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Virtual Assistant Profile: Valentina Akpan—How AI Became Her Superpower

The first time you meet Valentina Akpan, she greets you with warmth and unwavering eye contact. She speaks with the calm confidence of someone who knows she can solve any problem. But just a few years ago, Valentina’s story looked very different.In 2022, she arrived in Canada from Nigeria with a six-month-old baby in her arms. She was shy, uncertain, and struggling to find work.That single opportunity launched a transformation that would reshape her confidence, her career, and her life.

My Local Plumber: From Missed Calls to Happy Customers in Just 15 Minutes

For Denise Rodriguez, plumbing isn’t just a business. It is a family tradition. Her grandfather was a plumber, her father followed in his footsteps, and in 1999 she founded her own company, My Local Plumber, in Carrollton, Texas. Today, three of her children have joined the business, keeping that tradition alive.“We’ve grown to 15 employees plus two owners,” says Denise. “We cover a wide range of services. Everything from emergency plumbing calls to bigger repair and installation projects. But t...

The Human and Financial Costs of Poor Inventory Management

Inventory is the heart of your business. You can’t generate revenue without it. And yet, nearly 65% of businesses still rely on spreadsheets to manage this critical function. Modern inventory software improves retention, vendor reliability, team efficiency, and decision-making.

That results in costly mistakes—about 60% of SKUs are inaccurate, contributing to overstock and stockouts that cost global retailers $1.77 trillion annually. With margins this tight, fixing inventory issues can be the difference between staying afloat and going under.

The Human Contribution to Machine Downtime

In the last 20 years, machines have become 20 times more reliable. The source of machine breakdown has changed from unreliable machines to issues caused by human operator error. These machine operators can’t keep all the knowledge they need in three ring binders as production lines produce more varied products with more complicated machinery. As a result companies are looking to optimize the human contribution to machine downtime with the support they need to do their best work.

Iris Release: Elevated White-Labeling, Advanced Analytics And Remote Control Capabilities >

We’re excited to announce Atheer’s Iris update is now available!

In the Iris release, Atheer focused on elevating the quality of our White labeling experience, expanding our API capabilities to make it easier to integrate Atheer with your existing systems, and providing a Remote Control AirSessions feature to tackle troubleshooting and complex repair for equipment manufacturers. We’ve also introduced AirInsights, our new advanced analytics engine to give you unprecedented real-time visibility i

Fighting The Skills Gap With Continuous Training >

It’s no secret that retirement of skilled workers has created a massive skills gap. According to a new study by Deloitte this crisis could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. But what about the situation right now?

Forbes Magazine noted that “while the pandemic resulted in more unfilled jobs it highlighted how those currently seeking employment frequently lack the required skills”. Manufacturers reported in 2022 that finding the right talent is now 36% harder than it was in 2018. Most

Customer Connect

The relationship with a customer is won or lost after the sale, which means solving their problems quickly is crucial. To achieve this, your customer needs the ability to autonomously solve their own problems quickly, or they need to be be confident that your service team can do it for them. Atheer connects that customer and your service team to the information and resources they need to solve problems quickly and maximize the customer experience.

Atheer Customer Connect is an all-in-one app available from your day-to-day devices that elevates the quality of your customer service at every touch point. Prevent issues before they start with digital self-service for scheduled maintenance and troubleshooting guides for common problems. Customers can get immediately connected to remote visual assistance to solve complex issues without having to wait for a technician to arrive. Atheer Customer Connect lowers call center volume, improves contact center productivity, and keeps your machines up and running.

Learn more here: https://www.atheerair.com/customer-connect/

The Human Contribution To Machine Downtime >

When OEE was first introduced its creator Seiichi Nakajima believed that unreliable machines posed the greatest danger to productivity and human operators were essentially cogs to maintain those unreliable machines.

In the last 20 years, machines have become 20 times more reliable. The source of machine breakdown has changed from unreliable machines to issues caused by human operator error. These machine operators can’t keep all the knowledge they need in three ring binders as production lines

2020 Visionary: Anthony Cappello

In 2019, 20/20 Armor embarked on a search for individuals who excelled not only as athletes but as people who genuinely inspire us.


“We were looking for remarkable people,” says 20/20 Armor CEO Ali Ghafour, “people who represent the values of respect, competition, and love of Taekwondo that inspire us in our mission to elevate the sport. We’re calling these individuals our 20/20 Visionaries.”


“Anthony is the sort of person you want your kids to have as a role model,” says Ghafour. “He has

2020 Visionary: Master Joseph Santarose

In 2019, 20/20 Armor embarked on a search for individuals who excelled not only as athletes but as people who genuinely inspire us.


“We were looking for remarkable people,” says 20/20 Armor CEO Ali Ghafour, “people who represent the values of respect, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit that inspire us in our mission to elevate the sport. We’re calling these individuals our 20/20 Visionaries.”


Joseph has been in the world of Taekwondo since he was four years old an

2020 Armor Combine | Top 8 Martial Artists Face Off for Title of World's Fastest

You can watch on facebook here https://www.facebook.com/2020armorcombine

Welcome to the very first ever 20/20 Armor Combine! Martial artists from beginner to Olympian go head-to-head for the title of World’s Fastest, using 2020 Armor’s patented technology to compete remotely in the first ever data driven Martial Arts Tournaments. Includes special guests from the world of Martial Arts and Esports, reveals the Top 16 World Rankings and captures down to the wire fights to the finish between the 8 fastest martial artists in the world for the Golden Championship Chestguard and a $1K Scholarship!

You can’t enter the Combine if you don’t own 20/20 Armor.
Get in the game in time for the next Combine at: https://store.2020armor.com

Follow us at:
Facebook: https://fb.com/2020armor // https://fb.com/2020armorcombine
Instagram: https://ig.com/2020armor
Website: https://www.2020armor.com

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Commentated by:

William Sexton, Founder of 20/20 Armor and Former US National Team Member

Ali Ghafour, CEO of 20/20 Armor and Former Canadian National Team Member
@alighafour

Yvette Yong, World Ranked #1 and 14x Canadian National Team Member
@yvetteyong.canada // https://fb.com/yvetteyong.canada

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Special Thanks To Our Guest Commentator, Courtesy of Rumble Gaming
Long Nguyen, Professional Street Fighter Player - @lpn510 // https://twitch.tv/LPN_TV

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The 20/20 Armor Combine couldn't happen without our amazing sponsors:

MOOTO - http://www.mooto.com
Mooto, the Pride of Martial Artists. Providing the very best in martial arts life style apparel and equipment.

leAD - https://leadsports.com
leAD Sports sources, funds, and drives growth of early-stage sports startups globally. Inspired by Adi Dassler, the founder of Adidas.

Rumble Gaming - https://rumblegaming.gg
Rumble Gaming is top tier video game talent agency working with brands to create resonating marketing campaigns and strong engagement.

Virtual Taekwondo - https://virtual-taekwondo.com
World class quality virtual taekwondo training. Get the edge in your training from Olympians and World Champions online.