WINNING THE TIGER WOODS WAY

WINNING THE TIGER WOODS WAY“


I am not just out to be the best black player. I want to be the best golfer ever” -Tiger woods


I have always been fascinated and animated reading the biographies of great men .Often times , these individuals succeed against all odds and rise to pursue their passion .Their passion in turn make them emerge as epitomes of peak performance .In America where golf is as the restricted sports played mainly by the rich white folks,- a coloured youngster has risen to the game’s pinnacle through hard work, a sense of focus, and sheer determination. May be his name has something to do with it because it takes the fierce and the formidable energy of no less than a tiger to cruise his way to that spot.

LESSON 1
PARENTAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Tiger Woods was born Eldrick Woods on Dec 30 1975,in cypress California. He is the only child of Earl and Kultida Woods. His parents identified their son’s talent at an usually early age. They said that he was playing with a putter before he could walk. Tiger’s father has never denied that he devoted his energies to developing his son’s talent and to further his career as a golfer. It is important for parents to acknowledge and pay attention to their child’s God given talent. As a parent, you need to be observant by focusing on what your child plays with, the activities he/she engages in. Aside from acknowledging your child’s area of strength, it is also imperative to help groom and grow that talent. Never ever discourage them from pursuing their innate abilities.

LESSON 2
PLAY SMALL AND GROW BIG

Woods first gained national attention on a talkshow when he beat the famed comedian Bob hope (1903-)in a putting contest. The young boy was only 3 at the time, he was quickly hailed as a prodigy or a child with remarkable talent. Not long after that, Woods was featured on the popular TV show called :That’s incredible. Turning pro at just 20.It took Tiger woods just eight months to register his impact winning within such a short period a masters and a PGA(Professional golfers association)events. Whatever is your area of calling in life, its important to start on a small scale. Starting small enables you to hone your talent till it becomes an unconscious competence. The only thing you start from the top is the grave.

LESSON 3
PRACTISE
There are no victories at bargain prices. Woods his known for spending many hours practicing his swing and playing in youth tournaments. During practice sessions, Tiger learned to maintain his composure and focus , while his father persistently mad e extreme loud noise in order to make him lose focus. Talent is never enough. It takes practice to transform your talent into a skill. Getting to be the best in your field won’t be easy because of the necessity of commitment. It takes commitment to play that guitar, write that book, or even sing that song when no one is paying attention to your talent. It is important to hold yourself responsible for a high standard than anybody else expects of you.

LESSON 4
PASSION
Whatever quality marks out Tiger woods as the greatest golfer on earth, I think the starting point is passion. A passion for the game and a passion to win. Little wonder, he is labeled:” A freak of dedication”…. To golf of course. Unlike the other men who play for pay , Tiger remains motivated by a different factor , the love of the game. His father Earl woods once said: “Tiger doesn’t love the game, he’s in full -stage addiction.He’s always been addicted to golf”. In the school of success, it is a love affair with your chosen craft that guarantees your ascendancy to life’s hall of fame.

LESSON 5
PECULIAR NAME
When Woods celebrated his 25th birthday, he marked the occasion with a legal name change, from Eldrick to Tiger. Wood had been called Tiger by his father even as a youngster. The nickname stuck as Woods had always been called Tiger by his friends and men of the press. The nugget here is that it is pertinent to differentiate yourself from the maddening crowd. You are what you call yourself. The same Mohammed Ali prophesied:” I am the greatest” years before he first won the world boxing title. If you are not known for something you cannot amount to anything. See yourself in the light of what you want to be called when living your dreams.

LESSON 6
PRESIDENTIAL RECOGNITION
If you are the best at what you do , you will dine with kings and not mere men. When Clinton was the president of U.S.A, he arranged to meet Tiger though it suffered restrictions albeit temporarily, owing to his impending exam then in the university. A BBC source was reported as saying the white house had to reschedule the appointment in favour of the youthful Woods. Now that’s my kind of guy. It shows that with impact on your side too, you too can get the rare chance to call the shots even when the presidency is involved.

LESSON 7
PAVE THE WAY
Wood is credited with popularizing the sport of golf not only among African Americans , but among children of all backgrounds. His personal sponsorships of programmes for childrenHas been reported for years , and at least one corporate sponsor found that in order to secure an endorsement (an official document of agreement)from Tiger Woods must include the added cost of a general donation to the Tiger Woods Foundation for inner city children. Success is about making a living , while significance is about making a life.


Be the shoulder someone can lean on. You might not be a golfer, but you can end up as the Tiger Woods in your own field. If a youngster can gain international prominence just by playing golf, then you can do it too. I look forward to reading your own success story .Go and rule your world!

ROLE OF MUSIC IN NATION BUILDING

TOPIC: THE ROLE OF MUSIC IN NATION BUILDING

‘I try to do music that is relevant, music that people listen to for years without getting tired of it’
-INNOCENT IDIBIA A.K.A.2FACE
AWARD WINNING R N B ARTISTE

When a baby is born its mother’s lullaby is one of the first sounds the baby can hear and recognize. From the cradle to the grave, music will always flow in between the rhythm of everyday life. Music-the pattern of sounds produced by people singing or playing instruments to generate groove, rhythm, poetry, and melody is more than the sounds being released from the strumming of Asa’s acoustic guitar, its more than the groovy beats being created by the magic fingers of Don jazzy , it’s a veritable tool for building a nation. There is no better way to measure how far society has evolved but through music. It has been used to express emotions when words do not seem to be enough.

IS MUSIC THE ‘KOKO’?
Since no phenomenon void of utility survives in a society, music when harnessed can mould the broken pieces of a nation into a seductive masterpiece for other nations to behold. Music and the nation are stuck like Siamese twins, a nation cannot go far without maximizing the power of music to revamp her national character. Advocacy and social change is one of the ways by which music can be used to in nation building. One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies. Artistes are town criers who satirize social foibles in order to make human society and living worthwhile.Fela Kuti through his music became critical of the successive military governments that ruled Nigeria, he used music to comment on the political climate in Nigeria.

In addition, music can also aid in the aspect of ideological change and mass orientation. Ideological change and music are like two hearts with one beat. They beat as fast as the drums in the jungles of Africa. Songs like ‘Maga no need pay’,’For Instance’, ‘2010 Light Up Naija’, ‘Nigeria jaga jaga’, have helped to put some core national issues in the front burner of our minds and helped in creating a paradigm shift .
Music is the food of love, but it can also put food on the table. I once read the story of a talented young musician who said: ‘I want to release my album so that I can make money to take care of my younger ones .I have no father and mother’. Clearly, music is a wealth creation tool.This is evident in the enviable lifestyles music makers live, pursuing their passion.Gone are the days when they hop on taxis or “Okadas, now you see them in the hottest cars, phantoms, their fashion lines are the hottest items in boutiques, their albums move a million in a week, not forgetting their mouth watering endorsement deals. Music has helped in engaging these youngsters. Artistes like 2face, Dbanj, Timaya,Psquare, M.I, Banky w, Asa, have better stories to tell today as a result of the power of music.

The tourism potentials of a nation will be boosted when her music industry is vibrant and functional. Though the Nigerian national image is in tatters, but on the flipside, music has helped change our national image. The likes of Lagbaja, Asa, 2face, Femi kuti, have attracted international attention to Nigeria through music .This has helped in recreating a new portrait for the Nigerian youth as enterprising, diligent ,and smart.

The union between music and the nation will always be a fruitful one as they will give birth to wealth creation, advocacy and mass orientation, boosted tourism potentials e.t.c.in the absence of no objections, I now pronounce you, Music and the Nation as Husband and Wife. You may kiss the bride. We wish them a happy married life.No long thing!

WHY ENTREPRENEURS SHOULD HATE WEDDINGS

Why Entrepreneurs Should Hate Weddings
By Ofili

As a little boy, I loved attending weddings. It was the one special day in the year that everyone got to have extravagant fun. There were sumptuous amounts of food, free flowing drinks all wrapped up in the ostentatious beauty of a heavily decorated hall splattered with lots of radiant people beaming in their best clothes. It was literally heaven on earth…that was until I hit my late twenties and then heaven started coming a bit too close to my earth. This was the period in time where close friends of mine began getting married, from secondary school classmates to college friends everyone was getting married. Even my enemies were getting married. And like anyone going through that period knows, you are hit with a plethora of questions that can be summarized in one sweet and annoying phrase “so when are you getting married?”

This was really not an issue, I had trained myself in the act of neutralizing the questions dwindling effects on my mind. As I said before, I really truly enjoyed weddings. But the problem was that as more and more people close to me began getting married they began sharing wedding planning stories with me. And the more they shared their stories the more it ruined weddings for me. But that was nothing compared to the day a real close friend of mine shared his entire wedding expense with me…It was like the day you found out your parents actually had sex, it was not like you never suspected but confirming it actually messed up your mind. After hearing what he told me, I felt guilty for loving weddings and started resenting society’s illogical obsession with weddings. What exactly did he tell me?

It was his wedding cost. An astronomical $55,000 for a single wedding! And his wedding was one of the simpler weddings I had attended in my short life; So when he told me the figure, I was blown away. No wonder I enjoyed weddings so much it was created from extravagant riches. “How could someone possible spend that amount of money on one single wedding?” I pondered to myself. Now I am not anti-romantic or some weird money conscious individual. I am simply a realist and $55,000 spent on a wedding seemed quite extravagant to me. But even more bothersome was the fact that most people felt that $50,000 was relatively cheap for a wedding! Ironically the 50K figure did not include the wedding ring…which cost an additional $7000. Figures that are driven by phantom wedding laws…for instance the popular rule to thumb is that an engagement ring should cost at least 2 times the grooms monthly salary. Anything less than that is somehow not enough. Other rules state that you have to have an engagement party, followed by a white wedding and in case such as Nigeria a separate traditional wedding. As an ROI (Return on Investment) addict I tend to question these figures. If weddings were actually treated as a business then people will think twice before spending such large amounts of money.

According to the American National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) about one-third of new marriages among younger people will end in divorce within 10 years and 43 percent within 15 years. But yet people are more than willing to plunge their life savings into an institution that has statistically shown a low ROI. It is like putting money into a bank that you know has a 50% chance of shutting down. This is the reality that is hidden by a wedding industry that pushes the fairy tale marriage wedding that lasts forever. So they convince couples that they should indeed break the bank to fund their once in a life time wedding dream…and couples do exactly that as they are fueled by a frentic media that sprinkles the tales of fairy tale weddings on our TV screens. Weddings of celebrities that cost anywhere from a $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 are forced onto our TV screens and media blogs across the globe touting the notion that weddings should be extravagant. If there was anything that could summarize the craze, it will be none other than the “wedding of the century.”

As recent as 2011, Kim Kardashian was slated to get married to NBA player Kris Humphries. It was a normal celebrity marriage affair up until news got out that Kris had spent a cool $2,000,000 on a 20.5 carat engagement ring. Then the media frenzy and scrutiny picked up…everyone was talking about this wedding and analyzing every single details of their financial expenses. The main wedding ring was designed by Lorraine Schwartz and that too racked a cool $1,000,000. The wedding invitations were created and delivered by Lahr & Black for $10,000 just in case some of the guests were not aware of the wedding date! $400,000 was spent on Perrier Jouet Champagne with an additional $60,000 for three Vera Wang wedding dresses. The icing on the cake literarily was the $15,000 spent on a Hensen Bakery wedding cake…I crave to know what a $15,000 slice of cake taste like! All in all the wedding was estimated to have cost about $20,000,000 in total and truly lived up to its tag as the wedding of the century. An expensive wedding for a marriage that lasted only 78 days! That is like blowing all your lifesaving in less than 3 months.

What people fail to realize is that Kim is quite an exemplary entrepreneur. So even though her wedding on the surface cost $20,000,000, she was able to leverage her image to get some critical discounts and in most cases freebies. For instance the famous $2 million wedding ring was greatly discounted by Schwartz Jewellry, the $10,000 wedding invitations were sponsored for free by Lahr & Black wedding, the $50,000 bachelorette party was all paid for by Tao restaurant in exchange for free publicity and her 3 wedding dresses? Each of them was donated exclusively by Vera Wang herself. But that is still not the crazy part, E! entertainment reportedly paid her $15 million for a four-hour, two-part E! wedding special. A hefty price that does not even include the additional 2.5 million dollars gotten from People magazine for exclusive coverage of the wedding. So not only did Kim not spend much on her wedding but her wedding was a money generation machine. From the magazine to the media to the wedding industry…everybody profited. The only victims were gullible couples across the globe who believed the hype! Unfortunately, too many people are believing the hype as the numerous front pages of blogs and tabloids fail to highlight the intricate truth behind the wedding. Instead they offer coverage of a fairy tale wedding with smiling faces splashed across the pages of newspapers across the globe further feeding the cycle of mandatory expensive and lavish wedding. Thus causing people to ignore one critical fact that makes Kim way smarter than a lot of us “she ran her Wedding strictly as a business!” Ironically many entrepreneurs are doing the reverse and running their businesses as weddings.

According to Statistics from New Zealand, 53 percent of small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) fail within the first three years. Research also suggests that two-thirds of business collapse is due to financial difficulties associated with poor financial management. Sounds familiar? Then do this replace the word “business” in the stat above with “marriage,” and you would end up with a strikingly similar stat as I shared above except that bussineses tend to fail faster. Figures erringly similar to marriages and all because people are starting businesses like marriages…with a huge expensive wedding!

I have been blessed to work with a lot of new businesses and one of the quotes I love to share with entrepreneurs is one I learnt from my mentor James Malinchak “Don’t Do What’s Cute, Do What Sells.” Renting out a lavish apartment in the middle of downtown is cute…but if it does not cause sales to increase…then it is not smart! Designing a state of the art customized website is cute…but if it does not pay for itself in ways of online sales or publicity then it is not smart! Spending tons of money for radio adverts and TV arts is super cute…but again if it does not generate revenue to offset the advertising cost then it is not smart! These are wedding idea thinking that put new businesses into financial trouble early. At any given time businesses should be focused on the profit margin and not the cuteness margin. Because at the end of the day that is what really determines if your business would survive.

A recent start-up business in Lagos wanted to replicate the US group-on business idea in Nigeria. They were able to raise $50,000 in capital seed money to fund their idea…so they did what every wedding entrepreneur would do…they rented out an expensive office, hired several staff and paid for a state of the art website. The only problem was that they had not spent enough time marketing their business or adapting their business idea to the new market. To them having an office was what every new business should have and hiring a staff an absolute necessity. But with no funds or efforts allocated to researching the market and marketing their products, their business failed within a months. However, if they had started out the same way people like Mark Zuckerberg started out, in a dorm room without an office or huge staff, they would most likely have succeeded or if they failed their financial loss would have been minimal. But all too often, new entrepreneurs focus on the end product of successful businesses and fail to acknowledge the early struggles that preceded their success. Almost all successful tech firms started out from a garage or home. When I decided to build my website Ofilispeaks.com I got several quote ranging from $2000 to $3000 for a customized website, but I realized that financially such an investment would not make sense for me at that time. Instead I opted for a cheaper template design that cost me only $25 (plus sweat and labor) and that website is what I have up and running today. Although it is restricted in many areas, it still helps me get the key things I need to get done. In the future if $2000 customized website makes financial sense for me…I would create it in a heartbeat. But for now I will stick with my cheap but efficient template design.

A similar thing to a blogger I know, who currently makes a living by blogging from her bed all day. Initially when her business began to grow she fell into the trap that I have talked about so much in this article…then need to do what everyone does. So she rented out an office. But she soon found out that she did not really need an office and besides it detracted her from her comfort of blogging on her bed. So rather than stick with having an office just to say she has an office, she quickly abandoned her office and went back to blogging at home. Today she still makes as much money as she did in the office but she gets to keep a larger chunk since she does not have to pay any office rent. So the next time you are faced with a key business financial decision, strive to stay away from the resplendent/ostentatious decisions and instead focus on your hardcore bottom line “the finances.” Because at the end of the day that is what matters. It is not the size of your office or staff or website but rather the size of “customer base” and “profits” that matter. Remember again “Don’t do what’s cute, Do what sells!” Happy married life…

Wishing You Extreme Success,

Okechukwu Ofili

Have a question for Ofili? Send him your question about business, entrepreneurship or success now via this form.
Ofili is an award winning motivational speaker, author, life coach and entrepreneur who blogs about life, success and entrepreneurial excellence. Follow him on BB pin:32A137F8, twitter ,facebook or subscribe to his blog for more success TIPS!”
Photo Credit: www.madamnoire.com

CELEBRITIZE YOU-TOP TIPS FOR BRANDING YOUR TALENT

CELEBRITIZE YOU!

(Top tips for branding your talent)



From a business point of view , branding in the market place is very similar to brandig on the ranch.A brand programme is designed to set your product apart from all the other cattle on the ranch.Successful branding is based on the concept of singularity i.e creating in the mind of your prospect that there is no other talent, skill, expertise , in the market quite llke your own.Today, most products and services are bought not sold.And branding greatly facilitates this process.That old expression:’Nothing happens until somebody sells something’ , is being replaced by ‘Nothing happens until somebody brands something.’I have had the priviledge of coaching a lot of talented individuals from Musiicans to , authors, to entrepreneurs, who often ask me:’Kenny how do I stand out from the others in my industry.Here is the roadmap:



1.Law of focus



A brand becomes stronger when you narrow its focus.Think of Basketmouth and comedy comes to your mind, think of chimamanda and literature comes to your mind.When people think of you in terms of your talents and abilities what should they think of?Nokia once made everything then the company narrowed its focus to one product,only mobile phones.Today Nokia has 35% of the world’s mobile phone market and is the dominant brand.



2.Law of visibility



The birth of a brand is achieved through visibility.



Anita Roddick built The Body Shop brand into a major product with no advertising at all.Instead she travelled the world on a relentless quest for publicity, pushing her ideas.It was the endless torrents of newspaper and magazine articles plus radio and television interviews that literally built The Body Shop brand.How do you gain visibility?The best way to generate visibility is by being first.In order words,by beng the first brand in a new category .

Genevieve magazine-First women’s lifestyle magazine in Nigeria

CNN-First cable news network

Complete Sports-First sports publication in Nigeria

The media wantsd to talk about what is new , what is first, and what is hot.



3.Law of consistency



A brand is not built overnight .Success is measured in decades not in years.

A lot of talented people are in a hurry .In a hurry to break even , and in the process they violate the law of consistency.Brand success is not a script that is acted and then played out in a day.Prof Wole Soyinka has been in the literary turf for decades, Larry King did broadcasting for more than three decades.Brand building is boring work.But what works best is absolutuely consistency.When you are consistent at what you do…your success will be immeasurable



4.Law of opportunity

Draining every opportunity of its every possibility helps you to build a strong brand.Timi Dakolo maximixed the Idols West Africa platform and that gave his music career a leverage, same thing applies to Seyilaw, he maximized A.Y's Openmic Comedy competition platform, and today he is better for it.Never underestimate the opportunities that comes your way.They may be the ticket to being honoured on life's hall of fame.To survive you must maximize



5.Law of Synergy

Greed often gets in the way of common sense.Collaborations often becomes the pathway to recogniton.9ice did it with Ruggedman and became better for it, Brymo synergized with Iceprince,and today he is fast becoming an household name. Authors synergize in order to leverage on one another's brand power,artistes synergize in order to maximize each others popularity.Team work still makes the dream work.



Hope this few tips has shed light on areas of your expertise that hasn't been working.You can rise to become the champ of your game.Celebritize you!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.

-Maya Angelou

LEAP AFRICA CELEBRATES YOUNG NIGERIANS

On Thursday 24 November 2011, LEAP Africa celebrated five young leaders at its 8th Annual Nigerian Youth Leadership Awards at MUSON Centre, Lagos. The winners: Oladipupo Ajiroba, Babatunde David, Babafemi Oyediran, Tolulope Sangosanya and Priscillia Usiobaifo were showcased for their exemplary efforts to creating positive social impact in communities across Nigeria.

Every year, LEAP solicits applications and nominations of youth who have initiated social change projects in their local communities. After a rigorous selection process, ten nominees are chosen by an independent panel of judges and the five winners are announced at the annual awards event.

At the 8th Awards, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Minister of Youth Development, in his keynote address, encouraged the winners to remain committed to their positive initiatives across Nigeria. He also enjoined Nigerian youth to be more positive, optimistic and involved in change efforts. The second speaker, Mr. Tonye Cole, CEO, SAHARA Group Nigeria, challenged the youth present to be prepared to strive for the change that they hope to see in Nigeria.

LEAP also celebrated beneficiaries of its Leadership, Ethics and Civics (LEC) Programme in public secondary schools in Anambra, Lagos and Ogun States at the event. Outstanding schools and student groups were recognized for their commitment to improving the lives of individuals within their local communities.

The evening ended with a thrilling live performance by Chydinma, who was joined on stage by the LEC students in celebration of their awards. Over 800 guests were at the event.

The Annual Nigerian Youth Leadership Awards is always one of LEAP’s most highly anticipated events of the year bringing young people from across the nation together to learn from inspirational stories of young change agents, gain insights from experienced leaders.
source:YNAIJA.COM

TESTING MICROPHONE

TESTING MICROPHONE
…A call to action
The crowd waited endlessly and eagerly praying quietly in their minds for the
real show to kick off.For the past ninety minutes,it's been a showdown of
microphone testing.The crowd is hungry for the much anticipated performance,
after the buzz the show had generated ,no thanks to endless jingles on the
airwaves advertising the event.Suddenly,a man sitting close to me, who was
obviously tired of being fed with the ‘Testing microphone’ ranting,
Stood up,walked towards the stage…..I was already dreaming up a catastrophic
incident that will feed my hungry soul.The man seized the microphone from the
star of the night , cleared his throat :’I am not here to listen to you guys
test the microphone, play me music , that’s what I am here for'

This story captures the lifestyle of individuals who are engaged in what I
call the waiting game.They are on life’s centre stage with all the high tech
equipments(Talents, gifitings, strengths),with the crowd waiting endlessly for
them to kick off their life’s grand performance,pursue their life long dream,
write that potential bestseller, build that potential business conglomerate,
embark on that cause….But all they are doing is simply testing
the microphone-analysing their idea,waiting for that perfect condition, before
they step out and give a crowd pulling performance that will be recorded in
the annals of time.Are you like the singing sensation in this story?Who was busy
testing the microphone, forgetting the fact that the microphone is functioning ,
its not just to be tested,its meant to be used and maximized optimally.

There comes a time in our lives , when like a bolt of lighting, we suddenly
get an idea or thought to do something or an opportunity that could be of great
blessing to many, but instead of taking prompt action, we simply embark on a
journey called ANALYSIS THAT LEADS TO PARALYSIS.We keep working on the idea and
forget the most important part of it-it needs to be worked out
A lady who is currently observing her N.Y.S.C programme sent me a message
recounting her passion for acting. According to her, she has always had this
passion,but have not been courageous enough to convert the passion into
action.. She’s been testing the microphone without using the microphone for her
actual life’s performance. I encouraged her to stop testing the microphone, and
simply find ways by which she can start using her talent for acting to bless
humanity.

What will our world be like if nobody chose to jump off the couch of comfort
,get to the center stage,turn on the microphone , and simply perform their
life’s assignment.Dear friend its never too late to start doing what you
are wired for.Find your dream again, bring out that manuscript
again,submit that manuscript again,pitch that idea again.Bring it out of the
closet , and shake off the dust.We spend most times of our lives
conjugatin three verbs:’To want, to have, and to do’.Remember, a crop of
determined spirits fired by an unquenchable blazing faith in their
mission can alter the course of history.Go and rule your world!

ENTERPRISING MILLICENT

SUCCESS STORIES MADE IN NAIJA 5

Life is a blank canvass and its up to you to paint your dreams and aspirations. Remember you only have one shot at life and it is imperative to convert it into a goal. I read the story of how an oyster is able to form pearls. When sands enter into the shell of an oyster down at the bottom of the sea, the oyster becomes uncomfortable and irritated because of this foreign body. In trying to expel this irritants it secretes some fluid that later harden to form pearls. Eventually, when the oyster dies, the pearl becomes invaluable. The pain of the oyster is its opportunity to form precious pearls. Whatever you are going through in life is an opportunity that leads to your place of promotion. According to Les brown: ‘If you view all the things that happens to you, both good and bad as opportunities then you operate on a higher level of consciousness’.

Great people are great not because they are born great, but they often heed to the clarion call, stepping on life’s platform to tell their stories so that others can be given fresh hopes to run life’s race.

. Like the story of a natal child in the hands of a caring mother, she watched her brain child, GENEVIEVE MAGAZINE, enlarged and yielding more fruits before her very own eyes. But it has not always been this exciting and splendid. The last couple of years had been a learning curve for her, no thanks to the high mortality rate of magazines in the country. In her words: ‘I just keep going inspite of everyday travails. It explains why I no longer wonder when the millions will roll in’. From the beginning she had a tough task of convincing a number of people and organisation that she could do it. Starting a business at 45 when others her age were already working on their pension plans wasn’t the easiest thing. Betty Irabor is perked up and as well pursuing her dreams. Today, she is on the forefront of waging war against breast cancer through her pink ball project helping women to step into their authentic role and live their best life.

Whatever your lot might have been in life, you can write a new story and become a better you. In the words of Diana Ross:’ My travails led me to where I am today, sometimes these steps have felt painful and difficult but led me to greater happiness and opportunities’.

In 1997, when he actualised his dream of becoming a reputable public relations- personality, he neither had a home of his own nor money in his pocket. He was squatting then with a cousin of his at Ogba Ikeja in Lagos. In his words:’The question then was that why should somebody who did not even have a money of his own think of setting up a company, when his contemporaries were travelling out of the country’. Presently Mr Adetokunbo Modupe head consultant TPT LTD is a epitomizes, doggedness, determination and steel will.He now administers a business empire that ranks among the top marketing communications companies in Nigeria.

Nollywood, Nigeria’s movie industry is growing despite not having the requisite resources and support. In the industry, there are 2 guys who are making every one drop their jaws.Peiople never stop to be amazed at Chinedu Ikedieze (Aki) and Osita Iheme(pawpaw).Being interestingly diminutive reminds one of Hollywood’s Gary Coleman .It is incredible how this guys have turned their statures into great opportunities. They are presently among the highest paid in the industry earning as much as two million naira per movie.This goes to endorse the saying that in every difficulty lies an equivalent opportunity.

When they acquired their office, they had to wait for months to get the properties that will enable them function properly. Also they had to rely on good will which their job needs. The dynamic duo of Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye are known for contributing to the Nigerian entertainment industry through their company:KENNIS MUSIC.Every of your pain, predicament, and problems, will one day become a best-selling story that people will be pay to listen to. So , never ever give up on your dreams because you are not producing the results you have projected. Roll your sleeves, get to work and keep working at it. Surely the dream shall speak and I will read your own success story .Go and rule your world!



Kehinde Ajose is Nigeria’s youngest career coach, Motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. He is reachable @ splendidkenny01@yahoo.com /08024212530

SUCCESS STORIES MADE IN NAIJA 5

THE STORY BEHIND THE GLORY 3

Life is a blank canvass and its up to you to paint your dreams and aspirations. Remember you only have one shot at life and it is imperative to convert it into a goal. I read the story of how an oyster is able to form pearls. When sands enter into the shell of an oyster down at the bottom of the sea, the oyster becomes uncomfortable and irritated because of this foreign body. In trying to expel this irritants it secretes some fluid that later harden to form pearls. Eventually, when the oyster dies, the pearl becomes invaluable. The pain of the oyster is its opportunity to form precious pearls. Whatever you are going through in life is an opportunity that leads to your place of promotion. According to Les brown: ‘If you view all the things that happens to you, both good and bad as opportunities then you operate on a higher level of consciousness’.

Great people are great not because they are born great, but they often heed to the clarion call, stepping on life’s platform to tell their stories so that others can be given fresh hopes to run life’s race.

. Like the story of a natal child in the hands of a caring mother, she watched her brain child, GENEVIEVE MAGAZINE, enlarged and yielding more fruits before her very own eyes. But it has not always been this exciting and splendid. The last couple of years had been a learning curve for her, no thanks to the high mortality rate of magazines in the country. In her words: ‘I just keep going inspite of everyday travails. It explains why I no longer wonder when the millions will roll in’. From the beginning she had a tough task of convincing a number of people and organisation that she could do it. Starting a business at 45 when others her age were already working on their pension plans wasn’t the easiest thing. Betty Irabor is perked up and as well pursuing her dreams. Today, she is on the forefront of waging war against breast cancer through her pink ball project helping women to step into their authentic role and live their best life.

Whatever your lot might have been in life, you can write a new story and become a better you. In the words of Diana Ross:’ My travails led me to where I am today, sometimes these steps have felt painful and difficult but led me to greater happiness and opportunities’.

In 1997, when he actualised his dream of becoming a reputable public relations- personality, he neither had a home of his own nor money in his pocket. He was squatting then with a cousin of his at Ogba Ikeja in Lagos. In his words:’The question then was that why should somebody who did not even have a money of his own think of setting up a company, when his contemporaries were travelling out of the country’. Presently Mr Adetokunbo Modupe head consultant TPT LTD is a epitomizes, doggedness, determination and steel will.He now administers a business empire that ranks among the top marketing communications companies in Nigeria.

Nollywood, Nigeria’s movie industry is growing despite not having the requisite resources and support. In the industry, there are 2 guys who are making every one drop their jaws.Peiople never stop to be amazed at Chinedu Ikedieze (Aki) and Osita Iheme(pawpaw).Being interestingly diminutive reminds one of Hollywood’s Gary Coleman .It is incredible how this guys have turned their statures into great opportunities. They are presently among the highest paid in the industry earning as much as two million naira per movie.This goes to endorse the saying that in every difficulty lies an equivalent opportunity.

When they acquired their office, they had to wait for months to get the properties that will enable them function properly. Also they had to rely on good will which their job needs. The dynamic duo of Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye are known for contributing to the Nigerian entertainment industry through their company:KENNIS MUSIC.Every of your pain, predicament, and problems, will one day become a best-selling story that people will be pay to listen to. So , never ever give up on your dreams because you are not producing the results you have projected. Roll your sleeves, get to work and keep working at it. Surely the dream shall speak and I will read your own success story .Go and rule your world!

20 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR WOMAN

1. Her likes of Hang out spots: It will be very unfair and selfish to keep assuming that you girlfriend likes to hang out at the cinemas when she’d rather love to hang out with you at a park, at a suya joint or in the house!

2. Her likes of food: It will be so nice to know what your woman likes asper food. You can suprise her with food deliveries while you are at work and at least you are sure that when you go to an eatry and order food for her, your money isn’t being wasted because she will eat it all!

3. Her fairytales: Every woman has fairytales up in her head. She has the perfect picture of what she wants in a man, her relationship, her whole life! You’d be lost if you don’t try to go into her world sometimes. It might not be easy, being how logical you are, but at least you arent lost in her innermost desires which YOU can actually bring out to life!

4. Her Sense of Style & Comportment: Every lady wants to be able to show off her man. If you don’t understand that there is a particular image she’d like you to potray enough to represent her, then you might just be one not to show off! I am not saying discard your own style but try to blend hers and yours so it can be a perfect match! Also know the way she’d like you to comport yourself in public-some ladies like for their men to keep quiet till they are asked to talk, meanwhile some women like their men’s voice to be the loudest. Its a show off for them lol.

5. Shoe & Dress size: How can you not know your woman’s shoe or dress size? How then can you suprise her with a beautiful leopard skin shoe or gown you saw at the mall but you just didn’t know her size!

6. Her Personality choice: Its only wise of you to know the kind of personality your woman can trust and keep trusting so that if you are lacking behind somewhere, you can step on your game!

7. Her taste in Romance: You would be decieving yourself if you think that all your romantic moves are pleasing your woman when in the real sense you don’t have a clue!

8. Her money orientation: You have to know her views about money. It will help you, especially if you are going to build a home with her. Is she an investor or a spender, is she charity concious or stiff-necked?

9. Her good & bad habits: Its not enough to know just the good or the bad habbit, try to know the two. It will guide you on how to handle them.

10. Her turn-off moments: Ladies are very prone to mood swings. Don’t ask me because I am still trying to know why! Knowing when she’s clearly not in the mood will help you know when to keep quiet, keep talking or not get mad when she says something really annoying or silly.

11. Her religious views: You must understand what she stands for in terms of religion and respect it! It won’t be funny if you dont…lol.

12. Her background: Knowing the kind of background your woman came from explains why she acts and thinks the way she does most times. Try to know her background and a lot of things in the now and future can be handled.

13. Her category of friends: Most ladies tend to have the hi-hi friends, close friends or bestfriend thing. Its important to know them and know the kind of people your woman will carry the matters of her heart to. If you truly love your woman and relationship, its important you make sure she is in good hands.

14. Her best colour: Don’t laugh! It’s actually important I tell you. Its like an expo whenever you want to get her anything-be it shoe, bag, wristwatch…you just know that with her favourite colour in mind, you can’t get it wrong. she’d love it!

15. Her Love language: some women don’t really want to hear the ‘You mean so much to me-I love you thing all the time. Just hold them in your arms and they are ok. Some, hold them from now till tomorrow, you just have to repeatedly tell them how much you love them and for some, its both. So to be her wonder man, you’ve got to figure out her love language!

16. Her Kind of song: Wow…I tell you guys, this works like magic! Understanding her kind of music set you a step higher on the romantic scale because on her birthday you can suprise her with a performance by someone you know she’d love. When you are alone, you can play the kind of song and you both can dance into space…lol. Don’t play rock when she’d like it slow and soft please!

17. Her kind of jewely: OK! I am sure you know this is crucial so that it will help you when you want to propose. Know now if she likes gold, silver, pearls or what have you. Don’t mess up o!

18. The colour of her eyes: How very nice and romantic…Get it right. It’s not every girl that has hazel eyes…it will be nice if you know the exact colour so that you can just drop one hot line for her one day! I can guarantee a blush for you.

19. Her favourite foreign language: Well, this is really nice if you know, and thoughtful. If it’s spanish she likes, you don’t have to go and study spanish. My dear, just know all the hit words in spanish and you are good to go. Words like I’m sorry, I love you, I miss you…you get my P now? wink*

20. That thing she ‘detests’ the most: It’s important you know that particular thing your woman hates, so that you never fall a victim and loose the one you truly love!

Wow! I’m done and I’m sure you know there are lots more but I really have to stop here. How much will you guys pay me for this consultancy ooo! Lol. Any way, I’m happy I shared my views with you and I’m sure you can know all of this! .I wish you good luck in becoming your woman’s wonder man!

Special thanks to a sister & friend Funmbi Ogunbanwo for her just points on this with me. She is also the model in the picture.

CULLED FROM LOWLADEE.COM

THE MILLIONAIRE EX CONVICT...UCHENDI NWANI

When Uchendi Nwani's beeper went off during a midterm exam his senior year at Tennessee State University, it did more than break his concentration, it derailed what seemed to be a bright future.

The honor-roll student, licensed barber and son of a minister was destined to become a successful businessman ó until he gambled with the law and lost. Nwani wound up facing 30 years to life in prison after police intercepted a million-dollar cocaine shipment he was expecting.

''Chin'' Nwani had built a drug empire complete with a fleet of cars outfitted to smuggle cocaine from Miami to Nashville. He'd been living a double life, even carrying a pistol to church.





''All my friends were selling drugs and getting caught, but I figured I was smarter than them. I figured I could deal the drugs without touching them,'' says Nwani, now 33.

With police looking for him, Nwani fled to Atlanta, where he wandered from place to place for two weeks. He thought about suicide. Instead, at the urging of his mother, he turned himself in.

By God's grace, he says, he got a sympathetic judge. He was sentenced to 6‡ months in a federal boot camp populated mainly by Martha Stewart-type criminals ó wealthy men doing time for hacking or insider trading.

After enduring 17-hour days of hard labor and soaking up every bit of advice he could pry from his fellow inmates, Nwani was released into a halfway house. He returned to school and got a job at the on-campus beauty salon. He cut so many heads he developed his own time-saving clipping technique.

The hardest part was suffering ridicule from the students who remembered his arrest.

''You've really got to go above and beyond if you're an ex-convict,'' he says. ''Ninety percent of people treat you like dirt.''

A year later, he left the halfway house with a business degree from TSU and $40,000 in his pocket. He used the money to start a pager and cell phone business, which he later sold to open his barber school in 1998.

Nwani's Barber and Style Academy is a place where single mothers can get a haircut for less than $10 and former criminals can learn not only a trade, but also the fundamentals of managing their own business.

The school has five instructors and keeps about 100 students on its roll. Nwani estimates he's graduated more than 300.

He bought three properties to open Opportunity House, which shelters 30 former convicts, recovering drug addicts and others who are down on their luck.

''God got me out of that. It wasn't nobody but him,'' he says. ''A lot of people helped me. I wanted to give back to people.''

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Nobody will pay you for practice. But when you have gained perfection, people will beg to pay." ~ Fela Durotoye

YOUNG PERSON OF THE WEEK..KEHINDE OLAGBENJO

1. What inspired the for this programe?-
Answer- With millions of Nigerian youths jobless we found it urgently necessary to create a platform where people will be empowered to be their own boss, create wealth and contribute to the growth of Nigeria and Africa.

2. Why entrepreneurship?-
Answer- Entrepreneurship play vital roles in nation building and they contribute to the growth of the economy of many nations. The importance cannot be overestimated. And we believe that for Nigeria’s economy to grow, we need to encourage and embrace entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship has contributed a lot to the growth of great countries like USA, Japan, china, India, England and many other great nations around the world.
That is why LEAD BUSINESS SCHOOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OAK BUSINESS SCHOOL has initiated a program to proffer long lasting solutions to these problems by proving a platform that will train people in ENTREPRENEURSHIP/ IT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. This training will provide proven and tested information that will raise successful entrepreneurs in society.
TOPICS INCLUDES

-What entrepreneurship is all about and why you must be your own boss.

- 25 lucrative businesses that can make you millions of naira in 2012. With A-Z information on how to run the businesses.

- Start up secrets for young and aspiring entrepreneurs

- How to Brand your business for commercial success

- Professional Power point presentation skill development

- Marketing strategies for business success

- How to get a loan from bank

- 20 reasons you must be online and how you can make millions from it

- Maximizing the media for your business success

- Entrepreneurship as a Career

- How to write a business plan

3. Who are your target audience?
Answer- Our target- Nigerian youths between the age 20 and 35 years are our major target because we have over 40 million Nigerian youths still looking for jobs.

4. What they stand to benefits?
Answer- Benefits
 Lectures at first class facilities
 Experienced and result oriented facilitators
 Free Materials and recognized certificate
 Five people will get free professional website plus hosting
 10 people to get 250 free sms on www.3mbulksms.com platform
 Access to our E-LIBRARY TO DOWNLOAD QUALITY MATERIALS FREE OF CHARGE
 Access and Opportunity to make money through LEAD BUSINESS NETWOK
 Access to partnership and mentorship
 Access to loan from our micro finance bank


Date – Thursday 15th to Saturday 17th of December 2011
Gate fee- N5000
Time- 10- 5pm daily
Venue- OAK BUSINESS SCHOOL (oak/Lasu 39, isheri road ogba, by county bus-stop Ogba Ikeja Lagos.

People can register by paying into
Account name –OAK CONSULT LIMITED
Account number- 217826573110
On or before 3 working days to the seminar
After payment grab your phone and send the following details
Your full name, gender, location, telephone no, and email address to 08083535857 or 08090805232\
For more info pls. call 08083535857 or 08090805232
www.leadentrepreneurs.org

WHITE TROUSER NO GO PUT ME FOR TROUBLE

Dat morrin as I wan baff na so I dey put ear for dis babe music, Omawunmi, dat song wey she sing say, ‘If you ask me, na who I go ask?’ My madam don comot tey tey and I know say before she go come back e go still tey, so I say before I baff make I carry my body go upstairs for her and oga room. E get one fine white trouser wey she buy and I be one go taste am because I hear say person yansh dey come out well well for white trouser especially if you no wear pant or you wear g-string. Before I go continue my tori make I talk about my madam and oga dem.

My Madam: She no too good, she no too bad. Sometimes when I go market come back late, she no go even send me. She go just talk say, “Ehen, I know you went to see your boyfriend. Thank God you didn’t stay too long. Now hurry into the kitchen, my baby would soon be back.”

And sometimes when I wash clothes and the ting still get small stain, she go talk say, “You are too dirty Mary, sometimes I wonder if your undies are even clean”; and the annoying ting be say na infront of oga she go shout the whole ting so tey my oga come dey look me one kain.


My Oga: He no too good, he no too bad. Na to dey blow grammer up and down like say im be professor, but I hear say im no even finish unifersity say as im papa die, d guy jus use im papa money push im business so tey the business come grow yakata, now my oga na big man. The man no dey eye me o, na jus jeje all of us be for house.

Myself: Eferibodi know say I be cool babe. I no dey like wahala, na only to dey wish say one day I go be like my madam. I go get housemaid full ground. One go dey wash my clothes, another one go dey iron my clothes, another one go dey cook my food and the last one go dey go market, abi wetin man pickin want again for this world?

So make I continue my tori. As I enter dem madam room, I jus go straight to the wardrobe because I no wan waste time. I rush comot my wrapper, come wear the trouser. Omo men, if you see as the ting fine for my body ehn, you go wan tief me! Na as I dey comot the trouser na im I hear person dey come the room side. Omo, see as I dive enter the wardrobe, even Jackie Chan for give me award. The door open and as I hear my oga voice dey talk with im phone, e be like say dem pour cold water for my body, wetin I go talk say I dey do for dia room?

“Yes, it’s fine. I was thinking we could go for that art exhibition taking place at the art gallery.”

I no know wetin the pesin reply am but I hear as im laff.

“No, Tunde. I am married and you know I wouldn’t stray. If you bring that lady over to the exhibition, I may persuade wifey to come with me and that could be quite unpleasant for the lady and yourself. Quit trying to make me fall man, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt my wife. Look I’m going to put you on the speaker because I want to take off my clothes”

Chei, Oga abeg no comot your cloth, abeg! God where you dey? But e be like say even God dey use me play as my oga comot im cloth finish come even mess on top.

“You are crazy men! Why would you fart like that with me on speaker?” The voice from the phone ask my oga.

“Really, that’s a ridiculous question. I can do whatever I want in my house. Moreover I am alone.”

Abeg Oga you no dey alone o, no mess again abeg. Kai! The mess smell no be small. Shey na de food wey I dey cook dey make oga mess smell like this?

“Hey man, I’ve got to go. I want to have my bath and freshen up before wifey comes home. We’ll talk later.”

My oga cut the call come enter bathroom. I manage come outside as I say make I look for my wrapper wey I throw inside wardrobe wen oga dey come, na im one big abarra land for my back.

“So this is what you and my husband do, when I am not around?!”

All my body shock and piss nearly comot as I bin hear madam voice for my back. Una don forget say I no wear pant and my yansh jus chook outside as I bin wan bend down carry my wrapper. As I turn face madam, I jus weak because I know no how I wan take talk am. Make una helep me!

________

What to do, what to do?

This is a short story by Enoquin. Read more from her on Naijastories.
Culled from Whynewhitmanwrites.com

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROSTITUTE

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROSTITUTE
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROSTITUTE

(BUSINESS/ ENTREPRENEURIAL LESSONS FROM THE PROSTITUTES)

Wisdom can be picked up from the mundane to the meaningful. I know you are already asking questions and making judgments about the correlation between prostitution and business.

Well, this article is in no way endorsing prostitution or encouraging it. It is illegal and it undermines womanhood.

But that does not mean we can’t learn instructive lessons from it adopt and adapt it to our business/enterprise.

LESSON 1

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER?

As you know, prostitutes don’t just go into prostitution just because it is the oldest business in the world, they venture into this “business” because they have something to offer to their “clients”. It is imperative to figure out what you have to offer before embarking on that business voyage. It is your offerings that determines you earnings. Nobody is created empty. You have a treasure chest on your inside patiently waiting to be harnessed.



LESSON 2

STRATEGIC LOCATION

You don’t see prostitutes standing in every street corner; because not all location is conducive for their “business”. You can hardly find a prostitute in front of a church or a mosque, they are found in front of brothels, hotels, night clubs e.t.c . In the same vein, you need to figure out an ideal location strategic enough to help you make profit. That is why most entertainment practitioners (musicians, comedian, actors, presenters) move to Lagos If they desire to make it big because Lagos is the hub of entertainment in Nigeria. It is your location that determines your allocation. M.I Abaga left Jos for Lagos, A.Y the comedian left Delta state University after completing his university education for Lagos. Never underestimate the importance of a strategic location to your business.

LESSON 3

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

Once you find a good location, your competitors will trace you there, it’s just a matter of time. There is not much you can do than to differentiate yourself from the competition. Prostitutes also have this challenge which is why you usually see plenty of them in the same location, so if they desire to be successful, they have to stand out. You must constantly communicate your uniqueness to your customers/ clients.



LESSON 4

VISIBILITY

If prostitutes don’t make it clear with their clothes and actions that you could pay them for sex, no one would ever know that they were for hire.

They don’t maximize billboards or other means of being visible but they are still seen and hired. As an entrepreneur, it is vital to maximize platforms which help to amplify and announce your business. Platforms like: Newspapers, Magazines, Television appearance, starting a blog, maximizing social media (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin) e.t.c



LESSON 5

APPEARANCE COUNTS

If prostitutes looked and behaved like a nun while standing on a street corner, they would all be broke. They are clad in outfits that show cases their body structures and what they stand to offer. In business and other spheres of life your appearance is key. A friend once said: “You can’t be dressed like a suspect and expect to be treated like a prospect”. How you package you products and services goes a long way in determining your patronage.

LESSON 6

ASSOCIATION

Prostitutes do not associate with nuns and nuns do not associate with prostitutes. Who you are, is who you attract. In the business terrain, who you know, might just be the key to your next big business deal.

LESSON 7

INVEST IN YOUR BUSINESS

Prostitutes make it a point of duty to invest in nice clothes, glamorous hair-dos, make- ups, the best perfumes, manicures, pedicures and so on in order to keep themselves in the game. You need to sink some cash into reading books, the latest journals in your field, the popular conferences in your industry, in order to stay fresh and relevant. Always allocate a percentage of your profits to building up your business.

Applying these lessons to your business can catapult it to becoming the next big thing. Keep your eyes on the prize, keep re-inventing your business and I will read your success story.

MORNING DEW WITH BETTY IRABOR

Morning has broken and its praises to God...
One critical month in the life of Genevieve, we couldn't go to press..we needed money; about million naira! Pressure was mounting but what could i do? I sat in my office downcast. I am not a praying person under pressure so i just waited...for what???. This was where the story changed.
A Nigerian woman (Mrs Nwuba) and and her British partner waited at the reception downstairs to see me. ...Same ol' same ol' story I mused. People will come and talk big about advertisement plans and never come back and wont pick your calls ever again.
I invited this pair into my office and summoned my marketing team to join us. Talk started and gradually my mood began to lift when they asked for a 2 year Revlon advert campaign; 3 insertions per edition. They then went ahead to write a cashable cheque!!! OMG!
As a parting shot, the woman said; you don't know me but I have always admired you and Soni....... Today, please be uplifted!!!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

We never regret at the things we fail at, but at the things we hope for but never attempted-RICHMOND DAYO JOHNSON

SUCCESS STORIES MADE IN NAIJA...5...THE AYO ANIMASHAUN STORY

AYO ANIMASHAUN


Every day the world gives birth to new names .Names that were never attached to any achievement or invention prior to the time of their recognition. So many individuals go through life nameless, not because their parents didn’t thought it wise enough to give them names, but they didn’t consciously engrave their names in life’s hall of fame. One man who has been able to make a name for himself in Nigeria ’s fast growing entertainment industry is Ayo Animashaun.His Products, HIPHOPWORLD MAGAZINE,HIPHOP WORLD AWARDS AND HIPTV, does not need any introduction if you are familiar with the entertainment industry in Nigeria . His company, Smooth Production has been credited with a lot of innovative ideas like the HIPHOP WORLD EXCLUSIVE PARTEA, which is held in Lagos and London . But it wasn’t all that rosy for Ayo, as he had to start from the scratch and kept on scratching till he got on top of his game. Here are some lessons we can learn from his rags to riches story:



-PURSUIT OF PASSION: Born in Kwara state (though his parents are from Lagos ), Ayo completed both his elementary and secondary school in the state of his birth. At 16, he gained admission into Kwara State Polytechnic to read business administration. While in school , he discovered he has passion for music, which explained why he hanged out a lot with some of his classmates after class at a close by record store.Ayo knew where he was heading at a tender age, and was willing to pursue it.A young chap called me recently, and was sharing with me his fears which has been stopping him from pursuing his passion. I told him to lean on his faith and ignore the fears which is peculiar to every one alive. Passion is a prerequisite for being a highflier in life.



PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: According to Peter Drucker:’Today knowledge has power .It controls access to opportunities and advancement”.Ayo came in contact with the timeless classic THINK AND GROW RICH by Napoleon Hill which was given to him by a friend.” The book said what the mind can conceive the mind can achieve” said Ayo.Unlike what many would have don instead of dismissing the ideas in the book as something that would work only in the US , Ayo was able to act on the content of the book which changed his life dramatically. He said:’ I tell people it’s not the number of books you read, but the number of things you take seriously and apply.’ Never underestimate the time you spend in improving your mental bank account because one day, you will withdraw what you deposited into it, which will make you profits.



CREATE A PRODUCT: in the words of Ayo:’ I used to write a lot of lyrics, and my friends will come to me to write lyrics for them for them’. This hobby inspired him to compile all the lyrics of the songs he knows in a book format. Having discovered that a good demand for song lyrics existed, Ayo decided to publish the lyrics which he achieved after completing his O.N.D(Ordinary National Diploma).Fela durotoye once made this statement:’ Create a product from your passion”. Sunny Ojeagbase created Complete Sports from his passion for sports. One of my good friends Olu Omoniyi once said: ‘People won’t pay you for what you can do; people pay you for what you have done”. So roll your sleeves, and get to work. Let humanity benefit from your God given potentialities.



PERSISTENCE: It wasn’t a smooth sail for Ayo as he encountered a lot of obstacles in raising money for his idea.’ I didn’t have any money, but it’s about the passion and the willingness to go out there and achieve result’ he said. Without relenting Ayo finally found someone who loaned him 1,000 which he secured by putting his TV and radio systems as collateral. At the venue of the book launch people were waiting, but the books were still with the printers .Ayo’s heart was broken on that day, but he resolved to be resilient. He picked himself up and 300 copies of the book were eventually produced. It wasn’t easy when I started out as a syndicated columnist I encountered a lot of rejections like my articles not being published, and not being acknowledged, but today I make a living from writing.



DO W.I.T.(Whatever it takes):Ayo decided to push his song book into the market. He got a wheel barrow to display it and moved the books to Central market Kaduna where he sold directly to people. The song book sold out and there was a reprint. The young publisher was living like a king on campus with loads of money to spend.’ Men who have resolved to find ay for themselves will always find opportu unities enough and if they do not find them, they will make them” says Samuel Smiller



NETWORK: After his youth service he decided to publish a magazine for youths which will centre around music and entertainment. He named it HIPHOP WORLD MAGAZINE despite the challenges of raising money for the idea. He was going through some papers when he came across fame magazine, he contacted Kunle Bakare one of the founders, (who is now the publisher of Encomium magazine).His contact with Kunle got him a job at the then Fame magazine which earned him 1,200 in a month. Despite being paid stipends Ayo saw the opportunity to acquire skills and learn the process of putting together a magazine .With sheer diligence and raw doggedness, HIPHOP WORLD was published. For every thing you desire, you must recognize the fact that it has already been achieved by someone else. All you need to do is to apprentice yourself to that person and learn how to climb your way to the top.



CONCLUSION

Passing through debt, hunger and inability to fuel his jalopy car, Ayo gradually grew hip-hop world magazine. In 2005, he launched HIPHOP WORLD AWARDS, which first edition took place in 2006.In December 2006; he put together a team for the launch of HIP TV his TV programme which now airs in several mainstream TV stations. With over 40staffs working for him and a brand name that gets the attention of corporate organizations, Ayo is a model in doggedness , persistence and triumph .The truth is that you can’t go back and make a brand new start , but you can start from now and make a brand new ending. Go make it happen!

FROM STREET CORNER TO CORNER OFFICE....EMPIRE STATE OF MIND..THE JAYZ STORY

Author Zack O'Malley Greenburg Talks "Empire State of Mind How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office"

Business has always come first for Jay-Z.

Hip-hop's king manages to diversify and expand his brand better than most entrepreneurs, and he's built a veritable empire in the process. Of course, it started with those airtight rhymes the world loves so much, but Jay-Z is a whole lot more than a rapper—he's his very own multi-million dollar corporation. In addition to records, there's clothing, liquor, restaurants, and almost every other profitable entity under the sun somehow connected to HOV. That business savvy is really what sets Jay-Z apart, and that's the subject of Zack O'Malley Greenburg's enlightening, engaging, and excellent new book, Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office. Greenburg zeroes in on Jay-Z's ability to hustle in the studio and in the boardroom, creating a fascinating look at the businessman behind the man. In addition, he writes with a rapid-fire prose that makes Empire State of Mind flow like an novel or film, keeping pace with the rap artisan's rhymes. Greenburg has crafted a definitive study of Jay-Z…

Greenburg sat down with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for an exclusive interview about "Empire State of Mind" and so much more…

What threads together all of Jay-Z's different business pursuits?

On the simplest level, it's money. He's got a nose for money and not just where it is but where it's going to be. He's really good at taking educated risks. First, it was getting into the clothing business and selling that at the right time. Then, it was getting onto the executive side and being chief of Def Jam. After that, it was the touring deal with Live Nation. If you look at all of these deals that he does, he seems to do them right at the peak of the market. By the time he's done with them, people think, "You could never get a deal that good ever again." Most recently, that's what happened with the Live Nation deal. He was one of the last big 360 deals to go down before the financial crash. We haven't really seen anything like that happen since.

What inspired your take on Jay-Z in Empire State of Mind?

I've been writing for Forbes in various capacities since 2005, and hip-hop became one of my focuses. After a while, I did a couple of big web packages and stories on hip-hop and the business of hip-hop in the magazine. Some editors at Penguin decided they wanted to do a book on Jay-Z so I think they just Googled "hip-hop" and "business", and my articles kept coming up. That's what really piqued their interest. When they came to me and asked if I would do it, it was really a no-brainer. I was more than happy to do it.

In order to add color, was it important for you to set the scene of your interviews and provide these personal vignettes?

Definitely! I'd never written a book before. Obviously, I've read quite a few books [Laughs]. Because we didn't have the immediacy of following Jay-Z around in person, I tried to bring the reader into the interaction by inserting myself as a narrator at some points. My aim was to bring out these guys like Fab Five Freddy, MC Serch, and Branson B. who were really colorful characters in the grand scope of the music world. I wanted to get a sense of their personalities and what they bring to the table in describing Jay-Z.

How tough was it to track down Damon Dash?

That was probably the toughest one. Quite honestly, I used the back channels to get his cell phone number, and I just called him every day for a month until he picked up. Then, he didn't want to talk to me so I kept calling him every day the next month. Finally, he was like, "Alright, I'll talk to you." He gave me some time on the phone, and he went through some of the early days with Jay-Z. It was a really valuable contribution. In a lot of ways, he was the guy who gave Jay-Z his introduction to self-promotion and the legitimate business world. I think Jay-Z learned from him really quickly to the point where he exceeded Damon. Eventually, their management styles started to clash against each other, and they both felt marginalized by the other in some ways. That's what led to the breakup. In a lot of ways, they were destined to split up because Damon is a more in-your-face guy and Jay-Z is more laidback. He'll wait for it, ask questions, and then make some sweeping point at the end of the meeting. Jay-Z has said the fights that you have on the way up are a lot different than the fights you have once you get there.

What were you listening to while writing the book?

I really tried to immerse myself in Jay-Z. I listened to other music from time to time, but it was at least 75 percent Jay-Z. Since the book is written mostly in chronological order, I tried to listen to the albums during the period I was writing about when I was working on them. If I was writing about 2002 and Jay-Z's transition, I'd listen to The Blueprint 2 which has a lot of valuable content in terms of where he was emotionally. Sound-wise, it said a lot about his journey in different ways.

Empire State of Mind flows like a novel. Do you tend to read more fiction than non-fiction?

I would say I tend to read more fiction. Growing up, I definitely read more fiction. In college, I was obligated to read mostly non-fiction. That was where I started to make the turn. When I read for pleasure now, I read fiction, but I also try to read music business-related non-fiction books. Maybe it's a vestige of my earlier reading habits.

What's your favorite Jay-Z song?

"Empire State of Mind" is the title of the book so there's a certain affinity for that song. If I had to pick one as my favorite song of his, I'd go back to Reasonable Doubt. "Can I Live" is such a classic. I absolutely love that track. He samples Isaac Hayes' "Look of Love". It's mellow, but it's got this grandeur to it. I think Jay-Z's rhymes on Reasonable Doubt were even more intricate and thought-out than even some of the stuff in the middle of his career.

What's next for you?

That's a good question! I want to do another book. I've been tossing around a couple of ideas informally, but I haven't had time to flesh them out yet. Hopefully, over the summer we'll have a chance to!