If youre looking to break into a career that makes the most of your financially-savvy skill set and start you on a course into the world of business investment, the job of a financial analyst may be for you.

Thinking you want to break into the field is all well and good, but what is a financial analysts role in a company? How do you become a financial analyst and what kind of degree do you need to succeed in the industry?

Financial analysts work to determine the viability of purchases and sales, and help guide their clients' or managers' investment decisions. They use their knowledge of a company and the markets financial state to recommend potential avenues of growth, improvements to performance and possible pitfalls to avoid when making either an acquisition or sale.

The role of a financial analyst is vital to the success of an investment enterprise.

Regardless of the size and focus of the company you choose to work for, youll find yourself delving into critical business matters as their financial analyst. You may deal with shareholder interests, stock viability and availability, growth expectations, the fluctuation of market values, industry competition, areas of opportunity and a variety of other issues influencing the direction an investor may take. Further, these issues will likely change over time, be added to or eliminated as the company, client base and market evolve.

A financial analyst is charged with providing company leaders with the information they need to make strategic decisions. Your research and analysis skills will be utilized often and intensively, as you'll be digging into financial data, business trends, weighing the values of companies, and providing reports to allow your managers to make their decisions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) breakdown of the role. Additionally, you may be called upon to meet both with your own leadership team and those of the companies you're called on to review. Interpersonal and communication skills will be important to succeeding on this career path.

Finance is a part of every business and most large corporations have financial analysts on staff. Financial analysts may also find job opportunities wherever investments are handled in banks, securities firms, and insurance companies, the BLS notes. You don't have to tie yourself to one specific company, however. You can find work within the business media and research houses that provide independent data.

As you grow within your career, you might find yourself further specializing within your chosen avenue of financial analysis. According to the BLS, some of these options include becoming a portfolio manager who assumes responsibility for the management of a company or clients investment portfolio, a fund manager who deals specifically with hedge or mutual funds, a ratings analyst who focuses on evaluating the ability of an entity to repay debt, or a risk analyst who determines the inherent risk of an investment, guiding the decision on whether or not to pursue it.

Whatever path you choose to take, financial analysts hold a valued role in the business world. The BLS reported an average median pay of $85,660 per year in 2018 and jobs are expected to increase at a rate of 6% (on par with the national average) through 2028.

Youll need some important skills to bring to the table as a financial analyst, but having a good head for crunching numbers or even personal success with investing isnt going to be enough. Potential employers will want to see credentials, which means the place to start is an education.

Data gathered by the BLS shows that a bachelors degree is necessary for any position within financial analysis. Kristin Regis, associate dean of business at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), said that job listings will often require a degree in finance, though a related field like accounting may be acceptable.

While taking courses will help build the skills youll need to break into the financial analysis field, there are a number of opportunities you should consider taking advantage of outside the classroom.

Reach out to connect with a career advisor early on so they can help to guide you alongside your academic advisor. Its never too early in your degree program to team up with the career department and youll have the benefit of all their insider knowledge of events and programs offered by the school that could complement what youre learning in class.

See if there are any organizations you can become involved in to start building connections with fellow students, instructors and industry professionals. This will be the foundation of your professional network. Join a finance club if your school doesnt have one, ask an instructor or dean how to get one started, Regis said. Join a finance association such as the American Finance Association or the Association for Financial Professionals and start networking in your desired field many associations offer student rates.

There are also opportunities to broaden your knowledge of the industry while keeping abreast of developing news that pertains directly to your field. Consider getting yourself a subscription to the Wall Street Journal (which also offers a student discount), said Regis. Even small steps like this are a great way to start getting ahead on the road to becoming a financial analyst.

Sarah A. Easley '12 '18G is a professional content writer and proofreader. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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What Does a Financial Analyst Do and How to Become One - Southern New Hampshire University

(photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photo Office)

As a small business owner of a toy company in Brooklyn, and a working mother who employs a nanny and a house cleaner, I am standing up in support of the Paid Personal Time bill under consideration in the New York City Council. This piece of legislation would ensure that over a million New Yorkers, including domestic workers and other workforces, would have the right to paid vacation time, something I take for granted as an employer.

One of the biggest motivations I had to be self-employed, was to have the right of having paid time off. I knew that by working for someone else, the right to paid vacation days wasnt secured.As an employer and working mother, I can take the time I need to care for myself and be present for lifes special moments taking my kids to their first day of school, seeing them graduate. I wouldnt miss these moments for the world and its inhumane to think that some of the hardest working people in our city who need a break the most are denied this right.

I know firsthand how an investment in workers pays dividends for employers. The success of my business and the caring environment at home for my children both depend on the hard labor of all my employees.

At home, I provide my nanny almost six weeks paid vacation per year. I am also considering providing paid time off to our house cleaner in 2020 and have already started the conversation with her about signing up to Alia, a benefit program that provides paid time off to house cleaners.

At work, my business provides 16 days of paid vacation time and sick days annually to nine full-time employees. Additionally, my business partners and I are in talks to offer paid personal time to our two part-time employees next year.

While these high-road practices definitely impact our bottom line, it pays off in the loyalty and dedication of our workforce. I know that having a happy and well-rested team contributes to the successful and productive results for my company. We all win.

Passing paid personal time, we are also advancing womens rights. From my 11 employees, 10 are women. As women, we know what it feels like to not be respected as a worker. For example, in the United States we dont have a law to ensure paid maternity leave, affecting millions of working mothers and their children. My company, however, provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave for full-time employees.

With Paid Personal Time we have an opportunity to set standards for gender equality. All employees should be treated as full human beings who have lives outside of work. For example, in November, which is the beginning of the high season for our business, one of my employees took paid personal time for her wedding. Our team came together to make that possible by preparing our strategy in advance and making sure other employees could cover her daily tasks.

As an employer, I strongly believe we can be good employers and have a successful business. I want my employees to balance their job with showing up and honoring the other aspects of their lives. If my employees feel treated with dignity and respect, they will be happier and more fully themselves. My family and business benefit from it too.

I understand that passing Paid Personal Time would demand that we add more vacation time required by the law, and that it might create an additional financial cost. However, it would also mean that families will take time off to eat in restaurants, go shopping, travel, and provide an injection to our local economy. I want my business to reflect my values in treating people with respect no matter what. I accept that this is the ethical cost of doing business and know that at the end I am building a strong and loyal team of employees.

When I became an employer I knew I wanted to do the right thing for my employees.

For all of these reasons, I urge the City Council to pass Paid Personal Time and bring our city up to the standards of London, Paris, Tokyo, and other places that already guarantee this right for all workers. Lets all make the necessary commitments recognizing equality and fairness for all workers and employers.

*** Emma Katz is a member of Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network since 2018, the CEO of Hazel Village, a toy company located in Brooklyn, and a resident of Jackson Heights, Queens.

*** Have an op-ed idea or submission for Gotham Gazette? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Paid Personal Time is the Right Thing To Do - and Benefits Both Workers and Employers - Gotham Gazette

Stressful school day.

Every month, over 13,000 people visit my education magazine for one article only, entitled Alternatives To Teaching.

In 2012, I wrote this article with no other reason than to help other teachers. This piece has been on page one of Google for the past five years, which tells me teachers are looking for work outside of the classroom more than ever. Also, I used this opportunity to create a teacher support group, as new teachers arrive daily to join our conversations, look for help, and need career guidance.

A recent analysis, run by Center of American Progress, shows that teacher preparation programs have demonstrated an incredible enrollment decline over the last eight years in almost every State. Teachers and students are facing mental health challenges in record numbers, and if we dont do something different soon, its quite possible our education system is only going to face more serious challenges.

Im sure youve noticed some of these headlines over 2019, including but not limited to:

Teachers are either looking for new schools, different opportunities, and ways to utilize their skills in different settings. Whether they want to start their own business, join an education organization, or even jump into the corporate world, they need a positive, unique digital footprint as well as an effective and unique personal brand.

As a teacher myself, I can understand the problems teachers are facing today. However, today, their concerns are even more more challenging due to technology, perceived expectations in society, and student pressure and stress. The demands of a teachers role keep growing. They are not making enough money to survive without a second job, many claim administrators dont support them, and various students and teachers face a host of obstacles that seem impossible to overcome.

In the meantime, a strong lack of leadership and mentor support programs for new teachers are just some of the other reasons educators are trying to move out of classroom.

Also, parents are changing, and they realize they have other choices rather than the public or private education system. In fact, there are about 2.5 million homeschool students in grades K-12 in the United States right now, according to The National Home Education Research Institute.

All of these red flags are critical signals.

I had the chance to chat with my colleague, Marietta Gentles Crawford. Crawford is a writer, and a personal brand strategist. She is also the author of From Nine to Thrive: A Guide to Building Your Personal Brand and Elevating Your Career. Crawford also runs her company, MariBrandsFORYOU, where anyone can read and learn about her unique branding tips.

In this interview, which has been edited and condensed for reading purposes, we discuss strategies for teachers who want to learn about personal branding, what it is and how it works.

We also chat about about how educators can make their way toward a possible new career pivot using these tips.

Robyn Shulman: What is a personal brand?

Marietta Gentles Crawford: A personal brand is the sum of your strengths and characteristics that are unique to you as an expert in your field.

Shulman: Can you elaborate?

Crawford: Sure. A personal brand can make you stand out from other people who have similar skills because it consists of your personality and life experiences that have shaped a certain point of view.The act of personal branding is about reputation management. Reputation management means consistently showing unique attributes in everything you do, in-person and online.

Shulman: What can a personal brand do for educators in the real-world?

Crawford: A personal brand can help teachers establish authority, build powerful relationships, and add value to the people they help.

Shulman: Why do you think teachers need a personal brand today now more than ever?

Crawford: Teachers need a personal brand now more than ever because it's easy to put themselves in a box.

Shulman: Can you elaborate?

Crawford: While there is a range of professions, being a teacher is something many people are familiar with because most youth went to school. For example, you can probably remember being a student, or if you're a parent, you have a child who is in school.

Shulman: Basically, the view of a teacher from the outside is that of only a teacher, correct?

Crawford: Yes, the general consensus is that a teacher is someone who works in a classroom and teaches a particular subject or subjects to a specific range of school-aged students.

If you work within the profession, you know that teachers do more than teachpreparation, planning, and work happenoutsideof the classroom.Since various skills go into being a teacher, teachers must have a clear idea of their strengths to stand out for opportunities.

Not an easy job.

Shulman: Can you give me an example regarding how teachers can change their thought-process in order to pivot their careers?

Crawford: Yes, for example, if you're a middle-school math teacher, it's not enough to focus solely on teaching strong mathematical skills, and the various topics you may you teach.

Shulman: How can a teacher make more out of who they are, and what they can offer?

Crawford: Regarding personal branding, it's crucial to stress other skills such as creativity, patience, use of advanced learning methods, and quantifying student success.

Shulman: What if teachers want to pivot outside of the four classroom walls?

Crawford: For teachers who are looking to transition outside of the classroom, in addition to knowing their strengths, they need to clearly communicate how these strengths are transferrable in other areas, whether in education management, or corporate training and development.

Shulman: How can they go about sharing their skills outside of the classroom?

Crawford: Instead of focusing on specific tasks as a teacher, they can focus more on skills that tie to results. It's about connecting the dots between how the educators unique experience and personality traits can lead to the success of an organizationwhether it's within a school or a private company.

Shulman: What is the first step for teachers to begin building their brands?

Crawford: The first step is to always begin with a self-assessment. This means that teachers should take the time to evaluate their skills. They need to be honest about their strengths and their weaknesseseven skills that are useful, but can burn them outwhich is known as your burnout attribute.

Start in small steps

Shulman: Whats a good way to self-reflect and progress?

Crawford: A good way to get a gauge of this information is to get feedback from people teaches know in different capacities. Then, they should assess if there's a discrepancy with how they see themselves versus how they believe others see them. Once they have a clear idea of their potential brand, they can begin to define their overall message.

Shulman: What are some questions teachers should ask themselves?

Crawford: Some questions can include: What am I passionate about? What are my core beliefs as a professional?

These questions can also help teachers shape their message. For example, a branding message might be: "Students should be free to learn in a creative environment that best supports their needs," or "An innovative work environment encourages employees to deliver their best and grow professionally."

Shulman: Most people say that creating a personal brand takes a great deal of time. What are your thoughts?

Crawford: The misconception is that personal branding is time-consuming, but it doesn't have to be. It's more important to be consistent.

The great thing about teachers is that it's natural for them to know how to teach, and a big part of personal branding is teaching what you know. Teachers are the ultimate leaders when it comes to having a positive impact, so it shouldn't stop in the classroom.Also, they know how to chunk their limited-time.

Shulman: What are some places you recommend for teachers to build their brands?

Crawford: They can use social media platforms like Linkedin, Facebook, and Medium to share their expertise to market their skills and be of service to others.

They can use industry trends in education or another industry of interest such as writing prompts or talking points to start a conversation.

And, they can build their brand in as little as thirty minutes a day.

Shulman: How can teachers build their audience?

Crawford: Teachers should build their audience in a way that makes them feel the most comfortableusing methods that best highlight their skills.

Shulman: Can you provide an example?

Crawford: Sure. For example, video is a highly recommended personal branding platform, but if teachers not comfortable doing video or they couldnt commit, they can begin writing.

Shulman: How can they best implement this new practice?

Crawford: To save time, teachers can start small, and pick one method and one social media platform to focus on as they begin to share their knowledge.

Shulman: How can teachers use their brands to find new opportunities?

Crawford: They can start using their brand to create new opportunities when they are intentional and consistent about communicating their message and expertise.

Teachers should make sure they are marketing themselves online. They can create things such as a LinkedIn profile or a website that highlights their unique traitswhat makes them different from others, not the same.

Again, focus on unique skills and personality traits, and strip away the title of being a teacher. They can use stories as examples that highlight how they have managed critical situations with their skills.

Shulman: Whats your best piece of advice for our readers?

Crawford: Educators have great personal branding potential because their natural skill is teaching. Remember, personal branding is not only about self-promotion; it's about being of service.

And, teachers can do this by showing what they know, and helping others learn because that's what they do best, inside and outside of the classroom. Once they present themselves as brands outside of a specific school or position, the opportunities can be limitless.

See the rest here:
Why Teachers Need A Personal Brand And How To Create One - Forbes

Pittsburgh native Lisa Loftis is the living embodiment of what another Pittsburgh native once said: "The thing I remember best about successful people I've met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they're doing." While Mr. Rogers may not have recognized the phrase "automated decisioning," he would have recognized the enthusiasm, curiosity and pride Lisa brings to her work.

Over her 25-plus year career in the customer experience field, Lisa has acquired deep knowledge of the many technological pieces of the puzzle but has never lost sight of the human (read: cultural) challenges that lie at the center. In her monthly columns she shares her experience, her curiosity and her insights into this ever-evolving field.

What's your proudest accomplishment personal or professional from 2019?

What makes me happiest is that I have both the personal and professional flexibility needed to be present to help my mother (and previously my dad) as they age. Splitting time between Arizona and Pittsburgh is not always fun and can be disruptive to life in general but it is probably the most rewarding thing I have ever done. This would not have been possible during my over 25 years of road-warrior consulting and is my living embodiment of the fact that change happens for a reason.

What gives you hope in the tech world today?

In these turbulent times, where it often feels like humanity and compassion are in short supply, theData For Good movement is a shining star. Data for Good encourages the use of data in meaningful ways to solve humanitarian issues around poverty, health, human rights, education and the environment. I am proud to be part of a company that is helping to drive the use of analytics to change the world for the better. Our free crowdsourcing app, GatherIQ, enables both individuals and companies to get involved in this vital, global movement by contributing data, analytics and more.

Which of the articles you wrote for CMSWire this year was your favorite and why?

This is by far the hardest question in the list because the topics were all so timely and fun to write about this year. Since I have to pick, my favorite is Innovation and Alignment A Customer Experience Leaders Harmonic Convergence. Not only did I get to reference Machiavelli and the ancient Aztecs in the same article (LOL), but aligning the organization and overcoming cultural obstacles for CX has been a personal soapbox issue for the last 30 years. The fact that this is still a problem for so many companies attests to both its difficulty and its importance for success in CX.

If you could wake up tomorrow and be an expert in one thing, what would it be and why?

Wilderness survival. I love to hike and mountain bike and wish-list items include thru-hiking the Pacific Coast Trail, the Te Araroa and going rim-to-rim in the Grand Canyon. Actually knowing how to survive these experiences would be a plus.

What is your favorite part of the work you do?

I love the variety that my job affords me. Researching new topics, the front seat to watch trends unfold, gaining a deeper understanding of how martech products (ours and others) actually work rare is the day that passes without me learning something new.

What's an important story you'll be tracking in 2020?

The continuing focus on automated decisioning in digital transformation and CX. According to Futurum Research, by 2030 agility and extreme automation will be the twin pillars of CX. Both Gartner and Forrester agree. Gartner has coined the term continuous intelligence and Forrester the phrase the dawn of digital decisioning and both advocate for analytically-powered automated decisions to increase agility and improve personalization. This was my trend to follow last year (I was a little early on that) now the momentum is significant and the possibilities exciting.

What advice would you give someone starting out in your field today?

Learn analytics it is the future of everything.

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2019 Contributors of the Year: Lisa Loftis - CMSWire

Anna Tembos perseverance in the face of a changing climate is inspiring to us all. Photograph: Jason J Mulikita/JJArts Photography

Year-end, and its gong season again, another chance for the authorities to confer honours on the prominent, successful people in our society: sports stars and national treasures, cultural bards and civil servants and businesspeople.

But are these fair? What is an honours system for? Should it be for people who play games for a living? For people who were simply doing their job? Should it be for people whom life has already rewarded with fame, wealth, status, fans, admiration?

Or should it be for unsung heroes whose celebration might encourage more of us to volunteer, give, sacrifice?

We asked our readers to nominate their unsung heroes for public recognition. Do add your own nominations in the comment thread.

Nominated by Leah Jeffery

Alison is the former president of the Chartered institute of Housing, and is a Womens Aid supporter, tireless carer and champion of womens rights particularly the vulnerable.

I would love to see her in a position to drive the discussion forward in the House of Lords. As the social housing crisis deepens, I think having a voice with real experience would also be beneficial in providing an honest perspective and genuine passion for change.

Nominated by Adam Smith

Calvin started a non-profit called 540WMain [as in 540 West Main] that is located in the Susan B Anthony neighbourhood of Rochester, NY, US. It is a neighbourhood that has a high poverty rate and has a lot of social challenges related to poverty.

The mission is to enrich the historic district as well as connect greater Rochester to the neighbourhood by curating accessible event space and high impact/low cost single session courses based in the arts, wellness and antiracism.

From his humble storefront, he is working to help improve the lives of everyone who lives in that neighbourhood and beyond. He doesnt let the daunting challenges of poverty stop him. He just opened up his space and works every day to make a positive impact in peoples lives.

Nominated by Juanita Bullough

Since 1974, my friend Andrew Davis has been running the Wythenshawe Development Trust (now Wilmslow and District Recycling). He drives his van to collect donations of unwanted furniture and goods, which he passes on to the homeless and low-paid in north Manchester and Cheshire.

He also has stalls at a local market where he offers household goods to the less fortunate, and holds a weekly drop-in session at his HQ in the old scout hut in Lacey Green, Wilmslow. He is helped by a team of volunteers, many of whom are unemployed and/or have mental or physical health issues, giving them a purpose and enabling them to go out and meet people.

He relies solely on his supporters and odd grant aid and always helps others rather than himself. He deserves a medal but if you asked him, what he really would prefer is a few thousand pounds to recondition the engine in his van. And by the way, hes over 80.

Nominated by Mallory Bagwell

The musician Sixto Rodriguez (see the movie Searching for Sugarman), his destiny was out of sync with his fate. Fame and fortune have evaded him for most of his life. He probably wont accept a knighthood, but for the Queen to receive a Rodriguez award could be every bit as notable. The man has taken nothing yet given the world much.

Nominated by Zoe Jones

What makes Anna truly extraordinary is her role as the vice-secretary of Ongolwe Womens Development Association. The organisation brings together over 90 womens groups to share learning, empowering them to take control of their own development and to have a voice in their communities, meaning that Annas personal success is radiating out in ripples.

As well as transforming her own family farm, volunteering in her community and supporting womens groups across Ongolwe ward, she has started up her own shop, and is in the midst of creating a community Keyhole garden, with the help of her neighbours, for all to use.

Her perseverance in the face of a changing climate is inspiring to us all, and yet volunteers like Anna go largely unrecognised. The hundreds of women that Anna supports gain not just farm skills so they can feed their families all year round, but are also encouraged to set up their own businesses. They gain in confidence and prosperity, participating in decision-making in the home and in their communities. She is a shining example of how development begins within, and how one woman can have an enormous positive impact on those around her, when she has the opportunity to thrive.

Nominated by John Vlasto

With very little budget, Andrew Bummel has been quietly advocating a world parliament [via the realistically achievable interim step of a United Nations parliamentary assembly] for over a decade. Despite the nationalist headwinds, he has won the support of the European, Pan-African and Latin American parliaments, and over 1,600 serving and former members of parliaments from all around the world, as well as numerous other notable figures (like the Dalai Lama).

We, the people of the world, face a global environmental crisis, and [the Upside notwithstanding], we are not tackling it effectively. Our economy has globalised, our impact on the environment has globalised, but our politics remains stubbornly and even increasingly national. National sovereignty was a solution to 17th-century religious wars in Europe, it is not the solution to the 21st-century global environmental crisis. Global problems require global solutions. Solutions, to be effective, must be enforced. Enforcement, to be legitimate, must be with the consent of the people. We need more effective and accountable global governance. We need a world parliament.

Andreas, in his quiet modest way, may be the person who saves the planet. He certainly deserves a knighthood for trying.

Nominated by Hilary Day

After losing her job with a big local company through mental ill health, Alice decided to use her talents to set up a self-help, peer-supporting, creative charity offering free workshops for anyone in and around Cambridge dealing with mental health issues.

The local services for mental health had all but collapsed due to lack of funding, and what there was required referrals from the local NHS services. Alices idea sidelined all that self-referral was fine, no requirement to sign up for a course and complete it for the statistics, and workshops were free.

Running on a shoestring for the past nine years, Alice has inspired people to support the charity to give their time and talents, and was offered a home for the workshops in the local Methodist Church. There is also an allotment for gardening and making up vegetable boxes for people in the area who dont have gardens but who want to grow things. Why is all this so special? Because it works. Alice was very clear from the start that the charity should be run by its members for its members. Everyone involved in the charity has to have direct experience of mental ill-health themselves, or through a family member or friend. Members can decide when to attend the workshops and how often to suit their current health condition.

It works well a friendly environment, a chance to chat and socialise, and a reason for leaving the four walls of the house on a regular basis with no demands made of you. The charity offers a chance to build inner strengths and self-confidence through being with other people who understand exactly what you are feeling because they have been there, or somewhere like it, themselves. Many times, Alice has wanted to stop her work due to her own health needs, but shes continued and has the love and respect of many in our community. Her story and that of the charity she set up deserve to be told.

Nominated by John Powell

John Pilger has done a huge amount of work, often at risk to his life, to expose shonky and shoddy politics and politicians. Without his documentaries and newspaper columns we would be much less informed about corruption, including the support, by the CIA, of dictators on all continents.

Pilger is a strong critic of American, Australian and British foreign policy, which he considers to be driven by an imperialist agenda. Pilger has also criticised his native countrys treatment of indigenous Australians. He first drew international attention for his reports on the Cambodian genocide.

Nominated by arch-optimist David Alcock

How about Max Roser and his team at Our World in Data, which exists to conduct research and disseminate data to make progress against the worlds largest problems?

And Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling-Rnnlund, Mikael Arevius and the rest of the team at Gapminder, who are carrying on the legacy of the late Hans Rosling by promoting a fact-based and overwhelmingly positive (they would say possibilist) world view [see also their 2018 book Factfulness].

Nominated by Lindsay Viljoen

Bridget is a volunteer dog walker at the Dogs Trust Shoreham-by-Sea. She is there every off day (she works as a nurse) walking the difficult dogs that the other walkers cant walk. This provides the staff with precious extra time to spend with the dogs who need more attention.

Nominated by Lisa Gobin

Matty Healy, singer of The 1975, sings about what matters to the youth, and what should matter for everyone: climate change. His collaboration with Greta Thunberg, the single Love It If We Made It the world would be a better place if his message got to more people. Keep up the good work, and thank you for reporting what most media dont cover.

Nominated by Christine Ro

Fadil Elamin is one of the few childrens dentists in Sudan. Hes working under very challenging circumstances, from political unrest to frequent power outages. So his and colleagues research, showing the effectiveness of a dental hack that doesnt require electricity, is especially useful.

Nominated by Rhiannon Pugh

I would nominate Gina Miller for her brave attempt to uphold British democracy.

Nominated by Mike Moule

I would nominate Jess Phillips for her courage, her honesty and her ability to maintain calm and dignity when all around her the world falls apart. She stands apart from many of our self-serving politicians and is a tribute to those who seek social and political change without reverting to slander.

Nominated by Liz Vizard

My nomination is for Martyn Goss, who has recently retired after nearly 30 years working as first social responsibility officer and later director of church and society for the Exeter diocese. Unfailingly committed to justice, peace and care for the environment, he has been and still is an inspiration to Exeter people, of all faiths and none, who care about these issues. He did win a Church Times green champion award in 2017, but if knighthoods were on offer to such as he, he would be a strong contender (though no way would he accept one!). A subscription to the Upside would be great though

The Guardian Upside Legend Awards. Who would you nominate? Tell us. TheUpside@TheGuardian.com

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The unsung heroes who really deserve new year honours - The Guardian

There are plenty of articles out there about how to live your best life in 2020, but you don't have to completely overhaul your life in one go to have a successful 2020.Ligia Ramos fromin2motivation,anAmsterdam-based personal and professional development company, tells us how a few small actions can bring us success.

You have probably already read more than twenty articles, tips and ideas on New Years resolutions and how to make next year the best year ever. And you probably did this last year and the year before that.

Life has this amazing way of making itself very normal and standard for most of us. We have moments of big change and courageous moments but very quickly it all becomes normal and we enter the kingdom of the comfort zone. And let me tell you, humans are made for comfort!

Take a look at this table comparing the computer to the human brain:

Your brain is 10 million times slower than a computer. But your body is much faster.

All these stats are from 2008, so imagine how far the computer has progressed since then! Basically, what this data means is that we cannot trust our brain if we want success. Instead, we should focus on our superpowers. Why? Because the computer can be faster in some processes but we, as humans, can combine more data from different signals and the information can also be processed in parallel. Your brain is 10 million times slower than a computer. But your body is much faster.

So, how do you use this superpower system for success and happiness? The answer isactually much simpler than you may think:

Making 2020, or any time in your life, the best ever does nottake effort. It takes lots of small decisions, some courage and using your full resources.

Happy 2020 everyone, and please reach out to us to share your successes next year!

Ligia Ramosis alife coach and motivational speakeratIn2motivation, offering personal and professional training courses to optimise individual and group motivation and performance. Need some more inspiration on ways to make your 2020 successful? Get in touch with In2motivation!

The rest is here:
Tiny tips for a very successful 2020 - IamExpat in the Netherlands

The hit ITV2 show Love Island has suffered a major blow recently, after it was announced that Caroline Flack will be stepping down as host. Love Island is a dating reality competition series in which dozens of British singles mingle on a villa in Mallorca, with some pairing up as serious couples.

Flack has been the face of the program since its relaunch in 2015 and is touted as being an essential component of the shows spectacular success. Flack, 40, is a British TV presenter and personality, who has stood by Love Island and continued to ensure its popularity as a television series, even afterthe deaths of two individuals who had been contestants on the show.

Just a few days prior to quitting, Flack was charged with assault by beating following an incident at her Islington, North London home involving her 27-year-old boyfriend, Lewis Burton.

Flack released a statement upon stepping down, per the Guardian, statingthat there have been a significant number of media reports and allegations in regards to my personal life. While matters were not as have been reported, I am committed to cooperating with the appropriate authorities and I cant comment further on these matters until the legal process is over.

However, Love Island has been my world for the last five years, its the best show on telly, she continued. In order to not detract attention from the upcoming series I feel the best thing I can do is to stand down for Series 6. I want to wish the incredible team working on the show a fantastic series in Cape Town.

According to sources, Flacks arrest came just days before she was due to fly to South Africa to begin filming the winter Love Island premiere, which will air on January 12th, 2020.

For a few frenzied weeks, Love Island fans discussed and debated the issue of who would replace the beloved host. They got their answer this month when it was announced that Laura Whitmore, Dublin-born TV presenter, would take over as the lead entertainer.

According to the Guardian, Whitmore has previously presented the companion show for ITVs Im A Celebrity and hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 5 Live. She has been in a relationship with Iain Stirling, who provides the shows signature voiceover, since 2017.

In Flacks time on the show, Love Island gained international attention for its outrageous success. Season premieres regularly attracted viewer numbers in the millions, making it the most popular reality show in the U.K., easily surpassing staples like Big Brotherand thus making Flack one of Britains most famous hosts, according to Vanity Fair.

Flack served as the cool, calm face of the series, appearing for elimination episodes and hosting post-show interviews with contestants.

When Love Island faced criticism, Flack was a constant support and reinforcement of the shows appeal. In June 2018, prior show participant Sophie Gradon was found dead by suicide. Just three weeks later, Gradons boyfriend killed himself as well.

Then, in 2019, another bomb dropped; prior contestant MikeThalassitis, who appeared in the 2017 series, was found in a north London park after police were called to reports of a man found hanged. Fans of Love Island were devastated, with many even calling for the show to press pause on a new season.

The show responded by committing to more intensive and prolonged support of cast members, during as well as after filming, with a focus on caring for contestants after they have become famous. Despite the extra scrutiny placed upon the show, Caroline Flack remained steadfast and upbeat in her role as host and entertainer.

Many are curious to see how newcomer Laura Whitmore will react to her newfound fame as host of Love Island. And it seems likely that Flacks replacement is notmeant to be a permanent move by the network. ITV2 and Flack have hinted that her departure is temporary.

According to Jezebel, ITV2s head of digital channels and acquisitions stated that While Caroline is away, we know that Love Island will be in very safe hands, and Flack previously wrote to fans that shed be stepping down for Season 6 specifically.

So while fans at home and abroad adjust to seeing a new host on their favorite television program, they can rest easy knowing that Flack may be back, and perhaps as soon as Season 7.

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Caroline Flack is Quietly Being Replaced as the Host of 'Love Island' -- Here's Why - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

SALT LAKE CITY Kyle Whittingham added some hardware to his trophy case Friday, as the longtime Utah head coach was named the 2019 Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year winner.

The award is annually given to the head college football coach whose program embodies the awards three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field throughout the season.

Whittingham, who has an overall record of 131-63 in 15 years as the Utes head coach, led Utah to an 11-2 record and the Pac-12 South title in 2019. The Utes play Texas in the Alamo Bowl next Tuesday.

Other 2019 Dodd Trophy finalists included Minnesotas P.J. Fleck, LSUs Ed Orgeron, Baylors Matt Rhule and Clemsons Dabo Swinney.

Whittingham was named the American Football Coaches Associations Region 5 Coach of the Year earlier this season. He also was recognized by the AFCA and the Paul Bear Bryant Awards committee as National Coach of the Year in 2008, when Whittingham led his Utes to a 13-0 record, No. 2 Associated Press national finish and a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama.

On-the-field success only tells half the story for the Dodd Trophy winner, though.

Under Whittinghams tutelage, four Utes have earned Academic All-America citations and 269 academic all-conference awards since he took over as coach in 2005. The NCAA also recognized the Utah program for having multi-year Academic Progress Report ratings in the top 10 percent of all athletic teams in the country from 2014-19, including a perfect APR single-year score of 1,000 in 2017-18.

Whittingham has also played a key role in helping current and former student-athletes with the creation of the Ute Academy, which prioritizes personal and professional development.

This is the second time a Utah-based coach has won the Dodd Trophy. Former BYU head coach LaVell Edwards won the award in 1979 in its fourth year of existence.

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Utah Utes football: Kyle Whittingham wins Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year award - Deseret News

Based on discussions with executives who have spoken about their personal lives with CNN Business, how they choose to handle their own situations often informs the kind of leader they are. When you're married, have a child and both you and your spouse are CEOs of your own companies, coordinating the family and work calendars is a complex endeavor. For Meghan Cunningham and Daniel Chait it means a five-way conference call with their assistants and their nanny. It also means constantly ranking their priorities. Their son is always No. 1, they said, but their relationship and their businesses are constantly jockeying for the No. 2 slot. They make more money, which makes childcare easier to afford. But like any other working parent, top executives don't get more than 24 hours in a day. And they can never control the constant demands that come with having kids and having a high-powered job. We asked 35 executives how they balance family and work. Here's what they said. For this CEO who chose single parenthood, it's family first Eileen McDonnell runs a Fortune 1000 company. But well before she got the CEO job, she opted to adopt a child on her own. When she did, she stepped away from corporate life to have more say in how her time was structured. But when insurance company Penn Mutual came calling, McDonnell was frank with the board about the kind of flexibility she would need to succeed both as a mother and a corporate leader. Not letting a learning disability get in the way of their success A Silicon Valley executive, wife and mother. A chief of diversity officer at a brand-name commerce site who got his start on Wall Street. Both Jenny Dearborn and Damien Hooper-Campbell were diagnosed in their 20s with ADHD, after years of being discounted by others and wondering what was wrong with them. But both have shown why it doesn't have to be a career killer. His drinking nearly destroyed his Big Law career Steven Wall, the managing partner of a major international law firm, faced the prospect of losing his job and his family after going on an epic bender during an important business trip. It's been a long road back for him, but one that has made him a symbol of redemption in a field where maintaining success too often goes hand in hand with drinking, addiction and mental health problems. A digital detox from the top The 24/7 tech-driven on-demand culture that rules so many people's work life is taking a toll on deep thinking, attention span and the capacity to really rest. Some executives are waking up to those costs in themselves and those who work for them. One of the first steps they've taken to combat the problem is to go on a digital detox retreat.

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C-suite executives on the struggles for work-life balance - CNN

Musicians Aidyl Jago, left, and Paul Jago visit CBC's Prince George studio.

The Prince George Playhouse will be welcoming a blast from the past this weekend when it hosts a new incarnation of the '90s-eraband the Gandharvas.

The Gandharvas formed in 1989 in London, Ontario was a successful alternative rock band that was nominated for a Juno for Best New Group in 1995 and went on to achieve success with singles like Downtime.

The band broke up in 2000 and its different members took their own paths. Speaking to host Carolina de Ryk from CBC's Daybreak North, vocalist Paul Jagosays it wasthe right thing to do at the time.

"We were all growing apart and getting involved in different things; it was getting harder and harder to get together to do even practices. And other interests and just decided to let everyone go and pursue those instead of dragging it out," Jago said.

Jago moved to Vancouver from Ontario and ended up pursuing graduate studies in geology.

After working in the U.S. for a while, Jago eventually applied for a job in Prince George where he now works as a geologist.

"He fought [coming to Prince George] like the devil," his wifeAidyl Jago said, laughing. "[But]we've been here for eight years now."

"The longest we've been anywhere," Paul added.

While music is an important part of their life wife Aidylis also an accomplished vocalist it's been more of an informal presence.

Last Christmas, however, when brother Noel Jago flew out from Toronto to spend time with the family, the brothers put on an impromptu morning jam.

"[They were] in their socks and drinking coffee," Aidyl said.

"And then that kind of gave rise to the idea that well, if we can do this in the basement? Why can't we do this on a proper stage?"

The Prince George concert dubbed"Unearthing the Gandharvas with Paul Jago and the Jago Family Values Band" will feature the brothers and wife Aidyl as well as special musical guests from the Prince George community.

"There are still fans out there. We are contacted by people all the time just these really heartfelt really personal messages," Aidyl said.

"It's never about making money. It's about putting music into the universe."

The concert takes place on Dec. 28.

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The Gandharvas revived: A '90s rock band makes its return to the stage - CBC.ca