Below you will find a selection of the most recent entries from bloggers in our Work/Business section.
To view the entries from individual bloggers, click on the links below:
- Claire Doole - Claire Doole Communications
Claire is a former BBC correspondent and international spokeswoman who is passionate about helping people communicate with confidence. Since 2006, she has successfully trained hundreds of professionals in the art of presenting and public speaking, talking to the media, managing communications in a crisis, and writing for the web. In addition, she has coached C-level executives and public figures to give powerful TEDx and TED style talks in Europe and the Middle East. A Swiss and UK national, Claire trains and coaches in French and English.
- Elizabeth Ballin - Life Coach
As a long time member of the international community in Geneva, Elizabeth Ballin has been coaching adults and students from all parts of the world. She has coached business professionals, musicians/artists, couples, families and adolescents. She is a fully accredited Life Coach by the International Coaching Federation. Elizabeth Ballin, Life Coach
- Patrick Hoza - US Tax & Financial Services
Since 1990, Patrick has many years of experience with US individual expatriate taxation under his belt, including High Net Worth Individuals, streamline/voluntary disclosure filings and tax consulting, as well as working with large multinationals like Novartis, BP, Hewlett Packard and General Electric. He has extensive knowledge in serving both US expatriates and resident and non-resident aliens with their US tax-related issues. Patrick Hoza is a Tax Director at US Tax & Financial Services, with extensive experience in all aspects of Individual US tax and Expatriation, including Hight Net Worth Individuals and large multinationals.
Patrick started his career in 1990 in California, with Westpro Ltd., as a Senior Tax Consultant, then spent the middle part of his career working at KPMG and Ernst & Young. During his time with Ernst & Young, he worked and lived in Russia, France and finally Switzerland. He has gained a valuable working knowledge of the respective income tax regulations in all of these countries.
Patrick holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Colorado, is a member of the National Association of Enrolled Agents and is a Certified Acceptance Agent.
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Melitta Campbell - Business Coach
Business Coach and Mentor with nearly 3 decades of business experience and a passion for helping women confidently build a business they love. She is also the founder of the Swiss Entrepreneurs Club and president of the Swiss Riviera Toastmasters Club in Montreux. Originally from Wales, she now lives in Montreux in a chalet she has renovated with her husband overlooking the Swiss Alps. - Sunita Sehmi - Walk The Talk
Founder of Walk The Talk, Sunita has been training, developing and now coaching Business Communication skills in both companies and educational establishments for over twenty years. She has a passion for helping people to maximise their potential and created Walk The Talk with the sole aim to drive each and every client to perform their best.
- Robert Harris- Forth Capital
With over 25 years experience working for some of the major financial institutions in the City of London, Robert is a founding partner of Forth Capital, the leading expat financial advisory company in Switzerland. Regulary quoted in newspaper articles and magazines, he is well placed to advise expats on a variety of financial issues that may arise during their time living in Switzerland.
- Debbie Croft - Croft Coaching
As the founder of Croft Coaching, Debbie has a passion for helping people overcome challenges, embrace change and live life to the full; with an ethos of “work hard, play hard”.
- Sarah Santacroce - Simplicity
A certified social media, internet marketing, and virtual event specialist, Sarah enjoys every aspect of small business marketing. Through her own business, Simplicity, it is her mission to help other small businesses and solopreneurs increase their visibility and use social media tools as part of their marketing strategy.
- Diana Ritchie - SSC Sàrl
A Director at Swiss Career Connections, Diana will provide you with some useful tips for job hunting.
By Stephen Langton, Forth Capital
From the 17th August 2015, an EU national living in France will have the right to choose the law of their nationality to determine the disposal of their estate on death. In other words the estate need no longer be subject to French Succession Law and its inherent forced heirship.
These changes have prompted suggestions that one should immediately rush out and change ones will to ensure that the estate passes to beneficiaries in accordance with ones wishes rather than those of the state.
Rarely mentioned however, is that this new regulation (EU regulation 650/2012) concerns the rights of succession but not the right of taxation. The right of taxation will still remain with the state in which the individual is domiciled. The choice of applicable law is not a choice of applicable taxation.
Countries, like the UK which use Common Law principles define domicile as being where one is from whereas in France, domicile is determined broadly by where one lives. It is therefore quite simple to be considered to be domiciled under both countries' rules. Fortunately double tax treaties exist to allow a determination to be reached.
Séverine Jourdain is the Head of Coaching at Nestlé Group. However, she has had many lives prior to Nestlé and perhaps it is her diverse background that has made her what she is today; authentic, passionate, non-judgmental and driven with a capital D! Séverine perceives coaching at Nestlé as a Business performance accelerator as well as an opportunity for individuals to progress and flourish. Indeed, Nestlé has been gradually building the awareness around coaching since many years through their “Every Day Coaching” program and more recently through the implementation of a structured global coaching network. Séverine unquestionably embodies this drive by Nestlé and in doing so she is having the time of her life!
I talked to her at the picturesque town of Vevey home to Nestlé HQ. I sincerely hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!
Sunita
By Debbie Croft, Croft Coaching / Geneva Coach Alliance
At the beginning of summer, I told myself I was going to do the Sprint Triathlon at Nyon, yet it was the 3rd week in July and I still hadn't signed up. I was training but rather half-heartedly. So, what pushed me to sign up and properly commit 2.5 weeks prior to the event? It was my 8 year old daughter. She asked me if she could do the "Tri Kids" having seen a poster at the pool, and at the same time, explained that she was nervous. I heard myself ask her, “what are you nervous about?”. We discussed it and then, I shared the thought that “it's good to be scared because you feel such a great sense of achievement afterwards”. As she reflected on that, I reflected on my own question, "so, why are you holding back Debbie from signing up?".
When is the last time you did absolutely nothing for 10 whole minutes? Not texting, talking or even thinking?
Andy Puddicombe is a meditation and mindfulness expert and he wants you to take a break -- not just from work but also from your own mind. Andy, a former Buddhist monk and co-founder of Headspace, is committed to make meditation more accessible to more people in their everyday lives. Besides being a Ted Talk speaker, Andy shares his wisdom with the Huffington Post and the Guardian on the benefits of mindful thinking for healthy living. He was recently interviewed' by Ed Halliwell, a meditation author and writer for The Guardian’s Web site, who said:
“Mr Puddicombe is doing for meditation what someone like Jamie Oliver has done for food.”
I hope you like the interview as much as did.
Enjoy!
Sunita
Sunita: How did you get to where you are today?
Andy Puddicombe: With the love, help and support of many, many different people. Having trained as a Buddhist monk, I felt really passionate about meditation and so when I came back to the UK I really wanted to make it more accessible. Then I was fortunate enough to meet my business partner Rich Pierson and that really made the change. We swapped our skills, I taught him meditation and he taught me how to make the techniques relevant and available to the public – Headspace was the outcome of that.
Sunita: Why did you get into Mindfulness?
Andy: I was at university studying Sports Science at the time and although it’s a difficult thing to put into words, one day I just found myself thinking, “I really want to become a Buddhist monk”. I had been introduced to meditation earlier in life as my mum was interested in it, and done a fair bit on and off throughout my teens. In retrospect it sounds crazy, but at the time it felt like the most natural thing in the world and a very easy decision to make.
I went away because I wanted to better understand how to stop the endless chatter inside my head and I felt I wasn’t getting that through normal education. Having trained as a monk and started to teach meditation to others, I was then keen to find a way to demystify meditation and make it available to a wider audience.
When I came back to the UK, I wanted to show people that meditation wasn’t all about sitting in the lotus position and chanting. I wanted to make it accessible, relevant and beneficial for as many people as possible. It’s been incredible to see how the perception of meditation has shifted in the ten years since then and to see how many more people are benefiting from this simple skill.
Sunita: What is Headspace about?
Andy: Headspace is a digital health platform, a gym membership for your mind. We already have well over 1 million users and that number grows every day. It is my personal wish to see the health and happiness of the world increase through the practice of meditation and the application of mindfulness. When meditation becomes just as much a part of people’s everyday routine as brushing their teeth or taking a shower, then we’ll have achieved our aim. In the meantime, we’ll continue to look for innovative ways to spread the word and to encourage people to give it a go.
Sunita: Describe a difficult challenge in your life and how you got over it?
Andy: I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in April last year, soon after moving from London to LA. I had an orchiectomy, removing the right testicle. As it was an aggressive form of cancer I was recommended secondary surgery on the lymphatic system and one round of chemo. But I found another doctor who was willing to take a less invasive approach and adopt a wait and see strategy. I get checked and scanned every few months and have been clear for nearly a year now.
I would say that mindfulness was, has been and continues to be integral to my recovery, on a number of levels. I already sat and practiced formal meditation on a daily basis, so already having learnt the skill of mindfulness made a huge difference. But I increased the amount I was doing as I was off work recovering and sat for maybe 3 sessions a day. I also had the good fortune to be in a lovely environment to recover, so I'd apply mindfulness to walking in the garden or doing my rehab exercises.
Sunita: In your opinion why are people finding it hard to balance work and life?
Andy: With the current pace of life and increasing demands - not least of which is the increasing digital chatter - there is no question that the mind is experiencing a new and potentially harmful degree of pressure. Most people assume that this stress is simply part of life, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. Meditation shows us how to live more skilfully.
Personally I’m not all that keen on this artificial separation of work and life. Work is part of life and our mind is mind, no matter where we are. Rather than try and balance something we don’t like or enjoy with the remaining hours of our day, why not find a way for the mind to be happy, no matter where we are or what we are doing? To me that’s the ultimate work-life balance.
Sunita: All the literature tells us to communicate with more compassion and more empathy but how can we practice that in the work place?
Andy: Mindfulness is about being present in the moment, free from distraction or judgment with a soft and open mind. So we practice it at work in the same way as we would anywhere else. The distinction between work and the rest of our life is really quite artificial and has nothing to do with reality. The more we practice mindfulness the more we see of our mind. By witnessing the inner struggles we go through, we start to understand what others are going through and why they might do and say the things that they do. This is empathy. The result is that we become more patient, less judgemental and less reactive, making for a calmer, more peaceful working environment.
Sunita: Could you share some of your strategies that we could use to keep more balanced?
Andy: Establishing a meditation practice is a great place to start. It can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, enhance productivity at work, improve your physical performance in sports and even help to soften the edges in relationships as we become more patient, better listeners, and perhaps a little kinder too. The range of benefits is vast and varies from person to person, but at the very least, it will make for a calmer and clearer mind. So, download the Headspace App – it’s free to try – and give Take10 a go. It’s just 10 minutes a day for 10 days and provides the perfect introduction to meditation, even for those people who don’t really ‘do’ meditation.
Sunita: What is the best piece of advice you were ever given?
Andy: To be kind. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about it in terms of being kind to ourselves or others, only when we learn to let go the judgemental aspect of mind, when we embrace forgiveness, when we acknowledge our shared human experience, when we practice kindness, will we discover true peace of mind and happiness in our lives.
Sunita: What's the next challenge for you?
Andy: Well, I’m based in Los Angeles and I think that America is somewhere that’s crying out for Headspace. But the tradition of Eastern mysticism in America, particularly in California, is very established. So, while it means there is more openness around the subject, it also means there are more preconceptions too. We think of Headspace as meditation for the kind of people who don’t really do meditation. Often they’re the ones who need mindfulness the most and it’s those people I’d like to make Headspace more accessible for.
Sunita: What's next for you?
Andy: We have just launched Headspace V2, which has been a hugely exciting journey that is still unfolding for us. It’s almost 2 years in the making and represents all of the user feedback we’ve had from V1. Not only does it look stunning, but it also has some great new functionality that gives you much more choice as a user. So you can choose mindfulness packs which are suited to you, whether that’s around health, performance or relationships. You can also buddy up with friends and family if you want and even track your progress. We’ll even give you rewards when you do a certain number of days in a row. So seeing this become established as the foremost global health platform for the mind is what we’re working on right now.
“Rather than try and balance something we don’t like or enjoy with the remaining hours of our day, why not find a way for the mind to be happy, no matter where we are or what we are doing? To me that’s the ultimate work-life balance.”
Bio
Andy Puddicombe is a meditation and mindfulness expert. An accomplished presenter and writer, Andy is the voice of all things Headspace. In his early twenties, midway through a university degree in Sports Science, Andy made the unexpected decision to travel to the Himalayas to study meditation instead. It was the beginning of a ten-year journey, which took him around the world, culminating with ordination as a Tibetan Buddhist monk in Northern India. His transition back to normal life in 2004 was no less extraordinary. Training briefly at Moscow State Circus, he returned to London where he completed a degree in Circus Arts with the Conservatoire of Dance and Drama, whilst drawing up the early plans for what was later to become Headspace.
Resources: For more information on Andy and Mindfulness visit his website below:
- Headspace www.headspace.com
- How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life in 10 Minutes a Day: A Guided Meditation By Andy Puddicombe
- The Headspace Diet: 10 days to finding your ideal weight By Andy Puddicombe
Bio
Sunita has a passion for helping individuals, teams and companies to maximize their potential. With over 20 years experience both in the UK & Switzerland, she created Walk The Talk, with the sole aim, to help professionals improve their Business Communication Skills. She is of Indian origin but was born and raised in Britain before she moved to Geneva in 1991. She has a Psychology background, (specializing in Occupational Psychology) and a Post Graduate in the Development and Training of Adults from the University of Surrey. Furthermore, she recently completed a Masters of Advanced Studies in "Gestion des RH et des Carrières," (Specialising in Career Management and Coaching), at the Universities of Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchatel & Fribourg.
Having successfully worked and operated in different cultures and languages, Sunita's strength lies in her ability to totally empathize with her clients and help them to perform their best.
By Robert Harris, Forth Capital
British expat retirees in the Eurozone and beyond will currently be enjoying an effective increase in their pension income right now due to the strengthening pound, but those in this situation should be warned to be vigilant on future fluctuations.
Sterling remains strong and anyone making an overseas currency transfer stands to benefit, not just pensioners.
Recent movements have seen the pound sterling (GBP) rise to its highest level since October 2012. For expats living in France and Switzerland, they have seen the £/Euro exchange rate move from 1.14 to 1.26 and the £/CHF rate move from 1.42 to over 1.53 over the last 12 months.
