Category: Cover Stories

Meet The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The May 2022 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Steven Cravotta

Posted on by Gary

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Steven Cravotta is the self-taught creator and developer of the original Wordle app, a word-based puzzle app he uploaded to the Apple’s App Store when he was 18. He eventually abandoned the entire project because it averaged merely one or two downloads per day in the four years since he uploaded the app.

Fast forward to last December; after checking the app’s stats, he shockingly noticed it had 500,000 downloads in just five days! After investigating the source of the spike in downloads, he realized that thousands of people looking for the web-only game “Wordle,” created by software engineer Josh Wardle, were downloading his app by mistake.

“I was doing one-two downloads a day, and then all of a sudden, a couple of weeks ago, I checked my developer dashboard, and the graph just went vertical, and I was getting 50,000 downloads every day,” Cravotta told ABC News.

Instead of keeping all the proceeds for himself, Cravotta reached out to Wardle and offered to team up with him to impact the world positively. Cravotta decided to donate $50,000 of the app’s revenue to Boost West Oakland – an organisation that provides free tutoring and mentorship for children in Oakland, Calif.

MoneyCentral Magazine recently caught up with Steven to discuss his journey in the industry, and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your app?

Currently, I am marketing Puff Count on TikTok. I make videos educating viewers on the dangers of smoking nicotine and then offer a solution to help them quit. You can check out my TikTok account here: www.tiktok.com/@puffcount.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are all platforms I utilize to increase Puff Count’s awareness. TikTok has been the most successful platform thus far.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

In my opinion, paid advertising is getting less and less effective every year. Apple’s new privacy updates have made tracking users exponentially harder, which is a great thing for privacy, but bad news for paid ad platforms.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your app and engaging your customers? How did your app stand out?

My main tactic is posting as much content as I can on TikTok. Creating TikToks costs me virtually nothing but my time, so my customer acquisition cost is $0. Puff Count stands out from the crowd because, unlike other quit smoking apps, it will guide you through the process of reducing your usage to make quitting more achievable.

What form of marketing has worked well for your app throughout the years?

Organic marketing has worked well for all of my mobile apps. Because the margins on mobile apps are slim, you have to get creative in the way you market.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

Removing the paywall from Puff Count. I want to make quitting nicotine accessible for anyone and everyone who wants to, and that requires me to make Puff Count a completely free application.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

There are no mistakes, only lessons. I learned that your product would never be perfect; you just have to keep moving fast and listening to customer feedback.

What new app would you love to start?

Something in the Web3 / Metaverse space.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I would post even more on TikTok in the early days when it was easier to go viral.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Bet on yourself.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first app?

App development can be expensive. Try to set up an MVP and get initial user feedback before investing all of your time and money into an idea.

Meet The Woman Behind The Cover Of The March 2022 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Dr. Tanisha Denise Manning

Posted on by Gary

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A veteran entrepreneur, Dr. Tanisha Denise Manning, better known as “Wonder Woman,” is an inspirational game-changer with an impressive resume. She has built a career dedicated to public service – leveling the playing field for some of the most at-risk youth in various communities. She’s a “Light” combat veteran, a highly sought-after author, a motivational speaker, a Holistic Health practitioner, an International certified birth doula, a 1st HBCU (Historically Black College and University) certified life coach, a certified yoga instructor, a Forensic fingerprint and mortuary expert, a Juvenile Justice Advocate, a former deputy sheriff, as well as an active humanitarian. No wonder she was dubbed as “The Wonder Woman Life Coach” by Source Magazine in 2014 and featured as “The 2018 Wonder Woman of San Joaquin County.”

Raised amid rampant gang violence and poverty in South Stockton, California, Denise managed to claw her way out of poverty through sheer willpower. She overcame hardship and loss and actually succeeded where failure was almost a certainty. Thus, her life is a shining example of what the human spirit can endure and achieve as long as there’s determination and willpower.

When it comes to public service, Denise is undoubtedly in a league of her own. She has worked diligently for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, advocating for youthful offenders and creating their first re-entry and mentoring program in Tallahassee, Florida. She has established and facilitated several creative writing and poetry classes for young offenders already in the criminal justice system. In fact, Denise implemented the first poetry creative writing classes in Orlando, Florida, Killeen, Texas, and Stockton, CA, and has received numerous commendations for Outstanding Distinguished Service.

Back in 2015, Denise opened her business, “Pretty Lady Boutique.” The boutique provided services for women and housed a mentoring non-profit for teenage girls. She took to local schools and created “Pretty Lady Sisterhood” – she became the first in the city and school district to incorporate and implement a mentoring program for high-risk teenage girls. Because of her extensive public service, she has been featured for community service leadership in several print and online publications, television as well as various organizations and universities.

Fast forward to today, and Denise currently has over thirteen years of military service in the United States Army under her belt. She holds degrees in Criminal Justice Administration and Business Administration, and she has received an Honorary Ph.D. in Theology and Spiritual Counseling. Denise has also worked with various police departments in fingerprint analysis, crime scene processing, and violence prevention strategies. She holds membership in several prestigious social and civil organizations where she has been recognized as a Visionary Pearl and Charter President and she’s currently a Master Counselor/Life Coach. She’s also a new mother to a beautiful baby boy.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Denise to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what went down:

Can you tell us more about your life coaching journey since you’re a pioneer in the field?

Coaching and counseling was always a calling in my life. While deployed to Baghdad during Operation Iraqi freedom, I made up my mind that I was going to become a life coach; however, years prior, I had implemented programs and held coaching groups in local detention centers for high-risk youth. My passion for helping high-risk youth drove me to implement mentor coaching programs for state departments of juvenile justice, local city governments, juvenile detention centers, and federal correctional facilities for women.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

There’s no better feeling than creating something from the ground up without someone telling you what you can and cannot do. I remember working a job and realizing I was giving them all my creativity for pennies. I didn’t particularly appreciate feeling used. I was motivated by freedom – the freedom to create, serve, and give back without restrictions.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

The need and passion for helping others. Being the person I needed when I was a troubled youth or young woman who was in need.

It has come to our attention that you made history as one of the first women to obtain a Master’s degree in “life coaching” – can you tell us more about this?

I started coaching before it became popular and saturated with people that didn’t have life experience or education. Life coaching degrees weren’t offered until 2016-2017, and I jumped on the first outstanding accredited program.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business, and how did you overcome them?

Overcoming the fear of doubt. Understanding that oftentimes your worst enemy and worst critic is yourself.

You recently trademarked “Venting Session” as a service in your private counseling practice. Why did you feel the need to trademark this service, and what makes this service so unique?

Many people don’t want, can’t afford, or don’t trust therapy. I’m an advocate of therapy; however, I also understand that sometimes you just want to get something off your chest, get some unbiased advice without the hassle of insurance or high copays. Sometimes you need to talk to a professional with no strings attached, someone that relates and can identify with your situation. Someone other than your relatives or close friends – that’s me. Venting session is a 45-minute session that offers more than a space to let go but a space to heal and be heard, become grounded, and get a clear perspective on what’s next.

Meet The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The January 2022 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Scott Hughes

Posted on by Alex

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A veteran entrepreneur, Scott Hughes is the founder of OnlineBookClub.org. He is also a highly sought-after author of four books; Justice: A Novella, 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book, Achieve Your Dreams, and The Banned Book about Love. He recently announced that he finally finished the first draft of his next book “#InItTogether: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All.”

Born and raised in Manchester, Connecticut, from 2006-2014, he worked at various modest jobs on the side, including being a server and bartender at various local restaurants. In late 2014, Scott eventually decided to give up his side jobs and focus working full-time on just one thing – OnlineBookClub.org. OnlineBookClub.org is a bibliophile’s heaven and one of the best websites around for booklovers. It has it all; free books, daily contests, book discussions, and so much more. OnlineBookClub.org will even pay people to read and review books plus; it’s free to use, hence why it grew at such a rapid pace.

Since 2014, OnlineBookClub grew from strength to strength, and, as of November 2021, OnlineBookClub has garnered over 2.7 million registered members. Its development team recently released an OnlineBookClub e-reading app which is supposedly meant to compete with Amazon Kindle, called OBC Reader – it’s now available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Scott to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Fundamentally, I grow the business exponentially with a simple formula: I delegate whatever and as much as I can, hiring new people as needed. Then I take the time of mine that’s been free to do extra work or new projects that I wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. I also push that pattern down the chain as much as possible so that the other people I have working for me delegate what they can to others, especially new hires, freeing up themselves to take on more work.

Essentially, when I hired my first full-time assistant, it doubled the output. Then I eventually hired two more people, one for me to delegate to and one for my assistant.

For me, it comes down to crucial ingredients: Delegation and leveraging the power of exponents and exponential growth.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

My Social Media Director, Beth Jackson, leads our social media team. To be properly active on multiple social media platforms requires an entire team of people. Off the top of my head, we currently primarily use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Minds.com, and MeWe.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

It depends on what you are advertising. PPC on search engines like Google can provide highly targeted leads at almost unlimited volume, fairly easily. But it only works if you have a way to monetize those targeted leads in a way that exceeds the cost of obtaining them at volume. For instance, I don’t feel that it’s a good strategy for advertising a single $3 book because the profit per book sale will not be enough to cover the cost of obtaining an initial lead and a $3 sale from the ads.

If the cost of your product or service is high enough and converts well enough with targeted leads, it can work. But another factor is whether you are using those leads to create long-term relationships. So, for instance, it could work great for a subscription service, such as one of those weekly subscription boxes for prepared food in the mail.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?

My main tactic is making the best product I can or in other words, ensuring customer satisfaction. I follow this motto: Great advertising only makes a bad product fail faster. And, in a competitive commercial setting, anything less than great or amazing is a bad product. In a competitive commercial setting, merely good is not good enough.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Viral marketing is the only thing that has ever really worked for me. You make a great product or service, and then as needed, find a way to encourage your customers or users to spread the word. The more important part is the former, and depending on the business and product the latter may do itself.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

Personally speaking, my wife and I chose to get divorced in early August. That’s not really business-related, but it definitely comes to mind when you mention tough decisions.

But it speaks to this point: business decisions aren’t really ever tough for me. It’s the common cliché from movies and such that someone says usually before doing something seemingly mean “It’s not personal; it’s business.” Business is often just math. Which one makes more money? Which one costs less? Which one takes less time? What’s the bottom line?

What mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

When I first went full-time working on my business without any side jobs to pay my rent and put food on the table, I was working 70-80 hours a week. My profit—meaning what I paid myself—the first year doing that was $20,000. I worked 70-80 hours because I had to keep the business from going under and pay my rent and bills. I was scraping by the pennies some weeks—literally; I remember taking my jar of coins to the Coinstar machine on the 10th of the month because rent was due and I literally would have been short unable to pay it without cashing in the $5-$10 in coins I had.

I prefer the term learning experience to mistake, but what I would have done differently if I knew what I knew now is this: Once I got in that habit of working 70-80 hours a week, I kept going for years beyond what I had to. The company and business became very successful, I became very successful financially and professionally. About a year or two ago, I started cutting back and working a lot less per week. I could have afforded to do that much sooner.

And giving myself more free time personally made me more creative and thoughtful, so I think it’s actually been helping the company and business grow even more, ironically.

Sometimes the best ideas for the company come to me while I’m sitting in my hot tub looking up at the moon and stars.

What new business would you love to start?

I would love to start some kind of business that helps people achieve their goals and dreams, particularly in a way that focuses on self-discipline. For me, I use the term self-disciple interchangeably with the term spiritual freedom.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I got started young. I created OnlineBookClub.org when I was still a teenager.

In one way, I made a ton of mistakes both professionally and personally. My values and priorities now as a 35-year-old man are so different. This 35-year-old Scott speaking to you now would do things much differently than teenager-Scott, but he did what was right for him. If he had done anything differently, the man speaking to you now wouldn’t exist. So I wouldn’t change anything. It’s the Butterfly Effect. I believe in the principle of Amor Fati, meaning love your fate, which in this context means seeing the past as being perfect just as it is. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Another way of saying the same is to say accept what you cannot change. I believe strongly in that, and the past is something I cannot change, so I believe in wholly accepting it and embracing it with inner peace, seeing it as perfect.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I wasn’t given it personally, but my best advice comes from Ram Dass, as paraphrased by Mike Posner, and it’s only three words: “Just Love Everything.”

I have that tattooed on my right forearm, where I can see it every day.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

You have to be driven by something other than money. In my anecdotal experience and just from watching the world around me, I’ve found that those who desperately chase money are the least likely to find it. In contrast, when you work hard on yourself and your real dreams, the money chases you. Money and even health and physical fitness are only really ever a means, not an end in themselves. Without some kind of vision or passion to be the real end, the real goal, the real dream, it’s like driving a car with no gas.

When someone overvalues money itself, that person often tends to end up getting paid to work on someone else’s dream in exchange for money.

Meet The Shepreneur Behind The Cover Of The December 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Dr. Roya J. Hassad

Posted on by Alex

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Award-winning anti-aging physician Dr. Roya J. Hassad has taken the world of cosmetic medicine by storm with her first-class, innovative and ingenious approach to beauty and wellness.

Dr. Hassad, an Educator, Speaker, and the Founder of Hope, Life, and Dream Centers—the most prominent Anti-Aging medical centers in New York, has adopted a streamlined, highly-effective approach to her craft known as The Five C’s: Comprehensive, Cutting-edge, Compassionate, Connected, and Concierge, which we will break down one by one in the following five paragraphs.

Dr. Hassad’s rise in her profession can be adduced to her insistence on delivering a comprehensive service for her clients, which entails conducting a complete and thorough evaluation of each patient individually.

Dr. Hassad’s medical procedures are replete with advanced, state-of-the-art cosmetics and aesthetics. These are inclusive of anti-aging solutions, integrative medicine, preventative care solutions. Dr. Hassad and her team’s focus has always been on ensuring that each patient has an option that works for them.

Compassion is at the forefront of Dr. Hassad’s medical practices. The good doctor has a heartwarming reputation as one of the most compassionate, friendly, and amiable doctors in the field today, a quality she has infused in her medical team.

The world has since gone digital, with virtual connections helping to shape a new reality. Dr. Hassad and her team have harnessed this connection to build an ever-connected world powered by digital technology. She and her team have created an extensive medical network—extending deep into the international medical community—with some industry pioneers in medical health centers. These connections help Dr. Hassad and her team to share ideas with other brilliant minds in the medical field.

Dr. Hassad and her team offer concierge services for clients from beginning to end. The group helps to facilitate some of the more challenging aspects of preventative and aesthetic care, from acquiring previous medical records to scheduling appointments with sub-specialists for unique treatments.

“We approach every client’s health 360-degrees while testing and going over a complete evaluation that ensures our services are effective and safe,” said Dr. Hassad. “We then leverage the most innovative, cutting-edge advanced technology in anti-aging and integrative medicine, including aesthetic and preventative care that is award-winning in nature. While all of this is happening, I oversee a compassionate relationship with the client that acknowledges their personal well-being. It’s this exact arrangement that makes what I do so rewarding to me – I wouldn’t change my job for anything else in the world.”

Dr. Hassad has treated numerous patients with hormone deficiency disorders related to aging, such as menopause or diabetes mellitus in her New York City-based clinic. She has also developed incredible treatments like Bioidentical Hormones, which mimic hormones found in the human body.

Meet The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The August 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Steve Stanulis

Posted on by Gary

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Steve Stanulis is an award-winning filmmaker, actor, and the founder of Stanulis films who is currently adding to the revolution of the modern-day entertainment industry with his premium content and unmatched vision.

As the world continues to evolve digitally, high-speed internet connection has paved the way for the latest addition to the entertainment industry: streaming services that allow people to watch their favourite movies or shows online.

According to Action Elite magazine, Streaming services also brought about a significant impact on the roles of actors and actresses. They are no longer tied to major movie studios and productions exclusively. Rather, they can now earn through various online platforms because the advertisers in these digital channels pay them a certain fee to promote their products to their followers.

Leveraging this new wave of digital entertainment, Stanulis established Stanulis Films in 2019. His enterprise has already showcased early success, earning the award for “Best Documentary” in the New York Independent Film Festival for his documentary “Wasted Talent”.

Stanulis made a statement of intent with that documentary, alerting the entertainment world of his vision, creativity, and drive for triumph. Stanulis followed up this maiden success by bringing home the titles of “Best Drama” and “Best Ensemble Cast” with the hit 2020 film “5th Borough.” This casting award further lends credence to Stanulis’ creativity and a keen eye for detail in finding the right people for his films.

With longevity comes experience; with experience comes greater expertise. Stanulis didn’t appear from thin air to scoop up laurels. A former NYPD Officer and A-List Celebrity security guard, Stanulis honed his craft and garnered entertainment experience as a published and credited actor (starring in projects such as The Sopranos, The Interpreter, and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry).

With his expertise, a wealth of experience, ability to develop and find talent, and work ethic, Stanulis has been successfully steering the wheels of his enterprise in the right direction, creating amazing content all while staying within minimum film budgets.

Stanulis is not resting on his laurels yet, for his drive for success is new every morning. Leveraging on the rising independent film industry, the filmmaker currently has 10 upcoming films in the works through 2022, and with his precedents draped in awards and laurels, viewers have reason to be excited, for first-class entertainment is on the way.

MoneyCentral Magazine recently caught up with Steve to discuss his journey in the entertainment industry and here’s what went down:

Why Did You Decide To Be A Producer Above All Other Industry Job Roles?

I really enjoyed the business aspect of the entertainment industry. Being a producer allows you to run the show and make business decisions, which ultimately decide the success of the project.

What Was Your First Job In Film And How Did You Progress To Producer?

My first job in film was The Replacements with Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. I played Keanu’s backup quarterback and only had two lines, but I was hooked!

What do you look for in a script?

When reading a script, the genre, the dialogue, and character development are most important to me. Unfortunately, many writers fall short when it comes to character development.

How do you select a director?

I usually choose a director based on the genre of the film and their past success on prior projects. It’s also very important for us to be compatible and have the same creative vision.

Have you ever had to handle a difficult conflict in your career? What did you learn from it?

There have been many difficult conflicts, usually on the financial side. For instance, sometimes monies are counted on and at the last minute, investors don’t follow through. As a producer, you need to have a fallback plan and if for some reason you do not have enough time to raise the money, you have to decide where to cut the script where it doesn’t change the story.

What would you change in a movie you produced that you believe would make it better?

None- I have been blessed in the sense I have never looked back on a film or cast member and wished something was done differently.

What Film Projects Are You Working On Right Now?

We are currently shooting a project called “Monica”, starring Emily Browning and Patricia Clarkson. The film is about a transgender woman who comes home to take care of her sick mother, even though their relationship is estranged. We think the topic is timely and we are proud to be a part of this film.

Do you think it’s a good time to invest in films right now amidst this pandemic?

It’s never been a better time to invest in films, due to the fact when I first started in 1999, you either needed a theatrical release or a deal with Blockbuster. Now, there are so many platforms looking for new content. Therefore, it truly has never been a better time to have your work as a filmmaker distributed.

What Advice Would You Give To Those Hoping To Pursue A Career In Producing?

My advice would be to network, do your research, and try to find a mentor already in the business to help you learn the ins and outs. I’d also warn them that the journey is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. But if you stay motivated and remain tenacious, you will achieve all that you dream of!

Meet The Woman Behind The Cover Of The July 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Sue Turner

Posted on by Krissy

Photo Credit: Tony Palliser (Studio 49)

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Susan (Sue) Turner came from a wonderful family with a mother who was a head nurse and a beauty queen; her father loved to sing at weddings and was also known as an unbeaten famous boxer as well as a long-distance runner.

Sue has been married to Steven Turner for 31 years and together they have eight children who have grown up to be amazing adults. She’s also a proud grandmother of 12 grandchildren and has been a French bulldog breeder for 15 years. Her main profession is in the beauty industry – she runs her own beauty salon.

When Sue was only seven years old, she won the little miss MS multiple sclerosis pageant; this started her journey towards her passion as a beauty queen. From there, she worked tirelessly with her mother in many charities. In fact, her charity hours amount to around 60.000 hours and she has raised over $100,000.00 in 2018/2019 through various car shows. Some of the charities she supports include Domestic violence association Sydney, MS multiple sclerosis, Child’s vision Australia, Breast cancer foundation, Wesley mission, Salvation Army, Cystic fibrosis foundation, Starlight foundation, and Destiny Rescue.

She is the director for the “I hear voices” parent support form for addiction and has worked alongside the justice system to help prevent criminal activities. She also has her own show car – a Subaru WRX my05. This car has been used in the event to raise much-needed money at various car shows around Australia.

Sue is a global mentor within the pageant industry to all beauty queens worldwide as a featured public figure influencer. She has also won many awards as a beauty queen including Mrs. Earth Air Australia 2017, Mrs. International Global Australia 2018, Mrs. international Global Australia 2018, Humanitarian International 2018, Woman of the World 2018 and AGSA’s International Beauty Queen of the year 2019.

Sue’s passion has led her worldwide, seeing firsthand many disturbing events such as famine and disease. Because of that, she helps many other situations around the world. Sue is currently the CEO of GEQ (Global Elite Queens) magazine and her vision is to give voice to those who inspire to become the best they can in their industry. MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Sue Turner to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

As a young girl, I grew up in the outback of Western Australia in 1979. My father as a youngster was a barber in the army and my mother was a nurse and an outstanding figure in her community. After school I was offered a part-time job, working in a hair salon. On weekends I worked at the local vets. I then decided after a few years that a job in the beauty industry would be my call. My parents then sent me to Victoria and set me up with an apprenticeship in hairdressing where I gained work at one of Victoria’s most prestigious hair salons then later at Bogart’s. At the time, Bogarts became my doorway to runway modeling. And then by accident, we were short of models at a fashion event in St Kilda Melbourne so I was asked to fill in, and this led to an exciting new venture into glamour and fashion.

For many years I enjoyed the limelight until I decided to take on another degree, a university degree in skin therapy. This led to an opportunity to run my own business in the beauty industry. My degree is grade 1 level esthetician skin therapist. For 22 years I owned my business growing and building a foundation with an outstanding perspective in the beauty industry. I maintained my business by being a leader in my field and also in a growing dominant industry by developing and growing my brand and sharing my platform to create a future I have passed onto my 2 daughters.

My business has reached its target in achieving what I’d set out to do and that’s to be able to share this wonderful opportunity with my own daughters giving them both the strategies and the opportunity to support their own business in the future with absolute success.

My daughter Alycia is now an internationally recognised Sfx makeup artist with her own brand and my youngest daughter became an international beauty queen also giving her the incentive to become a partner in the beauty industry.

Why do you think social media is important in business?

Being active in social media can lead to attracting customers, allowing you to get customer feedback and building customer loyalty. It can also help increase your market reach, including international markets and increase revenue by building customer networks and advertising.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

As we all are suffering at the hands of the pandemic, we all have had to make a few changes in the way we run our businesses. Sadly there have been drastic changes in our industry with a loss in revenue. This has been the hardest decision I’ve had to face in over 22 years. Many people are in the same situation as me and these are tough times ahead for us all.

What new venture would you like to start?

I’m looking at expanding my horizons on a new venture working with missing persons. I have a current platform with crimes against humanity missing persons in Australia. This platform will enable me to work with the crime task forces in seeking closure for many families. Recently, last November, I was awarded the Mother Teresa award at the Australian parliament for her work with missing persons.

If you could go back in a time machine what would you do differently?

I love who I am so I do not think I’d do anything different. I’ve succeeded in the pathway I chose based on a future I envisioned for myself. I basically accomplished what I feel is a successful venture from a woman’s point of view. My target was to pass on my legacy to my children and in saying that, I’ve successfully done just that. Mission complete.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

To never say never and always be one step ahead. Follow your heart and your dreams and it will eventually work out. Stick to your plan and do not look back because the future is yours. My advice to others ia be to remember who you are – no one can do or appreciate what you yourself has to offer. Be yourself and be content In who you are.

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

If you have a dream, follow it and do not be afraid as fear can take over so many baby steps one step at a time. Be vigilant – my all-time favourite saying is to be your own kind of beautiful.

Meet The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The June 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Aaron Villa

Posted on by Krissy

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Aaron Villa is a crypto analyst and a self-made millionaire – he’s the founder and CEO of A1PHA Trading & Investing. He is a cryptocurrency trader and blockchain expert, certified by the blockchain council. He has been a crypto coach since 2017 and is deeply knowledgeable. He has created multiple courses, formed mastermind groups, and shared a lot of informational tools and tips regarding cryptocurrency.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Aaron to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur and here’s what went down:

When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?

I first realized my entrepreneurial flair when I was in college, I got involved with a lot of networking businesses. Also, I watched my parents build and grow their business as a child which influenced me to become an entrepreneur. When I became a Registered Nurse in the USA two years into my career I realized that it was not for me and that I did not want to work for someone else. I wanted my freedom and to be able to do the things I want to do whenever I wanted.

How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?

Before becoming an entrepreneur I was working full time as a Registered Nurse. I did 12-hour shifts 3-4 times a week. On top of that, I also began my MSN degree to become an Acute Nurse Practitioner. And on my free time, I worked on learning and educating myself everything about investing in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?

As an entrepreneur, I am motivated to prove to myself constantly that I can be successful in all aspects of life. Achieving those goals and growing as a person.

In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why.

Exciting. My life as an entrepreneur has been exciting because every day I wake up knowing that I am going to do something I love and am passionate about. I get excited to create new things, connect with new people, see new places, and learn along the way. It also excites me to know that I can also spend more time with my family more as I pursue these things.

What were your top three motivations for starting your business?

1. Freedom to be able to handle my own time.

2. Passion, which allowed me to work day in and day out without getting tired.

3. To be able to create my own future by following my own timeline and pursuing all the goals that I set out to do.

What do you put your success down to?

My success is because of my passion, dedication, and consistency. Also having the right mindset and the right partner (my wife) who constantly guides me throughout my journey.

What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?

The three elements to running a successful business are first of all loving what you do, valuing relationships with people, and remembering your why. I also believe that the more you give, the more opportunities and blessings that come back to you. So giving back to your community is also important.

What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge at first was lack of time and dealing with uncertainties.

When I started A1PHA trading and investing I was also still working as a Nurse. I enjoyed teaching clients about cryptocurrency but I didn’t put much time in. Instead of focusing on doing what I wanted, I had to fulfill my responsibilities at my job. I was a bit uncertain about going all-in with my business because I was used to having a steady income coming in monthly as a Nurse. But as soon as I took that leap of faith to grow and really focus on my business, that’s when I realized that I could actually do this and quit my job. And so far I don’t regret my decision and I never looked back.

Does the loneliness of the entrepreneur really exist?

Yes, it can be lonely at times, but being alone while doing what you are passionate about can be addicting because I can spend countless hours doing what I love without any distractions.

As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?

Leadership lessons that I’ve learned are to delegate by outsourcing, managing your time wisely, and learning how to take breaks.

I want to see more small businesses being started and being successful because I myself support small local businesses. I find that in a way, I am contributing to my community and helping another individual no matter how big or small.

You can follow Aaron on Instagram via these links: Alpha Trading I Aaron Villa

Introducing The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The March 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Justin Wang

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Justin Wang is the CEO of PIA (Property Investors Alliance). He is the embodiment of the self-made businessperson. From unassuming beginnings to life as a property magnate – he now personifies the paradigm for financial freedom. MoneyCentral Magazine recently caught up with Justin to discuss multiculturalism in the industry and here’s what went down:

Please Share With Us What Multiculturalism Means to You.

I came to Australia back in 1993 as a young, Chinese, Mandarin teacher. Luckily, the Australian Government heavily promotes multiculturalism in Australia and even encourages students to learn other languages. That’s why I was able to come to Australia, if the government of Australia wasn’t firm advocates of multiculturalism then there’s no chance I’d be able to go to this beautiful country. Because of my background of being Chinese, most of my staff, in the beginning, were also Chinese. But eventually, as the years went by, we expanded and opened our doors to various communities and people from different backgrounds. So now, PIA is made up of people from various backgrounds because embracing multiculturalism is important to me and my company.

Is there a way to help potential clients better understand why buying properties is a must in life?

Based on my personal experience, buying Sydney residential property is definitely the key to financial freedom. That said, making people understand the importance of our concept is a case-by-case basis because every single person has a different background and way of thinking. For example, with Chinese people, we usually follow a long-term wealth creation plan. So if you want to convince a Chinese person about getting into a long-term investment to accumulate wealth for their retirement – the key is to make them understand that buying a property is the best way to help secure the future of the next generation. That said, if you try to convince a young athlete to buy a property, for example, they won’t care too much about looking out for the next generation – they would care more about establishing their own retirement. So you really need to be flexible when it comes to convincing potential clients hailing from different backgrounds.

In your opinion, what is the most challenging aspect of working in a Multicultural Environment?

The real challenge is dealing with people of various backgrounds. Each person has their own set of cultures and traditions so the biggest challenge is making sure our message gets across despite everyone’s different nationalities. We always try our best, even though it can be quite challenging.

What Is Your Approach to Understanding the Perspectives of Clients From Different Backgrounds?

Getting your message across to people of various backgrounds may be very challenging, but I believe that the main recipe for getting your message across is “love.” It doesn’t matter what your background or nationality is, if you put yourself out there and love other people then other people will be able to genuinely feel it. Hence, I believe love is everything.

What are you doing to make sure people from different backgrounds are welcome in PIA?

Most of my staff in PIA are Chinese so I always brief them to be very sensitive when it comes to dealing with other people especially if they come from a different background to avoid any misunderstanding. I always tell them to smile and be friendly so that everyone feels welcomed in the PIA office. So far we’ve done very well because 50% of staff now are from other backgrounds while initially, it was 100% Chinese.

What are your thoughts on how the world will be different after COVID-19, and how are you moving to address that new world?

We all know that Covid-19 caused a massive disaster in the economy. But I’ve always believed that crisis actually creates opportunity. I believe this Covid-19 pandemic has woken a lot of people. When I say it has woken up other people, here’s an example: Back then when you ask someone to buy and accumulate assets to secure their financial security – they would’ve probably said no because they had a job or business so they had income coming through. Now when you talk about it in this day and age due to the effects of the pandemic, it has become important to accumulate assets as soon as possible since job or business security is not guaranteed. For example, as a real estate agent, you have to set up an office, pay for setting up the business, etc.. nowadays you can just work as a freelancer, using your car and laptop – since PIA is now online, anyone can run their business using just a laptop.

What is the greatest challenge that lies ahead for 2021?

2020 has definitely been tough for all businesses and various sectors. I believe the greatest challenge is figuring out how a business can survive or even grow in these tough times.

What opportunities do you see for 2021?

More and more people are more interested to buy in Sydney residential property despite the current situation. The traditional real estate business model is under threat so, this is a good opportunity for PIA to take over because we have a very cost-efficient model. From PIA’s current model, we are starting to create a new platform – Property Agency Alliance, to attract and empower stuggling agents to continually run their business.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The January 2021 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Bryan Legend

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Bryan Legend is an Australian self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, and the founder/CEO of Clever Defi Pty Ltd. Legend is literally living up to his name as he’s conquered the Cryptocurrency world; a niche that drives uncertainty to the minds of most investors and entrepreneurs.

For the period of 8 years that Bryan has been in Cryptocurrency, he’s mastered the art and craft to near perfection. An embodiment of strategic planning and execution, Bryan has hit gold in this field with his innate crypto-oriented mindset, the evidence of which can be seen from the successful start-up companies he has created from scratch, complemented by his estimated net worth of roughly 2.6 million dollars.

The crypto industry has experienced substantial growth over the past few years, making millionaires and billionaires in the process. “Crypto itself isn’t going anywhere, but most Crypto’s are. What I mean by that is the future of Cryptography and Blockchain is here to stay, but 99% of the Crypto projects that exist today won’t be around in the near future because they are simply not geared the right way in a decentralized manner”, Bryan remarked.

As an entrepreneur, Bryan is one of the most brilliant minds among his peers. In retrospect to his beginner days, it’s been evident that Bryan Legend has always had the inbred ability in sales and an unmatched intuition in negotiations. Bryan Legend dropped out of high school at an early age to pursue higher goals, and he discovered these brilliant traits in his early 20’s and nurtured his gift to productivity by training others in ‘the art of the sale’; employing a direct approach to sales with proven results.

Bryan is a firm believer in branding, a concept on which his business success is built upon. He believes that the way people perceive your company is a direct reflection of how they will engage with you. “Always put emphasis on your brand image by building a trusted name in your industry and making sure your customers come first.”, says Bryan.

With widespread attention from interested parties scattered from around the globe, Bryan’s company, Clever Defi Pty Ltd, is into Decentralized Finance (Defi), with the goal to shake things up’ in the financial industry.

CLEVER DEFI is an innovative new DEFI Protocol that works on the blockchain by automatically distributing set interest payments to eligible beneficiaries of CLEVER Token (CLVA). Storing your wealth offers to pay much greater interest rates than primitive bank technology, which is far outdated.

“I believe that all financial institutions and financial products should be designed to appropriately ‘suit up’ for the rapid change the digital age is bringing upon us. We are offering more decentralized services whereby giving the empowerment to users, and the public is where my total focus is now toward.”, said Bryan of his company’s services.

MoneyCentral Magazine recently caught up with Bryan to discuss more about his company and his journey as an entrepreneur here’s what went down:

What would you consider as your greatest accomplishment as an entrepreneur?

Being able to work for myself and pave my own path by not having to follow anybody else’s rules is an inborn need and being lucky enough to be semi-retired at the age of 37 is something to be grateful for as my main accomplishment. Also, I have always been very materialistic at heart so being able to afford a few expensive toys isn’t such a bad thing either.

What do you think makes you successful in your field?

If I believe in something whole-heartedly and set a goal to accomplish it because of that same belief, I will find myself giving up all other life priorities and dedicate my sole efforts to accomplishing that task. Namely, starting a new business concept or enterprise.

I will give 110% focus on doing everything in my power to make sure it is successful and being productive with my time allows me to navigate those waters. Not getting distracted with any outside events that would cause me to lose focus and not letting the sight of that goal until it is complete, allows me to stay motivated throughout the whole process.

Can you tell us more about CLEVER DEFI? What is it all about?

Clever DeFi is the first truly decentralized protocol giving power to the many, rather than the few, and offers a new decentralized finance (DeFi) token with an innovative design that uses Blockchain to distribute secure interest payments to holders on a 14-day cycle. Each cycle offers up to 11% compound interest and with all 888 scheduled cycles to complete in just over 34 years. Clever Token (CLVA) has been programmed to meet a forecasted average ROI of 80.60% per annum.

It can be looked at as the new, improved, and smart way to store your wealth.

How long did it actually take to develop CLEVER DEFI?

The idea concept was initially thought of by myself in an entrepreneurial brainstorming session in early 2019. Not long after the first stepping stones were put into place by putting together the building blocks of what was to become as CLEVER. The name brand CLEVER speaks for itself and commands an expectation from the public that the protocol is smart, all-knowing, and intelligently designed.

Architecturally, there has been a lot of involvement from developers in constructing the programming code that goes in hand in hand with deployment of the CLEVER Protocol that has taken many weeks of rigorous testing and auditing to make sure it proves to be exactly what we say it is and does what we say it does.

How can we get more information about CLEVER DEFI?

The easiest and best way is to visit https://clva.com, where you will find all the information to learn more or perhaps invest.

Meet The Man Behind The Cover Of The October 2020 Issue Of MoneyCentral Magazine: Tendul Raj

Posted on by Alex

A serial entrepreneur, Tendul Raj is a leading expert in the Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Crypto industries. He is on a personal mission to develop a culture of entrepreneurship, helping start-ups achieve their full potential as well as ] expand existing companies. His overall mission is to foster a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities across the world. In fact, he has built a career revolutionizing the financing industry across the globe and he currently consults and advises for a range of multi-million dollar companies.

Born and raised in Pondicherry, Tendul’s entrepreneurial journey started when he was 22. Soon after graduating from college, he started planning to start his own company. During the crucial stages of starting his new business, Tendul experienced sleepless nights for several weeks as he worked tirelessly day and night establishing the new company. Finally, after all the struggles and hardships, Nextazy Solutions Pvt Ltd was born. He also decided not to limit Nextazy with just a single vision – he wants Nextazy Solutions to provide blockchain solutions and AI-related services.

Tendul now focuses on the Blockchain industry and offers advice, consulting services, connections to Blockchain experts, and investor relations strategies.

MoneyCentral magazine recently caught up with Tendul to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur and here’s what went down:

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

Currently, my team and I are working on two big technologies – Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. I was so driven towards Blockchain technology that I decided to provide Blockchain-related product solutions and services. AI is my new favorite. It has been three years since I developed an unconditional bond with AI. Learning AI helped me grow my business and myself.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

All social media platforms are good. Each platform follows different algorithms and has its own advantages and disadvantages. I always prefer Instagram and Linkedin to increase brand awareness.

I use Instagram not only for brand awareness, but also to convey my ideas, innovations, messages, showcase the work we’re doing, and above all interact with interesting people. And I prefer Linkedin to connect with other businesses and like-minded people.

What is your experience with paid advertising, like PPC or sponsored content campaigns? Does it work?

I do have experiences in paid advertising like Google ads, social media ad campaigns, sponsored content, and other things. I suggest that emerging businesses should make use of paid advertising for better reach.

What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand?

When I started Nextazy, I made sure that all my strategies were unique and innovative. My priority is always customer satisfaction and that way my brand’s reach increases overtime. Even today, I tell my colleagues that if you can drive one potential customer towards you, driving a hundred will be a piece of cake.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Businesses these days are getting more customers, but they are not providing quality services. This should change. Each business needs different marketing strategies to prosper. But one strategy is common for all and that’s customer satisfaction. In our company, we work for the betterment of customers and this has been working well for these many years.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

I would say the toughest circumstances rather than the toughest decisions. Due to this Covid-19 pandemic, working from home has become mandatory. Since it’s a new thing for most of my people, it was difficult to maintain and increase productivity. Besides, keeping them motivated was also tedious initially. But luckily, this has reduced greatly by now.

What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?

I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but money mistake, there’s only one and that’s hiring the wrong people. Actually, these people are not wrong. They are just not suited for our environment and work culture. Unfortunately, I’ve repeated this mistake again and again, which cost me a lot of money.

What new business would you love to start?

I would love to step foot in deep-sea research. Many governments and private firms are already indulged in outer space exploration looking for habitable planets and other things. But most of the Earth itself is yet to be discovered. More than 90 percent of our oceans and seas remain untouched. I’m pretty sure there are so many fascinating things down there. I want to explore and enjoy them.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

Your past does not define your present or future so I will not disturb my past by changing anything, rather, I would just enjoy every single moment. I will be more and more confident in keeping my next step, those that made me who I am today.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Two things stand apart as the best advice I’ve ever got. One is, whatever you do, whether it may be personal or business, do it 100%, and never back down. Second, help others to build their path. Motivate them, stand with them, and never turn your back on them.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?

“Don’t let others convince you while choosing an idea.” Newbie entrepreneurs these days find it difficult to motivate themselves. They hide in the comfort zone, which will eventually break. First, I advise all newbies to come out of their comfort areas. The real struggle begins there. There will be countless failures, insults, frustration, mistakes, and too many other things to handle.

But always remember the things above are temporary. You control the construction; design it as you want it to be. When it comes to business, I would say only one thing: focus on the end-users’ perception, instead of focusing on yours. It’s the only way your business will shine.