John Burns Research and Consulting’s Post

🎆🇺🇸 Happy 4th of July and Happy UK General Election Day! 🇬🇧 Today, as we celebrate the birth of our nation and the freedoms we cherish, and as our friends in the UK exercise their democratic rights, let's reflect on the significance of freedom and the ongoing fight against human trafficking. Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery, exploiting vulnerable individuals through force, fraud, or coercion. It's a stark reminder that the fight for freedom is ongoing. Whether in the US, the UK, or anywhere in the world, freedom and democracy must be protected and extended to all. This 4th of July and UK General Election Day, let’s honor the spirit of independence and democracy by committing to actions that help end human trafficking: 🔹 Educate ourselves and others about the signs of trafficking. 🔹 Support organizations working tirelessly to rescue and rehabilitate victims. 🔹 Advocate for stronger laws and policies to combat trafficking. Freedom is not just a right—it's a responsibility. Let's use our voices and resources to ensure that everyone can experience the liberty and justice that define our nations. Happy Independence Day and Election Day! Let's work together to make freedom a reality for all. 🎇🗽🗳️ #IndependenceDay #FourthOfJuly #ElectionDay #FreedomForAll #EndHumanTrafficking #LibertyAndJustice #Democracy

The output is only as good as how you prepare, set up, practice, collaborate and consider all the details. Performance, in anything, largely depends on creating the most optimal environment and conditions for success. In all the years of working is design and helping to build resonating, impactful brands, I have always shared with my teams the incredible importance of pre-production. Taking care of all the details, setting everything up for the most effective, beautiful and engaging output. This too applies to setting ourselves up for our best performance and, while, as it relates to apparel, this has largely been focused on performance wear for athletes and those engaging in an active lifestyle where performance of the apparel is key (gear for extreme weather, gear that allows full movement, gear that allows breathability, moisture-wicking, non-chafing etc), it has not (largely) translated into performance wear for your best, most supported and considered performance as a teacher, a lawyer, a CEO, a business leader, a TV presenter, particularly as a women. The clothes that women wear for all of these roles and so, so many more, need to be as carefully and thoughtfully designed as the performance wear for a runner, a climber, a dancer - because, setting up for success, the pre-production, of getting dressed each day, should be that thoughtful, that easy and that considered. For the best, strongest and most successful performance possible. behind the desk, at the boardroom table, in the courtroom and in the TV station. Check out SophieGrace at the Magic Show, New York Feb 20-22 and see thoughtful, beautiful design, made to perform on a different kind of mountaintop. #magicnewyork #Sophiegrace #appareldesign #apparelmanufacturing #forwomen #bywomen #performancedesign #beautifuldesign

I am thrilled to hear that the Competition Authority of Kenya is launching a book on competition law! As someone deeply involved in navigating the complexities of this field, I believe this resource will be invaluable for legal practitioners and decision-makers in business. Competition law is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of the curve is crucial. Failing to comply can have dire consequences. This book promises to be a comprehensive guide, offering insights and strategies to ensure compliance and navigate the competitive landscape effectively. I'm eager to get my hands on a copy and dive into the wealth of knowledge it will undoubtedly offer. Here's to continuous learning and staying abreast of the latest developments in competition law! #CompetitionLaw #LegalInsights #BusinessStrategy

Here's something fun for next weekend at the Library! Circuit-bent kids toys, tape machines, retro synths through guitar pedals, along with other oddities such as solar panels, nabbed from broken garden lamps that become audio oscillators when mashed together with computer fans and bike lights - built upon the works of my buddy Adam Ben-Dror. Anyone working in education or with a passion for city planning is welcome to stop by for a chat about ways that STEAM projects and creative spaces, with collaboration and connectivity across Dunedin, could be provided to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds both easily and affordably by harnessing resources that are lost via waste streams. The e-waste world is full of musical items that provide a tangible and engaging link to the principles of physics, electronics and engineering. A motor from a tape machine demonstrates gear reduction, the copper wire pulled out of the motor and rewound can demonstrate electromagnetism, which taped to a piece of paper and connected to an amplifier shows how electromagnetism transforms electricity into sound waves.. and so on. The hugely popular MakeRoom Wellington, where I used to work, have been lightyears ahead on all of this 👏 👏 👏 Although they give 110% every day, as well as a large portion of their family home to make it work and have almost no holidays, I've witnessed how incredibly challenging it has been to upscale and achieve wider acknowledgement and recognition under their own steam. It's a difficult one to unpack why it's like this, or how such a brilliant example can continue to fly under the radar of those in a position to support and enact greater change. In saying all of that, thanks to the Dunedin City Council Waste Minimalisation funding team for their support with this project and I'm really looking forward to updates on the upcoming waste plan!

Growth must be beautiful...

The AEIMN conference 2024 in NZ. Register at the link below: #aeimnanz #animalemergencymanagement #laer #emergencymanagement #veterinary

Dear Taxpayers, It’s disheartening to witness the treatment of honest taxpayers in our country. Despite abiding by the rules and standing in line at red signals, we often find ourselves overlooked and disregarded in government facilities. Consider the scenario where an auto-rickshaw driver, benefitting from the system, brazenly flouts traffic rules, while we, as honest taxpayers, are left to suffer the consequences of scratches and damages to our vehicles done by same similar arrogance auto-rickshaw’s without even the right to raise a complaint. Traffic police says “Jaane do Saab aap to padhe likhe ho, (tax payer), app apni gaadi repair kar lena (aur us repair par GST bhi paid karo)”. What is the worth of being an honest taxpayer when we are forced to stand in the same queue as those who receive subsidies without contributing? Many of us, employed by private companies, have diligently paid significant amounts of tax throughout our careers, foregoing subsidies like gas cylinders due to our taxable incomes. Yet, when faced with unemployment or financial hardship, what assistance do we receive in return? We are unable to reclaim gas cylinder subsidies when our earnings dwindle to zero after losing a job. We are unable to receive prompt medical attention at government hospitals, despite our contributions to the economy through years of taxable income. (Apani tax ki kimat dikhani hai to ek baar “Rajawadi BMC Hospital”, Mumbai main ja ke Sonography ya x-ray kar ke dikhao?) It’s time to reflect on these disparities and advocate for change. I have proposed the appointment of four to five Members of Parliament as representatives for taxpayers in the parliament, aiming to address these issues and ensure that our voices are heard.

Please consider attending. It is practical and informative.

This webinar is all about learning how to foster the company-workforce relationship more effectively.