Issue # 13 November 2015

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www.monumentalpartners.com

Issue # 13 November 2015

Double

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Dim was the past, but now the lights are on at On The Brink, as

we write for our readers…. ideas are flowing, so much so that the front cover has to be shared. Just a few years ago the battle was all highs as manufacturers blamed JPS for high production costs.

JPS turned the spotlight right back at this and simply asked, “How Come” the theft of electricity was so rampant within the industry. Fast forward to present day and when you squint, straight ahead is a beam of light at the end of the tunnel…. A new focus campaign has pushed how energy is used and JPS wants to actually help the Manufacturers to realize greater savings on energy bills.

This double cover issue features both sides of the coin with John Mahfood the powerhouse behind our Tea Industry and a stalwart in the manufacturing sector, giving us his much needed insight into the future of manufacturing in Jamaica and his plans for Caribbean Dreams to have the world on Tea Time. On the Brink captures it all.

The other side of the coin features the ball of energy Tishan Lee – Head of Marketing at JPS, who has changed the way we view JPS. Covering their recent initiatives to save energy and reducing the cost of power we ask the question: JPS Cares…is this true? This question will be answered along with many more. Come find out how this young energetic lady keeps the peace both at work and at home.

No longer are we burning the midnight oil but our LED lights are screwed in to continue to bring you the most dynamic personalities in each issue of On the Brink. Have a great read.

PUBLISHER'S

NOTE Christopher Goulbourne Kahlil Harris

www.onthebrinkmag.com

SUBSCRIBE NOW

TIME WELL SPENT!I have no regrets over the events that have led to our latest issue; after all it has left me inspired,

and a deer in the headlights in complete awe of the drive and tenaciousness of those we’ve been lucky enough to speak with.

After sitting down to talk with the likes of Tishan

Lee, Michelle Smith and John Mahfood I can only hope you can recognize, as have I, that it’s time to get off the couch and do more!

This issue feels like a movement of a talented group of leaders, living independently of each other, yet impacting our country; whether through a significant national campaign, staying in the fight to keep an organization in operation or to demonstrate the potential of Jamaican goods on an international playing field.

Interestingly enough there’s a common underlying message to be found in all interviews and that is, at the end of the day, effectiveness in what you do is what matters. Regardless their stories have sparked countless conversations amongst the team and we hope it will be the same for our

readers.

Please, enjoy.

Jheanelle Maturah

EDITO

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PublishersMonumental Partners Ltd. 9 McKenzie CloseKingston 8, St. AndrewTel: (876) 969-2646E: info@monumentalpartners.comW: www.monumentalpartners.com ................................................Managing EditorsKahlil HarrisChristopher GoulbourneTanya Sue Brice................................................EditorJheanelle Maturah

Graphic DesignKristopher Kerr

ContributorsMike BuotempoAmone EchruDoug DvorakRoland DeBoisSam StielerVince Ginsburg

Photography JDash Photography Socialcastja

Shot on Location:The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel

Copyright 2015 Monumental Partners Limited................................................Facebook: OnTheBrinkTwitter: @OntheBrinkJaInstagram: OnTheBrinkMagWebsite: www.onthebrinkmag.com

CREDITS

30 John Mahfood: A Definitive Guide To Making It In This Country Without the Gov’t

Tishan Lee Illuminating JPS One Cause At A Time

TEA BUSINESS

Ricardo Skyers15 Apps to Enhance Your Productivity

CAREER BIBLE

THE VERGE

CORPORATE CAPTURE

BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY

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Contents

WHAT DOES A VALUABLE EMPLOYEE LOOK LIKE?

8 Times not to take the Day Off

How to Tell Your Employee You Were Wrong

Regaining Control of Your Finances

The Hardwears Reality Tv Series Launch

THE HARMFUL MYTHS OF THE NATURAL LEADER

24 WHAT THE ....IS SAGICOR BANK CHEATING US BY KEEPING THEIR LIPS SEALED?

Chocolate Dreams A little bit of Happiness

BRINK TECH SUPPORT – Must Have Gadgets

MEET THE HARDWEARSRICARDO SKYERS 15 APPS TO ENHANCE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

COVER STORY LIGHT business Technology

12 40

If you want to drive hordes of targeted traffic to your website, then utilizing video sharing sites like YouTube is a good way to go. YouTube is one of the most popular websites in the world and in the top 10 when it comes to monthly traffic. A serious marketer or anyone who wants to drive traffic will want to include YouTube marketing in their arsenal. But first you must know the proper way to do this. We are going to examine it through the eyes of someone who is just beginning to utilize YouTube marketing. For the sake of this article were going to call this newcomer Alice.

The first thing Alice realized with YouTube marketing is that the popularity of her video was going to be determined by its quality.

Alice decided to use YouTube marketing thinking all she would have to do is throw up a few videos and she would be able to drive traffic to her website. She soon quickly realized that she was not getting the views she thought she would. She learned her videos would have to focus more on quality rather then quantity. When I say quality, I mean that her videos had to be made in an entertaining fashion or in educating fashion. As long as the videos follow one of these two criteria, her chance of success with YouTube marketing would increase.

The second thing Alice realized was that she could use off-line platforms like Windows Movie Maker to create videos or outsource the creation.

Alice knew that she wasn’t a very technologically savvy person, but she was serious about using YouTube to market. But luckily for her she discovered she was able to use Windows Movie Maker, which came with her operating system to easily create videos. She soon learned though that this could take more time than she was willing to invest. So what was her solution? She discovered ways that video creation could be

outsourced, even though it would cost a little money she discovered that the quality of videos created were excellent for YouTube marketing.

The third thing Alice learned was that her videos need not be promotional all.

When Alice discovered YouTube marketing she was under the impression that she would have to be very direct in her videos, she soon learned differently. With YouTube marketing she learned all she had to do was talk to a specific niche in a conversational tone. She simply had to create something that was entertaining and would leave an imprint on their mind. By adding the URL of a website to the beginning and end of the video she was able to draw curiosity and drive traffic to her website.

YouTube marketing can work in the same way for just about anyone so as long as they are willing to follow what Alice did, Alice knew that she had to create quality videos, she also knew she could use simple platforms such as Windows movie maker or outsource video creation, and she knew that her videos didn’t have to be overly promotional. Alice also understood the importance of strategically

placing her URL in the video.

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Are You One Of The Last Few People Not Using This Powerful SiteBy Mike Buotempo

YOUTUBE MARKETING

8THINGS

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8 Ways to Beat the 5 Second Attention Span When Landing on Your Website

All the talk these days seem to be about dwindling attention spans. This is no different in a conversation, at a seminar, watching TV or while online. But let’s zone in on how to keep viewers’ focus on your website. After all, the goal is for viewers to learn something new about a product or service and then continue to discover new things. Focus on these design tips for your website to grab and hold the attention of viewers.

First Thing’s First – Take some time to think on what will be the first thing your viewers see. Ask yourself is it engaging, creative or thought provoking?

Avoid Routine Unecessary Info – Readers will quickly ignore anything that is plain, routine and has a lot of info the

go through. Subtle changes in patterns and designs that break up information

and add a different flair to its look, may keep your readers fixated.

Content – For sites that must have a lot of data, try breaking that bulk load with catchy subheadings.

Kick Start their Emotions – Use strong images that will turn heads and hold their attention

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Remove Your Mental Block of the Concept “Attention Span” - Consider the quality of information that you have on your website. Is it something you struggle just to proofread?

Plan for Skimmers - Viewers won’t read every bit of info on your site. With that in mind, reshape the presentation of your data. With most important points standing out in a concise way.

Faster than Your Competitors – Ensure your website is fast, that two second waiting period for the site to load may be costly.

8. Call to Action – Most of us need to be guided to

find what matters most. How is your website steering readers to the info you desire?

"ENSURE YOUR WEBSITE IS

UP TO SPEED WITH THESE 8

CRITICAL DESIGN FEATURES TO KEEP

YOUR READERS ENGAGED."

On The Brink Magazine 11

Tishan Lee is sophisticatedly dressed, poised and emotionally raw as the worldly-wise Head of Marketing at JPS sat down for her interview with the OTB team as our featured Brink Marketer.

It’s always interesting to have a conversation with a marketer. As the faces or the heavy hitters and for sure the smooth talkers of an organization, with a marketer, one can expect an entertaining and dazzling array of words that seem to have been rehearsed when in fact it is their own gift. When anything but this occurs, one is left wondering who is truly the brain behind the marketing campaigns. Luckily for the OTB team Tishan Lee delivers on this and in her own right.

She is as assertive as she is opinionated and as intelligent as she is presentable.

With her resume and track record there could be no such brief sit down. Lee has a history of working with some on Jamaica’s top organizations. Making the list are

NCB, Bank of Nova Scotia, Hilton, Supreme Ventures and her current position held at Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) where she works alongside her mentor Sheree Martin.

Today, if you quickly asked random persons what comes to mind when they hear ‘JPS’ the answers will range from amnesty, an entire community left in darkness, a ‘wickid’ billboard, overpriced service, solar power and talk of their customer service. As the country’s only electric utility company, that has faced its fair share of negative publicity, this sort of mixed feedback is a certain turnaround from the usual public outcry.

Certainly things are changing and we’ve noticed simultaneously with the introduction of Lee to the company.

Operating in a monopolistic environment, public perception is often one-sided and corrupted by thoughts of price discrimination, lack of innovation (without need) or reduced efficiency. Imagine these are the notions for the job description you have been assigned. Sounds miserable, right? Or does it sound like an opportunity to spark a massive change in your country? For Lee it was the latter.

Amidst all this, just 16 months into the job there’s an inspired feeling running through our veins and tugging at our thoughts,

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turning them onto #Team Lee and #TeamJPS. Our interview brought a new perspective to what’s happening inside the company. While we could easily assume there are some minions inside the buildings working on the many ways to increase our power bills, this couldn’t be any further from the truth. Indeed it’s a team of experts in their fields working to serve our country better. Lee is the first to admit she couldn’t speak to the Chemistry or Physics that goes into the light coming on at her dinner table; in her position though she has developed a greater appreciation for what her colleagues do and credits the leadership of the Utility for charging the team with a vision that will usher in a new day for JPS and in turn our country.

This wave of modern marketing has changed the traditional approach of merely convincing consumers to buy into the product or service and more towards building lasting relationships with individuals and communities. A turn of events that suits a marketer such as Lee. Her first visible touch was a marketing campaign that ignited conversations around town like a flood through the streets. The concept was straightforward ‘Don’t Use More Than You Need’. Its depiction involved a full-fledged billboard erected with only a quarter of it being used and allotted to the ad ‘Use Only What

You Need’. Modern marketing at its best saw Lee challenging the intellect of consumers and provoking their thoughts. She reflects on its success, as it was a great conversation starter and a breakthrough ad campaign. Notably she backs the success of her ad by its advocates working alongside her at JPS. Marketing can be a struggle if you are locked away in your office going it alone behind your computer, it can feel out of place, walking on this path alone – but months into the job Lee was walking with 1700 JPS ambassadors supporting her cause.

Her emotions ascend when the conversation moves along the path of first world advertising in Jamaica. The passion she unearthed during her first encounter with marketing at Queens College, New York still stands tall. Her speech is rapid now, as she asks the questions of all marketers who continue to employ mundane and “dumbed-down” forms of advertising despite an overcrowded arena. We are factoring in the various types of ads out there from billboards, to

video boards, branding on walls, side of buildings, back of cars, the sides of buses and bus shelters

coupled with motorists driving by at 60kmph, expected to read, process and buy into your ad, Lee emphatically asks how many of those [ads] are going to break

through to you?

And yes, she is right! Her approach lies in customer segmentation and taking the time

to understand her consumers. Asking the important questions such as exactly what do they want, or looking at the data she

has in front of her and making

strategic decisions accordingly.

The answers to her questions has led her to spearhead a number of

projects such as Pay As You Go, Debt Amnesty and eBill. The JPS Debt Amnesty Programme has received much attention in the recent weeks with its impending rollout. The company presents an opportunity for residents and small commercial customers who are indebted to the company to regain active status and power supply just in time for the Christmas season. Delinquent

consumers can choose between face-to-face negotiations or conversations via the phone to write-off up to a 70% off debts owed. It is opportunities like these

that Lee believes demonstrate one of the company’s most important objectives which remains to serve their customers. This debt forgiveness program goes unheralded in our history and these opportunities are why Lee signed up for the job.

Another impactful campaign led by Lee was JPS’s Pay As You Go which is a risk free energy management tool suited for

customers who want to manage their energy use and save valuable dollars. This initiative, only offered in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine, was a new service offering real time energy monitoring. Demonstrating yet another response by the company to the consumer’s desires.

But how did she get her team on

her train? Better yet how did she walk into the company and sell her vision?

On The Brink Magazine 13

Lee says “to be optimistic and genuinely want to get to know people” is the embodiment of

this. Interpersonal skills appear to be key, Lee ensures that she spends part of her time touching bases with team members all across the island through countless phone calls, emails and her most effective - face-to-face communication. She has also ensured that she’s shared her portfolio internally so members know exactly what’s happening and when. She credits her unfeigned desire to integrate herself into the lives of her team members, listening to them, knowing what they do, how best she can help them to achieve their targets and approaching her work relationships like any other meaningful relationship. One article cannot describe how Lee has the ability to tap into some principle you are guided by and illuminate it, to draw you in to her web of positivity and clarity.

To put it into words, she describes her leadership style as “being inclusive, giving people the opportunity to fail rather than to micromanage, getting her people fired-up about their projects and importantly, making it fun.”

So…..when does Lee have time for a life outside of work? She admits she hasn’t quite found her off button. The mother of two continues to chase that illusive work-life balance everyone’s talking about. In her downtime she likes to bake (Yes with all of this and her busy schedule she bakes!) which has turned into family time with her daughter, exercise and her obsession and escape through TV shows: Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Power, Empire and Being Mary Jane.

Naturally in speaking of her downtime work comes up as Lee reveals during commercials she’s thinking of work and observing how other brands are represented. Which brings us to her only weakness that of not being able to shut her brain off. Her morning starts off at 5:45am and her day doesn’t really slow down from then on. She’s turned to meditation to help her to relax and keep

her focused. This she shares with her team who are all finding different ways to help each other on a wellness quest.

Her secret to being a great marketer seems to be her authenticity. What was unfortunate about this interview, simply was, that it had to end.

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With almost everything now “on-the-go”, a lot of people are online most of their waking hours. For some, the

Internet has become a regular part of their life-their go-to place for motivation, connection, gossip, and even bitching. Though everyone is free to speak out their honest mind, an angry negative review at Google Places may have been left by some sleazy competitor. Cases when social media become a ground for bullying are not uncommon both for individuals and businesses. For reputation management, there are several ways to handle situations when you or your business is being attacked.

Do Not Give Your Attackers the Satisfaction

Bullies love the show, and attacking back not only gives them the satisfaction but also attracts more people and more potential bullies to get involved. Let their attempts at a fight backfire by not giving in to what they expect. The best reputation management to keep in mind upon

the realization of possible assault to your credibility is to keep calm and be polite. This can easily neutralize the situation and sabotage the attacker’s plots.

Face the Issue…With a Smile

If you have to react, then do so politely. This will immediately disarm bullies or angry people whether customers, employees or partners. There are times when out of extreme emotions, people tend to become monsters without them realizing. So when you talk back in the most respectful way, you are helping them regain composure and become aware of how inappropriate they have let their feelings be known. Then you can easily convince them through private message to please hide, delete, or make the post visible only to involved parties.

Monitor and Be Proactive

There are SMM tools that you can use to check and monitor brand mentions so you know if your business is being subjected to Social Media bullying or what type of feedbacks your services and products are getting. This can help minimize the escalation of spam messages when handled properly in the soonest possible time. Sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish between disgruntled customers to online bullies. So it pays to be proactive and communicate. While at it, you have to:-Apologize – a simple sorry can easily be the damage control. If it has been a mistake on your end, then try to make amendments. If not, then just apologize for their situation. Saying sorry does not mean you are taking responsibility, it can also be said to simply acknowledge that they are upset.

- Delete, block and report-online bullies or trolls are mean just for the sake of pissing somebody or everybody off. When the troll won’t stop then the best Reputation Management strategy you can use is to get rid of him.

- Worst Case Scenario-When faced with social media bullying, make sure that you keep record of the defiling statements made, if the harassment continues outside of the network, then it would be high time to be thinking about filing cases.

How to Handle Social Media BullyingBy Amone Echru

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The

7Deadly Habits

of Ineffective Sales People By Doug Dvorak

The sales profession is not easy, and it takes a special person with the correct skillsets to be able to be effective in sales. While people can learn the skills that they need to be a great salesperson, they often do much better in the profession if they possess natural instincts and abilities as well. There are many deadly sales habits that ineffective sales agents have, and they don’t even realize in most cases. The following 7 fatal habits can be avoided or corrected with the right help and training.

1. Thinking Short Term. Some sales professionals are so wrapped

up in the short-term sale, that they don’t consider the long-term value of their customers. Long standing profitable relationships can go down the tubes with one bad decision or complaint that is handled badly. Think about the long-term course of things to be successful.

2. Bad Plan Structure. Failing to plan is pretty much an indicator

that you are planning to fail. Just because someone calls and says they might be interested in your products or services, you can’t drop everything and neglect the business you currently have. Structure, planning, and time management are critical if sales managers expect to succeed.

3. Over Promising. Never over promise something that you can’t

deliver! It is much better to under promise, so that your customer’s expectations will be exceeded. Customers will respect this realistic approach, and they will be happy if they get more than they expected. Over promising and under delivering will kill your sales quickly.

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All of the above bad habits can be corrected or avoided, if sales professionals are willing to spend the time that it takes to improve their performances. Most companies will offer training on proper sales techniques and approaches, to

improve the way their sales professionals do business.

4. Cold Call Phobias. Nobody likes cold calls, but they are often

necessary to boost sales and generate leads. Many sales professionals wilt when they receive rejections, and it causes them to have a negative attitude towards cold calling. Learning how to handle rejections in a positive way is the key to avoiding phone phobia.

5. Over Proposing. If a prospective buyer calls to check out

your product, and you bombard them with a 30minute proposal without letting them get a

word in edgewise, then they will probably leave without buying anything. Find out what their interests and concerns are before pitching your product. If they feel like you are listening, then

they may be more apt to make a purchase.

6. Non-Referring. Networking is a powerful thing in sales. If sales

professionals are afraid to ask a customer for referrals, then they may have a hard time generating free leads. Always ask for referrals!

7. Hiding from Complicated Deals. If a deal seems like it is heading south, don’t

stick your head in the sand! Work through the deal with the customer to try to salvage the situation. Customers that complain or who are hard sales can often turn into your best customers. If you hide from the situation, then you have no chance of salvaging the sale.

1. Do conversations online cause more noise than action? Think Twitter.

Ans: I would say no because we have seen where movements have been started online, which have brought government to their knees (think Egypt) We have also seen products becoming major brands through social media (think Amazon, Spodify, etc) When it comes to twitter although it seems like noise, its the new way of keeping up with current affairs and keeping discussions going about whats going on today with twitter message. Its really the new talk radio.

2. From a marketing standpoint, is an PR effort successful if it achieves it’s aim (for eg. Assisting a Nursing Home) but without getting any credit for it?

Ans: This again depends on your goals for PR, Definitely Yes, if the project was to help. Nothing beats a great referral and you will have brand loyalty for life.

3. You’re in the FMCG industry, what are the top two ways to create brand loyalty for your product?

Ans: Ensuring you have a great product to market and Understanding your target market to develop a connection with each customer thus creating brand ambassadors instead of consumers.

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Chocolate Dreams A little bit of Happiness

The ultimate party favour has arrived, its about 2 cm wide, covered in chocolate and contains a surprise. But we’ll give you a hint: it’s got a cherry. We’re talking about the ‘Cherry Surprise,’ Chocolate Dreams’ best-seller product that has the right dose of rum that owner Michelle Smith says is just enough to get you through the day. This handmade chocolate company is on the verge and OTB caught wind of this.

After 11 years operating in Jamaica, the company reserves a warm place in our hearts or as Smith puts in, “Chocolate Dreams provides just a little bit of happiness” [when one needs it]. Possibly the most relatable experience one can fathom, people love to be around chocolate, not just the tastes but also the scent, being inside Chocolate Dreams lifts your spirit in unexpected ways.

Its 10:30 in the morning and we’ve caught up with Smith in the middle of her hectic day. By this point, she’s hit the gym for an hour, checked in at her factory, and jumped on the business of sales. She’s taken a break to speak with us and following our departure she’ll be right back in the thick of things. Her day awaits current projects geared towards reshaping her company structure and increasing her customer base and profit margins.

And this starts with a move into the supermarkets. Chocolate Dreams will have a new home at Loshusan Barbican where store customers will have immediate access to some gourmet chocolates and cakes. This move will act as the

prototype that may set the pace for Chocolate Dreams moving in to supermarkets across the island.

Another major move by Smith is the decision to take the company on an e-commerce platform. In the coming weeks, customers will be able to place their orders online, pay and either pickup in store or have their orders delivered.

With 11 years of experience under her wings, Smith is taking strides that will eventually take her brand into other

Caribbean countries. Her current clientele includes both personal and corporate clientele as well as tapping into the hotels. Since its erection, Chocolate Dreams has been supplying Spanish Court’s bakery needs. Smith hopes to mimic this success in other islands.

Coming from the days of operating in a small 2-bedroom apartment on her own to now running a 1700 sq ft factory of 18 employees all committed to her cause. And after coming so far, Smith credits God as her go to person, her guide and whom she leans on in her darkest days.

SECTION: ON THE VERGE

WHAT THE…IS SAGICOR BANK CHEATING US BYKEEPING THEIR LIPS SEALED?By Roland Debois

Sagicor Bank, the new entrant in the Commercial Bank space. The Saviour of Banking with a background in Insurance….. surely they would understand the plight of the Jamaican people; surely they would bring change change to the banking sector by introducing a new way of doing business without being the next “Greedy Banker”…..or so we thought Sagicor Bank not only followed suit to the already burdensome, low interest yielding, and high fee based banking system, but came in full Viking mode.

Sagicor Bank took over RBC Bank overnight and branded in short order, wasting no expense on executing their marketing plan with lighting speed and efficiency. Next up for change was their banking halls ensuring more space was created for their expected long lines and a larger customer service waiting area, surely in expectation of keeping the Jamaican public comfortable while they wait their expected one to two hours.

Kudos to Sagicor for having the foresight to see that the Jamaican public would rush to their insurance company’s arm in hopes of a better way of banking after being raped by the big two for so long. Unfortunately Sagicor Bank had other plans.

Although no cost was spared on branding and improving their banking halls, the savings were made by cutting back on their system design, which has had one glitch after the other at the expense of their customers. This can be seen as early as March 2015 as detailed in IC Insiders online article dated April 22, 2015 “Sagicor messes up interest charge” http://icinsider.com/sagicor-messes-up-interest-charge/

We all understand investments are made to make as much profits as possible, and we are not naive to think that Sagicor Bank is any different. However, we could not conceive the underhanded tactics they would have used to gain these profits. The slow integration of their online banking and lack of interest in the integration of customers’ accounts shows exactly what is most important to this bank.

Acquisitions usually come with levels of uncertainty and challenges but it’s the management of these that shows the integrity of a company. Sagicor Bank has without a doubt, , through their constant cover-up, has shown us that they cannot be trusted with our money Evidence of this is seen daily by:

• Glitches in their system which rob persons of their already meagre interest.

• Rising of their fees without any prior notification to their customers.

• Back charging on fees again without warning• Refusal to return fees or pay over interest.

The Ministry of Finance and the FSC must place Sagicor Bank under their microscope and complete a comprehensive report on the behalf of the public detailing the business practises and handling of customers’ accounts.

One horror story is told of a father doing his banking run and has his daughter for the day, while doing his transaction his daughter reached over to the teller and asked “may I have the balance on my account please”, she’s been saving her weekly allowance since RBTT, only to hear the teller say an amount that is significantly

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On The Brink Magazine 24

less money than she thought, with tears in her eyes she asks why?.

The story picks up as the child and her father are referred to the information desk, where they receive a number and after waiting for one and a half hour, a representative finally tells the inconsolable young lady that her account was changed to The Advantage Saving Account which has been charging fees for the past seven months, again the tears roll again trying to make sense of what is being told to her.

The Rep then proceeds to inform the 13 year old that, she should have checked on her account and changed the account back to a Prime Savings Account which has no charges if less than two withdrawals are made per month!.

Let’s put this into perspective, how would anybody know what is happening with their accounts without being notified, and furthermore how does a child get to a bank which opens between 8:30 to 3pm daily when school starts at 7am and ends at 3pm daily.

This story is a true testament of what has happened at the Dominica location of Sagicor Bank. These are the horror stories which have been reoccurring since Sagicor Bank opened its doors and shows us that Marketing is the most

important element to banking.

Sorry customers another greedy bank is on the rise.

“The Ministry of Finance and the FSC must place

Sagicor Bank under their microscope and complete

a comprehensive report on the behalf of the public

detailing the business practises and handling of

customers’ accounts.”

On The Brink Magazine 25

When we think about leadership, we almost invariably start by thinking about people whom we consider natural leaders. These people just seem like they were born to lead, that they were given all of life’s advantages and born with the right personality and skillset required to be a leader. However, it’s a lot more powerful and advantageous to understand that leadership is a learned skill, like any other. While some people might be born with a slightly greater tendency to lead than others- that does not mean that only some people can become leaders while all others are destined to follow.

The idea of the natural leader crops up again and again in our culture, whether you’re reading the newspaper or reading fairy tales. The idea that some people are just more virtuous and pure (and thus more deserving of leading) than the rest of us is an idea that we’re told again and again. This myth is nothing more than those in power justifying their rule, while denying the ability of any other person, family, or group, to properly lead. While it seems innocuous, the myth that some people are more natural leaders than others is ultimately a fiction that holds a lot of people back, while empowering and aggrandizing the few.

We also tend to feel that you can tell who is going to be a leader from a very early age. This idea is tied very similarly to the myth of the natural leader. Looking out on the playground, it becomes apparent that some kids seem to be doing better

socially than others. Kids with a good athletic sense, kids who grow bigger and stronger and faster at

an accelerated rate, kids who are naturally good looking or naturally charming- all of these children seem to be destined for great things. These kids

seem to get their way, and they seem to be able to tell the other kids what to do, which logically would set them on the correct path for life.

Thankfully, this also is not the case. Any adult can think back to their time growing up on the playground and remember the kids who seemed to have all the advantages. However, when we think about which of the people we grew up with that ultimately achieved great things, it becomes clear that there is no definite connection between early success and later success in life. In fact, is there any cliché greater than the high achiever, the sports star, or the prom queen, who ended up making very little out of their lives after school?

In many ways, the disadvantaged kids are the ones who have the best shot at success. Those who are born without the host of advantages that seem to have been given to their peers often have to figure out new and different ways to succeed than others. Often they have to learn how to work with others who are good at the things they aren’t, and often they can’t simply rely on their own ability to get things done. Instead, if they are firmly committed to achieving their ambitions, it’s the less visibly enviable children who end up changing everything.

The Harmful Myths of The Natural LeaderBy Sam Stieler

“This Myth is nothing more than those in

power justifying their rule”

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On The Brink Magazine 26

REGAINING CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCESYou’ve blown up your credit cards and are now only able to make the minimum payments each month. You can’t seem to control your spending and you have absolutely no savings. You’ve taken out a loan to alleviate your debt issues, but you’ve blown that too. Now what? It’s time to regain control of your finances. How you ask?

1. Get up and decide this is going to happen. Condition your mind that it won’t be easy and commit to the process.

2. Track your spending and create a list of necessary spending and one for unnecessary spending.

3. Assess where your money goes versus where it needs to go.

4. Look out for ways to cut back your spending. This is a lot easier than you think. Consider food – you need to eat lunch everyday at work but do you need to eat fast food or can it be a homemade sandwich?

5. Set a realistic budget. Ensure you will always have $$ in your pockets. If you start to feel deprived you may start emotional spending.

6. Pay your bills then pay yourself. Ok it’s important to still pay out that minimum balance required on your credit card along with all other bills. But pay yourself as well. This way you will not feel so restricted on your quest to take back your finances.

7. Consolidate your debt. This may seem like a last resort or seem more of a long-term option but consolidating your debt can take the stress out of this situation that could be leading to health problems.

8. And finally set achievable goals and reward yourself at every milestone.

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On The Brink Magazine 28

Cable & Wireless: The Legacy Continues

“What were they thinking”? That’s the sentiment in the public when the name FLOW is mentioned or “them damn Cable and Wireless people messing up another good brand”!

This feels like history reaping itself and the change from C&W to LIME all over again, this company keeps taking great names messing them up by marketing before the operations issues are sorted. A wise man once told me that the worst thing you can do is market a bad product. This is not quite the case but the sentiment still remains, Flow was a flourishing brand which is now being torn to shreds by the critics because Lime couldn’t wait to have a change of name.

While here comes Digicel again waiting in on the sidelines for things to get worse, right before they swoop in and “save the day”. Don’t get me wrong, Digicel is no knight in shining armour; they are just great at timing and C&W / LIME, now Flow is terrible at reading the market.

Warren Buffet once said in an interview with Forbes Magazine that great deals are all about the right timing, this seems to be the problem with C&W / Lime now Flow. However the main question that needs to be answered is, will this giant fix its problems before Digi Play becomes the solution? The New Flow is already losing

“Work out the kinks in the Internet service before marketing it as a premium

service. The number of drops per day cannot be that significant and

still be considered fast.”

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On The Brink Magazine 30

credibility and patience is wearing thin, persons are already touting the sentiment of the past, the they just want to leave Flow not because DigiPlay might be better but just because they hate Flow and the disdain toward their customers.

In my humble opinion something needs to be done before this flame catches on. I know I wasn’t asked to help, but I feel obliged to lend a hand when I see it is needed. Here are my top five ways in which the New Flow can still be saved by,:

1. Removing Mr. Sinclair from the front line and allowing Carlo Redwood, Kim Lee, Stephen Price or any of the top marketing executives which had been head hunted for the role to become the Public face of Flow. Sorry Mr. Sinclair but you are a bit to honest at this time and we all saw what the bitter medicine did for Mr. Hollness.

2. Work out the kinks in the Internet service before marketing it as a premium service. The number of drops per day cannot be that significant and still be considered fast.

3. Develop a dedicated internet package within $5,000 per month for Sole traders and small business with a tier system up to $15,000 per month for medium sized businesses

4. Stop cutting channels daily and give Free Movie pass weekend every weekend until 2016. Use HBO, Cinimax, Starz or any of the movie channels as the Free pass until 2016. We know it wasn’t your fault but do it, just because you care….

5. Create a standalone Movie package with the choice of 10 other stations for $1,499.00. No details needed, just work on it!

The bonus advice would be to fix your customer service issues before December 25th 2015 and change your commercials to a WE ARE HERE FOR YOU campaign in time for Christmas.

Because after Christmas you might have a flashback to the days of C&W vs the people of Jamaica and the shining armour of the knight will be red this time and he will be more than willing to save us all.

John Mahfood: A Definitive Guide To Making It In This Country Without the Gov’t

SECTION: COVER STORY

“I realized I didn’t enjoy working for other people. My personality didn’t suit the environment in the sense that if something is wrong I say so, if my boss does something wrong I said so and we then would clash. So although it’s important to be honest and speak up which is one of the reasons I moved up quickly in companies, the other is don’t criticize your boss openly”

“I like getting to work before

7am each morning and getting

things done, its usually quiet then

so I get a lot done” this also was

the setting for our early morning

interview with Mr. John Mahfood

of Tetley Jamaica Limited or the

more favoured name Caribbean

Dreams.

His story is quite the polar opposite

to the typical Entrepreneur who

knew from as long as they can

remember, what they wanted to

do in life. Instead, his story seems

to be about avoiding the inevitable

and then at last embracing his

destiny.

“Every moment of the day when I

wasn’t at school I was working with

my Dad in his stores downtown,

Kingston. I hated not having any

holidays or free time like my

friends.” Unbeknownst to young

John at the time, this would be

the foundation to his strong

leadership of the Teas market

in Jamaica. Caribbean Dreams

really took some prominence

when going public on the Junior

Stock Exchange in 2010 and

has dominated Teas in Jamaica.

Although having some initial

resistance from his Dad about

going public who is also is Business

Partner, Life Coach, Mentor and

Friend, Dad came around when

the cards where laid out on the

table about the 5 year tax break

and 5 year reduced tax rates to

follow. The prospect of having

more flexible funds to finance their growth rather than that of the

traditional banks sealed the deal.

“They [Jamaican Banks] come from

a culture of not having to work very

hard, with whatever money they

take from the depositor they lend

it to the government at interest

rates of 25% or 45%. So they

lend to the gov’t at 45% and give

depositors 6% that’s the reason

they don’t have to take any risks.”

After Chairman Dad then gave his

thumps up, Caribbean Dreams

have since dominated the market

and is now exporting in USA

and Europe with 75% of income

coming in from exports.

Although a major advocate for

education, he quickly expressed

“I tried UTECH for a year and

that didn’t work out. At that

time there was an opportunity

to work in certain fields such as law and accounting and I chose accounting. I went to England but I didn’t like public accounting, so I didn’t pass the exams.” He

credits the responsibility of having

a wife and family to giving him the

drive to complete his professional

studies as an Accountant that

drove him to his next love-hate

relationship. “I came back to

Jamaica in the early 80s with the

foundation of my father’s business

and my accounting knowledge

base, I worked for Geddes Grant

as a financial controller then went into the operating side of the

“I tried UTECH for

a year and that

didn’t work out.

At that time there

was an opportunity

to work in certain

fields such as law and accounting and I chose accounting. I went to England but I didn’t like public accounting, so I didn’t pass the

exams.”

SECTION: COVER STORY

business. They were bought out in 93 by a Trinidadian

company and in 96 they sold out. It was then I was

given the opportunity to buy Tetley. My father and I

and a third partner bought the company and went

into business together.

“I realized I didn’t enjoy working for other people. My personality didn’t suit the environment in the sense that if something is wrong I say so, if my boss does something wrong I said so and we then would clash. So although it’s important to be honest and speak up which is one of the reasons I

moved up quickly in companies, the other is don’t criticize your boss openly” [laughs]. His years at

Geddies Grant in various senior management roles

and Grace Kennedy as the fixer notably for his work at HiLo to expand the store chain, were all significant contributors to being prepared for his current role.

“The time at Grace opened up my eyes to world of business and the opportunities available, Grace Kennedy was a University of information for me.”

Mahfood was mostly in a consultant position for

years of Tetley’s operation. It was his father’s illness

that pushed John into a more operations role. Upon

his father’s return John stayed on at the company

and enjoyed a close relationship with his father. He

reflects on sharing an office space with a small group and working well together.

Soon enough John saw the opportunities

internationally, denoting “as the years passed and

the 2nd and 3rd generations of Jamaicans came up, they moved away from the common areas Jamaicans occupied and started shopping in major supermarkets

such as Publix. They discovered ways to attract

Jamaicans in stores as previously done with ethnic

aisles for Indians or Chinese. Little by little they

moved to have a Caribbean aisle”.

Following this revelation, Tetley appointed a major

distributor in New York and was successful in aligning

products in the right stores. “The hope was that

mainstream American will begin to become aware

of the herbal teas benefits”, Mahfood stated. In fact the world has been leaning towards alternatives to

drinking coffee and Tetley seemed to step forward at

just the right time.

New Ventures

John Mahfood has the ideal personality of an

entrepreneur, he’s passionate, has a strong sense of

who he is and he’s a visionary. He’s tried new things

in new industries and has made it somewhat difficult to ask our customary question of ‘what’s next?’

From what we gather his answer is, he’s busy

doing it. Recently opening a supermarket in the

Meadowbrook community with a business partner,

an opportunity he jumped at thinking it would be

profitable. A decision that proved to be a right one, the successful venture led to 2 more of its kind.

Interestingly though, Mahfood has dipped his hand

in the real estate business. After building a small

commercial building in 2012, he was enticed when

a colleague brought the prospect of a property

on Kingsway. The formula was simple, he was

presented with a design, and existing construction

company and was approached for funding. It was

here Mahfood got a true taste of the bureaucracy

and challenges in real estate. He spoke of the long

and expensive approval costs, and the taxes faced.

Taxes took shape of GCT, import duty and transfer

taxes, all assigned to the process. Mahfood walked

out on top despite his dissatisfaction with parts of

the processes and reportedly sold out when the

properties were advertised on day one. A definitive measure of success, though Mahfood [laughs] notes

they “realized they must have been sold too cheap”.

So what did Mahfood do with this result? He went in

for round two and took on another real estate project

in St. Thomas. Slightly different, this housing was

completed some 10 years ago but was abandoned.

While the physical structure was destroyed, the team

had a working water system as well as electricity.

Thinking it was a good opportunity, again Mahfood

dived right it. Discovering the buereocracy was even

more difficult when working renovations, Mahfood faced yet another challenge. And yet again he

dominated and came out on top. Real estate seems

to be a liked direction he’s taking to and future plans

and for independent growth in this arena.

Highly motivated and confident, Mahfood states “he’s never met a problem he couldn’t solve” a trait

handed down from his father who would stick to a

problem until he found a solution. With his mind,

attitude and perseverance, what’s next for Mahfood

may be to conquer the world.

Brink Tech Suppor t – 4Must Have Gadgets

The LaCie RuggedKey is built to withstand accidental drops from heights far above what you’d encounter on your way to the office. Its rubber construction is 100-meter drop-resistant. That means ultimate protection for your key – and your data – for all of life’s little stumbles. The RuggedKey has a USB 3.0 interface and file transfer speed of up to 150 MB/s, but it’s also backward compatible with USB 2.0. the USB also comes with AES 256-bit encryption for data security.

Cost: US$39.99

LaCie RuggedKey

SECTION: TECHNOLOGY

Brink Tech Suppor t – 4Must Have Gadgets

The SyrenPro is a wireless weather-resistant outdoor Bluetooth speaker with TrueWireless Stereo pairing, which lets you create your own stereo system wirelessly using two speakers. The speakers can be plugged into an electrical outlet or run by rechargeable battery for up to four hours, so you can enjoy your music anywhere. The speakers provide 360-degree sound, are weathe/UV resistant and work with most Bluetooth devices.

Cost: US$ 129.99

The iGo Portable Projector allows you to protject videos up to the size of a 70’’ telivision onto any presentable surface. Developed for Flip video cameras, the iGo Portable Projector can also be connected to laptops and smartphones. It suports MicrosSD memory cards up to 32 GB and has built-in 0.5W speakers. Battery life is estimated at 1.5 hours.

Need an additional USB port? Why not get the Belkin In-Desk USB Hub, which comes in a cylindrical shape and will slot nicely into that grommet hole in your desk. That’s killing two birds with one stone. Get that unsightly plastic widget out of the way and connect up to four USB devices to it with plug-and-play ease.

SyrenPro

iGo Portable Projector

Belkin In-Desk USB Hub

TAKE OVER TV

Reggae superstar Singing Melody is giving his fans a treat. The singer who has been a major performer on reggae’s global stage for decades is bringing his life to TV and he’s not leaving his effervescent wife Ruby behind. The two are featured in a new television series starting on CVM TV and CEEN TV in November. The show called The Hardweares is a reality series where family and music meet home and garden.

The Hardweares aren’t your typical couple. It’s a celebrity living with a hardnosed business woman who is

trying to live a somewhat normal live. But what Ruby considers normal is very different from what Everton is accustomed to. The series is built around veteran singer, songwriter, producer and promoter Singing Melody (Everton Hardweare) and his wife Ruby Robinson-Hardweare who is an IT and Telecommunications Executive; an unlikely couple who met and fell in love some 10 years ago.

They are both passionate about their individual careers and despite having diverse viewpoints their love for each other has kept them going. The show

follows the couple across the US, Canada and the Caribbean as Singing Melody further builds his career with Ruby’s unwavering support.

The three pillars on which The Hardweares series is built are: the romance between Everton and Ruby; Everton’s music career and the dream house which they’ve been building over the past few years. “What fans will see is the various sides of me.

They’ll get more than just a sneak peek into the ins and outs of my daily routine. They’ll get a front row seat to see how Ruby and I make tough decisions about the house and my career, even though most times it’s a tussle,” said Singing Melody with a sly chuckle.

The Hardweares will fill a major gap

in television programming. Local television has a few programs that fall into the category of reality TV; however none fully caters to the audience which The Hardweares seeks to engage.

The Hardweares will easily distinguish itself from the pack by the high quality and excellent production value of the series. The show will also set itself

apart because it will combine real love with real life. It will be entertaining,

inspirational and educational as it tackles everyday issues associated with a newlywed couple building their life together.

The show will take viewers on a journey of love and hard work and will chronicle some of the earliest moments in the marriage of The Hardweares. “We really wanted to bring something fresh to the television landscape and we know Jamaicans will watch our show and leave feeling that the time they spent with us was well spent as we’re not about empty frivolous entertainment.

Of course we’ll entertain, knowing the things Everton does when he thinks no one is watching, but we know people will learn from our show because just like everyone we make mistakes and we’re not afraid to bare our all for them to see,” said Ruby.

The Hardweares has a powerhouse award winning production team which is known for producing riveting and entertaining television. The Panache

Entertainment team which produces The Hardweares is headed by Senior Producer Angela Thame who is an Emmy winning producer who has won awards working on the Oprah

show. She is supported by multi award winning producer Sonya Stewart who has many accolades which include several local Press Association of Jamaica and Fair Play Awards along with an Emmy award which she won for a gripping documentary on Lee Boyd Malvo. Also on the Panache team is award winning videographer and editor Dorian Clarke.

The Hardweares makes its television debut with simulcasts airing in Jamaica, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa, Boston, New Jersey, Toronto, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Baltimore, Palm Springs Florida and several other markets. The show airs on CVM TV in Jamaica and on CEEN TV in the USA and Canada on Saturdays at 10 PM. Each episode is 30 minutes. The season runs 13 weeks

from November 21, 2016 to February 13, 2015. Season one ends fittingly a day before Valentine’s Day.

The Hardweares will be very involved on social media as the couple seeks to engage the audience . Both Ruby and Singing melody will be live tweeting the show. Be sure to use the hashtag

#TheHardweares. The Hardweares is clean family entertainment that will appeal to all ages. It’s simply must watch TV.

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THE HARDWEARES LAUNCH

SECTION: SOCIALSECTION: SOCIAL

THE HARDWEARES LAUNCH

75th Anniversary Launch for Boys’ Town.Thursday, November 5th, 2015 a Spanish Court Hotel 04

05

01

Photo 1. L - R: Chris Issa (Spanish Court Hotel) shares lenses time with James Sam-uels (Chair, Kingston Metro-politan Resort Board), Trevor Spence (CEO of Boys’ Town) & Rev. Stephen Mullings (Chaplin of Boys’ Town)

02

2: Members of the head tale at the 75th anniversary of Boys’ TownL-R: • Andrew Price, O.D - Board Director, Chair of the Sports Council, Coach of Boys’ Town Football Team • Paul Facey - Private Sector Partner • Sylvia Banks - Principal Boys’ Town All Age School • Lyndel Wright, O.D - Board Director • Yvonne Beckford-Hewitt - HEART Trust • Trevor Spence - CEO • Chris Issa - Spanish Court • Joseph ‘Junior’ Lincoln, O.D - Vice Chairman, Chairman of Boys Town Old Boys Association (Culture) • James Samuels - Chair of the programme

Photo 3: Mr Trevor Spence makes a point during 75th Anniversary launch of Boys’ Town Photo 4: Lindel Wright, Andrew Price & Rev. Stephen MullingsPhoto 5: W. Billy Heaven speaking with members of Boys’ Town Board

03

Ricardo Skyers15 Apps

to Enhance Your Productivity

Each issue we quiz the industry’s most productive executives on the technological tools they use to get the results they need. This issue features none other than the Trade Marketing Manager at Pepsi Cola Jamaica – Ricardo Skyers.

After a brief sit down with Skyers, his personality immediately rears its head, oh and thankfully it’s a great one. So here goes:

S. Planner – Coming in at number 1,

Skyers looks to the S. Planner app. What’s this? This has been Samsung’s calendar option that makes tracking and scheduling your events flow with ease. You can sync with your google account, facebook and add your locations through Google maps

S. Note – And this naturally follows the S. Planner. Skyers notes that in his fast paced job, he uses this app to make quick memos and quick jottings on the road to create reminders for later.

Loop, JA Observer, Star, the Gleaner & BBC – 3-7 Taking up 4 spots in his smartphone are 4 apps every Jamaican should have at least one of on their phone.

Instagram, Facebook & Twitter 8-10

Sees his appreciation for Social Media. He quickly points out the value of social media for coming up with new ideas & not so much for idle time. Important to note is that this man seems to always be working. But when you love what you do….

Push Bullet – [Insert a few inappropriate

jabs here and there on the dangers of having this app in your personal life] and we’re off! Push Bullet is a must have app according to Mr. Skyers. He cites its ability to link all devices such as your tablet, PC and smartphone & “pushes” your /notifications to all. Essentially Pushbullet mirrors your phone’s notifications to all devices which keeps you informed at all times.

Side Think – Why? This app allows you to read messages on your phone while answering your phone on your tablet. Enough. Said.

Total Fitness – Welcome to the OTB’s favourite app that you can find on Skyers phone. Let’s just say, the OTB team is equally as enthusiastic about a healthy bod as is Skyers. He [laughs] as he dotes the app’s ability to track his (everyday) morning runs at 5 am. Regardless, he believes and healthy mind and body is key to being focused and driven.

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12

13

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3-7

8-10

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FitBit – Going hand in hand with Total Fitness is his FitBit tracker.

Duolingo – And finally his 15th most productive app is the ‘learn a language the fun way’ with Duolingo. Falling with the Latin America market, Skyers is in constant communication with International and Regional brand representatives. Learning a second language is a nifty skill to be picking up.

Ricardo Skyers has put together a noteworthy collection of must have apps in order to be productive and has earned our team’s nod of approval. Look out for a follow up to this interview in our December issue where we dive head first into the hilarious and productive world that belongs to Mr. Skyers.

1415

It’s no surprise that the social networking world can be a mean and spiteful place, just like how any large gathering of people can turn out that way.

There are vain and shallow people. Also some very dumb people, who love to revel in their reckless ignorance. For every funny status update or tweet, there are just as many if not more condemnations. For every kind comment, there’s at least one smart ass insult. For every wise kernel of wisdom, there’s a braggart boasting about their day.

So are the various social networks to blame? Did they make us more shallow, vain, impatient, and judgmental?

Stone Age JerksSocial networking is like the new elementary school recess, and because of that I think of cyber-bullying. It can ruin reputations, divide social groups, and even lead to depression or worse. Because it can be done anonymously and asynchronously, it can be done by anyone at anytime. It’s a terrible thing.

But it’s not new. Bullying has existed in “real life” long before computers were ever in households. Having access to a victim on Facebook though has admittedly made the act of bullying far easier.

Gossip has existed as long as there’s been scandalous rumor to spread. What took hours by word of mouth to spread now only takes minutes, even seconds, by reading someone’s status update and sharing it.

Vanity has always been with us, but before we took photos of ourselves and posted them for everyone to see we just admired ourselves in the mirror.

Our bad sides have always been there. The development of online social networking hasn’t changed any of that behavior at their core, because before we had online technologies we “social networked” amongst ourselves in person, and to all the same detriments. All Facebook and Twitter did were make things easier and faster to spread.

And because anything online can gain exposure so much faster than in person, anything for good or bad gets that same rapid limelight.

Don’t Feed The TrollsBut what about trolling? The anonymity of the Web is purported to have encouraged more of this obnoxious and annoying behavior and heckling. So has it?

Well, being able to troll with impunity definitely gives an incentive, because who likes to get caught? But considering that trolling has not abated with the advent of social networking, which sought to de-anonymize the Web by having us use our real identities, perhaps such is not the case. People troll because they can, jerks will act like jerks because they are jerks. And since trolling has continued even after the protective shade of secrecy has been removed, impunity cannot be the sole cause of this malicious behavior.

Political enemies and pundits used to insult each other all the time through published pamphlets and treatises, usually written under pseudonyms. Sound familiar? At least back then it took a few weeks for the papers to go to press and

then get distributed. Online, it takes but an instant click.

So has the Web made us, as a people, worse off? I beg to differ; all it has done is give our worst aspects a quicker venue with an even bigger audience. It’s like adding fuel to the flames. But inside they were always there, that fire was always burning inside.

Social networking, like all technology from cars to guns to hammers, is inherently neutral. It is a tool. What determines the “ethics” of the tool are the ethics, or lack thereof, in the wielder.

SECTION: TECHNOLOGY

On The Brink Entrepreneurs Speak

John Mahfood’s Top10

Secret toSuccess

1. Always get to work on time – Whether you’re good at your job or not, you’re gonna stand out. Besides, most people are usually late so you will already be ahead of the pack by being early.

2. Meet your Deadlines – No matter the circumstance, ensure your deadlines are met. It speaks to your integrity and ability to perform and do as you say you will.

3. Speak Up - About issues in the company or some kind of contribution. It may save jobs and costly mistakes.

4. State your ideas and let your ideas be known.

5. Show interest in everything you do. Be enthusiastic about your job or project.

6. Stay Friendly – Always have a friendly disposition towards life and the people you interact with daily, this is a sure fire way to be recognized and move forward, people love positive personalities.

7. Always take your opportunities to grow – The point is if you do it the right way, even the company you were with will take you back when they have seen your growth.

8. Don’t rely on yourself for all the answers, get mentors or talk to your team, and use their advice if its warranted.

9. Never give up on issues, always find a solution to the problem.

10. Always find time to think – Don’t get caught up in the idea that one has to be busy to be successful. You must reserve time to think, strategise, and implement. Time must be taken to look at where you are going and then refocus to ensure growth is happening and/or your company is going in the right direction.

Top 8 Times When Not to Call in Sick for Work

This article speaks to the lazy days when you just don’t want to get out of bed, or if you have a loving coworker where when you say love you mean pest. Nevertheless you’ve decided to use one of your 10 sick days for when you are indeed healthy and well and able to make your way in to the cause. Today, you’ve decided to throw caution to the win, our advice though, is to ensure this day isn’t one of these 8 worst days not to face the music.

1. The Day After A Major HolidayLet’s be real here, you just had a vacation! Be it a short one or a long one, it will be very obvious when everyone else shows up not so happy to be back and

there’s an empty chair in the office.

2. When Half the Office is SickThis one is tricky and can go either way. If there’s a bug going around the office and everyone is being hit one by one, as one of the few to be hit yourself but still to have dragged your way in….its a good look to

those above you. Trust that in this moment, you will be noticed. Though execute with heed, if you truly can’t make it in, then don’t.

3. The Day of a Major Project DeadlineMany of us work in an environment where if you’re missing for one day it’s a costly impact on the rest of the team and the projects at hand. For those of you who find yourselves in this position, you cannot call in sick on the day of a major project deadline BAR NONE!. Well getting rushed to the hospital is the actual exception.

4.The Day of an Unrecognized Significant Holiday (AKA Valentine’s Day or the day after Heroes Day)Quite frankly if you belong to the infamous posy of those living their lives on social media and everyone knows what your plans are well before they take place

or get a play by play live updates of when you’re out, you should not attempt to skip work on Cinco De Mayo, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Mothers’ Day or any other of its kind.

5. Your Birthday The mother of all days is your birthday. Please note that EVERYONE will find out someway that last Tuesday when you came down with the runs was in fact your birthday. Whether its through that pic you told your friends not to tag you in so you wouldn’t get caught or through that epic story you had to share with you coworker and got trapped

in the ultimate lie. Don’t do it! If its any of these 8 days not to do it, this is it. It matters not what you position is at your organization, it only matters that you will lose some level of respect for doing so.

6. Mondays or Fridays Trying to sneak in a long weekend there? Thought

you wouldn’t get noticed? Listen if its one thing I’ve learned, there’s no more bitter a coworker can get than having dragged there a** to work, early at that, on a Monday morning only to see and empty cubicle looming across from them. And to rub salt in an open wound, that person shows up Tuesday morning every so cheerful. Keep the peace. Keep. The. Peace.

7. After a Fight With a CoworkerImagine you’ve lost your place for a minute and the worst possible time. You’ve tarnished your squeaky clean image all because of your tyrant of a coworker. The entire office witnessed your blow out of an argument. Now what? You think call in sick of course; take the day for it to blow over.

NO! Get up, show up and get it together. You’re shaping your character here! And work doesn’t make allowance for your personal crap. Please note if HR gave you a letter asking you to take the day off…. this is actually the

time you need to take the day off.

8. When the Boss Is Away (there’s always a snitch close by)When the cat is away the mice will play! It’s no secret guys, when the bosses, supervisors or managers are away, all hell may break loose. And while your being conflict conscious and hoping to stay out of trouble by being absent altogether, remember one thing: the gatekeeper liveth! And he or she has no qualm ratting the mice s*** out of you.

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Top 8 Times When Not to Call in Sick for Work

How to Tell Your Employee You Were Wrong

If you’re thinking there’s a formula here for you to follow line by line to deal with this situation, you can stop reading right now. Now, take a deep breath and understand we are all humans and humans make mistakes. While being in a position of leadership comes with some uncertainties on how to handle matters in this realm, recognize that admitting to an error doesn’t make you any less qualified for what you do.

Let’s explore a few avenues to find the best decision that can be made here. You’ve decided not to bring it back on the table and not to admit

SECTION: CAREERS

you were wrong. This may lead to a broken line of communication with your employees. Likewise negativity may sneak into the thoughts of the employees as they question the character of the person who employs them. This plan is likely to backfire.

Breaking down the details of the mistake and using it as a principal guide as what not to do in the future could earn you respect for your openness and ability to get back on top of the issues at hand. Another aspect of taking this route may involve including an apology in your admission.

Finally being misguided that mistakes will make an employer weak can prove detrimental. To be successful professionally there will come a time when you must cast away fears, pride and insecurities. The secret is that a true leader earns respect particularly in moments that demand it.

What Does a Valuable EmployeeLook LikeChallenges in business aren’t limited to competition, product quality and operating costs. Often times what can be the most stressful area of a business for owners or even managers can be the employees. But enough of all that negativity…what does the ideal or most valuable look like?

They should have the following traits:1. Character-driven – Simply put, this employee must be

honest, upstanding and trustworthy. He/she must also be willing to go above and beyond to represent your company.

2. Proactive – You can almost always walk into an office and create two groups: those that wait to be told what to do and those who take the initiative to get things done. It goes without saying this candidate falls in the latter.

3. Reliable – If you cannot be relied on especially to meet crucial deadlines or able to follow instructions you’re a liability not an asset. He/she needs to demonstrate con-

sistently through their actions that they can stick to their commitments.

4. Positive – A killjoy is the last thing you need hanging around your establishment. The ideal employee will be contagiously positive and will spark productivity in their department or even the entire organization.

5. Adaptable – Willing to try a new approach to solving problems and slip into new environments and hit the ground running.

6. Self-Discipline – The ability to work independently with-

out supervision is priceless.

7. Ambitious – The Company needs ambitious employees who are working towards their career goals.

8. Passionate – Passionate employees are self-motivated and bring their best self to work each day.

9. Accountable – Someone who can take responsibility for his/her own actions when things aren’t looking up.

10. Interpersonal Skills – The most valuable employee will know how to play well with others both inside and out-side the company. They should also be marketable to partners and potential consumers.

11. Exceed Expectations – Yes its great if you are all of the above, but take it an extra mile. This person cements his/her value in the company by going above and be-

yond.

SECTION: CAREERS