What I am learning...

Hello! I know I have been gone for a while now. In the time I have been absent from this blog, I have been busy with a couple of things. First, I finished NYSC and I really wanted to be part of the parade. So I spent the week of Valentine's in rehearsals for the Passing Out Parade. With that done, I am back in Lagos attending the Social Media Week.

Social Media is something that every business person should at least give a consideration. It is not right for every audience but it is a good tool for creating brand awareness. I am sure somewhere down the line I would have more of an in-depth discussion on social media.

One of the things that has stood out to me during social media week has been how everything really comes back to the big picture of business and entrepreneurship. I have learnt that to be successful in business, one needs to be consistent.

I have attended so many sessions during this social media week and if I had to choose one buzz word for the week, it would be "consistent". Consistency relates to not just the act of building brand. It applies to product, to service, to management, to human resources. It applies across the board.

So, if you are wondering what you are possibly during wrong, ask yourself  "Am I being consistent in my business?"

Avoiding The Kitchen Sink

The other day I was talking to my cousin about a venture he wanted my opinion on. As this cousin reeled off the list of things that the business will be doing, all I could see was a red neon signing flashing before my eyes. STOP!

Must Read: BIg Technology Has Found A Big New Opportunity

I am reading this Business Insider story that I believe other entrepreneurs ought to read, especially African ones. The article covers the recent convergent of big technology companies in Africa as market participants. If big corporations are finding opportunity somewhere, it means there is an ecosystem that is waiting to flourish. If you think that because you are small, you can't partake in this new opportunity you are wrong. Even size of company has the ability to benefit when a new market opens up. The companies just need to figure what their strengths are and tailor it to the new market.

Please go ahead and read this article and let me know what you think.

How Not To Lose Friends In Business!

I remember when my business partner and I first started our fashion label in Nigeria. Our first set of orders for clothes were from our family and friends. Every time we wore something out to an event or put up a picture, our nearest and dearest would place an order. In those first days before we were really a brand, their encouragement meant the world to us.

How To Harness Your Personal Network For Business

My aunt is trying to create a new brand image for a business that has been in existence longer than I have been alive. The first thing she did when she saw me was present the case to me. She stated her goal and then she asked me the best way to reach that goal. As I sat there discussing my opinion with her, I realised that I was perhaps giving her another perspective to consider before making a move. When she was done talking to me, she headed to the neighbours' house to ask their opinions as well. She is essentially crowdsourcing ideas on branding from the people closest her.

Should You Take A Big Leap?

Back in 2009 when I decided I wanted to transition my hair back to its natural state, I looked at my relaxed hair in the mirror and I was scared. I did not want to have short hair. This meant doing the "Big Chop", in natural hair parlance, was out of the question. Instead, slowly over time, I snipped out the relaxed bits of my hair. I hid the whole process by sticking to a regiment of braids and weaves. Eventually, I got to a point where I felt my natural hair was long enough and I cut off the remaining chemically-processed hair in one trim.

Disguised Opportunity

Back at the beginning of the fashion business my sister and I started, we were accepting custom work from clients. We had a particular client who had asked us to make her a flowing dress with chiffon that we had in stock. We went ahead and made the dress for her. When she came in for her fitting, she was quite upset. The execution of the style was wrong. She did not want to pay us. We were both upset but I looked at the dress. At first I saw a whole lot of wasted fabric that no-one would pay for and then I called the tailor. I told him to cut the dress into a high-waisted maxi-skirt for me.

Four ways To Get Best Out of Your Workers...

Just as multinationals are some of the best places to work, Nigerian companies are known for the horror stories they generate. The banking industry in particular is so terrible that it has been known to cough out entrepreneurs from within it rank. These ex-bankers turned business owners often leave really lucrative positions because they are tired of the inhumane existence. So imagine my surprise when I realise that some of these ex-tortured souls start businesses that become notorious for the lack of consideration for the staff. The business owners do this not because they are horrible people. They do it because they just don't know any better. As a former business owner myself, there are times when I talked to people and they recommended drastic steps because Nigerian workers are infamously disloyal, untrustworthy and inefficient. This flaw in employees does not mean you still should not consider creating a friendly atmosphere for your employees in your work place. Below are four ways to start creating a work-place culture that would encourage your employees .

1. Be Consistent: Create a clearly defined and expressed set of rules for your employees. Alongside the rules, there should be clearly defined consequences for breaking said rules. The most critical part of this process is the follow-through; make sure you follow-through on punishment when rules are broken.Consistently abiding by the rules creates discipline in the work environment.

What I am reading this Weekend: All About African Women

• Water is still a luxurious commodity in many parts of Africa due to the scarcity of clean and portable water. Find out how Saran Kaba Jones, a Liberian, came back home after fleeing at age 8, to make a difference with water.

January In Review

As the month of January rolls away, it is clear that some of the stories on the blog have made more of an impression than others. Our most read story in January has definitely been  What I learned about Negotiating Buying Food in Ibadan. This post on understanding the value of your product when negotiating terms with your clients has been a run-away hit since it was published late in the month. Below is a run-down of the most popular posts in the month of January. If you missed anything, it is worth taking a moment or two to read it.

• If you are wondering if a business plan is a good idea, I have definitely had the same dilemma. Here is where I stand on The Business Plan Dilemma!