Entrepreneurship

What VC’s look for before they invest in a virtual reality startup business.

In today’s rapidly changing world, the terms “education” and “skill development” are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion about their true meanings and implications. While both concepts are crucial for personal and professional growth, it is essential to recognize the fundamental differences between them. Education refers to the process of acquiring knowledge, typically through formal institutions, while skill development focuses on the practical application of that knowledge in specific areas. Understanding these distinctions can help individuals make informed decisions about their learning journeys and career paths.

Education encompasses a wide range of formal learning experiences, such as attending schools, colleges, or universities. It involves the acquisition of theoretical knowledge across various subjects, which can include mathematics, science, literature, history, and more. Education aims to provide individuals with a holistic understanding of the world, foster critical thinking, and encourage intellectual growth. It typically follows a structured curriculum designed to impart knowledge and develop analytical and problem-solving skills. Moreover, education often includes examinations and certifications to evaluate a person’s comprehension of the material.

On the other hand, skill development focuses on practical, hands-on training in specific areas that can be applied directly to real-world situations. Skills are the abilities acquired through practice, experience, and training. While education provides the foundational knowledge, skill development aims to transform that knowledge into actionable capabilities. These skills can be technical or non-technical, ranging from computer programming and plumbing to leadership and communication. Skill development often occurs through vocational training, apprenticeships, on-the-job experiences, or specialized courses.

One of the key distinctions between education and skill development lies in their intended outcomes. Education seeks to broaden an individual’s understanding of various subjects, fostering personal growth, and preparing them for a wide range of opportunities. It provides a solid foundation that enables individuals to adapt to different contexts and think critically. Education is often associated with obtaining degrees or diplomas, which serve as credentials and validate the completion of a particular course of study.

Skill development, however, focuses on enhancing specific competencies needed for particular roles or industries. Its primary objective is to ensure individuals possess the practical skills necessary to perform tasks effectively. Skill development programs are often tailored to the demands of the job market, aiming to bridge the gap between the knowledge gained through education and the skills needed to excel in specific professions. These programs place a strong emphasis on practical exercises, simulations, and real-life scenarios to help individuals develop hands-on expertise.

Both education and skill development play vital roles in personal and professional growth. Education equips individuals with a broad knowledge base, encourages critical thinking, and fosters intellectual curiosity. It provides the building blocks for a well-rounded individual and opens up opportunities for higher education, research, and intellectual pursuits. On the other hand, skill development allows individuals to specialize in particular areas, gain practical expertise, and succeed in specific professions. It enhances employability, boosts confidence, and equips individuals with the tools they need to excel in their chosen fields.

While education and skill development are distinct concepts, they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they complement each other and often go hand in hand. A strong educational foundation provides individuals with the necessary intellectual capacity to absorb and understand new skills quickly. Conversely, skill development helps individuals apply their educational knowledge practically, reinforcing their learning and making it more relevant.

Ultimately, the choice between education and skill development depends on an individual’s goals, interests, and circumstances. Some careers may require a solid educational background, while others may prioritize practical skills and hands-on experience. It is crucial for individuals to assess their aspirations, evaluate the demands of their desired professions, and seek a balanced combination of education and skill development to maximize their personal and professional growth.

In conclusion, education and skill development are distinct but interconnected aspects of personal and professional development. Education focuses on acquiring knowledge

Ho’oponopono Protocol for Peace

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving fields in technology today.

I’m sharing brief points for basic help,, for more details I am available for a chat / call.

Strong Administration

Just, the executives are by a wide margin the main component that brilliant financial backers think about.

VCs put resources into a supervisory group and its capacity to execute on the strategy, as a matter of some importance.

They are not searching for “green” supervisors; they are searching preferably for chiefs who have effectively fabricated organizations that have produced significant yields for the financial backers.

VCs want to see that the startup has a team with a deep understanding of the technology and a track record of success in the industry. A new tech innovation is already an added advantage, like integration of blockchain in VR.

Any option for NFT or alternative ecosystem development in VR world.

Extraordinary Item with Strategic advantage

Financial backers need to put resources into extraordinary items and administrations with an upper hand that is enduring.

They search for items and administrations that clients can’t manage without — on the grounds that it’s such a ton better or in light of the fact that it’s such a ton less expensive than whatever else on the lookout.

VCs want to see that the startup is targeting a large and rapidly growing market and has a clear path to expansion.

This could include developing VR hardware that is more affordable and accessible to a wider range of consumers, or creating VR content that appeals to a broad audience.

In addition to these factors, VCs also look for a strong competitive advantage or unique selling proposition that sets the VR startup apart from its competitors.

VCs want to see that the startup has a clear vision for how it will differentiate itself and establish a foothold in the market.

Finally, VCs want to see evidence of traction and market validation.

VR startups that can demonstrate these qualities are more likely to attract the attention and investment of VCs in the competitive world of virtual reality.

Might administrative or legitimate issues at some point spring up?

Is this the right item for now or 10 years from today?

Is there enough cash in the asset to meet the open door completely?

Is there an inevitable exit from the venture and an opportunity to see a return?

An accelerator program like us, we are looking for strong team and great tech innovation to upscale with.

Leaders, here’s what you’re getting wrong when you try to communicate vision

Ho’oponopono is the Hawaiian conflict resolution protocol, translated as making things right (Adamsky, 2000; Merry, 2001). The base word of pono has several meanings: truth or moral uprightness. Recent years have witnessed a sharp uptick in peer-reviewed research employing the tool for its cross-cultural efficacy, in contrast to the western process of organizational development (OD) (Patten, 1994; Muira, 2000). Ho’oponopono is even valorized as a solution to gender violence for its basis on repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation
(Merry). Most notably for our world today is that Arsenault (1998) and Shook (1981 & 1985), found this protocol to be highly effective in unrelated, multiethic groups.

It is not a stretch to say that modern conflict resolution strategies have failed. If one need go further back than the present, unprecedented war in Ukraine and the recent fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, violence in Ghana is widespread due to impunity injustice (GBGC Ghana, 2022: multiple articles). Twenty seven attacks attributed to IS in Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq and Syria, totalling 172 civilian deaths, have been reported this year (Relief Web, 2022).

These samples are just the tip of the conflict iceberg, visible in any media outlet.
Many countries use a punishment / therapy solution for violent offenders. Globally, this model is replete with recidivism (Suárez-Cruz, 2022; Thomas, 2022). In contrast, ho’oponopono is thought to be effective because it “reintegrates the offender” through the previously mentioned repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, “rather than punishment & therapy” (Muira, 2020).

This evidence begs a discussion in how it works.
The protocol is led by a family or community elder, Kapuna (Pukui, 1972). The fact that it is decidedly not led by an uninterested bystander as is the case with organizational development (OD) could be vital to its success, as opposed to their long-term failure of OD (Patten, 1994). Step one of ho’oponopono is pule, a prayer, with the rationale that “connection with God encourages sincerity” (Adamsky, 2000; Miura, 2022).

The pule is followed by a discussion. There is a visual of a cord here: the hala, or transgression, binds the offender with the victim in an unholy knot. Expanding out, anyone indirectly affected by this hala is a part of a network of intertwined negative emotions (multiple knots) called a hilia; if a child witnesses one parent hit the other, for example (Arsenault, 1998). Anyone impacted by this event shares their feelings with a focus on self-scrutiny, not blame, i.e. “___ happened to me”, not “He hurt me” (Shook, 1981, 1985).

This intense exercise is often followed by a Ho’omalu, a cooling off period (Miura, 2000; Shook, 1981). When all parties are ready, they proceed to a mihi, sincere confession. If the victim accepts the admission as sincere, the kala, release or unbinding of the cord, ensues.

Key to this phase is that it must be mutual, not only between the transgressor and the victim but also to include all those indirectly influenced in order for the hilia, network of knots, to dissolve (Arsenault, 1998; Miura, 2000; Shook, 1981). The final phase is a pani, a closing prayer thanking God for the successful resolution.

Recent history is filled with conflict resolution failures, quite possibly due to problems inherent in the protocols employed.

Maybe these methods are too sterile, or try to avoid emotion (and hence the knot of the issue). The age-old protocol of ho’oponopono has been proven to resolve domestic violence (Merry, 2001). The fact that it has demonstrated success in disparate, multiethnic communities gives me hope for it as a potential solution to world peace (Arsenault, 1998).

By — Jessica Ashe (Assistant Director of the John W Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship at the Farmer School of Business, Miami University, Ohio USA)

References
Adamsky, M. 2000. “Auntie Malia to Address United Nations Conference.” Honolulu Star Bulletin

Arsenault, D.J. 1998. “Interpersonal Thematic Analysis of Ho’oponopono Group Therapy in a
Male Adolescent Residential Group Setting.” Western Psychological Association Meeting, Albuquerque, NM
GBGCGhana Online. 2022. “Electoral Violence Surges in Ghana Due to Impunity Injustice.”

Merry, S. 2001. “Rights, Religion and Community: Approaches to Violence Against Women in
the Context of Globalization.” Law & Society Review, 35(1).
Miura, S. 2000. “The Mediation of Conflict in the Traditional Hawaiian Family: A Collectivistic
Approach.” Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 1(2)
Patten Jr., T. 1994. “Ho’oponopono: A Cross-Cultural Model for Organizational Development
and Change.” The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2(3). P. 252-263
Pukui, M.K. 1972. “Nana I Ke Kumu (vol. 1).” Honolulu: Hui Nanai.
Relief Web. 2022. “IS and IS Affiliated Explosive Violence in 2022.”

Shook, E.V. 1981. “Current Use of a Hawaiian Problem Solving Practice: Ho’oponopono.”
University of Hawaii, School of Social Work, Honolulu
Shook, E.V. 1985. Ho’oponopono. Honolulu: East-West Center
Suárez-Cruz. A. 2022. “Recidivism at the Puerto Rico Trauma Hospital.”

European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, 48, 891-900
Thomas, A. 2022. “When She Says Daddy: Black Fathers’ Recidivism Following Reentry from
Jail.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 3518

SME Landscape in India – Growth, Challenges and Opportunities

We as a whole know representatives really must figure out their organization’s vision. That is the means by which they get adjusted and drawn in, know how their work fits in to the master plan, and settle on better choices with less management.

But, a regular issue with the Chiefs is that disappointment — that their representatives say they don’t figure out the vision, while they accept they articulate the vision constantly.

What’s happening?

YOU Believe YOU’RE CONVEYING THE VISION, However YOU’RE NOT

You might be shocked to hear that your workers aren’t hearing the vision from you, yet the principal thing to consider is that they might be correct.

At the point when you’re a pioneer, you convey a great deal of setting in your mind. You contemplate the organization a ton, and that implies that the vision and other more significant level subjects may be so clear in your mind that you basically neglect to express them. Thus, the main thing you ought to check is whether the words that you believe you’re saying really emerge from your mouth.

Maybe you know beyond all doubt that you discuss the vision. You should check assuming you’re doing that oftentimes enough and in the right scenes. A large portion of them pass the vision on again and again.

Recollect that, for individuals to truly take in what you’re talking about, they need to get it from you in enormous gatherings, in little gatherings, in one to ones, and recorded as a hard copy. Also, they need to hear your authority group around you articulating similar focuses. That is the way individuals will truly ingest it.

THEY DON’T HAVE CLEAR Objectives OR Grasp THEIR Jobs

At times, individuals experience difficulty articulating what’s going on. They get down on the vision as the issue, when they basically don’t have the foggiest idea what their job is, or the way that their work squeezes into the master plan. Essentially, they’re recently confounded, and on second thought of accomplishing the work to sort out what’s irritating them, they knot their grievance into not figuring out the vision.

Your representatives’ disarray about their jobs as a rule comes from a couple of reasons. They might not have clear objectives or ways of knowing how to characterize progress in their job. This is frequently connected to directors who don’t accomplish crafted by assisting them with making measurements and afterward accomplish them, and afterward assist them with perceiving how their objectives bind to the master plan.

As the pioneer, your responsibility is to ensure your chiefs realize that a vital piece of their job is ensuring their understand what they’re going for and how it connects with the north star of the organization.

A few inquiries you can utilize and urge your chiefs to ask their representatives are

Do you have any idea where we’re going as an organization?

Do you have at least some idea what your reasonable objectives are for this quarter/year?

Do you perceive how your objectives tie into the master plan. Is there anything hindering you?

Might it be said that you are getting sufficient course from me or your director?

THEY DON’T Have the foggiest idea HOW THE Organization WILL Arrive

As the CEO or significant level pioneer, you could think an optimistic vision will assist with inspiring your representatives. Yet, this explosions when it appears up to this point arriving at that they have no clue about how you’ll arrive as an organization. For this situation, they might comprehend their objectives and they might see the value in the vision, yet they have no clue about how they’ll connect from here to there.

The representatives love the organization culture and what they were attempting to do, which was genuinely groundbreaking. In any case, the vision proclamation was at such a grand level that workers were passed on to their own creative mind to sort out how it connected with them. Most representatives would have rather not accomplished this work, and the individuals who did arrived on various understandings, and that implies instead of adjusting the group it kept them unpretentiously somewhat off.

You can determine this by ensuring you and your group ponder how each collective endeavors’ convert into gaining ground toward the vision. You could request that your chiefs concoct an infectious expression that exhibits their groups’ commitments to the master plan. Then, at that point, ensure they’re utilizing these expressions with their groups and working with them to make an interpretation of those slogans into much more limited pieces so individuals comprehend how to contribute their thoughts and activities towards the vision.

The vision of an organization should be a grand explanation about contacting lives, and they did this through their concurrences with different accomplices. Each gathering took that vision and procedure and associated it to their groups with a motto, so that even groups without direct client contact felt engaged with the master plan. The innovation group, for instance, lifted up “consistent association” and the money group combine on “make it simple for accomplices after they say OK.” These slogans assisted everybody with being associated with the organization’s general north star while directing them in their everyday.

THERE’S SOMETHING Different WRONG

It’s disturbing to hear that your representatives don’t figure out the vision, until you dig further and figure out that what they truly mean is a more regrettable thing: like your way of life is harmful, or they’re angry at you or the initiative group by and by. At the point when individuals are battling, and they don’t have a real sense of reassurance to discuss double-crossing, terrible administration, or different issues in a useless culture that is harmful; they might go to a more secure grumbling of not grasping the vision. Yet, a large portion of the times the leaders are unyielding that they don’t grasp the vision. It is then truly confusing what’s happening, so it’s best for a retreat to get everybody in total agreement about the vision.

The issue is the CEO. They will be irate that he is so outer confronting and hadn’t requested that anybody manage functional issues. They will be annoyed about his absence of the board of the chief group. Furthermore, the rundown of their complaints continued endlessly. They got the vision, however they had no alternate method for communicating their disappointment — until you make a place of refuge in your worked with meeting.

THEY LIKE TO Grumble

It’s not possible to satisfy each individuals constantly. Furthermore, a portion of individuals you can’t at any point please. They’d just prefer grumble as opposed to accomplish the difficult work of really going about their responsibilities.

The Most Important Thing to Do Before Building Your Startup

India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world. In the last half-decade, the economic growth has steadily accelerated and most importantly, remained very stable. This growth has been driven by robust socio-economic policies of the government, an influx in the domestic and foreign capital and rise in disposable income and consumption among many other positive attributes. One other major factor that is being touted as the backbone of India’s economy is Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector.

Whether it is agriculture, manufacturing or service industry, SMEs are mushrooming in a myriad of sectors across the country. Statistics show that SME accounts for 45% of industrial output and 40% of the total exports in India. It generates employment for 60 million people and creates 1.3 million jobs every year. Given that a majority of India’s population lives in villages and Tier-1/Tier 2 cities, the SME sector has also emerged as a key factor to urbanize rural India.

However, in spite of its contribution to the socio-economic growth of India, SMEs face a number of challenges:

Lack of capital due to inadequate access to finance and credit

Inability to attract talented and tech-savvy manpower

Poor infrastructure and utilities resulting in low production capacity

Lack of innovation

Technology and digital knowledge gap

Lack of marketing know-how

Due to these challenges, the Indian SMEs are unable to scale to their full potential, rise up to the standards of their international peers and become self-sustainable. On the positive side, these challenges should be perceived as untapped opportunities for the SME sector. These challenges offer a broad scope to strengthen the foundation of SMEs in India.

The Indian government has been making commendable efforts to empower SMEs to overcome these hurdles. The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme encourages SMEs to adopt Information and Communication Technology tools and applications for their business processes. Then, there is Assistance to Training Institutions Scheme, which provides financial assistance to national level training institutions operating under the Ministry of MSME to strengthen SME infrastructure and create entrepreneurship skill development programs.

The SME sector has also gained recognition from the United Nations. According to the United Nations, these type of enterprises act as the first responders of the needs of the society, provide a safety net for inclusiveness and are a primary driver of poverty alleviation and development. Hence, the United Nations celebrates ‘Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day’ on 27th June every year to raise public awareness of this sector’s contribution to sustainable development.

There are immense opportunities for the Indian SME sector to grow and thrive. All it needs to do is to adapt to the changing trends and embrace digital skills.

These self-funded proprietary firms, private co-operatives, private self-help groups, Khadi, and Village and Coir industries, not only provide huge employment opportunities but also ensure regional balance by taking industrialisation to rural and backward areas (about 20% of MSMEs operate out of rural & backward areas – CII)

To communicate the importance of the SME sector, I’m going to share with you some key SME statistics, trends and reports. See for yourself what the numbers convey:

Number of SMEs in India: The number is estimated to be at 42.50 million, registered & unregistered together. A staggering 95% of the total industrial units in the country.

SME & Employment opportunity: Employs about 106 million, 40% of India’s workforce. Next only to the agricultural sector.

Products: produces more than 6000 products.

GDP Contribution: Currently around 6.11% of the manufacturing GDP and 24.63% of Service sector GDP.

SME Output: 45% of the total Indian manufacturing output.

SME Exports: 40% of the total exports.

Bank Lending: Accounts for 16% of bank lending.

Fixed Assets: Current fixed assets at INR 1,471,912.94 crore.

SME Growth Rate: Has maintained an average growth rate of over 10%.

Sources: msme.gov.in/KPMG/CRISIL/CII.

Comprehending the sector’s contribution towards employment numbers, towards GDP, innovation and entrepreneurship, the Government of India has launched numerous initiatives to further the cause of SMEs. Mentioned below, in a table form, are the performances of some of the key schemes:

Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro & Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).

Objective: To make available collateral free credit facility to new and existing Micro & small businesses subject to a limit of Rs.100 lakh per unit.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): 350056 Application approved with guarantee coverage of Rs.14,673 crore.

Performance since inception: 2160975 Application approved with coverage of Rs.103,864 crore.

Export Promotion of Capital Goods (EPCG).

Objective: To allow import of capital goods on zero duty subject to meeting export obligations.

Performance during 2015-16: Number of authorisation 22544 with FOB value of Rs.78,860 crore and duty savings of Rs.12619 crore.

Performance during 2016-17 (up to October 2016): Number of authorisation 13,585 with FOB value of Rs.50,359 crore and duty savings of Rs.8,668 crore.

Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (CLCSS).

Objective: To facilitate technology up-gradation. To enable beneficiary enterprises to avail institutional credit towards the purchase of machinery and technologies.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): 3,142 benefited units with an expenditure of Rs.203.76 crore.

Performance since inception: 22,380 benefited units with an expenditure of Rs. 1349.63 crore.

Lean Manufacturing (National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme).

Objective: To make accessible the use of various Lean Manufacturing techniques to SMEs and thus improve their manufacturing competitiveness.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): Benefits to 670 units with an expenditure of Rs.11.26 crore.

Performance since inception: Benefits to 3041 units with an expenditure of Rs.45.26 crore.

Intellectual Property Rights.

Objective: To enhance competitiveness through increased awareness of IPR.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): Awareness programs held-26, Workshops-05, and IPR Facilitation Centre-03. Expenditure Rs.1.73 crore.

Performance since inception: Awareness programs held-308, Workshops-95, and IPR Facilitation Centre-31. Expenditure Rs.13.69 crore.

Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme.

Objective: To help & encourage SMEs to tap & develop overseas market.

Performance during 2015-16 (up to 31/12/2015): Units participated 233. Expenditure Rs.4.77crore.

Performance since inception: Units participated 1476. Expenditure Rs.28.76 crore.

Source: MSME at a glance.

Future Trends:

The future outlook looks very bullish for Indian SMEs, which are far more optimistic than their Asian counterparts in China, Japan and other dynamic and large economies. Consider what this survey result from American Express Global SME Pulse 2017 has to convey:

71% of the SME respondents hold an optimistic view about their domestic economy, followed by Japan with 62% and Japan with 54%. IBEF.

The year 2017 has all the makings of an interesting year with GST following close on the heels of demonetisation. Those who have survived the effects of demonetisation are more likely to see sunnier days ahead.

The implementation of GST is generally expected to bring good tidings to this sector. Some key points in favour of SMEs are:

Market Base: Set to grow as interstate sales complexities are a thing of the past. Since there is no longer any tax burden on interstate sales, big corporates and manufacturers can procure materials & components from small players from across any state borders.

Increased Competitiveness: Low-cost imports are no longer a cause for worry since tax levied on imports goods and local manufacturers will be the same.

Freight Cost: Expected to come down by 1 to 2%, thus bringing down the cost of raw material and finished products.

Cost of Raw Materials: Expected to come down with the disappearance of 2% CST on interstate sales.

Sales & Service: Treatment of sales & services will be the same under GST means no additional tax burden on SMEs with a business model of sales and service.

Transparency and Ease of Doing Business: The new indirect tax regime replaces multiple tax rules. Physical interface of bureaucracy expected to be nonexistent or minimal since registration, tax payment, input tax credit & tax liability adjustment, tax returns, and refunds will all happen online electronically.

The same American Express Global SME Pulse 2017 was found stating that 37% of Indian SMEs considered flexible lending and repayment and 49% high-interest rates as important factors affecting business. Addressing these pain points will definitely make the road ahead much smoother.

With the Indian economy expected to touch $5 trillion by 2025, and with groundbreaking economic reforms kicking in, SMEs are expected and bound to play a much more important role. B2B e-commerce, food processing, pharma, and homeland security and defence are the areas to watch out for.

What Tech Companies Are Doing To Foster Technology Adoption In SME Sector

Elaborating how different companies are focusing on the SME sector, we see many examples. One of the most prominent is telecom giant Reliance Jio announced that it wanted to expand the digital benefits and make them more inclusive for small and medium sized businesses. The company said SMEs will be given cheap digital services, from compute to storage, to connectivity. Jio’s partnership with tech giant Microsoft will help provide the cloud services Jio would need to scale the infrastructure to millions of SMEs across India.

Reliance is not the only one working to bring digitisation to Indian SMEs. Recently, large tech companies like Dell, HP, Intel, Vodafone Idea and WhatsApp came together under the guidance of industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for project called Tech-Saksham. The project plans to reach out to over 10,000 MSMEs. The tech companies will work with SMEs overcome challenges in adopting technology, proving resources and expertise to make sure India’s large SME base gets the digital assistance it needs badly. Shreekant Somany, Chairman, CII National MSME Council stated the direct benefit of the project involving the technology players will be made available through training programmes and workshops on the latest technological solutions such as cloud computing, and market access for trade and exports.

Even Facebook announced an initiative under which it is collaborating with Venture Capital (VC) funds to accelerate the growth of the small and medium businesses (SMEs). Facebook’s VC Brand Incubator Program will be the first in a series of programs by Facebook that will be focused on helping SMEs achieve growth in India by providing them with technology skilling and support.

SMEs have also found its place in the technology world. Recently the founder of WLS engaged in a live session with Neil Lesher who is the founder of Lesher Technologies and how he designed a hands free communication phone cover. A software allows the owner to control the phone from a distance.

It’s a hovering smartphone case which even allows drone technology to function. It allows voice commands which can be used with ear pods. This technology will also help people with less balance to keep lighter and the phone won’t fall down according to Sumit Agarwal who is a young entrepreneur. People with diseases like cerebral palsy will surely be benefitted from this technology as it will free them from the burden of carrying stuff which is helpful because generally these kind of people have less balance in their body. Secondly, people with visual impairments will also get benefitted from the voice commands as seeing on the screen can be difficult for them to understand. People with disabilities will also be benefitted by the upcoming PhoneQuad technology. There is a need to create such a community who will actually be benefitted from such products so that the products do not only remain as a social media flaunting device. It should reach out to people who are in real need of it specially developing countries like India where economic status and language barrier acts as a major problem in the launching of these kind of products. It also has the follow me technology in the PhoneQuad which allows it to hover along with the owner which makes it feel like a hands free selfie stick. The proprietary software allows voice recognition and makes use of excellent physics to create such a technology. This technology will certainly impact the lives of many and give the world a new way to think and look into the future.

Deep talk with Dominnique, CEO and co-founder of Healthy Pleasure Group

Understanding the work involved in starting a business is necessary for a successful launch

The importance of proper planning cannot be understated, as these decisions are core to how your business takes shape

Making good decisions early in can help ensure continued growth

Starting a business can be stressful. It often feels like there are 1,000 things to work on all at the same time. There’s no avoiding this reality for new small business owners, but with a little planning, it’s possible to manage expectations and take actions with a sense of purpose toward building your business.

Beyond giving it your all, it’s important to direct your energy to the right tasks – especially at first. Experts say some good first steps in starting a business are researching competitors, assessing the legal aspects of your industry, considering your personal and business finances, getting realistic about the risk involved, understanding timing, and hiring help.

1. Do your research.
You want to make sure you understand the industry you’ll be involved in so you can dominate. No matter how unique you might think your business idea is, you should be aware of competitors.

“Just because you have a brilliant idea does not mean other people haven’t also had the same idea. If you can’t offer something better and/or cheaper than your competitors, you might want to rethink starting a business in that area.”

Assess the market before opening your doors. Understand the industry you wish to enter, as well as its major players and your future competitors.

2. Determine your audience.
Spend time considering who your target demographic is. This audience will be the driving force in each decision you make. Understanding who needs your product or service can help fine-tune your offerings and ensure your marketing and sales strategies are reaching the right people. Part of this decision is understanding if you are a business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B) enterprise. Within those parameters are multiple categories, including but certainly not limited to age, gender, income and profession. You can’t earn a profit without your customers, so understand who they are and make them your priority.

“It is crucial to make sure you are delivering what your customer wants, not what you want. This will give you insight into your customer’s buying decision and save you lots of experimenting down the road.”

Know who you’re talking to. A defined target market will help you better acquire new and repeat customers.

3. Have a strong mission.
Standing out is no easy feat, and no one magic formula guarantees results. However, knowing your business’s purpose is central to guiding these decisions. By recognizing your business’s strengths, differences, and purpose, you can make informed choices to expand your services and markets down the line in a way that is harmonious.

Knowing your purpose guides important decisions you’ll make along the way, so be sure that your mission is clearly defined.

4. Choose a structure.
A key initial step to take when starting your business is choosing its legal structure. It will dictate the taxes, paperwork, liability of the owner(s) [and] other legal aspects, as well as whether or not the company can have employees.

Additionally, you must acquire the proper local and state registration required to open your business.

“This means the entrepreneur will need to create the articles of incorporation, obtain an employer identification number and apply for necessary licenses, which will vary by state and industry.

Call on legal help to best advise you on the structure to take and the necessary paperwork that needs to be filed.

5. Map your finances.
Starting a business requires money that you likely won’t have right away. This is why you need to seek out ways to acquire capital.

“Most entrepreneurs start a business with a very limited amount of capital, which is a large hurdle to many. However, there are plenty of options available to a budding business owner. The first and most common place to seek capital is with friends and family. If that is not enough, expand the search to angel investors and venture capitalists. Should these options not provide the amount needed, then apply for business loans through banks and small business associations.”

Make a plan for how you will fund startup costs, whether that’s your own funds, asking friends and family for money or borrowing from a financial institution.

6. Understand your tax burden.
Entrepreneurs should be organized with taxes and fees. There are multiple payments to make, and filing any of them late could result in severe consequences.

“You have to figure out how much your payroll is going to be in order to make your tax payments timely. The timing can vary depending on your payroll. You also have to figure out other business taxes, such as city, county and state.

Understand when, how and to whom you pay taxes and fees.

7. Understand the risk.
Of course, there will always be a level of risk with launching a new business venture. Calculating, understanding and planning for risk is an important step to take before you start working on your business. This means assessing your industry’s risks before moving forward with a business plan.

“Entrepreneurs should know their industry’s risks before purchasing business insurance,” said Jeff Somers, president of Insureon. “For example, accountants will want to consider professional liability insurance in case a client files a lawsuit, claiming there was a costly error on their tax return. Restaurant owners are more likely to need general liability for slip-and-fall accidents and liquor liability insurance, which can pay for lawsuits.”

Be honest with yourself and business partners about the risk involved, as this can help you prepare by obtaining the right types of insurance that can protect your new business.

8. Put together a business plan.
A business plan outlines the steps you need to take for a successful launch and continued growth. This document is important for establishing a focus for your business, attracting C-level professionals to work for you, and seeking and retaining capital. A business plan ensures you put your best foot forward with other professionals who are evaluating your company, so be sure to have this document on the back burner and ready when requested.

Take the time to put together the main components, including:

Your mission statement
A description of your business
A list of your products or services
An analysis of the current market and opportunity
A list of decision-makers in the company, along with their bios
Your financial plan so those who review can understand the opportunity
Even if you don’t think you need it, put together a professional and polished business plan that’s ready to go when it comes time to recruit executives, fundraise or expand.

9. Time it right.
Timing is an important element of building a business. Sure, you want to start your business at a time when the economy is healthy and your prospective industry is expanding, but there’s also a flow to decision-making that’s important to be aware of.

Launching at the wrong time can make it challenging for your new business to succeed. Take the leap when the timing and circumstances suggest it’s right.

10. Look for a mentor or advisor.
Starting a business should not be an independent journey, no matter how tempting that sounds. Finding those who have made this journey before can help set you up for success. Network with other professionals in your industry, attend industry-specific workshops and events, and reach out to thought leaders in your industry to learn their approach. Alternatively, you may want to consider hiring a coach who can give you pointed advice.

Learn directly from someone else who has gone through the process to help you set up your new business for growth.

11. Bring in the professionals.
It’s impossible for entrepreneurs to know everything about running their new venture. Tapping into the experience of seasoned professionals can make sure you’re starting on the right foot.

It’s especially important to have legal assistance to ensure you are protected and going about the process the right way.

“We often make the assumption that legal counsel is for when we get ourselves into trouble, but preventative and proactive legal preparation can be the very best way to set your business on the path to long-term success. “When you call on legal counsel after you’ve run into a problem, it’s often too late or could critically impact your business in both the short and long term. Investing in their insight at the start of your business can pay a huge return later on by keeping you out of trouble before you even get into it.”

Another smart hire is an accountant. It’s nearly impossible for one person to handle every aspect of a company, and above all, your finances should not be put at risk.

Interview of Grace Tolentino from Philippines

I’m Dominnique, CEO and co-founder of Healthy Pleasure Group, a pioneering collective that seeks to define, reshape and revolutionise the sexual empowerment of all generations and pave the way for healthy sexuality and healthy pleasure for everyone.

I spent my youth in both Greece and South Africa, studied in Sweden and I’m now based in London, with offices in Barcelona and Los Angeles. I’ve worked in more than 30 markets globally helping start ups and market leaders across beauty, retail and health improve and increase their sales, marketing and distribution channels.

How many hours a day do you work on average?

On average around 12 hours.

Can you describe/outline your typical day?

I always start my day walking my daughter and our dog to school, a walk and talk to connect and appreciate my time with her. At HPG, my days are split between internal meetings across the Group, client meetings, industry & stakeholder discussions and Lab innovation planning. I always make time to learn, be it listening to a podcast, reading or attending an industry talk. My personal life revolves around coffee and great food, so every day will see me making great coffee and cooking for my family and friends. I try to make time for myself to exercise and make sure to get at least seven hours sleep most nights.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

It is a constant juggle, but I am fortunate to be surrounded by supportive friends and a work family that help me as a single mum everyday.

What motivates you?

The future. The promise that we can positively change behaviour for better social impact affording humanity the opportunity to benefit from healthy pleasure.

How do you generate new ideas?

Walking in nature or jumping in the ocean. When I connect with nature alone, time and space mutate, holding a space for me to creatively develop or receive ideas, products, solutions and new understanding.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?

I truly believe I might be missing the fear factor. Fear is spending a lot of time believing something is true just because I, or someone else, says it is. Being a mother means fear does pull at my heartstrings everyday. This may never change, but how I deal with it and the control I have over it can. I challenge myself to try to never make a decision from a place of fear.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

It does what it says on the tin! The aim of our business is to define, reshape and revolutionise the sexual empowerment of all generations and pave the way for healthy sexuality and healthy pleasure for everyone.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

We haven’t done any fundraising until now. Healthy Pleasure Group was built from the ground up with our network, clients and talent, and we continue to grow organically.

How do you build a successful customer base?

I have been a consultant and Brand Architect for more than 15 years in the consumer market. I also invested in and consulted multiple global, maverick SexTech start ups more than six years ago. Together with my co-founder at HPG, Dr Mafe Peraza Godoy, we developed innovations and dedicated ourselves to building the future Sexual Health & Technology economy. The network I made on this journey and the world class services HPG now delivers means that we have been able to build a strong customer base.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

I live with passion and I am led by my intuitive curiosity. When there is a vision that I can authentically believe in, you have my attention and commitment.

As an entrepreneur, how do you see the market is growing in your country?

The next major change we will see in Sexual Health & Technology is market consolidation. We are fortunate to speak to over a hundred brands a month and can see that the landscape has been fragmented across a range of categories including medtech, femtech, sextech, healthtech, telehealth and wellness. Each of these spaces are booming, so our mergers and acquisitions pipeline is a powerful avalanche waiting to close the trifecta between sex, health and technology and raise the industry up.

How do you advertise your product/service?

We are always mindful of the risks of digital censorship when it comes to our industry, so we prioritise content across our own channels with continued media relations and a roster of speaker platforms. Sexual Health & Technology is a burgeoning industry where everyone knows everyone, so I don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth.

To what do you attribute your success?

Resilience, persistence and kindness. For myself and with others. This is the currency of our future.

What was the reason to start your company ?

Having worked in the Sexual Health & Technology industry for almost ten years, I realised just how disconnected the world was, as far as business was concerned, when it came to understanding the most innate human experience: pleasure. At the same time, I faced continual resistance from businesses.Telephones would be put down on me. I’d be asked to leave the boardroom. I would be asked to come and talk about a product without saying the word sex. It took two years to put Menstrual Cups on the shelves of Boots.

From this, I knew I wanted to commit myself to creating behavioural change in Sexual Health & Technology to enact social change through three vital economic motors: Education, Innovation and Investment. So together with urologist, andrologist and sexual medicine expert Dr. Mafe Peraza Godoy, we founded The Healthy Pleasure Group which comprises five businesses: The Agency, The Lab, The Demand, The Fund and The School.

What do you look for in an employee? The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!

As a relatively young industry, there is no Sexual Health & Technology talent pool to choose from, no one can study the landscape because it’s being built, created and shaped in real time. Attracting skills straight out of school or university with Sexual Health & Technology as their first career move is a tough feat – there’s no 101 in how to market sex toys! That’s why I look for passion and drive; skills can be taught, but sexual empathy to make a real change is always what we look for. We will always choose team over talent.

What made you choose your current location?

Covid. While we have bases in Barcelona, London and LA, we are currently remote, coming together on a frequent basis (Covid-dependent) for Think Weeks. We are concentrating on creating a cultural hub for inspiration and learning, we don’t need a boardroom to squabble over.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

LTD UK Entity that delivers services across four continents.

Do you work locally or internationally?

Both locally and internationally.

What’s your company’s goals?

From democratising sexual pleasure beyond binary understandings to removing stigma and barriers to reproductive healthcare, we refuse to accept the way things have always been.Ultimately, we built Healthy Pleasure Group to create behavioural change through three vital economic motors; Education, Innovation and Investment.

We want to be the leading catalyst for impactful social change while establishing a robust meaningful market share of the fastest rising industry, Sexual Health & Technology.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

I’m the CEO so typically this comes with leadership, accountability, mentorship, ownership of our mistakes and successes and the importance of making decisions that are in the best interest for the company, our people and our partners. Most importantly, I see my biggest responsibility as committing to continuous learning and sharing my knowledge with those same people.

Does your company help the community where it is located?

The work we do is intrinsically geared towards creating opportunities, products and education to support marginalised communities globally. From helping one client focus on gender-inclusive pleasure with a take-to-market strategy for a product inspired by trans women for the LGBTQ community, to helping a male grooming brand understand how it can help black men prioritise their sexual wellbeing.

Tell us about your team, and how you got in touch with each other?

Between me and my co-founder and soul sister, Dr Mafe, we were able to build an initial team from our existing networks. As we’ve grown we’ve had more and more people approaching us having read or heard about HPG in the press and industry events who share our passion for making real change in the Sexual Health & Technology industry.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Follow your curiosity. Listen to your intuition and do what makes you thrive. If it doesn’t exist, create it with those that believe in you and genuinely yearn for the same.

Stay Focused on Your Goals Not Your Critics

Tell us about yourself

I am Consul Major Grace Tolentino, Chairman and CEO of Boracay Beach Inc. and President of Akamai Holdings Inc. I’m in entrepreneurship, focusing in investments and finance. I’m based in the Philippines but I often travel throughout Asia.

I love building fruitful relationships with investors and clients. I value trust, transparency and consistency when I work with people. I constantly drive for efficiency in my organizations because I’m passionate about progress and results. I have managed to embrace who I am and see my worth. In life, we can impact more lives and make a difference every single day.

I am a Consul General and Chancellor General, United Nation

Intergovernmental Organization, Major and Chief Inspector of UN Police Intergovernmental Organization, Peace Mediator and Chancellor General, International Special Court of Arbitration and Human Rights, Major and Chief Inspector Philippines command, Member, Council of Europe; a Major and Superintendent for Women and Youth Welfare, ASEAN Command, US Federal Police Chaplain International. President, Philippines- India Business Council, Global Chamber of Commerce. Chairman of Finance of Grandeur Message for People Inc., Consultant for Investment and Tourism Royal House of Baloi- Federation of Royal and Noble House Philippines and ASEAN Royal, Senator of World Business Angels Investment Forum, Vice President Economic Relations Management of Apila Ng Bayan Inc. Chairman of Esports and Digital Sports Tourism Commission, Esports World Federation.

Knowing that we are at our best, we get to inspire others to be better everyday.

How many hours a day do you work on average?

I work around 80 hours a week to maintain the business and grow it rapidly.
3. Can you describe/outline your typical day?

I prefer to start my day with coffee, a nutritious meal, and supplements. I start work by responding to emails and messages. This usually takes up my mornings. My lunch is usually light and I take walks to clear my mind and improve my focus. I sometimes take meetings in the morning but usually schedule those in the afternoon.

Before the day ends, I make it a priority to do a daily round up with my team to track progress and updates. Its about making a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives and inspiring them to be best that they can be.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

I’m still single and I come from a close-knit family. I was actually able to get my family involved in what I do early on. In that sense, being an entrepreneur allows me to manage my time and take responsibility.

You are the only one who can use your ability. It is an awesome responsibility. It’s in your hands. Of all the gifts our Creator give us, surely the gift of choosing the way we are is one of the greatest.

What motivates you?

The lifestyle itself is my motivation. I like completing projects that make an impact. I’m passionate about my work, my team, and our partners. I enjoy the fact that I don’t work a 9 to 5. Though I work longer hours, I enjoy the flexibility and the freedom.

Committed people have goals. Any of us have are ordinary days and ordinary work but we have a choice about how we will do that work excellently. Private practice enhances public performance. Be prepared for change. Invest in yourself. Protect your passion points. You can succeed best and quickest if you help others succeed.

How do you generate new ideas?
I take inspiration from everyone I meet. I believe all people can share new ideas with you. I stay open minded when considering options and opportunities.

This mindset has opened many doors that resulted in successful ventures.
Pay attention to the things you can control, which areas you can influence. When you achieve the sense of balance, your platform will become more effective and influential.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?

Be fearless. Nurture your ecosystem to influence your circles of concern. Concentrate on building quality over quantity. Always be prepared. Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEO’s of our own companies.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

I started in the tourism industry, promoting the island of Boracay. The island itself is already known worldwide and I really love the island. Since my professional identity was already associated with it, I decided to incorporate it as my brand for lifestyle and business.

I simply express my passion and share the reasons why you are who you are and what you do, this clearly make a difference.

How did you raise funding for your venture?

We grew overtime with each successful project. We sold products and services to our customers and slowly built up our capital. As we moved to investments and other ventures, capitals rapidly grow continuously. We continuously develop strategies to grow our market share.

Everyone has story to share. Develop a diverse network and build relationships. Actively seek out information. We focused on growth. We cannot become who we are and what we want to be by remaining what we are. We evolve, we innovate and adjust along the way.

How do you build a successful customer base?

We offer a good value proposition. As I mentioned, being open-minded is important and this allows us to cater and serve the needs of a broad range of possible investors and clients.

We put great effort in maintaining relationships and open communication with everyone even if were not actively working on a project. We enjoy the process. We do platform leverage is the development of our skill sets, competencies, ad experiences.

How does someone get you excited and willing to commit?

Anyone who is passionate about a venture or project also gets me excited. As an entrepreneur, I only commit my team once we have done our homework on the project viability and return on investments.

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. The doers are enough and I love every time I see them.

As a serial entrepreneur, how do you see the market is growing in your country?

The Philippine government is promoting a “Build, Build, and Build” program and the country is known as an Asian Rising Tiger economy.

The Filipino workforce is much more resilient than most. Growth never really stopped. We just had setbacks because of the pandemic. Opportunities are up for the taking in real estate, financial services, and information technology. An investor only needs the right idea and the right people to become a strong global player starting from the Philippines.

How do you advertise your product/service?

With the global movement towards virtualization, adjusting our workflow has become more important. We were able to do this because of our team’s versatility. This allows us to not just continue, but to thrive in the changing times. We are now concentrating on virtual platforms to promote our brand. Adaptation of technology plays an important role in innovation.

We also get contacts through introductions. Many of our clients and investors promote our brand because of our good standing. We have built strong relationships with a lot of high quality investors and have a strong portfolio of successful projects and ventures to prove our capacity.

To what do you attribute your success?
Building our reputation and consistency is key. We value strong partnerships and relationships. We also strive for continuous improvement and innovation to stay ahead. It’s not enough to go with trends, but rather create the trends that others follow. Despite the changes, we maintain true to our vision; to be progressive and adapt to new ways of doing business.

Success on our own terms. Fire up your passion, ignite your career and create an interesting life.

What was the reason to start your company?

I simply enjoy what I do. I started the company in order to promote the products and services I learned from resources I gathered over the years.
Becoming a Chairman and CEO meant that I would be able to help even more people as I had a real desire to be better than I was yesterday. I make sure my life is my choice. I work full day and I have a long night and I am ready for more the very next morning. I make sure I craft opportunities in every given situation. This allowed me to develop my goals.

What do you look for in an employee? The most important thing to us is that they fit into our corporate culture!

I always look for a person who has a combination of competence and character. Since we are on the mindset of growth, it is important that this person can create and grow relationships not just with our team but also with clients. This person should also have the ability to quickly learn and adapt to the changing business environment.

What made you choose your current location?

Home is where the heart is and home is where you are strongest. Starting ventures should always be within your circle of competence and resources.
Our focused is in the Philippines at this time as we are very strong in the region and have global investors attracted to our way of doing business and unique value proposition, we make sure every landed transaction benefit the economy of the country and share our success through our corporate social responsibility around the globe.

What kind of Corporation is your business?

The company, Boracay Beach Inc., is strongly positioned in finance, real estate, finance technology, and investments. Years ago we were into travel and tourism.

The brand evolved, we were able to branch out into business centers, developing properties, and real estate investments. We also invest in other lucrative projects.

Akamai Holdings Inc. is a multinational company that is greatly involved in developing properties and have group combined experience in finance, real estate and PPE.

Do you work locally or internationally?

We have partnerships both domestic and international. We have investment partners and banking partnerships worldwide and our workforce is in Philippines and abroad.

What’s your company’s goals?

We want to be globally recognized as a brand that impacts investments, property developments and financial landscape.

We also want to make sure that our clients and investors are able to achieve their own goals. It’s not just about the company, but about our relationships and partnerships.

What are your responsibilities as the business owner?

I make tough decisions and make sure we are in the right path towards long-term success.

I make sure everyone on the team is not just doing their job but also learning and improving. This is all towards the goal of taking care of our clients and partners as we take care of the company.

Does your company help the community where it is located?

We work with local groups and even the government to make sure that our projects and property development is sustainable. We connect international organizations to our projects to showcase the ease of doing business, ease of finance and ease quality of living.

Have you ever turned down a client?

I exhaust all viable options and resources to make arrangements for every potential client that we encounter.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Be true to yourself and play to your strengths. There is no single way to become a success and everyone must find their own path. Learn your own abilities and leverage them.

The 10 Most Sought-after Trends in Entrepreneurship to Look Forward to in 2021

Many years ago, had the opportunity to run an organization. Excited about the possibilities ahead of us and the goals we could realize. However, instead of receiving unanimous enthusiasm for what thought was an exciting vision, some team members found fault with ideas and judged personally. They said agenda was too ambitious and self-serving. Some may think that you weren’t listening to what my constituents wanted.

Even though three-quarters of the team supported vision, fixated on the quarter that did not. You knew you was generally well-liked because you spent a large portion of time and energy on pleasing others. The thought that some people didn’t like you felt like a punch in the gut. You lost sleep, couldn’t concentrate, and lost five pounds in one week. You started to consider how you could give in to what the naysayers wanted, even though it wasn’t the right thing for the organization.

Eventually, after a lot of hard work, you figured out how to be resilient when being criticized. This enabled you to stand your ground and take actions that benefited the organization, not just your self-worth. Here are the lessons you learned from that experience:

Be prepared; don’t freeze.

Criticism is inevitable, especially if we invite diverse perspectives and boldly lay out a big vision. Unfortunately, our response to the disapproval of others may not be entirely within our control. Feeling “attacked” may trigger an involuntary fight-flight-or-freeze response in the amygdala. We may capitulate, cry, or lash out — actions we’ll probably regret later. We’ll probably also think of the perfect response but only after the fact. Instead of being caught off guard, prepare a list of three to five ways to respond to critics in the moment. Have these responses handy on your phone or a sticky note in case your brain draws a blank. For example, you might paraphrase what you heard to ensure you correctly understood what was said and demonstrate to the other person that you’re listening. Or you could say something like, “This is a new perspective. I appreciate your willingness to share a different point of view. I’d like to give this genuine consideration and get back to you.”

Calibrate; don’t catastrophize.

If it’s very important to you that people like you and your ideas, you may be particularly sensitive to any form of censure. But try to keep things in perspective. For example, in a meeting, small gestures from the team such as throat clearing or focusing on a phone during your presentation may be the result of an allergy or distraction not negativity toward your ideas. Instead of jumping to conclusions, ask what’s going on. You might say, “I notice you’re frowning. Is it related to what we’ve been discussing?” If the person expresses a concern, make sure you understand the degree of intensity, importance, or urgency of their disapproval. You might say, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how frustrated are you about this?” or “How important is this to you?”

Accumulate; don’t react.

If it’s the first time you’ve heard a certain judgment, become curious about the broader picture. Are you hearing this because this person is the canary in the proverbial coal mine and is the first to say something? Or is this a single instance, best set aside until you hear similar comments from others?

Apply the criticism to your role, not yourself.

We often mistake our role for ourselves. We take things personally that are not personal at all; they are a condition of the job we’re in. For example, the head of sales might find fault with the head of products — no matter who occupies that position. Instead of conflating yourself and your role, determine whether the criticism is about you or the issues and tensions your role naturally evokes.

Connect with your personal board of directors;

don’t isolate yourself. When we’re reeling from criticism, we tend to withdraw from others. Instead, reach out. Cultivate a diverse group of six to 12 people who are invested in your success and who will tell you the truth. Contact the members of this personal board of directors, share how the negative comments affected you, and seek their perspective and advice.

Take care of yourself; don’t try to push through.

If your colleagues’ comments are particularly painful, it might take a psychological and physiological toll.

You may find it hard to sleep or eat well. During these times, carve out more time for yourself. Identify two to three small rituals or practices that help renew your energy. It’s important that these actions are fairly simple so that you actually do them.

Some examples might be taking a three-minute walk outdoors to get some fresh air, connecting with a friend on your drive home, journaling for five minutes at night, or waking up each morning and thinking about one person you’re grateful for in your life. (Bonus points if you then send that person a note expressing your gratitude.)

After many long walks, you will realize that even though you spent most of your life trying to be likeable, it was an illusion to believe that you would be universally beloved.

To move forward as a successful executive, you had to develop a stomach for criticism — even if it meant a bruised ego. In the end, you talked to the people in your organization and acknowledged their various opinions. Then you will clearly be stated what the plan would be going forward and told the group that you hoped they would join you in working wholeheartedly toward the goals you had presented. Most of them did. Over time, you increased your resilience by following the steps above. You have learned to face the realities and benefits of diverse opinions and to value the parts of yourself that others may criticize.