The 10 Iconic Business Leaders Making a Difference in 2023

S T O R Y

SUNUNTNASUK Founder & CEO | Natural cure labs

NAN MORRISON

ARTICLES

Editor’s Note

Acknowledging the Success of Several Iconic Business World Leaders…

Being a leader means having the will to take the lead and having the ability to influence those around you. To put it simply, you are a leader when you can deeply affect people. In its purest form, leadership is inspirational. Business executives must be able to influence people with their ideas and opinions and possess a broad vision. Therefore, iconic leaders set high standards for people to follow in addition to acting as role models. As a result, to inspire others, you must first broaden your perspective and look to great business leaders for inspiration.

In higher positions, having the right personality qualities, and leadership abilities are essential. Your abilities as a director, CEO, or member of the board can frequently make or break a company. Globally, there are a lot of business executives, but some stand out more than others. We have created an editorial journey that will walk you through these great leaders' inspirational tales.

Our most recent edition, "The 10 Iconic Business Leaders Making a Difference in 2023," features the trailblazers who have elevated their businesses to new heights, revolutionized their industries and invented amazing innovations that continue to have an impact on our daily lives. When you look at these iconic business leaders, you will surely be inspired by their actions, strategies, and personalities.

As you follow their path further, you will see that they are envisioning a brighter and broader future in addition to shaping the present economic environment. These visions are paving the way for a future that is more innovative and motivating.

As I wrap up this editor's note, I want to express my gratitude to all of our readers around the world for their support and appreciation. I hope that these tales have inspired you to pursue your dream business. Once again, I sincerely appreciate your time and attention. Please let us know what you think of how we're doing. We will be happy to hear from you.

Let’s Read...!

Nan Morrison

A Dynamic Businesswoman and Catalyst for the Digital Transformation of the Council for Economic Education

From a search amongst women leaders in business who are flourishing as changemakers, we are excited to introduce a seasoned leader, builder, problem-solver, and change agent who brings a special blend of strategic and operational expertise to efforts in the private and non-profit sectors.

Nan J. Morrison, President and CEO of the Council for Economic Education (CEE), is acknowledged as a thought leader in the field and has been sought after and quoted by numerous publications, including the New York Times, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg; she has also spoken at the Milken Global Conference. Nan holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Yale University (magna cum laude) and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School, with second-year honors. She has completed seven triathlons.

Nan is a critical thinker who is skilled at cutting through complexity, assessing risk, making decisions and - most importantly - knowing how to get things done. She enjoys helping organizations grow and improve. Being a CEO combines these capabilities and passions – a wonderful match and adventure.

This inspiring leader has a solid background in technology from her work as a partner at BCG and Accenture, experience she has brought to her role leading the Council for Economic Education's

digital transformation. She is knowledgeable about how to use data and technology to meet customer needs and increase profitability. As a dependable relationship builder she has developed team-based collaborative cultures to maintain and motivate talent and build long-lasting relationships with a variety of stakeholders.

Council for Economic Education at a Glance

CEE is a renowned national organization that has trained teachers to teach economics and personal finance to K–12 students for over 70 years. Initially, they used books and workbooks to instruct instructors in economics in small workshops. They continue to teach educators today, but they also now include personal finance. Online options now have a significant role in how they provide teacher training, student programs and classroom lessons (EconEdLink.org), while they continue to offer robust in-person options where relevant. Since its founding they have also taken on an increasingly active advocacy role to increase state requirements for personal finance and economics in K-12 schools.

CEE’s mission is to provide personal financial and economic education to all K–12 children so they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.

They carry out their mission by advocating for fair access to this education in every state, by giving teachers training and resources to improve their subject-matter expertise and self-confidence, and by offering high school student programs that encourage learning through competitions and career preparation.

Towards a Solid Path to Financial Stability and Economic Mobility

CEE is focused on equitable access to financial and economic education. Today, about half the states require personal finance or economics to be taught in high school, and in states where these subjects are not required to be taught, students from low and moderate-income communities have the least access to these subjects. It is crucial to teach this material in school since for a variety of reasons these students are less likely to gain an understanding of personal finance and the economy at home.

CEE’s Invest in Girls program is especially focused on introducing low- and moderate-income girls of color to the possibility of a career in financial services, which can provide a strong path to financial stability and economic mobility.

CEE’s Access Zone program has brought financial education to low emoderate income of communities and has dramatically increased the participation of black and Hispanic students in CEE’s National Personal Finance Challenge to nearly 40%.

Standing Ahead of the Competition

The primary characteristic that distinguishes CEE is its outstanding quality. Their teacher feedback surveys consistently receive favorable scores of 90% or higher, and all of the classes and professional development sessions are created and implemented by actual educators. Their advocacy efforts have had an impact on important states. Their student contests are unique.

CEE hires based on a person's capability. Their diverse team is comprised of more than two-thirds women and two-thirds people of color, resulting in diverse opinions which tend to create stronger outcomes.

"CEE is unique in its commitment to excellence, adherence to our mission, and leadership through our values, which include trust, honesty, respect for the individual, teamwork, transparency, and inclusivity. We have constructed our Access Zone program to ensure equal access for all children, identified a scalable methodology for educator training that is sustainable and leverageable to reach many students, and built a coalition to get more standards to teach our courses in place” Nan notes.

Take on Women's Entrepreneurship

Everyone has a choice about whether or not they wish to run something. If you are starting a business or considering a change in your existing environment, thinking about how things may be improved or altered is a useful perspective, and something I would urge everyone to undertake.

Hurdles on the Way

Although Nan has had many influential male mentors and supporters, she notes that, as a woman, she was frequently required to demonstrate something in order to advance to the next level, whereas men did so more rapidly based on their trajectory and ability.

Syncing with the Latest Advancements

Teachers and students are the organization’s primary customers and Nan and her team make it a point to consult them when making changes to what and how they educate. This feedback resulted in CEE in adding extra courses on cyber security to

their risk-based curriculum standard. They can also quickly respond by posting new or updated lessons online, as they did for analysing COVID's economic effects and to help children comprehend the true significance of market moves surrounding GameStop.

Achievements and Milestones Along the Way

CEE’s award-winning Financial Fitness for Life curriculum is not only popular with teachers but is often a go-to resource for researchers in the field. Their biennial Survey of the States, a focal point of their advocacy activity, is frequently cited and referred to as the authority on the state of financial and economic education in the US. Through their national network of affiliates, they reach over 40,000 K–12 teachers annually, who in turn reach over 4,000,000 students. CEE’s online teacher resource EconEdLink, has over 500,000 users annually,

Road Ahead

Nan is highly focused on scaling the key programs, with the overall theme of creating equitable access. CEE’s current plans include building on their successful advocacy initiative, growing their National Personal Finance Challenge and Invest in Girls programs, and continuing to leverage new technologies to reach every teacher and student in effective and relevant ways.

Giving Back to the Community

Nan has the good fortune to oversee a business that carries this out daily. She believes that giving back includes any action - no matter how small - that the recipient sees as beneficial. Simple acts like guiding an elderly person across the street or connecting someone to a job lead can have a big impact.

Nan’s Secret Formula of Success

Listen; keep moving ahead; be willing to make decisions even if they are not popular; speak up with your ideas; work smart and with care. Advocate for yourself and build meaningful relationships.

HOW TO GET YOUR BUSINESS IT SOLUTIONS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

Launching a new business is an exciting time, but there are also lots of worrying situations that might make you anxious. A good example of this is when you first launch your IT solutions. Virtually every business in the world these days uses some form of technology. Whether it’s a computer for recording your financial information, to take payment details, or even just to write emails, there’s going to be some kind of technology involved in your business.

However, setting up your IT solutions properly the first time can be tricky, especially if you don’t have much information to go on. So in this post, we’re going to take a look at what it takes to get your business IT solutions right the first time around so you can save time, effort, and money.

Define what your IT strategy is

A lot of people get this first step wrong. You really need to define what kind of IT strategy you want as it essentially changes what kind of technology you use and the processes involved. Do you want to rely on computers for almost everything in your business? If so, then you’ll want to look at the types of software that you’ll use for those various processes. Are you interested in remote working opportunities? For that, you may need to hire or purchase specific types of equipment for remote desktoping or video conferencing.

So before you decide to invest money into your IT solutions, make sure everything is planned out correctly first.

Build a solid foundation

A strong foundation is necessary for growth. In terms of your IT solutions, you should focus on things that will always be around no matter how big or small your company is. For example, solid networking solutions are important to keep your business connected to both the internet and to its local network. Similarly, data backup and storage solutions can prevent disasters later down the road.

It’s a good idea to work with companies like CMIT Solutions to help you build these foundations. A strong base for your business will help ensure that you have plenty of room to grow and make mistakes.

Use cloud services when available

Cloud services are much more effective than older solutions because they can be scaled at any time and to almost any size. For instance, a cloud-based storage solution can be used to store everything from basic documents to important client products. It’s much easier to access than a local drive on your computer, you can

share the documents instantly, and you can scale the amount of storage you have based on your company’s needs without needing to reinstall any kind of hardware or shut something down.

From machine learning to accounting, there are loads of ways that your company can leverage cloud services. How you use them is entirely up to you and how your business operates. But if you want to save a lot of time and effort with your software solutions (and in some cases, hardware too) then you’ll want to use cloud services whenever you can.

SUSTAINING SUCCESS PROTECTING THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS

As a business owner, building a successful venture is an ongoing priority that is often focused on short-term goals. However, true success is defined by stability and long-term growth. Therefore, it’s equally imperative that you establish a culture geared towards a positive future.

While it does require an initial investment of time and money, the rewards will make it worthwhile. Better still, relatively small steps will generate huge improvements. Focus on the five below for optimal success.

1. Be prepared for the worst

Regardless of what precautions are taken, there is always a threat of things going wrong in business. Therefore, you must be prepared for all outcomes. After all, a quick response will limit financial and reputational damage, as well as disruptions. Experts like Tivly can connect you to the right business insurance plans. Aside from protecting your financial future, it gives you peace of mind and guidance about what steps to take if a problem occurs.

Even if you never need to make a claim, the knowledge that you can do it does make a huge difference. Not least to your mindset.

2. Prevent attacks on the business

The harsh reality is that attempted attacks on businesses are more common than ever. Aside from physical theft, you must now acknowledge the threat of cyberattacks as a single breach could spell the end. Outsourced IT and cybersecurity services like Dirox can keep you on top of the situation. Preventing false bad reviews, potentially

from competitors, is another valuable step. It protects your reputation and SEO rankings.

Meanwhile, preventing intellectual theft by copyrighting your ideas and brand identity is essential. Only you should profit from your brand and products.

3. Build a strong workforce

A strong workforce is the greatest asset at any company’s disposal. However, a strong recruitment drive is only the start. You must also cultivate a culture of continuous learning and growth. It will allow employees to develop new skills, which maintain relevance in an ever evolving landscape. Failure to do this can quickly see the company fall behind the competition, thus undoing the good work until this point.

Better still, a positive brand culture that’s also characterized by employees feeling valued will yield a low staff turnover. Stability can only aid your future.

4.

While business success can be defined in many ways, making money is a non-negotiable factor. Keeping the profit and loss accounts in good health is one thing. However, it’s equally crucial to keep an eye on cash flow to know that you have the funds needed to run the operation. When offering repayment plans to clients, you must ensure that they deliver timely payments. Otherwise, you will be left in a cash flow crisis.

Tools like invoice financing can provide a safety net. In an ideal world, though, building a situation where

Finally, if you want the company to keep progressing, it will need new ideas. As already stated, business landscapes are evolving and client expectations continue to grow too. Tools like Kickbox can help turn your team into a group of innovators. An emphasis on creativity and looking for the next big opportunity gives you the best chance of long-term success. You may also want to use incremental innovation for continued progress.

You must always ensure that the short-term situation is under control. Still, moving towards long-term goals will strengthen your position.

LIONEL LODGE

FOUNDER AND CEO - SYNCLODGE

How Technology is Changing the Music Industry

The music industry is a multi-taloned, multi-dimensional universe spinning through space all on its own, but its orbital shifts and planetary collisions affect us all. It is constantly expanding while at the same time contracting and reshaping itself. Technology innovations have always been a core element of the music industry. It is an industry of technology. Changes have come not only in music trends but also in industry infrastructure and the technology that fuels it. From the very first instruments to the current explorations in AI-generated music.

With each innovation comes freedoms and barriers. For example, the invention of the piano greatly expanded freedoms for musical expression, which raised the level of what was considered great music. But built barriers for others who didn’t have access to a piano. In the long view, technological innovations have mostly delivered very positive results for musical expression and musical enjoyment but not always for music creators' ability to sustain a comfortable living.

We have these two words: music and industry. The first is right brain function, and the second is left brain function. Few can traverse the two successfully and that is why both have co-existed (for better or worse) for so long. The very beginning of what we now call the music industry, where business profits were derived from musical inspiration, was in publishing during the reign of King Henry VIII. He required copies of all printed matter to be sent to him and offered protection to printers in the form of licenses, primarily to produce a new source of revenue for the king. It wasn’t until after his death in 1547 that publishing (the printing of sheet music) rights were given to businesses, albeit to a select few companies which then held monopolies in their territories. These monopolies were later successfully challenged, and the industry began to grow with healthy competition.

A publisher would secure the publishing rights to a piece of music with the hope that many would want to play it and thus buy copies of the printed notation, otherwise known as sheet music. The companies that generated the most profit from sheet music sales did so by developing ways of promoting the music they owned the rights to. The more a piece of music seemed popular, the more popular it became. So, promotion became the name of the game to drive sales. There were those who wisely secured the right to publish already established and popular music.

So, it was basically a situation of someone with a business, profit-based perspective finding creative people and developing ways to profit from their work. The industry has seen many bad deals signed by many unaware creators. However, this creator/business relationship has been the catalyst for building many successful careers and an industry infrastructure from which many creators profit. Over the last 600 years, recognition of the need for protective copyright legislation has been responsible for passing numerous laws, building many societies, and signing international accords and treaties. Which installed clearer guidelines for “fair” business practices. But we still have more to do, especially as new technological innovations, as we have seen with audio streaming, raise new questions about best practices for long-term sustainability.

Some companies have risen high above the rest; we call them the majors: Universal, Sony, and Warner. The majors have grown to the level they are through clear management, an organized approach, and the hustle of being the first to find and then sign the next big thing continuously. Now we are seeing the rise of the independent artist becoming a viral, new big thing. When this happens, we see a scrambling of offers with

very large signing advances. With the many technological advances of recent years, we see smaller companies being able to compete with and sometimes surpass the might of the majors. This rise of a small company is usually followed by one of the majors buying the company, essentially removing the competition and benefiting from the hard work already done. This is the same growth strategy companies in other industries follow, especially in tech-based sectors.

The question that arises is regarding the health of the industry for long-term sustainability. As many have pointed out, there is no industry without the creatives. That hypothesis is currently being tested with AI-generated music. Will the public care if a human made the music or a computer algorithm made it? This big question has deep implications for music used in film, TV, video games, and advertising. When a scene calls for soothing, romantic music, does the production company hire a composer or just have it AI-generated? Will the watching audience be able to tell or care as long as the emotional leverage of the music is effective?

We are now seeing highly funded AI music initiatives developing in the market. Laws already exist that protect the copyright owners of music that an AI music generator was trained on. Under current copyright law, anything output through AI is owned jointly by the writers and labels whose work the AI was trained on. AI is just a new way to sample or interpolate music. And we all know that samples have to be licensed, or they are infringements. The problem is that the AI programmers don’t know this and thus don’t ensure the metadata of the music going in is logged and attached to the music generated so they have a record of the copyright owners. Or that they then have to obtain licenses from all those owners of both the recordings and the compositions.

With every down, there is an up. If AI-generated music becomes generic and obvious, without human communication, then honest, authentic music creation becomes more valuable. This is an interesting shift from trying to write a hit by following the current trends (AI can do that) to writing and producing unique narratives and honestly inspired music that stands out as true.

In the music industry, it is never business as usual. It is consistently changing as usual.