Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Sell Successfully Using a Mailing List

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[Quick tip: If you own – or run – an agro-based/allied business, the ideas in this article can REALLY help you. Trust me. I LOVE farmers – and would NEVER steer you wrong :-))]

Are you responsible for creating marketing awareness, and generating sales leads for your company? If yes, then building a mailing list needs to be your number one priority.

Why?

Because most times only people interested in buying will take pains to join such a list. Success in therefore likely to boost sales dramatically (and possibly take your career to the next level)!

However, You Must Do It Right, To Ensure The Right People Sign Up

You want to sell your products and services don’t you? Well then you must do something to make them give up at least their email address – so you can contact them again after their first contact with you.

Note here this “contact” may not only happen online. It can – and does often – happen offline as well. So do not close your eyes to the opportunities to “direct” such contacts to marketing material that’ll make them join your list!

But You Must Be Careful to Attract The Right People

Make sure you only use bait that attracts people likely to be willing to pay for what you sell!

It sounds obvious, but the truth is not everyone gets this part quite well. You see, you must develop a marketing instrument that touches on something that interests them, which is related to what you sell. Then somewhere in there, you offer access to even more – maybe some special ground breaking report or white paper. That what will make them feel a need to come over and signup to get it.

Now, one of the most effective “marketing instruments” with which to propagate the above kind of offer is a website.

On the website, you could have a blog and/or a web based newsletter. Through one or a combination of the foregoing (which are components of what I call a Web Marketing System), you can easily publish and distribute useful and interesting content for your target audience to read.

The key will however be to remember that what you’re doing is just a means to an end – AND NOT AN END in itself!

The profitable end you seek will always be to make as many of those who stop long enough to read your stuff, decide to join your mailing list – swelling it’s membership. To make that happen, you will regularly have new bodies of useful information and education packaged in different forms. Some will be directly access free articles. Others will be members-only articles or PDF reports/other documents that a prospective reader has to signup to get. Some could be available for a fee.

Ultimately, you want to have a situation where over time you are able to build your own community of potential buyers for your products and services. And you’d be able to periodically make them sales offers, while still serving them useful, free information via a your broadcasts.

One kind of downloadable document that can be used – in an article – to get people to join your list is called an “Educational Commercial” or “Edumercial”.

A good example of an Edumercial is my new report on “Using MS Excel® Solver for Least Cost Feed Formulation“.

The following are key objectives you will aim to achieve using an Edumercial:

1. Establish you/your company as an authority on the subject e.g. Shea Butter (if that’s what you sell)

2. Generate enquiries from potential buyers of your Shea Butter range of products

3. Stimulate interest in reader’s minds to tell their networks and contacts about you.

4. Generate visits from people fitting your target audience profile to your website to get more useful information

5. Make your website, and brand/name get picked up – MORE OFTEN – by Google and other search engines when people do searches related to Shea Butter.

6. Save you money, time and effort in promoting your products and services BEYOND the limits of your current marketing reach/influence and impact.

7. Gradually help you collect contact details into a MAILING LIST of potential buyers/sales leads, so you can send notices of new useful stuff you publish and/or announce sales offers of your products.

A mailing list of trusting buyers will not only come ready to pay, but will also tell others about anything you tell them in your email broadcasts.

Hopefully you see what is possible here.

Try to offer marketing content mainly from your blog – NOT just your website

Be sure however, to channel blog RSS feeds to the site. That way people who land on the website will still see the useful titles and click to the blog.

Except your website is already blog based, you may need to do this – especially you use a static html website. The reason is that a blog comes ready-to-use with the instruments for content syndication and archiving that Google/readers want.

And it also makes the process of updating content online quicker, and easier. You can install your blog within minutes, from your website’s CPANEL at NO COST. Just tell your website manager – or if you want, I can help (email tayo at tksola dot com).

You need not spend money on blog design – in my experience based opinion.

Thousands of professional templates are available for FREE, which can be perfectly customized to suit your needs. Later on you can get a paid one, if you wish. Just don’t let that stop you from getting started.

What is crucial is that you aim to generate content to publish regularly on it that will help you build a community of followers, many of who are likely to be in buy-mode by the time they read your stuff and see your good quality products.

Take a look at the number of sales enquiries still being generated from a single interview a Shea Butter expert from Abuja did on this post at NaturalNigerian.com.

And the orders were coming in from all over the world – because most people had been unable to find a RELIABLE source of 100% PURE Shea Butter.

See how this approach of giving useful information away free in the right place, to the right people can generate massive rewards?

As long as you also offer reliable quality of products and services, you can get similar attention from potential buyers. And it will make your company get more “name recognition” both online and off, locally and internationally.

Tips for Generating Your Content

Even if you’re writing from experience, read up on the subject periodically.

This will enable you enrich your articles with additionally interesting information. Where appropriate put in all the references you consulted. No matter how minor. It’s important to acknowledge the sources one reads. Make sure you do NO copying or plagiarizing.

Sometimes I simply write by drawing from past or present experience/observation.

But normally, the standard way I generate content is that I first read lots of material on the subject. Then I sit down and think of a useful angle to write from, that has not been covered by any of the sources I read.

And I try to make sure what I end up with adds useful value to the existing body of information. All of that is done using my own words. That way, my final write-up is free from any duplicate content.

Note that it’s always best not to create the impression you’re trying to “sell” in an edumercial! (Read through my Educational Commercial on Feed Formulation)

That tends to turn readers off. They must believe you’re offering the useful information to help them as a real public service.

That gesture, on its own, will make you appear as a more credible provider to go to as a result!

It’s a bit counter intuitive, but IT WORKS quite well for generating quality sales leads!

Try it. You will not be disappointed. And neither will your bosses/employer!

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News

Quitting My Job Earned Me Names (e.g “mad”), But Today…

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“Many people still think you must have been mad to do what you did“. Those were the words uttered to me by a former senior colleague that I held in considerably high esteem. My response to that “verdict” about my mental state of health, ostensibly passed by some of my former colleagues was along the lines of “My only regret is that I did not do it sooner!” – and I meant it.

In this article, I reveal the true fear-fueled motives that some salary earners(and their employers) have for readily casting aspersion on a member who chooses to switch from paid to self-employment despite offers of career advancement. Some of the assertions I make in this article WILL upset persons in paid employment, but that will not change the fact that they are accurate representations of what happens in our society today!

I of course am first to admit that NOT all salary earners are guilty of the practices I refer to. My purpose here is to help the interested reader understand that – notwithstanding startup pains – self-employment can be a prestigious and fulfilling alternative to the daily rat race in paid employment. I hope you enjoy your read – and tell others!!

(NB: This article -written in my 4th year as a Lagos-Nigeria based entrepreneur, was first published online in 2006 on this static hmtl page. It is one of twenty-five(25) contained in Tayo Solagbade’s Ebook titled “25 Articles/True Stories On Self-Development, Entrepeneuring & Web Marketing To Help You Succeed More Often“). I believe the time is right for it to move to this Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. Tayo K. Solagbade, 19th Dec. 2013, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Some Background Details

Even though I have focussed on salary earners, some of the “habits” I describe in this article are also favored by certain persons in business who have vested interests. Maybe I’ll find the patience to elaborate on their “contributions” in a separate article sometime in the future. For the purpose of this article however, please indulge me by keeping in mind the fact that I am referring mainly to persons in paid employment.

As I explained in another article, while later reflecting on what some of my wonderful colleagues were supposed to have said about me, I could not help feeling sorry for them. It was sad confirmation that they were still oblivious to the fact, that I had only done earlier, with my youth still on my side, what they would have NO choice but to do in the future.

There is a saying that madness is continuing to do something the same way every time, even when you know the results will still be the same unsatisfactory ones you have always gotten! For seven years I did the 9 to 5 job routine that made feel unfulfilled, saying yes-sir, getting periodically caught in corporate politics, till I could take no more. I wanted out – and I eventually quit.

They said I was mad to do this. But I KNEW I was curing myself of madness by doing it. Today, I know I am very sane. For those who think I should have started my business on the side, instead of quitting outright, read my article titled Should You Quit Your Job or Start Your Business Part-time? and understand that our purposes will differ, and therefore we cannot all successfully follow the same path.

Below, I explain how some people in paid employment think

That manner of thinking makes them regard a person who takes the kind of decision that I took as “mad”. And italso prevents them from taking ACTION to live their lives doing what they truly desire – until it becomes too late.

A. (Some) Salary Earners Keep Trying To Wish Away The Inevitable

By this I mean that they will one day have to seek income outside paid employment, and therefore need to LEARN HOW to do so – especially since no textbook or educational certification will prepare them better than EXPERIENCE.

Failing to see their self-employed former colleague as one through whom they can learn how to survive in the real world, they deprive themselves of cost-saving and pain-relieving access to experience based wisdom, that could increase their chances of succeeding when the inevitable becomes their reality.

You cannot acquire experience by making experiments. You cannot create experience. You must undergo it – Albert Camus.

Know this: No matter how long you hang on to that job, you WILL one day have to let go.

Some who NEVER thought they could lose their jobs because they knew they were “good”, did so, due to the mistakes of others! And guess what? Their companies did not fold up after they left. In most cases, the companies did not even pause briefly as a result of their being let go. I think the following quote says it best:

The graveyards are full of indispensable men. — Charles de Gaulle

Please get over your “It can’t happen to me mentality”, and begin to actively think of ways you can prepare for the inevitable. If it’s not already too late, find a way to contact a former colleague who is in business(or any other competent person) to help you with your “re-education”.

If s/he happens to be like me i.e. one who knows the true worth of his/her hard earned knowledge, experience and billable time, then you can be sure you will NOT be getting that education FREE.

As a young manager in the company I quit from, I could not help noticing how defeated some retired ex-managers looked after some years.

In many cases, some of these individuals had spent 2 or more decades of their lives working for the company they eventually left as Directors, Senior Managers etc. That was not bad in itself. The problem was they knew NO other life, and had acquired little or no other socially relevant and marketable skills to guarantee their successful re-entry into the real -world.

Many would have gone through all those years telling everyone “Look, I’m busy”, “I don’t have time for that now!” etc. Then suddenly, they find they have more time than they can use – and very little energy(or ideas) – to utilise it in the way they need to!!

Pre-Retirement Programs Seldom Help!

Most pre-retirement programs seldom provide any significant/useful preparation, that a prospective retiree can successfully apply in the real world. Apart from the fact that they are hurriedly put together and last only short periods, little real-world education can be imparted in the classroom environments often used by organisers. The real learning and re-education will have to be done via contact with the real world  And so, the inevitable becomes unavoidable!

Amazingly…Fela Anikulapo Kuti Actually Sang About The Above Problem!

Fela once sang in his Perambulator album the lyrics :

Excerpts From Fela’s PERAMBULATOR Album Lyrics
From his single-track album titled “Perambulator”, released back in the ’80’s, I excerpted the following lines delivered in his usual pidgin English(The song centered on the lack of direction or purpose in the way African societies were run/organised) :

“Perambuuuulator”(chorus = Perambulator!). “Perambuuuulator”(chorus = Perambulator!).

Perambulator dey go. “Perambuuuulator”(chorus = Perambulator!).

Perambulator dey come. “Perambuuuulator”(chorus = Perambulator!)

.He must to turn, turn right, aha, turn right for nothing(Chorus = Turn, Turn, Right!)

He must to turn, turn left, aha, turn left for nothing(Chorus = Turn, Turn, Left!)

He must to start to go, aha, start to go for nothing(Chorus = Start To Go!)

He must to come, come back, aha, come back for nothing(Chorus = Come, Come Back!)

He must to turn right (chorus = Perambulator!), and then turn left (chorus = Perambulator!)

He must start go (chorus = Perambulator!) and then come back (chorus = Perambulator!)

He must turn round (chorus = Perambulator!), all for nothing, all no progress, all no profit….all no profit !

If you look the man well, na the same place him dey(Chorus = Same, Same Place!)…ame place him dey(Chorus = Same, Same Place!)…He no go anywhere. Perambulator.

“As him go to school before” (Chorus = No solution)

“Dem go teach am plenty english” (Chorus = No solution)

“Dem go teach am nothing for himself” (Chorus = No solution)

“Dem go give am certificate, to go carry file for office” (Chorus = No solution)

“Dem go give am certificate, to make am civil servant” (Chorus = No solution)

“Dem go give am certificate, to make am certified slave” (Chorus = No solution)

dem go teach am for dem school, that Mungo Park discovered river Niger! (Chorus = No solution)

I say when Mungo Park reach river Niger, na African people, na dem show am the way

You see! Him for dey Perambulate and for still dey(Chorus = Same, Same Place!)

Him no discover. Na him write am. He write am for dem. He no write am for us.

For the benefit of the reader who is not (yet) initiated into reading “our” pidgin English, the above excerpts translate – in part – thus:

Fela: “He would have gone to school earlier on in life” (Chorus = “No solution”: meaning BUT IT will do him little or no good).

Fela: “They will teach him how to speak good English” (Chorus = “No solution”: meaning BUT IT will do him little or no good).

Fela: “He will be taught nothing that will benefit him personally” (Chorus = No solution = meaning BUT IT will do him little or no good).

Fela: “They will give him a certificate, to work as an employee” (Chorus = “No solution”: meaning BUT IT will do him little or no good).

Fela: “They will give him a certificate, to make him a civil servant” (Chorus = “No solution”: meaning BUT IT will do him little or no good).

Fela: “They will give him a certificate, to make him a certified slave” (Chorus = “No solution”: meaning BUT IT will do him little or no good).

From reading through the late Afro Beat musician’s lyrics, especially “Dem go give am certificate, to make am certified slave” and “Demo go teach am nothing for himself“, the reader will – I hope – have seen the point I am making here.

It is that blindly pursuing a career without consciously planning for life after that career, can be likened to moving round in circles and achieving NO PERSONAL progress (Fela called it Perambulating).

The choice is yours to make! The morale drawn from Fela’s lyrics is even more relevant to the my next point (see B. below).

Important: Before you ask for my head, here’s what I am NOT Saying!

I am not saying it is bad to be an employee, or to pursue a long and fruitful career in a good company (though this can be hard to find these days!).

What I am saying however, is that while doing that, one should also prepare for the inevitable return to life out of paid employment. Where, very often, the skills successfully used for survival in a salaried job can be found totally obsolete in the real-world!

B. Some(Salary Earners) Acquire Qualifications That Make Them Too Specialised To Do Anything Else

Some corporate multinationals require employees in various cadres of management to take, and pass, certain certification examinations in highly specialised fields.

They are told those exams will increase their career advancement potentials within THAT company. The sometimes un-stated fact however is that most of these exams and qualifications do not, in any way, make the holder more usefully skilled and therefore employable elsewhere.

In a way that’s good for the employer – BUT certainly not for the employee with lofty career ambitions!

The shocking reality of how limiting a specialist qualification can be, hit me in a bad way when I got a refusal letter regarding my application (in mid 2005). The application was made to enter the UK as a self-employed person to explore opportunities under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme(HSMP).

Let me state here that the overall score awarded me, or the fact that I was judged to be inadequately qualified are not the issue.

Instead, I wish to point out how holding what was supposed to be an internationally recognised professional brewing qualification (i.e Associate Membership Certification) DID NOT help my case in any way.

Not even the fact that it was awarded – following success in the qualifying examinations – by the UK based Institute & Guild Of Brewing which has membership spanning organisations across many continents!

As a young brewer in Guinness Nigeria back in 1997, I will never forget getting a calculator folder gift, accompanied by a signed congratulatory note on letter headed paper – from the Technical Director of the Guinness Africa region: Doug Nicholls.

This was for passing my Associate Membership Examinations. Since joining the company, we had been told how essential it was to our careers, to pass this examination (and the one that followed it – kind of a Master’s qualification). I was therefore naturally very proud of passing this international exam conducted by the UK Institute – which had been existing for over a century.

A year before I left the company, I was even nominated, along with a colleague, to attend a 6 week International Brewing Course – organised by this same institute. It was attended by over 20 delegates from Argentina, Holland, Hungary, Japan, Croatia, USA, Nigeria etc.

Interestingly, many of those who attended the course, were yet to even take the exam I and my colleague had passed over three years before!

It was with all this in mind that I felt convinced having this qualification would have commanded some degree of attention in my HSMP application. But alas, the country from which the Institute has run its affairs and awarded all its certifications – for over a CENTURY – stated in their refusal letter as follows:

“…the National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC). NARIC do not currently maintain a comprehensive record of vocational or professional qualifications and consequently were unable to verify the UK academic equivalent of the qualifications of Associate Membership and Certified test Administrator supplied. In the absence of independent evidence to demonstrate that this requirement had been met, we were unable to award points for these qualifications..“

My Question: 

Considering that the whole essence of paying the steep 315 British Pounds application fee was to facilitate needed investigation of details concerning each application, AND considering the fact that the information to be verified was obtainable within the UK: how difficult could it have been to liaise with the guys at UK NARIC so as to verify the academic equivalent of what could definitely not be an obsolete qualification, since it was routinely awarded by an organisation registered in the same country???

More Curious: Comments Regarding My Years Of Graduate Level Experience

I had submitted ALL the requested information about my employment with my former company, including one which stated names of referees who could be contacted to verify any claims I made in my application.

My understanding of this request for referee information was to enable the “cool guys” at the Home Office contact appropriate personnel at my former company’s HR department, for necessary details. Whether the UK guys ever contacted “my HR” former colleagues, I may never know.

Whether “my HR” former colleagues had a different employee handbook definition of the status I had in the company from the time I was confirmed a Manager (Shift Brewer, on Grade M3) 18 months after coming in as a graduate trainee in October 1994, till I left in December 2001 as Technical Training and Development Manager(TTDM), I may also never know.

Suffice to say that the UK Home Office wrote in their refusal letter as follows:

“The evidence provided only demonstrated that you have 1 year and 8 months graduate level experience for the experience from your own company Self-Development Academy. This was insufficient evidence to award senior level as no evidence was provided as to the size of your company.

… the reference provided for your experience at (XYZ) Nigeria only demonstrated that you have 1 year and 4 months graduate level experience for the position of Technical Training and Development Manager. Based on the evidence supplied, we were not satisfied that your other employment was at a graduate level. As you only hold 3 years graduate level experience, we were unable to award points for this section.“

A Few Points To Note

I was employed as a Graduate Management Trainee(GMT) into the company – in October 1994 – following a battery of tests, and selection board exercise/interview.

The letter of employment I received, and the entire 7 years stay I had in that company never left me in any doubt that I was employed at “graduate level”. When my entitlements were computed following my voluntary resignation from the company, I do not recall being told at any time that a different “formula” was used for the 1 year and four months I was TTDM (Training and Technical Development Manager).

I had in fact worked closely with a knowledgeable colleague to calculate what was due to me, and our estimation agreed quite closely with what the HR department eventually handed me a cheque for! The foregoing therefore gave me ample cause to question the procedure followed in verifying the years of graduate level of experience I acquired in the company before leaving.

As I already said, it appeared the UK Home Office felt no need to ask the referees whose names I provided – or to at least contact the Employee Relations Manager who signed the company’s reference letter about me..Or, could it be that what they wrote in their refusal letter was actually based on what they were told when they contacted the said person at my former company(?).

As Olu Jacobs was wont to say when puzzled about an inconsistency in details of a criminal investigation case in his – now defunct – Detective TV series (“The Third Eye”), I can only say …”Hmm, I wonder ….I Just wonder“ :-))

I Provide These Elaborate Details Here To :

1. Alert any persons in paid employment who may wrongly assume they know all they think they know about their job status, entitlements etc. I urge you to find out and be sure what you find out is correct, so your future personal/career advancement plans don’t blow up in your face.

2. Show that taking examinations which make you more equipped to do specialised jobs, potentially limiting choices you may have in future when the need for a career change arises (and it often will!) is not in your best interest.

You would be VERY wise to begin learning to be a generalist FIRST (as advised by Robert Kiyosaki) before becoming a specialist.

a. Request to work in other departments/functions of your company, so as to increase your skills and knowledge.

b. Attend seminars that will make you proficient in areas you think may in future hold opportunities for personal advancement for you. THIS MAY NOT EVEN be in your present company or on your current job!

c. Look out for opportunities for different job openings that will allow you acquire new, different and more varied knowledge and experiences which will come in useful later in your personal/work life.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE

I have not provided these details about my failed HSMP application to claim that I was cheated (I do not think I was!). I only take exception to the seeming indifference of the UK Home Office team to carrying out thorough verifications. This was done to the extent that they badly understated my qualifications and experience in areas they could have, with more diligence, done a better job.

Also, the fact that they sent back some of my certificates VERY badly mutilated (in stark contrast to the good condition in which I had sent them in to the UK via UPS) was another very sad testimony to the apathy of those responsible in the UK Home Office. But THAT is for a letter to come another day!

One more thing: My desire was simply to have access (enter/leave at will) as an entrepreneur to the UK market. I did not wish to relocate there. I have a personal vision to use my multipreneurial skills set to serve African target audiences primarily – and most other developing societies. To to that effectively, I know it’s essential I remain based in Africa, and in touch with the daily realities in that environment. If people outside developing economies indicate interest in my services, or products, those will be dealt with by exception.

C. (Some) Salary Earners Deliberately Publicise The Self-Employed Person’s Setbacks

In order to dissuade others still in the company’s employ from following his/her footsteps, some individuals or decision makers in a company, and/or sole proprietorship employers, make a point of publicising setbacks a member who resigned to venture into self-employment suffers to those left behind.

However, when s/he records a significant advancement, they conveniently fail to “take note” or play it down. :-)

BUT as soon as news of another setback comes their way, they tell others – especially the impressionable young ones: “See, why it never pays to think you know…see how he is suffering now..? And s/he was warned, but just would not listen. You better think well before you do anything stupid and start regretting it!”

Those who speak/act this way do so out of a need to eliminate their feeling of inadequacy.

A feeling arising from seeing the former member demonstrate great courage(probably applauded by others at the time), to do something they had been unable to find the guts to do for years – despite being unhappy with their own jobs too!

I say to you who read this article at this moment. Do not let anyone deceive you into thinking the prolonged bouts of suffering a self-employed person may have to endure during his/her business startup is bad.

Those experiences are meant to build up the willing person to become ultimately capable of running his/her venture profitably – for the long term.

Take the wisdom offered by your advisers in paid employment (who very often have little or no experience in self-employment). Compare with what you see when you closely study an authentic entrepreneur whose actions/activities catch your attention and interest.

Then pick up books written by those who have succeeded the honorable way and read (and I do mean READ). You will eventually find the TRUE answer.

For now, take this from me:

Without the suffering, rejection, bitter disappointments, setbacks etc, a person is unlikely to fully mature into a competent entrepreneur, capable of achieving the tall ambitions s/he has.

The following are two most recent examples of how I am achieving my own tall ambitions:

1. I recently wrote a 4,000 word international agribusiness paper, for which I’ve now earned handsome payment from an organisation funded by the European Union.

2. In the first quarter of 2014, I’ll launch my very own Home based Farm Products Brew-Pub here in Cotonou, where I’ll be selling my drinks and cakes made from pineapple peel. Click here to learn how I spent days testing my pineapple peel based cake recipees by baking them…but without using an oven! It might interest you to know, that the money I’ll be using to setup the pub is that which I made for writing the research paper mentioned above.

The glass-bottled drink you see in this photo, has been pasteurized using a home-based method I learnt online. The cake is made using pineapple peel.

Read what an authentically successful Nigerian entrepreneur of repute once said about succeeding as an entrepreneur:

“In identifying and exploiting usual openings in business, one has to be a visionary capable of catching and retaining glimpses of the future. In addition to this, one needs the zeal and courage of a pioneering missionary, the faith of a martyr, a stubborn persistence and perseverance and strong will to succeed if the vision or the dream is to be translated into reality……one needs a lot of hard work, perseverance, doggedness, determination, encouragement from friends and a certain amount of luck to succeed.“

– Michael O. Ibru (describing the qualities of successful entrepreneurs)

D. (Some) Salary Earners Act This Way Because They Are Terrified

If there is one group of people who seem to be obsessed with self-delusion when it comes to serious matters like achieving one’s life purpose, I have to say it’s salary earners – AGAIN.

Not all of them of course – but a considerable majority.

If they made reasonable effort to keep their unfounded fears to themselves, it probably would not have been worth talking about. Sadly, they hide behind the false sense of security provided by their jobs(and attendant benefits) to propagate all kinds of unfounded myths about the wisdom of venturing into self-employment.

But Why Are These Salary Earners Always So Terrified?

I offer three possible reasons:

i]. They Are Terrified Of Giving Up A Steady Income Source.

They simply cannot bear the thought of not being able to say, “I’m off to work this morning”, knowing they might not have access to steady inflow of cash to carry on with their established lifestyles .

It gets even worse.

When confronted with the reality of no pay (or if self-employed and unable to get clients to pay up), they will readily drop all pretences at being “honest” and accept to do illegal and/immoral things to avoid being seen “to be incapable of meeting their obligations”.

In a particular case, the person concerned argued that if one was to be a “man”, and support his family, one could not afford to insist on doing things right every time.

What warped logic! 

The lack of social security/welfare systems in some underdeveloped countries like mine, make this problem even more relevant.

ii]. They Are Terrified Because They ALWAYS Put Money First.

Many salary earners simply cannot imagine life without money to spend. They absolutely dread the thought of going through any period of time without the assurance of an inflow of steady income.

Since going into self-employment carries with it the heavy risk of enduring often prolonged periods of cash shortages, they therefore fail to see why anyone in his right mind would decide to take a decision to do such a thing.

My argument is that it would however be wrong for anyone who feels that way, to justify his/her position by deliberately publicising – or even seeking ways to ensure – the failures of another who goes ahead to be self-employed.

And this happens quite a bit. Maybe that’s why the Chinese have this entertaining proverb:

“Man who says it cannot be done, should not get in the way of man who wants to do it” – Chinese Proverb

What this group of fickle-minded individuals fail to understand is this:

The creatures called “entrepreneurs” – the authentic ones – many times do not put the desire for money ahead of their desire to create, and pioneer new ways of doing things, so as to improve the lives of others.

The authentic entrepreneur enjoys the thrill, the excitement and the challenge of doing something new, probably not done before or not done THAT way before.

Indeed many entrepreneurs (including this writer!) confirm they enjoy the journey more than they do, the actual attainment of their valued goal. That probably explains why they keep setting new heights to conquer, by launching other projects.

This love for what they do, is also why most authentic entrepreneurs will readily continue their work, even when monetary rewards are yet to materialise.

But in addition to the “enjoyment” of their work, entrepreneurs also eventually “see” the money.

As I said in my article titled Should You Quit Your Job or Start Your Business Part-time?, doing what you love WILL also eventually bring the ONE benefit(money!) that many people always seem to want to get first. That’s why Marsha Sinetar said:

“Do what you love, and the money will follow” – Marsha Sinetar

iii]. They Are Terrified Because They Lack Vision/The Capacity To Visualise.

Most ideas true entrepreneurs come up with tend to be what larger society (which includes the terrified salary earners) cannot even comprehend, have never thought of, and do not even consider attainable. It is therefore quite understandable that they get called “crazy”, “mad”, “unreasonable”, “dreamers” etc.

Here’s a short story about one “dreamer” who made all our lives better.

Today, we all take for granted the “reality” of being able to receive messages/transmissions through thin air, without physical wire connections from broadcast stations to TV and Radio sets in our homes.

But it was Marconi, who came up with a principle which he claimed could be used to make this possible, at a time when nothing of the sort had ever been seen or done.

Guess what Marconi’s “friends” did to him after he made this claim?

They so “loved” him, and worried for his “sanity” that they forcefully took him to a mental hospital for examination! I am sure they must have been convinced he had gone off the deep end!

Today, it would be ridiculous for anyone to even question the principles on which the TV and Radio work in our various homes and offices.

We really should thank entrepreneurs for refusing to be “reasonable”, and instead being “dreamers” or simply “mad”!

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” — George Bernard Shaw

You Would Be Wise to Take My Warning In This Article Seriously

I urge you to give serious thought to all that I have said here.

Endeavour to serve your employer well. But always remember that her obligation to you ends the day you are officially listed as retired, retrenched, redundant, rationalised – or if you’re lucky to find the courage…”voluntarily resigned”.

Begin today to think what you will do after you leave that nice comfy job with the free medical benefits, pretty cars, free accommodation, scholarship for your kids, free meals at work, sponsored holidays etc.

Don’t let those numerous nice things of life turn you into an invalid who does not know left from right by the time you get back into the UHK – University of Hard Knocks(aka the real-world). And YOU WILL one day have to return to the real-world!

Here’s another reason to take me seriously.

For two years(prior to quitting my job) I tried very hard to highlight in my resume the wonderful specialised international qualification I had, in many applications for different jobs in other companies.

Not one company was interested in it.

When I spoke with others at courses I attended, a blank look always came into their eyes whenever I told them I possessed that qualification.

Then it hit me!

What useful value could I really offer any employer – especially in my country, where the brewing profession is not as established as in the UK?

The answer was little or nothing. Only the one I currently worked for with that specialised qualification recognised it!

The only other employer that could have been interested was in the same industry, and a direct competitor. But during my UK course, I met 2 brewers empoyed there, and they pointedly told me their company did not require any of them to take the exams or get the qualification!

It was then that I realised what it felt like to be “trapped”.

And I became even more determined to do something about my situation. This led me eventually to quit my job, and start my own business in order to fulfill my own long standing personal ambitions. You are reading all this now, because I found my true purpose – and followed it.

If doing so is what it means to be “MAD” as some of my former colleagues are supposed to have said, then I hope to be diagnosed with the most extreme form of MADNESS possible by the time I breathe my last breath! 

Related Articles by Tayo K. Solagbade:

1. Should You Quit Your Job or Start Your Business Part-time?

2. Why I Do What I Do The Way I Do It

3. Avoid Taking Lessons On Entrepreneuring From The Wrong Person(s) 

4. Practical Guiding Philosophies For Entrepreneurial Success

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

The Right Mental Attitude Keeps Dreams Alive

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“The majority of people are ready to throw their aims and purposes overboard, and give up at the first sign of opposition or misfortune.” – Napoleon Hill

In truth, how long a person can keep going in pursuit of a valued goal, will often be a function of his/her mental attitude, based on available reserve of mental stamina s/he has built up.

I’ve written severally about the importance of mental attitude/stamina in the past. For a person seeking noteworthy success, it needs to be maintained in readiness to cope with inevitable bouts of adversity.

Here’s why:

It’s often the mistakes, setbacks and disappointments that many people experience, that cause them to abandon the idea of running their own businesses. Or any other goals for that matter.

So, Knowing “How” Does Not Say If You’ll Last Long Enough to Finish Doing It!

It’s not enough to know how to do something; you must also have the mental stamina to cope with the attendant challenges/difficulties that will come up when you are engaged in your chosen endeavour.

Sadly, this requirement is not recognised by many who seek success today.

Yes, this aspect of a success conscious mental attitude is what is missing in our society.

It is neglected in all the various forms of formal/informal education provided in every facet of our society. This mental preparation is what is lacking when many people start-up their businesses.

They would often have consulted the right people; attended the seminars; mastered the technical aspects of running the business, BUT they often neglect to develop the mindset/mental attitude needed to keep going when their plans fail to work as expected.

This prevents them from digging in to discover the “wisdom” necessary for survival/success in the real business world. They take these aspects for granted and many, very many, find this to be their undoing in the end.

People Who Succeed Despite Prolonged Adversity Often Credit Their Mental Attitude/Stamina

Today, few have (or seem willing to adopt) the mental attitude needed to achieve sustained successes. Most do not realise they need to develop considerable reserve of mental stamina, to cope with periods of potentially traumatizing difficulties.

People who succeed do not leave such important things to chance! Consider the following examples about well known personalties…

Years after retiring, Michael Jordan is still revered by his peers, coaches and fans – worldwide – for his mental toughness. So is Mohammed Ali.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti was the same.

Time and time again, he emerged from prison/nasty confrontations with government agents, to continue preaching his message. He had mental stamina, and this enabled him persist despite tremendous physical and psychological pain and suffering he went through.

In business, the nearly 10,000 failed attempts recorded by Thomas Edison (in inventing the light bulb) remain in the record books as evidence of superhuman achievement in mental ruggedness!

Your (Psychological) State of Mind Determines Your Mental Attitude

Historical evidence abounds to confirm sports psychologists help individuals and teams turn their fortunes around by guiding them re-gain the mental attitude needed to achieve success.

These guys study how their clients think under different situations. So they know what to say to them to get them to think or act in a particular manner. Many get paid handsomely because they do a good job!

But not all people need (or can afford) to hire psychologists to help them achieve their goals.

There are individuals who develop this ability to maintain the mental attitude required to achieve repeated success, by learning actively from others directly or through books, seminars etc.

Quite often, each one of us will have no difficulty deciding what option (getting help or doing it ourselves) suits us best. What is important is recognising the need to be able to MAINTAIN the right mental attitude for success at all times.

In my opinion, if you can’t teach yourself to do it, save yourself the time and pain, and get a coach or mentor to walk you through the process until you’ve mastered it.

Your success depends on your ability to maintain the right mental attitude, especially in the face of prolonged adversity!

 “You must strike again, and again, and again. And never give up! Never! Never! Never! Until you reach your destination. …– you’ve got to be unstoppable. That’s right. If somebody tells you no, o what? If a door is closed in your face, so what? If things don’t work the first time around or the second time around, so what? I wanted to be in a magazine. I called the publisher of that magazine for tow years. Every week I called him. Why? I’m unstoppable.” – Les Brown

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

SMART Acronym for People Who Succeed (Incl. Infographic)

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[NB: Post updated – see bottom – on Wed 18th Dec 2013 @2:04pm – causing reset of views counter.] You probably know the popular SMART acronym – a mnemonic – for setting goals and objectives (“S” for Specific, “M” for Measurable etc). I’m not referring to that. Over the past 10 years, I’ve conceived a different SMART acronym, this time in relation to people. Here is my SMART Acronym for People Who Succeed (complete with an infographic) :-)

[Hint: Remember now, we’re NOT talking about SMART project “objectives” here. Its people I’m referring to!]

1. “S” is for “Serious Minded”

How can you tell if a person is serious minded? A simple way is to observe what s/he has interest in doing, as opposed to what s/he is committed to doing.

Consider a business owner who tells you s/he wants more sales in his/her business. Her attitude towards learning what will be needed to make that happen will indicate how serious s/he is.

Many times people express interest in something, but are not prepared to commit the required time, effort and sometimes money, to doing it. That’s why people attend the same business marketing workshop and 6 months later, some have succeeded in growing more business, and others have not!

People who are committed to achieving their set goals never let anything interfere with doing what is necessary to make that happen. Not friends, relatives, habits, hobbies or pleasures of any sort!

People I consider SMART are serious minded about pursuing their valued personal goals.

2. “M” is for “Motivated”

Serious minded people will usually find it easy to be motivated. This is because their commitment to achieving their goal drives them.

A motivated person is one who has found a reason to go out and do something. I often talk about having a Magnificent Obsession – an expression I got from a book I read – about having a major life purpose.

People I consider to be SMART in terms of my definition are men and women who have found their purpose. They wake up KNOWING exactly what they want to do, and where they need to go.

Usually, they would have worked the day before to a point, then upon stopping thought ahead (and even dreamt about) steps they would take from the next day!

Such people “hit the ground running” each morning. SMART people are motivated in that way!

3. “A” is for “Action Oriented”

Jim Rohn wisely noted that “Motivation alone is not enough. Motivate an idiot then you have a motivated idiot”.

Understand the context in which Mr. Rohn made that statement by checking the dictionary meaning of an “idiot”. What I’d call a contemporary definition of an “idiot” is provided at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot

So, Mr. Rohn was right. An idiot can indeed be motivated and still be unproductive.

But such persons generally occur in the minority in larger society.

So, here we’re looking at normal people who fail to take action despite being motivated. Why? I say it’s because they let their motivation wear off. And how do they do that? It’s by failing to find an anchor for it in their daily lives.

For instance, lots of successful people reveal that they build a vision of their dream on paper and hang where they’ll see it everyday. Then they create a tasks list which they check off at the end of each day, to help them get the feeling of moving closer to achieving their dream.

Anyone who claims to be motivated, and can still find a reason not to follow the above example is definitely NOT action oriented!

4. “R” is for “Results Focused”

Now, someone can be serious minded, and not be motivated to get results that matter.

Don’t believe me? I’ll give you a good example.

I see them everyday. People who are always busy (doing little or nothing worthwhile that is!). You will struggle to get them to give you a few minutes of their time. Always in a hurry they are. Rushing off to meetings, to keep appointments etc. But at the end of each day, or the week, few of the truly important things ever get done!

I used to work with such people. You could agree at this week’s brewery meeting to have Work Instruction drafts written for use in training a new set of operatives coming in. They’d always assure you it’d be done. All week you would chase them via phone, and even visit their offices.

Yet, at the end of the day, nothing…or very little happens. And you may have to do it all yourself, to meet the deadline!

People I call SMART are not like that. They produce results. When they tell you I’ll send you the finished paper in 24 hours, better be ready, because that finished paper WILL arrive by then, if not before!

5. “T” is for “Tenacious”

I use tenacity interchangeably with persistence. And I love the following quote, which, to me, perfectly captures the full meaning:

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence; Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful individuals with talent. Genius will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent” – Ray Kroc (Founder of McDonalds)

Believe me, dear reader. Even with all the moral and financial support in the world, people still fail due to lack of tenacity.

A guy who has money bags backing him, and family root for him to run swim a world record breaking distance can choose to quit before getting to the finish line. And it will often not be that s/he could not finish. Instead, in his/her head the desire to keep going, to refuse to fail, would have died.

When I quit paid employment with Guinness Nigeria, Andy R. Jones, the expatriate brewery head of Guinness Benin in Edo state (apart from what he wrote in Xmas cards sent to me) said – repeatedly – during a departmental send-forth part organised in my honour: “Tayo simply refuses to fail”. And he told stories from the times I worked in the brewery reporting to him.

Basically, I never sat back and let things go wrong. Until the very last second I would come up with new ideas and action steps that could be used co-opt others and try to save things or get more done. Many times I succeeded.

I did not know Andy Jones was taking note of my actions!

So you see, people I call SMART, never give up.

They are tenacious with a vengeance.

They don’t know when they are beaten.

Nor do they accept to back down.

In fact, I would say they have what Burt Dubin calls bulldog blood.

And guess what? You get the transfusion(of bulldog blood that is) simply by reading the words and believing, then taking ACTION, until you get what you want!

Final Words

Infographic - Tayo Solagbade's SMART acronym for people

These above described 5 key qualities must be consistently demonstrated by an individual, if s/he is to qualify to be called SMART by me.

Err…but who exactly am I, to go around changing definitions up on people, and dictating whether or not they can be called SMART?

Indeed, why should anyone take this my new application of a well known acronym seriously?

My answer: I have no idea!

Except of course you consider the fact that I happen to consistently achieve exceptional performance levels in virtually every area of endeavour I venture. And I have done so, consistently, for more than the last 2 decades of my life!

I achieved that level of reckoning by being SMART in paid employment – as described above. That was about 12 years ago.

Today, I’ve already recorded similar superlative levels of performance, as an entrepreneur. And it’s attracting the same kinds of feedback and commentary that I got while earning a salary.

Once again, the common element that runs through it all is my diligent commitment to being SMART in line with my definition.

To top it off, those who have been coached by me get infected with this virus of mine too :-)

As a result, they subsequently go on to record success levels that surprise those who know them and even themselves. I have many testimonials, hand written to me, from teenagers, to young people in their early twenties, who just had to let me know!

They became SMART, as per my above definition, and their lives were changed for the better.

You can achieve similar results for yourself, if you feel you need such. Simply read and re-read the 5 different description of the SMART acronym’s components.

And then put what you learn to use.

It’s simple to understand, but may not be easy to do.

Yet if you see it through, you’ll never look back again. And those who know you will regard you with amazement!

UPDATE (Wednesday 18th December 2013 @2:04pm Cotonou): My SMART Acronym Does Not Aim to (& Cannot) Replace or Contradict The Original SMART Acronym!

I touched on the above fact at the start of THIS article, when I first published it yesterday p.m. But experience has taught me it pays to CLARIFY properly. Some people are experts at jumping to VERY wrong conclusions!

My “SMART” acronym is not meant to invalidate the standard, original acronym we all know and use in setting goals and objectives. That original SMART acronym is powerfully useful, and I LOVE using it.

What I have done is to conceive of one to be applied to PEOPLE. That’s all. Just a little change in perspective, based on something people already use.

So, just like you would check for each of the 5 components (S, M, A, R, and T) in a goal or objective, I would check for each of the 5 qualities I’ve described for my SMART acronym in people.

Guess what?

9.9 times out of 10 I have found that people who have those qualities tend to succeed more often. And that is what this is all about. A “gauge” of sorts that anyone can apply to check him/herself for “success readiness”!

But I’ve presented my idea DELIBERATELY in this manner, seemingly contradicting what people know, just to raise eyebrows – and in the process get their attention…hee hee hee :-))

Hopefully, I’ve gotten some people thinking and talking.

If any person(s) have been “upset” by this article (which would be surprising, since the “SMART” acronym is not anyone’s relative or private property!), I’d suggest taking a chilled bottle of Coke, and letting off steam please. It’s Xmas season! Thank YOU :-))

=======WHAT PEOPLE WROTE=========

“(Tayo Solagbade) is amazing and I think he is going to produce some impressive results online…” – click here to read full comment by Patrick Meninga (US based 6 figure income blogger who gained fame for building a $2,000 per month adsense website and selling it for $200,000).

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“Tayo, I honestly believe you are one of those who will succeed at anything he does. Your commitment and effort has been outstanding….Thanks for all your hard work since I’ve been here – you will be sorely missed. I don’t need to wish you good luck, you have the ability to make your own luck. – Andy”(R. Jones)*

*Operations Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc Benin Brewery, December 2001 (Handwritten comments in farewell/xmas cards sent to Tayo Solagbade following his resignation to start his own business).

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“From:”Obadiaru, Osawemwenze”

To:”Tayo Solagbade”

Subject: Greetings from Benin!!!!

Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 14:27:30 +0100

Uncle (Tayo),

Greetings to you from your boy. How are you doing?…All
is well here in Benin and everybody is really been bugged again by this ISO audit thing.

All the same you have set a standard, that nobody will dare to go below. I really miss
you sir, your words of encouragement, your pressures, your drive, your humor and
every thing about you. But in consolation, I try so hard to follow your footsteps, which
I have been doing little by little, and I am sometimes amazed at the things I do.

…I look
up to you, and really desire to someday dedicate a major success in my life to you, for
the little while I spent with you has been a turning point in my life. I will always be

grateful to you.

Keep the flag flying sir. Regards

Osas

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“To Mr. Tayo Solagbade.

I appreciate all your effort. It is through you I knew the difference between Schooling and Education and its also through you that I knew that mathematics as a subject can be answered in many ways. I am very grateful.” – Ifeanyi Okeke, SS3 Student, Volunteer Corps (VC) Tutoring Project: Handwritten Comment in memoirs section of VC Year Book published in 2003.

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“To Mr Tayo Solagbade…you made me understand what the world speaks.” – Adepoju Samson, SS3 Student, Volunteer Corps (VC) Tutoring Project: Handwritten Comment in memoirs section of VC Year Book published in 2003.

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“Mr Tayo Solagbade…he has educated me so that he had touched that thing in me that motivates me.” – , SS3 Student, Volunteer Corps (VC) Tutoring Project: Handwritten Comment in memoirs section of VC Year Book published in 2003.

“The speaker, Mr Solagbade, is an authority in his field. (He is) an achiever who is able to carry his audience along with him in his message/speech” – Baker A.T, Confidential Secretary, Centre for Management Development(CMD), Management Village,Shangisha, Lagos.

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“There’s a lot more to learn (experience wise) from the speaker(Tayo Solagbade)…Honestly, he gave so much within a short time. I learnt a lot without writing much. It’s amazing!” – Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“Your (talk) encourages people not to depend on sycophancy to achieve their aims. People are also encouraged to leave the level of mediocrity. One needs to look inwards and make use of one’s potentials to reach the greatest heights. I hope this
is not the last session we will be having with you” – Ezemba C.I (Miss), Teacher, Corona Schools

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“The (talk) is very (useful for) those who want to up-grade themselves. The older generation who think they have come to the end of their career would find it very very useful to rejuvenate their attitude, interest and empower themselves to greater goals.” – E.C. Sarsal, Corona Schools

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“The Ten Ways for Self-Development would go a long way (in) improving teaching/learning situation(s).” – Cynthia Nwosu (Mrs.), Corona Schools

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“It was an interesting (talk), and the speaker spoke well, with a lot of experiences that (were) so educative.” – Emmanuel (Mrs.), Corona Primary School Victoria Island

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“Mr Tayo Solagbade is a very good motivator. I really appreciated him but the time was short.” – S.E. Atkins, Corona Schools

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“(The talk was) ‘very useful’ (and the speaker was) ‘excellent’…Good insight for the much needed Human Revolution to drive creativity in this nation.” – Oma Williams, Director, Centre for Management Development(CMD), Management Village,Shangisha, Lagos.

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“A very worthwhile exercise. The package can however be improved by making it organisation specific.” – C. I. Okeke, AD/Research Consulting, Centre for Management Development(CMD), Management Village,Shangisha, Lagos.

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“The speaker, to me, is quite an inspiration to the young generation” – Nwaokokoh Eddy Azuka, Confidential Secretary, Centre for Management Development(CMD), Management Village,Shangisha, Lagos.

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“This is a celebration of Change Management, quite an appropriate and timely presentation at CMD to Stimulate Change.” – Binuyo, Francis A. (Mr.), MDO I, Centre for Management Development(CMD), Management Village, Shangisha, Lagos.

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“Well this is my first seminar and I think I have gained a lot…I am on NAPEP attachment to the centre for a while, but generally speaking I think you are good and can go even above the sky. I wish I could get in touch with you for more lectures (on) Self-Development, as regards Career Development or probably Personal Development.” – Sanwo Pamela A., Unemployed Graduate, Centre for Management Development(CMD), Management Village,Shangisha, Lagos.

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“The presentation content and style was nice.” – Adjekophori Peter, Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“The training course and approach used was a good and kind of unique one, – talking about the mind map.” – Odunlami Olaitan. O. Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“The practical real life experiences (made) the seminar more realistic…The seminar fuels my heart to develop myself the more.” – Kemi, Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“The training was a new dimension to the act of personal effectiveness, was less of theory but of tested and proven principles. Keep it up!“- Oluwakemi, Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“This is an academy that will go a long way in helping to develop the youths of this country. Keep up the good work.” – Alake Oluwayemisi, Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“(Tayo Solagbade) is a very good speaker who was able to communicate his (ideas) effectively without boring me and wasting no time. Within the short time he spent, he gave loaded and relevant information/(ideas) which were superb.” – Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“The presenter was superb. He dealt with the topic extensively, citing real life experiences that (were) personal to him.” – Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“The facilitator (Tayo Solagbade) has done so well, and he has made me to feel that the sky is not my limit but the start, if I can apply all the personal effectiveness principles appropriately.” – Onifade Olajide, – Management Trainee, Tantalisers (Fast Foods Restaurant), Festac Headquarters, Lagos.

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“I was very impressed with the speaker (Tayo Solagbade), his integrity, method of delivery and what he had to say. This should not stop here. I personally need access to those books and if pointed in that direction will be happy. Also, I will be happy if (I can be shown) ways to apply oneself to the concept of Self Development as regards my job as a teacher, that will help me to be a better time manager.” – Teacher, Corona Primary School, Ikoyi, Lagos.

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“I am really impressed and I think I have to wake up.” – Teacher, Corona School Branch

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“It has been a very useful session which can make people or employees wake up from lethargy. It is a wake-up call for continual hope and rejuvenation for speed to higher ground to life aspiration.” – Teacher, Corona School Branch

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“I observed that you are a real model of a saying that when a child washes his/her hands well he/she will eat on the same table with a king.” – School Nurse, Corona School Branch

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“I have observed that you are sacrificing your time to help mankind explore new grounds and live a happier life. More grease to your elbows.” – Eke N. (Mrs), Corona School Branch

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“This talk/seminar is very good and realistic. Someone who wants to be an achiever should adopt and practice these ten ways.” – M. O. Ihonor – Head Teacher, Corona School Branch

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“…The Ten Ways on Self-Development inspire me to the marrow, and henceforth are going to be (the) guiding ideologies, principles and work concepts in my life.” – Oduye Olumuyiwa, Corona School

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“(The talk) is an eye opener and very important tool that can be used to become great. I think I buy your ideas too. Thanks a lot.” – Mrs. Atere F.O. – Secretary, Corona School

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“The general comment I will like to make is that I can call this seminar a vision seminar. So my comment is that you can make this vision a wider vision by having a complete textbook on it.” – Assistant Teacher, Corona School

 

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

How to Help Your Employees Produce Better Results – Part 2 of 2

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This is Part 2 of 2 of this Career Development article. Click here to read Part 1 of 2.

6. Endorse ‘Leading” And Make “Bossing” Unfashionable:

Make it obvious that “No bosses” are wanted in your workplace, and that only leaders are welcome. The difference between these two types of people is that the former seek to dominate others, in a bid to get them to deliver results, while the latter aim to inspire others to perform.

7. Advocate Intelligent Mistake Making:

I’ve said this in a past article. Discard the “Shoot the messenger” mentality – if it exists in any form.

Aim to m ake it safe for people to make mistakes. If you allow a blame culture to take root in your workplace, people will hide their mistakes, and rarely own up – causing major problems. Mistakes that do not get stopped via corrective feedback to those responsible, will get repeated and lead to customer complaints, losses/wastes etc.

If you want people to develop on the job, you must be willing to accept that they will make mistakes on the job – because they are human!

Your role will be to help them learn from those mistakes and work hard to avoid repeating them. Anytime a person fails or makes a mistake, s/he must be made to identity and understand the cause. S/he must learn to use failure as a learning platform.

It’s simple common sense. For some strange reason, people keep repeating this mistake. That’s why I consider it worth repeating periodically!

8. Create Micro-Businesses:

Get individual departments to see themselves as mini businesses within the larger company.

Department heads can choose to regard the different units within their departments as micro businesses within each departmental mini business.

Each micro business will have a mission, which would basically be to achieve a result or complete a task that is required for other micro business(es), and the mini business to achieve their own goals…which are all linked to the organisation’s overall purpose.

At each level (Macro, Mini and Micro), the relevant team members would decide on their individual mission statements. They could draw from what they have to do within the bigger departmental unit.

This will give members a more tangible indication of what is required of them, making them better able to understand what they need to do and why.

9. When Introducing Change(s), Ensure Those Affected UNDERSTAND Why:

How do you go about introducing/implementing change that you deem necessary?

When people do not understand why the way they work – for instance – is being changed, they can resist it in subtle ways, that can hurt the company.

Take pains to explain to team members – especially those affected (positively or negatively) by it – why the change is being made. They will ‘feel” involved and understand the thinking behind the decision. Over time, their appreciation of management’s expectations from them (and its “thinking”) in relation to their jobs will improve.

10. Make Open & Honest Communication A Well Advertised Policy:

In many organisations – especially those with large workforces – sometimes the majority of employees tend to hold the (mistaken?) belief that the company’s profits are exorbitant, and that management is unjust and unfair.

This is what causes the typical situation where employees unions maintain a confrontational posture towards the company’s leadership – viewing decisions/policies with suspicion etc.

It would help if you – and others in senior/leadership positions – make a conscious effort to formally (and informally) communicate management’s positive sides.

More importantly, your actions should inspire trust and confidence amongst the workforce. Employees should for instance not (or no longer?) have to contend with what someone once described as “closed doors and tense, guarded statements“.

As one poster I came across on a factory wall once put it : “Limited Information or No Information = NEGATIVE information“.

When the employees speak with one member of the senior management team about “what’s going on”, the information s/he gives must be reasonably consistent with what another “senior” person would supply at any other time on the same subject.

Final Words

Central to all that I have said above is the need to create an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect and appreciation between and among everyone in the company.

Make your people feel recognised – and reward them when possible – for the effort they make every day to do their jobs well.

Doing this, in addition to applying other ideas like those outlined above, is very likely to make your employees deliver more value on their jobs, everyday they come in – without need for threats, or financial incentives of any sort.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

How to Help Your Employees Produce Better Results

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Do you want your employees to always put in their best efforts at work? This article offers ideas you can use to “subtly” make them do that. Your company’s success depends on applying them correctly.

Hint: You Need to Establish a Workplace Performance Improvement Philosophy

Now the above is just a phrase, but a lot goes into doing it. Yet, if you do it right, your employees will surprise you by willingly – and enthusiastically – doing their jobs daily. Indeed, some will readily take up more work (!) as the need to do so becomes obvious. And they would do so without being asked.

I say this from years of successfully getting people (in and out of paid employment) to unconsciously do what I want,using the ideas discussed below!

What follows are ten (10) steps you can take to achieve similar results in your company.

NB: The original article on which this new version is based, was published on this static html page on 18th September 2007.

1. Promote Creativity: 

Setup a workplace atmosphere that stimulate creativity. One way is to actively engage employees’s minds by involving them in crucial decision making about issues concerning the way they do their jobs.

Additionally, requesting their contributions towards solving problems affecting their jobs – and recognizing/rewarding them accordingly – would stimulate creativity.

Invite them to make and/or send in ideas/suggestions. Be receptive to them as they do so. Apply tact in rejecting “bad ideas” to avoid withdrawal.

2. Discourage “Blame”:

Tell them what you want without hurting their feelings. Make sure to discourage blame. Encourage everyone to focus on problem analysis/solving for improved productivity. For instance challenge them to ask WHAT went wrong and WHY – and not “WHO DID IT?”

Those who make mistakes will consequently not fear admitting it. As a result, those mistakes will rarely be repeated – at least not by the same person!

What’s more where people readily own up when they get things wrong, problem solving progresses faster, and often ends successfully.

3. Entrench Informal On-The-Job Coaching:

What is your mental attitude about each employee’s ability? Do you believe they can be coached to improve? Or have you given up on them as “hopeless”?

I suggest you adopt the former attitude because NO one human being can come to you as a perfect employee.

You must guide those who work with you to work better in a manner that benefits the company. Provide (and encourage) spontaneous job-based coaching to complement whatever formal training they are exposed to.

Latch on to any opportunity to carryout informal coaching of your subordinates and other employees. Do this with regard to helping them understand how management utilizes the information they document, and why it is so important for documentation to be accurate and complete.

4. Employ Multi-dimensional Peer Pressure To Enhance Best Practices: 

You could tactfully/subtly use peer pressure to inspire positive attitudinal changes amongst the workforce.

For instance, it is normal in most workplaces, to have “star” workers and average workers. Find a way to make the “star” worker share (or “infect” others with) his/her expertise, knowledge and positive work ethics.

With proper encouragement, you will find that such individuals readily develop the instinct to help others perform better on the job.

The other average workers are likely to already “recognize/respect” the “star” worker. They would consequently appreciate his/her efforts to help them. Properly done, this strategy can greatly reduce the amount of direct effort you and other “leaders” expend to get improved on-the-job performances.

5. Insist That Everyone See The Big Picture: 

Demand that employees always remember to view their jobs from a broader perspective and not narrow into their micro activities.

Task each individual in a specific unit for instance to study what goes on in their units – even though s/he does not have to work there (yet). They should make it their business to know/understand what the next man’s job involves.

This is important because many times they have to interface with the person on the other side of the fence in doing their own jobs. If they understand what his/her job entails they will more readily appreciate how their actions (or inactions) can affect the person.

Getting them to do this will break down the mental barriers that many people build, because they work in physically separate divisions or sections. Communication will happens more effectively, making workplace activities proceed more successfully…to the company’s benefit.

The second and concluding part of this post (which discusses the 5 remaining steps you can take), will appear on this blog tomorrow.

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

To Succeed, You Need to Treat Money With Respect

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“If it is true that money talks, the only word we ever heard it say is: ‘Goodbye’.” – Anon.

Probably no other group of people understand the foregoing statement better than entrepreneurs – especially start-ups. With few exceptions, entrepreneurs often find themselves tormented with perpetual cash shortages, or outright outages.

This happens at various stages of their businesses, not just during the start-up phase.

That’s why a good number tend to experience prolonged periods of highs and lows, mainly due to cash limitations, which plague their enterprises. Those able to weather those storms emerge, often at a higher plane of achievement compared to others.

There is almost no suffering as painful as that arising from prolonged lack of access to cash.

James R. Cook rightly noted (in his book “The Startup Entrepreneur”) that many who failed in business, often quit trying due to the terrifying experience of lack of cash.

Yet, he also notes that there is a direct correlation between the degree of suffering a person goes through, and the eventual heights of success they achieve.

The greater the suffering, the greater the degree of successes achieved. Little wonder that history shows that many highly successful entrepreneurs endured great suffering arising from lack of money.

Does Running Short of Cash Mean an Entrepreneur is Incompetent?

Not necessarily.

Most businesses at some point or the other find they need cash infusion of some sort. Some may not need it at the start. But maybe due to rapid growth of demand, they might discover later on that they lack financial capacity to continue.

At that point, they’ll have to seek funding from outside sources.

For the solo entrepreneur, it often just happens. When you’re on your own, finding cash to meet all your business needs may not always be straight forward. Especially when your business is not yet fully established.

Unless you inherited wealth from a relative, or won the lottery, you’re likely to encounter shortage of funds every now and then.

But judging from results achieved by those who have passed that road, you need only take persistent intelligent action, with faith, to overcome it.

Is There a Way to Avoid Cash Shortages?

“No great enterprise will ever begin if all obstacles must first be overcome” – Napoleon Hill

As long as it does not occur because you mismanaged the little you have, I’d say no. Short of cutting corners anyway.

If my studies of the history of other entrepreneurs are anything to go by, it seems to be a necessary ingredient for success. In other words the repeated exposure to that potentially traumatizing experience is actually designed to teach us something.

Many highly successful entrepreneurs have attributed their success, in no small part, to the extreme cash shortages they had to endure and creatively overcome.

It made them think harder, and aim to maximize value they got for every unit of money they spent. They learnt to be frugal in their spending decisions. Without the lack of cash, the urge to do this, would most likely have been less.

“I have become thoroughly convinced that lack of money is just an excuse – and all the sage, expert advice about making certain your business is adequately capitalized is a bunch of hooey” – Dan Kennedy (Millionaire Entrepreneur/ Author of “How to succeed in Business by breaking all the rules”)

Tayo Solagbade’s note: For those of non-Americans who may not know what that strange word means, I checked the dictionary, and found that “hooey” is: “i.e. foolish talk or nonsense”…not surprisingly :-)) Get your copy of this book here.

Dan Kennedy pointed out that being adequately capitalized can actually be a curse. He added that having to struggle to find cash to make your business work will often be they key to your success. You simply need to mentally adjust yourself to it, instead of lamenting about it.

My Personal Experiences Confirm This

Yes. 31st December 2013 will make it 12 full years since I became an entrepreneur. During this time I have passed through countless heartbreaking struggles to achieve my entrepreneurial dream. That dream was hatched over 3 years before I quit my high paying job with Guinness Nigeria.

Looking back, I can tell you that my greatest periods of personal growth, and development, were those trying times when I ran out of cash, and/or had limited funds to work with.

The thing is that experience (of shortage of cash) is rarely ever one-off.

It goes away, and comes back again – the frequency seeming to differ for each person. Like Napoleon Hill said, it appears certain unseen forces use such unpleasant experiences to teach us lessons we badly need to learn.

Such periods of intense anxiety and suffering, caused by perpetual cash shortages, taught me to look inwards and seek low to zero cost ways to do anything. Before I decide to spend money, I make sure I exhaust possible alternative options to get it done without spending, or at a lower price.(And I help my clients to do this too – using custom Excel software I build for them).

This habit is deeply ingrained in me, because I have had times when I lamented spending in situations that I could have gotten something done free.

It’s why I’m taking my time in setting up my home based brew-pub products (e.g. my low cost pineapple peel based drinks and cakes – baked without oven).

Those who do not understand what this is about, have never experienced prolonged periods of lack of cash as severe as that described here.

Such an experience teaches you to treat money with respect!

“I lacked capital. Because of this I was forced to keep down overhead and watch every expenditure…In fact, I feel if I had had all the money I wanted when I founded my present business, it never would have become as big as it is. I would never have found it necessary to make such a close study of details to promote the efficiency of the organization.” – Harvey Firestone

Related Article

1. What Happens If/When You Run Out of Cash?

2. Is Your Self-Confidence Directly Proportional to the Size of Your Bank Account?

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Always Be a Dignified Professional (Especially When a Client Is In a Hurry and/or Demands Lower Fees!)

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A South African poultry broiler farm business owner contacted me via my website last week. And he was in a BIG hurry:

“Hi, Could you please send me the Excel trial Version of Broiler Chicken management software. Let me know also the price of the system please. I need this urgently. Regards, Molefe (surname removed for privacy)”.

First he sent a web contact form message from the video page for my EXCEL-VB POULTRY FARM MANAGER and BOPMS™ EXPLANATION.

First he sent a web contact form message from the video page for my EXCEL-VB POULTRY FARM MANAGER and BOPMS™ EXPLANATION.

Then he sent another from my Excel Heaven custom software development website.

Then he sent another from my Excel Heaven custom software development website.

First, I Called Him on Phone to Make Sure He Was REAL

And I always to do that at my own expense. In the past, I got a lot of phony requests. That taught me to avoid wasting energy responding to email requests from “ghosts” :-))

Recent buyers of my Excel-VB Ration Formulator™ and/or Feed Formulation handbook, got called by me (e.g. in Nigeria and Tanzania). I wanted to speak with them to ensure they understood what I was selling, and to also understand what their needs were.

Anytime I do this, and get the impression my product will not solve that person’s problem, I do not hesitate in advising him/her accordingly.

Sure it may mean no sale for me. But I prefer that to having an angry or resentful buyer afterwards.

This is why today I enjoy cordial relations with most of my past buyers. And many of them gladly helped me complete the questionnaire survey for my recently concluded agribusiness research paper.

Speaking With the South African Broiler Farm Owner

I told him my application in the video was built for a layer’s farm, and that did not have an app ready for use with a broiler farm.

If he wanted that, I would need to “have a formal question/answer session” with him. This would help me get a proper feel for his unique farm situation, to accurately determine his needs.

Only then would I be able to determine what the required investment will be.

You see, he kept hammering on the cost saying “send me the price!” That bothered me. As did his repeated insistence that he wanted the app “urgently”.

I don’t do “rush jobs” as a rule, in this area of my work i.e. farm business custom software development.

The only exception is when I already have an app built, which can be easily customized to suit the client’s need (e.g my Ration Formulator, the Poultry Layer Farm Manager or the Payslip Generator).

I told him I would do him an email once our conversation ended.

Here’s an Excerpt from the Email I Sent Him

Here’s an Excerpt from the Email I Sent Him

===Email Excerpt continues===

“…My service involves developing custom applications to help smallholder farmers manage their farms more intelligently.

The video you watched is of an app I built for a large poultry layer farm in Ekiti state, South West Nigeria. In 2009, I built a similar one for a 12,000 layer farm in Ogun State, also in South West Nigeria.

The one you saw is quite sophisticated, and at a cost of N250, 000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). A scaled down and therefore less pricey version (missing some features) of it will probably be best for smaller farms.

Please note that it is NOT an accounting application.

Yes, it does income and expense recording and reports weekly, monthly and annually.

However it’s main purpose is to record daily operations data so as to auto-generate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for determining how well the animals are doing on a DAILY basis. Automated charts are plotted for KPIs like feeding rates, Hen Day Percentage, Mortality Rate; Feed to Egg conversion ration.

The trend of the charted data quickly tells you if there’s anything to worry about. And you can then take corrective action.

I call my applications of this kind “Enterprise Information Systems (EIS).

For a broiler operation, feeding rate, feed to flesh conversion ratio, mortality rate, growth rate would be the KPIs to measure.

However we still have to get a good idea of how your farm operates so we know how you’ll compile data to post into the app.

There is a paper based recording form that often gets modified for use on each different farm.

If I may offer some advice: avoid focussing on how much just yet. Slow down and think of what exactly you want software to do for you.

There’s so much you can do that can help you manage your farm with LESS EFFORT, and at less cost. That’s what I help farm owners achieve.

Here’s what I propose: I’ll send you a short questionnaire tomorrow, which you can fill and return to me. Then using your responses, I’ll give you more specific answers, including a recommendation on the kind of solution, and the required investment.

If the above agrees with you, just do me a reply saying so, and I’ll send you the questionnaire.

Thanks for your interest in my work.

===Email Excerpt Ends===

And Here’s the Response He Sent…

And Here’s the Response He Sent...

24 hours Later, I Sent Him This Email(Below)…and an MS Excel Workbook (Linked Below)…

24 hours Later, I Sent Him This Email…and an MS Excel Workbook, Linked Below

Click here to download a duplicate version of the Excel based Functional Requirements Specification (FRS) and Questionnaire Workbook I sent to him.

Click here to download a duplicate version of the Excel based Functional Requirements Specification (FRS) and Questionnaire Workbook I sent to him

Note (below) how I stated my delivery duration towards the bottom of the FRS.

Note how I stated my delivery duration towards the bottom of the FRS

Without getting his responses to my FRS and questionnaire, I could not know if I could deliver in less than my standard “30 working days“.

So, it was up to him to respond with the answers I requested.

I’ve not heard from him since then.

Final Words: My Main Reason for Sharing this Story

Take it from me: Letting a client or prospect hurry you in doing your work, will rarely be a smart move.

What’s more, when a prospect does not want to “pay a heck of money”, AND at the same time wants the solution delivered “urgently“, YOUR best interests, as the provider, will be in danger if you accept!

My advice: NEVER change your pricing or delivery schedule, until you have enough information from the prospective buyer to guide you. And when you do get the information, make sure you request a reward (and working conditions) consistent with the value you know you will deliver.

Otherwise, not only will you look unprofessional, but you could also shoot yourself in the foot in terms of overall profitability.

Do not let any prospect or client make you jump through hoops.

Act like a dignified professional, and you’ll always be treated with respect. PLUS, you’ll protect yourself from exploitation.

PS: I should add that the above bit of advice originated, NOT from me, but from Herman Holtz, who was widely regarded as the Consultant’s Consultant.

In his book “How to Succeed as an Independent Consultant“, he stated “Be a Dignified Professional – Always” as Rule Number 2 in “The Initial Meeting with the New Client or Prospect“.

I urge you to abide by it!

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

When You’re Not Working, Create a Bigger Dream (Hint: New Product – My Pineapple Peels Based Cakes…Made Without an Oven!)

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When I’m not hammering away at my laptop keyboard, writing articles, reports and books…or building custom Excel-VB software, I’m likely to be found sleeping, or working to progress further towards my ultimate dream.

That dream is to own what I call a Home-Based Farm-Products-Brew-Pub.

And I’ve nursed it since 1999, when I still worked in Guinness Nigeria.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know about my Pineapple peel based drink(see photos, and a free talk offer) . Read more about it here(i.e. a presentation).

The drinks you see in the photo below, have been pasteurized using a home-based method I learnt online.

[NB: These are 2 different views of the fermented version of my drink – based on a new recipe.]

The drinks you see in this photo, have been pasteurized using a home-based method I learnt online.

You see, I believe PATIENCE is key, in developing food based products.

It’s taken me about 3 months of searching. But I’ve found what I consider the perfect bottle for my Pineapple based drink (see above photo).

Apart from enabling me deliver the kind of product volume I want, it also has a cap that allows me pasteurize the drink inside.

It was important for me to ensure I could do that, so bottles don’t go exploding in people’s faces.

That was why I patiently kept searching for a cost-effective way, that would enable me keep the product affordable for most people.

My New Product: Pineapple Peels Based Cakes…These Ones Baked Without an Oven!

I’ve never baked anything in my life. Not cake or bread. Nothing.

My New Product: Pineapple Peels Based Cakes...These Ones Baked Without an Oven!

But the idea of my brew-pub having its own unique food product, to go with the drink had tickled my fancy for months.

A few days ago, I decided to play around with cake and bread baking. I went online and did lots of reading, and watched many videos.

Then yesterday, I purchased baking materials from Tokpa market, and stayed indoors ALL day, using my beloved Pineapple peels, to bake home-made cakes (I’ll get around to bread baking later).

BUT, I did it all, without using an oven!

Yes. No oven. Don’t believe me? Just wait. I’ll be writing a special PDF report on that before the year runs out.

I know the cakes don’t look so aestetically pleasing, but you must understand that this was my very first try. And believe me when I say I improvised A LOT!

The most important point to note is that what I’ve done, shows I can operate this business even from a village, using locally available materials!

In the meantime, now that my trials with different processes have succeeded (the cakes taste delicious, and are almost 50% cheaper to make!), I intend to use proper equipment to offer the drinks and cakes for sale from my brew-pub.

Virtually 100% of the pineapple peels I use do NOT go to waste!

That’s true. They end up in the drinks and cake – implying massive cost-saving production potential!

But I don’t just put the peels into the products.

To get the right flavour and appearance, I have found certain processing steps need to be taken. And all are cost-effective.

I was in Calavi this afternoon, to drop off a drink bottle, with 2 cup cakes, for my friend Moumouni Toure.

He was not in, so I left them with his brother. And I also gave out some to my neighbours where I live.

But I made it clear that I will not be selling them for now.

Nope. Responding to individual orders at this stage would not be worth my time/effort and I would be unable to cope. Even worse, it would definitely affect my ability to do my other work.

When the pub opens, anyone who wants them can come over. For now, that’s what’s likely to work best for me.

With time, I’ll decide what flavours, packaging and operating procedure will be most profitable to adopt.

NB: One probable exception would be people willing to place bulk orders. I could possibly make out time to fulfill such.

For now, the next step is to get the laboratory analysis of the drinks – and cakes – done

This is so I can tell people – with confidence – what exactly they’re eating or drinking.

I’m an internationally certified brewer, with 7 years of experience working in a globally recognised brewing multinational.

Everything I do, no matter how small my plan for this project is, must reflect that.

Suffice to say, for now, that pineapple peels being the base ingredient, contains considerable amounts of useful nutrients.

Some are described in my report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind” (Click to download it).

In the next few weeks, I intend to secure bigger living quarters, with the front end functioning as the brew-pub, here in Benin Republic.

I should add that this will be a FULL family business.

Like I noted in yesterday’s article on my blog my kids already make a version of this drink, that they sell in their school in Lagos.

So when they join me here, they’ll fit in instantly.

That’s why I told my friend Moumouni, in an SMS today, that with improvements I’ve now made, this business is DESTINED TO MAKE MY KIDS RICH!

And when (NOT IF) that happens, I – along with my wonderful wife Nkechi – will be the PROUDEST parents in the world!!

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Achieve Superior Success by Letting Your Work Speak for You

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Henry Kaiser once said: “When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt“. Many people achieve their website (sales and other) goals very quietly – everyday. They let their diligent work convince buyers, and sometimes use “success stories” to re-inforce their impact. This article discusses requirements for succeeding that way.

Many Whose Websites Succeed Noiselessly Are Not Interested In Coaching Others

It’s not that they’re selfish. They’re just not interested in coaching and training. They prefer to focus on running their businesses.

But there are some willing to make themselves available to guide others.

One example is Terry Dean, who has been around for quite a while, and is a guru of sorts in this area.

I also offer support – specifically by developing Web Marketing Systems for website owners.

But my primary targets are website owners across Africa, because I believe my approach is best suited to the unique peculiarities of that market.

Through my writing, I share ideas others can use e.g. by telling hard truths about marketing one’s products and services online, that I’ve learned over the past decade.

Here are 4 Examples of Such Important Truths About Marketing Online That Good Coaches Will Tell You:

1. It is not easy – and rarely quick to yield results.

Indeed, no marketing is easy. You have to put in the work, and rarely, if at all ever, will the results you seek come overnight. But they will come, if you keep doing the right things.

Good coaches tell you what those right things are. Of course some point, you pay to learn more or buy something that tells more. Which inspires more confidence in the mind of the prospect, since s/he realizes that is proof that they practice what they preach!

2. Many so called experts online are selling unsuspecting (and/or lazy minded) people fluff.

Those are the guys who announce a new strategy that requires little or no work, to generate tons of cash for you while you sleep. That kind of nonsensical stuff. They warn you not to take such offers seriously. And they give practical reasons that will help anyone see through such scams.

3. You need to constantly research and define your target audience profile.

Who are those likely to be interested in what you offer? Where can they be found in the largest numbers? What is their likely capacity to buy at the price you sell?

If you do not know you target audience, you will be unable to communicate effectively with them. Knowing them implies knowing what they “want”, and how they want it delivered to them. This will mean doing plenty of thinking, reading, and researching.

4. Once you identify what they want, you MUST diligently generate useful and original website content to provide it.

Your target audience will discover, and devour it. They will tell others like themselves, and make repeat visits.

This is where YOU must not rest on your oars!

Whenever they return, make sure there’s something new or different, and useful, for them to read or see.

Never let your website get stale, or give them an impression they’ve seen all you have to offer.

Convey the impression of increase to them every time, by coming up with new bits of information and education to serve as articles, reports etc.

And where appropriate, in all of that, link to the products and services you sell.

Acting Based On The Above Truths Will Make Your Website Succeed – NOISELESSLY!

Websites that attract profitable buyers are those I call smartly successful websites. They often make high volume/profit margin sales.

In addition, such websites enjoy devoted attention from serious minded people, who appreciate your work, but prefer not to draw public attention to say it.

That’s why they will often send you private messages (via your web form or email) to say so, rather than post a public blog comment.

First he wrote saying...

On the same day he wrote AGAIN saying...

Does that make them any less important to your success? No!

In fact, experience has taught me that such quiet feedback
providers often become your fiercest advocates (recommending your website to others).

And many times they evolve into your most enthusiastic buyers too :-)

NEW PDF - 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Feed Formulation

The truth is, noise is rarely positively correlated to results!

Click to read 'Writing Is Serious Business. Not Doing It Can Cost You Money'