HOW TO INTRODUCE YOUR BUSINESS TO PEOPLE SO YOU WILL FOREVER STAY IN THEIR MINDS

When Joe found himself in prison over a crime he didn't commit, he knew he had only two choices to make. Either to remain the good guy he had always been, which unfortunately was what landed him in prison, or to allow the injustice meted to him to bring out the bad boy in him.

Trust me, if Joe had chosen the latter option, we wouldn't blame him that much considering how badly he had been treated over the years.

We all know the story. It’s a popular story. Joe’s only crime was daring to dream big, and the second was being excited enough to share his dreams with his treacherous brothers.

So expectedly, his brothers got jealous, plotted to kill him, but later changed their mind and sold him into slavery... And Joe found himself in Potiphar’s house as a slave.

But surprisingly, he made a decision to forget all that had happened and move on with his life. And that was exactly what he did.

And for a while, it seemed like Joe had got his life back until his master’s wife framed him up. And Joe landed in prison over a crime he didn't commit.

But really, what is it with Joe and misfortune, you may ask.

But in the face of all of these, Joe, surprisingly, remained the good guy he had always been. I don’t know how he was able to pull that off, because instead of being resentful, we saw a jovial Joe right inside the prison.

He was everybody’s friend, giving out helping hand to anybody who ever needed one. Everyone loved Joe, and Joe loved everyone.

But one day, something interesting happened. It was a hot afternoon. Joe was struggling to catch some sleep when this rough-looking inmate ran to him and said he needed some help. He was breathing heavily.

Joe in his usual manner jumped up from where he lay and beckoned on the anxious-looking guy to spill the bean.

“I had this dream yesterday night. It was a strange dream. I heard you can play around with dreams. Can you bail me out?” he asked.

“Why not?” Joe said. “Tell me the dream, and I will unpack it for you” Joe continued.

The dream was narrated to Joe, and he masterfully unraveled it.

“In 3 days’ time, you will be restored back to your position as the chief butler in the King’s palace. That’s the meaning of your dream” Joe explained.

Dude was excited. He hugged Joe. He kissed him. And he was about bowing before him when Joe quickly stopped him.

“Hey, listen man”, Joe said. “I don’t need all of these from you. I just need one favour.”

“I swear to my god, I will do anything for you. Just name it” the guy replied.

“Mention me to the king when you get out there. Tell him about me, my misery and my misfortunes. And ask him to have mercy on me.” Joe pleaded.

And the guy swore again for the second time that he will do anything for Joe.

Three days later, just like Joe had interpreted, his new-found friend was released from the prison.

As the prison warden was leading his friend away on that day, Joe ran to him and reminded him again to mention him to the king. The guy swore for the third time that he would do anything for Joe.

And so he was released from prison and was restored back to his position as the chief butler in the king’s palace.

Joe was excited that very soon he would be mentioned to the king, and he would be released from prison.

But little did he know that “very soon” would soon become so many years, because the guy who swore to him three times that he would mention him to the king, totally forgot that he ever existed.

Poor Joe! His misfortune seemed to have no end.

But to be honest with you, Joe caused this latest misfortune. And I will prove it to you.

For goodness sake, people don’t remember facts. People remember stories. Science has proven to us that the human mind is hardwired to remember stories.

And what did Joe give to the guy? Fact or story? He gave him bare fact.

Now let’s look at what Joe said to him- “Mention me to the king when you go out there.” That’s fact. And guess what? The guy simply did what people do with facts-he forgot it.

You may be wondering what this has got to do with you and your business. I will tell you.

Joe represents that businessman or woman who goes everywhere, whether offline or online, giving out business cards; telling people-I’m a lawyer, I’m a business consultant, I’m a fashion designer, I do this, I do that. They do all of these so that people can remember them when their services are needed and put a call across to them.

But  all of those are facts, and nobody is going to remember them, or as much as they should. They may swear to you 3 times just like they swore to Joe. But guess what? They will equally forget you just like Joe was forgotten.

Now, let me even ask you. How many times have people called you to bring business to you simply because you gave them your business cards or even mentioned to them what you do? I'm sure that whatever your answer is definitely is not a good scorecard

And what’s the implication of that for you? No business, no referrals, because the people who were supposed to bring business and referrals to you don't even remember you.

Why? Because you only gave them facts. And people don’t remember facts. What do they remember? Stories!

I will give you an example. Let’s say you are in a networking event and you got talking with someone, and the person asks- “So what do you do?”

What most people will say is-

“Well, I’m a Housekeeping Consultant.”

Now that’s fact. And I will tell you two things wrong with it. First off, chances are that the person you are talking to does not understand what you really do as a Housekeeping Consultant. And that's a problem.

And secondly, even if they understand, the chances of the person remembering you when there is a need for your services to give you a call or refer a client to you has been drastically reduced because facts don’t stick. And remember- Stories are remembered 22 times more than facts.

So instead of just saying- “I am a Housekeeping Consultant.” Or even- “I am a Housekeeping Consultant, I help you cater for your domestic chores.” Here is what you can say when asked what you do-

And so the person asks you- "So what do you do?"

And you will reply thus-

“Let’s say you must have had a very busy weekday as a result of too much work ranging from paper works, meetings, attending to clients etc.

It could also be that throughout the week you even missed the chance of eating a proper home-cooked meal or had the time to tidy your house due to how tight your schedule had been.

Now the weekend is here. You are trying to rest. But at the same time, you are also trying to figure out how you will go about doing all the house chores and still go to the market to cook yourself a good meal. That’s not a too pleasant situation.

But imagine for a second that there is a way out. Imagine that I appeared like a genie and tell you to take your time to rest that I will take care of all those chores for you, how will you feel? Excited?

Well, that’s exactly what I do as a House Keeping Consultant. I help you cater for your domestic chores while you focus on resting and enjoying yourself.”

Now, of all the three, which do you think will be better understood and remembered more? Who do you think will get the call when that service is needed? You keep the answer to yourself.

All I'm saying is-Don’t be like Joe. Incorporate Unique Brand Stories(UBS) in your marketing in order to stay memorable and keep the orders coming.


©Tochiwrites

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WHY JUDGE ESAU WHEN YOU FOLLOW HIS PATTERN?

Some people have a great job, with a wonderful income and they are doing greatly well in it, getting praises and admiration from onlookers. Yet, no fulfilment, no peace of mind.

They smile outwardly, but deep inside, they are suffering. I tell you this, they are being hurt by their purpose. The purpose of a thing can not be substituted, if you try it, it will be an abuse.

The true test of success is not just accomplishment, but accomplishment with fulfilment and that can only be achieved when you are on purpose.

So I met this young beautiful lady in the bank and she was going on with her job perfectly, grinning from ear to ear to all her customers. 

She's greatly ranked at the top above some other staff. 

Because of her enthusiasm, I was forced to ask, "How long have you been doing this?" "Eight years" she replied. "I actually wanted to do this job for at least four years, but here I am" she continued. "Well, from the look of things, I guess you love your job?" I asked. "No!" She immediately shouted out.

I was surprised, and so I asked, "then why are you still at it?" "I've not had the mind to quit, and I'm not even sure what I want to do or how to go about it if I quit" she said.

Deep inside, do you know what that woman is going through?

Having a purpose makes it impossible to merely exist. When you have a definite reason for living, a “why” behind every action, your passions and talents will drive you toward a happy, fulfilling destination.

Without purpose as the compass to guide you, your goals and action plans may not ultimately fulfill you.

 You don't want to get to the top of the ladder only to find out you had it leaning up against the wrong wall. 

When you are truly on purpose, the people, resources, and opportunities you need naturally gravitates towards you. Don't sell your purpose out simply because you are hungry and you need to eat.

Follow your heart and chase your dreams!

Even if you must work on a job if it isn't associated with your purpose, let the goal be to sponsor your dream not just your belly.

Know when to quit and chase your dreams or you will live your life regretting and languishing in pains.

©David Uwak

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10 VIABLE BUSINESSES TO PROMOTE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND MAKE MONEY ONLINE

Almost every business can trend on Facebook, but there are businesses that are seen as hotspots of profits on Facebook. In as much as packaging and presentation is the key that sells out your brand, your niche matters so much. 

So, you get to know your market and stay where the market is. You may not even have a business but here are 10 proven models people use online:

1. Clothing/Wears: The way people go ‘gaga’ for clothing online is amazing. You can advertise different wears online especially female wears and accept pay on delivery. Or you ask redirect clients to a shop if they’re within the location. You can also advertise shoes, pants as this is more attractive for guys online. And once you tell your audience that you accept ‘pay on delivery’ they get to trust you.

2. Real Estate: Real Estate is still the talk of the town. You can help people facilitate the sales of their lands and properties using Facebook, and collect your commission per transaction. (Usually it’s between 10-15%). Imagine if you advertise a land for sale worth N50m and you get a buyer and the seller pays you a commission of 10%, you would be making N5m outrightly from this without stress.

3. Health and Fitness Products: Lots of people online are looking for products that would keep them fit and healthy. Products on ‘removing stretch marks’, ‘reducing weights, ‘maintaining a flat tummy’ and ‘maintaining a white and healthy teeth is still in the talks online. You can sell this products easily and making huge products since they are needed in huge supply. 

4. Writing Services: Can you write compelling contents? Then you got lots of Job covered on Facebook as most brands are always looking for a smart content creators. All you need do is to always post nice and compelling content with good graphical illustration on Facebook consistently. I would suggest twice per week. And you ensure you tag your friends and over the time, advertise yourself. As most of my friends already in this niche would write, ‘I can help you write a compelling article on any topic ‘…. ‘I can help your company create contents monthly, feel free to reach out and let’s talk’

5. Information Marketing: If you got lots of information to share with people like me, then firstly try to figure out how relevant the information is. You can sell information in form of eBooks, videos and coaching series. All that matters in information marketing is your ability to solve people’s problems with your product and to convince them that you would. The formula to this is quite simple, you discover a rising problem (reducing weight), and you create a product and put a price tag on it and then sell to a hungry audience.

6. Beauty, Cosmetics and Makeup: Beauty will always be hotspots for ladies. Ladies are ready to pay anything to get the look they want as long as they have the cash. I discovered this when I helped one of my female clients in advertising her weavon, she made over N100k in sales within a week. So, it is really trending.

7. Training and Coaching: If you are a master of the knowledge you display and have gained some influence over time from your wealth of knowledge with proven results, then doing training and coaching program is a super idea not to pass by. Many of my friends do this. Some even teach people how to publish on Amazon and run a 3 days WhatsApp course and simply charge N10, 000.00 per person. Most times, they even get over 50 persons in this training and they earned N500, 000.00 in just 3 days of training for 2 hours daily! Intellectual utilization is great Power.

8. Event Management: I know many people who started their event planning business on social media. What they did firstly was to continuously post pictures of some of the events they have facilitated. They also post free tips to people about events. And when they see some popular event coming up, they buzz to the event planner inbox and request to be an event management with a strong reason. So, you can start this out by always sharing tips of events to your audience, you tag friends and be consistent on your posting on your Facebook account. It makes your followers to trust you as an authority in that area.

9. Data Subscription: Data subscription has proven to be a great business online as almost everyone online has need for data services. You can come up with different packages for them at different price tags. MTN subscription always has more traffic than all other networks. Start by offering a mouthwatering bonus to your followers. It is that simple.. You can even earn over N100, 000.00 monthly from this.

10. Football Prediction and Analysis: Football is a very passionate sport as its flows with the huge number of fans alongside clubs and teams. With the advent of Football Betting, Soccer has become the talk of the town. As most of the fans of the big teams gamble over their team a lot. Therefore, if you are a very good football analyst and with great technical prediction skills, you can leverage on this desperate market and give prediction and analysis to people as they get to pay you for this. Some may even subscribe monthly for your prediction and analysis. There is so much market for this on Facebook and if you got the skills and talents, you can leverage on it and make the big bucks.

©Cletus Michael

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21 Reasons Why I Quit My 9-5 Job Working for People

Before I state those reasons, read the heading again, it says 'quit' meaning I had worked for sometime and for someone. It's important to work for someone/company to learn structure.

The real-life experiences of working for someone first far beats any context or ideas you may glean from a textbook or hear people debate.

Here's one I picked up when I worked in a multinational.

My Boss back then wasn't literate, but he had "common sense" and depth of knowledge from running his business.

When he employs a new staff, his first test to prove your integrity was to send you out to buy products by yourself, without a driver or any support from other employees.

Most of what he sends you to get, he knows the exact cost, how much transportation you need etc. For example, If he wants to buy a printer, he will do his own findings.

My Boss was cunning, he would arrive early pretending to ask you the cost of a printer. Being your first time and wanting to please 'Oga', you would state a cost or do your own findings.

Most employees seeing he was the boss saw/used it as an avenue to make money. A printer that could be bought for 45k they would add extra 15k or more. When he asked for transportation/logistics cost, some staff would add and say N5k - N10k for something that they could transport for N1k.

The moment you leave the office on your high-end purchase, he would hold a meeting with other employees telling them what roles you were to play.

If your roles involved finance, he made sure you were paired, and could never leave certain amounts in your care, as the company had heavy dealings with large sums.

He never trusted you with money if you fumbled.

Now that lesson is priceless and something you could use to vet staff or employees, partners before you involve them in your business.

To the main points, the 'why' I run my own business.

1. Pay myself - If I work for someone, I am locked on their own offers, if or not my value is priceless.

2. Wake up anytime - I love the fact that I wake up at my own time not running or jumping off the bed by 4 am just when the sleep gets sleepy, probably to an office where the boss is still in his pyjamas.

3. Have all the profits - This one is obvious without any explanation, after helping the company earn profits in 11figures, they pay you in 5figures. Bros, the difference is too much.

4. Work at any time - Oh yes, I could decide to work by 7 pm or 11 pm because it's my business. Try showing up by 10 am at another man's business if he has hired you and see all hell break loose.

5. Be the Boss - You have to give yourself some cool treat. It does well for your ego, keeps you responsible and committed to seeing things work.

6. Travel anytime - I love to see the world, travel to new places. Working for someone may or may not allow you the luxury of traveling, and when it does it's mainly for a period fixed by your employer.

7. Pass on my business - In the case of death your children can't inherit your job but can continue your business.

8. Duplicate my business - I can decide to start my business in a new state if I choose to because I own it. Doing that with another man's business will get you a lawsuit if or not your idea is for the greater good.

9. Employ other people - I can hire my own people and fire them as well it's my business.

10. Collaborate on a project - When you work for someone, you get paired with your enemies or friends without consideration if or not the project is in your interest.

11. Own my business - Working for the government strips you of any efforts to own your own business. Reasons why retirees have nothing to fall back on besides pension (which is also unreliable)

12. Run multiple businesses - Owning my business affords me the time to invest and watch closely other profitable ventures.

13. Be fully involved in raising my kids - The rise of single parented children is alarming, one major cause is the lack of involvement of both parents. Basically, because either or both are locked on a job that demands their time.

14. Expression - Running another man's business locks you out of being real, you are careful not to step on toes.

15. Develop a talent - Running your business allows you time to explore your potentials and develop your talent, maybe you love singing, golf, running or car racing, all these things require time.

16. Spend more time with my spouse - Seen many marriages collapse because husband or wife has replaced work with their other half. Even when they find time for romance they're too tired to be affectionate.

17. More time for spiritual services - I love God and as a Christian, it's required to be committed to the workforce in my place of worship.

18. Be involved in charity/community building(Presence) - Yes I could donate, but I've always loved to be a part of the process...

19. Take a risk - Because my business belongs to me, I can take chances, jump on opportunities without clearance from any department.

20. Be creative - People don't like change especially if it poses a risk, they would rather remain stuck with a template. You can change the narrative and be creative because you own the business and don't need to report to anyone.

21. Network - Owning a business allows you to make on ground key decisions in networking events when the need arises.

These are a few reasons why I run my own business, it looks juicy, but it's not a walk in the park.

Running yours takes dexterity, determination, creativity, tears and failures, not everyone can handle that.

But if you are dedicated and committed to the cause you definitely will SMILE.

Do you think running a business is something you want to try or enjoy doing?

©Peter Moffat Nwator

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GO FOR THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, NOT EXPERTISE

As entrepreneurs, naturally, we do have this strive for excellence and perfection, so much that we often times tend to over estimate knowledge and experiences therefore relegating that vital ingredient called ATTITUDE to the background.

Ask any startup entrepreneur what he/she values most in people and the first things they want are people with the Best technical knowledge and the best over - the - years experiences. 

Wanting to work with people with the best knowledge is good. Desiring to be in the midst of vastly experienced coworkers is great, but it becomes a total catastrophe and waste of energy if these same people lack the RIGHT ATTITUDE. 

Over the years, in building a business, at every point in time, the RIGHT ATTITUDE will always trounce and gain relevance over knowledge and experience any day, any time:

You find a partner who is a genius at what he does, but he is not WILLING  to Work;

You find an individual who has the best technical knowledge, but he has no determination to make a difference;

You finally see a person who looks so perfect, have so much experiences and exactly the kind of human you want to work with BUT on bringing him to the table, you realize he is just too Arrogant, Saucy and proud to take corrections or learn new things!

You see, My friend, TEAM BUILDING in business is Science, it's not an overnight worked out magic. It involves careful considerations of Standards and every team player MUST be judged on a Specific well laid out measurement of Value. 

An "ACID TEST" must be conducted by you before bringing or hiring anyone to come make decisions in the business you've been building and sweating out for years. This may make or mar your business.

According to the United States Small Business Administration (USSBA), the THIRD(3RD) biggest reason for every company collapse in the world is as a result of CO-FOUNDERS' FIGHT. 

As a startup entrepreneur and Business Coach, I've had my own fair share of troubles when it comes to partnerships in business. I've been in failed partnerships before and I've learnt my lessons.

Business partnerships are like a Marriage Relationship, you've got to look beyond the Facial beauty and focus more on the ATTITUDE because after all said and done, an AVERAGE individual with a limited knowledge But with the RIGHT ATTITUDE to grow, learn and become better will always Truncate that person who claims to be an expert but with a Destructive attitude.

Make the best choice.

©Dan Ekwunife

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WHY CUSTOMERS MAY NEVER TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY REGARDLESS OF YOUR HARD WORK

Thursday last week, I had a scheduled meeting with a Website Developer (Web Expert so to speak) whom I was gonna partner with in Upgrading my organisation's website. Mind you, before now, I had never met him in person as all our communications where expressly conducted online.

Our meeting was scheduled for 11:00am at a Cafe. So i intentionally arrived at the venue at 10:15am  and while I waited patiently  for my meeting partner to arrive, I got engaged with other work related activity on my System. 

At exactly 10:25am, a gentle man neatly and appropriately dressed walked into the cafe. So I stretched out my long neck to do a little amebo (as though I was employed by the cafe as a watch guard monitoring who comes and goes out). 

I gave a quick three seconds stare and in my mind I presumed he was a Banker or just maybe a Member of the corporate community  & as an Image Consultant, I paid  detailed attention to his  properly put together personal projections which I must admit, I greatly admired the impression I got from this "supposed member corporate individual".

I continued with my activity while he got himself a booth at the cafe. After this, I could sense from where I was seated, that he was prepping himself up for a presentation or maybe a sales pitch I assumed ( I simply wished him well but all these thoughts ran through my mind simultaneously).

So back to my  Thursday meeting, at about 11:45, I placed a call across to my meeting partner telling him that I was already at the venue we agreed to meet up and all of a sudden he mentions that he was already at the venue and as a matter of  that he was already seated inside the cafe. At this point, I stretched again my neck turning left & right to see him on sight.

As he spoke further over the phone, I could hear his voice and words way more louder within the room than through the phone. But I didn't want to believe he was the gentle man  neatly & appropriately  dressed seated adjacent to me (please no disrespect or stereotype for any specialist within that field) but his outlook went beyond my expectation for people within his industry. It wasn't typical. 

Long story short he gave me a signal and we kicked off our meeting but sincerely I was amazed by his projection. The image he portrayed was very impressive and commanded respect, status, competence & authority without verbal communication. 

Trust me, there are hundreds of web developers and web expert  positioned out there but he stood out for simple & strategic reasons.

Was he actually the best in within his region?

This I certainly don't know yet but I'm confident that has competence!

Could I have other options even after that meeting?

For sure! 

There are hundreds of web developers and experts out there but can those hundreds of Web Experts out there be as unique as he was? 

Absolutely Not!  I have met several others but regardless of how insightful and knowledgeable they were, their outlook was never compelling and almost lead me to doubt their credibility and delivery right there on the spot. 

MY POINT EXACTLY

To you reading this post,  you're a smart and thoughtful expert within your industry but that which hinders you from being considered serious is simply how well you  carefully present, strategically package & excellently deliver your services and products.  

It's literally, an important part of your business and it should be considered as a super fundamental aspect to address.

Whoever you are; you are committed to becoming; whatever it is that you and wherever you come from, please remember, When dressing for work or business outing you should aim to project a professional competent image regardless of your position or industry. At the same time you should display an authentic personal style.

At first glance, your clothing choices speak volumes about your professionalism. If looking to climb the corporate, business, social or any kind of ladder you desire,  you should be concerned with looking professional rather than just being fashionable or appearing in a 'very basic' and less smart outfit (you'd unconsciously sell yourself low). 

Here are some top tips to do just this

1. What dress code and clothing styles does the highest a level manager in your company or industry wear? It doesn't have to necessarily be the same but quite similar. Learn to Imitate and emulate them with common sense  whilst adding your own personal style  and budget. 

2. You might love label clothing but walking around with a Daniel Hechter, Gucci or Jenny Button label stitched on your jacket sleeve says “tacky” and screams : “Look I can afford a designer label!” 

Don't get me wrong we all love designers but create a conscious and deliberate effort to know where and when to wear such. Don't lose that customer before you even get talking with them. Be Smart!

3. Fit is Everything. Ensure your pants, sleeve, skirt and tie length is correct. Don’t look like you borrowed someone else’s clothes. If you are unsure, pop into an alterations shop and ask. Always ensure you wear less dramatic outfits. Business shouldn't always mean boring but if your appearance portrays serious, you'd be considered and treated in such manner. You get what you give!

4. Read your company dress code policy – know what is deemed as appropriate and not. And if you're a personal brand (Entrepreneur), what exactly is your brand's policy on brand image? If you have none, create a sustainable one. 

5. Select your key pieces in Dark, Neutral Colours. A charcoal, Navy blue or Gray coloured suit (applicable to both sexes) looks more polished and professional than a white suit. We  think you may be stylish but being decorated as a mobile rainbow, it's going to help your brand and business in attracting the right prospect.   

6. Pay attention to detail: Manicured nails, ladder-free pantihose, scuff-free shoes, clean hair & smell nice (not harsh).

To look professional you don’t need expensive clothes (don't let anyone deceive you).

Simple additions like an appropriate fitted suit, a pocket handkerchief, crisp white shirt, great fragrance, a stylish watch or handbag can finish off a look in style and give you a professional look (I know ladies don't have much of a problem with this). 

If you carefully consider these steps and strategically apply them, you wouldn't encounter much challenges in attracting  clients and you would  be taken more seriously.

Well, as for the website developer, I couldn't actually negotiate as strong as  I usually would because had strategically packaged his brand, services and operational packages. I couldn't contend with the power of packing. And  I even recommended him for agency. 

All the best as you  carefully Package your service, product and knowledge strategically and you'd keep smiling to the bank. 

©Clinton Nnaji

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THE YOU YOU CARRY!

Need I say that the scramble for education is at its peak in our contemporary age. To many, the ownership of a certificate is the beginning of all successes. The reason for this is no far from the fact that the world is becoming too competitive and we all want to meet up and even outshine our counterparts.

Going to school is important and Good. Getting a college or a university degree, a master degree, a doctorate degree is wonderful, I mean the feeling is inexplainable, the status, the value it adds to you and all of that. Oh my! Everyone just desires it. The depression, delusion and sickening effect of not being able to attain any of those is 'breathtaking' to many if not all. 

Here's an important TRUTH; there is more to life than what a college or university knowledge will give you. Your future lies within you and not in the university or college. There are a number of persons that have made it in life without a university degree. You may read up their profile and find out that they've got a college degree or university degree later in life but that was not the reason for their break forth.

If you can see beyond your eyes, you can achieve anything without a university or college degree. Wherever your mind has reached, your legs can get there no matter how long it takes. You don't need a university or college degree to tap into your reserve. You necessarily don't need education to showcase what's been given to you or whats inside of you.

Lets see something in John 7:15-16, it says "15. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? 16. Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." (KJV) 

Jesus never went to school but He was and is the greatest leader, teacher and world transformer that ever lived. Why? Because He didn't look outside of Himself to give the world what he had. He rather connected with His Father and did only the things His Father assigned Him to do.

There's something your Father has assigned you to do that doesn't necessarily need a college or university degree. Knowing your purpose and identifying your platform for showcasing your purpose has never been and will never be tied to certificates or a university/college degree.

You could attain mastery in education and still live a miserable, unfulfilled, unfruitful and unsatisfactory life. So you see, education is not all that matters. I'm not one fellow that disdains education, of course not. The benefits cannot be over emphasised, but there is more. When you connect with your Source to fully understand the resources(talents/gifts) you have, whether you are schooled or not, people begin to wonder at you because you are already creating a mark.

Don't limit yourself because you are not able to further your education. Your destiny is not compulsorily tied to going to the university or college. Do what's been given to you right where you are and with the little you have.

©Awesomeness Esuabana

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DECIDE TO PURSUE YOUR DREAM

Don’t just dream, but labour to pursue your dream. It is better to fail trying than to live without trying anything at all. Every great dream has an inherent power and passion that energize- break it down and begin to work towards it!

Excuse me sir, you can still go back to class for that skill and you can learn that trade, whatever it is, never believe in impossibility. When you have a great dream to pursue, it shapes your thoughts, actions and influences your disposition towards life. This is what brings about self-discipline, coordination, sacrifice and good self-governance. 

I am convinced there is something you desire and really cherish, so go for it- you will be amazed how life will begin to respond favorably to you. Don’t listen to rumours, refuse to yield to obvious excuses and stay resolute in the face of legitimate obstacles.

Life is worth living only with a good dream at heart to pursue. Without it, life becomes meaningless and frustrating. Above all, in all your pursuit, don't forget to think forward and upward, don't waste time on what won't sell or work. Don't be afraid to try, it doesn't have to be common or overtly lucrative, so long it is something you believe in, go on and do all it takes to explore.

Let’s be honest, we know we are still going to give it, our advice is biased by our own lives.

And when you start listening to some of this crappy advice, you let the following reasons deter you from pursuing your dreams:

1) Because there is an easier, safer path.

As Jim Carrey says in his now famous commencement speech, “The decisions we make in this moment... are based in either love or fear. So many of us choose our path our of fear disguised as practicality.” We rationalize, justify, and persuade ourselves into making the decisions that “make the most sense” — which is often our way of hiding the fact that we are just too darn scared to take a risk on something. Because, we might just fail at it.

2) Because we’re waiting for the right time.

If it’s not now, how will we ever know when the “right” time is? If we sit around waiting for the right time, we will spend the rest of our lives waiting. So many of us brush it off by saying we will pursue our dreams someday. Well I’ve got some unfortunate news for you guys. “Someday” isn’t a day at all.

3) Because we don’t have enough time.

We have lives, jobs, families, and plenty of other responsibilities. We don’t have “enough” time to pursue our dreams. I hate to say it again, but “enough” is also not a real time. I’ve never heard of anyone who has “enough” time.

Make it.

About one third of Americans under the age of 31 have a side business. And after taking a quick peek at our site’s demographics (thank you Google Analytics), that’s YOU! We’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Start small. Find a new hobby that you love. We need to re-prioritize the things that make us happy, the things we love, and find the time to pursue them.

4) Because we didn’t succeed at first.

We don’t all have what it takes to make it.

Says who? Ever hear of Mark Cuban? Well, he started off as a bartender after college before landing a sales job — which he was then fired from a year later. What about Oprah Winfrey? She was fired from her first job as a television anchor in Baltimore. You may have also heard of someone named Walt Disney. Disney was fired by his editor at a newspaper for “lacking imagination.” You know what all of these people didn’t do? Give up.

5) Because we are too young.

Evan Spiegel founded Snapchat. At 23 years old, he turned down a $3 billion cash offer from Facebook. Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss started Rent the Runway in 2009 while they were still in college. They now have over $54 million in funding. Erik Finman invested a $1,000 gift in Bitcoin and walked away with $100,000 fortune. He then used that money to start Botangle, an online platform for education.

So then my question to you is:

How young is too young?

6) Because that’s not what I’m supposed to do.

Again, says who? No one knows what you need except you. At the end of the day, we’re all a product of the decisions we have made. Your friends aren’t going to look back on their life and regret a decision you didn’t make. So why do we let so many other decide what we should and shouldn’t do? Your dreams are your own, and your decision on what to do about them should be as well.

7) Because there’s already something else out there.

Remember, MySpace? We vaguely do too. The age of the Top 8 has long since been replaced by the Like. Facebook didn’t invent social media. Mark Zuckerberg just found a way to do it better.

8) Because all you have is an idea.

This is where most people stop. How many of us have stayed up late brainstorming like crazy, writing down all of these great ideas, and then never thought of them again? We sure have. There’s something extremely exciting about dreaming up your wildest thoughts. And there’s absolutely no risk involved. It’s taking those ideas and executing them that involves the risk, and hence, why so little of them ever move beyond idealization.

9) Because you trusted a lot of crappy advice over your own instincts.

People will always have their opinions; that’s inevitable. And like we said before, much of this crappy advice doesn’t come from a negative place - more often than not it’s from those who care about you. By nature we want to protect those we care about, and sometimes that means we give really crappy advice. The funny thing is, though, that many times when we’re asking for advice, all we’re really seeking is validation. We know what we want to do, but we don’t all consider our gut a trusted advisor. So we ask others. And when we don’t get that validation that we need, we doubt. We rationalize. We reconsider. We name one of the eight reasons above to brush off our idea as just another crazy whim.

STOP.

Trust your gut.

Believe in yourself enough to turn your ideas into more than mere words. Stop listening to everyone else’s excuses why you won’t make it and decide instead to prove them all wrong.

It's a new day, advance with courage. The past behind you is not as colourful as the future ahead. GO 💪💪

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GUIDES TO WRITING A BUSINESS GOAL STATEMENT

A business goal statement is a concise description of what your business does, why, and how it does it.

The business goal statement is a cogent consideration for today’s entrepreneurs. It’s one of the most important statements every entrepreneur with a clear vision of his/her purpose needs to develop. It requires you to outline why you’re going into a business, what you will be doing as a business and your desired outcome in the long run.

DISCOVER YOUR DREAM

This is where you identify and write out the solutions your business provides. It is your dream, what you want to see come true. A thorough understanding of a need/problem you’re willing to solve will help you put this starting phrase right, in a simple sentence that expresses the main purpose of starting your business.

• What is your dream?
• What problem will your dream solve if you achieve it?

IDENTIFY YOUR KEY PROCESSES

After stating out your dream, your next phrase should explain how you intend to achieve that dream. This is where you put your key resources and key partnerships together, and determine the key activities required to accomplish the dream. For example, a fashion designer will need a sewing machine… and may have to partner with a photographer/videographer to develop professional images or montages of every new design.

STATE YOUR EXPECTED OUTCOME

Having decided what process or key activities you’ll require to achieve your dream, you need to state how you intend to measure the effectiveness of your effort. Never mistake activities for accomplishment.

You must identify the measurable factors that help confirm success. For me, my expected outcome is more profits and customer engagement and satisfaction for my clients.

ALIGN YOUR DREAM WITH THE PROCESS REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED OUTCOME

This is where we put it all together to make a statement, and call it our Business goal statement. For me, my business goal statement starts with; ‘I want more successful entrepreneurs’.

WHY? Because I want to change the statistics from 4 out of every 5 business fails in the first 5 years to 4 of every 5 business succeeds… Then, I merge it up with how I intend to do this, and what the desired outcome would be.

SAMPLE BUSINESS GOAL STATEMENT:

I want more successful entrepreneurs, to do this; my brand needs to develop creative business strategies that promote brand value, profitability, and customer engagement and satisfaction.

©CHARLES ADETOLA

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FREE MARKETING TOOL FOR YOUR BUSINESS

As an entrepreneur, if you are at the stage where your business cannot afford a huge marketing budget, you have to invest effort, time & some basic but effective tactics in marketing.

Fortunately, there are hundreds of free digital marketing tools that can greatly impact your business. Below are a few of the best, free online marketing tools for businesses.

LINKEDIN HELPER

Linkedin helper is a chrome extension that helps increase connections by automation, it add hundreds of targeted contacts, auto visit profiles. It also helps with sequential messaging, prospecting/lead generation can be enhanced with the extension if optimized.

LEETAGS

Leetags is an Android app that generates trending Instagram hashtags. It shows the percentage usage of words relevant to the keywords supplied in the search of feed. This is highly efficient when wanting to increase post visibility on Instagram.

SURVEYMONKEY

SurveyMonkey is one of the most popular free online survey tools. Surveys are a good way to collect consumer information, engage customers, uncover trends and secure tangible insights on your business. SurveyMonkey’s software allows you to find more ways to sample your audience and also use survey collectors to send out via email, mobile, chat, web, social media, and more.. In just a few minutes, you can design, create and publish your own business survey. Additionally, you’ll be able to read and extract actionable insights, so you can drive your business forward

BUFFER

Buffer is a social media management tool that will enable you to schedule your social posting and it gives you  analytics (likes, reach, impressions and so on) of each post. It is no longer a news how powerful social media is for your marketing initiatives, leveraging a tool like Buffer will help you increase your followers; engage your audience; build your brand

MAILCHIMP

Email provides a more intimate interaction between brand and consumer by offering you the tools you need to control and effectively nurture leads. MailChimp is an excellent free email marketing tool and one of the easiest for newbies to learn.

CANVA

We've seen the importance of visual content emphasized by the changes that occurred across almost every major social network, including Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter. Visual content has become an indispensable form of marketing collateral.

From custom illustrations and infographics to fully-designed sales proposals, visual content is a fantastic way for new businesses to gain credibility and build a professional appearance.

There are several free graphic design tools on the market, but one of the most intuitive and easy-to-use is Canva. Its free library of fonts, illustrations, templates, and images give you a pool of graphics that you can easily drag-and-drop. From flyers and brochures to social media images and infographics, you can create it all for free in Canva.

Copied!

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STOP PRAYING, GO AND WORK!

I saw the filmshow of a man's whole life in 1hour today. The story I'm about to tell you is the story of how misrable a man's life could be. Just take your time to read.

I got ready for work more than early today, because of the awoof hotspot I'm always tapping in my office. So I packed my laptop and stuffs in my bag, and started my morning jogging to work because 'my home is a stone throw, from work '.

After jogging for about five minutes, I noticed a neatly dressed pastor, putting on a neatly pressed faded suit, and the main reason why I noticed was because of his  his torn shoes. I was already thinking to myself, ‘this man must be a man of power’. I brushed the thought away on getting to my office- 'awoof don land'.

It was after about thirty minutes, before I remembered I had some posters I to design. So I opened my bag to get power before I would start work, but my power pack was no where to be found. My being in a hurry made me forget my power pack at home. I had to jog back the way I came "LOL".

On my way back home, I saw this man of power being dragged in the belt by a lady having a baby on her back. They were both arguing about something- my always attentive ears grabbed few words out of their arguments; "Isaiah you no fit carry that money go today, wetin your pikin go chop?" said the wife. I looked at the man's hand. Lo and behold I saw just 50naira. ‘Na so this man be?"

I was not moved by this scenario, until I got my power pack and had to trek back, because I've over jogged already. I saw this same man lying on the grass praying with all his precious strength, speaking in tongues.

I paused the BRAINSTORMING for that moment, trekked to my office with peace of mind, and then I started talking to myself:

1. DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME: Some people mistake time for actions, for time for prayers. I know three big construction site looking for laubourers in that area and this man thinks what's next is to start praying.

2. God won't have your time if you did not have your time, stop disturbing God, heavens help those who help themselves.

3. Stop pretending to be what you are not, nobody cares about your shit, I've seen a lot of people that wear expensive clothes they can't afford. Living fake life won't help you, go find a job and make money, sometimes we tend to give too much attention to the distractions of our lives, putting on things we can't maintain, buying cars we can't maintain. It's a big regret 65% of the people we see everyday are fakers.

4.  Stop thinking about what people would say, they are not you, you are not them: Wait!!! Are you okay? These people you are granting access, to make contributions about your life- Are they you? Are you them? Wait! Are we you? It's you- stop letting WE decide for YOU; they are two different words. Go out and work! Let them say what they want.

5. Stop waiting on God, he is busy with serious people.

6. AND LASTLY, A HINT FOR YOU: I could remember very very well, my shiny pastors wife said something that makes my heart she'd blood. She said, "WETIN YOUR PIKIN GO CHOP." Mind you, not wetin we go chop. So, so motherly. RESPECT YOUR MUM, SHE IS THE GOD YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU WERE TAUGHT TO KNOW OTHERS- your help in time of  trouble.

©Oyekanmi ayodeji

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Are you a Brand or a Commodity?

I have been feeding on the book "Midas Touch - Why some entrepreneurs get rich and why most don't by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki" over the past week.

It's a book that explains 5 core areas of your life and business that you need to pay attention to if you are to succeed. There's something intriguing about the middle finger which represents your brand that I love to share- Kiyosaki bought a fake Rolex watch and his rich dad scolded him for buying cheap and inferior products. To Robert, he was trying to look wealthy by tricking others to believe he has original Rolex, but deep down in his mind, he was only deceiving himself.

If you are not a brand, you are just a faceless commodity that floats in the marketplace. If you are not a brand, you are nothing but a product without identity.

• How many burgers is there in the world? But I'm sure you know McDonald's.
• You know Coca-Cola too for its longevity over the years?
• I'm sure you know the difference between Ice-cream and Cold stone.
• What about Domino's pizza?

Are you aware that at some point the name Coca-Cola alone was worth more than the whole machineries and structures before Google took over as the world's biggest brand?

What makes you stand out as a brand and not a commodity?

✍️ You are in business and not just hustling. Hustlers focus on the money and getting it now. Business people build structures and capacity for long term success.

✍️ You sell a proven ideology/promise  and not just product. Coca-Cola is not selling soft drinks. It sells feelings. McDonald's sells happiness - that's why you see happy people in their outlets. Are you selling course titles instead of promises?

✍️ You are strategic in your approach. Quite a number of persons are particular about now that they soil themselves when things don't go their way. Understand that you will meet challenges and difficulties, but if you are strategic, you look to the future and not now.

Think deep, assess yourself and see if you are really creating a brand or just a commodity.

Can different clients say unanimous things about you?

Are you consolidating your stand in the leagues of legends or you are just another passerby?

When the end comes, what will be remembered of your efforts?

©Oladipupo Osofowora

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7 RULES FOR A PERFECT PROFILE PICTURE

A few years ago when most of us joined various social media channels, the issue of how we looked never really mattered. We just wanted to hit up and connect with people from around the world. 

Mm... I can't forget what yahoo messenger did to me 2008/2009. 

With time, things have evolved. People who hated the social media have all joined. I recall the day my dad sent me a friend request on facebook, I was shocked because he always spoke against it. So if things have evolved this way, why are some of us still living in the dark age. 

• Has it occurred to you that your profile picture is your first impression to people? 
• Has it occurred to you that your profile picture is just like your house? I mean like for real. It tells people the kind of mentality you have and the type of house you live in. 

So, does your profile picture show you as an important person who should be loved, respected and associated with or as a berger who needs help and hope? 

How then should your profile picture look? What makes a great profile picture? 

1. It Has a Professional Look

This particular point has two parts to it. 

First, it should depict what you do or who you wish to portray yourself as. As a lawyer, you can take one with your wig on so people can easily identify you as one. If you're a thought leader, look professional with a suit on. If you're a fitness coach, look it. 

The truth about it all is that the mind can easily be deceived. Once it perceives you as something, it gets that registered. 

Secondly, it should be taken by a professional and not you. Your profile picture should never be a selfie. It's a big no no. If you don't have a phone with a powerful camera, visit a photographer. Even if your phone has a good camera, I'll still advice you to get a professional shot with a professional camera. 

2. It Should be a Headshot or Waist Up

An awesome profile picture is never a full picture showing your legs neither should it be like a passport. From waist up is good or just headshot but not with that serious passport look. An example is this attached picture. 

Profile Picture

3. The Head is Tilted. 

There's something lovely about a peaceful head tilt. Don't stand erect like a soldier. Give yourself some angle tilt. Try to kill it by maybe slightly moving your body away from the camera but bringing your head in obedience to admire the camera lens. 

Another thing too, never stand erect in a profile picture. Psychologically, it shows you as too serious and mean. You don't want that embargo. 

You know what I mean? 

Okay, I believe you do. 

So let's move on. 

4. It is like a CloseUp Advert 

I know CloseUp is not paying you but can you bring yourself to look at those beautiful faces with the angelic teeth blazing like the sun? Now that's what I mean. It's lovely and inviting.

Make yourself attractive by borrowing a few smile from your extrovert friend in case you don't have some in your bank. ‘But please don't come and bone like Bonethugz for us’.

5. It's Not With Some Eye Glasses 

It's not cool or brilliant taking profile pictures with glasses or goggles. Even if you have an eye challenge, try to keep the glasses aside when you want to take a profile picture. 

And to you who want to take a profile picture with Sun Shades on, no problem, continue. We know you are a blind man. 

But please, jokes apart, show us your eyeballs. We love it like that because those brown balls are beautiful. 

6. It's not a Mirror Selfie

Auntie slay queen please don't take profile pictures in front of a mirror. It's not cool. It shows you as not serious and without direction in life. I know you have purpose and direction so please prove them gossip prince and princess wrong. 

Uncle to you too. It's not just the ladies. 

Let's change the gear. 

7. It's Not on a White Background 

Yeah white background used to look cool, but honestly, it doesn't anymore. It doesn't look attractive to the eye. Add some colour to the background. Use something else aside white. 

But you know what? A natural environment is bae. 

A profile picture with some beautiful trees, green grasses or flowers is definitely awesome. And honestly, that's the kind of profile picture I'm planning to shoot.

I have a lot of industry CEO's and founders as connections on LinkedIn and I must tell you that many of them have green lushes showing behind them and I totally love and admire it. 

So my next profile picture will be with nature in the background. I just got a cool photographer recently and one of these days, I'll give him a call. 

So, these are the rules for a killer profile picture. Use it to your own advantage, abandon to your own business. Yes it's your business not mine but I can't help it not informing you because we are family.  

And let me shock you.

When your name is searched on Google, do you know which pictures are shown? 

Yeah, your profile pictures and the ones you've used on articles on other platforms. So you want to look important, show us you are important through your profile picture. 

It's my honest desire that you live your dreams. I love you and wish you the best. 

©Samuel Ukah

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