BEST-IN-CLASS

Oksana Kolesnikova

Oksana Kolesnikova

Oksana Kolesnikova The world is full of talent and musical ability. We all need to follow our own paths, and if we’re true to ourselves, we can walk it with confidence. Oksana Kolesnikova has always followed her passions, which is why her life is full of meaning and purpose.  Oksana, A Russian-born American, is a renowned pianist, composer, public speaker, and child educator who is widely admired for making a big difference in the lives of many people & organizations. She is a powerful and determined woman who deals with life, love, and business with a positive mentality and a sense of humor. Her journey began when she moved to Kazakhstan from Russia at the age of 7 and started learning classical piano in a music school. With a long and illustrious career in music, she has performed throughout the world and won several awards for her excellence as a pianist and composer.  This inspirational woman is now the Founder & CEO of three well-established businesses, namely Oksana Management Group, Inc, Oksana Franchising International, and Oksana Foundation. A woman with a big heart, Oksana Kolesnikova is a hopeful and confident role model that every business should be proud of. With a positive and upbeat outlook, she is sure to bring the power of womanhood to the world. Inception story – Pianist Turned Entrepreneur  A sense of purpose, a pursuit of curiosity, and a chance to make a meaningful mark on the world are what Oksana Kolesnikova lives for. As a shy child, she used to have trouble expressing herself. Oksana saw the magic happening right when she discovered her love for the piano. Thanks to her supportive parents who introduced her to this form of art. Born in Siberia, Russia, she got enrolled in a music school when she moved to Kazakhstan. Then, in her teens, Oksana moved to the US where she grasped a treasure trove of opportunities while pursuing her music training. Soon after, she bagged a scholarship in the Florida State Young Artists Symposium Competition which gave her a blissful chance to first study at Saint Petersburg College (Florida), and later at Florida State University. Definitely a pleasant turning point in her life, in 1999 Oksana met her husband-to-be, Alex, at his birthday party before attending FSU. They were married in 2000 and he became her career manager. In 2006, the duo moved to LA. This award-winning artist started her journey after graduation as a performing artist across Florida. Having repeatedly played piano, her fan base began to grow immensely and it indeed led to a palpable surge in her confidence. But she did not stop there! Her drive to achieve the best made her land a prestigious position as an in-house pianist at the legendary Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills Hotel. Oksana remembers, “It was a good learning curve for me as I performed there daily to the world-famous movie stars, celebrities, world leaders and famous entrepreneurs, people that I only used to see on TV, growing up in Russia.”  As time slipped by, she became a marvelous mother to her son, Alessandro, in 2009. Although a perfect way to restore love & sanity, that phase came with a nice bundle of changes in her career as she couldn’t travel as a performer any longer. As a highly experienced professional musician, she went ahead and explored a whole host of possibilities. “I am grateful to the 7 years playing experience at the Polo Lounge. I started to build my private studio of piano students, many of whom were celebrities and their kids that I met at my glamorous gig,” Oksana adds. Later, she also opened Oksana School of Music, where she hired other instructors to teach diverse instruments alongside her. Little did she know the destiny was all prepared to feed her entrepreneurial spirit. After hustling constantly, Oksana opened her first company: Oksana Management Group, Inc. Luckily, the idea of her business model blossomed into a success. She states, “OMG focused on including not only music services, but also foreign languages, academic tutoring, Art, Acting/Drama, Chess, Financial Literacy for children and teens, and many other after school enrichment programs that are now offered not only to private clients but also to the schools (public, private, charter), school districts, municipalities and counties as well as online customers.” After soaking up the appreciation, this charismatic female entrepreneur decided to franchise her company in 2019 and that’s when her second company Oksana Franchising International was born. With a proven track record in the industry, her company is proud to offer franchising opportunities designed for entrepreneurs who want to get into the rewarding field of education. Besides, Oksana Franchising International is committed to the growth and success of its franchisees and the communities they serve. In 2020, Oksana Kolesnikova opened her 3 rd company Oksana Foundation, which is a non-profit organization with a big mission. “I had a dream of having my own foundation for many years. As an artist, I used to perform at numerous fundraisers and charities events for many years, and I always dreamed to have one of my own foundation one day. I have received overwhelming support from our donors and sponsors who joined our mission to make this world a better place,” Oksana includes. The foundation is created with an aim to spread the message of hope and offer positive, creative outlets that will give children a sense of purpose. Since its opening, it has provided extracurricular educational opportunities to countless underprivileged children, free of charge. Apart from this, Oksana and her team have dedicated their time, energy, and resources to help kids who have been affected by the recent global pandemic.  The world has been captivated by Oksana’s talent and perseverance to pursue dreams, without the shadow of a doubt. Her indomitable spirit towards life inspires millions of women to hustle each day and every day!   An Exceptional Example of the American Dream  There is no denying the fact that millions of gifted and talented people don’t get

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Marie Alexander

Marie Alexander

Marie Alexander PR, Advertising & Marketing Maven Marie Alexander: Owning Her Power   As movies make actors movie stars, the glitzy world of social media makes public figures influencers.   Today, there is no doubt that the term “influencer” is more than just a buzzword. It is a title given to creators or public figures who have a popular agency or a huge following or fan base. These influencers mark their presence by finding their audience, meeting their needs, and creating highly relatable and authentic niche-specific content.   The stakes are high when an influencer or creator becomes a brand. Developing a holistic communications strategy starts with building brand awareness, maintaining one’s reputation, grabbing audiences’ attention, building trust, and more. There is no end to the process and its activities. Nevertheless, no brand can take these measures for granted, which is where the PR agencies step in.    A creator and influencer must see things from a broader perspective. PR agencies are perfect partners acting as meditators between the brands and their audiences. Their understanding of situations allows them to respond promptly and appropriately. Millions of PR agencies operate around the world today, but only a handful manage to establish themselves in a way that is driven, passionate, and forward-thinking.   With her vast experience and expertise, legendary and futuristic leader, Marie Alexander, the Founder of Alexander PR Group is disrupting the market of Digital Marketing and PR agencies.   Alexander PR Group (APRG) is an award-winning, world-class PR, marketing, advertising, and public relations agency with one of the world’s largest and most innovative digital marketing campaigns.    Marie is a trendsetting creative director, model, and advertising expert with 18 years of experience in the business, lifestyle, and luxury sectors. She has worked with leading businesses all over the world, including Fortune 500 companies.    Besides being an entrepreneur, she is also a triathlete and an expert in finance. Through her patience, nurturance, endless stamina, and long-term vision, she continues to lead the advertising, marketing, and PR industries.   APRG’s CEO talks about her company, how it became one of the top PR and marketing agencies, and its exciting future in this interview. In addition, she describes her professional journey, her accolades, mantra, motivating source, and more.   Providing us with a glimpse into the PR industry, she discusses trends, obstacles, and her own in-house strategy. Overall, there is a holistic perspective in the interview, and Marie has answered the questions beautifully.   ·        As a Digital Marketing & PR Champion, you have a stellar reputation in the industry. Was this where you expected to end up when you began your journey? How did this success happen?   I have worked with 10,000 professionals over the last 18 years, and directed 13,000 creatives. My last 167 PR campaigns and events have been viewed by millions, especially after I won 12 global PR awards. Hard work and meticulous planning are the keys to success.   ·        APRG is a leading PR and marketing agency. You have achieved global awards and client success. What is your leadership style?   In terms of digital marketing, advertising, and global PR, APRG is one of the top 10 agencies in the world. A variety of influences, including travel, books, movies, and history, inform my original ideas. I am fortunate that so many of them have become trend-worthy and memorable. In my role as a leader, I motivate and inspire everyone to become the best version of themselves.   ·        What are you working on at the moment, and could you tell our readers about an exciting milestone you’ve reached?   As a triathlete, I have worked with medical professionals for more than three years. APRG represents leading surgeons, specialists, and manufacturers of medical devices. Personal health and wellness are of utmost importance. I am constantly urging my friends to take better care of their health. Health is wealth.   ·        When it comes to achievements and recognition, what makes you stand out?   I strive for perfection as a person and experienced professional. Being an ENFJ-A protagonist, a Piscean with a Virgo moon sign, and a triathlete makes me one of the most trustworthy people. I am also known for my ability to work long hours and commitment to a company or brand. It’s been said that I exude extreme order, structure, cleanliness, and perfection. My warmth, engaging personality, charisma, and talkativeness are typical of an ENFJ-A. According to Google, the ENFJ-A personality type is the most powerful. This group is said to possess the strongest people skills and excel in social situations, both online and in person.   ·        What are the latest PR trends shaping the industry?   An organisation’s brand and image are shaped by a PR specialist. Buyers will continue to place an emphasis on social consciousness in 2023, making it essential to find media opportunities that are quality-driven rather than quantity-driven. The importance of digital visibility and presence will be equal to that of physical ones. Alexander PR Group strives to provide our partners with effective opportunities to meet these market demands.   ·       In addition to its many accomplishments, APRG is affiliated with many prominent athletes and celebrities. What obstacles did you have to overcome to get APRG to where it is now?   It was a chance encounter that led me to it. Several serial entrepreneurs believed in me. I am thankful for all the opportunities I have been given. My goal is to serve as many clients as possible worldwide. I believe the universe is guiding me.   ·        How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?   Before and during Covid, we digitalized all our work, reached huge numbers in one PR campaign, and won the Best Digital PR Agency award at the World Association Communication Forum Davos Awards in Switzerland. I didn’t expect to be fully digitalized so quickly. Nevertheless, I started the influencer trend three years before it became popular.    ·        Each of us has a

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Nikita Sachdev

Nikita Sachdev

Nikita Sachdev, Founder and CEO of LUNA PR Success and Hard work are Wonderfully Infectious It is no secret that everyone desires to be successful. And it is not only those who are born with a silver spoon but also those who want to improve their lives and live a more fulfilling one. This kind of determination is one of the most important abilities that we can have in order to achieve what we want. Nikita Sachdev, an Indian-American businesswoman, is an angel investor who is an inspiration to many. In 2017, she found her passion in the Crypto and Blockchain space. Soon after, this female entrepreneur launched her own marketing agency, Luna PR, headquartered in Dubai. She used the power of visualization which worked wonders for her career. Initially, Nikita was fascinated by a variety of industries. But after exploring, she found what she was meant for. She has hustled 18 hours a day and worked for weeks without taking a break. Many people judged her working for so many hours and called it just a phase that will pass. But they did not know the rewards of being successful. The CEO of Luna PR is undeniably an example of how one can make it to the top, despite challenges.  Her Inception Story We are told from childhood to be a doctor, an engineer, or a lawyer. After getting a degree, we begin choosing a suitable career path to succeed in life. However, only half of the youngsters discover what they want to pursue and Nikita Sachdev is one of them!    In 2015, after graduating with a dual major degree in business & environmental science, she wanted to feed her entrepreneurial spirit. As she was already modeling full-time back then and soon after started her own modeling agency, she knew she had something to fall back on in case the venture didn’t work out. Nikita launched Luna Management, a talent management agency and production house, with her partner. It became a success and grew rapidly in no time. They started venturing into production and expanded their database to over 1000 talents. It became a glorious and important milestone in her life.  In 2017, an exciting project came up where she was asked to be the spokesperson. The script seemed like an entirely different language – cryptocurrencies, blockchain, ICO’s and whatnot. “When I asked the CEO of that company what we were talking about he told me that if I had bought $100 of Bitcoin in 2009, I would’ve been a millionaire today. At the time bitcoin was 3,000 USD. It wasn’t an investment size I would have made, but what piqued my interest was that I didn’t need to invest the whole ticket size, I was able to invest whatever fraction I was comfortable with,” says Nikita.  After developing a sense of curiosity in this area, she researched for days about the crypto space and began investing $100/week. As the price of bitcoin shot up to 19k, Sachdev saw a surge in her interest and a whole host of possibilities. A potential game-changer was a video that she consequently made about how Bitcoin would disrupt the monetary industry and to her surprise, it became viral among a large number of followers on social media. Luckily, it landed in the hands of Huobi exchange, a unicorn crypto exchange today, and Nikita became the host of their talk show. This brought her huge recognition in the space and Nikita started working alongside some of the largest fintech companies as an advisor and public speaker. After getting a lifetime of experience from renowned projects in the space, In 2020, she decided to sell her shares in Luna Management to her cofounder, and focus on growing Luna PR.  Nikita feels pleased to share that her agency consists of a female-led management team – a rare scenario in the blockchain industry. Although she had no formal knowledge of this field, she knew this was her forte and followed her passion. Sachdev is a firm believer of the fact that every experience brings with it a whole array of teachings that we should try our best to grow and learn from.  Her Vision & Goals – Dreaming Big!  Nikita Sachdev has learned from her experience the importance of not limiting oneself. Anything can be achieved with hard work and manifestation. She mentioned how she created an opportunity where women from all walks of life are welcomed to dive deep into an industry where they are not usually given an opportunity or exposure. Her company is also empowering them, not only from the knowledge of Blockchain but knowledge of how to invest in this ever-growing technology. Newcomers at Luna PR get a golden opportunity to learn more about blockchain and investments, which often leads them to financial security. Sachdev is one of the few women entrepreneurs breaking stereotypes and building a name for herself in the blockchain space.  “Luna PR is more than just PR, marketing, and advisory. It’s a statement of empowerment. We strive to make people independent through investing in crypto,” she says. While Nikita was always intrigued by cryptocurrency, the driving force was Blockchain, the technology behind it. Right after discovering her passion, she began to travel around the globe, speaking at universities and conferences, including Oxford University. Nikita adds, “Blockchain is very empowering in the sense that it can provide people with their own right to hold their identities and money while making this world a more transparent place to live.” She looks forward to putting Luna Foundation in motion, where her company will educate underprivileged women  Adding further to her future plans, this self-made businesswoman is fully motivated to expand the firm globally by introducing Luna VC, their venture capital, hosting large-scale events, and launching their own fintech publication. Nikita has the vision to popularize the concept of Blockchain and contribute to crypto mass adoption.  Remarkable Achievements – Touching the Sky Luna PR’s rewards are enough to speak for themselves. “The best

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Santosh Kumar Guptha

Santosh Kumar Guptha

Dr. Santosh Kumar Guptha   Medical Coding and Health Information Management   MEDESUN Medical Coding Academy     “There are more than 1,50,000 Medical codes for Diagnoses, Procedues, Drugs and Suppplies. There is not a single billing code for patient adherence or improvement, or for helping them stay well.” This profound and thought-provoking quote by Clayton Christensen points out the visible flaws in the healthcare system. Despite being the most important to the well-being of a nation, the field of medicine has many areas in which it is still lacking to date. However, Dr. Santosh Kumar Guptha is looking to change this reputation with the help of technology and Medical Coding. Most of the tech entrepreneurs who are associated with the field of medicine tend to specialize in computing and information technology which allows them to seamlessly make new equipment that they may think is suitable for the hospitals. With Dr. Santosh, things are different as he is one of the few innovators who are not just well-versed in medical coding but is also a professional doctor with over 18 years of experience. Emblem of Model Leadership Dr. Santosh Kumar began his venture at MEDESUN Medical Coding Academy in 2009 and has been able to train over 12,000 coders globally and certify them. The academy has a stellar placement rate as well. The majority of the coders have ended up becoming valuable assets to the top multinational companies across the globe. Dr. Santosh Kumar was always intrigued by the teaching profession; however, he is an overachiever, a man with immense talent, and an even better work ethic. To him, diversification is the way of life. This is why after his stint as a successful doctor, he learned medical coding in the USA and got his certification in 2004 from AAPC, USA. During his studies and after their completion, Dr. Santosh came across the imminent demand for medical coders who were talented and passionate about their job. This prompted him to learn and understand the global Medical Coding system and all the specialities that were there available to gain an in-depth understanding and to spread the knowledge amongst other up-and-coming coders. Subsequently, he went on to earn 43 International Certifications in Medical Coding and Health Information Management and he was certified in the USA Medical Coding System and the Australian Medical Coding System respectively. In 2009, he went on to earn the necessary qualifications for a trainer such as AHIMA, USA ICD-10-CM, and PCS becoming an approved trainer. The Hat of the Medical Coder What does a medical coder do? Dr. Santosh Kumar breaks it down for us and explains the duty of a coder in this field through a practical example. Consider yourself to be a patient and you consult a doctor in the USA, when you visit a doctor in the country, you will usually meet the nurses and administrators responsible for handling the appointment schedules. Due to this, the stigma is that only nurses and doctors make up the medical industry. While they do form the majority of it, many people are working behind the scenes to assist customers in finding out important information such as the status of their discharge as well as admission process and the cost incurred during treatment, breaking down the costs in a manner that the customer can understand them, and similar information. While processing such data, English is not the language used for processing. It is the universal alphanumeric language that is exclusively developed for this purpose that is used for medical diagnoses, procedures, drugs and medical supplies. Medical Coding requires special knowledge of this language and plays a big part in the insurance and medical industries. Medical Coders are experts that act as translators. They take the medical records available of the patient that the practitioner sends as a summarized version and then translate them to universal codes that insurance companies have. They assist the insurer to analyze data from the patient’s medical health records and convert them to the industry standard code. The code is of paramount importance as it is standard globally which means practitioners and the way they treat patients may be different and subjective in two countries such as the USA and India but due to the work of a medical coder, a doctor in India can understand what a doctor in the USA diagnosed the patient with and the course of treatment they have been undergone subsequently and vice versa. Another advantage of these codes is that they fast-track the process of getting insurance claims. The code can also serve as an integral tool that is utilized to collect statistics and information about a particular disease, the treatment available and the general treatment prescribed, the medicines available, and so on. Medical Coding requires a special skill set of being able to read and write in alphanumeric codes, it involves the translation of medical reports into universal small alphanumeric codes used in the healthcare industry. The role that coders play has been recognized over the years and today, it has become detrimental for any organization that associates itself with the healthcare industry to have a skilled professional with knowledge of medical coding. The advantages of the health information system developed by medical coders to ensure the patients have a seamless experience are many. With this system, a hospital can have a well-coordinated and organized treatment procedure that ensures a hassle-free process of sharing information. This system allows patients to get coordinated and seamless treatment from healthcare professionals. With better healthcare management, the safety of the patient takes an elevated role as a doctor gets the complete history of the patient and the treatment that has been administered in the past. This allows them to not repeat treatments and helps the patient heal faster. Aside from this, the health information system collects information such as the side effects experienced from any particular medication, reports of any tests that they may have undergone, any allergies they may have,

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Zhenjun Jack Diwu

Zhenjun Jack Diwu

ZHENJUN JACK DIWU “Follow your passion, and you will always be happy” A man of the sciences, Diwu is someone who can be termed as an entrepreneur, a leader and a changemaker. His life’s work is indicative of his irrevocable commitment and dedication to his trade. An intuitive leader and developer, Diwu has worked closely in the development of all the drugs and drug discovery tools launched by the companies that he founded or confounded. He has been instrumental in the company’s huge success and recognition. In the true sense, Diwu is the embodiment of a futuristic leader, a man with a vision and the capability to make a difference for the better. He is an active serial entrepreneur and a genius in chemistry.  The inception of his career  Zhenjun ‘Jack’ Diwu is the President and CEO of AAT Bioquest. He grew up in Xianyang, a small city close to Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province in China. Xianyang is situated on the north bank of the Wei River, about 12 miles northwest of Xi’an, in an area that was the cradle of early Chinese civilization. Its historical importance began with the Qin state. All of China was united under the Qin dynasty (221–207 BCE) for the first time in Chinese history. In the early years of his life, Diwu found himself inclined towards Chinese history, literature, and political science that were possibly related to the rich history of his birthplace. In his younger years, he was much more interested in subjects of the liberal arts rather than in science, which may have had as much to do with his natural curiosity as it did the larger cultural moment in which he grew up. The entire Chinese society ignored natural sciences at the time. His acumen for science and engineering started to evolve when Xiaoping Deng started his reform in China. After Deng implemented his reforms in the education sector around the late 1970s, he enrolled at Northwest University in Xian, China, and was assigned to the Department of Chemistry, even though he had a stronger interest in math and engineering. With his utmost faith in government, he decided to undertake what was assigned to him. Thus, he commenced his scientific career in chemistry. When he started his chemistry major with Northwest University in 1980, his natural lack of interest in the subject rendered him the poorest chemistry grades among all his classmates. After paying a lot more attention to the subject, he developed a liking and his grades steadily picked up. By the time of his college graduation in 1984, he ranked among the top students in the batch. That same year, he enrolled in graduate school at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. At this prestigious research institution, he had access to many resources that couldn’t be accessed at Northwest University. He dived deep into the study of the phototherapeutic mechanism of hyporcrellins, a group of natural pigments isolated from a fungus grown in Yunnan Province, China. Following the completion of his PhD program in 1988, he wanted to continue this research and sought out a postdoctoral position with William Lown at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. They pioneered the phototherapeutic drug discovery program with the natural pigment “hypocrellin” by collaborating with the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton. A pharmaceutical company, SonoLight Pharmaceutical, was formed based on this research, to further explore the commercial potential of the light-activated or ultrasound-activated anticancer and anti-HIV applications of hypocrellins. Later, SonoLight merged with Alta Pharma to form Quest Pharmaceuticals, which is still actively exploring the various applications of hypocrellin and its derivatives for anticancer, antiviral, and cosmetic applications. In 1993, he decided to join Molecular Probes that was founded by Richard Haugland, the well-recognized pioneer in the fluorescence technology field. Dr. Haugland’s immense knowledge and passion for science deeply impressed and influenced Dr. Diwu. He had numerous opportunities to exchange ideas and discuss research projects with Dr. Haugland all the time until 2000. In 1996, Nobel laureate Roger Tsien visited Molecular Probes and gave a lecture on fluorescent probes and their applications. He was lucky to have dinner with Dr. Tsien, who mentioned the story of Fluo-3 discovery. Zhenjun was charmed by Tsien’s brilliant idea to invent Fluo-3 based on the prototype calcium probe, EGTA. Since then,Dr. Diwu has had a strong interest in developing fluorescent probes for monitoring and detecting calcium ions in live cells. In 2000, he left Molecular Probes to join Molecular Devices, after becoming interested in the company’s calcium detection-dedicated FLIPR instrument. At the time, it was the only instrument that could kinetically read calcium signals in a high throughput mode thanks to its unique liquid handling and fast reading capability. His strong interest in learning the integration of fluorescence detection reagents and systems landed him a job opportunity at Molecular Devices. There, he worked with a team of like-minded individuals and they successfully developed the first generation of FLIPR calcium assay kits for the high throughput screening (HTS) market. These products had quickly become the gold standard in the HTS market for developing GPCR-targeted new drugs. In 2006, he took a leap as he co-founded AAT Bioquest, a small biotech company. A company that has strived to innovate and push the boundaries of assay technology. Today, they love to see their products being used to advance scientific research. Their research and development in calcium detection is a great example. Influenced by Dr. Tsien’s talk at Molecular Probes, he has been passionate about improving calcium detection by providing more effective tools to scientists since calcium detection is essential for cellular communications and signal transduction. By AAT Bioquest’s second year in operation, they had introduced their first calcium product, Fluo-8®. Following the early success of Fluo-8, they introduced the follow-up calcium detection products, Cal-520® and Calbryte™-520 that have far superior properties than the earlier calcium dyes such as Fluo-3 and Fluo-4. AAT Bioquest is investing more than half of its revenue back to research

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Clint Macklin

Clint Macklin

Clint Macklin “Just start! Don’t fear failure. Have a goal and start with one thing towards reaching it and then do another thing. Soon it will be two things at once and then don’t look back.”  There is a very powerful saying, “I don’t want to work a 9-5 job, because 20 hours a day is just too much. How much does this stand true? Do we have real life examples which support the saying? Can we also step out of the job cycle? And If yes, what all does it take? Today in this article we will be writing about one such living example who followed a unique path and created history. Let’s get to know him more. The leader with entrepreneurial mindset Clint Macklin, the leader with an entrepreneurial mindset decided not to take the traditional career path and graduate high school, head straight to college, and then plunk into a degree related desk job to begin the climb up the corporate ladder. He was hesitant if college was the route for him, so he held a few 9-5 jobs but was never satisfied hustling for companies that he didn’t feel empowered to act like an owner. While working for other firms in digital marketing, he went to school and obtained his BS in Computer Information Systems while simultaneously starting a side hustle called Dilated Media. This gave him the confidence to work for himself and create a business that would empower others to act like an owner. His side hustle morphed into the creation of VEA Technologies, which he co-founded in 2016. He has always had an entrepreneurial mindset and has been curious if there might be a better way to do things. He has always had a high-risk tolerance and a persistent drive to work for himself and create a company culture that wasn’t available to him early in his career, all of which has led him to form several successful businesses over the years. He also founded CC Investments, a real estate investment firm focused on fix and flips and buy and holds, which has closed over twenty million in transactions since 2017.Clint is a native to Colorado. When he is not overseeing VEA’s dev projects or buying real estate he is spending time with his two daughters, fly fishing, golfing, and camping. His favourite part of VEA is learning about his client’s needs and finding solutions to improve their business through technology. He prides himself on his clients results and long-lasting relationships he has built in the industry. Clint looks forward to his future contributions to VEA and their client’s businesses. His Ideal theory of ‘Be Good and Do Good’ To put it simply, he just tries and be a good person. He does his best to lead by example with honesty and integrity. He doesn’t expect others to do things that he wouldn’t do, whether that be as an employee or as a customer. Creating a culture of high ethical standards and social responsibility starts with him. He wants to set the tone at VEA with his employees, customers, and prospects that they can build trust and loyalty in his product and people. He thinks that transparency is vital for building and retaining trust and he encourages his customers to provide their honest feedback. He wants the customers to feel valued and receive a consistent, high quality product that they are happy with. Openly communicating with his customers and  nviting their honest feedback elevates the customer experience and delivers the consistent message that issues will be proactively taken care of before trust is broken. Clint’s Greatest Strength Being adaptable and solution oriented. Change and issues are inevitable both personally and professionally, but obstacles provide opportunities. Through experience, he has learned to not just react but to appreciate the problem, change what doesn’t work, focus on finding solutions and do more of what is working. He has grown comfortable with failure and has often found failure leads to innovative solutions to complex problems.  All about VEA Technologies  VEA (pronounced vee-uh) means to be different yet not isolated — to be exquisitely unique and attractive to those that love something new. VEA Technologies is a collective of digital experts who are passionate about the clients they represent and the results they hope to achieve together. They have more than 60 years of combined experience in web development, design, branding, digital marketing, and consulting that they put to work to deliver an outstanding product for their clients. Their team has a diverse background with a wide range of industries, allowing them to work successfully alongside big companies and small businesses alike. This also allows them to provide a fresh perspective in many engagements that lead to new ideas and strategies. VEA Technologies is different because their people are different. They are highly motivated, focused, and committed to your success as much as they are committed to their own. This digital agency focused on web development, design, branding, digital marketing, and consulting. They have a talented team of 25 employees/contractors. Clint oversees the daily operations of the development department. Their biggest accomplishment to date has been the acquisition of our long-time partner Evoke Group in 2021. This acquisition allowed them to strengthen their digital marketing team and capabilities. They expanded their resources and bandwidth by absorbing their creative and advertising service offerings. Challenges imposed by pandemic In the beginning, they were very scared as almost all their clients halted any work in progress. They all were facing the same global issue, but it affected their businesses and lives in so many similar yet wildly different ways. After the initial shock of the severity that the pandemic had imposed, within a month, they had reached out to most of their clients and together found solutions to keep folks working. Their team worked together to adapt to the new and everchanging challenges that were thrown at them and their clients. While challenging it has also been very rewarding and he is grateful that their business has not only survived but has thrived in the

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Janice L. Quigg

Janice L. Quigg

Janice L. Quigg Minimizing conflicts is the foolproof way to maximize profits Over time, we realize the power of persistence. It’s about fighting for what you believe in, unwavering in your convictions, and not taking rejection as an answer. It’s about being bold in the face of adversity to drive forward even when it feels nearly impossible. One example of such a personality is Janice L. Quigg, Executive VP/General Counsel, who is a construction lawyer with 22 years of golden experience. Throughout her legal career, she has devoted her complete self to teaching others uncovering the sources of conflict and handling them confidently. When we see a well-established business firm, we often don’t recognize all that goes behind in making it successful. The existence of conflicts in the workplace can cause stress which results in killing productivity. Janice at the Dependable Group of Companies helps businesses resolve these conflicts amicably and thus increase their customer satisfaction Daunting to most lawyers, construction law is an extremely technical area of law. Although the construction industry is highly male-dominated, Janice has made a mark and continues to inspire millions of aspiring female lawyers. In addition, she feels utterly delighted to have spoken at conferences for the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Bar Association, and other construction industry conferences. The Story of a Charismatic Lawyer  We are all constantly fighting battles, but have you ever been at peace while fighting for others? As a free-spirited person, Janice has always been brave enough to stand for herself. She had felt very driven to opt for a legal career, even as a child. At age twelve, she knew that she wanted to be a lawyer. Her undergraduate degree in Criminology and Sociology reinforced this dream and interest in law. When she applied to law school, it was extremely difficult to gain entry due to the increased competition, with approximately 3000 applicants for 250 seats. But she had her goals clear and took intentional steps to move forward. Soon after, she was accepted to a prestigious law school and graduated in the domain from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. Janice has further learned Leadership Coaching Strategies at Harvard as well as Division of Continuing Education Professional Development Programs. Her positive approach towards hard work and a desire to help people prosper in life certainly offered her a plethora of growth opportunities. What Janice has in Store for her Clients?  For Janice, her clients are above anything else. With constant dedication, she is proud to be known as an exceptional lawyer who has never had a case go to trial. She offers businesses more cohesive and productive teams, less sick time, higher retention, and better innovation. Her parties benefit by moving from entrenched to common interests, thus improving the likelihood of success. In her entire legal career, Janice has been praised for her professionalism, humility, persistence, and high-flying behavior, which has enabled her to be an extraordinary leader in the business & commercial law industry. She thinks that great leaders view conflict resolution as a strategic advantage that engages employees, creating an open environment where great ideas flourish. Janice Quigg educates firms to not just resolve conflict, but to embrace it, harnessing their dynamic energy to serve their organization’s prominent goals. Many of her clients, after undergoing a bunch of changes in their functioning, have seen a visible peak in their productiveness and customer satisfaction. Driven to break down barriers in the construction law industry, Janice is confident to make a difference with her well-polished skills and expertise.   Awards & Achievements – Unimaginably Inspirational  A life-long learner, Janice Quigg has proved to be disciplined and achieved the balance many of us struggle to attain in life. She believes in sharing her experience with others to guide and help them realize their true potential. To make it possible, Janice became a TEDx speaker, which focused on the construction industry and all of the positive ripples it makes in the local community and globally. Then, she completed her mediation training at Harvard and developed a leadership model: L.E.A.D. Janice is glad to offer leadership courses to the business community which has always been received with great enthusiasm. She has also been a member of the Global Speakers Federation and Women Speakers Association.  Besides, she is now in-house counsel and newly appointed Vice President of the Dependable Group of Companies, which is a mechanical, electrical, and HVAC contracting firm. The firm specializes in the service of high voltage systems, heating, plumbing, energy management, and much more. Now that her role has expanded from legal counsel to leadership training & development, Janice is keen to see the company climb up the ladder of success and reach a significant level, along the side of its president, Rajesh Ahuja. Talking about her future plans, she is motivated to undertake new projects at the Dependable Group, while striving to improve their corporate culture. Apart from this, Janice is the proud CEO of Janice Quigg International Inc. which offers personal development courses, leadership training, and workshops to the corporate world. As Jack Certified Canfield Trainer, she intends to help business owners by giving them the tools to not just resolve conflict but embrace it as a positive and profitable force in their business.  This top lawyer, coach, and author is among the top 100 Canadian Professionals and 10 Most Admired Business Women 2021. In addition, she has grabbed her position in the 10 Most Admired Women Leaders in Business 2021. A true leader that she is, Janice is setting an example for dreaming big and believing in yourself.  Always looking for new challenges, over the last few years, Janice has expanded her intellectual activities to not only cover one field of research like before but to take on multiple spheres of activities. The award-winning author has co-written two books, one with Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and one with Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Airlines/Records. She has been honored with Editor’s

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Shyamal Kumar

Shyamal Kumar

Shyamal Kumar Shyamal Kumar in  “THE TRAILBLAZERS: CEO’s” of Influence 2022 SHYAMAL KUMAR Shyamal Kumar is a data networking product leader, and a visionary in the technology business of today. He has led several platforms spanning data center, enterprise, and service provider networks. Shyamal is extremely passionate about embracing SDN and cloud technologies to bring simplicity and performance to data networks. Together with his team, he has brought to the market world-class SD-WAN products. Under his supreme guidance and supervision, Lavelle Networks has built some of the world’s largest SD-WAN rollouts in digital transformation projects in a record time of weeks. Shyamal is a graduate of BITS, Pilani and has been in the data networking space for the last 18 years leading products at Tata Elxsi, Juniper Networks, Inkra Networks, Telsima Communications, Riverstone Networks, NetContinuum and Versa Networks, among other companies. He is one of those few individuals whose strive for excellence has no bounds. He is a seeker and learner and empowers everyone around him to seek and learn. THE DAWN OF SHYAMAL’S CAREER Shyamal chose software over many other career options because he fell in love with the whole process of building great software and technology applications. Shyamal always knew that software and technology would play an extremely important role in shaping the future. While twenty years back it was a much smaller industry, today as we can see, the software has taken over every aspect of our lives. He is zealous and bullish on the road ahead in software, especially in the age of cloud and SaaS, where physical infrastructure no longer limits the power of the software we can build and serve. Shyamal was tempted to continue working for other global major corporations and just manage a large software product or team. But the opportunity to disrupt in the home market, and the vision to enable enterprises across India with the best networking technology possible, kept him and his team awake on many nights, and they decided that they will charter this unchartered path, from 2015 till today and achieve greatness. Although it has been seven years of building their company, their drive remains as focused today as it was back then. In fact, with the recent transformational partnership with Airtel, they are now getting ready to serve thousands of customers, growing rapidly using the foundation of their current 100+ customers. He has been working with software technology since 2000–when he saw the first start-up team at Net Continuum. It changed everything he had known before. He saw a small team of skilled, committed engineers take on huge industry giants and realized the power of a few people who believe in a cause and vision. He has been in half a dozen start-ups since then, and finally building his own now. In between, he has also spent time building the Juniper MX platform, which is a world-leading network solution today across all markets. He is fortunate to work with networking and the Internet, and he truly believes that after the fire, the wheel, electricity, the telephone, and the computer, the next big invention of mankind is simply–IP networks & The Internet. HIS IDEALS AND GOALS The most important goal for him is to excel in his God-given abilities. Shyamal believes that all of us are blessed with certain strengths, whether people can explain it via DNA, life influences, education influences, social influences. He feels that it doesn’t matter how we get our strengths, what matters is what we do with them. As an individual and a professional, Shyamal strives to be the best version of himself every single day. Not the best version of someone else, but the best version of himself. The next important goal in his life is to have integrity and honesty in all his relationships personal and professional. Integrity in everything we do. He feels that everyone can make mistakes, stumble like everyone else does in life, but he cherishes the ability to identify his mistake, and take the corrective actions–whether it means apologizing, changing a habit, or getting help from a coach for long-term improvements. HIS SOURCE OF INSPIRATION Shyamal is most inspired by leaders who have selflessly devoted themselves to the cause and vision of their lives. There is no single person who comes to his mind. He follows the lives of several leaders who have shown him how we can make a difference in our life. He deeply trusts his faith in God, and Shyamal believes that He is always his eternal inspiration to help him move forward despite any challenge life throws at him. With this faith and belief, he moves forward every day. HIS ADVICE TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORLD LEADERS Shyamal believes that the most important thing is to seek excellence. Your business, company or product is a way for you to become better at what you do or were born to do. The end goal is to become the best person who can build that business to its fullest potential. He urges the youth to benchmark against themselves so that they are not disappointed by near term challenges, ups and downs, or how the world would measure them. The world will keep changing its standards depending on the trend of the day, but they should not change the standards that they use for themselves. He asks them to be accountable to themselves, and take growth seriously. Shyamal says “In today’s world, it might not be possible to have perfect work-life balance, but always be aware of your priorities so that you can use your time well. I put my faith, then my health, then my family, my profession, and then my friends and personal pursuits in that order of priority. So, when I am pressed for time, I know where to compromise and where to focus and deliver. Time is limited, and your life’s mission comes with an expiry date, so spend your time well.” Seek excellence, and spend your time well–these are the two main things he would advise younger people to aspire for. HIS GREATEST STRENGTH His greatest strength is the ability to

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Nikhil Paul

Nikhil Paul

Nikhil Paul Nikhil Paul: An Exceptionally Astute Tech Leader  Scrutinizing different industries, we keep a keen eye on outperforming ventures as well as their respective leaders. And this time also, we came across a remarkable company that is being propelled towards greater heights by its CTIO. Yes, it is none other than 6D Technologies. Being the Chief Technology and Information Officer of the company, Nikhil Paul always strives to run the business efficiently. He supervises the tech policies and aligns the company’s functionality as per the envisioned model. He is in charge of creating, implementing, managing, and assessing the company’s technological resources for the new advancement in Telcom industry and roadmaps. He constantly makes strides to assess both immediate and long-term requirements while employing cash to make investments that help the company achieve its objectives. In a virtual interaction with our team, he shed light on his overall journey, job responsibilities and vision for 6D Technologies. The Career Trajectory In 2000, Nikhil Paul started working for a company as a software engineer. He joined to a start-up with a 20-person team in 2006 after gaining five years of experience working for two of the largest MNCs in India and internationally spanning banking domains and establishing Core Banking products. The product organisation now includes 1800+ team members that are deployed throughout 80+ countries, 120+ clients, and 3BN+ end subscribers. He has been involved with 6D technologies since 2006 while serving as the organization’s CTIO at the moment. Throughout his career, people couldn’t help but notice his mettle, commitment, hard work and passion for technology to persevere his set goals. Company Overview 6D Technologies is a tech-focused company created by ambitious technocrats, was incorporated in 2002. With clients in more than 80 nations on six continents, 6D is a multinational company with an Indian DNA. We have a motivated group of experts with a wealth of real-time, highly available, and scalable platform engineering experience. As a pro-active technology partner, 6D collaborates with its clients to comprehend market trends and corporate goals in order to create the solutions necessary for success in a constantly shifting environment. The organisation is basically directed towards the functioning of the telecommunications industry. The telecommunications industry is rapidly evolving. It applies to all corporate functions that have undergone digital transformation. The fundamental transformation that the telecoms industry, and operators in particular, are going through is redefining themselves from being merely enablers of communications services to being digital value creators. Any telco no longer has the option of surviving solely on the sale of voice or data services. All major markets are stepping up their 5G deployment efforts as they recognise it as one of the biggest telecom transitions in history. There will be more to telecom than just increased speed and bandwidth. With nearly everything connected thanks to 5G, intelligence and computing power will increase. Powered by its dynamic innovations and R&D, 6D Technologies provides an entire stack of necessary solutions to support a person’s journey. Apart from Telecommunications, they also provide solutions to Enterprise, Governance and Digital Financial Solutions. The Guiding Principle When asked what motivated him to become a tech leader, Nikhil responded that since the beginning he always knew that he wanted to create products and inventions that would benefit society as a whole and make it possible for us all to nurture a better social system. And he strongly felt that banking and the communication space were two of such influential domains. Hence, his goal has always been to improve these environments through developing and innovating the way businesses function in the present scenario. Dodging The Obstacles No journey to success is a cakewalk. One has to cross the hard roads. For Nikhil, leaving a stable career to start a business was a challenging task. Taking over product delivery, and developing innovations that add value in the telecommunications sector was a tedious task due to its high competitiveness. In India, the growth of the service sector predominated between 2003 and 2006, with very few businesses concentrating on product creation and development. So, as an Indian firm producing products, innovating, and spending in R & D, persuading their partners and customers was a difficult barrier to expand through. But today, Nikhil can proudly say that they have progressed a lot from that time and that they are true product organisations. It has been crucial in bringing this culture within the company and instilling an entrepreneurial skill in the engineers, but with time every fell into place owing to their holistic approach. Proud Accomplishments Nikhil is proud to convey that he has become recipient of many accolades and awards. Observing his overall journey, we could say that he is a born leader for sure who has definitely created a huge magnitude across his targeted industries and inspired many people towards their path to success. This is something that has been observed by several publications and media houses as well and brought Nikhil under the showlight. A few of the noteworthy ones are- ●       “Top 10 inspiring CIOs of 2022” by one of the leading media groups in India. ●       He also received “Hybrid Cloud Champion Award for 2022”. ●        He has bagged the “CIO of the year 2022” award by Outlook Business Magazine.  ●       Received the “CXO TECH EXCELLENCE AWARD 2022”. ●       Awarded “Business Leadership Award for CIO of the Year 2022” by Economic Times group and Feather Touch. Leadership Views For Nikhil, Lao Tzu’s famous leadership quotes speaks the most, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” As a tech leader, Nikhil always believes in the power of innovation. He asserts innovation combined with passion becomes dynamite. He inspires people to love their jobs as this is the secret to creating wonders. He explains, “You encounter various obstacles daily in this trip. Some are very difficult, sometimes depressing, you are smacked very hard, while other times

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Tai Sunnanon

Tai Sunnanon

Tai Esteban Sunnanon Tai Esteban Sunnanon: A Technology Virtuoso Underlining Major Tech Innovations, Trends, and Future> Technology is revolutionizing virtually every aspect of our world. The advancements and innovations in technology are bringing forth a new reality that is pushing the limits of even our social fabric.   Technology trends and innovations offer customers a taste of new tech-enabled environments, processes, products, services, and more. It is bridging the gaps between the digital and physical world and blending real-time patterns and techniques.   Be it AI, VR & AR (Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality), Metaverse, cloud, 5G, machine learning, robotics, Web3, cybersecurity, and other tech expansions, the trends in tech are changing how we live our daily lives (whether we want it to or not!). How we capitalize on them falls, in large part, to tech and industry leaders.    Innovators like Tai Esteban Sunnanon, a Global Social Entrepreneur, and Tech Executive are at the helm of this tech transformation and are accelerating technology innovation. Guided by his drive for innovation and passion for  tech serving a bigger social purpose, Tai’s journey highlights unique experiences, challenges, and more. Setting examples for future tech leaders and entrepreneurs, he shares his insights related to technology global innovations, giving us a holistic tech picture.    Becoming a Tech Innovator   For the past 20 years, Tai has been fascinated by improving business processes and by the grand possibilities of technology. After running a few companies, then studying and teaching at Harvard University, he started his own consulting company. And now, he is engaged in tech innovation with the U.S. Department of Defense. He gets to both research and apply technology on a day-to-day basis and dream big of the future possibilities for the tech industry and its positive impacts in society.    Overcoming IT Challenges   The IT industry is evolving at a pace that is hard to keep up with, so one has to have a solid ground game for reviewing and digesting important information very quickly. Tai grew up before there was the internet and AI was just a pipe dream. Then, information was highly centralized , with just a few key players in the industry who were leading experts.    Today, everyone is experiencing a new world order by which information is relayed just as quickly as technology is evolving. It’s hard to overcome that.    That said, Tai has been a tech innovator for a long time now. He has extensively written about technology innovation and has come to trust a few key sources written by industry analysts. Tai adds, “I’d like to think I’ve become one of them myself!”   The Future of Technology   Tai is fascinated about the current-term (2023), near-term (< 2040), and long-term (> 2040) state of play on AI, the Internet of Everything (IoE), robotics, automation, quantum computing, cybersecurity, fintech, and blockchain.    And, he is equally fascinated by how these technologies could take both the private sector and society to new heights. In the current term, he thinks about improving business processes and outcomes. But, thinking 10+ years out, he likes to think big, focused primarily on the human benefits from technology.    Tai’s long-standing tech experience gives him a deep understanding of tech trends. He gives us a sneak peek at how to expand our horizons to keep up with existing times and also bring a transformative change.   In the current term, we must become hyper experts, enabling our business to:  Optimize IT systems for greater reliability through Digital Immune Systems, Applied Observation, and TRiSM (AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management) to improve data-driven decisions and maintain the value integrity of AI systems in production.  Accelerate vertical offerings by utilizing Industry Cloud Platforms, Platform Engineering, and Wireless Value Realization to increase the pace of product delivery and enable connectivity everywhere. Pioneer business model change, reinventing engagement with employees and customers and accelerating strategies through the adoption of Super apps, Adaptive AI, and the Metaverse.   In the near term, I’m interested in: Internet equity. Only around half the world’s population is connected to the internet. There are many reasons for this, including economic and social reasons, but for some, the internet just isn’t accessible because they have no connection. Google is slowly trying to solve the problem of helium balloons beaming the internet to inaccessible areas. And companies like Hiber have taken a different approach by launching their network of shoebox-sized microsatellites into low Earth orbit, which wakes up a modem plugged into your computer or device when it flies over and delivers your data. Their satellites orbit the Earth 16 times a day and are already being used by organizations like The British Antarctic Survey to provide internet access to the very extremes of our planet. Energy storage in bricks. Scientists have found a way to store energy in the red bricks that are used to build houses. Researchers led by Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, US, have developed a method that can turn cheap and widely available building material into “smart bricks” that can store energy like a battery. Although the research is still in the proof-of-concept stage, the scientists claim that walls made of these bricks could store ample amounts of energy to power a home.    In the long term, I’m looking forward to: Chip-based artificial neurons. Researchers have found a way to attach human-like neurons onto silicon chips that will mimic the electrical properties of a real neuron. If this application becomes a success, this can treat heart failure and even Alzheimer’s. This could also equate to a new type of programmable organism that has multiple human benefits.  Bionic eyes. In January 2021, surgeons from Israel implanted the world’s first artificial cornea into a blind 78-year-old man. After the surgery, the man was able to read and recognize family members as the implant is capable of fusing with human tissue. Imagine the tech capabilities of a bionic eye beyond just sight?!   Establishing a Suitable Corporate Culture  

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