From de Islands

It's amazing how many people think that island life is easy and laid back, and that we don't have a care in the world. Nothing could be farther from the truth. 

In recent times some people are now getting to experience island life as a result of the work travel visas, an initiative which is consequent of the pandemic we've been experiencing from early 2020 through to current in 2021. It impacted the globe, and NO ONE was prepared. 

They are realizing though that it's not all coconut water and rum with Caribbean edibles to eat all day long. Here we actually work, some quite hard. Many live here and hardly get to put their toes into the water at the beach, let alone even get to walk in the sand. 

Barbados was recently seen on a listing among the most expensive countries in the world. Yet, that does not mean that people here are rich or wealthy. 

Living on the islands, we have to pay twice as much to experience half as much. Fortunately, we tend to have a good work ethic which does not permit us to compromise the standards to which we have become accustomed. Are we where we need to be? No! Success is a journey, not a destination. 

As we reopen, visit the islands, there are no two alike, and experience the events, food, beverages, culture, arts, crafts, people, and sights. I have found and have often described "Barbados, my island home, as the pendant of the chain of islands, where you can fly over, drive through, sail around and dive under." 

That being said, I join with all the other citizens of the Caribbean and say, welcome to paradise, where the experiences you will have is from de islands. 

Rabbit - clippings from across the globe

 

As I continue to examine alternate foods and their sources. I will look today at rabbits as a food source. However, the approach will be different since I will take clippings from articles I will look up and present them here so that you can form your own opinion based on what others around the world have observed. 

So today, I looked up rabbits in restaurants; here's what I found. 

What is rabbit called in a restaurant?

Senior Member. There was a word for rabbit meat which I think would be understandable today: "coney". In the same way that beef, pork, and venison all are from the French, so was coney.

Boston, USA has managed to incorporate rabbits into the menus. We found an article that shows seven (7) restaurants that serve rabbits on their menus. 

But why eat rabbits? In searching Google, this information which spoke to the nutritional content of rabbits came up. 

Is rabbit meat good eating?

They have a light impact on the earth, and they're healthy, all-white meat.” Rich in highly-quality proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and minerals like calcium and potassium, rabbit meat is also lean and low in cholesterol. Of course, its lack of fat means you need to take caution when you prepare it.

My curiosity went further, yes I live in a tourist destination, and here's what I found:

What country eats rabbit meat?

Rabbit meat is popular in countries such as Italy, Spain, France and China. These countries consume the most rabbit – about 8kg per person – and are the best export markets for rabbit meat.

When wondering why rabbits are cultivated as a food source. This came up:

Why is rabbit meat not popular?

Rabbits have never had a purpose as farm animals, meaning they did not have the same opportunity to become a popular meat in American households. Since rabbits never became a popular meat in the agricultural industry, a stigma was attached to the meat itself.

Additionally, when asking; Is rabbit a cheap meat?

Rabbit meat is expensive because fryers are not able to be effectively fed in large groups, require a more expensive feed ration than most other livestock and processing costs are higher per pound of meat sold.

So what would justify countries in the Caribbean adding rabbits to their menus? The answer may prove that we need to think more high-end even though rabbit was initially a poor man's food. The benefits outweigh the costs. 

In 2019, it was published that: 

First off, it's healthy: Compared to beef, pork, lamb, turkey, veal and chicken, rabbit has the highest percentage of protein, the lowest percentage of fat and the fewest calories per pound. Unlike other meats, it contains high levels of vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.

Additionally, just this year 2022 it was concluded by another researcher:

It also takes a fair amount of time, effort and expertise to raise rabbits for food, which makes it more expensive than other meats. They are not bred & raised in factory farming conditions, so there is higher marginal cost per pound.

It was found that, Rabbit meat has a great taste and is highly nutritious. Although any type of meat lover will love to have a bite, it is best suited for people who want a more robust tasting and healthier meal than chicken. Rabbit meat has numerous health benefits.

What does the future of food look like for people who are lovers of meat and need to have protein requirements met? Here are the top 8 meats globally. 

When looking at food supply and food security, it's going to be increasingly necessary to examine the sources of food and its origins. 

Will you join the ranks of those eating rabbit meat? I have had some before and it's pleasant to the tastebuds when prepared well. I hope that this article enables you to find out how you can save economically. Enjoy your meals and make new dishes. 

Monkeying around with diets

As we grapple with our crops being destroyed by monkeys, some people in discussing ways of controlling populations have become quite creative in their suggestions. I happened to be around a conversation once where one was overheard saying that monkey tastes good. 

After getting beyond my initial shock, and realising the gravity of what we face with the ever-increasing monkey population, I thought I would look to see if there is any merit in adding monkey meat to our diets as suggested. 

It was a thought originating from the pending scarcity given the supply chain interruptions based on the Ukraine/Russia war which has a global impact. It was further supported by seeking ways to reduce import costs and eventually, given our numbers, explore export opportunities. 

According to this article by Aaron McDonald - entitled Monkey Consumption..., monkey meat is considered bush meat. This article outlines a number of species and the regions where they are consumed. Never once does he mention our local Green Monkey. The article has some cautions for our safety though which we will do well to consider. 

You can look up just about anything nowadays, here's what is said by people who actually consumed monkey meat.  In an article that speaks to the benefits of consuming monkey meat in terms of benefits, the costs of this diet can be quite high and dangerous for humans who engage in this practice. See this article. 

In short, I hope that this article helps those who were curious about this bush meat. My conclusion is that the risks far outweigh the benefits. I wouldn't mess with it. You now know the risks. 

Our businesses are NOT growing and developing

Business people are focusing their activities in the wrong direction. Sure in order to experience success one has to work hard; however, there has never been anything called "Work hard and Get Rich". There is a book written by Napoleon Hill some time ago called "Think and Grow Rich". Yet, many haven't read it though they are seeking success. 

If you are to be a leader, you have to be a reader. 

Success is a system. Yet people are not getting it because they are not receiving the information that is all around.

The title of this article will probably wonder what I mean, well here's what I mean:

• Entrepreneurs know how to put money into their businesses, but they don't know how to get it back out: When you make an investment into a business, then stop trying to get paid via a salary. When you do this, you are demonstrating the wrong mindset. You have to have a strategy that you can - legally - use when you are in business. Business people don't want to invest in learning about the different forms of business setups. It seems like attorneys suggest the incorporation so they can get the fees for incorporating the entity. The people, their clients, who are in business don't understand why they even incorporated. 
• The business has a lot of moving parts, being good and something doesn't mean that you'd be good at running a business in that area. Here's what I mean. E.g. a good plumber doesn't necessarily run a great plumbing business. They want to focus on plumbing. They don't want to do the administrative aspects of it. Therefore over time, the really successful plumbers realize that business is a team activity. 
• Why don't businesses grow their profits and thrive? The simple answer, the principles have the wrong mindset. Many don't have the mindset for handling large sums of money. When they do get the breaks they go on spending sprees until they get back to the level of money they are comfortable handling. Oftentimes, they make bad decisions along the way. There is a need to ask and answer some long, hard questions. 
• Dealing with businesses over the years, I have found that the owners are quick to settle within a comfort zone rather than strive to go to the next level. Does this mean that their goals are set too low? Perhaps not, they set it to what they want. E.g. Some people just want to have gainful employment rather than leave a legacy. What this tells me though is that we seem to be conditioned to study for a grade rather than have the discipline to study to get paid. Studying to get paid doesn't have to be formal. It can mean just reading, listening to the material or even taking short courses to keep informed about developments in business. 
• Not enough business people know/understand taxation, therefore they are unable to do proper tax planning to make the tax structures work for them. The result is the business haemorrhaging by paying more taxes than absolutely necessary and failing to make claims to which they are entitled. 

Are there other considerations? Yes, but this is not a consultation to diagnose every scenario that impacts all businesses. Just enough to get you to recognize that you need to have someone in business development help you. 

Feel free to visit our website to get a bit more information on how we can help businesses. Additionally, you may contact me directly so that our team can assist you. 

Personal impacts on professional performance

Dragging oneself off the bed to face the uncertainty the day has to offer is quite common nowadays, yet it's not the reality that most welcome though they live it. 

Many of us would have thought that we were experiencing problems until we heard in the news that Ukraine was invaded; their entire sovereignty was stripped from them in a matter of hours. Their relationship changes were not only at a personal level in terms of death from one cause or another, but their international relations were changed in a way that they are to grapple. 

For many, lives were changed as situations with which we were familiar were eroded. No longer can we say goodbye to loved ones in the traditional sense; communing with others we've known for ages came to a grinding halt. Pressures from too much contact were brought to the fore. Life as we knew it evolved without any of our input or permission. Really?!?

So what is this going to do for businesses? 

In short form, we are going to need to be more aware of the mental needs of those with whom we interact. Everyone has experienced trauma in one form or another. This is not something that can be swept under the rug in the hopes that it would go away. 

What are the impacts on professional performance? Has this ever been measured? Has it ever been considered? 

The complexity of the human being means that businesses have one more thing to consider, yet they must be careful so as not to be taken advantage of while they are building their awareness and coping mechanisms to function is this quite different environment. 

Are there lessons to be learned from previous pandemics? Not likely since news would have traveled at a much slower rate. Nowadays, everything is instant. Things that take place within one region can be instantly relayed in a completely separate section of the globe at light speed. 

Social media can potentially make most people public figures, especially if they are in business. So we need to be quite careful of how we manage our experiences as a people. Remember, all it takes is one negative story and all your marketing dollars, programs and reputations built can become undone in an instant. 

Who's telling your story? 

Language is going to be key in managing your own publicity. Are we paying attention to the elements of our lives recognizing that just about anything can become public? The most innocent of comments can be relayed with a twist that completely conveys what was never intended. 

We need to manage our own press and reputations. Credit scores, opinions, police certificates of character should be supportive at most - not responsible for managing the extent of our reputations within the public domain. 

What are you known for? 

Do you serve charities? Help with groups that experience challenges of one sort or another? Become known for something positive. Learn to research something even if it's recipes where you can then do compare and contrast critiques. How can you become an expert or renowned within a particular area? 

E.g. I am known to be quite good in the area of business development particularly as it applies to SMEs and their operations. I write within the areas so that people who don't even know me can read my work and form an opinion as to if they believe they can benefit from my services offered. More often than not the answer is yes. 

Volunteering 

When was the last time that you volunteered for a cause? Through volunteering, you can meet people that you would not have ordinarily meet. Build relationships with influential people. They get to observe your work ethic through partnering with you to fulfill the requirements of the cause. Some people have been known to advance their careers using this method of serving. Always remember - givers gain. 

Sometimes, the activities that you engage in while you are spending time with yourselves can benefit you and others with whom you interact. You may very well end up being a repository of knowledge in your fields of interest. 

If you learn nothing else today, remember - that what you do personally can impact your professional performance in a positive manner.  Keep striving for excellence. 

The roughness of life and business

 If there's one thing that this pandemic taught us, it is that life can be quite rough. Prior to it, we may have been shielded from the ravages of the world's pressures. Our seeming insulation from the challenges in the news was something that was sorrowful, but didn't really impact us directly - so we sympathized. 

Well along came COVID and give us a fresh perspective, where we were rapidly moved from sympathy to empathy. The reality of the tragedies came quite close to home and NOW we're directly impacted.

The thing is, the impact was so comprehensive it was felt in all aspects of our lives - personally and professionally; physically and emotionally; let's not forget financially, even as we struggled with the nuances of adapting to new measures that impacted us operationally. 

There are lots of people hurting, and though we try to mask it. Thinking it's the business of no one else, the reality is that it impacts those around us, even if they only observe. It so happened that the various elements of our lives have collided and the results are tragic. It doesn't matter if you're in school or working, if you're retired or haven't even entered school yet; everyone was impacted in some way. 

Society says we should keep looking forward, keep moving forward. It says we can do nothing about the past; however somewhere there's a niggling thought from the recesses of one's past that seems haunting. It creates doubts, harnesses fears and uncertainty, simmers the spirit in a way that timidity can bubble to the surface leaving you off balanced and out of sorts. 

Grief has been a key element - loss of relationships through break ups, displacement, death; often without any closure and with a sudden happening that no one was prepared for. One moment someone's there and the next, sometimes in the same day, they're gone. Our coping mechanisms have been taxed at a new level, and one realizes that they can be lonely in a room full of people since no one takes the time to understand their perspective. 

Business, schools, home life, and social interactions have all gone topsy-turvy and  everyone is now in an unfamiliar ground where tensions are riding high and frustrations are rampant. 

We now as a people have to interact within an environment where the people are going to display new and unfamiliar behaviours that we are not accustomed to and will never become used to since they will change rapidly with each hour that ticks by. 

There will be a need for entities to revise their interactions with those they seek to serve. Areas of address will include: 

• Customer interactions
• Operational functionality - there has been significant disruption which has impacted supply chains significantly directly impacting the ability of needs being met adequately.
• Marketing methods and means - there's a need to reintroduce the social in media used to communicate by companies e.g. too many are using this as a go to without first finding out if their public is used to / competent in accessing social media and online platforms. This is so especially for the elderly and some younger people. 
• With the gap in schooling, consideration will have to be taken to using more verbal social media since the reading/comprehension skills of many users has diminished significantly. 
• Financial integrations and programs including banking, insurance, financial transaction documentations and tools
• Legal considerations including contractual obligations, intellectual property, real property, etc. 
• Taxation programs and privileges
• Environmental aspects where the entities need to be more aware of what's going on and the impact on the public. Are the offerings in alignment with the value systems of the public. There's a need to identify where the public is placing their emphasis on as it relates to value. 
• Competency is going to be a key factor going forward since service levels are being frustrated by the lack of delivery on the part of many organizations

Is the roughness real or perceived? You be the judge of that. However, you should note that it is best to consider the impact of one's actions / inaction and how they will be interpreted by those you are seeking to serve. 

If we take enough time to observe we can see the differences pre / post pandemic. The question is are we willing to make the adjustments and if so how willing are we to invest in the future of our people. 

I have a confession to make...

Over the years, the longest job I've ever held is for approximately 2 years. When I stumbled upon an industry called timeshare, my background it hotel management, it gave me the mindset due to the types of environments I've had the opportunity to work within.

Timeshare is an industry that I would recommend to anyone and everyone should be exposed to in their younger working lives. Why? You learn how to handle rejection early. 

In life, one of the biggest stumbling blocks is rejection. The word NO cripples many who are on their path to success. It can come from the market place where you are trying to gain a foothold, and if it's something that's really big; the rejections/objections can come from within your own household. 

Timeshare taught me how to cope with the reality that you will face stumbling blocks in all aspects of your life. It is an industry that puts you on trial every day since you cannot rest on the laurels of yesterday's successes. Everyday you get up you start at zero. Everyday you must make progress towards your goals. 

Is it hard? You bet. However even though it can be described as words that the word challenging don't aptly describe, it can be also quite rewarding. 

Fast track to running a practice for as many years as I have. Seeing clients experience satisfaction even though they may not have all had the money to pay. Improving their lives and the ability for them to support their families and livelihoods. I'd do it again. 

Sometimes, not everyone can pay for your services directly. They can however open doors through referrals that you ordinarily wouldn't have been able to open. In time, you'll learn that more important than money is grace and favor. 

My grandfather, told my father, who told me and I shared with my son; "Where manners and respect will get you, money won't get you. If you have manners and respect, you'll go places that people with money will never reach. You can walk in the company of very successful people as an equal." 

I love business development. I love solving problems that others can't. I love my career so much that it doesn't seem like work. Am I where I'm supposed to be? Not yet. 

It's a journey that keeps challenging me. As the reputation continues to spread, people call from all walks of life from various places and countries. Keep hungry, keep learning, keep serving; life can be interesting and provides many opportunities for you to make a positive contribution. Yes, I also serve NFPs, not for profits. It's my way of giving back. 

Though I may not have loads of money, I am a philanthropist with my time. I always maintain, if I lose money, I may get it back. However if I lose time, it's gone forever. Use your time wisely. 

My confession? I love helping people experience a better life.