influential leaders believe in challenging the status quo, ask intelligent business questions, and believe that valuable discoveries can reform the business processes for the better. They are experimental and research-oriented.

1. Dr. JoAnn
Ajayi-Scott
Empowering Youths to Greatness through
Education, Mentoring, and Networking
VOL 01 I ISSUE 04 I 2021
www.insightssuccess.com
Most
Influential
Entrepreneurs
to Follow in 2022
The
Pragmatic Terms
A Pragmatic Approach
to Business
Sustainable Journey
Sustaining Entrepreneurial
Spirit in the Digital Era
Entrepreneur
of The Year
Meagan Gallman
Salon Owner, Master
Colorist Artistic
Educator,
Guest Writer
The Magnolia Parlor

4. Availing Edge in
the Business by
Thinking Ahead
of the Time
hat separates great leaders from the rest of the
Wpack is their unconventional approach to
solving a problem. Their business success is
directly proportional to the impact of solutions provided by
them.
Great business leaders don’t just believe in delivering the
latest solutions but also in availing an edge over others by
being the first in the industry to deliver innovative business
solutions. They think ahead of time, recognize the evolving
needs of the clients, and meet those needs with their
cutting-edge solutions. They constantly seek new
opportunities and innovations with their curiosity.
By aiming for the sky, they don’t settle for mediocrity. They
don’t like to be trapped in the comfort zone, fear, and half-
hearted efforts. They understand that fear, indecision, and
inertia are the greatest obstacles on the journey to success.
They overcome these obstacles with confidence,
decision-making abilities, and momentum in their actions.
They always think beyond the box and constantly enhance
their abilities and skills to serve the evolving needs of the
businesses. They have excellent leadership acumen. They
lead their teams by setting exemplary standards.
Undoubtedly, these are the qualities that make them stay
ahead of the curve, but the other essential thing that counts
is empathy. There is no business without people, and thus,
treating them with compassion brings the best out of them.
With the right boundaries intact, great leaders show genuine
concern for the people they lead and foster an environment
that is conducive to thriving.
Moreover, influential leaders believe in challenging the
status quo, ask intelligent business questions, and believe
Editor’s Desk

5. that valuable discoveries can reform the business
processes for the better. They are
experimental and research-oriented. They tap the
potential of technologies for improving the business
processes. They pursue worthy ambitions and deliver
better solutions. They plan things smartly and
execute diligently. They are not afraid to take
calculated risks. They accept failures as stepping
stones on the journey of success. They are focused,
persistent and innovative.
In this edition of “The 10 Most Influential Entrepre-
neurs to Follow in 2022”, we have enlisted the most
influential entrepreneurs who are making their marks
in the business world with their exceptional abilities,
talents, and skills.
On the cover, we have Dr. JoAnn Ajayi-Scott, a
philanthropist making a difference in the lives of
youths positively through educating, empowering,
networking, mentoring them, and helping them attain
greatness.
Featuring as an entrepreneur of the year is Meagan
Gallman, a Salon Owner, Master Colorist, and
Artistic Educator. You will get to read many more
such stories of influential entrepreneurs in this
edition.
Lastly, do not forget to scroll through CxOs by
industry experts and creative articles written by our
in-house editorial team.
Have a Great Read ahead!
sharad@insightssuccess.com
Sharad Chitalkar

6. COVER STORY
Dr. JoAnn
Ajayi-Scott
Empowering Youths to Greatness
through Education, Mentoring,
and Networking
08
ARTICLES
Sustainable
Journey
Sustaining Entrepreneurial
Spirit In The Digital Era
20
Pragmatic
Terms
A Pragmatic Approach
to Business
38
C O N T E N T S

7. Expert’s View
Why Learning Negotiation
is Important for Leaders?
30
CxO
Meagan Gallman
Making the Stylist Inside You
Future Ready
16
Mariam Nusrat
Unleashing the Power of No-code to
Transform Interactive Content Creation
34
Jennifer Ammons
Curating a Unique Bridal Show
24
Yasar Chaudhary
Spearheading with Exceptional Tactics
40
(Entrepreneur of The Y
ear)

8. sales@insightssuccess.com
January, 2022
Editor-in-Chief
Senior Sales Manager Business Development Manager
Marketing Manager
Technical Head
Technical Specialist Digital Marketing Manager
Research Analyst
Database Management Technology Consultant
Hitesh Dhamani
Managing Editor
Anish Miller
Executive Editor
Sharad Chitalkar
Assistant Editors
Jenny Fernandes
Visualizer
David King
Associate Designer
Shyam Sonawane
Kshitij S Peter Collins
John Matthew
Sales Executives
David, Anthony, Saurabh
Business Development Executives
Steve, John, Irfan
Jacob Smile
Aditya Marry D'Souza
SME-SMO Executive
Amol Wadekar Frank Adams
Circulation Manager
Robert Brown Stella Andrew David Stokes
Co-designer
Copyright © 2021 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any
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Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.
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Kartik Balapurkar

9. Brief
Company Name
Essence Of A Lady
eladies.org
Dr. JoAnn Ajayi-Scott
Founder
Essence Of A Lady provides program support for YELL's
mission of ONE GIRL.
Mine'd
doyoumined.com
Aaron Albert
Co-founder
Mine’d is a digital platform with human pathos.
Jennifer Cohen
CEO
Suprema Fitness
jennifercohen.com
Suprema Fitness is a full service agency backed by venture
fund MDO Holdings, which primarily invests in health and
wellness tech startups.
Bernardo Ahlborn
President
Absolute Builders
absolutebldrs.com
Absolute Builders, Inc. is a Woodwork Construction Contractor
in the Washington DC, metro area since 1998.
The Magnolia Parlor
themagnoliaparlor.com
Meagan Gallman
Salon Owner
The Magnolia Parlor is a specialty hair salon offering
customized looks for clients that are guaranteed to make an
unforgettable impression.
Mariam Nusrat
Founder and CEO
Gaming Revolution
for International
Development
gamingfordev.com
GRID is an award-winning social-impact gaming studio.
Armineh Keshishian
Founder
Evolution
Dance Theatre
evolutiondt.ca
Evolution Dance Theatre develops, promotes and performs
original Middle Eastern-inspired multimedia and
multidisciplinary spectacles to both entertain and provoke
dialogue on social, spiritual and humanistic themes.
Ashley Brichter
Founder
Birthsmarter
birthsmarter.com
Birthsmarter is a group of pretty smart and extremely
thoughtful parents, doulas, and birth educators.
Yasar Chaudhary
Co-Founder and
President
LA Vodka
lavodka.com
LA Vodka is the Ultra Premium Vodka.
Jennifer Ammons
CEO and Owner
The Big Fake Wedding exists to promote small businesses,
inspire couples and encourage solid marriages.
The Big Fake Wedding
thebigfakewedding.com
Featured Person

10. COVER
STORY
Dr. JoAnn Ajayi-Sco
Founder and CEO
Essence of a Lady, Inc

11. Dr. JoAnn
Ajayi-Scott
Empowering Youths to Greatness through
Education, Mentoring, and Networking
Our purpose is to help
women and girls in
becoming productive
citizens or future
entrepreneurs and help
them in gaining maximum
health and wealth!!

12. Life's most urgent and persistent question is, "What
are we doing for the well-being of others?" To
endure difficulties for a meaningful purpose is a
sublime pleasure, and there is no greater pleasure than
utilizing one's life, wealth, intelligence, and words for the
welfare of others. People leave a great legacy behind by
helping in the well-being of others and will be remembered
by the lives they touched and made a positive difference in
people's lives. Great leaders live in a spirit of compassion
and generosity along with humanitarian and philanthropic
approaches helping them contribute significantly to the
world without expecting anything in return.
Dr. JoAnn Ajayi-Scott is one such humanitarian and
philanthropist making a difference in the lives of youths
positively through educating, empowering, networking,
mentoring them, and helping them attain greatness. As the
Founder and CEO of Essence of a Lady Inc., Dr. JoAnn
ensures that each girl aged from 6 to 19 is provided an
opportunity to receive a mentor. These mentors help guide
them through the trials and tribulations of growing up,
graduating from school, becoming productive citizens or
future entrepreneurs.
In an interview with Insights Success, Dr. JoAnn Ajayi-
Scott shares her journey and her contribution though
Essence of a Lady, Inc. in the overall development of
women and girls.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Brief our audience about your journey as a business
leader until your current position at Essence of a Lady,
Inc. What challenges have you overcome to reach where
you are today?
I founded Essence of a Lady over 32 years ago. What
started as a social club with over 23 women supporting each
other in their side hustles in May 1989 evolved into a
sustainable 501©3 nonprofit organization in 2003. Over this
32-year period, I have had partnerships with schools, school
districts, Big Brother Big Sister, MENTOR, Susan B.
Taylor's National Mentoring Cares, Point of Light, and
President Obama's PRESIDENTIAL LIFETIME AWARDS
commission. In addition, I have been in partnership with
over 400 local, state, and national professional and
entrepreneurial women who helped support the mission to
educate, mentor, and empower over 1000 youth, especially
girls, in three states and six school districts. My vision is
ALL women and girls will gain maximum health and
wealth!! Now, after over 30 years, I have retired from the
educational arena, and I run Essence of a Lady, Inc. full-
time. Through my journey, I have received awards in
education, community, and entrepreneurship, including
national philanthropist of the year, congressional award and
recognition, and an international humanitarian award. The
biggest challenges have stemmed from a lack of funding to
support the mentoring programs.
Tell us something more about your company and its
mission and vision.
The mission of Essence of a Lady is to educate, mentor, and
empower girls through the philanthropy of women. I work
toward this goal with a team of women to provide youth,
especially girls, with tools, resources, and financial support
to develop a career, leadership, and social skills. With
women joining our network of philanthropy to give their
time, talent, and treasure to help develop these skills, girls
graduate from high school and pursue further education
and/or entrepreneurship. The mission of education,
mentoring and empowerment, allows me to carry out the
vision of helping women and girls gain maximum health
and wealth. The hidden benefits of women giving to girls
are the connections they make with other philanthropists
and the joy of seeing girls reach their full potential,
knowing they contributed to their growth.

13. Enlighten us on how your organization has made an
impact on the lives of people.
Over the 32 years of supporting women and girls, Essence
of a Lady has provided a platform for women to share their
journey to success, revealing the struggles, pain, and
heartache they went through and the tenacity and resilience
to persevere, despite the struggle, to become the women
they have become. Women have started and or leveraged
their businesses. Girls have developed high self-esteem
through mentoring sessions, workshops, webinars, special
events, and scholarships to attend college or technical
schools. Long before self-care was trending, Essence of a
Lady, through a researched-based curriculum created by
me, conducted weekly mentoring sessions to help girls
develop mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially.
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that
drives your organization.
The core values of Essence of a Lady are we are our sisters'
keepers. It takes a village to raise a child, and the village
has changed in the 21 century. The village is not our
neighbors but caring and giving adults who are passionate
about supporting youth and their families. I believe in
providing positive interaction in a positive environment to
motivate girls to strive to reach their full potential,
believing someone cares about them. The goal is to provide
non-judgmental support to girls through mentoring: group
or one-to-one.
Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in
almost every sector. How are you leveraging
technological advancements to make your solutions
resourceful?
I recognized the importance of being in the technological
space over 15 years ago. Although I was scammed on
several occasions with people supposed to build websites
for us to leverage opportunities to support more youth, I
have had a website, social media presence, and online
forms and payment systems for over ten years. I am in the
process of rebranding and upgrading our websites with a
branding specialist, branding photographer, automation, and
strategies coach as I speak.
Created in 1989, Essence
of a Lady, Inc. recruits
professional and
entrepreneurial women
to help educate, mentor,
and empower school-age
girls.

14. If given a chance, what change would you like to bring
in mentoring?
The change I would like to bring is more support from
adults. Most adults believe when youth get into high school,
they need less support; my experience in working with
youth and teaching at-risk students in high school for over
16 years proved that is inaccurate. Additionally, I wrote my
dissertation on mentoring. USDOE (2012) stated, "every 26
th
seconds a child drops out of school, and 12 grade was the
only grade girls dropped out more than boys." My goal is to
provide opportunities for parents to be involved in their
children's lives all the way through graduation with Essence
of a Lady's continuous support and mentoring
programming.
What, according to you, could be the next big change in
the empowerment of women?
Women understand the power of collaborating more now
than ever before. When I first began Essence of a Lady in
1989, women's mindset was, "Women don't want to work
together; they only want to tear each other down." Well, it
was true then; the women who helped create Essence of a
Lady listened to the then-president and disbanded the
organization and dispersed the money equally. Four of us
took ours, and I created the first "Ladies Only Conference"
then, I created a non-profit and received the 501©3 status
through the IRS so that would never happen again. With
influencers, strategic partnerships, and collaborative
partners, women can leverage their business and provide
support to each other and girls, who are our legacy!
How is your company preparing to be a part of that
change?
Essence of a Lady, in partnership with the Females are
Fabulous Empowerment Series, is providing a media,
marketing, and PR platform to allow women to live out
their passion and share their journey to their
FABULOUSNESS with the world! We work with them to
provide the tools, resources, and support to leverage their
businesses as a philanthropist, leave a legacy through their
stories on different platforms, and ultimately become
LEGENDARY in the world!
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run,
and what are your future goals for Essence of a Lady,
Inc?
I see myself as a global philanthropist, women
empowerment speaker/emcee, and legacy builder, providing
a media, marketing, and PR platform for women to share
their stories of triumph and providing the audience to hear
their stories through Essence of a Lady's women and girls
events. Additionally, I see Essence of a Lady establishing
partnerships with girls’ and boys’ programs by providing a
mentoring component to their established clubs. The goal is
for every child to have an opportunity to get mentoring
support from adults in their community. I have created an
action plan to connect with established mentoring programs
in the community to provide support and guidance to them
utilizing research-based, data-driven strategies to help them
leverage their programs.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs
who aspire to mentor and empower youth?
You do not have to worry about re-creating the wheel. I
have mentored and empowered hundreds of budding
entrepreneurs; that is my passion, that is God's purpose for
my life. I have been out here for over 40 years as an
entrepreneur, over 35 years as an empowerment
speaker/emcee, and over 32 years as a philanthropist. I am
here to support you; all you have to do is be willing to
support girls. By coming together, we create a win-win
opportunity for everyone. Remember, we are not going to
be remembered by the cars we drive, the clothes we wear,
or the house we live in; we will be remembered by the lives
we touch in a positive way. Philanthropy provides you that
opportunity to give…without expecting anything in return,
knowing you can be gifted 100-fold! Contact me at Dr.
JoAnn or Schedule a 15-minute Consult at
ConnectwithDrJoAnn.as.me and learn more about
leveraging your business as a philanthropist to build
generational wealth.

18. Meagan Gallman
Salon Owner, Master Colorist,
Artistic Educator, Guest Writer
The Magnolia Parlor
Our stylists are not only well
educated in their craft, but they also
provide only the best services to the
guest of all ages and hair types.
16 | January 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

19. Dive a few years into the past, and you’ll notice
when social media mainly existed for
entertainment purposes and was not as business-
driven as it is today. However, the waves of transformative
shifts in the business world when building a robust client
base required paper ads, passing business cards, and word
of mouth began to change and took a more digital route.
Surrounding were evolving, and not many people adapted
quickly, but when they did, they defeated all the odds to
perceive the success they yearned for. Akin to the words
above is Meagan Gallman, who realized her potential and
finally overcame the naive mindset that held her back for
years to find her venture, The Magnolia Parlor.
Meagan decided to booth rent after pursuing her career
started as a commission stylist in a salon. She faced several
challenges along her journey but struggled with one for
years when people didn’t take her seriously as an artist. She
had to fight tooth and nail to prove her value and be
respected while facing her biggest pet peeve, “So, you’re
just a hairstylist.” Overcoming similar comments, Meagan
learned from experience, allowing herself to grow and
making things happen for her amid the disbelief of others.
Over the years, Meagan has built herself a reputation by
working in various aspects of the industry, aspiring every
artist to view that success can be achieved even from a
small town in the South with dedicated efforts. She impacts
the industry as an educator for Joico, Olivia Garden, and is
also part of the education team for Beauty Launchpad. With
years of experience, Meagan made strides with her words as
a guest writer for multiple beauty publications. She asserts.
“There is room for everyone with a passion for the beauty
industry. That drives me to impact my industry in the most
positive way possible.”
The Passionate Culture
Meagan strongly believes in sharing the knowledge that she
received with other stylists. After spending half her career
as a Master Colorist, she was blessed to work with a few
prestigious names in the industry and considers herself
lucky to call them friends. Meagan loves mentoring young
stylists and is eager to teach them about the know and how
of the industry, guiding them to avoid her mistakes to excel
from the start.
Meagan mentions that she never knew that she wanted to
launch her venture, The Magnolia Parlor. It has become a
safe and creative space for stylists to grow their talents and
succeed in various ways. She understands the stagnant
feeling one might feel due to lack of support system,
limited access to education, demographic mindset, and lack
of mentorship and encouragement. Meagan gives it her all
with the thoughtful approach that allows her to remedy the
negative thoughts of the students that can take over and
deliberate their confidence.
Meagan invests in her stylist, setting a goal where she
wants them to be better than herself. She wants her students
and stylists to grow continuously because she understands
that getting comfortable in the beauty industry is dangerous.
She notes, “You become comfortable, you become lazy. You
become lazy; you become irrelevant. You become
irrelevant; you become forgotten. You become forgotten;
your career is dead. Never become comfortable. Become an
unforgettable life force of the beauty industry.”
From training stylists from basics to business, Meagan has
cultivated a vibrant culture by entrusting her team with the
core of The Magnolia Parlor: tackling and achieving
anything. She describes being an entrepreneur as like
running a household, and she is the head of her salon
household. She ensures that her mindset is on point and that
she is ready for anything. She asserts, “If the core is
weakened, the household will crumble. No entrepreneur
wants their empire to fail, especially because they have lost
sight of what is important.”
The 10 Most Influen al Entrepreneurs to Follow in 2022
Meagan Gallman
Making the Stylist Inside You Future Ready
17
|
January 2022
www.insightssuccess.com

20. Adapt, Embrace, Bequeath
When the world was dealing with the chaos of pandemics,
Meagan and her team learned to adapt to the situation to
ensure the continuation of the success of her Fempire. In
her opinion, technology has its definite downfalls but also
has been the saving grace. During the pandemic, Meagan
taught countless classes digitally while keeping up with the
team. The different technology implementations allowed
her to pre-record lessons and guide stylists with platforms
like zoom, which boosted her as an entrepreneur.
Meagan expresses that she would like to see more states
allow an “apprenticeship” program added to Cosmetology
Curriculums. She wishes that there should be designated
salons that should pass an accreditation application to be
involved. So, students could acquire a certain amount of
their practical hours within an accredited salon. It will allow
future professionals in the beauty industry to adapt to an
actual salon environment. In Meagan’s opinion, with the
addition of the accreditation salon program, students will be
able to shadow and assist while in school and essentially get
acquainted with real-life salon situations and how to
address them.
Moving ahead, Meagan envisions a beautiful education-
based salon blossoming in ways that a younger, naïve,
unrealistic “business owner” would have never thought
possible. She sees herself working diligently to help change
the small mindset of those who have stereo typed the beauty
industry as just a play job or a backup plan if Plan A doesn’t
work out.
Meagan advises budding women entrepreneurs never to
stop learning and studying about every side of the industry.
Finding compatible mentors is essential to produce the type
of work that intrigues oneself. “Never settle. Perform like a
professional, and you will be respected as a professional.
Perform like someone that plays with hair as a hobby, and
you will not be taken seriously,” concludes Meagan.
18 | January 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

21. Entrepreneur of The Y
ear
19
|
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www.insightssuccess.com

22. ecognizing digital business opportunities and being
Ra part of digital transformation has become a
necessity in modern times. Having an online
presence enables businesses to expand their services
regionally and globally, maximizing the businesses' profits.
With digital technologies, businesses have accepted
organizations' innovative approaches for tackling tough
societal challenges. Digital sustainable activities are
becoming the new business opportunities in
entrepreneurship, and digital entrepreneurs are playing a
significant role in utilizing digital technologies for
addressing issues in the world.
Digital sustainability has the potential to increase advances
in entrepreneurship, strategy, and innovation for making a
positive and revolutionary impact in society. Adopting
digital technologies with their infinite potential is the
beginning of a new era in entrepreneurship. Here traditional
ways of doing business will be reshaped, giving rise to new
business opportunities and deriving profits by pursuing
digital entrepreneurship.
The game rules are changing with the adoption of digital
technologies by most businesses. These technologies will
add new parameters and functionalities. Business leaders
who are experts in tapping the potential of these
technologies can make a lot of difference in the era of
digital entrepreneurship. Many startups are emerging in the
digital field. The growth of these startups depends on how
they can grasp the digital technologies efficiently and be
more functional with these technologies.
Digital technologies are also beneficial to already
established businesses. They can increase their growth with
these technologies and scale up to a great extent. Having an
appropriate regional ecosystem can help enterprises flourish
and resolve most of the complex challenges in the world
with digital technologies.
Digital entrepreneurship is the most important element of
the innovation system. It is changing the overall business
system and impacting the different dimensions and levels of
the innovation system. Digital technologies change the
innovation system and provide new and disruptive business
opportunities.
The key parameters of digital entrepreneurship are an
ecosystem, entrepreneur, and entrepreneurial process. A
favorable environment leads to favorable results. With the
combination of all these parameters, digital
entrepreneurship can make a tremendous contribution in the
business world by tapping the potential of digital
technologies.
Clear recognition of the needs and resources that are
required for digital firms and startups, the detailed
examination of the operative mechanisms of already
existing ecosystems with a focus on digital technologies,
and investigations of the changing trends and using digital
technologies accordingly, etc., form the essential
component of sustaining the entrepreneurial spirit in the
digital era.
Digital transformation is the most affecting trend for
businesses currently. Some of the most exciting research-
related ideas and entrepreneurial avenues are due to the
confluence of digital and sustainability imperatives.
Embracing digital technologies for sustainable growth and
development of businesses is possible for entrepreneurs in
the digital era.
Entrepreneurs can sustain their entrepreneurial spirit by
being experts in tapping the potential of these technologies.
Businesses can rise to great heights by the successful
implementation of digital technologies. Entrepreneurs who
will be able to leverage digital technologies for availing the
business advantage will be able to make great profits and
huge contributions to society and thereby derive more
meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
20 | January 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

23. Sustainable Journey
SUSTAINING
ENTREPRENEURIAL
SPIRIT IN THE
DIGITAL ERA
21
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26. A bridal show
alternative complete
with an emotional vow
renewal ceremony,
light bites, and
a dance-party
reception.
24 | January 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

27. Jennifer Ammons
Curating a Unique Bridal Show
The most intriguing aspect about acting on a unique
idea is that it brings together creative minds
together to initiate a change that can disrupt the
industry's landscape for the better. To connect the newly
engaged couples to several local boutique vendors to form a
connection before investing towards their special day under
one big roof was the core idea that birthed The Big Fake
Wedding.
Jennifer Ammons leads The Big Fake Wedding as the
CEO and Owner, steering her experience to expand
worldwide. Embarking on the mission of TBFW, Jennifer
promotes small businesses, inspires couples, and
encourages solid marriages, creating a platform where
brands can showcase their best, resulting in a network of
like-minded business owners with future clients at their
fingertips.
An Arbitrary Beginning
Having very little interest in becoming involved in the
wedding industry to becoming the CEO of an experiential
marketing company in the niche has been an exhilarating
ride for Jennifer. She didn't plan her elaborate wedding,
having a small dinner table of eight, before stepping into
becoming the owner of The Big Fake Wedding, realizing
that the industry is filled and served by small businesses
chasing their dreams, no marketing support. Thus, Jennifer
understood that the small business is the heart of the
wedding industry. She is honored to work with 800
supporting the business annually. Jennifer welcomes 2022
to bounce back from the unprecedented times with newly
rejuvenated nationwide awareness and support small
businesses.
Thinking Out-of-the-Box
Jennifer expresses that the TBFW business model works
because it cares about supporting business vendors, setting
them apart from an average "boxed event." Every Big Fake
Wedding vendor is individually connected to in-house
Production Managers, with their cheerleaders guiding them
to succeed at an event. She asserts, "We personally know
each and every business we work with, and we know what
they need. It also works because, unlike the majority of the
wedding industry media, we are not in it to propel the
unnecessary stress and competition of wedding planning
and instead exist to encourage solid, committed marriages
of all types." TBFW doesn't join on the hand wagons and
intentionally chooses to market uniquely and genuinely.
Jennifer states that engaged couples come to the TBFW
events entrusting that the brand only supports fair, quality,
and authentic local businesses. Couples visit the events to
carry out real conversations and view the relationships
between the clients and vendors without any pressure.
The 10 Most Influential Entrepreneurs to Follow in 2022
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28. 26 | January 2022 www.insightssuccess.com

29. TBFW provides a reminiscing experience that couples can
witness personally rather than viewing from a zoom call.
The event includes a REAL vow renewal, 15 minutes where
the mingling stops to remind why marriages are so great in
the first place. "Without this, we'd be just another wedding
show," mentions Jennifer.
Heads Up Move Forward
In the relentless pursuit of being the best, in 2022, Jennifer
hopes to propel the industry's disruption by changing how
GenZ can book vendors and organize and serve clients
while also seamlessly growing its business. The
methodologies that engaged couples can utilize to find
quality vendors are antiquated and entirely driven by large
conglomerate companies that follow an advertise-based
business model. Although, The Big Fake Wedding has
impactful imprints, having a personal conversation with the
clients and vendors knowing the need for change.
Jennifer notes, "Clients want easier ways to book vendors
instantly, vendors want easier ways to track and follow up
with leads, and easier ways to create residual quality
bookings under the secureness of a brand they trust is
rooting for them. The Big Fake Wedding is striving to be
this solution in 2022." The experiential platform that TBFW
provides is expanding by strategically partnering with a
new company in the tech industry, Wedy. The company will
continue to serve the industry needs as engaged couples
look for better ways to spend their budget; Wedy and The
Big Fake Wedding will be the first trusted choice.
Thriving Connection
Jennifer welcomes the changes in the wedding and
marketing industry but hopes that people never lose sight of
human connection. "Owning a business BASED on the
human connection during a pandemic that forbids it was, to
say the least, hard. But we continued to be supported by the
network we had created because human connection is
desirable, and we had created not just a network but a
family," expresses Jennifer. She is hopeful to embrace the
innovative technology platforms to support the business
model to serve everyone better but also knows that the
human part of people will never cease to exist and wants
organizations to continue seeing value in that.
The Blooming Bud
Jennifer witnessed several businesses fail and flail, and new
opportunities and ideas came into existence, primarily
woman-owned. As women continue to seek meaningful
purpose outside their responsibilities in the home, more
small businesses will blossom. In her concluding thoughts,
Jennifer advises, "When the woes of business ownership hit,
which they undoubtedly will remember why you started.
Was it to create or fuel a passion that could serve your
family or lifestyle? Then honor that. Quit or scale back if
you have to, but never waiver and continue to create those
same benefits and safe spaces for other women to be
employed.”
Jennifer Ammons
CEO/Owner
The Big Fake Wedding
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33. Why
Learning Negotiation
is for
Important
Leaders?
Want to be a leader? Then you're going to need to
get people to follow you. Coincidentally, the
way to do that is by brushing up on your
negotiation skills. The two skills go hand in hand, after all,
if you've got followers, it's because people are agreeing
with your proposed ways of achieving a goal. How does a
great leader do that? By using the same skills that
negotiators use every day like listening, demonstrating
empathy, communicating effectively, and by maintaining
composure under stress.
It's Starts with Listening
It's hard to get people to follow if you don't know what's
going on with them. What makes them tick? How are they
operating on a daily basis? What are some of the challenges
that they encounter? Back when I was in my early sales
days when I worked in manufacturing, I got to spend a lot
of time on the road in stores talking to store managers about
the conditions in their stores. I was fortunate enough to go
on the road with some of the most senior leaders in my
global organization and I got to watch them stop in the
aisles and talk to customers about why they bought certain
beauty products over others. I learned an important lesson
that day that I carried with me for years to come. If you're
coming up with proposals, products, ideas for someone,
unless you know why they're making the choices that they
do you may be trying to lead folks to a place in which they
have no interest.
Empathy is a Pre-requisite
Most people confuse empathizing with agreeing. It's simply
a matter of being able to put yourself in someone else's
shoes. Once you understand where they're coming from and
how they think only then can you come up with a way to
lead them where you want them to go. Great negotiators
understand the need to frame things from the other party's
perspective. Want to get a raise? You know the reason you
want it is to have more money in your pocket but what's in
it for your employer? According to studies, an employee
who feels valued is a more productive employee and that
means better results and profits for the employer. Being able
to frame it up that way allows you to get what you want
while making it (somewhat) appealing to them. If you're a
leader who wants people to change behavior and adopt a
new process, take a moment to walk in your team's shoes to
frame it in a way that's going to help them find a path to
your solution. "I know it may seem like this new process
may take longer but we'll show you how it will save you
from answering a zillion more emails over the course of the
next few months." People want to be acknowledged, and
Expert’s View
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34. About the Leader
Author of HarperCollins’ Say Less Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to get what you
want, Fotini Iconomopoulos empowers audiences all over the world through her expertise in negotiation,
communication and persuasion. Business executives partner with her to achieve their business goals and
create a competitive advantage with negotiation consulting and training. Fotini occasionally returns to
the classroom as an instructor of MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business in Toronto. In
addition to her features on TV, media and outlets including CNBC, Forbes and Harvard Business Review,
Fotini’s book has received critical acclaim and she has been recognized with multiple awards including a
40 Under 40 award.
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35. once they have that they're more open to listening to your
proposal instead of tuning you out. Acknowledgement
doesn't mean agreement, it's a demonstration of humanity
while you can still meet your objectives.
Communicate Carefully
There's a reason I named my book "Say Less, Get More"
and it's because great negotiators are considered about what
they say and how they say it. They say less to take the time
to listen and contemplate the most effective way to express
their ideas… They're not full of fillers like "I think maybe
this might be a way to…" as those words can lead to doubt
from the listener. If you sound like you're doubting
yourself, they're going to start doubting you too and good
luck getting people to follow you. Instead, leaders choose
words that are clear and succinct: "Thanks to some studies
on the matter, we've decided to roll out this new procedure."
Less doubt also means less pushback and a lot less damage
control to deal with later. The order of information
presented is also critical, as starting with credible
positioning or acknowledgment will engage the audience
and get heads nodding before you even make the proposal
in question. When you say less by communicating
effectively you can minimize resistance and get a lot more
value out of your interactions with your followers.
Maintaining Composure is Critical
When things are easy leaders get to coast. But when the
going gets tough everyone looks to their leaders for
examples of how to handle the stress. If leaders freak out or
throw a toddler style temper tantrum (it happens) then
others start to follow their lead to everyone's detriment.
Negotiators face stressful moments all the time and they
pause to say less and maintain their self-control. During
stressful moments it's tempting to succumb to the instinct to
react, however it's that ability to pause and stay poised
before speaking that allows one to make better decisions
and communicate effectively. It's in those moments where
leaders need to dig deep and use those listening skills and
empathy to resolve conflict and demonstrate the stability
that their followers need to carry them through.
Using these skills will not only help you through the high
stakes negotiations I help my clients through, they'll also
help you in the every day negotiations that bring your
followers daily steps closer to meting your goals. Taking
the time listen and say less will certainly get you and your
followers a whole lot more.
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36. From games like snake, space impact to games like
angry birds and Player Unknown’s Battleground
(PUBG), we have witnessed a drastic transformation
in the gaming industry.
Studies reveal that the gaming industry that was valued at
USD 173.70 billion in 2020 is expected to reach a value of
USD 314.40 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 9.64%
over 2021-2026. What was earlier considered a waste of
time is now a billion-dollar industry. It is because many
ingenious minds have joined the gaming industry and
changed the way people think about video games. And the
good news is that women entrepreneurs have also made
significant contributions to shape the future of the industry.
Meet Mariam Nusrat, an innovator and the Founder of
GRID, a tech startup unleashing the power of video games
to educate, engage and empower people. Mariam and her
team are building Breshna, a no-code platform that
empowers users to create their own purposeful mini video
games at lightning speed. It’s the lightning speed that gives
ariam
Nusrat
Unleashing the Power of
No-code to Transform
Interactive Content Creation
CEO
All successful entrepreneurial
journeys boil down to passion,
purpose & perseverance!
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37. Breshna its name (the word Breshna means lightning in the
Pashto language, Mariam’s mother tongue).
We at Insights Success caught up with Mariam to learn
more about her entrepreneurial journey and contribution to
enhancing the gaming industry.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Brief our audience about your journey as an
entrepreneur until your current position at the
company. What challenges have you overcome to reach
where you are today?
Having grown up playing games such as Sim City, I knew
games leave an impression on our brains that transcends the
boundaries of the virtual world. I wondered to myself, if
games on building cities can teach urban planning, can
games focusing on environmental awareness promote
climate action, those about women’s rights promote
equality, or those building humane education improve
animal welfare? Games have the power to leave an
impression on our brains that far transcends the boundaries
of the virtual world, and I am committed to leveraging this
power to inspire social change.
I have more than a decade of experience in the education
and purposeful games industries.
For this work, I have been recognized on the Forbes Next
1000 entrepreneur list and received the Clinton Global
Initiative Honor Roll Award. But I have not done this work
alone.
When they say it takes a village, it really does! I would not
be where I am today had it not been for my family, friends,
collaborators, investors & the GRID team, and especially
my COO (and brother) Rizwan Nusrat!
For the past year, I have focused my entrepreneurial efforts
on building Breshna under a new venture-backed C-corp.
We have only been incorporated for 7 months, but we’ve
made mad progress. We launched Breshna’s MVP with a
game jam and had 6k users create 1k video games in 96
hours. We have 9 B2B partnerships aimed at getting
Breshna in the hands of users. We are also oversubscribed
at our $1m seed round.
Tell us something more about the company and its
mission and vision.
We are building for the complete democratization of the
purposeful games industry; A day when everyone,
irrespective of their knowledge of coding or design, is
empowered to create their own videos to inspire positive
impact. With Breshna, everyone can be a game developer
So think about a teacher who wants to make math learning
fun; she can transform a math quiz into a super mario like
game, where kids have to catch the right answer and dodge
the wrong ones.
Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the
gaming industry through your expertise in the market.
At GRID, we are changing how video games are created &
used.
Video games are powerful communication tools. The
impact they leave on our brains far transcends the virtual
boundaries in which we play them! There is an opportunity
to leverage this power for a purpose beyond entertainment.
Purposeful Video games, i.e. video games that have a
purpose beyond entertainment, have immense potential to
influence industries like education, marketing, and training;
but we do not see them being mainstreamed in these
industries. This is because making video games is costly,
complicated, and clunky!
With Breshna, we are breaking the skills, cost and time
barriers of making video games. Breshna empowers users
to create their own purposeful video games with no-code, at
low cost & at lightning speed.
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that
drives your organization.
I am building Breshna with a team of passionate game-
changers. We are diverse, capital-efficient, and highly
motivated individuals. Our core values are impatient
optimism, community first, undiluted creativity, graceful
growth, and humble confidence.
If given a chance, what change would you like to bring
in the gaming industry?
I absolutely believe we need more women in the gaming
space. Women belong in all walks of life & it breaks my
heart to see women self-selecting themselves out of the
industry.
We have to address our imposter syndrome upfront; that
constant self-doubt leading to questions like “Am I good
enough?” or “Do I belong in this industry?” Thoughts like
these are the reason we see women shying away from
unleashing their full potential in their professional careers.
For all of them, I have two words “You belong!”
The 10 Most Influential Entrepreneurs to Follow in 2022
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38. What, according to you, could be the next big change in
the gaming industry? How is your company preparing
to be a part of that change?
We are operating at two exploding tech trends; The serious
games market is expected to be $29B by 2025, while the
global low-code development platform market is expected
to produce $187B in revenue by 2030. Furthermore, we are
not only democratizing the video games industry but also
the NFT space, where everyone can embed their NFTs into
their own video games!
What would be your advice to budding women
entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the gaming
industry?
Shoot your shot!
Ideas are plenty; execution is what sets apart the doers from
the thinkers!
If you have an idea to solve a pain point that you see in the
world, the only scenario where you “fail” is the one where
you do nothing about it. Do not let your gender, your
educational background, your income status, or the color of
your skin hold you back from becoming the best version of
yourself!
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40. A Pragmatic Appro
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41. roach to Business
Entrepreneurship is one of the most
profound ways to make an impact in the
business world. But attaining great
success in businesses is as challenging as in
other fields. Great success requires great
sacrifices. Nothing is impossible for
those who have laser-like focus and
are determined to deliver results no
matter what the challenges are.
Such leaders believe in
themselves and their
potential to contribute
something substantial to
the world. They are
solution-oriented. They
believe that challenges
are opportunities and
like to be a part of the
solutions. Business
leaders become great
by their ability to
resolve complex
challenges.
Successful business
leaders can make a
difference in the
businesses they are
leading with the
remarkable attributes
they have. They have
great leadership qualities.
They become distinguished
entrepreneurs with distinctive
abilities that help them deliver
more than expected. They do
things differently than others. They
are ambitious. They don’t like to play
small. They have a broader vision. They
are ready to put their mind, heart, and
every nerve into making things happen. They
believe that anything is possible with the nerves
they have. With the guts, nerves, knowledge, talents, skills,
and courage, they know that they can fight through any
challenges and deliver the best.
External motivation is a very momentary thing. It is not
sustainable to keep one going in the long run. But success-
ful business leaders are self-motivated. Their motivation
comes from within themselves. They see the world inside-
out. They are not dependent on external factors for pushing
themselves to attain something extraordinary in the world.
They are humble enough to learn from their superiors and
more knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced people. They
are diligent in executing their plans with utmost perfection.
They learn from the mistakes of themselves and others
because they believe that they don’t have all the time in the
world to make all the mistakes. They don’t repeat the
mistakes.
Remarkable entrepreneurs minimize mistakes and aim to
deliver maximum results. They deliver smarter business
results that are beneficial for their clients. They improve the
user experience. They solve complex business problems
with their innovativeness and ability to utilize smarter
solutions. They deliver profitable business results through
their sharp skills, educated use of technology, and smarter
solutions. They are serial innovators, and because of their
constant ability to come up with newer and newer innova-
tions, they can avail themselves of the edge in the industry.
Success in the modern world requires something more than
just academic intelligence. Successful business entrepre-
neurs are beyond academic intelligence. They don’t think in
terms of black and white solutions. They know that
complex problems require unprecedented solutions. With
their innovative intelligence, they resolve complex issues
with their ingenuity. With their innovative ideas, they
improve on existing processes. This is the purpose with
which they choose the path of entrepreneurship and can do
justice to their ambitions. They make the world a better
place by delivering innovative and smarter business
solutions.
Pragmatic Terms
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42. Yasar
Chau ary
S p e a r h e a d i n g w i t h E x c e p t i o n a l T a c t i c s
etermined to become his own boss, Yasar
DChaudhary stepped into the business world
following his entrepreneurial drive. At the early
age of 12, he was intrigued by his father's businesses. Yasar
began to learn every aspect of the company to get into the
workforce as soon as possible. After he graduated, he
decided to start working as he knew that he could make the
most of his career without a degree.
Today, Yasar is the visionary Co-founder and President of
LA Vodka alongside two other Co-founders, Jeff Prescott
and Kyle Blevins. The company was crafted by the most
experienced and knowledgeable master distillers in
California. Over the years, Yasar innovated various
strategies to gain a competitive edge over the competition
matching the core competencies of the opportunities.
Insights Success came across Yasar in our endeavor to find
"The 10 Most Influential Entrepreneurs to Follow in 2022."
We talked with him to understand how his business acumen
and determined efforts have made him a prominent
entrepreneur.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Brief our audience about your journey as an
entrepreneur until your current position at the LA
Vodka. What challenges have you had to overcome to
reach where you are today?
I knew I wanted to always be my own boss. One of the
biggest challenges I had to face was my age. I often was not
taken seriously due to that. I had to learn to have an answer
for any concern or pushback from the other party. This
challenge also made me the businessman I am today. I
learned to present and uphold myself in a certain manner.
Fast forward a few years, and I have launched over a dozen
successful companies. One of my best years in business had
to be in 2021, which included hitting the INC 5000 list
along with being listed as Forbes Next 1000. LA Vodka was
always a concept my partners and I wanted to do one day.
In my opinion, now is the best time for us to shift our focus
and make LA Vodka a household name.
Tell us something more about LA Vodka and its mission
and vision.
Our vision with LA Vodka was to create a vodka that was
unique and different from the rest. What better place than
Los Angeles, the city where people go to pursue their
dreams. We want to encourage people to carve their own
paths, to go against the grain. The development process of
LA Vodka reflected just that. We source the finest
ingredients to create an ultra-premium vodka with an
extremely smooth taste.
Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the
industry through your expertise in the market.
Over the years, I gained a tremendous amount of experience
A New Vodka,
For A New Age.
The 10 Most Influential Entrepreneurs to Follow in 2022
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43. Yasar Chaudhary
Co-Founder & President
LA Vodka
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44. and knowledge in startups across many different sectors.
One of the many things I enjoy about business is that I've
found most of the business principles I have learned and
lived by; I am able to take with me in this venture with LA
Vodka. Namely, a direct-to-consumer/ e-commerce launch.
We have recognized an opportunity in the market that we
plan on tapping into.
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that
drives your organization.
At LA Vodka, we believe in growth. We want our whole
team to grow with the company. We know how important it
is to have a positive work culture because it can translate
into other aspects of our lives. At La Vodka, we are willing
to not only teach and train our team but learn from them as
well. We are lucky enough to have many talented team
members in our company who trust and support each other
but also challenge us in a constructive way that ultimately
promotes growth within the company.
Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in
almost every sector. How are you leveraging
technological advancements to make your solutions
resourceful?
Efficiency is what we strongly believe in. Technology is
growing and changing at a rapid pace. We know if we
leverage the tools available, we can focus on the more
important issues, like quality and our customer satisfaction.
We wanted to invest a lot of time and money into a focused
e-commerce brand. Without a doubt, technology plays a
huge role in our success.
If given a chance, what change would you like to bring
to the industry?
One of many things that drove us to bring this product to
market was being different. Through the development
process of LA Vodka, we wanted to capture the uniqueness
of our ingredients and brand. Having a Vodka with a name
that resonated with everyone is disruptive itself. Not only
that, the lifestyle that this brand represents as well. One
change we plan on bringing to this industry is to redefine
what "premium" actually means.
What, according to you, could be the next big change in
the industry? How is your company preparing to be a
part of that change?
One main change in the alcohol industry we are preparing
for is having our direct-to-consumer footprint down. Covid
19 has made ordering alcohol online mainstream. We
believe the 3-tier system in this industry is due for a change.
Regulations will loosen up, and direct-to-consumer
concepts will quickly tap into the on-premises sales
category. Drizzly and Reserve Bar are perfect examples that
there is success to be had in real-time delivery and local
shipping, changing the game for how to purchase alcohol in
the new age.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run,
and what are your future goals for the company?
We believe that LA Vodka is a world recognizable name.
Our future plans consist of being a household name not
only nationwide but worldwide. Right now, we face
different challenges every day. We are excited to see the
progress we make in the coming years.
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