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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The July 2021 Issue Of Global Millionaire: Kamran Karim

Kamran Karim is a progressive and result-driven entrepreneur with 13 years of professional experience in mobile app development, software development, and deployment building strategic alliances, branding, product life cycle completion, digital marketing, and internet promotions. He’s an inspirational individual who has been a crucial part of brand development and click monetization projects of several Fortune 500 companies.

He has founded several companies such as Tech Whizards – a global company that provides innovative digital solutions for businesses. He was also the founder of Yacht Rental DXB – a luxury yacht rental company applying Uber’s digital business model for clients to rent yachts and spend time with their friends and their loved ones. On top of that, he is also the founder of Binary Geeks – a software house that provides innovative products for the global market.

Kamran has several exciting upcoming projects under his belt such as a YouTube channel named “She Inspires,” where they will be interviewing women who have gone through struggles and overcame all the obstacles life put them through. He’s also planning to launch another YouTube channel called DefiGeeks which is catered to the Pakistan market where they are planning to post weekly episodes about cryptocurrency and the hype surrounding it. Lastly, he’s also in the process of launching a private jet rental company called Jetify in UAE, where users will be able to follow the Uber business model and rent private jets, similar to their Yacht initiative.

Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Kamran to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started in business?

I actually had a humble start in my journey; I belong to a traditional middle-class family but I received good education though because my father was determined to give me a better future. I started working with startups at an early age but it wasn’t until I reached Dubai that I realized that the better future that my father had hoped I would have could be obtained by having my own business rather than by working in a 9 to 5 job.

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

The nascent seeds of entrepreneurship must have always been there for me because honestly, I hated those conventional jobs that I had. I did not think I had the ability to conform, and that problem led me to develop my own thing.

How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?

Life before being an entrepreneur was “traditional”, “conventional” and in short “unchallenging”. It was simply something every other person could do and was doing, I was cut out for going with the crowd sort of thing.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

Not knowing what is coming next, the challenges that every day throws at me, and also my passion for tech, is a major driving force.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

“Majestic” – yes I will use the word majestic because I am the king of my own world, I make my decisions and I rule over myself (along with own my team).

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

Well hmm.. let’s see, having your own business enables a person to implement what they always thought should be done, that is a great deal of independence one deals with. The biggest motivation is obviously that you can’t let your business fail, it is like your baby and you never want to fail your child. The third motivator is that having my own business enables me to actualize my vision.

What do you put your success down to?

Persistence, the only word I can use to define the reason for my success. You need to be persistent.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

Know what you are doing, have a vision, stick to the vision, be persistent, and don’t give up, all big businesses were small once upon a time.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?

Finding good employees is a major problem when the business is in its initial stages, I was lucky to have my brother as my support in this regard.

Does the loneliness of the entrepreneur really exist?

Yes and no, if people around you understand and appreciate your vision, then you won’t be lonely but often that is not the case.

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

Taking the hard decisions like firing someone or shelving an idea; these are the minuscule things that lead you to develop leadership skills. The most important thing I learned was that sometimes, you just can not be soft-hearted, people will take advantage of you and that is not good for your business.

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?

I think the pandemic has made it clear that there is a great future for small businesses around the world, especially in the tech industry.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Get To Know Millionaire Entrepreneur Khatib Ali

Khatib Ali is a millionaire entrepreneur, author, and transformational speaker. This sales expert, mogul, and military vet has endured extreme lows that provided lessons to propel him to extraordinary highs. Everything from landing in prison and raising a daughter with cerebral palsy, to gracing stages with legendary philosopher Bob Proctor – he is now a millionaire who is helping others to take charge of their destinies through his book ‘Cows vs. Rhinos.’

Cows Vs. Rhinos is based on a scientific study indicating that 97% of the human population follows the herd and settles for what is before them – like cows. The other wealthy 3% establish visions, set goals, and attack them with full force like rhinos. Khatib Ali has helped over 500 people create six-figure incomes and his mission is to help others to recognize their inner power and become rhinos in life.

Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with Khatib to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

I was a military brat born on the Fort Benning Army Base in Georgia (United States). We moved around so much that I never truly felt at home and I always had to attend a new school and make new friends all over again. But, because of that, I developed the ability to meet people from different places and establish relationships because I had to do it so often. Eventually, I went into the military and traveled the world. When I returned, I worked in the automotive industry and I became extremely successful at it. During that period though, my first daughter was born with cerebral palsy. I would have to constantly go back and forth between working at the car dealership to visiting her in the hospital. It was very stressful. One day, someone introduced me to this product that would make it so she didn’t have to be in the hospital constantly, and I researched the product non-stop and fell in love with it. I told myself that I was going to enter the MLM industry and sell this product like crazy and make so much money that I would always be able to take care of my daughter. I discovered my WHY at that point. It was my daughter. She is the reason I entered entrepreneurship. Her condition, combined with all of my experiences traveling, building relationships, and being very successful in sales placed me on this path and I have been on it ever since.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Right now, I consult with multilevel marketing companies and automotive groups like Berkshire Hathaway. I am working with a company in Utah, helping them to get their products positioned across the globe. Currently, they are based in Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines, and several countries in South and Central America, such as Peru, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Most of my growth is coming from establishing relationships with companies and helping them to fatten their bottom line, especially during the pandemic. I am doing a lot of work on the health and wellness side.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

My social media platforms of choice are Facebook and LinkedIn.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

Paid advertising and sponsored content campaigns work for many of the companies that I consult as far as helping them to position their products and services. To be honest, the vast majority of my business comes from word of mouth because it is all based on personal, interactive relationships. I focus on that far more than advertising because it is more natural as opposed to artificial.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

Videos. I do a lot of videos and I just focus on being myself and educating people on who I am, my thoughts, and my experience. I do a lot of personal motivation videos and a lot of zoom calls. A company will bring me in for public speaking on their company zoom calls and conference calls. Every business has their thing that works for them. For me, video communication is key and we have been doing that since 2015. My business stands out because I take a very personal approach when helping companies as well as advising people on how to grow and improve their lives. This way, we get to the core of people’s hearts.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

The bigger thing for me is word of mouth. What I can say is that PR has been very good for me with my publicist Ivan Thomas (intrigue Media Group). Having a good PR team is very good because it helps me to get the word out and build that brand awareness which is so important. I would say those are the two things that help my company the most.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

One of the biggest decisions was pulling away from a company that I had helped get into 15 different countries. The owner was too involved and too arrogant. So, one of the toughest decisions I had to make was pulling away. I won’t say the company’s name, but, we started off extremely well, but the owner wouldn’t get out of their own way. It was very disappointing, but a decision that had to be made.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Not focusing on my business income-wise and not putting more money into my business such as investing in PR, marketing, and branding. I had to learn that sometimes you move too fast and sometimes you move too slow and you procrastinate on financial decisions that need to be made. You have to invest the money into your business until your business starts to pay you. If your business isn’t paying you, you have to put more money into it. That is a lesson I had to learn.

What new business would you love to start?

One of my biggest future goals and a passion of mine is opening my own cigar lounge. I want to start it in Cuba or Colombia, and then eventually bring it to America. Cigars are a very important pastime of mine. Going back to when I was 21 years old in the car business, every time I accomplish something I light a cigar and enjoy it with some cognac. One of my first jobs I worked was at a cigar bar in Charleston, SC and it was called the Tinder Box. I learned that a lot of business happenes in cigar lounges and on the golf course. I like to think of myself as an aficionado. There is a gentleman’s aspect to it.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I usually tell people all the time that if I went back in time there is nothing I would do differently aside from reading more and doing more professional development. I would not be the person I am today without the experiences, even the negative things that happened in my life, so I wouldn’t change those. But, I would definitely do more personal development, starting real young at like age eight. I didn’t start personal development until I was about 21.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I was told a long time ago – God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. I would say that is the best advice I was given. It is not all about what you know or what you have accomplished. If God has a place that he wants you to be and calls you to do something, he will equip you with what you need to carry out your purpose.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

I would tell them to write down their business plan. It doesn’t have to be something crazy, but write a business plan starting with identifying your WHY. Your WHY is something you would jump in front of a bullet for. If you can’t jump in front of a bullet for it, it is not worth it. Also, I always teach people how to get an EIN and how to lay the structure for their business. The main thing though is getting a good logo. When you set up your logo, it intensifies your passion and your vision because it is a symbol of what everything you are doing is all about. Every major brand is defined by its logo, from Coca Cola to Apple. You know exactly who they are. That is brand awareness. If your company name and logo are not strong, you are going to flop.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Get To Know Grammy Award-Winning Producer Brian Malouf

Brian Malouf is a multi-platinum American producer, engineer, and mixer who has worked with Michael Jackson, Queen, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder, and other world-known artists. Also serving as an executive at several major record labels over the years, his work has amassed a total of 53 gold, platinum, and double platinum records to date. Brian is a senior judge and co-founder of Djooky and owns Cookie Jar Recording in Sherman Oaks, California, and runs his practice as an independent producer.

Andrew Dakhovskyy is attributed as one of the founding fathers of the music industry in Ukraine, having been a true champion in promoting licensed music consumption. For years, Andrew represented Universal Music in Ukraine, becoming the first global label’s licensee in the country. In 2017, Andrew became a co-founder of the world’s first community-based music label based on the blockchain technology Younk. Andrew is passionate about promoting the idea of the borderless and inclusive world of music.

The idea of Djooky was originally fostered by our founder Andrew Dakhovskyy who is a music lover and supporter of creative individuals, and specifically songwriters. His thought was to provide a gateway for talented individuals who were gifted at the art of songwriting but were having trouble getting their music heard. And in the world of technology, they could provide that gateway: design a website and create an infrastructure for people in the industry. So together with Andrew, they adopted this idea and they developed Djooky for people to demonstrate their talent and get others to listen to their music.

Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with Andrew and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Djooky is a platform that is already helping thousands of artists around the world to reach out to new fans around the world.

We are constantly designing and adding new features to help emerging talent turn their passion for music into a professional career. The Djooky Music Awards presents an opportunity for artists and songwriters to showcase their original music to a global audience and to win great prizes that help to boost their careers. The demand for this sort of platform is tremendous. In less than a year we have managed to grow the competition from 55 countries in the first season to more than 100 countries today.

We are also working on developing engaging features for fans and music lovers. The HitHunter feature of the Djooky app allows users to prove their skills to identify potential hits by allocating virtual Hit Points to the songs which they believe will move up to the top in our song charts. .The top HitHunters in our Hithunter ranking are also being rewarded with cash prizes on a weekly basis.

Another important aspect of our growth strategy is to form strategic partnerships worldwide with local partners that will help artists to get exposure and support in developing their careers.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Social media platforms play a vital role in our communication with our audience. We use various platforms to make sure we are always connected to our audience. These include Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & YouTube. Most recently, we have also created an account on Clubhouse where we host rooms with independent musicians and hold Q&A sessions with artists.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

Social Media Marketing has worked really well for us. We have managed to draw attention through our unique offering in times of pandemic. We have been very open and transparent with our followers and ensured that no query was left unanswered. After the first season of the Djooky Music Awards, we started looking out for Djooky brand ambassadors who were instrumental in reaching out throughout the world. We maintain and develop a global network of advocates who share our values and have a vested interest in bringing more artists to the platform from their country or region.

Testimonials from former winners and participants also worked well. This is the best sort of advertising one can get.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Being a start-up our marketing efforts are concentrated on building awareness using various mainly online media channels. We have partnerships globally that enable us to reach out to artists from around the world. At Djooky, we made it our priority to be authentic, value-driven, and artist-centric in our products and communication.

We also carefully listen to the users’ feedback and continuously improve our product and services, which has helped us in getting quite a few user endorsements on their social media channels.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

With the global pandemic raging across the globe, we have had to postpone inviting our winners to the Capitol Studios in LA which constituted the biggest part of their award. With a heavy heart, we have made a decision to wait until international travel resumes or becomes safer before our winners can take a trip to record a song with an all-star team.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Luckily, we can say we have managed to avoid any major mistakes and this is due to the very frugal approach to fiscal discipline which we have adopted since the inception of Djooky. One piece of advice we could give to other entrepreneurs is to stay really focused without deviating from your course of action. Temptations will come along the way but you must stay on your chosen path to deliver on your set goals and commitments.

What new business would you love to start?

Right now, there is no other business on our mind and I dare say it will occupy us for many years to come. Djooky as a platform in itself offers plenty of opportunities for spinoffs and ventures which complement the core business and add further value to our users.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

Nothing really. It’s been quite an exciting ride with Djooky and so far everything developed very well. We were also very fortunate to avoid the negative effects of the Covid crisis even though we were right at the peak of the first wave of Covid-19 when we launched Djooky with the start of our first season in April 2020 when many in the music industry all over the world were struggling enormously.

I suppose this is also due to the fact that Djooky´s vision to create a digital world of music with equal opportunities for all artists on this planet was also very timely, as it gave artists a unique opportunity to show their talent to a global audience, right at a time when many live events were being canceled thus offering excitement and hope to the artist and music lovers in otherwise very challenging times.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

As trivial as it may sound, trust in your own ability is crucial for success, both in business and in music. I’ll give you a recent example. A couple of months ago I was talking to an artist who I invited to join the platform. His response was doubtful. He felt this was too high of a summit for him to reach. I insisted and he finally registered. He was completely blown off his feet when his song won in the weekly round climbing up the charts to bring him immediate cash rewards. The moral of this story is simple: sometimes just believing in yourself comprises 50% of success.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Start with an honest inventory identifying your strengths and weaknesses, what you can offer and what is missing to turn your idea into reality. Get experienced advisors and mentors to join you and learn from their mistakes. It is much cheaper than making your own.

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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The June 2021 Issue Of Global Millionaire: Steven Harold Jorchen

Steven Harold Jorchen alias “Jorchen Borjigit” is a 36th generation heir of the Borjigin dynasty – a dynasty that was started by Emperor Genghis Khan in the 13th century. He immigrated to the United States in the 90s and with more than 20 years of experience in the USA, he has learned the American way of life. He has been an active member of various American social activities. He is the Chairman of the World Peace Commission, he’s also the CEO of Asia-USA non-profit organization alliances as well as the deputy of the New York Chinese Chamber of Commerce. On September 24, 2015, he held an audience with H.E. President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese politicians and leaders.

Steven has established close cooperative relations with the United States, China, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, and he plans to deploy specific cooperation projects related to it. As a community leader and a world social diplomatic activist for many years, his image has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The fruitful results of his nearly two decades of continuous hard work have given him special influence and appeal in the community. His power is increasingly valuable; along with his prestige, fame, and even his name. Hence the reason why he has such a good relationship with senior Chinese leaders and senior leaders in Russia, West Africa, North Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Furthermore, he has even participated in several banquets and galas held by President Bush, President Clinton, President Obama, as well as President Trump.

Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Steven to discuss his life as a 36th generation heir of the Borjigin dynasty and here’s what went down:

Tell us about a time in your life that you wanted something so badly that you were unstoppable in pursuing it. What obstacles did you overcome to get there?

My life was generally easy. I was brought up under the legacy of my family, so my earlier years were pretty much assured by some kind of political arrangement. My main obstacle was to start a life that’s decided on my own terms. You see, my dream was to be a world leader, not just confined by my birth in Kangba (SiChuan), the Chinese Tibetan autonomous region. I think that’s why I gave up my pre-destinated roles in China and came here to New York.

Tell us about a time you experienced what you perceive to be an injustice.

I have opened a museum in the 90s of the Tibetan culture here in New York with a partner. Later, due to the collection of a Tangka that is made of human skin, I was arrested. Tangka is a Tibetan religious relic often preserved to honor the Buddhist deities or Buddha. Often in ancient Tibet, people offer their bodies as a will after death. This is to show their confidence in the Dharma. You see, Tibetans, like the Indians (and unlike the Chinese) have a tradition of leaving human bodies out to be eaten by vultures. And they even hack the bodies to pieces; in some cases remove the skin.

However, the Americans have no understanding of such, and due to cross-cultural ignorance, I was arrested. I think people have to learn more about other people’s cultures. Particularly in the new world. I also think many of these countries have not grasped the old traditions. European cultures are very sophisticated, but the people of the new world have forgotten that, I am quite sure it is the same situation in Australia.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

That’s a good question. In the past few months, I was forced to decide if I still needed to carry on the noble mission of re-establishing the Borjigin legacy. You see, sometimes this can be a tricky endeavor. The DNA offspring of Genghis Khan has amounted to around 16 Million worldwide. But no one has seen this fact as a cultural asset. However, I see there’s a force behind these warrior people. Genghis Khan is known for war, but at the same time, his treatment of the captive women and children was very much mild and compassionate. I see the need of promoting global peace through both women’s and children’s welfare globally. I know there will be political obstacles in my work, in particular some fraction of different egos and interests. But I also know that someone has to do this in order to revive the inner spirit of Genghis Khan. The core of assuring world peace is actually to re-unite the Euro-Asian landscape.

Who is your role model, and why?

I put all my faith in Buddha, the enlightened one. What Buddha taught us was to maintain our own minds with peace and compassion. I mean, how else can we contribute to the world if our own minds are not tamed right?

I see life as a mirage of our own merits. There are certainly injustices and miseries of this world. But a lot of these are caused by our own wrong-doings. Cause and effect is the golden principle of life. In the popular sense, you can call it the law of attraction or whatsoever. You need to cultivate good deeds, so those good things will return to you.

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?

With the rapid technological advances, our ways of life are also changed. The way how we run a business is transformed or you can say unrecognized sometimes for people of my generation. The material success of many nations has reminded us what is important for our future. I see more and more small businesses are now considering the social responsibilities. This means we are now more and more focused on our inner beings. In the new ventures in many places, I see there’s the trend of offering organic products, non-GMO to also assure healthy lifestyles that promote spiritualism. This is very good! I am sure we are entering into a new page of human evolution. That is also why I always stress the culture. We as humans, by the end of the day, need to deal with our inner-self. Culture forms that inner being in many ways.

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Meet Bryan Legend: The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The May 2021 Issue Of The Australian Millionaire

Cryptocurrency veteran, Bryan Legend is an Australian self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, and the founder/CEO of Clever DeFi Pty Ltd.

For the 8 years that Bryan has been in Cryptocurrency, he’s mastered the art and craft to near perfection. An embodiment of strategic planning and execution, he has hit gold in this field with his innate Crypto-oriented mindset, the evidence of which can be seen from the successful start-up companies he has created from scratch, complemented by his estimated net worth of roughly 6.3 million dollars.

With widespread attention from interested parties scattered from around the globe, Bryan’s company, Clever DeFi Pty Ltd, is into Decentralised Finance, and it intends to shake things up in the financial industry. His Decentralised Finance concept though a relatively new concept, has been gradually gathering recognition from various financial institutions.

Broken down for the layman, Bryan’s Clever DeFi is a revolutionary Blockchain Defi Protocol that automatically distributes set interest payments of up to 11% per fortnight to all token holders of Clever Token (CLVA). Simply put, Bryan believes that Clever is the new way to store wealth with a guarantee of a greater interest rate, which apparently trumps the typical interest rates obtainable in the traditional banking system.

Speaking about his creation, Bryan said: “Clever Token (CLVA) is designed to primarily suit anybody who is looking for a safe, reliable place to store wealth at a high yielding interest rate instead of the comparative ‘store money in a general savings bank account’ with practically no interest accruing at all. CLVA also suits any investor looking to start or expand their investment portfolio or even looking to de-risk themselves into a fundamentally sound asset.”

Bryan has been in Cryptocurrency for the past 8 years, with his formative niche in Blockchain where he initially gathered an amazing wealth of experience, before branching to a more Decentralised approach. One of his most admirable qualities is the fact that he walks the talk. “I know full well that both delivery and execution are the two fundamental challenges any business will face. Many companies are promising the world but underdelivering and falling short by not meeting their goals or objectives. I make sure any company I build encompasses a brand image that speaks for itself”, he said.

For the Crypto-inclined, several mechanisms constitute the Clever Protocol; chief among them, the Decentralised Distribution Mechanism or DDM for short which works on a pre-programmed routine cycle schedule over 888 cycles – each cycle lasting 14 days with the very last cycle ending after 34 years. It appears to be an innovative architecture in the financial industry.

Clever DeFi is distinct from other Crypto projects with its CLVA minting starting at Zero supply. This implies that Bryan and his team hold no tokens at all – a relatively new concept in the industry. “CLVA is by far one of the safest tokens to hold as a store of wealth and due to a restricted total supply and forecasted increased demand, the token is sure to prove its worth,” remarked Bryan.

The Australian Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Bryan to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

Why would you recommend Cryptocurrency to a potential investor?

Crypto in general is still in its infancy when looked at from the road ahead and brings with it a fairly new industry tied around Blockchain. For geeks, they love the tech and for investors, well, they love the ability to make money hand over fist during a bull market.

Timing is everything when investing and anyone can make money during a bull market and due to the inherent volatility within the Crypto market, it offers more upside versus traditional assets.

Which Cryptocurrency intrigues you the most?

There is an astonishing number of different Cryptocurrencies available to pick from, most of which being scams, unfortunately. The way to navigate the Crypto waters is to always do due diligence yourself and never just jump in blindly without knowing every nook of detail behind the project you’re investing in.

With any investment there are risks and the bigger the risk, the more potential there is for your investment to be returned to you multiple times over. One of the less risky but sustainable Cryptocurrencies right now in my opinion is Clever DeFi (CLVA) which delivers guaranteed interest payments every fortnight and is an easy choice for investors to watch their money grow without anything else needed.

What’s the biggest scam you’ve ever heard of in the Cryptocurrency World?

Probably the most well-known scam was released back in 2016 which was called Bitconnect that was an illegal financial Ponzi Pyramid Scheme that eventually collapsed and stole over 250 million from investors.

For anyone interested in Cryptocurrency – can you provide a checklist to follow?

Only invest what you are prepared to lose. The Cryptocurrency industry is unforgiving and most have to learn the hard way. Do not get drawn into FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) as this is a sure way of losing money by buying at the top of an already saturated asset. Only invest in solid projects with fundamentals that can be shown and proven. If it sounds too good to be true, 99.99% of the time it most certainly is.

What is Clever DeFi? Can you tell us more about it?

Clever DeFi is a Decentralized Finance Protocol that distributes automatic interest payments to all native CLVA Cryptocurrency holders on a pre-programmed routine cycle schedule over 888 fortnightly cycles taking exactly 34.15 years to complete.

The Clever protocol was designed, deployed, and implemented over many months in the making since its release last year in 2020, and as such it is the protocol itself which given Clever DeFi it’s underlying value. All an investor needs to do is buy and hold the CLVA asset to be paid interest payments guaranteed of up to 11% each fortnight.

What would you suggest to people interested in trading in Cryptocurrency but whose country does not support Cryptocurrency yet?

First of all, I do not condone illegal activities or in any way shape or form encourage people to go against their country’s restrictions or governmental policies. With this being said, people have been known to circumvent the system by using VPN software to conceal their IP location which allows them to use Cryptocurrency exchanges that do not require personal information about the individual.

This is probably the easiest way to go but on the other side of the coin, if you are using any Cryptocurrency exchange that does not require KYC information from you as a client, this in my eyes throws caution to the wind as a very risky play indeed.

What are some of the biggest challenges that lie ahead for the Cryptocurrency world?

Mass adoption and Regulation with both of these things being quite tied to each other. In order for mass adoption to be achieved on a global scale, there needs to be protection in place for the people and policies in place to prevent illegal market activities from taking place through regulative bodies in order for the large institutional money to enter into the space.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

That’s a tough one indeed. I am sure that most of us being asked that very question would have a vague idea at best although the best way to answer it would be from a directional perspective. The direction am I following is to capitalise on industry trends over the coming years ahead and of course this will mean staying part of the Cryptocurrency scene in a big way. My goal over the next 5 years is to make as many millionaires as possible within Crypto and I will be following the industry closely with the progress it makes in order to make my goal a reality.

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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The May 2021 Issue Of Global Millionaire: The Incredible Bryan Legend

Bryan Legend quit school at the age of 20. Yet today, at the age of 37, despite quitting school at an early age, he still ended up becoming an inspiring self-made millionaire. His against-the-odds persistence enabled him to make a name for himself in the Cryptocurrency sector and beyond. Starting with Blockchain, which he studied for years, learning the fundamentals of it, he was able to master the art and craft of Cryptocurrency to near perfection. This culminated in the versatile entrepreneur climbing the ladder up to becoming an expert in that niche – with the creation of Clever DeFi, showing the results of his hard work.

One of the potential benefits of a short-long term investment strategy is portfolio diversification. This is a concept that Bryan understands very well. His first stint in the entrepreneurial sector was back in his marketing days. Today, with this concept of short-long investment strategy, Bryan’s success can be seen through the number of tentacles his brand is spread to, among which are online marketing ventures, becoming a pioneer in SEO, SMM, and SEM. Not to mention there’s also TWILX; a digital advertising firm he created from scratch. Then, of course, there’s Clever DeFi, which he believes is the future of financial investment.

Bryan is also a firm believer in branding, a concept on which his business success is built upon. He believes that the way people perceive your company is a direct reflection of how they will engage with you.

The person without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder. According to Rick Warren, the greatest tragedy in life is not death but life without purpose. Bryan seemed to take this quote to heart, for, in his early twenties, he discovered he was a gifted negotiator. Right there and then, he realised that his purpose lies in the business world. He subsequently developed his skill set in business negotiations, which would later pave way for him as he reached his way to the apex of the business world.

Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with the inspirational Bryan Legend to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

Can you please tell us something about yourself and what your business is all about?

I am a born entrepreneur and I have a passion for making a difference in business, namely in the Cryptocurrency space by introducing fresh ideas and concepts to the market in order to help and evolve the industry as a whole.

Clever DeFi is a Fintech company primarily focused on delivering decentralized finance applications within the Cryptocurrency industry. It supports a second choice for those who do not trust traditional banks, nor like the fact that they are receiving a complete cop-out toward extremely low-interest payments on their capital. The versa is to hold CLVA Cryptocurrency which delivers a much higher competitive interest yield.

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

In my school years, I never found myself compelled to learn and instead saw myself just breezing aimlessly without care to study at all. After dropping out 3 years before year 12 graduation, I entered the labour workforce and then progressed into sales where it did not take me long to work out that the blue-collar lifestyle was not for me and that I needed to get out of the rat race.

This is where I began to take deeper interests into self-development and knew wholeheartedly that the only way to get ahead is to do things myself without relying on anyone else, nor working for anybody else. I chose to learn the basics of business and expand my skill set through a hands-on approach combined with true hunger and determination to break through the resistance barrier.

Through years of persistence and numerous successful small internet e-commerce business startups I founded, I gained more knowledge and learned from mistakes made. I turned this into a cocktail for success by always going one step up with every new business I headed up. The world of Cryptocurrency presented itself to me as a fantastic opportunity to be a part of as I recognised there to be a lot of untapped possibilities.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

What motivates and drives me is the attainment of a new goal through my persistence, tenacity, and focus on what needs to be done to meet my objectives. I treat any startup business I have started as a new birth coming to life that needs to be nurtured until it is strong enough to work on its own. Just like Elon Musk, I don’t let one-second pass by where I am not thinking about ways to improve, and as such, I believe personal growth, as well as the growth of a company or business, is a continued effort. One word I would describe life as an entrepreneur is “freedom.”

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

1) The desire to solve the problem of low-interest rates for consumers paid by traditional banks for savings accounts.

2) The knowledge of how Blockchain can be used in order to facilitate this.

3) Confidence in my own abilities to be able to deliver to market what is promised.

What do you put your success down to?

The ‘never give up and hard work’ angle may seem cliché but it holds true time and time again for all accomplished individuals in any industry of business. Nothing comes from nothing so what you get out of something is in direct proportion to what you put into it. The more time and energy you spend on improving your idea or business, the more success you will benefit from it in the long run. There is no secret to success other than completing the actions required in order to achieve your entrepreneurial vision or personal goal.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

Solving an actual need though adds a unique value proposition that your business offers by focusing on your customers’ interests first and of course securing ongoing revenue streams with an effective cost structure and strong marketing initiatives and reward system.

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for Cryptocurrencies all over the world?

I personally believe we are nearing the tail end of a current bull market with the end more than likely aiming to take place at the end of the year. With this being said, there is much hype and foolish money entering the market from retail investors who really have no clue about what they are actually buying at all. They are new to Crypto and just go with the Fomo crowd. There can be money to made in the interim but for seasoned veterans that have been through these cycles, it will more than likely end in tears for most that are not smart enough to know when to get out before losing it all in over-hyped risky altcoins.

What I would like to see happen is the complete disbandment of all those scam projects and Cryptocurrencies with no use case or utility behind them to disappear and clear up the way for the actual legitimate ones to stand tall. There is way too much money being “invested” into Cryptocurrencies right now like Dogecoin which was created as just a meme without any fundamentals or development. We need to see useless Cryptocurrencies leave the space for good.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Introducing Anjan Pathak, Co-Founder and CTO At Vantage Circle

Anjan Pathak is a Co-founder and CTO at Vantage Circle – an Employee Engagement Platform. He is an HR technology enthusiast, very passionate about employee wellness, and actively participates in the growth of the corporate culture.

Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Anjan and here’s what went down:

1. Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

The foundation of Vantage Circle was set way back in 2011. Partha and I were two school friends who had a fledgling dream of starting our own company, and the manifestation of our efforts resulted in launching Vantage Circle.

With Partha and I, having worked in the IT and technology industry for almost two decades, we were confident that it was where we could benefit from utilizing our expertise while achieving the goals that we had set for ourselves. We were able to create, launch, and reach the success that Vantage Circle has today due to the right opportunities, guidance, and ideas implemented at the right time.

We started out as a deals and discounts program for employees at the start of our early days. However, as we progressed with time, we stumbled upon the concept of employee engagement programs which the Indian corporate culture was lacking. The main idea was to equip HR professionals with a channel through which they could manage the intricacies of providing a stellar employee experience.

We, at Vantage Circle, understand that managing human resources efficiently, satisfying their necessities, and surprising (not shocking!) them is a humongous task. To overcome any deviations in these tasks, we provide an integrated platform to the corporate community with a variety of options of unbeatable perks and engagement activities for their employees. Corporate discounts on exclusive and online deals and unique Vantage Points are the highlights of our platform.

2. When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

It was back in 2003 when I came from the United Kingdom to India to set up a business. I recruited several software developers within a few days and also leased an office room. Sadly, though, things didn’t turn out as expected.

In the year 2011, I founded Vantage Circle along with my friend Partha, back in our hometown of Assam, over the years with more experience. I believe it is with time and practice that entrepreneurial skills are created. What stuck up for me was that, after my first loss, I didn’t give up.

3. How did your life look before being an entrepreneur?

I spent my initial 17 years of my career brainstorming, designing, and architecting multiple e-commerce applications. The knowledge, experience, and insights that I have gathered over the years have been invaluable in eventually doing what I really wanted to do in developing world-class HR technology solutions.

I have over two decades of experience in building and deploying cross-channel web applications.

I have spent a significant part of my career, 15 years to be precise, working in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe.

As a fitness enthusiast, I am incredibly passionate about the need for corporate wellness. I believe that health & wellness at the workplace will be the primary differentiator companies will be ranked upon in the coming years.

In my spare time, I am always preparing for the next marathon or triathlon that comes my way. I have recently been introduced to two newer fields of wellness- meditation and yoga- and have been taking baby steps to improve every day.

4. As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

A happy and content workforce builds up a healthy work environment. Seeing the employees happy doing their job are the best motivators for any employer and it is a peerless asset for an entrepreneur.

We have taken less than 1 Crores in external funding from like-minded people who believed in our goals. Witnessing the journey to becoming one of the top cloud-based employee engagement and benefits platforms in the world, encourages me to strive more. Vantage Circle has achieved over 1.5 million users’ support in the present day and is serving some of the world’s top MNCs. Surely a matter of pride and honour for a bootstrapped company like Vantage Circle.

5. In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why it’s fulfilling.

I had 20 years of experience in the multinational technology industry before Vantage Circle. I have always had this dream to bring all my experience to my home country and give back. Today, we have managed to return through our business by establishing an employment channel. It is what drives us and keeps us motivated every day. So, yeah, it is a very fulfilling experience.

6. What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

1. Creating employment opportunities in my hometown
2. Health and wellness has always been my priority
3. Developing a product company in a service provider dominating sector

7. What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

Let me answer this question in two parts. The key elements of starting a business are more or less the same for all. One needs to be very sure about the company that they want to start. In the beginning, your business’s passion and belief help you take risks and stay motivated. But it does not mean that you should not design a solid business strategy. That must be followed with the right marketing plan. The next important thing here is the experience. Every entrepreneur has some level of business acumen and lots and lots of experience. Use the experience in building your business.

For running a business, one must know the bits and pieces of people management. Or just say, have to understand the employees, to build a culture where people love to contribute happily. And it takes time and effort. If your workforce is not happy, you cannot sustain your business.

8. What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?

– Not choosing the right tools for mobile app development: Choosing the appropriate tool at the right time would have helped us be more user-friendly and accessible to a fast-paced audience.
– Ignoring the inception of the marketing team: It deprived us of reaching our core audience as efficiently as we could have through implementing the correct marketing tactics.
– Not streamlining the tasks of the sales team: The third big error was not to streamline the sales team’s tasks in a more strategic way and under a successful sales leader.

But I believe, making mistakes is an important part of how I have learned and ultimately accomplished a steady pace of continuous individual and professional growth.

9. What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

A major part of our marketing strategy has been inbound marketing tactics and focusing on a more organic approach. I am happy to say that these measures have played a principal part in us getting over 1 million monthly users to the Vantage Circle blog.

10. As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

If you ask any entrepreneur or anybody in a leadership position, you would get more or less the same answer. People who are in a leadership position, do not control but lead. And leading your team means directing them throughout their journey. To understand their perspective by putting yourself in their shoes. It is a responsible job. You might be having a bad day or feeling low, but you cannot pass it on to them. Also, staying humble is so important. Humility may not be the forefront trait of leadership, but for me, it has always been a great trait. You must be willing to accept your mistakes, give credit, appreciate and learn from everyone in the room. Also, one must trust and be accountable when it comes to leadership. These are the few lessons that I have learned over the years.

11. What is the best advice you have ever been given?

A sleeping fox catches no poultry: Since childhood, my mother has always told me this quote that a sleeping fox catches no poultry. She likes to suggest that if I don’t take the gamble, someone else will. I won’t have anything if I don’t work for anything. I have been inspired by this proverb to wake up early and start my day early. I assume our bodies conform to the period of the sun. Synchronizing with the disciplined time to sleep and wake up helped me to find and use more time for my company. I don’t say that you need to compromise your sleep over this. To work properly, everyone needs to have enough sleep of a good 8 hours every day. I always believe that a healthy mind in a healthy body is a key to success.

12. What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Having experience of co-founding and operating three separate businesses, one in London and the other two in India, over a span of 10 years gave me the cognizance of how to make the most of the minimum resources that you have.

Another thing I have gradually discovered over the years is that if you do not plan the financial aspects on a priority basis, you don’t win in business (especially start-ups). Note that the sole emphasis should be on increasing (and sustaining) the company at the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Introducing Vid Lamonte’ Buggs Jr., The Founder Of VLB/VBJ Enterprises

Vid Lamonte’ Buggs Jr. is the founder and owner of VLB/VBJ Enterprises, LLC, and 4-U-Nique Publishing. He is also a bestselling author, a speaker, and a consultant. A modern-day “Renaissance man.” Vid is a man of diverse interests who directs his many talents towards bringing people together, encouraging them to look past their differences to unite to make the world a better place.

VLB/VBJ Enterprises, LLC. was created as an umbrella or a series for companies like 4-U-Nique Publishing. Vid wanted to establish a company that ventured into real estate; Public Speaking; Investing, Building Businesses, and Consulting. He patterned VLB/VBJ Enterprises’ mission to building communities up while delivering positive messages and helping others reach their potential and accomplish their goals.

4-U-Nique Publishing, LLC is a publishing company whose focus is on providing authors with a quality publishing service and allowing them to keep their publishing rights and provide them with higher royalties than other publishing companies. Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Vid to discuss his journey in the industry and here’s what went down:

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

I was in 6th grade when my entrepreneurial flair first revealed itself. A friend and I decided to sell candy and gum before, during, and after school. We figured out pretty early that we could buy a bag of Blow Pops for 3 dollars. We could sell an individual Blow Pop for 25 cents. Out of one bag of Blow Pops, we make close to 20 dollars. A profit of 17 dollars off of one bag of candy wasn’t bad for a 6th grader.

How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?

Before becoming an entrepreneur, I was a basketball player who played at a high level (pro and semi-pro leagues). My life wasn’t stable at all. Although I received multiple degrees in college, I knew I wasn’t a person that would “waste” my many talents behind a desk. So, between basketball, writing my first book, and figuring out what job would fit me best, I was bewildered about where my life was taking.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

What motivates and drives me as an entrepreneur is that my businesses support others’ dreams and goals. My companies help give a voice to those who feel they are voiceless. I have to keep pushing because so many people are counting on me each day.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

Blessed!

I’m a black man from Hampton, VA, who has been excluded countless times. However, each time others have counted me out and even myself, I have been blessed with a blessing. These blessings have come in the form of inspiration, a mentor, a business opportunity, a new client, a new service, an interview feature, finances, or a new staff member. Each of these blessings has helped me and my businesses to continue to grow.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

1). The Most High. God has directed me to start my businesses. Before I started my businesses, if you told me that I would create an enterprise or a publishing company, I would have said you were crazy. However, the spirit of God led me to do what I am doing now. I know a lot will relate to what I am saying. And a lot will think I’m crazy for saying this. However, Glory goes to The Most High.

2). Helping others reach their potential so they can accomplish their goals and dreams.

3). To give a voice to the voiceless and articulate their story. Everyone has a story to tell, and they need a platform to speak their truth

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

The key elements for running a successful business are patience, focus, determination, goal-oriented, caring for your customers, time management, and a positive attitude. You have to be a student in the industry and understand your weakness and strengths. You got to know your target customers and humble yourself to lesson to what you are doing right and wrong.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business, and how did you overcome them?

1). One of the biggest challenges I have faced growing my businesses was getting the necessary capital to help fund my businesses’ growth. I have one thing that stood against me, and that is my race. Time and time again, it is proven that financial institutions discriminate against minorities when loaning money. I overcame my challenge of gaining capital by creating other income sources, and my best friend invested in my businesses.

2). Trusting others to help grow the businesses. Having a business is like having another child. You become protective of your business. Being protective over my businesses, I was hesitant to allow others to help me grow the companies. However, when I realized that I was being stubborn and selfish and that the ultimate goal was to help others, I allowed others to grow the businesses. Knowing my weaknesses and hiring others who had strengths in areas that I am weak in permitted growth.

3). Knowing when to say “No”. I’m a stern person, but it is no secret that I wouldn’t say I like to disappoint people. However, I had to learn when to say no. Saying no to some opportunities was a challenge to me, but I knew that to grow a business, I would have to say no to specific requests.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

The best form of marketing that has worked well for me has been word of mouth; what better way to recommend service by those you trust and have dealt with a company firsthand. When you provide quality service or product, it will become personable with your clients and customers. Therefore it brings a higher value to the company.

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

1). Understand my weaknesses and strengths.

2). Hire those who have strengths that complement your weakness. For example, selling and marketing isn’t my strong suit, so I hired a marketing manager and a sales expert.

3). Trust and have confidence in who you hire until proven otherwise. Do not micromanage; this is healthy for a business atmosphere and staff morale.

4). Ask for and let others help you. It’s common for new entrepreneurs to wearing several hats when they are starting their new business. However, as the business grows, it is essential to hire and seek help. A company will not succeed when its leader is running itself thin by wearing too many hats.

5). Time Management. As a business grows, more responsibilities will arise and call for attention. It is essential to prioritize your time.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice that I have been given is “Fire Fast, Hire Slow.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

You want to have a sound business plan, and you want to know how you target customers. Draw up a strong marketing plan to reach your targeted customers. Keep your finances in check by hiring a bookkeeper or accountant.

Please make sure the branding and trademark are on point and you want to make it stand out. Make sure you have a business lawyer on the dial. Once you set up everything, tell all your friends, family, and everyone you know to support your business and spread the word to everyone they know. Much success to you and your business.

Find out more about Vid via www.vidbuggs.com.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Introducing James Hunt, Famously Known As The Celebrity Credit Guru To The Stars

James Hunt is affectionately known as “The Celebrity Credit Guru to the Stars.” This multi-millionaire entrepreneur is responsible for helping the nation’s top celebs, athletes, and thousands of everyday people with their credit and finances. He also teaches young men how to become six and seven-figure earners through his company, THE HUNT. Formerly homeless, James has thrived not only due to the mastery of his industry, but his style, marketing, and persona continue to draw tons of people to him who also desire to be extremely successful.

With the year 2020 taking its toll on entrepreneurs all across the nation, James Hunt’s business continued to soar despite COVID-19. Among his high-powered clients are people like Kanye West, Akon, Tyrese, Ryan Seacrest, Shaq, Taraji P. Henson, and hundreds of other athletes, business leaders, and Hollywood figures. He maintains that ATTENTION brings MONEY, and all business owners who aspire to attain massive success must understand the sweet science of luring in clientele during any climate – anchored by results and an attractive brand.

Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with James Hunt to discuss his journey and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

I am originally from Chicago. 8 years ago I was homeless. I used to walk up and down Lenox Road in the Buckhead community of Atlanta seeing the Bentleys and Rolls Royces and I told myself that one day that would be me driving one of those cars. I bought myself a cheap laptop and started my business in a Starbucks during the day, and I built a relationship with the local Fed Ex and worked out of there at night. When I got my first celebrity client and cleaned up his entire family’s credit, that helped me to grow my business and the word started to spread about who I was and what I did. From there, things really took off.

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

It was always there. I remember back as early as when I was in the 8th grade. I had my mother who was a seamstress to design this jumpsuit that I wore for the 8th-grade luncheon and I wanted it in a very specific way – something that no one ever had before. I was stressed about it being identical to how I wanted it. That is as early as I can remember. I was about 13. I always had a vision for how I wanted things to be and I was very serious about my expectations.

How did your life look before being an entrepreneur?

I saw life as looking through a glass ceiling, like employees that are at the graces of their employer who decides your salary, who decides the hours you work, and who decides whether you are hired or fired at any moment. You have to work hard but you don’t have real freedom. Entrepreneurship is about freedom. Looking back on it, that experience was worth it. Now, even though I own my own company, I still work 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

Shattering new glass ceilings and goals. Taking on new ideas and accomplishing goals is something that I set out to do on a daily basis. That daily challenge to get up and accomplish what you set out to accomplish for that day is literally what drives me that day. And tapping into what is inside of me. Discovering what is inside of me and being able to project that to the world.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

Relentless – Because I understand that I cannot give up. I understand that failure is not an option and so I absolutely have to be relentless in my pursuit of every avenue that I have set out to accomplish. For me, it is not enough to just be successful, and the goal is to reach the top. If there is one word to be described, it is being completely relentless in my pursuit of success.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

1) Financial independence.

2) The ability to be able to help the people who will become my clients. To offer a real service that can help them in their pursuit of new homes, new businesses, new cars, and understanding the power of credit.

3) Recognition/ validation. I think there is nothing more rewarding than being validated by the people you look up to. 8 years ago everyone in credit repair was better off than me. They were my mentors. Today, to come full circle and become mentors of the people who mentored me is validation that I have chosen correctly and I have worked my way all the way to the top.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

Identifying what your product is…what you bring to the table. Then, once you discover that, the next question is, is that product in demand? Is there enough of a demand to become successful in it? If the answer is yes, how can you maximize every day to make yourself a success in that particular field? Also, identifying who your competition is. If you don’t know your competition, you can be run over in your business. You should know why they are successful and what you can learn from your competition that can make you even more successful. Know their flaws. If you understand that, you would understand what drives their clients to you and how you can elevate in your industry.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?

1) Starting. Starting is always the biggest challenge. Many people will say they want to do something and because they never pull the trigger on it, they give themselves an excuse. Starting was like starting my company in Starbucks when it seemed like it wasn’t going to work or when I couldn’t even get one client.

2) Refusal to give up. The challenge was that the option of giving up was always in front of me. It was always door #1 or door to keep going or #2 to give up. I was given the temptation to give up but I chose door #1.

3) Once you gather a certain amount of success and you have outdone yourself and you don’t have any more competition, it is a challenge for an entrepreneur to not relax or take your feet off the gas. But, you have to press the accelerator and go further because you are in uncharted territory. Getting to another level that no one else is doing is also extremely challenging.

There are many times where I am challenged. Whenever I get overwhelmed, I go back to that same Starbucks and sit at that same table where I started and talk myself into success – because if I did it from the bottom level I can do it from another level. It’s about having a place of accountability. You should have a place where you can go to that is yours where you can hold yourself accountable for getting to the next level.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

I did not go the normal route of marketing for years. In the beginning, I never pursued social media. I went the old-fashioned way of word of mouth. When you saw you had to get to the next level you saw that you needed to do word of mouth. When the celebs came along, then I figured out how I could utilize that to go to the next level. When we helped Tank (singer) and he put up a social media video on Instagram about his new house on Christmas, it took us to a level where our phones rang nonstop from Christmas day to January with a flood of new clients that we weren’t really prepared for. Every entrepreneur needs to be cautious because if you are not prepared for it, success can actually drown you.

Social media has really helped me. I use it in a way to showcase a lifestyle of success that credit brings with it. I show the celebrity clients we help who are purchasing cars and homes and showcasing that luxury lifestyle. That has opened up all kinds of doors. The phones just ring, all you have to do is get up. I think you have arrived when you no longer seek to chase clients or money, but the money and the clients chase you.

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

Learning who to fire and who to hire. Understanding how to motivate your team and keep them upbeat with you. I have learned that you are no greater or no less than the team that you put in power around you.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

It was from John H. Johnson, the founder of Ebony and Jet Magazines. When I was 17 years old, I went on a tour of Ebony and Jet and he was talking about the fact he always gave his employees free lunch. We were curious as to why he gave them free lunch. He said when you feed them that shows your employees that you care about their well-being. When they know you care about their well-being, you will get a better day’s work out of them. So, since starting my business, I have always fed my employees. That includes bringing in personal chefs or treating them every day to make sure they don’t have to worry about breakfast or lunch. Treat them the way you want to be treated yourself.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Never give up. No matter how dark it seems. No matter what the naysayers or haters have to say about you. If you really believe that you have something that the world needs and a real product that is in demand, then you have a responsibility to not give.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Meet Brian Rainey, The C.E.O. Of Production And Logistics Company Gooten

Brian Rainey is the C.E.O. of Gooten, the globally distributed production and logistics company transforming how online brands manufacture and fulfill merchandise to their customers. As a “big picture” thinker, Brian elevates the organization through pivotal leadership and strategic direction while aiding in the expansion of financing, hiring, and global initiatives. Rainey previously served as a chief financial officer at Buzz Points, a fintech company, and held positions at Deutsche Bank and Deloitte. He provided accounting and audit services to startups preparing for potential I.P.O.s, private sales, or capital raises. Rainey, a licensed C.P.A, received a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from James Madison University and an M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

I have always been an entrepreneur. Since I was 12 years old, I assisted in running a baseball card shop. That spirit has been with me even when I was working more traditional jobs – I always saw things as an entrepreneur. After college, I worked for a finance and accounting firm to audit VC-backed startups. As part of that role, I had to look at what made these companies successful or not. I saw how they operated, and it made me hungry to want to dive in and build my own business. As an entrepreneur, you develop and create a business versus just trying to drive process improvement at a larger company. As an entrepreneur, you look at what can be improved globally and attack that problem. When I thought I have the right idea, I want to go and do it – and not let corporate politics get in the way. You see a future state, and you believe in it so strongly that you want to commit all in to go and bring it to life. I believe in my vision for Gooten and wish to execute on it.

How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?

I want to be an entrepreneur and never look back to my days in finance. I did not fit into the corporate world. I went against the things that go with working in the corporate setting. As an entrepreneur, the best idea wins, and there are no politics. I love the instant feedback loop that exists as an entrepreneur.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

The thing that motivates me is that I surround myself with the people I get along well. I want to work with similarly minded people – but with skills that complement my own. Working or running a startup has entrepreneurship running across the whole business. Being surrounded by ambitious people is a fantastic feeling because they are always highly driven and want to succeed.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

The word that I would use is “unexpected”. Plans constantly change; every day is different. No matter how much I plan, new things always come up – and that is fun and exciting. It challenges me and keeps me on my toes. You also have to challenge your own beliefs and take in feedback from your team, your board, and your customers, and then find the path forward. I would also add that being an entrepreneur is ” rewarding”. I am excited about the opportunities that come my way. I find fulfillment in overcoming challenges as we grow as a business.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

I took over Gooten from an original set of founders, and it needed a path forward. So with that in mind, the following three motivations that come to mind are:
1. With Gooten, I saw that there was an inherent need that existed between 2 groups – that neither could solve on their own. Manufacturers need brands to fill their machines with orders, and brands needed high-quality global manufacturing. I saw the opportunity to be in the middle of these two groups and create the marketplace.
2. I had a desire to build a high power team with the best people I knew to solve this marketplace challenge
3. I wanted to know and feel that I was working for myself – instead of just working for layers and layers within a corporate world.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

For me, it comes down to 2 things:

1. Act as if you are going to succeed. It would help if you planned to scale. Most startups plan for failure. My thought process is to focus on building the most successful business you can with a complete plan for scaling it out – if it fails, I know that I gave it more than 100% of my effort and skills.

2. Make sure that you are the right person to solve the problem/challenge that you are seeking to take on – assuming that you are the right person to lead the charge, then focus on who is the next priority #1 and #2 hires to complement your skills to address the needs of the business.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business, and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenges that I have faced with Gooten are:

1. Learning how to hire: People are what makes and breaks a company. I have to focus on attracting the right talent and retaining my staff to grow my business. part of the challenge here is that you do not always know who/what you need in a role – so you have also to be nimble to make the required changes as the business evolves and as you learn more of the needs.

2. Make sure to challenge my assumptions – I don’t like to have one idea and stick with it forever. I constantly challenge my thoughts and push myself to be open-minded. I have to reinvent a business strategy based on new data, new interactions, new market requirements, etc…

3. Building a marketplace is extra hard: Initially, you do not know how to start. The challenge is always to overcome the hurdles of convincing businesses to work with you when you do not have the other side figured out. I had to figure out how do I sell a product that I cannot source. At Gooten, this challenge led me to work closely with the manufacturers first, genuinely understanding their businesses and how they interact with brands.

A bonus challenge I want to mention is that you have to be willing to kill your darlings, meaning you might have adjusted and re-adjust what already works for you. It is hard in business, but you have to continually assess if you are doing the right things for your business’ future. And be willing to stop doing the things that you do not see value in the future. It’s challenging because you have to let go of things that already generate a tremendous amount of revenue, but sometimes, you might have to cut back before you grow bigger.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Content and SEO have always worked best. At Gooten, we make sure that we are the experts. The best way to do this is via content. I love to write bylines for various publications and have extended this practice across the team. The key with content is to engage with customers in a friendly manner where you are imparting knowledge and inviting them to deepen their relationship and engagement with you. Often, especially here at Gooten, we must sell our industry to potential customers before selling ourselves.

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

The three most important lessons for me have been:

1. Learning to hire people with the right skills for the right roles.
2. Trusting my team all of the way 100% – if you hire someone to do a job, you have to have faith and confidence in them to do that job – you cannot hire them and proceed to micro-manage them. Why did you hire them in the first place then?
3. Be transparent – this is hard as you may feel that you want to shield people from various things going on within the business – in the end, this proves more difficult. If you are transparent with your team and then extend that to partners and customers, everyone will respect and appreciate your decisions. And they cannot come back and say that you misled them or otherwise.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice I got was from a fellow entrepreneur – it is DROOM = Don’t run out of money. Pretty straightforward.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

The key is to make sure that you are building a career as you are building a company. My advice is that you need to invest in the long-term. Take the lessons that you will learn along the way and understand and appreciate them. Make sure not to cut corners especially falls into the bucket of not having ethical lapses. Always be happy with who you are and do not become a different person.

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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The April 2021 Issue Of Global Millionaire: Mohanad Alwadiya – The Wolf of Dubai Real Estate

Mohanad Alwadiya is the founder of Harbor Real Estate Dubai and is considered by many as one of the property industry’s most dynamic practitioners. He is an award-winning real estate professional and entrepreneur who, as the CEO of Harbor Real Estate, has set new standards in providing real estate investment and management solutions to Harbor’s clients, and has led to Harbor Real Estate’s winning the highly-coveted title of “Best Agency for Property Management” in the Property Times People’s Choice Awards 2015.

Mohanad’s achievements have emanated from his success in developing the industry-leading capabilities of Harbor, resulting in exceptional results for the multibillion dirham portfolios held by clients such as National Bonds Corporation, Investment Corporation of Dubai, Al Thani Investments, Daman Investments, Tadhamon Islamic Bank, Amlak Finance and Global Investment & Development.

Mohanad is also considered to be one of the most candid, insightful, and eloquent commentators in the UAE property market, whose extensive experience makes him a reliable industry resource. He is renowned for his professionalism, incisive analyses, and astute observations.

Global Millionaire recently caught up with Mohanad to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

I am fortunate and thankful to have grown up in the UAE, a land of boundless opportunities. People talk about the American dream. Well, I have lived the UAE dream.

I guess I realized what my personal possibilities and opportunities were when I was completing my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a double concentration in Marketing and Advertising from the American University in Dubai. I remember those days very well because I really felt that the world was truly at my feet.

I started my career at Leo Burnett, a Chicago-based multinational marketing services group of companies with offices throughout the Middle East and I’m proud to say that I became the most-awarded Communications Director during my seven years there. This period of my career really prepared me for success because of the vast amount of learning that I received from, not only the Leo Burnett organization, but also from the excellent clients from various industries that it was my pleasure to work with. Those were happy times!

However, having descended from a real estate family, I soon realized that my passion was real estate so I launched my real estate journey and was soon Head of the Projects Marketing and Sales Division for the global real estate arm of Dubai Holdings. Once again, the knowledge that I absorbed and the experience I gained from being part of this great organization really gave me the confidence to start my own business launched as Harbor Real Estate Dubai.

Over the last 20 years, I have also obtained a master’s degree in property management from the University of Salford, published two books about real estate and one of them became the best-selling book in the Middle East, and hosted the top-rated radio and reality-TV property shows in the Arab World.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business? 

I won’t bore you with a dissertation of the global economic carnage that COVID-19 created but in March of 2020, our initial objective was pretty basic … to survive in an environment with a set of dire circumstances that nobody in the industry had witnessed before!

We quickly realized that everybody was in the same boat and, in order to survive, we needed to maintain our competitive edge in the area of customer satisfaction. We knew our clients would require our assistance and that any recession, whether generated by a pandemic such as COVID-19 or by a financial crisis such as that in 2008, is all about being able to survive. It was tough and there were many sleepless nights during this period.

At Harbor Real Estate, we currently manage real estate portfolios with a total value of around AED 14.8 billion. So, there are lots of clients with lots of money invested that are relying on us. We take this responsibility very seriously indeed.

Obviously, we needed to adapt. This required a brutally honest assessment of our capabilities as individuals and the capability of Harbor Real Estate to continue to provide the services that our clients required during a pandemic and resulting economic turmoil on a global scale.

Thankfully, the country’s leaders showed great wisdom and resolve to enable businesses such as Harbor Real Estate to navigate their way through a very awkward period.

We realized early on that needed to make sense of the chaos and we determined that we required new solutions to meet new challenges and I think this is the greatest lesson that we learned at Harbor Real Estate during the Global Financial Crisis. Innovation and the ability to learn relevant to circumstances will always prevail regardless of what the circumstances are. This is the first time any of us had experienced a globally crippling pandemic and our experience, innovation and adaptability allowed us to keep serving our clients.

I recall the executive team discussing the Great Depression of 1929 whereby the first mistake that many companies made was to downsize their client servicing workforce. This action essentially compounded their problems because it affected service delivery and strangled revenue generation. This was one thing that we at Harbor Real Estate refused to do and during the course of the pandemic, we have actually grown our workforce by 38% and consequently managed to grow the portfolios we manage by more than 30%.

On the cost side, it was important to modify the business to reflect a more variable cost structure. Fortunately, we had always been conscious of overheads, particularly those that were fixed in nature and re-structuring the business to minimize those fixed costs was not too difficult to achieve. So, the focus was really on revenue generation complemented by realistic cost control measures designed to enhance productivity, not strangle operations.

Finally, it was about people. To develop and maintain a competitive edge any business must have a team dedicated to providing the best they possibly can for their clients. This includes not just generating the solutions but executing and delivering on promises as well. Harbor’s success can be attributed directly to the efforts of its people and I am so thankful to the Harbor Real Estate Team for their resilience and commitment during this difficult period.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness? 

I am active on all the key social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Tiktok, Linkedin, and Youtube. I’m glad that my efforts in producing relevant content for my followers consistently have paid off and today I have over 2.5M followers across my official verified social media accounts.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work? 

There are so many variables that must be considered to determine whether a particular advertising approach is successful or not. What works for one organization will be totally different from what works for another organization. There are no set formulae for success.

At Harbor Real Estate, we believe that to really get to know our brand, you must meet it face to face. That’s why, in addition to my social media platforms and attendance at a wide variety of live seminars and conferences, we introduced the television program MEMAAR.

MEMAAR was the first-of-its-kind property reality TV show in the Middle East. The show is broadcasted exclusively on Dubai TV, part of the Dubai Media Incorporated and viewers can also follow the show online through awaan.ae.

The show was created to provide insights into the machinations of Dubai’s Real Estate industry in an entertaining yet informative way. We all know that Dubai is a preferred Real Estate investment destination with celebrities, successful entrepreneurs and the business elite from all over the world. The show allows the average viewer to appreciate the considerations, opportunities, and eventual decisions required to make a sound and lucrative purchase as the journey from the initial idea or need to the eventual purchase is captured on film and presented to the viewer in an engaging and entertaining format.

Even though the show features celebrities or high net worth individuals, it is interesting to note that many of the challenges and concerns that arise and are dealt with on the show are shared and relevant to the everyday property investor as well, whether they are a potential owner occupier or landlord in the making.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand? How did your business stand out? 

It’s all about credibility, consistency, and constancy. My favorite 3 C’s.

I have said many times that I believe my value as a professional who has built a strong communication platform is in the field of Real Estate. I am not going to profess to be an expert on cars or fashion. That would not be credible.

In addition, I must be consistent. There are principles that I conduct my business by and I must abide by them at all times. I must be consistent in that what I recommend to people is based upon my best judgment, not what I believe my audience wants to hear.

And I strive to be ubiquitous or omnipresent. I want to be there when my clients or potential clients need me. I will not be a friend only for the good times, but I will be with you during the bad times as well. In this way, constancy will enhance my credibility and consistency.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years? 

Digital marketing including social media would be the obvious answer, but satisfying my clients and having them be advocates for Harbor Real Estate is by far the most valuable marketing medium that I have ever invested in.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months? 

Surprisingly, there haven’t been any particularly tough decisions. There have been many decisions and many challenges but, with great support from the executive team, decisions have been relatively straightforward once we applied logic and common sense.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)? 

The biggest mistake I made regarding money in the early days was actually worrying too much about money. This can be debilitating and stop you from thinking creatively and logically.

Put simply, if you fully focus on understanding the problem, identifying the right solution, and implementing it properly, the money will take care of itself.

What new business would you love to start? 

I’m so in love with real estate which is why I’m always investing and expanding across various geographies and asset classes in the field of real estate. On the other hand, given the major improvement in technology that the world is witnessing, I have been investing in tech companies and I’m in the process of launching a real estate focused Fintech firm.

 If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently? 

SLOW DOWN! I know it sounds strange but the overwhelming urge when I started out was that everything had to be done in the next hour!

With experience, you realize that every issue, challenge, or roadblock needs to be carefully considered and there is usually time to do that. Sometimes, to ’sleep on an issue’ resulted in much better solutions.

Also, I learned very quickly to explore multiple solutions to a problem. There will always be a logical ‘first’ solution. I learned with experience to try and come up with multiple solutions and either choose the best or see if a hybrid solution might work better.

 What is the best advice you have ever been given? 

Listen actively. If you are talking, you are not listening.

Empathy is key in my business. If people are looking to me for leadership or counsel, I must truly understand them and their situation. I can only do this if I listen actively.

 What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

The most important thing to do as a young entrepreneur is to be yourself.

Be yourself and be confident with who you are and what you can achieve. I believe that every entrepreneur must develop his or her own style to be consistent with who they are as a person and what they stand for. It’s virtually impossible to copy or emulate somebody else and maintain your credibility over the medium or long term. People are generally very astute at detecting someone who is not genuine.

I try to learn continuously. No person, entrepreneur or otherwise, is the encyclopedia of all subjects. I can learn from anybody as long as I am willing to. While I try to learn from others around the world, I recognize that the true assessors of my capability and success are my clients. It is their opinion that really counts.

Of course, there are fundamental personality traits and behaviors which must always be observed … honesty, transparency, consistency, good communication skills. But I still maintain that being yourself is your biggest asset.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Meet Nick Ron, The CEO Of House Buyers of America

 

After studying Business, Economics, and Information Systems, Nick Ron began a successful career at CACI Marketing Systems, where he sold software and marketing systems. Out of a team of 12 salespeople, Nick brought in over half of all new business after only three years of being with CACI. His success at CACI gave him the confidence to launch into his next venture. Nick founded House Buyers of America in 2001 and has been running the company as CEO since it began. House Buyers has succeeded beyond Nick’s wildest imagination by leveraging tech, marketing systems, and operational excellence. House Buyers of America buys, renovates, and resells a high volume of homes, offering homeowners a way to sell their houses quickly and hassle-free. House Buyers has always been a high-growth company, going from $0 to $50 million in annual revenue in its first three years of business, and it is currently experiencing double-digit growth. Nick won the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and continues to reinvent the residential real estate industry with the latest technology and innovation.

Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Nick to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur and here’s what went down:

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

From a very young age, I learned the importance of being my own boss. I was one of four children, and my family was extremely poor – financially speaking. If I wanted to go to the movies or game-room, that extracurricular cost was my responsibility. At age nine, I started collecting five-cent cans. I did whatever it took to get those cans, even dumpster hopped! My business brought in $10-$20 each trip, and it was tax-free! At age 11, I started delivering newspapers before school at 5 am. Then I moved onto a landscaping business, and by college, I was waiting tables.

How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?

Before I was an entrepreneur, as an adult, I worked for CACI, selling software. In my third year at the company, I brought in half of the new business on a 12-person team. I did not anticipate starting my own business until I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki. This piqued my interest in real estate. My success at CACI built up my confidence in my ability to lead and run an organization. My degree in economics and technology from George Washington University gave me a good baseline for using tech in business. In 2000, I began studying real estate and immediately dove in. When you grow up on welfare living in section 8 housing, you quickly learn that your hustle determines your survival.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

My wife and four children motivate me through and through. Failure is not an option; I could never let them down. If I need to work 80-hour weeks, then so be it. Additionally, I will never give up on my church and Compassion International’s philanthropy work, where we sponsor children internationally.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

Innovation – My entrepreneurial journey began with technology and the desire to reinvent an outdated market. Every day I think about how I can innovate traditional real estate tasks and industries beyond this market. Innovation brings the future into reality.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

Initially, my motivation was simply to buy rental properties for long-term wealth creation. Then as I navigated the industry, I realized two things. One, I was really good at doing real estate deals. Two, there was a huge need in the marketplace to offer a better alternative for homeowners to sell their homes. When I founded House Buyers, we wanted to be the Amazon of real estate. This meant fundamentally changing how real estate was traditionally conducted by offering an innovative alternative and leveraging technology. Our purpose was to make the process quick and easy for buyers and sellers. We always remained energized and focused on our vision by continuously upgrading our technology and studying the market to better serve our customers. Now, 20 years later, we are more focused than ever on making buying and selling homes easier and faster than ever for consumers by using the latest technology.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

These are my top three key elements:

  1. I learned early on that you cannot be a jack of all trades and excel at everything. To be the best, you must hire outstanding people that specialize in the areas you do not. I have seen many real estate investors and business owners who become overloaded with trying to do it all. They never excel in the core functions of their business because they are spread too thin. Recognize your weaknesses and hire smart based on those inadequacies.
  2. Building your network of advisors is another key element. Your trusted advisors will become those you turn to for advice in areas of the inexperienced trade. They will save you from pitfalls and pull you through inevitable tough times. Gain wisdom from those who have been down the same road and do not try to reinvent the wheel.
  3. Always maintain healthy margins. Every day watch your costs and keep tweaking your process to maximize efficiency. If you operate on tight margins in a healthy market, you will never survive a downturn. Therefore, operate with extreme efficiency and always maintain healthy margins!

What are two of the biggest challenges you have faced growing the business, and how did you overcome them?

When I first started House Buyers of America, our first challenge was the lack of experience, which often caused mistakes. While the errors were painful and sometimes costly, we took them as growth opportunities. We would closely analyze the specific experience and develop a preventative system. You never want to make the same mistake twice. The second action we took to overcome inexperience included hiring industry experts in the areas that we lacked knowledge of.

The second challenge we underwent was the 2008 Great Recession. That time-period could not have been worse for real estate. Challenges included everything from housing inventory to financial constraints across the board. We literally went through two years of hell and do not ever want to go through that again. We learned all we could from this experience. We operated on sound principles that helped us get through future downturns with flying colors.

One of the biggest lessons learned through this period of time was to be conservative. Always apply Murphy’s Law when it comes to finances. There was no crystal ball to predict a market crash, and there is not one that will indicate the next one. You must keep your debts low and have healthy cash reserves to be well-positioned before the downturn to weather the storm. Always be cautious and conservative. Do not get into debt or try to invest significant amounts of money in unproven ventures. The second lesson learned was to always strive for excellence and continuously improve your business. If you do not improve your technology, your systems will become outdated, and you will lose customers and employees. They will see that your company is not evolving into the future.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

We have always run a combination of marketing campaigns throughout the years, including TV, digital – social and Google Ads, direct mail, and even billboards. We realized that we could make many advertising mediums successful over the years, but we needed to test different ads and track, track, and track constantly. We diligently track the results of each campaign and constantly tweak them. We also regularly adjust how much to invest in each marketing medium. Each medium has a different point of diminishing returns, so you don’t want to overinvest. You must find out what that point is in each medium for your business. We analyze each campaign and determine how customers are responding. Each market has different consumers; therefore, the performance of each campaign will vary greatly. Success is seen when you analyze your ROI data and conduct multiple campaigns throughout the year. Do not put all your eggs in one basket because all consumers do not live and shop on one platform. Reaching consumers will vary based on market conditions, and your marketing techniques must evolve with consumer habits.

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

  • Remain Humble and Always Ask for Advice

Pride comes before the fall. Know your limitations and realize you have blind spots that can only be corrected by getting advice from others around you and outside counsel.

  • Conduct Low-Cost Tests

The first few years in business, I over-invested in unproven ideas. This resulted in wasted money that could have been avoided had I done low-cost tests. Entrepreneurs are creatively optimistic at heart. Before you invest in a new idea, conduct small tests until the concept is tried and proven. I continue to be an idea maker today, as entrepreneurs always should be, but I have the experience now to learn from my earlier mistakes.

  • Persistence & Adaptability Pay Off

When the market crashed in 2008, some peers went back into IT sales or switched to commercial real estate. They had to start over in a new career and go after a completely different customer base. The grass often appears to be greener on the other side. These people had the mindset that when the tough get going, it is time to quit! This never made sense to me. Long-term, real estate is a promising industry if you adapt. I knew it would eventually recover. If you jump to an industry because it is hot right now, realize that ultimately, that industry will have a down cycle as well. Do not give up, instead be persistent and adapt your systems to consumer needs. Always be willing to try new things. Run multiple tests every quarter to see what works and what does not work.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I once learned from another real estate investor that you want to get your business model down to a science, so it almost becomes boring. Then at this point, you can expand. What keeps me excited about this business is that we can quickly scale our real estate business and launch into other markets because we have our system down to a science. We could get bigger by purchasing bigger properties like office buildings or buying other commercial real estate. But I’d have to learn a whole new game, and I wouldn’t be the best at it. So, I decided I could grow quicker by just buying a larger volume of houses in multiple markets rather than investing in different property sectors in one market.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Get your network of advisors in place! In January of 2001, when I started my company, I lined up my title company, attorneys, real estate brokers, contractors, and home inspectors. You do not need to know everything when you get started. However, you do need your network in place to help you through the process. Take the time to find the best people and learn from them as you go along!

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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The December 2020 Issue Of Global Millionaire: Daniel Goodman

Daniel Goodman is a Los Angeles-born successful real estate investor, stock market trader, soon-to-be life coach, and husband to celebrity real estate agent, Julia Jolie.

Daniel Goodman’s story is not that of rags to riches; rather, it borders on self-discovery, consistency, and battling addiction. Daniel is a progeny of an award-winning investigative reporter and a mum who is into television production. His maternal grandfather was a successful, and revolutionary merchant in furniture while his paternal grandmother is endowed with incredible wisdom. All figures had a meaningful impact on his life while growing up.

Having done many odd jobs in his twenties, Daniel’s sojourn as a real estate investor when in his very early thirties has opened his eyes to a lot of invaluable lessons. “The main lesson that I’ve learned in real estate, is to take your time before investing in a property. If it’s for long-term hold and income property as well, then hold onto it as long as you can,” he remarked.

Daniel, a successful day trader, started that venture in the summer of 2016. “Daytrading is a job. You get up in the morning and trade whatever stocks have the most volatility. Of course, it’s not only stocks; you could trade options, commodities, futures, cryptocurrency, ETF’s, etc. There are many ways to trade. Anyone with an Internet connection can daytrade. Anyone can trade,” he explained.

However, for all his success in real estate and stock trading, Daniel considers his greatest accomplishments as quitting drugs and alcohol. Daniel was addicted to alcohol for a good 17 years of his life. It was a daily struggle which he finally overcame 6 years ago. Having a lovely family means everything to Daniel. He has already achieved quite a lot and he sees himself in the next 5 years teaching and mentoring more and more people about real estate, the stock market, and life lessons.

Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Daniel to discuss his journey as a real estate investor and stock market trader and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started in property?

When I was an early teenager, I eventually found out how much the house was worth that I was living in, and I found out how much my parents bought it for. That’s when I realized real estate goes up over time, no matter what. So right away I knew that if you’re going to invest in real estate, it’s not so much the price you get it at, it’s where you buy it and can you hold onto it for a long time.

For example, my house was in Venice Beach where I grew up, and I quickly found out that beach property holds its value and goes up much faster than a property somewhere in the Midwest. So that’s what basically intrigued me and lit my fire and got me started in real estate investment.

I found it fascinating that you can invest in something that pays off in three different ways: it provides shelter for someone, they pay you to rent which of course pays for your mortgage, monthly expenses, and a profit, and at the same time it increases in value. It’s a beautiful thing!

I also started quickly learning about leveraging by using equity in real estate. Meaning, if your house has plenty of equity in it, you can borrow off of that and buy more real estate. However, I learned that that’s only for a long term investment. That can be a dangerous plan for the short term. I found all of this very interesting!

What was the process for you to finding what you wanted to do?

Not until I was about 30 years old did I know that investing in real estate and being in the real estate business, was something that I wanted to do. It may not be the most exciting career or way of making money, but it’s extremely stable and if done properly, it makes you guaranteed money over time. Throughout my 20s I worked odd jobs, and all different fields, but mostly in sales. I worked at Best Buy, worked in the family business selling furniture, worked with my father selling semi-precious stones, worked in over the phone sales, worked in the legal field as a process server, and eventually went back to school in my late 20s. Basically, My 20s is when I figured out what I wanted to do. In my opinion, in your 20s is when you should try different things and by the time you’re around 30, you should have a good idea of what field you would like to be in. And also, there’s nothing wrong with changing your field again.

What has been the most memorable experience of being a real estate investor so far?

I bought a property in 2014 when everybody thought prices were not gonna go any higher. I sold it years later for a 100% return on my investment. Not only was that exciting, but once again it showed me the power of real estate! The fun part was not only watching the price go up and up every year but having people tell me you need to sell immediately if the prices are going to drop. I didn’t listen to them, and I’m glad I didn’t. However, would that property be worth more today than what I sold it at, yes a little bit? There’s nothing wrong with making a profit and reinvesting it.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

I’m lucky to have grown up with a very close family. And even luckier that the people in my family have been not only interesting but role models. My father was and is, an extremely interesting powerful person in my life. He was in the army, an avid hunter and fisherman, one of the countries best investigative reporters of all time, and my hero as well. My grandfather on my mother’s side started a furniture business called Levitz furniture, which revolutionized and changed the furniture industry forever. My mother working in television production always kept my interest in that field as well. She was another strong person in my life. She cared about other people, and always wanted to help people that were less fortunate than her. She shows me about caring for others. My grandmother on my father’s side, who is not only interesting but had wisdom that could stop you in your tracks. The way she lived life, was like no other person I’ve ever met. Happy every day, and could handle any curveballs that life is thrown at her.

And last but not least, my wife who is not only my soulmate and life companion is extremely interesting. She grew up in Russia and made her way over to Los Angeles where we met. Her story keeps me challenging myself and of course, she constantly challenges me! (laughs)

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while in the real estate industry?

The main lesson that I’ve learned in real estate, is to take your time before investing in a property. If it’s for long-term hold and income property as well, then hold onto it as long as you can. Keep generating the income from it. If it’s a short term investment or a flip, be as cold as ice when it comes to the negotiation process. For short term investments, the initial price that you buy the property is extremely important! That will determine your profit margin, and give you as enough cushion as possible. Because when flipping a house, lots of things can go wrong and the clock is ticking! And of course, it’s all about timing! We all know timing is everything, but it’s very crucial in the real estate market. If you buy a house to flip in a hot market, and it takes you too long, and the market gets Lukewarm or cold, you might be stuck holding that house for a while. And last, the more love and care you put into a home, the better it will sell or hold its value! Remember, this will be somebody’s home for possibly the next 10 to 20 years.

We also note you’re a day trader, what is day trading, and who can do it?

I started day trading in the summer of 2016. I’ve been doing it for over four years now, and it’s my everyday job. Daytrading is a job. You get up in the morning and trade whatever stocks have the most volatility. Of course, it’s not only stocks; you could trade options, commodities, futures, cryptocurrency, ETF‘s, etc. There are many ways to trade. Anyone with an Internet connection can daytrade. Anyone can trade.

How much expertise do you need?

I started daytrading with zero knowledge and zero experience of the stock market. I only knew the simple rule, “Buy low, sell high.“ I knew nothing about daytrading. So anyone can start trading with zero experience.

What are the advantages of day trading over other means of investing?

The advantage of daytrading over other types of investing, is that daytrading will give you an everyday income. We all know investing in the stock market for the long term, gives you fantastic returns over a 5 to 10 year period. Sometimes it can be much faster, like the last three or four years we’ve had in the stock market. The returns have been insane! But you need to have a career or regular job to bring you a paycheck every week or two. So you can pay your rent, put food on the table, etc.

Can you give us a little Day Trading 101?

If you are a day trader, the most important rule is to cut your losses immediately. It’s not about making big profits, or lots of profits consistently in the beginning, it’s about cutting your losses immediately and staying above water. And most importantly, you should trade on a simulation platform so you can get a feel for what it’s like to day trade before you use real money. I didn’t do this, and I got crushed! I highly suggest any beginning day traders to start with “fake money“ before using the real thing. However, don’t stick with fake money for too long, because your emotions are not the same trading with simulated money, compared to real money. You have to dive in eventually

What are some best practices for newbies?

For newbie traders, the best thing that they can possibly do, is take profit off the table no matter what. Consistently taking profits and build your account or consistently put money into your checking account from trading, it’s extremely important! I can’t stress this enough, take profits!

There’s an old saying, “you can never go broke taking a profit.“ every newbie gets FOMO, and they think that there’s never going to be another amazing trade to take after they have just exited the one that they are in. Do not have FOMO! There are thousands of stocks to trade every single day.

How much of an investment do you need to make to get started?

Well, you need $25,000 in your account to make unlimited intra day trades. That means, there is no limit to how many times you can buy and sell in the same day with stocks, options, and ETFS. If you have less than $25,000, you need to hold your trade overnight for at least one day.

However, the amount of money one needs to start with is irrelevant. If you are a retired multimillionaire, and you want to start day trading, obviously putting in $25,000 or more is no big deal. If you are a broke college student, $500 might be a lot of money to you. You can start with enough money to buy one share of a dollar stock. So don’t get scared if you only have $200 to start trading. Because You can grow that $200 into $25,000 very quickly if you are NOT greedy and have the patience.

What do you think are the most common mistakes novice traders make?

Again, I think FOMO and not taking profit are the most common mistakes beginning traders make. They buy a stock, it skyrockets, and sell it. And then they jump back in because they have the fear that they’re not going to get another trade like that again anytime soon. And that’s definitely incorrect! There are many many many stocks every day that can be traded to give you a nice profit. And also they become greedy very quickly. They make $100 in their trade, and they quickly want to start shooting for $300 or $500 for the next trade. Baby steps, one day at a time, an empire is not built overnight.

What kind of money management skills should you have before getting into day trading?

You should know exactly what your financial goals are before starting to day trade. How much money do you need to make and how much can you afford to lose. Before daytrading, you should have discipline with money. If you don’t have any discipline with saving your profits, then you should learn that discipline first. However, you can definitely learn it on the way. That’s what I did. I was not smart with my day trading profits, or the amount of money I lost. I really had to learn everything the hard and painful way. But the most important money management skill that you need to have, is not to be greedy! It’s The hardest thing to conquer in daytrading. Because the whole game is about money. That’s what took me the longest to conquer, but once I did, everything became easier and grew faster. If you can’t buckle down and be extremely disciplined about being greedy, your first couple of years of day trading are going to be hell! So work every day to conquer greed.

Tell us about something you are proud of – about your greatest challenge.

Ever since I was 14 years old I was heavy into drugs and alcohol. For the next 17 years that was my life. I struggled with it day in and day out. I just turned 37 years old, and I’m almost 6 years sober. This has been one of my greatest accomplishments! My other most important accomplishment, that will be ongoing for the rest of my life, is being a loving husband and father. I have learned over the last 5 years, to be a better father every day. To be more patient with my children, my wife, and my family. I continue to learn more about my children and myself every day, and every day that I am patient with my children and happy around them is a priceless accomplishment! Because naturally they learn to be patient, and they are happy!

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice that I constantly return to, is taking life one day at a time. I’ve heard that from all of my role models and heroes In my life. All we have is day. So keep your focus on today’s issues, challenges, goals, and happiness.

Not taking life too seriously, has also been advice given to me over my entire life. Mainly from my dad‘s mother, Lillian, or “Lakey” as her husband called her. My grandmother always told me not to take life so seriously, and make a joke about your problems. She would always tell me to accept what life gives you, and keep moving forward. Don’t live in the past.

What takes up too much of your time?

I think what takes up most of my time, is actually overthinking situations. One might not realize it, but overthinking is not a good thing. Take enough time to make a decision, and once you’ve made it, stick with it. Do not go back unless you have to. If I overthink the situation it could take hours, days, weeks of space in my head. And that turns into wasted time, and of course, wasted energy! Staying organized is extremely important to me. If I become unorganized, or my office gets messy, that takes up a lot of time to re-organize it. So staying on top of my organization is a key factor for keeping myself stable.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

I see myself teaching and mentoring more and more people about real estate, the stock market, and life lessons. Life coaching is something that I would love to get into and help others as much as possible. And of course, not knowing where I’m going to be in five years is also very very exciting! It’s good to plan ahead, but DON’T forget to live in the present! As long as my family is healthy and happy, everything else will follow.

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Meet The Soul That Connects With Crna Gora: The Minister of Culture in Government of Montenegro, Aleksandar Bogdanović

Aleksandar Bogdanović is a Montenegrin politician who is currently the Minister of Culture in Government of Montenegro and former mayor of Cetinje and representative of the Democratic Party of Socialists in Parliament of Montenegro.

Aleksandar was born in the Old Royal Capital of Montenegro – Cetinje. He attended a high school in California, and graduated from the Faculty of Management in Belgrade in 2000, as the best student of the generation. He completed his specialization at the Institute for European Policy in Berlin in 2003, while in 2004, at the invitation of the Secretary of State of the United States, he participated in the spokesperson training program in Washington. He started his career in the Ministry of Economy of Montenegro, where he worked as an advisor to the Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry. In December 2005, he was appointed Advisor to the President of Montenegro in the field of economic relations, and in 2009 he took up the position of MP, the youngest MP at the time, in the Parliament of Montenegro. He performed the function of the Mayor of the Old Royal Capital of Cetinje from December 2010 to December 2017, when he was appointed Minister of Culture in the Government of Montenegro.

During his past engagement, he was also a member of the Permanent High-Level Group (PHLG) and a representative of Montenegro within the Athens Process. He’s an author and a co-author of several scientific-research projects and professional papers in the field of finance and economic relations. In 2006, he was appointed Youth Spokesperson for Millenium Development Goals in New York, on behalf of the United Nations System. From 2007 to 2011, he was a lecturer at the Faculty of State and European Studies in Podgorica, on the courses Public Sector Economics and EU Public Finance. He was also a guest lecturer at the University of Belgrade, the Diplomatic Academy, and the University of Sofia. Furthermore, he received several significant awards and recognitions, prominent among them being the prestigious award for the Best Mayor of the region in 2014, which he received at the ceremony for the selection of the best manager and the best company of the Southeast and Central European region. The President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano, even awarded him the Order of the Knight of the Star of Italy in 2014, which is the most significant recognition awarded to foreign citizens for special merits in the promotion of the Italian culture. In May 2017, Aleksandar was named an honorary citizen of Miami Beach, Florida.

Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Aleksandar and here’s what went down:

What do you like most about being the minister of culture of Montenegro?

To perform this responsible function is a great honour, a great responsibility, and, at the same time, a demanding task, which I was entrusted with by President and Prime Minister, who I am immensely grateful to for the trust they placed in me. The fact that I have the opportunity to contribute to the prosperity of culture in Montenegro with a team of exceptional associates, with my wholehearted engagement, ability, and creativity on a daily basis, gives me the greatest satisfaction in performing my ministerial function.

What has been the most memorable experience of being the Minister of Culture?

Creating conditions for the Montenegrin society to be enriched with culture is certainly an invaluable experience for me. The Montenegrin culture has a long and extremely rich tradition, and it has always shared the challenges and successes that our society and the country have gone through. In this context, the opportunity to be, so to speak, “on the spot” when it comes to implementing a successful cultural policy based on clear and highly valued goals of the entire Montenegrin cultural being, makes me extremely proud to run this department.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

The past months have been and, unfortunately, still are, very difficult for the whole of mankind, as we are witnessing the relentless struggle of the planet with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has paralyzed all segments of society and human activity. At the global level, the pandemic has called into question the sustainability of many sectors, so the field of culture has not remained immune to these challenges. In order to protect human health, every day we witness that a lot of large and well-known world projects in culture are canceled, prolonged, or change their organizational and production form. The culture in Montenegro also shares the destiny of cultural events in the world, because we are in no way specific as regards the global epidemiological trends. In that context, at the end of March, in the first wave of the pandemic, in accordance with the recommendations of the National Coordination Team for Infectious Diseases, we were forced to decide to close the doors of theatres, galleries, museums, cinemas, libraries, suspend the implementation of projects. festivals … Although the decision was made in order to preserve the health of Montenegrin citizens, I must admit that personally, I find it very difficult.

To what extent were your notions of culture and cultural policy accepted by the rest of the government on an ideological and philosophical level?

From the beginning of my term of office, I have tried to affirm culture as a development opportunity for Montenegro – both in the field of further building the image of our country in the wider area, and in the fields, such as tourism. In that regard, I needed strong cooperation with all entities, especially with local ones, given that each part of Montenegro has unique cultural features that deserve wider recognition. In the implementation of such a defined vision of cultural policy, I had the undivided support and understanding of both the President and Prime Minister and the rest of the Government. In addition, on the philosophical level, as you say, we share the same notions of culture, which means that for the Government of Montenegro, culture represents much more than how most people experience it today – only through art. Culture is actually the most permanent foundation of the Montenegrin identity and collective memory of our country, one of the main pillars for building a more humane society at the general level, but also everything that makes us able to enjoy the complex diversity of human expression.

If you were to look back on your term and make an assessment, what were you pleased about and what left you disappointed?

In the almost past three years as Minister of Culture, I am primarily satisfied because we have increased investment in culture, improved spatial and infrastructural conditions in a number of institutions, but also detected potentials in the field of heritage that we have valorised in the context of cultural tourism, so now we have the first opened creative hubs in Montenegro in places that only yesterday were neglected buildings. Moreover, we have encouraged the development of creative industries, and in artistic creation, we have recognized the projects and authors whose creativity exceeds the local significance and whose poetics correspond to current artistic developments in the world. All this certainly represents a good impetus for even more dynamic and diverse development of the cultural and artistic scene in Montenegro. I believe that a healthy dose of self-criticism is a valuable driver to move forward, so I always think that things can and must be done better.

What kind of knock-on effects will the growth of the media sector have on the economy of Montenegro?

Any conversation on the topic of the media is naturally an adequate conversation on the topic of democratic organization of a society in which freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. Freedom of the media for the Government of Montenegro is the basis of a democratic society because only the free and independent media affirm what is a public good and the progress of civilization. In this context, the development of the media sector in Montenegro is a benefit not only for the economy but for our society as a whole. Since the field of media belongs to the Ministry of Culture, let me emphasize our direct contribution to the improvement of the media legislation in Montenegro. Namely, as a result of a well-thought-out media strategy, two media laws were adopted in the Montenegrin Parliament in August – the Law on National Public Broadcaster RTCG and the Law on Media, which represents a step forward in this area, since as an umbrella law, it guarantees the right to freedom of expression, freedom, and independence of the media in a pluralistic environment, and is based on the highest European standards and principles of transparency, inclusiveness, non-discrimination … I would also like to point out that in the past 18 years, since the last revision of the media legislation, Montenegro has been continuously evolving, in normative, institutional and democratic terms, on the path of creation and sustainability of the overall environment of media freedom, so the achieved level of media reforms and implementation of the European legal heritage, was generally assessed as a good level of legal compliance by international organizations.

What new actions are planned to further boost tourism in your country?

I believe that the health situation at the global level will stabilize soon and that we will all continue where we left off when it comes to tourism, because, as everywhere, the COVID 19 pandemic has had a negative impact this year on the tourist season in Montenegro. The recovery of the tourism sector is extremely important for the Montenegrin society because tourism is the most important component of the national economy. Given the existing potentials, especially natural ones, and the current level of development of the tourism industry, as well as the strategic direction of the development of Montenegro as an ecological state, tourism should be one of the most promising activities in the future economic development of Montenegro. The development of elite tourism, investments of foreign capital in infrastructure, intensive promotional campaign in foreign markets, and the entry of global brands on the domestic market have contributed to the positive trends in the tourism industry of Montenegro. To achieve even better effects, time and significant investments are required. The principles on which our strategy for further development of Montenegrin tourism is based are the highlighting of comparative advantages of Montenegro, differentiation of regions, standardization according to international standards, individualization of offer and differentiation of offering of each tourist resort, then increase in hotel accommodation capacity according to international standards of hotel units, which will satisfy the complex requirements of foreign guests. We have also recognized the great potential in further development in connecting the tourism sector with other economic activities, but also through cultural tourism, which the Ministry of Culture wholeheartedly advocates.

Deseasonalisation is one of the most important objectives for any tourist destination. Which segments and activities are helping to boost the number of visitors to Montenegro throughout the year?

Montenegro is a small country in the area, but it has an enormous wealth of natural resources: impressive mountain ranges and deep canyons, wide plains, fast rivers, Skadar Lake, and the magnificent coast of the Adriatic Sea alternate in just a few-hour ride by car. The coast and the mountains, due to their proximity to each other, are perceived as a single whole, and this is the main comparative advantage of Montenegro in the rich tourist offer among the competition, but also when it comes to deseasonalisation. Moreover, selective forms of tourism: nautical, rural, cultural, and eco-tourism, combined in a single tourist product, increase the number of visitors to our country throughout the year and, at the same time, contribute to the balanced tourist valorisation of all regions. In addition, Montenegro has a pleasant summer climate, similar to that on the Cote d’Azur, which makes it ideal for bathing tourism, while the winter in our mountains is characterized by excellent conditions for all kinds of winter sports.

Globalisation and new technologies have driven many of the changes in world tourism over the last decade. What other challenges will influence the future of the sector in your country?

In a relatively short time, Montenegro has proven itself in relation to competitive destinations in the Mediterranean region, owing primarily to the extraordinary natural beauty and favourable geographical and other climatic conditions, but also a prudent policy pursued by the Government of Montenegro in this area, as well as the efforts and achievements of tourism service providers. In this area, we have reached the international level of service quality, but also met expectations when it comes to valorisation and protection of natural resources, sustainability, and innovation. We are witnessing that globalization is rapidly changing consumer behaviour, developing transport and information technology, modifying forms of organization and labour, which all have a strong impact on tourism. In that context, the most obvious challenge of Montenegrin tourism in the future will be reflected in its ability to economically valorise numerous non-economic resources, but also in its generating and integrative function in relation to complementary sectors and non-economic activities. It is because tourism is defined today, in the global sense as well, by the desire to create partnerships in three sectoral levels (public, private and civil), with the goal of strategic development of the tourism industry and the use of resources for the economic growth of society.

Please could you also send us more information on Montenegro, in the following areas:

1) The most important places to visit.

The entire Montenegro is a genuine tourist pearl that you must visit. Beautiful mountain massifs, deep canyons of restless rivers, crystal blue sea with endless beaches, numerous lakes, but also the immense richness of its cultural heritage enable even the most demanding visitor to our country to find the best way to enjoy a quality vacation. In just one day, you can have a morning coffee on the Long Beach of Ulcinj, a tour of Kotor – a city from the UNESCO World Heritage List, lunch during a cruise on Skadar Lake, and finish it by a fireplace and with specialties of the national cuisine on the slopes of Mount Durmitor.

I hope you won’t mind, but I will also be a bit of a local patriot, so I will wish your readers, when they come to Montenegro, to visit its old royal capital, my hometown – Cetinje, located at the foot of Lovćen. The story of a town-museum, the centuries-old capital of Montenegro, and the origin of its spirituality and statehood has lasted for more than half a millennium, a town which, both with its cultural heritage and significance in artistic terms, transcends the national boundaries. Each stone of this small town has its own historical story or legend, and the patina of centuries deposited on the buildings of Cetinje carries freedom messages from past times, making it both great and famous. You will find evidence of this in the museums of Cetinje, which keep valuable testimonies of the centuries-old struggles of its defiant and proud citizens for freedom and for the rise of their own spirit through the written word and through tradition.

2) The main reasons and incentives for investors to invest in Montenegro.

Montenegro, as a small and highly open economic system, has the potential to flexibly fit into the global trends in FDI movements (Foreign Direct Investment), so it is continuously committed to improving its overall investment environment in this regard. Attracting foreign investments is one of our primary goals, taking into account their positive effect on the dynamization of production and the creation of new jobs, through the establishment of new companies. Here are a few reasons for investing in Montenegro – because of political, monetary, and macroeconomic stability; simple START UP; the liberal economic regime of foreign trade; favourable tax policy; international accounting standards; growth of economic freedoms and, above all, excellent geographical position and climatic conditions that make our country a rare gem in this part of Europe.

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Meet The Woman Behind The Cover Of The November 2020 Issue Of Global Millionaire: Abhijita Kulshrestha

Abhijita Kulshrestha, is a Senior Director, Astrologer, Life Coach and Astro Gemologist with Gemstoneuniverse. She is a PGA and GIA certified Astro-Gemologist with additional qualifications from prestigious institutions like SSEF.

She is a mentor to several successful entrepreneurs who get benefited from her sage counsel and applying her Sacred Gemstone recommendations.

Abhijita is a communication professional and holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism besides being an NLP Master practitioner.

Prior to her soul-level engagement with the world of Vedic astrology, gemstones, and association with Gemstoneuniverse, she had a long stint in ‘wordsmithy’! She’s had professional stints at Mudra institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA); RK Swamy BBDO, Bangalore, and Times of India. She currently contributes to Thrive Global, is a contributor at Huffingtonpost and Entrepreneur, and has been featured in several international publications of repute.

She is the author of two books – Cosmic Sutra, A Handbook of Healing (self-help/healing/spirituality), and Ambrosia Sides (Poetry) published by Har-Anand- A Leading publishing house in India.

She was the winner of the Ms. Super Brain of India contest 1999 conducted by The Competition Success Review.  Global Millionaire recently caught up with Abhijita and here’s what went down:

These are uncertain times and we would like to know about the most essential trait that businesses and leaders are talking about. How do you approach change?

When a business is established, there is always a vision behind it. I choose not to call it a dream, but a vision. Dreams are evanescent – they vanish. But visions are haunting and in a good way. They are more likely to stay until their manifestation. Good businesses are based on scalability and resilience, among other things. Basic as it may sound, it is the truth. Change is a constant and whether the founders or leaders do like it or not, it will happen externally- with paradigms shifting in terms of political, economic, social, cultural factors, etc. or through internal shifts on your personal trajectory – your own resourcefulness, age, maturity, circumstances, etc. will press on. At Gemstoneuniverse we understand the psychological and seasonal shifts that are inherent to all systems and beings, so there is relative ease in traversing changes. Of course, one cannot anticipate the nitty-gritties of the change but that there will be a requirement to change from time to time is understood well.

How has COVID -19 impacted your business?

COVID-19 has been a real eye-opener in terms of outlook – one’s own as well as what the customer wants and largely towards the environment and the superstructure that we function within. After these few initial tremors on the economic landscape, we pulled ourselves together – Gemstoneuniverse as a brand has been oriented towards providing a solution always – that is our core competency and that’s what we are known for. The very first thought was to care for our own team and I can say quite proudly that the entire team is still with us. We were not pushed into the zone of layoffs. In fact, we are in an expansion and hiring mode globally.

In fact, regrouping has been stronger and even as I say this there are initiatives afoot that will present a more responsive and empathetic team, along with consistent quality products, services and be the bankable presence that we always have been. There are efforts towards making the digital experience more rewarding for the customer, whether it is on the website or through online meetings /sessions. Gemstoneuniverse has been a consistent performer where exports are concerned, we are also looking at enhancing the experience of the local buyers as well, who now have to rely more on digital exploration and adaptation. It is all about the ease of the process and the seamlessness of it all.

Our esteemed mentor, Respected Guruji Shrii Arnav-the author of the magnum opus of Astro Gemology-The Secrets of Jyotish Gems has in fact laid the perfect example of turning adversity into opportunity by expanding into Thailand, a big gemstone hub globally. Truly, one can define reality by carefully choosing the meaning to give to the circumstances.

What are some of the key understandings that have emerged through this situation?

Amongst others, things that sound stand out quite emphatically are that loyalty, trust and credibility are irreplaceable treasures (if I may call them so) and these aren’t won overnight. You need to have the stamina to keep pushing through the years and a strong work ethic to earn them, along with a team that ensures no dilution of quality and promise. This has worked for us.

Two – People, especially clients don’t forget how you make them feel. No matter what the pulse of the time is, the experience that you provide to your customer including shared empathy, true concern, and compassion are never forgotten. This is what helps a business stand out and remain in the mind space of the customer, long after a crisis like this will have blown over.

Gemstoneuniverse is the biggest retailer of Gemstones Online and has attained the tag of Gold Standard. How do you maintain the pole position & what are some of the hurdles faced along the journey?

To have a business rooted in an ancient science like Indian Astrology/ Jyotish is a matter of pride for us and to be the pioneers of the Jyotish Gemstone Therapy an outrageously powerful system of healing with Jyotish Gemstones as developed by Guruji Shrii Arnav comes with a lot of responsibility.

We witness wonderful outcomes for people almost every day and this isn’t a one-off fluke. It is a consistent feature for us for the last two and half decades. However, we live in a world where people with half-baked knowledge or a skewed perception based on “rational/ scientific thinking” have only created confusion. In reality, if a person spends enough time studying – actually studying this discipline he or she will not be able to disprove or disregard it as they seem to, because of social proof or simply because they’ve had a bad experience with an unscrupulous person. As with any other choice, discernment and making intelligent decisions are always in the hands of the end consumer. For us, fortunately, we’ve had clientele we are equally proud of! However, shaking off the labels and perceptions takes time – the handiwork of centuries cannot be undone in a few years

The second challenge has been to have people understand the concept of precious gemstones and the value proposition that Gemstoneuniverse brings to the end consumer. The usual connotation of gems is in association with royalty or something that is typically out of reach. The gemstone industry especially the coloured gemstone market has little organisation and structure. There isn’t much knowledge and awareness about natural gemstones either when it comes to an average customer as well. We decided to put information out there – as comprehensive, open, and factual for anyone to be able to access it. To choose a precious commodity like a gemstone in a market where imitation and synthetic gemstones are aplenty, with sellers attaching impossible legends to trinkets in order to make a one-time fortune, with precedents of having been cheated in the past; buying a high-value item and investing highly valuable personal trust either, isn’t an easy job.

Gemstoneuniverse has educated, been consistent with its pricing, offered reliable, globally accepted certification by best labs and these are some of the factors that have managed to inspire confidence. The language of communication has remained consistent – this is the voice of trust and sincerity. Some of the transformations have been so dramatic that people with their official names and designations verifiable on LinkedIn & other social platforms have vouched for good changes on video!

You see it’s a slightly different business that hinges on privacy a lot, something like image consultancy – everyone wants it, takes help of it but wants the others to believe that one was born with it – the panache, success, and magnetism with no external aid in any manner. No qualms with that as customer privacy is an extremely high priority at Gemstoneuniverse.

As far as Gemstoneuniverse being the biggest source to buy Gemstones Online and being the Gold Standard in Planetary Gemology and maintaining the pole position is concerned we are constantly focussed on customer centricity, involved in relentless innovation & research, expanding our quality network to moving ahead in the Gemstone Supply pipeline so that our customers get the best quality at the least price. The philosophy of Respected Guruji Shrii Arnav is to make the customer win every SINGLE time. He says if the customer wins-we win and every single team member practices that philosophy in heart and spirit.

You are correct. The fact of the matter remains that fascination with gems and jewellery has been there in all human beings from as far back in time as we know. Can you explain this a little more?

It is no secret that all human beings are inherently drawn towards things that have beauty and those which have value to them. You can analyse your point of attraction vis-a-vis anything and these two will be the consistent factors that are invariably present in that equation. Gemstones are a delightful gift of Mother Earth that has both beauty as well as value and therefore it becomes a proposition hard to ignore.

Whether you have a luxury watch company or an exclusive phone maker or a couturier or any designer/ innovator looking at creating exceptional value in their product, they invariably use gemstones to enhance not only the visual appeal, commercial value, but also notional value and pride of ownership. Who wouldn’t feel pride in owning a real treasure!

How does one benefit from gemstones by using them in the way you seem to advise? Does it really enhance one’s luck and fortune?

There are several areas in which a person may be seeking help, a solution, or a breakthrough – professional life (gain of fame and popularity, business growth, partnership assessments, promotion, finding focus, battling odds, interpersonal dynamics, etc.); financial matters (trading, investments, increasing assets/ wealth, etc.), relationships in all their warps and wefts; health matters – (both physical and mental) and so many more things that come associated with the human condition and aspirations.

Vedic astrology helps in drawing up a map of human life that mirrors an individual’s life from womb to tomb – the horoscope or the birth chart. This in turn helps in arriving at an understanding of the planetary energies that will aid an individual and those that will play out the role of karmic teachers, whose lessons may not be easy. Planetary gem therapy is all about using natural, treatment-free jyotish quality gemstones/ Navratna Stones to harness the energy of planets that can aid us in our progress and growth. These are the top 2 percent gemstones in terms of quality.

Each of the nine planets has characteristic planetary energy and color transmitted through light, attributed to them. (Color is a component of light. A colour is energy of a specific wavelength and frequency.) Planetary gem Therapy works on the premise of the passage of light through the gemstone into the human energy system via touch. Natural gemstones are a powerful tool that helps harness the power of this solution. A person, when wearing the gemstone of an appropriate and powerful planetary energy can achieve all kinds of success.

What would you advise a person looking to create wealth?

Wealth is a very broad term and incorporates not just monetary wealth, but also one’s legacy, ideas, and human capital created and curated cautiously in one’s lifetime. In order to create true wealth, one has to have a vision – one must learn to think actively instead of being spoon-fed; must put a premium on one’s time and focus and most importantly invest in people. What also becomes imperative in terms of wealth is that it cannot be thought of without having a system that loops back into taking care of the environment we work within. Sustainability is the backbone.

Websie: https://www.gemstoneuniverse.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gemstoneuniverse/

Instagram:@gemstoneuniverse

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GemstoneuniverseIn/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gemuniverse/

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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The September 2020 Issue Of Global Millionaire: The Amazing Rafah Hanna

A veteran entrepreneur, Rafah Hanna specializes in financial technology, property, and security. He has built a career creating locally and globally diverse group of businesses that creates solutions focusing on three core values: sustainability, quality, and innovation. Having built, run, and managed financial technology and information businesses with the likes of the London Stock Exchange Group, the New York Stock Exchange, Euronext, and Deloitte, Hanna has built a strong reputation for delivery, execution, and market knowledge, creating an extensive network of contacts across various financial and data industries. He also owns a highly respected property investment company called NED Capital as well as a security company called Abchurch Group – a company that provides a global response to local and international clients’ needs in the fields of security, risk assessment, special equipment procurement, and specialist training.

Born in Iraq to a Catholic family with Chaldean roots that speaks Aramaic (the language of Jesus Christ), he views his parents as visionaries. After his parents saw the tide changing in the Middle East, they decided to come to London in the 70s to invest, contribute to the community, and build a powerful legacy. He was educated in Switzerland and the UK which gave him the skills and knowledge that enabled him to kickstart all of his businesses.

Fast forward to today and Rafah is now a successful entrepreneur with several businesses under his belt. Hanna has founded companies such as NED Capital and the Abchurch Group and his data consulting arm now serves a global client base as it continues to grow exponentially. Their clients include banks, brokers, regulators, stock exchanges, and the biggest financial website in the world.

His property investment company, NED Capital, is a unique, non-leveraged property investment company based in London that is entirely self-funded. It’s currently building a grade-one portfolio of exclusive residential and commercial assets in the UK. The goal of this company is to continue to grow their grade-one portfolio of investments via their intricate knowledge of the UK property market and unique sales approach, utilizing their fully staffed in-house team of skilled contractors, leading to becoming a publicly quoted company. His security company Abchurch Group, on the other hand, has helped to significantly reduce maritime piracy in the past four years using their specialist maritime protection team and sought after proprietary patented technology.

Incidentally, Hanna’s wife, Dr. Mahtab Hanna, is a successful entrepreneur herself hence the reason why Rafah and his wife are so compatible together. She has built, run, and managed her jewellery business for over 10 years. Her creations have appeared in numerous films and worn by various celebrities and even royalty. With her extensive qualifications (an MA from the Royal College of Art and a Ph.D. from Central Saint Martins) and a unique design approach, she has built a worldwide reputation as a jeweller of conscience.

The Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Rafah to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

The business world is not run on “basics” anymore. It is all about innovation, evolution, and revolution.

I am spending time, effort, and money on highly specific marketing campaigns to engage prospects with the message that our trustworthy brands continue to lead their respective markets. We maintain our relevance and criticality in decision-making options and ensure that our quality shines through, not only in delivery, but in every email, video conference, and follow-up.

We have also taken a unique approach to delivery by slashing project times, as we look to act ever more in the best interests of clients. The faster we can deliver without losing any of our guaranteed quality, the sooner our clients realise the benefits of our services.

Two other practices remain vital: one, only hiring the best of the best, and two, even though the businesses are market leaders, acting like a hungry, prudent, and wise start-up.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Each business is unique and therefore needs thorough research and a detailed plan of action. I always correspond the marketing plans to a cycle of client behaviour, the cyclical nature of each business, discrete events, and budgetary matters.

The nature of my businesses does not depend on or utilise the power of social media. My focus has always been on growing businesses rather than engaging in social media.

Today, social media is an important and ever-growing tool in my companies’ brand awareness strategies.

For example, Instagram is driven by stunning visualisations and presentation and is, therefore, most suitable for businesses such as @mahtabhanna jewellery designs and collections.

LinkedIn serves to inform, educate, and engage, but it requires a more medium-term strategy rather than a short-term one.

YouTube is the perfect platform to provide a more in-depth story about a concept or business.

It is important for readers to understand that all these avenues need careful planning. Have a clear objective in mind and allow room for fine-tuning. Do not rush in and make the fatal mistake so many have made; namely, thinking that simply being “on” a platform guarantees success—the opposite is true.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

Paid advertising is growing and will only continue to do so.

I passionately believe that one of the best ways to create a market and opportunity is to educate, inform, and offer products and services that would not otherwise be marketed in a traditional way.

Sponsored marketing works! The evidence on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn all support this assertion. These companies have grown to be some of the largest on the planet, and their revenues testify to it.

But we need to remember that their revenues are only part of the story. Paid advertising drives whole industries, fosters innovation, creates a better deal for consumers, provides massive tax income, and generates enormous employment opportunities.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

The core tactic is to NEVER lead clients but to always be on their shoulders, taking the same journey, developing what they need in real-time, fine-tuning, and evolving.

Another primary tactic is always to deliver quality. Delivering anything less is an offense to the client, to you, your brand, your name, and those that work with and for you.

Brand awareness has changed; we use a myriad of tactics to stand out:

• Be first to deliver and announce innovation; remain relevant and borderless.
• Invert traditional marketing strategy by ensuring that every briefing contains in-depth details regarding competitor offerings – market intelligence is the antithesis of marketing.
• Utilise current affairs to progress the story.
• Utilise known figures in the industry to win, gain credibility with, and retain clients by association.
• Inform clients of changes that benefit them and illustrate the differences between the previous and the new.
• Maintain the very highest levels of investment in staff quality and ongoing training.
• Make staff the cornerstone of innovation – offer incentives to develop new products, processes, and services and reward them for trying, even if it fails.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

There is no “best;” it is all about context and effectiveness. Throughout history, the most effective marketing tools have always contained three distinct elements:

1.Timing
2. Word-of-mouth
3. Recommendations

Our various businesses have what I call different routes to marketing. There is no silver bullet, but we think long and hard about spend cycles and regional and cultural differences. The biggest change has been the precision of strategic versus tactical online marketing.

For example, we ask ourselves whether we actually need to “sell” to the client directly, or if it would perhaps be better to act as their advisors. Create the conversation you want the market to have.

We no longer need to spend large amounts on general marketing; we can now target and pinpoint the exact right client or prospect base to inform and have the privilege to serve. Marketing is also not about an online presence. It might surprise people to know that one of my businesses does not even have a website yet is the absolute leader in its field.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

We have had the distinct privilege of not having to furlough a single member of staff or put stringent work practices in place. Instead, we have fostered a feeling and community of trust. I entrust the leaders of my businesses to be servants. They are the decision-makers, but they are also (and I never let them forget this) there to serve. To serve means to accept responsibility for outcomes, and therefore the risks and dependencies of those outcomes.

The toughest decision has been a family one; business is never what affects me most. As I read to my children at night, I always remember that their future is dependent on my decisions, not mine. You cannot go wrong doing the right thing the right way.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Mistakes are more important, in my view than success. You learn instantly from mistakes, whereas success leaves a memory you hold onto as you try to retain the emotional attachment of misplaced hope.

Mistakes provide you with an experience, whereas success over-feeds the ego in the short-term.

Thankfully, I had two of the world’s greatest advisors who have taken my raw thinking and morphed it into phenomenally successful global businesses and ever-evolving vision: my amazing wife, Mahtab, and my late father. Their honesty and clarity blew holes in those thick brick walls in the shape of a heart!

My answers should not surprise anyone. Many years ago my greatest mistake was arrogance: I knew better than anyone; no one knew better than me.

That attitude, until I recognised and tore it from my psyche, cost me financially and resulted in lost opportunities.

Another mistake I made was to invest a little in long-term things that won’t change instead of investing more in the short-term things that will change.

However bright your name shines in lights; you must always remember that lightbulbs have a lifespan!

What new business would you love to start?

My passion lies in creating opportunities that were not there, to begin with. The next opportunity that would pique my business interest would be creating a tradable index and fund to benchmark countries, sectors, segments, industries, and governments’ use of plastics.

This venture would deliver an inverted investment opportunity whereby humanity itself is both the investor and the investment.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

This is a good question because we never remember the acts of kindness that got us here, but we remember the opportunities that got away!

I don’t have many regrets; every small and major decision I’ve made has spurred my personal and professional growth. I have been humbled by the blessings of life.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Do not dislike that which may be good for you, and do not like that which may be bad for you. This quote, for me, encompasses the essence of learning.

Fear and growth cannot exist in the same space. One has to leave in order for the other to flourish.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

To a large extent, your mental habits will determine your success.

Build deep relationships with people who have accomplished the goals you want to accomplish. Protect your idea from the very start. Think about what could go wrong and how you will deal with it; plan for failure by not resorting to laziness, self-pity, or any of the mental defeatist tools that we all carry.

If you are selling innovation, be the first to market and create your own destiny. Learn from other fields and bring those insights into your own. Always be thinking about quality: implement it; deliver it. Once you reach that state of mind, you will never allow yourself to deviate from it.

One of the proudest moments of my career was when, sitting on a flight, I overheard two people mention one of my companies and described the service they received as “truly world-class.”

Research and know your market or segment as if your children’s lives depended on it. Make sure you recruit the absolute best candidates you can at every level, be it a janitor, a developer, a salesperson, or even a business partner—they will represent you in good times, and they will fight hard for you during the bad times.

Be proud of your mistakes. If we all said “no” to evolving, we would still be living in caves!

Finally, the greatest advice I can offer when it comes to business is this: it is impossible to imagine a business leader not looking after their health and families and still being successful. Your mind is where it starts; your body powers where it ends.

Part revolution, part evolution.

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Entrepreneur Of The Week: Meet Uyanga Boldbaatar – The Founder Of Cinderella Beauty Clinic

Uyanga Boldbaatar has always wanted to become a doctor since childhood and her mother has been by her side since day one helping her to achieve her childhood dream. To achieve this dream, she studied Oral and Maxillofacial surgery in Mongolia, Korea, and the USA, and in 2013, she finally opened her beauty clinic in Mongolia as the culmination of all her hard work. Fast forward to today and Uyanga is now the founder of Cinderella beauty clinic – a clinic that performs cosmetic surgeries and non-surgical treatments and is currently one of the top clinics in Mongolia. Besides being an accomplished entrepreneur, Uyanga also happens to be a model and in fact, she is one of the brand ambassadors for the luxurious OOGII brand.

The Global Millionaire recently caught up with Uyanga to discuss her journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:

What do you like most about being a surgeon?

Surgeons need good organisational ability and effective decision-making skills. We need to be intelligent, skillful, and wiry because we don’t have the option to fail. Usually, surgery is a male-dominated field hence I feel accomplished to be a female surgeon. My profession also makes people happy and self-confident – it’s just like giving them a new life every day and that’s why I love my job.

What is most challenging about what you do?

Plastic surgery is different from other types of surgeries. Usually, physically healthy people can get plastic surgery while people who are injured and functionally abnormal or have some type of congenital disease require reconstructive surgery. Sometimes, we feel bad that we can’t fully reach our goal because many factors can affect the surgical result, but these kinds of cases are few, this is more likely to happen after reconstructive surgery. That said, we’ve always tried to make sure that all of our patients are 100% satisfied.

What do you think is the appeal of surgical specialties as compared to medical specialties?

Plastic and reconstructive surgeons do restore function and normal appearance, as well as congenital deformities on the body. So this job requires medical knowledge and a sense of art from plastic and reconstructive surgeons.

What does it take to be successful and happy in your specialty?

When I make my patients look great and they end up looking exactly the way they’ve always wanted to look, I feel like I am the happiest person on the earth.

If you were to retire tomorrow, what is your most memorable moment as a surgeon?

What an interesting question! I’ve never actually thought about that because I am too young to retire (laughs). But I want Mongolia to be one of the top countries providing plastic surgery when I eventually retire.

How has your specialty changed in the recent past and where do you see it going in the future?

Plastic surgery is developing rapidly nowadays. It is associated with the development of the countries socio-economic growth, globalization, and the growth of the health and beauty industry. Nowadays we can choose any technologies, products, and surgical techniques that we want. It is an opportunity for a better tomorrow. I am quite certain that the things we can only fantasize about in the past will eventually happen in the future.

What advice would you give to medical students interested in your specialty?

Do not ever choose this profession based on your emotional dependency. Think well and plan early. Only consistent people become surgeons. Find out who you are first. Ask yourself if can you stand and take responsibility all the time in the operation room no matter how long the entire operation will be – after that, then make your choice.

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Inside The Mind Of Internationally Recognized Leadership Expert Chris Cebollero

Chris Cebollero is an internationally recognized leadership expert, bestselling author, Emergency Medical Services leader, and advocate who’s passionate about helping people chart a new direction, even in the midst of the most challenging of situations.

His professional history is showered with process improvement know-how. This knowledge provides executive-level support to achieve aggressive business and personal goals. He brings thought-leadership and over 25 years of organizational design success and his career has been defined by slashing costs and exploding growth in the healthcare arena. In fact, he constructed his healthcare management and small business consulting firm on that foundation.

Some of his key areas of expertise include executive coaching, leadership development, emotional intelligence, change management, Kaizen, Agile & Lean methodology practice, relationship building, business plan creation, organizational process improvement, motivational and keynote speaking, and healthcare/EMS transformation. He has been recognized for his strategic leadership as the Chief of EMS for Christian Hospital, he has been delivering inspiration to international audiences for over a decade as a highly sought-out speaker and he has also been writing bestselling books on leadership.

The Global Millionaire magazine recently caught up with Chris to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’ what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

The foundation of my career was spent as a paramedic in leading EMS agencies. Being able to manage multimillion-dollar organizations with hundreds of FTE’s gave me the ability to learn the finer points of leading successful and award-winning organizations. As my leadership experience grew, people were now reaching out to me to assist them in developing their leaders and teaching them the finer points of organizational process improvement. In 2014, Cebollero & Associates Consulting Group was started, focusing on Leadership Development, Organizational Process Improvement, and Individual, Group, and Executive Coaching. I am recognized as an International Leadership Specialists, Multi-Number 1 Bestselling Author, and a dynamic and engaging Motivational Teacher.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

John Maxwell calls it the Law of Process “Leadership Develops Daily, Not in a Day.” One of the biggest mistakes is that we do not invest in our own business and professional development. I am always on the lookout to engage with my mentors, and industry leaders to hear their philosophy, understand their conceptualizations, and analyse the next sets of strategies and directions. In the current pandemic environment, it is paramount to be as fluid and dynamic as possible. We have to polish our processes, become risk-averse, and change with the times.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

It really depends on the leadership product or service that is being offered. If I am targeting the Executive, LinkedIn is my platform of choice, for the newer leader, Instagram, and the middle manager, Facebook. It is truly paramount for businesses to have a strong social media footprint for new business, bit more importantly brand awareness.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

I like the PPC model of advertising. Remember, people do no buy products or services. What they buy are solutions to their problems, and it is your products and services that are the solutions to their problem or needs. A big error is that we think the way we market is the way our clients or customers want to be marketed too. But the opposite is true, we have to find the marketing ad that resonates with their needs. If we put an ad online and it gets 5 clicks, we are not reaching our target market. This will cause us to go back to the drawing board and reinvent the wheel. PPC is a great tool for spot-on targeting to the ideal client avatar.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

I love offering free content to my present and future clients. I host the Ultimate Leadership Podcast. We have just over 100k subscribers and see 10’s of thousands of downloads. This is a great way to stay relevant and bring brand awareness. If you’re not a fan of the show come on in and join the discussion.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

I love that we get a majority of our customers and clients through word of mouth. We are a company that develops custom solutions for our clients. It is this service that is appreciated by organizations. Of course, social media platforms are great to share free and paid content.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

2020 has been an interesting year on many fronts. With the pandemic running rampant around the world, I lost over 50% of clients. When 2020 started, I developed a series of goals for myself and business. It was important to continue along these lines of completing the established goals. Many people are throwing 2020 away as a lost year. This is a big mistake, the businesses that will come out on top are the ones that have used this as a rebuilding, polishing, and setting a new course for future operations.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Everyone has a product and service to sell you. In my business and personal life is either investing in these resources that did not meet the caliber of quality they mentioned they would. I wasted lots of money trying to catch the net big wave. Pay more attention to where your investments and funds go.

What new business would you love to start?

I would love to develop a next-generation online leadership academy. In the current times we are in, we are leaning to a more online and virtual business. With that said, if we are to bring more live and virtual training to those who will need it will be a great future business.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

This is a great question and one that I have tried to remember to share with clients just starting out. My advice is to gain as much knowledge and education you can along the way. This is not just about your job or career, but really becoming a student of business and leadership. One of the most common mistakes by business owners is they do not invest in their own professional development to ensure they are going the best upper hand possible.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I have to be honest, when I was first starting, I was a wee bit egotistical. The belief of who I was and what I was capable of was blinding. A mentor took me aside and told me this one sentence that totally refocused my direction. Those magic words were, “you are not as important as you think you are. Shut up and listen more.” It was a rude awakening that I was replaceable and needed to earn my value to the team every day.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur?

Become a student of your craft, your business model, and the art and science of leadership. Opportunity does not happen by chance, and it is vital for your success that when the opportunity is presented, you are able to first recognize it, second, you are able to analyze it, third, you are in a position to take advantage of what this opportunity means to your business and future success.

if you want to find out more information or contact Chris you can go to his website via this link or email him directly at chris@chriscebollero.com.

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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The August 2020 Issue Of Global Millionaire Magazine: The Inspirational Chris Graffagnino

Imagine if you had a crystal ball that enables you to see into your future – wouldn’t you use this crystal ball to avoid making any mistakes and use every possible opportunity to achieve success? Well, guess what? There is such a thing as a real-life crystal ball – and it comes in the form of a person you can turn to for solid advice about your business… that person is usually referred to as a “mentor.” Having a mentor is a must for any budding entrepreneur because they’re a valuable resource who have already experienced most of the challenges that you’re still currently going through. So in effect, they actually have a solution to those challenges.

Chris Graffagnino is one such mentor. Chris is a well known New York-born entrepreneur, business influencer, innovator, and avid traveler who is widely recognized as one of the most influential mentors in the world. A former law enforcement officer and combat veteran, he has used his experience in the security and risk mitigation industry and he has applied it to the business sector. With his unique skill set, Chris was able to develop a niche market in crisis management.

Chris was recently named as one of the ‘Top 10 Most Influential People in 2020’ by Yahoo Finance alongside big names such as Gary Vaynerchuk and Lisa A. Romano and for good reason. He has several accolades under his belt; besides being named as one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in 2020, he was also included in Yahoo Finance’s elusive “Top 10 Mentors to Follow in 2020” list. He has effectively developed several global businesses on and off Wall Street and he has several successful entrepreneurial ventures under his belt including a successful global risk solutions company. Chris actually specialises in business development and his passion is to help monetize a budding entrepreneurs’ ideas through his very own non-profit mentorship program “Settle4Success.” Through this detailed program, he’s helping emerging entrepreneurs develop their own businesses. He is helping them monetize and learn the ins and outs of the industry when it comes to business development and risk mitigation.

The Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with Chris to discuss his recent success, and find out how he is planning to continue to inspire everyone who wants to lead their business towards success and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

I am from Staten Island, New York and I guess you can say I am an entrepreneur (laughs). By experience, I’m a traveler and business developer. More importantly, I am a father to my two wonderful kids – Christopher and Chloe and husband to my amazing wife – Danielle. I started my career in law enforcement and took that same service with me to Afghanistan as an infantryman in the US Army. I have culminated all of that experience in security and risk management to the private sector where I’ve helped develop niche market areas in crisis management such as security evacuation and repatriation services. In 2016, I took my own risk (no pun intended) and co-founded a global risk management firm that provides cutting edge global security and logistics products and services. Most recently, I founded Settle4Success to provide mentorship to budding entrepreneurs.

Can you describe your journey to success? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

I think my journey started when I was a teenager and my brother Michael and I started a landscaping company with our dad. I was 13 at the time and my dad was my mentor. He taught me about the importance of hard work and never quitting without me even realizing it. At the time, work seemed like a chore but I had no idea the impact starting my own business at that age would have on the rest of my life, even if it did take me a while to realize it. I believe everyone has success within them. It wasn’t until I was hurt in Afghanistan at 26 years old did I start wanting more out of myself. Furthermore, it wasn’t until I was 32 years old when I started connecting all the dots from different years of my life to finally realize what I was meant to do. This was the year I left working for someone else behind and promised to never be a part of the 9-5 grind ever again.

What are you currently doing to grow your business?

Social engineering is a critical aspect of business development. I take pride in developing my network and building relationships with my clients around the world. Settle4Success is my newest venture to help enlighten those struggling with finding success. I aim to mentor as many entrepreneurial minds as I can by sharing my experiences and knowledge in the hope that I can educate and motivate people into a successful business outcome.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

Currently, my largest presence is on Instagram (@iamchrisgraff, @settle4success). I also utilize Facebook and Twitter as well.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

I am very aware of paid advertising; however, I still believe in old-school social engineering, more specifically, targeting industry hashtags and accounts and engaging in direct conversation to introduce yourself and connect through similar interests. This helps build stronger, longer-lasting relationships and can ultimately provide better business exchanges. I do not sell any products or services via the internet; however, I directly engage in conversation with hundreds of social media accounts daily to continue to drive brand awareness for my mentorship platform.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers?

Settle4Success is new in the sense of it providing a free platform for entrepreneurs to connect, download educational material, and network with other likeminded individuals. It is a chance to be motivated and inspired to monetize one’s ideas and dreams. The uniqueness about it is that it’s free. I always say follow your passion, not money. If you follow your passion the money will come. My passion is to help others. In the case of Settle4Success, helping others achieve their version of success through business development is my goal.

What new business would you love to start?

I think starting Settle4Success allows me to see into many new business opportunities. Who knows, I may invest or become partners with ones that catch my attention!

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were first making a name for yourself, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell myself to hold on to the days of having nothing to lose a little longer. When you first start you take big risks, you have nothing to lose and stress is minimal. When you start experiencing success, you can lose everything. That fear of going back to nothing causes hesitation. You’re not willing to take on such risks anymore because you have something to lose. Although I am by no means anywhere near my finish line, I do miss the beginning phases. Enjoy those moments because that is where history is made.

Do you have any favorite business-related or personal development related books that you can recommend?

I don’t want to sound bias, but I have a book coming out end of this year – Settle For Success. I think many people will enjoy it. As far as authors go, I like Jocko Willink and Gary Vaynerchuk. They both have several inspiring books published and I have bookmarked pages that I constantly turn back to for reference.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Entrepreneurship is a risky business. Working in Corporate America and on Wall Street, I’ve seen major companies lose millions of dollars. Fortunately, I was able to utilize my time on Wall Street to avoid many of those mistakes. To succeed on your own, you have to undoubtedly take risks, but those risks can and should be calculated. Start small and scale as you have some experience with success. This will keep your business and any losses manageable.

What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy that others can learn from?

Being wealthy was never my goal. Like I said, pursuing my passion was and still is. I always wanted to provide for my family. The financial status sort of came once the market started positively accepting my work. That is a great feeling. But being wealthy is organic. It’s open-ended and you have to struggle with the reality that not everyone will like you. My advice to others is to stay humble and realize there’s always something to learn, regardless of the origin nor how big you get.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

My background lies within the expertise in security and risk management. In this space, relationship building is the best marketing solution. It takes a lot of sweat equity to develop and foster relationships between individuals. However, those relationships will last a long time. In business, I don’t look for ‘one and done’ clients. Developing a trustworthy relationship ensues years of collaboration.

How did your brand stand out from the rest of the other brands out there that is similar to your niche?

Right now, Settle4Success is free and it offers opportunities to connect directly with myself and other business collaborators for one on one advice and mentorship.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

The global COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on everyone and I think many people had to make hard decisions. For me, the hardest decision was to double down on my Settle4Success mentorship and launch throughout this period of uncertainty. S4S requires time and financial resources to launch. I decided to continue moving forward and speed up the launch date because I know there are so many people out there contemplating their careers during COVID and need to consume my information to help them make the changes necessary to succeed.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

The best advice I was given was to always try. Win or lose, you will never have any regrets for trying.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

When you die, there are two numbers on your tombstone. The year you were born – the year you died. Pace yourself! It is a long, stressful, rewarding road. Enjoy the dash!

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Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The Latest Issue Of Global Millionaire Magazine: The Amazing Deven Powers Aka Mr. Hollywood

Around 18 years ago, Deven Powers had hit rock bottom. Beaten down by life, with shattered self-esteem – his past actions of breaking the law has lead to significant jail time. He was financially, mentally, and spiritually bankrupt. At the lowest point in his life, he eventually realized that a life of crime isn’t something he wants to do for the rest of his life. After months and months of contemplation, he finally decided to pursue a vision of becoming more. In 2003 he made the conscious decision that he’s going to turn his life around by becoming a successful entrepreneur one day – so he began studying and taking classes in business management and consumer science. While he was in jail, he managed to pick up several skills, and one of which is hair styling – he learned how to braid, cut, and style hair. He never in a million years imagine that this particular set of skills would eventually lead to a very lucrative business model.

Along his journey of personal growth and self-improvement, Deven saw an opportunity to disrupt the film festival industry – he somehow found a gap in an established market. There weren’t many festivals in Los Angeles that actually catered to African American Filmmakers at the time so he decided to create a film festival that not only screened independent filmmakers but also applauded them by giving them screening blocks.

Fast forward to today, Deven Powers aka “Mr. Hollywood” is now the CEO and founder of the Black Film Festival Los Angeles, Mr. Hollywood TV Show, Mr. Hollywood Blogs, Mr. Hollywood Magazine, and Discover My Music Radio. He has also been the host of the LA Live Film Festival from 2018 through to 2020. When Deven’s not gracing the cover of magazines or hosting red carpet events, he’s hosting the “Mr. Hollywood TV show” which airs on AT & T, channel 99 in U-Verse, and channel 32 in Charter Spectrum.

The Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with Mr. Hollywood to discuss his journey in the entrepreneurial world and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

Hi, my name is Deven Powers and I’m The founder and CEO of the Black Film Festival Los Angeles, Mr.Hollywood magazine, Mr.Hollywood blogs, Mr.Hollywood TV show, and Discover My Music Radio. I built my first business “Mr.Hollywood Styles” 10 years ago, as an independent hairstylist mainly braiding and cutting hair. I saved almost every dime I made from the business for a period of 5 years. I was determined to save and I even became homeless at one point in time living in my car just so I can save money in order to be able to invest in The Black Film Festival Los Angeles. My sacrifices eventually paid off because now, my idea is worth millions.

Can you describe your journey to success? When did you start? Did you ever imagine you would become this successful?

My story is actually quite unique. My journey wasn’t an easy one, it began 18 years ago when I was just a young 19-year-old kid sentenced to a stint prison. During my incarceration, I turned my life around and realised that a life of crime wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life so I decided to make a career change by becoming an entrepreneur. Back in 2003, I began studying and taking classes in business management and consumer science to better myself. by learning the ins and outs of business marketing and consumer spending. Although I was originally trapped under unfortunate circumstances, I made the best out of the situation by turning my life around and becoming a better person and decision-maker. During my incarceration, I picked up several trades – one of them is becoming a hairstylist. I learned how to braid, cut, and style hair. Which would later in life help me to start and invest in my first business. I never in a million years would have imagined that a hairstyling trade would eventually lead to a concept that’s earning millions of dollars in revenue.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Online marketing such as adding SEO to my websites, Facebook promo ads, Instagram promo ads, Pinterest ads, TV and Radio commercials, as well as appearances along with magazine promos.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand? How did you stand out?

My main tactic is effective marketing and presentation. First I have to find a way to market my event to the right audience and I also have to make sure that my brand is appealing to that specific market. For example, if I’m promoting my music I’ll find out what type of music caters to people who are aged between 13-35. I even go as far as doing research and finding out what colour schemes appeal to the audience. I do that by researching other successful brands in my field.

One of my other main tactics is to approach things from a gorilla marketing standpoint. I find a void in a particular market and I target it by providing the need. For example, I would email blast and set up promo ads based on the age and demographics of the target audience.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Email promotion. I would gather thousands of emails and send clients up-to-date news flyers. I also use Facebook and the old school word of mouth mixed with building a powerful brand reputation.

How did your brand stand out from the rest of the other brands out there that is similar to your niche?

My brand stood out because for a while in Los Angeles there weren’t many festivals that catered to African American filmmakers. I created a film festival that not only screened independent filmmakers but applauded them by giving them screening blocks.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

Whether or not to run digital ads or to physically print flyers. Believe or not the old school way of marketing still works.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

Early on in my career, I used to rely on my feelings when it comes to making an executive decision. But I soon learned that was a bad idea. I’m not going say to my readers and fans to not trust their gut instincts when it comes to making executive decisions because sometimes your gut feeling is right. But when it comes to investing, don’t take anyone’s word for it, please do your research. Take up a few online courses to find out what you can do to improve your business by successfully targeting a market. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of marketing and planning – you can never plan enough. I learned early on that if you fail to plan then you plan to fail. In the past, I failed to create the right business plans which in turn caused me to lose money. I .would have definitely written a stronger business plan so that my weekly, monthly, and yearly goals would have all been properly documented.

What have you learned in the process of becoming wealthy?

I’ve learned that it’s not easy. You’re going to have many sleepless nights and you’ll also run into several unforeseen obstacles. With most of my past businesses, the main issue I ran into was business planning and time management issues. Lots of businesses fail because they don’t market their business correctly.

What new business would you love to start?

I’d love to start a basketball league. I’m in the process of starting a league called the NSBA TOUR.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I would do more business planning and organizing my business structure as well as more brainstorming.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were first making a name for yourself, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell myself not to listen to the haters and dream killers. Remove them from your circle and surround yourself with positive and successful people and spend your money wisely. So many times especially with newer business owners, we invest money in things that we want instead of things that we need. For example, I could purchase a new computer but then a good, used one with up-to-date software can easily get the job done anyway. Make sure you create a list to identify the difference between what you “want” and what the business needs.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

To believe in yourself before others can believe in you. You have to believe in yourself first.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

Keep God first and pray over your business. Ask God. or your higher power to lead you and guide you in making successful business investments. That’s a secret I’ve learned – you need to manifest your destiny successfully. All great ideas start as a thought first which becomes a word then becomes an action. Which is what I would call the process of creation. Everything in life is all energy so the energy you put out there is what comes back from the universe. Therefore, you need to expect the unexpected. You need to also sure that you have partnership contracts ready to pass on to future investors. I’m going to leave you with this quote: Never give up because if I can make it in business with the odds stacked up against me then you can make it too! To all the readers out there, I represent hope and I’m living proof that you can turn your life around.