Self-Devpt. Nuggets™

Yesterday, I was in a Cotonou taxi headed for the Benin Republic-Nigeria border, when Alhaji Usman S., CEO of a pelleted livestock feed manufacturing company in Nigeria’s Kano State, called, and we spoke like old friends…even though we have NEVER met.

I’ve been having such conversations weekly, with increasing frequency since last year…

If truth be told however, I could not have taken my work to the level it is today, if I’d stayed in Nigeria.

Erratic power supply, and other annoyances would have drastically held me back.

So, the insight that led me to relocate to Benin Republic, from Nigeria, now looks great (on hindsight). I’ve been able to work often uninterrupted for 20 hours daily for most of the past year.

And that’s now yielding fruits that I describe in the rest of this article.

NB: Interestingly, some misinformed persons who write me, assume I either buy articles – or have a team of writers working for me. Nothing could be further from the truth. I ALONE create ALL the content on this site. I’ll address this fully in my next article.

But back to Alhaji…

He first called my MTN Nigeria mobile, last September (2013) after coming across my Ration Formulator video on Youtube. Only 6 months ago.

That day, I was in Lagos, conducting questionnaire surveys for my agribusiness case study research paper. He spoke with me for almost 30 minutes, expressing his appreciation for, and interest in my work. We ended that conversation, with him insisting I send him payment details so he could send funds for the handbook and software.

A day later, I did that, but never heard from him.

But a Farm CEO based in Uyo, who recently purchased my Ration Formulator and Feed Formulation Handbook, told me he needed information about manufacturers of feed packaging bags. It occurred to me that Alhaji might have useful contacts that could help my client. So, I reached out to him.

He confirmed that he had such contacts, and readily offered to help my client.

But before we ended the call, he brought up the issue of the products he wanted to buy, explaining that he’d traveled right after asking me to send payment details.

By the time I hung up, he’d reconfirmed the payment details. This afternoon the payment came through. Tomorrow, I’ll send his pack, containing the Ration Formulator CD and Handbook, via ABC Transport courier service.

Once again, another total stranger has taken a leap of faith to buy from me – even though I have no office, and shuttle between 2 countries!

Exactly ONE year ago today, I left my family in Lagos-Nigeria and relocated to Cotonou in Benin Republic, to work as a Location Independent Multipreneur.

It was the first lap of a journey I’d resolved would take me across the entire West African region. Indeed, I’m now preparing to MOVE ON to another Francophone African nation, though Cotonou may remain my base.

I’d planned to celebrate this maiden anniversary by opening my small brew pub in a larger rented Cotonou property, which my wife and kids would eventually join me to run.

So far however, it’s been hard to find a property owner willing to let me use the rented residence the way I plan. At least that’s what those I’ve met have said. I’m thinking they have some fears as well. So I’m thinking I’ll just get a larger place, bring my family down, and simply start by offering home delivery and pick up service.

I’m writing this from my home in Lagos, today 1st April 2014.

Apart from coming down for a meeting with a new Web Marketing client (who used to be the accountant of a company that has been using my Payslip Generator since 2007 – but has now launched his own consultancy since  January), TODAY – like I said earlier – makes it EXACTLY ONE YEAR since I relocated to live and work from Cotonou, Benin Republic.

So, I wanted to spend the day and the rest of the week with my loved ones. I wrote THIS article for my blog as part of the “celebration”.

The benefit of hindsight shows clearly that my decision to relocate was a good one.

For instance….

1. Yesterday, a Farm CEO from Tanzania, who bought my Ration Formulator software last year, wrote me an email that he wanted to buy my new Feed Formulation (and Compounding) Home Study Video Package.

This is my latest product, and it includes the popular feed formulation handbook and a 4 hour video tutorial in which I explain the theory and practice of feed formulation using my handbook’s pages as a reference on the screen.

I’ve since replied him to confirm that the price of the Home Study Package is N25, 000. And it includes the software, a physical copy of the handbook, and the DVD containing the 4 hour video series, PLUS the PDF user guide for the software etc

As a member of my Farm Biz Ideas club, however, he will only pay N15k, since each member get a 40% lifetime discount on ALL my other products and services .

See the link below for details:

http://www.tinyurl.com/ffHomeStudy

2. Last Friday, a consultant in Kenya (who had been corresponding with me for over 3 weeks), emailed me confirmatory details of payment sent by his Farm CEO client, to purchase the lower priced, monthly/mini version of the more pricey full fledged Poultry Farm Manager software.

See the preview PDF of the monthly/mini version here:

However, my online account failed to reflect the payment, right up till today, even though they’d sent me the automatic transcript generated from the bank transfer process in Kenya.

Luckily, I was in Lagos, when he wrote in this morning to say the bank in Kenya had told his client that the account information I’d supplied was not complete/accurate.

So I replied that I would visit the bank in the morning, and have them sort it out for me.

By 4p.m today, I was able to send him detailed feedback supplied by the bank. Basically, they found out that I’d sent the wrong account details to Kenya. All things being equal, the Farm CEO will be able to make payment when he tries again.

Having said above, it’s the fact that they stuck with this effort to send payment that I want to highlight…

Neither the consultant, nor his client has ever met me in person.

We only spoke for the first time last Friday.

I called the consultant to discuss specifications of features for a hatchery module they are looking to have me develop, and integrate with the existing app, if they are satisfied with the latter, post usage.

Final Words: A Great Way to Celebrate!

In other words, I’m saying all these farm owners and stakeholders reaching out to me only have my Web Marketing System to work with.

But when they make contact, I show up as represented, and that convinces them to go ahead and send payment – and some return again!

There’s no better way, than THAT, to celebrate one’s first anniversary as a Location Independent Multipreneur!