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Can You Be Trusted?(Real Life Farm Business Sales Conversations With People Just Like You)

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Quick Take Away

This article recounts some entertaining but true stories, about how I’ve had to go the extra mile, many times, to earn the trust of prospective buyers of my feed formulation software and handbook over the years, to get where I am today.

The fear of getting scammed can be a real impediment to making sales to locals and foreigners, as a Nigerian living in Nigeria.

You’ll enjoy reading this, even as you gain valuable insights!

Introduction

When trust is lacking, smooth functioning of socioeconomic activities will be disrupted.

Think about the things you take for granted daily. For instance the money you save in your bank.

You do so because you “trust” that the bank’s personnel will always do their jobs right, so you never lose money.

What If A Buyer Sends Payment And It Does Not Reach You (On Time)

But we all know that things can – and do – go wrong sometimes.

This could happen when someone accidentally posts money sent to your account by a buyer into the wrong account.

You consequently find yourself telling the buyer that you have not received the alert for the payment she says she’s made.

That can be quite embarassing and disturbing, for both parties.

I should know. Something like that happened to me a few months ago.

And if you know anything about the “trust status” that prevails in the society I operate in, then I’m sure you can imagine how the man who sent the N13,000 ($80 approx), from out of state in Ibadan, to me in Lagos, must have hounded me by phone and email!

I took no offense though, because I understood. Out here, trust is a bit of a scarce commodity.

Majority of such transactions have been known to end with someone receiving requested payment and then failing to deliver the promised product or service. Or sometimes he could deliver a substandard product or service.

We’re supposed to be in the electronic age, where payment processing happens in an instant.

But I’m “fortunate” (yes – that’s how I like to see it!) to live and work in a society that’s yet to be fully integrated into that age in real time for now.

So in serving local buyers, I still have to offer mainly traditional payment options (but for international buyers I use globally accepted and more convenient online platforms).

It’s not that local electronic payment systems don’t exist. They do. However, the poor level of trust (that word again!) that persists out here makes most people wary of using anything they consider not to be tried and tested.

And can you blame them? Of course not!

The various fraud related crises that have recently rocked the stock exchange and banking sector have not helped matters in this regard, as you can imagine :-)

It Happens All Over The World, But It’s The Frequency And Scale Of Occurrence That Differs From Society To Society

Yes, it does happen everywhere.

No part of the world can lay exclusive claim to having good people.

Bad people can be found in all societies.

Even the holy books studied by the religious feature anecdotes about them.

It is however the presence of such naughty people in large numbers, and the resultant excessive frequency of their “trust destroying” activities that raises cause for concern.

One Almost Safe Medium Of Operation For Scam Artists

Once bad people discover a place exists where they can indulge without inhibition in their negative habits, they’ll naturally tend to congregate there.

And that’s why one place people can readily get “duped” or “scammed” is online, on the web.

The attributes that make the Internet such a powerful instrument for positive business and societal advancement, are the same ones that make it a potent weapon in the hands of dishonest and fraudulent people.

Therefore if you want to successfully use the web for personal or business purposes, your ability to inspire TRUST in the minds of those you relate with, matters quite a lot.

These days, so many people make false claims about personal achievements in order to sell their products and services. It’s so difficult to know who’s telling the truth.

Even in face to face situations the same problem can rear its ugly head. But it’s online that it really seems to proliferate.

My Question To YOU: Are You Worthy of The Trust of Others?

Can those you relate with take you for your words?

Do you deliver what you promise, no matter what?

Most honest people would probably feel offended by the above questions.

For them, this would amount to having their integrity questioned.

I can relate to that. I would feel the same way too.

Some True Stories About How A Lack Of Trust Can Hamper Business & Societal Progress

I had my integrity rudely and painfully called to question just this morning. It was during a phone conversation with a young man – Basambo Abdulraheem – who had visited my website.

He had asked for my feed formulation handbook in the web contact form message he originally sent in.

When we spoke on phone and I mentioned my promo offer (for past enquirers) of the handbook bundled with the software for N12,500 instead of the regular N18,000 price, he got interested.

After I told him the required terms and mode of payment, he suddenly balked, saying:

“But you know I’m in Ilorin, and you’re in Lagos. How do I get the bundle after I’ve paid into your account?”

I replied that most buyers (from various parts of the country) had received their personalised versions of the software and handbook, as email attachments.

I noted that only Ben Oshionya (who was based on the outskirts of Portharcourt) had – in 2008 – paid to have the printed and spiral bound handbook (and a CD containing the software and PDF handbook version) delivered to him by hand.

Fortunately, a young friend of mine (Ebenezer Oloyede), had been headed back to University of Portharcout that weekend.

This saved Ben from having to pay extra for courier delivery. In addition, Ebenezer was familiar with my Excel software and was able to show Ben how to use it.

Despite the above long winded explanation, Basambo was still not convinced. And he made that fact clear by saying:

“Hmm, but you know this is Nigeria now. How can I be sure you will send it?”

I felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over me.

Without mincing words and despite my efforts to supply what I considered proof, this guy was calling my integrity to question!

Initially I felt annoyed. But I soon calmed down knowing he had every right to be skeptical. Afterall he had no reliable means of verifying any of my claims.

To go ahead and pay, he would have to take what amounted to a massive leap of faith, like past buyers had done.

But not everyone can however get to that level of conviction easily. Especially if they feel the money they have to part with is substantial.

So I supplied additional information he requested via SMS, with my best wishes.

Maybe in the near future, Basambo Abdulraheem will get convinced enough to take that leap of faith :-)

Even A Cameroonian Neighbour Got Cold Feet At The Last Minute

Arnold Epanty from next door in Buea, Cameroon exchanged a series of emails with me to get payment details to buy my handbook.

We’d agreed to use Western Union. When the day came however, the poor chap got cold feet (I think).

My email follow ups yielded no responses.

Interestingly, he’s stayed subscribed to my mailing list. So who knows – maybe one day he’ll return to complete his purchase…

…just like the next gentleman I describe below did, 3 years after walking away from the same transaction!

A Prospective Buyer From Ibadan Goes Away, Then Returns Over 3 Years Later, To Buy!

Once again the problem was a severe lack of trust.

Here’s how it happened:

When Oladipo Mann first phoned me about buying my handbook and software in 2009, he was not comfortable with the fact that I told him I worked from home, when he asked where my office was located in Lagos.

You see Dipo was calling from Ibadan, in Oyo state where he lived and worked.

In asking for my office address, his purpose was to use the knowledge that I had one, to reassure himself that I ran a traceable operation.

So when I said I did not use an office, he bluntly announced that if that was the case, he could not confidently pay money into my account from Ibadan.

I assured him that I understood his fears, and advised him to go with his gut instincts, noting that I would be available if/when he chose to return.

Now, what happened next is interesting.

Persons who submit enquiries via my website are told to agree to have their email addresses added to my mailing list.

As a result of the above Dipo began receiving my monthly Self-Development Digest newsletter (which this blog replaced this year), in addition to my periodic email updates in which I announced latest articles etc.

One day, sometime in August this year, after I sent out an email broadcast announcing the latest of my guest posts published on Africabusinesscommunities.com, I got an email from Dipo asking me to send him my account details, so he could make payment for the software and handbook bundle.

When I saw his name in the email, I immediately recognised it, and wondered what had suddenly made him decide it was safe to send me money – which was now even a larger amount than we had discussed over 3 years before (I had since raised my prices for both items).

I replied his email by asking him to phone me. When we spoke, I teased him about his decision to return to make payment.

He gave what amounted to the same “excuse” that Basambo Abdulraheem gave i.e “You know anything can happen in Nigeria”!

Today, Dipo’s flattering rating and testimonial can be seen and read on the sales page for my Feed Formulation Handbook in my online store –here.

It Took A Phone Conversation With A Past Buyer To Convince This Kano Based Prospect To Make Payment

In a previous post, I mentioned that Yakubu Ibrahim (who runs a poultry feed mill in Kano state) only went on to send payment AFTER I had given him the phone number to speak with Bello Hassan, a buyer from last November, who owns a farm in Niger state.

I still recall getting Yakubu’s SMS which read:

“I talk(ed) to Bello. I will pay tomorrow by God’s grace.”

All he apparently needed was the reassurance that I could be trusted to deliver.

Now, I could have given him any other past buyer’s phone number to call.

But knowing that Bello Hassan hailed from the north, like Yakubu, and that he would probably also speak to him in Hausa language, made me choose Bello.

Without meaning to brag, the fact that Bello let me give out his mobile number to Yakubu, and then went on to take the call days later, is proof that I enjoy great trust with Bello.

To get an idea of why that is so, read the excerpts (on this BLOG)of my responses to many queries Bello sent me, after buying my software and handbook in 2011.

In my usual manner, I ensured I went the extra mile to meet his needs.

And he acknowledged my efforts by eventually writing to say:

“Thanks Tayo. I’m quite satisfied with your answers to my questions.”

Little wonder that he had no difficulty recommending me to Yakubu one year later, when I contacted him.

That’s the power of earned trust!

A Phrase That Is Reflective Of Bad Experiences Those Who Use It Have Had

I refer here to the “anything can happen” phrase used by people like Basambo when they’re scared of getting scammed…

This naturally informs their attitude towards taking the risk of sending payments on mere “trust”, resulting in a huge “trust-gap” that prevents honest business operations from taking place smoothly!

The consequent outcome of the above is stunted progress and development in the society where such a situation persists.

That’s why Nigeria currently suffers the indignity of being locked out from using online payment platforms like Paypal.

Even our banks’ Mastercard and Visa debit cards are accepted on limited websites online.

For instance, I own a GT Bank naira denominated debit Mastercard, which works well with my Resellerclub.com account for my domains and hosting reselling business.

But for renewal of the hosting for this – my flagship website – with hostgator.com, my UK based brother-in-law has to use his credit card or paypal account to effect payment.

Why? Because hostgator’s payment processor rejects my GT Bank card!

And they’ve advised me that there’s nothing they can do, as my card apparently does not meet the minimum requirements.

The trust element is greatly lacking where the self proclaimed giant of Africa is concerned!

To Boost Trust In Your Society, Start By Being Trustworthy Yourself

Sometimes it’s not dishonesty or greed that leads a person to under deliver when others choose to trust him to deliver what they send payment for.

Incompetence can cause that to happen too.

Therefore don’t offer products or services you are not competent to deliver.

And for those that you have the capacity to handle, resolve never to be found wanting.

Aim to go the extra mile where necessary (but within reason and without going overboard), to satisfy those who give you their trust by paying to get your products or services.

One example: As I type this post, I’m putting finishing touches to a specially prepared PDF userguide and video tutorial to be sent to Yakub Ibrahim – in Kano – via email.

I got him to send his own list of feed ingredients, with corresponding prices and nutrient values, so I could use them in creating those custom learning resources for him.

This is in fulfillment of the promise I made to support him till he gets used to working with the software.

Note that he made 100% payment nearly 2 weeks ago, and I already sent him the package with the generic user guide.

So it’s not like I’m looking forward to some extra payment.

And that’s the way it should be!

Lesson From A “Real Man Of Faith” Who Sent Payment From The Other End Of The World, With A Bucket Load Of Trust!

Ronald V (surname restricted for privacy), a Canadian gentleman recently purchased the Ration formulator from me, by sending the money via Paypal.

Today we’ve linked up on Google+ over 3 weeks after he sent me the payment.

And we continue to exchange emails as he puts the Ration Formulator to use for preparing feed for animals on the large farm he oversees.

Being from outside Africa, one would naturally imagine he would have had more reason to be skeptical about sending money to this end.

I have no idea what background checks Ronald conducted before calling to speak with me on phone that day.

But suffice to say that he made it clear he wanted the Ration Formulator, and that he was aware I was based in Nigeria – and knew enough about the risks involved…

“What a man of faith!”, I thought to myself at the time. (Please note that I use the word “faith” in a strictly non-religious sense here. The dictionary meaning and interpretation therefore applies.)

Imagine my surprise a few days later when in response to my query about the acronym he typed into my website request form’s field for “Company”, he revealed it to be the name of a large religious group, in which he functions as a priest!

And for effect, he signed off THAT email with “God bless you” and his official title i.e. “Father Ronald” :-)

What an interesting revelation that was. A real life priest had delivered a powerful lesson on how to trust with faith!

That’s an example worth emulating by the rest of us.

By way of interest, my recent blog post true story on how I had to battle against multiple misfortunes before I could deliver the Excel ration formulator to Ronald will probably make you laugh.

If I did not know better, I would have said some evil forces conspired to try and stop me from fulfilling that order within the 24 hours I promised. Read below, to see what I mean!

You can read it: here.

End Of Year Promo Offer

This offer will remain open until MDT of 15th January 2013.

I offer you (or others you know) my Automated MS Excel Feed Formulation software, bundled with my popular feed formulation handbook at a promotional discount. See details below:

1. Watch my video demostration for the software on my Youtube channel (click)

2. DETAILED PDF USER GUIDE FOR THE Software can be downloaded from here

3. The sofware price is N10k.

But in the Xmas spirit, if you buy on or before the deadline, I’ll send you my fully printable 70 page Feed formulation handbook PDF for N4k instead of N8k (see it on sale for $82 approx. at the online store.)

So, instead of paying N18k, you get to pay N14k to buy both the software and handbook – saving N4,000.

UPDATE(14th Dec. 2012 at 10.42a.m Nigerian time): Pay N10,500 and get the bundle!

My attention has just been drawn to the fact that last year’s bundled offer price of N10,500 is what still appears on the FAQ/sales page here!

I have no idea what went wrong as I vividly recall updating that page before announcing this year’s N14,000 offer.

In light of the fact that many have already seen the lower offer, and as a gesture of goodwill, I’ve decided to bring the price down to N10,500.00.

All you need to do is subscribe to my mailing list to qualify to pay that special price.

Follow the instructions provided on the sales page..

You can call me on 234-803-302-1263.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz

A World Bank Expert’s Tip On Feed Formulation

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This week, the question I’m treating from my Farm business website contact form database was sent in by “Sola Enitan” from Ikeja Central Business District in Lagos, Nigeria.

In the course of answering that question below, I share insights gained from my interesting phone conversation with a university professor who is a world bank fish farming consultant.

Here’s the question:

“Fish and Shrimp Farming: I need business plan and feasibility studies. Do you own a fish farm yourself, or are you a textbook counsellor?”

Sola’s question is a valid one, and certainly deserves an answer.

I actually called and conversed with him right after reading his email back then.

In the rest of this post, I provide information to answer that question comprehensively.

A Quick Overview Of The Unconventional But Valuable Service I Offer Farmers

As an extension professional, I support farmers to adopt and/or develop best practice systems to make their farms succeed.

In simple english I help them find better ways to get the results they want.

Most of what an extension person does involves moving around/making contacts to discover what’s new (e.g research finding, new hybrids etc), what’s working (from successful farms) and what’s not.

Then such learnings are channelled to relevant farmers who may find them useful.

Sometimes, especially in today’s world, the extension professional may take it upon herself to develop and implement solutions she identifies to be badly needed by farmers.

That’s the approach I have adopted in playing my role as a non-conventional extension service provider, by developing custom software, publishing a feed formulation handbook, helping to setup a Best Operating Farm Process Management System (BOPMS) and also offering capacity building coaching and training.

To play her role effectively, an extension service provider must have a good grasp of both theoretical and practical farming concepts and operations.

The foregoing, combined with a firm understanding of the dynamics of the environment in which the farm operates, will equip her to deliver useful solutions that will be valued by the farm business owner.

Get further details about my unconventional approach to extension service provision on my Farm Business support service website.

(NB: By way of interest, the above link will take you to the old, html version of the site which I’ve used since 2006.

I’m currently in the process of moving ALL the content from the above mentioned old site, into a new database driven WordPress version (featuring my latest articles and updates) here..

Going by the visits and responses I’ve been getting, there must be something I’m doing right.

I have gotten enquiries and had purchases from farm owners and enthusiasts from across Nigeria, many parts of Africa, and as far as Asia, North America and even Australia.

Most of these visitors and buyers found me through online search results facilitated by my elaborate web marketing system, which incorporates web content, in addition to video and audio.

Examples Of How I Operate – From Two Phone Conversations

What I just did above, was to provide a little insight into how I serve farm businesses.

I will now provide real life examples of how I operate, by sharing details of two phone conversations I recently had, through which many farm business owners (and those aspiring) can gain valuable knowledge and insight for use in their farm businesses.

Whenever that happens (as it so often does), I would have succeeded in providing extension education that such persons can put to profitable use.

Conversation 1: Root Cause Analysis Reveals “Poor Management” As Major Cause of Farm Failure

Ironically it was Sola Enitan, the “textbook counsellor question asker” that I had this conversation with!

This happened earlier today. We were speaking for only the second time since we first made contact years ago.

But no one would have been able to tell, from the way we carried on exchanging friendly jokes all through.

That’s one of the things I love about the work I do, and the way I do it :-)

My purpose for calling Sola, was to find out if he was still involved in fish farming (so I could tell him about my year end sales promo for the Ration Formulator – see bottom of this post).

He replied that he was no longer pursuing that line of interest.

But it was the reason he gave for not going ahead to start his own fish farming business as he’d planned, that provides what I consider a perfect platform on which to further answer HIS “textbook counsellor” query.

Sola explained that he contacted a sample of fish farm business owners at the time, numbering over 100.

According to him, over 70% of them were either no longer in the business, or were in the process of shutting down their operations, or at least contemplating it.

To him, that was a sign that the fish farming business was not a viable one to venture into.

In line with my “Best Practice” Root Cause Analysis instincts, I asked Sola what he thought were the main causes of the farm failures experienced by the farmers he visited.

He replied that the major problem he saw they had, was lack of good quality feed preparation processes, to ensure balanced and non-toxic feed was given to the fish.

In addition, he noted that many of the farmers seemed to have divided interests due to other businesses they were engaged in.

This limited their ability to make timely input and intervention in the daily running of their farm operations. I refer to the foregoing as the “absentee ownership” phenomenon.

At this point, I asked him if he noticed that the reasons he had identified as being responsible for the farm failures were ALL related to farm management practices employed by the owners.

He readily agreed.

I then pointed out that it would be wrong to conclude that commercial fish farming was not viable based on the failures of poorly managed farms.

To this he again agreed.

And that was when he owned up that being a real estate professional, he had actually been looking to invest in fish farming to generate a decent additional stream of income.

So he reviewed the projected set up cost for a typical high capacity commercial intensive catfish production unit, against the projected medium and long term profit margins to be made.

But the numbers were way below his expectations.

Coming from the high margin real estate market, he felt the ROI was too “lean” to justify the money, effort and resources required to run a fish farm profitably.

I could not resist teasing him about his “big money” mentality at this point.

To his credit he replied frankly saying “Look Tayo, that fish business is better for retirement. Right now I need better returns on my money. Maybe later I’ll venture into it!”

TIP: I’ve shared the above to serve as a warning, to those who may be tempted to launch fish farm businesses without doing necessary due diligence.

It’s been called a gold mine, but mining the gold takes work and time. And you must be prepared to put in the work!

Also, don’t let anyone mislead you with exaggerated claims about profits to be made.

At the risk of stating the obvious, commercial fish farming cannot yield anything close to the same profits margins as you’d reasonably expect from investing in the oil and gas or real estate businesses!

Conversation 2: World Bank Consultant Draws Attention To A Potentially Profitable, But Little Explored Feed Formulation Support Service For Farm Businesses

A day before I spoke with Seun, I had a long and interesting phone conversation, with a university professor specialising in fish nuitrition and feed formulation.

Prof. F (let’s keep his real name quiet for now) told me that while consulting for the world bank, he had developed a high performing feed formula for fish, using the Linear Programming(LP) technique.

LP is an alternative to the simpler diagramatic Pearson Square computation technique described in my feed formulation handbook, and which my Ration Formulator software is based on.

The professor explained that he now devotes his time to using his formula to produce high performing feed that farmers come to buy from him.

According to him, it’s been quite rewarding working that way. His “magic” formula is therefore kept close to his chest, despite appeals from farmers that he let them have it.

That was quite a useful bit of information for me, as it implies opportunities exist for interested persons to provide a valuable service to busy but serious farmers:

TIP: You can offer feed formulation support services, possibly combined with actual feed compounding.

Some people run feed mills and help buyers produce bagged feeds based on the customer’s supplied formula (like Yakubu Ibrahim, a recent buyer of my feed formulation software, who owns runs a feed mill in Kano).

They also produce and sell their own brands of feed for different classes of livestock, using formulas they derive by themselves.

To do the above, some use manual calculation methods based on their understanding of feed formulation techniques like that described in my popular 70 page handbook.

At some point, a few (like Yakubu) decide they want the convenience of an automated method for deriving the formulas for use by themselves and their clients.

That’s when they come online and discover solutions like my customizable Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator.

See the sales promo details at the end of this post, to discover how my handbook and software can help you carry out feed formulation for different animal types using any combination of ingredients you prefer, within seconds, at the click of a button.

Final Words: Get Competent Help To Manage Your Farm Successfully

If you run a farm business, or plan to, you likely need support with setting up your farm management operations to ensure your long term success.

Get someone with the training, expertise and exposure to help you.

You may find my Farm BOPMS development service potentially useful.

BOPMS is an acronym for a practical farm management solution I developed years ago, called “Best Operating Process Management System”.

I offer to put it in place for farm businesses, or to provide information and education on it, via learning events e.g talks, seminars and workshops.

Having a BOPMS in place for your farm can drastically minimise occurrences of unexpected crises, while ensuring more profitable and stress free running of your farm opertions on a day to day basis.

You can read more about how setting up a custom BOPMS™ for your farm can make your life as a farm business owner more productive at the page below, on my Farm Business Support Service website:

http://iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com/farm_perf_5Tools.html.

End Of Year Promo Offer

This offer will remain open until MDT of 15th January 2013.

I offer you (or others you know) my Automated MS Excel Feed Formulation software, bundled with my popular feed formulation handbook at a promotional discount. See details below:

1. Watch my video demostration for the software on my Youtube channel (click)

2. DETAILED PDF USER GUIDE FOR THE Software can be downloaded from here

3. The sofware price is N10k.

But in the Xmas spirit, if you buy on or before the deadline, I’ll send you my fully printable 70 page Feed formulation handbook PDF for N4k instead of N8k (see it on sale for $82 approx. at the online store.)

So, instead of paying N18k, you get to pay N14k to buy both the software and handbook – saving N4,000.

4. Get more details about my feed formulation handbook and software here.

You can call me on 234-803-302-1263.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT COACHING: Achieve Your Goals & Resolutions, Regardless of Adversity!

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Do you want to learn how to finish anything you start, with worthwhile results to show for it?

Would you like to be able to set and achieve valued goals in your life regardless of delays, disappointments and setbacks you encounter?

If YES, then rest assured that you’re in the right place, and I CAN help you achieve the above – and a lot more.

Starting today (5th December 2012), I offer YOU access to my confidential paid coaching/consulting service.

When it comes to getting results no matter what goes wrong, under some of the most difficult and frustrating socioeconomic situations imaginable, my track record of achievements readily attest to my competence.

Reading through the experience based posts and articles on this blog for starters, will give you an idea of the depth of insight and know-how I can give you.

You need someone who knows what it takes to relentlessly climb back up after being knocked down countless times, until he reaches his goal.

That, IS me.

You need the help of a person whose unique versatility as a multipreneur equips him to appreciate issues you face from YOUR unique perspective.

Again, me.

You can make your dreams come true, if you choose the right coach to guide and support you.

I can help you, using my Spontaneous Coaching technique, developed and refined over the past fifteen years.

Your age, gender, education, country etc do NOT matter.

What matters is your interest, desire, passion, purpose and vision.

You most likely currently struggle to achieve your goals because you LACK access to information and guidance that can help you to:

(1). eliminate trial and error

(2). Identify potentially viable ways to get the results you want as quickly as possible.

With my help, you can quickly learn what to do, and how to do it.

I offer paid email and telephone based (as well as face to face) coaching/consulting that can help you take the guesswork out of what you’re trying to do.

Understand that I do NOT need to know the technicalities of your work or vocation.

My role will simply be to guide you to take needed steps as and when due, to achieve the outcomes you desire.

My past accomplishments from successfully delivering customised solutions to clients in widely differing industries (hotels, hospitals, consulting, health and fitness, manufacuring, real estate etc) prove that my multipreneurial aptitude equips me to understand, and adapt to different subject matter quite easily.

In other words, it is a valuable asset that benefits my clients.

And it will benefit you, if you choose to let me help you.

There is so much you need to know and do, in order to competently go after, and achieve, your challenging life goals.

I am a proven goal getter in my personal and work lives from my days as a student, through 7 years in paid employment and over the past 10 years as an entrepreneur.

In many cases my work speaks so well for me, that I do not need to say more. Learn more about me here.

I can show you how to achieve your own goals the way I do mine, even in the face of multiple daunting obstacles. You CAN become unstoppable!

Let me help you work out a real-world relevant ACTION plan, that provides ready-to-use remedies to setbacks and other forms of temporary defeat you are bound to encounter as you pursue your goals.

I can offer you experience based suggestions that can help you evolve smarter action plans, and ultimately make the most of the challenges you’ll have to face.

If you did not find this page yourself, it’s likely I sent you the link after you contacted me about my mentoring.

Here’s How You Get Started With Me…

In order to coach anyone, I must evaluate the quality of their drive, determination and CONVICTION by requiring them to take an initial leap of faith by sending me:

N20,000 (Twenty Thousand Naira) for an initial remote telephone consultation lasting 15 to 30 minutes.

If you’re not ready to do this, stop reading now. I cannot work with anyone unwilling to take the above first step.

If you’re ready to take that leap of faith, I offer you more details:

Note that the N20k you send is 100% refundable, IF you go ahead to signup for my full coaching program.

To help you maximise value from that initial consultation with me , I always recommend sending key questions or concerns in written form at least 5 days ahead of the session.

As a gesture of goodwill, I provide for every client, written responses where relevant and approriate, to each one, and send via email as PDF and MP3 audio to you before the session date.

This will enable you ask other questions or request more details/clarification by the time you call to speak with me.

At the end of the session, you’ll likely have greater clarity about what you should be doing specifically to achieve your purpose.

Only after that will coaching become relevant.

Let me repeat myself: The initial consultation session (which I call “Situation Analysis”) will help me evaluate your needs, and based on that, I’ll then propose a custom coaching program for you, with required investment (recall you’ll be able to deduct 100% of your initial N20k consultation payment if you choose to sign up for full coaching).

So, what will you do now? I recommend you ask yourself:

“Can I afford to proceed on this important journey without RELIABLE support and guidance?”

Think about that…

To get started with me, send a request for payment details using this contact form using “Re: Spontaneous Coaching Initial Consultation request” in the subject line.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz

PDF REPORT: How To Calculate Your Farm’s Cost of Egg Production

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Like I said in an earlier post, this report is a direct response to a question sent in by a visitor from India, through my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas website.

It is accessible in full, only by members of my Farm Business Ideas Club, as a PDF download from a members-only area of my SD Nuggets blog here at www.sdacademy.org.

For details of how to gain access to this and many other special PDF reports to follow, that provide experience based and researched answers to questions from real life farm business owners and enthusiasts like you, contact me via tayo at tksola dot com, stating full details of your needs and interests.

What follows is a brief preview of what the full report contains.

Before getting into number crunching, it’s crucial that you ensure you have everything in place to avoid doing your calculations based on inaccurate assumptions or worse, incorrect data!

1. What You Need To Accurately Compute Your Production Costs (A Fundamental Requirement)

In order to do any calculations reliably in business, you need to have a good record keeping system that efficiently captures production as well as financial data for your farm.

Without the above, any efforts you make to calculate costs, revenue or other performance parameters will very likely be a waste of time. Period.

2. A Basic Understanding You Need To Have

Now, before we start discussing the ways you can go about using the accurate and reliable farm data you have, to compute your egg production costs, the (not-so-) small issue of your farm’s uniqueness must be made clear.

Understand that no two production process can ever be identical. There will always be unique peculiarities they have, that will make them vary in performance. That’s where the manager’s ability to manipulate or control the operations taking place in each process plays a determining role.

The foregoing applies to manufacturing just as well as it does to catering, or for our purposes in this report: Poultry Farming Business.

By implication therefore, you cannot draw conclusions about your farm’s cost of egg production by depending on reports or estimates from other people’s farms, even if they operate next door to yours.

This is because it’s highly unlikely they run their farm exactly the same way you run yours. And even if they did, their expenses on supplies and wastes in operation, among other aspects, would be different from yours.

That’s why if you really want to get a firm and accurate grip on computing your Cost of Production in general, and Cost of Egg Production in particular, you need to do a practical collation of all relevant farm records, to arrive at a reliable indicator for your business.

I have had extensive experience deriving costs of production for large manufacturing operations as well as for small and medium entreprises. Most of this came through working closely with highly skilled financial experts as a responsible manager in paid employment(pre 2002), and also in the course of developing custom Excel-VB driven spreadsheet applications for client companies (e.g. Hospitals, hotels and farm businesses) as a self-employed service provider (since January 2002).

What I have learnt is that simple use of spreadsheets can make a world of difference to your ability to capture the most important cost factors relevant to deriving your cost of production.

And that’s why I’m emphasising the above as being crucial to your ability to arrive at the right values for your egg production cost.

At the end of this report, I offer to prepare (for any interested persons) a simple, ready-to-use spreadsheet for quickly and accurately computing your farm’s Cost of Egg production.

3. You May Not Need To Sell At The Same Price As Other Farms!

You’ll need to keep this in mind at all times:

The fact that other farms sell their eggs at X naira or dollars per unit, does not mean it would be PROFITABLE for you to do so too.

You need to first determine what it actually costs YOUR farm to produce one egg.

Then, you’ll be able to intelligently ascertain if the X naira or dollars gives you a margin healthy enough to SUSTAIN your business for the long term.

It is even possible that doing this costing exercise can help you discover that you can SAFELY drop your selling price below X naira or dollars maintained by others, and STILL retain your desired profit margins!

How is this possible you ask?

Well, one explanation is that the others may be running their operations less efficiently.

Maybe they employ poor (or no) process control and regulation, resulting in avoidable material wastes and possibly egg and bird losses etc.

These problems could push up their costs, making them choose to sell at X naira or dollar to earn their desired margins.

Now, if your farm does not have such shortcomings (or if you can eliminate the root causes of those problems in yours), it’s quite likely that you’ll find your derived costs to be significantly lower than what the other farms can achieve.

This will automatically confer a pricing advantage on you, enabling you safely lower your selling price to attract higher sales volume and profits!

The above is one major benefit you stand to gain by knowing how to CORRECTLY calculate your Cost of Egg Production.

Doing so (and you’ll want to do it regularly) puts you in the best position to:

1. Choose the most profitable pricing for your eggs

2. Keep an eye on the trend in your costs, so you can take timely corrective decisions or actions in the event of an unusual change.

The information provided above will guide you to correctly compute your cost of egg production, using the two different methods I now discuss below.

1. A Quick But Less Accurate Calculation method

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END OF PREVIEW

For details of how to gain access to the COMPLETE PDF report, contact me via tayo at tksola dot com, stating full details of your needs and interests.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz

Feed Formulation Without Tears (Educational Commercial)

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If you have ever calculated livestock Ration Formulas, you most likely know the process (especially where the Pearson Square Computation technique is used) can be quite mentally tasking – particularly when done manually.

That’s why most stakeholders in farm business naturally welcome an automated solution for reliably formulating rations for farm animals.

This “Edumercial” describes a solution I offer, for the above mentioned problem.

The Justification – Who Needs It?

1. Many farm business owners who are keen to increase their profit margins are exploring the option of formulating their own rations, so they can reduce spending on pricey commercial feeds.

2. Feed mill operators now help customers derive ration formulas to deliver the animal performance their clients specify.

More of them now formulate their own rations for different livestock types, for use in compounding bagged feed they sell to their customers.

3. Farm businees consultants who have to advise farmer clients on feeding and nuitrition for their animals, are also adopting the use of automated ration formulation software in increasing numbers.

A Solution That Makes Ration Formulation Feel Like Child’s Play

Since 2004 I have actively sold an Excel-Visual Basic driven spreadsheet application I built to accompany my popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook.

1. See the page below for details about it, and my popular 70 page Feed Formulation handbook:

Click here

2. I have a Youtube Channel where I’ve demonstrated how to use some of my spreadsheet software applicatons at:

Click here

3. You can watch my video demostration for the ration formulator software here (click) on my Youtube channel

4. A DETAILED PDF USER GUIDE FOR THE RATION FORMULATOR can be downloaded from here (click).

You Get FULL Support Till You Master Using The App (It’s PC & Excel Novice Proof!)

I would be glad to explore ways to help you achieve your stated goal of successfully formulating rations to meet your needs.

I built my app to help people reliably formulate balanced rations by freely using ingredients of their choice.

Therefore I am always keen to help or provide support towards making that happen.

Let me know if/when you’re ready to make payment, and I’ll send details to you.

If you’re interested, contact me via tayo at tksola dot com or 234-803-302-1263.

A FEW NOTES:

1. Just this past July (2012), a gentleman from Akwa Ibom came down to Lagos to spend about 5 hours with me learning practical aspect of livestock feed formulation based on the Pearson Square Computation technique described in my handbook that he had purchased.

2. A Canadian gentleman recently purchased the Ration formulator via Paypal.

Below is a screenshot of excerpts from an email he recently sent me as feedback on his impressions from using the app.

Click to view larger image

3. By way of interest, my recent blog post true story on how I had to battle against multiple misfortunes before I could deliver the Excel ration formulator to the Canadian gentleman will probably make you laugh!

You can read it here (click).

4. You may also be interested in reading my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas write-ups published as guest posts on Africabusinesscommunities.com:

Click here .

5. And on my blog, I periodically publish Farm Business Support articles:

Click here .

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz

Join My Farm Biz Ideas Club & Get Answers To Your Questions, PLUS Massive Discounts To My Products & Services!

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Starting from next week, I will commence publishing ONE new post on Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas, in direct response to each one of over 200 questions sent to me by visitors to my Farm Business Ideas website.

The First Question to Be Treated

To give you an idea of what to expect, here’s the first question I will be posting a detailed (researched) response to next week Tuesday (i.e. 4th December 2012).

Zainuddin zai_abi (who indicated he discovered my write-up on Facebook) wrote in from “Hyderabad a.p India” on the subject of “Cost for egg productions”. Here’s his exact message(Edited for clarity):

====Starts====
"I have gone through your article Practical Poultry Farm Business Performance Calculations. I want to know how to calculate cost of egg production like cost per hen, cost per carton, cost of feed in details can you help me. kindly reply me."      
====Ends====

I’ll be publishing a detailed post in response to the above enquiry on this blog next week.

This Content Will Be Restricted To Members-Only

Note however that access will be limited to past buyers of ANY of my products or services. Such persons will be automatically assigned personal usernames and passwords to view this premium content that will be published.

Past Buyers: To get your membership account activated, you MUST contact me (click the preceding link) stating your interest in joining my new Farm Business Ideas members club.

Other Persons: If you’d like to be able to access that “members-only” premium content post, and subsequent ones. Or if you’d like to be able to send in your question and get answers, send your message to me using this contact form (click the preceding link) for details of what you need to do.

Once you become a member, I’ll research and publish a detailed post on this blog, answering your submitted question.

Coming Soon: Educational Commercials on ALL My Farm Business Support Products & Services

In the course of the past eleven months I have learned quite a lot MORE about catering to the needs and interests of farm business prospects. This has been through the many web contact form enquiries, direct emails and phone calls I have received.

I have found the web form enquiries especially useful in narrowing down to the specific areas majority of my farm business ideas articles readers are interested in

Quite recently I received yet another web form enquiry from a prospective buyer of my Ration Formulator spreadsheet app. The gentleman who I will call “Y”, runs a farm business in Kano state. After I sent him purchase details, he wrote back saying:

===Starts===
“Please I need a trial of (the) feed formulation excel before I send the money. Thanks”
===Ends===

Like I told “Y” when we later spoke on phone, he was the very first buyer to ever request a trial version of the app.

I went on to explain to him that compared to the really sophisticated Excel applications I have built for clients, the Ration Formulator is very elementary – so that giving him a trial version would effectively amount to giving him the fully functional app.

The alternative would have been to offer him a compiled EXE version setup as a trial. However, I am still reluctant to introduce that “breed” of my applications in the local market. And then again, the pricing for those ones is much higher – and not likely to appeal to my naturally price-conscious fellow countrymen.

In subsequent phone discussions I was able to gather that “Y” was concerned that he might need to know how to use MS Excel in order to use my Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator.

And that was when it hit me. The reason he was reluctant to take the buying decision was a fear that the app had a steep learning curve.

I assured him that the whole essence of using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in conjunction with an intuitive Graphic User Interface (click preceding link to watch Youtube video) to eliminate the need for a user to interact directly with MS Excel.

A floating modeless data entry form is all the user needs to work on, and clicking a few buttons instantly generates a livestock ration formula.

With that clarification, “Y” asked me to send him the account details so he could make payment.

For me, that was a valuable bit of insight gained.

After that conversation with “Y”, I did some thinking and came to the conclusion that I need to stop assuming every visitor to my website will readily find answers to all the questions they may have about the solutions I offer.

That’s why in addition to publishing answers to questions you send in on Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas, I will henceforth periodically publish “Educational Commercials” about every one of my products and services targeted at Farm Businesses.

The first will be on the “Ration Formulator”. And it will be out the same day I publish the Question and Answer post.

I built this application to help people reliably formulate balanced rations by freely using ingredients of their choice.

That’s why I am always open to exploring ways to working with buyers to make use of it to achieve their goal of successfully formulating rations to meet various needs.

And it’s been exciting to see how people from different places within and outside the country have embraced it – with great feedback too. I’ll be publishing some next week!

Final Words

So, let me summarize. I’ll be launching the earlier mentioned special members only section on my website (accessible via password only) where all of the new content mentioned in this post will be published.

All past buyers of the handbook and software get automatic ONE year of FREE  membership.

In addition, all members get a permanent 40% discount to purchase any of my other products or services whenever they want during the life of their membership.

Towards this end I’m currently building a Farmers Database based on information submitted by over 250 farm owners who have contacted me from my website. They will all be notified by SMS and email from next week.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For past buyers, to get your membership account activated, you MUST contact me (click the preceding link) stating your interest in joining my new Farm Business Ideas members club. All other persons will need to contact me for details of how to get on board.

I look forward to welcoming you!

Entrepreneurship

Don’t Cheat Yourself By Buying Based On Price Alone From A Competent Entrepreneur!

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A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing" – Oscar Wilde

One lesson I have learned the hard way is that not all clients value getting served with passion.

Let me explain why I say so.

While an employee in Guinness Benin city, Nigeria, I would work round the clock – even as a shift brewer – almost without regard for my personal health. One day, while working this way during my days as a trainee(Year = 1995), an expatriate manager had gotten so concerned that he told me, "Tayo, there’s a world outside Guinness you know!".

But I did not relent. I would close morning shift for instance, and stay back – till nightfall – working on a spare PC developing a variety of Lotus 1-2-3 applications aimed at helping automate certain tedious report preparation processes I had identified.

Over Time I Got Recognised – And Rewarded For It.

Soon, other departments began courting me for my skills. For instance, the Utilities Manager (Shola Adeniran) got me to automate his department’s Monthly Report using Lotus 1-2-3 macros(Year = 1997). Later on, I got promoted Training & Technical Development Manager(TTDM) and was nominated to attend a six week International Brewing Course organised by the Institute and Guild of Brewing, UK(Year = 2000).

About 3 months after resuming as TTDM, I was nominated to act as Production Manager. Again I did the same thing – stayed longer, worked hard etc. My appraisals got better each year.

It is instructive to note that I only spent 7 years in Guinness. But what I achieved during that time, some had not in 14 years of working in the company!

What’s The Point I’m Making? 

You see, Guinness preached certain values to all employees. One of them was the importance of  HAVING A PASSION FOR WHAT WE DID.

That resonated very strongly with me. I keyed into it, because I believed it was important to enjoy whatever one did.

And when I began to get "tired" of the routine of paid employment; when my creative instincts began to make me feel limited; I realised I needed to launch out on my own as an entrepreneur.

But I did NOT leave my passion behind. I put it into doing what I had done in Guinness, for my clients. A good example is spreadsheet solutions development, that I now do using MS Excel-VB development.

I made a point of always Going The Extra Mile in serving clients I won over, just like I had done in paid employment.

But I soon realised that in the real world, outside paid employment, certain people – no matter their level of exposure or education – tend to abuse service delivered with that kind of passion.

1. When you charge a fee to do a job for 4 hours, and stay on longer (without charging extra) in a bid to get it right, they conclude you’re either desperate or hungry. They will refuse to see any positive intent in it. Some could even suspect you have ulterior motives for working so hard for them!

2. Even when your superior work quality is why they hired you over the next person or company, some clients will try to get you to accept LESS payment than those they left to come to you. Give in once, and you’ll never be profitable again working for them. And you know what? It never bothers them.

A Short Story To illustrate

I was once present when a client hotel’s manager was discussing with his supervisor about purchasing new toilet rolls for the hotel.

Manager said: "These things are getting more expensive. Our current supplier says a batch is now N2,500."

Supervisor replies: "Yes, that’s true. I guess their costs of production are rising. No thanks to the power supply problem among other things in our economy".

Manager: "Do you remember that there was a guy who used to supply us at N1,500 some time ago? Where is he now?"

Supervisor: "He closed down a while ago."

As I listened, I could not help saying to myself : "Of course he would close shop. When you fail to sell profitably, you can NEVER stay in business. It was only a matter of time."

My Point: Such Clients Never Think Win-Win!

Some clients, in my experience, want what they want, but don’t care how it affects the service or product provider they get it from at unfair rates. I believe in win-win relationships. Everyone should benefit!

The above is why I have a rule of subtly disengaging any client that UNREPENTANTLY subjects me to recognisable abuse, in spite of my efforts.

I once had an abusive client who refused to pay an outstanding bill say to me "You know I can stop using your software don’t you?". That was meant to be a threat to make me give in and do his bidding, without insisting on my payment. But I called his bluff…and I’ll call the bluff of anyone who is mean enough to use threats or other forms of abuse to try getting my service.

My Business Is NOT An Ego Trip. And Yours Should Not Be

I have a vision to deliver value for every paying customer, beyond what s/he pays me. My reputation in this regard already bears me out. It is therefore reasonable that I expect to get treated with equal consideration by clients I shower affection. So should YOU!

I am beginning to find that online, my passion-driven service focus works better. And this has recently made me spend more time promoting my products and services for direct sale through this channel.

It’s great to speak with people you have never met, on phone (or via email) and have them express appreciation for how you responded to their orders, and requests in relation to your work.

I however still look forward to forging lasting relationships with offline clients who continue to act with win-win dispositions in their dealings with me.

If you want to get good service, and enjoy access to it for a long time, in a friendly win-win relationship with your provider, I encourage you to "Avoid Trying To Buy Based On Price Alone From A Competent Solution Provider!"

"I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealing and strict adherence to the view that, for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well." – Alan Greenspan

Entrepreneurship

A New Generation of Entrepreneurs PROVES That Our Schools Need To Offer a Different Kind of Education!

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[WARNING: To get useful value from reading this post, you’ll need to keep an open mind. Like the saying goes “The mind is like a parachute. It works best when it is open”.]

It’s becoming more and more obvious that society is evolving so rapidly that jobs and vocations as we’ve known them are being forced to change or in some cases simply “disappear”.

So many companies now take advantage of PC and Internet technology to reduce dependence on employees.

And for those that choose to retain people, more of them favour having certain roles outsourced to remotely located workers. This ensures they can optimize what they spend on manpower.

Schools “Un-Prepare” Us to Be Entrepreneurs

But the above situation is bad news for many of those who went through traditional schooling in the hope of securing traditional employment.

If it’s not already obvious to you, here’s why: Most people who attend formal schooling are often not prepared for the possibility of a lack of jobs. What’s more, in the past, when jobs were not forthcoming, those who had the courage could easily launch out into self-employment.

Unfortunately, traditionally schooled people are not well equipped to succeed as entrepreneurs in today’s world. They’ve been wrongly prepared by the school system that produced them.

Formal schooling teaches us to be willing to follow laid down rules and guidelines – no matter what. We are literally programmed to respond predictably to orders, and to NOT desire to stand out or be different. In other words, formal schooling conditions us to blend with the rest of society – and to avoid rocking the boat.

Then we enter the real world and we find we’re in trouble – because we lack important real-world relevant “savvy” and skills. As a result, the “well schooled” – surprisingly – tend to struggle more than those who either never underwent formal schooling, or chose to jump ship at some stage BEFORE they got completely “conditioned”.

Those less-schooled people enter the real world with an edge over those who finished formal schooling. This is the reality that confronts most adults today, even though many still stubbornly refuse to acknowledge it.

My Top Grades Did Nothing to Prepare Me for Business in My Society

Despite excelling right through university, graduating top of my class and narrowly failing to get a first class degree (my 5.9 vs. target 6.0), I got into the real world to discover that almost everything I’d learnt back there was totally useless to me, in my bid to make a success of myself as an adult.

A seven year stint in the “insulated” environment of lucrative corporate paid employment was an eye opener for me.

I was amazed by how I rapidly taught myself new skills to excel in fields I had no formal training (e.g. brewing and spreadsheet automation).

This stirred a new awakening in me. I realized that I had to become self-employed, if I was to feel fulfilled. And I could not help wondering if the time I’d spent getting a degree could not have been better spent.

I became an entrepreneur over ten years ago. My experiences and observations during that time have led me to a firm conclusion: Conventional schooling as is offered in most societies currently does not offer enough of the kind of preparation needed for one to succeed in today’s rapidly changing world.

The Internet Age Requires a Different Form of Schooling

I want to protect my kids from experiencing a similar rude awakening to mine. That’s why I’m deliberately coaching them to develop real world relevant skills early on – in writing, typing, using the PC and especially the Internet as a means of earning a living. They will acquire other vocational skills. But the digital ones will be key to their success.

Today’s Internet driven digital world makes success accessible to anyone who can read and write i.e. anyone willing to exploit PC and Internet technology to deliver unique value to those who need it, in exchange for profitable financial remuneration for herself.

Some people who are still trapped in the old world order mentality of going to school, getting a degree, and finding a good job, have criticized my thinking.

But I’ve told my kids that – if they want – they CAN develop the competence to begin earning income via the Internet (using what I teach them) before they leave school.

I’ve also emphasized to them that what they earn will be determined by the quality of value they provide (e.g. products/services they provide) – and NOT by the kind of certificates or degrees they have (or lack).

Think about it: so many people are still graduating into the jobs market every year even as unemployment rates soar in most societies. Who’s going to give those new graduates jobs?

I don’t need a PhD to understand this. It’s obvious to anyone willing to think objectively about it!

A New Generation of Entrepreneurs Now Rules

It is because of the above situation that a new era has begun- for entrepreneurs – in most societies across the world.

Highly skilled people are quitting from high paying jobs in expensive cities like California and New York, and relocating to the Philippines, Hong Kong and other areas of the world with much lower costs of living. And most are launching micro-enterprises.

Why? Because they want to live more fulfilled lives – away from pressures of high costs of living – while using their skills to earn a living.

Luckily for them, the kinds of skills they have can be used to earn income anywhere an Internet connection can be had.

Almost every reasonably modern society has them. And they are rapidly influencing those in less aware economies. It’s a movement driven by the Internet’s ability to stretch beyond borders, and create value for people at both ends.

That’s why we’re seeing more people becoming entrepreneurs today. But not the kind from the past who had huge offices and employed armies. This time around, especially with the Internet’s increasing influence, we’re hearing of Location Independent Entrepreneurs, Digital Nomads, and so on.

This new generation of entrepreneurs comprises mostly “solo acts”/micro-entrepreneurs (sometimes in small groups) who take advantage of Internet technology to earn a living by serving clients and customers across the globe from the corners of their “rooms” at home.

And Don’t Be Fooled By the Fact That They “Work-From-Home”…or “Anywhere”

Some of these guys chalk up huge earnings while operating in this manner – sometimes more than others who still do the traditional 8 to 5 commute to fortune 500 jobs!

And they get their education NOT from traditional schools, but from their own specially created communities, where essential skills for success are learned.

If you plan to be an entrepreneur in today’s world, this is one path you may wish to consider following.

It must be said however, that it is not for everyone.

If however you choose it, remember you’ll need to re-educate yourself by un-learning and re-learning many things in order to succeed.

Thankfully, there are useful learning resources online you can start with:

1. Future Expats Forum: http://futureexpats.com/

2. Digital Nomad Academy: http://digitalnomadacademy.org

3. The Art Of Non-Conformity: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3×5/category/world–domination/

NB: Download Chris’ Brief Guide To World Domination: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3×5/a-brief-guide-to-world-domination/

4. Download the Internet Lifestyle Manifesto from http://www.mymarketingcoach.com

5. Lastly, Google “Digital Nomad” and “Location Independent Entrepreneurs”. You should find more to satisfy your curiousity!

Good luck.

Entrepreneurship

Never Accept Shabby Treatment Because You Need Business!

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Some people go into business under the misguided impression, that "all buyers" must be given whatever they ask for – no matter how unreasonable it is. This mindset ends up putting them at the mercy of most of the dients and customers they get. And they end up trapped in energy sapping relationships with exploitative or manipulative buyers.

In this post I suggest steps you can take to protect yourself from being shabbily treated and exploited by naughty clients that may sometimes come your way…

1. Present Yourself Right

Your dressing, composure and assertiveness will often determine how people respond to you. If you manage yourself well in those areas, you will gain credibility/respect before others. Who will believe in you if you cannot show that you believe in yourself? Don’t let anyone “pity” you or give you charity. Always keep your chin up, and be “proud” of yourself for having the guts to do something meaningful with your life.

Never let defeats, delays and temporary setbacks get you down. More often than not, they are simply channels for acquiring new insights about how to reach your goal.

You need to understand that “there is no such thing as an entrepreneur who failed but only one who gave up”. The foregoing means you can be confident that your success is “inevitable”. (Thanks to James Cook).

2. Show Enthusiasm – And Competence

“Without enthusiasm, one cannot be convincing. Moreover, enthusiasm is contagious and the person who has it, under control, is generally welcome in any group of people.” – Napoleon Hill

When you show that you are competent, and love what you do, progressive minded clients will often fall in love with you, and bring you back to do more work for them

Do NOT be like me, however. Keep in mind that you are in business to make not just money, but tangible profits. Be sure to request handsome fees commensurate with the value you plan to deliver.

In my startup years, I was so naive that I went around showing enthusiasm for my work, without thinking about getting profitably rewarded for doing it. That cost me a lot in my early years as an entrepreneur. Today, I’m much smarter – having learnt my lessons the hard way from life’s University of Hard Knocks.

3. Name Your Price and Stick With It

One of the annoying realisations I made very early on in my entrepreneurial adventure is that once you go O-Y-O (On Your Own) as an entrepreneur, some people who knew you before will immediately assume that you’ve dropped in “value” or “worth” – just like (as Kiyosaki said) the new car driven out of the car lot by its new owner.

This becomes obvious from the way they try to get you to do whatever it is you do, for them, for little or nothing. Their belief is that because you’ll be keen to quickly begin to earn some income, you’ll be unwilling to pass up such unattractive propositions, even when they annoy or irritate you.
Well,much as I knew I was going to pay the price each time this happened, I either simply ignored such people or told them what my fees were, and asked them to take it or leave it.

I once read an article titled “Name Your Price and Stick With It” in which the author advises any entrepreneur who provides service to set a profitable lower limit for his/her fees below which he would not take on a project. He added that if you do get asked by a client to lower your fees, after you have assured yourself that what you’ve proposed is the most appropriate for the job they want you to do, there’s only one thing to do.

Tell them to indicate which aspect of the job they would prefer NOT to have, so you can take that out and give them a lesser charge.

In other words, NEVER drop your fees without a reason.

Make it obvious to the prospective client, (and ensure he/she understands) that there cannot be a drop in your fees (below your set lower limit) without a corresponding drop in the scope of work you will do or the overall value they will get. When you do this, and stand your ground, they will actually come to respect you, and treat you accordingly.

If you don’t do this, your prospective clients will always push you around, waste your time, get you to do more without paying more and ultimately won’t see much reason to give you referrals to others.

If you want to successfully assert yourself in doing your business, you must be ready to refuse to be treated shabbily. It can happen once or twice, but you should also learn quickly!

On a final note, remember this:

The above ideas become even more relevant when you’re just starting up. The fact that you’re new does not mean you should present yourself as a lamb for slaughter.

More importantly, note that a prospect cannot tell that you’re experiencing slow business or cash flow shortage by looking at your face. Except you tell her, or you show up for a meeting with her looking – and acting – needy.

It is not a crime to have to build your wealth from the ground up. Others have done it before. You should be proud you have the opportunity to achieve a similar respectable outcome. There is therefore no reason to accept shabby treatment from those you want to buy from you!

Domestic Violence Against Men (DVAM), Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

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

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Click here to download this Quote-Story™ No. 1. Then study and share it with those you care about.

Click here to download the above Quote-Story™ No. 1. Then study and share it with those you care about.

FYI: James R. Cook, is a successful American entrepreneur, and author the New York Times bestseller titled “Startup Entrepreneur”. I strongly recommend you read that excellent experience based book.

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

Preamble: The dilemma of choosing between quitting one’s job or starting up part time(while holding on to it) is one that countless entrepreneurs have had to contend with in the past. This difficulty confronts persons who are either approaching retirement or feel they do not want to continue working for someone else. Not many business ideas can be properly “tested” in the market place using “moonlighting” techniques – where an employee tries his/her hands at pursuing a fancied business career on the side, during his/her free time.

In this article I share the true story of HOW I took the decision to start my own business. I also provide insight into what others who have passed the same road did – and say. The truth however, is that no two situations are likely to be exactly the same, hence the intending startup must carefully weigh the options available in making up his/her mind. It is my hope that the reader will be able to use the ideas offered here to intelligently arrive at a decision that will facilitate the launch of a successful career in entrepreneuring.

(This article has been reviewed/slightly expanded – today 6th Nov. 2012, and is now relocated to the SD Nuggets blog, from it’s former static html page. The original version published in Apri 2006, and republished on Ezinearticles.com on Apr 03, 2006, 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“)

“No enterprise worthy of accomplishment would ever begin, if all obstacles
were first to be overcome” – Napoleon Hill

Let’s Start With My True Story – About How/Why I Did It

In attempting to help you come to your own decision about the better of the two options mentioned above(quitting your job vs. starting part-time), I will give you an insight into how I entered into the business of entrepreneuring. I start by reproducing the exact words with which I narrated the experience in an ebook I wrote back in 2003 titled “How To Help Your Child Discover His/Her Purpose In Life” (click the preceeding title/link to read an article based on the ebook).

“I struggled for over 6 years like I said trying to find out why I felt so dissatisfied working as a well paid young manager in a large, blue chip corporate multinational. Despite rapid advancement and numerous opportunities plus the promise of even better career options, I still found I was dissatisfied. So it was that right till the last 2 years of my stay as a Manager in Guinness Nigeria Plc, I continued to baffle family/friends with my frequent trips back and forth between Lagos, Benin, Ibadan, Portharcourt and other places.

I was variously following up advertisements for new jobs, opportunities for new starting up businesses, and possibility of getting admission to study overseas(I just KNEW I wanted to spend my time doing something other than the job I was being so well paid for!). I attended many seminars on wide ranging topics from manufacturing to computer/internet education etc. Then I sought out those who I heard had “made it”, and who offered themselves for consultation. I asked their advice on what to do. Slowly but surely, I began to gain insight.

Gradually the picture became clearer. Not long after – in late 1999 to be exact, I had the full picture of what I wanted to do in life clearly mapped out in my mind. But by then I was already 29 years old! Then I spent 2 whole years “preparing”(attending business startup seminars etc) before finally taking off fully! Having gone through all that, I am now thoroughly convinced that I could have done better, if only I had known much earlier that I had the option of deciding whether or not to go into paid employment.” – Excerpt from the ebook titled “How To Help Your Child Discover His/Her Purpose In Life“

Now, the truth is that by the time I decided I wanted to run my own business, I was not sure exactly how I would start.

I knew I wanted to go into some form of speaking-training consultancy/educational work but I was not sure how to begin. Also, I knew that it would be useful to have a creative slant to my business offerings(building on my proficiency in custom spreadsheet programming/solutions development), so as to generate a diversified income stream. It was with these ideas in mind that I began attending all those seminars/courses over the two years before I quit my job.

I however did not just attend them and go back to my job to continue work. Being naturally action oriented, I went ahead and launched mini-versions of some business ideas I had settled for. They were Sealed Nylon Packaged Pepper production and Custom Branded T-Shirts Production (which I came up with by myself after doing some thinking). While on Annual leave, I then used practically all of my leave allowance from work, to run these micro businesses on a test basis.

It was tough, but I gave it all I had. In each case, I made little or no income, but the excitement of doing it all – printing ID cards, drafting sales letters/looking for buyers, designing T-Shirt labels, using an impulse nylon sealer to pack cartons and cartons of pepper (overnight sometimes!) served to give me some degree of satisfaction that it had been worth the trouble.

However, when I returned to work, the challenges of meeting my job as an employee soon made it obvious that I could not combine running either of the businesses with doing my salaried job. This was at a time when I was still a shift brewer, and as such had the advantage of getting off duty rest periods on weekdays, which I tried to use to pursue my micro business efforts.

By the time I was promoted in year 2000 to a normal, routine 9 – 5 job as Technical Training and Development Manager, I lost the little freedom I had left.

For close to one year, I tried to see if I could endure the change and the restrictions it had imposed on me, but soon realised that it would not work. So, I printed off and signed a fresh copy of the resignation letter I had presented to my former boss(who had rejected it back then) in 1999, while I was still a brewer , and handed it to the head(Operations Manager) of my brewery in his office on 31st October 2001(giving 2 months notice).

It’s been over four years now, since I quit my job to start my business – and I remain fully convinced that I took the right decision. This is(among other reasons) because, I have grown tremendously in ways that I could never have achieved had I still been tied to a 9 to 5 job. In addition, I look forward to doing my work on a daily basis, with an excitement much greater than any I ever felt while in paid employment. The feeling of liberation – being able to pursue what you have always dreamt of achieving beats description. The following quote I think describes what I believe I have achieved:

“Free yourselves from the shackles of corporate life” – Anon

Most people in paid employment will not be able to understand what I have said in the above paragraph.

For instance, sometime last year, I visited the office of a former senior colleague(who still works in the HR department of the company I left) to get a reference.

He told me “Many people still think you must have been mad to do what you did“. My response was along the lines of “My only regret is that I did not do it sooner!” – and I meant it.

While driving back home that day, I thought about the conversation with my HR manager “friend” and could not help feeling a bit sorry for him, because I knew from the way he said it, that he agreed with those who had questioned my sanity in quitting my job.

The sad reality however is that whether they accept the inevitable reality or not, they WILL have to go through the same process of “leaving” their jobs one day. When that happens, they will have to – like I did – “re-educate” themselves all over again to be able to survive in the real-world, outside the security of salaried jobs they have gotten used to. This is likely to happen when they retire, or have to resign.

The only difference will be that when they are starting up their own businesses, they will probably be past their prime in terms of age, maybe in their 60s. This may or many not present problems when they have to endure the adversity frequently encountered in the business startup phase.

As for me, I am glad I did it while I still had a lot of my youth on my side.

At 31, I quit a job that paid well, but made me feel unfulfilled, in order to start one that I get excited about everyday regardless of the challenges I face in doing it. If you also want to experience true happiness, you will have to do likewise i.e. follow your heart!

Interestingly, doing what you love WILL ultimately bring the ONE benefit(money!) that many people always seem to want to get first. I don’t care what any realists say. What they consider unprofitable today can become a goldmine tomorrow.

But experts will sometimes not see what you see!

WHAT PEOPLE SAID: “There’s no market for it. If there were, major airlines would already be offering it. You won’t be able to find reliable couriers.” – Conclusion of advisors to Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express.

Some experts recommend going with a proven formula or model. I do not quarrel with that. But nothing new will be created or invented if everybody follows that line of thinking! We need people who will perodically follow their instincts and intuition to venture into untested business fields.

Those who will be visionary enough to see the opportunties tthat current experts are blind to. And who will be able to muster and sustain the courage to aim for business success in that area. A passion for the subject will make such individuals persist even when no immediate results are forthcoming.

Historical evidence stongly suggests that most people who do so eventually reap substantial rewards in fame, and fortune.

That’s why Marsha Sinetar said:

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

A Question That Can Help You Choose A Business To Start

One of the most important questions that a person who wishes to choose a business to start needs to be able to answer is this:

What is that thing, which you would ENJOY doing for an UNLIMITED period of time, EVEN if you did not get paid to do it?

I found MY answer to that question quite easily, and that made it easy for me to continue happily working towards achieving my set goals in spite of countless rejections and setbacks. You are reading this article, at this point in time, because I chose to follow my heart and pursue my vision. You will need to do the same if you want to achieve sustainable, authentic success.

“If you don’t do what you love, you won’t have what it takes to stick with it. This lack of effort will cause you to fail. And fail big time” – Michael Boss

How Other Entrepreneurs Started Their Own Businesses

1. Quitting To Start – The Risky Way!

a. James R. Cook(Author, Startup Entrepreneur, New York Times Bestseller) did what many considered ill-advised and unthinkable. He simply quit a good job brimming with promises of career advancement. In his book, “The Startup Entrepreneur”, he explained that he did so in order to apply Napoleon Hill’s suggestions that the person desiring success “burn all bridges” – admitting that not everyone has to follow the same route as he did.

b. Henry Ford explained that after discussing with his wife, he chose to reject the offer to make him general superintendent of The Edison Company, if he stopped work on his gas engine project to focus on what they considered “more important” work. Left with no other option, he chose to leave his job(on August 15, 1899) rather than give up his automobile business idea. An interesting note added by Ford is the fact that aside from money spent on sustaining themselves daily, he and his wife put every penny they had into experimenting on the automobile, in the hope of making a breakthrough. That willingness to risk financial ruin, would later yield multiple fold returns. Every single person who drives a car today, should be grateful to this couple for refusing to quit!

c. William Lear opined that if a person is really sure about his business idea, he should mortgage every asset he owns to keep going. Using himself as an example, he explained that at one point, during a difficult time in his business, he felt like he owed more or less everyone in the country.

d. Fran Tarkenton also wrote that if you find it difficult starting your business while still in paid employment, seriously consider quitting in order to force yourself to focus better. BUT he also gives what I truly believe is a very VALID warning that in doing this: In quitting, you MUST make sure your family’s security is not jeopardised by the possibility of your business struggles, preventing you from playing your role as a parent or spouse.

2. Moonlighting -The Safe(?) Way

Some people might prefer to test their ideas on the side while they hold on to day jobs as employees. Lucky history shows that a number of people succeeded in starting their businesses this way. George Eastman for instance, who founded the Kodak company, remained in employment while he tested ideas for his film business.

I have also read articles on how Moonlighting techniques(where a person in paid employment launches a semi-entrepreneurial career on the side in his free time from work) can be successfully used by individuals keen to try out their business ideas.

In fact there is a growing trend today of people who start businesses which they engage third parties to run , while they(the owner) remain in paid employment.

So, Which Is Better: To Quit Your Job At Once, Or Start Your Business Part-Time?

In my opinion, the degree of success achievable in meeting client or customer needs by a person who starts up via moonlighting, will depend to a great extent on his/her level of commitment. This is especially because the demands of a routine 9 to 5 job can, for instance, limit a person’s ability(via late hours at work, and/or fatigue) to meet the expectations of a paying client or customer.

Then there is the issue of the type of business a person decides to startup on the side. If a person decides to start up a piggery or catfish business while employed on a full time salary job, s/he might struggle considerably to get a good feel of what it takes to manage the actual production process. A likely reason would be his/her inability to visit the farm as often as would be needed(due to day job work demands) to gain the needed “depth” of understanding. This could have implications for cost-effective and profitable operation of the business, as s/he might end up having to accept anything s/he is told by the hired hands.

Having said that, employing a competent manager to run the operation could reduce the need for worry in this area. I will however add that in the society I operate in as an entrepreneur, you would have to keep both your fingers and toes crossed at the same time, if you choose to go that way. A hint: Finding competent hands over here is one thing. Finding competent AND trustworthy ones can be another issue entirely!

But the truth about it is, no matter how long you test your business idea on the side, you will eventually have to take the plunge and launch out fully. In reality, many people never get to a point when they can muster enough courage to do that, giving various excuses. In the end, their employer helps them take the inevitable decision – and even then, they are seldom prepared!

Those Who Risk All Stand To Gain More

So, on the issue of which option is “better” , it is my considered opinion that most of those who take the “risky” route of quitting the security of their jobs, or “burning their bridges” are likely to emerge as better rounded entrepreneurs, capable of building businesses that outlast them. I say this based on my personal experiences as one who tried both approaches, and also drawing from many interactions I have had with business owners who followed the “safer” route in starting up. The mental attitude of people who belong to this latter group can be surprisingly different from that recognised as typical of persons considered to be “entrepreneurs”.

Specific scenarios include: how they see adversity(and the benefits it offers); their disposition towards risk-taking for the purpose of seizing business opportunities in the market place; and their capacity to visualise the future. In each of the three scenarios highlighted, I have repeatedly noticed that the “safe way startup” business owners frequently prefer to keep things as they are, never wanting to take any chances trying anything new – until they have seen many others do so successfully.

Seldom are they ready to be the ones leading the pack in visualising what next to do. And in some cases, there was a striking readiness to compromise their values (sometimes just “a teeny little bit”) in the face of opposition, in order to get what they wanted. This suggested the attributes of “integrity” and “persistence” were not strong points for them. I must add here that you could not easily deduce this from what they said, when invited to speak, or discuss on the subject. It was very often from the things they did – actions they took daily, yearly in relation to moving their businesses forward, that you saw real evidence of that they actually “believed”.

In contrast, many successful entrepreneurs who followed the “risky”, thorn filled path, have described how the long drawn periods of “suffering” they went through, helped them developed the “character” and “survival instincts” necessary for achievement of sustainable long term successes.

Quite a number have been described as “stubborn” or even “obstinate” – attributes which probably enabled them successfully defy adversity and opposition in the past to achieve startling successes. Entrepreneurs often believe they can always get what they want -if they stick with it long enough. Hardly will you find a true entrepreneur willing to cut corners in order to reach a valued goal. Apart from having a strong sense of integrity, the exciting prospect of defying all odds and opposition to reach the prize, would be simply too attractive for him/her to pass up.

Don’t get me wrong here! I am not implying that a person who did not quit a job or do something “risky” to start his/her business is not an entrepreneur. What I am saying is that a serious possibility exists, that those who start by holding on to the “security” of a life-line in form of a “job”, or other comforts, may end up not undergoing the full myriad of “educative” experiences needed to mature fully as entrepreneurs.

You can read my article titled Avoid Taking Lessons On Entrepreneuring From The Wrong Person(s) to learn more about why I believe NOT every business owner can be called an entrepreneur.

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

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” – Eleanor Smith

Summary – The Choice Is Ultimately Yours To Make!

From reading my story, you will find that I did make effort to try juggling my new interests with the responsibilities I had as an employee, but with little success. In order to avoid destroying my credibility in my workplace by having divided loyalty(and also to ensure that I was more efficient in the use of my time and efforts), I chose to take an honourable exit from a company I had served for seven(7) years, while the ovation was still at its loudest.

That was one of the reasons why the overall head of the brewery where I worked, was able to say/write wonderful things about me (at the send forth ceremony organised for me, even though I had only reported indirectly to him for about 11 months) including the following:

“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).

My study of the writings and lives of many entrepreneurs in some cases support this option(i.e. quitting your job), while others lean towards the other. It is up to you, to consider the examples provided through this article’s narration of what others have done(coupled with its analyses), and then come up with your own decision. Back to top

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain