Buisness

October 4 2018

Why You Should Be An Agile Leader

Mansfield Buisness, Leadership agility, leader, leader next 0

‘Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.’ Laozi

Did you know that studies show that only fifteen percent of the workforce globally make it to be experts in their fields? If only Fifteen Percent of the workforce rises above the level of being an expert and achiever in their field we choose to ask two key questions.

What place and skill level are you in right now?
What development experience do you need to step to the next level?

The Fifteen Percent Leader is the one who is able to identify specifically where they are at in their development stage AND engage in skill and personal development experiences that help them move towards increasing levels of competence and influence. It’s like they have a real-time radar in front of them and in response to the markers on the screen they respond with deep, intentional, internal development.

The world of an Agile leader looks like this:

Leaders hold five main roles as they develop into an increasingly agile player in their space and place. The critical piece is knowing your starting point and being intentional about your next steps (see above two questions)

Agile leaders know what they need to do to navigate towards increasing levels of skill and influence as they move up the role levels. These roles are:

LEVEL ONE
Role Expertise (Lead Yourself)

Most environments are dominated by people that are outstanding at their roles and get things done. Both of these are an essential foundation for the Fifteen Percent Leader. In all the environments I am part of I don’t know anyone who wants to be ‘just average’ – People have a drive, good ambition, energy and some smarts about how they can continue to do even better at the roles they have. These people lead themselves with responsibility, discipline, action and margin. These people know that their ability to contribute and add value comes from a place of self-leadership.

And, for the Fifteen Percent leader expertise is a beginning, not an end. They have an instinctive desire to move towards great levels of competence and as such greater levels of influence.

LEVEL TWO
Strategic Expertise (Manage A Team)

When you’re an expert YOU get things done. When you’re a strategic expert you help OTHERS get things done in the context of your mission and vision. It remains technical in flavour but more complex in experience. As a leader, your contribution becomes not just what you do but who you connect to the wider game plan.

This role is a multiplier role. It’s the beginning point for working through people and not just for an outcome, a number or a target. This is the environment where the ability to handle complexity, paradox and competing priorities. It is a role that serves the bigger picture of the mission not just the specific responsibility of the department. The Agile Leader develops the skills to navigate the day in and day out in the context of the week, month, quarter and yearly objectives. They can move easily between detail and the big picture and assign resources to ensure the best possible result for the organisation.

LEVEL THREE
People Expertise (Lead Teams)

People expertise is the price of entry for The Fifteen Percent Leader. You are an expert at what you do. You get things done effectively and efficiently and you help the overall strategy of the organisation move ahead – and all that comes crashing down unless the Agile Leader develops advanced and nuanced people skills. Packards Law is all about the priority of developing people who can carry the mission forward. You can’t grow bigger until you grow broader.

The Agile Leader makes what appears to be a sublet shift at this point. It isn’t but it appears so. They shift from technical expertise to people expertise. They shift from resource deployment to people development. They shift from being an expert in their role to become an expert at getting people to do their roles.

The Fifteen Percent Leader make this area of development a priority at all times. Deeply internalising the skills, sensitivity and execution of influential, subtle yet powerful people skills. This changes the leadership world as we know it!

LEVEL FOUR
Organisational Expertise (Lead Leaders)

At this stage, the Agile Leader begins to experience convergence. As the developmental pathway unfolds and you leverage the learnings around expertise, strategy and people you naturally navigate towards greater levels of scope, complexity and payoff. The Fifteen Percent Leader understands how to integrate a variety of skills, often competing and navigate teams of people to a place of energetic and aligned commitment to the future.

The Fifteen Percent Leader is able to hold the space of focus monad drive towards mission achievement as well as flexibility and agility as to how that is accomplished. It’s allowing the movable parts to move and holding fast on the critical and essential parts of the playbook. There is less certainty at this point yet a greater need for clarity and confidence that the overall next steps are the right ones to make together.

LEVEL FIVE
Disrupter (Shape Future)

The level of leadership we all dream about, this is the level of the Elon Musks, the Bill Gates and the Steve Jobs. To offer such game-changing value to the world that there is a fundamental shift in the playing field because we were there. Wow!

In his short post-Dr Scott Yorkovich list five principles that define the disruptive leader. These resonate the Fifteen Percent Leader Journey. They are:

Look at your problems in new ways.
Look for the problems others have labelled unsolvable.
Focus on direct and simple solutions.
Accept failure in the beginning.
Be patient for long-term change and impatient for meaningful impact.

The disrupter looks at the circumstances with a reality distortion tool and possesses the ability to assemble a team of misfits committed to doing what has never been done. The Fifteen Percent Leader has the ability to respond to the wind, manage the tide and consider the unchartered ocean ahead. And more often than not, disruptive and positive innovation results.

The Agile Leader knows their current role. Is aware of their next developmental step and has the drive and focus to get there. That’s what makes The Fifteen Percent Leader different from the 85% that share the same levels of capability but are missing that special and significant something that is THE difference that makes the difference. Be the difference.

September 27 2018

Agility In Leadership

Mansfield Buisness, Leadership, Productivity, self growth, Success, Work 0

“Speed will follow when the mechanism of the movements is more assured.”
― Rafael Sabatini

In an increasingly complex and fast-paced leadership world, what does the Agile Leader obsess about?

Three things. Just three and they are:

Personal Growth
People Development
Problem Solving

The agile leader focuses on these things and the benefits of them follow. Typically we are tempted to focus on the benefits and be frustrated when they don’t actualize quite the way we had hoped. The agile leader focuses on the inputs, the development spaces, the steps forward and the most ‘value added’ behaviours for their team and mission.

So the agile leader focuses on these three elements while asking these five questions.

ONE
How do I become more?

Originally inspired by a distant mentor of mine Jim Rohn would say “If you want to have more then you need to become more.” Jim was also prone to suggesting people should make it a goal to become a millionaire not so much because of what they got by it but because of what they BECAME as a result of aiming high.

Becoming more comes from a place of stewardship and gratitude. Making good use of the talents and capabilities you have for the benefit of most people. Becoming more is based on the conviction that an increase in capacity can benefit more people more of the time. Becoming more means creating the ability to more quickly reach your potential and more effectively contribute to others lives.

TWO
What will bridge the gap between expertise and agile leadership?

The HBR Article Seven Transformations of Leadership indicates that leadership CAN be developed and cultivated. Being an expert in your field is never a bad thing. In fact, it’s to be encouraged. However, there are levels above expertise that can begin to harness the expertise of groups, movements even. There are skills that gather thinkers and doers together and imagine what a radically transformed future could look like.

Agile leaders look beyond expertise. In fact, being really really good at what you do is not an end but a beginning for the agile leader. Learning to harness the power of gathered expertise to create a preferred future! That’s agile leadership.

THREE
How does problem-solving and people development become second nature?

On all levels of leadership development spaces, the questions that are consistently being asked are “How can we solve bigger problems at a faster rate with better outcomes?” We, in fact, hold to a mantra that says WE MAKE THE PROBLEMS THAT WON’T GO AWAY, GO AWAY! Life and leadership aren’t about looking for problems, but it sure is about solving them.

In an I.T team I used to lead back in Zimbabwe, we had a saying that helped us make sense of any challenge that came our way. We simply said, “we can make sense of or solve most problems in 24 hours”. Einstein said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” Our strategy gave us perspective, energy and a game plan to tackle even what we considered to be the most insurmountable problems. On most occasions, it worked too, kudos to Lloyd and Simba!

FOUR
How do I help others maximise their potential?

What you have is NOT for you. Truly. You benefit from your skills and abilities but over time keeping the benefit of them just for you is plain selfish. This is a paradox of leadership and more said than done. The agile leader invests significant time and resources into ensuring the people around them enjoy profound levels of development, recognition and productivity.

As I increasingly lean into this area I find the disciplines around focusing on and developing people need to become a priority over most other activities except the ones that only I can do. Most functional areas of leadership can be delegated, people can be hired, trained and equipped. Those few areas of contribution that you have and the responsibility of increasing the quality and quantity of leaders in your organisation fall to you and you alone.

FIVE
How can I prepare and position myself for more responsibility?

Agile leaders are always asking themselves three really important developmental questions. The first is “Where next?” This deals with direction. What is the new horizon to steer the ship towards? The second is “What’s next?” This focuses on activity. The third and perhaps even more important is “Who’s next?” Knowing who is advancing and becoming increasingly capable of leadership is a key to organisational health and growth.

In addition, agile leaders are positioning themselves for new opportunities and growth. The privilege of helping someone get ready for a future opportunity is a key characteristic of the Fifteen Percent Leader.

Grow as a leader, develop people and solve problems. This is what an agile leader looks like.

June 28 2018

10 Reasons Why Your Brand Should Be On Social Media

Mansfield Buisness brand, brand management, business, facebook, instagram, linkedin, online, social, social media, startup, startups, twitter 0

“Today, entrepreneurs need to take their business where the conversation is happening… Social media is the perfect venue.

– Sir Richard Branson

One of the first things businesses nowadays need to do is acquiring social handles. Sometimes it even makes sense for owners to choose one brand name over another based on the social handles available. Once that’s done, it time to slowly distribute content. Everyone knows you should, but they don’t always know why. Hopefully, this post will help you understand why you’re doing it so you can create more effective content. Social media is an increasingly important piece of your brand story and identity, so identifying WHY you use these platforms will be an important factor in growing your brand’s social community. So here are our top 10 reasons why you should embrace it and love it:

10. Consistently maintaining a social media presence is cheaper than traditional advertising.

First things first, social media is not free; and costs can range from almost nothing to tens of thousands of dollars a month. For example, one of the largest expenditures may include hiring a person or company that specifically handles your business’ social media accounts and communities. However, the cost which is often still less than traditional advertising campaigns is certainly worth it when done right. The reason is that good social media marketing efforts produce qualified leads that later become your biggest advocate.

9. Provides an alternative way for potential customers to find you.

With almost everyone on social media these days, it has become one of the best places to place your brand. If you’re not high enough in search engines when potential customers try to find you, they can still find you through social media. So, even if you’re not on the front page of Google, it doesn’t mean you can’t receive traffic. Social media has the potential to send you TONS of traffic when done properly.

8. Build genuine personal relationships.

Using social media helps you build personal relationships with current and potential customers. Trust comes through honesty and sincerity in communications. Today, people use social media as a way to connect with a brand in the same way they would with traditional customer service. They look to a brand’s social media platforms as a way to answer all the questions they might have about a particular product or the brand in general.

7. Social media gives businesses an opportunity to promote their brand without being pushy.

Social offers businesses a safe and open outlet where they can be “themselves” and introduce their products and solutions without being “salesy”.

6. Word of mouth

Customers look for products they can trust through the people they trust. If I hear about your product from someone I trust and respect, I’m far more likely to purchase that product than if I’m going on my own volution. Social media makes it easier than ever to find out what the rest of the world thinks about a certain product or service.

5. Opens the doors for engagement and 2-way conversations with potential clients.

Starting and having conversations on social media is nearly effortless. Although some people feel uncomfortable having conversations with businesses in person or over the phone, social media allows them a chance for having those conversations without the pressure.

4. Enables your audience to find you more easily.

If your business is active on social media, your online audience can find and follow you. This makes everything easier when they are trying to buy your product or service online.

3. Allows a business to know where their target audience is.

Sure, there are a lot of celebrities and teenagers using social media. However, there are also plenty of “regular” people – your potential clients included – using it as well. Establishing your business on social media helps you find your target audience, and allows them to find you as well.

2. Brand Recognition

Create a consistent, recognisable identity for your product or service. There’s no better way to control the brand content that you want the world to see than what you post on social media. You have total control over what your target audience sees or hears pertaining to your brand.

1. Allows a business to establish trust and relationships with its audience.

Establishing a successful social media presence and finding a target audience is only the beginning of using social media as a business. The next steps involve interacting with that audience by replying, responding, and sharing information. This builds trust and brand loyalty.

If you have not started already, you need to get your brand on social media. Research which platforms are best for your type of brand and how other influencers in your niche are doing and build your brand. If you are already on there, share with us in the comments section how your brand is doing and what other tips and tricks you have managed to work out to help your brand visibility online.

June 21 2018

Build A Team To Build The Dream

Mansfield Buisness apple, build, business, dynamic, dynamics, employee, grow, leader, leaders, leadership, microsoft, servanthood, skill, team, teambuilding 0

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”

– Henry Ford

The success of any system lies in the efficiency of the components working together to achieve a common goal. Such is true as well for any business or organisation that provides product or service. Its success lies in the efficiency of the people working to create or to give the service. If you look at two of the most influential business personalities of our time, Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs and Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates, you will find that they had similar traits in growing their respective businesses.

Both highly driven and undoubtedly talented, they had a unique gift to attract top talent and gain employee loyalty. The ability to attract and motivate great people is critical to the success of a company because a company is just a group of people that are assembled to create a product or service. As simple as this concept may seem, it’s still challenging to find and hire top talent, which is why more companies are employing various tactics beyond standard compensation to attract new employees. Over the years, these incentives have become more and more extravagant, with perks like pet-friendly offices and catered lunches becoming more common, particularly in the tech sector where there’s already a shortage of talent.

At their Redmond, Washington campus, Microsoft employees have access to an organic spa and receive benefits like pet insurance and a free shuttle to and from work. Apple employees receive discounts on company products and have access to an onsite wellness centre at their Cupertino, California headquarters. As indulgent as these benefits may seem, the results speak for themselves. Both Microsoft and Apple consistently top the lists of companies where job seekers want to work. However, companies must provide more than free perks in order to engage and retain top performers, which is where motivation comes into play.

According to organisational experts, employees who feel like they’re contributing toward a shared vision for the company are much more productive and driven than their counterparts. During Microsoft’s early years, for example, all employees were awarded stock options. This incentive pushed employees to be innovative thinkers and created “Microsoft millionaires” when the company went public on the stock exchange.The company has since eliminated this program.

At Apple, Jobs included his employees in the decision-making process, says Willie Pietersen, a management professor at Columbia Business School and author of “Strategic Learning: How to Be Smarter Than Your Competition and Turn Key Insights into Competitive Advantage.” The late founder would create different teams to work on projects that had breakthrough potential. When they reported their findings, he listened to all of their ideas before picking the strongest ones and shelving the others. Although Jobs could be a harsh leader at times, his management strategy was based on creating the most innovative products, which galvanised his employees and won their support.

By carefully studying these approaches you will realise that successful leaders lead by being selfless. Leaders should find ways of motivating and inspiring their teams, reduce the noise and hassle in their work and help remove obstacles. If you are a manager or leading at any level at any organisation, the nugget is understanding that your team is not there to serve you. You are there to serve your team and help them do the best possible job for the company. Let us know in the comments section how you motivate your team or how your company or organisation motivates and inspires you to perform at your best.

June 14 2018

From Passion to Profit

Mansfield Buisness, Productivity, Success business, entrepreneur, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, true 0

“If you create and market a product or service through a business that is in alignment with your personality, capitalizes on your history, incorporates your experiences, harnesses your talents, optimizes your strengths, complements your weaknesses, honors your life’s purpose, and moves you towards the conquest of your own fears, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that anyone in this or any other universe can offer the same value that you do!”
― Walt F.J. Goodridge

Maybe you’re an expert in your field or have a hobby that you really enjoy and are very good at, the likelihood of your being able to make some money or even a full-time living from your passion is pretty high, as long as you’re willing to learn some skills and put in the work. The internet has brought the world closer and allows people to interact with each other across the globe.

This has also brought in the best business platform for both formal and informal service providers. If you have been struggling with the question: “how do I make money from my hobby?” We have taken a look at some of the ways you can tap into and get your piece of the internet pie. Here are five ways you can turn your passions into profits online:

1. Start a YouTube channel.

The amount of money that some people make from this channel is mind-boggling. The top YouTube earner, Daniel Middleton, made $16.5 million in one year from posting Minecraft videos. Now that’s a lot of dough! Creating a successful YouTube channel requires creating a following. This isn’t something that happens instantly but instead develops over time. And you have to work at it. But if you have a passion that displays well on video, then YouTube is a great way to monetize it. Remember you don’t have to make millions to do well on YouTube. A great example of this is the YouTube channel “Woodworking for Mere Mortals.” This isn’t one of the top 10 earners, but this guy does earn his full-time living from his passion and has built up a very respectable following of over 900,000 followers. The cost of setting this up is very minimal, but you might need to invest in good audio/video recording equipment. The idea is as much as you may have relevant content, you need to have a reasonably good quality video to get people subscribing and following your channel. Another thing is being consistent, you need to continually give people value so setting a posting structure such as once a week could work.

2. Become an Instagram influencer.

Instagram is an extremely visual platform, so if you have a passion for something like fashion, food, pets or workouts that work well in pictures or video, you can make pretty good money from Instagram when you develop a big enough following. The way many people make money from Instagram is by selling space on their Instagram accounts. These are often called “shout outs.” These can range from $30 a post for a smaller account to the whopping $550,000 a post that top earner Selena Gomez gets for a sponsored post. Instagram is also great for selling your own items, as long as you do it sparingly and with great visuals. Just like a YouTube channel, an Instagram page requires great creativity, quality photos and constant relevant content.

3. Create online courses.

Many people turn their passions into profits by creating courses that teach other people how to do what they’re experts in. This is part of the model that Woodworkers for Mere Mortals use. There are several ways to market these courses. You can do it yourself through platforms like WordPress and Thrivecart, or you can market on a platform with built-in customers like Thinkific or Udemy. Keeping your courses short and precise will also help in getting more people interested in purchasing your product. In a fast-paced world, people want information that will get them going as soon as possible so this can be helpful if you build your courses with that in mind.

4. Make money blogging.

Blogging sometimes gets a bad rap, but it can be quite lucrative if you set it up correctly. Engadget is one of my favourite blogs, and it’s estimated to make 5.5 million dollars a month, primarily from advertising revenue. If you love to write and can produce high-quality content about your passion on a regular basis then this could be a good option for you to make money from the thing you’re passionate about. You can monetize your blog with Google Adsense ads, promoting products as an affiliate, or selling your own products, such as an online course mentioned above.

5. Sell your services online.

The fastest way to make money from your passion or your expertise is to sell services. Things like writing, web design or helping people clean out their closets all work. You can do this online or off-line, but the big advantage to selling services is that it takes far less traffic to a website to get people to buy a service than it does to get people to buy a product. And since traffic is usually the hardest part of the equation in getting “eyeballs on your offer,” this is a huge advantage. You can set up a simple two-page website, create a small ad in Google Adwords and start getting clients within a week. And if you don’t want to build a website, then bidding for work on sites like FreeeUp.com or Upwork.com can be a great way to earn some cash for writing, technical work or graphic design. There are also sites and apps like TaskRabbit, Care, Fiverr or Rover where you can list real-world services for sale. Selling services is rather labour-intensive, but it’s a great way to create cash flow and earn money right away with your passion.

The biggest key to all of these ways to turn your passions into profits is traffic. Traffic is the hardest piece of any monetization method. You must get eyeballs on your content in order to make money. So, if you decide on one of these methodologies for turning your passions into profits, make sure that you focus at least 50 per cent of your time learning the traffic methodologies that go along with it. It’s entirely possible to make a good living from nearly anything that you’re passionate about. You just have to put in the time and effort to get there. Creating great content and being consistent is key. Let us know in the comments section how you have monetized your passion and how that is going for you.

May 10 2018

5 Barriers To Success

Mansfield Buisness, Habits, Motivation, Productivity, self growth, Success, Work barriers, chaser, development, Different, dream, goal, goals, growth, life, motivation, persist, personal growth, Real, self acceptance, true 0

” The cemetery is full of unfulfilled dreams…” Unknown

A lot of people are dying with unrealised potential, but that isn’t the worst of this, because there are people still living that are also failing to live their purpose.
I am often asked this question, “How do I know my purpose and how do I make it happen?” And my response is your purpose or gift is anything that comes naturally to you that everyone else struggles with or finds challenging.
I know this seems open-ended but if you take time to pay attention to yourself as you go through your likes, hobbies and strengths, you will surely find that one thing that you are so passionate about.
Though finding a purpose to me seems fairly easy, the most difficult part of this journey is getting to your promised land. There 2 critical things you need to know here, A) It’s never too late to chase a dream, and, B) There will be obstacles that stand in the way of your dream
Once you work on those critical aspects you will notice that it becomes easier to follow and fulfil your dream. So I have taken time to look at some of the major dream killers that I find very common in a lot of people and these are:

1. Laziness – I just thought we should get this one out of the way first, a lot of people will not admit to this automatically but let me show you something. If you neglect yourself, your career, family and home you run the risk of losing your security and support structure. This is a result of living in a false luxury, a world that has no form of hardworking in it and this has negative consequences in the long run. So I’d say begin by making a list of all the things that you value and are dear to you, and next to them write at least one thing you need to do daily to protect them.

2. Procrastinating – This will kill many dreams than failure ever will. Ask yourself if you are that person who has a million ideas but not one has seen the light of day, or that person with great advice that you never take yourself? Progress is not about words but about actions, no matter how good you articulate a plan, you are remembered for what you did and not what you said. There is a need for discipline to start and see things through to completion. Remember, no one will do the work for you, so it’s time to get going. Do not be all talk and no action, be a doer.

3. Feeling Overwhelmed – Life has a way of stopping people from doing exactly what they set out to do, and you know what that is very true. Things get so difficult that your only option is to STOP! This is generally because the way we plan is not adequate, and I mean we do plan but our plan is not enough. For any project or goal to be achieved you need to break it down into smaller manageable tasks, think of working on a jigsaw puzzle. It looks so big as a whole but if you break down the pieces and start working on smaller sections at a time you will realise that a thousand pieces aren’t that many.

4. Lack of Commitment – The dictionary defines the word commitment as “the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause…”, meaning there is a high level of dedication required for a dream to be achieved. This means there will be a lot of sacrifices, a lot of uncomfortable situations, there will be the risk of being misunderstood or even being alienated because of the relentless pursuit of your dream. Now I need you to take time to answer these few questions about your commitment and see how you score, Do you have a plan to help you achieve your dream? Are you willing to put in work to learn more about your dream? Are you willing to try it even if you don’t see success at first? Do you have anyone you are accountable to with your dream? Do you have anyone mentoring you or teaching you? How bad do you really want to succeed in your dream?

5. Lack of Confidence – Failure is part of the process, and if you FEAR failure you will never start anything because in your mind you are already defeated. Understand this, every dream starts as a mental construct and it is then fleshed out from there, so the mind is a very powerful tool for seeing fulfilment.
Past failures, insecurities, deep hurt and trauma can cause you to look down upon yourself or feel inadequate. I am here to tell you that you control your confidence and do not allow anything negative to immobilise your action. There are many success stories that have come out of the most adverse situations all because those people chose not to give up.
Find a mentor or person that has succeeded in the area that you wish to pursue, take time and learn from them, even by observation, gain knowledge and believe in your God-given ability to see your dream through.

No matter where you are in life today, it’s not too late to become who you are destined to be. Your current situation might not reflect it but you born to be great and you will be great if you apply yourself and overcome the barriers ahead of you. If you want to learn more about how to overcome yourself, follow this link and get a copy of World War You and begin your journey to greatness.

March 5 2018

Be Different, I Dare You

Mansfield Blog, Buisness, Lifestyle, Technology, Work bold, Dare, Different, entrepreneur, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, life, lifestyle, original, Real, true, work 0

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Being different is nice, it’s actually not bad at all. In a world were people judge others by their outward appearance; what they wear, complexion, what kind of job they do, their kind of lifestyle and stuff like that, it can be difficult for one to fit in if they’re different. It can also be difficult for one to feel good about themself or to have a sense of belonging in a world were following trends is considered the ‘norm’. What’s good about all this is that everybody sees the world differently from their own perspective. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another.
Rejecting or not following the trends of the world can be difficult. I believe it takes self confidence and self love to be able to stand out. If you love yourself and if you believe in yourself you can be unstoppable.
Dare to be confident-dare to be different. Being confident means accepting and appreciating yourself for who you are. It also means believing in your own skills and ability to do things iregardless of what’s going on around you. In this regard, being different or not following the trends of the world is no challenge at all. When you demonstrate certainty and belief in yourself you don’t give room for other people’s opinions and views to define or control you and or what you believe in.
I think most people end up getting caught up in the ‘web’ of following the trends of the world because of the desire they have to keep up with others. The need for love, acceptance and having a sense of belonging can contribute to that too.

I believe being confident starts from within. It starts with you. What do you think of yourself? When you look in the mirror what do you see? Do you feel good about yourself? Do you love yourself? If you feel good about yourself and have positive vibes it will be easier even for the world to love and accept you for who you are.
Dare to be confident-dare to be different. Be able to reject the trends of the world, follow your heart and soul. Think positive. Take risks and don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes. Focus on yourself more but don’t be selfish. Do what makes you happy. Love yourself, be able to be completely yourself at all times-no pretense. Feel good about yourself. You are unique in your own way, own that! Don’t compare yourself to others, there’s nothing better than standing out from a crowd. Be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everyone else.
Dare to be confident-dare to be different!

January 4 2018

Ripple, The New Kid On The Block

Mansfield Buisness bitcoin, cryptocurrency, forex, money, ripple, silicon valley, xpr 3

Bitcoin had a wonderful run in 2017 which attracted serious hype and countless headlines. The cryptocurrency’s price soared to over $20,000 turning early investors into millionaires.

As the year came to a close there was a new player on the cryptocurrency field, Ripple. This coin shook investors as it capped an annual rise of more 36,000 per cent, doubling in price in the last week of December.

This rise came about as a result of reports that Ripple’s payments system was being tested with a lot of global banks, with Korean and Japanese credit card companies confirming they would run with the technology.

At the time of writing, one Ripple coin is worth around $2.20 on cryptocurrency exchanges. Though this is way less compared to Bitcoin’s high valuation of around $14,000 per coin, Ripple has actually increased from as little as $0.006 twelve months ago.

That and the fact that the total value of its supply makes it the second most valuable cryptocurrency by market capitalisation surpassing Ethereum and Litecoin.

So why Ripple you would ask? Well let us share some facts. Launched in 2012, Ripple had a market cap of $140 billion, next to the Bitcoin’s. It is used by companies such as UBS and Santander as payment technology. In November 2017, American Express Co also launched an instant blockchain-based payment system using Ripple.

Ripple allows clients to integrate it into their own systems which then allows their customers to use it. Recently the National Bank of Abu Dhabi started to use the technology for some of its transactions, specifically for cross-border transactions. It, therefore, allows its customers to transfer funds in real time and instantly.

Ripple continues to invest in the network and improve, this combined with a growing presence and partnerships with global firms makes it a candidate to be the next big disruptor.

About 40% of banks in Japan will be in some way connected to Ripple technology and RBS and BAML, amongst others will use Ripple to underlie the cross-border payment services for retail and commercial customers in 2018.

As the network grows and Ripple begins to make a name for itself, it may well present a buying opportunity. Ripple has some way to go to match the exposure of Bitcoin with only five years under its belt compared to Bitcoin’s 8 years, but if it follows in the footsteps of Bitcoin, its value has the potential to surge further.

Please share with us your experience with cryptocurrencies in our comments section