3 Rules Hadari Oshri Uses to Make Mentorship More Meaningful

Offer mentorship to teach others your expertise and learn from your mentees.


Have you ever reflected on your life and asked yourself, “If I could do everything all over again,
would I have done things differently?” I asked that question to Hadari Oshri, a serial
entrepreneur who is now focused on imports and exports. When I asked her, she replied, “No.”
Does that mean that her life has been easy? No, it doesn’t. Does that mean that everything has
worked out her way? No. After interviewing Hadari, I have come to the conclusion that it just
means she values the lessons that her life has taught her, both the good things and more so,
the bad.
I don’t think she always had this type of perspective though. To start off the interview, I asked
about her first memory of mentorship. She smiled, almost laughed, and then said, “It sure wasn’t
the ideal situation!”
Hadari grew up in Israel, and no one in her family identified as an entrepreneur. They were more
traditional, teaching her that the way to find success in life was to get an education, marry well,
and have a family. Ironically, this advice didn’t apply to her much because she has taken an
entirely different path in life.
Back then there was no internet to connect her with bright minds from around the world, and
social media did not exist, so the only way she learned was from people around her. In her
family, she was taught that it was proper to keep to herself and be lady-like. The business was for
the boys. She was curious and wanted to learn, but everyone kept to themselves, which limited
her ability as a young girl to ask questions, explore, and grow. It was not until she had a mentor
that she started to shine.
To help you accelerate your learning, I challenge you to consider becoming a mentor or a
mentee. Here are three tips from Hadari that will help you get the most out of your teaching and
learning experiences.
Rule 1: Everyone deserves to learn
As a young woman, Hadari remembers working at a clothing store excelling in sales and seeing
some of her older co-workers get promoted to managerial positions. She assumed that if she
worked hard, and kept selling, she too would get a promotion. But it didn’t happen. After a long
time, she mustered up the courage to ask her boss for a promotion. She remembers the cold
look in his eyes, when he dismissed and humiliated her, saying, “No. You don’t have the skills.”
She asked if he would be willing to train her so that she could learn the skills needed to get a
promotion. He just flat out said, “No.” The next day, Hadari didn’t come to work. The manager’s
unwillingness to teach her new skills was reason enough to quit and search for a job with a
company that would value her contributions and help her grow professionally.
Here’s the lesson: everyone deserves to learn. Young or old, there are always skills that we can
gain (and we can carve out time in our schedules for it, too!) Having this positive and proactive
mindset is crucial for meaningful mentorship.
Since that first job, Hadari has come a long way. She has built multiple companies, practiced
international business, and closed multimillion-dollar trade deals. While she will never forget
how terrible her first boss made her feel, she’s grateful for him because he taught her what a
bad mentor looks like, and inspired a lifelong journey of personal growth, and a passion for
mentoring others.
Rule 2: Mentoring should motivate
Hadari’s next job was selling services for a communications company, and that is where she
met her first real mentor. His name was Yosi. Not only did he train her in how to sell, but he took
the time to get to know her. He wanted to know what her goals were and what motivated her. He
genuinely cared. He was a stark contrast from her first boss. She found the drive to work hard
and performed so well that she became a top sales representative. The guidance and
mentorship that Yosi imparted helped her discover her passion for entrepreneurship. She recalls
thinking, “One day, I will be like Yosi. I will help others learn and grow to be their best selves.”
“My first experience with genuine mentorship was meaningful because I was young and
impressionable,” Hadari says. “The fact that someone cared enough to validate my feelings,
aspirations, and goals sparked motivation that I never got from my family. It made me want to
come to work, learn, and be my best self.”
When you mentor others, make sure to avoid being a helicopter mentor—trying to do everything
for them. Hadari imagines the mentor-mentee relationship as though she is in a car; she takes
the back seat while they drive. As a mentor, she’s there to watch the process and see them
grow. She never tells them what to do or exactly how to do things, preferring to lead by
example, and share her personal experience if needed. This helps them to learn by doing and
gives them a sense of independence and accomplishment. If she sees them make a mistake,
she gently nudges them towards more effective strategies. If you want to create an impact as a
mentor, find opportunities to motivate that allow your mentees to gain confidence in themselves.
Allow them to tap into their passions!
Rule 3: Make mentoring mirror the real world
I wanted to find out Hadari’s thoughts on mentorship in the real world. I learned that her most
impactful mentors gave her real-world experiences. It went beyond fluff and hypotheticals.
Today she strives to include her mentees in large business deals she is working on, so that they
can see the struggles and triumphs of working in a high-stakes career.
Social media plays a prominent role in Hadari’s mentee search. She scouts her social media
feeds for young adults who are motivated to learn and have great potential. She will search for
keywords, follow, and observe the types of content they create. If she thinks the candidates are
a good fit, she doesn’t ask them directly if they are interested in mentorship. Instead, she simply
navigates the conversation to a place where they can create an alliance together. Over time,
she learns more about their personal and professional goals. Eventually, if the candidates
express an interest in working on international trade deals, she brings her mentees into her
transactions. She shows them that business can be fun, and allow them to sit in on calls with
brokers, investors, and buyers. The idea is to help them view the behind-the-scenes process to
show them just how exciting it is. And when she closes a multimillion-dollar deal with them, their
eyes light up, and business becomes real.
Hadari says that when you mentor someone, you should invite your mentee to experience how
your business and work integrates into your lifestyle. With this approach, you can grow your
network together and the mentorship journey will help them gain professional skills. This
learning by doing approach accelerates their curiosity, and gives you the opportunity to teach
and collaborate.
In conclusion
Mentorship is a tangible tool that helps professionals, companies, and communities improve
their well-being and performance to unlock their greatest potential. Hadari is very grateful for all
of her mentors, as they have made her the entrepreneur she is today. Connect with Hadari on
LinkedIn if you’d like to start a conversation about how to serve as a mentor or how to learn by
doing as a young entrepreneur.

3 Fractures I See in the Global Supply Chain That Might Tank Your Next Deal

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How greed and the global pandemic is creating new cracks in the foundation of
imports and exports.


Steve Jobs once said, “Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your
thinking clean to make it simple.” The reason that large import and export deals are so complex
is that each party has numerous details to manage. And the bigger the deal, typically the more
complex it is.
Now add a global pandemic to an already complex industry, and it’s easy to understand why the
global supply chain’s foundation is being put to the test like never before. As someone with two
decades of international deals under my belt, I have seen big wins and losses. More so now
than ever I see firsthand where the cracks are coming from. I have outlined three fractures to
watch, as they are real problems that impact real deals, with real money at stake.
1. Disloyalty and greed makes the market drop
Ideally, in imports and exports, sellers make their profits, brokers make their fees, and buyers
make their money on the resale. It’s a system that has worked for centuries. The problem starts
when one side takes the profits from the other. When this happens, it’s usually fueled by greed
and as a result, the system starts to fail and trust falters.
When sellers, buyers, and brokers lose trust in each other, it weakens more than their
relationships. Over the last year, in a world impacted by a global pandemic, I have seen buyers
circumventing their brokers. I have heard clearly that sellers are not being 100% loyal to their
brokers. And I’ve heard of some top brokers who have started working directly with buyers.
When the proper buyer-seller-broker protocol gets sidestepped, it sabotages the core of what it
means to trade fairly. It may happen with a deal here or there, but it sets up a negative feedback
loop that ends up hurting all parties. This lack of loyalty can quickly become a major problem for
imports and exports if the status quo does not change.
We have to assume that sellers will always ask for the highest price they can get. The minute a
seller works directly with the buyers, they might find it tempting to bypass the broker cost,
leaving more room for negotiations. If that happens, then it could impact future deals. It could
cause other sellers brought by other brokers to not be able to sell with the margins they need.
Brokers will not be able to go back to their buyers if those same buyers start working directly
with sellers. And the seller might again lower the cost, creating more market drop.
So what do you do? You build trust over time, and always make sure to follow proper protocol
when it comes to brokers, intermediaries, sellers, and buyers. You follow the system that works.
If you become known as someone who will sidestep others on your way to earning a
commission, then people won’t want to continue doing business with you.
2: The devil is in the details
Problems occur when there is a lack of proper management. When inexperienced brokers
decide that they will enter the import and export markets, they are likely to not know all the
details. They might know people with products and those who are looking for deal flow, but they
fail to realize that just because someone says they are a buyer, does not mean they have the
funds to do so. I have seen people present sellers who are not sellers. Examples of this and
other problems are common in the many PPE deals during the pandemic that blew up and
never closed.
Rookie brokers might get blinded from the possibility of fast cash, which results in them not
paying enough attention to the details that matter. I have even seen a newbie broker think that
they can cut costs by trying to jump an intermediary only to find out that this single act is what
blew up the whole deal. I don’t need to remind anyone that 100% of a dead deal is zero
commissions for everyone.
3. Know your role and stay in your lane
To help you understand who plays what role in a transaction, here is a breakdown of what
sellers, brokers, and buyers should know.
Seller – As a seller, you negotiate prices and close deals with the factories. You must ensure the
contract gets to closing, and ensure the money is routed to the right places. Following this, you
are responsible for the logistics of moving the inventory from the warehouse to the port in the
country of origin. Then you deal with the SGS, an international inspection agency, only to then
move the goods to another port. And after the goods are on the water and en route to the U.S.,
you still need to clear customs. Once cleared, the goods arrive at the warehouse where you
account for hundreds of thousands of units. Finally, once you pay the warehouse fees and
button-up the final logistics, your job is done.
Brokers – As the broker, you are responsible for putting the product in the market, saving the
seller time to build the connections needed to close million and billion-dollar deals. You are less
concerned with logistics, and more involved in networking and relationships. Brokers make sure
that products are delivered on time, and that the communication of product details is clear to the
end buyer. Brokers must make sure the details of the deal don’t get lost in the broker chain.
Super brokers set up manageable expectations before, during, and after the deal closes. As the
broker, you also use your people skills to handle all complaints and venting about products and
timelines for deals, which is why you love quality products.
Buyers – As the buyer, you source the products you need, scope good deals, manage logistics,
and produce the funds for the goods. You focus on overcoming problems, managing
expectations, and working on your next buying budget. For you, each new relationship is
another opportunity to get one step closer to your next deal. You have to make sure they have
the funds available if they want to participate in a deal. When it comes to wire transfer time, if
the funds are not available right away, you will lose the deal. Smart buyers, who represent
government agencies and hospitals, for example, need to understand that in today’s
marketplace, they should avoid spot buys. Spot buys call for full payment upfront, usually no
samples, and there is always a rush to close the deal. I advise buyers to seek a product line that
they can buy consistently and not as a one-off purchase. This allows for agencies to get
samples, ensure the products are the right ones, and to create smaller shipments, which will
help buyers manage their cash flow.
The more you know about all the roles, the more you can maintain responsibility for the details
that are relevant to you. The key to learning is to work with people who have the depth of
experience in their lane.
3. Immature markets have growing pains
A new industry like PPE is growing due to a global demand to fight COVID-19, and as a result, it
is constantly growing. These products are in such demand that goods are traveling by water,
ground, and air.
With the rapid expansion of so many people trying to get involved in the PPE space, the more
chances there have been for unscrupulous players and scammers to try to take advantage of
others. Unfortunately, I know about others who have been scammed because they didn’t fully
understand how trading works. I will continue to mature, and so will the industry. The thing to
remember about growth is that it also comes with growing pains. So buyer, broker, and seller
beware.
In conclusion
Everyone on the supply chain has a role to play. When everyone stays in their lane and fulfills
their roles, follows the rules, and guides their behavior with integrity, then imports and exports
will continue to be a major driver of a healthy global economic system.
If the system starts to crack, and people start to bypass the known procedures, then
consequences will arise. If profits are not shared, then people will be cut from deals and it will
trickle down the supply chain, causing more strife. If there is no trust between parties, then how
can we trust that deals will close? The key is to respect each other and work with integrity while
building relationships and earning trust. Own your mistakes. Know your responsibilities in a deal
and fulfill them. Though I see fractures in the foundation of the global supply chain, I also know
that together we can fix it and make it better than ever.
If you get caught in a deal going sideways or need advice on how to navigate the stressful world
of imports and exports, connect with me on LinkedIn, and I’ll see if I can help.

A 6-step pivot guide, how Hadari Oshri moved from fashion to moving containers

A 6-step pivot guide, how Hadari Oshri moved from fashion to moving containers


Change is the one thing you can count on. But that does not mean change will be easy. In the
last year, we have all seen the world change in fundamental ways. Some businesses are
thriving, and some have failed to survive the dramatic changes brought on by a global
pandemic. Though we all want to believe that we will be back to “normal” soon, it’s important to
be ready for the next dramatic change and to be as prepared as possible to pivot accordingly.
Who better to learn from, than someone who has been successful at pivoting their business
multiple times before and after the pandemic. Meet serial entrepreneur Hadari Oshri. With a
background in buying and selling containers of fast fashion excess inventory, Hadari has pivoted
to helping hospitals and other organizations acquire much-needed medical supplies and
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from suppliers around the world.
Virtually sitting down with Hadari, I asked her some questions to better understand her
experiences in pivoting careers. Hadari shared the six steps that she goes through to navigate
business change. Use them as a guide for your next big professional pivot.
Step 1: Realize you need to pivot and accept the change
Hadari’s life has been full of changes, starting with moving to the U.S.A. from Israel. When she
first arrived, she opened seven fashion retail stores, including sought-out locations such as
Beverly Hills and Century City. However, she eventually had to shut them down. She pivoted
into the shoe industry, then to fast fashion, then to investing, then back to plus sized fashion,
and now into import and exports. In each of these pivots, she said that the first step was
realizing that she needed to make a change. For fashion, due to slim margins, she understood
that it limited her ability scale financially. When the pandemic hit, she saw an opportunity to sell
PPE. But in all of her pivots, accepting the need for change came first. “It’s not easy to detach
your emotions from something you have built,” Hadari said. “But it gets easier once you realize
you have to make a move.”
Step 2: Be open to any kind of opportunity in any kind of space
“Change can put blinders on you without even knowing,” Hadari explained. This is why she
shared that step two is to be open to any and all opportunities when pivoting. The word pivot
means to change direction, and in reference to a business or your career, means that you are
turning all previous efforts and working toward something else. The definition does not share
which direction the pivot will be in, and Hadari stresses the importance of this. When she knows
a pivot is necessary, she reminds herself that she should not try and limit the various directions
that she can turn her focus to. Doing so, will keep you open minded, and this will naturally lead
to more opportunities. She suggests focusing on things like income potential, market demand,
and trends, so that you can pivot to an industry that has room for growth.
Step 3: Do not be afraid of the downtime in the transition process
When I asked Hadari about the timing between her pivots, she laughed and said, “The amount
of time it takes to pivot is instant, but there is no telling the amount of time to find your new
direction.” She stressed the importance of not being distracted or unmotivated during the
downtime that will occur as you go through change. In order to stay active in the efforts needed
to move in entirely new directions, she has found that meditation, walking, and soul searching,
are key to helping her stay motivated during the pivot process. She said that opportunities do
not show up on your doorstep, which is why it’s so important to push every day to find them.
Step 4: Network to attract the people you want to be involved with
In order to ensure a successful pivot, Hadari shared that more important than any opportunity,
are the people who are willing to help you find the right opportunity. She told me that the way to
attract the right people is through existing relationships. In the pivot process, you can’t be
scared of asking for introductions from people already in your network. Manifestation of meeting
those who she wants to be introduced to, has helped Hadari land valuable connections. She
puts her heart and soul into each new promising new contact, bringing an open mind to the
relationship. She said that the best way to let people know how they can help, is to be direct and
to the point. And this is why it is so important to be honest and upfront about your intentions, so
that you don’t waste your time, or the time of those who you are connecting with.
Step 5: Be specific about the money that you want to make
The reality is that not all options where you can pivot, will have the same earning potential.
When Hadari makes moves, she is not looking for a step down, or even a step horizontally. With
change, she sees the real opportunity of leveling up. She gets super clear on her income goals,
and shoots for the moon. She sees each pivot as a way to not only change direction, but to also
head in a direction that will allow her to expand further than her past role. Her latest pivot to
import and exports shows this as a clear example. Using her existing global connections in
trade, she is taking advantage of the global demand for PPE goods. For the time being, this
market segment is booming, and Hadari knows it. When the pandemic settles, you can bet
Hadari will be looking to pivot again, to an industry with even more growth. On this topic, Hadari
told me, “If you are going to make a change, you might as well aim to change your income
potential at the same time.”
Step 6: Jump in and fake it till you make it
No matter what direction your pivot points you to, Hadari says that it is crucial to jump in, act the
part, and start making things happen. Don’t sit back. Get up and get going. Start making moves
and work towards transactions. Learn all you can, ask for help, and don’t be afraid to make
mistakes. Find out who the experts are in the field and get acquainted with their history. Read
books, take classes, attend workshops, and go to industry conferences. Join groups on social
media and start learning by taking action. Hadari is a mover and shaker, and she says that the
initial hustle that you show right out of the gates in a new gig will set the tone for your reputation.
Doing so, will help you get recognized, will help you make new connections faster, and will get
you up to speed faster.
So whether you are forced to pivot, or are curious to make a new move, use these six steps as
a guide to make sure you are prepared for what comes with change. Be mentally ready for it,
open for new paths, don’t be discouraged by downtime, attract the right people, and get specific
on your goals. Once you make your move, get going and don’t look back! If you want to connect
with Hadari, find her on LinkedIn, and add one more valuable connection to your network. Who
knows, when you need a change, she might be able to help!

3 Ways To Keep Integrity in Big Deals (While Sticking To Your Core Values)

Stop juggling and start closing more deals with these simple tips.


In my experience with finding and funding international deals from fast-fashion inventory to
millions of PPE products, I can tell you that the myriad of moving parts can make deals fall
apart. With more than two decades of deal-making under my belt, I’ve learned the hard way that
big deals can cause big problems if you are not careful. The three biggest problems I’ve had are
juggling too many deals at once, being blinded by the size of a deal, and not forgiving my
mistakes.
To help you navigate these challenges in your deal-making, here are three lessons that have
helped me stay calm and stick to my core values, no matter how much money is at stake. My
integrity always comes first!
Keep your eye on ONE prize
You may have heard the phrase, “Fortune favors the bold.” The first recorded use of this proverb
was from a play in 161 B.C. That was a long time ago, but it is easy to see the truth in this
ancient wisdom. Those who are bold are the ones who often position themselves for success.
When it comes to brokering big deals, many individuals are bold, but that does not translate to
successfully funded transactions. Instead, I would say that fortune favors those who focus.
I have learned the hard way to focus on one deal at a time. When I focused on too many deals
at once, the following occurred:
● I found myself working hard all day with no results to show for it.
● I have made simple mistakes that have blown deals up.
● I ended up not closing deals because I split my attention.
● I tarnished my reputation by taking on deals that I couldn’t close.
● It caused me to pay less attention to a deal that was close to closing.
● I have unintentionally fractured relationships with investors, buyers, and suppliers
because they felt neglected.
Don’t repeat my mistakes. When knee-deep in a deal, no matter how much money you can
potentially make on another deal, don’t let it divide your focus. Stick to the deal currently in your
hands, and you will significantly increase your chances of a successful deal.
Size does not matter
A 100% commission of a dead deal is zero, zilch, nada. It is so easy to get distracted by big
commissions and gigantic deals that promise massive payouts. The more zeros on the
commission line, the more my heart races, but the more I approach with caution. I know it is
tempting and exciting, but closer beware. I have had my heart broken enough times. Size does
not matter if you can’t close the deal! That is why obsessing over possible commission checks
on multiple deals can create a false sense of success and work against you.
Every deal is important, but you need to focus on deals that you have the energy to close!!
The reality is that small or big deals require a significant amount of your time and energy to
close. Closing deals constantly requires constant communications with multiple parties. It can
become overwhelming, extremely stressful, and physically draining. As you build your reputation
as a closer, you need to have experience in fostering your energy and stamina to see deals
through to the end.
I enjoy smaller deals, because they typically are easier to fund, and it gives me a chance to
prove my ability to other brokers. These deals then help me earn trust with buyers and sellers,
which has led to more deals. When you don’t worry about the size and instead see each deal,
regardless of commission, as a way to showcase your energy, integrity, and core values, you
will start to see more work come your way.
Make mistakes in a way that makes you more successful
To err is human, and since humans broker big deals, expect mistakes to happen. When you
recognize that you will sometimes make mistakes, the trick is to frame these mistakes in a way
that shows you are human, humble, and accountable.
When a mistake happens, what do you do? Do you get mad, angry at yourself, blame others, try
to hide it, or do you use it to your advantage?
A mentor of mine told me long ago to take responsibility, uncover the lessons, and gain more
experience as a result. With every mistake and lost deal, I have grown more confident. As you
grow from your experience, you must learn to let negativity go, and channel your energy into
working smarter (not harder) on your next deal.
In conclusion
Every deal is dynamic in its own right. When you mix multiple parties and millions of dollars, all
sorts of things can and will go wrong. But that is how it goes. You won’t close all your deals, and
that’s okay. The more experience you have, not only in funding deals but also losing them, will
give you the grit you need to survive in this business.
When you center your focus on one deal at a time, it allows you to devote more time and energy
to the deal. And don’t get distracted by big commissions. Instead, focus on what positive energy
you can bring each day, to each deal you commit to seeing through. Work it until it either works
or dies. Rinse and repeat. And when you encounter roadblocks due to making mistakes in the
process, see it as an opportunity to learn from them. Remember that brokering big deals are as
much a people business as it is widgets and logistics. People will watch how many deals you
take on, how many deals you close, and how well you respond to adversity.
If you are stuck in a deal rut and want my two cents, you can connect with me on LinkedIn. I’d
love to help you, based on what I have learned, to help you close that deal!

4 Ways to Fight Trolls (Without Feeding Them)

Use cyberbullying attacks as fuel to focus on yourself instead of the trolls.

Keywords: Trolls, cyberbullying, bullying, business bullying
Bullying can take on many forms, from microaggressions during a Zoom call, a nasty series of
Tweets, or a Medium article with numerous false accusations. Whether you achieve success or
failure as an entrepreneur, you can become a target of bullying from trolls. Not the cute ones
from the ‘90s, but the troll bullies who hide behind their computer screens who bring negativity
into your life.
I have always been one to stand up for myself, and when someone trolls me, my instinct is to
fight back, so for me, it’s hard to just ignore them. Especially when they attack my character. But
feeding the trolls usually leads to more online negativity and drama.
So what do you do?
Over time, I have learned how to fight against trolls without feeding them, and I want to share
four lessons with you, so that you can do more than just turn your back on them.
1. Accept that friends may become frenemies
The times when bullying hurts the most is when business partners and employees, whom I
thought were my friends, blindside me. The mistake I have made too many times is thinking with
my heart, and not my head. And that has resulted in me being overly trusting in people, and
letting them in too close.
These days, I make more of an effort to not just think with my heart, not to trust too quickly, and
be more careful about who I let into my inner circle. If people in my life turn against me, and do
so online, I try to not get emotional and let my heart break. I reflect on the relationship, take
ownership of my part in what they might be upset about, and think of what I could have done
better. This helps me form better relationships moving forward, and sets me up for less
heartbreak.
2. Be transparent in your transactions
I like to assume that people are inherently good, but the reality is that not everyone has a kind
heart. And even worse, we may have good intentions, but may do damaging things to ourselves
due to peer pressure from others.
For one of my companies, I was working with an investor who was so paranoid about me
spending money, that he pressured me to move out of my apartment and live in the warehouse
for over a year to reduce my overhead. At the time, I did not realize how absurd this was. I was
blinded by desperately trying to keep him happy and was not thinking about myself. This whole
situation got bad when I got trolled by employees and competitors about sleeping on the floor to
keep the business alive. I should have been more transparent about my financial situation, and
should not have taken money from him.
3. Document your story – focus on inspiration, not agitation
When people make the decision to talk negatively about you on public-facing platforms, they are
trying to drag you into a fight.
That is why I no longer waste energy thinking about my tormentors, and instead focus more on
myself. I am beginning to share my side of the story online, but not in response to their posts. I
know that not everyone will believe me, but I have to stand up for myself somehow. There are
always two sides to a story, and the one thing I can control is sharing my perspective.
My reputation is everything, especially when dealing in international imports and exports. When
things work out in business, there is a reward that comes with the risk. However, in addition to
successes, I have had companies fail. The result of a business failing can be messy, including
getting sued, and employees becoming disgruntled. There is risk in building businesses, and
you have to keep moving forward the best you can. When a startup is unsuccessful, I do my
best to minimize the losses, identify lessons learned, pay people back, and move forward.
When trolls lash out as a result of your failing business, don’t waste your energy on their
negativity. Instead, focus your energy on telling your story, regardless of the false narrative that
naysayers may try to spin about you online.
4. Report to authorities
Let’s face it, you can accept frenemies, be more transparent, and share your story, but trolls can
and will still come after you. That is why it is important to understand that major publishing
websites have a legal department. If false information is posted about me, I will contact the legal
team and submit an official request to take that information down. It really helps if you have also
filed a police report and restraining order against the troll.
In conclusion
As a female entrepreneur, I have been bullied in the workplace by co-founders, employees,
bosses, and even investors. The attacks range from sexual harassment, to lies about how I run
my business, to coordinated attacks on my character across social media platforms. My advice
to you is to focus on yourself and not just ignore them. Learn to get better at judging people you
get close to, be transparent in your transactions, and share your story without defending
yourself. Accept that there will be trolls who try to bring you down, and fight against them by
letting your actions speak for themselves. If you want to connect or need support about how to
deal with trolls, you can find me on social media and contact me directly through Facebook,
Instagram, or LinkedIn.
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3 Reasons International Trade is still resisting Blockchain, According to Hadari Oshri

Deep rooted culture creates barriers when it comes to modernizing the oldest industry
in the world.

But just because technology is available, does not mean that it will be fully adopted. Take
international trade for example. It would seem that blockchain would solve many of the legacy
and manual processes in selling and shipping containers. To help us better explain why there is
still resistance to this technology within international trade, we reached out to serial
entrepreneur Harari Oshri. With a background in buying and selling containers of fast fashion
excess inventory, Hadari has pivoted to helping hospitals and other organizations source
much-needed medical supplies and PPE from suppliers around the world.
Virtually sitting down with Hadari, I asked her some questions to better understand why there is
still such resistance to adoption of blockchain technology. Hadari shares three factors that she
says explains why.
1. Cultural resistance
Hadari shared that part of the resistance to blockchain when it comes to import and exports is
rooted in the culture of the shipping industry. “Sometimes the deals are closed just because the
partners have been doing business together for many years,” she explained. “Many older
players just don’t seem to be open to change.” She tries to talk with them about the benefits of
blockchain, and how it can help support transactions by building trust. But most are not ready to
listen, or simply stop the conversation saying that it’s just not going to happen.
The idea of digitization for some is a direct threat to the way that they have always done
business. Some fear that it takes the personal elements out of the transactions. Hadari tries to
explain how blockchain could help to build more trusted relationships through transparency.
“Digitalization is already happening in the industry, but mixed with older more
traditional methods, the issue becomes how to ensure that the digitized data is
not only highly secure, but also accessible throughout the whole process,
allowing for existing relationships to strengthen not separate.”
2. Imports and Exports is data driven, with manually inputted data
If you boil it down, there are two parts to global trade. There are the things that move and the
tracking data about those things. Tracking these moving parts for containers that are shipped
globally are traditionally maintained in ledgers. The primary method of maintaining these ledgers
has been a manual process done by humans, documenting on paper, and more recently on
computers.
“Blockchain is a digital decentralized ledger, where multiple transactions are put into a block and
stored across multiple devices,” Hadari explains. “Hence the name blockchain. They are good at
maintaining informational states and if used could help the shipping industry create ledgers that
are more transparent and trustworthy. Over time, if ledger data is entered into the blockchain, it
lessens the chance for human error, making it nearly impossible to create false information.”
“The biggest problem is that the current antiquated system of manually filling out multiple data
points along the supply chain is that it creates a significant risk of human error,” said Hadari. “It
does not have to be malicious, it could just be a mistake. But one mistake could cause a lot of
problems that ripple through the supply chain. Imagine if a human error resulted in shipments
being put on the wrong ships or containers with perishables that sit on a dock so long that they
go rotten.” This is one of the core reasons that she believes that the adoption of blockchain will
improve on existing processes in a number of ways. But even if she got the buyers and sellers
to buy into the idea, there are still the banks to convince.
3. Resistance from banks
Hadari told me that above all else, “This is a cash-in-hand industry.” She shared a story about a
friend who is an independent broker who is bullish on using cryptocurrency, and he suggested
using crypto in some of her trade transactions. She laughed and explained that the guys she
deals with are very adverse to anything other than cash. She sees the lack of understanding in
sellers, buyers, and brokers being a major hurdle to broad adoption of cryptocurrencies
becoming mainstream as a means to pay for trade deals.
To try to get banks on board, Hadari looks for opportunities to point out how the blockchain can
help improve speed of transactions. She talked about the fact that with larger deals, you are
oftentimes transferring money between banks that take multiple days, which leaves the buyers
and sellers monies tied up and vulnerable to unfavorable changes in exchange rates. With the
blockchain and verified transactions, money can be moved much quicker.
She explained that there are also a lot of issues around interbank trust. You can trust your
buyer, but the sellers bank might have issues in completing the funds transfer. The use of
blockchain enables a transparent repository of funds in escrow which can also help build trust.
In conclusion
Using blockchain technology in the imports and exports global industry leads to a higher level of
confidence for all. But that is not enough to convince the industry to change. One of the
challenges for anything driven by technology is to make that technology easy to understand and
use. If it is going to work, Hadari says that blockchain will need to interface with how people are
used to do business in a seamless way. And right now, that is not a reality, at least until there is
a major cultural shift, an understanding how the technology can build trust, and banks that are
willing to deal in cryptocurrency