Category: Featured Leader

In the fast-paced world of retail distribution, keeping ahead necessitates vision, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Mitch Gould exemplifies these characteristics, having significantly affected the industry as CEO and Founder of Nutritional Products International, Inc. (NPI). With a career spanning decades, Gould used his broad knowledge to pioneer the “Evolution of Distribution” strategy, which has transformed how international companies enter the US market. Under his guidance, NPI has become a shining example of success, assisting many brands in navigating market entry hurdles and achieving significant growth.

The inception story

Mitch Gould’s introduction to the retail industry was heavily influenced by his family’s background as third-generation retail gurus. Mitch was involved in the retail business from an early age, obtaining direct knowledge and understanding the subtleties of the profession. This early exposure fuelled his enthusiasm for the sector and provided a solid foundation for his future endeavours.

Mitch worked with well-known corporations like Rubbermaid, Igloo, and Sunbeam early in his career. These positions helped him gain a thorough understanding of marketing, sales, and product management. The skills and information he gained throughout these formative years gave him the experience required to spot possibilities and innovate in the retail industry. This excellent foundation in retail principles prepared the route for his future success and industry leadership.

Founding Nutritional Products International (NPI)

Mitch Gould took a bold step in 2007 when he founded Nutritional Products overseas, Inc. (NPI), with the goal of streamlining overseas brand entry into the US market. Recognizing the difficulties that these businesses faced, Mitch used his significant industry knowledge to establish a company that would streamline the complex processes of importation, distribution, and promotion.

According to Mitch: “NPI’s mission centres on bridging the gap between global manufacturers and American retailers, providing a comprehensive suite of services that ensure successful market entry.” Under Mitch’s guidance, NPI has established itself as a trusted partner for foreign brands, providing them with the skills and assistance they require to prosper in the competitive retail climate of the United States. Mitch has established NPI as an industry leader by strategic planning, new techniques, and a commitment to perfection, transforming it into a success engine for businesses throughout the world.

The Evolution of Distribution Strategy

Mitch Gould’s “Evolution of Distribution” technique is a ground-breaking concept that has transformed the retail distribution market. This method provides a turnkey solution that includes all of the crucial services needed for market entrance, including as importation, distribution, sales, marketing, and FDA compliance.   He continues: “By consolidating these services under one umbrella, NPI simplifies the complex process for international brands, allowing them to focus on their core competencies.”

The success of this plan is due to its comprehensive nature and Mitch’s extensive knowledge of the sector. He realized that multinational brands frequently suffer in the fragmented and competitive United States market. Mitch’s “Evolution of Distribution” has resulted in a streamlined pathway that not only saves the time and expense of market entry, but also secures brands’ long-term growth and success in the competitive retail climate of the United States. This unique strategy has established NPI as an industry leader, setting new benchmarks for efficiency and effectiveness in retail distribution.

Innovation led Milestones

Mitch Gould’s creative leadership has propelled Nutritional Products International (NPI) to the forefront of the retail distribution sector. One of the company’s important milestones has been the effective entry of various international brands into the United States market via its broad distribution network.

Mitch’s unique techniques have resulted in collaborations with industry heavyweights such as Amazon, where NPI supported the placement of a variety of health and wellness items. His accomplishments have been recognized in prestigious publications, such as World’s Leaders Magazine, cementing his position as a vital player in retail distribution. Furthermore, NPI’s success stories and case studies reveal the actual outcomes of Mitch’s unique techniques, demonstrating the company’s capacity to achieve significant growth for its clients. Mitch has taken NPI to new heights via strategic planning and a commitment to excellence, establishing the industry standard for success.

Impact on the World

Mitch Gould’s contributions to the retail distribution industry are distinguished by an unwavering desire for innovation and quality. His pioneering “Evolution of Distribution” method has established new benchmarks, particularly in the health, wellness, and beauty industries. “By streamlining the distribution process, we have enabled numerous international brands to achieve rapid and sustainable market growth in the U.S.,” Mitch says.

One of the most notable consequences of his work has been his ability to navigate difficult regulatory contexts, ensuring that brands meet U.S. standards while preserving their particular market appeal. Mitch’s unique tactics have evolved NPI into an industry leader while also influencing broader market trends. His ability to anticipate industry trends and adapt strategies has made him a pioneer, propelling both NPI and the industry forward with cutting-edge solutions and unrivalled knowledge.

Stories Worth Sharing

Mitch Gould’s unique techniques at Nutritional Products International (NPI) have resulted in countless success stories, demonstrating the value of the “Evolution of Distribution” paradigm. One notable example is the collaboration with Muscle Foods USA, in which NPI allowed the seamless entry of their health and wellness products to the U.S. market, greatly increasing their market position and revenue.

Another success story concerns a big international beauty brand that, with NPI’s help, traversed the difficult US regulatory landscape and achieved rapid market entry and growth. These instances demonstrate Mitch’s vision and expertise’s real influence, while also emphasizing NPI’s role in reshaping brands’ market trajectory. These case studies demonstrate how Mitch’s strategy has repeatedly produced remarkable outcomes, cementing NPI’s position as a retail distribution leader.

Memoir: The Blonde, the Ferrari, and the Kwan

Mitch Gould’s memoir, The Blonde, the Ferrari, and the Kwan: The Quintessential American Success Story, depicts his journey from humble origins to global success. The story details his path from Brooklyn to representing legendary sportsmen and celebrities, focusing on his inventive techniques that catapulted his organization to tens of millions of dollars in sales. It also discusses his personal life, specifically his connection with his wife, Sherry. This inspirational narrative exemplifies Mitch’s unwavering pursuit of achievement and meaningful connections.

Leadership and Philosophy

Mitch Gould’s leadership style and business philosophy are critical to the success of Nutritional Products International (NPI). He takes a hands-on approach, directly managing critical elements of the organization to ensure quality and efficiency. Mitch emphasizes the value of developing solid relationships with clients and partners, as well as creating a collaborative environment that promotes mutual growth and success. His dedication to constant development and innovation maintains NPI at the cutting edge of the retail distribution sector. Mitch’s ability to motivate and lead his team has played a vital role in NPI’s continued success and industry leadership.

Finally, Mitch Gould’s journey from third-generation retail expert to CEO of Nutritional Products International (NPI) is one of unwavering innovation, dedication, and success. His imaginative “Evolution of Distribution” plan not only changed the way international brands entered the US market, but it also created new industry norms. Under his guidance, NPI has evolved into a reliable partner for worldwide brands, resulting in significant market expansion and success. As Mitch expands NPI’s reach and seizes new opportunities, his dedication to excellence and customer success remains steadfast, guaranteeing an even brighter future for the company and its partners.

• Visit Mitch Gould – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit Nutritional Products International, Inc. – Company Website

The carbon capture and permanent sequestration (CCS) market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing regulatory pressures, climate goals, and the need for industries to reduce carbon footprints. Governments and private sectors are investing heavily in CCS technology. Global investments in CCS technologies are rising, with notable financial commitments from governments, international organizations, and private enterprises. Many countries have incorporated CCS into their climate strategies, offering subsidies, tax credits, and funding for research and development. Industry leaders across the globe are taking steps to care for stakeholders by reducing their carbon footprints.

Cozairo serves these companies by providing uniquely advantaged solutions for carbon capture and permanent sequestration as well as clean fuel switching. Cozairo’s experts reduce cost, complexity, and uncertainty by drawing on decades of experience in carbon capture and subsurface risk management, delivering efficient, tailored, and optimized solutions.

The Inception story

“I spent the first 20+ years of my career with an Energy supermajor, during which time I had the opportunity to work with extraordinarily capable people from every conceivable field of expertise on global-scale, billion-dollar mega-project but the experience that launched me on my current path was the technical leadership of a small (by Energy sector standards) waste injection project in Wyoming.  At the time, I was the only project lead in my entire department who did not have a revenue-generating project, and I frankly felt like my employer at the time wouldn’t trust me with anything important!  But my “little waste disposal project” turned out to be the first, and still the largest, CCS project in North America, and that formative experience gifted me with the critical building block that Cozairo has been built upon.  It serves as a regular reminder that I haven’t always been able to discern how or why what I’m doing at any time is important, so I best give what I’m doing my full effort,” says Tim Matthews, CEO, Cozairo.

Beating the odds

“Leadership is a multi-faceted activity, but in my view the most important and differentiating element is relational i.e. how do we take care of our people?  One formative experience for me was in leading a transformational initiative for a global team, we had a clear business case for transforming how we did resource management and production optimization across multiple teams.  I was very conscious of the change management task, and spent many hours building understanding and buy-in within the team as a whole.  But I didn’t spend sufficient time ensuring the leaders of the teams themselves were aligned and equipped to support the change themselves and as a result, I lost the heart and mind of one of those leaders permanently, which in turn forced me to change out the person in that role.  If I’d been more thoughtful, we wouldn’t have lost 6+ months fighting internally within the leadership team,” adds Tim.

Meeting the global ethical standards

“We’re a technology deployer, rather than a technology developer.  We work with several tremendous technology developers, and our job is to marry great tech with the right application to deliver the highest value CCS solution for our clients.  Sustainability is a key concept for those working in the Energy Transition, because the term encompasses each of the key tenets of a successful transition strategy it must deliver material benefit to the environment (in our case, via avoidance of GHG emissions), it must be permanent, and it must be financially viable (lest the endeavour to preserve the environment bankrupt the economies that are supporting the people we are trying to help in the first place). 

Notable Projects

“I’ve had the great opportunity to serve leadership roles in global-scale Upstream Oil & Gas projects from business case development through operations phases, as well as involvement in multiple CO2 injection projects in the US, Middle East and Asia-Pacific.  In addition to the WY CCS project previously mentioned, I had the opportunity to lead preliminary design the first CO2 sequestration project in Australia, as well as involvement in multiple CO2 injection projects associated with enhanced oil recovery (EOR).”

The future roadmap“ Cozairo was founded to serve the urgent decarbonization needs of heavy industry in scale, it is a challenge unlike any we’ve faced as a society in peace time.  By providing access to our team’s unique capabilities and expertise in the deployment of carbon capture & storage solutions, we are helping our industrial partners successfully design, finance, build and operate complex projects unlike anything they have done before.  We are truly excited by the opportunities we’re seeing to partner with industrials to move the needle on emissions reductions.  But these projects take years and billions of dollars to mature from concept all the way to operations.  So we have near-term and intermediate goals that keep us on track.  But our five-year vision is to see a number of the many CCS opportunities that we are currently working on built, operating and successfully avoiding millions of metric tons of CO2 emissions every year.  And significantly, we can see a clear path to realizing that vision,” concludes Tim.

• Visit Tim Matthews – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit Cozairo – Company Website

Identity and Access Management (IAM) services are increasingly critical in the modern digital landscape as organizations seek to secure their data, applications, and systems against a backdrop of growing cyber threats and regulatory requirements. IAM encompasses technologies and processes for managing user identities and access rights to systems and resources. The market for IAM services has experienced substantial growth and evolution, driven by advancements in technology, changing business needs, and emerging threats. The global IAM market is robust and expanding. As of 2024, the IAM market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 13-15 percent reaching a valuation of approximately $30 billion by 2026. This growth is fuelled by the increasing complexity of IT environments, heightened cybersecurity concerns, and stringent regulatory requirements.

Ilantus was founded in 2000 to provide top-notch Identity and Access Management (IAM) services to clients worldwide. Starting as a professional services company, Ilantus gained extensive experience in the IAM domain over the years from thousands of IAM implementations for major brands, including Fortune 500 companies. This expertise eventually led the company to develop a unique IAM product called Compact Identity, which is well recognized by leading analysts globally and listed in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant.

In 2022, a strategic decision was made to restructure Ilantus by separating its product business as a different company. Also, to provide a holistic cybersecurity services to clients,  in February 2023, Ilantus’ services business  merged with  Network Intelligence, a prominent provider of digital cybersecurity solutions.

Ilantus Services is now a fully owned subsidiary of Network Intelligence, offering a full range of AI-driven IAM services implementing a Zero Trust Framework to provide customers with an identity-centric, holistic cybersecurity solution.

The initial challenges

“A significant challenge I faced as CEO of Ilantus was the lack of clear boundaries between the Product and Services business units, leading to operational inefficiencies and strategic misalignment. Upon joining, I recognized that the differing natures of these divisions were causing numerous problems. To address this, I led a comprehensive restructuring of the company, establishing separate entities for Product and Services, each with its own independent P&L.

This strategic separation allowed each unit to focus on its core strengths and objectives. Subsequently, I sold the Services business, generating capital that was crucial for investing in and expanding the Product division. This restructuring not only streamlined operations but also facilitated targeted growth and innovation in our product offerings, ultimately driving business growth and enhancing our market position,” says Arun K. Singh, CEO, Ilantus.

Client oriented services

“We have built GenAI based productized service offerings supported with unique solution accelerators to ensure predictive outcomes. We also have a dedicated division for service quality audit which works with each client engagement as an independent entity and presents unbiased report to the senior management. Our unique delivery approach for IAM includes setting up a robust foundation with key critical systems in cloud or on premise. Once the foundation is tested for high availability and peak load, we bring in our “Factory Model” to onboard applications and enable security control for rest of the environment. This enables sustainability and helps us to scale up the rapid deployment of cybersecurity controls,” adds Arun.

Achievements

“I built a transformation roadmap for Ilantus that enabled growth mindset for everyone in the company. Ilantus product got listed in Gartner’s magic quadrant and professional services received several recognitions by leading cybersecurity groups. For the accelerated growth of Ilantus business, one of the key milestone was to separate out product business as a new company and retain the Ilantus brand for professional Services in Identity and Access Management domain.

The next milestone was to merge the Ilantus Services business with Network Intelligence (NetworkIntelligence.ai) in February 2023. Network Intelligence is one of the top cybersecurity service providers in USA, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore, Netherlands, India. It is fully backed by a US-based investment firm with an aspiration to grow at a rapid pace.

For me, it was an enriching experience to lead the entire exit process for Ilantus services – from investor pitch to due diligence to finalizing the agreements and completing the merger process. To stay abreast of emerging trends and developments in our field, I have established a multifaceted approach that prioritizes applied innovation and client collaboration. Our strategy revolves around proactive monitoring of the technology landscape, including emerging trends, threat vectors, and client priorities, through our dedicated Research & Development team. Leveraging cutting-edge solutions like Generative AI enables us to strike a balance between operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.”

The future roadmap

“Looking ahead, I’m thrilled about integrating Generative AI (GenAI) with our Zero Trust security model. This fusion, positions our firm as a transformative leader in cybersecurity, offering AI-powered IAM solutions that provide unparalleled protection.

Our AI-enhanced Zero Trust model will continuously validate user identity and adapt to emerging threats in real-time. This aligns with our commitment to excel in risk assessments, threat intelligence, and rapid incident response. By incorporating GenAI into our access controls, data privacy measures, and compliance protocols, we’re setting new standards in customer trust and security. We’re also addressing the cybersecurity skills gap by augmenting our team’s capabilities with AI.

We’re also implementing safeguards against AI-powered attacks, ensuring model updates, and maintaining regulatory compliance. Education on responsible AI use in cybersecurity is also a priority. This GenAI-driven approach not only fortifies businesses against cyber threats but also preserves reputation and ensures long-term financial stability in an AI-powered digital landscape,” concludes Arun.

• Visit Arun K. Singh – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit Ilantus Technologies – Company Website

From allelopathy to bio-herbicides: A lot of work with good results… commercially still to come

It is not easy to imagine how your “enemy” can help to win the battle. May an enemy give us the tools to win? Every year the farmers receive a lot of weeds consuming the crops resources. How can it be possible that a weed help to control weeds? But weeds can help crops killing weeds. Let me tell you how.

It is very well known that plants release chemicals to the environment and that chemical controls the growing (and behavior) of other plants around. What if we can isolate the chemical released and put it in a bottle and use it as a Bio-Herbicide.

We at INBIOAR screen large areas collecting samples of plants. We observe in the natural environment how the plants cover the soil. The success in the colonization of the soil is a demonstration of the ability of the plant to grow and reproduce under difficult conditions. Many times, the weed species are the Kings in the conquest of the soil surface.

We assume the hypothesis that the skill to cover the soil competitively is because the plant produces effective chemicals. The chemical control the plant growing conditions in its environment allowing the growing of plants from the same species, not from the other species. In what is a natural defense mechanism of the plant that was perfectionated during thousand of years, we see a bio-herbicides. A plant releases a chemical to kill other plants. In the farm it is the farmer who uses the chemical (the same chemical) to kill the weeds.

We did experiments and we determined that many plant species growing in some regions produce more “bio-herbicides” than the same plant in a more comfortable weather.

We have published a paper about ammi visnaga as a source of Khellin and Visnagine. Ammi is a weed originally from Egypt and spread globally. A weed like ammi, can be transformed in the “raw material” to produce a bio-herbicide in arid regions. The plant can grow freely and abundantly in that weather condition.

Thinking more, we propose that a weed species can be transformed into a new crop. Semi deserts are poor regions because there are not many natural resources to produce goods.

But if we think that weeds and the few plant species growing in the semi deserts have an economic role in the industry, then the region has a new economic income. A study like the one that INBIOAR is doing in semi-desert regions will help to find new resources to trade worldwide from the arid regions. The new crop may change the people reality, and it is a plus in our project that makes us very happy.

How much cost to cultivate ammi? Ammi can be grown every year freely in the field. We can collect the flowers to produce the bio-herbicide plant extract. The cultivation of ammi in the field do not require care: not fertilizers, not fungicide nor insecticides. It is a weed!

Ammi can produce 15 tons of flowers per year in one hectare. It will allow to produce enough bio-herbicide to do one application in 1.200 hectares. The ratio seems very good. But it can be improved for sure. We started using visnagine at 15kg/ha. Now we are using less than 3kg/ha. We still do not know how far we can go with this bio-herbicide in development.

If we think to produce the extract, then the trash we produce after the extract is done is just wet plant tissue. The extract is dried by a spray-drier, and the wet plant tissue is mix with the soil after it is used. Then there is not trash left behind the production.

In the farm the powder extract is offered in water-soluble bags. The bags are drop in the water tank just before to be used. The adjuvant may be offered in small bags to prepare the formulated just before use in the water tank.

This is Agri-Food Clean Technology where no synthetic chemicals are used and there is no trash anywhere: not when we produce it, not when it is applied to. The natural chemicals are quickly degraded by nature. What the nature does, the nature degraded. The food in our freezer will be clean of chemicals!

Plants (weeds) can control weeds. A plant species that do not participate in the economy can be transformed in a competitive raw material.

A Government can see our project to improve the income of a region using what is a non-crop into an important crop to produce bio-agrochemicals. When a weed is transformed in a crop, we are sure we are doing science for the people.

Author Bio-

Gustavo Sosa Ph. D.

President and Founder of INBIOAR SA

Gustavo Sosa is a forest engineer and has a Ph. D. in plant biochemistry and molecular biology. He did two post docs. The last one in The Ohio State University. Gustavo funded INBIOR thirteen years ago thanks to the Rosental Family office.

Gustavo led the Ph. D. Thesis work of María Lucía Travaini with whom he established INBIOAR. Lucía is the CEO of INBIOAR Argentina while Gustavo is establishing INBIOAR in the US. He expects to be in the US collecting samples in The Southwest during the 2025 summer.

Gustavo used to be a mentor and speaker in many congresses and universities where he is invited to talk about leadership and research.

• Visit Dr. Gustavo Sosa – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit INBIOAR – Company Website

The ferrochrome manufacturing industry is evolving with advancements in technology and sustainability, while also navigating challenges related to raw material supply and environmental regulations. Balasore Alloys focuses on increasing the agility of its current systems, rapidly adapting to change, increasing transparency, and preparing for future disruption to better prepare for the challenges to come. The focus of the supply chain is to rely on ERPs to manage data and core processes and effective collaboration with suppliers can bring about real-time visibility into inventory, material quality, and costs to easily understand and report on supplier performance. It further focuses on the importance of sourcing balance, saving small suppliers, managing inflationary times, and digitizing procurement given the growing complexity and raw material variability.

Mission and Vision

“To be an organization that continuously achieves value creation by optimizing resources through operational excellence, enabled by technology, and driven by innovation, to meet customer satisfaction and to maximize the value for all stakeholders. To be amongst the world’s top five new generation Ferrochrome manufacturing companies in our products, in the way we service our clients, in our work ethics, and in our culture of societal integration.”

Client-Oriented Services

“The company has a special grade of chrome ore mine and Ferro Chrome product, which is quite rarely available worldwide, and this is presently being used by stainless steel producers. The company is expanding the Chrome mining by going with underground mining operations of Chrome ore (the first time in India). As this product is not available in China & other North-Asian Countries, it is leading to a spike in demand for such raw material. After discussions with various stainless companies, it has been found that there is a lot of scope to work together for both short and long terms and this prompted the company to start exporting into the market and signing long-term agreements with large stainless-steel companies.”

The Initial Challenges

The company was always growing, it had to move around different locations to explore and help as needed. “During my new assignment in China in year 2003, I came across many hurdles including language barrier, different corporate culture with different mindset in business dealing. During those years it was quite difficult to work on long term basis with both buyers and sellers as they keep changing their commitment and executing project on time. To understand their business ethics & past performance for selecting the right vendor and buyers a thorough assessment with vendor rating, by visiting their processing plant, manufacturing unit and by meeting their team leaders to develop a mutual trust and confidence for ensuring they will not back out on execution of orders in case of any kind of market up & down which was quite regular practice at that time,” says Vijay K Singh, CEO, Balasore Alloys.

The Differentiating Factor

•Business expansion in area of Ferro Chrome export worldwide by 21%. This was achieved with leadership competencies & strategy by well-defined roadmaps & commercial performance.

•First time in India started project of underground mining of Chrome ore at Balasore Chrome mine after due diligence study and underground design work has already started in early 2020. This will increase the production output as well as export by next year.

•One of the lowest cost producers globally due to their fully integrated business model.

•Globally preferred supplier to Stainless Steel producers and allied industries

The Art of Balancing Work and Life

Time management plays a significant role in everyone’s lives. One can only spend more time with friends and family if they are well-balanced and efficient. However, it is essential to know where to draw the line, one part of your life should not take over other aspects of life and living. This way Vijay enjoys life without any stress or inconvenience. Smart delegation is essential for yourself and your team as it benefits all involved parties. This can only be done through smart interactions and effective communication with team members and understanding the prerequisites of work.

 For better management of time, he uses two fundamental strategies: flexible scheduling as allowed by the company and prioritizing responsibilities. Setting priorities and creating a schedule is the most helpful to integrate all aspects of life: work, family, classes, fitness, and social activities with other one-time events. He maps out his responsibilities and timelines daily in a to-do list of tasks that needs to be completed.

Regardless of how hard one tries, there will be sometimes when one or the other becomes more demanding in life. Learn to be creative and think of possible ways to meet the urgent priority while still attending to others. Without a clear separation between home and office, it may be hard to transition from work life to personal life. To counteract this issue, one needs a distinctive work zone.

Awards and Recognitions

•Balasore alloys of ISPAT Group was awarded the Top Exporter Silver Award for the year 2017-18 in the Three Star Export House (Non-MSME) category by FIEO Eastern Region. The Award was handed by Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Hon’ble Former President of India in presence of Mr. Bruce Bucknell, British Deputy High Commission Kolkata.

•Balasore alloy limited has been awarded by CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) with the “Excellence Award in Energy Conservation in the 9th ENCON” award ceremony organized by CII eastern region for initiating and implementing different energy-saving measures/ techniques in the plant.

•The award which was instituted by the Engineering Exports Promotion Council (EEPC), Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry was handed at the 49th EEPC National Award Presentation Function 2016-17 by Mr. C.R. Chaudhary, Honorable Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Government of India in the presence of Ms. Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Mr. B.S. Bhalla, Jt Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

•Balasore alloys of ISPAT Group recognized as a good neighbour through its Corporate Social Responsibility activities has been appreciated again. The Institute of Quality & Environment Management Services (IQEMS) backed by support from South Africa High Commission, CREDAI Odisha, Rotary International organized a competition-cum-seminar on ”CSR Initiatives-Value Driven Social Change” on 21st May 2016.

The Future Roadmap “Seamless integration of all business processes for greater efficiency is essential for future practice, alongside the implementation of SAP and cloud-based CRM module will certainly help growth. This, however, does not prevent cybercrime. With that in mind, more organizations create and appoint Chief Security Officer and CCO who would be responsible for ensuring that an organization is cyber-ready, would bear the responsibility for preventing breaches, take the lead if a breach does occur, and provide a robust connection between the board and the rest of the company,” concludes Vijay.

• Visit Vijay K Singh – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit Balasore Alloys Limited – Company Website

Chatur Ideas is the inception of the first ever dynamic, multifarious online platform, which will engage, counsel, and interconnect the entrepreneurial breed of India to investors, financers, and mentors in a controlled investment-friendly ecosystem. It acts as a ‘virtual intellect box’ where all the brilliant and ingenious entrepreneurial ideas will be scrutinized, enhanced, and mentored and will be given assistance and or possible funding. It also simultaneously runs various entrepreneurial contests, which help entrepreneurs get seed capital that helps them in financing their businesses, start-ups, and inventions.

The inception story

“My story began in 2009, with my idea to start a cab service based on GPS. I created a working model and reached out to various industry experts. However, when I approached the aggregators of the taxi/cab service companies; I was discouraged from pursuing the idea. I took their words seriously and decided not to further work on the idea as it needed political connections and managing unions. Having dropped the idea, I started working in a firm as a wealth manager and was responsible for managing ultra-HNWIs money, who invested in India and abroad across asset classes. Through this experience, I acquired a huge amount of networking and domain expertise.

However, simultaneously, I also saw Ola’s birth and their journey to the 1000-crore club on the footholds of the same idea that I wanted to initiate back in 2009. This turned out to be an eye-opener for me and caused me to reflect on the decisions I made.

Over the years, I have also spent a lot of time mentoring startups and investing in them, connecting with investors, and gaining a lot of experience and exposure.

As a result, I decided to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and investors/mentors by providing a platform for their interactions and valuable feedback from these dignitaries to these entrepreneurs to help them with their journey. Thus, took place the establishment of Chatur Ideas – which has now become one of India’s leading startups enabling platforms that acts as a ‘ONE-STOP SOLUTION’ for start-ups and entrepreneurs,” says Devesh Chawla, CEO and Founder, Chatur Ideas.

The advice to the aspiring leader

“Never stop meeting the right people: Your connections keep your business afloat. Make relevant connections and networks that will keep you elucidated with their experience and learnings. Keep in touch along the way and build quality relationships to uplift your knowledge and business. As they say, your network is your net worth.

Your Business Will Demand Money: If you are starting a startup, it will demand some money and you might take some financial hits. But without spending money, you can’t make it a long way. However, don’t forget to be frugal and smart with your spending patterns. A tip here would be: to spend money where you see the value. This value can be social, physiological, or other ways.”

Support the development of future leaders

“While micromanaging exerts a greater control on its operations, apart from when the operations are complex and instructions need to be communicated, it is not very useful. The micromanagement style, or more specifically, keeping close tabs on what work is being done, how it is being done, and the quality of the output, can certainly be used effectively, however, employee wellbeing & psychological safety must be taken into account.

Micromanaging your employees, to put it bluntly, annoys them, creates trust issues, and can cause employees to become dependent on micromanagement leading it to be unscalable.

So, I believe in efficient management; Creating important tasks, and allowing employees to do the work in their way goes a long way toward creating trust between the employees and me. Simply touching base with them at predefined points along the way eases the employee to complete the task at a defined pace in his methods improving his growth and creativity. As stated earlier, at Chatur Ideas, we nurture creativity, be it of our employees or our clients,” adds Devesh.

Awards

• Awarded as CEO of the year 2019 in Dubai by GISR Foundation and American College of Dubai
• Awarded as Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 by Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey
• Awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Samman Award, which is given to 25 Indians only across the world
• Selected amongst Top 30 Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018 by The Silicon Review
• Selected amongst Forbes’ Top 100 Great People Managers 2021
• Facilitated the Youth Leadership Award by the Trade Commissioner of Canada
• Nominated for Business World 40 under 40
• Chatur Ideas has been selected as Top 5 Rising Startups of India by Tech in Asia
• Chatur Ideas has been awarded as India’s leading startup enabling platform at BRICS Conclave
• Chatur Ideas has been awarded as Top 50 Small Businesses of India 2021

Future Roadmap

“I have been deeply committed to assisting today’s youth to gain financial independence, be it through entrepreneurship, jobs, or the stock market. People need to learn to be self-reliant. To achieve that, I have conducted various workshops and courses on stock market technical analysis, entrepreneurship, and financial independence so that my students can make money on their own,” concluded Chawla.

• Visit Devesh Chawla  – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit Chatur Ideas  – Company Website

AI is revolutionizing the world across various domains and industries, bringing about significant advancements and transformative changes. AI technologies, particularly machine learning and robotic process automation (RPA), are automating repetitive tasks and processes across industries. This not only increases efficiency but also reduces costs and improves accuracy. AI enables highly personalized experiences for consumers in sectors such as retail, entertainment, and digital marketing. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI algorithms can tailor recommendations, content, and services to individual preferences and behaviors.

In today’s dynamic business landscape, volatility has become the norm, characterized by shifting customer preferences, competitive dynamics, and environmental factors. “At C5i, we empower our clients to navigate this complexity and thrive by transforming their decision-making processes. Utilizing cutting-edge AI, data science, and analytical methodologies, we harness the power of advanced data technologies to deliver bespoke solutions for our clients. Our approach combines state-of-the-art technology with best-in-class talent to address complex business challenges effectively. At the core of our approach is to have “human in the loop,” ensuring that we combine the human perspective and knowledge of our teams and client teams with the power of AI and machine learning to drive insights that are trustworthy and drive adoption,” says Jasmeet Sraw, Sr. Growth Partner, C5i.

Enhanced Customer Service

“Analytics and AI solutions provider focuses on Enterprise AI, Industry 5.0 & Supply Chain, Marketing Analytics, Consumer & Market Insights, Customer Analytics & Digital Analytics. Our paramount objective is to drive business impact swiftly and expansively, fostering enduring partnerships along the way. This objective is made possible through our comprehensive solution set, which integrates multi-functional teams and a robust suite of products, solutions, and accelerators tailored for various horizontal and industry-specific use cases. At C5i, our teams synergize the insights of our consultants and industry experts with the technical expertise of data scientists, data engineers, business analysts, and visualization specialists. Furthermore, we continually enhance our capabilities through dedicated research and development efforts conducted in our AI labs. Central to our ethos is a client-first approach, underpinned by a culture of relentless innovation and commitment to driving adoption. By prioritizing the needs of our clients and embracing innovation, we ensure that we remain at the forefront of delivering transformative solutions in a rapidly evolving business landscape,” adds Jasmeet.

The differentiating factor

“At the core of our approach is to have “human in the loop,” ensuring that we combine the human perspective and knowledge of our teams and client teams with the power of AI and machine learning to drive insights that are trustworthy and drive adoption. C5i AI Labs serves as a dedicated Research and Development center housing a team of 50+ researchers. Our team comprises generative AI (GenAI) experts, AI scientists, machine learning engineers, and analysts, collectively focused on a wide array of cutting-edge technologies. These include natural language generation and processing, GenAI technologies, econometric and statistical modeling, visual storytelling methods, cloud data engineering, and others. Collaborating closely with our business teams, C5i AI Labs harnesses open-source innovations, partnerships with leading technology companies, and collaborations with academic institutions to develop applied technologies that address specific business use cases and pain points for our clients.”

The clientele

“Our powerful suite of 400 accelerators and four products equips our clients with rapidly deployable solutions that can seamlessly be integrated into their operational environment, enabling them to achieve immediate impact and industrialize AI & analytics into their processes. Our clientele includes Banking and Financial Services, Consumer Goods & Services, Life Sciences, Research & Consulting Firms, Retail, Technology, Telecom, and Media to name a few.

The work culture

“We place great emphasis on cultivating a positive impact on the lives of our employees. We enhance their capabilities through comprehensive training, access to cutting-edge technology, and ample growth opportunities, ensuring they are equipped to compete on a global scale and deliver exceptional results. Our workplace culture is one of collaboration, built on a foundation of trust and respect for diversity. Beyond our business endeavors, we are driven by a desire to contribute positively to the world around us. Through our corporate social responsibility initiatives and community engagements, we strive to make a meaningful difference. We empower deserving and underprivileged children and youth through sponsorship, mentorship, and support, enabling them to realize their full potential and serve as catalysts for positive change within their communities.”

Future roadmap

“Beyond our business endeavors, we are driven by a desire to contribute positively to the world around us. Through our corporate social responsibility initiatives and community engagements, we strive to make a meaningful difference. We empower deserving and underprivileged children and youth through sponsorship, mentorship, and support, enabling them to realize their full potential and serve as catalysts for positive change within their communities. We also plan to work on IP-based solutions driving speed to value, High-quality data and technology partnerships, Business value-driven consulting and solution approach, and Continuous applied AI innovation at C5i’s AI Labs – focus on reliable, responsible AI,” concluded Jasmeet.

• Visit Jasmeet Sraw – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit C5i  – Company Website

The landscape of inspirational keynote speaking continues to evolve with changing audience preferences, technological advancements, and societal shifts toward inclusivity and sustainability. Successful speakers navigate these trends by staying relevant, authentic, and responsive to the needs of their audiences.

Ogden Ventures, LLC is an elite brand founded by Marques Ogden specializing in inspirational keynote speaking for major corporations and organizations and coaching + consulting for business professionals and high-level executives. “Work with us on what we do best; sharing our powerful life lessons on the world stage helping amplify your message and elevating your brand to the next level of growth and success,” says Marques Ogden, Founder, Ogden Ventures.

The Man behind the curtain

Marques Ogden is a former NFL player who is now an inspirational keynote speaker. He is also the founder and CEO of Ogden Ventures LLC, three-time best-selling author (Sleepless Nights; The Success Cycle), business coach and consultant, and the podcast host of Authenticity with Marques Ogden; although his journey did not come easy or without unrelenting adversity. After retiring from football, Marques pursued a career in construction and contracting. At 27, he founded a construction company with fast growth but eventually went bankrupt, losing almost two million dollars on one project in 90 days.

He pulled himself together during his darkest hours and got a part-time job as a custodian. Marques rose to the top again with hard work and determination, using his struggles as inspiration to blaze his trail forward. Now, he shares his powerful story to help others learn how to fail forward and achieve success in their lives. Marques’ story and insights as a thought leader have been featured in top publications such as USA Today, Forbes, Cheddar News, and Authority Magazine. As a speaker, he is landed jobs with over 40 Fortune 500 companies and over 15 Fortune 100 companies like Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Intel, JPMorgan Chase, and Home Depot. As a podcast host, he is interviewed iconic guests such as Michael Strahan, Joe Namath, and Willie Parker Jr. Marques hopes to continue reaching new levels in his professional career and positively impacting as many people’s lives as possible through doing what he loves; speaking on stage and sharing his experiences and knowledge with others.

Client-oriented services

“The top-performing companies in the world invest in high-level consultants. And that is exactly who we are. We help identify and address your unique business challenges, work with executive leadership on efficiencies and decision-making, and create a tailored action plan to ultimately elevate your company to reach new levels of growth and success you did not even know was possible.

We bring our real-life experiences paired with a fresh perspective to give you the advice we would give ourselves if we were in your shoes. Our brand is proud to partner with some of the most successful companies in varying industries to help them reach the same goal: achieve unimaginable success through action and accountability. Our clientele includes Oracle NetSuite, JP Morgan, The University of Tennessee, and Nestle, to name a few,” added Ogden.

Achievements

IAOTP 2024 Award: Top Inspirational Athlete and Keynote Speaker of The Year For 2024!

The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is an international boutique networking organization that handpicks the world’s finest, most prestigious top professionals from different industries.  These top professionals are allowed to collaborate, share their ideas, be keynote speakers, and help influence others in their fields. This organization is not a membership that anyone can join.  You must be asked by the President or be nominated by a distinguished honorary member after a brief interview. With almost 2 decades of experience, IAOTP’s group of publishers, IT experts, PR, Marketing, and Branding professionals, have helped thousands of top prestigious professionals get the recognition and credibility that they deserve and have helped in building their branding empires.  Our company prides itself to be a one of a one-of-a-kind boutique networking organization who hand picks only the best of the best and creates a networking platform that connects and brings these top professionals to one place.

Future roadmap

“We are focusing our efforts more on consulting and getting into the Evergreens and online communities to help as many people as possible who cannot afford our high-ticket coaching and speaking services but still want access to information and knowledge to move them forward. We are focusing on online communities with different partners and we are trying to focus on more consulting to build deeper connections with our clients and work with them around the clock to help them meet their goals and aspirations,” concluded Marques.

• Visit Marques Ogden – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit Ogden Ventures  – Company Website

Business consulting and services play a crucial role in the success and growth of organizations across various industries. The importance of business consulting and services is evident in their ability to enhance organizational performance, drive strategic initiatives, and provide critical expertise and support. By leveraging the knowledge and experience of consultants, businesses can achieve sustainable growth, efficiency, and competitive advantage.

“The Leader’s Perspective was established to bring the best of two gifts together. In my 20 years of organizational leadership, I was creating the most value when I was either contributing strategic thinking and facilitation or coaching others for leadership. I was not the best at the other business mechanics of running a nonprofit (like fundraising or finance). But I was effective at casting vision, framing priorities, and coaching others. Ultimately, I wanted to place myself where I could have the greatest impact, and I have found since the 8 years since we launched TLP that this is the sweet spot,” says Dr. Patrick Jinks, President, The Leader`s Perspective.

The man behind the scene

As an award-winning professional photographer, Dr. Patrick Jinks knows the value of viewing challenges through the right lenses to achieve success. After a successful 22-year career in organizational leadership, Patrick changed lenses to serve leaders from another perspective. Today, he coaches and trains leaders in both the social and corporate sectors. Patrick is a multi-best-selling author and member of the National Association of Experts, Writers, and Speakers.

With a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Patrick regularly contributes to Forbes.com as a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. He is a Board-Certified Coach, certified adjunct coach and trainer with Leadership Systems, Inc., and certified Influencer trainer with VitalSmarts. He is also certified as an Academy of Choice coach. He is a teaching supporter of the Right Question Institute and holds a Harvard Business School Certificate in using the Question Formulation Technique (QFT).

Patrick has been featured as a GameChanger and a Master of Success in USA Today and The Wall Street Journal respectively, for his fresh take on nonprofit strategy and leadership through The Strategic Coaching Continuum. He was recognized as one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in Leadership Coaching by CIO Views Magazine, and as the “Most Successful Leadership Coach to Watch in 2024” by Enterprise Wired Magazine. His speaking stages range from The Citadel to Universal Studios, and from TEDx to The United Nations. Patrick’s globally-acclaimed podcast, The Leadership Window is a Feedspot Top-10 podcast for social sector leadership.

Mission and Vision

“At TLP, we start with purpose before mission. We first answer the ‘why’ question. We are here because of four realities in the social sector:

1. Leading change is complex.
2. Progress in the sector takes longer than it should.
3. Scarcity is a prevailing mindset.
4. Leadership can be a lonely place.

Our vision (also part of our why) is the opposite of the above. We want faster, more resourced, more agile, and more effective leaders and organizations that have clarity, simplicity, and alignment in all their work.

With that purpose in mind, our mission (our charge) is to help organizational leaders and their teams achieve meaningful action on their committed, aligned mission objectives, and we do it by providing leaders with access to world-class leadership, strategy, and culture coaching.”

Client-Centric Service

“We take a coaching approach to everything we do, but in the traditional sense that we know organizations are familiar with, we provide strategic planning, employee engagement measurement and training, organizational culture mapping, and leadership coaching for both teams and individuals.”

The differentiating factor

“We are a coaching company BEFORE we are a consulting company. I often tell my clients that the value we create with them comes not from answering their questions but from questioning their answers. We bring a powerful inquiry stance that draws out and elevates our clients’ best thinking toward their own goals, solutions, and dreams.

I bring a blend of natural talent, deep training, and organizational experience to the coaching table. My gifts include deep listening, synthesizing, challenging, and framing. My training includes an MBA and a PhD in organizational leadership, as well as numerous coaching certifications, including board certification from the Centre for Credentialing and Education (CCE). My experience spans over two decades of organizational executive leadership experience and success.”

Our clientele

“Most of TLP’s clients are in the social sector since that is where my experience and knowledge lie. I can relate to the nuanced challenges nonprofit leaders face. However, I have coached leaders from Fortune 500 Companies, government agencies, and philanthropic foundations. The leaders I gain the most fulfillment from coaching are those who are constantly striving for what’s next in their leadership effectiveness. They are passionate about their missions and dedicated to continually learning and growing.”

Future roadmap

“In the spirit we encourage our clients to embrace, we are always looking ahead to what will constitute the ‘next level’ for TLP. The next couple of years are shaping up to be very significant for growth. We will be adding certified, adjunct coaches to the team as we move more into the coaching training space. We currently deliver a 30-hour, online, on-demand training for leadership coaches, that the CCE has approved as eligible training hours toward board certification. We are also in the middle of a major project involving international corporate coaching training design,” concluded, Dr. Patrick Jinks.

• Visit Patrick Jinks – LinkedIn Profile
• Visit The Leader`s Perspective – Company Website