The 10 Most Admired Women Leaders in Business 2022, February2022

Editor’s Desk

Inspiring Vision,

Aspiring Change

Womenhavebeensubjecttochanging

environmentsinthebusinessworldmuch morethantheirmalecounterparts.Facing multiplechallengesintheirway,womenhavebecomeone ofthemostdependentclassesofbusinessleaders.Today, theyholdpowerfulandimpactfulpositionstobringabout disruption.Itissafetosaythatweliveinaneraofevolving businessleadersandwomenareatthecenterofit.They carryafreshideaofacceleratingthegrowthpotentialwhile maintaininganequalbalanceofworkandleisure.

Strengthisapowerfulwordoftenassociatedwiththe femalegender Womenhavetheappetitetotakerisks,deal withremarks,insults,orstereotypes,takerisks,anddareto standfortheideologytheybelievein.Theyshouldbelieve inthemselvesevenwhennobodyelsefailstodoso.They havethedeterminationandstabilitytoseethingsmore preciselythantherestandtakerisksbasedontheirintuitive qualities.Everyobstacleorsetbackisalearning opportunityforbusinessleaderstolearnandgrow.Being braveisaqualityofleaders,andwomenleadthewayin thisaspectfortherestofustofollow.

Womencanlookbackattheirjourney,thinkaboutthe challengesanddifficulties,andworkonwaystoimprove them.Tocreatewomen-friendlyworkplaces,achangeat groundlevelisbound.Havingwomenleadersenables youngwomenenteringtheindustrytobevocalabouttheir problemsandhavealevelofcomforttogetinvolvedwhile solvingthem.Womenemployeesoftenhavesomuchto say,butfewcanlistentothem.

Teambuildingisanessentialaspectofanyworkif theorganizationhastogrowcollectively.Great leadersalwaysencouragehealthyteam-building activitiestogelemployeestogether.Womenare traditionallyknowntohaveagreatEQwhichcan helpthiscause.Anoptimalbalanceofworkand leisureactivitiescanhelptheteamefficientlymatch uptotheirtasks.Thereisoftenemployeeburnout afterlongsessionsofworkwithoutanybreaksor stops.Thiscanbeeasilystoppedbyintricate planningofwork.New-agewomenleadersknow howtomaintainadelicatebalancebetweenwork andplay.

Wearenotfarfromthedaywhenwecansaythatwe havebuiltanecosystemthatisafairplayingfieldfor bothgenders.Iexpectthisyearandultimatelythis decadetobeknownfortransitionalstoriesofwomen leaderswhoareknownfortheirworkandadmired fortheirvision.InsightsSuccesscommemoratealike womenleadersinitsedition “The 10 Most Admired Women Leaders in Business,2022.”

Diveintosuchinspiringstoriesofvariousleaders whohavetransformedthefaceoftheindustrywith theirskillsetandidealisticbeliefs.Flippingthrough thepages,haveaquickglancethroughthearticles writtenbyourin-houseeditorialteam,andgain businessinsightswiththeCxOpenneddownby industryexperts.

Diverightin!

raunak.mhetre@insightssuccess.com

O N T E N T S

Varetta Huggins

Instilling Integrity to Become the Voice for People

A R T I C L E S

28 Door to Success Leaders that We Need Today

50 Womanhood Unlocking the POTENTIAL of WOMEN for WELFARE of the WORLD C O V E R S T O R Y 08

Business

Sales

SME-SMO

Circulation

Steve,

The 10 Most Admired in Business, 2022

FeaturedPerson

AliciaAsinPerez Co-founderandCEO

CloeCaron President&Founder

DariaDubinina CEOandCo-founder

ElissaWeimer Owner&Professional Trainer

HeatherRipley CEO&Founder

KarinaTiwana VicePresident,Legal

MegPrejzner CEO&Founder

RuthieStaalsen Owner&Professional Trainer

SherryBlinkhorn Broker/Owner

VarettaHuggins Founder,President &CEO

Libelium libelium.com

o2Coaching o2coaching.ca

Crassula crassula.io

Paw&OrderDog Training pawandorder.com

RipleyPR ripleypr.com

Infinera infinera.com

HackettBrand Consulting hackettbrandconsulting.com

RuthieStaalsenInteriors ruthiestaalsen.com

BlinkhornRealEstateLtd blinkhornrealestate.com

V-ProjectManagement ConsultingLLC v-pmc.com

LibeliumCloudisthesoftwareplatform.

o2coachingstronglybelievesthatanypersonororganization canacheiveitsgoalsbyadoptingsimplefundamentalshiftsin mindset,attitudeandbehaviour.

CrassulaWhiteLabelsolutionsbuildPSP,Banking,FX products.

Paw&OrderDogTrainingofferscertifieddogtraining programs.

RipleyPRisanaward-winning,globalpublicrelationsagency

Infineraisaglobalsupplierofinnovativenetworkingsolutions.

HackettBrandConsultingbuildsmarketingprogramsthatdrive businessresultswhilestayingcenteredonthemissionthat drivesyoutowakeupandworkhardeveryday

RuthieStaalsenInteriorshelpsyoucreaterelaxed,collected interiors,withaglobalinfluence.

BlinkhornRealEstatimplementsinnovativetechnologiesand offersvirtualrealitytoursanddronevideographytoenhance thelistingsservices.

V-ProjectManagementConsultingisawoman-owned, disadvantaged-owned,andminority-ownedsmallbusiness enterprise.

O V E R S T O R Y

Varetta Huggins Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer V-Project Management Consulting, LLC

Varetta Huggins

Instilling Integrity to Become the Voice for People

V-PMC is based on the premise that all US Government Agencies need seamless 3PMO Consulting Solutions to assist with their constant charge to reduce duplication of effort, waste, cost overruns, and schedule slippages.

Todotherightthingintheprofessionalworldtakes courage.WhenonedarestosayNOtothethings thatdon'talignwiththeethicsofthebusiness,one impliesastrongvoicethatisboundtomakeadisruptive change.VarettaHugginsfacedasimilarsituation,tooka standagainstit,andeventuallybecameherownchampion andfoundedV-ProjectManagementConsultingLLC(VPMC).SheistheChiefExecutiveOfficer,President,and oneofthebillableConsultantsforFederalGovernment clientssuchasFAA,ED,USDA,andUSAID,tobringin GovernmentContractingrevenueforV-PMC.Shenow conductsconsultingworkonhertermsastheprime contractororsubcontractorworkingwithGovernment clients.

Thewomanwhosejourneystartedonaguitar-shapedisland ofSt.Kitts,whodreamedofowningasoftwareconsulting company,isnowoneofthemostadmiredbusinessleaders intheworld.Varettaisaremarkableexampleofhow womanleadersaredisruptingthebusinessworld,makinga dentintheuniverse,makingtheirvoiceheard,andlistening totheconcernsthatneedthemostattention.

WhenVarettagraduatedin2000withaBachelorofScience degreeinComputerScience,shebeganherconsulting careerworkingwithGovernmentContractorstoprovide consultingservicestoFederalAgenciessuchasNASA, NOAA,andFAA.Duringthattime,sheearnedherMaster ofSciencedegreeinInformationSystemsTechnology concentratinginManagementInformationSystemsthenher ProjectManagementProfessional(PMP)Certificate.

TheVoiceforAll

Varetta'scontributionstoimpacttheconsultingsolution nicheareunmatched.Shetailoredanddevelopednew consultingandcoachingservicesforsmallbusinessowners whohungerforauthentic,professional,Government ContractingCoachingservices.

Varettanotes, "Most small business owners that came to us had paid for services they did not receive or overpaid for services and did not get the value they were seeking. As a result, they lost trust in hiring Consultants to help them with their business needs, and in most cases, we were their last resort." V-PMCtookoncustomerswoundedbythe Consultingsystem,thenprovidedthemwiththeservices theyneededandaddedmorevaluethantheywereseeking. Oncecustomersrealizedthevaluestheyreceivedfromits Consultingservices,theytrustedV-PMCwiththeir consultingneedsandrecommendedthemtotheirfamily, friends,andcolleagues.

Varettaspokeonstagestothesmallbusinesscommunity andsentoutemailcampaignsduringthePandemicwith contenttheycoulduse.TheCOVID-19Pandemicallowed hertomeetsmallbusinessownersacrosstheU.S.virtually andheartheirstoriestocopeandkeeptheirbusinesses afloat.V-PMC'semailcampaignsprovidedcriticalPPP, EIDL,andotherfinancialinformationtosmallbusinesses seekingwaystokeeptheirbusinessoperationsgoing,open theirbusinessessafely,andfindnewtechnologiestooperate leanbusinesses.Varettahadmanysmallbusinesseswho calledoremailedduringthePandemicforhelpwithfilling outPPP,EIDL,grants,andotherprogramsandforadvice andguidanceongaininggovernmentcontractsandgrants. Shesays, "Many did not trust the government but reached out to us, a familiar, trusted source for the small business community, to verify SBA information and gain the clarification they needed on small business assistance."

ConsultingMakingDifference

V-ProjectManagementConsulting(V-PMC),LLCisan SBAcertified8(a),woman-owned,disadvantaged-owned, andminority-ownedsmallbusinessthatprovidesEnterprise Project,Program,andPortfolioManagementOffice(EPMO)servicestoFederal,State,andCommercialclients. ItsConsultantsaimtobecometheE-PMOTrustedAdvisor fortheclientstheyserve.

In2018VarettastartedtheV-GovernmentContracting SuccessProgram.Shehelpssmallbusinessowners, entrepreneurs,independentconsultants,andnon-profit ownersbecomeGovernmentContractorsandbereadyfor Governmentcontractsandgrants.Today,V-PMCprovides EnterprisePMO,ExecutiveBusinessCoaching, GovernmentContractingCoaching,andGovernment GrantsCoachingservicestoGovernmentandnonGovernmentclients.

ThevisionofV-PMCistoservetheU.S.Governmentas the#1EnterprisePMOServiceProvider.

ThemissionofV-PMCistodevelopbestpracticeapproach solutionsusinginnovativetechnologytosupport GovernmentandNon-GovernmentClients.

TheSolidaryPillars

For2022,V-PMC'scorevaluesareto have integrity, deliver excellence, and be loyal.

Varettabelievesthathavingpersonnelwhoaimtohave uncompromisingintegrityinalltheydowillfostera companywithhonest,respectable,responsible,trustworthy,

Giving YOU access to our Training Platform and Coaching Sessions to transform your business financially and professionally.

andhardworkingpeople.Sheasserts, "Our people are the ones working directly with our Government and nonGovernment clients, and their integrity will drive them to deliver excellence on all submissions and interactions with team members and clients. Our company's work culture of delivering excellence ensures that our staff is loyal to the VPMC brand and our clients and customers."

V-PMCprovidesaworkenvironmentwithcontinuous opportunitiesforgrowth,wherepersonnelischallenged, andwheredreamsareachieved.Itprovidespersonnel developmentbyconstantlyimprovingeverymemberofits V-PMCteamthroughcertification,training,lessonslearned, andprovidingtherighttools.Italsofostersacaring companyculturewhereeachmemberistreatedasafamily member,whereteamworkoverridesindividuality,and wherecompassionisemployedwhenaddressingpersonal andfamilyneeds.

AdaptingTechnology

VarettastatesthatV-PMCembracestechnologysomuch thatitisapartofitscultureandmission.ForGovernment clients,itrecommendsusinginnovativetechnologiesto solvebusinesschallengesandsupportstrategicobjectives. Itshowsitssmallbusinesscustomershowtousenewtools tomanagetheirbusinessandbusinessprocesseswithless staffefficiently

AsaConsultingCompany,V-PMCtakesprideingaining thelatesttrainingonnewandexistingtechnologiesand theirenhancements,todevelopbestpracticeapproach solutionsforeachGovernmentclientandsmallbusiness customer.Varettaandherstaffattendwebinars,seminars, expos,e-conferences,andzoomsessionstolearnaboutthe latesttechnologiesandtheiruseforGovernmentandnonGovernmentclients.Thecompanyhasadoptedsomeof thesetechnologiesandrecommendedandshowcasedits servicetoitssmallbusinesscustomers.Duringthe Pandemic,V-PMCreduceditsstaffbutstillkeptbusiness operationsgoingbyusingtoolssuchasMonday,Stripe, Calendly,ConstantContact,Docusign,Zoom,Loom, QuickBooks,GoogleSuite,Wrike,LinkedIn,LinkedIn Recruiter,Indeed,ZipRecruiter,OneNote,MicrosoftOffice, andotherstocompleteworkvirtually

PotentialEntrepreneurialDrive

Varettaexpectsthefollowingsignificantchangeinthe consultingindustry:theregular9to5jobislessenticing, andmorepeoplebecomingentrepreneursandindependent consultants.TheU.S.SmallBusinessAssociation(SBA) reportedthatin2019therewereover30millionsmall

businessesintheU.S. Today,over32millionsmall businessesarebeingreported.Peoplearetakingthenext steptobecomingentrepreneursandstartingtheir businesses.

V-PMCisreadytoeducatemoreentrepreneursand independentconsultantsonstartingtheirnewcompany VPMChasalreadycreatedtrainingforentrepreneursandis updatingitsTrainingProgramin2022toincludea dedicatedTrainingwebsite.Varettaiscurrentlyworking withpartnerstostartaProgramtotrainsmallbusiness ownersfromthecradletothegraveonwhattheyneedto knowtostartandoperateasuccessfulbusiness.

WhatComesNext?

Varetta'spurposeistoempowerbusinessownerstoachieve personal,spiritual,financial,andprofessionalgrowth.She knowsthatgettingherstoryouttheretobusinessowners andequippingthemwiththetools,techniques,services,and partnershipsneededwillprovidethemwiththeaccessthey needtogrowtheirbusinessexponentially.Herultimategoal istogrowV-PMCintothe#1BusinessManagement ConsultingGovernmentContractingCompanyby partneringwithbusinessownersthroughtheV-GovCon Program.

VarettaenvisionsbeingonthestagesacrosstheU.S.and worldwide,sharingcontentwithbusinessownersonhow theycangrowtheirbusinesseswithGovernment Contracting.Howtheycanspeaktoselltheirgoodsand servicesandhowtheycansetgoalsthenworkonaction plansdailytoachievethem.Shehopestoinspireand empowermorewomenandminoritybusinessownersto taketheleaptobuildtheirbusinessesandimpactmillions daily

BequeathingExcellence

Varettaadvisesbuddingentrepreneurstotaketheleap NOW. "Opportunities are waiting for you NOW. You don't want to keep putting it off and find out two years from now how far you could have been if you had just leaped in 2022," concludesVaretta.

Opportunities are waiting for you NOW.

The 10 Most Admired Women Leaders in Business, 2022.

The 10 Most Admired Women Leaders in Business, 2022.

February 2022 | 22 | insightssuccess.com

Womenhavemadeenormousstridesinthe

financesector.Theircontributionsinthespace arestrengtheningthefinancial-servicesindustry andhelpingbusinessesstayaheadofchallenges.Onesuch womanshapingthefutureoffinanceisDariaDubinina

Beforedivingintoentrepreneurship,Daria'sjourneyhas beenfullofdiscoveriesandindustryresearch.Shehasbeen workingintheFinTechandpaymentsfieldforfiveyears, doinge-commerceandonlinepayments.Thisallowedher togettoknowtheFinTechindustryandstrengthenedher desiretolearnanddevelopinFinTech.

Dariahasdedicatedmorethannineyearstomastering payments,e-commerce,andbusinessdevelopment.Asa leadingstrategistandentrepreneur,shehasalsoledmajor partnershipdealswithtopinternationalcompanies.Today sheistheCEOandCo-founderofCrassula.

Let'sunveilmoreaboutDaria'sjourneyandhowCrassulais deliveringtheworld-classproducts.

PuttingAccumulatedKnowledgeintoAction

Crassula'sstorybeganwhenDariametAlexNovozhenov andVladNikolayev.Theyallareco-foundersofCrassula.

ThedecisiontofoundCrassulawasanaturalprogressionof thedesiretoputtheaccumulatedknowledgeintoaction. Theystartedwithasimpleideatoprovidefastandeasy coretechnologyforlaunchingFinTechs.Andtoday CrassulaWhiteLabelsolutionsaretrustedbytheindustry leaders.ThecompanyallowsuserstobuildtheirPSP, Banking,FXproductsindaysandprovidesaccesstoworldclassproductstoover5millionusers.

AllowingCompaniestoCreatetheirProductsand Services

CrassulaWhiteLabelsoftwareprovidesthetechnical infrastructurefortheFinTechcompaniesthatallows creatingtheirservicesandproducts.WithCrassula, companiescanconcentrateonbuildingtheirbusinesses withoutspendingyearsandhugebudgetsdevelopingtheir solutions.Also,thisapproachreducestheriskswhentesting abusinessidea;nowthecompanycanbegintoimplement itsideaonCrassula'splatform,attractcustomersandenter themarket.

Crassulaallowsitsclientstolaunchtheircryptobanksand wallets,acceptingcryptopayments.Usingitssolutions, clientscanstarttheircryptobusinessindays.

HelpingCompaniesBringtheirIdeastoLife

Dariaisplayingacrucialroleinsupportingthelaunch, growthanddevelopmentofFinTechsaroundtheworld throughCrassula. Firstly,CrassulahelpsFinTech companiestobringtheirideastolifequicklyandsavetheir budgets.Italsocreatesawholeinfrastructureofsolutions andproducts,akindoftechhub,stimulatingthecreationof newproductsandservicesdevelopment.

"We also do a lot of R&D and there is a clear trend of FinTech penetration into most tech industries. Social media, retail, gaming, and other industries are developing FinTech components. Thus, our solutions are also becoming more global, which allows us to develop the global market," Darianotes.

CreatingMostEffectiveProductsforCustomers

FurtherDariamentionsthatCrassularesearchesandtests thelatesttechnologicaladvancestocreatethemost effectiveproductsforitscustomers.Today,theCrassula platformoffers3mainproducts:CoreBankingSystem, CryptoBankingSystem,andPSP.

CoreBankingSystemprovidesledgerswithIBANs,card managementsystem,KYConboardingandverification module,AMLfinancialmonitoringmodule,SWIFT& SEPAtransfers,Currencyexchange,andmore.

“We are constantly developing, growing and improving.”

CryptoBankingproductallowsCrassula'sclientstolaunch theircryptoprojects,manageandopenaccountswith uniquecryptoaddresses,exchangefiattocrypto,make cryptotransfers,investincrypto,issuecardsforprivateand businessclients.

PSPishelpingcreateaglobalpaymentgatewayattributed withalternativepaymentmethods,anti-fraud,risk management,merchantintegration,smartrouting,and virtualcurrencies,enablingpaymentcompaniestomake onlinepaymentssecureandsmartformerchantsand payers.

EncouragingOutoftheBoxThinkinginTeam Members

StatingtheimportanceofcultureDariastatesthatthemost

importantvalueforCrassulaisitsteam.Foritscommunity, oneofthekeyprinciplesiscalled "Freedom And Responsibility".Itdoesnotcontroleveryminuteofworking time,givingitsteammatesfreedomtocreatewheneverthey want,butexpectsresponsibilityoffinishingtheprojectson timeandwiththehighestquality.Itcreateditsproductwith theabilitytothinkoutoftheboxandtriestoencouragethis skillinitsteam.

AsaCEO,DariatriestomotivateCrassula'scommunity,be arolemodel,shareherexperienceandstimulatecreativity intheareaofresponsibilityofCrassula'steammates.

Dariabelievesthatthebasisforbuildingateamistowork withthebest.Tocooperatewiththebestprofessionalsfrom aroundtheworld,Crassuladevelopedremoteworking practicesevenbeforethepandemic.So,whenCOVID-19 flippedtheworkplacesupside-down,Crassulahadalready embracedaremoteworkmodelbeforehiringprofessionals onlinebegantogetpopular Thisapproachenabledtheteam todoubleinsizein2021.Currently,Crassulaisatechnical hubbringingtogetherprofessionalsfromallovertheworld. ItsdreamteamisworkingremotelyfromLatvia,theUK, Russia,Ukraine,Kazakhstan.

KeepingPacewithWorldTrendsandAvailingEdge

WeaskedDariaheropiniononthenextbigsignificant changeintheFinTechspace,towhichshesays, "Pandemic, lockdown, and society changes led to radical changes in technology. Technologies today are developing rapidly as never before, and the FinTech industry is growing as well. Online banking is becoming a transforming tool in finance. And it's not just about the cashless economy. Digital banking offers more innovative services and products, improves security and transparency. It is important to mention white labelling as one of the main trends. White Label FinTech solutions allow the market to develop faster, and the businesses to launch their own solutions, minimize risks and costs.”

AccordingtoDaria,oneofthemostimportantfinancial innovationsandoneofthemaintrendsiscrypto.Trends suchasroboticprocessautomationandvoice-enabled paymentscannotbeignored.Noonecouldevenimagine howquicklyitcouldevolvewhenonlinebankinghasjust started.Bigdataprojectsarestillanimportanttrend,as peoplecreateanincredibleamountofdataeverysecond. Crassulaisatthecuttingedgeoftechnologydevelopment, anditisgoingtoworktoletitsproductskeeppacewith worldtrendsandpossiblyleadthem.

LookingForwardtoWorkingonNewSolutions

Lookingbackward,Dariaseesalotofamazingclients, successfulprojects,andcollaborations.Therefore,sheis lookingforwardtoworkingonnewsolutionsforCrassula's clients,tonewintegrations,nominations,and collaborations.

BeingOpentoNewOpportunities

Inheradvicetoemergingentrepreneurs,Dariasays, "Building your own business is one of the most hard yet exciting journey. This is a chance to give rise to new trends that may one day change the world. Therefore, you should be open to new opportunities, work hard, and develop your networking skills. You should always take care of yourself, of your team and keep moving to the new goals.”

Lifeisastrugglethatrevolvesaroundpersonal andprofessionalchallenges.And,whenyou arestruggling,seekingadvicefromgenuine friendsalwayshelpsyou.Butinsteadoffollowing peopleandtheiradvice,createyourownopportunities thathelpyoufindyourownpath.Becausefateisby farthegreatestmysteryofall,andyoucannever knowwhereitwilltakeyou.Buttherealquestionis thereanalternativetoallofthis?Whileeveryone speaksaboutthesecomplicatedthings,let’sdiscuss thesolutionthroughthisarticle.

Ourlivesareconnectedtotechnologyandsocial media,astheyplayakeyroleintoday’smodern world.Asbusinessleaders,wehavetoacceptthefact thatthevisiontobringchangeinthelivesofthe peopleandtransformtheworldispossiblewith technology.But,promotingcompassionandwellbeingamongthepeopleisalsoequallyimportant. Understandably,everyonewantstocreatetheir identityandinfluencetheworld.Butdeveloping leadersjustforthesakeofbusinessoutputandprofits willdegradethequalityoftheleadership.And,we don’twantsuchleaders,especiallyintoughtimeslike today

Wewantleaderswhocangetthebestoutoftheir team,whichispossibleonlywithoutthefearof judgment.Itisagreatwaytolead,discuss,guide,and helpeachotherincrucialtimes.Arayofhopeisall peopleneed,andleaderscanbringthathopethrough thesesources.Forexample,ifanyemployeeknows thathe/shedoesnothavetofacetheissuesaloneand thereissomeonetotalkaboutit,itgiveshopetothat person.

Yes,that’sthealternativeforaleader–toconnect-to helpthosewhofeeldownandtrytobringthebestout ofthem.That’swhattheleadershouldberecognized for,andthisistheshiftleadersneedtobringcurrently Asanorganizationandaspeople,weshoulddevelop compassionandethicsthatreflectouroutlookonthe world.

Itisonlywiththisapproachwecanmakeitpossible tosustainandimpactlivesforlonger,creatingabetter worldforall.Thisisamuch-neededalternativein today’spandemicsituation–promotingcompassion

andwell-beingamongthepeople.Nowthatwehave gotthealternativesolutionfortheleaders.Thenext questionis,howdoyourecognizethatyouneedhelp? Mostofustodayaretoobusymakingaliving.We existonlywithinourdailyroutine,asweare preoccupiedwithmassiveresponsibilitiesinmany aspectsofourlives,likeacademic,financial,career, householdchores,etc.Andduetothis,itbecomestoo latetorealizethatyouarealreadystruggling–emotionallyandmentally.Wenolongerlistentoour body&mind,andfinally,wedonotappreciateour actual/reallife.

Thereappearsanabsenceofself-care.Takingcareof yourselfcanbeoverlookedagainstalltheprofessional pressuresofourlife.Butitisimportanttotaketimeto careaboutyourphysical,emotional,spiritual,and mentalhealth.

Beforeyouextendyourcompassionandauthentic careforpeople,youmustfirstpracticeself-care. Why? Becauseyoucannevergivewhatyoudonot have.

Belowarethingsthatcanhelpyouinpracticingselfcare:

Ÿ Startyourdaydoingthingsyoulovethemostand boostyourmood.

Ÿ Begratefulforthingsyouhave,nomatterhow smallorbigitmightbe.

Ÿ Havesufficientsleep,healthyfood,andexercise regularly

Ÿ Doactivitiesandinteractionsaddvaluetoyourlife

Therearemuchmorethingsthatyoucandiscover yourselftopracticeself-care.Afterfollowingallthe things,youwillappreciateyourlife,evenmore, resultinginahealthywork-lifebalance.Withpeaceof mind,youwillachieveyourlifegoals.Youwillknow yourselfbetter–seeabetterversionofyourselfand attractpositivityinyourlife.

ElissaWeimer

Training Your Dog to be PAW-SOME

Ifyouareapetowner,youmayunderstandthatthe

bondbetweenadogandownerisimpeccable.You mighthavecomeacrossseveralvideosonsocialmedia whereadogishappy,carryingouthisshenanigans, spreadingsmilesonmillionsoffaces.However,many effortsgointotrainingthesedogs,consideredasan essentialpartofcaninecompanionship.ElissaWeimer takesdogtrainingtoherhearttodeepenthebondbetween theownerandthedogtowidentheirsmile.

ElissaistheOwnerofPaw&OrderDogTrainingandis aProfessionalTrainer,withnumerouscertificationstoher name.ThroughPaw&Order,sheoffersprofessional, balanced,dogtrainingandbehavioralproblemsolving throughoutthePittsburgharea.Paw&Orderrecently expandeditsreachtoSouthwestFlorida,Houston,TX,and CentralOhiothroughfranchising.

InsightsSuccesscaughtupwithElissainourendeavorto find “The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch 2022” andtalkedabouthowsheisinstillingprideindog owners,aswellasmakingdogssaferinthecommunityasa whole!

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatPaw&OrderDog Training.Whatchallengeshaveyouhadtoovercometo reachwhereyouaretoday?

IjoinedthemilitaryrightoutofHighSchool.Beinga MilitaryPolicewomanledmetothepathIamonnow. Duringcollege,Iacquiredapaidinternshipwiththe AttorneyGeneral’sofficeandlaterwiththeFederalBureau ofInvestigationsontheirViolentDrugandGangsquadin Philadelphia,PA.Aftertwoyearsofinterningthere,I appliedforaSpecialAgentposition,butquicklyrealized thatjustwasnotwhatIgenuinelywantedtodofortherest ofmylife.Iwantedtohelppeopleandwantedpeopletobe excitedwhentheysawmearriveattheirhomes—a

differentfeelingthanseeinganagentorpoliceofficerat yourdoor.

IknewIwantedtobeanentrepreneur,butIdidnotknow wheretostart.IspentalongtimefiguringoutwhatIwas goodatandrealizedIamgoodatteachingpeople.Ijust hadtodecidewhatIwouldbeexcitedtoteach!Irealized thatIloveanimalsandthattheyhadthepowerofmaking peoplefeelgoodinsomanyways.Irealizedthatsomany peoplehavedogs,soIdecidedtoshadowmanyotherdog trainersandattendedatonofschoolstolearnasmany techniquesaspossibletohelppeopleENJOYtheirdogs.To thisday,Icontinuetolearnandbettermyselfandmyteam oftrainerstohelpasmanypeopleaspossible.Wenotonly continueoureducationwithbehavioralproblems,butalso

“We pride ourselves on solving behavior problems and teaching good behaviors for the long term, not just for the moment. We will investigate and solve your dog's behavior problems.”

withotherareasofdogtrainingsuchastricktraining, TherapyDogTraining,CanineGoodCitizen,agility training,largefieldsocializationclasses,andK9Detection training(myBelgianMalinoisandIwon1stPlace Narcoticsatlastyear’sPoliceK9Competitionin Kentucky).Werealizedhowmuchwehavetoofferand howuniqueourcompanyisthatwedecideditwastimeto franchisein2019!

Tellussomethingmoreaboutyourcompanyandits missionandvision.

Paw&Order’smissionistoimprovethelivesofasmany familiesaswecanbyprovidingqualityandeffective individualizeddogtraining.Ourvisionistocontinue spreadingPaw&Ordernationwideandhaveanamazing trainingprogramtoensurethatthequalityofourlocal Pittsburghmarketismirroredineverymajorcityinthe UnitedStates.Wetrainourtrainerstothehigheststandards andtreatouremployeeslikefamily.Allourtrainersare extremelyvaluabletous,andwemakesurethattheyare welltakencareof.Itbuildstheirloyaltytoourbrand, makingthemwanttoworkevenhardertoensurethatour clientsarehappyandexcitedtoreferustotheirfamilyand friends.

Enlightenusonhowyouhaveimpactedthetraining nichethroughyourexpertiseinthemarket. Ourtrainingisuniquetoeachdogandfamily.Wehavealso madetrainingsimpleandeffectiveforfamiliesanddogs.So often,wehearthat“mydogwillonlylistenifIamholding treatsortheleash/someotherpieceoftrainingequipment.” Oraclientwillsaythattheirdogknowsallbasic commands(sit,down,come,stay)butwillnotdoitwhen thereareotherdistractionsaroundortheenvironmentdoes notlookthesameeverytimeforthedog.

Dogsdonotgeneralizethingswellandneedhundredsof repetitionsinasmanysituationsaspossibletoreliably understandwhatyouareaskingthemtodo.Wehave masteredourcommunicationwithdogsandtheirownersto

trainSIMPLE.Wehavefoundthatoverloadingourclients withabunchoftrainingjargonthatmeansnothingtothem isnothelpful.Dogownerswanttheirdogtobeagood familydogtheycantrustandbeproudof!Theyarenot competinginshowswiththeirdogwheretheyneedtolearn fancytricksandunrealisticpositionstotheirfamily situation(thereisnothingwrongwithcompetitions,but mostpetownersdonotcareaboutthat).Mostpeopledonot haveperfecttimingwhenitcomestocommunicatingwith theirdog,soweusemethodsthatallowadelaybetween rewardsandconsequencesoncetheirbehavior,like/dislike, hasbeenidentified.Thishelpstremendouslysothattheir dogwilllisteneveniftheirownerdoesnothavefoodora leashintheirhand.

Weprideourselvesonsolvingbehaviorproblemsand teachinggoodbehaviorsforthelongterm,notjustforthe moment.Ourclientshavelifetimeaccesstoourtrainersand theyhaveaccesstoafreeprivateadventuregroupafter theirtrainingiscompletetomakesurethattheycontinueto besuccessful.Itintroducesthemtoanamazingcommunity ofotherdogsandownerstoexperiencefunthingswith.At leastonceaweek,wemeetupattrails,parks,stores,lakes, bars,etc.,andgohiking,camping,kayaking,orjustenjoya nicedayoutsidewithourdogsandadrink!Wewantpeople toexperiencehowlife-changingourdogtrainingprograms are.Onceyourdogiswelltrained,yourworldbecomes morefulfillingandexciting!

Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturePaw&OrderDogTraining goals?

Werecentlystartedopeningnewlocationsnationwideand wanttocontinuedoingso.WestrivefortheQUALITYof ourtrainersinsteadofquantity.Paw&Orderismy“baby,” andwewillonlyexpandwithindividualsthatmatchour integrityandmotivationtoworkhard,beproudofwhat theyaredoing,andcontinuetoimprovethequalityofthe business.

Heather Ripley

Helping Businesses Stay Ahead of the Curve

Whatwasitthatmadeyourcompetitorposition

itselfasanindustryleader?ItwaslikelyaPR agencythathelpeditgainacompetitiveedge.

Well,yourbusinesscanmakeittoo.Whatitneedsisan agencythatcancreateresults-drivenbrandingforyour businessandhelpyoucompetesuccessfully Thisisexactly whatRipleyPRbringstothetable.Spearheadingthe operationsofthecompanyisHeatherRipley,an accomplishedPRexecutiveanditsfounderandCEO.

Heathercombinesbusinessmanagement,solidanalytical skills,andcreativeB2Bpublicrelationsstrategiestodeliver measurableresultsforyourbrand.

Inspiredbyherpassionforservingclients,weatInsights SuccessgotintoconversationwithHeathertolearnmore aboutherjourneyandhowherrarecombinationof creativityandanalyticalthinkingishelpingbusinesses thrive.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatRipleyPR.What challengeshaveyouhadtoovercometoreachwhereyou aretoday?

In1996,Iworkedforadepartmentstore’sbuyingofficeand fellinlovewithadcopywriting.Mycareerovertheyears evolvedintopublicrelationsandmarketing.In2009,Iwas managingPRandmarketingforalargefranchisor, ClockworkHomeServices.Whilethere,Isecuredaspotfor ourthreefranchisebrands,OneHourHeating&Air Conditioning,BenjaminFranklinPlumbingandMister Sparky,onTheCelebrityApprenticewithDonaldTrump.

ThatappearancehelpedourCEOpositionthecompanyfor acquisition,andhesoldthebrandsformorethan$180 million.Ithenenteredtheagencyworldandworkedin seniormanagementfortwodifferentagenciesbefore movingbacktomyhometownofMaryville,Tennesseeand startingRipleyPRin2013.

Within45daysofstartingRipleyPR,Ihadsecuredmyfirst threeretainerclients.Withinsixmonths,Ihadhiredmy firstfull-timeemployee.

Now,RipleyPRisaglobalpublicrelationsagencythathas beenrecognizedbyEntrepreneurMagazineasaTop

Heather Ripley CEO and Founder

Ripley PR

“Success to us is all about you. It’s not about placing another award in our office. It’s about your success in clear, easy-to-understand, concise numbers.”

FranchisePRAgencyfouryearsinarowandwashonored byForbesasoneofAmerica’sBestPRAgenciesin2021. Throughourhardwork,wehavecementedourselvesasone ofthetopPRagenciesinthecountryforthehomeservice industryandskilledtrades.Ialsopublishedabookforthe homeservicesindustrylastyear,entitled“NextLevel Now,”whichisavailableforpurchaseonAmazon.com.

TellussomethingmoreaboutRipleyPR,itsmissionand vision.

Myteamreallyloveswhatwedo.Weonlysucceedwhen ourclientssucceed.It’snotaboutgatheringawardsfor RipleyPR,buthowbesttoensurethatwesuccessfully advocateforourclients.

AtRipley,youdon’tjustgetonepersontohelpyou increaseyourcompany’svisibility;yougetanentireteam ofspecialists.Ourexpertscanhelpyoucreatecontent,pitch

storyideastothemedia,andshowyouthebestwayto becomeanexpertinyourindustry

EnlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthePR nichethroughyourexpertiseinthemarket. Weprideourselvesonourknowledgeofthehomeservices industryandtheworldoffranchising.Thosearetwoofour nicheindustriesthatweserve.DuringthetimeIspentat ClockworkHomeServices,Icametorealizethatthehome servicesindustrywasunderservedinthepublicrelations field.Manyhomeservicesbusinessownersdon’t understandthepowerofPRorfeeltheydon’tneedpublic relationsuntiltheirbusinessislargerorhasacrisis.Ripley PR’ssuccessindrivinggrowthforhomeservicecompanies andaddingvaluetoafranchisesystemillustrateshow importantpublicrelationsistotheseindustries.Ourgoalis tohelphomeservicesandfranchisesdominateintheir serviceareas.

Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveraging technologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutions resourceful?

Theabilityoftheaveragepersontoinfluencethereputation ofservicecompaniesthroughreviewsiteslikeGoogleor YelpisaperfectexampleofwhyanagencylikeRipleyPR isusefultothisindustry.Whilewedorelyontried-and-true earnedmediaoutreachstrategies,weemployworld-class systemslikemediadatabasesandworkflowmanagement platformstohelpusprovidemeasurableresultsforour clients.Inadditiontousingtechnologyourselves,wealso representseveraltechandSaaScompaniesoperatingboth inandoutsidethehomeserviceindustry.Journalistsare hungryformorenewsaboutinnovation,soweleanintoand leveragethestoriesbehindourclients’owntech advancementstokeeptheirbrandstopofmind.

Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyouliketobring tothesalesandmarketingindustry?

I’dliketoshowsmallerbusinesseswhowanttodoubleor tripleinsizehowpublicrelationscanhelpthemgrow

Manysmallercompaniesthinktheydon’tneedPRbecause theyeitheraren’tbigenoughortheyaren’tgoingthrougha crisis.Butpublicrelationscanworkforanysize organization.Ifyou’veeverwonderedwhyyourtop competitorwasquotedasanexpertonyourlocalnews,the chancesareitwasn’tjustluck.Theownerprobablyhireda PRagency Apublicrelationsagencycanhelpanysize businessbecomeknownasthethought-leadersintheir field.

What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein thepublicrelationsindustry?HowisRipleyPR preparingtobeapartofthatchange?

Socialmediawillcontinuetogrowandevolve.While socialmediahashadashareofbadpublicitylately,it’sstill amediumthatjournalistsfollow.So,inordertostay relevantandtopofmindforthosedeliveringthenews, companieswillneedtostayactiveonsocialmedia.In additiontolegacymedia,non-traditionalmediaisbecoming increasinglypopular.Influencers,podcasters,YouTubers andotherswillcontinuetoimpactmoreofourdecisionmakingonmediaoutreach.

Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforRipleyPR?

RipleyPRhasclientsacrosstheU.S.,aswellas internationally.Wewillcontinuetoevolve,improveand growasanagencyanddeliverresultsforourclients,no matterwheretheyarebased.Weprovideourclientswith

detailedreportsthathelpusdeterminewhatisworkingand whatisnot,andwemakethenecessaryadjustmentsto improveresults.

Fouryearsago,IstartedanotherdivisionofRipleyPR calledOrangeOrchard.Thisagencydivisioniscommitted tousingwhatwe’velearnedatRipleytoadvocatefor organizationsthatareprovidingeco-andanimal-friendly productsandservices.IwouldliketoseeOrangeOrchard beaglobalforceforgoodintheworld.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothebusinesssector?

Ifyoubelieveinyourselfandyouarewillingtowork harderthaneverbefore,youcanbesuccessful.WhenI startedRipleyPR,Ihadmyknowledgeoftheindustryand mybusinessacumentofallbackon,butIexperiencedalot ofchallengesandwasdeterminedtoremainresilient.Ifyou believeyouhaveauniquetalentorproducttoofferthe world,takeachanceandshowcasewhatmakesyouspecial.

Karina Tiwana

An Ardent Legal Professional

Exemplifying Passionate Leadership

It takes dedication and laser focus to find success, not

to mention rolled-up sleeves and dirt under your finger nails”, statesanardentleader,KarinaTiwana Asthe GeneralCounsel,VicePresidentandCorporate SecretaryofALEUSA–theU.S.entitynameofAlcatelLucentEnterprise-Tiwanahasbeenanintegralpartofthe successofthecompany.Herpassionforthebusinessside oflawandsheerdedicationhasledTiwanatowheresheis today

Afterspendingalmost15yearsatAlcatel-Lucent,firstasa ContractManagerforfiveyears,Tiwanamovedupthrough theranksofthelegaldepartment,whereshelandeda corporatecounselpositionsupportingthemostinnovative businessdivisionsofthecompany.Eventually,becamea primarylegalresourcetooneofthesedivisions,the Enterprisedivision,in2006.Thereafter,shewastappedto supportoneofthehighestrevenue-producingdivisionsin thecompany.Shedidthatupuntil2014whenshewas invitedtosupporttheplanneddivestitureoftheEnterprise divisionasGeneralCounselintheUnitedStates.Tiwana wouldbechargedwithbuildingadepartmenttosupportall thelegalneeds ofAlcatel-LucentEnterprise,thenew stand-alonecompany,inNorthAmerica.Thiswasnosmall featbut,shesaid, “many talented and professional people carried my torch.”

Reflectingontheexperience,Tiwanarecognizesshe’s gratefulforthemenandwomenalongherpaththatbuoyed herupwhenshefeltshemightbedrowning.Helpinganew companybebornisadauntingtask.TheEnterprise BusinessDivision,turnedAlcatel-LucentEnterprise, containsaclose-knitgroupwithmanyemployeesboasting longtenureswiththecompany

Let’sknowmoreaboutTiwanaandhercontributiontothe industrythroughaninterviewconductedbetweenherand InsightsSuccess.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Asabusinessleader,whatisyouropinionontheimpact ofthecurrentpandemiconthetelecommunications industry?

Thepandemic’simpactonpeople,insomecases,hasbeen horrifyinganddeadly.Iwillinnowayminimizemy feelingsofempathytowardfamiliesthathavelostloved onesandthosewhohavefallenillfromthevirus.And,of course,toparentstryingtocopewithbothat-homeworking andat-hometeachingofchildrenrippedfromschoolsand theirfriends.Thisat-homeworkingandteachinghas createdanincreaseintheneedfortoolsliketheAlcatelLucentEnterpriseRainbowUnifiedCommunication Platform,aswellasinfrastructuresolutions,suchasthe company’sOmniAccessStellarwirelessLANandthe OmniSwitchnetworkswitchesthatmakeeverything connecttosupporttheincreasedcommunicationneeds spawnedbythecrisis.Inthisway,manytelecomindustry segmentsarereapingthebenefitsofthe“newnormal”. It’s ashiftfromin-officetohomeworkingandfromin-person schooltohomeschool.Eveneventsandwhatusedtobe liveentertainmenthavegoneonlineaswealltrytocope withtherestrictionsrequiredtokeepallofussafethrough thepandemic.Ihearthroughnewsreportsthatmany companieswillcontinuethework-from-homeoptionsin someformorotherso,itlooksliketheneedfortelecom industrytools,solutionsandinfrastructureisgoingto continuetogrow.

Whatisyouropiniononthenecessityforbusinessesto aligntheirofferingswithnewertechnological developments,especiallywhenitcomestoDigital Transformation?

Ithinkthatwhenitcomestodigitaltransformation, businessesthataligntheirofferingstoadvancesin

technologyfurtherdrivetheevolution.Technology continuestobeinstrumentalinourlivesandthegrowthof business.Inparticular,Ithink,asastrategy,aligning businessinfrastructurewithCloudtechnologybuildsa mindsetthatpushesinnovation,agilityandproblemsolving.Ourcompany’sCloudtechnologyproductsand serviceshavehelpedourcustomerspushbeyonddigital transformationplansandovercomethechallengesof workingthroughapandemic.It’scleartomethatCloud deliversthebenefitofscaleandadaptstoopportunities, whilebeingreliableandsecure.Itjustmakessensetome howflexibletechnologyenablesbusinessestoadaptthe workenvironment,ensureefficientoperationsandmanage costs.

HowdoyoubringyourGeneralCounselskillsin establishingstrategicdirectionanddeliveringresults globally?

Idothisinmanyways,butoneofmygreatestpleasuresin therecentpasthasbeencontributinglegaladvicetoour teamofwomenandmenthathavecreatedtheDiversityand InclusionEmployeeResourceGroup(ESG)underour CorporateSocialResponsibility(CSR)program. Withthe executivesponsorshipofRukminiGlanard,ourExecutive VicePresidentofWorldwideSales,Servicesand Marketing,theESGhostedoursecondglobalonline summittohighlightthatdiversityandequalityarelife issuesand,definitely,abusinessissueimpactingfinancial results.Anequalworldinbusinessresultsinanenabledand betterworldforbusiness.Weneedallofourmindsandall ofourhands,asacompany,tocompeteandsucceed. Diversityandinclusion–acrossgender,ethnicity,age, religion,etc.–enableabetter,balancedenvironmentfor economiesandcommunitiestothrive.

Inwhatwayshaveyoucontributedtothecommunity?

Inmycommunity,asawomanVeteran,Iamveryactivein ourAmericanLegionandAmericanLegionAuxiliary.This “AmericanLegionFamily”providessupporttolocal Veterans,theirfamiliesandthegeneralcommunitywhere Veteransliveandwork.Oneexampleofarecentprojectin 2020,werecognizedtheneedsofsomanychildreninour communityaroundChristmastime.Wesponsored,locally, ToysforTotssupportedbytheUnitedStatesMarineCorps Reserve.Weservedover300childrenandallofthem receivedgiftsandafooddonationfortheirfamilies. Supportingthiskindof“all-volunteer”communityevent bringsmegreatjoybecauseIsawthepowerofgivingin action.Collegestudents,homefortheholidays,stood

alongsidetheirParents,GrandmothersandGrandfathersto participateinthetoyandfooddistributionportionofthe event.Istronglybelieveintheempowermentprovidedby servingacausemuchgreaterthanyourself.Igetthis empowermentthroughworkingwithinourAmerican LegionFamily.IcurrentlyserveontheExecutiveBoardas Sergeant-at-ArmsandhaveservedinthepastasPost Commander.AtthetimeIservedasCommander,Iwasthe veryfirstwomanevertoserveasCommanderinthePost’s 77-yearhistory.Today,I’mproudtosay,asothernotable “firstwomen”leadersaresayingmoreandmore,“Imay havebeenthefirst,butIwon’tbethelast.”

Ifgivenachance,whatchangewouldyoubringin providinggrowthopportunitiestoWomen?

IamveryluckytohavebeengiventhechanceatAlcatelLucentEnterprisetoeffectrealchangeinmyroleas GeneralCounselatALEUSA.Ihiredstudentinternsin 2014asacreativewaytoaugmentmystaff.Weshowedso muchsuccesswithtrainingandutilizingstudentinternsin ourlegaldepartmentthatitinspiredthecompanytoadopt anInternshipProgramandnow,manydepartmentsare hiringstudentinterns.Infact,arecenthireisgoingto supplementourglobalCSRendeavors.Shewillbe graduatingfromcollegesoonwithadegreeinEthnic Studies.Ithinktheseinternshipprogramsarevitalto

andlead fromthe front. ‘ ‘‘ ‘‘

Karina Tiwana, General Counsel, Vice President, and Corporate Secretary, ALE USA Inc.

creatingopportunitiesandsuccessforeveryone,especially forwomen.Inmycase,allofmyinternsmovedonto becomepracticinglawyersandhavesecuredpositionsin lawfirms.I’mveryproudofallofthem.

Asanestablishedbusinessleader,whatwouldbeyour adviceforthebuddingwomenentrepreneurs?

Makesureyouknowagoodlawyer!Notashamelessplug. No,seriously,it’sveryimportanttobuildastrongnetwork ofdiverselytalentedindividualsthatcanbeaskedforthe helpyouneedalongtheway.Beyourselfbecauseyour authenticselfisyourbestface.Haveaclearpictureofwhat yourauthenticselfis.Remember,therewillberoadblocks onyourjourneytosuccessandsomemayberelatedtoyour gender,yourageoranynumberofthingsbutthe roadblocksarejusthillstoclimbandthereareplentyof peopletogiveyouahelpfulpushsoyoucankeepgoing. Leverageyourmentorsandallies.Theseareyourfriends,

yourclassmates,yourteachers,yourfamily,your colleagues,andyourprofessionalnetwork.Theywillhelp younavigate.But,aboveall,dowhatyoulove.Doitalot. Ifyoudowhatyouloveandyoudoitalot,youwillget reallygoodatit.Ifyougetgoodatit,youwilllikelymake moneyatitandyouwillbewealthy Wealthisnotmoney alone.Wealthincludesnotonlyprofessionalsuccessbut alsoself-fulfillmentandrealizingyourdreams.

Thereisatremendousamountofpotentialinevery livingentity.Untappedpotentialshouldbetrapped forthewelfareoftheworld.Wherewomenare empoweredthatplaceflourishesinabundance.Empowered womenleadstotheprosperityoffamilies,societies,nations andtheworld.Deepdown,everypersonlikestolivewith dignitybycontributingsomethingtotheworldaccordingto one’scapabilitiesandpotential.Therefore,thatpotential shouldbenurturedineveryoneandespeciallyinthegirls andwomen.Nothingcandimthelightineverypersonthat shinesfromwithin.Allgirlsandwomenhastodoistobe awareoftheirowninnerpotentialandtheycancontribute toanyfieldoftheirchoice.

Theworldiscurrentlygoingthroughtheunprecedented timesduetotheongoingpandemic.Thisiscertainly challengingtimeformanypeoplebutsomeexceptional womenleadersseethepositiveopportunityeveninsuch unprecedentedtimeandactuallythatisthehallmarkof goodwomenleadership.Exceptionalwomenleadersare alwaysawareandtheyunderstandthattheunprecedented timesalwayscallforunprecedentedactions,innovative, thoughtful,andwin-winsolutions.Theworldmaybefilled withlotofnegativityduetoinevitablechallengesand causes,butexceptionalwomenleaderscallupontheirinner lightandtheyusesuchunprecedentedtimetodevelopand nourishtheirskillsetssothattheycanbeaninstrumentof positivecontributiontotheworldinthecomingtimes.Now morethanever,womenandgirlsneedtocallontheirinner lighttoutilizethetoughesttimestotuneintotheir conscience,learnnewthingsbyusingvirtualplatformsand makethemselvescompetent.

Inthedifficulttimesofpandemicitisessentialforwomen leaderstobedetachedfromthenegativityaround themselves.Unlessanduntiloneisdetachedfromthe negativity,itisverydifficulttofocusonthepositiveandto makethemostoutofthatpositive.Exceptionalwomen leadersprefertobecourageoustoconfrontissuesmore diligentlyanddealwithpeoplewithempathyanddue consideration.Exceptionalwomenleaderschoosetothink deliberatelyandactontheconclusionoflogical,rational, analytical,systematic,andcognitive-intensivethought process.Thatisreallythemostimportantpartof exceptionalwomenleadership.Leadersaresupposedto thinkdeliberatelyandactonthebasisoflogicalconclusion fordeliveringtheefficientresults.

Educatingandempoweringagirlchildcreatesaripple effectanditcreatesapositiveinfluenceinthecommunity. Empoweredwomeninvesttimeandenergyincreatingthe strongernextgenerations.Thefutureleadersoftomorrow canbemoretalented,dynamic,andcompetenttodeliver maximumcontributionforthewelfareoftheworldifthey areraisedbytheempoweredwomen.Empoweringwomen isbeneficialinsomanywaysandtheircontributionplaya

veryimportantroleincreatingthegenuinelyexemplary futureleaders.

Genderequalityisbeneficialforthewholeworld. Promotinggenderequalityisnotjustresponsibilityof womenleadersorwomenissuebutitisasocietalissueand everyoneshouldsupportinpromotingthepurposeof genderequality.Unitednationsisagainandagain promotingtheempowermentofwomen.That’sverycrucial. Thegreaternumberofwomenineveryfieldisasignof growthandevolvedculture.Theempoweredwomenare boontotheworld.Thatisthereason‘GenderEquality’is oneofthemostimportantsustainabledevelopmentgoals. Empoweringwomenisessentialforthesustainable developmentoftheworld.Empoweredwomenbecome greatassetforbusinesses,families,societies,communities, nations,andthatisultimatelybeneficialforwholeworld.

Thereareplentyoffieldswherewomenhaveopportunities andtheycancontributeimmensely Theworldisin desperateneedofgenuinelyexemplarywomenleadersto makeadifferencethroughbusinesses,science,research, technologyetc.Womencanbecometheleadersinthefield ofbusinesses,science,research,technologyandinany choiceoftheirfieldiftheyarewillingtobeboldand courageousenoughtopursuetheircareerinsuchfields relentlessly Theyhavethepotentialtomakeadifferencein thechoiceoffieldtheygoandthereforewomenshouldnot shyawayfromutilizingtheirbestcapabilitiesandthey shoulddenytheworldoftheirvaluablecontribution.

Empoweredwomenarethesecretweaponofcreatinga positivechangeinthesocietyandtheworldatlarge. Empoweringandenhancingwomenandinvestinginthem unlocksatremendouspotentialfortheworld.Empowered womenarethemostimportantweaponandresourceinthe fightagainsttheglobalpoverty.Theuntappedresourceof womenhasthetremendouspotentialandthatshouldbe recognizedbythepeopleintheworldespeciallybythe peoplewhohavetheopportunitytocreateawareness relatedtothis.

Theempoweredwomenhavethepotentialtosignificantly improvelivelihoods,productivity,economicoutputs,and theoverallhumanlifeitself.Thebasiclongingtolivewith dignity,thefundamentaldesiretohavecontrolofone’s livesandone’sfutureandtobepartofdeterminingthe courseofourcommunitiesandournationsareverymuch universalintheempoweredwomen.Theselongingsburnin thewomenandgirls,andwiththeselongingstheycanbea greatdynamicforceintheworldtobeanagentofchange andmakeasignificantcontributionforthewelfareofthe worldwiththeirtalents,skills,andabilitiesandthatwill leadtotheultimatewelfareoftheworld.

An Avid Designer Creating Spaces that are Collected, not Decorated

Knownforherexquisitetaste,superiorsenseof style,andinfectiouspersonality,RuthieStaalsen ofRuthieStaalsenInteriorsisaprominentname intheinteriordesignspace.

BornandraisedinSouthAfrica,Ruthiehaslivedallover theworld.Shecreateshomesthathavearelaxed,collected lookandaddsaglobalflairtoherdesigns.Herknackfor utilizingexistingpieceswithinaspacetocreatesomething completelynewmakesherapreferredchoiceamongher clientele.

Besides,shehasalsoco-authoredthebook, Behind Her Brand,whichdepictswhatlifeislikeasafemaleentrepreneur,mother,andwife,andhowtobestintegratethese aspectstocreateabalancedbusinessandfulfillinglife.

Inspiredbyherpassionfordesigningspaces,weatInsights SuccesscaughtupwithRuthietolearnmoreabouther journeyasabusinessleader.

BelowarethehighlightsoftheInterview:

Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatRuthieStaalsen Interiors.Whatchallengesdoyouhavetoovercometo reachwhereyouaretoday?

I’mtheoldestof3kidsandcarriedtheroleofleaderasa kidandstilldo.IwasbornandraisedinSouthAfricaand traveledtheworldinmychildhood.Leadershiphasalways beenpartofmyDNA,andIthinklivingindifferent countriesallmylife,mademeabetterleaderbecauseI learnedtoadjusttohardshipsandcertainlylearnedabout beingflexible.Thatbeingsaid,I’maverydrivenperson andoneofthebiggestchallengesI’vehadtolearnishowto taketimetorelax.Beingthatmybusinessreliesaloton me,itishardformetoshutworkoff.Ilearnedthehard wayandhavenowhiredpeopletohelpmedothethings

I’mnotsogoodat.ThisrelievesmetodothethingsthatI love,andthatbringsmemorejoyandtimetorelax.

Tellussomethingmoreaboutyourcompany,itsmission, anditsvision.

WeareaDallasbasedboutiquedesignfirmfocussingon residentialdesign.Wedoeverythingfromwalkthrough consultationstofull-servicedesignprojects.Again,because ofourtravels,Iwatchedmymomsetuphomeeachtime wewereinanewcountry.Shealwayssurroundeduswith thethingsthatwereimportanttousandcreatedahome aroundthosethings.OurmissionatRSIistoalwaysgive ourclientsahometheyenjoybeingin,onethatwelcomes themhomeandmakesthemspendtimewithfamilyand friends.Wewantthehomeswecreatetobepractical, functional,andbeautiful.Wecreatea“feeling”thatnotjust anybodycancreate.

Enlightenusonhowyouhavemadeanimpactinthe Interiorsnichethroughyourexpertiseinthemarket? IamapartoftheInteriorDesignSocietyandkeepas involvedasIcan.Ibelievethatwhenyouhavegood relationshipswithothersinthesameindustry,youcanadd yourknowledgeandexperiencetoothersand,internslearn fromothers,makingourbusinessesstrongertogether.I’m notafraidofmakingchangestoourcompanyifthingsare notworkingastheyshould.Changeishardbutcan sometimesleadyouinamorepositivedirection.

Describeindetailthevaluesandtheworkculturethat drivesyourorganization.

WehaveapositiveandfunvibehereatRSI,andwehire peoplewiththatsameenergy Weloveemployeesthathave alotofexperience,however,themostimportantthingto meistheirattitude,character,and“cando”spirit.Everythingelsecanbelearned,butthesecharacteristicsare crucialadditionstomybusinessmodel.

Undeniably,technologyisplayingasignificantrolein almosteverysector.Howareyouleveragingtechnologicaladvancementstomakeyoursolutionsresourceful? Weareincrediblyactiveonsocialmediaplatformsanduse themtoeducateandinspireourexistingclientsandour futureclients.Wedobeforeandaftervideosofourinstall daysanddocumentourbehind-the-sceneshappeningswith ourremodelsandfullhomemakeovers.

What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theInteriorsindustry?Howisyourcompanypreparing tobeapartofthatchange?

Traveltakesupsomuchtimeandalthoughweloveto travel,weoftencan'ttaketimeawayfromourongoing clients.Iseemoreandmorevirtualevents,showroom tours,etc.happening(especiallysinceCovid)sothatwe canstillattendwhilebeinginouroffice.Theonlyproblem istheenergyandcomraderythatgoesalongwithin-person eventsisirreplaceableandneededinthislonelycareer We workalonealotasdesignerspreparingdesignplans,doing officepaperwork,etc.Beingwithothersthatmotivateand encourageusisveryimportant.Icertainlydon’twantinpersoneventstogoaway.

Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforyourcompany? Iwouldlovetohaveauniquelinewithlighting,rug,or furniturecompany.Ibelievemyinternationalflaircould

God is the giver of gifts, it is up to me to use those gifts to serve Him.

reallybeabenefit.Somanycompaniesneedtorevamp theiroutdatedshowroomsandproductstokeeptheminline withtheircompetition.Promotingothercompaniesthrough mysocialmediaisoneofthethingsIdonaturallyso puttingthesetwothingstogetheronlymakessense.

AnothergoalofmineistohaveaJewelrylinemadewith bamboo,wood,string,metal,andotherfuntexturessimilar tothetexturesIuseinmydesigns.

Myfuturegoalsaretobeabletodonatemoremoneytomy favoritecharities.Istartedthisbusinesswiththatverygoal inmindandwanttocontinuedoingsomorethanever

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheInteriorssector?

Thoughthisindustryisafunonetobein,thinkaboutit seriously.Therearelotofclientstopleaseandloadsof ballsintheairtojuggleconstantly Whenyoufirststart, youaresolodoingallthethingsabusinessneeds.Hiring peoplecomeslaterandthosefirstfewyearsareHARD.I wouldalsosaythatifyouarenotgoodatworkingwith othersorarenotaproblemsolver,thisindustryisnotfor you.Youneedthickskintobeanentrepreneuringeneral, alsobeingamarriageCounselorisdefinitelyinyourjob description90%ofthetime.

Sherry Blinkhorn

An Accomplished Real Estate Broker and a Passionate Advocate for the Mentally Ill

Itiseasytosaybethechangeyouwant,butitisquite

difficulttoreallyunderstandthestruggleonegoes throughtochangeoneself.Wehearstoriesabout peoplewhohaveachievedsuccessandpavedtheirwayto thetopoftheirfield,butthatisjustthetipoftheiceberg. Numerousfactorsdriveonetomakedesiredchangestobe thechangetheywant.

Inoursearchtofindsuchapersona,driventoadaptto change,wecameacrossSherryBlinkhorn,whoperfectly fitsthedefinitionof'bethechangeyouwant.'Currently, Sherrypassionatelyleadsherventure,BlinkhornReal EstateLtd.,withherdedicationtobeingthebestofthe best.

TheThornsandTheRoses

Sherry'sjourneyhasn’tbeenaneasyone.Shecameup throughthefostercaresystemandwentthroughmany challengesinherlife,butshemadesomeconscious decisionsthatwouldchangeherlifeforthegoodafterher childrenwereborn.

Sherrybeganherprofessionaljourneyasacommercialand residentialpropertymanagerinherinitialyearsthenin 1998shepursuedgettinghersalesperson’slicense.She begantoachieveonemilestoneaftertheotherbyutilizing herextensiveknowledgeandexperiencetoaccumulate record-breakingsales.Itresultedinherreceivingnational recognitionin2002and2003andin2004shereceivedthe 'PlatinumAward'forhersalesachievement,placingherin

thetop5%inCanada'stotalsalesvolumewithRoyal LePageNationalFranchise.

Subsequently,embarkingonthesuccess,Sherry's adaptabilitytochangeledhertothequestofinceptingher independentrealestatefirm,in2005,BlinkhornRealEstate Ltd.,andshehasneverlookedbackedsince.Shesowedthe seedsofeffortsanddedication,formingateamwithlikemindedcolleaguesthatreapedherandherfirmthefruitof gainingasolidreputationforprovidingexceptionalservices andsupportingmanynon-profitcharitableorganizations.

AddingDifferentIngredientstotheRecipeofSuccess

Plungingforwardinherpathofsuccess,shesaysthe learningprocessneverstops.Sherryholdsadiplomain adultpsychology,socialwork,andcounsellingskills.Being amplytrainedinthementalhealthfield,sheunderstands howstressfulitcanbetobuyorsellahouse.

Sherryhasfosteredanenvironmentwheresheputspeople firstandencourageshercolleaguestodothesame.She’s createdacaringandnaturalpositiveatmosphereinher workspace.Sheknowshowcrucialitisandishumbledto bepartofthemostsignificanttransactionofone'slifeandis overjoyedtohelpittobecomeareality “We don’t see ourselves as good salespeople – we are good Realtors; there is a big difference,” saysSherry.

Sherryhasfocusedherworkapproacharoundherbuyers andsellersmakingthemtheutmostpriority.Itwasvitalto

hertocreateafamilialworkspacewhichgivesafeelingof comfortandsmoothenstheworkprocess.Shetrulycares aboutherclientsandunderstandstheirrealestateneeds, whichiswhysheimpliesafriendlyandprofessional atmosphereinheruniqueway.Shehassculptedavaluedriventeamthatstrivesandimplementseffectivemarketing strategieswithhonestyandhardwork.

CherishingTheVictories

TheamountofhardworkanddedicationSherryputsinher workiscommendableinitself.Herworkethichassetan example,andhereffortshavebeenacknowledgedwith numerousawards,includingthe‘CommunityMentor Award’fromBigBrothersBigSistersofPictouCounty.She alsoreceivedtheprestigious‘BusinessLeaderoftheYear awardatthePictouCountyChamberofCommerceGalain 2012.Sherryisthefirstfemaletoreceivethishonorsince itsinceptionin1991.

Herachievementsdon’tstopthereandgofurther;in2018, Sherryreceivedthe‘VolunteerVisionAward’fromthe NovaScotiaMentalHealthFoundation.Thefollowingyear shewasalsorecognizedwiththe‘WomeninBusiness Award’attheChamberBusinessAchievementsGala.Aside

fromawards,Sherrywasfeaturedin2020inthe International‘TopAgentMagazine’andherlifestoryinthe NovaScotia‘AtHomeMagazine’.

LeveragingTechnologytoProvideUpscaleServices

AtBlinkhornRealEstate,Sherryhascreatedaworkculture drivenbyvaluestomakeclient'sliveseasieranddelivers high-qualityproducts.Thecompanyimplementsinnovative technologiesandoffersvirtualrealitytoursanddrone videographytoenhancethelistingsservices.Theydotheir besttoensurethatclientsgetthebestpricesforbuyersand sellersbythroughtheirexperienceandexpertise.

AboveandBeyondfortheCommunity

ThejourneythatSherryembarkedonhasbeenachallenge initself,she’sworkedhardtoforgeherpathtobeatthe positionsheistoday.Herexperienceshaveallcontributed tofindingtransparencyinherlife.Shehasbeena passionateadvocateforthementallyillforyears.Shewas alsothepublicrelationsdirectorfortheCanadianCancer Society,Pictou,volunteeredforyearsonthePalliativeCare unitandmadeitpartofherlifetogivebacktoher community.

SherryhasbuiltBlinkhornRealEstatefromthegroundup andcontributedtomanycommunityorganizationsin variouswaysalongthewayincludingsponsoringsports teamsandisroutinelyinvolvedwithmultiplenon-profits andotherorganizationsacrossthecounty.

TheGuidingFlame

UnfoldingthepagesofSherry'slife,itiscrystalclearthat despitehurdlesshe’sfaced,shealwayshascomeoutontop. Shealwaysempowers,inspires,andencouragesaTEAM environmentatherwork.Sheensuresanambianceof professionalism,integrity,andsuperiorclientservice.She leadswithapositiveattitude,highethicalvalues,andhard workandsaysshewillpersistindoingthesameintothe future.

Lastbutnotleast,Sherryhasassertedherselfinafirmspot beingaleaderinthefieldofrealestate.Sheisan inspirationtonumerouspeopleandcontinuestochange manylives.Hercompassion,dedication,andherdriveto changehavemadeherasuccessfulbusinesswoman.Sheis trulyanexampleoftakingchargeofherownlifeandbeing thechange,shewants.