• Lifestyle

by merilee-kern-mba

May 2, 2024

10 Ways To Be ‘Water Wise’ Even In The Workplace

Hydration is an overlooked part of a healthy life. Here's how to do it right.

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Originally Published April 13, 2020.

Water.

We all need it—and know we need it—for optimum health and wellness, but a shocking few live daily life (and those work hours) in a properly hydrated state and certainly not with appropriate consistency. One doctor-driven report revealed that a staggering 75% of Americans may suffer from chronic dehydration.

“Over time, failure to drink enough water can contribute to a wide array of medical complications, from fatigue, joint pain and weight gain to headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure and kidney disease,” the report read.

Apparently, this is the tip of the proverbial dehydration-induced illness iceberg.

“During a normal day, we lose about two liters of water just through breathing, sweat and other bodily functions,” notes board-certified internist Dr. Blanca Lizaola-Mayo. “Even while sleep, we can lose over one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of water-weight not just through sweating, but respiration as well. Even air conditioning has drying effects on our body. The health implications of dehydration are vast and can range from mild to severe, including problems with the heart, blood pressure and breathing, headaches and cognitive issues like concentration…just to name a few. Those who’ve felt that ‘afternoon slump’ should know that dehydration is the No. 1 cause of daytime fatigue. And, it’s important to understand that when we first start to sense thirst, we are already close to 2% dehydrated.”

For all of its importance, proper hydration is a delicate balance to uphold. An Institute of Medicine report cited the fragility of keeping the body duly hydrated, noting, “Over the course of a few hours, body water deficits can occur due to reduced intake or increased water losses from physical activity and environmental (e.g., heat) exposure.” So, a perfectly hydrated body can tip the scales into a dehydrated state in a fairly short amount of time, whether actively (as with exercising), or passively (as with breathing).

Here are some insights and tips from preeminent health experts to help you stay happily hydrated:

How Much Water Do You Need?

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “Many factors impact how much water you need, including your age, gender, activity level, and overall health. For women, the amount of total water is about 11.5 cups per day and for men about 15.5 cups. These estimates, however, include fluids consumed from both foods and beverages, including water. You typically get about 20% of the water you need from the food you eat. Taking that into account, women need about nine cups of fluid per day and men about 12.5 cups in order to help replenish the amount of water that is lost.”

What Are Common Causes of Dehydration?

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don’t drink enough because you’re sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you’re traveling, hiking or camping.” While certainly not all-inclusive, known causes for dehydration can encompass sweating from exercise and playing a sport; air travel; traversing in overly hot, humid, cold or windy weather conditions; drinking too much coffee and other diuretic beverages; recovering from a hangover; and a litany of other relatively commonplace daily activities.

Do All Fluids Hydrate the Body?

No. The Cleveland Clinic is very clear with its advisory that “Some beverages are better than others at preventing dehydration,” and that “alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, teas, and colas, are not recommended for optimal hydration. These fluids tend to pull water from the body and promote dehydration. Fruit juice and fruit drinks may have too many carbohydrates, too little sodium, and may upset the stomach. Adequate hydration will keep your summer activities safer and much more enjoyable.”

What Are Some Benefits of Proper Hydration?

While the benefits of a properly hydrated body are copious, the CDC points to a few top-line health advantages, including keeping your temperature normal; lubricating and cushioning joints, protecting your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues; and getting rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements. Healthline also offers a number of evidence-based health benefits of drinking plenty of water, which include maximizing physical performance; optimized energy levels and mood; and aiding digestion and elimination.

Be mindful of water intake, however, as Dr. Lizaola-Mayo warns, “Drinking too much water or fluid can lead to hyponatremia, which causes sodium in the cells to become diluted and too low and can be dangerous—and even life-threatening—if untreated.”

What Are Signs of Early or Mild Dehydration?

The Rehydration Project, a nonprofit organization, says that “the degree of dehydration is graded according to signs and symptoms that reflect the amount of fluid lost. In the early stages of dehydration, there are no signs or symptoms. Early features are difficult to detect but include dryness of mouth and thirst. As dehydration increases, signs and symptoms develop.”

According to the organization, symptoms of early or mild dehydration include the following: flushed face; extreme thirst; consuming more than normal or the inability to drink; dry, warm skin; the inability to pass urine or reduced amounts (dark, yellow); dizziness made worse when standing; weakness; cramping in the arms and legs; crying with few or no tears; sleepiness or irritableness; sickness; headaches; dry mouth or dry tongue with thick saliva.

What Are Signs of Moderate to Severe Dehydration?

According to The Rehydration Project they include low blood pressure; fainting; severe muscle contractions in the arms, legs, stomach, and back; convulsions; a bloated stomach; heart failure; sunken fontanelle—soft spot on an infant’s head; sunken dry eyes with few or no tears; skin loses its firmness and looks wrinkled; lack of elasticity of the skin (when a bit of skin lifted up stays folded and takes a long time to go back to its normal position); rapid and deep breathing (faster than normal); and a fast, weak pulse.

“In severe dehydration, these effects become more pronounced and the patient may develop evidence of hypovolemic shock, including diminished consciousness; lack of urine output; cool moist extremities; a rapid and feeble pulse (the radial pulse may be undetectable); low or undetectable blood pressure; and peripheral cyanosis,” according to The Rehydration Project. “Death follows soon if rehydration is not started quickly.”

Who is at Greatest Risk of Dehydration?

No one is immune to a dehydrated condition, but certain populations are at greater risk. The Mayo Clinic points to infants and children, older adults, those with chronic illnesses, and people who work or exercise outside.

Serious complications can ensue, which can include heat injury (ranging in severity from mild cramps to heat exhaustion or potentially life-threatening heatstroke); urinary tract infections, kidney stones and even kidney failure; seizures due to electrolyte imbalance, sometimes with a loss of consciousness; and low blood volume (hypovolemic) shock.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s time to call a doctor if you or a loved one “has had diarrhea for 24 hours or more; is irritable or disoriented and much sleepier or less active than usual; can’t keep down fluids; and/or has bloody or black stool.”

How Can You Be a Water-Wise Shopper?

The USDA recommends consumers shop smartly. “Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose beverages at the grocery store. The food label and ingredients list contain information about added sugars, saturated fat, sodium and calories to help you make better choices.”

There are also highly efficacious and economical dehydration avoidance and treatment innovations that can be integrated into one’s lifestyle and used on a daily basis. The experts at SOS Hydration explain that its medically-formulated drink-mix powder accelerates hydration equivalent to an I.V. drip, rehydrating the body fully three-times faster than by drinking water alone. This product’s heightened hydration process leverages the body’s digestive “sodium/glucose co-transport system”—an Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

Can Foods Help You Stay Hydrated?

Yes, the body intakes hydration not only from water and other liquids but foodstuffs as well—some boasting as much 90% water content. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, those in the 90-100% water content range include fruits like cantaloupe, strawberries and watermelon; as well as vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, celery, spinach, and cooked squash. Options with a 70% to 89% water content include fruits like bananas, grapes, oranges, pears, and pineapples; vegetables such as carrots, cooked broccoli and avocados; and dairy products like yogurt, cottage cheese and ricotta cheese.

For drinks, EatRight.org advise we focus on unsweetened beverages, like water, in order to limit calories from added sugars, and to use strategies to increase water intake—like adding a flavor enhancer.

Can Sports Drinks Actually Undermine Hydration?

Yes. Why pay extra money for excess sugar when what you really need are electrolytes?

“In truth, only a very small amount of sugar is required to help transport electrolytes and water into the cells as part of the sodium-glucose co-transport system,” Dr. Lizaola-Mayo says. “In fact, this system is most effective when it utilizes one molecule of sugar and one molecule of sodium in combination, which helps create the fastest and most effective way to transport water into the cells for hydration. Even water rehydration and other drinks that do actually claim to utilize the sodium-glucose co-transport system have been shown to contain excess sugar to enhance taste, apparently discounting the fact that that this added sugar commensurately increases calorie count and actually undermines cellular H2O absorption.

“If there is excess sugar in a drink, even one engineered as a rehydration solution, then you can trigger reverse osmosis,” the doctor continues. This process occurs when there is an incorrect balance of sugar to sodium. Sodium always follows sugar and water always follows sodium. In a drink that is correctly balanced (utilizing the sodium-glucose co-transport system) then the water and electrolytes optimally flow into the cells. In high sugar ‘rehydration’ drinks there is too much sugar for the quantity of sodium and, as such, sodium and then water is actually leeched from the cells and passed out of the body as urine. This can actually cause dehydration—the opposite effect for a rehydration or sports beverage one has spent their hard-earned dollars to purchase.”

So whether indoors or out, active or at rest, suffering illness or perfectly healthy, one thing is clear: Keeping your water sources well at hand and ingesting with regularity (and consistency) can have a profoundly beneficial effect on your health and well-being.

It’s one easy and highly accessible assist for a multitude of maladies.

Written by Merilee Kern

• Entrepreneurship

by merilee-kern-mba

December 12, 2023

3 Surprising Reasons Your Crisis Management Plan May Fail

Here are three modern techniques to help small businesses survive when a crisis arrives.

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Originally Published Nov. 13, 2020

The problem with much of the current discourse surrounding crisis management—and rest assured there’s an overabundance to be found—is that it largely regurgitates mindsets and methodologies that are underwhelming in today’s complex macro-economic climate, at best, and that have been rendered entirely antiquated given current conditions at worst. Novel challenges like the COVID-19 lock-down demand commensurately fresh ideation—most certainly that intend to help organizations large and small survive and succeed amid today’s brand of chaos.

With this in mind, I turned to Kiya Dowdy Frazier and Oscar Frazier, principles at nDemand Consulting—a global crisis management firm that designs and implements leading-edge techniques helping federal government agencies, heads of state, corporations, and entrepreneurial small businesses maneuver through, and beyond, menacing circumstances. This includes countering violent extremism (CVE) across seven countries within the continent of Africa.

Affectionately known as the Mr. and Mrs. Smith of crisis management, team Frazier offers three modern crisis management techniques that, while somewhat counterintuitive, are duly compelling and convincingly sensible.

Gaining Trust Isn’t Enough 

Gaining marketplace trust, building relationships, and even securing leads require radically different approaches in today’s post-pandemic world. People have grown weary of misinformation and contradictory statements from those in positions of authority and are perhaps more jaded and doubtful now than ever before. When there is a lack of understanding, or there are credibility concerns, fear and defensiveness take over as the default operating system and individuals put their guard up. Here is a reframe: The ability to gain trust isn’t entirely futile, but rather it’s the method of connecting with people that requires change. The first step now begins with “me too.” Far beyond trust, today’s recalibrated marketplace mindset requires relatability and authenticity on a critical mass scale.

Many are facing the exact same challenges, whether related to COVID-19 impacts or otherwise. So be empathetic, approachable, and forthcoming about your own challenges and experiences. That level of vulnerability—demonstrating that you are just as concerned and affected as the person you’re meeting—are highly effective ways to build trust.

Prior to coronavirus wreaking havoc on the world, gaining trust and connecting with people often came by demonstrating achievements, a high level of training, or subject matter expertise. This kind of instant validity without emotional drivers is going by the wayside. Sentiment matters. Now, people need to know that you can relate to them and them to you in kind. Being able to identify with one another will be the lifeblood of successful businesses.

Data Management Falls Short 

Collecting and analyzing data to drive decision making internally within the organization is no longer enough. Today, transparency about what that data “means” is paramount and represents both a gift and curse of data. While everyone is apt to share good news, even a simple, unintentional oversight or dulling of data can have costly implications. In today’s highly competitive marketplace, there are fewer chances to “get it right” and even make up for what we’ve done. Not just curating and managing data, business owners must be spot on with interpreting those data analytics and reporting in kind.

Indeed, the ability to leverage those analytics for both short- and long-term modernization is key to survival. But, in this new environment, we have to find ways to do more with less in the here and now. Less resources, fewer shots to take, and different methods of communication—even within a company’s own teams— is paramount. Data, good or bad, is a lifeline here and processing of informational inputs for highly intentional and strategic decision making is the order of the day. Naturally, the first step is clearly communicating key findings. But companies often miss the second and third piece: helping the audience, whether internal or external, make sense of everything, as well as following up with a clear plan of action to mitigate risk, resolve current issues, and position themselves for a stronger future.  It is one thing to provide data, it is very different to provide data with actionable tactics.

Migrating content and processes to the cloud, creating shared environments, and establishing tools to strengthen communication and data access across constituencies has become part and parcel for a growing number of organizations. This kind of tactical and readily deployable adjustment is a step in the right direction toward better managing and aptly leveraging one’s data trove.

Messaging Methodologies Miss The Mark

Validation-driven micro-communication is now where it’s at. Rather than just asserting positioning and talking points, companies need to demonstrate the impact of their messaging in as specific terms as possible. Everything a company conveys to the masses needs to be demonstrated with results and reference points people can access. The ability to effectively and efficiently communicate virtually and remotely via digital solutions is no longer an option, but rather an imperative. Companies must be ever-mindful that there’s increased awareness of—and desire for—community, connection, humility, and social responsibility that should now underpin most, if not all, communications in this post-pandemic era.

Companies must also make a concerted effort to control their message across all platforms, including social media where information (and misinformation) spreads quickly. The right words conveyed with the right tone and with the proper imagery is what’s required.

“The very thought of the word ‘crisis’ tends to spur a sense of panic,” Kiya Frazier says. “Even so, it’s wise to take emergency situations head-on and with a laser focus. Any crisis management plan that tries to take on too much, or otherwise veers away from the actual and core crisis at hand, is one that’s likely to fall short at best or, worse, fail altogether.”

“When people panic, they tend to inflate or deflate factual data to fit their own needs, desires, agenda, or gut instincts,” Oscar Frazier adds. “This is the single biggest mistake a company in crisis can make, since processing data objectively is key. Situation analysis requires taking a cold, hard look at realities and making even the most difficult—if not painful—of decisions to get back on a recuperative course.”

Today’s class of business challenges requires a recalibrated approach to crisis management and communications. Even tried-and-true tactics of yore may deliver diminishing returns as industry and markets evolve in tandem with public health, political, and socioeconomic events. Undertaking the three tactical strategies above can foster the kind of progressive paradigm shift required to help companies best weather those inevitable and seemingly omnipresent storms.

RELATED CONTENT: Jonathan Majors Gets Dropped By Management Team Amid Domestic Violence Arrest

• Technology

by merilee-kern-mba

December 12, 2023

5 AI Trends Profoundly Benefiting Business Bottom Lines

Emerging AI methodologies are helping forward-thinking companies achieve and sustain true agility, fuel growth, and compete aggressively.

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Originally Published Nov. 16, 2020

In today’s tumultuous business-scape amid increasingly intricate, and often vexing, marketplace conditions, curating and mining data to drive analytics-based decision-making is no longer enough. For competing with maximum, sustained impact and mitigated opportunity loss, it’s rapidly monetizing data that’s now the name of the game—particularly when spurred by artificial intelligence (AI). Indeed, emerging AI methodologies are helping forward-thinking companies achieve and sustain true agility, fuel growth, and compete far more aggressively than ever before.

AI is critical as a means toward those ends and also certainly with respect to aptly predicting, preparing, and responding to prospective crises. In fact, Gartner  cited the need for “smarter, faster, more responsible AI” as its No. 1 trend that data and analytics leaders should focus on—particularly those looking to “make essential investments to prepare for a post-pandemic reset.” Novel coronavirus matters aside, Gartner underscored just how impactful AI will become, predicting that, “by the end of 2024, 75% of enterprises will shift from piloting to operationalizing AI, driving a 5X increase in streaming data and analytics infrastructures.”

To innovate “data and analytics leaders require an ever-increasing velocity and scale of analysis in terms of processing and access to succeed in the face of unprecedented market shifts,” said Rita Sallam, distinguished VP analyst, Gartner.

However, employing AI techniques like machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to glean insights and render projections is simply no longer “enough” to get the job done—especially for organizations seeking to compete efficiently on a national, multi-national, or global scale. Today’s organizations must endeavor toward a culture of AI-driven data literacy that directly and positively influences their top and bottom lines.

“To help data monetization-minded enterprises better future-proof their operations and asset-amplify their data value chain, there are a few key ways to implement and elevate machine intelligence so that it’s far smarter, faster, and more accountable than protocols past,” says Microsoft alum Irfan Khan, founder and CEO of CLOUDSUFI—an AI solutions firm automating data supply chains to propel and actualize data monetization.

Below, Khan details five benefits of leveraging AI data-driven insights and technology in a way that will create actual and actionable value right now—the kind of insights that enable new and evolved business models and empower companies to increase both revenue and profitability.

Manifesting new market opportunities

Today’s machine learning capabilities allow people to sift through data that previously could not be accessed, all at speeds faster than ever before. Present technology offers the opportunity to wholly analyze image, spoken, or written inputs rather than just numerical, helping companies better find connections across these diverse data sets. This generates and maximizes value in a number of ways. Relative to the bottom and top lines, not only can it significantly reduce expenses, but it can also create new market opportunities.

Machine learning advancements also help companies better monetize their data and establish new revenue streams. In the above example, of course patient information would not be shared or sold in any way, but other highly valuable data points can be gleaned. This includes determining that a certain drug is only effective on woman between certain ages—critical insights for pharmaceutical developers and physicians.

Emerging AI data processing protocols are far more rapid than prior iterations of machine-learning technology, as are the resulting solutions, discoveries, and profit-producing results thereof.

Reconcile emotions with actualities

Data generate value, which lead to the generation of money. It’s that simple. Previously, it was difficult, if not humanly impossible, to sift through mass amounts of data and pinpoint relationships. There existed very rudimentary tools like regression and correlation, but today’s analytics call for gaining a true understanding of what extracted data actually means. How do you convert data into a story you can actually tell? Often, decisions are made based on emotional foundations. Leaders are using data to either validate their gut or disagree with their instincts. Now, they are getting quicker insights that decisively validate or invalidate their thinking, while also prompting them to ask new questions. So, garnering meaning out of a company’s own data provides tremendous advantages.

“Human nature is such that unless we can see it, touch it, feel it, it’s hard to understand it,” Khan says. “We as data scientists haven’t done a really great job of explaining AI-driven data technology in simple terms. Telling a story with data or demonstrating actual results is where real power and understanding lies.”

Scale statistical models for actionable models

We often separate our data as factuals, asserting “this is what happened.” Neural networks connect the “human decision-making process” to those factuals—a simulation practice that helps us make better decisions. Previously, we would look at data sets like demographics, customer behaviors, and such in silos. But when these multiple data sets are connected, it becomes quite evident that no two humans—or customers—are exactly alike.

Technology is now allowing us to understand trends on a factual level and then project outward. In the health realm, some companies are using this key learning to project whether or not a person is likely to suffer a certain affliction. It’s also allowing for far more efficacious “if this, then what?” scenarios. If a diabetic person takes insulin controls, then their treatment protocol will change. This is enabling highly personalized medicine. But the same processes, principles and benefits hold true in non-health categories as well—encompassing all industries, across the board.

Future-proof, anti-fragile data supply chains

From data connectors to pipelines; data lakes to statistical models; AI to Quantum; visual storyboards to data-driven automation; ML to NLP to Neural Networks and more, there are highly effective methods for future-proofing your data value chain. The data supply chain is quite complex and, to make it future-proof and non-fragile, it requires thoughtful processing from the point of creation to the point of consumption of actionable insights.

It starts with data acquisition—garnering a wide variety and volume of data from a number of internal and external sources where data are being generated by the millisecond. Once the data are identified and ingested, they need to brought to a central point where they can be explored, cleansed, transformed, augmented and enriched, and finally modeled for use toward a purpose. Then comes statistical and heuristic modeling. These models can be of different types using different algorithms yielding different levels of accuracy in different scenarios. Models then need to be tuned and provided an environment for continuous feedback, learning, and monitoring. Finally, is the visualization of outcomes—an explanation demonstrated by drawing cause-effect relationships that highlight where the most impact happens. This leads to a conclusion on how a set of problems can be solved or opportunities uncovered.

“Most organizations have some data and drive different levels of business process improvement and strategic decisions with it,” Khan notes. “However, few use data to the fullest. The right approach to data valuation and monetization can uncover limitless possibilities, including customer centricity, operational efficiency, competitive advantage, strategic partnerships, efficient operations, improved profitability, and new revenue streams.”

Multimedia monetization

Up to now, we have been able to write algorithms, generate immense amounts of numerical or written data, and make sense of it. However, there is a significant amount of data that comes as images or voice, which has not been easy to process and manage until recent developments. The applications for the processing of visual and auditory inputs are endless. In fact, retail and finance industries have been early adopters of this technology—and with good reason. They’ve seen costs go down, engagement go up, sales increase and benefitted from other highly substantial points of monetization.

Now, a large department store can digitize their video data every night and determine that “X” number of people saw “X” number of jeans, but they had to walk farther to get to it.  As a result, the department store can put those items closer to the door and walkways to determine if sales increase in kind.

Even the education realm is tapping AI-driven data. The technology is tracking retina movement to discern if kids are engaged amid the remote learning paradigm ushered in by the pandemic. They’re exploring how to measure the retina to determine whether or not a child is actually engaged in the lesson.

Radiology is starting to convert visual data and track it to gain a deeper understanding of digital images and video. MRIs are better able to track brain tumors—whether they are growing or shrinking and at what rate and if they are getting darker or lighter in terms of the regions. This kind of AI-driven learning is helping doctors better detect cancer and treat it more rapidly. Video data processing of the human eye can also be used to determine if a person is drunk, fatigued, or even has a disease. Voice machine learning has also keenly evolved. Originally, voice recognition was being utilized to discern if a person was actually suicidal, which could be accurately predicted by inflection points in a person’s voice. Now, if that person can be captured on video, it is deemed to be about 20 times more accurate.

“All of this possibly had previously demanded a hefty price tag using systems and solutions of yore,” Khan noted. “Today, integrating multiple processes across hybrid multi-cloud environments has made data processing and analytics much more accessible and outsourceable. This negates the need for companies to purchase cost-prohibitive servers and other machine hardware.”

As one of the world’s leading experts on building transparency into supply chains, Khan doesn’t just talk the talk, he’s walked the walk. As a revered marketplace change agent, he’s known for driving business transformation and customer-centric turnaround growth strategies in a multitude of environments. In addition to engineering partnerships with MIT, Khan has successfully led organizational changes and process improvement in markets across the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia.

“New AI solutions and trends will eliminate patchwork processes that cause data, and interpretations thereof, to get lost in translation or, even worse, remain entirely undiscovered,” Khan says. “Next-Gen platforms are solving such problems by executing all functions required to create and govern AI products— single-source systems that pull data, transform, model, tunes and recommend actions with cause-effect transparency.”

For niche players, today’s leading-edge AI technology also aptly provides for vertical industry specialization. “Emerging solutions enable common data models, compliance, and interoperability requirements that, in turn, accelerate model validation, refinement and implementation that’s specific to a given sector or marketplace,” notes Khan. “All of this ultimately drives speed to insights on previously unsolved problems, which reveals untapped opportunities and automates workflow integrated cognitive solutions.

“Overall, AI is ushering in a new and more sophisticated era of data literacy,” he continues. “It’s a new paradigm founded on automated, comprehensive, and holistic data discovery, which is fostering elevated cognitive insights and actionable strategies that positively impact the top and bottom line.”

Perhaps the future mandate for AI should not only focus on becoming smarter, faster, and more accountable than its predecessors, but actually bridge the gap between human intuition and data-backed decisions. Doing so will assuredly advance an organization’s ability to transact with utmost trust.

RELATED CONTENT: Survey Shows What Folks Really Think About Artificial Intelligence In The Hiring Process

If you want to be the best and grow your business, not only do you have to hire and reward the best employees … you must either develop or remove the rest. It’s that simple. Toward this end, you might be surprised to learn that traditional, so-called “tried-and-true” performance management methods fail. One top offender is the ubiquitous and erroneously exalted performance review.

According to leadership expert and executive coach Roxi Bahar Hewertson, CEO of Highland Consulting Group Inc. and AskRoxi.com, “This HR ‘tool’ will not help your business achieve any of its growth results. In fact, leaning on performance reviews to assess staffers can greatly increase the likelihood of achieving the exact opposite results.”

Business leaders and human resource professionals have had a doctrine hammered into them that annual evaluations or reviews are sufficient to document employee performance. According to Hewertson, who just released her highly anticipated second book, Hire Right, Fire Right: A Leader’s Guide to Finding and Keeping Your Best People, the problem with that logic is it’s short-sighted and often inaccurate.

A Better Way to Evaluate Employees

“There are times when managers need to fire someone, but find that nothing in that person’s ‘personnel file‘ indicates a problem, and too often the opposite is true,” she says. “This is a chronic problem when supervisors don’t like to (or don’t know how to) deliver ongoing constructive feedback when it’s needed—all year long rather than during one ceremonial yearly event. This is the stuff grievances, arbitrations, and lawsuits are made of and, quite often, are legal battles lost by management for good reason. Having an annual performance evaluation or review isn’t a panacea. It’s more akin to “using a broken crutch for a broken leg.”

In fact, studies are emerging that further substantiate such performance evaluation shortcomings. A recent U.S. National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health study published in 2020 provides evidence that “performance feedback discussions can have counterproductive effects by increasing the recipient’s self-serving attributions for past performance,” with unintended associated effects including “lower feedback acceptance” and “lower motivation to change.”

Businesses need something far more effective because the “old way” is just not going to help retain your best talent, engage your high potentials, or course correct below-par performance. Ultimately, annual performance evaluations are a waste of management’s time and your organization’s money while exacerbating opportunity loss. And, “nearly everyone hates to give and receive them,” Hewertson says.

There’s a better way.

Hewertson advocates that businesses wholly replace formal performance reviews with a personal dialogues (PD) Process. A PD is not a traditional performance evaluation. As Hewertson explains, it is instead a powerful and highly strategic conversation between a supervisor and an employee that happens at least once a year and is followed up by check-ins that happen quarterly at the very least, sometimes even more frequently.

“It’s important to establish a protocol and methodology that managers and employees understand and agree to follow,” she says. “Instead of dreading the ‘annual review’ meeting, a PD is a two-way conversation that both parties can look forward to. It’s one that builds, versus diminishes, rapport and trust. The PD is intended to engage both parties in positive ways and add real value.”

Prepping for a Productive Personal Dialogue

Hewertson recommends completing two full annual cycles to allow the process to normalize within your organization’s culture. “You’ll likely find that both staff and supervisors may be initially resistant to the change, but will begin looking forward to these powerful conversations,” she notes. “This is, in part, due to the increase in trust and synergy these conversations generate between the supervisor and the employee as well as the measurable positive business results. The Personal Dialogue process can become a rock-solid cornerstone of dynamic cultural change.”

Hewertson suggests that the PD is scheduled at a mutually convenient time and place allowing enough time for both parties to thoughtfully consider and answer the PD questions thoroughly. Hewertson has had hundreds of these conversations, sometimes in her office, in the employee’s workspace, in a park, on a boat, at a restaurant, and even at a botanical garden.

You might throw up your arms and say, “That’s crazy! I don’t have extended lengths of time to spend with each of my direct reports!”

Consider this: What if you do not spend that time with your employees? You’re already spending some of that time now on performance reviews, and dreading it, with the result likely to be a waste of your time and theirs. In fact, it’s now known that there is a predictable loss of retention of top performers after traditional performance evaluations occur and productivity often goes down among satisfactory employees. Clearly this is not a smart business strategy.

If that weren’t incentive enough, consider how much time and money your organization spends recruiting and onboarding staff. Or, if they’ve been with you for a while, add up how much time and money it will cost you to replace even one of them if they leave because they aren’t happy in the job, aren’t feeling heard or valued, aren’t engaged are underperforming and don’t know it … or all of the above?

“Acquiring and retaining talent is a relational, not a transactional, process,” Hewertson says. This is among the fundamental concepts she shares in her book, Hire Right, Fire Right, in which she also defines and explores the ARC employee life cycle: acquisition (hire right), retention (nurture right), closure (fire right). Her book meticulously guides decision makers through each of these three key interactions relative to both new and existing employees.

“Leaders need tangible and tactical tools, like the PD process as one example, to help ensure their organizations are well equipped to not just take on these talent management challenges but actually win on these key fronts. By following this kind of highly strategic system for developing employees, decision makers can dramatically boost employee retention rates—and revel in the resultant ROI benefits.”

The Personal Dialogue Process

Hewertson’s PD process involves three perspectives: (1) the employee’s perspective; (2) the employee’s beliefs about the supervisor’s perspective; and (3) the supervisor’s perspective. Individually, the supervisor and the direct report write down answers to a series of 10 questions (below) prior to their meeting where they will present and discuss their respective answers.

“It’s insightful to see how accurate or inaccurate the employee’s ‘reading’ is of their direct supervisor,” she says. “They both gain valuable insight about how much they are, or are not, on the same page and can respectively course correct on the spot.”

Hewertson’s PD process for each question goes like this:

• The supervisor asks for the employee’s thoughts and listens carefully to the answers without interruption, asking for clarification where needed.
• The supervisor asks how the employee thinks he/she (the supervisor) will answer, listens without interrupting and asks for clarification where needed.
• The two parties discuss both of the above answers.
• The supervisor then shares her/his thoughts, without interruption, and the employee asks for clarification where needed.
• The two parties discuss where they are the same and where they differ. It is not unusual for an employee to have a different view from the supervisor about strengths and areas for improvement. Employees can underestimate their accomplishments and be overly self-critical—and vice versa.
• Post meeting, the supervisor and the employee share their final notes with each other, or combine them, so they have the same record of their conversation—including where they agreed and disagreed.
• If required, both sign a form for the official “personnel file” that simply says they had the conversation and when, but notes of their meeting do not get filed centrally.

“This process creates the opportunity for the employee to be heard first,” Hewertson underscores. “When the supervisor shares his/her views, they both can then compare similarities and/or differences of their perceptions for each question and of each other. This prevents a one-sided monologue and it reduces the likelihood that employees will say what they think their supervisor wants to hear. Instead, it opens up new topics to explore and keeps assumptions in check. Applying rigor to this conversation creates greater trust and understanding, which is a key ingredient to greater engagement and retention.”

Below are Hewertson’s 10 primary questions and, of course, businesses can and should adapt the questions to suit their own culture and needs. Hewertson cautions you not to stray too far from this format if your goal is to have a dialogue instead of an evaluation. These questions offer the opportunity for a rich and meaningful discussion and come from decades of Hewertson’s experimentation and concerted field testing.

10 PD Questions for Employees

1. Please note 3-5 things you have done especially well in your job in the past year.
2. How did you measure your own performance this year and what were the results?
3. Please note 3-5 things you would like to have accomplished but didn’t. Why? Are any of these a priority for the coming year?
4. What have you liked most about working here this year?
5. What have you liked least about working here this year?
6. What goals and projects are most important to you in the year ahead? How will you know you’ve been successful? Are there any factors—personal, supervisory, or organizational—that might block you from accomplishing your goals?
7. What skills, education, experiences, or assistance (including from your supervisor) do you think would help you accomplish your goals and increase your job satisfaction?
8. What behaviors of yours help you in your interactions with others? What behaviors of yours get in your way in your interactions with others? Please give specific examples of each.
9. Who are you developing to succeed you in your position and what is your succession plan? (If this is not relevant to this person’s position, leave out or replace with a question that is relevant to the position.)
10. What has gone well, and what needs to be improved in your relationship with your supervisor? Please be as specific as you can.

Hewertson also advises that managers be ready to offer one more question, “Is there more?”

“There may be times when a staff member hasn’t shared the whole story about something, or the discussion may have made them think of something they hadn’t initially considered,” she says.

During the PD, performance is discussed in the context of the employee’s overall experience with the job. But Hewertson also clarifies that the nature of the discussion also provides a way for the supervisor to demonstrate respect, honors the employee’s dignity, and recognize the employee’s shared professional partnership by delving into their job, achievements, hopes, disappointments, goals, and needs.

“During this conversation, ongoing expectations and metrics for the future are agreed upon, with full transparency between both parties,” she notes. “It also gives the supervisor ample opportunity to openly appreciate and recognize the employee’s positive contributions.”

It’s noteworthy that Hewertson’s PD process can be used with any employee, unionized or not, nonexempt or exempt, frontline staff, managers, or senior staff. The wording may be adjusted where appropriate for the nature of each employee’s role, but the intent of each question should be kept true. “While some employees will be entirely satisfied with their status quo, they still have hopes, goals, opinions, and things that matter to them in their specific workplace—all of which need to be heard,” Hewertson says. “You’ll never know what is truly important to your employees or what material insights will arise unless you engage in meaningful conversation and ask the right questions.”

While the PD process requires more planning, time, and thought, it has the powerful upside of increasing employee engagement, building trust, and driving positive versus negative ROI for any organization.

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all B2B and B2C categories. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific business and consumer trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme—also delving into the minds behind the brands. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports  / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

• Health and Wellness

by merilee-kern-mba

January 14, 2021

Sherri Shepherd and HealthyWage Partner to Pay $10,000 to Dieters Achieving Weight Loss Goal

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Sherri Shepherd’s second ‘HealthyWager’ initiative to leverage the power and efficacy of financial incentives and expert-caliber support to spur extraordinary success among those dieting-for-dollars through the program

Sherri Shepherd is at it again—endeavoring to lose weight, get fit and healthy and paid for her success related thereto. She’s also motivating America to do the same, as Sherri, an actress, comedian and best-selling author who formerly served as an Emmy Award-winning co-host on The View, recently kicked off her second A-list partnership with HealthyWage, the world’s leading purveyor of financially-induced diet contests for individuals and corporate/team-based weight loss challenges.

Amid the popularity of Sherri Shepherd’s initial “HealthyWager” initiative through which participants vied to win up to $10,000 by hitting their own personal weight loss goal, the esteemed television personality has again teamed with HealthyWage for a re-boot of the initiative, again giving participants a chance to win up to $10,000 by hitting their own personal weight loss goal. As an added bonus and point of motivation, those partaking in Sherri Shepherd’s HealthyWager challenge will also receive a $50 cash bonus added to their grand prize. Sherri’s own goal is to lose 15 pounds in 6-months for which she’ll win $500 if she does so. Interested parties may learn more and enroll in the challenge, which runs through June 18, 2021, online at www.healthywage.com/sherri. View a video of Sherri Shepherd announcing the exciting challenge on Facebook here.

“HealthyWage is actually making weight loss fun,” says Sherri Shepherd about the partnership and program at large. “Someone is going to pay me to lose weight? That’s a lot of fun for me. Accountability is so important to any weight loss goal. Going into 2021, I want to get my focus back on my health, and I just needed some incentive so I am excited to partner up again with HealthyWage. The fun part is finding out how much you can win for hitting your goal…it’s the ultimate secret in motivation! HealthyWage is not a fad diet and will actually change the way you look at weight loss. There’s no better kick start to your 2021 resolutions than a HealthyWager!”

How Sherri Shepherd’s HealthyWager works:

1) Calculate Your Prize
Use HealthyWage’s online calculator at www.healthywage.com/sherri to enter your goal and calculate your winnings.

2) Make Your Bet
Increase your winnings by adjusting your goal weight, how much you contribute and the time you expect it to take! Find a prize you like and make your wager!

3) Lose the Weight
Stay on track throughout the contest with weekly weigh-ins and support from other contestants.

4) Win Money!
Meet your goal and win your prize!

HealthyWage is founded on research and “double-incentivization” methodology that proves cash rewards triple the effectiveness of weight loss programs. As case-in-point, HealthyWage payouts are proof positive. For their weight-loss achievements that collectively exceeds an astounding 1,050,000 pounds for this year, alone—269 of which losing in excess of 100 pounds (and nearly 7.5 million pounds lost since the company’s launch), HealthyWage has reportedly paid more than 30,000 dieters over $13 million cash in 2020, specifically and over $55 million cash since its inception in 2009.

A few notable HealthyWager success stories (both female and male) also exemplify the power of this approach. These include Jean N. who lost 71 pounds. and won $3,357.99 for her efforts, and Jeremy M. who also lost 71 pounds. and won $1,886.32 for his own slim down success. From its website, HealthyWage.com shares yet more inspirational success stories of both women and men who gained financially for their pound-shedding achievements using the company’s unique gamification approach. This includes Kristin W. who lost a staggering 114 pounds and won $4,000 for her efforts, Anastasia W. who lost 41 pounds and won a whopping $10,000 in kind and Blake S. who lost an impressive 151 pounds and won $4,670 for his own slimdown success. Figures that are tasty, indeed.

“Studies show that monetary incentives serve to enhance the effectiveness of, and duly complement, weight-loss programs of any and all sorts, especially when paid out quickly like our various programs,” said HealthyWage co-founder David Roddenberry. “The average participant more than doubles their investment if they are successful at achieving their goal. The financial upside potential is impressive.”

Further validating HealthyWage’s well-honed approach, an additional study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine continue to prove that money is an effective motivator to “increase both the magnitude and duration of weight loss.” The same hold true in business for staff wellness initiatives. Results from one study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicated that “Loss Incentive’ Motivates Employees to Take More Steps,” finding that financial incentives framed as a loss were most effective for achieving physical activity goals.

“Throngs of studies reiterate the importance of the ‘stick’ in the design of a wellness incentive program, whether for individuals at home or for employee groups,” Roddenberry says. “Many studies have demonstrated that the threat of losing something of value is much more effective than the opportunity to win something of equal value. That’s precisely why we advocate that program participants ‘pay to play’ and make an investment out of their own pocket in order to win rewards—in our case large cash prizes—for losing weight and getting more active in the program.”

As a prolific corporate and group wellness purveyor, since 2009 HealthyWage has worked with an array of hi-caliber participants on workplace and staff wellness initiatives, including Halliburton, ConocoPhillips and more than 25% of the largest school districts in the country. HealthyWage has, in fact, formally created competitive, money-motivated programs for more than 1000 Fortune 500 and other public and private companies, hospitals, health systems, insurers, school systems, municipal governments and other organizations throughout the U.S. and their program has been more informally run at more than 7,000 companies and organizations seeking to bolster staff health and well-being, and boost bottom lines in kind.

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific consumer and business trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

• Lifestyle

by merilee-kern-mba

December 14, 2020

Black Dermatologist Dr. Milton D. Moore Launches ‘Black Skin Deep’ Podcast

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For the throngs of small businesses, entrepreneurs and other professionals who’ve experienced race-based obstacles, industry-leading dermatologist Dr. Milton D. Moore has launched the ‘Black Skin Deep’ podcast—a platform through which this esteemed and respected medical professional shares how he perseveres through struggles with systemic racism, inequity and bias in the business world and beyond—and how his listeners can do the same.

Black Skin Deep with Dr. Moore is a deeply personal podcast highlighting his insights, perspectives and reflections on decades of experience as a black pharmacist, dermatologist and entrepreneur. As a program that affirms #BlackLivesMatter and contributes to the national discourse on social justice and equity, the podcast features Dr. Moore’s detailed and deeply personal discussions about seizing possibilities, recovering from pitfalls and challenging practices and perceptions.

This he has achieved through a persistent drive to represent and advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the mass retail marketplace. Exemplifying these efforts is his work as founder and CEO of the Moore Unique Skin Care product line which recently earned recognition in Walmart’s “Made in America” vendor program. This achievement duly illustrates how successfully a small minority vendor can do business with a retailer of this size and caliber.

In addition to entrepreneurial, leadership and success-oriented conversations that will correlate how painful struggles ultimately lead to overwhelming success, ‘Black Skin Deep’ podcast listeners will also connect with Dr. Moore on a highly personal and sentimental level. Discussions include how his upbringing, the role-modeling of accomplished family members and mentors and the rigorous education at three prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Xavier, Meharry and Howard) that challenged and inspired him to excel. Dr. Moore’s journey is more than skin deep—it’s Black Skin Deep.

Episodes of Black Skin Deep are accessible online at https://black-skin-deep.simplecast.com and the podcast is distributed globally via Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeart, Stitcher and other popular mobile apps. Listeners are also encouraged to engage in virtual #BlackSkinDeep conversations across their own social media channels.

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific consumer and business trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

• Technology

by merilee-kern-mba

November 30, 2020

5 Digital Transformation-Driven Cybersecurity Considerations

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Security Strategies: Enhanced post-pandemic preparedness as digital communication dependency escalates

 On their road to recovery from the pandemic, businesses face unique dilemmas. This includes substantial and entirely necessary investments in digital transformation, however tight budgets are making such endeavors difficult if not impossible. Businesses continue to struggle with pivots like adopting new digital platforms, shifting their corporate model to resolve supply chain disruption and enabling a remote workforce.

The inability for businesses to quickly adopt technologies that support digital transformation processes, including identity-based segmentation, virtual desktop interfaces and full-stack cloud, is hindering their ability to adequately address new threats and even to test new security systems and protocols.

“Now more than ever, it’s imperative to remediate risk exposure and vulnerabilities within an organization’s existing systems—optimally from the get-go,” urges cybersecurity expert Nishant Srivastava, Cyber Security Architect and field expert at Cognizant—an IT Solutions and Services firm for which he’s focused on designing and implementing Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions. “Biggest threats should get highest priority, of course, but the magnitude or even likelihood of a threat should not be the sole consideration. Organizations should also look at other forms of value that new technologies can bring.”

Below Srivastava, a senior-level IAM, governance and cyber risk authority, offers key digital security vulnerabilities businesses need to be mindful of given increased digital dependency  amid the   pandemic. Heed these best practices to help keep your company—and customers—uncompromised.

Consumer-Facing App Gaps
For consumer-facing web applications, some of the biggest security threats include path traversal, cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injections and remote command execution. Of course, protecting customer data is an utmost security concern and breaches abound. One of the biggest challenges to address these kind of issues lies with lacking human resources. There is a lack of aptly trained and skilled security staff in even the most sophisticated of regions, which is cultivating a gap in cybersecurity skills across the globe. It goes without saying that employee training and investing in highly-qualified staff are among the best ways to establish, maintain and uphold security levels of consumer facing apps. Rifts, however small, can induce excessive damage and losses.

eCommerce Exposure
Online delivery businesses that are aware of security risks would be wise to introduce more secure logins, automatic logouts and random shopper ID verification and are preventing shoppers from swapping devices when ordering. Such measures will help thwart breaches that expose of customer names, credit card information, passwords, email addresses and other personal and sensitive information.

Companies selling goods or services online also should not launch without a secure socket layer (SSL) connection. It will encrypt all data transfer between the company’s back end server and the user’s browser. This way, a hacker won’t be able to steal and decode data even if he or she manages to intercept web traffic.

Another useful strategy is to enforce password limitations. Passwords should be as complicated as possible with a combination of symbols, numbers and letters.

Investing in a tokenization system is worthwhile because any hacker who accesses the back end system can read and steal sensitive information, which is held in the database as plain text. Some payment providers tokenize cardholder information, which means a token replaces the raw data so the database then holds a token rather than the real data. If someone steals it, they can’t do anything with it because it’s just a token.

Ransomware Recourse
Ransomware threats are escalating, which is why those doing business digitally should enforce a multi-layer security strategy that incorporates data loss prevention software, file encryption, personal firewall and anti-malware. This will protect both a company’s infrastructure and its endpoint.

Data backups are key because there’s still a mild chance of a breach even with all of the aforementioned security solutions in place. The easiest and most effective way to minimize cyberattack damage is to copy files to a separate device. This very reliable form of backup makes it possible for people to recommence work as usual with little to no downtime, and all their computer files intact, should an attack occur.

Gone Phishing
Gmail blocks over 100 million COVID-related phishing emails every day, but more than 240 million are sent. That means less than half sent via Gmail alone are blocked. Experts cite imposing limits on remote desktop protocol (RDP) access, multifactor authentication for VPN access, in-depth remote network connection analysis and IP address whitelisting as some of the best strategies to maintain security. In addition, businesses should secure externally facing apps like supplier portals that use risk-based and multifactor authentication—particularly for apps that would let a cybercriminal divert payments or alter user bank account details.

Shielding Teleconferences
The shift to remote work after the pandemic hit has given cybercriminals more and more opportunities, directing their focus on the tools people use for work. It’s important that people recognize their vulnerabilities, particularly while they work from home. Among these are hacked videoconference passwords and unprotected videoconference links, which criminals can use to access an organization’s network without authorization. Many people who work from home do not use secured networks, unknowingly and unintentionally. Many are just not aware of the risks.

To avoid online teleconference security issues, meetings should always be encrypted. This means a message can only be read by the recipient intended and that the host must be present before the meeting begins. There should also be waiting rooms for participants. Screen share watermarks, locking a meeting, and use of audio signatures are additional recommendations.

When asked what his best advice would be to tweak security for a workforce that’s predominately working remotely, Nishant says that companies should start by analyzing the basics (like those specified above) against the backdrop of a wide range of ever-escalating and evolving threats. “Employees should use dual-factor authentication and make sure apps, mobile phones and laptops are updated and that available patches and updates are always installed,” he says. “They should certainly be wary of all information requests and verify the source. These even include unexpected calls or emails seemingly from colleagues.”

Srivastava also pointed out that insiders at the CIO Symposium in July 2020 agreed that the pandemic packed years of digital transformation into just a few weeks. The use of third parties emerged as a major security concern to take into account. For instance, some employees abroad were unable to move their computers to their homes, so employers rushed to supply them with new equipment. In the process, some of it was not set up correctly thus compromising security. Companies should have done more to determine out whether individuals were using technology properly, such as if employees were sharing work devices or using their own personal equipment.

On the plus side, the shift toward working from home sped up multi-factor authentication adoption. This is a great opportunity that today’s digitally-driven businesses should take advantage of.

In short, Srivastava advocates taking a zero-trust approach. “It might sound harsh, but this is the idea that you can’t trust devices, people and apps by default,” he says. “Everything needs to be authorized and authenticated. Users should always verify and never trust, and businesses should act as if there has already been a breach and work to shore up weak links in the security chain. Finally, businesses should give access to information and data to as few people as possible—and wholly ensure those who do have access are appropriately trained to recognize when a red flag presents.

By employing all or even some of the advice above, businesses can continue to thrive as the digital transformation age unfolds—and do so more confidently and contently all around.

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all B2B and B2C categories. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific business and consumer trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme—also delving into the minds behind the brands. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports  / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

• Technology

by merilee-kern-mba

November 17, 2020

Interactive 3-D Simulations Helping Execs & Employees Master Uncomfortable Conversations

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Interactive microlearning tech teaches execs & employees how to effectively address and resolve critical and angst-inducing issues via interactive real-world scenarios—in just 15 minutes or less

The benefits of simulation-based training are indisputable and innumerable. Given its power and efficacy, this methodology is used in a litany of sectors beyond aerospace and military, where it gained its initial foothold. These include everything from manufacturing and retail to healthcare, fitness, fashion, and hospitality, reports indicate. No longer reserved for mammoth corporations, now businesses of every size and scope can benefit from highly optimized interactive cyber-training innovations. This is in the form of short-burst microlearning 3-D simulations that are now as accessible as they are effective. Such brief, easy-to-digest content, which learners can access on their own time, provides numerous posthaste benefits. At its highest level, modern 3-D simulation remote training methods can immediately teach employees how to effectively navigate difficult conversations and communicate in a way that drives optimal outcomes and enriches relationships—all irrespective of where that employee is based.

This kind of interactive microlearning technology, which complements any in-person training initiatives, is helping companies rapidly improve internal and external communication skills relating to sensitive subject matter and operational mandates. This includes reducing customer confusion, rectifying unconscious bias to create a more inclusive culture, stemming microaggressions, promoting conflict resolution and de-escalation, conveying appropriate and consistent responses to crises like COVID-19, driving feedback conversations that enhance employee relations, empowering employees to constructively escalate issues that aren’t discussed outside of “water cooler whispers” and more.

So powerful is this approach, Allied Market Research indicates the virtual training and simulation market size, currently valued at $204.41 billion, is projected to more than double and reach $579.44 billion by 2027. This and other such forecasts reflect the extent to which companies are now requiring their executives and managers to participate in virtual training and simulation to become better prepared for real-life situations. Not surprising given the several points of substantiation. For one, global consulting firm Accenture underscores that “experiential learning has long been argued as the most effective way to learn, and studies have shown that learning through experience increases learning quality by up to 75%.” The firm indicates this approach allows companies to recreate real-life situations, reduce travel costs to outside training and increases repetition of experiences to allow employees to practice more. As one case in point, it notes that major retailers like Walmart leverage the technology to train managers to prepare for key events like Black Friday—with potential benefits including an 80% savings in training time.

“3-D simulations help companies provide employees with interactive bite-sized learning sessions that provide a quick and easy way to engage in real-world scenarios, explore emotional responses and receive immediate feedback so they can reflect on their own performance—all in a safe virtual environment,” said Ed Beltran, CEO of Fierce Conversations—a company spearheading customized simulations that teach employees how to handle difficult customer conversations like those relating to the coronavirus pandemic, diversity and inclusion and other notorious, angst-inducing points of contention.

“This kind of training can address and resolve veritably any on-the-job challenge,” he says. “The overarching goal of microlearning immersion is to help employees become expert conversationalists by knowing what to talk about, how to talk about it and why it matters for the bottom line of the specific employer. This is why the most effective 3-D simulations are those that are ‘bite-sized’—as in 15-minutes or less—and also fully customized for each business and situation. In this way, businesses can efficiently address several critical issues via interactive real-world situations, all with the look and feel of your own location, organization and audiences. Personalized avatars are also used to recreate scenarios and build empathy, and immediate feedback helps employees learn and improve with each session.”

Learn and improve they do, as gamification capabilities are shown to maximize learner engagement and knowledge retention. In fact, interactive learning is not only shown to boost learning engagement by 50%, but it also enhances knowledge retention by more than 20%. “It also scales cost-effectively per learner so employers can mitigate training expenses,” Beltran notes. Duration is also key. According to Software Advice, most employees (58%) would more likely use online learning courses if they were broken into “multiple, shorter lessons” and creates more than 50% higher engagement. Additional metrics indicate microlearning in segments of three to seven minutes “matches the memory capacity and attention spans” of most humans.

So, next time you need to address internal complications or generally enhance operations, consider opting for interactive 3D simulations rather than those long, boring training videos. You know, the ones that cause employees to lose interest and are hard-pressed to truly resolve the issues at hand—especially when you need that genuine resolution fast. Such customized 3D real-world microlearning, practiced virtually, can get to the heart of challenges that employees are facing today with immediacy. The result will be conversations that make a real, meaningful, and measurable impact.

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all B2B and B2C categories. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific business and consumer trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme—also delving into the minds behind the brands. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports  / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

Amid escalating demand for alternative investments, expert cites 5 key ways to determine if the historical rare coin asset class ‘fits’ your personal needs and overarching investment goals

With an alarming level of uncertainties across-the-board courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with a return to high market volatility and unprecedented global economic stimulus, investors are increasingly seeking alternative investment strategies. In fact, a recent Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association trends and forecast report underscores, among other highlights, how alternative asset classes can help responsible investors reap the long-term benefits of both risk mitigation and return enhancement. So strong the outlook, CAIA Association members expect alternatives to grow to between 18% and 24% of the global investible universe by 2025.

Even so, CAIA does concede that “as we enter a new decade rife with a global pandemic, the most violent bear market in history and unprecedented uncertainty, alternative investments continue to be a polarizing topic.” This truth is certainly exacerbated by the reality that there are relatively few alternative investment vehicles that are widely regarded as “safe.” The category does offer a diversity of options, from private equity or venture capital, to hedge funds, to real property and commodities.

However, the pandemic has spurred fresh demand for tangible assets like rare coins, which are garnering attention all their own. Rightfully so, as they are regarded as a commodity-like investment where sentimental value may exist, but are also a tangible that can produce attractive financial returns. This as outlined by FinancialPoise.com, which substantiates the many reasons why having coin collectibles as an investment can be a great way to diversify your portfolio and cut down on risk, given it’s an asset class proven to weather storms while also performing with market-like returns.

While the novel coronavirus was sweeping its way across the globe and making financial markets worldwide shudder in its wake, rare coin “prices and participation have risen rapidly since the beginning of the pandemic,” according to Mark Salzberg, chairman of Numismatic Guaranty Corp. (NGC), in a September report. It further cites that, “The number of sets has risen to more than 175,000, up 40,000 from the beginning of the year,” as well as the fact that the NGC Registry—a free online platform where collectors compete for recognition and awards—has increased its membership base a full 33% in 2020.

In fact, in late March 2020, the Stack’s Bowers auction gained its fair share of publicity for transacting over $26.59 million in U.S. coins, with most on that block earning considerably above their pre-sale estimates determined before the pandemic hit. Coverage of that event indicated several coins ushered in new world records for their type, including the “Little Princess” 1841 quarter eagle in PCGS Proof-64 Cameo from the Pogue Collection, with Eliasberg and Bass collection pedigree that sold for $408,000. Another coin, the 1854-S half eagle that was the first $5 gold coin struck at the San Francisco Mint, sold for $1.92 million after being off the market for nearly four decades.

Of course, the sustained and even escalation in demand for United States rare coin investments is no surprise, as they are historical artifacts that have survived the test of time. Collectors become captivated by why and how they were made, the intrinsic beauty of each and the history and lineage behind—and oft unique to—every piece. The thrill of the hunt to locate these treasures often morphs into healthy obsession, as this emotional driver fuels a great passion among those who dedicate a part of their life to owning these precious historical artifacts. A few prominent collectors from the past few hundred years are known or said to include heads of state such as John Quincy Adams and King Farouk of Egypt; financiers Louis Eliasberg and Harry W. Bass Jr.; real estate developer Brent Pogue; sports team owners Dr. Jerry Buss and Larry H. Miller; and actor Buddy Ebsen, co-founder of the Beverly Hills Coin Club. Even celebrities and star pro sports athletes known to dabble in coin collecting—the so-called “Hobby of Kings”—include Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman, Emmy-winning actor John Larroquette, actor James Earl Jones, NBA all-time leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky.

There are strong driving forces behind the uptick in the global coin market, which is currently estimated at $17.59 billion in revenue annually and growing. This includes the rise in Internet access as well as the popularity of various initiatives, including the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters Program. With the recent explosion in interest in these historical items, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History has greatly expanded the space devoted to its numismatic collection and made it a permanent exhibit at the museum.

With this rise in demand and interest also comes questions and concerns, the most paramount of which is determining if including these historical assets in one’s portfolio will help realize overarching investment goals. Below, rare coin investing authority Michael Contursi offers the top five benefit considerations to help wealth-minded individuals decide if this asset class is an apt fit amid—or to commence—their alternative investment holdings.

1. Wealth Preservation

Owning U.S. rare coins has remained a time-tested wealth preservation vehicle. It is as simple as basic supply and demand. These scarce assets have a finite known supply as the United States Mint has kept population records for every coin produced since the birth of the nation. Further, the demand for rare coins has always been high as discerning collectors compete against their peers to own the finest collections. Additionally, since the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009, there has been an exponential increase in the number of global millionaires, a class forecasted to reach 63.9 million individuals by 2024, according to Knight Frank’s “The Wealth Report.” According to its survey of advisors to ultra-high net worth investors, the report further states that nearly one-third of these clients plan to increase their luxury investment allocations. This is anticipated to further increase non-collector global demand for trophies like rare coins, where the asymmetry of low supply and high demand casts a strong positive outlook for further price appreciation.

Beyond the basics of supply and demand, wealthy families that have invested in or collected U.S. rare coins typically have holding power and generally do not need to liquidate their most prized possessions for less than what they paid for them. If your family, for example, owns a rare coin that no one else in the world can own unless you are willing to sell it, you’re positioned to preserve your hard-earned capital and likely realize the level of profit you seek.

• It’s a right FIT if: $100K to $1MM is a small percentage of your overall holdings, and you are in a position to hold these assets for the long-term.

• It’s NOT a right fit if: You cannot afford to hold these assets when you need access to short term cash.

2. Long Term Portfolio Growth

In addition to preserving wealth, U.S. rare coins have demonstrated stability and consistent price appreciation for over 125 years. With the founding of the American Numismatic Association in 1891, as well as public auction records going back several decades, there is a massive amount of third-party public data showing a long track record of performance.

For example, the $4 Stella—produced only from 1879 to 1880—was designed to be used as an international currency to help facilitate trade and travel by U.S. citizens. This proof example from the book titled “100 Greatest U.S. Coins,” authored by Jeff Garrett, has shown steady price appreciation over the last 60 years, where often times these assets remain in a family’s estate and are passed down to heirs for multiple generations.

1880 $4 Gold Stella, Coiled Hair

• 1960: $15,000
• 1980: $100,000
• 2003: $350,000
• 2019: 1,250,000

Based on the demand for luxury assets and their historically strong risk-return profiles, ultra-high net worth investors are allocating to their portfolios 5% collectibles, with rare coins increasing an impressive 175% in asset value over the last 10 years. There are very few global markets showing more than a century of market-like returns. Blue chip paintings come to mind, although the entry point could be $30 million, whereas an entry-level rare coin is generally in the $75,000 to $150,000 range for the finest known items that collectors need.

Those investors with holding power are in a very strong position to profit, as passionate collectors desire to obtain the items that investors own—and wholeheartedly relish—having in their portfolios. Thus, for collectors to locate these items in a private market and then find someone willing to sell is often an extremely difficult challenge.

If a collector is lucky enough to get that far and find a willing seller, availability becomes much more important than price. The reality is, many rare coin owners with no real need or desire to sell reject lucrative buyer offers, preferring to keep these trophies in their estates without any need to sell.

• It’s the right FIT if: You are looking for safe assets that increase in value at a substantially higher rate than lower-yielding alternatives.

• It’s NOT the right fit if: You are focused only on high risk, high reward investments with short term holding periods.

3. Owning Real Assets

With more than $8 trillion of monetary rescue programs and unprecedented global economic stimulus, in addition to the Federal Reserve’s recent adoption of an average inflation target, now more than ever investors are seeking real assets that are proven hedges against inflation. Due to increases in both the money supply and demand for a finite supply of U.S. rare coins with intrinsic value, these assets are poised to continue serving as a hedge against inflation.

As well, important advances in transparency mean investors no longer need to be an expert, lifelong collector or hold any particular expertise or knowledge base to own these real assets. Global consumer protection organizations like the Professional Coin Grading Service and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation put a financial guarantee on the authenticity and condition level from 0-70 for each coin. This transparency mitigates risk and uncertainty and enhances comfort levels. Anyone can go online and become privy to information like the population known to exist for each coin variety, how many coins are graded higher and even procure price guide values—understanding the finest known coins have very few public sales over the last several decades. Providing yet additional security and peace-of-mind, today’s coins are placed in sonically-welded holders with anti-counterfeit technology and come with a barcode and certification number.

• It’s a right FIT if: You are looking for tangible assets with a very long track record of outpacing inflation.

• It’s NOT the right fit if: You need to personally be an expert in every aspect of your investment holdings.

4. Privacy and Portability

With increased cybersecurity threats on financial accounts, a litigious society looking to put liens on searchable assets and global political instability, high net worth investors are placing a significantly greater premium on privacy. The rare coin market is self-regulated, allowing transactions to remain completely private. This makes the process of buying, owning and selling rare coins very fast, stealth and convenient. Whereas other real assets and collectibles can require significant maintenance or storage costs that eat into net profits, the holding cost for rare coins can be as simple as storing in a small safe deposit box in the jurisdiction of your choice. In addition, owners of these assets can transport large amounts of wealth with extreme ease due to the manageable weight and size of these assets. In fact, many owners use them as a type of insurance policy to retain private wealth outside of the banking system in case of emergency.

• It’s a right FIT if: You are underweight on private and highly portable non-financial assets that can benefit you in case of an emergency.

• It’s NOT the right fit if: You are only comfortable with traditional financial investments or insurance products.

5. Non-Correlated Diversification

U.S. rare coins are not correlated to traditional markets, geopolitics or, thankfully, the 24-hour news cycle. Moreover, these assets are not even tied to the spot price of gold or other commodities, just like a Leonardo da Vinci painting is not correlated to the price of paint. Further, the rare coin market performed well during the Great Recession and continues to do so despite COVID-19—even back in late March 2020 when markets were crumbling prior to global intervention via stimulus.

• It’s a right FIT if: You value non-correlated market-like growth in all market cycles, without the volatility.

• It’s NOT a right fit if: You only invest in a few defined portfolio segments and are not seeking broad diversification.

“Anyone of the five benefits above are prompting many high net worth investors to add to their existing rare coin holdings, or get started on small portfolios as a way to diversify their real assets or tangible collectibles and, in doing so, enhance their overall risk-return profile,” notes Contursi, President of Rare Coin Wholesalers. This multi-generational family business has been among the most prominent investors in U.S. rare coins for almost half a century.

As goes without saying, it is imperative to work with a reputable dealer to best assure a purchase is made for the right items at a fair price. Incidentally, there are only a handful of dealers in America who are able to purchase the finest known coins and supply the rest of the market. Such upper-echelon dealers pass that value to investors who can avoid paying a premium to middleman, or worse yet purchase coins that are not recommended holdings. In this realm, transacting in partnership with a well-suited dealer is worth its weight in gold.

Based on Contursi’s top five rare coin investing considerations above, this is an asset class that certainly warrants thoughtful exploration. Rare coins are an exciting way to diversify a real assets allocation while also possessing popular historical artifacts that very few people can ever obtain.  Indeed, these “trophy assets” can provide many financial and personal benefits to those fortunate enough to be stewards of these unique pieces of American history.

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all B2B and B2C categories. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific business and consumer trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme—also delving into the minds behind the brands. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications.

Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports  / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

• Travel and Leisure

by merilee-kern-mba

September 9, 2020

Africa Business Travel Do’s and Don’ts Amid COVID-19

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As COVID-19 wreaks havoc across the globe, business and lifestyle tourism-dependent regions are suffering exponentially. Africa is one glaring example, with South Africa propelled into the global top 10 for coronavirus infections. It reportedly has surpassed the United Kingdom in cases.

For its part, the tourism and industrial sectors in North Africa will likely be hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the African Development Bank’s 2020 edition North Africa Economic Outlook report.

Even as the continent contends with pandemic concerns, there are still throngs of business travelers who need or desire to visit the region in the near future. Many are doing diligence to discern if, when, and how to go about scheduling a business trip to this tourism hotspot.

To help spotlight some top-line issues, I turned to entrepreneur and philanthropist Jay Cameron, executive director of Maximum Impact Travel. Cameron is one of the leading global experts on Africa travel and commerce, so his insights are invaluable as travelers deal with this tumultuous situation and plan smartly in the post-pandemic era.

What are the key do’s and don’ts when traveling to Africa amid COVID-19?

Surprisingly, some African countries have escaped the devastating impacts COVID-19 has caused globally. While other countries around the world have experienced often overwhelming consequences as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, much of Africa appears to have been spared. Even so, the statistics do not suggest the citizens of the countries of Africa have not felt its impact. The fact is, many countries in Africa are seeing regular increases in the numbers of those infected by the novel coronavirus, while much of the world is experiencing a decline in infections.

Around the world, experts warn outbreaks of COVID-19 in Africa may continue, resulting in a higher rate of deaths due to the limited local health services available. With coronavirus worries come fears of potential famine due to the virus threat, in combination with existing drought conditions and ongoing conflicts.

With this in mind, should you intend to travel to the continent now, or post-COVID-19, you should be prepared. Some good preparedness ideas include researching virus statistics in the country you wish to visit that, for one, you can review at AfricaNews.com. It is also advisable to learn if said country has any travel restrictions, which is information that is accessible online at CDC.gov. Of course, maintaining a healthy lifestyle to boost immunity before and during your visit is also key.

Should travelers be ready to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result either before departing or upon arrival?

African countries are now opening for foreign travelers, but this does not indicate the belief that they have won the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Most African countries are still battling with COVID-19 outbreaks, as the number of infected cases continues to rise daily in nearly every African country. To this end, stringent efforts are in place to ensure individuals arriving on the continent and entering various countries are free of the virus.

With this in mind, you should be prepared to present proof of negative COVID-19 status before entering the country to which you are traveling. This measure is being implemented around the globe and the countries of Africa are no exception.

In the same vein, departing any African country will require the same proof of negative COVID-19 status. Both mandates are in place to protect your fellow travelers on the flight as well as the residents of the country to which you are traveling. As things ebb and flow, you can check the status of this mandate online at AfricaTravelInc.com.

What would you suggest about localized regulations?

Travelers must research the localized regulations and requirements with respect to hotel and resorts, airports, ground transportation, public spaces, and such for both their own country and their destination. It is necessary that you understand departure rules from your country of origin, and even more important that you understand your destination country’s prevailing laws for foreign travelers regarding COVID-19. Some African countries like Tanzania and Zambia, for example, have mandated the use of face masks in public places with punishment for the contravention of such laws. Some hotels and resorts also have taken stringent measures and issued their own strict requirements for travelers arriving from foreign countries. For example, at this time, hotel bars in Rwanda are closed but the hotels themselves remain open.

Researching and understanding these laws before traveling enables you to stay safe during your visit and steer clear of legal issues with the local authorities. A helpful resource for staying up-to-date on laws that might affect travel to Africa can be found at Travel.State.gov.

What about the airlines, specifically?

Investigate the requirements for your airline as each carrier has varied responses to COVID-19. As a result of the pandemic, most airlines have adopted measures to keep their passengers and their staff safe. While some airlines like Delta require proof of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding your flight, others provide testing before your flight and attach the result to your ticket. Therefore, to ensure you are able to fly when scheduled, it is your responsibility to know the requirements of your airline before the flight to avoid any issues. A good resource for this is Go2Africa.com.

Should tourists be prepared for temperature screenings and COVID-19 tests upon arrival and departure?

As pointed out earlier, many African countries are still battling the pandemic, so to keep the residents of their countries safe post-COVID-19, airports have been mandated to request test results or test passengers on-site. Therefore, when traveling, you should be prepared for a coronavirus test upon arrival or departure from any African country. If you refuse to allow this, you will not be able to fly.

What about a potential 14-day quarantine upon arrival—is that only for travelers who show signs of COVID-19?

Apart from testing, be prepared for a 14-day quarantine if you show signs of the virus or test positive during a test given at the airport. African countries are determined to ensure the pandemic is eliminated completely from their countries. If you show symptoms of the virus upon your arrival in any country in Africa, you will likely be quarantined for 14 days. This can even entail having to stay in the country instead of returning to the U.S.

Would you say that travel insurance is imperative?

Make sure your travel insurance company offers COVID-19 coverage and arrange for COVID-19 travel insurance requirements from airlines. You will want to be insured by your travel insurance company for COVID-19 coverage before traveling to any African country. Check with your travel insurance company to ensure COVID-19 is covered under their insurance policy, in the event you need to change your travel plans due to the pandemic. Such coverage policy can protect you by covering expenses related to unexpected changes and/or medical care in the event of illness.

With any trip, but especially now, there can be unforeseen circumstances. Any insights on that front?

DO NOT travel without extra funds and the ability to extend your trip in the event of a quarantine. With the points mentioned above, there is a great likelihood you will be required to spend more time and money in the country to which you are traveling if your COVID-19 test is positive. As a result, it is advisable to travel only if you are prepared with time and financial contingency plans. However, African countries are not barring U.S. travelers at the same rate as other countries, meaning you can potentially realize your dream safari vacation or other adventure across the continent’s beaches, jungles, and deserts.

As the world contends with COVID-19 issues, African countries will endeavor to stay open for tourism, business, and much more. Preparing for, and abiding by, the region’s travel requirements will make your journey and overall stay in the country more enjoyable and safer for all.

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist, and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations, and events. Merilee is founder, executive editor and producer of “The Luxe List” as well as host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific consumer and business trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority, and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications.

Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports  / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.