For kids, the best game in the world right now is Khan Academy. We play it at home. Points accumulated from “playing” Khan Academy qualify to visit Dave & Buster’s, a video arcade. Dave & Buster’s is my preference because it offers immersion on 3D, VR, AR and emerging technology. Largely, it is a video game of practical science where you can spend mere $10 to experience some of the things not available in the iPhone!

You can decide to exchange the Khan Academy points for Disney if you prefer that.

I have modeled the exchange thus – 500 points earned on Khan Academy qualify for $10 redeemable at Dave & Buster’s. Khan Academy has levels which as you “play” you rack up points. More so, they have a well designed programing course.

Try it on your child, you will be surprised that solving mathematics or learning sciences becomes like gaming. How do I battle to reach level 12? The battle here is mastering algebra or understanding photosynthesis, and because they have used the same motivation typical in video games, the child will not even know he or she is learning addition and multiplication.

“In this program, if you make the stars fall, you get $20 for Dave & Buster’s”. Inspire them. Motivate them. And make science, technology and mathematics a way of life.

In this piece, I explain how the makers of Indomie noodles used the same strategy Dangote Group had deployed across industrial sectors to defeat Dangote Noodles. The  accumulation of capability which Dangote Group uses to crush competitors did not work because Dufil Prima Foods (makers of Indomie) did the same thing from electricity generation to production, for its noodles business. With their vertically integrated business, there was no left inefficiency which Dangote could exploit to improve quality and reduce price.

In the end, an established brand won and Dangote Noodles could not dislodge them. Dangote Group later sold its noodle business to Dufil Prima Foods. There is a big lesson here: if you build a strong moat, you can protect your castle. Indomie noodles built a moat and was able to defend itself from Dangote Noodles.

As you utilize, combine and recombine factors of production to create products and services to fix market frictions, you must acquire, develop and deploy upstream capabilities, to remain  competitive in markets. Those capabilities must compound over time and must cushion strategic positioning.

How are you defending your business castle? Are you vulnerable to new entrants? What is your playbook? Are the capabilities compounding?

The Accumulation of Capability Construct – How Business Empires Are Built (Video)

Tekedia Capital is on the path to bring Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria in $millions this year. In short, the best export Nigeria has is the Diasporas and it is time we put efforts to harness their capabilities and resources. I am truly honoured that we began this mission, to connect the Diasporas to fund the NEXT Nigeria and Africa. Yes, your $change can help build communities and your nation in Africa.

People, Nigeria needs to communicate a higher purpose and connect its citizens, home soil and in diaspora, towards building a nation. Yes, it is easier to mobilize people to go to the moon than to dig a ground. From our data, I now believe that any governor or federal government that develops and executes a great diaspora playbook will outperform.

Abundance is with the Diasporas Nigeria; Nigeria needs to build bridges to get them connected to building the nation. Tekedia Capital is a fintech company and our focus is on investment syndication.  Learn more here.

What just happened here? “Cristiano Ronaldo’s removal of Coca Cola bottles at a Euro 2020 press conference on Monday was followed by $4 billion being knocked off the company’s market value. Ronaldo was speaking at a press conference ahead of Portugal’s game against Hungary on Monday when the soft drinks were placed in front of his seat. The 36-year-old removed them from view and said that people should ‘drink water’ instead. The gesture coincided with a significant impact on Coca Cola’s market value,” notes the theathletic.

Coca Cola is one of the world’s leading advertisers but here it used its money to pay for an own goal (as in football). Yes, when a football god scored against you, in the minds of a generation, you could be imperiled.

Coke is not a bad product. People need to consume EVERY legal product moderately and in order. Yet, Coca Cola needs to understand that with virality in this age, change will not come from politicians and governments, but through conscious efforts by companies to do the right things.

So when a brand is worried that its money could be used to destroy its value, you will see CHANGE. Coke has served the world but it is evident that it is losing the next generation; it should worry about that.

Yesterday was amazing as a Microsoft manager took us to an excursion on strategy and business execution. Tomorrow,  Aderinola Oloruntoye is going to focus on Design Thinking. The ex Digital Transformation & Innovation Lead in West Africa for software giant, SAP,  brings the connection between design and innovation.

And the most amazing: an European bank which sent staff to Tekedia Mini-MBA asked Tekedia to drive a project, and he delivered with the team for the Institute – thanks Aderinola for making this small school stand before giants. Then on Saturday, I will close the week with “Building Great Companies and Brands”.

• Thur, Jun 17 | 7pm-8pm WAT | Design Thinking – Aderinola Oloruntoye, Dean, Workforce Group
• Sat, Jun 19 | 7pm-8.30pm WAT | Building Great Companies and Brands – Ndubuisi Ekekwe.

Zoom links in the Board.

Tekedia Institute school.tekedia.com >> Learn from the best.