Today’s leadership culture strives to detect and exhibit great leaders. The role of an ideal leader is to inspire others and bring out the best in them. One such experienced, forward-thinking leader is Chris Efessiou, Chairman and CEO of Alzyn LLC. For over 25 years, he has led and advised businesses in various fields such as strategic planning, marketing, operations and management in healthcare, pharmaceuticals and OTC products, to name a few. He has a proven track record in engineering strategic initiatives, joint ventures, M&A, raising capital, over 40 new product introductions, national and international business development, organizational effectiveness, and maximizing enterprise value.
Our team of Mirror Review interviewed Chris to further understand his role as a leader and about his company. Below are the excerpts from an insightful interview.
Practice Leadership By Example
What is the role of a good leader? Can you tell us about your personal experiences that helped you to become a good leader?
A good leader must inspire his/her team to push themselves and the company to greatness. To do this, the leader must demonstrate team spirit and lead by example. I believe in understanding, valuing and recognizing everyone’s intellectual ability, diversity, culture and individual strengths, and weaving them into the fabric of the company.
A very valuable personal experience helped me crystalize the way I lead today. I raised my daughter as a single father since she was seven. I did this successfully by applying many of the sound business principles to my parenting. Likewise, I apply the same concept to my team. As a result, people feel that they have a voice, that they are heard, they are respected, and they are treated with kindness. In return, I have their respect, loyalty, and willingness to go beyond the call of duty.
Patented Topical Spray Promotes Brain Health and Protects Aging Brain Cells
Tell us about Alzyn and how its unique offering is different from others?
The Alzyn compound was discovered by Dr. Ewa Bienkiewicz, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Florida State University College of Medicine, whose research was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzyn, LLC was subsequently formed and licensed the intellectual property from the Florida State University Science Foundation (“FSURF”). The current composition of Alzyn’s transdermal product is a topical spray delivering four key ingredients (Vitamin B-12, EGCG, Resveratrol, and Melatonin) that testing has shown to be effective in promoting brain health and protecting aging brain cells. The United States Patent and Trademark Office describes Alzyn as a “Combinational Approach to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease.” Although we have no plan to market or promote the product for Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia, we are marketing Alzyn as a nutrigenomic agent that helps the body help itself in protecting and sustaining brain health. In spring, Alzyn will also be available in a sublingual tablet for those consumers who prefer an oral supplement.
Four Basic Elements
Being a CEO, how would you describe your daily routine?
There is no routine in the day of the head of a company because no two days are the same. That said, my “routine” consists of several elements. I begin my day in the gym. I spend time researching relevant news, market, business, environmental, social and clinical developments, and anything else that provides intelligence, which validates our present position and illuminates the road ahead. I discuss issues with my team, inhouse and outside business and science consultants and investors, and encourage them to execute on the stated plan while they use a good part of their time innovating for tomorrow. Lastly, I spend a lot of time thinking about strategy, “what if” scenarios, and building contingencies while envisioning a future in which age-related cognitive decline will be much less of a concern than it is today.
Motivating Employees By Example
How do you motivate your employees?
I understand that running a company is a team sport in which one cannot be successful unless the team succeeds. No single individual can complete the company’s daily tasks, so I motivate my team by example in a collective march to reach our maximum potential. That includes being emotionally present and available to all who may look to me for a reassuring nod. Ideally, they have my nod and support before looking for it, and when that happens, everyone’s satisfaction is greater.
No Success without Failure
How did you overcome failures? And what lessons have you learned from it?
I define “failure” as an endeavor in which the outcome was not successful, and in that outcome, absolutely nothing was learned or gained. I am proud to say that I did not have any such “failures”, but I’ve had several occasions in which the desired result did not materialize. From those cases I learned valuable lessons by dissecting each situation, analyzing what went wrong and what we did correctly and building a roadmap to avoid similar mistakes in the future. The bottom line is that failure, or lack of success, is never easy to stomach. What makes it palatable is the silver lining containing the golden nuggets of knowledge and experience that you derive from the forensic examination of an unsuccessful outcome.
Building A Healthy Lifestyle
What steps have you taken to maintain your health?
I start almost every day in the gym. I work out at Orange Theory Fitness, a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program that includes a daily dose of running, rowing and weight training. I find it rejuvenating and a great way to set my mental compass pointing North. Furthermore, I maintain a healthy diet, take time to read and rest, and spend time with my family. I also apply one spray of Alzyn daily to promote and protect my brain health. It has made a huge difference in my focus, concentration, and quality of sleep.
Innovative and Disrupt
What are your future plans for Alzyn?
In the next 3-5 years, I plan to grow the company and its product line by innovating and disrupting the status quo in the marketplace, increasing the channels of distributions, creating strategic alliances domestically and internationally, and increasing our value to our consumers and investors.
