™

www.mirrorreview.com
April 2020

BUSINESS

THE
Inspiring

LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020

VOL II

FEYZI FATEHI
CEO | CORENT TECHNOLOGY

A Champion of Entrepreneurial Leadership and

Attitude as an Integrated Work-Life Philosophy
EDITOR’S
LETTER

Resilient Leaders
of Tomorrow!

L ooking at the modern business landscape, it is an open

secret that modern business leaders have to play
multifaceted roles and serve multiple customer bases.
They wear different hats at the same time and play a pivotal part in
enhancing employees' performance and productivity.

The crisis of pandemic has not only endangered human lives but also encircled many businesses.
We have noticed how all businesses have moved their platforms to digital overnight. This has
made it clear that companies of the future need leaders who can interpret the big picture and
navigate an uncharted business environment. Leaders often tend to feel overworked and
overwhelmed in response to challenges like these, which makes resilience an important skillset.

We, the team of Mirror Review, are featuring such resilient leaders in our new magazine issue,
“The 10 Inspiring Business Leaders to Watch Out For in 2020 (VOL-II)”. These leaders are
managing personal and organizational fretfulness effectively and exuding calm and confidence
through the modern leadership approach.

Showcased on the magazine cover is Feyzi Fatehi, the CEO of Corent Technology, leader of one
of the leading SaaS companies. He believes that understanding, empathizing, and genuinely
connecting with team members is also a key part of leadership. Readers will also find a short
interview snippet of Feyzi where he has discussed his personal experiences and the failures he
encountered throughout the journey, which can be insightful for the aspiring leaders.

Furthermore, don't miss out on reading the engrossing article on understanding the behavioral
theories of leadership, in the section 'Aspects of leadership'. Also, check the article penned on the
importance of a sustainable workplace from the section of 'Sustainability Value'.

Traditional leadership behaviors are still important, but adding modern competencies is, too!

Vidya Joshi
Editorial Coordinator
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 COVER STORY
C o n t

PG. NO. 10

FEYZI FATEHI
A Champion of Entrepreneurial Leadership and
Attitude as an Integrated Work-Life Philosophy

PG. NO. 26

Sustainability Value
A Fresh Start For Organizations To
Create Sustainable Workplace
ARTICLES

PG. NO. 38

Aspects of Leadership
Understanding the Different Aspects
of Behavioral Theories of Leadership
t e n t s
PG. NO. 18

Alberto Guido
An Innovator Inspired By Creating A
Better World For Everyone

PG. NO. 20

Carey-Ann Oestreicher
Strategic Superstar Leading With
An Unique Perspective Of Life

PG. NO. 24

Giovanni Patri
A Resilient Leader Approaching His
Vision Irreproachably

PG. NO. 32

Marc Rippen
Transforming Diabetic Healthcare With
Innovative Solutions
 PG. NO. 34

Marcus Schmalbach
An Excellent Coach And Impeccable
Veteran Of Risk And Captive Management

PG. NO. 42

Marina Tognetti
The Audacious Entrepreneur
Not Afraid Of Taking The Risks

PG. NO. 44

Mona Andrews
Empowering Women to Balance
Care giving with Their Careers

PG. NO. 48

Nancy Harris
A Tech Veteran Transforming
Traditional Business Management
To Cloud-Based Services

PG. NO. 50

Nicole Rodrigues
A Transformational Leader Disrupting
Traditional Marketing Stereotypes
 BUSINESS

THE
Inspiring

LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020

FEYZI
FATEHI
CEO | CORENT TECHNOLOGY

A Champion of Entrepreneurial
Leadership and Attitude as an
Integrated Work-Life Philosophy

10
11
I nnovation and entrepreneurship are the two vital pillars
for building a successful venture. One such leader who
is known for his wisdom on entrepreneurship and
innovation is Feyzi Fatehi (CEO of Corent Technology).
Feyzi is an inventor of the first Real-Time Database and has
spent his career help building high-performance, high-tech
organizations including multiple business units at HP and
multiple other tech startups in Silicon Valley and Southern
California, including Corent Technology.
Being an innovator entrepreneur, Feyzi has been
interviewed and quoted for his entrepreneurship philosophy
of an integrated leadership framework for life and business.
In 2017, he was honored for Excellence in Entrepreneurship
which is one of Southern California's most prestigious
awards. Currently, Feyzi serves as the CEO of Corent
Technology, the provider of a platform that is renowned for
its ground-breaking technological inventions in the software
industry. In 2019, Feyzi was also honored with the CODiE
Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition bestowed upon
We enable software
vendors to spend
100% of their time,
e ort and focus on
their core software
capabilities to make
them the most
competitive vendor
in their space.
12
Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Bill Gates and Jim Clark in
previous years for their reputation, leadership, vision,
mentorship, career success and philanthropy.
Curiosity: The Cornerstone of Corent Technology
As it is famously quoted, “Curiosity is the mother of
inventions,” and it is proved true for the establishment of
Corent Technology. The “Intel Inside” business model
turned out to be an incredible success, which led to the
proliferation of the PC industry. This generated a string of
'What ifs' that laid the foundation of the company. The
questions like 'what if we created a pervasive software
platform to convert every software application into SaaS
(Software as a Service) so every single SaaS provider won't
have to reinvent the wheel and build it themselves?' and
'What if we build it in a massively reusable, configurable,
and customizable way so that every software vendor could
use it in a plug & play way, same as the PC vendors used
the Intel processor?’
Over a decade ago, the team of Corent began the journey of
delivering the “as-a-service” component of the Software “as
a Service” business model. Changes don't happen overnight
especially the technological changes. The company has
strived for more than a decade to establish itself. Now it has
secured more than 80 patent claims so far, all contributing
to what is becoming known today as the “Software Defined
SaaS”® platform. Today Corent's “Software Defined SaaS”
Platform branded as SurPaaS® SaaSify™ can convert

While failures
make us humble,
they can also make
us stronger and
more confident.
virtually any software application to a fully instrumented
SaaS within hours and without any programming.
Revolutionizing the Software Industry
As it was previously disclosed, Corent's SaaSify is the only
tool in the market that can convert virtually any software
application to fully instrumented SaaS. Apart from this, the
unique platform is the only platform that supports the end-
to-end Cloud Migration, Modernization and Monetization
journey. The Intel Inside business model turned out to be a
revolution, and the same is believed for SaaSify. The
SaaSify™ tool can revolutionize the software industry by
democratizing SaaS. This would help software vendors to
deliver their software as SaaS without any extra effort.
Also, SaaSify can transform the Open Source industry to an
Open SaaS industry, by allowing anyone or any
organization to seamlessly offer any proven open source
software as a robust, fully instrumented SaaS. This would
not just revolutionize the software industry, but also help
create thousands of new jobs, while providing efficient cost-
effective access to millions of users that otherwise would
not have access to the software.
The recent partnership of Corent and Mifos Initiative is an
example of the global impact the 'democratization' of SaaS
can have. The partnership resulted in forming a SaaS
enabled Mifos X—a software application that could
potentially provide on-line banking services to more than
three billion unbanked and under banked people in the
developing world. Despite years of effort, Mifos – like most
other organizations out there could not develop a robust and
scalable SaaS. Leveraging Corent's SaaSify, Mifos has
transformed into a rich, featureful and fully instrumented
SaaS, rapidly, and without any programming.
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
Unique Vision and Dedication to Pursue Innovation
Feyzi is a determined leader with a unique vision and
dedication to pursue innovation. He is a pioneer in the SaaS
and Cloud industry. Being the CEO at Corent makes his
role at the company a multidimensional task. As a leader
one has to be ready to fulfill the roles and responsibilities
beyond the title. Feyzi, however, handles his day to day
chores by creating an agenda way ahead of the day.
Feyzi reviews his schedule the night before and again the
first thing in the morning to have clear goals and objectives
throughout the day. He further adds, “After reviewing the
schedule I formally or informally set my energetic tone for
the day that includes mindfulness and gratefulness
reminders, this could be a part of a 5-10 min meditative
exercise, or be blended in a short hike, or a brief
stretching/yoga routine.” Through this routine, Feyzi's goal
is to be energized, inspired and aligned to tackle the
challenges of the day, ensure priorities are clear, front and
center so that he can focus on meeting his most imperative
and essential goals and objectives.
Understanding, Connecting and Empathizing Is
Important
Being a leader comes with varied responsibilities, keeping
the team inspired and focused is one of them. Feyzi's way
of keeping the team motivated is by reviving the vision and
mission in the minds of the team members and help keep
the same front and center and by remembering and
reminding the 'why' behind the organization. He adds, “I
believe if we keep clear the Why, and the What, we most
often find the How.”
Feyzi believes that understanding, empathizing and
genuinely connecting with team members is also a key part
of leadership. To explain it better Feyzi quotes his friend
and the world renowned leadership coach Peter Bregman:
“The courage and willingness to see other people and be
seen by them, don't get in the way of our leadership, it is
our leadership.”
Culture eats strategy for breakfast!
As Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for
breakfast,” thus emphasizing how important the company
culture is. At Corent, the culture is fundamental. Hence, the
team of Corent continuously strives to maintain the culture
of the company. Feyzi believes that organizational culture is
like the 'operating system' for its team members. At Corent,
culture is not a static thing thus there is always room for
13

I believe if we
keep clear the
Why, and the
What, we most
often find the
How.
improvement. Over the years, the company culture has been
upgraded but always centered along the lines of its core
values.
Corent's core values are focused on respect, care, candor,
honesty, openness, innovation, entrepreneurship, and not
only accountability but keeping each other accountable.
Each team member equally accepts the ownership and is
ready to help, contribute and give credit when credit is due
which has increased the bond amongst the team members.
The team is always learning from each other and
collectively transforming the culture into a stronger, more
powerful one, which itself is part of Corent culture. When
Corent considers hiring a new team member, they not only
look for cultural fits, but also those who can contribute to
the company culture and help it grow and improve over
time.
False Evidence Appearing Real—FEAR
Feyzi believes that insecurities are fueled by fears. Most
leaders in their journeys come across times where they fear
making the wrong decision or failing. So, he advises to not
submit to the fear and practice exercising courage and make
the decision when it needs to be made with the best
information they have. Good decision-making skills can
help us bravely tackle the challenges and also make us
prepared for accepting and dealing with the consequences,
no matter positive or disappointing. “As I once read
somewhere, fear stands for False Evidence Appearing
Real. So if we are mindful we can remember to deal with
them as such,” concludes Feyzi.
14
INTERVIEW SNIPPETS
Q. What are the future plans for Corent
Technology?
Corent Technology is at a fork in a road, either grow
into a robust operating company or become an
independent business unit of a larger company that
aspires to further boost their standing and position
in the Cloud and Enterprise Software Industry and
lead the “democratizing SaaS” revolution.
Q. Have any of your personal experiences helped
you become a good leader?
Of course! To me, leadership is the art and science
of boosting the efforts of others involved in
achieving a common goal. How to set the tone to
enable, empower, and inspire them toward attaining
the ultimate common objective. For me, my
cumulative personal experiences dealing with and
managing my internal state towards an increasingly
grounded mind and heart, as well as externally
dealing with people, and attempting at being a
catalyst in bringing the best out of them in line with
achieving a common goal have been helping me on
my path to become a better leader.
Q. How did you embrace the failures you
encountered throughout the journey?
While failures make us humble, they can make us
stronger and more confident if we turn them into
learning experiences, understanding the root causes
and what contributed to them and how to use them
as assets moving forward.
Q. Despite your busy schedule, how do you keep
yourself healthy?
I believe maintaining a clean, healthy and mindful
diet, along with sufficient exercise are key
components of both our physical and mental health.
These days mine consists of smaller but more
nutrient meals, and doing some yoga, golf, and
hiking when I can. They are most challenging since
they require blocking time to do, but when done, I
feel more productive, and inspired afterwards. Yet,
the biggest challenge for me is getting enough sleep
- at least 6 hours a day.
 Leaders Names Info

Alberto Guidotti Tap-ID was started with an aim to invest in creating a personal certified KYC
Founder & CEO biometrically managed by users, based on Blockchain where everyone can decide
Tap-ID when to share data, and when to stop data provisioning.
www.tap-id.tech

Carey-Ann Oestreicher Potential Unlimited works with organizations to build high-performance

CEO teams and individuals.
Potential Unlimited www.potentialunlimited.ca

Feyzi Fatehi Corent SurPaaS® is an automated Cloud platform to: Analyze and Migrate
CEO software applications from on premise to the Cloud. Optimize, Modernize and
Corent Technology Pvt Ltd Manage them on the Cloud in an ongoing basis.
www.corenttech.com

Giovanni Patri PHOENICI has been originally created after nearly two decades of research in the
Founder & CEO area of identity theft and also in anti-money laundry processes.
PHOENICI www.phoenici.com

Marc Rippen Alertgy utilized the novel tech to monitor the blood sugar level in diabetics.
Founder & President www.alertgy.com
Alertgy

Marcus Schmalbach RYSKEX is an excellent mixture of innovative strength, network, and

Founder & CEO youthful curiosity.
RYSKEX www.ryskex.com

Marina Tognetti mYngle is an online language learning service provider for business
Founder & CEO professionals.
mYngle www.myngle.com

Mona Andrews Stay In The Game provides opportunities for competent, educated individuals
CEO & Founder who have been out of the workforce.
Stay In The Game www.stayinthegame.net

Nancy Harris Sage is the market leader for integrated accounting, payroll and payment
Managing Director systems, supporting the ambition of the world’s entrepreneurs.
Sage www.sage.com

Nicole Rodrigues NRPR is an award-winning, exclusive Public Relations and Marketing

Founder & CEO machine serving game changers and disruptors around the world.
NRPR www.nrprgroup.com

Founder &
CEO,
Tap ID
T he virtual-world' has
benefitted people
with an alternate
world to exist in. Every individual has
different identities over the internet. But it
has been in the wake of The Pandemic where
people have fully turned to this virtual-world for
assistance, so they can always remotely interact with
each other. Businesses have now switched to virtual
office rooms to ensure the full safety of working, with no
negative effects on its continuity in these hard times. All
business sectors are looking for more digital IDs, for
instance, Financial Services, Travel Industry, Social
Media Network, Public Administration, Healthcare,
Hobbies and Free Time and, of course, Cryptocurrencies.
The existing problem here is the mandatory KYC updates
at every week's interval and the rise of fake profiles all
over the internet. Alberto Guidotti (Founder and CEO)
has found a solution establishing Tap-ID in 2018 as the
beginning of a revolution to manage the online identity,
which would be significant for the years to come. Tap-ID
was started with an aim to invest in creating a personal
certified KYC biometrically managed by users, based on
Blockchain where everyone can decide when to share
data, and when to stop data provisioning. Everything in a
full remote way. Alberto is also the founder and Co-
owner of Euronovate that is focused on Digital
Transformation.
18
Alberto
Guido i
An Innovator Inspired By
Creating A Better World
For Everyone
In a chat with Mirror Review, Alberto explained his
approach to challenges, exploring the reliable, future-
proof and cost-effective solutions.
Here are the snippets...
Extremely Easy, Fast and Cheap
What according to you is the quality that differentiates
your company from its competitors?
TAP-ID wants to create a global standard in Digital
Onboarding, with the most effective biometric engine and
the smoothest process. We will provide Digital KYC to all
the citizens getting formal authorization to use it Country
by Country. TAP & GO and new Banking accounts will
be opened. Extremely easy, fast and cheap!
Learning Is What Matters
How did you embrace your failure? Did your failure
change you in any way?
Good question! I love fighting and winning, working hard
and have fun. When I started Euronovate Group from
scratch, I was the first to be employed but I did not give
up despite the challenges and kept on moving forward.
Today after 8 years, I'm managing a group of 5 companies
in 6 countries and more than 150 employees. I think
throughout the journey the battle will be surely hard but I
will always learn new lessons.

Hard-working wants you to be the first employee reaching
the office and the last one leaving.
Zeal for Innovation
Being a CEO and Founder, how will you describe your
daily routine?
I wake up early in the morning, have my usual exercise
routine, breakfast, email checking then reaching the daily
office around 9 AM by plane; meetings up to 1:30 PM,
quick lunch break then back to meetings until 8:00 PM,
finally dinner and last email checking/replying up to
midnight. This is my ‘before the pandemic’ routine, which
included business travels around Europe at least twice a
week. This gets arduous sometimes but I'm in love with
my job and with the creation of new products, spreading
ideas to change the world. That’s my energy, the daily
engine for me and my team.
Restart and Recreate the Dreams
As a leader, what is the most difficult part you encounter
at your job?
Over my years establishing the company, I trained several
young professionals, with passion, for them to become
leaders and I got personally connected to each individual.
With time few of them decided to leave and create their
own company or becoming CEOs of other companies.
Yes, it was hard to see them leaving and hard to restart
from the scratch but that's the only way I know to realize
dreams.
The most difficult part of my job is creating the right
dream for everyone and keeping the dream alive day by
day.
Never Give Up
As a mentor which are the qualities you would ask the
emerging leaders must-have?
I think the first and most important ingredient is passion,
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
you should love your job. Hard working as an individual
doesn't seem a big deal but you should be the first
employee reaching the office and the last one leaving.
Secondly, the horizontal communication—more you take
the stock, more you can find smart solutions in a short
time. And last but not least, resilience—never give
up—when others feel there is no possibility on 1 million,
you will be there and keep fighting to win.
Establishing a Global Standard
What are your plans for the company?
Euronovate Group is now growing and becoming an
international leader, with internal natural growth and
external M&A. My goals are even more ambitious for
TAP-ID.
Being optimistic, I want it to become the ID Unicorn in
the coming 5-10 years.
Body Health is Important
Despite your busy schedule, how do you keep yourself
healthy?
Health has always been a priority for me and no one can
take me away from my spinning session every week.
Every weekend I also have Tennis matches, which I never
miss.
I have always thought a healthy body is the key to
preserve mental health. This schedule helps me maintain
the balance between the stress I encounter in my
professional role.
Everyone should have a stable healthy routine because it
is the bedrock of a healthy mind.
19

A Strategic Superstar Leading With
An Unique Perspective Of Life
CEO
Potential Unlimited
L eaders are
always
under
constant pressure to
outperform each other. While
the industry is rapidly changing
and becoming more advanced, today
leadership is no longer a single-
dimensional role. He or she needs to be
always on the toes to make fair decisions
keeping all the positives and negatives aspects in
the minds. Simultaneously, the increase in competition
has become one of the most stressed factors amongst the
leaders. Leaders are striving to become the best in this
competition. Juggling between the stress of professional life
and personal life may get overwhelming. Emerging from all
these challenges, Carey-Ann Oestreicher (CEO at
Potential Unlimited) is a multifaceted leader who has the
ability to help guide and motivate people to achieve new
heights in their professional as well as personal life. She is
often termed as a strategy superstar and is always bright,
confident and full of positive energy.
Carey-Ann’s professional journey has always been within
the automotive and financial services industries, led her to
become an executive before taking the leap to create a
business that she saw the opportunity and demand to create.
A business around helping people to grow and push the
limits in their careers while addressing work-life balance
issues.
“I am passionate about helping other professionals
become stronger in their careers,” quotes Carey-Ann.
20
Carey-Ann
Oestreicher:
In a talk with Carey-Ann, she led us on a walk through the
ups and downs of the journey. The answers were not just
inspiring but also very enlightening. Here the excerpts,
Creating a Perfect work-life balance
As a business professional, how will you describe your
daily routine?
As I am a working mom, so the duties and responsibilities
too are varied. I always believe that your children need your
presence more than your presents. Thus, my day also starts
with my household chores and my kids. Later in the
schedule is a little ’me time’. I meditate to start my day in
the right headspace. Then I get engaged in the coaching
calls which are about 50 minutes each. I purposely book 10
minutes in between my sessions for me to regroup so I can
be fresh for the next call.
You can say that my daily routine is equally divided
between my kids, self-care and my work.
Turning Passion into a Feasible Career
What is the story behind the establishment of Potential
Unlimited?
Ten years ago, I was working as a vice president for a great
organization. I liked that role, but I started to get this
overwhelming feeling I was meant to do something
different that would allow me to make more impact on the
world.
I reflected on what my passions and strengths were. It
became very clear that coaching and mentoring others to be

We are often so afraid of making mistakes that we shy away
from opportunities to really do what we can, one should not
be afraid to lead, regardless of your title.
successful in their work while still taking care of their
health and wellness was where my heart was. When I made
this discovery, I left my job as the breadwinner of our
family to create Potential Unlimited.
The building of a Strong and Resilient Leader
What is that one unique quality that differentiates
Potential Unlimited from its competitors?
I am a big believer that we can’t truly compartmentalize our
lives so, in order for someone to be their best at work. I also
work on stress management, mindfulness, health, and
wellness as well as all of the other strategic business
priorities when I coach individuals.
This job allows me to utilize my knowledge as someone
who was a senior leader and an MBA from a business
standpoint but enables me to draw on my love of fitness (as
a former fitness leader) and all kinds of research on
mindfulness to help build strong, resilient leaders.
Workaholism Can Be Dangerous
How did you embrace your failure? Did your failure
change you in any way?
Failure is a part of life. The higher we reach in our lives and
in our careers, the more likely we are to cross paths with
failure. For me, failure was a tough pill to swallow, or
maybe it’s more the fear of being good enough back in the
early days. The start of my business was not smooth which
turned me into a workaholic. This was contrary to my
philosophy of how we should be working.
The workaholic nature adversely affected me. I had some
life-changing experiences. A few years back, I suffered a
brain injury which gave me the time to view everything in a
new light. I spent years in brain rehab and I really learned
the true value of ‘who I am’, when I can just be versus
placing all of my value on my ability to do. Despite the
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
challenges, I am still moving forward with all that I have. I
still suffer from some symptoms from the brain injury and I
own an Executive Coaching firm, Potential Unlimited, and
do keynote speaking. I am also working on my first book.
Today, these failures have shaped me into a more
courageous person. I take really good care of myself and I
see my work and life as a marathon, not a sprint.
Make Every Moment Count
Would you share any personal experiences that turned out
to be life-changing for you?
I have had my share of experiences in the journey both
professionally and personally. The incident that changed
everything was my husband’s battle with cancer. We hoped
and prayed his treatment would save his life. My husband
lost the battle to cancer. He taught me that tomorrow is not
guaranteed.
The journey shines a light on the preciousness of life and
making every moment count. We really don’t have time to
be complacent in our work and in our lives.
Do What You Love
Any advice you would like to share with the aspiring
leaders?
With my personal experience, I would just like to say that
you take the time to reflect on what you want to be doing
versus what you feel you should be doing. It is often true
that when you do what you love, the money will follow.
Finances are a by-product of doing great work that you are
passionate about. If someone were to ask you, ’If you could
do anything in the world and money wasn’t a factor, what
would you be doing?’ This is what you should do. One of
the areas I focus on at Potential Unlimited is helping people
find their true passions and then helping turn them into
successful careers.
21

Founder &
CEO,
PHOENICI
O ften throughout the
journey, we
encounter people
who do not believe in our vision, despite
that if one moves along to complete the
vision that is indeed an inspiring leader. One
such inspiring leader is Giovanni PATRI,
Founder and CEO of PHOENICI. He believes that
failure is always the origin of success. He struggled for 15
years to convince people that identity theft and data security
is essential. All his past failures have turned him into a
more robust and resilient leader. He adds, “I've always been
an entrepreneur, and my past failures changed me in a good
way, as I'm now more accurate in the development of my
projects and obviously in developing PHOENICI.”
In a talk with Mirror Review, he entailed about his journey
and his company PHOENICI. When he first started, his
passion for international finance and his curiosity for anti-
money laundering drove him to do intense research. It gave
him the impetus to turn hard work and inspiration into a
booming identity protection service.
Here are the snippets,
Establishment of Identity protection service
What is the story behind the establishment of
PHOENICI?
PHOENICI has been originally created after nearly two
24
Giovanni
Patri
A Resilient Leader
Approaching His Vision
Irreproachably
decades of research in the area of identity theft and also in
anti-money laundry processes. During my career in
international companies like Merrill Lynch and Morgan
Stanley, I've been confronted with the implementation of
anti-money laundry processes, which did slow down
drastically the financial activities and were perfectible.
Initially, not many believed in my vision, but later I was
successful in creating an identity protection service.
I developed a methodology that combines various tools and
a certain amount of information in order to attest to the
genuineness of the identity of our clients, in a more precise
manner than any legal requirements applicable.
Working Directly With Customers
What, according to you, is the quality that differentiates
PHOENICI from its competitors?
I believe PHOENICI is the only company proposing
solutions against identity theft that can satisfy the
individuals' expectancies and also the professional
requirements and this in different work areas like finance,
insurance, real estate, services providers that manage
personal information's of clients.
Our differentiation is that we work directly for the customer
and not for the customers of professionals and thus on real
documents, materials and no only on digitalised
information. This is beneficial because, in case of internet
shut down, or cloud blackout, or even major hacking, we

All my past failures did not change me but made me
stronger and even more resilient.
will still have the possibility to attest to the identity of our
clients, and this respecting all legislations.
Think corporate, not individual
Are you satisfied with the current company culture, or do
you wish to see any changes?
I think the company is evolving daily, thus the culture today
evolves with the team members, but globally I'm glad of the
collaboration atmosphere. I try to show a good example to
my teammates for them to act the same way, and it works
because I noticed that the team members think corporate
and not individual. The culture of PHOENICI is to serve the
client the best way possible and, therefore to think
corporate makes it even more comfortable.
Manage the daily unexpected
Being a CEO and Founder, how will you describe your
daily routine?
As every CEO and Founder, I need to have a minimum of
routine to be able to manage the daily unexpected. I have
daily tasks to which I try to stick to, like a realistic calendar
with some free time between meetings or conference calls. I
try to have my meetings in the afternoon so that I can
efficiently treat my files in the morning. My lunchtime is
crucial, as it helps me recharge my battery briefly.
Equally Taking Care of Spirit and Physic
Despite your busy schedule, how do you keep yourself
healthy?
I try to work out regularly, like 2 to 3 times a week, even
though it's not always easy to respect my schedule. This
year I decided to fix myself a challenge to have a real
reason to work out and so stay fit. I avoid doing long
business dinners. To remain healthy, I consider that it's
necessary to take care of the spirit as the physic. So I
regularly listen to inspirational speeches that motivate me,
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
but also remind me to stick to my goals and principles.
Introspection Is the Key
Have any of your personal experiences helped you to
become a good leader?
Definitely yes, my personal experienced helped me! During
my past professional experiences and also in my personal
life, I did mistakes like everyone, just that I took the time to
analyze the reasons for my bad decisions or only if I had
made things different. This introspection exercise helped
me to become a good leader but helps me to become an
even better leader every day.
Working To Be Irreproachable
According to you, what are your insecurities as a leader?
The biggest insecurity is, in my opinion, the research of
perfection. As a leader, I always want everything to be
perfect, and I work to be irreproachable. This is an attitude
that can generate a lot of stress and anxious feeling, thus I
try to convince myself to be more flexible and to accept my
imperfection like something normal. The research of
perfection can sometimes make you miss some
opportunities, and so I work to find relative perfection to
grab the perfect timing.
Expanding Geographical Boundaries
What are your plans for the company?
In January 2020, I presented the services of PHOENICI at
the CES 2020 of Las Vegas (USA), where I got a lot of
interesting contacts with potential partners, but also with
Governments that are concerned about identity protection.
As soon as the COVID-19 crisis is over, we will develop
our activity in North America. The USA, Canada, and
Mexico are the 3 significant countries touched with the
identity theft problem and the data protection issues, to
which PHOENICI can bring efficient solutions.
25
 SUSTAINABILITY VALUE

A Fresh
Organiza
Sustainab

26
 h Start For
ons To Create
ble Workplace
P resently, Coronavirus has claimed the lives of many people globally and is
continuing to ravage normal working conditions. Because of this pandemic, human
beings are affected, hospitals overloaded with infected patients, the economy is
falling, and many adverse situations are emerging now. However, just like a coin has two
sides, this deadly virus has two sides as well. We have seen the negative side, which affects
mostly humankind. The other side is the revival of Earth's environment and climate change.

Over the past years, governments all around the world have been taking initiatives and
developing new methods to reduce pollution and make the Earth greener. Acting as a
catalyst, Coronavirus has been making positive impacts on the environment resulting in
cleaner air, clearer water, and an improvement in the ozone layer restoration. This is the
reminder, as well as an opportunity for organizations to create a better world by building a
sustainable workplace. For organizations, it will be a fresh start to implement sustainable
initiatives in the work environment.

What Is A Sustainable Workplace?

A sustainable workplace is one that produces a negative carbon footprint in culture and daily
activity. Although every workplace can become 'greener,' it does not mean that they have
become environmentally sustainable; what makes the difference is a shift in culture.
Sustainability is also a central aspect of corporate social responsibility (CSR), which, in

27
 SUSTAINABILITY VALUE
effect, forms an essential part of the identity of businesses.
According to a survey done by HP,
Ÿ 61% said they believed workplace sustainability is
mandatory
Ÿ 46% said they would work only for companies who are
green-conscious
Ÿ 58% said environmentally-conscious practices are vital
to engaging the future workforce
A sustainable and safer workplace creates happier and more
productive workers, which eventually increases the
productivity of employees and less work-related risks,
illnesses, and misfortunes. It is critical in improving the
organization's overall sales and credibility. Also,
organizations of all sizes across the country and around the
world need to embrace this mindset as a way to showcase
their values, measure impacts and outcomes, and increase
their competitive advantage.
Are There Benefits To Creating Sustainability In The
Workplace?
Numerous researches demonstrate that sustainability has
real business advantages when integrated conscientiously
into business operations. Also, companies have seen
measurable benefits across a range of areas. Following are
some of the benefits of practicing sustainability workplace:
Ÿ Increase productivity and reduced costs
Ÿ Increase business ability to comply with the regulation.
Ÿ Improved brand image and competitive advantage
Ÿ Reduce waste
Ÿ Reduce the average sick days per employee
Ÿ Reduce sick leave costs
Ÿ Increase job satisfaction
Ÿ Talent retention
THE
SEVEN
PRINCIPLES Agil of the work
environment
28
How To Create Sustainable Workplace
Ÿ The Shift from Paper to Digital: The first step towards
creating a sustainable work environment is the switch
from papers to digital. According to a report, an average
UK office worker uses about 10,000 sheets annually.
Also, every person in the UK consumes the equivalent
of 4.48 trees per year. These statistics showcase how
organizations, as well as people, are damaging the
environment by consuming papers. To prevent further
damage, it is better to use software or E-paper systems
to build convenience and sustainability in the
workplace. By doing so, companies will be contributing
to make the world a better place for everyone.
Ÿ Use of Virtual Conferences: In the last decade,
technology has evolved exponentially and continues to
do so. Today, there are many software and solutions
exist which can help to form communication with
teams. The virtual conference is one of them that can
help organizations set up specific employee events,
meetings, training, etc. This method saves time, energy,
and other resources such as gasoline, electricity, water,
and many more. Also, it is a flexible and easy method to
communicate with other teams.
Ÿ Cut down the Commute: Most people daily commute to
office by bus and other means of transportation. These
transportations produce hazardous gases that have a
negative impact on the environment and people. This
also affects business budgets, with employees reporting
fuel costs and workers frequently reducing value-adding
jobs. According to EPA, transportation accounted for
29% of US greenhouse gas emissions in 2017. Thus, it
is better to cut down the commute to stop the impact.
Ÿ Workplace design: Workplace practices are evolving,
with companies embracing a more open and accessible
atmosphere in the workplace. As a consequence, open-
Demands of a
mul -genera onal
workforce
Impacts of
technology
Ÿ office spaces,
designs inspired
by nature,
vertical gardens,
etc. are increasingly
catching up in
interior design. A
greener footprint is
also considered to help
in achieving higher
workplace employee
satisfaction ratings. With
interior services such as
posture-friendly office chairs
and health cubicles,
ergonomics has become a major
focus.

Ÿ Energy Management: Energy is one

of the essential resources which is an
integral part of human lives. To create
a sustainable workplace, it is better to
set up smart metering and tracking
systems for energy use and improve
employee responsibility for performance.
Also, organizations can set the office
lighting, A / C, equipment, and appliances
automatically off and switch on. Investing in LED and Conclusion
energy-efficient devices and office equipment can make
the workplace more eco-friendly. Investment in building a sustainable workplace should be
categorized as one that will profit organizations more in the
Ÿ Reuse & Recycle: A common way to promote a long term. These benefits may be in the form of copious
sustainable workplace is to set up a recycling system in natural resources and improved productivity of the
the workplace. Simply set up recycling bins around the employees. Also, the points mentioned above can help
office, with dedicated bins for bottles, paper, and organizations create sustainability in the workplace. They
plastics, boost the recycling initiative. Encourage staff to can form a new approach as well as take an initiative that
join local groups that focus on environmental issues and can contribute to make the world greener. In the end,
also work towards implementing their ideas. companies that are emphasizing on the sustainable
workplace will be at the forefront of innovation.

Work Noise control Biophilia

environments Light and air and acous cs and colour

29

Founder &
President
Alertgy
R ecently,
technological
advancements
have started influencing the
healthcare industry too. Early in these
advancements was Marc Rippen (Founder
and President, Alertgy) who utilized the novel
tech to monitor the blood sugar level in diabetics.
It's not easy to understand the low or high blood sugar
attack which can be life-threatening. He went through a
personal tragedy which pushed him to establish Alertgy.
Before founding Alertgy, Marc had been a part of several
technology-based solutions for the betterment of healthcare.
Marc is the former Director of Engineering of the Marine
and Space Division of SRI International St. Petersburg, as
well as a prominent program manager and a top gun in
business development for multiple fortune 500 companies,
and defense contractors supporting DOD organizations such
as DARPA and SOCOM for advanced Applied Research
and Development Projects. He is a scholar of multiple
degrees in various disciplines of biological science and
tech.
However, choosing the diabetic industry was never a plan.
Circumstances and rising concerns of the diabetics led him
to the industry. Further, Marc, in his own words, talks about
his journey and how he tackled all the challenges
throughout the same. Here are the excerpts,
32
Marc
Rippen
Transforming Diabetic
Healthcare With Innovative
Solutions
Tragedy leading to innovation
What is the story behind the establishment of Alertgy?
Alertgy was founded in 2016 after saving my wife Sue from
falling into a coma due to a low blood sugar attack, finding
her nearly unconscious on the living room couch. I knew
then that I had to do something to find a solution to this life
or death problem. It was surprising to see that despite
technological advancements, many people still face the
same problems of managing their blood sugar effectively. I
also noticed how worried people were about their loved
ones and the caretakers not knowing if they are suffering
from a low or high blood sugar attack.
As a solution to not just mine but the over 400 million
diabetics throughout the world Alertgy was created to
provide non-invasive real-time blood sugar monitoring and
alerts.
Measure Blood Glucose in Real-time
What is the one unique quality that differentiates Alertgy
from its competitors?
Healthtech industry is wide and people come up with
solutions which rises the competition every day. What does
separates us from the others is the Alertgy NICGM (Non-
Invasive Continuous Glucose Monitor). Our device that
measures blood sugar without the need for drawing blood
like the traditional glucose measuring devices. Through our

Full authority must be given with full
responsibility. Anything less gets men
or ventures killed.
revolutionary technology, we have developed a platform
and sensor that is unlike anything currently available on the
consumer market.
Most devices today rely on physical blood measurements
collected through direct blood measurements requiring
needles and other painful processes. These processes
sometimes scare away the patients thus risking their lives.
The ANICGM gets rid of these arduous methods and gives
people the ability to accurately measure their blood glucose
in real-time.
Resilient despite the failures
How did you embrace your failure? Did your failure
change you in anyway?
Often there are issues with the testing or convincing the
people to try the new methodologies. At Alertgy, we have
had our share of roadblocks and testing times that would
have caused failures for other companies in our situation,
however, we have overcome these and pushed forward
towards our goal.
I believe that the hard times we have faced made us a more
resilient company, and proved to ourselves that if we can
overcome them, our goal of providing this technology to the
world is attainable.
Keeping up with the Busy schedule
Being a CEO, how will you describe your daily routine?
Being a CEO of a pre-revenue startup means constantly
being on the road raising money and building relationships.
This does not suffice my responsibilities as a leader I cannot
overlook my team so I constantly make sure my team is
motivated by giving leadership to our day to day staff at our
headquarters.
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
I divide my time between traveling and being in Melbourne.
My schedule is extremely busy and exhausting at times, but
being able to provide diabetics with this life-changing
technology makes it all worth it in the end.
Appreciating the efforts
Are you satisfied with the current company culture or do
you wish to see any changes?
I think a diverse team brings varied experience and skillset
together. Thus, our current company culture is very diverse
with employees from varying backgrounds with different
skills and abilities. This becomes very beneficial for us in
times of crisis. We are very proud of the culture in our
workplace and believe we have developed a great working
atmosphere.
Also, we understand that appreciating the team members'
efforts is important. So through incentivization and positive
feedback, we reward those who work hard to accomplish
tasks and motivate them to know their hard work will
always be valued.
Aiming to be a multibillion company
What are your future plans for the company?
Diabetes is one of the common health problems globally.
There are 422 million diabetics in the world, and this
number is steadily increasing every day. Currently, 1/3 of
the world's population is borderline diabetic. We can help
people change their daily lives in order to avoid becoming
diabetic, like DEXCOM the world's first Continuous
Glucose Monitor (CGM) Company. I'm being optimistic
here and believe that with our revolutionary technology,
Alertgy could be a multibillion-dollar company in a short
time.
33

An Excellent Coach And Impeccable
Veteran Of Risk And Captive
Management
CEO & Founder
RYSKEX
M
and CEO of RYSKEX,
arcus
Schmalbach
is Founder
headquartered in Berlin, Germany.
RYSKEX is an excellent mixture of
innovative strength, network, and youthful
curiosity. The company runs by the motto of
‘Tomorrow’s solution already today.’ Due to Marcus’s
long-standing experience in risk and captive management
in various industries, RYSKEX has emerged as one of the
leading companies.
Before the founding of RYSKEX, Marcus was the Head
of German MBA, and he is still working as a visiting
professor on Innovation and Risk Management matters
with and also an academic head of BlockART institute.
Being one of the veterans in risk management, Marcus in
a chat with Mirror Review, enlightened us on his
approach towards the emerging threats in the industry.
Here are the excerpts,
The right idea at the right time
What is the story behind the establishment of RYSKEX?
RYSKEX was created during my time at the business
school. Back then, I was head of an MBA program and at
the same time, my love for research was still focused on
the emerging risks, alternative risk financing and strategic
34
Marcus
Schmalbach:
risk management of Fortune companies. Together with
my then colleagues Prof. Dr. Plugmann and Prof. Dr.
Nicolas Burkhardt, the idea of a symbiosis of technology
and the capital market emerged. This led to the
establishment of RYSKEX, later experts like Tatjana
Winter, Simon Kolkmann and Tobias Gurtzick joined the
team and we became a real company.
Either I win or I learn
Is there a secret motto that helps you embrace the
failures?
I’m probably not the first to answer this question with the
very wise words of Nelson Mandela, but I’d rather copy
well than invent badly. I live by the motto "I never lose
either I win or I learn". At the same time, I try to live by
the maxim of our investor Christian "The best boss is the
dumbest employee" - this is true for us! I have my experts
around me who I listen to and my experience and my gut
help me—mostly—to make the right decisions!
Not the classic cliché CEO
Being a CEO, how will you describe your daily routine?
Here, I do not fulfill the classic cliché of a startup CEO.
My day does not start with morning yoga, nor with a
round of table tennis, nor do I dance my name together
with the employees to start the day in the best possible
mood.

Sometimes you might make mistakes but then you
just adjust or look for a new way, but doubts about
yourself as a leader are completely out of place.
My day is pretty simple, I come into the office to get a
coffee, greet the ones I meet and then go on a walk with
my dog and further make my phone calls and answer
emails. In summary, no day is like the other— welcome to
the age of VUCA World.
Recruitment is the key
How would you keep yourself and your team members
motivated and does the company culture affect the
performance of your team?
Well, I am a child of the eighties and the financial
industry— ergo with money (just kidding). But this
statement is not that wrong. Recruitment is the key so if
you hire the right people from the start you need not
worry at the times of crisis. So, everyone in our team has
many years of professional experience, shares in the
company and is hungry for success that is the basis. If one
of them hangs in the balance, they will move up again in
the others.
To answer the second part of the question, yes, company
culture does tend to affect the performance. I haven’t
taken a day off in three years. Not because I couldn’t, but
because the project is far too much fun and I don’t want to
miss anything. The fun we have together keeps us glued
to the project despite the challenges.
Leadership runs in the DNA
Have any of your personal experiences helped you to
become a good leader?
Hasn’t there always been an eternal discussion of human
history, is one born a leader and follows his destiny, or
can one become a leader? I claim I was a leader all my
life and have always sought responsibility. Be it as captain
of the soccer team, school spokesperson, or later as Head
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
of the MBA program. I believe it is in my DNA to want to
be a leader. Nevertheless, over the years, I have grown
more and more and my experiences are beneficial to shape
my leadership skills. Everything keeps coming back
somehow. It is always about people.
Focusing On Bucket List
What are your future plans for the company?
The first on the list is to survive the upcoming global
economic crisis—which seems to be a difficult task for
the young tech companies. However, despite the crisis,
our futuristic approach has very well prepared us for the
challenges coming forth and we even see opportunities for
our business model through the turbulences that have
already begun. In the medium term, I’m looking forward
to expanding the trading volume on the platform and as
soon as we have reached an eleven-figure volume I see
our mission fulfilled. Later, I might sell the company to a
large financial group and devote myself to new tasks.
Healthy attitude keeps you healthy
Despite your busy schedule, how do you keep yourself
healthy?
Especially in the current situation of pandemic, I listen to
the health authorities and stay at home! But any on any
other day I am an enthusiast athlete, I do sports
regularly—very much like team sports because I love
competition and comradeship. If this is not possible I go
on a walk with my dog. I am grateful every day I wake up
healthy and go to bed healthy. I think a healthy attitude
can also help stay healthy.
35
 ASPECTS OF LEADERSHIP

Understanding
the Different Aspects of
Behavioral Theories of

A
“ s we look ahead into the next century, the
leaders will be those who empower others,”
quotes Bill Gates. There are numerous
businesses being led by ordinary leaders. However,
businesses that stand apart are often led by
passionate, dedicated, and extraordinary leaders.
Thus the secret of every successful business lies in
its leader himself. Thinking of the present scenario,
the concept of leadership development is nowhere
in the priority list of the businesses. According to a
source, only 5% of businesses have implemented
leadership developments at all levels. This statistic
reflects that the future confronts a huge leadership
gap and right now, no organization is ready to
bridge the gap.

38
39
 ASPECTS OF LEADERSHIP
The concept of leadership is not as simple as it
looks. It has many aspects to it and perhaps the
organizations' being unaware of these aspects is the
prominent reason behind this crisis. In this article,
the concept of behavioral theories of leadership and
different aspects of the same are discussed.
What is Behavioral Theory of leadership?
It is often told that “Great leaders are born, not
made.” Behavioral theory of leadership specifically
counters this statement. This theory assumes that
leadership capability can be learned, rather than
being inherited. It revolves around a principle that
behaviors can be conditioned in a manner that one
can have a specific response to specific motive. This
theory studies the behaviors of leaders in response
to different situations.
Furthermore, leadership success is also assessed by
studying their actions and then correlating
significant behaviors with success. This theory
concludes that a leader's behavior affects his
performance and different leadership behaviors can
be appropriate at different times. The best leaders
are those who are flexible with their behavioral style
and chose the suitable style for each situation. This
theory emphasizes on what leaders actually do
rather than their qualities. Over the years of study
and testing, some prominent behavioral theories
can be classified.
Task-oriented Leadership
In this type, the leaders primarily focus on the
systems and structure that allows their team to
carry out their work. Everything from task
description to standard operating procedures,
organizational and team structure, communication
lines is included in this type of leadership.
However, this type of leaders does not ignore their
employees as humans. Though their primary focus
is on the systems, but they are still concerned with
motivating their team.
40
Significant Behaviors
Ÿ Initiating
Ÿ Information Gathering
Ÿ Organizing
Ÿ Clarifying
People-oriented Leadership
In this type, unlike task-oriented leadership, the
group of leaders put more efforts in seeing to the
human needs of their team and motivating them
through that. In this, the leaders do not ignore the
tasks or system, they just put more time and
behavioral focus on their team. For example, if a
person has not managed to do his work on time, a
task-oriented leader would look into the processes
to find the problem while a people oriented leader
would approach the employee personally and ask
him if there was any way they could help and the
reason behind the problem.
Significant Behaviors
Ÿ Observing
Ÿ Listening
Ÿ Encouraging
Ÿ Coaching
Ÿ Mentoring
Participative Leadership
In this type of leadership, the leaders consult with
their entire team when creating systems and
methods for achieving the team's goals. In this
phenomenon, the work becomes more
collaborative. This type of leadership allows the
entire team to take part ownership of their work
and the procedures behind it. This in turn makes
the team more motivated to carry out processes
more accurately and consistently.
The team members understand their work better as
they are included in the decision making process.
This leadership also allows every team to analyze its
members and take full advantage of their strengths.
Moreover, creativity and engagement is also
encouraged through this leadership. It also
contributes to a thriving company culture. The only
disadvantage of this type of leadership is it is more
time-consuming than other methods.
Significant Behaviors
Ÿ Collaborating
Ÿ Communicating
Ÿ Being open to feedback
Ÿ Delegating
Ÿ Encouraging
Indifferent Leadership
This is probably the most ineffective type of
behavioral leadership. The leaders in this type
display a behavior dedicated to preserving their
position and department from scrutiny. The leaders
have a very little contact with their team. They
dodge tasks whenever possible and put pressure on
their team to meet targets regardless of the cost.
These leaders have a very little concern for the
people under their care or production of their team.
They don't care as long as people keep their job.
This is a bad leadership style to adopt as it results in
a nonexistent team culture, employee
dissatisfaction, a high turnover rate, and a very
little productivity.
Significant Behaviors
Ÿ Hesitating
Ÿ Evading
Ÿ Lack of communication
Ÿ Self-preservation
Dictatorial Leadership
Leaders in this type are always focusing on
producing results without worrying too much about
people working under them. The idea of 'developer
crunch periods' is a good example to explain this
type of leadership. In these periods, the employees
are pressurized to work long hours to meet
deadlines which are usually unreasonable at the
expense of their own health and work-life balance.
In this type of leadership, the turnover rates are
high and the leaders are often seen in teams where
burnout is frequent and replacements are common.
Significant Behaviors
Ÿ Non-acceptance of excuses
Ÿ Focus on Productivity
Ÿ Deadlines are absolute
Ÿ Doesn't listen to feedback
Ÿ Hits the targets
Advantages of behavioral Theories of
Leadership
Following are the salient advantages of this
concept.
Ÿ This theory promotes the value of leadership
styles with an emphasis on concern for people
and collaboration.
Ÿ By supporting individual needs and aligning
individual and group objectives, it promotes
participative decision making and team
development.
Ÿ Helps managers evaluate and understand their
behavioral style as a manager and how it affects
their relationship with the team.
Ÿ Helps managers find the right balance between
different styles of leadership.
Ÿ Helps managers decide how to behave as a
leader, depending on concerns for people and for
productivity.
To conclude, these were the different behavioral
theories of leadership. Diving deep in the concept of
leadership development, the organizations must
study and understand this concept too. Companies
should plan their leadership development for the
future and behavioral theories of leadership will
surely help the cause.
41

The Audacious Entrepreneur
Not Afraid Of Taking The Risks
CEO & Founder
mYngle
E ntrepreneur
s are people
who do not
keep the status quo but push
themselves beyond their comfort
zone. One such leader who moved
beyond the comfort zone and established
herself as a pioneer in live online language
education is Marina Tognetti (Founder and
CEO of mYngle). Despite completing her
education in Italy, she left the country to explore
opportunities across the geographical borders. Today she
is an Italian entrepreneur and business executive based in
Amsterdam.
Marina had her past experience in corporate and was
dubious to start her journey as an entrepreneur. She
stumbled and made mistakes but kept her zeal and learned
many things along the way. The modern CEO has steered
the company through turbulent waters and today, mYngle
has emerged as a successful business venture.
Marina shared her journey with Mirror Review and her
answers are bound to change your outlook on taking risks
and moving beyond the comfort zone. Here are the
snippets,
Right Idea at the Right Moment
What is the story behind the establishment of mYngle?
The initial idea came from my personal needs. Back then,
42
Marina
Togne i:
I was looking at China for opportunities and the first step
was learning Chinese. As a busy manager, finding a way to
learn the language was not easy. I tried everything: an
evening school, CDs/ DVDs, a Dutch teacher trying to
teach Chinese, a Chinese student that could not teach and I
got quite frustrated. If I were living in China- I thought- I
could easily find a good teacher! That was when the idea
hit me: there are thousands of teachers all over the world,
all I needed was to use the power of the internet to connect
teachers with students. This is how mYngle was born. The
right idea at the right moment!
Constant Focus on Customers
What is that one unique quality that differentiates
mYngle from its competitors?
I strongly believe that the key to success is not constantly
comparing with competition, but aligning with what
customers want. This is particularly important when you
are in an industry that, like that of online education, is in a
transition or evolution phase, where the main challenge is
not a competition but the unawareness or inexperience of
customers.
Constant focus on customers and their needs are one of
our pillars and key strengths. Education was (and in large
part still is) operating in the old traditional way, offering
learners what is available, not what they need. But as “One
size does not fit all”— we try to understand the customer
and diversifying our offer in terms of teacher- content-
frequency, we can match each specific need.

When you are innovating, success is not a straight
line. You will encounter many unexpected turns and
twists and you will have to be able to adapt.
Dealings With Uncertainty and Changes
How favorable was the change from the initial business
model to a completely new one?
It was the most challenging phase of my entrepreneurial
life. We decided to 'pivot' from the initial business model
to a completely different one, which is the mYngle we are
now. We could have failed or succeeded. Fortunately, we
managed to turn the company around, from an open
marketplace to a quality global online school, from B2C to
B2B. That was the key to the success of mYngle. I think
the biggest learning to take away from this is that change
is an essential part of being an entrepreneur. It is how you
deal with uncertainty and change that sets you apart.
An Entrepreneur has no ‘typical’ day
How will you describe your daily routine?
Being an entrepreneur means that days are varied and
there is no 'typical' day. My roles and responsibilities as a
leader are also varied. I have two roles, one internal and
another is one external. Internally, I am responsible for
setting and keeping long term direction, aligning it with
short term actions, motivating my team, and maintaining
an innovative & entrepreneurial culture. Externally, I am
responsible for the finances and relationship with
investors, banks, and other external stakeholders, as
strategic partnerships and press.
Always Look for Adventures
Have any of your personal experiences helped you to
become a good leader?
I like challenges, in everything I do. This is also the reason
why I lived and worked in different countries, why I
backpacked through Asia for a year, why I like extreme
sports, why I became an entrepreneur! Looking for
adventures, going outside my comfort zone, not being
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
afraid to take (calculated) risks, all of these personal
experiences have helped me in becoming an innovative
leader.
I think entrepreneurship, especially in tech, allows you to
look far ahead, innovate, change traditional business
models and disrupt industries. So personal and
professional life fit in that respect very well!
Innovating and exploring opportunities
How will you describe the plans of mYngle?
I look at the many novel technological developments that
are happening all around us as an opportunity. Besides,
Data Analysis and Machine Learning are making great
improvements. The future in leading mYngle will surely
hold new challenges but we plan to stay ahead of the
market and focus on innovating, not only in products but
also in services and processes.
Building a Business is a marathon not sprint
Despite your busy schedule, how do you keep yourself
healthy?
I know that the 80 hours' week cannot hold forever. This is
a mistake that especially new entrepreneurs tend to do,
thinking that more hours can solve more problems.
Building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint.
It is in the period of challenges that you will need this
energy and motivation to keep on pushing forward. For
this, I dodge my time equally between work and my many
passions— travel, animals, going out, and especially a lot
of sports. This routine is good for my body and my mind. I
urge the new entrepreneurs to do the same because I know
that me being happy and in balance gives my company the
leader able to drive it even in the most difficult situations.
43

Founder &
CEO,
Stay In The
Game F or years, women
have struggled to
juggle their careers
and personal lives. Managing both
successfully usually comes with a
significant amount of stress, causing some
women to give up their professional life in
favour of caring for their family. These challenges
were faced by Mona Andrews, CEO and Founder of
Stay In the Game. With her vision to change this
unacceptable situation, in 2017, she started the company to
help women who were facing similar issues. The idea
behind the company was to make sure that no women have
to make the difficult choice between caregiving and their
career.
Supporting the movement of women empowerment, the
team of Mirror Review recently interviewed Mona, where
she was very kind to express her views with us on women
in the workforce and motherhood. We also asked her few
questions regarding her company and her overall
experience.
Here are the highlights from the long interview.
Creating Successful Balance
Can you please shed some light on how Stay in The Game
came into existence?
As you know, there are several social issues that women
44
Mona
Andrews
Empowering Women to
Balance Care giving with
Their Careers
face, especially in the workforce. Stay in The Game was
founded to address these enormous social issues that exist
in the workforce because of caregiving responsibilities. As
a mother, I feel that women should not have to choose
between their careers and caregiving. My journey began
when my sons started preschool; I was struck by the
thought of how many of the other mothers had to struggle
with juggling the demands of their career with their
caregiving responsibilities, and I knew that I could be part
of the solution.
With flexible, remote job opportunities, Stay In The Game
makes it possible for caregivers to set their own schedules
and successfully balance the demands of work and family.
Caregiving is a right, not a choice, and the women
employed by our company are able to truly have it all.
Employing Talented, Ambitious and Professional
Women
One unique quality of Stay In the Game that you would
like to share with our readers?
Stay In The Game is the only end-to-end architecture that
exists to provide opportunities for this talent pool. All of
our employees have at least a Bachelor's degree and are
incredibly talented, ambitious, professional women. We are
able to match the perfect talent to each client's unique
project requirements. And I believe there isn't another
company with more qualified talent.

Stay In The Game is committed to growth so that we can
help as many caregivers as possible – no one should ever
have to choose between parenting and a paycheck!
Never Repeat Your Mistakes
You must have faced few failures in your life. If yes, how
did you tackle them and did it change you in anyway?
Yes! It's true no matter how hard we try we cannot escape
failure. I believe failures are the greatest teacher, and as an
entrepreneur, I have a very high tolerance for pain,
uncertainty, and failure. I have learned a lot from them,
most notably humility and not to make the same mistake
twice. While it is definitely uncomfortable and not what
anyone wants to experience, but in my opinion, failure
spurs us to grow, learn and dig deep.
No two days are exactly alike
Please tell us about your daily routine and any highlights
from your daily routine you would like to share?
Good question indeed! I would like to keep it short and
precise, one of the things I love most about this job is that
no two days are exactly alike. Most of my days include a
review of the prior day's results, a check-in with my office
manager, outreach to current and potential clients, and
working to refine our business development strategy.
Prioritizing Tasks
At times, it must be difficult for you to manage yourself
and team, what is your secret motivation mantra?
I typically avoid telling secrets, but since you asked, I
would like to tell you about how we manage. We use this
great project management tool called Teamwork. Within
that tool, we are able to prioritize tasks, collaborate with
team members, keep running notes on progress and assign
deadlines. During particularly busy times, my General
Manager will create a triage list to prioritize deliverables.
BUSINESS
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Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
Always Learning and Growing
How satisfied are you with your current company culture
and any changes you wish to see?
We are always learning and growing, and I think that is the
foundation of our company culture. We have incorporated
elements from Kim Scott's “Radical Candor” and Patrick
Lencioni's “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” to strengthen
our corporate culture. I want our team to be comfortable
sharing their opinions and ideas, and to know that we care
about them personally as well as professionally.
Being A Better Leader Every Day
Experiences play a crucial role in shaping a person. Can
you please share your personal experience that helped you
to become a good leader?
I think that my training as an attorney has helped me
understand the importance of systems and processes in the
business. I work on being a better leader every day, and
think there is always room for improvement – I hope I'm
still learning and improving when I'm 90 years old!
Communicating In Best Way Possible Way
According to you, what are your insecurities as a leader?
I have recently learned that my communication style can
sometimes be received in ways that I had not intended –
this is a huge learning and I am grateful for the opportunity
to learn and grow. Self-reflection has been a great tool to
help work on this; I ask myself if I am communicating in
the best way possible with the team, what I might be
missing, and how we as a company can better empower our
team. Checking in with myself has been a great way to
learn and grow from this insecurity.
45

Managing
Director
Sage North America
D igitizati
on has
caused
companies to make a big
move from traditional
‘bookkeeping’ to cloud storage.
The opportunities these cloud-based
services offer is vast. Nancy Harris
(Managing Director of Sage, North
America) believes that there are more
opportunities on the horizon to move business
management and accounting tasks to cloud-based
services. Nancy has more than 30 years of experience
in sales, marketing, and partner development, successfully
leading large SaaS and enterprise software companies
including BMC Software and Asure Software. She joined
Sage in 2011, serving as Vice President and General
Manager of Sage 50 Accounting, Canadian Edition and later
as Managing Director of Sage North America where she is
responsible for the company’s daily performance in the U.S.
and Canada.
In a talk with Mirror Review, Nancy shared some of her
insights on cloud migration and what the future holds for her
company. Here are the excerpts,
Identifying the Solution to the Problem
Can you share the story behind the establishment of Sage?
Sage began the same way many businesses have been
established, by identifying the solution to a problem. Our
founder David Goldman was fed up with old-school
accounting processes and wanted to automate them inside
his own practice. When he decided to work with a team of
Newcastle University students in the U.K. to develop
software, he realized that other businesses could benefit
48
Nancy
Harris
A Tech Veteran Transforming
Traditional Business Management
To Cloud-Based Services
from this as well. As a result, Sage was established in 1981.
Later in 1998, with the acquisition of Peachtree Accounting,
we moved to the U.S. Today, our company has more than
13,000 colleagues and serves over 2 million customers
around the world.
One-Stop-Shop for the Customers
What is that one unique quality that differentiates Sage
from its competitors?
Our Sage Business Cloud is the one and only business
management solution that small and medium businesses
need to scale and grow. The one quality that sets us apart
from competitors is our ability to support customers at any
step of their digital business journey—from a small business
operation to a full-scale organization that operates in
multiple markets and has deep vertical complexities.
Other vendors require customers to evaluate new products
and solutions when their business evolves and becomes
more complex. We are the one stop shop for all our
customer’s business management needs with purpose-built
solutions and a thriving ecosystem of applications.
Responsible For the Company’s Performance
How will you describe your daily routine?
As a Managing Director, I am responsible for the company’s
performance in the U.S. and Canada. I work with Sage’s
North American teams to advance the company’s presence
throughout the continent, strengthening the relationship with
Sage’s customers, partners, accountant partners and
colleagues. On a daily basis, this means speaking with
customers and partners frequently. It means having my
finger on the pulse of how they are doing in the market,
where we are winning, how we are serving them and where
do we need to improve and determine next steps.

While we may have similarities to other people, it's the different perspectives
and unique views that each person brings to the table that we need to listen to
and embrace. I strongly believe that inclusiveness makes everything
better—including business results.
Make Every Effort Count
Is there any secret to how you keep yourself and your team
members motivated in stressful situations?
We are driven by our purpose to transform the way people
think and work so their organizations can thrive. This
purpose in and of itself is a great motivator for me and our
team.
There may be times where my team gets overwhelmed, so I
try my best to motivate our colleagues by painting the
picture of where we are headed—what our mission is—and
why they are critically important to the end objective of
building a great SaaS company for the customers, partners
and colleagues. In sum, I remind our colleagues how they fit
into our strategy and that what they do is important. I also
remind our colleagues to be mindful of their health and
wellbeing. I encourage them to take their 5 paid days a year
to give back to a non-profit of their choice. We know that
when colleagues take time out to volunteer in their
communities, they are happier.
Inclusiveness Makes Everything Better
Have any of your personal experiences helped you to
become a good leader?
We all are a product of our upbringing, and in that regard,
yes, my family experiences shaped the type of leader I am
and the type of leader to whom I respond best. I was taught
at an early age that no one person is better than the next.
While we may have similarities to other people, it’s the
different perspectives and unique views that each person
brings to the table that we need to listen to and embrace. I
strongly believe that inclusiveness makes everything
better—including business results.
Failure Is the Best Teacher
How did you embrace your failure? Did your failure
change you in any way?
I think failure is the best teacher. While I was serving as part
of the management team in the previous company, it went
through a hostile takeover by a hedge fund. It was a difficult
experience in many ways but it was one of the most
BUSINESS
THE
Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
profound learning experiences of my career. Ultimately, we
lost the proxy battle and the company was taken over.
This failure changed me in many ways. I learned how to
remain calm under pressure; I learned how to communicate
with colleagues with the utmost transparency, regardless of
the difficulty of the message; I learned you never know how
people will react when put into a pressure situation and that
people’s true colors tend to come out. More than anything, it
underscored the importance of integrity for me, and I’ve
continued to hold that as one of my most important personal
values.
Health Routine to Stay Mentally and Physically Fit
Despite your busy schedule, how do you keep yourself
healthy?
I exercise regularly. That is my health routine and I cannot
skip it. I run at least 3x a week and try to do weights and
core strengthening in between. Running is not only for my
physical health, but it’s also great for my mental health. It’s
my go-to for stress relief.
I also try to eat healthy, particularly because I travel so
much. As with everyone, some weeks are better than others,
but that is how I do my best to stay mentally and physically
fit.
Stronger Focus, Stronger Deliberation
What are your future plans for the company?
I am excited about the future of Sage. We now have a
stronger focus and stronger deliberation. We’ve announced
the divestment of some smaller parts of the business that
don’t fit with our vision while expanding and doubling-
down on others.
We recently launched the Sage Business Cloud marketplace
in the U.S. and U.K. We are growing our team and making
strategic acquisitions, most recently with Cake HR and
AutoEntry, and a few years ago, Intacct and Fairsale. We’re
increasing R&D investment to build out Sage Business
Cloud, including embedding emerging technology and
enhancing the ‘service fabric’ of Sage Business Cloud.
49

Founder &
CEO,
NRPR Group
T he number of people
entering into
entrepreneurship has
increased rapidly, with new start-ups
emerging every day. However, only a few
make their mark in the industry and achieve
success. Recently, NRPR Group celebrated its fifth
anniversary, which is a stellar milestone because only
50% of businesses reach this mark.
Nicole Rodrigues (Founder and CEO) established the
company to change the industry by creating the perfect
example of what she knew an agency should be, from a
client, media, and employee perspective. She added, “I
envisioned an agency that would make everyone, including
clients, media, and employees very happy with the work we
were doing.”
Nicole has 20 years of experience in the PR industry. She had
envisioned NRPR in college when she enrolled in PR courses
at the recommendation of a journalism professor. “I always
knew I wanted to start an agency, but did not want to do so
until I felt ready,” asserted Nicole. She started her PR career
with a software enterprise, and over the years she has
mastered her skills and is now the owner of a leading full-
service public relations and marketing agency.
In a chat with Mirror Review, Nicole shared the obstacles she
encountered throughout her journey and how she overcame
the same.
50
Nicole
Rodrigues
A Transformational Leader
Disrupting Traditional
Marketing Stereotypes
Here are the snippets,
Quality over Quantity
What is that one unique quality that differentiates NRPR
GROUP from its competitors?
Unlike other agencies, NRPR Group focuses on quality over
quantity of coverage and concentrates all our efforts on
creating relationships and building friendships to foster that
human touch for the benefit of clients and the media. To
facilitate relationship building with media professionals, I set
in motion a “No Blast” oath for pitching and outreach to
media outlets. Since the day NRPR Group launched, every
email pitch has been tailored with a personal touch and
reviewed by an in-house editor. By taking this extra step, I
was able to show the media their time is respected, and we
genuinely care about working with them on stories that make
sense. We aim for quality of coverage, not merely press
release reposts.
Obstacles Led To Good
How did you embrace your failure? Did your failure change
you in any way?
I have never failed, though I was faced with obstacles and
challenges in life, they all ultimately led to good. When
problems occur, I always remind myself not to make excuses
and just to keep going. As a business leader, things do not
always go as expected, whether the issue is employee, client,
budget, or business climate-related. The failure is not in the
errors made or the changes in circumstance but lies in the

You must be ready, responsible, and always focused
because your clients and staff are depending on you to
deliver results.
inability to learn from one's mistakes or worse yet, dwelling
on them, allowing mistakes to make us feel bad about
ourselves and our successes. Instead, I take the hit, evaluate if
I could have done anything differently, and plan how to do
better next time. Then I do it.
Go With the Flow and Stay Balanced Mentally
Being a CEO/Founder, how will you describe your daily
routine?
I wake up every morning at 5 a.m. to have some time for
myself. I use this time to breathe and to prepare myself for
the day mentally. I jump into emails that may have come in
from the night before and begin to put together fire-ups for
my team with their action items for the day. Of course,
sometimes there are unexpected or unplanned calls in the
morning that can take me by surprise, but I must go with the
flow and stay balanced mentally.
When I head into the office, I need to do everything I can to
motivate and help the team to accomplish tasks and increase
client visibility while I am there. Because I'm coaching my
team during the day, there's still a lot for me to do at night, so
I stay up late if I need to. I don't complain, and I keep moving
forward. I truly believe that the universe rewards hard work,
and the harder you work, the better the results will be.
Good Mood Is Contagious
How do you keep yourself and your team members
motivated who are struggling in a day-to-day task?
I always try to keep my energy positive and at a high level. I
think good moods are contagious and so are bad moods. So, I
continuously motivate and praise my staff, also I include
special shoutouts for those who are achieving success. I
encourage the staff to keep asking questions and be prepared
for hard work. My advice is that nothing truly valuable comes
easy. Be prepared to put in the time, to research, and to do
homework outside of work. There's only so much you're
going to learn between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The work you do
outside of that will help you stand out and grow more quickly
in your career. Your success is in your own hands.
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Inspiring
LEADERS
To Watch Out For In 2020
Learning through personal experiences
Have any of your personal experiences helped you to
become a good leader?
My personal experience has set me up for success as a leader.
My mother has been my biggest motivator and inspiration
throughout my life. She has been a business owner, so I have
witnessed her hustle and a go-getter personality, which I try
to emulate. My mother always told me that I could do or have
anything I wanted as long as I was willing to work for it. My
experiences taught me that you always need to develop a plan
to reach the goal. This plan includes always learning new
skills, always pushing myself, clients and team to live up to
high standards, and to maintain the passion for achieving
your vision.
Overcoming insecurity and obstacles
According to you, what are your insecurities as a leader?
While overall, I am confident in my abilities, when in my
initial days as a leader, I had more insecurity about whether I
could succeed with my agency. Being a leader means being
responsible for the growth of the company and the growth of
your team. You must realize that there are no guarantees that
you will make money, and, in the end, your success or failure
falls on your shoulders. I have confidence in my skills,
knowledge, and ability to build relationships, and with
determination, I can overcome insecurity and obstacles as I
can continue along the path to success.
Extending the Client Visibility
What do you further plan for the company?
In the future, NRPR Group will continue to work with clients
to extend their visibility, bring their stories to life, and
develop new tools that will keep the agency ahead of the
curve in what we can offer. Last year, I wrote a book, and
launched a YouTube channel and other media content
delivery tools, which proved beneficial. This year, we are
also focusing on developing new tools that will help the team
to offer increased value to clients. This includes building a
YouTube series, helping clients garner book deals, and
tracking success with state-of-the-art reporting tools.
51
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