Emerging Powerhouse HBi Auto Introduces 6-speed Conversions for Exotic Vehicles

Establishing a company from an idea to a startup is a daunting task. Still, the most challenging aspect is building brand affinity through excellent service, especially in an industry where it takes groundbreaking innovations to stand out and take the lead. This is a fact that industry leaders Billy Wenk and Evan Wiles know all too well. Today the two luminaries stand at the helm of HBi Auto, a premier luxury automotive dealership dominating the auto industry with state-of-the-art technology and excellent services. 

Founded in 2018 by Billy Wenk and Evan Wiles, HBi Auto is an exotic automobile dealership headquartered in Mocksville, North Carolina. When it comes to the maintenance and repair of exotic car brands such as Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi R8, and McLaren, among others, HBi Auto has established itself as a one-stop-shop for all auto needs. The dealership specializes in the sales, service, maintenance, performance, transportation, detailing and paint protection film of luxury vehicles using the right tools, technology, and the expert skills of auto mechanics.

Whether the vehicle is old, new, or modified, HBi Auto provides stellar services. In fact, the company has experienced technicians on its team who consults with clients to address all their auto problems. In addition, the dealership also works alongside Original Equipment Manufacturers, aftermarket, and dealership suppliers to provide for all clients’ needs, answering any concerns about looking for the right parts for the models. 

Proving to be unstoppable in the industry, the company has experienced exponential growth since its inception four years ago. It is on track to 40 million in revenue in 2022 due to its unique business model and ability to provide state-of-the-art technology to address clients’ needs. What used to be a small venture from Mocksville, North Carolina, has now blossomed into an industry powerhouse that aims to create a meaningful and long-lasting impact on others. 

As part of its dedication to creating an enduring impact in the industry and prioritizing customers, HBi Auto now offers six-speed conversions for exotic vehicles. “We have realized there is a massive demand for these types of cars based on the lack of new cars being produced with manual transmission and the skyrocketing cost of older generation manual transmission cars,” the company’s spokesperson explained. 

The luxury car dealership currently offers manual transmission conversion kits for Ferrari 360, Ferrari F430, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Ferrari 575, Ferrari 599, Lamborghini Gallardo, and Lamborghini Murcielago, with more to come. “We have also converted the 2nd Ferrari 430 Scuderia ever to be performed and are focused on offering more options in the near future. We believe there is a big desire for these offerings and look to offer this on new model cars as well.”

Over the next few years, the brilliant team at HBi Auto aims to expand the company’s reach by creating a franchise of ten dealerships across the nation. With this plan in motion, combined with the company’s dedication to delivering high-quality services, there is no doubt that HBi Auto will cement its spot as a leader in the automotive industry. 

The Big Apple Inspires Writer and Influencer Anja Ellam to Step Out of Her Comfort Zone

Moving to a new city can potentially result in excitement or anxiety, especially for people who have always struggled with the idea of moving out of their comfort zone. But not for a writer and social media influencer like Anja Ellam, who recently moved to the United States from Toronto, Canada. If anything, the new environment and the culture of her current places of residency in Los Angeles and New York are bringing out the best in her, giving her fresh insights on possible story ideas. 

Without a doubt, Anja is having the time of her life despite not knowing anybody here. “It’s been great living here, I moved not knowing a single person, and I’m so grateful for all of my friends and coworkers that I’ve met since my move. Working here has been amazing. It has given me exposure to opportunities that I would never have had in Canada. There are a lot more growing entertainment companies here in the US than in Canada, and working at those companies is so beneficial early in your career,” she shared.

No perfect formula will prepare anyone for migration to a new country, but Anja believes it necessitates an effort to connect with people. “My go-to advice to anyone is always just talking to more people about anything. Try to live more spontaneously and get out there. I always find it helps you connect more, and that makes for the best quality of life and work. And writing, if you’re into that,” she said. 

Anja is a successful writer, recognized for her work with AwesomenessTV, where she is still employed and currently writing the show “Vibe Room.” She was also a staff writer for two popular Snapchat shows, “Solve” and “Past Your Bedtime.” As a writer, her goal has always been to motivate people to think. Growing up, she was strongly influenced by numerous shows and movies, and she knows she’s in a strategic position to capture the various niches of the world audiences ought to know more about. 

The rising writer mostly writes for Gen Z audiences, which she admits is a very challenging demographic, especially where it involves the latest trends the present generation is fond of. Fortunately, Anja is a very connected social media user and influencer who is well aware of what attracts the attention of Gen Z audiences today. 

“The most important thing a writer can be is relatable and authentic because it matters to viewers, and I think companies are really starting to fully understand that. It’s the most obvious in the change we’ve seen on social media and in marketing, but it affects all media industries. So companies need to hire creatives, like me, that truly understand their audience, or they’ll lose them,” Anja explained. 

The industry she is in is filled with limitless possibilities, and one trend she believes will explode soon is the addition of more streaming platforms. She also believes a major shift will involve content for digital platforms and foresees TikTok as a dominant social media platform in the coming years due to its wide array of content. 

Having successfully adjusted to her new home in Los Angeles and trips to New York, Anja now focuses on continuing her writing and developing new and interesting characters to capture audiences’ interest. 

Even New York has influenced some of her new screenplays. “I wrote a show that took place in New York called City Girls! It was fun writing about California characters going to New York and the differences between the two. I have a lot of friends who live there, so I’m constantly visiting, and even if you’ve never been to New York, it is such an inspiring city. I remember sitting with a friend of mine at 3 AM in a diner and looking at all the other tables and thinking you could probably write something great just based on all the people in here right now. I think writing really starts with one character, and then it snowballs from there, so in a city full of different characters, I’m constantly inspired.”

Whatever the future brings, we can’t wait to see what this amazing writer and social media influencer creates.

Shabibz on His Approach to  Music as a Tool for Self-expression and Entertainment

Music has been a tool that unites people from all over the world. It is an art to be enjoyed, and as the world keeps getting smaller and interconnected, musicians from different parts of the world have continued to find ways to make an impact regardless of language, genre, style or sound. Shabibz, born Fouad El-Chemali, is one of the artists on the quest for global fame and impact through music.

The Beirut, Lebanon-born artist has lived in the United States nearly all his life. He moved to Sacramento, CA, at a young age and has lived there ever since, but he never disconnected from his roots. His stage name is a combination of two Arabic words, “Shabeb,” which means squad or gang and “Habibi,” which means my person, my love or my life, thus giving props to where he’s from even though he spent most of his life in the United States of America. “I chose this name to represent everything that art/ music/ hip hop culture has done for me and to bridge that with everything my Lebanese heritage, roots, and upbringing have done for me as well. I am a product of those two sides of my life that I have bridged to share my story with the world,” he explained. 

Shabibz’s foray into music began with his love for creating different things, from hot wheels to poems and then songs. When he got into business school at USC about five years ago, he decided to take it up professionally. He had big dreams, and he knew he had to take action to achieve those dreams. The 25-year-old channels his life experiences and all that he has gone through in life into his music to create something everyone can relate to.

As an artist, Shabibz’s music offers a wavy, fresh, authentic and melodic flow. His music comes from within and bears important messages to the world. He also uses music to express himself freely without being held back by family, culture, social expectations or environmental barricades. “Music was always just there for me. Ready to take me in and explore within. I feel like I found myself and my purpose in life through music. I want to share that now,” Shabibz said.

Since his career began professionally, Shabibz has released one project titled Step Back in 2021. Currently, his next song, “Booty Go,” featuring BSlime, just dropped and has been well-recieved. The song explores fun, groovy and highly entertaining themes. “This single is pure energy and fun. It’s an anthem for beautiful women who love to have fun. I want people to feel empowered about themselves when playing this slap,” he described. The visuals for the song have also been shot in Atlanta with NeverPanicFilms and Young Stoner Life’s director ConnorFilms. The featured artist on the song, BSlime, is Young Thug’s nephew, who’s also signed to Young Stoner Life. Also, his second project, The Fall, is in the works, and Shabibz describes it as the door into higher energy.

His first project, Step Back, trended and made it to the Top 100 chart of fifteen countries, which boosted Shabibz’s confidence to keep going as he believes he’s capable of making a significant impact over the next few years. Artists like Kid Cudi, Saint Jhn, Jaden, Don Toliver, Drake, Nav, Travis Scott, and The Weeknd motivate him while drawing energy and inspiration from God, the Earth, and life itself. 

Shabibz’s goal for the next few years is to engage with music fans worldwide from all cultures. “I want people to know that art and music are for everyone, regardless of the sound, genre, or where you were raised. I want to really connect with communities. I just want everyone to know that someone is feeling them at all times. No one is ever truly alone in this world,” he said.

DJ Turned Show Host and Producer, Mickey Durivage, Provides an Inclusive Platform for Creatives Across Industries to Share Their Story 

For many within the entertainment industry, the pandemic spelled the end of business with certain dreams and aspirations put on pause. Artists struggled to put themselves on the map, being unable to perform at events, go on tour, or engage with their audience in real time. However, for DJ Mickey Durivage, it was just the pause needed to cultivate an idea into a reality and create what is known now as The Spice – A celebration of creatives through the lens and power of music. 

In early 2021, Mickey lost his father. He found himself at a creative dead end, which prompted some time away as a DJ. It quickly became clear to him that he needed to get out of this career rut; He decided it was time for a change and a pivot. Mickey had already worked as a successful DJ with prior experience opening for the likes of Jay-Z and Daryl Hall just to name a few. However, he soon discovered that he wanted to do more than just that, as he felt this was not a career or financially motivated move but rather one in the pursuit of a passion. The Spice was Mickey’s brainchild, a show he created to showcase musical talent and put his guests in the spotlight, allowing viewers to get an insight into who they really are. Each episode features hearty and feel-good conversation with some prominent guests, with music being the glue holding all the parts together.

Mickey wanted to design the layout of the show so that it would come from a light-hearted lens; The start of each show is always guaranteed to delight the audience with laughs provided by comedian Regina DeCicco, who sets the tone for the show ahead. After the comedy bit, the main guest of the episode is introduced, and the audience is able to hear them talk about various subjects and ideas. The shows are guided by a curated playlist created by the guest, which creates the perfect backdrop to them stemming into questions, conversations, and great vibes. 

In his most recent episode, an unforgettable show featuring the legendary Whoopi Goldberg, Mickey elaborates on the tagline of the show, music is the spice

Mickey says, “I think of spice as an acronym and throwback to my years as a DJ. For me it stands for, slow down, pray for inner peace, consider my truth, and evolve. As a performing DJ, I was nervous about my cleft palate and would literally slow things down and pray to be able to connect to people the way I wanted to”. The show provides a light, fun, & inviting platform to connect over music with each episode serving as a creative introduction into the guest and their life. 

Prior episodes of the show can be found online at musicisthespice.com 

To register for all upcoming shows streaming from Club Curious in Brooklyn, visit musicisthespice.com

917-540-4565

ISH & CO

8 Summer Foods and Nutrients to Protect Eyes from Sunshine to Screentime

Written By: Olivia Liveng 

While glamorizing the hot weather, beach time, and vacations with families are the fun topics we love to talk about during summer, it is essential to remember to take care of our health in changing environments. And this includes eye health. 

Yes, in addition to sunburns and dehydration, getting too much sunshine in the summer can also lead to multiple eye problems, from dry eyes to headaches to eye disease caused by UV rays. This is because the sun’s light during summer can be extreme, leading to sensitivity and more significant issues in all eyes. Very similar to staring at your screen for too long, the sun also emits blue light, a high-energy component of visible light.

 And no, we cannot walk around with the latest trending pair of blue light glasses all summer as some do while working on their laptops. But there is a more straightforward solution to improving our eyes and eye health, especially in the summertime. And that is choosing what you’re eating carefully, as ultimately, optimal health comes from within our bodies and how we care for them.  

Your (Eyes) Are What You Eat

That’s right. Adding certain foods to your diet could also promote eye health and limit eye problems caused by the sun’s rays. Most importantly, two nutrients, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, can help protect your eyes against the harmful effects of this blue light energy. 

The names of these nutrients may sound quite complicated, but they are actually much more accessible than you would believe. In fact, we have a list of eight of the best foods you can incorporate into your diet to protect your eyes–from both sunshine to screentime! They are:

  1. Oranges, grapefruit, citrus, try papaya!
  2. Dark Leafy greens
  3. Sunflower seeds
  4. Omega 3 fatty acids 
  5. Avocado
  6. Raspberries
  7. Watermelon
  8. Peppers (like red peppers)
  9. Nuts and Seeds

Where’d All The Zeaxanthin and Lutein Go?

            Unfortunately, however, the American diet is still scarce on Zeaxanthin and Lutein, even with knowing they are in so many foods. While eating corn on the cob, for example, is good for the eyes and part of the average American barbeque, one would have to eat about 20 ears of corn to get the amount of dietary Zeaxanthin that eyes need.

Hence, a small predicament. The solution? Vitamins and minerals such as EyePromise’s Zeaxanthin + Lutein. EyePromise, the #1 doctor-recommended line of eye vitamins mostly used by pro sports organizations like the Boston Red Sox and the PGA, is growing in popularity, and more dietitians and sports dietitians are recommending them to their patients. This particular formula was created with dietary ingredients in the amounts necessary to build and support one’s natural eye protection, and it’s perfect for people looking to add an eye-healthy vitamin to their daily vitamin regimen (and yes, suitable for both vegans and vegetarians!) 

“When estimating average daily dietary intake, we found that most people, regardless of sex or ethnicity, obtain less than 1.2mg of Lutein and less than 0.12mg of Zeaxanthin,” explained Dr. Pinakin Davey, OD, PhD, FAOO. “Those levels are far below the quantities that are beneficial to support healthy vision. The body doesn’t make these important nutrients on its own, so I suggest for my patients to turn to nutrition to sustain the necessary amounts. Zeaxanthin can be found in brightly colored vegetables like orange bell peppers and paprika peppers,” said Dr. Davey. 

Lutein is also scarce in the American diet, with the average person getting 0.5-1 mg a day with the recommendation being at least 8 mg. Lutein can be found in leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli. While this antioxidant is more prevalent in the diet than Zeaxanthin, it can still be difficult to get the amounts necessary to support eye health.

Benefits of EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein

Okay, while you won’t yet have superhuman powers after taking EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein for three months, your eyes will be pretty darn close! You’ll have enhanced visual acuity, meaning you may find yourself seeing details easier or being able to read certain signs from further away than before. 

You also may notice that you can more easily discern that the dark figure in the distance is one of those metal statues rather than a real person during the evening (and that’s called contrast sensitivity!) If you have more confidence driving amongst the bright headlights at night with fewer problems, you may have decreased your light and glare sensitivity, which is crucial for night driving safety. 

 Lastly, you may also notice that your vision in low light has drastically improved (aka, it’s easier for you to read the menu in that restaurant with the unusually dark mood lighting, huzzah!) And most of all, the products protect and serve as “internal sunglasses for your eyes,” which is how most pro baseball players catching fly balls and PGA Champions like Padraig Harrington refer to the vitamins. “Not only will Zeaxanthin and Lutein help enhance vision quality, but these supplements found in our natural and NSF Certified for Sport eye vitamins will help block the harmful blue light that can damage the eyes over time,” explains Andreas Wolf, the President of EyePromise. 

Olamidotun Oluwagbohun Brings Along His Information Technology Expertise to Sovereign Light Technologies

The rapid pace at which technology has drastically improved has encouraged IT and tech professionals to step up their game and keep up with the ever-changing times. The cutthroat industry is saturated with adept experts gaining prominence with their growing thirst for knowledge, and Olamidotun Oluwagbohun, better known as Dotun by his peers, is among them. As the Founder of Sovereign Light Technologies, Dotun has brought his knowledge and expertise in Information Technology to serve a massive clientele better. 

Dotun is a seasoned IT professional who has been in the field for over two decades, working across many industries in vastly different capacities. His skills have allowed him to become a crucial team member, holding positions such as IT Consultant, Project Manager, Scrum Master, Program Manager, Agile Coach, SAFE 5 Program Consultant (SPC), and other managerial positions.

The decorated professional has built a pristine reputation in his field for having a strong desire to help individuals, businesses, and organizations materialize their career visions and corporate goals. He is an expert in Digital and Agile Transformation, having trained thousands of individuals over his storied career.

In this day and age, technological solutions are tantamount to sustainable business success. Knowing this, Dotun ensures that his team exhibits their world-class skills to any project they handle. Aside from being the founder, he is currently serving as the Lead for the Faculty/Coaching staff of Sovereign Light Technologies, where he demonstrates his full capacity as a natural-born leader and Information Technology expert. He is also a member in good standing with the Project Management Institute, Scrum Alliance, Scaled Agile and an alumnus of Kanban University. 

The team at Sovereign Light Technologies is filled to the brim with passionate, innovative, and experienced individuals who continuously pour their hearts and souls into creating meaningful change for their clients. “We position ourselves as the leading Agile Transformation group with a creative and empathetic edge, staying committed to ensuring those who we serve to arrive at their full expression of their dreams, aspirations, and visions,” explained Dotun. 

Sovereign Light Technologies is fully-equipped with groundbreaking ideas and effective Business Agility Tools that aim to improve every life and business the company has the opportunity to work with. “We provide insightful and practical solutions to individuals and companies and pride ourselves on our unparalleled, dedicated and result-driven service,” shared the team. 

The Agile mindset is wholly applicable to every facet of life and work. This is what makes Sovereign Light Technologies stand out from the sea of IT companies out there. Individuals who want to employ these Agile strategies are in good hands when collaborating with a renowned IT company such as Sovereign Light Technologies. 

Furthermore, corporations and businesses looking to increase their revenue generation tenfold by re-engineering processes, securing early ROI, and nurturing an enabling culture that delivers high team morale at all levels are also more than welcome to work with Sovereign Light Technologies.

Dotun is constantly motivated by being a small part of big success stories from individuals and corporations they serve. “The competency and empathetic edge we demonstrate in staying committed to our clients until the fruition of dreams, aspirations and visions is second to none,” he added. There is no better time than now to realize one’s visions. Sovereign Light Technologies makes sure that ideas become more than just an afterthought. In fact, they help ideas become a reality.

The Critical Role of Communication in Agile Project Management

With the recent shift to agile project management that has so eagerly been adopted by businesses and project managers, there is a need to understand what it entails and how it affects the various aspects of project management. As a proponent of agile project management, Fahim Moledina explains what it is, how it benefits, and its link with communication. 

What is Agile Project Management

Fahim Moledina explains agile project management as an iterative approach to working on projects. The iterative nature of the project management method pushes forward the project in short performance cycles that include such steps as planning, testing, development, and review of results. During these cycles, the team members are expected to collect stakeholder feedback so that it is utilized to plan a new iteration for a few weeks ahead.

How Agile Project Management Helps

Customer satisfaction is the most vital aspect of businesses. Through agile project management, this is made achievable due to the simplicity and flexibility that Fahim Moledina talks about. Using various project completion techniques that agile project management enables, faster results are acquired. 

Quicker Delivery of Products to the Market

Customers are no longer patient. With the level of competition experienced in the market these days, patience is long forgone. This gives you less time to prepare your products and deliver them to the market, as wasting time means you lose your customers. 

Fortunately, agile management cuts down the time spent on delivering products drastically. It breaks down the project into smaller modules and distributes responsibilities more efficiently, resulting in faster testing of products and quicker feedback. 

Improves Risk Management

The whole project management cycle is full of risks. Under conventional project management, it may be difficult to identify these risks quickly before they affect the project. However, with agile management, there is more focus on incremental releases, which bring such risks more clearly so that they can be worked on. 

For Fahim Moledina, this helps in responding to any potential risks very quickly. It equips managers with sufficient visibility to make decisions that are critical to the project early on. It means that project teams can make tweaks to the original development process quickly to prevent potential losses and failure.

Agile project management helps the project manager to take as many risks into account as possible so that he can predict the response to products and make changes where necessary. It always leads to a better performance of the product on the market.

Promotion of Healthy Relationships Because of Communication 

Responding to any changing and incorporating them under traditional project management is challenging. This makes achieving optimal customer satisfaction impossible. However, project managers don’t have to spend extra time implementing such changes under agile management as there is greater communication. 

The stronger communication system helps in faster implementation of the changes that presents a more viable product to the target audience. With stronger communication, agile project management helps in building better relationships between consumers and the project team.

The constant communication with clients for feedback improves performance and gains the trust of the clients. According to Fahim Moledina, agile management helps to eliminate organizational hierarchy that has proven to waste a lot of time. The long communication chain that exists under the traditional method is replaced by direct and more fruitful customer-to-manager communication. 

Communication Improved Collaboration on Projects

Typically project management methods have a very long development cycle. Asides from the long communication chain mentioned above, there is an extended product release period. Such a process is no longer applicable in the ever-evolving market these days.

Agile project management has made the development cycle shorter through a robust communication system. Teams can now easily adopt changes to products without exhausting substantial resources, making it easy to alter project scopes. 

Communication is an essential ingredient of project management, whether it is conventional management or agile management. To prevent the failure of projects, having an interactive and open communication channel is indispensable. 

Jennifer Pinkerton Stands Out from Other Practitioners Through Unique Expertise

Expert psychotherapist, well-rounded writer, speaker, and owner of Pinkerton Psychotherapy, Jennifer Pinkerton is leaving a mark as a connection expert as she continues to help people from all walks of life. Through her work, she has helped patients escape their survival mode by revealing and understanding their attachment wounds and unresolved emotional trauma that negatively impact their relationships and sexuality. 

Pinkerton Psychotherapy provides excellent, empowering psychotherapy and coaching services. Funded by renowned psychotherapist Jennifer Pinkerton, the practice has helped its clients work through a process of healing that will help them build better connections with people and thrive. Pinkerton is also the host and creator of REDHEADREVEAL™, a podcast that aims to drive the conversation toward connection and authenticity. The show features conversations around mental health and relationships and often features thought leaders to share their insights on a myriad of mental health topics. 

Jennifer Pinkerton mainly works with adults who have struggled with connection, authenticity, and vulnerability, negatively affecting their relationships, sexuality, and professions. Through her private practice at Pinkerton Psychotherapy, Jennifer and her team of therapists extend services to help children, teens, adults, individuals, couples, and families cope with their challenges and eventually find resources and belief systems to carry them out. In turn, she hopes her work will provide clients with an opportunity for growth, self-awareness and resolution. 

Jennifer Pinkerton is from Houston, Texas, but grew up in a small town called Liberty. During her earlier years, she dove heavily into writing and other creative endeavors. She received extensive education from the University of Houston, the Sorbonne in Paris, France, the University of Mississippi, Capella University, and Modern Sex Therapy Institute. 

Pinkerton believes that her work is vital in helping people find true happiness. “If we were taught love under difficult circumstances that dealt with betrayal, inconsistency, intrusiveness, unmet needs, lack of attunement, mental illness, abandonment, abuse or addiction, this shapes our emotional balance, and we seek to repeat the cycle,” says the well-being expert and advocate. “This inheritance does not have to be accepted. Instead, we can create a new narrative of self-actualization and awareness. A new story in your head that does not encompass trauma.”

Many adults today struggle with self-perception because of early attachments or even a lack of these connections. These experiences also mold how we see the world and the people around us. At times people get stuck in this survival mode type of functioning. Pinkerton works heavily in these realms in hopes that more people will experience freedom from emotional trauma. As a matter of fact, the brilliant psychotherapist has written extensively on relationships with others and the self. Her book, The Good Rabbit, is currently in its final stages and will be released this fall of 2022. 

Through her specializations in human emotions, relationships and sexuality, Jennifer illustrates how these two intertwine and affect each other. By doing so, more and more people can “feel to heal” and gain a sense of freedom from unhealthy attachments and mindsets and can thrive.