Jordan Belfort Entrepreneur Mindset (The Mindset 360)

ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET

Winter 2021

TANNER CHIDESTER

REBECCA ZUNG

Tips & Rules to a 7 Figure Income

How to negotiate with a Narcissist

MARSHALL MORRIS introduces iHeartDogs

The thousand and one lives of

JORDAN BELFORT

THE REAL WOLF OF WALL STREET ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET WINTER 2021

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ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET HOME OF CREATORS, INNOVATORS & VISIONNAIRES.

W I N T E R

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E D I T I O N

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Contents

Editors in chief Chris de Neptune Johana Morena

Contributing writers Julie Gonzalo Chris de Neptune Natacha Voustad Damien Chaumel Jeanne Leblois

Photographers

Disrupt Motion @alextanoa @astronautmindset Jean Cooper Beckfield Neptune 1983

Marketing/Design Agence nüvo

THEMINDSET360.COM

@THEMINDSET360

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LIFESTYLE

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THE BELIEVER

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GAME CHANGER

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EVOLVE

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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THE NEGOCIATOR

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INNOVATION

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THE MINDSET

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THE AUTHOR

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MARKETING

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FITNESS

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CULTURE

feat. Arielle Ricci feat. Ali Mirza

feat. Marshall Morris feat. Jordan Belfort

feat. Abdul Elidrissi

feat. Tanner Chidester

feat. Stevie Baggs Jr. feat. Rebecca Zung feat. Ruth Proctor

ENTERTAINMENT feat. Michael Fishman

CHALLENGE

feat. Steve Francis

feat. Tony Kovicak

TikTok Digital Strategy

feat. Joylissa

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We are a media agency working with entrepreneurs from North America, Middle East & France to inspire people and change the future.

Home of entrepreneurs and visionnaires 4

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magcloud.com ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET WINTER 2021

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LIFESTYLE

“In business, you have to learn to pivot and evolve. Those who don’t, won’t survive. That’s been a key factor to our success.”

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LIFESTYLE

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rielle Ricci is one half of the husband & wife duo behind one of America’s largest and most in-demand candle companies, Nellamoon. Originally from Baton Rouge, LA, Arielle now lives in Nashville, TN where her company headquarters and first retail store are located. The Nellamoon candles - long before they were purchased by countless people via social media and celebrities all over the world - were born after Arielle and her husband Chris sadly lost both their mothers to cancer. Together they wanted to do something that would bring tribute to how they lived their lives with such grace, love and kindness. Their mom’s both dedicated their lives to helping people shine and that “shine” is what fueled Nellamoon and continues to do so today.

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solutely amazing and we wouldn’t be the company we are today without them. 3 years after starting the business, we received a 50,000 unit PO with a 3 month required lead time. At the time, I was making 200 candles per week in my garage with one other girl, so we had to quickly find a warehouse, buy equipment, buy raw materials, build a 10 person team, and hand pour every single candle! We worked 24/7 until that PO was complete. We were told it couldn’t be done but we did it!

We now have the physical and mental capacity to take on any challenges! Our advice to other entrepreneurs is to never give up and don’t ever let anyone bring you down. People will try to convince you that you can’t follow your dreams, but that’s really just a reflection of their own limiting beliefs. Follow your dreams and shoot for the moon!

“NELLAMOON IS A LIFESTYLE CANDLE COMPANY, AND A LOT OF MY INSPIRATION COMES FROM TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD.” Arielle, as a husband & wife team, how did you first become interested in making candles? My husband and I both lost our mothers to cancer, so we wanted to do something that brings tribute to how they lived their lives with such love, grace, and kindness. They both dedicated their lives to helping people and our mission is to do the same. Our hope is that each time you light your Nellamoon candle, it serves as a reminder to shine bright and live your best life!

In a very competitive market, what makes your candles unique?

Our candles are made with all natural soy wax, are free of chemicals/dyes/irritants, and hand poured with love in our Nashville TN studio. A lot of candles in the marketplace burn unevenly, don’t have good scent throw, and use parrafin wax which is toxic. Our candles are non toxic, burn evenly, and have an amazing scent throw that lasts much longer than your standard candle.

From production to marketing, what is the process behind the production of your candles? What kind of challenges did you face in starting this company?

I wouldn’t call them challenges, but rather opportunities. We try to manage everything with love, grace and kindness, and that leadership style works. Proving yourself as a female owned small business can be difficult at times, but it’s always exciting and allows for a lot of personal and professional growth. My team is ab-

Customers just can’t get enough of them! They also serve as a reminder to shine bright and live your best life, so they inspire people.. They are candles with purpose. A candle never loses light by lighting another candle. We are spreading the the love and the light one candle at a time and can’t wait to continue using business as a force for good.

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LIFESTYLE

Where does the inspiration for your new scents come from?

I find inspiration in everything I do. The loss of my mother, love, travel, hardships, success, friendships, family, etc. Nellamoon is a lifestyle candle company, and a lot of my inspiration comes from traveling around the world and the experiences I’ve had.

What is your vision for your company?

I see Nellamoon expanding into new product lines and increasing our positive impact all over the world. We have exciting new launches on the horizon that we can’t wait to share with you.

We also just opened new retail store in historic downtown Nolensville. It’s been so fun to watch people enjoying all the new products, the atmosphere, and the customer service in the store.

Most people start in brick and mortor and then launch ecommerce. We’ve been a ecommerce company for 5 years and as of 2 months ago, launched our brick and mortar. It’s a lot of work but we absolutely love it! Our big vision is to give back even more than we do today. One idea we have is gifting solar light bulbs to people living in third-world countries every time someone buys one of our candles. “Buy a light, give a light” for example.. Right now we support a lot of local charities, but we want to expand our footprint to a global scale. We truly believe giving is the most powerful thing you can do, and we made a promise to ourselves that we would always use this company as a force for good.

“My mother nicknamed me “Nell,” and she loved the “moon”. I combined the two and made it the name of my company. It’s another way I was able to honor her.”

Beyond e-commerce, you decided to open a retail store in Tennessee where you also sell fashion clothing & jewelry.

How has the COVID-19 impacted your physical business?

Covid has impacted many business, ours being one of them. Towards the end of 2019, we went under contract on a retail space in Historic Downtown Nolensville. As we were buidling out the store, Covid-19 hit and our heart sank, not only because of the unknowns with our business, but more imporantly, because of all the lives being taken by it. We pushed even harder to inspire people during this tough time, by instilling hope and motivating them. The world needs love more than ever right now. At the retail store, we require masks, have multiple hand sanitizer stations, and ensure the safety of both our customers and our employees.

Protecting them is much more important than margins to us. In business, you have to learn to pivot and evolve. Those who don’t, won’t survive. That’s been a key factor to our success. Our business will always evolve and we won’t ever settle for status quo.

@nellamoon

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nellamoon.com

What’s next for Nellamoon?

We’re going to continue scaling this business so we can help more people. That’s what wakes us up every day. We plan on opening another location by the ocean once Covid is under control. We’ll continue launching new products, enchance our “giving” campaign footprint, and inspiring people each and every day. That’s our promise to our customers.

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GAME CHANGER

ALI MIRZA C

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li Mirza is the Founder and CEO of Rose Garden Consulting, a consulting firm in America that helps companies scale their sales teams.

Not focused on “logical” “fact-Based” “data-Driven” solutions, Ali and his team focus on how people make decisions, and are rooted in Behavioral Economics. At Rose Garden Consulting they run Sales Workshops where they analyze a company’s sales team and help to improve communication within the team and help them better understand how they should sell based on their own blindspots.

Ali, tell me about your business. What are you doing with Rose Garden Consulting?

We work with founders and sales leaders to ignite their sales teams. We use a blend of behavioral economics as well as our own first principles of sales strategies. The goal is to remove them from the day-to-day tactical work so they can focus on the bigger picture of the organization. We do this by creating custom playbooks,

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scripts, and strategies for their sales teams. In addition to this, we also help execute a hiring and onboarding program as well as build out their sales compensation structure.

of 50 sales reps. It was great while I was in University, but eventually, they did me a favor by firing me, which led me to start RGC almost 10 years ago.

I am very curious to know more about the inspiration behind the name of your agency.

Candidly, the name is meaningless. We picked a name that has nothing to do with sales because we want to draw a parallel between sales and company names. The name of a company and what it does, doesn’t have to be on the nose. Much like what a product and market say, should bear very little on the sales numbers.

What you are selling is meaningless if you rely solely on the utilitarian factor. We want to remove that and make it all about the emotion you create.

What does behavioral economics mean to people like me who suck at economics?

What is your approach at Rose Garden Consulting?

The great thing about Behavioral Economics is that you don’t need to know anything about economics. BE is the study of how people make decisions. It looks to understand why people did what they did without the post rationalization. The goal is to understand subconscious and unconscious motivators, what mental models people have, and overall basic human desires. That’s what makes sales happen. All the logic stuff is after the fact. That’s how people sell themselves after they’ve already decided they want something. Understand that, and you’ll make a very good living.

What were you doing before this?

I was the guy who would go door-to-door, selling life insurance. I started that when I was 19 and did it for 4 years. I built up a sales team

ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET WINTER 2021

Let’s say I have a company and my sales have been stagnating for quite a while. I want to boost sales for this year 2021 but I feel very worried about the situation with the COVID crisis and all its consequences...

How can your agency help me?

Yes. COVID has reduced the need for very little. Sure, people aren’t going into the office as much, but all other human desires still exist.

People still want the same things, you just may have to find a different way to position it for them. COVID may be a reason why prospects can’t consume your offering in a traditional sense, however, there is always a way. One of our clients in 2020 had the best year in company history from a revenue perspective. No, they don’t sell disinfectant or are in an industry that was proper up by the pandemic. No, they serve the legal community and when the courts shut down, our client lost the ability to deliver their service. We helped them pivot their strategy in Q2 and they had the biggest Q4 in company history setting all sorts of sales records.

“We mapped out the next year along with our 5-year vision. Soon the world will be selling in a different way!“ How do you integrate social media marketing into your customer acquisition strategy?

Social media is a way to show the personality of your company to millions of people very quickly and effectively. You can target the top, middle, or bottom of the funnel very easily and cost-effectively. Plus with the user behavior and insights you can get, retargeting your ideal clients is the single most important marketing tactic you can engage in.

How has your experience in running this business been different from what you expected a couple years ago? Completely different. As much as we teach and show our clients, I feel that we learn equally as much.

We get to bring our ideas to life through them.

Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but it allows us to learn, understand, and pivot based on market conditions. Less and less are we coming across problems that we haven’t seen before and not solved. Every client brings a new challenge but our core principles to problem-solving don’t change.

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Website: rosegardenconsulting.com Twitter @rgcsales

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MAKE

MARSHALL MORRIS Marshall Morris is the biggest human dog lover you will ever find in the entrepreneurial space! Beyond being a husband, father of two boys, and an Army Veteran, Marshall is the President and mastermind behind iHeartDogs. com, a company that serves pets & people, and has funded over 22 million meals to shelter dogs, donated over 150,000 toys to animal shelters and funded over $350,000 dollars to help Veterans with PTSD. Hello Marshall, so great to meet you! Please tell us a little about yourself and what got you started in the “pets e-commerce” niche?

Thank you - great to meet as well. I’ve been in the internet space (media or ecom) for the past 12 years. Where I’ve found my calling is building communities around people’s passion and serving those communities with services and products. Before HomeLife Media (iHeartDogs.com and iHeartCats.com), I co-founded a site for passionate automotive enthusiasts and sold it to an investment group.

For pets, we started really early in the social wave. My partner Justin rescued a Siberian Husky named “Splash” and quickly realized that there was a huge, passionate group of people that wanted to be plugged in with other pet owners to share and connect. We started building FB pages and having writers write the content that owners were looking for. Why does my dog..., Can my dog..., Can my cat.. etc. and it took off.

The second phase was e-commerce and that is where the business accelerated rapidly. We could see groups of pet owners asking for specific things a specific way and a light turned on for us. We thought - why can’t we just find what they want and sell it to them? In addition, we wanted the business to make real change in the communities it served. So from day one we decided every product sold was going to give

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“Find a passionate audience that has a problem you can solve with excellence and build a community around.” back to the communities on a clear per transaction basis no matter what. So you buy dog treats and it feeds 7 meals to shelter dogs, a toy donates a toy, etc. We started 5 years ago and now have close to 1,000 SKUS that we manufacture ourselves from the ground up and sell all over the world. We have fed over 22,000,000 shelter dogs, 3,000,000 shelter cats, and much more.

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What type of products can we find on iHeartDogs.com? Our mission is healthy pets, happy homes, and empty shelters so our products all match that. We have both products to celebrate our pets - hats, T-shirts, socks, etc as well as the core dog and cat health offerings like supplements, toys, dog blankets, and cbd.

All were created by our team with the highest quality in mind.

A DIFFERENCE “You can buy better quality stuff for your pets at a great value (...) and give back to shelters who are in desperate need.”

As a CEO, you had to build a team around you. What are your three best pieces of leadership/management advice?

My partner Justin and I co-lead the company.

His title is CEO and my title is President. Together we went from two guys in a coffee shop to a team of 60 people. If I had to give 3 pieces of advice they would be: 1. What you tolerate, you allow.

If you want the best team of high-flying A players, you need to make sure you tolerate no less than that.

2. Know your numbers that matter and make sure your team does as well.

We went through a period of time where we were scaling topline but losing money and had no idea until we hired a CFO who brought that level of skill to the table. It was game-changing. Now the entire company knows how we are doing, where we are challenged, and what they can do to help.

3. Build purpose into your business DNA. All of us are looking for a purpose in our lives whether we realize that or not. For us, just as much as we have revenue goals, we have giving and impact goals ( Our 10-year goal is: we want to donate 10M to charity, feed 10M shelter dogs, and ship 10M products). This impact and purpose minded ethos gives people a sense of purpose in everything they do no matter what role and how small it may feel -they are changing the world in a positive way. It also attracts high profile talent that can go anywhere but wants to do something that really makes a difference.

Let’s talk about execution and scale. What has been your strategy to develop your business so spectacularly? There are many but if I had to pick one big one it would be letting our customers tell us what they want and building products with them. We hold our opinions about what we think people want very loosely.

For this reason, before we develop any products, we do a lot of user feedback and polling.

This gives us incredible insights into what consumers really want, trends, etc.

@iheartdogscom When a product is going through stages of innovation or iteration we poll it again and again.

What this process has produced again and again is a market-ready product, with a clear marketing strategy that is scalable online. When we hit the market the probability of scale at a specific price point is extremely high which allows us to win more with execution and scale.

Your company is particularly sensitive to the condition of dogs in shelters. Can you tell us more? Our mission statement ends in “empty shelters” so it is a main focus to help give dogs and cats the best quality of life possible in shelters and rescues and do everything we can to help them find a “furever” home. Our team is actively helping over 13,0000 shelters every year. We’ve fed over 22,000,000 shelter dogs, 3,000,000 shelter cats, donated over 200,000 toys, 100,000 blankets, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for disaster relief (hurricanes, fires, flooding). Easy ways we can all help - if you can, now is a great time to adopt a new member into the family. Adoptions from

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iheartdogs.com shelters and rescues skyrocketed in 2020 which is due to more people being home. If you have a dog or cat at home and buy toys and treats come visit us at iHeartDogs.com or iHeartCats. com. Every purchase has a purpose - you can buy better quality stuff for your pets at a great value, get it shipped to your door and give back to shelters and rescues who are in desperate need. You shop, we ship, donations are made.

What’s the most challenging part about what you do?

Building an internet business is like building a ship at sea. There are so many factors that impact your business -FB, Google, Economics, Shipping, Regulation, Banking, IRS, state taxes, health insurance, workers comp, etc. I think the hardest thing is really navigating all these in real-time while staying focused on growing and providing an excellent product and service.

It takes a lot of mental and emotional fortitude.

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THE MINDSET

“If you deliver on the value side of things, trust and credibility are going to follow.”

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THE MINDSET

The thousand and one lives of

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ordan Belfort is a world famous author, motivational speaker and former stockbroker, who had his ‘wild’ life turned into a Hollywood movie back in 2013 called The Wolf of Wall Street (directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Belfort). Today, Belfort is using his knowledge to help entrepreneurs across the globe close more sales, make more money and live a happier and more empowered life through his courses, podcast and speaking engagements.

things, trust and credibility are going to follow. And I get to see the results of that first-hand, since so much of my business is in training salespeople and entrepreneurs on how to reach their full potential. Bottom line, when you can empower people to take control of their lives and create massive, longterm, sustainable wealth, your business is going to sell itself. And no matter what your company does, your product needs to create that same value for your customers. Never forget that.

How does one get a mindset to be an entrepreneur in their life? I travel all over the world to train entrepreneurs, and one thing I hear over-and-over again is, “JB, you’re fearless.” Now the truth is, I feel just as much fear as anyone else does when it comes to making difficult business decisions. I just act in spite of it, because I know that the principles I’ve learned are going to work more often than not, and that they’ll regularly produce massive winners.So to me, a lot of being an entrepreneur is about belief and certainty when it comes to yourself. But there’s also a component of flexibility… where you have to be willing to “fail elegantly.” Because the truth is, not every idea is going to be a winner, so you need to be ready to move on very quickly from the bad ideas, so that you can really hit the gas on the good ones.

So to be an entrepreneur, you have to be a pivoter too.

“The truth is, not every idea is going to be a winner, so you need to be ready to move on very quickly from the bad ideas...”

What has been your one biggest life lesson so far?

In business, all my biggest lessons are distilled down into my Straight Line System, which is what I teach worldwide. But as far as life goes, my biggest lesson is that actions have consequences and your family is what matters the most.

When I was studying your biography, your successes, your struggles and your rebirth in the 2000s, I always asked myself these questions... How did he manage to bounce back from having fallen? How did he manage to rebuild himself and regain people’s trust?

Well, I think everyone’s smart enough to know that the person in the movie, that’s not really all I was. Everyone is more complex than a movie character. But, how did things change? Well, first of all, I’m sober now and have been for years. But the truth about entrepreneurship is, if you deliver on the value side of

What services does your website jordanbelfort.com offer?

What is your mission today?

JordanBelfort.com is where you can find virtually every tool possible to increase your business abilities. So that includes free content, like my blog and two podcasts, as well as some very powerful courses on sales & entrepreneurship that thousands of people have used to convert themselves into millionaires. And higher up, there are the services I offer to B2B clients, like professional consulting, live events, and my sales recruiting firm.

There’s really no way you could possibly visit my website and not come away from it having learned something actionable to improve your sales skillset as a salesperson and entrepreneur.

How do you want to impact people positively? Why is it so important for you to pass on your knowledge?

In the movie, Leo says, “I want you to deal with your problems by becoming rich.” And while that specific phraseology is a little over-the-top, it’s what I’ve done for thousands and thousands of people. And I can’t think of anything that impacts people more positively than giving them the tools they need to make a lot of money in a way that makes them happy.

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THE MINDSET

“Sales is really about transferring the sense of certainty you have about your product, your company, and yourself into another human being.”

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What does your Mastermind offer and how can we access it? What are the prerequisites?

Well, my Mastermind is where I get about 10 people together, all very successful, and spend the entire weekend focusing that group’s attention on every individual and his or her business.

For example, one of the Straight Line’s principles is that “every sale is the same.” And when you understand that, and the science and human psychology that underlays persuasion, you can really unlock a whole new syntax when it comes to creating massive, predictable revenue to grow your company.

And when you get a group of high-echelon individuals together in one place… and all that energy and brainpower is focused like a laser on your company, it unlocks opportunities that seemed impossible just a day before.

Now, of course you need to do this with right ethical constraints, and I teach that too. But this is what my Straight Line System is all about.

I tell everyone there that the goal is to “add another zero” to your income, and we’ve been very successful doing that.

What are your other plans for 2021?

I move very quickly. What most people want to accomplish in a year, I want to do in a month.

That said, my Mastermind isn’t for everyone. The investment cost is a little higher. So if you want to attend, you should be someone who has already seen success and is thinking, “what’s next?”

To start, that’s going to mean scaling my Straight Line Hiring business, where I’m actually recruiting and training whole salesforces for partners, and using those elite salespeople to help them grow their revenue massively.

What should everyone know about sales that you do?

Sales is really about transferring the sense of certainty you have about your product, your company, and yourself into another human being. And while a lot of people on the Internet want to sell you black box solutions to wealth that are instant and easy, the truth is that you need to work at it.

I’ve also got some big plans for my retail products and my podcasts. And knowing me, I’ll probably be getting involved in a dozen other businesses too.

Is it ambitious? Maybe. But I’m an entrepreneur, which means I’m also an optimist.

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THE MINDSET

“My Mastermind... I tell everyone there that the goal is to “add another zero” to your income, and we’ve been very successful doing that.” @wolfofwallst

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“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.

The second best time is now.”

- Old Chinese proverb

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ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET WINTER 2021

DESIGNED BY

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FITNESS

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bdul Elidrissi is a partner and owner of global fitness brand, HeatXtreme. Born in Morocco and raised in Falls Church, Virginia, Abdul received his Bachelor of Business Administration from West Virginia University. His passion for building fitness brands started when Instagram came out in 2010. Having previous knowledge of website domains, he first started by grabbing handles that were already relevant to being at the top of Instagrams SEO. Overtime, he built fitness pages by reposting content of other creators and generated a large following on all of his pages. Ultimately he used the pages to sell shoutouts and developed a steady cash flow from the pages alone. As the years went on he used the pages to build around influencers and create a business selling custom plans and supplements.

Today, HeatXtreme is a multifaceted fitness brand that hosts transformation challenges every 6 weeks, where 5 winners with the most significant transformations receive $5,000 a piece, totaling $25,000 per challenge! HeatXtreme also sells supplements and other services that are geared towards transforming lives!

Abdul, looking back before the launch of HeatXtreme, what motivated you to create your own business?

I have always been one who has wanted to create my own path instead of follow others paths. I often felt the education system when I was going to school never propelled me forward to being an independent thinker, which I have always strived to be, and what all entrepreneurs are. Down the line, I never had intention to work a 9-5 job for a corporate company, I wanted to create my own business, and that’s how all of the companies I own, HEATXtreme included, ever got started.

Were there any mentors who inspired you? To be honest, after all of the trials and tribulations I have gone through as a business owner, I wish I could say that I had a mentor who inspired me. It would have saved me a lot of time, effort, and headache, but I am proud of the person I have become throughout the process over the years.

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Working for everything I’ve had has shown me that I can overcome tremendous odds and handle stress that most people would fold under. While my path hasn’t been linear, I am proud of what I have and wouldn’t change anything.

“Our core mission is to bring health, wellness, and fitness into the homes of people all over the world.”

Talk to us about HeatXtreme. What type of products do you offer?

HeatXtreme is a fitness lifestyle and supplement brand. Our core mission is to bring health, wellness, and fitness into the homes of people all over the world. We want to provide effective programs that any person, anywhere at any time can utilize to help them stay engaged on their fitness journey.

We have a new smart phone app that will be released very soon. All of your fitness needs will be in the palm of your hand available with the tap of your finger.

There will also be a new subscription based option called Heat On Demand which will provide a variety of workouts to be accessed at the consumer’s convenience. HeatXtreme will also release more supplements, different flavor varieties to the existing pre-workout and collagen we currently offer. The HEAT Challenge will moving from a 6 week challenge to a 30 day challenge. At the end of each 20 day round, 5 people will be awarded $2,500 each with a grand finale prize of $10k each to 5 winners at the end of 2021. We have big plans in the making. The company is taking a major turn as we continue to lead the virtual online fitness world.

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FITNESS

“Authenticity to yourself and your craft is the secret ingredient.”

heatxtreme.com Can you tell us the story behind your journey into wellness & fitness?

I played sports in high school, so being physically active has always been a part of my life. Exercise is one of those things that has always made me feel better and more confident about myself, and I wanted the world to get that amazing feeling that I got to experience. Changing lives and impacting people on a large scale is something that I get such a gratifying feeling from, and I want to expand the amount of people I can help exponentially!

You are also the CEO of the Prospect Homecare Agency. Where did you get the idea to start a senior welfare business?

Ironically enough, Home Care was my practical application to business working for a company. I worked in the field from ages 20-24 years old and learned the ropes. After I felt like I wasn’t growing working for someone else and the company anymore, I

@heatxtreme

decided to start my own home care business, Prospect Home Care. Ultimately the investment paid off and I’ve owned Prospect for 7 years. It has been one of the biggest blessings of my life being able to help patients who are unable to go to hospitals or have issues moving from one place to the next getting care from home.

What is the biggest challenge for a business like yours nowadays?

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic that we have all been facing this year, I’ve had to dig deep to find ways to improve the virtual training programs provided through my HeatXtreme platform. It has been important to me to map out an easy to follow blueprint of multiple affordable options which include gym and home workouts and meal planning. This year has definitely forced me to think outside of the box more than ever. Being creative and innovative has been at an all time high for me as I look for new ways to inspire

people and help motivate them to want to continue to workout while having fun doing so. I am extremely excited and looking forward to the rest of 2021.

What kind of advice would you give to somebody who is trying to step out into the entrepreneurial world?

My first word of advice would be to be all in, heart, mind and soul. It has to be your purpose and something you love to do. Always remain true to self. Authenticity to yourself and your craft is the secret ingredient. Lastly, don’t be afraid to fail. Maneuvering through and learning from our failures, is the key to building.

Failure provides an opportunity to rework anything into something better that will succeed. It provides an open door to determination that forces you to keep pushing forward. With that mindset, your failures become your success.

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THE BELIEVER

TANNER

Chidester

HOW TO START AND SCALE YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS Tanner Chidester is a former famed fitness model who transitioned away from fitness to become the founder of Elite CEOS, a company that has grossed over 21 million in revenue in just a few short years, and has helped countless entrepreneurs build online service-based businesses. Through Tanner’s program, he teaches relevant techniques and strategies that he uses himself each day to help these companies scale.

Hey Tanner, can you please introduce your business ELITE CEOS to our readers? How does ELITE CEOS help others?

Absolutely, thanks for having me! Elite ceos helps individuals start and scale their online businesses. Some of the people we work with are personal trainers, real estate agents, coaches, consultants, authors, accountants, media buyers, and more. Essentially anyone who wants to start and scale an online business. A lot of our clients either already have an idea they want to take online or are in a 9-5 job they hate and need help creating their business idea. Either way we can help.

Long story short I put my life’s work into this program to make It the best possibly could. It is an A-Z type program.

How did you become a serial entrepreneur?

Honestly, it just naturally happened. When I had the urge to create a business I started out simply getting people into shape online. I came from a fitness background and had played sports all my life, so it just kind of “made sense.”

In my first year doing that, I grossed over a million dollars. The next year I started having a ton of trainers ask me “how I did it” and they wanted help. I figured “why not” since I had all the systems and strategies down, and quickly grossed another million dollars within 3 months.

“My team is big enough and equipped enough to take over the reigns in a sense so I’m ready for even bigger challenges.”

Our service is super extensive as it’s a personal 1-1 coaching program. Some of the things we do include: packaging and crafting an individual’s offer so they know it will sell, helping them learn how to get clients organically (for free) on social media, helping them set up their sales funnels and websites, teaching them how to run paid ads profitably, showing them how to do their client fulfillment and giving them the systems to be successful, 1-1 personal zoom calls on anything they need help with, daily office hours (this is where they can ask a coach any question), and coaching portal chalk full on “how to” and instructional videos.

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After that all kinds of people started asking me for help so I expanded the business to help anyone who wanted to go online. As I’ve continued to grow and grow I’ve realized what excites me the most is growth and so I am continually looking for new ways to grow my current business. I also have my first book coming out that’s going to be published, a new tech app that is launching, and I’m also looking into starting my 2nd main business. Most likely in the tech or private equity sectors. My team is big enough and equipped enough to take over the reigns in a sense so I’m ready for even bigger challenges.

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“My team is big enough and equipped enough to take over the reigns in a sense so I’m ready for even”

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THE BELIEVER

“MY MOTTO? The Nike slogan “Just Do It.” Too many people make excuses for their failures.

I’m a firm believer you get it done or you don’t, there’s no in between.”

Can you share your main rules to a 7 figure income?

1. Focus on one thing. The saying that “millionaires have seven streams of income” is only partially true. Get to a million dollars with one thing and then expand. Trying to do a little bit of everything is a sure way to fail.

2. Hire someone you want to be like to teach you what they know. If you type in “how to build a business” on google, it will come back with 2,190,000,000 search results. Information isn’t the issue in today’s society, it’s execution. Being unsure that you’re doing the right things will not only slow down your progress, but make you constantly doubt yourself.

The best investment you can make is in yourself and today I’ve spent around 600k just from purchasing coaching and courses to help me learn all I can. Most people won’t understand but it will help you get to where you want to be in the fastest way possible.

3. Test, test, test. Ultimately when you try different things you’ll see if they work for yourself. Everyone will have a different opinion but numbers don’t lie.

Does the loneliness of the entrepreneur really exist?

How important is it to be well surrounded when you have so many responsibilities?

It absolutely does exist. As you create more success you become less familiar to more and more people. It can be lonely when you feel like you are becoming less in common. What I try to do to combat that is meet as many new business owners as I can.

Another thing I have done is build an amazing team around me. Without my team none of what I do would be possible. You are only as strong as the team around you. The goal is to let your team handle the day to day activities so as the CEO you can lead the direction of the company.

3. Learn how to run paid traffic. Most people think they need a large social media following to make a lot of money online, but that’s simply not true. If you learn how to spend $1 and make $2 or more back when running paid ads you will never have to worry about money again.

What is your plan for 2021?

4. Can you give our readers an idea of some demographics of the brands/startups that you have helped so far?

2. Launch my first app to my clients and create a new recurring income stream

Of course! A lot of the people we help provide online services include: Personal trainers, yoga instructors, real estate coaches and agents, consultants, digital marketers, ad agencies, authors, coaches, mindset coaches, and many more.

3. Publish my first book called infinite income

Back to the days you were a rookie, what were some of the most important things that you learnt from your mentors that you can share now?

1. To move extremely fast. You need to create enough revenue so you can grow your team. Otherwise you just create another 9-5 job.

I have a lot of new goals.

1. Grow top line revenue from 15 to 20 million

4. Travel the world 5. Meditate and read daily. The goal is a book a week and 1 hour of meditation a day.

6. Start a new company either in the tech space, private equity, or network marketing.

7. Own a minimum of 3 new million dollar homes that I can lease out for more recurring cash.

2. Learn how to get paid ads to work. This has been a huge reason I’ve made the amounts I’ve made.

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ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET WINTER 2021

“Most people think they need a large social media following to make a lot of money online, but that’s simply not true.” eliteceos.com

@tanner.chidester

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EVOLVE

HOPE

“Imagine if we increased our thinking we could increase our health, our spirits, and our love for self and others.

I hope to use my career to be a catalyst for that type of change.”

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EVOLVE

STEVIE BAGGS JR. “I GENERATE NEW IDEAS FROM CONNECTING WITH NATURE,”

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tevie Baggs Jr. is a retired NFL and CFL player who has transitioned into a massive success after his playing career in the entertainment and literature world. From appearing as one of the stars in Tyler Perry’s latest show, Ruthless, to the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai, Stevie has been one of the hottest actors to rise in Hollywood. Beyond the TV spotlight, he is the best-selling author of the books entitled “Woke - a Dictionary for the Conscious Mind” and “Greater Than The Game”.

Stevie, can you please tell us more about what you did immediately after your NFL/ CFL career ended?

To be honest I was trying to find myself and I was actually dealing with some anxiety and depression at that time because I felt that I could still perform at an optimum level. I didn’t get picked up to a team in the NFL or CFL so I was really in a bad place mentally/spiritually.

However, my passion for health and wellness had landed me an opportunity to become an international brand ambassador and consultant for the number one essential oil company in the world Young Living. In addition, I had the opportunity to become the Health and Wellness ambassador for the city of Atlanta. It was because of those opportunities that I was able to write my first book and move on to do so many other things. My team and I were able to expand our non-profit the CETA FOUNDATION and I was able to do so much more in television/film/commercials to grow as an actor and an inspirational speaker.

When was the point in your life where you planned your post-playing career?

After the first time I got released from a team in 2004 and the business of it all slapped me so hard that it made me wake up to the fact that

this game that I loved didn’t always love me back. Although I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do I’ve always envisioned being successful when I was done with the game.

Can you talk about your role in the new TV show, Ruthless? Can you tell us about the character you play? I play the role of Oliver who is a very intimidating guy who has spent some time in jail and was looking for love and stability in his spiritual life and stumbled upon the RAKU(A religious cult). He’s in love with a woman in the compound and his love for her drives him to dig deeper and ask questions about the validity of this religion and the man whom leads them called the highest. As far as how I got booked it’s a funny story because I got my first speaking role with TPS whenever I was first released from my last team and then 8 years later I went from booking a day player role to be a series regular so I’m thankful.

“I wish I knew about consuming herbs and essential oils to keep the body in homeostasis.”

What do you wish you knew earlier in your career?

I wish I knew about consuming herbs and essential oils to keep the body in homeostasis. I also wish I knew about the road bike, because I would’ve been able to do so much more conditioning without adding the wear and tear to my joints by running and doing drills on land. Also I wish I would’ve known more about economics and business although I have/had a degree in international business it still didn’t prepare me for what I was about to embark on at the time.

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You are also known as a book author. This year, you released your second one, “WOKE - A Dictionary for The Conscious Mind”.

Can it be considered as the natural successor of your first book “Greater Than The Game”? Sure it can be considered a natural successor due to the fact that it displays my natural evolution as an author, a thought leader, and my growth spiritually as it relates to my consciousness. The development from GTTG to WOKE allowed me to see the beauty and power in change and transitions because at the time when I wrote GTTG I stood on those principles and now some of those same things I have either left behind or added to inside of WOKE. You seem very passionate about personal development and self achievement. What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business today?

I always advise anyone to invest in their passions, and to invest in Real Estate. The reason that I feel this way is because your passions aren’t going anywhere and they aren’t making anymore land.But after you’ve invested your time and money into something it has to be cultivated by purpose if folks are just chasing paper (money) instead of purpose that’s a problem. IMHO When you have to write, how do you generate new ideas? What is your process?

I generate new ideas from connecting with nature, speaking with my mentors and folks who know much more than I know, and staying active keeps my mind clear to receive information. The other way I generate new ideas is by traveling the world.

Instagram : @steviebaggsjr

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THE NEGOTIATOR

REBECCA

ZUNG

“S L A Y Your Negotiation™ With a Narcissist is your step-by-step guide to feeling powerful and in control when dealing with the most toxic personality on the planet.”

Rebecca Zung is one of the top divorce lawyers in the country who has made it her mission to help people fight back against narcissists. From best selling books, to an online course, to her own podcast, to a YouTube channel that has hundreds of thousands of views, Rebecca has been helping give a voice and advice to those in need!

Rebecca, could you tell us about your role and journey as an entrepreneur?

My first experience with entrepreneurship was really as a daughter and granddaughter.

My mother owned a large real estate company in McLean VA where I grew up. With about 60 agents in her company, she served the entire greater Washington DC area. I saw her start the company and build it from scratch. Her father and his brothers had come from Germany and had started a cut glass company in Pennsylvania, which more than 100 years later, is still family owned and run and thriving. My grandfather on my dad’s side was also an entrepreneur. He had come from China, which was nearly impossible during the Chinese Exclusion Act, on a merchant visa. He then joined forces with

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two Jewish business partners to start a rug and fur business in New York City. So I’d say entrepreneurship is in my blood.

My own journey started about a decade ago when I decided to start my own law firm.

It was scary as hell. I remember signing the lease for office space and thinking that I hoped I wasn’t putting my family at risk for financial ruin. But within a few months I was making more than I ever had in my career by quite a lot and I’ve never looked back.

I really became an expert at negotiation because as an attorney, I have only ever practiced in the area of highly contentious, high net-worth divorce litigation. When the litigation is personal, and involves everything that means the most to you i.e. your children, your home, your money and your business, and then you mix in big, hairy narcissistic egos, you learn quickly how to negotiate like a Jedi or you’ll get eaten alive.

What made you become interested in online business? What made you want to share your knowledge with others?

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I became interested in building an online business because I was looking for ways to share my knowledge with more people and also allow for more personal time. Being a litigator takes quite a lot of energy and time, and even worse, eventually sucks at your soul. So a few years ago I decided to merge my practice with two partners and give myself the space to think about what I wanted to create next. I started learning about the online course business and realized very quickly that I had knowledge and skills that I would be able to share with the world if I created the right resources.

I really wanted to share my knowledge with others, especially in negotiating with narcissists, because there are so many toxic people in the world and so many people feel paralyzed and powerless in dealing with them. Once I really understood the narcissistic personality, I knew that I would be able to apply my negotiation skills to my knowledge of the narcissistic personality and create something that would allow people to finally see movement in their cases and negotiations.

THE NEGOTIATOR

“All of us have some sort of an ego. As human beings we all want to feel seeing her to know that we matter. That’s why I W W W . G A R Y V A Y N E R C H U K . C O M called my first book negotiate like you matter.”

Can you please introduce your course entitled “SLAY Your Negotiation With a Narcissist”? What can we learn from this course and who is the typical customer for this kind of content?

S L A Y Your Negotiation™ With a Narcissist is your step-by-step guide to feeling powerful and in control when dealing with the most toxic personality on the planet. It’s a prerecorded 4 hour crash course, which includes videos, a workbook, and tons of bonuses. I say it takes you from “where to begin all the way to a win” because I give actual samples of leverage, how to document, then how to take your documentation and turn it into “magic bullet” leverage, 50 Key Phrases to Disarm a Narcissist, how to figure out what type of narcissist you’re dealing with so you can anticipate how they will behave in litigation and even a packet to provide to your lawyer.

Right now, the course is for people divorcing narcissists. In the spring, I will also be rolling out SLAY for anyone dealing with narcissists in business. S.L.A.Y. is actually the framework, the methodology the GPS:

S stands for having a Super Strong Strategy, L stands for having invincible Leverage, A means that you will be Anticipating what the narcissist is doing and being 2 steps ahead of them at all times, and Y stands for focusing on You and your case.

You learn how to actually shift the dynamic or power and finally go on the offensive so that you can come to a fair result quickly and without spending thousands of unnecessary dollars.

Can you talk about how EGO can negatively or positively impact a negotiation?

Well in many ways all of us have some sort of an ego. As human beings we all want to feel seeing her to know that we matter.

That’s why I called my first book negotiate like you matter.

But when you’re dealing with a narcissist, it’s everything. They have no inner sense of value so they have to drive all of their value from the external. So when you are negotiating with them understanding that dynamic not only as important, it’s critical.

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Can your courses help people who are considered as “too shy” or “too nice” to assert themselves? Definitely. When people have been dealing with a narcissist for a long period of time, they definitely feel powerless. The key is in arming them with the right tools, resources, and information so that they start to feel stronger. Many times people approach negotiation with the false impression that both parties actually do want to come to a resolution. When you are dealing with a narcissist or a toxic personality, while it may feel uncomfortable to assert yourself, you absolutely have to do that, or it will never end and you will never have peace.

As a negotiation expert, how do you develop yourself and continue to grow?

I am constantly reading books or listening to podcasts about negotiation, narcissists, and entrepreneurship. I basically only read nonfiction because I’m always hungry to learn. I also love connecting with other people who are up to cool things and who can teach me.

Website : rebeccazung.com

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THE AUTHOR

RUTHPROCTOR “I used my pain to push me to level up higher when things seemed bleak.”

R

W W W . A R U T H P R O C T O R . C O M

uth Proctor is a Mother, a Serial Entrepreneur, and the best selling author behind, “I SURVIVED; YOU CAN TOO”. Placed in foster care at the tender age of 6, she was forced to make mature life adjustments. Through a series of devastating events, including molestation, domestic violence, and infidelity, she developed tenacity, perseverance and a toolkit of survival skills that she shares with others.

Who is Ruth Proctor and what was the main thing that motivated you in becoming the person you are today — a best-selling author, a mother and a serial entrepreneur?

So great to meet you as well! Ruth Proctor is a small town country girl from NC that had big dreams. Big dreams to one day be in a professional leadership role. My plan was to conquer the world one person at a time. Initially I went to college to become a lawyer but my senior year realized that was not my dream.

Overtime I realized that it was impossible to help everyone but

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I could help people that were open and accepting of my help. I began giving back and throwing myself into work and being a leader came natural. The main thing that motivated me was my love for people and wanting to help others. My children are definitely my motivation now and wanting them to have everything I didn’t and more. Leaving my mark for them to model.

How was it publishing your first book?

Self-publishing was hard work, at times I wanted to give up and table it but I pushed past my fears; 2020 was my year. I went from writing my book out on paper then typing it out on the computer to printing and editing. Then I went through edits with my editor and then a proofreading process. I’m still fine tuning things, I notice each time I read it but all in all I’m happy with the finished product. This has been a learning lesson for me. I will be prepared this next go around; educating yourself on the process is key.

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THE AUTHOR

@a.ruthproctor

What was the inspiration behind “I Survive; You Can Too”?

My inspiration behind “I Survived; You Can Too” was being that little girl that had nothing and that was casted away! Not having my parents birthed a drive in me to prove everyone wrong and I was determined to not look back. I wanted better for my siblings and me. I was determined to push past my fears.

Yes, I have a workbook coming this spring that will expound on the survival tips in the book. Hopefully soon, I’ll begin working on a book pertaining to me being a caregiver for my mom who suffers from schizophrenia and bio polar.

You have an impressive mindset. Growing up in a very difficult environment that leaves a lot of scars. How did you manage to rebuild yourself after being broken so many times? Thanks so much, I used that negative energy to push past my environment! I wanted more for my siblings and myself. I dreamed of better and I kept working and continued to advance wherever I worked. That pushed me to want more for myself. I used my pain to push me to level up higher when things seemed bleak. God is definitely where my strength comes from as well as my daughters. I found my strength in my broken place.

Insert from my book: A Fighter is: “Someone that fights: No matter how many times they fall, they are resilient and gets back up.

A (1): WARRIOR, SOLDIER” A Survivor is: “Someone that fights till the end and rises to the occasion no matter the barrier. Someone that has experienced traumatic events or survived chaos.

1: to live in spite of 2: to continue to press forward in life no matter the obstacle, distraction and problem.”

“Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me”.

What was the first thing you did as a promotion when your book was released?

First thing I did was prepare a media package with my marketing team and roll it out. Aesthetics are important, I’d say. Social media and preorders for the book were the first promotional pieces we started with.

Did you have a mentor in your life that inspired you and kept pushing you towards success?

My God mom/cousin was my role model (mentor) growing up and later a close girlfriend that’s older than me became my mentor about 10 years ago and she’s helped me dearly. Having that person to assist you in your growth is very important. I talk about that in Chapter 8 “Here & Now” of my book.

Insert from my book: “Maintain a positive role model to lean on and get advice from; this person is normally a mentor or guide through life. This person may change at times but all in all they are in the direction you are trying to go” As an entrepreneur, what are your other activities?

My other activities that I enjoy are music, art and fashion. I love going to concerts and comedy shows. Laughing such apart of my life… I try to stay positive so anything that feeds my soul. I enjoy learning new things, traveling, going to art museums and dressing up for any event. “Faith has been my daily motivation.

Faith has been my lifeline, believing in something larger than me, in God has been vital”.

Where do you see yourself in five years from now? Do you plan to coach people personally or/and offer online courses given the current world climate?

In five years, I see myself on NY best sellers list; hopefully I have published multiple books including workbooks to help different ages. I plan to continue my book tour and hopefully extend it to the UK. Speaking engagements across the country.

I do plan to provide an online course for others to assist in survival tools and additional resources ongoing. I do plan to coach others especially in this climate.

Where can we buy your new book?

You can purchase the book at www.ARuthProctor.com What is one motto you live life by?

I live by Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me”.

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CULTURE

JOYLISSA W

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Joylissa is a popular singer/songwriter who has been releasing new music and has seen her songs climb the streaming charts, but also just launched a fun card game called Hindsight 2020 with her boyfriend during quarantine. Hindsight 2020 is a cutthroat party game where players will compete as different nations to survive the wild year that was 2020; Check the news, enact policies, protect your citizens, and sabotage rivals with the goal of being the last nation standing.

Joylissa, please tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?

Thanks for having me! I’ve sang all my life. My first performance was at my church’s Christmas concert at the age of four. I sang “Mary Had a Baby” and my sister accompanied me on piano. I wish I could find a video of that somewhere… I’m told I sang very loudly. I continued to sing in choirs and also received vocal lessons throughout my life.

I also enjoyed creative writing: short stories, poems, etc. It wasn’t until my dad bought me my first guitar at fifteen that I started writing songs and found that my two creative loves were best when I put them together!

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Can you introduce your new single ‘Just Follow Me’?

What was the inspiration for this track?

I wrote this song while participating in a challenge I had made for myself to write a song every day for a month.

I often write more mellow songs but I think I was ready for something lighter and more upbeat. Thus “Just Follow Me” was born! I’ve always loved being silly and dancing my heart out while alone in my room or in the middle of a crowd (even a crowd that isn’t dancing!). I wrote this song for those that need a reason to dance!

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CULTURE

When you are writing a song, how much of it is instinctual vs. planned? What is your creative process?

Most of my writing is instinctual. I need to be inspired by something, whether it be something in my own life, something in a friend’s life, a moving novel or film. Though most of my songs are directly related to my personal experiences. But often, the easy flow of creativity only writes half and song and then I need to dig deeper to find what I want to say for the rest of the song.

joylissa.com

Beyond your music career, you are also an inventor. In 2020, your boyfriend and you launched a card game called “Hindsight 2020” on Kickstarter. Can you tell us more please?

During quarantine there wasn’t much to do besides play card/ board games. So we did that quite a bit! One night after a game night with my roommates we talked about how fun it would be if someone made a game about someone going through all the events of 2020. We talked through what kind of game they could make and what events they could include and then it hit us… we should make this game! After talking about it we realized that each of us had made tabletop games growing up and found that this could be our forgotten childhood dreams come true- to create a tabletop game!

“Most of my writing is instinctual”

At the time of this interview, there are already hundreds and hundreds of backers for this project. It must be very rewarding to see that a community has been created around this game.

It’s been really fun to see people get excited about something that we created. Never having done something quite like this, it’s encouraging to see that our efforts have not been in vain! Some of the major steps have been creating the game’s concept, game mechanics (like using a skip card or losing or gaining population tokens based on different cards, etc), game artwork, hiring and working with a manufacturer, then a fulfillment/ shipping company. But the most important step that we do throughout the whole process is play testing. This helped us shape the game into what it is and will continue to help shape it more than anything else.

From the first brainstorming sessions to the physical making of the game, what were the biggest obstacles?

I think one of the greatest obstacles was attempting to get the game out as quickly as possible so that it was still relevant to the year 2020. We had to put in a lot of late nights to get the game ironed out to be ready for public play.

What’s next for Joylissa?

I have more music coming out! I have never been more proud of the music I’m making. I have found an amazing team that brings out the best in me as an artist and believes in the songwriter I am. I can’t wait for everyone to hear all that we have been working on!

What is one quote you live life by?

“I understand now that I’m not a mess but a deeply feeling person in a messy world. I explain that now, when someone asks me why I cry so often, I say, ‘For the same reason I laugh so often- because I’m paying attention.’” - Glennon Doyle Melton

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COMING SOON w w w. a s t r o n a u t m i n d s e t . c o m

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ENTERTAINMENT supplemented every facet of my education and creativity. I was around hundreds of very complex adults from all backgrounds, racial demographics, ethnicities, spiritual beliefs, orientations, political views, and professions. It was the most amazing learning experience that truly expanded my perspectives on life.

“Growing up in a public world under media scrutiny is not for the faint of heart”

MICHAEL FISHMAN M

ichael Fishman is known to many for his starring role on the hit TV show, The Conners (formerly known as Roseanne), but away from the cameras he is a director, writer and has just launched his own production company.

How did you get involved in acting? Was your role in the “Roseanne” (The Conners) TV series your first experience?

I started my career in 1988, with Roseanne being my very first experience. My sister had been doing commercial auditions, and I decid-

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ed I wanted to try too. The process for Roseanne was seven auditions spanning six months.

How did “Roseanne” change your life? How did it impact your career positively and negatively?

Landing the role of D.J. Conner altered every aspect of my life. While I stayed in the same neighborhood, local public school, my home life remained largely unchanged, every other aspect of my life changed radically. Working full time, doing national interviews, traveling for press and events. My on set teacher Lynn Raines took the traditional school work, then

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When did you think you would get into writing and working behind the camera?

From the beginning at six years old I was fascinated by all aspects of production. I took special interest in all of my coworkers, across all departments, and almost everyone reciprocated by teaching me. I began pitching lines of dialogue, story ideas, and by ten I was outlining entire scripts. Although I didn’t get credit as a kid, a few of those ideas became episodes. I continued writing but my writing has risen to a whole new level the last few years with my writing partner, as we formed Mclusive Media.

On the technical side I have been working toward Directing and Producing with the mentorship of some of the greatest minds in our business. As a Director I have learned from some the best to ever direct, including legends like Andrew D. Weyman, John Pasquin, Gail Mancuso, Victor Gonzalez, Jody Margolin Hahn, Andy Ackerman and Bob Koherr.

The mentorship of Gail Mancuso and Jody Margolin Hahn really shaped my directing style as I took the helm for The Conners Halloween episode.

Producing is a complex multifaceted job. I have been watching showrunners closely for thirty years. I watched the careers unfold of icons like Chuck Lorre, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Bruce Helford, Kevin Abbott, Matt Berry, Betsy Borns, Rob Ulin, Bob Myer, Jay Daniel and Randall Winston. I kept every cast and crew list since 1988 planning who I would utilize, hire, and how.

ENTERTAINMENT You were under the spotlight at a relatively young age. How did you deal with the media exposure and the pressure? As a teenager, was it hard to keep your head on your shoulders? From the very beginning of my career, I was thrust into one of the most difficult media environments. Establishing my career on such a controversial and socially impactful show initiated a lifetime of public scrutiny, but opportunity. My responsibilities tackling impactful social conflicts exploded with the National Anthem controversy in 1990. James Anderson prepared me to embrace the responsibilities as a spokesperson for the top show on television and to utilize my voice to protect my coworkers, stand strong in my ideals, speak with integrity and authenticity. I have traversed public life since six years old, presenting concepts worldwide, representing global conglomerates, speaking for productions, charitable causes, social injustice, and inclusion.

every level of society. When I started in entertainment, I did public interactions, allowing me to meet millions of people, but it was limited, with delayed information. Today, if utilized, we learn a tremendous amount from the audience and our peers through social media.

Everyone uses their social media differently. Many famous people across genres have cultivated a growing audience. Many people shape a perfect, idealized, persona. For me I prefer to reach people more authentically. I use my Fish’s Call Sheet podcast to take peo-

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Actors have to be entrepreneurs to truly excel in our modern world.

ple behind the scenes of our industry to see the amazing talent behind the camera. On twitter I try to answer questions, engage the curious, learn new ideas, raise social awareness, keep up with news and understand different perspectives. Facebook has a lot of layers. My current favorite though is Instagram, where I have been doing interactive live connections with a growing community of positive people each Monday and Thursday. It gave rise to Mental Health Monday where I have been a conduit for people to share their struggle, supporting each other, revealing coping mechanisms. Thursday Thoughts is a lot more open forum with a lot more questions and answers. Much like when people come to watch a live filming, I try to honor the support and kindness. I prefer to authentically acknowledge my success but also my struggles, being authentic, and open to help people.

In the 90s, there were no social networks to communicate directly with your community. In your opinion, how has social media changed the industry and how can an actor/ actress use these tools to develop his/her career? Social media allows unprecedented direct access of creators, producers, and performers with their audience of supporters. When utilized properly it can help you cultivate projects, and better reach audiences on a more authentic level. I love getting instant feedback. You can see the visceral reactions, the portions of the production that resonate, and what misses the mark. Great storytelling is about connecting with audiences in ways that reverberate through

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Growing up in a public world under media scrutiny is not for the faint of heart. I have always essentially had a public life, and it has been evaluated through many prisms and perspectives, yet I have stayed authentic to who I am. I believe in sharing positivity and kindness.

I have always embraced the opportunity to use my voice and fame to promote inclusion, social advancement, and philanthropy. From being a youth ambassador with the Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund presenting to the United Nations, Special Olympics Master of Ceremonies, spokesman for UNICEF, World Wildlife Fund, Covenant House to numerous other charities raising awareness for homelessness, rare diseases, cancer research, equality, social acceptance, and inclusion is an important part of who I am.

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what camera operators, boom operators, set dressers, property masters, producers, location scouts, set designers and many more all really do. My unique gift is I have worked in most of these departments and love the people in our industry. I find their stories fascinating. My youngest daughter and I also decided to make a film while locked down that we are finishing up editing, currently titled Tension. I also have begun raising funds for an amazing documentary about immigration and refugees. As the son of an immigrant I think these stories are imperative to tell.

My personal goal is to write and create twenty television shows and twenty films in the next forty years. Given the sheer number of projects I have been building, with the right financial backing, or production partnerships we should easily surpass those numbers. I have an amazing western from a unique perspective we are shopping. It has modern day contemporary social issues, revealed through the prism of the past. Another great project is an action drama with a female lead.

Then of course I have some television comedies. Not surprising after growing up on Roseanne, I specialize in dynamic families, dealing with real life struggles, and facing social issues with humor and dysfunction. I have even taken some of the storylines I pitched that didn’t make it into The Conners and created new shows providing opportunities to tell authentic stories about military families, interracial relationships, adoption, fostering, and my life experience across my survival jobs. I know these stories are relatable for audiences, and have been underrepresented to date, through feedback gained in my social media engagement.

What else is next? Can you talk about your Youtube channel, The Fish’s Call Sheet?

I have spent the last few years feverishly writing, cultivating unique ideas, and building new projects I cannot wait to share with the world.

I have been building partnerships, and feel primed for huge breakthroughs. During quarantine I started Fish’s Call Sheet primary on Youtube, but also as a podcast, that pulls the curtain back on our industry by sharing what each job really does. People see the names roll by at the end of the credits but I wanted the world to see

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In film I am producing a project that tackles suicide, and military service. I have a few action films, a great innovative heist film with never used plot twists, coming of age dramas, and historical true stories.

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ENTERTAINMENT

“We create projects that bridge the gaps in demographics, pulling from the diverse backgrounds of our staff, that tap into the archetypal heroic journeys everyone can resonate with.”

You have just launched your own production company. Can you tell us more about it?

Mclusive Media specializes in authentic stories that often share under represented perspectives and building community. We have projects across most genres but our real specialty is heartfelt drama that create visceral experiences for audiences. Additionally, we strive to engage audiences in new and inventive ways through social media, internet, and interactive media.

The majority of our projects have minority lead characters, or are female led to facilitate inclusion. We create projects that bridge the gaps in demographics, pulling from the diverse backgrounds of our staff, that tap into the archetypal heroic journeys everyone can resonate with.

My personal production company Mutually Inclusive Media shares many of the same goals but targets subtle subsections of society and the human experience I feel especially personally drawn to. From homelessness, rare disease impacts, social injustice, and spirituality. Many of the projects are more independent in nature, or smaller scale.

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What is one quote you live life by?

I believe in being “Strong, Calm, and Kind”, living with “relentlessness, and love embracing being a warrior of heart”. It can be hard in our modern world to live with vulnerability, trust, kindness, and respect while standing strong in leadership. I make sure to never lose my enthusiasm despite the challenges. I utilize the cruelty I have experienced, instead it motivates me to be kind, and that I do not punish those I meet, by keeping open you can seize upon the opportunity for a great relationship and not be embittered by past experiences.

The outside quote I actively embody is “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth” By Roberto Clemente. I want to be the change I want to see in the world. I create projects that uplift audiences.

To utilize fame, and opportunity to help others.

To create opportunities for others, embracing diversity, being a force for inclusion through my production companies. Then create a legacy that leaves a better world through our charities.

I believe we will change the world one life at a time, through each story, production, project, or act of service.

The second charity was started by my youngest daughter, it is an environmental charity dedicated to giving back to society as a whole through conservation, revitalization and appreciation of nature. My eighteen year old daughter wanted to fight deforestation, climate change, and protect our environment in a very hands on practical way. The mission is to conserve vital unique environments before they are lost, obtain key damaged areas to revitalize and return to natural vibrancy, and provide events to raise awareness and appreciation of the environments.

Do you feel like actors are Entrepreneurs?

Actors have to be entrepreneurs to truly excel in our modern world. You have to be able to not only market yourself and your ideas but to build projects, shape narratives, and create opportunities for others. Actors, as well as directors, writers and producers have to be more cognizant in our modern world of the marketplace, society as a whole, and the reverberations of our actions. I also believe that the more successful we are, the greater our social responsibility becomes.

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our partnerships, and fusing professionalism, return on investment, and forethought, to compel positive change and opportunities for many.

It is for this reason I have launched two charities. WeComend shares many of the missions of Mclusive Media. It is designed for community outreach, aid to the impoverished, and opportunity for the underprivileged. We also are creating training, mentoring, and professional job skills to help underrepresented populations break into the entertainment industry. I want our sets to be as diverse as our stories and the backgrounds of our society. It was motivated by the lack of diversity I see on set, the desire by my co-founder Michael Johnson to create opportunities, and further spurred on due to experiences like my adopted daughter, who as a young filmmaker of color has had to struggle to have her voice heard. WeComend creates real world training and opportunities to gain credits, generating inclusion.

Driven by passion, self-motivated to create opportunities, and building businesses from startup, and scaling through worldwide presentation, I absolutely feel I am, and am honored to be an entrepreneur. I study our business, learning from

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“We also are creating training, mentoring, and professional job skills to help underrepresented populations break into the entertainment industry.�

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teve Francis is a retired NBA All Star / Legend who has played alongside other greats such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He has gone through a lot in his life both personally and professionally and is now helping the next generation through his Steve Francis Foundation and also by purchasing a TBL league basketball team in Houston, which will give young players a chance to showcase their skills on a higher level to then be drafted into professional leagues. Beyond the court and charity work, Steve is also getting set to launch his new fashion line.

Steve, could you tell us about your journey as an entrepreneur? What inspired you to buy a basketball franchise with the TBL after such a great NBA career and also start a clothing line?

Simply understanding that I wanted the money to last long because I am fulfilled by giving and assuring that others are able to be lended support (within my means of course) whether it be monetary or resourceful. In order for me to be able to create generational wealth with the financial boost I earned from my pro basketball career there had to be a focus towards generating revenue to replace my contractual and endorsement earnings.

The TBL stands on the foundation of community engagement and minority ownership. The Magley’s are a true representation of the good that can come out of opportunity as a US citizen when persistence, hard work, developed skill, and community commitment is a major part of your DNA. We share those values alike and I feel this is an opportunity for retired and current players to invest in a venture that’s directly related to the profession that’s allowed the opportunity all together.

For people who are not familiar with that, can you explain what the TBL is in comparison to the NBA? The TBL compares more to the NBA’s G-League which host aspiring NBA professionals an opportunity for roster spots while working in a very similar atmosphere and

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schedule as the NBA. The TBL gives a platform with intent to prepare guys to further their professional careers in more established leagues such as the NBA G-League, International, and possibly the NBA. What is the process to integrate a basketball league with a new franchise?

I would imagine it as any franchise in regards to an already established and working system that manages the business operations. To answer your question, the TBL does a great job of outlining and supporting each owner on the corporate structure and operational procedures to successfully compete as an owner first and team second.

All while again, emphasizing community engagement.

“I’ve been fortunate to brush shoulders with many influential business people and took notes...”

What are your mid terms goals/expectations with The Houston Push?

Our mid term expectations are to be recognized and familiar with the city of Houston. Secondly, win games of course, lol. We would like to gain corporate and local sponsorship that shares our vision and find mutual benefit in contributing to the Houston Push organization.

Since finishing your career in the NBA, how did you learn about business? Most of my knowledge has come from a combination of school and relationships. Most of it was experience and being around the right people. I’ve been fortunate to brush shoulders with many influential business people and took notes for sure. Some business ventures weren’t as successful as others and you learn over time that its all a part of the experience. The lesson is learning and moving forward.

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@dougellin

STEVE FRANCIS

c19-certified.com

CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

“Peace and forgiveness.

I’ve learned that I can help others by also helping myself.”

What brings you the most joy in what you are currently accomplishing?

Peace and forgiveness. I’ve learned that I can help others by also helping myself. I’m invested in business (both for profit and non profit) that are fully of my interest and whenever I have room for more opportunity I go for it. The TBL is just one of many projects centered on the foundation of community engagement while also brining resourceful economic opportunities as well.

What are your other projects for 2021?

2021 Is filled with great promise. I’m excited. We will be announcing some huge community projects in Sunnyside, right outside of Houston which includes a gym,

community center and various partnerships. We’re in really close conversations with the SPIRE academy in Geneva Ohio as the Brand Ambassador for their basketball program. There’s a few other projects that we’re holding on to but will be announced at the opportune time this year so be on the lookout.

What is a quote you live life by?

Trust your path it’s a reason for it, and taking advice is the key to a winner.

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Instagram: @steve_franchise3

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INNOVATION

TONYKOVICAK W W W . L U X T H E R A P Y . C O M

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ony Kovicak is the founder, Inventor & CEO of Lux Therapy, a home use medical grade red light therapy product. Using the latest red and near-infrared light therapy innovations, Lux Therapy delivers medical-grade health benefits that will help rejuvenate skin, improves joint health, stimulates post-workout recovery and utilizes multiple wavelengths of light to stimulate mitochondria, correcting a wide range of ailments.

Tony, tell us about your successful company and product Lux Therapy?

Lux Therapy is a health and wellness company that specializes in consumer electronics and specifically Red & Near-Infrared Light Therapy (RLT). We produce a medical-grade light therapy device that is used to treat a variety of ailments and improve general wellness.

We design, develop, and manufacture our own devices. Our team is a global enterprise composed of some of the best engineers and designers in the industry. Our success is linked to our passion for research and our ability to bring uniquely designed, quality products to the market, bulletproofed with the latest and greatest technology, and constructed to last.

We’re educating consumers and showing them that they can bring wellness to their lives in a way they never thought possible.

What are the benefits of using a red light?

How should it be used and in which cases?

Red and near-infrared light therapy (RLT) has been used for centuries to cure a variety of skin ailments and improve overall health and wellness. In recent years, science has contin-

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ued to expand and continues to showcase positive benefits. At a high level, our species has moved indoors in recent decades, which has a cascading effect on our natural systems, leading to a variety of ailments, including Vitamin D deficiencies and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Because of the non-invasive nature of the modality, light therapy can be utilized in a variety of ways. Until recently, it wasn’t known at a molecular level what was happening to our biology, which is the reason many have considered RLT snake oil.

“Lux Therapy helps users develop or enhance their wellness practice.”

However, with recent advancements in science, we now can understand the mechanisms of what is happening. In recent years, the photoreceptor that accepts light was discovered in the mitochondria. This absorption of light then triggers an increase in oxygen utilization, resulting in increased Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which is cellular energy. It can be complicated, but to simplify things, RLT stimulates and maximizes processes in the cells, and helps increase cellular energy.

On the more technical side of things, there are dozens of mechanisms taking place due

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to RLT. For example, fibroblasts increase which speeds healing, which combined with improved protein synthesis resulting in higher collagen production (fewer wrinkles and improved skin elasticity) and faster recovery times. This improvement in healing is a major reason many athletes have been utilizing RLT to boost performance and speed recovery.

Biological changes like this cascade into a variety of cellular responses like inflammation reduction, cell proliferation (wound healing), and protein synthesis (collagen improvements), which then affect our muscles, brain, nerves, bones, etc, etc, etc. Like the domino effect, you start the process and consistently utilize RLT, and it flows into systemic improvements that you’ll notice throughout your body.

What I think is amazing is that we are still learning about RLT. Many ongoing studies are looking into new treatments associated with RLT. Some of the most recent studies are researching the use of light therapy for traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and depression. As positive results continue to be discovered, I’m confident we will see these types of devices used to solve even more ailments in the future.

We’ve provided a link to a repository of research to help consumers educate themselves.

The research can be sorted by a specific ailment to assist users in their search. Visit our website for details on the research.

INNOVATION

“We have a strong team of designers, engineers, marketers, and neuroscientists involved with Lux Therapy.”

In your personal life, what made you interested in light therapy and more widely, the field of wellness?

Lux Therapy was a concept that came to me over multiple years. In 2015, I decided to step away from Corporate America for a year to travel. I knew I wanted to cycle across the country for part of the year, then live in the mountains during the winter, chasing down powder storms around the Rocky Mountains.

After coming to terms with pausing my professional career, my next largest concern was that I wouldn’t be able to finish the bike ride due to the normal aches and pains that come with nearing 40 years of age. I was in decent athletic shape, but I knew the rigors of this type of trip would challenge me. In addition to normal biking activity, I would carry all of my gear which neared a 100-pound bicycle setup.

Long story short, I made it from Florida to Oregon for over four months without any physical issues. After finishing the ride, I returned to Michigan to regroup. During that time, I started feeling a little depressed. While I was biking, despite my fears, my body felt great and I enjoyed being outside. However, when

I was back in Michigan, I started getting small injuries and my body felt tortured - which was strange as I just completed a crazy physical feat of peddling 4,000 miles with almost no physical issues. As I contemplated moving to the mountains, at the last minute, I decided to swap snow for sand. I flew to Costa Rica and spent the next 6 months close to nature, soaking up the sun, and learning how to surf.

“2020 was a pivotal year. It was the real beginning of Lux Therapy.”

After spending 6 months in Costa Rica, I landed a job in Silicon Valley. I moved to San Francisco to develop custom electronics for one of the largest tech companies in the world. During that time, I continued to value health and wellness, even though I was living in the fastpaced, high-stress lifestyle of Silicon Valley.

My work required frequent travel and regular

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trips back and forth to China. I often listened to podcasts to pass the time on long flights.

During one of these trips a podcast mentioned Red Light Therapy (RLT) and I was immediately enthralled. I quickly bought a few light devices and started using them. Within a few weeks, I noticed a significant difference in my skin, sleep, and workouts. I became consumed with the research associated with the technology and it became clear to me that the reason I had no aches and pains during the bike ride was because of the amount of light therapy I had received every day. However, in Michigan’s northern climate, the lack of sunshine made me feel depressed. Also, looking at it in my rearview mirror, I see that the last-minute decision to move to Costa Rica was due to the need for sunshine, but I didn’t know that at the time.

As I dug into the research associated with red and near-infrared light therapy I became interested in the technology used in light therapy devices. The more I learned the more I wanted to share this technology. I bought devices for everyone in the family. Just as I had, they too

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INNOVATION

“Throughout my life, I’ve had challenges. I’ve learned that the majority of my fears were not warranted. In life, I find it’s important to focus on what you can control, and let the rest go.” dreds of hours of aging and user testing associated with each prototype, and each time you make improvements, you test to make sure your benchmark is still accurate, and that your overall vision and target product hasn’t changed.

incorporated the devices into their lives. When I saw how it dramatically affected my mom, I immediately knew I wanted to bring this technology to the masses. I saw how I could help people, including my parents and family members and it planted a desire to design and develop my own product.

We have a strong team of designers, engineers, marketers, and neuroscientists involved with Lux Therapy. It’s an amazing industry due to the amount of research that is taking place around the world that allows us to align with their studies and develop a product that can be utilized in the same method, but for personal use at home.

Lux Therapy is about more than devices, it’s about curating the necessary elements needed to maximize potential. It helps users develop or enhance their wellness practice. Lux Therapy is for all people - Athletes, beauty professionals, retirees, and working moms. The strong and healthy, the hurt, and healing.

What would be the future improvements to this product? Do you plan to offer new products with high added value in 2021?

In 2021, will be coming out with additional products. The opportunity to continue the development of Light Therapy devices is very exciting, and we plan to continue down the path of designing products that can integrate seamlessly into consumers’ lives. Similar to other technologies, we believe RLT will become more integrated, and something that can be utilized across a variety of situations.

What are the different steps to develop a quality product like Lux Therapy? How was this product developed?

Like any successful venture, it’s critical to understand the market and determine if there is a gap in the current products and offerings that consumers are looking for. Once you have an idea, determining the development and design work associated with creating a high-quality electronics device, is similar to any product development process. In one way or another, it’s critical to review Idea Generation, Idea Screening, Concept Development, Market/Business Strategy, Feasibility Analysis, Product Design, Testing, and finally, Launch.

As an entrepreneur, what is the toughest decision you had to make in 2020?

Well, this feels like a loaded question - given the crazy 2020 that we’ve gone through!!! For Lux, 2020 was a pivotal year. It was the real beginning of Lux Therapy - even though the formation of the company happened two years prior in San Francisco. This year was especially important as we prepared for the launch of our first product in Q3, which would have allowed us to have the product in the market for the holiday season of 2020. Unfortunately, at the

Depending on your product, certain stages can be combined and run in parallel, but what we found most critical was to determine your objective and benchmark, and how you plan to go to market. Once we determine the benchmark, we work through various rounds of prototype development. There are hundreds and hun-

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last minute, there was a design issue that would have forced us as a company to deliver a suboptimal product. The choice was to either launch a sub-par product or miss the Q4 sales window - which is always the largest sales opportunity of the year.

We deliberated over a design issue. We decided it was best to make sure all the design elements and features were improved upon before launch, which forced us to miss the Q4 sales window.

Product is now being produced with the improvements, and we’re taking orders.

It was a very difficult decision, but I was passionate about making the correct decision for the customer. In the past, I’ve been part of organizations that pushed out suboptimal products on occasion, and sometimes the product failed, sometimes it was a success. The majority of the time this happened, it was due to an arbitrary timeline related to an event, not taking into account the customer. We always learned from those situations. Given the work that I had done in the tech industry with some of the largest brands in the world like Google, and understanding the importance of user experience, launching a product that delights the customer will provide a better foundation for Lux Therapy. Now that I have the ability to decide to launch or not - I took the consumer route. In the long run, we could have continued to win over customers regardless of the first version of the product being ‘close to good’, but we set out to disrupt the industry by making something ‘really good’. I’m proud of our product and our team’s ability to create a truly beautiful product.

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INNOVATION

“2021 is a year of consistency and pushing through boundaries. We’re (...) making sure we’re dotting all the i’s, and crossing all the t’s...”

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MARKETING

HOW TO ADD TIKTOK TO YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY? What TikTok is?

TikTok is a social network that has the characteristic of working only as a mobile application. To join it, you will need a smartphone. The application has now more than 500 million active users per month.

Just look at the billion downloads to realize the magnitude of the phenomenon: TikTok has become the most popular social network among young people. The concept: to create short clips, in which users can express themselves freely, in a unique and creative way. All the elements are thus combined to seduce the new generation and establish itself as a reference tool for marketing professionals.

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Created in 2017 by the Chinese group ByteDance, Tik Tok has been made popular thanks to its features that allow users to perform singing numbers in playback. The application also features several editing tools to add special effects to videos, filters, slow motion...

Today, many celebrities also make fun of TikTok. Thus, Kourtney Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Ariana Grande or Britney Spears are among its content creators. The rapper Curtis Roach also used the social network to post his track “Bored In The House� just before the lockdown. Personalities that offer TikTok an additional guarantee of attractiveness to brands. Artists, stars or anonymous, TikTok users and their community now become first-class ambassadors for them.

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How to use TikTok as a powerful marketing influence tool?

Please note that TikTok has a function for professional pages. The network allows companies to post ads. However, the contents must be visually fun and attractive since the platform was created to entertain. If you plan to publish videos that are too promotional and serious, there is a good chance that your marketing campaign will fall through. On the other hand, if you are creative, your brand, products or services will be promoted.

Those signs that target a young audience will have a better chance of succeeding on TikTok since 90% of TikTokers are under 35 years old. Therefore, before committing to this network, make sure that it corresponds to the image conveyed by your company.

The strength of TikTok as a marketing influence tool is its ability to detect the viral potential of the videos it broadcasts. Thus, it is the originality of the content that is truly promoted on the platform and not the popularity of the user. This qualitative approach that TikTok has relied on is a very interesting vein for brands to exploit in order to reach consumers who are increasingly demanding in terms of message. Finally, Tik Tok promotes the unlimited sharing of the best viral content. A clever mix of functionalities that make the platform an ideal tool for interaction between a brand and its audiences.

“An Algorithm that encourages creativity” TikTok makes you look at influencer marketing from a new perspective as its public is much more critical when it comes to advertising. It’s best to give influencers freedom when it comes to content. They know their audience best and want to make sure that their sponsored video still peaks their interest and doesn’t come off as fake or too staged.

It is therefore important that you do your research well to make sure the influencer is known for creating content that is in line with your brand. Once you’ve found a good collaborator in an influencer it is a big step towards establishing a long-term relationship.

TikTok is a platform that will surely make you rethink your strategy and approach to influencer marketing in 2021.

Don’t just go by the amount of followers, but make a thorough analysis of the influencer and its audience and based on that determine if this could be a lucrative partnership.

Author : Natacha Voustad

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Innovators, entrepreneurs & visionnaires w w w . t h e m i n d s e t 3 6 0 . c o m 50

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