Written by: Greta Konstantine, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise As an entrepreneur, you are the one who makes all the decisions about everything in your business. Decisions that are not big but can help you a great deal. Decisions that big, and that could determine whether you fail or succeed. Even deciding to offer coffee or tea, or both, at your next meeting. It is all on you! You need to be good at making decisions! Like ... really good! How do you do that? Well, the answer might surprise you. Decision making is all about being honest with yourself about what you can achieve right now and how. It is about being realistic. It is about understanding the repercussions of your decisions and actions (and the repercussions of not deciding or acting). It is about you! Your fears! And your ego! You can’t learn decision making like you learn to repair a computer. Decision making is an internal skill. How good you are at identifying and handling your fears, limitations, and ego, directly impact the success and outcomes of your decisions. The fears that you have of what might happen and how it will affect you are among the biggest contributors to decision making anxiety and negative outcomes. When fear of consequences takes over your mindset, it blurs your rational and objective thinking. This dramatically increases the chances of a negative outcome for you and your business. The other extreme is overconfidence in certain situations, which derives from your ego. When the word ‘’confidence’’ is thrown around, it is usually associated with positive emotions and examples. Everyone wants to be confident all the time and have the confidence to handle every situation. However, if you aren’t honest with yourself about your capabilities and the reality of the current situation, you might end up making decisions that are going to create negative outcomes for you and your business in the future. As World War II United States Navy Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance has said, "A man's judgment is best when he can forget himself and any reputation he may have acquired and can concentrate wholly on making the right decisions." Simply put, determination to make your goal a reality can mess with your critical thinking and vision. So, the secret to being really good at decision making lies in investing in yourself, getting better at knowing yourself, and developing your mindset for success. I find that President Eisenhower's Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles , best puts the spotlight on the direct correlation between mindset elevation and decision making: "The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same problem you had last year." So before you continue with your day, take a moment and ask yourself if it is possible that your current mindset is holding you back. For more details and other business strategies for success, follow me on Facebook or Instagram , or visit my website ! Greta Konstantine, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Greta Konstantine is an internationally sought after success mindset coach, dedicated to helping entrepreneurs around the world overcome their insecurities and conquer their fears. Greta’s journey started at a young age when a moment of mindfulness helped her tap into her own strength and the power of positive thinking. Since her teen years, Greta has focused on psychology, philosophy and mindfulness, while pursuing a degree in economics. She has served high-level management positions in companies in the USA, Denmark and Bulgaria. But Greta’s true passion was to start her own business, Intermindhub, where she now works with entrepreneurs to eliminate stagnation and burnout, create an empowering mindfulness style, and build sustainable business strategies. Greta has helped over a 100 people develop a successful mindset and give them the tools to change their lives. Greta is a Certified Life Coach and holds a Master’s in Science in Innovation, Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Dynamics from the University of Aalborg in Denmark. Greta truly believes that everyone is capable of tapping into their own power and changing their lives, just like she did.

Written by: Stephanie Pye, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise Hashtags don’t work, they’re no good!! The algorithm has changed and it’s glitchy! These are just some of the comments I was getting, so it was time to debunk the myths and lay it out and clear the air! When used properly, hashtags can help you reach thousands, if not tens of thousands of people (FOR FREE!!!). You’re probably thinking, that’s great, but why would I even want that? What does more reach do for you? ➡️More eyes on you ➡️More eyes on your profile ➡️More eyes on your products and services Let’s talk about the 7 biggest mistakes people are making with hashtags RIGHT now! 1. Not using them at all I see this all too often, accounts not even using them at all, but if you’re not sure how to use them correctly, which ones to use and when, it can be a little overwhelming. 2. Not using all 30 hashtags Each hashtag you don’t use is a missed opportunity of an audience base. 3. Using hashtags that your competitor uses not your ideal audience The last thing we want to be doing is attracting our competitors use, let’s use Hashtags your ideal audience uses. 4. Not engaging with the hashtags If you work for IG, IG works for you! 5. Using hashtags that are too big and you get lost If the hashtag is too saturated, you will get filtered down so quickly it is not effective. 6. Using the same hashtags every post Keep them relevant but rotate through your day. 7. Not doing hashtag research and throwing hashtags together on the fly This is not efficient or effective – Plan once, build your sets, and then just copy them over. If you want to learn how to do this correctly and reach thousands, if not tens of thousands of accounts through your posts, then check out and click on the link to my website. My brand new Hashtags mini-course is now LIVE! This mini course is suitable for complete beginners, or those whose hashtags just aren’t working. Only check it out if you want your hashtags to start working for you! Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Stephanie! Stephanie Pye, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stephanie Pye is an Internationally sought after Time Management and Instagram Coach, with a passion for helping women in business, particularly mums become more productive, more profitable and monetise Social Media. She teaches them, they too, can have it all. As a mum of young children herself, she knows the importance of adaptive planning, a strong why, a strong vision and to focus her daily activities on getting her closer to the vision. She has helped women all over the world gain clarity, balance and become more productive in their business.

Chris works with organizations that want to utilize online marketing and team collaboration to increase revenue. Formerly, he served in a position at Google where he worked the area of marketing key products. His career has taken him to 48 states along with cities outside of the US. He is a member of the National Speakers Association. Google Analytics is a digital analytics software and it is by far one of the most popular analytic services out there. The software is free and it gives you the possibility to analyze in-depth details about the visitors on your website. Google Analytics can provide you with valuable insights that can help you shape the success strategy of your business. But what metrics should we focus on and what do they actually mean? Google Analytics can be hard to understand if we don't understand the data we see. We decided to ask a Google Professional about one of the metrics, "Bounce Rate". What is the bounce rate in google analytics and why is it an important metric? Bounce rate will tell you if your site is engaging!  It is the percentage of times people leave your site without going to other pages. Let’s say you have a bounce of 95%. This likely means that your home page is not welcoming enough to get people to click on other pages on your site. Maybe you have an ad running and you lead visitors to a page where they cannot find the product. Right when you get to a site you should find what you are looking for! The lower the bounce rate the better. Make sure your site helps people understand what you offer. These days people only give you so much time to capture their attention. Right when you get to a site you should find what you are looking for. The content you post online should lead people to an engaging webpage. Posting content to the right audience will increase the chances of people actually going through your site. Think about these things next time you make site updates! Chis N. West is certified in Google Analytics. He is a Google speaker and trainer to businesses on advanced techniques using the tool.

Written by Susan Watson, Perfect Solutions Coaching Susan Watson specializes in working worldwide with all ages experiencing Anxiety, Emotions, and Trauma, in a content freestyle, so that no talking really needs to take place unless wanted. We live in a world of fast change; everything can seem bigger and faster; expectations seem to get greater and we are expected to give more. This all can take its toll and start to introduce self-doubt, anxiety, and fear into our lives which can impact us emotionally, mentally, and physically and having ways to bring peace into our lives when we need it most is so important for all of us. This is a massive topic, and today, I would like to share ways with you that can help you pause, set boundaries, release unhelpful emotions, and help you feel empowered and help you maintain a balanced life and be the best version of you. As a therapist specializing in this area, I speak to people on a regular basis who experience burn out, and this is mainly due to being in a situation where they just keep giving more and more, while ignoring the messages of fatigue and not imposing boundaries. At some point, something has to give, and if you continue down this way of living, then it’s you that will stop and have nothing left to give, be burnt out and overwhelmed. Therefore, I am here to ask you to listen to your body and mind's messages. Aches and pains, feeling emotional and quickly becoming exhausted are all signs that you are doing too much. Now you can manage this short term, however, you cannot continue this way of life, long term. If you do not listen to your body and mind, it will put the brakes on and make sure you do listen, by shutting down. Ensure you have your boundaries and share them with others. It’s okay to say no; in fact, it’s an important part of self-care, by setting boundaries you are setting an expectation of how you expect to be treated, with respect and to support your mental and emotional wellbeing. They are needed in the workplace and relationships, and they set the acceptable expectations. Emotions play a big part in how we react with the world and how we view ourselves. They are messages from our unconscious mind that are part of a normal healthy life and deserve to be acknowledged. What we feel with our emotions are true, they are valid and we feel them. However, they are also based on our past life experiences and beliefs and therefore although deserve recognition that does not make them right. No matter what you are feeling, even if unpleasant, allow yourself to feel and accept that this is how you feel, and this will make it possible to release and let go of them, instead of burying them deep and avoiding them, where they can cause further damage to you. Your unconscious mind cannot tell the difference between what is real or imagined. Whatever you tell yourself or imagine is taken as a truth, and your mind reacts to this, which in turn generates thoughts, feeling and then a reaction. I call this your very own superpower. Just imagine you can make yourself feel so bad through negative self-talk and imagine the worst. What if you flipped that around and treated yourself with compassion, patience and kindness and imagined? Positivity and exactly what you wished to achieve and feel. Our minds would still react as if this was the truth. Use this superpower to build you up, to be your own support network and cheer yourself on. Try this visualization exercise and aim to do this when you are not disturbed, and as often as you wish and why not make up your visualization seeing yourself doing exactly what you want to achieve and feeling exactly how you wish to feel. Close your eyes and take a nice deep breath, and a longer breath. Imagine now that you are in a special safe place, it may be a place you have already been to or a place you make in your own imagination – you feel safe, relaxed, and peaceful in this place. Continue your breathing in and out, longer breaths out and let your shoulders drop and your mouth just drop slightly open as your jaw relaxes. Bring your focus down to your heart, place your hand on your heart and be curious about what you can feel. What do you want to release, what emotion are you ready to let go of that is not helpful to you? Choose the emotion you wish to release, the pain or unhelpful emotions that you wish to carry no longer. Give it a color, any color at all and see that emotion and color as you are safe in a special place and it can do no harm to you. Now change that color to perhaps your favorite color and notice how the unhelpful feeling starts to fade with every breath you take. Those old emotions leave your body with every breath and visualize now that with every breath in you inhale peace and comfort, feel a wonderful warmth spread through your heart, bringing comfort and peace and feel that now is spreading through your body. Feel how lighter you feel, as if a weight has lifted off your shoulders, being replaced with a sense of peace. Continue to use your imagination and mind to make all the changes you wish for. This exercise encourages you to feel your emotions to acknowledge them, accept them and then release them and let them go. If you can make a start on setting healthy boundaries and looking after your own emotions, this is the right starting place to maintain that balanced life you wish for. Practice visualization, as this is such a powerful method to make changes in your life in all areas. I had a social phobia and fear of public speaking, and using this method, I changed my own beliefs and emotional reactions. This helped me move on from panic to confidence, and everyone can enjoy the results they wish for. It just requires you to take the time to do this. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Susan Watson, Perfect Solutions Coaching Susan Watson specializes in working worldwide with all ages experiencing Anxiety, Emotions, and Trauma, in a content freestyle, so that no talking really needs to take place unless wanted. Working with feelings and emotions within the body, Susan releases the emotional connection of past experiences. She teaches self-help tools to help others live their best life, the life that is deserved. Susan supports individuals, groups and the workplace with her Be Your Own Empowered Hero workshops, which were introduced as a measure to reduce the risk of future issues with mental and emotional health.

Written by: Betsy Kauffman, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise A peer of mine ran a poll on LinkedIn a few weeks ago inquiring, what is the most critical leadership skill to develop in 2020? Here are the results based on the options provided at the time of writing this article: Courage to Take a Stand - 6% Conversation Skills - 15% Care & Empathy - 62% Concise Decision Making - 18% I remember when I initially took the poll, I was really challenged to pick only one because I felt like all of them are incredibly critical, especially as we are in the second half of 2020. As you can see, the majority chose Care & Empathy. While I do not disagree with them, I have to say I am slanting to a derivative of Conversation Skills. It is not so much the ability to converse but more about the ability to communicate. And not just communicate but communicate well and in a timely fashion. As I see it, communication is the foundation for providing care and empathy to our employees, making concise decisions, and having the courage to take a stand. Especially now. Most of our workforce is still virtual and will continue to be for who knows how long. Therefore, information is not as free-flowing as it was when we were in the office and able to have informal in-person conversations. Little did we realize, pre-pandemic, how much information was exchanged during those informal moments. We probably now really value how much those moments and conversations were needed to complete our work and get us through the day. Employees need leaders to overly communicate and discuss topics that are relevant, timely, and critical to performing their work now more than ever. As leaders, we need to be extremely intentional with communication. Have you taken time to consider what questions you should be asking yourself and your team when creating that intentional communication “plan”? I urge you to consider the following and use these as part of an ongoing conversation between your employees and yourself: How often do my teams need me to meet with them to keep them up to date on what is going on? How often do I need to meet one on one with my people to understand how they are doing mentally and emotionally? What forms of communication tend to resonate with everyone? Do my teams have what they need to successfully perform their jobs virtually? This should be an ongoing conversation. Am I responding in a timely manner to my team's emails and making decisions that enable them to keep moving their work forward? And finally, turn on those cameras! Communication becomes much more productive when we can see facial expressions, share a laugh, have an impromptu virtual happy hour, and get a glimpse that everyone (including our leaders) are dealing with the same realities that come with working from home. Now that I have shared my thoughts, I am curious to hear yours. What do you think is the most critical leadership skill to develop based on the events of 2020 and heading into 2021? Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Betsy Kauffman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Betsy Kauffman is a globally recognized Leadership and Organizational Agility Coach with more than 20 years' experience working in Fortune 500 companies. Her company, Cross Impact Coaching, helps leaders create innovative, aligned, disruptive organizations. Betsy has observed and worked side by side with hundreds of CxO leaders and has seen just about every variation of how Leadership Teams operate and execute (both successfully and not so successfully). She deeply understands and has experienced firsthand when the team of individuals charged with leading the organization aren't aligned, focused, and working as one, the rest of the organization suffers. She is a published author providing thought leadership to both the agile and project management communities and speaks internationally on topics around leadership, corporate culture, and achieving organizational agility.  She is currently in the process of developing her first TED talk in conjunction with the TED@PMI partnership to be released in September, 2020.

Andrea Cristancho, founder of www.andreacristancho.com is a Holistic Business Coach helping female entrepreneurs in the wellness space. Through her signature program The UpLevel Method, Andrea integrates the entrepreneurial mindset with practical business tools that re-engineer existing businesses to achieve their next level of growth. As an international business mentor with Latin roots and serial entrepreneur, she has run her own businesses in 3 continents in a number of different industries. In the process, she has discovered that having a signature program, a personal brand and the right mindset is the key to taking off your entrepreneurial success. – I'm a Holistic Business Coach, holding a bachelor's degree in International Affairs and a Masters in International Trade, also certified health coach and money breakthrough business coach. In brief, I'm an international entrepreneur, a proud mother, as well as a yoga teacher. Quite a mix, I know! On a mission to empower female entrepreneurs growth by designing programs that sell helping them create their Signature Systems! But it wasn't always like this! I've run my own businesses in 3 different countries, 3 different continents. That only means I've got a couple of stories to share with you. I'm Latina to the bone, mixed Colombian, who was born in Venezuela and raised citizen of the world by visionary parents. For those who aren't familiar. What exactly is a Holistic Business Coach? – The term has been coined in recent years and used by International Coaches looking at their clients as “whole beings” doing business. I subscribe to that tendency since, in my business, I combine elements of my health coaching education with my own international business expertise. Holistic Business Coaching, for me, means to learn how to fuel yourself and your business to sustain growth at all levels. I use tools such as the wheel of life and the value ladder to assess fit, but that’s just the beginning. In my holistic coaching business, I develop a relationship with my clients that encompasses best business practices, whole nutrition, and mindset shifts as the core when embarking in my programs. You started your journey as an entrepreneur while studying. – Yes, I was a 24-year-old living in Shanghai, China, when my first flair of entrepreneur desire found me. I’m an idea think tank, very much solution-driven. In mainland China, back in the day, the market lacked much of the western world, and I saw an opportunity to join the “Doing Business in China” game by doing not just research, got family funding to embark, and played my cards testing my entrepreneurial skills. I haven’t looked back ever since. Reading on your website, you have run your own business in 3 different countries. Which countries, and was anyone a "better" country to work in, and if so, why? – Yes, I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to test markets by doing and living there. I’ve owned and run business in Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Africa, and now Switzerland. I can not call myself an expert in any market, but I’ve developed a system that works to lunch and grow in any business ground by developing my personal brand and a solid network, with a sound business plan. Each market has had its advantages and disadvantages, and they have all been fun while being there running the type of business I’ve run. For example, I love China’s market speed, things get done quickly, but it’s very expensive to do business there. – Hong Kong’s open market back then was a great international springboard too. I welcome the challenges the South African market brings with it because the opportunities there are unique, however, it takes longer to develop a solid network. I embrace the efficiency of the Swiss system when running a business, mainly the support given to entrepreneurship, and the maturity of the market, but you’ve got to be patient to see your efforts flourish and try not to get distracted in the process because here things go at its own pace. It hasn't always been easy for you. At one point, you "crashed". How did you manage to get out of that black hole? – Yes, my first encounter with “failure” (a term that I no longer use btw) got me to doubt myself, my ideas, and my entrepreneurial spirit. I was young and alone very far away from home. I did it all by the book but lacked mentorship. So, I managed to get out of that black hole by revisiting my mindset, sitting in long hours of meditation seeking clarity and encouragement. I then pivoted and came out winning on many fronts. My big learning then which I still apply today is that at times we might be ahead of the market, or having a different perspective, and that’s alright as long as you believe in yourself and stay focused. The mantra I was toughed from very young, and my mantra still is: It’s all in your mind! "I'm empowering female entrepreneurs growth by designing programs that sell helping create their Signature Systems!". You are focused on helping females. Can a male turn to you for help? – I often get this asked, and I must confess. I laugh. Of course, male entrepreneurs are welcome. However, I practice what I teach, I truly believe in having a narrow market segmentation to focus your market efforts and target your ideal clients. That means, the only requirement for male or female to work with me is to be authentic entrepreneurs, have a thriving entrepreneurial spirit, an existing business, and be passionate about what they do, or would like to achieve; only then I can help their growth. Tell us a little bit about The UpLevel Method. – This is my signature approach in my coaching programs. I’ve developed processes along my years as an international entrepreneur that can be applied to existing businesses and business owners to help them earn more, uplevel their mindset, and increase their productivity through living a healthier lifestyle. No matter the market, the industry, or the language. It’s pumping up the volume systematically and in auto-pilot to match career experience and a healthy lifestyle in combination with running a profitable business from the heart with clarity and ease. Who should hire/work with you? – On a daily basis, I bet on the growth of female entrepreneurs worldwide as active contributors supporting the global awakening of female empowerment. I come from a linage of strong Latin women, I believe in the unique female touch we bring to the international business arena, and every program I develop is designed to provide tools to empowered women in search of international business growth. So, entrepreneurs and corporations with similar goals tend to join my ideal clients’ list, together we create Share your three best tips for young female entrepreneurs out there? – I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunity to teach at university level young entrepreneurs in China, have also worked with young international talent alongside, and I’ve seen the one commonality they all have, a strong desire to dare, to test out, to create what they believe is right or the market lacks. My best advice to them is: build a solid network, find mentors and coaches to help you grow, and invest in yourself frequently. These last 3 tips I’ve applied myself in my entrepreneurial journey and still do. Paired with a positive mindset and a go-get-it attitude! Follow Andrea Cristancho on Facebook , Instagram and visit her website for more info! Read more from Andrea!

Written by: Olesya Oligradska, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. I know! I can hear you say ‘I’ve heard this so many times before!’, so why haven’t you taken action? I know it’s a foreign concept. I know you don’t believe that it can make an impact on your life or business. Or maybe you’re under the impression that meditation will somehow alter your religious beliefs. But hear me out! Meditation is so much more than closing your eyes and not thinking about all the things you have to do later. In this short article, I want to open your eyes to the possibilities that mediation can bring and share the 3 proven benefits to starting a meditation practice. Ivy League schools such as Harvard University have dedicating time and financial resources to research so that the world can see the power that a regular meditation practice can bring. Meditation is not just about closing your eyes and trying not to think about things. It’s about bringing awareness to the inner self. Practicing self-awareness is one of the most powerful tools we can use to help us step out of reaction mode and into conscious action. As humans, we are hard-wired to be reactive as this was part of our survival for thousands of years. Ages ago, we needed our reactive nature to help keep us safe from animals or other human tribes. But at this point in our existence, we have time to think about what we need to do next. It is not longer life or death decision-making mode. This is why we have to resort to finding modalities that will help us step away from being a reactive person. When we are in a fight or flight mode all the time, called stress in 2020, we are not in an ideal state that our body should be functioning at. There has to be a better way, and one of those is meditation. 3 benefits of daily meditation Here are the top 3 benefits to start a daily meditation practice that will help you create a balanced internal environment so you can thrive in business and personal life. 1. Decrease in Blood Pressure Studies have shown that those who practice daily meditation can see a decrease in their blood pressure because meditation helps lower stress levels. Stress has been linked to high blood pressure, so if anything, try meditating daily to help decrease your blood pressure. 2. Increase Sense of Empathy Having a better understating of others helps us build stronger relationships. Human relationships are essential for our mental and social health. When we are open to understating others better and accepting them as they are, we create stronger bonds and open our hearts to endless possibilities. 3. Strengthen Sense of Self When we sit in mediation, we get the opportunity to tune inward and observe our state of being at that point. It’s a great time to check-in, ask ourselves how we are feeling, observe emotions we are experiencing, and bring ourselves back to our breath so we can let our mind slow down and open up to new possibilities. I hope that this short article has sparked your interest in exploring meditation. I know that meditation can feel foreign and unfamiliar, but I promise that if you are open to expanding and moving towards being the best version of yourselves, meditation is a great place to start. If you have any questions or would like to explore this life-changing method. Don’t hesitate to reach out! Follow me on Instagram and visit my podcast on Apple or Spotify. For more information please visit my website. Read more from Olesya! Olesya Oligradska, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Olesya Oligradska is an exercise rehab specialist turned business and mindset mentor. Her passion lies in helping women rewire their beliefs and reclaim their worth so they can sell and growth their business with confidence. She is on a mission to help women build a life of freedom and choice through holistic growth inside and out. She is also the host of The Soulful Selling Podcast, a platform where sales is no longer a dirty word and abundance gets to be the new norm.

Spiritual Teacher, Motivational Speaker and Certified Life & Relationships Coach. She is an advocate of sisterhood and empowerment but most importantly of God’s unconditional love. Founder of the Healing and Self Love Retreat for women called Can’t Break Me Retreat. A leader and woman on a mission, and that mission is to empower women worldwide to recognize their worth by acknowledging who they are trough God’s eyes. As a highly respected dating expert & coach, she provides advice for women on Self-love, abusive relationships, heartbreak and grief. Dedicated to helping women received Love & Healing and to discover the peace, spiritual connection and purpose they've been seeking. Read the full interview with Kristel Robinson below! – My name is Kristel Robinson Bailey. I’m from Costa Rica, Mother of 3. I am a Spiritual Teacher, Life and Relationships Coach and Motivational Speaker. I love traveling, learning about other cultures and meeting new people. I’ve always been skilled at bringing people together and working towards common goals, therefore I combined my passion with purpose to empower women and help them overcome challenges through self-love and self-compassion. "When I was nine years old, I was sexually abused by one of my cousins." You say that your mission is to strengthen, empower and guide women facing heartbreak and grief. Tell us a little bit about your background. What have you gone through? – I believe that we should use our truth to empower others and empower ourselves. When we realize all the challenges we have overcome and still have the courage to stand up and keep pushing forward, we become resilient, and our lives have a purpose. We don´t allow our circumstances to reduce us, instead, we rise to the occasions. – When I was nine years old, I was sexually abused by one of my cousins. I keep that a secret until I was 25 years old. I never dealt with the consequences; I just put it behind me and kept living. I grew up thinking that that was normal and the only thing to me. At 19 years old, while I was studying dentistry, I got pregnant, and at that time, my family made me choose between having an abortion or been disinherited, therefore running from shame and trying to make up for disappointing people I cared about, I jumped into a marriage with someone who did not love me. – This led to years of settling for abuse, mistreatments disrespect and domestic violence, allowing to be used by men with no intention to love me, a circle of fake friendships, and toxic family members. I was in an abusive marriage for 17 years, and instead of walking away I would find myself looking for love in the wrong places. Reading on your website, you describe how you, at one point, just crashed. What did you do that made you go through this challenging time in your life? – In 2015 I had a baby while married, and my husband was not the dad. I became the woman "who had a kid with another man". I was living in shame and condemnation. My secret was revealed by my cousin, just weeks from my friend passing away, my beautiful mom. My soul was bleeding out, and I felt like I was drowning, while pregnant, I did ask God to have mercy on my soul, I asked him for forgiveness, so in the middle of the storm, when everything unfolded I was not afraid, the war was part of being accountable for my actions. – The shame, guilt and my own sabotage was eating me alive. I thought I deserved to be in pain and being broken. I got used to it. I fulfilled my soul with superficial comfort and got caught in a world of heartbreak, pain, sin and grief. I hit rock bottom and was tired of looking for love and validation in the wrong places, and whenmy soul couldn’t take it anymore, I looked up.... – And HE gave me the strength to walk away, Grace and Mercy to not condemn myself anymore and unconditional love to recognize my worth. And that's how I acknowledged that I was not my mistakes; I started reading about Moses, King David, Mary Magdalene, Tamar, and Jonah, and I also found healing at Jesus' feet. I'm not a victim of my circumstances, I learned to see myself through God's eyes, and I realize that I could rise to the occasion and be everything that God created me to be. – God always has a plan for our lives. Even if we take detours, we can never run away from his purpose. That´s how Can´t Break Me Retreat was born as a space to find healing from heartbreak and trauma. It’s a sacred place to disconnect from the world and give all our burdens and pain to God. When we acknowledge who we are through God’s eyes, we become unbreakable and unstoppable. The only way to stop settling is to live to honor him. Who should hire/work with you? – I´m an advocate of sisterhood and empowerment, but most importantly of God´s unconditional love, therefore anyone who fits into this description is welcome to work together. We need more love and less judgment to stand in power together. What are the three most frequently asked questions from your clients, and what do you tell them? – My clients come to me not with overall questions, is more as a journey to heal from so much heartbreak, pain, shame and trauma. My advice, of course, depends on each individual circumstances, but I guide them to find healing through God, the world as it is can never calm our within noise, when our hearts are restless, we can only find peace in God. Reading your article, it is clear that God has a big part of your life. How important is God in your life? – I don´t know how to live without God. I don’t have plan b. My hope is in him and his promises for all of us. What content can our readers expect from you? – I love to write about hope and faith to overcome any challenges, about healthy relationships to help women to identify the love they deserve and not to settle. I root for self-love because it is the root of empowerment. But most importantly, the honor is to God. I want to encourage readers to never focus on the circumstances when we put our trust in the right place, we should never be afraid or discouraged because everything will work in our favor. Tell us about your organization and how it improves the lives of others? – Healing from within is the only way to embark on a journey of self-love and discovery. At the Retreat, we spend six days with an intimate group of sisters in a sacred pilgrimage to embark on a journey of self-love and healing. The way we think will lead us to the right path. Problems and challenges are an opportunity to grow and become wiser and stronger in life. No matter how hurt and tired we might feel, keep a good attitude, keep your faith and cast all your anxiety and fear into God. When you feel down and lost, see yourself as a seed... – With the proper care, mindset, and attitude, you can grow into the most beautiful and strongest tree. Together we heal, we grow, and we become more empowered. Do you have any advice or tips you would like to share with our readers? – No matter what you go through, you can always get up and finish the race. Seek validation from God, not the world. With God by your side nothing can break you Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Kristel!

Written by: Yunlong Wang, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. According to the Wharton University, “China has been at the forefront of fintech growth and is the largest fintech market in the world”. Yunlong Wang (CEO of Vikcess), interviewed Mi Kuang, who is an expert in the Fintech industry, to explore his professional experience and the development of fintech in China. Yunlong: Tell me more about yourself? Mi: – My expertise is in the field of financial technology. Since 1994, I have worked for the Bank of China and IBM. I was one of the top technical experts in IBM China. In 2014, I joined the preparatory group of Shanghai Huarui Bank and successively served as the general manager of the IT department, and director of the Digital Business Unit. Since 2019,. I have been the CEO of Shanghai Nudge Technology, which is my startup company. Yunlong: Based on your work and entrepreneurial background, which label do you prefer? Technology or Finance? Mi: – I think it's mixed, but more about technology. Finance is formidable, and it is rigorous, does not allow mistakes, while technology is used to break through barriers and constantly innovate, which fits my personality and background very well. Yunlong: Try to describe yourself in only three words. Mi: – I think: creative, adventurous, and passionate. I'm always motivated by things I eager to do. Yunlong: In your opinion, what is the future of Fin-tech in China? Mi: – The open banking/financing will lead the digital transformation for the financial industry with the next few years. At present, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain and other emerging technologies have been widely used in the financial field in China. In fact, Fintech is developing very rapidly. It is changing the ecology and service mode of the financial industry. What is more, it has derived a series of emerging financial business fields such as Internet banking, Internet insurance, internet securities, consumer finance, online credit reporting, and third-party payment. The ‘Financial Infrastructure’ has been built up. – At the same time, we can see that Fin-Tech is developing further from consumer finance into corporate finance, which is exciting. Yunlong: What do you think are the future challenges of Fintech in china? Mi: – In my opinion, firstly, each technology application term has its own cycle, probably 5-10 years. From technology research to maturity stage, then participate in the fierce competition in the market, and finally, the surviving valuable innovation has the chance to get a large-scale market application. Secondly, while the financial industry is pursuing technological innovation, information security and management will become a major challenge. Thirdly, although some emerging technologies have broad prospects, such as blockchain, they still suffer multiple constraints. – Therefore, what I learned from so many years of work experience, is that the perfect combination of technology and finance needs external help to boost it, aiming to help technology transformation to serve the industry better. That's the main reason why I founded this company Yunlong: What was your vital driving force to become an entrepreneur? Mi: – To tell the truth, I have been working in large companies for quite a long time and would like to try something new. I want to pursue adventure constantly, to prove my creative ideas. So, I was excited to start my own venture. I like to pursuit challenges, keep making mistakes, and then upgrade to the next level. Yunlong: What is the biggest change in your mind after becoming an entrepreneur? Mi: – I think it should be a sense of risk and responsibility. As a professional in a big company like I did before, the risk you take is quite limited. But now, as the leader of a company, you may exposure to 100% in potential risks and should have a whole vision to take responsibility to win the trust of your teammates and your customers. That is the biggest change in my mind. Mi: – In fact, I learned a lot from IBM. The autobiography of T.J. Watson gives me lots of inspiration about doing business and running a company. On the other hand, I'm a fan of Peter F. Drucker since I just started my career. I read his books, which had a significant influence on me at that time. After that, I was obsessed with Professor Clayton Christensen's disruptive innovation theory, which has reshaped my personality and made me more creative and adventurous. It is also the biggest spiritual motivation for me to choose entrepreneurship. I'm currently reading the "Black Swan" by Nassim Taleb. Due to the epidemic in this year, it has dealt a serious blow to the global economy. We should sit down and keep calm, seriously think about our future, and deal with the unknown risks. Read more from Yunlong! To learn more about Yunlong, you can visit his LinkedIn or contact him at: yunlong.wang@vikcess.com Yunlong Wang, is apart from being the CEO & Founder of Vikcess Business Group, also a VC, Writer, and Startup Coach. His main focus is on how the innovation tech changes the business and our world. He devotes most of his time to innovation management, achievement transformation to adapt new markets, technology transfer to apply in a wide range of industries, and startups acceleration with the support of capital. He is playing the role of a bridge, as Vikcess does, which connects Europe and China, to pursuit communication, collaboration, opportunities, and the future.

Collaborated post Successful entrepreneurs are known for many things, ranging from their creativity and their vision, to their grit, and their determination not to give up. But if you pay attention, you’ll notice that one of the clearest and most consistent stereotypes about entrepreneurs is – for good reason – that they are very active, and tend not to spend long passively observing things before deciding on some path to take. Nonetheless, new and aspiring entrepreneurs often struggle with mindset issues including things like analysis paralysis, uncertainty, and passivity. While it’s certainly important to do your due diligence – especially with regards to ethical considerations – here are a few reasons why it’s important to stay active as an entrepreneur. Because overthinking can prevent you from actually getting the ball rolling and making progress. It’s tempting, when you’re running your own business, to try to work out all the different factors involved before making a significant professional move, so that you have the best possible chance of everything aligning in your favour, and turning out as you desire. But it’s worth keeping in mind that overthinking can prevent you from actually getting the ball rolling, and making progress – and, often, what you actually need to get started isn’t half as much as you might imagine it would be. It might be that something as simple as making the right call to a Sydney Ute Van Hire company could leave you with all the “tools” you need to actually start the ball rolling. Or, maybe you can start selling products from your garage, rather than having to rent expensive warehouse space at the outset. Building momentum is often the most important thing. Because the blessings of serendipity come more easily and frequently when you are staying active As an entrepreneur, many of the golden opportunities that will come your way in your professional life, will be as a result of sheer serendipity. They will be things that you couldn’t have foreseen, and that you didn’t actively bring about, but that seem to be happening because you are “in the right place, at the right time.” Suffice to say, the blessings of serendipity come more easily and frequently when you’re staying active, because you will be encountering more dynamic scenarios on a regular basis – and will likely be creating a lot of your own opportunities, alongside that. Because there are many things that you can only learn through experience, and can’t properly hash out in theory There are many lessons to be learned – both in the world of entrepreneurship, and also in life as a whole – that you can only really learn in a hands-on way, through direct experience. The more active you are, the more of that direct experience you will accumulate, and the more you will naturally accumulate and “embody” different lessons which can be absolutely invaluable for whatever it is you do from that point on, in your professional life. It is simply the case that there are many things that you can’t properly figure out, hash out, or internalise, from a purely theoretical perspective.

Collaborated post Communication is the bread and butter of every business. Whether it is simply communicating with your customers on your website, or talking face-to-face meetings - how you communicate matters. It might not surprise you too much to know that communication is one of the most desirable skills. According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers covet it more than any other skill. Improving Communication Skill There are several smaller ways that you can improve your communication skills, these are easy to do and often simply take some time and recognition to do them. Take your time - part of effective communication is to take your time and respond with care. Most of us listen to someone, simply to jump in and respond. If you really listen, process, and then a response, it gives us a chance to consider what the real response should be. Priority - To be an effective communicator, you need to understand how much more to communicate there is than just words. More on this later. There is a lot to learn. Clarity - Say what you mean, always. Just because you feel you got the nuance and the implications correct in what you said, doesn’t mean that you have gotten your point across. If someone hasn’t understood you, the natural reaction is to be annoyed that they didn’t. But, more often than not, it is because we have failed to communicate well. Simplification - say it in fewer words. Unless what you are saying requires specific words, strip it back. Fewer, rather than ‘ there are less than.’ Several, rather than ‘there are many.’ Bigger words, while they sound great, can make things simply too long. Body Language - Over half of our communication is non-verbal. Visual signals will come from your listener about how engaged they are in the conversation. You should always be aware of your own body language too. People will often mimic when they are interested, and you’ll not arms cross when people are closed. Eye Contact - Eye contact builds trust. Make sure that you are keeping eye contact. This also applies when you are listening. Listening Skills - Top-notch communicators are top-notch listeners. They don’t get distracted by what they want to say, or what you might say next. They just listen, absorb, and form responses. Respect - If you enter a room, assuming you are better than everyone because you know XYZ, your tone and body language will tell them that. Instead, understand that you should care about the people in the room. You can’t be sure of their perspectives or needs - until you have started to have those conversations. Paying attention is one of the most simple ways to display respect. “Communication works for those who work at it.” - John Powell Books To Improve Your Communication To improve something, we need to work on it. This could be through formal learning in a classroom or online setting, or it might be a self-taught thing. There is such a wide range of books that cover everything from personality types to being more likable. We all have a style too, sometimes topics just resonate with us, better than others. Dedication to your communication will help guide you to what makes the most sense. Here are some books that can help elevate your communication. How To Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with People One of the key issues for many people is they lack the confidence to have the conversations they need. This has been a bestseller for many years and can help you find the confidence to use your voice. Bringing Out The Best In People When you see such potential but don’t know how to unlock it, it can be very frustrating. However, once you know how to speak to someone, you can work out how to unlock their potential and thrive. This is a mix of communication techniques and psychology. Teaching you how to communicate with anyone. Power Questions - Build Relationships, Win New Business and Influence Others Sometimes it can be about asking the right questions, and then just listening. Listening is the key part. This book has a list of 200 questions that can help you start having conversations that make an impact. On Speaking Well If you often find you give talks, speeches, or just want to speak exceptionally well. This book delivers what is said on the cover. Style, Substance, Clarity. Personality Types Play A Role Our personalities will dictate how we receive and process information. As well as our reaction to what we hear. There are many different personality theories, and one of the most common is the Myers-Briggs. If you haven’t found out which four-letter personality type you are, you can find Myers-Briggs tests online. The personality types are made up of the following: Introversion or Extraversion (I or E) Sensing or Intuition (S or N) Thinking or Feeling (T or F) Judging or Perceiving (J or P) Your personality type will be a combination of the letters. For example, you might be an ISFJ or an ENTJ. This will dictate how you communicate with people and how they communicate with you. And while it might be impossible to have your whole office take a personality test to help (although this is a great idea), you can feel for what communication type will be best for people in these categories. Some will prefer sharp-shooting, others like time to process and respond. If you don’t like that method, then there is a great book called Surrounded By Ideas, who can give you some indicators of personalities and how you can effectively communicate better with them. They are color-coded, and the book makes it simple to understand how you can improve your interactions. How To Communicate Effectively Over Video Call The huge surge in remote working dictates that this needs to play a critical role in how you communicate now and in the future. Video conferencing software has been so heavily relied on for most of 2020, and this will likely continue. Many people found that they were feeling fatigued from all of the calls. Being overly expressive, talking louder, listening more intently. Video conferencing does allow for a better means of communication than constant emails, but you can most likely do it better. To get the most out of your working relationships, video conferencing skills are something that does need to be worked on. It’s isn’t always the most natural feeling to be speaking via a microphone. There is added pressure to rely on other people's internet too. To communicate in the best way on video conference calls here are some guidelines: If you know the topic of the meeting, make a note of questions you have, if you are leading the conversation make a note on the point Take into account the different time zones you may be dealing with, accommodating as many people as possible Keep your phone away during the call - block out the time and dedicate it Learn all of the features of your chosen video conferencing software Don’t interrupt or jump in. If there is something that doesn’t add up, make notes, and question it after they have finished. Choose the right room in your home to have the call. Somewhere cool and quiet. Test your microphone in advance Choose your attire with care so that you are comfortable and not distracted by loose threads, buttons, and more. There are some occasions where you should ask for a different type of communication, if possible. If your internet connection isn’t strong, if there is no guidance to the topic, but a meeting is booked - these can be better taken over the phone. If there are more than 5-10 people, it can become a complicated process. These factors will impact your call quality and how well you can communicate. Communication is the key to closing a deal. Some people make decisions quickly, others need time and more information. It will become second nature for you to begin to distinguish between these characters in your selling process. The same will go for your teammates too. Learning who has particular strengths and how you can make the most of them will see many interesting changes and different people thrive. Cultivating healthy relationships is just as important in work as it is in everyday life. Once you learn how you best communicate and how active listening can revolutionize how you interact with people, your conversations will have a better outcome. Being clear in what you are saying and how you are saying it will benefit you for life. Invest in books, invest your time, and learn about those who are around you. You will find that communication, the psychology about it, and how powerful it can be will leave you questioning why it isn’t taught on a fundamental level. Communication often becomes a passion when you embark on a journey of knowledge to improve your own communication and work better with those around you. “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” - Ernest Hemingway

Written by: Melissa Gamarra, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Being a business owner is not for the faint of heart. Between running operations, business management, product development and bringing dollars in the door, time goes by incredibly fast and days often start to merge together. We are often so immersed in the day-to-day ongoings of our businesses; we tend to forget to prepare for worst-case scenarios. In early 2020 the whole world was shaken by the Covid-19 pandemic and everyone felt the effects. Many businesses were forced to either adapt or close, while other businesses experienced a surge in business they weren’t equipped to deal with. Regardless of where you fall in this situation, none of us were prepared to deal with this unimaginable act of God. In May of 2020, my family and I tested positive for Covid-19. We were in a mad dash to tie up loose ends with my business, inform family and friends as well as make a plan of action to keep things moving without us for the next month. All of this preparation and planning taught me a few valuable lessons when it comes to operating a business. 1. Have Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for EVERYTHING! Every good business model includes SOPs as part of the back end operations. These are the step by step instructions for every aspect of your business. They are essential for onboarding team members, ensuring quality is maintained and helping others fill gaps when a member of your team is absent for some reason (Like getting Covid-19). At the time when I was dealing with Covid-19, I only had SOPs for things I was outsourcing. This only covered the onboarding and quality assurance aspect of my operations. This did not cover maintaining business operations when a team member (me) is absent! Without me there to handle client work and bring money in the door, the business essentially ceased operations because there were no instructions for how to do my job. Having an SOP for every task in your business ensures that the business doesn’t live and die with you 2. Have Multiple Revenue Streams Regardless of circumstances, this is a solid principle for any business owner. You never want to put all your eggs in one basket because the second the handle on your basket breaks, you’ve lost everything! While I was sick, I realized I had no other streams of revenue coming in. If Covid managed to land me in the hospital, I would be without income for however long I was gone. Having automated streams of revenue or even just another way to serve your customers helps guarantee that you never have to worry about not having a plan B if plan A fails. 3. Have a Good Support Team My final, and probably most important, lesson was to have the right support team in place. Sadly, during this time, I had just lost my assistant and did not have anyone to fill in for either of us when I got sick. SOPs and multiple revenue streams are great things to have in place, but without people there to execute and maintain those things, they aren’t going to help you if you are gone for a long period of time. As I mentioned above, it’s never a good idea to be the only person in your business (except in the very beginning) because that means the business only functions when you are around. This isn’t a sustainable business model, and it certainly won’t help you grow your business in the long term. Operating a business in times of crisis is never easy; periods of growth and change rarely are. The best thing we can do is use this information to help us be better prepared for the future. Covid-19 has really highlighted the importance of preparing for worst-case scenarios in every aspect. You never know when something could happen that takes you away from your business. Taking small steps to help build a solid foundation in your business means you are more likely to weather the storm later. Start small and get SOPs put in place, doing so will allow you to do the other things with ease and make sure you are ready for anything! If you need help creating your SOPs click this link to download my free template that includes instructions on how to get started. You can sign up for a free SOP Template and get more great tips here ! Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and connect with me on LinkedIn ! Melissa Gamarra, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Melissa Gamarra is a Certified Online Business Manager and Author living in Salt Lake City. She helps online business owners create organization and business strategies so they can scale their companies effortlessly