Creativity - Page 2

The Importance of Sharing your Gift with the World

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the importance of sharing your gift

Updated: March 2024

If we had to agree on one factor that makes human beings unique, it would be the gift of individual creative expression. No matter how small the gift or talent may seem, we each have something special to share that sets us apart from anyone else. Although many of us share similar gifts, we each have our own way of expressing them. Many of us can inspire, motivate, empower, or encourage others without being aware of it. 

Sharing your gift is a way to give back to the world, not because you have to but because it allows others to learn, grow and advance in ways they have yet to experience.

Throughout history, we have heard of people from diverse backgrounds who have shared their gifts or abilities and later become well-recognized for their contributions. Not that recognition should be your primary motive for sharing your gift although public recognition and appreciation from others can happen. 

From novice writers who have found their calling in writing books or poems to talented athletes who have pushed performance boundaries within their sport, we all have something to offer. When these talents are shared, we allow others to enjoy the uniqueness of our gift.

Whatever sets you apart from others is the source of your creative abundance. Your gift and your creativity serve as fuel for others. Taking action will inspire others to do the same. And as the old saying goes, gifts are meant to be shared. Again, you’re not seeking appreciation or validation for sharing your gift – your main focus is to share it. Those individuals drawn to experience your creative talent are the ones who will appreciate it most. But, no one benefits if you’re unwilling to share it first. 

Sharing your gift also provides knowledge for others. So in sharing, we help others navigate their journey. 

This is why we need to move beyond whatever self-doubt or fear we experience. We fuel self-limiting emotions even more when we debate whether we’re talented or good enough to share our work or ideas. By highlighting your gift, you eventually move beyond the fear of being judged and criticized. And again, more importantly, we allow others to experience what it’s like to share in those gifts, which can encourage them to do the same. 

1. Create a Space Online

You could start by creating a blog, social platform, podcast, or YouTube channel that focuses on a topic or subject that lights you up. Any outlet where you can express your ideas through your talent is an excellent place to start when sharing your gift. If you feel stuck when trying to determine the best option for you, ask yourself these three questions:

Who is my audience?

What platform(s) do they use (where can I find them)?

How will using this platform help me reach my audience?
One of the biggest benefits of creating an online space is that it’s something you can do from anywhere in the world. This means you can create a blog from your bedroom or a website from your local coffee shop. A space online allows you to share your work with a broader audience.

Are you a Creator who wants to share your story?

2. Try Volunteering

Check out organizations in your area that are involved in events or discussions that allow you to contribute your gift in some way. This could be through a speaker organization that can help you cultivate your talent or an animal shelter that allows you to work within their organization and work directly with animals waiting to be adopted. 

Volunteering is also a great way to flex your creative muscles. You’ll be working with people with different talents than you, which can give you a new perspective on how to approach problems. You’ll also work toward a common goal, which can help you think outside the box and make connections between seemingly unrelated topics.

Consider the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data (2022): a staggering 23.9% of Americans volunteered their time. This translates to millions of people sharing their gifts and making a positive impact.

3. Start Performing – Take Action

Whether a speaking engagement or open mic comedy night, putting yourself out there through action is a great way to share your gifts. Consider performing. Even if you’re hesitant about getting on stage, do it in fear, knowing that you’ll get better and better over time. 

Talent is like a muscle: it will atrophy if you don’t use it. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t practice and hone your skills, you won’t get very far. Your goal is to stop sitting on your gifts and start giving them.

Benefits of Sharing Your Gifts

1. Personal Fulfillment

Sharing your talents allows you to express yourself authentically and pursue your passions. This can bring a sense of personal satisfaction and joy as you engage in activities that resonate with you deeply.

Sharing your gifts not only enriches your life but also positively impacts others. Our Creative Strategy Sessions offer expert guidance and tailored strategies to help you effectively share your talents. Unlock your full potential and showcase your creativity with confidence by joining us for a session today.

2. Building Connections

Sharing your gifts isn’t just about expressing yourself—it’s also about building connections and forming meaningful bonds with others who share your passions. Whether you’re collaborating on a project or simply swapping stories and insights, your gifts have the power to bring like-minded people together.

In doing so, you not only create a sense of belonging but also foster a vibrant community where everyone’s contributions are valued.

3. Personal Growth 

Stepping beyond your comfort zone, embracing risks, and challenging yourself are essential for sharing your gifts. This journey of personal growth involves learning new skills, overcoming obstacles, and expanding your horizons.

By daring to explore the unknown, you enrich your experiences and evolve into a better version of yourself.

4.  Developing Creativity and Innovation

Sharing your gifts not only stimulates creativity but also prompts fresh exploration of diverse viewpoints and ideas. This fosters innovation by inspiring you to experiment boldly, embrace calculated risks, and challenge the status quo.

As you push the boundaries of conventional thinking, you open doors to unprecedented possibilities and pave the way for transformative breakthroughs in your field.

5. Making a Difference

Sharing your gifts extends beyond personal satisfaction—it’s about making a difference in the wider world. Whether it’s sparking inspiration, advocating for important causes, or fostering positivity in your community, your contributions have far-reaching impacts. 

By embracing your talents, you play a vital role in creating a brighter future for all.

6.  Happiness and Well-Being

Research demonstrates a clear link between assisting others and utilizing your abilities intentionally to enhance happiness, self-worth, and overall life fulfillment. By leveraging your talents to make a positive impact, you cultivate a sense of significance and direction in your life. 

This connection between giving back and personal well-being highlights the profound benefits of sharing your gifts with the world. (source: APA PsycNet)

7.  Reduced Stress and Anxiety

Helping others and feeling connected to a community can have a calming effect. Studies indicate that it lowers stress hormones and induces a state of relaxation. 

This connection underscores the therapeutic benefits of both giving and belonging. (source: NCBI)

Conclusion 

When we have something – a talent or gift – that gives us an endless flow of creativity, peace, freedom, or empowerment, it shows that others could benefit too. When we decide to share, we support the potential for the endless opportunities our gift affords others.

Also. when we keep our gifts to ourselves, we end up diminishing our creativity because we’re not putting anything out to receive new creative energy. Stifling creative energy often leads to dissatisfaction and frustration in our lives. We end up with a surplus of drawings, crafts, and other skills that never see potential.

Many of us tend to discredit ourselves when it comes to our gifts. We agree with the inner critic who often taunts us with the internal noise of doubt, unworthiness, indecision, and fear; These are common characteristics that keep us from advancing our talents to the next level. 

Are you ready to ignite your creativity and share your unique gifts with the world? Don’t wait any longer: schedule your Creative Strategy Session today! Let us work together to develop personalized strategies that will help you reach your full potential and succeed.

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3 Ways to Create your Own Mastermind Group

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Create your Own Mastermind Group

If you are looking for a mastermind group to push past a problem and start thinking creatively, you will need to think carefully about the kind of people you recruit. Problem solving is always about something in a new and creative way so it follows that your process will need to be new and creative too.

Always Recruit Diversely

Diversity is getting more and more attention but unfortunately, it is always more about being inclusive and looking good rather than creating the perfect team. The truth of the matter is that diversity comes in many forms and the more you can tick off the more likely your team will be able to solve any problem put in front of them.

So don’t just think about skin color, think about where people have been brought up and how, what their life experiences are, what their skills are, what their outlook is, how they communicate, what their specialisms are. Businesses are fast realizing that hiring the same people over and again isn’t working. Hire someone who doesn’t think like everyone else and with some encouragement, new ideas will blossom.

Search Near and Far

Technology has well and truly changed the way that we do business now and remote workers are now just as easy to access as those in your hometown. This means that you can broaden your search for the perfect team members and focus on what you are looking for not where you are looking for it.

Conference calling is a good way to host the meeting and you can use tools like Trello to monitor what everyone is doing, even if you are spread across the continents. However, there is something to be said for all sitting in a room together so you should think about whether you are really looking for someone who can come into the office.

Look for Potential and Determination

It is always tempting to hire for experience but this isn’t what a mastermind group is about. Instead, you should be looking for potential, someone who might not have the experience yet but certainly can bring new and fresh ideas to the table. Young people are often overlooked because they lack experience and yet they are often the ones with a new perspective you need.

The other characteristic that shouldn’t be overlooked is determination. Some people are determined to overcome the odds to succeed and they are definitely the type of people you need to inject some enthusiasm into your group. Rather than shrugging at a problem, determined people will approach it from every angle until the problem is cracked. And that is a mastermind approach if ever there was one.

When you create your own mastermind team, you need to look past what you have already tried and go for something new. Put people who wouldn’t usually sit together in the same room and let them figure out the best method for solving the problem. All you need to do is let the magic work.

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3 Great Ways To Encourage Youth Entrepreneurship

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Youth Entrepreneurship

Today’s youth represents tomorrow’s movers and shakers, so it’s hugely beneficial to encourage youth entrepreneurship. In a world where few people know exactly what they want to do when they leave high school, providing platforms for entrepreneurial flair to flourish is likely to have an incredibly positive impact on the world of business. 

To make things possible for the next generation, here are some of the best ways to promote youth entrepreneurship.

Encourage thinking, discussion and creativity.

Being a successful entrepreneur isn’t just about having ideas or being able to manage a team of people. To make it to the top, you have to have a diverse skill set and an innate desire to ask questions and find solutions. 

As adults, we should be encouraging children and teens to engage in open discussion, indulge their inquisitive nature, and carry out research. Every person is different, and divergent thinking is something to embrace, rather than discourage. It’s useful to debate, question other people’s opinions and ideas and learn to solve problems. 

Young people tend to be more confident about voicing their opinions when they feel safe, and this is why it’s important to provide safe platforms and environments in which to speak. School and college debating classes are an excellent example, and will undoubtedly prepare budding entrepreneurs for boardrooms and event spaces.

Real-life experiences.

You can learn a lot from textbooks and lectures, but real life often provides the most powerful and memorable lessons. If you’ve been contacted by a teenager who expresses an interest in what you do, or a local school or college wants to collaborate with you, consider opening up opportunities that enable young people to gain experience of the working day. Let them sit and watch, observe and digest what’s going on and encourage them to join in. 

We tend to have a vision of entrepreneurialism from TV programs and books, but the real world is often very different. Experiences can teach you more about what’s involved in business, but they can also ignite passions and foster ambition. 

If you’re a business owner eager to encourage new talent to thrive, you can provide access to real-life experiences by offering work placements, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and internships.

Practical skills.

It’s not possible to learn everything you need to know about life in the big bad world after school or college in the classroom. A high school graduate may emerge with an excellent grasp on Pythagoras’ theorem, but could they manage accounts? 

As a business owner looking for the next leading lights, it pays to encourage the development of practical skills that will equip individuals for an entrepreneurial journey. This can be done through skills workshops, training programs, and even courses that are open to students and those looking to pursue a career in business.

As adults, we have to encourage the next generation to fulfill its potential. Whether you’re a business leader, a freelancer, a creative thinker, or a company executive, you can play your part in encouraging youth entrepreneurship and nurturing the stars of tomorrow.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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NEW! SOB Podcast: The Creative Business of Fine Artist Carole J. McCoy

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The Creative Business of Fine Artist Carole J. McCoy

Fine Artist Carole J. McCoy drops in to speak about her journey into art, what has inspired her work and creativity, and what upcoming goals and accomplishments she is gearing her career towards.

Summary:
In this 35th episode of SOB: Style of Business podcast, Keetria interviews the Los Angeles-based fine artist, sculptor, painter, and arts advocate Carole J McCoy. She shares her journey into art, what has inspired her work and creativity, and what upcoming goals and accomplishments she is gearing her career towards.

Show Notes:

  • Carole is inspired by Los Angeles, which she was drawn to through modeling and acting.
  • She is an arts advocate, she paints, sculpts, draws, writes, and restructures found objects.
  • Tracing images on television as a child was a start, along with being scouted to model and traveled the world with modeling.
  • Carole’s creative process is that she allows herself to be an observer of life, acknowledging that everything was already here, and she needs to co-create with the ultimate creator: God.
  • Creativity = Observation. Appreciation. Curiosity. Intuition. Desire. Creation.
  • An artist’s responsibility is to tell our stories for future generations to learn from.
  • “Bliss on a Arrival” is a piece she created after a Greek Goddess exhibit, and has been intrigued by the body and form. Klimt is an artist was an inspiration also.
  • “Infinito” is defined by Carol as sculpture on canvas due to the multiple layers of paint involved. The spiritual book called: “Infinite in All Directions” provided some of the inspiration.
  • Nature is Carole’s biggest form of inspiration.
  • She did an “inspirational tour” of NY, where she lived previously in the past but had not been to since 1998.
  • Embracing African American ancestors’ endurance and contributions to society.
  • Romance your mind, body, and soul creatively by traveling, observing, exploring, and allowing yourself to be inspired. Figure out what you want to contribute to the world.
  • “Queen Ancestors” concept came to Carole in her dreams. Pulling from the legacy and energy of strong women.
  • Women of color have experienced a harder climb up the mountain of success in the art world.
  • Carole has experienced people not taking her art seriously as being looked at as attractive.
  • Art is Carole’s “high” never drugs. She feels uplifted from creating and expressing herself.
  • Keeping a journal physically everyday with a pen and paper unlocks ideas and refocuses her. “The Artist’s Way” is a book that she appreciates to understand her purpose and avoid the pitfalls.
  • Carole submits for things at least 10 times a week, even if she doesn’t fit what they are looking for in case her work might fit for what they do in the future.
  • Create from a place from your soul being fulfilled, not for money or for competition.
  • Carole supports other artists she enjoys by giving it exposure through social media.
  • “Art Stories” is a book of illustrations and short stories that Carole is working on allow with new projects, shows, and commissions.
  • “Follow your heART.”

3 Key Points:

  1. Carole’s Recipe for Creation: Observation. Appreciation of beauty she witnesses. Curiosity about that beautiful thing. Intuition and instinct. Desire to create. Implementing creation.
  2. Nature is Carole’s biggest form of inspiration.
  3. Romance your mind, body, and soul creatively by traveling, observing, exploring, and allowing yourself to be inspired. Figure out what you want to contribute to the world

Tweetable Quotes:

–   “L.A. is like a geographical muse of mine for the moment.” – Carole J McCoy.

–   “I have like this recipe for creativity. One is observation. Two: appreciation of what is beautiful that you see. Three is curiosity…Four is intuition…Five is desire…Six is creation.” – Carole J McCoy.

–   “My biggest form of inspiration I would say is nature…Anything you want as an artist is in nature.” – Carole J McCoy.

Resources Mentioned:

  • Website – Keetria’s website for the podcast.
  • LinkedIn – Keetria’s LinkedIn page.
  • Instagram – Carol J McCoy’s Instagram.
  • Facebook – Carol J McCoy’s Facebook.
  • Twitter – Carol J McCoy’s Twitter.

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How to Use Music to Inspire Your Creativity and Fuel Your Imagination

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Music to Inspire Your Creativity

Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks.” Music is universal. It transcends language and culture and allows us to communicate with each other through melodies. Music resonates in each one of us and we are born to with a natural affinity for music. Since the day we were born, our first lullaby has connected us to music. From then and until now, music continues to fire up our emotions, move our bodies to dance, and spring us into action.

But can music inspire creativity? The answer is a resounding yes!

According to studies, any music has its effect on us. Whether it’s classical, pop or jazz, the tempo of a song, as well as its major or minor tonality, affects how we feel, which could affect our performance. And the better we feel, the better we perform.

If you’re looking for ways to inspire creativity in your work, play your favorite music and feel it lift you up. Let your mind wander as you listen. Music can unlock creativity and help you with your work.

Here are the benefits of music:

Music makes you happy

If you’re a writer and you’re in a bad mood, your emotion will show in your work. Your writing may come off as angry and cold. To improve your mood, start listening to music that’s upbeat and uplifting, for example, James Brown’s I got you. Play all your favorite music, and soon you will feel the veil of anger lifting from you.

Music can bring powerful emotions

If you’re an artist and you want to add emotion to your work, you can use music to awaken certain feelings within yourself. For example, if you’re tasked to paint a serene landscape, you can listen to soft, classical music to help calm your mind. If you’re designing, let’s say, the cover of a scary horror novel, you may want to play Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain.

Music can improve performance

If you love to dance, the sound of dance music can make you want to move your body. Music can also refine your movement, timing and coordination. Take for example, the Tango. Many of the moves in this dramatic dance are choreographed and practiced along with the music. This synergy gives the performers a feeling of pleasure from the music as well as the dance itself. Music has also been proven to improve productivity, increase focus and efficiency, and boost performance.

Inspiration from music is real and most of us already instinctively know that music can get our creative juices flowing. Science explains it simply: our brain waves change as we listen to music, and the more relaxed we are, the more creative we get. This fact might be a good one to remember the next time you feel creatively blocked.

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4 Unique Brainstorming Methods for your Next Project Meeting

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Brainstorming methods

Being the owner or employee of a small business means being a constant idea machine. You’ll have to learn how to come up with solutions and ideas on the spot at any time of the day. At first, this can be pretty easy – you’re a fresh mind with fresh ideas and you’re spitting them out left and right. After a while, though, the well starts to run dry. You’re grasping at straws, trying your damnedest to come up with whatever you can and what you do deliver isn’t very good.

This means you’re going to have to learn how to brainstorm. No matter whether you’re totally new at this or you’ve exhausted your entire idea bank, it’s never a bad idea to develop a talent for brainstorming – especially with others.

Group brainstorming activities can be the best way for you and your team to come up with brand new ideas, or even fine-tune old ones. One half-formed idea you have combined with one half-formed idea from another coworker can add up to be the best idea you’ve seen all year.

But sometimes the common forms of brainstorming don’t work as well as they should. Everyone will get pretty burnt out on just shouting out ideas, so implement these four new and innovative brainstorming strategies during your next project meeting. You’ll be amazed by how much synergy you guys will share, and the ideas will come pouring out.

Change the scenery a little bit

Sometimes what’s really blocking all of your creativity is staying in the same old meeting room and office space over and over again. Even if you work in the most inventive and creative office in the world, staying in the same place every day stagnates your creativity. Instead of staring at the same wall again, suggest everyone move somewhere else.

The best place for sparking creativity is somewhere engaging, like the outdoors, but even moving to a different room can get the juices flowing again. Being in a different setting can give you a refreshed sense of newness. Oh – but if you’re a cool boss or have some pull in your workplace, definitely go for the work picnic option.

Stop applying all that pressure

One of the reasons you’re drained of ideas is probably that you’re trying too hard to force them out. The best ideas are organic – they simply spring out of you without effort. When you sit there and think, think, think yourself into a stupor, you aren’t going to get anywhere.

This idea is two-fold: first, always keep a pen and paper handy – even in every room in your house. Don’t let that idea slip past you in the shower. Hop out and write it down! Just let your engines rest and write things down as they come to you.

Utilize some group therapy techniques

No not in a somber way. When you all pile into the meeting room, sit in a circle and just talk – you can pick a question or topic to answer, but just get talking about something other than brainstorming.

When you engage with others on a more personal level, you get your mind working in ways that get it ready for more extensive brainstorming work ahead. Talking about critical thinking or personal questions makes you actually think about your answers, so you aren’t just regurgitating ideas using the same old brain techniques you usually use.

Also, try the opposite strategy

Sometimes what really gets people motivated is keeping them apart from the rest of the pack. Skip the meeting once and tell employees that they have an hour to come up with an idea – just one. After the hour, bring everyone to the meeting room and go around in a circle, reading off the ideas.

Also work in making small groups with different dynamics, instead of just one large group. Some people work better with other personality types – if you can make an ideal match made in heaven, you’ll get brainstorming ideas in no time.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Five Ways to Revitalize your Creative Mind

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Creativity Exercises Movies

When your mind isn’t creative, there are going to be many elements that suffer. Sure, you can just churn out the work that needs to be done, but your upper end of production is simply not being reached. To truly revitalize yourself could take many different activities and avenues because your best work is not going to come through when you are not at your optimum output level.

Putting the right things into your body and making sure you commit to truly taking care of yourself are essential! Whether creating content or being on your best productive level, these tips are important for you to make sure your mind is sparking your brain to produce the valuable goods you know you can.

Food

This is so mandatory in your mantra because the nourishment that our bodies thrive on is a key to brainpower that makes it be able to constantly produce. Just like the need for water, the need for energy food is dire in your system. Antioxidants found in berries are crucial, and their anti-inflammatory properties of them are beneficial. It has also been shown that eggs have properties that enhance memory, and salmon has a lot of ammunition such as iron and B vitamins for reasoning. Eggplant has also shown to enhance communication with brain cells and the molecules themselves that make up our systems; you’re always going to perform better with at least these types of foods as a starting point.

Exercise

When your heart rate is up, a lot of things are going to happen. First of all, your creativity factor will rise just based on the fact that you automatically feel better about yourself once you start moving. There is a period after the initial rush where your muscles may relax enough to where you don’t actually feel productive. We believe that the best time to fester creativity is while you are getting the exercise! When the treadmill is rolling or the bike is cruising fast downhill, you’ll map out all sorts of new possibilities. Just like any element, it needs to be timed perfectly, but getting exercise is going to help you right off the bat.

Brainstorming

When you are staring a large project down in the face and at the beginning point of its life cycle, its so important to take a crucial step back. Keeping your creative mind focused does involve starting with a blank slate, and seeing what you are capable of in the long run.

During a moment in which you are not feeling fully creative, brainstorming is going to involve asking yourself questions. Where does your business go from here? Am I spending too much time on unimportant tasks? And if you are in the slogan or logo department, you can really benefit from brainstorming. Writing out huge flowcharts of ideas is always to your advantage, and you can take small elements from each new idea to build one large final idea. Another large part of brainstorming is going around the table asking all sales or creative personnel their opinions on any new ideas on the horizon.

Close Friends

Just having someone to lean on that knows your true creativity is always going to help. Being through thick and thin with a close friend will absolutely help your creative mind. When someone that has known you a long time is helping you in the creative process, you’re going to always trump whatever elements you are facing.

Looking at a blank canvas can always seem daunting, but when people that have known you through thick and thin come into the picture, the creative light may shine down on you sooner and in more abundance. Truly hearing what everyone who cares about you has to input on your situation will stoke your creative scale in a good way.

Close Friends and Peace/Down Time

When you don’t have to be going full force and taking care of all your daily tasks, downtime and being away is one of the best boosts to creativity. Just ridding yourself of all the overstimulation and stress that daily life brings with it can really make you whole again. It doesn’t have to be a getaway in a different location, it can just be some time in a room with not as much light or relaxing music. Even though it is not as kinetic, and energy-laden as a brainstorming session, peace and downtime are very essential to the creative mind.

After being fully powered down for a while in a zone where the daily pressures don’t manifest themselves, creating and being successful can sometimes reappear naturally after some downtime. Revitalizing the creative mind can be a long process, but these tips will help point you in the right direction.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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