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Per Bristow: The importance of voice in music, in business and in life

Editor @ Global Man May 12, 2021 No Comments

Per was a music teacher when he first realised that everything he knew about the human voice could serve many more people than just his music students. This realisation led him on a different career journey which placed the emphasis on the human voice as a crucially important component for everyone – not just musicians. In this interview he also reveals the importance of voice in the field of business as well as how important our voice is in developing our character and our confidence.

As a ‘Voice Coach’, is it important to have a good voice yourself?

As a coach, to be able to be somewhat of a role model for what you are teaching is definitely important. Then again, we are all unique so we could all have very different opinions of what ‘good’means.  I have trained my own voice extensively and what I would like to encourage everyone is to realise that any voice can be improved significantly. This doesn’t mean we are ‘changing’ your voice or making you sound like someone else. It’s about releasing a greater version of you and of enhancing you. Yes, we are all unique and my job as a coach is not only to improve and free the physical voice, but to free and empower the inner voice.

When did you decide to become a voice coach and how did you first make that decision?

I was a full-time music teacher after high school, mainly because I was already known as a musician. I’ve always loved teaching and coaching to help someone discover their greater abilities within. My method was born out of my experience as a musician, but also from being an elite youth athlete, which made me interested in anatomy as well the aspects of performing under pressure. As I came to Los Angeles from Sweden and began coaching voice, clients were getting wonderful results and I soon realised that I had a unique method in the making.

Can you tell us more about your work with famous singers? How much do you help them and what are their most common requests?

I’ve actually never considered how famous a client is. I am, however, empathetic to the fact that ‘fame’ often adds additional pressure and fears. As I moved away from coaching one-on-one to one-to-many via my online training programs, I seldom know who has done my online training. However, I often receive messages from people who have been helped through the home-study training. That includes high in-demand singers who’ve overcome voice problems through my online training. The most common problem for a high-in demand singer or speaker is indeed when a problem occurs with their voice. Understandably, this causes them enormous pressure and fear, as their livelihood is at stake. Just as for the athlete, we need to heal and condition/strengthen the voice to be able to perform at high levels.

Is it more difficult for you to work with an individual, or work with a famous name?

No, it really makes no difference to me. However, every life situation brings with it different fears and pressures as mentioned above. Much of my training also goes beyond voice training to developing peak performance skills. These are things like becoming a more effective and influential performer/presenter, improving health to be more creative and productive and to be able to perform at high levels on stage and in life. So however famous or successful we might be, we are still just human beings.

As a professional, can you tell us how important communication is, not just in the business world, but also in other areas of life?

Communication is vital and key to any business success in my mind, whether it is to communicate with prospects, customers, business partners or teams. The ability to positively influence, inspire, guide, negotiate, and sell is directly related to your income, as well as to your personal relationships. It all goes hand in hand with how you are able to resonate with the person you communicate with. It’s not necessarily always about what you say, but the resonance and energy of you voice that makes the difference.

How much does the voice help in self-esteem?

Enormously so. Our fear of expressing ourselves may go back to our childhood needs to belong, fit in and be loved. Many times, being silent as a child became a good strategy to not disturb the peace. Many people have grown up with the belief that a child should be seen and not heard, or that their voice and opinions aren’t important.  Likewise, when we experience a problem with our voice, our ability to connect and influence is severely impacted. A restricted voice goes hand in hand with a restricted personality. A timid voice goes hand in hand with a timid personality. A forceful voice goes hand in hand with a forceful personality. A free and resonant voice goes hand in hand with a free and resonant personality. When the voice becomes freer, you become freer and that dramatically affects your confidence, self-esteem, feeling of self-worth, and how others are impacted by you.

Have you ever considered yourself in another profession? If so, what would you do best?

Well, I think that what I do is a blend of many professions. Coach, performer, singer, speaker, media creator, entrepreneur, marketer. Much of my coaching incorporates voice, expression, negotiation, selling, presentation, health, creativity, sleep and also attaining peak performance.

Do you have any messages for all those who are in the first stages of their career? What advice do you have for them?

Implement your ideas in order to discover greater ideas from doing that. Embrace the love and art of constantly learning and discovering. And enjoy the beautiful experience of making a fool out of yourself in the process 🙂

Lucas Serby – A Swedish Star in the Making

Editor @ Global Man July 23, 2019 No Comments

By Fatima Gorezi

He has already worked with some of biggest stars of the movie and entertainment industry of today and there’s no sign of him slowing down: Lucas Serby is a young Swedish actor, model and creative currently situated in New York City. He is a graduate of the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the oldest acting school in the English-speaking world, and an institution that has previously been home to acclaimed alumni such as award-winning actor, director and Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford and Hollywood Golden Age legend, Oscar winner and Spartacus himself Kirk Douglas. Lucas was the first of his graduating class to book a part in a professional New York theater production, and has been seen on stages all around the city and on TV by millions since then. He talks to us today about what made him take the leap to pack up his things and move to a different country, what drives him as an actor and overall creative,  and what it’s like to be a part of one the fastest changing industries in the world.

So I’m very curious, what was it that made you decide to move to a completely new country to pursue your dreams? Because as I understand it, you’d never been to New York City before moving there and you didn’t know anybody there?

Yes, that’s true. You know, I was watching this TV show, Sweetbitter, on STARZ pretty recently. It’s about a girl who moves to New York City to… get away, I suppose, but at a job interview she’s asked why she decided to move there all by herself and her answer is “it’s kind of a calling, moving to New York” or something similar, but I think that that’s definitely what it was for me. It felt like a calling. I’m a big fan of Marlon Brando and James Dean and they both got started in New York, so being the romantic that I am I just thought to myself that “of course, there’s no other place to go or that I should go to”.

And bringing it back to you moving there all by yourself without knowing anybody in the city. Did that scare you?

You know what, it didn’t at all. Looking back at it now I feel like I should’ve been absolutely terrified, because New York City is huge and it was a completely new city to me at the time, and that would have been the normal reaction. But I wasn’t. It just felt right to me, like it was meant to be.

Also, my first night there I was staying at a hotel right around the corner from where I was going to go to school, and this was right in the middle of New York Fashion Week so there was a lot of models staying at that same hotel and I got to talking to one of the girls outside, and she asked me what I was doing there, if I was there for Fashion Week and so on. So I told her that I was from Sweden and had just moved there to pursue acting, and after a bit of talking she told me that she wouldn’t mind introducing me to her manager and she gives me her email address and asks me to send her a picture to forward it to him. So I do, and I get a response from the manager basically saying that he thinks I look like James Dean and that we should work together. Nothing really came of it in the end, but I always took it as a sign that I had made the right choice.

Obviously acting is a big part of your life, what was it that made you want to pursue it?

Well, I started working as an actor professionally in Sweden in my early twenties, but I’d say my relationship with acting goes back way beyond that. If somebody were to ask me about my first love, my answer would always be “movies”. Movies have always been a big, big part of my life for so many reasons, for example one of them being my mom who used to be a movie critic when I was growing up, so I had the privilege of getting to watch a lot of films, many of which that hadn’t even been released yet, so I was very lucky. That definitely fueled my interest. I also had a very vivid imagination as a kid, and I loved to reenact scenes from my favorite films, for instance, one of my earliest childhood memories is pretending to be Simba from the Lion King in pre-school.

A good quote that sums it up, I think, is from an older video I saw of Heath Ledger, another actor that I really look up to, may he rest in peace.

His agent asks him: “So how long have you been acting?”

Heath replies “About… 20 years.”

Steve, his agent, notably confused goes “How old are you?”

“20.”

I always liked that one.

You say you started acting professionally in your early twenties, what made you decide that it was time to really get into it, so to speak?

It had always been there in the back of my head. Always. But life is life, and things happen, and after school I found myself working in an office, unsure of… Well, unsure of a lot of things in general really. But I was lucky. Incredibly lucky even. At the office where I was working we were an incredibly tight-knit group of people, and the CEO and Founder, who is still one of my closest friends today and like an older brother to me, taught me that I was good enough at a time where I really needed to hear that. It really taught me the value of having a supportive group of friends and the importance of surrounding yourself with people that inspire you and always want what’s best for you. So I just want to give a shout-out to Aria Asgari, I love you brother.

So anyway, I think I just realized at one point that I wasn’t supposed to be working in an office for the rest of my life, and, as cliché as it sounds, realized that you only have one shot at life so you might as well take the chance and pursue what it is that you really want to do.

Tell me a little bit about how it is working as an actor professionally in New York and Sweden respectively. What have your experiences been like?

They’re obviously two very different places! But starting from the beginning, I started off in Sweden with not a lot of experience except for a couple of amateur shows, so at first I had no clue what I was doing. I had a few small parts here and there and worked as an extra for a bit, and then it started to finally feel like it was going well when I got a part in the Swedish comedy TV show Jävla Klåpare which aired for a season in 2016. But I quickly realized that as somebody who didn’t have an education as an actor and with very few contacts, Sweden did not have a lot of opportunities, which is why I started looking into moving to the US, which had really always been the plan.

New York City on the other hand is a crazy place. There are so many opportunities, and there’s so much going on, and I’ve been lucky to have met some great people there who have really taken a chance on me. It made me realize that it’s all about who you know. You can have a lot of credits on your resume and a fancy education, but what really matters is if people want to work with you, as a person. We’re also at a point right now where there’s a big shift happening in the entertainment industry, and being in New York City when all of this is going on, you just kind of feel that you’re in the middle of it all, and it’s very exciting.

So tell me about your work in New York, what have you been up to since you started working over there?

I actually started booking jobs even before graduating. I was very eager to start working, and I started going on auditions during the time that the school set up so-called “mock auditions” for us to practice for the real thing. So I’d be in school going on a fake audition, and right after I’d have to leave because I had to attend a real one. It was a very interesting experience.

The first job that I booked was a full rendition of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale with the absolutely fantastic theater company Classics on the Rocks. It was about 3 hours and 30 minutes long, and it was amazing. It was just a great thing to work on right after school because everybody was just so passionate about the work, just like it should be. It’s definitely still one of my favorite productions that I’ve been a part of to this day.

Other highlights include playing Sid Wells on the Investigation Discovery show In Pursuit with John Walsh in an episode that premiered to 1,36 million viewers, and of course working with the Scandinavian American Theater Company. I got to play the part of Jonte in a production of the extremely talented Tanja Lorentzon’s play The Courtyard. I got to work with some brilliant people and the play was seen by a couple of actors that I really admire.

Currently I’m promoting a film called Dead Air which I’m really excited to be a part of. It’s kind of an homage to 80’s horror movies and rock music and it’s a lot of fun. It’ll be playing at several different film festivals this year so I’m really excited about that.

And you’ve also been working as a model over there?

Yes, I’ve been fortunate enough to see what that industry’s like as well. Acting and modeling are similar in a way, but very different in another. They’re both a lot of fun, and I’ve had the privilege to see these big fashion events up close, working with brands such as Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren. I hope to do more of that in the future as well.

Finally, you’ve already achieved a lot in such a short amount of time, what is the source of your drive and motivation?

Honestly, I think that, to me, the entertainment industry is one of the most important industries around. What we get to do is to tell and share stories that need to be told, and it’s just such an honor to me that I get to do that for a living. If I can have an impact on just one person’s life through the work that I do on stage or on screen, then it would have all been worth it in the end for me.

Lucas can currently be seen in Dead Air which premieres July 27th at the Peekskill Film Festival.

There are no failures, only feedback

Editor @ Global Man June 20, 2019 No Comments

Paul Boross – There are no failures, only feedback

By Fatima Gorezi 

Paul Boross — aka The Pitch Doctor — is the award-winning ‘Best Corporate Speaker’ who specialises in the “art and science” of corporate communication. Drawing on a career that has taken him from primetime TV, music and stand-up comedy to production, development, consultancy and motivational psychology, Boross works regularly with such power players as the BBC, Google and MTV, training executives in communication, presentation and pitching. His frontline experience of performance — his credits include a 12-year stint at London’s legendary Comedy Store — coupled with a strong commercial grounding enable him to deliver effective and focused skills to clients from a range of industries, from media to medicine. His latest book, Leader On The Pitch (co-authored with rugby legend Scott Quinnell), is rising fast up the Amazon charts.

How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?

I was an entertainer. I had a band called “Morris Minor and The Majors”, and we had a couple of pop hits. I also was in a comedy and music duo with my good friend Ainsley Harriott, who is now a famous chef. We were an act together for eight years playing at places such as The Comedy Store, The London Palladium and all over clubs in New York and Los Angeles.

Whilst it wasn’t a traditional business, it was still reliant on having an entrepreneurial spirit with getting gigs, marketing and working to convince record companies to sign us. We got a deal with Virgin and that was when all the hard work started, because I realised that getting into business and making those kinds of commitments means that other people have much higher expectations of you.

Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to taking that first step and setting up your own business?

I think that the entrepreneurial signs have always been there in me. As a child, I used to buy raw materials like felt and make soft toys which I would then convince parents to buy for their younger children.

Whilst in my youth I had various jobs – like working at the post office at Christmas and doing a few weeks on a building site – for periods of time, to earn money. I really was a self-starter and preferred to create my own enterprises. When I was at school most of my friends had jobs working in shops on a Saturday or newspaper delivery rounds. I found out that you could earn more by being in teenage ‘photo-love’ magazines. Once I had been in a couple, I discovered that you could earn three times as much as my friends earned by also writing and directing the stories. Basically, I was always a person who said ‘I can do that’ and had the courage to go for it. I think there was certainly an element of showmanship in this too, but I don’t think you need that to be an entrepreneur. I think you just have to find something that you get a buzz out of, because that gives you the energy to keep going.

What has been the role of luck in your success?

Of course, I am lucky. I am lucky to have been born in a country where, if you worked hard and smart, you could achieve. I believe that luck is an attitude.

My father – who was a Hungarian refugee, arriving in this country with nothing but the clothes on his back, – always said that he was lucky. That was despite the fact that he had been in the 2nd world war at 17, gone into Berlin with the Russians in 1945, been put into a prisoner of war camp for six months. Then, eleven years later had to escape from Hungary and spend 5 months in a refugee camp. He had many more tough times in his life but he always told everyone how lucky he was. I believe that luck is all about that attitude, of seeing the opportunities that life presents, to know that while you’re still breathing you’ve still got a chance to get to where you want to be.

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

I am not sure that I have achieved it yet! Like most people who succeed, I am always looking forward rather than backwards. I suppose part of the entrepreneurial spirit is the belief that you can always do a little more, or a little better. Or sometimes, a lot better!

Overall, I am proud of having raised a son I love and admire. I am proud of making my living in some of the toughest professions, namely, music, comedy and the media. I think we can only judge our life’s work looking backwards. Perhaps this is what drives me to achieve more.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently? And what advice would you have given to yourself if you could only relay one piece of advice to your former self?

I genuinely wouldn’t do anything differently. There are no failures, only feedback. When I failed, I learned to get up quickly and move forward. Everything that didn’t turn out how I planned was part of the journey, and I would not be where I am today without those faltering steps.

As for advice to my younger self… I would remind myself that nothing is so important with the perspective of time. The old saying of, ‘this too shall pass’ is something that you should live by as much as possible. This applies to good times as well as bad times of course, and I think it helps to have a perspective that averages all of the ups and downs. Even thinking of a time as being good or bad is only a matter of perspective, because we never know where something will lead.

The only things I ever regretted were things I didn’t do but thankfully they were few and far between. At 19 years old, there was a very tall beautiful Australian woman that I didn’t ask out when I had the chance. I still think about that from time to time!

What is your experience of working with women? And what is your opinion about their talents and skills?

I have always had a very good easy relationship with women. As a teenager, I had both girlfriends and friends who were girls. Being able to share and talk with young women gave me an insight that I think hold me in good stead today. I now work with very influential and powerful women and men and I treat each with equal respect.

It is a generalisation but many women are better at listening to their intuition than men. Men can be overly analytical and practical at the expense of trusting their innate feeling. In business, it is crucial to be in touch with your instincts. Perhaps that’s a result of the environment that we’re working in, where many men feel that they are expected to be strong and decisive, and women are given more leeway to be intuitive and emotive. In that regard, I think men and women equally benefit from expressing those capabilities.

Where I do see an issue at times is where someone is trying to fit in with a cultural stereotype which doesn’t fit them. Whether that’s a female executive thinking she has to be tough and ruthless, or a male executive trying to be emotive and gentle. These stereotypes don’t help the individual to be at their best, and I don’t think that, in general, we take enough notice of the individual’s unique strengths.

I don’t see that men and women in general have any different skills; certainly when it comes to mental or creative skills. Of course, there are some physical jobs which are better suited to the male stereotype, or vice versa. But in terms of the majority of jobs around today, I don’t see a difference, and certainly the world of work that younger generations are getting into now is a much more level playing field than it was a few decades ago.

 

Cover photo credit: Emma Hughes Photography

The passion that drives to success

Editor @ Global Man June 19, 2019 2 Comments

Ronny Barthel  – The passion that drives to success 

By Fatima Gorezi 

Ronny Barthel is a professional photographer, very talented specializing in media design, photography and video production.He has  worked for some insanely powerful companies and from 2018 he has worked as  photographer for coaches, speakers, coaches on the way in the field of personality development and spirituality. He shares with us some great details from his life and speaks about the passion that drives him to do what he does every day. Photography is his muse, his true profession. He says that he don’t photograph things, but only  the way they make him feel. He aim to engage the reader through his photos; to focus on interesting subjects. He also loves snapping quicky and unusual things encountered in daily life. Portraits are a particular favourite. He says that it’s a joy seeing individual history reflected through people’s eyes and mapped on their faces.

Can you tell me a bit about how you became a photographer? What was your first exposure to photography?

My beginnings in photography were more than 10 years ago. At that time, I photographed portraits with analogue cameras and developed them myself in black and white labs. Then, over the years, I’ve been more and more concerned with photography. When exactly I get the first camera and why I do not remember exactly.

How big a role did photography play in your life before? When did you start taking photographs?

The role of photography has always been there but not the primary one in my work. I think that was due to the fact that I had to gain experience first of all because even with me this was not laid in my cradle but through much practice and repetition.

Who were your early influences?

I do not really have big names from photography that influenced me. I’ve always been an outsider in my youth, doing my thing in my own way and not looking at others that much. I still do that now.

Among your works, which one is your favorite? Why?

Basically, I photograph everything that has to do with people. Photographing beautiful landscapes does not really motivate me. I would like to capture people with emotions and hold them forever. In my work, I like to do the most idle snapshots as well as my lifestyle shoots. These are already provided but should nevertheless look as natural and unimpressed as possible and depict the person in front of the camera as authentically as possible.

Whose work has influenced you most?

Most have influenced me rather good wedding photographers but these are rather not so known in public. I have photographed weddings for several years, sometimes up to 40 per year.

What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

There is no special thing because I now know that all things are related. Capturing people with emotions is very complex and I do not mean that in terms of technology. In order to capture someone authentically and in the emotions, there are many qualities that one has to possess. You have to be authentic yourself, have a certain empathy, your own energy has to be very positive and attractive, you have to own personality yourself.

How do you get inspired? And what inspires you the most? Movies, books or magazines? Or is it just what’s around you?

Meanwhile, I am most inspired by myself and my environment. I try to be as outside as possible, but simply with me, to see where I want to go, what I want to achieve and implement this easily. The environment is a very important factor, which Feedbach gives you for your work, supports and guides you.

Has the industry changed a lot since you started shooting, or is there still a lot of work there?

Yes, of course, like everything else in the world, everything is always changing faster and faster, and it’s important to stick to it so you do not lose yourself. Twenty years ago, technology was still the limiting factor, it was expensive and harder to learn. Today, in the age of cell phone cameras, photographers are in need of completely different skills. It will only be successful and stay with the times, dealing with the new technologies and using them for his benefit.

What can you recommend to other photographers trying to find their niche?

You should just try different things and not stiffen. Especially with photography it is very important that you love the thing that you do otherwise it detects the opposite and there is simply no connection. For example, I had thought about making money with travel photography, but I did not know how to do it. Now I have come to the niche by chance coaches, speakers, coaches and entrepreneurs to photograph and photograph in Germany and also at their events, retreats and create your images for all social media channels.

What are you passionate about besides photography? What do you do in your free time?

In my free time I like to do sports (jogging, swimming, snowboarding), I like to listen to podcasts and I am also involved with personality development. I like to go to the movies and spend time with my son. I like to travel and experience crazy adventures and meet new people.

What are three things that people  need to know about the photography business?

– Make the photography out of passion

– Be the best in your niche

– You have to be authentic to represent people authentically

The world through the lens

Editor @ Global Man June 19, 2019 No Comments

Fadil Berisha -The world through the lens

By Fatima Gorezi

The successes of Fadil Berisha – internationally renowned photographer – are consecutive, as he has transformed his work into art, bringing a unique style of world-wide photography. While browsing his photos, whether of Hollywood celebrities, or people not necessarily with a public profile, create the idea of ​​visiting a real art gallery where colors, energy, style, elegance, thought, sensation beauty, deep artistic spirit, and so on.

The conversation with her looks as interesting, as exhausted as possible (with returns on the past and the present), just as her photograph would surely know to withstand time and generations, changes and technological overthrow. He has a special relationship with Albania and Kosovo,  two countries that he has always kept at heart. Undoubtedly, this explains why he is one of the most beloved personalities among Albanians, and his contribution to the Kosovo war, where by his art he managed to make the world aware of the size of the Kosovo tragedy of that period, thus sparking the political response.

Fadil has today the exclusivity of photos for Rolex and is the official photograph of Miss Universe and Miss USA; with contributions to sound magazines such as Elle, Vogue, Glamor, Seventeen, People Magazine, Harpers Bazaar, Esquire, Vanity Fair, GQ and others.

He has also photographed many personalities such as Halle Berry, Tyra Banks, President Bill Clinton, Snoop Dog, Sugar Shane, Hostly, Jenifer Beds, Beverly Johnson, Robert Evans, Jamie Lynn Sigler etc., which further demonstrates the magnitude of his universal success.

Among the lines, you will learn from Fadil talking about his art and important moments that have marked his life and career, as an existential meaning for a man who has seen the world from the wonderful window of his camera.

How do you remember your early life, your childhood? You have left your country when you were 9 years old. What trace did Kosovo leave in what would happen next to you and your life in America?

I had a beautiful childhood … with very beautiful memories and surrounded with lots of love. These beautiful feelings I have taken with myself into the art of photography by pointing out the beauty.

Fadil, you’ve been working on many fashion fairs by promoting campaigns for global brands. Your work is featured into the front pages in many prestigious magazines. Going back in retrospect, how do you remember the beginning?

The beginning has been incredibly difficult … I did three jobs to get and collect income just so I could go to school.

What are the most difficult challenges you have faced during these years of your journey?

Among the hardships associated with the profession are many trips for work reasons in different places and coordination of photographs in my private studio, as well as my effort to help every young Albanian artist.

What would you classify as your most special picture, which carries a special memory for you personally, emotionally?

One of the most special pictures I have realised is a picture of Miss Albania, Hasna Xhukici and Miss Kosova Marigona Dragusha. Both girls qualified in the ten of the most beautiful girls in the world and Miss Kosova was second in this so prestigious female beauty contest.

 What is beauty for you? Should the subjects of your focus be necessarily beautiful?

I like classical beauty! I think everyone has something beautiful… somebody’s eyes, somebody’s neck.

 How much do you think has changed the image of women and the concept of beauty over the years?

I believe classical beauty goes and comes. As the saying goes: ” class is forever ”. At this time the concept of beauty is exotic, but always returns to the classics.

 Has the technology changed / influenced photography? Is this a positive or negative change?

The digital photography has changed the art of photography and I think this change is positive.

As you look at the range of your photos, it seems that the portraits are your strong point. How easy or difficult is to point out their character/ personality?

It is difficult to point out the character’s personality, but it is important to gain their trust in highlighting the best that those people have.

Is it a public figure you want to photograph but still have not done?

Maybe I want to photograph Angelia Jolie, it’s a classic face to me.

What is the report that you have today with Albania and Kosovo? What keeps you connected tightly to your mother country?

I go back often because it is the passion and love that I have for my people.

 People who deal with art, creativity, usually have a deeper understanding and perception of social life. How do you see the situation in Kosovo and  Albania today? I mean from an economic, political and social point of view ? How is your image for them in your mind?

Albania and Kosovo have advanced a lot. There is art everywhere!

What is your greatest ambition in life, as a human being and as a photographer?

 My personal ambition was to open the doors for Albanian artists to inspire them with my art and I think I have achieved this; in some ways I have become a tie.

How many photo albums does Berisha family count? How is  your relationship with your children and wife?

Maybe not so much. I have many pictures of the children when they were young. We have a very good family relationship.

 You are well acquainted with being a philanthropist and participating in charity campaigns. Can you share with us some more details about this?

I am always ready to support various issues, including organisations against various diseases. Charity is important to me. It is also important to give your contribution to the human community.

Shaping the future

Editor @ Global Man June 10, 2019 No Comments

Richard Sibalier – Shaping the future

By Fatima Gorezi

Founder of Richard Conseil Consultants, Senior Consultant Executive Coach and Corporate Trainer. He advises and helps leaders to make distinctive, lasting, and substantial improvements in performance.

Richard believes that continued self-development is something very important  and one of the pillars of growth. In this cover story for Global Man Magazine he shares with us some important details of his journey, his experience in coaching and why he believes that coaching can help people to get results in their projects, business and everyday life.

He speaks about how to build a real business and not just one to be self-employed. He also goes into detail about what’s needed at this time when technology is flowing and how some things in the modern workplace have changed and improved.

What can you tell us about your childhood and upbringing and how it has influenced you?

I came from business family: my father was a well-known businessman.

I grew up close to him, accompanying him in every step in his business life since I was child.

Being surrounded by this professional business life influenced me a lot to be an entrepreneur.

Who are your family today and what are your personal interests?

I have a beautiful wife with three adorable successful children. At the main time my personal interest is business clubs membership, voluntary work, community involvement, blogging and sports.

Being an entrepreneur, how much would you is due to nature, your genes, and how much is it instinct and nurture?

To be an entrepreneur is something to born with. It’s something in your DNA. But this alone is not enough. These genes must be refined with study, hard work and experiences.

What attracted you to become involved with coaching?

I believe in the power of sharing our experience. The key to make your life really unique Is to share what you know. I wanted to share my experience with the world, because when you discover something, it only has a value if it provides benefits to the society. The first thing that you should think about is: How can I share it with the world? And How can I make it available for everyone?

Why do you believe that continual personal development is so important for everyone?

I believe in change; change is one of the pillars of growth.

The continual personal development is a powerful tool to raise skills and competitiveness.

You are a very Corporate Trainer as well. What are the common challenges faced while training coordinators?

There is a big gap between what people learn in universities and in the real business life. The way of theoretical training must change.

Corporate trainers must be more than typical trainers. They have to be interactive course designers and must deliver real value.

After 20 years of experience, I express my corporate training philosophy in one sentence: “I don’t teach words, I teach a real business experience”.

What life and business lesson did you learn from these experiences?

Life is a journey of tenderness: the more you give, the more you take.

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

Nowadays we see a lot of successful feminine leadership across all business sectors. Women have started to take their real place in business life. It is inspirational to see keynote speakers on the big stages, help and influence more women into leadership.

Why and how did you find your passion for empowering people in business?

The idea to be useful, making an impact and changing the business life of someone to become better naturally attracted me.

My passion is to transfer my experience and to help entrepreneurs to fulfill their ambitions to achieve growth and to turn their passion into a successful business.

What words of wisdom would you give to our readers, either already successful or aspiring to succeed?

If you ask me to describe myself in one word, I will tell you that I am the risk itself. So take the risk and enjoy the journey of entrepreneurship.

As someone who’s built successful, large-scale teams, I’d be curious about your leadership and people-management philosophy?

“Human capital” is our most valued asset.

“My management philosophy is to provide an environment that leads to productive employees. Provide guidance, direction, leadership, and finally set an example to subordinates.”

Our group established a training center to train our employees. The programs cover all areas of:

  • Strategic management
  • Strategic Planning
  • Brand Management
  • Marketing strategy
  • Sales strategy
  • Customer Experience

What are some of the characteristics you look for in the people you hire?

Actually there are “10 Qualities to Look for in New Hires”

. Long Term Potential

. Enthusiasm

. Ambition

. Putting Skills to Action

. Team Player

. Responsiveness

. Communication Skills

But the most important thing is to be Passionate about our group and about what they do.

How do you ensure that you enjoy brand loyalty among your customers?

Loyalty Is not a given, it needs to be earned,

It needs to be earned and constantly nurtured. Loyalty is all about the customer.

The biggest misconception brands have when it comes to the loyalty question is the definition of where it starts and what it looks like.

Too many brands make the mistake that loyalty begins and ends with great offers and meeting the customer’s needs at point-of-sale.

Any brand can offer great discounts. Any brand can undercut competitors and make an offer a customer really can’t refuse.

That’s a good offer, but it doesn’t build loyalty.

Instead, the wider customer experience is key.

Customers don’t buy PRODUCTS !

They BUY Stories, Relations, Emotions.

We determine who we are and what our brands stand for.

Our group are loyal to our DNA.

Our brand identity tells our customers who we are, what we do and why we do it.

Best Brands are built on great STORIES. We have an authentic story, so they are passionate to be part of our story and to our brand. We built a strong strategy that makes our customer experience uniqueness in each visit to our shops.

What are the main reasons why people attend your workshops and seminars?

Actually I am not an academic professor; I am an executive with 20 years of concrete experience.

I don’t believe that one size fits all; every company is different. I have to design a customised & tailored training program for each company depending on the needs and the weakness points of a given company.

I help my audience to achieve sustained massive success with confidence & to take their business to the next professional level. They will benefit from my 20 years of international experience in strategic management & business development.

I design & conduct 100% innovative & dynamic tailored-made trainings, workshops, career paths, coaching programs that incite the desire to change. I am constantly looking to give something different to my audience, to add value in a way that others don’t. And I provide the best services by offering innovative solutions to answer their needs. I’m going to show them how they can make it happen.

Where is your company heading to in the next 5 years?

Since it’s birth to what is now known as the CHIC Group 1960, we made a promise that we will be the leading partner for luxury business across the Middle East.

After 50 years of doing business internationally CHIC group keeps building bridges and strong relationships between the Middle East & the West.

The wide experience  and the unique history with the High reputation will led the CHIC group to become a REFERENCE for luxury business internationally in the next 5 years.

How have you incorporated technology to deliver a better experience for your customers?

Technology has had a major impact in the modern workplace, revolutionising the way businesses conduct their daily activities.

Whatever industry you are operating in, technology helps our customers access all the information they need to successfully interact with our group. It can also help staff perform their jobs more efficiently.

Technology allows businesses to speed up production processes, maximising productivity. Technology improves company’s flexibility to deal with queries quickly and efficiently. Interactive websites, online chat support services and 24/7 customer service via social media set us apart from our competitors and help us to increase our profits.

And finally email marketing can also be effective, allowing us to reach out directly to our customers with news, updates and special offers.

Building self leadership

Editor @ Global Man May 8, 2019 No Comments

Mark Stephen Pooler – Building self leadership

By Fatima Gorezi 

Mark Stephen Pooler is a professional speaker, host, coach, author and international press and PR expert. His area of expertise is self-leadership and transformation born out of his amazing life and near death experience. He is passionate and dedicated to inspiring others to overcome their own adversity and find their inner entrepreneur to transform their lives. He helps entrepreneurs to create  a mindset and belief system that makes their success a reality. He told the Global Man Magazine : ‘’Everyone is a leader we lead our own life everyday from getting up brushing our teeth to creating the day.’’ Mark’s early life was a less happy one because of bullying, something he has overcome to grow from a person of low self-esteem to be the outgoing and confident person he is today.

Tell us a bit about your background and how you became involved in speaking?

I was always the guy at school who got bullied about the way I looked and about my sexuality before I knew it myself. I suffered from low self esteem and low self confidence. Late teens, early twenties, my life had spiralled out of control. I was addicted to crack cocaine, heroin and many other drugs. At age 21 I collapsed and died from drug use: my heart stopped. That was a wake up call for me, as I slowly started to rebuild my life. I have always been a hard-worker and have worked for some of the biggest names in hairdressing in the UK. Aged 30, my entrepreneurship journey started. I set up as a freelance hairstylist. I then joined a network marketing company, which really opened up my world to social media entrepreneurship. After a couple of years, I decided to leave network marketing. I used to watch the speakers at network marketing events and knew that was what I wanted to do. It’s been a great journey of speaking the last 2 and half years. I am very proud to have built a successful professional speaking business and my passion is coaching entrepreneurs in public speaking. I have built a great public speaking coaching business. My one to one brilliance speaker coaching program is very popular and I am soon to release my brilliance speaker online program. I am super excited about the launch of my new book “Step into your brilliance”; a story telling how to positively influence. Additionally, there are public speaking and a social entrepreneurship course book coming soon. Doing international press and PR Radio are two things I love, and am currently working with big names in media, celebrities, business leaders, and contributing to big publications in business.

 How do you develop yourself and continue to grow?

I read and work with great coaches and mentors. I have had a business coach, life coach, voice coaching courses  seminars, and attend many events to grow and evolve.

 How does the critical, self-sabotaging internal voice (the voice of self-doubt or lack of  believing) limit your clients?

My public speaking coaching clients can let their self doubt hold them back from moving forwards. That’s why I love my job as their coach so much. I love giving them the skills and tools and self belief needed to create a successful speaking and social media entrepreneurship business.

A lot of people don’t consider themselves as  leaders. What would you say to them?

Everyone is a leader: we lead our own life everyday from getting up, brushing our teeth to creating the day. I would like to say that we can create any reality or future that we desire. It starts with having positive belief systems and making good choices. With repetition, anything is possible. I would like more people to follow their true dreams and goals and lead a life of purpose that serves others.

So what can leaders do to create a more motivating environment for their people?

Firstly, as a leader, you must lead by example and do what you would like to be done. Have empathy and love, be a good listener, and most importantly, come from a place of service.

Which leader has had the biggest personal influence on your life?

I was recently lucky to meet and have dinner with Jack Canfield, and feel blessed to have spoken on the same stage as him this year. His work on moving forwards in business and in life is incredible.

What book would you recommend to someone taking on new leadership responsibilities?

Jack Canfield Success Principles.

What is special about your lifestyle?

Coming from the past that I have, I am a true example that your past doesn’t define who you are. Waking up everyday and coaching my clients in public speaking and social media entrepreneurship. Interviewing celebrities and big business leaders on Radio and contributing to international business publications. Speaking and sharing my story of self leadership and transformation. I am living a life I have created by design, taking action, lots of personal development, working on my mindset. I am living a life that makes me proud from a past of hardship to a future of serving and success. I am excited about an event coming end of this year – early 2020, with some big names in show business. I have to pinch myself sometimes because of how special my life is becoming.

 What is the most important tip you can give for developing self- leadership skills?

Focus inwards on your own goals, your own dreams and desires; don’t look at your outside circumstances. Work on your mindset belief systems, be aware of the choices you make. Meditation, visualisation, and journaling are so important. Take big actions and never let anyone tell you you can’t achieve your dreams. Consistency and repetition are very important.

What are the secrets behind your success?

Hard work, failing lots, getting lots of no’s before the yes-es, personal development coaches, mentors, taking big action, never giving up, building good relations, and coming from a place of love and honesty.

You are a great advocate for supporting women as well. Can you tell us more about why you choose to do this, and the importance of it in today’s world?

Women today are really shining. Bright women throughout my life have always supported me. My grandmother, who I lost recently, was one of the strongest women I knew. My mom has always been a great support in my life. Women are close to my heart.

http://www.markstephenpooler.com/       

https://www.facebook.com/MarkStephenPooler/

Skip Archimedes – ‘How positive psychology is influencing wellness coaching’

Editor @ Global Man December 10, 2018 No Comments

By Fati Gorezi

Skip Archimedes is a ‘Transformational Coach’ and internationally acclaimed Speaker and Author, dedicating his life to helping people overcome the physical, financial, personal, nutritional, emotional and spiritual problems in their lives to become the best they can be. His mission is to bring back energy, positivity, achievement, health and vitality into the lives of those who have lost that focus along the way. He says that we should all be living healthy, vibrant, fulfilled lives up to and beyond the age of 100 and improving all the way.

What are a few of your success stories regarding your journey as an entrepreneur?

The first one I remember clearly like it was yesterday, was an idea I came up with at school and came very close to being expelled. I had a very simple idea of selling 50 numbers from 1 to 50 for £1 each totalling £50. I would then draw 3 numbers after I had sold all 50 numbers and the 1st prize was £15, 2nd prize was £10 and 3rd Prize was £5 and I would keep £20. Without knowing any of this was wrong I ran this for many months and everyone including myself loved it. Even though I was totally innocent I was introducing gambling to the school. When the teachers found out I got called in to see the Head of the school and I was told I was going to be expelled from school for the behaviour of encouraging people to gamble. It was only when my step-dad spoke up saying that I had showed great signs of an entrepeneur by not lying to anyone and actually generating an income through initiative. They spoke for some time and it was agreed that if I stopped my little lottery then I wouldn’t get kicked out of school. This hooked me into making things happen and spotting and creating opportunities.

After being told I would never walk again, I learnt from Bruce Lee about activating the Mind, Body and Spirit and getting in tune with universal energy. When anyone does this, the most phenomenal things start to happen in their lives simply because all resistance is gone and flow states emerge. I went back to gymnastics and won the English ‘Sports Acrobatics’ championships. I then got approached by an agent who said I had a very commercial look and would be great for doing acrobatics in TV commercials, pop videos and for live shows etc. I soon landed my first TV commercial and got paid £10,000 for a single day of filming which I loved because I had never earned that amount of money in that short time before and this was over 20 years ago. What I soon realised was that I started getting creative with ideas for things that I could do in shows and for filming that no one else had thought of. I spoke to the clients to find out what they were looking for and then I started making suggestions whilst on set for ideas that I thought would add more value. The response was amazing and soon I started to be the ‘go to’ guy for bringing acrobatics into different environments and I ended up working with incredible companies like ‘The Royal Opera House’, ‘X-factor’, many TV commercials and pop videos, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, ‘The Royal Albert Hall’ and artists/bands that would fill stadiums. Basically, I would come up with ideas for adding a flavour of acrobatics into the mix. This was before ‘Cirque Du Soleil’ became popular – so basically I was in the right place at the time with the right talent and creative ideas and I loved it because each contract was a different adventure. And, as far as the business side went, I could literally charge what I liked because no-one else was doing what I was doing – so for a short period I had an open market which was great.

While all this was growing, I started to come up with my own stage show ideas and soon ended up owning and producing shows and sending these shows out on tours all across Europe. One that became very popular was an explosive and dynamic show that involved dancing, acrobatics, fire, stunts, great showmanship and this particular show was a male cast only and was produced for female audiences so we added the element of tease into the production which made it a very unique type of show. I had no clue that this was going to explode, driving audiences crazy all over Europe. I ended up with 16 guys working for me and we would do sell-out theatres with audiences from a few hundred to thousands of women at each event. No one before had produced such a show and we literally dominated the European market and had lots of copy cat groups pop up. But we were known as the industry leaders. It was a great way to see many countries, meet so many great people and I soon found that travelling was becoming one of my best teachers because I learnt that there are so many different belief systems and some serve and some don’t. I feel blessed to have had that chapter because not only did we have lots of fun with so many celebrations, there was millions of pounds made – which is always great.

Since then I invested some of the money I made and owned different businesses, but found that the ones I always did best in were the ones I had passion and drive for that served a specific need. The businesses that really make positive changes in peoples lives are the one’s where that sense of fulfilment really shows up because in my mind, success without fulfilment simply equals failure.

I have faced many challenges, as we all do, but learnt how to turn my challenges into my blessings. I got asked to share these techniques with others and before I knew it I started public speaking to share these life changing nuggets with more people. I then started running my own live events, workshops and retreats around the world. I could see that the processes and experiences I started taking people through were helping people to transform on so many levels. I had never experienced this before and I found it so humbling to be able to assist in improving the quality of people’s lives through these powerful teachings.

I care deeply about doing my part in helping to create a better world, plus I had a real hunger for serving at the highest levels. It became apparent very quickly that a lot people were, and still are, feeding their minds and bodies with things that are draining them of energy and having detrimental effects on them.

I also started to learn the truth about truly nourishing the body and mind – and found that we have drained essential minerals from our soils on a global level. For example, our fruits and vegetables only contain 5-20% of the nutritional value compared to 100 years ago. Natural food is simply a shuttle system to be able to get the nutrients in the food into your body. If the minerals are no longer in the soils then how do they get into our bodies? The answer is – they don’t! This quote got me doing my research: “You can trace every, disease, every sickness and every ailment to a mineral deficiency” – Dr Linus Pauling. This amazing gentleman is a 2 X Nobel Prize winner which, in itself, is pretty remarkable.  I didn’t find anyone who contested what he said and through my deep intensive research I soon realised that eating healthy wasn’t enough in todays world if you want to really get the most from your mind, body and life. I knew supplementation was needed, so I looked into that world and continued my research.

I couldn’t believe that all the supplements and superfoods I found weren’t at the standard I would be satisfied with putting into my own body. This, to me, was shocking because these were being sold as health products but were actually doing people more harm than good long term. I ended up starting my own line of ‘Superfoods’ and didn’t put in any bulking agents, fillers or sweeteners and only used the highest quality of ingredients – and also ‘no cheat’ farming techniques. If people knew what was going on behind closed doors and what the harmful effects are of so many supplements I think people would be seriously shocked because the industry isn’t regulated yet.

My strategy was to create the most effective superfoods available that would serve the human body and mind at the highest levels. I knew this would not satisfy a lot of people’s sweet palettes for taste and thus would potentially put off sales. Not a good plan for a business! However, I was looking at this from the angle of simply serving the human body and mind with superfoods and nutrients at higher levels than what was already available. I had to let people know that “It tastes so bad, that you know it’s good for you!”.

Ironically, serving at that level, people really starting noticing a difference in the way they looked and felt and then – as their taste buds started changing – they actually started liking the taste which was great. It’s funny that when you eat and drink things that don’t serve you, you get addicted to those things. And the things that are actually good for you don’t taste good. So many people are out of balance because of poor dietary choices and unfortunately for them, they are suffering for it.

To be able to produce these superfoods that are helping people every time they ingest them is something I’m super proud of. I could have sold out and used cheaper ingredients and cheat farming methods that so many brands use to simply earn more profit. However my motivation was in producing something that was of the highest quality available. I never wanted my name or face on the Superfoods but all the experts around me said that people don’t buy into brands today as much as they buy into people. It was said that I’m a living breathing version of someone who has daily demands and responsibilities at high levels. I’m doing business all over the world and travel all the time in and out of different time zones so I need to be on my game consistently. I’m running and working on so many projects and need to have constant clarity, focus and to take actions so that we continue to grow and serve more people. It didn’t make sense from a business point of view to have my name and face on these superfoods but it felt like the right thing to do – to be a living example that these superfoods serve those with a busy lifestyle. They want to be sure that their body and mind can still be nourished at the highest of levels on a daily basis.  For me these superfoods are the building blocks that help me to recover, detox, nourish, revive, recharge and energise so that I don’t just survive but I really thrive. And that’s what these do for others who use them too, which of course is a great thing.

Tell me a bit about your professional background?

I never had any formal training in business which I’ve found does have it’s advantages – because today things are moving so fast. I was lucky because I owned my own Companies so always had the mindset of serving at that level. All the responsibility ultimately ended up on me – so I would always have to figure things out to make things work. Of course I made lots of mistakes, and usually we learn the most when we know what doesn’t work, so we can learn to do what works. I’d like to think I’m a fast learner and learn from my mistakes. Its important to move on and to keep adding as much value as you can. I’ve found myself doing all sorts of tasks and jobs and as long as I bring a good vibe to the table I seem to find the needed solutions always presented themselves at the right times. I have been really fortunate to have had so many great CEO’s, Managers, Business owners and Celebrities that include movie stars, pop stars and one of the Dragons from the TV show ‘Dragons Den’. They all say that my teachings have had the most profound impacts on their lives which is always very nice and humbling to hear.

What inspires you in everyday life?

I now find that the simple things in life inspire me; like nourishing my mind and body with great nutrition, moving my body in fun ways, getting out in nature, meditating to help let go of what isn’t serving me and reconnecting to what will serve; creating and building great relationships and basically living what I teach. Plus, I enjoy working with teams on common visions. I’m sure you’ve heard this: “teamwork makes the dreamwork”. I love feeling those goose bumps all over my body and this is a sign for me that we are on the right path with something and I feel blessed because these always happen multiple times throughout each day. In short, for me its all about helping to raise consciousness and to bring about more awareness to people’s lives so that they can truly live their dreams.

‘’Living Forever Young ‘’? Is this possible?

A massive ‘YES’ jumps out of me to answer that. Firstly I’m living proof because, at 45 years old, I literally feel better today than I did in my 20’s. As well as teaching this amazing lifestyle to people all over the world, the person I’m most proud of is my mother. She was overweight, in and out of hospital with many operations, had high cholesterol, low blood pressure, arthritis, a cupboard full of pharmaceutical drugs and couldn’t walk from one side of the room to the other without being in serious pain. She came to one of my retreats and afterwards lost 28 pounds in body fat and started ‘Living Forever Young’ and continues to do so today. She only started when she was nearly 70 years old and has turned into someone who is hungry for life again. She is a living example that it’s never too late because she now does yoga most days, swims about 100 lengths when she swims, and is more active now than she was 10 years ago.

In the last few years my mum has travelled all over the world for different adventures which she never thought was possible at one point. To see those positive shifts in someone whom I care deeply about and having nothing but love and admiration for is one of the best gifts ever – because she has added another 30 years onto her life and she gets to enjoy the freedom we all deserve. Of course this works especially great for business people because we must learn how to override the stresses of the corporate world and be in a position to add great value BUT the first person we need to learn add value to is ourselves.

What is the formula to ‘Living Forever Young’?

Unfortunately it isn’t something I can write in a single paragraph because its combination of many elements working in harmony with each other but the formula is contained within my book ‘Living Forever Young’ and the secrets can only be uncovered when you actually apply to them to your daily life. This book is a game changer because nothing tastes as good as ‘Living Forever Young’ feels. You basically handle all forms of stress better and lock into a way of living where you thrive in every environment because your mind and body function better – and the side effects are more productivity whilst looking and feeling better, which we all need more of.

What is your greatest strength?

One thing that many people comment on is my everlasting energy. And we need energy for everything in our personal and business life, otherwise things can get on top of us and once the stress takes over (whether its physical, emotional, financial, mental or nutritional) it’s game over for thriving. Along with having this abundance of energy I’ve found that keeping a child-like (not childish) spirit, keeps me learning new things everyday. Some may say I should grow up, but children learn faster than most adults. They seem to naturally have more natural joy and wonder plus they have more energy. They speak more truth and they are now teaching the elders new things because of technology. It’s so important to be able to learn fast in todays society otherwise you can get left behind and by keeping some of the powerful traits that children have, I think it adds more strength and wonder to one’s life. Plus you dream bigger, and, as an adult, you then get to enjoy making those dreams come true.

What is special about your lifestyle?

I simply live what I teach and that means everyday I get to do things I love and am passionate about. Every month I’m in pretty much in a different country and time zone so I get to see so many beautiful places around our amazing planet with amazing people which I’m very grateful for. Whilst on my travels and adventures I always make sure that I have lots of fun creating as many memorable and magic moments as possible whilst serving. There was a time when I never dreamed this was possible – but I’m living proof that this lifestyle works on so many levels.

How are the current innovations happening in positive psychology influencing wellness coaching?

Anything positive is always a good thing and there are many coaches all using different techniques to help their clients. I personally feel that if you’re going to take on responsibility to coach someone then you need to have a high level of understanding psychology in depth – otherwise you simply won’t be able to serve at levels that really help the client to breakthrough their challenges. Taking a holistic approach to the study of human strengths can only be a good thing because all the successful people I meet seem to create positivity and find strength from that.

In your opinion what is the mindset that new entrepreneurs require in order to actually succeed in a digital world?

I actually think that the mindset needs to direct all entrepreneurs so that they never sacrifice their own health for their wealth. In my seven week online programme called ‘Connect NOW’ (for Limitless Empowerment) I teach entrepreneurs how to activate themselves and to create the right balance so that the body, the mind and spirit can all function at higher levels which will help produce better results. You’ve heard the saying, “use it or lose it” and the same goes with your mind, your body and your spirit. So many people then take action but in the wrong direction which then does them more harm than good.

If you don’t use your mind, body and spirit correctly and consistently, they won’t function well and you may even risk things shutting down on yourself which could be disastrous for yourself and your loved ones. Through the seven week journey on ‘Connect NOW’ you simply use the activations for your mind-body-spirit and let the force of life start working through you. This plugs you into life where you have more balance, more alignment, more energy, more creative solutions and a lot more fun – even if, at present, you have a busy and stressful lifestyle. The reason this is essential is so that we spend time away from things that are digital to work on ourselves – so that when we do use technology we learn to use it efficiently and productively. This, I actually think, is something very important to address because technology is only going to keep evolving. But we, as humans, must unplug from the addictions that can cause the body, mind or spirit to suffer. Learn how to activate your body, learn how to properly activate your mind and learn how to open up – so that life, universal intelligence, source energy – call it what you will – can pulse through you at these high levels. Then you’ll want more and more because this is life at its best – and ‘Connect NOW’ assists in giving people this. This entire programme is actually digital but it does teach you how to go inside to find the answers you seek whilst helping you to create the body you’re proud of inside and out. The only thing that is with you from the day you’re born to the day you pass is your mind and body and this will teach you what most people never get to learn in their lifetime. The digital age is one that I think is serving humanity and business well in general, because ultimately it allows more truth to be shared. Ignorance isn’t bliss in today’s world so learn what you can from the digital world because it is great. But you must also learn how to unplug from it too.

I would like to gift a place on my ‘Connect NOW’ for Limitless Empowerment by sponsoring someone. Simply send me a private message on facebook explaining why I should gift you this seven week journey where your mind, your body and your spirit will be activated within you, so that you function as the best version of yourself. I look forward to seeing why I should select you for this life changing experience. You must be committed to your greatness and committed to serving yourself and others at higher levels. This will have so many positive impacts on your business because you will become a better leader. I believe we need more honest and authentic leaders in our world today and it would be my pleasure to assist you on that journey.

Do you have a favourite quote regarding business/entrepreneurialism that you would like to share with the readers?

“As soon as something stops being fun, I think it’s time to move on. Life is too short to be unhappy. Waking up stressed and miserable is not a good way to live” – Richard Branson.

 

Les Brown – You have greatness within you

Editor @ Global Man September 17, 2018 No Comments

 

*This interview is transcribed from the Global Woman Show with Mirela Sula

Today I feel very fortunate to have met an amazing person called Les Brown. I hardly need to introduce him because almost everybody knows about him and the way that he has touched the hearts of millions of people around the world. I am so happy that I can now share my interview with him that I know is going to inspire all the women who support the ‘Global Woman’ platform.

Les Brown, thank you so much for being with me today and giving your time to ‘Global Woman Magazine’. You know women love your work so please tell us more about what you do.
I am very glad to hear that you appreciate my work and I am very happy meeting you. But there’s something important that you said to me. I asked you about something that I want to get done and you said, “Anything is possible” and you said it with such conviction. That’s exactly the mindset that people must have, because, according to psychologists over 87 % of people’s negative ‘self-talk’ goes undetected by the conscious mind. But you have deliberately programmed yourself to believe, as an optimist, that anything is possible. And when you said that I believed it because you didn’t just ‘say it’ but you spoke with great conviction. This is what I say to Speakers when I train them. That having conviction is more important than the actual words you speak. So – I guess what I need to say is, ‘Thank you for blessing me with your presence’.
Your own story is incredible – and probably there are a lot of people who are feeling a bit down and trying to find excuses or complaining about politics or the situation of the world or, of course, they come from a poor family background or from a dysfunctional family. There are lots of reasons to complain about things – but you never seem to complain.
I do talk about things that have happened to me, but I don’t allow them to stop me. My new book is called; ‘You have got to be Angry’ and it’s about saying to yourself, “Here’s something I want, and I am going to get it in spite of the fact that it’s an unfair world – and also it’s not right that women doing the same work as men in the USA get paid less than the men get paid”. We all know that such inequality is simply not right. I was once working in a job that claimed that if you are the number one salesperson you become the Sales Manager and you will then get a bonus and I did it for six months in a row but they passed me by and then I was required to train other people that they would put over me. Clearly that was not right or fair. The only reason they did it was because they had the ‘complexion of connection’ and ‘I had the complexion of rejection.’ However, I decided I was going to ‘make it’ in spite of everything. Helen Keller said ‘when one door closes another door opens’ but most of us spend time trying to open a closed door rather than creating a door ourselves that we can then walk through unchallenged. In other words, we need to be able to live our own dreams and there are many women who have always had to fight against all the odds to make it through. There’s a gentleman by the name of Fred Astaire and back during the time he was in Hollywood they said he was the greatest dancer in the world – but the young lady that he danced with – she had to dance with him step for step but backwards and in heels! So, what I’m saying is that women have always had to be persistent to make it against all the challenges they have had to face. My mother adopted seven children and I was one of the seven. She made it against all the odds and although she didn’t have a great education she definitely had a PhD in ‘Mother’s wit’ and she always found a way forward even when there didn’t seem to be a way! Women have always had to do that and that is why I am excited to be a part of this interview and to be in the presence of women like you.

Thank you. So basically, you are saying that there is a lot of injustice out there in the world, but our duty and responsibility is not to complain about the unfairness women face but to prove that we can make anything possible if we face up to the challenges.
Yes. You have to do it ‘in spite of…’ Communities and countries are created by people and they can be changed by people and the secret is to maintain commitment through all the frustrations and disappointments we are going to encounter. We must all attempt to change the way that we function and also attempt to change the way women are treated – and in attempting to change the way we treat each other we need to understand this is a human problem. Human beings created it and human beings can therefore resolve it!
Well, as human beings we usually tend to see the problem not the solution. But not all the people have this ability to turn their perception in a direction that can guide them to the solution. Is there a secret to making this happen?
You know Einstein said “I don’t think I am so smart. I just have more patience than most people.” Most people want change to happen directly but it’s not that kind of world. You have got to be willing to be patient and it takes persistence and it takes going through some frustrations and disappointments and setbacks and things happening to you that you cannot anticipate. Some setbacks and problems just keep coming back again and again and I believe that sometimes angels are dispatched – and I believe that those angels support us by saying, “You know what? She’s really determined and she’s not gonna stop or ever give up.” That’s tenacity!
They did this study once and found that with a certain mathematical angle a spool of thread – after it’s released – hits against a two-ton steel beam. After so many hits – ‘pip pip pip’ – eventually it will begin to vibrate and then eventually the beam will move. Well, that’s what you are doing. That’s what we are doing in tapping into the consciousness of people and helping to create a different kind of world and changing how women should be seen not as just ‘receptacles for men’s orgasms’ but as thinking, feeling human beings who have something to give and something important to contribute to life. And it takes time to reverse that conditioning. I saw in the newspaper yesterday an article about a beautiful young lady that was raped and killed by her uncle. What kind of society have we created and what kind of mindset can give someone the permission to be that inhumane to another human being? It’s going to take time to reverse that sort of thinking and that type of behavior.
It feels that the shift is happening in the world and that more and more women are waking up. It feels like we have been sleeping for a long time. Now it’s time to wake up, to come to a higher level of consciousness, to connect with ‘higher self’ inside us and to see things like you just said. But sometimes we can’t anticipate things and we don’t have control over things. We can take responsibility for certain things we do in the world – but how can we coordinate and co-create with men? Not by feeling that we are against them or that we are separate but by working together. As we all know – we have left the world in men’s hands for a long time and it looks very messed up. So how can we get to the level when men see us as partners?
Think about where the world would be now if those who are in control had been inclusive in their thinking rather than exclusive. In other words, if women were allowed to participate and if people were allowed to participate even though they’d had an accident, even though they had slanted eyes, even though they came to the table with different sexual orientation, even though they might be in a wheelchair. Where would we be if all the thinking that’s available on the planet came together to collaborate and to work together with a mindset that said; ‘We can solve this. We can create a different kind of world’. Where would we be now? It’s like the way it was in the USA for coloured people in the USA. I am 73 now, but when I was a kid I would get on the bus with my mother and people would be seated in the back and there were seats up front where white people sat and even though there were some free seats there, mama said, ‘’keep walking Leslie’’ and I had to go past a yellow line to sit down. I said, “Why we can’t sit up there?” and she just said, “You can’t”. But the only reason we couldn’t sit there were because we were black. So that culture effectively said, ‘you are less worthy’. That culture and those laws in Society were designed to make people like me feel inferior.
I was invited to speak at the beginning of my career in Florida and unbeknownst to me they thought I was a different Les Brown. So, when I knocked on the door at the back of the theatre a guy said, ‘’May I help you?” I said, ‘’Yes, I am Les Brown’. He said, ‘’You are Les Brown’s driver?’’. I said, “No – I am Les Brown”. He said, “You are not Les Brown the bandleader!” I said, “No I am not”. You know he looked at me and then he was trying to spit on my shoes. I was so glad that he didn’t spit in my face because if he had I wouldn’t be here now. I would have grabbed him. He said, ‘follow me’ and people were already seated in the theatre and they had these album covers of Les Brown the bandleader. And this guy went at the microphone and says, “Ladies and gentlemen – Les Brown!” He then looked at me with contempt and walked off without shaking my hand and greeting me. So, I walked up to the microphone and I’m thinking, ‘How am I gonna deal with this?’ Everyone in that room were shocked because they only knew black people as football or basketball players but not as a Speaker. I am the only black face in the room and then I looked up and there was a sign that says, ‘You have the power to seize the hour’ and then I looked at the audience and I said to myself, ‘Right, I need to take control of this room. So, I said ‘I want you to think about why we are here. We have the power to seize the hour, to recognise your children and to give commitment to these young people because they are being moulded into who they will be in the future. I said, ‘Let’s give them a tremendous round of applause’. I knew they were gonna clap for their children. I needed to be strategic, so I said, ‘And all the parents would you please stand up? There are many people that loved you and believed in you and prayed for you – right up until this moment where we are now. Let’s seize this opportunity to recognise them with love and respect. Give them a tremendous round of applause!’

So you created this crazy energy in the room?
I just increased the energy by taking over the room and filling it with love and appreciation. After that they looked at me as if to say ‘Okay. What are you going to do? We will listen to you now.”

All this power and this energy. Where does it come from? What is the source?
The source is in all of us, who we are behind our eyes. We are all the same and so what I do is call for that source which I call ‘greatness’. I believe that when you are pursuing greatness you don’t know what your limits are – so you act like you don’t have any limits. And then I looked at the audience and I said, ‘You all have greatness in you. I don’t know who you are, I don’t know anything about you but I you all have greatness in you and we all speak from that place – the universal language of acknowledging each other and seeing the value in each other and loving each other.
That began to dispel the rejection, the hostility, the racism in the room and they began not to focus on my colour but focused on me as a human, because at the end of the day and – Jane Elliot said this – it’s not a black race and a brown race or a yellow race and a red race – it is just one race and it’s called the human race. It is brought together by love and God is love. Women are the greatest embodiment of love for me and I am here because of two women. One gave me life and the other gave me love. God took me out of my biological mother’s womb and placed me in the heart of my adopted mother and I think that there is a shift that is taking place and women are the pioneers of that shift. Women will help move us into a different future that Mother Teresa spoke about when she said, ‘’Lord I know you know how much we could bear, and I could bear”.

I am sure a lot of women will resonate with you and so much admire you for the fact that you speak so highly about your mother and the way that you put her on a pedestal. Can you share with us something that you never shared before about your mother?
Interesting that you said that. I had a moment with myself last night praying for my son and I asked myself is there something I have not done? As a kid I had a congestion of the lungs and another friend named Gramps he had the same condition. We were ten years old and we would sit in the back yard with two chairs side by side. One day I came to the backyard and Gramps had died. I remember that night when Doctor Johnson came over as doctors used to make house calls at that time and said, ‘Mamie give Leslie these drops every two hours’ and she had to be up all night to do that. Then she had to go to work on Miami Beach to cook for families with hand-me-down clothes and I remember distinctly my mother hands trembling as she was getting the drops out and putting them into my mouth and she‘d wrapped me in some leaves called ‘Palmer Christian’ leaves and was saying, ‘God don’t take my son, take my life, let me die, but don’t take my baby”. She didn’t give birth to me, she didn’t carry me for nine months and she is asking God to take her life and allow me to live. So, when I was praying for my son the other day I said, ‘God I had not asked you to do this. What mama can love me more than I love my son Calvin. I beg you take my life but give my son more time. I am 73 and I am an old man now and I am okay with going now so take my life instead.” I told this story on the Internet and a lady texted back. ‘God don’t listen to this fool. The God I serve could do it all – he could save you and your son. We don’t serve a limited God”.
What I learned from, my mother is that we must push forward in spite of everything. She believed everything is possible and that’s the kind of mindset that we must have to leap and grow our wings on the way to understanding. If you are not willing to take risks, you can’t grow. And if you can’t grow you can’t become your best, and if you can’t become your best you cannot be happy and if you can’t be happy then what else is there but to walk by faith and not by sight alone.

So you sometimes have to say ‘yes’ but you don’t always need to know how you are going to get there?
The key is to make a commitment. That’s what it will take for us to create a culture in our cities, in our countries, in the world and in the work place for women to be seen as equals. We just need ‘the will to do it’. What will it take for us to reduce the sexual abuse, the physical abuse, the domestic abuse and violence to women and children – those who are powerless and voiceless. Just the will to do it! What will it take for us to stand up to the universal bullies – the most powerful bullies on the planet? Everything that exists is because somebody had the will to do it.

You seem to be enjoying your life a lot now?
Yes. Because we don’t know how much time we have. Someone asked me, ‘What do you want your legacy to be?’ and I said, “I aspire to inspire until I expire” and I always tell my children that when they say ‘Your dad is dead’ don’t allow them to embalm me for three days! Come down to the funeral home and bring a microphone just in case!’ I’m here to teach people to live fully and not die empty. We have to develop the courage and the willingness to follow our life purpose in spite of the fact that we might live in an environment where women are treated inferior or in an environment of racism that does not recognise humanity. You must decide ‘I’m gonna do this no matter what’.

You mention a lot in your speeches that lot of people probably hope to have an easy life because it is difficult to lead a hard life, but you have turned this around and said that when life is hard work then your life is going to be easier. I really love that idea. Can you tell us more?
If you do what is easy your life will be hard. But if you do what is hard, your life will be easier, and we must be willing to do hard. Let’s talk about struggle. I am reminded of a little boy going through an area in the forest when he saw a caterpillar trying to come out of a cocoon. So he watched and he observed and after a while a butterfly came out of the cocoon and hit the ground of the forest fluttering its swings and then flying off. And a few weeks later he came through the same area and saw another butterfly struggling to get out of the cocoon and naively he decided that he wanted to help it to come out faster. He took a safety-pin out of his pants and he made a little incision and the butterfly fell out of the cocoon, hit the ground and fluttered his wings and died because it was the struggle itself that gave it life. The struggle itself – when the dream is big enough – means the odds don’t matter. In life you will always be faced with a series of god-ordained opportunities brilliantly disguised as problems and challenges. Challenges will introduce you to a part of yourself that you might not know right now. We must embrace the challenges because we grow through the challenges of life.

Thank you for this area of our discussion because this is very important especially for women who have realised that if they want to connect with their power and to stand in that power they also need to become more entrepreneurial. Financial freedom is where get most of the power because a lot of women are abused because they are dependent on the finance of other people. A lot of women are starting their own journey as entrepreneurs and starting their own business, but they are facing a lot of challenges. A brilliant idea is not always easy to achieve and so they give up. What is your advice and your wisdom to share with women entrepreneurs to motivate and inspire them to keep going and to be successful?
Three things. My mother was an entrepreneur when she could no longer work at Miami Beach for these wealthy families because they fired her. So, my mother had to become an entrepreneur and she didn’t have multi-level marketing during that time it was like a lottery. She sold moonshine and she sold homebrew. I never talked about it on stage because I don’t have the emotional bandwidth to do it without crying because at one time she went to prison. So, one of the things that I am training Speakers is never tell a story that you are not emotionally capable of handling yourself because this is no place for therapy. What I learned from my mother is she always said, ‘Every tub must stand on its own bottom’. My mother become an entrepreneur and she made a commitment to my birth mother that we will that we will never go to bed hungry – and we never did. We always had a roof over our head and we always had clothes on our back.
Women have always been the catalyst to say, “I am going to provide for this child or these children.” I remember talking to a man who should have been paying ‘Child Support’ and he said, “Oh they’re gonna let the mother take care of him instead.” I said, “But she didn’t get a child through immaculate conception – so you played a part in this child’s life too – so you should participate.” But a lot of guys who I call ‘sperm donors’ just walk away and leave the woman to struggle and make life difficult for her. That’s why the ‘Global Woman Magazine’ is so important in teaching women. Now is easier than before because of technology. These are women who are becoming entrepreneurs and becoming healthy through the comfort of their home with a computer. There are more women now that have a level of independence and more women who have a strong sense of identity. When your life has a sense of identity it gives your life a sense of purpose and a sense of direction and so they are now women who don’t just see themselves as wives or as mothers but as a global entrepreneur. They are living a life of contribution, not just standing in the shadows but can live and be fulfilled and make a difference to the planet. Women now have more access in certain areas of the world than ever before and that’s a good thing.

Gil Petersil: Strategic Partnerships Can Work Wonders

Editor @ Global Man September 12, 2018 No Comments

By Fatima Gorezi

There is a belief that you are the ‘average’ of the five people you spend the most time with. Indeed, your immediate circle determines your lifestyle, your income, and even your health. So, it is vitally important to choose these people consciously and wisely. The most efficient way to do that is through proper networking and strategic partnerships. We talked about it with Gil Petersil, a leading networking mastery coach, serial entrepreneur, innovator and public speaker.

Can you tell us more about your early life and your first steps in business?
I spent my childhood in Israel growing up in a traditional Jewish family. Later we moved to Canada and it’s there that I made my first money at the age of 14. My father would often go to Israel on business. One day he asked me what to bring from there for my birthday. I requested a box of audio cassettes with national Jewish songs. Right before Hanukkah (which happens before Christmas), I sold all these cassettes almost instantly.

The reason was that I was selling them at the shopping mall, where I could meet more interested people. Moreover, I did that on Saturday, when my competitors didn’t work over the weekend enjoying themselves. Of course, such a success was a true inspiration for me and I decided to venture into entrepreneurship. During my early years as an entrepreneur, I made attempts to engage in the restaurant business, bakeries and even mobile apps. Some of these efforts were more successful than others. But it was then when I realised: you never achieve anything on your own. No matter what move you make, you always need the right people to help and support you. So, I started paying a lot of attention to business networking and I saw how it helped me reach my goals faster and easier. Afterward, I decided to focus on networking and turn it into my primary field of expertise. Now I teach it at business schools and business events.

What motivated you to get involved in being inspirational for change?
Actually, it all started with my mentor and, I now daresay, my business partner Tony Robbins, the #1 life and business strategist in the world. At first, he was my virtual mentor and a role model as to how I should be developing my life.

Now my company “Meet Partners” which is based in Moscow are exclusive representatives of Tony Robbins in Russia and his number one partner in the world. We annually bring over 2000 Russians to Tony’s events in different countries. After one of the first Tony’s seminars that we went to, our Company’s focus moved from doing events where people can connect through networking to events where people can connect through education. Later on, when I developed a personal connection with Tony, he told me: “Stop running businesses. You are a Speaker and this is what you should be focusing on.”

I took Tony’s advice because management is really not my strength. I now hire great managers to handle all the operating procedures. Instead, I give speeches at global events where I teach people how to achieve any goals in business and life through the art of networking and the power of resourcefulness. When someone tells me how inspired they were by my speech and especially what great results they have obtained, it makes me a happy man.

What major challenges and problems have you faced? How did you handle them?
I would say that the major challenge for any entrepreneur is self-doubt. I lost motivation many times and I disconnected from the world of big goals. About seven years ago I went completely broke. I lost all my money, but the most terrible thing was that I lost faith in myself. I’m so grateful to my wife Katya who never stopped believing in me even when I stopped believing in myself. She is the one who always helps me overcome insecurity.

Therefore, my advice to the folks who are facing a similar challenge: don’t try to handle it on your own. Find someone who you can lean on in your troubled times. And stay away from those who tell you that your failure was inevitable because life is unfair, or any business is dangerous. I’m sorry to say that some people are happy to see you fail. It’s not because they are evil, it’s just that they want to feel better about themselves at your expense. So, the clear message is stand strong and associate with the right crowd.

What keeps you up at night when you think about Strategic Partnerships and moving from integration to optimisation to transformation?
My whole life is about serving people and Strategic Partnerships are one great way to do it. When you find a partner, you both can add more value to your clients and make them happier. There is one common misconception about partnering up with another business. Some entrepreneurs think that they need to find a Company which is working in the same niche and join forces with it. In fact, a partnership is when you find a business which is different from yours, but you have the same target audience. For instance, one coffee company partnered up with a car dealer. Now the car showroom has a cozy sitting area with free coffee. The coffee company gets support from a strong brand, the car dealer enjoys great coffee and the clients receive an excellent service that motivates them to come back and recommend the car dealer to their friends and colleagues. Everyone is happy.

Such cases always inspire me because I see how beneficial they are for all parties. And from my own experience, I see how Strategic Partnerships can really work wonders. For example, five years ago I could not imagine that I would become a strategic partner for Tony Robbins. Now he is coming to Moscow and is giving his first Russian seminar on September 1st, 2018. It’s a big amazing event, not only for Tony and me, but also for thousands of Russian people, and this is exactly what counts.

How is it in business, working together with your life partner, and how do you balance personal and business life?
Having the same person as both my business partner and soulmate is truly an exception, a great fortune. I always say that it’s not a good idea to mix personal and business life. Even when you start your business based on friendship, you run the risk of losing both, business and friendship. However, I don’t want to discourage anyone from starting a business together with your loved ones. After all, there are no rules without exceptions and our family business with my wife Katya is a living proof.

As for finding the right balance between business and family, we have a few life-hacks for that. The first one is planning. You write down all your goals, both short-term and long-term. That way you allocate time for everything that is important to you: visiting relatives, attending a global business event, having a romantic dinner with your wife, etc. By the way, Katya and I have a tradition: every month we go to a new Michelin-starred restaurant. And that is our method number two: traditions and rituals. Observing a daily, monthly, or a yearly tradition is very helpful. No matter how swamped we are, we always make time for each other and of course our little daughter Elly. And finally, I highly recommend talking to your partner about everything. Communication is the key to a healthy relationship. Don’t store up your resentments and grievances, talk about them, talk about your feelings. When your relationship is built on complete trust and you can openly discuss any problem, you succeed both in business and marriage.

What is your definition of women’s empowerment?
Of course, I believe in equal opportunities for men and women – but I also believe in a natural difference in genders. Thus, to me, ‘women empowerment’ means enabling women to achieve their goals using their unique female energy. I think that by nature women are more loving, compassionate and empathic. I would love to see more women bringing that to all spheres of life, including politics and economics. It will definitely make the world a better place.

My wife is from Russia and all Russians celebrate a big holiday on March 8th called the ‘International Women’s Day’. Historically, it was a feminist holiday designed to raise awareness about women’s rights. But gradually the 8th of March became a day of men’s declarations of love to women. I never miss the opportunity to congratulate all my female followers on social networks. I always say how grateful I am to all women in my life for their encouragement and support, for making us, men, better versions of ourselves. Both men and women have their strengths and weaknesses. So, what we really need to focus on is complementing and empowering each other. Therefore, my slogan with regard to this issue is: don’t compete, complete!

What are some key characteristics of an empowered person?
First of all, it’s taking responsibility for your own life. An empowered person will never blame the circumstances, the government or other people for any problem that he or she may be facing. As Bill Murray put it in the iconic movie “Groundhog Day”, “We make choices and we live with them.” So, an empowered person learns to make choices and deal with their consequences.

Secondly, it’s constant growth and development. No matter how successful you become, there is always room for more. And this is where life-long education comes in. Empowered people are curious and motivated to improve their skills. Therefore, they never stop learning: from books, business events, from others, and so on. It’s important to know what skills you lack to achieve a new goal and how to obtain them. But being aware of your skill gaps should not let you down. An empowered person is also self-confident and knows how to deal with fears and limiting beliefs that prevent them from growing.

Finally, an empowered person is a great communicator. The ability to maintain an open dialogue at all levels is essential. Through good communication skills, an empowered person inspires and empowers others changing their lives for the better. Of course, these are not all characteristics of an empowered person. Among other traits I can name such things as being proactive, innovative, making quick decisions, and the list goes on.

What advice would you give to those who want to give up due to a lack of empowered feeling, thinking and action? (e.g. What is an important first step)
As a strong believer in networking and the power of human relationships, I would advise seeking support from others. Reach out to those who respect you and the things you do. Look for them among your family, friends or colleagues. First, there is a chance they have been in a similar situation. In this case, they will be happy to share their story and let you know how they managed to overcome such crisis. What’s even more important is that these people will not let you give up because they appreciate what you do. They don’t want you to quit. Therefore, they will encourage and motivate you not because they want to cheer you up but because you make their lives better. So, if you feel a lack of empowered feelings, let other people empower and support you.

What do you want to achieve from this life and what is the future holding for you both on a personal level and in your business?
I’m very grateful for the blessed life that I have. Sometimes I even get to thinking: can I really want more? But as I said before, life is about constant growth and development. I want to continue changing people’s lives for the better because this is what fills me up with joy and purpose.

As for the future, it is whatever we make it. I am sure that there will be more amazing people coming into our lives, more opportunities and certainly more challenges. Of course, no one can guarantee that the future will be flawless and cloudless. But as the famous entrepreneur, Sara Blakely, said, “The secret to success is failure”. So, I am not afraid to make mistakes or to fail. As long as I have the two most important women by my side, my wife and my daughter, I am sure that we can achieve anything.