C O V E R S T O R Y
Shameca Tankerson CEO and Founder
C O N T E N T S A R T I C L E
18 22
Addressing the Trust Deļ¬cit in Adverļæ½sing 14
The Lady Behind Stepping Stones
Behavioral Soluļæ½ons,
Ushering a Path to Childās Therapy in a Fun and Fruiļæ½ul Way
Get a Glimpse of How Jeļ¬ Mills Collaborates with Public and Private Organizaļæ½ons to Enhance Their Food Service Programs
Gabriel Greenberg
While it may not be possible to teach leadership, it is something that can be developed, and some professionals have proven to be more adept at nurturing this mindset while inspiring other aspiring entrepreneurs to succeed.
Our much-awaited "Elite League of Successful Leaders 2023" edition is not only a recognition of the financial success or market impact the successful business leaders create, but it also honors the inspirational leadership spirit and its significant influence on society as a whole. It celebrates and acknowledges the distinctive, devoted, and enthusiastic leadership of gifted leaders across the globe and provides them with a professional boost to maximize their impact.
Convincing others to follow him is perhaps the hardest thing a leader has to do. It is only feasible if you lead by example and motivate those who follow you. People watch their leader closely to observe how he handles difficult situations. The edition's successful leaders are astute enough to manage it with grace. They have an optimistic outlook, which is evident in the way they act.
As John Quincy Adams puts it, āIf your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader." This 'read pays tribute to prominent business executives who have proven their ability to lead with dynamism, creativity, and fortitude in the face of difficulty. It demonstrates even more the ability of corporate leadership to positively impact people's lives, communities, and even the entire world. In today's fast-paced environment, a leader needs to be both creative and imaginative to succeed. What sets these outstanding leaders and their teams apart from the competition is their never-ending inventiveness and creative thinking. They consistently employ unconventional thinking to come up with novel ideas and bring their objectives to life. Their flourishing endeavors are an excellent instance of their unique and revolutionary methodology. Every story we narrate has a strong sense of innovation and creativity.
In addition to these incredible stories, we have added a few interesting and thought-provoking articles to keep you intrigued for a long period. Lastly, I'd like to express my optimism that the stories of these revolutionary leaders will continue to influence and shape the corporate sector going forward, paving the way for more equitable, inventive, and growing societies.
My mission is to shift the mindset that it takes years to make a lot of money, it doesnāt. And I want you to know that!" Shameca Tankerson.
Modern women are pursuing new career paths that represent women's involvement in the political, social, and economic spheres. One such legend, Shameca Tankerson, CEO and Founder of Shameca International, has been honored by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5000 fastest-growing companies in the United States.
Shameca Tankerson has over 20 years of experience in sales and is an award-winning business growth strategist. She gives entrepreneurs, consultants, and corporations the tools they need to strategically communicate their value, and close more high-dollar clients. The most influential people in the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds receive fresh vitality and direction from Shameca.
Today, she is a multi-million-dollar earner and business success mentor for next-level experts and corporations, but it wasnāt always that way. Shameca struggled to succeed after a previous company was destroyed by the 2008 economic crisis. She was successful by everyone else's standards, since she had the credentials and the awards, but her bank account did not always reflect her honors and accomplishments. She finally had enough of "looking successful" and had the confidence to take some risks that eventually paid off. Shameca's life was forever changed by that decision. This amazing woman now empowers her clients to go beyond what they once thought was
possible and earn more money in a month or a day than they would in an entire year!
A few of the key services Shameca Tankerson offers are:
ā¢ Business Consulting, Mentoring, and Training
ā¢ Leadership and Personal Development
ā¢ Inspirational and Key-Note Speaking
ā¢ Half-Day and Full-Day Workshops
ā¢ Sales and Client Acquisition Strategy
ā¢ Social Selling Strategy
ā¢ Speak to Sell Strategy
ā¢ Event Sales Strategy
ā¢ Creating and Selling Premium Services
ā¢ Sales Mindset
ā¢ Organic Sales and Lead Generation
Top leadership lesson
People say itās lonely at the top. According to Shameca, "She has found that the higher she goes, the more people she needs as part of her success team. So, she is striving to shift that paradigm every day."
Diversity and inclusion in work culture
A magnetic personality renowned for her dynamism, Shameca has been a major factor in fostering a highly collaborative culture that is motivated by the core principles of teamwork, integrity, and excellence. As a woman of color, she cherishes diversity and inclusiveness; therefore, creating a sense of community for all people, regardless of culture, background, or ability, is one of her core principles.
In behavior analysis, women have played and still play a significant role. Veronica Napier is a prominent female leader who makes a difference every day and is always on the lookout to support others. Her entrepreneurial venture as the CEO and founder of Stepping Stones
Behavioral Solutions has had significant accomplishments in its 7-year journey. It is featured among the "Elite League of Successful Leaders 2023" as a recent addition to the list. The achievements and appreciation go far beyond this, and the lady is unstoppable!
The Inspiring and Innovative JourneyāAt a Glance
The story of a young woman who aspired to help the underprivileged while rewarding others with similar ideals and excellent income!
Veronicaās journey into ABA therapy was inspired by her passion for psychology. The aspiring business lady initially entered this sector to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. She was seeking other possibilities because she didn't want to receive her master's degree and had no prior experience in psychology. She was told about applied behavior analysis (ABA) by one of her friends. Veronica thought it was fascinating and started working with a 12-year-old child who was rather hostile in an autism center. Additionally, he did not speak.
Veronica became aware of the impact she was having on this boy's life as she worked with him because he started to try different meals and pick up
new words. She also began to understand that he was able to develop more talents by playing with her and finding common ground with him. Veronica was compelled to shift her attention from clinical psychology to applied behavior analysis as a result, having worked at numerous Indiana facilities. She made the choice to handle just one client for her own practice. Soon, she had two clients, and word of her use of play-based treatment while adhering to the ABA core principles seemed to spread like wildfire. Within a year, she had 10 customers, and with a strong team by her side, that number quickly increased to 9 autism facilities, over 200 clients, and 250 workers.
Stepping Stones Behavioral Solutions
Children on the autism spectrum can get play-based ABA therapy from Stepping Stones, which treats each client as an individual from head to toe. They collaborate with the child in many contexts, including the clinic, the school, and the home, using a range of materials, equipment, and therapeutic methods.
Additionally, SSBS established a private school last year with a specialization in students who learn differently. They also intend to concentrate on developing their program for graduates of an adult applied behavior analysis facility that will provide both job training and instruction in functional living skills. They are genuinely helping people with special needs of all ages and providing assistance not just to the patient but also to their parents, the school, and anybody else who works with them.
Stepping Stones offers virtual appointments and virtual supervision as a way of employing technology to improve and elevate the quality of ABA. This enables behavior analysts to manage a caseload of clients and provide more support for other team members.
The three main trends are: growing in areas where there is a demand; collaborating with academic institutions and other fields like speech and occupational therapy; and using some AI technology to streamline administrative tasks.
Diversity and Inclusion in Stepping Stones
An African American woman started SSBS, which takes pride in its diversity and understanding of other cultures. Empowering people through equal and fair promotion. One important principle they uphold on a daily basis is respect for the cultures of their clients and team members.
Battling the Challenges
Inflation and income reduction from payors Veronica and her team work to be creative with grants and donations, offering multiple services for increased collaboration with the community to support the mission.
Insights on the Gender Pay Gap
At SSBS, there is no gender wage gap because of the open pay scale. However, it has been clearly demonstrated throughout history that men are often paid more than women. Several of the female team members actually support their families financially. Therefore, SSBS, as a corporation, is undoubtedly delighted to contribute to that shift in society.
SSBSās Key Focus: A Healthy Work Culture
āI think it's crucial to strike a good balance between work and life. Normally, we encourage everyone on our team to finish their job between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. A large portion of our higher management receives help from us.
That way, you have a team of innovators and executors. This has made our work model very successful because team members have more time with their leaders to discuss new ideas and innovationsā, the leading lady apprised.
Road Ahead: In the Next Five Years
Within the next five years, Stepping Stones Behavioral Solutions is expected to grow into additional states, focusing on those with a larger underserved population. Because business is business and individuals prefer to pursue the dollars, investors and private equity firms tend to focus on the states with the higher reimbursement rates. But Stepping Stones was established to help the underprivileged. There cannot be enough resources for autism in one location. But Veronica prefers to focus on the places where there aren't many, so they may be really useful to the local
Founder and CEO / Genuine Foods
With over 20 years of experience in the culinary and hospitality industries, Jeff Mills is an innovator and entrepreneur determined to find solutions that have a lasting social impact. While Mills's grandmother in Ohio first introduced him to French and German cuisine through her cooking, his passion for hospitality began after he moved to Boston for college where he worked as a bartender to help pay for school. Millsā style caught on and he was soon asked to bartend across the city. After completing his degree, he helped a few local restaurateurs and nightclub owners to establish new businesses. Ultimately, he decided to go out on his own.
This led him to New York City where he became a restaurateur, opening the Biltmore Room in Chelsea. At the time, Mills was the youngest restaurateur to ever receive a coveted three-star review from the New York Times. One too many 4pm to 4am shifts convinced the aspiring leader to sell his share of the restaurant to his primary investor. After taking a break to travel and recharge, he began consulting, which gave him the chance to turn his attention to school food in the District of Columbia.
Mills discovered his calling while at DC Public Schools, using his knowledge of fine dining and hospitality to prepare meals for more than 44,000 students across 123 schools, the majority of whom were economically disadvantaged.
He transformed the meal program from reheated, frozen prepared meals to meals that were delicious, healthy, and scratch-made. For his work,
he received accolades from across the country. While at DC Public Schools, Mills became an official whistleblower after discovering that the vendor handling the school's food service had been overcharging the District. For his efforts, he received of the largest settlements ever issued against a food service management company.
After the conclusion of the whistleblower suit, Jeff saw an opportunity to create a food service management company that had high-quality food and transparent and honest operations at its core. He established Genuine Foods with the goal of using the power of delicious food to enhance the lives and livelihoods of people and communities.
Genuine began by supplying meals to several New York City charter schools. The company quickly experienced exponential growth and today manages more than 80 accounts across 13 states. Genuine currently provides services to clients in higher education and the healthcare industry, in addition to Kā12 public and private schools.
Genuine Foods has a strong track record for being nimble, adaptable, and able to personalize where it matters, including the types of food they source. Unlike other companies, Genuineās menus are not influenced by back-end manufacturer rebates. Beyond simply serving local food, Genuine Foods goes above and beyond to create culturally competent menus that draw their inspiration from regional farmers, purveyors, cultures, trends, and
voices. By providing Genuine momentsāthe experiences that make an impact beyond the plateāthey work to put people and communities first.
Our dedication to diversity and inclusion is centered on creating avenues for career advancement throughout the firm. The hospitality sector offers wonderful opportunities for growth, and we want to reward and promote individuals who come from the communities we work in, many of which are communities of color.
Since many schools and other public venues closed during the pandemic, several food service management companies and caterers folded or substantially reduced their services. "I'm pleased that during the pandemic, rather than contracting, we expanded and changed to better serve communities", stated Mills. "We discovered more strategies to provide families and children across the nation with wholesome meals." The team handled everything from curbside pickup to door-to-door delivery for its clientele. Additionally, they forged new partnerships, ultimately collaborating with Michelle Obama, Netflix, and the Partnership for a Healthier America on a nationwide social impact campaign. The effort provided more than 1 million meals through healthy, inspiring meal kits to families in cities across the country with the highest rates of childhood poverty. Now that the pandemic is retreating, Genuine is building new relationships with organizations like community colleges, helping them to draw students and faculty back to campus through enhanced offerings.
Like any rapidly expanding business, Genuine Foods has faced many obstacles along the way to success. How can the company continue to buy foods that are culturally relevant and locally grown while also pursing economies of scale that raise their ability to compete on price? How can they identify the best partners to enter new marketplaces and industry sectors? Each of these problems is being addressed by an all-hands effort from Genuineās operations and business development teams. Genuine knows that finding the best partners, whether they be sourcing partners or clients, is crucial. You can find a solution to any problem if you find partners who share your values.
The Future of Genuine Foods: After a Decade Genuine Foods is a prominent, nationally recognized, purpose-driven food service management company. The dynamic organization is working to fulfill its vision to provide healthy, high-quality, freshly prepared food to all communities. After ten years, Mills sees the company operating in many more settings and providing new, innovative ways to add value. Genuine Foods will maintain its entrepreneurial foundation while becoming more effective over time. " I hope Genuine Foods is not just a fantastic partner to many, but also an even better place to work ten years from now. I hope that some of the faces working in cafeterias now will be leading the company in ten yearsā time," said Mills.
The world of programmatic and connected TV/streaming audio advertising is evolving at an unprecedented pace. The allure of advanced targeting capabilities, real-time bidding, and data-rich insights have drawn brands, agencies, and media sellers into the ecosystem. Yet, despite its many advantages, a trust deficit looms large between advertisers and sellers. Addressing this chasm is crucial for the continued growth and integrity of the industry.
The Trust Deficit: Origins and Impacts
Several factors contribute to the trust deficit:
1. Transparency Issues: The term transparency has become a marketing catch all or throw away word by most sellers to the detriment of the industry, Today more often than not, advertisers are unsure about where their ads are being really placed, the audiences used to target and reach them, and the actual costs associated with placements (not some arbitrary CPM mired in arbitrage).
2. Ad Fraud: As media types like connected TV and streaming audio gain steam, so too do their CPMās and this makes the environment ripe for fraudsters. Domain spoofing, non-human traffic, and click fraud have are just a few example of ad-fraud that are eroding trust.
3. Data Security: Concerns about data breaches and the misuse of consumer information can lead to skepticism.
4. Discrepancies in Reporting: Disagreements over metrics, KPIs, and reporting methodologies can create tensions and further divide buyers and sellers. In addition, attribution models and naive sellers desires to take full credit for attribution without any incrementality measurement or score erode trust.
Bridging the Gap: Solutions for the Trust Deficit
1. Embrace Transparency: Both parties must prioritize complete transparency. This involves open discussions about fees, placements, and expected outcomes. Technology deployed and how itās deployed, deterministic vs probabilistic measurement, and so much more are part of a true-transparent dialogue. Platforms should provide clear breakdowns of actual media costs plus any other mark-ups or third party fees and placements.
2. Unified Metrics and Standards: Adopting industry-wide standards for metrics and KPIs can alleviate many disputes. Organizations like the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) have taken strides in this direction, but more unified acceptance is needed and frankly control groups with incrementality measurement can help win back trust.
3. Robust Verification and Fraud Detection: Employ third-party per-bid verification services to ensure ads are viewed by real people in appropriate contexts. This not only helps in minimizing wasted spend but also in rebuilding trust.
4. Data Protection Pledges: Advertisers and sellers need to commit to stringent data protection standards. Being clear about how data is used, stored, and shared can rebuild faith in the ecosystem.
5. Open Communication: Regularly scheduled check-ins, feedback loops, and open channels for grievance redressal can foster a better understanding between both parties.
6. Educational Initiatives: Workshops, seminars, and training sessions can help both advertisers and sellers understand the intricacies of the ecosystem, dispelling myths and clarifying ambiguities.
7. Work with companies like Octillion, DoubleVerify, IAS and OpenX whom have opened up their logs for third party audit and scrutiny.
While challenges persist, consumers are moving to streaming TV and audio at unprecedented rates creating the perfect environment for advertisers of all sizes to reach targeted prospects and customers. Brands as small as a local realtor can use TV to reach home buyers, a solution once only reserved for Fortune 100 and 500 brands. The trust deficit is being taken on by the ANA, TrustNet and companies like Octillion who all believe with the right technology, ethics and true transparency, trust will follow.
Both advertisers and sellers stand to gain immensely from such a harmonious relationship. Through concerted efforts, transparency, and mutual respect, we can overcome the trust challenges and unlock the full potential of this dynamic advertising landscape.
