Ross R James The Most Iconic CEOs to Watch in 2023

1. www.fortunescrown.com MARCH 2 0 2 3 Pg. 38 THE MOST ICONIC CEO’S TO WATCH IN 2023 Cloud Computing and Network Security Pg. 46 The How What Where of Blockchain: The Theory And Real Applications of Blockchain Ross R James Sensible and Sound Business Management Cloud—Accloud

4. From EDITOR THE

5. W Leader, we won't have a definite direction to go. ithout a leader, we won't escape the greatest wars. Without a Leader, we won't accomplish the world's greatest achievements. Without a path that a Leader walks on is always the right one, or that the decisions the Leader takes are appreciated by everyone on that team. But those decisions and the paths are chosen will always be with the right intentions and hopes. We all make mistakes, and any project or cause will always be an effort of the whole team with their Leader as an overall support system. A Leader can keep the group together. To make the team realize that the goal they are all working for is bigger than everyone. A team's efforts make a real difference. Yes. But motivating that team to come forward and perform with all they've got is the job of a Leader. In this edition of Fortunes Crown Magazine's “The Most Iconic CEOs to Watch in 2023”, we reach out to some of such leaders who paved their path with their respective industries, at times knowing nothing about the practices and processes of said industries, making their feet strong and journeys outstanding. It's a cooperative effort that is performed by listening, gathering a variety of opinions, considering effective strategies, and then generating a clear vision. Mr. Ross R James - this edition's Cover Personality, is one of those leaders who made a little spark of an idea into something probably even their past selves couldn't have imagined. His journey towards planning and implementing cloud services is inspiring and something we all would imagine happening - a little moment of realization at random and then it transforms into something massive. Leadership is the act of influencing a formal or informal group's actions in the work of creating and achieving goals. A leader is someone whose charismatic presence inspires others to support their cause. A Leader knows how their team works - with the lows and highs of every member, and how to flip the switches to get them to the fullest potential. Good Leadership is extremely important to running a business. Companies need a person who will have a bird- eye view of every project, development, and action. With Good Leadership, there is a healthy and productive environment rather than one where everyone works because they HAVE to and not because they WANT to. So, grab your bottle of inspiration. Because in case it is empty, this edition is most likely to fill it to the brim. R akesh Mah t o Rakesh Mahto Another important point is that it isn't necessary that the Editor-in-Chief

6. COVER STORY 10 Ross R James Sensible and Sound Business Management Cloud—Accloud

7. CONTNETS 18 Colin Brown Serving Best Vehicle Insurance Against Eventualities 26 Lexis Serot An Innovative Entrepreneur Pioneering An Extraordinary Health Solution 38 Cloud Computing and Network Security 42 Nick Zamucen Helping People Restore Properties To Pre-loss Condition 46 The How What Where of Blockchain The Theory And Real Applications of Blockchain

8. Follow us FORTUNES CROWN Fortunes Crown is a team of professionals that helps your business thrive online. Today featuring business stories involves educating and informing your ideal customers to build their condence in your ability to help them. https:/www.facebook.com/FortunesCrown644 https:/twitter.com/CrownFortunes Publisher Akshay Kamble https://www.linkedin.com/Company/FortunesCrown Editor-In-Chief Rakesh Mahto Assitant Editor Shruti Daoo www.fortunescrown.com Art & Design Director Mayur K For any other queries, write to us at info@fortunescrown.com Business Development Manager James Smith Copyright © 2023 Fortunes Crown, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Fortunes Crown Reprint rights remain solely with Fortunes Crown. Printed and Published by Fortunes Crown. Business Development Executives Keith Parson Developer Saleem Qaisar Head of Distribution & Production Rahul Vishwakarma

10. COVER STORY Ross R James Chief Executive O?cer 10 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

11. Ross R James Management Cloud—Accloud Sensible and Sound Business March 2023 | 11 www.fortunescrown.com

12. W reasons, they are unable to reach their goal. These unforeseen reasons could be personal, professional, or intellectual, but most commonly, it is monetary. People having the talent and the brains to be the best business leaders out there can't reach that level; can't get their audience or market. e all have heard the phrase “missed by a whisker.” When one is extremely talented and passionate, but due to some unforeseen is not like one video transition that happens in seconds. Or something that happens overnight. It takes days of hard work and nights of dream-catching to get there. Sometimes, some markets may just not be ready for the service/product. A product as life changing as it won't settle down without being marketed well. It needs experienced professionals with media knowledge and tricks. It needs the right business management and quite literally a global marketplace. A company's potential shouldn't be constrained by its size. Yet, a lot of people are restricted by outside forces including societal restrictions, a lack of access to affordable finance, and a distance to marketplaces. The world and these unfortunate entrepreneurs need a platform. They need resources, solutions, and assistance in their time of need. A platform that will act like their projector. Projecting their logo in the skies of their market. Establishing a business is a challenging task. The process 12 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

13. Accloud eliminates these obstacles by utilizing a ground-breaking, low-touch commerce platform to mobilize business administration. Entrepreneurs now have access to funding, trade, accounting, and tax solutions in a single, user-friendly system for the first time. exposing them to new and right markets for their product/service. Leading With Example and Experience The world is constantly moving towards digitization. Applications, software, and databases run the world. Ross R James who proudly carries the title of Chief Executive Officer is well-versed in the world of digitization. “we're making the small, mighty.” “As part of our initial push into the market, Accloud plc is presently expanding throughout India. Providing accounting software, tax, light ERP solutions, and micro- financing on a low-touch commerce platform.” It was when he was a student of communication engineering that he got introduced to Computer Programming. He describes it as “eyes opening wide to the power and possibilities”. He was extremely intrigued with computers, the tech behind them, and the number of possibilities the world could achieve. With its low entry cost and game-changing system, they aim to aid millions business owners. They will do this by He instantly began his journey by importing computers to improve the efficiency of SMEs (Small-Medium Enterprises). He realized if these enterprises are provided with LANs and other software, they will end up with way more than they aimed for. Not too far from then, he set up the first foreign technology company in Taiwan. The company manufactured personal computers that were later shipped to countries like USA, Germany, and Denmark. Ross has spent 30 years at the top of the ITC sector. He has a lot of expertise with internet business applications and tactics both locally and globally. As well as developing export markets throughout the USA, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Ross had a significant impact on the Application Service Provider (ASP) business in the 1990s. Giving him a vast knowledge of client-server computing and the next utility and cloud computing technologies. Inspire, Innovate, Inculcate Ross took inspiration from innovators like Steve Jobs. It is he and his obsession with simplified UIs that we are here today. We have this array of devices with the convergence of several digital tools into one. Ross believes that Steve Jobs' legacy alone inspired millions of young minds to enter the world of tech. Bringing all his experience into one streamline is how he created Accloud. He noticed a little increase in internet March 2023 | 13 www.fortunescrown.com

14. bandwidth and a few changes in computing technology that could help small businesses. business management platform, it needs a passionate and dedicated workforce to support it. The work culture at Accloud is something the CEO himself is quite particular about. Established in 2015, Accloud was made to keep small businesses in mind. A vision to create a community where they are heard. Small businesses as a community needed services like B2B, micro-capital, micro-insurance, and other business management tools. Just because these businesses are not industry giants, doesn't mean they don't get the tools and resources. Open and honest communication with the staff has always been important. Ross thinks it inculcates positive energy around the business and overall company. Everyone in the office hierarchy must go through a series of constant surveys and questionnaires. They are meant to gauge everyone's well-being, attitude, and belongingness with the office and colleagues. The company has had to adapt as the demand for apps and mobile work has soared. The business started as a provider of cloud-based accounting software but has since grown to be much more, with a strong emphasis on addressing the needs of contemporary entrepreneurs in emerging and high-growth economies. The outcomes of these surveys are keenly observed and brought into practice. The company deems that in a fast pacing industry like its own, flexibility and adaptation are essential. Into the Accloud Offices Accloud as a company is open to all types of constructive criticism- coming from their employees, customers, or competitors. When there is such demand for this one-of-a-kind 14 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

15. The Cloud of Challenges Accloud regularly consults its customers and partners about the highs and lows, and the hows and whys. To verify that the remaining suggestions fit with customers' needs, all the input is compiled from multiple sources and any recurring themes are brought up with management. Unlike the cloud-based platforms Accloud provides, these clouds are a bit tough to crack. The company still recovers from the post-pandemic effects as capital needs have been an ongoing challenge. The company sort of derived a solution for it by focusing more on the growth of company revenue and keeping their expenses marginal. Accloud's Future The company has plenty of faith in its future and plans to grow and expand. As the world continues to be more and more digitized by the day, it must stay at the forefront of new technology. The new technology digitization has to offer to the world. “We want to be a leading driver of change in the developing economies and we want to do that now, but it is also crucial to make sure we are still providing exactly what is desired by a variety of customers.” Accloud for the Customers As the company has its current goals of expanding in India, similarly the company also looks forward to expanding in Africa. The range of products to be rolled out there is something to watch out for. Pleasing customers is like a double edge sword. If you try to tweak every little detail and strategy, you will come off as a company trying to be everything all at once. But giving customer feedback the importance, it deserves is also essential. They are the ones we do what we do for. Ross personally, and the company is very particular about female inclusion. Ross mentors students at CAS March 2023 | 15 www.fortunescrown.com

16. University coming from emerging economies. This reminds him of what and who he and his company are working for. They plan on expanding their networks with various business- focused industries in India. The country has a huge start-up community with plenty of talent. From Today's Leader to Tomorrow's Ironically, being someone who has over 30 years of experience in the digital realm, it is odd coming from him, but Ross R James' biggest advice is to keep your devices away. He preaches that giving yourself a time-out from all devices- phones, laptops, television, etc. can give you complete peace of mind. Ross also advices that in your initial days, you have to choose ownerships in a wise way rather than greedy. Having a 10% of a 100 Million dollar company is worth more than 75% of a 1 million dollar company. Once your idea, confidence, and ownership are fixed, it is important to be cooperative. More importantly, capital raising takes time and focus away from being present in the business so the less of it you must do, the more stress-free and productive every day will be. 16 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

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19. Colin Brown CEO & Founder Stratford Underwriting Agency Inc. COLIN BROWN SERVING BEST VEHICLE INSURANCE AGAINST EVENTUALITIES March 2023 | 19 www.fortunescrown.com

20. B usiness is booming and for the first time in two years an Underwriting Agency has made huge advances with many new auto products and services with great ideas, solutions, and technology. The growth in the last 24 months has defied the pandemic restrictions and Colin Brown, CEO & Founder of Stratford Underwriting Agency Inc. shares the same story. claims to provide services against monopolies in the industry. Please tell us about your educational/professional background. Who inspired you to become a business leader? Would you like to mention some of the highlights from your journey? I emigrated from Ulster in October 1973. I had a degree in Geology and Geography from Queens University Belfast. I started my career as a management trainee at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) in January 1974 and the Corporation opened for business in March 1974. I worked at ICBC for 22 years and resigned as Chief Underwriter in 1995. During that time, I became a Chartered Insurance Professional, a Chartered Arbitrator, and also received an MA in Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University. There are very few people with as deep an understanding of vehicle insurance as Colin Brown. From emigrating to investing 22 years of his life in a company, Mr. Brown In 1995, following my resignation, I founded Canadian Direct Insurance (CDI). CDI was the first direct writer in Western Canada and sold optional auto insurance coverage by phone and internet in competition with ICBC which is a quasi-monopoly. At the outset, CDI was a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC. It turned profitable in its fifth year and 2005 was sold to Canadian Western Bank (CWB) for $25 million, or 1.25 of book value. CWB were great owners and after a change in leadership in 2015, sold CDI to Intact (Canada's largest insurer) for $200 million, or 2.5 times book value. CDI had additionally previously issued dividends of $35 million to the bank already to protect CDI's capital ratio. It was a massive success. I was appointed Executive Officer of Intact, but I retired in 2016 at the age of 66. Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years? The auto insurance business in BC is dominated by ICBC. They have a monopoly on “the basic” which is the minimum cover that you have to buy to put a vehicle on the road. They also sell almost 90% of “optional” which are the add-ons for collision cover, comprehensive, etc. That optional market is 20 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

21. worth $2.5 billion in BC. CDI had been the largest seller of optional. Following my retirement, I did a little consulting but was approached several times to start another company. I finally did so in 2018 and founded Stratford Underwriting Agency Inc. We are a Managing General Agency (MGA), essentially a wholesaler of niche products that are otherwise hard to find. Stratford started in 2020 with its own BC auto product (CDI 2.0), underwritten by a major reinsurer that I had worked with for 20 years. Customer preferences have not changed in this March 2023 | 21 www.fortunescrown.com

22. million, and lost $170,00 in our second year of business. We are very happy with that. We will write about $38 million in 2022 and make $1million+ in profit. We are developing two other non-auto products at this time. They will broaden our scope and spread our risk base. What are the unique challenges your company is currently facing? How have they affected your company? At the time we entered the marketplace, ICBC have declared BC to be a “no-fault” jurisdiction. Essentially cutting out the need for third-party liability cover and reducing the average premium available from $800 a policy to $500 a policy. This was effective May 1st, 2021. Stratford was forced to find a product to replace the lost premium. This was done in short order and a replacement cost policy was added in February 2021 and we sold $10 million worth of policies for the premium product in 2021. Opportunity and agility melded together on that one. ‘ ‘ When you are operating in a regulated industry (and Canada is very heavily regulated), then you must know all the rules. ‘ ‘ What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements? As a company, our system was designed to be flexible. It is in the cloud and supports working from home. We encourage attendance at the office as needed. Staff who can influence key indicators are incentivized appropriately. All staff is bonused on the corporate performance. We have an open office plan which encourages open discussion and deals with any issues as they arise. We have a complaints officer who responds to any customer complaints. regard, they still want a viable option to a government monopoly. A better product, more bells and whistles, and a lower price. We sell through a network of 200 independent brokers. What are the prominent products/services offered by the company? How are they different from your competitors' offerings? Stratford's two current products are differentiated in price. Both offer products very similar to our competitors but priced better. Our products have better coverages in key areas that make them more attractive and in addition offer better features. This is achieved through smarter underwriting. Our primary product is designed to save 80% of BC motorists on their purchases. What measures do you undertake to ensure optimum customer satisfaction? How much impact does the customer feedback have on the company's strategies? We do have a complaints officer who is charged with dealing immediately with any issues that arise. As we sell through independent brokers, there are few complaints directly to us. Most would be Currently, Stratford offers a full-service BC auto optional product and a replacement cost policy for the loss of value on new cars that may become a total loss. In 2021, we wrote a total of $27 million in premium, had revenue of $7 22 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

23. claims disputes and there are formal procedures in place for dispute handling. If there is a consistent valid issue, we are quite at ease in varying the rules and changing them, if appropriate. commercial property series of covers, which are offered in a much more sympathetic format than mainstream insurers offer. In both cases, Stratford is benefiting from partnering with experts in their fields to make sure we offer only the best and most meaningful covers. Are you planning to launch any new products/services or advancements to your existing offerings? If so, we would like to know about it. As a decorated leader, what would be your piece of advice for entrepreneurs seeking careers in the business? Stratford is developing two new products, both non-auto in nature. The first is very exciting and, while confidential in nature is cover for a very commonly used household possession it is used away from the home and has been largely ignored by mainstream insurers. Stratford will offer a full range of covers. The second is a more standard I often reflect on this at the age of 72……… “what have I learnt?” Probably not much in the universal scheme of things, but a few business truths due stand out. March 2023 | 23 www.fortunescrown.com

24. First, I believe that in the financial services industry, especially in Canada, you HAVE to learn the basics. When you are operating in a regulated industry (and Canada is very heavily regulated), then you must know all the rules. I learned in a Crown Corporation environment and ended up writing virtually all the policy wordings and attendant rules. It is so much easier to bend the rules and make changes when you understand the framework. Second, as long as you retain the fundamentals, you can be free to hire younger, smarter staff who can think outside the box, say “why not?” and shake the trees. I think that is my key to learning. We passed it on to our son, who has taken it into the Canadian banking sphere and been a huge success. He worked in the branches, learned the rules, and now can break out and do what no one else is doing. 24 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

26. Lexis Serot AN INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEUR PIONEERING AN EXTRAORDINARY HEALTH SOLUTION People with disabilities 'there is nothing I'm not bat for every one of them. deserve to say, worthy of.' LittleWins goes to 26 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

27. FOUNDER&CEO LEXIS NOEL SEROT LITTLEWINS March 2023 | 27 www.fortunescrown.com

28. TIPS FOR ASPIRANTS “It doesn't have to be this way. The great doctor, maybe you've heard of him… Dr. Seuss once said; you have brains in your head, feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. I betcha if we put all our heads together we could kick out some solutions for the things we know to help this system. Socrates said, 'The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new'. For all of my kids. For the ones who came before us, all those who come after us. Because, if it's one of us, it's all of us. I'm gonna take that 'at-bat' and I'm gonna swing like hell. I hope you do too.” - Lexis Serot, Health 2.0 Dubai, 2022. 28 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

29. I indomitable spirits emerging as exemplary leaders, trend-setters, innovators, revolutionaries, and whatnot. In the world of disruptors, female leaders are excelling with their intuitive and inspiring approach that has caused a stir across the business fraternity. s there any industry where women have not been able to make an astounding impact out of their presence? Absolutely, not! Flourishing all over the world, we are witnessing women with In the profound pool of women entrepreneurs who are transitioning into outstanding groundbreakers, we have brought to you a model turned e- com entrepreneur who helps connect and support people with disabilities and others who are improving their lives. This exclusive cover story depicts the success story of Lexis Noel Serot, Founder and CEO of LittleWins. Insights into personal and entrepreneurial space Lexis Serot is a high school graduate from Columbine High School who studied photography at Flagler College. Unable to afford fees, Ms. Serot has to quit college in between and her endeavors landed her to become a model at Ford Models. With 14 years of a successful career as a model, she became a mother in 2013. Sadly her daughter Ava suffered a skull fracture during a c-section delivery. As a result, Ava has triplegia Cerebral Palsy. At the time, as a mother of a child with cerebral palsy, Ms. Serot was shocked at how unprepared she was. She tried to familiarize herself with the many forms of care, equipment, and therapy. She realized quickly, how broken the system was, and became obsessed with trying to find a solution. The incident shook and triggered her to start a company that can help people with similar uncertainties. Someone asked Ms. Serot in an interview, “why she started LittleWins?” She answered, “because I recognized that life was giving me an 'at-bat' to create a better world for my daughter.” It is truly her daughter that inspired her to become the leader she is today. Ms. Serot did not just want to create a better world only for her daughter but for others that also have a disability and to create a community in which they could come together and help each other. Road to in-depth solution In the beginning, Lexis Serot interviewed over 175 families and caregivers to see what the common denominators were in their journey to acquiring care, equipment, and therapies. It didn't matter. Of those 175 people, they had three things in common. Number one, they had medical equipment or supplies they no longer needed but didn't know what to do with. Two, They needed something but couldn't get it. What hit the hardest was, number three, they all felt alone. This is when Ms. Serot started building the LittleWins community so families and individuals could connect. She designed LittleWins.com as March 2023 | 29 www.fortunescrown.com

30. an easy-to-use marketplace for people to post used durable medical equipment, browse equipment by category and location, and connect directly with buyers and sellers through the site's messaging app. LittleWins also provides a community in which people across the nation now have each other for support, help, resources, and experiences. conditions may make them more vulnerable to COVID. LittleWins has been working hard getting users to join and listings to be posted. Since LittleWins is an online-based community as well, it relies on users to help the online marketplace and provide support for one another. Ms. Serot had started her own blog and podcast to help address questions and concerns by other members of the LittleWins community. She talks about topics that are not typically addressed such as “Sex and Disability”, “Self-Identity”, “CBD”, “Hospice and Palliative Care”, “Adaptive Footwear” and many other topics. Serot has never turned down a requested topic, she goes above and beyond during the research process. She sits down for hours studying each field to bring the most informative, vulnerable, open conversations for those who need it. She finds experts to sit down and have a discussion with and hopes that listeners will connect to these resources. Lexis Serot also blogs about navigating her daily life. Such as must-have products or services that she has personally tried with her children that help make life easier. Just recently she blogged about summer must-haves that her four children helped decide on. She also talks about the people that she has connected with that have helped her in her journey such as her daughter's therapists. She has started offering a support system through her community which is not something you find every day online. What makes LittleWins stand apart? LittleWins was established in 2018, and Ms. Serot began laying the groundwork for LittleWins that year. Since then, she has continually adapted the LittleWins.com website with web and e-commerce developers while directing a marketing assistant and marketing communications agency. She works closely with her legal and financial advisors. She collaborates with regional and national organizations that support people with disabilities. She partners with other women entrepreneurs who offer products and services to her community. Headquartered at Denver, the discovery process of LittleWins had begun in 2019 and in November of 2019, the website was launched. After launching LittleWins.com in 2019, Ms. Serot began to explore how the site could serve her community's needs beyond durable medical equipment. She created and posts daily on LittleWins' online support forum, receiving and providing feedback to help people with disabilities and the families that support them live their best lives. To build the LittleWins brand, she launched a line of LittleWins apparel – beanies, trucker hats, and t-shirts. Serot also has launched a podcast in which she talks about leading a life with a disability. Overcoming the challenges LittleWins is privately funded by Lexis Serot and she wears every hat in the company. Funds for an advertisement to get the word out are limited. Ms. Serot typically chooses to spend funds in ways to serve and protect LittleWins users. LittleWins is constantly looking for more users to upload more listings. Users can also ship items to each other, and premium members on the site can also access a fixed shipping rate with FedEx. Ms. Serot had worked very hard to form a relationship with FedEx. She had spent endless hours on phone calls and emails with many advisors and representatives at FedEx. In hopes to make shipping a possibility for users, She secured a deal in which premium members could access this rate. Though shipping is an available service most users have a hard time finding specific items that they're desperately in need of. A lot of the time multiple users are interested in the same listings. Lexis Serot believes that access to equipment and supplies should be simple. The mom of four, including a daughter who has cerebral palsy, founded LittleWins.com to connect and support people with disabilities and others who are improving their lives. LittleWins.com harnesses the power of the community to help its members buy, sell or donate medical equipment, get information and connect with others. Members list and browse equipment by category and location on the company's website. They connect directly with buyers and sellers through the site's app. They share tips, experiences, and advice on LittleWins' social pages. Covid, adjustments, and roadmap If every person had a piece of equipment or supplies that they no longer needed and uploaded it on the LittleWins website, the team would help more users on the site. Another problem the company faces is expanding globally, Especially over the past few years with COVID 19, users have been confined to their homes in which they are constantly online. Most users, especially those with medical 30 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

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32. there are often many inquiries from people located in other countries outside of the U.S. Though LittleWins is available in the U.S. and some parts of Canada it is not available all around the world. LittleWins is a start-up company financed by our CEO. Ms. Serot currently faces many challenges as she communicates with other countries to allow LittleWins to be available globally. She is continuously consulting legal and financial advisors to work through the terms and conditions along with the privacy policies in other countries. provide a healing rejuvenating bath. LittleWins also launched a line of compression socks for kids designed by Ms. Serot and her children. These socks offer fun colors and patterns along with a chance to color your socks while providing compression relief to your feet. At the beginning of the year, LittleWins also launched version 3 of the online website, offering a premium membership that allows users access to a list of resources and sponsors it partnered up with and a discounted shipping rate through FedEx. She also helped plan the first music festival for people with disabilities this past summer called SHINE. This festival offered a chance for the community to come together and celebrate each other during these hard times. Ensuring optimum customer satisfaction LittleWins is constantly referring to user feedback and insights. Since it's a self-started start-up and a community- based platform, LittleWins heavily relies on user feedback and experience. Recently, while launching version 3 of the website itself, Lexis Serot had asked the LittleWins community what they wanted on the LittleWins website. The entire update was spearheaded by the user community. These weren't just updates to the site which included a premium membership amongst other things but also what people were looking for and in need of. Lexis is always on the lookout for requested equipment to ensure that users can find what they need. With the new premium membership users now have access to our resource list, a discounted rate on shipping through FedEx, and many more things. Vision to help see the bright future Lexis Serot is always looking for new ways to help the community and offer products that will provide support and care. Currently, she is working on launching a LittleWins medical supply subscription box. Users can sign up for a monthly subscription of needed medical supplies specifically catered to them. Supplies such as bandages, gauze, antiseptic, hydrogen peroxide, feeding tubes, and other daily supplies are often reordered. Ms. Serot wants to help make it simpler to gain access to these needed materials at an affordable cost. She has also been working on creating braille labels. She sees the importance of these labels for not only those who are visually impaired but for everyone. 8.1 million people have vision loss due to age-related macular degeneration, as we grow older our eyes grow weaker. Ms. Serot believes that these labels can make everyday life easier for everyone and can help improve navigating your home as you get older. That these new advancements are not only helpful to those with a disability but to the general population as well. A glance over the collaborative services No company existed that resembled what Lexis Serot wanted to create. No online service was available on a national basis to connect families – regardless of their location in the U.S., their income, or their level of insurance coverage – to help them obtain the durable medical equipment and supplies their kids required. Ms. Serot designed LittleWins.com to go beyond the services provided by local and regional organizations, eliminate the 'middleman' and facilitate person-to-person equipment transactions directly between families. LittleWins provides a community in which people across the nation now have each other for support, help, resources, and experiences. Along with the online marketplace, she hosts a podcast in which she starts conversations on living with disabilities and navigating life. She also joined forces with another woman entrepreneur, Hotsy Totsy Haus CEO Christi Leonardi, a deaf single mother, to create LittleWins- branded, natural ingredient bath bombs that are now sold on the LittleWins website. Milestones & Awards • Top 100 Healthcare Visionary by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare, previously known as the Smart Health Conference. • Award at IFAH Global Healthcare Conference in June 2021. • Best Companies by the Health 2.0 Conference in Dubai. • Fast Company's World Changing Ideas in both 2021 and 2022 • Top 10 Most Influential Women in Business 2022 by INC magazine. These bath bombs are made to fully relax your muscles and 32 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

33. I'd venture to say, who can bring about the What if some big solutions being overlooked. we are the ones change that's needed here. are so simple, they're simply March 2023 | 33 www.fortunescrown.com

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38. Cloud Computing Network Security and hat is Cloud Computing? WCloud Computing or 'the cloud' is a remote server that can be used to store and access data instead of using local hard drives or purchasing own servers. Cloud Computing is used by businesses to maintain data security and individuals to store their professional and personal data. It is a cost-effective, fast, and reliable service for preserving information. Cloud computing models are also easily scalable, can accommodate real- time changes, and offer dependable data backup and recovery. cloud. These services host tools and data centers that allow individuals to store, access, and manage their data efficiently. How does Cloud Computing work? The cloud, in simple words, is a decentralized place to share and manage information. Every cloud has its host, which provides data security and integrity, storage, and computing power required to maintain all the information. Some examples of cloud services include iCloud by Apple, Google Drive by Google, and Azure by Microsoft. The hosting companies provide an ecosystem There are several companies, called Cloud Companies or Cloud Service Providers, that provide services on the 38 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

39. where individuals using their cloud services can communicate between different devices. For instance, if you download a file to your Google Drive on your laptop, it will appear on Google Drive on your phone as well as instantly syncs to the google account. • Hybrid Cloud combines the features of private and public clouds, providing an on-premises data center and a public cloud computing environment. Google Cloud is a hybrid cloud service. Data Security in Cloud Computing There are different types of Cloud Computing models: The vast amount of information being stored and accessed in the cloud needs to be secured and managed to provide security breaches. Data security and protection of privacy are two of the significant concerns of cloud computing. Protection of cloud data is a practice that provides integrity and confidentiality to all the cloud data in all parts of the world, be it at rest or in motion. • Private Clouds ensure that personal and sensitive data is not accessible to third parties. Some private cloud examples are HP Datacentres and Microsoft. • Public Clouds allow the same hardware or the same cloud to be used by everyone, and they can manage their account of information through a web browser. Microsoft Azure is an example of a public cloud. March 2023 | 39 www.fortunescrown.com

40. What are the risks? Why is Data Security Important? As we talk about cloud computing and storage, there are a variety of risks and threats that could cause security breaches and lead to data being compromised. These can lead to misuse of personal information, lack of brand trust, financial losses, and business interruptions. Some of the common cloud-related risks are: Data security is of utmost importance to preserve the integrity of sensitive information, keep the trust of customers of a business, and avoid loss of data and financial losses. Some of the benefits of ensuring data security in cloud computing are: • Securing information across all devices and being able to manage, view, access, and store all the files and folders. • Being able to proactively identify threats, suspicious behavior, malware, and data misuse. • Prevent and detect loss and destruction of data. • Avoiding sensitive information such as bank accounts and trading accounts from being compromised. • Keeping all the information well-managed and easily accessible. • Data leaks and unsecured APIs - Many cloud computing services rely on Application Programming Interface (API) for processes such as access and authentication. However, these interfaces have poor security build-ups which can lead to data loss. • Hacking - Cyberattackers are often able to hack into accounts with weak or compromised passwords, giving them easy access to people's personal information. • Insider Threats - This is caused by the lack of visibility into the ecosystem of cloud services. The insiders may be getting unauthorized access to potential data or accidentally storing sensitive data to the cloud. Conclusion Data security in cloud computing is a crucial aspect of maintaining personal and organizational information. It is an important practice to safeguard cloud data against security breaches, cyber attackers, and internal threats. It allows you to set up necessary controls, and password policies and adopt multi-factor authentication across all devices of cloud storage. It is an efficient and money- saving solution to the problem of managing a network of your personal and business-related data. How to preserve data integrity? To ensure maximum security of cloud data, there are some general security considerations as well as some specific to SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. • Multiple Factor Authentication - Ensuring that all the cloud services have multi-factor authentication for accessing data is important. It allows you to set permissions while logging in to your information or changing existing data and keeping your controls up to date. • SaaS - Software as a service offers several data security and reconfiguration options for you to choose and set controls from. • PaaS and IaaS - Both of these providers offer encryption, identity management, logging, access management, and key management protocols for your data security. 40 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

42. Nick Zamucen CEO Best Option Restoration 42 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

43. NICK ZAMUCEN HELPING PEOPLE RESTORE PROPERTIES TO PRE-LOSS CONDITION NICK ZAMUCEN NICK ZAMUCEN T Unfortunately, sometimes due to some inevitable disasters people lose their houses beyond restoration. But there are state-of-the-art ways to restore the house environment to its prime historical period. here is nothing closer than your own home, it is a gift you earn and give yourself. It becomes a box of memories of precious moments. paid monthly from insurance companies, prospective franchise owners want in. Who could blame them? Best Option Restoration is in a fantastic position with its low cost of entry, state-of-the-art thermal drying systems and a management team second to none. We win and will continue to win in this crowded field. This is the industry to be in to build a life-changing business and a substantial income for years to come. Nick Zamucen, CEO of Best Option Restoration, is committed to helping those in need after a disaster and returning their homes to their original condition. Recently, Mr. Zamucen is being interviewed to share his experience of restoring happiness in society. Let's have a look! Please tell us about your professional background. Would you like to mention some of the highlights from your journey? What are the unique challenges your company is currently facing? How have they affected your company? The challenges we've had are actually rather opportunities. We continue to have a ton of new franchisee interest in our company. The hardest thing for us at a corporate level is keeping up with demand. We can only take on many units a month and having to put people on a waiting list isn't fun for anyone. Most stay on the list and wait their turn, a few we lose to competition because they make a side deal and get in for a lesser price somewhere else. I find in business and life, you get what you pay for. Be very careful making deals with companies and devaluing your position. I have created four nationally recognized franchised brands. Three of which have been previously sold to private equity companies and now my focus is to build and sell the last one, Best Option Restoration, over the course of the next decade. I live my life with the want and need to help others. Adding massive value to those around me is my passion. I live to be a good leader, a great friend, and an outstanding business mentor for my franchisees. When was Best Option Restoration established? What are the prominent services/solutions offered by the company? Please brief us in detail about the current scenario of the business. How have the customer preferences changed over the years? Best Option Restoration was established in 2016. We offer Water mitigation, Fire rebuilds, Mold termination, Storm Damage, and Content Cleaning solutions for home and business owners. We're escalating at our best, hence our name, Best Option Restoration. The franchised restoration industry has never been in a hotter market. With Billions of dollars in claims being March 2023 | 43 www.fortunescrown.com

44. What measures do you incorporate to ensure motivation and productivity within the workspace? How do you respond to criticism and disagreements? clients. In our case, the clients are our franchisees. Put them first and always do what is right, you can't go wrong. What measures do you undertake to ensure optimum customer satisfaction? How much impact does the customer feedback have on the company's strategies? We treat everyone like family. Sometimes you're all on the same page and everyone is happy, sometimes you're not. The important thing is, not that everyone always gets what they want, but they feel heard, understood, and respected. There will always be criticisms around and negative feedback. All you can do is try to mitigate that as much as possible but always do the best things for the With our clients being our franchisees, it's pretty simple to ensure satisfaction because we are in communication with them weekly if not daily. Again, we are a family, 44 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

45. we're a close group. There are many times a franchise will reach out to me just to say hi, ask how I'm doing, and how is my family. This means the world to me because I know they care and in turn, they feel comfortable enough with me to be personal. I know I'm doing my job when my franchises are friends, like family, not just unit numbers. Please tell us about the services/products your company is offering? How are they different from your competitors' offerings? With our propriety thermal technology drying systems, we are state of the art. We aren't just another, “man with a fan in a van” like our competition. Best Option Restoration franchises dry structures in literally half the time of anyone else out there. There is truly no comparison to what we do. There are some copycats in the field we noticed lately. I look at that as once again I'm doing my job, I'm changing an old tired industry and bringing it into the new century. A century of technology and focused strategy. We are better because we practice being so. We're just the “Best Option” in a mitigation and restoration situation. March 2023 | 45 www.fortunescrown.com

46. THEHOWWHAT WHEREOF BLOCKCHAIN THE THEORY AND REAL APPLICATIONS OF BLOCKCHAIN W How Does Blockchain Work? ith the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009, blockchain technology saw its first practical use. Since then, businesspeople across a range of industries have started investigating the potential of the technology. Blockchain technology is being incorporated into various industries, including supply chain management, video games, digital identity verification, and health records management. The number of applications for this ground-breaking technology has increased due to Ethereum and other blockchains' capacity to store and run computer code. Being on the internet in general, the word blockchain has popped up in many conversations- virtual and physical. Even though almost everyone is familiar with the word, many still don't know the actual process or functionality of one. It is okay we will keep you anonymous you curious person. Just pretend this is a revision! How does that sound? Information is essential to business. It is best if it is received quickly and accurately. Blockchain is the best technology for delivering that information because it offers real-time, shareable, and entirely transparent data kept on an immutable ledger and accessible exclusively to members of a permitted network. Among other things, a blockchain network can track orders, payments, accounts, and production. Additionally, because everyone has access to the same version of the truth, you can see every aspect of a transaction from beginning to end, increasing your confidence and opening up new prospects. ● As each transaction occurs, it is recorded as a “block” of data These transactions demonstrate the transfer of an asset, which may be tangible (a product) or intangible (intellectual). Who, what, when, where, how much, and even the 46 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com

47. March 2023 | 47 www.fortunescrown.com

48. Blockchain and IoT (Internet of Things) condition—such as the temperature of a food shipment—can all be recorded in the data block. A logical explosion in blockchain applications is the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT offers a wide range of uses and several security issues, and as the number of IoT products rises, hackers will have more opportunities to steal your data via devices ranging from Amazon Alexa to smart thermostats. ● Each block is connected to the ones before and after it (hence, blockCHAIN) As an asset is moved from one location to another or ownership changes, these blocks create a data chain. The blocks link securely together to prevent any blocks from being altered or a block from being introduced between two existing blocks, and the blocks certify the precise timing and order of transactions. Blockchain-infused Through the use of technology's transparency and theoretical incorruptibility to keep things "smart," IoT adds a layer of security to avoid data breaches. The businesses using blockchain to improve the Internet of Things security and intelligence are listed below. ● Transactions are blocked together in an irreversible chain (hence, BLOCKchain) Every new block reinforces the prior block's verification, and by extension, the blockchain as a whole. This gives the blockchain its crucial strength of immutability and makes it tamper- evident. By doing this, you and other network users may create a trusted ledger of transactions and eliminate the chance of tampering by malevolent actors. Blockchain and Security Up to 42 million Americans may have fallen victim to identity fraud in 2021 alone, according to AARP. Fraud on this scale can take many forms, from falsifying documents to accessing private data. The government may see a sharp decline in identity theft claims by storing social security numbers, birth dates, birth certificates, and other sensitive information on a decentralized blockchain ledger. Here are a few companies using blockchain technology that are leading the way in identity security. Operations frequently squander time and resources on third-party validations and duplicate record-keeping. Systems for preserving records may be susceptible to fraud and online threats. Data verification may be slowed by a need for more openness. And the number of transactions has multiplied since the introduction of IoT. We need a better solution because this slows down the company and depletes the bottom line. here comes blockchain. Blockchain And Money Transfer Transfer apps for cryptocurrencies are now experiencing an explosion in popularity, led by Bitcoin. Due to the time and money that blockchain may save financial institutions of all kinds, it is particularly well-liked in the industry. As a participant in a members-only network, you may use blockchain to ensure that the information you receive is correct and timely and that only network participants you have explicitly authorized access to will have access to your private blockchain records. Blockchain can save the biggest banks a ton of money by decreasing third-party fees, getting rid of bureaucratic red tape, and making ledger systems real-time. These businesses efficiently move money using blockchain technology. Theoretically, Yes. That is how blockchains work. What about its practical functionality? How do these complex processes and definitions come to life? Blockchain did gain popularity after bitcoin, but that is not the only field in which it is used. Blockchain has benefited multiple fields- by introducing new means to complete transactions as well well elevating and enhancing the existing ones. 48 | March 2023 www.fortunescrown.com