Category Archives: Farm Biz

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

He Called Me “Voleur” (Thief)!

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[PDF] He Called Me Voleur! - Click to download PDF version of this article and read offline

In this article, I discuss one big mistake some non-Nigerian Africans seem to be making in thinking about Nigeria. To do this, I share a true story about a Francophone African undergraduate in his 20’s, who called me a thief – and meant it. Why? Because he daily saw me typing away on an Internet connected laptop, and I never seemed to go out to “work”…LOL!

According to him, working that way (i.e. selling information products, custom Excel-VB driven software, web marketing systems development, and writing services online) was only possible in developed countries.

To him, that meant that I had to be engaged in 419 i.e. Internet scam business.

And since he already knew I was a Nigerian, that made perfect sense…LOL!

It did not matter what I showed him on my website, or where I told him I’d been (as detailed in my 11 page resume).

Indeed, the little effort I made, to educate him about potential opportunities awaiting him online, simply put him off. He repeated – angrily:

“Vous êtes voleur!”

Why Did He Say This? (Here’s What Led to Our Exchange)

Since I’d met him in April, he would once in a while ask me for money – and I’d give him. He was a student. Over 20 years before, I’d been on campus like him. I knew things could be tough for students, away from home.

That day however, I refused to give him money he asked for. This was because I’d noticed he never did anything useful with whatever one gave him. He spent recklessly, and also kept bringing a girl friend to sleep with, in a room he shared with the rest of us.

He left, and we never talked about it. But he kept behaving the same way. I tried to ignore his excesses, but I felt I had a duty, as an older person, to set him right.

So, one day I called him, and told him what I saw. Then I warned about the uncertain future, in terms of a post-university job search – which he needed to prepare for.

He assured me countless jobs awaited him in the labour market of his country:

“It’s not like Nigeria, where you don’t have jobs. Isn’t that why you moved here?”

(NB: In saying the above, he failed to recall what I’d told him in the past: That my clients were either foreigners based in his country, or who connected with me online. I relocated to take advantage of the stable power supply and polity. In reality, most people in his society could not afford my services!).

I told him about a personal friend, who’d graduated for years, and – like many others – had been unable to secure a decent job, despite his qualifications.

(NB: This friend, today, manages a mobile phone shop for an expatriate owner…with a”university degree”. But he’s actually better off than most others!)

My young friend countered that God would not let him have such an experience…!

I asked him if he thought that he alone knew “God”. In addition, I asked him, if all other graduates walking the streets, years after graduating, did not also pray to “God”, like he did (I actually meant to say “IF” he did pray – given his apparent lifestyle!).

That was where I hit a nerve.

He asked “What do you know about God? Do you even have a university degree?

He went on:

“Look, you’ve always questioned the usefulness of traditional formal education. Maybe you feel bitter because you did not attend university.”

He said the above, in apparent reference to what I’d told him, and his colleagues, about “schools killing creativity” – and why self-education must be embraced, even as one goes through school.

I’d never imagined I would have to show proof of my university level education to anyone!

(In my mind I said “Yepa. Chineke! This guy is challenging me to prove that I have a university degree? Mo baje!”)…LOL!

I was speechless for a few seconds, as I tried to think of how to express myself to get through to him.

You must understand that we were conversing in French, and I still struggled in some areas.

“How could he not know I had a degree, from all the time we’d spent together?” I wondered.

Then I remembered he was Francophone, and could barely read/speak/understand a word of English!

As a result, he would not have comprehended most of my website’s content, all the times he’d watched me updating it on my laptop. (I’ve been reluctant to use an online language translation service on my website, because of the absence of contextual interpretation – which can change intended meaning).

Then it also struck me that, he’d actually never even visited the website once, despite my telling him to!

As far as he was concerned therefore, I could be no different from Nigerians who came across the border to sell things in their country.

In fact, he said we were all the same, and that:

“Ghanaians speak proper English, while you Nigerians only speak Pidgin English!”

Proudly turning to his friend, he added:

“Yes. I was in their country. They don’t know how to speak good English. What they speak is Pidgin!”

“Where did he get that impression from?” I wondered.

A university level student thinking everyone in a country like Nigeria cannot speak “good” English?

“Incroyable!” I said to myself :-)

Then I remembered the story he told me of his one time visit to Nigeria, few years back.

During a long holiday period, he’d visited a distant relative in a remote part of South West Nigeria. They’d passed through Lagos on their way to and fro. And while there, they’d worked with locals and some farm hands.

You can imagine the calibre of people he must have spent his time with under such circumstances. The poor guy never got a chance to move around enough to “hear” anything but Pidgin English!

But drawing conclusions based on that, is NOT smart thinking expected of a “university undergraduate”!

I asked if he realised some of the most competent users of English, in Africa, were from Nigeria. I mentioned Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka and others.

He had no clue who they were. And he bluntly told me:

“Forget it. You people can’t speak good English, In fact I speak better than most of you!”.

All this from a guy who needed my help to translate a 300 word message from French to English? That day, because (again) he had no money, I had to use my personal bulk SMS mailing account, to send it to his relative’s mobile number in Nigeria. The latter called him within seconds of receiving the message.

That happened less than a week earlier. So it was not that he’d attended some crash course in English, to justify claiming he could speak English. He was simply deluded (for want of a better word)!

And that was when I knew I was wasting my time with him.

The Entire Exhange Pointed Me to One SAD Realisation

Many young Africans (even some adults) in Francophone Africa, have no inkling of what the web can do for them. They are all so closed up in their ordered, and stable societies. So much so, that they do not know using their creativity online, can have a direct impact on their income earning capabilities.

What’s more, they fail to realise they can START NOW, and need not wait to finish from school!

NB: I said “many” have this wrong orientation. I did NOT say “all”. That means I accept that there are exceptions. And I’ve met a number :-)

This is Why I’m Glad, and Proud, That I Was Born & Raised in Nigeria!

I do not mean to claim superiority over any other nationals. I repeat: my purpose here is NOT to put down people from other nations. Doing so, would serve no intelligent or useful purpose.

However, I believe the propensity of Nigerians to adopt – and make productive, income generating use of PC and Internet technology, is unparalled in Africa.

This is my considered opinion, based on years of experience, and careful observation.

The average Nigerian’s level of Internet awareness, outstrips that of most other Africans – especially in West Africa.

Do I have any specific statistics to back up my claims? Not any that I personally compiled.

But I’ve travelled quite a bit over the years, and actively interacted with people from different parts of Africa, and the world.

In addition, through my web marketing, over the past 10 years, I have related actively with people from various parts of Africa, and beyond.

The truth is that the rate of adoption of PC and Internet technology, for personal and business use, is phenomenally high in Nigeria.

Many surveys published about technology, social media, mobile phone usage etc in Africa, also attest the truth of what I’m saying here.

The only thing holding Nigeria back from using the above strengths, to realise its full potential as a true giant, is its shaky leadership.

BUT…and this is a big BUT…

…The mistake I see some other Africans making, is that they seem to think that Nigeria’s problem will never be solved. And as a result, they believe their economies will keep enjoying influx of EXTRA income, resulting from Nigerian/foreign owned solo-entrepreneurs and “companies” based in Nigeria, relocating to their countries.

Some even seem to take delight in using the “poor reputation” of Nigeria/Nigerians, to discredit honest Nigerians making productive use of the web, to earn a living – LIKE ME.

Well, for anyone guilty of the above, here’s some friendly advice: STOP doing that, and start thinking what you’ll do when things change!

I say this because WHEN (NOT if), Nigeria sorts out its leadership problem, its people will turn its fortunes around in the twinkle of an eye, making it a global leader.

That’s how self-empowered and ready Nigerians are. (NB: The Keyword is: “Self-empowered”!)

By then, Nigeria WILL become a safer and more cost-effective destination for investors. More Nigerians will also stay back and/or return home to do business. AND, as a result, Nigeria will start keeping more of the money generated by its businesses within its borders.

Remember: Nigeria is the largest market in Africa. So that’s a lot of money we’re talking about here!

I doubt the same can be said for many African countries – especially in West Africa – whose manpower remain grossly un-empowered. They’ve remained like that, despite the relative peace, orderliness and stability of leadership, and infrastructure they enjoy in their mostly smaller economies – compared to Nigeria.

Can someone please tell them to wake up, and do MORE, with what they have currently going for them! PLEASE!!!!

FINAL WORDS

I know. It’s true that many Nigerians seem currently more disposed to doing wrong, to get what they want.

But that’s just a phase.

With the growing number of “honest” positive change agents fighting to set Nigeria right, such Nigerians will eventually adopt positive avenues that will be created, to achieve their goals.

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

Farm Business Can Give You a Safer Entry into Retirement (Part 2 of 2)

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This is the second and concluding part of this article. The first part appeared here, yesterday (9th October 2013).

Here’s Why I Suggest You Start Your Farm Business SMALL, While You’re Still In Paid Employment:

I believe in the smart use of money. People who have suffered severe, potentially traumatizing lack of access to money, often feel that way about using it.

For those willing to learn, “poverty” (no matter how short the period of exposure to it) can be a good teacher of money management :-)

Believe me dear reader, I say this from painful personal experience!

The fact that you have money does not mean you have to throw it at anything you want to do.

To flourish in business, it’s best to train yourself – and your employees – to use as little money as possible, to generate as much money as possible.

That’s the key to being competitive. Take a good look at Richard Branson’s Virgin range. It’s what makes them tick!

When you’re in firm control of what it costs you to produce, you’re likely to have plenty of profit “margin room” to play with.

In other words, you’ll be able to price your farm output competitively (to fend off rival farms), and attractively (to entice profitable buyers).

So, keep that in mind.

Don’t just go buying this and buying that and hoping to impress people with different machinery and livestock littering your farm. Practice focus – aim to develop a production system that works with one or two specific livestock ventures – using cost-saving strategies.

What you learn by being so painstaking will enable you keep that operation going with minimal running expenses incurred.

Do Not Start a New Venture Until That/Those on Ground Are Yielding Significant, Sustainable Income

The reason is simple. You want to start a business that at some point starts to generate enough revenue to finance itself – so you can stop dipping your hands in your pockets.

That way, you can use what you generate from them, to finance new ventures (even if in part).

It would make no sense for you to still be using your salary to pay salaries, buy feeds and cover other expenses on a fish farm that’s over a year old!

If that is happening, something you’re doing is not right. Investigate and correct it, so the farm can start making money!

Once that farm is setup right, and generating useful revenue, explore ways to further save costs, so you can raise your profit margins.

Then if you have plans to start any other farm enterprise – say an egg laying poultry enterprise – find ways to use the income from the fish farm to slowly finance it.

Again, understand what I mean here.

Nothing stops you from going out and buying all you need to start a piggery, poultry, rabbitry and poultry layers farm ALL at once.

However, I’m saying that being in a salary job, it will be difficult to monitor multiple enterprises. Unless you’re really lucky to get reliable manpower.

So, whatever you want to start should be done slowly. Aim to learn how to do it well on a small or pivot scale – in preparation for a full launch later on.

That process will help you determine what areas problems or challenges can arise from. And because it would be on a manageable “scale”, your spending needs to get it up and running would be minimal.

No Matter How Far Away Your Retirement Day Is, You Can Start Preparing Today

It won’t be easy. But the process of engaging in all the aspects of running the enterprise you choose, will give you valuable education you will draw on later.

The best part is that you will do all this while still earning a salary!

And by using an intelligent step-by-step or phased implementation like the one proposed above, you can actually end up with a fully operational farm business.

That’s because the longer you’ve been doing something, especially if you’re not lazy, the more proficient you’ll become.

Running a farm business – especially livestock – is not easy to do.

That’s why I suggest starting as early as possible, while the advantage of salaried income is still there.

Get your immediate family members involved, and extended family members you can really trust. That will enable you save on labour costs.

With that kind of cost-effective arrangement in place, you’re more likely to succeed in making the scaled down version of your farm business profitable.

Then, using what you’ve learnt, and the experience you’ve gained, you can then gradually scale up the business. Do this, possibly to coincide with (what will hopefully be) your planned exit from paid employment.

Imagine what it would feel like, to quit today, and get home knowing you can walk into your very own – already profitable – farm business that same day!

That’s an experience many who retire after years of serving their employers often do not have.

Instead, those periods tend to be characterised by fear, and worry, about how they’ll cope with the significant loss of monthly salaried income.

A person who works a plan like the one proposed in this article, with diligence and determination, is much less likely to have such an experience.

It is my hope that YOU will take THIS, as a wake up call, and start making necessary enquiries – and plans – today.

To that end, I suggest you read my article titled: Searching for Farm Business Opportunities? (5 Tips, Based on a Real Life International Phone Conversation)

I wish you success.

RELATED ARTICLES WRITTEN BY TAYO K. SOLAGBADE

1. Searching for Farm Business Opportunities? (5 Tips, Based on a Real Life International Phone Conversation)

PREVIEW: I recently took an international call, from a Nigerian based abroad, on my mobile line. I was then on a farm in South West Nigeria, where I was coaching users to use a Poultry Farm Management application the CEO hired me to build.

He and a partner were trying to decide on investment opportunities to pursue in Nigeria. They yearned to come home after decades of working in foreign countries. But they also worried – rightly too – based on news they kept getting  – that it could be quite risky.

Perhaps too risky.

He shared the story of a colleague who traveled home with his entire family to “retire”, only to return saying he NEVER return there till death!

Read full article

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

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

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” (see excerpts below).

Read full article

3. Once You Start Your Business, You Must Think & Act Like An Entrepreneur To Succeed!

PREVIEW: “I wanted to be an editor or a journalist, I wasn’t really interested in being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going” – Richard Branson.

Preamble

In this article I explain why ANYONE starting a business needs to realise that s/he MUST become an entrepreneur in order to succeed. For many people this will require changes in spending habits, use of personal time, friendships kept- and most importantly THINKING HABITS!

Read full article

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

Farm Business Can Give You a Safer Entry into Retirement (Part 1 of 2)

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It’s a fact of life. One day you’ll retire from paid employment. Do you have a plan laid out for what you’ll do post-retirement? This article discusses one proven vocation you can adopt, even before that day arrives, to ease yourself into safe retirement.

Some Career Persons Try to Wish Retirement Day Away, By Refusing to Think About It

A big mistake. That attitude sets some of them up for the shock of being asked to leave – before they are due to retire.

We’ve all heard the stories before. Sometimes it happens due to misconduct. At other times the company may wish to restructure manpower, and decide to pay off people in certain roles or positions.

It’s happened to many people in the past.

The funny thing about humans is how we always think it won’t or can’t happen to us…until it does!

By then, the individual arrives in the real world (that’s what the environment outside paid employment is, by the way).

S/he will often be scared and confused about what to do, with the bulk benefits and “pension” paid to him/her.

In that state of mind, many become willing prey for scam artists who come to them with half-baked proposals.

If They’d Put a Plan In Motion Before Leaving Paid Employment, Things Would Have Been Different

And that’s the truth.

When you don’t have a clear cut picture in you remind about what you will do, and how, things can get quite difficult.

I’ve noticed that people who have never been outside paid employment, often don’t understand the importance of doing the above.

I say this from personal experience. I’ve been in and out of paid employment. And I’ve interacted with others who’ve done the same – both while I was in, and after |I go out.

One massive insight I’ve gained is as follows…

The comfort and security of being in a good job, that literally takes care of all your needs, can be VERY, VERY intoxicating.

Especially when you’re a big man or woman, with official driver and living quarters, club subscriptions. And even special provisions for medical and educational needs for you and your family members!

Ah, the good life…each time the salary drops into your account, you know what you aim to do with it, and you go right ahead and do it :-)

But rarely is what many do with it, related to preparations for the day AFTER their salary will stop dropping that way.

Yet that day’s arrival is inevitable.

Sadly, many wait for it to come, and only after it has, do they start thinking of what they want to do next.

A few are lucky to embark on ventures/vocations that turn out okay.

But I have seen many who paid the price for leaving it too late. They basically lacked the real world relevant wisdom, exposure and awareness, to navigate the “minefields” buried in business idea “proposals” made to them.

As a result, they got duped – sometimes by close relatives too!

Adopting a Farm Business Can Give You a Safer, and Profitable, Entry into Retirement

It’s possible – even likely – you did not study agriculture. In other words, I’m saying this is not about what you studied.

Come to think of it, I believe over 80% of the farm business related clients I have, do not have any formal training in farming or agriculture.

The most recent one, for whom I developed a custom Poultry Layer Farm Management software, studied Business Administration. And he worked in the civil service for over 3 decades, on a job that – at a point in his career – led to his travelling all over the world.

Instead, this is about choosing to run a business based on what you have a passion for. And that’s where what I propose in this article requires you to stop and think for a moment.

If you do not (or cannot learn to) enjoy running farm business – especially a livestock-based one – the ideas I offer here may not be for you.

But if you can do that, then what I’m saying is start – today – making enquiries about what it would take to start a farm business of your own.

Do NOT WAIT. You may not have as much time as you think you do!

Aim to start using your current reliable salaried income, to carefully acquire everything necessary to start a farm business venture you will carefully choose.

Some questions for you to consider include…

1. Where would you like it to be located?

This should ideally be where you wish to retire once you leave paid employment.

As much as possible, you want to live physically close to the farm – to ensure easy access and monitoring.

2. How much would it cost to acquire land there?

…and if you already have land…

3. What kind of farm businesses would you like to run on it?

Think of which one you can start with, at the lowest possible cost. And which can yield the best possible returns in the shortest possible time.

Here’s Why I Suggest You Start SMALL, While You’re Still In Paid Employment:

…part 2 of 2 of this article (Farm Business Can Give You a Safer Entry into Retirement) was published on this blog tomorrow (10th October 2013) by 09:00.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Does Your Farm Business Make You Unhappy?

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What thoughts come to your mind about your farm business? Do you feel excited and look forward to getting latest updates on what’s happening (or happened) there? Or do you have a feeling of dread wash over you as unpleasant thoughts, of things going wrong, run through your mind?

Your Answer Will Depend on How Well Organized You’ve Made Your Farm Workplace

Many farm owners I’ve come across, do not require ALL employees to formally review previous day’s/week’s/month’s farm business performance results – as ONE team.

In organisations and establishments where best practices are observed, short performance review sessions are regularly held.

This happens with small as well as large outfits in different industries.

The principles are always the same – with the mode of implementation being what differs.

Where I learnt Best Practice, we had what we called the “Daily 5 Minute 5S Meeting”.

It was a 5 minute review meeting of the previous day’s performance, based on diligently tracked performance parameters.

In Advocating Use of Best Practices to Farm Business Owners, I Recommend Same

However, to operate that way, one must know what to measure, and against what standard to assess the results.

For instance, your farm would have established what are called Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for different areas of production or operation.

For intelligent use of manpower/resources towards optimal KPI output, you would need to have instruments like Job Descriptions and Work Instructions.

They would be used for training employees on their roles and responsibilities.

And they would also serve as useful reference documents they can consult as they work.

The correct use of all the above, to ensure the most productive outing on each farm day, will require your appointing competent and driven Farm Management personnel to lead the others.

Now, let’s go back to holding the 5 minute review meeting at the start of the day.

What?

Oh, you think 5 Minutes Too Short for a Review of Your Farm’s past 24 Hours of Operation?

Trust me – it will be more than enough time, IF your farm is setup based on a Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS) ™.

Typically, your Farm Manager or Supervisor would lead such meetings. You may sometimes be present, but even if you’re not s/he would brief you afterwards.

S/he would refer to a one page report, on which the past day’s computed KPIs, and other farm performance measures have been summarized.

Focus Is Always On Areas Where Expected Targets Were Missed

Yes, the above meeting is always used to discuss exceptions i.e. things that failed to happen as expected.

That’s why the review meeting can take such a short time: Unless there’s chaos on your farm, FEW things will go wrong and require such attention!

The mental attitude to adopt is that we expect each day to go as well as possible.

When it does, we pat ourselves on the back and go for it again the next day.

When it does not, we stop and ask ourselves why – and develop plans to prevent a repeat of that failure.

Example: Let’s say the minimum recorded Hen Day Percentage (HDP) for layers in your layer pens is 75%.

Then one day you notice one pen or cage line of birds had 55% HDP reported.

That exception would – should – come up for discussion.

The farm hand who did the collections would be asked questions (not blamed!), so as to find out possible causes.

Checks would be done to confirm no errors occurred in data recording or computations.

Feeding and mortality rates KPIs would be checked, for tell tale trends that could explain the unexpected low output.

If something unusual is found, potential causes would be discussed, and possible corrective action agreed on.

If no immediate cause(s) is/are identified, attention would be focussed on that batch of birds for the new day.

Any unusual signs will be noted and brought up for review/discussion again the next day. And so on.

Keeping the Farm Business Running Smoothly Is Always THE Priority – and Employess Will Know It Too

That’s why the above process will always be guided by a formally documented review procedure.

By the time it is consistently done for a reasonable period of time – typically a few weeks to one or two months – the entire team will get accustomed to it.

Subsequently, even when farm manager is absent or unavailable, the farm hands will generate the KPI report, and hold the meeting themselves. Believe it or not, this can be made to happen on YOUR farm.

But there’s a basic requirement for this to work: PEOPLE you hire must share your philosophy.

Honest people with good work ethics often want a system like the above to continue.  So they will keep it alive, no matter what happens.

Therefore your recruitment process should ensure only such people get hired to work on your farm.

No nepotism, tribalism or favouritism of any kind should be allowed – or you will fail at this.

If you do it right, YOU will get joy from thinking about your farm business.

You will see people working for you, with focussed dedication, driven by the knowledge that they will be rewarded based on their contributions.

Your farm business will grow and prosper as a result.

…and that brings me to one last point…actually a warning…

BEWARE: The Above Ideas Will Not Work for Exploitative Employers

If you are a farm business owner who cheats your workers, forget about using the ideas described here to get the results promised.

It’s impossible to have a farm business – indeed any business – that really makes you feel good, if you do not reward your employees well.

Why?

Because those employees will find ways to get back at you.

You will know it, and possibly see the signs. And that concern will give you nightmares.

It’s as simple as that.

Here’s What I Recommend…

Find out what obtains in the industry, and pay your people the same – or better. (Remember: Hire the right kind of people!)

In addition, offer good working conditions. If possible provide on farm housing, and feeding, for key operatives.

That will keep them living close to the work venue to be available in situations requiring urgency. It will also build team work and loyalty – while ensure absenteeism, and late coming are minimised or eliminated.

Most importantly, keep all promises you make to your workers. Be it in terms of rewards for good work, or reprimands for wrong doing.

Make it clear you will be predictable on both fronts – without making expectations, even for relatives!

Diligently do all these, and you’ll be running your farm business with smiles – instead of fear or tears.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

10 Year Old Uses Dead Laptop Battery, to Build Home-Made Rechargeable Lamp

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This article is a tribute to my kids. Especially my 10 year old boy, who recently championed the use of my “dead” laptop battery to make a rechargeable lamp – which uses NO external power source for charging! This true story proves that coaching others to be super achievers at work , applies just as well, to parenting of our kids at home. Perhaps even more!

Are you a parent? If yes, know that to succeed, you MUST do all in your power, to coach your child to actualize his/her full potential. To do otherwise, would be to fail.

Don’t ask me how I know. I just do. And ever since I began to act in line with that insight, I have known a kind of peace that truly beats the imagination. I often feel so sure about how to parent my kids to achieve self-discovery.

I also intuitively know what to expect. So much so, that I am very rarely surprised by the results I get.

Let me share the following true story, to make this example more real.

My 10 year Old Boy – and his 12 year old brother – are Infected With the “Hands-On” Creativity Bug!

Yesterday, I returned from another trip to Nigeria. This time to install the completed Poultry Farm Manager application I built for a client’s farm in Ekiti state. While there, I trained two farm managers to use it.

On my way back, I spent Independence Day with my family in Lagos.

And what a truly fulfilling experience it turned out to be!

I cannot share everything now, as we’re planning to publish an online video presentation. There will also be a PDF publication, with full details of what they’ve discovered and developed.

But I Will Narrate the Story Below, to Give You an Idea of What These Creative Kids Did

The 10 year old has always been keen on taking things apart, and fiddling with them, to learn how they work. This includes electronic devices of all kinds.

Back when I was a young graduate trainee in Guinness, I used to carry around a fibre glass briefcase. At some point I stopped using it – but each time we moved house, I took it with me.

By the time we moved to Lagos, my 10 year old took it over and began filling it with pieces and parts he picked up from stuff I (or neighbours) threw out. After a while, he began trying to couple things back, after taking them apart. We laughed at him at first. But over time everyone in the house has come to trust his abilities.

Today, he actually does fix things. When the plug for a device fails to work, his mother calls on him. And he confidently takes a look and often gets it working. No exaggeration.

On return from school, he does his assignments, and then turns his full attention to his box of gizmos. This young man will link wires of all kinds together, and begin explaining – to an imaginary audience! – how the linked devices work!!

We Initially Laughed at His efforts – But His Unshakeable Passion Has Made Us “Believers”!

Now he’s buildings things that actually work – mostly by trial and error, with a problem solving focus.

Not long ago, he got broken sections of a rechargeable lamp – the part where the LEDs bulbs are mounted. He then linked AA batteries together in series in a wooden rack,built from pieces of wood.

This was then connected to the terminals of the LEDs from the damaged lamp.

And they came on!

Let me explain why the above was significant, for him, his siblings, and even for us their parents.

You see, our home is in Nigeria – where steady power supply remains a problem.

Hence when it’s dark, it’s either you use a kerosene lantern, candles or a generator, to light up your home. All three options require spending money. No matter how small the amount, it all adds up.

Sometimes, we have to share available light sources, if the generator is not used – or if a bulb in one room is bad.

That drove my son to explore alternative sources of lighting up the room he and his siblings use.

He knew if he could “make light” without having to ask his parents for money, no one would bother him.

I’ve seen him literally sit for hours, fiddling with jumbles of wires, and electronic parts/components. Most times he does this while completely unaware of his surroundings.

From the first time I saw him do this (at the age of 7), I knew instantly, that he was born to do it.

I’ve always studied ALL my kids, to carefully determine each one’s true interests and passion. And I always do my best to encourage or guide them.

That’s why, in the case of the 10 year old, my damaged electronic or computer devices always get passed to him. Not once has he ever turned them back. Instead he instantly start “working” on them!

He’s Now Used My Dead Laptop Battery to Build a Home-Made Rechargeable Lamp!

My Toshiba latop’s battery recently “died”. It could no longer keep my laptop on. If you removed the power cord, the laptop would simply go off. A computer village engineer sold me a new one, and I told my wife to give my son the “bad” one that was taken out.

To be honest, I never thought anything could come of it at the time.

But when I got home on the night of Monday 30th September 2013, I witnessed a demonstration that left me stunned.

My 10 year old (who has now co-opted his equally intuitive/creative 12 year old bother), put on a show that made me so proud!

He showed me a box made of carton in which he’d placed batteries taken from inside the laptop battery I’d given him. They look like much larger sized versions of AA batteries.

Now, I would never have imagined the batteries looked like that. It has never occurred to me to open up the black, rectangular “thing” we all call “laptop battery” to see what was inside.

Below is a picture of the kind of laptop battery I purchased

My 10 yeard old Boy Used My Dead Laptop Battery to Build a Home-Made Rechargeable Lamp - Without ANY External Power Source (Not Even Solar!)

This is just to give you an idea of what the one I gave him looked like. Notice the shape. Ever thought to open one up to see what was inside? I never did. But my 10 year old not only thought it. He did it, and then used the batteries to make a rechargeable lamp!

Here’s What He Told Me…Including How He Actually Recharges The Batteries Without ANY External Power Source (Not Even Solar!)

He linked the ends of the batteries (which were connected in series), to the terminals for the LEDs from the bad rechargeable lamp.

The light that was produced was extremely bright – almost blinding me at first (Below are some pictures I took as they demonstrated it. Note that they were showing me all this at past 11p.m on Monday 30th September 2013. The next day, Tuesday, was Independence Day, and a public holiday).

The light that was produced was extremely bright - almost blinding me at first...click to view larger image

Below: Another view of the lighted lamp, as they set it up for me to see.

Another view of the lighted lamp, as they set it up for me to see...click to view larger image

The first question that came to my mind (and probably yours!) was:

“How did he get a “laptop battery” I thought had “died” up to work like that? How did he charge them?”

The 10 year old explained that since there was no electricity, he began experimenting with alternative ways to charge the batteries.

NB: Being a child, “realistic” thinking that a “dead” battery could not be charged, did not occur to him!

One day, he found that rubbing certain objects together with the batteries, made them retain a charge.

When that happened, he did more rubbing together. They soon got so well charged, that he was able to use his new “light source” in his room at night – even when power went off.

In fact, the night I arrived, it was his “lamp” that was used in the kitchen, because the generator had a fault (the normal lamp was in their mother’s room).

The 12 year old holds the home made lamp up for me to see...click to view larger image

Coming Soon: A Video Interview and Presentation With My 10 Year Old Son – and His Siblings

The above story is just about ONE of three impressive demonstrations my kids put up for me that day.

We’ve decided we’ll be putting up a proper online presentation in PDF and video. In it, they will be interviewed (by me) in detail, on how they recorded those achievements.

This is not to be an ego trip of sorts. There is serious useful purpose to it. Among other things, I want them to have the experience of teaching others to do what they do. Beyond that, I intend to help them “refine” the finishing of their “lamp”, to make it more presentable. And also explore ways to make the “battery charging by rubbing” happen more efficiently.

a. I do all this, to make them realise what they’ve done is commendable, and therefore inspire them to do more.

b. I also want to do it, so serve as an example to other parents and their kids of what is possible.

Therefore consider this article to be a “written trailer preview” of what is to come, regarding the above.

A Question for YOU: Are Your Kids Studying the Right Subject, Topics or “Things”?

Do you know your kids?

Are you interested in what they do?

Do you know what their talents, interests and capabilities are?

If not, I urge you to develop interest in learning all of that now, to help them reach their full potentials.

The earlier they find their calling, the better.

Don’t let your child waste years studying “medicine”, only to graduate and turn to Fashion Design!

Make smart use of your money, and your child’s early years.

Let her study where her passion lies – so she can truly excel in life!

Final Words: In Case You Didn’t Know, Spontaneous Coaching™ Can Help You Do The Above

By way of interest, my kids did not arrive at doing the above by accident.

You see, I make a habit of constantly observing them. Working at home really helps me do this effectively. As a result, I am able to identify the “instinctive tendencies” of each child.

Over time, I carefully guide them to do more, using what I refer to as Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™.

I’ve done this mainly with my 3 boys, who are now 14, 12 and 10 years old respectively, from the age of 5 (I’m now exploring ways to do same for their sisters – who are 7 and 4 years old respectively).

So you see, my passion for writing parenting articles is not by accident…and it’s certainly not forced!

By the time I relocated to Benin Republic, the 12 and 10 year old had “caught the bug”, and become self-driven.

And that’s why each time I go home, they often have something new to show me.

I’m however still working to get the 14 year old to tune in properly, to his passion.

[Update added Oct. 4 12.59: I feel a need to add this. The 14 year old is actually likely to mature into a thinker/writer kind. That’s why I sent him on a 6 month (weekends only) manual type writing coaching course over a year ago.

Since then, I’ve pushed him to try writing short stories – on the PC – based on the reading he does. He’s quite good at recalling stuff he’s interested in (e.g facts about wildlife such as sharks).

Like I’m doing here for his siblings, I put up his first “completed” short story on my blog, some months back. Click here to read it. Getting him to stay focussed and do more has however been the problem.]

He’s struggling right now, but I know we’ll get there – eventually. No one said it would be easy 😉

You too can learn to use Spontaneous Coaching, to help others – your kids especially – excel in life.

Start by reading my article on it here.

Then get in touch if you want to learn or know more.

Good luck!

PS: Note that I deliberately did not show my kids’ full photos, with their faces in this article, unlike past ones. They will of course appear in the video soon to be put up on this subject.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Searching for Farm Business Opportunities? (5 Tips, Based on a Real Life International Phone Conversation)

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I recently took an international call, from a Nigerian based abroad, on my mobile line. I was then on a farm in South West Nigeria, where I was coaching users to use a Poultry Farm Management application the CEO hired me to build.

The caller and a partner were trying to decide on investment opportunities to pursue in Nigeria. They yearned to come home after decades of working in foreign countries. But they also worried – rightly too – based on news they kept getting  – that it could be quite risky.

Perhaps too risky.

He shared the story of a colleague who traveled home with his entire family to “retire”, only to return saying he NEVER return there till death!

It Was Not However All Doom and Gloom

Apparently, another friend had returned to Nigeria more recently, and told them he’s doing well in the farming business.

Specifically, fish farming.

That’s probably what led my caller and his friend to begin thinking to themselves:

“Maybe this is possible after all. If our friend is really doing as well as he says he is doing, maybe we can too.”

But they decided to do more due diligent investigations into what the farm industry, and the Nigerian economy as a whole offers.

One of many Google searches led them to my Cost-Saving Farm Business Article(s), and eventually they called me.

NB: He did make it clear they were looking at a variety of other options in terms of business opportunities – which I considered a wise move.

Our Conversation Roused a Desire to Help, In Me

He told me their concerns. How they truly wanted to feel safe coming home to start something they could live on in retirement.

How it could get tough working to pay the bills – and as one got older, even tougher.

At that point, I honestly felt his pain.

I have family also in the UK. My sister and her husband live and work there, with their kids. I therefore had a fair idea of what he meant.

So I loosened up, and spoke from my heart about what I’ve seen in the past 10 years.

I’ve interacted closely/rubbed minds with, and served farm business owners based in various locations across Nigeria – and some parts of Africa.

I’ve done this face to face, via email and on phone.

Today, my website mailing list of farm business owners, and enthusiasts (some past buyers of my products/services), continues to grow.

First he asked questions, to establish if indeed I was who I said I was.

And more importantly, if I truly did what I claimed I did…and if I was competent.

We ended up spending over an hour conversing. He called back even when we got cut off .

Judging from the foregoing, and the thank you email he later sent me, I guess I “passed” :-))

When Our Conversation Ended, I Promised to Email Him Suggestions I Felt He Could Use

I asked him to send me an email from his inbox, so I could write him. He did that the same day. Below, are excerpts of the email I sent him 2 days later. I feel some of the information provided may benefit others with similar interests.

1. Check With a Recognized Regulatory Body in Your Preferred Location

He told me they owned land in Lagos, on which they hoped to base their operation.  I mentioned Lagos state’s “SCADO”, when we spoke, and how an officer from there once reached out to me.

The article I subsequently published last year (titled “A Permanent Solution to Africa’s Low Per Capita Protein Consumption“) contains information you may find useful in that regard.

Click here to read it

It contains – front and back images of a flyer she gave to me, which has details of funding (grant) being disbursed to farmers in collaboration with an foreign sponsor organization.

2. Find a Competent Resource Person to Guide You

I know Gbolahan Saba from my days as a student in the University of Ibadan. In my first year, I lived in the same room with his older brother, Debo.

Gbolahan Saba is an Agric. Officer working with the Lagos State government.

His Linked In profile is at http://ng.linkedin.com/pub/gbolahan-adekunle-saba

And on facebook at https://en-gb.facebook.com/public/Gbolahan-Saba

Last time I met him in person was over a year ago. Google his name, and you should see some recent news reports relating to him playing the above mentioned role.

3. Seriously Consider Adopting Integrated Farming: Get Guidance from the World Famous Songhai

Instead of running one farm enterprise, it’s been proven smarter to operate a mix of self-complementing ones.

I highly recommend you get across to, and possibly physically visit Songhai in Porto Novo. Maybe you could attend their training programme. They teach farming and also coach those they teach farming, on entrepreneurship: a valuable combination!

You can also (or alternatively) get them to provide you with guidance towards choosing the right mix of enterprises to run.

Visit www.songhai.org – to learn how they run their Zero Waste Integrated Farming Centre, in which virtually everything is recycled. I have met (twice in the recent past) “Leonce Sessou”, a key member of the Songhai management team.

Googling his name could turn up leads you can follow to contact him. He handles most of the online marketing efforts – and should be able to link you up.

TIP – One Possible Way to Get Leonce Sessou’s Songhai Email Address:

a. Go to www.google.com. Then type the following filename with quotation marks around it: telecentres.pdf.

b. In other words type “telecentres.pdf”. Unless it has been removed from the location I found it online, Google should return a result with a direct download link to it. Click the link, to download and read it.

c. On page 6, you’ll see Leonce Sessou’s name and email address boldly printed, with short notes added.

NB: That PDF (i.e. “telecentres.pdf) is a document authored to promote a collaborative online project of which Leonce, from his base at Songhai, is a part of. When you read it, you’ll learn more about the project. But I offer the foregoing information, to tell you how to get access to his email.

Lagos state is one of many Nigerian states that have gotten Songhai to replicate the system for their use.

Maybe you can also ask Gbolahan about that: They have poultry, piggery, fishery etc.

4. Get a Feasibility Study Done By a Competent Expert

During my conversation with the caller, he asked for prices and other finer details about starting up a fish farming business.

I told him Nigeria’s environment is subject to so many variables, which makes many things change frequently – often unexpectedly.

Smart thing to do is to get a formal study done.

And AFTER that, keep an eye on those sensitive factors that could introduce significant changes to deductions you make from the study report. Like I noted earlier, in Nigeria, they tend to be many – and can be difficult to anticipate or keep track of.

A feasibility study or business plan may, as a result, have a limited shelf-life of usefulness “as is”.

Having said the above, you can ask Gbolahan Saba, or Leonce Sessou (both mentioned above) about getting a feasibility study done. They are on ground and would be better equipped to guide you.

I no longer offer to do feasibility studies. So this recommendation has no personal motivation.

Why?

Well, on 1st April 2013, I relocated from Nigeria, to Benin Republic. And I’ve worked from there since. Right now, I’m trying this article ahead of Wednesday (tomorrow) in Lagos. I’ll set it to auto publish tomorrow. By the time you read it, it’s likely I’ll already be back in Cotonou.

So, I’m less available in Nigeria these days – limiting my ability to move around in that market, like I used to.

5. If You Decide to Start, Do Try to Follow Best Practices

Lastly, and by way of interest, you may wish to click the link below to:

A. Watch a mind map based video presentation that explains why I always strongly recommend results focused farm business owners adopt what I call a Best Operating Process Management System.

B. Watch the demonstration video for the Excel Visual Basic driven Poultry Layers Farm Operations Management software that I developed for a client’s farm PC in South West Nigeria.

The client had me brought in from my base in Cotonou, for about 5 days, to install it, and train his two top farm managers to use it.

You can see the videos at http://www.tayosolagbade.com/pfmgr.html

You’ll also find links to many of cost-saving farm business ideas articles that may provide you useful info.

Final Words

To all who are looking to make the transition from abroad to return home and start a farm business, I with you all the best!

Disclaimer: Please do your own DUE DILIGENCE in using any information supplied above. You take full responsibility for whatever results you get.

Entrepreneurship, Excel-VB Solutions, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Recommended Websites & Articles, The Farm CEO

What is a BOPMS for Farm Improvement? (a Mind Map Based Explanation – By Tayo K. Solagbade) – Video and Text Transcript

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lTIP: The mind map based video explanation now offered from this page is actually a re-RECORDING to replace the original version that (strangely) became “Not Found” in my Youtube channel]

Do you run a farm business, or plan to start one? If yes, adopting the ideas below can save you time, effort, and lots of money – in the short, and/or long run. This article is based on transcripts of my video explanation, using a mind map, of key components of a Best Operating Process Management System(BOPMS)™.

At the end, I supply a link to a page where you can request download link access to the full length video. There, you will also find links to over 10 articles that offer more information.

What Does a BOPMS™ Entail – and How Can It Help You?

If you’ve been reading my writing a while now, you’ll know I often advocate adopting best practice systems.

As a result, sometimes I get phone calls from farm owners, especially poultry layer operators. They often want to know what exactly the BOPMS™ I talk about entails.

Some say they’d like to have it done for them.

It has a number of components – see the boxes in the mind map below (3 yellow ones, and 2 uncolored).

VIDEO: MIND-MAP BASED EXPLANATION OF BOPMS™ FOR FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT– BY TAYO K. SOLAGBADE

Click here to watch a screen shot video in which I use a mind map to explain the Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS)™ for Farm Business Performance Improvement – based on its components [Note that www.thefarmceo.net displayed in the mindmap used in the video has since been retired and replaced with www.iff.tayosolagbade.com]

bopms-mindmapok

Basically those descriptions in the boxes refer to the key components of a BOPMS™

I came up with the concept myself – based on Best Practice World Class Process Management principles. And what I do basically is to give prospective clients 2 major options, in terms of implementing it.

It’s either they…

1. Develop and Implement an Enterprise Information System (EIS)

This option is a simpler alternative. The 3 yellow boxes are relevant to this option.

a. Process Performance Evaluation and Control

b. Micro Income/Expenditure Calculation

c. Enterprise Information System

It involves having a software based system setup for you, to monitor your farm KPIs i.e. Key Performance Indicators.

You would then use the reports generated by such an application to achieve better farm management planning and decision making.

Typical KPIs for a poultry enterprise, that a good EIS would measure, are described (with formulas stated) in my popular article titled Practical Poultry Farm Business Performance Calculations.

…or they do 1. above AND also…

2. Establish & Entrench Standard Operating Procedures – While Exploring Variable Costs Reduction

On the other hand, you could go the full hog and implement ALL five BOPMS™ components, by adopting the remaining two:

a. Variable Costs Reduction Initiatives

b. Workplace Organisation/Best Practice Management to Entrench SOPs

I have written severally on this in past articles – click here to see a list linked articles you can read (scroll to page bottom).

For those who are interested send me an email, and I’ll send you a list of articles that talk about this in more detail.

You Can Run Your Farm Business Without Tears…and LESS SWEAT!

But basically we’re talking about having an automated system for tracking the performance indices on your farm. This would enable you not have to stay every second on the farm monitoring what your operatives are doing.

To do that you need to have a specific kind of process record form designed, based on the manner in which you run your farm.

So basically I normally have to visit farms to find out how they operate, and then I design a form that enables them capture the relevant records.

The software I then build for them using Excel Visual Basic is called an Enterprise Information System.

So they would – on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis (preferably daily), make entries using the record form I design, into the application/the EIS.

And they would be able to easily determine the performance indicators like Hen Day Percentages, Egg to Feed ratio, Mortality Rates, and Feeding rates (grammes per bird).

Some of these indices can be quite useful in predicting, or anticipating, or proactively determining things that are about to go wrong.

For instance, a drop in Hen Day Production percentages could tell you a lot of things. Depending on how long your birds have been in lay, values should be about 70% or higher.

Feeding Rates should hover around 100 to 110 g/bird: Too low would suggest underfeeding, with consequent impact on egg laying performance. Too high would amount to over feeding, with implied needless waste of feed (reflected in lower number of eggs per bag fed i.e. egg to feed ratio). Neither is good.

When you don’t collect the records on the record forms, and post them into a software that trends them in form of charts, you may not see that.

When you collect eggs and manually record your numbers in a book, such subtle trends will not be readily apparent to you.

I say this based on over 20 years of developing applications for process monitoring and control.

Just last week, I got two farm managers nodding vigorously in understanding, as I coached them to post their data into the application I built for their farm.

As the data for each cage line was punched in, they saw the various KPIs appear. And when we began generating the report tables with charts, the plotted lines per cage and per pen for each day, week, and month we chose gave revealing trends.

This instantly triggered a discussion amongst them, as they tried to come up with accurate explanations of the variances noticed.

One of them said “Ah, this software will be quite useful.”

I had no need to say more.

The interesting thing is that to some extent, most farm owners can use MS Excel, by themselves, to track the KPIs too.

However, where my apps add value is their use of complex and elaborate formulas and functions, and as well as vba automation.

Then of course there’s the ready-to-print report formats.

But you can always start with the basics. That would be better than doing nothing – which would amount to working blind!

A Word of Warning About GIGO – Garbage In Garbage Out

You could have a software that your personnel make entries into.

But how can you be sure data hand-recorded on the forms used to post entries into the software are real or accurate values?

We talk about GIGO when it comes to computers. And never has it been more applicable than when it applies to farm operatives – who can get so busy they “forget” lots of things.

When that happens, some may try to remedy the situation by recording “guesstimates” – which could over time produce unreliable results.

In fact many farm owners often get surprised (unpleasantly) by their farm businesses.

One day the birds are doing very well, laying at 82% HDP. Next day you get a 55% HDP report, and you don’t know what happened in between.

Now, that‘s why you need to have Standard Operating Procedures.

In the Mind map Box Titled “Workplace Organisation/Best Practice Management to Entrench SOPs”, you’ll see I have in red two phrases: “Workplace Instructions” and “Job Descriptions”.

Those are powerful instruments that could be written out, and then training provided for your people to use them to produce uniform output consistently..

Such best practice training – among other benefits – ensures they know the importance of sticking with laid down procedures to achieve the farm’s goals.

There will be things that you will be able to monitor, that will help you determine whether or not your people are doing that.

Of course, no one who is NOT competent to be on your farm, in terms of following the established guidelines, will be allowed to operate in the process.

There’s an aspect of what I’ve said here that has to do with your ability to reduce your costs of operation.

More often than not, you cannot aim to increase the prices at which you sell.

Instead as a smart business owner – especially one running a farm operation – look for ways to reduce your costs of operation.

Specifically, your variable costs.

That means you will develop, and commit – on a long term basis – to looking for ways and means to reduce the cost at which you turn out your farm produce.

And that again has to do with the best practice SOP.

Exploring Variable Costs Reduction Initiatives (Ideas You Can Use)

There are so many ways you can reduce your operating costs.

Now this has to do with teaching your people and yourself how to think up ideas – new ideas and better ideas for running your operations.

For instance, a lot of people are exploring using complementary feeding ingredients. Others are exploring using Indomie noodles waste, and even cooked chicken intestines.

But even more promising has been the concept of INSECT BREEDING, especially maggots rearing (See video below)

In particular, Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Farming has proven to be a huge cost saver for farmers. Click images below to learn more.

1. [FLYER] Lower Feed Costs & Boost Your Farm Profits: Get FREE Black Soldier Fly Larva Breeding Startup Ideas

2. True Story: Conversations With REAL  Black Soldier Fly Farmers in Nigeria  [Case No. 1: Ilorin – Kwara State] – Download PDF Audio to Text Transcript

3. “When I started they were laughing at me.” | True Story: Conversations With REAL Black Soldier Fly Farmers in Nigeria [Case No. 2: Onitsha – Anambra State] – Download PDF Audio to Text Transcript

But how do you go about systematically doing that, to achieve lower cost of operation on your farm, therefore achieving increased profits?

Those are things that adopting an intelligent BOPMS – especially the aspect of entrenching SOPs – can allow you to achieve. (Get in touch if you’d to book an session in which I can elaborate on what a full BOMPS project implementation requires).

But if you don’t want that…

If you just want a simple approach to it, that can still help you, look at the 3 yellow boxes in the mind map e.g. Tracking your expenditure and income; having KPIs in place, and using a software to track them in charts and in form of data.

Those would help you go far in monitoring your farm operations and getting the best results.

Final Words

The above is meant to give you an overview of what a BOPMS™ for Farm Business Performance Improvement is about.

If you decide you want to learn more, click here to watch related videos, and read over 10 articles that offer more details.

On that same page, you’ll be able to send your enquiry to me, using a web contact form I’ve setup there.

Good luck!

Master KPI Computation and Interpretation to Boost Your Farm’s Profits [8 Week BOPMS™ COACHING PROGRAM] – FREE FOR INNER CIRCLE MEMBERS

master-kpi-computation-int

RELATED RESOURCES

1. Your Business Should Free You, Not Restrict You

http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/your-business-should-free-you-not-restrict-you/

2. Adopt Standard Operating Procedures to Succeed More With Less Effort (This Works for Solopreneurs and Large Organisations)

http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/adopt-standard-operating-procedures-to-succeed-more-with-less-effort-this-works-for-solopreneurs-and-large-organisations

3. Five Essential Poultry Layer Farm Production Records

http://africabusinesscommunities.com/features/five-essential-poultry-layer-farm-production-records.html

4. Practical Poultry Farm Business Performance Calculations

http://ezinearticles.com/?Practical-Poultry-Farm-Business-Performance-Calculations&id=2635011

5. Five Powerful Tools for Accurately Measuring Your (Farm) Business’ Health

http://africabusinesscommunities.com/features/5-powerful-tools-for-accurately-measuring-your-farm-business-health.html

6. Five Proven Ways to Boost Farm Profits without Raising Prices

http://africabusinesscommunities.com/features/5-proven-ways-to-boost-farm-profits-without-raising-prices.html

7. Producing Good Catfish is Important, But Finding Good Buyers is Imperative!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Producing-Good-Catfish-is-Important,-But-Finding-Good-Buyers-is-Imperative!&id=3209812

8. Reducing Catfish Feeding Costs (A Secret Weapon) – Part 1 of 2

http://africabusinesscommunities.com/features/reducing-catfish-feeding-costs-a-secret-weapon-part-1-of-2.html

9. Reducing Catfish Feeding Costs (A Secret Weapon) – Part 2 of 2

http://africabusinesscommunities.com/features/reducing-catfish-feeding-costs-a-secret-weapon-part-2-of-2.html

10. Top 10 Ingredients Used in Livestock Feed

http://africabusinesscommunities.com/features/top-10-ingredients-used-in-livestock-feed.htm

11. PII 015: To Succeed, Your Farm Does Not Just Need a Software – It Needs a BOPMS!

http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/pii-015-to-succeed-your-farm-does-not-just-need-a-software-it-needs-a-bopms/

12. PII 020: A BOPMS™ Will Enable You Run Your Farm Business Profitably Even When You’re Away!

http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/pii-020-a-bopms-will-enable-you-run-your-farm-business-profitably-even-when-youre-away/

13. Master KPI Computation and Interpretation to Boost Your Farm’s Profits [8 Week BOPMS™ COACHING PROGRAM]

Master KPI Computation and Interpretation to Boost Your Farm’s Profits [8 Week BOPMS™ COACHING PROGRAM]

14. Adopt Custom Best Practice Systems to Boost Your Farm’s Output and Profits [TIP: Watch New Mind Map Based Video Explanation of Tayo Solagbade’s Best Operation Process Management System – BOPMS™]

Adopt Custom Best Practice Systems to Boost Your Farm’s Output and Profits [TIP: Watch New Mind Map Based Video Explanation of Tayo Solagbade’s Best Operation Process Management System – BOPMS™]

15. NOW BACK ON YOUTUBE [Watch Part 1 of 3] What is a BOPMS™ for Profitable Farm Improvement? (Mind Map Explanation By Tayo Solagbade)

NOW BACK ON YOUTUBE [Watch Part 1 of 3] What is a BOPMS™ for Profitable Farm Improvement? (Mind Map Explanation By Tayo Solagbade)

16. PII 015: To Succeed, Your Farm Does Not Just Need a Software – It Needs a BOPMS! [TRUE STORY]

PII 015 [TRUE STORY]: To Succeed, Your Farm Does Not Just Need a Software – It Needs a BOPMS!

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, Public Speaking

No. 109: Earn Extra Non-Farm Income at Zero Cost

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By learning and creatively employing public speaking (and creative writing), farm business owners can effortlessly generate substantial ADDITIONAL income streams, outside sales of normal farm products.

Smart thinking farmers can do this IF they get more organized. Adopting a BOPMS can help. It will free you up from routine farm demands, so you can nurture this extra line of multiple income streams.

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter provides details you can use.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ FULL ISSUE

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Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 30th September 2013

No:109

Title: Earn Extra Non-Farm Income at Zero Cost

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [Tel: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic) ]

Blog URL: http://www.tayosolagbade.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my Speaking IDEAS newsletter.

On Being a Master (PDF)...A Gift from Burt Dubin - Click now!

 

No. 109: Earn Extra Non-Farm Income at Zero Cost

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NB: If you ever find yourself wondering what else I’ve written, some days after you’ve read THIS Speaking Ideas newsletter I send out on a Monday, here’s what you can do to find out: Point your browser to www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

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By learning and creatively employing public speaking (and creative writing), farm business owners can effortlessly generate substantial ADDITIONAL income streams, outside sales of normal farm products.

Smart thinking farmers can do this, IF they get more organized. Adopting a BOPMS can help. It will free you up from routine farm demands, so you can nurture this extra line of multiple income streams.

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter provides details you can use.

Discerning Farm Decision Makers Often “Get It” – But Most Others Rarely Do

Since 2006, I have actively updated my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas website. One purpose has driven me over all these years. It is to serve as a catalyst for empowering Farm Business Owners ANYWHERE, to make more profits.

To make them see the need to move to a superior level of doing what they do, if they hope to achieve superior outcomes.

Traditional experts may not be able to help them do that.

Why?

Because people steeped in tradition rarely have the courage to break away.

My training as an Agricultural Extension Services professional equips me to play the role I have chosen. But it is my exposure to World Class Process Management techniques that has really helped me see farm business performance improvement from a refined perspective.

Just like others, a farm business is a batch production process. As a result, it can – and should – be subjected to management, using best practice systems.

That’s why I conceived, and offer a Best Operating Process Management System(BOPMS)™ development and implementation service for farm businesses.

However, Integration of Best Practice, In Farm Operations, Is Not Something You Can Really “Learn” From Textbooks

Neither is it taught in a business school.

Most of it will have to come from input provided by competent experts.

Now, I do not claim to be the only one who understands this.

But I have moved around a lot over the past 10 years – and interacted widely with experts and CEOs of all kinds in the farming industry.

One thing is crystal clear to me:

If any others out here have even the slightest understanding of how to implement anything as beneficial as a Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS)™ , they are doing a VERY good job of hiding it.

Hint: I wanted to add up to 4 exclamation marks to the end of the last sentence above. But I restrained myself. Know, however, that that is how serious I think this is.

Adopting Best Practice Will Boost Your Farm’s Reliable, and Reproducible, Profit Making Performance!

You cannot keep running your farm, without establishing formal systems for ensuring it works right on a consistent basis

If you do, you will not get the results you want, as often as you should.

And over time, that will deny you valuable long term gains.  Even worse, when you get good results, you’ll NOT know what you did to get them.

As a result, you’ll be unable to REPRODUCE them next time around.

Consider This Example:

If your first batch of poultry layers goes through a full year without suffering a disease outbreak, it could be due to your team’s good management…or your incredibly good luck.

If it was due to more of the latter, you may be at a loss as to what to do if, by accident, your next batch of birds suffers a disease outbreak.

But if it was due to sound management practices based on a formal system, you would ALWAYS know what to do to keep disease out from each batch.

Of course no farm ever stays 100% free of infection.

But well managed ones rarely have serious – or repeat – occurrences. And that’s why their long term outputs and profitability are rarely disappointing.

A Best practice system will free you up to develop indirect, but highly profitable additional income streams.

This will happen because you’ll have less need to run around your business chasing employees to do what they are paid to do. The system will make it easier to get them to do their jobs. And it will provide YOU, the owner, with powerful tools (reports and performance indicators), to quickly identify anyone failing to conform.

Most importantly, you will discover you have less need to manually check that operations are carried out according to set standards.

The “FREE Time” a BOPMS Gives You, Can Be Channeled to Exploring Ways to Earn Additional Income – at Zero Cost

I honestly believe too many farm business owners are focused on traditional ways of making money.

Please understand. I’m not saying this because I do not yet have a farm.

Instead, I say it because in the course of providing support to farm business owners, I see them leaving too much money on the table.

That’s how the Americans put it. And why should you leave money on the table?

You Can – and Should – Make MORE Money Outside What Your Farm Produces!

1. Who says the only way to make money is by selling your farm products?

2. Who says you need to stay all the time on your farm?

3. Who says people who come to your farm should only buy farm products?

A. If You Run a Farm Business, Nothing Stops YOU From Charging Fees to Teach Others to Start Theirs

What stops you from developing a whole range of Training Modules, for teaching others how to run EVERY single type of farm enterprise in your business?

Indeed, what stops you from having a “Training and Development arm” of your farm business?

You need not employ new people. Your existing farm hands or operatives can do it – and you’d pay them agreed extras, based on what you make.

Please don’t say they’ll be too busy to do the above.

I’ve seen how many farm businesses out here run.

It’s their planning and implementation of operations that’s not right. More often than not, with proper workplace organization, YOU, and your existing hands will be able to play many other useful, income generating roles!

Take it a step further.

Again, what stops you from having an “Information Publishing arm” of your farm business?

Nothing – absolutely nothing! – stops you from authoring your own range of branded information products. For example, you could author information products on rearing different farm animals you actually rear on YOUR farm.

B. And Nothing – Absolutely Nothing! – Stops You From Offering PAID Consultancy & Advisory Services to Serious Enquirers

If you really want to do this right, you will leverage the fact that you own a farm business to boost your name recognition and credibility as an expert.

So many people are out there about to retire or resign.

Many dream of doing what YOU are already doing.

But most are not sure who to turn to, for expert information – and guidance.

Don’t deny them the opportunity to benefit from your real world relevant expertise. Don’t leave them open to being messed up, by some textbook expert!

1. What stops you from writing articles and offering talks, in which you share stories about real life farm management experiences you’ve had?

2. What stops you from having a few pages on your website, dedicated to promoting your range of branded information products?

People can make payments to download them, and use, without needing to come to your farm. Same applies to the range of training events you could offer. And also the consultation.

And you can also announce that you are available to deliver talks, run seminars and organize workshops if/when invited.

Again, for a fee. If you wish, offer a few free ones to test the waters.

If you think you – or your people – won’t have time, that would be because you’ve not adopted best practice systems in your farm business

In Guinness Nigeria, we did our jobs as managers, and still authored training modules – and work instructions – on different plants and processes.

Then we conducted training sessions, and competency assessments.

Rarely did any aspects of our jobs suffer. The company’s output instead grew, as more competent personnel “graduated” from our training efforts.

During the time most of this happened, I was a shift brewer. I, for one, authored many of such materials, while still working shifts.

It happened that way because we had best practice systems in place.

Any Competent Farm Business Owner Can Earn EXTRA Non-Farm Products Based Income

I tell many farm business owners how I earn income by selling my knowledge in form of information products. And also how I create and sell my farm support software products.

If I can do that without owning a farm, ANY serious farm owner can do it too.

You’ll make MORE money using the same overheads.

Even better, as you do what I propose, more potential buyers of your farm products will discover you, and choose to buy from you.

You will dramatically cut down time, effort and money you expend in running your business.

In other words, you will end up literally eating your cake and having it!

In essence, what I’m saying is: Don’t just think outside the box, GET YOURSELF OUT OF IT, so you can maximize your God-given potential!

Need More Details of How to Make The Above Ideas Work for YOU?

If you need more specific details of how to make use of the ideas I’ve shared in this newsletter, send me a message using this request form – with “Re: No. 109: Earn Extra Non-Farm Income at Zero Cost” in the subject line.

SD Nuggets Blog™

 New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking

[Monday]: No. 108: How to Sell More Successfully

Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:Grow Your Sales Log, and You’ll Always Be In Business!
Self-Development [Wednesday]: Make It Impossible for Anyone to Badmouth You Successfully

Career Development [Thursday]:One Zero Start-up Cost Lucrative Business YOU Can Do
Parenting [Friday]: When Cultural Beliefs Make Truth Telling a Taboo, Society Stagnates (True Story)

Writing/Blogging [Saturday]: Use Authority Status to Sell Anything
Want me to write for you? Click here…

Click now

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic)

http://www.tayosolagbade.com

Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing  zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Entrepreneur.

He’s presently based in Benin Republic, where he’s preparing an English-French Language Guide, City Travel Guides, and a Commercial Rabbit Farming Guide.

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

For a limited time, Tayo is available to speak to your group or organization for a moderate fee. Send e-mail to tayo at tksola dot com. You can also visit www.tksola.com to learn more.

Connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

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Have you been undecided about whether or not to become a paid speaker? Or have you been trying to get your speaking career off the ground with little success?

Here’s a tip: Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters. Click here to visit his website NOW and submit a contact form message telling him what challenges you’re facing, and how you’d like him to help you. Tell him I sent you, and you’ll get a pleasant surprise offer from him.

Comments?

What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Please share your thoughts!

Share this issue!

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View Tayos video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsConnect with Tayo on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

What fears or doubts are keeping you from (a) taking up Burt Dubin’s monthly speaker mentoring, or (b) buying his products?

You can choose to purchase Burt’s mentoring at any of the three (3) levels listed below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Burt’s three mentoring packages can be likened to the seating options offered by airlines: Budget Delight (Economy); Mid Range (Business); and Top Shelf (First Class).

At least that’s how I like to think of them!

All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc). During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple :-)

So, make your choice:1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Send me an e-mail with your questions via tayo at tksola dot com. In the meantime, why not get started by subscribing here to get his 7-Part Course (How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker) .  . . and receive his monthly newsletter (Speaking Biz Strategies Letter) at no cost.

Get mentored by Burt Dubin - coach of some of the world's highest paid public speakers

For over 25 years, Burt Dubin has provided a variety of speaker mentoring products and services to clients worldwide.Download this flyer as PDF:

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Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Public Speaking, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

One Zero Start-up Cost Lucrative Business YOU Can Do

You should read this article if:

(a). You have formal training and/or experience in Accounting/Finance and wish to acquire a new skill to double your income.

(b). You (or someone you know) lack a job and need to earn income. \

(c). You (or someone you know) is retired or preparing to retire or resign or have been laid off.

You can learn to do what I do (and do better than I am doing) – earning good income by developing useful custom MS Excel Visual Basic driven software for those who need them.

I have no formal IT training or certifications. Yet my work continues to attract newer and higher profile clients.

At the risk of sounding like I am bragging, the truth is I have also come across many people with all the formal IT qualifications.

Many hold on tightly to salary jobs. They often cannot demonstrate practical problem-solving competence that comes close to mine.

That proves you do NOT need any formal qualifications to learn to do what I do.

Just be interested enough to diligently apply what you learn.

I Make This Offer Especially to Persons Who Think Lack of Money or Capital is a Problem

I assure you it is not. I wasted all the money I left Guinness with, after I resigned to start my business in 2002.

It was subsequently, IN SPITE of my…

  1. lack of capital
  2. lack of an office (up till this day)
  3. lack of financial backing
  4. …and lack of people who believed I could make money providing spreadsheet solutions…

… that I built this brand which is now gaining wider recognition in the market place.

A Warning: This is Not a "Fast-Food" Income Earning Opportunity

The natural human instinct makes us lean towards business opportunities that offer the great rewards FAST, with minimal effort.

Lots of online offers one sees today make such promises.

Most are scams.

The opportunity I describe here does NOT fall into that category however.

It requires those interested, to expend generous amounts of intellectual and physical glucose.

They will have to:

(a) learn and become competent and…

(b) deliver results to clients/customers…

…so that they are PROFITABLY rewarded with money and other benefits.

One Thing I Can Tell You: If You Put in The Required Effort, you WILL Get The Rewards

I have ample evidence to back up ALL the claims I make here about this vocation.

And I would welcome any invitation to furnish details at any venue, and before any audience.

This is a business that I have been personally engaged in as a service provider since 2002 – over 10 years ago.

I started it from Lagos, Nigeria. But I’ve been based in Benin Republic since April 1, 2013.

Yet, this business is responsible for my being here in Nigeria for my 4th day running.

Right now, I’m in the farm house of a client farm business owner at 3.42a.m, typing this article.

My transportation, feeding and accommodation are being taken care of by him (AFTER my fees have been paid).

This business is called "Preprogrammed and Custom Spreadsheet based solutions Development"…or "Built-In Excel Solutions Development"

But prior to my starting-it-up, it did not exist in any tangible form here in Nigeria.

Today, I’m still yet to run into anyone offering this unique service, formally, as a service provider our here.

You can quote me on that. I have had to create a market for this service single handed.

In the past I used to get laughed at by friends, relatives and prospects.

But I adopted variants of intelligent business marketing techniques like Power Positioning and Top Of Mind Awareness, as well as Public Speaking for Business Marketing, combined with smart Web Marketing Systems implementation.

Today, prospects seek me out and engage my services AFTER discovering me via what I did for others, or through the Internet.

Just How Profitable is This Line of Business?

Let me answer this way:

Clients have also paid me as much N250, 000 (divide by N162 to get dollar equivalent) to purchase my existing customisable applications, or have me build one from scratch in 30 working days.

If you have lived/worked in Nigeria a while, you will know that getting paid that kind of money to develop custom software of this kind – without "connections" – means the clients believe you offer true value.

If You Have Formal Training and/or Experience in Accounting/Finance, Pay Attention!

You can dramatically boost your income earning potential as a consultant, if you develop proficiency in spreadsheet solutions development.

Around 2008, the Lagos state Government intensified its tax collection drive, requiring companies to fulfill their obligations in this regard.

New and old clients have sought out and paid me handsomely to build/modify my applications to compute their taxes, as a result.

One example was a project in which I built custom Excel-VB driven software to automatically compute Monthly Profit & Loss Report (i.e. Manufacturing Account, Trading Account etc) for a Lagos based small scale factory with a N5million monthly turnover.

I worked closely with a seasoned financial consultant to finish that project. Imagine what YOU can do!

But It Goes Beyond Financial Data Management – You Should Build Enterprise Information Systems (EIS)

Before you start thinking this is about building software equivalent to off-the-shelf accounting software, let me add this.

Most of the work I do today has to do with developing application to generate Key Performance Indicators for managing the "operations" and "processes" in businesses.

Non-financial data handling (e.g. medical records, client records, farm production records) are the major areas I’ve had to develop solutions for. To give you a good idea of how the applications I build help day to day business decision making, click here to watch two videos:

1. A video demonstration of a Poultry Layer Farm Management software I built this month (September 2013), for a farm business in South West Nigeria

2. A video presentation of a mind-map describing the benefits of adopting a Best-Operating Process Management System (BOPMS) – based on a custom EIS.

Get in Touch to Learn How I Can Help YOU Acquire This Competence.

You can start earning income EVEN…

a. without quitting your day job

b. without having capital

c. and without owning a PC of your own

When I first started there was a 12 month period when, I did not own my own PC. I got clients to provide everything, including power supply!

Visit my Excel Heaven mini-site at : http://www.excelheaven.spontaneousdevelopment.com  to learn more about what I do – including the coaching service I offer.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

Grow Your Sales Log, and You’ll Always Be In Business!

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“Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two – and only these two – basic functions: Marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results, all the rest are ‘costs’.” – Peter Drucker

NB: This article is based on excerpts from an issue of my Self-Development Digest newsletter published in November 2008.

I share (by way of 3 tips) my hard won knowledge and experience in selling – profitably – in a VERY difficult business environment. Since these ideas worked for me in Nigeria, they will work for you anywhere…just like they’ve been working for me here in Benin Republic for over 6 months now!

1. Develop a Practical Marketing Strategy Suited to Your Target Market

In April 2002, I sent out my first introduction letters and flyers to many big and not-so-big name companies – within and outside Lagos.

I kept doing this for at least the first three (3) years – in addition to placing newspaper adverts. But very little reward came of it.

Over time I learned one hard lesson:

Finding the RIGHT clients for your products and/or services may not require you to do what others do.

I did NOT win a single project using those methods.

You have to develop something that works for you. Of course you can start by borrowing ideas from others.

But make sure to look carefully at your business environment, and come up with your own unique ideas. Mix it all up in as many creative ways as possible, then go out and TEST, TEST, and TEST!!

What I have said above is what I did years ago. And I still periodically do it today, to improve the results I get.

When I arrived in Benin Republic, I had to do it all over again. And it’s worked again!

It took me nearly four (4) years of hard work to get the “formula” right.

When I started out, finding clients was a haphazard process.

You see back in Nigeria (and here in Benin) reliable business directories and yellow pages – to search for prospective clients – are not easy to find.

The few available listings are often disorganised/unstructured and NOT comprehensive.

Over time, especially due my limited resources, this problem made it necessary for me to ultimately adopt what I call a 100% door-to-door, foot soldier marketing of my products and services.

In the process, I gradually learnt what to say and how to say it to get hired or make a sale. But I also learnt that pavement pounding was an inefficient way to market what I offered to those who needed it.

In short, I discovered that a lot of the stuff in imported sales and marketing books would NOT work without intelligent adaptation. They needed to be modified to accommodate unique socio-economic realities of our African societies.

Over time, I learnt to develop a marketing strategy suited to the environment in which I operate.

Today I get called up by prospective clients looking for custom spreadsheet software solutions I offer – instead of having to go looking for them.

More than 95% of the new or repeat business I have gotten has come as a result of my phone ringing. Either due to an existing client needing me again – or prospective client calling based on a referral.

Read my article titled: “To Win Profitable Clients More Frequently, Find & HIT Your Prospect’s Exposed Felt-Needs Nerve!”

2. Regularly Create NEW Products Addressing Your Target Audience’s Needs:

People will buy a software solution if it does something they want, which they CANNOT get from off-the-shelf commercial software.

In Nigeria, pirated copies are so widely available in the market, that selling your custom software for profit can be tough.

That was why I set about offering real-world relevant solutions that addressed unique peculiarities businesses faced – which existing foreign software did not cater for.

The result: Dramatic increase in clients’ perception of the relevance of the solutions I offer.

The lesson: Sometimes the market may be rejecting you because you have not yet done enough THINKING i.e. about how to communicate the value you offer that can benefit them.

You must be willing to “research” why they reject you, to identify what they really want. Never take it personal. The same people who reject you today will embrace you tomorrow if you get this right.

Just do the required thinking to narrow down to what they need…

The title of the book by Napoleon Hill was not a mistake: “Think and Grow Rich”!

3. Implement An Aggressive Zero Receivables Policy:

This is probably the most important one.

Ensuring that I get the ALL the money from EVERY sale into my hands, pockets or account.

Getting people to pay for almost anything they buy from you in my part of the world can sometimes be a big problem.

I believe (as a client of mine often says), that what you permit grows.

After some unpleasant experiences in my earlier years, I started by requesting 100% advance payment for my services. People paid – but I got to a point that I saw it was stopping me from getting more business.

So I began asking for 50 – 75% advance, and then offering the client up to 10% off if s/he chose to pay everything ONCE.

That way, I got my money in, and did not have to wait long periods, making endless calls and visits to get my balance.

In the few instances when a client tries to delay payment without convincing reasons, I simply use the strategy of “Confronting Without Being Combative”, to bring pressure to bear.

Very rarely has this failed to work.

Read my article titled: “To Win More Often in Life, Master the Art of Non-Combative Confrontation”

My reputation with my clients in this regard has earned me nicknames such as “Ijebu” – because according to them I do not joke about money”. But it has worked, and I enjoy very good relations with most of them – one in which there is mutual respect and consideration.

Others have noticed it:

For instance, another service provider with the same client once asked me:

“Mr. Solagbade, why is it that you always get paid immediately and my payment is often delayed?”, after he witnessed me collecting on three different occasions.

I think you can guess what I told him!

Final Words

Herman Holtz – the renowned (now late) consultant’s consultant, was right:

Any business that is making SALES (that is getting CASH in, NOT credit sales) is very unlikely to fold up. Even if it is mismanaged in every other area of its operations.

For as long as sales continue to come in, there will be CASH to keep running the business.

An outage of cash will bring even the biggest giant of a business to its knees.

Here’s ONE sign that could suggest a company is not making enough sales to keep going (or is engaged in undisciplined spending):

It obtains an overdraft facility from the bank to cover daily operating expenses!

The minute that happens, all sorts of bad things can follow, until it has to close shop!

Here’s hoping the above information will help you grow your sales log, so your business can flourish