The Tayo Solagbade’s Creative Business (CB) Solutions Mobile Phone app is now live! Download it at http://www.tksola.com [Email tayo at tksola dot com if you need help]
Install it on your smartphone and get instant access to latest updates I publish to my Facebook and Twitter pages.
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Compatibility:
iOS
Requires iOS 8 or later.
Compatible with iPhone.
Android
Requires Android 4.4 or later.
Compatible with Android phones.
Other
Requires xHTML mobile browser.
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In addition, a video display interface presents users with a menu of 4 selected videos of my products, while also offering detailed contact information, including a contact form submission interface to send me a message via email.
This CB Solutions app will continue to evolve as I test and update it with features designed to make it add more value to users (clients and subscribers).
Below I share 2 sets of images:
Photos taken of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet showing various interfaces in the app, after I installed it.
Screenshots of the various interfaces of the app as they appeared in a Samsung Galaxy Tablet that I installed it on earlier today, in Lagos-Nigeria’s Omole Estate Phase 2.
1. Photos taken of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet showing various interfaces in the app, after I installed it.
2. Screenshots of the various interfaces of the app as they appeared in a Samsung Galaxy Tablet that I installed it on earlier today, in Lagos-Nigeria’s Omole Estate Phase 2.
In a few days, this CB Solutions Mobile Phone App I’ve built for my business will go LIVE and become available for download from the online store.
FREE
Version: 5.1
Compatibility:
iOS
Requires iOS 8 or later.
Compatible with iPhone.
Android
Requires Android 4.4 or later.
Compatible with Android phones.
Other
Requires xHTML mobile browser.
My primary purpose is to use this app to better serve clients and potential customers with MORE of the information, education and entertainment I offer via www.tayosolagbade.com and this blog.
The screenshots below provide a preview of different interfaces in the app.
One thing I’ll add here is that ALL my clients will enjoy the benefit of getting my Custom Mobile App Development Service at hefty club discounts ranging from 40 to 65%.
1. Screenshot of the app in the store (test run mode)
2. Screenshot of the app’s default screen
3. Screenshot of the app’s video display interface – showcasing 4 flagship videos
4. Screenshot of the app’s Twitter feeds display screen – showing my latest Tweets
5. Screenshot of the app’s info screen where contact and other information is displayed. This way, the user can find any details s/he may need to reach me. Same applies to YOU for users of your own mobile phone app! Contact me about building one for you here.
6. Screenshot of the app’s interface displaying my flagship Facebook page with LIVE status updates/feeds
7. Screenshot of the app’s interface displaying contact form users can fil and submit to send me a message
Signup using the form below this post to get informed when this app goes LIVE.
Let me help you build a custom branded mobile phone app for your business. Click here to contact me.
You cannot survive without sales. It’s the life blood of every business. That’s why marketing is an activity that must happen continually, and in an effective manner, no matter how well (or badly) your business is doing.
But making it happen in the way that yields the sales you need is not something everyone is clued up about. Most people do not have as good a grasp of the sales and marketing process, as they do of the technical aspects of their businesses.
NB: This PI Squared newsletter will be published weekly, on Mondays, in place of the Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, starting from today – 15th February 2016. I’m reinventing my Monday newsletter content and theme, to accommodate my vision of serving the growing audience of serious minded individuals and organizations reaching out to me, with information, education. news and research findings designed to help them do what they do better.
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PII 046: A Smart Buyer Recruitment System Prevents Potential Buyers From Keeping You Waiting
You cannot survive without sales. It’s the life blood of every business. That’s why marketing is an activity that must happen continually, and in an effective manner, no matter how well (or badly) your business is doing.
But making it happen in the way that yields the sales you need is not something everyone is clued up about. Most people do not have as good a grasp of the sales and marketing process, as they do of the technical aspects of their businesses.
If you want to make a success of winning buyers for your products/services, you will need to overcome this limitation – or team up/hire someone who knows how to do it e.g. a partner or a consultant/expert.
My decision to discuss this subject today was influenced by a comment (see below), I read on a page I follow – run by Christian Mickelsen.
Chris had posted an article in which he gave (what I know from hard won personal experience to be) sound advice on how to handle clients who say “Let me think about it”.
But the commenter had raised an observation about possible instances in which the approach Chris advocated may now be applicable – and he went ahead to give examples.
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I took my time to read through his comments and even though I saw his points, it was apparent to me that they would only be valid for a person who lacked a tried and tested system for generating sales leads or attracting Pre-Qualified Prospects.
So, I decided to post a response to his comment. But I soon noticed I was writing more than I initially planned to, Then it occurred to me that others might also find the ideas I was trying to share useful. So I converted it to this article.
Below is the core of the response I prepared for his above shown comment:
Hi Paul,
I see the point you’re trying to make. However, I think you’re missing something.
The strategy works best if you setup and diligently use a smart (and time/effort saving) system for generating sales leads/recruiting potential clients.
Such a system would typically “lead” prospects through a “subtle” pre-qualification “information and education” process that presents psychological hurdles to screen out those that are not yet “ready” to commit to working with you.
That way, most of those who get to the final point where they connect with you for an “Intro session” arrive ready to say YES, or with need for answers to a few last queries they have, after which they say it.
It goes without saying that Chris uses such a system – and the tip he’s given in this article is based on the presumption that the reader will have his/hers too.
I’ve used such a system for many years, and it’s enabled me get high profile clients who arrive as total strangers to make hefty commitments 100% in advance after half to one hour speaking with me for the first time.
A smart client recruitment system makes finding the right clients, who fit your target audience profile, an easy, stress-free and cost-effective process.
The challenge you seem to have is that you have yet to setup such a system for your business.
1. Click here to learn more about this app – watch demo videos etc
2. Click here to watch a 4 part video in which I demonstrate how to use this app to formulate rations using real life data sent to me by an Algerian PhD student.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Click here to download a detailed PDF user guide and watch 15 screen shot user guide tutorials of the Monthly Poultry Farm Manager that I now offer Farm CEOs.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others.
Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organizations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).
He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods and others.
In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.
On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.
His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).
In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years (October 1994 to December 2001) as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer to Training & Technical Development Manager, and later acted in senior roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.
In addition to constantly challenging the status quo and influencing positive work changes, he built a reputation for using self-taught spreadsheet programming skills (starting with Lotus 1-2-3, and later moving to Excel Visual Basic) – in his spare time – to develop Automated Spreadsheet Applications to computerize manual report generation processes in the departments he worked. Over four(4) of his applications were adopted for brewery level reporting.
Tayo holds a B.Sc degree in Agricultural Extension Services from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, having graduated top of his class – with Second Class Upper Division honors – in 1992. He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy (SDAc).
When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes The Farm CEO Weekly Newspaper (sent via email to paid subscribers) and his Weekly Performance Improvement IDEAS newsletter.
Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.
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[IMPORTANT NOTE:====
On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.
Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.
But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts
he’s published.
If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.
One of wisest tips on business I ever came across was contained in the quote below:
“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, described as the Grandfather of Modern Marketing (and in my opinion Management)
In this article I offer a FREE copy of a new Excel-VD driven app that I created, to solve a data handling and reporting challenge I had, in reconciling certain financial transactions details with 2 different clients, using an MS Excel bank statement downloaded from my bank’s website.
The thought occured to me that others who use online banking platforms similar to mine, especially in the Nigerian market, are likely to find this app useful.
NB: This PI Squared newsletter will be published weekly, on Mondays, in place of the Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, starting from today – 15th February 2016. I’m reinventing my Monday newsletter content and theme, to accommodate my vision of serving the growing audience of serious minded individuals and organizations reaching out to me, with information, education. news and research findings designed to help them do what they do better.
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PII 045: Learn Spreadsheet Programming to Auto-generate Reports from Your E-Bank Statement [FREE App You Can Use]
One of wisest tips on business I ever came across was contained in the quote below:
“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, described as the Grandfather of Modern Marketing (and in my opinion Management)
In this article I offer a FREE copy of a new Excel-VB driven app that I created, to solve a data handling and reporting challenge I had, in reconciling certain financial transactions details with 2 different clients, using an MS Excel bank statement downloaded from my bank’s website.
The thought occurred to me that others who use online banking platforms similar to mine, especially in the Nigerian market, are likely to find this app useful.
So I resolved to use it for my annual year end mix of innovation and marketing to hit the ground running in 2017, with regard to my Excel Visual Basic Solutions Development.
Below: The 5 minute demonstration video I recorded for this app. Click here to watch it in my Youtube Channel.
Below: Screenshot of the single sheet workbook file downloaded from my GTBank online banking platform.
Below: This was modified from what was originally in the downloaded Excel worksheet bank statement downloaded via a query I did in my accounts interface on the bank’s website.
Like I mentioned in yesterday’s preview, I was trying to make some sense of the transactions in my bank statement which I generated from my online banking interface.
I actually wanted a copy of the statement because I needed to review certain entries based on some repeat clients I had transactions with via online banking.
A need arose to trace some particular transactions for two such clients, and there was a bit of confusion and delays in finding the information because each of them had at some point done transfers to me through a 3rd party.
But the 3rd parties had not taken the pains to enter descriptions mentioning who they were making payments on behalf of.
As a result, there were some payments that I could not trace for each client since their names were not linked to them.
To get started, what you need to do is simply click the IMPORT BANK STATEMENT button. In the case of this copy of the app, I’ve configured it to check for and import ONLY the workbook downloaded from the online banking interface.
This works well and is a safe strategy because typically, the online banking interface query will generate a statement that is saved using your account number as a unique filename identifier.
That means I only have to change the filename it refers to (with path modifications as needed), for this app to work with your own MS Excel based statement downloaded from THIS bank’s website.
If you use any other bank, modifications will simply be made to accommodate whatever differences exist in the data table layout/format, as well as the corresponding reports to be generated.
TIP: For those of you who take up the offer I’m making, you’ll get this app FREE to use for life, with 100% FREE support and upgrades, if you purchase ONE year membership of my Excel-VB club for N5k instead of N13k on or before Midnight of Saturday 31st December 2016.
Back to using the app…
Clicking the IMPORT BANK STATEMENT button loads a prompt informing you the app will first of all delete all existing data in the table, before it commences importation of data from the downloaded workbook.
I put in that procedure in anticipation of instances when you may be importing a new body of downloaded data that’s smaller than the one you just finished working with (For instance you download a 2013 to 2016 statement, after viewing a 2016 statement like I did).
The app imports the statement into the table and leaves the bank statement single sheet web page style workbook open in a separate window, which you can easily switch to, and compare data from.
Notice that even the worksheet tab for the database worksheet bears the same label as the filename.
Now, one of the things I wanted to be able to do, was to find information relating to a series of transactions with some specific individuals, for reconciliation purposes.
To make this easy, I got the app to generate a list of names from the “FROM” and “TO” columns in the data table – eliminating duplicates.
So, you simply click on a name from the drop list, that you want to query and review transactions for, and the app would filter the table’s contents, displaying only those matching your query, and hiding the others.
You then have the option to further query the table using month and year parameters, via drop menus provided.
So if someone tells me there was a transaction in 2014 March for a certain amount, I can use the above menu driven query items to easily locate relevant references to him/her.
Worst case scenario – if the information s/he supplies does not turn up matching records, I can simply do a blanket search with his/her name from the menu, and ALL records linked to it will appear, from which we can then review and decide the way forward.
At any point during your query based review, you have the option to click the PREVIEW button to see the pre-print view of the filtered table contents.
If you have a PDF creator installed, like I do, you will be able to generate PDF versions of your final table version – if you do not wish to print on paper. This PDF option may come in handy should you wish to send the scenario generated to a 3rd party without having to share the entire bank statement’s contents with him/her.
Another thing to note is that the totals for DEBIT and CREDIT columns are updated dynamically using functions that recalculate to reflect the displayed contents.
This is quite useful because it saves you from worrying about recalculating the totals for the scenario you generated. Watch the way the totals change as the various menu items are clicked in the video demonstration.
When you’re done with querying the table, clicking the SHOW ALL button will return the table to its default display state, with all data visible.
Now, clicking the MENU button loads the floating Main Navigation Menu button.
On the Main Menu’s left 4-tabbed panel, the 2 middle tabs allow you to access 2 key summary dynamic reports generating interfaces.
The Single Year Scenario: Allows you to generate a table of summaries with corresponding charts in bar and line formats. I created this interface to review trends on a month by month basis for a chosen year. Again, a PDF version of each scenario generated can be created and emailed to a 3rd party without needing to share the entire body of data.
Tip: Notice the auto-generated headers inserted into the print-ready page by the app, which personalizes the report with the owner’s name and other details
The Single Month Scenario: Here you want to drill down through the data for a particular month of a particular year, on a daily basis. My purpose here was to see if I could establish any useful trends and relationships between the periods reviewed, towards making useful decisions or deductions.
What I’ve done is to put in dummy data, to protect privacy of myself and those I transacted with. So what you see in the video and screenshots are NOT real values.
Tip: Now one of the things I had to do in this table was to cater for differences in numbers of days for some of the months, like February (Which has 28 or 29 days depending the year), and other months like November, September, June and April, which have 30 days, unlike the rest with 31 days.
The table’s TOTALS dynamically hide and display the last few rows for EACH month, as the month name changes, so that when February is clicked, no data from March appears in the table, regardless of the number of days it has, in that year.
This is a major time end effort saving format.
***The AUTO FIT button is used when a cell has generated entries are displayed as hash (####) signs due to inadequate cell width. Clicking in any cell in the column and clicking the AUTO FIT button will activate the auto size function, resizing the cell to allow proper display of the contents.
It goes without saying that what I have done with this app was simply basic level data handling for report generation. Nothing complex in terms of real financial analysis.
And that’s because my immediate need for basic information drove this app’s creation. But that’s why I want to bring others on board, especially financial experts and other serious business users, so they can learn Excel-VB coding as they use the app. I can help (and/or coach them) to do a LOT more.
Over the past decade, serving as an Excel-VB Solutions Developer, I have worked with many CEOs and financial consultants in various markets/industries, and I know they all have various tasks they use MS Excel to manually carry out on their business financial data – especially those found in their bank statements.
Indeed virtually any income earning adult in today’s society makes use of a bank account and is therefore likely to understand the potential benefits of being able to relate to his/her financial data using MS Excel, in the manner I have demonstrated with this app.
My vision is to empower interested business and other users of MS Excel, with Excel-VB coding competence to enable them do what I have done here, in terms of solving a data handling, analysis and report generation problem, to meet their peculiar individual needs.
Typically, any self-employed professional, marketing experts, HR Executives, and financial experts in paid or self-employment, and indeed any business owner or working adult with a need to use MS Excel, will find learning a little MS Excel-VB automation quite a handy skill to possess.
But if you cannot spare the time, maybe someone you know, or who works for you can learn it and then help you with it.
That is why I offer YOU this app, with FREE lifetime support to use it for your own purposes, if you sign up for ONE year membership of my Excel-VB Automation club.
All you need do is pay the promo signup fee of N5k, and I will send you the app, with details of your membership benefits, including the 50% discount you get on ALL my products and services as a member.
This offer remains valid until Midnight of Saturday 31st December 2016, when the fee will revert to N13k, the Standard membership fee.
NB: Current club members interested in getting a FREE copy of this app can do so by paying the N5k fee, instead of the standard N13k fee, to renew their membership for another year.
1. Click here to learn more about this app – watch demo videos etc
2.Click here to watch a 4 part video in which I demonstrate how to use this app to formulate rations using real life data sent to me by an Algerian PhD student.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Click here to download a detailed PDF user guide and watch 15 screen shot user guide tutorials of the Monthly Poultry Farm Manager that I now offer Farm CEOs.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others.
Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organizations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).
He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods and others.
In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.
On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.
His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).
In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years (October 1994 to December 2001) as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer to Training & Technical Development Manager, and later acted in senior roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.
In addition to constantly challenging the status quo and influencing positive work changes, he built a reputation for using self-taught spreadsheet programming skills (starting with Lotus 1-2-3, and later moving to Excel Visual Basic) – in his spare time – to develop Automated Spreadsheet Applications to computerize manual report generation processes in the departments he worked. Over four(4) of his applications were adopted for brewery level reporting.
Tayo holds a B.Sc degree in Agricultural Extension Services from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, having graduated top of his class – with Second Class Upper Division honors – in 1992. He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy (SDAc).
When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes The Farm CEO Weekly Newspaper (sent via email to paid subscribers) and his Weekly Performance Improvement IDEAS newsletter.
Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.
====
[IMPORTANT NOTE:====
On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.
Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.
But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts
he’s published.
If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.
On the 31st day of this month (December 2016), it will be exactly 14 years since I quit my high paying job as Technical Training and Development Manager with Guinness Nigeria, to (among other goals), pursue my dream of developing custom automated spreadsheet software for a living.
Each time a New Year approaches, I always work hard to hit the ground running with a new and different concept, product or soliution.
This time around what I’ve come up with happened really by accident. A problem I had making sense of the MS Excel based bank statement I downloaded from the online banking interface for one of my accounts.
Below: Screenshot of online banking interface, with download of MS Excel statement in progress.
The data was in too basic a format for me to find the information I needed, and trend it to arrive at useful deductions.
Below: Screenshot of downloaded copy of January to December MS Excel based statement I generated from my online banking interface on 15th December 2016.
Today I generated one covering 1st January 2012 till date, which I successfully used to test the new app I built. It worked superbly. Details, including screenshot of generated table and chart based summaries in tomorrow’s issue of my PII newsletter.
It was while I was crawling around in confusion in the downloaded spreadsheet version of my statement for 2016, that I remembered I possessed MS Excel-VB automation skills.
And that meant I could do something about the problem I had with the data I was looking at!
My desire to use the data for my planned purposes drove me to build an app to do what I want with the statement.
Then when I began using the finished app, it occurred to me that others who also use online banking interfaces to generate their bank statements would probably find this app useful.
So, I decided I would use it as my new “product” going into the new year.
Below is the description of the app, that I’ve put in its about window.
This Custom Automated Excel VB Driven Entreprise Information System(EIS) was built by Tayo K. Solagbade, for SDAc’s Creative Business Solutions(CB Solutions) arm, using MS Excel® Visual Basic. It allows even a PC novice quickly and effortlessly import bank statement data from an MS Excel based workbook downloaded from his/her bank’s Internet Banking platform. Using in-built cystom automation tools the user is then able to generate tabulated and charted reports.
Tomorrow, the Monday issue of my weekly Performance Improvement Ideas (PII) newsletter, will go out.
In it, I will provide detailed descriptions and screenshots, as well as a step-by-step video demonstration of how the app works.
Then I will end with an introductory promotional offer of the app. Members of my Excel Visual Basic Automation Club will get a heftier discount.
Stay tuned – in a few hours, the details will be LIVE.
Below: Screenshot of the data auto-imported from the MS Excel-based bank statement downloaded from my online banking interface
[PS: This post is a precursor to tomorrow’s special issue of my Performance Improvement Ideas (PII) newsletter, which will feature full details of this new product to be announced via a special promo offer]
Vanguard quoted an eye witness who said: “I saw Apostle Weeks, Governor Emmanuel and other officials escape through the vestry, while the roof fell on some of the people,who did not know what happened” – Source: Read full news report/see more photos (Warning: Very GRAPHIC)]
Given the scale of this latest “religious retreat” avoidable disaster (Hint: Remember TB Joshua’s Synagogue?), I believe a need NOW exists in Nigeria, to exercise major caution in accepting invitations to attend large crowd “religious” functions, at newly constructed venues one is not familiar with.
We may need to do this, not because we don’t care, or because we feel superior to others…but because it is becoming increasingly obvious that irresponsible and/or incompetent “experts” continue to win contract rights to execute such big budget construction projects in Nigeria.
There is simply too little regulation happening, and too few checks and balances in place to protect the interests of the majority
For instance, reports available indicate that the builders rushed the completion of this project so it could be used as the event venue. This collapse suggests the quality of materials used and/or work done were below the standards required.
Whether that happened inadvertently or deliberately, we may probably never know.
One thing is however almost certain:
Little or no quality control due diligence verifications were done BEFORE people were admitted into that area.
It’s almost as if these people assume that since they will be worshiping Him in their newly built (or construction-in-progress) edifice, God would send Angels to correct any deficiencies, that they are unwilling to make out time to find and rectify themselves!
As has happened before (remember the Synagogue Church Of All Nations event?) the hundreds of unsuspecting attendees had no inkling of all the hazards.
But even if they had suspected anything or asked questions, they would probably have been told not to fret over such things in a place of wiorship – where Men Of God would be present.
Yet it happened and hundreds of lives have been lost, with many injured! The irony? Well, the “Men Of God” reportedly escaped via the vestry, before the collapse!
I thought they would have seen it coming and warned their “trusting” followers?
Will anyone be held accountable for allowing this avoidable disaster to happen?
Are any lessons going to be learnt to avert disasters of this nature in future?
Or do human lives matter so little to us in Nigeria that we – especially regulatory agencies in charge/the government itself – could not care less if they continue to get wasted in this crazy manner?
I certainly hope not – for all our sakes, because tomorrow it could be you, me or any of our own loved ones that ends up injured, or worse, because we took no (or failed to demand for) corrective action.
Click the link below to read the news report I learnt about this event from – complete with the heartbreaking photos.
All over the world people who excel in life ahead of their peers in any area of endeavour, most times succeed because they devote unrelenting time, energy and effort to MASTERING one or more vocations.
Without mastery, you are unlikely to be anything more than average or mediocre.
Yet, mastery itself cannot be achieved unless one develops sound understanding of how to do whatever it is one wishes to excel at.
NB: This PI Squared newsletter will be published weekly, on Mondays, in place of the Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, starting from today – 15th February 2016. I’m reinventing my Monday newsletter content and theme, to accommodate my vision of serving the growing audience of serious minded individuals and organizations reaching out to me, with information, education. news and research findings designed to help them do what they do better.
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PII 041: Avoid Intellectual Laziness, Learn How Things Work…to Achieve Success [Hint: A Culture of Making Your Own Things is Key to Individual/National Development – See Photos of Home Made Ankara Slippers and Shoes Inside]
All over the world people who excel in life ahead of their peers in any area of endeavour, most times succeed because they devote unrelenting time, energy and effort to MASTERING one or more vocations.
Without mastery, you are unlikely to be anything more than average or mediocre.
Yet, mastery itself cannot be achieved unless one develops sound understanding of how to do whatever it is one wishes to excel at.
Societies in which the leaders and people agree on the above are often those that end up developing ahead of others.
Over the past 3 decades of my life, I have remained deeply intrigued by the subject of success and how it is achieved across various groups of people, societies and cultures.
We have witnessed many countries start out on the same or even lower rankings with others in terms of being underdeveloped, and rise to become leading nations.
The so called Asian Tigers are a good example.
In contrast to the above nations, some countries in certain geographical regions, like Africa, especially Black Africa, seem to be jinxed where achieving sustainable development is concerned.
I use that word (jinx) for lack of a better adjective.
For some strange reason, many (but of course NOT all) Black African peoples seem lacking in the ability to look inwards and gain the required understanding of how things work (to paraphrase a preacher in a video I watched – see below).
It goes without saying that they excel in certain fields, like sports and entertainment – but even in those areas, they often do NOT do it without technical “input” from non-Africans.
However this seems to be more relevant with regard to them within their own societies, as a GROUP.
By this I mean that many individual Black Africans have proven themselves to be exceptionally capable of not only achieving sound understanding of how things work, but also applying that understanding to achieving groundbreaking success in various fields.
Most times however one notices they tend to self-actualize when they leave their own societies and go to more stable and well organized environments in developed societies.
Returning home to their countries of origin to reproduce and replicate the same results generally tends not to come easily for them.
Like a friend recently noted, over half a century after independence, Nigeria with all its wealth and size, in human and financial terms, continues to import experts to build roads, and other infrastructure for her people. Yet she graduates engineers annually from universities it runs!
Now, I have done a lot of thinking and reading about this and come to the conclusion that the main problem stopping the clued up Black Africans from impacting their larger societies with their genius is the MENTALITY of the popular majority.
Too many Black Africans are intellectually lazy. Note that I said “too many” and NOT all. By the way, I’m black but I don’t know if I qualify to be called an “intellectual”. I will say that my observations and insights have driven me to work hard on myself, to avoid intellectual laziness and LEARN how things work, so I can make my own stuff.
The results I’ve gotten over the past 2 decades attest to my success. For instance, I built custom spreadsheet software while in paid employment, that were formally adopted for use in my workplace, and since leaving paid employment I have established my brand providing custom Excel-VB apps for buyers in/out of Africa. I believe we need more of my kind of people to be this way, if we are to achieve our full God-given potentials as a race.
The effort required to achieve the understanding of how things work therefore tends to be something they are not prepared to exert for any reasonable length of time.
For instance CREATIVE THINKING which is the foundation required for building a virile industry of micro to small scale production done by home based businesses, is NOT embraced.
The average Black African is averse to thinking of LEARNING how to make his own clothes, shoes, software, food etc. Instead, most of them grow up learning to live high consumption lifestyles in which virtually everything they spend money on is imported or made by foreigners operating local production operations.
The indigenes prefer working as employees to engaging in creative production based pursuits that reduce demand form and dependence on imported products.
All of the above stems from a lack of self-confidence.
They generally believe they do not know enough to make anything on their own, that will be as good as what they already see is available.
So they settle down to a life of using without thinking.
The business of agriculture alone, for a country like Nigeria for example, offers massive potential benefits from the production to the processing as well as the marketing perspectives.
However, if Nigeria as a nation and Nigerians as a people fail to CHANGE their mentality from giving leadership in the THINKING about how they will DO agribusiness to outsiders and foreigners, lasting development and self-sufficiency in Agro based development (which is so badly needed now) is unlikely to happen.
Nigerians/Black Africans need to take ownership of their development efforts. They must do what the Indians, Singaporeans, Chinese, Indonesians and other Asians did to leave them behind.
They must look inwards and TEACH themselves to develop an understanding of how things work. And then they must put that understanding to use in implementing their development plans.
This process, if it is to succeed must begin from every home, with parents and children alike embracing this proposed philosophy as a way of life.
If the leadership of the country or group will not do it. Individuals can adopt it for use in their private lives.
China is a good example: Countless micro to small home based businesses churn out all sorts of products daily. Quite a good number are family based.
The same trend obtains even in Europe and America. Some people start small and choose to stay that way – producing essential goods to high standards, which are shipped far beyond their borders, in addition to being used on the home front.
If Black African nations evolve a similar culture, their rapid rise to join the ranks of developed nations will be inevitable.
[Photos] I practice what I preach – along with my kids. Apart from our trademark no-oven charcoal stove baked products range, I encourage them to LEARN how to make things (like battery powered toy bikes – and more recently shoes/pam slippers of all kinds)
Kids that grow up in an atmosphere where they are constantly challenged to learn how to make their own versions of things they usually buy, will develop the self-confidence and mental attitude to take ownership of their consumption.
That will make them reduces dependence on buying stuff, in favour of making theirs. And they will influence/inspire others in their social circles to emulate them.
Below: This pair of ankara slippers were made from scratch by me and my 7 year old daughter for her to wear casually to visit relatives, neighbours etc
Below: This pair of ankara shoes were made by me and my 10 year old daughter using an old pair of worn out shoes she was planning to dump. We basically resurrected those shoes with Ankara material using ideas we got from a Youtube video by a creative Nigerian custom shoe making expert
Below are some links to more information about what we do, with photos of stuff we make
1. Click here to learn more about this app – watch demo videos etc
2.Click here to watch a 4 part video in which I demonstrate how to use this app to formulate rations using real life data sent to me by an Algerian PhD student.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Click here to download a detailed PDF user guide and watch 15 screen shot user guide tutorials of the Monthly Poultry Farm Manager that I now offer Farm CEOs.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others.
Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organizations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).
He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods and others.
In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.
On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.
His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).
In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years (October 1994 to December 2001) as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer to Training & Technical Development Manager, and later acted in senior roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.
In addition to constantly challenging the status quo and influencing positive work changes, he built a reputation for using self-taught spreadsheet programming skills (starting with Lotus 1-2-3, and later moving to Excel Visual Basic) – in his spare time – to develop Automated Spreadsheet Applications to computerize manual report generation processes in the departments he worked. Over four(4) of his applications were adopted for brewery level reporting.
Tayo holds a B.Sc degree in Agricultural Extension Services from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, having graduated top of his class – with Second Class Upper Division honors – in 1992. He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy (SDAc).
When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes The Farm CEO Weekly Newspaper (sent via email to paid subscribers) and his Weekly Performance Improvement IDEAS newsletter.
Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.
====
[IMPORTANT NOTE:====
On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.
Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.
But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts
he’s published.
If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.
It’s funny how we take things for granted so often in life. People across the world have an interesting habit of always seeing what happens in other places based on preconceived notions that many times have little or no bearing on what obtains in real life.
One example. I almost fell of my seat in laughter when while speaking to a group of young men here in Benin Republic, they told me power supply in my country, Nigeria, was better than what they had in theirs – Benin Republic.
Instantly curious as to what could have led them to such a massively erroneous conclusion, I casually asked “Really, why do you say that?”
One of them promptly explained that their country purchased power supply from Nigeria. In addition, he said, they were aware that Nigeria supplied electricity to Niger, another neighbour.
To do this, he surmised, that had to mean Nigeria had an abundance of power generation capacity that it did not have enough demand for internally.
After hearing him out, I proceeded to provide him and his friends a more accurate picture of the situation of power supply in Nigeria by asking a key question.
Does any of you – or your friends – own a generator at home?
Answer (from all 3): No.
That, I said, would be a very unhealthy way to exist in Nigeria, because the average adult over there considers owning at least a small generator,the size of 25 litre keg, crucial to his ability to access electricity as often as possible.
Why? they asked me.
I answered: Because in Nigeria, you really cannot be sure when you’ll have electricity, and for how long. Therefore, those who have important things to do, simply do not want to wait on the power company. Note that sometimes people go for months on end without getting any power supply. And that includes businesses.
Are you serious? One of them asked.
And I replied that I could not have been more serious.
”Indeed”, I added, “Since I arrived here, I’ve noticed you seem to have some kind of load shedding that’s done by your power company every now and then so that for one to two hours on some days you have a power cut. For me, despite that interruption, working on my laptop here as a writer and developer has been like HEAVEN, compared to what I’ve had to endure working in Nigeria. For one thing, it costs me less to do so – since I do not have to buy fuel to power my generator everyday.
Secondly, I do not have to work with the noise of the generator in the background giving me headaches and making concentration difficult.
Do you now see why I say you’re in heaven?
After hearing that they were subdued…at least they stopped telling me Nigeria was better than Benin with regard to power supply!
The point I’m making here is that people in different parts of the world face different kinds of challenges.
However, it appears human nature makes most of us feel what we’re going through is worse than what any other person has to.
That is a wrong mindset to adopt – and I’ve seen and experienced a lot to confirm that I am right.
The grass may appear greener on the other side (where that person is) from where you stand, but the truth is you will rarely be able to accurately determine the true reality of his/her situation except you get a MUCH closer view, or better still s/he chooses to open up to you!
Here’s an analogy I love to use to drive this point home:
The guy promising you N2m in future business in exchange for hefty/risky discount on the fee for your maiden project with his company may, in reality, be in debt to the tune of N10m to 3rd parties you’re not aware of, that he is obligated to pay to stay in business. That could mean he would probably be unable to keep his word even if he wanted to!
So while you’re admiring him as a hot prospect you’d gladly sacrifice 3 existing small clients to please, don’t forget to apply due diligence in your dealings so as to avoid losing both ways – or worse: getting used and dumped!
What was that saying again about the grass looking greener from the side?
Quick Take-Away: I get massive volumes of writing done on a weekly basis for myself, even as I do LOTS of the same for multiple clients. The need to get around the challenge of not being able to afford paid advertising, as a startup – while I struggled to establish my brand in the marketplace – drove me to adopt it as a way of life. If you’d like to learn how to get your writing done as and when you want it, and to use it to attract potential buyers – like I do, or better than I do – I recommend you take up the promo offer of the 3 PDF publications I offer on this page – click here to open in a new window.
Back in 2000, when I first encountered his newsletter while I was working in paid employment, Terry Dean was already living the digital lifestyle earning income 100% online as a Digital Marketer/Publisher.
NB: This PI Squared newsletter will be published weekly, on Mondays, in place of the Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, starting from today – 15th February 2016. I’m reinventing my Monday newsletter content and theme, to accommodate my vision of serving the growing audience of serious minded individuals and organizations reaching out to me, with information, education. news and research findings designed to help them do what they do better.
************
PII 040: 2 PDF Guides on Writing to Attract Potential Buyers & One PDF Report on Zero Cost Book Marketing [Get Yours Here]
Quick Take-Away: I get massive volumes of writing done on a weekly basis for myself, even as I do LOTS of the same for multiple clients. The need to get around the challenge of not being able to afford paid advertising, as a startup – while I struggled to establish my brand in the marketplace – drove me to adopt it as a way of life. If you’d like to learn how to get your writing done as and when you want it, and to use it to attract potential buyers – like I do, or better than I do – I recommend you take up the promo offer of the 3 PDF publications I offer on this page – click here to open in a new window.
Back in 2000, when I first encountered his newsletter while I was working in paid employment, Terry Dean was already living the digital lifestyle earning income 100% online as a Digital Marketer/Publisher.
Today, Terry – as the person introducing him in the video I feature in this piece rightly points out – is widely recognised as a living legend and pioneer of the Internet Lifestyle. He has coached thousands of notable achievers to success in earning a living online.
In this video recording showing excerpts from a LIVE event he spoke at, Terry shares insights about how he got started from working a job, to working from home and never needing to work for anyone again.
Below, I have transcribed aspects where he shared his deep wisdom about how to develop the writing proficiency you will need to make a living online.
Your ability to write convincingly, in the manner described by Terry (and which I’ve touched on in several articles and books I’ve written over the past 10 years) will be a crucial determinant of your success or otherwise.
Read the excerpts from Terry’s talk, that I transcribed for your benefit. But don’t stop there: APPLY them and make them yours, so you can achieve the success you seek in selling online!
Do you want to know how you become an expert? In America?
You Write a book! That’s how you become an expert.
It doesn’t even have to be a good book.
The basic principle about writing, is that you have to write and then edit later…because we’re still under the perfectionist complex.
Create a basic outline of what you wanna write:
A working title, which will change later most likely.
Some basic points that you wanna talk about.
And then start writing…and don’t quit writing, until you’re done.
Lock yourself away to do it, if necessary.
If you have a week’s vacation from work coming up – that’s when you do it!
And you do it all…until you don’t wanna write anymore.
And here’s what your mind will constantly say: That’s not perfect – delete, delete, delete, delete…
Type, type, type…I don’t like that either….delete, delete, delete…
And if you do that for 2 hours…what do you have after those 2 hours?
Nothing!
You have nothing. You stare at a blank page.
A principle of copywriting, that applies to all types of writing, is that…
New writers/new copywriters: The first few things they write, you end up deleting all of them anyway, because you’re just getting warmed up, just getting into the groove.
But that takes place during the editing process.
And if you write and delete to start over, you never get to the good stuff.
So, you wanna sit down and write quickly.
Write it all out – no matter how bad it looks right now.
….
If you’re writing an email…customer, list, pre-list, it doesn’t matter….
I want you to pick out one person in the list that you know well and I want you to write your email as if you’re sending your email as if your were sending just an email just to them.
No matter what you’re doing.
You’re giving out free information? Same rule.
You’re writing ad copy? Same rule!
Write it as if you’re writing to someone who is your friend.
And do you know what will happen?
Over time, after getting the communications, if you’ve done a good job of it, they’re going to feel like you’re friends.
You might not have a hundred thousand subscribers, but can you find someone who does in your niche?
And you don’t that many…that’s why I mentioned that you might not have 5,000 buyers, but can you find someone who does?
And if you can, we now have the potential to reach this niche, because we now know what they want – because they already told us.
Your direct response website is simply a sales letter.
Pretty websites win awards.
Plain websites with good copy make money.
A website that makes money is never going to be the same one that wins awards.
1. Click here to learn more about this app – watch demo videos etc
2.Click here to watch a 4 part video in which I demonstrate how to use this app to formulate rations using real life data sent to me by an Algerian PhD student.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Click here to download a detailed PDF user guide and watch 15 screen shot user guide tutorials of the Monthly Poultry Farm Manager that I now offer Farm CEOs.
Click here to contact me about purchasing this product.
Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others.
Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organizations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).
He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods and others.
In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.
On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.
His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).
In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years (October 1994 to December 2001) as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer to Training & Technical Development Manager, and later acted in senior roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.
In addition to constantly challenging the status quo and influencing positive work changes, he built a reputation for using self-taught spreadsheet programming skills (starting with Lotus 1-2-3, and later moving to Excel Visual Basic) – in his spare time – to develop Automated Spreadsheet Applications to computerize manual report generation processes in the departments he worked. Over four(4) of his applications were adopted for brewery level reporting.
Tayo holds a B.Sc degree in Agricultural Extension Services from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, having graduated top of his class – with Second Class Upper Division honors – in 1992. He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy (SDAc).
When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes The Farm CEO Weekly Newspaper (sent via email to paid subscribers) and his Weekly Performance Improvement IDEAS newsletter.
Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.
====
[IMPORTANT NOTE:====
On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.
Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.
But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts
he’s published.
If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.
…a multi-disciplinary blog for people passionate about reaching their goals!
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