Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

How mentorship can change the way you see your brand

Your business is your baby and your brand is its carefully developed personality. As a business owner you should be very careful about how you put your brand out there – what channels you use, the language you use, the causes you choose to support, etc. However, sometimes when you are so singularly focused on creating a successful business and brand you can become stuck in one way of thinking. Before you know it, you have tunnel vision and you aren’t able to see a variety of possibilities and opportunities you are missing out on.

One way to avoid tunnel vision is to work regularly with a business mentor. A business coach is great, but a mentor is a relationship that you foster that is mutually beneficial – not financially based as a professional service offered. Globally, 93% of small and medium sized business owners agree that having a mentor can help drive business success. The sad part is that only 28% of business owners actually work with a mentor.

Working with a mentor will help you to change your mindset and approach to both your business and your brand, which can give you a fresh perspective on the opportunities you may be missing for your brand. A mentor is someone who has already paved their own path, someone you can learn from their mistakes.

In terms of branding, a fresh perspective will help you critically question the decisions you are making with your brand so you can have more control over how your audience perceives you. Discover what is working and what isn’t working based on your mentor’s knowledge of the industry and your target audience.

If you have a mentor that has turned on a lightbulb for you in terms of your brand, I would love to hear about it. If you are looking for a mentor that will be able to help you in your specific industry, Canadian Small Business Women is a great place to start! Find someone who is in your industry or a related industry and ask if you can ask them a few questions about how they got to where they are now. Every relationship starts with a  conversation!

Candace Huntly is the Founder and Principal at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

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New Year – Renew

yvonne

Looking for your New Year resolution of 2016 and wanting new changes to your life?

Simple… do things differently.

Every year many of us set new year resolutions, goals or mentally think of how we would like to do things differently, and come end of the year we find ourselves in the same spot.

And this is often not for lack of trying; we set out with best intentions, we update our resumes, we join the gym or renew our memberships, we start writing our business plan… but somehow, along the way things don’t always pan out as planned.

Until we get to the root cause, come 2017, we may still have the same goals, and still be making the same New Year Resolutions.

If you want to see different results this year, you need to first ask yourself: What do I need to change about the way I think in order to set myself up for success?

Perhaps you are sticking to old thinking and yet want new results, which may make your quest very difficult to perhaps even impossible. You may achieve some success with your old ways of thinking, but you will find yourself back at the beginning again if you have not dealt with changing your mindset. – Change Your Mindset and Change Your Life How can you ensure 2016 is different! Albert Einstein put it aptly when he said insanity is  “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

One other area worth noting that may be hindering us is our surroundings . . The people we surround ourselves with, and what we expose our eyes and mind to can so easily have an impact in the way we think and actions we take. When your mindset is interrupted with negative thoughts or contrary energy to your goals, it will affect the way you react to life, which gradually will affect your goals as well. We must find what hinders our way of thinking and change it to a positive mindset to experience positive results.

To renew our mind is to recondition our mind. We start by recognising negative thought patterns and purposefully replacing them with new and positive thoughts. – Change Your Mindset and Change Your Life

To get different results we have to start doing things differently. How do we get to the root cause of what is holding us back to start get the results we want? This is where reflecting, shaping our mindset, planning and taking action, all come together to create the perfect recipe for success and a more wholesome lifestyle that will change our world.

Like one of my favourite quotes says : Change your thoughts and you change your world- Norman Vincent Peale

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results,visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.

She can be reached at:  http://www.oliveblue.com/ . https://www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . https://twitter.com/oliveblueinc.https://www.youtube.com/user/ChangeYouWantTV

3 Tips To Get The Most Out of The Holidays!

yvonne

It’s that time of the year where there is a lot going on that could so easily compete for our attention, or stress us out. Here are three tips to help you get the most out of the holidays and enjoy it as well.

  1. Set the Intention

Decide on what you would like to get out of the holidays; is it to spend more time with family and friends, is it to be stress free, is it to ensure you don’t overspend going into the New Year, or is it to reflect and plan for the year ahead. Whatever it may be, visualise what it is you want and create a clear mental picture of it. In “My Book on Mindset”, I talk about ‘Picture’ and the Power of Visualisation; the more we are able to clearly picture what we want, the more it becomes reality as our actions and thought process begin to align to the image we are holding.

  1. Stay Focused

Once you’ve set the intention on what you want out of the holiday, it’s time to plan and focus. With a lot of what I’m going to call holiday fanfare, one can very easily get distracted – family and friends wanting your time, giving of gifts, Christmas events, and retailers working double hard to lure you – hence the need to stay focused and have a plan.

Create a list of the top three items you want to accomplish, and constantly refer to it to keep you focused.

If your goal is to not overspend this season, set a financial budget and avoid the temptation to buy unplanned or expensive gifts, sales events, or splurge on outings.

If your plan is for a stress-free holiday, define what that means to you, identify those things that would usually stress you, and plan on how to avoid them.

  1. Plan to Enjoy the Season

I believe this is a season of love, joy, and good tidings. Make a decision to fill your mind and heart with gratitude, and choose to enjoy the season. Choose an attitude that in spite of what may be going on, and all of the hustle and bustle, you will be thankful and grateful for what you have. The more gratitude we have, the more we open ourselves for more – the simple Law of Attraction – what we are, we attract. Allow yourself to take in the Christmas music, the movies, and the good cheer.

The decision is yours to make on what you get out of the season. Set your mind on what you want, focus on what you set your mind to do, and open yourself to enjoy the season. Your mindset determines your attitude, your attitude determines your choices, and your choices determine what you get out of the holidays.

 

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.

She can be reached at:  http://www.oliveblue.com/ . https://www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . https://twitter.com/oliveblueinc. https://www.youtube.com/user/ChangeYouWantTV

The Invisible Stone: Why We Sometimes Stumble In Seeing The Results We Want!

yvonne

In my life, as well as role as a business coach and change consultant, I often come across some ‘invisible stones’ and barriers; I face it sometimes, and I see clients facing it as well. I see situations whereby we are subconsciously not taking responsibility for our actions, and it becomes the invisible stone that causes us to stumble and prevents us from moving forward be it in our lives or businesses.

I was once part of a project that was not moving forward. The project manager and team blamed the leaders for lack of strong leadership and decision making; and the leaders blamed lack of strong project management and employee resistance to change. Standing on the outside, and looking in without any personal agenda, I was able to see things differently. And one thing that was very clear was the ‘lack of ownership and responsibility’. This scenario is very typical in not one, not two, but many organisations.

When we think we are in the right, and someone else is to blame, it makes it more difficult to achieve any goal individually or collectively.

If you are facing chaos on your tasks right now, or finding it difficult to move forward on a personal or business goal, stop for a second and reflect on the below questions.

Be it on a colleague, coworker, friend, partner, parent or the economy, ask yourself:

  • Am I laying the blame at someone else’s feet for why things are not going well?
  • Am I blaming someone else for why I’m not getting the results I want?
  • Am I taking ownership and responsibility for everything that pertains to me and my way of managing my business, or am I holding others responsible?

Consciously or even subconsciously, it is easy to lay the blame somewhere else. Are you blaming your past for lack of progress? Are you blaming a bad economy for your present situation? Are you blaming your parents for something they did or did not do? Are you blaming your race or gender for lack of opportunities?

While I would love to empathise with you, that will not change the situation. Empathy may help you feel good temporarily, but does not get to the crux of the matter or produce results. Whatever situation we are facing, someone else has faced it and is facing it, and yet has not let it hold them back.

We can choose to take ownership for the type of results we want, or fill our minds with why it is someone else’s fault why things are not moving forward as desired. When holding on to a Blame Mindset, which I talk about in my book, The Change You Want, it is difficult to move forward. There will always be that invisible barrier holding us back.

There will be many situations we face and encounter that are out of our control, but how we react, and our attitude is fully and well within our control!

Here are some suggested steps you can take.

  1. Refuse to allow the actions of others demobilise you, stop the blame.
  2. Reflect on your current situation and determine what is within your control and what you can empower yourself to do.
  3. Take ownership and responsibility for your current situation and open your mind for help and to various routes on how to move forward.
  4. Focus your energy on the positive, and on equipping yourself with the skills and resources to help you see the results you desire.

“When you blame others, you give up your power to change.” – Robert Anthony

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.   

She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

The Art of Finding Clarity

yvonne

Have you had trouble finding the track that makes you unique? Not knowing what direction to take to fulfill your dreams and goals of being an entrepreneur? Perhaps you are thinking you are at a stage in life where doing a 9-5 job is frustrating? Or not knowing what direction to take to grow your business?

When it comes to achieving your goals and seeing great results, it is not enough to set the goals such as ‘Start a business this year’ or ‘Get more clients and grow my business’. We need to have clear and quantifiable goals.

There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it. – Napoleon Hill

One of the reasons we can easily struggle to achieve our goals is when they are not clear. When they are not clearly defined, it stops us from being laser-focused in the manner that is needed to see results. I love the above quote from Napoleon Hill, we must be definite in our purpose and clearly know what it is we want!

Being clear on your goals starts with ensuring it is strongly tied to our vision, personal mission statement or a strong ‘why’. The next step is to ensure our goals are SMART:

  • Specific: It should be less general, and clearly state what you intend to achieve.
  • Measurable:It should be quantifiable to enable you measure completion; how long, how much, how many etc.
  • Achievable:It should be attainable, and not so ‘pie in the sky’ that it is impossible to meet.
  • Relevant:It should align with your vision and ‘why’ it truly matters to you.
  • Time framed:It should have target dates for completion, and not be open ended

Determine what you want, why you want it, when you want it by, and how you are going to get it. By being more intentional, you become focused and more likely to see greater results. When you become clear on your “Why” and “What ” it become easier to work on your “How“.

Take these easy steps, and you are assured to be ready and all set to start seeing the results you want.

To Do: Revisit your goals, and apply the SMART rule. Be clear on what you want; and turn your dreams to goals, and goals to reality. Here are some tools to help you gain clarity and set SMART goals: Online Mission Statement Builder and Setting SMART Goals.

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.   

She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

The Art of Delegation

yvonne

Are you struggling to get as much as possible done in a day? As a leader, entrepreneur or someone in charge of your own work, delegation can be the difference maker in being more successful both in the short and long term. While hours in a day are finite, the things we want done can seem infinite.

I had to recently force myself to delegate some tasks in order to see progress with my goals and growth of my practice. I started the year wanting to accomplish so much, however, come February, I found myself struggling, so I revisited my plan. Come March, I was still struggling, and had to face the fact that I had too many tasks on my plate, and for me to be successful come end of 2014, I would need to either let go of some items, or delegate.

For some, delegating tasks can be a huge task in itself. Perhaps it is our need to hold on to what we consider to be ‘too important’ to let someone else do it, fear it may not be done ‘as good’ as you would, or having experienced failure in delegating work in the past. While some of these reasons may seem valid, once you learn the art of delegating properly, it becomes easier and enables us achieve more in less time. Below are 5 tips to help you delegate more effectively so you can free up more of your time to do what you do best and should be doing.

 

  1. Choose Wisely

When it comes to choosing which tasks to delegate, choose tasks that only you can and should do. In my Mastermind Groups on John Maxwell’s “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” book, John shares his 3Rs strategy in the Law of Priorities that you can also use. “What Is Required? What Gives The Greatest Return? and What Brings The Greatest Reward?” Get rid of tasks that you can’t do, not interested in doing, or someone can do even 80% as well as you, but brings less reward or return on time invested.

  1. Have a System

Know what, when and who to delegate to. Effectively plan your time daily and in advance so you know what YOU need to do, what other items still need to be done, and by when. Know your team or colleagues well; know their strengths, interests, skills etc. Armed with this knowledge, you are better delegate tasks to the right individuals and at the right time. Other systems include the Pareto 80:20 Principle from John Maxwell, where focusing on the top 20% of your activities will give you 80% of your results.

  1. Empower Your Team and Colleagues

Before delegating, ensure the individual has the ability, is provided clear directions, and has been empowered to use their initiative and make decisions when needed. Start by providing the required training or hiring the right resource after proper interviewing. Spend time with them at the beginning to help ingrain the culture, vision, value and goals; this helps them to more easily take the right actions as needed. Provide clear instructions along with tasks striking that fine balance between being too vague and micro-managing. Be open to the fact they may choose a different route to arrive at the finish line. And be willing to give them the benefit of doubt if not done right the first time.

  1. Balance the Workload

Delegate workload evenly. In many organizations, there are often the few “go-tos” when it comes to task delegation, which can result in these employees becoming overburdened, overworked, and deadlines being missed. Be willing to trust others, and cross-train the team in order to empower more people to deliver and also building a stronger team.

  1. Give Credit When Credit is Due

Always be gracious and thankful when the individual gets the task done, and openly give them credit so that everyone can acknowledge their hard work.  It builds trust, helps them feel valued, and not only will this inspire them to continue to work hard, it will also inspire others to have that same attitude and become more productive.

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.   

She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

Benefits of Experimentation For Every Industry

Tamara high res 1

Many years ago, I was involved in a high leveled art program. Everyone who was apart of the program was given their own studio, freedom to structure their workflow and access to anything from a photography dark room (Yes, it was that long ago) to oil paints.

However, there was part of the program that was structured. It was the requirement to produce something that they called ‘Experimental Studio Research’ (ESR). This wasn’t the perfectly polished framed painting that you may think your mentors want to see – no. This was the process. The work that brought you to that finished piece. The samples of palettes that didn’t work. The sketches that never produced a finished product.

At first, I almost had to force myself to experiment because I was usually quite certain of how I wanted to work. But I learned valuable lessons by committing to ESR, and it is something that I have taken into every business I have been apart of.

The lessons translate to business so well because as we all know – there are no guarantees and it is inevitable that some things will work better than others. For the purposes of this article – the ‘Studio’ can refer to your industry and the ‘experiments’ are considered strategies that you implement and programs, products and services you offer.

For example, let’s use the coaching industry. You may try offering one-to-one intensive retreats for the first time instead of your 3-month group packages.  You have never marketed such high priced service so you expand to advertising in high-end print magazines instead of investing in just Facebook ads. After two months you haven’t gotten any sales of your retreat but have gotten 25 phone calls about your 3-month packages and requests for year-long programs. Taking the risk (experimenting) with a different marketing approach didn’t get the desired results, but there was unexpected benefits. The results of the ‘research’ of trying a different approach then led to business growth by finding the coach’s clients and what their needs are.

As you can see in the example – one important lesson is that: effort in one direction may actually benefit you in another area that you don’t necessarily expect. The key is to be open to the findings of the ‘research’ and less focused on the unexpected turns that will inevitably come.

Another lesson I applied through this concept is that the ‘process’ is valuable too. You may not only get unexpected business growth, but you may find unexpected skills and interests of your own that you can apply to the future of your business. For example, the coach we talked about before may have found out that she really loved the long-term relationship that she was able to develop over a year’s worth of services.

The value of perceiving things this way is that you can really avoid the ‘failure’ mindset. If everything you do is used to inform your next decision (Ie: NO one bought that program, or I got 400 new sign ups with the newest opt-in), it is all valuable. Knowing what didn’t ‘work’ is just as important as knowing what does.

I hope that reading this you have considered how your ‘experiments’ within your industry can still contribute to the success and growth of your business, even if you ended up not proceeding the way you originally thought.

 

Tamara is the Founder and Creative Director of Sweet Clover Studios. Where she provides resources, planners, learning opportunities and inspiration for other creative small business owners. You can also see her personal gallery of products as a surface pattern designer at http://www.SweetCloverStudios.com

Why We Keep Getting Limited Results, and What You Can Do Differently Starting Now in this Year!

yvonne

Have you ever wondered why you’re not getting the results you want despite doing your best or following the ‘guaranteed’ formulas and products everyone else is using and getting results?

Do you feel procrastination, lack of time, fear of failure or lack of finances is holding you back?

Or why when you have been working so hard to get promoted or kick-start your business idea, but still not happening?

Or you can’t seem lose weight and keep it off, yet others are experiencing great results?

It may not be what you think!

I too have struggled. I know the feeling. But thankfully my outcomes are now different because of the simple but foundational principles I was fortunate to apply, and I began to see fantastic outcomes; getting multiple promotions in my career, kick-starting my business and seeing the results and momentum build, and the hardest had to be losing up to 90lbs.

I have discovered from my life, and working with many individuals and organisations that a significant part of getting our desired results is not in finding the solution to the problem or knowing ‘how-to’, but lies with the person and mindset of the person who has the solution.

Have you heard the story of the two salesmen who were sent to a foreign place to sell shoes? The first salesman arrives and sees that nobody on the island wears shoes, and he immediately sends a message back to the office saying “Dead end. Nobody wears shoes here”. The second salesman arrives, sees the same situation and immediately sends a message back to the office saying “Magnificent opportunity! Loads of shoes to be sold”. What was the difference between these two salesmen? Mindset!

Yes, their mindset. Mindset is what differentiates two people with the same opportunity. Mindset is what allowed the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Walt Disney, Michael Jordan, President Barack Obama and Albert Einstein recognise opportunities that others did not, made them persist, and succeed in the face countless rejections, adversity and opposition. Mindset is also what finally allowed me achieve success using existing knowledge and ‘how-to’ information available in the public domain.

A right mindset is foundational to us getting and exceeding the outcomes we desire; it will turn things around and help us become creative in finding solutions to barriers such as procrastination, overcoming fear, finding the time and resources we need, and more.

In my book coming out soon on mindset, I go into more detail on mindset principles and examples that individuals like Walt Disney, Michael Phelps presently regarded as the greatest Olympian, and Nick Vujicic, born without arms or legs, have used to achieve significant success and how you also can easily apply these same principles to your specific situation and take your outcomes from good to great!

Please leave a comment below: Have you been successful in achieving your goals, what worked for you? Or what are you currently struggling with, and what barriers are you coming against?

Comment below. I would love to hear, discuss and share insights with you.

 

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to provide the tools and help implement change, drive results and achieve their goals.   She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

 

Your Mindset: Why It Matters

yvonne

Do you want to take your outcomes from Good to Great? Perhaps you are struggling to achieve your goals or execute your plans, and you feel this is because of procrastination, lack of finances or resources, etc. In this very short video, I talk about mindset, why it’s usually the reason we are not able to achieve our goals, and why it matters.

 

 

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to provide the tools and help implement change, drive results and achieve their goals.   She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

 

 

Do your beliefs about your business really matter?

Uchechi

“If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won’t, you most assuredly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.”

~Denis Waitley

I’ve heard it said that business ownership is one of the best personal development tools you can ever take on. Think about it, what platforms pushes you to step outside of your comfort zone, face rejection and criticism on a daily basis and strive to become better every day? It places you in a vulnerable place and requires you to push past your comfort zone, and have confidence and the utmost belief in yourself and your business.

This is why cultivating the right mindset is critical to your business success. What are your core beliefs about your business success? Do you believe in your products and services? Do you have faith in your unique gifts and know that you are making a difference in the lives of your clients and customers? It is important to remember that your beliefs about yourself, brand and business are critical to your success. They act as a magnet that draws circumstances consistent to it into your life. Plainly stated your beliefs will manifest into physical form, and you will experience evidence to prove them correct; thus creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Many business owners doubt themselves and their ability to provide excellent service. They do this through not charging enough, by not asking for the sale or feeling that others have more knowledge and expertise than they do. They tend to play small and oftentimes treat their business as a hobby. They also fear both success and failure due to the unknown and what it may mean.

I once read that two ingredients needed for success is belief + time. The higher the belief the less time needed to succeed. However, the lower your belief the more time it will take to achieve it. Your beliefs are so powerful and once you grasp its power, it will help propel you forward to start living the life you want. It may be difficult at first, but the more you practice this the easier it becomes and the more you will see your outer circumstances reflecting your new empowered beliefs.

If you’re business is not flourishing as it should and you feel that you are not making ends meet, it is important to look at the root cause and your subconscious beliefs about your business. On the surface, it may appear that all business owners want the best, but many times there is an underlining limiting belief that is holding them back from the success that they crave and deserve. It is really crucial to dig deep and uncover what they are and begin to replace them with empowering ones. You do not have to work to remove the negative ones, because that is a difficult task. The best approach is to start feeding your mind with new empowering thoughts, and in time it will expand and there will be less room for the negative limiting beliefs that oftentimes holds most business owners back.

If you are lacking belief in your business, you need to re-program your mind, and change your mind-set about what is possible for your business. Your mind acts like a powerful computer and it is up to you to program empowering beliefs that will lead to your success. The great news is that it is up to you and under your control. You just need to harness this power, which will translate to you enjoying a successful profitable business that you deserve!

 

Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse is a Business & Lifestyle Strategist, Speaker and Writer, but most importantly, a proud Mother and Wife. Uchechi is Co-Founder of Elite Wellness Services Inc. (www.elitewellness.ca) and Founder of My Empowered Living (www.myempoweredliving.com) a website aimed at helping women change negative and disempowering mindset and live their passion! Whether it’s starting and building their dream business, or helping them create a lifestyle they crave, Uchechi is the modern woman’s secret to success! Visit Uchechi at www.myempoweredliving.com to get your FREE copy of 5 Simple Steps to Create a Life you’re Crazy About! A 15-page workbook!

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