Fortunes Crown

Author: info@fortunescrown

  • How the Age of the Second Brain Can Destroy the First?

    How the Age of the Second Brain Can Destroy the First?

    How many of you are harry potter fans? In the story, Dumbledore had a magical vessel he used to store and review memories. It was called the pencil. This is obviously a fictional story set in a school of magic. But today we have something like this in the real world, it’s called the second brain.

    The second brain is a digital brain that can be used to document every piece of information, every experience, every thought, and every learning. You can access all of this whenever and wherever you want.

    What does a second brain look like?

    Nothing too sci-fi or magical, a second brain looks like a word document backed up in the cloud. How much does it cost? Most second brains are free and some cost as little as $8 a month.

    The second brain has been developed on the hypothesis that a human brain is meant to have ideas not to store those ideas. So the second brain can do the job of storing. It will store everything from your thoughts to your screenshots, your grocery list, your notes, photos, passwords, reminders, and all other things you can think of.

    How does this work?

    The second brain works through apps like Notion, Evernote, One Note, Obsidian, and Mem, all of them work in the same way. They expect every bit of information you come across, everything that you think your brain cannot hold. Shopping lists, quotes, or reminders, you don’t even have to type them down, you can simply voice record and send. If you are reading something interesting online for instance you can email the relevant paragraphs to your second brain. If you have a fleeting thought you can make a quick note of it.

    Basically, every time you come across something that grabs your attention you log, in whatever form. Screenshots, photos, excel sheets, slides from a PowerPoint presentation, lines from an e-book, excerpts from online articles, and then you can access all this information whenever you want.

    Say years later you want to write an essay or prepare an address on federalism. All you need to do is go to your second brain and type in the keywords, everything that you uploaded on the topic will be in front of you. If you’ve uploaded a grocery list you can retrieve it the next time you go shopping.

    Advocates of the second brain say the system helps in knowledge management, it increases creativity and the theory is pretty interesting. It’s almost like having your own little library in the cloud.

    So is this the future?

    Well more like the present, believe it or not, all of us already have a second brain. All the apps that we use double up as a second brain. You know the ones that remind you to drink water or to stretch at home. Even breathe, apps tell you to stand up and breathe. They remind you to buy bread on the way back home. Apps remind you what you are doing 10 years back in the month of June. Gigabyte after gigabyte of content from your life is spread across these apps.

    Do you remember what was the storage capacity of the first iPhone? 16 gigabytes (GB)! Today, an iPhone’s memory can be expanded up to 1TB, that’s one terabyte full of information from your day-to-day life.

    What second brain apps do is replace all these apps with one, a notepad that doubles up as your library, your gallery, your reminder, your password keeper, your bookmark, your logbook, basically everything. It’s all cataloged! Some apps take it a step up they use time and location data to remind you of information/memories that you may have uploaded but forgotten. For instance, you go to a restaurant, the app will tell you that you came here 3 years back and this is what you ordered, this is who you came with and this is what you thought of the experience back then, obviously provided you’ve logged all of that.

    But who does that, who documents so much information from their daily life? Actually, most of us do! We are continuously uploading stories, we are tweeting every fleeting thought, and blogging experience. Second brain app stores this content.

    Quick question. Can’t we store the same information offline?

    Of course, we can. We can keep notes, we can keep files. Previously, we had a filing cabinet. Once upon a time, every office would have such cabinets but filing and then searching for that file takes a lot of time. A digital brain is more convenient.

    But do we really need one? Some of us can barely handle one brain. Jokes apart, science disagrees with the very high hypothesis of the second brain. It says our brain can store information, in fact, it can store 2.5 petabytes of information. It’s enough to store 3 million hours of TV shows. You have to leave the TV running for 300 years to use up all that brain space. In other words, we don’t have to worry about running out of brain space in our lifetime.

    So why do we need a second brain at all?

    These apps handicap us. They make us unnecessarily dependent on technology. Today, at least 20 million people are using a second brain. Some are leaning on them for making life decisions.

    There is a very interesting story in an article. Annie, a 27-year-old in New York City began taking notes on her dating life. For Annie, the notion love tracker functions almost like an alternate memory which, once or twice, helped her clarify the amorphous gut feeling she was experiencing. “Once, after a first date I remember thinking this guy is so much fun but he seems really immature,” Annie says. Then on the third date with him, she was enjoying herself but began to feel a bit uneasy like “something was eating at me that I could not put a finger on,” she said. So she went home and consulted her notion love tracker; there, in her neatly organized tables, she found that she had noticed immaturity from the very beginning. She stopped seeing him.

    The question is, did she really need an app to tell her this? She was supposed to remember that piece of information without help from an app.

    The problem is not with the capacity of brain but our shrinking attention span. The reason why most of us forget information or names is that we are not paying enough attention to them in the first place. We are preoccupied all the time and mostly it’s with our phones.

    A second brain only worsens this condition. It expects you to frantically document, to go through life that person in the courthouse who is documenting every word being said. What would you rather do? Log the thoughts that cross your mind when you’re sitting by the sea or let the chain of thoughts flow as you absorb the beautiful sunset.

    We humans are more than what we document. Also, we humans evolve with time. So storing those thoughts can be a waste of time, both in the human brain space and the second brain space. Our brain functions in the most amazing way, it ensures we only remember what’s relevant. Our brain prioritizes clarity over clutter, our brain grows and it wants us to grow. What we need to do is pay more attention to things happening around us and you’ll be amazed by the kind of memory the human brain is blessed with.

    So back to the question, do we really need a second brain? A little medicine reminder or a grocery reminder may help us balance our daily lives better but beyond that, the human brain is good enough.

    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Fun fact: A human brain can store 2.5 petabytes of information, enough to store 3 million hours of TV shows.

  • Ingmar Hogoy: Using Food Waste to Produce New Food

    Ingmar Hogoy: Using Food Waste to Produce New Food

    Why is waste management of concern, especially food waste? Food waste is now a global issue. If not properly dealt with, it poses a threat to public health and the environment. It is a growing issue linked directly to the way society produces and consumes. We need to find new and more sustainable solutions adapted to our urban lifestyle where we can upcycle the recourses in food leftovers to feed.

    Ingmar Hogoy, CEO and Co-Founder at Greentech Innovators AS, has the vision to produce more food to help people fight the food crisis. As an entrepreneur, he discovered a gap in waste management that triggered him to utilize waste from fisheries and aquaculture and develop new products such as feed, special feed, and proteins for human consumption.

    We at Fortunes Crown got into an interview to know more about Mr. Hogoy and his impact on food waste management. Let’s have a look!

    Please tell us about your educational/professional background. Who inspired you to become a business leader? Would you like to mention some of the highlights from your journey?

    I have had a passion for fisheries and aquaculture since I was a kid ad when I was 12, I started experimenting with microalgae in an aquarium using fertilizer for growth. I made a small pond and was catching wild trout fry for farming. When I was 15 years old, I started fish farming with rainbow trout in a homemade fish cage. My goal has never been to be a business leader as such, but my vision was to contribute to producing more food for a growing population and the answer to more food production is in the ocean. My inspiration has been the scientist Dr. Norman Borlaug who got the Nobel Price in 1970 and the book “The man who fed the world” describes the “Green revolution” and how it was possible to increase food production through modern and scientific agriculture methods. Aquaculture has the same potential for the “Blue revolution” and increasing food production from the ocean.

    My passion for aquaculture has led to several projects and positions in the whole aquaculture value chain through research, product development, processing, and sales. In the early stage of the Norwegian salmon industry, I was working in a salmon processing plant when I realized that there was no waste management solution for processed by-products like viscera and bones. This became an environmental problem. I found that the rest raw material from processing was a valuable resource containing high-quality protein and oil – left unutilized. I was hired at a pioneering company and built up a factory for processing the rest raw materials from the salmon industry into fish protein and oil as feed. Ever since, I have been dedicated to the circular economy, utilizing waste from fisheries and aquaculture by developing new products such as feed, special feed, and proteins for human consumption. The utilization of the rest raw materials from fisheries and aquaculture is now a large and profitable industry in Norway.

    When was Greentech Innovators AS established? What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company?

    On my daily travel from home to work I met the trucks loaded with food waste going for incineration and the only result was GHG emission and pollution from the chimney. Through my experience with aquaculture and by solving the challenges of by-products from aquaculture and fisheries, I realized that we still have environmental challenges with food waste.

    In 2018, we established Greentech Innovators and the subsidiary Algaepro. The idea was to find more sustainable solutions to organic waste like food waste. The environmental challenges with today’s waste management solutions became more and more obvious.

    Please tell us about the services/products your company is offering? How are they different from your competitors’ offerings?

    Headquartered in Bergen, Norway, Greentech Innovators uses biotechnology for converting food waste into growth media for microbes and microalgae for the production of omega-3 and protein as sustainable feed for the aquaculture industry. We are upcycling food waste to feed. And our customers are waste management companies that need more sustainable solutions according to new regulations. We can offer feed producers more sustainable omega-3 and protein.

    Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years?

    During the last decade, it has become more and more obvious that we need to find more environmentally friendly ways of living. This includes the development of new and more sustainable waste management as all the commonly used solutions like landfills, incineration, composting, and biogas production are contributing to greenhouse gases and pollution of water and air. Political, social, and regulatory pressure to reduce greenhouse gases and go for more circular solutions is a driving force for our solution.

    It is also a global demand for new feed for the growing aquaculture industry. To continue growing, new and sustainable feed sources substituting fish meal and oil and soy in aquaculture feed must be developed.

    It is not sustainable to use 30% of global fish sources that can be used for direct food consumption as feed. Our solution uses something that we have too much of, food waste, to produce something in global demand like omega-3 and protein.

    What are the unique challenges your company is currently facing? How have they affected your company?

    Like many early-stage companies, we were also affected by the covid situations. Equipment that was normally no problem to get was in demand, and the whole process took more time and the education of employees was delayed because of restrictions. The largest challenge, however, was that investors became more risk reluctant, and it was hard to get equity for expansion and scaling of our innovative solution producing more food and at the same time reducing GHG emissions and pollution of water and air.

    What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements?

    Internally within the team we are open-minded and have good discussions. In a startup with limited resources, both financially and labor capacity, we must prioritize the task and which is sometimes challenging and results in hard prioritizing of all the tasks we want to do. In our organization, it is acceptable to fail and learn from it.

    What measures do you undertake to ensure optimum customer satisfaction? How much impact does the customer feedback have on the company’s strategies?

    It is important to be in good dialogue with customers and document the value of the products to customers.

    Are you planning to launch any new products/services or advancements to your existing offerings? If so, we would like to know about it.

    First, we are planning to scale our circular waste solution to be an international solution that can support governments, waste management companies, and feed producers to reach their goals of more sustainable solutions. Our solution can be adapted to a variety of end products, but we are focusing on the production of seafood for the growing populations and at the same time reducing GHG from traditional waste solutions.

  • Maxim Behar: An Incredible Man Who Overcame Adversity With Creativity, Ethics, and Responsibilities

    Maxim Behar: An Incredible Man Who Overcame Adversity With Creativity, Ethics, and Responsibilities

    The whole business world including the communication business is currently witnessing the total change of everything – from sales to communications to industrial production. For a couple of years, we have been observing a very dynamic and fast merging of the three main elements of the public communications business – advertising, public relations, and digital. It is so obvious that they will unify and work as a new business soon but for now, there is a constant dispute for leadership. 

    The advertising industry claims to be the winner as they own media shops and creators, and so the digital experts as their leadership abilities allow them to create applications, tabs, and software. However, the CEO & Founder of M3 Communications Group, Inc., Maxim Behar strongly feels that Public Relations experts and managers will be the leader of the future big, merged business. The thought that supports this concrete belief is quite simple, they are the “Kings of Content.” They are the masters of words and visions and in the modern world, wisdom comes from social media content.

    The Visionary CEO

    Maxim Behar has done graduation in the Executive Program on Leadership Decision Making from Harvard Kennedy School and now, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Global Public Relations Changes at Sofia University. His first graduation was from Prague University on International Economic Relations. As learning was/is his passion, he collected many degrees from Universities across the world including The Pacific Institute in Seattle, USA. At his initial stage, he started working as a machinery worker in a plant that was based in Sofia. After graduation, he worked as a journalist for 15 years and then launched one of the first private daily newspapers in Bulgaria – Standard News. Even with so much success, he decided to resign from the post of Managing Editor remembering what Sir Winston Churchill said, “you can achieve a lot with the journalism, but you should know exactly when to quit.”

    When Maxim was in high school, he ever since wanted to be a brilliant journalist. Even when he decided to quit this job the next logical step that came into his conscious was to upgrade his journalistic knowledge. Although jumped into Public Relations, he did not realize that it’s nothing but pure unique business surrounded by creativity, ethics, and responsibilities.

    About 27 years ago, Maxim from proudly launching a one-man-show company in a one-room rented apartment of a friend to owning a leading Public Relations and Social Media company, is streaming like water; partnered with one of the largest international US-based PR corporations, Hill+Knowlton Strategies with hundreds of clients from all over the world. With great projects come great challenges every single day, and that’s what Maxim loves to invest his life for.

    A Trusted Service Provider

    M3 Communications Group, Inc. was established in 1994. After 6 years Maxim Behar met the Executive Vice President of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, late Terence Billing, who turned out to be his teacher, mentor, partner, and of course, best friend. Through the journey, they witnessed failures and successes, and last but not least they emerged as a modern and successful corporation – a leading PR company in Central and Eastern Europe.

    Today, we provide the full range of public communications services – public, governmental and media relations, social media management, event and conventions, graphic design, web creations, and project management. We create a unique package for each of our clients ensuring the top-notch quality of our services. We also provide services such as social media development, content management, creating visuals, and more which keeps updating every week. With 35 clients on a retainer fee and at least double the number per project, we are available 24/7 for our clients that makes us ideal for crisis management, employers branding, and corporate communications.

    We serve what customers deserve i.e; increasing sales, better branding, and media presence. We believe in transparency that gives us the confidence to deliver exact reports back to the clients. Also, social media in addition to providing information targets messages properly. The most important aspect that affects us is ‘outcomes’ and to match those we focus on being creative, innovative, proactive, and knowledgeable. In the process, we pull out preparation for every post. We ensure every word, every picture should be catchy and effective on social media.

    Achievements To Appreciate

    Maxim Behar was twice awarded the Best PR Consultant in the world by Stevie Awards. Recently, PR Week announced him the Best Global PR Consultant. With more than 100 international business and leadership awards and books that top on Amazon, Maxim is proudly elected as an Advisory Board Member of one of the largest European Universities – Engage.eu, Germany. It is a privilege for him to be on the Board of the World PR Museum in New York City. In 2017, he was inducted into the Global PR Hall of Fame in London as the first-ever East European expert. The greatest achievement in life is his children, family, and the excellent M3 Communications Group family.

    PR’s Absolute Best

    Customer preferences are like seasons, they keep changing. Of course, this affects how clients emphasize themselves on social media and the reason is quite clear – these interactive technologies are fully measurable ever since the very beginning of the Guttenberg Press Machine. Social media is exponentially succeeding against traditional media only because clients can optimize their messages to certain target groups, and in minutes can analyze too. Clients have become sensitive and quick towards creative involvement and decision-making. This practice brings a big boost to our business – one who can take fast decisions and can communicate successfully will win, the others will be out of the business.

    We cannot deny the fact that customer feedback is crucial, however, we try to prove our point of view that our experts are devoted only to making their experience rich. “Zoom lockdown times” made our life a bit convenient which we appreciate through meeting clients and discussing tons of ideas. But also, we do not celebrate our self-esteem instead we delve into convincing clients that sooner or later their success with us will speak.

    Opinion About Media Bribery

    In my opinion, the concept of media bribery almost disappeared a decade ago. Nowadays, the world worries less and less. Social media is glorifying modern business and fading out the traditional media day by day. Since the very beginning of M3 Communications Group, Inc. we adopted the values of professionalism and integrity. Our experts are sensitive towards clients and their needs, which kept us reliable and relevant for a long period. However, the way social media is expanding may bring risks of fake news and unwanted disturbing elements that can create skepticism among readers. We are confident that these worries are repulsive to our business as we are completely transparent to our clients. Everything transparent is ethical!

    Looking Beyond

    The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost all businesses over the world. Home-based offices brought a somewhat alienated business environment, leadership rules, and management styles. We did not have any expectations that everything we had before 2020 will be changed and should not expect to be back in the same position. The crisis has tested our endurance and we molded according to the required environment. This sudden change for sure made us stronger and much better PR experts. We have learned lessons for good that made us help many clients to accommodate better and faster in the new business environment. We had arranged successful conversations among their teams and stakeholders which resulted in them taking their decisions properly and on time. As we had already mastered crisis management for decades, we had the advantage to tackle the challenges with ease. It just took us a week or two to organize ourselves and analyze the scenario. Soon we were able to take the right management decisions and start consulting clients.

    The more the market is developed, the more corporations develop their marketing and PR needs, hence responsibilities will be much bigger. For instance, in my latest book ‘The Morning After,’ written during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have described the dramatic changes that happened in the management style and obligations of the CEOs. In my opinion, a CEO should be more of a leader than a manager. Nowadays, people involve themselves as a leader in their working environment, hoping for a horizontal structure where employees, experts, and consultants can understand their responsibilities.

    Decades ago, Late Konrad Hilton was asked, what is important for a hotel to be successful?, to which he answered, “Just three important things: location, location, location…” If I am asked, what is important for a business project or corporation to be successful? I will answer in the same style: communications, communications, communications. For instance, 5G for sure will bring a sea of opportunities from developing not only faster communications but also witnessing changes that have never been seen before. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to mobile services, humanity will evolve and so will the business world.

    The Success Mantra For Entrepreneurs

    The business of Public Relations is so vast that the services themselves will develop into another name. We will try to remain trustworthy by providing services in real-time, live, immediate, transparent, and exact. What we are currently involved in is the preparation for our evolution in business – the Era or Real-time Video Communications on all possible levels. It will require us to increase skilled and updated teams who will be prepared with better knowledge.

    The success mantra that works for every industry is 3S: Speed, Simplicity, Self-Confidence. By following just these three words can create magic for the people doing business. Speed is significant – taking decisions quickly but effectively. Either it is answering emails, learning new things, keeping deadlines, talking sense to the right people, raising salaries or firing people who do not fit the team, or motivating people. Simplicity is delightful – making priorities for business or personal life, what are the important things, what to read, what rules to follow, or what are the to-do lists. Self Confidence – a person cannot be successful unless he/she has self-confidence. Not being brave and not ready to take risks invites unpleasant circumstances that can push your life into misery.

    And be sure that crisis periods are the best time to cook your success as you can easily overcome obstacles which you will never have during other times. These obstacles are making us stronger and more successful.

  • Paul Guenther: Offering Consistent Top-tier Business Solutions

    Paul Guenther: Offering Consistent Top-tier Business Solutions

    “Just believe in yourself. Whether you think you can or think you can’t –you’re going to end up being right, either way.”

    In certain ways of business, stepping into an industry brings spontaneous challenges. If a business person molds these challenges and utilize them as a ladder to climb up to a particular position, he/she can bring a disruptive change within an innovative approach in their business niche. Following the zeal from studying law to lead a B2B advertising space that turned into a renowned brand is Paul Guenther. An entrepreneur who proved himself time and time with his leadership and commitment.

    As Founder and CEO of Knowledge Hub Media, Paul harnesses the power of business management from sales to marketing, accounting to website development. His tireless efforts and focused engagement enhance every aspect of the business.

    Learning & Leading

    Over the years, B2B customers are being targeted at an exponential pace, in the way that they market to different types of audiences. Currently, in the B2B demand generation space, KHM’s clients have shifted to more niche targeting – promoting their assets to very specific and specialized job roles and functions. Where in the past, companies would target based on more generalized criteria (e.g., IT Decision Makers in large companies), they have shifted to a more qualitative approach. It’s less about lead quantity and more about lead quality, reaching the exact folks who are most likely to buy their software and technology platforms.

    Previously, a company that might have targeted “HR Directors” now targets “Talent Management Directors” and “VPs of Talent Acquisition.” Again, more specific with the job roles that they are going after. And in most cases, instead of targeting companies by the number of people it employs or goes industry vertical, clients tend to target companies via account-based marketing (i.e., ABM lists). ABM lists are generally created and provided by KHM’s clients, pre-campaign launch. They are made up of companies that fit very specific targeting criteria, and in most cases, fall into one of three categories: current customers; competitor’s customers; companies showing intent to purchase a given software platform or solution.

    Dive into the exhilarating story of Paul and his experiences.

    Placing the Wick

    Mr. Guenther’s journey of career-oriented learning started at Penn State University in the Fall of 2002. At the time, he was unsure about what he exactly wanted to do. After some time, he determined that he wanted to go to law school, and decided to major in Crime, Law & Justice. He got his B.S. in the spring of 2006, which was immediately followed by a (short) stint in Law School. He was doing a part-time night program, and at the time, he was unsure about it too. He started working full time during the day, going out with friends at night, and not at all focused on what he should have been focused on. Whether or not it was a blessing in disguise, he ended up going back to school in 2008 to get his MBA with a concentration in Marketing Management (Wilmington University). 

    In 2009, Paul started working on what would become “IT Knowledge Hub” – which is now known as Knowledge Hub Media. Once gained his MBA in 2010, he was off to the races with the company. Fortunately, over the next couple of years, he was able to bring his first few employees on – Anthony and James running Sales, and Chris, who filled the first Client Services role. He had also gone back to school by that point to get his Doctorate in Business Administration – finishing his dissertation and graduating in January 2020.

    Mission & Vision

    Knowledge Hub Media was established in 2009, and ever since its inception, the team has been a prominent player in the B2B advertising space. Their core competency, however, is lead generation – or “demand generation,” as it’s better known across the industry. KHM leverages content syndication via assets like white papers, webinars, case studies, and the like, to generate highly targeted leads for our clients. Most of our clients are in the software and technology industry – and when they’re not, they are usually advertising/media agencies working on behalf of the former. Most of our clients are promoting technology platforms and software solutions that they are looking to find net new customers for.

    Since the company’s initiation, Paul faced the challenge of not practicing things that traditional businesses do. Things like sales goals – and really anything that causes unnecessary stress, in general – are the things that the team tries to avoid. There has always been a favorable work-life balance, and overall, people continue to motivate themselves to get better. There is not much criticism or disagreement to go around, and that’s a good thing.

    Inspiring Employees to Meet Needs of the Clients

    Customers are always the most important aspect of any business. Without customers, no one has a business. Ensuring and enhancing the customer experience is always high up on KHM’s list, and at the end of the day, the team always wants to make sure that everyone is completely satisfied. It usually comes down to a few things: responsiveness, quality of the product, and customizability. Over the 12+ years, the team has evolved its practices and QA/QC measures to ensure only the finest lead quality – in terms of both data integrity and lead scoring mechanisms. It’s very important for the customizations where some clients are happy to stick with more traditional means and delivery methods, and some like the team to use custom API integrations, lead import systems, and form post technologies. The team is always happy to customize a product – with regard to both targeting and delivery – to go above and beyond the customer’s expectations.

    Being Adaptable to Unprecedented Times

    Businesses were being asked to keep their premises closed to combat the coronavirus. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was an uncertain time, and it impacted virtually everyone else on the planet. Though KHM was affected less than a lot of other companies, it felt a bit in the advertising/technology section. Some companies do cut their advertising budgets when times get tough. But some industries indeed took a pounding – like restaurants, hospitality, travel, and retail. 

    Building on more than a decade of experience, the company will continue to offer the same high-end, highly targeted content syndication and demand generation services that it has always offered.

    READ MORE: Influential Women Leaders in Business of 2022

  • Tonya Winders: Regulating Health, Life and Balance

    Tonya Winders: Regulating Health, Life and Balance

  • Albin Kaelin: Demonstrating Leadership With Cradle To Cradle Design For Businesses

    Albin Kaelin: Demonstrating Leadership With Cradle To Cradle Design For Businesses

    Digital Version

    Albin is a true pioneer of sustainability in manufacturing and an accredited assessor for the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ registered trademark and Certification Standard. His innovative approach earned Rohner Textiles 19 awards and impacted the textile industry globally. He shared the formula for the Cradle to Cradle processes with the entire textile industry. He helped Wolford to create a biodegradable polyester (PET) that is 100% toxic-free, which is safe for the environment and human health.

    Industry from the very beginning has treated natural resources as essentially infinite, and the world’s capacity to accommodate waste with the same regard. As the economy becomes global, we now understand this is not true – so the way we make products also should change. EPEA Switzerland has developed ‘Reference Model Cradle-to-Cradle Design Innovations’. Their reference model works for every product in every industry. It can be used to create products in a way that aims to close the loop on the cradle-to-grave economy – whether that’s by using safe chemicals and materials, or designing products so their resources can be used across multiple lifecycles without loss of quality. 

    We at Fortunes Crown got into conversation with Albin Kaelin, Founder and CEO of the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA) to learn more about his journey and how he is changing the landscape of doing a business.

    Please tell us about your educational/professional background. Would you like to mention some of the highlights from your journey?

    “I’m actually left-handed. When I got to school, I was forced to write on the right. Back then I asked why, but I didn’t get an answer. This experience has taught me not to accept anything whose sense I do not understand. I want to shape my life so that it makes sense for me and for the community. In doing it becomes visual how I take responsibility. I work professionally to enable innovations to develop new concepts of production that no longer produce waste, but become ‘nutrients’ for other products. By showing new ways to the old system, I find my track of interface, where I am neither saying yes nor no and I am confident to bear my responsibility.”

    “Innovation and Leadership are the only surviving strategies”

    “If you compare, you start to compromise”

    “This process never ends, if you never get this point, you never go to survive”

    1981 to 2004 Albin Kälin was Managing Director of Rohner Textil AG in Switzerland. Since the 90s, under his leadership, the company won 19 international design awards. In 1993, he stimulated the development of the product line Climatex ® (www.climatex.com) and thus the first Cradle to Cradle ® products worldwide. Albin Kälin was awarded in 2001 UBS Key Trophy as the “Rhine Valley Entrepreneur of the Year.”

    Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years?

    “We all have been educated to think linear, all the systems we are living in are based on linear thinking. e.g accounting, GDP, recycling, landfill. There is no future, Cradle to Grave. We are losing resources, and their quality and most of them are even toxic. What we need is Cradle to Cradle. Enabling a positive perspective for future generations and the environment.

    Legislation is taking this up rapidly within the EU Member States with the “New Green Deal”, forcing companies to transform into circular businesses and products designed for a toxic-free environment.

    When was Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency established? Please tell us about the services/products your company is offering?

    EPEA Switzerland was founded in 2009 to support businesses to innovate and become safe and circular. It is a different way of thinking; this is why it is so challenging. We need many lighthouses who can prove the different way of thinking is a success. How can we reach the tipping point soon.”

    EPEA Switzerland GmbH supports companies in different areas of activities in the development and implementation of Cradle to Cradle ® design concepts.     

    With an experienced, internationally oriented and interdisciplinary working management team, Cradle to Cradle ® projects are implemented in all industries worldwide. EPEA Switzerland is an accredited general assessor for the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Certification. www.c2ccertified.org

    What are the unique challenges your company is currently facing? How have they affected your company?

    Building a Network of Trust

    “To be honest this is a real challenge. Trying to transform linear systems into circular ones is demanding and challenging. Mindset, Management and Integrated Systems need to be transformed into a new way of thinking. This can only be created through innovation and strong and reliable partner networks. Over the years we were able to build a Network of Trust with hundreds of clients and thousands of suppliers on a global scale.

    Please mention some of your achievements.

    2021

    • CEO Today Europe Award Albin Kaelin EPEA Switzerland

    2022

    • 2 Awards: Best CEO of the Year – Albin Kaelin > M&A Today Global Awards and Lawyer International

     • Most Innovative CEO in the Worldwide Textile Industry > Business Worldwide Magazine CEO Awards

    • Business Leadership and Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Manufacturing > Business Worldwide Magazine CEO Awards

    • Manufacturing – Leader of the Year Albin Kaelin- CEO- EPEA Switzerland GmbH > CEO Today Europe Award

    • 2 Awards: Top 10 Most Inspiring CEO in Business in 2022 > CIO Views Magazine, Fortunes Crown

    • Best Specialist Cradle to Cradle Products & Services Provider – 2022

    • Acquisition International 2022 Global Excellence Awards

    What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements?

    “For 25 years I experienced headwind and was considered a rebel. Now the time spirit touches the surface and you are recognized to be innovative. To receive tailwind is making it moving faster with less energy. Remain firm and never give up your principles.”

    Changing a mindset is challenging and causes many contradictions, discussions and often criticism and disagreements. As Albert Einstein mentioned: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

    A lot of time needs to be invested until the point of understanding is reached that “it makes sense”. After that and not before everyone is motivated to support and start the innovation process. We do not look back to the existing products or systems, we design everything new. Creating new perspectives for companies in the future for coming generations and the environment.

    What measures do you undertake to ensure optimum customer satisfaction? How much impact does the customer feedback have on the company’s strategies?

    All our projects are based on innovation, a high-risk environment with many hurdles to overcome each time. Building on a powerful network of trust, and communicating successful case studies on the web or social media EPEASwitzerland supports the image of credibility in the marketplace.

    Our principle: A team is stronger as an individual. Within projects customers, integrated network partners, consultants, and accredited assessors are acting as a team working at eye level and enabling thinking out of the box.

    Are you planning to launch any new products/services or advancements to your existing offerings? If so, we would like to know about it.

    We are establishing right now an introduction educational program for companies, and universities to get them closer to changing their mindset and the path of innovation. We call it “Cradle to Cradle for Professionals”. Building on the next Generations to come.

    ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

    Moreover, Mr. Kaelin proudly shared some of EPEA’s case studies to tempt the readers into finding out more about the company. A number of satisfied customers as prime examples tells that the business is indeed in action, and thus these case studies will tell the world how good the EPEA is.

    1.      EU planning green revolution for the chemicals industry

    Brussels – From the perspective of the European Commission, the European chemical industry should seek to reclaim its competitive ability with the use of safe and sustainable chemicals. In preparation for its chemical strategy for sustainability, the European Commission widely consulted various stakeholders within the chemicals industry. In this regard, it held a conference on the circular economy in Brussels in 2018, where Albin Kälin had the opportunity to present the Cradle to Cradle concept and discuss the traceability of safe substances in closed-loop biological and technological lifecycles.

    2.      EPEA Switzerland forms Network of Trust

    Bäch SZ – The circular economy is becoming ever more important. However, the implementation of principles such as Cradle to Cradle requires the collaboration of many partners. Throughout its longstanding activities, EPEA Switzerland, the accredited assessor for Cradle to Cradle Certified and Material Health Certified certifications, has built up a network of companies that are all singing from the same hymn sheet in this respect: the Network of Trust. Various companies form part of the network, including the specialty chemicals group Clariant, the textiles manufacturers Wolford, Napapijri, Calida, Trigema, Mary Rose and OceanSafe, the cleaning product manufacturers of the brand “Frosch” and Green Care Professional brands, the printing firm Vögeli, the furniture producers USM and Flokk-Giroflex in addition to the parquet flooring specialists Bauwerk.

    3.      Vögeli Creates Clean Food Packaging

    Langnau BE – Vögeli offers the only printed paper for food packaging in the world that conforms with the Cradle to Cradle Certified GOLD Standard. This innovation has been made possible by collaborating with several partners. “The cooperative’s mission is to share expertise amassed by the founding companies over two decades with regard to healthy, residue-free printing processes, the circular economy and Cradle to Cradle certifications with other printing companies in Europe, conduct joint research, development and procurement activities in addition to working the markets.” Cradle to Cradle Certified GOLD Standard ensures toxins from paper and cardboard no longer pollute the environment, meaning that these substances ultimately also no longer end up in consumers’ bodies.

    4.      Mondi first to offer extensive portfolio of Cradle to Cradle Certified® uncoated fine papers from its European mills

    18 January 2022 – Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, received the Cradle to Cradle certification at Bronze level for its uncoated fine papers produced in its mills in Austria, Slovakia and Russia. For many years, Mondi has been a leader, and often a pioneer, in the sustainability of its uncoated fine papers. For example, Color Copy became the world´s first FSCTMcertified colour laser paper in 2005. Thanks to our new Cradle to Cradle certification our customers have a uniquely wide choice of products to support the environment and contribute to the circular economy without sacrificing on quality or price,” says Devan Naidoo, Marketing and Sales Director at Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper. The holistic approach follows nature´s principle of keeping materials and resources in circulation and eliminating waste. The programme assesses five categories of sustainability performance: material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness.

    5.      Calida creates clothing fit for the circular economy

    Oberkirch LU – With its fully compostable collection “100% Nature”, Calida has already signified its commitment to the circular economy. But the clothing manufacturers from the canton of Lucerne are not resting on their laurels; rather, the collection is being steadily expanded. As recognition for the company’s efforts to protect the environment and promote the circular economy, Calida was named as one of the three prize-winners of the Swiss Ethics Award, which was presented in the spring. Calida has been supported throughout this journey by EPEA Switzerland in its role as an accredited expert for Cradle to Cradle Certified certifications. This partnership was exceptionally valuable in Calida’s efforts to develop pajamas, underwear and t-shirts made from 100 percent cellulose. All the materials used to manufacture these products, including the yarn, label, buttons and dyes have been transparently and scientifically evaluated and found to be good. These also comply with the Cradle to Cradle principles and can therefore be reintegrated in the biological lifecycle.

    In this way, the products in the “100% Nature” range are fully biodegradable. Calida will even take them back on request. However, consumers also have the option of putting the textiles on their garden compost heap. The process of decomposition takes four to six months overall.

    6.      Bauwerk produces parquet flooring for generations6. Bauwerk produces parquet flooring for generations

    St.Margrethen SG – Bauwerk Parkett has developed a flooring solution that not only forgoes any such toxic substances in its products, but also does not produce any waste itself in comparison with combustion processes of today. The Silente technology allows the flooring to be easily dismantled, processed and reused at the end of its service life. The same parquet flooring can be used across at least three product generations without any loss of quality. The useful life of the resources used is therefore enhanced by three lifetimes, meaning that they can later be re-used for further products in the form of cascading. The parquet is designed in such a way that the materials always stay within a closed loop. No individual parts end up being thrown away, while unnecessary energy usage is also avoided. In this way, the CO2 contained within wood can be stored over decades and even centuries. Furthermore, the parquet flooring absorbs the sound. Bauwerk Parkett developed its new technology in conjunction with EPEA Switzerland in line with the Cradle to Cradle Design Innovation concept. For two of its products, namely Cleverpark Silente and Multipark Silente, Bauwerk Parkett is even the sole wooden flooring manufacturer to have been awarded the Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold certificate. The certification process also involved an analysis of Bauwerk’s suppliers enabling a transparent supply chain and a material health assessment of all chemical ingredients used in the product.

    Visit the link to read the case studies in detail: epeaswitzerland.com/en/casestudies/

  • Struggling With Insomnia? Then Start Snoozing With Your Pet

    Struggling With Insomnia? Then Start Snoozing With Your Pet

    The joy of retaining a pet is tremendous for the whole family. Millions of people are happily living with their pets as they live as their family members. 

    People all over the world enjoy the company of pets and look after their pets as their kids. They perform all the regular activities like walking, bathing, playing, etc. Sometimes they just sleep with them on their bed. It’s because dozing with your pet gives you multiple health benefits.

    Even if they did it because of their fondness but there are hidden health benefits to doing so.

    The study by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research reveals that more than half of holders (56%) enable their pets to nap with them at night on their beds.

    Slumbering with your pets can change your lifestyle in these ways –

    • Cure insomnia 

    • Enhanced intense sleep

    • Boosted immunity

    • Intensified relaxation and protection

    • Enhance trust 

    Cure insomnia:

    Dozing with your pets curtails stress and anxiety and provides a healthier drowsing atmosphere. Dr. Neha Dutt, a counseling psychologist emphasized the facts spoken above. She explains that pet holders do not need to seek sleep medication.

    Enhanced intense sleep:

    Making your pet your bedmate enables you to relieve and stimulates the progression of oxytocin, it has an important influence on how intensely you sleep. Napping with your pets enhances brainwaves and synchronizes your heartbeat, permitting you to attain the intensest phase of your nap. For those looking to further improve relaxation and sleep quality, many people also explore supportive wellness products such as amazon magnesium oil spray, which some find helpful in promoting muscle ease before bedtime. This combination of comfort and routine resists sleeplessness in the system.

    Boosted immunity:

    Sleeping with your pet may boost the immune system. Barbara says “Pets encourage the diversity of microorganisms in a home and research shows that your immune system strengthens when exposed to a diversity of microorganisms.”

    The existence of pets relatively affects the quality of bacteria found in a house, and they influence the immunity of humans.

    Intense relaxation and safety:

    Pets empower the feeling of security at night. Georgia says “Pets create a secure and cozy atmosphere with their warmth, steady heartbeat, and protective nature.” Barbara adds “Dogs heighten comfort, especially for people who feel lonely.”

    The study performed by Taylor & Francis based that napping with a pet enhances sleep integrity for women. Owning a dog or cat can provide pet owners with an understanding of security, and it helps them in battling mental health problems.

    Enhance trust:

    The advantages of possessing pets and sharing the bed aren’t just for humans, animals have a higher faith level.

    The essence of the whole article is to provide you with a wide variety of health benefits of making your pets your sleeping partners. To cure your diverse variety of health issues.

  • Why Twitter Filed a Lawsuit Against Elon Musk?

    Why Twitter Filed a Lawsuit Against Elon Musk?

    What was the actual deal?

    In late April, Elon Musk and Twitter approved a plan that Musk will purchase Twitter. The deal was confirmed at $44 billion, and both agreed but a month later the blame game begins on both sides.

    Why did musk feel the cold feet on Twitter?

    After finalizing the deal in May, Musk delayed the deal and pressured Twitter will disclose to its users how many of them are bots or spam. Musk sent a message, his lawyers mentioned that if twitter will not publish the required information then Musk will discontinue the deal.

    Musk claimed on Twitter that the number of bogus accounts could estimate at 20%, quadrupling Twitter’s measure.

    Musk confessed that he was annulling the contract because Twitter infringed the contract by declining to answer back the requests for data respecting fraud or spam accounts on Twitter, which is essential to its business execution.

    Musk was instructed to discontinue the contract due to numerous infringements in the deal agreement.

    Twitter annulled all statements of Musk

    Twitter furthermore alleged Musk for privately acquiring stakes in the company without publishing his significant investments to controllers.

    Twitter named the justifications illustrated by Musk as Excuses.

    Bret Taylor, the chairman of Twitter informed, The Twitter Board said they were devoted to securing the agreement on the expense and conditions decided with Mr. Musk and intends to continue lawful action to carry out the unification agreement.

    Twitter has pleaded to the Delaware court to order Musk to execute the consolidation at the collective $54.20 per Twitter stake.

    Twitter charged the chief of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk for terminating the $44 billion deal. The social platforms named it Musk’s withdrawal strategy  “a prototype of duplicity”.

    This case has affected one of the billionaire businessmen and social media giants Twitter.

    Lawful experts are defending Twitter at this time, it looks like Twitter is nominated to win this battle.

  • Trump And Musk – The Trampoline Of Punchlines

    Trump And Musk – The Trampoline Of Punchlines

    There are no two rich personalities riper for a public spat than former President Donald Trump and Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, who have been slinging insults in the aftermath of claims that Musk wants to pull out of his purchase agreement with Twitter.

    Driving the News

    Trump lashed out at Musk during a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, July, 9 night, just a day after it was revealed that Musk wanted to pull out of his deal to buy Twitter. Musk was labeled a “bullshit artist” by Trump for claiming he had never voted for a Republican before a recent special election in Texas.

    In response, the Tesla CEO urged the former President to step down from the national stage to make way for a younger generation of Republicans.

    Aftermath

    Several hours later, Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that Musk “came to the White House seeking me for aid on all of his numerous sponsored projects” during his presidency.
    “Whether it’s electric automobiles that don’t last long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he’d be worthless,” he wrote.

    “Elon should now concentrate on getting himself out of the Twitter situation because he could be owed $44 billion for something that is potentially worthless. There is also a lot of competition for electric vehicles!”

    In his criticism, Trump also backed Twitter’s efforts to sue Musk for pulling out of the takeover.

    Flashback

    The squabbling has been simmering beneath the surface since at least April when the twice-impeached former president could be heard privately insulting Musk — allegedly for being “sloppy” and high on drugs. (Trump appeared to be referring to a viral 2018 video of Musk smoking marijuana on Joe Rogan’s show)

    Musk stated in June that he is leaning toward supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) if he decides to run for president in 2024, just one month after announcing that he could “no longer support Democrats.”

    The Past

    This was not always the case. In reality, their relationship appeared to be on much firmer ground less than two years ago. During an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020, Trump praised Musk, calling him “one of our great minds.”

    Trump (and then-Vice President Mike Pence) flew to Florida in May of that year to observe a SpaceX launch. (Musk is the CEO of the private rocket firm)

    Musk stated in May 2022 at a Financial Times conference that “The decision to bar Donald Trump was incorrect. I think that was a mistake because it alienated a large part of the country.”

    The current phase of the roller coaster

    The latest sour turn in their relationship underscores a fundamental truth: Musk and Trump may be too similar to ever get along. Both consider themselves to be iconoclasts and rebels. Both thrive on making headlines and upsetting the status quo. And both are contentious figures; you either adore them or despise them.

    If history is any guide, Musk and Trump will have a bumpy relationship in the next months and years as they both circle each other warily.

  • China Reports A Massive Data Breach: 1 Billion Citizens Data Hack

    China Reports A Massive Data Breach: 1 Billion Citizens Data Hack

    Recently, China has recorded a massive data hack and 1 billion citizens alleged that they got trapped by hackers.

    As yet there is no official confirmation of this data leak from Chinese authorities. The cyber security experts and other web forums have confirmed the leak.

    Data squeezed from the Shanghai police database

    It is reported that a hacker has acknowledged that he has stolen the data of 1 billion Chinese citizens from the Shanghai police database. If it is found authentic then this will be the biggest data theft in the history.

    Shanghai Police has not instantly reacted to the issue, as per reports.

    What’s in that database?

    Reports said that the database which leaked comprises all the necessary information like names, addresses, mobile numbers, case details, and national identification numbers, all leaked from the Shanghai police database as claimed by hackers.

    As per the news reports the size of data leaked is around 24TB it includes information about 1 billion citizens and their cases.

    Originally the news rolled out from Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, but after some time Chinese censors blocked the searches for keywords related to the news. China’s government was smart to compress online discussions on the issue.

    “When you’re talking about a billion people’s information and it’s static information, it’s not about where they travelled, who they communicated with or what they were doing, then it becomes very much less interesting,” said the expert Chester Wisniewski he adds on that “The information, once it’s unleashed, is forever out there,” Wisniewski said.

    “Everyone, please be careful in case there are more phone scams in the future!,” mentioned an individual in a Weibo post.

    About the Hackers

    The identity of the hackers is not evident yet as per current posts on the online hacking forums, breach forum an unknown user recognized with the user name of “ChinaDan“. He has proposed to sell all the data for 10 bitcoins which is the same as  $200,000.