MESSAGE 20: GLENN REESE

Glenn Reese

Co-Founder, Atlis Motor Vehicles; and, Partner, BroaderVentures

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: While it’s scary to be uncertain about the future, the most important thing to do is focus on the things you can control, so that you’re prepared to adapt to the ones you can’t.

Actively devoting time to care for your mental, physical, and emotional health is paramount to face any challenges that come next with clear focus and purpose.

Sometimes life presents the opportunity for us to slow down and consider what’s important: to ourselves, our families, our communities.

Reflect, self-care, and work to become an active participant toward the changes you want to see in the world.

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Glenn is a technology executive, investor, and serial entrepreneur. He is a Co-Founder of Atlis Motor Vehicles, an electric vehicle company, Partner at BroaderVentures, a start-up studio venture firm, and an active mentor to early-stage companies.

He holds a B.S. in Finance from Xavier University and an MBA from Cornell Tech, holding roles at GE Energy, GE Oil & Gas, and GE Ventures prior to finding his calling in entrepreneurship. He is passionate about a future dominated by alternative energy and believes expanding access to electrification technology is key to that realization.

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For more information about COVID-19 digital mental health resources, please click HERE and HERE.

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Photo: Courtesy Glenn Reese

MESSAGE 19: TIFFANY ST. BERNARD

Tiffany St. Bernard

CEO, Lidiom; and, Cornell University ABD Ph.D.

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: These are crazy times and it is completely justifiable to be scared. It seems as if COVID-19 came out of nowhere. To add insult to injury, the economy appears to be very unpredictable for many.

Though it may feel overwhelming, I try to keep in mind that as history has demonstrated time and time again, Americans are resilient and will emerge from this stronger than ever before.

Mental health is crucial during these uncertain times. Take the time to talk through how you feel with those close to you or virtually connect with others. We are highly social organisms meaning during quarantine or after coming home from being on the front lines as an essential worker, it is important to find solace in others. We must unite and work together to overcome these trying times.

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Tiffany is a Cornell University ABD Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, tech entrepreneur, mentor, and Chief Executive Officer at Lidiom. Lidiom is a multilingual messaging platform, translating in real-time to enable seamless communication with anyone in any language. As globalization becomes ubiquitous, the need for businesses to connect on a global scale continues to grow. Lidiom not only empowers businesses but allows individuals to find and connect with others around the world without language barriers. In a COVID-19 world, Lidiom is providing small chat groups for people globally to join and find support in these trying times. Lidiom was founded to connect people while eliminating language barriers.

In her spare time, Tiffany enjoys mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs and helping them realize their dreams.

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For more information about COVID-19 digital mental health resources, please click HERE and HERE.

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Photo: Courtesy Tiffany St. Bernard

MESSAGE 16: CHRISTINE CONCEPCIÓN

Christine

Concepción

Founder and CEO, xipi

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: Depending on where you are in the country, you may have already been home for weeks by now. You’ve exhausted all of Netflix’s content, you may have attended dozens and dozens of Zoom meetings and, assuredly, you received e-mails from CEO’s saying that these are challenging times. I hate to be another one to say the same thing. But they are.

The truth is that none of us know how to pandemic perfectly. This is uncharted waters for everyone. Some of you may be concerned about keeping your family safe and being able to provide for them. I know some of you have lost your jobs or know someone who has. And all of these things are frightening.

I will offer this - there has not yet, in the history of time, been a time where we did not overcome. You are watching this now likely on a device, a device that thousands of years ago could not even been thought of.

Great companies are built in turmoil and you would be surprised what opportunities make themselves available in hard times.

I am asking you for tenacity. I am asking you for some grit. And I am promising you sunnier days ahead.

I want to say thank you to all of our essential workers. Say thank you to them when you see them. Our drivers - our grocery store workers - of course our health care workers. And I want to say thank you to Anthony and Justin for giving us this opportunity to speak to a wider audience.

Love from New York.

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Christine Concepción is the Founder and CEO of xipi, a fun, easy, no bull, financial literacy gaming and media engine for millennials and gen Z.

Christine is a first generation New York native from the South Bronx, passionate about democratizing accessible education for all. Christine spent years working in entertainment and media creating world wide viral content for Grammy award winning recording artists before pivoting to financial services including, investment banking, consulting and alternative asset classes.

Christine holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in Film and Media Studies from Columbia University in the City of New York, Magna Cum Laude.  Christine is also a graduate of Founder Gym, where she was named ‘Best in Cohort’ for Cohort 12, and Y Combinator Startup School.

When Christine isn’t working she enjoys time with her dachshund, fitness, and devoting energy to philanthropic endeavors that are focused on sustainability and human rights. 

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Video and Photo: Courtesy Christine Concepción

MESSAGE 10: ROBERT HERJAVEC

Robert Herjavec

Founder & CEO, Herjavec Group; Leading ‘Shark’ on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: My advice to all Americans right now is to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. It may be long, and uncertain but there is light and we will get there.

While we are living in this time of uncertainty, I’m finding a lot of comfort in 3 key words – (1) honesty, (2) resilience and (3) trigger.

First - Be honest with your employees, your landlords, your bank and each other. People want bad news sooner than later and would rather you be transparent about the economic impacts of uncertainty or about your ability to pay certain things like rent. Communicate, be upfront and be honest.

Second - We are incredibility resilient as human beings. Any small business owner knows this time is about survival and you have to do what it takes right now to bounce back. It will take time but have confidence in your ability to rebound.

Lastly, recognize the trigger points in your business when it’s time to pull back, or when it’s time to invest further.

I truly feel a sense of optimism about our ability to rebound from this. Just focus on that light at the end of the tunnel.

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Robert Herjavec is one of North America’s most recognizable business leaders. A dynamic entrepreneur, Robert has built and sold several IT companies including his current enterprise cybersecurity firm – Herjavec Group. Robert’s motivational business advice has received millions of impressions through TV, print, radio and digital media. He shares his expertise with other entrepreneurs each week as a leading Shark on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit show, Shark Tank.

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Photo: Lesley Bryce