Pay the Price before Claiming the Prize

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July 18, 2019

By Sikiru Salami

In this piece, I want to share few things with us on the need to always pay as much attention to the substance in our life decisions and actions, as we do to our reputation, public perception and optics. Speaking of portraying great view and optics out there, we call it ‘packaging’. And in truth, there is nothing bad about it, technically. But in a more philosophical sense, it’s often said, “focus on your character, and let your reputation take care of itself”

Admittedly we are in an age where perception is everything. It’s now all about maintaining good optics, brand and reputation largely from the viewpoint of judgmental third parties. It is also sadly an age of “faking it till you make it”. We seemingly now pay far less attention to the substance and much more on how good or cool people feel about who we are or what we do. Many people are now slaves of “what will people say?”. Many have been forced to build reputation, not defined by any enduring legacies, but on nothingness. Zero substance.

Everything today also is a game of NOW. Short term benefit takes precedence over long term and more enduring benefits. Social media addiction is the new scourge. Short attention-span on important things is a symptom. Social media contents we consume daily have ways of reshaping and redefining, either for good or bad, our values, and possibly our future. A good simple (and perhaps petty) case in point is this. If you can maintain focus, reading a book for an hour without distraction, maybe you’re an exception, and a lucky one. If you’re deeply focused on doing great things, not minding if anyone acknowledges or validates your efforts online, then, you’re possibly among the lucky few. We’re all caught up in that rat-race.

Now going into the specifics, let’s look at the following points:

One. Pay the Price before Claiming the Prize

Greatness takes time, and excruciating sacrifice. Temporal public accolade on account of baby-step successes doesn’t translate to an enduring glory. Being a great scholar requires some long and painful intellectual exertions, and unending studies and researches. Becoming a good professional (of world-class status) takes years of book-facing (not facebooking) and learning under the tutelage of senior colleagues at work. It sometimes requires patience working with crazy teammates and enduring the unreasonable demands of tough (or rude) bosses. Becoming a successful business leader or entrepreneur goes beyond word of mouth. It sometimes takes years of trial and error, failures, cries, pains, starting-overs, and never giving ups.

My point is this. Be very clear about what you want. Go out there and pay the price. Don’t claim to be a Doctor when you’re just an auxiliary employee in a hospital, even if you think you know everything about medicine. Except you have the requisite certifications and field experience, don’t lay claim to be a ‘world-class’ Engineer. Being a pharmacy store owner doesn’t make you a Pharmacist. Don’t claim to be a CEO on LinkedIn, when you have never run a successful business. It’s my humble advice. Walk before you run. Pay the price before claiming the prize.

Two. Self-regulate

Social media use can be distracting, quite frankly. Social media platforms however, have today become a significant part of our daily lives. To deny their usefulness, is to be living in fool’s paradise. There are multi-billionaire Dollar corporations whose entire businesses are tied to social media. And if you have younger ones or kids under your care, you sure don’t want to play I-don’t-care-attitude towards social media. These platforms can make or mar one’s future, depending on what we make of them, and how we use same.

My point is this. You should very deliberate about your choice of social media platform; whom you follow; what time you spend thereon, and for what purpose.

Three. Run your Race. Define your Pace

Lifestyles most people portray online don’t necessarily reflect their realities. The fact that your course-mate, old friend or younger colleague takes pictures in a big mansion doesn’t mean that s/he owns it. Let’s even agree that s/he owns whatsoever claimed. So what?

My point is this. Don’t envy anyone. Don’t seek anyone’s downfall. Celebrate people’s claimed successes, if you can, but face your race. Define your pace. Define your goals. Pay the price. Depend on God for positive outcome. And smile often, please.

Four. Tell your story

If you are doing great things, touching lives, please tell your story. By all means, project and promote your work, if you need to. It’s very fine. No one else can tell a better story of great things you’re doing than yourself. Even if possible, hire consultants to help promote your work and personal brand. It’s also very fine to keep mute and let your work do the talking.

Once again, tell your story. Be visible. But, don’t tell a story before doing the work. If you must tell a good story; do the work first. Don’t make false claims. If you have no business with the United Nations, don’t claim to be UN Youth Ambassador or whatever.

Here is my point. Tell story of great things you’re doing, to inspire others, and for information purpose, not for public accolades or social media stats, of course except you’re a Digital Marketer. Don’t let social media likes, ‘shares’, followership, comments or lack thereof, define your happiness. I say this, in the interest of your sanity.

I do believe, have made some sense here. What do you think?

Tekedia Contributor Gets a Board Offer with Equity; Send Your Articles

By

Ndubuisi Ekekwe

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July 18, 2019

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As I always say, “Your most useful talent is the one people know you have”. Yes, it is irrelevant if you are mathematical like Chike Obi; until people know you sabi, that talent is still latent and (possibly wasted).

So, I am happy when one of Tekedia contributors shared a fascinating update: he got a board offer with equity in a really good company. They have read the contributor and they believe that our thought-leader has the capabilities to bring value.

He will join the world of expanding cycle, going forward. Yes, that is how the world works: they keep recycling the politicians in Abuja and you are there complaining that they are not injecting new ideas without knowing that, most times, only the visible are called.

Within the limits of your work contracts, it pays to write, publicly. Yes, one article in your field of study or work per month will help you go further. And anytime you do that, send to my team (contact here). They will work with you to have it on Tekedia. Everyone is waiting to read you!

Seven Things Nigeria’s Minimum Wage Earners Should Consider

By

Chinedu Junior Ihekwoaba

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July 18, 2019

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By Chinedu Junior Ihekwoaba

Employees are the backbone of every work environment; this simply means that no business will thrive without them.

It is a shame that employees are not valued by most work environments. We are in a world where companies see profits above workers. Hence, they treat employees poorly.

Although not everyone can own business due to financial constraints and lack of adequate resources, it doesn’t change the fact that every employee should have an entrepreneurship mindset.

In a world where there’s no job security, and different problems arise every day, employees are made the scapegoat for every shortcoming in the work environment. Ecobank sacked over 1000 contract staff and compensated them with peanuts. That is a typical example of employees being treated poorly.

The truth remains, issues like this will always be around the work environment because things are changing every day. Companies want to keep making profits irrespective of market policies or government laws. Hence, employees are not safe.

Here are seven things LOW LEVEL employee (earning minimum wage or below in Nigeria, $90 per month) should consider entrepreneurship:

To Reduce Poverty

Minimum level salary only manages poverty. It’s like medicine, it doesn’t cure it. It’s no doubt that the poorest people in the world are min wage salary earners. Because they go through cycles of life that are never assured, they live in uncertainties. At the other end, the richest people in the world are not salary-earners. They are business moguls.

Multiple Streams of Incomes

Anyone minimum wage earner who’s not living on multiple streams of income is definitely putting all his eggs in one basket. For a country like Nigeria, that could be worse than death. Because tables could turn, the economy is always changing and most times, it’s unfavorable. The end game: leaves any employee in such a situation to face unexpected hardship.

To Allay the Fears of Job Security

There’s no best employee is any company. The best employee is the one that brings results consistently. Everyone is replaceable including the min wage earners. The bitter truth, if an employee dies today, a few minutes after, his position would be made available for any

To Maximize Time

Being an entrepreneur, I choose my time to work and rest. Sometimes, Mondays are like weekends to me and vice versa. Working for myself has helped me in making the best use of my time. A better way to say it is “I am the author of my life.”

Increased Lifespan

Research shows most workers suffer different types of sicknesses after retirement. One major reason is because of the work environment they might have been exposed to during their active years. Other reasons stated that most workers can’t handle the demand or pressure at work.

Especially those in the sales department, they spend most of their time on the field trying to make sales and despite the day to day running around, they are always under pressure. Their jobs are not safe. All these reduce the lifespan of workers. Working for oneself reduces unnecessary stress and gives more time to take care of your health.

Increased Financial Gains

No matter how productive an employee, he can never earn more than the employer. Meaning, for every $1 an employee makes, there’s a possibility of the employer making over $100 on such employee. Here’s where entrepreneurship can be the game-changer.

Healthy Environments

Studies show that many broken homes are as a result of parents who work 9-5, therefore, leaving their homes being exposed.

Most 9-5 parents barely have time for the children. This makes the children being deprived of good morals and conducts.

In a society where wayward children are being raised will never be conducive for peaceful habitation.

Hence, everyone occupying such an environment would always be on the toes or sleep with one eye closed.

If we want to create a healthy environment, we must start by raising children in the right way. Entrepreneurship would be vital in achieving this as it gives people more time to attend to the family or society needs without conflicting with business.

Entrepreneurship has many benefits that many people are yet to see especially the minimum wage earners. Every country should encourage it; governments should give financial backing to workers and youths.

Any nation who thinks of growth and development without prioritizing entrepreneurship is daydreaming.

Yes, if you all minimum wage earners quit and go into business, possibly, government can then make a deal to begin to pay workers better.

Relax, Nigeria Has Not Banned Using Foreign Cloud Servers

By

Ndubuisi Ekekwe

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July 18, 2019

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Relax, Nigerian government has not banned hosting data in foreign cloud servers. Yes, you can use AWS, Azure and others including the local companies like MainOne and Rackcentre. That WhatsApp is fake news and should be disregarded. While the regulation used the word “transfer” and not evidently “store”, the mechanics is clear that you can be on “transfer” for decades. Government understands that. This is the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)’s NIGERIA DATA PROTECTION REGULATION 2019; it is unambiguous: you can transfer (and by extension store) data in a foreign country provided that country can offer adequate level of protection. U.S. countries meet those standards.

a) a transfer of Personal Data to a foreign country or an international organization may take place where the Agency has decided that the foreign country, territory or one or more specified sectors within that foreign country, or the international organization in question ensures an adequate level of protection;

b) the HAGF shall take into consideration the legal system of the foreign country particularly in the areas of rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedom, relevant legislation, both general and sectoral,
including public security, defence, national security and criminal law and the access of public authorities to Personal Data

Government is just right here: we are not yet at the level to require all citizen data to be hosted locally. Asking for that will mean Nigeria’s digital economy will collapse.

The Age of Small

By

Ajayi Joel

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July 18, 2019

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By Ajayi Joel

Welcome to the age of small. This is the only place big things happen.

If you’re a writer, I’m pretty sure you know there are a thousand other writers as you are. Yes, there are a thousand other painters, programmers, cooks, artistes, poets and so on.

It’s pretty easy to get frustrated in such a time like this because everyone is in a rat race, everyone is fighting for attention, every business wants to get the attention of the media, and every writer wants to get a major contract.

In such a race like this, late comers get to lose even before they start if they join in the push and pull for attention. Attention is a major key, especially in this internet age.

Are they really getting attention? Does anyone really know you’re an artist?

How many people do? How often are you getting deals?

You are actually running a race you would never win. The next social media that would beat Facebook to get 4 billion users would take decades; so, why fight for attention with Facebook?

You have an option and there’s still an easy way to get to the top.

It doesn’t make so much sense but it’s the only option you have. Besides, it’s the best option at any point in time.

It’s simply relying on the power of small.

Small is that 5 friends around your house who don’t know that you sell shoes, and they really need one each badly. Yet, yet you’re trying to get your shoes to a celebrity who already buys from a regular shoe store.

The problem with lots of people who have great ideas is that they are always in haste to the top that they miss the process or journey.

If you have an idea or whatsoever, you start from a small niche. That is a very powerful tool.

Facebook is connecting the world and you want to create another social media? Not smart. Why not connect grannies alone and let Mark deal with the rest of us?

How do you locate the small and how do you use this powerful tool against your competitors?

Well, before I tell you, I would want to put it across to you that you really do not need a million blocks to build a foundation for the tallest building in the world. You actually need just a few thousand blocks that are firmly connected to each other without any room for air or water.

I hope you know that isn’t literal?

To locate the small takes research and proper study. Instead of beating the drum and walking around town seeking who would purchase your shoes, why don’t you go from door to door in your neighborhood and get the first ten people who need new shoes, and sell to them.

That’s how you locate the small. You make researches, ask questions, to know those who need you. You find them. You don’t go around with a placard on your head informing the world that you’re a writer.

There are one million people with placards on their heads fighting for this same attention. Possibly, the largest placards will battle upfront.

However, if you leverage on the small, it helps you build a tribe: from a group of people to a town, to a city and to a planet.

How To Lead A Tribe

In a tribe, information spreads like wildfire. They share the news among themselves easily and also share it out increasing your tribe.

You just have a little job to do: LEADING!

Small is the new big in this present age. Instead of spending time yelling on Facebook that you’re a graphic designer, pay attention to the secret of small.

Pay the Price before Claiming the Prize