How Improv Can Boost Your Confidence

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in business management from Washington College, Taylor Hallman of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, is a business continuation associate with Prudential Financial. Outside of his professional pursuits, Franklin Lakes resident Taylor Hallman enjoys performing stand-up comedy and acting in improv groups. 

Improv, short for improvisation, is a form of comedy that involves groups of people creating spontaneous scenes with no script and allowing the natural progression of conversation and movement to dictate where the scene goes. Because it requires the actors to think and respond appropriately to random situations on the fly, it's a great exercise for building confidence. 

It's not uncommon to be unsure of what to say in different situations, but regularly performing improv can help you become more articulate in a variety of settings. It can also help you expand mundane conversation to include other topics by noticing more hooks and associations. 

Another reason improv can bolster your confidence is due to the lack of control you feel when participating. Even if you have an idea about where a scene might be going, another actor can easily step in and completely change the direction. This translates to everyday life by making you better suited to cope with unexpected conversational shifts as well as new life experiences.

Three Upcoming Stand-up Comedy Shows in New York City

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in business management from Washington College in Maryland, Taylor Hallman of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, possesses more than six years of experience in his role as a business continuation associate with Prudential Financial. Although he resides in Franklin Lakes, Taylor Hallman regularly travels to New York City to perform and watch stand-up comedy. 

Prominent stand-up comedians performing in New York City in 2019 include:

1. Jerry Seinfeld - Best known for his self-titled NBC sitcom, Seinfeld is one of the best-known comedians in the world. He has been performing stand-up since 1976 and is regarded for his ability to acknowledge and pick apart life's mundanities. He is performing at the Beacon Theatre April 4 and 5.

2. Russell Howard - A 38-year-old native of Bristol, England, Howard is performing at the Gramercy Theatre March 29 and 30. His most recent stand-up special, Recalibrate, was released by Netflix in 2017.

3. Damon Wayans - A 58-year-old comedian and actor who starred in the sitcom My Wife and Kids, Wayans is returning New York City this April for a series of shows at Carolines on Broadway. The New York native's shows run April 4-7.

Top Collectible Watch Sales of 2018

A resident of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Taylor Hallman draws upon more than a decade of diverse experience in his role as a business continuation associate for Prudential Financial in Newark. Outside of his professional life, Taylor Hallman pursues a diverse range of hobbies that includes an interest in horology and watch collecting.

Long considered a functional piece of equipment in the modern world, watches have evolved beyond simple timekeeping instruments into symbols of style, sophistication, and personality. As watch collecting has grown in popularity, prices have risen across the globe for some of the most coveted timepieces, and 2018 was another record-breaking year for the collectible watch industry. Here are a few of the most notable watches to go under auction in 2018:

Rolex Daytona Ref. 6265: Known among enthusiasts as “The Unicorn,” this Rolex Daytona model sold for more than $6 million at an auction in Geneva in the spring of 2018. The stratospheric price tag is the second-highest ever for a watch, trailing only a Rolex Daytona once owned by Paul Newman that sold for nearly $18 million at the end of 2017.

Patek Philippe Serpico y Laino Ref. 2499: The most expensive watch sold by Christie’s auction house in 2018, this 18-karat gold and diamond Patek Philippe model features a perpetual calendar with moon phases and sold for more than $3 million in November.

Elvis Presley’s Omega: This diamond-encrusted watch was designed by Tiffany & Co. for Omega and was presented to Elvis as a gift by RCA Records in 1960. The highest price ever realized for an Omega watch, the timepiece was purchased by the Omega company for $1.8 million and installed at the manufacturer’s watch museum in Switzerland.

Mistakes to Avoid When Developing a Business Continuity Plan

A longtime resident of Franklin Lakes, Taylor Hallman serves as a business continuation associate at Prudential Financial in New Jersey. As a certified business continuation professional living in Franklin Lakes, Taylor Hallman is responsible for developing business continuation plans and testing solutions to improve the level of resilience of the business in the event of a disaster.

Business continuity planning, or BCP, is a thorough and time-consuming process. Managers gather a substantial amount of data and engage in extensive deliberations to develop procedures that are both effective and cost-efficient. Each step in the business continuity planning is inter-connected. Therefore, it is important not to make any assumptions or mistakes that could derail the progress of the BCP.

Failing to conduct a business impact analysis (BIA) is a serious oversight and should never happen during a BCP. A business impact analysis is the first step of the process and helps managers identify all areas of the business that are prone to vulnerabilities from internal and external threats.

Another mistake that should be avoided is not getting the support from senior management and employees. Any change, however small, is significant and often requires time, money, and employee participation. It is always helpful to get the approval of the senior management and the full commitment of the employees to carry out their roles and responsibilities. 

Moreover, managers should not skip conducting BCP exercises regularly. BCP exercises test the outcomes of the continuity plan and reveal any idle steps or additional gaps that must be corrected. Any changes to the BCP should be retested before they can be operational.

Essential Elements of a Business Continuity Plan

A resident of Franklin Lakes, Taylor Hallman serves as a business continuation associate at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey. In this role, Taylor Hallman of Franklin Lakes is responsible for identifying processes and dependencies that are essential to the creation of a viable business continuity plan.

A business continuity plan (BCP) is a strategy that analyzes risks facing a company and allocates the right resources to safeguard the business in the event of a disaster. A BCP consists of essential elements, such as a business impact analysis, recovery strategies, and exercises.

The business impact analysis determines the financial and operational impact caused by a disruption of a specific business function. The analysis may review income losses, increased expenses, customer dissatisfaction, and regulatory fines. The business impact analysis also assesses the timing and duration of the disruption, as this information is necessary for resource allocation. 

The next step in a BCP is to develop recovery strategies to avoid or mitigate the risks identified during the business impact analysis. During this stage, managers check whether they have adequate resources in terms of employees, equipment, and technology. Recovery strategies are typically industry-specific, but may include relocation, prioritization, and the outsourcing of tasks. 

The last step in a BCP is to test the recovery strategies to ensure that they will work as planned. Any changes as a result of the BCP exercise must be reflected in the plan.

Tylenol as a Case Study in How to Address Corporate Crisis

Taylor Hallman is a Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, professional who serves as a business continuation associate with Prudential Financial, in which role he sets in place strategies to ensure viable operations during moments of disruption and crisis. Taylor Hallman of Franklin Lakes has a strong understanding of the leadership qualities that have carried companies through strong headwinds and back to sustained profitability. 

One prominent example of this came in 1982, when seven people died after taking Extra Strength Tylenol to which cyanide had been added. With over-the-counter (OTC) drug safety in question, James E. Burke, then CEO of Tylenol parent company Johnson & Johnson, needed to take quick action. A first step involved the announcement that no further OTC capsules would be sold, as capsules were more susceptible to tampering than solid caplets. 

At the same time, 32 million Tylenol bottles were recalled nationwide, with the expense borne by the company whose products had been targeted. All new products shipped were equipped with a newly developed tamper-resistant, triple-seal packaging system geared toward consumer peace of mind. 

Finally, Burke issued an unequivocal apology and admitted failure in public, with the stated wish that his company had taken action earlier, before the crisis unfolded. These actions resulted in recovery for both Johnson & Johnson and the Tylenol brand, and Burke received recognition as one of Fortune magazine’s 10 greatest CEOs.

Beginner Tips for Collecting Watches

A graduate of Washington College, Taylor Hallman serves as a business continuity associate at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey, and as an active member of the nearby Franklin Lakes community. During his free time, Taylor Hallman pursues a diverse range of hobbies that includes collecting watches. 

Watch collecting has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity, with dedicated forums, websites, and even auction houses popping up to serve beginning and seasoned watch collectors alike. However, getting started in this hobby can be daunting. Here are three tips for starting a watch collection:

Narrow the field: One of the best ways to get started with a watch collection is to focus on one aspect of the watch. For example, some collectors seek out watches made of a specific material, such as titanium, while others focus their collections on pieces made by a specific manufacturer. There is no wrong way to go about it - what matters is that the collection reflects your interest.

Define vintage: The word “vintage” has different meanings depending on the context. A “vintage” wine means something very different than a “vintage” stamp, for example. In watch collecting, vintage typically means any watch produced more than 20 or 25 years ago. Many vintage watches are sought by collectors as investments because they typically appreciate in value.

Have a storage plan: If you’re not planning to wear your watches every day, be sure to store them properly. Boxes specifically designed for storing watches are readily available, but a cigar humidor can also provide the right humidity and temperature for safe storage. Some experts also recommend storing high-end watches in a home safe or at your local bank. In any case, be sure to insure your collection in case of disaster or theft.

Racket Sports at the Tuxedo Club

A resident of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Taylor Hallman serves as a business continuity associate with Prudential Financial in Newark. Outside of his professional life, Franklin Lakes resident Taylor Hallman stands out as a former award-winning tennis player and instructor who holds membership in the Tuxedo Club.

Founded in 1886, the venerable Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, New York, began its existence as a fishing and hunting club before adding a golf course a few years later. Since that time, the club has emerged as one of the premier golf and racket clubs in the United States and today offers a world-class golf course, sailing and boating, and a range of dining facilities available for private events. The club also stands out for its racket sports.

The only club in the world that offers five racket sports, the Tuxedo Club maintains one of only 11 court tennis facilities and one of only 8 rackets courts in the United States. In addition to these specialty offerings, the club maintains lawn tennis courts, paddle tennis courts, and squash courts. The club’s proud racket sport history includes hosting the first U.S. Open Squash Championship in 1901. For more than a century, the club has held the annual Gold Racquets Tournament, one of the most prestigious court tennis tournaments in the world.