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Where there’s a will, there’s a way: My journey setting up a Covid ward in India

4 August, 2021

Contributed by Saravanakumar Periyasamy of EO Oman, director of Zawawi Powertech Engineering. In 2019, he became the director of Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai, India.

My journey begins

In 2019, I was sent to Chennai, India, as part of the team assigned to turn around a once prominent, now ailing, hospital brand in South India. Personally, transitioning from the oil, gas and energy industry to the healthcare realm alone was a significant adjustment. And then, in early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic struck before I had fully acclimated to my new environment. 

The magnitude of the pandemic, both globally and personally, was unprecedented and beyond any scale of imagination. There wasn’t one economy or region that was immune to the ravages of Covid-19. 

While most citizens were advised to remain indoors to tame the virus spread, some of us―the frontline workers―had to answer the call of duty. And though I had not worked in the healthcare industry before, suddenly, I was a frontline worker in an essential job who had to show up in person to work. 

The first wave

Although the first wave of Covid was daunting, we would eventually learn it was mild compared with the gravity of the second wave. As the second wave hit, something inside me said, now that my family had invested in the healthcare industry, not playing our part in the pandemic wasn’t right (in terms of not having a designated Covid ward in our hospital to help to save lives). 

One year into the crisis, people had grown complacent and adopted a lethargic attitude―which gave birth to the second wave. By the time the second wave hit, the healthcare system was overstretched and overwhelmed.

Our hospital, Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai, has a single specialty―cardiac care. Therefore, we didn’t have a designated ward where we could treat Covid patients. As a non-medical professional, I lacked many of the necessary skillsets to set one up. Even so, I resolved to make my contribution to the crisis by setting up Frontier Lifeline Hospital’s new Covid ward and ensuring its smooth operations.

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Categories: Crisis Entrepreneurial Journey Make a Mark

Tags: EO Chennai eo community EO India EO Oman Frontier Lifeline Hospital frontline worker

5 Signs you (or a CEO you know) may need mental health help

30 July, 2021

Contributed to EO by Shawn Johal, an EO member and former chapter president in Montreal, and Julia Pimsleur, a scaling coach, mindset expert, and best-selling author. Johal and Pimsleur also contributed 3 Ways to Strengthen Your Mental Health and Happiness Right Now.

Many entrepreneurs are now experiencing a second wave of Covid-fueled anxiety and depression as we realize that we’re no longer in survival mode. After being in fight or flight mode for 18 months or more, we now have to make it all work again―often with a smaller financial cushion due to hemorrhaging cash during the pandemic, a new sense of fear that this could happen again, and many employees not wanting to return to the office or dealing with pandemic fallout themselves.

If you don’t take care of your mindset, your body will send you a stern memo in the form of headaches, backaches, an upset stomach or worse. One of Shawn’s clients is Reza (not his real name), the CEO of a fast-growing distribution company in a wildly competitive space. He worked crazy long hours for over eight years, often missing important family events and skimping on sleep and healthy eating. He didn’t try to have any type of work-life balance, as he felt that he needed to “lead by example” and outwork his team each day.

When the pandemic hit, Reza’s sales came to a screeching halt. He began to seriously panic when he realized he had a team of 40 to support. This was before any government support was offered. Unwilling to show any sign of weakness or share his feelings with his team or even his wife, he buried his darkest thoughts. He became short-tempered and super impatient with his team and at home, and started saying he wished he could just “walk away.” He was exhibiting classic signs of depression but did not want to seek help or dial back his long hours.

Around that time, Reza began to feel a constant pain behind one of his ears. He thought it might be a bad headache or a migraine but after a week it was getting worse. When doctors ran a brain scan, they found an acorn-sized tumor behind his left ear. Thankfully it wasn’t cancerous, but it needed to be dealt with immediately. The doctor said the tumor was due to stress and anxiety, explaining he needed to immediately change his lifestyle in order to heal.

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Categories: HEALTH members PEOPLE/STAFF WORK-LIFE INTEGRATION

Tags: EO Canada EO Montreal julia pimsleur Shawn Johal

2 Foundational mindsets for employee development

28 July, 2021

Contributed by Hun Boon Tan, a research manager and associate coach at BTS, an organization that works with leaders at all levels to help them make better decisions, convert those decisions to actions and deliver results.

Mindset is the root cause of behavior. And because mindsets are often shaped by an individual’s beliefs, assumptions and biases, they sometimes need changing. Therefore, coaching can be a powerful, transformative experience for many leaders—it forces people to explore their personal perceptions of the world and question whether corresponding feelings are based on fact or opinion.

Based on my company’s database of more than 100,000 coaching conversations, two mindset groupings appear to be of most interest to coaches and would serve well as the foundation of employee development efforts. Although our mindset map consists of four key domains, these “Be” and “Relate” domains made up 86 percent of the discussions.

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Categories: Coaching LEADERSHIP PEOPLE/STAFF

Tags: Be mindset Foundational mindset hun boon tan productive mindset Relate mindset thoughtful disagreement

4 Lessons learned from building a sustainable business model

23 July, 2021

EO is an avid supporter of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)―17 goals and 169 targets to eradicate poverty, reverse inequality and halt climate change by 2030. Entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to transform our world. EO has a framework for sustainability and how it will become net positive by 2030.

James Keirstead, an EO Edmonton member, is a former EO External Relations Sub-committee chair. He is also the president and CEO of Levven Electronics Ltd, a company that makes home ownership more sustainable and affordable. James shared his journey around establishing a viable, sustainable business:

As a Canadian born in the late 1960s, I grew up in the land of abundance. I was fortunate to land in an industry that was taking off at the beginning of my career, and I’ve learned a lot about manufacturing. Looking back, I would say that, growing up in Canada and manufacturing a product―hot tubs―that represents the height of consumption, I never truly considered the impact of our company on the world. Hydrotherapy benefitted people with disabilities, physical challenges and those who needed to relax, and that was enough for me.

When I left the hot tub industry to pursue a new manufacturing venture in electronics, global climate and waste issues inspired my thoughts around pursuing a path that would contribute to reducing carbon footprint while being a viable, sustainable business. We had developed considerable intellectual property in connecting spas to the internet before it was coined the Internet of Things (IoT). While doing so, we had researched the residential construction industry because home automation was gaining momentum and represented a much greater market.

To develop a business model that would meet my goals of reducing climate change (SDG No. 13) while building sustainable cities and communities (SDG No. 11) is no easy task. We chose an industry that had not significantly changed the way it wired a home in the last 100 years, nor were builders and tradespeople very interested in changing their proven process. The even bigger issue to making home automation ubiquitous is cost: Since 2000, the cost of homes has outpaced household income in all but the years 2007–2012. So, home affordability is a real issue that is top of mind of every production builder in North America.

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Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey Inspirational Legacy Make a Mark

Tags: EO Canada eo edmonton James Keirstead Levven Electronics Sustainable Development Goals UN SDGs

Sustainability Q&A with the world’s first net-carbon neutral merchandiser

21 July, 2021

Lou Cysewski is an EO member in Seattle, as well as the co-founder and CEO of Coolperx, the first net carbon neutral merchandising company in the world. She’s on a mission to transform the SWAG industry from a toxic polluter to a conscientious connector of people and values with a strong focus on sustainability. We asked Lou about her experience. Here’s what she shared:

What does it mean to be the world’s first net carbon neutral merchandising company?

Promotional products represent a nearly US$30 billion industry that produces about US$24 billion in landfill waste every year. On average, typical SWAG is only kept eight months by its recipients. With Coolperx, I wanted to help companies and consumers alike walk away from the industry of cheap, useless gifts and opt for quality, usable, sustainably-made gifts that actually build meaningful relationships and a sense of appreciation.    

We developed our proprietary and accredited “Climate Cost Index” to evaluate the impact on the environment of all our products―from concept to end-of-life―which helped us further our environmental sustainability goals. We then made―and continue to make―decisions regarding our choice of product materials, packaging, shipping practices, etc. We also reclaim 100% of our business emissions and the emissions created by our sales by building clean solar energy in dirtiest parts of the US energy grid. 

Is it profitable to be sustainable?

The biggest, most consistent reason companies continue to make harmful choices for the environment is because of their near-term profit mindset. The bottom line is that being sustainable is more costly upfront.

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Categories: Best Practices BUSINESS GROWTH Entrepreneurial Journey Interview Make a Mark WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Tags: Coolperx eo seattle Lou Cysewski net carbon neutral sustainability

Jan Heybroek

Together We Grow: 11 Expert tips for scaling a SaaS business

16 July, 2021

Jan HeybroekJan Heybroek, the founder and CEO of MDoutlook, is the moderator of EO Atlanta’s Forum Confidential programme. Jan contributed this article with help from Rhonda Suttle, EO Atlanta executive director, and Thamara Ataide, EO Atlanta marketing manager.

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) exists to help entrepreneurs achieve their full potential. One way the organization does this is by facilitating deep, honest and respectful conversations that lead to growth and breakthroughs.

EO Atlanta’s new EO Forum Confidential sessions are a great example. Led by Jan Heybroek, the closed, coached conversations facilitate shared experiences around one presenter’s specific business challenge in a deep-dive presentation format.

Business challenge: Scaling a SaaS business

In a recent Forum Confidential session, EO Accelerator member “Dan” (not his real name) presented his business challenge to a group of experienced entrepreneurs in search of helpful, real-world tips and best practices.

Dan’s professional IT services consultancy developed a SaaS product and now wants to grow and scale the product—but has little experience in marketing or selling SaaS products. Dan’s ultimate goal is to scale the business for a lucrative exit in about five years.

During the Forum Confidential session, EO members with expertise in the SaaS space and other digital markets shared their experience to help Dan grow and scale.

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Categories: Best Practices BUSINESS GROWTH Coaching Lessons Learned members STARTUP

Tags: EO Accelerator eo atlanta Forum Confidential Instimacy Jan Heybroek MDoutlook Rhonda Suttle Saas product Scaling Saas Thamara Ataide

GSEA Studentpreneur Camilo Salinas: Entrepreneur first, business after

14 July, 2021

At EO, we’re committed to helping entrepreneurs at every stage achieve their full potential. One way we encourage and support young entrepreneurs is through the EO Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), EO’s premier competition for college and university students who own and operate a business. The competition culminates with the Global Finals―held virtually this year―where “studentpreneurs” from 38 countries competed and connected with both seasoned entrepreneurs and their fellow competitors. Camilo Salinas of Colombia, founder of Residia, was awarded the 2021 GSEA third-place prize of US$5,000. We asked Camilo about his entrepreneurial journey. Here’s what he shared:

Describe your company.

Residia is a community management platform for residential complexes and condominiums. It’s a multiplatform application with over 15 functionalities to facilitate internal processes and ensure effective communication in residential communities.

What inspired you to start your business?

My dad was the main inspiration. Residia’s objective of bringing neighbors together and helping ease the management of gated communities came to my mind while watching my dad struggling with the management of his own residential complex.

Were there specific factors or events in your childhood that inspired you toward entrepreneurship?

Yes. Since I was little, I was always looking to build things. For much of my life, I believed that I should’ve studied architecture or civil engineering―literally building things! But then I came across the video game Minecraft where, from nothing more than my tenacious passion, I built my first venture: a Minecraft community that I converted into a business. That experience taught me that I could build things in other ways, so that’s how I came to study Computer Science.

During my last year of school, I took a class called “Business,” where each student proposed a business idea and created a business plan around it. It was one of the only practical classes that I took in school, and I found what I learned to be eye-opening.

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Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey GSEA Interview STARTUP

Tags: Camilo Salinas EO Bogota EO Colombia gsea GSEA Bogota pitch competition Residia startup studentpreneur

6 Simple strategies to market your mobile app

9 July, 2021

Contributed by Tim Waldenback, the co-founder of Zutobi Drivers Ed, a gamified e-learning platform focused on online drivers education to help teens get their license. Tim founded Zutobi to make world-class driver’s education fun, affordable and easily accessible for all.

2021 has already been an interesting year, and we’re only halfway through it. With ongoing lockdowns, millions of people are downloading apps from the Apple and Google Play stores. So, developing and marketing a mobile app in 2021 is a smart strategy to propel your business forward. 

However, it’s a complex undertaking. Your mobile app’s success will depend mainly on how much value it provides for your audience. 

When you’re certain that the app will solve your target user’s problems, it’s time to think about marketing and advertising to gain downloads. You’ll need to strategize accordingly with goals of people downloading, installing and regularly using and returning to your app. 

Here are a few strategies to help you market your mobile app.

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Categories: Best Practices BUSINESS GROWTH Media PR/MARKETING STARTUP Technology

Tags: market mobile app target demographic Tim Waldenback Zutobi Drivers Ed

From Misfit to This Fits: My Entrepreneurial Journey

7 July, 2021

Written for EO by Kate Holden, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and business leader behind De Luca Fine Wines, a fast-growing retail and e-commerce wine business. Kate is president of the EO Winnipeg chapter and serves on the EO Canada Board as Canada’s MPD (Member Products Director).

As a kid, I grew up feeling different than everybody else.

Some of my most vivid childhood memories consist of a constant stream of questions, asking me “why” I was the way I was. My mother would get calls from the principal because I was secretly wearing makeup in grade 4. “Why do you have to be … different?” she would ask me.

Later in my youth and into adulthood, questions around why I was the way I was continued to follow me:

  • Why do you wear so much makeup?
  • Why are you always in heels?
  • Why is your hair always done?

I was the friend, the co-worker, the acquaintance who put a puzzled, vexed look on faces everywhere I went. I noticed my expectations were higher than others’. My career ambitions were different, too: I had dreams of owning my own business and building something of my own. More questions came.

I spent years feeling misplaced, uncomfortable with many people, and not fitting in many environments. I started to question myself, wondering why my views, feelings and standards were so different.

Then, I became an entrepreneur.

In my company’s early years, I was immersed in the “bubble” of my business. As time passed and the business grew, I began to meet other entrepreneurs, and that’s how I discovered EO. For the first time, suddenly, I found myself fitting in. There were others just like me!

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Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey general Inspirational WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS WORK-LIFE INTEGRATION

Tags: De Luca Fine Wines entrepreneurial journey EO Canada eo winnipeg extra-ness find your tribe Kate Holden Thirst for Learning WOMENtrepreneurs

friends launch business

4 outrageous ideas to reinvigorate company culture

2 July, 2021

Contributed by Chris Kirksey, an EO member in Washington, DC, and the CEO of Direction Inc., a Washington, DC-based SEO and SEO software agency. Chris is a US Army Veteran and mentor for US military service members transitioning into the civilian world.

As entrepreneurs transition and adjust to changes the pandemic caused in their companies, how can they build—or rebuild—not only a business but also a team of like-minded individuals with a common purpose or goal?

The pandemic brought both global physical and mental health concerns. This means that creating a work environment geared toward purpose, creativity and happiness is key to employee retention.

For the first time in human history, we are experiencing how energy moves through populations at large. Creating an island of peace during a time of fear and uncertainty can seem impossible. But it’s not. And as an entrepreneur, I’m sure you enjoy the challenge of “impossible” anyways.

Creating joy and purpose in work

As a company leader, one of your foremost goals is to ignite a vibrant company culture with energy that inspires common goals and overall growth. We have to think not only about what we do daily, but also what kind of human beings we are. You can build a brand, design a product and be the next great innovator, but if you’re not a pleasant and driven human being, what’s the point?

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Categories: Company Culture LEADERSHIP members PEOPLE/STAFF Productivity

Tags: company culture Direction Inc. employee engagement mental health office yoga US military veteran

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