Business

Design the Life of Your Dreams with Entrepreneur Burton Hughes’s Six Assets of Alignment

Published

3 years ago

August 5, 2021

Leading a balanced life is hard. Every day, we have so many things competing for our attention: kids, spouses, parents, work, school, household duties, and on and on it goes. How is one supposed to find balance in all of this chaos?

I’ll let you in on a secret: you can’t. The secret to life isn’t balanced at all, because that’s impossible to find.

The secret lies in finding alignment instead.

Finding balance in your life is a myth; it is humanly impossible to divide your energy and efforts equally between every aspect of your life. Some areas will require more attention than others; other areas can be left dormant for a while as you focus your energy elsewhere. What’s important is to schedule in time to work on what fuels you and what’s necessary to keep you going.

But how can you do that? And what on earth does alignment have to do with getting through each day with some measure of success and sanity?

I’ve come up with the six assets of alignment that have become my guiding stars. They are the things that help me prioritize my day-to-day tasks and ensure that I will emerge from each day successful, invigorated, and ready to do it all again the next day…and all the days after that.

Are you ready to unlock all that aligning your life has to offer? Let’s chat a bit about my six assets alignment so you can start thinking about how they can help you find the success you dream of.

Mindset

How many times do you look at your to-do list every morning and feel overwhelmed, discouraged, stressed, or anxious? The key to remedying this lies within your mindset. The thing that will set you apart from the crowd is knowing how to harness those emotions and flip them on their head to serve you instead of enslaving you.

Instead of considering all you have to do, and how much of it is out of your control, focus on that which you can control: your attitude and your response to each task before you. Take everything one step at a time and refuse to give in to the feeling of overwhelming.

Faith

Not everyone is a person of faith, but if you are, tap into the reassurance that the belief in a power greater than you provide. None of us is meant to walk this earth alone, and while friends and family are great, sometimes you just need to say a little prayer before going about your day.

Family

The memorable moments I share with my family have kept me going through even the darkest, most stressful times. But I wouldn’t have those memories to fall back on if I had allowed my stress, busyness or anxiety to steal that joy. Prioritize sharing life with the people you love, and pour intentional time and effort into your relationships on a regular basis – whether that’s with your family, spouse, roommates or close friends.

On the flip side, not all of us have good families. In that case, it’s equally important to recognize when your family is messing with your alignment and to set boundaries to prevent them from interfering with the life and success you’re trying to build. There is more to family than blood; seeking out support in whatever way you can is what counts.

Fitness

You deserve to look and feel your best every day. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that you will feel the opposite of aligned if you’re not taking time every day to invest in your own physical fitness and care. By choosing to eat healthy, exercise, and actually keep your doctor’s appointments, you’re investing in your long-term success and your short term comfort. The cliche “if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything” is true for a reason!

Finances

Speaking of sayings, one of my favourites is “He who can be trusted with little will be trusted with much.” If you practice smart money management every day, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll be rewarded with more money to manage. I’m not saying hoard all your money like a Scrooge or spend willy-nilly; make smart investments, set aside money so you can rest comfortably knowing you’ll be taken care of in the event emergency strikes, and enjoy the benefits of your hard work. Everything in moderation.

Network

The people you surround yourself with play a vital role in your success. Intentionally fill your life with people of substance and reject the advancements of toxic people who want to steal your joy and interrupt your rhythm. Working, playing, and living alongside people who have your best interests at heart and want you to succeed ensures that everyone involved in the relationship lives a life well-aligned with their goals.

By following these six assets of alignment, you’ll be able to clearly see where to apply more resources, and understand how best to take back your time and care for yourself and the people around you. Take back your time, be intentional with how you spend it and watch how quickly you’ll reap the rewards.

About Burton Hughes

Burton Hughes is an author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker and has been featured on Dare to Be Authentic Radio, Between the Lines and 365 Driven podcasts. His new book, Align Your Empire: Using the Six Assets of Alignment as the Catalyst to Ignite Your Life, equips and inspires leaders to take control of their time, lives, and businesses. For more information and to purchase the book, please visit burtonhughesofficial.com/

Business

Opportunities for Black Banx in Emerging Markets

Published

3 days ago

May 5, 2024

Matthew Wiles

A significant digital transformation is underway in the world of finance, marked by the emergence of non-bank innovators offering a diverse array of financial technology products and services. This transformation is not confined to established markets; rather, it extends its reach into emerging economies, offering a compelling digital alternative to traditional banking institutions. These alternatives are particularly vital in addressing the issue of financial exclusion, which has left substantial populations underserved by traditional banking systems.

Among these innovative digital banking entities stands Black Banx, a fintech brand dedicated to fostering financial inclusion in emerging markets by seamlessly integrating banking services into digital ecosystems. Founded in 2014 as a visionary concept by German billionaire Michael Gastauer, Black Banx swiftly evolved into a global force in the global financial market Officially launched in 2015, the institution rapidly garnered international recognition, extending its services to 180 countries and territories from its inception. Within a mere 12 months of operation, Black Banx amassed over 1 million customers, marking its initial expansions in key regions such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. At present, with a customer base exceeding 40 million as of February 2024, Black Banx stands as one of the fastest-growing digital banks not only in developed countries but also in emerging markets.

What Are Emerging Markets?

An emerging market mostly describes the economic landscape of a developing nation progressively engaging with global markets during its growth trajectory. These economies possess some but not all of the defining characteristics of developed markets, which typically exhibit robust economic growth, high per capita income, well-established equity and debt markets, foreign investor accessibility, and a reliable regulatory framework, according to Investopedia.

As emerging market economies evolve, they tend to integrate more deeply into the global economy. This integration fosters increased liquidity within local debt and equity markets, heightened trade volume, and augmented foreign direct investment. Moreover, these economies witness the emergence of modern financial and regulatory institutions as they transition from low-income, less developed, often pre-industrial states to modern industrial economies with elevated standards of living.

With improving standards of living, the demand for financial security and opportunities escalates, underscoring the pivotal role of banking services. However, traditional banks face challenges stemming from bureaucratic processes and sometimes limited services. Conversely, fintech firms are gaining prominence owing to their convenience, user-friendly interfaces, and expedited signup procedures. Furthermore, their accessibility anytime and anywhere with internet connectivity enhances their appeal to the public.

Strong Demand for Financial Technology

The surge in digital banking adoption, particularly conspicuous in emerging markets, owes much to innovations originating in these regions. For instance, nearly nine out of ten consumers in the Asia-Pacific region, encompassing both emerging and developed markets, actively utilize digital banking services, with a significant portion expressing openness to expanding their usage through digital channels.

Enthusiastic adoption of fintech tools and e-wallets among consumers in emerging markets has propelled the market penetration of these innovative solutions beyond levels observed in developed markets. In the emerging Asia-Pacific region, the penetration of fintech apps and e-wallets surged to 54 percent in 2021, compared to 43 percent in the developed segment. This is indicative of the accelerating shift towards fintech transactions and services, as per McKinsey & Company.

A portmanteau of finance and technology, fintech refers to the burgeoning industry of companies utilizing computer programs and other technologies to provide support or enable banking and other financial services. In developed nations, there’s been a rapid expansion and adoption of fintech technologies ever since businesses and even governments started accepting digital financial transactions as a standard mode of payment. But even in emerging markets, the demand for fintech has also skyrocketed as more people report a diminishing reliance on cash for weekly expenditures.

Identifying Opportunities in Emerging Markets

Launching a successful digital bank entails navigating a myriad of challenges, irrespective of the market’s maturity. However, digital banking in emerging markets presents its own unique set of hurdles, particularly in securing widespread adoption among mass-market consumers. To thrive in any market landscape, a digital bank must first establish meaningful access to its target customers. While the initial interaction may appear straightforward in the digital realm, the reality proves more nuanced.

The proliferation of digital advertising notwithstanding, capturing customer attention remains a formidable task, compounded by the intricacies of onboarding procedures, even for digitally savvy clients. Moreover, the reliance on app downloads as a precursor to engagement further heightens the barriers to entry as first-time users may find them intimidating.

Building a solid trust relationship with customers is important for digital banks to maximize their opportunities in emerging markets. Trust, arguably the linchpin of sustained usage, demands meticulous investment in creating positive onboarding experiences and fostering comprehension of banking channels and products. However, achieving this trust quotient is not easy, especially in emerging markets with lower access to financial services and digital literacy.

Black Banx’s Success in Emerging Markets

Black Banx is a digital bank focused on empowering financial inclusion in emerging markets by integrating banking into digital ecosystems. It was founded by German billionaire Michael Gastauer who always believed that well-designed financial services have the potential to uplift even the most marginalized segments of society, providing them with enhanced economic opportunities.

Consequently, Black Banx is steadfast in its mission to promote financial inclusion while harnessing the advancements within the fintech landscape. Today’s digital technologies offer unprecedented tools to reconstruct banking paradigms, especially for those underserved by traditional financial institutions, with smartphones and laptops serving as gateways to financial empowerment. But while Black Banx makes use of the most advanced fintech technologies, including blockchain and artificial intelligence, it delivers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate user experience through its website and mobile app so even the inexperienced or less tech-savvy consumers won’t have a hard time using its platform to carry out financial transactions.

With his expertise and decades of experience in the financial industry, Gastauer has a keen eye for trends and what works in different markets. So instead of delivering different experiences for developed and emerging markets, the renowned fintech mogul opted to roll out the same suite of services to both because of his motivation to realize financial inclusion and offer only the best banking experience to all. As such, Black Banx facilitates seamless transitions between physical and digital currencies and even cryptocurrencies. The digital bank also tailors its channels to accommodate customers at various stages of their digital journey, ensuring that they feel guided every step of the way until they achieve their financial goals. All of these contribute to Black Banx’s success in emerging markets.