Category Archives: My DN Travel News

My DN Travel News, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

You Cannot Teach Experience

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“We can teach from our experience, but we cannot teach experience” – Sasha Azevedo

As a writer, there will be times when your knowledge alone will not be adequate.

In other words, if you’re honest with yourself, you will sometimes not have enough personal experience based insight, to do a good job writing on a subject or theme – even if it’s your specialty.

Personal experience will always be a viable source of unique writing “material” which a writer can weave into his/her prose.

Certain subjects simply cannot be understood by reading or hearing alone. They need to be experienced.

As a result they can be quite difficult to write about, if you do not have any personal experience (at least by way of observation of live events) to draw upon.

Examples of such subjects include “living in poverty” or say getting into “flow” or “the zone”.

Personal experience gives you greater insight, and equips you to do a better job of writing.

The following true story provides a good example :

A news reporter seeking an interview with the vice president of a Toastmasters’ chapter, agreed to attend the latter’s Saturday club meeting as a condition for getting the interview.

During the event, he was however surprised to be unexpectedly asked to address members on a topic chosen only moments earlier.

Later, during the interview, he asked his host about the incident. The vice president explained that the purpose was to make the reporter experience how members were trained to think on their feet by delivering spontaneous speeches.

The expectation was that he would gain better understanding to guide his writing. As the reporter himself admitted in the published interview, it worked!

Your lack of experience can make you keep drawing blanks – what some would (wrongly) refer to as being due to writer’s block.

What You Can Do?

Either get someone who has relevant experience to supply the insights you need (making sure to give due credit to him/her), or go out and get the experience yourself. It’s the most practical way to solve this problem. And what you get by doing it (i.e. the experience-based insight) remains yours permanently.

My DN Travel News, Parenting

Do You Need Schooling to Own a Bank Account?

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Sounds like a funny question does it not? Do you have a child in school (or due to start)? This article highlights what smart parents will help their kids learn outside formal school, to better prepare them to achieve financial independence in adulthood!

Schooled and Unschooled Persons Can Own and Operate Bank Accounts.

Hopefully, the above is stating the obvious. All you need to have is enough money.

Most of us can easily think up a few known names of wealthy people who never even stepped into a school. For different reasons they “missed” getting access to formal schooling, but still went on to achieve financial fortune, and in certain cases major fame.

I’ve always been intrigued by such people. In studying them (via reading and observation) I found they succeeded mainly via mastery of some unique skill or vocation.

Examples are readily found in fields like trading (buying/selling), sports, entertainment, hospitality, business/entrepreneurship, and even science and technology.

By choice, or force of their unique circumstances, these people developed unique skills and abilities to a level that enabled them acquire wealth.

Many unschooled persons who find fortune this way, usually have to be helped to open a bank account, and taught to use cheque book etc.

No one tells them “Oh you need to get a degree certificate before you can open a bank account Sir/Ma.”

Imagine telling a street kid turned multi-million dollar earning Football star, that not knowing how to read or write disqualifies him from opening an account?

No smart bank would do that. Instead, they always find a way to help that “loaded” customer make use of their banking facilities.

When You Have the Money, The Bank Will Help You Find a Way

I certainly do not qualify to teach anyone how to use the bank or a cheque. My purpose here is simply to provide a background on which to discuss this further.

To issue a cheque, the owner writes recipient name, and amount of money in numbers and letters. Then most importantly, s/he signs and dates it.

Writing a cheque is easy. But successfully exchanging it for the equivalent of cash written on it requires presenting it at the relevant bank – which should also be easy to do.

However, if there’s no money in the account on which the cheque is to be drawn, that “normally easy” task can become difficult.

Such a cheque would not be “valid” for clearing at the bank!

That’s when bank officers write on the cheque you’re given acronyms like “DAR”…meaning Drawer’s Attention Required. I’ve not seen one of those is A LONG while, but if I recall correctly, some people call that kind a “Bounced Cheque”…:-)

Now, even a rich person can issue a cheque that bounces. It could be due to an error, or a change of mind which makes him instruct the bank not to pay after giving it out. Or there may be no money in the account (maybe he’s broke, or used the wrong bank cheque

But the most important point I wish to make here is this:

Old, illiterate mega trading women in Lagos state of my home country, Nigeria, are actively courted by bank officials, to open accounts with them.

These bank workers are often degree holders who can rarely boast financial resources comparable to what these mega trading market women own.

But they are smart enough to know that getting those accounts in would boost their bank’s performance. For this reason, when the women object that they cannot read etc, the bank officers assure them they have other means to help them authenticate transactions e.g. thumbprint identification etc.

And when the women need to pay others from their accounts, the bank makes special arrangements to ensure nothing goes wrong. They simply confirm there is money there.

In other words, as long as you have money, people – be they schooled or unschooled – will be willing to look beyond your lack of formal schooling, to give you what you want.

Final Words: To Have Money, Alternative Income Earning Abilities Are Essential

In my Parenting Articles, I strongly advocate that parents avoid letting their kids receive only conventional schooling.

You need to strike a balance.

Identify your child’s natural interests, talents and abilities, which can be developed to enable him/her earn useful income. Do this while s/he attends formal school.

Do NOT make the common mistake of wanting to “wait till s/he finishes” schooling!

Let him/her get used to making money using that ability before then. That way, it will add a useful income stream if/when s/he starts job hunting.

What’s more, when s/he gets a job, it can be used to earn additional income that can only boost progress towards financial independence.

Career Development, My DN Travel News

Excel by Getting Useful Ideas to Decision Makers

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Do you have an idea you are convinced can benefit the company you serve? In this write-up, I argue (based on my achievements as a high performing employee in Guinness Nigeria), that you owe yourself, and the company, a duty to ensure you get heard. As was my experience, you may even have to bypass immediate seniors to get results!

What If No One Seems Ready to Listen to You? (My True Story)

Most successful companies are known for enabling employees at all levels to contribute ideas towards achieving the organizational goals.

As an employee, when you see your ideas get formally adopted, with recognition given to YOU, that’s likely to inspire you to do more. And the company benefits even more!

Sometimes however, decision makers you meet may be so busy that granting you face-to-face audience may prove difficult for them. Or it could be that your immediate seniors you approach with your idea may not see what you see.

I share my true story below, to give you practical insights you can use.

As a young manager in my mid to late twenties in Guinness Nigeria, between 1995 (when I was 25) to 1999, I quickly built a reputation for being innovative. I often saw possibilities others did not.

I started by developing custom automated spreadsheet applications to replace manual data handling and report generation systems in the brewing department. As word spread about how paper work took less time and effort to do, I found myself repeatedly courted (mostly informally), to help other departments put similar tools in place.

Over time, I noticed that despite great improvements in our operational output, one KPI (Key Performance Indicator) generated by my auto-spreadsheet was under-reporting our actual achieved performance. A closer look revealed the formula was faulty.

It was obvious, but I still doubted I was right. Others were at least 5 years older than I was on the job. My boss possessed qualifications I could only dreamed of at the time!

All of this made me feel I had to be wrong.

“How could they all not have seen this computation error?” I wondered.

They Listened, But Really Could Not See What I Was Seeing

I tried bringing it up with a few senior colleagues I came across. They patiently heard me out, but eventually noted that the formula I faulted had been in use for years. And reports had been prepared during that time with no one finding any fault with it.

I knew I could not blame them for failing to see what I was seeing.

They often saw the KPI figures once a week, or four times in a month. In contrast, I’d taken advantage of my spreadsheet application, to trend the reported KPIs backwards for over 12 months, and then plotted charts comparing the trend with other related KPIs.

It was the distinct contradiction I noticed between that particular KPI, and the others on the SAME process, that convinced me something was wrong with its computation.

I studied the structure of the formula, and tried modifications, until I got one that worked right. Plotting the modified KPI, the positive correlation was instantly obvious.

And that basically cemented my conviction. I knew we needed to change the formula!

Getting No Support from My Immediate Seniors, I Chose to Go Higher

If you have nagging conviction that won’t go away, you owe others a duty to act on it.

When I saw that bringing up the issue with others only earned non-committal responses, I decided to write a formal paper on it, and send to top management.

Initially, I felt addressing it to my boss would be adequate. But it occurred to me that he was likely to ask the opinion of my senior colleagues. I already knew that would do little good.

Being keen to get a change, I addressed my paper to the Brewery Manager (BM), copying my boss. In it, I briefly highlighted the KPI formula error, and proposed the modified version I’d derived, for use,

Within 24 Hours I Got a Response – and a Solution!

24 hours after I dropped off my one page paper, I got called in by my boss.

Looking sternly at me he asked “Why did you send this directly to the BM, without first checking with me?”. In his hand was the copy from the BM, on which the latter had scribbled a note to my boss: “Discuss this with Tayo, and let me know.”

I immediately apologized for not coming first to him, and explained my reasons. He nodded, then asked me how I arrived at my deductions. In the end, he instructed me to modify the formula in the spreadsheet as I’d proposed, and to inform others.

That was a great confidence booster.

Some months later, I derived a completely new weighted average KPI to complement existing ones.

This time around, I addressed my paper to my boss, who took it to the expatriate brewery head. The latter sent it to the headquarters with his full endorsement.  

This second initiative got me even more recognition than the first.

Less than a year later, I got nominated for the first of many secondments to higher positions. I had no doubts that my “contributions” influenced those nominations.

You can also achieve similar results using the above ideas.

My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Proven Strategy for Succeeding by Winning People’s Trust

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Sometimes a person can be competent, qualified, even certified in his/her chosen field…and still have problems succeeding e.g. in getting jobs…or if s/he’s in business, clients. There will be exceptions, but my experiences and observations suggest people who suffer that way, do so because they fail to inspire trust.

Something about them just does not convince those they seek to connect with, that they can be trusted to deliver.

Do The Signals You Give Out, Make You Credible?

Employers and clients seek people who can add value to them, by helping to achieve their important goals faster, if possible with less effort and at less cost.

As a results focused person, you will also naturally desire to get the very best returns on your investment of time, effort and money.

When someone you know tells you “I can do it. Trust me.”…what thoughts immediately pop up in your mind?

Are they positively reassuring…mixed…or even negative?

Your feelings will be based on a combination of factors – mainly what you see, and what you hear/read about him/her.

And that’s also how YOUR “reliability” will also be assessed by others, when you tell them what you can do i.e. what they see when relating with you, and what they hear/read about you.

What You Do, Matters Much More Than What You Say!

I once came across the following quote, and it really “spoke” to me:

“What you do speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you say”

It’s less of what you say, and more of what you do (or have done) that people will use to determine whether or not to trust you.

That’s why recruiters/employers ask for resumes, and prospective clients want to see your profile, your website and past projects you’ve handled or details of experiences you’ve had.

Some of the most successful people in the world have rivals (and even critics) who admit having (sometimes grudging) respect or admiration for them.

That’s something that rarely happens by accident.

Such successful persons will have proved themselves to be reliably competent, many times over, to achieve that level of acknowledgement from others.

Goodwill of this kind is what some individuals who choose to contest for public office (or other valued positions) often leverage to get elected.

A track record of private business success will enhance the credibility of a candidate promising to improve the economy by encouraging entrepreneurship.

Final Words: Go Out and Become MORE…and You’ll Win People’ Trust Over and Over Again

You can significantly improve your success rate in winning people over within short periods of time.

And I mean to the extent that they readily give YOU what you want (e.g. payment to do what you offer to do for them) within 24 hours of meeting you!

How can you do this?

One proven way is by constantly adding to yourself in terms of the useful knowledge and skills you possess.

When people discover you often have something useful – based on real life experiences – to tell them, with respect to achieving the goals they consider important, they will readily trust you.

That’s why you need to get out and do things that will give you true stories you can tell. Make it a goal of yours – everyday – to explore and discover newer and better ways to do what you do.

Challenge yourself to think up new ideas to share – freely – with people you meet and hope to connect with.

Consistently do this every single day, and watch “magic” happen in your relationships with those you approach.

Everything I say here is based on personal experiences I have had, and continue to have.

It is because of this “knowledge” that I am NEVER afraid of what the future holds for me.

You can live that way too, if you adopt a similar strategy.

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News

Is It Smart to Partner With a New Acquaintance?

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Without trust, little progress will be achieved in activities requiring cooperation or collaboration with others. But how do you know who to trust – in business or life in general – especially online? This article suggests steps you can take, at least at the preliminary stage, to decide whether or not to accept a partnership offer from a new acquaintance.

A Partnership Offer or Proposal for Collaboration Should Normally Be a Good Thing

The only problem is that not everyone who comes to us will be good for us.

That’s why even if such an individual fits your idea of a dream partner (e.g. rich, successful, well connected etc) my personal experiences suggest it will often be wise to proceed with caution.

Doing so will minimise your chances of hooking up with the wrong kinds of people.

We must however accept that sometimes we may make mistakes in choosing those we team up with, and get hurt. Generally, such lessons will equip us to make smarter decisions in future.

Suggestions: Two Steps You Can Take

1. “Google” him or her

Anyone can get “written” about or mentioned on a web page somewhere. Even if s/he hardly uses the Internet. That’s why today, it can be useful to Google people – and even yourself.

I Google new people I meet a lot. And it has often armed me with very useful details about the new contact, to guide my relations and decision making.

The following experience I had years ago made me form this habit:

In 2000, I ran into a Google results listing in which my name was mentioned. It was a Yahoo groups post by some individual in the Public Relations field.

S/he posted a “Press Release”-like report about certain promotions announced in Guinness Nigeria back then. At the time, I had just been elevated from Shift Brewer, to Training and Technical Development Manager in Benin Brewery.

When I absent-mindedly Googled my name on that day, I never expected anything interesting to come up in the results page. You can therefore imagine my surprise when I saw the preview with my name in it. Naturally, I clicked to read the full page!

In the same way, you never know what you’ll find when you Google the name of that new contact you’ve made, that you’re planning to team up with.

It could be something good. On the other hand, it could something that raises cause for concern!

The above works both ways too. What will that person see when s/he Googles YOU?

The bad experience I had some months ago, in which LinkedIn.com locked up my profile on their website is a case in point. I eventually decided to do a post on my blog about it. “My story” may not appease everyone who wonders why I’m not (or no longer) on Linked In, but it’s the best I can do.

If anyone chooses to let that stop him/her from doing business with me, that would be his/her loss.

That’s why we must each regularly review how we “look” on Google and other search engines online.

2. Get Website Addresses, Online Profile URLs – and Explore In Depth

In certain societies, where trust is reasonably well established as a basis for doing business, it could be safe to assume some things.

However, in other environments, failing to carefully evaluate the person you’ve met to get a more accurate impression of what s/he is about can prove costly to you later on.

Social Media today offer can prove quite useful in this regard – though it depends on whether or not the person you’re curious about uses them.

Search the more popular platforms to see if you can find her. If you do, take a look at the kinds of posts that appear on her page or profile. You can get a decent feel for the kind of thinking s/he subscribes to from the “conversations” s/he initiates or contributes to. Also, review his/her profile friends.

During your conversations, casually ask where she’s been, what she’s done, who she’s worked with etc. Use intelligent but non-intrusive questions to get the answers you need. Listen for the pauses as s/he responds and interacts with you.

Then listen to your “feelings” based on all the above.

The steps outlined above can help you determine whether or not to continue relating with a new contact who proposes a partnership.

It’s not a fool proof strategy, but it is quite likely to help you make fewer errors in choosing people to partner or collaborate with online.

My DN Travel News, Public Speaking

No. 100: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed

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This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter includes a true story of how, last weekend, a young man tried to “hire” me to “insert” an image of himself, into the photo of a giant aquarium he downloaded from the web! His purpose? To send the “Photo-shopped” version, with a quote, to a prospective client he’d told he could build giant aquariums!

In the rest of this piece, I highlight the fact that our true beliefs manifest when difficulties confront us, or when we want something badly. And I emphasize the need to NOT  let difficulties we face, or needs we have, “push” us to do the opposite of what we profess to believe!

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

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

Date: Monday 29th July 2013

No:100

Title: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

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

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

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

Hi,

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

10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind (FREE PDF DOWNLOAD)

E-mail your name, country, mobile number, occupation, & facebook/twitter URLs (if any) to tayo at tksola dot com, and I’ll send you a FREE copy of my detailed PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind.”

Screenshot of PDF report titled “10 Fruits You Eat That Leave Useful Peels/Skins Behind."

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN…

How to Make Drinks You CAN SELL, from Peels of Pineapples & Nine (9) Other Fruits!

 

No. 100: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed

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NB: If you ever find yourself wondering what else I’ve written, some days after you’ve read THIS Speaking Ideas newsletter I send out on a Monday, here’s what you can do to find out: Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.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 :-)

**********

This issue of my speaking IDEAS newsletter includes a true story of how, last weekend, a young man tried to “hire” me to “insert” an image of himself, into the photo of a giant aquarium he downloaded from the web! His purpose? To send the “Photo-shopped” version, with a quote, to a prospective client he’d told he could build giant aquariums!

In the rest of this piece, I highlight the fact that our true beliefs manifest when difficulties confront us, or when we want something badly. And I emphasize the need to NOT let difficulties we face, or needs we have, “push” us to do the opposite of what we profess to believe!

If You’re Diligent, Honest, and Consistent, You’ll Always Get The Results You Want – ALWAYS!

I’m writing this from my home in Lagos, Nigeria. This is the first time since I left the country, on Fool’s Day – April 1st, 2013, that I’m working from here.

One of the main reasons I moved was the need for access to steadier power supply. And that has really paid off. My productivity has quadrupled as a result of that singular move. I exaggerate not.

But another reason was the annoyance of scam artists who operate a lot from here. The stigma still affects me even in my new base, in Benin Republic. But at least I run into those guys less often.

Having said the above, I have never let that problem bother me. My reasoning has always been that sooner than later, my target audience will realize it’s safe to do business with me.

And I’m NOT going anywhere. So when (not if) they do come round, they’ll find me right where they left me, doing what I do – ready to put my unique expertise and insight to work for them.

Rather Than Worry or Go Crooked, I Did Two Things, Repeatedly & Consistently

In essence, I’ve NEVER stopped believing that nothing can stop me. And that’s why today I’m achieving the amazing results people now recognise me for, within and outside Nigeria. And I continue doing them even today…now in fact…regardless of the recognition and accolades I’m getting.

1. I Took Regular Action to Make Tangible Progress Towards My Ultimate Goal

In case you do not know it, my ultimate purpose – through my Self-Development Academy Online platform – is to become the foremost provider of products and services (especially information and education) relevant to Self-Development, Workplace Performance Enhancement, Custom IT Solutions and Business Best Practice Systems Development in Africa – and one of the best in the world.

It has not changed since 2005, when I put it up on the About page on my website (click).

That is not an easy goal to accomplish. When I started www.spontaneousdevelopment.com in June 2005, very few (if at all any) who knew me, believed I could achieve anything worthwhile with it.

But my attitude has since won most of them over. Most have now become trusted sources of support!  In other words, I did not get here all by myself.

But, I had to FIRST of all show others that I believed in myself, to make them believe in me.

2. I Rejected Any Attempts to Lead Me Off My Preferred Moral Track

In simple English, I refuse to let greed, and desire for quick success, make me submit to the influence of dishonest others.

Here’s a brief but true story of a recent experience I had within 6 hours of arriving here in Lagos:

My 2 daughters insisted on accompanying me to a neighbourhood café, where I needed to finish work on a Joomla! project for a new client.

The 60 year old gentleman is a diplomat serving in Benin Republic. I was introduced to him for the first time in his office, less than a week ago. Twenty four hours after we met, he’d written me a cheque to move his farm business website into Joomla!, the dynamic and database driven Content Management System.

Interestingly, my purpose for visiting the embassy was actually to introduce samples of my Pineapple peel based drink, and request their support for my plan to give lectures to interested persons!

Can you see how taking real action in the above manner, opened doors of opportunities for ME in a totally unexpected way? I tell people this all the time: Just take action to do something!

But that’s not the “true story” I actually wanted to share with you…

You see, while at the café with my daughters, a heavily built young man walked in. I looked up, our eyes met, and we recognised one another. But I could not recall where we’d met.

As we shook hands, he told me “Hello Sir, I used to be an attendant at the Cyber café you frequented in Allen Avenue, Ikeja”. Then I remembered. It had been at least 3 years ago.

He said he needed a job done in Photoshop. I asked him to see the attendant. He returned to ask my help as the Cyber Café did not offer the service.

He told me it was urgent, and that he needed to send it to a client before midnight. In a bid to help him, I asked for details. He began showing me pictures – on his smartphone, of walled aquariums, obviously downloaded from some website. Then he came to a picture of himself standing next to a wall.

He then explained that he wanted that photo of himself to be “cropped”, and placed next to a beautiful walled aquarium in the other picture!

Oh oh…red lights began jumping around in my head :-)

I found myself wondering how stupid this guy thought I was. For one thing, if he truly built such aquariums, there would no need for this “doctoring” of photos.

He’d simply go to a past client and request permission to stand (possibly with the client), next to his handiwork, and take a picture to send to his prospective client.

I did not need a “seer” to tell me this guy was trying to win a contract for a job he could NOT do!

His likely plan was to get the advance payment and disappear. We hear these stories all the time.

To save my limited time, I simply told him I lacked the skills to do such “complex” work, and advised that he go down the street to the next café. He thanked me, and left.

People like that young man are driven by greed. And 9 times out of 10, those who get duped by them are often controlled by greed (e.g. the desire to pay what they know is a grossly LOW price, for something they know is worth much more).

Like they say, it takes two to tango.

Nothing Can Stop You From Achieving Lasting and Authentic Success – Except Greed

Greed blinds people to legitimate channels they can explore to achieve lasting success.

The desire to get something by cheating, or taking advantage of others is greed.  In other words, you want to get more than your fair share. Or to get what you are not entitled to.

I learned very early on in life that greed offers only a few “benefits” – all of which are short term. But it results in countless long term regrets!

So I trained myself to ignore it…a long time ago.

Greediness is a learned habit. Therefore anyone who wants to do so can unlearn it.

Check yourself.

Do you have any area of your life in which greed controls you?

Does it make you do what you know you should NOT?

If yes, take the firm decision today, to GET RID of IT from your life…permanently!

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

If you need more specific details of how to make use of the ideas I’ve shared in this newsletter, send me a message using this request form – with “Re: Nothing Can Stop YOU…Except Greed.” in the subject line.

SD Nuggets Blog™

 New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking[Monday]:
No. 99: Smart Experts Avoid Lazy People

Entrepreneurship [Tuesday]:
Property Buyers Don’t Use Facebook (?)
Self-Development [Wednesday]:

Don’t Apologize for Being Yourself

Career Development [Thursday]:
Can I Generate Payslips At One Go, for 3,500 Staff – Using MS Excel-Visual Basic? (Real-Life Conversation with a Payroll Manager)

Parenting [Friday]:

How to Achieve Parenting Success
Writing/Blogging [Saturday]:
Passion Will Not Save You, If You Lack Mastery!
Want me to write for you? Click here…

Click now

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

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

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comments?

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

Share this issue!

Do you know anyone who might benefit from reading this newsletter issue? Why not hit the forward button now, and send it to him/her with a short recommendation. You can also use share it via your social media channels. Thanks in advance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get mentored by Burt Dubin - coach of some of the world's highest paid public speakersFor over 25 years, Burt Dubin has provided a variety of speaker mentoring products and services to clients worldwide.
Download this flyer as PDF: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/uploads/burt_new_flyer.pdf

Burt Dubin now offers his speaker mentoring service to experts based in Africa. Click now to download this flyer as PDF
Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Passion Will Not Save You, If You Lack Mastery!

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“Reading without thinking gives a disorderly mind, and thinking without reading makes one unbalanced” – Confucius

All the obsession and exercise in the world will not make you write better if you do not know enough about your chosen topic or subject.

It may appear like I’m stating the obvious, but I’ve read some blog posts and articles that make a mockery of writing on certain topics. Honestly!

This is why Google’s efforts to clean up the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) people get served with when they do online searches can be appreciated.

The bar has been raised, especially if you’re writing online for marketing exposure.

You therefore need to produce good quality content. And that requires knowing your subject well.

If there is something you’re good at, writing about it tends to be easy. You may however need to do some additional research to add more depth and variety. Quite often, the effort you make to investigate your topic to give readers value for their time will pay off via positive feedback and other ways.

One Question: Is it possible you’re trying to write on topics you do not know enough about?

If yes, I suggest you either switch to writing on topics you are more comfortable with, or devote some quality time to research the unfamiliar topic(s).

Then you can study until you feel better prepared to write.

If you do this right, you’ll easily write volumes on virtually any subject you choose.

I once wrote sixteen “750 word” web marketing articles on “hearing and speech improvement”, for an audiologist client within 5 working days by doing the above.

The Internet makes writing related research quite easy and convenient. And it often offers more up to date material as well. So, with access to the web, a “lack of adequate knowledge” should not be a difficult limitation for you to overcome – if you set your mind to it.

“The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read or write. They will be those who cannot learn, un-learn and re-learn” – Alan Toffer

 

My DN Travel News, Parenting

How to Achieve Parenting Success

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Are you driven by a need to make your kids successful in life? Does helping them learn how to make a headway in life deeply interest you?

Any parent that says yes to these questions can be said to be living for his/her kids.

Diligently doing so will make you a successful parent in the long run.

Living for your kids is the key to giving them the support they need to succeed in llfe.

It means actively going out of your way to acquire useful information, education and experiences, that you can return to share with them, so they can get better.

If you’ve been reading my writing a while, you’ll know that I often mention the fact that I live for my kids.

Everything I’m doing today derives from my strong desire to coach my kids to do a better job of living as Independent adults.

Most of us know that the world we encountered after leaving school turned out to be different from what we expected.

And it was not just academically, but also in terms of how people in the world outside school (the real world) behave.

This cycle of “culture shock” needlessly experienced by young people inadequately prepared to succeed in larger society has persisted for years.

I’ve experienced the “culture shock” myself, and felt the pain – and humiliation – resulting from being unable to deal with it.

That’s why I resolved to always do my best to help others learn to intelligently adapt to unexpected situations they encounter in the real world.

The sight of my kids often boosts my determination to find solutions to such societal challenges.

Such efforts will help them learn how to handle themselves under such situations.

And that is very important to me as a parent.

If any of my kids demonstrates ineptitude in his/her attitude or interpersonal interactions, I would take it as a challenge to do more to help him/her improve.

That’s why I say I live for my kids. Their welfare – physical, emotional and psychological – matters greatly to me.

I want them to succeed in better ways than I am doing, or have done.

What about YOU?

Do you live for your kids?

If no, consider doing so from today, so you can succeed better as a parent.

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News

Can I Generate Payslips At One Go, for 3,500 Staff – Using MS Excel-Visual Basic? (Real-Life Conversation with a Payroll Manager)

2 Comments

This article is based on a real-life Facebook chat session I recently had with a prospect. It will benefit YOU:

(a). If your work involves managing salaries/payroll – because it answers questions about using Excel automation to make your work easier and less time consuming.

(b) If as a website owner you want an insider understanding of how you can handle enquiries that result from use of a Web Marketing System. I’ve written in the past about how having a Web Marketing System can help you generate pre-qualified sales leads (i.e. people looking for solutions you offer come looking for you) – even while you sleep.

The enquirer apparently came across write-ups I’d done on the subject (like this PDF). Then he sent me a Facebook friend request, and initiated an impromptu chat within a few hours after I accepted his request. In essence, the WMS enables you present yourself in a way that boosts your credibility. In the long run, that will lead to sales.

SAVE MONEY By Preparing Your Company’s Pay slips In Microsoft Excel - Click now to download

The Chat Begins

<Initial greetings deleted>

Prospect: Got some good stuff about you through the internet and am happy that I can chat with you now

Tayo Solagbade (Me): That’s good to know. Please to be able to chat with you as well

Prospect: but I have some questions. Your post about how to use excel to generate payslip fascinates me

Tayo Solagbade (Me): It’s a post that’s based on real life applications I built that have been used by my clients since 2007 – including 2 hospitals that have over 100 staff

Prospect: I maintain payroll of about three thousand five hundred staff, can I generate payslip for these at a go?

Tayo Solagbade (Me): I offer customization of my applications to suit their unique needs

Prospect: I maintain payroll of about three thousand five hundred staff, can I generate payslip for these at a go?

Tayo Solagbade: You seem to have repeated your question. But I’ll rephrase mine. I use VBA code to make the preparation of pay slips dynamic. So, in the advanced version of my apps, it would not matter what number of people you have. As long as they are in the app’s records table, it will pick them one after the other and feed them to the print0ready payslip interface. Indeed, if you wish, the application can be further extended to generate PDF files stored in a predetermined location where you can go late to print selectively.

Prospect: Ok. But can data from excel be uploaded into your apps records table?

Tayo Solagbade (Me):Yes.

Prospect: Pls, how long will you take to teach me how to

Tayo Solagbade (Me): How to do do what?

Prospect: How to use VBA code to generate pay slips for the three thousand, five hundred staff

Tayo Solagbade (Me): You have to buy my app – and order a customization. Except you want me to teach you how to build YOUR own app using Excel-VB. The latter will take more time, depending on your current level of expertise in the use of Excel. I have a method for establishing that.

As a rule, I prefer working with people who have an advanced knowledge of MS Excel, and have at least done a little Macro recording based automation. It;s not easy – but those who apply themselves can learn.

If you want a quick solution, with minimal trial and error, I suggest you order a customized version of my existing app.

Prospect: Pls, how much will it cost me to buy your application and order a customization or what will it cost me to learn how to build my own app using excel VBA?

Tayo Solagbade (Me): One moment. Just trying to find a generic email I normally send to enquirers

Prospect: Okay

Tayo Solagbade (Me): Decided to do short note at the start – the email comes AFTER it. I’m late for an appointment at the Nigerian embassy. Will have to log off the laptop. But I’ll still be able to respond to you via my Blackberry. It may take longer though.

Just ignore the name in the message.

Regarding the fees:

Option 1: You asked “how much will it cost me to buy your application and order a customization”

The advanced Excel-VB driven Payslip Generator sells for N50K as is (I just add your company name, logo, and help you transfer your records from your Excel file into the app – at NO CHARGE).

Depending on what you want application to do, the fee for customization starts from N50k It can go as far as N250K – based on past projects I’ve had to work on for clients – including a National Primary Health Care Database (NPHCDA) project that lasted from 2008 till 2012.

It handles over 50,000 records of medical facilities/personnel – including picture displays.

Option 2: Or what will it cost me to learn how to build my own app using excel VBA?

Coaching on Excel-VB solutions development starts from N100k – depending on what you will be taught.

I go about it by offering 2 aspects:

a. Theoretical coaching – on the basics and language. It comes with plenty of reading and practical exercises, designed to help you get a firm grasp of the important concepts – especially worksheet design logic and use of VBA to eliminate routine and repetitive tasks

b. Field Project – you will tell me a specific application you want to build from scratch that will be useful to you. I will then guide YOU to build it over time. You will let me see stages of your work progress, and I will give you feedback and pointers.

Until the final app is born. If need be, I’ll help you tweak it to function better or look “prettier”. Whatever I do, I’ll explain why, and how you can do it yourself.

After the training ends, I become available to you for an additional 6 months – via email, phone/Skype – at no extra charge, to help you hone your skills.

Duration will depend on you. But standard duration is 2 months – and you set the pace. We meet for 48 hours over those 2 months – be it online or in person. In between meetings, you’ll be doing LOTs of small exercises to help you master aspects of Excel-VB programming. It WILL be challenging. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy it and you’ll learn.

Got to go. Will respond by smart phone if you have more questions

Below is the generic email with some links…(it gives details of what you also get when you pay)

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

Hi Prakash,

<text deleted>

In your message, you mentioned being a Training Manager and you requested to download the tutorials offered on my website – which were delivered to you via autoresponse.

I’ve recently decided to offer on demand one-on-one coaching in Excel VB driven software development to interested persons online.

How It Works

You tell me what you want to learn or be able to do with MS Excel. I’ll give you my insights and opinion to complement your expressed needs.

Then if we agree to go forward, I’ll produce easy to follow custom PDF guides and video tutorials for you, that you’ll be able to use repeatedly. And I’ll also be available via email and Skype phone/ chat to provide any support you need as you carry out practical exercises I’ll give you.

Everything I teach you will be based on the real life experience and knowledge I’ve gained from developing custom Excel software for users and clients for well over 15 years.

##Testimonial from a buyer of my Excel software##

Here’s a testimonial from a recent buyer after I sent him the new free upgrade version of my popular Ration Formulator:

=Starts=

“Hi Tayo,

Thanks for the updates. I have used it with satisfaction and transferred all my data to this 2013 version.

We are getting more and more familiar with it.

Its flexibility allows to adapt the results to our needs and possibilities. I am amazed.”

Read the full testimonial at:

http://tinyurl.com/ffapptest

##

If this Excel Software Development Coaching Offer is something that interests you, and you’d like to take it further, just reply to this email stating your specific interests or needs, and any questions you have.

(NB: I’ve included below, links to videos and detail pages showing examples of the kind of applications I can teach you to build.)

I look forward to working with you.

With kindest regards,

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Performance Improvement Specialist & Multipreneur

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service (www.speakingsuccess.com) In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

Email: tayo at spontaneousdevelopment dot com

Web: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/

====================­====

###PS: The following might interest you..Two Examples Of Excel Software Types You Can Learn To Build###

1. Automated Ration Formulator

Visit the page below to watch a demonstration video for a new free upgrade version of my popular Excel VB driven Feed Formulation Software :

http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets/video-free-upgrade-excel-vb-ration-formulator-stores-exports­derived-formulas/

I’ve been selling it online since 2007. It’s one of my simpler, less sophisticated applications. I can teach you how to build something similar.

You can get about it from

http://iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com/wp/feed-formulation/

Download the PDF guide from:

http://www.tinyurl.com/rfpdf2013

2. Custom Automated Hospital Financial Records Manager

You can also learn to build a highly sophisticated application with automated charting and advanced modeless data entry forms like the one in this application I built for a large hospital here in Lagos.

Click the link below to watch the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUl4_RAja-g

3. Advanced Payslip Generator Tutorial

My custom payslip generators have been purchased by companies with up to 120 employees to cater for since 2007.

Visit the tutorial offer page for my advanced payslip generator software development coaching at:

http://www.tinyurl.com/PayslipTutor

There are 2 detailed videos on that page that show features and functions you can learn to incorporate into your own Excel software.

The Facebook Chat Then Ends…

Tayo Solagbade (Me):Am off

Prospect: Thanks sir, I’ll get back to you in due time.

Final Words

Like I said at the start of this piece, you may not close every sales opportunity the WMS brings to you. But over time, if you diligently work to “converse effectively” with such prospects, you WILL close more sales.

If you need help setting up a Web Marketing System (which comes with a FREE website) for your company, or with building a Payslip Generator to handle your payroll preparation, click here to contact me.

My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Don’t Apologize for Being Yourself

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Read this article with an open mind, if you wish to get useful value from it. I’m not asking anyone to be rude or inconsiderate to others. Instead, it’s a call to every person of vision and ambition to stop playing small in a bid to avoid criticism or scrutiny.

The Best Way to Live Life Is To Fulfill Your God-given Potential

Our creator has endowed each person with a unique talent or ability that sets him/her apart from everyone else. And he expects each of us to put our strengths to use to make others better off.

Doing so however will periodically attract unpleasantness from negative minded persons.

It is my considered opinion that a higher (probably increasing) number of adults today feel insecure and threatened by anyone who confidently puts his strengths to use.

Rather than seek ways to emulate such persons, they often readily attack him/her for being “showy” or “arrogant”. They hide behind such criticisms because they actually feel intimated by the other person’s demonstrated self-confidence.

Never Let Anyone Make You Play Small

YOU have every right to work to develop yourself to your full potential. And it will not matter who feels offended by your willingness to do so.

I make this comment because I’ve come across too many people who keep holding themselves back because they’re scared of exceeding others. They don’t want to call attention to themselves that could lead others to mock and give those names.

But that’s always a big mistake. The world needs you to be your full and true self. And you need to do so without apology- to anyone. Not even your parents.

There’s no crime in trying to be in people’s good books. But you must know when to stop. For instance, when avoiding getting on the wrong side of people means you have to avoid being your true self, there’s a big problem.

As human beings, we are driven by our passions. Whenever we have to subdue our passions, we usually feel miserable. The human spirit can never accept being restricted, limited or caged. This is why when a person is subjected to repeatedly undue criticism for acting true to his/her nature to increase, s/he is rarely happy and fulfilled.

And what is life without fulfillment and happiness? Nothing. It’s nothing.

You Owe Nobody Any Apology for Being Yourself

It goes without saying that you must be your “good” self.

For instance, you must be fair and considerate in your dealings with anyone. If your true self does not enable you be emotionally intelligent in relating with others, you need to make adjustments. That would be nothing to be proud of.

One example: I know a young undergraduate who is in the habit of constantly putting others down. Nothing gets past him. If a colleague says he has little airtime credit on his phone, this guy quickly announces he has some comparatively large amount on his. Then he proceeds to mock the other for being “poor”.

That’s not all. For him, no opportunity to ridicule a colleague or roommate based on some subject he believes he knows, ever escapes. As a result, he often instigates blind arguments with others.

To make matters worse, when told what he’s doing wrong, he boldly asserts that he will never change, saying there’s nothing wrong with his behaviour.

Now that’s wrong. And his colleagues tell him so. Yet he continues doing the same thing.

That kind of “self” is not desirable – for civilized interaction. A person guilty of such habits will often need to call him/herself to order, and possibly apologize.

Don’t be that kind of person.

You will always be better off moulding your character into one that delivers useful benefits to those you relate with.

You must get to a point where what you do cannot be correctly seen as bad, or unfair. Once there, you will no longer have to worry about offending anyone – because being yourself will be “good” for everyone you meet!