Issue 10 2022

www.acquisition-international.com • Issue 10 2022 Woodside Quality LLC: Proud to Support its Veterans

2 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 From our Editor Welcome to the October edition of Acquisition International magazine, bringing you the latest news, features, and success stories from businesses all over the world. Autumn brings us brisk mornings, crunchy leaves underfoot, and a time of deep reflection. We welcome this new season with open arms and we have plenty to look forward to. With many small steps to extravagant plans in progress, these businesses have something to offer to us all. Whether it’s aid or inspiration, there’s an avenue for us to explore with the help and motivation from them. Here we present a collection of businesses and individuals all searching for – and securing – new ways to help others. They improve businesses everywhere and have a wide reach around the world. Working with some well-known organisations, they have carved out a bold and beautiful path for themselves. They have become trailblazers for generations to come and will continue to be that guiding light for the foreseeable future. From video production to performance marketing, IT consulting to law firm solutions, and financial advice to digital technology that can help our thought processes, this issue offers the chance to peruse a myriad of articles within these areas – and beyond. We hope you find this issue informative and motivational, and we look forward to meeting you again for our next edition. Sofi Bajor - Editor Contents 4 News 6 Best Women & Minority-Owned Video Production Company 2022 – USA & Company Culture Excellence Award 2022 Jennell Lewis and Sally O’Grady- Headlands Studio 7 Most Influential Performance Marketing Businesswoman (UK): Sarah Neblett-Lindo Croud 8 A City Broker You Can Trust MB Capital 9 Rediscover Yourself NIKU Neuro AG 10 JM Wholesale awarded Best CBD Distributor & Manufacturer, 2022. JM Wholesale Ltd 11 Best Performance Improvement Consulting Firm 2022 - Virginia Woodside Quality LLC No information contained on or in this website constitutes investment advice or an offer to invest or to provide management services and is subject to correction, completion and amendment without notice. Neither AI nor any of its associated entities are authorised to give financial advice of any nature nor are they regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Prior to making any investment, AI recommends that any prospective investor should consult with its own investment, accounting, legal and tax advisers to evaluate independently the risks, consequences and suitability of that investment. AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. Editorial Team Sif Brookes, Senior Editor Sofi Bajor, Editor Daniel Long, Senior Writer Rebecca Scotland, Senior Writer Gabriel Muers, Writer Amelia Walker, Writer Dontae Jones, Writer Design Team Daniela Levinte, Graphic Designer Lauren Baldwin, Junior Graphic Designer 12 IT Consulting Businesswoman of the Year (South Asia): Netra Cooper Netra Cooper 13 Large Law Firm Skills for Small Law Firm Prices Yoars Law 14 Sophisticated Software Specialists Secure Success! TribalScale 15 Personal Injury Lawyer Secures Success! Bradford L Jefferson, PA 16 Business Automation Solutions Square 9 Softworks 18 Best Qualitative Research Resources Company - London Hawkins Research Ltd 19 MTS Group Strikes Gold! MTS Group 20 Proud to Support its Veterans Woodside Quality LLC 22 Best Direct Private Investments & Family Office - Northern California DRA Family Office 23 Winners’ Listing

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4 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 News: from around the world 31% of UK and European Female Directors hold Board Seats But, Diligent Research Reveals Massive Gaps Remain The U.K leads as the only country in Europe requiring listed companies to include at least one director from an underrepresented ethnic or racial group, but it is still not enough. While progress has been made in driving gender diversity on corporate boards, there are still massive gaps in how diversity is defined and represented on boards around the world, according to Diligent, the global leader in modern governance providing SaaS solutions across governance, risk, compliance, audit and ESG. New research – revealed at the Modern Governance Summit on 12 September 2022 – shows that boardroom diversity by race, ethnicity, age, and LGBTQ+ representation lags significantly behind gender diversity globally. Female directors hold approximately 29% of board seats in continental Europe. When including companies in the U.K, this increases the average to 31%, in both cases beating the global average of 27% with a 4-percentage-point increase since 2019. The inaugural Board Diversity Gaps: The Global Modern Leadership Report is the first ever global analysis of several major dimensions of boardroom diversity including gender, race/ethnicity and nationality, skillset, and LGBTQ+ representation. Produced by Diligent, in collaboration with 22 partnering organizations around the world, the report provides a first-of-its-kind holistic view into the progression of diversity and inclusion on public and private boards worldwide. The U.K is currently the only country in Europe requiring listed companies to include at least one director from an underrepresented ethnic or racial group. In large part due to laws and quotas, Europe as a region leads the world in terms of boardroom gender diversity — despite regional variations from country to country. “Diversity has risen up the boardroom agenda as organizations face increasing pressure to better reflect the diversity of their customer bases and communities, but progress has been slow and there are still many gaps when it comes to reporting on race, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ representation on boards,” said Lisa Edwards, President, and COO of Diligent and board director at Colgate-Palmolive. “This report provides new, critical insights into how boardrooms worldwide are progressing against diversity goals and where there is still much work to be done.” Among the top findings of the Modern Leadership Report: • Diversity by directors’ nationality, race, and ethnicity lags gender diversity globally, with the majority of analyzed countries not disclosing the ethnicity of each of the directors on the board. The percentage of S&P 500 directors from underrepresented racial/ ethnic groups is only 22% and has not increased since 2021. Meanwhile, the percentages for Fortune 100 and 500 boards are 17.5% and 20.6% respectively as of 2020, and 24% for the Russell 3000 as of June 2022. • Director appointments are far from gender parity. Only 36% of director appointments through May 2022 were female, on pace with the average for all of 2021. Female directors currently hold approximately 27% of public company board seats, up from 26% in 2021 and a four-percentage point increase from 2019. • Female directors in Europe trend younger than their male counterparts and have shorter tenures. The average age of female directors is roughly four years younger than their male counterparts, at 60 and 63.5 respectively. Female directors also have shorter tenures than their male counterparts at 4.7 years compared with 7.6. • The issue of LGBTQ+ representation is significantly behind other elements of boardroom diversity, with the U.S. being the only region analyzed that provides this data. Members of the LGBTQ+ community hold only 0.5% of board seats in the Fortune 500. Currently, the collection and disclosure of board race/ethnicity and LGBTQ+ representation data is non-existent in continental. • New expertise types are being added to the boardroom, with 35% of newly appointed board directors bringing skillset backgrounds in areas like technology, marketing, sales, HR, ESG and legal in 2022. 7% of female directors in the UK have technology expertise compared to 4% of male directors, the highest percentage of female board members is in the communications sector at 33%, while the energy sector has the lowest level of female representation at 25%. • All-Male Boards Persist for Private Companies. In a review of 228 private growth-stage companies, Diligent found 58% have allmale-boards, compared with only 6% of publicly traded companies. Women hold approximately 11% of board seats on these private companies compared to 27% in public companies. “The global picture of boardroom diversity today is varied and full of gaps, but what’s overwhelmingly clear is that gender diversity is the primary focus for boards around the world. Board diversity regarding race, ethnicity, age, and LGBTQ+ representation fall woefully behind,” said Dottie Schindlinger, Executive Director of the Diligent Institute. “By better understanding the state of boardroom diversity across the globe, we’re able to increase the odds that corporate leadership opportunities will be made available to underrepresented groups.” Like many organizations in recent years, Diligent has made concerted efforts to better understand and advocate for boardroom diversity. In 2020 Diligent launched Modern Leadership, an initiative to provide boards and senior leaders with the research, insights, partnerships and technology they need to further catalyze diversity in their organizations. This includes the Diligent Director Network — the largest and most diverse community of boardready executives globally.

Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 5 Growing number of younger clients and female investors highlights need for tailored advisory and cutting-edge technology. Acuity Knowledge Partners (Acuity), a leading provider of bespoke research, analytics, staffing and technology solutions to the financial services sector, today released findings from its annual global Wealth Managers survey. The study explores the latest trends in wealth management and how key players are reorganising their offerings to suit market requirements. Wealth managers are set to grow their share of assets under management (AUM), with 41% of respondents agreeing that the increase is likely to be dominated by entry into growing emerging markets, followed by acquisitions of smaller players and recruitment of investment managers. Wealth managers are expected to benefit from key macro trends such as growing wealth pools across the world, especially in Asia. However, respondents indicate that the uncertainty following the global pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has highlighted the need for wealthpreservation strategies and 24*7 support. “To cope with the changing private wealth landscape, wealth managers must rethink their client offerings”, said Chanakya Dissanayake, Managing Director, Global Head of Investment Research at Acuity Knowledge Partners. “Our annual survey notes that firms expect an increase in demand for premium services, expansion to emerging markets and personalisation of offerings combined with technology. While these are key cost drivers, improving investment manager productivity and leveraging outsourcing are cost-effective means to drive profitable growth and gain a competitive edge.” “Our findings show the various challenges wealth managers face, from margin pressure and ensuring regulatory compliance to operational challenges. Wealth management firms should be flexible and embrace technological innovation and changes in demands to sustain and grow their client base”, added Chanakya Dissanayake. Key Findings from Private Wealth Management firms: • Global private wealth is set to grow in the coming years despite the headwinds from geopolitical issues and rising inflation. Growth in AuM is likely to be dominated by entry into emerging markets, market consolidation and recruitment of more investment managers. Acuity Knowledge Partners Reveals Investment in Digitalisation will Drive Costs forWealth Managers Adapting to Post-Pandemic Client Demands • The private wealth management sector is facing a shift in the client mix and the growing number of younger clients, with higher risk appetite, has emphasised the need for private wealth managers to combine technology and specialised advisory. Additionally, following the pandemic, respondents highlight an increase in demand for wealth-preservation strategies for future generations, as well as ESG-focused investment advice. • About 65% of respondents expect that investment in digitalisation will account for most of the costs in the coming three years. Expansion into emerging markets and increasing advisor headcount are also forecasted to rise costs. However, a global and flexible operating model that leverages the outsourcing of specialist talent in cost-effective locations can reduce spending by 50-80%. “The global picture of boardroom diversity today is varied and full of gaps, but what’s overwhelmingly clear is that gender diversity is the primary focus for boards around the world. Board diversity regarding race, ethnicity, age, and LGBTQ+ representation fall woefully behind,” said Dottie Schindlinger, Executive Director of the Diligent Institute. “By better understanding the state of boardroom diversity across the globe, we’re able to increase the odds that corporate leadership opportunities will be made available to underrepresented groups.” Like many organizations in recent years, Diligent has made concerted efforts to better understand and advocate for boardroom diversity. In 2020 Diligent launched Modern Leadership, an initiative to provide boards and senior leaders with the research, insights, partnerships and technology they need to further catalyze diversity in their organizations. This includes the Diligent Director Network — the largest and most diverse community of board-ready executives globally.

6 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 Best Women & Minority-Owned Video Production Company 2022 – USA & Company Culture Excellence Award 2022 ree from ego and full of innovative concepts, Headlands Studio is a production company that is here to serve you. The company, which is supported by decades of combined experience, is able to create a positive tone and working environment where all the crew are safe, empathy is commonplace, and the client’s ideas are valued. Whilst this may be difficult to imagine, Headlands Studio attests that it is certainly real. Indeed, Headlands Studio is defined by care, especially in terms of the level of preparation the team puts into each and every project. Headlands Studio specialises in commercials and short-form content, producing high-end commercials to emotionally-charged short documentaries. From story development to production and post-production embellishments, Headlands Studio does it all, with an added layer of egalitarianism and social justice. Consequently, the company infuses every compelling video with integrity in both style and content. Compassion leads the way. This is, quite simply, Headlands Studio’s goal, as it endeavours to break down barriers and shine a light on underrepresented communities and unheard stories. A significant contributing factor to this goal is the fact that Headlands Studio is a minority-owned and female-owned business. The company itself has therefore torn down several barriers, becoming one of the leading production companies of its kind. Indeed, in an industry that is dominated by a male presence, Headlands Studio is transgressing the traditional ideas surrounding female producers that are engrained within the industry. Whilst it has achieved such success, the company opts to showcase marginalised or often shunned communities through its documentary work, including a feature-length documentary in development that tells the stories of women in the Texas prison system. Sally O’Grady and Jennell Lewis are the trailblazing team behind Headlands Studio and its fantastic projects. The duo maintain their own individual areas of focus, but together, they bring magic to each production, utilising their strengths to create videos of exceptional quality. For example, Sally has worked as a producer for several large productions for National Geographic, History Channel, The F Jun22333 Smithsonian, MSNBC, PBS, and Discovery, with a recent focus on branded entertainment, creating successful campaigns for T Mobile, Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans, Saucony, Brooks and more. Whereas Jennell is best known for her short web-based documentaries that truly connect with the audience, brining in clients such as ASICS and Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans. In turn, Headlands Studio has rocketed to success, becoming the face of female-led and minority-owned production companies in the United States. Compassion, social-awareness, and ingenuity are rife within the business. Headlands Studio has carved itself out as a company that truly understands its clients; it strives to produce content that presents every client in the best light. Best Women & Minority-Owned Video Production Company 2022 – USA and Company Culture Excellence Award 2022 are therefore accolades that reflect such professionalism and excellence. Contact: Jennell Lewis Company: Jennell Lewis and Sally O’Grady- Headlands Studio Web Address: https://www.headlandsstudio.com/ People are bombarded with media all day, every day. In order to be noticed, your content needs to stand out – to be interesting, and above all else, engaging. Headlands Studio, an American video production company, has the expertise and creativity that will push your video content to the next level, no matter whether it’s a $5,000 or $500K project.

Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 7 Global marketing agency, Croud, works in partnership with some of the world’s leading brands. With bases in the UK, US and Australia, the agency employs the best and brightest talent to provide its clients with an all-round digital marketing service. In light of Global HR Director, Sarah Neblett-Lindo’s extraordinary success within the Influential Businesswoman Awards for the second year running, we take a look at the significant impact she has had on the company’s global HR strategy. Jun22373 orking with household names and global brands such as Avon, Vans, Compare the Market, Jigsaw, and Brewdog, digital marketing agency, Croud, has been building strategic partnerships with its clients since 2011. The company provides a full range of digital marketing services from PPC and SEO to full digital transformation programmes and data solutions. Sarah Neblett-Lindo has been at Croud for more than two years, during which time she has designed an HR strategy that continues to support the exponential growth of the business. With an impressive track record in HR, much of Sarah’s previous experience has been with FTSE100 and Fortune 500 businesses. This has provided her with an excellent grounding and depth of exposure to the workings of what she calls “the machine”. Having built a solid understanding of business operations in larger companies, Sarah has been able to translate and deploy some of this expertise to smaller businesses. She looks for quick and impactful wins, whilst at the same time ensuring that each organisation she works with is analysed in detail. “The product may be the same, but the culture, the people and the organisation’s ethos may not be,” Sarah tells us. “This means that each business requires a bespoke roadmap when defining strategic plans.” Since Sarah joined Croud, she has embarked on a journey of diversity and inclusion. The company is committed to creating a community and sense of belonging for all its employees and stakeholders. Sarah believes that establishing the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda at Croud is her biggest achievement to date. “I can see the difference that our strategy and the execution of our agenda is making. It’s critical that we do what we say we are going to, and hold ourselves accountable if we don’t.” Sarah is seeing a positive movement towards diversity as a whole, with more women are being employed in key roles in many industries, media included. The key to this has been a seismic shift in the attitudes of women. Many are no longer willing to accept a lower level of recognition than their male colleagues. The global spotlight W Most Influential Performance Marketing Businesswoman (UK): Sarah Neblett-Lindo on large companies who do not remunerate their employees equally, as well as social movements such as Black Lives Matter, have helped amplify the disparity that exists between the treatment of white males and everyone else. Like many women, Sarah has found the corporate world littered with explicit and implied negative behaviours and microaggressions. This, she tells us, can lead you to feel that although acknowledged, you are somehow less important than your male counterparts. Sarah’s advice, echoed by many successful women in business, is to know your subject. Start from a place of qualified knowledge and learn to be brave. Have the courage of your convictions and ensure that you achieve a fair and just outcome. She’s also a fan of selfbelief and trusting your instincts, but views it as important to find your supporters too. Don’t forget that some of these can be men, so make sure you’re open to allies that will support your growth. Looking to the future, Sarah continues to focus her energies on supporting the women in her organisation. She is engaging with female leadership development programmes to provide career progression opportunities. She wants to maintain delivering meaningful change and adding value to the organisation – And we are truly rooting for her. Company: Croud Contact: Sarah Neblett-Lindo Website: croud.com Working with household names and global brands such as Avon, Vans, Compare the Market, Jigsaw, and Brewdog, digital marketing agency, Croud, has been building strategic partnerships with its clients since 2011.

8 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 Aug22281 A City Broker You Can Trust After much planning and deliberation, it was on 30th June 2009 that MB Capital was incorporated in West London and the journey of becoming a fully FCA regulated independent financial adviser and wealth manager began. As MB Capital earns the title of ‘Leading Financial Planning Advisory for Bespoke Investment Management, London’ in this issue of SME News magazine, we take a look at what makes this the case. ver a decade later, MB Capital had built a reputation for its ability to look beyond the numbers and treat every client for what they are, a unique person with an individual outlook and set of needs. Its mission statement has always been to work personally with clients and bring back a level of service that it felt was being lost as companies moved to online platforms and reduced the amount of time they spent working with clients on a one-to-one basis. As a company, MB Capital has enjoyed growing organically and greatly appreciates the referrals made by clients, friends and family along the way, as well as the overlap from friends and family becoming clients, alongside clients becoming a part of its friends and family. The company’s clientele is made up of individuals, corporations, and trusts who enjoy working with it across a number of areas within the world of financial planning, including pensions, savings, investments, protection, and tax mitigation. MB Capital doesn’t believe an individual’s life is simply categorised as low, medium, or high risk. That’s why its investment philosophy refuses to put clients in a band and tell them what they should be doing with their money. It treats every client as a person and understands that their preferences and needs may not be the same as any other valued client. This is why it does not pigeonhole clients but discusses all of the available options and creates an investment that ticks all of the boxes for them. As an independent financial adviser and wealth manager, MB Capital’s personal approach involves working closely with clients and their existing financial plans to help ensure they are on course for the future they want, taking into consideration every aspect of their current situation and forming them to match their forward looking aspirations and expectations. Something the company has learned and a key aspect of its service is that it will listen attentively, making sure it clearly understands their financial goals alongside their current wants and needs. It takes pride in being recognised for its service, working with clients in a friendly and professional manner. MB Capital does not take its responsibilities lightly; this is its clients’ hard earned money and it ensures each individual fully understands its advice and works together with them to strive towards their future goals and financial freedom. Since inception and as the business continues to grow and adapt, something that will never change or alter is its principles and values. The embedded culture of integrity within the company ensures it will O always offer honest, independent advice that meets the clients’ wants and needs, not just for today, but over the long-term. Being an independent financial adviser and wealth manager means it can go above and beyond the offerings of a standard IFA. With its increased level of FCA permissions, MB Capital has the ability to build portfolios from individual shareholdings with investment specialists highly qualified in the area. This provides clients with an increased range of investment opportunities and allows further diversification which can also mitigate risk. Its in-house investment committee are available to all clients to provide a closer approach and oversight to their investments and savings. This also gives the company greater control and transparency which, in turn, allows it to provide a higher level of service to clients. As an independently-owned investment company, MB Capital’s ambition remains exactly the same as it was when it started, to fully serve each individual client. Whether they are a seasoned investor or new to investing, it remains committed to delivering a professional service within a personal approach that matches the style, experience, and ambitions of each and every client. Company: MB Capital Contact: Marcus Bullus Email: marcus.bullus@mbcapital.co.uk Website: www.mbcapital.co.uk

Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 9 Rediscover Yourself heprocessesofNIKUNeuroAGarebasedonneuropsychological principles and it helps people to rediscover and focus on who they really are – creating psychological strength with a better memory, more confidence, and greater well-being. Focusing on how we can revive, remember, and reinvent ourselves, Margit M. Schreier tells us all about the human mind and how extraordinary it truly is. She says, “We humans have an incredible, under-appreciated good fortune – we can develop mentally throughout our lives.” One of NIKU’s wonderful powers is in its ability to transform our narrow view of ourselves so that we can bloom. This is the enchanting focal point of the senses, which are all digested by the human brain. From the smallest thoughts to our entire view of ourselves, NIKU has the power to encourage positive outlooks that will ultimately change our view of ourselves. But we also sometimes must satisfy the needs of the past to have more strength for the present and for the future. The NIKU process is intended for this purpose. One of NIKU’s wonderful powers is in its ability to transform our narrow view of ourselves and expand it so that we can bloom. With NIKU, we can all better our mental health and, in a world of confusion, we can find more clarity, more transparency in the support that it provides. “With NIKU, solutions are offered that provide relief from psychological stress from the very beginning. T If one has strengthened oneself with NIKU, then one can now desire the present. And you can enjoy if you live in the condition of being successful and thriving especially, in economic well-being. Commenting on this ability to reshape our brains, through the XPOWERof10 programme, Margit understands that everyone can benefit from the services that SELF-TRAINING offers daily. If you feel strong, you can now find your PERFECT LINE to your own ventures and start SELF-TRAINING to really achieve everything you want to achieve now. “With the Training Materials N°1 SELF-TRAINING can be done to not only stay fit, but to become happy and successful”, reports Margit. With the Training Materials N°2 everyone can become a champion in his field. And with the Training Materials N°3 the strengths are built for the future. Here the brain is prepared for the current and future technology. Yes, this is the person who prepares, but the brain needs training. That is why NIKU Neuro AG offers SELF-TRAINIGN for brain and technology. Doing all it can to help others to succeed, NIKU Neuro AG also offers bespoke trainings to its clients, allowing them to develop confidence and learn new thinking patterns – which inevitably influence their behavioral patterns – taking them from a potentially unhealthy mental and physical state to a strong position, for the rest of their lives. NIKU Neuro AG can expertly aid people from all over the world. Margit tells us, “Our strategy is to find representation in each country in order to work well together and take into account cultural nuances.” Being there to support people from all walks of life, NIKU’s team guarantees greater clear procedures in the trainings for their development for its many clients. With regards to this highly intelligent support technology, Margit explains, “We can no longer live without technology. Therefore, it is better to get out of it the elements that will be needed to build life and the future. XPOWERof10 Training Materials N°3 prepare you for the future to prevent stagnation. Our procedures are oriented to the latest technologies of the future such as ChipBrain or MetaVerse. So, you can choose the good and protect yourself from the harmful influences.” Awarded Best Brain Research & Technology Provider 2022, NIKU has caught the eye of many – making it an unrivalled business in its industry. Not only does it help us to improve and maintain our psychological wellbeing, but it also aids us in shaping who we are when we feel lost. We wish it all the success as it continues to skyrocket. NIKU Neuro AG introduces a new way of trainings for a wide range of clients. The NIKU and XPOWERof10 are methods that can be done in the form of SELF-TRAINING. Because only training that leaves a mark on the brain, or shows change, will improve the way we perceive ourselves and the world around us – helping us to restore confidence and security in our own minds. With the use of digital technology, processes are set in motion that bring about a better life. Here we talk to Margit M. Schreier about its admirable work as it wins Best Brain Research & Technology Provider 2022. Contact: Margit Marie Schreier Company: NIKU Neuro AG Web Address: https://niku-neuro.com/ Sep22252

10 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 Voopoo, to name a few. The company’s devotion to the industry truly shines through its Vape & CBD Whitelabel service launched in 2019. This means that not only can JM Wholesale produce cutting-edge, new products, but they can also offer bespoke options for any item. Whitelabel Business Development Manager, Duncan Wood, testifies, ‘“Innovation is at the heart of manufacturing; therefore, we have invested significantly in our R&D (research and development) capabilities. Our R&D team consistently take on new challenges to innovate new products and methods of production. “Our wide range of products coupled with the infrastructure of our wholesale platform allows us to provide our clients with a “OneStop-Shop.” From bespoke formulations, branding and label design to marketing and distribution, its customers have a huge advantage when sourcing unique products that fit their brand and pushing those amazing products on our distribution network.” It is clear to see that the vape market is booming – especially in the UK, where the NHS has promoted it as a way to quit smoking. Henceforth, the UK vaping market is expected to grow by USD 1.20 bn from 2020 to 2025 at a compound annual growth rate of 13%, and the global market is set to increase to USD 182.84 billion by 2030. In accordance with this trend, JMWholesale’s turnover has doubled year-on-year, with this growth being projected to extend through 2023 and beyond. Of course, much of this success also stems from the excellent reputation the company has gained. Duncan states, “At JMWholesale, we pride ourselves on our top-quality customer service and account management. We have a team dedicated to make sure that from the moment an order is placed, our customers can rest assured that orders will be picked, packaged and delivered on time meeting all expectations. Our team are readily available throughout the day to answer any question surrounding orders, our products or services.” As JM Wholesale continues to raise the bar for the industry, they are working towards expanding both their range and their premises. For example, this year, the company will be introducing its inhouse lab testing department, which will serve as the final step towards making JM Wholesale a fully comprehensive solution for manufacturing needs. They plan to continue pushing the boundaries for the market, further bolstering their evolution into a global leader for CBD and vape products. Contact: Logie Rajan Company: JM Wholesale Ltd Web Address: https://jm-wholesale.co.uk/ JM Wholesale awarded Best CBD Distributor & Manufacturer, 2022. M Wholesale’s bespoke manufacturing service was launched in 2020. Now featuring the widest variety of available product types in the industry. Including oils, capsules, supplements, dried fruits, gummies, cosmetics, disposable vapes, and more. Almost any product can be created through their Whitelabel service. JM have partnered directly with the EIHA (European Industrial Hemp Association), the only pan-European membership organization in the industrial hemp sector. This ensures that their customers are fully up to date with the industry, and they do not have to be concerned about compliance and regulation. They are also the only UK wholesaler to participate in the FSA’s novel food submission process and one of the earliest manufacturers to have their products accepted and listed on the FSA’s website. The UK CBD market generated over £690 million in annual sales in 2021, which is more than double the £314m sales from 2020. This market is also projected to reach £1bn by 2025. This is a very new and fast-growing industry, which JM are extremely excited to play a large part in. JM Wholesale’s CBD Dropshipping service was launched in 2019 and has been growing exponentially since then. It has over 500 Dropshipping websites connected, and these partners all have access to their 15000 + products. JM Wholesale is a well-established business within the CBD sector and, thanks to their diverse range of products, they have quickly grown into a market leading position. Many of these products are handpicked by their dedicated brand development team. Over the past few years, JM Wholesale have exceeded the standards set by other distributors and manufacturers – taking compliance to another level. Every product within the JM Wholesale catalogue is fully compliant, with certified lab reports and relevant novel food application numbers. “At JM Wholesale, we are market leaders when it comes to CBD products and currently hold the largest range in the UK. Our customers are assured that by having JM Wholesale as their supplier, we can meet & exceed all of their needs so that they can focus on growing their business,” comments Brand Development Manager, Rob Oakley. Currently boasting the largest inventory of vaping products in the industry, JM Wholesale is home to over 15,000 products that it supplies to in excess of 13,000 trade customers. Such items include popular brands like Elf Bar, Geek Bar, SMOK, Vaporesso, Aspire, and J Jun22095 JM Wholesale is renowned and well established within the CBD sector. The company has quickly risen to become a market leader with the largest range of CBD products available anywhere online. Included in this range are oils, drinks, edibles, supplements, cosmetics, CBD vape and many more. Their dedicated brand development team is at the forefront when it comes to sourcing the best new CBD products. Winning Best CBD Distributor & Manufacturer, 2022, we take a look at the factors that have lead to their success.

Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 11 - Aug22165 - W - Best Performance Improvement Consulting Firm 2022 - Virginia Woodside Quality LLC A:20098 Ashbrook Place, Suite 195, Ashburn, VA, US T:703-646-9990 E: admin@woodsidequality.com

12 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 Jul22030 IT Consulting Businesswoman of the Year (South Asia): Netra Cooper As the Managing Director of XLNC Technologies, Netra Cooper has secured herself a reputation within her field for being the backbone of ‘innovative integrity’ within the business she leads. Determined to succeed, undaunted by challenge, and raring to go when exploring the possibilities that the ever-evolving field of modern IT presents, she is leading XLNC into a new epoch of optimized digital technologies, looking forward to shaping the future of business automation. elivering the best of intelligent automation and innovative solutions for its clients, XLNC Technologies has made itself a front-runner in industrial best practice. Nominally, it knows that for a business to succeed, it must have a functional digital footprint and well-realised backroom processes; more than this, it knows that since the advent of the pandemic, more of these than ever before have moved into the digital. It uses this knowledge and the goodwill it has developed amongst the business world proper to deliver ethical digital integrations with complete transparency, automating the processes that could be handled quicker and more effectively than by sparing manpower to do it manually. With over 20 years in process automation and business process improvement amongst the team, its automation programmes offer total process renovation for customers. This means that – whilst being sensitive and respectful to the existing processes that come D before it – it totally revamps a clients’ internal workings in order to improve productivity, saving them up to 50% in how much certain processes cost to carry out as a result. Indeed, as a brand name that has become renowned by its clients in education, technology, and recruitment, its niche solutions encourage the adoption of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics in order to help a client future-proof their operations. All this feeds into one core mission for XLNC: to deliver seamless RPA Integration with end-to-end process automation, achieving perfect customer service and satisfaction along the way. Critically, its Managing Director, Netra Cooper, has been personally overseeing the achievement of this goal. Directing the company towards impeccable automation and training with all her experience in managerial and directorial experience, she has worked hard to become a cornerstone of the e-learning industry, bringing XLNC as a business with her into further success. Company: Netra Cooper Contact: Aryan Cooper Website: xlnctechnologies.com

Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 13 Large Law Firm Skills for Small Law Firm Prices eter Yoars boasts an impressive legal career; he has defended corporations, professional firms, and individuals in both federal and state courts, taken and defended over 3000 depositions, and vast trial experience with seven-figure verdicts and settlements. However, in 2016, Peter set out on his most ambitious venture, founding Yoars Law PLLC to provide more client-centric services in complex disputes. Yoars Law represents clients in complex litigation, engineering and construction disputes, commercial litigation, environmental law, professional liability claims, toxic torts, product liability, and consumer protection cases. As previously highlighted, the firm prioritizes client-centricity, as it believes that its imperative that the clients come first. Yoars Law strives to provide the best possible outcomes and services for its clients – as Peter states, ‘I pride myself on my ability to thoroughly vet my clients’ business and legal situations, communicate clear legal strategies and bring exceptional value to my clients.’ This is a fundamental element of the firm’s operations, bringing a unique and personalized approach to each case. In essence, Yoars Law embodies the professionalism and expertise of a large law firm while remaining a small firm with small firm rates. All communications are conducted through Peter, meaning that the client is connected with him from the moment they call or reach out to the firm. This differs greatly from the large firm approach, which places clients with an associate, paralegal, or assistant. Clients are provided attentive service that focuses on their needs, and Yoars Law promises to fulfill this, ensuring both customer satisfaction and efficacy in terms of the case. Unsurprisingly, Yoars Law and Peter himself have been the recipients of much recognition; for example, Peter has received the Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell and is frequently interviewed by and mentioned in the legal and general press. Moreover, he has been named one of America’s Most Honored Lawyers (top 1%), received numerous awards from Lawyers.com, and was named an International Advisory Experts Award Winner in 2021 and 2022. Leading Civil Litigation Attorney of the Year 2022 – Northeast USA is a title that truly captures the heart of Yoars Law. The firm is determined, passionate, and willing to go the extra mile for its clients. Henceforth, Yoars Law has surpassed its competitors, showcasing itself as a worthy winner of such an accolade. P Yoars Law PLLC upholds exceptionally high standards, carving itself out of the industry as the Leading Civil Litigation Attorney of the Year 2022 – Northeast USA. The firm is wholly devoted to its clients, and it is this that sets the firm apart from its competitors – no other firm does it quite like Yoars Law PLLC. Contact: Peter W. Yoars, Jr. Company: Yoars Law Web Address: https://yoarslaw.com Phone +1 (212) 220-9750 Aug22301

14 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 Sophisticated Software Specialists Secure Success! he team at TribalScale are committed to maintaining an innovative and solutions-based mindset in all that they do. Through the three comprehensive services they offer, the team have been able to achieve truly incredible success in the field of research and development. In a brave new world, a brave new approach is required to achieve success – that’s the service that the team at TribalScale offer their clients. The three services offered by the team cover digital product development, transformation and Venture Studios. Each provides a unique solution carefully designed for the specific needs of companies at various stages of growth. Their Digital Product Development service offers custom software design and development to their clients, helping themwork through the complicated product building process to create a product that is relevant and meaningful to their needs. In a competitive industry, TribalScale offers a way forward that guarantees great results. Transformation and Venture Studios are associated deeply with this, with the former offering a way of teaching companies how to build scalable digital products for themselves. Customers are looking for these solutions, and they can add immeasurable value to a business. Venture studios is the third and final process, focusing specifically on start-up growth. All businesses hope that they can be a unicorn property, but TribalScale works closely with firms to build new heights of success that they might never have seen before. A lot of organisations don’t know how to handle research and development, with no vision to support rapid software development cycles. As such, talented people can find their time and abilities wasted, which creates frustration at many different levels. The knock-on effect is considerable. Through a collaborative approach, TribalScale has avoided many of these problems. The move to remote work thanks to the pandemic resulted in unique challenges for the business, but the team saw it as a learning opportunity to increase their team’s flexibility and pursue new pathways for collaboration. From the outset, the TribalScale team have tried to bring people together because they believe that every function on a project team has an important role to play. That means that project management, design, development and quality assurance must always be in constant T Aug22374 contact. Time is wasted when we don’t talk clearly to each other, particularly in the often-uncertain world of research and development. The culture of a business is therefore paramount, impacting how a team works, communicates and executes their goals. Looking ahead, it seems that TribalScale is in a strong position, eager to expand on its product strategy consulting practice. The team have been in this field for fifteen years and have a proven track record of success with countless clients. Their holistic mindset means that strategy and delivery are both equally important. There has been a recent trend towards consulting firms offering more advice on delivery, but it will come as little surprise to many that TribalScale has been well ahead of the curve. Beyond this development, the team are continuing to build their own expertise in the world of Web3, exploring new ideas related to in-car experiences for consumers, and more. It’s clear that TribalScale has enormous potential ahead, with the team championing research and development for numerous companies. Their efforts have brought them incredible success. We cannot wait to see where this amazing team heads next! Company: TribalScale Email: info@tribalscale.com TribalScale is not new to technology. In 2007, as mobile phones started to morph into something new and the internet started to connect the world, TribalScale was there - building apps designed for mobile before any AppStore existed. Over the years they’ve built hundreds of apps, on web, mobile, and more, touching hundreds of millions of users. In Acquisition International’s Research and Development Awards 2022, the team were named Recognized Leaders in Software Product Research & Development - Canada. We dig a little deeper into their success building software to connect the digital and physical worlds - at scale.

Acquisition International - Issue 10 2022 15 Bradford Jefferson of Bradford L Jefferson, PA has built an impressive reputation within the personal injury industry as a litigator focused on success. He is renowned throughout Florida’s Treasure Coast for his skill in cases of personal injury and wrongful death. In Acquisition International’s Leading Adviser Awards 2022, Mr Jefferson was named Leading Personal Injury Litigation Attorney of the Year, Florida Aug22600 hen Mr Jefferson first entered the legal industry, he represented insurance companies but was frustrated by the way in which his talents were used. He soon became disheartened that he couldn’t help the people who needed it most and so, a long time ago, he limited his practice to representing accident victims. To every case, he brings a human touch, but an eagle eye for the methods used by insurance companies. For over 35 years, Mr Jefferson has practiced law to the highest standards, taking on every case with the expectation that it will go to court in order to achieve a favourable result. Often, this leads to the case ending in court or in a settlement. Mr Jefferson’s reputation has a formidable trial lawyer has been built on his incredible track record in this respect. He has brought over 200 cases to verdict. No two cases are ever the same, and so Mr Jefferson adapts his techniques to reach the needs of anyone who walks through his doors. The process begins with a consultation, for which there is no charge. In fact, the Law Offices of Bradford L. Jefferson take no charge or fee until they have been successful on your behalf. At potentially painful and often emotional times in ours, it pays to have a team on your side who can make sure your story is heard. Mr Jefferson focuses primarily on four practice areas, those being personal injury, wrongful death, traumatic brain injuries and slip, trip and fall accidents. All of these can have an enormous impact on the lives of individuals and family members, and no one knows this better than Mr Jefferson. He has an exceptional track record of success, thanks in no small part to his knowledge of what the other side are thinking. With his talents on your side, you can be sure of the best possible chance of success. Whilst no personal injury is a pleasant experience, wrongful death is one which can devastate a family. With the victim unable to represent themselves, family members who are successful in a wrongful death claim can recover compensation for a range of economic and noneconomic costs. When someone dies, the hole they leave in people’s lives is enormous. The efforts of Mr Jefferson are always directed at giving people the time, the space and the resources they need at the most difficult of times. It’s little wonder that so many trust Mr Jefferson to deliver the best possible results for them when they’re in times of crisis. His focus on results means that the client always comes first. With such enviable success in Acquisition International’s Leading Adviser Awards 2022, we can’t wait to see what he does next. W Personal Injury Lawyer Secures Success! Company: Bradford L Jefferson, PA Name: Bradford Jefferson Email: brad@bradfordljefferson.com Web Address: https://www.bradfordljefferson.com

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