When it comes to branding, no one understands the magic of marketing quite like Ido Leffler, co-founder and “chief carrot lover” of Yes To, Inc., a health and beauty company. In just four years, Ido and his team built their business into one of the leading natural beauty brands in the world, securing their foothold in the competitive industry. Octane sat down with Ido to talk about tenacious marketing, how to build your brand and the secret to great customer service.
When running your own business starts to feel like more than a full-time job, one of the first things to take a hit is sleep. While sacrificing a good night’s rest might seem to be par for the course for entrepreneurs, too little shuteye could soon hurt your business.
You may believe you can function on less sleep than you need, catch up on the weekends or compensate by drinking more coffee. If only it was so simple. Here are five common beliefs about sleep and why they aren’t really so:
A special interview with EO Calgary’s Zahra Al-harazi, founder of Foundry Communications
To be successful in business, you need to stand out. That best practice is especially true when it comes to entrepreneurship. No one understands the power of uniqueness more than Zahra Al-harazi, an EO Calgary member who’s making her voice heard in business and beyond.
In many ways, Zahra’s entrepreneurial journey is like most others— it’s filled with a thousand and one stories, memories and lessons learned that have helped shape her into one of today’s most innovative entrepreneurs. And yet it’s remarkably different, a journey colored by challenges and cultural experiences: She’s a Yemeni woman born in Uganda. She was raised in places that tourists rarely visit. She grew up during two civil wars. She married at age 17. She had three children by age 25, and later immigrated to Canada, a land as foreign as she was. From being a stay-at-home mom with no degree or career to finding an entrepreneurial spirit she never knew she had, Zahra is a perfect example of what can be achieved when passion meets purpose.
In this special interview, Octane sat down with Zahra to talk about finding her entrepreneurial voice, the magic of marketing and defining her future. (more…)
By Lisa Nirell, a strategic growth and marketing expert, and the Chief Energy Officer of EnergizeGrowth®.
“Here, have an oatmeal cookie.”
That is the disarming way in which my first interview with Stephen Covey began in 2004. In light of Dr. Covey’s passing this week, his lessons are more alive than they have ever been. I’m certain that my experiences with Covey were consistent with many others. This is my attempt to summarize those life lessons. (more…)
A lot can happen in 12 years. Just ask EO Atlanta member Sara Blakely, who with US$5,000 in life savings and an innovative idea, changed the face of business and the lives of women everywhere.
Recently recognized by Forbesas the youngest female self-made billionaire in the world—she was also listed in Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” list in April 2012—the inventor of revolutionary shapewear, SPANX, has given new meaning to EO’s core value, “Make a Mark.”
In this special interview, Sara sits down with Octane to talk about starting a business from scratch, the magic of marketing and the importance of trusting your gut. (more…)