The Big Reveal: Meet The 2022 Miss Earth Australia Winners

Posted on by krissy

Photo Credit: Dave Choo

Fourteen worthy queens vied for a single crown on Sunday, September 4, 2022, and the coronation night turned out to be a smashing success!

This year’s competition also included musical performances from Angel Charms, Queeness Gutierrez, Deuc3s, Adlips, and Darius Vevo, dance performances from the Philippine Dance Ensemble and Rommel Reyes Olson of Olson Dance World with his dance partner, Jane Standish, as well as a fashion showcase featuring Faten Lawn, Kruz La Mode, Caftan House, and Maricris Delapena Couture. We also got introduced to the Miss Little, Junior, and Teen Earth Australia Princesses, as well as the Mrs. Earth Australia 2022 official candidates Analieze Bella Newton, Anie Benitez, Irene Evangelista, Jenina Cotelo, Judith Nguyen, Kristine Tadem, Louise Veronica, Mary Venus, Mel Diaz, and Rhea Tecson.

The Miss Earth Australia 2022 coronation night went down at the grand ballroom in Hyatt Regency Hotel Sydney. This year’s cream of the crop for Miss Earth Australia consisted of Jaisy Molina, Ariel Beninca, Haley Cobb, Jessika Bassan, Kajol Chand. Kelsy Prest, Naomie White, Riley Aston, Robyn Russell, Sheridan Mortlock, Himaya Wijayaweera, Jaisy Molina, Mariah Whyte, Sofiia Starchevska, and Judith Sanougah.

Following a four-hour showdown of environmental speeches, gowns, glams, and game-changing questions, here’s how things turned out for this year’s hopefuls…

Sponsors’ Awards

StarCentral’s Choice: Kelsy Prest (New South Wales)
Miss Budgy Smuggler: Jessika Bassan (New South Wales)
Miss Millionaires Alliance: Naomie White (New South Wales)
Miss Megaworld International: Sheridan Mortlock (New South Wales)
Miss Hyatt Regency Sydney: Ariel Beninca (Queensland)
Miss Lari Sports Active: Robyn Russel (Australia Capital Territory)
Miss UME: Riley Aston (Queensland)
Miss Cruz Lamont: Mariah Whyte (Victoria)

Special Awards

Best in Swimwear: Sheridan Mortlock (New South Wales)
Miss Photogenic: Sheridan Mortlock (New South Wales)
Best in Evening Gown: Sheridan Mortlock (New South Wales)
Miss Congeniality: Kelsy Prest (New South Wales)
Miss Talent: Robyn Russel (Australia Capital Territory)
Best in Environmental Speech: Naomie White (New South Wales)
Darling of the Press: Riley Aston (Queensland)
People’s Choice Award: Himaya Wijeyaweera (Victoria)
Green Achievers Award: Himaya Wijeyaweera (Victoria)

Top 5 Winners

Miss Earth Charity Australia: Himaya Wijeyaweera (Victoria)


Miss Earth Water Australia: Riley Aston (Queensland)


Miss Earth Fire Australia: Robyn Russel (Australia Capital Territory)


Miss Earth Air Australia: Naomie White (New South Wales)


Miss Earth Australia 2022: Sheridan Mortlock (New South Wales)

Congratulations to the current National Directors Juliet De Leon and managing director Marc Baylon for pulling off the incredible event. Hats off to the Miss Earth Australia 2022 team – it was an amazing effort. Congratulations also to all the beautiful ladies, and best of luck to the new Miss Earth Australia 2022, Sheridan Mortlock!

You can watch the full pageant via this link: Miss Earth Australia 2022

The Big Reveal: Meet The 2022 Miss Earth Australia National Finalists

Posted on by krissy

Miss Earth Australia is one of the most prestigious pageants in the land down under to date. It is held annually to choose which beauty queen will represent Australia in the international and global annual environmental-themed competition, Miss Earth. It was established 18 years ago and aims to utilize its beauty, brains, and talents to promote social awareness regarding environmental concerns and compassion towards our one and only Mother Earth.

Over the years, Miss Earth Australia has aimed to promote pageantry as something that is not always just about the crown, sash, and beauty. It continues to integrate and embrace more inner qualities such as substance, intelligence, kindness, and diversity.

After passing regional screenings, 18 finalists were selected to compete for the Miss Earth Australia 2022 title. Below is the list of candidates:

Himaya Wijeyaweera | Victoria

Her advocacy: “Living in Australia has made me so appreciative of the beauty that we carry throughout nature and the diversity of cultures. My – STRIVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY- approach targets everyone on how we as a collective need to work in unity to incorporate sustainable practices in our everyday lives! This pageant encourages the fulfillment of a purpose toward the protection and preservation of our mother Earth. By taking small steps to educate others on sustainability, I aim to use my platform to target the healthcare industry to bring light to how we can make the change to be more considerate.”

Judith Sanougah | Victoria

Her advocacy: “My decision to join Miss Earth Australia stems from my belief for the environmental problems with a special focus, especially on deforestation – this is my chance to have the journey where I try my best to make a change and leave my mark on our planet, along with teaching young women especially ones like myself with my kind of skin colour and my kind of hair that they are also considered beautiful, and that beauty is not based purely on looks, but that beauty stems from having a purpose.”

Zena Skuthorpe Dowel | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I joined Miss Earth Australia as I believe this organisation gives young women, whose voices are generally silenced, a large platform to talk about huge global issues to do with the environment.”

Jaisy Molina | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I chose to compete in Miss Earth Australia because it is an opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing climate crisis. MEA stands for more than just beauty; it also stands for bravery and courage. Owing to this, I can speak out and inspire others to reduce and eliminate plastic pollution. Let’s protect our precious mother Earth. We are stronger when we work together.”

Fulla Sami | New South Wales

Despina Karpathiou | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “We need a change in the world! There’s so many things happening that aren’t being noticed! Gold mining in Uganda, kids working underground and dying. The weather events happening! The constant floods and devastation. We gotta stand up and do something!

Mariah Whyte | Victoria

Her advocacy: “I joined Miss Earth Australia as I believe this organisation gives young women, whose voices are generally silenced, a large platform to talk about huge global issues to do with the environment.”

Simonne Meiers | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I’m really passionate about the environment, in particular, climate change and what we as a whole population can do to lessen our carbon footprint on the planet and the greenhouse gases and carbon emissions released into our air. Miss Earth Australia is a really great platform where I am surrounded by like-minded people who care about the environment and our Mother Earth, where I believe I can really make a difference and be in a position to advocate for real change.

Haley Cobb | Queensland

Her advocacy: “I found Miss Earth Australia aligned very closely with my values and beliefs, and I believe Miss Earth Australia will allow me to further develop my self-confidence in my advocacy by raising environmental awareness towards businesses’ social responsibility.”

Sheridan Mortlock | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I joined MEA because fighting for the conservation and protection of our planet is the most significant battle we must overcome. I’ve always been an advocate for the environment, but this has been further intensified by my university studies. Currently, I’m undertaking a double degree in Global Sustainability and Politics. Miss Earth Australia provides an excellent platform to amplify our voices and action as we protect mother earth.”

Kajol Chand | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I decided to join Miss Earth Australia to pursue my interests in serving and preserving our environment. My love for nature stems from my upbringing and my background – having Fijian blood meant I was attached to nature. Nature is a big part of the Fijian culture, with much emphasis on keeping it thriving. I share this journey of mine with my sister Shayal who was born with a rare disability – she continues to inspire me to believe that we can create the perfect environment for coexistence between humans and the natural world.”

Robyn Russel | Australia Capital Territory

Her advocacy: “I joined Miss Earth Australia because I love the mission behind the organisation. I will be able to meet like-minded girls who have the same mission as me. It aligns with my morals and views to save Mother Earth. In my current full-time job, I am educating people about sustainability and the impact of internal combustion cars on climate change. Through this platform, I can broaden my audience and educate more people. Miss Earth Australia truly is beauty for a cause.”

Sofiia Starchevska | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I’ve decided to participate in Miss Earth Australia this year as I believe my life goals and values align with this pageant’s ethos. I’m here to learn more about what we can do to create the best future for the next generations, collaborate our minds, and drive a global change!”

Riley Aston | Queensland

Her advocacy: “I joined Miss Earth Australia 2022 because I believe in promoting environmental awareness, conservation, and social responsibility towards Mother Earth. I will utilise the Miss Earth Australia platform to make a difference by highlighting the importance of our environmental actions and acting on our social responsibilities to conserve the natural beauty of this planet we call home. I am excited to lead by example and share my eco-friendly tips with everyone throughout my Miss Earth Australia journey.”

Jessika Bassan | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “Coming to Miss Earth Australia, I can be a voice to empower everyone to be independent, believe in their potential, and don’t lose their essence of life. Being the eldest sister of my three younger sisters, I believe that I should be a good role model for them, where I live a humble and respectful life – while genuinely learning and finding my life’s true purpose.”

Ariel Beninca | Queensland

Her advocacy: “Our environment through Miss Earth Australia is such a solid cause to speak for and represent my advocacy – “Political Change for Climate Change.” Climate change is the greatest threat to our existence, and there’s only so much we, as individuals, can do about this issue. We need all governments worldwide to act on climate change, and we need to implement renewable infrastructure and hold corporations to account.”

Kelsy Prest | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I joined Miss Earth Australia because I absolutely love what the competition stands for. As a scientist, our job is to provide facts and information, so I wanted to do just that and use this opportunity and platform to promote biodiversity, encourage sustainability and create awareness, and will back it all with scientific evidence.”

Naomie White | New South Wales

Her advocacy: “I gravitated toward the Miss Earth Australia pageant as I was inspired by my trip to the Philippines in 2018 and met former Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco – she opened my eyes to the fact that young women have a voice to be a catalyst of change. As a young woman who has been proactive about the idea of a sustainable Earth, I find this the utmost opportunity to become a quintessential part of the change.”

In Photos: Miss Earth Australia 2022’s Official Sashing Ceremony

Posted on by krissy

The journey to Miss Earth Australia 2022 has officially begun as some of the finalists (majority from Sydney) turned up last July 30 to participate in one of the most important pageants in the world. The grand finale will be held on the 4th of September 2022, and at the conclusion of the grand finale, Miss Earth Australia 2021 Phoebe Soegiono will be crowning her successor. The Miss Earth Australia Organization recently held its grand launch and sashing ceremony, which saw National Director Julieta De Leon sashing all the beautiful finalists. The ceremony was held in Hyatt Regency.

The sashes looked fabulous, more so because of their simplicity. Its colour was the usual green, with the Miss Earth Australia emblem in white. The Earth Australia 2022 coronation night will be a fabulous event with delegates from all over Australia competing for the prestigious crown and the honourable duties that come with it. We can’t wait to see who gets to take the crown home this year!

Check out the photos below to see highlights from the Miss Earth Australia 2022 Sashing Ceremony courtesy of Ricky Yunata Photography.

The Best Fashion From The Miss Earth Australia 2022 Grand Launch and Fashion Show

Posted on by krissy

Set in the backdrop of Hyatt Regency, various fashionistas, models, and photographers flocked together to witness an event featuring the 2022 Miss Earth Australia finalists. The event is the brainchild of Miss Earth Australia National Director Julieta De Leon and Managing Director Marc Baylon.

Amongst flashing lights, media coverage, and music was Stargazer Production and the Miss Earth Australia Organization right in the middle of it all. It was a great night filled with world-class fashion and entertainment as they celebrated their love and commitment to Mother Earth.

The 2022 Miss Earth Australia 2022 Grand Launch and Fashion Show featured some of the most incredibly talented Sydney designers, such as Tommy Ge of Leatheron, Faten Lawn, Lily African Wares, Alies Bol, and Armando Crisostomo.

Check out some of the photos below from the fashion show courtesy of George Azmy:

 

Entrepreneur To Watch Out For: Meet The Co-Founder And CEO Of SnapADU, Whitney Hill

Posted on by krissy

As co-founder and CEO of SnapADU, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU or “granny flat”) construction company serving San Diego, Whitney Hill is part of a broader shift in how the state thinks about housing. Whitney and her partner Mike Moore, an experienced general contractor, have grown the business to $15M during the pandemic, embracing technology to make it faster and more efficient to design and build an ADU. Her company starts by assessing ADU feasibility – for free – to get homeowners answers they need to design and build an ADU within their budget constraints.

In 2020-21, Snap ADU improved transparency in the market by publishing ADU plans and build prices online, along with the fully-loaded cost to build an ADU, including plans, permitting, site work, vertical construction, and any additional work like required solar power and utility upgrades. Whitney’s team also regularly produces informative free content on the ins and outs of building an ADU in San Diego, including what to watch out for to avoid unexpected delays and cost overruns.

Given the rapidly changing dynamics in the construction industry due to supply chain and labor constraints, pricing in the past year has been highly unpredictable. Snap ADU provides a guaranteed price maximum for construction once plan revisions are completed with the city, allowing homeowners to plan confidently.

In 2020-21, Whitney and SnapADU were recognized nationally as avid adopters of technology, including industry-leading project management software enabling homeowners to view details of their project schedule and financials and make approvals on materials and overall budget. Whitney has been featured on numerous podcasts about construction technology and small business leadership.

In addition to being a woman-owned business, more than 40% of Snap ADU employees are women or of minority status; the number exceeds 65% when accounting for independent contractors that work for Snap ADU.

Global Elite Media Group recently caught up with Whitney to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business? 

I’m the co-founder and CEO of SnapADU, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU, guest house, granny flat, casita) construction company serving San Diego. SnapADU has become the leading builder of ADUs in San Diego as part of a broader shift in how California thinks about generating affordable housing. Our company designs, permits, and builds 50 ADUs annually and has $15M in revenue.

Before getting involved in residential real estate, I gained strategic & tactical experience as a management consultant for Bain & Company and an operations manager for an industrial supply distributor. 

In early 2020, I learned about accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which are small homes of 400–1200 sqft on residential lots with an existing primary residence. Regulation changes made it far easier to build ADUs on most residential lots. I was excited about the concept of more efficient housing as an option for intergenerational living or generating rental income. 

Within a month or two of researching ADUs and thinking about how to make an entrance into construction in San Diego, I was working in a coffee shop. I overheard a conversation between two people who were clearly in development. One of them later introduced me to his good friend Mike Moore, co-founder of SnapADU.

We joined forces to focus on getting extremely good at meeting the increasing demand for well-designed and value-oriented ADUs in Greater San Diego. Mike has spent his life in construction, working for both larger commercial and small custom home builders before starting his own business. His experience in small business ownership and construction meshed perfectly with my skills, and together we set out to make a difference in the San Diego ADU market.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

We have been painstakingly combing through each step of our business to ensure we have sufficiently defined operating procedures and enacted automation wherever possible. This attention to detail is helping us maintain margins by keeping our costs down. It’s also ensuring that our clients get a consistent and high-quality experience in industry – residential infill construction – that is historically hit or miss in customer service. We’re also working on establishing concrete points for soliciting feedback from our clients to ensure we are keeping up with evolving needs, while also sharing that valuable specific feedback with team members.

Another priority for us is continuing to publish high-quality information about our niche of accessory dwelling units in San Diego. Building this kind of content strengthens our web presence, which helps generate organic leads. Additionally, we gain trust with potential clients by providing a high level of transparency about information like cost and process.

Lastly, we are laying the foundation for future growth by ensuring our systems and technology can support our business as we scale. We are investing in new visualization software to help clients make more informed decisions about their build while streamlining the customer journey.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Our strongest form of marketing is ranking highly on SEO to generate organic leads; 70% of our business comes from people finding us on Google searches. We reach this level of success by generating regular content on our topic of expertise, then ensuring those articles are optimized for SEO – at least 1000 words, targeted keywords, and backlinks whenever we can generate them.

We also receive about 20% of our business through job site signs. This is, of course, geographically targeted, which is important to us, particularly in the same neighborhood, since HOAs and other factors can limit the buildability of lots.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

We post 3-5 times a week on Instagram and Facebook and at least weekly on LinkedIn. We also post on local forums via Patch and Next Door. We generate our content for the month for Instagram, then decide which additional platforms should also have that information published.

On Instagram, we have been pushing to create more Reels, which are shown to an audience outside of followers. We typically reach 3X the views we can with a regular post. In our industry, there are not yet many other players focused on “edutainment,” so we are exploring that avenue.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

The toughest decision we’ve had to make in the past few months is when to begin reorganizing our sales and pre-construction process. For us, this is a large investment of both money and team resources, as we have to staff these initiatives appropriately while also not letting our operational goals slip.

So deciding when to pull the trigger is difficult; we know we need to undertake the change, but we are running at top speed to keep up with our growth as it is. It’s tough ever to feel fully ready for a large undertaking like that, even though it is a necessary step and a good decision to support future growth.

How has your business been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

The demand for our product has gone up. Especially in light of COVID, families are looking for new living options that keep loved ones closer to home. ADUs offer families flexibility since ADUs are versatile and meet the demands of evolving intergenerational lifestyles.

How have you adapted your business operations in response to COVID-19 and its associated impacts?

COVID has opened opportunities for working smarter. Our business was created entirely during the pandemic. For us, it was a unique opportunity to take advantage of tools to help assess properties remotely. Traditionally, contractors would make site visits early on. We use satellite imagery, zoning, and parcel information to learn what is buildable on the lot. Since COVID, people are much more willing to work remotely, and we’ve learned that we can push industry norms in this new environment.

Additionally, all our team – except for field crews – works remotely. We no longer have an office, but you can find many of us connected via Zoom throughout the day. We’ve embraced technology that makes it possible to work from anywhere, even in the historically site-based construction world.

What are some of the most important lessons you learned from this pandemic?

The biggest challenge has been handling escalating material and labor prices. We don’t want our clients to feel like we are doing a ‘bait and switch’ with them, but unfortunately, long project timelines mean that pricing can move quite a bit from when they sign a proposal to when we start building. We try to mitigate volatile pricing by having several checkpoints on price along the way to keep them informed and to ensure the reasons for any increases are transparent.

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?

I hope to see more strategic partnerships that enable people to do what they are best at.

Many small business owners started out in their industry because they loved the hands-on part of the job. By the time they are running a small business, most of their day to day is filled with tasks that don’t excite them: administrative minutiae, worrying about how to get more people in the door, trying desperately to make margins.

Meanwhile, a host of other people out there went to school for business administration and LOVE that part of small business… yet they are busy looking around for that “perfect” new idea. Innovation doesn’t have to be flashy or new or exciting. It can be just as impactful to run an extremely efficient operation and focus on an underserved niche.

Partnering with someone with a complementary set of skills can help you bring a business to the next level at multiple of the speed you could have done alone. And it feels like such a life hack to focus on the exciting parts, while your partner focuses on the parts that they love (but you really despise).

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up a new business in this pandemic?

Focus on your niche. Get extremely good at serving your ideal client. Turn people away if you must, which feels scary at first. Serving a smaller group of people well will lead to better reviews and referrals while also allowing you to really dig in and understand that group and provide value to them. All of this has the effect of building a strong core business from which you can grow.

Entrepreneur To Watch Out For: Find Out More About Lisamarie Monaco

Posted on by krissy

Lisamarie Monaco is a National Independent Life Insurance Agent. She’s a successful entrepreneur who started with very little. She currently co-owns her business (Insuranceforburial.com) – and is a “Family Protector.”

Monaco helps seniors daily, and she ensures their loved ones are protected from financial burdens when they pass away, ensuring they receive a lump sum check at the most difficult times in their lives. Global Elite Media Group recently caught up with Monaco to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur, and here’s what went down:

Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?

A little about me and my background: I grew up on Long Island, New York. I worked at a Level One Trauma Center for 18 years. I have raised four children. I lived through a divorce and was unsure where life would bring me. I knew I needed to make some decisions and decided to take a leap of faith. I moved to Florida a few years ago and married my now husband, Danny Ray. We founded our company together. Although he has been in this industry for over 27 years, I have not. I was starting my life over and knew I wanted to do something meaningful and decided I wanted to help our seniors protect their loved ones from financial burdens when they pass away. That is when I became “The Family Protector.” Insuranceforburial.com was born shortly after.

What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?

I am currently working on preparing for Medicare open enrollment to ensure our clients have everything they need in coverage and to be certain they are in the right plan and not overpaying by even a penny. We also want to ensure they do not have any gaps in their coverage.

What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?

Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing. These are great ways of building our business through the years.

What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?

The social media platforms we use the most are Facebook and Instagram. Everyone today is on Social Media. People use Facebook probably the most and not only socialize, but shop and have found us via Facebook and have reached out to us to help them obtain life insurance.

What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?

The toughest decision in the last few months has been implementing more automation in our business. We have hired people to be administration assistants, but we have not had luck finding the right fit. I have decided we will utilize automation as much as possible, and in addition, I take on Administrative roles two days a week to keep up with the daily routine.

How has your business been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the business has increased even more than ever. We are a National Telesales Agency, licensed in every state, and have clients in every state. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more people have appreciated the ease and simplicity of the online application process and voice signature application process for their life insurance needs. Our seniors can get an active policy from start to finish in 20 minutes and never have to leave their homes or have anyone come into their homes. They are safe and have their family protected by the end of that call with an approved policy!

How have you adapted your business operations in response to COVID-19 and its associated impacts?

Since Covid-19 we have adapted by keeping distance and working from our home offices. We have a few in-house agents and several remote agents that have been wonderful throughout the pandemic.

What have been some of the most important lessons you have learned because of this pandemic?

Some of the most important lessons I have learned since the pandemic is to appreciate our current clients, our clients to be, and to appreciate the business we are in. I find it an honor and a privilege to do what I do, especially with such uncertainty over the last two years. Knowing I have helped so many of our seniors get through this and help them reach their goals of final expense insurance and protect their loved ones leaving a legacy for their children and grandchildren. It is a tremendous honor on every level.s

What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?

I hope to see small businesses continue to grow by leaps and bounds in the near future all over the world. I hope for this because small businesses are people’s dreams, their creativity, desire, grit, and passion for what they do. Seeing that come to life is a beautiful thing.

What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up a new business in this pandemic?

Don’t overthink anything. Write out your goals. Set up a plan. Create a vision board of everything you want to achieve and take that leap. You will have sleepless nights; you will have feelings of failure at times or make mistakes; takes those as your stepping stones to greatness, and never give up. Take it from this small-town Long Island girl who started out with $58.00 in my checking account and eating Triscuit crackers. I am an example of anything, and everything is possible. Take your leap!

Introducing The Entrepreneur Behind The Cover Of The July 2022 Issue Of Global Elite Entrepreneur Magazine: Guruji Shrii Arnav

Posted on by geqadmin

Download Now

In a major scoop, Global Elite Entrepreneur magazine was able to get in touch with the Grandmaster and Guru of Gurus- Guruji Shrii Arnav, for a no holds barred interview.

The revered and beloved Guruji Shrii Arnav is the father of Astro Gemology and an internationally acclaimed spiritual Guru who uses techniques based on spirituality, Astro Gemology, and modern management methods – he’s a mentor to statesmen and millionaires.

The author of the Magnum Opus” Secrets of Jyotish Gems” (translated into six languages), he is the mentor of the world’s largest E-commerce portal to buy natural Gemstones online (Gemstoneuniverse.com). The website has a mind-boggling reach of 4 million monthly users and has been around since the early days of the Internet in 1996.

From consultants to start-ups as well as superstars, we’re pretty confident our readers will enjoy straight-from-the-heart candid answers from the man who is in the business of changing lives for the better.

Guruji, congratulations on winning the Best Thailand Personality of the Year 2021 award! How does it feel? What was the process for you to find what you wanted to do?

I am very honoured, and a bit surprised in equal measure. To win an award of this magnitude and being the first foreigner and non-Thai person to win this award is very humbling.

I dedicate this award to all human beings who consciously think of their fellow men; yes, they still exist. Thank God for that.

As far as finding the process of what I wanted to do was fairly simple.

I did not want to do anything nor had a step-by-step plan. I just do what I like to do and by which I can make a difference.

Once I had complete confidence in my guru and absolute faith in his words, there was no confusion.

This was further cemented by the feedback I received from people who engaged and interacted with me. That I can positively contribute to their lives is an added reinforcement.

A Beautiful Poignant Moment from Guruji Shrii Arnav’s Birthday

What has been the most memorable experience of being in the Gemstone industry so far?

At Gemstoneuniverse and in my life in general, we are blessed with many memorable experiences every day, so singularly pointing out a single experience would be difficult.

However, last night I was recounting the experience of one man who was suffering from Psoriasis. It was both an uncomfortable and distressing situation for him.

After trying out conventional allopathic treatment with no measurable difference (No improvement – the Psoriasis was manageable) and not cured, he sought my advice.

I advised him to wear a Natural Pearl and Coral combination, massage with a specific herb-infused oil, and listen to a certain audio frequency for 6 minutes daily.

By the Grace of God, his situation improved by nearly 70% within eight weeks.

In addition to improving his condition, the remarkable change in his confidence and attitude was very satisfying.

I am also pleased that gracious people with their names and designations share their experience with Gem therapy and other combination therapies on video at Gemstoneuniverse. You can view them in our testimonial section or on social media pages.

The Grandmaster casts a Vedic Horoscope & Position of Planets as per date, place, and time of birth to reveal amazing details of a Person’s Life and Destiny

It was amazing to see that Global Personalities like Donald Trump Jr., Sporting superstars like Carl Lewis, and other celebrities wish you such warmth on your birthday. Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

Every person I meet is a superstar, a seed with the potential to be a giant, and I am blessed to meet people from all walks of life.

From a milkman to a conglomerate owning a major dairy operation, from a motorcycle mechanic to a conglomerate manufacturing engine for the latest cutting-edge aircraft – I meet all sorts of fascinating people.

That phenomenal people with rare accomplishments decided to surprise me for my birthday, and it was indeed a special gift.

However, as I said, I love and respect every individual who wishes to engage and interact with me, and I am nonjudgemental. I do not classify them with the tags that society gives them. That is the only way I can give them my best and bring out the best in them.

Guruji Shrii Arnav with Admiral Chanchai Charoensuwan of the Royal Armed Forces, Group Captain Prasong P of the Air force Academy Thailand & other senior officers.

What makes your company different than your competitors?

I actually like this question, so I am quite glad you asked me that.

From my standpoint, we are NOT a company.

We are an organization and a movement driven by excellence and values of compassion. Our motto is “Patron Benefit first, and profits are a by-product.”

We love Gem Therapy, we love and respect the ancient spiritual sciences, and we love our patrons. Those individuals from more than 70 nations actively engaging with us is a testimony to the impact of Gemstoneuniverse.

As far as competitors are concerned, I would like to believe and practice that we are our own competition and strive to be always in a state of Kaizen.

We are not cut, copy, and paste masters but inspired scientists and artists.

And till we stay in a constant state of relentless innovation and pursuit of knowledge, we will not have to bother about the so-called competition.


Guruji Shrii Arnav receiving the Best Thailand Personality of the year award 2021.

Your social media posts are quite good and they deliver so much value. People eagerly look forward to meeting you in the Humans of Gemstoneuniverse program. How does one seek your mentorship or be your disciple?

I feel happy that I can deliver some unique value to the amazing people who interact and like to assimilate my posts or the information I share.

This primarily shows two things:

The vast range of avenues available to us to lead a better life and find solutions to our problems, and second, there is no one size fits all solution to problems.

Unique DNA, unique people, and unique methods of life optimization.

Yesterday in my Facebook post, I said I had a problem with the word mindset.

How can a dynamic MIND be SET? That is an absurdity. I was asked to simulate an interview-like situation and to get hired by specifying five words or less about myself. That was a cathartic life-changing exercise for some.

I also said if you are still looking for some course or mindset, etc., as part of your vocabulary, then there is still time to seek me out.

Once the individual is ready, nature automatically connects us. That is the magic and miracle of life.

Latest Yellow Sapphire ring and Nine Gem Talisman collections 2022 designed by Guruji Shrii Arnav & offered by the House of Gemstoneuniverse.

You advise some of the biggest corporations and individuals on finance and investment. What is your take on bitcoin, cryptos, NFT, etc.?

Whatever the economic situation, one should stick to basic solid foundation rules that always deliver.

God’s currency is land, gold, silver, Gemstones, and knowledge – these will never give a negative return despite COVID, stagflation, recession, depression, or whatever fancy words so-called experts throw at you.

Be conservative rather than greedy, and let the power of compounding do wonders for you.

For young entrepreneurs and individuals, a good primary goal is to have extra funds for one whole year in case you won’t be doing anything.

If you can calculate your yearly burn and work towards having that in reserve, you will automatically have excellent learning and practice, which should be enough.

Guruji Shrii Arnav appointed as the Mentor and Head of Strategy of Udon Thani Football club.

Your life is a roller coaster with so many fascinating things happening. What are your big-ticket items for 2022?

I think the primary focus now is on the Gem Art, ensuring that Gem supply and pricing remain stable and cutting-edge alternative healing centres including working with sacred herbs including legalized Cannabis (Smiles). I cannot say more at his juncture, and my heartfelt regards and best wishes to your team and readers. Stay well and Stay Blessed.

You can follow the amazing Guruji Shrii Arnav on social media via the links below:

Website: www.gemstoneuniverse.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gemstoneuniverse

Instagram: @gemstoneuniverse

You can also follow Guruji Shrii Arnav’s public updates on his Facebook for daily energy contemplations via the address below:

www.facebook.com/emeraldriverindia

Wearing Love on his Heart- Guruji Shrii Arnav on a Cannabis Plantation

Meet The Rising Star Behind The Cover Of The July 2022 Issue Of GEQ Magazine: Cleopatra Fitzgerald

Posted on by geqadmin

Download Now

New York City powerhouse Cleopatra Fitzgerald is a philanthropist, experienced researcher, politician, writer, activist of causes, and celebrity/influencer. Fitzgerald is also an interfaith minister who can officiate weddings, funerals, and baptisms from all types of religions – she is able to work with the various ideas and beliefs of each religion.

Many will recognize the politician/influencer as an NYC Mayoral Candidate. She was awarded the Martin Luther King’s award for her leadership and fight against discrimination of all types. At first, she was a longtime Democrat; then for several years she became independent as a Republican, and then she eventually returned back to the Democratic Party in early 2021. Throughout the years, she’s been an active voice who has worked towards fixing broken systems. She has met with many of the city’s politicians, including the Manhattan Borough President, a U.S. representative, as well as a Senate candidate. She’s been featured on Twiplomacy’s Twitter accounts most followed by world leaders and has been invited to attend high-profile events such as George W. Bush’s Official President’s Dinner Invitation, Barack Obama’s World Leaders Forum/gathering at the Hilton Hotel, and President Trump’s inaugural celebration, opening of the campaign office for an Independence Party presidential candidate to name a few. If Fitzgerald ever decides to run for political office again, she will be doing so for the awareness campaign causes of global issues that matter to the populace.

Fitzgerald was born on February 16th, 1984 in Manhattan, New York City. As a teen, she took several theatre classes and spent time acting and playwriting while in college. She also graduated with a degree in political science. At one point Fitzgerald attended a music college and was invited to perform with her violin various times at the Lincoln Center. She wants to rescue preoccupied minds from doubts with compassion. Her passions are varied and dynamic. Fitzgerald has participated in art drawing, and her work has been featured in museums – in fact, at the age of 12, she drew and sculpted nude life models from both genders at the academy.

GEQ magazine recently caught up with Fitzgerald to discuss her journey in the industry and here’s what she said:

How did you get into the fashion industry?

Our families in general come from a variety of performing arts, arts, and diverse industries that value fashion in view of their hereditary traditions, aesthetics, social status, global ethnicity, and other components. Primarily, my participation in fashion was when I began studying a hobby “art and sculpture” at the academy and I started to design fashion sketches as a mode of art – my instructor was a fashion designer. I have studied the history of fashion and was accepted into a fashion institute but did not attend because I was already enrolled at another school with differing subjects. In high school, they offered designing classes and I took art classes. As a global celebrity and fashion model, I believe that fashion can be educational and anyone with devotion and inspiration can become a designer. In my fashion modeling, I have used fashion in diverse settings and for various front cover stories.

What do you like most about being a designer?

Designing is about mixing themes, historical eras, concepts, etc. The part I appreciate about fashion is that it is about the human senses to raise awareness, to resolve situations of the present and the future. Fashion gives shape and meaning to a design that can heal, and transform our globe with betterment and not as a world upside down with deficiencies and broken systems. We can see trending for instance: Fashion for the environment, political issues, charity, prevention of diseases and so much more.

Downside to being a designer?

The time can be somewhat of a downside for designers. Considering the time spent in putting together all elements of the design which are visual geometry, symbols, textures, and so forth that should be meticulously, and properly placed in order. Whatever the focus of the theme to be depicted it takes concentration and organization to produce a marketable product.

What has been the most memorable experience of being in the fashion industry so far?

I was in a Halloween pageantry and my topic was titled “The Masked Senorita Costume” -I did not have the sole thought that I was going to be selected. When the judges without even knowing who I was, rewarded me – that is how I increased my motivation by portraying with my fashion the multitude of cultures in the world.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

I have met many distinguished people in my life including those dearly departed and those I had the pleasure of meeting during different events. In the fashion industry, while I was part of the art house the previous principal and art-house director Ms.Needler introduced me to fashion designer Norma Kamali. Additionally, on the street, Steven Kolb happened to be passing by and we spoke for a while. Among these are countless others I had the pleasure of meeting.

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while in the fashion industry? This can be about the industry or about yourself.

The important lesson is that women, men, and children models in the fashion industry should not be exploited. Sadly, many models are subjected to unfair wages, rape, sexual trafficking, child abuse, health problems like anorexia, and further types of abuse. Hopefully, human rights groups, organizations, law enforcement, and investigative journalists have made the planet alert and laws are being passed.

Is your family supportive of you being a designer?

Yes, they are supportive because my mission is not for my own benefit it is for the public wellbeing.

If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?

I am satisfied with my past – however, I believe that throughout my educational years up till now, we are still in need of school reform. When something was wrong in the schools, I contacted the principal, sergeant, and the educational authorities. Nonetheless, more should be done to prevent bias, discrimination, harassment, stereotyping, bullying, and crimes. The surveillance cameras, metal detectors, guards, and policies might solve a portion of the issue but there is an abundance of defects that keep on persisting.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I do not forget the plenty of honest people whose words of advice were truly uplifting. I even give credit to and thank critics as everyone is entitled to their own opinions. One of the most important pieces of advice I received was from my math teacher Mr. Greco who said, “never change the way you are.” Optimistic affirmations really make a difference.

What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it?

Plans are continuous as long as there are causes to advocate for and learning from others is a lifelong process. “Cosmic Worlds” and “Causes” signifies that I am advocating for the world and cosmic issues which present new concerns as times keep on advancing. Thus, finding resolutions to recurring dilemmas.

Must-Watch: Miss Earth Australia 2022 Grand Launch & Fashion Show

Posted on by geqadmin

What: Stargazer Production Pty Ltd together with Hyatt Regency Sydney and Megaworld International cordially invites you to attend an afternoon to remember.

Miss Earth Australia is a national beauty pageant that promotes awareness of environmental issues and the steps that can be taken by everyone to reduce our environmental footprint.

Miss Earth Australia is part of Miss Earth International, which has organizations in 120 countries and is now one of the world’s top three international beauty pageants.

Miss Earth Australia aims to channel the beauty pageant entertainment industry as an effective tool to promote awareness. The Miss Earth Australia Gala and Grand Coronation will be celebrating the reign and passing of the crown of Miss Earth Australia 2021, Phoebe Soegiono to the new Miss Earth Australia 2022.

You can witness the crowning of the new Miss Earth Australia 2022 on Saturday, July 30 at Hyatt Regency Hotel. A red carpet event with Miss Earth Australia supporters, patrons, and sponsors will be held to mark the occasion. Tickets are very limited so please buy your tickets NOW before it’s too late.

PRE SHOW SOCIALS: Time to catch up! Get to mingle with everyone as we serve VIP guests welcome drinks as well as a selection of chef-recommended canapes.

PRE SHOW PRESENTATION: A parade of Miss Earth Australia 2021 Queens and Miss Little, Junior as well as Teen Earth Australia 2022 Queens.

FASHION SHOW: An intimate show presenting several of our up-and-coming Australian designers will showcase their new collections featuring Stargazer Models and the National Finalists of Miss Earth Australia 2022.

MISS EARTH AUSTRALIA 2022 GRAND LAUNCH: The official launch of this year’s Miss Earth Australia 2022 will introduce their National Finalists representing the states of New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia.

A truly exciting journey ahead – after two years of virtually selecting their winner to officially represent Australia in the month-long Miss Earth International competition, they are finally back for a week-long face-to-face competition in selecting the next Environmental Queen from Down Under.

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT MISS EARTH AUSTRALIA 2022???

Where: Hyatt Regency Sydney (161 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW 2000)

When: Saturday, 30 July 2022 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm AEST

Tickets: Via this link

Meet The Rising Star Behind The Cover Of The June 2022 Issue Of GEQ Magazine: Jojo Almazora Sebastian

Posted on by geqadmin

Download Now

Jojo Almazora Sebastian is a Filipino-American from Kapolei, Hawaii, based in Sydney, Australia – he’s a devoted and compassionate frontliner and nurse who works in the Operating Theatre at a busy Metropolitan Hospital in Sydney. However, on weekends, this orthopaedic nursing unit manager transforms into a charming and dashing tuxedo-attired singer-entertainer and master of ceremonies. A veteran of the United States Military Forces (USAF), he could be seen regularly in concerts where he performs as a front act for local and international artists. He has been a main staple in the local and International Pageants from the Philippines, Hawaii, and Australia in the last 17 years.

This former disc jockey of Brother Joe and Pinoy Love Crew 101.5 FM KPHI Honolulu has been named the Australian Best Pageant Host in the Australian Golden Sash Awards from 2019 through to 2021 and is due to represent Australia once more in the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA 2023) to be held in California in July 2023 in the categories of singing, dancing, and modelling/spokesperson.

Jojo has been an awardee in Sydney’s Best Dressed for the last two years due to his excellent dressing sense and confident personality. For 2021, Sydney Best Dressed Organisation has awarded Jojo the Top Male Fashion Icon of the Year. This also landed him an award for the Inaugural Ceremony of World’s Best Dressed. Furthermore, he has been nominated for Manila’s Best Dressed for 2021 to represent Australia in the prestigious Annual Event in 2022. Moreover, he was given an award at the 2021 Australian Modelling and Fashion Awards. Jojo also is an Ambassador for Sassy and Co Clothing 2021 which endeavours to teach everyone in the community fashion sustainability and once more to breathe a new life to old clothes through recycling and repurposing. Jojo was also named the first brand ambassador for MADE FOR MEN – an organic skincare made for men.

Jojo has also been busy in the catwalk – he participated in the runway at the 2021 Australian Multicultural Fashion Festival, 2021 Sassy and Co Fashion Runway, 2021 Australian Modelling and Fashion Awards, 2021 Australian Fashion Preview, 2021 This Is Me Fashion Show and 2021 Miss Earth Australia Fashion Show amongst other. Jojo recently walked for Trinitiry Dawson – a Sydney Designer, in the New York Fashion Week last February 2022, and LAKME Fashion Show in June 2022. He has been invited back to grace New York Fashion Week this coming September 2022.

This year has been fruitful for Jojo, as he has been nominated and awarded numerous accolades such as Global Elite Achiever Awardee at the 2022 Global Awards Night (Utah, USA), International Pageant King of the Year at the 2022 Ganap Global Achiever Awards (Manila, Philippines), International Multi-Awarded Personality of the Year at the 2022 Ganap Global Achievers Awards (Manila, Philippines), Ambassador of Culture and Arts 2022 (Sydney, Australia), and representative of Sydney’s Best Dress at Manila’s Best Dress 2022.

In terms of his modelling career, 2021, and 2022 have been fruitful for Jojo. He has graced the cover of numerous magazines all over the world to date and there are still at least 6 in the works. He has appeared in the covers of GEQ magazine (February 2021 issue), Model and Mode (February 2021 issue), InLife International (March 2021 issue), Inside Pageant (4th Issue – USA – May 2021), Ganap Internation Magazine (2nd Issue – USA – 2nd Quarter 2021), StarCentral Magazine (June 2021 issue), Vous Magazine Men – Spain (June 2021 issue), Chicstilo Magazine (August 2021 issue), Vanity Philippines (October 2021 issue), Fashion Art Media Magazine (October – December 2021 Issue Scotland), Sash Magazine (January 2022 issue), Vanity Philippines (February 2022 issue), Ganap International Magazine (February 2022 issue), Fashion Arts Media Magazine – Scotland/United Kingdom (March 2022 issue, and Roidx Magazine – Paris, France (April 2022 issue). The list does not include radio, YouTube, and television interviews he has done in 2022 promoting his advocacies and charities.

Jojo has continued to expand his horizon by hosting a tv show in Australia TV1 with Mrs. Universe Australia Mary Rose Salubre under MS Production, where they feature interesting people, events, and places in Australia.

Overall, Jojo’s vision and purpose in this endeavor are to have a bigger platform to introduce and promote his advocacies.

GEQ recently caught up with Jojo to discuss his journey in the industry, and here’s what went down:

What is something that sets you apart or makes you unique?

Two things make me unique. My experience and passion sets me apart from my contemporaries. Passion drives me to be hungry to improve and try new things. That passion makes me look for adventures and journeys that I would not necessarily take. That passion provides me the niche and courage to run after things that people think would be out of my reach. That passion gets me that experience that made me the person that I am today.

What would you talk about if you could speak on national television for 30 minutes?

If I could speak on national TV for half an hour, I would take the opportunity to talk about my advocacies. My advocacies include the following: (1) children and (2) Volunteerism. For the Children, I continue to support various charitable institutions and fundraise for Sydney Children’s Hospital and Cerebral Palsy Foundation. Overall, I have raised, and helped raise over $38,000 AUD for various organisations and charities I support. For about ten years, I have provided scholarship for the less fortunate in the Philippines to continue their college education.

One of the projects I have concentrated on is Community Service by Volunteerism. Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity where an individual or group provides services for no financial gain. Volunteering is often intended to promote goodness or improve the human quality of life. Volunteering may have positive benefits for the volunteer, and the person or community served. I highly believe that if our community comes together and volunteers, even for just a couple of hours a month under any charitable institution and non-profit organisation – it will make a positive difference in the personal and professional aspects of all individuals involved, especially oneself. Furthermore, I would like for the community to realise that volunteering is a social responsibility of all its members, especially for the marginalised and disadvantaged.


Photographed By: George Azmy
Clothes: Zara
HMUA: Marilou Bautista
Skin Care: Chocolate Day Spa

What are three goals you want to accomplish in 5 years?

In 5 years, I hope to complete my Master’s in Nursing Education, establish a Scholarship Foundation to support students to continue their University Education in Australasia, and probably settle down in my own house in Australia.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I want to be remembered as a person of passion who has lived my life in the fullness of serving others.

Photographed By: Elegantography
Clothes: Zara
HMUA: Marilou Bautista
Skin Care: Chocolate Day Spa

How do you try to make a difference in your community?

I believe that being a role model in the community is what we can do. Encouraging others to come out and volunteer their time to various charitable institutions and non-profit organisations is how I try to make a difference. As we all know, there are so many charity and nonprofit institutions that would like to help our community, and what lacks is volunteers. So let us all get out there and volunteer. Let us also encourage others to volunteer.

How do you define failure?

Personally, I define FAILURE as a stepping stone to achieving the goal you set. It’s quite cliché; however, it’s true. I learned not to dwell on the negative feelings that a situation brings; instead, find the positive in it and try to make it work to my advantage – the least you could do is write it off as experience and move forward.

Photographed By: George Azmy
Clothes: Zara
HMUA: Marilou Bautista
Skin Care: Chocolate Day Spa

How would you describe yourself in 1 word?

One word to describe me is PASSIONATE.

What is one thing in your life you would go back and change?

I would not change anything I have been through; however, if I could spend more time with my family, especially with my father, before he passed away, I would.

If you could wish for anything, what would it be?

If I could wish for anything, it would have to be more go-getter when I was younger.

Photographed By: George Azmy
Clothes: Zara
HMUA: Marilou Bautista
Skin Care: Chocolate Day Spa