Brian McAuley is a senior sales executive in the IT industry.  I sit down with him to get some advice on how to be successful in sales.

Brian, please tell my audience a little about you?

I’m a husband of Jenn for over 23 years, and a father to 3 boys ranging from 12 to 20. I’m active in my community by serving at my local church.  I chair the board at the Alzheimer’s Society of Durham Region, and serve as a director of another charity board.

Professionally I’m a technology sales leader with over 20 years of experience who has enjoyed selling industry and technology solutions at the boardroom level across various verticals. I try to maintain a reputation as a collaborative leader who builds trust with clients, partners, and colleagues. I’ve served in various senior business development and management roles at IBM for over 12 years, led teams at Bell Canada, completed the sales turnaround in a software company specializing in healthcare solutions, as well as took a sabbatical from corporate to re-focus a not-for-profit.

What are some of the qualities one needs to have to be great at sales?

First off, you need to be a good listener.  Far too many salespeople fill the air with their own talking, but the sales profession is all about understanding needs. Customers need to know that you genuinely care, and have their best interests in mind.  Secondly, you have to be good at execution, meaning, you need to have a plan, and be able to be organized and intentional about getting things done.  Thirdly, you need to work well with others and recognize how to leverage the strengths of others.  I truly believe in the saying “if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go together”.  Success is never achieved alone.

You worked in the non-profit and then came back to the corporate world.  How was that experience?

Making the transition to a different sector was both rewarding and challenging.  Taking the assignment was a risky one, but I’m grateful for what I learned, and for what I was able to contribute.  There are many transferable skills from one sector to the other, but business disciplines need to be applied differently in the not-for-profit (NFP). There is rigor in business that is not as easily digestible in NFP. In business, it’s all about results and metrics. In NFP, metrics are important, but the mission and relationships take precedence.  The velocity with which you can accomplish things in business, can’t always be achieved in the NFP sector – simply because the culture is not the same.  Reaching agreement through consensus is vitally more important.  The personal rewards received in changing or saving a life can’t be matched.  Great experience.

You talk a lot about approaching everything with abundance. Please explain?

We live in a world where, generally, everyone holds the belief that more is better. With that belief, we carry with us, thoughts that repeat in our heads saying “if I just had more X, then life would be easier”. If you had more in your bank account, a bigger house, a better car, more education, less stress, etc.  When we look around at others, we begin to feel inadequate.  I latched on to a saying years ago that said: “Comparison kills contentment”. On Monday, you can be completely thrilled with your “new to you” 3-year-old used car, until Ken and Barbie drive up next to you at the stoplight in their brand new convertible.  Or, you’re so proud of losing five pounds, until the next person loses ten.

Begin or end each day by being thankful for the details of what you’ve been blessed with.  Getting started is the hardest, but after a few weeks of writing a couple down each day, you will start to look at your world differently, and realize how much you actually have, without even looking at physical things.  You will start to look at relationships as your assets, the gift of encouragement that someone gave you, or the feeling you got for being able to help someone else out in your day.  Your abundance mindset will have you starting to look at the world not by what you don’t have, but by what you have and what you can give to others.  Oftentimes, we don’t recognize our unique gifts – a special skill, a piece of knowledge, undivided attention, or an encouraging word.

How has being a husband and father changed you?

When you become a husband, you transition from only thinking about your needs, to thinking about the needs of your spouse. When you have children, you transition further again and gain a greater sense of responsibility to not only provide physically but emotionally and spiritually for your whole family.  All the investments made in you now need to be imparted to others. Your life is now intertwined with others. Like a new recipe you’re trying for the first time, all the good (and the not so good) come together in a big mixing bowl with the strengths (and weaknesses) of your spouse, to form a new mixture. To make the new recipe work, you need to play with the ingredients. To make it all work, there becomes some give and take, and the ability to say “I’m not perfect, you’re not perfect, but together we are much better”. So, being a father and husband has humbled me and made me more grateful for my family who makes me a better version of myself.

Give my audience some sane financial advice?

I believe that making manageable changes, consistently over time, delivers the best results.  Someone once said, “It takes at least 20 years to become an overnight success”. Give away 10% of your income to help others and the charities you are most passionate about. Save 10% of what you make, consistently over your career.  But do the first two before you spend on yourself.  Often time, we set goals that are too big and fail.  Small sacrifices, consistently over time, pay big dividends in the long run.  Seek wise counsel. Only invest your money with someone who makes their money not by making a commission on what investments they sell you, but by the returns and the growth in your portfolio. Don’t carry a credit card balance. Buy your first house as early as you can. Learn to deny yourself luxuries until the staples are in place.

Tell me a good sales joke?

Ha – I actually respect your readers too much to share a sales joke.  I have yet to hear one that isn’t really corny.

How do you balance faith, finance, family, and food in the 21st century?

You create balance by putting priorities in their place and allowing everything else to fit around them. Priorities are established based on your values. For example, if I told you that my faith was important to me, but I never made it to church because of sports, would you say my priorities were in line with my stated values? Probably not.  I balance my life by prioritizing what I value and being intentional through my goals and actions. My faith is important to me, so I make sure I start each day by reading scripture and spending time in prayer.  I do it not because anyone says I have to, but because I need that time in order to stay connected to my faith, which I value so much.  I value my family, so I spend a lot of time with them. I value financial stability, so I make sure I save, and I don’t overspend, but I make sure I enjoy the fruits of my labor. Food – I don’t know what to say about that. Food for me isn’t important unless it’s shared around a table with those I love.

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Money touches everything. It affects how we sleep, how we eat, how we raise our children, and how we dream about the future. Yet too often, we treat finances like a separate compartment of life, disconnected from faith, family, and well-being.

What if we approached money the way we approach health, looking at the whole picture instead of isolated parts?

In this conversation, Jason Trueman, Portfolio Manager with Cumberland Private Wealth Management, shares why a holistic approach to household finances matters. From buying a quality mattress to investing with discipline, Jason explains how thoughtful spending, long-term vision, and balance can create not just wealth, but freedom and peace of mind.

Welcome to Four Columns, where food, faith, finance, and family are not separate conversations, but part of the same story.

Jason, welcome to Four Columns, a holistic blog on food, faith, finance, and family. Please tell me a little about yourself.

I am a Portfolio Manager with Cumberland Private Wealth Manager. Cumberland is headquartered in Toronto. I work with a talented team in Kingston, Ontario, including a CFP, CA, CPA, and TEP, providing holistic wealth management services for successful Canadian families and business owners.

How did you end up in personal finance?

I graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. I received my CFA charter in 2001. I started my career as an Underwriter with Chubb Insurance. I was recruited by AIG and worked in Bermuda for 7 years before returning to Kingston to raise our young family in 2010.

Give me three tips on how to have a holistic approach to personal finance?

Control your spending by buying things you need and on an average cost basis (i.e. you will spend one-third of your life on a mattress so buy a good one).

Be disciplined with your investing. Buy dominant companies with great management who care about both their customers and their shareholders (these are rare and require work to find).

There is a balance between disciplined spending and enjoying your life; life is short so if you need a trip or a new car or new shoes to enjoy your life then spend the money.

What happens when we live on credit cards and not on our salary?

Credit cards that you pay off in full on a monthly basis and never pay interest on and accumulate rewards are great. When you overspend and pay exorbitant interest living beyond your means then you will suffer from difficult financial decisions and increasing stress.

How important is it to have a budget as part of a holistic approach to our personal finance?

I find long-term goals are helpful in providing meaning to your actions like why am I going to work and saving for my child’s education or retirement. Budgets help keep your life and spending in order; like a calendar and daily to-do lists.

What are some important tips to start saving?

Paying off your higher interest-bearing debt is most important. Taking advantage of government savings programs like RESPs, RRSPs and TFSAs is enormously important as well. Again, buying things you need (healthy food, a quality mattress) instead of buying things you want for status and cost a lot on a per-use basis (the tenth pair of shoes, vacation properties) is critically important.

How do you balance faith, food, finance, and family?

I believe in humanity; if we all do our part to contribute, we collectively accomplish amazing things. If you don’t spend money on healthy food then you’ll pay the price with poor health and physical limitations. Finance is about independence; ideally, a career doing something you enjoy while creating financial freedom to do nothing if you so choose. Raising kind, caring and confident children who find something productive they love to do in life are our number one job as parents.

Can you recommend some great restaurants in Kingston?

Kingston has an enormous array of awesome restaurants – having 35,000 students in the city helps. I prefer local family-owned restaurants such as Tango, Woodenheads, and Harpers.

You manage money for the wealthy, what have you learned from the experience? Do they have a holistic approach?

Success usually requires some form of sacrifice at some stage in their life. For many that mean focusing on academic excellence instead of always finding the nearest party. For others, that means pursuing an idea, a vision, and taking on considerable financial risk, and working excessive hours to make their dream a reality.

How important is food to you?

Food has an enormous impact on how you feel and how you look. Humanity would benefit from healthier eating with lower health care costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and an overall more productive society and cleaner earth.

The post Holistic Approach to Household Finances appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

A financial plan is a road map to achieving your financial goals.

We all have financial goals. It could be for a vacation, purchasing a home, children’s education, or retirement.

A financial plan looks at where you are at present and what you want to achieve in the future. It looks at net worth, cash flow, insurance planning, estate planning, retirement planning, and taxes.

A financial plan gets you in touch with reality, helps you to become realistic, looks at opportunities and risks, and gives you peace of mind.

Scott Schofield of Nesbitt Burns talks about reasons to have a financial plan and a disciplined savings strategy. Having this does not make you feel guilty.

Scott tell my global audience a little about you?

I am an investment advisor in London, Ontario, for approximately 150 families and business owners. I am a Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) and have 20 years of experience in the asset management industry. Before joining BMO Nesbitt Burns, I consulted with financial advisors in my role as Senior Vice President with Mackenzie Investments and Dynamic Funds and hold a BA in Economics from Dalhousie University.

When not analyzing numbers, I enjoy many outdoor activities including kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. My favorite activity is skiing with my wife and our two daughters that are 8 and 10 years old.

You have been around the financial services industry for a long time. What are some of the things you have learned? 

Being in the financial services industry has taught me a number of things over the years. However, one thing that stands out is that investors have a tendency to forget about ‘risk’ in their portfolios when the markets are good. It is always good to re-valuate your portfolio to ensure your portfolios are aligned with your objectives. If you are asking yourself, what are my objectives? you should seek advice from a licensed professional immediately.

Besides saving 10 percent, paying off your debts, living within your means what other advice can you give to my audience?

Great question, I would have to say seek out advice. Many Canadians feel like they do not have a high enough net worth to seek the advice of a professional. This is not the case. The value of having a financial advisor is undeniable.

Why is it important to save for retirement and what are some of the tools? 

There will come a day when you stop receiving a paycheque and need to replace that with an income from your portfolio. Saving in tax-deferred plans such as Registered Retirement Savings Plan’s (RRSP’s) and Tax-Free Saving Account’s (TFSA’s) are great ways to help reduce and manage the level of tax you will pay in retirement.

To become successful in saving, we have to make some sacrifices and have a financial plan. Do I always have to have the latest TV, cell phone, latest car? 

Some people really like to have the latest and greatest. I do! You should treat yourself from time to time. Having a financial plan and a disciplined saving strategy can potentially take the guilt out of treating yourself because you will know if you can or cannot afford these things.

Talk to me about TFSA and RESP? 

Both are great tools for investors.

The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) began in 2009 and is a great way for Canadians to set aside money tax-free throughout their lifetime. A TFSA does not apply taxes on any contributions, dividends, capital gains, or interest earned, and can be withdrawn tax-free. This savings account is available to individuals aged 18 and older and can be used for any purpose.

An RESP is a great way to save for your child’s or grandchild’s post-secondary education. Parents, grandparents, and friends can contribute money any time to an RESP – up to a lifetime total of $50,000 per child. These contributions are not tax-deductible, but any investment income that’s earned within the plan isn’t taxed until it’s withdrawn.

The federal government will match 20% of the first $2,500 you contribute each year. That is $500 each year. When your children or grandchildren are eligible to start receiving the money to pay for tuition, books, computers, residence, meal plans, transportation and more, they pay the tax—generally at a much lower rate than you would have paid.

If my viewers want to become a client of yours, what are you looking for in a client? 

The bottom line is we want to work with clients that are engaged in their financial well-being.

Working towards financial goals is best done by a collaboration between our clients and our team.

It does take some investment of time in the early stages to get to know our client so we can properly propose personalized solutions and a financial plan that finds a balance between their goals and their risk tolerance. From there we implement the plan and monitor it year-round.

How important is it to have a financial plan, a road map of where you are going, goals, estate plan, and a will? 

I cannot stress enough how important a financial plan is to our client’s financial well-being.

It is a personalized blueprint or roadmap to meeting and exceeding financial goals.

A plan is adjusted over time as life events and unexpected things happen in our clients’ lives.

It also is a tremendous aid in helping to minimize tax during and after our clients’ lives.

How important is food to you and let us know some of your favorite restaurants in London?

What can I say I love food! I always like to be the first of my friends to try new restaurants and enjoy traveling and trying new to me restaurants along the way.

In London, I tend to frequent two of my favorites often.

The Church Key Bistro-Pub is a British traditional gastropub specializing in traditional food done with a gourmet flair. They use seasonal and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. If you go there you have to try their Ale & Onion Soup with the Smoked Salmon Sammy.

The Bungalow – Neighbourhood Hub, is a great neighborhood ‘local’ in a residential area. The restaurant’s style and cuisine are designed for casual and convivial enjoyment. They have an extensive craft beer selection and a build your own burger option that they claim results in over 3000 different possible combinations. When not tinkering with my burger recipe of choice, my go-to is the Fish Tacos with the Habanero Potato Cheddar Bacon Soup.

How do you balance faith food family and finance in the 21st century? 

Finding a balance is sometimes tough with a busy practice and family. Making and taking the time to shut off devices and being in the moment with my family is very important to me. The best conversations are with my girls walking the dog after dinner or the quiet time when riding the chair lift when skiing the family.

The post Reasons To Have a Financial Plan and a Disciplined Saving Strategy appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Ricardo Lopes is an award-winning author, speaker, trainer, and coach at Advanced Leadership. Advanced Leadership is a creative and enthusiastic group that’s passionate about empowering businesses, and the people in them, to meet with greater success. It lends expertise and support in communications, training, employee engagement, and performance. In essence, it helps organizations, and the people in them, better communicate, collaborate, and generate extraordinary results, both within the organization and with their customers.  Ricardo has held several communications, training and development, and national sales development roles generating perennial record sales performances over multiple decades. Ricardo has coaching, speaking, and training accreditation from The John C. Maxwell Team and licensed access to its training materials. John C. Maxwell is a many time over best-selling author and is recognized internationally as one of the world’s top leadership and management development experts. Ricardo talks about coaching and how it helps improve performance.

Ricardo please tell me a little about you?

I’m a coach, speaker, and trainer at Advanced Leadership. We’re a learning and performance company that empowers organizations and the people in them, to better communicate, collaborate, and generate extraordinary results – with their peers, customers, and the teams they’re privileged to lead.  I’ve worked for almost 30 years in the business and corporate worlds, contributing in several roles such as a national business development coach and communications specialist more recently, and as a sales manager, sales officer trainer, and communication consultant, etc. prior to that.

How do you help executives increase their unique value proposition?

I work with individuals to identify the strengths that make them unique and help them play to them.  No one does you as well as you do you.  When you contribute to areas of strength, results come more naturally to you and you can accomplish far more in that area than someone who’s struggling or not engaged in the task at hand. The trick is to challenge yourself continually, by applying those strengths to new challenges, to ensure you keep growing.  

How important is it for an executive to communicate effectively?

I can’t think of anything MORE important.  But let’s be clear about something, according to the Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 Rule of Personal Communication, words only make up 7% of any message. Voice tonality and body language contribute 38% and 55%, respectively, to the intended meaning of a message.  This is why you can watch two people relay the same request with great variation in how people respond.  There are a number of leadership skills that executives need to develop to better influence, inspire, and generate results.  These are the soft skills that are mandatory and are very accurate predictors of how far any leader will go. No one cares how smart you are, the question is, do you have the leadership skills to influence, inspire, and generate results with a group of uniquely skilled individuals around you?

Is it important to get a little deeper when networking or should we just get the business card?

Less is more.  Meet with fewer people, get to know them, and build trust.  We do business with and create business opportunities for, people we know, like, and trust.  You can have the greatest skills or widget to sell, but if you fail to develop that connection, your business card will meet with someone’s wastepaper basket.  I might be showing my age but I love business cards.  I think they say something about a person.  I like to write two or three things that make that person unique right on the card when I get home and save them. You can only discover that information after investing some time with them. I organize them by groups of people I affiliate with and like to flip through them before I attend an event.  Even with the best of intentions, it’s hard to remember every detail when you meet so many people.  It takes a little bit of effort to flip through these mini cue cards, but the reward is seeing the smile of appreciation on that person’s face when you’ve remembered them and made them feel special.

How important is it for an executive to have balance in their lives?

Very Important. Balance brings a diversity of experience and thought that makes you more valuable to the organization. Balance makes sure you have the energy to endure the crunch. Balance ensures you are clear about your ‘why’.  When you clearly identify what you value outside of work, and allow yourself to participate in those activities or the lives of others, they become inspirations.  They help you find the last bit of gas in the tank that you need, to do what you must, in order to provide the means to continue to enjoy those moments outside of work.

You were in financial services for more than two decades give me some personal advice on finance?

First save, save, save.  Deduct right off your paycheck and learn to live within what’s left.

Second, there’s a great little button on most income tax software, “How much can I borrow such that my tax refund will pay off the loan”.  Now take your refund and pay off the loan you just took to grow your savings.  Let’s say you borrowed five grand and deposited it to your RRSP savings, now you have five grand plus all the growth it’s going to generate between now and the day in retirement when you take it out. All this, for what it cost you in nominal interest charges incurred from the day you borrowed and the day your tax refund was applied against the loan.

How is your coaching unique and helps executives feeling more empowered?

I love that word! If I could describe what we do in three words, it would be “Authentically you, empowered”. I would say my approach to coaching draws a clear line between coaching and mentoring.  They are not one and the same.  It’s troubling to watch pairings of individuals where the expectation is that a poor millennial is supposed to somehow follow, and start emulating, a decorated baby boomer or GenX for example.  I’ve met with success in leadership positions driving sales etc., but it would be a less productive coaching session if I tried to grow a mini-me.  What worked for me played to my strengths and worked in a time and place.  Even if I executed exactly as I did some years ago, the dynamics and circumstances could have changed and hence the same approach, by the same person, executed the same way, isn’t guaranteed to work.  I encourage clients to identify their strengths and play to them, this generates small and large wins that build confidence and momentum.

One other unique aspect I would say is addressing belief paradigms and the battle between the conscious and unconscious mind.  The unconscious is supposed to protect us and keep us safe from the unknown or re-experiencing something that put us in harm’s way.  Sometimes, those belief paradigms serve us well, other times they’re holding us back, and we need someone outside our head to encourage us to push past them. Once we’ve pushed past them and succeed, our subconscious accepts a new normal and will no longer generate the very real physical manifestation of pain, anxiety, etc. in its attempts to discourage us from going for it!

What other value do you bring to help authentically empower others?

I like to describe our company as a passionate and enthusiastic bunch who enjoy empowering organizations and the people in them, to meet with greater success.  How we help, is by lending support and expertise in four key areas; communications, training, employee engagement, and performance.  What we do essentially is to help organizations and the people in them better communicate, collaborate, and generate extraordinary results, both within the organization and with their customers.  As an example, to kick off the new year in 2019, we’re doing training for entrepreneurs and small business that is open to the general public.  We’re helping them craft messages to effectively promote their business in public and close the sale while building their confidence. Many wonderful people are great artisans, service people, or craftspeople, but they are not salespeople and may never be. When you get big enough, you can pass on promoting your business in public and closing the sale of your widget or book to someone else. Until then, you need to get it done yourself, or risk being one of 50% of businesses who fail within the first five years. Often, the failure has nothing to do with the service or product they provide, the challenge is their inability to sell it.  It’s also heart-wrenching to meet a perennial networker whose own inner circle is hard-pressed to describe what that person does!  Even with the best intentions, their inner circle doesn’t know how to promote their fellow networker because they don’t have clear messaging regarding just what they do or sell.  Our event will empower these folks to conquer their fear of public speaking, promote their business and close the sale. Together we’ll craft engaging value propositions, elevator speeches, and on stage / public presentations in a 3-day over 4-weeks experiential learning workshop.

How do you balance food, faith, finance, and family in the 21st century?

Balance to me means you acknowledge the importance of different aspects of a full, and well-functioning life.  That involves setting goals and executing them in each area.  Food is your body’s enricher.  Garbage in, garbage out. Plan and do the work to eat well.  Faith, if you’re blessed with it, will help you better appreciate you’re a spiritual being having a human experience, not the other way around.  That said, take care of your body such that you have a place to carry your inner being, while having the strength and wellness to do, and experience, all that you can on this journey.  Finance is an enabler; it’s not the most important thing in one’s life, but it’s right up there next to oxygen! Family love you, often unconditionally.  It’s hard to find a stronger set of raving fans.  Schedule time together, even if it’s the most mundane “I drive you to x event”, and “mom drives you to y event”.  Put down the smartphone and talk to each other, be present.  Schedule couple time/family time with as much commitment as you would the most important thing you have to do because it is.

The post How Coaching Improves Performance appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Anu Bidani is the CEO of STEM MINDS (a BCorp certified Social Enterprise) and Inno-Hive, an Innovative Learning Community – Not-For-Profit), two companies that focus on shaping the future of education by transforming learning experiences for both children and adults. STEM Minds is on a mission to empower youth to become fearless leaders by developing agility and a love of learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). She believes in creating our future leaders, game changers, and problem-solvers to build a better, more agile society for future generations. With a dedicated teaching staff, a state-of-the-art learning environment, research, and development center, and a network of strategic partnerships, she has built both these businesses that are successfully expanding the reach and impact of education to all children!

Inno-Hive, an Innovative Learning Community, is a not-for-profit focused on supporting communities to innovate for skill-building regardless of age or geographic boundaries.

She is a passionate innovator, leader, revenue generator and entrepreneur with solid experience as a corporate executive where she witnessed the evolution and impact of accelerated technology changes on business processes from a Corporate lens. Her passion for innovation served as the catalyst for repeated successes in optimizing emerging business models to deliver agile profitability and value. With vetted expertise in the areas of strategy, product development, solutions development, project delivery, information security, and audit, Anu has built a solid foundation for her two entrepreneurial ventures – STEM MINDS and Inno-Hive, an Innovative Learning Community. She is also an SHEEO activator and supports other women entrepreneurs in their journey of following their passion.

Anu welcome to my series on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. Tell my audience a little about you.

I am a mom of 2 boys who inspired me to embrace my entrepreneurial venture Stem Minds after a 20+ Corporate career. I enjoy traveling, cooking, and challenging myself to new intellectual possibilities. I consider myself a fearless learner where the glass is always full. I believe in the power of positive thinking so miracles can happen. For me, integrity and authenticity are two ingredients that make me who I am and what I do.

You had a successful career as an executive in one of the banks. Why start a business?

After a successful career as a senior executive, I wanted more out of life. Everyone talks about their purpose and calling and I needed to find mine. When I left my job in 2015, I didn’t want to do the same. So, in search of my purpose and challenging myself I decided to solve a personal problem of inspiring my children to love STEM. In this journey, I have found the joy in inspiring children to love STEM. My business STEM Minds caters to this passion through a holistic STEM learning experience with hands-on activities. I have a state-of-the-art facility with 3D printers, laser cutters, robots, drones, virtual reality, and much more which makes learning fun, impactful, and sustainable.

Talk to me a little about STEM?

Science, Technology, Engineering, Math – STEM is a very important field to build skills in for the jobs of tomorrow. These fields enforce critical thinking, problem-solving, and many other 21st century skills that are innate to digital competencies that are required for success. These cannot be optional in a child’s learning portfolio but mandatory so they are prepared for what will be expected of them as they grow.

What are the future goals and expansion plans?

I am very excited about launching our Online platform – SMOA with gamification, virtual reality, and AI so children can enjoy formal learning at school and home through various toolsets. We are launching SMOA both nationally in Canada and in the USA. We are also working on some strategic partnerships to bring our programming into more school boards. We are working on academic research on our approach to blended learning through online tools in the classroom as well as accessibility in STEM for visually impaired youth. So, lots of exciting things happening at Stem Minds – stay tuned for the evolution!

Help me understand the good, bad, and ugly side of being an entrepreneur?

The good side is – I love the freedom and picking what I want to do when I want to do with no submissions of business cases! I enjoy the freedom to try things out without fear of failure.

The ugly side is that there is no segregation of work life and home life. Sometimes it interferes with the quality time I want to spend with my family but I also have to balance the responsibilities of running a business and supporting a team. So, time is always premium.

What are the skill sets required to be an entrepreneur?

In my mind three most important characteristics of being a successful entrepreneur are:

• fearless learner – you need to keep pushing yourself to learn new things whether it be about your product, customers or markets
• resilience – you need to know that you can get up and move forward every time you fall
• grit – courage to take risks without fear of consequences

My daughter is 14 and sometimes scared of math, science, and engineering. What advice would you give her?

I would tell her to be a fearless learner as we can learn anything if we put our minds to it. Even though math, science, engineering may seem scary, just remember that fear is only in your mind. Give yourself the opportunity to try building skills in these fields in your own way. If you enjoy fashion then wearable tech may be something to explore which combines fashion with coding. If you enjoy art then digital art, graphic designing are options to consider. There are lots of choices you just need to be open to learning.

Walk me through the steps of opening a business, like bootstrapping, business plans, market, competitive advantage, core competence, increasing footprint, and finding a niche?

For me opening a business requires planning and thought if you want it to be sustainable. Plan your finances – you may need a 3-year runway before you get a paycheque. Planning conservatively creates less chaos and panic.

New businesses generally have to be self-funded as there is not much financing available. So, plan to be lean and optimize your resources. Investing in automation to simplify processes is impactful.

You need to know the drivers behind your business, what pain points are you addressing and who is your real client. Understand the competitive landscape and find your unique value proposition.

I am a planned entrepreneur so I spend time building my business plan, financial models, key metrics for monitoring, documenting process flows, and procedures. I invested in these processes so I can grow without dependency on a few people, including myself. My staff can run my business without my presence. If you plan your business that way you have time to be a real CEO with vision, strategy, and forward-thinking.

It is important to find mentors, coaching, and other help to keep you on track. How did you achieve this?

I think mentoring and coaching are important. Having someone to talk to you about your ideas, being held accountable allow you to be better at execution and performance.

I did this by having a leadership coach when I really needed to push my performance. I joined network groups like SheEO and GroYourBiz to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs. All of this gave me a safe place to grow and be my best.

Talk to me about your hiring process and what you look for and how you motivate your staff?

I hire based on potential. I have an awesome team, who is passionate about what they do. I motivate them through empowerment and trust. I know they will always do their best and if mistakes happen it is okay as this is part of growing and learning.

Give my viewers advice on balancing the family? 

Balance is all about deliberate choices. I don’t think there is anything like balance. It is setting your priorities and making choices.

The family should always come first so always make time. Time flies by fast so you want to make the best of it and cherish the moments.

The post Anu Bidani: An Authentic STEM Entrepreneur appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

What is the meaning of life?

I have known Mayple Dorrington since I started my career at Scotia Bank. Mayple was Director, Communications and Change Management at Scotia Bank.  Mayple recently wrote a book called Finding: The Oasis in my Soul. It is a journal, an encouraging journey through the spectrum of real-life experiences of trials and triumphs. As you read her book, you can relate to it. You will see a reflection of your own experiences. The book asks some relevant questions about having an empty void within us, do we have doubts about our gifts, weaknesses,  our purpose, and our identity?

I am a big fan of gratitude, and this book challenges my thinking to transform my mind and to get a deeper conviction of love and purpose in my life. If you are struggling with insecurity, fear, uncertainty, or anxiety, get the book, become empowered, lead an authentic life, and transform yourself into what you are intended to be.  This is the first of a two-part interview.

Mayple, a true honor to have you talk to four columns. Tell my audience a little bit about you?

Jerry, firstly I want to thank you for the opportunity to participate in your blog. I’m deeply honored to be having this dialogue with you and your audience.

Born on the beautiful island of Jamaica I grew up in a happy, loving family cushioned in a viable business environment.   The business became a casualty following the aftermath of the 1970s economic downturn in my country and the outcome later triggered my family’s immigration to another beautiful country, Canada. With a business mindset, I later pursued that area of study and embarked on an amazing career in the financial industry that spanned 3 continents with direct access to over 27 countries.  Alongside my banking occupation of choice, I am an author and a motivational speaker.  My professional designations include an economist, chartered banker, high school teacher and a personal financial planner.

I am a devout Christian who anchored my beliefs, decisions, and hope in the power of the risen Jesus Christ.  With my teaching discipline, I constantly volunteer my skills for mentoring and coaching and by my mentees’ own admission, I have the knack to identify, develop and empower countless persons in reaching their personal goals.

Having said that, my passion is primarily centered around the relationships I forged working with people drawn from across the globe and living in the most multicultural city in the world. Through these experiences, I learned how to coexist with people, understand their behaviors, outlook, and preferences, and dispense greater tolerance, acceptance, and compassion in helping others. An area that keeps me growing is to intentionally embrace the power of mindfulness. This awareness constantly provokes and inspires me to challenge my mind, peel away layers of obscurity, to look deeper and wider for insights toward the path in finding truths.

Finding: The oasis in my soul. It is an intense name for a book. How did the book come about? What is the main message? Who is the audience? What is unique and different about the message?  

Jerry, there’s lots to unpack here… yes,  the name is indeed intense. You may notice I deliberately said “Finding” and not “Find” or “Found” because it’s a journey, not a destination. My book chronicles an inspiring journey through the lens of my real-life experiences of trials and triumphs and using what I have been through to come to a place of what I now know for sure.

Strangely the genesis of my book was drawn from my wanderlust nature.  Traveling to many countries, living amongst diverse nationalities, and conversing with numerous people from different walks of life, age, and outlook; hearing their stories, the many dreams realized, the hardships overcame, and bouncing back from mistakes, I realized how much we all have in common.

I wrote the book to expose our human commonality and to express how I cultivate the power to confront and stare down the debilitating state of uncertainty, worry, and fear.  How like myself, we can overcome our shortcomings and elevate our talents and self-worth to be the best.

During my speaking engagements, after sharing my story, which is often intertwined with slices from the lives of many others, seeing the visceral reaction of agreement from my diverse audience, I validated how we all want to feel valued, loved, and accepted. The main point is to have a positive self-image of not who I am, but who God intended me to be.  How I claim truth and confidence from the backdrop of biblical examples of trust, faith, and obedience.  Each chapter illustrates a meaningful life experience, which is brutally frank about what I learned, the impact of the practical application, and my spiritual transformation. Each reader will walk away with valuable nuggets to build their confidence and self-worth.

My core objective and the key message are to challenge the readers’ thinking and arouse a sense of gratitude, wonder, and introspection, allowing us to draw from an ever-renewing Oasis where we can replace worry, fear, and doubt with the joyful assurance of God’s promises and faithfulness.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive that this is exactly the response it evokes. I painted a graphic picture of my experiences, whether illness, a hero to zero career moves, friendship betrayal, family choices, to be transformed, to come to a place of rest, not a place of stop, but resting on the dependence and assurance of God’s love while seeking new adventures to spread my wings.  The overarching message may not be unique or different, but it’s worth reinforcing to keep us building self-awareness on how we can draw inspiration and hope from seemingly common encounters and events in our lives. It about seeing and acknowledging God’s love and handiwork in all aspects of our lives.

Explain to me what does women’s empowerment means to you?    

Empowerment is about acting on my own volition, having options, having the autonomy to make choices.  Really, Jerry, it’s to emancipate me from the sense of powerlessness, to become self-determined, being able to take charge of my life by owning my decisions, circumstances, hopes, and dreams, growing stronger, wiser, and more confident.

Having said that, for me, I do not believe women’s empowerment is independent of the influence of men. I strongly believe men and women were created with different, but complementary traits. When working in unity, we unleash the freedom to both look outward, naturally curious in opening ourselves to the universe, feeling supported to take risks, and to reimagine possibilities based on the imagery of how to think, rather than the limitation of what to think.

I have countless examples of gender neutrality during brainstorming, problem-solving, and trouble-shooting that delivered the optimum results, mainly because women are allowed the latitude, civility, and respect to explore and articulate their thoughts without judgment or fear. This type of liberation allows me to embrace and benefit from a diversity of thoughts; to see ideas from various points of view, despite differences reaching common ground, by filtering everything through what is pleasing to God. Why, because like all good things, true and authentic empowerment comes from honoring the will of God.

I am a big fan of being authentic and leading a transparent life. Help me understand what you mean by living an authentic life?    

Yes, Jerry, authentic and transparent are two buzz words presently tossed around a lot! Irrespective of the scholarly definition, at the core, this is about living one’s truth, what we know for sure, which can be shaped by our many experiences.

For me, it is when my values and beliefs are compatible with the integrity of my doctrine, actions, and words. It’s about self-awareness, knowing myself at a deep level, accepting my multi-faceted traits, my strengths, and imperfections; having the desire to continuously grow as I reconcile my good, bad and ugly qualities, which are common to all of us. I find that oftentimes, with increasing societal pressure, we lean into what the world prescribed as a success.  Whether to gain wealth, fame, alter our appearance or job aspiration, we can compromise who we are created to be which often leads to self-loathing, and unhappiness.

To justify my point, let’s take a look at the billions in revenue generated from cosmetic industries, fake content, scamming, Ponzi schemes, and the like. You see, in our humanness, our hearts are deceitful, full of pride, and can easily trap us in a state of denial and falseness to elevate ourselves. I am not immune to this pretense, but growing in spiritual maturity and wisdom, I try to be deliberate in not allowing this malignant state to frighten or paralyze me, but to be powered by my dependence on the spirit God graciously places within us.  As I summon the courage to live from a place of acceptance, growth, humility, and inner peace, only then, I can be the best expression of myself, which will be evident to impact others as I attract, influence, and sustain meaningful relationships.

The post Mayple Dorrington: Finding the Meaning of Life appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Paula Eriya migrated from Jamaica to Toronto as a young girl and spent her teenage years in New York City, where she was exposed to a wide canvas of fashion, culture, the arts, and beauty. Paula’s time in New York inspired her to make her own impact in the beauty industry, and she has since worked with fashion designers, musicians, and artists to encourage them through mentorship to cultivate their own style and expression in their respective fields.

A devoted mother of four, Paula has turned her time and talents toward giving back to her community. Her greatest passion is serving widows, single mothers, and young adults, and she has put together a team to assist single mothers to dress for success and confidently re-enter the workforce. As well, she has held events to showcase young entrepreneurs in fashion, music, and the arts. Paula and her family have had the life-changing opportunity to take part in the yearly Hope Worldwide of Canada events, which help raise funds to support many community organizations.

Paula is known for her impeccable taste, style, and progressive techniques, which impress her clients and foster a relationship of lasting trust.

Paula congrats on the success of the Beauty Lounge Salon and Spa. Walk me through your thought process about how you started the salon and spa?

Jerry, I have been in the business for over 28 years. I have this burning desire to help people look and feel their best. I had five salons before this one.  I wanted to merge my faith along with my services to my clients in the best way possible.  I decided to go back to school in 2012. Funny enough, I went to Tyndale for 4 years to get my undergrad in Religious Education. I found the structure of my study helped me in many ways to deal with my diverse clientele on a day-to-day basis.  Beauty Lounge Salon and Spa came about while I was in my final year in school. I wanted to get back in the business right away and the opportunity presented itself.

What were the initial challenges?

My initial challenge was start-up cash. I was in school for four years not working. Banks could not loan us any money as we had no collateral. God opened doors. I had a very kind investor and two friends who also invested as shareholders in the business. I got enough to purchase the business outright and a small amount for operations, we had to go through a few bad employees to find the right ones.

Did you take a course in business and hair styling or it is something you learned along the way?

I went to school to train in Salon business operations. I learned some practical skills along the way.  I have had a love for this business since I was 15 years old.

Talk to me about what it means for women to be empowered in the 21st century?

It is amazing to be among the empowered women in the 21st century. Today, women have a voice in politics, media, schools, and the corporate world altogether. We are entrepreneurs, leaders, lawyers, doctors and so much more. Women are making legislative laws and impacting society on a whole. I am grateful to live in a country that recognizes women for their contribution in the various sectors, and for the women’s movement that advocates for the needs of the sick, children, and the elderly. I think overall women’s role in the 21st century has advanced beyond what we hoped for and expected.

What are the hairstyles and trends for 2019?

For 2019, big hairstyles, big eyebrows, and loud colors are back like in the movie, Hairspray. Some people are into trends and fashion while others are into the more classic look. Multi-color, Balayage, and really whatever the customers like. Trend or no trend, people like what they like and I like to fit my client into the area and lifestyle they live in.

Why should my female audience come to your salon?

Your female clients should come to me because:

1. We are an environmentally friendly salon, we are Green Circled certified, which means that we recycle 90% of all waste in our salon.
2. We offer many services; our Salon and Spa are a one-stop-shop to meet all your beauty needs (from head to toe).
3. Our product is mostly Vegan, Organic, and Natural.
4. We offer 4 choices in our nail polishes, Vegan, Natural, Organic, and regular nail polish.
5. We offer skin tightening, skin resurfacing, Micro-Needling, in other words, nonevasive skin treatments.
6. Our hair colors are natural and ammonia-free, as well as some of our bleaches. Jerry, I can go on, but I would like for you to check it out for yourself.

My daughter is 17 and if I want to bring some of her friends for a hair, do is that possible?

Our environment is definitely teen-friendly. We have high school girls come in all the time with their friends, they love the atmosphere and the services because we are attentive to their every need.

What do you look for in staff when you hire?

Our staff must be driven, honest, peace-loving, and kind. They must have the drive and the desire to exceed the client’s expectations in any and all of our services. They must have excellent communication and customer service skills.

How are food, faith, family, and finance important to you?

Food is very important to me. My body is God’s temple.  I need to keep it clean and healthy. I try to eat what is best for my body.

My Faith is extremely important, in this fallen world. I believe faith is the only thing that is constant in my life.

My family is of great importance to me. They are a gift to me from God. A gift-worthy of respect and love and most of all gratitude. I live every day grateful for the blessing of my faith and my family.

Finance is crucial to our survival. This is of great importance to me, without it we cannot accomplish our goals, feed our family nor take care of ourselves. A balanced financial life is a bliss. I am working on becoming debt-free and financially secure as this is a necessity.

The post Paula Eriya: Entrepreneur using vegan products appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Quotes on work

We’re not in this life just to work, we’re in it to live ― Cecelia Ahern

Overworking is the Black Plague of the 21st Century ― Richie Norton

For years, I had used these fractured men to justify my cynicism and workaholism, and the grief, insomnia, and casual anorexia were no longer of any interest to me – Antonella Gambotto-Burke

Workaholism in modern life

A workaholic is someone who has a compulsive approach to work at the cost of their health, social life, and sleep. Productivity becomes less about purpose and more about anxiety disguised as ambition.

The idea of working 100 hours a week is sometimes presented as the price of success in entrepreneurship. What is rarely discussed is the shadow side of that lifestyle. Behind the headline stories are often strained marriages, limited family time, loneliness, and long-term health consequences.

Success should not be measured only by output but also by the quality of life created along the way.

Research consistently shows that excessive working hours increase the risk of burnout, chronic fatigue, cardiovascular strain, metabolic disorders, and mental health decline. The human body and mind were not designed to run in perpetual high-performance mode.

Yes, success in the 21st century requires dedication, discipline, and hard work. But the world we live in after the COVID-19 era has also reminded us that life is fragile, interconnected, and deeply relational.

Productivity without humanity eventually becomes a hollow victory.

Living with purpose, not just working with urgency

Consider setting aside at least one hour each week to make a small but meaningful difference in someone else’s life.

You might choose to:
• Share a meal with someone
• Offer water or food to someone in need
• Pay for the person behind you in a drive-through or restaurant
• Donate to a charity that reflects your values
• Support businesses committed to ethical and social responsibility
• Volunteer in an area where your natural strengths shine
• Be a dependable and kind neighbor
• Practice safe and respectful driving
• Speak truthfully and live authentically in your relationships
• Spend quiet time in reflection, prayer, or meditation
• Cultivate gratitude, compassion, gentleness, and unconditional kindness

The return on these small acts is rarely financial but profoundly human.

You may find better emotional balance, deeper relationships, improved mental clarity, and a quieter sense of purpose. Success begins to feel less like a race and more like a rhythm.

I am genuinely curious about your experience. What rewards have you noticed when you make space for kindness, rest, or generosity in your week? I would love to hear your thoughts.

The post Work 100 Hours a week appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Amarilla Nirmala is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Whizz of WeDO5, based in Vienna, Austria. WeDO5 believes in the power of women, especially women who want to make a difference. The focus is on female-led impact start-ups, that not only create businesses that make money but also push the status quo to be more ethical, transparent, and create equal opportunities. They support female entrepreneurs, who are driven to establish long-term business solutions.

WeDO5 contributes to the value chain in the start-up ecosystem through community building. They are the first yes for early-stage Startup-founders and offer support from idea generation to conception until growth and internationalization.

Amarilla has years of experience in executing and developing marketing strategies in the UK and Dubai. I am a big believer in start-ups. It is small businesses that are the growth engine of the economy and that create jobs. I talk to Amy about her life in Vienna and what she wants her legacy to be with female entrepreneurs.

Amy welcome, I want to know a little about you?

Hi, I am Amy; I am an Indonesian living in Austria. I have lived in 4 different countries in the past 12 years. I have 2 kids, and currently am a social entrepreneur. I have several businesses that focus on giving back to the community as a business model. I love cooking, gardening, paddling, and in my spare time, I love to play a tourist in my own city.

Talk to me about your social entrepreneurship and what WeDO5 is all about?

WeDO5 is the new name of KulturenReich (German words for Culturally Rich). We started as a social initiative focusing on immigrant women and Austrian women with migrant backgrounds. Austria is a rich country. Vienna has won the #1 city with the best living quality for several years in a row. However, for many foreigners, they find difficulties in starting their professional life again upon residing in the city. Most of them spend years to fully integrate, mostly because of language capability, and tight competition.

KulturenReich focused on empowering foreign-born women to be professionally successful and financially independent, through various activities such as workshops, focus groups,  and on the job training.

In 2020 we changed our name from KulturenReich to WeDO5, the number 5 stands for the fifth point of SDG by the UN, gender equality. We are now focusing on women impact entrepreneurs, those who aren’t only making money but also giving back to the community.

Help me understand mental health and your group Sahabat Jiwa?

Sahabat Jiwa (means soulmate in Indonesian), is a project that basically started in 2013 by my partner Anya. In 2019 I joined the organization as I believe I need also to give back to Indonesia, my home country. Mental health is a sensitive issue where people with problems receive stigma and often they also don’t realize they have issues. We provide literacy about it, and free consultation for young adult Indonesian people with mostly SES C- and below. The consultants are professionals with license, so even though free of charge but it is reliable. However, we do not accept life-threatening or emergency cases.

I want to know a little about the city you live in, the food and the culture?

I’ve been living (again) in Vienna since 2017. I came here in 2011, but moved to different countries in 2013, came back here in the middle of 2017, and found out the city has been changing quite fast!

Vienna is a classical city with beautiful landmarks and parks everywhere. The size isn’t big but very convenient as many things are easily reachable by public transportation.

What I like about the food here is that we have high standards, from eggs till meat, vegetables till desserts!

We try to buy our food from organic farms, and meat from local Austria as it provides certain standards and quality. We are quite concerned about where we get our food from. Things like how the animals slaughtered, how the chicken that produces eggs, what kind of banana we have, how sustainable the honey is, etc. And I must say that many people here are also thinking the same.

What does women empowerment mean to you and how is the modern Indonesian woman different from a few decades ago?

When people think about Indonesia, they think about the exotic paradise Bali, and it is a Muslim country. The fact is, Indonesia has the biggest Muslim population, but we aren’t a Muslim country. Since I was a child, I grew up reading some powerful and inspiring Indonesian women, such as Christina Martha Tiahahu from Moluccas province, or Cut Nyak Dien from Aceh province who bravely led an army to fight colonialism.

My mother, she was also a career woman, independent but also a loving mother. She worked in a British bank with high responsibility, oftentimes she came home late. But in the morning she was the first who wakes up, prepared stuff for my father and us, the kids. She didn’t have a me-time at all, because she spent her time caring for others.

This isn’t bad but she should have taken good care of her life too! So if we are talking about empowerment in Indonesia, it isn’t about women not getting an education or being forced to marry at a young age (although this is also still some cases in several provinces), but moreover about less judgment to women. Let them choose what they feel right. We still expect women to perfectly manage all aspects of their lives. People still expect women to do everything from cleaning the house and raising the child. Household responsibility needs to be shared. People need to be less judgmental to women who are still single.

Tell me a little about your role as a mentor in micro-entrepreneurs?

Currently, I am also active in Micro Mentor; I am giving free mentorship for micro-entrepreneurs in Indonesia.

My current mentee is an Elementary school teacher who produces brown sugar with low glycemic as an alternative for diabetes people.
I am giving guidance on how he should market his product, from marketing strategy to basic branding knowledge. We have 12 sessions, 1.5 hours per week.

You have a Masters in Design & Brand Management. Are you using it presently?

Yes! It has helped me helping female entrepreneurs market themselves.

How has social media changed your country and life in general?

My private Instagram is basically about things I find amusing. It can be a beautiful pic of Vienna, my plants, everything.

But currently, I am using Quora Indonesia to also share my knowledge about branding and marketing, giving advice and some simple steps about career and education. I believe social media is a powerful tool we can utilize for anything. Selling your products? Creating your professional persona? Building your company’s image? Or getting your 15-minute fame as Andy Warhol said last time.

It all depends on us; we just need to be careful about what kind of image we’d like to be remembered.

For me, my focus in life is about legacy. Surely I won’t win a Nobel prize, but I still can help some women who start their small business, I still can inspire young Indonesian people to decide their career path better, and also making good memories with my kids

The post Empowering Female Entrepreneurs appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

In a world where attention is the new currency, your personal brand has become one of your most powerful assets. Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, building a business, or simply navigating an increasingly digital world, the way you present yourself shapes the opportunities that come your way. Branding is no longer just for companies with big budgets and marketing teams — it’s for anyone who wants to stand out, be remembered, and create meaningful impact.

Today, you are the product, the message, and the experience. Every interaction — online or offline — contributes to the story others tell about you. This is why mastering your personal brand isn’t optional; it’s essential. From your values and strengths to your presence and reputation, everything communicates. The question is: Are you shaping that message intentionally, or letting others define it for you?

This post dives into the heart of personal branding and shows you how to build a brand that is clear, authentic, and compelling. A brand that opens doors.

All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEO’s of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You – Tom Peters

Personal branding is about managing your name — even if you don’t own a business — in a world of misinformation, disinformation, and semi-permanent Google records. Going on a date? Chances are that your “blind” date has Googled your name. Going to a job interview? Ditto – Tim Ferriss

You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well – Jeff Bezos

If you want to fly the best airlines in the world then try Emirates or Qatar Airways. If you want to wear the best watches in the world then buy a Rolex Submariner, Omega Speed Master, or an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Italy, France, and Mexico are the best countries to visit if you want to experience great food. Everything is a brand in itself.

Identify your strengths

Therefore, if you want to thrive in 2026 and get a job then you must sell yourself and build a brand.

You are the brand and the most valuable intangible asset. You need to see yourself as cherished, lucrative, and luxuriant. As a person you can have a huge impact by being authentic, real, vulnerable, and transparent. You have the distinction to impact the purchasing behavior of the consumer. You represent your beliefs and values. After that you have customers, followers, and clients who give you power. In other words, you are acceptable and recognizable.

Your principles need to be clarity, visibility, continuity, authenticity, and consistency. As a brand you need to have some competitive advantages. Your strategy has to be aligned with your goals, values, vision, and mission statement.

Look at your resume what are your skills, accomplishments and why do you want to pursue a career in this specific industry. Make sure your resume is engaging and wants the interviewer to be interested.

Develop your brand

In addition, the significant facets of the brand are name, slogan, and stories. As a brand you need to create an identity that promotes your principles, purpose, and ambition. The aspect of human characteristics associated with a brand is its personality.  Your personality is the main differentiator as it builds an emotional connection with another human being.

Work on a branding statement on Linkedin and Twitter. Is your online presence aligned with your goals, values and does it reflect you as the person? The resume, cover letter, and your online presence is a business card.

Dress professionally

Most people make an impression in the first ten seconds. When you go to buy a product, we always want to buy what looks attractive. The packaging is important. Dress appropriately and professionally for what the job requires.

Tell me a little about you

Make sure you have an elevator pitch to talk about you, your accomplishments, and what you can do for the company.

Birds of a feather hang together

Just like an organization targets its potential audience, you need to target your potential companies. Make a list of companies you want to work for. Call the person responsible for hiring. Tell them you want an informational interview. Tell them how you can solve their problems.

Here is my challenge for you for 2026. Go ahead and build a brand for your self.

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