Category Archives: My DN Travel News

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

Why Farm CEOs Need to Read Non-Farm Related Articles (Hint: Like the multidisciplinry articles on THIS blog)

July 5, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

I believe, from over 2 decades of observation/experience, that one major mistake being made by conventional farm support specialists is that they focus mainly – sometimes exclusively – on farm related issues, in serving farm business owners.

This can be self-defeating, because other aspects of the farm owner’s life can – and do! – interfere with his/her ability to make progress with the farm!

Farm CEOs are human beings like the rest of us: they have to balance different aspects of their lives!

That means virtually everything that we have to contend with in life, outside their core vocation is what they most likely also have to deal with.

Most people do not think about it, but many times stuff that happens in other parts of our lives can – and do – affect our ability to function effectively and successfully in our chosen vocations.

Indeed, many of the most successful people in the world get to be that way because they develop strategies to keep firm control of other areas of their lives, so that nothing interferes with their ability to focus on the core purpose they have.

That’s why many top sportspersons have personal managers, and other people they pass their routine chores to. Down to getting their laundry done, these guys readily pay good money to have someone else handle such tasks.

Farm CEOs can also get very busy, and quite often their work may require spending long periods trying to set standards in place, and study trends to take the right decisions. If they have other areas of their lives going out of control, this becomes more difficult to do.

That’s why this blog’s articles categories are multidisciplinary: I like to see the big picture and offer complete solutions

It goes without saying that some visitors to www.tayosolagbade.com will have wondered why I don’t just write ONLY farm business related stuff all over my website.

Well, the above case in point is the major reasons.

My multidisciplinary write-ups are designed to offer potentially useful best practice information and education, on different aspects of life, in a way that enhances people’s ability to succeed.

Those who pay attention will notice I often use farm related explanations in most of the examples I discuss in my articles.

But as with everything else, the lessons offered can be applied or adapted to suit the needs of people in other fields. And they are. Which is why I also get feedback and enquiries from prospects and clients in non-farm related fields.

Below, I discuss each of my blog categories, and how they are relevant to farm business owners, and their workers.

NB: It’s quite likely that many of them who have visited in the past probably never thought of it this way before. So, I guess I should say: “Now you know!”

1. Parenting

With the exception of those yet to have offspring, Farm CEOs typically have spouses and kids they live with. Whatever happens in that home can – and does – affect the farmer’s state of mind.

Kids in particular, can be a challenge for any adult. I say this as a father of 4 boys and 2 girls. And I also say it as one who has had to endure years of being unable to independently provide for them – while struggling to establish myself as an entrepreneur in Nigeria.

Parenting has little to do with how financially well off you are. After all we know of many people who are financially successful today, whose parent(s) raised them while battling crippling poverty.

However, the training instilled in the kids by the parent(s) helped them develop the character needed to later achieve financial success in life.

The story of Ben Carson, the famed American Neurosurgeon in his book – “Gifted Hands” – describes an excellent example of what I call World Class Parenting – by his mother.

My articles are experience based.I draw from what I went through in my childhood years, as a very naught teenager, before I reformed myself. And I add to that what I did to coach other people’s kids to achieve excellence in my early adulthood.

Lastly, there’s the VERY challenging experience I’m, having currently as a parent to 2 teenage boys, and their siblings.

Some of those who have read my articles on parenting have commented on how useful they found them. Several of my articles have been syndicated on parenting websites outside Africa – in the USA for example. I believe that’s a sign that there’s value to be had in them.

As a farm CEO, with kids, these articles are for you to study, in order to do a better job of parenting your kids. Make use of them.

2. Career Development

I have noted in the past that a growing number of Farm CEOs purchasing my products are persons who hold day jobs. A good number actually work with large companies (e.g. oil service multinationals), and run their farm businesses on the side.

They often use the salary they earn – and/or loans or grants from their employers – to finance their farm businesses. It goes without saying therefore, that their continued good performance at work is crucial to the long term survival of the farm.

Of course, at some point, with good management, the farm business is bound to become self-sustaining. However, depending on the kind of enterprise it is (e.g. poultry layers, broiler, piggery etc), some need for the security of “extra income” to meet periodic shortages may remain for a while.

And even if that’s not the case, discussions with some such farm CEOs suggest they are planning to keep running their farms on the side till retirement – which is not due for 5 or more years.

I have a track record of high performing success from my 7 year stay in a world class multinational. I started as process manager, and later become a people manager – competently holding senior management positions.

What’s more, I received exposure to a wide variety of high profile training on best practice performance improvement and people coaching in the workplace. All of this equips me to help others.

So, Farm CEOs pursuing careers during the day can really benefit from reading my Career Development write-ups.

Many of them have been extensively syndicated online. Some got me invited to speak in places like the Centre for Management Development, while others have been published – with my permission – in international journals.

3. Entrepreneurship

I have written severally in the past about the need for farm CEOs to realize that they need to think like entrepreneurs, if they want to succeed – indeed excel.

My ideas have gotten me invited to speak to audiences at events like Yaba College or Technology’s Centre for Entrepreneurship Development.

That’s apart from many which have been republished across the web, since I began using article marketing in 2005.

With Farm CEOs, I have hammered on the need to develop competent sales and marketing know how. Too many of them still thing traditionally. They focus on producing and then start waiting for buyers to come. If you want the best prices, and you want to make timely sales, so as to maximize your farm output capacity, this is an aspect you cannot ignore.

My articles on entrepreneurship can help you.

4. Writing/Blogging

If you’ve been reading my writing for a while, you will know that I have repeatedly stated that farm CEOs need to adopt writing as a strategy for “farm business promotion”. Apart from being zero cost, more or less, it also helps them develop marketing credibility and ultimately achieve authority status.

Why is this important you ask?

Well, we are not all equally ambitious. But why come to the match if you don’t intend to give it your best shot? I argue that farm CEOs should aim to generate income via multiple channels – including those NOT directly related to farm product sales.

How? Well, sell your expertise as a Farm Business Expert. You are effectively already a consultant, by virtue of your being a farm CEO!

Get started by WRITING regularly, to share your experiences. Use a blog – at the least.

Don’t stay on paper – you’ll achieve less reach and impact. Tell readers about successes and failures and what you did to get there. As your writing evolves, package yourself to offer solutions to those aspiring to do what you do, or others who have begun, but need help.

E.g. business plan preparation, farm start-up consultations, feasibility studies, farm personnel training. You could write manuals to help others who come to you – they would pay – gladly too.

Because you already have a farm, they are likely to take you seriously. And when you ask them to pay, they will.

I say this as someone who still has not started a farm business, and yet get farm CEOs from within and outside Africa sending me payment for products and services I offer them.

Want to know more – or need help? Click here to send me a message.

5. Public Speaking

And lastly, people may wonder what concerns Farm CEOs with public speaking. Some may even ask how a farmer can possibly expect to be a speaker.

Well, I argue that if tie-wearing agriculture experts, who only lecture and do not run their own farms, can get paid to address audiences of farmers on farm business, then Farm CEOs can do the same too.

The thing is that too many people fail to think outside the box. Should farm owners, with the right training and preparation, not be able to SPEAK to audiences about what they do. Should they not be able to SHARE their experiences with researchers and farmers from other parts?

Think about it. Some farmers are making smart improvements in the way they run their businesses that others could benefit from.A Farm CEO who can prepare, package, promote and present his/her ideas attractively CAN get invited – as a paid speaker – to international conferences, to share his/her story.

You can plan to do it locally, and also internationally, making intelligent use of the web. And this can open doors to finding better (and bulk) buyers for your farm products in the process.

This is why I offer articles on public speaking. Read them and apply what you learn.

Want to know more – or need help? Click here to send me a message.

6. Self-Development

The study of 1 to 5 above will more or less be an exercise in self-development.

But it goes beyond that. Your physical, mental and emotional fitness also need attention. Regular physical exercise, along with diligent investment in leisure to eliminate stress is crucial to keep yourself going. You cannot afford to let yourself break down.

So many of my articles on Self-Development have been widely read and republished. You would do well to study them.

Final Words: As you can see, Farm CEOs will find some of the above useful at various times in life.

As with everything else, you may not have career concerns today, but a parenting challenge could be on your mind as you drive to your farm.

If you’re lucky, browsing through the parenting articles archives on this blog may turn up something useful (try it now).

Some other day, you may have received an invitation to deliver a talk on Poultry Farming to students in a university…..and you may be wondering how to go about it. The archives section of my Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter may come in handy.

In other words, I am saying that if you’re a farm CEO, virtually all the major products and services on tayosolagbade.com are created with YOU in mind. (No offence to my other clients in various industries, but farm businesses are my primary target audience.)

So, even when you see an article title that does not relate with farming, REMEMBER that you are first and foremost a human being. And you well being, your state of mind, will have an impact, directly or indirectly on your ability to run your farm business competently.

As such, anything that can affect you inn that regard needs to be carefully nurtured. This is why feeding yourself with useful tips, and information, to take care of those areas of your life would be a wise thing to do.

www.tayosolagbade.com offers you a continually growing library of potentially useful resources you can tap into.

Don’t be a stranger – visit daily and learn. In fact, go a step further and subscribe/join the mailing list, so you get notified when new stuff is published. You can only get better that you currently are!

My DN Travel News, Parenting, Self-Development

Speak Truth No Matter What (Especially When The Wellbeing of Others Depends On It!)

July 4, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

I don’t know about you. But in my part of the world, finding people willing to speak truth regardless of whose Ox is gored, is more difficult these days. Too many “good” people today do not want “trouble”. So, even when they see/hear outright evil being done to others, they keep quiet, and look the other way.

It is not my desire to become the saviour of the world – or “Power Rangers”(as my kids would say)…

However, in my own little way, I KNOW I can make a difference.

I draw inspiration from stories about people like Rosa Parks, in the days of racial segregation in the USA. She got “tired of giving in” and decided to challenge what others of her kind had long accepted as their lot.

Such people, and the progress their actions influenced, convince me it’s right to think like I do.

And I am trying – very hard – to pass this kind of thinking to my kids.

To be sure they get it right; I’ve constantly challenged them to apply what I teach them to me. And they do. They challenge me when I do wrong!

I however realize it will not be easy for them to practice this habit in the real world…So what does one do?

I say, do what you know God wants you to do – which is to speak truth and stand up for it at all times!

You see, I believe, from years of self-examination, and interaction with people of different races and walks of life, that God speaks to us all the time.

The problem is most of us have not been taught to LISTEN carefully enough to hear Him.

And I will add that unlike what happens in movies, when God speaks to each person, it is rarely, if at all ever, with a booming baritone voice!

Instead, most times, it can be the silent voice or subtle “prompt” or urge we feel, to do or say something. Very often, if we train ourselves to be more discerning we will find that our instincts are channelled right from our creator to us.

It is my considered opinion, that we tend to let our need to conform with the world, stop us from DOING what God quietly – in our hearts – tells us to do.

That’s why a man who hears someone (or a group of people) lying against a defenceless person, about the events that transpired before an accident, will keep quiet.

Deep inside him, the little voice or impulse to speak truth, would be noticeable.

He would KNOW it would be right to speak up and stop an innocent person from being punished unjustly.

But to avoid rejection or criticism from the larger group, he would say nothing, and later rationalize his action by saying: “It’s not my business”.

This mistake is one I have told my kids NEVER to make, asking them instead, to LISTEN for guidance from God on the inside.

My children have seen me practice what I preach several times (A True Story)

Several times while driving them in the car, I have stopped to intervene in a situation in which a commercial bike rider was getting beaten up by motor park touts, wanting to extort money from him. Quite often, I would get both parties to make up, and the rider allowed to go.

There have been times that I’ve been alone…

For instance, one night in 2012 (when I was till based in Nigeria), at about 10p.m, I was parked opposite a petrol station – just outside a neighbourhood police station.

In front of me was a commercial bike rider with his bike parked, buying something from a kiosk.

Suddenly, a fast moving bike, carrying 2 policemen, swerved off the road, and the officer seated behind, caught his trouser leg on the number plate of the parked bike, promptly tearing a hole in it.

Quickly stopping his bike man, the policeman got off the bike, and rained curses on the owner of the parked bike. Then he and his colleague began dragging both man and bike into the station.

I stood looking at them, not believing what was happening.

I’d seen it all, and knew it was not the fault of the parked bike’s owner.

Now, it was already late, and I was tired. And I could have said it was not my business.

But a voice inside of me told me, I had to do something.

So, I followed them into the station. And I made a point of telling both officers and their colleagues in the station that impounding the bike as they said they wanted to do would be unfair.

For over 1 hour (till close to midnight) we remained there. The bike man was pleading. I was challenging them to see reason. I did not flex muscles or threaten them. But I made it clear I would not leave if the right thing was not done.

At a point, one of the police officers asked me if the bike man was my friend.

I said NO.

He asked if he was my brother or relative.

Again I said NO.

He then asked if I have met him before or gotten to know him somewhere else.

Once again I said NO.

Looking at me as if I was crazy he said “So what is your business in this matter then?”

I replied that I was a citizen of Nigeria, and I had a right to offer help to a fellow citizen I identified to be in need of if – like the bike man. I added that I saw what transpired outside and was not prepared to let the young man be punished for something he did not do.

All this while, even the bike man had been looking at me with a strange expression on his face. It was obvious he was also shocked by what I was saying/doing.

To cut the long story short, he was eventually told to come back the next morning to pick up his bike.

We thanked them and as we went out, I told him to call me the next morning, so we would go together. That way, they would not try to get any money off him – something I had opposed when they muted it.

He agreed, and thanked me profusely after taking my phone number.

The next morning, I did not hear from him until AFTER he had picked up the bike.

When I asked why he did not call me, he said he did not want to disturb me, as I had done so much for him already.

I asked if he paid any money. He said they demanded about N1,000, and he gladly paid it – since it was well below the N2, 500 they had threatened to take from him the night before.

I sighed and told him he actually could have left without paying anything, but I congratulated him all the same on getting his bike back..

He once again thanked me and said all sorts of prayers in Yoruba to God, asking him to bless me.

I in turn challenged him to boldly challenge anyone who tried to exploit him in future, with the assurance that God would back him.

When the call ended, I never imagined I would run into him again…

But, I did – less than 2 months later!

And it was about 100 metres from the area the drama of the other night had happened.

However, I did NOT recognise him: He was the one who saw me from the other side of the road, and changed direction!

I’d taken my kids to visit my sister-in-law and her kids in the estate they lived. While they were having fun, I decided to go by public transport to buy a few things around the popular Berger area.

The bike man rode up and stopped in front of me, then greeted me in a familiar way in Yoruba. Seeing my blank expression, he smiled and said “You don’t remember me?”

I replied that I did not.

Then he reminded me about how I’d helped him at the Police Station. That was when it clicked. He was riding the same bike. It was still looking new.

We exchanged pleasantries, and he asked where I was headed. I told him I needed to buy a few things and return to the estate to join my family. Next thing I knew he offered…no let me rephrase that…he INSISTED on giving me a ride to Berger!

Then he waited till I finished buying all that I needed, and brought me right back to the estate.

I thanked him for his generosity, and tried to pay for the ride. He bluntly refused to accept money, and told me he would never forget what I did for him. Then he rode off!

Final Words: In challenging my kids to speak out and stand up for truth, I have told them this – and many other – stories.

And like I mentioned earlier, they have seen me practise what I preach many times.

I do what I do because I know that is what God expects of me.

What’s more I know that if/when I – or my loved ones – find ourselves in need of someone to speak truth on our behalf, what I do for others, will count in my favour.

Some do not believe it, but there are universal laws set by the Creator, which reward each one of us for our actions…or our inactions.

The rewards will come. They may not happen immediately, but they eventually will.

That’s why it is said that what goes around comes around (I believe that’s called Karma in some circles).

If we all keep the above in mind, and remember that our creator is bigger that ANY person or group, we will ALWAYS do his will, by standing up for truth at all times.

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

The Secret to Getting Things Done, Even When Busy (3 Tips on Smarter Self-Management for CEOs, Top Managers/Executives & Others)

July 3, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Some CEOs, top managers or executives get so busy they suffer exhaustion. I make no claims to being perfect, but NO JOB I’ve done in paid employment, or as an entrepreneur, has EVER overwhelmed me. Indeed, despite being often accused of doing too many things, I – very frequently – get it ALL done on time!

I share my “secret”(?) in this article

It was so when I worked in Guinness Nigeria: Yet I outperformed, and got promoted over, those who criticized me…!

And it has been so, since I became an entrepreneur. Yet I have often DELIVERED to deadlines on most projects I’ve taken on – WITHOUT needing to stop my own personal activities.

As you read this, I have 2 new client projects I’m working on: It so happens that out here in Cotonou (in addition to clients in Nigeria), I recently won 2 additional client companies.

These 2 opportunities did not come my way by accident. As the saying goes, success leaves a trail.

You see, last year, a legal consultant – who happens to be a director with the above mentioned private university – hired me to build an elaborate Web Marketing System based website for him.

He (along with his founding partner who also saw the finished work I did for him) took the decision to hire me to handle the university’s website project.

If I had not impressed them last year, I doubt they would have done that.

That’s not all.

Even the second client company is a result of a referral from the same person!

He is the CEO of the start-up outfit, and again decided he wanted me to handle it.

What’s more, he had no qualms making FULL payment for both projects, to me, 100% upfront!

If that’s not proof of unshakeable confidence in my abilities, I don’t know what else to call it!

The reason my client was so confident in hiring and paying me upfront to start 2 projects (and he’s NOT the only one who’s done so), is that he’s seen me do SO MANY different things at the same time, and NEVER get overwhelmed.

Not that I’m perfect, or a magician.

It’s just that we all have our strengths. Mine happens to be multi-tasking. I am a VERY quick learner, and very early on in life, I trained myself to be a quick thinker.

Then, by leveraging my physical fitness training from over a decade of playing competitive handball, I have enhanced my ability to push myself to deliver superlative work performances literally at will.

Let me try and paint a picture of my typical work week:

Every week I write at least ONE 500 to 2,000 word article per day, which I publish on this blog, each day. Sometimes I customize my Excel-VB Ration Formulator and my Feed Formulation Handbook for a client who orders it.

On certain occasions I may have a meeting with an offline client that requires being away from my work for 4 or more hours. On some days, sometimes consecutive, I have to respond to email enquiries that require a lot of thought, and sometimes a “presentation” page or two.

At other times I may be working on a website project or two (like right now). During the same week, I could travel to/from Nigeria, and still NOT miss publishing ANY articles while on the road!

Then of course I always find time to post marketing material and connect with others on social media. Those efforts on social media periodically yield sales leads that sometimes convert to actual sales.

Here’s a true story that illustrates my point: During a 2 month period late last year, I had to travel and conduct questionnaire surveys in Nigeria

It was for a 4,000 word agribusiness case study paper that I wrote and got paid 2,500 Euros for, by a European Union funded NGO based in Holland.

I wrote that paper and sent it in within the deadline. Then I had to re-write it to address feedback sent me by the reviewers, until it was accepted for publication. Yet, I NEVER stopped writing my daily article, weekly newsletter or any other tasks, all through that time.

Even when I’m feeling dead tired at 11:45 p.m, if I know I need to get an article out before midnight, or that I need to send out a list of names extracted from 89 questionnaires to a client, I NEVER stop until I achieve that goal.

That’s the power of smart self-management!

I could go on, but you get the drift!

How do I do all that and NOT get overwhelmed or exhausted?

The truth is that it’s not at that moment that I do what enables me deliver such performances.

I often do most of what helps me Go The Extra Mile (GTEM) ™ like that, WAY before then…

Indeed, some of the personal routines and “rituals” I engage in early in the morning, and all through the day before, often end up being what enable me succeed like I do, much later on.

That’s why, rather than feel tired, I start each new day rearing to go, and I NEVER need special drinks or medication.

The Problem: Many CEOs/top decision makers, by nature of their roles/responsibilities, cannot avoid being busy…

They often have so many people demanding their time and attention. And when those people depart (say after close of work) they frequently find themselves faced with mountains of paper work they have to plough through.

Most of it can rarely be done absent-mindedly, as doing so could result in potentially costly errors.

So, the tired top man or woman begins to give up some hours sleep, and at a point gives in to the need to depend on Coffee – or some other “helper” – to keep going.

The next day, the lack of sleep, and use of caffeine based drinks leaves the CEO feeling a bit dull on the way to work. To overcome that feeling, and get into the mood for work, s/he may reach for some other “helper” e.g. an energy drink, and is soon feeling ”better”.

But if truth be told, the body will NOT be denied what it needs

No matter how strong or tough you are, and no matter how refined the stuff you ingest is, the truth is that ANYTHING that prevents the human body from getting the proper rest it needs is BAD for it.

It will just be a matter of time before the body takes its revenge on the owner who abuses it that way!

That’s when we hear of the boss landing in hospital from exhaustion, or a mild illness graduating into something that requires him/her to stay away from work for prolonged periods.

But how can one avoid – or overcome – this scary problem?

**The solution is to adopt a disciplined NATURAL approach to self-managed performance delivery.**

What does this entail?

Simple really. Here are basic steps I recommend, based on what I have done for over 2 decades, in the course of delivering high performing work related output:

First:

Adopt a daily routine of simple, but intense 10 to 30 minutes of physical exercise FIRST thing in the morning.

Combine that with eating strictly natural foods eating all day. Cut down on the fancy fast food stuff!

Add to that, an uncompromising commitment to giving your body SLEEP whenever it asks for it.

Second:

Adopt the smart use of PC and Internet technology to make your personal and work life easier.

Either you commit to learning how to use them to get more work done, as creatively as possible, or you get someone who knows how to become your personal work assistant.

Whatever you decide, the objective will be to REDUCE the hours your spend doing anything routine and repetitive or mundane – especially paper work.

Three:

Make an investment in developing personal productivity skills like Speed Reading, Brain Training, and use of Mind Mapping.

This can boost your ability to think and get work done as much as 4 times over. I do NOT exaggerate.

Many times I have had to explain to others reading on a PC screen along with me, why I’d scrolled to the next page when they were not even half way down.

Busy people at top decision making levels often have to read a lot of documents, which require good comprehension, before action can be taken.

Those who are slow readers suffer a lot because of this. An investment in learning speed reading can make a world of difference to their productivity.

Clients are often shocked at how quickly I consume material they give me, and turn around to creatively use it generating website copy/content for them!

That’s because I am a speed reader. Become one, and you’ll COMPETENTLY get through any pile of papers in record time, compared to how you do now!

And for those who have to remember a lot of things…!

For instance, instructions they’ve given to subordinates, what they promised their kids or spouses, things they want to check online or on the company premises:

Mind Maps can be VERY useful. Especially when combined with what I call “Planned Activity Tracking Sheets”.

The above are key tools and strategies I use in an ever changing series of combinations to continually deliver a high level of performances, without letting my health suffer.

It is because of them that I am ALWAYS able to honour invitations to social events, without suffering any negative effects in my work afterwards.

They are also why I am consistently able to make out time to plan and implement all sorts of coaching exercises for my kids.

Very rarely do I visit home, even when it is for work, without getting them started on something new and exciting that I’ve found out.

And I also rarely fail to check their progress with past projects, pushing them to move to the next level.

Final Words: It is crucial that we maintain a healthy balance in our personal and work lives!

If you are a CEO, manager, director, corporate executive or just a busy person, in ANY field whatsoever, and you are battling to keep yourself from being overwhelmed, I recommend my ideas to YOU!

If you need help making successful use of them, click here to let me know, and we’ll work out a way I can help you.

That is after all, why I call myself a Performance Improvement Specialist.

Want to invite me to deliver a talk to (or organise a workshop for) members of your club or group/organisation on how to use the ideas described in this article(especially Mind Mapping, Brain Training and Speed Reading)?

Click here to send me a request.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Self-Development

Without Adversity, Meaningful Achievement Would Cease to Exist (Why It Is UNWISE to Wish That You Never Fail Again!)

July 2, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

“If it were not for adversity (which has a habit of getting in our way via delays, disappointments, setbacks and failure), the business of achieving AUTHENTIC success, would progress much more quickly and easily for EVERYONE!” – Tayo K. Solagbade

FACT: If adversity stopped showing up, meaningful achievement would no longer exist…!

That’s the truth – and I’m paraphrasing Jim Rohn using the above phrase.

You see, if everything became so easy, the world would simply get over crowded with mediocre persons parading what would otherwise be questionable success trophies. Sooner than later, we would begin to pay the price.

That’s why I tell those who say “Failure is not my portion” or who get prayed for to NEVER fail again, that they might as well say goodbye to authentic success at the same time. Without failure you’re VERY unlikely to achieve it!

Imagine what it takes to qualify to drive a car on the roads….

In most societies, people have to undergo a series of tests – theoretical and practical – to qualify to hold a driver’s license. This process ensures that those who eventually get the go ahead to drive cars on the road will not constitute themselves into a danger to themselves or others.

I have met people who complained about the strict system run in places like the UK, for assessing competence of persons to hold a driver’s license.

Getting it requires meeting a challenging set of standards.

Now, even after you’ve gotten the licence, misbehaving behind the wheel, while driving, can cost you “points”. And if you make a habit of getting into too much trouble, and lose too many points, you could lose the license!

All of these keep holders of licenses on their toes. It also ensures that the roads remain generally free from chaos, and dangers are kept to a minimum.

Those who complain about the strict regulatory procedures put in place, can be said to see them as some form of “adversity”.

That is, some form of difficulty put in their way, as they try to achieve their aim of getting the license. Those procedures also “annoy” others who already hold licenses, but are not keen to observe the driving rules to the letter.

If such people had their way, a little bending of those rules for their benefit would not be a bad idea. If they found themselves in decision making positions, to effect such modifications to the rules, some of them would probably do so.

And subsequently, all sorts of wrong people would begin to get the go ahead to drive cars on the road. Suddenly, driving mishaps would begin to happen more often. And it would not longer be so safe to drive around or even walk the roads, compared to when things were done right.

Whenever I visit home, I look at driving as it is done on Lagos roads and I see this kind of “chaotic” driving situations playing out daily.

Here in Benin Republic, people drive cars alongside persons who ride motorbikes. Very rarely do you see them cross paths, talk less of hurling insults at one another for reckless driving. And seldom do accidents of any sort (bike or car related) happen.

It’s all about the culture.

The rules that guide qualifying to get a license out here are more diligently enforced than they are in Nigeria – Lagos especially.

They are not perfect here, but those in charge in Benin, endeavour to ensure considerable compliance on the part of those who apply for licences.

In Lagos, there is effort being made to do that, by the Road Safety Corps.

However pockets of unregulated activities still happen on a considerable scale, to enable some people get licenses without even doing any tests.

Since they did not have to undergo the “preparation” needed to ensure they attained driving competence, they naturally end up making all sorts of driving mistakes on the road.

I would add that a person who chooses to NOT take the test, could, for his/her own safety at least make out time to do some self-studying of driving rules, and also self-tutoring in his/her private time. This would enable him/her achieve some reasonable driving competence.

Sadly, too many people feel too much in a hurry to bother about putting in the needed work to acquire the competence required to succeed in a chosen endeavour.

That attitude drives them in every area of life. And it ends up pushing them to cut corners at every opportunity.

The truth remains that anyone who desires to be truly competent needs to embrace adversity or difficulty.

S/he will have to accept that competence is unlikely to “come” to him/her, quickly or easily. That is the requirement for developing the competence needed to succeed. You must have a willingness to invest time, and effort to overcome adversity that will inevitably confront you in one form or another.

Even during a private push up session, adversity shows up in form of the pain you feel in your arm muscles.

When pain comes, it’s a sign that you’re building new muscles. That’s why when you finish, you feel as if your arms/biceps are a bit “inflated”. If you stop before you feel any pain, you’ll notice you don’t feel like you’ve done anything.

That’s why the saying “No pain. No gain” is so apt in every area of life.

If you do not exert yourself, you simply cannot reasonably hope to improve yourself enough to succeed.

Final Words: Farm Business CEOs must also observe this rule!

I’ve written in past articles about how my interaction with many farm business owners has revealed that many lack basic know how about the enterprises they run.

So much so, that they make avoidable – yet potentially costly – mistakes in a bid to improve farm performance.

This is why I’m now writing a “Quick Start Guide for Poultry Farm Business”

One version will cater to owners of Broiler Farms, and another to CEOs of Layer Farm operations.

If you’d like to be notified when it becomes available, click here to let me know.

Entrepreneurship, General, My DN Travel News, My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better, Self-Development

Life is NOT a Competition to Be Won at All Costs (Be It In Business or Society at Large)

July 1, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

UPDATE: 4th October 2024

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Click https://youtu.be/llt2Ph1ykhg to listen to the audio on my YouTube Channel.

2. DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION: Click HERE now.

A client once said to me (not exact words):

“Tayo, over-invoicing will not reduce the money you make from a project. The person who requests that you inflate your invoice amount over your actual fee, simply wants a piece of the action. When payment is approved by the company, you still get paid what you charged.”

I replied to say I would NOT accept to put an amount on my signed invoice, that was different from my officially quoted fee for the job. Anyone who wanted that would have to get someone else to do the job.

I had just finished work on an Excel-VB application I built for his company…

It was an automated spreadsheet based version of a massive 2 part reference document used by professionals in a certain industry. He had engaged me to develop the app, branded in his company’s name, so he could sell it to a large multinational client of his.

As a consultant, he worked with client companies to make use of that voluminous reference document, in tackling a variety of work related crisis or disaster situations.

Due to the sensitive nature of the work to be done, it was imperative that each client’s responsible officers equip themselves with the ability to quickly find needed information in the document. This was however quite difficult to do using the 2 volume paper version.

When he saw the cost-effective applications I’d built for other clients using MS Excel-Visual Basic, he asked if I could develop an easily retrievable dynamic spreadsheet database version. I told him I could. We negotiated, and he agreed to pay N100,000 in full upfront, so I could deliver the app in 10 days.

On the day our discussion happened, I’d delivered the completed app on CDROM to him. Before then I’d successfully completed a web development project for him, for the same amount.

However, before we parted, he noted that I was so good at what I did, but that with the views I held, it was unlikely I would get big client projects that would reward my skills handsomely.

We had been down that road before. I knew what he was getting at.

I had been with him, when a client representative called and demanded “more” than had been originally agreed, before a discussed project he had put in a bid for, would be awarded to him. After he ended the call, he’d grumbled to me that the man was greedy, but that he had no choice but to give in.

I’d told him we all have choices, noting that personally, with faith in my abilities and the confidence that the creator rewards honestly and integrity, I would resist such advances. But I added that I was not judging him in any way, since we both knew what doing business in the Nigerian society was like.

He was however not satisfied – choosing to literally lecture me about over-invoicing, and why it was not as bad as I made it out to be.

That day, we parted ways smiling. But I’d stuck to my views.

You see, all my life I’d gotten ahead in every endeavour I ventured into, without cutting any corners.

And I was resolute in ensuring that I did that. Today, I remain resolute in ensuring I DO that!

This drive of mine comes from the VERY vivid memories I have of my pre-teen and teenage years when I repeatedly got into avoidable trouble, giving my parents a lot of heartache.

After I got suspended for 2 weeks, for abusing my privileges as Health Prefect, in secondary school, I vowed NEVER to knowingly do wrong again – regardless of pressures.

And I have stayed true to my promise.

But here’s the irony: The society which had rebuked me repeatedly in my formative years, for doing wrong, has dramatically evolved since then to one that no longer holds those values dear.

Back then, even though things were not perfect, people still prided themselves in making money via honest means. They still challenged their children for cheating, stealing, etc.

Today, in Nigeria, most parents do the exact opposite.

Click here to read a recent article I wrote that describes a shocking incident (during the 2014 JAMB exams) that symbolises the widespread decay in today’s Nigeria.

In virtually all facets of society today, it is now almost suicidal to openly or publicly adopt a stance of being incorruptible. And being willing to do the right and honourable thing has a way of making a person more enemies than friends – even among the Nigerians one aims to help by doing so.

A recent example would appear to be the bizarre result of the just concluded Ekiti state governorship elections. Click the preceding link to read a poem by Prof. Niyi Osundare, who ridiculed his fellow Ekiti kinsman (the “winner” of the election), in a poem titled “The People Voted their Stomach-Blues for an Arrested Renaissance”.

The above confirms what I’m saying, that those who do right, with honesty and integrity in Nigeria, (I mean those who actually PRACTICE what they PREACH!) often – though not always – end up being the ones who succeed the least.

Those who cheat, steal, lie, deceive, extort, exploit etc, are today the ones who make more money, who get high exams scores, who gain top admission slots, who pass interviews into the best paying jobs etc.

As a start-up entrepreneur, back when this client of mine spoke with me, I recall many others I interacted with offered me “wise” advice against continuing the way I was headed.

He’d told me I would find it hard to breakthrough. He’d asked me to think of how that would affect my family – in terms of my ability to earn enough to care for them.

The others echoed his “wise warnings” as well. And that included relatives and friends.

One person, a fellow volunteer with an NGO had bluntly told me “Tayo’ people like you end up being frustrated out of Nigeria!”.

[NB: Hmmm…maybe he was right. I am actually doing better today because I moved out of Nigeria. But contrary to conventional wisdom/practice, I did not have to relocate to Europe or America. Just a short trip to neighbouring Benin Republic was enough to enable me get better results for my efforts! And here’s the irony of it all: Over 80% of my clients/buyers are Nigerian CEOs based in Nigeria!]

If truth be told, none of what they said has turned out to be a lie.

I have experienced the full treatment. 99.95% of Nigerians I have had to do business with have displayed the habits I was warned about.

As a result I have suffered great bouts of severe cash shortages, and experienced countless heart-breaking struggles. All because I chose to be upright in my business dealings.

Now, some people will read this article and argue that I’m trying to make myself look like a saint.

They will also claim they have done what I say I’ve been doing.

Well, I can only speak for myself.

However, if you have boldly insisted on not doing any of the dirty nonsense that quietly goes on in the business world and general society of Nigeria, then you cannot deny that those who follow that path often suffer great hardships, and most fail as a result.

Only persons with a rare brand of courage and persistence (to paraphrase James R. Cook, author of The Start-up Entrepreneur), can survive doing business in Nigeria, without cutting corners of any sort.

And they will be people willing to endure humiliation and deprivation on many fronts, for prolonged periods.

In my experience, such people are hard to find in Nigeria. Or indeed across the African continent.

I’m not judging here. Just stating my observations based on 12 solid years of relating with people across this geographical space as I have pursued my dream.

Yet, my success today, proves it can be done: And that my approach ensures LONG TERM repeatable achievement of authentic success.

The only challenge adopting it may pose is that it is SLOW. Often it can be VERY slow…

…Most people out here don’t like THAT!

I still recall my above mentioned client gleefully driving down to show off a new (imported second hand) car he’d bought just after getting paid by his multinational client company.

It amused me to see that he thought doing so would impress or sway me. He did not say so. But his body language shouted it so loud it was deafening.

I felt so sorry for him – because past experience had taught me that anytime one gets something one had not earned, universally applicable laws begin to SILENTLY exert their influence to redress that imbalance.

You may not know it, but one way or another, you will eventually pay the penalty for it. What’s more, since you did not earn it, you will perpetually lack the competence to repeat that “success”.

And so, to record more of such successes, you will be forced to do the crooked things you did before. Sooner than later, you will be unable to do without doing it.

You will effectively become a phoney.

It does not matter if only you know it. What matters is that in your heart the truth will be obvious – and of course your creator will be just as aware as you.

I do not do religion. But I have a VERY close relationship with my creator. And it is with his guidance that I have found the direction to build my brand, and succeed progressively – in spite of great adversity – the way I do today.

My faith keeps working for me. And the results are obvious.

The resulting competence I have, enables me bounce back from setbacks to new heights of success.

This is why I am literally unstoppable today!

And now, more people are discovering me, and reaching out to benefit from my knowledge and expertise, by inviting me to speak to their team members.

They invite me unconditionally. I never need to offer them any gratification, and they readily pay my fees to hear me speak, or to hire me to implement solutions for them.

That says it all doesn’t it?

Final Words: That is what I like to call being AUTHENTICALLY successful!

I’d rather take 12 years to achieve that, than do over-invoicing, or any other naughty things, so I can build a house in 5 years.

Many people do not realize it’s futile to be in a hurry to succeed. There’s no point competing to get to “success” before others.

Life is NOT a competition you have to win ahead of others at all costs.

We all have our roles to play in this world. Be it in business or society at large. What another person does cannot stop you doing what you are meant to do.

I wish you well as you pursue your definition of success in life – and I hope your faith in the creator will make you take the honourable path to achieve it

Good luck!

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

No. 148: To Succeed, NEVER Let Worry Dominate Your Thoughts

June 30, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

On Monday 29th October 2001 at 2.00am in the morning, armed robbers “visited” the house where I was living with my family on Ikpoba Hill in Benin City. These guys numbered about five and ALL carried sawed-off shotguns! They didn’t call out for us to come and open the gates – they simply blew the locks off!

I’ll spare you the near-gory details…

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Click now to view the latest issue of Tayo Solagbade's Public Speaking IDEAS page

Publication: Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Newsletter

Date: Monday 30th June 2014

No:148

Title: To Succeed, NEVER Let Worry Dominate Your Thoughts

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/sdnuggets

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

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

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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. 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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IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS newsletter is published online on the “reincarnated” version of my Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. I continue to put finishing touches to the content. If you encounter ANY bad/dead links, and you can spare the time, email it to me via tayo at tksola dot com. Thanks in advance

No. 148: To Succeed, NEVER Let Worry Dominate Your Thoughts

I’ll spare you the near-gory details…

…but I’ll tell you that they – more or less leisurely – went round all four apartments in the block and took all that could be taken.

In the end, they asked for the keys to my car (I had just bought it in August!!) and packed all the loot they had collected into it, eventually driving off at 4.30am. I honestly doubt that you can fully appreciate how traumatic it was for everyone involved.

I had my wife, my two and half year old son, as well as my 6-month-old baby with me that night.

As soon as we had confirmed that no one needed any emergency medical attention amongst the neighbours, we all went back in and WAITED till dawn broke.

Soon as it was light, (in true Nigerian fashion) people began pouring into the compound to “look” and say “Ah sorry O” etc.

Fortunately, I had other things that needed to be done quickly, and so easily excused myself from attending to any of the “news gatherers”. By 6.30am I was already on my way to the brewery where I immediately set out to do the following:

1. Prepare and circulate the department’s weekly report to all heads of departments. (My boss – Nic Bathie – the Technical Manager, was away on leave and I was covering for him).

2. Check and confirm the arrival of an expatriate training consultant due in Lagos from South Africa the night before. I needed to ascertain that she had been met at the airport and taken to the Lagos Sheraton Hotel as arranged.

3. Type and print out a list of the tasks I had planned to do for that day(before robbers forced a change of priorities on me!). I then left written instructions for one of my direct reports to implement them till my return.

4. To leave a note about the armed robbery incident for the brewery management, so they would understand why I would not be at the 9.00am brewery management meeting. Incidentally, my 3 neighbours in the same compound who had also been visited by the robbers were also Guinness staff, so I had to mention in my note that they would not be coming in to work for at least that day.

5. To help one of my neighbors telephone her husband (who was about 5 hours away in Port Harcourt) and inform him of what had happened.

I did all the above, and returned to the house at about 8.30 am.

Eventually, we got the police informed, and by the evening of the same day, we found my car abandoned somewhere in town – exactly where – quite surprisingly – one of the robbers had told me they would leave it!!

That’s another thing I still marvel about…

As they left, one of the robbers had actually returned and bent over me where I lay on the floor to whisper “Oga (i.e. “Boss”) don’t worry, we don’t need your car. We will leave it for you at Uselu market area” into my ears. “Some robbers do have hearts!” I said to myself. And for a long time after that incident I could not shake off a nagging feeling that the chap actually knew me personally.

I returned to work the afternoon of that same day…

This was due to a lot of issues arising, which required my involvement, since my boss was away.

I had checked with my wife and she assured me she would be okay.

The only thing was that we later decided to move into a hotel in the city center for a few days to make it easier for everyone to recover – especially after the robbers made another visit a week later!! (Sadly, their hearts were not good enough to make them stop doing their evil).

When I got back to work, not only did I do my work normally, but I also had many colleagues who spoke with me that same day come back to me hours later to ask: “Hey, Tayo! Is it true that….etc etc?”

After I’d answered in the affirmative, they would then go on to express surprise that I failed to tell them, or even behave as if something that serious had happened to me when they had met me previously!

I acted that way because I knew if I readily told people that kind of thing, it would not in anyway help matters.

They would only offer (unnecessary) expressions of sympathy etc and make visits to my home that would repeatedly remind me and my wife of the nasty experience (people always want to hear you tell exactly how it happened).

My wife would also have had to attend to guests, offer refreshments etc INSTEAD of resting and recovering from the shock.

So you see, I knew it would not help, and I decided not to tell people except a few close persons who needed to know.

Apart from the car, we never recovered all the other stuff that was taken away and I never let it bother me one bit.

In fact, it was just 2 days AFTER the robbery incident that I handed my resignation letter to the head of the brewery(Andy Jones) – in line with my plans.

If I had been significantly affected by that experience, you will agree with me that I would not have had the courage to continue with my plan to leave my job.

This is especially significant when one considers that I left, not for the security of a better job, but to the uncertain and risky option of starting-up my own business!

That is the power of having a MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION – nothing could make me change my mind about going ahead!!

So, by going back to work fairly quickly, and getting actively engaged in it, I was able to overcome the worry and fear resulting from the traumatic experiences I and my entire family had been through.

I must admit that having a VERY emotionally stable wife, and mother of my kids helped tremendously.

Nkechi’s calmness and self-control all through the two “visits” had amazed me beyond words!

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“Work, work, work, always work, is the only talisman” – Thomas Lipton

“I have always found, when I was worrying, that the best thing to do was to put my mind upon something, work hard and forget what was troubling me” – Thomas Edison

“If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed” – Anon

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Final Words: Being a good speaker is one thing. But being able to deliver a great speech, regardless of the circumstances you experience, is quite another thing.

As experts-who-speak, maintaining clarity of thought, is a crucial requirement for delivering a success talk or lecture. When you let unpleasant or difficult circumstances distort your state of mind, your ability to deliver your message impact-fully is very likely to suffer.

In this article, I have explained, using a personal story, how you can maintain firm control of your emotions and thoughts, in order to carry out any tasks you need to.

Even though the examples I used did not include doing any formal speaking, I can tell you that I have achieved successful speaking impact, in spite of exposure to severe adversity, and even major crises, over the years.

Simply put, the ideas shared here will WORK under any situation or circumstances. I therefore urge you to make good use of them.

PS: This article is based on excerpts from my Self-Development Bible™ titled “Ten Ways You Can Use Self-Development to Create The Future You Want“. You can get the full book in print (delivered to you in a box, anywhere in the world) from my online store at Lulu.com. Or you can signup to join my mailing list, to get a full book in PDF format.

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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

Tayo K. Solagbade is a Location Independent Performance Improvement 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 organisations 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).

Tayo is the author of the Self-Development (SD) Bible™ and the popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook. He is also the developer of its accompanying Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator™ and the Poultry Farm Manager™ software.

He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organisations, 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 as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, and then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

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 Limited.

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 his Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS

newsletter(which he uses to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

You can connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

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.

Click “Tayo, What Happened to SpontaneousDevelopmentDotCom ?” to read a detailed narrative about how the above event occurred :-))

Here’s an article Tayo wrote, to inspire others to defy adversity, and bounce back to even greater reckoning at what they do EVERY time:

Succeed by Emerging from Adversity Like a Phoenix (TayoSolagbade.com launches extra Hosting plan with FREE Web Marketing!)

And he wrote the one below, to explain why losing a domain name, no matter how old NO LONGER determines your online success or otherwise:

A Proven Strategy to Find Profitable Buyers Regardless of Your Domain Name

==================

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THEY WROTE…

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

—————————–

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

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

———————–

Click here to contact Tayo…




SD Nuggets Blog™	New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking[Monday]:	No. 147: Some Startup CEOs Fail to Do the Easiest Self-Preparation Needed (How to Help Them)
Entrepreneurship[Tuesday]:	Should You Sell 3rd Party Adverts Or Your Own Content?
Self-Development [Wednesday]:	How To Make Yourself IMMUNE To FRUSTRATION!
Entrepreneurship[Thursday]:	CEO Ineptitude Will Stunt Any Company’s Growth (9 Signs to Look Out For!)
General [Friday]:	Help Your Child to NEVER “Need” a Job
Writing/Blogging/Entrepreneurship [Saturday]:	To Succeed, Let Your Reputation Precede and Speak for You
Want me to write for you? Click here to send me a message

Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring

for Africa Based Experts(PDF…Click!)

Entrepreneurship, General, My DN Travel News, Public Speaking, Self-Development

To Succeed, Let Your Reputation Precede and Speak for You

June 28, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Today, I delivered a one hour talk to members of the media unit of (name removed for privacy) Foundation, in Ota, Ogun State Nigeria. It was a small group. But no speaking event is EVER small. As such, I prepared for it like I was going to speak to members of a CEOs club.

It pays to always show up as represented…and I share a true story that confirms this, in the rest of this piece…

Here’s something that’s very useful to keep in mind.

When potential clients are considering your services they often have fears that influence their decision making.

Among other things, they want to make sure they get what they pay for. And they also want to see how they can pay a reasonable fee (read: as little as possible) to get everything they want.

To get chosen by profitable clients, you have to make yourself stand out from the crowd, by having a unique offering that’s hard to ignore.

Let me explain by sharing details of a discussion I had with a “friend” who referred me to a new client. He said the client had received enquiries from potential partner organizations about teaming up.

However, the latter wanted to learn more about the client’s organization, so they could be sure they were on the right track. Not surprisingly, they asked for a website – among other things.

The client told my “friend”, who happened to be a member of the board. The latter went out to speak with several website developers. But, according to him, each one he spoke with did not say anything like what he knew I always told my clients I would do for them.

For instance, I explain that what I deliver as a website will, if used as I advice it should, help the client make more profits by LOWERING cost of sales leads generation, while boosting marketing reach and impact.

That’s a 2-in-1 offer right there.

Either way, the client knows such a website is likely to leave him/her better off at any point in time. And s/he will not be willing to pass it up.

However, I don’t just say it with words. I actually offer real life examples, case studies and true personal stories, to back up my claims. This was what my friend knew, that made him struggle to accept what the website developers he spoke with told him.

He told me the enquiries from the prospective partners indicated only a website with the features I described would be best to present to them. So he told the client it would be best to contact me, and find out what it would take to have me build such a website for them.

We had a meeting, and the client upon speaking with me, decided he wanted me to handle development of what I told him would be a Web Marketing System.

Everything I have said above relates to the NGO I spoke in this afternoon. And the “friend” I mentioned is actually a relative (my uncle to be specific).

At the end of the talk, I began preparing the following files to burn on to the DVD I promised to leave for them to study:

1. The Power Point presentation file (which I never used) for my talk titled “Now That Your Website Is Up,. What Do You Do Next? Practical Ideas for Making Profitable Use of a Response Generating Website”.

2. Three MP3 audio files for my 3 part series titled “Why You Need a Web Marketing System(WMS)”

3. A PDF version of my article (on which the talk is based) titled “Now That Your Website Is Up,. What Do You Do Next?”

NB: To get copies of one or more of the above, click here to send me a request.

While I was burning the files on to the DVD using my laptop, the client walked up and said “What will you need to get started on building the website”…and I told him…

You will agree with me, that he would NOT have asked that question if I had failed to deliver a talk that convinced him going ahead would be okay.

And that’s what it means to show up as represented!

First, he was told about me by someone else. Then during a first meeting, I impressed him enough to make him ask how much it would cost to have a WMS developed and implemented for his organization.

What’s more, he was so enthused about the ideas I shared that he requested that I deliver a PAID talk to members of his team, so they could adopt the required mind set I told him was needed to make effective use of the WMS.

Then after I delivered that talk, he was satisfied enough with what he’d heard, that he went on to ask what I would need to start work on the website!

See how it began as a probable sale, and now it’s headed towards a full sale. At each stage I simply had to show up as represented.

If you want to be able to boost your chances of winning prospects over (even if you’re a NGO, this applies!), use this approach. It never fails.

Final Words: If you want to really do it right, you WILL need to develop and implement a WMS with which you will subtly “sell” yourself.

Most of what I said to my client at our first meeting, and the audience during my talk, was based on successes I achieved with my WMS.

I simply told one relevant story after another to reinforce the points I had to make at every stage. And it worked. It will always work. You just need to know how to use it.

If you’d like to learn HOW, click here to tell me.

My DN Travel News, Parenting, Self-Development

Help Your Child to NEVER “Need” a Job

June 27, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

I am now fully convinced that conventional schooling involves a subtle but severe form of brainwashing. And that’s why otherwise intelligent people who have undergone it sometimes display a baffling tendency to act like mindless robots!

And they do so, despite seeing it failing, more often that it succeeds, in today’s world!

I know of one parent, who not only made his kids undergo the entire traditional schooling process. He also sent the kids abroad, as used to be done years ago, to pursue master’s degree programmes, with a view to boosting their chances of getting jobs.

In fact, they kids started by trying to get employment while still abroad. For over a year, they tried. Nothing lasting came of it. All the while, keeping them there was costing their parents large sums of money. Still they kept hoping coming from abroad with degrees from foreign universities would open doors of high paying employment to them.

When they came back home however, it did not happen as they’d expected.

For one thing, their kids were not the only ones who were coming home with qualifications obtained from foreign schools.

Many other parents who thought like them also had their own kids doing the same thing.

But that was not all. The global economic crisis had made many in Diaspora begin to return home. Some had lost their jobs. Others had found themselves underemployed.

Most had earned qualifications while abroad, and had also spent years – decades in some cases – working at high profile jobs.

So, they brought with them a superior mix of competence and experience. And they came home prepared to settle for less paying jobs which offered greater security compared to the scary scenarios that had faced them abroad.

Now, many of these Diaspora professionals would not readily admit this was the main reason they had chosen to return home. Instead they argued that they felt a need to come back to contribute to developing the country.

Whatever the case, the important thing to note is that they basically competed (and compete) for the increasingly limited employment opportunities in the Nigerian market.

This naturally put(s) the home grown job seekers at a major disadvantage. Especially given the shaky quality of the graduates being churned out from Nigeria’s local institutions.

Most companies cannot help but go for the better trained and more experienced returnees. And this is the sad predicament that faces many young people who undergo conventional schooling today

Today, many young people enter the real world, after schooling, to find no one seems to want them.

The sad thing about the situation is that no one warned them about it happening either. All the while they were undergoing the various levels of formal schooling, their parents told them to work hard at it.

Their lecturers and teachers challenged them to meet all the demands made of them. They were told to think of how bright a future awaited them if they finished well.

Unfortunately, even those who were telling them to do all these things had long passed the route, and were not in tune with the latest developments and realities.

At least not from the perspective of a persons just starting out in life.

And this is why I believe parents have to act more responsibly, realistically and sensibly.

As I type these words, I can still recall very vividly, how I had been laughed at SO MANY TIMES in my life as an entrepreneur, by people who used to admire me.

They laughed at, and mock me, often behind my back, and sometimes to my face.

Why?

Because they saw me struggling to make an impact in the real world as an entrepreneur. For all my academic brilliance and intelligence, I was for many years unable to unravel the mysteries of doing business in the real world. Especially the real – and VERY crooked – world of Nigeria, my country.

In developed climes, as many others have noted, my creative abilities would have earned my greater traction much earlier.

Also, recognition – and support – from others who value innovative talents, would have come my way faster. Unfortunately, I did not have that benefit, being based in Nigeria.

Now, one would have thought those who saw me excel in school, from my childhood days right through university, and those who saw me excel in paid employment after that, would have rallied round me.

They never did. Instead they made fun of me.

Not all of them. But VERY many of them. And I found it so difficult to understand, because I knew I would never do that to anyone. Instead, I would have wanted to find a way to help anyone in such a situation, who I see working with diligence and integrity, to find a way to succeed.

For well over a decade, I have studied those who did these things, and come to the conclusion that the schooling systems we were all expose to, is what makes people that way.

It makes them lose their emotional intelligence. At least most of it.

They forget how to put themselves in the shoes of others. Instead they delight in making fun of others in misfortune.

That negatively competitive spirit is promoted in the conventional schooling system.

I do NOT want my kids to become like that. And I also do not want them to be treated the way I have been treated. That is why I have, for years, been telling them the stories of my entrepreneurial failures, and asking them to compare it with my time in school and paid employment where I excelled.

Using those examples, I have been challenging them to LEARN real world relevant skills to complement the academic training they get via conventional schooling.

If you’ve been reading my parenting articles, you will know I’ve shared many stories about the successes I’m achieving with this approach.

My dream is to one day have a family owned business run by me and my kids.

Each one of them will bring his talent based expertise to bear in managing the enterprise (which is to be a farm products based restaurant outfit).

The fact that they already make and sell their own drinks and cakes is proof that we are well on our way. When they finish school, they will each have been running their own micro businesses, in addition to contributing to running the family business as well.

Bottom line is this: They will NEVER need to go looking for employment anywhere.

If they decide not to run their own businesses independently, the family business will be there for them to join. Either way, going into the labour market, to compete for jobs with others who – in a place like Nigeria – would sometimes have paid their way to get degree certificates etc, will NOT appeal to them!

Final Words: This article was written as a wake up call of sorts, for any parents who are still on the fence about taking ownership of providing real world relevant education for their kids.

I urge you to start doing it now, or as early as possible, so your child can be sure of the best possible preparation for the many challenges s/he is bound to face as an adult.

Don’t leave this important job to the school or teachers. Believe me, very few of them know (or care) about this problem. You are the one who has a stake in your child’s life. It is more of YOUR business, than theirs.

For the sake of your child, PLEASE take action from today!

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

CEO Ineptitude Will Stunt Any Company’s Growth (9 Signs to Look Out For!)

June 26, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Since 2002, I have carefully compared my experiences as an entrepreneur, with my time in paid employment. Especially with regard to the most frequent cause of failure, amongst senior managers and CEOs of small/medium businesses I interacted with on both sides.

I was shocked to discover that INEPTITUDE – on the part of these top decision makers – was the major cause of failure!

That is, a total lack of skill in the very endeavour they are responsible for managing to profitability or productivity.

If you find it difficult to understand how a CEO can be inept in the manner I have described above, be assured that you are not alone in feeling this way!

I struggled with myself for years to BELIEVE what my eyes saw and ears heard as I worked closely with some (NOT ALL) of these people.

Believe me when I say some mothers – sorry, I mean "companies" – do ‘ave them!

What would you say about the decision making competence of a CEO, who pays well over N250, 000 over a 6 month period, to a software developer, but fails to ensure himself or ANY of his staff can competently make use of the application delivered (And that’s despite extensive efforts by the developer to provide on site, hands on training)?

The above (true story) is just one example of how a CEO can be inept.

Now, if you owned shares in such a company, would you feel confident that your investment would be well managed to yield beneficial returns?

I know I would not – and I am certain most others would feel the same way.

Now, this lack of skill or ineptitude is rarely an accident. Instead it is often the result of a lack of discipline – particularly mental discipline. To be honest, I personally consider it to be evidence of mental indolence or laziness on the part of the "guilty" CEO.

Some companies (especially startup or small/medium) fail to succeed in spite of having talented and competent hands reporting to the CEO, in addition to ready access to financing. One possible reason for this failure could be the problem of "CEO Ineptitude".

But What Are The Signs Of "CEO Ineptitude"?

Below I list nine (9) signs and symptoms a CEO will exhibit that will suggest s/he is inept.

1. Does not (or no longer wants to) know or keep track of operational details that affect the company’s ability to meet its business success goals. The result is that when trends turn bad, s/he rarely notices until it’s too late. The company suffers as a result.

2. Is not (and is NOT keen to become) proficient in using technology s/he pays for (such as a laptop/PC, monthly Internet access etc) to boost his/her ability to make better business decisions.

3. Will not admit it, but is terrified of thinking and/or making "tough" decisions by him or herself. For instance s/he will do almost anything to get even a visiting friend or consultant to help him decide when an unrepentant staff guilty of being repeatedly absent from work should be penalized by way of salary deduction. The business suffers for this, because other staff copy the unpunished staff PLUS diligent staff get frustrated and conclude there is no point sticking to the rules.

4. Always balks at going out and getting personally involved in making sales visits towards generating sales/marketing leads. Instead s/he spends money hiring more sales and marketing personnel than necessary, who then get pushed out to do this unwanted chore – at a higher cost to the company. The worst part however is that the RESULTS they get often never justify the wages "overhead" their presence in the company attracts. Again, the company suffers (this is especially true for a startup or small/medium enterprise)..

5. Hires and pays professional service providers or consultants to develop systems and solutions meant to help the company succeed better, BUT fails to take ownership – and USE – the delivered product, often times to the bafflement of even those s/he paid to provide it (at least those with integrity)!

6. Always pays him or herself lavishly even when the company is still struggling to generate cash flow to meet its business needs.

"The salary of the chief executive of the large corporation is not a market award for achievement. It is frequently in the nature of of a warm personal gesture by the individual to himself" –John Kenneth Galbraith (Annals of an Abiding Liberal)

7. Often allows products or services to be sold to customers on credit without putting in place mechanisms for vigorous redemption of receivables. As a result the company suffers from a growing overload of "debts" owed it by customers, even as production or output is stifled by poor cash availability to finance inventory and other routine expenses. Sometimes, this forces the company into taking overdraft from banks at less than friendly interest rates. Once again, the company suffers.

8. Does not READ (articles, books, magazines) to get new ideas that s/he can apply towards developing better ways of managing the business to productivity and profitability.

9. Pays beggarly wages. Believes in hiring for as little as possible, while trying to get as much as possible out of the same hired hands they UNDER-PAY. Does not believe in employee motivation.

The result is that the staff always feel under appreciated and are constantly on the lookout for what they can get and run off with.

Evidence: a high staff turnover rate, which in turn prevents the company from fully entrenching any initiatives introduced by management. So, the company suffers – AGAIN!

"I don’t want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them their jobs" – Samuel Goldwyn

Final Words: If you know any company whose CEO or key decision maker suffers from the above aspects of ineptitude, I strongly suggest you avoid investing in it.

Except of course you can do something to "correct" the observed inadequacies.

Why do I say this?

Well, the fact is that you can be sure such is unlikely to display any evidence of steady progress over time.

This will be mainly because of the erratic decision making output arising from inept CEO activity like those earlier enumerated. The company will therefore be more prone to negative influences of the market place and industry it operates in.

No real life/physical business entity can operate 100% successfully on autopilot.

And that’s why human beings are put in charge to actively THINK and ACT based on daily developments to steer it in the direction of greatest returns on investment.

All of these are of course my experience-based ideas. But you may not agree with them – and you have every right not to.

That will however not mean I am wrong, or that they are inaccurate.

My suggestion: THINK carefully before you reject what you’ve read above!

PS: This article is based on excerpts from a write up originally published by Tayo K. Solagbade in his Self-Development Digest Newsletter on Monday 3rd August 2009, via www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, General, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

How To Make Yourself IMMUNE To FRUSTRATION!

June 25, 2014 Tayo Solagbade 1 Comment

On Saturday (28th June 2014), I’ll be delivering a paid 1 hour talk to members of the Media Unit of an NGO in Ogun state, on the invitation of the CEO, who I met with yesterday, here in Lagos. Attendees will hear stories of exciting successes I recorded via diligent application of ideas I describe in this article.

[By way of interest, the talk I will be giving is titled “Now That YOUR Website Is Up, What Do You Do Next? Practical Ideas for Making Profitable Use of a Response Generating Website“. Click here to view the PDF flyer]

Below, I use a very interesting interview of a millionaire entrepreneur as a basis for explaining WHY and HOW, having what I prefer to call (as some others do) a – MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, can make you totally immune to frustration in any form.

(To learn more about what it means to have a magnificent obsession, read my Self-Development Bible titled “Ten Ways You Can Use Self-Development To Create The Future You Want”. If you have not yet downloaded it, sign up for access to my downloads page here!)

If you really want to be able to achieve the goals you set for yourself in life INSPITE OF the obstacles you encounter – like I am currently doing.

If you want to be able to repeatedly surprise the “doubting thomases” who question your ability to achieve your seemingly impossible goals, then you NEED to become OBSESSED with it!

This was the main thrust of the message given by Simon Woodroffe OBE, a billionaire entrepreneur/co-founder of the Yo! Sushi restaurant chain in the UK, in an interview text I read reproduced on page 36 of The Nations Newspaper of Wednesday 19th December 2007.

By way of interest I will mention that I came across this interview because I chose to “find something for my eyes to do.

This happened while waiting in the reception of the Lagos Country Club to see if I would be fortunate to be granted audience by the Club President.

I did not get to see the Club President then (and have not done so till now).

But by borrowing a newspaper from the person seated next to me and reading through it, I discovered this extremely valuable interview of Simon Woodroffe that made the time I spent in that club’s reception worthwhile.

Below I reproduce some of the questions he was asked with paraphrased versions of his answers:

Question 1: How important is it to take risks?

Simon answered that he has found that there is no right way or wrong way. He added that one thing he found common to all successful people is that they (to quote him) “do not go around succeeding all the time”.

Simon explained that successful people are always prepared to make mistakes, or get it wrong (i.e. fail) and suffer the consequences – which frequently will include being “rejected”.

This by implication means that successful people don’t mind taking risks and sticking out their necks to venture into uncharted territory – trying to do what has not been done before. They adopt this attitude and approach knowing that if they fail, they can always get back up and try again.

Question 2: How did the Yo! brand begin?

Simon started by stating that he left school without passing his certification exams at the age of 16 (see details via this wiki encyclopedia link :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Woodroffe ).

He also pointed out that this lack of any formal high school leaving qualification made him adopt a “serious” approach to life early on.

Simon then painted an accurate picture of this situation by explaining that people do difficult things when they have no choice. They do not do difficult things because they want pleasure.

I think this is very powerfully insightful – and YOU should ruminate over it a while, calling to mind the lives and experiences of any successful persons you know.

It is instructive to note that Napoleon Hill described this aspect in his success philosophy by asking the success seeker to “burn all bridges”, so as to be able to maintain the “burning desire” to succeed in spite of the inevitable adversity s/he will encounter.

Question 3: How did you go about building something that was quite small to a multi-million pound business?

Simon answered that a significant factor is the willingness of a person to let him/her self be in the right place to make things happen. That is, in addition to being able to identify the specific things that are holding him/her back.

He added that business does not really require a person to prove him/herself to be “clever” and also that life is not as complicated as many people make it.

One more thing he said which I feel compelled to highlight is that he does not think anyone – including himself – is really “very clever”.

Woodroffe added that the problem is that many people are just “lazy and stupid”, and that if a person can “get obsessed with something” s/he can do anything.

He ended by saying that he never woke up with a desire to be wealthy – instead he always woke up in the morning because he was obsessed with making his dream or goal a reality or afraid that all his plans were going to fail.

In essence what Simon meant was that a person who is truly driven to achieve his/her valued life goal will ACT IT. That’s because that DRIVE to achieve it will manifest as an obsession that will see him/her “hit the ground running” every morning, to continue working towards it from where s/he stopped the day before.

Now, I’ll end as follows:

That you had a setback does not mean you’re finished. That you’re moving slowly does not mean you will not get there.

You must NOT let others tell you it’s taking too long. They cannot possibly know how long it should take because they are NOT from the future!!!

Your path to success will be unique. Pursue it – with passion and determination, and entertain no doubts along the way.

Believe me when I tell you that soon, you WILL begin to LIVE the life you dream of.

I am doing EXACTLY that already, and sometimes when I think about it, I am still amazed at myself and what I am achieving DAILY.

Your story can be the same too – just get OBESESSED today, and YOU WILL become immune to frustration.

I should know: my entire life – especially in the past 10 years – makes me LIVING PROOF that this is true.

1. Some introductory information about Simon Woodroffe:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Woodroffe

2. “Be Yo! Self” by Simon Woodroffe

Click HERE to read full article

3. The official company website

http://www.yocompany.biz/

You may find reading my articles linked below, which offer guidance in discovering one’s Magnificent Obsession, useful:

1. http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/how-to-make-yourself-immune-to-frustration/

2. http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/do-you-struggle-to-get-your-writing-done-finding-your-magnificent-obsession-can-save-you/

3. http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/ten-ways-you-can-use-self-development-to-create-the-future-you-want/

4. http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/no-157-deciding-what-you-need-to-write-or-speak-about-3-strategies-you-can-use/

5, http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/if-you-want-to-succeed-your-magnificent-obsession-mo-must-be-your-vocation-hint-let-your-mo-guide-your-choice-of-what-vocationprofession-to-learn/

PS: This article is based on excepts from a write-up originally published in Tayo Solagbade’s Self-Development Digest Newsletter on 17th January 2008, via www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Farm CEOs are human beings like the rest of us: they have to balance different aspects of their lives!

That’s why this blog’s articles categories are multidisciplinary: I like to see the big picture and offer complete solutions

Below, I discuss each of my blog categories, and how they are relevant to farm business owners, and their workers.

However, the training instilled in the kids by the parent(s) helped them develop the character needed to later achieve financial success in life.

Final Words: As you can see, Farm CEOs will find some of the above useful at various times in life.

In other words, I am saying that if you’re a farm CEO, virtually all the major products and services on tayosolagbade.com are created with YOU in mind. (No offence to my other clients in various industries, but farm businesses are my primary target audience.)

It is not my desire to become the saviour of the world – or “Power Rangers”(as my kids would say)…

I however realize it will not be easy for them to practice this habit in the real world…So what does one do?

It is my considered opinion, that we tend to let our need to conform with the world, stop us from DOING what God quietly – in our hearts – tells us to do.

My children have seen me practice what I preach several times (A True Story)

I’d seen it all, and knew it was not the fault of the parked bike’s owner.

At a point, one of the police officers asked me if the bike man was my friend.

All this while, even the bike man had been looking at me with a strange expression on his face. It was obvious he was also shocked by what I was saying/doing.

The next morning, I did not hear from him until AFTER he had picked up the bike.

When the call ended, I never imagined I would run into him again…

Final Words: In challenging my kids to speak out and stand up for truth, I have told them this – and many other – stories.

That’s why it is said that what goes around comes around (I believe that’s called Karma in some circles).

I share my “secret”(?) in this article

As you read this, I have 2 new client projects I’m working on: It so happens that out here in Cotonou (in addition to clients in Nigeria), I recently won 2 additional client companies.

He (along with his founding partner who also saw the finished work I did for him) took the decision to hire me to handle the university’s website project.

What’s more, he had no qualms making FULL payment for both projects, to me, 100% upfront!

Let me try and paint a picture of my typical work week:

Here’s a true story that illustrates my point: During a 2 month period late last year, I had to travel and conduct questionnaire surveys in Nigeria

How do I do all that and NOT get overwhelmed or exhausted?

The Problem: Many CEOs/top decision makers, by nature of their roles/responsibilities, cannot avoid being busy…

But if truth be told, the body will NOT be denied what it needs

The solution is to adopt a disciplined NATURAL approach to self-managed performance delivery.

First:

Second:

Three:

Busy people at top decision making levels often have to read a lot of documents, which require good comprehension, before action can be taken.

And for those who have to remember a lot of things…!

The above are key tools and strategies I use in an ever changing series of combinations to continually deliver a high level of performances, without letting my health suffer.

Final Words: It is crucial that we maintain a healthy balance in our personal and work lives!

Want to invite me to deliver a talk to (or organise a workshop for) members of your club or group/organisation on how to use the ideas described in this article(especially Mind Mapping, Brain Training and Speed Reading)?

FACT: If adversity stopped showing up, meaningful achievement would no longer exist…!

Imagine what it takes to qualify to drive a car on the roads….

Those who complain about the strict regulatory procedures put in place, can be said to see them as some form of “adversity”.

Whenever I visit home, I look at driving as it is done on Lagos roads and I see this kind of “chaotic” driving situations playing out daily.

Sadly, too many people feel too much in a hurry to bother about putting in the needed work to acquire the competence required to succeed in a chosen endeavour.

Even during a private push up session, adversity shows up in form of the pain you feel in your arm muscles.

Final Words: Farm Business CEOs must also observe this rule!

2. DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION: Click HERE now.

I had just finished work on an Excel-VB application I built for his company…

That day, we parted ways smiling. But I’d stuck to my views.

But here’s the irony: The society which had rebuked me repeatedly in my formative years, for doing wrong, has dramatically evolved since then to one that no longer holds those values dear.

The above confirms what I’m saying, that those who do right, with honesty and integrity in Nigeria, (I mean those who actually PRACTICE what they PREACH!) often – though not always – end up being the ones who succeed the least.

If truth be told, none of what they said has turned out to be a lie.

Only persons with a rare brand of courage and persistence (to paraphrase James R. Cook, author of The Start-up Entrepreneur), can survive doing business in Nigeria, without cutting corners of any sort.

Yet, my success today, proves it can be done: And that my approach ensures LONG TERM repeatable achievement of authentic success.

I felt so sorry for him – because past experience had taught me that anytime one gets something one had not earned, universally applicable laws begin to SILENTLY exert their influence to redress that imbalance.

I do not do religion. But I have a VERY close relationship with my creator. And it is with his guidance that I have found the direction to build my brand, and succeed progressively – in spite of great adversity – the way I do today.

Final Words: That is what I like to call being AUTHENTICALLY successful!

Life is NOT a competition you have to win ahead of others at all costs.

I’ll spare you the near-gory details…

No. 148: To Succeed, NEVER Let Worry Dominate Your Thoughts

I’ll spare you the near-gory details…

As soon as we had confirmed that no one needed any emergency medical attention amongst the neighbours, we all went back in and WAITED till dawn broke.

I did all the above, and returned to the house at about 8.30 am.

I returned to work the afternoon of that same day…

When I got back to work, not only did I do my work normally, but I also had many colleagues who spoke with me that same day come back to me hours later to ask: “Hey, Tayo! Is it true that….etc etc?”

In fact, it was just 2 days AFTER the robbery incident that I handed my resignation letter to the head of the brewery(Andy Jones) – in line with my plans.

That is the power of having a MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION – nothing could make me change my mind about going ahead!!

Final Words: Being a good speaker is one thing. But being able to deliver a great speech, regardless of the circumstances you experience, is quite another thing.

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==== [IMPORTANT NOTE:====

Here’s an article Tayo wrote, to inspire others to defy adversity, and bounce back to even greater reckoning at what they do EVERY time:

And he wrote the one below, to explain why losing a domain name, no matter how old NO LONGER determines your online success or otherwise:

Useful Resources for Speakers

Get Burt’s mentoring at any of the 3 levels below:

Publications

THEY WROTE…

It pays to always show up as represented…and I share a true story that confirms this, in the rest of this piece…

To get chosen by profitable clients, you have to make yourself stand out from the crowd, by having a unique offering that’s hard to ignore.

Either way, the client knows such a website is likely to leave him/her better off at any point in time. And s/he will not be willing to pass it up.

Everything I have said above relates to the NGO I spoke in this afternoon. And the “friend” I mentioned is actually a relative (my uncle to be specific).

**The solution is to adopt a disciplined NATURAL approach to self-managed performance delivery.**

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