Steve Taplin A Visionary Tech Leader and CEO of Sonatafy Technology Introduction Embark on a journey through the dynamic world of technology, and you will inevitably encounter the remarkable and inspiring story of Steve Taplin. As a seasoned veteran in the industry, a Forbes & Entrepreneur Magazine Featured Author, and the CEO of Sonatafy Technology, Steve has left an indelible mark on the landscape of Nearshore Software Development. Sonatafy Technology has revolutionized the traditional software development outsourcing model, providing US businesses with seamless access to top-tier software engineering talent from Latin America. Under Steve’s visionary leadership, Sonatafy has become synonymous with excellence, offering highly skilled, English-proficient software engineers who collaborate in the same time zone and possess an intimate understanding of the cultural nuances critical to success in the US market. With a remarkable career spanning entrepreneurial ventures, private equity and influential executive roles in Fortune 500 companies, Steve Taplin has not only solidified his position as a tech-industry luminary but has also emerged as an entrepreneurial force, propelling Sonatafy Technology to the forefront of the technology outsourcing industry. The Foundations of Success Steve Taplin’s journey into the technology realm began with an illustrious role at IBM, where he swiftly rose through the ranks as a Sales Executive. Renowned for his exceptional sales skills and deep technical expertise, Steve played the leading role in driving sales and securing complex digital transformation deals totaling over $230 million in contract value. He consistently surpassed quotas and goals, earning accolades and recognition within the organization. However, Steve’s thirst for knowledge and entrepreneurial aspirations knew no bounds. Will at IBM, Steve completed his MBA degree in Entrepreneurship and became a published author in the book, Entrepreneurship – The Way Ahead. In an exclusive interview, Steve shared, “My time at IBM taught me the importance of staying ahead of the curve and embracing challenges head-on. The decision to pursue an MBA in Entrepreneurship was fueled by a desire to empower myself with the tools necessary to shape the future of the business landscape.” From Corporate Success to Entrepreneurship Fueled by an insatiable appetite for growth and innovation, Steve exited the corporate world and founded a niche private equity firm that would serve as the bedrock for his entrepreneurial endeavors. Over the course of 13 years, Steve deftly built a diverse portfolio of technology-enabled companies across industries such as Real Estate Investment, Lending, Telehealth, Securities Industry, and Digital Marketing. To increase exposure for these companies, Steve became a featured public speaker on entrepreneurship and investment strategies and hosted several radio shows on these topics. Under Steve’s guidance, the company experienced an exceptional growth trajectory, raising and skillfully managing a staggering $400M+ in assets while expanding its global footprint with a workforce of over two thousand talented individuals spanning across international territories. This period in Steve’s career not only honed his skills in P&L management, Technology Optimization, Strategic Development, Franchising, Pre-IPO Leadership, Global Expansion, and Digital Marketing & Lead Generation but also marked his emergence as a visionary entrepreneur.   A Unique Perspective on Success While Steve Taplin’s entrepreneurial ventures soared to new heights, he remained keenly aware of the ever-evolving tech landscape. His journey took an exciting turn when he was enticed to return to IBM in 2016, this time as the Vice President – Strategic Outsourcing. Steve identified, cultivated, and oversaw large-scale, long-term outsourcing engagements in this influential role, driving explosive growth and profitability for IBM’s Global Services business. After closing over $480 million of strategic outsourcing deals for IBM, he was recruited to DXC Technology to serve as the VP of Strategic Pursuits, further broadening his perspective on successful business practices. The Birth of Sonatafy Technology In 2020, fueled by a passion for digital transformation and an acute understanding of the industry’s needs, Steve Taplin founded Sonatafy Technology. The company’s inception marked a strategic response to the growing demand for labor arbitrage with English-speaking software engineering resources in the same time zone. Leveraging his extensive background in Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial ventures, Steve crafted a well-versed vision for Sonatafy, emphasizing efficiency, quality, and client satisfaction. To accelerate the company’s growth, he completed a strategic acquisition of an existing firm headquartered in Mexico to help lay the foundation for growth. A Culture of Growth and Excellence As CEO, Steve Taplin attributes his success to a set of core values that have shaped his leadership style and company culture. Clear vision, strategic thinking, resilience, effective communication, and emotional intelligence are the cornerstones of his approach. Sonatafy’s internal culture thrives on continuous growth and learning, ethical conduct, collaboration, and well-being, with Steve championing the idea that the company’s strength lies in the people who work alongside him.   The Value of Sonatafy Technology in Changing Times The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the adoption of remote work and remote teams. Businesses increasingly turned to outsourcing and contract workers for software development. However, traditional offshore outsourcing presented challenges such as language barriers, limited real-time collaboration due to time zone differences, miscommunication, and missed deadlines. Recognizing the changing dynamics of the industry, Steve and his team strategically developed Sonatafy’s model to combat these challenges head-on.   Unveiling Sonatafy Technology’s Offering Sonatafy Technology has emerged as a well-established and diversified company, preferred by clients for best-in-class Nearshore software development services. With specialization in building custom software solutions for SaaS, healthcare, life sciences, and financial industries, Sonatafy strongly emphasizes software compliance, scalability, IP security, and long-term relationship development. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona with resources spread across Latin America, Sonatafy has the unique ability to build a powerful team of engineers that offers “same time zone” support for software development, testing, support, and maintenance for critical-path web and mobile applications.   Revolutionizing the Software Engineer Recruitment Process with Nexxus SaaS Platform Innovation and operational excellence have been the cornerstones of Steve Taplin’s ventures, and his latest project, the Nexxus SaaS platform, stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to increasing operational efficiencies through custom software solutions. For years, businesses have

Prithvi Shergill- Founder, Advisor, Investor, Researcher, Ideapreneur Kindly brief us about the outset story of your career since the beginning. My professional journey began when I realised that value gets created by combining purpose, people, and proficiency. Experiencing this in local and national leadership positions and international training with student associations such as AIESEC led me to join AT&T in 1990, where I worked in several HR roles across the USA, Philippines, India, and then Singapore which helped me to understand how important it is for HR to be aligned with business objectives and ensure people practices create happiness. My mandate from 2002 was to transform HR service delivery, using technology and shared service models to impact organisational effectiveness and enable effective integration with joint venture companies. In 2004, I joined Accenture, progressing to be a Partner, working closely with internal stakeholders to shape strategy and ensure execution, enhancing the maturity of policies, processes, practices, and platforms impacting leadership, talent, and culture. These served as the foundation of the growth engines for its businesses across technology, consulting, and operations. My assignments in Accenture led me to work on the human capital strategy to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations, value creation, and people development in various contexts, cultures, and countries. Then I was appointed as Chief Human Resources Officer at HCL Technologies in 2012, where I played a pivotal role in the reset of the talent strategy to re-energise the culture founded on the strategic intent of putting “Employees First, Customers Second”, seeding, nurturing and harvesting Ideapreneurship to multiply profitability and innovation. My experience at HCL Technologies helped shape my experience and expertise on the need for systemic operating models and solutions, combining technology and talent.   These experiences at different companies across countries have helped me to develop a distinctive perspective on the opportunities HR and leaders have in engaging, enabling, and empowering people to build their proficiency and performance. After transitioning to be an entrepreneur, I established Tomorrow with colleagues who had shared beliefs in the opportunity to refresh people management by stewarding digital transformation initiatives with an outcome orientation. Tomorrow merged with entomo, where their expertise and experience were codified into a people experience platform that enterprises of tomorrow use to transform performance, talent, and learning. What inspired you to become a business consultant? I have always remained committed to investing in creating capacity, enhancing ability, capturing creativity, and driving change leading to growth. My career as a business consultant allows me to engage with multiple communities across cultures and countries to help companies and people become the best versions of themselves. My intentions, promises, and actions are rooted in the belief that professional consultants should act as trusted advisors to their clients, demonstrating ownership to understand context and shape customized solutions that translate strategy to action. I believe that success requires a deep understanding of the drivers of the client’s business and culture and relationships that truly go beyond the contract. As a successful leader, which three personal qualities do you believe contributed most to your success? I emphasize that the commitment to demonstrate Empathy, apply Adaptability, and build Relationships are three of the most crucial personal qualities that have contributed to my success. By developing Empathy, a leader can connect with stakeholders on a deeper level, understand their pain points, and create a work model that delivers desired results in a culture that is fostered by inclusivity, respect, and collaboration. In today’s fast-paced business environment, change is constant, and leaders must be able to role model Adaptability in changing circumstances, by remaining resilient, agile, and forward-thinking, thereby responding proactively to be future-ready. Finally, I see building transparent Relationships with employees, customers, and stakeholders as essential in inspiring trust, which is the fuel to have people commit to applying their abilities authentically. How do you keep yourself up to date with the latest technology, trends, research, etc. to give up-to-date service to clients? I believe in staying updated with the latest technology, trends, and research, and I achieve this by being curious about things that I do not know, have exposure to, or have experience with. To reach the right decisions, I demand it be evidence-based – and seek data that can be translated into information and insight which inspires the right action. I can often be seen seeking out time with people one-on-one to learn from them, attending industry conferences to learn from audiences I engage with, seeking response and reaction to ideas on online forums, – and seeing “networking” as building a mutually beneficial association. What were some of your biggest technology challenges? I tell that one of the biggest challenges for professionals, including myself, remains co-creating enterprise-wide people enablement technology solutions whose value can be seen in their awareness, adoption, and assimilation to truly augment practices, processes, and policies.   The need to appreciate context on what needs to be continued, started, or stopped, given organisational dynamics, often fuelled by cultural differences, language barriers, and different regulatory requirements, is essential. While many technology products profess to be the best in class, the ability to navigate away from the “one-size-fit-all” solution as often is not fit for purpose, to what will make design and deployment distinctive is a collective and individual skill. What have been the toughest obstacles you faced in your career and how did you overcome them? I believe that measuring and managing change is one of the toughest obstacles professionals continue to be faced with. I say that while change is uncomfortable, leaders need to be able to do more than communicate, train people and address employees’ concerns about the change. Investing time and effort to explain the context and build the capability to reset, reimagine and reinvent policies, processes, practices, and platforms is what leads to accelerating from today and changing to be ready for tomorrow. Mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your organization and person. I have been humbled to have represented

Shirley Billigmeier, Owner of Innergetics Welcome to the world of Innergetics, a transformative process created by Shirley Billigmeier, the visionary owner of Innergetics. This revolutionary approach enables individuals to rediscover the pleasure of eating and movement while embracing a body they truly love. Innergetics provides a pathway to uncovering and re-establishing one’s own eating boundaries – the innate wisdom of hunger and taste that we all possess. Infants are born with this natural ability, and Shirley’s mission is to guide clients back to reconnecting with these forgotten boundaries. Staying True to Purpose Shirley Billigmeier embarked on her career journey with a deep-rooted passion for helping others. As a former teacher in Health and Physical Education, she witnessed the detrimental effects of food obsession and body image struggles on her students. Determined to recapture the forgotten joy of eating and living in a body one loves, Shirley created Innergetics. Her mission is to guide individuals toward rediscovering their innate eating boundaries, allowing them to embrace food as a source of energy for a fulfilling life. With a wealth of tools and unwavering integrity, Shirley’s personal qualities of insight, persistence, and knowledge have been pivotal to her success as a leader. Guided by her ideals, Shirley strives to resolve all eating and weight issues, freeing individuals to channel their energy into their creative talents. Breaking free from traditional methods, Innergetics now offers an online course, allowing individuals to learn the fundamentals with personal guidance from a certified coach. Shirley’s dedication to reaching a broader audience led her to collaborate with Course Creek professionals, who guided her through the process of launching her course online. She understands the importance of showcasing success stories and providing real-life examples, which is why she connects individuals with those who have restored their eating patterns using the Innergetics process. This online course is supplemented with personalized coaching, providing comprehensive support to those seeking a transformative journey. Despite the challenges of bringing her intuitive approach to a wider audience, Shirley recognized the need for certified coaches who could share her methodology. Now, with four coaches from around the world, including Jan Niemand, Sue Lester, Stella Litton, and Jessie Rose, Innergetics is expanding its reach and impact. Feathers in the Cap Shirley’s remarkable contributions have earned her numerous recognitions and accolades. She is a distinguished alumnus of the University of Minnesota, and her book “Inner Eating” gained acclaim with a foreword written by Dr. Michael Jensen of the Mayo Clinic. As a sought-after guest speaker, Shirley has shared her expertise at national conventions. Luxe Magazine has honored her with the Best Food Relationship award in 2021 and 2022 while being named among The Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs for 2023. However, the ultimate satisfaction for Shirley lies in witnessing the joy that emerges in individuals who find harmony with their eating habits and embrace life in a body they love. Striving to Bring Change As a true teacher and consultant, Shirley knows the value of focusing on one’s strengths and seeking help in areas where expertise is lacking. She acknowledges that marketing and technical aspects are not her forte, and that’s where her team of experts comes in, ensuring her material reaches the world effectively. By delegating these tasks to professionals, Shirley can focus on what she does best – helping individuals transform their relationship with food and their bodies. Shirley firmly believes that the Innergetics process is the ultimate solution to all eating and weight issues. It tackles the root cause by guiding individuals to reconnect with their internal eating boundaries. Through Innergetics, she is revolutionizing the way individuals perceive food and their bodies, allowing them to reclaim the joy of eating and living. A Wide Perspective on the Future With a personal mantra of nurturing and developing creative gifts, Shirley’s future endeavors center around expanding her reach to help as many people as possible. By teaching others to share her transformative process, she aims to guide individuals in resurfacing their own eating boundaries. As an inspiring leader, Shirley advises aspiring leaders to believe in themselves and view failures as stepping stones toward their vision. She emphasizes the importance of embracing learning opportunities and constantly seeking ways to improve and evolve.

Manju Mastakar   Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, raising a person’s performance to a higher standard, and building a personality beyond its normal limitations. Ms. Manju Mastakar is an accomplished finance maven passionate about building investment plans and driving financial independence.   1.    Kindly brief us about the outset story of your career. Over the course of my 22 years in the industry, I have acquired extensive knowledge, demonstrated diligent client commitment, and received several awards and recognitions. Let me provide a little background on my success story. I developed the tenacity and depth of financial knowledge that are still my greatest assets today while working as an intern for a CA in Dalal Street in early 2000. My ascent up the corporate ladder from Assistant Accountant, Dealer, Account Manager, and Portfolio Manager to Regional Manager was a remarkable journey based on learning. My career in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, was abruptly curbed when I had to move to Bangalore, the IT capital of India in 2007. The tipping point to explore entrepreneurship for me was job loss in the crisis of 2008. Possessing good multitasking skills with extensive financial subject experience, I decided to strike out on my own with freelancing. Luckily for me, I came across an angel investor who funded my initiative, allowing me to take the entrepreneurial venture to a professional and larger scale. In 2010, I founded Bangalore-based Armstrong Capital & Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., an investment solution firm that offers a complete spectrum of wealth management services to its clients, was founded in 2010 and currently serves more than 1000 satisfied clients. The flagship product offered by the company is a Goal-based financial plan. At Armstrong Capital, every relationship starts with a Financial Plan to understand all the investments done in the past, and bucket that into life goals. The firm offers a systematic approach to financial planning so that all financial goals can be identified and achieved. Each client is serviced by Personal Investment Adviser along with a Service Manager backed by in-house research and technology platform. Armstrong Capital’s bespoke services are reinforced by excellent execution, a robust investment policy framework, and a rigorous due diligence process with a strong emphasis on picking future winners. 2.    As a successful leader, which three personal qualities do you believe contributed most to your success? As a successful leader, I believe that three personal qualities that have contributed most to my success are circumstances, perseverance, and determination. However, circumstances play the most important role, as they need to be unfavourable for the other two qualities to come to the fore. In my case, the situation and circumstances were unfavourable due to the subprime crisis, which resulted in me losing my job. Moreover, the global financial crisis had adversely affected the wealth management industry, leaving no scope for job opportunities. Consequently, I was compelled to start my own venture. Initially, I worked alone from my home office, and it required a lot of perseverance to keep going. As time passed, I made more investments in the business, and that is when determination came into play to fight adversities. 3.    What is your definition of success? In my opinion, success is not just an individual achievement, but rather a team effort. When each employee performs well, the organization as a whole thrives and reaps rewards in terms of financial gains and industry recognition. It’s important to understand that success is not a destination, but rather an ongoing journey with its ups and downs. However, the most successful individuals are those with an unquenchable thirst for success and an unwavering drive to achieve their goals. 4. What has been the toughest decision you took? I started my career in the stock markets and when I moved to Bangalore, I continued to offer services in that domain, advising clients on buying stocks and building derivative positions. However, after a few years, I realized that there was not much risk appetite among the salaried class in Bangalore for this asset class as compared to Mumbai. Consequently, I had to make the difficult decision of shutting down that service, as it had caused losses for our customers. It was a tough call, one of the toughest decisions I had to make was related to a product that had been contributing significantly to our revenue, but I believed it was the right decision. 5. Do you have a mantra that you live by? Certainly, I have a personal philosophy that has guided me throughout my career. My mantra is to prioritize survival over growth, especially during the initial stages of a business venture. I have noticed that many entrepreneurs tend to focus too much on expanding quickly and making significant investments, without considering the cash flow and potential risks involved. Therefore, my advice is to concentrate on keeping expenses within the revenue margin during the first three years, to remain afloat and ensure long-term success. Only when the revenue stabilizes and the product gains acceptance, one should focus on expanding the team and investing in growth. I believe that it is not the noise made during the launch but the ability to sail through the challenges silently that makes the difference. Additionally, I think that while IQ is necessary to start a business, Emotional Quotient (EQ) is crucial to scale it effectively. 6. Many entrepreneurs quit between 1-3 years. What do you think are the primary reasons? Entrepreneurs often face challenges in the initial years of their business and may give up on their dream. While pitching for funding may seem easy, the real test starts once the business is up and running. In my opinion, the most important factor that contributes to success is intellectual honesty. It’s important to ask tough questions, not only to impress others but also to be honest with yourself about revenue predictability, product acceptability, and feedback from customers. It’s crucial to avoid getting carried away by the idea of solving

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

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

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

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,

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