at the top. In that light, I view it as one of the best, if inadvertent, books ever written on investing, which is a big part of my life.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry? We’d love to hear it.

My involvement in the NFT industry is mostly blind luck. I landed at the right place and time where the perfect nexus of my skills and passions defines the NFT space: art, finance, music, commerce, collaboration, abstraction and absurdity. It’s a triumph of the underdogs writ large, and most of all so much fun! I was hooked from the start.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

The first day I became aware of NTFs I happened to be present in a Clubhouse room for the ground-breaking 3LAU drop. He was present with his family, as were famous and influential people such as Kim Dotcom and music industry bigwigs.

I believe no one who experienced that auction will ever forget it. For me it was like listening to “War Of The Worlds” as it was broadcast live, yet with the awareness something was happening that would change history for artists and musicians.

I stayed up all night in excitement, pacing and thinking, the next day calling any friends and colleagues who would entertain my ranting about it. Within days I’d incorporated a company dedicated to the NFT space, which should be publicly trading later this summer. There are exciting projects going into it and a diverse NFT collection initially comprised of works by many wonderful people and skilled artists who helped me navigate the cryptocurrencies, wallets, and marketplaces necessary to acquire NFTs.

Since then in the NFT community I’ve met some of my favorite artists from the physical world and forged friendships with creators and curators whom I’ve come to admire and respect. For me the NFT scene has been an excellent antidote to the toxicity prevalent in social discourse today and to the psychology of pandemic lockdowns; in the NFT space creativity, cooperation and commerce are moving ahead at warp speed.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The mistake that led to me discovering the NFT space was losing access to my bitcoins in early 2014. Despite having a past life in IT and network security, I’m one of the people you’ve probably read about who took such great pains to secure their crypto that it became inaccessible.

I regained access to it in early 2021 and thought I should diversify. Learning about the use cases of different alt-coins led me to NFTs.

Without giving too much away, I’ll say that the lesson I learned was that you can have the right key but if the lock has changed then it’s not much use.

I’m blessed that so many people have had so much influence on me in so many ways — personally, professionally, musically, spiritually and more.

My mother is chief among them, and no one in my adulthood comes close to the encouragement and support that my business partner has given me. Plus if it weren’t for her I wouldn’t have recovered my bitcoins and this interview wouldn’t be taking place.

When I told her I had lost bitcoins, she did some research and kept reminding me to explore the different avenues of recovery which resulted in my regaining access after 7 years.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I have a pre-IPO crowdfunding platform going live later this summer in Canada, made possible under new SEC regulations. A top branding and development firm in the States is working on it, and it’s looking fantastic.

It’ll make certain listing requirements much easier to comply with for companies wishing to go public, and will facilitate more creative and entrepreneurial people getting their ideas funded then taking those to public markets. People who didn’t have access to such investments in the past will be able to get in at the pre-IPO stage.

The developer of the NBA Top Shots NFT marketplace — Dapper Labs, now valued at $7.5 billion — is based in Vancouver, Canada. The hotbed of tech there could see the city emerge as “Silicon Valley North”, and my portal will be perfectly placed to be part of that boom.

NFT is a new medium with some unique and compelling features. It’s fascinating and fun, and the NFT community is a welcome contrast to insular lockdown life.

People are increasingly living digital lives, so creating and collecting digital art and making new friends in virtual communities makes sense.

The reasons for spending varies widely. Some wish to support their favorite artists and the greater NFT community. Many were making relatively easy money selling NFTs, plus the value of cryptos exploded this year, and as a result some have the means to spend big on art for the first time in their life. That’s a powerful feeling in a time of such widespread chaos and uncertainty.

There’s a speculative mania going on in virtually all economic sectors, and there’s been a lot of media focus on NFTs in particular which attracted plenty of new participants.

It’s an exciting new asset class with such a vibrant community, and opportunities exist for artists to get royalties on future resale of their work — which in the past wasn’t possible. People want to be part of the conversation and feel they’re a part of moving the art form and technology forward.

The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

The pervasive culture of collaboration is very exciting. Within my first few days in the NFT community I was lucky to be part of the world’s first group NFT creation in real time.

A discussion led by actor/musician Drake Bell (“Drake & Josh”) about how best to present his future NFT project turned into a discussion about how to present a single song, then emerging superstar NFT artist Eddie Gangland suggesting we do it immediately. A few dozen people sent their art to Eddie who turned it into an animated collage in his style, Drake’s producer added some of his music to the image, we collectively recorded some vocals to add to it, and within hours we had a result that I’ll always cherish being part of.

As for its “value” or whether it’s “art”: it makes me happy and makes me laugh every time I view it and that’s priceless art to me. It inspired me to commission Eddie to mint my first NFT purchase, and the creative energy that process lit within me was indescribably exciting and productive.

The ability for artists, musicians, dancers and others, and I hope someday fans and behind-the-scenes workers in those disciplines too, to collaborate remotely, and profitably, and be paid royalties in perpetuity is a very big deal. That’s uniquely possible thanks to NFT “smart contracts”.

I’m evangelical about bringing new artists into the NFT space, especially musicians who now have a new creative outlet and the hope to earn money after their plans, careers and earnings were derailed by the pandemic. At the same time fans have a way of participating and interacting directly in ways that are unprecedented.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

The marketplace-gallery experience is generally abysmal and has a very long way to go. Buzz-kills, confusion and security issues are legion, and solutions will come naturally in time through new entrants into that space and healthy competition.

I worry about artists suddenly coming into money in a “wild west” speculative atmosphere who aren’t well equipped to handle their business affairs. It’s a new medium, but the same old laws of income and capital gains and intellectual property apply. The wild gyrations in cryptos makes it that much tougher to keep track of things. Sharing resources and educating people is the simplest solution.

A major concern is what happens to your crypto holdings after you die. Given decentralization and the security measures inherent in crypto, when someone passes away it’s not going to be as simple as asking a bank or other institution to hand over a deceased person’s holdings.

If there’s a chance to help fund and bring solutions to such issues forward, I’m keen.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?

The biggest myth is that NFTs or digital art is “not art”, or that it’s easy to do.

Try it. Make a compelling work, mint it as an NFT, then promote and sell it at a profit. Do that repeatedly for awhile, then you’ll know what I mean.

There’s enough hating and negativity in the world. Instead of bringing it into the NFT space, try bringing something positive and creative or feel free to carry on complaining while those who “get it” are engaging in exhilarating discussions about art, currencies, and future technologies, while being part of making it happen and having tremendous fun in the process.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry. What can be done to avoid that?

Same as in any boom, people get a quick taste of success and extrapolate that it’ll never end. Some are spending before saving, or quitting their jobs before they’re truly established, or not getting their business affairs straight in re: taxes, etc.

Others are missing tremendous business opportunities for fear of missing out on future revenues that will never happen if they let others rush to market first with the same idea, or instead of seeing the benefits of long-term relationships they’re burning their audience by supersaturating the market for quick sales.

Truly nothing can be done to avoid it. It’s just no fun to hear about pragmatism while the party rages.

Those who’ve been through it before will hopefully not re-learn that valuable lesson since it’s not specifically an NFT thing; it’s human nature. The medium is different but mania behavior remains the same.

How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?

When people create, market and sell something of their own they taste autonomy and develop a much greater interest in their finances and future. They see an upside that isn’t possible in typical day-to-day wage earning.

In the process they’ll hopefully gain empathy for people who run businesses rather than demonize them all out of habit, and they’ll gain an awareness of the massive fraud that is currency devaluation via global central bank actions and populist policies.

Participating in crypto transactions requires a level of personal responsibility and consequence that’s too rare today, and that’s very healthy.

1. Be involved and pay it forward. The NFT space is still in its infancy, and there’s plenty of time to gain traction and establish yourself. In the meantime try to inspire others, and collaborate. Be aware of the great many issues and frustrations buyers and sellers have, and of who has ideas to solve those, then try to introduce those who wish to action those solutions.

2. Stay positive and be unique. I hear a lot of guessing what buyers want. If you’re a creator, just do what you do and focus on offering something unique. Don’t pander or get stuck in a trend. Stick to your vision, develop your most unique traits, and gear down for the long haul as there will be terrible droughts in sales, wild fluctuations in cryptos, and no end of naysayers, cynics and critics.

3. Stay in touch. Be an active part of the community on social media. If possible go the extra mile and provide a receipt and contact info. to your buyers. That’s largely if not completely absent in the current marketplaces. Stay in touch but don’t dehumanize your collectors by making them feel like a wallet. Learn the basics of subtle, successful marketing.

4. Handle your business. Be aware that real-world laws fully apply with respect to taxes, capital gains, trading cryptos, and intellectual property copyright. Martyrs will be made by IP lawyers and agents of “The Man”. Unless you’re looking to prove a point, potentially at great expense, know where the line is and avoid crossing it. Know that just because others haven’t been sued for something doesn’t mean you can’t be. Even if you’re in the right, is it worth a 2-year court battle and $250k in legal fees to achieve that verdict?

5. Think about the future. Don’t be overexposed to any one asset class, and plan for what happens to your crypto and NFTs not just when you die someday but if you die tomorrow.

Compassionate accountability at the personal and local level. There’s good in everyone, but Big Brother is never your friend. Centralized power absolutely and always corrupts.

WhaleShark. He’s the most famous NFT curator, an enigma and a renown crypto “whale”. I admire his approach, tone, tremendous positive energy and ideas, and his gentle voice is a joy to listen to. He’s an inspiration for my own NFT curation and business.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Non-Fungible Tokens: Bruno Fruscalzo of NFT Inc On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Is Now: Haitham Al-Beik of Wings On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The

The Future Is Now: Haitham Al-Beik of Wings On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Tech Scene

We are here to create, not work. — All I ever wanted to do is create things driven by desires within me. The idea of work is creating for someone else’s desires and wishes. When one is creating from and for themselves, then they are playing. The consequence of such “plays” are guiding tools incidentally beneficial to others in their creative process. It is this framework of indirect helping that is most inventive and effective for collective enlightenment.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Haitham Al-Beik.

Haitham Al-Beik is the CEO and founder of a research lab called Wings, developing next-generation autonomous and pandemic-proof businesses. Haitham is driven to liberate creators by introducing new technologies, such as robotics and A.I., to people’s daily lives.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Seeing it as a career path is a slight misnomer. It feels more as though I have been doing this since I was born. I have always resonated that people are catalysts to one another for the purpose of enhancing human life — directly or indirectly. As such, I started to focus on and invent tools, canvases, and platforms for anyone to naturally focus on their creative energies more and more.

Selling my house back in 2017 was an eye-opener to real estate’s operations and logistics. The workflows, processes, laws, and transparency and accountability concerns in real estate made me take a second look at the services industry as a whole. Nonetheless, I studied and played my cards right. I made a good profit with every cent going to Wings.

Ironically, the services industry struck me as one with the most friction in creativity and invention. It’s at least 10 years behind compared to industries from software, hardware, manufacturing, auto, and others. As all industries accelerate through automation, services will become the bottleneck wedged in between them.

Even though I began in real estate as it was most apparent, it quickly shifted to the foodservice sector. This was even before COVID hit. In my humble opinion, this sector is most needed for innovation that puts people first.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I approached the foodservice sector the same way I did with real estate. I decided to take it upon myself to manage a health-focused fast-casual restaurant that considered closing down due to COVID. I saw this as an opportunity to throw myself into the fire while attempting to keep it afloat. I wanted to experience the pain points beyond any mathematical models observed from the outside. The experience taught me a lot about the industry and its sectors and the people involved in all aspects of the ecosystem — the managers, chefs, cooks, staff, partners, customers, etc.

Along the way, we took the opportunity to prototype many technologies to enhance our internal and external logistics while optimizing for healthier and cleaner operations.

Can you tell us about the cutting edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

At the core, it’s all about removing the complexity and friction from the services industry. The most friction can be found with labor work and the business components. In foodservice, for example, your intention is to eat. Still, you have to go through the business and labor portions before you are served. You have to stand in line, review the menu, customize your preferences, verify availability (if possible), order, transact, wait for the food to be made, and finally, delivered. We have observed on many occasions where friction can take up to 50% of the whole process. This is due to the dynamic and unpredictable nature and variability of labor and business work in services. For example, we had to have 4 tablets running and managed at the same time just to offer third-party delivery services. This is a clear sign that businesses are being broken from within, causing an exponential increase in friction and ROI reduction.

The numbers worsen as you consider every business’s internal logistics are unique and non-transparent, creating another layer of friction for every customer to learn and apply.

Suppose a person is not creating but instead laboring with the same repetitive tasks day in and day out. Such an asset will reach diminishable returns very quickly. Since a human is driven by creating, such drive will be soon foregone, as observed with the industry’s high turnover rate.

This is where technology can potentially come in and free the laboring individual to be a creative one. Research and technologies in material science, robotics, fintech, blockchain, and artificial intelligence have matured enough to be part of our daily lives.

Let’s start with robotics — the type of robotics we want to introduce to the public is invented from within the services industry and uniquely architected and designed to be alongside people. We refer to them as HiveRobotics. Most people are familiar with robotics that are multi-axis arms inherited and borrowed from the manufacturing industry. Such robots were never designed or built to be near or in contact with people. That’s one of many reasons why they are already unfit for the services industry.

HiveRobotics, on the other hand, are a collective of highly purpose-built robots that can work autonomously or as an extension for any other robot(s). They clean, store, produce and deliver personalized services to people. These robots can perform various time-constrained operations regardless of how they are physically connected or in proximity to each other. A multi-axis arm robot, on the other hand — ha! — , can go as far as the arm can, while ours can travel distances beyond the building itself.

More than that, though, one of our conditions is to make sure that whatever we invent it is to give back more space and time to people. Current robotics take a considerable amount of footprint from people.

Having robots serving us is one thing; communicating and interacting with them is a whole other story. For the last two years, we have worked on real-time infrastructures and intuitive interfaces for seamless interactions leveling the playing field across all people regardless of their personal needs and circumstances.

Putting it all together, the business is now the robot. Its purpose is to serve your creation in a personalized way to your customers… and do your taxes.

Abstracting the business portion of services opens the doors to creators without any business experience to have one in the shortest time possible.

For example, a pastry chef can focus on creating their unique cupcakes for their local market. The basics of the cupcakes are loaded into the business robot. The robot, without human assistance, connects, transacts, personalizes, and delivers the products in a timely fashion with a cherry on top and an espresso on the side. During that time, the chef is busy designing and creating their following products.

How do you think this might change the world?

We see the world shifting from labor work to a creative one. We see a world where people are respected with personalized services, and they own their data. We see a world where creative development is prioritized and labor work is replaced by robotics. We see a world where services revolve around each individual for hassle-free living.

Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

From my perspective, technology should never be considered as the answer to a joyful and blissful life. Nor should technology be applied for the purpose of taking advantage of people. Let’s be fair; many new technologies in the market are being used in a way that is not congruent to people’s desires or their environments — knowingly or not.

In essence, we gave away our self-responsibility to technology. Giving it that responsibility will (for the most part) lead to chaos. Nonetheless, it is a powerful tool for computations, exploration, convenience, and abundance — liberating us from having to survive.

The consistent theme in Black Mirror is how we still work to appease the technology as part of a reward system. In a way, that future is already here, today! Any system that is based on a reward-based practice is a survival one.

People should think deeply about how to transition from this survival and reward mindset by building relevant solutions and technologies. These technologies intend to upgrade humans to move beyond their intellectual limitations and regain the time for a more conscious living.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

The breakthrough was realizing we can manufacture and produce autonomous end-to-end businesses for anyone to operate without a business experience.

Initially, we attempted to introduce many of our technologies to current businesses that needed the most assistance and guidance during such difficult times. We started with the software. However, we quickly learned that we were so far ahead that the existing infrastructure was preventing us from easily integrating it and effectively moving the needle forward. This resulted in a complete rethinking from the ground up of how we needed to introduce our technology.

There is a reason Tesla did not simply sell their tech to other car manufacturers for a quicker transition to electrification and autonomous driving. It required a complete rethought and a whole new infrastructure to truly see its potential and the opportunities it would bring. They also needed to be agile and move quickly as they navigated uncharted terrain.

We are in the same boat.

When we looked into the future to see what was essentially needed and not, we realized that the idea of manufacturing end-to-end autonomous businesses was the only way to make it accessible and effective for everyone.

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

First, we need to continue having conversations about how such technologies will change how we look at and participate in life. Partaking in conferences, podcasts, and other media channels will help spread the message far and wide. Secondly, we are also taking the crowdfunding route to have a platform for people to vote for and become an integral part of this mission.

We are also contacting local universities and research labs to bring about the idea of HiveRobotics and what can be done to elevate the services industry for the future.

What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?

We are still in the early stages of publicizing the idea. Besides the typical social platforms and news channels, we will also be “landing” somewhere in Silicon Valley before the end of the year 😉 That would be an excellent opportunity for anyone to get a sneak peek into our technologies, including HiveRobotics. The robots are coming…

Millie Milton is the first person to engulf herself into the research work during the real-estate period. She knew first-hand the frictions embedded within the industry and, as an avid traveler, had worldly exposure to all types of experiences around services. She is an owner of a local french cafe, Cést La Vie Bistro in Northborough, MA, that I frequented almost every morning for their espresso and croissant. I spent my mornings studying, researching, and developing ideas for Wings. Her curiosity and continuous hospitality led to a beautiful friendship, which brought her to become part of this mission as the first advisor and investor.

John McKenna, our primary investor, resonated with the idea early on, and when it “clicked” for him — he saw that future as inevitable, and it was simply a matter of when. I first met John McKenna at a local restaurant he frequents during his lunch break. I continued to talk to him almost daily, sharing my progress and ideas around business models and strategies. His continued insistence on looking into the foodservice sector as a more significant pain point proved enlightening. Together, we guided one another to discover the many untapped opportunities. In fact, the HiveRobotics R&D lab was constructed from scratch at a warehouse he owns, allowing us to accelerate our development progress.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Every step of the way, we shared our experiences and methodologies with every local entrepreneur, Company, and partner to work together for a shared mission. It’s humbling to see many resonate in aligning themselves and their respective communities towards a more technologically holistic living approach.

This type of resonance allowed us to partner with so many driven individuals who genuinely see hope and a better future for the services industry.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

These are few things that I have discovered within me through this life journey so far. It guided me in offering clarity to the process of and the symbiotic nature of people and everything else around us. Any clarity I gained around that framework naturally brought about a higher probability of manifesting a vision bigger than myself.

1.) We are here to create, not work.

All I ever wanted to do is create things driven by desires within me. The idea of work is creating for someone else’s desires and wishes. When one is creating from and for themselves, then they are playing. The consequence of such “plays” are guiding tools incidentally beneficial to others in their creative process. It is this framework of indirect helping that is most inventive and effective for collective enlightenment.

The idea of starting a company is essentially a research container to birth ideas for enhancing humanity. The only reason I’m creating a company the way it is today, in the first place, is simply due to the systems’ established language that was developed to facilitate and bring about new ideas. Inherently, bringing about any revolutionary idea to that language will always go against the grain.

I quickly realized that only a few are willing to change for a highly pivotal future when the right amount of energy, time, and space is invested. Hence, the first few who rallied in revolutionary ideas initially tend to be close by and stealthy (like a cocoon) due to today’s natural resistance. This can be observed by the close proximity of early advisors and investors to where I am.

I was surprised how deep topics about humanity and social infrastructure were not given the respected time to be discussed with many VCs until you have a working business model or a technology that excites the mind.

The platform is mainly designed (it seems) to invest in technology, not humanity. Where is the platform for the heart? We are all here to contribute to a singular mission to transition the “human condition” to “human being.”

2.) Never conclude, always realign.

Whatever idea one begins with will always yield to become something more significant than itself. In essence, the devotion behind the creation of that idea is alive, while the idea itself is guidance — a clue.

One of the major struggles for any entrepreneur is holding onto old ideas that are presumed to be the answer preventing them from taking a few steps back or starting over. When in reality, it is never a step back; it’s only so when compared to the previous idea.

This was significant in keeping the ideation and creative process ongoing while unraveling what Wings is. Technology became something we had to invent along the way. The idea of marrying hardware and software resulted from these processes and is now fundamental to Wings.

If we labeled or defined Wings early on as a software company, it would never have had the opportunity to unravel its hardware aspects. It’s not that the idea of starting out as a software company was wrong, but a necessity at the time to prepare and wise up for the hardware later.

Wings was guiding us to itself.

3.) Everyone is extraordinary.

Like any startup in its early stages, funds are scarce to acquire the necessary skills and resources. Believing that only investing in intellectual and most skillful people to bring about a solution will only lay down a path where the focus is on the skill rather than the solution.

We have people contributing their heart and intelligence from all aspects of life and industries — most have never written any software and are reluctant to technology and robotics since they have not served them well. These are the creative energies that can dream and imagine beyond any skill to start laying a path and a platform where technology is always second.

As such, people, given their time and opportunity to express themselves, become the process of invention — extraordinary!

4.) Too much noise — get to the point.

In ideation and creation, one is constantly faced with forming little conclusions on the way. These are based from third parties, research companies, news, customers, investors, etc. However, most acquired data is designed as a guide that has gone through many computational filters to create normalization — for the sake of simplicity. This is where humanity has been lost in that noise. Simply put, no matter how much data one obtains, it will only bring you a little closer to understanding the average of human input/output kinematics and mannerisms, but never really know anyone.

For example, one can use all the tech to understand the moon, but it takes one to ultimately go through training, traveling, landing, and experiencing it to get to know it — by that one astronaut.

Everyone in the company is here to throw themselves into the “fire” — truly experience what really is going on that may be difficult to capture with data.

Data — if not respected as what it is, a history, a memory of what has been done — will only mirror ourselves to it, and technology will keep us in that memory cycle, preventing us from seeing ourselves from all that noise.

5.) Slow down.

We all need to slow down. The concept of “first-to-market” and “prototype something quickly” for revenues’ sake hinders progress for innovative processes. This is a fear-based survival mindset that embedded itself at the organizational level as a strategy. The consequence will always result in sacrifices and settling of the original mission. In reality, the need to be first-to-market presents itself as a small evolutionary step product as a feature rather than genuinely a revolutionary idea.

It has become prudent for the entrepreneur today to consciously remove themselves from any survival mindset or dependence; otherwise, they’ll find themselves continuously balancing their heart and mind. This continuous balancing is like a tire stuck on mud — stress will eventually reveal itself, discouraging the self. Today, the population is stuck in a system that rewards “survivors” over creatives merely because there is an established and highly invested platform for them.

I wanted to minimize all that I had physically related to material things and mentally related to impressions from this life. I sold all I had — even today, I don’t own a car. I put myself first to focus on all aspects of my mind, body, and soul, so I can manifest what I need. I questioned everything and took no truths but as perspective words of guidance and wisdom. I surround myself with things that can and will only enhance what I can create at any moment.

We need to realize that anything that has ever influenced and changed the world came entirely from a devoted human being. Devotion requires time and energy in a loving-based environment. Companies, as such, will need to be devoted and take their time to seek it.

As much as we can plan things, the mind cannot fathom all possibilities. It’s only through slowing down that we can transcend our own intellectual limitations and become part of something larger than us.

The movement would be about humanity transitioning from a survival mindset to a vibrant and joyful one. As entrepreneurs and investors, we must work together to leap forward the service industry and bring a little of “The Jetsons” to reality. 🙂

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

The one that sits within my core is that “truth is not around us.” What is around us, or rather what we experience, is only a guiding system in a forever processing state of creation. And as such, what is being produced are creative tools. Naturally, these tools that are being created or the ones we make will always be an extension of that guidance system.

This provides a framework where companies are not meant to produce truths but rather create tools for others to seek their true selves.

This is the framework I apply when creating anything.

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

VCs can invest in automation and robotics that may or may not be sold to businesses or invest in future companies that are already automated and robotic, produced right from the factory. One is highly short-sighted, while the other is the future.

We are the first Company in the world to attempt to produce end-to-end autonomous business products. The first of which, Nectar, is planned for 2023. It will be cheaper than a car, AutoPilot capable, and requires no business experience to own or operate.

Presented here is a new market opportunity estimated to be valued at least $1T by 2030. Elon Musk estimated the A.I. market alone would be ~$16T by then.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram under the alias “albeik.” Readers can also visit my personal site for updates at albeik.com.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

The Future Is Now: Haitham Al-Beik of Wings On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Is Now: Allen Drennan of Lumicademy On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up…

The Future Is Now: Allen Drennan of Lumicademy On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up Education

Success is all about personal relationships. If I had to choose the most successful outcomes over the years so far, I would point to those where I developed a personal relationship with the customer. I mean this is in the sense that they knew me, and I knew them. The most important attribute in developing these relationships was trust.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Allen Drennan.

Allen Drennan, CEO, started Lumicademy in October of 2017, bringing together the team of senior engineers who created Nefsis, a cloud-based, video conferencing online service, which Frost and Sullivan cited as the first “conferencing service solution based on the technologies of cloud-computing, end-to-end parallel processing and multipoint video conferencing,” to create the next generation of virtual classroom technology.

Engaging students and educators alike, Lumicademy provides the ability to interact in a live video meeting and view presentations with screen shares, document shares, annotations and whiteboards, all within a tablet or phone experience .Lumicademy offers a high quality video and audio user experience for most mobile devices with our GPU-centric mobile edition. Educators and learners can live chat with peers in up to 62 languages. Users enjoy the learning capabilities traditional ‘video apps’ cannot offer, with an unlimited amount of users joining in the mobile classroom experience.

At Lumicademy, we believe there’s a better way to connect people online. Our goal is to unify the virtual classroom experience, providing a modular and customizable solution to education industries and corporate organizations. We’re excited to bring the authenticity of face-to-face relationships in a virtually-driven world.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Early in my career I saw the need for using computing devices to promote real-time communication between people. At the time, the industry lacked quality software to create those instant connections, and this seemed like a great opportunity for a whole wave of new technologies. Back then, I saw the need for text messages to be sent in real-time across computer networks, but that would evolve over time into video conferencing and other forms of real-time voice. I had a solid understanding of network principles and software engineering, and that vision of a future where everyone could communicate in real-time is what led me down this career path.

I took my fresh ideas down to Sand Hill Road to speak with VCs and was promptly rejected a couple dozen times. Mind you, this was a time before the rise of Twitter, What’s-app, Skype and all the other forms of real-time communications we enjoy and use these days on our devices.

Despite the rejection, I just focused on building solutions, products and services around these concepts while bootstrapping the companies we started. The results were several successful companies along the way that helped to shape how real-time communications worked; including the company being cited by European CEO Magazine and market research firm Frost & Sullivan in 2009 as the first to use cloud computing in a multipoint video conferencing online service.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

There are so many different stories, it is hard to choose just one. I think that a turning point which ultimately saved the first company I started in real-time messaging, thereby cementing my career as an entrepreneur, was when we were a new company, and we had a booth at NetWorld Interop in 2001 in Atlanta. The show started on one of the most infamous of days, 9–11–2001 at 9am, essentially the exact time of the attack. I was having breakfast with the editor of Network Computing magazine at the time, but we were unaware of what was going on. When we walked back to the show floor people were in shock. Many of the vendors started packing up and the show was promptly cancelled. We knew we had to head back home to San Diego, but all flights were cancelled, all trains were booked, and it was difficult to rent a car since we needed to drive one-way from Atlanta to San Diego which takes several days. We set off on our journey home in a huge Ford “Crown-Vic” and I knew at the time, this event would create a real survival issue for our new company, and that the tech sector and related investment might stop. Eventually we made it back to San Diego. We had to reinvent ourselves and find a way to use our real-time expertise to survive. Within a matter of weeks, we had the “big idea” and that was to use our real-time technology to create an alert notification software to notify users in-bulk, of emergencies. That small idea ultimately sold 600K copies and was used by every major branch of the federal government in D.C. including the FBI and Dept or Labor. At the time, we were even on the POTUS’s computer. The product ultimately saved our small company while the tech sector slowed down.

Can you tell us about the cutting edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

This recent pandemic has taught us many things about distance learning, but probably one lesson we are learning is that we need a purpose-built solution to video conferencing designed for educators. The off the shelf solutions people are using for learning lack the immersion required to replicate the experience of the classroom, and general-purpose video conferencing tools are inadequate for education.

We are focused on building the next generation of synchronous distance learning where interaction is forefront and paramount, and the need to learn comes first.

In addition to the problems with the current generation of remote learning, these solutions really lack the privacy and security required for the 21st century. Organizations need to have complete control over their information, and privacy is critical, so we are working on and providing solutions that meet these needs both in the private sector and in government.

How do you think this might change the world?

Education is a key element to improving one’s life. There are large parts of the world that are unable to access quality education in an effective manner due to poverty or governmental restrictions. Part of the issue is that technology is either not available, not affordable or distance learning tools are inadequate for the task. I see a future where broadband is widely available, like Musk’s Starlink satellite Internet service, which will be able to provide high-speed access to remote areas with low latencies. Combined with software technology that can deliver a high-quality live learning experience on low-end consumer devices, this will allow us to extend the reach of education to the entire world.

Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

I have seen a couple of episodes about the pitfalls of video conferencing on Black Mirror. Some of those storylines are not appropriate for discussion here, but the true worry is that we lose our human connection to others. A world where VR replaces human to human interaction is a theme of recent Hollywood blockbusters. This past year of pandemic education for our children has showed us how one-way streaming of information is not really education. For students to thrive they must have real interaction with not only the instructor but also their classmates. This can happen with technology, if it is designed correctly and based on enhancing our human behaviors instead of replacing them.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

Moore’s law has held mostly true since it was first coined in 1975 and I am big believer in the concept. In layman’s terms it is on the principal that computers become increasingly more powerful as they become more compact. When I first started thinking about real-time, my epiphany was when I realized that text messaging would only be the beginning of this revolution. It would lead to real-time voice interaction and real-time video conferencing, and various other forms of real-time communications as the CPU of the device became more powerful. Since those early days of single core processors, we now have multi-core processors and GPUs driving our devices, all of which can be used to improve the experience for real-time. We have rearchitected our ideas for each of the evolutions. We are still seeing advances in the areas of real-time and we will continue to do so in the future. There is a long list of billion-dollar companies and billion-dollar exits based around real-time communications, with more yet to come.

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

Real-time communications continue to evolve, and what consumers expect from the technology continues to evolve as well. I would argue that no one company will dominate in this space for any lengthy period, because consumer demands continue to mature, and we have not even scratched the surface of what is needed for real-time communications on a global basis. Once high-speed, low latency Internet is available to the entire planet, we will see even more widespread adoption of technologies related to messaging, synchronous voice and video communications. Large, new opportunities for real-time communications exist in countries all around the world.

What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?

We started developing our platform for video conferencing and collaborative communications before the pandemic hit, not knowing that virtually overnight the pandemic would force people to work from home, and education would switch to distance learning. We had not launched our platform yet, but overnight there was an immediate need, so we have been providing the service free-of-charge to educators and organizations in the community. Additionally, we work with our partners in the government sector to deliver solutions that meet up with the requirements that they are unable to obtain from most other cloud based, general purpose web conference or video conferencing solutions. This is extending our reach into areas that are untouched markets, due to the need to address the requirements for military grade privacy and security related to communications.

Nobody does this alone, and at the risk of offending anyone, I would say that I been fortunate to be surrounded by a great group of software engineers my entire life. I believe that great products are not built with large teams of software engineers, they are only enhanced. Great products start with a small handful of super-talented engineers executing upon a shared vision. Finding those people with the talent to execute at that level is nearly impossible, and I have worked with so many genuinely smart people with great ideas.

One individual I would specially mention, and I have been working with for the greater part of my career is Erik Van Bilsen. He is an incredibly brilliant and humble software engineer from whom I have learned so much over these years. One of those rare talents that most large organizations are lucky to have only a few of, because you cannot measure that talent in a typical interview. From our first time working together, he has taught me so much and made me a much better software engineer. We started this latest venture together, and we are co-founders of Lumicademy along with our other partners working in the government sector.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Part of my joy comes from helping others be able to communicate more easily and efficiently. Watching my own child use technology that we built here at Lumicademy to improve her math through truly interactive tutoring over our platform shows me the power of the technology, when properly applied, to shape learning for the future. I hope to see a day where this is available to the most remote areas of the world.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

Being lucky is more important than being good. My mentor, Steven Peltier, use to say that “timing is everything in business”. I learned along the way that it does not matter how great your invention is, it matters whether the timing is right. Too early is as bad as too late. I learned that lesson in both my successes and failures in business.
Success is all about personal relationships. If I had to choose the most successful outcomes over the years so far, I would point to those where I developed a personal relationship with the customer. I mean this is in the sense that they knew me, and I knew them. The most important attribute in developing these relationships was trust.
Be careful who you hire when starting up. You are only as good as the people around you, listen to them and learn from them. When you are first starting out make sure you hire the correct people for those first 10 jobs because it will make you or break you.
You need more money than you think you need. It has been said before, but you will certainly underestimate it. Either you need more cash before your business reaches break-even or you will take off and need more capital to grow faster.
Never underestimate an opportunity. If I look back on my career, the biggest opportunities came from small meetings on my calendar that at first glance, seemed insignificant. The best things happened from the most innocent introductions, so always keep an open mind and while sometimes you need to say no to the opportunity, do not be afraid to say yes.

Communications is transformative, and I believe it is the key to developing empathy by means of knowing others. It is difficult for most people to hold onto their prejudice when it impacts those we know, love and care about. If I could inspire just one thing in this world, it would be for all of us to communicate with each other in a way that helps us really understand what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes. Imagine what the world would be like if we all truly empathize with each other? Communications is key in getting us all there and I hope to play a small part in making that happen.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

There are so many great quotes and my friends would say I mostly use either football or farming phraseology. There are others like Ma’s “forget about your competitors just focus on your customers” and my mentors have used a choice few. But for me, the golden rule is paramount in that “always treat others how you want to be treated” serves you well in business. So many entrepreneurs and founders get into trouble by not following this concept. Treat, not just your shareholders or your customers as you expect to be treated, but make sure you treat your employees with the same respect.

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

I have raised varied amounts of money over the years from different sources, some friends and family in the early years (which I would never do again), angel investors, and now mostly private equity, but never the traditional venture capital route, even though I tried. Fortunately, in some of the ventures we have been able to boot strap our growth, and in others, private equity has been available from prior business relationships. For Lumicademy, we can fund the operation through our connections, and the private equity investment from them.

I found out over the course of the years that the investment capital came from the other sources for us, and not from the VCs. It has crossed my mind how much bigger the exit could have been if we infused large amounts of capital in the early years from the VCs, but I am happy with the course we took at the time, as well as the journey and the outcome.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/lumicademy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lumicademy

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/lumicademy/

Lumicademy has a presence on Twitter, Facebook and Linked-in so feel free to reach out to us if you would like to discuss your needs and requirements. For me personally, while I have social media accounts, I prefer to spend my social time playing with my kids and seeing my family and friends.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

The Future Is Now: Allen Drennan of Lumicademy On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Charlotte Mallo of Clay…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Charlotte Mallo of Clay AIR

Build a reliable team with people who are in the right mindset: a team made of individuals with a strong sense of self, willing to learn and self-improve, who have the ability to listen and to have honest conversations will go far. Accountability and team spirit do well with transparency in communication.

Charlotte is currently the Head of Marketing at Clay AIR, an interaction technology company located in Los Angeles. She has a background in business and strategic design with experience in product development, go-to-market, and B2B marketing in international contexts. She is passionate about cultures and obsessed about reducing waste and food insecurity.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up in a very small town of 5000 inhabitants in France, near Germany’s border. I was raised by dad and my grandmother — a feminist and vanguardist strong woman who is still a role model to me now. At 18 after my high school diploma, I studied in Lyon, and then got admitted into a Business School, still in Lyon, which enabled me to travel during my studies. After graduating, I worked in Mexico, Paris, and now Los Angeles on projects related to user research, strategic design, and artificial intelligence.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

I have two very different books in mind. Memoirs of Hadrien, by Marguerite Yourcenar. It’s a philosophical and historical novel about the life, death and thoughts of the Roman emperor Hadrien, written from his own perspective at the end of his life. He meditates on various aspects of his life including love, death, power, and ethics. It took the author more than twenty years to collect historical data, write and publish the book, which I think is an example of great persistence.

Something else that strikes me with this book is the amount of emotional intelligence and empathy shown by the author to ‘impersonate’ a Roman Emperor with who she had nothing in common (unless, maybe, the fact that they were both queer and evolved in a male-dominated environment).

Genderqueer, by Maia Kobabe (pronouns: e, em, eir), is an amazing comics memoir. I recommend this book to anyone who is curious to learn about sex, identity, nature, feminism, pronouns, love, relationships, friendships. Self-discovery journeys are complex, chaotic, and personal, but anyone can identify to Genderqueer.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

I have always been interested in emerging technologies, but what triggered my interest for artificial intelligence was my years at AXA, where I started working closely with the data science team. The ethical challenges that were related to deep learning, data analytics and computer vision were new to me at this time and I remember being struck by a Ted Talk by Joy Buolamwini about bias in facial recognition and its broader implications.

I then started working on conversational AI to design support and customer service bots. I loved learning more on the technology working very closely with the data scientists involved with the program but also on the organizational and change management topics linked to it. This is the most exciting thing about working with emerging technology: taking part to creating a vision, overcoming ethical challengers, and learning something new every day.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

Most of my experiences were in mid-sized to large companies. Either in consulting, where implementing the strategy we designed was out of our hands, or in larger companies where implementation can take longer than expected. The last three years, I was working, sometimes leading depending on the topic, in global programs with a lot of stakeholders involved. I for sure was identified as the intrapreneur, the one that is not afraid of ‘kicking the nest’ and thought I would do great somewhere where I could do strategy, execution, solo and team work, learning every day. Joining Clay AIR has been a very exciting experience so far. Working with people who are excellent at what they do and have a vision to change the world is inspiring.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Saying ‘yes’ to everything! I have a very curious personality and love doing new things, which is a great quality, but the dark side of the coin is that I ended up putting a lot of efforts into other’s projects without getting any benefits of it. If the person who asks or delegates is not able to appreciate the favor or if the task has no advantage for me in the short and long run, I decline.

A former boss of mine was an example and a coach as well. I learned from him structure, strategy, politics, but also, how to deal with tough issues. I learned how to measure my emotional involvement and ‘pace’ myself. Another person I am grateful for is a former colleague– she is an incredible woman, a full-time ballet dancer in her free time, who showed me what self-confidence meant by making me rehearse scenarios during lunch breaks.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

With Clay AIR, we are working on a technology that enables people to interact with computers or devices with their hands, without a controller or without the need to touch the device. Interacting with a mouse or a keyboard is not always intuitive (or private), nor is voice interaction, or biometrics. We offer an alternative for these interactions modes to make technology more accessible.

Because we don’t require to add an extra piece of hardware, our technology can work on any device that has an existing camera. This kind of technology can help people with limited mobility interact with devices, robots or smart displays at a distance. When embedded in a virtual reality headset, hand tracking and gesture recognition can be used for rehabilitation and pain management. The technology can also help turning touch screens into touchless interfaces to maintain a level of hygiene in shared spaces.

The breakthrough in augmented and virtual reality are made possible by the progress that we have seen in other fields like computing power, artificial intelligence, automation, and connectivity. It is interesting to see how large companies like telecoms, chip makers, and manufacturers around the world are working together to define the next way of interacting with our ‘reality’, especially because it reveals our humanity. Is virtual reality an escape to the many issues of the reality? What are the drivers behind the will of ‘augmenting’ our reality: should we understand ‘improving’ and thus would it mean that we cannot accept the reality (distance, time, entertainment) as it is?

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

The nature of the impact of a technology doesn’t depend on the technology in itself but on the value system of the stakeholders handling it, so my concerns for this industry are the same than for any kind of technology. What is exciting with emerging technology is that there is no regulation, no codes nor social norms that define what is socially acceptable. Technological progress embeds the social schemes (and thus their flaws) of their period, which today are accessibility, equity, privacy, and transparency. The concern is that technological progress is now moving faster and faster: can we, as a society, keep up?

Two fields that I find particularly interesting are computer vision and artificial intelligence. When they are combined, they can create powerful tools such as supporting doctors in the detection of ealy stage cancers, or for mass surveillance for instance. The boundary between safety/wellbeing and surveillance will have to be defined and touches to human rights.

Artificial intelligence algorithms are biased, which is another challenge. A bias in AI typically privileges one group of user versus another by repeating anormal errors. Our machine learning models and data sets incorporate the biases of their ‘creators’ and those embedded in the dataset used to train them: this is how Alexa performs worse when with the voice of a black woman vs the voice of a white male. The same is happening with facial recognition. Creating diverse teams and data sets is very important to build solutions that are fair. I had the opportunity to chat with visual technologist and artist La June McMillan, who advocates for diversity in datasets through her project The Black Movement Project.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

These immersive technologies will improve the way we collaborate and connect people in a more immersive way than Zoom or Facetime. Teams scattered around the world will be able to work together on complex topics, manipulating 3D prototypes together. Because they bring people together, these technologies will shorten the geographical distance between different people more than ever, and hopefully make opportunities more accessible.

Another way virtual reality can help us at work is through immersive training. It is proven with research that virtual experiences impact our behavior in real life and make us healthier (in a similar way than how social media can impact who we’ll vote for).

At work, augmented reality will make it easier for workers to follow a complex process by guiding them hands free and decreasing the risk of accidents. Virtual reality headsets equipped with tracking capabilities enable precise user research for marketing or scientific purposes.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

VR can be used to train professionals by simulating complex situations and accelerating the learning curve. Osso VR provides training and assessment solutions for surgeons and hospital staff for instance. VR has been used to treat patients with PTSD, support people going through physical therapy from home, or simply workout.

The power of these technologies to provide a sense of immersion and to interconnect people makes services more accessible.

In entertainment and education, VR can really shake our empathy such as in this installation by Alejandro Iñarritú, Carne y Arena, where you end up in the shoes of an immigrant at the US border.

I am not satisfied with the status quo regarding women (women is for me a term that includes everyone who identifies as a woman) in general. According to the OECD, women in heterosexual couples spend 4 hours daily on unpaid work versus 2.5 hours for men. In 2019. Women in average in the US made 17% less than men, and the gap is worse for Black and Hispanic women according to the Current Population Census Survey.

Covid-19 has reversed the slow and steady increase in women in leadership position (from 23% to 28%) observed from 2015 to 2019 worldwide. It is the first time since 2015 that women opt out of the workforce at higher rate than men. Covid has increased domestic violence: in the US, police departments report an increase from 10 to 22% depending on the cities.

In STEM, women are still underrepresented in engineering, computer science jobs, especially Hispanic and Black workers.

There are many ways to tackle the issue, starting with venture capitalists, who can choose to invest in projects led by women and people of color. 28% of startups in the US in 2019 were founded by at least a female member, but only 12% got funded through venture capital. Even though female-led companies tend to perform better (10% more cumulated revenues), they receive in average $1 million less in investment. Diversifying venture capital looks would help closing the gap: three quarters of venture capital funds are male-only (2019).

CEOs and recruiters can choose to recruit a diverse team, with diverse backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, etc. there are many resources to educate oneself, like XRinclusion.org with resources on Bias prevention, inclusive writing and recruitment.

Trends are evolving and there is definitely more awareness than a few years ago, but we have to be patient and non-judgemental. Behaviors are deeply entrenched in our culture, language and systems, a change doesn’t happen overnight. Idealistically, I believe that individuals should not be labeled and backgrounds, gender, sexual orientation or skin color should not matter, but the tag and identification help statistics show where the issue is and enables to track the situation’s solution.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

Working in the XR industry requires a college diploma or having a computer science background. Many developers or influencers I interact with in the space are self-taught or started in XR as a side project. Antonia Forster for instance (a LGTBQIA activist and Unity developer) started from scratch, Dilmer Valecillos started his YouTube channel on his free time, there are many examples. Working in tech (or in deep-tech) doesn’t require to be extra specialized either because grit and drive will compensate for the lack of technical skills, and bring another perspective to the team!

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

I use a few guiding principles as a moral compass to help me navigate through situations or simply make decisions.

Be excellent and professional: ultimately, the evaluation of an individual’s or team performance should be based on facts so focusing on achieving objectives and measure them is a priority.

I am the master of my own time. There is no time to lose in interruptions (manterrupting is more common than you think!) and mansplaining.

Everyone is accountable: reducing the gender gap, increasing diversity and inclusion, and speaking up against (micro) aggression is the responsibility of all. When Ursula von der Leyen was left without a chair at a meeting with the President of Turkey, European Union Council President Charles Michel could (and should) have reacted, but he chose not to, which makes him complicit.

Build a reliable team with people who are in the right mindset: a team made of individuals with a strong sense of self, willing to learn and self-improve, who have the ability to listen and to have honest conversations will go far. Accountability and team spirit do well with transparency in communication.

Self-confidence. Imposter syndrome is real among women, this is why it’s important to rely on facts, while acknowledging the feeling. Seeking mentorship and coaching, as simple as among peers, helps.

I dedicate part of my free time to projects that aim to reduce food insecurity through models inspired from the circular economy and working on gradually reduce my waste and carbon footprint. Technology is not my religion, and I believe more in camels than unicorns!

I would encourage anyone to take part to local politics and organizations: help your local non-profit, sign-up for a city council, offer help to communities.

Angela Merkel, or Jacinda Ardem. They both have their own very distinct leadership style but exemplify the ‘female’ leadership. They care about their people and are able to make tough, unpopular decisions that follow their values, thinking not about their ego but about the greater mission they are committed to achieve. Women do not have to stick to the masculine representation of leadership to lead and be respected, one can achieve a lot putting aside ego and personal thirst for power and prioritizing consensus and transparent conversations.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Charlotte Mallo of Clay… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Ali Sabet of The Suite On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly…

Non-Fungible Tokens: Ali Sabet of The Suite On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry

Map out who the key players are in the space — Considering that this is such a new space, you have to look at who the original pioneers were and how they got started.

George is the CEO & Co-Founder of The Suite. He founded The Suite in order to fundamentally change the way executives manage their careers. Prior to founding The Suite in 2019, George spent several years in the executive recruiting space where he was fortunate enough to advise some of the world’s leading VC & PE backed businesses on talent.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I suppose you could say that my journey to where I am today was pretty rough. I grew up in Brooklyn, raised by a working-class family of mostly Italian descent. I didn’t come from money and didn’t go to the best schools, so when I was graduating high school, I didn’t have many options in front of me. When I was in my second year of college, I had a son. I had to get two jobs to support him and his mother, but I remained a full-time student and graduated on time. Desperate for money, I took any job I could get. My wife jokes that there isn’t a job I haven’t done, and she’s probably right. I’ve worked in restaurants, cleaned toilets, spent time in construction, and even worked as a security officer. I didn’t have time for soul searching, so I never really figured out what I wanted to do after graduation, and since money was always tight, my focus was always on making as much money as possible. After all, diapers are pretty expensive… After what must’ve been a dozen dead-end jobs, I ended up falling into the world of recruiting after a large recruiting firm found my resume online and called me in for an interview. For me, it was a place where through grit and talent, I could decide my own future, and I loved it. It wasn’t until several years later that I started to recognize all the things that are wrong with that industry, but that’s a story for another time.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Without a doubt, the movie that has influenced my life in the biggest way has been Rocky. I first watched Rocky with my dad when I was 4 years old, making it one of my earliest memories. Watching those movies became a “pick-me-up” ritual that I would undergo whenever life beat me down. The idea that anyone can do anything so long as they have the grit, the work ethic, and the dream, has become a core foundation of my own beliefs and personality. I have always believed in the limitlessness of human potential and pride myself on my ability to shatter whatever barriers lie ahead.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry? We’d love to hear it.

I can’t say that there is a particular story so much as my own experience. Back when I was an executive recruiter, I couldn’t help but notice that of the roughly 50 people that I would consider for a job, only 1 got it, and nobody was paying attention to the other 49. I founded The Suite to be there for the 49 that no one else sees.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

I don’t know if I can pick just one story to share. To be honest, my career has led to meet fascinating people, experience extraordinary places and events, and build a list of hilarious barroom stories. Although I suppose being able to say I interviewed one of Jordan Belfort’s senior most team members was a pretty interesting experience… definitely top 5.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

During my time at one of my first jobs out of school, I worked for a boutique search firm in their NYC office. The company was filled with 20-something-year-olds and the culture of the office really was that work-hard, play-harder vibe that young professionals gravitate towards. Anyway, at one of our team happy hours after being dared, I consumed more martinis than any person probably should and the night went from office banter to friendly martial arts sparring session with one of the Managing Partners. I wish someone got a video of it though. To this day he and I still get quite a laugh out of that one.

I owe most of my success to my amazing wife. She has been my biggest supporter, my trusted advisor, and my closest confidant. During the good times, she forces me to celebrate my victories, and during the bad, she is there to catch me when I fall. We all fall right? But that being said, it’s certainly a lot easier to fall when you know there is someone there who will catch you. When I first thought of stepping into The Suite full-time, I was terrified, but seeing how much she believed in me and my dream was enough to make me take the leap. A year later, I couldn’t be happier with my decision. In fact, I finally feel like I am doing what I was meant to do.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I am working on setting our future product roadmap and I couldn’t be more excited for all that we have in store. When we first launched we wanted to give executives access to job listings at their level and remove the noise that other mass-market sites suffer from. Since then, we’ve developed several products that were designed to champion the jobseeker and empower executives to advance their careers and expand their networks. From our networking platform where members can connect and leverage one another, to our compensation tools that provide guidance on salary and equity packages, every tool we’ve developed at The Suite has been with the executive in mind. What’s next? We’ve identified, analyzed, and graded the top 500 executive recruiting firms in the world and we plan to build the world’s first verified recruiter database. Why is that a big deal? Recruiters control over 80% of the job market, and without a way to identify and contact them, job seekers miss out on thousands (yes, you’re reading that right) of job opportunities each year.

NFTs, or Non-Fungible Tokens are presently being used as a proof of authentication token for digitally disseminated arts, stored on the Ethereum blockchain. Their usage and value are not associated particularly with ownership or rights over the arts, but proof of provenance; which in the traditional art world is wildly anachronistic, inefficient, and subjective. By massively distributing the provenance ledger, no single party can act as a market-making bad actor, improving transparency and fairness.

The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

This is not the first instance of an NFT being publicly available — Cryptokitties wins that. However, this is the first global application of the technology in a sector that deeply needs it.
The Beeple NFT token exposes the hype around this industry — and that it is a fervently supply and demand rich marketplace; vindicating the opportunity of the marketplace, even if it is in its infancy.
In the longer term, I am excited about how this technology will be used to fuel the wider creator economy — the paper-thin authenticity of ad deals with creators (“I just love Raid Shadow legends — you should too”), and challenges subscription-based ‘patron’ accounts are having (e.g. Patreon) means existing business models cannot support creators widely. NFTs give the opportunity for creators to be unleashed from platforms as their source of income. This will disrupt much of what exists today.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

Hype — it is the very early days of the technology, and hype might be hurting the underlying value.
Market inefficiency — the Beeple work, whilst an incredible achievement, was sold through a “fiat” equivalent brokerage, Christie’s, and was bought by someone with vested interests in NFT’s success. Not exactly a shining example of the market equilibrium.
Ignorance — crypto technology will always be infected with scammers and ignorance — as will all money markets. We need to shift the argument to be about the positive future of where this tech can go, and not get bogged down in the immaturity of the technology.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?

Linked to the above answer, the main myths surround the inefficiency and security risks of NFTs, and cryptos more widely.
On the power efficiency of the ETH blockchain — yes, it is carbon-draining now, but so was equivalent power generation in steam engines in the 1700s vs. harnessing the power of the sun in fusion reactors we’re developing now. People bad-mouthed steam vs. horse at the time — but with 20/20 vision, we can see how misguided they were.
Concerning security, as with all markets, there will be bad actors looking to scam people. As adoption rates increase, whilst the incentives will increase for those actors, as do those for good actors, leading to higher transparency and steady-state technological applications. Bitcoin is looked at like gold now — in the future, could NFTs be seen in the same way as music licensors are seen now as an annuity asset class? Possibly.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry. What can be done to avoid that?

They pretend to know more than they do: Be yourself and own your shortcomings. This is a new space, anyone proclaiming to be an expert is probably lying.
They put their head down and get lost in work: In a space this new, you need to be aware of what is going on in the industry at all times. Failure to keep up with movement in the space will result in you getting left behind in the innovation race.

How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?

Non-traditional and intangible income sources suffer from provenance and distribution issues. Cryptocurrencies are perfectly geared to solve this issue with a distributed ledger held on a cryptographically secured blockchain. Whilst NFTs might not be the exact application of this technology — it holds huge potential in feeding the wider economy. I believe we will be in a society soon where proof of ownership, dissemination, and license will be held on the blockchain — and if so — this has a massive knock-on effect on how people prove and source value from their IP.

1) Map out who the key players are in the space

Considering that this is such a new space, you have to look at who the original pioneers were and how they got started.

2) Rest easy, no one is an expert yet.

There was a time when nobody knew what NFTs were, so anyone currently in the space didn’t start there.

3) Let’s say you already made the jump; how do you remain relevant?

In a space that is evolving as quickly as Crypto, it’s hard to say what will help you stay in the know. Monitor your competitors and see how the market is adapting.

4) Establish yourself as an expert in the space.

Research research research. If there is a question, you need to know the answer or be able to learn it quickly.

5) Broaden your network

Meet as many people as you can, build relationships with every known “expert”. The world is big, but the professional world is small.

As a country, we have taken such amazing strides in raising awareness of sexual abuse and misconduct, but one victim who has yet to get the focus they deserve is young boys. 1 out of 6 boys is sexually abused before they turn 18 and so rarely do you hear that statistic shared. If I could inspire a movement it would be to raise awareness of this issue and create a program dedicated to helping those boys through what is the darkest time of their lives. To remind them that they are not alone. To teach them that they are strong because of their trauma, not in spite of it. To show them that true strength is not the ability to ignore pain, but the ability to live on despite it.

I have always admired Jack Ma. His beliefs on culture, his ability to create innovation, and his grit to build a company no one believed would flourish, are all things that I try to model myself on. A meal with him would be an honor.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Non-Fungible Tokens: Ali Sabet of The Suite On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Zeena Qureshi of Sonantic

Be positive, everything is fixable. > When everyone is looking to you as a leader to fix problems but you’re also the same person who has to inspire everyone else, positivity is key. No one likes stress and no one wants to be miserable. Being a positive, problem solver not only reinforces your team’s belief during a difficult time but it also inspires them to know that they can and will get through every challenge that comes their way.

Zeena Qureshi is the co-founder and CEO of Sonantic, a UK-based deeptech startup that has created the world’s most expressive and realistic artificial voices. The company’s audio platform is utilized by top-tier film and AAA gaming studios worldwide. Previously, Qureshi spent 9 years teaching speech and language therapy to children with Autism alongside a decade of experience in the startup world.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I’m a first generation American-born Indian now living in London. I come from humble beginnings and am lucky to have a strong female role model in my mother. Working hard was the norm in our household. My background spans studying art then going into product and sales for tech startups (having founded 2 previously) and teaching speech and language therapy. The latter came from having a family member diagnosed with Autism eleven years ago. In order to support them, I trained in Applied Behavior Analysis and after a little while was encouraged by a consultant to teach other children. I did this as a side hustle for 9 years — this is where my interest in speech really took off. I found myself deep in that world, using the basic building blocks of voice production to break it down for nonverbal children and help them with communication and expression. Two and half years ago, I co-founded a company called Sonantic that teaches machines to speak the same way I taught children. We work with world renowned entertainment studios servicing them with human realistic voice technology.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Yes, my favorite book of all time is ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’. I find it to be such a great reflection of the startup life. The main character is self made, resilient, and has grit. Every time I read this book, it teaches me several lessons and helps give a new perspective on problem solving. Without giving too much away, I have learned that the greatest asset we have is ourselves — we make our own destiny, and no matter how difficult things can be, we can always find a way to not only handle every situation, but do so strategically. I’ve learned that cultivating good relationships is the most difficult-yet-rewarding thing. It takes a lot of work and there’s no cutting corners. All of these lessons ring so true in everyday life and definitely in a startup when the odds are stacked against you.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

Everything clicked into place when I met my cofounder, John Flynn, at Entrepreneur First. He’s a speech researcher who came from the world of entertainment and worked with the greatest voices of all time, from Morgan Freeman and Christian Bale to Tom Hardy, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks. All the Toms!

I came from an artsy tech background with loads of speech experience with kids. When John and I started to ideate on what to build, I remembered back to the lessons with the children I taught. They would go on break time, and every single time they did, the child would opt for playing a voiced video game with the sound on loud. Some would say games aren’t a good use of time, but in my experience, the children learned so much from the voiced stories and came back to lessons with a calmer mind. The children may have been nonverbal, but their receptiveness to story characters was strong and the entertainment would motivate them to try and mimic conversation in real life. Like adults, children want to be heard. And the happiness that stems from communicating effectively is priceless. Entertainment is an industry solely based on telling the best stories in the world and conveying messages perfectly. It’s from that realization that I knew John and I would bridge the gap of human realistic voice interactions with our technology and we would dedicate ourselves to helping make the best entertainment products of the future. The end result would be so rewarding as it would bring happiness to end consumers and help them learn life lessons from incredible stories.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

After closing our seed round, John and I went full swing into company building. We were hiring teammates, mapping our product vision and creating our roadmap for the journey ahead. We knew we wanted to create the world’s most expressive and realistic artificial voices in the world but we needed to tackle how to get there and overcome the challenge of existing text-to-speech solutions. We also knew the reason AI voices sound robotic is because they don’t look at the details of voice and lack the emotions that humans have, so we set out to fix just that.

We started by looking at the hardest human emotion to convey, deep sadness, which is communicated through crying, a non-speech pattern. It’s difficult for a person to be vulnerable; it’s even harder to cry on demand. Actors themselves find it quite difficult, and they’re the experts. There’s a lot that goes into it, like all the physiological elements for your face to sound like you are believably crying. We thought that if we could get a computer to generate deep sadness, then we could later replicate any other human emotion for a more human realistic voice technology.

Low and behold four brutal months later, we cracked the code and created the first AI that can cry. It was an incredible feat for the team: we were doing something difficult for humans and completely unheard of for machines. I’ll never forget how great it felt for our team to be the first in the world to make that breakthrough.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Oh yes! Two years ago John and I were fundraising and about to speak to one of the most respected VCs in the world. He’s well regarded and invests in the best. The man is such a lovely guy, super smart and understood our business right away. We were about to have our 4th call with him and in the morning, LinkedIn notified me that it was his birthday. So I thought, what better way to say ‘Happy Birthday’ than using our Human realistic AI Voice to say it? So John and I did just that for this investor. Except for some reason, I thought I’d try to be charming and have the AI say: “Happy Birthday, how does it feel to be 25 again?!”

His reaction was definitely not happy. Neutral at best and he was like ”Yeah, I’m too old now” in a somewhat somber tone. Then there was a dead awkward silence that felt like it lasted way too long. I realized that I was on a fundraising call and just called the investor an old man to his face using our product!

The investor did end up investing and we’re lucky to have him on the journey with us. It just goes to show that we all make mistakes but we have to keep going no matter what and hope for the best. Hard work pays off and remember to laugh about it afterwards.

Absolutely. My co-founder John. John has a way of listening to people and making them feel heard, working super fast, and is the most reliable person I know.

I met John at Entrepreneur First. Many say the program is like ‘Love Island’ meets ‘The Apprentice’. The incubator brings in 100 people to find a co-founder and build a viable business in 3 months. John and I were friends first, in different co-founding teams laughing at our shortcomings and difficulties. We both really wanted to build a company but only had 6 weeks left to do so and weren’t anywhere close to achieving it. After realizing we both have a decade of experience in speech from different perspectives, we teamed up and literally built a company in six weeks. I couldn’t have done this with anyone else and John’s been there every step of the way. A lot more has happened in the past 2.5 years and I’m proud to have John as my co-founder growing with me through the different obstacles of startup life. He’s brilliant, kind, and has a great heart. I think every startup needs a John Flynn.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, we’re continuing towards our north star of creating human realistic AI voices with an exciting new project (top secret, for now!). Here’s what I can tell you: the ability to speak and control one’s own voice like an instrument, and communicating effectively is a very complex human talent. The ability for machines to do the same opens up a new world of possibilities. Currently when you interact with machines they have limited options and no ability to convey or understand emotions. It’s very frustrating and something we’ve all experienced. This is why I’ve set out to teach machines to talk just like humans, to bridge the gap between people and machines.

J.A.R.V.I.S. from Iron Man and Samantha from the movie HER, both sci-fi characters of the past alluded to this type of technology. With Sonantic, we have made computer generated voices sound human and realistic by looking at all the idiosyncrasies and details of speech. Our goal is to power human realistic voice interactions around the world so that frustrating voice interactions are a thing of the past.

What excites me the most is bridging the gap between humans and computers. It’s a very difficult challenge but once it’s done, the results will be huge, transforming all interactions on computerized devices for the future. In voice technology, personal assistants have been trying to do this for years now but it’s not quite there. Everyone’s an expert on voice and can tell when they’re speaking to a robot and/or automated system. The robotic voices have no way to connect to the end consumer. Many get frustrated by their interaction and have a terrible experience. This is why at Sonantic we look at all the details of voice to make it human-realistic and we work with the best storytellers in entertainment to match human voice quality.

The other two things that excite me are that one, this has been science fiction for so long and now the latest breakthroughs in machine learning make it possible. And two, connecting end-users to human realistic voices will mean that they can connect with content in a way that they can actually relate to, rather than feel disconnected from.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

Misuse, misuse, and misuse. Not to sound like a stereotype but it’s true. With great innovation comes great responsibility. This technology is capable of great things in entertainment and other industries vital to our lives as humans. But on the flip side, if it gets into the wrong hands it can be dangerous, especially as we see more Deepfakes.

At Sonantic we have put several measures in place to prevent misuse and take it very seriously. We are strictly B2B enterprise Saas and work only with entertainment studios. We make sure our algorithms are never trained on publicly available data without the voice owner’s permission. We also only work with voice actors.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

Sure, aspects of VR, AR, and MR in other industries outside of entertainment help for a variety of use cases. These can range from simulations and customization to improving customer experience and scaling content. For Sonantic, entertainment is just our go-to-market as it brings out the best in our technology. Voice is a huge market opportunity and AI is already being used for audiobooks, podcasts, radio, call centres, advertising, media, personal assistants, and more. We believe in five years time, all devices will have human realistic voice interactions bringing innovation and efficiency.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Absolutely, aside from what synthetic media is already used for like call centres and personal assistants, there’s a greater potential to see what it hasn’t been used for and how it can help. Throughout the pandemic we have seen what comes from shutting the world down, people feeling alone, and are left without proper care, goods, and services. However, despite all the difficulty, there’s been great innovation in VR, AR, and MR and a large part of it has been virtual beings and having that support at any time. Humans are social creatures who require attention and support, if we can’t mix because the world is in a pandemic, building virtual beings and worlds to help with coping and growth is a huge advancement for both people and technology.

No, I believe the environment is heavily biased and still incredibly male dominated. A big part of the industry is closed off to women, especially because they still aren’t receptive to women even if they say they are. Women aren’t given the same opportunities. They also tend to have less access to financial help. The odds are stacked against them from the very beginning. Many advocates and women are trying to level the playing field but we have many years of catch up to do. Getting more female leaders at the top of STEM will help as well as doing more efforts in raising awareness, both of these will help to build a culture where women are half of the environment.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

For Sonantic, many fear that AI voices will take actor’s jobs. It’s an understandable fear as most don’t understand artificial intelligence and there’s a lot of content being spread around from different angles, increasing the fear. However, this is indeed a myth.

Entertainment studios do not want to cut out actors, nor do we. That’s why we built our platform in an industry-supporting way, especially as John comes from the world of Hollywood. Actors are an integral part of the appeal when it comes to deciding what movie to watch or what game to play. Fans have their favorite actors who have a real talent that makes the film or game into a work of art. Actors play out their roles, serve their fans, and help a great deal when it comes to marketing.

Just as CGI hasn’t taken away from the jobs of the cinematographer, we won’t take away actors’ jobs either. This in no way will prevent actors from working real jobs but rather give them the option to work virtually at the same time, enabling them to scale their talents and create more content.

It’s also important to understand that a Sonantic voice model can only do what the actor can teach it to do — they are at the core of our technology. Voice technology can actually give actors more opportunity, not less. Actors can take on multiple projects simultaneously. They can generate passive income — unless you’re an A or B list actor, this is not something you’ve likely been accustomed to. They can avoid straining their voice and age discrimination, extending their careers well after retirement.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Be positive, everything is fixable. > When everyone is looking to you as a leader to fix problems but you’re also the same person who has to inspire everyone else, positivity is key. No one likes stress and no one wants to be miserable. Being a positive, problem solver not only reinforces your team’s belief during a difficult time but it also inspires them to know that they can and will get through every challenge that comes their way.
Simplify > Remember the best things in life are simple. How can you solve a problem if you make it more complicated? You can’t, so it’s best to focus on taking steps forward and taking a big problem and making it smaller. Then taking your small problems and making them disappear.
Surround yourself with great support > The life of a founder is lonely and there’s a lot on your shoulders. By surrounding yourself with smart and helpful peers and advisors, you’ll be able to learn and grow much faster.
Be grateful for both the hard times and good times. > Everyone likes a challenge and the feeling of overcoming that said challenge. Startups are supposed to be hard, if it was easy, we wouldn’t enjoy our jobs. Understanding the difficulties and being thankful for the learning will help ground you and guide you to happiness.
Don’t forget yourself > Founders are the foundation of their company. They work hard and sacrifice a lot while taking high risks. It’s important for physical and mental health that you don’t over do it and build in time to take care. You aren’t good to anyone if you aren’t good to yourself.

I would love to help on anything related to climate change as I believe it’s the greatest threat to humanity. I don’t have any specific ideas on how to save the world and think Bill Gates is already on it, but I do think the world as a whole needs to be aware and start taking action to help prevent our world from dying. If we can come together to do this, then we are saving the entire population from extinction in the future.

Yes, absolutely. Oprah Winfrey. She’s an incredible entrepreneur, philanthropist and role model who persevered through challenging circumstances to become the woman she is today. Reading her stories and seeing her career take off has been an immense help to me and so many others in the world.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Zeena Qureshi of Sonantic was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Author TShane Johnson: Five Ways To Develop More ‘Grit’

The idea is to remember that “the leader fits all.” In a business sense, this means being able to adapt and accommodate all employees and those in support roles by taking on various leadership styles. Being nimble is extremely important when you’re the person on top. All leadership styles work for me, but for different reasons and around different people.

As a part of my series about “Grit: The Most Overlooked Ingredient of Success” I had the pleasure of interviewing TShane Johnson.

When Marine Corp veteran TShane Johnson was in his 20s, he died three times after a terrible motorcycle accident, and later endured two years of homelessness on the East Coast. Having overcome these tremendous obstacles on his journey, Johnson now focuses his efforts on raising funds to help homeless veterans and bring awareness to the issue of veteran suicides. He has completed a series of Hike Across America tours, each time covering approximately 7,000 miles and speaking in more than 60 cities along the way. During his 2019 Hike Across America tour, he also challenged the world record for fastest 1-mile run carrying a 100-pound pack. Johnson broke that record and is now training to break two marks in the Guinness Book of World Records: the most pushups in one hour and the most pushups over 12 hours.

Now age 40 and a full-time, single father, Johnson owns and operates several successful businesses he created; he’s the author of three books; and he is in high demand as a motivational speaker. Along the way, he has inspired employees at big companies such as RedBull, the U.S. Navy, Hyatt, Best Western Hotel and Resorts, Caesars Entertainment and more.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what events have drawn you to this specific career path

I don’t think I chose this specific career path; it chose me. The fact that I experienced death gave me the ability to live. When I faced death, God chose for me to live that day — my time wasn’t over and only he and I knew that. God said to me, “I want to allow you to live, it may be painful, but I need you to live.” Years later, my Hike Across America project raised awareness of veteran suicides and delivered 10,000 hygiene kits to homeless veterans and others in need. But it also allowed me to have conversations with these people and better understand their struggles. It made me want to help change their perspectives, which then made me a speaker. I knew it was time to help change people with my words and my experiences. People started to tell me how I changed their lives, whether it was about drugs, the military, diverse challenges … it was all God’s work.

Can you share your story about “Grit and Success”? First can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey?

I’ve had many journeys, but the first major hard times that impacted me — literally — was when a car full of gang members ran my motorcycle off the road and then robbed me as I lay bleeding. They left me with a smashed ribcage and injuries to my lungs and other organs. I managed somehow to crawl to a fire station, where I received treatment and was airlifted to a hospital, and during that process I flatlined three times. Each time, the paramedics and doctors brought me back. I lost 50 pounds in the first two weeks due to my injuries and knew the road back was going to be difficult.

The next major hard times I faced were economic rather than physical. In my 20s I built a successful mortgage company and was enjoying a six-figure income when the market collapsed. I went from driving a brand-new Mercedes to a Honda to absolutely nothing. I ended up spending the next two years homeless, walking endlessly and trying to earn enough money to eat one meal a day. It was humbling to say the least.

Later, I managed to move to Charlotte, North Carolina, with $500 to my name. I’d taken a job at a gym and then soon found a great corporate sales opportunity, which I jumped at. Ironically, my car was repossessed that first day on the new job, as without the gym job I no longer qualified for the loan. There went my $500! I felt frustrated and hopeless as I walked back to my empty apartment. Pretty soon the new corporate job sent me to a Manhattan sales conference, because I quickly became the number-one seller. Paychecks took a while to process back then, and I remember taking all the bagels and the bananas at the conference, so I could eat the rest of the day. The $300 gift card they awarded me would completely go toward transportation, so I felt both hope and hopelessness in a matter of seconds.

Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

As I lay in the hospital bed after that crash, enduring what would be a long and painful recovery, my father challenged me to choose the pain rather than give up. And there was a lot of pain, and it sucked. This experience helped shape one of my core philosophies, which is you have to “embrace the suck.” Choose the pain and know it is reshaping you, getting you to that next level.

My endless walks while I was homeless taught me another core philosophy that ended up becoming my second book, “Keep Your Feet Moving: Seven Principles to Get You Through Hard Times.” Your greatest power is to just keep moving through times of hardship. I put this into practice on a much larger scale when I did my Hikes Across America and walked thousands of miles to benefit homeless veterans and raise awareness about veteran suicides. It was this same drive to keep moving that helped me break the mark set in the Guinness Book of World Records for fastest 1-mile trek carrying a 100-pound pack in 2019. And I’m applying that same principle in my training today, as I ramp up to breaking two pushup records on May 1.

As a single father to my 6-year-old daughter, I am constantly driven by my desire to be her hero. She inspires me to do greater things and surmount challenges — and she even helps me train now, yelling “put that cookie down!” when I’m about to cheat on my training diet. She’s worse than my drill instructor! And she is my “why,” she’s the reason I do it all.

So, how did Grit lead to your eventual success? How did Grit turn things around?

Grit is the key component to success, and it’s what helped me turn my life around and even fight to stay alive when I was on the brink. It’s what made me drag my battered body to a fire station after being thrown into a brick wall at 45 mph, robbed and left for dead. It’s what drove me to pick myself up after losing millions of dollars, and go to Dunkin’ Donuts to use their Wi-Fi and start my next business. It’s what made me walk everywhere when I had no car. Grit is an integral part of life; it’s that drive to keep going. It’s embracing the pain that we experience in the thick of the fight, whether we are fighting to survive or fighting to accomplish a seemingly unattainable goal. Grit is the anger and frustration that pushes you over that hill. Grit is giving more than you think you have to give, digging deep and finding that last bit of energy. Grit is the opposite of giving up.

Having a life that is 100% pleasure isn’t real. Try to imagine that. There is no high without a low, no good without evil, no rewards without effort, and no success without grit. My past pushed me, and the trouble and pain I’ve felt is what made me who I am. Grit is the ability to take that pain and keep going, with the knowledge the pain is simply what you feel on the way to where you want to go.

Based on your experience, can you share five pieces of advice about how one can develop Grit? (Please share a story or example for each)

Keep your feet moving. In the Marine Corps, you learn the fastest way to complete something is to never stop. You can slow down, you can walk and you can rest, but never ever stop. This will teach you to always keep moving forward no matter how tough it is. I’ve died three times. I have been homeless. I’ve suffered major medical issues. I have been alone, but no matter what I always kept my feet moving.

Embrace the suck. Pain is inevitable. As a matter of fact, it is the catalyst to greater things in most cases. Learn that pain is not always your enemy. Right now, I do almost 1,000 pushups a day for training. Do you have any idea how painful it is for one’s body to endure that much training? But I embrace it because I know the outcome will be breaking a 32-year-old world record, and I will be the only person in the world to complete that.

Know your “why.” I love this one. Honestly if you do not have a passion, then no matter how strong you are, you will break. It is a shame that fictional superheroes exist to our children when in reality we could be that example to them every day. I want my daughter to see her father as her superhero, so that it sets a real example for her to believe and follow.

Suck it up, Buttercup. No one is coming to save you, and it’s lonely at the top. Zero time for excuses! When I was homeless, not one person was coming to save me, and, honestly, I probably would not even have let them. I put myself there and it was my responsibility to get myself out and not be an emotional vampire on others. So, suck it up and get it done.

Take massive action. As business leader and motivational speaker Art Williams said, “That’s great. Just do it.” Get out of your own way and, if you won’t, at least get out of my way. When I write my goal down and commit, I take massive action to make it happen. You don’t train daily for a 19,325-pushup, 12-hour world record without taking massive action. So, whatever it is you want to do, do it now!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped you when things were tough? Can you share a story about that?

At my lowest points, I honestly didn’t have anyone who helped. They say that it’s lonely at the top, but it’s lonely at the bottom, too. When I lost everything, the only person I felt I could count on besides God was myself. That’s a mindset that can sometimes set in too hard, however. I remember once when I was walking home overloaded with groceries, back when I was walking miles each day as I tried to get back on my feet and also extend a helping hand to my sister and her son. All the grocery bags broke in the middle of the road. It was pouring rain and felt like things couldn’t have been any worse in that moment. A lady tried to help me, and I didn’t want help. I was rude to her. I was angry. I was hurt. I will never forget what she said back to me, “Sometimes we go through hard times. It’s okay to ask for help.”

Looking back, I greatly appreciate people in my life who have helped me by inspiring me to push harder. My father was a champion bull rider who worked out constantly to stay in shape, and he inspired me to start doing “card pushups,” where you’d pull cards from a deck and do the combined number of pushups. As a result, when I joined the Marines I was the one guy who never got tired of doing pushups.

Right now, I am grateful for the help of my world-class trainer, gold medal athlete and Golden Gloves champion Jamie McGrath. She’s no stranger to grit and understands the mindset of what it will take to do a grueling 12 hours of pushups, and she pushes me to my absolute breaking point. Sometimes people help you by making things tough, and she definitely does that — by not having pity on my prior injuries and making me work until I throw up!

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I have used my success to bring goodness into the world by being the version of me I always wanted to be and impacting people from all over the world. I use my struggle and my story to inspire people in a way that makes them want to get up and change their lives. Because of my experiences, I have been able to make connections and relationships with people from all walks of life. I genuinely believe in people. I fight for them to be successful and invest myself in that fight because I know that person is capable of more. It is a wonderful feeling to hear someone tell you that you’ve helped change their life. That’s what I try to do by being real, by pushing them to understand who they are and what they deserve. Not everyone has a dramatic brush with death like I did, but our dreams can die too — and dreams die quietly without any fanfare. I want to remind people to hold onto those dreams and goals, feed them so they become reality.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

My new project is called “Pushups for Purple Hearts,” a dual record-breaking event in support of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. Starting at 6 a.m. May 1 at Southpaw Training Center in Pineville, North Carolina, I will be attempting to break two world records: the most pushups done in one hour (currently that record is 2,919), and the most pushups in a 12-hour period (that record is 19,325). The 12-hour record, held by Paddy Doyle, was set in 1989 on May 1, so if all goes well I’ll be breaking it exactly 32 years, to the day, that he accomplished that mark.

All proceeds will help bring Purple Heart recipients from across the nation to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and tell the stories of valor that these combat wounded and those killed in action embody. The amount of pain I will endure is nothing compared to the pain they have experienced. It is the least I can do to help this organization raise funds to continue doing amazing things for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. My hope is that not only will my effort help in a fundraising capacity for the National Purple Heart Mission’s Patriot Project, but it will also inspire people to challenge themselves to go above and beyond, to overcome setbacks and accomplish things they never could have imagined.

What advice would you give to other executives or founders to help their employees to thrive?

The idea is to remember that “the leader fits all.” In a business sense, this means being able to adapt and accommodate all employees and those in support roles by taking on various leadership styles. Being nimble is extremely important when you’re the person on top. All leadership styles work for me, but for different reasons and around different people.

You have to remember that not everyone is going to like you or your style. People are driven for all different reasons — some will be driven by money, others by ego, status or family, and so on. I am driven by the knowledge that I can do anything and everything because of where I come from.

Bring back Dad, the HERO! I think dads need to step up and understand they are a very important part of the home life and that nothing — not even work — is more important than being a dad. I go into this in my third book, “Done by 2:30: The Essential Guide to a Successful Work Life Balance.” Simply put, there is no balance! Family is first, everything else is second.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life living like most people can’t.”

–Anonymous

This sums up what it means to set aside comfort and work toward your goal. I have always said that as human beings we are all amazing and can do incredible things, but you’ve got to have the grit to put in the work, and that often means pushing yourself far beyond your comfort zone. Years ago, I pushed myself to just keep living and recover from my injuries. Then, I pushed myself to build businesses after suffering extreme losses, and now I’m pushing myself physically through pain with each long training session to break these two pushup records. We should embrace pain more. Pain gets a bad rap. Pain means you are pushing through to level up.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

I’m @Tshanejohnson on all social media platforms.

Author TShane Johnson: Five Ways To Develop More ‘Grit’ was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Ashleigh Koontz of Seek

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We’ve all been programmed to think that as leaders, we shouldn’t ask for help and that doing so is a sign of weakness. I think having the ability to admit when you need help shows a great amount of humility and strength. It’s something I’ve struggled with quite a bit in the past, but I am continuously trying to improve.

Ashleigh Koontz is an entrepreneur, marketer, and sales specialist with over 15 years of professional experience. As Seek’s Director of Marketing, she specializes in current and forecasted technology trends. She primary focus is on augmented reality for e-commerce.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

This question would be a lot easier to answer if I followed a traditional career path, but I’ve never done anything the traditional way and I don’t think I’d be who I am today if I did.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked as a retail store manager, a photographer, a photo-booth owner, a ring designer, a marketer, and at one point I was even a character at Walt Disney World. As you can see, my career path has been anything but linear. But no matter where that path has taken me, I have always relied heavily on my knowledge and passion for technology.

As a young teen, my interest in tech really blossomed when my dad brought home some old computers from the school he worked at. My brother and I spent days taking parts from each computer until we built one that would function properly. I will never forget the feeling of accomplishment when we got to play Solitaire for the first time on our new computer — a computer that we built.

Learning through experience has been something my parents have encouraged my whole life and it’s how I continue to learn and grow today professionally.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

This is going to totally show my nerd card, but I’d have to say the original Star Wars trilogy had a pretty significant impact on me growing up. My dad was a huge fan to the point of having a dedicated room of unopened toys and memorabilia. When most kids were getting quizzed on the differences between mammals and reptiles, I was getting quizzed on the differences between AT-AT and AT-ST walkers.

This significantly impacted life because as a young girl whose favorite movie wasn’t the traditional “Little Mermaid” or “Beauty and the Beast,” my love for Star Wars really opened my eyes to the gender norms of our society. It helped me to realize that I didn’t have to fit in the box society built for me. I could have just as much fun with toys from the “boy” section as I did with my Barbies.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the AR industry? We’d love to hear it.

After losing my job at a large retailer, I promised myself that my next position would be a career move and not just a job to “pay the bills.” I was browsing LinkedIn one day and noticed that the Utah Women in Sales group was hosting a job fair. On one of their posts, I saw a comment from Seek’s CEO, Jon Cheney. He was asking if he could attend the fair because he was looking for some “rockstar salespeople.”

This led me to his profile where I saw a video of him in Walmart showing a LEGO set in augmented reality. I was familiar with AR after spending the summer of 2016 playing Pokémon Go, but I hadn’t considered its true potential in the commerce world. After previously being the manager of a retail store, I had an immediate understanding of the benefits AR could have for brands and their customers. I was completely wowed, and I wanted the opportunity to wow others. I reached out to Jon immediately and, after one of the most exciting interviews I’ve had, he offered me the position and the rest is history.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

When I first started at Seek, I was reaching out to marketing agencies for potential partnership opportunities when I received a response from someone at Deloitte. Every year Deloitte hosts tours for some of their clients at NRF’s Big Show and they were interested in possibly using us as their AR stop during the tour.

After months of back-and-forth conversation and three successful meetings, Seek was selected to be their AR partner. During the show, they brought many executives from some of the biggest brands in the industry to our booth. It was eye opening to see people who see just about everything in the retail world get truly excited by our technology. The reactions AR gets is one of the things I love most about what I do.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I was a photographer, my specialty was birth stories. I got a call in the middle of the night that one of my moms was in labor and since it was a home birth, I packed up and headed to the home address on the questionnaire. When I was just about there, I got a text to just go straight into the back bedroom where they were.

Not sure if it was because I was still in a sleepy stupor or I was just in a hurry, but I didn’t think to verify the address with them and ended up heading to their old house — lived in by someone else.

After almost getting the cops called on me for trying to “break in” at their old place, I finally realized my mistake. Luckily the new tenants knew my clients very well and we were all able to laugh it off in the end. The lesson? Verify, verify, verify.

My husband Joe has been my biggest supporter throughout my career. We have five amazing kids, and he currently has the incredibly important job of being the stay-at-home parent. He gave up his career as a successful sales executive so that I could pursue my dream and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We just released our newest feature, Nexus, which is the first truly scalable 3D marketplace. With Nexus, brands can easily make 3D model requests using specific requirements to ensure they are of the highest quality and compatibility across any platform.

Before Nexus, the 3D model creation process was clunky and time consuming — consisting of a lot of unnecessary back-and-forth communication between brands and modelers. Our platform significantly reduces the hassles associated with 3D model making, regardless of whether a brand needs 20 or 200,000 models at a time.

In today’s world, time is precious, and Nexus is going to save people a lot of it.

One thing I’m excited to see is how brands execute on their AR strategies. We know that the AR advertising market is projected to grow from $1.41 billion this year to over $8 billion by 2024. As brands continue to reinvent the consumer experience to meet new expectations and behaviors, AR won’t just play a supporting role — it will be a driving influence.
It is also worth noting that consumers’ familiarity with AR is higher than ever. This will push the industry to create faster, smoother, and more integrated experiences. Anything less, and the average consumer will move on. Nailing down apparel try-ons is going to be a huge milestone for the AR industry
I am also on the lookout for the developing marriage between AR and hardware. Hardware will be what truly makes AR mainstream. I think the industry isn’t too far away from seeing quality products like AR glasses hit the market and transforming parts of our everyday lives. The company that’s going to make it happen, in my opinion, is Apple. When Apple comes out with its AR smartglasses, it will change the world. They’re going to do their best to make it feel like something that everyone should be wearing. I think people are going to have to get used to people doing things in front of their faces with their hands. Maybe there’s going to be some weird shifts in how people interact with each other. But after the weirdness passes, that’s how we’re going to run our lives.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

Widespread adoption of AR has been hindered by a lack of standardization. Manual, time-consuming, and expensive processes have meant many brands have struggled to create and distribute AR experiences at scale across multiple platforms. Thanks to recent developments there is now infrastructure in place that enables levels of automation the market has not yet seen before.

An entire AR advertising campaign with multiple different 3D assets can now be stored and easily launched across a limitless number of social platforms such as Instagram, Snap, Facebook, and most recently Shopify, as well as browsers like Safari and Chrome, and devices like iOS and Android. This kind of shift is not only going to fuel AR adoption across multiple industries, it’s also going to move brands away from delivering mediocre and single platform AR experiences to more immersive storytelling — engaging audiences with impactful content across the multiple platforms, browsers, and devices they live on.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

On the corporate side, the pandemic has shown that a strong sales staff used to being on the road can be just as effective in XR meetings provided they have tech that is easy to use for both sides. While XR/VR and AR may not completely replace human interaction in some part of the sales cycle, there does seem to be a new normal developing that deeply integrates XR for both the cost it saves in travel as well as the convenience AR can bring to training and corporate communication strategy. XR will become a vital part of the workplace experience especially as the tech becomes more user friendly, despite the occasional growing pain of user adoption. Case in point, the recent incident of the lawyer who made the news by having trouble removing the kitten face filter on a zoom call.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

What’s so great about AR is that it layers on top of the real world, which means you have limitless options to enhance the world in whatever way you want. From XR headsets to integrated heads up displays in cars, we can look forward to seeing more examples of AR going beyond an application that requires us to pause and pull up our phones.

Right now, women make up only 28% of the workforce relating to STEM. While this number has increased over the last few years, there’s still a huge gap and continuous need for improvement. In order to fulfill this need, I think we need to start with our children. Being a mother of three girls myself, I’ve noticed the obvious lack of girls in the STEM programs offered at schools. If parents and teachers encouraged students to pursue their interests regardless of the status quo, and if girls were more often exposed to women role models in STEM, I think it would have an overall positive outcome on our society going forward.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

A huge misconception is that the world isn’t ready for AR technology. Due to COVID and social distancing, the need for an alternative to in-store shopping has grown substantially. AR fulfills this need quite well and as more brands adopt AR technology, we are seeing an increase in awareness and the number of people using it in their everyday lives. Once companies like Apple release their AR glasses, we will see the use cases grow exponentially and slow adopters will undoubtedly be left behind.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Never stop learning. When it comes to technology there is one thing that will never change, and that is the fact that it’s ever evolving and what may be true today, may change completely tomorrow. I make it a point to never stop researching and continuing my education to ensure I am the best version of myself I can be.
The Platinum Rule. We’ve all been taught the golden rule which is “Treat others the way you want to be treated”, but one of the best things I’ve learned from a past employer is the platinum rule which is “Treat others the way THEY want to be treated.” No two people are the same, so what works for me may not work for someone else. I keep this in mind whenever I’m interacting with anyone whether it’s in a professional setting or at home with each of my kids.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We’ve all been programmed to think that as leaders, we shouldn’t ask for help and that doing so is a sign of weakness. I think having the ability to admit when you need help shows a great amount of humility and strength. It’s something I’ve struggled with quite a bit in the past, but I am continuously trying to improve.
Stay authentic. When I started early in my career, I tried to be what everyone else wanted me to be. The anxiety of saying something wrong or not being good enough to share my ideas was crippling. What made it worse was that I could tell when others were being inauthentic, and I hated it. We are all human and we all make mistakes. The more open and honest we are with ourselves and others, the faster we’ll learn what makes each of us special.
Lead by example. I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with and learning from some of the most talented individuals I’ve ever met. The leaders I learned the most from were the ones who were always working with and supporting their team. They strived to earn respect and never demanded it. Anyone can tell a person what to do, but it takes a true leader to show them.

Working at a tech startup in Silicon Slopes, I have been made aware of the obvious lack of women founders and women investors in the industry. If I could inspire anything, it would be a movement that supports underprivileged women in achieving their dreams and creating an amazing future for themselves. I honestly believe there are so many brilliant ideas out there that can change the world and we just need to enable the minds of those who hold them.

I would love, love, love the chance to meet the founder of SPANX, Sara Blakely. She’s a complete powerhouse and built her company to what it is from literally nothing. She also founded the Sara Blakely Foundation where she donates half of her wealth to empower women. She’s the kind of woman I aspire to be one day.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Ashleigh Koontz of Seek was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Amy LaMeyer and Martina…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Amy LaMeyer and Martina Welkhoff of the WXR Fund

There has been a lot of talk about VR’s potential to build empathy, and I think that’s very real, but perhaps was overstated at the peak of the most recent hype cycle. Companies like Embodied Labs are creating powerful experiences that help people understand what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. In the case of Embodied Labs, it’s better to understand various scenarios elderly people might experience. That kind of learning can be transformational and healing. I think the important distinction is to view VR as an opportunity to educate, but not to conflate it with actually having a given lived experience.

Amy LaMeyer and Martina Welkhoff form a nucleus of know-how and vision into the virtual reality ecosystem as startup founders, globally recognized industry influencers, and venture capitalists. They are Managing Partners of the WXR Fund, which invests exclusively in what they know to be the two greatest opportunities of our time: the next evolution of computing and women-led startups. They are advocates for the underrepresented and are always happy to connect with innovators changing the VR/AR/AI landscape. Find them on LinkedIn, Twitter, our through WXRfund.com.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

Martina Welkhoff: I had a very atypical entry into AR/VR/XR. I moved around quite a bit throughout my childhood and young adult years. I was born in Canada, moved to the United States and spent much of my childhood bouncing around small towns in the Midwest, attended college on the East Coast pursuing pre-med, and then traveled and worked on organic farms for nearly a year after graduation. Drifting away from my medical school plans, I settled in Seattle for my first “real” job — coordinating youth programs for the Major League Baseball Players Trust. It was there I met my future co-founder of my first company, an enterprise mobile gaming platform. After that I was hooked on the startup space. I later went on to found ConveneVR, a VR production studio, and became more entrenched in the AR/VR/XR world, and eventually connected with the right team to build the WXR Fund to invest in two of the greatest opportunities of our time: the next wave of computing + female entrepreneurs.

Amy LaMeyer: I launched my career by jumping in the deep end of the technology pool. Right after graduate school I joined a growing startup, focused on scaling the Internet, as it transitioned into a publicly traded company (Akamai Technologies). I spent most of my time there on corporate development, which ultimately involved investment and mergers & acquisitions, cybersecurity, content delivery, media and ad tech. I then took all of that technical and financial experience and pivoted to the spatial computing industry, advising AR/VR/XR and artificial intelligence companies on corporate ventures, M&A, artificial intelligence, and engineering. And through that I was introduced to Martina, which led to the decision to join her in building the WXR Fund.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Amy: When I was first learning about augmented and virtual reality about five years ago, I started every morning with the Voices of VR podcast by Kent Bye. It is an encompassing view of all things virtual reality. He’s now nearing his 1000th episode — literally a timeline of the growth of the XR space.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

Martina: Since my first company was in social gaming, I’ve always been passionate about technology that could help people build authentic connections and create shared experiences. The first time I put on a VR headset, I was enamored with the possibilities the immersive digital landscape could provide and how it could bring people together — especially after designing experiences for mobile phones for several years.

One especially memorable moment in my early days of VR exploration was the first time someone gave me a virtual “hug.” I was playing a game with a friend in a different city, and when we won his avatar leaned over and wrapped his cartoon hands around my shoulders. I know it might sound silly, but that was when I realized just how transformative the technology could be. I felt like I was in the same space with my friend, celebrating a victory together. The pandemic has made those sorts of opportunities for connection even more salient.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

Amy: During the pandemic, many conferences have gone virtual, including South by Southwest (SXSW). I recently experienced venues in SXSW via VR that I have been to dozens of times in real life, and I had the opportunity to connect with individuals across the globe through their virtual conference. The virtual experience increased accessibility and lowered social barriers to connect with people from diverse backgrounds that I likely wouldn’t necessarily have met had it not been for the new VR format of SXSW.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Martina: One of the first projects I was fortunate to work on was a feminist production with artist Drue Kataoka called Yes! Now is the Time. We were hosting an event in VR and live streaming it out to a larger audience, so there was quite a bit of pressure to get things right. During our technical rehearsal, one of the engineers had someone come to his door, so he took off his headset and set it down. In the VR environment, this had the horrifying effect of looking like he’d been decapitated, and his head plopped l to the floor in front of us. Thankfully, we realized ahead of the event that it was important to tell the speakers not to remove their headset unless it was an emergency.

Amy: My business partner Martina has been a key figure in my career success. We met in early 2018 when I was chosen as a mentor as part of the WXR Accelerator. We realized we had a shared mission to create opportunities for women-led startups in the AR, VR, XR and AI, and both recognized the huge financial and social impacts these investments can deliver. We continued to build our relationship over the course of a year while deciding to raise a fund focused exclusively on women-led startups pioneering the next wave of computing. I wouldn’t want to be on this journey with anyone else.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Martina: I recently joined the Advisory Board for Find Ventures, an organization that’s providing early stage grants to underrepresented entrepreneurs to help grow startups to the point where they can attract institutional capital. I was drawn to the mission of this organization because traditionally the first checks to new founders come from friends and family, but many founders from underrepresented backgrounds do not have people in their network who can invest. The structural inequity in venture capital is vast and deeply entrenched, so I’m drawn to solutions addressing that in new ways at various stages of the startup lifecycle.

Amy: We are also really excited about the companies we are investing in and the remarkable work they have underway. While we are not able to discuss all of them in depth quite yet, a few of the companies we are excited about working with are Obsess, a virtual store platform for experiential e-commerce, and Embodied Labs, an immersive health care training platform using VR. Along with the fascinating startups we’re seeing in the e-commerce and training spaces, we’re also really excited to get more involved in education, remote connectivity and productivity, and telehealth.

Amy: The XR space is particularly exciting right now. There are weekly, sometimes daily, announcements of growth in the industry, especially in the education, remote connectivity and productivity, and telehealth sectors. The pandemic has been a catalyst to the ecosystem that is ready to support a new computing paradigm: 5G, depth cameras, gaming engines, processors and headsets.

As the VR and AR technologies combine with AI, we will be able to have a more personal integration, especially in areas like training and education. Prisms VR, teaching math through VR and immersive environments, is one example of this movement in the education sector. And we mentioned Embodied Labs earlier, which is a great example of how VR is used for training in health care.

We’re also seeing household names like Apple, Facebook and other major tech companies drop hints that they are working on smart glasses — ultimately a hands free augmented digital world existing on top of the reality we’d see without smart glasses. It’s really exciting to see this gain momentum so quickly.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

Martina: Privacy is a concern top of everyone’s mind. Immersive experiences have the potential to collect an extraordinary amount of personal data, so it’s imperative that products are created with strong security and ethical standards, and ideally transparent, accessible privacy policies.

Emotional and psychological safety are also a concern. The visceral nature of XR is what makes it so exciting and appealing, but it comes with great responsibility to protect users from potential harm. A simple example of this would be exposing a user to a traumatic experience in VR that could have long-lasting negative impact. Experiences should be designed so that users understand exactly what they are opting into and always have easy, effective ways to disengage or report harm.

And finally, accessibility and equity. Like any new technology, there are barriers to access that mean certain groups are more likely to have exposure to the technology than others. Historically this has led to a small, privileged population reaping the benefits of technology and disproportionately influencing how technology evolves. We have an opportunity with XR to be more thoughtful about accessibility across multiple dimensions, such as physical ability, socioeconomic status, race, gender, and more, but it will require intention and investment across the entire industry.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

Amy: There is a real convergence of gaming and entertainment with retail, education and remote work, among other industries. Presence, immersion and easy-to-use interfaces will enable our ability to connect with colleagues, partners and isotherms with the convenience of reduced travel. It will also provide time efficiencies and convenience working from opposite sides of the coast.

I believe in five to ten years we’ll have transitioned away from many flatscreens in the workplace. We’ll communicate, work, engage and build workplace communities in 3D virtual and augmented environments. When our kids enter the workplace in ten or twenty years, they will wonder what all the flatscreen were for.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Martina: There has been a lot of talk about VR’s potential to build empathy, and I think that’s very real, but perhaps was overstated at the peak of the most recent hype cycle. Companies like Embodied Labs are creating powerful experiences that help people understand what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes. In the case of Embodied Labs, it’s better to understand various scenarios elderly people might experience. That kind of learning can be transformational and healing. I think the important distinction is to view VR as an opportunity to educate, but not to conflate it with actually having a given lived experience.

Amy: Statistics show that there is still a wide disparity of engagement between women and men in STEM. Continued encouragement and updated learning models are areas of focus that will inspire more women and girls to participate. I also think that networking groups that support women specifically will help encourage further growth. The leadership of women in the space also needs to be recognized and amplified more effectively.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

Martina: I think a lot of people are intimidated by AR/VR and think they need to have a degree in computer science or a lot of specialized experience to dive in. It is of course helpful to have a technical background, particularly for product roles, but there are so many different types of experiences and skill sets that are valuable at AR/VR companies, and necessary to help the industry evolve. My advice for anyone, especially women, who want to break into the AR/VR industry is to start exploring, building, and meeting people. Don’t wait until you meet arbitrary qualifications.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Martina and Amy’s Top 5:

Fail forward. I (Martina) have a plaque by my bathroom mirror that says, “There are no mistakes, only lessons.” Women are often under a high level of scrutiny, particularly in leadership roles with high visibility, and sometimes we are our own harshest critics. I used to be incredibly hard on myself, and it’s taken years of strong mentorship and therapy to finally learn to let things go and embrace a growth mindset.
Build self-awareness and confidence in your leadership style. It’s taken a long time to realize that leadership is not “one size fits all” and the world needs a lot of different types of leaders. Some of the advice women get might make sense for one person or context, but not for others. For example, Amy often finds in her leadership style that in most cases there is no need to apologize or caveat, and recommends reducing the use of “sorry” and “kind of.” Martina’s leadership style doesn’t necessary follow that same rule of thumb. Find what works for you and cultivate those attributes.
Be concise and don’t over explain. Yeah. That’s the whole lesson.
Every decision is just a step on your journey, and not the last step of your journey. Decisions don’t need to be perfect, just allow yourself to learn and grow.
Remember to celebrate both the big and small wins. We’re all moving so fast these days, it’s easy to let victories pass you by and move on to the next challenge. We’re big believers in taking a moment to acknowledge and celebrate when things go well. It’s good for team morale and it helps people to avoid burnout.

You are both people of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Amy: I would encourage a deeper awareness and action for global climate impact across all areas — enterprise, government and consumer. XR can help the effort in many ways: by replacing some physical objects with digital objects, by reducing the amount of travel needed while still fostering human connection, and by providing digital representations that educate on the impact of climate change, to name a few.

Martina: I admire Mellody Hobson of Ariel Investments for all that she’s achieved in her professional life and the way she advocates for increasing diversity in the business world. I’d love to take her to lunch!

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Amy LaMeyer and Martina… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Author & Former Miss USA Terri Britt: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our

Author & Former Miss USA Terri Britt: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country

BE AWARE OF YOUR FEELINGS. Society tells us that to feel is wrong and that we need to be strong. But as long as we continue to live by this belief, we will be disconnected from who we really are.

I stuffed my emotions down for years due to living by this belief. But the more I suppressed myself, the angrier I got. I’d wear my happy face mask and then all of the sudden blow up at the people around me. It was a horrible cycle of anger and guilt that I didn’t know how to end until I gave myself permission to feel.

As part of our series about 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country, I had the pleasure of interviewing Terri Britt.

Spiritual coach, intuitive healer and former Miss USA, Terri Britt, helps people claim their crowns and own their worth so that they get off of the hamster wheel of stress and struggle, and open up to receive the love, nurturing and support they deserve. She is the founder of the Women Leaders of Love global community and is the award-winning author of “The Enlightened Mom: A Mother’s Guide for Bringing Peace, Love & Light to Your Family’s Life.” For over 20 years, Terri has coached people from all walks of life, including television executives, entrepreneurs, doctors, nurses, coaches, parents, teens and kids. She has been featured on Today, NY Nightly News with Chuck Scarborough, Fox News Channel, Good Day Atlanta, On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, People.com, HuffPost, and Thrive Global, and was the former news anchor for Movietime, now known as the E! Channel. To learn more, go to www.terribritt.com.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

I was raised to be a “good little Southern girl.” I grew up in Cabot, Arkansas, which at that time had two stoplights and a population of 4,000 people. We were the typical American family. Dad worked and mom stayed at home to take care of my younger sister and me. My life centered around playing sports, working really hard to have the best grades, being involved in lots of extracurricular school activities and clubs, and spending Friday nights at the high school football games.

Dad was the authority of our home and Mom suppressed herself to be the good wife and mom. Both of my parents lived by the Good Child Rules and put themselves on the backburner to take care of my sister and me. Self-denial was the name of the game. They lived by the belief that the kids come first and then the spouse.

I attached myself to Dad’s way of life because he seemed to be having a little more fun out in the world, and because he constantly told me that I could be anything I wanted to be.

I struggled with a battle inside of me. I wanted to believe that I could be anything and, yet, the Good Girl Rules in my mind said it wasn’t okay. So, I got angry.

Instead of allowing my anger to teach me what was hurting inside me, I was told to stuff it down. Good little girls don’t get mad. But I did get mad. In fact, just months prior to winning Miss USA 1982, at the age of 20, I tried to beat up my boyfriend and put my fist in his window. He wasn’t loving me the way I craved to be loved.

It would take me a long time to understand why I suffered. But what I know for sure is that in spite of all the accolades and achievements I had, I lived in lack and on a hamster wheel of stress and struggle trying to prove my worth to receive abundance, success and love.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

“Love Without Conditions” by Paul Ferrini changed my life. It wasn’t until I decided to heal my anger that I stumbled upon this book. It would take me some time to discover it.

My anger issues didn’t end at Miss USA. I carried them into my career in the television industry and then as a wife and mom. Thankfully, I didn’t hit my kids like I did my old boyfriend. Instead, I stuffed my emotions down until I exploded in an emotional fit of tears. It was when I saw my dad die that I finally began to wake up.

My dad, my hero, died a broken man at the age of 54 from lung cancer. He had lost everything in bankruptcy, became an alcoholic, and smoked himself to death.

While in therapy after Dad’s passing, I realized he had no forgiveness for himself, and had shut down to receiving love. My big AHA came when I realized I was just like him. I had no forgiveness for myself.

My therapist suggested getting into meditation and I found myself taking classes at an energetic healing school in Southern California. My whole world opened up as I learned about energy and how false beliefs cause the blocks that shut us down from receiving a life we love. My favorite part of the schooling was learning that I could see those energetic blocks and clear them. Woohoo! It was so much fun.

I learned that my outer world is a mirror to my inner world. Energy attracts similar energy, and that if I were reacting to anything with lower level emotions like anger, frustration and blame, it was my cue to go within and heal the false beliefs and past memories that were causing my pain and suffering.

I began to “find myself” during that schooling. It was amazing! With each release of hidden false beliefs, my anger gradually began to dissipate and I was finally finding a sense of peace that I had never known.

It was then that I read “Love Without Conditions.” I had just completed almost two years of study at the healing school and was diving deeper into looking at my life. Through my classes, I now understood the power of releasing hidden false beliefs, as well as the power of giving myself permission to honor and love the way I was created. But after reading Paul’s book, I knew there was more.

I COMMITTED to loving myself unconditionally. I then sat down in meditation and a miracle showed up.

Little Terri, my five-year-old inner child revealed herself. I cried and cried, realizing that I had never loved or acknowledged her. Then I heard very clearly in my ear, “Get up and write this Terri. This is the beginning of your book.”

That book was “Message Sent: Retrieving the Gift of Love,” my journal of awakening. By listening to the guidance, I stepped onto a journey of loving that little girl inside of me. I used the tools that I had learned in the healing school and began watching how I reacted to people and situations. I knew that I had attracted them to help me heal. I knew they were a gift telling me that if I weren’t neutral or loving then something was hurting that little kid inside of me.

I became what I call the Divine Parent to my inner child. I gave her permission to “stop performing” for love and approval. No longer did she need to prove her worth. By loving her, talking to her, and giving her a voice, I created a deep connection within and finally felt the love and approval I’d been seeking my whole life.

By stopping the performance and nurturing that little kid, I let go of blaming my hubby for my unhappiness. The walls between us came tumbling down and my kids quit fighting. My whole world opened up. Miracle after miracle showed up because of reading “Love Without Conditions” and making the commitment to love myself.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?

My favorite quote is actually one that came through me in what I call a Divine download during meditation…

“Your worth isn’t determined by others. It’s determined by how you treat yourself.”

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

I have a global community called Women Leaders of Love. We are women who take a stand for unconditionally loving ourselves. We know that in doing so, we get off of the societal hamster wheel of trying to prove our worth, and set an example for our families, communities and the world to watch us and learn.

We know that unconditional love is a high vibration, and in choosing this for ourselves, we align with God. By honoring and loving the way we were created, we feel seen, heard and valued. We know at our core that we are worthy and are enough. And in this loving state, we open up to receive miracles and abundance, ending lack, pain and suffering. As Women Leaders of Love, we know our greatest act of service is loving ourselves first.

I see every person as a gift to dive deeper into knowing who I am and what I believe, and into loving myself so I might be an expression of love and thrive in every area of my life. But if I were to pick one who stands out, it would be a police officer who gave me a ticket years ago.

I had taken my young daughter to school late one morning and parked in a loading zone. This was a place people often parked to drop off their kids. So, I didn’t think anything of it. I walked her to the school office to get her checked in and then to her classroom. When I returned to my car, the officer was giving me a ticket. I asked him why and he said I was too close to the handicapped zone. I was surprised because I was one of those people who got angry at others for parking in these special spots when they didn’t need them.

I was shocked when the officer gave me a $300 ticket. Oh, my goodness! I asked, “Can’t you give me a break?”

He replied in a very smug tone with his arms crossed over his chest, “In my opinion, you don’t deserve a break mam.”

Anger boiled up and every hair on my body stood at attention. “I WILL take you to court,” I said. And then got in my car and drove off.

As soon as I turned the corner, I began bawling. I was so angry! But because I knew everything is a mirror to the energy and beliefs I hold within me, I said, “God, I know there’s a gift here, but I’m really pissed right now.”

I received an intuitive hit immediately. It told me that I had experienced issues my whole life with speaking up to men. And, not only had I spoken my voice by telling the man I would take him to court, but he was in fact the epitome of a male authority figure because he was a police officer.

Woohoo! I was so proud of myself. But for three days, I continually heard over and over again, “In my opinion, you don’t deserve a break mam.” It was eating at me. So, I used my spiritual tools and stayed in gratitude waiting for the gift to be revealed.

I finally sat down in meditation to retrieve the gift. I looked at that officer’s message once again, asked for the gift, and got to the truth: The officer was showing me how I treated myself. I didn’t give myself a break.

And with that realization, all of my anger melted away. I knew it was up to me to be kind and gentle to myself.

That police officer changed my life. I will forever be grateful for him. He helped me take a deeper step into loving myself.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. The United States is currently facing a series of unprecedented crises. So many of us see the news and ask how we can help. We’d love to talk about the steps that each of us can take to help heal our county, in our own way. Which particular crisis would you like to discuss with us today? Why does that resonate with you so much?

I see the division in our country as our biggest issue. Anger, frustration and blame have become the norm. Families and communities are torn apart.

This is likely a huge topic. But briefly, can you share your view on how this crisis evolved to the boiling point that it’s at now?

This divide we’re currently experiencing, especially with people pointing fingers at those who disagree with them, is actually due to survival fears being triggered. We all want to feel safe and loved. So, when someone disagrees with us and threatens our way of being and the beliefs we feel are the truth, the tendency is to react in anger, blame, judgment and frustration.

But there is something even deeper going on.

When we are in survival, we’re not trusting that God/The Universe has our back and that we are loved and supported, no matter what is happening in the world. We aren’t open to receive the abundance that is there for all of us. In other words, we don’t feel worthy.

Most people will tell you that they are worthy, but when you see the constant hamster wheel they live on in survival mode, trying to get it right and do it right to win love, success and happiness, you realize that they are holding subconscious beliefs that tell them they aren’t enough simply for being who they are.

I believe this survival mentality that leads to division begins in the home.

Most parents tend to do everything for their family members, especially the kids, at the expense of themselves. They work and work so their kids will feel more happiness, love and success than they’ve felt. But from an energetic perspective, the parents show the kids that being loving means it’s not okay to receive, so the kids grow up with this subconscious belief, often never realizing that it exists.

Parents also tend to believe that it’s their job to prepare their kids for the future. They send messages to their children that they either need to “be good” or “be the best” to WIN life’s rewards. But what they’re doing, often unconsciously, is telling their kids that they are not enough.

If you feel you’re not enough, whether consciously or unconsciously, if you believe that to be loving you must give and give before you can receive love, or if you believe that you must work yourself to death to win at life, you will continually live in survival mode and lack. Your relationships will suffer, and so will your work, money and even your health. In other words, you haven’t claimed your crown and owned your worth.

To shift out of survival mode and into thrive mode, you must raise your Worthiness Quotient.

Your Worthiness Quotient is how open you are to receiving love, nurturing and support from God/The Universe and the world around you, simply for who you were created to be. That means no performing or trying to get it right. How high or how low your Worthiness Quotient sits is determined by how much you love yourself.

The old family paradigm teaches us to have a low Worthiness Quotient. It teaches us to perform and seek love outside of ourselves. It’s why we’re in lack and survival, and why there’s so much division. To shift from a low Worthiness Quotient to a high one, we must each commit to healing and break the generational cycle of emotional chaos, stress and struggle.

Can you tell our readers a bit about your experience either working on this cause or your experience being impacted by it? Can you share a story with us?

Some of my family, friends and I sit on opposite sides of the political aisle. Over the last couple of years, I found myself getting angry every time I talked to them. Because I know that if I’m being triggered it’s a call to go within and heal, I took each situation as an opportunity to not only learn about myself, but to also understand what was going on with the mass consciousness.

I believe we are in a spiritual awakening. Our outer world right now is mirroring our inner world. The division we are experiencing and even the pandemic, are a call to look at our mindset. Think of the virus as a mirror to the virus in our minds that says, “We must compete. It’s you against me.”

If we all took this opportunity to go within and own our worth, and committed to healing our thoughts, beliefs and energetic blocks that shut us down to receiving unlimited abundance, we would shift from lack to love, from Poverty Consciousness to Prosperity Consciousness. Not only would we find peace within ourselves, but we would come together to create peace in our world.

Ok. Here is the main question of our discussion. Can you please share your “5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country”. Kindly share a story or example for each.

Here are 5 Steps to Raise Your Worthiness Quotient to End Lack and Division:

COMMIT TO UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. It was when I decided to heal my life and committed to loving myself unconditionally that little Terri, the kid inside of me, showed up and my life transformed. I became the Divine Parent to her and began to raise my Worthiness Quotient to abundance because I was treating her as if she was worthy of being seen, heard and valued. To become the Divine Parent to your inner child, imagine the little 5-year-old inside of you and say, “I love you. From this day forward, I’ve got your back.” Build a relationship with this little kid within, just as you would with a new friend. Then pay attention to how you’re performing and trying to prove your worth to WIN love, success and happiness. Know that this is the little kid inside of you just wanting to feel safe and loved by you.
BE AWARE OF YOUR FEELINGS. Society tells us that to feel is wrong and that we need to be strong. But as long as we continue to live by this belief, we will be disconnected from who we really are. I stuffed my emotions down for years due to living by this belief. But the more I suppressed myself, the angrier I got. I’d wear my happy face mask and then all of the sudden blow up at the people around me. It was a horrible cycle of anger and guilt that I didn’t know how to end until I gave myself permission to feel. Your feelings are God’s greatest messengers. They tell you when you’re in alignment with God or when you’re not. Negative feelings such as anger, frustration and blame are due to hidden subconscious beliefs being triggered. Be aware of your feelings and how you react to daily life. Know that if you’re feeling any emotional angst, the little kid inside of you is hurting. Have compassion for this child and give yourself permission to feel everything in a safe, loving place.
YOUR OUTER WORLD IS A MIRROR TO YOUR INNER WORLD. You energetically attract things to you that match your vibration. See your negative reactions to your outer world as a gift to go within and heal the subconscious beliefs that say you’re wrong for being who you are or that you must meet a certain standard to receive life’s rewards. Go back to the story I shared about the police officer. By embracing the gift of him giving me a ticket, I was guided back in time to see the belief I took on that said I didn’t deserve a break. I had learned this belief by watching my mom and dad. Embrace the daily crap. Talk to your inner child. Allow his or her feelings to guide you back to a similar situation from the past. Ask your inner child what the false belief was you took on back then that is causing your pain now.
STOP THE PERFORMANCE. As you allow your feelings to guide you to the false belief that is causing your current pain and suffering, you have two options: You can choose to continue on this path which says, “I must perform and prove my worth by denying who I really am.” Or, you can stand in your truth and choose to release the belief knowing that anything that causes you pain and suffering is not the truth. Let’s go back to my police officer story. I allowed my feelings to guide me back in time and discovered that I had a false belief that said I didn’t deserve a break. This belief caused a tremendous amount of stress for me, especially as a mom. I knew it wasn’t the truth, so I told little Terri that she had my permission to take breaks and that I was going to quit being hard on her. To stop the performance, release the belief that causes your pain and suffering and then ask your inner child, “What is your truth?” Be the Divine Parent to that little kid and give him or her permission to stand in that truth.
NURTURE YOURSELF INTO ABUNDANCE. We often know what we need to do to love ourselves and, yet, we don’t act upon our intuition. Or, if we do, we get buried in guilt believing that if we love and nurture ourselves, we will hurt other people. The truth is that we hurt others when we stay stuck and take out our pain on them. The most loving thing you can do is to take inspired action into loving yourself. When I got the message after receiving the ticket that I needed to be kind and gentle to myself, I gave myself permission to stand in the truth that I deserved a break. However, if I had stayed at that point, I would have had an awareness but nothing would have dramatically shifted. So, I took inspired action. Whenever I felt I was being hard on myself, I’d ask little Terri, “What do you need from me to feel nurtured and loved?” And then I’d take inspired action, following the guidance.Nurturing yourself without guilt moves you into alignment with God so you feel worthy and open up to receive the abundance you deserve. Ask what your inner child needs from you to feel nurtured and loved. Take inspired action.

Commit to unconditional love. Pay attention to your feelings. See your outer world as a gift to go within and heal. Stop the performance and nurture yourself into abundance. Be the parent to your inner child. Treat yourself as if you’re worthy of being nurtured, loved and supported, and the world will mirror this back to you. These are the steps we each can take beginning today to end emotional chaos, lack and division.

Over the last 20+ years as a spiritual coach and healer, I have seen people’s lives and their loved ones’ lives shift because they took the steps that I just shared. When we each take responsibility for what’s going on in the world, knowing that it is a reflection to us, and commit to healing, we become Leaders of Love and the change we want to see in the world.

We are going through a rough period now. Are you optimistic that this issue can eventually be resolved? Can you explain?

I do believe we can heal the division in our world. But I believe it’s up to each of us to do the inner work. I also believe that we are at a time when people will finally step up.

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

We all have the power to create change. We claim that power when we commit to unconditional love.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂

LOL! I’m sure so many people say Oprah, but I’m going to say it anyway. She touches so many people’s lives with the awareness she brings to help people move into Prosperity Consciousness. I’m talking about prosperity in every area of your life. She helps people raise their Worthiness Quotients and has probably never even heard that term since it was guidance that I received.

How can our readers follow you online?

www.terribritt.com

To take the Worthiness Quotient Quiz and find out how open you are to receiving the life and love you deserve, along with some tips and tools to shift it, go to www.terribritt.com/quiz.

To join us in our Women Leaders of Love community, grab my Worthiness Quotient Breakthrough Bundle that has my Women Leaders of Love e-book and three guided meditations at www.terribritt.com/leaders.

On Social Media, find me at:

https://facebook.com/womenleadersoflove

https://www.instagram.com/terri_britt/

https://twitter.com/terrileabritt

https://www.linkedin.com/in/terribritt/

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!

Author & Former Miss USA Terri Britt: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ÿnsect: Antoine Hubert’s Big Idea That Might Change The World

To feed the planet of tomorrow, we need to massively increase protein productivity today and insect protein is one of the solutions. Ÿnsect contributes to this global challenge by offering an effective, natural, and sustainable solution: producing more food with less impact, in a profitable way with a highly scalable technology we could deploy everywhere on Earth.

As a part of my series about “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” I had the pleasure of interviewing Antoine Hubert, President, CEO and cofounder of Ÿnsect, the world leader in natural insect protein and fertilizer production. He also chairs the cooperative insect industry association, the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) and is Board Member of LFD (France Digital Farm). Prior to co-founding Ÿnsect, Antoine worked on scientific projects in environmental risk assessment, biomass, and plastics recycling. He is an agronomy engineer who co-founded NPO WORGAMIC and the company ORGANEO.

Thank you so much for doing this with us Antoine! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I grew up in the French Alps where I was passionate about nature, ecosystems, and insects (especially butterflies)! My involvement in agronomic studies was a natural progression: I followed the links between the earth, nature, and food. The path between agronomy and insects was only a small step!

Can you please share with us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Beyond the different fundraising initiatives and their exhausting closing processes, my greatest pride was the day we got the result of an exhaustive life cycle assessment study showing that the value chain of the vertical farm we are building is carbon negative. Across Ÿnsect’s entire food chain, we avoid and sequester more CO2 than we emit. Today, this is proof that we can reconcile the great challenges of our time: feeding the planet, fighting climate change, and preserving the environment.

Which principles or philosophies have guided your life? Your career?

The main philosophy of my life is to do anything I could do at my small scale for a better world for everyone. On the last day of my life, I would like to be able to say that I have done everything I can to bring more harmony to this planet, even if it is a relatively small contribution. This is the “hummingbird and forest fire” philosophy: I want to do my part.

In terms of career and management, my philosophy is to always hire people who are more skilled than me. This is the only way to grow your company. Each founder must accept this without ego and focus on the area where he/she is really the best.

Ok thank you for that. Let’s now move to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about your “Big Idea That Might Change The World”?

Ÿnsect’s goal is to reinvent the food chain by offering food that is natural, healthy, tasty, and sustainable to consumers around the world every day. Ten years ago, we created a new agri-food industry with the crazy idea of breeding and processing insects to contribute to the major challenges of our time: feeding the world’s population, preserving resources and biodiversity, and fighting global warming. Today, this insect market is no longer just an idea: it is our daily life. We are advancing together on unchartered paths, unexplored lands, and thus giving back to the insect the forgotten yet rightful place at the base of the food chain. Our responsibility is to ensure the safety from farm to fork: that of our employees, our products, our consumers of course, but also of our partners.

How do you think this will change the world?

The analysis is simple: By 2050, we will have to increase global food production by more than 70% to meet the needs of our planet’s population. And we need to do this with only 5% more agricultural land. Today, farmed animals consume 20% of the world’s protein, in direct competition with human consumption, while fish, water, and soil resources are dwindling.

To feed the planet of tomorrow, we need to massively increase protein productivity today. As the FAO has pointed out, the insect could be one of the solutions. Ÿnsect contributes to this global challenge by offering an effective, natural, and sustainable solution: producing more food with less. Thus, unlike traditional animal feed:

It requires 100 times less agricultural land to produce 2lb of insect-based protein, than to produce the same amount of animal protein
The production of insects consumes 25% less water than poultry farming
The production of insects does not use antibiotics

Since its creation in 2011, Ÿnsect has been breeding and processing insects into premium ingredients for animal nutrition. We develop innovations to breed insects on a large scale and automate processes to transform insects into raw materials of the highest quality. Our know-how is unique in the world and makes Ÿnsect an essential partner for food industry professionals, research laboratories, investors, and public institutions.

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this idea that people should think more deeply about?

I believe that the big challenge is accepting insects as part of the human diet. A large part of the world’s population eats insects, but we must be able to prove its properties and its benefits for the environment in order to reach more and have more impact!

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this idea? Can you tell us that story?

After my studies, I went to New Zealand for an internship and discovered the richness of using earthworms for waste treatment and anti-waste. When I returned to France, in parallel with my job, I created Worgamic association, the objective of which was to reconnect urbanites to their food and to anti-waste. There, I met Alexis, one of the co-founders of Ÿnsect. We had a program that we were carrying out with the mayor of Paris in the schools where we installed vermicomposters. The association had grown, and we had set up a small “think tank,” which fueled our discussions. This is how, via an FAO report, we discovered insects. Indeed, this report showed that to feed 9 billion people by 2050, it would be necessary to produce 70% more with only 5% more land. The report pointed out that insects could be a solution. We then thought about developing a restaurant first, but in order to eat insects, we still had to produce them. This is how the idea of growing insects came about!

What do you need to lead this idea to widespread adoption?

Time! Twenty years ago, we would have never imagined eating raw fish. Today sushi has become an everyday dish!

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

I have three that I would like to share:

– I would have liked for someone to tell me that protein regulation was very complicated and very time consuming to handle at the EU Commission level. We could have focused differently on our timeline to market and variety of product offering if we had known it would take more than 4 years to have the rights to sell proteins for fish feed.

– I would have liked for someone to tell me how difficult it is to get permit approval in France and how long it would take: permit approval for our flagship plant in Amiens took more than a year and process was suspended during France’s first COVID lockdown due to the State of Emergency. Luckily, we had a lot of support from French government, otherwise we could have ended up in another country.

– I would have liked someone to tell me how difficult it is to hire people in some positions which are very stretched on the market, especially in data, automation, and industrial positions. I would have anticipated more some recruitment. It is never too early to hire! As soon as you feel you are missing someone in the team, it is already too late, you are losing time in your progress.

Can you share with our readers what you think are the most important “success habits” or “success mindsets”?

The environment is the very foundation of our actions, a prerequisite, Ÿnsect’s reason for being. We have found ourselves on the concrete and factual elements of balance, solidarity, adaptability, and authenticity. These values determine Ÿnsect today, but we do not want them to remain fixed in order to always remain a driving force in the evolution of society. Being an explorer is part of our company’s conception, our state of mind.

We are constantly looking for balance, our own, but also that of our environments and our stakeholders. We maintain speed and good timing, avoiding agitation and haste. We cultivate boldness and creativity, while remaining focused on execution and driven by a culture of results. We reconcile our ideals with the pragmatism necessary to carry out our activity and responsibilities. We always favor consensus and firmly reject any extreme ideology, any radical or dogmatic stance. Frugality is one of our foundations: always consume the right amount of food to participate in the future of the planet. We think big and we think far ahead, we share the ambition and the desire to become a globally recognized player, a leader, while remaining very modest, particularly in terms of our contribution to the huge environmental challenges: we are doing what we can and we count on partnership and the accumulation of forces. We are realistic scientists who are neither excessively optimistic nor excessively pessimistic.

Like an anthill, we are a team composed of singular but complementary talents working towards a common goal. Every day, we work to reduce the impacts of our activity on our environments. We are committed ecologically, economically, and socially.

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

To feed the planet of tomorrow, we need to massively increase protein productivity today and insect protein is one of the solutions. Ÿnsect contributes to this global challenge by offering an effective, natural, and sustainable solution: producing more food with less impact, in a profitable way with a highly scalable technology we could deploy everywhere on Earth.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

And Twitter: @Ynsect

And our website: http://www.ynsect.com/en/

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

Ÿnsect: Antoine Hubert’s Big Idea That Might Change The World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Sarah Socia of OVR…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Sarah Socia of OVR Technology

…Especially for young women beginning your career, when you’re interviewing at a company, don’t forget that you’re interviewing them, too. This advice has been helpful for me to ask the right questions to help me determine if it’s a good fit. I think finding a good fit is important, especially when you consider you spend about 40 hours at work per week, which is a good chunk of your waking hours.

Sarah Socia is the VP of Scentware at OVR Technology, a company in Burlington, Vermont dedicated to incorporating olfaction into virtual reality for better outcomes in training, simulation, health and wellness. At OVR, Sarah spearheads scent R&D and manufacturing, as well as provides a scientific lens for product initiatives and research projects.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I was adopted from South Korea and grew up in a small town of fewer than 2000 people in Vermont. Growing up I had diverse interests and wasn’t sure what career path I wanted to go down. I toyed with the ideas of being an artist, chef, engineer, doctor, and lawyer to name a few; on my college applications, I chose different majors. Mainly, I was curious and wanted to explore.

Ultimately, I attended the University of Vermont and majored in neuroscience, and minored in both psychology and chemistry. As an undergraduate, I assisted research studying the effects of a chemotherapy agent on the taste system on a cellular level in the laboratory of Dr. Eugene Delay, which was a great experience for cultivating laboratory bench skills and learning about academic research but after college, I wanted to see what else is outside the walls of traditional research.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

I’m in the midst of reading Behave: the Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert Sapolsky. The book dives into how hormones, brain structures, experiences, evolution, and more contribute to complex human behavior such as violence and empathy, along with nuances of those behaviors and how we perceive them. It resonates with me because it transcends the segmented scientific disciplines and unites so many areas of science to better understand human behavior. I really appreciate a multidisciplinary approach to examine ourselves and the world around us. Sapolsky explains many factors that shape complex human behavior while also making the content very digestible.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

When I graduated college, I wasn’t looking for a job let alone a career in the X Reality Industry. In the beginning, I was ideally looking for something that mixed creativity, science and healthcare outcomes where each day was not a carbon copy of the last. However, most people I knew graduating with a neuroscience degree were following the more traditional paths of laboratory research in academia, graduate school or medical school. Less traditional paths weren’t well paved. So, when I first learned about OVR Technology and how they are incorporating olfaction into virtual reality for better real-world outcomes, I felt like I stumbled upon this unique magical opportunity. The work I do at OVR really blends together everything I was looking for: recreating scents is a mix of art and science, the product’s application isn’t for entertainment, but for real-world outcomes in markets including healthcare, and my input for strategic decisions often tap my learnings about neuroscience, sensory science, and psychology. Although my journey to the XR Reality industry wasn’t a laid-out map, I am inspired to continue because of the exciting progress and evidence that demonstrates how these new technologies can be used for positive change.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

In a recently published study, Dr. David Tomasi and team at the University of Vermont Medical Center were investigating the use of Olfactory Virtual Reality on wellbeing and reduction of pain, stress, and anxiety. Participants were immersed in the OVR Technology multisensory camping environment and asked to self-report levels of pain, stress, and anxiety during three timepoints (before, after, and immediately after the OVR experience). It was really exciting to support one of the first studies investigating olfactory virtual reality in an inpatient setting and being part of the groundwork of OVR Technology research. We’ve had a lot of positive anecdotal feedback from our demo experience, but it feels very validating to have some promising scientific data on the use of OVR, especially the use in a clinical setting; before experiencing olfactory virtual reality, the median self-reported stress level of patients was “9” on a 1–10 scale, and then immediately after experiencing OVR, the median self-reported stress level was “3”.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Not all the scents created at OVR are particularly pleasant. We create a variety of malodors such as urine, feces, and burning flesh for medical VR applications and high-risk occupation training. So one day, I went to the office to work on a project with a coworker and I kept getting faint whiffs of a “feces” smell. I thought I might be imagining it, but after a while, I realized I had gotten some of the formulation on my shirt from production earlier in the day, and my coworker was too polite to say anything. Anyway, I learned to always have a spare set of clothes

I’m very grateful for Kara McGuire who is a fellow woman in science and whom I’m fortunate to call a friend. Kara introduced me to the flavor and fragrance industry and has been an inspiring example of someone who doesn’t wait for opportunities to present themselves, and energetically embraces changes and challenges. I’m extremely grateful for her support, advice, and friendship.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We have some really exciting projects in the works. Currently, we’re working in collaboration with Daniel Stricker and his company DP Immersive, on “Shifting Homes”, an immersive multisensory virtual reality experience highlighting the effects of climate change in Samoa. Virtual reality is a powerful tool that facilitates understanding and connection to events happening around the world — there’s a level of “presence”, the feeling of being there, that a video or news article just doesn’t quite achieve.

In no particular order, three things that excite me about the industry are: (1) the use of virtual reality in healthcare, (2) the rapidly growing body of VR research, and (3) continuous innovations pushing the boundaries.

It’s exciting that virtual reality isn’t just an entertaining gaming technology, but also has promising applications in healthcare. It’s being used to train surgeons, improve patient relaxation, reduce patients’ chronic pain, and more. These boundary-pushing capabilities are partially due to the rapid increase in VR adoption over the past few decades, which has been fueled by relatively affordable VR headsets entering the market. Another reason for VR adoption in healthcare is the growing body of research that validates peoples’ assumptions about the capabilities of VR; there are thousands of published studies. Along with research in healthcare, there are many groundbreaking studies exploring the potential of VR. An interesting area of research is virtual embodiment — there are studies demonstrating people feeling ownership and agency over a virtual body. This embodiment illusion has enabled people to ease death anxiety through virtual out-of-body experiences, as well as develop empathic connections by existing in a virtual body different from their physical body.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

A few things concern me about the VR, AR, and MR industry including the lack of prolific adoption, VR being dismissed as just a gaming technology, and user privacy. The headset sales are growing each year, but we’re still early in the adoption cycle. I’m optimistic that we will see more adoption as more people experience the technology, lower-cost options are available at the consumer level, and VR, AR, and MR industry infrastructure continues to grow. However, time will tell. It also concerns me that people have a narrow view of the potential of VR, AR and MR. When people think about these technologies they often think about entertainment and gaming, but these technologies can also be used to create positive outcomes in the workplace, healthcare, and education. Again, I think many people just need to try out the technology. We’ve had people that are skeptical about the addition of olfaction to virtual reality and dismiss the impact of smell, but then they try it and the gears start turning about all the ways it could be implemented. Lastly, I’m concerned about user privacy. With the connectedness and convenience that technology allows us, there are legitimate concerns about privacy including user personal, biometric, and psychometric data. I think it’s important that standards and guidelines are created for developers and companies by various stakeholders including consumers.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

VR, AR and MR are great tools for job training and skills acquisition, especially for high-risk occupations such as EMTs, and firefighters. Using VR, people can be immersed in various training scenarios that may otherwise be expensive to simulate, difficult to repeat, or potentially dangerous. These technologies can also be used to increase relaxation in the workplace which may result in greater productivity and engagement. There are studies that suggest nature VR environments, in particular, promote relaxation. A person who works in an office environment could be transported to a virtual forest, smell pine and flowers, and be led through a guided meditation.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

There are many applications outside the workplace where VR, AR, and MR are improving lives, especially within healthcare. Dr. Skip Rizzo and team at the University of Southern California developed a multisensory virtual reality exposure therapy program called Bravemind to help treat veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress. Another example is Dr. Tomasi and colleagues at the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC) who recently completed a study investigating the use of OVR Technology for wellbeing and reduction of pain, stress, and anxiety in the inpatient psychiatry unit. Participants self-reported levels of pain, stress, and anxiety before being immersed in an OVR camping environment, and then immediately after, as well as 1–3 hours after the OVR experience. The median patient self-reported scores were reduced across the board immediately after, and the reduction was maintained 1–3 hours after.

Satisfied? No, I’m not satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM, but I am optimistic that we’re heading in the right direction. According to the Census Bureau, in 1970 women made up 8% of the STEM workforce, which has increased to 27% in 2019 — so we’re headed in the right direction but not there yet. I think it’s important to encourage women at a young age to pursue careers in STEM by providing them with opportunities to explore those fields, promoting diverse role models, and not gendering occupational roles. I also think it’s important for businesses in the STEM field not to grow complacent and continue to strive toward equality by breaking down the barriers for women to be in leadership roles and creating a healthy diverse workplace environment.

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

There are pervasive myths about virtual reality, as well as olfaction. As previously mentioned, many people think about VR, AR, and MR only in terms of entertainment, but these technologies can be levered for better outcomes in the real world. I think it’s important to underscore their capabilities in the realms of healthcare, training, and education. In regards to olfaction, our sense of smell is one of the most underappreciated senses. There’s a study referenced in TIME that found more than half of young people surveyed would rather lose their sense of smell rather than their laptop or cellphone. I’d like to dispel the myth that olfaction is just a “nice to have”. Our sense of smell provides us with insight into the invisible, silent, chemical world around us, and it is our only sense directly connected to the limbic system, which includes brain structure involved in memory, emotion, and behavior. Our sense of smell is responsible for the majority of what we perceive as flavor and notifies us of potential dangers such as spoiled food and nearby fires. A whiff of a familiar smell also has the powerful ability to evoke vivid memories.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

First, especially for young women beginning your career, when you’re interviewing at a company, don’t forget that you’re interviewing them, too. This advice has been helpful for me to ask the right questions to help me determine if it’s a good fit. I think finding a good fit is important, especially when you consider you spend about 40 hours at work per week, which is a good chunk of your waking hours.

Second, celebrate your successes. It’s easy to get caught up in the forward momentum and where you’re headed next, but remember to pause and celebrate your successes.

Third, you can produce so much through collaboration. I’ve been working with our Head of Design/co-founder, Erik Cooper, on our circular economy initiative, and we were experimenting with techniques to best refurbish our cartridges. It was a collaborative process, bouncing ideas off each other, about developing the process, as well as finding and creating the tools for scaling the process. It was fun to hear about how we’d each approach a problem differently, and build upon each other ideas.

Fourth, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want and need. Oftentimes the worst scenario is being told no, and more often than not you’ll be surprised with the outcomes. There have been times I’ve asked to sit in on meetings when the topic content sounds interesting or asked for a half-day off to recharge on a sunny day. You are your own best advocate.

Fifth, being busy doesn’t mean you’re making progress. At OVR, we’ve recently adopted an OSKRs framework, which is like OKRs (objective and key results), with an added S for strategy. It’s been a reminder to consciously think about our day-to-day work and assess whether or not it’s contributing to where we want to go.

Part of what drew me to OVR was that the company is centered around creating a better virtual reality for a better reality. I would love to inspire a movement where VR, MR, and XR were affordable and widely available to use as tools that promote health and happiness in regards to both mind and body.

I would be interested in having lunch with Daniel Kahneman, Nobel prize-winning psychology/economist. I’ve read his book Thinking Fast and Slow which included decades of his fascinating research around decision making, cognitive biases, and heuristics. I would be interested to learn about the journey and evolution of his research, as well as events and people that influenced and inspired him.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Sarah Socia of OVR… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Anna Lejerskar of EON…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Anna Lejerskar of EON Reality

Women in tech are rare, but you are the leader when you get to a leadership role; it has no gender. And rest assured, things will go wrong at some point, and you will have to deal with a problem. The higher you get in your career, the more issues you will have to deal with. But this is why you were selected as a part of the leadership team, to be able to deal with problems, take the heat and solve it. Never get engaged emotionally and just focus on three steps: find the problem, address the problem and fix it.

As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Anna Lejerskar.

Anna Lejerskar is EON Reality’s Executive Vice President and Head of the EON Reality Learn For Life Foundation . She graduated from Russian University of People’s Friendship with a masters degree in business administration. Mrs. Lejerskar has been the driving force behind EON Reality’s outreach to Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East through the establishment of the EON Learn for Life Program, EON World Heritage Initiative, and the KnowledgeBit Initiative. These programs, along with her work in CIS countries, have helped grow EON Reality’s presence globally. Mrs. Lejerskar has a decade of international business experience and is currently engaging with various international partners to provide better access to Augmented and Virtual Reality technology and help make education available, affordable, and accessible.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up in Riga, Latvia (the former USSR), into a family of Russian descent. My father was a construction businessman; my mother used to work as a cosmetologist and a TV presenter. I believe my brother and I had a blessed childhood. Like many childhoods, it was perhaps not a perfect one, but this is what I liked about it.

My brother and I were raised in a loving and free-minded atmosphere with solid traditions. My parents always valued education and always supported anything I wanted to learn. I was always coming up with some new things that I wanted to learn or do immediately, and they were always encouraging my (which were always of paramount importance) ideas. I remember myself as a very social and curious child. When I was 12, my father suggested that I move to Moscow to study, and I was courageous enough to say yes. My mother and brother followed me to Russia about a year after me. I spent about ten years studying and eventually getting my master’s degree from the University of Peoples Friendship. The experience was an exciting time in my life. I got to learn quite a lot and meet a lot of amazing people. After that, I moved and lived in Italy for several years and then one day woke up and opened my eyes in California. Needless to say that I prefer warmer weather and have been residing here since 2010.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

I have to confess, and I love Harry Potter. Yes, I am 34 now, but I still feel like a kid, and I genuinely love magic. Besides, this movie is amazingly detailed with many positive messages. Fantasy movies always inspired me. Is magic possible? And what are those magic things in our daily lives? I think some of us can honestly do magic in the way they can achieve incredible things. It just depends on what you believe in and how much you are willing to make a better change. My little sister loves this movie too, and we watched it perhaps 100+ times. It inspires me to stay curious and creative, and it inspires her too.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

I wish I could say that since I was 5, I dreamed about working in the XR Industry. No, I did not. XR did not even exist as an industry back then. But as with many things in our lives, I got into the XR industry by pure coincidence. I was visiting California and was young and in need of a job, so I decided to look for an international company based in the US to work for and somehow got introduced to EON Reality.

However, when I joined the company and got to view the industry from an insider perspective, it started to grow on me for how much value it could bring, specifically in education.

I have always seen first hand the importance of quality education for the youth. Since I was young, I was very fortunate to have my parents’ unwavering support to get a better education. In some countries, not excluding where I come from, the outdated perception that getting an education is not as crucial as getting married continues to hold. Getting an education was a significant step and building block for my future life. It opened a lot of doors for me and future opportunities.

Yet, It is not something everyone has access to today. Technology is maybe not the magic pill for all the world’s problems, but after traveling to more than 90 countries worldwide, I could see how much impact it could have on living standards. My professional journey took me worldwide and showed me how uneven access to education is today. That is what inspires me to do my best and provide solutions that can help solve this inequality.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

After my first year of working at EON Reality, Dan ( CEO and Chairman of EON Reality) was considering expanding my responsibilities with a promotion to Global Business Development Manager. But to test me, he asked me if I really loved to travel. As I said, I was young and curious and said yes.

The year after this, I was home for a total of 3 weeks.

The period was absolutely crazy and fascinating at the same time. Just being able to visit all the countries, meet different people and cultures changed my life forever.

It was such an eye opening experience which I consider the most inspiring adventure of my life. Since then, I have never been able to stay at rest for long and am always ready to get out on my next adventure to learn more about the world.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I was starting, I was on a frantic, jam-packed schedule trying to meet as many people as possible to showcase what XR technologies could do. I had a business meeting in a remote town somewhere in Germany on a Saturday during one of these trips. When I say remote, I mean I needed to take two flights, two taxis, and a train to get there. As fate or Murphy’s law would have it, the second flight was delayed, and the entire trip was hanging by a thread.

Somehow, I considered canceling the meeting but decided to give it a try thanks to blind optimism, if you will. The train was late of course. By the time I arrived at our destination, I had realized the same train I was on was the only train I could take to go back — and it was only 2 minutes before it was headed back.

The doors opened; I stepped out on the platform and shook the person’s hand, and said, “Hello, my name is Anna Lejerskar. Nice meeting you; I am thrilled to finally meet you face-to-face, I believe it is essential for our future conversations. But now, unfortunately, I have to leave on the same train to catch my flights. Looking forward to talking to you soon and Goodbye!”

The person was speechless.

I traveled 10 hours to get a meeting that lasted a minute. The biggest lesson? Instinctively, we all want to battle right to the end, but you can not always control everything in your life. As long as you know you have done your best, don’t be stressed, embrace each moment as a learning experience, and you can go to bed with a clear conscience.

I want to thank all the people I have met throughout my journey because everyone I work with has taught me something negative or positive.

As they say, it always takes a village, and so I need to credit the team at EON Reality I have been working with for over a decade. They have helped immeasurably in one way or another and continue to be a source of support and strength.

But I do need to thank my husband, Dan Lejerskar, an AR/VR visionary in his own right and for seeing the potential in me. He has always supported my vision and encouraged me to share my ideas freely. There is only so much one can do alone, but there is almost always a partner who is a well of strength in every success story. I have been lucky to live with the person who let me be who I am.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, I do! I am currently working on Learn for Life, a not-for-profit arm at EON Reality whose mission is to bring awareness that technology is not something out of reach and is readily available. Our primary mission now is to leapfrog development in communities that need it the most and to provide the support and resources to help them create a 21st-century learning environment — which means easy access to the classroom and the teacher, no matter where they are. This is in line with our mission statement at EON Reality — Knowledge is a Human Right. I would like to live in a world where no one is denied access to education just because of where they came from; whether you are a primary school student in a remote village in North of Ghana or a youth looking for opportunities to learn a trade. And this is what I am striving to achieve with Learn for Life

It is endless, in my opinion. There are so many areas that XR can impact already today and is set to grow over time.

But if I would pick 3 I would say:

The potential to weave all the complementary technologies such as haptics, neural sensing technologies, and A.I. into AR/VR to make that killer learning app. The pioneering advances in these technologies make the virtual world even better at mimicking the real one and making VR/AR a space to watch out for!

The potential pervasiveness of VR/AR technology and how people can use the technology for daily life. Since COVID-19 hit, it has completely upended the way we live and what we knew of living. Technology became a central part of keeping everything together in so many different ways, and people are starting to be aware of the influential role it can play.

Throughout 2020, we witnessed a massive uptake with an 819% increase in our EON-XR platform usage as institutions started to realize video conferencing limitations. We quickly realized teachers needed VR and AR’s power to provide contextualized and interactive learning for students to keep their already short attention spans from wandering.

So when taking AR and VR, for example, virtual traveling started becoming a means of seeing sights and monuments in a time when no one could travel, sometimes even taking you back in time to discover truly fascinating places right where you are. When we replicate this experience in the classroom, it becomes so much more powerful when students can travel to historical landmarks to view and explore ancient Pompeii to understand life in ancient Rome with a personal virtual guide. Boring history lessons with an outdated textbook will soon become a relic of the past; now, isn’t this truly a fascinating thought?

The value it holds for Industry 4.0. There has been an explosion of use cases for industries since COVID-19 hit the scene, particularly for its precise training applications. VR has its origins in heavy industries such as oil and gas and even in flight simulators and was used to create training for emergencies without putting anyone at risk. VR is a compelling medium for immersing people in a designed environment and changing their behaviors in reality, with the added benefit of being realistic, repeatable, and scalable.

So the sky is the limit when it comes to creating new scenarios for learning. Walmart, for example, has taken bold steps to revolutionize training for its in-store associates using VR and is now reporting 30% higher employee satisfaction and are seeing improved test scores of 10 to 15% compared to traditional training. If we can replicate this learning workflow across the different industries, we are essentially looking at a turnkey solution in a matter of days and not quarters. This will be a massive leap for us in terms of productivity and efficiencies.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

The first one is the lack of awareness surrounding this technology and its accessibility. The majority of people do not realize it is readily available. There is an existing perception that XR technology is a Silicon Valley fantasy — high-end and expensive. The truth is that you can use it already today, and it will become more common in the years to come. We are trying to raise awareness that XR technology is not as out of reach as you would imagine. And we are walking the talk by creating a zero-code platform like EON-XR to allow anyone to create content in minutes without any pre-existing knowledge in programming or coding.

Secondly, there is a dangerous perception that technologies like AR and VR are putting jobs at risk and, consequently, growing resistance to adopt them. I take the view that while technology is used to automate certain positions, it is paradoxically creating more meaningful jobs. From the educational perspective, we see resistance from some educators who see their role as the expert in the room, and these technologies are changing that status quo. They also argue that the technology delivered from a smartphone or tablet is a distraction.

However, what this technology does is changing its role to a facilitator of learning. Instead of simply delivering information, they have more time to play an essential role in getting students to critically analyze and synthesize information, which in my opinion, is the actual process of learning.

After all, one can google information, but can you google knowledge? Today, students are digital natives; they are used to smartphones and tablets, so we are merely talking to them in their language. The cultural shift in mindsets is a barrier we need to overcome. EON Reality is now engaging with teachers and educators to show them how XR technology is helping and not harming them.

Another concern is the speed of hardware catching up with software speed to guarantee VR/AR has the means to hit a critical mass. We faced some hard times in 2017 when hardware expectations fell short of reality. As a software company, we pivoted by making our solutions available on a VR/AR viewing device that everyone had — the smartphone. We continue to look forward to hardware developments at an accessible price point for the average consumer. We see that with Oculus Quest now, but we expect to see much more activity in this space and hopefully have that iPhone moment for AR and VR in the coming years.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

Using VR to design training can help create an engaging experience and enhance learning by transforming how lessons are delivered. Firstly, with VR, there is less cognitive load, and it becomes easier to process the information. And by anchoring instruction to experience, trainees are actually able to visualize and live “reality” as they learn. VR is a great solution for technical training, especially for medical procedures, which requires many hours to achieve proficiency.

When we add a gamified approach to learning, the lesson stops becoming a delivery of pure facts and instead becomes an interactive lesson that offers challenges and rewards. Why would ten grown men assemble on a court shooting balls through hoops? The desire to win. We have all experienced the drive to compete and outperform others, even ourselves. By drawing on human psychology and using the same principles, we can quickly create an addiction to learning.

One of the benefits of introducing gamification is its natural high and its impact on knowledge retention. By combining realistic VR environments or AR elements with gamification, lessons are entertaining and fun yet engaging and effective.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Fundamentally, I think there are so many ways that XR can improve our lives at work. Its potential to create jobs is enormous. There are millions of job opportunities in promising and impactful areas such as medicine, aerospace, and environmental studies, to name a few.

VR and AR technologies’ beauty is their malleability in creating any training scenario you want while being realistic, scalable, and with proven benefits. Just ask Walmart, Boeing, and the US Army, which recently announced a $22bn program using AR technology for training.

So if we are looking to create a strong base of knowledge workers for the future, XR technologies have both the capacity and ability to provide meaningful tools to develop more effective and efficient ways of learning. And in combination with data analytics and A.I, this would enable us to access a potent tool to access what is understood and not by the learner. These tools will drive truly effective learning that would have been a utopian ideal in the past. This will consequently create a new generation of workers who can be upskilled, retrained, and trained, making lifelong learning available at the flick of a switch.

Absolutely not.

The women in my family have always been great role models for me, and I could witness the levels of success a woman could achieve. Even though we have roughly the same ratio of women and men globally, we do not see the same ratios represented in the workforce. There is a 26 percentage point difference according to the International Labour Organization. I think it matters to have a diverse set of voices at the table, and I am looking forward to seeing a world where we have a workforce made up of 50 percent women.

We are far from where we need to be, especially when we have figures of women making up 27 percent of the STEM workforce, and these figures are even lower in the XR industry. The pandemic has not helped. The lack of representation is a challenge of multiple dimensions. Fundamentally, we need to solve the problems of access to education. We continue to see low participation levels in higher education, especially in developing economies, and we need to offer more opportunities for women to participate. One of the critical conditions of working with Learn for Life is that institutions must show that they promote women’s participation in their programs.

And generally speaking, I think perceptions that women should play specific roles at home continue to exist, which is really two full-time jobs if you ask me! Dispelling these perceptions will take a long time, but in the meantime, what I am doing at EON Reality is offering women more freedom at work. This could be the flexibility to work from home and at the hours they choose. I want to offer them the opportunity to climb the career ladder if that is what they choose without having to choose between sacrifices.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

The number one myth is VR and AR are solely for gaming. Although I see these mindsets slowly shifting, there is still a need to raise awareness of the power of AR/VR as an incredible social force of change. When I say that, of course, I mean AR/VR’s potential for transforming lives through education. We are starting to see greater adoption of the technology beyond gaming and used for education — but it is still far from where I envision it. For instance, just think about flight simulators; for example, it has become the de rigueur in a pilots training course. And we’re supposed to trust them with our lives when we are thousands of kilometers up in the air! VR and AR have proven benefits for learning; this has been verified in countless studies conducted worldwide.

So what about doing the same for our classrooms? So when AR/VR is seen as an indispensable part of learning, I think that’s when I can say, yes, we’ve made it. We’ve dispelled the myth; we’ve made it everyday technology.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Never put up with toxic people. Their negativity is a poison and eventually will fester and affect the culture of your organization. Never allow that because you’re allowing cancer to spread slowly but surely when you put up with it.

Women in tech are rare, but you are the leader when you get to a leadership role; it has no gender. And rest assured, things will go wrong at some point, and you will have to deal with a problem. The higher you get in your career, the more issues you will have to deal with. But this is why you were selected as a part of the leadership team, to be able to deal with problems, take the heat and solve it. Never get engaged emotionally and just focus on three steps: find the problem, address the problem and fix it.

Value your time. Money is way cheaper than time; the money you can make, but not the time. The projects I take on will always have a value, both intangible and tangible.

You can’t know everything, and you should be well aware of it. As a leader, you are supposed to use your leadership strengths to get the best out of your team and achieve better goals together. Keep your ego low, be objective if someone in the group understands the topic better, and let him/ her shine.

Never stop moving forward and think big. Don’t get stuck in the past; look into the future. The difference between hallucination and reality is how much work you put into it.

I would like to see a movement to change negative perceptions towards Technical Vocational Education and Training. TVET skills are necessary for a sustainable economy and are undoubtedly one of the best investments a country can make, yet it is often perceived as second-class. Too often, these crucial professions’ societal perceptions dissuade youths from considering vocational trades as an option. This restricts their choices and pathways and limits the growth of society and the economy at large.

I would like to see more countries following the German model where the country has become the forerunner in technology and industry because of the emphasis given on skills development for its people. I would like to spearhead a movement to encourage youths to explore new vocations with XR technologies and discover for themselves their latent talents. I am convinced I would be a carpenter if I had the chance to be exposed to it earlier in my youth. And this is why I am so passionate about this, and would like to give everybody a chance to do the same.

I would like to meet Elon Musk. I am very intrigued by space travel and how it extends the frontiers of human knowledge. Of course, I would like to bring up the idea of recreating space environments in XR so while we may not be on SpaceX flight, we are not left wondering!

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Anna Lejerskar of EON… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Brand Makeovers: Catherine Blakemore of Treadaway Co On The 5 Things You Should Do To Upgrade and R

Brand Makeovers: Catherine Blakemore of Treadaway Co. On The 5 Things You Should Do To Upgrade and Re-Energize Your Brand and Image

Stop using stock photography and get unique brand photos. Having your own unique photographic style and recognizably authentic situations depicted (especially for you service-based businesses) is an easy first step to maximizing your existing brand equity and building more. Hot tip: See if your customers want to be part of it!

As part of our series about “Brand Makeovers” I had the pleasure to interview Catherine Blakemore.

Catherine Blakemore is a fiercely pragmatic and solutions-oriented strategist resolving business problems using design thinking, a keen understanding of brand experiences, and a little bit of humor. She is the Founder of Treadaway Co., a brand strategy and design consultancy serving a global client base in non-profit, healthcare, law, real estate, interior design, and consumer goods. Holding a B.A. in Communication and a master’s degree in Strategic Communication, she is a big believer in learning as much as you teach, giving back more than you’ve been given, and seeking understanding before trying to be understood.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit more. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’ve built a brand strategy and design firm in some odd amalgamation of my eye for design, background in strategy, and unparalleled obsession with following consumer and service brands. No one thing led me to practice in this space. Still, countless little things keep me going from the satisfaction of seeing a good before and after LinkedIn profile in our personal branding work to the pure joy on a founder’s face when they see their business vision come to life online and in print.

Can you share a story about the funniest marketing or branding mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Oooph! The mistakes are plentiful and equally cringeworthy. One instance was while I was still a student and we were tasked with the strategy development for a downtown arts project where it was being branded as the “storybook” capital of America, and we created a full presentation and conducted research on the “storytelling” capital of America. The client let us move through the entire presentation before letting us know at the end just how far off we were from that slight word shift of “book” to “telling.” I’m grateful every day that situation was a student project for a client and not a paying client of my studio in the early days! Though the stakes weren’t high, it taught me that having multiple checkpoints and sign-offs throughout a project is critical for accuracy and for better ideation, execution, and buy-in. The devil is in the details…

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Is there a takeaway or lesson that others can learn from that?

The tipping point in my career was a mindset shift that many solopreneurs have to make. I had to stop thinking of my business and “me” as the same. That simple shift freed my business from ego, freed myself from the fear of being wrong, and ultimately led to better profit-building practices as the financial elements separated along those lines as well. The lesson for me was to remember that my self-worth doesn’t come from the success or failure of my business and my business’ brand can have different tactics than my personal brand.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Maybe it’s naïve, maybe it’s silly, but I think every project we’re working on is exciting! One initiative we’re hoping to bring to market soon is a comprehensive personal branding package that we’ve trialed with a few folks to great success. This package would be fundamentally different than the work we do in business brand strategy and design but one that reaps tangible benefit for our clients, especially in the climate of individuals creating and building platforms of influence. It’s a more accessible package that doesn’t necessarily require the individual have a business but helps develop them as a thought-leader in their respective space. We’re big believers in the power of the individual so this feels like an awesome next evolution of the branding work we’re already doing.

What advice would you give to other marketers to thrive and avoid burnout?

Find a passion project! Exercising your creativity in spaces outside of what you do day-in and day-out for clients is hypercritical. Create something just for the sake of creation without any imposed budgetary and visual restrictions. See what comes out from pure flow-state creativity and then when you’re hitting a stuck point in a work project, pop over to your passion project and let your freak flag fly. Not only is it a great way to learn new skills or practice a rusty one, but it might also turn into your favorite portfolio piece or a pitch piece to a client on their brand’s potentiality.

Ok, let’s now jump to the core part of our interview. In a nutshell, how would you define the difference between brand marketing (branding) and product marketing (advertising)? Can you explain?

This is a big question. If you ask five different brand strategists, CMOs, advertisers, designers, and marketers, you’ll get 100 different answers. I’ll answer for how we approach this as a brand strategy and design studio. Branding is a process-based activity that, truthfully, never ends. It’s a constant combination of activities — including listening — to create an intrinsic understanding in your audience’s mind. Advertising, on the other hand, is a finite campaign-based approach to inform your audience of your product or service’s value to them specifically. Branding is showing; advertising is telling.

Can you explain to our readers why it is important to invest resources and energy into building a brand, in addition to the general marketing and advertising efforts?

Absolutely! I can sum it perfectly by adapting a principle from Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism. He says in the book, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” The same goes for branding. If you don’t build your brand, something else will. It’s the difference between influencing the narrative or letting the narrative run wild. Don’t let your brand be a bad Mad Lib. Just don’t.

Let’s now talk about rebranding. What are a few reasons why a company would consider rebranding?

Well, first, let’s get a common misconception straightened out. A lot of companies who want a logo update or messaging shift think they want a rebrand. That’s not a rebrand — that’s a brand update or brand evolution. A rebrand is a complete pivot in your brand. You’re changing the way people think of your business in a major way. We’ve written about this in our blog, so I’ll sum up the four top reasons to rebrand: 1) You’re changing the services or products you provide, 2) You are changing your core customer base, 3) You have a reputation to recover, and 4) You are redefining your business’s focus. True rebrands are not something to undertake lightly or flippantly.

Are there downsides of rebranding? Are there companies that you would advise against doing a “Brand Makeover”? Why?

There are definite drawbacks to conducting a comprehensive rebrand. One of the most significant parts of branding includes building brand equity. Brand equity is that intangible feeling your company creates in the mind of your audience outside of what you offer. To sacrifice the brand equity you’ve built over the years for the sake of a rebrand is a serious conversation you should have with your branding firm and your customers. Generally, I’d advise against a rebrand if your company doesn’t fall into the four scenarios we discussed. Outside of that, most companies just need a refresh (usually a refinement) or a better deployment and application of their existing visual identity elements and brand messaging.

Ok, here is the main question of our discussion. Can you share 5 strategies that a company can do to upgrade and re-energize their brand and image”? Please tell us a story or an example for each.

Yes! This is a great question and can also apply to people building personal brands as well.

Strategy 1: Stop using stock photography and get unique brand photos. Having your own unique photographic style and recognizably authentic situations depicted (especially for you service-based businesses) is an easy first step to maximizing your existing brand equity and building more. Hot tip: See if your customers want to be part of it!
Strategy 2: Ask and listen. So many companies make the mistake of only discussing a rebrand in a boardroom. You have a customer base and, if you’ve done a good job this far, they want to be in conversation with you. Engage with them! Give them a peek under the hood of what brand-building tactics you’re considering. Invite them into the conversation and glean as many insights as you can from their feedback. I promise you will identify a pattern or two that contradicts what you thought you knew about your brand.
Strategy 3: Don’t be 50% in five places when you can be 100% in two. This is especially true for my small businesses who don’t have robust in-house marketing teams. You don’t need to be giving 50% to five different platforms. Focus your creativity, attention, and budgets on two and drive your customer base there. Stagnation is a brand killer, so if you don’t use that Twitter account, signal it as dormant and pin a tweet inviting your customers to Instagram — or wherever it is you keep your brand fresh.
Strategy 4: Utilize more user- and employee-generated content. People connect with people. Give them someone to connect with! Share content from your customers ,whether it’s photos, testimonials, funny comments, or something else. Share updates from your team, whether it’s a desk or WFH setups, go-to coffee orders, or day-in-the-life of your CFO! Doing that will help humanize your brand and create buy-in from all sides.
Strategy 5: Consider an identity or logo refresh. If you thought you need a rebrand, dial it back slightly and consider an identity or logo refresh. Updated typography and color choices are a great way to make something “old” feel new. But keep in mind what brand equity you might be losing and also the costs associated with reprinting and repurchasing anything with your old identity elements! Don’t sacrifice consistency for newness.

In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job doing a “Brand Makeover”. What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?

How about a recent example I’m betting 80% of users didn’t even notice? Hulu’s brand refresh by UK-based DixonBaxi. Rather than a comprehensive identity redesign, Hulu created a unified brand experience using an evolution of their existing identity elements. They created something fresh and clean that didn’t sacrifice brand equity or require major overhauls of the existing brand experience. This is something you can do right now for your personal brand or your business’ brand. Evaluate your consistency. Update your colors. Give your copywriting a shift and an edit. Boom! Makeover complete.

I’m reasonably sure this movement is already happening but… humanizing your brand! I believe that people — the individuals that make up these larger systems and collectives — are the most important. When we value people first, amazing things can begin to happen. This can start with listening to their stories and perspectives. It can expand by sharing and giving voice to underrepresented experiences. Then it can elevate by honoring that businesses are built by people and not the other way around.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

One that is constantly pinging around in my head is that one from Essentialism by Greg McKeown. He writes, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” For me, there is no time, relationship, and financial advice better than that. I first read Essentialism years ago and have since re-read it multiple times, each time soaking up more and more of what it means to live as an essentialist does. Plus, it’s a great brand-building strategy, too!

How can our readers follow you online?

Connect with me on LinkedIn! I want to know you and your story, what led you to this article, and what business idea you’ve been thinking of pursuing.

Thank you so much for these excellent insights! We wish you continued success in your work.

Brand Makeovers: Catherine Blakemore of Treadaway Co On The 5 Things You Should Do To Upgrade and R was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Non-Fungible Tokens: Artist Ali Sabet On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly…

Non-Fungible Tokens: Artist Ali Sabet On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Career In The NFT Industry

Focus on your art and stay true to who you are as an artist. Some have tried to change in order to fit a mold that they believe will bring in more money. Most of the time this has the opposite reaction.

Ali Sabet (@sabet) is an Iranian American artist that is regarded as one of the top selling artists on NFT. He is recognized for his paintings of beautiful and confident women with large breathtaking eyes and his signature long lashes and defined lips. He is also known for his unique Pixopop (@pixopop) characters.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

Absolutely, thank you for having me! I was born in Iran and my family moved to Orange County, California when I was just 9 years old. I didn’t know much English, was shy and very tall for my age. I started drawing before I learned how to write so I turned to art. It was my release. I graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1998 and my first job was working for one of the top advertising agencies in the world as an Art Director. It was an amazing experience. I later opened my own agency and alongside my branding work I continued to paint. I decided to focus on my art full time in 2018 and this year entered the incredible NFT world of art and am now ranked as one of the top 100 artists globally.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The book Quantum -Touch: The Power to Heal by Richard Gordan changed my life. It helped me remove resistance in my life. I also realized that collectors were drawn to my paintings not just for the design but the healing energy I put in each. Later, I learned how to heal others. One of my collectors had dealt with health issues that included a lot of shaking on one hand. I saw her stop shaking for the first time in a very long time right in front of my eyes. It was magical.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in this new industry? We’d love to hear it.

I was one of the lucky ones that knew what I loved early on. I did not do that well in every subject in school but everything I turned in had some artwork or doodling on it. I remember turning in a composition when I was 9 years old and the teacher gave me a low grade but I turned the page and she put incredibly positive and encouraging remarks about the doodles I had on my composition book. I realized that even though I wasn’t the best student, art was the one way that I could always connect with people and communicate with them in a deep and meaningful way.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

I had a vision of a symbol and it looked like a person holding an equal sign. I called it LOVEQUALS SERVICE. It’s also made up of the number 1, omega, square root and the equal sign. From alpha to omega, the root of all is “love”. I started embedding this symbol in all of my artwork. Soon came another symbol and then another and now I know a mysterious script called Sabe Love Symbols. I can write and paint this language in a fluently but have yet to decode it. Clients have found their name in a different language in paintings, the name of their child, etc. I now incorporate this language in all of my paintings.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I can’t think of a funny mistake but I will share a cool memory. I remember making my Pixopop characters and hoping they would be the next Hello Kitty. It wasn’t until 20 years later that it really started getting recognition and now on NFT they are collectables. The lesson is to do what you love and not worry about immediate success. You will be in awe at how it all comes together at some point…even if it is 20 years later!

An art collector named Spencer Brown became one of my mentors. He helped me understand that in the art world you need an audience. You also have to have programs that get people excited about your work. This has helped me gain a following on social media and make the transition to painting full time. It also may be the reason I have done so well in the NFT world.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I’m working on a few large paintings for a few collectors. I also designed the first hypercar vehicle to be auctioned in NFT. You actually get a physical car. I have a few incredibly exciting collaborations that I can’t touch on right now but I will share as soon as I can.

NFT stands for Non-fungible token and is part of the Ethereum blockchain. Ethereum is a cryptocurrency like bitcoin. For artists, NFTs can be a digital painting, drawing or music. This has opened up an exciting new way for artists to share their work and for collectors to invest in what they love. For those that are new, I recommend buying digital art that you love instead of just collecting for investment.

The NFT industry seems so exciting right now. What are the 3 things in particular that most excite you about the industry? If you can, please share a story or example for each.

NFT is exciting and for artists it is a game changer. The art world will never be the same again.

The ability to communicate with collectors directly. The app Clubhouse holds NFT discussions where collectors can hear directly from the artist why a certain piece was created and ask questions directly. They also get to discover new artists from different parts of the world that they may not have found otherwise.
Being able to create anything that I love knowing there may be an audience in the world. This is a game changer for artists. If you want to make money as a professional artists, sometimes you have to focus the majority of your art on what has done well in gallery sales, etc. With NFT, it has opened up a huge audience for artists and you feel safe sharing different types of art knowing it will connect with different audiences.
Collaborating with emerging artists and well known celebrities. In the time I have been on NFT, I have done many collaborations with both new and recognized artists. The beautiful thing is that this type of digital art is bringing together painters, musicians, and specialists in animation and digital art in a way we have never seen before.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the industry? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

I’ve not seen anything that concerns me. I do believe there is a bit of a learning curve to getting your work on the platform but there are new innovations and platforms that are being introduced that is addressing this.

The App Clubhouse has free sessions for new people that I also attend that provide direction.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about NFTs? Can you explain what you mean?

I’ve heard critics say that the long term view of NFTs is unknown. That can be said about anything new. The reality is that once you start attending the NFT sessions on the App Clubhouse and getting to know both the collectors and the artists, you realize that there are some incredible digital art that is being launched on this platform that has already dramatically changed the way we view and collect art.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they enter the NFT industry. What can be done to avoid that?

I think one of the most common mistakes is to just start buying art in hopes it increases in value. The seasoned collectors have shared that they only invest in art and artists that they love and connect to.

How do you think NFTs have the potential to help society in the future?

We don’t have to wait for the future. It is happening right now. Non-profits from around the world are connecting directly with artists and auctioning for their cause in this space. I was just a part of an auction that sold one of my digital pieces for $55K. The charity worked with multiple artists and raised over $300K.

Focus on your art and stay true to who you are as an artist. Some have tried to change in order to fit a mold that they believe will bring in more money. Most of the time this has the opposite reaction.
Don’t shy away from collaborating with artists that you respect and love. If you are new and talented, you may get a flood of collaboration requests. Be selective and find artists that you connect with and the end result will be magical.
Have a presence Twitter and Instagram. You need to have these accounts to communicate with collectors and other artists. Make sure they can direct message you. Some have created an account just for their NFT world instead of just using their personal account. Announce your pieces on these platforms. I reached out to Whale Shark ( one of the biggest collectors of NFT art) and let him know that I would love him to look at my work. This tweet changed my life. He became a collector and one of my biggest supporters.
Give back to the NFT community. Once you get your artwork up and start promoting yourself, participate in the App Clubhouse NFT sessions to help answer questions and help other artists. You can also support other artists by sharing their social media posts and commenting when appropriate. The entire NFT community appreciate your efforts — from artists to collectors, it’s very much a family atmosphere even if there are thousands of people involved.
Participate in NFT Clubhouse rooms that connect you directly with collectors and other artists. The app Clubhouse has been key in my success in the NFT world. Don’t underestimate the power of attending these sessions, listening and sharing. The connections you make on this platform is life changing.

I am a big believer in energy and healing. I incorporate it in my art and healing sessions. The more awareness I can bring to the importance of being conscious of the type of energy you release through your work and daily life, the better this world will be. Most people don’t realize just how impactful one person can be.

I would love to have lunch with Elon Musk. He is an extraordinary individual that is continuously changing and contributing to our world.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Thank you for this opportunity to share my story!

Non-Fungible Tokens: Artist Ali Sabet On The 5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Anastasia Pash of…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Anastasia Pash of Globetrotter VR

Grow your network and have allies. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” I heard that phrase during my first week as a trainee, fresh out of University. Let this be your mantra as you create a valuable network around yourself.

Anastasia Pash is an entrepreneur and digital media creator. She has producer award-winning virtual experiences for travel brands, governments and NGOs. She founded Globetrotter VR, a platform that allows users to experience destinations from their couch, with the help real tour guides and virtual reality. She is a public speaker and an activist for environmental sustainability and gender equality in the VR industry. Anastasia is an ambassador for Women in Immersive Tech, an NGO breaking barriers and inspiring women in immersive tech all over the world.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I grew up between Russia and Cyprus. Being a 90s kid, I was raised on sci-fi movies and was captivated by the promise of technology and virtual reality. My father was an early adopter, so we’d always have the latest gadgets at home. I never read instructions, and for most part I still don’t, I like to figure out things on my own. I went to a very traditional catholic all-girls school, and always felt like an oddball there. After finishing school, I moved to the UK where I studied Law. I went to Warwick, which was very international. I loved what a melting pot the University was, and how different my friends were. I must confess I didn’t enjoy studying law very much, and I passed all my exams by crash-studying “Nutshells”. The rest of my time was spent on student societies, organizations and events. It was then that I realized that I am much more entrepreneurial than anyone ever imagined.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic”. After graduating from University, I was launched into a career in the City of London. I worked for top names such as UBS, D.E. Shaw and CVC Capital. I enjoyed working with brilliant people on big deals. But I always had a longing to be more creative. Listening to this book, gave me so much perspective, and I finally gave myself the permission to create, experiment and put myself out there. It was liberating and I recommend it to anyone who wants to live a more creative life.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the X Reality industry? We’d love to hear it.

I never wanted a career in the XR industry. I was just curious about virtual reality. In 2016, I was writing a travel blog and I had an idea that it would be really fun to incorporate virtual reality into it. I thought it would be a great way of giving people a better insight into a destination. I bought the cheapest 360° camera I could find on amazon and started experimenting with it. It was such a pain to shoot and process the footage. Premier Pro didn’t have the plugins it has today for editing immersive video. Youtube didn’t recognize 360° formats so you had to inject the metadata separately. My 2014 laptop could barely handle 4K video. But the first time I saw one of my videos in a headset, I knew that I was onto something. I started knocking on doors and demonstrating what was possible with this new technology. Soon enough, I was working on commercial projects creating content for hotel brands and Tourism Boards. Of course, I had to upgrade my gear! A few years later, I find myself leading a whole team of brilliant people in a VR start up. It’s been a fun ride, but I never really thought of it as a career, more as a passion pursuit.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

The initial idea for Globetrotter VR was an immersive guide to help travelers plan their trips. In February 2020, we were designing our MVP — a virtual guide to Barcelona. In March 2020, Barcelona, and the rest of the world, went into lockdown. At the time, the authorities were saying this was going to be a two-week measure, and I remember thinking “This is going to last way longer than that, and it will devastate travel and the global economy.” As my UX designer and I sat locked up in our respective homes, figuring out what tools to use for remote collaboration, I decided to pivot the company to create interactive and immersive virtual tours. I don’t regret that decision. We’re seeing so much interest from both businesses and consumers in our product due to continued lockdowns, but beyond COVID-19, the solution has value for people who are unable to travel to all the destinations they want due to physical, financial or time constraints. Also, the travel industry is looking for new ways to entice travelers after the pandemic. Finally, companies who have gone remote are always looking for exciting online team building activities.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I consider myself a very well-rounded person, and when I was starting out, I thought that I would be able to get my company off the ground as a single founder. I found out quickly that investors shy away from single founders, especially single female founders. I quickly realized that if I want to build a great company, I need a brilliant team. I really enjoy working with my team and seeing the different perspectives and opinions that shape our products.

Yes, and not just one! My partner and my best friends have been incredibly supportive of me and I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. My partner has been there for me from day 1 and has encouraged the transition I made from the corporate world to starting my own business. I am also grateful for amazing friends who are brilliant and successful, and always help me see the light. Finally, I’m grateful for our angel investors who took the risk and trusted us to build something valuable. It’s so important to surround yourself with people who believe in you and give you strength. Doing a start-up is tough, but it’s also a lot of fun, and you want to be with people who will be there for the good and the bad.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

At Globetrotter VR, we’re constantly creating new travel experiences. Right now, we’re working on Dubai, Budapest, Edinburgh, Milan, Paris, New York, and have many other exciting destinations in the pipeline. We’re collaborating with amazing tour guides, and content partners in these cities, so each experience is unique, and the production is a fascinating process. We aren’t trying to replicate walking tours but creating truly interactive and immersive virtual experiences in their own right. We’re also excited that our business model allows tour guides who have been so hard hit by the pandemic to have an alternative source of income.

The XR space is a really exciting one, as there is always something new and cutting edge happening. I’m really excited for hardware becoming more user-friendly and not as clunky. I can’t wait to try the Apple’s Mixed Reality headset, as I’m hoping their designers will do the same thing to VR headsets as they did to PCs. I’m also excited about alternative to wearables, such as Ricoh’s Warpe, which would be great way to display 360° content and 3D art. I’m also really excited for the opportunities for new interaction between people around the world that VR is creating. For example, we’ve seen, friends who haven’t seen each other in over a year due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, enjoy a virtual walking together while being in their respective homes. Twenty years ago, this was sci-fi. Today it’s a reality, and I look forward to pushing the envelope in this direction.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

I have some concerns about the health impactions of the current VR and AR headsets on our eyesight. Manufacturers do warn users to not spend too much time in the headsets, but we all know that once you’re in the virtual world, you easily lose track of time. I personally spend hours at a time creating in Quill. The other thing is the need for more diverse content. As with many industries, it can be difficult for women, BAME or other minorities to secure funding for their project. It’s paramount that we acknowledge this and make provisions to enable these creators tell their stories.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

The early adopters of XR technologies in Europe are in the automotive, aviation, and machinery sectors, but the medical sector plays also an important role. The technology upgrades the way that we have meetings, share information, instructions and monitor the work being done. Benefits from implementing AR/VR technologies at work include huge increases in efficiency, safety, productivity, and reduction in complexity. The opportunities to create more efficient and collaborative creative teams are really exciting for me, especially now when we’re seeing a massive shift towards remote work.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

Immersive training — or training and education powered by immersive technology is already disrupting how we learn. I’m particularly excited about how the technology will allow kids around the world to experience history, languages, sciences and learn creative and problem-solving skills through interactive and immersive applications. At Globetrotter VR, we’re currently speaking to language schools to enable students to go on “virtual trips” to different cities where they can learn the language, while touring the city and learning about its culture and history. No more having to sit through boring lessons during which you don’t retain a thing!

Of course, I’m not satisfied. While we’re seeing small improvements in the field in terms of representation, women are still underpaid, underfunded and are often harassed by their male colleagues. These questions should be asked to men during their interviews along with “What are you going to do to improve that?” Once hired, their pro-activity to make improvements in this area should form part of their performance reviews.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

I’m not aware of any “myths” of working in the XR industry. I can only say that when I was getting into it, I was surprised by how collaborative, creative and this industry is. Everyone I’ve met during events and festivals, from big time producers, to award-winning creators, are super down to earth, fun and a little crazy. I love the sense of community and camaraderie we have in XR.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Don’t be a good girl. No one will pat you on the head if you stay quietly on the sideline. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself, your team and your beliefs.

Grow a thicker skin. You will get rejected a lot — job and funding applications, partners, pitches. Don’t wallow on the no’s and think of every “no” as a step closer to a “yes”.

Know thyself. Learn about your strengths and weaknesses, get to know your saboteurs. Develop your emotional intelligence to grow as a leader.

Help other women. Be of help wherever you can to other women in the industry — whether it’s providing feedback, making an introduction, writing a reference, or even simply listening.

Grow your network and have allies. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” I heard that phrase during my first week as a trainee, fresh out of University. Let this be your mantra as you create a valuable network around yourself.

I would start a movement to ban commercial fishing around the world. As we speak, high-tech and heavily subsidized fishing fleets from the West are pillaging the oceans around Africa and Asia, destroying important marine eco-systems and as a consequence, the balance of life on our planet. They are also taking away food from communities that relied on the ocean for sustenance for centuries. If you like fish, ask for locally sourced and line caught.

I’d love to have a lunch with Michelle Kennedy, the founder of Peanut. I recently attended a mentoring session with her, and she was really bright, witty and sharp. I’d love to learn more about her experience as an entrepreneur, and I think we’d have a great time!

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Anastasia Pash of… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future Is Now: Barney Mannerings of Vega On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up…

The Future Is Now: Barney Mannerings of Vega On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Financial System

The only way out is through. You can’t undo the problems created by modern society or technology by going back the way things were, we have to move forward and develop technological and progressive solutions to the challenges we face.

As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Barney Mannerings, Founder of Vega and a blockchain and finance expert. He designed multiple releases of the London Stock Exchange’s core trading system and matching engine, and worked in capital markets for 15 years prior to starting Vega. He is also Co-Founder of Pik, a SaaS offering for publishers that was funded by Google’s DNI Fund. Barney brings his expertise in financial products, trading systems technology, and blockchain solutions to leading the vision and strategy for Vega.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I studied Computer Science at university and was very into cryptography and privacy. Ultimately, I decided I didn’t want to be a full time programmer and ended up working in financial services creating systems for banks, stock exchanges, etc.. I was working in finance during the 2008 financial crisis, which exposed a lot of issues. The Bitcoin whitepaper was published shortly thereafter, and I did a small amount of mining to deepen my understanding of how it worked. I also got involved in ethereum early on and recognized the possibilities with this decentralized smart contract network. Realizing the potential of this novel technology and combined with my past exposure to the problems inherent to centralized finance, I embarked on founding Vega, a capital-efficient, decentralized derivatives trading protocol that bridges traditional finance and DeFi. My aim was to create a fair and equitable alternative for people who needed trading services and financial services on a more peer-to-peer basis to break the grip of the large banks and institutions that suck value out of the system.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Since I started my career, an ongoing narrative has been learning just how much room there is for improvement in finance and business in general.

From a theoretical and academic background, it’s easy to assume, when you look at all the incredibly smart and motivated people working on the problems — in finance and tech, particularly — that things which are well understood are also well implemented and optimised. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Early in my career, I worked on a project that was costing something like £400 million to build an insurance system. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the company doing the work had bought the ancient, COBOL powered system from a dead insurance company, given it some branding and glossy sales materials, and sold it as the latest and greatest.

By the time I came to suggest the whole thing could be done for a 10th of the budget (if that) and found no takers, I was less surprised.

This same experience, of finding unbelievably bad, expensive, and manual solutions was repeated many times across a multitude of organisations and projects, particularly large investment banks and other financial institutions. As I learned, I discovered the causes of this, from perverse incentives (you’re more likely to get paid more in a big organisation for managing more people and convincing your boss what you do is important than for reducing the cost, even if it’s just as important) to risk aversion (no one gets fired for buying Accenture, Oracle or IBM or for making small incremental improvements).

I also discovered that to break out of this cycle takes two things: the right relationships and a lot of trust (and someone to take on the risk). At the moment, the incentives are too great once you reach a certain size, and so the only real solution in many cases comes from startups: disruption and creative destruction. This is what led me to leave that world and start Vega.

Can you tell us about the cutting edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

With Vega, we are making market creation and derivatives trading as efficient, scalable, and usable as possible. There are many markets introduced today through centralized gatekeepers that are simply not capital efficient and don’t address the hedging needs of specific regions, professions, or situations. By combining the speed of products that exist in traditional finance with the capital-efficiency and low-fees enabled by removing middlemen through decentralization, we are paving the way to markets that address the needs of traders in a much fuller capacity.

How do you think this might change the world?

Centralized capital markets are set-up to prioritize the interests of the most-monied players over the “little guy,” excluding more businesses and people the further down the wealth chain one goes. These gatekeepers wield extraordinary influence in creating the markets that drive local, regional, and global economies and in determining who gains access to risk hedging and wealth creation opportunities and who does not. High trading fees limit access to a privileged few, and data-sharing practices often go against the interests of traders.

Vega allows anyone to create a market with its decentralized derivatives trading protocol to better meet the risk-hedging needs of traders. By eliminating centralized gatekeepers, Vega allows for instant settlement (< 1 sec), removes conflict of interest from markets, reduces fees, and enables the throughput (up to 10K TPS) necessary for high-volume derivatives trading. Vega deploys its unique fairness protocol Wendy to ensure that orders are processed in a just manner without granting settlement priority to the highest bidder.

Unlike centralized gatekeepers, Vega allows participants to run the markets via decentralized community-operated governance, enabling markets to be created quickly in response to unanticipated events, such as a pandemic or city-wide power loss.

Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

There is a version of finance that is much worse than what we have now. What happens, for example, if the crypto world becomes hyper-capitalistic? The few hundred people who got involved in bitcoin early are billionaires, but such a system that rewards early adopters to such an extreme extent is not equitable. The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few is exactly what decentralization is supposed to be attempting to avoid, especially when you consider the possibilities of involved militias and wealth used as a tool of oppression and inequality. The best way to combat this type of dystopia is through open-source information, protocols, and governance, which will develop in line with the needs of their users over time.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

The 2008 Financial Crisis definitely shined a light on the fault lines in the traditional trading space, but I was also at a point in my career where I was ready for a change. I had to decide if I was going to work for someone else or start my own project; I explored a startup funded by Google’s DNI Fund about journalism and advertising before my Vega Co-Founder, Ramsey Khoury and I decided to start the project that became Vega.

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

Mass adoption of any novel technology in finance requires good UX or trusted custodians to manage value on behalf of customers, mirroring a CeFi experience. Regulatory acceptance and clarity is also helpful.

What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?

We are approaching our mainnet launch and have many exciting developments in the pipeline beyond that major milestone that we are sharing with our community and the press.

There are so many people who have supported me along the way, but I owe so much to my Co-Founder Ramsey Khoury. He manages the business strategy and investor relations for Vega, priming it for growth.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I hope that by increasing access to markets that are more affordable to use we are doing our part to make wealth creation and hedging more accessible, regardless of a person’s geographic location, banking status, or net-worth.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

It’s impossible to overestimate the time and effort involved in fundraising
Prioritization is important for efficiency
Sometimes the best path forward is focusing on one big important thing at a time
Understanding the lay of the land is incredibly valuable when starting a company
The only way out is through. You can’t undo the problems created by modern society or technology by going back the way things were, we have to move forward and develop technological and progressive solutions to the challenges we face.

I firmly believe that everyone gets richer when everyone is invested in, because that means everyone’s value has increased. We should, as a society, be willing to fund the less fortunate and help people to thrive, recognizing that it’s a net-positive for all of us. Climate change is another global issue that requires humanity and ingenuity to come together to solve. If we invest in people and in green tech, we can help people and save the planet.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“I like deadlines. I like the whooshing noise they make as they go past.” — Douglas Adams

I love this quote, because it’s funny, but also because trying to manage work based on deadlines doesn’t work. In my view, the best way to accomplish goals is to create habits and processes that set you up for success.

Some very well known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Vega is a capital-efficient, decentralized derivatives trading protocol that bridges traditional finance and DeFi. By eliminating centralized gatekeepers, Vega enables high throughput, instant settlement, and low-fee trading. Vega increases access to risk hedging and wealth-creation opportunities by enabling anyone to create a new market, meeting the needs of SMEs and traders around the globe.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Website: https://vega.xyz/
Medium: https://medium.com/vegaprotocol
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vegaprotocol?s=20
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3hQyGgZ
Community forum: https://community.vega.xyz/

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

The Future Is Now: Barney Mannerings of Vega On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Brand Makeovers: Kimberly Brizzolara of ‘Brands That Get You’ On The 5 Things You Should Do To…

Brand Makeovers: Kimberly Brizzolara of ‘Brands That Get You’ On The 5 Things You Should Do To Upgrade and Re-Energize Your Brand and Image

Don’t Let Your Old Brand Hold You Back from Making Big Moves. Doing something drastic is always going to feel scary. And some people are always going to caution you against it. But sometimes you need to be bold to do what’s right for your brand, even if it means changing a cherished core principle.

As part of our series about “Brand Makeovers” I had the pleasure to interview Kimberly Brizzolara.

Kimberly is the Founder and Creative Director of Brands That Get You — where she helps early stage founders build the kind of brands that audiences obsess over with a collaborative, flexible, and streamlined approach unlike any other agency that’s based on Kimberly’s experience founding her own consumer brand. Kimberly has developed Fortune 500 brands (Netflix, Gap, Wyndham), created indie darling brands (Biossance, Patchology), rebranded global brands (Crabree & Evelyn), run creative teams at in-house brand (Sephora), and started her own brand (Archer). Her work has won over 80 awards — including Clios, Addys & 30 Under 30 — and she earned her BA and MA at Stanford.

As a kid, I loved watching old reruns of the television show Bewitched. Darren, the husband in the show, worked in advertising. He was pitching ad campaigns and coming up with taglines. I always thought that seemed like such a fun job.

In college at Stanford, I majored in Creative Writing. The department exuded excellence. Who couldn’t learn great writing from literary masters like ZZ Packer, Julie Orringer, Elizabeth Tallent, and Tobias Wolff — who was my advisor.

I stayed on to earn a MA in Media Studies, and I designed my own curriculum that included a focus on advertising. For my thesis, I studied the effects of gender stereotypes in advertising. I demonstrated how advertising is inherently the means of communication that’s the most reliant on stereotypes, because the extremely short storytelling format leaves little time for character development. I also showed how advertising is the most impactful means of communication, because of its pervasiveness and the amount of unconscious exposure people have to it. That’s why I believe that brands need to be responsible for the stereotypes they portray. If they use their impact for good, they have the power to create healthy models for a better world.

I also worked as a Research Assistant for the Revel Project — an organization that explored ways to create prosperity through venture creation in the developing world, particularly India. My work centered on determining the differences in the presentations of American and Indian narratives, then using my findings to restructure the corporate narratives of American companies to make them more appealing to an Indian audience.

By the time I graduated, I could write. I could write fast, and excellently. And I knew a great deal about advertising theory and how to structure compelling brand narratives. But I didn’t have a traditional portfolio of ads I had written, which you need to get a job at an agency.

So I took a job as an account manager at an agency called Digital Impact. My first client used our creative services. Our team was understaffed, so I got to try my hand at writing the creative briefs. And I did the thing that all creatives really love — I started writing my own copy into the briefs.

Luckily, the Executive Creative Director liked what he read. And instead of being annoyed that I was trying to do his team’s job, he set up a meeting with me to talk about my career aspirations. He made a spot for me in the creative department, and he became my mentor throughout my early career.

Can you share a story about the funniest marketing or branding mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I’m not sure this counts as a mistake — but my Art Director partner and I were creating a launch campaign for a new Gateway computer when I was first starting out. While we were concepting, we ended up switching roles. I came up with the visuals and found the perfect image, and he wrote the tagline. That campaign ended up winning a number of big industry awards from the Addys and the One Show.

I’ve been in environments where the writers work very separately from the designers, and I know the creative concepts are always more impactful when there’s a strong collaboration between both teams. This just drove home how important the connection between visuals and copy is in marketing.

My biggest tipping point came this year, when I started my own agency. I began 2020 as the co-founder of a completely different kind of business: a men’s personal care company called Archer that was set to launch in 2020 with a dry shampoo designed to perform post-gym and post-commute. But when the pandemic started, gyms closed indefinitely and commutes gave way to quarantine, which meant that the two primary use cases for my hero product disappeared.

I completely pivoted and went back to my branding roots to start Brands That Get You on my own. Armed with the lessons learned from my experiences with Archer, I’m now able to understand and solve for the struggles of founders in a way that I never would have been able to before.

As a creative, it can be really easy to sit back and wonder why clients can’t just pick something or why they don’t understand how good your idea is. But as a founder, when it’s your company and your money and your investor presentations, the stakes are so much higher. I designed my Branding Sprint™ framework to give founders the confidence they need to make these high risk calls.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

This January, I celebrated the liftoff of one of the most inspiring & meaningful companies I’ve ever had the honor to brand (and my favorite company I’ve ever named!). That company is Ace of Air — the world’s first zero-waste beauty & wellness brand. They’ve pioneered a 100% circular model, which means customers buy the products and borrow the package. They even ship in a “Boomerang Box,” a returnable shipper that gets reused up to 100 times. Ace of Air elevates every standard for beauty and wellness — taking no shortcuts, never compromising, and raising every bar to super human heights.

I worked on Ace of Air over the course of two years when I was Director of Strategy & Editorial at Bartlett Brands, a superstar agency based in SF. And we were honored to have a superstar client team — including supermodel humanitarian Petra Nemcova and badass Stephanie Stahl, the former CMO of Revlon & Coach.

Right now, I’m branding a new company that I’ve named Dear Planet. They’re also set to do an incredible amount of good for people and the world. They’re launching an innovative disinfectant that’s as powerful as bleach and literally safe enough to drink — so it’s safe for adults, kids, babies, and pets. And their product is packaged in an pioneering aerosol alternative that does zero harm to the environment.

What advice would you give to other marketers to thrive and avoid burnout?

It’s good to specialize and understand a market extremely well — but don’t limit your thinking to a single vertical.

I ran an editorial team at Sephora for two years; I had beauty clients at Bartlett Brands; and I continue to have many beauty clients. So naturally, I know a lot about beauty. When I’m working with a beauty client, it can be tempting to put on beauty goggles. But you can’t only see the world through that lens.

One person I have to thank for inspiring this kind of thinking is my husband. He reads more books than anyone I’ve ever seen — and on such a wide variety of topics. Right now on his desk, there are books as varied as Neoclassicism in the North: Swedish Furniture and Interiors 1770–1850; Impro: Improvisation and the Theater, and Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman.

As creative or a marketer, you never know what you’re going to read or listen to next that could inspire a new way of thinking or a fresh technique you can apply to your work. Take in experimental experiences to be on the edge of the zeitgeist. Do basic stuff to keep in touch with the universal. Be an expert — but expand your breadth.

Ok, let’s now jump to the core part of our interview. In a nutshell, how would you define the difference between brand marketing (branding) and product marketing (advertising)? Can you explain?

I explain the difference between brand marketing and product marketing using the classic 5 W’s (and One H).

Your brand marketing is based on the Who and the Why. It’s about creating an immersive experience that a certain type of consumer (The Who) identifies that ties into your company’s purpose and reason for being (The Why).

Your product marketing is how you answer the rest of the questions: The What you’re selling and The When/Where/How people will use it in their lives.

Brand is the strategy. Product marketing is the tactics.

Can you explain to our readers why it is important to invest resources and energy into building a brand, in addition to the general marketing and advertising efforts?

Two reasons — loyalty and love. There’s always going to be a new competitive product on the market with shiny new features.

But the brand keeps customers loyal. They come back year after year because they identify with the brand. And the brand inspired love. It makes people excited to talk about it or tweet about it or wear it on a shirt.

Let’s now talk about rebranding. What are a few reasons why a company would consider rebranding?

A lot of companies who come to me have launched quickly and proved their product hypothesis. Now, they want to level up and evolve from a product into a true brand.

I’ve also seen companies who decide that their current customer should not be their future customer. They recognize that a rebrand will help them appeal to a new target.

And lastly, I’ve worked with companies where something fundamental about the business has changed — for example, they’re decided to put a huge focus on sustainability or they’re going global or they’ve made a huge mistake.

Are there downsides of rebranding? Are there companies that you would advise against doing a “Brand Makeover”? Why?

Every rebrand comes with a risk. You might lose current customers — and you need to be ok with that, because you’re planning on acquiring new customers.

I’d advise against rebranding if there is not a specific business reason. Don’t rebrand “just because.” And don’t rebrand if you can’t fully commit to it. Before you start a rebrand, it’s good to think about what you’re going to feel comfortable changing as part of the process (your imagery? your tagline? your logo? your name?). The most disappointing thing is to do the work of rebranding, and then to not roll it out.

Ok, here is the main question of our discussion. Can you share 5 strategies that a company can do to upgrade and re-energize their brand and image? Please tell us a story or an example for each.

Reassess Your Competition — and Your Market
By definition, if you’re rebranding, your current brand has been on the market for at least a short period of time. And during that time, a lot may have changed. You want to take a strategic look at both the current competitive space and the future market that you want to dominate. Then, decide what’s the right move to make your brand stand out in both.
When beauty brand Biossance launched as “nature meets science,” this idea was interesting. But the market quickly became crowded with same-same brands. Biossance needed to turn the conversation to a Biossance-specific strength, so we tapped into eco-luxury and the science of simplicity — highlighting squalane, their superstar biotech ingredient. Now, Biossance is one of the leading clean beauty brands in Sephora, and Reese Witherspoon is their ambassador.
Another example is Ao, a skincare brand coming out of New Zealand. They recognized that the clean and clinical approach that had worked from them abroad wasn’t going to be enough to entice a customer in the oversaturated US market. That’s why our strategy focused on a combination of very rich environmental storytelling and the credibility of the founder, the leading derm in New Zealand. Now Ao flies off the shelves in Credo and Nordstrom.
Use Your Current Customers as a Resource
One of the best things about a rebrand is knowing that you already have a built-in potential focus group of people who have engaged with your brand. And there are lots of ways to tap their experience — including sending them surveys, doing interviews, and asking what they think of some of your new brand ideas. And one of my favorite ways to get your customers involved actually requires the least amount of effort: you can mine your customer reviews for data and insights.
-This past year, I rebranded a skincare company called Y’OUR Skincare. And during the course of their Branding Sprint, we combed through their reviews. We found that a lot of the positive reviews from their customers had similar phrasing — whether people had been struggling with acne or wrinkles or dryness, they were happy and amazed that the skincare “just worked.” The simplicity of this phrasing inspired their tagline: “It Just Works For You.”
Look at Where You Are and Where You’ve Been
Over the course of its lifetime, a brand creates a lot of assets. When you’re beginning a rebrand, you should go back and take stock of where you began, how you’ve evolved, and where you are now.
For ipsy’s rebrand, we postered the walls of an entire conference room with marketing assets made through the years — the good, the bad, and the ugly. We divided them up by channel, then we spent a day running around with post-it notes, marking up and talking through the likes and dislikes.
And if the brand has grown quickly, there’s a good chance a lot of your assets have been created quickly. Such was the case with Rodan & Fields, which grew into the #1 skincare brand in the U.S. in a record number of years. With multiple teams creating marketing assets and independent consultants who sold the products with free reign to make their own materials, taking stock of all the messages was incredibly enlightening.
Get Back to Your Basics — and Get Inspired
Whether you’re a company that’s been around for one year or twenty years, there’s a reason that it was founded. That reason is a good one, and it can be (and should be) inspiring to your rebranding efforts.
With Crabtree & Evelyn, we dug down deep to the roots of the brand, originally founded in 1971, and uncovered humanist principles and a pioneering spirit of exploration. This drove the rebrand’s conceptual direction, as expressed in the new tagline “Born Curious. Grown Wild.”
-Similarly, for the rebrand of Paula’s Choice, we went back to the story of founder Paula Begoun, who came to fame on Oprah where she was known as the “Cosmetics Cop” for her radical honesty about beauty brands and the lies they tell. This kind of transparency was the heart of her brand — and a perfect fit for today’s consumer. The new tagline for Paula’s Choice that we built the rest of the brand around? “Truth in Beauty”
Don’t Let Your Old Brand Hold You Back from Making Big Moves. Doing something drastic is always going to feel scary. And some people are always going to caution you against it. But sometimes you need to be bold to do what’s right for your brand, even if it means changing a cherished core principle.
When I first started working with Patchology, they had built a business making serious (and seriously expensive) anti aging treatments powered by “patch” technology. They had also recently started making benefit-targeted sheet masks. This was right around the time that the market for sheet masks was exploding. When we approached their rebrand, they knew they wanted to focus more on the mask side of the business — and that this meant majorly changing who their customer was.
We said goodbye to the soothing spa-brand vibes for the 45+ set, and hello to a bright and fresh brand with a plucky personality that was custom made for early millennials. And instead of patch technology, we repositioned them (and their existing name) to highlight quick-fix solutions (aka patches) and called it “Beauty at the Speed of You.”

In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job doing a “Brand Makeover”. What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?

I may be biased — but I have to shine a serious spotlight on Crabtree & Evelyn. Their rebranding effort was the biggest, the boldest, and the most well executed I’ve ever seen.

When David Stern took over as the CEO of Crabtree & Evelyn, the company and their customers were quite literally dying. Ask anyone below the age of 40 about Crabtree & Evelyn, and the responses would be the same: “My grandmother likes that brand.”

Most CEOs in David’s position would step in and see that change needed to happen to appeal to a younger demographic. But few would have the courage and audacity to so completely turn over the brand.

David and Ashley Souza, the brilliant head of brand and product development, had us focus entirely on a millennial consumer in twelve urban cities around the globe, shuttering 250+ stores to create an entirely digital model, and shelving 200+ outdated products to relaunch with three entirely new lines. And when it came to the creative, we changed everything but the name of the company.

At the same time that so much was changing — the brand was being fearlessly reinvented in a way that was both true to its history and appealing to its target.

To replicate this kind of rebrand, you need to act as both a historian with a rich cultural knowledge of your company and aa a futurist with a forward-thinking vision of your customer. That’s where the magic lies.

I would inspire a movement of dreaming big. For three years, I served as CMMMO (Chief Marketing, Merriment, and Motivation Officer) of Big Imagination, a nonprofit that fuels bold and inspiring projects for the betterment of humanity.

As our first initiative, we converted a Boeing 747–300 jumbo jet into the biggest moving art installation the world has ever seen. After four years of building by our community, The 747 Project premiered at Burning Man — and it will find its forever home later this year in downtown Las Vegas, where it will be installed permanently as an immersive gathering space. Our project was built by hundreds, funded by thousands, and shared by millions. And everyone will always be welcome aboard.

When we named ourselves Big Imagination, it was because we wanted to take magical, seemingly impossible ideas and make them a reality — motivating people to think differently about themselves and the world’s challenges. And I know that the world needs big imaginations now more than ever.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I’m a tremendous fan of Ryan Holiday and what he’s done to bring Stoic philosophy to modern day. One of my favorite quotes is this one from Epictetus, Discourses, 4.4.39: “Keep this thought at ready at daybreak and throughout the day — there is only one path to happiness, and that is giving up all outside of your sphere of choice.”

When I stepped back and began recognizing the distinction between what was up to me (in my control) and not up to me (not in my control), it made me feel much more calm and centered. I understood that expending valuable energy and emotion on the things that were not in my control was not a productive use of my time — and time is my most valuable resource. I know who I am and what I stand for. And I try to focus on things I can control through the decisions I actively make.

How can our readers follow you online?

The best way to follow me is to subscribe to my weekly Brands That Get You newsletter where I give away my secrets that drive the world’s best brands.

You can also visit my website and follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Thank you so much for these excellent insights! We wish you continued success in your work.

Brand Makeovers: Kimberly Brizzolara of ‘Brands That Get You’ On The 5 Things You Should Do To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Shaya Zihajehzadeh of…

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Shaya Zihajehzadeh of FORM

Always maintain a healthy life-work balance. Don’t compromise life for work or the other way around. After years I realized that it’s possible to have a better balance by proper planning and having honest conversations about what matters to you.

Shaya Zihajehzadeh is a senior data scientist at FORM where she develops AI algorithms for the FORM Smart Swim Goggles, a pair of smart swimming goggles that feature an augmented reality display that shows real-time performance swim metrics to swimmers. She got her PhD degree in 2017 and has been working on AR products over the past 10 years. She is interested in the development of robust and computationally efficient sensor fusion and machine learning algorithms for wearable sensors primarily targeted at health, fitness, and active sports applications.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory and how you grew up?

I was born and raised in Iran. My father was a university professor in economics, and our house was always filled with books. I grew up loving to read and was very curious about how things worked. I went as far as breaking things apart, just to understand them and then put then repiece them back together. Back then, it never occurred to me I would end up in STEM.

I graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in Iran before moving to Canada to pursue my PhD. When I first arrived, what struck me most was the immense nature and Canada’s multicultural society. Now I call beautiful Vancouver, BC, my home.

Is there a particular book, film, or podcast that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Working in a male-dominated profession, I’ve always benefited from building up my self-confidence to be my best self at work. I enjoy reading self-help books that better both my personal and professional life.

One book I’d recommend is “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown. This book is about improving your well-being and finding self-acceptance. It helps readers embrace their imperfections and accept themselves for who they are, rather than trying hard to live a fake life in a bid to impress others.

Is there a particular story that inspired you to pursue a career in the AR industry? We’d love to hear it.

The very first AR product that I worked on was actually a very interesting one that inspired me to pursue my career in this industry.

I worked at sports technology company Recon in 2012, helping develop smart ski goggles with a heads-up display (HUD). Back in those days, I didn’t know how to ski, but that internship inspired me, and by the end of my term, I was hitting the slopes.

After finishing at Recon, I was inspired to stay in the sports tech industry. From smart ski goggles, I began developing algorithms for smart glasses with a HUD for cycling and running and then on to my current work, smart swimming goggles.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this fascinating career?

I think the most exciting job in my career so far is the job I have! I’m a Senior Data Scientist at FORM, where I develop algorithms for FORM Smart Swim Goggles, the world’s first augmented reality (AR) swim goggles. These swim goggles allow swimmers to see their performance metrics like pace per 100, distance, calories and stroke rate in the see-through AR display in real-time.

My love for swimming has deep roots in my childhood. I was a toddler when I first began swimming lessons, and that love for swimming only grew when I started to swim competitively later on.

As a swimmer, this is my dream job.

Being at FORM lets me apply my skills as a data scientist and marry them to my sport and develop a product to help swimmers of every level.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I’ve made many mistakes along the way and I try to learn from each one of them. It’s funny, when I look back, I thought I should know everything, but I was also shy about asking questions. I spent a lot of time figuring things out on my own that could have easily been solved by asking simple questions from the right person.

Over time I realized that I’m not supposed to know everything; I should ask questions even if they seem silly.

My PhD supervisor, Dr. Ed Park is one of the most influential people in my new life in Canada. It wasn’t easy to leave my friends and family behind to come to Canada. When I first arrived, Dr. Park was the only person I knew and his supervision in my degree helped me get to where I am today.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Urm…I have a different project at the moment! I recently had a baby, and he takes up most of my time!

When I do get some free time, I read about state-of-the-art data science techniques and their applications. When I do head back to work, I can’t wait to use these new techniques to develop new exciting features for the FORM goggles!

The VR, AR, and MR technologies have many applications, and I’m most excited about their applications in healthcare and education. The fact is that soon, these technologies will become an integral part of our everyday lives.

In healthcare, these technologies can be used for the early detection of diseases through longitudinal monitoring of patient’s data and detecting subtle changes. Monitoring micro-movements of our head, torso, hands and eyes can tell us about a person’s cognitive and physical function, and even detect diseases such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and autism. These technologies have already been adopted in therapy where they can be used to treat patients with anxiety disorders and phobias.

What are the 3 things that concern you about the VR, AR and MR industries? Can you explain? What can be done to address those concerns?

I’m mainly concerned about the effect of these technologies on physical and mental health as well as the potential privacy issues.

For example, AR or VR headsets’ prolonged use could introduce users to new safety risks not typically associated with electronic devices. These risks may include neck issues and headaches and prolonged exposure to potentially harmful optical radiation.

Social isolation is also a concerning aspect of these technologies. The whole VR experience takes place within a single user’s field of vision and excludes others from physically participating with them.

Moreover, when using AR applications in the real world, we reveal vast amounts of information about ourselves. This information ranges from our behaviour and movement in virtual environments and facial expressions, speech data or even eye movement patterns which can be used to uniquely identify us.

As we develop these technologies, it’s crucial to ensure their impact on our lives and wellbeing is carefully considered. This should not be an afterthought to alleviate potential damage but baked-in as a fundamental part of their development.

I think the entertainment aspects of VR, AR and MR are apparent. Can you share with our readers how these industries can help us at work?

These industries have significantly impacted the way we train in the workplace. They support a faster learning curve by providing immersive demos and step-by-step tutorials in context with the subject matter’s physical manifestations.

Complicated 2-D schematics in a manual can become interactive 3-D holograms that walk the user through the process. Through virtual experiences workers such as first responders and emergency utility crews can safely be trained on how to undertake potentially dangerous tasks.

Are there other ways that VR, AR and MR can improve our lives? Can you explain?

AR, VR and MR are not futuristics technologies looking for mainstream usefulness; they’re certainly changing how we lead our lives. Some applications have already been integrated in our everyday experiences. The backup cameras on today’s cars, for instance, with superimposed digital guidelines for parking is a form of XR most drivers now take for granted.

In fitness, AR can help us stay focused and take part in exercise by offering an element of fun at the same time. If you spend time in the gym, then it can revolutionize your workouts.

Many of us find that we learn more efficiently when we see things visually and so, augmented reality is encouraging this form of learning. Teachers and students are beginning to benefit from AR as it enables them to learn topics such as astronomy at a faster rate.

These are just a few applications. These technologies make it possible to visualize, make decisions and enrich our lives in ways that give us the power to improve the way we live.

More than ever before in history, girls are studying and excelling in STEM. However, this increase in girls in STEM is not yet matched by similar increases in the representation of women working as engineers.

STEM fields are often viewed as masculine, and teachers and parents often underestimate girls’ math abilities as early as preschool.

As parents, we should work hard to break these gender stereotypes in early childhood.

In the workplace, we need to create a culture where women feel welcome. Recruiting, retaining and promoting women in STEM does not just happen–it has to be driven very deliberately.

Every aspect of a company’s culture including the recruitment process and the promotion needs to be monitored, re-evaluated and fine-tuned. This gender diversity in the workforce ultimately enhances creativity, productivity, and innovation.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about working in your industry? Can you explain what you mean?

As a data scientist, most people think you have to be a mathematical genius. This myth comes from a lack of understanding about what a data scientist actually does.

Although a data scientist should have a deep understanding of statistics, probability and predictive models, with the sophisticated software we use, today’s data scientists need to focus on understanding the interpretation.

So if someone is interested in data science but is intimidated by the mathematical complexity that seems to come with it–they need to think again!

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in Tech” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Always be yourself. Staying true to your own personality is ultimately what makes us unique–that’s our strongest asset and biggest contribution to the workplace.

Never stop learning! Mentoring is also a great opportunity for us to learn as well. You can’t teach something unless you learn all aspects of it.

Trust yourself to share your new ideas and thoughts.

Be receptive to negative comments. Negative feedback can be valuable because it allows us to monitor our performance and make the important changes we need to make.

Always maintain a healthy life-work balance. Don’t compromise life for work or the other way around. After years I realized that it’s possible to have a better balance by proper planning and having honest conversations about what matters to you.

Technology has proved an effective organizing tool in support of peace. If I could inspire a movement, I’d like to widen access to technology for women in rural areas and developing countries, reduce social barriers, and promote gender inequality.

There are several people that I’d like to meet if I could! If I want to pick one, I’d pick Oprah Winfrey, who is one of the most influential women in the world.

Thank you so much for these excellent stories and insights. We wish you continued success on your great work!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The VR, AR & Mixed Reality Industries, With Shaya Zihajehzadeh of… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Stanley M Bergman of Henry Schein Inc: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Ou

Stanley M. Bergman of Henry Schein Inc: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country

Recognize the vital role of physicians, including dentists — The current vaccine roll-out does not fully recognize the vital role of primary-care physicians and other office-based practitioners, including dentists, in the effort to expand COVID vaccination nationwide. Office-based practitioners have deep, trust-based relationships with patients and understand their health histories. Polls show patients much prefer to get a shot from their doctors, who can administer both the vaccine and the truth. As trusted leaders within their communities, office-based practitioners can help their patients overcome vaccine hesitancy, reduce health inequities, and ultimately ensure more patients are vaccinated.

As part of our series about 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc.

Since 1989, Stanley M. Bergman has been Chairman of the Board and CEO of Henry Schein, Inc., a Fortune 500® company and the world’s largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental and medical practitioners, with more than 19,000 Team Schein Members and operations or affiliates in 31 countries and territories. Henry Schein is a member of the S&P 500® index. In 2020, the Company’s sales reached $10.1 billion. Henry Schein has been a Fortune World’s Most Admired Company for 20 consecutive years.

Mr. Bergman serves as a board member or advisor for numerous institutions including New York University College of Dentistry; the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine; the Columbia University Medical Center; University of the People; Hebrew University; Tel Aviv University; the University of the Witwatersrand Fund; The World Economic Forum’s Health Care Governors; the Business Council for International Understanding; the Japan Society; and the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Bergman is an honorary member of the American Dental Association and the Alpha Omega International Dental Society. Mr. Bergman is the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor; the CR Magazine Corporate Responsibility Lifetime Achievement Award; the 2017 CEO of the Year award by Chief Executive Magazine; Honorary Doctorates from The University of the Witwatersrand, Western University of Health Sciences, Hofstra University, A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Case Western Reserve University, and Farmingdale State College (SUNY); and Honorary Fellowships from King’s College London — Dental Institute and the International College of Dentists.

Mr. Bergman, his wife, Marion, and their family are active supporters of organizations fostering the arts, higher education, cultural diversity, and grassroots health care and sustainable entrepreneurial economic development initiatives in the United States, Africa, and other developing regions of the world.

Mr. Bergman is a graduate of The University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and is a South African Chartered Accountant and a NYS Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

My wife, Marion, and I were born and educated in South Africa. My parents, Arnold and Ruth, were refugees from Nazi Germany. They came over to South Africa in 1936 and opened a store. They were brave, hard-working people.

We lived in the city of Port Elizabeth in an area called South End. By the late 1960s, South End was still one of the few remaining racially integrated communities in apartheid South Africa, and I was fortunate enough to grow up there. During my youth and into adulthood, I learned the richness of diversity and the special community that is built through a deep understanding and connection to other cultures. Then the apartheid regime destroyed the vibrant harmony of our South End community. Neighbors were forced apart, and my parents, friends, and hundreds of small business owners were forced to relocate to segregated neighborhoods.

Bearing witness to the horrors of apartheid, my wife, Marion, and I left South Africa early in our professional careers to raise a family in a free society where everyone had equal opportunity. Here in America, we cherish the idea that all people have the opportunity to choose their destiny — to advance and optimize their own careers and live by their own personal values. We deeply appreciated how much was possible in this land of opportunity when we arrived all those years ago, and we continue to believe that no dream is too big for America.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Mandela’s Way: Lessons for an Uncertain Age, by Richard Stengel and President Nelson Mandela, made a significant impact on my understanding of what it means to be a resilient leader. The book is filled with wonderful lessons from President Mandela that are illustrated with fascinating stories from his life. President Mandela was committed to being a leader and standing for his beliefs, even when he was in shackles. When he was released from prison, one of his first acts was to invite his jailer to visit his home as his guest. They ate together. That impressed me as an act of profound leadership.

President Mandela also communicated that courage is not the absence of fear — it is learning to overcome it. Courage is the way we choose to be, and it is displayed in large and small ways. We will be faced with countless challenges in our business. It is learning how to be determined to courageously overcome those challenges that will make us stronger individuals and a stronger company.

As shared often with our Team Schein Members, sometimes the challenges that we face may seem daunting. As we face the many challenges in our lives and in business, we also should keep in mind President Mandela’s words that “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Whatever one’s professional or personal goals, remember that many of today’s advancements and accomplishments were once considered impossible.

Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?

One must “think big” and never accept no as an answer. “Thinking small” will keep you safe, but likely stationary. However, if you “think big,” there is a good chance that your goals will be within reach. As Robert Kennedy said, “Some men (and women) see things as they are and say, ‘why?’ I dream things that never were and say, ‘why not?’” I have come to realize that “why not?” is one of the most important questions to continually ask oneself throughout our lives.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

When I was 16 and 17 years of age, I helped organize summer camps for a youth movement in Port Elizabeth, which focused on taking small steps to improve our world. That experience taught me to be optimistic and always look for the good in people. Even today as a CEO, I still strive to apply the leadership lessons I learned as a camp counselor: treat people how you want to be treated, engage everyone in the mission, there is a role for each individual, and every individual can make a difference.

We all need mentors, and we all should be a mentor to others. I encourage everyone to seek out caring people as mentors. There are so many good people in the world. The wonderful mentors in my life have made all the difference.

There was Jay Schein, who invited me to be a part of his family’s business. Jay believed in giving young passionate associates a chance and mentoring these young people. I had just turned 30 years old when I joined Henry Schein, and Jay asked me to raise $3 million for the business. The only loan I knew about at this time was for a $2,000 automobile loan, but Jay had the confidence in me, which in turn gave me confidence. He entrusted his family company’s continued growth to me upon his untimely death in 1989.

Then there was the late Dr. Edward B. Shils, who pioneered the field of entrepreneurial studies, and in 1973 founded and led the world’s first center for dedicated research and teaching on Entrepreneurship, at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was the first academic to write about “intrapreneurship,” which is entrepreneurship within a large organization. He helped us learn how to be comfortable while working through ambiguity, recognizing that important decisions are not always clear, but more often shaded.

There are my colleagues at Henry Schein, who inspire me every day with their fresh perspectives and prove that “teamwork makes a dream work.” There is our conservative Chief Financial Officer, who has never seen a deal that he likes, and our exuberant Chief Strategic Officer, who has never seen a deal that he does not like. Together they provide a clear view of the left and the right. There is the Vice Chairman of Henry Schein and my partner of 45 years, who helps focus on our priorities by reminding us that “we can do anything, but we can’t do everything.” There is our Chief Administrative Officer, who heads up human resources and drives our company’s value-based culture of caring about others. And there are the millennials, who are bringing an entirely new set of expectations and enthusiasm to the workforce, and who certainly will be a great generation as they grapple with the huge challenges of our time. These young individuals remind me that organizations do not need “bosses.” Organizations need leaders who will be coaches, facilitators, and mentors — leaders who will inspire us and support people and ideas.

Muhammad Ali once said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” I urge everyone to give back by being a mentor to others. You will receive much more than you give.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. The United States is currently facing a series of unprecedented crises. So many of us see the news and ask how we can help. We’d love to talk about the steps that each of us can take to help heal our county, in our own way. Which particular crisis would you like to discuss with us today? Why does that resonate with you so much?

The global health care ecosystem, indeed, the entire global community, continues to experience the unprecedented and devastating impact of COVID-19. From the beginning of this crisis, Henry Schein has focused on working to ensure the availability of vital personal protective equipment (PPE) and other health care products, tests, and now advocating for vaccines to be administered by office-based physicians and dentists.

We are concerned that current COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts in the U.S. do not fully recognize the vital role that physicians and other office-based practitioners can play in getting shots into as many patients’ arms as possible as quickly as possible. As a result, we are advocating for physicians’ and dentists’ engagement in COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

As one of the nation’s largest distributors of flu and other vaccines to office-based health care practitioners (where the majority of Americans receive their inoculations), we have historically aligned with health care professional associations and others to advocate for their practice and professional needs, especially in this most challenging period. We also know that these providers maintain long-term and trusted relationships with their patients, which is particularly important for communities of color from a health-equity perspective.

Of course, we fully support all avenues to achieve widespread immunization. We are not advocating for one channel of distribution of vaccines over another. Instead, our view is that multiple channels are vital in this effort to overcome vaccine hesitancy and speed the process, but that the system, thus far, isn’t fully leveraging primary care physicians and dentists.

This is likely a huge topic. But briefly, can you share your view on how this crisis evolved to the point that it’s at now?

For decades, warnings have gone around and around, cautioning the world to prepare for a pandemic. Throughout those decades, we’ve seen occasional attention paid by the general public to the subject of pandemic preparedness. Unfortunately, despite all the warnings from infectious disease experts and the broader medical community, many tend to have short memories. Heightened concern during every outbreak of a virus tends to fade over time. This is human nature.

Perhaps now, as the novel coronavirus continues to surge in cities around the world, our response will be different. That’s not just mere optimism; there’s good reason for hope. We are optimistic that this time, with the coronavirus front and center, the world will fully appreciate the importance of pandemic preparedness now and in the future.

We want to emerge stronger than ever from this crisis. To do that, we need to break the circle of interest and disinterest so that we, as global citizens, finally learn the lesson that preparedness matters. It matters if we are to strengthen the receiving, distributing, and dispensing of our Strategic National Stockpile, implement a coordinated vaccination dissemination plan to get “shots in arms,” and leverage the nation’s trusted community of physicians and dentists in the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine as more supply becomes available.

Can you tell our readers a bit about your experience either working on this cause or your experience being impacted by it? Can you share a story with us?

Henry Schein has long advocated that in our increasingly interconnected world, a health crisis anywhere is a global health crisis everywhere. Infectious diseases do not carry passports.

In 2015, we called on the WEF to think collectively about pandemic preparedness and response, and for leaders from all sectors of society to come together as partners with a shared vision of creating a safer world through more effective pandemic preparedness and response. The GAVI Alliance, a public–private global health partnership that increases access to immunization in poor countries was founded at the WEF, as was the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), an innovative global partnership with public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organizations working together to accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. However, we knew that it was equally as important to establish a partnership aimed at strengthening the supply chain for PPE. This led to the formation at the WEF of the Pandemic Supply Chain Network (PSCN), a public-private partnership created to improve the efficiency of the supply chain for PPE.

We were deeply concerned about the fragility of the PPE supply chain and that much of the PPE was primarily sourced from just a few places in the world. In our view, relying on subsidies to build factories in the midst of a pandemic is not the answer. We need to ensure that factories remain open once the pandemic has passed and that the price of PPE stabilizes so that domestic manufacturers can compete. It was also troublesome that there was no organized emergency product list and no directory of information regarding where to get those products when an emergency struck. It was obvious that a common understanding among stakeholders of the key medical supplies needed to effectively respond during a health crisis would be critical to supporting emergency responders.

As the co-founder and private-sector lead of the PSCN, Henry Schein has been in direct contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other multilateral and domestic organizations from the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we have partnered closely with the U.S. government and other industry partners as a participant in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) COVID-19 Supply Chain Task Force (originally managed by the White House and then FEMA). We worked with the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to deliver essential products to COVID-19 testing sites. We also worked with the U.S. government to source and accelerate the availability of PPE for front-line health workers where they were needed most. Because we were the only member of the task force to serve both the dental and medical community, we have been uniquely positioned to engage with government officials and health agencies on the unique needs of oral health professionals.

Ok. Here is the main question of our discussion. Can you please share your “5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Our Country”. Kindly share a story or example for each.

In support of the U.S. government’s efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic, here are five steps that can be taken to help heal our country.

Step 1 — Recognize the vital role of physicians, including dentists

The current vaccine roll-out does not fully recognize the vital role of primary-care physicians and other office-based practitioners, including dentists, in the effort to expand COVID vaccination nationwide. Office-based practitioners have deep, trust-based relationships with patients and understand their health histories. Polls show patients much prefer to get a shot from their doctors, who can administer both the vaccine and the truth. As trusted leaders within their communities, office-based practitioners can help their patients overcome vaccine hesitancy, reduce health inequities, and ultimately ensure more patients are vaccinated.

Step 2: Provide education on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine

We live in a world, unfortunately, that increasingly distrusts science. As a result, too many people question scientific advances such as the new vaccines developed using mRNA technology. Office-based physicians know their patients, and patients trust what they learn from their physicians, who understand immunology and can explain in detail how the vaccines work, why they are safe, and why getting everyone vaccinated as soon as possible is vital to restoring public health.

A successful vaccination campaign requires trust, education, and accessibility. We must focus on these three pillars to overcome the barriers that contribute to the lower vaccination rates we see in communities of color. Trust is the foundation of the relationship between patients and health care providers. Trust is key to transforming a vaccine into vaccination.

Step 3 — Accelerate vaccination process across the nation

This is a huge missed opportunity to accelerate vaccination across the nation. Office-based practitioners have a physical presence in every community nationwide — large and small, rural, and urban. This is where the majority of Americans already receive flu and other vaccines from office-based physicians. If just 100,000 physicians delivered 10 shots a day, we would have 60 million additional “shots in arms” in two months.

Step 4 — Advocate for vaccine equity

COVID has laid bare the terrible racial inequities in access to care we face in this country. It is imperative that all sectors work together to ensure fair and accessible care, vaccination, information, and affordable testing. Building equity in plans to distribute the vaccines, including culturally sensitive, multi-lingual outreach tailored for local communities, will also be essential for closing gaps in health outcomes.

On March 16, 2021, 24 members of Congress sent a Congressional letter urging federal officials to include primary-care physicians and other office-based practitioners, including dentists, in the effort to expand COVID vaccination nationwide. In addition to members of Congress, senior government officials and leading minority health professionals have been providing up-to-date information relevant to minority health professionals on the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19.

Step 5 — Continue to practice social distancing and wear a face covering

We all have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities by continuing to practice social distancing and wearing a face covering. Recent reports from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) affirm that “a cloth face covering is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19” and in reducing the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities. There is also increasing evidence that maintaining physical distance, of at least three to six feet, can help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.

We recognize that there may be no single solution to this issue, but our experience has taught us we can’t get there unless we engage the community, invest in creating cultural competency throughout the health care chain, and support the development, recruitment, and retention needs of diverse professionals.

As an example, we have partnered with the Black Coalition Against COVID (BCAC), a Washington, D.C.-based community initiative that seeks to provide trustworthy, science-based, information curated for the Black community about COVID-19 and the vaccine development process in an effort to help save Black lives at the national and local levels. Together with BCAC, we are addressing the significant lags in vaccination rates and working together to offer action-oriented strategies to accelerate equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

In 2020, BCAC launched “Making it Plain,” a local and national level series of educational, open-forum virtual town hall conversations led by senior government officials and leading minority health professionals on the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of COVID-19. Since its inception, we have held sessions focused on “Minority Health Professionals and COVID-19 Vaccine Dissemination,” and “What Black America Needs to Know About COVID-19 and Vaccines.” Recently, we held a third town hall for minority health professionals that emphasized the vital resource primary-care physicians and dentists are in the COVID-19 vaccination effort because of the high level of trust they have with their patients, their understanding of a patient’s health history, and their physical presence in every community across the country. Specifically, we spoke about the opportunities to complement existing distribution efforts as a way to strengthen equitable vaccine access and uptake by ensuring that all health care providers — in close partnership with community-based and faith-based organizations — have the dedicated resources and support needed to receive and administer the vaccine to their patients, especially to those who rely on and feel most comfortable visiting their local and trusted office-based provider. The fact that more than 29,000 health professionals tuned in for the event, clearly underscores the deep interest and engagement of health professionals in promoting vaccine equity.

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, we also need to increase focus on promoting access to health among underserved communities. For example, the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, in partnership with The UPS Foundation, launched “Wearing is Caring,” a public health awareness campaign designed to raise awareness of health care disparities in underserved communities, the need for social distancing, and the importance of wearing face coverings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in hot spots. The campaign is aligned with guidance from the CDC and WHO that encourages the use of cotton or cloth face coverings in public spaces to reduce community spread.

To help address the health disparities that have impacted communities of color, we have donated face coverings to local safety net health systems and other local partners in support of CDC Foundation’s Crush COVID initiative, which supports health equity and investing in communities disproportionately impacted by coronavirus as a key pillar.

The ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign is another demonstration of Henry Schein Cares Foundation’s commitment to help advocate for public health, health equity, and wellness. Together with non-profit organizations and valued supplier partners, our foundation can help support local safety net health systems, which provide essential care for those most in need.

We are going through a rough period now. Are you optimistic that this issue can eventually be resolved? Can you explain?

We are incredibly optimistic that we can make a difference and the dental industry’s advocacy efforts are beginning to take effect. On March 11, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services amended an emergency declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to permit dentists and dental students, among other providers, to administer COVID-19 vaccines. The federal declaration allows licensed dentists nationwide to administer COVID-19 vaccines. At least 28 states allow dentists to administer COVID-19 vaccines, and the amendment overrules state laws that prohibit dentists from doing so, according to the American Dental Association. By making COVID vaccines available to physicians and dentists, we would open hundreds of thousands of additional vaccination sites in the U.S., enhance vaccine uptake, reduce health inequities, and accelerate the nation’s efforts to return to normalcy.

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

My advice to young people from my cumulative life experiences is to give back. The more you give, the more you get back, and the best way to do well is to do good. As business leaders, we have a moral obligation to act in the service of society. My childhood lessons from my parents helped me understand that as business leaders we also have an obligation to be responsive and responsible leaders who contribute to the greater good of society. It also makes good business sense, as Benjamin Franklin’s idea of enlightened self-interest illustrates — businesses, universities, and communities cannot succeed in failed societies. As you move forward, find innovative ways to partner with others, in the public and private sectors, in the service of society. Doing well by doing good really works.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂

I would love to have lunch with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to underscore the importance of oral health to overall health and the crucial role that oral health care practitioners play in the health care continuum. There is an increasing body of evidence that underscores the close connections between periodontal disease and many non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, along with Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Oral health is a key component of primary care, and dentists need to be involved in an individual’s overall health. During the pandemic, oral health care practitioners played a key role in our front-line response, but they could not always procure the necessary quantities of PPE, COVID tests, and now vaccines. As a nation, we have made substantial progress on vaccinations, and we applaud the Administration’s focus on health equity. To get even more shots in arms, we need to elevate the role of primary-care physicians and other office-based practitioners, including dentists, in the United States and around the world in addressing global pandemic response, remembering that viruses don’t carry passports and that we need to protect and vaccinate everyone to truly defeat the pandemic.

How can our readers follow you online?

Your readers can follow me on LinkedIn and learn more about Henry Schein’s business and corporate social responsibility programs at Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!

Stanley M Bergman of Henry Schein Inc: 5 Steps That Each Of Us Can Take To Proactively Help Heal Ou was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.