The Next Chapter

At age 24, Gelie Akhenblit found that she highly disliked her job, and set out on a journey to find her true passion. “I am freakishly in love with networking,” Akhenblit says.  And so she made it her career.  In 2008, at age 27, Akhenblit founded Networking Phoenix, an online platform for professionals to connect…

"It's not an anger problem. If this was an anger issue, all of us would be abusers. This is about one person wanting to gain or maintain power with tactics of abuse."

At the age of 15, Donna Bartos found herself in an abusive relationship. Although she didn't realize it at the time. The first six months she describes as being treated like a princess. Then things changed. Her boyfriend started to tear her down, she says, telling her she was fat and ugly. "Humiliation," Bartos says, "is the first sign of an abusive relationship.

It took a violent incident for her to walk away. That was 20 years ago. But the memory of what happened never left. Bartos would later find herself at a conference where a teenage girl was the keynote speaker. She talked about escaping a violent relationship that nearly destroyed her.

Bartos got on the plane to fly home and sketched out her plan to start an organization called Bloom with the focus being intensive outreach to schools. But this program would be different. Bartos and her group would focus on prevention and recognizing the signs before the abuse even started. She wanted to reach out to potential victims, and abusers, to teach to recognize behaviors that could lead them down a destructive path.

Bartos recruited some of her friends who also saw a need for an organization like this. She aggressively raised seed funding from Social Venture Partners Arizona, and became the fast pitch recipient. That turned into a grant from the Verizon organization.

"This is our battle song, this is what we want to share with individuals and corporations. How many more lives have to be lost before we start looking collectively and on the massive scale."

One of the keys to their success is that they are not "a once and done program", meaning they don't just do seminars. Bartos says that can be more harmful because "you turn up a bunch of stuff, then leave, and they (the kids) don't know what to do." Instead, the Bloom Crew partners with schools to do student outreach over the course of seven days, and then peer-led awareness groups twice a month, followed by small group sessions to build self esteem and communication skills for healthy relationships once a week for nine weeks. They hope to take the curriculum nationwide.

Bartos asks students to consider if they are blooming or wilting. Or making someone else bloom or wilt.

"When I see 40% hands go up and they say they are ready to bloom in in their corner of the world, that inspires me."

Bartos is reaching these kids on a very real level. And she's only just begun to Bloom.

The post Deadly Mistakes: Teen Dating Abuse and How To Stop It appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“It’s not an anger problem.  If this was an anger issue, all of us would be abusers.  This is about one person wanting to gain or maintain power with tactics of abuse.” At the age of 15, Donna Bartos found herself in an abusive relationship.  Although she didn’t realize it at the time.  The first…

"If people cannot find your business on the web, it's like you don't exist. You are invisible."

Denise Wakeman is a successful online business strategist who helps small business owners and entrepreneurs increase visibility.

She says it is crucial for everyone to build their online presence because potential clients and customers "want to know more about you and what you are doing". Showcasing your work "helps build trust and credibility with a wider audience".

Wakeman has been doing this for a long time — since 1996. Of course, things have come a long way since then. But some basic things have not changed. "You need to provide value, be honest, authentic, and transparent with your online presence," Wakeman says, "People want to know that you are a real person, that you know what you are talking about, and they can trust you."

Wakeman embraced blogging and social media early on. She was actually one of the people who encouraged Michael Stelzner to start Social Media Examiner, which has become a hugely successful digital magazine. Wakeman calls Stelzner an amazing visionary.

Using the web in ways that will better your brand takes vision. It also takes commitment.

"None of this happens overnight," Wakeman points out.

She advises clients to create content on a consistent basis (at least once a week), but be mindful and efficient about the content you are creating. Ask yourself, what is your goal? What audience are you trying to serve? Also, she says, be intentional with your web strategy.

Wakeman encourages people to spice up their content with graphics. She likes a site called Canva https://www.canva.com/ that allows you to create your own graphic design.

Also, and perhaps most important, she says, make sure there is always a call to action. What do you want people to do after they read your post, see your video, or check out your link? What is the call to action? Wakeman says this is the one thing missing from the content so many people publish and, she says, "they wonder why it is not working for them."

To find more about Denise Wakeman visit her site:

www.denisewakeman.com

The post How To Increase Your Online Presence appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“If people cannot find your business on the web, it’s like you don’t exist.  You are invisible.” Denise Wakeman is a successful online business strategist who helps small business owners and entrepreneurs increase visibility. She says it is crucial for everyone to build their online presence because potential clients and customers “want to know more…

"Tech jobs pay more than other types of jobs."

Steve Zylstra, President and CEO of Arizona Technology Council says there is a huge upside for millennials – especially young women – to get into tech. Now.

Zylstra points to Intel as an example. The company has about 11,000 employees in Arizona, and the average compensation, he says, is $131,000.

"We did a study of about 171 technology companies in the state and they want experienced people who are going to hit the ground running. They can't afford the training required to get new graduates up to speed."

The tech industry in the desert is booming. But tech employees with work experience won't go just anywhere for a job. Why would they? They have options. Beyond Silicon Valley, cities on the rise like Phoenix and Austin, Texas are competing for talent.

Tech companies tend to be diverse by nature, and a lot of people who work in this industry, Zylstra says, want to work for a company with heart — and a cause.

The Arizona Tech Council is putting heavy focus right now on trying to close the IT gap. Zylstra recently joined the government backed "Communities That Work" partnership. This will allow the Department of Labor, The Department of Commerce and The Aspen Institute (an International nonprofit dedicated to fostering enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue) to help accelerate solutions. Basically the best minds in the country will be working to try to solve problems for Arizona and the other communities and states that have opted in.

For Arizona, the problem is matching fast growing IT demand with a supply of highly qualified tech employees who want to grow their careers in the desert.

"Women have as much capability as men in the STEM fields, and for a long time it hasn't been sexy for girls to go into sciences." Zylstra says. But that is changing.

A great career, high pay, and a super cool, non-suffocating work environment. What could be sexier?

For more on the Arizona Tech Council click here:

http://www.aztechcouncil.org/

To read the 2016 Public Policy Guide from the Arizona Technology Council focused on tech growth click here

http://www.aztechcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/AZTC-Public-Policy-Guide-Digital-Version.pdf

The post Where The Jobs Are! Arizona Tech Industry Booms appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“Tech jobs pay more than other types of jobs.” Steve Zylstra, President and CEO of Arizona Technology Council says there is a huge upside for millennials – especially young women – to get into tech.  Now.   Zylstra points to Intel as an example.  The company has about 11,000 employees in Arizona, and the average…

"What really moved me into becoming a champion of this cause — I am a cancer survivor."

Laura Capello, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona was shocked when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has no family history and was otherwise healthy.

Capello studied journalism at Arizona State University and dreamed of being a sports reporter. After realizing that wasn't the right job for her, she considered a "very good" offer in Corporate America. But the non-profit world was pulling at her heart strings.

Then cancer happened.

Capello, a single mom who is used to taking care of everyone else, was in shock.

"Being diagnosed with any type of disease is surreal. When you go through something like that you are at your most vulnerable. When I was going through cancer and had so many people who got me through that, and forced me to be vulnerable. It really made me see how much we need each other."

Through cancer, Capello learned a lot about vulnerability. "I still hear from so many women they don't think of it as an asset. But that's when you learn your best lessons, when you let yourself be vulnerable."

Capello thinks back on the mentors she had, growing up in a single parent home, and later the mentors who helped her make it through the emotional struggle with cancer. She credits them with the type of work she is doing today.

Big Brothers Big Sisters, which has been around for 60 years, matches at-risk kids with mentors who help them see light at the end of some very dark tunnels.

"We don't ask our mentors to be surrogate parents, saviors, or piggy banks. Case managers monitor the cases monthly to make sure it is a healthy match — and that there is support for the mentors."

She points to a recent study that considers the benefits of mentoring versus incarceration. "How much does it cost to incarcerate a child? $106,00 a year," Capello says, "Where on average it is $1200 to provide a mentor to a child."

Capello herself is a mentor to a little sister (her third since becoming CEO). She's a realist. A tough, self-made woman who grew up not with a lot of money, but with a lot of love and pride.

Cancer made her even stronger, more prideful, and more determined to help others –especially kids — fight for their lives.

"People have choices, and just because you are in bad circumstances doesn't mean you can't get out of it. But you have to work hard toward your dreams."

The post CEO's Emotional Breast Cancer Battle And How It Changed Her Life appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“What really moved me into becoming a champion of this cause — I am a cancer survivor.”   Laura Capello, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona was shocked when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She has no family history and was otherwise healthy.   Capello studied journalism at Arizona State University…

Andrew Pulsipher had a family secret he held onto for 33 years. He was HIV positive.

Before Pulsipher was born, his dad cheated on his mom and contracted HIV. Both parents later died from AIDS.

Pulsipher was raised by family members. He grew up in the 80's at a time when there was tremendous stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS. Pulsipher didn't know what his future held.

After meeting his now wife and getting married, things changed. For the first time, he saw a future and the possibility of living a normal life.

Pulsipher and his wife wanted to have kids but he was worried about passing the virus on.

They had a daughter, now five, through fertility treatments. But because Pulsipher's HIV is currently "undetectable," he was able to have his second two children naturally. Still, no one outside the family knew that Pulsipher was HIV positive — until recently.

In May of 2015 Pulsipher shared his status with family and friends. Then hoping to break down the stigma surrounding HIV, he posted a photo to Facebook showing himself and his family all holding signs. His read "HIV Positive". His wife and children held signs that read "HIV negative". There it was, for all the world to see.

The photo went viral and global media coverage continues.

On Sunday, October 25th The Pulsiphers become the first family to Chair the Aids Walk Arizona. It is an event put on by Aunt Rita's Foundation, a non-profit that advocates HIV education and awareness and raises funds for 17 HIV and AIDS non-profit organizations.

Pulsipher now feels free to tell his story without shame.

He has said, "I'm a heterosexual man letting people know this is not a gay disease and it does not care what color you are or who you love. HIV doesn't play favorites and it is a real world issue, but I am not something to fear."

The post Andrew Pulsipher is HIV Positive, But His Wife And Children Are Not – Story Goes Viral appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.