JohnspeakU:
4 Business and Career Growth Secrets I Learnt From A Cashew Tree
By Johnspeak Uwangue (Motivational Speaker, Talent Manager and Coach)
Every tree once started as a seed likewise every successful business and career once started as a dream. So many businesses and careers have crumbled as a result of not knowing how to start, establish and grow. Today, I'm going to unveil to you just four business and career growth secrets out of many that I learnt from a cashew tree.
So, before you eat me up through your comments let me tell you a little about myself. I am privileged to hold a first degree in agriculture. Despite wanting to study medicine and surgery (because that was what was in vogue) I was given the option of accepting to study agricultural science or go back home to waste another year. Meanwhile, I had already spent five years at home waiting to study this same medicine and surgery, but when the opportunity came to study agricultural science, I had to abandon my dream of becoming a medical doctor and grab this opportunity that helped shaped my life forever.
After accepting to study the course, my eyes were opened to the reality of the course. I discovered that agriculture being one of the oldest courses has so many lessons that one can apply in every other facets of life.
If we are wise and studious enough, we'd understand the many life changing principles that plants, the marines, rocks, soil and other aspects of agriculture possess. Take a cashew tree for instance. When a viable cashew seed is planted, watered and properly weeded around, it sprouts and as time goes on begins to bring out leaves. The growth of a cashew tree doesn't start by developing branches, it starts from somewhere, the root.
- The Life of Any Business and Career Is In The Seeds
No matter how much attention and care you give to a non viable seed, it won't grow well. Like I said earlier, the seed of any business or career is the dream and idea. Most times when people struggle with a particular business or career, the problem may not lie with the staffs or strategies employed to grow it but the problem may lie with the dream or idea that birthed the business or career in the first place. Just as a non viable seed will affect the growth of a plant so also a non viable dream or idea will affect the growth and proper development of a business or career.
- How Tall You Will Grow Is A Product of How Strong Your Root Is.
The root of any business or career is the knowledge you possess about your field. If you must grow fast, you must know far. So many people make the mistake of gathering degrees neglecting the knowledge therein. Some individuals and organizations can be deceived by your degrees but not all the time. During my study of the cashew tree I discovered that the bigness of the cashew tree is as a result of the bigness of its roots. Before attempting to grow, it is advisable to study, research and study to build up stamina. Sometimes, we in Africa wonder how businesses in the United States or in Europe manage to stay for hundreds of years, the secret is this, study. Most established companies and organizations in developed nations of the world have research centers while some others partner with top universities to help them with new knowledge and findings. These companies and organizations keep growing because they keep investing in their roots.
- Every Cashew Tree Has a Strong Stem
Before a cashew tree starts developing stronger branches which is a signal for bigger growth, it first of all grows a strong stem. It's the stem that helps to hold the branches in place. As I sat to ruminate on this, it dawned on me that the stem of any business or career is the team. Without the people the vision or dream or idea won't go far. Most companies in Africa are on wheelchairs pushed around by the staffs of the companies and organizations. If the staffs of these companies stop pushing, the company will collapse thus the need to cater for the stems of a business or career.
Before you attempt to grow your business or career, first check to see if your team has the capability to handle an expansion. And if they don't, find out why and work on it before growing branches because a weak stem can't hold a strong branch for too long. They will both collapse.
- They Make Use of The Nutrients of The Soil
There're nutrients in the soil and Cashew trees tap from the nutrients of the soil. In growing our business and career I discovered that the nutrients for growth are the people around. Every business and career needs clients to grow. You must leverage on your clients/customers satisfaction, testimonials etc to grow. For instance, a business with satisfied customers in lagos or Abuja may not need to spend huge amount of money in publicizing their business or services to people in Port Harcourt or Accra or Johannesburg, every satisfied client has the tendency to tell others.
BONUS TIP
Every cashew tree needs rain to grow likewise every business and career.
Succeed You Must!
©Johnspeak Uwangue
Motivational Speaker, Talent Manager and Coach.
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