Category Archives: Farm Biz

Advertise Your Products and Services on Tayo Solagbade’s Buyers-Meet-Sellers Platform for Agro based businesses – and others!

I’m pleased to finally be able to announce that my buyers-meet-sellers platform is LIVE.

Right now, I’m using the contact details and information from businesses belonging to both groups, that I have so far obtained via the market surveys I’ve been doing on behalf of clients in Benin Republic and Nigeria.

The platform is still evolving, but already fully functional – and automated

See below, three 200 x 200 pixel size rotating image banners that I’ve created for 3 different real life clients (2 are farm businesses and one is a private university).

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The platform will be open for use by all my clients (in and out of Africa) as well as other businesses who indicate interest and meet the required terms of access.

This is because I intend to employ strict quality controls in running it to ensure integrity.

If you seek clients, buyers or distributors within our outside the African continent for any products, services or solutions you offer, get in touch with me using this form (click here) for details of how to get started.

 

DISCLAIMER

This is information passed to me by those who choose to advertise. Those who are my clients get FREE access to this platform.

However, you must take the due diligence action of checking and verifying whatever information you read in the ads or the linked pages I setup, especially if you choose to use it, or to make contact directly with the supplier. I do NOT play the role of a middle man.

 

How Studying a Great African Achiever is Leading Me to Self-Actualization

“Va vers les gens, vit avec eux. Apprend d’eux. Aime-les. Commence avec ce qu’ils connaissent. Planifie avec eux. Construit sur ce qu’ils ont. Enseigne en montrant. Apprend en pratiquant. Ne te conforme pas, mais transforme. Ne soulage pas mais libère. Et quand avec les meilleurs leaders, le travail est fait, la tâche accomplie, les gens diront nous l’avons fait nous-mêmes”. Lao Tsu, Fondateur de la philosophie Tao, 600 av J.C.

English Translation:

“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say ‘We have done this ourselves.” – Lao Tzu, founder of the Tao philosophy, 600 B.C

I discovered the above wise quote through reading a publication by a great African man here in Benin Republic, whose works have inspired me since I read about an award he received way back in 1987.

That was during my first undergraduate year as a student of Agricultural Extension Services in Nigeria’s University Of Ibadan.

I was 17 years old at the time. In another 2 months from today I will clock 46.

How time has flown – almost 30 years have passed – yet this man has continued to be a leading light and inspiration to many across the world, for his works.

I constantly drew inspiration from following his progress, and often visualised myself doing something similar in my chosen area of interest.

Over the past 10 years I’ve taken concrete steps closer to achieving my dream. And I resolved that I would find a way to meet and thank him for doing what he’s been doing.

Relocating to Benin Republic in 2013 made the possibility of that happening just a matter of time.

And now it has…

About 2 weeks ago I met and spoke with him for the first time ever. The next day I ran into him again and we had a short exchange.

In between those 2 meetings I had a good opportunity to observe him from a distance as he moved around and interacted with the people. It was obvious, to me, that there was deliberate purpose in his actipns and utterances.

Later that day I got handed a document published by his organization in which I read the quote reproduced above, and had my inner eyes opened to the secret of his success.

Click here to read the page on his organisation’s website, where the quote is reproduced.

Click below to view a page with the english version of the quote, along with several other quotes by the same Chinese philosopher.

This man does not know it, but he’s been mentoring me remotely as I followed his progress, over the past 2 and a half decades.

As soon as I read this quote, I instantly knew it was what I needed to adopt to achieve the new plans I’ve been working on.

Before now, I periodically sensed a need to do what it advised but resisted the impulse each time mainly because I was not sure how to proceed.

Luckily for me, this great man chose not to be miserly in sharing the sources of his own inspiration. As a result, the rest of us benefit.

How I wish there was a way I could add value to him the way he has done to me and many thousand others who continue to benefit from the enduring solutions provided by his organisation.

For now, one way I know I can thank him is by succeeding in using this quote’s wisdom to implement my own evolving plans to start a centre that help others with solutions I offer.

PS: By the way, in case you’ve not discovered it yet, from clicking the above mentioned link to his website, this man that I have spoken so highly of in this article, is Father Godfrey Nzamujo – the Founder of the world renowned Songhai Integrated Farming centre, headquarted here in Benin Republic’s Porto Novo. He makes me proud to be African!

THE FARM CEO (Issue 45 – International Business Opportunity): Agro-processing Companies in Benin Republic Seek Buyers/Distributors in Nigeria and Other English/French Speaking Countries for their Organic Health Boosting Agro-based Food/Drink Products

This week just ended, I met the marketing representatives team leader for a company here that produces nicely made and packaged Pineapple juice.

When I told him how I get buyers without going out or paying for advertisement, he invited me to meet the Head of Marketing – a lady.

By the end of that meeting she told to prepare a presentation she could present to MD. I’ve been working on that, but writing acceptable French is not as easy as speaking it.

So we contacted a translator who asked for FCFA 25k (divide by 2 to get Naira equivalent), and said he could only work over the weekend. I agreed tentatively.

We then went on attended day 3 of a trade fair today and I met for the first time some very entrepreneurial Beninese citizens who produce natural health boosting products from various agricultural raw materials, in attractive packaging.

But they just don’t know how to find buyers.

By the time I spoke with some about how I cut the time, effort and money I expend to sell my custom apps and books, which are mostly digital, for up to N80k, they were asking me what they had to do to get my web marketing support service.

I’ve told them my fee is FCFA 500.000.0 – including training of their staff.

But I added that I currently would prefer part payment in form of a bedroom apartment I can live in with my family for 1 year or more at no expense to me. (This is designed to appeal to companies that have accommodation facilities they pay little or nothig to use).

If they give me that, I will cut off FCFA 300,000.0 so they only pay me FCFA 200k. And if they pay for my monthly Blackberry subscription here, (which is FCFA 10k per month) for 1 year, I will cut off the FCFA 120k and take the rest FCFA 80k in cash.

The idea is to eliminate those 2 cash flow expenses from my budget, by getting a client to pay for them. Since I will get other clients I will not feel it and I will have peace of mind!

Entry into Nigerian market: They want distributors and consumers.

Some of these companies have health boosting agro-based products I believe will really do well in Nigeria. Not surprisingly, they are keen to connect with buyers/distributors in Nigeria.

Upon discovering that I can communicate proficiently in French, and that I also offer Web Marketing, combined with my knowledge of Nigeria and how to sell in it, they’ve shown serious interest in paying for my service.

We’re looking at a form of partnership.

It occurred to me that you, as members of my club, or persons you know, may be interested in their products.

The above described development made decide that it’s better to do a group event so I can win miultiple clients from among them.

I plan to organize a FREE web marketing talk for sales and marketing personnel of the companies.

That way I’ll just explain with my mind map to many potential clients at once.

For the first time since coming to this country I’ve identified and connected with people truly hungry for a solution I offer like Web Marketing.

The icing on the cake is that have good quality health boosting organic products that vcome well packaged, which they are eager to introduce to the Nigerian market.

My unique combination of skills, and knowledge equips me to help them achieve their goals in a cost-effective mannet.

If you’re interested in receiving photos of some of their products along with contact details etc, let me know.

How the Excel-VB Driven Poultry Farm Manager is Used (True Stories)

In this article, I share some examples of how my Farm CEO clients use my increasingly popular <a href=”http://tinyurl.com/15pfmVideos” target=”blank”> Excel-VB driven Poultry Farm Manager software</a> I sold them, with my guidance. I do this here to provide potentially useful insights for prospective buyers who may be concerned about how well it meets their unique needs.

 

In a separate post to follow this one, I will feature excerpts from an email conversation I had with a Farm CEO who is now a client, several hours before he purchased this same app from me.

 

He’d written in to ask 2 questions about data integrity protection which I replied required extending the app for a standard development fee. He’s since bought the app on the understanding that he’ll order for the extension when he’s ready via an arrangement in which I hope to get other Farm CEO users to share the fee payment, at a pocket friendly rate.

 

Having said the above, it so happens that there are ways in which the app is already being used by existing clients to get around some of its seeming limitations – which I’ll be telling him about.

 

You see, I did not build this app for use in the manner being requested by some clients (e.g across an intranet), because I felt most of those who would need it would want use it alone, or with a few trusted persons they shared a PC with.

 

<H3>As a result, here’s what my clients do, based on my thinking in developing the app:</H3>

 

1. The Farm CEO/owner or someone s/he trusts to use it right gets assigned the username and password to exclusively post data into it.

 

2. S/he is advised to use the app on a computer preferably not shared with 3rd parties.

 

3. Typically s/he prints and makes photocopies of the daily record form (that comes with the app) weekly, for issue to the supervisor or manager, who shares them out to farm operatives.

 

4. I recommend that the client try to post entries daily using data hand filled into the paper record forms. However, the logistics of getting the filled paper forms back from the farm can sometimes make it hard to do. So that makes them post what may be several days backlog or at weekends – which is still okay.

 

5. The various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) auto-computed by the app and presented in dynamic report summary tables and trending charts, are meant primarily for exclusive use of the business owner/decision maker.

 

Once s/he completes posting of the data, s/he then sits back and carefully reviews the autogenerated reports, to establish/follow trends, with a view to identifying areas that need intervention – or opportunties to replicate pockets of success etc.

 

<H3>By way of interest, I always recommend that the CEOs get their manager/supervisor to snap clear photos of (or scan) the filled and signed Daily Records Form, and send (e.g via email or Whatsapp) to the CEO at the end of each day, making it unnecessary for him/her to come down daily, or to wait till weekend to pick them up in bulk.</H3>

 

I do not know if any do this, but they tell me interesting stories about how they use the app to identify areas not doing well and then use that to challenge and guide the farm manager/supervisor to establish the root cause and take corrective action.

 

<b>A few days ago, one CEO told me how his Farm Manager later asked him how he (the CEO) had been able to discover a cage line of birds were getting higher than the farm’s average feeding rate, but returning the lowest Hen Day Percentage in the flock!</b>

 

He said he replied by making a rhetorical statement saying “What do you think I’ve been doing with the software I post data and records I get from you!

 

The above scenario provides an example that justifies the thinking I adopted in building this app.

 

Simply put, it was built for use by a decision maker or owner with the motivation to use it with integrity.

 

It so happens that the Web Marketing System I use to attract clients or buyers is designed to repel most people lacking the above qualities. As a result I continue to have a growing number of serious minded and results focused Farm CEO purchasing this app and making diligent use of it.

 

You can join them today, and become a member of my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas Club, which earns you access to a lifetime 40% discount on all other products and services I offer (terms apply).

 

 

<a href=”http://tayosolagbade.com/pfmgr.html” target=”blank”> Click here to send me a message</a>

Learn to Please Your Clients Without losing Productivity or Profits

As Burt Dubin one wrote, youu are a marketer first and an expert second. It does not matter what field you specialize in – this truth always applies. I have profited greatly by acting based on this truth in my business, and I always recommend it to my clients and others I coach.

The main reason is that it keeps you focused on ensuring you stay profitable while working to meet your client’s needs.

Below is an example from a real life case study based on work I do serving Farm CEO users and prospective buyers of my Excel-VB driven Poultry Farm Manager software.

The prospect had emailed me following our phone conversation that took place when he called me, in response to detailed notes I sent to him. Note that I also made him a promotional offer of some bonus gift products if he paid before a deadline of about 36 hours from the time the offer was made:

From: xyzfarms
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2016 19:34:08 +0100
To: Tayo K. Solagbade
Subject: Re: 10 Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas Articles – and a Video – You May Find Useful
Hello Tayo
Thanks for the series of articles you’ve issued providing an insight into the importance of record keeping and cost savings.
I also acknowledge receipt of your offer for the purchase of the software. However, I have 3 questions before reaching a final decision on the software purchase.
Firstly, can the software be remotely view from anywhere in the world. In the event of travelling outside the country and being able to monitor activities / performance on site?
Secondly, can 2 users be on the system at the same time. That is the farm manager carrying out the input whilst I await for the output at the other end, at a different location? Or do I need to log out and log back in after he is done with the input.
Thirdly, would you be providing basic record keeping forms that farm staff will need to complete on a daily basis before the actual input is made on the system by the farm manager?
I strongly hope you can respond within a resonable time frame in order to avoid me breaching the offer time frame period.
Thanks in antipicipation of a prompt response.

Here’s the response I sent to him

Thanks for your message,

My responses to your questions begin with “>”:

1. Firstly, can the software be remotely view from anywhere in the world. In the event of travelling outside the country and being able to monitor activities / performance on site?

> No it cannot. However I can add such functionality in a manner that enables cost-effective use in that manner if you wish. For instance I can make it generate a special web page report or PDF that will be automatically emailed to you.

Several other options exist. I will tell you what they are, with pros and cons, then recommend a way forward based on the uniques needs I identify you have from asking you questions.

2. Secondly, can 2 users be on the system at the same time. That is the farm manager carrying out the input whilst I await for the output at the other end, at a different location? Or do I need to log out and log back in after he is done with the input.

> This app can be used across an intranet via 2 or more terminals. However only 1 person will be able to save changes made, and that’s the person who opens it first on the network. However all other persons will be able to view the entries and generate any reports they want from any other terminals.

Having said that, I did not build this app for use in that manner. If this kind of usage is important to you, a different architecture is likely to be needed to make it happen – like that used in the network based Hotel Records Management System I built for a Lagos based hotel that used it for 6 years.

Again adding this functionality requires a development expense. I have ideas of cost-effective ways to get it done. To make it easier for you, I offer to peak to other Farm CEOs using the app to find out if they would like to share the cost of adding that functionality with you – along with that mentioned in 1 above.

3. Thirdly, would you be providing basic record keeping forms that farm staff will need to complete on a daily basis before the actual input is made on the system by the farm manager?

> The app actually comes with an interface containing a customizable farm operations daily records form that you will print out and make photocopies of for each day of the month. The PDF userguide that I will send along with the software contains details, but it’s quite straightforward. Rest assured I will be available to support you anytime.

Important Notes

You first have to buy the app.

The good thing is that once you buy the app you become a member of my Farm Business Ideas Club and that entitles you to a lifetime discount of 40% on all my other products and services.

Adding the functionalities mentioned in 1 and 2 above will however require additional investment on your part. Development fee starts from N100k depending on nature and scope of work to be done.

Another thing I can do is to speak to other Farm CEOs using the app to find out if they would like to share the cost of adding those functionalities with you.

Hope this helps,

Tayo

Summary

This conversation is yet to be concluded. However I have shared these excerpts here to illustrate how I respond to requests that fall outside the scope of the solution I offer. It’s important to always put the client’s needs first. However it is not wise to do so at the expense of your productivity or profitability. The foregoing informed the offers I made to him above. I hope you find this of some use.

Protected: THE FARM CEO (Issue 43): Agribusiness Data Survey in Benin (Rabbits, Grasscutters, Snail etc; buying Maize, Soyabeans in tonnes, buying a tractor), Snail Farming Online Learning Resources List/Links, Do Not Use Book Values of Ingredient Nutrient Composition for YOUR Livestock Feed Formulation

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[Special Feature] Website Introduction to the World Famous Songhai Integrated Farming Centre

I write this at 1.55a.m Sunday 17th April 2016, from Porto-Novo in Benin Republic.

 

I’m here to gather information about various agribusiness issues based on plans I have, as well as requests I’ve received from several Farm CEO clients back in Nigeria.

 

One popular landmark here is the headquarters of the world famous Songhai Integrated Farming Centre.

 

Songhai Integrated Farming Centre

 

Below are excerpts from home page previews of what they do, with links to learn more:

At its core, Songhai is a development process that is in continuing Evolution, it is a laboratory for Africa and the world, a prime mover for the creation of a better tomorrow.

1. BIO-PRODUCTION

Songhai’s farming methods emphasize protecting the natural resources and the environment.

To do this, we integrate producing agricultural crops, raising livestock and fish, and producing energy. This demonstrates our commitment to helping human beings eat healthier foods and live better lives.

Read More

 

2. BIO-ENERGY

Combining plant and animal by-products to create mulch takes advantage of and enhances the rich environmental capital of Africa. It also can be used to produce an additional desirable by-product: Bio-Energy.

Read More

 

3. BIO-PROCESSING

Healthy people are a valuable resource for Africa. Songhai’s food products have added value because they are made from local organically-grown products and are locally processed using the highest standards in our Songhai facilities.

Read More

 

4. SONGHAÏ LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

The Academy is built on a framework for training future leaders who are equipped to lead the Songhai movement and support the development of Songhai centers throughout the world.

Read More

 

5. BIO-CONSUMPTION

At Songhai, we promote African development by providing a one-stop market and by offering communication, restaurant, and hotel services. This reduces the flight of capital out of Africa, (capital being exported from Africa hinders development).

Read More

 

6. LIBRARY

Songhai’s multimedia library contains materials that describe what we have SEEN and HEARD and LEARNED on our journey of discovery. Read beyond words and believe it for yourself.

Discover

For Accurate & Reliable Feed Formulation Use Nutrient Composition Analysis Of YOUR Ingredient – Not Book Values

In this post I share excerpts from a response I sent to a Ugandan Farm CEO who purchased my Excel-VB Ration Formulator and later had issues he needed clarification on.

This was regarding nutrient levels of livestock feed ingredients.

I share my response here because I believe it offers  information!education that others interested in Feed Formulation may find useful.

Below: His email request

Good morning,

Below are the current ingredients we are using in Uganda. Kindly get me the nutrient levels as listed below;

Crude Protein Percentage
Fibre
Energy levels
Phosphorous levels
Calcium levels

Dry matter among others so as to enable me use the software better as many of the ingredients used in your area are not applicable in Uganda.

Also customise the software to that.

1 Maize Bran 2 Maize 3 Sunflower Seed Cake
4 Cotton Seed Cake 5 Fish meal (Silver fish)
6 Common Salt
7Limestone (As a replacement for shells due to the high sand content in shells here.
8 Calcium (DCP) 9 Layer Premix 10 Salcurb/Acido mix 11 Toxic binder
Thanks.

Below: My response

Hi Peter,

I’m sending the zipped app as an attachment to this email. It should download and work OK.

Now, on to your other message…

Your first request:

My response: I understand your request, however, the purpose of providing this kind of solution is exactly why it’s best that YOU get those details yourself. I’ve written one or two articles explaining this in the past. Will find and send you the links to read(See below)

You see, feed ingredients vary in their chemical/nutrient composition due to a variety of factors – including the weather and soil of the area they are grown in. So, if I supplied you those details based on what we have here, they would NOT necessarily represent what YOU would actually have in the ingredients you plan to use!

So, the way to use my app is to START by sending whatever ingredients you use to the laboratory for nutrient composition analysis. The results you get will enable you complete the Feed Ingredients table in the software.

Which brings me to your second request

My response: Actually, in line with my code of ethics, all my applications are designed to enable users post customized settings into them.

So, when you login to the app, and the main navigation menu loads, you will see the yellow colored button labelled, Update Feed Ingredients. Just click on it, and you will be taken to the table where you can post your entries in any order you want, and delete any you do not want.

Once you go back to the Feed Formulation table, you will see that the drop menus already have the new values you posted.

Peter, the above is all explained in the PDF userguide I sent you. Also check the 4 large images I sent in the previous mail to you. They are annotated photos of the different software interfaces, with instructions on what to do and how.

WATCH VIDEOS: http://tinyurl.com/RealRationDemo

Please take time to study those guide resources. – but if you still have problems let me know.

Cheers,

Tayo

RELATED ARTICLES

  1. 4 Essential Factors Affecting Feed Formulation
  2. Ideas for Exploring Low Cost Feed Ingredients, When You Have No Laboratory On Your Farm
  3. FEED FORMULATION APP & HANDBOOK
  4. On-Demand Feed Formulation for Farm CEOs Workshop [Hint: FREE Entry for Owners of Tayo Solagbade’s Feed Formulation Handbook & Software]!
  5. PREVIEW: Choosing The RIGHT Feed Formulation Software (What You Need to Know) – Based on a True Story
  6. Annotated Pictorial Introduction To Livestock Feed Formulation Ingredients

Protected: THE FARM CEO (Issue 42): Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Agricultural Development: Strategy Overview, Smallholder Farming in Africa: 5 Major NGOs, Five Innovative NGOs in Agriculture

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