Thankfully, difference makers like Tyler Norman/Nala Asa Shakur have taken it upon themselves to make others realize that nature is the ultimate nurturer and source of happiness. Tyler began her career in the summer of 2017 at the age of 19. Having been raised by a businessman father and completing her Business Management she was thoroughly inspired by entrepreneurs and big thinkers she made connections with. And long before she knew it, she had a mindset of an entrepreneur and a CEO and was motivated enough to start her career.

Putting her ideas to Work

To start with, Tyler knew she had a gift of art, entrepreneurship, and some sort of healing work, combined with a love and connection toward natural living. Though she couldn’t understand the deeper aspects then, she had a vague idea of how to capitalize her natural gifts and turn her passion into purpose. She had a vision and absolute faith in the universe to make things fall into place. At 19, she wrote up her business plan, created her logo, some business cards, and began making and selling homemade organic body butter, custom painted hats, and offering her service of helping others transition to a natural lifestyle.

She also started the movement #naturalisthewaytoglow. With time and experience, she continued to build a brand, give momentum to the movement, and unlock more gifts and knowledge to apply in her business. A year later she created her website where customers now had access to inspiring content for natural living and self-elevation.

This company was less about selling products and more about bringing change and being a platform that inspires the healing of self. Tyler says, “I knew, to guide others, I first needed to guide myself. So self-love, deep soul searching, and inner healing became my main focus. While doing extreme self-work, I captured all of my lessons and gained wisdom within the pages of my journals. This experience of finding deeper parts of myself, my passion, my purpose, my gifts, and learning what I truly desired out of life turned into the blueprint for my entire career.”

Jotting it Down

Out of these experiences, Tyler poured herself onto her book, Love Starts Here; creating love within for life never without. The book serves as your guide through this journey of learning and embodying unconditional love. It provides information on why we should and how we can elevate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy bodies. Through her book and business, Tyler created a whole system where she targeted a problem within herself and society as a whole; lack of health, self-love, authenticity, purpose, and therefore lack of satisfaction with life.

She then found effective solutions and healing mechanisms by experimenting on herself. Finally, she created a platform where she, women, and men from all ages and paths can find a solution to their problem in a product, content, or service. By 2020 she had a solid foundation to build on and a firm idea of exactly how she wanted to run and grow my business. She finally licensed The All Natural, serving as its CEO, and continued her journey of Elevation. In 2021 she has been focusing on connecting with others and curating a solid team of like-minded individuals who see and share the vision.

More About the Company

The All Natural(TAN) is a one-stop holistic health shop. Here, one has access to various types of content made by TAN’s content creators such as blog series, recipes, videos, lifestyle tips, and inspirational stories. It also provides various signature products including books, meal plans, and clothing, etc. It is also a platform for other holistic businesses to display and sell their products. It even provides multiple types of services for clients looking into a holistic lifestyle such as intuitive counselling, financial wellness, energy readings, reiki, and much more. The All Natural provides ALL that one needs to transition and thrive in one’s natural lifestyle!

Challenges in the Path

Most of the challenges Tyler faced mainly came from a lack of funding. She says, “In the Black community we are not taught how to work for ourselves, build a business, and develop generational wealth. We definitely are not taught how to fund such a divine operation.”

His father has been the biggest support as he is educated and has over two decades of experience in building a business. However, his wisdom was all she could get as the money put into her company came straight from her pockets, and keeping it afloat often dipped into funds needed for her personal life. She struggled to keep up with operating funds, products, merchandise, and all the other financial responsibilities that come with running a business.

Another challenge was donning all the hats while running the business. Initially, Tyler was the CEO, the website designer and manager, finance manager, marketing manager, and every other role until she built her team. She adds, “With all that being said, I would not change a thing about this experience. You have to spend money to make money! Challenges build character and give us lessons we need to grow ourselves along with our business. Challenges are necessary for a business to build a solid backbone and to test who’s really built for this lifestyle.”

Being a woman was another challenge and just like most women, she had to deal with being overlooked, underrated and disrespected. She feels that the most powerful way to tackle these challenges is not to match the energy of the hyper-masculine by over becoming aggressive or hardbody but to embody and understand the power of our feminine energy. She advises to step freely and unapologetically into one’s identity as a woman and not try to fit the molds of a man. “Femininity has a lot more power than we give credit to,” feels Tyler.

Through all these challenges, her source of motivation was knowing that this is her life’s purpose; a creative expression that leads to healing thyself.

The Industry and its prospects

The current industry, as per Tyler, is over-saturated with masculine energy. The business has become cut & dry, aggressive, inconclusive, and so impersonal. Many are lacking personality attempting to fit into the modern-day scenario. Often, the motivation in business is money and power which takes us out Of alignment with our creativity, our purpose, and more often than not our morals.

Being different, Tyler’s strategy to stay in the market is to stay in her own lane; remain authentic to herself in every move she makes. She shares her secret, “A wise man once told me focusing on the competition too much makes us move like our competition and we fall into the rabbit hole of unoriginality. Our biggest superpower in life and business is the fact there is no one like us. So, I plan to be myself and there’s no competition besides each version of my old self I surpass along the journey.”

Spreading Light

Tyler has had firsthand experience of living in dark with a lack of physical health, mental health issues, and an overall feeling of dissatisfaction and misalignment with life. These experiences and hard places have given her a reason to learn how to shine light in these areas and improve internal and external health. The practice that helped her pull herself out of that darkness is what she shares with others through The All Natural.

She envisions herself as a successful CEO to an abundant community of creators and small business owners within The All Natural’s online and in-person one-stop-shop. Also as a bestselling author whose story continuously inspires individuals of all ages and walks of life. I see a powerful woman who travels, creates, and leads with divine purpose.

She now inspires young women to find their purpose, stick to their values, and not to quit on themselves when challenges surface. She believes that when you walk with purpose, everything around takes care of itself, even money. “When you let God’s purpose for your life be the blueprint there is no losing, only lessons learned. You will continuously grow stronger and stronger and through the process, you will fuel a fire within your heart which will reflect in the money in your wallet,” concludes Tyler.

Not only that, women might be great at handling the day-to-day finances of their house, but when it comes to long-term financial planning, they still lag far behind their male counterparts. This skewed financial literacy and independence stem from the societal mindset and upbringing. This results in the lack of confidence some women may have in themselves when it comes to money. Thankfully, there are people like Shannon Murree who learned the importance of handling their finances the tough way but are making sure that they look out for women who need assistance. Through The Canadian Women’s Investment Network “Canadian WIN” Shannon is providing a supportive, educational-based network and a safe, non-judgemental and approachable environment for women to learn about financial security and wealth creation strategies.

So how did it start?

Shannon was raised with love by her single mother in a 700 sqft single-room apartment. She saw her struggle to make the ends meet. She grew up facing challenges day after day. Over 20 years ago, surviving a domestic violence relationship was the ultimate turning point for her when the survival skills – for the sake of herself and her children came into play. That stage made her pause and analyze what she wanted to do.

She then stepped into real estate and took charge of her life completely. Even though she started earning, her experiences in finance and investing were not great. She recalls, “I was not part of any structured organization or membership and though I had successes, also made a lot of high-risk and unnecessary mistakes. Most notably, trusting the wrong people and not doing my diligence so as much as I gained, also lost a lot of money.”

The Turning Point

In around 2008 she wrote a blog titled “Prince Charming is Not a Financial Plan” and connected with more women who had questions and felt the same way she did. She says, “Being told I can’t do something always makes me question why. Then instead of thinking I can’t, my curious nature wants me to figure out ‘How’. Just because how things USED to be, doesn’t mean that’s how it has to continue to be today.”

The more she thought about it the more she realized that we’re still dealing with inequalities whether gender-specific or race. Two people of two genders having the same education, the same experience is yet getting two different pay grades. Women still have the feeling of carrying everything that they do and putting themselves last. She realized that as confident and resourceful women, they need no “Prince (or Princess) Charming” and do not need to be “saved.”

The blog drew on her personal and professional relationships, also the relationship and comprehension she had about money and investments. It let her connect with more women who had questions and felt the same way that she did. From there, she would hold “Women, Wine and Wealth” symposiums, bringing in experts in their related industries who could help answer women’s questions in a safe, non-judgmental, and welcoming environment. All of this finally culminated into Canadian WIN.

About the Company

As an individual who identifies as a woman, and mixed-race Shannon has had her share of facing a multitude of challenges throughout the years and being told “no”. Today, as a leader mentoring other women, she is helping everyone navigate through their challenges by being relatable and sharing her own genuine and authentic experiences. Shannon says, “We’re in the “relationship” business. When I first started, it felt like a lone journey. This is why offering the support of what we do at Canadian WIN is so important because all of us have a story or experience and have been there. We want the women to know they’re not alone and don’t have to feel that way.”

Canadian WIN’s business and support system is based on the experiences of other women who’ve been in various situations. The membership and approach are Philanthropic. Meaning the membership fees are not about generating income for themselves but providing value to the members and the communities. They support other charities and organizations that support and empower women and girls. This gives members the peace of knowing that they offer a “pay it forward system”. They look for those who assist women and girls that empower and support diversity and equality. Whether that’s helping women and youth in shelters that address homelessness or at-risk, substance abuse, re-entry into the workplace or upgrading skills, career development, mental health programs, food programs, women in sports, and more.

Staying Motivated

‘My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style’- Maya Angelou.

Having relearned her skills, and restart her life, Shannon considers herself a thriver finding motivation in the words of Maya Angelou and her work at Canadian WIN. Wanting the best for herself and her children keeps her on her toes she wants to ensure as well,  that her children and their generation are influenced positively and learn much earlier on than she had.

The togetherness that she feels at Canadian WIN gives her the power to stride in what used to be a very male-dominated field of real estate and investing. Every day, the group is smashing glass ceilings and helping women take their financial independence and wealth strategies into their own hands.

Creating a Support System

Women and girls are making headway and advancement but at times it feels like we’re taking two steps forward and five steps back. There’s a lot of historical patriarchy and attitudes that exist. Also, in some ways, the financial and investment world can still very much be misogynistic and created based on old-way thinking attitudes and principles. Shannon feels that challenges, even after all the advancements, persist. Women are still perceived differently when they express their opinions. They are still perceived negatively as being “difficult”, “outspoken”, “rude” whereas the male counterparts are still applauded for being “courageous” “confident” or being told “well done”. Also, the word “Feminism” has taken a bad cognition and has been reduced to denote those in support as man-haters.

Shannon, along with her sisterhood of friends and professionals, is working hard to change that. “We just want to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression to achieve full gender equality in Law, Politics, our respective industries, and well, life and policies in general. We’re not there to prove anything and the benefit is for ourselves and the organizations we serve. We don’t need to be validated and just keep showing up. It’s for ourselves and those we can help and make a difference for.”

Shannon appeals to young ladies to understand, that everyone has an opinion and so they shouldn’t be afraid to have one. She advises them to forge ahead, get the education and knowledge on what is best for them. “Seek out those resources that will support you in your goals and remember always that forward is forward. Some days will be horrible but that doesn’t mean that’s a bad life – that is just a bad moment. Seek out, like-minded people. They’re out there and the mentorship and guidance can start with us (at Canadian WIN). I know the feeling first hand of having been taken advantage of, being ‘too nice’ and mostly, telling myself ‘I should have known better’, and didn’t heed my own advice of trusting my instinct,” says Shannon.

Taking Canadian WIN Forward

Shannon wants the world to see them as a support system for women, or however they identify and an inclusive and diverse community. Community is key and how they’re not in this to grab any market share or profit margin. Canadian WIN’s goal is to be the ultimate network and source for women to come to Connect, Grow and Learn. Whether they have their own satellite group throughout Canada, and perhaps as they grow Globally but know, whether they’re Canadian Women or Women looking to gain more knowledge about the Canadian market, that they are here.

Canadian WIN has recently rebranded and is looking to reach and expand the community. They’ve launched a podcast, contributed their expertise to several books, and share their experiences on stage. Things in the last few years have been more challenging and more demanding on women and stress levels have reached their breaking point. Several small satellite groups have formed and what they offer with Canadian WIN under the Inspiring Change Podcast and WomenInvest.Ca platform is to be the “one-stop-shop” and the ultimate resource where women need to go to either start their wealth creation journey or expand on it. Those are just a few of the many things and they are limitless and unstoppable. There is a multitude of experts to connect, learn and grow with. On social media, there is no membership fee and is purely about networking and education – a safe, non-selling, and no-pitch zone. “We are women and we know what women want – to take control of their own finances, have support in their own goals, learn wealth strategies that they feel comfortable with and what works for them. We also are very proud of our philanthropic first and pay it forward system that extends well beyond our exclusive community that continues to support our philosophy and mission of empowering women and girls. Equality and equal paying field in all areas, are key” concludes Shannon.

As a CEO and mentor to many, my goal is to help transform managers into leaders. In my opinion, a business manager evolves into a leader by demonstrating the ability to see the future and creating a vision for the next frontier in which the business or organization will need to operate. One of the hardest transitions to make is to anticipate the highest level performance required of each function. Leaders start by outlining the definition of the future market, create a landscape document which maps out the product launches of direct and indirect competitors, build a five-year plan based on the requirements to compete (big deliverables, business categories, budgets) and then strategically implement that vision.

A true leader also learns to identify a team that complements what they do and clearly recognizes their own limitations. This is why you will see consumer product goods companies swing between CEOs who are marketing visionaries and then replaced by the CFO. Companies require the discipline of the CFO and the vision of the marketing/sales guru. Leaders quickly understand that they are rarely both and design their leadership team to balance the fine line that drives sustainable growth.

I, myself, have always worked with and for manufacturing CEOs—high tech, auto industry, and CPG. These leaders were raised with hallmarks of strong manufacturing processes and bring those skills to the design of their business. Personally, I see these as great leaders because they focus on driving output while decreasing costs on an annual basis.

The leaders I follow, I do so, first and foremost, because of the respect they command. There are other reasons why someone might choose someone as a mentor. First, there is an expectation that a leader must combine the ability to drive the business with a commitment to the greater good. Second, employees want a leader who is loyal. Everyone wants to feel confident that if you run up the hill with someone that they will acknowledge your effort and reward it. Also, young people, in particular, expect a commitment to diversity of thought, gender, experience, and race. They appreciate leaders who are respectful and recognize the need to mentor and support a diverse population of rising leaders. And, employees recognize when someone knows how to run a business very well. The bottom line is they are your employer, and you will only benefit from the employment if you receive a paycheck and benefits that support and meets your financial aspirations. We can appreciate the softer elements of leadership, yet secure employment and predictability are critical to employees and their families.

Here are the steps that I recommend a manager should take to become a true leader to a team and a mentor to others.

1. Check your ego at the door and remember that you are a custodian acting on behalf of an institution. You are only a temporary player in the long game, so focus on what you can do to help your organization move to the next level.
2. Admit when you don’t know something and seek guidance from colleagues and peers. Your team doesn’t benefit if you swirl and twirl in indecisiveness because you don’t know the answer or don’t have the needed expertise. Ask for help, assess the facts, make a decision and move on quickly.
3. Proactively help others succeed. Your personal team will grow stronger if you empower your team and look for opportunities to help people up the ladder.

Whether you are a business leader – or an emerging business leader – you surely are driving toward a goal. Stick with it, surround yourselves by other great minds, and others will follow in your footsteps.

Lisa Gable is CEO of FARE and has served as US Ambassador, UN Delegate, Chairman of the Board and advisor to Presidents, Governors, and CEOs of Fortune 500 and CPG Companies worldwide. Author of Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller Turnaround – How to Change Course When Things Are Going South, Lisa has become known as a turnaround mastermind who operates with discipline and diplomacy. The book is available for pre-order at all major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Porchlight. info@turnaroundbook.com.

The concept of a traditional high street law firm operating daily 9-5pm with face-to-face appointments was prevalent pre-pandemic. With the world almost coming to a standstill in March 2020, the lockdowns and the general shift caused by the pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of a dispersed workforce with a flexible footprint to accommodate work from anywhere.

Business minded owners (like us) across the country faced the same challenges and were forced to re-think and adopt creative ways to change their operating model by deploying technology to be the infrastructure for the business we are about to become, whilst keeping the clients’ interests at heart.

Our survival guide during the pandemic:

1) During the pandemic, our office remained open for business with social distancing measures in place making it safe for clients and our staff via our ‘outdoor office’. Whilst people were forced to witness signatures of important documents such as Will over garden fences, car bonnets or standing at a safe distance on the driveway, our clients were delighted and relieved that they could still meet their Solicitor and safely meet with their lawyers whilst maintaining social distancing.

2) Our Team were given the flexibility to work remotely and manage their own time in re-creating work/life balance in a home setting. It was important to trust employees and be transparent with remote working by offering a flexible approach which not only empowered employees to maintain high quality service with clients but also improved productivity. Our team and clients were happy.

3) Cloud technology enabled reliable remote access to integrated systems and powerful case management platforms which in turn empowered everyone to work from the same, up-to-date version of a matter wherever they are with the minimum infrastructure cost and commitment.

4) We were transparent with communication to ensure remote and office-based employees remained equal.

5) Deep engagement during hybrid working – Having a tight-knit working relationship with employees drove deep engagement and highlighted the value of close working relationships to encourage productivity during remote working.

6) Stepped away from traditional marketing initiatives and focused more on digital marketing to include online reviews. Being discoverable and searchable on the internet was paramount. The pandemic showed that clients were happy to access legal services digitally without coming to the office and turned to the web, especially online reviews when selecting a lawyer.

Moving forward

Now, with covid vaccinations well on the way, we are headed towards the early stages of the ‘new normal’ and need to rethink not only our workplace strategy but also determine the direction we are headed to with digital transformation.

For the workforce strategy, that is easy, it is obvious many present and future employees would prefer flexibility, and the pandemic demonstrated its’ possibility. Remote working offers many benefits, such as reducing carbon footprint, having more productive staff, reduced stress levels and better work life balances. However, we found other employees found it harder to stay focused, felt disconnected to the workplace and missed seeing their colleagues face-to-face. We also found clients preferred to meet their lawyer face to face when dealing with sensitive matters.

At the end of the day one size never fits all in the workplace – we are encouraging staff to return to the office on a regular basis to keep that connection with other employees and clients. We are a ‘high street’ law firm and that means being available face to face to cater for client needs, so you must do what works for your business to survive.

Getting smart

The legal profession has relied on precedents and traditions. However, solicitors have had to adapt to technological developments to get things done quickly, purely because clients now expect this and in fact are demanding this. To keep pace with competitors means embracing digital innovations such as developing phone apps, working towards a paperless office, electronic signing, video conferencing thus allowing us to focus on the added value of our expertise.

Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence is taking over, making it necessary to keep up with, for example, voice control recognition like the Amazon Alexa; controlling your ‘smart’ home, keeping you connected and organized. My point is that you do not have to invest in the most modern cutting-edge technology but make smarter decisions to invest in proven toolkits that are durable and have longevity.

Rest assured, the practice of law still requires the ‘human touch’ and cannot be replaced by a pixel. Our firm has touched approximately 30,000 lives in the past few decades and aspires to continue with this legacy. There is no doubt technology is the recipe for a firm’s success and to solidify and evolve our mindset. With the nature of economic changes, cloud technology, robust case management systems and true integration can make anything possible!

Both formal and informal education prepares us for various walks of life. When Sue Langley dropped out of college, not many, including her, thought she would go to formal study. Yet, in her thirties, she signed up for University. The hiatus didn’t stop her from learning and achieving some world firsts under her belt. Sue was the youngest female to get her International Transport Managers exam at 18 years of age.  She did her IATA (International Air Transport Association) Diploma, Advanced Diploma, and Marketing Diploma while working in the travel industry.  She even did a proofreading and sub-editing course for fun! Sue completed her A-level in Psychology through Open University in the UK. Then when she moved to Australia, she did a BA – a double major in Psychology and Management.  Sue went on to study Positive Psychology at Harvard, followed by a Masters in Neuroscience of Leadership and was the first person in the world to complete it.

“I have studied constantly in my life, yet most of my studies have been via distance education (before it was even popular).  I love learning. There is always so much to learn and share,” says Sue. Since then, she has studied through FENS and the Neuroscience School for Advanced Studies and read as much as she can from the research.

Sue is currently the CEO and Founder of the Langley Group and Academic Director (and co-owner) of the Langley Group Institute. Langley Group started in 2002, and its journey, as well as Langley Group Institute, is about inspiring and equipping individuals, teams, and organizations to be the best they can be. The team is now the consultant to the consultants, with many business owners, consultants, and internal L&D consultants coming to them to get certified in their programs and psychometrics.

Sue’s professional journey started as a lorry driver in Europe. She then spent a year travelling around the world, then moved into travel where she had roles as Sales Manager, General Manager, Operations Manager.  Finally, she started her own business, which she absolutely loves.

Of Challenges and Finding Motivation

Sue believes that everyone faces challenges, and hers have been no more or less than others.  Whenever adversity hits, she focuses on what she teaches – how do we pull towards the positive? How do we leverage what we are great at and do more of it?  Following the same principle, Langley Group has never focused on trying to ‘compete’ or beat others in their field.  The Group has its niche – the team is very good at it and remains focused on that.  Thankfully others now recognize them for their expertise.

To counter challenges, one needs self-belief, hard work, persistence, and lots of motivation. Sue draws her motivation from all the people she works with.  Her team motivates her, and so does every person who comes on the leadership programs, Langley’s certification programs, the Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, and her Learn with Sue membership community.

She says, “Each person I meet and the ripple effect they have based on what they learn motivates me every single day to make a bigger difference.”

Bending the Gender Rules

Challenges, feels Sue are gender-neutral. Every person faces challenges. As soon as one categorizes oneself by age or gender and then buys into the ‘rules’ of that category, one can find them holding themselves back. “I was a lorry driver in Europe at 18 years old.  I didn’t see myself any different from others, and it didn’t stop me from doing a great job.

I have always done the best job I can and tried to show up as the best version of myself in every role I have had, so maybe I haven’t noticed challenges that others would see.  I have been busy ‘getting on with it,” explains Sue.

Changing World, One Course at a Time

As with many consulting firms, Sue started Langley Group Institute as a ‘one-woman band’.  She had no experience, no contacts, and was in a new country.  It was a challenging journey, yet perhaps it allowed her to think a little differently.

From just her, it became herself and Roxanne (who still works alongside her), then grew from there. At Langley Group Institute, Sue and her team help individuals, teams, and organizations be the best they can be.  They do that through the practical application of positive psychology, emotional intelligence, and neuroscience.

The Langley Group service is unique based on how they deliver and their focus.  Whilst there are many consulting firms out there, none focus on the practical application of the sciences of emotional intelligence, positive psychology and neuroscience and the sweet spot where these three fields cross over. Langley Group works with corporate clients to design leadership and culture programs. It supports many of its clients around wellbeing and mental health.  They also offer certification programs on the MSCEIT (Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test) and the Strengths Profile and its fabulous Work on Wellbeing survey (one of the most robust in the field), as well as the global LG Certified Trainer programs.

Langley Group Institute also creates ripples all around the world with its Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing. Sue adds, “We have graduates from every walk of life, from 18 years to 88 years and in every industry.  I love that they are transforming their lives and organizations in their own way, based on their learning.”

COVID ensured Langley Group changed its business model, and unlike many other organizations in their field, they have had the most successful year ever, thanks to the changes they have made. “These changes we made came from what we teach – we used Appreciative Inquiry to ensure we focused on what we do best – and did more of it,” explains Sue. “We turned our business around in less than four weeks and have been busier than ever.”

On her many firsts and next

Sue has had many world firsts to her credit:

• She was the youngest female to get her International Transport Managers exam at 18 years.
• She was the first person in the world to hold a Masters in Neuroscience of Leadership
• She created the world’s first government accredited Diploma in Positive Psychology and Wellbeing

What has helped her stay afloat all these years was her early decision on her own purpose, vision and values and then sculpting a business and life around them.  A piece of early advice she received that took her a year to follow was ‘find your niche and stick to it’.  Once she implemented that, the business has gone from strength to strength.

Sue also uses science very methodically as it helps her shape every day. She has a saying, ‘treat yourself as a scientific experiment’.  Every day Sue uses science on herself.  She finds the answers are usually there, which helps her be a better person, a better leader, and support her wellbeing to handle adversity.

She keeps her focus on doing what she does well and being the best she can be instead of competing. “Only you can be you, don’t try to be someone else,” advises Sue.

In the future, Sue will continue doing what she is amazing at and what she loves – sharing knowledge and facilitating learning.  She loves to see the ripple effect around the world of people who have completed the Diploma in Positive Psychology and Wellbeing and are now using their learning in their workplace, school, family, and community.  She loves seeing the impact of her leadership programs and people changing how they lead and run their teams and businesses. Sue’s ideal is to see people worldwide engaging in development through Diploma or the LG certified trainer programs and being a part of the Learn with Sue community – and making an even more significant difference. “Our programs are proven – they work! One Diploma student said, ‘imagine if everyone did this course, what a different place the world would be’ – that is a world I would like to see!”

Sue’s Words of Wisdom for the Young Entrepreneurs:

“Be you!  Find your niche and stick to it.  Be really good at something, be the expert, be you, as it is something no one else can be!”

“Mentoring can be wonderful, although I still say don’t just follow what someone else has done – find your path.”

Over 60% of the global population is a proud owner of a home, however big or small. And when we own a home, we want it to look the best one as per our dreams and earnings. Based out of Laguna Beach California, Julie Laughton is a Design-Build expert who provides a one-stop shop for all her clients whether they are remodeling or building a new home.

Julie has a BA in Design from Iowa State University with a background in architecture, mechanical engineering, and interior design. Her career began in New York City where she collaborated with the Top 5 developers working in the dirt and designing model homes to help sell the building. After seven years of experience, she moved to Southern California, went out on her own, and started her business from the ground up.

Building it Up

Julie started as a designer and became a contractor when she realized it was mandatory to be able to help the homeowner. There was no way she was going to continue working in an industry where the contactor can ruin the project and the homeowner would then have a nightmare remodel. She became the contractor to alleviate the stress for both herself as a designer and the client.

Her company, Julie Laughton Design Build, is unique because the client only deals with one person throughout the entire process…and that person is Julie. As the designer and contractor, she covers all decisions with the client directly. This not only saves time but also saves confusion and ensures the client’s dreams and wishes are put on paper accurately and executed with precision. She does have a team under her, but the client only deals with her one on one. She is currently a member of the Association for Women in Architecture + Design, Government Affairs Committee Laguna Beach, and the Urban Planning Coordinating Committee Laguna Beach. She is also on the Board of Directors and President-Elect of the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Facing Challenges

Driven by her passion for design and the fire to excel at everything, Julie comes across as someone homeowners can count on to take the stress out of the process, guide them through the multitude of decisions to be made and get it done the right first time.

However, it’s not as easy as Julie makes it look. For her, it’s a constant battle working as a female general contractor in the man’s world of construction. She admits, “First you need to know what you are talking about and then you have to learn to ignore the criticism. As we all know, it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman in the end. All that matters is if you know what you are doing, you do it well and your clients are happy. I know my business. I am considered an expert.”

The biggest challenge, Julie says, is the fear in the woman’s mind that she can’t do it or doesn’t belong. Once you get past that, it’s easy. Excellence is not determined by your gender. But she can tell that women are better multitaskers. So they have an edge that can always be used to their advantage.

Keeping up with the Advances in the Industry

Housing needs and designs are often influenced by social trends and economic conditions. A booming economy sees a happy real estate and home grooming industry while a slump adversely affects them. The current trend is all about customizing the home for each individual’s needs and lifestyle. Julie’s goal as per the trends is to make the home better so the homeowner’s life is better. Health and wellness along with style and function are all factored together in each home.

As a Luxury Builder, Julie sees herself and her company at an advantage as few players act as one-stop-shop. She explains, “I actually don’t need to compete because nobody that I know does what I do as a one-stop-shop who provides all the services from conception to completion personally. What I do is spend my time spreading the word that it is possible to have a remodel and build your home without stress. Pretty soon you will read about all this in my new book, which will help homeowners who are taking that first step to remodel or build their dream home.”

For the next few years, her goal is to share her story about how to do a home remodel or new construction project right without stress.  She says, “My motto is: It all starts with a good plan. Success is practically guaranteed if you follow your plan whether it’s in life or building your home.”

 Advice to Young Entrepreneurs

For the young entrepreneurs, especially women, Julie has this to say:

“I would recommend project management as a good place to begin because then you can see the whole process from start to finish. If you are not already a designer or an architect, you should take some courses in design. If you want to do what I do you need to have your design background first and then add a general contractor license. The design talent is what makes it all work. Also, I happen to be incredibly organized and efficient. If you don’t have organizational skills and a desire for perfection with everything you do it would be hard to succeed as both a designer and contractor. I like to help women by encouraging them to take that leap to enter into the man’s world of construction. Don’t be afraid. You would be surprised how successful you could be.”

In 1991 I received a diagnosis of schizophrenia along with a very daunting prognosis – I was told that I will never be able to work, live on my own, be independent, and basically achieve at anything. For a number of years, this was reality for me.

Needless to say, my entire life started falling apart (partly due to the negative prediction of what my life was heading towards and partly due to unmanaged symptoms and lack of access to appropriate mental health interventions) – I was dismissed from my work on medical grounds, lost everything and suffered damaged relationships with friends and family.

Over the years I ended up spending 4 years in total in psychiatric hospitals until I reach a point where I discovered that I still have “fight” left in me – whatever I was said to be incapable of, I became determined to prove it wrong.

In addition to this, my experience within an often-neglected and ineffective mental health system that frequently presented with abuse, along with my experience of the impact of stigma and discrimination within society, was the driving force behind my determination to overcome the adversities that I have faced and to build a career in mental health advocacy and human rights.

Regrettably, my diagnosis came at a critical time in my life as a young person who wanted to advance my education, but never got the opportunity to study further. The knowledge I have obtained in the mental health field, derived from my own experiences, reading and learning from available literature, and guided and motivated by extraordinary mentors and colleagues.

The start of my career in South Africa

Persons diagnosed with schizophrenia in specific, often bear the brunt of damaging misperceptions and discrimination. They are often perceived as being dangerous, unable to communicate or make their own decisions, needing to be “locked up”, among a range of other limitations imposed by society. This made it particularly difficult to envision a future for myself and imagine a career in anything.

However, I had to approach the situation in a different way, so I started my career in 2003 as a volunteer in mental health. I volunteered merely because, firstly I wouldn’t have found employment due to the stigma and discrimination attached to mental health conditions, and secondly through volunteering I could prove that I am able to achieve at anything that I set my mind to (despite living with schizophrenia).

I consider myself as a fairly creative person and decided to apply myself creatively, through writing and producing theatre plays and a short feature film with the intention to raise public awareness on mental health conditions, and these productions received recognition and offered me some credibility.

In 2006 I was offered a position in mental health advocacy and communications at a provincially based mental health organisation based in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the time many people doubted that I would be able to manage full-time employment and discouraged me from accepting the position – I ended up working 8 years for the organisation before moving on to work as a program manager for a national mental health organisation for a further 4 years.

My work in South Africa focused on creating and managing advocacy movements, promoting human rights, empowering people with lived experience of a mental health condition, to reviewing policies and laws.

At this level, I served on the Presidential Working Group on Disability and on the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Mental Health for some years.

The evolvement of my career to the international level

Over the years working in South Africa, my career evolved through being presented with opportunities to work at an international level where I soon became known as a global mental health advocate. In 2017 I started developing the concept of establishing an international mental health organisation for people with lived experience of a mental health condition – today I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Mental Health Peer Network (www.gmhpn.org); the organisation that was born from an idea, a concept and into reality.

In 2017 I was appointed as Principal Coordinator of the Movement for Global Mental Health

(www.globalmentalhealth.org), which exposed me to global mental health and provided me the opportunity to expand and adjust my vision to driving change and transformation in mental health at a global level.

Through my international involvement in mental health, I discovered that the voices of persons with mental health conditions, especially in low-and-middle-income countries, often remain silenced while they have so much to offer to social and economic development at local and international levels. In global mental health it has been emphasized that people with lived experience of mental health conditions must be at the centre of policy and practice, to ensure that health and mental health systems function effectively and for the benefit of those using the system – a vision that I felt had to be realised. At the 5^th Global Mental Health Summit in 2018, hosted by the Movement for Global Mental Health, the Global Mental Health Peer Network was officially launched.

I serve on a number of international boards and committees related to mental health and human rights. Through this, I have been involved in advising governments on how to reform their mental health policies and laws. As a lived experience representative, I had the opportunity to participation at high-level engagement platforms around the world.

I guest lecture at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa (sharing my recovery story with psychology students) and the Indian Law College’s International Diploma on Mental Health, Human Rights and Law in Pune in India (on the key rights of persons with lived experience).

I have published internationally on issues related to mental health and human rights, stigma and the needs of people with mental health conditions in low- and middle-income countries. I served as a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development and on the WPA-Lancet Psychiatry Commission on the Future of Psychiatry. Currently I am co-editor of the Lancet Commission on Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination, and a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Psychosis. I am one of the editors of a book titled “Mental Health, Legal Capacity, and Human Rights”, recently published by Cambridge University Press (2021).

In 2019 I was listed as one of 100 Innovative (Women) Leaders in Global Mental Health by Global Mental Health Programs of the Columbia University.

My career awarded me with a number of accolades, and include: Special Achievement Award (2006); Chairman’s Award for Advancing Psychosocial Rehabilitation (2011); National Disability Awards (Finalist Champion Award, Finalist Woman Award, Winner Woman Award, 2011); Special Achievement Award for Innovative Program in Psychiatric Disability (2012); Award of Excellence in the field of Mental Health (2014); Jim Birley Scholarship Award (Federation Global Initiative on Psychiatry, Netherlands, 2015); Tributes Excellence Awards, Disability Rights category (Valhalla Arts, South Africa, 2015); Outstanding Achievement in Mental Health (Swiss Foundation and World Health Organisation, 2017), Honorary Membership (World Psychiatry Association, 2020), Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health (Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, 2021).

 Mental Health in an Unequal World

People with lived experience of a mental health condition have historically been excluded from decision-making processes and from contributing their lived experience expertise to help address the challenges and needs that they have faced on a daily basis at grassroots level. Yet many possess excellent leadership potential and passion but haven’t been given the opportunity to lead and inspire change. However, times are changing and people with lived experiences have been instrumental in challenging the status quo.

The emphasis is on moving towards an integrated and holistic response to mental health care and services that incorporates medical, social and human rights models – this approach critically emphasizes the multidimensional aspects of mental health conditions and societal challenges that cannot be addressed in isolation as a medical problem. International treaties and human rights instruments support this shift in focus, and have challenged the paradigm of medical traditions and institutional care models that have subjected individuals with mental health conditions to severe human rights violations, developed structures of societal segregation, and denied the inherent human dignity and voice of the lived experience community.

Mental health conditions affect 1 in 4 people at some point in their lives, and mental health conditions impact on every aspect of a person’s life; their studies, work, relationships, and overall health and wellbeing. The field of mental health has seen great advances on how to promote mental health, prevent mental health conditions and to facilitate recovery. So, the future is not as  dark as it was in the past, and people impacted by mental health conditions can live full and productive lives, provided the person receives the care and support that they need.

 About the Global Mental Health Peer Network

The Global Mental Health Peer Network is a non-profit international organisation, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. We exist to empower, strengthen, and catalyse the voices of persons with lived experience of mental health conditions worldwide. Our goal is to help cultivate a new generation of global lived experience leaders to empower and develop leadership worldwide to drive change and transformation in the global mental health sector. We believe that our views, opinions, and experiences as persons of lived experience with mental health conditions, can help guide change within the Global Mental Health sector and towards sustainable development within countries.

Since the Global Mental Health Peer Network’s establishment, our focus has been on building of a sustainable structure to serve two main purposes: 1) to develop a global leadership of persons with lived experience; and 2) to create a sophisticated communication platform where the lived experience community can share their views, opinions, perceptions and experiences, in a safe and non-judgemental space.

The Global Mental Health Peer Network is made up of the Board of Management, the Global Office, the Regional Executive Committee, the Country Executive Committee, Sub-Committees and Mentors. Each and every member has a lived experience of a mental health condition (past or present). Since 2018, we have expended to over 100 lived experience leaders across 38 countries, in 6 world regions – and continue to grow our global footprint.

In a fairly short space of time, we have become a recognized name globally and source of lived experience expertise. Through our rich and diverse expertise among our leadership, we have been involved in contributing perspectives and recommendations at various high-level conversations about transforming mental health and working collaboratively with policymakers, governments, professionals, researchers, and other stakeholders.

Message to aspiring women entrepreneurs

The world is often dominated by men, especially in leadership positions or industries that may be perceived as not gender suitable for women – this should never be a motivation to accept what is expected or perceived, rather taken on as a challenge to create change. I perceive this scenario similar to people with mental health conditions, who are often not considered for leadership positions but it does not mean, the person is not capable of leading.

Live by the following … explore your vision, believe in yourself, expect the best of what you are capable of, and when doors close in your face and your vision becomes blurry, refocus and keep going.

It is now taking women at the top like Shirley Nelson to create leadership opportunities for women at their organizations. As the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Summit Bank, Shirley has made it a point to ensure that training and opportunities for growth are provided for the women in the organization. She also feels that new laws requiring publicly held companies have at least one woman on their board of directors is a good step in the right direction.

The Career Path

Shirley graduated from Celina High School in Celina, Tennessee, and has an honorary Ph.D. from John F Kennedy University. I started my banking career in 1964 in Alaska and spent fifteen years as a Branch Manager of a Bay Area Regional Bank before leaving in 1982 after 2 years of work to create and launch Summit Bank, which opened on July 1, 1982.

At present, Shirley serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Bancshares, Inc., as Executive Chairman of Summit Bank, and as the Chairman of the Summit Bank Foundation. She has created and leads one of the most consistently highly ranked and highly praised independent banks in California.

Making her Way

When Shirley started her banking career, it was an industry dominated by men in leadership roles. She faced adversity as a woman and found it hard to receive acceptance from her male peers. Not one to shy away from a challenge, she set out to establish her bank when she realized that promotion and higher salary opportunities were not available because of her gender.

When the bank opened for business she was not the President due to her lack of experience in an administrative role. Even after she became President and CEO of Summit Bank, she found it difficult to build deep and meaningful relationships with her male counterparts at other banks. Without a network to go to for guidance or advice she set out to accomplish her goals and ensure that Summit Bank was a successful enterprise. “It wasn’t easy and required many long hours to learn what I didn’t know I needed to know. In time, I have developed a strong network with the CEOs of other local banks,” recalls Shirley.

In addition to the personal challenges, she also faced a few due to the volatile nature of the industry –  the changes in federal regulations throughout the years, as well as the constant shifts in the economy, pose constant challenges in the risk they face every day.

About the Company

Shirley’s idea to start a bank came as a result of not being treated as an equal in the banking world. She soon started to look at her existing customer base and imagine a bank that specialized in very personal service to that base, which happened to be medical professionals. Feeling a deep passion for the banking industry, she set out to chart her own course and two and a half years later, opened Summit Bank in Oakland, California. Summit Bank has been profitable since its second month in operation and has continued its profitability every single month for the past thirty-nine years.

Summit Bank is a full-service community bank. Customer service is the one factor that sets them apart from others and differentiates them from other banks. Summit’s service is so personalized that it stands alone as the best among other community banks. Employees are highly trained to know each client and treat them like family. Employees get to know clients on a personal basis and the clients know and feel that they are an important part of the Summit Bank family. Shirley says, “Our one-on-one approach with our clientele, the special attention we pay to our employees, and the resulting financial successes enjoyed by Summit Bank have earned Summit Bank extensive recognition in the industry.”

The Industry’s dynamics and Summit’s Strategy

Shirley has been in the banking industry since 1964. Summit Bank opened during a recession and the prime rate was 21%. She has led the bank through many economic downturns, including recessions. In this current environment, even she is at a loss to project a vision. She says, “The world is different than ever before. I feel that economically, we are in a place we have never been before. I can’t even wrap my mind around the huge debt of our country and the impact of that and will ultimately have on interest rates which is a major risk for everyone and all banks. The new forms of currency require a discussion that is way above my pay grade. I just believe there is a huge risk in it.”

Talking about Summit Bank’s growth, she says,” Our growth at Summit Bank has come from referrals of our satisfied clients. I believe that people will always be people and that people will always have needs. Our strategy is simple – we continue to do what we have done, and we always do our best to take care of those we serve.” Shirley plans to remain competitive on the technology front and strive to be the best at what they do.

Building a Future by banking on Past Experiences

Shirley considers her curiosity as an asset that has helped her learn by asking questions right from the time she started her career as a teller at the National Bank of Alaska to her current position as the CEO. As a result, she sincerely knows that one learns from the mistakes one makes. So she believes one should train others by giving them the authority to fail. It was her curiosity that helped shape her innovation which led to the birth of Summit Bank and in 1998 the Summit Bank Foundation.

The Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Summit Bank, was created for the very purpose of supporting the community in deep and meaningful ways. The foundation has supported early childhood financial literacy programs, providing college scholarships to high school students in Oakland, and funded stroke and cancer research at UCSF. “Our community work inspires our clients and other community partners and I would like to see us support our communities in even larger ways than we have in the past. We have partnered with some of our country’s greatest athletes, Joe Morgan, Bill Russell, David Casper, Vida Blue, and others to create scholarships for the underserved in Oakland schools. There is such a great need. I will continue to focus on maintaining continuity and success within Summit Bank,” adds Shirley.

Being a role model

Shirley loves being able to help people fulfill their dreams and become financially independent. From the beginning of her banking career, she has enjoyed being able to provide support and help to people, allowing them to better their lives. This motivation has deepened throughout her life and led to the founding of the Summit Bank Foundation.

Her story has been an inspiration for young women who look up to her and her growth in a sector filled with adversities for women. To such young women, Shirley says that they need to have a passion for whatever they are doing. “You have to love what you are doing to be successful. Be sure to always feed that hunger of curiosity,” advises Shirley.

On her part, she feels that as mentors in leadership, it is the responsibility of leaders like her to lead by example, to teach and share their knowledge and lived experiences, to be inspirational, to create opportunities for those who are coming up as emergent leaders.

Finding the True Destination

In the early days as an entrepreneur, Naz was frequently challenged by the lawyers she hired. Her bold decisions and out-of-the-box solutions were often questioned and stumbled upon the legal roadblocks, resulting in low efficiency and even tension. Her being a woman leader was another underlying issue. So she decided to find the solutions herself and thus began her legal career.

Since then, Naz has been proving herself as a lawyer and as a woman leader by solving one problem after another efficiently. At work, however, she seldom differentiates between men and women and instead focuses on the work itself and dedicates herself to it as a human being. “Occasionally, I wonder if I could have achieved more if I were a man. I know there is no true answer, but I firmly believe that my success today comes from my hard work and dedication. I am devoted to challenging myself through the use of my strengths rather than my gender,” says Naz.

The Firm

Schinder Law Firm (SLF) is one of the most successful leading law firms in Indonesia and is proficient in a wide range of legal services with an impressive roster of globally positioned clients.

SLF provides clients with a comprehensive spectrum of domestic and international legal services, from the initial foreign investment decision to the establishment and operation of a successful Indonesian business. It supports its clients with its expertise in business formation, compliance, acquiring properties, obtaining permits, hiring workers and contractors, and every other legal need for their business.

The firm also has the unique ability to not only guide clients with practical solutions and advice on Indonesia’s complex, dynamic regulatory landscape including all corporate and commercial issues from every day to the uncommon but also function as a principal partner in all legal matters. SLF’s practise encompasses the whole range of commercial and financial disputes including arbitration and mediation, insurance litigation, banking litigation, administrative law matters, proceedings for judicial review, and more.

As Naz watched the popularity and wide application of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) grow both internationally and regionally, she knew she wanted to put Indonesia on the international ADR map. So in 2017, she launched Bali International Arbitration and Mediation Center (BIAMC) as a Founding Chair and CEO. “We could hardly ignore the game-changing global initiatives such as ASEAN, OBOR, and APEC or the local Indonesian primary directives to increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),” recalls Naz.

Today, BIAMC has also become an educational and training resource for the international arbitration and mediation community. It offers introductory and certification programs in collaboration with various regional universities, institutions, and organisations in both forms of dispute settlement. As a private, neutral, non-profit organization, BIAMC aims to develop Indonesia’s arbitration and mediation capabilities through international cooperation and education.

Amid the pandemic in 2020, as the pace of digital transformation accelerated, SLF has been paying more attention to digital development, privacy, and data protection. Therefore, together with Indonesian and foreign experts, Naz established Indonesia’s first official Association for Data Protection Officers (APPDI). APPDI is a non-profit organisation that provides a forum for professionals to share their practices and to learn and understand personal data protection principles. It provides certification courses and training on data privacy and cyberlaw for professionals such as Data Protection Officers and grants qualifications to create new employment opportunities. APPDI is dedicated to building a broad network of privacy and data protection professionals in Indonesia to share our ideas, knowledge, and passion for protecting individual’s rights in the digital era.

Staying Motivated

With so much on her platter, one is bound to think about how does Naz manage everything and what keeps her motivated to give her best day after day. Naz is driven by her daughter who constantly touches and inspires her. She says, “I am motivated by being a role model for her. I thrive to shape my best self and keep improving in all aspects of myself to influence and inspire my daughter.”

Her colleagues and employees motivate her as well as challenge and positively stimulate her and their dedication and hard work inspire her to do her best as a professional and their leader. Although separated from her team physically due to the pandemic, Naz feels everyone has grown closer as everyone is willing to contribute and help each other in this globally tough time.

A secret mantra that has kept Naz going through all the ups and downs in her professional, as well as personal life, is “If others can do it, you can do it.” Naz repeats this mantra to herself to overcome her fears. Her life has been marred by incidences that brought her grief and made her face fear. Being a tough soul, she has taken everything into her stride and stood firm on her beliefs. “Whether it is the pain or the joy of life, I regard it as a precious experience. Be brave to face setbacks and grief but to embrace the moments of happiness. If others can do it, I can do it too. I believe these experiences have shaped the person I am today. I also believe that those who succeed do not dwell on the past but aim to create a better present and a better future,” adds Naz.

The Industry and its challenges

The legal landscape in Indonesia is extremely complex for a variety of reasons. Many laws have vague provisions and poor operability. As a result, there are many contradictions and conflicts between laws. For SLF’s clients, particularly foreign investors, the constant changing laws, and regulations create a lack of continuity in law enforcement, making it difficult for them to fully meet and grasp the latest requirements. Another factor that makes the legal environment challenging in Indonesia is the deep-rooted religious sentiments and culture that influence or even displace common legal practice.

Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on everyday life. As a result, the law industry is undergoing significant changes. Legal service is witnessing the trend of intelligence technology and professional lawyers. Therefore, this new pattern of “law + science and technology” can improve the efficiency of legal services, and through the use of technology, SLF is ensuring the professionalization of legal services. However, these changes will pose challenges faced by lawyers changing the landscape of the law industry.

Staying Ahead of Competition

 Naz’s life philosophy centres around always putting clients and her people at the heart of everything she does. She says, “Our people have an absolute focus on core areas of law to ensure we create the genuine depth of expertise our clients expect. Investing in our people would never stop regardless of competition because I believe that only excellent people can provide excellent services.”

The age of data is also an age of competition for intelligence which also requires creativity, imagination, leadership, and responsibility. Naz feels that the focus has shifted from knowledge to creativity, innovation, constructive and independent thinking, and independence. As such, her future goal is to work in education to motivate and encourage young people with inspiring stories and insights and provide them with a clear path to success and to follow their dreams. “I have managed many different companies in different industries, and I gained wisdom and experience from corporate leaders during our collaboration. I hope to make use of these experiences to give back to society and teach young people who are eager to learn and improve,” adds Naz.

Mentoring Young Women

For young women entrepreneurs who take inspiration from her journey, Naz says, “Success means achieving what we set out to do or reaching beyond that. In everything that we aspire to do, the ultimate benchmark in achieving success and happiness. After all, happiness is the ultimate goal of all decisions we make in life.”

 She urges them to understand that success does not have to be about wealth, knowledge, talent, or power but the secret lies in one’s mindset and belief. “Let go of distractions and doubts about your ability, especially when it comes to gender bias. Get rid of negative, passive, and other ideological obstacles, broaden your thinking, understand your advantages, build up confidence, and be positive when dealing with difficulties and challenges,” emphasizes Naz.

Naz’s other significant achievements are

• Awarded as the Asian Outstanding Awards in 2021
• Awarded as the Leader in Law of the Year in Indonesia in 2021
• Contributor to the World Bank Group’s flagship knowledge products certificate in 2020
• Member of the Indonesian Delegation to the United Nation UNCITRAL Working Group II on Arbitration and Conciliation Dispute Settlements since 2019
• Awarded as one of the Top 50 Business Women in Asia in 2018