Monday, January 19

Thriving

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Business, Thriving

Growing Your Business: Top Tips for a Successful Strategy – Monica Bradley

Monica Bradley is a multiple-award winning mortgage broker and the founder of Cheam-based firm, MB Associates. Monica took the brave step to go self-employed at the age of 21 and has never looked back. She shares her top tips for setting a business strategy and taking risks that pay off. I’m often asked how I first decided on a strategy for my business. I used a simple method. I had a clear idea of where I wanted to be and worked my way back from there, mapping out the steps I’d need to take to achieve my goal. I’ve been self-employed for a long time. I took a leap of faith at the age of 21 and decided to go for it as I didn’t want to work for anyone else. Over the years, I’ve grown my company by recruiting more talent into the business and hiring people who share the same values...
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Gabrielle Shaw On Strategies She Used to Grow Her Business into an Award-winning Agency

Gabrielle Shaw set up her firm to focus on reputation management for brands in 1997. Her award-winning agency has since worked closely with clients, often as lead global comms adviser, for boards, private family offices and entrepreneurs. Innovation is crucial, she says, as is insight into true business value and global consumer temperament. ‘We are at a crossroads where most of our clients are re-thinking what is important and what legacy they will leave,' she says. Gabrielle Shaw Communications helps luxury companies grow, scale and position themselves as innovative global thought leaders through its proprietary Brand Desire Framework. Coming out of lockdown, the agency has significantly grown its fashion, tech, wellness and sustainability practices and its established luxury p...
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Turia Pritt’s Story of Hope

In 2011, I was a mining engineer, living my dream life in the Australian outback. Then, while competing in a 100km ultra-marathon, I was caught in a grassfire. (more…)
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Neferteri Plessy On Being a Stellar Woman, Winning and Bringing Others Along

Who is Neferteri Plessy?  I'm on a mission to create a safe space for women's voices to be heard.  You were born in New Orleans, Louisiana and grew up in Oakland, California. How was it growing up there?  Growing up in Oakland was one of the biggest lessons of my life. Being able to create a path for myself, learning about my culture and growing up in the tech space was a magical time to be young and free.   And how did that experience shape the woman you are now?  Having an upbringing in New Orleans and Oakland was the best of both worlds. Having a community of family around me, mixed with grit has shaped me into the woman I am today. What was your childhood dream career?  I wanted to be a lawyer. As funny as it sounds! Is it conn...
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Nike Anani On Life, Work, Success and Thriving

Nike Anani is an entrepreneur and a Consultant. She was rated as a top-100 Family Business Consultant globally. She helps her clients bridge the gap between the senior and younger generations. As a result, they communicate, collaborate and collectively gain clarity, to increase profit and productivity in their family businesses. Nike works privately with select business families. Nike’s clients choose to engage her, not only because of her extensive professional training, bput also because of her practical extensive experience (over a decade) as both a business founder and a NextGen. This allows her to uniquely empathise with both generations and act as a connector. She talked to Stellar Woman Magazine about life, work and thriving. Listen below. (more…)
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The Martha Stewart Story: How I Became a Household Name

By Martha Stewart Martha shares how she turned her passion for all aspects of everyday living -- cooking, gardening, entertaining, decorating, collecting, and crafting -- into a thriving business empire that has made her a household name around the world. When I'm asked how and when I knew I would build a very strong and influential brand, I always say that it just “happened.” It happened, but not without years of hard work and dedication, not without constant retooling of my peculiar and intense self-education in all things that pique my curiosity, and not without complete immersion in the idea of home and the vast subject of what I call “living.” Having a formal education was extremely important when I was starting out. Even if one had no specific career path, a colleg...
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Lupita Nyong’o on Strength, Success and Feeding Her Soul

Long before Lupita Nyong’o won an Oscar for her first major movie role (Patsey in 12 Years a Slave) and graced the covers of Vogue, Marie Claire and People, she was a 16-year-old from Kenya moving halfway around the world by herself to study in Mexico, where her parents lived when she was born. She says she was “excited but mainly terrified.” But she set off with courage, which is not to be mistaken for fearlessness. “Courage is acknowledging fear and taking action in spite of it,” Nyong’o says. Strength in Experience Knowing that she could always go back home “to loving, accepting arms” helped Nyong’o make that big move. It was just the first of many brave acts, the starting steps on a path that would lead her to a success where she is known as much for her smart...
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How I Became Nadiya Hussain

I was the little curly haired girl who would sit in defiance when all the other kids in class would talk about how to wreak havoc with the supply teacher. I would sit and hide under my curly hair and say ‘no’. Not much has changed since then; I still have a habit of saying no, but mostly to my long suffering dad. But a lot has changed too… I have since had 3 of my own children who, not too dissimilar to my 10 year old self, all know their minds very well. So when I complain to my dad that the kids don’t listen, he looks at me with eyes that read ‘karma my dear’. I was born in Luton in 1984, on Christmas Day. That was my claim to fame when I was younger. My eyes lit up when someone asked ‘when is your birthday?’ the answer at the tip of my tongue. Doesn’t have the same effect anymo...
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Tara Geraghty on Why Goal Setting Should be Tied to Confidence Building and not just Productivity

Tara Geraghty  has spent over 24+ years in leadership development leading a team of women across the nation. She holds a degree in theatre, has a background in improvisation and is both Counselling Practitioner and REBT certified.  She is the founder of Hey Girl, You Can a community of 39,000+ women from around the world. Tara is a sought after Top 5 TEDx speaker, a TEDx Play Series Performer, the Author of Making Cancer Fun: A Parent's Guide (Amazon #1 New Release), and has been featured on MSNBC, GMA, 5280 & Reader’s Digest to name a few. She is a contributing author on Every Entrepreneur’s Guide to Running your Own Business, a contributor to Conquer Magazine: The Patient’s Voice, and can be heard on podcasts worldwide.  Tara lives in NJ with her miracle...
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Steph Shinabery On The Reward of Following Your True Passion

What was your childhood dream career? Are you doing that today? Not exactly, but I can see things I loved then;  like art, freedom, performing and teaching in what I am doing today. If I could insert laugh emojis here - I would. I know at one point I wanted to be a park ranger for the United States Forest Service. I loved the idea of the (more…)
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Quiin Abenakyo, The African Beauty Queen Making a Difference

Quiin Abenakyo is the pageant holder for Miss Uganda 2018 and Miss World Africa 2018, an achievement that made her the first Ugandan to place this high in the annual global pageant. During the Miss World competition, her Beauty with a Purpose project pitch “Fighting Teenage pregnancies and child marriages' ' made her one of the winners of the head to head challenge. Following her passion to address women and girls issues, she Founded the Quiin Abenakyo Foundation. Quiin also took part in the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) “Live your dream” Campaign project addressing Gender Based Violence, child marriage and teenage pregnancies in Adjumani, Gulu, Mayuge, Yumbe and Moyo. She has further participated in a number of panel discussions such as Africa Now, CommonWealth Parliamentary C...
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Sharon Lechter On The Importance of Adding Value and Playing ‘Big’

Sharon L. Lechter is an American entrepreneur, International speaker, best-selling author, mentor, philanthropist, licensed CPA for 35 years and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. She is the co-author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, and the founder and CEO of Pay Your Family First, a financial education organization. She talks to Stellar Woman Magazine about success, failure and finding her true calling in this 3000-word article, tapping into her decades long experience of making things happen. Who is Sharon Lechter? I am your mentor, your guide, your shoulder to cry on, your celebration partner, and your proudest cheerleader. What is your purpose in life?  My life is dedicated to providing the tools and guidance for anyone wanting to elevate his or her financial well-bei...
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Marie Oldfield On Being a Leader in The Artificial Intelligence Industry and Why It’s Time for Women to Take Their Place in It

Who is Marie Oldfield? Marie (CStat, CSci, PStat, FIScT) is the CEO of Oldfield Consultancy and Kuinua Coaching.Marie is an Entrepreneur, Public Speaker and Fellow of the Institute of Science and Technology. With two businesses, a podcast and published papers, Marie manages a packed diary on a day to day basis. She is a sought after global leader in her field; experienced in leading large global analytics teams to drive and transform strategic insights and decision making for Defence, Governments and the Private Sector. Marie works at the forefront of Ethical AI, driving improvement, and development. Marie is an established global speaker, sharing her stories and experiences of Statistics, AI and Defence. Marie has been called upon to validate degrees and provide input to industrial Uni...
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“I was too busy being a lawyer to think about writing as a career option. Now I’m Living my Best Life as a Children’s Book Writer” – Joanne Hurley

Who is Joanne Hurley? I have been a  business and entertainment attorney in Chicago for over forty years. Recently, I started writing  children’s books. I write first chapter books for kids aged 6 – 11 under the name Joanna Hurley. The stories are wacky and imaginative and weave together real-life situations that kids face with fantasy.  How was it growing up in the 50’s?       I grew up in a small town in Michigan in the 1950’s. My town was an idyllic place to grow up. Parents taught kids to ride their bikes with training wheels on. The block was filled with kids. We would literally swarm the block,  racing our bikes, playing tic tac toe, jumping rope, and playing dress up.  We were all different. We were from small  ...
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Susan Nsibirwa On Why It’s Important to ask Yourself “Why” Before Making That Move

Susan Nsibirwa is a Ugandan communication professional with close to 30 years’ experience in advertising, marketing and media management, having worked with some of the top corporations in East Africa. She has since ventured into entrepreneurship, co-founding Urge Uganda, a full service marketing and advertising agency that supports start-ups and small businesses. She opens up to Stellar Woman Magazine about her many passions. Who is Susan Nsibirwa?  Susan is a passionate learner of life. I think I've evolved over the years, but right now, I’d call myself a passionate learner of life. Newly into business. My entire career has been around advertising, communications and marketing, but I just have a passion and a zest for life, for brands and for people. Those three pillars; lif...
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Mildred Talabi On Why You Need To Be Visible Online

Mildred Talabi believes everyone (especially women) needs to be visible online. With statistics showing that 4.566 billion people are currently online, it's becoming even harder to put yourself out there and be seen. However, Talabi considers this an opportunity because more people active online means more chances of attracting paying clients. The UK-based Linkedin visibility coach leverages her experience as a journalist and publicist to teach businesswomen how to build their personal and professional brands online. She had a zoom call with Stellar Woman Magazine to talk about how she became the visiblity coach of reason. Watch below. https://youtu.be/Nhw2ER7Tgg8
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Lisa Rueff On Living and Serving from The Heart

Lisa Rueff is the CEO/Founder of YogaVentures, a humanitarian company that provides participants the opportunity to embark on meaningful yoga volunteer retreats worldwide. She’s raised over a million dollars for global causes, focusing on sustainable solutions for women and children. She loves creating ways to inspire and empower people to live with passion and purpose. She talks to Stellar Woman Magazine on how she she found her purpose and passion. Who is Lisa Rueff? I am a heart centered leader on a mission to spread love globally. What is your mission on earth? I love empowering people to discover self-love, living a legacy of life of their dreams and contribution to the world. You’re a  multi –faceted entreprenuer – Founder of Collective Hearts, Sparked, Founder of...
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Dr. Manna Hagos, The Eritrean-American Physician Who is Passionate About Transforming Lives

Dr. Manna Hagos is a medical Doctor, author, health & wellness consultant and engaging speaker. But, as you'll learn from this chat with Stellar Woman Magazine, she's mostly about transforming lives. Who is Manna Hagos? A woman, a doctor, a leader, a mentor and friend Have you always wanted to become a physician? No, I was initially fascinated by oceanography, geology, and astronomy. I saw a human brain for the first time in elementary school as part of a ‘Science Discovery Day’ session; it was then when I realized that the human body was the most exciting and complex entity I could study. How do you start your day? Do you have a morning routine? The routine is flexible depending on what projects I’m working on. I start the day thanking God that I’m alive and wel...
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“Don’t spend a month more than needed in a role that doesn’t make you happy” – Zara Cane on Her Career Lessons

Zara Cane is the Head of Marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment Italia. The renowned marketer has had successful stints at Costa Coffee and Vodafone overseeing successful marketing campaigns. She tells Stellar Woman Magazine why you don't need to spend one more month in a role you don't enjoy doing. You have had such a rich career path. First starting off in customer experience with Levi Strauss & co. What was your first work experience like? What did you learn from it?  ​I had a lot of experience in retail, working for years in customer facing jobs in stores and the service industry. This experience was vital to my first few roles at head office level in marketing - learning how operations actually work, to be customer focussed, and what store teams need to do to...
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Ironman Jo D Livingston On Making Her Second Chance at Life Meaningful

How would you describe Jo D Livingston?     I am a kind-hearted fiercely feminine woman. I am very girly, but I am strong and I stand up for what I love and believe in. What was your childhood like?  I grew up in Vermont, a very small town.  It was a great place to grow up. When we were kids we loved playing in the woods.  We created a whole “palace” from the rock formations. It was pretty magical. You got a second chance at life after getting a liver transplant. Tell us about this 'life changing' experience?  Having an organ transplant from a deceased donor is pretty overwhelming.  That someone chose to become an organ donor saved my life. In a family’s saddest moments, losing their loved one, they chose to honor this wish. It is...
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