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Brett Surbey

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Michele Lerner

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<p>Many employees dream about <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/ready-for-the-c-suite-first-read-these-3-truths/">climbing the corporate ladder</a>. Suzanne Ogle thinks most people’s career paths look more like a jungle gym.</p>



<p>“There isn’t usually a direct path from an entry-level position to the head of the company,” says Ogle, president and CEO of Southern Gas Association in Dallas. “You’ll need to learn lots of different skills, and it will be a long haul. It can take decades to reach a leadership position.”</p>



<p>Making it from one level to the next might require a multifaceted approach that includes education, training, networking and volunteering within your company, in addition to playing to the strengths in your personality, Ogle says.</p>



<p>There are myriad steps that experienced executives say will help professionals reach the C-suite. Here is what Ogle and other leaders suggest.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-how-to-get-into-the-c-suite-don-t-just-do-your-job">1. How to get into the C-Suite: Don’t just do your job.</h2>



<p>No matter what job you have, you should look to transform it, says Adam Bryant, senior managing director of The ExCo Group executive coaching firm in New York City, founder of the Corner Office interview series in The New York Times and author of several books on executive leadership. “Don’t just fulfill expectations,” he adds. “Build a track record of finding ways to optimize the company and make it more efficient.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-network-strategically">2. Network strategically.</h2>



<p>When Shawn M. Graham moved to Atlanta, she knew she had the tools and the work ethic to further her career, but she wanted to align herself with the right people. She had grown up in New York’s inner city and was proud of her “grind” and determination. “I’d notice the people in the room that everyone wants to meet,” says Graham, now CFO and interim CEO of the <a href="https://nbmbaa.org/the-national-black-mba-association-names-shawn-m-graham-cpa-as-its-interim-chief-executive-officer-and-paula-fontana-as-interim-president/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Black MBA Association</a>. “I knew from my childhood how important it is to know who to stay away from and who to get to be friends with.” Networking isn’t just about showing up, she adds, although being visible is important: “It’s about reciprocity. I ask people for advice, but I also ask them what I can do for them.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-find-a-good-mentor-or-mentors">3. Find a good mentor or mentors.</h2>



<p><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-powerful-legacy-of-mentoring/">Mentors</a> and coaches are extremely important to career success, Bryant says. “It’s human nature to have blind spots about yourself, so you need someone to stop the conversation. For example, you may think of yourself as collaborative, but you need to know that others [may] see you as dictatorial.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-be-observant">4. Be observant.</h2>



<p>Graham consistently observes businesspeople and other leaders she admires so she can learn from them and identify the characteristics that make them successful. “I’d even watch people’s body language and listen to how they communicate with other people,” Graham says. “Now, I work hard to pass on my skills and knowledge by mentoring other people.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-nurture-your-communication-style">5. Nurture your communication style.</h2>



<p>One trait shared by the 1,000 or more senior leaders Bryant interviewed throughout his career is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-communication-skills-that-will-make-you-a-better-leader/">good communication skills</a>. “CEOs must be able to simplify complexity,” Bryant says. “A leader needs to be able to stand up in front of a group and answer their questions the way parents answer kids in the back seat. They want to know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there.” Bryant recommends practicing distilling complex topics into simpler answers by taking a seven-page memo and turning it into a one-page memo or by cutting a presentation deck in half.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-broaden-your-work-experience">6. Broaden your work experience.</h2>



<p>Another trait that leaders share is making the most of whatever path they’re on, Bryant says. “Think of your life like a towel soaking up water and then taking that towel and wringing out every drop of your own experience,” Bryant says. “Good leaders are constantly observing and processing lessons everywhere around them.” Volunteer for committees and special projects within your company to learn and build relationships with colleagues and mentors, Bryant suggests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-learn-continuously">7. Learn continuously.</h2>



<p>Graham encourages people to pursue an MBA, which is “phenomenal” for opening doors and learning beyond book knowledge. But she says all kinds of education and experience can lead to the C-suite: “Keep learning through reading and listening to others. This is especially important today with technology changing our lives and businesses so quickly.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-volunteer-in-your-community">8. Volunteer in your community.</h2>



<p>While it may be tempting to focus entirely on your career and your personal life, Ogle and Graham both recommend <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-can-i-increase-my-community-involvement/">getting involved in your community</a>. Graham, who holds several nonprofit board positions and served a two-year term on the City of Atlanta Small Business Advisory Council, says volunteer work is a great way to expand your network and learn from other volunteers. “I feel an obligation to help others in my community, and I enjoy mentoring people,” Graham says. “People are often surprised when I answer their messages on LinkedIn or serve people at the Salvation Army, but I want to help them as much as my mentors helped me.”&nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by</em> <em>Atstock Productions/Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Dreaming of becoming a C-suite executive? We asked industry leaders how they climbed their way to the top. Here’s what they suggest.

Dreaming of becoming a C-suite executive? We asked industry leaders how they climbed their way to the top. Here’s what they suggest. | SUCCESS

8 Steps to Climb Your Way Up to the C-Suite

How to Get into the C-Suite in 8 Simple Steps | SUCCESS

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woman thinking about being a boomerang employee

<p><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-great-resignation/">The great resignation</a> and the great reshuffle during the pandemic, tied in some cases to childcare and homeschooling and in others to reevaluation of priorities, appears to be driving a new trend: boomerang employees. Workers are returning to their former employer more often than in the past and often after a shorter time away.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/welcome-back-employers-rush-hire-talent-left-just-17-months-anders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to LinkedIn data</a>, boomerang employees accounted for “4.3% of all job switches” in 2021, up from under 2% in 2010. The average time away was 17.3 months in 2021, compared to 21.8 months in 2010.</p>



<p>For Chad Stripling, director of data science for the interaction innovation team at <a href="https://www.8451.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">84.51°</a>, a data science and analytics firm and media company in Cincinnati, Ohio, four years was long enough to be away from his former employer. Stripling worked at 84.51° as an intern and then as a lead data scientist for about five years. He left the company in 2018, then returned in 2022.</p>



<p>“I left to manage a pricing team at a regional grocery company and then managed a team for a clothing retailer,” Stripling says. “I <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/want-to-reach-your-potential-then-be-a-learner/">gained new experience and skills</a>, but I was eager to return to 84.51°.”</p>



<h2 id="h-what-causes-boomerang-employees">What causes boomerang employees?</h2>



<p>The “grass is always greener on the other side” attitude led many people to experiment with new companies or to be lured away with higher pay because of the ongoing labor shortage. In <a href="https://www.ukg.com/about-us/newsroom/15-million-pandemic-era-us-job-quitters-say-they-were-better-their-old-job" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a 2022 survey</a> by payroll firm UKG, “Four out of 10 people (43%) who quit their jobs during the pandemic now admit they were actually better off at their old job.”</p>



<p>“There’s always something that bothers you about a job, even if you’re self-employed,” says <a href="https://www.mikeashie.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mike Ashie</a>, a leadership and management consultant in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. “After the great resignation there was a hiring frenzy and people were paying top dollar to attract employees. But in hindsight, many people who left their companies realized they didn’t know what they were getting into.”</p>



<p>Stripling, like other boomerang employees, found plenty of reasons to return to 84.51°.</p>



<p>“The culture at 84.51° is extremely collaborative,” Stripling says. “The leadership is very transparent about their objectives and provides feedback on how their initiatives are performing. They also have a great attitude about <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/11-ways-to-achieve-work-life-integration/">work-life balance</a>. I’m extremely dedicated to my career, but I also appreciate that they advocate for taking time off and for remote work.”</p>



<h3 id="h-instability-in-the-workforce">Instability in the workforce</h3>



<p>While Stripling left his company prior to the pandemic, a record of over 47 million people voluntarily left their jobs in 2021, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/01/roughly-47-million-people-quit-their-job-last-year.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the Labor Department</a>.</p>



<p>As with many other trends, the Covid pandemic accelerated what was already beginning to happen, says Glenn Llopis, president and CEO of the <a href="https://www.glennllopis.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Glenn Llopis Group</a> (GLLG), a consulting firm based in Holly Springs, North Carolina.</p>



<p>“Beginning around 2015, employees started to tell employers that they were leaving their jobs because of the leadership or because they didn’t believe in what the organization stood for,” says Llopis. “Employers always feel like they have the power, but now employees are tired of not being treated as individuals. More people realize that work is what they do, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-find-meaning-outside-of-your-job/">not who they are</a>.”</p>



<h2 id="h-should-you-leave-your-job-in-the-first-place">Should you leave your job in the first place?</h2>



<p>Stripling left his company initially to gain new experience and relocate, not because of unhappiness. But he’s very aware through his career and interactions with other companies about what makes an organization a good or bad place to work.</p>



<p>“I appreciate the emphasis on work-life balance and the investments in innovative technology,” Stripling says. “At 84.51°, there’s a lot of sharing throughout the company and in small groups that spur career advancement and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-key-insights-on-treating-employees-with-love-from-leadership-experts-three-and-jackie-carpenter/">make us feel supported</a>.”</p>



<p>While Stripling hasn’t experienced it himself, most everyone he knows has suffered at some point from not having the tools or data to make the right decisions. To him, that’s a sign of a bad organization.</p>



<p>“Companies with a good culture are ones that are favorable to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go/">what employees are looking for</a>,” says Llopis. “We’re in the age of personalization. Employees want to explore what they can do in their jobs for themselves and evolve.”</p>



<p>Ashie suggests taking a hard look at the pros and cons before leaving a job.</p>



<p>“You know when you’re in a toxic environment and that it’s time to leave if your job is draining the life out of you,” Ashie says. “But if you have a good relationship with your colleagues and a decent relationship with your boss, then you should look carefully at the environment you’re in to see if you can make adjustments rather than leave.”</p>



<p>If you go home smiling and enjoy your work, it may not be worth it to move to a different company even for higher pay.</p>



<p>“It shouldn’t be just a roll of the dice, which is why we’re seeing boomerang employees more often these days,” Ashie says.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-red-flags-among-new-opportunities">Red flags among new opportunities</h2>



<p>Before making a job change and potentially becoming a boomerang employee, it’s smart to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-things-to-do-before-your-next-job-interview/">analyze a job posting and company</a>. Use the interview stage to investigate the company’s values.</p>



<h3>1. Inquire about the specifics of the job. </h3>



<p>“Sometimes job postings can be ambiguous, so it’s important to ask who you’ll be working with,” Stripling says. “In data science, for example, you can be working with engineers, business leaders or external clients, each of which changes the job.</p>



<p>“Ask about what the expectations are for you and about the history of the role, such as whether it’s a new position or being backfilled,” he adds.</p>



<p>Llopis recommends asking whether the metrics for success have already been established or if the employee has some freedom and input into how they meet the desired outcomes of a job.</p>



<h3>2. Take a look at the open positions on the company’s site. </h3>



<p>“If the company posts a lot of positions, that could be an indication of high turnover and there’s nothing good about that,” Ashie says. “If they seem to be urgently in need of employees, that’s another red flag that people are leaving without giving much notice, which means there’s a lack of mutual respect.”</p>



<h3>3. Ask about advancement opportunities to avoid becoming a boomerang employee. </h3>



<p>It’s important to find out if there’s room for growth in the new company or training and education that can help you advance your career, Ashie says.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>4. Learn about the company culture. </h3>



<p>“If someone says, ‘We’re like a family here,’ that’s a red flag,” Ashie says. “That usually means you can’t get rid of someone even if the budget isn’t there or they’re not doing a great job.”</p>



<p>Ashie recommends paying attention to companies when they lay off large numbers of people. How the company handled it can be an indication of how they treat all employees.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-to-be-a-successful-boomerang-employee">How to be a successful boomerang employee</h2>



<p>Not every employer is open to welcoming back former employees with open arms, Llopis says. So, how can you set yourself up to potentially become a boomerang employee?</p>



<h3>1. Leave on good terms. </h3>



<p>“Give a decent notice—at least two weeks—out of respect for your employer,” Ashie says. “If you’ve left your job in a decent way, it’s easier to go back.”</p>



<h3>2. Maintain your relationships with every former employer. </h3>



<p>It is relatively simple through LinkedIn and other social media platforms. “It’s much easier to ask for a job if you’ve been in touch periodically with former colleagues, managers and the business owner,” Ashie says. “This is a lot harder if you didn’t build strong relationships while you were there.”</p>



<h3>3. Be transparent about why you want to return as a boomerang employee. </h3>



<p>“The employer will want to know why you left them and what’s bringing you back,” Llopis says. “You need to have a legitimate reason to return, not just that this is an interim position because you need a paycheck while you look for the next position.”</p>



<p>While it’s not a great idea to jump from one company to another annually, Stripling believes a boomerang can be good for your resume and reputation.</p>



<p>“A diversified candidate who’s expanded their experience and is bringing it back to their previous employer can add value,” he says.</p>



<p>Being (and hiring) a boomerang employee can be a positive experience for both sides, provided each takes a careful look at how they can fit back together in a more productive way.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by fizkes/Shutterstock</em></p>

Boomerang employees are workers who return to their former employer after time away. Here's what you need to know about the workplace trend.

Boomerang employees are workers who return to their former employer after time away. Here's what you need to know about the workplace trend. | SUCCESS

They’re Back: Boomerang Employees on the Rise for Good or Bad

What is a Boomerang Employee? A Trend to Know | SUCCESS

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Rent vs. Buy: What's the Right Decision for You?

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<p>Whether you are a homeowner or renter, chances are you’d like to become a homeowner someday. Surveys show that most Americans want to own a home. For example, 84% of respondents <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2020-home-buyer-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in a 2020 survey</a> from personal finance site NerdWallet said buying a home is a priority.</p>



<p>A decade ago, the narrative was that millennials didn’t want to own anything and would rent urban apartments forever, but today the largest cohort of homebuyers are millennials.</p>



<p>“There’s no meaningful difference in the aspiration for homeownership from one generation to the next,” says Mark Palim, deputy chief economist at Fannie Mae. “All our surveys show that most people want to own a home. We were surprised that there wasn’t even much of a dropoff in the desirability of homeownership after the housing crisis.”</p>



<p>The shift from renting to purchasing a home typically occurs in someone’s early 30s, according to Palim.</p>



<p>“As each cohort ages into their 30s, we see a new group of buyers,” he says. “The millennials were a little slower because they faced impediments from a weaker economy. They didn’t have the income or credit to buy and struggled with student loan and credit card debt, so it was harder to save for a down payment.”</p>



<p>According to the National Association of Realtors 2021 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, millennials made up 37% of buyers; 32% of buyers were baby boomers; and 24% were Gen Xers in 2020.</p>



<p>From the oldest baby boomers to the youngest Gen Z cohort and the millennials and Gen Xers in between, owning a home remains preferable to renting by a large margin. Still, there are plenty of people who appreciate the flexibility of renting and the freedom from spending time and money on home maintenance. So, how do you decide what’s right for you?</p>



<h2 id="h-the-case-for-renting"><strong>The Case for Renting</strong></h2>



<p>Although some people assume renters are primarily younger people who can’t afford to buy a home, the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies report <a href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_Americas_Rental_Housing_2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">America’s Rental Housing 2022</a> found that higher-income households are increasingly renting. Those wealthier households drove 70% of total renter household growth between 2009 and 2019. One reason is the difficulty finding a home to buy because of high prices and low inventory. In addition, many people want to rent, especially when they can enjoy an apartment in their preferred location with onsite amenities such as a pool, a fitness center and concierge services. More opportunities have become available for apartments and single-family home rentals in suburban areas and smaller cities in recent years, too.</p>



<p>“An individual’s preference might tilt to renting if they know they’ll be in an area for a shorter time than five years or so,” says Jeff Tucker, a senior economist at Zillow. “A lot of people like the flexibility of renting because it’s a lot cheaper to move in and move out of a rental than to buy and sell a property. Entrepreneurs who don’t want to be tied to one spot to build their business are more likely to want to rent.”</p>



<p>Another motivation to rent is lack of time: “Owning a home requires maintenance, and even if you hire someone to do your painting and gardening, it takes time to find and manage contractors,” Tucker says.</p>



<p>Maintenance also costs money, often more than anticipated by homeowners. The biggest regret among recent homebuyers was not being prepared for maintenance and other costs of owning, according to a <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/homebuyer-regret-survey-may-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2021 survey by Bankrate</a>.</p>



<h2><strong>The Appeal of Homebuying</strong></h2>



<p>Although the aspiration to buy doesn’t change, the reasons evolve according to economic and societal conditions.</p>



<p>“People are responding to rising home values and low mortgage rates and see owning a home as a good investment,” says Nadia Evangelou, a senior economist and director of national forecasting for the National Association of Realtors. “Among millennials, 86% in a recent survey said it was a good investment and 44% said investing in real estate was better than <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-keys-to-successful-investing/">investing in stocks</a>.”</p>



<p>People who bought a median priced home in January 2021 accumulated more than $50,000 in equity by January 2022, Evangelou says.</p>



<p>“We’ve seen a key change in our surveys over the last 18 months, with people who were on the fence about when they wanted to buy choosing to buy sooner rather than later,” says AJ Barkley, a neighborhood lending and community lending executive at Bank of America. “The pandemic made it less important to live next to restaurants and made people prioritize having more space, a yard and a community they like.”</p>



<p>For those aged 18 to 25, a group that includes members of the Gen Z generation and the youngest millennials, Bank of America’s surveys found a majority making a conscious decision to save for a home.</p>



<p>“The youngest people we surveyed were willing to put off vacations and weddings so they could buy a home faster,” Barkley says. “They understand the wealth-building impact of homeownership.”</p>



<p><a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/scf20.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to the Federal Reserve</a>, the median net worth of homeowners is approximately 40 times the median net worth of renters. In 2019, the median net worth of homeowners was $255,000, compared with a median net worth of $6,300 for renters.</p>



<p>“A big driver for every generation to buy is increasing rent,” Barkley says. “You can lock in a fixed-rate mortgage and pay the same principal and interest for your housing for as long as 30 years and not worry about a rent increase.”</p>



<p>Average rents rose 16% in 2021, according to Zillow. Although that’s an unusually large jump, rent increases are common. But money isn’t the only motivation for buying.</p>



<p>“People wanted to buy homes in 2004 to 2008 because of their unrealistic expectations about price appreciation,” says Palim. “For the past decade, people are more likely to cite non-financial reasons to buy such as having control over their own space so they can personalize it and developing roots in a community.”</p>



<h2><strong>Factors to Consider</strong></h2>



<p>Some of the dynamics to consider that could influence your buy or rent choice include:</p>



<h3><strong>1. Life Plans</strong></h3>



<p>Although no one knows with certainty where they’ll be in five years, the cost of buying and selling a home means that in normal markets, experts recommend owning a home for at least five years to build equity. If you think you may want to move to another city, a different neighborhood or change your family size within a short amount of time, renting may be the better choice. One caveat: You could buy a home and then keep it as an investment property if you choose to move.</p>



<h3><strong>2. Affordability</strong></h3>



<p>Although mortgage rates are predicted to rise to 4% by the end of 2022 by the Mortgage Bankers Association, buying is still more affordable than renting in most housing markets, Evangelou says. The monthly mortgage for a median-priced home in January was $1,260, compared with the median rent of $1,540.</p>



<p>However, in high-cost housing markets such as New York City, Seattle and San Francisco, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/rich-regular-episode-04-is-homeownership-a-luxury/">it can be more affordable</a> to rent than to buy, Tucker says.</p>



<p>More than 35% of renters can currently afford to buy the typical home, estimates Evangelou. The difficulty in most markets is finding a home to buy in your price range, especially for entry-level buyers.</p>



<h3><strong>3. Inflation</strong></h3>



<p>Owning a home can be a hedge against inflation, Tucker says.</p>



<p>“We recently saw the highest level of inflation since 1982, so people may want to think about locking in a fixed payment for 30 years with a mortgage,” Tucker says. “There are very few financial instruments that offer that promise, which looks extra appealing in a high-inflation economy.”</p>



<h3><strong>4. Cash Flow</strong></h3>



<p>You’ll need funds for a down payment of 3% or more plus closing costs, which range from 2–5% of the purchase price. You’ll also <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-smart-money-moves-to-plan-for-financial-security/">need cash reserves</a> for emergencies and home repairs. Many home experts suggest setting aside 1% of your home value annually for maintenance. You may choose to rent to save more money for a future purchase or to invest in something other than real estate.</p>



<h3><strong>5. Cost</strong></h3>



<p>Renters pay their rent and sometimes their utilities and parking. Homeowners have more costs beyond principal and interest on their mortgage, such as property taxes, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/protect-your-assets-how-to-find-the-right-homeowners-insurance-for-you/">homeowners’ insurance</a> and sometimes homeowner association dues.</p>



<h3><strong>6. Taxes</strong></h3>



<p>Homeowners can deduct mortgage interest and property taxes on their home up to certain limits that are subject to changes in tax laws. In addition, current tax laws provide an exemption from some capital gains taxes when you sell if you meet the residence rules. Renters are not eligible for similar tax breaks.</p>



<h3><strong>7. Your Risk Tolerance</strong></h3>



<p>Both renting and buying carry some financial risk. As a renter, you’re subject to rent increases and the possibility that your landlord could decide not to rent it anymore. However, if you live in a city with rent control, you can at least know the maximum your rent can be increased.</p>



<p>As a homeowner, it’s important to remember that home values don’t always go up, Palim says.</p>



<p>“Buying a home isn’t a one-way bet,” he says. “While home prices are not anticipated to decline, they are not expected to accelerate quite as quickly in 2022 as they did in 2021.”</p>



<p>Although real estate generally appreciates over the long term, homeowners take the risk of potentially owning a property that loses value.</p>



<p>Ultimately, your choice to rent or buy depends on where you want to live and for how long, local market conditions, personal lifestyle preferences, and your financial circumstances and plans. A consultation with a mortgage lender and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-things-to-consider-before-working-with-a-virtual-financial-adviser/">a financial adviser</a> can clarify the monetary aspects of your decision.</p>



<p style="font-size:12px"><em>This article originally appeared in the May/June 2022 Issue of </em>SUCCESS<em> magazine.</em> <em>Photo by @hellomikee</em>/Twenty20</p>

Despite stereotypes, millennials make up the largest group of homebuyers. Is it still considered a wise investment?

Despite stereotypes, millennials make up the largest group of homebuyers. Is it still considered a wise investment? | SUCCESS

Rent vs. Buy: What&#8217;s the Right Decision for You?

Rent vs. Buy: What's the Right Decision for You? | SUCCESS

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Michele Lerner

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