Despite His Aphasia, Terence Ang to Speak at World Stroke Congress

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

As a reluctant participant at first, Mr. Terence Ang has decided to take part in Singapore’s 14th World Stroke Congress 2022.

This stroke survivor released a 1-minute promotional video, which involved hours of recording, to support his recent bestselling book A Cry in the Dark on his experiences during recovery.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Ux7nJOgDk 

As you can see from this video, I’m at my best and though it’s far from perfect, I wanted it to be as real as possible,” says Terence.

Terence is a fighter who has beaten the odds and lived to tell the tale, according to Ms. Evelyn Khoo, founder of Aphasia SG and a speech-language therapist.

As Terence’s speech therapist, I’m incredibly proud of him for taking on the enormous responsibility of presenting at the next World Stroke Congress. Many people find public speaking to be intimidating; can you imaging how terrifying it must be for someone who has communication issues following a stroke? I’m eager to see him overcome his next major challenge—public speaking!

Terence’s rehabilitation doctor for more than one and a half years was Dr. Moses Koh, an associate consultant in rehabilitation medicine from Sengkang General Hospital. He claimed that Terence “really has a stroke recovery story worth telling.” “Despite the ups and downs of his rehabilitation journey on all fronts—physically, emotionally, and cognitively—he has displayed incredible fortitude and bravery in the face of his challenges. I think everyone will be motivated and given hope by what he shared.”

Accepting the Challenge

Being someone who is constantly concerned with appearance, Terence finds it terrifying to even go onstage and speak to a live audience in his current state.

For myself and other stroke survivors, he says, “I’ve chosen to face up to this challenge, to prove that we can overcome our circumstances if we choose to make the effort.” It’s time to start letting go of my fears and consider what a strong message everyone will receive if I do so.

I want to prove to my friends and the medical community that I can do this because they have helped, encouraged, and supported me so much up to this point.

‘A Powerful Voice’

Terence was nominated to deliver the speech by Dr. Shamala Thilarajah, president of the Singapore National Stroke Association, who told him: “Your voice can be powerful.”

Terence was initially hesitant to accept the challenge because he continues to struggle with aphasia, which impairs his speech, memory, and language expression and comprehension. However, after much thought, Terence decided to accept the challenge. Even though he was present at the event, he kept a low profile during the release of his own book and declined to take the stage.

This time, however, he finally gave in and decided to accept the invitation after receiving a lot of encouragement, including that from Dr. Shamala.

Dr. Shamala said, “We heard you in Singapore, and now your views will be shared with medical professionals all over the world.”

Professional Exchange

Terence will speak to medical professionals from all over the world on his experience with stroke on October 28 at the World Stroke Congress 2022 in Singapore. He will share his personal insights into the patient experience to benefit the stroke community. His speech, which he will deliver to nursing professionals in attendance, is titled My Stroke Journey – How Nurses Made a Difference. He will discuss how nurses’ tolerance, thoughtfulness, and upbeat demeanour can significantly impact a patient’s stay. He will also discuss the nursing shortage in Singapore, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. He will also assist in urging people to be less demanding and more patient with nurses.

Deeply passionate about patient rehabilitation, Terence continues to amplify the voices of stroke victims and provide them with the help and resources they need to feel less alone in their recovery process. At the event, leading professionals in the global community will discuss the latest science, clinical trials, breakthroughs and guidelines to stroke prevention. The program aims to serve as a professional exchange and networking platform for all medical practitioners and researchers committed to providing stroke care around the world and fostering a more united stroke community.

This international conference will bring together the stroke community from around the world to discuss how to deliver improvements in prevention, treatment, and support to lessen the burden of stroke. It will take place in Singapore from October 26 to October 29 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Center.

Up Next…

In August 2020, Terence experienced a stroke. The largest electronics and home company in Singapore at the time had him in charge of digital marketing and e-commerce. His second book, which will be a collection of short stories with accompanying illustrations that will powerfully and fascinatingly shed light on life after a stroke, is currently under development.

As a stroke survivor, he wanted to make a difference in someone’s life through his own journey with the hope of providing a positive outlook as one navigates everyday life. While the first book – A Cry In The Dark; is about me dealing with the aftermath of a stroke, the second book will feature stroke survivors sharing the individual story of their own journey. He is working with three young 2nd-year Bachelor of Arts Design Practice students from NAFA as well as 2 filmmakers in Singapore. It is scheduled to be released in New York City by the end of 2022..

For more information on the World Stroke Congress and Terence Ang’s participation, visit the website www.worldstrokecongress.org

Other useful links:

Website: https://www.gratefulsteps.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GratefulStepsSG

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GratefulStepsSG/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GratefulStepsSG

 

“Cultured” – Breakthrough Innovation in Lab-Grown Food By Atelier Meats

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

Breakthrough Innovation in Lab-Grown Food By Atelier Meats

Overview:

Cultured meat is at the forefront of public awareness. This comes as no surprise; cultured meat is a practical and economical substitute for the farmed variety. The market for cultured meat is expected to grow with every new development in biotechnology. Leading this advancement is Atelier Meats, a biotechnology company with a focus on the production and marketing of lab-grown foodstuffs.

There will likely be a major increase in the market for cultured over the next several years as consumers look toward more environmentally sustainable options for food products. The growth is bolstered by increasing concerns about animal welfare, public health risks like diseases commonly associated with animal meats and substandard health and safety oversights.

Prominent public figures such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Ashton Kutcher have backed the industry, generating even more public attention.

Atelier Meats believes that creating a top-quality cultured meat product relies on the application of a precise and well-structured “biological scaffold” as the foundation for the growth of the cells that make up the meat. 

The company unveiled its new multi-year and interdisciplinary collaborative research and development project with Rutgers on March 7, 2022. The State University of New Jersey (“Rutgers”) aims to help improve the quality of Atelier’s proprietary technology to produce lab-grown or cultured meats. Among its principal researchers are Joseph Freeman, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers-New Brunswick’s School of Engineering, and Yong Mao, Ph.D., Associate Research Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers-New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences.

Through the participation of Rutgers, the company expects to finish the prototype of its scaffold technology in Q4 2022. In comparison to its rivals, Atelier’s long-term growth plans aim to showcase the ability of its scaffolding technology, demonstrating a higher level of cell adhesion and organization when compared to other products in the market. These other competitors typically make use of synthetic or gelatin-based cells as their scaffolds, resulting in less effective cellular response and, therefore, a marginally slower rate of cell proliferation.

In conclusion, management anticipates exciting developments in the remaining months of 2022 and 2023 as the business builds on the foundation of its recent successes. The mission of Atelier Meats is to provide a more beneficial and sustainable source of protein for the entire planet. A world-class staff, a growing intellectual property portfolio, strong collaborations with well-known industry leaders, and a robust capital markets strategy are the cornerstones of a solid foundation and strategy that will support future growth.

About Atelier Meats Corp.

Atelier is a biotechnology business dedicated to producing quality, lab-grown meats. Run by a world-class team with proprietary patent-pending technology, Atelier aims to produce sustainable options for the conscious consumer.

 

The Innovative Marketer: Alexandra Astasheva

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

The principles of a successful product promotion, the secrets of profitable marketing campaigns, the best tools and practices for campaign management—marketer Alexandra Astasheva seems to have all the answers.

Astasheva’s talent for winning over audiences emerged long before she ever studied sales funnels, target audiences and other key marketing concepts. As a kid at camp, she ran for camp president and won, thanks to her natural persuasiveness and knack for unifying diverse groups. Perhaps unsurprisingly, today Astasheva is considered a guru when it comes to creating high-performing, cross-functional teams. 

With nearly two decades of experience in international multi-channel marketing and numerous successful campaigns under her belt, Astasheva never applies the same exact strategy twice. For example, she notes that a product’s positioning can succeed in one country and fail miserably in another. According to Astasheva, a marketer must study the specific cultural, ethnic and geo-political qualities of a region prior to entering it, not to mention, the target audience’s needs, motivation to buy, competitors and distribution channels. She advises marketers not to bend to the pressures of company executives, but rather, to follow the data religiously. Experimentation, testing and listening to customers is crucial. High engagement doesn’t necessarily mean effective content. Always make data-driven solutions and stay flexible. 

For the past few years, Astasheva has been working for a large international company that produces goods for children that are both educational and entertaining—and available in more than 140 countries around the world. In 2018, the company set a goal to expand its presence in Russia and the CIS countries. With Astasheva at the helm, she gathered a team of 20 colleagues from various departments of the organization, including Operations, Trade, Customer Development and more, to ensure that the company’s first 360 brand awareness campaign in Russia would be a success. Astasheva employed several strategies for this project including local offline events, media and influencer partnerships and paid media campaigns. In the end, Astasheva achieved a record-setting media coverage audience and the company earned a considerable long-term increase in market share. Global leaders and partners traveled to the region to view her work in person. The campaign became one of the company’s most successful projects and was nominated for Project of the Year 2018.

In addition, Astasheva led a strategic alliance with Yandex, Russia’s largest digital ecosystem, trusted by tech giants such as Netflix, Amazon and Google. This cross-platform initiative combined multiple services at scale, across all stages of the marketing and e-commerce funnel. Additionally, it took place during the most important season in the toy industry: the holidays.

Astasheva’s resulting key performance indicators were remarkable:

  • Coverage of over 20 million users
  • 200% sales increase compared to the previous holiday season 
  • 150% uplift on focus SKUs compared to the previous holiday season

In 2022, the project was awarded the Gold, Silver and Bronze Effies, the most prestigious international awards in the field of advertising and marketing. 

The Effie Awards were launched in 1968 by the New York American Marketing Association as an awards program to honor excellence in advertising. The awards now recognize all forms of marketing, supporting groundbreaking work across the globe. Being nominated for an Effie is a huge accomplishment for any marketer, but winning a gold, silver and bronze statuette, like Astasheva did, is nearly unheard of. In addition, her company received 11th place in the program’s global marketing performance ranking, beating nearly 100 competing organizations and outranking many global brands. 

Astasheva’s project was also awarded the Global Commercial Award 2022, her company’s internal international award, which is open to teams throughout the 140 countries in which it has a brand presence. Despite dozens of competitive applications across multiple regions, Astasheva’s project received a Silver certificate for the best cross-team collaboration.

Astasheva also developed the brand strategy for launching a new children’s toy in the Russian market. Her work resulted the toy achieving the highest brand equity among new products that year and was named the most innovative toy of 2021 by the Russian Toy Association.  

Today, Astasheva has led over 200 successful projects in the B2B and B2C sectors, with more than 30 of them receiving international awards. For new marketers starting out, such results may appear unattainable; however, Astasheva proves that they are indeed possible. She recommends receiving a specialized education and putting in time at well-known agencies with an international clientele base. From there, she urges young marketers to set ambitious goals and to never get complacent. Always one to “walk the walk,” Astasheva recently completed a thesis on the “Transformation of the Media in the Era of Global Digitalization.” She also maintains memberships with the Guild of Marketers and the Russian Public Relation Association (RPRA), which have stringent vetting systems to ensure that all members are high-achieving, active professionals within the industry. 

Through continuous education, her commitment to innovation and her drive to consistently overdeliver, Astasheva remains an indispensable partner for businesses seeking extraordinary results.

Shyness. How to Take Control of Social Anxiety Using Your Compassionate Mind Lynne Henderson

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

On Compassion

“There is nothing wrong with being shy. It is a natural emotion that everyone can experience. But if shyness is negatively impacting your life, then it is time to take action and grow your confidence,” explains Lynne Henderson, licensed clinical psychologist and author of The Shyness Workbook.

“Nearly all of us have experienced moments of shyness, social awkwardness, uncertainty and anxiety. Perhaps it was when meeting new people, going on a first date, having a job interview, speaking to people in authority, or talking in small groups of people. Physical sensations may accompany the feelings of anxiety such as a dry mouth, butterflies in the stomach, a voice that sounded shaky and trembling or perhaps went gravelly and croaky with repeated throat clearing.”

What is Shyness?

“Shyness has evolved as an emotion over thousands of years and can be helpful in some circumstances. However, it can become a problem when it interferes with life goals, develops into social anxiety disorder or leads to ‘learned pessimism’, mild depression and even ‘learned helplessness’. In this way, shyness and shame often hold us back from realizing our potential and from engaging with others wholeheartedly.”

There are some positives associated with shyness. Those who are shy are not particularly motivated to be forceful with others. They don’t need to control others either,  and they tend to be more concerned with connecting people together, getting along with them and doing a good job.

People with this temperament may be just as well adjusted as extraverts, and usually have a “pause to check” approach in social situations. They are sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others. They are cautious, thoughtful, conscientious, agreeable, and have a tendency towards collaborative behavior. 

Shyness becomes a problem only when bad experiences and events in your life, deprivation or frequent rejection make normal shyness and sensitivity a hardship.

 It’s not our fault that we feel socially anxious. The brain states that produce these feelings have evolved over time to protect us. We are all doing the best we can to live the lives we want to live. 

The good news is that shy people can learn to cope with their feelings and debunk anxious thoughts. They can develop self-compassion, and can practice new, confident behaviors. This means learning to foster the alternative brain state of soothing and calmness, and to learn to apply our instincts of kindness and care to ourselves as well as others. 

The Compassionate Mind Approach

The Compassionate Mind Approach (developed by Paul Gilbert), “brings  together an understanding of how our mind can cause us difficulties but also provides us with a powerful solution in the shape of mindfulness and compassion. It teaches ways to stimulate the part of the brain connected with kindness, warmth, compassion and safeness, and to calm the part that makes us feel anxious, angry, sad or depressed.” 

Lynne Henderson is a licensed clinical psychologist with over forty years of experience. She founded the Social Fitness Center, and is founder and Co-Director, with Philip Zimbardo, of the Shyness Institute. She was a visiting scholar in the Psychology Department at Stanford University for thirteen years, a lecturer for five years, and a faculty member in Continuing Studies. Dr Henderson also served as a Consulting Associate Professor in Counseling Psychology for ten years. She directed the Shyness Clinic in Palo Alto for twenty-five years and conducted research and shyness groups at the Stanford Counseling Center. Her research interests include translating the results of social psychology and personality theory into clinical work, specifically, the negative stereotyping of shyness, the influence of personality variables and cultural influences on interpersonal perception and motivation, the leadership styles of shy leaders, and compassionate social fitness. She is the author of The Shyness Workbook: Take Control of Social Anxiety Using Your Compassionate Mind. For more information, visit  http://www.shyness.com/

 

“The Gifted” Actor Jermaine Rivers to “Suit Up” in His First DCEU Film “Black Adam”

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

This year is almost over, but for Jermaine Rivers, the Atlanta-based actor most notable for his role as Shatter on Marvel/Fox series The Gifted, 2022 will end with a proverbial bang. After landing recurring roles in some of the hottest shows on network television like Dynasty, or his role as Vernon Stark on Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz), some would say that Jermaine Rivers has cracked the code of the film industry.  

Whatever the prevailing theory surrounding his perceived meteoric rise may be, Rivers’ success did not happen overnight. He attributes the sum of his career highs as “the result of a slow but steady grind that took more than a decade of hard work, discipline, self-sacrifice and even rejection to accumulate.”

From his humble beginnings landing featured roles in ultra-low budget independent films like Ti West The Sacrament to landing co-star roles on TV shows such as Devious Maids and Tyler Perry’s The Haves and Have Nots, each role served as precursors to the building blocks that would help to establish Rivers’ reputation as a professional actor who could be cast in a multitude of roles.  

Rivers is already on track to having a breakout year in 2023. With the release of the highly anticipated Blockbuster film Black Adam, which is slated for theatrical release on 21 October, Rivers will officially become part of the DCEU, thus adding his name to the list of actors who secured roles in both the Marvel and DC cinematic universe. 

In addition to appearing in one of the biggest films of the year, Rivers will also be joining the cast of Netflix hit series Sweet Magnolias as it enters its third season next spring. On 8 October, Jermaine took to Instagram to share news of his casting in a recurring role on the show (Charles Perkins) saying, “Feeling extremely blessed and excited to be joining the amazing cast of Sweet Magnolias in Season 3.” On top of his recent successes, Rivers booked lead and supporting roles in the following films that will be released next year: A Party to Die For (2023) and Freedom’s Path (2023). Jermaine Rivers is represented by Play Management and Eris Talent.

The Importance of Selling or Recycling Devices to Reduce E-Waste

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

Just about everyone owns at least one electronic device in some capacity. In the digital age, when technology constantly evolves, e-waste has become a common environmental problem. New Samsung and Apple devices, including computers, phones, smartwatches, and more, are released yearly, sometimes more than that. 

More people are discarding old devices faster every year, producing multiple tons of e-waste, creating a harmful environmental impact. Selling or recycling your old unused, or broken devices can not only reduce e-waste, but it can also provide you with some much-needed quick cash. Reducing e-waste is essential, and everyone that owns electronics can do their part. Here are a few reasons why it’s important to reduce e-waste by selling or recycling your unused or broken devices.

Prevents Overloading Landfills – E-waste is entering landfills at an increasing rate every year. The waste that enters the landfills takes up precious space within landfills and can cause toxic substances and materials to seep into the soil, air, and groundwater. The materials used to create many devices include mercury and lead. When these devices are incorrectly disposed of, they can harm the many surrounding ecosystems.

Allows Sourcing Raw Materials – Most of the components in the devices are completely recyclable. They are made from minerals and elements mined from many places around the world. Recycling your old devices or even selling them on a marketplace can help conserve natural resources by reducing demand.

Helps Reclaim Valuable Metals – Many discarded electronics are made of an array of recyclable metals such as copper, aluminum, and gold. Recycling e-waste allows companies to extract these valuable metals instead of mining or producing more, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving our precious metals.  

Increases Access to Those Who Can’t Afford a Brand-New Device – If you sell or donate your old devices, you can provide a device to someone in need through social programs. Selling your device can allow people to purchase a phone, laptop, or more that they wouldn’t be able to afford if it were new and in a box. 

Selling or recycling your used or broken devices can help dramatically reduce e-waste and minimize environmental impacts. Too many people avoid selling their broken phones on eBay or other platforms because they think no one will purchase them, and it’s complex. The reality is that even broken devices can be repaired to become functional and useful devices. 

Making a change requires all of us to collectively change our consumer behaviors. Recycling or selling your old tech to help reduce e-waste and help promote a healthier environment.

WebTradeIn.com can provide a good estimate for your broken or used devices through a simple and easy-to-use platform. Our in-house techs repair broken devices and get them in great shape for reselling. Learn more about it by visiting Web Trade-In today.

7 Reasons Fire Watch Security Guards Can Reduce Damage

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

When a fire starts, the first few minutes are crucial. Fire watch security guards can help reduce the damage by keeping people away from the area, contacting the fire department, and using fire extinguishers. 

But did you know that on-site fire watch guards can help reduce the risk of fire damage?

Here are 7 reasons why having a fire watch security guard can help reduce damage: 

Look For Signs of Fire and Take Appropriate Action

Regarding reducing fire damage, having a fire watch security guard on the premises can be key. Fire watch guards are trained to look for fire signs and take appropriate action. They are trained to look for signs of fire. This means they will be able to identify a potential problem early on and act accordingly. This can help ensure that a small fire does not have the opportunity to grow and cause extensive damage. 

Provide Early Warning of a Fire, Giving People Time To Evacuate

When the weather gets warmer and dryer, the risk of fires increases. Homes in fire-prone areas should have a plan in case of an emergency. Although, part of that plan should include having someone on Fire Watch duty. 

Fire Watch Security provides early warning of a fire. They are trained to identify fire signs and take appropriate action to warn residents. By having someone on Fire Watch, you can be sure that they will notify you as soon as possible if a fire starts.

Help Direct People To Safety During an Evacuation

When a fire alarm sounds, it’s important to evacuate the building immediately. But what if you can’t find the exit? That’s where a fire watch security guard comes in. 

A fire watch security guard is someone who is trained to provide assistance and direction during an evacuation. They know the layout of the building and can help people find the nearest exit.

Help Fight The Fire

Regarding fire safety, there is no such thing as being too careful. Security guards’ fire watch are trained to help fight the fire and keep everyone safe. That’s why having a fire watch security guard on hand can help fight the fire. 

Use Extinguishers or Other Equipment

Fire watch security guards are responsible for the safety of a building and its occupants in the event of a fire. They use fire extinguishers to extinguish fires and keep them from spreading. 

Fire watch security guards are trained in fire extinguishers and are familiar with the types of fires they may encounter. They know how to properly operate the extinguishers and aim them at the fire.

Help Identify Potential Fire Hazards

It pays to have a watchful eye on potential fire hazards. That’s where Fire Watch Security comes in. They provide trained security personnel to help identify potential fire hazards in your home or business.

Assist With Fire Suppression Efforts

When it comes to fire suppression, having a fire watch security team on hand can be a big help. These trained professionals can assist with everything from evacuations to small fires.

Conclusion

Fire watch guards can help prevent damage in various ways. They can keep an eye on potential hazards, help evacuate people in an emergency, and provide information to the fire department. By being prepared and watching carefully, fire watch security guards can help reduce the damage caused by fires. 

How can you build a success Massage business after covid by focusing on business fundamentals

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

Opening any business is tough after Covid-19 and it has stressed many business owners. Especially, when it comes to businesses that are considered luxury, they need to be more strategic now. The massage shops need to venture out with more details and attention to run their business successfully. The key of massage business is client response, future outlook, focus on suppliers, and delivering quality at an affordable price.  

To create a successful massage business, the business owners need key resources. Wellness-Fee, one of premier massage businesses in Switzerland has shared reliable information on how massage shops can scale their business after covid. On their official website they shared the business model of the massage industry to focus on identifying key partners and suppliers, which can help to solve most of the problems of massage business. They have shared what key activities and small details such as customer wait time, distribution channels, customer relationship, and constant revenue streams can help you scale your massage business.

It is important for clients to understand how a wellness massage can help in relaxation of mind and body, increase self body awareness and create a balance by promoting well-being of one’s own. A wellness massage soothes the mind through the usage of oils, fragrance and dimming the light in the room. Although results may vary from individual to individual as they are different, generally it is great for relaxation and regeneration to make one more relaxed. 

The advantages of a wellness massage is stress management, it literally reduces anyone’s mental and physical health, which is very important especially after covid. A person who is prepared for a Massage, can make the most out of it with maximum advantage. He needs to get proper hydration before massage, plan his meal, gently exercise before massage session, a warm shower, focus on breathing and really communication with your massage therapist is the key. 

Any skilled massage therapist knows the massage points, how they can help to reduce stress and relaxation of body parts. The massage is not a new concept, massage has a long history and roots back to the year 2330 BC and was certainly popular in Egypt that time. 

Really wellness has become a new industry after Covid-19 and people are self aware of it. The history of wellness has changed a lot from ancient times but the importance hasn’t changed, it has just moved to the mainstream. 

Generally, a wellness massage may take 30 minutes to 1 hour, the key is to integrate essentials of wellness massage in your Massage Therapy room which includes room temperature, music, dimmable lighting, lying positions, choice of oils, body parts to be massaged, preparation and relaxation time, massage time, massage pressure, pillows, fragrances and other factors. 

Really, the massage industry can evolve as a wellness concept rather than being just a luxury and if the message is delivered to clients, it can outperform before covid business too.

Polina Nioly: “Being an Immigrant Gave Me Determination and Courage”

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

Polina Nioly, owner of the marketing agency Nioly Media Group, is a master of branding, communication and transformation. When it comes to case studies, her best could arguably be herself. In the span of just a year and a half, Nioly morphed from a young immigrant to a millionaire businesswoman in New York.

Hello, Polina! Your story reads like a fairytale. You came to a foreign country so young and somehow, beat the odds to achieve massive success. How did you do it?

My life is no fairytale. Anyone from my inner circle or anyone who has read my blogs from the very beginning would confirm that. I am the creator of my own life and there is no magic. Instead, I see my life as a structured system of daily steps to achieve my goals.

I was born in a very small town in Russia to a poor family. It was just the three of us: my mother, myself and my younger brother. We constantly moved, lived in between home repairs, and I never had a room to myself while growing up. Because of that, I was always embarrassed to invite my friends over and had no choice but to come up with different excuses. 

After graduating high school, I got a scholarship to a university in St. Petersburg to study Sociology. I finally had my own room, even though it was old and infested with cockroaches and I had to share the kitchen and shower with roommates.

I realized that I needed to take charge of my financial future and I started by getting a part-time job as a waitress. I remember how back then, my only dream was being able to buy a cheap studio apartment. In four years, thanks to a lot of hard work, I managed to purchase an apartment for my mother and brother, and later, a multi-bedroom apartment in New York for myself.

The main turning point for me was an exchange trip to the US, where I was exposed to a completely new way of life for the first time. At that moment, I realized I wanted this kind of life, too! I wanted to be able to go to restaurants, not for a special occasion, but just to casually have lunch. I wanted to be able to freely walk into a store and buy a new iPhone—or anything else—for myself or my loved ones without thinking about the price. These realizations became my main motivation to continue taking action and radically change my life.

You left Russia in 2019, opened your first company, Nioly LLC, in the US in 2020. Two short years later, opened your own agency, Nioly Media Group.  How have you achieved such big, complex goals so quickly?

I don’t believe in “big and complex goals.” To me, all goals are the same in terms of implementation. I just break them down into sub-goals and everyday, I take at least a small step to achieve each one. Along the way, if I happen to lack a certain expertise or skill set, I hire specialists to help me fill in the gaps. This way, I don’t get stuck.

 Today, there are many celebrity musicians among your clients. How did Nioly Media Group win their trust? 

In the beginning of building my business, I would do cold outreach to foreign bloggers. At that time, my own blog was growing like crazy and I had record-breaking numbers, so attracting those clients came relatively easily. At the end of 2021, I was invited to Richard Branson’s island and met the guys from One Republic. I checked out their Instagram account and was shocked to see that they had fewer followers than I did. I thought to myself, “This is a world-famous band, how is this even possible?” Immediately, I realized that there was a gap I could fill. I contacted all of my musician friends and offered to take them on as marketing clients for a trial run. Once my first music client started taking off, people began to notice. At that point, I stopped looking for clients because I was receiving so much inbound business, including world-famous musicians, actors and celebrities.

You have a 10-minute rule. What is it?

My team knows that if I have a cool idea, we start working on it within ten minutes, no later. This is my fail-safe principle. I believe that bold ideas should be executed this way and this way only. Otherwise, they are simply postponed and oftentimes not carried out at all. I don’t like doing this to my ideas.

I have another principle that became very valuable for the company and it is that the words “no” and “impossible” are not part of our vocabulary. While other teams shy away from difficult projects, we love a challenge. My team is fueled by problem solving, breaking down complex issues and taking decisive action. I believe this is why we now have a long list of clients and partners who are willing to wait months to start working with us.

I have the same principles and values ​​for my company as I do for my own life. They were my guiding light when I was still in Russia, dreaming of a better life, and they have continued to serve me while building a successful business in the US. Nowadays, it gives me great satisfaction to share my ideas and help my clients achieve the same results.

 

Why does Boxer and MMA Fighter Assad Al Hanini Always Carry the Palestinian Flag

NY Weekly Staff on October 17, 2022

Former Olympic Boxer and current MMA Fighter Assad Al hanini born in Jordan, to Palestinian parents. He has been boxing since his high school years, fought on the streets a couple of times but never thought of doing this professionally as a kid.

Though a large number of MMA organizations often imposes strict rules on the flags fighters can carry out to the octagon. However, Assad Al Hanini has been carrying the Palestinian flag in every one of his fights, even before his professional fights.

“I’m never going to shy away from representing my people.” -Assad Al Hanini

He is big on representation and hopes by him showcasing his Palestinian identity he can inspire other athletes and people one day. A large number of Palestinian fighters trained with Al Hanini, and he wants the young generation to realize that they can be professional athletes and all that is needed is dedication and hard work. 

 

 

 There is a lot of talent hidden in the Middle East, and especially in terms of Arab athletes in the sport, we need to bring more of this talent forward to show younger kids that it is possible to make it to the UFC. “For me now, I have a voice for the voiceless, there aren’t a lot of Palestinian athletes that have a stage or platform where they can carry the flag,” Al Hanini said. “Especially, during these times, I need to carry that flag higher than ever and show the world that we do exist, that we are a country, and there are real people there.” The lack of representation of Arabs has always been a concerning factor. And, with coming together, we need to collectively support Arab in different career paths within media. To continue showing our support.

In fact, according to Al Hanini, carrying the flag to his fights is important because it is a reminder to him of his identity and the cause he supports. Through his action and voice, he aims to use his voice for his people and hopes to “keep shining a light on that, raising their morale, raising their hearts, I’m going to do whatever I can,” he said.

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