There it was, my shiny new Mustang that I had just purchased, much to everyone’s envy. I had recently graduated college and had happily begun my first office job in the heart of downtown Sacramento, California. I had driven the car to work, and parked in our company’s parking lot just as I did every day, except today I had a brand new car! I walked out, exhausted from the day’s work, and was shocked to see that someone had keyed the car all the way down the driver’s side. It was a passionate keying too, someone put a lot of bitterness into it.

This could have been a random occurrence, or it could have been executed by one of the catty women in my office. Sometimes people can just be vicious because they are jealous. At the time, we didn’t have social media, so I didn’t experience the types of bullying that social media can sometimes facilitate, but I definitely had some anger aimed at me from behind cubicle walls. These days, people tend to hide behind their keyboards.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Marina Nestel, Founder and CEO of The Little Black Book, one of South Africa’s leading PR and events companies. Her client list features high-profile brands and personalities, including H&M, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, One & Only Hotel, Richard Branson, Sol Kerzner, Chivas Regal, Cartier, and many others. The Little Black Book specializes in luxury brand activations, high-profile events, and cause-driven campaigns that continue to shape the PR industry in South Africa. Marina is known as the Queen of PR with a big heart.

I’ve learned that even people with the biggest of hearts can face the wrath of the green-eyed monster.

Marina worked her way up from a waitress, cocktail bartender, and hostess in five star hotels in London, to interning for the esteemed global PR company Purple PR. She then moved back to Cape Town, South Africa and worked for Dunhill at British American Tobacco. The high end circles she moved in allowed her to build her network and she decided to start her own company, The Little Black Book.

She began The Little Black Book in her home out of the back of the laundry room with no support, in fact being told frequently to “get a proper job”. She proved the naysayers wrong as the business exploded in less than a year, becoming an internationally renowned events and public relations agency. She not only reached success with a long list of career highlights, but she did so as a working mother of a newborn baby.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing though. After her marriage collapsed and a series of unfortunate events, Marina was separated from her child and subjected to many humiliating rules and regulations policing even phone calls with her son. Then the social media smear campaign began.

In a very well-coordinated series of attacks, Marina was deemed a prostitute, drug addict, and everything under the sun except an alcoholic. Marina admits very openly that she is a recovering alcoholic and works to bring awareness for people who struggle with addiction.

Thus began Marina’s parental alienation nightmare. Parental alienation is when one parent intentionally seeks to damage a child’s relationship with the other parent. This can be done in a number of ways including creating a negative narrative about the other parent, discouraging the child from spending time with that parent, making that time uncomfortable, and in more extreme cases, encouraging the child to stop contacting the other parent. The child is psychologically affected during this experience and often into their adult lives. Marina has no contact with her son now, but she still attempts to send him photos and videos and she calls him regularly, to no avail. She explains that she will never stop trying to connect with her only child.

As a PR entrepreneur, Marina understands that she is sitting on a life story which needs to be heard. She’s a survivor, she’s resilient and she is an inspiration to victims of parental alienation and cyber bullying around the world. She would like to make people aware about the various trials and tribulations she has been subjected to, including vexatious litigation. Vexatious litigation is meant to bother, embarrass, and/or cause legal expenses to the defendant.

Though the cyber bullying, harassment, and slander still goes on, Marina managed to leave South Africa where she had been tormented for so long. Marina has since swapped her work look of stilettos and couture dresses for a bikini. She swims in a warm ocean on a tropical island all day. She eats in gourmet restaurants and relaxing in a hammock is a regular occupation. Her “happily ever after” is with her fiancé and her career as a human rights public speaker for parental alienation and cyber bullying, as well as running her global PR and events business all from a blissful, peaceful paradise in Thailand. To her trolls and haters she has an attitude of “in the bin you go with the rest of the rubbish”, and she keeps moving forward.

As a wise friend once told me, the best revenge is living well. Marina Nestel embodies this phrase.

If you would like to learn more about Marina Nestel and The Little Black Book, please visit thelittleblackbook.co.za.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.com.

Our family friend’s eyes narrowed as he peered over to see what I was reading in the back seat of the car. The look of shock when he realized was priceless. I was in the third grade, and the book was The Shining by Stephen King. My parents looked on proudly as they realized that their child loved reading. At a very young age, I had graduated from Harry the Dirty Dog and Rotten Ralph to full length novels, and horror was definitely my thing. It began in the third grade with the first novel I read, The Amityville Horror. I was that kid who would take great joy in huddling in a dark closet with my friends and telling them scary stories that I had concocted myself. I was the one who would leave everyone at the family gatherings with nightmares of my tales. I loved horror movies, scary books, all things ghostly, and haunted houses.

Being as enamored as I am still, to this day, with all things spooky, I was thrilled to find out about BloodManor, New York City’s premier haunted attraction. BloodManor is a first-class haunted house attraction with approximately 10,000 square feet of themed rooms, corridors, and a labyrinth of passageways. BloodManor is designed to be the most intense, creepy, and scream-inducing haunted house attraction in New York State.

The building at 359 Broadway in the Tribeca area of New York City, known as BloodManor, has quite a spooky history. Built in 1852, it was used by photographer Matthew Brady to photograph some of America’s most famous, and infamous, people. President Abraham Lincoln was among some of the famous people photographed in the building. During the Civil War, Brady was scorned for adopting a mobile studio to capture some of the world’s most graphic images of battle. The public criticized him for “making a buck” off of the daily tragedies that were ravaging the country. For all the criticism he received, he was documenting and capturing the souls of all of the men who were fighting for their country.

When Brady returned to his studio at 359 Broadway, he noticed something interesting in every photo that had been developed within the rooms of the third floor. In the photographs, the men’s faces appeared to be melting, strange apparitions floated above each soldier in the fields, and those men who were closer to the lens had black eyes.

In 1859, Brady closed his studio due to the “incessant screams of the photographed men”. It is said that if one travels the halls of the third floor throughout the night, you will hear the faint sounds of the camera taking a photograph followed by the screams of the men in the final moments of their lives.

After Brady, much was unknown about the tenants of the building up until 1943, when two brothers along with their brother-in-law and his brother purchased and operated a textile wholesale business at 359 Broadway. The business flourished and continued through the early 1970s, but in 1958 a huge fire at a nearby building ruined many lives in the area forever. One young firefighter named Wilson Palmer saved over a dozen women and children during that horrible night, but his own life could not be saved in the end. In the days following the fire, Wilson took to taking nightly walks around the neighborhood. After a few weeks of these evening strolls, Wilson complained of hearing horrible screams coming from the textile factory at 359 Broadway. He would swear there were young men dying in there, yet everything was dark and there wasn’t a soul in sight.

Approximately twenty four days after the fire that he fought so heroically, Wilson hung himself from the rafters in the firehouse. In his hands he had clenched a five dollar bill, with Abraham Lincoln’s eyes blacked out and written in calligraphy found only in letters written with a feather dip pen in the early 19th century, were the words “NO PHOTOS”.

The third creepy story that is known about the building at 359 Broadway involves Brooklyn mob boss “Crazy” Joe Gallo. Gallo was killed at Umberto’s Clam Bar in 1972 by someone connected to the Colombo family. The driver of the car that night, a man by the name of Luparelli, ended up going to the FBI claiming that he was being followed by loud screams and woken by them in the night. It was discovered that Luparelli and his family were former tenants of the building at 359 Broadway.

In current times, the events of 2020 and the sadness, loneliness, isolation, and loss that was caused has seemingly incited more activity throughout the halls of BloodManor. Many local residents have come to the BloodManor staff with strange stories from the past couple of months. Some claim they see flashing lights from the third floor of the building – flashing lights similar to that of an old camera. Others claim they hear gunshots coming from within the building, and there are also stories of seeing shadows of men with tall top hats passing through the windows illuminated by the street lamps outside. All of this activity serves to heighten the excitement of BloodManor’s 21st anniversary Halloween season. Beginning in September, BloodManor opened its doors to the public and promises the scariest season they have ever had.

This year, BloodManor boasts the addition of three new rooms and brand new costumes. The Manor is open every weekend and some weekdays beginning in September and running through November. I know my inner horror-aholic would love to go!

For more information about BloodManor, please visit www.bloodmanor.com.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.com.

Something grey and covered in whiskers was peeking out of the water.  A large grey body surfaced as the large nostrils of the creature sucked in air.

“What is that?” My friend shrieked, looking down into the canal.  I was flabbergasted; this friend of mine had lived in Florida for most of his life and yet he had never seen a manatee!

“Do they bite?” He was fascinated by this large creature and I proceeded to teach him about manatees.

It dawned on me that some people who live right on the outskirts of wild areas and wildlife never get to see it, or experience it.  These people, once they learn about the wildlife surrounding them, care more about preserving it.  It’s just a natural result of being exposed to nature and learning about it.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing a man who knows a lot about this phenomenon.  Fabian Mdluli is a wildlife photographer and filmmaker. He recently completed Lauren Arthur and David Eastaugh’s specialized, immersive wildlife filmmaking course that was launched in August 2024. The course covers not only wildlife filmmaking, but also gives students a complete immersion into the African wild. There is a module on animal behavior, ecology, phenomenology and ethics of wildlife filmmaking presented by Lauren. The course introduces the students to the field of impact producing with a guest speaker and helps guide the students in their efforts to combine storytelling with social and behavioral science to drive positive change. Their expert tracker takes students into the bush on foot and teaches them the basic tracks and signs and how to read the environment around them for more immersive filmmaking. David teaches the students to understand how to use the equipment, build specialized wildlife filming rigs, filming techniques and also how to work with human talent. There is also an extensive module on post-production, including how to shoot for the edit and how to manage one’s media.

Fabian met Lauren Arthur and David Eastaugh through Wildshots. They recognized his passion for wildlife and recommended him as a candidate for the Too Wild filming course, which he was thrilled to join.

Fabian, a twenty-three year old man from Acornhoek in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, thrived in the intensive four week course given in the Timbavati Game Reserve with Too Wild and is now well on his way to achieving his dream of becoming a wildlife filmmaker. He describes the filmmaking course as transformative, explaining that he learned practical skills like camera work, editing, and storytelling. It boosted his confidence and allowed him to connect with other aspiring filmmakers.

Fabian has been a part of WildShots Outreach since 2022 and has a background in stills, but with his new skills, he now plans to create a documentary focusing on wildlife conservation to raise awareness. He explained that even though he grew up in a small village in Acornhoek, surrounded by beautiful nature and game reserves, he never had a chance to experience the wildlife firsthand. This is not uncommon, as my interview with David Eastaugh revealed. David previously explained to me that the communities living on the other side of the fence of the game reserves are very separate and removed from what is going on inside. Many of the people haven’t even seen an elephant. David believes this needs to change and is a crucial link moving forward in South Africa. Enter Too Wild’s wildlife film school in the Timbavati Game Reserve with its community-driven focus to fully sponsor a local candidate from one of the communities on the periphery of the reserve to complete the course and become qualified as a wildlife filmmaker. The initiative is supported by the Timbavati Foundation, WildShots and RuggedWear and it is crucial to build the next generation of wildlife filmmakers, like Fabian.

Fabian shares these beliefs and is in fact a perfect example of the initiative’s success. He hopes for increased conservation efforts and community involvement to help protect wildlife. He, like David and Lauren, believes education and awareness can lead to better protection for habitats and species. He knows firsthand how many people in South Africa lack access to wildlife parks and believes it is important to provide opportunities for local communities to experience nature. He knows that when people connect with wildlife and understand it, as well as ecosystems, they are more likely to care about protecting it. We all have a role to play in preserving our planet, and conservation education is key.

If you would like to learn more about Fabian Mdluli and Too Wild, please visit toowild.co. You can also find Fabian on Instagram @fabianmdluli.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.com.

Isn’t it strange how today the entire world seems to be turned upside down? For instance, just looking at politics alone, the Republican party used to be considered the party of the rich. Now it is the Democrat party who are most of the billionaires and the Hollywood elite. I remember, having finished high school and college in California, that the people there were the creative free thinkers, whether in the tech world or artistic world, they believed in freedom. Nowadays the tech world is censoring free speech and the others are saying that you must be masked perpetually. As I’ve written before, after the events of September 11th, I had friends who questioned that it even happened. Their theory was that it was a Hollywood-orchestrated event created to somehow benefit President George Bush. Maybe it was because they were asleep still when the event occurred. I wasn’t.

I was living in the Washington, D.C. area and saw it with my own eyes. I had moved myself there from California, hence all the later California feedback I received. I had people who I once respected tell me that they believed the planes crashing into the World Trade Center Twin Towers were all a Hollywood-style production, that the then-President Bush had orchestrated it for his own gain. And, perhaps even worse, I had some people (also in California) tell me that the people working in the Twin Towers deserved to die. They said they were so rich that they deserved to be killed. My response was always that those people there at that time in the morning were likely not the wealthy, but the actual workers, the secretarial types, the administrative assistants, the clerical workers – not the rich boss who was out golfing that day.

But there was no reasoning with these people, they insisted that this was how it was.

I could tell them I saw a plane fly over where I happened to be driving that morning and then seeing the ensuing smoke cloud on the horizon as the plane crashed into the Pentagon. I could tell them how upon realizing what had happened, I immediately thought of my family in California and how they could be next. I wanted to warn them, but guess what happens in a real emergency? The phone system goes down.

I watched in the days that followed how people in the D.C. area seemed to have gotten nicer, at least in some ways. People actually allowed you to merge in traffic without waving a middle finger or honking, and people really seemed to be coming together. That didn’t last long, but I did see it.

These days, those people who were telling me that the terrorist attacks of September 11th were a Hollywood scam, are the same people who insist that wearing a mask must be required at all times. These same people insist that all Americans should be forced to take an untested vaccine. These same people do not acknowledge the harm THEY caused for a whole generation of kids who now are way behind in important skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic, not to mention the social issues it has caused them and will continue to cause them for their entire lives. And, these same people are all Democrats. They detest the wealthy, yet they adore people like Bernie Sanders, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi. All of these people are very wealthy, at least millionaires, if not billionaires in some cases. I have worked for the United States government. My whole family was U.S. government, even my grandfather. They were born and raised in Washington, D.C.
The thing is, you do not get rich working for the government. Senators and representatives work for the U.S. government. You don’t spend fifty years as a senator and become a billionaire, without an outside successful business, unless you are corrupt.
The Republican party by and large is now the party of the worker, the do-er, the person who is actually out there working – and the “elite” Democrat rich person needs them to perform necessary services for them.

On September 11th, 2024, let’s remember the lives lost and what our country, the United States of America, actually stands for. It stands for freedom. Most of America is not like California, but it is gradually becoming like California as their horrible policies are spread across the nation. We don’t have to agree with each other on everything, but let’s stop being hysterical and nonsensical about everything.

Above all else, let’s strive to remember, instead of numbing our brains with drugs to escape reality. Let’s learn about history instead of trying to avoid it because it might be upsetting. Children should learn about September 11th in school. The videos of what happened that day should be played.

Let’s work to make the reality better for everyone, not just the super rich of the world. Let’s not look to the government to solve our problems – I can tell you from working there, that is the LAST place you want to be dependent on.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.com.

I remember it vividly, I had written a story about ants and their world, not unlike the later movies Antz and A Bug’s Life, but written from an eight-year-old’s mind. The story won an award, and my love of writing was born. It was here I would flourish throughout my school years, reading and writing, earning many awards and commendations and eventually a spot at the University of California, Davis. As I got older, my creativity tended to get squashed under the mundane tasks of life and working in imagination-sucking offices. I was finally able to free myself from the smothering lifestyle I had become accustomed to, but never enjoyed. I was able to become a writer. It’s the only job I’ve ever loved.

I am always thrilled to meet fellow writers and authors, and I recently had the opportunity to interview children’s book author and illustrator, KJ Kaschula. KJ was born in Gauteng, South Africa, in the city of Boksburg. By high school, her family moved to a small town in the Vaal Triangle where she grew up and went to university. Driven by the need to create a story, she ended up studying the art of filmmaking and earned her degree in it. She longed to travel and ended up initially going to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to study teaching English, but returned home soon afterward to take care of her family. Not done with the travel bug, she then went to Paris, France, where she worked part-time as an au pair and spent the rest of her time creating stories. Her lifestyle soon became traveling from Gauteng to Paris and back. She learned to cook, fell in love, hiked and wrote and illustrated children’s books.

KJ published her first children’s book in 2021, titled I Caught One of Santa’s Reindeer, the first book in The-Super-Dooper-Secret-Collection, followed by I Captured the Easter Bunny’s Chicken and I Discovered a Monster Under My Bed. KJ discovered the world of hybrid publishing and joined the Brave Healer Productions publishing team, helping to birth the children’s book publishing imprint Brave Kids Books.

Brave Healer Productions is an award-winning collaborative publishing company that helps healers publish their stories of health and wellness, business, or kid’s books through its imprint Brave Kids Books. There are currently two volumes of the Brave Kids books, with a third volume coming out in June 2025. Brave Kids is a collection of short stories written by authors from around the world. Each story is uniquely crafted to inspire hope and change for a better world for humans, animals, and the Earth. Within these powerful stories, kids will find the tools, wisdom, and relatability they need to learn, grow, and become the best version of themselves. There are also Brave Kids activities that work alongside the short stories, like coloring and drawing activities that link up to the book, searches for hidden items that link up with the books, writing your own brave story, and writing a postcard to a Brave Kids author. KJ really hopes to get interest from schools and teachers around the world, and she would love to visit schools, either virtual or in-person, to get kids excited about reading and discovering adventures within their own minds.

Along those lines, I asked KJ if she has any tips for parents or teachers who are trying to get their kids interested in reading and writing. She responded that reading should always be for pleasure; whenever it is negatively forced, it will most likely be met with resistance at any age. So, to create positive reinforcements she has observed that sitting down with your kids before bedtime and bonding over a really good story creates a special moment that wants to be relived well into adulthood. It creates conversation and understanding around topics and makes you believe in the magic of being alive and experiencing such wonderful adventures and characters. She says to remember to make it fun. Changing your voice to suit different characters is great for you to let go and for your kids to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Another tip she has is to find out what your kid’s best friend is reading at home with their parents. We all want to read what our friends are reading so that we can talk about it later and compare our thought notes. She said she remembers when Harry Potter came out, one of the reasons she picked up the book was because “everyone” was reading it and she wanted to know what it was all about.

She explained that writing is another story. What works for her is when she gets really excited about a topic she chooses to write about. Once she chooses a topic, she says research is the key to unlocking the story because an informed mind can write and explore different avenues of ideas. Research does not just have to be “googling”, it can also be journaling your thoughts around a topic.

KJ has, in the past, gotten ideas and inspiration from the kids she took care of as an au pair. In particular, “Tonight is the Night”, Chapter One in Brave Kids, Volume 1, was inspired by one of the kids she looked over who did not want to sleep alone in their bedroom in the dark. At the time, she suggested that they close their eyes and imagine that their favorite animal (a cheetah) was made up of white, white light and that this animal made of the purest of lights would protect them and keep them safe, and that whenever they were scared, all they had to do was imagine that it was there, with them. She explained that other times the ideas that turn into the stories within her books can come from anywhere: a title can pop into her head, as is the case with I Caught One of Santa’s Reindeer, or they can be influenced by real happenings or occurrences—in this instance she would take a small piece of information and mold a story around it. A lot of the time, when she gets an idea, she does extensive research on a topic and allows the research to guide the story’s spark.

And what about the dreaded writer’s block? KJ believes that it always stems from procrastination and the best way out of it is research; with pen, paper and doodles to guide her way.

Poking around on KJ’s website inspired me to learn more about her books and all of the kids’ activities she offers. The following is what she shared with me:

What general age or grade range are your books?

Six to ten if you really want to get specific/generalize. The Brave Kids Books can go up to twelve years of age.

The age range is broad because I imagine parents sitting down with their kids just before bed and reading to them the fun adventures of Little Lizzie or a short ten minute story from Brave Kids. Or if their kids are older, nine plus, and they are feeling independent, then they can read it by themselves.

What inspires you most to write, what keeps you going?

I have always wanted to write ever since I was a little girl. I would constantly play with ideas—write them down, or even act them out. During difficult times, I have found that writing or being creative is what gives me air and allows me to breathe.

What keeps me going?

Well, this depends on where I am in my life’s journey. When I wrote, I Caught One of Santa’s Reindeer, there was a burning need within me to produce something concrete, to actually write and publish something that I could hold in my hands. With I Captured the Easter Bunny’s Chicken, I needed a push from my partner—my support system to get it done and just keep going. Brave Kids always comes down to a deadline-driven project, and I Discovered a Monster Under My Bed; this took a bit of everything, but mostly I needed to write and create this one for me and enjoy the process to its complete fullest.

You also illustrate your books. Did you have formal training to become an illustrator?

No, I actually haven’t had any formal training. Of course, I did some art in primary and high school, but that is about it. I have been drawing since I can remember, since someone put a coloring pencil in my hand.

What are the Secret Keepers?

The Secret Keepers are anyone who would like to follow me, and my journey as a children’s book author and illustrator. Once they sign up, they will get exclusive super-dooper-secret content, hear any and all news first, and get invited to be part of book deals, competitions, fun activities and more!

The Secret Keepers, stem from my first published children’s book series: The-Super-Dooper-Secret-Collection.

Tell me about the Easter Bunny’s chicken?

The Easter Bunny’s chicken or EBC is a character within I Captured the Easter Bunny’s Chicken, the second published book but the third book within the The-Super-Dooper-Secret-Collection.

The story follows Little Lizzie as she plans to capture the EBC so that she can have an endless supply of Easter eggs. She knows through the story told to her by Mr. M that there are many Easter egg deliveries around the world, so she figures the best Easter egg deliverer she could capture wouldn’t be the Easter Bunny, but it’s Chicken, who also delivers Easter eggs around Easter time. Through her Easter-time adventure, she discovers that sharing is caring, and that kindness matters the most.

Tell me about Little Lizzie? Is she based on someone you know or yourself?

Little Lizzie is a magical children’s character who almost sprung to life out of thin air. I like to tell people that it was she who whispered the title of her first book in my ear when I first began, which is partly true—the title I Caught One of Santa’s Reindeer, just popped into my head, and I immediately wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget it. She is not based on anyone; however, she does draw upon some elements within my own life. Her name and eye color, for instance, is courtesy of my mom, known as Liz. Little Lizzie also likes to draw, as do I, and she does not like others calling her by her full name—a small trait taken from myself.

What are some of the Monster activities coming soon and when can we expect to see them?

The Monster Activities are similar to their sister activities in I Caught One of Santa’s Reindeers and I Captured the Easter Bunny’s Chicken, and they will be arriving in October 2024 ready for some Halloween fun!

You split your time between South Africa and France. How is that? Tell me some things you love about France and also some things you love about South Africa.

In the past, I split my time between South Africa and France because I was an au pair. I would go to France and take care of my au pair family and then return home.

Today, I split my time between these two wonderful countries because I fell in love with my French man, and he, along with his country, stole my heart. I am also very fortunate that because I work in publishing, I can work remotely anywhere.

What I love about France: Great food, wine, culture, and language, and I get to walk everywhere. There are terraces to enjoy coffee with friends and parks to hike in.

What I love about South Africa: It is my first home and where my family and doggo’s are. It is sunshine and warmth almost all year around, it is my heritage and is part of who I am.

How do you find the time to write and do all of your creative activities?

Honestly, I have to make time for it. It’s a lot of late nights, early mornings, and weekends, with a dash of perseverance and determination. Remembering the big why is key, and having a support system nearby or on the phone helps give me a little push.

Is there something you want to talk about, it can be anything? Feel free to highlight anything you would like.

Yes, I would like to talk about my new book, I Discovered a Monster Under My Bed, which was just released.

This book I am extremely proud of and has challenged me in many ways. It is the third published book in The-Super-Dooper-Secret-Collection (although it is book 2 in the series).

I Discovered a Monster Under My Bed, is a great book for this Halloween. Gift it to a kiddo and get them excited about discovery, not only who the monster under the bed is but also the world which lies under, it’s just waiting to be explored. It deals with themes such as bravery and courage, friendship, and kindness, as well as rediscovering the joy of reading.

Also, if anyone would like to follow me they can by signing up to the Secret Keepers at: https://www.kjkaschula.com/home/send-a-message/join-the-secret-keepers/ and follow me on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/kj.kaschula

If you would like to learn more about KJ Kaschula and her books, please visit www.kjkaschula.com.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.com.

As anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows, the United States has a very important election coming up in November. After weeks of battling to maintain his political standing, and vehemently claiming that he would not withdraw after a disastrous debate, President Biden’s sudden withdrawal from the electoral race did not occur during an Oval Office speech or a campaign rally. Instead, it was announced through a letter posted on social media. As my own global affairs experience is a tad rusty, the mysterious manner in which Biden withdrew made me wonder how one who currently works in international affairs would view, and analyze, these recent events.

I recently had the opportunity to interview renowned international affairs consultant, Mukhlis Mukhlis. Mukhlis has years of diverse experience in private business and organizational leadership and more than two decades worth of experience encompassing national security, counterterrorism, and critical operations support. With his focus on geopolitical challenges, regional conflicts, and government affairs in the Middle East and North Africa regions, I was very interested to hear his views on the current political landscape in the U.S.

Mukhlis has a unique background, to say the least. Although born in the U.S., he spent a majority of his childhood in the Middle East due to his parents’ professions and obligations. He attended primary and middle schools in Baghdad, and then attended high school in Amman, Jordan, after leaving Iraq. His father is a highly regarded doctor with extensive experience in both public and private healthcare. He has held various positions in the Middle East and Europe, including professor, medical consultant, and has contributed to international medical and humanitarian aid efforts. His mother is an attorney and a member of the Iraqi and the Jordanian bar associations, specializing in the fields of social affairs and human rights.

Mukhlis’ childhood was very interesting and full of events, mixed experiences, and memories. Growing up in a war-torn country, and living in a society where every family has been torn apart by one of the endless wars, has had a great impact on developing his political views and beliefs about the Middle East region in general, and Iraq in particular. This perspective bleeds into his views and ability to truly analyze the dire situation in which Americans currently find themselves.

When asked about Biden’s sudden withdrawal from the presidential race, Mukhlis replied that it was not really a surprise, it was expected. He noted, however, that the way in which it happened is a matter of concern. The understated method of disclosure, a social media post, marked one of the most significant decisions in recent American political history. Never before has a president exited a reelection campaign this close to Election Day. If anything, this development highlights the significant influence wielded by key figures within the Democrat party over the entire process. When referring to the process, he is not solely addressing the electoral race. Rather, he is encompassing everything that pertains to the governance process and its profound impact on the lives of the American people as a collective nation and the United States as a country.

Following Biden’s decision to withdraw from the election the domestic political landscape in the U.S. is one of uncertainty and speculation among the public, as they contemplate the potential consequences of this development. Additionally, it has sparked debates and discussions regarding the president’s ability to successfully fulfill the remainder of his term. Mukhlis believes there is a high likelihood that President Biden will constitutionally transfer the remainder of his term to Vice President Kamala Harris due to health conditions, or something of that nature. In this scenario, Vice President Harris would temporarily assume the presidency until the end of the term. Irrespective of the course of action taken by the Democrat party, including a sole focus on the nomination of Ms. Harris, their position remains vulnerable unless there are other high profile candidates being prepared behind the scenes.
Consequences of the Assassination Attempt on President Trump

The July 13, 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump has vast electoral and political consequences for both the Republican and Democrat parties. Mukhlis believes that, while unfortunate, the incident resulted in increasing the public credit of President Trump. This led to a noticeable shift in the sympathy towards President Trump among a high percentage of Americans. The main point that resonates with Americans in general is the rejection and condemnation of any act of violence or hatred driven by political competition, regardless of the motives.

In his view, the recent attempts to undermine President Trump’s character and reputation, whether through personal, political, legal, or economic means, and the subsequent assassination attempt, clearly demonstrate the concerns of Trump’s opponents regarding his increasing popularity. It also reveals the fear of his opponents of the expansion of Trump’s support base and the potential disintegration of the foundation on which the Democrat party relies.

Mukhlis evaluates President Donald Trump’s position in the upcoming election as being more favorable to secure the presidency than in the previous campaign he ran. He went on to explain that people must not forget the adversities President Trump endured at the hands of his opponents, and the ruthless campaign to tarnish his personal reputation and relentlessly targeting him in every public, political, social, economic, and legal aspect. Ultimately, the recent assassination attempt he faced tipped the scales and heightened the stakes, significantly increasing President Trump’s public approval rating.
The Global Impact of the U.S. Election

Mukhlis believes that the outcome of November’s events will have significant global ramifications. The regional and international landscape and the developments occurring worldwide could influence the selection of the next occupant of the White House. The world can only anticipate and observe the unfolding events.

Unforeseen conflicts like the wars in Ukraine and Gaza can significantly affect the future of the U.S. presidency as well as serve as a major driver shaping the presidency. Major conflicts like these influence foreign policy, divert attention from domestic issues, impact the president’s popularity, and negatively impact the national security and the domestic coherence.

However, it is crucial to differentiate between the war in Ukraine and the military operations in Gaza, particularly in terms of President Biden’s administration. The administration’s involvement in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict is based on geostrategic and geopolitical factors. It is important to understand that President Biden’s withdrawal from the election race will not impact military operations and aid to Ukraine, as long as his team remains in power.

As for President Trump, it is unequivocal that in the event of his success in the upcoming elections, he will undoubtedly seek to bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine and reconfigure the dynamics in Europe, particularly within the framework of NATO.

To clarify, the change in political administration in Washington does not imply a withdrawal of support for the Ukrainian people. On the contrary, it suggests the exploration of new political mechanisms and channels of dialogue, which President Trump has demonstrated proficiency in, as an alternative to conflict, destruction, and the consequential losses.

On the other hand, the Israeli military operations in Gaza have a different dimension. While acknowledging the devastating humanitarian consequences of the ongoing military operations on the Palestinians, it is crucial to recognize that the Israeli government did not initiate this war but rather found it imposed upon them following the tragic massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th. The urgent need to deescalate the crisis and swiftly end the military operation is widely acknowledged. However, the hostage crisis poses a significant obstacle to finding a resolution to the overall crisis.

The first step in resolving this conflict is by releasing all hostages immediately. It is imperative to pursue a transformative solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This entails initiating a comprehensive peace process that safeguards the rights of both sides and establishes lasting security and stability in the region.

In Mukhlis’ personal assessment, should President Trump secure victory in the upcoming election, there is a significant likelihood that he will spearhead the initiation of a comprehensive peace process. By collaborating with his allies in the Middle East, addressing the imminent and constant threat posed by the Iranian regime and its regional proxies, and building upon solid and unwavering commitments, President Trump has a prime opportunity to formulate a roadmap for a unique peace process, ultimately fostering enduring security and stability in the region.

As an expert in foreign affairs, particularly U.S. foreign policy and national security matters related to the Middle East, Mukhlis explained that it is crucial to recognize that the foreign policy of the Biden administration is a continuation of President Obama’s administration, both in terms of overall political approach and ideology, as well as the influential team within the Biden administration that bridges the gap between two eras. There is no denying that the Biden administration has displayed unwarranted vulnerability in its handling of various political and military matters concerning the Middle East, which fundamentally impact the national security of the United States. This includes the disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan, the attempt to revive the nuclear agreement with Iran, and the inadequate response to repeated attacks by Iraqi militias affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on American interests and installations in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq.

Furthermore, the current administration’s intention to once again withdraw from Iraq, after providing several years of military, advisory, and logistical assistance in the fight against the Islamic State, paves the way for Iran to advance its expansionist agenda in the Middle East and North Africa. This decision also creates an opportunity for radical movements and terrorist organizations, such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, to reemerge and fill the security void in the absence of American military support.

On the other hand, the previous Trump administration was distinguished by its meticulous approach to foreign relations, the clear direction of its foreign policy in the Middle East, and the establishment of robust strategic and economic alliances during that time. The key distinction in this context lies in President Trump’s unwavering commitment to pursuing initiatives that would bolster the stability of the United States and improve the welfare of the American people.

Mukhlis has no doubt that a new term for President Trump will restore the American position and bring back the bright shine to the country again. As someone who has not only witnessed, but lived, the collapse of a once-vibrant Iraq, I am inclined to believe him. It is a choice between following a dull path to failed policies that have never worked and taking a well-paved road to a brightly shining beacon on a hill that so many still aspire to climb.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.com.

The sounds of The Pointer Sisters’ song “Jump” and the happy exclamations of parents and their kids jumping from the top deck of the boat into the Indian Ocean came echoing down to where I stood, transfixed, staring at the biggest spider I had ever seen. Not long after boarding the boat I had noted that this terrifying creature was right outside of the bathroom. There happened to be a lot of ants streaming by the spider, so I assumed it was dead.

I had held it long enough. There was no more avoiding it – I had to use the bathroom. I crept down the rickety steps as if somehow that would ensure the spider wouldn’t wake up and come after me. The little bathroom’s door was open enough that I could see the Thai style toilet, the kind that does not have a seat, only places to put your feet when you squat to use the bathroom. Squatting would bring me that much closer to the spider. But wait, something was wrong. The spider was gone! Maybe the ants carried it away, but what if they didn’t? What if it was near the toilet, alive and well? Visions of the spider crawling up my foot as I went to the bathroom filled my head.

Instead, I took a leap off the top deck into the Indian Ocean.

My own terrifying brush with wildlife does not even compare to the experiences of wildlife filmmaker, photographer and cofounder of Too Wild, David Eastaugh. I recently had the opportunity to interview David, and he told me about a time when he woke up to a lioness sniffing his bottom!

David Eastaugh grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, dreaming of being a BMX rider, a pilot, or possibly a race car driver. He was unsure of what he wanted to do after he left school. He ended up getting an internship with Velvet Films as a camera assistant and was thereby introduced to the world of film. At eighteen he fell in love with cameras and fell into the niche of filmmaking. He shadowed editors and directors and spent the next three years learning everything he could about production. From there, he got his first job as live director at Intellilab working as a one man band shooting, directing and editing his own work. He hadn’t even considered wildlife filmmaking up to this point. Then, in 2016 he got an opportunity to work for WildEarth TV on live wildlife broadcasts. He had truly found his calling.

Once he entered into the world of wildlife filmmaking, he went from living in Johannesburg to living in a game reserve on the western fringes of the Kruger National Park, completely removed from city life. He loved it. From the Sabi Sands he moved to the Masai Mara in Kenya to work. Then he was blessed to work all over Africa, from the Serengeti in Tanzania, to the Chobe in Botswana, to the Kalahari and both the eastern and western Cape. He explained that if he had to choose his favorite location to live and film, it would be the Maldives. One particularly spectacular memory he told me about was when he had just completed his Advanced Open Water diving certification and went to Fuvahmulah in the Maldives to film sharks as part of a series for WWF International. He was filming tiger sharks and it was his first time ever seeing a shark like that. He described that upon seeing his first female tiger shark his regulator almost fell out of his mouth. He said she was gorgeous, but huge. He explained that tiger sharks are long but it’s their girth that surprised him the most. He recalled that he was scared but mesmerized as she swam right in front of him and looked him directly in the eye. He could feel her soul and it was one of the most incredible encounters of his life. They were then joined by eleven other tiger sharks!

David has completed many filming projects underwater filming turtles, tiger sharks, whale sharks and hundreds of manta rays in Hanifaru Bay. He explained that filming underwater is such a different ball game to filming online and requires a different skillset. He loves it, even though he admits he still has a lot to learn.

David met his partner, Lauren Arthur, at WildEarth TV when she arrived fresh from Scotland as a trainee TV presenter. They worked closely together as a cameraman/presenter duo and he described it as amazing to see her flourish in her role. It wasn’t long before they fell in love. They decided to set up their own wildlife filmmaking company creating wildlife films and now they are offering South Africa’s first specialized, immersive wildlife filmmaking course to help build the next generation of wildlife filmmakers. The first course will be launched in September 2024. They will not only cover wildlife filmmaking, but will also give students a complete immersion into the African wild. There will be a module on animal behavior, ecology, phenomenology and ethics of wildlife filmmaking presented by Lauren. They will introduce their students to the field of impact producing with their guest speaker and help guide the students in their efforts to combine storytelling with social and behavioral science to drive positive change. Their expert tracker will take students into the bush on foot and teach them the basic tracks and signs and how to read the environment around them for more immersive filmmaking. David will teach the students to understand how to use the equipment, build specialized wildlife filming rigs, filming techniques and also how to work with human talent. Lastly, there will be an extensive module on post-production, including how does one shoot for the edit and how does one manage one’s media.

David and Lauren have made a huge financial and time commitment to this project and have had a lot of interest in this course from all around the world, to include all age brackets, young and old combined. There is no previous experience necessary and the course is open to everyone.

If you would like to learn more about David Eastaugh and Too Wild Productions, as well as the course, please visit https://www.toowild.co/ .

More of my interview with David follows.

I listened to your interview with Kerrin Black of Talentfinders. I was particularly fascinated with what you said about wanting people who live on the periphery of the wildlife preserves of South Africa to have access to the parks so that they will care more about the parks. Can you tell me more about your thoughts on this?

Having lived in game reserves in South Africa for eight years now, the communities living on the other side of the fence are very separate and removed from what is going on inside. Many of them haven’t even seen an elephant. I believe this needs to change and is a crucial link moving forward in South Africa. My wildlife film school in the Timbavati Game Reserve has a community-driven focus to fully sponsor a local candidate from one of the communities on the periphery of the reserve to complete our course and become qualified as a wildlife filmmaker. This initiative is supported by the Timbavati Foundation, WildShots and RuggedWear and I believe it to be crucial to build the next generation of wildlife filmmakers.

How has your family reacted to you traveling and being around what appears to be sort of dangerous wildlife (at times)? Have they ever been concerned about the locations you are in, etc.? Have you ever felt you were in danger during any of your experiences with wildlife?

My family is so supportive of my ventures into wildlife filmmaking and they love to hear my stories. But my mother, being a mother, still worries to this day. It is important that you fully understand and are trained in the environment you are going into. If not, then you must be accompanied by a trained guide or diver who can ensure your safety but also the safety and wellbeing of the species you are filming. I have honestly never felt in danger. Maybe that one time when we used to film lions throughout the night in the Masai Mara and took turns to sleep and I woke up to a lioness sniffing my bottom!

You have had quite the successful life at a young age. Do you have any special qualities or anything that you especially credit with success at such a young age?

Resilience and the ability to accept failure helped me get to where I am today. The world of production is very critical and you have to have a thick skin to be able to take criticism and turn it around into something positive to grow and develop from.

If you had to give one main tip for success in life, what would it be?

Keep your inner dialogue positive and believe in yourself. Your mind only knows what you tell it so tell it wonderful things about yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.

Do you use any motivational tools to keep you going?

I listen to a lot of podcasts and online videos daily to learn new things. YouTube is a fantastic tool for the younger generation to learn visually online rather than having your head stuck in a textbook.

How do you personally stay healthy or fit? Do you have any tips for readers?

I try to exercise every day, especially strength training in our bush, as it is important not only for your mental health but also as a filmmaker, you are carrying heavy equipment day in and out and you must maintain a strong physique to avoid injury. I love to run with my partner through the bush too.

What makes you happy and/or content?

Family, friends, bush runs and being with my partner Lauren.

Do you have any time management tips?

Time management isn’t my strong point but I do my best to prioritize daily tasks and stick to schedule. Writing a to-do list the night before really helps me be organized for the next day.

How do you see the wildlife of Africa surviving over the next ten years or more?

It is a race against time for all wildlife across the world, not just Africa.

You can follow David and Too Wild Productions on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/too_wildproductions/.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.com.

We crept through the bushes in the early morning light, struggling to be as quiet as a large group of sixth grade school children could possibly be. Up ahead of us we saw them: elephants bathing in the water. There were rumors of a tiger that would roam around our camp at night. We bathed out of a large ornate Thai pot with frigid water and walked over rope bridges that didn’t look like they could hold us. There were no fences or walls, we were experiencing truly wild nature that would have sent today’s helicopter parents into cardiac arrest.

I will never forget our sixth grade class field trip to Khao Yai in Thailand and I would never trade my experience as a child growing up in 1980s Thailand. It gave me an appreciation for wildlife and the natural world that cannot be matched. That’s why I was thrilled to get the chance to interview naturalist, zoologist, marine biologist, TV presenter, conservation story teller and founder of Too Wild Productions, Lauren Arthur.

Lauren Arthur grew up on the east coast of Scotland, and she spent a lot of time by and in the North Sea. From a young age, she was obsessed with sharks, but she dreamed of being a mermaid when she grew up. Watching the movie Splash as a kid really had her believing it was a real possibility. But then she discovered the reality and the dream of becoming a marine biologist was more realistic and she never wavered from that. She went to the University of Glasgow at seventeen years old and started her undergraduate degree in Zoology. After graduating, she decided to take a year out in Fiji working on a marine conservation project and became a PADI rescue diver. After spending more time in the ocean, she went back to university in Newcastle to work on her master’s in tropical coastal management. She then had the opportunity to complete a socio-economic study on whale sharks in the Maldives for her thesis. After successfully completing this study, she received a job offer in the Maldives and never looked back.

After eight wonderful years in the Maldives, she needed a new challenge and that was offered to her by WildEarth TV. The offer was to become a marine expert for a live TV show filmed underwater. This pilot program was a success and she was invited to become a live TV presenter and field guide in South Africa. After presenting live across Africa for six years, working with broadcasters such as Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, CGTN and Huawei, she began telling conservation stories for WWF and working on wildlife films. She and her partner David then decided to set up their own wildlife filmmaking company creating wildlife films and offering a specialized, immersive course to help build the next generation of wildlife filmmakers.

Dreams do come true.

Lauren lives the life that dreams are made of. She regularly rescued turtles from ghost nets (abandoned fishing nets) whilst working in the Maldives. Sadly, this is a common occurrence, especially with olive ridley turtles, making their way through the Maldives to the ‘Arribada’ in India. She remembers being woken up by security at three in the morning because they had found a huge ghost net, and, without thinking, she ran to rescue the turtles in her tiny, inappropriate pajamas. The memory that sticks out the most to her is rescuing a hawksbill turtle who was barely alive. She had been trained in turtle first aid and knew she needed to give CPR. Giving mouth-to-mouth to a turtle was seriously hard work. There is also a small area on the plastron (underneath side) in between the scutes which is soft and using one finger, one can give chest compressions. Luckily this worked and they were able to save the turtle, and after some rehabilitation, return her to the sea. Lauren does note that turtle breath is exactly what you think it would be!

Lauren believes it is very important to highlight the word ‘conservation’, which people use very casually these days; it’s almost a fashionable term. The word conservation essentially means ‘to conserve’ or ‘prevention of  wasteful use of a resource’. With regards to the conservation of wildlife and our natural world it is important to understand conservation includes many different elements, from education, rehabilitation, land-use management, veterinary work, storytelling and even filmmaking. She advises that if one is looking to go into the field of conservation, they should hone into their skills and think about what they are good at. Consider questions like, do you like numbers? Do you like working with your hands? Understanding soil types and sand movement? Whatever one enjoys, she suggests focusing on that element. People often ask her about how they can have a career in conservation and where they should start. She believes that first one should think about what aspect of conservation they want to be involved in.

As much as we wish we could, we can’t be good at everything. Find your superpower and go from strength to strength from there.

Lauren Arthur has the kind of career I dreamed of as a child. The following is what she shared with me in our interview.

Give me a little history of where you have lived. Do you have a favorite location that you have lived in?

I was born and raised in Scotland but have spent decent amounts of time in Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Ecuadorian Amazon and now live in South Africa. I have traveled extensively through Asia and Africa but my favorite location to visit to date is Ethiopia; it is a surprisingly spectacularly beautiful country filled with remarkable wildlife. To live, it has to be the Maldives or South Africa. Maldives islands are small and I was able to walk the complete circumference of my island in twenty minutes, however, a rich, vibrant coral reef was right on my doorstep. South Africa is so diverse and stunning, you can travel from the African bush to the mountains and sea in a day. It is a country where wilderness adventures await you and that is my kind of life. 

How has your family reacted to you traveling and being around what appears to be sort of dangerous wildlife (at times)? Have they ever been concerned about the locations you are in, etc.? Have you ever felt you were in danger during any of your experiences with wildlife?

I think my parents gave up fretting about my well-being after they realized I was an adventurer and always would be. Sometimes I don’t tell them about my potentially “dangerous” wildlife encounters until afterwards. I think they were slightly concerned when I moved to Africa as it was unknown to them and there are a lot of scary misconceptions about Africa but they assure me they don’t worry any more (I am 37 after all). I can honestly say with my hand on my heart, that I have never felt in danger in any of my wildlife experiences; I have swam with tiger sharks, walked up to lions, walked next elephants, followed a black rhino on foot and rescued a manta ray from a fishing line way too deep with only one breath. 

How do you see the wildlife of Africa surviving over the next ten years or more? 

I think more and more people are becoming aware of the plight of our species across the world. I think as long as practices remain ethical and petting zoos or keeping animals in cages for human pleasure stops, wildlife will hopefully thrive. In saying that, I think it does depend on what species you are referring to. Rhino poaching is a huge issue in South Africa and there are amazing anti-poaching units working hard every day but it is an uphill battle as long as the demand remains the same. It is also said that ‘insectageddon’ is upon us which is a really scary thought. After all, these little creatures keep our world turning and we can’t survive without them. Whether we like it or not, planet Earth is the planet of insects and they have us surrounded. Since arriving in South Africa in 2018, I have seen a decline in the insect populations as each summer ticks by. I haven’t had a summer where insects cover my car windshield in a long time. Although that sounds favorable, it is really not. We need insects around. So that is a very difficult question to answer. 

Tell a story or stories of wildlife conservation success.

I think the Maldives becoming the shark haven that it is today is a remarkable conservation success story. In 2010, the Maldives declared its exclusive economic zone, 90,000 sq. km of the Indian Ocean, as a shark sanctuary. The island nation also banned all imports and exports of shark fins. This protected the tourism industry which is the largest segment of their economy, from the ravages of the shark fin trade. It was a bold and farsighted move on the part of the government of the Maldives. And boy did it pay off! Shark tourism is booming and you can go to Fuvahmulah in the very south of Maldives and swim with tiger, thresher and hammerhead sharks. I suggest everyone ticks that off their bucket list, it is the most amazing experience in the world. 

When it comes to conservation efforts, what is working and what isn’t?

Again, that’s a difficult question since conservation is such a broad topic and different habitats and species are facing different threats across the board. We are racing against our changing climate however, I do believe there is more focus on protecting our natural world and everything in it than ever before. Social media has its downside which I struggle with sometimes but it is also a great tool for educating people about important topics. I live in the Timbavati Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger National Park and they are dropping the fences to expand the area and creating an open system which is fantastic news for animal movement. 

You have had quite the successful life at a young age. Do you have any special qualities or anything that you especially credit with success at such a young age? 

Being completely open to failure. Life will not always go your way but that is part and parcel of the journey. Life may not take you in the direction you want to go either, you may be rerouted and I think being aware of that and being open to criticism and learning from your mistakes is one of the strongest qualities one can have. My hearing is not great and I sometimes struggle to hear, this “disability” has only made me stronger and work twice as hard to compensate for that. 

If you had to give one main tip for success in life, what would it be?

Work hard, play hard. Bit of a cliché I know but enjoy your life but balance that with dedication to work and your passions. I see people partying and socializing all the time without dedicating any time to their dreams or work, and then they wonder why it’s not a success. Life is short and you must enjoy it but also dedicate time and energy to your passion in life. I really believe you get out of life what you put in. 

How do you manage to not only run a business but to promote your business or activities? What is your best channel or platform for featuring your activities and getting people interested?

Multi-tasking is luckily something I really enjoy, but again, it is all about balance and time management (luckily I am a Libra). You can follow Too Wild on instagram @too_wildproductions and on YouTube @toowild500 where we will be releasing some series there in the near future on all our exciting wildlife journeys. 

Do you have any time management tips?

To do lists!!! I love lists, they make me happy. After dinner each night, I will sit at my desk with a cup of tea and plan my to-do list for the next day, understanding the tasks that need prioritizing. This sets me ahead of the game and I feel ready to go the next day. However, in saying that, living in the bush on a construction site means very rarely does my day go to plan but I am prepared for that. A diary really helps me manage my time. 

Do you use any motivational tools to keep you going?

A vision board. I have a little vision board book which I have always had since I was a child and I regularly update and check in with my goals and dreams. I draw, write things down and collect pictures. These goals don’t even have to be realistic at that point in time, just visualize them and stay true to that. Again, might sound cheesy but this technique also helps me develop my ideas and feel creative. Things change over time but that’s normal, just adjust your vision but don’t let it go entirely. 

What makes you happy and/or content?

Being with my partner David and being in nature. Any time I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I step outside and go for a walk in the bush. Sometimes I will sit in my garden and look at all the plants that I planted which have grown so much, and that brings me joy. 

You have achieved A LOT. What is your number one tip for productivity?

Self-care. Sounds crazy but you need to be physically fit and mentally fit to stay motivated and be productive. Although I live in the wilderness, I make sure to exercise every single day, take regular breaks, meditate and practice self care. Once a week, I will spend hours doing my skincare and haircare, not out of vanity, but to take a break from the laptop and look after my well-being. If you feel good about yourself, then that positivity will reflect in your attitude to work and on your productivity levels. 

Tell me about launching South Africa’s first immersive wildlife filmmaking course. When will this course begin and have you had a lot of interest so far?

We will launch our first in September this year, so exciting!! Our course we will not just cover wildlife filmmaking but will also give students a full immersion into the African wild. There will be a module on animal behavior, ecology, phenomenology and ethics of wildlife filmmaking by myself. We will introduce our students to the field of impact producing with our guest speaker and help guide them in their efforts to combine storytelling with social and behavioral science to drive positive change. Our expert tracker will take students into the bush on foot and teach them the basic tracks and signs and how to read the environment around you for more immersive filmmaking. David will teach the students to understand how to use the equipment, build specialized wildlife filming rigs, filming techniques and how to work with human talent. Lastly there will be an extensive module on post-production – how do you shoot for the edit and how do you manage your media. We have had a lot of interest from all around the world. Our course is quite a big commitment financially and time wise but is open to everyone. We have interest from younger people and the older age bracket. 

If you would like to learn more about Lauren Arthur and Too Wild Productions, please visit

https://www.toowild.co/ .

This article was originally published on OpsLens.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty, expert in crisis management from a psychological perspective, and a renowned expert in the field of trauma, addiction, and recovery. Dr. O’Flaherty began her journey into this field in a circuitous way. She started out as a flight attendant for Pan American World Airways where she flew all over the world, which she enjoyed very much. While working in this position she observed many of her fellow flight attendants developing eating disorders. While this was not her issue, she developed a drinking problem. She fortunately recognized the problem and got help in 1978. Since then, she has been in a very positive recovery.

Dr. O’Flaherty is no stranger to trauma. During her childhood there were a lot of dysfunctions in her family due to many factors such as poverty and her father’s drinking as well as living in a crowded household. When she was eleven years old, she was very ill with jaundice coupled with rheumatic fever. Subsequently, she was hospitalized for over three months, which by itself was very traumatizing. As a result of her time spent in the hospital, she became very religious and regularly practices the Catholic faith.

Dr. O’Flaherty has published an eBook titled The Correlation Between Trauma and Addiction. She explains that research substantiates that there is a very high correlation between trauma and addiction. People who have experienced traumatic events are indeed more prone to addictions. Untreated trauma can cause individuals who are in recovery from substance abuse to relapse. Research also shows that individuals who have healthy egos and a solid foundation from childhood will have a frame of reference and very good resilience which will enable them to recover very quickly from traumatic experiences. For an individual to have what they call in psychology “good enough parenting” one needs stability in the home. Those that have this will have that frame of reference and will recover from trauma expeditiously. Individuals who have been traumatized and are working on a trauma resolution will indeed recover just as well as the individuals who do not have a history of trauma. However, for those who are still struggling with unresolved trauma or indeed a substance abuse issue, which may include prescription drugs, Dr. O’Flaherty recommends that they seek help from a qualified therapist.

When it comes to traumatizing events, Dr. O’Flaherty can not only reference her own childhood trauma and resulting addiction, but she has been shaped in her adult life with quite a few major traumatic world events with which she has worked hands-on helping people cope. When the Lockerbie Scotland disaster happened in 1988, she was the corporate manager of Pan American’s Employee Assistance Program and she was dispatched to Lockerbie. This was her first experience responding in the aftermath of a major aviation disaster. As a result of responding to Lockerbie and observing employees who were put in a position to take care of the victims’ families without any training, she became very involved with the recovery efforts after returning to the United States. She became a member of the American Transportation Association and assisted in developing what we now know today as care teams to respond and take care of families of the victims of aviation disasters.

Involvement in the Lockerbie disaster was the catalyst for propelling her into a specific field of crisis psychology. Indeed, she became a trailblazer in this field. After the Lockerbie disaster she has responded to several major aviation disasters as a crisis psychologist, to include TWA flight 800 that exploded over Long Island sound in 1996.

As the Director of Employee Assistance Programs for Airlines, she often used to refer people to the Betty Ford Center as well as other treatment centers.

After completing her doctorate in clinical psychology Johanna had a desire to work more closely with individuals suffering from substance abuse and unresolved trauma, therefore she was seeking an opportunity to work in a treatment center where she could use her clinical skills and specialties is substance abuse and trauma resolution. She was very fortunate in that a position became available at the Betty Ford Center and was hired as the Vice President of Treatment Services. She went on to work there for over seven years.

In 2001 she was called to New York to assist with counseling airline employees and facilitating the crisis response training for the New York City Transit Authority after the terrorist attacks of September 11^th. She has also conducted critical incident response training for the FBI and first responders.

The most recent major disaster that she has responded to was the October 1, 2017 massacre at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip, where fifty-eight people were killed and another 546 people were injured. She continues to maintain a consulting practice and an active schedule as a keynote speaker in crisis management and addiction. She continues to be involved in supporting individuals, particularly first responders and airline employees, in the aftermath of disasters.

During my recent interview with Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty she shared the following with me.

For people who have become addicted to alcohol, and are fighting that urge to drink, what is your best tip?  For instance, what is an alternative for someone who turns to alcohol to cope, is there something they could substitute possibly?

There are many options available for individuals that are suffering from the disease of addiction. My first recommendation is to perhaps try the 12 step programs which are free and always welcoming. I would also recommend that you get an assessment from an addiction specialist.

Who is the strongest person you know and what are the personality traits that you see in them?

There are several people that I admire due to their accomplishments, their inner strength, their integrity, spirituality, and humility. There is no specific person.

What has been your biggest fear in life?

This is an interesting question and there is not one specific fear but rather many over the years. As a young person when I was based as a flight attendant in New York I was very scared of the city and the people, but I did become acclimated and enjoy the city very much.  From an internal perspective due to my family of origin issues and subsequently my own alcoholism I had many fears. Fears that I wouldn’t measure up coupled with low self-esteem and shame.

What has been your biggest challenge in life (if you had to pick one)?

I believe there will always be challenges in my life as I am indeed a consummate student of life and humanity.

Today my challenges are basically maintaining a consistent work life balance. I am at times inclined to overdo it, particularly with work. I enjoy my work very much and strive to maintain a healthy balance.

What do you find is the most common fear or issue of your patients?

The most common fear that patients present in today’s world is fear of the future insecurity based on primarily false information.

If you had to tell someone your number one tip for dealing with anxiety or fear, what would it be?

I would recommend that you find somebody that you can trust a good friend a chaplain a therapist and show your fears. I would also recommend that you minimize media exposure as I note in the media there is a great tendency to escalate fear.

If you had to tell someone your number one tip for dealing with depression, what would it be?

Depression is very complicated so I would recommend that the individual who is suffering from depression seek a therapist.

What is your top tip for coping after tragedy?

My coping tip for particularly responders and therapists who respond to the aftermath of a tragedy is that it is absolutely a priority to take care of oneself. This must be intentional.

What is your biggest project right now?  What are you working toward currently?

I recently published my memoir which is titled Flight with Weighted Wings. I address my involvement in aviation disasters and the Las Vegas shooting in my memoir from a psychological perspective. I am working on another book which hasn’t quite concretized with the title yet.

I continue to run a small private practice in Las Vegas, and I do a lot of public speaking.

I would like to leave the audience with a word of encouragement as this article has highlighted my personal journey, which was challenging and indeed joyful and painful. I would encourage you to read my books, especially my memoir Flight with Weighted Wings. Flight with Weighted Wings is a memoir that is very transparent, and it is a memoir of transformation and inspiration. My memoir will help you to connect with me on an emotional journey. The humanizing aspects of my memoir, sharing my personal experiences, challenges, and successes will demonstrate that you are not alone.

This article was originally published on OpsLens.

It was two weeks into my dream job and I realized this was not my dream.  As the woman who shared a cubicle space across from me continued to babble on about how busy she was and another woman popped over, yet again, to explain that I needed to attend another sheet cake function for a birthday, I came to the complete and total realization that I wanted my own business.  I wanted the freedom to be in charge of my own schedule, to make my own rules, and not be forced into the complete waste of time that I saw office chatter as being.

I had this dream of no longer being confined to an office, and having complete control over my own schedule.  It didn’t happen right away of course, but eventually I started out by going part-time with the CIA and working on my own little eBay business during the remainder of my time.  I soon realized that running your own small business is much more time intensive and, honestly, harder than working for someone else.  But it is so much more rewarding!

Years later, I have morphed my business mainly into writing my own books as well as a writing and editing service for clients who either don’t have the time to write, don’t like to write, or just plain can’t write.  But I have found myself frequently bogged down with the daily operations of running a business.  As a creative person, I want to create, and continue to build the business, but the day-to-day operations simply slow me down.  I recently had the pleasure of being introduced to Ken and Craig Chalifour of Chalifour Consulting Group.

The Chalifour Consulting Group is a full-service consulting agency for professionals and their businesses. They understand that many challenges arise in business. They determine what the root cause is and implement a cure, not a band-aid. New business methods and best practices are being developed and implemented every day, and the Chalifour Consulting Group’s goal is to ensure success for their clients by leading the charge with new business practices without reinventing the wheel.

Both Ken and Craig Chalifour began their careers in the sales industry. Each of them worked their way up the corporate ladder to owning and being high-level executives at their respective companies. The two have developed a love and great understanding of the business world through many trials and tribulations.

Craig Chalifour has extensive experience delivering exceptional results for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). His career spans roles such as director of business development, vice president of sales, director of corporate training and other leadership positions in the finance and insurance sector. Ken Chalifour has nearly three decades in business. He has a deep understanding of successful enterprise intricacies and the ability to start, scale, and redirect businesses. His experience ranges from construction, including designing and building a 100,000 square foot assisted living facility, as well as owning, operating, and selling multiple businesses, engaging in business acquisitions, holding board positions with non-profit organizations, and collaborating with the FBI on security matters. Ken has founded a successful marketing and web development company, cultivating an international client base and excelling in real estate development and construction. His skills encompass sales, negotiation, analysis, efficiency optimization, business process improvement, communication and generational management.

You can’t teach vision or talent. But you can be prepared.

As having been groomed my entire young life to become a federal employee, then reaching that goal, I never really thought about what running a business actually entails. As such, I was glad to have the opportunity to interview Ken and Craig Chalifour. The following is what they shared with me.

In the business consulting world, what is the biggest problem most companies have? What do most of your clients seek you out for help with?

Our experience has shown that a few of the biggest challenges companies face is both personnel management and growth management.  Determining the right person for a specific roll is predicated on determining the strengths and weaknesses that a person possesses.  It is critical that a person is not occupying a role that they are not well suited for.  Leveraging a person’s strength not only benefits the success of a company, it also creates a culture of success for the individual and the company.  Managing growth is also critical because if you are not prepared to grow through a systematic approach then the product or service you offer becomes degraded.  Your reputation suffers and your customer base dwindles.

Talk a little about what services your business consulting firm offers.

As a full-service consulting firm, we work in the world of business startups and existing business growth management.  We work with people who have a strong desire to start a new business but don’t know what the path forward looks like.  We offer a strategic, step by step approach that outlines the necessary tasks that need to occur in order for the company to come to fruition.  For existing companies, we provide a proprietary process we call The Business Positioning System which involves a three-pronged approach to achieving long term, sustained success.  These steps are discovery, development and implementation.  Through this process, we help re-engineer a company from the ground up and help eliminate ambiguity, create a standard operating procedure and establish goals, milestones and triggers for expansion and growth.  I am a huge boat guy so I tend to use boat metaphors.  For existing businesses we often tell them that what we do is get in their boat, we find the biggest hole and we fill it.  We then find the next biggest hole and fill that.  We continue moving around until all the holes are filled.  Now the boat is sea worthy and won’t sink.  Next we make the boat bigger and stronger and upgrade the engine so that it is worthy of moving further out to sea and withstanding stronger storms while moving forward.

What is the biggest mistake you see most new companies make?

Most companies start a business because they are good at something.  Many of these people and companies lack the foresight and planning at inception which causes challenges as the company grows.  They seldom have growth strategies in place which perpetuates a “put the biggest fire out first” mentality.  This prohibits the ownership from working on expansion, management, training and all the necessary components required to grow and scale.

Since 2020 do you see an increase in people wanting to start their own businesses and work for themselves?

Yes, business ownership is something we see increasing dramatically.

Do you have one particular industry where you see most clients coming from? Or is it all over the map?

No, not a specific industry.  We see people wanting to break away from an existing job because they are proficient at what they are doing and feel like they can be more successful on their own in their own business. 

How do you see the business environment in the US going in the next five years? How has it been in the past few years?

Predicting the exact trajectory of the business environment in the US over the next five years is challenging due to various factors such as economic cycles, political changes, and unforeseen events. However, based on recent trends, it’s likely that the business environment will continue to be dynamic and influenced by factors like technological advancements, globalization, and shifts in consumer behavior. In the past few years, the US business environment has seen steady growth, driven by factors like low unemployment rates, tax reforms, and expansionary fiscal policies. However, challenges such as trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainties, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have also posed significant hurdles. Moving forward, adaptability, innovation, and resilience will be key for businesses to thrive in an evolving landscape.

How do you manage to not only run a business but to promote your business or service? How do you get people interested in your business or service?  Do you have any tips?

One of the most efficient factors in promoting our business is through reviews.  We are extremely proud of the fact that we have many reviews and every one of them is a five star review.  When people conduct a search for a business consultant anywhere in the country, Chalifour Consulting comes up with rave reviews.  This speaks to our ability to provide excellent value to our clients and that is exhibited through these reviews.  Most people who reach out to us to inquire about our services often comment that they found us through a search and they are very impressed with what others are saying about us. 

How do you find the time to do all of the things required for your business? Do you have any time management tips?

Time management is extremely important, but systems and processes facilitate time management techniques.  Becoming more efficient through established procedures removes all ambiguity and allows us to accomplish tasks that directly impact our client base without the confusion.  Software is highly leveraged which allows an organized approach to conducting business.  Customer relationship management, accounting, communication, both internally and externally, financial/accounting, design and marketing are all areas where software is utilized to provide efficient protocols for accomplishing tasks in an expeditious manner.

Do you have any tips for people who may want to get their children into their family business?

Chalifour Consulting is a unified team of professionals that come together to improve our client’s condition, whatever that condition may be.  We are a partnership between father and son.  Our accountant is my wife of thirty-five years and our creative director is my daughter.  Creating a family business is extremely rewarding but caution must prevail when disagreements ensue.  It’s important to separate the family emotions and recognize that decisions must be made and agreement on those decisions is not always present.  Separating business and personal is somewhat of a challenge but all parties must recognize that personal feelings must take a back seat.

Do you use any motivational tools to keep you going?

We do a lot of reading and studying not only industry standard material, but we are also very in tune with what trends and tactics are emerging.  We follow social media influencers and stay up to date on business related changes such as taxes, accounting, marketing and anything that would pertain to business stability and growth.

What makes you happy and/or content?

Working with my family is unbelievably rewarding.  It is also extremely rewarding working with people and companies where we improve their condition, overcome challenges and create a strategic path forward where success is imminent. 

What is your number one tip for productivity?

Remove ambiguity.  Ambiguity breeds mediocrity.  If a clearly defined action is not in place then there is far too much room for interpretation.  If there is too much interpretation there is no solidarity or congruency which then leads to chaos and putting out fires.

Where do most of your clients come from, are they mostly in New Hampshire? How is the business environment there? 

We have clients in forty-eight states and four countries.  Interestingly, we only have two clients in NH.  Most of our business comes from web searches and word of mouth. 

Are your clients mostly small start-up companies or big businesses or a mix?  Tell me a little about your average client.

Our clients range in size from small one person startups to twenty million dollar a year contractors.  We find that the trades (contractors, plumbers, electricians, etc.) tend to be a niche that we are extremely familiar with.  We have worked in virtually every industry and market and find that our average client, regardless of the industry, tends to be the person who is very good at something, starts a business and then recognizes that their growth is out of control and needs help.

What is your ultimate vision for this company in particular?

Truthfully, to help as many people and businesses succeed.

I read that you have collaborated with the FBI. How did you get into that?

I was asked to be on the board of directors for a company called InfraGard.  InfraGard is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and members of the private sector for the protection of U.S. critical infrastructure. Through seamless collaboration, InfraGard connects owners and operators within critical infrastructure to the FBI, to provide education, information sharing, networking, and workshops on emerging technologies and threats. InfraGard’s membership is dedicated to contributing industry-specific insight and advancing national security.  It was fascinating and extremely insightful.

Ken: How is working with your son? Do you have any challenges you can discuss and how do you deal with them?

Working with Craig is truly a blessing for so many reasons.  Craig and I have developed an insane energy.  We are intensely aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and we play to the strengths and build on the weaknesses.  Craig and I have flipped homes and have worked on countless construction projects prior to starting this company and have learned a long time ago how each other thinks and anticipate each other’s moves and thoughts.  Craig has amazing vision and always seems to be three to four moves/thoughts ahead of me.  I have learned to embrace that vision as a tool rather than a deficiency in me.  We both have a very protective nature and want the best for each other.  Our work ethic is matched by each other, and I can’t imagine two people that work better together, especially a father and son duo. We have absolutely had some blow out screaming arguments but we ALWAYS remember that we love each other and want what’s best for each other and our common goal is to be successful at helping people and companies achieve their goals.

Craig: How is working with your dad? Do you have any challenges you can discuss and how do you deal with them.

Working with family can be tough sometimes, but it also has its perks. In my opinion, partnerships in business are always challenging, whether you’re working with family or not. I often advise clients about this. When family is involved, decisions can get emotional, which isn’t usually the case in other partnerships. Figuring out how to separate family matters from business decisions can be hard at first, but it’s important to get the hang of it to make things work smoothly. The process of working with my father is very rewarding and I would not want to be in business with anyone else – our skills complement each other very well and that has been incredibly beneficial.

What has been your biggest challenge in this consulting business endeavor? How did you overcome it?

We are first and foremost in the relationship business.  It is important that we know our clients and how they think and operate.  Becoming aligned with our clients as a business consultant and advisor requires a certain amount of “tough love”.  We develop strategic plans, a path forward, goals and milestones, agendas, tasks and value statements.  It is up to the client to be actionable with these directives.  Many times, our clients are so involved with their company that they can’t find the time to execute those things that will free up time.  We often tell our clients that in order to make more money and be more profitable, you need to make more time and in order to make more time, you must be more efficient.  When working with a client and through our discovery process, we uncover areas of inefficiency that are desperate for change.  We are taking an outside-in look at their business.  We see things as clear as day that need to change, but because the client is so close to the day-to-day operations they may resist or not find the time to complete tasks.  We always say that if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always have what you’ve always had.  We strive to break our clients from that mindset and give them the ability to see what we see.

Owning and operating a business can be extremely rewarding for so many reasons.  If done properly, a business can be lucrative and create freedom.  It must be done correctly by integrating efficient systems and processes.  A business is an asset that can increase in value and provide long term benefits such as a sale or a legacy to family or employees.  We love working with people and businesses to help make that happen.

If you would like to learn more about Ken and Craig Chalifour and Chalifour Consulting Group, please visit www.chalifourconsulting.com .

This article was originally published on OpsLens.