Avni Dervishi- Be the change you want to see in the world

Editor @ Global Man April 19, 2018 No Comments

Avni Dervishi

Be the change you want to see in the world

By Fati Gorezi

Avni Dervishi holds a Master’s Degree in ‘Political Science-European Affairs/Politics 2001’and has studied in three European countries, in four various universities, and has been engaged to promote ‘Gender and Youth Empowerment’ in 83 countries in the world (including Europe, Asia and Africa). He has experience both from the UN (United Nations – Mission in Kosovo) and the ‘Parliament of Sweden’ for six years, where he was a member of the ‘Diplomatic Club of Parliament’. Thereafter, he worked for the ‘Carter Center’ in Nepal, and UNDP as a ‘Diaspora’ expert. His background is from communist East Europe but most of his life has been spent in Sweden. He is now invited to various countries to hold lectures on the ‘Empowerment of Women’ and the benefits this brings to the whole of society regardless of gender, age, religion or disability. His focus is on the obstacles facing women, youths, immigrants and people with disabilities and his unique approach has made him a very popular presenter.

You are Albanian by origin but you have also lived in a communist regime? How do you remember that time?

I was six years old when the communist regime jailed my older sister and my father. The reasoning behind this was that they were Albanians and they wanted something called ‘Freedom and Democracy’. The communists didn’t like people talking about freedom and democracy. At that time I remember my mother and I visiting several prisons, police stations and meeting communist political decision-makers. The way they treated my mother, because she was a woman with strong principles, became the starting point for my journey. She opposed the Yugoslavian communist anti-Albanian regime and also the patriarchal way of thinking that dominated Society at that time (around 1981). That was the time when I saw with my own eyes how discrimination against women was used as a tool to break a woman’s spirit whether a mother, wife or sister. At that time I also understood what women’s empowerment really meant and I promised to myself that as long as I live I will promote gender empowerment – and I am proud that I have followed my promise all these years. After all, it is all about finding a win-win situation for all people on planet Earth. And for all those men that haven’t woken up and understood that yet, my message is – “Wake up and face reality”.

What have been the most difficult moments of your life as a migrant man?

It must be when I got discriminated against due to my name when I was applying for a position at a state authority here in Sweden. I was given the suggestion to change my name. They didn’t care about my education and experience. Thanks to a lot of campaigns from the media however that attitude is now changing though. So I did face discrimination due to my immigrant background but I never gave up though, and I am thankfull to the media and my own confidence for that. Stereotyping and prejudgment were the most difficult issues to tackle but I speak six languages so it eventually went better than I thought.

How would you describe your life now? Who is Avni Dervishi?

Good questions 🙂 Avni is firstly, a global human being. After promoting democracy and international cooperation (mainly through Gender and Youth Empowerment in more than 80 countries so far), I must say that my life is still being written as we speak – and there are still many pages left and a lot of colour is still needed to fill those pages. I always have one small bag standing near the front door in case I have to travel to other countries while looking for opportunities to promote Gender Empowerment and international cooperation worldwide. I have a Master’s degree in Political Science (European Affairs/Politics) so I know quite a lot about diplomacy and European and global affairs.

What kept you believing in the vision of the world you wanted to create?

My own life experience and the belief that beside others, ONE person can also make a positive change in our world. I now understand how and why women are being discriminated against and also how and why young people were discriminated against. I also witnessed how people with disabilities have been discriminated against. My own brother is a deaf-mute and I have witnessed how society has discriminated against him. I have also experienced discrimination myself. So, to summarise the answer, my struggle is to unite all the powers that oppose discrimination and convince them to cooperate. This is what is still driving me to believe change is possible and to aim the vision of the world towards bringing equality to all people, regardless of our human diversity.

The main reason that keeps me going is due to what my mother always told me when I was a child – that the best religion in the world is to follow the truth that by supporting people in need – we support ourselves in deed. You help people and you will get help back when you do not expect it. It does work. During my promotion for international cooperation I’ve been to many post-conflict countries in various continents and very often my calm and open attitude has shone a light onto my path when I did not expect it at all. At one time I was in a post-war country in western Africa in order to convince them to involve women at the negotiation table just before I was due to meet the President of this country. But before that took place, and all of a sudden, our passports were seized by their authorities. But, being open minded and trusting I got them back within the same day without any bribes. I am convinced that one person can make a positive change.

You have worked in some countries helping women to become empowered. In your opinion what are the present obstacles facing women these days ?

I was, and I still am, trying to help more women in political decision-making. It is a necessity. When 50% of the inhabitants of any country are women, why shouldn’t they also form half of the political representatives in the Government at the national and local level? They should. There are several obstacles facing women these days. If nothing else the ongoing #MeToo campaign is a reminder for all men that we have to think and rethink the way we behave. We should treat others as we want to be treated ourselves. An adult woman just like an adult man and must be able to live her own life the way she wants. Gender is nothing other than something we tend to identify people by. In democracies we accept various cultures and belief systems and that is great. However, the freedom of personal choice for an adult person – how she/he lives their life with other adults or alone, should not be an issue in a democracy regardless of our backgrounds.

Another obstacle is the fact that more men should understand the benefits of having more women in decision-making positions. In fact we get better economies, more sustainable families, lower crime rates among the young, improved health for all, better social care for children and the elderly and a much stronger economy (domestic and national). When both women and men work together they both pay taxes equally. Countries become stronger with stronger individuals. We will have more money for holidays and enjoying life when we have more gender equality. And any country that can achieve this will get a much stronger role on the international stage. So one of the obstacles is the low percentage of men who understand the benefits of women’s empowerment. We men have to understand and accept these facts. It is never to late and I hope this will change soon. I was ecently introduced to a network of men called MARC (Men Advocating Real Change) based in the USA and also another one called ‘Manproject’ that aims to talk freely about differences re the male gender culture and behaviours. We men should be better at talking about our feelings and skip the prestige and pride of being a MAN. That definition of a ‘classic man’ is gone for ever. We live in 2018 now and the living circumstances are different – and so are the possibilities. So we have to update our brain hardware. By doing that men will become much more aware about the necessity of women’s empowerment.

What do you think about the political participation of women in Kosovo and Sweden? What more could be done?

Yes, much more can be done. During the six years that I worked in the Parliament of Sweden, and the years I was working for the United Nations with the government of Kosovo, as well as my work as international officer for the young liberals of Sweden (where I represented 3500 young people on the European continent) etc, I was highly involved in increasing the political participation of women in Sweden, South East Europe and rest of the world. I was invited to hold lectures on Gender Empowerment and I advocated action plans to be established at local, regional and national levels, on how to increase the number of women in politics. (The international community, mainly through OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) recommends quotas which is good). However I do think that quotas should be seen as a temporary tool in order to increase the awareness of the people that they should not discriminate against women due to their gender. In the end, it is their competence and experience that should be decisive. But until that happens quotas should be an option. This goes for Kosovo, Albania and other countries of post-communist regimes and also post-conflict as well, regardless where in the world they are. Usually they are 30%, but I think they should be at least 40%. Every single political party should have their own system that ensures that women’s participation is essential. It should be part of their party ideological education and training. They should lift the benefits of society by increasing the number of women in politics. Some countries do it anyway and the economic grown is tremendous. See how Rwanda is doing! 2018 they are expecting to have 8.7% economic growth. The political parties should have a general rule when deciding about election lists. Do they want votes? If yes, every second name should be a woman and every second a man. Simply as that.

Apart your career what else is important in your life?

Well, for me this is life and career all in one. Improving peoples’ lives through increased global cooperation and using my expertise as a Diaspora expert in order to built bridges of cooperation between the country of residence and the one of the origin. It is important in life to face challenges and learn from them. I love to mediate between people, organisations, states and other stake-holders and to find sustainable solutions for them. Another thing is that we have just one planet and it is us humans that have to save our planet – TOGETHER. Our resources are not endless. I was recently contacted by an organisation in the U.S. and another in New Zealand dealing with men involved in Gender Empowerment and I was very pleased about it. I strongly believe in cooperation and that nothing is impossible. But I am sometimes far too honest in what I say, and I know that being too honest might be an obstacle. But this is me, Avni.

Michael Mathews: Investing for success and investing in life

Editor @ Global Man April 16, 2018 No Comments

Michael Mathews:

Investing for success and investing in life

Michael Mathews is the co-founder of “The Mathews Entrepreneur Group” (TMEG). He is dedicated and committed to providing Personal Financial Literacy education programs and one-on-one financial literacy guidance using books, workshops, online programs and one-on-one personal results coaching. Michael also provides his clients with entertaining and exciting books for pleasure reading. His wealth building portfolio also includes property investing and land banking.

By Gulia Lucci

How do you remember your life as a young boy, growing up in Chicago?

I grew up on the Southside of Chicago during the 1960’s and 70’s. Being in the baby boomer generation, I experienced my friends being drafted into the Vietnam War, the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy (when I was 8 years old), the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X (When I was 10 years old) and the 1968 assassination of Martin L. King Jr. (When I was 13 years old). Chicago was a racially-filled melting pot within the inner city. Segregation and racial tension ran rampant. I was the youngest of three children, having my older brother and sister as buffers while navigating the streets to and from home. My father and mother both worked, and I came from a loving working-class family, living in a working class neighbourhood, where our entire community was the village that raised me.

You have a passion for financial literacy education. Was it difficult to get into this industry?

The initial difficulty first came from me not knowing how money worked in terms of wealth building strategies. I did not come from generational wealth. I had to learn how money worked. How to save it, how to invest it, how to grow and maintain multiple streams of passive income. I made the decision to read financial books, listen to financial tapes, attend financial seminars, and associate with successful people whom I could learn financial literacy and wealth building principles from.

Fast forward to my marriage to Robbie, we believed that financially speaking, the best Improvement starts with Self-Improvement. We decided to be co-founders of the “Blessed to Invest Investment Club” along with several family members and friends. This is where we learned how to invest in the stock market using dollar cost averaging during both the ‘Bull’ and ‘Bear’ markets.

We took advantage of our employee sponsored investment options to begin our wealth building process. Next, we invested in income producing real estate, land banking in Palmdale-Lancaster California, commercial real estate development and mobile home investments along with a group of like-minded investors to further maximise our financial growth.

The ‘Mathews Entrepreneur Group (TMEG)’ was founded in 2007 by you and your wife. What can you tell us about your Company? What is the mission?

The Mathews Entrepreneur Group (TMEG) was initially founded as a self-publishing company. TMEG has evolved into a brand that’s committed to empowering people to both “hone” and “own” their personal and small business finances.

TMEG’s mission is to raise the awareness level of consciousness about the need for personal financial literacy education on a global scale. We can all agree that debt is a global problem. Bad money habits are destroying the dreams and futures of individuals and families across the globe. It doesn’t matter what country you live in or currency you use – US Dollar, South African Rand, Euro, or the British Pound, debt is the same in any language. We expanded our reach by speaking publicly in the United States and internationally about ‘Financial Literacy Education’ because “It’s not a priority in our educational systems. It’s important that the issue be addressed by all of us and at all levels of society.”

We are committed to giving our clients a comprehensive, easy to use, set of tools providing them with the knowledge, skills and support system needed to take control of their personal finances. In addition to speaking we provide one on one coaching, workshops, seminars, books and online programs.

What made you decide to start your own company?

Early in life we experienced financial struggles long before we knew one another. We did not know or understand how to build wealth. We were taught, or at least told, that we should get a good education, get a good job and work the 40-40-40 plan, work for 40 hours per week, for 40 years of our lives, only to retire and live off of 40 percent of our income. That was not the American dream that we had in mind.

We decided to start TMEG because we learned how to make our money work for us on the passive income stream side of the spectrum. We saw first-hand the benefits of helping others improve their lives which inspired us to take up the mantle of financial education.

While my wife was on a business trip in London, I wrote our first book; “Financially speaking: The Best Improvement Starts with Self Improvement-Create Your Own Economic Stimulus Plan” in 2007, and the revised edition in 2016. Financially Speaking along with our 7 LIVE W.E.A.L.T.H.Y. principles became the cornerstone that formed our company’s financial education wings.

What is the one accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Unexpectedly, in July of 2017, I was nominated, and later received, the John H. Johnson “Business Man of the Year” award presented at the “We Dream in Colour” humanitarian celebration by Mr. Quinton de Alexander in Chicago. In October of 2017, still unexpected, my wife was nominated and received a special “Inspirational Global Woman Award” in London.

What motivates you to succeed?

As a former basketball player, I was trained and motivated how to succeed in basketball and in the game of life off of the basketball court. I was taught to understand that with winning, you must also lose some games along the way. With every loss of a basketball game, it’s just like failing to achieve your business goals. In the game of basketball, like in the game of life, losing a few comes with winning the big deals, as long as you don’t keep on making the same business mistakes.

I am highly motivated more than ever because early in my adult life, before I met my wife, I enrolled in the so-called ‘University of Hard Knocks’. I spent my money on my life-style. I went broke, I drained my bank accounts, I maxed out all of my credit cards, I filed for bankruptcy, my car was repossessed, and I moved back in with my parents. I felt frustrated and I felt ashamed.

My financial situation did not change until I took control of how I was thinking about money, feeling about money and acting with money. I was able to move out of my parents’ home as I started to become the responsible man that I was meant to be. I graduated with my PhD from the University of Hard Knocks around the age of 40 because I took my personal financial literacy education seriously.

Both my wife and I are motivated and passionate about giving back to society. While working at the ‘Chicago Transit Authority’, I began giving back to the historically black colleges and universities to help encourage our young leaders not to make the same mistakes that I made. One of our investments ‘Even Stevens-fast casual sandwich shops’ mission is ‘Eat-To-Give’. For every sandwich that is purchased, one sandwich of equally nutritional value is donated back to the community. With 20 sandwich shops operational in the United States, together with our investors, we have donated 2.5 million sandwiches back to local charities who feed the many hungry men, women, children and babies in need of a hand up and not a hand out.

My wife grew up on the West Side of Chicago. She was a single teenage parent living on welfare, raising four children. She was a high school drop-out but she went back to school and received a certificate in ‘Computer Technology’. She also attended night school and received her bachelor’s and Master’s degree. During her corporate career, Robbie donated financially to the ‘United Way’ on a regular basis as well as volunteering her time. She retired as a Vice-President and Technology Manager of that firm. Our story is that any excuse is a reason to fail, and If we can do it so can you.

What are three ways to obtain money for real estate investing?

Personal Funds: You can use your retirement account by rolling over your traditional IRA or 401K, etc., to a self-directed IRA. Then purchase real estate through your self-directed IRA. You have all the risk and all the reward.
Joint Ventures: Enter into joint ventures with other investors. Depending on how the deal is structured, you might not need to put up any money, if so the initial seed capital should be equally divided between all joint venture partners, thus offsetting your investment amount. Make sure your joint venture partners are people that you trust. You share the risk and you share reward.
Lenders: Traditional or Hard money lenders (usually the loan will be backed by the real estate deal). If your credit is good enough use institutional loans. You can invest alone or also have a joint venture opportunity.

How is it in business working together with your life partner, and how do you balance personal and business life?

What matters most to me is that our business and personal relationships are balanced to our satisfaction. When my wife and I travel in the United States or Internationally Speaking, we take a few days off after business and become tourists. We understand that our life together is more about living in the moment because tomorrow is not promised. We are blessed to actually live some of our wildest-bucket list dreams.

Like when we were in the beautiful country of South Africa, on the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town. We also cuddled with some big baby lion cubs. In Dubai, on the 124^th floor at the top of the Burj Kahalifa. Being on the French Riviera in Cannes France or eating dinner in Paris at the Eiffel Tower was another beautiful experience. Add Disneyland, Mickey Mouse, and having good meals with our global friends in California and London are memorable occasions.

I’m proud of the dream team that we make and the work that we do. I’m grateful to the universe that I was able to find my soulmate. Being able to love, work with, speak on the same stage with, travel the world on business and pleasure with, create products and services with, be of service to others with my best friend-my loving Wife-Robbie Mathews is priceless. We share the same goals, dreams and vision. Yes, sometimes we agree to disagree, however, I’ve learned that being in the same vortex with my wife, with our energy frequencies tuned in on the same dial tone, the airways of mutual respect and understanding are always on the same channel.

If you could give one piece of advice to all the women out there who want to start their own business, what would that be?

Begin with your idea, step out on faith and fulfill the vision that the universe has planted within your mind, body, soul, spirit and everyday thoughts. Then become a fearless-tigress, confident woman. Wear your crown! Don’t allow anyone, woman or man to get in your head with “you can’t” and allow them to steal your dream.

But do your due diligence, define your business model, develop your business plan, consult your mastermind group of professionals, develop your product or service, identify your target market and marketing plan, and know your numbers. Seek business coaching from a trusted source to guide you along the way.

In your opinion what are three things that women need to know about finances?

Get out and stay out of debt, unless it’s considered good debt that is making you money in the form of positive cash flow or positive interest payments instead of bad debt that is costing you money.
Achieve, monitor and maintain good personal and business credit, by paying your bills on time and at least pay the required minimum. No need to pay late fees or have your interest rates increase. Keep your personal credit score at 770 or higher. This will stabilise your borrowing power with creditors.
Have an emergency savings account of about 6 to 9 months of your total living expenses. Have a regular savings account that you can have available investment capital ready for investment opportunities. If you’re working, utilise your employer sponsored retirement plans, especially if your company gives you matching contributions at any percentage. Don’t leave free money on the table. Before investing, complete your due diligence. If you are still unsure, seek coaching from someone that you trust, or from someone who is highly recommended.

How do you see the role of women in business and as speakers on the big stages now and in the future?

Because of the historically male dominated glass ceiling way of doing things, the Global Woman is fighting a harder fight than her male counterparts in business, as well as big stage speaking opportunities. As a result, today and in the future, women will not be denied (I did not say it will be easy) their opportunity to shine as business leaders and speakers on the big stages in our global community. I know there are men who oppose my words, and I know there are men who agree with me! Men need not FEAR the rise of the global woman business leader and big stage speaker.

Just as women do when men are speaking, men should also sit down, pay attention, and take notes when the global woman is speaking in the board room or from the stage. Men might learn a thing or two, because women have a thing or two to say!

I’ve met some incredible global woman business leaders who are already speaking on the big stages of the world. Robbie Mathews, Randi Zuckerberg, Bethany Frankel, Christie Brinkley, Lisa Nichols, Dr. Kara Scott Dentley, Francie Baldwin, Joanna Mukoki, Mirela Sula, and other Global Woman Business Leaders. As Les Brown’s say’s “that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

I wrote the following poem in dedication to my wife Robbie, Mirela Sula and the Global Woman Business Leaders around the world.

THE GLOBAL WOMAN BUSINESS LEADER ROCKS

She is a global woman leader with a new paradigm for changing the world

She helps the business woman, young ladies, and aspiring little girls

She is an empowering global woman leader, operating outside of the box

She is business savvy, and extremely smart like a fox

She is a global woman leader with foresight, because hindsight won’t do

She moves her agenda forward and her vision is true

She is a quick witted global woman leader with blood vessels of steel

She makes hard decision sometimes wearing high heels

She leads with her left, she leads with her right

She’s doubted in the board room, backing down from no fight

She’s in the 15^th round and still stand strong

She has the right leadership skills so she can’t go wrong

She knowns the secret that makes her a global woman leader

She fully understands that the world really needs her

She has patience and understanding but will leave you in the dust

She is a symbol of integrity, and worthy of the worlds trust

She doesn’t sit around waiting for opportunity to knock, because

She is an empowering global woman leader, who definitely ROCKS!

WE HAVE BEEN CREATED DIFFERENTLY FOR A REASON

Editor @ Global Man March 16, 2018 No Comments

WHAT’S WRONG WITH MEN?

WE HAVE BEEN CREATED DIFFERENTLY FOR A REASON

We have asked five men to give their opinion about men and they kindly agreed to answer our “strange” question “What’s Wrong with Men”. Read below their meaningful answers.

NOBODY’S PERFECT

Alexander Keehnen- Co-founder of ‘Earn More Work Less’

Besides the fact that they’re terrible at washing dishes, you mean? And that they consistently skip the difficult corners when vacuum cleaning, hoping to get away with it? Men and women are like high tide and low tide. Yin and yang – two sides of the same coin, each have their pluses and minuses. Women are emotional creatures and, in contrast, some men hardly know that they have emotions. Men are overconfident and women aren’t confident enough. Such is the biggest irony in life: the men are out there arranging the world, overconfident, causing aggression, environmental damage, wars and violence. And the women? They see things go terribly wrong (and intuitively know exactly what to do), but unfortunately, they often choose to stay safely at home.

Is this bad or is this good? In my opinion it’s neither – this is just the way things ‘are’. We are nature. A better question is: “What can we DO about it?” Nobody’s perfect, and the only thing we have control over is our decisions. So let’s focus on ourselves whether we are a man or a woman. Let’s embrace nature, thank the universe for all the good we have and focus on being the kindest, bravest, most loving person we can be.

WE HAVE BEEN CREATED DIFFERENTLY FOR A REASON

Victor Dauda Tarfa – Award Wining International Transformational Speaker

The world is full of opportunities and it is full of great people – both men and women. The only way we can fully tap into every opportunity is by working together. A lot of the problems we face in the world today are because we have not fully spent time understanding each other. A man is built to be a hunter – he is like a lion and wants to own his territory. The woman is caring and loving and very welcoming. So, in a sense, the man is seen as the more‘dominant’ one and can sometimes be viewed as being oppressive to the woman. But If you ask me what is really wrong with men, I would say ‘absolutely nothing’.

I believe everything on Earth was created for a reason. We have been created differently for a reason – whether this is a good or a bad thing – but it’s more about looking closely at everyone’s individual qualities and seeing how they can be harnessed and used positively. Women have spent far too long trying to compete instead of working together – and men are hunters so they have been fighting back as it is in our nature. The way forward will be to work together. As a husband for ten years, living with a woman who is an International Speaker I too have spoken at several women’s conferences. I can clearly see that the women are fast gaining confidence and it is important that we men don’t see that as a threat or a ‘take over’ but to encourage them and to look for ways to understand them better in order to productively work together.

A typical woman has a great ‘gut feeling’ about many things and she can often see and spot what men miss. A man is very focused and is good at sticking to one thing at a time but generally a woman can do many things at a time and remember a lot of things too! A woman is usually prone to being more emotional and a man tends to be decisive and firm which is sometimes very important in business. So I see our differences as a blessing that enables us to work together in order to create a better world.

I HAVE A PREFERENCE TO FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS

Ben Chai-CEO/Founder/Owner at Incoming Thought

There is a lot wrong with men and society in general. A little google research would show just how problematic societal male discrimination against others, especially women, actually is. As an educator and mentor, I have a preference to focus on solutions. So here are a few tips.

1.Learn to negotiate effectively. According to some studies substantially less women negotiate for what they are worth. Before you negotiate make sure you understand your worth, what is unique about you and how you can fulfil your company’s overall mission.

2.Many male problems are due to generations of patriarchal education. Begin a generation revolution. Educate and shape your children’s ideas on the roles of men and women.

Where possible remove or reduce the number of toxic men in your life.

4.Don’t stereotype men. Just like women, men come in different shapes and sizes. Know what you want from a business or personal relationship with a man. If there is anything you don’t appreciate in the interaction, let them know how you feel either directly or indirectly.

Create the awkward conversation. Here are a few examples:-

a). “Whenever I’m around you I feel guilty from the things you say – is it me or is it something you are doing unconsciously?”

b). “This role normally attracts a higher remuneration. Is the reason for this discrepancy, because I haven’t negotiated the pay increase or is there something else that the company is expecting from me?”

MY FATHER WAS ALWAYS RESPECTFUL OF ALL WOMEN

Joe St Clair-Managing Director of the The Laszlo Institute Of New Paradigm

Is there anything fundamentally wrong with men? As a man, maybe it’s difficult to take a fully unbiased and independent view. But what I can do is to share my very personal experience of what it is like to be a male in today’s rapidly changing world. Men’s views of women are undoubtedly shaped by three major influences in their life. In order of importance they are the way their fathers treated their mothers, their ‘peer group’ influences from school friends, work colleagues and social circle and thirdly the media (Television, film, books, radio, magazines, online media and social conventions etc.) All of these powerful and lifelong influences subconsciously shape our beliefs about what is acceptable behaviour between men and women.

By far the greatest influence flows from father to son. My father was always respectful of all women and always believed in equality so I am fortunate to have adopted the same attitudes in my formative years. School friends are a powerful influence on us in our early years but the media is probably the most profound influence on our perceptions as we grow to maturity. TV and film are still the prime mediums for learning about male-female issues and unfortunately they often create distorted or unrealistic scenarios which we interpret as being a ‘norm’.

Before the days of ‘political correctness’ TV and films, particularly in the Sixties and Seventies, tended to portray men as dominant, forceful creatures that tended to rule over, take advantage of, and dominate timid women. In general terms women played lesser significant roles in films and TV and it was deemed ‘okay’ by film censors to treat women disrespectfully. Unfortunately, these sort of ‘influences’ have become deep rooted in society and only now is the tide starting to thankfully turn.

Today equality and the empowering of women is rapidly changing the gender landscape and I welcome the re-emergence of the matriarchal influences that will undoubtedly move our society towards greater equality and fairness. There are still far too many men stuck in their old-paradigm behaviours however, and it is up to all of us, male and female alike, to lead by example and stand up for what is morally and ethically right. Balancing the male and female elements in everything we do, and working together for the common good, ultimately creates harmony. This isbecause, like the yin and yang forces described by the Tao, together the energy of male and female duality combine to form a powerful force that is greater than the sum of its parts.

THE OLDER I GET, THE GREATER POWER I SEEM TO HAVE

Steve Eggleston – CEO & Founder at Eggman Global

Addressing this question from the gender perspective, what’s wrong with men is that many of us were allowed to exploit, abuse, and monopolise our positions, privileges and powers, without being held in check by those of us who could have challenged it, stood up to it, and stopped it. This, like other forms of prejudice and abuse, – racism, ageism, fascism, bias to ancestry, nationality, poverty, and lack of education – makes women mad, and quite rightly so. Victims have every justification to be mad, and now, at last, they are fighting back peacefully but powerfully – like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela for Afro-Americans, like ‘Standing Rock’ for Indigenous People, like the ‘Sierra Club’ and ‘Green Peace’ for Mother Nature, and like John Stuart Mill for liberty. I have worked extensively in law, entertainment (film and music), and books. Comparing and contrasting the glass ceiling in each will be the topic of my talk at this profound, evolutionary event. As the late great Susan B. Anthony once said, “The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world. I am like a snowball – the further I am rolled the more I gain.” May we all come together to tap into this momentous time in history.

Swedish Wealth Institute: Secrets To Start Up Success

Editor @ Global Man March 7, 2018 No Comments

Swedish Wealth Institute:

Secrets To Start Up Success

By Fati Gorezi

Daniel Wood is an entrepreneur and investor that, together with his wife and business partners, runs three businesses – the ‘Swedish Wealth Institute’, ‘Completed Connections’ and ‘Property Effect’. The mission of each Company is to help individuals to achieve financial independence through investing or entrepreneurship. The ‘Swedish Wealth Institute’ in particular, is an events based Company that brings together potential investors and entrepreneurs to learn from experienced business mentors and coaches from all over the world.

Can you tell us more about yourself and how you became successful?

My name is Daniel Wood and I was born and raised in Stockholm in Sweden. My father is American and my mother Swedish. This mix has been very important in shaping me into the person I am today. It has given me both American confidence and the Swedish attitude of caring and recognising the importance of having a good support group around you.

My wife Gisela and I originally started investing in property in the UK. As we became more successful in this venture we started to invite friends and others who were interested in property investing to free events where we shared our experience, lessons learned and tips for success. This led us to setting up the ‘Swedish Wealth Institute’ and now we hold events every month with the aim of helping people to become successful property investors and entrepreneurs.

When did you decide to create the ‘Swedish Wealth Institute’ and can you tell us more about it?

We started the Company in January 2016 and we have been busy ever since. There are some world class Companies that have been founded in Sweden like IKEA and Ericsson and yet there is still a huge knowledge gap when it comes to cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit and having the courage to start new a new Company. There seems to a willingness to learn these skills in Sweden and we are here to encourage people to turn their ideas into a business.

Historically most Swedes would tend to travel to the UK or the US to seek out top class business advice and coaching but few business people would come out to Sweden for that sort of advice. We wanted to change that perspective and make Sweden an attractive place for new businesses to flourish. It takes three things to help entrepreneurs and investors reach their goals – knowledge, guidance and passion and that’s what we are here to provide.

We meet passionate and creative people every day and our goal is give them the guidance and knowledge they require to take the next steps to success and to help them find specific expertise or mentors. Through the Swedish Wealth Institute more and more highly regarded international speakers are now coming to Sweden. So when people come to our events they can be sure of hearing wisdom from the very best. All of our speakers have achieved success and are keen to share their stories and tips and lessons that can be applied in the real world.

What makes the difference between an average Company and one you should consider investing in?

All entrepreneurial success stems from the vision of the organisation founder and the core team. If there is a clear vision of the organisational goal, a passion for creating value and a solid revenue model and marketing plan then you have all the right building blocks for success.

I always like to ask would-be entrepreneurs questions like ‘Why do you want to start a Company?’ and ‘If you become a billion dollar business how is this making the world a better place and what positive changes will it bring?’ If these types of questions are answered with honesty and integrity and you and your team believe passionately about what you do then you have the fundamentals for success.

Do you think there is any particular pattern or formula for starting a successful business?

If you have an idea for a product or service that you truly believe will make a difference to people’s lives then you will need a will and a passion to succeed as well as the strength to face and overcome the inevitable obstacles that will get in your way. Persistence to succeed is often as important as the passion to make the business a success. This where a good mentor can help you stay focused and avoid mistakes based on the lessons they learned themselves. A good mentor can also help you to spot opportunities that you otherwise might have missed.

Many successful business people say that before they became successful they had to face many challenges or setbacks. What have been the main challenges you have had to overcome?

Like all new businesses we had many challenges to overcome and we also made mistakes along the way. We didn’t always see the risks and we also lost money when we made bad decisions. You learn a lot from making mistakes and the key is to structure your business and partnerships in such a way that you stay protected even through the tough times. This is why a good mentor is so important.

How do you promote and encourage the women who work for you?

Two thirds of our Board are women and approximately 70% of our clients are women. It is encouraging to see so many women stepping up and having the courage to start their own businesses. The most important thing today is to look beyond any gender limitations because it no longer matters whether a business leader is a man or a woman. It is what they bring to the table that counts.

What are your three top tips for individuals that want to succeed as investors and entrepreneurs?

To succeed you must have passion about what you want to achieve. You also need to acquire knowledge about your profession and you also need a good revenue model. You also need the determination to push through every challenge. It’s also essential that you know about the intricacies and risks of your chosen marketplace. A good mentor can help you to spot potential deals and how to optimally structure your business for success. Most importantly, if your business doesn’t make money then it won’t survive so you need to know how to convert clients into buyers and how to maximise the value you give to your clients and the value you bring to the business.

What are your own personal goals for the next three years and what are you seeking to achieve?

Our goal is simply to continue to help more and more people across the world. We want to expand into more markets and help more people become successful entrepreneurs and investors. Our dream is to make one million people become successful. Most people who find success are willing to give something back and many of our investors donate around 10% of their income to charities. If one million successful people gave back ten percent of their annual income to charity it would generate one hundred billion dollars a year that could be used for good causes like ending poverty, improving education for all, provision of better healthcare, improving water quality and even reversing global warming.

What type of marketing strategy would you suggest for a new business owner?

A good marketing strategy should start with answering some specific questions such as:-

What is my passion?
What are my values?
Can I find a way of turning my passion into a business?
Is my idea scalable?
What is my revenue model?
Who are my target customers?
How can I bring my product or service to market?

Once you have answered these questions then find a good mentor or business coach who can guide you and support you on your journey to success.

YOUR NEW SECOND HOME IN GREEN COAST LUXURY RESORT

Editor @ Global Man February 7, 2018 No Comments

YOUR NEW SECOND HOME IN
GREEN COAST LUXURY RESORT

GREEN COAST LUXURY RESORT,
A HIDDEN GETAWAY GEM IN
THE MAGICAL IONIAN COAST IN ALBANIA

Green Coast – a brand new luxury resort in Balkans – is strategically built in Palasa, one of the best locations in Albanian Riviera, between the cities of Vlora and Himara. The village of Palasa is known for its rare natural beauty, as it displays a unique combination of mountain and sea, a place where you can experience all flavors of the four seasons. Palasa Beach, adorned by a glorious ribbon of white sand and rock lapped by turquoise waters and endless underwater beauties, is the first reason to plan your gateway to this magnificent oasis in Albanian Riviera.

Palasa is a historical name that dates back to the ancient Pelasgians. Julius Caesar landed his army on Palasa beach from Brindisi on his battle against Pompey, who was located in Orikum. At that time, Palasa was a trade center making use of its harbor until the pirates made it their target, this then brought about its economic destruction.

The Greek soldiers used the light of the white rocks of the stream, which they called “the White Routes’ to guide themselves in the sea, known as “Delta”.

The gastronomy, vegetation, farming complete the puzzle of this area exquisiteness.

Albania has been identified and increasingly evaluated as an up and coming world-class destination for foreign tourists. Prestigious international media such as Lonely Planet, the Huffington Post, Telegraph, RaiTre, etc., are listing Albania among the places to be visited. A warm climate and 300 sunny days annually offer the opportunity to enjoy the sea tourism, mountain tourism, cultural and historic tourism, the agriculture and the gastronomy.

Being near Italy, Montenegro, Greece, and Croatia, having rich natural resources and a welcoming nature and being also a low-cost destination, Albania is becoming the favorite Mediterranean destination.

AND FOR THOSE LOOKING TO INVEST IN REAL
ESTATE, GREEN COAST LUXURY RESORT IS BY
DEFINITION A SPOT NOT TO BE MISSED.

Green Coast Luxury Resort extends on more than 20 hectares of land, offering a selection of properties that combines the elegance of architecture with the precious values of nature, history and culture. A variety of luxurious, stylish and spacious villas with garden and apartments overlooking the sea, a 5-stars luxury hotel, integrated service, entertainment facilities, and a promenade along the seashore will exceed the residents and visitors expectations. The Green Coast Hotel is projected to welcome visitors throughout the year, so guests will enjoy the nature of this wonderful place and services during all seasons.

The first properties and Waterfront promenade services will be available this summer, with the first phase due to open in the second half of 2018.

In addition to the beauty of the nature, Green Coast provides proximity to other touristic locations rich in historical and cultural values. Here we mention Vlora and Saranda that are about 1 hour away, or Himara that can be reached within 30 minutes’ drive.

The location at the resort also provides great opportunities for sport lovers to indulge in various sports activities, such as sailing, diving, canoeing, parachuting or exploring the sublime and almost untapped underwater world. The professional guides will be hired to organize tourist trips around the villages, taste the exquisite local foods, enjoy the scenery, and visit archeological places and other historical sites. Green Coast Luxury Resort will offer for its inhabitants or hotel guests in the winter, the possibility of doing winter sports with special dedicated areas.

IT’S TIME TO INVEST IN YOUR
HOLIDAY HOME IN GREEN COAST
LUXURY RESORT

Green Coast is the project under development that will bring a new standard in the Albanian tourism with dedicated and specialized services. For those looking to make an investment in the growing vacation and property market in Albania, Green Coast Luxury Resort offers investment opportunities services to its current and future clients, local and international ones: Property Management and Investment with partnership.

Property Management – All the residents of Green Coast Resort can be part of this program, which will be supported by an exceptional and dedicated team, committed to providing clients and visitors with a great accommodation experience and well maintained houses. The Property Management program has a high-rate investment return starting at a minimum of 3% in the first few years up to 10% per year after 2020.

Investment with partnership/co-ownership – The “co-ownership investment” is a form of purchase borrowed from the best European examples where 2 or more co-owners invest in a property at Green Coast with different quotas over the property price. The rights and obligations of the co-owners stem and are upheld based on the investment quota. Each investor/owner acquires the title of ownership over the unit in proportion to his or her investment quota.

Albania is becoming the ideal place of investments in real estate because of the welcoming environment, low taxes, cheap living standards, and pleasant weather. The Albanian legislation does not represent any obstacles to the purchase of a property if the person is not an Albanian citizen.

The rights on property and common areas are provided in the Civil Code of the Republic of Albania. As well as this, the insurance over the ownership title is regulated according to the notary system.

For more information, visit www.greencoast.al , or contact the Sales Office on [email protected]/ : +355 69 80 55 251

What women should know about men

Editor @ Global Man January 5, 2018 No Comments

7 TRAITS OF WHAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MEN

Trevor Clarke

As I read and edited the submissions from three male contributors, it gave me constant smiles and even laughter. I could resonate with much of what was being said. There is a common theme and many similarities in the views, and if I had written a piece, it would most probably have been a blend of the three with just a few additional nuggets. Don’t get us wrong, I, and the other men here, love women, we love your company, having great conversations with you, and appreciate the many qualities and talents that you have and contribute. It is part of the equilibrium in this world that men and women need each other to complement each other’s strengths, and of course, to tolerate each other’s “weaknesses” (we may not recognise them as such!).

For balance, we will do a follow up feature, for the new magazine, Global Man, where we will invite women to offer their view of what men should know about women. If we can understand each other a little better, and collaborate together more rather than as separate entities, as if on different planets, then it will be our contribution towards the new paradigm and for making this a more balanced world, of harmony and less conflict. Do send us your views, Global Women, on what men should know about you!

BEN CHAI/ PROPERTY INVESTOR

WE ALL LIKE COMPLIMENTS….

Men are simple  That doesn’t mean that we aren’t intelligent or clever. Men say what they mean. There is no underlying message. If a man says he is tired – he is tired. If he is staring into the sky and you ask him what he is thinking and he says nothing, he is literally thinking nothing. There is no secret message, no hint, no message hidden between the lines.   In addition, if we say something that seems ambiguous and can be taken as a compliment or as sarcasm pick the good one. If we don’t like something we will tell you. This is the reason why when we ask you a question, we also take your answer literally. Every answer you give us will be treated literally because we can’t read minds.
Men can’t read your mind Women have this uncanny ability to read body language and between the lines that most men have no clue about. It is why two women can look at each other and know exactly what the other one is thinking. However men have no clue. It is why we don’t like questions such as how do you think I look in this dress? Or what do you think we should do in this situation? It is also why we don’t like given tasks such as “please sort out our branding,” or “take us to a good restaurant.”  If you want men to do something, you need to tell them exactly what you want them to do. For example, “I like sushi, please take us to a good sushi restaurant.” If there is only one answer you want to hear, without bursting into tears or getting angry, then we would prefer you don’t even ask us the question. It is why men also don’t like hints.
Men don’t like hints As we aren’t mind readers, we also don’t like hints. Yes, we can see that you are hinting at something but we honestly don’t have a clue at what you are hinting at. For example, if you say you’re fine but you’re clearly not and you want us to listen to you but keep telling us you’re fine, we’ll just give up and think you’re a drama queen or someone not worth dealing with.   Men love solving problems but hate playing childish games. Just tell us what you want and don’t get angry with us if you aren’t specific and we guess wrong.
Men love problem-solving  If you don’t want us to coach you or offer solutions, tell us that you just want to vent and let off steam. Tell us that you just need someone to listen. If you don’t tell us that you don’t need help and you just want us to listen, we will offer up a solution….every time. Offering a solution to a problem is how we show we care. It also allows us to demonstrate that we are listening, and makes us feel like a man.
Men like to be made to feel like men As women become more liberated, they prefer to do things for themselves. However, men like to feel like men. Let them do those little things like open doors and every so often. Let the men be the hero and fix and solve problems even when you can do it yourself. Other ways you can make men feel like men is to give them sincere compliments.
Men like compliments We all like compliments. Who doesn’t?! However, men don’t have the sophisticated support system that many women have. Men are so used to competing and rarely get compliments. If you want to brighten a guy’s day – find something that you like about him and compliment him on it or say thank you for something he has done. However do make it sincere rather than “you’re awesome” or “I liked your talk” – tell them why you think he is awesome or why you liked his talk or how he has helped you in your life.   On a side note, be careful with complimenting and touching guys, they literally get so few compliments that they may get the impression that you are into them. So be obvious about why you are complimenting them. By letting men know the why, you will communicate to him that you are a person of substance.
Men like people of substance The older and more successful men get, the less time

they’re willing to spend ‘chasing’ you. If both you and he are interested in any type of connection, business or otherwise, there should be no reason to play hard to get or still talk in terms of branding and marketing. Either create a firm date with a substantial offering and a definite outcome or don’t engage.  In the entrepreneurial world, women often tell me how wonderful they are and how many people are trying to do business with them. My response is always, “That’s great. I wish you all the best.” What the women are trying to say is that they would like to explore some kind of connection – so just be straight to the point if you wish to connect with a man.  In addition, if you try to make guys envious or try to make them compete with one another, you will be labelled a drama queen or a mischief maker. If you want to attract and deal with successful men don’t even try to make us envious of another guy. It will push us away. Successful men are creatures of habit and will try to surround themselves with great people.

Men are creatures of habit Whether men are successful or unsuccessful, they are all creatures of habit. If a guy breaks a promise, cheats on a wife/girlfriend or business partner or engages in any other inappropriate behaviour, he will do it again. You cannot change it. He has a learned habit. The nurturing behaviour that many women have will drive them to try. It is a reason why many women have bad boy syndrome. In every single situation, the woman has been badly burned financially and emotionally. What’s worse they have now created a broken wing habit in themselves where they will only attract and be attracted to other unscrupulous men.  Initially, perhaps for a few months or even a year the men will display great behaviour but eventually they will revert to type. If you play with fire expect to get burned. Conversely if you work with successful men who have helped many others be successful then expect your life to be enriched.

WHAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MEN

ROLAND MUSTERT/ ENTREPRENEUR

If a man says no he means no and if he says yes he means yes. Men tend to be rather direct and straightforward. In general there is no hidden meaning or agenda, nor beating around the bush. It’s just what it is.
By nature men tend to be solution oriented, problem solvers. We have to, because we used to be the hunters and solve immediate problems (e.g. threats). So if a woman explains her problems to a man, he will typically come up with solutions and has no desire to talk about the process. When chased by a lion there is no time to discuss the process! For the lucky ladies whose partner has read John Gray’s book, you have a much higher chance, but go easy on him, because knowing and implementing are two different things.
Related to the previous topic: men don’t sit in the pub for hours discussing feelings and going over the process again and again. They express their frustration, receive acknowledgement from their mates and that’s it. Problem solved.
Don’t expect a man to read your thoughts, we’re not psychic. If you want us to do something or act a certain way then communicate that to us in a clear and unambiguous fashion. With repetition, over time these things will become a habit.
If a man does something or behaves in a certain way that his partner doesn’t like, please keep in mind that his actions are not purposely to annoy you. He simply isn’t aware and needs to be educated. Of course, some men never learn anything.
Men typically have a better sense of direction and for reading maps, whereas women are in fact better and/or safer drivers. Oh yes, I know I’ll make a lot of male friends with this one, however, it is scientifically proven. So if you go on a holiday tour by car, make sure the woman is driving and the man is navigating for optimal success. Amazingly enough the opposite is usually the case.
A neurologist told me his discovery: There is a section in the brain that connects the right and left hemispheres. Research has revealed that men have only half the amount of connecting nerves in this section. As a result men typically THINK, THINK, THINK, FEEL, THINK, THINK, THINK, FEEL, whereas women go THINK, FEEL, THINK, FEEL, THINK, FEEL, THINK, FEEL. Given the fact the left hemisphere contains logic and reason and the right hemisphere contains emotions, it is not that difficult to get a better understanding of all the above points.

WHAT WOMEN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MEN

BY JOE ST CLAIR

In 1992, when John Grey published the book “Men are from Mars – Women are from Venus” little did he realise that it would go on to be a massive best seller that is still recognised today as a landmark textbook in terms of analysing male and female interactions.

A lot of the observations in the book could well be labelled as ‘fairly obvious’ because we all instinctively know most of these things anyway from our everyday experiences as men and women. But John Grey had the courage to set it all down in writing. So what has the book actually taught us? Have we all changed our behavior in the light of a better understanding of what makes men and women think and act differently? Not a bit!

We are all still led by our genetic inheritance, the role models we learned from our parents and media stereotypes. We might not really originate from Mars and Venus but we are still somehow ‘wired differently’. So maybe I can add a little to the endless mystery by humbly offering my own thoughts to the ongoing debate about ‘What women need to know about men’ deriving from my own very male perspective – with no apology!

So here, ladies, are my five top tips for understanding men better…

“WE NEED TO TALK…”

Okay. We all know that in general women like to talk more than men. That’s fine. We can deal with that. But most men also like to talk about things they are passionate about. Important things like football, beer, cars, films and gadgets. If a woman says to a man “We need to talk about quantum physics…” or the ‘Works of Shakespeare’ or ‘Brexit’ or ‘Hindu philosophy’ etc a man will generally respond favourably. That’s because the subject matter has been clearly identified and the man is on comfortable ground.

But if a woman simply says, “We need to talk…” and stops there – then icy shivers will run down a man’s spine. He will start to break into a sweat and start gibbering like an idiot because he has nothing of substance to cling to with his logical mind. So the message here ladies is very clear. Never say to a man those scary words “We need to talk…” Instead, always finish the sentence with words that a man can understand like beer, cars or plumbing. That way constructive dialogue can ensue instead of the mumbled ramblings of a confused lunatic.

A WORD ABOUT ‘SHOPPING’

What women need to understand about men and shopping is very simple. Shopping means that a man has realised he has a need for something. It might, for example, be a screwdriver, a new shaving razor, a new shirt for work, a four pack of beer or even a kebab. Once the need has been clearly identified a man heads for the nearest relevant shop, buys the item and then goes home. That’s it. That’s the whole story – a) decide what you need to buy b) buy it c) go home. That’s how a man’s brain works.

So if a woman suggests that she’d ‘like to go out shopping for a while’ a man’s brain will think she is operating from the same three step model. Which of course is a huge mistake as men have discovered to their cost. So the secret here ladies is to recognise this huge disparity between what you mean by ‘shopping’ and what men mean by ‘shopping’. This simple nugget of wisdom is offered in the hope that I can save many men from enduring hours of interminable suffering within shopping malls across the length and breadth of this land.

EMOTIONS

For a woman, emotions are a very important part of life and over many centuries women have come to recognise the subtle distinctions between hundreds of emotional states and categories. Women are experts when it comes to emotions and are able to precisely articulate how they are feeling. They might feel elated, dejected, sorrowful, tense, excited, morose, bored, joyful, embarrassed, distracted or focused. So however women are feeling at any point in time they will always find the right word for it.

But for a man life is infinitely more simple and straightforward. That’s because we only have two emotions. We are either ‘Happy’ or ‘Not Happy’. That’s it. You can test this observation by simply asking a man how he is feeling and nine times out of ten he will reply with either ‘I’m happy” or “I’m not happy”. He will then feel that he has adequately summarised and fully explained the whole breadth and depth of his emotional state of mind at that time.

A man is generally in the ‘Happy’ state when he is in his ‘comfort zone’ (i.e. with his mates in the pub or at a sports event, tinkering with his car, tidying his shed or watching his favourite TV show with a cold beer in hand). A man is generally in the “I’m Not Happy” state when there is no beer left in the fridge, the football match has been cancelled, Mormons are knocking at the door, his car has run out of petrol or when you casually say to him “We need to talk…” or ask him if he’d like to go shopping.

It’s important for women to recognise which emotional state a man is in. It’s actually not too difficult. If he is smiling you can assume he’s in the ‘Happy’ state. If he’s not smiling then you can assume he is in the ‘Not Happy’ state. But don’t ever expect him to reciprocate and understand how you are feeling emotionally. Because he will simply assume you are either ‘Happy’ or ‘Not Happy’ too. Sorry.

DON’T DROP HINT’S – IT WON’T WORK!

Women are subtle creatures. Their words are full of depth and hidden meanings. They like to create subtleties and drop hints. They are masters of innuendo and subterfuge. Rather than speaking plainly and directly they prefer to play little games seductively and lay verbal trails that they hope men will follow. For example, if a man asks his partner what she would like for Christmas he is desperately hoping she will say something like “I’d love that blue dress in the window of M&S size 14”. This, for a man, is the perfect answer. Concise and precise with clear instructions to follow. He can’t go wrong.

But women rarely say things like this. Instead women will tease men with words like “Oh I’d like you to buy me a surprise” or “Maybe some nice cosmetics or perfume” or “Something to wear on holiday”. To a man these words offer nothing but a range of endless vague possibilities that he can’t cope with. His mind goes into instant panic and turmoil and he starts thinking ‘What sort of surprise? A kitten maybe? A ticket to a football match? What type of perfume? What sort of accessories for a holiday? A mask and snorkel?

So although a woman will think she has given her man a useful and helpful tip that will help him to choose the perfect gift the poor guy is now in complete meltdown because he has absolutely no idea what to buy his beloved. He will have forgotten her favourite colour and also forgotten what perfume she wears so his mind will be a complete blank. So if you want something girls then don’t be shy. Tell him exactly and precisely what you need and he will buy it for you. Because guys don’t understand hints. But they do understand orders.

MEN ARE BASICALLY STILL CHILDREN

Yes, we may be six feet tall and have hairy backs but most guys still act and think from the lessons they learned in the school playground. Over the years women have matured and developed their intuitions and wisdom and they expect their blokes to have grown up in the same way. But, sorry, it’s not like that. Most of us never did ‘grow up’. We still laugh at crude jokes or laugh when someone falls over. We still call people by silly names, drink too much beer, laugh at our mates’ misfortunes and enjoy simple pleasures like kicking a ball (believing we are obviously just as skilled as Beckham) or climbing trees like an ape.

Our idea of fun is pulling our friends trunks down at the local swimming pool for a laugh and our idea of stimulating conversation is to have a Saturday night out with the boys at a dubious pub followed by a late night burger. We are simple creatures that enjoy our simple habits. That’s why men secretly like ‘motherly’ type women. Our mothers used to keep us in check and curb our excesses. Our mothers still think of us as ‘naughty children’ even when we are in our forties – and we still respect that.

So learn to live with it ladies. Your life might be a quest to find the ‘perfect man’ but the truth is he doesn’t exist. We are all just grown up naughty boys.