rtuneLeader
CEO&Co-founder
Go-BeSleeves
BARBARA BOOTH
Changingtheworldforthebetter
Editors Insights
Welcome to The Fortune Leader magazine's
special feature on the “10 Trailblazing Business Leaders to Watch in 2024”. In this issue, we shine a light on the incredible work and forward-thinking leadership of those who are se ng new standards and transforming industries.
At The Fortune Leader, we honor the work of these trailblazing business leaders by dedica ng this issue, tled "10 Trailblazing Business Leaders to Watch in 2024." Our cover story features the successful journey of Barbara Booth, CEO & Co-founder of Go-Be Sleeves. The market for tray covers for travel is shaped by evolving consumer preferences for hygiene and convenience, technological advancements, and sustainability considera ons. Companies in this sector can leverage these trends by offering innova ve, high-quality products that meet regulatory standards and cater to travelers seeking a safe and comfortable experience. As travel pa erns con nue to recover and evolve, monitoring consumer behavior and adap ng product offerings accordingly will be key to success in this market.
Go-Be Sleeves is an eco-friendly, reusable an microbial tray sleeve that combines style, func onality, and sustainability. Co-founders Barbara Booth and Cornelia Quinn created the product a er realizing the environmental impact of millions of non-biodegradable, single-use disinfectant wipes. Made from recycled postconsumer plas c and embedded with non-toxic, an microbial technology, Go-Be Sleeves also support Ocean Conservancy with each purchase.
At The Fortune Leader, we are honored to celebrate the spirit of innova on embodied by these outstanding leaders. Our pla orm is dedicated to sharing their remarkable stories and contribu ons. Debbie Flevotomou, CEO & Founder of Debbie Flevotomou Architects; Oscar Hedaya, Owner of The Space Safe; Dr. Patrick Jinks, President of The Leader's Perspec ve; Jasmeet Sraw, Senior Growth Partner of Course5 Intelligence; and Shirley Billigmeier, Founder of Innerge cs, represent the pinnacle of innova on in their respec ve fields. Shirley Billigmeier also shares an insigh ul ar cle on "Why Has Something As Simple As Ea ng Become So Complex?" We are thrilled to present these trailblazers and their innova ve journeys.
Let's be inspired by their achievements and learn from their groundbreaking efforts.
BARBARA BOOTH
BARBARA BOOTH
Changingtheworldforthebetter
Thetraycovermarketfortravelersisheavily influencedbyevolvingconsumerpreferencesfor hygieneandconvenience,technological advancements,andsustainabilityconsiderations. Companiesinthissectorcancapitalizeonthesetrends byofferinginnovative,high-qualityproductsthatmeet regulatorystandardsandcatertotheneedsoftravelers seekingasafeandcomfortableexperience.Astravel patternscontinuetorecoverandevolve,monitoring consumerbehaviourandadaptingproductofferings accordinglywillbekeytosuccessinthismarket.
Go-Beisaneco-friendly,reusableantimicrobialtray sleevethatisasstylishasitisfunctionalandplanetfriendly Theideacametoitsco-foundersBarbaraBooth andCorneliaQuinnaftertheydiscoveredthatmillionsof single-usedisinfectantwipes,whicharenonbiodegradableandcontainharshchemicals,headto landfillseverydayfromtravelerswipingdowntheirtray tables.Sotheysetouttocreateaproductthatwasnot onlyfunandfunctionalbuteco-friendly,sustainableand embeddedwithanantimicrobialtechnologythatisnontoxicandnon-irritating.What'smore,Go-Be'sfabricis knittedoutofafibercreatedfromrecycledpostconsumerplastic,andaportionofeachpurchasegoesto supportOceanConservancy,anorganizationcommitted toresolvingtheoceanplasticcrisis.
AsaformerCNBCreporter,Barbara'sentrepreneurial spirithadbeenfueledforyearsasshetoldthestoriesof howsomeoftoday'smostdynamicentrepreneursbuilt theirempiresandusedtheirsuccessasaforceforgood. Go-Behasquicklybecomeacatalystforchanging people’sbehaviourandeducatingthemonthe importanceoftravelingmoreethicallyandsustainably Go-Beisnowpartneringwithmajorairlines,hotels,and othermajorplayersinthehospitalityindustrytopromote sustainabilityinthetourismsector.Barbaraand Cornelia'sdreamofcreatingaproductthatisnotonly functionalbutaforceforgoodhascometrue.
Theinitialchallenges
“Thetravelgearindustryishugelycompetitive,and
despitetheuniquenessofourtraycovers—theirhygiene benefits,sustainabilityandeco-friendlydesign—we wereacompletelynewconceptcompetingforattention andmarketshareagainstawidearrayoftravel accessories.Thereareneckpillows,packingcubes, travel-sizetoiletries,portablechargers,andeyemasks, eachvyingfortheconsumer’sinterestandwallet.So, oneofthegreatestchallengeslayinconvincingtravelers thatourreusabletraycoversareamust-haveadditionto theirtravelessentials,especiallywhenoursocietyoften prioritizesconvenienceoverwhatisrightfortheplanet, inthiscase,single-usedisposablewipes,whichcause greatharmtotheenvironment.Ourmissionwas(and stillis)tochangethatbehaviourbyinspiringtravelersto travelmoreethicallyandchooseaneco-friendlyoption toavoidgerms.Thatwastoughandrequiredsignificant effort.Weneededimpactfulmessagingandalotofit.We startedwithpaidadstogainsometraction.Thatwas costly,soweswitchedtodoingourorganiccontentand floodedthesocialmediaplatformstomakepeopleaware ofourbrandandourmission.Wedidn'talwaysgetit right.Wehadtodoalotofmarketresearch,polls,and socialengagement,andlearnhowtoeffectivelytarget audiences.Weenrolledinmentorshipprogramstolearn, becausetechnologyisever-changing.Itdidn'thappen overnight,butwefinallydiscoveredthemessagingthat resonateswithtravelerswhoshareourvaluesandlove ourbrand,”saysBarbara.
Thejourneytowardsleadership
“WhatinspiredmetoleadGo-Beandbecomealeaderin myfieldwasthedesiretocreatemeaningfulchangein thewaypeopletravel.Inoticedagapinthemarketfora sustainable,hygienic,andaestheticallypleasingwayto fightthegermsonyourtraytable.Aftermy investigationsuncoveredthetruthaboutthecleanliness ofairplanetraytablesandhowthiscouldimpacthealth especiallythosewithlife-threateningfoodallergiesand autoimmuneissuesmyco-founderCorneliaandI resolvedtocomeupwithanenvironmentallyresponsible solution.Wealsowantedtoputalittlejoybackintoair travel.Flying,whatwasonceconsideredglamorousand exciting,isnowahassle,withtightspacesandflight
delaysthenorm.Go-Betraycoverscomeinstunning designsandmakepeoplefeelhappierintheirpersonal space.Theideaofencouragingpeopleto“gobe” adventurous,andboldandtolosethefearandenjoythe journey,especiallyduringCovidresonatedwithme.So, thisvisioninspiredmetotaketheleadandbuildabrand thatnotonlymeetspracticalneedsbutalsopromotes positivity,”addsBarbara.
Beatingtheodds
“Onesignificantchallengewefacedearlyonwas figuringouthowtoregainourfootingafterdraining mostofourresourcesonexpensivemarketingcampaigns outofthegateinsteadofstartingoffscrappytotestthe waters.Inhindsightweshouldhavefocusedmoreon drivingsalesandprovingourconceptbeforecommitting suchalargebudgettomarketingefforts.Thissituation forcedustopivotquickly Weshiftedourfocusfrom extensivepaidmediacampaignstomoreDIYstrategies, suchasconsistentlyproducingengagingcontentvia posts,videos,andblogsthatresonatewithouraudience andinteractingwithourfollowerstoauthentically generatebuzzaboutourbrandwithoutincurringhigh costs.
Itwasascramble,butoureffortspaidoff:Wewereable toattractandretainenoughcustomersthroughauthentic socialmediamarketingtogeneratethenecessary revenuetostabilizeourfinancesandregainourfooting. Thistaughtusthateffectivemarketingdoesnotalways requirealargebudget.Organicsocialmediamarketing, whendoneright,canbejustaspowerfulindriving customerengagementandsales,”saysBarbara.
Theevergreenqualitiesofaleader
“Ibelievetheabilitytoadaptandpivottochanging circumstancesiscrucial.Thingsarenotalwaysgoingto goaccordingtoplan.Manytimes,theyarenot.So,you needtohavethecapacitytobouncebackfromsetbacks andstaydeterminedtomoveforward.
Ialsobelieveyouneedtohaveaclearandcompelling visionsoyoucanguideyourteam.Butatthesametime beopentoyourteam'sideas.Otherwise,innovationwill
stall.Encouragecreativityandembracenewideas. Promotingteamworkandvaluingdiverseperspectives enhancesinnovation.
Youalsoneedtobeabletomakeinformeddecisions. Thereissomuchnoiseoutthereaboutthe“rightway”to sendmessagingonsocialmedia,orthe“rightway”to sendemailcampaignsandsoforth.Youneedtostay aheadofthecurveandknowwhatisgoingoninyour marketplace.Knowwhatthetrendsare.Whatyour audiencewants.Youmustcommittocontinually learningsoyourbusinessstaysrelevant.
Mostofall,though,youneedtobaseyourbusinesson transparencyandintegritysoyoucanbuildtrustand credibilitywithintheorganization,withexternal partners,andwithyourcustomers.”
Thefutureroadmap
“AtGo-Be,ourvisionextendsfarbeyondcreatingtray coversfortravel.Weaimtobethecompanythatcreates high-qualitycoversinstunningdesignsforanythingyou need.Whilesomeofourfutureinventionsareunder wraps,Icanassureyouthattheywillalwaysalignwith ourmissiontopromotesustainabilityandminimize ecologicalimpact.Wewillcontinuetokeepour customersinformedaboutourprocesses,materials,and theimpactofourproducts,fosteringtrustandloyalty, andourbrandingwillalwaysreflectpositivityand inspiration.
Webelieveinencouragingourcustomersto‘GoBe’ adventurous,bold,andenvironmentallyconscious.This ethoswillbewovenintoeveryaspectofourmarketing andcommunicationeffortsinthefuture.Wewillalso continuetostrengthenourcollaborationswithlikemindedorganizations,influencers,andcommunitiesto amplifyourimpactandreachsowecancontinueto drivepositivechangeandsupportsustainablepractices globally,”concludedBarbara.
Jasmeet Sraw Sr. Growth Partner
C5i
Driving business impact with the ideal combination of Human Expertise and AI
AIisrevolutionizingtheworld acrossvariousdomainsand industries,bringingabout significantadvancementsand transformativechanges.AI technologies,particularlymachine learningandintelligentautomationof repetitivetasksandprocessesacross industries.Thisnotonlyincreases efficiencybutalsoreducescostsand improvesaccuracy AIenableshighly personalizedexperiencesfor consumersinsectorssuchasretail, entertainment,anddigitalmarketing. Byanalyzingvastamountsofdata,AI algorithmscantailor recommendations,content,and servicestoindividualpreferencesand behaviors.
Intoday’sdynamicbusinesslandscape, volatilityhasbecomethenorm, characterizedbyshiftingcustomer preferences,competitivedynamics, andenvironmentalfactors.“AtC5i,we empowerourclientstonavigatethis complexityandthrivebytransforming theirdecision-makingprocesses. Utilizingcutting-edgeAI,datascience,
andanalyticalmethodologies,weharnessthepowerof advanceddatatechnologiestodeliverbespokesolutionsfor ourclients.Ourapproachcombinesstate-of-the-art technologywithbest-in-classtalenttoaddresscomplex businesschallengeseffectively
EnhancedCustomerService
“AsanAnalyticsandAIsolutionsprovider,C5ifocuseson EnterpriseAI,Industry5.0&SupplyChain,Marketing Analytics,Consumer&MarketInsights,Customer Analytics&DigitalAnalytics.Ourparamountobjectiveis todrivebusinessimpactswiftlyandexpansively,fostering enduringpartnershipsalongtheway Thisobjectiveismade possiblethroughourcomprehensivesolutionset,which integratesmulti-functionalteamsandarobustsuiteof products,solutions,andacceleratorstailoredforvarious horizontalandindustry-specificusecases.AtC5i,our teamssynergizetheinsightsofourconsultantsandindustry expertswiththetechnicalexpertiseofdatascientists,data engineers,businessanalysts,andvisualizationspecialists. Furthermore,wecontinuallyenhanceourcapabilities throughdedicatedresearchanddevelopmentefforts conductedinourAIlabs.Centraltoourethosisaclientfirstapproach,underpinnedbyacultureofrelentless innovationandcommitmenttodrivingadoption.By prioritizingtheneedsofourclientsandembracing innovation,weensurethatweremainattheforefrontof deliveringtransformativesolutionsinarapidlyevolving businesslandscape,”addsJasmeet.
Thedifferentiatingfactor
“Atthecoreofourapproachistohave“humaninthe loop,”ensuringthatwecombinethehumanperspectiveand knowledgeofourteamsandclientteamswiththepowerof AIandmachinelearningtodriveinsightsthatare trustworthyanddriveadoption,”saysJasmeetSraw,
Sr.GrowthPartner,C5i.OurAILabsservesasadedicated ResearchandDevelopmentcenterhousingateamof50+ researchers.OurteamcomprisesgenerativeAI(GenAI) experts,AIscientists,machinelearningengineers,and analysts,collectivelyfocusedonawidearrayofcuttingedgetechnologies.Theseincludenaturallanguage generationandprocessing,GenAItechnologies,machine learning,deeplearningandneuralnetworks,computer perception,econometricandstatisticalmodeling,visual storytellingmethods,clouddataengineering,andothers. Collaboratingcloselywithourbusinessteams,C5iAILabs harnessesopen-sourceinnovations,partnershipswith
leadingtechnologycompanies,andcollaborationswith academicinstitutionstodevelopappliedtechnologiesthat addressspecificbusinessusecasesandpainpointsforour clients.”
“Ourpowerfulsuiteof400+acceleratorsandfourproducts equipsourclientswithrapidlydeployablesolutionsthatcan seamlesslybeintegratedintotheiroperationalenvironment, enablingthemtoachieveimmediateimpactand industrializeAI&analyticsintotheirprocesses.
Theclientele
OurclienteleincludesBankingandFinancialServices, ConsumerGoods&Services,LifeSciences,Research& ConsultingFirms,Retail,Technology,Telecom,andMedia tonameafew.
Organizationalculture
“Weplacegreatemphasisoncultivatingapositiveimpact onthelivesofouremployees.Weenhancetheircapabilities throughcomprehensivetraining,accesstocutting-edge technology,andamplegrowthopportunities,ensuringthey areequippedtocompeteonaglobalscaleanddeliver exceptionalresults.Ourworkplacecultureisoneof collaboration,builtonafoundationoftrustandrespectfor diversity,undeterredcustomercentricityandsurgicalfocus oninnovation.Beyondourbusinessendeavors,weare drivenbyadesiretocontributepositivelytotheworld aroundus.Throughourcorporatesocialresponsibility initiativesandcommunityengagements,westrivetomake ameaningfuldifference.Weempowerdeservingand underprivilegedchildrenandyouththroughsponsorship, mentorship,andsupport,enablingthemtorealizetheirfull potentialandserveascatalystsforpositivechangewithin theircommunities.”
Futureroadmap
WeplantoworkonIP-basedsolutionsdrivingspeedto value,high-qualitydataandtechnologypartnerships, businessvalue-drivenconsultingandsolutionapproach, andcontinuousappliedAIinnovationatC5i’sAILabs–focusonreliable,responsibleAI,”concludedJasmeet.
Dr. Patrick Jinks President
TheLeaders Perspective
playing a crucial role in the success and growth of organiza ons across various industries
Businessconsultingandservicesplayacrucialrole inthesuccessandgrowthoforganizationsacross variousindustries.Theimportanceofbusiness consultingandservicesisevidentintheirabilitytoenhance organizationalperformance,drivestrategicinitiatives,and providecriticalexpertiseandsupport.Byleveragingthe knowledgeandexperienceofconsultants,businessescan achievesustainablegrowth,efficiency,andcompetitive advantage.
“TheLeader’sPerspectivewasestablishedtobringthebest oftwogiftstogether.Inmy20yearsoforganizational leadership,IwascreatingthemostvaluewhenIwaseither contributingstrategicthinkingandfacilitationorcoaching othersforleadership.Iwasnotthebestattheotherbusiness mechanicsofrunninganonprofit(likefundraisingor finance).ButIwaseffectiveatcastingvision,framing priorities,andcoachingothers.Ultimately,Iwantedto placemyselfwhereIcouldhavethegreatestimpact,andI havefoundsincethe8yearssincewelaunchedTLPthat thisisthesweetspot,”saysDr.PatrickJinks,President,The Leadr`sPerspective.
Themanbehindthescene
Asanaward-winningprofessionalphotographer,
Dr.PatrickJinksknowsthevalueofviewingchallenges throughtherightlensestoachievesuccess.Aftera successful22-yearcareerinorganizationalleadership, Patrickchangedlensestoserveleadersfromanother perspective.Today,hecoachesandtrainsleadersinboththe socialandcorporatesectors.Patrickisamulti-best-selling authorandmemberoftheNationalAssociationofExperts, Writers,andSpeakers.
WithaPh.D.inOrganizationalLeadership,Patrick regularlycontributestoForbes.comasamemberofthe ForbesCoachesCouncil.HeisaBoard-CertifiedCoach, certifiedadjunctcoachandtrainerwithLeadership Systems,Inc.,andcertifiedInfluencertrainerwith VitalSmarts.HeisalsocertifiedasanAcademyofChoice coach.HeisateachingsupporteroftheRightQuestion InstituteandholdsaHarvardBusinessSchoolCertificatein usingtheQuestionFormulationTechnique(QFT).
PatrickhasbeenfeaturedasaGameChangerandaMaster ofSuccessinUSATodayandTheWallStreetJournal respectively,forhisfreshtakeonnonprofitstrategyand leadershipthroughTheStrategicCoachingContinuum.He wasrecognizedasoneoftheTop10MostInfluential PeopleinLeadershipCoachingbyCIOViewsMagazine, andasthe“MostSuccessfulLeadershipCoachtoWatchin 2024”byEnterpriseWiredMagazine.Hisspeakingstages rangefromTheCitadeltoUniversalStudios,andfrom TEDxtoTheUnitedNations.Patrick’sglobally-acclaimed podcast,TheLeadershipWindowisaFeedspotTop-10 podcastforsocialsectorleadership.
MissionandVision
“AtTLP,westartwithpurposebeforemission.Wefirst answerthe'why'question.Weareherebecauseoffour realitiesinthesocialsector:
Ÿ Leadingchangeiscomplex.
Ÿ Progressinthesectortakeslongerthanitshould.
Ÿ Scarcityisaprevailingmindset.
Ÿ Leadershipcanbealonelyplace.
Ourvision(alsopartofourwhy)istheoppositeofthe above.Wewantfaster,moreresourced,moreagile,and moreeffectiveleadersandorganizationsthathaveclarity, simplicity,andalignmentinalltheirwork.
Withthatpurposeinmind,ourmission(ourcharge)isto helporganizationalleadersandtheirteamsachieve meaningfulactionontheircommitted,alignedmission objectives,andwedoitbyprovidingleaderswithaccessto world-classleadership,strategy,andculturecoaching.”
Client-CentricService
“Wetakeacoachingapproachtoeverythingwedo,butin thetraditionalsensethatweknoworganizationsare familiarwith,weprovidestrategicplanning,employee engagementmeasurementandtraining,organizational culturemapping,andleadershipcoachingforbothteams andindividuals.”
Thedifferentiatingfactor
“WeareacoachingcompanyBEFOREweareaconsulting company.Ioftentellmyclientsthatthevaluewecreate
withthemcomesnotfromansweringtheirquestionsbut fromquestioningtheiranswers.Webringapowerful inquirystancethatdrawsoutandelevatesourclients'best thinkingtowardtheirowngoals,solutions,anddreams.
Ibringablendofnaturaltalent,deeptraining,and organizationalexperiencetothecoachingtable.Mygifts includedeeplistening,synthesizing,challenging,and framing.MytrainingincludesanMBAandaPhDin organizationalleadership,aswellasnumerouscoaching certifications,includingboardcertificationfromtheCentre forCredentialingandEducation(CCE).Myexperience spansovertwodecadesoforganizationalexecutive leadershipexperienceandsuccess.”
Ourclientele
“MostofTLP’sclientsareinthesocialsectorsincethatis wheremyexperienceandknowledgelie.Icanrelatetothe nuancedchallengesnonprofitleadersface.However,Ihave
coachedleadersfromFortune500Companies,government agencies,andphilanthropicfoundations.TheleadersIgain themostfulfillmentfromcoachingarethosewhoare constantlystrivingforwhat’snextintheirleadership effectiveness.Theyarepassionateabouttheirmissionsand dedicatedtocontinuallylearningandgrowing.”
Futureroadmap
“Inthespiritweencourageourclientstoembrace,weare alwayslookingaheadtowhatwillconstitutethe'nextlevel' forTLP Thenextcoupleofyearsareshapinguptobevery significantforgrowth.Wewillbeaddingcertified,adjunct coachestotheteamaswemovemoreintothecoaching trainingspace.Wecurrentlydelivera30-hour,online,ondemandtrainingforleadershipcoaches,thattheCCEhas approvedaseligibletraininghourstowardboard certification.Wearealsointhemiddleofamajorproject involvinginternationalcorporatecoachingtrainingdesign,” concluded,Dr.PatrickJinks.
INVESTING IN GREEN TECHNOLOGIES INVESTING IN GREEN TECHNOLOGIES
Theterm“greentech”referstoacollectionof technologieswiththeoverarchinggoalof mitigatingoreradicatingthedestructiveeffects ofhumanactivitiesonthenaturalenvironment.This involvestheinvestigationofnew,clean,andrenewable sourcesofEnergytopioneeringnew,cleanmaterialsand discoveringtechniquestorecyclegarbageandmaterials thathavealreadybeenutilised.Therearemanydifferent methodstoinvestinenvironmentallyfriendly technologies,suchasinstallingsolarpanelsandwind turbinesorsponsoringresearchonelectricvehicles. Greentechnologymaygetsupportfromboth commercialcompaniesandpublicinstitutions.Green technologyfirmsmaygetsubsidiesortaxcreditsfrom thegovernment,whichisone-waygovernmentsinvestin greentechnology.Privatepeoplecanalsohelpgreen technologybusinessesbyprovidingthemwithmoney
GreenTechnologyInvestments:VariousOptions
Investorscontemplatingputtingtheirmoneyinto environmentallyfriendlytechnologywouldbewellto spendsometimelearningaboutthehistoryofthe industry,particularlytheobjectivesthatformthebasisof thisconstantlyexpandingsubject.Theseaimsareas follows:
Ÿ Changesinproductionandconsumptionhabitsare neededtodecreasepollutionandwasteattheir sources,whichisreferredtoassourcereduction.
Ÿ Inthecontextofmeetingsocietaldemands, “sustainability”referstoeffortstoimplement practisesthatmaybeutilisedendlesslyintothe
foreseeablefuturewithoutdepletingnaturalresources orcausingdamagetothem.
Ÿ Developingenvironmentallyfriendlysubstitutesfor existingpollutingtechnologyisaprimaryemphasis oftheinnovationprocess.
Ÿ Cradle-to-cradledesignreferstocreatingthingsthat mayberecycledorrecovered,breakingwhatis knownasthe“cradle-to-grave”cycle,whichrefersto thelifecycleofproducedgoods.
Ÿ Viability:Theobjectiveistoestablishaneconomic activitycentrethatfocusesongoodsandtechnologies thataregoodfortheenvironment.Thiswillresultin anincreaseintherateatwhichideasfor environmentallyfriendlyproductsandtechnologies maybeputintoaction.
Whyshouldacompanyinvestingreentechnologies?
Letusnowgothroughthemainreasonswhycompanies shouldnolongerdelayinvestingingreentechnology.
Trulyhelpingnature
Goinggreenisthebestwaytomovetheworldforward. However,actionsandstepstakentowardsustainability needtomakesensebeforetheycanbeconsidered successful.Oneexcellentillustrationisthetransition fromusingplasticbagstopaperbags.Toreducethe negativeeffectourusageofpaperbagshasonthe environment,weneedtoreuseeachbagatleastthree moretimes.Thisindicatesthatwewoulddolessdamage totheenvironmentifwedisposedofathrowawayplastic bagproperlyratherthanpurchasingapaperbagthat
gavetheimpressionofbeingenvironmentallyfriendly Theenergysectoristypicallythesectorthatcontributes themosttoairpollutionovertime.Itisalsothesectorat theverybeginningofthewholeproductionchainfor carbonemissions.Therefore,ifweareseriousabout helpingourplanet,wemustgettothebottomofthe issueassoonaspossible.Itisundoubtedlythecasethat emission-freealternatives,suchasrenewableenergy sourcesandbatterystoragesystems,benefitthe surroundingecosystem.However,theyneedathoughtful approachtoboththeirinstallationandmanagement.In addition,thespeedwithwhichthesetechnologiesmay paybacktheircarbondebtmakesthemausefulweapon inthebattleagainstclimatechange.Inourblog,wehave alreadydiscussedthequestionofthecarbonfootprintof renewableenergysourcesaswellasbatteries.Eventhe storageofEnergyinbatteriesmaybeconsideredan exampleofenvironmentallyfriendlytechnology.Itdoes thisbyprovidingwhatareknownasregulationservices, whichmeansthatthebatteryisallowedtochargewhen thereisanexcessofelectricityinthepowergridandis allowedtodischargewhenthereisashortageof electricityinthepowergrid.Thishelpstoreducethe numberofcarbonemissionsthatareproduced.Inthis manner,itfunctionsasareplacementforfossilsuppliers ofregulatingservicesandcontributestomaintainingan efficienttransmissionsystem.
Thereisnoneedtoworryaboutbearingsignificant upfrontfees.
Althoughinvestmentsinenvironmentallyfriendly technologymightbecostly,thereturnsonsuch investmentsarewellworththemoney.Theinitial investmentinsolarpanelswithbatterystoragecan provideareturnoninvestmentofuptothreetimes throughoutthebattery’slifetimeofaround15years. Whenconsideringthe25to30-yearlifetimeofsolar panels,batteriesmaybereplacedattheendoftheir usefulliveswithnewbatteriesandnewtechnologies, whichwillundoubtedlybemuchmoreeffectiveand, accordingtotheevolutionofbatterycosts,alsobeless expensive.Today,acompanydoesnotnecessarilyneed accesstoalargeamountofreadilyavailablecapitalto makesuchaninvestment.Companiescannowbuy
environmentallyfriendlytechnologyintheformofan “operatinglease”thankstothenewEnergyasaService model(EaaS)introduction,whichsolvestheissueof largeupfrontexpenses.Thisresultsinamarginal lengtheningofthepaybacktimefortheendconsumer Still,inadditiontofacilitatingsimplerfinancialaccess, allofthechallengesassociatedwithadministering, servicing,andmaintainingenvironmentallyfriendly technologyareremoved.
Moreautonomyandenergyindependence
Evenamomentaryabsenceofelectricitymaysometimes resultinsignificantdifficultiesandfinanciallosses. Businessesthatusetechnologythatreliesonaconstant supplyofelectricityabsolutelyneeddependablesecurity againstpoweroutages.Toaccomplishthisobjective, theyuseeitherabackuppowersourcethatcanprovide Energyintheeventoflongerpoweroutagesormore responsivetechnology,suchasaUPS(Uninterruptible PowerSupply),thatisabletocovertheshortermicrooutages.Thedieselgeneratoristheemergencypower supplythatiscalledonmostoften.However,thetimeit takestorespondmightbequiteabit.Thereactiontime mightrangefromtentothirtyseconds,whichis determinedbytheamountofpreheatingthegenerator hasreceived.Thebatterystorageisreadyforusein practicallynotime,anditcanactasbothabackup sourceandaUPS.Becauseitnowhasitsrenewable energysource,thefirmisinapositiontobecomeless reliantonthesupplyofelectricityfromthepowergrid andnaturallymoreEnergyself-sufficient.
Debbie Flevotomou
Debbie Flevotomou
Architects
DebbieFlevotomou’sjourneyinbusinessand
architectureisatestamenttoinnovation, resilience,andthepowerofdreams.Fromthe outsetofherstudies,Debbie’sunconventionalideasoften facedskepticism.However,sherefusedtoconform, persistinginhervision.“Mydreamsweredeemedtoo audacious,myaspirationstoograndiose,”sherecalls,yet sheforgedaheadundeterred.Herperseveranceledhertoa prestigiousroleatFosters+Partners,contributingto landmarkprojectslikeKuwaitInternationalAirportand MasdarCityinAbuDhabiwithanastonishingbudgetof £22billion.
Despitetheseachievements,Debbiesoughtgreater independence,foundingDebbieFlevotomouArchitectsand withthattheTHINKNATUREmovement.Herfirmstands asabeaconofinnovation,blendingadvancedtechnologies andsustainablepractices.Debbie'sgroundbreakingwork, suchas“TheGreatReef,”acivicbuildingandmasterpiece inkineticarchitecture,exemplifieshercommitmentto mergingfunctionalitywithenvironmentalmindfulnessand willbeapioneeringbuildinginSaudiArabia.Anotherone ofhergreatachievementsissecuringfivemegafive-star hotelprojectsaswellasa2.2km-longseafrontmasterplan inTripoli,Libya.
Unfortunately,duetointernalpoliticalconflicts,these projectswerehaltedandremainindefinitelyonhold. However,thissetbackdidn'tdeterDebbie.Itservesas anotherexampleofherresilienceandabilitytopersevere eveninchallengingcircumstances.Hermessagetoaspiring architectsandbusinesswomenisclear:“Ignorethe naysayers.Yourpotentialknowsnobounds.“Looking forward,Debbieisoptimisticaboutthefutureof architecture,particularlythepotentialofAIandsustainable parametricdesign.
Biophilia,theinnatehumanconnectiontonature,willbeat theheartofallherdesigns.“Byseamlesslyintegrating naturalelementsintooururbanlandscapes,wecancreate spacesthatinspire,rejuvenate,andconnectustotheworld aroundus.Nature’simaginationandstructurearesomuch greaterthananyonecouldeverthinkof,soTHINK NATURE.Herjourneyisapowerfulreminderthatwith valuesandvision,dreamscanbecomereality
Inherexperienceandobservation,womenleadersbringa distinctivestrengthtobusinessleadership:theinnateability tocultivatewin-winsituations.Womenoftenexcelin creatingcollaborativeenvironmentswhereevery individual'sinputisvaluedandrespected.Theiremphasis oneffectivecommunicationandempathyenablesthemto understanddiverseperspectivesandnavigatechallenges withafocusonfindingmutuallybeneficialsolutions.
Debbiefirmlybelievesthatthisinclusiveleadershipstyle notonlyfostersapositiveworkculturebutalsodrives innovationandsustainablegrowthwithinorganizations. Ultimately,byprioritizingwin-winoutcomes,women leaderslikeDebbieinspiretrust,nurturestrongerteams, andpropelsuccessinthedynamiclandscapeofmodern business.
Inpromotingdiversityandinclusionwithinhercompany andindustry,DebbieFlevotomouprioritizesembracing individualsfromdiversebackgroundsandprofessions.She fostersanenvironmentwhereopendialogueand collaborationareencouraged,recognizingthatdiverse perspectivesdriveinnovation.Debbieensuresequal opportunitiesforcareeradvancementandadvocatesfor greaterrepresentationofunderrepresentedgroupsin leadershiproles.Hercommitmenttodiversityandinclusion enrichesworkplacecultureanddrivessuccessinher companyandthebroaderarchitectureindustry.
Forwomenaspiringtosucceedinbusiness,Debbie Flevotomouofferstwokeypiecesofadvice:resilience anddreamingbig.Sheemphasizestheimportanceof bouncingbackfromsetbacksandviewingchallenges asopportunitiesforgrowth.Additionally,Debbie encourageswomentothinkboldlyandpursue ambitiousgoals,believingthatsuccessoftencomes fromdaringtodreambeyondconventionalboundaries. Withresilienceandbigdreams,womencancarvetheir pathtosuccessinthebusinessworld.Tothosefilled withdoubtanduncertainty,Iofferthisassurance:You possessthepowertoshapeyourdestiny.Believein yourself,evenwhenothersdoubtyou.Surround yourselfwithindividualswhoupliftandinspireyou anddreambig.Forinourcollectivepursuitof greatness,liesthepromiseofabrightertomorrow
DebbieFlevotomouisfueledbyanunyieldingpassion toreshapetheworldofarchitecture.Whatdrivesher? It'sthethrillofbreakingboundariesandsparking change.ThishasalsoledhertofoundtheLondon BalletTheatre,aballetcompanyproducingcross-art performancesandreshapingtheworldofballetbyits inclusivityanddemocraticstructure.Startingwithonly sixdancers,thecompanyhasnowgrowntooverforty dancersandcreatesshowsregularly Witheachproject, sheseesanopportunitytoredefinenorms,incorporate cutting-edgetechnologies,andchampion sustainability.Debbie’snotjustbuildingstructures; she'scraftingexperiencesthatinspireandtransform. Asatrailblazer,shefeelsaresponsibilitytopavethe wayforfuture(female)architects,leavingbehinda legacyofinnovationandimpact.ForDebbie,the journeyisasexcitingasthedestination,andshe's determinedtomakehermarkontheworldof architectureinawaythat'sbothunforgettableand transformative.
Debbie Flevotomou CEO & Founder
real security driven by technological innovations and changing consumer demands
OscarHedaya Owner
It’snosecretthatthesecuritycameraandadvanced
securityappmarkethavebeenevolvingrapidly, drivenbytechnologicalinnovations,andchanging consumerdemands.TheintegrationofAI,IoT,and mobiletechnologiesisenhancingthecapabilitiesand usabilityofsecuritysystems.Companiesthatcan balanceadvancedfeatureswithuser-friendlyinterfaces androbustprivacyprotectionsarelikelytosucceedin thiscompetitivelandscape.Thecurrentmarketlandscape forsecuritycamerasandadvancedsecurityappsis characterizedbyrapidtechnologicaladvancements, increaseddemandforsmarthomesecuritysolutions,and evolvingconsumerpreferences.AIandmachinelearning aretransformingsecuritycamerasbyenablingadvanced featureslikefacialrecognition,objectdetection,and behavioralanalytics.There’snosurprisethatthesafe industrywouldbethenexttocomearound.
“MyinspirationforcreatingSPACEandTheSpaceSafe struckduringalate-nightconversationwithafriendwho hadrecentlyexperiencedabadhomeburglary.Aswe discussedthedetailsofwhathadhappened,Iwasmoved bymyfriend’sexperience.Afterourconversation,I begantoresearchmoreaboutsafesandfoundthatmany ofthesafescurrentlybeingsoldwerejustoutdated,had significantsecuritylimitations,suchaspoor-quality metalandeasilybreakabledesigns,andjustalackof innovation.Itbecameclearthattheindustrywasoverdue foracompleteupgrade.”
Combininghispassionfortechnologywithadesireto enhancesecurity,heenvisionedasafethatofferedtrue protectionforvaluables.Hewantedtotakeitastep furtherbyprovidingreal-timemonitoring.Recognizing thatburglariesoftenoccurwhenpeoplearenothome,he aimedtodevelopanewwaytomonitorsafesremotely. Hissafesfeatureadvancedtamperdetectionand cameras,makingthemthemostadvancedsafesever created.Motivatedbytheneedforsmartersecurity solutions,OscarsetouttodesignTheSpaceSafe, integratinghigh-qualitymaterials,biometricaccess, remotecontrolfeatures,andasleekdesigntoofferpeace ofmindinanincreasinglydigitalworld.“SPACEoffers
realpeaceofmindwithseveralmodels,eachdesigned withitsownuniquesetoffeaturestomeetdifferent securityneeds,”saysOscarHedaya,Founder
Theinitialchallenge
“DuringtheinceptionofTheSpaceSafe,Ifacedmany challengesbecause,unlikemostproducts,thisproduct wascreatedfromthegroundupandcontained technologythatwasneverusedbeforeinthisindustry andinthismanner.Therefore,wewererequiredtouse severaldifferentdisciplinaryteams,includingelectrical engineers,mechanicalengineers,andsoftware developers.WehadtocreatecustomizedPCBA(Printed CircuitBoardAssembly)boardsandcodethemto interactwitheveryuniquepieceoftechnologywewere connectingtothesafe.Duetotheuseofatouchscreen interface,wehadtocreateacustomsafeoperating systemforthesoftwareanddesignitsownUI.Because ofthecustomsoftwareandhardwarefortheelectronics, therewasextensivesoftwaredevelopment,coding,and designingforboththesafesoftwareandthemobileapp.”
OurServices
“AtSPACE,weofferacomprehensivesuiteofservices designedtoenhancesecurityandprovidepeaceofmind forourcustomers.Ourprimaryfocusisonthedesign anddevelopmentofadvancedsecurityproducts, particularlyourstate-of-the-artsmartsafes.Thesesafes integratethelatesttechnologytoprovideunparalleled protection,ensuringthatourcustomers’valuablesare alwayssecure.Bycontinuouslyenhancingfeaturesand securitymeasures,includingcustomsoftware developmentandtailoredsecuritysolutions,weensure thatoursafesremainup-to-datewiththelatest advancementsinsecuritytechnology,providingongoing peaceofmindwithstateoftheartproductforour customers.
Oneofourkeyofferingsiscustomsoftware development.Weunderstandthateachcustomerhas uniquesecurityneeds,whichiswhyourteamworks
closelywithmajorclientstocreatetailoredsecuritysolutions.Thisinvolvesdevelopingunique featuresandwritingsoftwaretoensureseamlessintegrationandoptimalperformanceofour safes.Ourfocusoncustomizationensuresthatourproductsmeetthespecificrequirementsof eachclient,whetherlargeorsmall,providingthemwitharobustandreliablesecuritysolution.
Inadditiontoourproductdesignandcustomizationservices,weofferasubscriptionservicethat significantlyenhancesthefunctionalityofoursmartsafes.Whilelivestreamingfromthesafe’s camerasisavailableforfreeatanytime,oursubscriptionserviceprovidesadditionalbenefits. Subscriberscanaccesshistoricalvideofootage,allowingthemtogobackintimeandreview pastevents.Thisfeatureisparticularlyusefulformonitoringandinvestigatingincidentsthatmay haveoccurredwhenthelivestreamwasnotbeingactivelymonitored.
Byofferingthesecomprehensiveservices,SPACEiscommittedtoprovidingthehighestlevelof securityandsupporttoourcustomers.Ourdedicationtoinnovationandcustomizationensures thatwemeettheevolvingneedsofadigitalworld,deliveringproductsandservicesthatprovide unparalleledprotectionandpeaceofmind.”
Ourclientele
“Ourcustomersloveus!Wearetheanswerthey’vealwaysbeenlookingfor Weprovidean extremelysecureproductthatsolvesmanyissuesthey’vehadwithotherproducts.Bestofall,we givethemaconstantconnectiontotheirvaluableswithourmobileapp.AtSPACE,weservea diverserangeofclients,includingindividualsandfamilieswhouseoursafestoprotectvaluables anddocuments.Businessesintheretail,hospitality,andhealthcaresectorsrelyonoursafesto securecashandsensitiveinformation.Additionally,wecatertoshort-termrentalsandhotelsby providingsecurestorageforguestswithremotemanagement,aswellaseducationalinstitutions suchasschoolsanduniversities,securingsensitiveinformationandequipment.Bycateringto varioussectors,SPACEdemonstratestheversatilityandreliabilityofourproducts.”
FutureRoadmap
“AtSPACE,ourfutureroadmapfocusesoncontinuousinnovationandexpandingourreach.We plantocontinuetocreateneverseenuniqueproductsbyincorporatingthelatesttechnologiesin allofourproducts,aimingtomakeourcustomers’liveseasier Wewanteveryonetofeelsafe, andweplantogiveeveryoneintheworldtheabilitytoownourproducts.Expandingglobally, weaimtoestablishapresenceinnewinternationalmarketsthroughstrategicpartnershipsand distributionnetworks.Wewillcontinueinvestinginresearchanddevelopmenttoexplorenew technologiesandinnovations.Additionally,weplantoengagemorewithourcommunitythrough educationalprograms,partnerships,andparticipationinindustryevents.Byfocusingonthese areas,SPACEaimstosolidifyitspositionasaleaderinthesecurityindustryandcontinue providinginnovative,reliable,anduser-friendlysecuritysolutionstoourcustomers,”concluded OscarHedaya.
How Can Healthcare Businesses Become Greener In The Modern Age? How Can Healthcare Businesses Become Greener In The Modern Age?
Whenoperatinginthehealthcaresector,taking careofthepatientwillalwaysbejobnumber one.Nonetheless,protectingtheenvironmentis somethingthatallbusinessownersinthissectorshould focusontoo.Forstarters,weallhavearesponsibilityto protecttheplanetwhilethesectorisresponsiblefor5%of allcarbonemissions.Withtherightstrategiesinplace, though,youcansignificantlyreduceyourfootprint.
Inadditiontosatisfyingapersonaldesireto“gogreen”, yourcommitmentwillnotgounnoticedbypatientsor employees.So,itcanformacrucialstepontheroad towardscultivatingabetterworkplaceandachieving sustainableprofits.Herearesomeofthebestwaystoshow greaterresponsibilityandworktowardsacarbon-neutral outcome.
FocusOnEnvironmentally-FriendlyBuildings
Commercialbuildingsshouldbethefirstfocalpointforany businessthatwantstogogreen.Incorporatinggreener materialsshouldbeaprioritywhendesigningnew commercialbuildings.Thismayincludeusingrecycledor naturalbuildingmaterials.Likewise,introducingwater harvestingsystemsoraddingsolarroofpanelscanbea greatwaytoreducethecarbonfootprint.Architectural designsshouldalsotakelightingandinsulationinto consideration.Thiswillunlockthebestresults.
Eveniftheworkplacebuildingalreadyexists,itispossible tomakebigimprovements.Efficientlightingsystemsand theuseofSmarttechinallpartsofthepropertywillwork wonders.Itisalsopossibletoextendthecommitmentto greenerpracticesbyaddingelectricalvehiclecharging points.Whetherit’sasmalldentalpracticeoralarge
hospitalwithseveralbuildingsdoesn’tmatter.Itisatask thatcompaniesacrossallsectorsofthehealthcareindustry canlooktopursue.
RenewableEnergy
Theuseofsustainablebuildingmaterialsandafocuson efficientclimatecontrolcreatesastrongfoundation. However,medicalfacilitiesthatwishtogotheextramile willalsoturntheirattentiontorenewableenergysources. Theaforementionedsolarpanelsareagreatstartingpoint. Renewableenergysourcesalsoextendtohydro,wind, geothermal,andbioenergy.Introducingeachofthemin appropriatesituationswilltakegreeninitiativestothenext level.Forexample,hydroenergycanbeusedforbackup powergenerators.
Aswellasactivelyusingrenewableenergy,healthcare firmsmaywanttosupportinitiatives.Charitieslikethe RenewableEnergyFoundationactivelyworkonfinding newsolutions.Backingthoseorganisationsallows healthcarefirmstoseeindirectbenefitswhileitcanalsobe promotedasapartofthebrandimage.Ifnothingelse,the shifttorenewableenergywillimprovethecompany’s collectivemindset.Itwillalsoreduceenergyprices,which supportshealthcarecompaniesofallsizes.
InvestInGreenerProducts&Packaging
Healthcarebusinessesarepredominantlyfocusedon providingaservice.Still,someproductsandequipmentare neededforcounselling,physio,orsurgicalprocedures.The harshrealityisthatmanyoftheitemsaresingle-useitems. However,optingforsustainablematerialsandavoiding dangerousplasticslikePVCwillaidthecause.Similarly,
Embrace
recyclablehygienerollsforhospitalbedsandsimilar settingsareadvised.Nowmorethanever,therightchoice ofdisposablefacemasksmatterstoo.
Medicationisthetypeofproductthatpatientsaremost likelytotakehome.Sustainablemedicinemanufacturing subsequentlyhasahugeinfluenceonoverallcarbon footprints.Likewise,greenerpharmacyblisterpack suppliesthatfeaturerecyclablematerialsarehighly advised.Afterall,manypatientswillneedrepeat prescriptions.Inthiscase,greenerpracticeswillhavea positiveimpactduringeachcycle.Wheretheexpiration datesallowforit,allowingpatientstohavealargervolume canbeuseful.
GoPaperlessWherePossible
Embracingpaperlesstechisundoubtedlyoneofthebest
waysformodernbusinessestoreducetheircarbon footprints.Whenworkinginthehealthcaresector,it’s impossibletoavoidallphysicalproductsandprinted materials.Theaforementionedmedicationsandpackaging areagoodexample.Still,integratingpaperlesstechand communicationintherightsettingswillmakeabig difference.Patientinteractionsareoneofthebestplacesto embracethisidea.
OptingforSMSappointmentreminderswon’tonlyreduce printingandmailingneeds.It’llalsoactivelytranslateto increasedpatientpunctuality.Usinganapptomanage documentsandsecurepatientsignaturesisaconvenientand eco-friendlysolution.Onasimilarnote,emailingthe transcriptofalivechatinteractionortelephonecallisa betteroptionthanprintingit.Asfarasinternal communicationisconcerned,onlinerotaplanningisthe bestupgradetoconsider.
Reducedpaperusageandsmarterequipmentchoicesdo haveapositiveimpactoncarbonfootprintsinhealthcare. However,theyaren’ttheonlyaspectsthatdeservesome attention.Healthcarefacilitieswilluseawiderangeof productsduringdailybusinessoperations.Manyofthemdo notdirectlyimpacttreatments.Choosinglocalor sustainablefurnitureandinteriordesignitemsforreception areasisagreatstartingpoint.Similarly,plantsinsuitable locationshaveapositiveinfluence.
Itisequallyimportanttothinkcarefullyaboutfood supplies.Locallysourcedgoodswillreducecarbon emissionsasaresultofreducedtravel.Meanwhile,opting forrecyclabledisposablecupscanworkwonders.Water filtertapscanalsoreducetheneedtopurchaseasmuch bottledwater,againsavingontransitemissionsandplastic usage.Similarly,woodencutleryandpaperstrawsarefar betteroptionsthanplastic.Crucially,recyclingbinsmustbe convenientlylocated.Chemical-freecleanersareanother greatsolution.
EmbraceTelehealth
Whenthinkingaboutwaystocreateaneco-friendly healthcaresetting,it’simportanttolookbeyondthewallsof yourbuilding.Indirectbenefitscanbeunlockedby reducingthepatient’scarbonfootprint.Therising popularityandadoptionratesoftelehealthserviceshave openedthedoortobetterhealthcare.Itreducestheneedfor patientstomakeasmanyvisitstothehealthcarefacility, whichseestheiremissionsfallbyremovingtravel.Itcan alsoseein-facilitymaterialslastlonger
Telehealthhasbecomeverypopularwithpatientsaswellas businessesinthefield.Evenitemslikeenergyusagecansee apositiveimpactwhilecompaniesinthefieldcanoften workfromsmallerlocations.Timesavingsallowformore peopletobeseen,whichmeanstheresourcesusedwillalso feedintotheprocessofprotectingtheplanet.Aswellas providingappointmentsthroughdigitalchannels,e-learning cantransformstafftraining.It’sgreen,convenient,and moreengagingforemployees.
KeepEquipmentInGoodHealth
Healthcarecompaniesdomanagealotofdisposableand single-useitemsduetohygienerequirements.However,a lotofmachineryandequipmentisalsoused.FromGPsto physiosordentists,expertsrelyonthoseproductsdaily. Whilethosetoolswillencountersomewearandtear, stayingontopofthemaintenancewillsupporthealthcare teams.Itpreventscostlyunscheduleddowntimeandcan extendthelifeoftheequipmentinquestion.
Therefore,oneofthesmartestthingsateamcandoishire anexpertwhocantroubleshootandrepairequipment. Whetherit’sultrasounds,ventilators,dentalX-ray machines,oranyotheritemsdoesn’tmatter.Itisalsoworth usingcomputersoftwaretotracktheperformanceofeach machine.Assoonasperformancelevelsbegintofall,the faultsmustbefixed.Itpromotesabetterlevelofpatient carewhilealsosupportingoperationalefficiency.Repairing partsratherthandisposingoflargeequipment.
SustainableMarketing
Itmayfeelalittledifficulttothinkofpatientsascustomers. Nevertheless,healthcarecompaniesrelyonasteadyflowof patientstoturnaprofit.Thisisespeciallytrueforprivate businesses,whichiswhyeffectiveoutreachstrategiesare vital.Naturally,then,itisanotherareawhereorganisations canlowertheircarbonemissionswithbigresults.Firstly,a focusondigitalmarketingwillinstantlyenhancegreen initiatives.Evenwithlocalefforts,afocusonbillboardsor radioisbetterthanleaflets.
Inadditiontousingfewerrawmaterials,healthcare marketingshouldtargetefficiency.AstronglocalSEO strategyshouldbeatthetopoftheagendaasmostpeople searchforthetypeofservicestheyneedratherthanrespond toarandomad.Meanwhile,clearemailmarketingstreams thatpushleadsdownthesalesfunnelcanworkwonders.It isveryusefulforcosmeticdentistryornon-emergency servicesthatpatientshavethoughtaboutforsometime.But itworkswellacrossthesector
EncourageCompany-WideEndeavours
Finally,whenhopingtobuildgreenerhabits,healthcare firmsmustoptforcompany-wideefforts.Otherwise,the successinsomeareaswillbeundonebyproblems elsewhere.Stafftrainingandregularnotificationsto highlighttheneedformoremindfulactionsarevital.For thebestresults,though,companiescanmakeitfunand rewarding.Acycle-to-workscheme,forexample,builds teamunityandinjectshealthycompetition.Notleastif prizesareintroduced.
Whenthewholeteamisinvolvedintheprocessofgoing green,itbecomesapartofthebrandidentity.Itis somethingpatientsandsupplierswillnotice.Moreover,it encouragesemployeestolookforfurtherimprovements throughoutthebusiness.Companyownersandmanagers canwelcomethoseideasthroughsuggestionboxesand otherfeedbackloops.Forthebestresults,itshouldbeused inconjunctionwithsomeofthestepsmentionedabove.In turn,healthcarefirmsacrossthesectorwillmovetowardsa carbon-neutralfuture.
Shirley Billigmeier Author & Consultant
WHY HAS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS EATING BECOME SO COMPLEX?
Inmoderntimes,wearebeginningto relyondrugstocurbourappetites. Butwhathashappenedtoourinnate abilitytoregulateeating?Consideran infant:Aninfantinstinctivelyknowswhen tostarteatingbyfeelinghungry—anatural cuethatguidestheirnourishment. This intrinsicmechanismguidedusfrombirth, ensuringweatewhennecessary While eating,ourtastebuds—numberingover 10,000—helpedusdiscernflavorsand determinewhatwassuitableforus.This intricatesystemreflectsthebody’s inherentwisdom,finelytunedtobalance ourneedsandpreferences. Andguess what?Wewerealsogivenasignaltostop eatingonceourhungerhadsimplygone away—notwhenwefeltfull,butwhenwe reachedaneutralstate.Thissensationof
“nothingness”meanswe’veaddressedourhungerand achievedanaturalbalancewithoutanydiscomfortor pressureagainstthestomach.Unfortunately,external influenceshaveledustoignorethesecues,pushingusto eatbeyondthepointwherehungerissatisfied.By overlookingthissubtleinternalmessage,welosetouch withournaturaleatingboundariesandthebody’sability toguideusthroughabalanced,intuitiveapproachto eating.
Choosingfoodsthatfeelgoodtoyouiscrucialbeyond satisfyinghunger.Why?Becauseyourchoicesreflect youridentity,andselectingfoodsthatresonatewithyou allowsyoutotrulyfeeltheireffects.Externaljudgments oftencloudthisintuitiveprocess.Considerthe conflictingresearch:shrimpistoutedforhealthbenefits, yetitmaytriggerreactionsinsomeindividuals.Is shrimphealthyforyouifitcausesareaction?Youare theultimateauthorityonwhatfoodsarebeneficialfor youruniquebody.Researchmayofferinsightsbasedon statisticalaverages,butindividualresponsesvarywidely Weeachpossessadistinctsetoftastebudsandbodily responses—thisisthewisdomofthebody.Therefore, it’sessentialtobaseyourfoodchoicesonhowthey makeYOUfeel.
Inadditiontoshapingouridentity,it’sessentialtotake ownershipofboththestartandstopofoureating decisions.Ifwefeelweshouldn’teatacertainfoodbut givein,howcanweeffectivelycontrolwhentostop? Considerthisscenario:You’vemadeadecisiontoavoid chocolate.Thenoneday,youindulgeandfindithardto stop.Youmightrationalizebysaying,“Imightaswell keepeatingandstartfreshlater,”orfeellikeyou've failedaltogether.However,ifyouownthedecisionto start,there’snoneedtojustifycontinuingbeyondyour boundariesortofeellikeyou'vefailed.Thismindsetis crucialinunderstandingandmaintainingyoureating boundaries.Wemustassertcontroloverbothstarting andstoppingwitheachfoodchoice,notdrivenbyfailure butbyhoweachfoodmakesusfeelwhenwedecideto indulgeorrefrain.
However,oncewelosetouchwithournaturalhunger cuesanddisruptoureatingpatterns,returningtoa balancedstatecanbechallenging.Often,westartusing
foodasatooltoquicklyfixunpleasantemotions,kickstartactivity,orseekadditionalpleasure.Theissueis thateatingdoesmomentarilyprovidethesebenefits—it canmakeusfeelbetterinstantly,theactofchewingcan promptustomove,anditcancreateafleetingsenseof connectionwithourselves.Yet,wearemeanttouseour ownthoughtsandactions,notfood,astoolsfor managingouremotionsandmotivatingourdecisions. Trueconnectionandprogresscomefromengagingwith ourfeelingsandtakingdeliberatestepsforward,rather thanrelyingoneatingtofulfilltheseroles.
Oncewebeginusingeatingasacopingmechanism,it canbecomemoreinfluentialthanourownthoughtsand actions.Haveyoueverexperienceddecidingnottoeat, onlytofindyourselfattherefrigeratorshortlyafter?Or haveyoupromisedyourselfnottoovereat,onlytobreak thatpromise?Wheneatingisusedinappropriately,it takesefforttounderstandthepurposebehindusingfood toachievewhatwesoughtinthatmoment.
It'snotassimpleasdecidingnottoeatwhennothungry; puttingouruseofeatingbackinorderrequireseffort.To achievethis,it’scrucialtounderstandtheroleoftaste anditsconnectiontopleasure.Amongourfive senses—taste,sound,touch,sight,andsmell—tastehas distinctboundaries.Itsintendedpurposeistobeutilized onlywhenhungersignalsit.Theotherfoursensesoffer unlimitedtoolstohelpusmanageemotions,takebreaks whenneeded,orenhanceourenjoymentoflife.
Here’sapracticalexampleofwhattodowhentheurge toeatstrikes,evenwhenhungerisn’tpresent:Aclientof minerealizedhefeltacompellingdesiretoeatat2PM everyafternoon,despitenotbeinghungry.Iposeda simplequestion:“Imagine,justforamoment,thateating didn’texist.Whatwouldyoudo?”Hisinitialconfusion ledtoarealizationabouthoweatinghadovershadowed hiscreativethoughts.Together,webrainstormed alternativeactivities—walkingdownthehall,looking outthewindow,listeningtomusic—andhislistgrew Thisapproachhelpsbreaktheautomaticurgetoeatand encouragesreconnectingwithpersonalthoughtsand actions,graduallyrestoringabalancedrelationshipwith food.
‘‘Theappearanceofthebodyisavisual,aninterpretation ofourbrain.Itisnotasensationfeltinternally,like hunger.Innergeticshasproventhathonoringthegut’s simplehungerandtastemessageswillresultina slenderbodythatisbalancedoverall.Incontrast,a narrowfocusonthesizeofthebodywillonlyresultin continuousstruggleandfrustration;intellectualizing aboutfoodactuallyblocksinformationthatourbody sendsabouthunger,satisfaction,andotherneedsand feelings.Inessence,workiscreatedwherethereis meanttobenowork.Eatingisnatural,ispleasurable, givesenergy,andwasnevermeanttointerferewithour creativeminds.”
About the Author
ShirleyBilligmeier-AuthorandConsultant CompanyName- Innergetics
Formorethan50years,Shirleyhasbeena coach,teacher,author,speaker,andbodyimage specialisthelpingwomen,men,teens,and childrenresolvetheirissueswithfoodand eating.SheearnedherBachelorofScienceand MasterofArtsdegreesfromtheUniversityof Minnesotain1971and1975,respectfully. The authorof Inner Eating (ThomasNelson1991), shecreatedInnergeticsin1994.Shirleyhas continuedtorefinetheInnergeticsprocessto makeitamuchmorecomprehensive,holistic solutionthanmindfuleatingalone.Innergetics offerstoolsthatallowyoutotakeaconscious, structuredapproach,sothatyouhavemore controloverwhenyoustartandstopeating. Everybabyisbornknowinghowtodothis; Innergeticshelpsusrecoverthatknowledge. Clientswhoadheretothissimpleprocessnot onlyloseweightbutkeepitoffpermanently Andtheydoitfromasenseofabundanceand respectforthebody,ratherthanthrough deprivationandwillpower.Innergeticswillhelp youregainthetruejoyofeating.Itwillteach youhowtotuneintoyourbodyandfeedit whatitneeds,eachandeverytimeyoueat. Shirley’sprogramisallaboutchoiceand respect;shewillnevertellyouwhattoeator when(that’scompletelyuptoyou).Ifyouwait untilyouarehungry,youcaneatwhateveryou want!Justthispastyearshedevelopedan onlinecoursetoteachtheInnergeticsProcessto awideraudience. TolearnmoreaboutShirley andherprocess,pleasevisit www.innergetics.com
