Category Archives: Self-Development

Food for Thought for Nigeria @56: “You Lazy African Intellectuals – by Field Ruwe” [Hint: How Lazy “Nigerian” Intellectuals Underdevelop “Nigeria”?]

Yesterday (Saturday 1st October 2016) Nigeria clocked 56 years as an independent nation. Celebrations were however understandably muted/low key. Tough times have been hitting hard.

Avoidable tough times or self-inflicted hardships due to mismanagement that is!

The above is why I believe the write-up linked/previewed below offers Nigerian intellectuals in particular, serious food for thought to address her many problems.

I first read this compelling piece in 2014, and most of its contents greatly resonated with me. It was reportedly written by a US-based Zambian media practitioner and author named Field Ruwe, who (at the time) was a PhD candidate with a B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism, and an M.A. in History.

=Starts=

They call the Third World the lazy man’s purview; the sluggishly slothful and languorous prefecture. In this realm people are sleepy, dreamy, torpid, lethargic, and therefore indigent—totally penniless, needy, destitute, poverty-stricken, disfavored, and impoverished.

In this demesne, as they call it, there are hardly any discoveries, inventions, and innovations. Africa is the trailblazer. Some still call it “the dark continent” for the light that flickers under the tunnel is not that of hope, but an approaching train.

And because countless keep waiting in the way of the train, millions die and many more remain decapitated by the day.

“It’s amazing how you all sit there and watch yourselves die,” the man next to me said. “Get up and do something about it.”

Brawny, fully bald-headed, with intense, steely eyes, he was as cold as they come. When I first discovered I was going to spend my New Year’s Eve next to him on a non-stop JetBlue flight from Los Angeles to Boston I was angst-ridden. I associate marble-shaven Caucasians with iconoclastic skin-heads, most of who are racist.

“My name is Walter,” he extended his hand as soon as I settled in my seat.
I told him mine with a precautious smile.
“Where are you from?” he asked.

Click here to continue

Nigeria @56: Claim Your N5,600-to-buy-ANY-Product-Awoof [Expires MNT Fri 30/9/16]

I love what I do :-)

It’s always so much fun to be able to think up new ways to communicate with my target audience!

I worked overnight writing new articles for a proJect, and managed to squeeze in a new audio podcast recording.

Then just as I was about to go to sleep at 6:30a.m, the idea occurred to me to use Nigeria’s new age to compose the following offer…

Lol: Notice how my promo fee EQUALS Nigeria’s age multiplied by 100? Like I said, I love having fun doing what I do :-)

**********************************
Nigeria @56: Claim Your N5,600-to-buy-ANY-Product-Awoof [Expires MNT Fri 30/9/16]

If you pay N5,600.0 on or before MNT tomorrow 30/9/16, I’ll send you ANY product of your choice – no matter the price

[NB: Offer valid for first 5 persons to reply YES via email to tayo at tksola dot com to claim the offer].

So if there’s any product you’re interested in, or that you’ve contacted me about in the past, THIS is your chance to get it.

You’ll be saving N3k to over N65k.

But here’s the best part:

If you claim this offer, you ALSO get full membership of my Farm Business Ideas club, which includes 40% lifetime discount to buy any other products or services I offer in future.

TIP: Tell a friend about this opportunity, even if you don’t need it.

S/he may thank you for it!
**********************************

Happy 1st October Independence Day celebration in advance!

PII 033: Five Ways to Make Money in Nigeria Without Spending Money [5 Week Email Course Based on True Stories]

Exactly ONE year ago, today, I launched my Spontaneous Coaching to become a Master of Adversity (MA) ™ program

In it, I offer my over 2 decades of hard won experience based insights on how to succeed – in spite of daunting adversity – by doing what MOST sane, logical minded, “commonsense” people would NOT do

My achievements are proof that this is true. I practice what I preach. As a result, I am able to thrive in the face of challenges.

Today, with the extreme visitations of hardship being experienced by most people, especially in Nigeria, insights like those that I offer can yield potentially valuable rewards.

 

SCROLL DOWN TO READ FULL ISSUE

 

Tayo Solagbade's Performance Improvement IDEAS(PI Squared) Newsletter

Tayo Solagbade’s
Performance Improvement
IDEAS
(PI Squared) Newsletter

Monday 26th September 2016

Logo - Tayo Solagbade's Self-Development Academy


NB: This PI Squared newsletter will be published weekly, on Mondays, in place of the Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS newsletter, starting from today – 15th February 2016.
I’m reinventing my Monday newsletter content and theme, to accommodate my vision of serving the growing audience of serious minded individuals and organizations reaching out to me, with information, education. news and research findings designed to help them do what they do better.

**********

View Tayo Solagbade's video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsJoin the SD Nuggets community on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google PlusConnect with Tayo on LinkedIn.com

PII 033: Five Ways to Make Money in Nigeria Without Spending Money [5 Week Email Course Based on True Stories]

Exactly ONE year ago, today, I launched my Spontaneous Coaching to become a Master of Adversity (MA) ™ program

In it, I offer my over 2 decades of hard won experience based insights on how to succeed – in spite of daunting adversity – by doing what MOST sane, logical minded, “commonsense” people would NOT do

My achievements are proof that this is true. I practice what I preach. As a result, I am able to thrive in the face of challenges.

Today, with the extreme visitations of hardship being experienced by most people, especially in Nigeria, insights like those that I offer can yield potentially valuable rewards.

Of all the challenges being faced by people, and businesses however, it is the financial one that is most painful, and limiting.

Sadly, most people are at a loss as to what they can do. In most cases what they have always done to make money, and which is more or less the only way they know, is NOW no longer working as well as it used to. Or in some cases it is simply NOT working any longer. In other words, their income has more or less dried up – and they are scared, terrified even – understandably too.

Indeed, when you listen to conversations amongst people in society as well on social, and mass media in general, one consistent refrain you hear is THERE IS NO MONEY.

The problem I however see is that most of those complaining fail to realize that the real problem with things as they are today, for them and others around, is NOT that there is NO MONEY.

Nope.

Instead it is that there is a paucity or disappointing lack of CREATIVE and INNOVATIVE thinking on the part of most people, especially in the Nigerian social space.

Don’t get me wrong. People are being creative and innovative. The problem I see is that they are doing it in conventional ways.

Very few, if at all any are consciously choosing to step out of, or even destroy the figurative “box” completely in applying their creative and innovative abilities.

This is why most of the results they continue to get, remain for the most part far from being exceptional.

Unfortunately, the times we’re in require exceptional results, for useful advancement to be made. People need to do away with traditional ways of looking at problems in society, and begin to embrace new and different ways of approaching them.

One good example is how we continue to talk lack of money. We fail to see the point that geniuses like Robert Kiyosaki and Dan Kennedy have been making about money for years.

It was from reading the works of the former, that I learned to THINK up ways to PRINT my own money, and it’s being a valuable skill that has helped me grow as in my work, financially and professionally – regardless of the prevailing socio-economic circumstances.

And from the latter, that is Mr. Kennedy, I learned that I did NOT need to have (or spend) money in order to make money.

“I have long taught: if you can’t make money without money, you won’t make money with money either. And if you’re going to back somebody, pick an entrepreneur who has proven that he can survive without adequate capital” – Dan Kennedy (Millionaire Entrepreneur/Author of “How to succeed in Business by breaking all the rules”)

 

What I’m saying in essence is that too many people are focusing on the wrong thing i.e. the “lack of money”, when in fact what they need to do is focus on doing engaging in creative and innovative activities in NEW and UNPRECEDENTED ways (emphasis VERY deliberate) to create value that earns them money they need.

I practice, what I preach above. It is how I have worked and lived for years, right here in Africa, and I have a small but growing army of loyal clients who do business with me in the manner I describe above.

The interesting thing is that I continue to evolve new and better ways of doing what I do, and sometimes when I think of how simple and easy the methods I use are, I feel a bit guilty.

Especially when I hear or read others with what I consider greater talents, or abilities and resources that I have at my disposal moaning about hard times. They focus so narrowly on the one or few ways of doing what they do, missing the opportunities to be had from operating the way I do.

This is why I’ve resolved to launch

“Five Ways to Make Money in Nigeria Without Spending Money [Based on Verifiable Real Life Achievements]”

It’s a 5 Week Email course that I will deliver to subscribers with support to help them get STARTED making money BEFORE they finish the course.

For each of the 5 ways, I will supply real life case studies from start to end, with names, dates and locations, to back up all my claims.

Then I will explain the process by which the learner can REPLICATE and/or ADAPT what I did to succeed in his/her own unique area of interest or expertise.

In other words, I will deliver the training content to you, and then make practical suggestions about how you can make use of my ideas to achieve your own success.

You will then put what you’ve learned to use, with my support and guidance, until you get it right and begin selling.

This program is however NOT for all comers.

First you have to qualify. I must see potential for success in terms of who you are, what you do, which I will establish via a Needs Analysis Session. But that will only apply to people who are NOT already my clients.

Anyone on my clients list has already gone through that screening process.

To learn more about how to enroll for this course, click here to send me a message.

SDN Blog™

New posts from last week*

Monday:

[Tuesday]:

[Wednesday]:

[Thursday]:

[Friday]:

N/A

[Saturday]:

N/A

[Sunday]:

[Recommeded] Japanese water-fueled-cars: the beginning of a new generation of green vehicles – The American Bazaar

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Best Practice Farm Business Support Specialist & Founder of the MS Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club and Competition

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

http://www.tayosolagbade.com

Tayo K. Solagbade is a Location Independent Performance Improvement

Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to Farm Businesses and others.

Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organizations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

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

He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organizations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods and others.

In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.

His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years (October 1994 to December 2001) as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer to Training & Technical Development Manager, and later acted in senior roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

In addition to constantly challenging the status quo and influencing positive work changes, he built a reputation for using self-taught spreadsheet programming skills (starting with Lotus 1-2-3, and later moving to Excel Visual Basic) – in his spare time – to develop Automated Spreadsheet Applications to computerize manual report generation processes in the departments he worked. Over four(4) of his applications were adopted for brewery level reporting.

Tayo holds a B.Sc degree in Agricultural Extension Services from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, having graduated top of his class – with Second Class Upper Division honors – in 1992. He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy (SDAc).

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes The Farm CEO Weekly Newspaper (sent via email to paid subscribers) and his Weekly Performance Improvement IDEAS newsletter.

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

Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.

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

On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.

Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.

But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts

he’s published.

If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.

Click “Tayo, What Happened to

SpontaneousDevelopmentDotCom ?” to read a detailed narrative about how the above event occurred :-))

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

Succeed by Emerging from Adversity Like a Phoenix

(TayoSolagbade.com launches extra Hosting plan with FREE Web Marketing!)

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

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

View Tayo Solagbade's video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsJoin the SD Nuggets community on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google PlusConnect with Tayo on LinkedIn.com

Home |About | Contact | SD Nuggets™ | Speaking/Web Marketing IDEAS | Web Marketing Systems | Freelance Writing | MS Excel® Heaven™ | Cost-Saving Farm Biz Ideas

[With Video URL] ‘Why I Hate School But Love Education’ Viral Video Points To Stupid In America And All The Wrong Questions | Huffington Post

Due to the fact that it perfectly captures the experience-based reservations I’ve expressed in my Best Practice Parenting articles over the years, I’ve been sharing the powerful video reviewed in this Huffington Post report for weeks via email and Whatsapp: Contact me if you want me to send it to you.

I’ve appended a preview ending with URL to the full article below.

It is instructive to note that the writer of the review picks holes in the argument made in the video (incl wrong spellings/facts).

That’s why I prefer to post the article’s URL below, along with the video’s URL: http://youtube.com/watch?v=y_ZmM7zPLyI

That way YOU can make up YOUR mind.

My advice: Be honest with yourself.
=

Why I Hate School But Love Education’ Viral Video Points To Stupid In America And All The Wrong Questions | Huffington Post

English rapper-poet Suli Breaks is out with a video that’s taking the Internet by storm, and young people are loving it.

“Why I Hate School But Love Education“ has received nearly half a million views since it was posted to YouTube on Sunday. The young, educated artist takes a strong stance on schooling, urging the world’s youth to “understand your motives and reassess your aims.”

Continue reading:

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2246253

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2246253

[FREE podcast] Create & Sell Zero Cost Products Using ONLY Your Smartphone Right from Your home!

Tough economic times often require us to reinvent ourselves to survive, and ultimately flourish.

 

This FREE podcast employs practical examples/true stories to describe a strategy for creating Zero Cost products (based on YOUR own unique knowledge and experiences) using ONLY your mobile phone, that you can sell to make money without leaving your home or office.

 

There’s a lot inside you that you take for granted – which others would gladly pay to hear you talk about, so they can help themselves.

 

Imagine having people send money to you, to access such products from you, which you create by speaking – and without writing a word?

 

No, don’t imagine it:

 

Listen to my FREE 30 minute podcast and learn how to get started making creating products you can sell REPEATEDLY to make extra money.

 

What I say in that presentation is based on use of this amazingly simple strategy, for years! to earn income even on weekends and public holidays.

 

So it’s based on “Street Wisdom” from application of my ideas in the real world, and NOT “Textbook Theory”.

 

I offer this audio FREE to any interested persons who send “YES” to me on Whatsapp via +229-66-122-136.

 

Once you do that, I’ll respond by sending you the FREE podcast.

 

If you need help getting started, send me a message via Whatsapp

 

<h3>Related Reading</h3>

 

1. <a href=”http://excelheaven.tayosolagbade.com/?p=334″ target=”blank”>What if you could print your own money – anytime you need it?</a>

 

2. <a href=”http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/spontaneous-coaching-program-monetize-your-expertise-to-make-extra-money-with-less-effort-by-creating-cash-flow-generating-assets-cfga/” target=”blank”>Spontaneous Coaching™ Program: Monetize Your Expertise to Make EXTRA Money With LESS Effort by Creating Cash Flow Generating Assets (CFGA)™ | SD Nuggets™</a>

 

3. <a href=”http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/how-to-publish-your-own-money-making-international-quality-physical-book-in-your-field-of-expertise-at-zero-cost-without-your-writing-a-single-word-download-free-pdf-report-or-attend-free-1-hou/” target=”blank”>How to Publish Your Own Money Making International Quality PHYSICAL Book in Your Field of Expertise: at Zero Cost & Without YOUR Writing a Single Word! [DOWNLOAD FREE PDF REPORT &/OR ATTEND FREE 1 HOUR TALK] | SD Nuggets™</a>

 

[Workshop for Kids – by a Kid] Build Your Own Battery Powered Toy Bike!

What is your child’s genius? Do you know?

Many parents do NOT know that schooling is a means to an end, and NOT an end in itself.

That’s why they focus so much on “schooling” their kids, and pay little or no attention to EDUCATING their kids in readiness for real world relevant success outside school.

This is why we have so many people who leave school with brilliant grades and go on to struggle to make impact in life.

It is why (as Robert Kiyosaki notes in his book) we see C students becoming more successful and employing A students after they all leave school.

It is also why we see UNSCHOOLED persons or school drop outs doing far better in the real world than their schooled counterparts.

I argue, as a Best Practice Parenting Advocate, that a parent’s NUMBER ONE role in giving his/her child an education is NOT to pay school fees, uniforms, textbooks etc. Neither is it to pay for access to summer school and exams.

Your primary role in your child’s education is the help him/her identify, and nurture to full bloom his/her God-given genius. This may or may NOT be along academic lines -and that is why YOU must avoid following the crowd of uninformed parents to give your child a one-sided education.

My audio podcast series titled “The Difference Between Schooling and Education” offers a LOT of real world relevant experience based insights designed to help you do your job well as a parent, so your child can thank you in future.

Like the cartoon of Einstein below shows, we are not all wired to learn or achieve in the same way!

einstein

The letter below, reportedly sent by the principal of an Indian school to parents of kids just before the exams, further underscores the point being made

ht-to-parents

And what is the point being made?

 

It is that HUMAN BEINGS have multiple intelligences and can therefore not go through life doing the same things the same way.

Each person will fare best if allowed and supported to make use of his/her unique gifts and abilities.

[EXAMPLE] I practice what I preach: Step-by-Step Demonstration Video by 12 year old

Click here to see it on Facebook. If you’d like it emailed to you, click here send me a message.

Imagine kids being able to build functional toys of this kind by themselves, instead of having their parents spend money to buy them?!

I am VERY close to each of my kids, and have spent hundreds of hours narrowing down to what they currently consider their natural passions, while controlling their exposure to conventional schooling in a way that ensures its potentially damaging effects on creativity are minimised.

[See Temi & Oluoma’s No-Oven Charcoal Stove Cookies]

Some months ago, I shared a video on my YouTube channel, of a battery-powered toy power bike built by my 12 year old son, using scrap materials he picked up from various places.

This video (click to view) is based on excerpts from a 4 part step-by-step demonstration video of my (now 13 year old) son building another of  his battery-powered toy bikes from beginning to the end, using scrap materials.

If you’d like the above step-by-step video emailed to you, click here send me a message.

I shared a video on my YouTube channel, of a battery-powered toy power bike built by my 12 year old son, using scrap materials he picked up from various places.

His 14 year old brother helped to hold the Blackberry camera, while playing background music – which we have now stripped out for copyright reasons.

I share photos along with this video clip.

img-20160210-00204

img-20160210-00192

img-20160210-00223

img-20160210-00211

img-20160210-00207

alagbado-20160210-00250

alagbado-20160211-00259

alagbado-20160211-00258

alagbado-20160207-00172

alagbado-20160211-00266

 

Our plan remains to organise a FREE workshop facilitated by my son during which he will teach other interested kids how to do what he does.

Imagine kids being able to build functional toys of this kind by themselves, instead of having their parents spend money to buy them?!

Related…

[Podcast] Real Reason Why Well Schooled People Commit Fraud (Tayo Solagbade’s “Difference Between Schooling & Education” Series)

[See Temi & Oluoma’s No-Oven Charcoal Stove Cookies]

ExcelVB Case Study: Code to hide the row for a cell that contains a specific text string

“Dear sir, Can you have a vb code in the condition that i want to hide (not to delete) the entire row if a particular cell has “katol”………. Please do it for me sir.

I created this Excel-VB coding tutorial in response to the above request from Pravin which he sent via my Facebook page on Sunday 18th Sept 2016 as a case study for members of my Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club

[NB: By way of interest, I’ve had to respond to Pravin’s request once before in this same manner – click here. At the bottom of this post, I reproduce a detailed message I initially sent to him, explaining why I may find it difficult to respond to future requests of this nature from him – pointing out a useful forum he can visit to get reliable answers to his queries.]

Below: A screenshot of the MS Excel Worksheet I formatted the code driven interface to fit into [Click here to download the workbook with the code]

pravin-case-study

Steps to follow

In order to to have a cell’s row hide and unhide based  on the occurrence of a specific value,  it’s best to  write code for it in a Worksheet_Change event:

  1. Open a blank MS Excel workbook and click on the Worksheet Tab labeled Sheet1 to select it
  2. Next Press Alt+F11 to access the Visual Basic Editor
  3. In the Project Explorer Window, double click Sheet1 to open that Worksheet’s code window

TIP:  You can compress steps 2 and 3 into one by simply right clicking on the Sheet1 Worksheet tab after step 1 and clicking VIEW CODE on the shortcut menu that appears, to open the Worksheet’s code window

  1. Copy and paste the code below into the Worksheet’s code window

====Starts====

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)

    If Range(“CheckValue”).Value = “Katol” Then

        Range(“CheckValue”).EntireRow.Hidden = True

       

    ElseIf Range(“CheckValue”).Value <> “Katol” Then

        Range(“CheckValue”).EntireRow.Hidden = False

    End If

End Sub

====Ends====

  1. Recall from previous tutorials that I use range names to identify Excel objects I want to use code to refer to.

So, in the case of Pravin’s example, I’ve named the cell in which “Katol” appears, as “CheckValue” (the yellow coloured cell).

  1. Note the buttons to the top left of this frame – for posting the test string into the yellow cell and for erasing the cell’s contents. The code behind them is reproduced in the explanation boxes below them.

[Click here to download the workbook with the code]

Below: Detailed message I initially sent to Pravin this evening, explaining why I may find it difficult to respond to future requests of this nature from him.

I pointed him to a useful forum he can visit to get reliable answers to his queries. I reproduce it here in order to give the reader greater insight into how I do what I do, as it relates to coaching members of my Excel-VB club while working as a multi-discplinary expert.

Hi Pravin.

It would be my pleasure to send you the code to hide a cell or range. But like I told you before, I do a lot of things that require my serious attention. For instance right now, I’m modifying my Excel-VB Poultry Farm Manager for a new buyer who requested changes, and after that I need to prepare 2 newsletters and also write 4 articles for a UK client. I simply do not have the kind of time others do, to respond to requests of this nature.

In other words, I’m NOT your usual Excel expert who does only Excel based work. I am a multipreneur, engaged in various vocations, that take my time.

But I have a vision to build Excel-VB developers in my primary target market of Nigeria/Africa. I happen to think YOU have lots of experts in your country or region you can reach out to.

To do what I do out here, I feel if I am to add value to someone, it is best that I empower him/her to be able, even if over time, to find out how to do such stuff and others s/he may desire to do, by him or herself

It is for this reason that I prefer to challenge any persons who reach out to me to commit to EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING. I do NOT believe in TELLING people how to do things. Instead i believe in guiding them to discover how to write their own code.

So, responding to requests like yours tend to be difficult for me, especially since you are NOT in my coaching club. Unlike what obtains in YOUR country and other non-African nations, access to the Internet here is such that I simply cannot make myself available to respond to all requests. It not only costs a lot, but it also tends to be erratic in nature – plus I have a lot I’m doing.

Most importantly, and I have told you this before, there are people who run websites who invite visitors to send them such requests. A good example is http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/index.php – the forum at Mr Excel. There you can register and post ANY questions you have for experts to answer.

In my case, I am primarily focused on building Excel-VB skills in niche markets in MY country, and my strategy does NOT require that I make myself available to respond to all comers, much as I would like to.

Instead, I have to focus on serving people within my network, based on their specific needs as business users. That is why my Excel-VB club is my priority.

I will therefore end by telling you what I have told you before:

I will make out time to create a tutorial based on what you specified above for you, which I will use to teach my club members, featuring YOU in my broadcast to them.

However, AFTER I do this, let me make it clear that I will NOT be able to take on ANY requests you make in future – except you choose to join my Excel-VB Club.

I hope my offer is acceptable to you. If not, I advise that you visit http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/index.php and post your question there.

Maybe in future I’ll be able to re-invent the way I work, to take on all comers. For now, this is the best I can do.

With kindest regards,

Tayo

Related Article

Download MS Excel-VB Screen shot Demonstration Video Tutorials for Tayo Solagbade’s Introduction to Excel-VB Automation Workshop Held on Sat 19th March 2016 in Lagos-Nigeria [Includes video recorded in response to last week’s request for Excel-VB coding help from a business user in India]

Knowing How to Code Is NOT Enough for Spreadsheet Programming Success [MUST READ: FREE PDF Introduction to Excel-VB Programming by J.Latham]

[NB: This is a non-password protected educational piece for members of my Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club]

In 2007, it cost my brother-in-law (Segun Ogunlana) about $34 USD to buy me a copy of the 1st edition of Professional Excel Development: The Definitive Guide to Developing Applications Using Microsoft Excel, VBA, and .NET

Today, given the crazy Nigerian Naira Exchange rate of N430 to $1 USD, that US dollar sum comes to approximately N15,000 (Fifteen Thousand Naira).

Now, even though this Excel Bible offers a lot more than the FREE Excel-VB PDF learning resource I will talk about further down, added to the fact that it is not really for beginners, I believe (and I explain why, below) getting the PDF ebook I recommend here for FREE is really a bargain!

Below are screenshots from selected pages of this PDF

I should add here that the author got my attention the most when I saw the effort he made to provide examples of how to use FORMS(intelligently enhanced with ActiveX controls) as data sources in automating MS Excel – (as can be seen from the interfaces in my apps – click here) for the ease of use it affords users, especially those who are novices or not Excel savvy.

pdf-intro-xlvb1

pdf-intro-xlvb2

pdf-intro-xlvb5

I’ve never believed in reinventing the wheel:
Just knowing how to code, no matter how good you are, is not enough.

It’s important to establish a guiding philosophy to steer you right in doing what you do, if you want to succeed for the long term.

My background in Best Practice and Continuous Improvement based Performance Improvement has always helped me stay focused on what matters, which is GETTING NEEDED RESULTS and SOLVING PROBLEMS in a way that meets felt needs, resulting in progress for my clients – and, by implication, me.

Being skilled is only one dimension of the requirements for succeeding in any field.

Excel-VB Programming is no exception.

I say all this to impress upon you the importance of having the right mindset and orientation to deliver Excel-VB solutions that work for others.

A sound understanding of the experience based insights I share here can make a less skilled Excel-VB expert achieve greater success in terms of solving client problems as well as making money, compared to a rival who is more gifted at coding, but lacks these insights.

To put it simply, you will be all about using your know-how to solve user’s problem and NOT to impress or intimidate them. In otherwords, no attitude issues – which is a challenge some gifted programmers tend to have!

My understanding of the above, is why – In coaching others to program MS Excel using VBA – I regularly point them towards resources, on and off the web, that they can take advantage of, beyond whatever I may offer them, to become more proficient in VBA Solutions Development.

As I explained above, I belong to the school of thought that one must avoid falling into the mental trap of placing too much emphasis on programming or coding for the sake of it.

Instead, especially for those of us engaged in use of MS Excel to develop custom apps for busy users with unique needs, we MUST NEVER lose sight of the fact that solving the problem of our “user” is why we exist as providers.

So, we simply cannot afford to fall into the mindset of (some) conventional programmers who tend to be rigid in the way they go about doing what they do, and who typically refuse to try interacting with prospective end users in a manner that makes it easy for the latter to influence the development process.

It is my considered opinion, that to succeed in using MS Excel programming, one must think and act like a SOLUTIONS DEVELOPER and not just as a PROGRAMMER.

To do that, you will need to remember at all times that showing off your coding skills is not needed. Instead, learning how to optimally utilize your knowledge of MS Excel-VB Programming, to produce results specified by your client or employer will be the key to your long term success.

Without the above understanding, anyone who ventures into programming, especially using MS Excel-VB is likely to encounter considerable difficulty giving clients what they want, in a manner that satisfies them.

The above mentioned philosophy has over the years guided me to make efficient and effective use of my time and effort in serving clients.

So, rather than obsess excessively over coding to impress clients, I have learned to identify smart and time/effort saving ways to deliver results my clients want.

Sometimes doing that actually requires doing LESS or NO coding, and instead exploring smart techniques for using the MS Excel engine itself to deliver the desired automation.

A good example is the powerful dynamic report generation template shown below, that I created for the National Distribution Manager of a Telecoms Multinational during a private coaching session I had with him.

Click below or here to visit the page where I use two videos to show this powerful report in use (scroll half-way down the page)

Screenshot of a tutorial workbook I created several years ago, for the National Distribution Manager of a large multinational telecoms company (The Logistics Department hired me) - Click to view larger image in new window

 

Without using a single line of code, and depending ONLY on spreadsheet based features and functions in Excel, I setup the above shown interface that enabled him generate ANY scenarios he wanted at the click of a mouse on a menu item or button.

This is what I mean when I tell those I coach that the right mindset/mental attitude or THINKING is crucial to succeeding in Excel-VB Solutions Development.

[RECOMMENDED] Programming In Excel VBA – An Introduction (.pdf File) – By J.Latham

The above explained mental attitude is what makes me keen to expose those who learn from me, to resources that I have found helpful in developing myself to function competently as required.

This week, I refer you to a useful PDF resource, which – though a bit dated – having been prepared based on an old version of MS Excel, still offers considerably useful information and education for Successful VBA Programming in MS Excel.

Not only does it feature useful techniques and concepts, it also provides real world relevant examples and illustrations of virtually every aspect of VBA coding you will need to know to function competently as a developer.

Most importantly, it offers references to other expert resources, in form of highly competent/recognized MS Excel -VB professionals whose works you can study.

Now, here’s the best part: Despite offering such a comprehensive body of ready-to-use practical tips and wisdom on Excel-VB Solutions Development, this PDF does NOT cost anything i.e it is 100% FREE!

And that’s why I recommend that you download and read this PDF. Click here to visit the author’s site, where the PDF and several useful Projects Workbooks (with project code visible in the Visual Basic Editor) are available for download and study.

Like I said, it is a bit dated, but I believe it still offers useful foundation that you can build on.

Indeed it is instructive to note that there are still MANY business users who still work in older versions of MS Excel, due to the fact that they feel their needs continue to be well catered for by those versions (say from 2003 upwards).

As a developer, you need to take pains to make your solutions reasonably backward compatible, to ensure you don’t alienate a section of your target users who may be using relatively older Excel versions.

Only people who use pirated versions of the latest MS Excel will find it hard to understand why someone would choose not to install the so called latest version of Excel on his/her PC.

In developed societies for example, where piracy is not widespread, most business users do a cost-benefit analysis in order to decide whether or not to pay what is often NOT a light fee to upgrade to the new or latest version.

So, any developer looking to build and sell apps to such users would need to make his/her apps adaptable to running trouble-free on old as well as new versions.

In the course of future tutorials, I will periodically refer you to the contents of this PDF, to facilitate your comprehension of project based exercises you will be doing.

Download and read the PDF here

Click here to visit the author’s site

A Buyer’s Feedback About my Audio on Biafran Scientists’ Animal Feeding Innovations!

[Audio Podcast] Amazing Story: How Biafran Scientists Innovated Low Cost Animal Feed (During the Nigerian Civil War) Using Zero Cost Local Ingredients

************************************
A Buyer’s Feedback Within Hours of Getting the 1.5 Hour Long Audio
************************************
=Starts=

“Good evening

I really enjoyed the audio lectures you have actually hit the nail on the head and you also strengthen some of my belie(f)s and convictions about running a farm. I would also like to know the names those plants you talked about on the lectures so that I can learn more about them.

Finally I would like to get the PDF or url link to the Indian website that carried out research on alternative feed ingredients for livestock feed production. Thanks a lot. ” – Aliyu Muhammed

Sent from my iPad

=Ends=
************************************

In this audio podcast, Tayo Solagbade, using documented exploits of Biafran scientists during the 1967 – 1970 war as reference, discusses tried & Tested practical ideas for Farm CEOs to deal with feed production hardships they face today!

NB: The price for this audio reverted to N2.5k from midnight of Wednesday 7th September, 2016.

Format: AMR Audio = 6MB [MP3 = 20MB]

Duration: 1.5 hrs

Price: N2.5k

Preview: http://tinyurl.com/biafrafeed

GET FREE AUDIO SAMPLE:

Email your phone number to info at thefarmceo.net and I’ll send you Part 1 (0.5 hrs long) as a gift – along with bank payment details, in case you decide to pay, so I can send you Part 2 (1 hour long).

By way of interest, during the N1k promo period…

A long term client, Alhaji Sanni sent Etisalat airtime to my wife, at my request as payment for the audios.

A day earlier, another client, Azi Bulus had sent MTN airtime to my mother, at my request as payment.

A day after, Aliyu Muhammed – at my suggestion (since he used Diamond bank) – got a friend to do N1k online transfer via GTB to me on his behalf.

This was his first purchase from me, even though he’s been following my work online for a while.

In fact he only recently sent me the following message after reading my article linked below:

************************************
“Good day sir I sent you the link to your article as a reference. I really enjoy your articles even though I have not yet bought any of your products yet. I love your thinking I wish more Africans can think like you not just Nigerians. Best regards.

P. S.
thanks a lot for the wonderful articles. Keep it up” – Aliyu Muhammed

Here’s the URL to the article he read:

Conversation with a Nigerian in Diaspora, About Nigeria | SD Nuggets™

http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/conversation-with-a-nigerian-in-diaspora-about-nigeria

************************************

Get this audio free (N2.5k value) when you buy my popular Feed Formulation Handbook and software (N20.5k).

Contact me for details

Tayo K. Solagbade*
Location Independent Performance Improvement Specialist & Multipreneur

*Best Practice Farm Business Support Specialist & Founder of the MS Excel Heaven Visual Basic Automation Club & Competition

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