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Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Hope Cancer Support Centre rings in 25 years with Wexford community
The centre was originally established on Easter Week 1999, when a small group of people affected by cancer, decided to meet up weekly in a local hotel for a chat. After word of mouth spread amongst the community, the group grew significantly, as did the need for a permanent structure to the meetings. The use of a building in Church Street Enniscorthy was acquired, though following an increased need for space, the centre moved into its current location on Weafer Street. And although General Manager Paul Brown only took up his position in 2023, he was drawn to the centre after hearing nothing but good words about the work they do for people in the community. Speaking on the evolvement of the centre, he explained that the charity has strived to expand further by providing more services for their clients. "Originally it was just counselling, but now we also have reflexology, creative therapies and more. We would be very much developed.' Community is at the core of the centre, with many organisations and groups choosing to raise funds for the services throughout the year. "Community is huge – both from the point of view that we help, but also the amount of fundraising that is done. We get approximately 20 per cent from the Government, but the rest is fundraised and so there would be nearly half a million raised by all the people of County Wexford,' he said. One of their biggest fundraisers is the annual Hope and Dream 10 run, which attracted around 1200 participants this year. A fantastic showing of support, he said that although they have not confirmed the final amount raised, they hope to have raised more than last year - which was an incredible €143,681. He added that they were very thankful to Enniscorthy Credit Union who sponsor the run. However, the running of the centre has had its fair share of challenges including the Covid-19 Pandemic, ensuring they have enough funds, and convincing men to come into the centre. "I think the continued challenge is to get the funds in and in encouraging men to come into the centre. I think overall in the country, in terms of men getting support, it is improving and we have in the last six months experienced some men coming in here,' he said. In terms of staff, the centre has three members in the shop, with eight within the premises and three client service coordinators. He said they recognise greatly how demanding the job can be in their day to day tasks. "It is very difficult and even people who do not have a diagnosis will be affected by it. It is challenging, but we have a clients service manager who would manage the three coordinators. It is a challenging enough role to work in this environment.' Big plans are also in store for the centre as they set about to relocate and build a state of the art facility to address the needs of their growing clientele. As laid out in the ambitious proposal, they had initially considered expanding into neighbouring properties, but this option would have forced them to cease operations while building. "We would have had to move out because of the noise, so hopefully the new building will get finished and people could move into it and be a bit more seamless.' To mark the milestone, a crowd of 120 people turned up at the centre last weekend to chat and reminisce – with some of the founding members remarking in awe over how far the centre has come. "I was talking to the founding members the other day and they were thrilled. It is another phase even though everyone loves this building. They would very much say it is the sanctuary behind the blue door, but things change and we will have a much more modern building.' He added that it was great to see such a big crowd on the day, with some clients bringing their family members with them. The festivities were held out in their garden as they wanted to highlight the progress there as well during the good weather. Most of all, on behalf of everybody in the centre and those who have benefited from it, he extended thanks to everyone who supported them over the last 25 years. "A heartfelt thanks to everyone in Wexford who has really helped to make sure that the services continue, both by fundraising and volunteering. Also the staff, who have made a conscious decision to come in and work in the centre.' 'And also thanks to the clients, I know it might seem a bit strange, but thanks to the clients who have come to us for the support and who are incredibly positive. They also help to create a wonderful and positive atmosphere and energy because of their attitude. It is great to have people attend the support group while encouraging others to reach out,' he said.
Forbes
24-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
4 Strategies That Turned Side Hustles Into Six-Figure Businesses
In a previous article, we discussed low-cost side hustles that can help build a business in the future. However, as side hustles have become essential to supplement Americans' income and build financial security, it is worth revisiting the conversation and sharing some successful strategies that side hustlers have implemented to build six-figure businesses. According to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5% of the workforce holds more than one job, with a median monthly income for this second job of around $200. Still, a growing number of women are beating the odds, turning side hustles into incomes that earn more than $100,000 a year. These women, each from a different industry and background, reveal the strategies they used to scale from nights and weekends to full-time founders. The strategies shared here reflect systems, mindset shifts, and clear decision-making that can turn part-time work into long-term, sustainable businesses. Let's look into them. Nicole Leon launched her first side hustle in 2018 while working full-time at a law firm and attending esthetician school in the evenings. 'I was working 9 to 5, in school from 6 to 9, and then lashing people at 10 or 11 p.m. and on weekends,' she told me in our conversation in the Brown Way To Money Podcast. What started as a way to earn extra income quickly grew into a six-figure business within one year. Leon credits the early success to how she positioned her side hustle before it even started. She knew she wanted to take on this venture and create anticipation within her circle as a way to commit to her journey and let others know things were changing for her. 'I was using social media to build anticipation months before I officially started. I created a business email, a website, an Instagram account, and business cards—everything. That mindset shift was important. I told myself: 'I'm doing this now,'' she said. Using her personal Instagram account, she teased a major reveal. 'People were invested in my life already, so they were trying to guess what was coming,' she told me. 'They thought I was having a baby or getting married. No one guessed it was a lash business.' After launch, she kept the momentum going by involving her local and online community. 'I called clients 'models,' offered discounted services, and asked them to share on social media. There was a mutual exchange—if I did your lashes, you'd tag me, and I'd tag you. That dynamic helped build a referral-based business really fast.' Even when the Covid-19 Pandemic halted in-person appointments, Leon stayed active online and involved in her community. 'I wasn't making much money during those months, but I didn't disappear. I was doing raffles, reading to kids on social media, selling lash-related products, anything to stay involved.' Leon later applied the same strategy to a second venture, a virtual assistant side hustle, which also crossed the six-figure mark within its first year. 'People want to be part of something,' she said. 'I've involved my community in every stage of growth. It's a shared accomplishment.' Katie Krimitsos launched her podcast Meditation for Women in July 2018 as a side project while scaling down her previous business and raising two young children. For nearly 18 months, the podcast was a part-time effort, delivering one episode per week, recorded during available time slots. 'It was absolutely my side hustle,' Krimitsos said. 'I had a toddler, I was pregnant, and I was still supporting clients from my previous company. I was working maybe 10 to 15 hours a week.' By early 2020, as the Covid-19 Pandemic began driving demand for wellness content, downloads surged. Instead of pulling back, Krimitsos scaled up. 'While everything out there was slowing down, I intuitively knew I had to speed up. People needed this,' she said. Her key strategy was to monitor analytics and replicate what was working consistently. After noticing that sleep-related content consistently outperformed other episodes, Krimitsos launched a second podcast, Sleep Meditation for Women. It became her highest-performing show. 'I was watching the numbers. Sleep meditations were resonating. So, I created a whole new podcast with content I already had,' she told me. 'That show took off. And I knew if I could multiply those touchpoints, I could multiply the brand.' Since then, Krimitsos has launched multiple podcasts under the Women's Meditation Network umbrella, featuring highly targeted, SEO-friendly titles such as Morning Meditation for Women, Meditation for Anxiety, and Panic Attack Meditations, among others. 'They're not flashy,' she said. 'They're exactly what someone is searching for. That's intentional.' By repurposing content across platforms and cross-promoting shows within her network, she maximized reach without increasing production time. 'I didn't have more hours. I had to stretch, but not break,' Krimitsos said. Today, the Women's Meditation Network is approaching $1 million in annual revenue. Approximately 95% of earnings stem from sponsorships. Early growth was fueled by podcast platform ads and targeted PR campaigns, including one associated with her 100 millionth download milestone in 2022. Since then, the network has exceeded 175 million total downloads. 'I invested in infrastructure early, like paid ads, media pushes, and hiring help,' she said. 'But the biggest driver was listening to the data and doubling down where it made sense.' Quynh Nguyen turned her creative side hustle of making handcrafted paper flowers into a six-figure business by combining long-term vision with consistent, incremental action. What began as a favor for a friend's wedding in 2013 eventually grew into a global brand offering online courses, a subscription box, and a podcast. 'I didn't start out thinking this would become a business,' Nguyen said. 'It was something fun and stress-free that unexpectedly sparked demand.' After recovering from back surgery and stepping away from a physically demanding catering company she had previously run, Nguyen took contract event planning jobs and crafted flowers on the side. Over the next two years, she explored the niche market of crepe paper flowers, built relationships with international suppliers, and taught herself how to design botanically realistic pieces. By 2015, she formally launched Pink and Posey, the business that would become the foundation for her current offerings. Nguyen credits her growth to setting clear, attainable daily goals rooted in a larger strategic vision. 'Every day, even while working full-time, I committed to five key tasks: reaching out to people in my industry, sending emails, making connections,' she said. 'That daily consistency compounded over time.' She anchored those tasks to a long-term objective: hosting an international paper flower convention. 'When you have a far-off goal, it changes how you present yourself, how you approach relationships, and the kinds of decisions you make,' she said. That mindset shaped her approach to vendor partnerships, industry collaborations, and building her audience. Today, Nguyen continues to apply the same framework to expand her business through Paper Talk, a podcast she co-hosts alongside two other artists. 'Whether it's content, community, or revenue strategy, everything still ties back to my original approach,' she said. 'Start small, stay consistent, and align your daily actions with where you want the business to go.' When Dielle Charon started her side hustle in 2018, she was working full-time as a social worker. On nights and weekends, she offered life coaching, first on mindset and later on business strategy. 'People began asking how to start side hustles of their own,' she said. 'That became my focus.' Initially, Charon balanced both types of coaching through one-on-one sessions, leveraging Instagram, email marketing, and a podcast to reach potential clients. As demand for business support grew, she shifted toward group coaching to reduce her hours and increase her income. 'Group programs allowed me to help more people while managing fewer calls,' she said. A focus on outcomes drove her early growth. 'I talked about client results constantly,' Charon said. 'Testimonial-based marketing helped people see the impact of my work.' She showcased wins across platforms, using live videos, stories and teaching-focused podcast episodes to establish credibility and generate leads. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she heavily leaned on Instagram to connect with new audiences. 'I shared concepts, marketing plans, even how to pay down debt using a side hustle. That kind of free education brought people in.' Charon hit six figures in 2020. The business grew quickly from there: $500,000 in 2021, $1 million in 2022, and $1.5 million in 2023. She attributes that growth to an iterative strategy, doubling down on what worked while gradually expanding her marketing mix. 'Instagram is still our hub, but we've added paid advertising and live events to meet our community in person,' she said. Every entrepreneur starts somewhere with a skill, an idea, or a need for extra income. But what separates a side hustle that earns an average amount per month from a high-growth business may not be the product or platform, but how you position it to run; in other words, it is the mindset. The decision to treat even the earliest version of your work like a company sets the tone for everything that follows.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Former Governor Roy Cooper Honored with Levine Award for Contributions to Public Health
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) — Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and former State Health Director Dr. Betsey Tilson were recognized for their exemplary accomplishments in public health with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Ron H. Levine Public Health Award at the annual North Carolina Public Health Leaders' Conference on March 13. The Ron Levine Legacy Award is a prestigious honor named after former North Carolina State Health Director Dr. Ron Levine. Since its inception in 2004, the award has recognized individuals who have significantly improved the public health system. Cooper was given this award for his efforts advocating for the health and well-being of North Carolinians and navigated the Covid-19 Pandemic. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Sim Center Superlap Makes You Feel Like a Real Racer
Superlap is a Berkley, Michigan-based Simulation Center that's home to eight high-end racing sims. Superlap is part of a seemingly growing trend of racing sim centers. Superlap offers a variety of packages, and memberships and is available for event competition. If you were alive during the Covid-19 Pandemic and followed motorsport, it might not be a surprise to know that racing simulators are only getting more and more popular. With in-person events on pause, racers flocked to duke it out on digital racetracks. Of course, sim racing has been helping drivers memorize tracks—and embarrass friends—for decades. That said, with the continued advancement in computers and more attention than ever, sim racing platforms like Gran Turismo, Assetto Corsa, and iRacing are only getting more accurate, enjoyable, and popular. But there is one minor problem. While you can buy a steering wheel and a set of pedals, or control your car from the comfort of a traditional video game controller, you're not going to get the full experience of being in a simulator, and you'll be missing out on some of the important physics that come with motorsport. Of course, there are multi-axis simulators, but they range in price from a used Mazda Miata to, well, a top-flight race car. Enter Superlap. Superlap is among a growing movement of what the company calls 'sim centers.' As that would suggest, it's a place where you can use a racing sim. Superlap, and the small number of simulation centers like it, has a relatively small fleet of high-end racing simulators that help give enthusiasts a more accurate and engaging experience on a digital track for a nominal fee. 'I was selling sims like five years ago,' says Dan Cycholl in the center of his Berkley, Michigan, sim center. 'I met some people through that, did a launch party, and helped put a sim together—that's where I met Jim [Hayosh].' Unlike Dan's background in the sim world, fellow founder Jim Hayosh's path to racing sims wasn't forged from computing or tech but came to the sim world like most car enthusiasts – through driving. 'When I met Dan, I had just, during Covid, put together a sim and had a lot of fun learning about them. But I had a friend who really was pushing me to check it out because he knew I liked racing, because I had done a few racing schools, and loved cars. Once I built and got it rolling, that's when Dan and I met' The two worked to fine-tune Hayosh's racing sim and leaned into Cycholl's expertise. Hayosh says, 'Dan's very savvy with that side of it—specifically the PC component—and all of the things I wanted to do that were over my head. It's hard to figure out on these simulators where you should put your money. You don't know until you experience it.' From that one home-brewed Simulator spun a fleet of eight high-end racing sims. These sims, according to Cycholl, are roughly $25,000 a piece and offer four-axis motion. 'We definitely homed in on the specifics as Jim was saying before. What exactly do what we need to give the best experience, but also have it robust enough to have people come in and use it over and over again.' The two focused on the wheel's base, to give feedback through the steering wheel, the pedal feel, and the motion. Motion was a back-and-forth discussion, with a lot of competitive sim racers eschewing motion, but the two decided it was worth the added cost. 'It's so much sensory feedback,' says Hayosh. And he's right. Climbing into this Honda Civic-priced simulator, I was greeted with the company's training-wheel approach. First-timers are persuaded to throw down $50 for 50 minutes worth of drive time in iRacing behind the wheel of a Mazda MX-5 Cup, like the one parked in front of the building, or a Porsche 911 GT3R. Sensibly, we hopped behind the wheel of the GT3R and had the full first-time experience from Superlap at the Donington Park Racing Circuit. Unsurprisingly, it took a few minutes to become accustomed to the environment. Adjusting the seat and getting in position was easy, but acclimating to the inputs of this pricy sim wasn't as easy as you'd expect. Like any direct-drive wheel, Cycholl suggested that if you find yourself off-roading, it's probably best to just let go of the wheel to avoid any uncertain damage from the powerful electric motor. We did, and we did. After a few questionable laps, we found ourselves pushing the digital Porsche harder and becoming more familiar with how to better manage the inputs of the sim. The brakes are race-car hard and demand decisive inputs to wrangle your speeding pixels and get you around the corner. After learning the track, and the controls, lap times started to shrink. We'd eventually get underneath the one minute and 10-second threshold that the team at Superlap uses to judge your skills on track, Now, it's worth noting that this is a tool, and it's used by race-car drivers and competitive eSport racers—this is serious business. That said, it's also way too much fun. Had we had friends, the folks at Superlap offer a way to chat among yourselves while racing, which can only further push the competition. That intercom system, run through a Discord server, can also be a way to receive some coaching if you're not familiar with racing, sim or otherwise. Repeat customers, or savvy talkers with an iRacing account, can opt for a different array of packages to suit their digital driving needs. As you'd expect with anything this competitive, you can also log in with your own account, but Cycholl notes that they have a commercial iRacing account that unlocks basically everything. That means iRacing devotees could try a smattering of machines at various tracks before buying them on their own account. Of course, this isn't just for hardened sim racers. In fact, it seems that hard-nosed sim racers like Max Verstappen, who races for the Red Bull Formula 1 team as a day job, prefer sims without motion. However, the motion does make the experience more novel, engaging, and, most of all, fun. Superlap also hosts events that line up with major iRacing races or local celebrations like the Woodward Dream Cruise. There's also league play and subscriptions if you think you'll be spending a surplus of time in a sim seat outside of your home. If you're around the greater metropolitan Detroit area, you can check out more about Superlap's offerings here. The real question has to be if these sim centers will take off and start filling spaces throughout the United States with sim racing rigs. While these sim centers are popular overseas, Superlap might be on the leading edge of a new trend Stateside. Do you think you'd pay for time at a sim center? Do you think it's a sensible business? Tell us your thoughts below.
