Capital Postal and Mailbox Service: A hub for Shipping, Printing and Mailbox Rental

As the world becomes more of a global village, the shipping industry has become essential in transporting products and services from one part of the world to the other. This very competitive industry requires a deep commitment to excellence. For four years, Capital Postal and Mailbox Service has retained a stellar reputation as the go-to resource for many clients’ shipping, packing, printing, business service needs, and mailbox rental needs.

Capital Postal and Mailbox Service located at Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA, is a one-stop-shop for shipping, packaging and supplies, mailbox rentals, mail drop-off and pickup, notary, auto registration DMV services, courier services, document lamination, passport photography, full printing services, document scanning, and copies and faxes.

The company offers packing and shipping services anywhere globally. Its team of highly trained experts provides the customers with a seamless and enjoyable experience second to none. It saves them time by ensuring all products are obtained in a single quick visit.

Capital Postal and Mailbox Service was established and led by career businesswoman and serial entrepreneur Takisha Clark. Although now climbing the ladder to corporate success as a shipping expert, Takisha had her fair share of challenges and obstacles that colored her journey. She began her entrepreneurship journey at the age of 22 when she started her daycare business. Her invested time and efforts paid off, and her business thrived so much that she owned three homes by the time she was 24. 

Not long after her early success, tragedy struck, and she lost everything she had labored for and was homeless by 26. On top of that, she lost her sister in a car wreck. After a four-year-long hiatus, Takisha as a woman with an indomitable spirit and a determination to succeed again launched into the entrepreneurship scene.

With renewed energy and a goal to help people and create job opportunities,  she bought into a tax franchise called Liberty Tax Service. At the franchise, she learned all about franchising and owning a corporate company. Armed with the right knowledge, she started her own tax business called Good Faith Tax Service, which she recently shut down.

Taking a step in the right direction, Takisha Clark founded Capital Postal & Mail Box Service four years ago and has since taken the company to tremendous heights. Under her skilled leadership, the company has successfully franchised in every state in the United States except California, which will launch in a few months.

Takisha Clark continues to work towards building Capital Postal & Mail Box Service into a Fortune 500 company. She wants the brand to be mentioned in conversations about the biggest and most successful global companies. In her words, she explains, ” I  always wanted to build and have my brand just like the other big brands out there. I am self-motivated and driven. I want to prove that I can do it too, just like them.”

Takisha Clark wants her story to inspire people, especially women currently going through a rough phase. She hopes these individuals see her story and are motivated to keep working as success will eventually come if they keep going.

To learn more about Capital Postal and Mailbox Service and its services, you may visit its official website.

James and Sarah Cammilleri Discuss the Positives and Challenges 2020 Brought With It

James and Sarah Cammilleri are the owners and CEOs of JSC Management Group, which owns and operates approximately 60 Burger King locations in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. James entered the business world at a young age working in his uncle’s restaurants, and later, with his father at the family Burger King franchise.

In the past seven years, James and Sarah expanded the JSC Management Group Burger King franchise ownership from two restaurants to 60 (and growing!). James attributes his business success to God, doing the right thing, and good planning!

James and Sarah are committed to giving back and serving others through their ministry in Haiti, Elevating Christian Ministries (ECM). Currently, ECM feeds 30,000 children per day in over 145 school programs. ECM focuses on facilitating sustainable development in Haitian communities through local business development and leadership training.

In 2021, James and Sarah’s goal for ECM is to walk through every open door available to them with the intention of continuing to serve and bless others.

https://www.elevating.org/

How has your industry been impacted regarding COVID-19?

We are fortunate as our business is already set up with drive-through, delivery, and takeout services.  While the full-service restaurants are suffering, we are picking up more business.  This will alter the service industry going forward. Many businesses have had to be creative in abiding by COVID guidelines.

We were concerned that COVID-19 would negatively impact our ministry, Elevating Christian Ministries (ECM), as travel to Haiti enables us to continue to make progress. Fortunately, we are currently planning for many future trips to compensate for that!

What keeps you motivated during this time at home?

I do work from home, but I still need to travel frequently to manage our Burger King franchise.

How do you maintain a solid work-life balance?

My wife Sarah makes me slow down and keeps me in check.  If I had it my way, I would work 24 hours a day, because I do not really consider it work.  My work is my passion and what I love to do! Our ministry through ECM helps me slow down, also.  When I focus on serving others, my mind is less concentrated on work.

Suggestions of good ways others can cope during this time.

The full-service restaurants are getting destroyed, but our business is thriving.  It is a hard question to answer because it is so industry-specific.  I would suggest evaluating the abundance of opportunities which capitalize on the demands created from the pandemic.

What does your typical day look like now versus prior to social isolation?

My typical business day has not changed significantly.  However, I have been affected by not being able to travel to Haiti for our ministry.  Though COVID-19 has not impacted Haiti as heavily as most countries, they are still experiencing lockdowns.

How does working remotely change how businesses can support their customers?

We do not have more people working remotely as it is not feasible in our business.  Nothing has changed for us except for adhering to COVID-19 rules and regulations.

What are some things outside of finding work that you are doing now to stay busy?

I have two children.  I love to fish, and my wife and I enjoy golfing.  Outside of work, my main focus is the ministry, teaching about leadership, and inspiring others to become leaders.

Do you think a work and life balance is important and how difficult is it in these circumstances?

I would definitely say we are working more right now.  In the first few months of COVID we were not working as hard, but now it has been busy and back to normal for us.

Jaime Westenbarger Discusses Why Customers Should Be at the Center of Any Business Model

From Brentwood, Tennessee, Jaime Westenbarger is the Director of Sales for Bluebird Roofing in Nashville. As an experienced entrepreneur, he has been involved in the sales industry his entire career.

To learn more about Jaime Westenbarger, please visit his website.

  • What does your Business specialize in?

Bluebird Roofing is a roofing contractor covering all of the middle Tennessee area.  The company is going on its 11th year in business.  We are a GAF Master Elite Contractor which puts us in the top 3% of roofers in the country.  We handle new roofs and replacement roofs.  We concentrate a lot on insurance work and storm damage recovery.

  • Why do customers love your organization and how do you ensure that they become customers for life?

The biggest thing that we do is we work as hard for our customers as we would for ourselves.  We make sure the yard is impeccable.  We make sure everything is clean when we are done.  We try to disrupt their lives as little as possible.  Our work is a dirty job inherently, and we take that into account and try to make it as clean and as seamless for our customers as possible.  We work on a lot of homes in really nice neighborhoods that have pools and patios.  We use a lot of different systems to make we sure all of that has been taken care of properly and take the extra time to make sure that all of that is perfected.  It takes us to another level and customers refer us and rave about us because we have protected their trees, their plans, their patios, make sure screens on the windows do not get damaged, and that debris did not get inside their pool filter or end up in their driveway causing a flat tire.

We also have a really good communication system with our clients.  Our customers are always in the loop on what is going on.  That goes a long way too.  Contractors are sometimes thought of as someone who may rip you off or not do what they were supposed to do.  If there are a few weeks between when they agreed to have us do the roof and when we actually get in there to do it, we make sure that we are in consistent conversation and communication with our customers, so they are the loop and understand what is going on.  We never want them to feel like they have been forgotten.  We keep in touch via text and phone calls.  We are actually rolling out a brand-new system this year where we will actually email the customers with video updates of where they are at in the process and have an idea of the timeline and what to expect at each step.  We want to make it a little bit less of a murky process for them.

  • What separates your business from the competition?

We take a lot of pride in being a technology-forward company.  A lot of times when someone thinks of roofing or construction in general, they think of a dirty pickup truck and a guy with an old tape measure.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I feel like we have taken our company to a different level of professionalism.  All of our people are uniformed.  We use drones.  We use iPad pros.  Being so technology forward has been great during COVID because we were already nearly touchless if we wanted to be, and now we can do an entire roof from start to finish, including assessment and inspection, with zero physical contact with the client.  Our ability to move and adjust to a changing climate makes us pretty unique in the industry.

It used to be that you climbed up on the roof to takes some pictures to show the customer the damage.  We are at a point now where we can literally do a drone video and show the entire video to the customer.  They can watch the drone as it is flying and see the video in real-time.  There are a lot of things we can do to engage the customer through technology, but also to protect them from COVID.

  • What is the one major key to your company’s success?

The key to our success is really putting the customer first.  It really is our culture here at Bluebird Roofing.  If you are helping people get what they want, you will eventually get what you want, and I think that is a driving motivation in our company.  We help our customers in what are sometimes the worst situations of their lives.  We did a lot of work after the tornado here in Nashville in March of this year.  We met people literally within 24 hours of one of the most terrifying things that have happened to them if they happened to be at home when that tornado came through.  We are able to turn things around and help them navigate through the process of filing their claim – something they may have never done before – and at the end of it their home is put back together with the way it is supposed to be and maybe even prettier than it was before.  Being part of that is a really rewarding experience.  We get paid to do that, but I think as a company our attitude has always been about getting that customer where they need to be.  If that is always our motivation, then I believe we will continue to grow.  I think that it really comes through when you are being genuine with someone and you really want to help them, and it is not just about how many dollars you can get them to spend on something.

  • What tips can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?

You really should do something that you love.  In the last few years, it seems like people have been focused on ideas like making money through an Amazon dropship store, but if you do not like selling t-shirts or gadgets, then I do not know if that will be all that rewarding long term for you.

Money is great, but at the end of the day if you are not doing something you genuinely enjoy and that you think you can do better than someone else, then you are probably just adding noise to the conversation.  You are not really bettering other’s lives and may not even be bettering your own.  If you are not going to do it differently or not going to do it better, then you should probably do something else.

  • What advice would you give an entrepreneur when they are facing a challenge?

If you really enjoy your work, then it is challenging, but it is not the end of the world when you face difficulties.  You are still trying to figure out the challenges and that is the greatest time to innovate.

COVID has crushed a lot of small businesses around the country.  Some unfortunately are in an industry where there may not have been anything they could have done about it, but the flip side is the ones that are surviving are becoming innovative.  They are creating apps to make ordering takeout easier.  They are setting up structures outside so you can still “dine there” in a safe manner.

For example, we started to push this contactless appointment.  We literally can do everything that needs to be done to your roof and you can be safely inside your home.  Companies that thrive in challenging situations can do so because they see the opportunity, not to make more money, but to better the situation and possibly handle it differently than everyone else.  If you have that mindset, even in the challenging times, you can come out on the better end of the situation and you may even come out better than you were before. You have been forced to be creative and to come up with a new way of doing something.

  • Considering how fast the world changes, how do you stay on top of the market?

Using technology in a smart way is really important, though it is easy to get bogged down if you do not have a way to filter out unnecessary information.  Twenty years ago, if a new book came out you would have to dedicate time to sit down and read it.  I “read” multiple books each month by playing them through my stereo while I am driving around in my car.  As I travel from job site to job site, I can listen to the newest book on marketing, customer service, or roof construction.  I think that is amazing that we live in a time when we can utilize those technologies.  The key is to use my time to learn how to better myself and the company.

  • What is your motivation in your position?

I really get excited about innovating and taking what seems like a mundane product that we all need, like roofs and shelter, and figure out a way to make it more interesting. I like figuring out how to integrate new technologies and systems to make our company stand out and be different than everyone else’s.  In the process of doing that, we are able help hundreds, if not thousands, of customers each year to better their situation as well.

I recently had the chance to talk recently to a retired older gentleman who is living on a fixed income.  A friend of his referred us to him.  His roof was in very bad shape.  He had roof damage from a storm, but he did not realize his insurance could help him because his roof was so old.  He thought he would have to come up with $7,000 to $8,000 that he did not have to repair his roof, but we helped him through the process, and he was able to get a new roof with just the cost of his insurance deductible. It did not seem possible to him, but we were able to help him and now he will not have to worry about that again.

  • What makes a great leader?

You have to be able to understand what truly motivates your people because not everyone is motivated by the same things.

  • Why are customers the foundation of your business?

Without our customers and our raving fans giving us five-star reviews and referring us to their friends and family, we would not be even one-tenth of the company that we are.

  • How can technology make the world a better place?

Technology has a phenomenal opportunity to make the world a better place as long as it solves problems and is not a distraction.

  • Tell our readers something motivating given the hardships of the past year.

This has certainly been one of our most challenging years, but amazing innovation comes from tragedy, economic issues, and pandemics. If ever there was a time to come up with the newest and greatest products, services, businesses, and technology, you are staring at it.

  • How do you like to start your day?

I try to get all of the stuff that I do not want to do done first, so I am not dragging it through the rest of the day. Then I am pretty energized to move on with the rest of my day because those tougher tasks are already done.

  • How do you handle rejection and setbacks?

Rejection and setback in business to me just get us that much closer to the next customer who we can help, so I don’t really dwell on it. I look at it that we may not be right for everybody.  We are never going to be the cheapest roofing company because we don’t use cheap materials or cheap labor, so if somebody says no, I understand, and I move on to the next person who will appreciate the value that we bring.

  • How do you pick your employees?

A lot of things can be taught, but we hire for attitude, personality, and the overall chemistry of our team because we want to find positive people with an optimistic outlook on the world and who want to help people.

  • How do you handle the competitive business environment?

I surround myself with great people who are trusted to do the jobs that they were hired to do. I am also consistently looking to make us even better than we are.

Chambless Johnston Discusses the Integrated Model of Addiction Treatment and How He Started His Addiction Facility

Dr. Chambless Johnston from Johnson City, Tennessee, is the founder and CEO of East Tennessee Recovery where he treats people with addiction issues using integrative care.  Dr. Johnston was born in Nashville and grew up in Tennessee.  He went to East Tennessee State University (ETSU) for his undergraduate degree with a major in Biology and a minor in History.  He went to the American University at the Caribbean School of Medicine on St. Maarten, a beautiful island in the Caribbean, and graduated in 2002.  He did his internal medicine residency at East Tennessee State University and then began practicing internal medicine in 2006.  In his work as a hospitalist, he encountered many patients that had addiction issues and he really wanted to provide more options for them.

Chambless Johnston created East Tennessee Recovery to get away from the cookie-cutter approach to addiction treatment that often resulted in patient relapse.  The practice provides a more comprehensive, individualized treatment because addiction is a lifelong disease that needs continued treatment.  East Tennessee Recovery’s integrative model is changing the industry.  Patients are treated for their addiction needs, mental health needs, and primary care needs like diabetes, high blood pressure, and COPD.

East Tennessee Recovery uses an individualized plan that treats the whole person.  Patients tend to stay longer, instead of relapsing and going from place to place.  When Dr. Johnston first got started, he was focused on clinical care for patients, but now as East Tennessee Recovery has grown, he is more involved in the planning, direction, and coordination of the day-to-day operations.

How did you get started in this business?

I thought my calling was to become a doctor, but now that my work has become helping people with lifestyle changes, I am the happiest that I have ever been.  Doing this kind of work inspires me.  While I was working in the hospital, I really saw the need to help people with addiction issues and I felt like it was not done at the most effective level.  We started out by opening a small clinic.  Because of how hard we have worked and our success with patients, we have grown to four facilities in two states.  I have a goal of adding 11 more in the upcoming year and having 15 clinics for our patients.

At East Tennessee Recovery, we evaluate the whole patient.  We talk with the patient, and it is a give-and-take relationship.  We encourage them to stay clean and become a better person while in our program and in that way, we can change our community.

Most doctors that handle addiction treatment have a psychiatry background, but since we treat the whole patient, not just the addiction issues, we do not limit the doctors we hire to those with psychiatry backgrounds and hire the best doctors that we know.

A lot of these patients cannot afford treatment.  When I was working in the hospital, I saw that most of the addiction treatment was done on a self-pay basis.  They were often treated as if their addiction was a moral failing, rather than a true chronic brain disease like we know it is now.  We have been able to now convince some of the insurance companies in Tennessee and Virginia to understand that if we take care of this now, it will save a lot more money in the long run.  East Tennessee Recovery was the first facility to take insurance as an office-based opioid treatment center (OBOT) in Tennessee and Virginia.  We have been leading the way on that.

How do you make a profit?

I learned this early on in my medical career.   We want to do everything for free.  We want to see our patients for free, but if you cannot make enough money to pay your bills as a business or a practice, you can’t take care of the patients.  Our success comes through the services we provide our patients.  We have a very effective and efficient system to treat patients with addiction.  We have doctors managing these patients.  We have case management for resources.  We have individual counseling and group therapy for the mental health aspect.  We also provide primary care which sets us apart from other clinics.  We have contracts with insurance companies to pay for our services.  It is very hard and very difficult, but we continue to grow with the insurance companies, and we want to work effectively with them to provide the best care for these patients.  As we increase our value as a company and increase the value of how we take care of our patients, it increases our reimbursement with the insurance companies.

How long did it take for you to become profitable and was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you deal with that? 

It took almost two years to become profitable.  When we first started, we had self-pay, but ultimately, I chose to work with insurance companies.  I definitely believed in what we were doing and the system we had developed.  We started with a good base of patients and learned what we needed to do.  We learned how to become profitable over time.  We continue to refine our system and how we take care of our patients by adding more services to help them.

I do remember one day that I came in and looked at our profit and loss statement and saw how much I needed to pay to our staff and the little amount that we had in the bank, and that was a day I had some doubts.  But I have always been a very positive person and I try not to let doubts creep in.  I walked out to the mailbox and said a prayer asking for help as I went.  I literally pulled out a check from one of the insurance companies that provided just what I needed to make payroll.

How did you obtain your first customer?

My first customer was a patient who had gone to the hospital and had some difficulties with some other issues related to their addiction.  I think one of the nurses that I knew gave the patient our card and said, “You might want to call this guy.”  The patient contemplated going in for treatment and called that Friday at 7:30 at night.  We gave him our time and we talked to him.  I remember the patient saying, “If you didn’t come here tonight, I don’t know if I would have made it.  I might have died.”  That patient is still with us and doing great.

Our best marketing is done by our patients.  You can see their recoveries.  I take good care of them, and they refer others to us like crazy.  You have to listen to them and find out their needs.  We are still small and different from others because we take the time to listen.  When you listen to your patients, they tell you what you need to do to help them.  That is what I’ve always done, and I think that is our best marketing strategy.  We do social media, but I think our best marketing is what we do for our patients.

What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?

I had to let a personal friend go from the business.  As much as I hated it, for us as a company, we had to do it to grow.  I always want to give people a chance.  We give our patients chances.  We continue to give new employees a chance.  The hard part is when you know it’s not working out and you can’t let it linger on and you have to let that person know you are sorry it didn’t work out and they just weren’t ready for the position.  You can still be positive about it.  I feel like it is a disservice to them as well our business if we don’t let them know.  Growing for the last few years in our business, I have learned as a business owner the skill of knowing when it is time.  We want to give people a way to improve their lives, but if it is just not working out, you just have to let them know.

What has been your most satisfying moment in business?

It was very satisfying how much we were able to help our first patient and that continues to inspire me to keep building this practice.  It’s also so satisfying to me to see our patients that are thriving now.  I tell many people that our patients are our heroes.  Ultimately the care we give them defines who I am.  It’s very satisfying to see a patient six to eight months later that has completely regained their life back.  I often wish I could take a picture on the first day in treatment and then a picture of their future in six months from then and what they are going to look like.  It is very life-changing.  There are many satisfying moments but seeing that patient on the first day and then that smile on their face when they quit using drugs and they have regained their life, gotten their kids back, they have a job, and they have enough money in their pocket to buy gifts for their kids at Christmas- that is really satisfying.

What are you most excited about in the future of your business?

I really want to expand.  My goal is to get as many people as possible with addiction issues to access treatment.  That is why I started this.  Working with the insurance companies so they can help these patients get their addiction treatment paid for has been huge.  I want to be in many states.  I want to rapidly expand while still giving this same level of care.  Starting in 2021 we already have two to three other places lined up that we most likely are going to move into.  We are meeting and making connections with a lot of people in other states, and I think we will be able to help show them a way to give more people access to the kind of care that we provide.  Furthermore, I think it is also important to note that we are working with other facilities related to addiction treatment. The goal in doing so is to educate people and communities about addiction treatment and work collaboratively for a continuum of care. That overarching structure of care is a very exciting prospect in the future of my facility. 

Are you willing to mentor someone looking to get into your field? If so, how should they contact you?

We are mentors for people.  One of the really cool things we did when we first started East Tennessee Recovery is we reached out to the East Tennessee State University Social Work program.  We needed good counselors and social workers to work with us to help these patients get more resources.

We started with their intern program in east Tennessee and southwest Virginia to teach interns about what we do and to help them expand their knowledge about the counseling and social work opportunities in the area.  Tulane also sends us people.  Milligan College and King University also want to send us interns.  We were one of the first in East Tennessee to take on internal medicine residents and training them in addiction treatment.

We also teach our patients to mentor other patients that come in.  We encourage them to come to groups and find somebody and be a mentor to them.

The Bridal Architect Instilling Confidence One Bride at a Time

How brides feel on their wedding day is dependent on their sense of confidence, empowerment, and health, not necessarily their weight. The overwhelming feeling that brides feel on their wedding day is not strange or out of order; as a matter of fact, it is normal and expected. The Bridal Architect by Dorian Johnson is committed to helping brides feel different on their big day.

When Dorian Johnson started The Bridal Architect, his goal was to help these overwhelmed brides build the best version of themselves so they can feel confident and empowered on the big day. While creating The Bridal Architect, Dorian’s mindset is that all brides deserve to enjoy their wedding day, feel less pressure, and understand that there is no such thing as “a Bridal Body.” 

Dorian believes that confidence and health aren’t specific looks or sizes; these are feelings that everyone can step into. For this, he helps build The Overwhelmed Bride-To-Be into The Best Badass Bride using the three pillars of his Best Badass Bride Blueprint: Body Joy Bravery Nourishing Nutrition, and Majestic Movement.

Badass Bride’s Confidence Code is a mini-course designed to help overwhelmed Brides-To-Be cultivate genuine confidence for their wedding day without feeling fake. The course teaches Brides-To-Be to take small but impactful actions around their strengths, and what they enjoy to start filling their confidence meter so that by the time their wedding day rolls by, they can be their most confident no matter how they look. 

The Bridal Architect is committed to changing the norm in the Bridal Fitness Industry. To help brides-to-be of all kinds embrace and love who they are on their big day in a way that adds to their experience and makes them happy instead of needlessly feeling the pressure to be who they or society thinks they should be. Since there is no such thing as a “perfect bridal body,” The Bridal Architect tries to help every bride achieve the “enjoyable and authentic bridal experience instead.”

The Bridal Architect is driven by autonomy, empowerment, authenticity, diversity and inclusion, and fun. “Because every Bride-To-Be deserves to have a day that allows them to light up with excitement without a persistent fear of being judged or feeling insecure while sharing their true self. Such a joyous occasion could be hindered, not enjoyed to the fullest, or even dreaded if The Overwhelmed Bride-To-Be is not feeling strong, comfortable, and confident in their body, especially if they continue to equate looks with confidence.” 

Dorian suffered from his own body image issues even as a fitness professional because he felt that he had to look a certain way to be taken seriously. This has seen him partake in numerous disordered exercise and eating patterns to feel more confident in his abilities. Dorian sees a similar struggle in other engaged women on their journey to the aisle. “I feel I can help them escape The Diet and Exercise Chaotic Circle and help them to feel confident, in a safe way that feels good to them, relieving so much anxiety in the wedding space.”

Dorian wants every bride to see themselves represented in different capacities during their engagements to avoid them feeling like “an outside bride” because their experience doesn’t match what they see.

For Dorian Johnson, the work he does at The Bridal Architect is born out of his love for weddings and understanding the immense level of pressure that falls on every bride’s shoulder to look a certain way.

To learn more about The Bridal Architect, visit his website or follow him on social media via Facebook and Instagram.

A Discussion with Dieter Dammeier About Charity work & Involvement as a Volunteer

Dieter Dammeier is a practicing attorney with nearly 25 years of experience at every administrative and judicial level, including appearing before the United States and California Supreme Court. He graduated from Western State University, College of Law in 1996, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor degree in Law. He is the author of a published article in the Harvard Law & Policy Review (Fading Rights of Public Employees) and co-author of the Pocket Guide to the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act. He has also published numerous articles in statewide and national labor periodicals. He has presided over 300 cases as a judge pro tem in the Los Angeles Superior Courts and as a “fee dispute” arbitrator for the California State Bar.

Dieter has been fortunate enough over his career to be successful in business and with his law practice and he hopes to spread some of this success to others who may be struggling in different ways.  Before becoming an attorney, he was also a police officer and reserve deputy sheriff which allowed him to see the good and the bad of what society has to offer. He hopes that by promoting the importance of charity involvement and volunteering that others will get involved too.

Can you give us some insight into the volunteer/charity work you have been or are currently involved with?

All of my adult life, I have volunteered in many various capacities.  Even in my teens, I helped as a soccer coach for youth sports.  As I matured and increased my capabilities, I later volunteered as a reserve deputy sheriff.  After becoming an attorney, I was asked to be a board member for the Inland Chapter of the American Cancer Society.  I have also volunteered and handled hundreds of cases as a Volunteer Temporary Judge (Judge Pro Tem) in Los Angeles Superior Court.  As an attorney, I have also volunteered at free legal aid clinics and currently volunteer as an Arbitrator of attorney fee disputes for the State Bar of California.

Why is charitable involvement so important to you?

I think we all contribute to society, good or bad.  If more people positively pitch in, we all do better.  I grew up with a single mom who struggled financially.  If I can help a hard-working but struggling family to realize their dreams, they will do the same and so on.  I bring this same attitude to everything I do. I understand the struggles that groups or individuals go through so I hope to provide some relief and hope to those who are struggling.

Besides monetary donations, what are some other ways that people can get involved with their local charities?

Most charities do not need just money but need peoples’ time.  Use whatever expertise you have, find a cause you support that could use that expertise. In most cases, your time is more valuable to these organizations than your money. From my experience, volunteering my time and expertise has been much more rewarding than just sending money as you are directly able to see the positive impact that you are having on your local community. With that being said, it always comes down to what you can or are comfortable with giving back.

What has been the most satisfying moment in your volunteer/charity work thus far?

This is tough.  As an attorney and former police officer, I like it when justice is served so my volunteer work as a Temporary Judge, making rulings that gave justice to people or as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff, arresting people that were causing people to suffer, was very satisfying.  But when I have helped a kid play on a team or attend a function otherwise financially out of reach, there is also great satisfaction.

What advice can you share with others when donating / volunteering?

Whatever you can provide, whether it be monetary or volunteering time, everything makes a difference no matter how big or small. I have never regretted volunteering my time to something that I support or believe in. Seeing firsthand the difference it makes is infectious and always motivates me to do more. I believe that this is something that more people should get involved in because of the positivity and benefits that it generates not only for those in need but for the volunteers as well.

Do some research in your area, find local associations or groups that need any sort of help. With things being the way they are currently with the pandemic, there is an increased need to help, although donating time may be difficult in some cases due to lockdowns in certain areas and social distancing. The biggest takeaway here is don’t stay on the sidelines.  Life is short do what you can to make a difference.

Paul Shapiro Discussed A New Way To Feed Humanity

Paul Shapiro attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating in 2001 with a degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution.  He made a decision to work in the non-profit animal welfare space, primarily lobbying in state legislatures to pass laws to protect animals.  After doing that for over 15 years, Shapiro made a radical shift to entrepreneurialism, seeing it as the best way to achieve his goals of making the world a better place.  He co-founded The Better Meat Co. in 2018 and has rapidly grown it to be a company on the cutting edge of food sustainability technology.  His book, Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World, was published the same year, putting him on the forefront of the issue, with interviews and published articles on CNN, The Washington Post, Scientific American and hundreds more outlets.

  1. Why did you decide to create your own business?

I like that we’re on the cutting edge of technological progress.  We’re creating new types of ways to feed humanity that have a much smaller footprint on the planet.  I’m particularly proud of the innovation that we’re creating.  Imagine if you were around in the film industry for decades, and photographs had been on gelatin negatives and you had to have dark rooms and it took hours or days to get your photographs to even be visible.  Then imagine that you were at the cutting edge of the digital film revolution in which you could get those images instantly and in pristine condition.  That’s what I feel like in terms of food production technology. We’re on the cusp of commercializing methods of protein production that don’t take months or years, but rather hours or days.

  1. What is the biggest lesson you have learned managing your business/team?

There’s so much to learn in this field, but I think one of the biggest lessons is that you really want to have a team of people around you who are supplementary to your skill set.  That means hiring people who know a lot more than you do about a variety of things.  Oftentimes, people hire those who are like themselves, but I’ve found that the way to succeed is to hire people who know a lot more than you do.

  1. How has your company grown from its early days to now?

We were founded in May of 2018, and we’ve grown from having zero employees to now having 15.  We currently operate a 13,000 square foot food production facility in Sacramento, a huge increase in capacity in just two years.

  1. If you could change 1 thing you did in the beginning of your career what would it be?

I wish I could have recognized earlier in my career that it’s easier for people to change their behavior when there are superior alternatives available.  For example, if you think about clean energy, none of us like that we’re using fossil fuels, but until solar and wind and other renewables are cheaper, it’s going to be very hard to switch because most people are going to continue buying on price.  Similarly, I spent much of my career trying to persuade people to do the right thing for the right reason regarding animals and our treatment of them. I wish I would have recognized that rather than trying to persuade people to change their behavior for the right reason, simply creating technology that renders the misuse of animals obsolete would be more efficient.

  1. Who has been a role model to you and why?

People who know me know that I routinely talk about Marie Curie and why we should try to be more like her. But in terms of people I personally know, I’ve had many role models, but I’d say among the people who have been particularly useful in my own entrepreneurial journey, one person has been a gentleman named Paul Schwartz.  Paul was an early believer in our company.  He invested early and really taught me a lot about how to run a company.  He’s a retired businessperson himself, so I’m really grateful to him for routinely sharing his expertise and his experience with me during the course of this entrepreneurial journey.

  1. What traits do you possess that make you a successful leader?

There’s a lot of people who are smarter than me.  There’s a lot of people who are more talented than I am.  But there aren’t many people more tenacious than I am.  I think that whatever I may lack in terms of intelligence or other traits, I try to make up for with a relentless work ethic that’s going to help our company advance in a rapid way.

  1. What has been the hardest obstacle you’ve overcome?

Lack of resources is the perennial problem for startups.  It’s the biggest issue that we face, and we have to try to make a lot from a little.  When you start your own company, you’re essentially making something from nothing, and you have to squeeze dollars to go further in ways that are often unheard of.  Attempting to do big things while trying to stay on a budget is a difficult thing to do, and we’ve found ways to overcome lack of financial resources and actually make real technological advancements with a fraction of the resources that would be available to more established companies.  A lot of that comes from building our own equipment or buying used equipment on the market.  We get very innovative with our processes and techniques to eliminate expensive parts of processes that perhaps, while useful, may not be totally necessary.

  1. Outside of work, what defines you as a person?

I’m very proud to be the husband of my wife Toni and the “father” of our dog.  A big part of my identity is my family, and my favorite thing to do is spend time with my wife and dog. My parents are also a big part of my life. They’re very proud grandparents to our dog Eddie, so I like to video-call them while walking him so they at least see what he’s up to.

  1. Where do you see you and your company in 5 years?

Our company is a B2B ingredients company, so we don’t make our own products that you would see on the store shelves.  We sell ingredients to other companies for their products. So I think in that timeframe we’re going to be a significant player in the animal-free protein ingredients market. And most importantly, we’re going to tangibly reduce humanity’s footprint on the planet and animals.

Stirling Cooper Transforms Men Into Wild Stallions Every Woman Desires

Sexual satisfaction plays a crucial role in every relationship. It strengthens relationships, boosts confidence, and improves overall function in daily life. The deeper connections formed behind closed doors can impact a person in several aspects, which is why Stirling Cooper valued these kinds of relationships and spent decades mastering the techniques and expertise needed to achieve them. 

As a man who spent almost half of his life dedicated to studying the art of reigniting intimacy in bed, Stirling Cooper has earned several recognitions in his lifetime. He is an award-winning and best-selling men’s intimacy coach whose mission is to teach individuals how to become wild stallions in bed and satisfy every partner.

Stirling believes that one must be able to fulfill their partner’s desire by leaving a lasting impression. The results will serve to benefit the couple’s dynamic. They will both experience all the good things that come with such a deed. By being accessible to anyone on the internet, Stirling can help individuals from different walks of life unleash their potential and formulate a mindset geared toward the same goal.

Stirling’s approach will eliminate issues related to genital size, premature ejaculation, penile erectile dysfunction, no spark in the bedroom, and performance anxiety. Other forms of information claim to be useful, but the testimonies tell otherwise. Since the information found on the internet and other media sources are not always reliable, it is crucial to invest in someone who has the expertise based on firsthand experiences. 

Stirling’s approach includes a step-by-step guide and an in-depth understanding of his client’s needs. He does not believe in supplements or medications to fill in the void. Instead, Stirling encourages his clients to change the way they think or feel about things. The approach is more focused on what goes inside the mind and how to control the mind. 

Stirling has earned many clients’ trust because his openness to issues like these is equivalent to a rare gem. Five years from now, Stirling envisions himself as one of the most in-demand intimacy coaches, running seminars and workshops worldwide. As much as possible, Stirling wants his expertise to have a global reach to help other individuals with their needs and leave traces of intimacy wherever they go.

Being viewed as a prominent role model, Stirling Cooper always tries his best to gratify his clients. For Stirling, every couple in a marital or committed relationship will function better when both are satisfied, and every issue comes with a solution. 

Stirling Cooper’s clients can attest to his expertise, and one client named Tim said, “Love your video course—it is extremely well done. The overall principles are changing my overall mindset and making me far more confident.” With these things being said, people like Stirling Cooper exist to change lives, improve and strengthen relationships, and transform individuals into wild stallions every woman desires. 

To know more about Stirling Cooper and his approach, you may check out his Instagram and YouTube accounts or go directly to his official website. 

Evan The Card Guy: Today’s Biggest Magic Sensation on Social Media

Not often can anyone ever claim to be one of the most significant social media sensations of a particular category. But for Evan Alberto, aka Evan The Card Guy, to make such a claim would be right on the money. With over 18 million followers all over his social media accounts today, he has grown to be one of the most viewed and followed content creator magicians today.

Evan first started diving into magic at the age of twelve after getting grounded from video games and had to find other things to do. But what began as a pastime to get by would quickly become his greatest passion in life. A year after starting in magic, he joined The Magic Castle in Hollywood, becoming the youngest ever to join the program. 

Fast forward to his days in college, Evan would get a part-time job as a janitor also while studying to get a degree. That would all change in 2019 after his TikTok videos went viral and took him on a whole new trajectory in life. After two years of mastering his craft, learning how to create engaging content, and growing his social channels, Evan is now a professional magician and content creator with massive followings on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. He posts all kinds of highly entertaining videos like magic tricks performed in the streets and influential personalities. Evan also creates other forms of videos from time to time, like challenges, vlog stories, and other fun-to-watch videos. 

Evan Alberto’s largest social platform to date has to be his TikTok account, where he now has over 16.3 million followers. His Instagram also has a following in the millions range with approximately 1.6 million followers to date. On YouTube, where he posts vlogs regularly, his videos have collected over 14 million views and over half a million subscribers and still growing.

Most recently, Evan The Card Guy also launched a podcast entitled “It’s Tricky” and now has three live episodes. The podcast hopes to provide more entertainment to people on social and digital channels by bringing some of the internet’s most celebrities and influencers on the show to compete in fair games and talk about anything under the sun in between.

Evan has come a long way since his early beginnings as a magician and content creator. Since his rise to TikTok and internet fame, the influencer has left his janitorial job and dropped out of college to create online content full-time. More than finding fame and success, Evan has found a calling in what he does. What brings him the most joy is delivering entertainment to people everywhere. He hopes to continue growing his influence and becoming this generation’s most celebrated magician.

Beyond just creating content, Evan The Card Guy is a man who seeks to make an impact on others. He posts content of him giving away cash, gifts, and prizes to people he gives dare and challenges.

In the next five years, Evan hopes to reach the levels of magicians like David Blaine and solidify his place amongst the greats while also bringing people happiness and awestruck wonder through the things he does best. 

Learn more about Evan Alberto, otherwise known as Evan The Card Guy, by visiting his TikTok and Instagram accounts.

Yessenia Cossio: From the Corporate World to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Traveling the world is no easy feat. Jumping into a comic book and entering an imagined universe is immeasurably harder. Following years of hard work and training, actress and stuntwoman Yessenia Cossio is making her way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe one stunt at a time.

Yessenia Cossio was born on December 31, 1988, in Miami, Florida. At only nine years old, she expressed an interest in singing and the arts. She developed her passion in the school chorus and local church but knew early on that it was not what she would do for the rest of her life.

It was a while later, in 2006, that she would discover an opened door lying in wait. After performing her first dialogue script about women’s rights, Yessenia was encouraged by her teacher and classmates to join a drama class. Due to her financial situation, however, the talented teen could not do so and started working for a telemarketing company to pursue her dreams.

Her portfolio in the corporate world included work as a computer technical support specialist, human resource employee, and part-time jobs in medical billing, selling small kitchen appliances, and as a special events dancer. 

After seven long years of struggling to check both paying bills and taking acting classes on her to-do list, Yessenia had to make a difficult decision. She decided that it would be best to remain temporarily unemployed and risk losing everything than stay in the limbo that she found herself in.

It was to be the best choice she had ever made. In January 2013, Yessenia Cossio joined The Miami Acting Studio, where her life completely changed. While working side jobs as a brand ambassador and enrolling in acting and parkour classes, her career began to skyrocket. By August of that year, she was training to compete in the bikini division of the National Physique Committee.

She later secured 16th place in her first bodybuilding competition before rising to the second spot in the next. Although she was starting to gain recognition in the field, Yessenia was adamant in her determination to make her way in the world as an actress.

Following her passion, she joined an Acting Table Meeting in Davie, Florida, where she met varying industry artists who made up a significant part of her reliable network when she expressed her interest in performing stunts. 

In December 2013, she was connected with one of South Florida’s most prominent stunt directors and later shot her first stunt the month after. The memorable experience helped Yessenia find a happy medium between acting and performing stunts. 

Committed to her craft, she explored all aspects of stunt work and quickly became proficient in the art. Her steadfast dedication and continually improving skills led to her big break as Dynamite on the competitive FOX TV show Ultimate Tag. From there, her career officially took off.

She starred in the Warner Bros. film Dune and performed stunts in the fan-favorite Marvel TV Show Punisher on Netflix. Her work in the latter elevated her reputation and fueled her drive to work harder to return to the Universe as a cast member.

“I remember working in Best Buy as a retail employee, watching “The Avengers” in action playing on one of the TVs on a loop, and telling myself, ‘One day, I will be there. I will work for Marvel,’ and six years later, I’m seeing my dream come true on the Netflix Marvel TV Show The Punisher,” she shares. 

Pursuing her dreams has proven gratifying for the rising star. Her growing success in her endeavors has inspired Yessenia to give back to the community. In her free time, the sought-after stunt woman dresses up as superheroes and visits children’s hospitals, homeless shelters, and elderly homes. 

She invests and heavily donates to various causes such as cancer, epidermolysis bullosa, autism, shelters, and more. In 2019, she was given the Humanitarian Award from her sponsor World Freerunning and Parkour Federation (WFPF).

Whether onscreen or off, Yessenia Cossio hopes to serve as an inspiration to dream and give back. Learn more about Yessenia by visiting her official website.