Stephen Roche: Helping Organizations Succeed

With the intent of helping those in crisis mode, Cloud Services Solutions, Inc.’s mission is to help companies manage the ERP purchasing process from cradle to grave. Cloud Services Solutions provides global advisory services for clients to measurably improve the performance & efficiency of their ERP ecosystem. It serves the global market with offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Utilizing cost-effective ERP application solutions, and strategic consulting services, Cloud Services Solutions, Inc.’s clients improve their performance and processes and increase efficiencies. This includes higher education, government agencies, and commercial clients. Stephen Roche, the CEO of the organization often says, “We sat in your seat. We are former Directors, CIOs, CHROs at global Fortune 500 companies. We understand the frustrations; blown budgets, project-stalls, understaffed and overworked.”

Under Stephen’s leadership, the organization’s goal is to remove all the guesswork within ERP Cloud Systems by providing an ecosystem that improves all aspects of any business organization. Stephen and his colleagues ultimately cut down on the time involved in the investigation, selection, and implementation process by dealing only with vendors that fit their clients’ needs. In addition, the firm advocates for its clients, through vendor sales and negotiations allowing them to save thousands of dollars.

Providing Cloud ERP for Every Need

Stephen and his team provide Cloud ERP for essentially every area of need including financials, human capital, implementation and/or upgrade, and management and planning. From start to finish, Stephen’s company handles the selection of vendors, the facilitation and implementation of clients’ ecosystem, and any necessary training to ensure they understand the ins and outs of the new Cloud ERP.

With the Vendor Assessment Matrix, the firm successfully removes emotions from the vendor selection process. Its experience has taught it that when selections are made based on facts, not emotions, clients save both time and money. The company’s product-agnostic approach enables it to help its clients select the correct products for their unique needs.

After 20+ years of experience on ERP projects costing $5M+, Cloud Services Solutions’ trusted experts have developed 10-steps that companies need to follow to have a successful ERP rollout. The company’s proven system for integration of your needed ERP cloud solution is time-tested and optimized to save you time and money.

Serving Clients Proactively

Cloud Services Solutions serves a variety of clients across the globe including the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The firm’s international team of ERP experts enables it to meet the needs of the clients in both a proactive and comprehensive manner.

Stephen believes clients choose to work with Cloud Services Solutions because it takes a holistic approach to human capital management. Stephen and his colleagues help their clients walk through the entire process, from choosing the right software to selecting the best implementation partner. This level of service and expertise translates into cost and time savings for the clients of Cloud Services Solutions.

When the Pandemic Happened

One of the biggest challenges Stephen, and his team have faced, over the last few years, has been the worldwide pandemic, which has touched almost every aspect of not only their business but commerce on a global scale. While it’s been challenging to navigate the restrictions, Stephen has found, that Cloud Services Solutions’ business; and its team, are very resilient, and has adapted to the changes well.

Another unforeseen challenge the firm is closely monitoring is what people are calling the “mass resignation”. For what many find to be a complete mystery, people are resigning from their positions in high numbers. And it’s not just a select group of people. It’s people from many different industries with different levels of seniority. While Cloud Services Solutions has not faced this challenge internally yet, the company leadership is proactively keeping their eyes on the phenomenon.

A Good Team is Key

Cloud Services Solutions’ team is essential to the success, of itself and the client outcomes. When Stephen looks for new candidates to join his team, he requires at least 10 years of global experience. And with offices across the world, Stephen’s international team can serve a variety of cultures. While competitors might find this challenging, Cloud Services Solutions find that its international presence and attention to detail from a cultural perspective give the company a competitive advantage.

Daily, the firm utilizes the talents of its staff to be the best possible advisory experts and client advocates possible. Stephen likes to think of Cloud Services Solutions as an insurance policy for its clients and when recruiting, he desires to build his team with the best and brightest individuals who bring experience and excitement to the fast-paced company.

Future Roadmap

Looking forward, one of Stephen’s primary points of focus this year is expansion into the European and APAC regions. As the pandemic is slowly receding, he and his team have seen many projects that were put on hold, start to resurface. So, they have begun re-engaging with clients and talking about resuming their projects.

Lane Mendelsohn: Vantagepoint A.I., the World’s 1st Company to Give Independent Traders the Power of Artificial Intelligence for their Computers.

The Prime View magazine is pleased to present a trailblazer in the FINTECH industry; founded by Louis Mendelsohn, this remarkable company is Vantagepoint A.I.

Founded in 1979, Vantagepoint A.I. was the first company in the world to offer traders the power of artificial intelligence for their home computers. Louis Mendelsohn has been dedicated to levelling the playing field for independent traders, helping them to control their own destinies, and creating the freedom of life lived on one’s own terms. Their patented, predictive technical analysis forecasts and patented Global Intermarket Analysis help traders in over 160 countries trade smarter and be their own trading guru. They no longer need someone to send them trade signals, they aren’t reacting to the headlines, they aren’t getting caught in trades for too long or missing out on prime opportunities because they are hobbled by lagging data.

A Family Commitment to Excellence

Lane Mendelsohn, Louis Mendelsohn’s son, has taken the role of President of Vantagepoint A.I. He is recognized expert in his own right in the financial space and has continued to grow the company his father founded. Lane has been involved in the world of trading since childhood, he was passionate about the markets from the time he could read and has been actively involved in the company since he was a child. Lane has worked in every aspect of the company and today leads with a comprehensive understanding of controlled growth, superior customer care, and a company culture that maintains the core values of teamwork, innovation, communication, passion, purpose, positivity, integrity, and respect.

STRAIGHT FROM PRESIDENT’S DESK

This story begins with Lane Mendelsohn’s father, Louis Mendelsohn. He was the first person to introduce strategy backtesting to the financial markets. He created the FinTech industry with the release of the first version of his software.

“As a child I was at his side, formatting the big floppy discs for traders to use on their home computers (most of which did not have a hard drive!) at a time when very few people actually had a “microcomputer.” Over the years, I held every position in the company related to sales and marketing. I built our first website. I also become a Charted Technician through CMT at 13 years old. That was a huge accomplishment and has been part of my success over the years. I was fascinated by the financial markets and I continue to be – I’m always working to improve my own knowledge and carry that innovation into our company so we can use it for the good of traders around the world.”

“My father took an early interest in Artificial Intelligence and how it could be used to automate repetitive tasks, he wanted people to have more time for what matters to them and for innovation. Today, our company provides patented, predictive market forecasts created by using artificial intelligence to traders around the world. I’m very proud of that. Our predictive forecasts reliably help traders anticipate market movements up to 3 days in advance with up to 87.4% accuracy. We’ve been training our neural networks for over 30 years and our forecasts just continue to grow in accuracy. We safeguard our traders by ensuring that we can forecast a market with a minimum of 70% accuracy before it is incorporated into our software; each year we are adding more and more markets as the machines are learning faster. Our software is performing valuable analytic functions for our traders so they can trade with calm, assured confidence even when the markets are extremely volatile.

Since my father stepped back from the daily operations of the company, I have been leading our team with a focus on our growth, product improvements and new capabilities for our traders. We are dedicated to growing our family of traders and our team without ever sacrificing the quality and customer care we are known for”, explained Lane Mendelsohn.

THE INNOVATIVE TEAM AT VANTAGEPOINT

The team at Vantagepoint is exceptional and Mendelsohn works hard to support them in all they do including driving Vantagepoint’s unique company culture. The team is fiercely dedicated to their core values which guide every decision they make and every action they take. The team is all-in on Teamwork, Innovation, Passion, Purpose, Positivity, Communication, Respect, and Integrity. As a natural extension of those core values, the team is also dedicated to giving back to their community. Vantagepoint A.I. regularly donates a portion of its profits to Shriners Hospitals for Children, The Children’s Cancer Center, and many small, local charities that are often overlooked by large corporate giving programs.

COPING WITH TODAY’S “NEW MARKETS” AND STRATEGIZING FOR THE FUTURE

The financial markets are very volatile right now; anyone trading in the financial markets will acknowledge it’s been quite a rollercoaster. Independent traders are being pushed and pulled not only by the ups and downs of the market but also by a huge disparity of opinions about what’s next. VantagePoint software gives traders the power of artificial intelligence with a predictive moving average. Traders have the tools at their fingertips to get off the rollercoaster and start looking at the markets from a data-driven predictive perspective. VantagePoint also helps traders find hidden opportunities in the markets with their Global Intermarket Analysis and their IntelliScan feature. But probably the greatest protection their software can offer any kind of trader is their predictive market high and low each day. Traders can trade more confidently when they see where to set their stops, what the momentum looks like, and how strong the trend is that they’re trading. Most VantagePoint traders say they can’t imagine trading without that edge!

THE TOUGHEST DECISION MADE

We asked Lane what the toughest decision is that he’s had to make along the way. He said, “Like most people running a company, the pandemic forced us to take a whole new approach to the business. Vantagepoint had a very vibrant in-office culture. It was tough on everyone when we had to deploy our team to work from home. Since then, we’ve worked to find new ways to hold the fabric of culture together while we’re physically apart. It’s worked really well and I credit my leadership team for their flexibility and innovation. Because the team has been able to adapt so well, I’ve made the difficult decision to maintain a remote working model. I do miss some of the excitement of our daily office atmosphere but I also want to ensure my team is safe, healthy, and protected. It was a difficult choice but truly the best one for taking care of my Vantagepoint family.”

WHAT’S ON THE VANTAGEPOINT HORIZON

Vantagepoint is known for its high-calibre customer care. The company has been growing quickly but with great care. Lane and his father both believe in a controlled growth model. This mindful approach to growth is a contributing factor to why Vantagepoint has been around for over 40 years and maintains an A+ Better Business Bureau rating. “Yes, we’ll continue to grow, expand, innovate and bring even more functionality to our traders,” says Lane, “but we are fiercely committed to ensuring our growth includes being able to provide the services, training, and level of support we believe is required of us and that our traders deserve!” That said, they are looking for all-stars to join the team on a regular basis and they will continue to expand – always with the utmost care.

GIVING BACK MEANS MORE THAN WRITING A CHECK

As mentioned before, Vantagepoint A.I. regularly donates a portion of their revenue to Shriners Hospitals for Children and The Children’s Cancer Center. But there’s more to their philanthropy! The team involves their patient ambassadors in their Vantagepoint family too – they join into their events, fun contests, and quarterly meetings. The team also supports local food banks, homeless shelters, veterans’ programs, and other local charities where they know they can make a difference in people’s lives in their community.

“For businesses in the fintech space that are looking to establish themselves and offer a service to people, my first advice is to help make your customers’ lives easier. Give people something that is useful, practical, and helpful. In the world of software, you can design all kinds of shiny widgets and cool interfaces, but at the end of the day does it make people’s lives better? It’s also important to have integrity in business; we hear so many horror stories from traders and we work to do our best to take good care of our customers – we call them our Vantagepoint family, and we mean it. Our customers’ success with our software is our true measure of our own success!” shared Lane Mendelsohn. “Our third generation of family leadership is already in training. My girls (12 and 8) understand how important our traders are, how vital our team is, and what principles we are dedicated to in our business. I can’t wait to see what innovations they bring to our company!”

Mark Kidd: Enabling Businesses to Perform Better

It’s a real honour to be selected by Prime View as a business leader making a difference in 2022. The reality is there are thousands of business leaders out there making a difference every day who are highly motivated to do inspiring things in their community or society, so I am proud to be asked to share some of my insights.

The Safe365 story has been driven by wanting to make a difference. Internationally the data on the level of workplace safety and associated harm is quite staggering. We could see that results weren’t improving, mostly because standard approaches weren’t changing either. The Safe365 journey has been about wanting to disrupt the norm and reset expectations on what great safety could look like using technology as an enabler and removing barriers to creating safer workplaces around the world.

This philosophy is very much engrained in the Safe365 vision and values. Everyone in the team is passionate about making a significant social impact in the community through reducing harm in the workplace. Better decisions on workplace safety culture and performance can only be made with better insights. The road to improvement starts with those insights about what the key strengths and weaknesses are and what needs to be done to improve outcomes.

Safe365 is essentially a safety ecosystem for businesses, allowing them to have everything at their fingertips with resources to improve their safety using mobile friendly technology. The insights generated on health and safety performance and the ability for businesses to benchmark themselves over time, and compare themselves at a sector and a country level is a key driver to propel positive change.

Transparency, engagement, assurance and governance need to be woven into everything relating to safety and risk management if it is to be successful.

As a team we fundamentally understood that one of the key barriers to creating safe workplaces was poor information flows and engagement between employers, employees, contractors and community. Core to our proposition was to create a seamless, intuitive experience for all workplace participants so we could increase engagement and awareness, making everyone part of the solution and not the problem.

While it is incredibly gratifying to win three international awards in the last 12 months, judged by some of the leading safety, risk and tech experts on the planet, the most gratifying aspect for us is hearing from our clients globally that we are making a difference to their safety performance.

Our number one goal is to have more workers return home safely every day, but to do that, businesses often need to change some deep seated behaviours and create a culture where safety becomes part and parcel of their everyday organisational performance.

After only six years in operation, we are fortunate to have thousands of clients across every sector of the economy in 40+ countries. Our clients are part of our family, they have become our biggest champions and sales channel, actively promoting Safe365 into their networks.

Our client list ranges from Amazon right through to small sporting organisations with 2-3 people. I am extremely proud of the work we with do with charities, giving them our product at cost price as well as our efforts amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, in making our product available free to organisations during a really tough time. This was an easy decision for our team and while we all had to work our butts off to make this happen it was the right thing to do at the time and truly aligned to our values.

A key philosophy for our business and a strong mantra is ‘outside-in thinking’. Putting the customer at the forefront of everything we do is critical to our business success. I’m proud to say there is nothing built in Safe365 that hasn’t come from our customers. That’s because we are in the business of solving their problems, not ours.

Personally I think it is incredibly conceited to think you know what’s good for the market. Our approach is guided by one of my favourite sayings ‘feedback is the lifeblood of champions’. This applies to our clients and staff, the need to have open conversations about what is working, what is not and what needs to be done differently. Having an agile mindset is critical along with an environment where everyone feels they can contribute. We give everyone the license to provide feedback.

However, it has not always been plain sailing. Creating change always has its detractors. Being extremely disruptive means changing the paradigm. In entering the market our biggest resistance came from existing safety professionals worried that we were going to ‘cut their lunch’. However, once they understood that they could bundle our offering into theirs to help them grow their own business while improving safety outcomes for their clients, their position changed. We now have premium partners across multiple countries.

Creating and having the right team, with the right values is critical. We have been very conscious of getting the right skills and expertise in the business. People who know their stuff in the disciplines they excel in. They also need to be passionate about safety and the difference we can make at a societal level and take pride in what they are doing, with loads of drive, energy, tenacity and resilience. They all have these attributes in spades to the point that several are now shareholders in the business, investing their own money to join the journey on another level. They are also having fun with purpose, critical to business success!

Some parting observations: I personally think of business as a team game. If you treat your business like a sports team things will happen. You need a vision for what outcome you are trying to achieve, you need the right players with the right skills, attitude and behaviours aligned to the vision. You have to love your players as both professionals and human beings and respect diversity on all levels. Take the BS out of the environment and enforce a ‘no poor-behaviour’ mantra as it can destroy your culture in a heartbeat. At all times remain yourself and let others be themselves, let them breathe and grow. Authenticity is critical, your team and customers can smell inauthenticity at 100 metres.

By all means be aware of your competition but don’t be obsessed with them. Instead become obsessed with your own game and the market you serve. Iron out your weaknesses, adapt, change and learn. Really get to understand the underlying problem and the solutions that address it. Learn from things that don’t go well – ‘it is only a failure when you don’t learn from it and adapt’. Surround yourself with people who are better than you, remain agile, pivot in need and always listen, listen, listen to your customers. You can’t be world class with a closed mind.

There will always be challenges in business so confront them. They only become a problem when you don’t address them and find a solution.

I am excited about 2022 as it will see a return to normal, albeit a new normal. Covid-19 has left an indelible footprint. People are more digitally aware and tech savvy, having been forced to engage, communicate and survive using technology. Great for SaaS businesses like Safe365.

Boards, executive teams and businesses have a greater awareness and appreciation of safety, health and well-being. The latter will have even greater importance especially as businesses adapt and accept flexible workplaces, people working remotely and the impact this has on developing safe and endearing cultures and workplaces at home and at work. 2022 promises to be an exciting year for change.

Indiana Gregg: Adding Value to All Modern Users

Meet Indiana Gregg, the founder and CEO of Wedo, a communications and banking services application that allows anyone to set up video and audio chats, take payments in-stream, send and receive invoices & money and transact like a global company, without the hassles and costs.

Indiana has been developing tech for more than 25 years, she’s founded five companies and has never been employed. She is a former U.S. national dance champion, was a recording artist as a young single mother of three, and later developed the streaming platform Kerchoonz, which was a music industry first and helped form the basis of the digital music streaming industry.

Indiana believes in conscious capitalism that empowers people to do what they love. She has been in the fintech industry, specifically, for the past decade and she loves to innovate and develop in this space.

The common threads throughout Indiana’s career have been creativity, problem solving, and an intense focus and persistence. Going back to the early days, the decision that influenced her the most was having children and the responsibility to provide for them, along with the desire to create a career path where she could grow. Indiana is a curious person, so she is constantly learning and upgrading her “system” and her toolkit of knowledge.

Improving People’s Lives

Wedo is a set of tools that’s as easy to use as any social media app. Clients can point, shoot, and live stream to up to a million people per call, connect with their clients and have a steady communication flow with them in a one-to-one or group setting. The Wedo team has built the platform so that virtually any business can use the app to save the time, money, and energy that it takes to chase down payments and have an easy workflow with their customers, family, or audiences. It’s been designed to improve the lives of people and level the playing field for small businesses and freelancers everywhere.

The best part of Wedo is anyone, from small businesses and freelance consultants to entrepreneurs and their large teams, can benefit from it. The company is entirely focused on the seamless tech that empowers its customers. Indiana believes that the best way to establish faith and trust is through transparency, honesty, and clear communication. No company is infallible; however, ensuring a great customer experience, transparent terms, and a fair deal is what Indiana and her team are after. Wedo is a team made up of multicultural and diverse people who are completely dedicated and love their work. It starts with the Wedo team and that spreads to the outer world. Indiana sums up what they do with this statement: “We are humans helping humans to help more humans.”

Tackling Challenges

There are always challenges when a company grows from a small unit of people into a bigger organization and then onward at scale. The main challenge is to fill roles within the company with people of integrity first, and then likewise the skill sets the company needs for near-term and long-term success. Indiana considers culture fit just as important as skills. She and her team appreciate a mixture of hard skills and soft skills, but soft skills in particular are very important in a diverse team like theirs. The energy of the team is infectious and Indiana wants to keep it that way.

Mentor’s Guidance

Indiana feels she got where she is today by being true to herself and others and doing the things that she loves. Indiana loves growing and leading teams, building things, and creating, in general, regardless of the industry. Making a consistent commitment to her education has probably been the best decision Indiana has ever made, as it has given her the freedom and flexibility to pivot in her journey as a creator.

Indiana has had several mentors, advisors, and coaches throughout the years, who have helped her, nurtured her, taught her, and befriended her. Without them, Indiana wouldn’t be the person she is today. Indiana feels she was lucky in school and university to have outstanding teachers and professors, amazing men and women who took an interest in her from an early age.

Indiana wasn’t born into a situation of privilege, but she has great parents who believed in her, supported her, and loved her, and she has learned a lot from raising three children of her own. Indiana’s life has been a combination of years of hard work, humility, and love.

Future Roadmap

Wedo plans to continue to innovate boldly, create great products and features, and roll out globally. Indiana is most excited about helping millions of people live their dreams and start or grow their businesses through the use of Wedo’s tools. She is looking forward to watching them build their communities via the application and feel the support of their peers, so they can grow and develop the next generation of awesome entrepreneurs.

Logistics and Supply Chain Company to look forward to in 2022

Emirates Logistics India Pvt. Ltd. is a part of the renowned Sharaf Group of Companies – largest conglomerate group of companies in UAE, having diverse business interests and operate 100+ companies in 60+ countries covering Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Sharaf Group was established in 1975 as a shipping agency with a vision of becoming a leading international organization. The business grew steadily over time and developed strong business relationships based on a foundation of trust. Driven by the enterprising nature of the leadership, the Group continued to diversify into different business sectors and developed a global footprint to provide maximum value to its stakeholders.

Emirates Logistics India Pvt. Ltd. is a world-class service provider offering Freight-Forwarding, Customs Clearance, Supply Chain Solutions and Warehousing & Distribution services.

With 275+ employees spread across 17 offices and 14 warehouses, the company has presence in all major Ports & hinterland locations. We are one of the leading logistics and supply chain management companies to look forward to in 2022 currently managing over 60,000 sq. mtrs. of warehousing space with another 70,000 sq. mtrs. planned to be launched in 2022.

Emirates Logistics India completed 10 years of operations in India in the year 2021. In this journey of 10 years, the company as well as the brand has grown manifold both vertically and horizontally not only in terms of the employee base and presence but also in terms of the clients serviced. The company’s USP is providing exemplary service levels to its customers and has become a name to reckon with when it comes to providing time-effective, reliable & trust worthy shipping and logistics solutions.

The company offers bundle of services which includes but is not limited to:

Sea Freight Services which includes Import and Export, Cross Country, FCL, LCL, Turnkey Projects, Project Cargo, Break bulk, RoRo and DDP Services;

Air Freight Services which includes Import and Export, Ex-Works, Door to Door Deliveries and Transportation Services;

Warehousing and Distribution which includes General warehouse, Tempcon warehouse, Custom bonded warehouse, DG and Chemical Warehouse;

Land Transport including Contract transportation, FTL, Special equipment transportation, transportation to Bangladesh and Nepal;

Custom Clearance including Import and Export Custom Clearance Services, DGFT Services, Consulting and AEO Services;

Storage Solution including Domestic storage, FTWZ & SEZ and Custom Bonded Storage; Inventory Management including order fulfilment, pick pack invoicing and shipping services;

Agri Logistics including warehousing, transportation, packaging and repackaging, rake handling and custom clearance services;

Distribution and Last Mile Delivery including Return collections, home delivery, COD, Open Delivery and Appointment delivery

Specialised Services like DAP, DDP Shipments of Containers, ODC Cargoes to Africa, Middle East, Afghanistan and CIS countries;

Domestic Freight Services like Transport of Raw & Finished Goods, Time Bound FTL Movement, PTL Services;

Value Add Services like Kitting, Product Inspection, Product Failure Assessment, Bundling, ATA Carnet and exhibition.

What makes the company different is its processes & SOPs are indigenously designed, emphasis on compliances & standardization. This makes us a company which not only understands global but also local business dynamics thereby ensuring that our customers are provided a solution to every logistics related problem faced by them.

The company is not only investing in manpower & resources but also technology to provide seamless services to its customers. The company intends to soon set-up its own warehouse in India which would make it one of the few logistics companies operating in India with own warehousing facilities.

Since the beginning of pandemic in 2020, the company enhanced its’ focus on improving employee fitness both physical and mental. This is done by arranging regular fitness-related sessions such as Yoga, Fitness, Zumba etc. for employees and their families. The Company also ensures imparting relevant trainings to enhance the skillsets of its employees from time to time. The Company has ensured that all medical requirements are met and are available to all its employees. Company arranged the Company Level Free Vaccination Drive, At the Group Level; Oxygen Concentrators were arranged and made available to employees and their families during the second wave. The Company’s Leadership considers employees as Family. Mr. Anant Pandirkar, the Director and Country head for Logistics of the company believes that an ideal company is one which focuses on removing the basic stress-generating but important factors of its employees’ lives such as Health Insurance, Term Insurance, Work Life Balance and the education of their children. The company has already taken care of most of the said factors for its employees.

For Emirates Logistics India, employees are the most important link as a service provider; Employees are like blood droplets for Emirates Logistics Body.

Emirates Logistics India caters to companies operating in most of the industry segments. If we talk about the clientele, it includes big companies in the Power, Solar, white goods, Agri, Manufacturing and all major PSUs. It is because of their trust in our services that they have been associated with us for a number of years.

Tailor Made Solutions

Emirates Logistics believes in creating long-term business relationships. The customer’s requirements are well understood and then tailor-made, cost-effective solutions are provided. Moreover, trust is also built. The company believes in “Under Committing & Over Delivering”. From a smallest package to the largest consignment handled, each and every shipment and customer is dealt with the same resources with the same commitment levels.

Safety First Safety Always

Emirates Logistics Supply Chain Division has its own internal tagline and everyone at ELIPL is committed to Safety of Employees, Safety of Cargo and Safety of Environment. The Company periodically undertakes safety workshops for the area where our warehouses are present. The Company also undertook initiatives like Road Safety, Tree Plantation and Blood Donations to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Sheetal Paknikar: Helping Organizations with “Real” Communication

Did you know that 2010 was the breakthrough year for apps like Instagram, Ola, Uber & Quora – to name a few? Apart from these App. launches, 2010 was also the year Time Magazine rated Steve Jobs iPad as one of the Top 50 inventions of that year & Burj Khalifa, the World’s Tallest Building, was formally inaugurated in the first week of January 2010!

Cut to 2022, most of these apps and inventions have changed our lives massively and many of us can’t imagine living without them. In 2010, another company started its journey with a steadfast leader who quietly believed that businesses, like life, should be built on human relationships. A few falls, bruises, pains, and multiple experiences later, Mumbai-based Seven Twenty Ten (7.20.10), a Network of like-minded professionals, is now looking at building on its sound foundation.

Mr. Sheetal S Paknikar, the Company’s MD & CEO candidly takes us through the journey of this Media, Sports & Integrated Marketing Consulting Network, which is a great blend of vastly experienced analytical and creative professionals in planning and execution. Seven Twenty Ten offers end-to-end Media and Sports Consulting Services inclusive of Marketing Promotions, Identity Design, Brand Building, Digital Films & Videos, and Educational & Social Initiatives.

When Seven Twenty Ten entered the market during the global recession, they were just one of several other companies that tried to set up businesses but found it challenging to sustain. Yet, it was probably one of the very few organizations that used the market recession to build a then futuristic collaboration based ‘network’ model. This was intelligent innovation, driven by the Founder, who managed to motivate diverse professionals and SME’s to work together.

The Modern Vision-Mission Statement

According to Sheetal, the team take on the traditional ‘Vision-Mission’ Statement, is:

1.To Partner with Clients as Communication Problem Solvers.

2.Decide & Achieve Clear Communication Objectives.

3.Integrate Ideas, Consistent Message Strategy and Smart Execution.

4.Use Different Media, Understanding Consumer Touch-Points.

5.Effective Solutions, with Quicker Turnaround Times.

6.Lastly, the Seven Twenty Ten Approach is to create a value proposition with every penny/rupee spent, to ensure a mutually rewarding return-on-investment.

The Making of a Steadfast Leader

Armed with two decades of diverse work experience across domains, Sheetal founded Seven Twenty Ten in July 2010 with headquarters in Mumbai and Marketing Associates – largely his personal network, over the world. Having started his professional journey with Amit Khanna and Mahesh Bhatt’s Plus Channel as an Animator, he moved to The Times of India as an Infographic Artist, Graphic Designer & Feature Journalist. Sheetal was then a part of the core team that launched Bombay Times. After working for three years in Publication Design, he joined Ketan Mehta’s Maya Entertainment and was part of the team that launched Maya the Magic Shop, which became one of the pioneers of Animation & VFX in India in the 90s with India’s First Official Sci-Fi Television Series “Captain Vyom”. Later, based on this success, he was the Head of the Animation Team that started the Intel Centre for Advanced Cinematics, which is now the well known brand MAAC. His next assignment was to play a pivotal role in the core content & packaging of B4U Television Network in UK, USA, UAE & India. After 4 successful years in Television, Sheetal’s next project was with Mukta Arts Limited as the Creative Head where he worked on the launch of an International Lifestyle Channel and later with Nagesh Kukunoor on the Critically Acclaimed Iqbal. In 2004, he played his part of the team that saw the launch of Whistling Woods International. Next, he moved into mainstream advertising as the National Creative Director with focus Communication that worked for Brands like Edelweiss, Reid & Taylor, Finolex, Belmonte & Lilliput.

Hailing from a family of educators in Goa, Sheetal is an Applied Art Alumni of Goa College of Art and holds a Master’s Degree in Visual Communication from the Industrial Design Centre at Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai.

Building Associations with Clients

As an Innovative & Niche IMC Consulting Brand, Seven Twenty Ten offers:

1.Consulting Services in multiple domains, building international collaboration in sport, tourism, wellness, education, infrastructure, music & culture.

2.Integrated Marketing after analysing the SWOTS of each medium and creatively working out the most effective ways to reach the consumer.

3.Building Brands & Brand Character balancing Strategic Planning & Smart Execution.

4.End-to-End Solutions from Concepts to Production of Films & Audio Visual

5.Original Content Development & Digital Solutions with Sustained Analytics & Social Media Management

6.Sports & Cultural Educational Initiatives

7.CSR Support to Corporate Partners

8.Export-Import Training with an Innovative Training Curriculum

The World is Our Playground

Apart from sustaining a steady growth in the business of Integrated Marketing & Sports Consulting, Sheetal wanted to create a sustainable organizational culture. The idea was to have stakeholders including associates and employees develop a mindset to work for the greater good of society. Seven Twenty Ten was one of the first to think of a collaboration model in 2010, which was ahead of its time. During the first few years, the organization’s target was to create a niche for itself and let the work build the portfolio. Looking at the world as their playground yet staying grounded, the company kept a low-key profile with practically no Marketing and PR. Meanwhile, the organization also tapped unexplored markets like East Africa and Croatia during the early years to build international exposure for the team up skilling.

The Pandemic has actually been a blessing in disguise for the team at Seven Twenty Ten – having enough time to consolidate a purpose driven organisational culture and build trust and bonding within the team. Work wise, it has also helped detail their Dream Sports Project: A Privately Funded Academy of Sport with its International Partners. The Company is currently looking at Investors for the same and hopes to be ready for a soft launch by 2025. After having successfully set up an Academy of Indian Classical Music, the team has decided to use the experience on building AI-driven Edu-Tech Apps that could use academics to solve real life challenges. Sheetal’s future plans include expanding the Seven Twenty Ten footprint across virtual offices & create employment for youth in the next 5-7 years.

“We are just about getting to the end of the pandemic and we are keeping an eye on segments like Travel & Hospitality to return to some normalcy from the later part of 2022. For us as a team, it will be another consolidation year. We are in no hurry!” says Sheetal.

Honestly, it is both a privilege and a little embarrassing to be looked upon as a Leader to be followed but it is no rocket science that a Leader is only as good as his team. In that way, I have been lucky, blessed by professionals & associates who have stuck around with the steadfast belief that we are together to work for the collective benefit & growth for all. Every day begins with an immense sense of gratitude that we are all living a dream to create responsible and accountable leaders for the future.

Why Sport Needs Attention

Sheetal believes that the Pandemic has opened a lot of new avenues in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility. “I feel that Mental Health & Sports should be a Key Area for Corporates to look at putting their CSR Funds to good use. In a way, they are related and essential to our well-being. Add to that India’s highest medal tally in the recently concluded Olympics but for a Country of over 1.3 billion, we must surely look at ways to increase this tally! Our success as a World Beater in Sports like Cricket needs to be studied and see how to develop other sports as well. The policy makers would do well to encourage investors to build sports schools offering a ‘formal’ career for all since it is also related to fitness which has now assumed enough importance in the post COVID world.”

With the multiplying anxiety on the possibilities of lockdowns even in times to come, people around the world have become heavily dependent on technology which has reduced human physical activity to a large extent. There are enough research reports to indicate that mental health and fitness issues, especially in children, are significantly higher than at any time in the past. Once again, Seven Twenty Ten kept ahead of its time and invested in Sports in 2016. For that reason, it is also looking at the future where it wants children to be able to balance their intellectual growth while keeping themselves fit.

Sheetal says, “Digital detox should be given as much importance as digital classrooms. Apart from organisations addressing these as part of new age CSR initiatives, educational institutions will hold the key to make the world a better place for our children.”

Tackling the Pandemic

Like many organisations, the team at Seven Twenty Ten successfully transitioned to the ‘WFH’ model during the Pandemic. They have arrived at a comfortable off-on line hybrid model and because of a highly aware and sensitive management team; no one from the company has had to look elsewhere for employment. With a steady stream of clients and a stable order book, the highly motivated team of Seven Twenty Ten continue to immerse themselves in up skilling, innovating and going about their business consulting – keeping a watch on time. COVID awareness campaigns, involvement in helping in the Crisis during the second wave and lead generation campaigns for clients to help in their business challenges were what kept the organization motivated during the tough times. Like they say, it is the challenges that are opportunities in disguise, and Sheetal Paknikar & his team at Seven Twenty Ten Network are a prime view of the same.

Imad Syed: Helping Organizations to Achieve Better Results

Established in 1996, PiLog Group is a global group of independent companies, specializing in Quality Data and Digital Governance & Analytical solutions supporting multiple data domains in a variety of industries all over the globe. The PiLog solutions are state of the art, focused on creating a common business language and managing the rules for the creation of high-quality, multilingual terminology using Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence technologies & human-augmented algorithms for our customers who are eager to transform their businesses digitally. PiLog provides exclusive technical dictionaries, industrial libraries with content repositories that is the culmination of research, development, and execution over the past twenty years embedded into the platform of PiLog – Data Quality HUB or PiLog Cloud. All our methodologies, processes, solutions are compliant with international standards for delivering seamless systematic integration of content into various platforms, operational systems and ERPs such as SAP, S4 HANA, Oracle ERP Cloud, Maximo & MS Dynamics etc.

Dr. Imad A Syed, Board Member, Group CIO, and CEO of Middle East & APAC is currently at the helm of PiLog Group. He joined the organization in 2002 as a Systems Engineer and soon rose up to the ranks of Group CIO, CEO, and Board member. Dr. Imad Syed possesses a Master’s Degree in Computer Science. With the zeal to grow the organization, he has dedicated more than 100% by making many sacrifices in his professional and personal life. Dr. Imad Syed comes from a healthy knowledgeable and educational family who had supported him all these years. Due to his outstanding contributions in the area of Data & Analytics, the National American University, USA has honored him with Doctorate in Data Analytics.

Offering Diversified Solutions

According to Dr. Imad Syed, during the last two and half decades, PiLog has grown both organically and inorganically mostly with modular solutions and services around master data management. However, the organization has grown leaps and bounds with all the odds in order to build sustainable Business Technology HUB enabling master, meta, and transactional data modelling and quality complying with ISO 8000, ISO 22745, ISO 29001, ISO 14224, ISO 55000, etc.

Dr. Imad Syed also believes, today’s solutions are much more modular, flexible, scalable, interoperable and offer diversified solutions, processes, methodologies, a framework to provide value and optimize business processes in End-to-End Supply Chain, Business Partner Collaboration, Asset Life Cycle Management, Data Quality Management, Data Migration.

Making Solutions Efficient and Sustainable

When it comes to incorporating new innovations to make solutions much more efficient and sustainable, PiLog Group under the leadership of Dr. Imad Syed is planning to be a customer-centric organization with the best user experience. It is also planning to deliver agility and OOB solutions that cater to the majority of the demand, Seamless integration with all major ERPs and COTS products, informed analytics and decision making, Quality and Quantified data solutions.

Lastly, Dr. Imad Syed is also eyeing the evolution of the unified platform (PiLog Business Technology Platform), which is modular, scalable, flexible, and adaptable for master, metadata, and analytics processing.

Keeping Employees Happy

Motivating a large team of employees to be innovative and productive at work is not an easy task. So, Dr. Imad Syed believes in continual knowledge improvement, up-skilling & cross-skilling to conquer success. Also as an organization, PiLog promotes its employees on continual evaluation on a half-yearly basis, and its cross-functional role and responsibilities with a rotational policy make the employees innovative and productive while creating healthy competition amongst them.

Additionally, the exposure to various market demands and progression to new challenges and growth, alongside the long-term association plans and benefits PiLog makes sure that its employees are on their toes with great levels of innovation and productivity.

The Go-To Partner

Under the leadership of Dr. Imad Syed and the organization touched new heights, which improved the top-line and bottom-line multi-fold. It conceptualized and architected data and analytics products and services, developed and enabled delivery models that are best in the industry. During this time, PiLog also established, enabled, driven, and delivered KPIs and KRAs according to the organizational aspirations.

Tackling Challenges and Success

Dr. Imad Syed believes with a constant price war, the ability to convince the customers on quality vs. cost, and with multiple new players entering the market, things are getting a bit more challenging for the organization.

However, PiLog’s main motivator is to be grounded on its toes, and go that extra mile for clients to meet the dynamic demands and beat the competition with the agility and teamwork of PiLog. The teams of PiLog have exhibited a ‘never say die attitude’ all the time, which alongside technology, partnership, and confidence boost the organization’s journey.

When it comes to success, although the top-line and bottom-line are very pivotal for any business, at PiLog business value lies in; customer experience and longevity, employee progression and empowerment, market recognition as leaders.

Advice for Young Entrepreneurs and Future

When it comes to advising young and upcoming entrepreneurs, Dr. Imad Syed says, PiLog is currently eyeing a revenue of $50 million by the end of 2023, along with a 10% improvement in stakeholder’s value, 20% improvement in employee value and partnership, and lastly 20% improvement in customer value.

A Thought Leader Reaching Out to Businesses with Support & Solutions Under The Hegemony of Tina Muthoot, Muthoot Pappachan’s #Restartindia

It’s not every day that a woman secures a top position in the finance business; Tina Muthoot is among those handful who have invested blood, bone, and sweat to reach where she is today.

Tina Muthoot is an inspiring businesswoman. She holds the title of ‘Dynamic Business Leader of 2022 ‘ and is the leading lady, at the helm of the #RestartIndia movement (as the Impact Director), an initiative of Muthoot FinCorp in collaboration with INKtalks. #Restartindia was conceptualised to create an ecosystem for small and nano businesses in India to help them find solutions to come out of their current business challenges, by enabling them with the knowledge and tools necessary to reach a market and adapt to efficient ways of doing business.

Tina stepped into the business as an Associate Vice President with the Group’s only listed entity, Muthoot Capital Services Ltd. (MCSL), where she led MCSL’s Corporate Lending as well as CSR Functions, for about two years. Thereafter, she advanced into the resource planning division, to streamline the treasury activities of the Group.

Before taking a lead role in the Group’s star performer, MCSL being one of the leading NBFCs in the country, Tina forged her skills and built her professional foundation through a challenging 5+ year stint with various Indian & Global Financial Services & Consulting majors, viz., Deloitte, Haskins & Sells; S R Batliboi & Co. (part of E&Y) and B S R & Co. Here, Tina was hands-on across various aspects of the financial space like, amongst others: Audit, International Tax Consulting, Corporate Law, Data Analysis, Regulatory & Compliance Aspects and Operational aspects of Taxation.

Tina is a Chartered Accountant, having completed Level 1 of the CFA on the back of her Bachelor of Commerce degree with high scores. She has always been earnest in her education, excelling at School & College level as well as being a district-level topper across varied parameters. A former Toastmaster, Tina has spoken at various business and entrepreneurial forums organized by CII, FICCI Flo, HerMoneyTalks, and Dhanam Business Magazine; she was even recognised in India’s Top 100 Women in Finance in the ‘Promising’ category by AIWMI in 2019.

SIMPLIFYING SMALL BUSINESS LIVES: #RESTARTINDIA’S AREA OF EXPERTISE

RestartIndia, as a means to help and empower small businesses, aims to create a common advisory ecosystem for nano, small and medium businesses across the country, wherein they are given free access to resources and opportunities to that will help them build / rebuild their businesses.

The core of the initiative currently is its website restartindia.in which is open for anyone to visit and seek out answers to their questions or find solutions for their challenges. There are six primary ways in which the movement is making an impact for small businesses:

Shop Small Days (Expo events):

Providing avenues for small businesses to reach their market, sell their products / services and build networks with other complementary businesses in their locality. #Restartindia has held such events in Kochi and Trivandrum and plans to conduct further events across south India, thereafter expanding to other parts of the country.

The Small Business Digital Makeover:

Training resources for small businesses on how they can go digital, whether it be in helping them learn to effectively use tools like WhatsApp for their business or helping them promote their products in a digital marketplace. Additionally, providing them with useful skills to run their business more efficiently.

SkillUP Series:

Empowering small businesses to upskill and rebuild their capabilities in addition to their current area of expertise, thus making them and their work relevant in the market. Training is provided by experts in the respective field of business to a handful of small businesses at a time, in the vernacular language.

Q&A Library:

Upon receiving more than 1000 questions from various categories such as financial services, scheme related queries, marketing, tax, education, #RestartIndia has responded to them by either publishing on our Q&A library or as an FAQ. These questions and more have been addressed during the Live events.

The formidable:

#RestartIndia Mentor Panel Continuous collaboration with close to 30 industry stalwarts with expert knowledge in sectors such as healthcare, education, retail, agriculture, marketing, tax, HR, and so on who advise small businesses on the direction they need to take for growth and success.

Live Events:

Engaging with the small business community through live events held every month. These events are streamed on #RestartIndia’s social media channels and website.

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE INITIATION & JOURNEY AHEAD

Tina continually approaches the #Restartindia movement with a combination of creativity and organization – the desire to make an impact by trying something new, experimenting on things not done before, and seeing it come to fruition, with the support of Muthoot FinCorp.

Since its inception, Muthoot FinCorp has been building itself on transforming and empowering people from various segments across the country and will continue to do so. With the help of initiatives like #RestartIndia, it continues to build products, activities, and campaigns that will reach the people and help them in their hour of need.

OVERCOMING THE HICCUPS

One of the major hurdles of this journey has been keeping abreast of the changes and the many ways that small businesses work! The motivation comes from seeing the results that the services have brought to small businesses – their increase in market reach, the desire to get their business up and running, or even help struggling businesses overcome their obstacles.

Talking about Muthoot FinCorp’s roller-coaster ride, Tina Muthoot further apprised – “I’m thrilled about the work that #RestartIndia does because of the connect it has with the small business community with whom we interact so closely, both in terms of providing financial solutions from our flagship company, Muthoot FinCorp Limited, and empowering them via #RestartIndia”.

TINA’S TAKE ON THE CURRENT MARKET LANDSCAPE

The past few years have seen uncertainty shudder across many industries and communities in India. As one of the largest NBFCs in the country, Muthoot FinCorp’s (MFL) first step was that of empathy and action. With its 3600+ strong branch presence across the country, the company actively listened to its customers, understood their needs, and built curated products under the #RestartIndia banner that would help them get back on their feet.

Ashwas Dinam Gold Loan was introduced exclusively to help the Small Business Sector, and witnessed a disbursement count of 39,000 with a funding value of Rs 300 Cr.

Interest-Free Gold Loan was designed to help customers who resort to local pawnbrokers for their daily business function where they pay very high-interest rates.

Aatmanirbhar Mahila Gold Loan and Pradhan Gold Loan were created to support high-value borrowers at much-discounted interest rates. The Mahila Gold Loan was specially curated to cater to the women of India.

Vidya Dhan Gold Loan:

The education sector was also deeply impacted due to the lockdowns, with reports citing nearly 247 million children enrolled in elementary & secondary schools being impacted. With classrooms eventually moving online, many parents were not in a position to afford to buy additional smartphones or tabs for daily classes. Muthoot FinCorp introduced the Vidya Dhan product on RestartIndia’s 1 year anniversary, with a 90-day interest-free feature, to the delight of 60,000 parents/ students across the country.

FROM TINA’S DESK

I think my biggest moments of vulnerability have been the most triumphant for me. When I’ve realised that there are areas of learning, something new I haven’t tried, initially it feels like a mountain to climb and this feeling of what can be accomplished. But just pushing myself far out of my comfort zone has resulted in the most rewarding experiences for me. I’ve discovered my strengths and vulnerabilities and how I can add value and purpose to my work and those around me.

WORDS OF WISDOM

There’s plenty to learn every day. Staying grounded helps you learn from the easy days and the hard days.

–

In Home Personal Services: Providing Quality Care since Inception

While working in his first job with his mother in a nursing home, Michael A Collura, the President, and CEO of In Home Personal Services developed a passion for doing something that matters. He learned and was soon instilled with values of compassion, respect, dignity, and a desire to help others. His organization, In Home Personal Services, was founded with the intent of helping people. The organization is fuelled by strength, courage, and determination to solve one of the biggest problems of this century, ‘maintain our senior’s independence and having high-quality in-home care.’

In Home Personal Services started its journey in 2004. Based in Illinois, and growing throughout the U.S Michael enjoys his brand’s success because it has been able to bring smiles back on people’s faces since inception. The main idea behind the organization was to build something better than what was available in the market. After doing that, the organization started developing a franchise system in 2009. However, after awarding several franchises, In Home Personal Services closed its sales to focus on the business model and perfect the system.

A Different System

In Home Personal Services offers multiple differentiators built with two things in mind. Firstly the value to the system and operator and secondly the value to the quality of life and its impact on clients. However, these innovations were not easy to cultivate and achieve, and most of them took years to build. Today the system boasts advantages across the model in areas of recruitment, retention, training, recognition, business development, revenue streams, brand, culture, and support unlike any other franchise model available in the same space.

Leading from the Front

As the founder, President, and CEO Michael heads the innovation behind the brand. Additionally, he looks after the contribution and his part in the development of the brand as one of leadership. He has a unique and refreshing view of his role within the brand. His role is one of support and development of the team, not himself.

“For me, it’s not a measurement of success that many would think is conventional. I am blessed for everything life has provided. The good, the bad and the ugly have all shaped my life and where I stand today, I say thank you for it all. For without the challenges, the failures and the struggle there would be nothing worth celebrating and life would be boring.”– says Michael.

As the founder, Michael loves to describe himself as the least important person in the brand’s success. Why? Because Michael believes, he may be instrumental for the growth of the company, it’s the frontline workers who deliver the promises made and trust given to be the care provider of choice for the vulnerable.

A Happy-Team

Michael believes that without the team of In Home Personal Services, the organization would be nothing. The brand was built by those, who care about what the organization does and stand behind the brand’s mission and vision for the future of senior care. As the founder of the company, Michael believes his organization’s reputation is built on those amazing team members who are responsible for providing quality care.

Tackling Challenges

Caregivers have always been the brand’s most sought after resource. However, with few caregivers and high demand, employing a caregiver is a tough job to do. So, the organization came up with an innovative solution. During the past several years, it has built and improved upon its very own school for caregivers. Today the organization stands as a first of its kind, offering caregiver certification for all 50 states. It has become one of the major differentiators for In Home Personal Services and it will be a brand advantage for years to come.

Building Long Term Relationships

When it comes to building long-term relationship’s; integrity, compassion, and leadership will be a part of the brand’s future. These traits are often demanded by the clients who trust the organization. As a company, In Home Personal Services must understand its clients’ needs beyond the skill need or technical care request. The organization also must understand why and how clients would expect it to deliver and how its services will improve the quality of life for those it cares for.

Michael believes, In Home Personal Services is the biggest competitor of itself. Nothing else should, will, and would ever matter. The organization works to innovate, and grow and while doing that, it is only chasing itself. While serving in this segment, the company is too busy doing what is right. So, what others are doing won’t matter for the company.

“In being a part of In Home Personal Services I can honestly say I never felt like I had a “job”. I have a mission, a drive, a life that gives me the chance to be a positive force for others in countless ways never even imagined.”

Revolitionizing Industrial Commodities: Theodore Kalmbach

Meet Theodore Kalmbach

Who officially joined BNNano as the Chief Strategy Officer in September 2020. Earlier in his career, Theodore worked as a strategy consultant for Accenture in Germany within the automative and energy sectors. He then worked for a DoD think tank before spending over a decade as a diplomat for the U.S. Department of State. Theodore had postings in Afghanistan, the Philippines, and Austria along with parts of Africa and the Middle East. So, he has an understanding of how and where BNNano’s technology can be of greatest use in support of national security.

Co-founded by Steve Wilcenski and Jason Taylor (CEO and CTO respectively) BNNano is one of the few organizations with a commercially viable manufacturing process for Boron Nitride Nanotubes.

From the start, they set the tone for the company culture of dedication, transparency, and passion for all that BNNano can achieve.

BNNano has actively engaged and spoken to a wide variety of groups locally, nationally, and internationally not only to familiarize customers with the company’s products but also to the various industries it serves. Because the NanoBarbs™ can do so much, multiple industries inherently benefit.

Path Breaking Products

As for the journey of BNNano, the vision from inception was to create a novel technology directly tied to an identified market need. The focus was on needs over wants and has remained lean throughout BNNano’s expansion. The organization started with the financial support of a couple of angels and true friends and family. The first two years were focused on the creation of the NanoBarbs™ technology.

Since then, new product lines have steadily been introduced to the market. Currently, the organization has three product lines;

1.NanoBarb™ Powder –

BNNano sells a proprietary morphology of Boron Nitride Nanotubes that is branded as the NanoBarb™. The NanoBarb™ is a Boron Nitride Nanotube that is cladded on the exterior surface with hexagonal boron nitride nanoparticles. This unique morphology has an irregular surface that limits and increases matrix interface interactions.

2.Compounded NanoBarb™ Plastics and Polymers –

These materials are supplied in either filament form for Additive Manufacturing or Chips for Injection Molding and other processes. The materials include PolyCarbonate, PEEK, PEKK, Nylon, Polyester, and Ultem. These plastics and polymers are enhanced with our NanoBarbs™.

3.NanoBarb™ Aluminium –

Aluminium enhanced with BNNano’s NanoBarbs™. NanoBarb™ aluminum can be supplied in 2 forms. 1) as a pellet to be added to molten aluminum during the alloying process. 2) In aluminum ingot form. Theodore and the whole team of BNNano have created a product that provides significant improvements in a wide variety of materials – and BNNano is the only Boron Nitride nanotube company that can produce at a large scale. For example, it already has produced more Boron Nitride nanotubes than everyone else in the history of the material combined. It goes back to BNNano’s founding principle of creating something with direct market use.

Challenges for a New Company

Theodore believes, one of the main challenges of any new company is funding. BNNano is honored by the early investments from true friends and family just a year ago raised more than $1 million on Netcapital. BNNano is the first company in North Carolina to crowdsource $1 million.

With funding, comes the challenge (and opportunity) to allocate wisely across the business. Since BNNano’s focus has always been on needs over wants, this allocation came naturally. The company’s product can be used in so many different industries, which in itself creates both opportunities (in the form of new business) and challenges in the form of retaining focus on key product lines. These are good problems to have and BNNano’s team is enjoying the process.

Building Long term Relationships

According to Theodore, every customer has their own set of unique engineering and business challenges. Theodore and the entire team of BNNano see it as their responsibility to not only provide expert guidance on their technology but to do their best to put themselves in the shoes of their customers, in terms of desired use cases for their products. The better BNNano’s team understands what the customers need and want, the more prolific BNNano’s technology can be for them.

Theodore says, “Everyone on the BNNano team has come from larger organizations. Beyond the engineering creativity associated with a new company, a major draw for all of us was to work with people we admire, in an organization the pride itself on professionalism and care for all team members.” He adds, “With all that our product can do and the market share that we believe we can carve out, motivation has not been a problem since inception.”

Bright Future Ahead

Theodore sees a bright future for BNNano. The organization has bought on top talent, it has product lines that are solving the hard problems across aerospace, defense, additive manufacturing, and many other areas. The company also has strategic partnerships with top institutions and advisors.