The Farm CEO Spotlight Interview (FCSI) series is designed as a public service to give other Farm CEOs access to ready-to-use experience-based information and education from fellow farmers who make discoveries or develop unique solutions/ideas they believe can help others.
The purpose is to promote experience-sharing amongst farmers, about Indigenous Knowledge Systems (aka IKS) they develop, to boost performance.
Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) are tried and tested practical techniques/methods developed by individual (or groups of) farmers, to get improved results, often through innovative modification of existing procedures.
This maiden edition of the FCSI features (questions/answers, with photos and audio excerpts) Roseline Imoudu – owner of a Recirculating Aquaculture System (aka RAS) based Seed Catfish Production Farm Business in Ibadan-Nigeria.
She shares insights from her first run of a newly installed RAS system, mainly from a diligent record keeping and best practice perspective.
Especially noteworthy is her true story about how good management helped her record surprisingly minimal losses, when her RAS experienced severe water shortage due to a prolonged borehole pump fault.
She also offers tips to aspiring Farm Business Owners, which existing farm owners may also find useful.
=====Interview Starts====
1. The Farm CEO™: What kind of Commercial Catfish Farming System do you operate?
Roseline Imoudu: The Fish Farming System I am operating for production of seed catfish is the Recirculatory Aquaculture System; also known or referred to as RAS. And I am using plastic chemical tanks for it.
2. The Farm CEO™: What informed your choice of this system and how long have you been running it?
Roseline Imoudu: Well, I started with the flow-through system about November 2014 after an internship with a farm at Moniya Ibadan. I was making an average sales of about 3,500 to 5,500 seed catfish in a production. I happened to pay a visit to the poultry farm of one of my husband’s friends and I got introduced to RAS and its basic flow operation and privileges.
I witnessed one production run and saw:
Download Access to This PDF Farm CEO Spotlight Interview (FCSI) series is FREE for ALL subscribers to The Farm CEO™ Newspaper!
1 year’s subscription = 48 issues (and you get ALL back issues)
In this issue of my Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, I feature a UK based Nigerian expert who overcame the perpetual discouragement and frustration of being born into potentially crippling poverty (that saw him hawking groceries on Nigerian streets between the ages of 13 to 21 years!), to become a highly recognized and successful international Speaker, Business Growth Coach and Marketing Consultant.
To give you an idea of the impact he’s making in his immediate market, consider this:
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)
WHEN YOU BUY BURT DUBIN’S SPEAKER MENTORING PRODUCTS/SERVICES – LEARN MORE HERE!
1 of 2: PUBLIC SPEAKING –Meet a Nigerian Expert Who Speaks to – and Coaches – British CEOs to Succeed
In this issue of my Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, I feature a UK based Nigerian expert who overcame the perpetual discouragement and frustration of being born into potentially crippling poverty (that saw him hawking groceries on Nigerian streets between the ages of 13 to 21 years!), to become a highly recognized and successful international Speaker, Business Growth Coach and Marketing Consultant.
To give you an idea of the impact he’s making in his immediate market, consider this:
You don’t get asked to host an event of that status unless organizers are convinced you know your stuff!
So, not only does this rare breed Nigerian expert know his stuff, but he is also exceptionally gifted at communicating what he knows in a manner that enables others easily learn from him.
How do I know all this you wonder?
Especially since I’m NOT based in the UK??
…and I have never even met him in the flesh myself???
I was then based in Calavi – a town outside Benin Republic’s commercial capital – Cotonou. In that email, he’d complimented me on the work I was doing online – through which he’d found me.
He later signed up for my newsletter. After some weeks we had a few Skype phone conversations in which we shared details of our backgrounds and experiences from our past lives. We struck it off right from the start – the synergy was almost palpable!
As time went on, he expressed an in interest in connecting with Burt Dubin (whose speaker mentoring products and services I promote), and that further deepened our relationship.
He has since commenced a mentoring program under Burt Dubin’s tutelage, and is now dramatically boosting his name/brand marketing reach and impact, towards reaching his primary target audience: small and medium business owners.
For me, it’s been interesting to study this gentleman whose story of rising from grass to grace is so compelling.
By way of interest, this is NOT the first time I’m writing about this Nigerian in diaspora.
Back in 2013, I actually transcribed a 1 hour video interview he granted Andy Brine, into a verbatim text based PDF transcript, which remains available on this blog (click here) for download by interested persons.
That PDF’s introduction section explains why I go to such lengths to transcribe video recordings to text version. But briefly here I’ll say my purpose is to distill ready–to-use wisdom from experiences shared by authentic achievers, into a format that others can learn from – regardless of their limitations.
You see, watching a 1 hour video on Youtube, even for people who have FREE Internet, may not always be convenient. Also, even when it’s convenient, or you have the time to watch it, not everyone will find it easy to EXTRACT useful lessons from what they see/hear in the video, to improve their lives.
As a Performance Improvement Specialist, I have a passion for studying people and processes, and identifying why one person may do better than another person, when both are exposed to similar preparation and opportunities. The insights I’ve gained from doing the foregoing, over the past 2 decades have taught me to offer useful information and education to those who need it, through as many different channels, and in as many different formats as possible.
People differ greatly in their styles – and rates – of learning, as well as in their abilities to apply what they learn to productive ends.
I believe this exceptional Nigerian expert’s success story perfectly illustrates the point I’m making…
Despite myriad obstacles he had to face in his formative years, right into his early 20’s, he doggedly explored a variety of learning avenues, to find a path to the success he wanted. [NB: You can read the story here – &/or download the PDF]
It is my considered opinion, that a major reason why his success is so noteworthy is that his journey was far from smooth, and involved lots of interruption. Not many people who do what he does (as a speaker, business coach and marketing consultant), had to pass through similar trials before arriving.
The success and recognition he enjoys today proves that he both learned his lessons well, and also developed the ability to apply what he learned to excel in his chosen vocation – regardless of the adversity he faced.
THAT, is what makes him exceptional – and it’s the reason why he’s been chosen to host a BCTC seminar, which is the first of its kind in the history of the Chambers!
Incidentally, apart from having Skype phone conversations with him, I have also listened several times to recordings of Efe delivering his trademark speeches to CEOs.
Without any attempt at exaggeration, I can confirm that he is a truly effective speaker. In other words, I share the sentiments expressed by those interviewed in the above video about him!
Final Words: Efe’s example proves ANY Nigerian/African can excel internationally as an EXPERT in his/her field
Like I said in a Facebook post last month, Efe’s rising profile and growing success as a Business Coach, Speaker and Marketing Consultant in the UK market and beyond is something that should make Nigerians and Africans proud.
Not only does his success make it obvious that being competent can work wonders, his story also proves that ANYONE can do it – no matter where you come from, or how disadvantaged your circumstances.
It’s true that not everyone offers solutions that are relevant to the needs of the international market place.
However, I’ve found that many Nigerian/African experts who DO HAVE such solutions rarely target the international marketplace.
Speaking with some of them revealed that MANY feel it’s impossible to win clients/buyers outside their immediate markets (Nigeria/Benin or Africa).
Yet, the Internet has made it so much easier today, to make powerful marketing impact across the globe, at low to zero cost!
A truly competent expert should be able to command serious attention, recognition and income in his/her chosen field or specialty – ANYWHERE.
All it takes is to set challenging goals that you then pursue vigorously, on a never-ending-basis. Then use the web – creatively and intelligently – to share your work with colleagues and potential clients/buyers in other parts of the world.
Sooner than later, they’ll begin to take positive note of you.
A branded Facebook business page (integrated with a response-generating website/blog) is a proven way: Potential clients (local or international) will often take what they see on YOUR page as indicative of value you have to offer.
If you use your marketing platform right, it will make potential clients take notice of, then connect with – and ultimately buy from – you.
My point is you can get noticed (and paid) for what you do, by people OUTSIDE your immediate/local market – who fit your target audience profile.
This is something I have done – and continue to do – myself, in the multiple disciplines I’m engaged in as a multipreneur.
I am regularly contacted online by – and have phone conversations with – enquirers from within and outside Africa (Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Canada, UK, Philippines, Australia, India, Israel, Pakistan, Argentine, Mexico etc), regarding products and services I offer (especially my growing range of Farm Business Solutions).
Every now and then, some go on to send payment to me from their respective countries…
That’s why I know what I propose works. I have countless stories I share with my clients and audiences on how it has worked for me for YEARS.
I learnt this strategy by studying Burt Dubin, who has served clients across multiple continents remotely, using the web for 3 decades.
Efe Ohwofasa was featured as one of the invited speakers at http://www.embracelove.co.uk/the-speakers.html (alongside Camilla Carr, Sue Stone, Noel Lockyer-Stevens, Sarah Haywood, Juliet Vorster, Dr Krishan Ramyead, Victor Chetcuti and Paul Newton)
5. Learn more about Efe Ohwofasa on his website at www.focusguru.com
experts-who-speak. Starting – Monday 13th April 2015 – it MORPHED in name and content served, to a 2 part Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, to better serve them.
You just read the “Public Speaking IDEAS” part above. What follows below is the “Web Marketing IDEAS” part.
*******
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.
“If you want to achieve sustainable success in business (especially in a volatile market place like Nigeria), it’s in your best interest to develop interest in
current affairs and politics, because those are the two key ingredients that really keep this country from having a stable sociopolitical climate.
And for as long as that stable sociopolitical climate does not exist, every person running a business will probably have to sleep with one eye open.” – Tayo K.
Solagbade
It’s FREE for all my Web Marketing/farm business clients, and ALL members of my Inner Circle as well as for ALL subscribers to THIS newsletter.
SPECIAL OFFER TO READERS OF THIS SPEAKING/WEB MARKETING IDEAS NEWSLETTER
Did you know that as an expert in your field you can make more money by speaking professionally? Or do you already speak-for-money, but want to know
how to do it better AND/OR how to make more money even when you do not speak?
If you said YES to any of the above, THIS offer is for you.
Burt Dubin can teach you to do ALL the above and more. You can learn from him via direct mentoring (regardless of distance) or using the many home study
HERE’S AN ADDED BONUS YOU GET FROM ME, IF YOU BUY FROM BURT…
If you purchase $1,500 USD or more of Burt’s Speaker Mentoring Products/Service, and choose to promote your speaking business online, I WILL develop and implement for YOU, a Web Marketing System at 50% of my standard fee, and manage it for 3 months – at NO COST to you – as per my Promotional Retainership Offer (See http://tayosolagbade.com/uploads/wms-offer-retainership.pdf).
Burt helps those he mentors (experts-who-speak) to Position, Package, Promote, and Present* themselves successfully to clients (*He calls
them the 4Ps). That’s why it’s no surprise that on Burt’s website, considerable space capital is devoted to useful business marketing articles as well as products.
It might also interest you to know that MANY years back, Burt established himself as one of the best marketing minds in the world. To really put this FACT in
proper perspective, I’ll provide more specific details in form of an example.
A few years ago, Burt contributed an article to a powerful publication titled “The Most Effective Articles Ever – By The World’s Top Marketers“. That 574 page ebook features timeless marketing advice from 71 of the world’s top marketers – including Jack
Trout, Joe Vitale, Yanik Silver…and Burt Dubin.
That’s ample proof that (in addition to Public Speaking), Burt would be a great resource to learn business marketing from!
Full Disclosure: I represent Burt as Sole Agent for his products/services, which means if YOU buy from him, I get paid.
But that’s NOT the main reason I represent and recommend him. I have benefited in many ways by learning from Burt. Through his writing, his audio recordings,
and from directly relating with him.
Before we teamed up in 2011, I’d been studying his work and adapting it to succeed in my work from way back in 2002. It does not matter what part of the world
you’re in. If you know how to adapt them to suit your peculiar local needs, Burt’s ideas and strategies WILL work for you. I am living proof of it!
That’s why I never tire of CONFIDENTLY recommending him to others.
If you need help putting the ideas shared above to use, let me know HERE.
A live example, including a complete audio recording of a program Burt created from scratch–on a topic he knew nothing about and never, ever presented before!
See how you, guided by your personal Learning Guide, (Presentation Magic), can do this too and thrill audiences as often as you want.
Presentation Magic Manual with new pages added plus 3 audio CDs.
“(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
various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods
and others.
In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.
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.
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.
I just registered to visit Agra Innovate Nigeria (Agricultural Exhibitions & Conference), on 24 – 26 Nov 2015, at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island Lagos, Nigeria.
If you’re a Farm CEO, aspiring Farm CEO/enthusiast or stakeholder, I recommend you sign-up as well.
“Agra Innovate is a landmark international event which many of you have come from far and wide to attend. That Informa – the global giant in business exhibitions – has decided to focus on Nigerian testament to the fact that Nigerian agriculture is now on the world stage.” – Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President, African Development Bank; Past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria & Keynote speaker at Agra Innovate Nigeria 2014
[Tagline: If it can help your farm business, you’ll find it in THE FARM CEO™ Newspaper ]
Preview:
This week, I feature an exciting new addition to the family of commercial livestock kept in Africa, that is really making big waves. Most people know what kinds of birds are called BROILERS. But not many know about KUROILERS…yet! Believe me, that’s no typo. The Kuroiler is a hybrid chicken breed developed in India by either:
a. crossing “coloured broiler males with Rhode Island Red females
b. crossing White Leghorn males with female Rhode Island Reds.
And it’s a wonderful producer of both meat and eggs while scavenging under free range conditions typical of subsistence backyard systems prevalent in rural Africa.
……
And I also feature a story about Rabbit’s urine being used to fertilize crops in Kenya…wonderful innovation by our African brethren!!!
******
Here are the headlines, reviews – and links – for this week’s featured news items:
[URL] Winged Victory: A New Chicken Brings Hope to Africa – Meet the “Kuroiler”! P.1
[FREE Magazine & Website] Poultry Focus Africa P.2
[URL] Rabbit Urine Fertilizes Crops, Bringing More Income to Kenyan Farmers! P.2
The following 2 quotes set the tone for this piece…
1.
“Specialization is for Insects A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” – Robert A. Heinlein
2. “Everyone always tells you to focus and choose a niche, but some of the most successful people “refuse to choose.” Steve Martin has always been a great example of someone pursuing more than one career focus. Among other roles, he’s been an actor, a comedian, a novelist, and a professional banjo player, often at the same time.” – “Chris Guillebeau, in his September 28, 2015 Facebook post featuring a link to a September 2015 New York Times article titled “Steve Martin Adds ‘Curator’ to His Wild and Crazy Résumé”
Chris Guillebeau is one of my role models in Location Independent Entrepreneuring. I’ve found he also has a bias for doing more than one thing at a time – which has been a way of life for me for over 2.5 decades(in both paid as well as self-employment, as I’ve explained in past articles linked below)
And through him, I learnt the great Steve Martin achieved globally recognized successes by doing the opposite of what majority believe and advocate to us right from our you: by being a “Jack of Many (not ALL) Trades”…or Multipreneur!
I’ve been criticized for my multipreneuring habit, yet my life’s achievements are proof that it works, for those who know how!
Indeed, I can tell you without any shadow of a doubt that had it not been for my ability as a multipreneur, I would NOT be succeeding as well as I am doing today.
That’s why I’m sharing the links offered in this post with you all. For those willing to look beyond the bias, and learn a new way, there is wisdom to be had from adopting this unusual lifestyle.
Below are links to 2 articles I’ve written to help those willing to listen understand why being a “Jack of Many (not ALL) Trades”…or Multipreneur… can be a viable way of life for those gifted with the aptitude for it.
“I always feel like all these things are linked…You might say it’s extreme to curate an art show and then do an hour banjo show, but it’s not that far off-center to me. And you apply the same principles to both — the first being, you do the best you can.” – Steve Martin in New York Times article titled “Steve Martin Adds ‘Curator’ to His Wild and Crazy Résumé”
[Tagline: If it can help your farm business, you’ll find it in THE FARM CEO™ Newspaper ]
Preview:
This week, I feature a generic message I’ve been sending out to representatives of organizations I’ve communicated with in the past. It’s about a new initiative I’ve decided to launch to be able to help more people with my Cost-Saving Farm Business Solutions.
As a Farm CEO yourself, you most likely belong to, and/or are familiar with farmer groups/bodies in your locality, including key members or decision makers.
That’s why I’m including this notice here.
Please take a look at the video intro linked below, and…
A. Let me know if your organization might like to join in as a partner.
B. Help spread the word if you think it would be worthwhile to do so.
==INVITATION TO PARTNER WITH MY PROPOSED NOT-FOR-PROFIT FARM BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTRE (FBSC)===
Dear <name>,
Hope your work goes well.
I’m sending you this to inform you/your organization about:
1. A video introduction available for viewing on my website:
Click the link below to watch a 20 minute video presentation I’m sending to Farmer Groups/Associations, Farm Support Organizations, Research Outfits, and Others.
******
Here are the headlines, reviews – and links – for this week’s featured news items:
[VIDEO] INVITATION: Partner With My Proposed Not-For-Profit FARM BIZ SUPPORT CENTRE to Help Farmers! P.1
[PDF] Real Life Broiler Starter, Turkey Starter, and Caged Layer Peak Egg Production Feeds P.2
[FACTSHEET] Comparative Feed Values for Swine P.2
[URL] Understanding Fish Nutrition, Feeds & Feeding P.3
[URL] Formulating farm-specific swine diets P.3
Below: Screenshot of the cover for Issue No. 21 of THE FARM CEO (Monday 26th October 2015)
Subscribe to THE FARM CEO, and get this new issue, as well as ALL back issues, in addition to your full subscription of 48 weekly issues.
1) Useful feed formulation/other findings from trusted sources
2) Cost-saving ideas from farm visits as I travel across West Africa.
3) Ads by farm providers/suppliers of all genres.
4). Special promo price offers of my Software and Book products
As far as I’m concerned, due to the TRULY international dimension of the success he enjoys as a freelance writer/blogger, earning steady income in thousands of dollars by CREATING 100% original value adding content for high profile and discerning international clients, coupled with his successful investment of his earnings to start-up an offline cash-flow generating catfish farming business) 21 year old Ibadan based Bamidele Onibalusi is Nigeria’s NUMBER 1 blogger
That’s why he is the blogging role model I will continue to recommend to my kids, ahead of ANY others. Period.
In case you don’t know him, here are some of the grass to grace achievements already earned between the ages of 16 to 21, by this (fatherless-former-teen-startup) blogger who gained Internet fame for his prolific Guest Blogging:
2. Contributed to top websites like: Business Insider, ReadWrite, Under30CEO, Naij.com.
3. Featured in and/or contributed to internationally published books like: The Writers Market 2014, Engagement from Scratch (2011), 2 Billion Under 20.
4. Took a one year break from writing to invest some of the money from his freelance writing into owning an offline (Catfish Farming) business – and now publishes educational articles (and videos) on Catfish Farming for others in the business and those aspiring.
5. Runs a blog to help writers, that is visited dailyby thousands of SERIOUS minded writers/bloggers from across the world (and also publishes a newsletter received by over 10,000 subscribers (including yours truly) – in addition to providing PAID writing coaching for aspiring writers/blogging).
In this regard, I’m looking for role models – beyond myself – for my kids.
By this I mean AUTHENTIC achievers whose successes are not only EXPLAINABLE and VERIFIABLE, but also REPEATABLE and REPRODUCIBLE by anyone who follows guidance they (such achievers) offer.
These are successful people who readily offer information, education, ideas, tips and even coaching/training on HOW to do what they have done – and possibly do better.
The challenge in identifying role models like the above, is that so much “noise” is out here about “blogging”, “bloggers” and those “making it” amongst them – especially in the Nigerian space!!!
For the uninitiated, the “noise” can make it difficult to choose right.
Thankfully, for me, no such problem exists: I know exactly what to look for, to choose right!
In the rest of this article, I offer ideas to help interested persons accurately identify the right role models.
My (never ending) search for such role models to complement my efforts towards coaching my kids, has led me to VARIOUS places locally…and internationally, offline as well as on the web.
Regarding the international aspect, where I have since recorded the greatest successes in my searches, it’s all thanks to the Internet:
I struggled to find AUTHENTIC role models that could be reliably emulated locally. So I turned my attention to the web and voila: I found more than I’d dreamed possible!
The best part was that virtually all of those I found online had useful resources (often in form of write-ups and books) that I could have at no cost. That wonderful opportunity was one that I embraced and it helped me grow my business in various ways.
It is instructive to note however, that since most of my adopted role models were in foreign countries (mostly the USA, Canada etc), I was not able to directly transplant what I learned from them for use locally…
I tried to do that several times, but failed woefully each time.
Eventually, the hardships I faced as a result of my failures FORCED me to do more creative thinking in the use of what I’d learned, till I successfully developed adaptations based on a BLEND of all I’d learned, to meet my unique needs.
The above process enabled me begin to build my success to what I now enjoy today. And that experience is what’s guiding me now in the choice of role models to point my kids to!
Today, I’m giving my kids Personal Achievement Coaching to identify and choose role models whose success stories they can VERIFY. In other words, they are being taught how to identify achievers with traceable roots…and NOT overnight successes whose only testimony is what THEY say…!
I seek for my kids authentic successes through whom they can learn how to succeed with honesty and integrity. These would be potential mentors who also LIVE their lives – publicly and more importantly privately – in a manner that reflects the values they publicly claim to uphold.
In addition, I want my kids to look for role models that enjoy the HEALTHY respect and recognition of their peers or counterparts INTERNATIONALLY – evidence of which would be seen by way of MENTIONS they get in relevant high profile circles!
That is what I seek for my kids, and I’ve told them NEVER to settle for anything less.
Every day, I strive to make myself FIT the above description of role models they are to seek…
At the risk of sounding immodest, I’d say I’m not doing badly on that front, for a guy who’d had to climb back up from repeated setbacks and failure in business for YEARS while carrying the load of a wife and kids.
Having lived with me all their lives, during the times when I struggled to provide for them (to the point that relatives had to bail me out repeatedly), they KNOW I’ve overcome countless odds to establish my brand.
[Hint: Most people fail to realize it’s easier – MUCH easier(!) – to deal with failure, and grow your success, when you’re single/unmarried and especially if you have few or no dependents to feed or spend the income you earn on. I intend to write a book on that!]
Today, my children are aware that I enjoy growing high profile international recognition within and outside Africa for what I do. We often talk about how I am increasingly getting opportunities to rub shoulders with some of the best known minds in my fields of professional occupation and interest.
I’m now preparing my kids to learn how to do – but with special focus on discovering THEIR own natural God-given talents, passions and abilities.
The objective is for them to leverage those strengths to become competent to function independently in society while still in school-age.
Why make them start earning income that early?
Because today’s world requires kids to be better prepared to meet the challenges it presents.
Fewer job opportunities are a reality more and more school leavers will face. Kids who get the kind of preparation I refer to – especially one based on identifying and emulating the right role models – will stand a much better chance of succeeding – and excelling.
For my kids, the ethos in their “coaching” program is therefore self-employment…
Seeking long term or career paid employment will simply NOT be a priority for them, and will only be considered as a temporary stepping stone to owning their own businesses.
Today, countless opportunities exist for young people to own their own businesses without giving up formal schooling. Especially when PC and Internet technology is involved.
I actually discovered him while on a blog owned by an American Writing Coach familiar with his work. My attention was piqued when his credentials were being raved about this group of high profile freelance writing experts.
Especially because they said he was a Nigerian living in Nigeria and just 17years old but already earning over $5,000 USD monthly, serving international clients in Asia, America etc!
Robert Kiyosaki advises making your money work for you – and he stresses that Cash Flow Generating Assets (e.g. businesses) are a proven means to achieving that.
This chap learned enough to know that it was better to sink the money from his online writing business, into a lucrative offline venture like catfish farming, to boost his cash flow generation – rather than spending directly from his writing business’ earnings.
But that’s not all he’s done. Remember I said that authentic achievers always display a readiness to share what they know with others?
See what I mean when I say he’s an authentic role model?
In case you wonder how he began, get this: He is not the only one who knows or tells his story.
I have read articles about him written by others within and outside Nigeria/Africa (some are top names in international blogging!) which provide details about how he began in his early teens – after losing his Dad, and having to drop out of school.
This young man is an excellent example of the kinds of people we should encourage our kids to adopt as role models – especially towards achieving financial success using just PC and Internet Technology.
Today he’s pursuing university education without stress – but ONLY because he used the web to find financial success to return to school. At his age (21), I was in my 4th years, and got money for my undergraduate studies from my parents, since I had NEVER worked for a single day’s pay in my life!
The Yoruba’s have a saying: Ki a ro idi mo aso, tabi ki a ro aso mo idi. Ki idi sa ma pa ofo”
Literal Translation: It does not matter if you tie your bottom around your wrapper or tie your wrapper around your bottom – as long as your bottom is not exposed”
Contextual Translation: Whether you complete your formal education early on in life, or you do so a little later, what matters is that you find a way (income-wise) to get it done.
The moral: Since one needs money on a regular basis to pursue formal education in most societies, you’ll get kicked out of school anyway if you want to continue schooling but cannot pay your fees.
The above is why I advocate that Personal Achievement Education is a better way to go compared to conventional/formal education.
Wonder what the difference is? Watch out for my new book on due to be published soon.
But briefly, Personal Achievement Education (PAE) is what Oni literally empowered himself with. And countless others who rose from grass to grace did the same thing in different parts of the world, to achieve their successes.
PAE is superior because it incorporates Academic Education while exposing learners to information, ideas, opportunities, and experiences designed to enable them identify and develop their real world relevant income-earning talents/abilities/passions to support themselves through life.
PAE is what I’m giving my kids now, and like I’ve told those who’ve raised issues with my approach, especially relatives, the results they get will demonstrate to MANY parents that it’s the BEST way to go, in this 21st century and beyond.
A WORD OF ADVICE: No matter how old you think you are, or how much you think you know about Freelance Writing or Blogging, stay open to LEARNING from others…even if they are DECADES younger than you are!!
In my case, within days of discovering Oni’s YoungPrePro.com (now www.writersincharge.com) a few years back, I wasted no time in subscribing to his newsletter (using an email forwarder I setup via my tksola dot com domain to my GMAIL box for my first son), so as to see possible learnings I could pick up, to boost my efforts to win freelance writing clients, and also to coach my kids.
By way of interest, I knew I was 20 years older than him, but my attitude to life has always been to learn from even a 1 year old…if it helps me. Many Africans struggle to scale this mental hurdle and it hurts them!
Accepting to learn from a younger person does not mean you’re inferior to him/her. It simply means you have enough self-esteem to NOT feel inadequate acknowledging that others may know things in certain areas, that you need to learn!
I soon began sharing Oni’s emails with my first son (who had not long before that time just completed a 6 month weekend practical manual typewriting course).
Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I was unsuccessful in using most of the ideas I got from reading Oni’s blog to get hired to write.
Try as I could, I was unable to get even one Guest Posting opportunity (maybe I did not try hard/long enough)…
But I knew that was not Oni’s fault. I knew it was not that Oni’s tips were not useful.
Instead, my analytical thinking helped me discern what the likely problem was…
My primary target market (farm business) and audience (farm CEOs), coupled with my multidisciplinary profile makes me a fairly unusual case…and that’s why a more flexible approach to blogging (like the one I learnt by studying Patrick Meninga’s model) was eventually what helped me achieve my goals in blogging.
In line with Patrick’s advice, I focused on writing on this blog DAILY, and to use multiple content syndication tools to propagate it to as many channels as possible, to boost my marketing reach and impact.
That strategy has since worked perfectly for me – leading to more sales leads (for my custom f software, information products and ghost-writing services) being generated via Google’s results pages and other channels.
For instance, I currently have 2 Ghost-writing projects in hand (one for a UK based client, and the other for an Abuja based Farm CEO client) – both came from clients I have NEVER met in the flesh.
And that’s apart from passive income I regularly earn from sales of my products – to online buyers..
No matter how you look at it, even if it did not get me hired in the conventional way, my exposure to Oni’s work at least indirectly benefited me…and I know a lot more about blogging as a result…!
As you can imagine, I’m determined to make sure my kids learn from him as well.
Sadly, so many older persons in this part of the world let their egos and concerns about being “older” than another person (e.g they’ll think and even say “s/he is a small boy or girl”) stop them from learning from – or at least being positively influenced by – those who can help them…
My advice: If you want to get ahead in life, DROP that retrogressive mind set, or you’ll have yourself to blame!
[Tagline: If it can help your farm business, you’ll find it in THE FARM CEO™ Newspaper ]
Preview:
This week, I am pleased to announce that ALL who sign-up for my Feed Formulation Workshop will get a 50% discount to order my new Home Study DVD on How to Formulate Rations for Poultry, Pigs, Fish, Dairy Cattle & Rabbits.
Any persons who are interested will also get a 50% discount to buy a new version of my Excel-VB Ration Formulator which features an interface for formulating rations for Pigs, by balancing for essential Amino Acids in ingredients used.
Just like in past issues, the resources featured this week, are based on farm related activities done in different parts of Africa.
The reason I do this is that a key objective of The Farm CEO newspaper is to encourage Farm CEOs to develop interest in staying up to date with developments in other markets outside theirs.
Potential benefits to be had from doing that is the opportunity to get useful ideas and inspiration they can apply to their own farm businesses to achieve improved performance at low to zero cost.
******
Here are the headlines, reviews – and links – for this week’s featured news items:
[PDF] Formulating Swine Rations…PLUS Get MY Upgraded Excel-VB Ration Formulator Which Generates Amino Acid Balanced Rations for Pigs! P.1
[VIDEO] POOR WATER QUALITY IN FISH PONDS – What went wrong P.2
[PDF] Review of Livestock Feed Formulation Techniques P.2
[PDF] A diet fit for a pig: seven basic rules P.3
[PDF] A New Guide to Fish Farming in Kenya P.3
Below: Screenshot of the cover for Issue No. 20 of THE FARM CEO (Monday 19th October 2015)
Subscribe to THE FARM CEO, and get this new issue, as well as ALL back issues, in addition to your full subscription of 48 weekly issues.
1) Useful feed formulation/other findings from trusted sources
2) Cost-saving ideas from farm visits as I travel across West Africa.
3) Ads by farm providers/suppliers of all genres.
4). Special promo price offers of my Software and Book products
“The Nigerian factor is what makes things that work elsewhere fail to work in Nigeria. It is also what makes doing the wrong thing acceptable, and doing the right thing condemnable” – Tayo Solagbade
I’m posting it along with excerpts from the home page featuring a definition I coined for the social anomaly called the Nigerian Factor – because this problem persists today, and remains a MAJOR hindrance to Nigeria’s progress on various fronts.
==Starts===
Nigeria has wonderful talents that can add great value to the world. But she needs to give those talents a conducive environment to flourish. Tayo Solagbade’s definition of the Nigerian Factor indicates how the Nigerian Factor stifles Nigeria’s ability to do the foregoing :
“The Nigerian factor is what makes things that work elsewhere fail to work in Nigeria. It is also what makes doing the wrong thing acceptable, and doing the right thing condemnable” – Tayo Solagbade
SDAc believes that anyone who truly loves Nigeria will want her to develop to the point where many individual Nigerians will no longer feel a need to flee for Europe and America,( these days even Ghana/Togo!) in order to achieve worthwhile goals.
Perpetuation of the Nigerian Factor currently (Jan 2006) makes this development process difficult, if not impossible.
a. BTNF Objective
The objective of this mini site is to provide education for re-orientation towards eliminating the Nigerian Factor. This is being done as a social development service.
Why? Because we believe every business organisation will find her chances of survival and profitable existence threatened if negative influences that prevent stabilisation of political and economic conditions persist.
We also believe we have a responsibility to contribute positively to the development of any environment in which we operate. Not all of us can get invited to high profile meetings with important dignitaries to discuss matters of national importance/security.
Click here to learn about our adopted strategy,and how you can join us.
b. How Bad Is This Problem?
Our special report – “The Nigerian Factor UNMASKED!” – was originally written in June 2005. However events in the last quarter of 2005 – especially the unprecedented series of fatal aircraft crashes has revealed other areas where the problem has eroded any security persons in this country (Nigerians or foreigners) may be confident they have.
At the special emergency meeting of stakeholders called by President Obasanjo(and broadcast on TV), one of the delegates provided revealing insight into the issue of age, and airworthiness of planes bought and used Nigerian airline operators.
According to him, sometimes officers of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) who travelled abroad to inspect planes to be bought by an airline operator, would have their estacode, flight tickets, accommodation fees paid by the airline operator(who wished to purchase the plane to be given a pass or fail mark by the NCAA officer!) – in addition to being provided a shopping allowance. How can one then expect the NCAA officer to objectively carry out the assigned job?!
The above more that anything else confirmed the President’s insistence on corruption as the root cause was not wrong. All this however only came to the fore AFTER multiple crashes claiming hundreds of lives within a few weeks (including those of 50 very young students on their way back to School) had occurred.
c. Individuals Are Also Guilty!
The irony is that those responsible for cutting corners in vetting/ buying the planes and who circumvent established routine aircraft maintenance regimes for personal monetary gain are NOT all in government. Some are individuals in society who think it is smart to exploit the existing loopholes.
Maybe that is why many Nigerians seem incapable of insisting that things be done as expected. They can ask for a while, but they soon give up and accept anything they are told hoping that the problem will resolve itself.
The SDAc believes that this LACK OF POLITICAL WILL(note that political will need not be demonstrated through violence) is what makes Nigerians continue to suffer the hardships they complain so much about. The following quote reinforces this:
“Find out just what any people will quietly submit to, and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them” – Frederick Douglas
Simply put, the Nigerian Factor™ is the reason why Nigeria has failed to work for decades, compared to small neighbouring countries with only a fraction of its capacity or potential.
But there’s hope…especially with the new leadership Nigeria now has…
Especially when it is considered in conjunction with the vibrant and growing population of civil society crusaders who are using PC and Internet technology in creative ways to elicit more responsible behaviour from key actors in society.
Never has the time to do this been more relevant than now. A wind of change is really blowing across the Nigerian landscape.
Those of us who were mocked for trying to fight the Nigerian Factor™, but who refused to be discouraged, are now the ones leading the way to show others how to do it.
Even though the material from the BTNF mini site was published way back in 2006 (over 9 years ago), it still remains VERY relevant to today’s Nigeria.
That’s why I’ve decided to deliberately republish relevant excerpts from the Beat The Nigerian Factor (BTNF) ™ mini site, on my SD Nuggets blog, to provide badly needed information and education for reorientation of those who will be on the look out for it.
Those who were misled into thinking there was no other way to do things, are now coming to the realization that it can no longer be business as usual – and they are searching for viable alternatives.
Guess what? This website – www.tayosolagbade.com offers information and education about several viable alternatives to the Nigerian Factor™.
If you’d like to know what those viable alternatives are, and how you can use them to achieve the progress you desire, no matter the obstacles you face, explore the articles on this blog – especially those in the “My Ideas for Making Nigeria Better” category.
I never re-publish other people’s writings on my blog, but I do link to those I find compelling. This piece by Olusegun Adeniyi titled “An adventure to discover the best teacher in Nigeria. Drama Galore…lol!” – published in THISDAY Newspaper perfectly fits that description: it is a truly compelling, and at the same time “painful” read, that confirms the serious ROT Nigeria’s educational system in in!
PREVIEW: Why are you in the teaching profession? Ordinarily, you would expect a teacher who was in the final rounds of an interview for a life-changing national award to be prepared for such a question. But after a momentary hesitation, the respondent said she chose teaching because it is a profession that “offers me opportunities to do other things by the side.”
…a multi-disciplinary blog for people passionate about reaching their goals!
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