Finding What Works For You

This is a book about self-discovery. It is about finding and defining your purpose in life- the reason for your existence. It is about discovering what makes you different from others and profiting therein. It shows you to leverage on your talents and uniqueness to pioneer an enterprise- that the difference between your talents and business is simply profit. It teaches you that everything God deposited inside you is for the benefit of mankind and ultimately for your profiting. #findingwhatworksforyou
I trust you are in a time of your life. This book will help you to discover God-given talents and position you for rich and rewarding flight in destiny.

The 10 Most Common Mistakes Of First-Time Entrepreneurs

By VIVIAN GIANG

Building a company from the ground up is no easy task. That's why most entrepreneurs make mistakes along the way, and first-time entrepreneurs make the most. Unfortunately for many, the failure rate is extremely high —generally 50% to 70% of small businesses fail within the first 18 months. To learn from those who've been in the trenches, we combed through a recent Quora thread that asks: "What are the most common mistakes first-time entrepreneurs make?" 

Below are the most helpful pieces of advice for first-time entrepreneurs: 

Money laundering: CBN warns banks against violating directives

The Central Bank of Nigeria has moved against money laundering and terrorism financing activities believed to be going on at the Deposit Money Banks and discount houses.

As such, the central bank in a circular to banks has directed banks and discount houses violating its anti-money laundering and terrorism financing rules to desist with immediate effect or face severe penalties.

The circular posted on the CBN website on Wednesday and dated May 23 ordered banks and discount houses to comply with its past directives by, among other things, appointing a chief compliance officer who would report directly to the board of directors on issues that bordered on money laundering and terrorism financing.

FUNDAMENTALS OF INCREASING SALES IN BUSINESS (2)

By Oladipupo Clement

8. Not more than 20% of an industry/company’s sales force control 80% of the market share/income and not less than 80% of the sales force control 20% of the income. 
- To shift your sales gear, you must understudy those making 80% of the income.
- To succeed in sales, be a protégé to those who are excelling in that field/company.

9. Sometimes, to increase sales it does not always require more money.
- Simply reproduce yourself by asking for referrals. This approach is more cost effective and performance-oriented.

25 do’s and don’ts for entrepreneurs

Taking the mirror test; for people looking to start their own business from the ground up.

1. HAVE AN ANSWER Be able to answer why you want to be in business for yourself.

2. MONEY MOTIVATION? Don’t start a business venture with the main goal of getting rich fast; regardless of how lucrative it appears.

3. HAVE A PLAN Don’t start a business just because you are tired of working for someone else.

4. BE IMPASSIONED Don’t do it for the money. Do it for the passion and self-satisfaction.

5. WHAT REALLY COUNTS. The level of passion and commitment is one of the distinguishing factors between business for personal reasons, and who is in it simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Warren Buffett Biography

Known as the "Oracle of Omaha," Warren Buffett is an investment guru and one of the richest and most respected businessmen in the world.

Synopsis

Businessman and investor Warren Buffett was born on August 30,1930, in Omaha, Nebraska. Investing by age 11, Buffett was running a small business at 13. Buffett later started the firm Buffett Partnership in Omaha, with huge success. In 2006, Buffett announced that he would give his entire fortune away to charity (est. $62 bil.), the largest act of charitable giving in United States history.

6 Ways to Foster More Happiness in the Workplace

BY JACQUELINE WHITMORE 

Happy employees are more productive, more creative and less likely to leave. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create a fun environment at your workplace. If you embody your ideal corporate culture and integrate joy and laughter into your daily routine, your employees will follow.

It’s wise to do everything you can to prevent dissatisfaction among your employees. A large turnover rate can quickly erode your hard work and deplete your resources. Once a staff member starts to look for other career options, he's already got one foot out the door.

As you grow your business, invest a little time to make your company a great place to work. Pay attention to the personality traits of your current staff, hire new employees carefully and foster an environment of joy, hard work and professionalism. The following tips will help you create a corporate culture full of fun.

1. Lead by example. Your employees will follow your lead when it comes to corporate culture and behavior. If your only interactions with your team are serious and formal, your employees will feel the need to be professional at all times. Be open about your past mistakes and learning moments. Add a little self-deprecating humor when it’s appropriate to help your employees view you as human and approachable. When staff members feel joyful, they’re more motivated and produce better work.

Six Things You Should Never Say During a Speech

BY JACQUELINE WHITMORE

When I was hired as a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines in 1992, I had to quickly learn how to be comfortable in front of a crowd. Keeping everyone engaged through a monotonous safety presentation, after all, is easier said than done.

If you’re new to public speaking, it can be intimidating -- for some, it can be terrifying, to say the least. That’s why most people never bother to master public speaking.

After I became a Certified Speaking Professional through the National Speakers Association, I learned the content of my speech was often less important than how I presented it. When we attend presentations by speakers who appear calm, confident and organized, we feel more interested and engaged.

Even if you’re nervous, it’s better to act confident rather than reveal your true feelings. The trick is to stay as calm as possible and avoid the most common rookie mistakes. Here are six phrases you should never say during a presentation. 

1. “Hello? Can everyone hear me?”A lot of new speakers will tap the microphone and ask if the people in the back of the room can hear them. If you’re speaking at a large conference, there’s a good chance that someone in the audiovisual department already checked the audio. Nevertheless, it’s always a good idea to check it before you go on stage. Never assume that all your equipment will work correctly. Arrive early to check everything out so you will be better prepared.

5 Steps for Turning Your Idea Into a Product

The light bulb above your head is glowing so bright that it's threatening to blind everyone around you. But what should you do with your great invention idea? Before you start blabbing about your invention to the wrong person or run to the first company that offers to buy it, you need to do one thing: Protect it.

Whether you want to produce and market your invention yourself or license it to another company, the only way to make money from your invention and to guarantee that no one will steal your idea is to file a patent with the Patent and Trademark Office. This can be an intimidating process, so we've asked Andy Gibbs, CEO of PatentCafe.com, to break it down for you in five easy steps.

Bill Gates Biography

Entrepreneur Bill Gates founded the world's largest software business, Microsoft, with Paul Allen, and subsequently became one of the richest men in the world.

Bill Gates was born William Henry Gates III on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. Gates began to show an interest in computer programming at the age of 13 at the Lakeside School. He pursued his passion through college. Striking out on his own with his friend and business partner Paul Allen, Gates found himself at the right place at the right time. Through technological innovation, keen business strategy and aggressive business tactics, he built the world's largest software business, Microsoft. In the process, Gates became one of the richest men in the world.

Bill Gates grew up in an upper middle-class family with two sisters: Kristianne, who is older, and Libby, who is younger. Their father, William H

World's 50 Richest People

Bill Gates saw the potential in PCs before anyone else truly grasped the commercial value of the concept. His foresight allowed him to build Microsoft into a $400 billion behemoth, and made him a passionate believer in the system that allowed him to do so. ”Some people, through luck and skill, end up with a lot of assets. If you’re good at kicking a ball, writing software, investing in stocks, it pays extremely well. Capitalism has worked very well,” he said in 2010. To those not as enraptured with capitalism, he offered a curt suggestion: “Anyone who wants to move to North Korea is welcome.”

To make digesting the ranking and our work easier, what follows is a simple list of the 50 richest. Taken together, it is a roll of familiar names (people like Warren Buffett & Mark Zuckerberg), as well unfamiliar ones.

1. Bill Gates
Net Worth: $76 B
Source of wealth: Microsoft

2. Carlos Slim Helu & family
Net Worth: $72 B
Source of wealth: telecom

Friends As Business Partners

Business Partnerships

By Cherie Burbach

Can you and a friend run a successful business? Of course!  Many companies begin simply because close friends thought of a great business idea and went for it. Your friendship and business can both thrive when you keep a few of these things in mind.

Mutual Respect

When you bring someone in your life as a friend, you naturally develop a level of respect for them. Make sure you keep this in mind when you establish your business together. You probably both have different strengths that make your friendship work, so capitalize on those for your business. Don't be afraid to make your opinions heard, but do it with gentle honesty.

Rules for Building a Business

By Sam Walton

Sam Walton believed running a successful business boils down to 10 simple rules. These rules helped Walmart become the global leader it is today. We continue to apply them to every part of our business. You can read the rules below, excerpted from his book.

1. Commit to your business.

Believe in it more than anybody else. If you love your work, you'll be out there every day trying to do it the best you possibly can, and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you – like a fever.

FUNDAMENTALS OF INCREASING SALES IN BUSINESS (1)

By Oladipupo Clement

1. Nobody likes to sell and nobody likes to be sold to.
- This is why people seldom consider marketing jobs as a worthy career. 
- I must say here that you can never be out of job if you develop a career in sales and marketing.

2. Nobody buys features, they buy benefits.
- Human beings are naturally selfish. So, to attract more of them, you must show them how your products or services will solve problem or add value to their lives. Otherwise, they won’t make any buying decision.

3. As your knowledge grows, so also is your Sales Ratio. This includes the knowledge of yourself, product and the company you work for/with.
- The number of people that buys your product compared to the number of people that hears about it is known as Sales Ratio.

Business Risk

The term business risk refers to the possibility of inadequate profits or even losses due to uncertainties e.g., changes in tastes, preferences of consumers, strikes, increased competition, change in government policy, obsolence etc. .Every business organization contains various risk elements while doing the business. Business risks implies uncertainty in profits or danger of loss and the events that could pose a risk due to some unforeseen events in future, which causes business to fail.

The possibility that a company will have lower than anticipated profits, or that it will experience a loss rather than a profit. Business risk is influenced by numerous factors, including sales volume, per-unit price, input costs, competition, overall economic climate and government regulations. A company with a higher business risk should choose a capital structure that has a lower debt ratio to ensure that it can meet its financial obligations at all times.

Investors in a company are exposed not only to business risk, but also to financial risk, liquidity risk, systematic risk, exchange-rate risk and country-specific risk. To calculate business risk, analysts use four simple ratios: contribution margin, operation leverage effect, financial leverage effect and total leverage effect. For more complex calculations, analysts can incorporate statistical methods.

Business risks can be classified by the influence by two major risks: internal risks (risks arising from the events taking place within the organization) and external risks (risks arising from the events taking place outside the organization).

5 Strategies for Communicating When You Don't Even Like to Talk

By Murray Newlands

The stereotypical entrepreneur talks to everyone easily, but introverts need not be discouraged. Reticence does not doom you to failure.

Social science finds at least a third, and maybe half, the population is introverted. Successful entrepreneurs who are introverts make their personalities work for them. With less interest in the spotlight than accomplishing goals, introverts are inclined to let talented employees run with their ideas. Here are five strategies for making introversion an asset.

1. Learn to work with your personality. Even if it makes your palms sweat, as an entrepreneur you need to communicate with people. That does not mean you need to do it in situations that are terminally

How to Become Your Own Boss

8 tips to get you going, even if you don't know where to start

By Tamara Monosoff

If you want to start a business but don't know where to start, don't worry--you are not alone. In fact, given the new economic reality of our time, more people than ever before have found the "job" they thought was waiting for them doesn't exist. Others have come to the conclusion that they would rather create work they love, constructed to fit with their own life goals. No matter what the motivation is to be your own boss, you can start today.

Here are 8 Tips to Get You Started:

1. Take a Stand for Yourself.

WHO IS MARK ZUCKERBERG?

Zuckerberg was born in 1984 in White Plains, New York. He is the son of dentist Edward Zuckerberg and psychiatrist Karen Kempner. He and his three sisters, Randi, Donna, and Arielle, were brought up in Dobbs Ferry, New York, a small town about 10 miles north of New York City. Zuckerberg was raised Jewish and had his bar mitzvah when he turned 13. Afterwards, he became an atheist.

At Ardsley High School, Zuckerberg excelled in classics. He transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy in his junior year, where he won prizes in science (math, astronomy and physics) and classical studies. On his college application, Zuckerberg claimed that he could read and write French, Hebrew, Latin, and ancient Greek. He was captain of the fencing team. In college, he was known for reciting lines from epic poems such as The Iliad.

Career

Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard dormitory room on February 4, 2004. An earlier inspiration for Facebook may have come from Phillips Exeter Academy, the prep school from which Zuckerberg graduated in 2002. It published its own student directory, “The Photo Address Book,” which students referred to as “The Facebook.” Such photo directories were an important part of the student social experience at many private schools. With them, students were able to list attributes such as their class years, their friends, and their telephone numbers.

Aliko Dangote Biography and Life History and 10 Small Business Success Secrets of Aliko Dangote

Aliko Dangote, the First Nigeria’s Billionaire was born on the 10th of April year 1957. He is the founder of Dangote Group. He is considered one of the richest men in Africa.
He said “I assume I have to be rated by Forbes magazine prior to being called the richest man in Africa” But, you know, I’m very comfortable.

“He ranked first in Nigeria in Forbes Magazine’s 2008 list of the richest people in the world with a fortune estimated at 3.3 billion dollars.
Aliko Dangote is the ‘golden child’ of Nigerian business circles. The Dangote consortium spans across numerous sectors of the Nigerian economyThe Dangote Group suppliescommodities like cements ,sugar, salt, flour , rice, spaghetti, fabric etc at very competitive prices.

15 WAYS TO DELIGHT YOUR CUSTOMERS AND RETAIN THEM

The golden rule for success in business is to get your customers to believe that they are more important to you than anyone else. This guide offers some tips on how you can retain your customers by delighting them – and gain more sales from them.

Research shows that it costs between five and seven times more to gain new customers than to get an existing customer to buy from you again. This reinforces the importance of retaining your customers and keeping them happy. Calculating the lifetime value of customers also gives you an increased awareness of the importance of retaining customers. For example, a customer that spends $500 a year with you for 10 years is worth $5,000. Cut that down to five years, and you've just lost $2,500, plus you face the cost of finding a replacement customer. To retain that $2,500 in extra business is it worth spending a few dollars a year on keeping the customer happy?

Developing Intellectual Independence

No matter how great your writing skills are, and how well you can promote yourself, if you can’t think for yourself, you won’t last long as a mobile writer. Thinking for yourself effectively means developing your intellectual independence.

So what is intellectual independence? There are several different facets to it. Some you may have developed already. Others you’ll need to work on, just as I had to.

Critical Thinking and Reasoning

Five Thinking Styles

“Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

You improve your communication with others when you can match their thinking style.You can also avoid rubbing your boss the wrong way by paying close attention to how they approach the tasks of the day.

Key Take Always
Here are my key take always:

·         Seek first to understand, then to be understood. The more you understand somebody, the better you can adapt your style. I think the five thinking styles are a helpful framework in addition to understanding somebody’s learning style ( auditory, visual, or kinesthtic), their NLP meta-programs, their motivation (towards pleasure or away from pain), their values, their "rules", their extraversion and introversion tendencies, their passive or aggressive tendencies, whether they are more "task-centered" or "people-centered", their decision making style (consult-and-decide or build consensus), and their management styles (Autocratic, Paternalistic, Democratic, andLaissez-faire.)

3 Thinking Techniques to Improve Your Intellectual Horsepower

Here are 3 simple thinking techniques I tend to use each day.  There are some more advanced thinking techniques, but here I’m boiling down to a set of 3 you can use today.  In fact, you can even use them while you read this post.  I’ll go through the thinking techniques in order from simpler to more complex, so you can use them right away.

For the sake of this exercise, let’s think of "thinking" as simply asking and answering questions.  If you want to improve your thinking, ask better questions.  Using these techniques will improve your thinking, by improving your questions.

3 Thinking Techniques 

Here are 3 thinking techniques I use fairly regularly:

·         How Might That Be True?

·         PMI

·         Six Thinking Hats

Why Nigeria cannot defeat Boko Haram

 Exactly a year after Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared a "state of emergency" in north-eastern Nigeria, it seems to have had little effect in curbing the Islamist insurgency.

Attacks by the Boko Haram group that provoked the move included an assault on a military barracks, detonating a bomb at a bus station in the northern city of Kano and the kidnap of a French family, including four children, which grabbed the world's attention.

The declaration would bring "extraordinary measures" to bear against the insurgents in order to "restore normalcy" to the region, the president said.

"The troops have orders to carry out all necessary actions within the ambit of their rules of engagement to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists," President Jonathan said

bring back our girls........

Each generation must discover its mission, fulfil it or betray it. Interestingly, a useless group of individuals, cloaked in an ugly attire of religion mixed with politics, have discovered their mission, and with impressive bravado, is fulfilling it. The task of this bloody group is simple: get politically powerful or kill, to get politically powerful.

7 steps to financial freedom

These days, most people I know don’t have a financial plan. We spend a lot of time planning for other aspects of our lives, such as our careers, marriages and having kids, but many of us fail to build a plan to achieve our financial goals.

If you would like to stop wondering about whether you’ll ever realize your financial goals, and build a plan to actually reach them, I can help. Read on and I’ll not only show you how to build a proper financial plan, I’ll take you through each step, complete with worksheets and a blank financial plan template that you can fill in at the end. Follow my simple instructions and in no time at all, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with a professional-quality personal financial plan—without having to pay a financial planner a dime.

Step #1: Set financial goals
The road to wealth is paved with goals. If you don’t know why you’re doing this — why you’re making sacrifices, why you’re working so hard — it’s too easy to fail. But if you set goals, they can help guide you even when things get tough. When you have to make decision, your goals can help you stay focused on what’s important.

For your goals to be effective, they have to be personal. They have to mean something to you. 

FUNDAMENTALS OF GIVING

To access uncommon things, you must be prepared to do the uncommon.
In personal and business finance, there are laws that do not make sense but they define your limits. We shall be examining ideas and principles that are seldom taught in Ivory Towers, yet these are the secrets that unlock possibilities which no human connection or assistance can fetch you.
This is the foundation for other ideas that I would be sharing in the course of the year. If you get this one thing right, other things will begin to work for you. I see unprecedented financial supply coming your way.
Please take time to pause, meditate and take appropriate steps.

FUNDAMENTALS OF GIVING 

1. IF YOUR SOURCE OF SUPPLY IS MATERIAL, CONTROLLABLE, PREDICTABLE, AND STOPPABLE THEN YOU ARE NOT SAFE AND SECURED. Some of the world’s largest corporations and empires have collapsed; further showing that anything built solely on human wisdom is not perfect and can fail.

How to Get Good Jobs in Nigeria

Jobs in Nigeria has become more like a lottery this days considering the number of people out there who are looking for different kinds of jobs at the same time.  To be able to land your dream job in any sector in Nigeria, you need to be the best you can be, both in your personality and qualifications. 

There are jobs for you as long as you're qualified, good jobs for that matter and I 'm going to show you where to get them.  Before I do, let's take critical look at the Nigeria's job market and find the reason you're finding it difficult to land your dream jobs.

Where Are Your Dream Jobs In Nigeria

The dream of every undergraduate is to get a very good and well-paying job the moment he is through with youth services.  Everyone naturally have this ideology of after school, next is to go get a job, it doesn't matter if you have the potential to even create jobs yourself, everyone just go hunting for job once they have the certificate.

Job market in Nigeria (just like any other country) is very saturated. True, there are hundreds of thousands of jobs waiting right now for grab, but there are equally millions of qualified applicants hunting to grab them. The tough competition in job market has created a situation where job  owners get to see themselves as demigods.

RE-WRITE YOUR FINANCIAL STORY!

The most important step in problem solving is identifying the problem. That is what this book is about. Although nobody can solve a problem without knowing exactly what the problem really is; many people try to do just that. For more enquiries: call-08063055952 or visit www.lifepagegroup.com

How To Deal With A Totally Boring Job

Do you feel stuck in a mind-numbing job? If so, you’re not alone. A recent Harris Poll survey found that 36% of employed Americans want to ditch their current position for a job that allows them to be more creative. 

Still, given the prolonged economic downturn, jumping ship or starting your own business might not be an option. If you need to stick it out in your present job for now, look for ways to make changes that will help turn boredom into creativity. Research shows that change — whatever it is — improves our mood and productivity. Here are ways to cope with the corporate grind.

1. Vary your routine. Your brain needs stimulus. Try doing your humdrum tasks in a different way, at a different time, in a different seat or with different people.

Set an agenda. If you’re bored because you feel you don’t have any goals at work and you’re just wandering aimlessly through the day, be more strategic. Write down definite, achievable goals for each day, week and month and plot the steps you’re going to take to reach them.

The 7 Secrets of Inspiring Leaders

Very few people look forward to going to work.  And no, providing free coffee and fruit in the company kitchen isn’t going to change their minds.  It’s a sad observation about the state of all around the world business today. One-third of U.S employees are so unhappy they are thinking of leaving their jobs.  Let me ask you – how is it possible that unhappy, unmotivated and disengaged employees could possibly offer exceptional customer service or develop exciting, innovative products that move your brand forward?  They can’t.  That’s why it is up to you as leader to satisfy what Emerson called a person’s “chief want:” someone who will inspire us to be what we know we can be.

Ignite Your Enthusiasm.  You cannot inspire, she said, unless you’re inspired yourself.  Every inspiring leader is abundantly passionate—not about the product itself, but what the product means to their customers.  Steve Jobs is not passionate about computers. He’s passionate about building tools that help people to unleash their personal creativity.  Big difference.

Develop a sales strategy

Jumping into selling your product or service without planning how you will go about it is likely to yield far poorer results than if you adopt a strategic approach to your sales. Use your sales strategy as part of your business plan to help you convince your bank manager or potential investors, and make sure you update and review your sales strategy regularly.

What is a sales strategy?

• A sales strategy sets out in detail how you will get your product or service in front of people who need it. Looking at it strategically will give you a comprehensive, methodical approach to ensuring you marketing your business correctly and you are approaching the right clients.
• A sales strategy can be based on your business and marketing plans. It looks at how you will deliver objectives set out in your marketing plan, as well as how you have chosen to segment your target market and how you will fund you marketing activities.
• A sales strategy is not the same as a marketing strategy. Whereas marketing is about getting your name out there and tempting new customers or rekindling interest in your business, a sales strategy is more about how you close the deal.
• In order to build a comprehensive strategy for your entire business, you will need to sit down and come up with adifferent sales strategy for each of your product lines. While they may all end up looking very similar, but it's important to be aware of subtle differences between your products and the customers who pay for them.

FUNDAMENTALS OF STARTING A BUSINESS

1. IT STARTS WITH BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR; not the employee who depends on a steady pay cheque.
- You don’t start a business to become an entrepreneur rather you become an entrepreneur to start your own business. 
- Become the kind of staff you would love to have on your payroll and life will only reward you accordingly.
- You struggle when you attempt what you have not become. A dog does not need rehearsal to bark. It is its nature.
- Entrepreneurship is not an official position you attain— it is an attitude, a state of mind.
- It is the willingness to take on or share in the risk of an enterprise. 
- It is taking responsibility for the profit or loss of a venture. 
- It is sticking your neck out when uncertainties stare you in the face. 
- It is daring to take a chance that might otherwise make or mar you. 
- It is pursuing an unguaranteed future with the benefit of instinctive knowledge. 
- It is daring to die trying than living on mediocre pay cheque.
- It is approaching the unknown despite your fears.
  2. BUSINESS IS ABOUT SOLVING PROBLEMS, ADDING VALUE AND MEETING NEEDS.

- You may not stand the test of time if your motive for going into business is solely to have your needs met.
- If you help enough people get what they want, you would end up having what you want.
- This is what forms the object of your sales proposition.