Continue reading »]]> For most forward thinkers, this season forces them to reflect and cast new visions for the New Year. For those sane people who would set new standards and avoid undergoing the same dysfunctional process day-in, day-out, I wish them well as they would need courage to achieve such dreams. The truth is that I am one of such people – I will be setting new standards for my life. Although I may not be able to share all but I will major on two public areas of my life – Blogging and Project Management Coaching.

Blogging –

The little fame and fortune I have been able to garner has been through blogging. I started blogging in 2005 to improve my writing skills that was abysmal at that time. In 2006, I saw it as a platform to share my insights and provoke readers to living above average. In 2007, I gave up a lucrative career in Globacom, to major on it full time. In 2008 and 2009, I started writing very long quality articles that really got me a tribe of followers. In 2010, I could not sustain such momentum because I had to think of the economics of family and focus more on trading.

I was no more consistent – I use to churn out one quality article per week but now I find it difficult to churn out 1 quality article in 2 months. I tried my best to maintain the momentum in 2011 but other lucrative ventures came to stay. The painful part is that God gives me wisdom constantly to share on this blog but I neglect it due to other activities that seem to crowd my thoughts. It was until I saw Seth Godin’s blog that I realized what I needed to do – from 2012, I will start blogging frequently not once a week but like minimum of 3 times a week.

The articles may not be long (this may be the last longest article you may receive from me on this blog) but it will be quality, timely and by God’s grace, it will impactful. Kindly watch this space. Instead of creating long articles, I will start creating FREE reports of about 8-10pages on experiential and researched skills and knowledge. However, there is the downside especially those that receive my blog post as a newsletter – your mail box may be crammed from my posts; if this does not go down with you, please, feel free to unsubscribe – you can simply come here and check for the latest post (well, that’s if you can always remember!).

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Project Management Coaching –

We started the Project Management Class in September 2010 and it has been successful till date producing 295 graduates at every alternate month. When we started, our vision was simple – To produce 50 Project Management Professionals (PMP) in one single calendar year. We were able to produce 30 PMPs out of our graduates. First, it is difficult to get our graduates to take their PMP exams and for those that decide to take it, most do not follow our laid down regimen given us a 90.9% success rate.

We realize that the issue was with the vision – we were interested in the quantity of PMPs not with their personal development. If we can successfully change their mindset during training, we will not find it difficult to get them certified – focus on the quality of the process and the product is guaranteed. In view of this, from January 2012, we will be introducing a tough regiment during the training period that will ensure that every single graduate we produce will be able to write the PMP exam and succeed at first try.

As oppose to waiting for 8 week of rigorous studying after the training to write the exam, everyone that graduates from the training can write the exam the next day and pass. This will be a 3-weekend training incorporated with 2 weeks supervised online training. This regiment we have proffered will eliminate laziness, increase effectiveness and renew mindsets. We know change is not easy but the prize is worth the effort. Thus, we are no more interested in the quantity of PMPs we produce but in the quality of PMP.

Our Project Management vision is now; “Empowering Excellence”. To solidify this vision, all our impending graduate, in addition to receiving the quality training leading to PMP certification, have access to FREE Microsoft Project Training – ensuring that their knowledge is not just theoretical but practical. We are going beyond the ordinary to provide quality value, which comes at a huge cost. To this end, we will be increasing the Training Fee for our Project Management Class from March 2012, which means we will be given a window of opportunity to those attending the January class to experience our new regiment at our regular price.

Interested in our Project Management Training, click HERE

Happy New Year in advance!

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Continue reading »]]>  Last month, November 2011, I had the honor of being featured in Obtainer Worldwide – the biggest MLM and direct sales magazine in Europe and the Middle East – in a close up story titled; “Multi-Level Marketing creates New Millionaires in Nigeria.” The story takes a cursory look at the MLM situation in Nigeria highlighting the possibility of Nigeria leveraging on such a powerful platform of empowerment – this puts us in a good light as regards Direct Foreign Investment.

I am so proud of this article and the opportunity for expression. Though I was the feature person for this article, I cannot take full credit for such a wonderful write-up because I had help from some Anonymous Extraordinaire like Doris Nojoroge, Junior News Editor of the Obtainer Media – she is a Kenyan based in the UAE.

To read the story, you can click HERE and turn to page 110 – 112 or download the PDF copy of the particular page by clicking HERE.

Please, kindly comment and give your honest opinion. Have a nice day!

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Continue reading »]]> If you have gone through any Project Management Training or you have/had experience working as a project manager, it’s time to integrate project applications to your everyday dealings by making project delivery seamless, more effective and efficient.

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Prerequisite for Attendance

It’s 100% hands-on and practical. All delegates must come with their laptops and notebooks installed with a minimum of Microsoft Project 2007. Wireless Internet is FREE throughout the training session.

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Overview

Microsoft Office Project 2007 and 2010 is robust software used in managing projects in corporate and government organization. It can also be used and customized for personal projects. It is a powerful tool to help you break a project down into manageable parts, identify potential bottlenecks and keep your project on track.

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Training Objective

• Build a project plan, enter tasks and develop calendars

• Establish task constraints and deadlines, and create task dependencies

• Creating and Assigning, Managing, Forecasting human and material resources

• Learn how to create and use project files / forms and other planning & controlling documents such as the charter, scope statement, performance reports, proposals, issue log, risk / stakeholders register, and so on.

• Put the power of Scheduling and other Planning tools such as Gantt charts, Earned Value Technique and PERT to work on a project

• Use MS Project to Plan and Track projects progress

• Develop a project plans from start to finish

• Monitor and control project time, cost, quality, contracts and procurement management

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Training Schedule and Price

Date: Saturday, December 10^th, 2011

Time: 8am – 8pm

Fee: N40, 000 Inaugural Offer: N25, 000

Limitation: Only 10 seats are available for the inaugural offer and payment ends on the 30^th of November 2011

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Payment Information

All participants interested in enjoying the inaugural offer must make the full payment of N25, 000 before 30^th of November 2011 to:

Access Bank

Poet Solvers Limited

0006551542

After making payment, payment info should be sent to me@dipotepede.org

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Contact Information

For all enquiries and further information, kindly use the contact info below:

www.dipotepede.org/contact-dipo
Skype: dipotepede
Facebook: dipotepede
BB Pin: 21D13BEE
Mobile: +2348074999911

Fixed: +23417100868

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GUARANTEE

100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ROBUST SOFTWARE.

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More on Project Management Classes:

1. To see our Facilitators, Testimonies and Pictures, kindly click HERE

2. CAPM Certification – This is targeted at undergraduates, fresh graduates and those still figuring their career path. Click HERE

3. Six Sigma Black Belt Certification – This is targeted at executives and managers who are interested in becoming indispensable at their work showing mastery at systematic and structured problem solving methodology. Click HERE

4. Self-Study – This is targeted at those who for one reason or the other cannot attend the classroom training but want to obtain the CAPM or PMP certification. Click HERE

5. Study Group – This is targeted at individuals who have finished their CAPM or PMP Formal Training and want to go ahead to pass their exams at first try. Click HERE

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Continue reading »]]> I was recently invited to a seminar at the Chamber of Commerce on Affordable Housing in Nigeria though I was not able to attend; my colleague was duly represented and sent me the report. I liked what I saw and decided to post it for public consumption. Please, kindly note that I have no connection with the organizers in any form or kind – I am just sensitizing those that are interested. Please, see below:

It commenced by 10:50am with an opening prayer by Mr. Tunji Akinyoade (Div. Head, Treasury & Investment).

Mrs. Olajumoke Fashanu (GM, Business Development) stepped in to speak on the topic.

She started by introducing the organization that organized the event as Resort Savings & Loans (RSL) Plc. Mortgage Bankers. RSL was incorporated in 1933 and commenced in 1934.

She explained that RSL had a vision which is: A Leading and Reputable Mortgage Banking Services Provider.

She gave the Mission Statement of RSL as “Rendering Seamless Mortgage Banking Services that ensure Customer Satisfaction and Impressive Returns to Stakeholders in a Technology Driven Environment”. She also added that RSL is also involved in building businesses.

She introduced the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) program managed by RSL as their means of financing affordable housing in Nigeria. NHTF was established by decree No. 3 of 1992 to facilitate the continuous flow of low-cost funds for long term investment in housing for the benefit of Nigerians.

The kind of Loan Amount that can be had by an individual or corporate body was given as seen in the table below:

Equity here means the cash or ready money an individual or a corporate body has to have available in the National Housing Fund Account before the loan can be released. E.g. If one wants to take a loan of N10,000,000, the equity .i.e. the ready money that one has to have in the NHF account will be (20/100)  × N10,000,000 = N2,000,000.

The features of the NHTF are:

1)    Minimum initial deposit of N20,000

2)    2% p.a interest rate on NHF deposit account.

3)    Automatic qualification after 6months of continuous contribution.

4)    Repayment period is 30years.

5)    NHF loan attracts 6% p.a interest rate.

6)    The property is the sole collateral. i.e. properties with a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).

Target Audience of the NHTF is:

• Low and Medium income earning individuals.
• Private Sector employees and Public servants.
• Self-employed, Businessmen & Tradesmen.

Benefits:

• Repayment loan is like monthly rent repayment (1/3 of salary)
• Your contributions does not determine the loan amount

The questions raised were answered. The following are the questions raised and answered:

Question: When mortgage bankers explain their way of banking, it always seems like the procedure is so simple and there are no backdoor charges. Does RSL have any backdoor charges?

Answer: RSL has no backdoor charges rather there are associated charges with the each home that is developed. There is a charge of N180, 000 for each home.

Question: What if someone already has his/her equity ready. Can such a person pay the equity at once instead of building it up and get a loan immediately?

Answer: The idea of building the equity is for those who do not have it at once. If one has the equity ready, such a person can pay and get a loan within a space of 6months.

Question: Can RSL help those who already have landed property possess a C of O since it is very difficult to get one?

Answer: Helping people to possess a C of O for their landed property can be arranged.

Question: If a person eventually gets his own property through RSL, is a C of O readily available for such a person?

Answer: RSL has a global C of O to safeguard your property until yours is processed and tendered as long as you get your building through them.

Question: If someone already owns properties and wants to have a joint venture with RSL, will that be made possible?

Answer: If one wants a joint venture, RSL will look into it and come to a decision.

Question: If an individual has already built properties in different states around the country, can RSL help that individual manage these properties?

Answer: RSL can manage your properties for you and make it easier for you to get value for your properties without having to run around the country every time. They delegate people to make sure that the properties are exactly the way you want them and see to it that your tenants pay up when they should.

Question: Can you get as many loans as possible?

Answer: The NHF loan is only available to an individual once in a lifetime. In other words, you can’t get the loan two times.

Question: How can one register to have access to the NHTF?

Answer: For paid employers, the company registers and then the individuals come to process their loans. If an employer wants to register on his/her own, that person will be registered as a self-employed person.

Question: If you already have a building that has not been completed and need RSL to help out, what is the procedure?

Answer: RSL provides a bridging loan. To get access to this loan, you open a NHF account which is keyed into the RIMPLAN. The downside to this kind of loan is that the % per annum is 18%. It is advised to try to get a loan overtime so that the % is lower.

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Continue reading »]]> About 4years ago, I read an article blogged by Gbenga Sesan titled something like “Take away your VISA and give us Broadband”. It was actually incisive and revelatory at the same time. He argued that if electric power and broadband became a ubiquity, we would have fewer people on queues in the VISA offices. He used a personal anecdote to substantiate his point and after many years of enjoying the privilege of broadband services in Nigeria, I can safely say he has a strong point.

A majority of my business is done on the Internet so I may be biased on how the Internet has positively changed the Nigerian culture so I wont go that route. However I will focus on the broadband services in Nigeria and their effectiveness. I came across the Internet in 1999 during my undergrad days in OAU and my passion for it has continually increased since then. Due to this passion, I have acquired up to 9 different Internet Service Providers’ modems since 1999 and only one has been consistently stable and great.

Two out of the nine modems have been stable but only one out of the two stable ones has been really great. I watch everything on broadband from the latest premiership league to the latest series on American TV. I do courses online where someone from China can remotely access my desktop to teach me effectively. What about cheap quality phone calls? I call N10 per minute to Nigerian mobile networks and far cheaper internationally. I do majority of my businesses from the comfort of my bedroom closing deals via the Internet.

I have been with Swift Broadband since 2007 and it has saved me a lot of money. My 2MB 24hrs subscription gives me 120 minutes free calls to any telecom network in the world and unlimited data services on weekend and in the night, which is exactly when I do my heavy browsing. I can also share my wireless modem with unlimited users and Swift Broadband has plans for different demographics from students, corporate executives to corporation. You can click HERE to access their website and their various residential plans.

I have tried other networks in between but none has truly measured up. It is a duty to celebrate something that works in Nigeria. I always wanted to inform a lot of peeps about this good Internet service provider in Nigeria but I have always put it off due to one thing or the other. When one of their staffs called me up about an amplified bonus they were having, I knew this was the time to sing the song. If you are interested in joining this stable network and get a bonus 30 days free broadband service, you can click HERE to contact moi. Have a lovely day!

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Continue reading »]]> I have asked myself several times why it is important to keep score of success and to continuously remind myself about the “why” I do what I do. Exactly September 2010, we started our Project Management (PM) class not having an idea where it will lead us – our mission was simple – provide quality PM class at a remarkable price. Emphasis was on quality. How do I empower Nigerians with a world-class training and save them 60% of the prevailing cost of attending such trainings. I am no Father Christmas or Mother Theresa and I do not believe in Free Education either. I believe that education should be accessible and must cost the recipient something or it will be abused.

The rationale behind my belief system is that I attended a tuition-free MBA program where I witnessed first hand how the citizens of the country abused it. The program was very thorough which made most of the students drop the program half way to join another program and if the new program was difficult, they simply drop it again because it was tuition-free. International students outside Europe could not afford such luxuries despite the fact that it was tuition-free, as they have to calculate other costs that made it possible for them to attend the program. The aim of every serious educational program is to produce first-class graduates who can fully represent its ideals. This is what we set out to do.

The cost of attending a Project Management Class at the time we started did not make it accessible to career conscious individuals who were not earning over one million Naira per annum. Its one thing for education to cost you, it’s another thing for education not to be accessible because of the cost. I cannot begin to overstate the importance of such knowledge to a country like Nigeria littered with failed government projects. It is on this premise that I began the journey together with my partners – Maureen Iyasele, CEO of Jobmag and Dayo Ogunberu, a season Project Manager. We started with 25 students and have soon trained 260+ students on a bimonthly basis producing 26 PMP certified and 2 CAPM certified individuals.

Taking a reflection over this achievement, I realized that we have so much going for us – an accessible training fee; experienced and first-rated faculty; wonderful ambience; great learning environment; conducive training center; high-class meals; valuable study materials but what I hold dearly is the family we build with our graduates – we keep tabs with them till they get certified and look for avenues to either get them internship or look for permanent jobs for them. God has given us grace in this area and we will do everything we can to exploit it. We will update you as we go ahead.

However, in July 2011 class, we introduced the Part Scholarship offer to make the program accessible to those who want to attend the program but for one reason or the other are not able to foot the whole bill. Against my better judgment, my partners decided to hand twist me into a Full Scholarship Offer negating my belief that education must cost the recipient something but on hindsight, I realized that the process of getting the scholarship is a cost itself. Miss Similade Adewuyi (picture above) of the Edifice magazine, was the first beneficiary of the Full Scholarship in September, 2011 and she has this to say after the program:

“This is an eye opener for me because even though I have executed some projects before, training in this environment has really challenged me. I am going to work some more on myself.”

For those interested in our full scholarship for our November class, essay entry closes by October 15^th. Please, click HERE to get more details. Have a lovely day!

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Continue reading »]]> Back in my undergrad days, I wondered why students were crazy about their weights. Whenever weight guys (permit me to call them that) come around chanting; “check your weight” – almost everyone wants to check their weight. It wasn’t as if we had anything to worry about since the school routine forces us to be healthy – the word “dieting” was not even in the lingo. No matter what we ate, the strenuous activities like reading all night, jumping from one lecture room to the other, sleeping late, waking early and eating nothing close to balanced diet, forces us to be thin and unusually healthy.

However, the tables turn after getting a good job and spending like 3 years into it – there is no mental stress, no worrying, no physical activity – we sit in-front of our computers, attend meetings, go home in our cars and we start getting fatter. It is so subtle that we don’t notice immediately unless we compare our past pictures with the new or we get comments like “wow, you are getting big!” or worst still, guys start taking herbs to prevent erectile dysfunction. The funny part is that we do nothing holistic about it but look for quick fixes.

I started getting bothered about my weight after calculating my Body Mass Index (BMI); it wasn’t as if I could not do what I normally do anymore but I realized the health implications if the trend continues. I have heard, read and seen people who have died of obesity without being symptomatic – just in a twinkle of an eye; he had a heart attack after he was fired from work. The funny part about a high BMI is that it is not physically obvious for some people – you could look thin and still be overweight. You need to go back to your passion of weight- checking as you did during your undergrad days.

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. In order to calculate it, you need the weight (in Kilograms or pounds) or height (in meters or feet). Just insert these two parameters into the BMI calculator and get your result – see the interpretation below:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
• Overweight = 25–29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

There are so many methods one can apply to reducing your weight and staying healthy like going to the gym regularly, eating the right meal, taking long works, exerting your mental energy, etc – doing all this would not be effective if you do not have the right scale to measure your progress. Normally, after the age of 23, your height remains constant, while your weight changes thus what you need is an accurate weighing scale. A scale that is sexy, attractive and most importantly accurate.

We present to you our Electronic Digital LCD Glass Bathroom Scale. We give you digital scales over analogue because they are easy to read and more accurate. This is a must-have for any working executive that sets his/her eyes on it. In our usual style of empowering Nigerians financially, we present to you the Check Your Weight and Make Money Program:

Recommended Retail Price: N5, 000

CYWMM Program Price: N3, 500 (Purchase of a set of 6 units)

Profit on one unit: N1, 500

Return on Investment: 42.857%

Scenario for a set of 6 units

Capital Invested: N3, 500 X 6 = N21, 000

Returns: N5, 000 X 6 = N30, 000

Profit: N30, 000 – N21, 000 = N9, 000

- Imagine this return on a larger quantity……

Sample of 1 unit is at the recommended Retail Price, this program and the price-point is only for Lagos residence and cost of home/office delivery is based on the distance from our warehouse in Apapa. It is averaged at N500. Please, kindly click HERE to make your order or call 08024026912.

We are giving it to you – grab it  now!

Have a wonderful day!

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BONANZA AND SALES OF OTHER PRODUCTS, CLICK HERE

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Continue reading »]]> Jobmag is our new bi-weekly publication, which advertises job vacancies in and around Nigeria. The publication is regularly updated with both corporate and non-corporate positions, periodic training sessions, news and trends in the job market.

With this medium, we aim to reach the hundreds and thousands youths looking for jobs and provide a platform for employers to communicate and share industry standards and ideas.

In the light of the above we need limited nationwide distributors.

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So what’s in for YOU?

- A FREE STARTER PACK of publications valued at NGN 20,000, hence no capital or registration fee required.

- Earn as much as NGN 80,000 monthly.

- You get sole distributorship in your area.

- Monthly entrepreneurial workshop

- Discounts on advert placement sourced

- Discounts on Jobmag in-house trainings such as Project Mangement, Customer Services and so on.

What’s in it for US?

- You help increase our circulation volume and reach.

- We strengthen our youth entrepreneurship program

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Requirements

To qualify for a free starter pack:

-Pick up a free registration form at the Jobmag office.

- Submit a completed Jobmag registration form, completed by  both distributors and 2 Referees, and should include the following:

- The 2 Referees MUST be working class with their COMPANY IDENTITY cards scanned and attached to the form

-1 Passport Photograph from each referee.

- Each Distributor will be required to provide a valid Identity Card, from one of the following types:

o             Current Drivers License

o             National ID

o             A Valid University ID Card

o             A Valid NYSC Card

- 2 Passport Photographs

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For more information please visit us:

254, Herbert Macaulay Way

Alagomeji, Yaba

For more enquires, call 017403 783 | 018 949 201

www.thejobmag.com

Facebook -thejobmag.com

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This is a huge opportunity for you, your ward or friends to sharpen their entrepreneurial skill and make a clean living – NO CAPITAL; NO COLLATERAL; NO EXPERIENCE…

* Free Registration Form closes on the 25th of May, 2011

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Continue reading »]]> I joined Rotary Club last year and it has been a great ride for me – their motto “Service above Self” resonates with my core belief. In other to promote such great cause, I invited Kunle Sonukan, the Charter President of Rotary Club, Ishara Golden, to our ongoing Project Management Class in May to speak on Rotary Projects with the participants and it was a blast. He expounded on 20 reasons why our PM participants should endeavor to join Rotary. Kindly see below:

If you don’t know, the stated purpose of Rotary is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. It has over 1.22 million members and over 33, 976 clubs all over the world. It is implied that if you are a member of Rotary, you are a citizen of the world because Rotary is in almost all the nations of the world. Please, kindly read 20 reasons to join Rotary by Rotarian Kunle popularly called Big Brother:-

1. FRIENDSHIP: In an increasing complex world, Rotary provides one of the most basic human needs, the need for friends and fellowship. It is one of the two reasons why Rotary began in 1905.

1. BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP: The second original reason for Rotary’s beginning: everyone needs a network. Rotary consists of a cross section of every community. Its members come from all works of life.

1. PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: Membership in Rotary continues one’s growth and education in human relations and personal development.

1. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Rotary is an organization of leaders and successful people. Serving in Rotary positions is like a college education in Leadership; learning how to motivate, influence and lead others.

1. CITIZENSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY: Membership in a Rotary Club makes one a better community citizen. The average Rotary Club consists of the most active citizens of any community.

1. CONTINUING EDUCTION:  Each week at Rotary meetings, there is a program designed to keep one informed as to what is going on in the community, nation and world. Different speakers, different topics.

1. FUN: Rotary is fun; the club project are fun. Social activities are fun and the services are fun.

1. PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS: Many an individual who joined Rotary are afraid to speak in public. Rotary develops confidence and skill in public communication and opportunity.

1. CITIZENSHIP IN THE WORLD: Every Rotarian wears a pin that says; Rotary International and, every Rotarian is welcome and even encouraged to attend at 28, 000 clubs in 188 nations and geographical regions. There are few places in the globe that does not have a Rotary Club. Instant friends in both one’s own community and in the world community.

1. ASSISTANCE WHEN TRAVELLING: Because there are Rotary Clubs everywhere, many Rotarians have needed a doctor, lawyer, hotel, dentists, advice, etc. while travelling – they have found such quickly through Rotary.

1. ENTERTAINMENT:  Every Rotary Club and District has parties and activities which provide diversions in one’s business life. Rotary has conferences, diversions, conventions, assemblies and institutes, which provide entertainment in addition to Rotary information, education and service.

1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILL: Every week and at various events and functions. Rotary develops one’s personality, social and people skill. Rotary is for people who like people or who want to.

1. FAMILY PROGRAMS: Rotary provides one of the world’s largest youth exchange programs, high school and college clubs for future Rotarians, spouse clubs and programs, and a host of activities designed to assist family members in growth and the development of family values.

1. VOCATIONAL SKILLS: Every Rotarian is expected to take part in the growth and development of his or her own professional vocation to serve on communities and to teach youths about one’s job or vocation. Rotary helps to make one a better doctor, lawyer, teacher, or (whatever one does for a living).

1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICS: Rotarian practice a 4-WAY TEST which governs one’s ethical standards, Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and personal relationships.

1. CULTURAL AWARENESS: Around the world, practically every religion, country, race, creed, political persuasion, language, color and ethical identity is found in Rotary. It is a cross section of world’s most prominent citizen from every background. Rotarians become aware of the other cultures and learn to love and work with people everywhere. They become better citizens of their country in the process.

1. PRESTIGE: Rotary members are prominent people; leaders of business, the professions, art, government, sport, military, religion and all discipline. Rotary is the oldest and the most prestigious service club in the world. They consist of executives, managers and professional; people who make decision and influence policy. Not everyone is invited to join Rotary.

1. NICE PEOPLE: Rotarians above all, are nice people: the nicest people on the face of the earth. They are important people who adhere to policy that is while it is nice to be important, it is more important to be nice.

1. THE ABSENCE OF “OFFICIAL CREED”: Rotary has no secret handshake, no secret policy, no official creed, no secret meeting or rituals. It is an open society of men and women who simply believe in helping others.

1. THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE: Rotary is a Service Club. It’s business is mankind, it’s product is service. Rotarians provide community service to both the local and international communities. This is the best reason perhaps of becoming a Rotarian; the chance to do something for somebody else. And to sense the self-fulfillment which come with the process. And the return to one’s own life. Rotarians believe in service above self; it is richly rewarding. “IT PROFITS MOST WHO SERVES BEST”

If you have interest in Rotary and want to know the nearest club in your area, kindly click HERE to contact me. Have a great day!

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Continue reading »]]> It’s time to fire your boss and become indispensable at work and business with the working knowledge of Six Sigma Black Belt.

Studies show that the vast majority of employees possess far more talent, more intelligence, more capability, more creativity, more ability than their job require or even allow. Their deep potential remains dormant, untapped, and unused. With the opening of the Knowledge Worker Age or what most people term the Information age, the greatest asset in any organization is its people – whole people – with their bodies, minds, hearts and conscience all engaged and contributing , and all receiving benefit in the progress of the organization.

The justification for Six Sigma is simple – it is the single most effective problem-solving methodology for improving business and organization performance. There is not a business, technical or process challenge that can’t be improved with Six Sigma. It is about applying a structured, scientific method to improving any aspect of business, organization, process, or person. It is about engaging in disciplined data collection and analysis to determine the best possible way of meeting your customer’s need while satisfying yours and minimizing wasted resources and maximizing profit in the process.

The potential of Six Sigma has remained out of reach for the vast majority of professionals – it has been too expensive and complicated for small-and medium-sized businesses, public institution, non-profit organization, educational environments and even aspiring individuals. 5-day training in Six Sigma Black Belt in Nigeria can cost nothing less than Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000) in Lagos and more outside Lagos. We have decided to empower Nigerians financially by revealing the mysteries of Six Sigma at affordable and neighbor-friendly price.

The strategy is to hold a one-day informative seminar that reveals the mysteries of Six Sigma, thereby introducing you to our facilities and faculty. This will give you the chance to understand all you need to know concerning Six Sigma and judge for yourself if you need to integrate this crucial knowledge to your career journey or business. The seminar is totally FREE but a registration of N5, 000 applies to cover for food, materials and facility. After the seminar, you will be giving the choice to attend our 6-days (weekends) Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and obtain the universal ICBB^R certificate by IASSB. The one-day seminar is a prerequisite to attending the workshop.

Two dramatic things happen to those who attend this seminar. First they will see their world very differently. They see cause-and-effect connections, recognize inputs, process flow, outputs and understand variations. Second, with this newfound understanding and problem-solving knowledge, participants will make improvement in their personal lives and work environment. These changes in mindset alone eliminate countless frustrating problems and add value worth millions and billions of Naira.

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Why Get Certified?

• Certification is an impartial, third-party endorsement of an individual’s professional knowledge.
• Certification evaluates whether an individual possesses the education, experience and professional knowledge to meet industry standards.
• Certifications ensure companies and organization that their training investments in their employees are satisfactory.
• Certification allows an individual to participate in their own professional destiny.
• Certifications are portable since they do not depend on one company’s definition of a certain job or level of training.
• IASSC Certification is one of the impartial third-party endorsements of an individual’s professional knowledge of the Lean Six Sigma standards in the industry.

“Knowledge does not grow like a tree where you dig a hole, plant your feet, cover them with dirt, and pour water on them daily. Knowledge grows with time, work, and dedicated effort. It cannot come by any other means. “– Ed Parker

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One-Day Informative Seminar Profile

Date: Monday, 30^th of May, 2011 (Democracy Day)

Time: 10am to 6pm

Registration Fee: N5, 000 only

Venue: The Jobmag: 254, Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba

Certificate of Participation (Optional)

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One-Day Informative Seminar Content

Six Sigma Basics

• Defining Six Sigma
• Examining the Principles and Language of Six Sigma
• Pinpointing the Essentials of Six Sigma

The People: Who you need to Know

• Deployment Leader
• Champions
• Black Belt
• Green Belt
• Yellow Belt

Understanding and Enacting the Breakthrough Strategy (DMAIC)

• Finding the Pain – Defining Projects
• Quantifying Critical Few
• Achieving the Objectives
• Locking in the Gains

Six Sigma Tool and Technology Landscape

• Identifying Six Sigma Practitioner tool

Crucial Six Sigma Info

• Ten Best Practices of Six Sigma
• Ten Pitfalls to Avoid
• Ten Places to go for Help

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Whether you are a business owner, manager or executive, you have to qualify to participate in this seminar. Kindly send your CV or Business Profile to: sixsigma{at}dipotepede{dot}org. Only those who qualify will be contacted and given payment information. Have a lovely day!

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Continue reading »]]> Please, do not waste your precious time reading this post if you’re not considering entrepreneurship as a near-by option. Also it is important to let you know that this write-up is neither about money-making nor about getting rewards. Then who is it for?  It is strictly for those who want to sharpen their entrepreneurship mentality – it is for those working class executives who feel the thump of entrepreneurship in their hearts but have not had the room to express it. I hope they receive the epiphany that comes with this write-up..

Being a self-employed entrepreneur for 4-years now after 6-years corporate experience, I have realized that almost all problems occur in the mental realm. If I can mentally picture myself obtaining something, it is almost certain I will get it if I work towards it. The truth is that as one grows mentality, every other thing grows with the person especially making money. In order to grow mentally, you must be able to apply yourself in that chosen field and depending on your growth curve; you are most likely going to make mistakes, learn from it, make mistakes again and learn from it and the cycle continues.

Learning from these mistakes is what makes you an expert in that chosen field. So the word expert can simply mean someone who has made a lot of mistakes in his chosen field and learns from them. In the bible, the word Canaan signifies a promise land – a land filled with milk and honey. Everyone wants to reach his or her idea of this land but I realized that getting milk from the cow involves waking up very early, entering and smelling the dirt of the cow before milking it. Similar process applies to the honey except that you may get stung by the bee when collecting the honey.

The interpretation of the above paragraph simply means there is no FREE lunch in Freetown. If entrepreneurship is what you seek, you must start applying yourself in that area of expertise. Leave your comfort zone and seek companies and friendship in that area. If Company B pays lower than Company A and Company B is likely to take you to the promise land, your choice must be Company B. Time is too short to burden yourself with everyday bills – living a purposeful life will make you rich beyond your wildest imagination.

For those seeking self-employed entrepreneurship, marketing and selling is a skill you can never do without. No matter the dream, you must understand the rudiments of marketing and selling as you will surely be the Chief Marketing Officer except you seek a partner that is highly skilled in the area of marketing and buys into your vision. The chances of getting someone like that at your start-up season are negligible. So the only person that must acquire the skills and techniques to milk the cow is you and you can guess who will enter the beehive?

Let’s get it straight, you can never acquire this skill by reading or going for lectures. You must get your hands dirty; you must be able to practice what you dream. In the light of the above, I am hosting an Entrepreneurial Roundtable Meeting that will highlight on Maximizing Entrepreneurial Skills in the Workplace. This meeting will also kick off a sales competition that will sharpen your entrepreneurial skill. It will make you project, analyze and segment your target market. This meeting is strictly for entrepreneurs who are part of the workforce.

Date: Monday, 2^nd May 2011

Venue: Imperial Chinese Restaurant, Ajose Adeogun, VI

Time: 2pm to 5pm

Maximum No of Participants: 10

To be a part of this crucial meeting, kindly send a profile of yourself including work history and entrepreneurial achievement (if any) to me{at}dipotepede{dot}org and include Entrepreneurial Roundtable Meeting as the subject head. Let’s make this year’s worker’s day worthwhile and move our lives forward……

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Continue reading »]]> It was not enough that the month of March was my birthday but deeper than that were aberrations that seem to become the norm. I have long dropped the perception called “coincidence” and stuck the biblical lingo called “purpose” – there is a reason for the season – there is no chance meeting, there is no chance happening, there is no fluke – everything (no matter how ugly, bitter. Sweet, coincidental) are working together for your good. The bible really does have a sense of humor.

At the end of our Project Management class, we celebrate the highest scorer of the mock exam by giving the person one of our highest selling products. For the past three classes in Lagos, we gave out the Twin Tub Washing Machine – a product that does not require unnecessary plumbing work – saving the owner installation and maintenance cost; an energy-saving device – reducing green house effect and other associated costs; what buyers appreciate most about it, is the ability to wash hard materials like jeans, duvet and soft materials like baby clothes to sensitive materials like suit using any kind of detergent.

The Twin Tub Washer became a must-have for participants of our Project Management Class especially those who could not get the highest score. However, the month of March was quite unusual as we had classes in Lagos and Abuja and the highest scorer for both classes were guys that attended the training with their individual wife. This was quite unusual and worth highlighting. In Lagos, it was Mr. Agama winning the Twin Tub Washer for his wife, Mrs. Tonbara Agama, on her birthday and in Abuja, it was Mr. Ogedegbe winning our fastest selling product – A pair of Rechargeable Fan. I called Mrs. Itohan Ogedegbe two days after and she said ecstatically;

“This Rechargeable Fan is the perfect gift for me – I don’t have to put on the generator to sleep thereby accommodating noise and wasting hard earned money on fuel. It’s perfect as I feel fresh in the morning.”

Does it mean bringing your spouse to our Project Management training translates to winning our high selling products? Following our classes in March, I will definitely say YES! But that is not the point; coming to our PM class with your spouse indicates seriousness in career growth and personal self development. It shows that you are willing to carry your spouse along your growth curve and also increases the chances of utilizing the educational investment which will spiral down to better communication leading to stronger relationship. The bible says in Ecclesiastes that a three-fold cord cannot be easily broken – you, your spouse and Project Management……  (lol)

Interested in Project Management Class – Click HERE

Interested in Twin Tub Washer – Click HERE

Interested in the Rechargeable Fan – Click HERE

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Continue reading »]]> The year is ending; we need to close our books and get rid of old stocks. So we are offering opportunity seekers in Lagos, the deal that may either save or put money in their pockets. Unfortunately, this deal closes while the old stocks last but we forecast 20th of December, 2010. Forget about hampers this XMAS, these are gifts that will inspire the recipients to pray for you forever…….

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1. Mini Washing Machine

We have sold 4, 312 units of this product from April this year till date; it’s quite hot! You can team up with your colleagues to procure it or simply sell to them. The choice is yours! Check out the features;

• 12 months warrantee.
• It requires no plumbing work
• Power consumption is just 140w (i.e 2 light bulbs); it can be powered conveniently by I BETTER PASS UR NEIGHBOR
• It can use any detergent and soap compared to the customized detergent (like Persil) of the traditional washing machine
• It can wash jeans, bed sheets, shirts, etc.
• Weight is 5.5kg, very light and has a sleek design with Timer;

Price = N18, 500 Wholesale Deal = Buy 2 units @ N16, 500 each (Save or Make 2K each)

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1. Power Massager

This is a potentially fast selling product that every executive should have to relieve stress. It can be used in the office, in the car and anywhere.

• Perfect gift for your parents and wife

• It improves blood circulation and reduces stress and pressure.

• Suitable for all parts of the body; relaxes muscle and makes you feel comfortable

• It has three LED illuminated massage head during working time

• Could be used in the office, at home, anywhere
• It has 12 months warrantee

Price = N5, 500 Wholesale Deal = Buy 5 @ N2,000 each (save or make N3, 500 each)

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1. Car Air Purifier
Simple and short; it brings nature to the city and commonly referred to as “Vitamins in Air”……

Product Features (Summary):

• Plugs Easily and Directly into Car Lighter Socket
• Generates Negative ions to eliminate odors and allergens for a fresher driving environment
• Avoid dizziness, dazzling and nausea caused by small space and poor ventilation.
• It can promote blood circulation and metabolism, regularize internal secretion by inhaling a lot of negative ion air.
• With colorful light, it can relieve strained mind and adjust the atmosphere in the car.
• Effectively Eliminates Odors, Dust, Pollen and Smoke
• Helps Relieve Fatigue and Promotes Alertness
• Attractive Illuminated Tip
• Chemical & Maintenance Free Design
• Quiet Operation
• It has 12 months warantee

Price = N5, 000 Wholesale Deal = Buy 5 units for N3, 000 each (Save or make 2K each)

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1. Car Vacuum Cleaner

The most effective way of cleaning the interior of a car is to vacuum clean it

• makes use of suction technology which reduces the pressure inside the vacuum cleaner forcing outside pressure to compensate the vacuum created inside the pressure
• This forces the entire microscopic agents (dust, tick, fleas, etc) inside the vacuum cleaner
• It is washable
• It has 12 months warrantee

Price = N5, 000 Wholesale Deal = Buy 5 units @ N3, 000 each (Save or make 2K each)

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To participate in the wholesale deal, kindly call 08024026912 or click here to make your order

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Continue reading »]]> Investing in capital project especially for commerce will create a ripple effect that will affect the Nigerian nation positively. This write-up is for those who are interested in short and long term loan from one million dollars and above. The costs on loan are quite friendly (4% – 13%) and note that you are required to pay nothing unless a BG from Barclay’s Bank covering the amount you want is provided by the financiers:

TYPES OF FUNDS

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PRODUCT 1

Registration: GBP1,000.

Short term funding for all viable import trade.  Requirement is 13% interest to be paid in advance after invoice have been submitted and verified. Customer/trader obtains a proof of fund document from a local commercial bank showing that they have such funds to pay the interest and deposit same with fund arrangers. Customer obtains an invoice from supplier and give to arrangers for the financiers. LC is opened and goods are supplied.
Tenor of this loan: Customer will have it for 1year (12months).
No other costs. All costs are paid once within the interest charged above.
All types of trade may qualify.
Amount possible; Up from $1mn -$10mn
Disbursement begins after 10 bank working days maximum.

Finder’s fee to be negotiated with the client.

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PRODUCT 2. Medium term loan.
Registration: GBP1,000.

Amount available per project: $10m
Customer will pay $150,000 to obtain international BG

Customer will pay $30,000 to the funds Arrangers

Customer provides proof of fund (P.O.F.) for the $180,000 above (to be issued by customer’s bank to Barclays Bank, London).
Customer writes a Letter of request and completes all the necessary forms.

Customer submits International Passport Data Page.

Customer gets offer letter and communicates acceptance.

Customer releases payment for the BG and Arrangers fees.

Customer submits a feasibility/cash flow report & other documents.
Loan contract agreement sent and signed.

Disbursement schedule is sent to client.
Disbursement begins from 30days maximum.
Tenor allowed:  5years renewable depends on the project.
Interest on loan: 4% (fixed) per annum.
Other bank fees: 2% flat only.

Finder’s fees to be negotiated with the client.

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PRODUCT 3. Long term & capital project
Registration: GBP1,000.

Tenor allowed; 5yrs-20yrs
Amount; $5m -$100m

Customer writes a letter of request and completes all the necessary forms.

Customer submits International Passport data page.

Customer gets offer letter and communicates acceptance.
Customer will pay 4%of the loan to obtain international BG (2% to be paid upfront, balance to be deducted at monetization)
Customer will pay $50,000 to the funds Arrangers.

Customer provides proof of funds (P.O.F) for the 2% deposit for BG, and $50,000.Arrangers’ fee.

The issuing Bank confirms its readiness to issue the BG and Funding Bank confirms readiness to fund the projects.

Customer releases payment for the BG and the Arrangers’ fees.
Customer submits a feasibility/cash flow report & other documents.
Loan contract agreement sent and signed.

Loan disbursement schedule sent to client.
Disbursement begins within 45days maximum.
Moratorium allowed: 1-3 years.
Interest on loan; 4% (fixed) per annum.
Other bank fees; 2% flat only.

Finder’s fees to be negotiated with client.

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GENERAL CONDITIONS:

(i)                  Letter of request from the Borrowers

(ii)                Completion of (a) Clients Information Sheet (CIS), and Non Circumvention and None disclosure form.

(iii)               Submission of International Passport Data Page.

(iv)              Business Plans with Cash Flow Projection.

(v)                All loans are subject to review after 72 hours.

COST OF FUNDS

(I)                 Between 3.5 to 5% interest rate per annum, depending on the type of loan.

(II)               2-4% Collateral fees.  There must be proof of fund (POF) from the borrower’s bank.

LOAN TENOR

The loan is for a period of 1 year and can run to 15 years depending on the project and the type of loan required.

TIME FOR PROCESSING

We give maximum of three months to get the loan ready for draw down depending on the quality and time of the documentation from the borrowers.  A loan has been granted within six weeks with all documentations in place and conditionality fulfilled.

Kindly, contact me if you are interested. Just click HERE.

Have a wonderful week!

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Continue reading »]]> “When an entrepreneur takes a risk, jobs are created” – Carly Fiorina, Former HP Boss

The Life of a successful person is mostly based on trial and error – he tries various possibilities, assesses varying outcome, and then sticks to a successful formula. This is the way it works at least for most successful people I come across. In 2007, I experienced a windfall in Network Marketing but many people especially those that believed in me got burnt. There were successful peeps but the numbers were small in ratio to the ones that failed.

When I resigned my job, I told myself that I would do my best not to leave a bitter taste in the mouth of any human being. I realized that I needed to make a lot of adjustments to the way I added value – I dropped Network Marketing and stuck to product sales. It was quite challenging in the beginning with the quality of the products and online distribution but I quickly got it right. I live comfortable on product sales but I realized that this was not the reason for setting up my blog.

I wanted to empower people financially – I wanted to teach people how to fish in whatever venture they found themselves. I looked at unemployed graduates, their immediate need is to get a job so I tried my best to provide info on job vacancies; I looked at the workforce executive, their need for promotion and I tried to make their lives easy by providing low-cost Project Management Class; I looked at start-up entrepreneurs and I am connecting them to accessible cheap funds.

However, I realized that in order to juxtapose these three sets of people (unemployed, executives and start-up entrepreneurs), I needed a workable business model that I may adopt to help them. The only thing I believe will work is Network Marketing. Why? It requires little capital for start-ups, it leverages on helping people rather than helping yourself alone, it creates an avenue to build an asset that will work for you (Plan B for workforce executive), etc.  However, I am dragging my feet in adopting this model of business because of past experience but I have seen it help so many people in other countries. There must be something the Network Marketing proponents are missing in Nigeria – I really don’t know what it is but I am hoping to find out.

As long as Nigerians are heavily into “Contribution” to gain lumps of money and “word of mouth” is a prevalent life style; I see Nigeria with its population and life style as a hub for Network Marketing but for some reason, people taste the bile and run 440km/hr. Who is to blame: The leaders: The Business Model: The Packaging: Low Result: Lazy Attitudes: Conscience? In order to truly understand successful Network Marketing model, I decided to avoid asking those who may appear to be successful in it but are undergoing “trial and error” and ask those who have “been there, done that” for more than 15 years. In the coming post, I will interview Robert Butwin – a seasoned multi-millionaire (in dollars not pesos) –  about insight on Network Marketing. Have a lovely week!

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