Continue reading »]]> In 1979, the election was between Awolowo and Shagari – Nigerians voted Shagari (an unknown grade 2 teacher hyped by the cabals of the day). 22years later, the same Nigerians learnt nothing from history  – I would have been expecting people who have been voting recently since 1999 (after years of military rule) to be more “open and fair” when choosing their leader but I guess my views are insane and unpopular as I watched with tears people jubilating and popping champagne over the win of GEJ.

As a good loser, I congratulated my opponents and sucked it in – the win was just too awesome as the numbers were clear whom Nigerians wanted. 7 months later, I am surprised at peoples’ complains – “Boko Haram Bombings, Fuel Subsidy Removal, ASUU strike, Incessant Power Supply, etc”. How can one make a choice and be complaining about it? The choice in itself was beyond comprehension – imagine you own a company and you wanted to select a General Manager between two candidates.

Candidate A Profile

I am a Christian from the South of the country like you and I believe in God’s favor over my life. I have been acting in the capacity of the General Manager for 1 year now though I was the Deputy General Manager for two years. Before the getting to the position of Deputy, I was the Manager of the Sales Department; I became the Manager because the other Manager was accused of fraud. During all my appointments, which came through Luck, I have achieved nothing in fact; sales dropped drastically when I was managing the Sales Department. However, I am a likeable person and no body in my region has ever been the General Manager. Your company will be better if I am giving the chance to serve as your GM.

Candidate B Profile

Unlike you, I am a Muslim from the North. I have been in the position of a General Manager 17yrs earlier. As the General Manager, I implemented quality processes which where pivotal to company’s bottom line and employee motivation. I protected the company’s brand and improved it amongst all stakeholders like suppliers and customers. Please, check company records for references. Though the General Manager’s position was taking from me, I humbly took the position of the Project Manager for Diesel Supply some years later, where I not only saved the company millions of Naira, I initiated and implemented an Education Trust Fund for the wards of the employees. I know that I am strict which is not a likeable characteristics but I believe more in company progress than human sentiments.

If you truly own this company and you want to leave a legacy for your children’s children to the 10^th generation, would you have chosen candidate A? If you are privy to a Pilot’s record which shows abysmal and reckless handling of his simulation testing and he wants to fly for the first time and you are to be the passenger; would you agree even if he is a likeable person from your tribe and religion? If in our everyday decision, we demand excellence amidst sentiments, why do we trivialize the most important job vacancy – leadership – since everything rises and falls with it?

It is important to note that I am not anti-GEJ or blaming him for anything; the truth is that I actually like him. However, he cannot do beyond what he is equipped to do; please, cross-reference the parable of the talent in the bible. All responsibility goes to the citizens that complain especially the ones that voted him in – why blame another for what you caused? No matter the debate, forum discussions, arguments, tantrums, etc, the way forward is that we work with him as the President…

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Continue reading »]]> Africans may be myopic in recognizing the most difficult issue facing them– the general agreement is that HIV is the number one killer but I disagree because Bad Leadership takes precedence and ranks higher in priority. While HIV infects in an Arithmetic Progression, Bad Leadership attacks in a Geometric Progression. Before HIV can attack a whole country, it will take years but with Bad Leadership, a week is enough to destroy millions of people and the initial target populace for the two syndromes is those in the low-income bracket.

The only prevention we seem to have against these viral infections is how we choose to exercise our choices. One of the most difficult things to control, as humans is our emotion; somehow, our emotions fool us and we cannot make an informed decision when the moment comes. However, I will keep saying the obvious; “Prevention is cheaper and an easier solution than cure” but when you are already infected with the syndrome, you just wait while millions die because as you proffer solutions, puns must also die.

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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 »]]>  I was held down by traffic just 30 minutes to the close of my daughter’s Open Day in school; I realized how important it was that I attended such function but my thoughts were already defeated; “I can’t make it on time – what a waste of effort with those Catholic Schools and their strict regimen”. I decided to turn around but a voice in my head painted the picture of me as a quitter so I persisted watching as the clock ticked away.

Somehow, I got there before the close of the function and was able to do all I was required to do. As I was leaving the school meditating on the importance of “persistence” and how far it could take one in life, I saw a colorful hard cover children’s bible – I fell in love with it and bought it for my daughter promising her that I would read it to her every night before she goes to bed. 4 weeks after, I have neither read it once to her nor have I read it myself.

As I sat in my sofa meditating clouded by early morning darkness, it occurred to me that the most important ingredient to success is not all this stuff that we run around trying to acquire but a simple character trait called “Integrity” – just do what you promise or claim you can do (no excuses). It goes deeper than honesty or a particular moral conduct – it is aligning oneself to your core belief; a oneness of the spirit, soul and body. Your words align to your deeds.

The whole concept of “honor amongst thieves” has always piqued my curiosity – how can thieves trust each other? How can crime be organized? If the popular belief concerning criminals is true, then it is impossible to have organized crime. The success of the organized crime in the 1920s in America proved an important point about integrity – it does not matter which side of the law you are or which particular religion you adopt, success begins with integrity.

It is impossible to influence people without integrity – the ability to influence people is a key component to achieving goals (no matter how small). Due to social or economic pressure, there is always a “disconnect” between our core believes and our outward expression. When this happens, your level of authenticity starts to erode and intuitively trust issues begin. I will reference an anecdote from Acts 19: 13-15, NIV version of the Bible.

A Chief Priest, A Jew and seven sons of Sceva tried to exorcise evil spirit from a man. The evil spirit questioned their authority to do so and humiliated them. They were trying to do what they do not believe in; I can picture a Chemical Engineer working in a bank due to economic pressure; five years down the line, he/she is complaining about being stagnant. As a young man in life, I realized how common this flaw of keeping one’s integrity is disregarded and how it has shaped careers or perception of people.

Since I can remember, I have been propositioned by youths on either getting a job or getting a loan to start a business. There was this particular speaking engagement in Ibadan where a young man blamed his condition on his inability to get a loan. From his own admission, he seems to be proactive, hardworking, innovative and gregarious but his suppliers refuse to extend him credit. So I started my preaching by telling him that the word “credit” simply means trust.

The issue may not come from him but on the perception of his suppliers on extending credit – they may have a history of being burnt. I asked him what he has been doing to change this perception – “have you told them you are coming at 2pm and you reached there 10 minutes later; did you promise to buy a certain quantity of good but you reneged; do you dress in a questionable way; did you ask for a little quantity of the goods and demonstrate to them over time that you could be faithful.”

When people trust you, life becomes easy. The issue I realize is demonstrating that you can be trusted. When you ask young people looking for jobs to intern for free or volunteer, they simply find it difficult to do. Although trust is built over time, you must start with one person at a time no matter how low you regard the person. One common mistake is to assume that you are defined in life by what you posses, where you work, what you do or the personality you assume. What defines you is your integrity – a man they say is as good as his word.

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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 »]]> I posted this particular interview in November, 2006 during my early days as a blogger and working with Globacom. I remember aspiring and dreaming of what it will be like to leave paid employment to live like Ade – our prodigious investor – whose words still inspire me despite a radical change in circumstances. As you read through the interview, I will advise you to focus on the spirit of the his words rather than the letter:

1. How old are you?

Ans: I know you might think I am young but I started quite early. I am 27yrs Old

2. Where do you currently reside?

Ans: Surrey, United Kingdom

3. Can you let us into your background (your school, career and experience)?

Ans: I went to a Federal Government College in Ogun State and came to UK to study HND in Business and Finance and B.A (HONS) Marketing but I have worked and trained as an Accountant even without the formal education to back up my Accounting experience. The good thing about UK is that you can be what ever you want to be by acquiring the right experiences. I am constantly educating myself. I am currently working towards a BSC degree in Financial Services with Institute of Bankers in UK, the purpose of that is to help my Finance business which I hope to develop in future. I am also a trained Mortgage adviser and currently working on getting a UK license and I will be able to recommend finance for any property transaction. My personal investing experience is a slow and steady one. I have acquired knowledge by reading lots of books on investing and actually going out there are doing what investors do. My particular favorite reads are autobiography of successful entrepreneurs.

4. What made you decide on being a full time investor instead of career personnel?

Ans: I am one of the lucky people that know what they wish to become when they grow up. By knowing what you want in life you have already achieved half of it. At the age of 19 I decided on what I want and that is to be a Mega Investor.

5. If you were to start your career again, would you have done anything different?

Ans: I am a young man and my career is still well opened for any changed. If I were to go back I would have done everything the same way. I will not change anything mainly because every obstacle or difficulty I meet on the way is a lesson. I am also very happy that I have gone through some difficult lessons at such an early age.

6. An average guy comes to you and says “Ade, I have got 100k in my savings, where do I begin my investment from?”

Ans: 100,000? Naira or Pound. Just joking I know you mean Naira. It’s very simple, visit a Stock Broker and Invest in shares I use a few but www.crossworldsec.biz is my best broker at the moment. NSE (Nigerian Stock Exchange) is one of the most profitable exchanges in the world according to top business analyst around the world and according to my experiences. Leaving your money in the bank can be a good investment for someone already into investing and wish to diversify. A good bank savings will be the GTMAX account. But if you have just N100, 000 then shares is definitely the way forward, it’s an absolute waste to put that amount sitting in your bank account. You will only make the banks richer. If you have N225, 000 to invest or N450, 000 then I will advice you to put your fears aside and invest some time in investigating Nospetco then invest in them.

7. There are so many guyz working in Nigeria and need where to invest; from your experience in investment, can you enumerate best sectors, avenues and platforms to invest in?

Ans: There are lots of good sectors for investing in Nigeria. It’s a matter of getting at the right place at the right time. A few of my favorites are Properties, Farming, Petroleum, Pharmaceutical, and Finance. At the moment the Finance industry and Farming are thriving its worth looking at and the property business is always a thriving sector also should not be ignored. At the moment most shares I buy are divided into two categories; long term investment or short term. Long term investment are shares or investment I wish to leave for a minimum of five years and the short term investment are those I want to cash in the moment I make a significant amount of return. I use this principle in all my business decisions weather its shares, property, equity trading, venture capital etc.

8. You seem to be versed in investment opportunities outside Nigerian, can you let us into some of the opportunities available to Nigerians.

Ans: There are lots of opportunities available to Nigerians all around the world. If I were to start I will write a whole book on it. The first advice to any prospective investor is to become a very competent investor in Nigerian before venturing out. Investing outside Nigeria is a Dog eat Dog world. You can get buried in a day if you don’t know what you are doing or you could be very successful very quickly if you have the “know how”. The two main types of investment to a budding Investor outside Nigeria are shares (UK – FTSE 100), USA shares (Dow Jones index or NYSE) and Property (you will need a minimum 30% equity and the remaining will be bank financed). To deal in UK share you will have to join a broker, there are two main services offered by UK or USA brokers. I) executing only which means you tell the broker what you want to buy and he gets it for you without any questions asked. II) Advice and Execution the broker advices you on the best shares to buy, they also advice you on when they think you should sell. There are a few good UK brokers out there but I use Barclay’s stock brokers for both my UK and US transactions. If you are too scared of investing in shares then look into UNIT TRUST, its investing in lots of shares under one umbrella. I especially invest in up and coming businesses in the London stock exchange or the USA Dow Jones index. They are very volatile shares which could be wipe out in a day or doubled within few days or months. I am still hoping to hit a jackpot in shares something like Microsoft, Dell, Amazon, British Petroleum etc. Hitting a jackpot in share is investing in a small company that will eventually grow to be a big company e.g. Microsoft. In 1985 someone that invests £1,000 in Microsoft will have grown the £1,000 to £250,000 by 1999 that is what I call a shares jackpot. Another example is Jeff Bezos (Amazon founder) parents invested $300,000 in their sons business in 1995 and by 1999 when Amazon went public they became billionaires. They are both worth in the region of $3 billion dollars each. Imagine if you had invested $300 it will be worth something like $300,000 by now.

9. You are currently a NOSPETCO proponent, can you let those who are high risk takers to understand the best strategy to getting the best out of it.

Ans: I stumbled into Nospetco about 2 years ago and it has overtaking all my investment in Nigeria as the most successful in term for turn around in breakeven. There is no best way in approaching Nospetco other than do your homework and invest the amount you are comfortable with. The way I have approached my Nospetco investment is a bit risky and different to a lot of people. I started out with one after a month; I increased it to two. I started getting comfortable with it and then injected capital and increased it to 20 and I slowing increased it to 25 with the returns I got back from Nospetco. After a while I decided I wanted my capital out ASAP, in other to do that I needed to invest more. I increased my holding to 50 slots and the moment I got back my Capital of 25 slots I liquidated 25 slots and returned to 25 holdings. I will not recommend this method to anyone, if things had gone wrong I would still have been ok but that will not be the same for a lot of people.

10. Give us a brief detail of the normal life of an investor? I always thought investors sit around watching TV and drinking while their monies are making more money.

Ans: lololol ha ha ha ha ha that is very funny. There are different types of investors and success levels. When I retire perhaps I will sit in front of the TV and play Golf all day but at the moment I am still a young man trying to achieve my goals. I am no where near where I want to be. For me a typical day will be going through my sources looking for new opportunities, meeting prospective business partners and viewing properties. Property is a big part of my daily activities, liaising with my banks, estate agents, solicitors, tenants etc. Like I said there are different types of investors and I like the hands on approach. But eventually my goal will be to sit and watch intelligent business men and women invest my money in their businesses and give me my return. It can be a very boring life if you don’t keep yourself busy especially for a young man. Money will not be a problem but there will be too much time on your hands and you know what they say about an idle mind.

11. From an investor perspective, what is the best way to combat unemployment?

Ans: In terms of Nigerian. I will advise people to invest in up and coming businesses this will give companies the required revenue they need to grow which in turn will create employment for our much needed graduates. Also someone with a N100, 000 and no job can easily become a self employed investor by carefully buying and selling shares from the NSE. I will also advise existing businesses to consolidate and join forces with rivals to create a stronger entity. I see lots of Nigerian businesses failing simply because the owners what to do everything themselves. This will slow down the development of the company and reduce employment. Let’s support our banks by being their customers, in turn they will invest in local businesses which will help create jobs for our brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, mum and dad and neighbors.

12. Do you believe schemes like NOSPETCO can eradicate unemployment?

Ans: This is a hard question because I don’t know how long Nospetco will be here for or when there investment capacity will be full. Let’s assume Nospetco is here for the long hol then I will say yes Nospetco can be a good vehicle in eradicating unemployment to an extent. An average man putting together N450, 000 to collect N40, 000 a month is not bad barely in mind there are lots of people out there earning far less than N40, 000 a month. The extra time this person will have can be used to creating other opportunities or spent helping out people less fortunate e.g. working for a charitable organization for free.

13. If you were to advise an upcoming young investor, what would it be?

Ans: I think I have answered this in few of the questions above. I will advise them to have a dream and don’t lose your dream. Write down your goals and steps you want to make to achieve them. Give yourself a deadline for each of your goals and do something everyday towards your dream. It could be something as small as calling a broker for more information about their services. Never wait till you have lots of money before investing. I started with peanuts investing £100 or £200 in UK shares and I built it from there. It’s never too early and it’s never too late to start. Having a good and supportive partner (wife or husband) helps a great deal in becoming successful. Communicate with your partner set your goals together. The investing part is the easy part, the hard part is having the right frame of mind and setting your goals and the hardest part of it all is making the FIRST STEP. The universal rule for new investors is never to invest what you are not ready to lose e.g. don’t borrow money to invest if you are inexperience and just starting out. Also when you become a competent investor or business man you will need money from other to become VERY RICH (e.g. BANKS or INVESTORS) its hard to become extremely successful with your money alone (maybe I am talking in terms of the UK).

14. Do you regard yourself as a success?

Ans: The answer to that is absolutely NO. I have not achieved a quarter of my goals I still have a long way to go and I thank God I have started. I pray God continue to guide me through the right part and give me wisdom during the difficult times. Success is measured by each individuals dream and definition. I am a young man and I learn every day. All my investment deals and technique have not been taught to me by anyone I learnt everything I know on my own. I don’t have a mentor or a rich father to start me out. All I have is the ambition, determination and dream to succeed.

15. Can you give us a scenario where you lost a lot of money, and you used this loss as a foundation for greater profit?

Ans: This is also a difficult question. As an investor you are bound to lose money now and again and sometime the only lesson learned is that the investment is not for you. The good thing about investment is the maximum amount you can lose is the capital you put into the business and your profit level is infinite. For example if you invest in Nospetco for N450,000 and they go burst the most you will lose is N450,000 but in they continue to thrive then your profit level is infinite N40,000 a month until whenever. Every lose I have made in any business or investment I have not regretted because I take my time in investigating the business before piling my money into it. To be honest I don’t know how best to answer this question so I will leave it as it is. If I were to write down all the loses I have made in business we’ll spend the whole day here. As an investor my profit is defined not by individual investment but by the profit I made in successful investments or business minus the loses I made will equal my profit. To be honest I don’t like focusing on loses especially when I am talking to prospective investors at the same time I want them to be aware of the risk involved in investing.

That’s it folks I got work to do. Cheers

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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

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

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 »]]> Over the years, I have come to understand the power of Personal Self Development and how a consciously aware individual can cause positive change within his/her environment. However, almost everywhere in Nigeria is without form and void and darkness seem to persist in the face of the deep hence we need LIGHT!

Not just light that is placed on the candle stand but light that has the capacity of spreading and illuminating other candles. This is what knowledge does but not just any knowledge but a portable one that can be applied to every facet of an individual’s life.

I have witnessed first-hand the working knowledge of Project Management; I have realized that it goes beyond career advancement or economic empowerment. One very dramatic thing happens to those that attend our Project Management Trainings – they see their world differently. This change in mindset alone will make improvement in their personal lives and work environment – it will eliminate countless frustrating problems and add priceless value.

In order to achieve true repentance, we set a goal – all participants must obtain an international certification. Although the reasons to obtain certification cannot be over-emphasized:

• 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 his or her own professional destiny.

• Certifications are portable since they do not depend on one company’s definition of a certain job or level of training.

We look beyond this justifiable reasons and use certification as a tool to focus on the conscious self-development of our participants and making excellence the goal post.

Studies have shown that the most important way to achieve excellent performance in any given career is to practice; champions do not become champions when they win, but in the hours, weeks and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character thus excellence is an art won by training and habituation

We strongly believe in these words and earnestly hope that you will open your heart as you go through our PM menu below. Above all, we have been able to successful re-segment an existing market with a low cost strategy and have produced 5 target markets to focus on.

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

2. PMP Certification – This is targeted at individual work force with 3-years and above work experience.

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.

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.

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.

I welcome you as you begin your great journey to total mind renewal as you choose whichever target you fall within. Get ready to soar to greater heights in life. Get ready to differentiate yourself amongst your peers. Get ready to become a role model.

Remember, if you work hard, then you can play hard. I will conclude with the words of Ed Parker:

“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.”

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Continue reading »]]> “our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measures. we ask ourselves who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous,  actually who are u not to be; we were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people the permission to do the same” – Marianne Williamson

Freedom is a concept that I am very interested in and like I have mentioned in my earlier posts, freedom has nothing do with being self-employed; you could be gainfully employed and be at a higher level of freedom than someone who is self-employed. You may read my earlier article; “Before you leave that job“ to get a good grasp of what I am saying. One of the major words associated with freedom is independence (from external stimuli like person, organization, etc). The less you depend on the external body, the freer you have become.

My search for a job after my compulsory one year military service exposed me to an insight that has guided me throughout my career. There is nothing as demoralizing, heartrending and pathetic as competing with your peers for a limited position. The most painful part of this experience is the lack of awareness that there are better alternatives. Wait! I think I should correct myself; I believe we were aware but on a subconscious level, we chose to stick to pursuing a goal that had a 99% chance of not happening – thirty thousand fresh graduates seeking for ten advertised position.

It actually seems like madness but it keeps happening again and again; we keep pursuing dead-end situations; it almost seems as if we enjoy the wild goose process rather than the end. Day-in day-out, people jump from one test center to the other, hoping (earnestly hoping) that it would be different this time, but it remains the same. Fast forward to present times, I realize the same program functioning; we are looking for the “in” thing; we are focusing all our power and energy depending on a path that we are subconsciously aware would produce the same failed result – why jump into an MLM program when you know it would fail? Why? When you know only a few people would reap the benefit just like the limited advertised position?

A story in the bible aroused my interest (John 5); it was about an impotent man in the midst of other impotent men (the bible referred to these impotent men as lame, blind, paralyzed limbs, etc). These impotent men struggled to get into a pool that had the potential to heal them but there was one limitation – only one person can be healed at a season – the first person to jump into the pool. This caused the said impotent man to dwell in the same position for thirty eight (38) years waiting seasons upon seasons without ever achieving his dream of being potent.

The solution to this impotent man’s problem was an alternative to the pool; he dwelt so much on the pool as a panacea that frustration set in (38 years); “I can’t be potent for I have no one to help me into the pool at the movement of water. While I am trying to enter, someone else always gets in ahead of me”. Does this man’s situation sound familiar? It sounds very familiar to me; when I could not get a job on time, I blamed my parents lack of connection; when my salary was not commensurate with my peers, I blamed the company I worked for; when my business was not succeeding amidst friends that were succeeding, I blamed my choice of business and ultimately the government.

I never cared to look at another alternative; it was an alternative that was easy to figure out but somehow, we miss it. Jesus told the impotent man; “stand up, roll up your sleeping mat and go home”. I was inspired with this advice during those job-hunting days that in one of the test centers crammed with about twenty thousand fresh graduates, I refuse to take the recruitment test instead I stood up, rolled up my sleeping mat and went home. I decided to depend on the power within me; I researched, developed and created my first book; it was a book for job seekers. It increased my financial worth till I wanted more, so I joined the bank.

I realized something quite funny; I developed the power within me instead of running a wild goose chase that when I joined the bank, I rose up in ranks faster than my peers. Hence, I stuck to this winning formula – always develop the power within you and with time, you would be the leader. Forget about the external stimuli – your salary has not been increased for some time, focus on developing the power within you rather than join your peers complaining. If you focus on developing the power within you, a company that is better would appear in your radar.

Standing up (or developing the power within you) is not as easy as I am making it appear; it involves some certain process that you must pass through. It is by developing the power within you that you gain you more freedom. The stories are all over the place – a certain accountant friend of mine was earning 35K a month and keeps complaining, he developed the power within himself through certifications and now works with Oando for 500K a month. A theater arts graduate with no hope for a good paying job in Nigeria developed the power within her with a degree in film making and has produced the first Nollywood film on a 35mm Camera with Hollywood actors.

The moral of this article is simple; your destiny is neither in the hands of any person nor organization; if you develop the power within you, you would surprise yourself. The process of standing may require a lot of fallings but when you stand, you stand. The mat in the Bible story above signifies all the resources that is within you (talent, money, people, etc.). Jesus did not say, take another person’s mat, He said; “roll up your own mat”. Please, I would appreciate it if you do not ask me what the latest business is instead ask me what can you engage in to develop the power within you. Simple, join our Project Management class. Click HERE. Have a lovely week!

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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 »]]> About 2 months ago, I was invited to speak on the subject; “Project Management in Small Business”. I was immediately excited about the topic and started meditating on how to connect these two topics together. With the rising failure of small business operation in Nigeria, I discovered with shame, how easy it is to adopt Project Management (PM) practices to solve small business challenge. Every business operation falls under the SIPOC model i.e. Supplier, Input, Process, Output and Customer model. The average Nigerian small business falters under the Process operation, which can easily be rectified by good PM practice.

However, days after getting applauded for my presentation, I discovered that when starting up a business, its success depend more on the entrepreneur than the enterprise. Ever since I wrote the article; “Leaving a high paying job for business”; the one major question that seems to crop up amongst my readers has been; “who is a called entrepreneur?” I may not be able to give you a definite answer but I believe the story of Ruth in the bible may make it explicit enough.

For those who are not familiar with the story; it’s about a Hebrew man with his wife and two sons, left their native country to Moab due to famine. The man died and his two sons each married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. 10yrs later, the two sons died leaving both Moabite women with their mother Naomi. Naomi decided to leave Moab to her native country and the two daughters-in-law wanted to follow her. She dissuaded them from following her giving them logical reason why they should not follow her. The daughters-in-law persisted until she touched on a sensitive subject that made Orpah to turn back.

To the daughters-in-law, the sensitive subject was “husband” but to a modern day entrepreneur, the sensitive subject is “money”. Naomi painted the picture of a hopeless outcome if they follow her – this same hopeless picture flashes through the minds of every entrepreneur that decides to follow the calling. If you can explain what made Ruth to follow Naomi despite the hopeless situation, you can define what a called entrepreneur is. Let me make it very simple; Ruth was called, Orpah was not. A called entrepreneur drives joy in being an entrepreneur and solving problem without being clouded by compensation but when the problem is solved, the compensation always comes.

This is exactly how it goes for those who are called – love what you are called to do and what you are called to do will compensate you. However, success may not be as black and white as I have placed it. There is one particular ingredient that the entrepreneurial success cannot do without – it is the skill of a salesman. I am yet to see a successful entrepreneur that does not know how to sell. Selling is the fundamental skill that an entrepreneur must adopt in order to succeed in his calling. No matter how noble your calling is, you must be able to influence people to believe in your vision by partnering with you, working with you or buying your product or service. If you are a good doctor, you must know how to sell to start your own hospital.

However, you cannot learn how to be a salesman right from the books, you have to get your hands dirty by going through rejections, unbelief and fear. With, constant practice and hard work, you will however make an effective salesman cultivating essential skills like likeability, self-confidence, courage and gumption. Before leaving that high paying job, you can easily join the sales department (not marketing) or proactively put yourself in a position where you need to influence people to procure a product/service. Although, sales in not the only ingredient that makes you an effective entrepreneur; its proportion in the mix outweighs the other individual ingredient and you have a better chance of transiting the wilderness days. Have a lovely day!

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Continue reading »]]> Ayo Oladejo, PMP

1. Give us a brief data about urself?

My name is Oladejo Ayobami Abiodun; I am a graduate of Mathematics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife also holds a diploma in Internet Governance from Diplo Malta. I am an ICT professional and project manager with a relatively broad spectrum including Telecommunications, Web Development, Database Designs, Network Administration and Security, Windows and Unix Systems Administration, Programming, e.t.c. I am a consultant to private companies and also government institutions especially in ICT policy research. My job revolves around the field of Data Services and I am one of the few data services professionals in Africa. I manage projects in diverse fields and I am a Project Management Professional (PMP).

I have successfully managed network overhaul especially in the packet switch/Mobile IP environments for two leading Telecoms operations in Africa. My passion for mobile data products has helped operators to improve on their Average Revenue Per User. My recent efforts brought a very low populated African country on to the map of the biggest Mobile Internet users in the world.

I have co-authored a book titled; Global Process, Local Reality;  a book that chronicles the participation of Nigerian youths in the World Summit on the Information Society process. I am married to Lola and we have a beautiful daughter.

2. Why PMP is useful to an average executive?

A credential like the Project Management Professional (PMP) is very relevant to any serious executive especially with the present events happening in the economic horizon. Most organizations are no longer interested in keeping redundant staff on their payroll but instead run their activities in a projectized manner. The developed countries recognized that a long time ago especially the United States and the United Kingdom; hence the development of project management methodologies. The big companies in Nigeria especially in Telecommunication, Oil and Gas, as well as construction caught the bug earlier on than the rest. A vivid example – most Construction company permanent staff are project managers who go ahead to recruit contract workers to implement projects. This means they don’t keep the skills they don’t need at a particular time. This method is already permeating into other sectors of the economy and even subject matter experts are waking up to the reality that we are in a project controlled environment.

3. Can you give us a scenario where you integrated PMP to your projects?

At the moment; everything I do revolves around projects. Projects are temporary endeavours with a set objective and a timeline to achieve a particular goal. This means I even use it in my personal life apart from my career. Most people actually work by projects but they do it haphazardly in no particular manner where they confuse project management with project directing. Project management is a broad field and the Project Management Institute has done well by evolving a very academic and practical methodology that doesn’t fail if applied very well. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a document which guides the management of projects in the PMI way. This addresses all aspects of a project including – cost, time, human resources, procurement, quality, scope, risk, communications and Integration which are referred to as the knowledge areas. A good understanding of those and the application of the project management processes as defined by PMI namely – Initiating, planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling and Closing will ensure a properly run project.

4. What is the difference between PMP and PRINCE 2?

PMP originated from the United States while Prince2 evolved from the United Kingdom. I get this question many times and I will just say that the first major difference is the way they conduct their credential examination. You must first qualify to write the PMP exam. They believe you must have some level of post-graduate experience as well as maturity to be a PMP. I tell people that qualifying to write the PMP exam is more tasking than the process of writing the exam itself. While not slighting Prince 2; I can rightly say that you can write the exam 2 weeks after finishing college if you have the money to pay for high cost of training. Besides, PMP has gained grounds in many countries of the World today including the UK. Also, the support structure for credential holders after passing is very strong in PMP with a lot of seminars and activities to get PMPs updated and also checking their activities.

Also, Prince 2 is a methodology that is more tailored to IT projects (Though can be used in other projects) while PMP is a body of knowledge that can be adapted to all industries. It is a simple rule of thumb that a project manager should be able to manage any type of project successfully irregardless of the industry or discipline.

5. Is this certification globally recognized?

PMP is a globally recognized credential. A Google check for it will give an even better picture of its relevance in today’s world. Also, the network of PMPs is something you can never fault. Having a PMP means you are recognized as a project manager of integrity. PMI goes through a screening process that ensures its members and credential holders propagate the good image of the institution at all times. One of the benefits of having the PMP certification is that it gives us opportunity to deal with people all over the world without being labeled a scammer. For example; I was able to negotiate some deals and got some items bought and shipped to another address apart from my credit card shipping address just because I am a PMP. Why? The company knows that if they suspect fraud later; they can report me to PMI and my credential will be cancelled.

6. What advantage does this certification have concerning your productivity at work?

A lot. Many of us are not very organized at work. We do our tasks without proper planning. Attending a PMP training class alone even without writing the examination is enough to correct this. It also covers our loopholes. Let me give you an example. Before I got to know about the PMP, I used to make some serious mistakes. A phone call from a boss was enough to get me to do things. I later learned almost painfully that it was the wrong way to behave in the corporate establishments if you want to last long. You need a document; least being an email before you change that software configuration or before releasing the next order. You might say that is common sense but a lot of people have fallen into the trap and many are still doing same. Another vivid example – when the Central Bank Governor did the naira redenomination exercise and it failed – I told people it wouldn’t have happened if he were a PMP. Why? A PMP knows that you cannot start a project without having what we call a project charter. A project charter is a document signed by the project sponsor to give legal backing to the endeavor. In this case, the president of the federal republic of Nigeria is the sponsor but he never signed the dotted lines. Soludo only conversed on phone or in person with him and that gave him the right to deny his involvement. You can see the wisdoms one can learn by being a PMP.

I want to add a domestic angle to this too. Imagine a man trying to renovate his house. He goes ahead and awards the contract to someone without letting his wife and kids in. A PMP won’t do that because he knows what Stakeholder Management is all about. I can go on and on but time won’t permit me.

7. Which particular company departments would PMP be useful to?

Every department needs the skills of a PMP. There is no department where projects are relegated to the background. Some companies are even projectizing their day to day activities in a creative way to make them organized and effective. PMPs are trained and supported to have a culture of turning things around. They are most suited to curtailing corrupt practices especially in procurement issues. Passing the exam is not even the end if it all. You have to be active in the community of PMPs to continue being a PMP. You also have to maintain your integrity to avoid being blacklisted and prosecuted. If you ask me; I think PMPs have a role in sanitizing our nation. You might be interested in knowing that a whole topic is dedicated to professional and social responsibility in the PMP exam.

8. Can PMP compensate for not having MBA?

In a way, yes. Some of the topics in the PMP certification examination are similar to the MBA. You will be required as a PMP to understand business cases, justifications costing and procurement as well as human resources. You are also encouraged to go deeper into these fields after passing your examination to remain relevant and grow as a project manager. Some universities are even offering MBAs with specialization in Project Management and such institutions seek accreditation status from the Project Management Institute which shows the strength of the PMP. Depending on the need of the individual; one might still want to go for the MBA if that is the career path.

9. Any personal success story of any one you know who has the certification

There are a lot of people who have benefited from obtaining PMP. Most companies will require PMP before offering you a Project Management positions. You can also check job boards across the world and see the requirements. I am a success story too. I started enjoying the benefit of a PMP even before writing the examination after attending the training. I started using the principles taught in the PMP curriculum to my day to day activities and it improved my efficiency as well as my ability to deliver projects to time, cost and quality. Before long; I was called to lead a project that was normally the exclusive right of the project office staff in my then work place. Now, I have overseen major network overhaul for 2 big telecoms operators in Africa. I also have also consulted for the biggest GSM operator in Africa due to the mix of my technical and project management skills.

10. General advice for those reading this interview.

Whatever your career is right now; you need to step it up in the right direction by getting the right project management certification. For those who are not yet qualified to write the PMP exam yet; there is a chance to get the CAPM which is also offered by the Project Management Institute. Only those who are relevant will continue getting the right jobs and keeping their present ones. Project Management is an emerging field in Nigeria with just a few hoarding the details; this is a chance for you to break in.

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DIPO TEPEDE IS CURRENTLY OFFERING HIGHLY SUBSIDIZED PMP CLASSES; CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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Continue reading »]]> As an elementary school student, I was always fascinated by Yoruba proverbs especially the literal English translation; the one that particular took my interest was the one about a king’s palace; “when the house of a king burns down, he will build a more beautiful one”. It never truly made sense until I gave up a high-paying job to independently start my own business. First things first, this article is specifically for those who have been called to entrepreneurship.

If you are called, no human needs to tell you because the signs will be very clear – from dissatisfaction at the work place despite the huge salary to seeing opportunities where your colleagues see problem; a knack for creating things for fulfillment purpose and an obvious leadership trait. This is definitely not an exhaustive list but if you are called you will know. However, I will like to make a distinction between “called” entrepreneurs and “circumstance” entrepreneurs.

The latter are forced to entrepreneurship due to circumstances like job loss or money attraction while the “called” has a default entrepreneurship mindset frame. There is a constant unsettling voice in their minds that make them uncomfortable with the status quo. If you have settled on which particular category you fall into – either “called”, “circumstance” or none – then I can move to the most important issue of moving from high paying employee to starting your own business.

I am dedicating a 3-part article series in order to justify this topic. This is the first of 3 series where I will be highlighting some fundamental truth I have discovered on my journey in entrepreneurship. Are you aware that the major difference between a salary worker and a successful self-employed is their mindset? You cannot borrow a salary worker mindset to a self-employed operation and vice versa. This is so important that I cringe when salary workers want to have business by the side.

The rationale appears smart but that is what it is – an appearance – grow the business by the side and when the business is matured enough, leave the paid employment to the mature business. This cannot be effective for the fundamental reason of difference in mindset. Imagine pouring water into a cup filled with water; the water will never enter the cup, it will keep overflowing. This is what happens when a salary worker tries to operate a business venture.

There is a common thread that intertwines every self-employed entrepreneur that has succeeded in leaving paid employment – the beginning was always challenging and difficult. The challenging and difficult period is what most “called” entrepreneurs try to avoid by all means that they decide to start a business by the side to circumvent these periods. Anybody that tries to circumvent this period is like a man building a house without foundation.

This challenging and difficult period is what I will term the wilderness period – its function is simply to remove the salary worker mindset and replace it with a self-employed entrepreneurship mindset. For anything new to come to your life, the old one must go – the two cannot exist in the same space just like introducing water into a water-filled cup. The bible puts it this way; you cannot pour a new wine into an old wine skin, it will simply burst.

It’s amazing how people want to hold on to the old and they want the new introduced. The king in the Yoruba proverb will never have built a better palace if the old palace did not burn. Don’t bother wasting your time sourcing business by the side and have someone run it; if for some wonderful reason, the business succeeds and you leave your job to take over the business – all the decisions you will take will crash the business back to it’s humble days.

If you are truly “called”, you cannot jump classes; it is impossible – it will always catch up with you.  Also there is the divided concentration thingy while working and doing business – one persons business must suffer – it is either yours or your employer. However, there are things you can do while working that is void of conflict that can make the wilderness experience less excruciating. I will discuss this with you in the next series of articles. Have a wonderful 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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