PAPREC: The Name Behind Evolution In Waste Management
Digital Version How did the founder’s vision for recycling come into the picture? Jean-Luc Petithuguenin started the organization PAPREC, and he has been in charge of it ever since. Jean-Luc Petithuguenin joined Compagnie Générale des Eaux in 1990 when he was 33 years old. Guy Dejouany was the leader of this quasi-state organization, which included Veolia, Vinci, Vivendi, Nexity, and other companies. Here, in 1994, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin was chosen to lead the industrial cleaning and recycling business, which at the time employed close to 15,000 people. He was asked to give up control of a little PAPREC recycling business that the company had recently bought from Scott Paprec. This was PAPREC. Having its headquarters in La Courneuve, 45 workers, and a 3.5 million euro annual revenue at the time. Jean-Luc Petithuguenin decided to take his chances. He left the Compagnie Gnrale des Eaux and bought PAPREC. His hard work and commitment paid off! With more than 280 locations across eight countries, the company has increased its workforce from 45 to 12,500 over the course of 25 years. The portfolio includes sales of 2.2 billion euros in 2021 while managing 16 million tonnes of garbage. Since its founding, the Paprec Group has gained recognition for its dedication to diversity, secularism, and the struggle against all types of intolerance. Furthermore, BFM Business and Ernst and Young both chose Jean-Luc Petithuguenin twice for the Businessman of the Year award. The transformation in the recycling sector over the past years Over the past three decades, more people have become conscious of the need to safeguard the environment. Recycling is commonplace today. It is crucial that you protect the planet’s natural resources, reduce CO2 emissions, and take part in the decarbonization of the economy. Local authorities have tightened up their enforcement of home trash separation over time. It has been vital for businesses to adapt to this trend as regulation has continued to address waste management and being ethical and sustainable has become more and more in vogue. Paprec kept its pledge to demonstrate that the recycling sector is a well-developed one. French recycling champion PAPREC also ranks second in waste management and third in the provision of green energy (energy recovery from waste). The success of Paprec is founded on its consistent selection of the greatest technology available. Modern plants make up every one of them. In fact, there are no dividends paid by this business since the proceeds are used to purchase the most advanced industrial machinery that the management teams desire. The fleet’s pursuit of excellence and commitment to providing the greatest service must also be reflected in the trucks, skips, and other equipment. Industrial tools and equipment have received 2.5 billion euros in investment during the past 25 years. The establishment of PAPREC and the motive behind establishing the firm 1994 saw the start of the Paprec journey at La Courneuve (North-East of Paris). The Compagnie Générale des Eaux (now Veolia), where Jean-Luc Petithuguenin was a senior executive at the time, acquired PAPREC, a SME that specialized in the recycling of paper and cardboard. Jean-Luc Petithuguenin left the Generale des Eaux and bought PAPREC. He made an extraordinary industrial endeavour out of what was essentially a craft industry. The company is currently the top French garbage recycler and one of the top European recycling businesses. They have a reputation for producing and selling novel raw materials of the highest quality. They can provide the greatest recycling alternatives since they are constantly on the hunt for innovative opportunities. The group is emphasising both internal growth and outward expansion to expand its knowledge base and serve the entire nation. After recycling and energy recovery, the economy’s next loop is organic recovery or returning waste materials to the ground. By early 2024, all organic waste generated in France must be collected at the source. This garbage still nearly always ends up in landfills and accounts for at least 25% of domestic waste in France. This industry is expected to grow dramatically, and PAPREC is, as always, putting a priority on innovation and perfection. Waste management – A Game Changer The company’s expansion demonstrates its forward-thinking. They have had a 30% yearly rise in turnover over the last 25 years. The waste of the 20th century would become the raw materials of the 21st, as PAPREC predicted before anybody else, and they were correct. Recycling and energy recovery from waste are now necessities for the decarbonization of the economy and will be a component of the mix that can help us address the problem of climate change. Newcomers’ aspirations to join PAPREC In 65 nations, PAPREC sells its recycled raw materials. In the previous ten years, Paprec has also had Swiss development, where it has seven plants. They currently operate in 10 nations, where they control waste or energy recovery facilities agencies. They conduct business in France, Benin, Azerbaijan, Spain, Poland, Morocco, Togo, India, and Switzerland plus the UK. PAPREC doesn’t want to limit their attention to recycling. The solution to the climate change problem is to recycle and recover energy from garbage. Aspirants recognise the worth of their work right away! They especially visit the business because they are looking for meaningful and ecologically responsible businesses that can increase their exposure. Importance of diverse and inclusive workplace Initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion not only improve workplace environments, but they also help businesses perform better. Due to the value they provide, diversity and inclusion are swiftly rising to the top of enterprises’ priority lists. As several studies have shown, they not only help to create a more content, open-minded, and productive staff but also enhance the financial performance of the companies. The company’s motto, “For a greener planet and a more united society,” was the cornerstone upon which it was established. A source of strength and depth for PAPREC is the diversity of job routes, ethnicities, ages, and genders. The founder states, “When I started, people said to me: “With your noble ideas, you will fall flat
Nicole Martin: Helping Businesses Access Strategic HR Solutions
The ever-evolving changes in the business world demand adaptation to meet the needs of modern times. Often businesses struggle and fall short of matching up with theses changes putting themselves in jeopardy. It requires concrete HR solutions that help organizations to lead through these trensformations to develop and execute innovative growth strategies while cultivating robust relationships. Akin to such HR expertise is Nicole Martin, Chief Empowerment Officer and Founder of HRBoost®. We at Fortunes Crown got into conversation with Nicole to learn more about her journey and how she is changing the landscape of the HR industry. Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years? We practice what we preach. This means we accept passive talent interest and pipeline our own talent. When we have a need, we do not have to post an ad and wait. We usually have someone ready to go and waiting for the call. This is essential to our continued growth. What has been interesting during the pandemic is the out-of-state interest we have received from HR talent. It has us thinking. After all, we do believe in open sourcing talent, especially now. We have always trended with growth year after year, however, amidst the pandemic, we were hard hit like many. Thankfully, we have successfully returned to pre Covid-19 revenues levels and this is something we are pleased with given the level of uncertainty in the market. We have revealed some new innovative ways to reach our clients and as talent shifts occur, we are ready to help the businesses that seek to retain talent. Could you please walk us through your educational/professional journey? What was the moment that triggered you to step into the business? You’ll notice it instantly. I at HRBoost®, love what I do, and doit remarkably well. I’m the accidental entrepreneur. I looked back after starting my own business and said, “I started a business. Whoa!” I didn’t set out to create a boost. I simply followed my passion to help clients understand the importance human resources can play in developing a strong business. Today I am a successful entrepreneur and an HR industry innovator, dedicated to helping small to mid-size businesses realize their potential through their employees. A self-professed “country girl in disguise,” I grew up in Montana, where everyone knows you and greets you on the street. I was also lucky to have a great mentor early in life: my mom. My mother is highly spiritual, and she raised me with the philosophy of being happy. She always believed that I am a special person—she ingrained that in me—and I am capable of anything.” At the age of 18, I am ready to start proving my mom right. I left Montana and moved in with my godmother in Libertyville, Illinois. Right out of high school, I got a job as a receptionist at a pre-Y2K firm where I found my passion quite by accident. They were hiring all these computer experts from overseas, but when they arrived, the company just put them in the reception area because they didn’t know what to do with them. “It was just inhumane.” During the same time, I was working on a training program for a college human resources class. I wanted to help these guys out in the hallway, so I just marched into the director’s office and asked him if he wanted to see the training program I created for school. When I was finished with her presentation, the director created a human resources department for the site, hired a manager, and moved 18-year-old me from reception to human resources. I have been building HR departments from the ground up ever since. What makes me approach so unique is that I begin with the business’ vision and creates HR programs that are completely integrated with that vision. From the hiring process to annual reviews, the programs I create are designed to further the business, boost productivity, and help employees understand why and how their contributions are meaningful. When was HRBoost® established? What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company? In 2010, I founded HRBoost® and I had a big vision. Given we are not your Broker, your Attorney, or a 1-800 number. We believe HR expertise is essential to any business as they grow their enterprise. Our Shared Services approach allows businesses to access strategic HR at their pace and budget all while taking a holistic approach to integrating a culture plan that enables their strategic and/or operational plans as a business. We deliver skilled talent to our clients. We also believe they need both strategic and tactical resources at the same time. One human is not ideal as there are various cognitive abilities to optimize HR strategically. We believe our shared services approach to the middle market is the PEO Alternative. And yes, the middle market needs an alternative. What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements? I am blessed to have truly blessed people on our team. Thankfully, they live our core values and instead of me recognizing every time a core value is witnessed, they have taken peer reward recognition to be a strong reinforcement. Even today, I was thanked by my Admin Extraordinaire for her shoutouts as she just cashed in on a new car seat for her beautiful child. What more can I say? It is all about how you make people feel. What measures do you undertake to ensure optimum customer satisfaction? How much impact does the customer feedback have on the company’s strategies? We serve businesses spanning multiple sectors; these include Professional Services, Non-Profit Organizations, High Tech, Manufacturing, Staffing firms, Hospitality, and Healthcare. Our clients are typically from high-growth businesses with 50-250 employees. Our model is to meet the clients wherever they are, thus we provide full-service embedded HR support, a project to project support, culture design and
Nick Zamucen: Helping People Restore Properties to Pre-Loss Condition
There is nothing closer than your own home, it is a gift you earn and give yourself. It becomes a box of memories of precious moments. Unfortunately, sometimes due to some inevitable disasters people lose their houses beyond restoration. But there are state-of-the-art ways to restore the house environment to its prime historical period. Nick Zamucen, CEO of Best Option Restoration, is committed to helping those in need after a disaster and returning their homes to their original condition. Recently, Mr. Zamucen is being interviewed to share his experience of restoring happiness in society. Let’s have a look! Please tell us about your professional background. Would you like to mention some of the highlights from your journey? I have created four nationally recognized franchised brands. Three of which have been previously sold to private equity companies and now my focus is to build and sell the last one, Best Option Restoration, over the course of the next decade. I live my life with the want and need to help others. Adding massive value to those around me is my passion. I live to be a good leader, a great friend, and an outstanding business mentor for my franchisees. Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years? The franchised restoration industry has never been in a hotter market. With Billions of dollars in claims being paid monthly from insurance companies, prospective franchise owners want in. Who could blame them? Best Option Restoration is in a fantastic position with its low cost of entry, state-of-the-art thermal drying systems and a management team second to none. We win and will continue to win in this crowded field. This is the industry to be in to build a life-changing business and a substantial income for years to come. What are the unique challenges your company is currently facing? How have they affected your company? The challenges we’ve had are actually rather opportunities. We continue to have a ton of new franchisee interest in our company. The hardest thing for us at a corporate level is keeping up with demand. We can only take on many units a month and having to put people on a waiting list isn’t fun for anyone. Most stay on the list and wait their turn, a few we lose to competition because they make a side deal and get in for a lesser price somewhere else. I find in business and life, you get what you pay for. Be very careful making deals with companies and devaluing your position. When was Best Option Restoration established? What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company? Best Option Restoration was established in 2016. We offer Water mitigation, Fire rebuilds, Mold termination, Storm Damage, and Content Cleaning solutions for home and business owners. We’re escalating at our best, hence our name, Best Option Restoration. What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements? We treat everyone like family. Sometimes you’re all on the same page and everyone is happy, sometimes you’re not. The important thing is, not that everyone always gets what they want, but they feel heard, understood, and respected. There will always be criticisms around and negative feedback. All you can do is try to mitigate that as much as possible but always do the best things for the clients. In our case, the clients are our franchisees. Put them first and always do what is right, you can’t go wrong. What measures do you undertake to ensure optimum customer satisfaction? How much impact does the customer feedback have on the company’s strategies? With our clients being our franchisees, it’s pretty simple to ensure satisfaction because we are in communication with them weekly if not daily. Again, we are a family, we’re a close group. There are many times a franchise will reach out to me just to say hi, ask how I’m doing, and how is my family. This means the world to me because I know they care and in turn, they feel comfortable enough with me to be personal. I know I’m doing my job when my franchises are friends, like family, not just unit numbers. Please tell us about the services/products your company is offering? How are they different from your competitors’ offerings? With our propriety thermal technology drying systems, we are state of the art. We aren’t just another, “man with a fan in a van” like our competition. Best Option Restoration franchises dry structures in literally half the time of anyone else out there. There is truly no comparison to what we do. There are some copycats in the field we noticed lately. I look at that as once again I’m doing my job, I’m changing an old tired industry and bringing it into the new century. A century of technology and focused strategy. We are better because we practice being so. We’re just the “Best Option” in a mitigation and restoration situation. “Everything takes more time than you think it will and problems are going to happen. People tend to think working for yourself is the ultimate freedom, and it can be after it’s earned. Working for yourself is not normally harder and longer hours than you’ve ever had before. You have to stay disciplined, driven, and self-started… every day, not just when you feel like it.” “Problems are going to arise, just out of nowhere, so you must learn to deal with them effectively and quickly. You can’t just ignore problems and think someone else will handle them, not when you’re a business owner, it’s on you. Success and failure. The choice is yours.”
Nick Lai: Marketing in the Digital Age, the Present and the Future
The world of digital media is changing at a phenomenal pace. Its constantly evolving technologies, and the way people are using them, are transforming not just how you access your information, but how you interact and communicate with your friends and colleagues on a global scale. It also has changed the way you choose and buy products and services. People are embracing digital technologies to communicate, in ways NickMetrics helping businesses integrate such technologies seamlessly into their everyday needs. Nick Lai, Managing Director at NickMetrics has worked client-side for a wide range of businesses, including start-ups and marketing leading corporations across a range of industries. He has built a large number of successful digital marketing strategies, both nationally and globally, and consulted for companies across the world. Inspiration Behind NickMetrics Nick was born in Malaysia and while growing up he realized that consumers have grown tired of mass media marketing, and are turning instead to the internet. They want more engagement, more interaction. Before his interest as a writer, he already had a successful experience of an online affiliated program back in 2009. Lasting for 2 years, the online venture later ignited an initiation of an online design and development firm in 2012 which enabled him to hit his first million. Nick explained, “I always felt I wanted to do more, so I turned back to writing, and it has been one delightful journey so far.” Continuing his admiration for writing, a leading digital marketing conference grabbed Nick’s attention where he witnessed the vast potential of digital marketing. The event became a turning point and an eye-opener for him to start living and serving businesses online presence. And that’s how Malaysia’s best Digital Marketing Agency, NickMetrics.com born in 2016. The Highway Today, Nick and his team as the generation of digital natives are entering the workplace and are spending like never before. This is the mass market of tomorrow, and for business people and marketers the challenge is to become fluent in this new digital language so that we can talk effectively to our target audience. As the managing director, he has contributed to the significant growth of several businesses in areas including digital marketing, offline marketing, branding, and relationship management. Moreover, to make this small agency effective he sits for sales, design, development, planning, and execution. He is also responsible for recruiting and training the best minds of 48+ employees which is their extraordinary assets. Laying Strong Digital Space Throughout Nick’s career, he has aimed at transforming the brand from a variety of verticals, developing intimate search knowledge and strategy for diverse clients. The agency is inclined for offering the trendiest and new-age digital marketing solutions to brands such as SOP to handle each client’s digital marketing campaign. Nick is responsible for the delivery of NickMetrics’ business plan across marketing which mostly includes Influencer Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Optimization, and Content Marketing. Such an effective package enhances its market leadership position and continues to deliver exceptional growth. NickMetrics Group apart from being industry-centric has another most comprehensive Malaysia’s Online Auto Insurance Comparison Website that has been developing a connection between insurance and consumer. The website helps insure both parties with better-informed decisions and facilitates them to make smart and easier insurance purchases. While offering consumers unbiased comparison for auto insurance, it majorly saves the hassle of consumers from the details and technical processes of auto insurance. World Wide Wild Since its inception, Nick and partners have extensive experience of serving more than 30 medium-to-big sizes clients helping them implement multi-channel brand-marketing strategies. With that, the agency has successfully flagged its location in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and India. The agency has also launched packaged services where users can answer a few questionnaires and pay online. After that, the involving team will start working on it based on its SOP and the reports and results will be displayed on the user’s dashboard. Believing in his power of writing and entrepreneurial journey, Nick says, “there’s so much out there I plan to try out, but it’s all in the plans. Through writing and any entrepreneurial adventure I take on, my goal is to change the world, I plan to become even better, not just professionally but also personally, and writing gave me the voice to reach out to the world.” Learning is never enough—the more you learn, the easier your route will be. Content will always be the key in the media industry. Hence, focus on that.
Natasha Makhijani: Acing Successful Recruitment
Oliver Sanderson Group makes the recruitment process easier for businesses, so they can engage and develop a long-lasting working environment. With the help of technology, from creating a resume database to deploying employees to prominent companies, Natasha is excelling in the recruitment field. We at Fortunes Crown got into conversation with Natasha Makhijani, the CEO of Oliver Sanderson Group, to know more about the company and how it is helping the businesses as a whole. Below are the highlights of the interview: Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years? The executive search industry is changing in a number of ways, and this is reflected in the evolving preferences of our clients. There is now a greater focus on EDI challenges. We are seeing a growing recognition of the importance of inclusivity and the value of diversity, and clients come to us to tackle their EDI challenges, reach out to under-represented groups, and achieve more diversity in their boardroom and senior leadership teams. Digitalization is also transforming the industry, changing the way we advertise roles, discover candidates, and engage with our community. Finally, recruitment companies are increasingly aware of issues around sustainability and the environmental impact of our work. We are taking steps to minimize our impact and operate more sustainably and more responsibly as a business. Could you please walk us through your educational/professional journey? What was the moment that triggered you to step into the business? I, Natasha Makhijani, am not your average headhunter. As CEO of Oliver Sanderson Group, I am pioneering new approaches to executive search through tech innovations and D&I initiatives, all while breaking down barriers as an Asian woman business leader. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from City, University of London and a Master’s from DePaul University in Chicago, I began my recruitment career on the Graduate Scheme at Hays in 2000. Fast-tracked into management roles, I achieved four promotions in four years and took a team from billing £10,000 to £80,000 a month. From Hays, I moved to Michael Page, and quickly gained recognition as a “super biller”. But I always felt that there was another path for my career, and having set up executive desks at both Hays and Michael Page, I set my sights on establishing a business of my own. I founded Oliver Sanderson as a start-up in 2011 and have since grown the firm into an international business at the cutting edge of executive search. Oliver Sanderson has built up a strong track record in recent years, having placed CEOs and senior leaders at FTSE 100, FTSE 350, and Fortune 500 companies. Specializing in both permanent and interim executive placements across a wide range of sectors, the firm provides clients with an end-to-end executive search process, drawing from the experience and creativity of its research team to solve complex recruitment challenges. New technology has been central to Oliver Sanderson’s rapid growth, and I am a pioneer of digital innovations in executive search and recruitment. I co-founded Snapp Resume, the world’s first mobile job board with voice technology capability and Amazon Alexa connectivity. The app currently has a database of over 25 million candidates in the UK and the USA, with over 250,000 positions listed on its mobile job board. My forward-thinking leadership was recognized with a CEO Today Global Award 2021. I appeared in the winner’s magazine in February 2021 alongside some of the world’s most inspiring executives in a feature story on her journey and achievements. I have recently been shortlisted for the prestigious Recruiter Awards 2021 in the category of Agency Recruitment Leader of the Year. Under Makhijani’s leadership, Oliver Sanderson is poised to remain at the forefront of an evolving industry. When was Oliver Sanderson Group established? What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company? Established in 2011, Oliver Sanderson is an executive search firm with a difference, combining experience and expertise with innovation and fresh thinking. We specialize in finding permanent and interim talent at the board and senior leadership levels for FTSE 100, FTSE 350, Fortune 500, and PE-backed businesses. With our suite of digital recruitment apps and our award-winning diversity and inclusion work, we are leading the way in discovering the next generation of business leaders. What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements? I focus on keeping my team motivated by challenging, supporting, and inspiring them. At Oliver Sanderson, no two weeks are ever the same – we are always working on new roles with new organizations, and making new connections and relationships with candidates. It is this aspect of our work that ensures that we are constantly learning, keeping the working week fresh and challenging. We set monthly and annual targets to hit for our team across a number of areas, from sales to social media engagement. But we also support each other, understanding that growth isn’t always linear, and we sometimes learn more from failure than from success. Dialogue is crucial – daily conversations, feedback and brainstorming sessions. These help us stay connected and supported together, constantly learning, and constantly striving to improve as individuals and as a team. What was/is your response to the current unprecedented situation? The global pandemic has had a major impact on our daily business operations, but we have managed to survive and thrive since the first lockdown. Our firm has had to adapt to meet new challenges, becoming more flexible in our delivery models. The Oliver Sanderson Executive app has enabled the team to make an effective transition to remote working, with the digital platform offering video interviewing to substitute for the face-to-face meetings made impossible under lockdown. Our apps helped candidates engage with the job market at a time of unprecedented difficulty and uncertainty, and we received exceptionally positive feedback about our contribution to the economic recovery. Thanks to our flexibility, we have managed to grow
Mr. & Mrs. Roetheli: The Greenies Story of Joseph and Judy
Digital Version They say, our life is divided into sections. One for education, One for Working, One for Retirement, and so on. But the thing is, life is not rigid or definite. It is the way one wishes it to be. Life gives you several chances every single day. It is up to us to reach up and grab one of them. These opportunities are not correlated with what age you are, or what phase you are in, it is correlated with whether you want to work or you don’t. Whether you have the strength to power through or you will probably fall down the walls. This exclusive cover story depicts the story of one such couple who decided to grab an opportunity thrown at them and shaped it into something incredible. Dr. Joseph and Judy Roetheli, Founders of Pet’s Best Life and S&M NuTech are the makers of Greenies Dog Treats. Let us meet them individually. Dr. Joseph Roetheli Described as a futurist, learner, and fun-loving, Dr. Joseph Roetheli is from Hermann, Missouri. Joe’s parents grew up experiencing the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Neither had the opportunity to attend high school. His dad was a conservationist and environmentalist long before the latter was popularized. His mother was a frugal saver and would reuse almost everything. She was an excellent and dedicated gardener who canned garden crops to help support the subsistence farming operation. He earned a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri. Being a Vietnam Era Veteran, he spent his post-military career as an employee of the University of Idaho for 8 years in the U.S Department of Agriculture; where he drafted and co-authored several write-ups which were later included in the “Encyclopedia of Agriculture” and “1992 Yearbook of Agriculture.” His drafted legislation for USDA became a section of the 1990 Farm Bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. Judy Roetheli Described as a “Serial Entrepreneur” with leadership and people-oriented qualities, Judy Roetheli was born as the youngest daughter to George and Dorothy Hill in Gainesville. She graduated from Newberry Highschool, also winning the title of “Miss Congeniality” and a recipient of the “Daughters of the American Revolution” Award. Having BA in Education degree from Trevecca Nazarene University, she taught in a school for two years; where she met her future husband, Joseph. Judy taught and influenced elementary, high school, and autistic preschool students for 16 years. Judy and Dr. Joseph lived a happy life with two sons of their own, Steffan and Micheal. With two adorable dogs named Ivan and Katie. Both the parents made it a point to stay with the young boys in their growing years. Judy took up extra curriculum activities, PTA Board and Church Choir. Early-Life Stories Joe’s father knew little of his family’s heritage. He knew the Roethelis were Swiss Germans. He thought they spent the first winter in America in Pennsylvania. Joe’s father did know that of the Roethelis that came to America most had died shortly after arrival, but his grandfather, age 9 at the time of arrival, and one brother had been orphaned but survived. While serving in the Army in his early 20s in Boeblingen, Germany, Joe had taken a weekend pass to join other soldiers on a weekend trip to Switzerland. There he looked in a phone book and found a couple of handful of Roethelis listed. But at that time the genealogy bug had not hijacked Joe. Fast Forward to 1992, a weekend fell between the stops. Joe spent that weekend in Zurich. He awoke Saturday morning to a wet, cold, windy climate. No fun being outdoors. So, he pulled out the phone book at the Senate Hotel. He found 10 Roethelis listed. Knowing only a few words of German, he started calling these Roethelis. He only found one of the 10 that seemed interested in knowing there were Roethelis in America. When he arrived back in Springfield, Virginia, he visited with his sister, Agnes – the brains of the family, and she being a German and French teacher, drafted a letter in German to send to the other 9 Roethelis in Zurich. They received only one reply back. It was from Heinz Roetheli, a medical doctor who said he would pass the letter to his father who still lived in Hägendorf to see if he could trace it back to Franz Roetheli who would have left with his family for America. The doctor indicated that it would likely be fall before they would hear back. The Moment That Changed It All So how did this couple, with this settled life of theirs, decide to step into the world of businesses, especially one that produces Dog Treats? When we asked the Founders themselves, Mr. Roetheli says “He had really bad breath, Judy kept after me to do something about it. But there was nothing in the market that worked.” When they tried various oils, treats, and food items, still their dog had bad breath. Fed up with it all, Mr. Roetheli mixed various vegetable oils, a mixture of wheat, chlorophyll, and other edible foods which were served dry, and later molded into a bone with a toothbrush at the tip. When the newly invented treat was given to Ivan, within a few days, the dog’s bad breath problem was cured and his teeth were clean. Overcoming Challenges This is what ignited the little spark to make this newly invented treat of theirs into something big, into something useful for not just them but others as well. With a newfound purpose, Mr. Roetheli quit his job and the couple spent all their time trying to market their Canine Halitosis cure. Judy’s leadership qualities and Joeseph’s hardworking qualities came into play. They started going to banks asking for loans, a 100 people according to them, for $250,000. “We thought they probably laughed their heads off after we left, But okay. We were going to keep going. We refused
Mohammed Mubin Mallick: On the Forefront of Robot Solutions and Services
Digital Version 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, Mohammed Mubin Mallick, am the CEO and Founder of Kiran Smart company in Kuwait, Dubai, and India. I am an innovator of Humanoid Robot Services and the Founder of Mi-Robots Company registered in India. Holding a Master’s Degree MBA from Cardiff University, UK. I have several professional certificates under his name. It was one of the childhood incidents that inspired me to be an Entrepreneur and be a leader to help others not only in business but in their personal life as well. Every journey has good and bad highlights so let me start with bad highlights first because they helped me forge my path to success. During the journey, I lost my father, lost money, was cheated several times, failed myself many times, and sacrificed a lot in my personal life. But I flipped the coin and built trust. People started recognizing me. I excelled in business. I have loyal customers and employees. I am able to expand my business in India and Dubai (UAE). I have bagged many awards for being advanced in the robotics field. Today, I am recognized as one of the Top Influencers in the field of robotics. When was Kiran Smart established? What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company? Kiran Smart was established in the year 2019. We have IT solutions and services but in the recent year during COVID-19, we have diversified to Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Fintech, and Digital Transformation. Headquartered in Dubai, Kiran Smart is always different than its competitors offering because we always introduce advanced new technology and innovative product so that customers can be ahead and up to date with the latest technological solutions and services offered by us. Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years? The present scenario of business will vary from business to business. So if I share about my business then it is different than others as our core business is robotics services for different industries and the demand is increasing daily. Other than this we are also into IT solutions and services which is the ongoing business for us from past few years. Customer preferences keep changing from time to time as per the latest trends in the market and in terms of advanced technologies as well. So customers always prefer something innovative as well solve the problem. Previously, customers used to focus on resolving the issue but now the preferences have been widened in terms of innovation, technologies, quick services, and 24 hr availability. What are the unique challenges your company is currently facing? How have they affected your company? At present, we have one unique challenge which is Post Covid 19 recovery because this challenge is not only for us but it is for the whole world and it has affected every business. Financial-wise and work-wise it has affected our company but not to a very high extent as we have deployed the advanced technologies, especially robots to overcome these challenges. We were quite successful to overcome these challenges with our robots. What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements? Our working style is like a family in our working environment. Also, our working times are flexible. We offer employees their preferred time to work where they can have much more productivity. So as a holistic situation it helps to remain motivated and also increases productivity. We always think in a positive way so whatever criticism or disagreement comes from our customers we always take it as tips or lessons for ourselves to improve it and develop it to be better in the future. Because we believe that everyone is not perfect and from mistakes only we can learn to be better and better in our services. 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 very simple for us. We just listen to our customers carefully so that we can deliver the best solution as per the customer’s problems defined. Customer feedback is very important because it helps us to make a better strategy whether it is related to competition, market trends, customer demand, customer satisfaction, or employees’ services to customers. So for us, the feedback of customers is very important because it helps us to grow and develop. Are you planning to launch any new products/services or advancements to your existing offerings? If so, we would like to know about it. Yes, there are many but all of them are robots for different industries and verticals. We cannot disclose the information due to company policies. It is not easy to be an Entrepreneur unless you have a passion for it. You need to be very strong because, in reality, you need to face many storms which can uproot you. So being physically and mentally strong doing business need to have the patience to be successful.
Michael A. Collura: The Solitaire Entrepreneur Developing Individualized Caregiving Plans
Caregivers go through more than they tell you. The elderly are supported and encouraged by caregivers to carry out everyday activities, engage in social interactions, and pursue their interests. Caregivers often lean into the love they didn’t know possibly. While earning a career via artistic efforts is not new, the notion of the creative businessperson is, especially for Michael, the creator of In Home Personal Services. Contributing towards helping seniors and being a Rainbow in someone else’s Cloud, we are sharing a journey with you of a caregiving business, In Home Personal Services, fueled by strength, courage, and determination to solve one of the vital necessities likewise supporting our seniors’ independence and having high-quality in-home care. Michael A. Collura, the founder of In Home Personal Services, says “Being a part of In Home Personal Services, I can honestly say I never felt like I had a “job”. He has a mission, a drive, and a life that gives him the chance to be a positive force for others in countless ways that he never even imagined. Let’s dive into the story of building a caregiving business acting as a hero- In Home Personal Services. Outlining the founder’s sketch and inspiration leading towards taking the helm of a company Michael as a teenager started working with seniors in the nursing home industry. Michael does not merely love what he did but instead finds it to be rewarding. He enjoyed making a positive difference in the lives of others, and that led him to want to learn more about senior care so he could do more. He finished learning about service, leadership, and care over the years of working in the retail industry. Those lessons built a foundation for them to become the leader he is today. Michael’s primary source of inspiration has always been his Wife. The day he met her, his life changed for the better. She is the reason for everything he does and for everything that he has achieved. He works to make her proud. Coping with the Evolution of consumer preferences Those who trust In Home Personal Services want compassionate and professional care they can foster trust, and the company is here to provide them with the independent lifestyle they seek to enjoy. It has never really changed for any one of the team members at In Home Service. They want safety, security, and freedom to enjoy our lives as we see fit. They provide that little extra assistance to get folks to where the consumer wants to be in their life. Stumbling blocks and their impact on the business In Home Personal Services has taken the challenge and turned it into an opportunity and advantage. They have innovated and built a business model that has achieved the goals they targeted on day one to bring quality and affordable care to seniors. Their challenges are faced head-on, and they do not work to bypass these obstacles. They work to understand them and develop new ways to resolve the issues that are sometimes unconventional but always to the benefit of the client. Company’s incorporation and prominent services/solutions that it brings to the table The company was established in 2004. They have built a business model around the basic yet all-important factor of quality care for others. Simply wanting to do good and help others has cultivated the mission for them all these decades. No growth, no change, no struggle, and no failure has ever diminished the set mission, and their brand’s position in the market today is all the proof one needs of their success in that mission. Paved path that guarantees workplace enthusiasm following conflicts and criticism They believe that criticism is nothing more than an opportunity to improve. They welcome all forms of criticism. No leader should ever operate under a false veil that they are always right or all-knowing. Most leaders, in fact, all leaders, are outweighed, outclassed, and outnumbered by those around them and their critics. So rather than trying to fight the flow of information, one should simply submit. They take the criticism to heart. They do not be offended or allow it to drain their energy. Instead, they reflect and build on it. Many of their innovations and improvements over the years came from criticism. Strategy to pull off the utmost level of client satisfaction Satisfaction and success are the same things for In Home Personal Services. The care they provide to others makes a real difference in their daily lives. Without contributing towards the same, they are nothing. Without the trust clients place in them, they will never be able to deliver the care needed. Without the remarkable and unique team of care providers, their brand would not have the strong reputation, it has today. Without those same amazing people working to ensure their brand commitment and mission, Michael would not be a worthy leader. A brief sketch of services/products the company overture They are a non-medical senior care provider at the core. However, they are also a nationwide franchise business for inspiring entrepreneurs who want to be business owners within this industry. Their franchise system has been a proven model which has decades’ worth of differentiators and advantages built into its system that makes real-world impacts on the lives of others and within the growth of the business. Roadmap approaching improvements Innovation is saying no to several things. Hence, it never ceases. This year they have already launched several new services, their very own school operating in all 50 states. It is an institute that is fundamental to be recognized by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. They are also developing a new medical technology that will bring a significant quality of life improvement to those with Parkinson’s Disease. The above stated is just the first half of 2022. Tips for aspirants The company shows faith in business entrepreneurs’ seekers. According to Michael, they should never care about title or prestige because those fade and are irrelevant. Invest behind those around you and build them up.
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 new 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
Masahito Nakaishi: From Plastic to Plasma, the Journey to Sustainability
Digital Version “Of all the waste we generate, plastic bags are perhaps the greatest symbol of our throwaway society. They are used, then forgotten, and they leave a terrible legacy.” – Zac Goldsmith Post-Industrial revolution and boom, industries have become the backbone of our society and lifestyle. Everything we use has to be manufactured somewhere, right? Be it on a large scale or smaller. Back in 1760, when the then elites and workers brought in this Industrial revolution, they probably weren’t worried about factors like a plastic footprint or water contamination. But oh the manufacturers of today are (or should be) worried. Drying Up The Plastic Footprint The importance of reducing plastic pollution has increased in recent years due to the expanding global plastic footprint. Biomass and biodegradable polymers have been produced unsuccessfully by several industries, including chemical, food, and paper manufacturing, primarily due to high manufacturing costs. Growing efforts have been made in recent years to increase public awareness of plastic pollution on the planet. Concerned individuals, scientists, environmentalists, and eco-warriors continue to raise awareness about plastic pollution. People like them are inspirations to adjust our lives and eventually live without plastic through their words. One of these brilliant minds is Masahito NAKAISHI. As the Founder and CEO of Glencal Technology Co. Ltd, he recognized and decided to work towards this cause and create a unique technology that contributes to sustainable development through various renewable biomass source projects like RedoxMaster®. Joining the League of Eco-Heroes Masahito NAKAISHI always had a strong yearning to go and study abroad. As a science major in high school, he had a keen interest in physics specifically. That interest was like fuel for him to get hired as a Derivatives trader. He believes this strong curiosity for natural sciences is what pushed him to explore his current business at Glencal Technology. He went on to work in a quite different field- Banking. Spent about 7 years at HSBC Tokyo as an interest rate off-balance and derivatives products trader, he met the company’s future Co-Founder and Director Ms. Masumi Maeno. After having that feather in his hat, he worked as a private banker while also working on starting his own business. Understanding the vast and ever-changing business field takes years and years of dedication, knowledge, and understanding. “This career has been also very helpful in my current job when making contracts and formulating capital policies. The high-end domestic and international networks I developed during my private banker days have also been very beneficial for the development of my current business.” Finding The Inspiration When they first established the company, it was called “Glencal” after the US Scientist Dr. Glenn Theodore Seaborg, in 2002. The company’s prime focus has always been nuclear and quantum fields. The company utilizes these two of its focuses in projects and present and future endeavors. Their first project was related to heavy particle beam therapy for cancer treatment with Toyota and Nagoya University. Glencal Technology Co. Ltd had its first encounter in the environmental industry after investing in a company that specialized in power transmission and reception voltage optimizing technology. This was just the beginning for them as they made their way by exploring different directions of the field and investing in food waste management and recycling technology. However, the system they experimented with was poor, they started working with bacteria for degrading waste. Flipping through the years, it was in 2009 when the company got interested in the phenomenon that hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to atoms with high electronegativity such as OH (including H2O) and NH make hydrogen bond noncovalently. Based on this, their current technologies evolved from studies conducted on nuclear physics and elementary particle physics. Studies and Studying Mr. Nakaishi’s friends helped evolve technologies through various studies. These studies were a constant process of trial and error as they constantly looped between assumption and experiment. One of them was that there might be a highly efficient drying technology using lesser to no heat and wind. “It can be said that rather than sticking to the ordinary idea of the substance “water”; from a chemical point of view, we have attempted to find and control certain reaction patterns by redefining the nature of water based on the particle-level properties of electrons.” Many summers, suns, and experiments later in 2013, Mr. Nakaishi and Ms. Masumi Maeno established Glencal Technology Co. Ltd. They had an experimental ion engine, a small reactor, and an (almost complete) dryer in hand, and they aimed to commercialize this technology. A Dig Into RedoxMaster Glencal Technology Co., Ltd. created the ground-breaking drying technology known as RedoxMaster®. It is a brand-new, non-conventional drying method that can dry organic materials quickly (several hours to a day), at low temperatures (20°C to less than 100°C), and at an overwhelmingly low cost (roughly one-third to one-twentieth) compared to traditional methods. It also significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions (roughly 40% to 80% fewer CO2 emissions). Only up to 85% of the moisture content can be dried using a conventional centrifuge drying technique. In terms of moisture content, decompression (vacuum) dryers can also produce outcomes that are comparable to those of the RedoxMasterd®. These systems also produce a lot of carbon dioxide, which is particularly troublesome from the perspective of ESG management, and have extremely high installation and operating expenses, which sometimes make it difficult to introduce them. The amount of heat required to boil and evaporate 1 g of water at a water temperature of 25°C is approximately 2.5 kilojoules. In addition, about 2.28 kilojoules of energy are required to evaporate 1 g of water at a water temperature of 25 °C. In contrast, a few types of MIRA engines (we have nearly 100 different types of engines for different uses) at their optimum condition can remove 1g of water at a temperature of 25 ℃ with only 17∼25 Joules (in other words, less than 1/100 of the conventional energy consumption). RedoxMaster at Work Since electricity is also needed to power the equipment’s motors,