That looks so delicious, but I can't eat things like that, it goes straight to my thighs.

In her previous job, working at a public library in a support role, Kate* regularly endured comments from a colleague like the one above, which left her feeling "frustrated and angry".

"They were either thoughtless or passive aggressive," she says.

The problem with talking about your 'naughty' afternoon snack at work.Credit:iStock

Kate isn't alone. Mik, who works in paediatric care, finds similar comments in her workplace are most common when she and her colleagues are sharing food.

Comments about being bad and taking leftover dessert or eating another portion, or claims about having to make it up later with exercise just grate on me," she says.

"I usually just respond with a shrug and a food has no moral value, but it depends on the day. Sometimes Im just so tired of it that it seems pointless to even try.

While many dread returning to work after the holiday season, other peoples New Year's resolutions can add another layer of anxiety. Common resolutions are weight or health-based join a gym, diet and, although not harmful in and of themselves, the way they are brought into the workplace can be.

Dieting and body image talk are triggering for people who have had or who have an eating disorder they may trigger a relapse into eating and/or weight and shape preoccupations and behaviours such as binge eating, fasting or purging," says Professor Phillipa Hay, foundation chair of mental health at Western Sydney University.

Michelle Sperling, the Butterfly Foundations national manager of treatment and support, notes the issues that can arise from diet and negative body image talk in the workplace.

Negative comparison between colleagues regarding weight, shape, appearance or even the meals they are eating is something that can occur as a result of such conversations in an office environment," Sperling says.

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"We know that when people make negative comparisons as such, they are more likely to engage in dangerous eating and exercise behaviours.

Allison, who works in the legal industry, has been questioned about why she is eating something weird at lunch so many times that she usually opts to eat at her desk instead, a move Sperling says isn't uncommon.

People isolate themselves at mealtimes from colleagues or they avoid work events so they arent left feeling uncomfortable.

Jasmine, who works in the financial services industry, has a colleague who opts to not eat lunch at all, but still joins her coworkers in the break room to talk to them about how bad their food is and why she cant eat it. So many people complained that HR eventually intervened, but the negative diet talk has continued.

I feel fine," she says of the comments. "But some people felt uncomfortable, so now they just dont go into the break room as much.

Given the ubiquity of New Years resolutions, what can be done to avoid the negative impact of diet talk in the workplace?

Professor Hay suggests information on eating disorders and potential negative impacts of diet and body image talk in the workplace should be included in workplace safety training for all staff, given at least one in 20 Australians will deal with an eating disorder in their lifetime.

Professor Hay also suggested workplaces where there may be a higher risk of disordered eating, such as dance companies, undergo eating disorder and mental health first aid training.

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For Sperling, it is managers who should be creating a culture where employees aren't talking about weight, shape or appearance, and instead focus more on how a person is feeling.

Sperling also stressed the importance of fostering a body neutral environment, which could include putting up signs in the office that promote body acceptance, hosting events that celebrate body positivity, and holding workshops for staff regarding the impact of negative diet and body image talk in the workplace.

*surnames withheld

Butterfly Foundation National Helpline 1800 33 4673.

Read more:
The problem with talking about your 'naughty' afternoon snack at work - The Age

My name is Simmy Hassan (@barbellebeautyy). Im 30 and I live in Dallas. I wear many hats, but my most important job is being a mom. I'm also currently a client relations manager and slowly working my way into the fitness industry. I did Whole30 to lose the weight I gained during pregnancy and got hooked on the healthy lifestyleand I've lost 70 pounds.

Before my weight-loss journey began, I was probably in the best shape of my life. I played volleyball in college, and then after college, I started doing CrossFit. I attended CrossFit sessions at least six times a week, and my gym (or "box," as we call them in the CrossFit community) was basically my second home.

Then, life happened. I got married and had a baby. In my head, I always pictured myself as that pregnant lady working out and still hanging out at CrossFit. Boy, was I in for a rude awakeningbecause that was absolutely *not* my experience.

I did manage to work out at least three to four times a month during pregnancy but my diet was pure trash. I quickly fell into the eating-for-two mentality. I thought I could just splurge and eat whatever I wanted. I had my baby on September 13, 2018.

I weighed 252 pounds after I had my son. I knew I wanted to lose the pregnancy weight. But at first, I fell back into the trap of making excuses. Friends and acquaintances would tell me things like, "Oh, if you are breastfeeding you can still eat whatever. It just falls off!" I would listen without questioning because it sounded easy.

I ate whatever I wanted, I didnt meal prep, and I was dealing with a lot of change being a first-time mom. I was not happy with how I looked even though I felt like the same person on the inside.

The next time I weighed myself wasn't until December 10, 2018, and I was at 243 pounds. I had lost some weight, but I knew I needed to come up with a real plan to get down to business and return to a body I felt like myself in.

I kept working out but not consistently, and my diet was still not up to par. It took me a while to find a plan that made sense for me, but eventually the Whole30 plan sort of fell onto my radar right when I needed it.

Whats The Difference Between Keto And Whole30?

I did some research on Whole30 after stumbling upon it online and decided to document my journey so that I could hopefully inspire others, and also to remind myself to keep pushing forward. I started my first round of Whole30 on February 17, 2019.

I had to mentally prepare myself by reading the books and creating a meal plan ahead of time so that I would successfully complete a round Whole30. I knew the plan was very strictit's essentially an elimination diet that cuts out grains, sugar, and dairyso I wanted to go into it with contingency plans. But Whole30 has worked so well for me.

I didnt even lose that much weight that first round! I started Whole30 when I was 230 pounds and ended up losing only 5 pounds. And for a quick second, I almost felt upset by the numbers, but then I realized that I felt amazing and I could see the results in my before-and-after pictures. It lit a fire in me and gave me the tools I needed to eat clean and practice discipline long term.

Walking soon enough turned into me wanting to try to doing much tougher stuff (I'm competitive even with myself!). I remember trying to do a jump-rope workout with double-unders, and I was quickly humbled. I had to go back to doing single-under jump ropes. I wasnt seeing progress, so I changed up my cardio. I ran my first mile on January 19, 2019, clocking in at 17:26.

What Is The Whole30 Diet?

I realized then that I had a ways to go with my fitness. I eventually signed up for a program called Street Parking because I was not ready to jump right back into a CrossFit box. Because I am a very competitive person, I didnt want to go back until I built up some type of strength. I also joined a cycle studio for one month, and that help me out tremendously because I enjoyed it so much that it made me want to keep going back.

In July 2019, I joined Strong Fitness in Dallas, and Im absolutely in love with it. Im back to going into the gym at least four times a week and Im starting to incorporate even more running. Im proud to say my mile time is now at 13:23 (!). I have a long way to go, but I am so happy with what I have already achieved.

I have to find types of exercise that I actually enjoy doing. For me, anything CrossFit or any cycle studio keeps me going when it comes to working out. A lot of people who approach me and ask about how I stay motivated to go to the gym every day, and I tell them that I love lifting as well as the happy, satisfied feeling I have after a workout.

My husband even knows that if I dont work out, my day is thrown off. So go out and try different studios in your area, and I promise you that you will find something you enjoyand a tribe that will hold you accountable.

The truth is, there are going to be sacrifices that you have to make to lose weight. But the results make it so worth it.

For instance, I wake up before everyone in my home every day and Im at the gym by 5 oclock in the morning. I then have to get myself and my little one ready for the day. I admit, its a lot of work. Its not just the working out, but the meal prepping too. I just say to everyone who asks that you must make your health a priority. That's it.

I'm also a big fan of treating yourself as you go after your goals. Buy new workout gear. Pay for a class you love. You will feel like a new woman, and it will help you feel good about yourself as you work out.

I definitely know that throughout my next pregnancy, Im going to keep up with this lifestyle that I am thriving in. This journey has helped me find my purpose.

I didnt want to stay where I was, in a place where I didnt feel so great physically. I wanted to be able to keep up with my baby and lift heavy weights again. Once I showed up for myself, everything fell in place.

But at first, I also wanted things to happen fast and quickly realized that I just needed to be patient to get to where I wanted to go. My journey has changed and is still changing my life for the better. Im finally stepping out of my comfort zone and making moves so that I can start a career in the fitness industry as a personal trainer.

To everyone: Become your own permission slip and do what makes you happy. You got this.

For more amazing beauty, fitness, and weight loss transformations, check out the rest of our Transformations Week collection.

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'I Did Whole30 After Having My Son And Got My Body And CrossFit Strength Back' - Women's Health

One study of master athletes noted a 33- to 38-per-cent increase in muscle mass and strength among those who consistently consumed a high-protein post-weight-training snack compared to those who didnt. Dave Sidaway / Montreal Gazette file photo

The last decade has seen a steep increase in the number of athletes achieving personal bests in their 40s and beyond. This group of dedicated older athletes has redefined the idea of aging, rewriting the record books with performances in the pool, on the track, and in the saddle. So remarkable are their achievements, exercise scientists have been busy studying their training and lifestyle habits to see if they can gather more information on what successful aging looks like.

According to a group of French researchers, there is still a dearth of published research on the link between nutrition and performance in master athletes. In particular, do older athletes have a different set of nutritional needs than their younger counterparts?

We proposed to identify the metabolic challenges that master athletes may face and that require specific nutritional recommendations, said the French researchers in their article Nutrition for Master Athletes: Is There a Need for Specific Recommendations.

One of the primary nutritional goals of any athlete is to adequately fuel training and performance. Active individuals who engage in a high volume of exercise need to consume more calories than someone who is sedentary, based on a greater number of calories expended while training and competing. But nutritional strategies for athletes go far beyond counting calories. Knowing when to eat and what to eat is also key to maximizing performance.

A slowing metabolism and gradual loss of muscle mass, estimated to be six to eight per cent per decade after the age of 30, are two markers of aging that impact performance and nutritional needs. Optimizing the diet of master athletes so as to slow down the physiological changes that occur as the decades add up is an important strategy when it comes to sustaining the volume and intensity needed to maximize potential.

Master athletes who are able to maintain a high training volume and sufficient energy intake with age could maintain their body composition, metabolism and ultimately, resting metabolic rate (the amount of energy expended at rest and during the activities of everyday life), said the research team.

To assist in meeting these goals, master athletes need to consume more protein than younger athletes and their sedentary age-matched peers. The current recommendation for older adults is 30 grams of protein per meal, 10 grams more than recommended for younger adults. For master athletes however, 35-40 grams of protein at four-hour intervals throughout the day is considered crucial to repair and rebuild muscles utilized during exercise.

Practically, this recommendation corresponds to a minimum of four portions of >30g proteins per day, for breakfast (8 a.m.), lunch (12 p.m.), afternoon snack (4 p.m.) and dinner (8 p.m.) for a total of around 120 g protein or 1.5 g/kg body mass per day for an 80-kg athlete, said the French researchers.

In addition, a protein-rich snack should be consumed immediately post-exercise (within the first 60 minutes) for master athletes with high training loads or after an intense workout. A pre-bedtime glass of milk will also aid in muscle recovery especially after a tough day at the gym. Any source of protein, animal or plant-based will do the trick, though there is some suggestion that protein-rich dairy products may be some of the best options.

How effective are those extra few grams of protein? One study of master athletes noted a 33- to 38-per-cent increase in muscle mass and strength among those who consistently consumed a high-protein post-weight-training snack compared to those who didnt.

Still, as attentive as master athletes are to their diet and training schedules, injury and short-term health issues are common. A forced interruption from training and competition is a fact of life for athletes of all ages, but for master athletes even brief periods of inactivity can lead to a decrease in precious muscles mass. Maintaining a protein-rich diet while on the mend can help minimize some of that loss.

As for fat and carbohydrates, carbs should be periodized based on the volume of training with fewer carbs consumed on rest or easy days and greater amounts consumed pre, during and post workouts on days when training volume is high. Fat should be ingested in moderate amounts with an emphasis on foods rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, like nuts, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon and tuna.

Keep in mind that athletes should always rely on a food-first approach to realizing their dietary goals, versus consuming supplements in the form of powder, shakes, gels or pills. Theres no replacing the synergy of the macro and micronutrients found in food versus a manufactured product that often promises more than it delivers.

Also important to remember is that older athletes who limit themselves to moderate workouts of less than an hour, need nothing more than a healthy, protein rich diet to fuel their workouts. But for master athletes with performance goals and a rigorous training and competition schedule, its always wise to seek professional advice from a certified dietitian/sport nutrition specialist who can further individualize the special dietary needs of master athletes.

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Fitness: A healthy and well-timed diet fuels muscles of master athletes - Montreal Gazette

Its no secret that Nina Agdal has an amazingly toned figure & the model shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, how she gets her rockhard abs & youre not going to believe this she doesnt go to the gym!

Nina Agdal, 27, is known for her toned figure and rockhard abs, and the model shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, what workouts she does to get in shape. One of Ninas favorite workouts to do is the treadmill and she has become quite popular for her treadmill routines which she shares on Instagram. Nina shared her favorite workouts with HollywoodLife at the Leandro Limited launch event in NYC on Jan. 9, So I do a lot of home workouts. I do the treadmills twice a week, and then besides that, everything I do is basically done in my apartment on a mat with lighter weights, or a Pilates ring, but mostly body weights. Every exercise Nina does can be done from the comfort of your own home. In terms of classes, I love Solidcore for a good core class. It will really make your stomach burn. SLTs great for leaning out your legs. Pure Barre is great for leaning out your arms. But most of the stuff that I do is my own workouts.

As for some specific workouts you can do to ease yourself into the gym, Nina shared, I definitely think my treadmill workouts are super helpful for that. I used to hate cardio. I used to hate running, and even now, I just got back from a vacation, and I know the first thing Im going to do is to walk on an incline on a treadmill. I think its the best way to build endurance and to just get back into it and get motivated.

When it comes to Ninas diet, I actually dont eat breakfast, she revealed. I prefer to have a juice or a smoothie in the morning. Im a big believer in fasting, so I dont eat anything until lunch, which is usually around 2:00 P.M. or 3:00 P.M. For that, I will have some sort of protein, whether its eggs or fish, mixed with vegetables. For dinner, I kind of eat whatever I want, and stay away from anything red meat.

If you want to start the new year on a healthy note, Nina suggests, I think its picking one thing that you can do a day thats different, and in a positive way, whether its starting your morning with a glass of water with lemon, or its going for a walk, or its picking up a new hobby. I think anything thats positive and that makes you happy, I think taking one step will make you take the second.

Some beauty products and trends Nina is currently coveting include the new Leandro Limited Parting Tool. So obviously my new favorite thing is the headband from Leandro, which is the most perfect way to make the perfect side part or middle part. Ive never seen anything like this, and for someone who doesnt really know how to do hair, this is a must-have tool, Nina shared.

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Nina Agdal Reveals How She Gets Her Toned Abs Without Splurging On A Gym Membership - Hollywood Life

If youve been looking for ways to lose weight in 2020 to stay true to your fitness resolution, then let 36-year-old Saket Prem Saraf give you some tips from his own amazing body transformation journey here.

Saraf lost 35 kgs and trimmed from a whopping 114 kgs to 79 kgs by following the below weight loss plan.

Saraf tells us that two years ago, he decided to lose weight and whip himself in shape after his family members motivated him to embrace a fitter way of life. My weight loss journey can be divided into two parts. The first constitutes me trimming from 114 kgs to 90 kgs by making the below changes in my diet.

I completely eliminated these three things from my diet:

With the elimination of these three things, I also indulged in the below cardio routine.

Id either cycle for 25 kms/day or walk for 8 kms and then swim for 1 km.

QUICK READ: Swimming workouts: what to know before diving in

Cardio is any form of exercise that raises your heart rate, gets the blood really pumping and gets you to break into a sweat. If youre really unfit then even climbing a flight of stairs can be classified as cardio. Notably, activities such as jogging, running and even skipping comprise as cardio - it is working out with the absence of weights.

QUICK READ: 7 best cardio workouts that burn the most calories

I got stuck at the 90 kgs mark for quite a while, even after I started gymming regularly. So then finally I sought the help of a professional dietician. They created a highly personalised diet for me, and in 100 days, I dropped around 10 kgs. This made me come to the conclusion that your diet plays a major role in your fitness journey.

Now, I eat six meals a day but all in small quantities and all in accordance with my customised diet plan.

QUICK READ: How to lose weight and get fit in 2020: 20 easy tips, diet hacks and workout routines to help you get started

Be patient. Your body will eventually reward you. Also, dont stop eating or starving yourself. Eat home-cooked food, avoid sugar and workout regularly.

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

NOW READ

How to lose weight without going to the gym, according to this guy who lost 12 kgs in 4 months

How to get the best biceps of your entire life

13 New Year's fitness resolutions from the world's most athletic people

More on Fitness

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How to lose weight like this guy who lost 35 kgs by avoiding these 3 things & following a cardio routine - GQ India

The demand for local news is strong. With traditional newspapers disappearing in communities across the country, new opportunities have become available for online news sites to fill the void. TAPinto is a network of 80 local news sites with more than 10million readers visiting our sites annually.

TAPinto sites are locally owned and operated. TAPinto franchisees come from diverse professional backgrounds including entrepreneurs, journalists, business development and PR professionals, stay-at-home moms and dads, newspaper publishers, nonprofits, universities and more.

Franchising TAPinto:

Our newsletter delivers the local news that you can trust.

Low startup investment:TAPinto lowers the barriers to entry of owning and operating a local news business by reducing the overhead associated with starting a local news site, including technology and operations.

Ongoing support and training:Becoming a member of the TAPinto family means that you will have ongoing technical support and editorial and advertising sales training.

Be a part of a network of established local news sites:As a TAPinto franchisee, you will have access to the entire TAPinto network, allowing you to share content and sell advertising at scale.

Run a viable business while providing a community service:Local news helps strengthen communities and provides a critical service. TAPinto franchisees have built strong relationships with our audience of over 8 million readers. Those relationships allow our franchisees to generate revenue through selling high-impact advertising and content marketing to businesses and organizations.

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Bring Local News to Your Community While Creating a Profitable Business with TAPinto - TAPinto.net

Chris Peterson is the founder and president of Vector Firm (www.vectorfirm.com), a sales consulting and training company built specifically for the security industry. To request more info about the company, visit http://www.securityinfowatch.com/12361573.

Years ago, salespeople would show up to the office and would have to find ways to keep busy. If a salesperson didnt make things happen, then nothing happened. We ate what we killed.

During the last 15 years, that dynamic has changed significantly. The Internet has provided a channel for our customers to gather information that used to be delivered only by salespeople, which has helped prime the pump of the selling cycle. Today, it is possible and common for a salesperson to work 60 hours per week without any prospecting or business development activity. We are no longer forced to make things happenthey just happen.

Sounds great, doesnt it? Well, maybe it does if one wants a career taking orders or winning the battle to the bottom of the price race. When we rely solely on other sources to educate our markets, then we get backed into a corner of reaction. We cannot control or provide guidance all we can do is react to our customers and prospects whims.

Our only value is in delivering proposals, and practically anyone can do that. Sowhat benefit are we providing? Why do our customers need us? What differentiates us from our competition?

If I was limited to giving one piece of advice to salespeople leading into the 2020, it would be to reverse this trend of reactivity; therefore, the number one thing salespeople should do in 2020 is become proactive. That sounds much easier to do than it really is, so here are four secrets to shifting from reactivity to proactivity.

1. Define what you will proactively do. What will you do with your proactive time? Off the top of my head, I recommend prospecting for new accounts, sales training, finding problems at your current accounts before they happen, and networking. There are dozens of other things you can do as long as you spend time on the important tasks that are not urgent. This is where greatness lives.

2. Dont try to be perfect. A typical impulse is to make a resolution to be proactive all the time; instead take baby steps in the first year. If you currently spend 98% of your work hours in reactionary time, then set a goal to be at 95% by April, and 90% by the end of the year. You will be blown away by the massive change in your results if you spend only four to five hours per week in proactive mode. Make the move to 70% next year just take baby steps this year.

3. Dont wait to find the time just do it. Every time I begin this journey with a client, they share the same exact comment with me: Im already working 12-hour dayswhere am I going to find the time? Dont find the time. Determine the minimum amount of proactive work that you will do each week and do it. If it takes four hours, then do it dont try to find the four hours. The tasks that fall off your plate probably arent worth your time anyway. Trust me on this one just do it.

4. Create a process and block off time on your calendar. I recently convinced the owner of one of my clients to invest Friday mornings on proactive and strategic work. We were both excited about his first morning away from the office out of crisis mode. Sometime before 9 a.m. that morning, he texted me: Ok, so where do I start?

Proactive mode is all about making things happen, so you have to create that process. No one will do it for you. Define your prospecting routine, create an agenda for your brainstorming sessions, and above all else block off the time on your calendar. Proactive time doesnt happen on its own. You must generate it and schedule it in your calendar.

Chris Peterson is the founder and president of Vector Firm (www.vectorfirm.com), a sales consulting and training company built specifically for the security industry. To request more info about the company, visit http://www.securityinfowatch.com/12361573.

Read more from the original source:
Modern Selling: Be Proactive in 2020 - SecurityInfoWatch

Multi-Day Conference Will Be Held in Boston in August - Putting Hundreds of Attendees on the Path to Data-Driven Sales Readiness

WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Brainshark, Inc., the industry's only data-driven sales readiness platform, today unveiled plans for READY20, the first and only sales enablement event dedicated exclusively to improving the readiness, training and coaching of today's client-facing teams. READY20 will be held August 17-18, 2020, at the Encore Boston Harbor resort providing actionable ideas and insights for elevating sales preparation and performance.

Brainshark, Inc. Logo (PRNewsfoto/Brainshark, Inc.)

With an emphasis on real-world success stories, practical breakout sessions and peer networking, READY20 will help hundreds of attendees spanning sales enablement, sales training, learning and development, sales management, commercial excellence, business development, channel sales and sales operations roles identify new ways to maximize sales results.

"Today, the priority placed on sales readiness is incredibly high," said Brainshark CEO Greg Flynn. "Organizations recognize how critical it is to find better ways to support the unique learning needs of sales and client-facing teams because they truly are unique. The things salespeople need to know and the degree to which they need to master them are different than in any other role at a company. With READY20, we look forward to exploring new pathways to a highly competent and confident sales force, and sharing success strategies from industry experts, our customers, and our own 20+ years of helping organizations improve sales effectiveness."

READY20 will provide strategies for maximizing the impact of sales readiness initiatives in less time, at lower costs and with fewer resources while driving measurable results. According to Forrester Research, effective sales enablement and readiness strategies and solutions can yield far-reaching business benefits. The firm notes: "Productivity gains such as a 24% reduction in ramp time for new reps and an 18% increase in the average number of transactions per rep translate into significant commercial gains for sales leaders."1

Event HighlightsPreparing sales teams to achieve benefits like these and more, READY20 highlights include:

The conference will also offer attendees exclusive, in-depth looks at recent and future additions to the Brainshark platform, coming on the heels of the company's acquisition of Rekenerlast month. Those in attendance (including Brainshark customers) will have the opportunity to see and demo the very latest solutions for fostering data-driven readiness.

READY20 comes at a time when more and more organizations are committing to making sales readiness a strategic priority turning what was previously an "art" into a measurable "science." Guided by data-driven insights, advanced technology solutions and results-oriented processes, companies can assess and improve readiness levels across their sales force to achieve better, more predictable sales outcomes.

"Understanding what sales teams know, versus what they need to know, is part of the challenge for sales enablement teams at any enterprise," said Jim Lundy, founder, CEO, and lead analyst at Aragon Research, in the firm's recent Tech Spectrum for Sales Coaching and Learning.2 "Sales leaders know that it has always been about sales readiness the combination of onboarding, training and knowledge sharing that make for a productive sales individual and team."

Story continues

For more information on READY20 including a 30-second video overview, registration details and more please visit http://ready.brainshark.com.

1Forrester Research, Inc., "Building the Business Case for a Modern Sales Enablement Toolset," Mary Shea, November 6, 2019.

2Aragon Research. "The Aragon Research Tech Spectrumfor Sales Coaching and Learning, 2019," Jim Lundy, February 21, 2019.

About Brainshark Brainshark's sales readiness platformgives you the tools to prepare all your client-facing teams with the knowledge and skills they need to perform at the highest level.With best-of-breed solutions for training, coaching, content and more, you can ensure reps are always ready to make the most of any selling situation. With Brainshark, companies can: enable sales teams with on-demand training that accelerates onboarding and keeps reps up-to-speed; validate readiness with sales coaching and practice that ensures reps master your message; and empower sales organizations with rich, dynamic content that can be created quickly, updated easily and accessed anywhere. Thousands of customers including more than half of the Fortune 100 rely on Brainshark to get better results from their sales enablement initiatives. Learn more atwww.brainshark.com.

Media Contact:Lauren Boutwell Email: press@brainshark.com Phone: 781.370.8295

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brainshark-unveils-ready20--the-only-sales-enablement-event-dedicated-to-furthering-sales-readiness-300986239.html

SOURCE Brainshark, Inc.

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Brainshark Unveils READY20 - the Only Sales Enablement Event Dedicated to Furthering Sales Readiness - Yahoo Finance

Two sessions at the NRF 2020 conference in New York highlighted how focusing on customer service results in higher sales.

In the session Maximizing Frontline Performance, Tony Aversa, Foot Locker VP of customer experience and sales for North America, Bob Phibbs, CEO of retail consulting firm The Retail Doctor, and Carol Leaman, president and CEO of frontline microlearning platform Axonify, stressed the importance of properly training store associates to ensure traffic and sales.

Aversa said a crucial part of training store employees to do their jobs is to collect feedback, through all available mechanisms. So much feedback can be gathered through social media, said Aversa. Also ask store associates and managers what incentives they want. Your store associates may want cash and not an outing.

Since deploying an Axonify-based training app called LaceUp, Aversa said Foot Locker has taken the mystery out of training. We know who engaged with the training, he commented.

Aversa also advised retailers to deploy training solutions slowly, and for executives seeking to implement training technology to first gather data supporting the need and then find like-minded people in the organization who will support the initiative. He also said training itself shouldproceed at a measured pace.

Take it slow, build habits, Aversa stated.

Phibbs told retailers that the real answer to solving in-store customer service issues is to focus on the human factor offered by store associates, rather than enabling technologies.

We dont know how to be human anymore, said Phibbs. I purchased medical products for my elderly father and got offers aimed at him even after he passed away. People feel more confused and alone in stores than ever before, even though stores never looked prettier.

Phibbs also cautioned brick-and-mortar retailers that competing on price is a mistake. There is always somebody cheaper, he said. All you have is the branded experience in your store. The frontline is more critical than ever."

In the session Omnichannel Agility: Maximizing customer service and profitability, Jim Barnes, CEO of unified commerce platform provider enVista, and Gene Bornac, VP, retail of enVista, explained how the changing path customers take to purchase requires retailers to alter how they sell products.

Where demand is generated and fulfilled has been disconnected, said Barnes. Mobile drives the disconnect between physical and digital commerce.

To make sure customers can discover and purchase the products they want, whenever and wherever they want, Barnes told retailers they must be sure that item master data is consistent across brick-and-mortar and online channels.

Nothing is worse than walking in a store and seeing a product marked down but its still full-price on the site, said Barnes.

Bornac said that to properly provide customers with seamless shopping options like buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS), retailers need to obtain a 360-degree, real-time view of inventory data.

You need good inventory management, said Bornac. Where is inventory sitting on your nodes? Data flow is more important than order flow. For seamless retail to meet customer expectations, data has to move in the next few minutes, not the next few hours or when you run a batch at 2 a.m. and its up by 7 a.m.

Bornac added that fulfilling store orders is much cheaper than fulfilling online orders. In the store, the inventory is there and the customers do the work. You should be nudging your online customers toward BOPIS, he said. Create incentives for customers to do what is most profitable for you.

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CLEVELAND, Jan. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --SPARXiQ, the leader in business analytics and sales training, andWaypointAnalytics, developer of advanced profitability analytics Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), today announced an exclusive, global partnership that combinesSPARXiQ'sindustry-leading provider of pricing and sales analytics and complementary skills training withWaypoint's best-in-class advanced software.

"As a trusted partner to some of the world's elite manufacturing, distribution, technology and services companies, we have a unique vantage point from which to identify and provide the most advanced solutions for our clients," said DavidBauders, CEO,SPARXiQ. "Since our founding as SPA in 1993, SPARXiQhas generated billions of dollars of profitable growth for over six hundred organizations, including twenty-five Fortune 500 companies, and the leading provider of profit-maximizing analytics. InWaypoint, we chose a partner who not only provides best-in-class technology, but also shares our deep commitment to ensuring mutual clients have access to the most powerful, efficient, and effective solutions to meet the challenges of today's complex business environment."

"We're delighted to provide our advanced profit analytics system to SPARXiQ, supporting their mission of providing best-in-class tools and strategies to their customers", said Randy MacLean, president of WayPoint Analytics."We're also excited about our own clients adding strategic plans developed by SPARXiQ to more quickly realize the kinds of record profit and cash-flow gains typically seen where companies have advanced cost and profit analytics."

The companies will also collaborate on future solutions designed to help organizations drive valuation, reduce volatility, deepen stakeholder engagement, and streamline the complex workflows involved in delivering end-to-end solutions that empower increased profitability and margin management while providing high-performance virtual sales training and enablement to accelerate holistic client growth and profitability.

AboutSPARXiQ Today's modern, high-performing business teams need an integrated suite of analytics and complementary skills training that drives improvements in daily behaviors and thus business outcomes to drive profitable growth. Like the double helix of DNA, analytics and training must be integrated to accelerate the desired outcome.SPARXiQintegrates analytics and skills training to accelerate profitable growth.

AtSPARXiQ, we bring deep expertise, inspired talent, and relentless energy to uncover new value levers to accelerate our clients' profitable growth and sharpen their economicpositioning to address today's challenges and to build the capabilities to drive future success.SPARXiQpassionately works to make it better to be our clients' customers, employees, and shareholders, and harder to be our clients' competitors.SPARXiQ was formerly known as Strategic Pricing Associates and SPA.

Learn more atwww.SPARXiQ.com

AboutWaypointAnalytics For more than a decade, WayPoint Analytics has provided the most advanced cost and profit analysis system available. Using exclusive metrics and its unique Quantum Costing engine, it shows precisely where companies make and lose money, and why. The system is used by the companies that lead their markets and industries to out-compete their peers.

With hundreds of expert-designed reports, and the ability to drill down to the customer, product and invoice-line level, companies use the system to fine-tune their operating efficiencies and their sales targeting to capture and hold the best part of the market. WithWayPoint, they gain insights their competitors don't have, and actions competitors can't match.

Learn more atwww.WayPointAnalytics.net

Media ContactLisa Hunt (469) 243-0859 lisa.hunt@SPARXiQ.com

SOURCE SPARXiQ

SPARXiQ

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SPARXiQ and Waypoint Analytics Announce Exclusive, Strategic Partnership - PRNewswire