SPOTLIGHT MAGAZINE NOV/DEC ISSUE 7 VOL 5

HayleyHunterHines,CEOofSoulSparkleLivingandtheCreatoroftheSoulCenteredCEOCollective.

soulsparkleliving.com

E X P L O R E

When I think about the things I want the most in my life, the first thing I think of are deeply connected, loving, supportive relationships. With everything we've been through this past year, I think we need to feel connected more than ever. So much has changed about how we do life, and I believe there's a new paradigm of how we can do business as well.

It begins with beautiful connections and deep relationships that create an amazing community of love, support, and collaboration. This is what we're creating in the Soul Centered CEO Collective, a community of soulled and successful leaders who want to make an impact and leave a legacy.

Are you a heart-led CEO that desires to create a ripple effect of change in the world by giving back? Are you a six-figure earner ready to scale to seven figures and beyond? This is a carefully curated collective of bright minds with big visions and a heart for service. Our vision is to serve more so we can make more and together we can give more.

I'd like to invite you to join us in the Soul Centered CEO Collective. Imagine having a mastermind experience based in real connection, community and contribution where you feel seen, known, connected and supported. Where, together, we can support organizations that are in alignment with our values and our vision.

If you've been dreaming of a community of like-minded and big hearted visionary leaders, this may be the perfect fit for you. We would love for you to join us on this journey of expansion and impact. If you are ready to amplify your revenue, amplify your visibility and amplify your impact, join us. This collective is for thought leaders and visionary business owners, ready to leave a legacy and live a life of service and impact.

I hope you'll join us. Membership

2022

EDITOR'S NOTE

May We Know Them, May We Be Them. May We Raise Them"

Firstly at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I want to start this editorial note with the biggest takeaway I’ve been going on about since May It’s the quote from the Women's International Day: After all this is a content syndication themed issue so why not? Ironically, the author is unknown; and yet the quote says ‘May We Know Them, May We Be Them. May We Raise Them’ that in itself made me want to keep using this quote so the author can hopefully be seen, heard and finally recognised for this genius statement that encapsulates everything I believe in and the drive behind my Spotlight and Ignite charter.

To this end, I’ve taken the liberty of adopting the International Women's Day 2021 'May We Know Them, May We Be Them, May We Raise Them’ quote as the conversation starter for GIVA. It is my pleasure to bring to you this special edition of Spotlight – from cover-tocover spotlighting everyday social impact heroes in our community! Starting with our cover story featuring Dr. Crystal Whitmarsh; a Board Certified Neurologic Physical Therapist, Instructor in Physical Therapy, Clinical Educator, Entrepreneur [co-owner of Trail Creek Coffee Roaster], the latter which is where the synergy with GIVA happened!

Crystal is the epitome of what a GIVA recipient was defined to be! She sets the bar so high it will be amazing to see how we can top that in 2022 ?

[that’s then] for now, she tells her story in this issue with candour and wit entitled 'An Expected Leadership Journey' where she narrates about her multi-tasking and side hustle legacy passed on from her mother. Crystal also shares what it takes to think like a leader, her values, tricks, and traits to juggling so many roles. Secondly [full disclosure]! I’d written some opening remarks to share with you all at the opening of our flagship Global Ignite Vision Awards [GIVA] that we live streamed to our Spotlight NetTv. But unfortunately, technology defied me into submission that I’m not good at it. Albeit I took the bow-out to that; I have to say there is always a plan B! So, therefore, as writing is more of my forte; I’ve shared some excerpts of what I had wanted to say in the article Lights Camera Action! Now Is The Perfect Time For Thanksgiving on page 20. Before you get there; do allow me to extend a very warm welcome to all our GIVA2021 joining us from across the globe, you can learn more about them from page 35 - 38

Again, thank you all being such bright shining stars! Even for those of you that just rooted for GIVA from the side lines, our prayer warriors and everyone else who just cheered us on, we could not have spelled GIVA success without you all.

Jet’aimeasalways, Jenniferxoxo

Thank you and God bless you all. I bid you light and abundance!

REGULARS + FEATURES

EXPLORE 5-20

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

DISCOVER 21-39

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.

THRIVE 40-50

Our Thrive Section is where you'll find your takeaway self-care or to live a healthy and sane life; from our entertainment recommendations, to the Ignite events, jobs Travel, Adventures and much more.

A NOTE FROM

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.

CONTENT SYNDICATION

WHEN WILL YOU SEE RESULTS FROM PILATES WORKOUTS?

JUMPSTART YOUR SIGNATURE PROGRAM BY WRITING

INFLUENCER MARKETING IS NO SILVER BULLET FOR SMALL BUSINESS

GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING HML

CONTENT SYNDICATION

G I V A WINNERS

G.I.V.A SPONSORS

WHAT IF IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO TO SCHOOL?

REVIEW TIME NO TIME TO DIE

EXPLORE DISCOVER THRIVE

Together we illuminate a spotlight on what matters to us and thrive

Acknowledgement: In the Spotlight

Welcome to our second 2021 edition of Spotlight magazine ( issue 7 Volume 5)

Welcome back into the Spotlight Our gratitude as always goes out to all our clients and small but mighty army of contributing editors for their continued support of supplying 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, challenging the PR industry status quo. We do this with a Thought Leadership magazine owned by a woman for the women audience which 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.

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 hope you can 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 all our readers as we share and interrogate 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 and Thrive.

ANUNEXPECTED LEADERSHIPJOURNEY THE SCOVER TORY

By Dr.Crystal Whitmarsh

“How do you do it all?”

This is a question that as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, mentor, Doctor of Physical Therapy, small business owner, and entrepreneur; I get asked ALL. THE. TIME. When I was 9 years old, my parents divorced. I came home from school one day, and all of my father’s things were gone The entirety of my life leading up to that pivotal moment, my mother stayed home, providing meals from scratch, maintaining an immaculate home, and keeping us all alive

During her transition to a single parent, she began working two jobs, and still maintained all the above tasks She kept our family afloat and worked incredibly hard to provide for our needs So, you might say that my ability to manage everything is in my roots; a beautiful legacy passed down from my mother. Four years ago, as a mother of 2 boys under 2, I never imagined I would be juggling as many roles as I do today. At that time, we had just relocated to a new city for my “dream job”, which left my husband with over an hour commute each way to his current corporate job. I was left managing the kids' emotions as they transitioned to a new daycare, and navigating feelings of perpetual mom guilt, like I was never “enough”, and always racing the clock to arrive at work on time. In my new role, I began specializing in brain and spinal cord injury, helping patients re-learn how to walk, or encouraging them to overcome the obstacles in front of them At that time, I was running on fumes, getting less than 4 hours of sleep a night, surviving on grace, and a whole lot of coffee I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew there had to be more than an 8-5 job for us both, that led to exhaustion and disconnectedness

What started as a dream, slowly became a reality I am now co-owner of our small coffee roasting business I’ve taken on many titles; CEO, Director of Marketing, Community Outreach Coordinator, Barista, and more. This business provided an opportunity to stretch our abilities and connect with communities across the globe. A purpose much greater than a paycheck, and one that could be passed on to our children through learned experiences.

When viewed from a distance, one might think that I have some sort of multi-tasking superpower. But the truth is, I live my life completely out of balance. There are many tasks that get rescheduled, passed on to my husband, or let go of altogether. At any given time if you show up to my house, you’ll find a laundry basket full of clean clothes sitting out, an inch of dust on all surfaces, Legos scattered about, and dishes in the sink And that’s okay Life is made of values and priorities Each moment, there is something that requires more intentionality, presence, and commitment For example, first thing in the morning I focus on Jesus, journaling, and exercise When I’m at the hospital, my patients are my priority When I get home, I am present with my family; and everything else, like the business, is woven into open spaces

1. Faith

2. Family 3. Connection

When life gets interrupted, the unexpected happens, a child is sick, I forgot about a meeting, or I just plain run out of time; I hit the pause button. Take a deep breath. Pray. And ground me in these values. If whatever is pressing at that moment aligns accordingly, then it deserves a place at the table. Everything else…like cleaning, dishes, and laundry is a ball that I’m okay with dropping and letting bounce for a while 2 years ago, God placed leadership on my heart Since then, I have hustled to grow my leadership skills Just in the past month, I have applied, interviewed, and been overlooked for 3 different leadership positions Having worked incredibly hard doing “all the things” to make it in this corporate world, my heart was crushed to hear yet again, “Great interview, wouldn’t change a thing, but we chose the other candidate ”Enter G I V A To be completely honest, when I was nominated, I was doubted I belonged in any leadership circle, questioned who I was, and what I was meant to do. I didn’t believe I belonged in this group of prestigious, amazing women. But what I also knew…was that it was exactly where I desired to belong. The only way to get there was to surround me with such greatness. So, I took the leap. I committed the time, energy, and passion, and it was worth it.

The G.I.V.A. process required me to dig deep into my vulnerable heart, to acknowledge the past that has driven me, the present that grounds me, and the future that motivates me G I V A is so much greater than the corporate world It is everything God has created me to be It isn’t limited to my tiny bubble in Minnesota but provides the opportunity to encourage women across the globe The honor of these awards has helped me to see why God had closed those corporate leadership doors He had something so much greater and impactful in store for me and He’s not done yet I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about a destination, job title, or salary Leadership is about embracing the journey it takes to get there and the willingness to grow from each challenge and obstacle It requires adapting to change and having the agility to be ready to step in at any moment.

My hope for you in reading this is that if you are feeling overwhelmed or overlooked; you might realize that you are worthy, you deserve a seat at this table, and you don’t have to do it all: prioritize, delegate when possible, and let the rest bounce.

The weight of each task is measured against my core values.

EXPLORE

TLC membership Doors Are Now Open!

Join Our Thought Leadership Collective - an ecosystem that nurtures and helps underrepresented and often marginalised female entrepreneurs enhance visibility through earned press coverage on mainstream and social media.

Helping You Amplify Your Voice. Be Heard, Seen, Known, Trusted. Be globally connected as Thought Leaders with expert authority in Your field.

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al Roster of the most disruptive, riven and innovative virtual mark

WHEN WILL YOU SEE RESULTS FROM PILATES WORKOUTS?

SCOOP

By Lynda Lippin, CEO Lynda Lippin Pilates, founder Pilates Teacher Mastermind® & Strong Bones

As entrepreneurs we tend to be very results oriented, with precious little free time. One of the first questions someone new to Pilates will ask me is, “When will I see the results from my workouts?”

Well, Joseph Pilates himself had an answer that I tend to agree with.

In 10 sessions you will feel a difference, in 20 you will see a difference, and in 30 you will have a whole new body.

Note that he separates feeling, seeing, and living the results. This is important, as often times you will feel different first - less back pain, better breathing, maybe some muscle soreness, maybe better posture

Then, you and others will start to see the difference in muscle tone, definition, and posture. Finally, you’ll start to notice changes in how you look, feel, and move even when not exercising - how you live in your new body!

IF YOU’RE NEW TO PILATES, HERE ARE SOME OTHER FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT:

HOW FIT ARE YOU TO START WITH?

If you do no exercise at all and start any new program, you will see more dramatic results quickly as you stretch and strengthen areas that haven’t been exercises before. You’ll see results quickly, even working out only once or twice a week

If you are already used to exercise and start Pilates for cross training or simply for something new, it may take a little bit longer to see the difference from the new addition, like Pilates 2

HOW OFTEN ARE YOU DOING YOUR PILATES WORKOUTS?

You can do Pilates every day, but most people like to take a day or two off in between workouts. Following Joseph Pilates guidelines, the more often you do Pilates workouts the quicker you will see results. At once a week those 10 sessions will take 10 weeks, at 3 times a week you will see results 3 times faster

HOW INTENSELY ARE YOU EXERCISING?

Intensity is the deciding factor in how quickly you will see results from any exercise program, including Pilates If you focus and work as hard as possible during every Pilates exercise, breathing and maintaining great form as you move as quickly as you can with control, you will see results more quickly. If you tend to move slowly, take lots of breaks, and shy away from hard intense physical work, it will take a bit longer to see results from your Pilates workouts

If you can, I recommend starting out with a certified Pilates teacher in live or online privates or smaller classes, so someone can correct your form and explain how to do the exercises. If that is not possible, there are many great books, audios, and videos on the market In fact, I offer many free, short, and effective Pilates workouts on my YouTube channel

Set aside 15-30 minutes at least twice a week where you can focus on Pilates.

Try to do the Pilates workouts to the best of your ability, focusing as much as possible on proper form and breathing

Stick with it! Pilates workouts can really be fun and effective.

Jumpstart Your Signature Program by Writing a Book

Writing a book offers many benefits to professional coaches, entrepreneurs, and consultants. You may be surprised to discover how the process of writing a book can help you jumpstart other projects, such as signature product offerings that gain you more business, a wider presence in your industry, and another avenue for helping others.

THESCOOP

2.CREATEMINICLASSESORGROUP COACHINGSESSIONSBASEDON YOURBOOK

Your book offers a straightforward guide your readers can follow to achieve real success. However, diving in deeper to some of the topics your book covers through group coaching and mini classes can help your audience accomplish so much more.

Jot down outlines for these classes and group sessions as you are writing those chapters for your book. Your mind is fresh with the details and you can get double rewards for the information you’ve researched.

1.WRITINGSTIMULATES CREATIVITY

Writing is an utterly creative process. Regardless of the countless hours you spend researching and outlining your book, the time you spend in front of the keyboard writing out chapters is an entirely creative time that actually serves to fuel your creative tendencies. These are the times when ideas, plans, and processes for other projects will come to you.

Take a little time to make a note so you don’t forget about these new ideas, then get back to work on your book You want to make sure you don’t loose track of these signature ideas but also that you do not get lost in planning that project rather than completing your book.

3.CONSIDERDEVELOPINGA BOOKSERIES

If not a book series, at least consider creating a workbook series or supplemental planners that are based on your book or topics related to your book. That offers you opportunities for greater profitability while helping your audience transition the principles in your book into actionable steps in their lives. The more books, workbooks, planners, and other products you have available, in addition to your book, the more opportunities you have to earn greater profits from your existing audience and make the most impact.

- Maya Angelou

4.KICKYOURPRICEPOINTUP

Books build confidence and trust among your audience. Now that you’ve written a book, it’s time to consider the value of the courses, products, and coaching sessions you offer and re-evaluate how much you’re charging for your time.

Books create authority, visibility, and expertise in the eyes of your followers Make sure the prices for your new items reflects the added value your time and talent now command.

Also take this time to review existing products for ideas about updates and upgrades that can make them more valuable to audiences and help them command a greater price from consumers

The more time you spend creating products, reworking existing products, and planning out new products for the future, the easier the writing, planning, and publishing process will become for you. The key is to actually start and see how quickly it all comes together for you

SPOTTED EXPERTS

“By giving another woman a chance to help you, you are also giving her an opportunity to feel valued, and whole.”

Jane Finette

Spotlight stardust on you

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP!

What it is and is not! Part 1:

BY JENNIFER NASH

It is often misunderstood that being a leader (learned skills and qualified to do a job in a prescribed framework) i.e management, operation etc by an organisation is the same as being a Thought Leader (pathfinder, innovative and visionary) to-go-to ‘think-tank’ and expert of a particular subject or field. This misconception is normal and understandably so confusing.

A leader in an organisation is often selfmade, 90% of people can be learned through leadership skills training Whereas, Thought Leaders are often ‘made’ and sought by others. Especially by professionals in the mass communication industry like PR Consultants and Journalists seeking efficacy commentary on a particular subject that requires technical or peer reviewed evidence based knowledge to gain deeper understanding of the subject matter Both are complementary

adds value to your existing core leadership skills, increases your trust-worthiness and authenticates the specific area of your expertise around the narrative."

Go from Unknown to Unforgettable...

Dare-To-Be A Thought Leader!

If in doubt - its what we do at Ark & Brook PR; we've raised the bar by building others up: The more reason to join us so we can give you insights, media training and #tlcspotlight that will authenticate you as a reliable, professional #ThoughtLeader

Final Thought: Remember there is nothing more off putting than a self-prescribed Thought Leader. Let others put you on that pedestal literally, we can of course give you a hand to navigate those steps.

Meantime, we highly recommend you join our Dare-To-Be Unforgettable Facebook Community to give you a head start...

"Thought Leadership training

LIGHTS LIGHTS CAMERA CAMERA ACTION! ACTION!

CAMERA.NO ACTIONWITHOUT THEGIVAWOMEN!

This was the original opening remarks I never got round to sharing as we had a technical glitch at the start of the GIVA2021 ceremony now re-written in past present tense

"There would be No Lights No Camera No Action without the GIVA women! They are the only reason GIVA exists in the first place! So, as we begin a season of giving thanks and sacrifice for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year, let me start by first by thanking God who makes ALL THINGS POSSIBLE.! I thank my husband Tim and my family for putting up with workaholic tendencies Huge thanks to my friends for gracefully accepting me for whom I’m without judgement!

Please allow me to extend a million thanks to the GIVA2021 Judges and participants for making the event

While some of you where with us on the live zoom call, many of you, family and friends were able to join us via our Spotlight NetTv channel on YouTube, either way, I hope it was as good an experience as it was for me, my family and friends here in London. If you missed the action you can watch a replay here

magical and memorable!! Thank you for believing in me when I first conceived this outlandish idea of the Global Ignite Vision Awards [say what!] even for me – it is the most ambitious and craziest thing I’ve done [YET] since enrolling myself back into undergrad school after a 16year gap since I completed my Associate in California!

Of course there other crazy things I’ve done – like taking my chances accepting a marriage proposal from my British beau over a skype call in 2006 [that was before social media or any other real time way of doing a background check on someone by that I mean digital stalking lol!

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AFTER PARTY

Enough about the crazy me – You get the gist right But seriously those of you that know me – I do not do anything by halves – its all in all go home right! So here we are it’s the flagship GIVA truly and surely here! But this is NOT about me! As I was saying, I could have never done this without the judges believing in me in the first instance. You have all been wearing so many hats as my rock, sounding board, teachers, cheerleaders, confidants, coaches, consultants, but most of all – you have become my bad ass fearless female [BFFs] forever! And for that I truly thank you!

As my Thought Leadership role model Denise says, saying YES to that ‘WHAT IF’ situation and turning it into action –saying ‘IF NOT ME- THEN WHO? thought leadership is all about Taking The Long view, Overcoming fears, Trusting The Risk and Respecting The Feedback Loop!

WHY GIVA?

The issue I had was twofold: Based on the Sustainable Development Goals that I’m super passionate about , SDG 4, 8, 9 & 11 {look them up], I asked myself –1.

What can I do to be the change I want to see reflected in the gap these SDGS propose to solve?

[Answer] My own story was bang in the middle of all 4 SDGS so naturally I gravitated towards telling my own narrative through my own lived experiences to help other underrepresented and often marginalised people in our society, especially women, youth, and children.

2 As covid hit – I noticed everyone focusing on the frontline workers [which was finally so great and awesome to see] but no one was paying attention to the growing number of extraordinary youth and female entrepreneurs on and offline – doing extraordinary value addition amazing work – but no one was singing their praises! Being an unapologetic, social justice advocate – I quickly put on my activist hat. What if someone did give recognition to these unsung heroes What would that look like to fill that gap of representation and marginalization in the media especially in the awards and recognition arena globally?

[Answer] As a PR Consultant with passion and skills for amplifying women’s voices, and enhancing their visibility, it was a natural transition for me to want to combine my skills and passion into a well-oiled machine for my work and causes

Hence GIVA was birthed with a single vision to ultimately create a Thought Leadership Collective movement – so Together We Ignite Our Uncommon Goals [the extraordinary but different skills we have for the business we do] With A Common Vision [visible social impact to make the world a better place

Big thank you also our brilliant program director Diane Hi d f b i i tt dance that night - Diane is The ent Bureau Boutique PR agency,

Rachel Callow judge for [Best Customer Service [FMCG Industry]; Rachel is Founder and owner of Home by Rachel London Currently working on the expansion of the Home by Rachel London brand through a range of channels including concessions, sales agents, and exciting franchise model

·Mary Ntsoaki Mosoeunyane, a brilliant mind and Senior Lecturer at Bucks University and published author of a thought provoking My Life In England: Dream Come True or Ruined where Ms Mosoeunyane chronicles her journey across continents and cultural obstacles in search of greener pastures.

Not forgetting to say a huge thank you to our only male guest and English gentleman, Matthew Chattle who captured the before and after press photos for GIVA We thoroughly enjoyed the red-carpet pampered shoot! See all the amazing photos on our GIVA library here

Yeah! Friday October 22nd was great…but now; let the actual GIVA movement officially begin so please don’t forget to follow the GIVA Instagram page for updates!

@TLCGIVA on Instagram

@Subscribe on our YouTube channel at Spotlight

NetTv

Representing talent across the arts and entertainment sectors Diane is excited to share her experience within the arts and entertainment sectors to the GIVA elite group of women entrepreneurs and help boost their professional and business profiles so richly deserved ��

The night could not have been complete without the company of my dear friends

Denise Edwards, [also a GIVA judge for Best Customer Service [service Industry], a highly successful and intuitive, Denise is the Executive Assistant to the Commanding Officer and the Technical Director of the Office of Naval Research Global - London.

D I S C E R

contributing editors

Of great content & useful tips shared by our awesome

T H A N K YOU!

Jennifer Nash

Tim Nash

Muskan Samaria

Crystal Whitmarsh

Doris Yip

Kathy Kasten

Lynda Lippin

Yvonne Ruffin

The Protégé

Doris Yip is a Finance Executive with over 25+years of Fortune 500 corporate experience. She has a Master's degree in Business and Finance, Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Certified Pricing Professional She is a CFO of a $1 7B business and worked directly with C-Suite Executives to increase profits year over year.

She believes women entrepreneurships is a movement. She is passionate to help heartcentered women CEOs to reach their financial goals while gaining confidence to create their own financial freedom.

So they can build a family legacy and create greater impacts in their local communities. She has streamlined the timeliness of proven financial and business strategies from big corporations to small & medium sized businesses with various CFO services. Her proprietary BAM pricing Methodology helps women entrepreneurs supercharge their business with high ticket offers to charge what they are worth and do what they love everyday

Everyone deserves to have financial freedom.

OpinionEntrepreneurship

BY SHOLA ASANTE

He was a little on the serious side; in-house counsel at a shipping firm with no discernible interest in women’s fashion. Yet his ears pricked up at the conversation between his wife and I as we sat at the kitchen table talking about my new business.

George Clooney’s rakish charm has done wonders for Nespresso coffee sales

Where are you going to sell your products?

How are people going to find out about your brand?

All valid questions, for which I had answers, but it signalled the beginning of what I have come to realise is an unintended consequence of starting a business: everyone from family and friends to

recommendations and megawatt smiles percolating in our collective consciousness. access to A-list celebrities is beyond the reach of m small enterprises, further down the food chain there is more chance of collaboration If anything, in fact, there is possibly too much choice The influencer marketing industry is forecast to be worth $13 8bn in 2021, up $4 1bn compared with last year, according to the latest Influencer Benchmark Report But how do brands, particularly small businesses, pursue this marketing strategy? “You’ll find there is some low-hanging fruit,” say the owners of The Steak Shop, an online meat supply company “After this it gets more difficult You must our the internet for the best creators. much about subscriber count, but [rather ent and views rate [as] this is much more will help your results.” The Steak Shop, to Steak on the Green, an award-winning west London, was founded during the first 020. The ability to reach a large, targeted trust the influencer’s opinion was e for the business.

All valid questions, for which I had answers, but it signalled the beginning of what I have come to realise is an unintended consequence of starting a business: everyone from family and friends to random strangers will offer you unsolicited advice One nugget from the hall of fame is that many people will tell you to “find an influencer” This is usually delivered in assured tones as the only decision you need make in order to sell your wares and guarantee success This is not entirely wrong Think of the association between Michael Jordan’s gravity-defying dunks and Nike, or what George Clooney’s rakish charm has done for Nespresso coffee. There is a certain alchemy at work when influencers and brands team up, their

lowly, gifting cuts of meat to content would invariably post YouTube videos of aring steaks in their back gardens. The mmediate: increased traffic to their website o sales So much so that the company has anager to focus on this marketing strategy t for every success story there is a e Blue Elvin, a brand that creates rtswear for women who weight train, erience disappointing They gave away a , but the influencers did not deliver in or content As a result, they see this being more relevant for bigger companies “It is a great strategy for larger brands who have better profit margins, tonnes of stock and multiple products,” says co-founder Tamara Short. “They can offer more attractive packages to influencers that smaller brands just can’t afford,” she adds. “ . . . It’s a numbers game, and so you’re up against it from the start.” This is a difficult situation to navigate for small businesses. It is hard to make demands if you cannot afford to pay, but with no power of enforcement, companies can feel exploited when expectations are not met.

“What’s your marketing strategy?

That is where authenticity is key: finding people who love what you do and would use your products regardless of whether or not they get paid

Indeed, for now, Blue Elvin has shunned short-term influencer partnerships in favour of building a paid ambassador programme. This has allowed them to find athletes who share their values. “It is much more purpose-driven than the way we previously worked,” says Short If they were to explore the influencer route again,

Short says, Blue Elvin would focus on working with micro-influencers, with fewer than 15,000 followers. Research suggests that this category tends to have greater engagement, compared with accounts with larger followings But either way, influencer marketing is still no silver bullet which is what I told my friend’s husband before graciously thanking him for his advice and needs to be executed alongside additional activities such as events and paid ads. My business experience of this marketing strategy has fallen somewhere in between the two examples above and we are still refining our marketing mix It is all trial-and-error, but if you are lucky, the combination might just turn to gold.

Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles.

Indeed, for now, Blue Elvin has shunned short-term influencer partnerships in favour of building a paid ambassador programme This has allowed them to find athletes who share their values “It is much more purpose-driven than the way we previously worked,” says Short. If they were to explore the influencer route again, Short says, Blue Elvin would focus on working with micro-influencers, with fewer than 15,000 followers Research suggests that this category tends to have greater engagement, compared with accounts with larger followings. But either way, influencer marketing is still no silver bullet which is what I told my friend’s husband before graciously thanking him for his advice and needs to be executed alongside additional activities such as events and paid ads My business experience of this marketing strategy has fallen somewhere in between the two examples above and we are still refining our marketing mix. It is all trial-and-error, but if you are lucky, the combination might just turn to gold

By Jennifer Nash

The HML Foundation was registered as an NGO in 2017 by Jennifer ans Tim after operating as a personal project so aimed at Saving Lusaka Libraries since 2006.

The foundation aims has since continued on that path to save or offer alternative public & community spaces. The 2017/18 agenda focused on Libraries - with the belief that a library should remain as a public seat of knowledge, resource and wisdom. A library should by right be a collection of sources of information and similar resources, made accessible to a defined community for reference or borrowing It should provide a physical or digital access to material in a physical building or room or a virtual space or both Preferably and traditionally a building in the case of a Library

The HML Foundation is working with Ark & Brook, a PR agency founded by Jennifer Nash to continue her work with other like minded Female Entrepreneurs,through the Global Ignite Vision Awards platform, working with these individuals or organisations that are willing to forge ahead the 2030 UN-SDG's goals no. 4, 8, 9 & 11. The mission is to have Female Entrepreneurs to immortalize their lagacy by becoming a friend of HML Foundation so you can help create the future digital hub of information and resource. Together, We're So Much Better!

We need to raise £1,000,000 GBP for our ambitious plan to work with Jannou Africa Group - a developer working with us to build new community library to complement existing poorly managed public infrastructures as an alternative modern facility with broad band connectivity and amenities We also would very much like to hear from you if you have an idea about the designing of the Statue or Sculpture that will reflect the purpose of the building and express the love and legacy of the people that will help us build it

This is an ambition project, I know! But imagine this, if a million people gave £1 in the next 9 years, we could achieve this easily! That's why This is A Drop Of Ink To Make A Million Think project

It's also my first public crowd fudning fundraising appeal ever because Due to Covid-19, building a community library has become an emergency as we need to build faster so we can alleviate digital poverty sooner.

Previously I've spent 10% of my own income totalling to over £13,000 spent on the Foundation in the last 4 years since its registration as an NGO in 2017.

Together We Can Give A Gift That Keeps Givingand that is what a library does. Thank you in advance for sharing this vision. Come back soon for updates :-)

Thanking you in advance for all your support!

Jennifer Nash, Trustee and Founder

Note To Readers:

By time of writing this article we have raised £270 from the Global Ignite Vision Awards! Thanks to Kathy Kasten and Christine Holter.

Due to Covid-19, building a community library has become an emergency as we need to build faster so we can alleviate digital poverty sooner

CONTENT SYNDICATION

THESCOOP

What is content syndication?

Content is king. But, if you’re a content marketer (or if you’re familiar with the craft) then you know how difficult it is to ensure that your content is getting the attention that it deserves. [That is why at Spotlight we inserted this phrase ...if Content Is King...the Content Syndication is Queen' to emphasise this point.

Even if your company has a popular blog, newsletter, and social media channels, publishing on these platforms alone may only earn your content a couple hundred views (maybe fewer).

"Listen Up! If Content Is King... Then Content Syndication is Queen"

- Jennifer Nash

Content syndication is the act of republishing blog, case study, infographic, or video content across a number of websites or platforms. The aim of this is to optimize the impact of highvalue content by placing it in front of a variety of different audiences. There are a few ways that content can be syndicated.

Source: The Fundamental Guide To Lead Generation By Vendasta

Here are some of the most popular syndication strategies available to marketers today:

1. Outreach to other websites and blogs

This can be a great way to generate awareness for your brand by reaching new audiences, but the chief risk here is that you will get little traffic back to your site without a strong incentive for readers to do so

2 Social media

Posting a blog link on your social media sites is the bare minimum for social syndication However, marketers can take this a few steps further by publishing full length blog content on LinkedIn, publishing infographics on sites like Pinterest, or even publishing slide decks on SlideShare.

3. Medium

Medium is equal parts social network, blog, and forum, and it’s completely accessible to anyone on the web. Post on Medium to unlock additional SEO opportunities, reach new audiences, and potentially have your content delivered in personalized newsletters or placed behind the Medium paywall.

4. Paid syndication

This category belongs to companies like Outbrain and Taboola that are in the business of creating “Recommended for You” and “Around the Web” ads for online news articles that link back to your website

5 Forums

Quora, Reddit, and Tumblr are the biggest names in this space, and they boast massive opportunities for marketers to amplify their syndication efforts through micro-content that can be derived from larger content pieces

6. PR strategy

Getting your work published in a major publication like Fast Company is no small task. That’s why a dedicated press strategy can be instrumental in getting your work placed in these influential news sources.

Why is content syndication important?

Content without syndication is kind of like having a product without a distribution network to back it Syndication strategies allow marketers to maximize the impact of everything they produce, from blog articles, to videos, to podcasts, to infographics, and everything in between

1. It’s nitrous for content marketers When you publish a blog, the only automatic reach that you receive is whatever may result from your current web traffic, and what you might realize in SEO value a few months down the road. By building a more integrated syndication strategy, you are effectively supercharging the reach and the impact that your content would otherwise have.

The effect of content syndication is simple:

1. Accessing a larger audience equals greater reach.

2. Authority backlinks serve to improve your domain authority and all subsequent website marketing tactics

3 Greater reach translates into greater web traffic

4 Greater web traffic means an increase in conversions

Here’s an anecdote:

Without syndication

You publish a blog on your website which averages just over 30,000 monthly visits. You have a newsletter that distributes your content to an email list of 3,000. As a result of your publication, you earn 300 pageviews in the first month, 50 in the second month, and 20 in the third month. By month four, your blog begins to rank on the low end of the top ten for a long-tail search term and starts to generate ~30 monthly visits from organic.

With syndication

Alternatively, you publish the same blog, earn all of the same organic metrics, BUT, you also deploy a syndication strategy. Here is the net effect:

• You reformat and publish it on Medium and refer an additional 20 clicks per month

• You post tidbits of your content on Quora and generate hundreds of answer views per month

• You get the piece republished in SearchEngineJournal (SEJ) and get an additional few thousand reads which translates into greater awareness, an influx in direct organic leads, and a handful of referral leads

2021

...AND THE WINNER IS... DR. CRYSTAL WHITMARSH

Presented By Jennifer Nash

Cannot believe it's already three and half weeks since GIVA2021! My team and I at Ark & Brook PR have immensely enjoyed watching social media explode with posts of gratitude, excitement, and celebration by all the GIVA2021 winners. In particular, as Editor-InChief of Spotlight magazine, it gives me immense pleasure to present the credentials of Crystal Whitmarsh so you in turn can see why she deserved to the crowned the GIVA2021 Queen!

Crystal Whitmarsh is the co-owner and founder of Trail Creek Coffee Roasters in Kasson, Minnesota, and a board-certified neurologic physical therapist and certified clinical instructor at Mayo Clinic. She was raised by a single mother in Upper Michigan where she played college basketball at Finlandia University and frequented locallyowned coffee shops She was engaged in Campus Crusade for Christ and found a love of serving her community which developed her servant leadership philosophy through outreach and volunteer work.

After graduating in 2006 with her Associate degree, she moved to Minnesota with her husband and began working as a physical therapy assistant She continued her educational journey and completed her Bachelor’s in Exercise Science from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2010, and in 2013 she obtained her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. She is the first female in her family to attain a terminal degree

In addition to Dr. Whitmarsh’s academic accomplishments, and while working full time and serving in her community, she and her husband opened their coffee roasting business in their home under the Minnesota cottage food license in 2017.

During this time, she focused on advertising and networking strategies, specifically trying to collaborate with non-profit or locally run businesses.

She has been engaged in multiple business-related platforms including the Women’s Entrepreneur Forum, the Chamber of Commerce, and has presented at One Million Cups in Rochester, MN. In 2018, she worked with the Kasson City Council to keep small businesses local she presented the business proposal, an agreement was made, and Trail Creek Coffee Roasters officially opened its doors as a brick-andmortar roaster in 2019. Her servant leadership continued to prevail as she worked with non-profit organizations such as The Landing MN and Project Legacy to donate 33% of each specialty bag sold.

In 2020, Trail Creek Coffee Roaster’s beans were stocked in retail stores and a local non-profit coffee shop. Being a frontline worker during the pandemic herself, in both 2020 and 2021, she knew the importance of community engagement and Trail Creek donated 5-pound bags of coffee to essential workers, as well as made a necessary pivot to an online business model, featuring roast to order and free local delivery to your door step.

THE WINNER'S HALL OF FAME

BY MUSKAN SAMARIA

Here is a Spotlight magazine formal introduction of the GIVA2021 Category winners in no particular order. Watch this space as we will feature each of their individual story each month for the next 12 months! Congratulations Everyone!

OMEN'S DAY HAPPY INT'AL STAY IN YOUR POWER

AND THE WINNER IS...

"May We Know Them, May We Be Them. May We Raise Them"

As we celebrate their life’s stories and elevate them with abundance throughout their GIVA journey!

MESSAGES FROM GIVA2021 JUDGES

WITH MENU OF GIFTS THAT KEEP GIVING

Kathy says “I have been blessed with an incredible journey that has led me through experience in corporate life, customer service, marketing, sales, strategic planning, goal setting & achievement, successful grant writing, leadership work (with a host of entities including non-profits, businesses, foundations, entrepreneurs, parents, young people, education), book writing, keynote and podcast speaking, and more

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Lynda helps women over 50 with osteoporosis and/or chronic pain feel & function better, and I help Pilates teachers serve their clients with confidence & create profitable online businesses Pilates Teacher Mastermind

30 min free 1:1 lesson

Annie helps one to communicate with better results, efficiency and forming better relationships in the process. Basic communication has not changed, it has evolved By creating an environment where everyone is included in the conversation helps to achieve more while giving more perspective

EVERY NOMINEE FOR GIVA 2021 WALKED AWAY WITH MENU OF GIFTS THAT KEEP GIVING

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50 % OFF on Done For You Services from Ark & brook PR.

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This is a 12 month PR contract Offer must be redeemed by January 1st or 90 days from GIVA event whichever is sooner

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GIVA SWAG

We've added new items to our shop. Visit our website to see our latest collections.

GIVA Swag is A Gift That Keeps Giving. Our Signature Memo Shirts are Inspired By The Idea That a Picture

Speaks a Thousand Words. By Wearing this Swag you embody the spirit of our collective social Impact tribe!

100% Proceeds benefit the HML Foundation

GET YOUR VISIBILITY PRESCRIPTION HOW YOU WANT. WHEN YOU WANT WHERE YOU WANT

Being featured in publications, podcasts or awards is one of the best ways to build a strong trust, a credible reputation and being known, seen, and recognised as an expert by your potential clients. Our exclusive Spotlight platforms gives you unparalleled access to global audience, and unlimited exposure while simultaneously improving the visibility of your brand.

JAN ISSUE SNEAK PEAK!

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CURATED CHAOS

STARS CAN'T SHINE STARS CAN'T SHINE WITHOUT DARKNESS WITHOUT DARKNESS

How despite all the challenges the GIVA Stars still shone!

Fix My PR!

What Every Female Entrepreneur Should Know About Public Relations! It's not about Spin! It all about perception!

The Must-Have skills all thought leader should have before entering any awards

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What the 2022 visibility trends are and why you should be ahead of your competition!

Whatif itwas impossible togoto school?

Eight-year-old Sajna from rural India cannot go to a formal school. That’s because during regular school hours Sajna must stay home to do chores and support her family. The wonderful news is that Sajna is still learning. Only it's happening at night time. . . when most children might be getting ready for bed. Instead, Sajna and her friends gather around a lantern in the dark

At night school, Sajna can forget about her tiresome day, and feel her age again –spending precious moments reading and learning so that she has a chance at a brighter future. This program is run by our local partner, Barefoot College.

Because of incredible supporters like you, our partnership with Barefoot College brings Sajna's night school a library of books on tablets to Keep Children Reading!

Digital learning: a light in the darkness

But there are night schools out there without enough books to support the children. We're trying to change that and with your help we can. We believe education changes the world, and books are the foundation of all learning. Want to support children like Sajna?

Your donation can help us bring digital books to more children like Sajna, so they can have the best chance at a brighter future

Books at night school = Brighter futures

Too often, children like Sajna are kept from the education they deserve because they aren't able to go to school. Luckily, these night schools are making it possible for these children to keep learning.

Worldreader is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN27-2092468) in the US, and is also registered in Kenya, Ghana, Spain, UK and India.

Connect with us:

THRIVE

Already at the time of writing this review, No Time To Die, the 25th James Bond film has broken all sorts of box office records. We know it was delayed twice by a certain pandemic but it’s easy to forget it was actually postponed from it’s original release of November 2019. So, with a two year delay, it’s safe to say the hype is huge and the expectation immense. So, was it worth the wa

Daniel Craigs fifth outing and his last playing the infamous secret agent opens as he is enjoying retirement with Madeliene Swan (Seydoux ) in Italy, a direct continuation from the previous movie Spectre. But Bond can never truly relax and it’s not long before his world literally explodes around him and he is dragged back into the espionage world he thought long gone when old friend and CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) approaches him for a favour Bond quickly falls down the rabbit hole of deceit and lies and ultimately faces a very different world, one under threat from the villain of the piece, Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek), a man intent on creating a bioweapon to wipe out half the population of the

Craig famously said after Spectre that he would “rather slash my wrists than play James Bond again”, so one has to wonder why he came back for more of the same. Perhaps the answer is obvious but there also seems to a very definite influence from the actor as to the direction this film would take to ensure it would definitely be his last as 007.No Time To Die is a very, very different 007 movie.

REVIEW REVIEW TIME TIME

I am a huge Bond fan. HUGE! And I’m not ashamed to cite Roger Moore as my favourite 007. Like so many of my age, I grew up with the original movies and have lived through the good and the bad as well as adapting to each new actor taking over the tuxedo. There’s no doubt that what Craig bought to the table with Casino Royale in 2006 was a very different incantation, a harder more cynical Bond, perhaps even the closest to Ian Flemings original intention for the character Craigs five movies as Bond have also contained something different, a story thread which, so the film makers would have us believe, has been building to No Time To Die as its conclusion

Actually, remove the “Bond” name and it’s easy to see this as a very strong stand alone thriller. In that context it is an exciting emotional and edge of the seat piece of cinema In truth, those adjectives still remain when you shift it back into Bond territory but, as much as I understand changing times, political correctness and the over analysis of any entertainment under various PC spotlights, it does feel that this pressure influences this film in such a way that we lose the very essence of what James Bond has always been about, escapism. I’m not suggesting for a moment we ignore these aspects, but Bond movies have always been about putting a smile on your face and this can still be done whilst respecting and upholding the bold new world we are in For instance, my face literally ached with grin spread across my face for the first ten minutes of the No Time To Die as the real star of the

movie delivered one of the best performances. Yes, the Aston Martin DB5 reminded us of that exact same escapism, and what a performance it is Worth the ridiculous ticket price alone Actually, to be fair, Daniel Craigs performance here is also a standout His vulnerability and emotion brings a depth to the character never before seen The other characters we have come to know and love all seem rather stayed “M” (Ralph Fiennes), “Q” (Ben Whishaw), and especially Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) all seem rather side-lined here, leaving it up to Ana de Armas as Paloma (give this character her own movie) to lift the proceedings

-By Tim Nash

planet Cards on the table

Hayley Hines Consultant, Executive Coach,

Tim Nash Illustrator Chestnut Grove

Jennifer Nash Editor-in-Chief Spotlight Magazine

Muskan Samaria Spotlight Editor-At-Large

Doris Yip Transformation Executive

Ark & Brook Ark & Brook

Crystal Whitmarsh Board Certified Neurologic Physical Therapist

Yvonne Ruffin Writing and Business Strategist

Lynda Lippin Pilates Teacher Mastermind®

Kathy Kasten CEO & Founder of Lion Crest Leadership

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