Kate Taylor’s TaylorCare: On Mission to Disrupt the Recruitment Industry in Australia
Digital Version Most of us look at an organization’s numbers & financials when analyzing its success. However, we frequently ignore the fact that the success of any organization is reflected on the people in our workforce and significance of being partnered with the be Recruitment Agency to build your business success. The success of your organization depends on your attitude and outlook on hiring. Employees work hard to fulfill your organizational goals, align to your values and mission. For companies who want to expand quickly but steadily they realize that doing so depends on having the proper mix of staff, which is why having a recruitment & retention strategy is so important. The main objective of any employer is to have high-calibre staff. This responsibility lands onto the HR Executives and Managers. Choosing the right candidate can be tough. In this one decision could be the make or break of your organization’s success. To reach and achieve this objective, companies need a recruiting team that will understand and ensure both the employer’s and the candidate’s needs. One that places people in roles that will best meet their career/business objectives. We have met with a multi award-winning recruiting team- TaylorCare Recruitment in Australia led by Founder and Managing Director Kate Taylor on her advice to help organizations achieve there recruitment goals. Growing With a Goal Kate Taylor kick started her career in Education Recruitment back in 2007. She hustled through various companies under Education Recruitment before moving back to Australia in 2010. Kate moved to work for a healthcare agency. Being in the recruitment industry for more than a decade now, Kate has specialties including social workers, counselors, and psychologists. While working for the health care agency, her career launched to success in Australia. She was one of the highest billers in the office for two years. She billed over $1 million for the company at the time. Seeing that high of a number being achieved through her hard work motivated her. It shed more light on the path she wants to navigate in her career ahead on. Kate also is outspoken and supportive of issues related to mental health in general. She believes with her experience with complex mental health as a teenager, she can relate to the youth. She wants parents to listen to her story and not ignore that of their wards. Kate has shared her story on stages of organizations like Sony, ING Bank, and Eftpos Australia, to name a few. It was in 2013 that she launched TaylorCare- a team created to address the need for professional high-quality recruitment services for government, non-government, charities, and private healthcare sectors of Australia. Growing With TaylorCare Since the launch of TaylorCare Recruitment in 2013, Kate has successfully launched Community Services & Allied Health divisions under her business. Kate is constantly expanding the business especially post and during COVID when there was an intense need for healthcare professionals everywhere. The company which started small has expanded itself to a larger office in North Sydney – Australia to accommodate its growing dream team. The company to date has successfully recruited hundreds of candidates with 83 clients across Australia and counting. Manifesting Dreams With a comprehensive service focused on well-being and CARE and true passion and drive to high standards of providing a professional service, TaylorCare stands out from their competition. To place people in positions that would best support their professional and career ambition, the company also ensures that both employer and applicant demands are recognized. TaylorCare Recruitment team collaborates closely with clients and candidates to identify the position that is the best fit for everyone. For their constant hard work and unique approach, TaylorCare has received various awards and nominations including the 2018 RCSA Rising Star Award, and the RCSA Corporate Social Responsibility Award. Also was one of the finalists of the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards for Influential Woman Award 2022. Just to name a few. Was among the “Top 10 most influential people in staffing and recruiting 2022” and the winner of the Specialist Recruitment Agency of the Year Award 2020 Growing as a Leader “I believe I have approached each challenge with the posture of positive problem solving and relying on the concept that knowledge and experience together form wisdom.“ — Kate Taylor Kate has always had a passionate & visionary approach to business and is on a mission to make a Income in Business while making an Impact in the world giving back to her 4 chosen charities. Kate is always hustling with heart towards her work before for other companies, or when it is with her own company. She is updated and helpful on every hands-on day-to-day activity and processes around her office. She oversees the company’s business development strategy. branding and marketing, workforce planning and managing her team and is always and the introducing of new services and initiatives. She works alongside her team and is not above her team and showcases true leadership style where she leads by example. Being in the business for the last 10 years, TaylorCare has successfully expanded through new and newer horizons leaving its impact on the industry. They started from humble beginnings in a one person home office start-up business to a small office in the Sydney CBD, and now to a larger office in North Sydney Australia. “My goal is to continue paving the way for women in business to shine in leadership roles. I want to be a role model to my daughter so that she can work hard and go for her dreams while being an amazing mum too.” The distinctive Kate has implemented from the beginning of the business is to not only incorporate an RUOK wellbeing workplace culture, but to also actively engage with my staff in Corporate Social Responsibility. The goal of building a successful business includes incorporating my passion for helping charities and giving back in the industries we recruit for. This provides a noticeable distinction in
Sepp Rajaie: Making Data Security Better and Safer
Digital Version Sepp Rajaie, Founder and CEO of TechR2, came to the United States from Iran at the age of 18 in pursuit of higher education. Shortly after his arrival, the political revolution in Iran changed the course of his life. With violence erupting in his home country, Sepp applied and was granted asylum and then was able to gain his citizenship in the United States, “With no means of financial support from my family in Iran, | quickly learned that | had to work hard to put myself through school while juggling numerous full-time jobs. This valuable experience paved the way for my future endeavors,” he states. FOUNDATION OF TECHR2 AND THE ROADBLOCKS FACED DURING THE INCEPTION OF THE COMPANY After graduation, Sepp’s education combined with experience in sales and marketing for a technology company led him to start his own business in 1989. As data distribution and processing continued to grow, Sepp predicted that the concept of data security would become a very important component of technological advancement. “My vision was always clear that data security would be essential and that there was a gaping hole in the industry that continued to get bigger and bigger. This was the foundation of how TechR2 was born knew there was a crucial necessity – so we began building” he explains. It is this foresight that has led to TechR2’s pioneering approach to data security. TechR2 does not follow, nor does it endorse the old mentality of “if it is not broken, don’t fix it” Fortunately, one of TechR2s key service offerings is risk assessments, through which TechR2 can pinpoint customers security weaknesses and improve their practices. This provides TechR2 the perfect opportunity to advise, consult, and protect client vulnerabilities. They provide a customized Cybersecurity Framework tailored to client needs by industry, activity, and size; this demands a culture built upon innovation and proactive mindset. “Our engineering department is on pace for 10 patents this year alone. Along with other stringent ISO accreditations, we are proud to be International Standards Organization (ISO) 31000 certified, allowing us to conduct professional assessments for data security across the U.S. and the world. As reported by the U.S. Inspector General (2019 and 2020), organizations continue to utilize non-compliant practices and uncertified vendors because organizations are still learning how to protect client healthcare, financial and personal data,” says Mr. Rajaie. The company’s patented TechR2 Tear-A-Byte solution closes data security holes in old, non-compliant processes. Every day, data security breaches, failed data destruction processes, and e waste failures are reported throughout the U.S. TechR2 has been preparing for this storm and has been on a continuous journey of progression in response to the demands of the industry. From a small operation as a local technology recycler, they’ve grown into a global leader in IT Asset Destruction. They continue to push that envelope even further by re-inventing the ITAD industry in the form of Data Destruction as a Service (DDaaS). STEPPING INTO THE VAST FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY Sepp states that he has always been passionate about technology and innovation. Among the many reasons why he fought hard to immigrate to the United States was the fact that the US has always been the world leader in technology and advancement. “m so fortunate to have had the opportunity to come to the United States!” he exclaims. His degree in Electrical Engineering combined with his innate ability to develop relationships has helped build TechR2 into an innovative, disruptive technology company with a focus on the lifeblood of all technology – data security. Being a leader and innovator in the field requires TechR2 to extremely well versed in modern technology. More than ever, modern technology (computers, the internet, the cloud, etc) has become the lifeblood of all types of businesses. It seems like only yesterday that giant storerooms of paper files would dominate regulated industries whereas today, the entire Library of Congress can now be stored on a single thumb drive. Data that businesses deal with is incredibly valuable. The convenience, flexibility, and power of having all that data available at a moment’s notice are remarkable and fuel advancement. However, with those incredible benefits comes added risk. As data is more available, It also presents more opportunities for that data to fall into the wrong hands. Sepp says that his career has been well planned and a calculated risk at the same time. “Getting into the industry was planned. Making the bold moves in thought leadership and shaping the industry into what it is has been a risk, but as any other entrepreneur would probably tell you, calculated risks are what drive innovation, advancement, and success” he adds. CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF DATA SOLUTIONS OVER TIME The rise of corporate crime, brazen hacking, and ransom attacks is alarming and increasing every day. 17 years ago, the internet was still gaining more traction, and the idea that it was a fad had finally faded away. People knew it was here to stay. Unfortunately, this meant that hackers could get at just about any data they wanted from the privacy of their own homes as security and any set processes were still quite lax. When security became tighter online, social attacks became more dominant (phishing schemes to get a password, etc) In today’s landscape, multi-factor authentication has become nearly ubiquitous and as a result, hackers are running out of easy options. “The simplicity of a trash can is a very easy target. If a data-bearing device is thrown out, the owner of the device is more liable than the person who plucked it out from the trash! This is the next major target of vulnerability in IT Data Security,” states Sepp. So much attention is paid to devices when they are in use, but they are quickly forgotten when the power is unplugged. This massive gap and vulnerability are what spurred TechR2 to develop the Tear-A-Byte Process. National and Global regulatory bodies are focusing on this dangerous vulnerability by strengthening existing laws/standards or
Yasaf Burshan: Inspiring and Empowering Creators to Make an Impact
Israel is a very small country – two hours from Tel Aviv you are on the edge of the country. But due to its position as a global innovation powerhouse, investors from major countries are attracted to it. Identified as a hotspot for collaboration, Yasaf, an innovative Israeli entrepreneur helps businesses thrive through effectively integrating technologies in their education businesses. Yasaf Burshan, Founder and CEO of Team Genius, shares his journey of outgrowing and expanding abroad, connecting people with technology. We at Fortunes Crown got into an interview questionnaire to know more about the company and its impact on ed-tech businesses. 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? When it comes to formal education, I’m happy to say that I’ve obtained education in two major fields that I’m very passionate about, Technology and People. I have a BA in business management with a major in Information Technology and I’m a certified project management professional (PMP). Also, I am a certified Clinical NLP master and a graduate of the Tony Robbins platinum partnership program. This combination allowed me to have a very successful career in the traditional IT industry for over 20 years, in which I held multiple senior roles including the head of IT for IKEA in Israel. Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years? Team Genius’s mission is to inspire and empower creators to make an impact. We work with content and course creators all over the world (majorly in the US, Canada, and Australia) and we help them to unleash their creativity by effectively integrating technology into all areas of their business. Simply put, we keep them in their Zone of Genius, doing what they do best, as we help them create profitable online businesses. As a content creator myself, for my program “Anywhere Boss”, I know first-hand the challenges they are facing, and I’m also inspired by them to become better and better. While I’m still very much in the “tech zone” my ideal customer has changed from the finance/retail/consumer subject matters to the knowledge commerce business. What are the unique challenges your company is currently facing? How have they affected your company? I think that like most other companies these days working remotely and efficiently is a challenge. At the same time, one advantage we have on our side is that Team Genius was founded as a global organization with team members across multiple locations, so this is built right into our DNA. It drives us to be more open in our communications, efficient in the way we do business, and of course, rely on technology, we do for ourselves what we do for our customers. When was Team Genius established? What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company? Team Genius was established in 2019. We are a certified Thinkific agency partner, certified Zapier experts and a certified Evernote partner. In addition, we have partnerships with other major brands like Microsoft and Monday that gives us a unique ability to look at our customers’ tech needs from a holistic point of view. We help our customers create profitable online courses, products and membership sites and convert sales funnels, but we don’t stop there. We apply automation and make them more efficient and productive in their business. And on a personal level, I also mentor and coach my customers on how to take things to the next level and build a lifestyle that excites them by becoming “Anywhere Bosses”. What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements? I encourage open and honest communication. It is my responsibility as the leader to make sure that everybody gets heard and to recognize what they have to say. Values and culture are the keys here and it starts with me leading by example, and by choosing Team Members that share the same values. Not the same opinions, the same values. Disagreements are inventible, nor they should be ignored. Every member of the team has the freedom to speak freely. Criticism is fine, as long as it is served as feedback that we can build on and improve. My response is always “bring it on, let’s talk about it so we can get better. What measures do you undertake to ensure optimum customer satisfaction? How much impact does the customer feedback have on the company’s strategies? Communication is the key. Customer satisfaction is very important for us and it plays a major role in our growth and success strategies. Customer dissatisfaction is most likely to come when there is a gap between the customer expectation and the result or deliverable. So we communicate clearly from the first step what is to be expected, what is included in the scope of work, the timeline and the expected cost. Then we monitor expectations and communication throughout the lifecycle of the project and adjust as needed. We are not afraid to say that we don’t have the answer to something, and if such cases arise we see them as an opportunity to learn something new with a promise to come back with an answer in X amount of time. Please tell us about the services/products your company is offering? How are they different from your competitors’ offerings? We are certified Thinkific agency partners, and as such, we offer course creation, site-building and automation services. We also support all Thinkific superpowerups, from general consultation to setup and configuration. As Zapier experts, we effectively integrate technology in all areas of our customer’s business. Keeping them in their “Zone of Genius”, doing what they do best; teaching, empowering, creating, leading, and making sure they have efficient processes that are working for them so they can quickly and effortlessly scale. The successful partnerships we maintain with industry-leading vendors allows
Winston Weber: Pioneering Organization Restructuring With Expert Consultants
Management refers to the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible within an organization. It is concerned with converting materials and labor into goods and services as efficiently as possible to maximize the profit of an organization. So does Winston and his team attempt to balance costs with revenue to achieve the highest net operating profit possible. Winston Weber, Founder and CEO of Winston Weber & Associates (WWA), a leader in management consultancy, creates a framework for managing the effect of new business processes, changes in organizational structure, or cultural changes within an enterprise. We at Fortunes Crown got into conversation with Mr. Weber to know more about the company and how it is helping the businesses and individuals as a whole. Would you like to mention some of the highlights from your journey? I am viewed by many in business as an icon with high expectations and leading-edge thinking. I introduced retailer/supplier partnering, now referred to as collaboration, to the industry in the late 1980s and Category Management to the U.S. in 1990. I introduced the new beyond Category Management business model Shopper-Centric Retailing in 2019 and the new Change Enablement Training in 2022. I love helping companies improve their competitive position in the marketplace, influencing the future of the grocery industry with new, highly productive concepts and upgrading company work environments that encourage open discussion and leading-edge thinking. Our clients view me as one who “says it as he sees it”. While many may think I may lead a life totally involved in business life, I should mention that in 2022 I am celebrating my 56year marriage to my wife Linda. My family is equally important to me. Please tell us about your educational/professional background. How was your life before WWA? After I graduated from Syracuse University in 1962, I spent my first 23 years working with leading consumer products companies including Colgate Palmolive, General Foods, Beechnut Baby Food, Sunshine Biscuits, The Drackett Products Company, Schering Plough and Atari. The first ten years were spent with two major companies, moving up quickly from Retail Salesman to Sales Supervisor, District Manager and Regional Manager Positions. These were excellent corporate experiences that taught me a lot, but I wanted more. I felt too limited and wanted corporate cultures that would enable me to drive change designed to improve the work environment and overall company performance. Leaving General Foods, I obtained my first Vice President Sales position in year eleven and for the next thirteen years, my titles included Vice President, Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President and President of Sales. During this period, I accomplished my objective of having the latitude to make changes designed to improve performance. In the first company I tested and expanded nationally a plan that eliminated expensive Baby Food Company shelf-stocking across the industry. At my next company, where we were losing money, I restructured the sales and distribution organizations from direct store to warehouse delivery. This immediately moved the company from a several million-dollar loss to several million-dollar profits. This move also helped us gain market share. At my next company, I was briefly Vice President Sales before being promoted to President of Sales. I made a number of organizational changes including moving women and black Americans into management positions for the first time. Considering this was 40+ years ago, this was well ahead of when most companies made similar moves. While this was an excellent experience, and I would have stayed longer, I was approached by another company, Atari, with an employment package I could not resist. As Senior Vice President Sales, I was hired to bring in consumer products retail channel experience and to make major changes to the Sales Organization structure and business processes. This was accomplished. My final corporate experience was as President of the Schering Plough Sales Corporation, where similar changes were made. Briefly describe your company and the products or services you are offering. I decided it was now time to leave a single corporation where I could contribute to the growth of many companies and also contribute to driving change throughout the consumer products industry. This led to my decision to start Winston Weber & Associates, Inc. in 1985. My goal was to form a small “boutique” consulting firm with a global perspective that would provide leadership thinking with practical, implementable solutions to grocery retailers and consumer package goods companies. I wanted to employ a controlled growth strategy with an emphasis on providing more value and client return on investment than very large consulting firms staffed mostly by junior consultants, many with minimal business experience. This has been accomplished and maintained during our 36 years. Our senior consultants must have at least 30 years of business experience in general management, retail management, sales management, brand management, or supply chain management in the consumer products industry before joining WWA. I expect them to bring a unique blend of skills, expertise and a “real world” business perspective to each client assignment and are ideally suited to deal with companies trying to leverage leadership positions in the marketplace as well as turnaround situations. Importantly, whatever the situation, we have an in-depth appreciation for the need to focus on running the business while changing the business. This ensures the achievement of near-term performance targets while changing the business. More value and client return on investment mean an uncompromising emphasis on quality and trust, a “say it as we see it” approach and the ability to consistently exceed client expectations. These qualities and our dedication to providing leading-edge thinking with implementable solutions have helped us to achieve our goal…this is our reputation today. Going back to your early career decisions, tell us what factors influenced your decision to be an executive in the grocery industry. During my senior year in college, I spent a considerable amount of time interviewing every company that came on campus. Considering my degree is in the social sciences, I was very interested in going with a company
Sister Merceditas O. Ang: Embracing Future-Proof Education
“As we create and traverse new educational pathways in the 21st century learning to reach greater heights, SPUP will Lead, Innovate, Grow, and Serve.” St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP) has an awe-inspiring and long-lasting impact on students and teachers. For more than 25 years, the university provides a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate programs that promote intellectual inquiry and independent thought. Sister Merceditas O. Ang, SPC, the university President, is a visionary and transformational leader with compelling ideas beyond frontiers. Consistently honored with local and international awards, SPUP is unleashing its promising landscape of advanced education. Teaching and Learning Support Trailblazing a future-ready and sustainable holistic education to make a difference globally was a lofty goal and giant leap for St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP) in 2015. Globalization and diversity called for re-thinking and reforms in the education sector vis-à-vis the ASEAN Regional Integration and the K to 12 transition in Philippine basic education. Rising up to the challenges of contemporary times, SPUP launched its internationalization programs and initiatives as a vital component of high-quality education and global competencies of Paulinian students and graduates. A strategic roadmap was crafted on six key areas: 1) quality teaching-learning and student services 2) research and innovation 3) resource mobilization and human development 4) internationalization 5) creative evangelization 6) community services and sustainability Accordingly, the traditional programs and structures were revamped and enhanced. Relevant and innovative new programs were offered with an interdisciplinary approach across borders. Research and STEM education gained momentum. Local and international partnerships and collaborative endeavors with the academe, industry, government agencies, and other stakeholders remarkably increased in a number of partners and levels of engagement. Community outreach and services were provided to the poor and marginalized, and the state-of-the-art physical and digital infrastructures of the university were built along with the human capital investment. Response to the Crisis Within a span of five years, SPUP has undergone massive transformation and advancement, which abruptly took a turn in 2020 with the COVID-19 outbreak. The SPUP administration, under the dynamic leadership of Sister Merceditas, prioritized care for people and ensured the health, safety, and well-being of the students and employees. Learning modalities catered to the needs and context of the students. Advance technologies facilitated the delivery of holistic quality teaching and learning with high student engagement. No retrenchment was made and all employees received full monthly salaries and benefits despite the financial constraints. Amazing results happened with the value-based, people-centered, positive mindset, technology-driven, agile and resilient approach to survive during the pandemic. In generously and humanely translating challenges into opportunities, SPUP registered a big increase of more than a thousand new students in 2021 and its international students and partners doubled in number. Moreover, local and international recognition and awards were garnered by the university in the fields of social services and human development. Indeed, manifold blessings keep SPUP thriving despite the pandemic complemented with faith and hope for a better tomorrow. The Ideal Place for Knowledge St. Paul University Philippines was founded on May 10, 1907, in Tuguegarao City by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres (SPC). It was established with humble beginnings as a small school for basic education spurred by the missionary zeal and sacrifices of the pioneer SPC sisters and lay collaborators. In 1941, the school buildings were used as a military garrison during the war and ravaged during the liberation. The reconstruction and growth of the school had met another catastrophe in 1965 when its buildings were razed to the ground by fire. Like gold tested in a crucible, SPUP had overcome setbacks to flourish and expand into tertiary education and graduate school. In 1982, it was hailed as the first university in Cagayan Valley, in the northern part of the Philippines. For more than a century of existence, SPUP has proven its tradition of excellence and untarnished reputation of providing high-quality education. The Philippine Commission on Higher Education recognized SPUP as an autonomous university, Center of Excellence in Nursing and Education, Center for Development in Information Technology, and Center for Teacher Training. The University was also cited as Most Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Campus in the Region, Outstanding Student Services in the Philippines, Outstanding Library in the Philippines, Top 3 in the Philippine Higher Education Internationalization Award, and included in the World Universities with Real Impact (WURI). Its global engagements exemplify inclusive and intercultural education, embracing unity in diversity with its more than nine thousand local and international student population. This year, SPUP celebrates its 115th founding anniversary true to its vision-mission as an internationally recognized institution dedicated to the formation of competent leaders and responsible citizens of their communities, country, and the world. In setting strategic directions, Sr. Merceditas inspires with wisdom and forward-looking perspectives. Establishment and Achievement Sister Merceditas O. Ang, SPC believes that “the bottom line of success is not gauged by external rewards but felt as an inner fulfillment, and eventually in the scheme of things it is a life of integrity and service that will have a lasting legacy on humanity.” She joined the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in 1994 as a lawyer by profession. Also, she has a degree in Psychology and work experiences in human resource training, counseling, banking, taxation, and corporate law. As a religious sister, she immersed in the spirituality of consecrated life and served in the education ministry. In 2003, Sister Merceditas obtained a Master’s degree in Educational Management and a Ph.D. degree in Educational Leadership and Management in 2005. She wrote and published a paper on Servant Leadership which was presented during the Greenleaf International Conference on Servant Leadership in Indianapolis, USA. She was appointed as President of St. Paul University Surigao in 2006, and as Provincial Assistant for Education in 2009-2014. The mission of forming the young as responsible future leaders appealed to her inner calling. She believes that education is a potent factor in national and global development, sustainability, and social transformation. In 2015, as the incumbent President
Sinhue Noronha: An Emerging Name Against All Odds
Digital Version With more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Sinhue drives value for communities. His journey from marketing for others to manufacturing his own products is an exceptional milestone and an inspiration for new-age entrepreneurs. At the age of 58, he built his company into a multi-million dollar business that gives him the confidence to see age is just a number. Sinhue Bosco Noronha, Founder and CEO of Africure Pharmaceuticals Limited, got into a conversation to share his extraordinary journey and zest for life which is admirable. Academically, I have a Bachelor of Science degree and an MBA degree in Marketing. I initially started at a grass root level, detailing products to doctors in India and then grew within the ranks, from a Medical Representative to a Product Executive to a Product Manager to a Group Product Manager to a Marketing Manager and finally Marketing Controller. I was a marketing Controller at the age of 28 and driving businesses that were mostly start-ups and where we had almost approximately 150 field personnel. So that has been my basic journey at the start of my career and this had everything to do with domestic companies in India. I worked with three startups and got them going from ideation to commercialization. To get into business, I owe it to a good friend of mine Mr. Arun Kumar who is the Managing Director of Strides Life Sciences based in Bangalore which is a global player in the field of pharmaceutical formulations, where they do manufacturing in regulated markets and semi-regulated markets. I learned all about exports from Mr. Kumar and that is when I decided that I could probably be an entrepreneur and started my entrepreneurship journey. In 1991 with a company called Simrone Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, where for the first three years we worked on contract manufacturing and sold the products to buyers in Europe, specifically Germany and UK who in turn sold the products to various markets in Africa. In 1994, I was able to raise capital in India from some leading venture capital companies in India and I was able to set up a facility of my own at a place that was approximately a hundred kilometers from Mumbai city. This facility was called Simrone Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and had a team of about 70 or 80 people to start with and we were purely into the manufacturing of products for exports as this was a designated hundred percent export-oriented unit. Subsequently along the way when the government changed the policy and allowed hundred percent EOU’s to market products locally we were associated with companies like Zydus-Cadila, Lyka, Elder and a couple of other companies where we would manufacture products and they would market them in the Indian market. That’s where it all started and this helped me understand the nuances of the African market & have always been passionate about African health. Africa is a very potential market for pharmaceutical businesses because it has a very low per capita income, a low per capita consumption of just twelve dollars per person with a population of about 750 million people. The opportunity is good simply because the economies of most of the countries are improving and the wages and pay scales etc are improving and the buying power of the people is better. The need for Africa is basically to be self-sufficient and that starts with having manufacturing facilities and capabilities. As a company, we focus on both creating the capabilities and the assets. We get into markets that have virtually zero or maybe a couple of manufacturing plants. So what we’re doing here is we are trying to create an impact in markets where people were denied medication and knew nothing about the manufacturing processes. We train the locals and we work with almost 95% of the local population. So we are a company that is very focused on manufacturing and we have a portfolio of approximately 350 registrations in various countries, which boils down to approximately 80 or 90 molecules. In Africa, it’s still very unfortunate that because of the cost factor, people continue to use old age medication and the new molecules that have been discovered globally don’t seem to be doing exceedingly well, it’s simply because of a matter of buying power and people can get relief with the old medication and they can absorb the side effects. So if you take the top fifty products in each market you will find that these are products which are more than twenty years old. That’s the scenario as far as the business goes. So the Business is not really changing too much, although there is a slight shift. Africa has been more of a continent where the medication was self-consumed. People would go and buy over the counter based on their judgment or based on the recommendation of the pharmacist as they were very few doctors available. Now that is changed to some extent as Pharma companies have been going to doctors and promoting their products getting them to write prescriptions for newer molecules. So about 70% of the market in Africa today is, especially in sub-Saharan Africa cause that’s where our strengths lie, is the generic part or the OTC part although antibiotics are sold over the counter and 30% of the market would be the doctor promoted market. Africure Pharmaceuticals was established in April 2017 with the objective of creating and manufacturing assets in Africa. I also did a management buyout of some of the major manufacturing assets in Africa from the company Strides, where I worked as a CEO for four continents. We started with a basket of seven or eight plants and four distribution centers. I raised capital from HNI’s and people who were in Africa and understood the pharmaceutical business. On one single day on April 1st, we had 200 people moving from Strides to Africure with zero attrition, and everyone was willing to work with Africure, because
RevolutionDM: Performance Based, Data Driven Digital Marketing, E-commerce
Digital Version In the modern age of the Internet, one needs the superpower of Digital Marketing to pave the way through to the customers and “netizens”. Digital Marketing Agencies possess the perfect recipe to present your brand or service to the audience. RevolutionDM is a Digital Marketing Company that caters to its wide base of clients overseas and native. RevolutionDM approaches its clients by creating a productive and helpful environment. They make it a point to be with their clients as if they are all working together at their premises. They choose to act as colleagues rather than superiors and subordinates. Their Digital Marketing Services are available for their clients at any hour, any development. While having a chat with Yilmaz Bozan, many-a-things about Digital Marketing, companies, and employees were discussed. Born in 1984, He first entered the Digital Sector with a Microsoft SA diploma in hand in 1999. Presently providing performance-oriented marketing solutions, he has previously worked as a verb in various departments and organizations like processing, software, design, marketing, etc. He made his first website in 2002 and founded RevolutionDM as a consultancy firm in 2005. The founder says that while establishing RDM, he knew that the industry he was stepping in was never stopping. Digital Marketing is such a dynamic industry constantly changing in terms of trends, techniques, and traditions. How is this Digital Marketing Service different from others? The very inspiration behind the establishment of RevolutionDM was to be an organization that fills the gap and understands the needs of companies and the dynamics of the fast-paced evolving business in Turkey. RevolutionDM has an open and friendly mindset which keeps employees motivated. They maintain the attitude that supports their employees and clients through any problems because there is a solution to everything. What Specific Services Do They Offer? RevolutionDM has a vast category of the main services they provide to their customers. ● SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ● SEM (Search Engine Marketing) ● SMM (Social Media Marketing) ● Conversion Optimization ● Growth Hacking ● Neuro Marketing ● Mobile Marketing ● UX/UI Design / Optimization ● E-Commerce Consulting With the plethora of services, RevolutionDM has to provide, they make sure to cater to their clients quality services. The company considers Istanbul and Dublin as its main work hubs and soon wants to establish its grounds in Amsterdam. The company is proudly a Google Partner and is Youtube Certified. RevolutionDM creates tailor-made solutions for its clients. One of the unique characteristics is their process of working with clients and customers with no common language. The customer could speak Hungarian, Polish or Spanish. The company is confident about its experiences and strategies to manage it all. This quality in particular makes the company’s ground strong. As they welcome any client, with no boundaries whatsoever. How is the Employee Culture? Yilmaz Bozan describes himself as a big brother in the company. That is the role he dutifully plays. Ever since the initial days, RevolutionDM decided to set up the organization’s structure without any hierarchy. They make sure the inter-company communication goes as seamless and frictionless as possible. There is no distinction between overseeing the digital communication processes of clients. The employees at RevolutionDM treat their client’s problems as their own and deliver quality solutions. What Does RevoltionDM Plan on With The Growing Digital Marketing Culture? RevoutionDM considers its competition as an encouragement to grow ahead. They consider their unique working environment the reason for that. The company is aware of the growth strategies and jobs. With RDM Academy, they provide training on many subjects such as Digital Marketing, Social Media, E-commerce, Entrepreneurship, SEO, SEM, SMM, Google Analytics, and Conversion Optimization to corporate, personal, or a certain number of audiences. RDM did. RDM has nearly 7000 graduates in various educational institutions, especially in Continuing Education Centers of universities, and their number in the sector is increasing day by day. RevolutionDM And Facing Their Challenges RevolutionDM views the recent Pandemic as one of the biggest challenges they faced, but not in the way to regret it. The world changed in unexpected ways during those 2 years. Stores were closed, and people learned and started using the internet to view, buy and browse things more than ever before. During this period, many companies got familiar with Digital Marketing as a concept, and studies and new websites were carried out. As the company had been working on the ground for a little over 4 years, their clientage was not affected- their clients stayed loyal to them throughout. They didn’t observe any decrease in budgets and plans. The pandemic made the company and the public in general with the number of people opting for Digital techniques for everything. Any Other Changes Observed Due to Pandemic? Although not many brands have budgeted to increase brand awareness in digital media, the patterns were broken during the Pandemic period; the order of the game has changed, and digital media is increasingly gaining importance in branding, that is, in increasing brand awareness. From this point of view, Google as much as you can in line with your own budget. You can also advertise on Facebook, Instagram, and other channels. Therefore, in the branding process, digital media has a lower entrance harem than offline media and has many other advantages. What Does the Future of Digital Marketing Look Like to RevolutionDM? In the last 5 years, RevolutionDM has acquired clients in countries like the USA, Europe, and the Middle East. The company uses a Word-of-Mouth strategy- existing clients can further lead to new potential clients through recommendations and discussions. One of the unique factors about the company is that they don’t own a personal website domain. They have a strong social media presence with accounts active and growing. As a company with a strong base of contacts, they make sure to provide all their clients with the best quality strategies A Message For Entrepreneurs Seeking a Career in Business? As an experienced and decorated businessman, Yilmaz Bozan has enough stories
Karen L. Simon: A Resilient Professional Working in a Commercial Real Estate
Digital Version Running a business and raising children at the same time? That’s concrete tough. Thinking about family first against relocating for better opportunities, adds even more challenges. And end up entering into an industry dominated by men, that’s yet one more hurdle. But that’s what Karen Leslie Simon has done. Simon is the Managing Partner of Emersons Commercial Real Estate, responsible for marketing activities west of Dallas County. As an expert in real estate, Simon has completed over 900+ transactions encompassing thousands of acres of land and 6,000,000 square feet of building area. She has excelled as the president and managing partner of the Tarrant County division of Emersons Commercial Real Estate. The Inspiration Karen Simon earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Texas in Austin and a master’s degree in American history from Texas Christian University and 24 hours above masters from TCU as well. She also participated in the doctoral program at Texas Christian University. Ms. Simon started her career as a teacher in a community college and after 5 years she was ready to enter the business world. Though she wanted to continue teaching, the opportunity of teaching at a 4-year university was limited even if she completed her doctorate. Texas and TCU were not hiring faculty who graduated from their schools as they promote diversity. So she pursued the opportunity of the federal government. She had the opportunity to be considered as Executive Assistant for the Regional Administrator of The Department of Housing and Urban Development for Region 10, which was located in the Dallas- Forth Worth area. She was selected for the position and began her real estate journey. The Unexpected Journey One day an unexpected bulletin crossed her desk that if someone qualified to take the Brokers exam and did not already have a salesman license, they could do so. It was an opportunity for her as a HUD employee, as she was barred from holding a salesman license while employed by HUD because it could be a conflict of interest with the government. After learning she was only lacking 9 hours out of 900, she took a two-week leave from work and did the classwork, took a review class, and took the Brokers exam. To her delight, she passed the exam and began a new chapter in her life. After 6 months of holding her new license, Ms. Simon accepted a position as head of the Industrial Division for the Henry S. Miller Company in Tarrant Country and became the first woman to be defined as an Industrial Realtor in the metroplex. Experience Beyond Opportunities As a Managing Partner, Ms. Simon holds success in real estate in various capacities. From 1983 to 1989, she garnered valuable experience as the senior vice president of the industrial and land division of Henry S. Miller. Between 1990 and 2000, she flourished as the president of the R.E. Group Advisors, Polo Club Enterprises Inc., and the industrial and land division of the Woodmont Company. Soon thereafter, Ms. Simon was recruited as the executive vice president and managing partner of Bradford Commercial Real Estate Services, a role in which she thrived from 2003 to 2014. From 2014 to 2016, she was active as the president and principal of TIG Real Estate Services Metroplex West. In 1987, she participated in establishing the first women’s organization for women in commercial real estate, the Commercial Real Estate Women’s Organization. Establishing the Company Emersons Commercial Real Estate was founded in 2004 by Richard Webb, a banker and a real estate agent, and Matt Price, a C.P.A and real estate entrepreneur. The company based initially in Dallas did real estate leasing, sales, and property management. It has since grown to include Karen’s office in Forth Worth, one in Oklahoma City, and one in Houston and Austin. In 2019, the company also founded along with Priority properties out of St. Louis, a company called 1045. Its primary functions were to manage all of Kroger’s real estate nationwide. It manages more than 80 million Sq Ft. This growth and expansion have opened additional doors for its participants, and the team hopes it will have a continuing positive influence on Emersons itself. Concrete Services Emersons is dedicated to providing clients with all of the benefits of an in-house real estate management operation without the typical overhead, expense, and problems associated with employing their staff. Its experienced team offers professional property management services to Tenant-in-Common owners who want to know their investments are in good hands. With expertise in banking, finance, accounting, leasing, development, construction management, property management, and Tenant-in- Common management – it understands the broad dynamic of modern property acquisition, ownership, and management. From full-service management services, including property management and construction management to single solutions like accounting and financial processing Emersons can design a management program that suits businesses. Karen Simon’s Achievements Because of her experience and knowledge, Ms. Simon has been sought out by national real estate publications and local business papers as both a column writer and source for stories about real estate issues. She has also been honored by The Business Press in its “Who’s Who in Business” section as one of the Decision Makers and Heavy Hitters in Tarrant County and was a two-time nominee for the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Newsmaker Award for Civic Involvement. She was named to the Dallas Business Journal list as the #4 Heavy Hitter in land brokerage and 2001 she was named one of the Great Women of Texas. She was also selected to handle the disposition of the closed Albertsons grocery stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She was recognized as Bradford Companies’ Top Producer in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008. In 2007, she was named Business Woman of the Year by the State Women’s Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, she was named as one of the most influential women in Texas by the National Diversity Council. Moreover, Ms. Simon has been designated as a lifetime member of the Urban
Ranjan Mahtani: Shaping Sustainable Clothing Future
Digital Version Stepping Stones Behind the Epic Growth of Ranjan Mahtani’s “Epic” Ranjan Mahtani was born and raised in Mumbai. At the age of 16, he started “cutting his teeth” in the garment industry, working as an intern at a garment export company way back in 1980, and already was learning the business for a few years in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In 1983, he set up Epic, and started the operations from scratch, in Bangladesh, where he saw an opportunity for huge growth in an emerging apparel industry powerhouse. Since then, his company created its global headquarters in Hong Kong, and four decades later, they have built a global business with operations in Bangladesh, India, the Middle East, South-East Asia, the US, and the UK. They started with a Buying Office in Bangladesh, with a vision to attain revenues of $ 100k within a four-year horizon; and today, they are one of the largest manufacturers and buying agents in Bangladesh, producing over 120 million pieces of garment per year, employing over 30,000 employees worldwide, mainly in Bangladesh. Today, they have become one of the world’s largest apparel manufacturers, partnering with some of the top global apparel retailers, including Walmart, Uniqlo, Amazon, Levi’s, and many others. Impact of Customer Preferences on the Current Scenario of the Business The revenue of the global apparel industry was estimated at $ 1.5 trillion in 2021 and is projected to rise to $ 2 trillion by 2026. The ecosystem of the apparel industry, including fabric and textile producers, manufacturers, retailers, and end customers, has changed dramatically over the years. For example, the entire industry focus on driving sustainability. More and more clothes are being produced with sustainable fibers, and new sustainable manufacturing practices are being incorporated into the whole manufacturing and supply chain value chain. Also, consumers want a blend of affordable active and casual wear. It is because people want to feel comfortable at home, in the office, or at their leisure. And the industry has seen a significant digitalization of its supply chain – from digital product designs to digitalized product libraries, costing, and highly automated manufacturing processes. The Inspiration Behind the Establishment of Eric Group In 1983, EPIC first opened offices in Bangladesh and started its operations from scratch, beginning as a small buying office. Since then, the company has come a long way, with operations and offices throughout the world, employing over 30,000 employees and manufacturing over 120 million pieces of garment annually. Ranjan Mahtani did his first internship in the garment industry at the age of 16. Today he is 58. It has been a professional journey of over 40 years for him. As an Entrepreneur, he feels proud of what he has contributed in the initial years and growth of the company to make it what he loves to call “the brand behind the brand”. Today, EPIC has grown substantially, and they have a talented workforce to manage it. Now he feels his key responsibilities are to mentor them, make sure that they get all the right resources, and help them to develop the vision for the future of the company. Having said that, it doesn’t stop him from learning new things. The world we live in has been continuously evolving, he needs to keep himself abreast of it because the moment one stops learning is the moment one starts getting old and he would rather keep himself young with the same energy and enthusiasm that he had 40 years before. The Differentiating Factor Among Epic’s Competitors State-of-the-Art garment manufacturing, apparel design & development, fabric development, pick & pack warehousing service. Epic Group proudly partners with key global retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, Uniqlo, Levi’s, and Tesco. Together and for decades now, Epic has built with these and other customers committed, transparent, and mutually trusting long-term relationships. They are transitioning towards Industry 4.0 and have started building their factories of the future. They lean and supplement by sustainable practices. The very first such unit, Green Textile Unit-4, was recently commissioned and is fully operational. These micro-factories will be agile production facilities with modular lines, multi-skilled operators, and advanced technology in terms of equipment and digitalization. They are built with vigor and passion to ‘cut in the morning, ship in the evening.’ They are also, investing in a new washing machine for denim that doesn’t require the use of any chemicals and much less water consumption, making it highly sustainable. From a product point of view, they have partnered with new and innovative denim fabrics that are sustainable both from the material as well as a process point of view. Challenges Faced By The Company In The Market The rise in inflation has a cascading effect on the entire supply chain as raw material, freight, and energy costs have increased, resulting in higher retail prices. At the same time, the same inflation is making consumers prioritize their spending and decrease their share of their wallet for apparel. They are also seeing higher inventories as supply chains were disrupted due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown delays, and trade issues with China. Some brands have become very aggressive on markdowns to clear their inventories as soon as possible. This might even out, and still motivate consumers to buy more. Also, the retail market seems to consolidate, resulting in unemployment. A few of the key things they see coming out of this is that brands are focusing on nearshoring to make the supply chain more resilient. They are also investing in the right technology to have clear visibility of the supply chain and be more agile and flexible in demand planning to avoid inventory issues in the future. These challenges offer tremendous opportunities for us: as in their mission statement “The Relentless Pursuit of Better”, every day, they look for new ways to innovate – to bring sustainable, affordable products which retailers and customers want – efficiently and cost-effectively. This means looking proactively at solutions with their stakeholders –
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