Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, Self-Development, Writing/Blogging

To Sell with Your Writing, Touch on Different Areas of Your Target Audience’s Life

April 5, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Successful selling in any area of life requires gaining the trust of the prospective buyer. If you think about why YOU buy things, you’ll likely discover multiple factors often influence your final decision.

For instance, I have bought tutorial CDs and books on a variety of subjects, because I felt they would be useful for my kids’ education.

But not classroom education now.

I refer here to my plan to make them acquire real world relevant knowledge about vocations one can venture into. Examples include various aspect of cooking e.g. baking. And this is why today, they bake cakes without using an oven, which they sell during break time in their school.

So I buy products and services with my kids, their mother, or other loved ones in mind.

But I also look out for items that offer potentially useful value me, in my personal life, as well as for the work I do.

Many people who want to sell will benefit by adopting a similar holistic perspective in thinking about their potential buyers.

The truth is you can make your sales offers by carefully presenting them from a variety of angles that touch on the target audience’s potential interests.

I’ve been doing this for years. My realization of what makes me buy, led me to an epiphany of sorts about how to sell to others.

Nine times out of ten, selling involves explaining benefits to people.

And that requires talking, or writing, or doing both…as creatively as possible.

A look at how I do my multidisciplinary writing on this blog provides a good case in point.

Most of your prospects will have interests that cover different aspects of life. They cannot help it, as long as they are human.

Writing on different categories, however works better if one weaves in references, where relevant or possible, to solutions you offer.

It can be done. You just need to do some creative thinking.

If you’ve ever wondered why I write on seemingly unrelated multiple categories on my blog, the above is why I do it.

1. Business Owners Often Interested in Entrepreneurship…So I Write About It

Basically I share true stories and experiences about my life as an entrepreneur.

From my goof ups to my big wins, I creatively present information and education to help others.

Not only does this cement my credibility as a hands on entrepreneur in the minds of readers, it also moves those interested in solutions I offer, closer to connecting with me by making enquiries or buying.

2. Some of My Prospects Have Full Time Jobs…So I Write About Career Development

So many of my recent buyers have turned out to be people working full time in well paying jobs, who have chosen to start their businesses part time.

Most times they use what they earn from their jobs to finance their business start-up and expansion.

This implies that if they keep doing well, or better at work, they’ll have more money to channel into their part time ventures.

And possibly at some stage grow it big enough to go full time in it.

By sharing my experience based ideas about succeeding in paid employment, such individuals can discover me. And in the process, some also discover I offer products they need to run their part time businesses better.

Examples include my feed formulation handbook and/or software, my poultry farm manager, my payslip generator, Self-Development Bible etc.

3. Some of My Prospects Have Kids…So I Write About Parenting

An oil company engineer, whose wife just had a baby boy, may suddenly develop an interest in parenting. Before then, when he was a bachelor, he would have had little or no interest.

In other words, an effort to learn more by reading ideas on parenting, could make a visitor discover a solution s/he has been looking for, on the site offering the parenting ideas.

I’ve been writing parenting articles for over a decade, but not because I want to use it as a strategy for selling myself or my products and services.

Instead, it’s a passion I have, to help parents get the best out of their kids. So I demonstrate the power of my parenting ideas by exposing my kids to them, and sharing the results we get.

This way, readers gain insights they can apply in their own homes. They appreciate it so much that some email me to say thanks, while others signup to get more via my newsletter.

In the process, some may discover solutions I offer, and make contact. See examples in the screenshots of some emails I received below…

Final Words: Use Your Writing to Touch on Different Areas of Your Target Audience’s Life

The above examples are based on successes I’m achieving in my use of multidisciplinary writing, to attract potential buyers of my unique range of products and services.

The increasing rate of success proves that it pays to be less direct – subtle in fact – when marketing your solutions.

Years ago, I learnt – the hard way – that people resist being “sold”.

They prefer to feel they did the buying on their own, and not because it was forced down their throats.

Stealth is another word that describes this approach.

To succeed often, write about subjects that interest those who fit your target audience profile.

The truth is however that such subjects may not necessarily relate in any way to what you even sell.

Instead, make sure what you write is truly useful to those who read it.

That will make them like you, and take you seriously.

Over time, they’re more likely to trust you…

And when people trust you, they will often buy from you.

You’ll consequently be able to tell friends and associates, about your rapidly increasing sales conversions…like I did in exceprts below from an email I sent out today:

"Right till close of work Friday 4th April 2014, I was tidying video tutorials to go with courier packs for 3 Farm CEOs who sent payment from Kano (Feed formulation Handbook and software), Jos (Poultry Farm Manager) and Warri (Feed Formulation Home Study Pack)…

I sent 2 of the packs off via Fedex at 5.15p.m, at Ikeja’s Toyin street. The 3rd goes out Monday a.m once I get the handbook copy made.

My new product offers are bringing in much more sales…

I still have a past buyer from Tanzania asking for payment details too (for my home study video), while the Kenyan CEO is working to repeat the bank transfer (for my Poultry Manager app), using the corrected domicillary account details I got by visiting my bank on Tuesday."

But to reap such rewards, my experiences strongly indicate one must keep doing it for the long term.

Can you do that?

If yes, I assure you that phone calls and emails from eager prospective buyers of solutions you offer WILL come your way MUCH MORE frequently, than they currently do!

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Self-Development

Sometimes You’ll Need to Keep It Within Your Family

April 3, 2014 Tayo Solagbade 2 Comments

“Tayo, let your wife and kids work with you to run the place. Do not employ people who will have easy access to the inner workings of your business. Out here, people can rarely be found who are that trustworthy. Give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile!”

That kind of advice came from some of my Beninese friends and associates, regarding recruiting hands for the brew pub I want to open here in Cotonou..

To be honest, it’s about the same kind of advice I would give a foreginer if I was in Nigeria.

No offense intended, but I’m saying it as I’ve seen it over the course of many yearss!

To Succeed, One Needs a Good Team

Having said the above, individuals of exceptional character, who will deliver great performances as employees, do exist (in all societies).

I was that kind of employee, and have worked with like minded others, in paid employment.

I’ve also periodically come across them in client companies, over the years.

Such employees are however hard to find, and often need to be given worthwhile rewards (not necessarily money) for their fidelity to make them stay long.

When starting up however, that can be a bit hard to achieve, since many start-ups tend to have limited resources and means.

And that’s why the idea of bringing one’s immediate “family” members into a business project can be useful.

At least to get it off the ground. And if done right, a fully fledged family business may emerge, that will be passed down through multiple generations.

I’ve Decided to Build a Family Based Brew Pub Business for the Long Term

I’ve explained in past articles that my brew pub will offer my pineapple peels based drinks and cakes as the main products. But it will also offer creative practical language learning opportunities based on use of my Quick and Dirty Guide to French and English.

Basically, I will facilitate speech and conversation making sessions in the pub for ANY interest patrons, as a group. Contests will be held among participants, and prizes will be awarded based on voting by the audience.

This latter activity will serve to attract MORE of my target audience to the pub, since it will be free, and yet of useful interest to them.

That’s why I’ve been carefully coaching my kids to develop a variety of potentially useful competencies.

Whenever I’m home I continue from where I stopped last time I visited.

And when I’m away, I deliberately make calls to follow up with them on tasks I give them, which are often meant to help them develop a new knowledge or skill.

From writing assignments, to physical exercise regimens, cooking, drinks making, baking (without an oven), among others, the kids are being gradually trained to be creatively versatile i.e. multipreneurial…like I AM!

But I do not bother telling them, or their mother, that THAT (i.e. multidisciplinary training) is my purpose.

Doing so would only have created a psychological resistance, since I get told ever so often that not everyone can be like me. Whatever that means …since history attests to the fact that ANYONE can become whatever s/he believes!

Today, each of my three oldest kids is comfortable doing domestic chores, including cooking in the kitchen. Their peers are mostly not allowed by the parents to do such things.

In the case of my wife and I, what we’ve done makes it possible for us to ask one of them to prepare meal for everyone to eat.

Apart From Doing Chores, They Are Also Learning to Think and Act Entrepreneurially

Being told what to do around the house is one thing. Knowing how to come up with creative solutions to get things done is another. The latter is an ability that can be cultivated from an early age. Just encourage your kids to try THINKING more for themselves, and depend LESS on you for answers.

You’ll be amazed by how far – and fast – they’ll quickly make progress!

In past articles, I’ve shared stories about how they collect metals from around the neighborhood, and sell to itinerant waste collectors who salvage such items. I just challenged them to stop asking me for “sweets money” and think of what they can do to earn money.

And I pointed to examples of their peers who daily hawk items for sale, to add to income earned by their parents. Next thing I knew, they’d found out that some mallams would pay them to find certain metal types. And they were soon making money from doing that.

More relevant to my plans for the brew pub, is the need for them to develop smart sales and marketing skills.

Since they already know how to find and/or create products, being able to find buyers is imperative, otherwise no rewards will accrue to them for their efforts.

And I’ve been teaching them to do most of the things I do. Especially those they can do to make money. For instance, they make and sell my pineapple peel drinks and cakes in the school. But it’s the latter they seem to have really taken a major interest in.

I say this because each time I come home, they show me a new modification they’ve made to the process I taught them. The process involves using a charcoal stove and heavy metal pot to bake cakes. No oven needed.

Another thing: They looked at a recipe I got from a You tube video, and concluded the “1 cup” of groundnut oil added, if replaced with butter, would give a better finish.

The pictures of the resulting cakes below(though without pineapple peels added), prove they were right.

Click here to see what the cakes from MY past efforts looked like in comparison(NB: Mine had pineapple peel added)…...

This week, I wanted us to celebrate the anniversary of my one year stay in Benin Republic by making cakes for sale. So I gave them a thousand naira, to buy the needed ingredients and left for town.

When I returned, they met me with a very pleasant sight. Well baked and neatly packed cakes they’d made while I was away (see photos below).

No supervision from any adult whatsoever. That was yesterday evening.

This afternoon, I returned home to find them back from school, and they showed me the N400 they’d made from sales of 7 of the cakes, to their classmates. But they’d eaten up the remaining 12!

So I gave them yet another lecture on the need to turn around money they spend, to ensure they make a profit.

I think the message will sink in this time around, because I’ve made it clear they’ll need to present a report showing expenses and sales recorded. And they’ll have to use whatever money they make to buy a new round of materials to continue baking cakes for sale. No new funds will come from me.

As I type these words, the eldest of them is doing his turn of baking the cakes – without using an oven – outside in the open, next to where I’m seated.

His brothers are in the house, assembling the pieces of a new fan we just bought.

And that’s the other thing.

The kids – the boys especially – do virtually all the coupling and fixing in the house.

I rarely have to get involved.

And so when I bring a device home, I know I can depend on them to read the manual, and get it up and running in no time.

That’s why even when I’m away, their mother rarely has problems in that department!

All of the above convince me we are well on our way, as a family, to having a well rounded team to run the family business.

(NB: In the case of the fan, we’ll still call in the electrian to fix it to the wall, and connect to power – for safety considerations).

Final Words

You may find the above ideas useful, if you’re concerned about ensuring the survival of a business you start, and/or are struggling to find good employees you can depend on.

In that case, building your team from within your immediate family, could be a useful strategy to adopt, for the medium or indeed long term!

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News, Self-Development

Why Marketing to Strangers Yields More Success

April 2, 2014 Tayo Solagbade 1 Comment

Rekiya, a chartered accountant had a great career, for 15 years, in a leading financial services firm. Since launching her own consulting outfit 6 months ago however, finding client business has been tough.

She’s been offered advice by well meaning friends, relatives, former colleagues and associates. Many recommended calling old school mates, past acquaintances, with whom she’d lost touch etc.

However, as always happens, people may know and like you, but if they do not have a “felt-need” for what you offer, they are unlikely to buy from you!

But they’ll often be polite when you call, and even promise to get back to you. People are like that. Especially when they know you. They wish you well and so will try to be nice.

But rarely will they respond with the urgency – and interest – that a total stranger in need of your solution will!

And that’s what happened to Rekiya, 6 months after starting up…

Many who’d promised to link her up, or invite her to deliver services/products to them, had not called.

Yet they’d made her send them thickly bound hard copy proposals, explaining her offer. Putting that together had not been cheap!

A few who had called back, and asked her to carry out projects for them, were yet to honour invoices she’d sent in, weeks after she’d handed over.

If Rekiya was a friend, and she asked my advice on what to do, the following is what I would tell her:

The situation was already telling on her cash flow, which still came mainly from her savings.

And her morale was dropping at approximately the same rate as her bank balance. Plus, she wondered what alternatives she could pursue.

I would waste not time in saying…

1. Forget About Marketing to Those You Know…!

Why?

That’s because I believe every start-up needs to spend less time trying to win over established contacts as clients.

Don’t get me wrong. I do not mean don’t go there.

Instead, I suggest spending less time looking that way, and invest more time, effort and energy setting up systems to attract NEW people with potential interest in what you offer.

People who never knew you before, but who are looking for your product or service.

How do you do this? Here’s an example of a simple zero cost strategy you can use:

When one is on a tight budget, creativity in getting things done without spending becomes a priority. I learnt that the hard way during 10 hard years of struggling as an entrepreneur in Nigeria.

So I began to call people’s bluff.

If someone demanded a proposal, I asked him/her for an email address I could send a PDF document to, that I called a “Generic Proposal”.

Basically, it was a document I’d prepared with my desired target audience in mind, based on many past conversations with prospects.

It often contained the information and details that addressed most of the key questions and issues a serious prospect would raise.

If the person demanding the proposal insists I sent it on paper, I often take it as a good sign that s/he is not really interested or ready.

Why?

Because the kinds of solutions I offer mostly require use of PC and Internet technology.

Any prospect averse to reviewing my offer using that platform is not likely to make a good client. 10 years out here have shown me the foregoing is often right.

2. Aim for Those Who Do NOT Know You…!

If you belong to the old school, you’d probably imagine the above stunt got me in trouble.

But guess what?

All serious prospects I’ve related with NEVER raised any issues!

They readily supplied their email addresses, and I sent them my PDF “Generic Proposal”. A few then went on to hire me (to develop a Web Marketing System for them or build a custom Excel-VB app).

In this way, I virtually eliminated the expense I used to incur on printing paper based flyers and other promotional material for my work.

That left me with more money in my pockets to fuel my car, pay for my Internet connections etc.

Using my Internet connection, I diligently churned out educational articles targeted at potential buyers, which got republished to various platforms e.g. Facebook and Twitter.

Most times, those write ups are discovered by people who have NEVER heard of, or read about me before. Total strangers. Quite often they’re searching via Google or other engine.

Then I turn up, and they read my piece, and decide to make contact, to ask me questions about what I wrote, and how I can help them.

Typically, they would have clicked a promotional link or two that I subtly inserted to one or more of my products or services sales page. And that would have gotten them hooked.

Next thing I know, the person calls my mobile, and asks “How much for…?” After I reply, s/he says “Please send me your account details so I can make the payment.”

Then I do that via email or phone text message. Suddenly, the email alert arrives on my Blackberry. Sometimes ALL of this can – and does – happen in a space of 4 to 6 hours from first contact, to payment.

Actually, as I write THIS article, it just happened AGAIN, this time with a Farm CEO from Jos, in Nigeria’s Plateau State.

He just paid for the Mini Monthly version of my Poultry Farm Manager software, less than 4 hours AFTER first contacting me on phone.

A total stranger!

Question: How come he was so quickly convinced to buy?

Answer: The mass of useful educational information I’d made available online, alongside my sales information made all the difference. I’ll explain more about this in a future article.

For now, it’s worthy of note that selling to friends/relatives can often take MORE effort and time…and will usually be LESS profitable!

The above approach works quite well, and will save you lots of stress, while putting PHYSICAL cash, with fat profit margins from happy buyers, in YOUR pockets!

Final Words: Even if your solutions are not IT related like mine, you CAN still employ this approach successfully.

Why?

Because in today’s world, most of your likely clients will be people who use email and have Internet connections, computers and smart phones with powerful features and functions.

If they really want your solution, and you offer to send them a link to a relevant page on your site, they will NOT insist you print out and sent them a paper based version.

If they do, it could signify a potential waste of time.

You have been warned!

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

Earning Income Working From Anywhere (True Story)

April 1, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

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!

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

No. 135: Succeed by Speaking Part-time With a Full Time Job!

March 31, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

Some experts in paid employment are doing great things others can learn from. You may be one of them. Do you know you can earn extra income by sharing what you know with others as a part-time speaker? I offer ideas you can use in this issue of my Speaking Ideas newsletter.

Some Self-Employed Experts Are (Technically Speaking) Holding Full- Time Jobs

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Publication: Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Newsletter

Date: Monday 31st March 2014

No:135

Title: Succeed by Speaking Part-time With a Full Time Job!

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [Tel: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic) ]

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

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

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

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As a subscriber to my mailing list, you get to access over 10 potentially useful books and reports.

Click here to view the download page:

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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule

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No. 135: Succeed by Speaking Part-time With a Full Time Job!

Some Self-Employed Experts Are (Technically Speaking) Holding Full- Time Jobs

I refer especially to those self-employed persons who do not yet offer speaking services. If you’re one, you’ll want to read this through as well.

You see, I have all sort of conversations with self-employed experts, as well as career persons in paid employment. By phone, email, Skype, Facebook etc.

Most don’t have much time to spare. Even those who work for themselves, are NOT as free as they CAN be. Look, the only reason most people at work for themselves, or in the employ of some company say “I don’t have time” for something they have interest in, is often that they can’t see enough benefits.

What I propose in this article can help such persons earn added income – an attractive benefit.

Example 1: A Catfish Farm CEO based in Ibadan

I’ve known this gentleman since mid 2013. But we’ve never met. We discuss the amazing results he’s getting by using cheaper alternative ingredients, in formulating rations for his fish.

When we spoke late last year, he was getting great output from using Gari (Cassava flour) at up to 40% inclusion levels. About a week ago, when we spoke, he revealed that he now uses Palm Kernel Cake at much higher inclusion levels than normal, and that it’s yielded about 15% increase in growth rates.

Now, I had called him on behalf of a CEO in Uyo, who’d purchased my Ration Formulator and wanted ideas of low cost alternative ingredients he could use. I knew this could help my client.

When I told this Ibadan based CEO that he needed to talk to other farmers about results he was getting, he agreed saying “You know, I’m actually thinking I need to do a video and put on Youtube….”

At that point I saw the problem he was having.

He knew his own business well. But he did not know how to go about putting what he had to offer together in a manner that would attract the right attention and interest…with benefits that would make doing so worthwhile for him!

Truth is, he needs the help of a competent guide or a coach…or mentor!

But not just any guide, coach or mentor. He needs one who can help him “prepare, package, promote, and present” what he knows to others, VERY often for profitable financial gain.

Further down, I suggest one powerful example of such a mentor…

Example 2: My Accidental Foray Into Expert-Speaking While In Paid Employment

It happened in 1999. Between 1995 and 1999, I’d really broken boundaries as an employee in Guinness.

Among other achievements, I’d used my spreadsheet programming skills, to completely replace manual data entry and reporting systems in the brewing department.

Word had quickly spread about what I’d done. And I’d gotten career boosting secondments.

I still recall a visiting manager from the Lagos Harp brewery told me I was called “Super Brewer” in Lagos. Also, one day I was in the HQ block in Lagos. A Nigerian senior manager heard someone call out my name, as he climbed up the stairs.

He stopped and looking at me, saying: “Are you the Solagbade in Benin Brewery?” I replied that I was. He then said “Keep up the good work!” and continued up the stairs.

I was 29 years old. You can imagine what that did to my morale. It made me feel like doing more!

Not long after, while on annual leave, I came across an advert in the papers regarding the Annual Young Managers Competition (now defunct).

It was organized by the Nigerian Institute of Management’s Young Management Competition.

Zonal competitions would hold across the country, from which winners would be selected for the National Finals to be held in Lagos.

When I read through the requirements, it immediately struck me that a lot of what I’d done in Guinness qualified for entry into the competition. They basically wanted experience based management papers.

I thought about the Malta Guinness bottling beer waste investigation project I’d carried out, which led me to derive a formula I called Total Waste Unaccounted For (TWUF)™.

The Packaging Manager (Alex Okorodudu) had assigned me to the project over a year before.

After spending many days collating past records and recording new ones, I’d used a spreadsheet to trend beer volumes sent from the bottling tanks to the filler machine.

The TWUF™ values were then plotted in bar chart form. We eventually discovered the high wastes being recorded were caused by faulty operator cut-off of “chase water” used to clear the beer line.

The TWUF charts and values led us to this solution, because they showed we were losing MORE beer than we had in the bottling tanks at start. And that of course was not possible!

I felt a surge of excitement as I thought about sharing that story.

Then I also wanted to talk about how (using my apps) we automatically generated Process Control charts in the brewing department, that were printed out and pasted on notice boards.

Once we noticed a brew with KPIs going outside the normal upper or lower control limits, we quickly tracked down the operator who handled it. Sometimes we also liaised with the brewer s/he worked with, to find out what went wrong.

This enabled us proactively manage the process to minimize out of control performances. As a result, we had much more consistent output.

So, I began writing my management research paper titled “Statistical Process Control and Target Setting in Manufacturing Companies”.

I ended up using my entire annual leave period – and asking for time off to attend the National Finals after resuming work). I also used a huge chunk of my leave allowance, to print and send about 7 copies of my thick spiral bound paper, to the NIM headquarters.

As I explained in an article written years back, I won 2nd place at the zonal finals, and placed 5th (out of 8th contestants) at the National Finals…despite flopping my presentation very badly at the latter event!

When I was called out to get my prize (and later interviewed by a journalist…about my goof-up!), I knew it had been worthwhile.

Today, I work as a Best Practice Farm Business Support Specialist, developing customizable Excel-VB driven apps, that are paid for by Farm and other business CEOs, within and outside Africa.

Many of my apps (like the Poultry Farm Manager, the Ration Formulator, and the Payslip Generator) auto generate KPIs that help the business owner make intelligent decisions on a daily basis. And I offer talks and training programs for my clients on Best Practices, Feed Formulation etc.

Looking back, I Realize I Could Have Launched My Career As a Part-Time Expert-Speaker Back Then!

The competition had given me an excellent start-up opportunity…

Brandishing a “National Finalist” tag from an event sponsored by Nestle, and organized by the country’s Institute of Management, in addition to holding a job with a large multinational manufacturer, would have gotten me the serious attention and interest of many!

But it did not occur to me then. However, YOU have an opportunity to reap the benefit of MY hindsight!

You can use your full time job as a spring board to become an expert-who-speaks.

Many who get paid handsolmely as expert-speakers started out doing it part time. They chose a subject that was close to their hearts, and began offeriogn speaking programs to meeting planners.

You can do the same.

Even if you don’t want to go full-time, you can continue doing it part-time, earning extra income!

If the above appeals to you, I recommend you do what those who succeeded did….

Let Burt Dubin Be Your Guide…and Mentor!

At the least, purchase one or more of his useful home study guides (like this one).

Burt has helped VERY many experts who specialize in different fields, successfully put their offers together for profitable PAYING markets.

He’s done it for over 2 decades, and is recognized as a world authority by expert-speakers across Canada, U.K, USA, Australia and Africa.

Burt’s products and services require a decent investment, not just of money, but also of time, and effort.

In other words, apart from having the financial means, you must put in the needed HARD work.

Burt will tell you what to do, and give you ideas/guidance about how to proceed.

But he cannot do it for you. And he won’t offer to either.

Those who made it under Burt’s tutelage understood all of the above. They therefore applied themselves diligently to putting what they learnt to work. That’s what made them succeed.

Are you willing to do the work needed to succeed as a part-time speaker with a full time job?

If yes, your dream of becoming a high paid speaker, while employed full time will come true!

Need details of how to get started with Burt?

Email me your name, country, phone number, with details of what you do, via tayo at tksola dot com

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Have a great week :-))

Get Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring
for Africa Based Experts(PDF…Click!)

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

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

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

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

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

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

He earns multiple streams of income providing clients with performance improvement training/coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

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

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

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

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

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

Useful Resources for Speakers

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.

Burt Dubin’s monthly Speaking Biz Strategies Letter [Signup & get a 7-Part Email Course on “How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker“]

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

1. Top Shelf [Click here]

2. Mid Range [Click here]

3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Publications

Burt Dubin’s latest book: “On Being a Master”

Download Chapter 1 Preview as PDF

Visit the “On Being a Master” website

177 Wow! Wow!

Showmanship Stratagems

Discover these secrets of making your programs more interesting and valuable to your clients and audiences now.

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Burt’s Flagship Album

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With its Money back if not delighted Guarantee hardly any are returned.

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Presentation Magic

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.

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How To Create a Great Program Manual

Discover how you can produce a precious memento of you and your program. Capture over 44 model pages you can easily adapt for your use. Engage proven principles that add value to the experience of sitting at your feet and learning from you.

This is a reprise of the historic presentation that launched the Speaking Success System.

No copy of this 2 CD program and 50 page Learning Guide has ever been returned.

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Download above PDF

Download above PDF

THEY WROTE…

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

—————————–

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

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

———————–

Click here to contact Tayo…

SD Nuggets Blog™	New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking[Tuesday]:	No. 134: Don’t Be a “Feel-Good” Speaker!
Entrepreneurship[Tuesday]:	How Many Farm Records Do You Need to Succeed?
Self-Development [Wednesday]:	Conversation with a Nigerian in Diaspora, About Nigeria
Career Development [Thursday]:	To Succeed More at Work, LEAVE the “Herd”! (True Story)
Parenting/Travel [Friday]:	Teach Your Child How to Recognize Authentic Success
Writing/Bloggin [Saturday]:	Achieve Increased Marketing Success Using This System
Want me to write for you? Click here…

Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring

for Africa Based Experts(PDF…Click!)

Entrepreneurship, My DN Travel News, Writing/Blogging

Achieve Increased Marketing Success Using This System

March 29, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

I’ve used it for years, at zero cost, to repeatedly attract prequalified prospects, who periodically buy from me, and/or refer others to do so. It’s difficult to imagine ANY website owner being averse to such benefits. I explain how YOU can have such a system.

FACT: If Google Sends People to Websites Unrelated to Their Searches, They Will STOP Using It

That’s why the smart owners of Google continually weed out irrelevant websites from their search results.

It’s also why millions of us love using Google.

We TRUST that engine to turn up the juiciest results available online, relevant to our search.

It’s a symbiotic relationship between Google and her users. No sentiments involved.

As long as we get quality search results, we’ll keep using it.

Otherwise, we’ll do our searching elsewhere.

Anyone Who Wants to Succeed In Web Marketing Will Be Wise to EARN Google’s Trust!

Your priority should be to get so trusted by search engines, that they GLADLY send people to you.

Set yourself up in a way that let them know doing so will make them look good!

Key to achieving the above is your creation of useful content. They’ll know that a link from your website on a subject is likely to delivery quality information to the searcher, that will make her HAPPY to have found you.

And next time, such a HAPPY searcher, will want to use their engine AGAIN, based on the last great experience.

That’s the Key to Attracting Pre-qualified Traffic (of Potential Buyers) to Your Website

I tell people this all the time.

Don’t just seek to increase your Website traffic. Aim to increase traffic of pre-qualified prospects to your site.

Saying you want to increase your traffic means nothing. What happens when you get such an increase in traffic?

What if the increase comes from visitors who clicked on a link that promised FREE gift prizes? That’s unlikely to benefit you.

You need your traffic to comprise mainly PEOPLE looking for what YOU OFFER!

Typically, such people would use search engines, and follow links in discussion forums, social media and other websites.

To improve your marketing, you need to adopt strategies that get your solutions noticed more frequently, by MORE of such pre qualified prospects.

Since you will not know where to easily find them in large enough numbers, the best bet is to make your offers MORE VISIBLE on the web.

This requires showing up in as many online “channels” as possible.

The easiest and most cost effective way to achieve that, is to boost your search engine visibility.

In other words, taking smart steps to show up in as many ways as possible in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

How do you do that?

Simple. And I said it before: Get the search engines to trust you!

You will do this by building an irresistible online presence, by creating useful content, and actively propagating it via multiple channels, using a cost, time and effort saving system.

Note that your online presence goes beyond your website…to include a combination of online real estate, that you creatively make use of, to propagate your creatively generated – and useful – content.

In my case, I use this blog, on my website, from which content gets syndicated via RSS feeds to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, PInterest, Youtube etc.

Then I also use platforms like Ezinearticles.com to build critical mass of quality article content to enhance my marketing reach and impact.

All of that serves to link me with continually evolving mass of useful creative content. And the search engines like that.

Which explains why I’m getting NOT just more visits/traffic, but also more enquiries from visitors, who are often potential buyers.

Interestingly, some of those who go on to pay have told me they were referred to me, by another person who had NEVER bought anything from me. S/he was just a subscriber to my blog or newsletter.

Isn’t it amazing how this system can make total strangers that confident about recommending you?!

What You Need to Succeed Is a Web Marketing System (WMS)

It’s not just a random mix of resources that I use. There’s more to doing it than that.

If that was not the case, many would already be doing it!.

In truth, it takes careful thinking and planning, to come up with the right approach for each online presence.

What works for me, may not be applicable for you.

That’s why the process starts with deriving a Web Marketing Strategy…which is like a business plan for your online presence.

From there, a custom Web Marketing System will be developed.

And once that is ready, implementing it daily, with relentless persistence is the next step.

When done right, success is ALWAYS inevitable.

I say this from years of succeeding using the same approach – which is why others contact me today for help with marketing their own websites.

A WMS will enable you achieve a self-sustaining online presence, that progressively boosts your marketing reach and impact…

In the process, you/your website will earn the needed name recognition, and credibility, to attract your target audience of potential buyers.

A Word of Warning: This approach is not one that yields overnight success.

However, my success, and the success of myriad others who have used it for years, confirm it delivers powerful and timeless marketing benefits, to those who diligently work it.

If you have a passion for what you do, the above requirement can only excite you.

And if it does, then YOU are most likely to be the kind of person I CAN help, and would therefore gladly work with.

My Suggestion: Signup for a FREE 15 minute consultation session with me

Two main options exist:

I can either show you how to do it, or I can do it for you.

We’ll meet via Skype to discuss your needs and options.

If that appeals to you, click here to send me your message.

Question: Why Should You Believe I Can Help You?

Well, you’re reading THIS, right now…

Quite often, THAT will be proof of the effectiveness of the WMS I use

What’s more, over the past decade, I have developed WMSs (which included writing paid articles and website content) for clients in Real Estate, Medicine, Audiology, Environmental Consulting, Hotels, Bars and Restaurants, Engineering, Legal Consulting etc.

And apart from the work I do for clients, I also publish at least one NEW article (500 words to mostly over 1,000) from Monday to Saturday (sometimes Sundays) on this blog.

My Writing (Which is Often Experience and Research Based) Covers 6 Different Categories:

1. Writing/Blogging, Self-Development (including Health and Wellness, Motivation etc)

2. Career Development

3. Public Speaking

4. Parenting

5. Entrepreneurship.(with special focus on Farm Business)

7. Travel and Tourism)

The above is done according to my publishing schedule.

You can also explore over 170 articles I’ve written on different topics published at Ezinearticles.com since 2005.

How Do I Get So Much Writing Done for Myself and Others, Without Burning Out?

My Free Report (“Proven Techniques and Strategies to Start and Finish Writing ANYTHING” and my e-book titled “Why You Keep Failing to Achieve Your Writing Goals” (both of which you can download by subscribing below), offer some useful insights into how I do it.

Follow the advice they contain, and you’ll be able to relentlessly churn out top class writing for consumption by your readers.

But I realize there will be people who have so much on their plate that they need more help than can be found in books. That’s why I now offer my ZERO RISK support service for website owners who want to produce quality content faster.

With my help you can achieve similar results to mine.

I continue to regularly get pre-qualified prospects – people close to making a buying decision – visiting my website, and eventually making contact via my web form, email or phone.

Every week. I respond to presales enquiries in my immediate market, as well as far flung places like Kenya, South Africa, Pakistan, Barbados, USA etc. All this happens at zero cost to me.

Except for what I spend on my Internet connection.

How Do You Get Started?

1. Write me using your website domain based email. Use this form.

2. Include URLs to your website, blog, newsletter, social media profiles etc, to give me an idea of who you are and what you do etc

3. Tell me what your goal is i.e. what you want to achieve with improved marketing . Specify any product(s) or service(s) you wish to market more effectively.

I’ll respond to your message within 24 to 48 hours.

Don’t Worry About My Being Able to “Understand” Your “Field“…

My role is to support you in developing a reliable system for marketing yourself more effectively.

I don’t need to be an expert or specialist in your field to do that.

Instead, I’ll simply use my expertise as a professional to get the needed information from you, for setting up your WMS.

Having said that, my versatility enables comprehend many other subjects/fields. It enabled me successfully serve clients engaged in audiology/hearing improvement, real estate, and hotel/restaurant businesses.

So you’re likely to find I’ve become quickly familiar with yours, once we begin to interact 😉

Get started: Click here to send me your message now!

Teach Your Child How to Recognize Authentic Success

March 28, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

A recent discussion started by a friend – Chima Ejiofor – on Facebook reminded me I wanted to write about two kinds of success: Authentic and Non-Authentic (or to put the latter bluntly…Phony!).

If you desire positive, long term progress, pursue achievement of "Authentic Success".

I offer ideas you (and any child in your life) can use, below.

To Improve Your Chances of Succeeding Authentically, Learn From Those Who Have Done It Before

Thankfully, many of such people readily offer tips that willing persons can follow.

Indeed, that is one key difference that separates them from phony successes: they want to share what they know, to help others achieve similar success!

Anyone who consumes a steady diet of authentic success philosophies, will not be hoodwinked by persons hawking phony success philosophies.

Why?

Because use of authentic success philosophies requires rigorous – and routine – CRITICAL THINKING!

In other words, you develop the mental capability to analyze what you see, or are told.

Rarely will you miss an attempt to lead you astray, if you’re a student of authentic success.

Unless you choose to let yourself be – which would be a shame!

For Success to be AUTHENTIC, It Must be REPRODUCIBLE and REPEATABLE

When an entrepreneur in a particular society, grows his/her business by benefiting from preferential relationships at the EXPENSE of others, s/he will achieve non-authentic or phony success.

Why?

Because whatever rewards (money etc) s/he gets will be via an UNFAIR advantage over other competitors in the same market.

In the USA, we’ve seen numerous “Andrew Carnegie type” billionaires, in DOLLAR terms, emerge many decades after Carnegie commissioned Napoleon Hill to write the best selling "Think and Grow Rich".

Carnegie described his success formula in the book, as most successfully applicable in the American capitalist society and economy.

He – correctly – referred to America as a place where people who want something are willing to reward ANYONE who gives them the solution.

And that’s why virtually anyone who enters that country, and diligently puts his energy and creative abilities to use, succeeds.

The currently celebrated duo of Chimamanda Adichie and Lupita Nyong’o are making waves in the USA, because of this.

Carnegie Amassed His Wealth By Fair Means…And That’s Why His Success Was Authentic

He did not use connections to prevent potential competitors from entering the market.

Neither did he buddy up with friends with influence, or "in power" to get contracts others were more qualified for.

And that’s what gave him the confidence – and conviction – to offer a “success formula” for others to follow. He knew what he had done could be done by others – no matter who they were or what they had to start with!

In other words, he was sure his success could be REPEATED and REPRODUCED by anyone else.

Henry Ford Also Knew His Success Was Authentic…

And that was why when a journalist asked Ford what he would do if he lost his entire financial empire, he replied that he “would have it all back in 5 years”.

He knew he could do it again. And he was sure of how to go about it. So sure that he gave a specific time by which he would do so: 5 years he said!

That is authentic success. It has reproducibility and repeatability.

I Can Also Attest to the Authentic Nature of Carnegie’s Success Formula

You see, I succeed today as an internationally recognized multipreneurial provider of unique products and services, in spite of the efforts of many nay sayers and haters over the past decade.

And that’s happened because I adapted ideas from Napoleon Hill’s book to my situation in Nigeria/Africa.

This proves that those American ideas conceived by Andrew Carnegie, transcend geographical boundaries (though it may take longer elsewhere than in America).

And that’s the way ANY truly authentic success formula should be: UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE!

People Who Succeed By Cutting Corners, Do NOT Achieve Such Authentic Success

That’s why if you they are removed from the environment where they flourish, to a neutral one, they will often be unable to produce the same results!

It is also why they often do the dishonest things they do to succeed.

The desperation from knowing they are unsure of how to succeed, makes them grab, and cheat, and cut corners…

As a result they are often incapable of teaching others about achieving authentic success.

You cannot give what you don’t have – as the saying goes!

As a test, ask him/her to articulate his/her philosophy for achieving success s/he has achieved, for the person on the street to use i.e. a nobody, starting from ground zero (like Carnegie’s formula does).

No matter how bold or daring s/he is, it is unlikely s/he will be able to take up that challenge.

And if s/he does, those who try to use such formula are unlikely, to get success s/he achieved financially or otherwise. Unless they do the naughty things s/he did!

And once they do, what they get will NOT be authentic success.

Final Words: The Most Distinguishing Feature of Carnegie’s Philosophy for Authentic Success

Basically, you cannot do wrong to achieve authentic success.

Instead, INTEGRITY, HONESTY, FAIRNESS, IMPARTIALITY, ABOVE BOARD DEALINGS, and other ethical considerations, are emphasized as a PRIORITY for those seeking to succeed using this philosophy.

Millions across the world have confirmed adhering to it works.

You and your child can become one of those millions, if you apply the above ideas in pursuit of success.

Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, My DN Travel News

How Many Farm Records Do You Need to Succeed?

March 25, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

As a Farm CEO, how do you decide what data to record and analyze, towards achieving cost-effective and proactive planning/decision making for profits? And how many would be too many? This article offers ideas that can help you.

This evening I sent an email response to a consultant representing a Farm Business Owner in Kenya, who wants me to develop a hatchery module addition to the monthly version of my Excel-VB driven Poultry Manager spreadsheet software application.

[NB: Click here to view the PDF preview. Watch the video demonstration of the full fledged app here.]

In his email, he asked how long it would take me to develop the hatchery module and integrate it into the main app.

I replied as follows:

To answer your question, standard delivery is 20 working days. That includes making the new app available for test run etc. In other words, I will work in such a way that by the 20th working day, I would be able to hand over a fully functional app that you’ll be able to put to use with minimal, if at all any problems.

Typically, from the 11th working day, I would send across a demo for you to quickly interact with for 24 to 48 hours and return to me, with feedback.

In the rest of the email he listed a set of parameters he wanted captured and analyzed by the app, via reports and charts.

This was a follow up on a previous, longer set of parameters that he’d sent last week. I’d supplied an estimate of the required investment based on the previous set of parameters.

So I reviewed the additional list he sent in, along with a PDF guide document on hatchery management he attached.

What follows below is advice I offer any farm business owner, towards making optimal use of data recording, analysis and report generation apps to run his/her business profitably, for the long term.

It’s Best to Adopt Best Practice Record Keeping From the Start

That’s something I found this gentleman consultant is keen to do. And it makes me quite excited for him and his client, because I’m convinced the farm will stand a better chance of long term success if they keep going that way.

It will not really matter whether or not they hire me. As long as they focus on using KPIs to cost-effectively monitor and manage the enterprise, things will turn out right.

The PDF hatchery management guide he sent was produced by (what he rightly described as) “a global hatchery manufacturer”. He added that it “outlines how farmers should operate hatcheries with global standards.”

By the time I went through the PDF, I could not agree more with what he’d said. The guide includes lots of ready-to-use practical information, including REAL photos of different stages of embryo development, taken on a daily basis, sample data record forms etc.

Simply put, it offers useful background against which to assess potential usefulness of data one chooses to record and analyze.

The Range of Potentially Useful Data in the PDF Guide, However ALSO Alerted Me to the Potential Danger…of Data Monitoring “Over-kill”

This insight came from my past experiences in implementing use of KPIs for Process Control/Management.

You see, I played that role on a daily basis in Guinness’ brewing batch production process for years. And I’ve done that with owners of poultry farm businesses, a cookies factory owner, and a sachet water manufacturing plant owner.

All were batch production operations – just like this consultant’s client’s hatchery enterprise.

What I’ve learnt from watching these solutions get put to use, taught me to identify a few core parameters to measure – and to stick with them

Usually they would be those which if “OK”, would indicate that all the others are fine as well. One would then simply keep an eye out for exceptions that may occur. And since those are likely to be few, they would NOT be hard to spot and act upon.

Here’s another reason I offer this perspective:

Back in Guinness, we learnt – over time – to narrow down to key parameters that most members of the team could easily relate to, and which – used together – told us at least 80% of what we needed to know.

It wasn’t a conscious process for the most part. We just let some go, over time, as we noticed skipping them did not impair our ability to accurately assess the state of affairs in the process. Those that were critical in relevance could NOT be treated that way.

In other words, we learnt to basically avoid over-kill, based on realities of the workplace.

Interestingly, the PDF guide’s authors most likely had that in mind when they added the phrase below as a FINAL entry in a list under “RECORDS”…

“8. The most important aspect of record keeping and data analysis: KEEP IT SIMPLE!”

And that’s really what I’m getting at here.

In other words, I’m saying I believe it’s okay to explore all potentially useful parameters. But I feel it would be wise to do so without taking on more than the intended users (you, and/or your employees) can handle FOR THE LONG TERM.

Instead, I would suggest RANKING the potentially measurable KPIs, to decide those which if generated routinely, can facilitate proactive planning/decision making for profits.

Those would be the ones you would start off with.

That does not mean you won’t work on any others. It’s just that you may want to start with those core KPIs first, and as time goes on, explore adding any others you think can help you do better.

The decision is ultimately yours to make…

I however recommend carefully reviewing all possible data items/performance measures, and choosing those most likely to give optimal benefits.

Questions to ask yourself…

1. Do you need ALL of the data items/performance measures or KPIs?

2. Is it possible there are some we can do without? If no, then go ahead and have them added to the software.

It’s definitely important for you, as a farm owner, to know how to monitor and measure important parameters for successfully running it.

However, I’m saying make sure you do not bite off more than you can chew!

I once had to tell a professional Excel VB developer friend of mine (KC Cheung) who’s based in Singapore, that the primary target audience I serve out here (in many – but NOT all cases) display what seems to be an “aversion” for elaborate use of data recording, analysis and report generation.

Many times – and this is what informed my comments above – I’ve had to curb my “excitement/ enthusiasm” in implementing solutions for them, based on myriad possibilities I was seeing!

And this is not just farm owners now.

Many of my Small Business clients in Nigeria have shown a similar disposition.

They want it, but they don’t want something that’ll make them do too much work to make use of it.

This taught me to limit the “volume” of features and functions I added to apps I built for them.

Otherwise, I’d return few months later to find only aspects they felt most “excited” about still in use.

And those would usually be: What was produced, how much was sold etc (not surprisingly)!

Getting a few to pay attention to “predictive KPIs” as a means of proactively managing their operations, to minimize avoidable setbacks, and ensure more consistent output, took time, and a lot of effort.

Now don’t get me wrong here.

Sometimes it’s not even the farm or business owners that are the problem.

Indeed the owner may be keen to use the data if available.

But the farm hands or employees/operatives who have to capture the data routinely (usually on paper) may not be!

I have experienced being PART of a workplace in which data recording for KPIs reports had to be done daily.

For instance, I developed and maintained most of the apps used in Guinness Benin Brewery’s Production department for that purpose.

What I’ve learnt is that people begin to struggle, if the load of data to capture and record/analyze becomes too much for them. Even when the PC is being used!

What’s more, not everyone in the workplace will be equally excited about the possibilities that capturing and recording all that data imply.

Some people’s workplace responsibilities may dominate their interest more.

For best results therefore, one has to strike an intelligent balance in doing this.

Now, it goes without saying, that I may NOT know YOU!

So, it is possible a different situation prevails in YOUR farm business, and THAT will certainly make a difference

And that’s why I want you to regard all I’ve said here as an act of “due diligence”.

My actions are always based on a code of ethics I subscribe to. You can click the link below to view it:

http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/uploads/code.pdf

In line with my code of ethics, I just want to be sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.

There’s no point starting something you won’t finish. Especially if you’re going to be paying a developer to build the software to be used.

The more features you request, the more you may have to pay.

If you need help deciding what data to capture and how to use it to better manage your farm business for profits, click here to book a FREE 15 minute consultation session with me.

Story: After Resolving Layers Feeding Problems, Selling Increased Eggs Output Became a Headache!

Career Development, Entrepreneurship, Farm Biz, General, My DN Travel News, Parenting, Self-Development

Extracting Useful Lessons From Travel Experiences (True Stories & Tips)

March 22, 2014 Tayo Solagbade

Have you ever interacted with an unschooled, but widely traveled person? Stop for a moment and think about any such person you know. They often come across as knowledgeable, and self-confident don’t they?

Now, consider an unschooled person whose soccer skills earned him a high paying pro career, in clubs around the world for years.

We know real soccer legends alive today, who went from rags to riches doing just that. So it’s not like my analogy is far fetched.

By the time these people retire, and move on to other endeavours, it is often very difficult to detect that they did not have formal schooling or were poor.

Why?

Because during their careers, they mix and relate closely with high profile people from all walks of life, and it rubs off.

Those who start out unable to speak English or French or whatever other language is spoken where they play, gradually pick it up, and eventually become fluent.

The club(s) may arrange private coaching to help with learning to use a bank account, adult education classes in language, or any other area s/he needs.

His greatest education will however come from the regular traveling that will happen.

The posh hotels, round the clock access to cable TV, PC enabled Internet, telecom gadgets he’ll use to communicate while travelling. He’ll quickly learn to use them. And that process can rapidly transform a person, such that even his/her immediate family will marvel at how much he’s changed compared to them.

They’ll suddenly find he knows so much about many things because of the wide ranging experiences.

This is the reason a street soccer player/bus conductor, who left his country to play pro soccer, could retire and return to run for ELECTION into the office of President in his country!

He did not come brandishing a university degree or other qualifications.

Instead, he offered himself based on the achievements he’d recorded as a world class pro soccer star, and the work he’d done via his NGO.

I refer here to none other than George Opong Weah, of Liberia.

It goes without saying that many well schooled persons that could have been considered more "competent" were in his country.

But Weah’s exposure, experiences, and financial success, made him believe (rightly or wrongly) that he could be president!

He had traveled widely and related at topmost levels with world leaders. And it was his soccer skills that earned him those opportunities, not formal schooling.

George knew he’d gotten valuable exposure, and he wanted to use it to help his people.

That’s what travel based education does:

It exposes people to ideas, information, and confidence-building experiences that willing persons can use to make a difference wherever they find themselves.

New Ideas That Result In Progress & Development, Are Sometimes Inspired By Exposure to Travel

Many of us do this: You visit a place and discover they do something in a way that you know can be usefully applied where you’re from.

So when you get back home, you share that idea or solution with others, and it’s adopted.

Without travelling, that idea or solution may have remained unknown to you – and your people!

But not all ideas one encounters during travel, will be "attractive" enough for adoption!

One example: The Use of Gari (Cassava Flour) in Benin Republic vs. Nigeria…

Gari is grainy flour made from Cassava.

In Nigeria we use it make a popular meal called Eba (by rapid mixing with hot water). Most homes consume Eba with vegetable stews etc.

People sometimes mix Gari with cold water and sugar, and drink for refreshment.

But here in Benin Republic, back in May 2013, I was shocked to hear undergraduates at the University in Calavi explain that only a person who runs out of money chooses to eat Eba!

To them, unless you’re short of money, you would definitely prefer to eat La Patte (a solid paste, made from Maize flour mixed with hot water) with stew.

That was when I understood why I’d been unable to find a restaurant offering Eba!

It was always “Il ya La Patte”. And I did not like it at all at the time. I do now …which shows how adaptable humans are

Since then however, I’ve discovered a meal called “Agbeni”: a sticky starch paste, a bit similar to Gari in consistency, but NOT the same feel/taste.

But that’s not all that’s different about how people in these 2 neighbouring countries view the same food item…

You see, food sellers in Benin, sprinkle ample amounts of Gari on cooked rice and stew they serve buyers!

When I first saw it, I thought the individual was the one with a "problem".

But later on I many buyers actually requested it.

I must confess that THAT is one "meal" I cannot adapt to!

Gari and Rice simply do not go together…for me anyway.

I explained to my young Beninese friends that in Nigeria where I come from, anyone seen eating such a combination would be seriously laughed at.

They retorted that anyone seen eating Gari as Eba would get severely mocked in their country. Here, they regard it as a poor man’s meal, because they believe it has fewer nutrients than their Maize based meal.

Different strokes for different folks as they say.

The point to note here however is that with travel, you’ll continually encounter different experiences, which will make you more liberal in your views.

We have a proverb in Nigeria, which says:

"Only the child, who has never been to the farm of another person, thinks his father’s farm is the biggest."

This proverb basically points out the "eye-opening" advantages "travel" (i.e. moving OUT to explore areas beyond your familiar environment) can confer.

Now, to even things out, I’ll share a story that illustrates how travelling can also help us discovers similarities between "different" cultures…

An Encounter With a Meal, In Scotland, Which Reminded Me of a Nigerian Delicacy…

During 6 weeks of traveling across the UK on an International Brewing Course (organised by the UK’s Institute and Guild of Brewing in 2000), we were one afternoon treated to a buffet in a Scottish brewery somewhere in Edinburgh, if I recall correctly.

The cooks there served us "Haggis", a meal we were told was made from the internal organs (heart, lungs etc) of animals like goats and sheep.

For those of from Guinness Nigeria and Nigerian Breweries, Haggis was wonderful!

In fact, in my case, it reminded me of a delicacy prepared by my wife’s people – the Igbos – called Isi Ewu (Goat Head pepper soup).

It’s made by crushing and cooking a goat’s head with vegetable, spices and pepper, which is served in a bowl, with the eyes, tongue, ears etc.

We’d been moaning about not having enough meat in our meals.

For some of the delegates from companies in Europe and America who were vegetarians, it was not as exciting as they would have wanted.

Thankfully, they were offered alternatives they liked.

Again, the experience carried lessons for each person who was willing to take them.

I discovered, for instance, that not everyone in the UK ate mainly plant based meals.

…and that some people in the UK also eat internal parts of animals like we do in Nigeria!

Your Child Can Do Formal Schooling, AND Simultaneously Acquire Travel Based Education

Interestingly, one can actually start by traveling within one’s neighborhood, local government/county, state, or country.

So what I propose is not necessarily something you’ll have to put major funds aside for – at least not right away.

Many people live in areas they have never explored. And so when asked, do not even know what people do or how they live around them!

Yet, choosing to take long leisurely walks around, can open your eyes to new discoveries that would elude you, if you stuck to your daily routine to/from work.

If doing that can be so enriching for you, think how beneficial doing it could be for your child!

If you fear for his/her safety, go out together.

Take pictures. Make notes. Point out useful sights, and discuss what you discover.

When you have more time and money, take trips further away from home.

You could go, for instance, to the next town or city.

See if you can stay over at a friend’s, to save money.

If time is short to cover all possible areas you’d like to see on one visit, plan to do return visits.

That way you can even avoid incurring hotel or motel accommodation bills.

After all you won’t be in a hurry as if competing with anyone. It would be just you and your child, spouse or family.

While on the road keep looking and learning. There’s often a lot of useful things to see!

Sometimes you may find it wise to drop your car, and go by local transportation e.g. bus, train or subway, hired taxi etc.

That way you retain energy, and stay refreshed to make the most of the journey.

The best part is, apart from the useful education s/he will pick up. You and your child would forge a stronger emotional bond in the process!

Years later, s/he could build on what you started – and would most likely do it for his/her kids too.

The multidimensional perspective from travel experiences will enable him/her pursue success more effectively.

By the way, there’s historical proof to back up the above claim…

One example: Marcel Bic credited the travel experiences he had with his father, as having given him the creative base on which to invent his revolutionary cheap and popular Bic biro (and other products).

The lives of many other great achievers distinctly reflect a similar trend.

You Can Work With Your Child (or Family) To Develop a Plan and Implement It

I’m working on such a plan for my kids

And a fortunate turn of events here in Cotonou, has helped me start earlier than I thought I would.

Have you noticed, for example, that English speaking who aspire to speak a foreign language, like French, are often drawn to anyone they discover speaks the latter?

I’ve experienced both worlds, as one who speaks French, and is from an English speaking society.

I travel to and from Anglophone/Francophone African nations, and often get approached by people (usually self-employed professionals and working class persons) who say:

“Hi. I noticed you speaking English (or French) and I ‘d like to improve my fluency by chatting with you whenever you have time.”

Usually, they would have over heard me speaking either language on phone, or with someone.

This frequent occurrence led me to produce my Quick and Dirty Guide to English and French.

I realized I could not cope with the requests, so I developed a solution that ensured I could still help people even if I did not have time.

And the solution happens to be one that earns me income at the same time, and also boosts my credibility and name recognition!

My first buyer was a Beninese medical doctor who met me in a Cotonou Cyber Café, and took my mobile number so we could “chat”.

Both of us ended up being too busy to do that, so I told him to buy my guide.

When he discovered he was to travel to an English speaking country, he got in touch, and purchased it!

One day it occurred to me that my audio recordings of 27 common greetings in English and French, on my CDROM guide, could help my kids learn French faster.

Which would better prepare them to join me here in Benin Republic as planned!

So I bought each child an MP3 player, with memory cards, and copied all the audio files to each child’s.

As stated in my Proven 5 Step Formula for Learning ANY Language in 3 Months or LESS, this strategy rapidly improved my French when I started out.

Final Words: Travel Opens People’s Eyes to Opportunities They Probably Would Not See, If They Stayed "Home"!

And that’s why I say it can be so powerfully educative!

What is considered impossible in one society is probably being done and taken for granted in another.

Just today, I sent email to a catfish farm business CEO in Nigeria’s South-South, that illustrates the above point perfectly.

The email shared details of how another catfish farm owner in the South Western city of Ibadan says he’s using lower cost balanced rations formulated, using Gari and Palm Kernel Cakes at higher inclusion levels.

According to him, he’s getting up to 15% weight increases in his table sized catfish.

If I’d not reached out to the man in Ibadan on phone, the CEO in Uyo would not know of this potentially useful idea.

Now the latter can also get across on phone to the former. Or he could even travel down to Ibadan to learn more and possibly put a similar strategy to use on his farm!

In the same way, when a child from a society where something is considered impossible, travels to one where it’s being done, s/he may realize the TRUTH that people’s achievements are shaped, primarily, by their beliefs and their environment.

If s/he remembers that important lesson AFTER returning to his/her society, it could help him/her become a useful exception in society.

S/he would consequently reject limitations accepted by others around her.

As a result impossibilities would NOT exist for him/her, and success would be inevitable!

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

To Succeed, Extract Useful Lessons from Your Travel Experiences

March 21, 2014 Tayo Solagbade Leave a comment

You arrive in a new country at night, and check into a hotel. Then at 10a.m you meet your business associate, for a meal. You talk business, and then fly out. Get this: You have NOT really “been to” that country!

If your schedule makes doing the above necessary, I do not quarrel with that.

However, when someone says I’ve “been to” X number of countries, I always wonder if the above example describes the visits s/he’s made.

If it does, I would NOT want him/her to give ME travel tips to any of those places!

A Real Visit Will Go Beyond Interacting With An Isolated Group of Associates Based On a Tight Schedule

For instance, you want to make out quality time to see the sights and learn a little history about them.

You also would want to sample the food and drinks, try out their cultural outfits, and follow local news. Or even listen to folk tales while watching locals at work and/or play etc.

You would do the foregoing over a few hours, to a day or a week – depending on how long you’re there.

Doing the above will make you depart with a more accurate impression of that society than if you’d just breezed through!

I Call It Getting “Immersed” In Your Travel Experiences

Take it from me: Apart from yourself, exposing your child to the above kind of travel, can greatly boost his/her real world relevant intelligence, and know-how, in a way that directly leads to exceptional success in adulthood.

I say this based on my years of personal achievement, and from studying the lives of similar others.

For instance, I’m writing this article in a Cotonou Cyber Café a bit far away from Lagos, in my home country Nigeria.

By 1st April 2014, less than 10 days from now, I’ll have been here for a year, since relocating last year .

What I’ve learnt in that time, enabled me develop new strategies that’s taken my work to the next level.

If I had not travelled down here, those eye opening insights would never have come to me!

I Was Privileged to Benefit From Exposure to Travel Based Education Early In Life

And that’s even when the “travelling” was within the city I lived as a child!

In other words, I use the word “travel” in its normal, as well as a simplistic sense.

Basically, I’m saying MOVE yourself to explore the unfamiliar or unknown places, and people, around you!

At the age of 10, I began leaving home and “travelling” about 2 hours from Olodi Apapa area, to Ojo town as a first year student in Government College Ojo (where Lagos State University is today).

At that age, many of my peers walked short distances from home to their school, or their parents dropped them off at their school gates.

In my case, I got to do it all on my own EVERY weekday.

And those experiences shaped me into the fiercely independent person I am today.

The only regret I have about those early days is that I got into a bit of trouble by joining bad company. But looking back, even that “bad” experience further shaped me for later success!

For Over 3 Decades, I’ve Further Explored Benefits from Travel Opportunities of All Kinds…

This interest in travel was a major factor that influenced my decision to engage in competitive sports from the age of 12.

I’d been told it would involve travel at zero cost to me. I went on to play competitive handball, for school, state and university for about 10 years.

Plenty of interesting travelling happened in that time.

My Studies Also Afforded Me Varied Travel Experiences As Well…

I spent 5 years in a secondary school in Kwara State, in North West Nigeria. Then I did one year of Higher School Certificate (HSC) studies in Kaduna (travelling overnight by train from Lagos, between 1986 and 1987).

Then I moved to Oyo state in the South West for 5 years in the University of Ibadan. After that, I spent one year in Niger state’s remote Vatsa village in Nigeria’s middle belt area, observing my compulsory National Youth Service (NYSC).

It did not end there.

After NYSC I got a job with Guinness that eventually saw me being deployed to serve 7 years in their Ikpoba Hill based brewery in Edo State’s Benin City.

During 7 Years of Paid Employment In Guinness Benin, More Travelling Happened…

I made short visits of a day to 3 weeks to places like Port Harcourt, Owerri, Lokoja, Cameroon and Benin Republic.

Those trips were self sponsored.

On certain occasions, during my journeys, I slept overnight at motor parks in places like Lokoja, Owerri, within Nigeria.

One night, in Kumba, a border town on the outskirts of Cameroon, I slept – along with 11 other passengers – in a mini bus from 11p.m till 5a.m.

This happened in July 1999.

The driver told us it was necessary, to avoid bandits who ambushed night travellers on the road. We were headed, at the time, to Douala, from Ekok, a town sharing a border with Nigeria’s Ikom in Calabar.

I spent 6 weeks travelling across England, Scotland, and Wales, and after that, another week in Cameroon. In these latter cases, the trips were company sponsored.

In All the Cases Mentioned Above, I Actively IMMERSED Myself, to Maximize the Experiences I Had

By this I mean that I went out of my way to explore the environment, speak with the people, taste the foods, ask how to say things in the local languages, learn how to cook local meals, and of course make friends.

I did not simply sit back and look out from the window of the car or bus or train.

Instead I resolved, each time, to gain a clear idea of what the place and the people were like.

This habit proved invaluable to me when I ran into people who had been there before – or who were from there.

Within a few seconds of conversation, I often got complimented on my demonstrated familiarity.

In other words, I learned to appreciate the diversity of people and their cultures, and to welcome it. Nothing breeds tolerance and understanding than being “immersed” in travel experiences like that.

The people you do that to also feel good about meeting you.

And that could make them welcome someone they learn is from your country even more warmly!!

Final Words: The Benefits You’ll Get Are Multi-Dimensional – Here’s One Example…

In 2001, I was discussing with delegates from other countries on the final day of a one week course on Workplace Coaching Conversations in Douala’s Hotel Akwa Palace.

A colleague from Guinness Nigeria had asked what places could be visited over the weekend and I’d offered some ideas based on my 3 week stay in 1999.

A Guinness Cameroon manager expressed surprise that I’d visited Mendong and Oballa, two places he – who lived in Cameroon – had never been to, saying “Tayo, you have really visited Cameroon!”

That day, he insisted on having me over as a guest in his home for the weekend with his family.

The course facilitator also suggested since I could speak French and had been there before, I’d be in the best position to join the Camerooninans in implementing their run of the course!

And that’s just one of many ways travel based exposure can open doors of opportunity for you: you become more INTERESTING to others…an essential quality for success achievement!

PS: The second and concluding part of this series on Extracting Success Boosting Education from Your Travel Experiences goes live tomorrow.

In it, I explain how sports persons use educational benefits of travelling they do while engaged in sports, to succeed in their lives AFTER they retire.

And I’ll also offer tips any parent can follow to help his/her child successfully use travel based education to boost his/her chances of success in life.

For instance, I have bought tutorial CDs and books on a variety of subjects, because I felt they would be useful for my kids’ education.

Many people who want to sell will benefit by adopting a similar holistic perspective in thinking about their potential buyers.

A look at how I do my multidisciplinary writing on this blog provides a good case in point.

1. Business Owners Often Interested in Entrepreneurship…So I Write About It

2. Some of My Prospects Have Full Time Jobs…So I Write About Career Development

3. Some of My Prospects Have Kids…So I Write About Parenting

Final Words: Use Your Writing to Touch on Different Areas of Your Target Audience’s Life

To succeed often, write about subjects that interest those who fit your target audience profile.

You’ll consequently be able to tell friends and associates, about your rapidly increasing sales conversions…like I did in exceprts below from an email I sent out today:

But to reap such rewards, my experiences strongly indicate one must keep doing it for the long term.

To Succeed, One Needs a Good Team

I’ve Decided to Build a Family Based Brew Pub Business for the Long Term

That’s why I’ve been carefully coaching my kids to develop a variety of potentially useful competencies.

Apart From Doing Chores, They Are Also Learning to Think and Act Entrepreneurially

More relevant to my plans for the brew pub, is the need for them to develop smart sales and marketing skills.

Another thing: They looked at a recipe I got from a You tube video, and concluded the “1 cup” of groundnut oil added, if replaced with butter, would give a better finish.

This afternoon, I returned home to find them back from school, and they showed me the N400 they’d made from sales of 7 of the cakes, to their classmates. But they’d eaten up the remaining 12!

The kids – the boys especially – do virtually all the coupling and fixing in the house.

Final Words

However, as always happens, people may know and like you, but if they do not have a “felt-need” for what you offer, they are unlikely to buy from you!

And that’s what happened to Rekiya, 6 months after starting up…

If Rekiya was a friend, and she asked my advice on what to do, the following is what I would tell her:

1. Forget About Marketing to Those You Know…!

How do you do this? Here’s an example of a simple zero cost strategy you can use:

2. Aim for Those Who Do NOT Know You…!

In this way, I virtually eliminated the expense I used to incur on printing paper based flyers and other promotional material for my work.

Then I turn up, and they read my piece, and decide to make contact, to ask me questions about what I wrote, and how I can help them.

Actually, as I write THIS article, it just happened AGAIN, this time with a Farm CEO from Jos, in Nigeria’s Plateau State.

Final Words: Even if your solutions are not IT related like mine, you CAN still employ this approach successfully.

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

But back to Alhaji…

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.

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.

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.

Final Words: A Great Way to Celebrate!

Some Self-Employed Experts Are (Technically Speaking) Holding Full- Time Jobs

Have You Downloaded Your Gifts?

No. 135: Succeed by Speaking Part-time With a Full Time Job!

Some Self-Employed Experts Are (Technically Speaking) Holding Full- Time Jobs

Example 1: A Catfish Farm CEO based in Ibadan

Example 2: My Accidental Foray Into Expert-Speaking While In Paid Employment

Not long after, while on annual leave, I came across an advert in the papers regarding the Annual Young Managers Competition (now defunct).

I thought about the Malta Guinness bottling beer waste investigation project I’d carried out, which led me to derive a formula I called Total Waste Unaccounted For (TWUF)™.

Then I also wanted to talk about how (using my apps) we automatically generated Process Control charts in the brewing department, that were printed out and pasted on notice boards.

As I explained in an article written years back, I won 2nd place at the zonal finals, and placed 5th (out of 8th contestants) at the National Finals…despite flopping my presentation very badly at the latter event!

Looking back, I Realize I Could Have Launched My Career As a Part-Time Expert-Speaker Back Then!

But it did not occur to me then. However, YOU have an opportunity to reap the benefit of MY hindsight!

Let Burt Dubin Be Your Guide…and Mentor!

In other words, apart from having the financial means, you must put in the needed HARD work.

Are you willing to do the work needed to succeed as a part-time speaker with a full time job?

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THEY WROTE…

FACT: If Google Sends People to Websites Unrelated to Their Searches, They Will STOP Using It

Anyone Who Wants to Succeed In Web Marketing Will Be Wise to EARN Google’s Trust!

That’s the Key to Attracting Pre-qualified Traffic (of Potential Buyers) to Your Website

You need your traffic to comprise mainly PEOPLE looking for what YOU OFFER!

The easiest and most cost effective way to achieve that, is to boost your search engine visibility.

Note that your online presence goes beyond your website…to include a combination of online real estate, that you creatively make use of, to propagate your creatively generated – and useful – content.

What You Need to Succeed Is a Web Marketing System (WMS)

And once that is ready, implementing it daily, with relentless persistence is the next step.

A WMS will enable you achieve a self-sustaining online presence, that progressively boosts your marketing reach and impact…

My Suggestion: Signup for a FREE 15 minute consultation session with me

Question: Why Should You Believe I Can Help You?

My Writing (Which is Often Experience and Research Based) Covers 6 Different Categories:

How Do I Get So Much Writing Done for Myself and Others, Without Burning Out?

With my help you can achieve similar results to mine.

How Do You Get Started?

Don’t Worry About My Being Able to “Understand” Your “Field“…

Related Reading:

To Improve Your Chances of Succeeding Authentically, Learn From Those Who Have Done It Before

For Success to be AUTHENTIC, It Must be REPRODUCIBLE and REPEATABLE

Carnegie Amassed His Wealth By Fair Means…And That’s Why His Success Was Authentic

Henry Ford Also Knew His Success Was Authentic…

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for Africa Based Experts(PDF…Click!)