Explore our research based insights on what's happening at Ark & Brook, from worklife balance productivity hacks to PR and other thought leadership tips and doodle hacks for small business owners
Our Discover section is a movement to take our readers to experts in relatively distant geographical locations that they wouldn't normally dream of. We find local Thought Leaders in spaces and places that help businesses to survive.
Our Thrive Section is where you'll find your takeaway self-care to live a healthy and sane life, from our Travel, entertainment recommendations to the Ignite events, jobs , Adventures and much more.
Editor-In-Chief Jennifer Nash introduces the content in this Spotlight issue. Starting with acknowledgements of our fabulous team to whet your appetite. Using a drop of ink to make a million think, has been Jen's motto since she learned how to write professionally, together we can amplify our voices
This issue’s theme is Social Justice! A subject close to my heart and certainly in my wheelhouse So do bear with me as I attempt to put the world to rights before I join the masses in accepting the status quo.
Following on to the doom and gloom of May as the mental health awareness month, in contrast June is a celebratory month for most of the global north. MyPOV:In2022,HerMajestyTheQueen willbecomethefirstBritishMonarchto celebrateaPlatinumJubileeafter70 yearsofservice.
For starters, the United Kingdom govt and the Royal family gets ready for pomp and ceremonies as it’s subjects scramble for breadcrumbs under their master’s tables. The irony surrounding this colossal / pricey celebration is that even those of us that have cried poverty over the last three months, from the increased cost of utilities to the ordeal of fuel crisis at the beginning of spring - are a bit reserved about this!
However, the party must go on, and Brits are in good spirits. Regardless of whether or not you’re a Royalist, the atmosphere on the high streets is set with the Union Jack party bunting and decorations to kick off the mood; all that’s remaining is to actually set the tables for serving the popular Coronation Chicken and the good o’l British favorite cream teas. Even tough Royals' critiques are a bit giddy too!
On top of this, “The UK is now the hottest destination among European travellers seeking an escape, after years of restricted movement.” According Damien Shepherd reporting for Bloomberg online on May 20th.
Despite this celebratory front, my sceptical sentiments remain constant about having such a big national budgetary at the expense of the subjects’ scrambling for breadcrumbs' as echoed by Shepherds words; “The rising cost of goods is set to strain people’s purchasing power, especially for discretionary purchases like travel.” I can only hope for a better outcome. #POVEnds
Catch our 2022 POV Staple feature: Marriage or Mortgage? Oh! he folly of this titular proposition!
So, how can we mitigate and or indeed reconcile the two opposite sides to the coins (the 1% Vs the 99%) to keep an open mind about moving on after Covid, while playing our civic duty towards our nation/s and fellow citizens at an individual level
That’s where the cover story on what Allen Kasira is doing to help the youth in her native country of Uganda deal with issues of ‘Selfawareness’ as this has a ripple effect on how as society, regardless of our country of residence or culture, we can all be more self aware and sensitive to needs of others.
This leads us nicely to the exclusive feature story of Katrina Ffrench. It’s absolutely empowering and refreshing to see a passionate social activist elected as Councillor to represent people who are often underrepresented in our society. That makes her London's It Girl!
Thank you too - for just being here, reading this opinion editorial, you’re one of a kind! A change maker and a woman who is at the forefront of making changing happen. Truly, thank you for subscribing to Spotlight Magazine and sharing our mission to amplify voices of women who are often marginalised and underreported, like Allen and Katrina.
Together we illuminate a spotlight on what matters to us and thrive
Welcome to the June edition of Spotlight magazine
At Spotlight, We Don’t follow trends, We create them!
We're glad you're back in the Spotlight. Our gratitude as always goes out to you our clients, subscribers and small but mighty army of expert contributors and advertisers, Allen Kasira, Netflix, Dial Global, Katrina Ffrench and Allie Decker for your support of providing us with valuable content A special and BIG thank you and welcome to our additional Spotlight team who have joined us in the last few months.
Together we are happy to be navigating these uncharted waters, re-imagining and challenging the PR industry status quo We do this with a Thought Leadership magazine founded and owned by a woman with female thought leaders writing for female entrepreneurs -this includes but is not limited to SMEs, Artisans, Freelancers and every type of small business that perhaps doesn't fit into the categories we have named above [See list on left if you fit the bill - Click here to get featured as an expert contributor.
It is with great pride and joy that we bring you this global phenomenon with exclusive content for you to Explore what it means to be a Thought Leader in this complex and cluttered digital space where everyone is a prosumer.
We're confident you will Discover tools and insights that will help you to sustain and scale up your business, but much more so, amplify your voice as an expert in your industry.
More than anything else, we want to grow with you our readers, as we share and investigate what it means to be a Thought Leader Our expert articles and advice will do just that So take the front row seat enjoy the view as you Thrive.
1. IMPROVED AWARENESS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND GOOD MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICES.
2. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND SUCCESS
3. HIGHER SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-WORTH, SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-BELIEF
4. EVOLVED EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE AND ABILITY TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE
5. BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF PERSONAL GOALS AND PERSONAL PURPOSE
6. IMPROVED DECISION MAKING
www.arkandbrook.com/spotlight
If people were asked randomly about how well they know themselves, majority would score themselves highly but most often a test will reveal otherwise. Self-awareness is an important life skill that individuals are expected to develop naturally as they grow and interact with the world. However, due to several factors, many people are found to lack selfawareness and thus struggling to cope with life.(Viskovich and De GeorgeWalker 2019) Being un-aware of self, puts one in victim mode unable to manage and control situations which theywouldotherwisebeabletocontrol.
yput cal s, Reflectivequestions,classandtake-home assignmentsaswellaspracticalassessments attheendofeachmoduletoensurethat participantsadaptandtranslatetheconcepts totheirdaytodaylives.Themodulesare;
1)IntroductiontoSelf-Awareness
2)ManagingStress:Livinginblissdespitethe circumstances.
3)AModelforPurposeful/Consciousliving
4)AFrameworkforEffectiveCommunication DecisionMakingandNegotiationforsuccess
5)CareerMentorshipandBusinessIncubation.
Thetrainingwillequipyoungpeoplewith self-knowledge,emotionalintelligence, self-belieftoboostdecisionmakinganda senseofemotionalresilienceinorderto managementalhealthchallengesandin thelong-runincreasetheirproductivity. She’scallingupontheministryof education,ministryofhealth,Institutions oflearningandcommunityyouthprojects toconsiderintegratingtheselfawarenesstrainingsintheirworkinorder toequipyouthwiththeemotional intelligencetheyneedtocopewith currentchallengesandliveuptotheir highestpotential.
Katrina Ffrench was elected as a Councillor for Furzedown ward; Labour gained Wandsworth Council after 4 decades of a Conservative administration
Committed to achieving racial equity and social justice, Katrina is the Founder and Director of UNJUST C I C a non-profit organisation that challenges discriminatory practices and policies within UK policing and the wider criminal justice system.
Former CEO of StopWatch and Chair of MOPAC Stop and Search Community Monitoring Network, Katrina has extensive experience in the field of stop-search policing and community engagement
An effective fundraiser and relationship builder, Katrina is capable of diversifying and increasing income streams. Using her personable nature, strong leadership and management skills, as a CEO Katrina successfully oversaw the publication of evidenced based reports and met with a key stakeholders to advocate for
Never afraid to ask the uncomfortable questions and offer a honest critique, Katrina is a confident communicator Keen to challenge and change the mainstream narrative of policing and racialised communities she has featured on TV, radio, podcasts, info-explainers and in print media
In June 2020 Katrina provided oral evidence to the Home Affairs Committee, The Macpherson Report: Twenty Years On inquiry
Words From Katrina FfrenchIn addition to leading workshops and delivering keynote speeches at national and international conferences, Katrina has participated in panels and events alongside MPs, academics, lawyers, police officers, practitioners and civil liberties activists
The 2022 Wandsworth London Borough Council elections took place on 5 May 2022. All 58 members of Wandsworth London Borough Council were elected. The elections took place alongside local elections in the other London boroughs and elections to local authorities across the United Kingdom. Three weeks after being elected, on 26 May 22, Katrina posted on her LinkedIn profile as follows:
My darling mother accompanied me to Wandsworth Borough Council Town Hall for the Mayoral Inauguration and official change of administration.
Thankful to the Most High, ancestors, friends, family and Furzedown residents. Excited to serve and create this new chapter in my life.
Furzedown is one of the 10 best places to live in London, according to The Sunday Times. Selected alongside Fulham, Bermondsey, Richmond, and King’s Cross, which came out as the supplement published its ‘Best Places to Live Guide’ on March 18.
Furzedown was described as an ‘urban village that’s cheaper than Balham, but less gritty than Streatham, with leafy side streets and a vibrant community spirit’ this place is where Katrina Ffrench calls homeperfect for the London It Girl!
NEVER AFRAID TO ASK THE UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS AND OFFER A HONEST CRITIQUE, KATRINA IS A CONFIDENT COMMUNICATOR.
T H A N K YOU!
FIGURE OUT WHAT YOURE AN EXPERT IN IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE AND KNOW WHAT THEY ARE ASKING CREATE CONTENT THAT SPEAKS TO YOUR VOICE BUILD A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE KNOW WHAT YOUR COMPETITION IS DOING IDENTIFY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WITHIN YOUR TEAM. REVISE
Article by Allie Dec Mar 22, 2022 in Expert Insights, Inb
T h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p i s t h e r e s u l t o f h u n d r e d s o f h o u r s o f p l a n n i n g , s t r a t e g i z i n g , a n d c r e a t i n g c o n t e n t H e r e a r e e i g h t w a y s t o c r e a t e a B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p p l a n t h a t i n c r e a s e s y o u r b r a n d v i s i b i l i t y a n d e s t a b l i s h e s y o u a s a c r e d i b l e v o i c e i n y o u r n i c h e
One of the most crucial things you’ll ever do as a brand is to define what sets your brand apart from the competition Do you offer cutting-edge technologies, better customer service, or lower prices? Once you’ve identified your unique value proposition (UVP), you can then start creating your B2B thought leadership plan
Let’s say your UVP is offering high-end consulting services at a fraction of the price of the large consulting firms
How do you keep your costs so low? What sort of clients partner with you for their consulting needs? These two questions alone can form the core of your thought leadership plan
D e v e l o p B 2 B T h o u g h t L e a d e r s h i p t o I n s p i r e T o s t a n d o u t i n t h e h i g h l y c o m p e t i t i v e b u s i n e s s w o r l d , y o u r b r a n d n e e d s t o r e i n f o r c e i t s r e p u t a t i o n a s a v a l u a b l e , i n s i g h t f u l , a n d u l t i m a t e l y u n i q u e p l a c e f o r p e o p l e t o g o . B y u s i n g t h e s e t i p s a n d t a k i n g t h e t i m e t o r e f i n e y o u r B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p s t r a t e g y , t h e s k y ’ s t h e l i m i t f o r w h a t y o u r b r a n d c o u l d a c h i e v e . Y o u ' l l s o o n b o l s t e r t h e t r u s t w o r t h i n e s s a n d e x p e r t i s e o f y o u r b u s i n e s s , m a k i n g y o u a d e s i r a b l e c o m p a n y f o r c u s t o m e r s a n d i n d u s t r y l e a d e r s a l i k e
I f y o u d o n ' t k n o w y o u r a u d i e n c e , y o u c a n ’ t c r e a t e a c o n t e n t s t r a t e g y a i m e d a t t h e i r n e e d s Y o u r a u d i e n c e w i l l j u s t i g n o r e y o u r b r a n d b e c a u s e y o u r c o n t e n t d o e s n ’ t g i v e t h e m a n y t h i n g u s e f u l o r o f f e r a s o l u t i o n . I n f a c t , 4 7 % o f b u y e r s s a y t h a t m o s t t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p c o n t e n t d o e s n o t a p p e a r t o b e c r e a t e d w i t h t h e i r s p e c i f i c n e e d s i n m i n d C r e a t i n g a b u y e r p e r s o n a i s t h e f i r s t s t e p i n k n o w i n g y o u r a u d i e n c e . T h i s p r o c e s s i n v o l v e s c r e a t i n g a r e s e a r c h - b a s e d p r o f i l e t h a t d e p i c t s a t a r g e t c u s t o m e r Y o u ’ l l n e e d t o i d e n t i f y y o u r c u s t o m e r s ' n e e d s a n d p a i n p o i n t s ( t h e s p e c i f i c p r o b l e m s f a c e d b y c u s t o m e r s ) . T h i s w a y , y o u c a n d e t e r m i n e w h a t y o u c a n o f f e r t h e m t h a t s o l v e s t h e i r p r o b l e m s , i d e a l l y i n a w a y t h a t o t h e r b u s i n e s s e s c a n n o t m a t c h
Y o u c a n i d e n t i f y p a i n p o i n t s b y i n t e r v i e w i n g y o u r c u s t o m e r s a n d g i v i n g t h e m s u r v e y s t o c o m p l e t e .
T a r g e t s p e c i f i c p a i n p o i n t s b y a s k i n g c u s t o m e r s w h a t t h e y v a l u e a b o u t y o u r b r a n d a n d w h i c h a r e a s t h e y f e e l y o u r b r a n d c o u l d i m p r o v e i n , o r s o l v e i s s u e s c u r r e n t l y e x p e r i e n c e d .
B y k n o w i n g y o u r a u d i e n c e , y o u c a n
c r e a t e c o n t e n t t h a t s p e a k s t o t h e m
a n d o f f e r s s o l u t i o n s t o t h e i r
p r o b l e m s T h e c o n t e n t s h o u l d b e a b l e t o p r o v i d e v a l u e s o y o u r a u d i e n c e w i l l c o n s i d e r y o u r b r a n d a s o u r c e o f a c t i o n a b l e i n s i g h t s . D o i t c o n s i s t e n t l y , a n d y o u ’ r e w e l l o n y o u r w a y t o b e c o m i n g a B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r
1.Figureoutwhatyou’reanexpertin. 2.Identifyyouraudienceandknowwhattheyareasking.
T h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p i s t h e r e s u l t o f h u n d r e d s o f h o u r s o f p l a n n i n g , s t r a t e g i z i n g , a n d c r e a t i n g c o n t e n t H e r e a r e e i g h t w a y s t o c r e a t e a B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p p l a n t h a t i n c r e a s e s y o u r b r a n d v i s i b i l i t y a n d e s t a b l i s h e s y o u a s a c r e d i b l e v o i c e i n y o u r n i c h e
Your brand is more than just its logo, colors, and name. It also includes the brand voice or the personality your brand takes on when it communicates with others You can “hear” it in everything your brand says, whether it’s on social media, a blog, or a video. And, just like people, your brand has its own voice that’s influenced by the industry where it operates, the people behind the company, or the audience you want to reach
For example, your brand voice can either be friendly or authoritative A friendly brand voice uses an amusing tone, a bit of humor, and an informal approach to complicated topics (or the avoidance of these topics altogether).
On the other hand, an authoritative brand voice seeks to establish your brand as the source of industry information It uses a formal tone, a bit more industry jargon, and a more structured style of writing.
Some people seem to think that you have to use an authoritative brand voice to establish B2B thought leadership However, this isn’t always the case. It will still depend on your industry, your personal experience as a business owner, and your target audience with a reported 87% of buyers saying that thought leadership content can be both intelligently stimulating and fun to consume at the same time
Sometimes, you’ll even find yourself having to shift between one brand voice to another, depending on the channel where you’ll publish your content For instance, you can use a friendly brand voice in a listicle for BuzzFeed However, you might need to take a more serious tone if you’re writing a case study for the Harvard Business Review Different audiences, different brand voices
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M a n y o f y o u r c u s t o m e r s w i l l a l r e a d y b e o n s o c i a l m e d i a p l a t f o r m s , g i v i n g y o u a c c e s s t o a p l a t f o r m f o r p r o m o t i n g y o u r c o n t e n t I n a d d i t i o n , b e c a u s e s o c i a l m e d i a a l l o w s f o r
i n s t a n t c u s t o m e r a n d b u s i n e s s i n t e r a c t i o n v i a c o m m e n t s a n d m e s s a g i n g , i t ’ s t h e p e r f e c t p l a t f o r m f o r y o u t o g a u g e h o w w e l l y o u r c o n t e n t o u t p u t i s w o r k i n g
E f f e c t i v e s o c i a l m e d i a c o n t e n t s p e a k s d i r e c t l y t o y o u r t a r g e t
a u d i e n c e . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e h i g h l e v e l o f i n t e r a c t i v i t y g i v e s y o u q u i c k a n d i n s i g h t f u l f e e d b a c k o n h o w w e l l y o u r B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p c a m p a i g n i s f a r i n g
F o r e x a m p l e , w h i l e w e a s s o c i a t e G e n e r a l E l e c t r i c w i t h c o n s u m e r a p p l i a n c e s , t h e c o m p a n y a l s o o f f e r s i n n o v a t i v e s o l u t i o n s t o B 2 B c l i e n t s i n t h e e n e r g y , h e a l t h c a r e , a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i n d u s t r i e s . G e n e r a l
E l e c t r i c ’ s I n s t a g r a m p a g e g i v e s i t s f o l l o w e r s a l o o k a t i t s w o r k f o r c e a n d t h e i r p a s s i o n f o r i t s p r o d u c t s
T h e p a g e a l s o p r o m o t e s i t s f o c u s o n r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y W i t h a l m o s t h a l f a m i l l i o n f o l l o w e r s , t h i s a p p r o a c h w o r k s f o r t h e m a n d h a s e x t e n s i v e l y b u i l t u p t h e i r s o c i a l m e d i a p r e s e n c e
3.Createcontentthatspeakstoyourvoice.T h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p i s t h e r e s u l t o f h u n d r e d s o f h o u r s o f p l a n n i n g , s t r a t e g i z i n g , a n d c r e a t i n g c o n t e n t H e r e a r e e i g h t w a y s t o c r e a t e a B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p p l a n t h a t i n c r e a s e s y o u r b r a n d v i s i b i l i t y a n d e s t a b l i s h e s y o u a s a c r e d i b l e v o i c e i n y o u r n i c h e
All successful businesses are forever monitoring their competition The chances are that your main competitors are probably conducting their own B2B thought leadership strategy, so it always helps to keep tabs on their latest moves. Make some notes on key aspects of your competitor's content output, such as the timing, frequency, and effectiveness of their blog posts, website content, and social media output.
Try to look for gaps in their content that you can exploit to benefit your B2B content marketing strategy For example, if they claim to be an expert in a particular area but omit a crucial point, plug that gap with your content output to demonstrate your value and level of expertise in the area to your audience Don't worry too much if the competition produces similar content to you. This opportunity gives your brand the chance to do things better, further cementing the notion that you provide greater insight than your competitors
T h e c o n t e n t s h o u l d b e a b l e t o p r o v i d e v a l u e s o y o u r a u d i e n c e w i l l c o n s i d e r y o u r b r a n d a s o u r c e o f a c t i o n a b l e i n s i g h t s
D o i t c o n s i s t e n t l y , a n d y o u ’ r e w e l l o n y o u r w a y t o b e c o m i n g a B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r
M o s t b u s i n e s s e s i n v o l v e a t e a m o f p e o p l e a l l w o r k i n g t o w a r d t h e s a m e o b j e c t i v e s S o t a k e t h i s f a c t o r i n t o a c c o u n t w h e n y o u a r e t h i n k i n g a b o u t y o u r B 2 B t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p s t r a t e g y
Y o u r m a r k e t i n g t e a m , i n p a r t i c u l a r , s h o u l d i n c l u d e s p e c i f i c i n d i v i d u a l s w h o c a n b e i d e n t i f i e d a s t h o u g h t l e a d e r s . T h e s e p e o p l e h a v e p a r t i c u l a r e x p e r t i s e o r e x p e r i e n c e i n y o u r i n d u s t r y a n d c a n o f f e r u n i q u e a d v i c e a n d b r i n g f r e s h i d e a s t o t h e t a b l e T h e s e i n d i v i d u a l s c a n b e c l a s s i f i e d a s s u b j e c t m a t t e r e x p e r t s ( S M E s ) a n d l e a d y o u r c o n t e n t c r e a t i o n c a m p a i g n s . T h e S M E i s s o m e o n e w h o k n o w s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t e v e r y o n e e l s e i n y o u r c o m p a n y n e e d s t o k n o w a n d w i t h e x t e n s i v e e x p e r i e n c e i n t h e s p e c i f i c p r o c e s s F o r e x a m p l e , a s u i t a b l e S M E f o r a B 2 B c o m p a n y s e l l i n g h o s p i t a l e q u i p m e n t c o u l d b e s o m e o n e w i t h a m e d i c a l o r p r o d u c t d e s i g n b a c k g r o u n d T h e s e S M E s c a n e x p l a i n y o u r p r o d u c t s w i t h a h i g h d e g r e e o f c r e d i b i l i t y Y o u m a y e i t h e r i n v o l v e t h e m i n t h e i n i t i a l d r a f t i n g o f y o u r c o n t e n t o r l e t t h e m r e a d t h r o u g h y o u r c o n t e n t b e f o r e p u b l i s h i n g i t W h i l e y o u c a n f i n d S M E s o u t s i d e y o u r o r g a n i z a t i o n , i t ’ s b e t t e r i f y o u c a n f i n d t h e m w i t h i n y o u r b u s i n e s s . T h i s w a y , y o u ’ l l b e f a m i l i a r w i t h e a c h o t h e r a n d c o n s u l t w i t h t h e m i n t h e c o n t e n t c r e a t i o n p r o c e s s a s n e e d e d
5.Knowwhatyourcompetitionisdoing. 6.Identifysubjectmatterexpertswithinyourteam.
The world of marketing never stands still There are constantly shifting ideas, changes in audiences, and new industry trends that can come about very quickly
With this in mind, your B2B thought leadership plan should always be ready to adapt and evolve concerning the wider marketing industry. Be prepared to make changes to product lines, company philosophies, and even your entire brand identity if it’s necessary Cisco, the California-based technology company, is a B2B brand that isn’t afraid to change tack when necessary. A 2019 blog-style interview with Devon Hood, Cisco’s director of digital marketing, revealed insights into how the company reacts to changes in the marketing landscape Hood explains Cisco’s openness to new ideas in a rapidly evolving environment, stating: “Our team is also free to try new things We put ourselves out there and experiment We take smart chances, but we’re constantly testing different ideas.”
Hood then discussed how this openness to new ideas is put into practice A new separate team called the “Rapid Digital Office” was created and uses “research and insights to drive new experiences and utilities ” Cisco also uses internal hackathons where everyone objectively looks at each other’s work, reviewing and evaluating what is working and what isn’t This new process allows Cisco to uncover and learn new practices along the way.
This fluid approach to B2B thought leadership demonstrates how open your business must be to changes and new ideas that come about As of March 2022, Cisco is currently worth $225 billion, so the company is a great example of a B2B brand not afraid to revise its plans and react positively to an ever-shifting landscape Consider doing the same with your business, always looking to refine and adapt your B2B thought leadership strategy when necessary Be open to new ways of doing things, reacting positively to discussions, and always planning for the future
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D e m a n d M e t r i c , 5 9 % o f B 2 B m a r k e t e r s
c o n s i d e r r e g u l a r b l o g g i n g t h e i r m o s t
v a l u a b l e c o n t e n t c h a n n e l B u t b l o g g i n g i s n ' t e v e r y t h i n g , a n d i t s f o c u s s h o u l d n ' t d i s t r a c t y o u f r o m p o s t i n g v a l u a b l e c o n t e n t o n o t h e r p l a t f o r m s t h a t c a n b e j u s t a s
e f f e c t i v e . F o r e x a m p l e , y o u c a n c r e a t e w h i t e p a p e r s , c a s e s t u d i e s ,
a n d e - b o o k s t h a t s h o w y o u r i n d u s t r y k n o w l e d g e a n d d e m o n s t r a t e h o w y o u r s o l u t i o n s w o r k i n r e a l - l i f e s i t u a t i o n s A s i d e f r o m e s t a b l i s h i n g t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p f o r y o u r b r a n d , y o u c a n u s e w h i t e p a p e r s a n d e - b o o k s a s l e a d m a g n e t s f o r e m a i l m a r k e t i n g Y o u c a n a l s o a d a p t c a s e s t u d i e s i n t o o t h e r f o r m s o f c o n t e n t , s u c h a s Y o u T u b e v i d e o s , i n f o g r a p h i c s , o r p o d c a s t s . T h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s a r e e n d l e s s C h e c k o u t h o w C I E N C E p r o d u c e s a Y o u T u b e v i d e o f r o m i t s w e e k l y a u d i o p o d c a s t :
HOW FAR WILL YOU GO?
LOATHE?
WITH KATE NIBBS
A wedding planner and a real estate agent compete to win the hearts and budgets of couples who must choose between a fairytale wedding and a dream home.
EXPECTING REALITY TELEVISION to be morally sound is like assuming a hungry vulture will politely ignore roadkill: You’ll inevitably be disappointed, and probably a little grossed out Vultures are scavengers they see carrion, they eat it. And reality TV is about entertainment, not ethics. Despite knowing this, I spent the last few minutes of most episodes of Netflix’s newest reality show Marriage or Mortgage yelling “No! No! No!!!” at my screen, floored by how deftly it tempted contestants into making poor choice
My longest, loudest “No!” came during the third episode, which follows college sweethearts
Precious and Alex. Together for nine years, they’ve managed to save up $30,000 toward their future, and have been pre-approved for a $350,000 mortgage.
They’re eager for a new home, especially because their cramped apartment doesn’t have a washer and dryer, and they lug their soiled clothing every week to Alex’s mother’s house. “We want to start a family soon, and that’s our main priority,”
SARAH MILLER & NICHOLE HOLMES...BOTH CHEERFUL, CHATTY REDHEADS, COMPETE BY WOOING THE SHOW’S COUPLES WITH COMPETING VISIONS OF THE FUTURE!
Precious says. With their budget, they can find three- or four-bedroom homes, with laundry rooms and space to sprawl Seems like a cut-and-dried time to find a house, right? Right? It should be, but Precious and Alex are on Marriage or Mortgage, so that’s not their only option. The show follows couples in the Nashville area as they decide whether to get hitched or buy a house first. So Precious and Alex are shown several appealing houses by real estate agent Nichole Holmes, but also chauffeured to several event spaces by wedding planner Sarah Miller.
Holmes and Miller, both cheerful, chatty redheads, compete by wooing the show’s couples with competing visions of the future Holmes finds the pair a bright three-bedroom, twoand-a-half-bath single family home with a working fireplace under budget and even gets the sellers to throw in a credit to buy all-new appliances, a priority for Precious. Despite being presented with an affordable dream home, the couple picks a splashy wedding instead, spending more than $6,000 on the dress and commissioning a custom ranch-dressing fountain for guests A title card flashes at the end, informing viewers that the couple continues to live in their small, nolaundry apartment. Noooooooooooooo!
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Lest you suspect this is the diatribe of an antiromantic curmudgeon I love weddings! I’ve been to more than 30 as a guest They were all lovely, each and every one. I’ve never been keen on scrutinizing the financial decisions of my friends and family, so I don’t know if each wedding was the wisest money choice But they were wonderful moments. Watching the couples on Marriage or Mortgage get walked through delightful wedding options customized to their dream days made me hope they could have the event they wanted someday, too. Of course it did. But not at the expense of all their savings.
Based on their mortgage approvals and stated professions, each couple presented as middle-class and self-financed (Only one is given money from parents ) How long will it take them to save up a formidable nest egg again? There will always be ranch dressing to pour into a fountain, but will interest rates still be historically low at that point?
The idea that every couple requires a full-blown Wedding Industrial Complex–compliant event, replete with cocktail reception and tiered cake, in order for their love to be properly celebrated and acknowledged is simply wrong-headed.
Yes, cocktail receptions are very fun. Cake is delicious. But weddings aren’t marriages, and many happy, long-lasting partnerships begin with elopements or a simple ceremony at City Hall. Meanwhile, you don’t need to own property to have a cozy refuge, but home ownership is one of the few reliable wealth-building tools in reach for many middle-class Americans. Saving up for a down payment can take years of financial sacrifices and hard work.
Filmed prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Marriage or Mortgage is streaming into a changed world, and the recent social upheaval makes its premise all the more preposterous “Should I spend my nest egg on a fun, lovely party or do the one single thing most likely to set me and my family up for financial success?” was never a hard question to answer. We all know the smart response But it’s never been easier to see how absurd the question is. While weddings across the country have been postponed or canceled, the importance of having a peaceful place to live has been more abundantly clear.
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The folly of Marriage or Mortgage’s titular proposition is now so obvious, in fact, that I wonder whether it’s the sort of show that’s been fine-tuned for hate-watching. (It’s also hard not to entertain the notion that it might be anti-wedding propaganda in disguise.)
By the time I finished Marriage or Mortgage, my throat was a little hoarse. Most of the couples choose to spend their savings on a wedding. Most then have to scale it back or modify due to the pandemic, making their decision to splash out on a single event all the more scream-worthy. Why did it provoke such a visceral reaction? Sure, part of it is the inherent false equivalence between weddings and housing, the conceit that choosing one of those two things is a reasonable dilemma. But lots of reality TV is built on slick fantasy (Hello, The Bachelor.) Compared to the most flamboyantly exploitative offerings in the genre remember Kid Nation? Marriage or Mortgage doesn’t register as especially sinister. Instead, the show’s worst transgression might be how ill-suited it is to the present moment. In an era of financial precarity, it pulls an insidious trick
It insists what we want is the same as what we need.
Yes, it is quite easy to build your own hydroponic system. Surprisingly, you can even build it at a friendly cost or budget.
One of the reasons for growing hydroponically is that you need not purchase costly hydroponic systems, nutrients, or even grow lights. For example, for nutrients, you can look for very good commercially-made cost-effective ones. It is also true with lights as you can simply make use of the free sunlight.
What else? Even better, you can build your own hydroponic gardening with kinds of stuff scattered around your house. One brilliant example is you can make a super-easy wick system by utilizing a used jar as your growing chamber. A small empty spice or pepper bottle or container can be a good idea. You can find the one that has a flip-up top and holes. Once you have the growing chamber, you may choose the plant you want to grow.
A plant with a small root ball is highly recommendable. Next, you need to prepare the medium. You can go for pebbles or gravel. As the wick, you can use an unused t-shirt, cotton, or cotton fabrics.
More preparations are bottled or distilled water, water-dissoluble nutrients or fertilizers, and a tape.
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Leila McKenzie-Delis is a British Chinese millennial activist and founder of DIAL Global. Leila’s passion and commitment to diversity and inclusion has been inspired by her upbringing and career to date. Originally born in Hong Kong, Leila was adopted as a baby by a British couple and grew up in Harrogate, Yorkshire. As one of the relatively few nonwhite people in her school and the local area, Leila began to think about the nature of identity, race and professional ambition.
Leila went on to excel academically, graduating top of her class and with a first-class honours degree, however she quickly came across difficulties in accessing opportunities to graduate jobs and internships –while her friends and peers around her did not experience the same barriers.
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