Choosing a co-founder for your startup is like choosing a life partner. Just like your choice of a life partner will go a long way to determine how successful the marriage will be or how happy you will be in the relationship, your choice of a co-founder will be a great determining factor for your startup success.

When it comes down to choosing your co-founder, it is important to make an informed decision. Making the decision to choose a co-founder from the available options you have comes with its own set of unique challenges and considerations, do not rush over this.

Read on to learn the essential traits that you should look for in a co-founder.

1. Complementary Skills
Your co-founder should not be a replica of yourself, you should go for someone with a different skillset. Like in any relationship, you're at your best when each person brings something to the table that complements the other.

Look for qualities that you don't have, look for qualities to complement you so that the team is filled out. If you're a programmer, he/she should be a marketer. If you're an introvert, he/she should be an extrovert.

This decision to go for someone whose skills and strengths complement yours always come handy when you run into difficulties in making a decision. It's awesome to have someone who can see things from a different perspective.

2. Thirst for Knowledge
You should never be satisfy with your current level knowledge as there is always lot more to learn. A great co-founder is one who recognizes this fact and longs for more knowledge. As Neil Patel rightly says, "A good co-founder isn't someone who has life figured out. But the people best suited for startup life are those who want to learn more."

3. Flexibility
Starting a business inevitably comes with its fair share of surprises, so having a co-founder who can adjust to unexpected obstacles will make your life a lot easier. A company’s founders must be masters of flexibility, possessing the ability to do almost anything at almost anytime.

4. Integrity and Honesty
At the startup stage of your company, there are so many ways for people to be dishonest such as fund embezzlement. Aside from fund, there are other things that may not be totally illegal but can damage your business to a great extent.

It is important to find someone who is honest in order to prevent these from happening. It is better to discuss upfront with your co-founder what you expect.

5. Energy
Starting a business is a herculean task and will require serious energy, strong will and great pace. You may think that you have enough energy for the team, but in most cases, you will always want back up from someone that has at least as much.

Scaling your startup to a level where it can survive takes energy, hence you need someone who has the physical and mental energy to pull through tough times.

6. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence "is the ability to identify and manage your own emotion and the emotions of others." The startup stage of any business is always face with rough times, therefore, your co-founder and you should be able to control your emotions in the face of these trying times.

Regardless of how things are in the business, your co-founder should be someone who can maintain his/her cool in the face of the rough times. To attain success as a startup relies on an owner's ability to effectively manage his/her emotions.

As Gallop rightly says, "The true measure of a man or woman is not how they are when things are going well, but how they are when things are going badly."

What qualities do you think are most important in a co-founder? Or what's your experience in selecting a co-founder? Share in the comments below.

Source: COCREATIT

Choosing a co-founder for your startup is like choosing a life partner. Just like your choice of a life partner will go a long way to determine how successful the marriage will be or how happy you will be in the relationship, your choice of a co-founder will be a great determining factor for your startup success.

When it comes down to choosing your co-founder, it is important to make an informed decision. Making the decision to choose a co-founder from the available options you have comes with its own set of unique challenges and considerations, do not rush over this.

Read on to learn the essential traits that you should look for in a co-founder.

1. Complementary Skills
Your co-founder should not be a replica of yourself, you should go for someone with a different skillset. Like in any relationship, you're at your best when each person brings something to the table that complements the other.

Look for qualities that you don't have, look for qualities to complement you so that the team is filled out. If you're a programmer, he/she should be a marketer. If you're an introvert, he/she should be an extrovert.

This decision to go for someone whose skills and strengths complement yours always come handy when you run into difficulties in making a decision. It's awesome to have someone who can see things from a different perspective.

2. Thirst for Knowledge
You should never be satisfy with your current level knowledge as there is always lot more to learn. A great co-founder is one who recognizes this fact and longs for more knowledge. As Neil Patel rightly says, "A good co-founder isn't someone who has life figured out. But the people best suited for startup life are those who want to learn more."

3. Flexibility
Starting a business inevitably comes with its fair share of surprises, so having a co-founder who can adjust to unexpected obstacles will make your life a lot easier. A company’s founders must be masters of flexibility, possessing the ability to do almost anything at almost anytime.

4. Integrity and Honesty
At the startup stage of your company, there are so many ways for people to be dishonest such as fund embezzlement. Aside from fund, there are other things that may not be totally illegal but can damage your business to a great extent.

It is important to find someone who is honest in order to prevent these from happening. It is better to discuss upfront with your co-founder what you expect.

5. Energy
Starting a business is a herculean task and will require serious energy, strong will and great pace. You may think that you have enough energy for the team, but in most cases, you will always want back up from someone that has at least as much.

Scaling your startup to a level where it can survive takes energy, hence you need someone who has the physical and mental energy to pull through tough times.

6. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence "is the ability to identify and manage your own emotion and the emotions of others." The startup stage of any business is always face with rough times, therefore, your co-founder and you should be able to control your emotions in the face of these trying times.

Regardless of how things are in the business, your co-founder should be someone who can maintain his/her cool in the face of the rough times. To attain success as a startup relies on an owner's ability to effectively manage his/her emotions.

As Gallop rightly says, "The true measure of a man or woman is not how they are when things are going well, but how they are when things are going badly."

What qualities do you think are most important in a co-founder? Or what's your experience in selecting a co-founder? Share in the comments below.

Source: COCREATIT

Choosing a co-founder for your startup is like choosing a life partner. Just like your choice of a life partner will go a long way to determine how successful the marriage will be or how happy you will be in the relationship, your choice of a co-founder will be a great determining factor for your startup success.

When it comes down to choosing your co-founder, it is important to make an informed decision. Making the decision to choose a co-founder from the available options you have comes with its own set of unique challenges and considerations, do not rush over this.

Read on to learn the essential traits that you should look for in a co-founder.

1. Complementary Skills
Your co-founder should not be a replica of yourself, you should go for someone with a different skillset. Like in any relationship, you're at your best when each person brings something to the table that complements the other.

Look for qualities that you don't have, look for qualities to complement you so that the team is filled out. If you're a programmer, he/she should be a marketer. If you're an introvert, he/she should be an extrovert.

This decision to go for someone whose skills and strengths complement yours always come handy when you run into difficulties in making a decision. It's awesome to have someone who can see things from a different perspective.

2. Thirst for Knowledge
You should never be satisfy with your current level knowledge as there is always lot more to learn. A great co-founder is one who recognizes this fact and longs for more knowledge. As Neil Patel rightly says, "A good co-founder isn't someone who has life figured out. But the people best suited for startup life are those who want to learn more."

3. Flexibility
Starting a business inevitably comes with its fair share of surprises, so having a co-founder who can adjust to unexpected obstacles will make your life a lot easier. A company’s founders must be masters of flexibility, possessing the ability to do almost anything at almost anytime.

4. Integrity and Honesty
At the startup stage of your company, there are so many ways for people to be dishonest such as fund embezzlement. Aside from fund, there are other things that may not be totally illegal but can damage your business to a great extent.

It is important to find someone who is honest in order to prevent these from happening. It is better to discuss upfront with your co-founder what you expect.

5. Energy
Starting a business is a herculean task and will require serious energy, strong will and great pace. You may think that you have enough energy for the team, but in most cases, you will always want back up from someone that has at least as much.

Scaling your startup to a level where it can survive takes energy, hence you need someone who has the physical and mental energy to pull through tough times.

6. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence "is the ability to identify and manage your own emotion and the emotions of others." The startup stage of any business is always face with rough times, therefore, your co-founder and you should be able to control your emotions in the face of these trying times.

Regardless of how things are in the business, your co-founder should be someone who can maintain his/her cool in the face of the rough times. To attain success as a startup relies on an owner's ability to effectively manage his/her emotions.

As Gallop rightly says, "The true measure of a man or woman is not how they are when things are going well, but how they are when things are going badly."

What qualities do you think are most important in a co-founder? Or what's your experience in selecting a co-founder? Share in the comments below.

Source: COCREATIT

Tomics:
Swagbucks does not allow Nigerians...you can actually work on it but you won't be paid if you are from Nigeria

Okay, you are right. I operate Swagbucks with my relative's account outside the country.

udysweet:
God bless you for this piece! Will surely go thru it step by step again,to fully grasp all.

You are welcome dear.

Are you about to start a business in Nigeria? Or do you intend to do that in future?

To succeed in business in Nigeria, there are certain things you have to do. This article is an eye opener especially for entrepreneurs who intend to start a business soon or already running a business in Nigeria

1. Get a Peculiar Business Idea
What do I mean by “Get a Peculiar Business Idea”? Some of our entrepreneurs or foreign investors believe that copying an already successful business idea from another country to Nigeria will be the needed key to success. But, the Nigerian market need ideas peculiar to her. Look at the country, there are several needs to satisfy. Get your head thinking, come up with something, satisfy needs, and you will succeed.


2. Get Prepared
This is a very important step if you want to start a successful business in Nigeria. Sometimes you may get business ideas in sectors that you are not conversant with. Your next step is to adequately prepare yourself. You may think that this is not important but it can be the thin line between success and failure. Running a successful business on the Nigerian soil is tough but highly rewarding; so to survive, you have to be tougher.

Nigeria is a harsh but potential-filled terrain to operate in, that is the reason why you need to be well-grounded to tackle the challenges on ground. You can prepare yourself by attending seminars and workshops on the chosen line of business you wish to venture in and getting all the necessary information about your chosen industry. You can also prepare yourself by accepting the reality that you can fail tomorrow; you can prepare yourself further by increasing your risk bearing capacity. And ultimately, you prepare yourself by making up your mind to succeed despite the odds and competition.


3. Conduct a Feasibility Study
There several reasons you must conduct a feasibility study before starting any business in Nigeria. One of the many steps to start a successful business in Nigeria is to conduct a thorough feasibility study to ascertain the business viability before investing a dime in the business opportunity. This is basically where the failure of most Nigerian entrepreneurs begin.
A lot of people invest in a business idea or opportunity simply because a friend or relative said the business was profitable and they end up being disappointed. Others jump into an industry blindly in reaction to unverified information and end up with bankruptcy. Even though entrepreneurship is all about risk bearing, jumping into an industry without an adequate knowledge of its fundamentals is suicidal.


4. Develop a Good Business Plan
As an entrepreneur, you should know that the importance of a good business plan cannot be over-emphasized. Proper planning is essential for the success of any business. Develop a robust business plan that includes every aspect of your business and follow it judiciously. Business plan is specially important because further to providing you with a clear set goal and objectives, it can provide a reference point you can return to at any point in time in your business.

Many Nigerians miss it here. It is estimated that over 85 percent of small business owners in Nigeria operate without business plans. You need to separate yourself from the pack if you are to succeed. Besides, banks don’t loan money to businesses that are operating or that plan to operate without business plans. Even if it is an informal, one page business plan; write it down. Your one page business plan may not get you the bank’s attention but it’s a step forward because it will help you concentrate on fulfilling your business mission achieving the desired goals and objectives.


5. Become an Insider, Understand the Market
Before jumping into any business or industry; make sure you have thorough understanding about the fundamental metrics of its market. Every business has an inside secret and if you must succeed; you must find that secret. Understand the market of the industry you are going into and you will increase your chances of success. Becoming an insider in any business sector you venture into is a step you should not over look if you want to succeed.

Ask questions such as: Who are my customers going to be? How would they want to be served? Who are my major competitors? Who is leading the market and what are they doing differently? Do I have a chance for survival? Can you grab some market share in that proposed business industry of yours? These are the questions you must answer before starting any business in any industry in Nigeria.


6. Location! Location!! Location!!!
Location! Location!! Location!!! This is a very important step for you. This decision is dependent on the type of business you want to venture into. Are you going to site your business within your neighborhood or are you going to site your business in an industrial area? Are you going to separate yourself from the crowd by building your own brand in a specially selected location? Or you are going to operate from the centres of trade or commercial places in Nigeria?

“If you intend dealing on general merchandise; then you can consider locating your business in districts such as Aba, Yaba, Tradefair, Idumota, Lagos Island, Oshodi, Mile 12, etc. But if you are in a service business or you are building a specialized brand; you can situate in areas such as Ikeja, Allen Avenue, Apapa, VGC, Victoria Island, CMS, Ikoyi, etc. But wherever you choose to situate, make sure you are well prepared to face the challenges of that terrain.” – mytopbusinessideas.com


7. Register your Business
Most businesses operate as sole proprietorships in Nigeria and you can choose to go the same way. But if you are truly out to build a successful business that will stand the test of time; I will advice you register a business name or factor it in your cost projections as a short term plan. Depending on the magnitude of the business you wants to start, you need to Register your Business in Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to enable you do business in the country legitimately.


8. Source for Start-up Capital
Before making up your mind to start a business in Nigeria, you should have procured the necessary capital to at least launch the business. Financing a business can often be one of the biggest challenges faced by an entrepreneur anywhere in the world and Nigeria is not an exception. There are a number of ways to source for business start-up capital and it shouldn’t be difficult especially of you are a Nigerian (Nigerians are really innovative people).

The truth is that it will mostly depend on the magnitude of the business. If you do not have the start-up cash, you may resort to borrowing either from friends or from the bank (in this regard, you have to be cautious to avoid starting your business on the wrong foot of bad debt). Debt is only good when the money will be invested for cash flow or capital gain.

You can also look for levarage. The fastest way to grow in business is to leverage on the structure of well established businesses. So if you want to grow faster; then look for leverage. Leverage apart from getting a bank loan can be in the form of getting credit line from suppliers; striking strategic alliance with a bigger player or getting a contract. No matter what leverage you decide to pursue; go for it.


9. Set Up a Good Team
Developing a winning team is critical to a business’ success. This applies not just to the manager or top executives in the company but to every single unit within the business organization. Especially for start-ups, a good team will go a long way to determine if the business survives the first few years after its establishment.

When it comes to hiring and managing talent, there are two basic strategies that work. The first is to hire the very best talent on the market; the second is to hire solid talent and bring out the best in them. Since most companies can’t afford the cost of recruiting and retaining the top tier of talent, most have to pick strategy number two. From my own personal experiences, I will rate team as the second most important factor after timing for any business success. As an entrepreneurs, we sometimes find it difficult or challenging to get together a great team.


10. Start your Business
Start the business and start it small. Remember that Rome was not built in a day. After following all the steps above; this is where you get down to the real deal, this is where you start the business. Most people make wonderful plans, do a feasibility research and even raise the needed capital to start the business but for reasons best known to them; they just fail to start. Maybe it’s because of the fear of failure. Not everybody has the guts to start a business, so you need guts. Most can only dream of it but very few dare to take the risk. Are you willing to take the risk and start your own business here in Nigeria? Only you can answer that.

Source: AidWealth

Reyginus:
None in particular. Anyone at all.

I do not really have a trick to learn anything. I just decide and work towards achieving the goal.

Fast food business in Nigeria is a very profitable business. Food is something we cannot do without even if it’s once a day. The growing population of Nigeria with over 173 million people is also a high contributing factor to the profitability of fast food business in Nigeria. Amidst the current global crisis, one line of business in Nigeria that continues to promise greater returns on investment is the fast food business also known as Quick Service Restaurant. Despite the presence of economic, social and political dilemma in the country, the business continues to strive.

In this article, we are going to take an in-depth study into the steps needed to start a profitable and successful fast food business in Nigeria.

Step 1: Prepare Your Business Plan
Regardless of the size of the business you intend to start, you will definitely need a good business plan as this will go a long way to ensure your success in the fast food business in Nigeria. You may opt for a concise business plan or a detail business plan. Either of the two type will definitely serve the purpose, but I will recommend that you get a detailed business plan before you kick of the business. Conduct a feasibility study in the area you want to start your fast food business in Nigeria. The feasibility study and other aspects of the business plan will set you up to start the business and attain success.
Some of the questions the business plan will help you answer include the following:
How much do I need in cash and kind to start my fast food business in Nigeria.
What class of people I’m I establishing by fast food business for? Is it the low, medium or high income earners?
What will my menu look like?
How do I intend to reach out to my customers?
There are many other questions the business plan will help you answer, hence, the important of the business plan to the success of your fast food business in Nigeria cannot be ignored.


Step 2: Register Your Business/Business Name
Before you start-up your fast food business in Nigeria, I will advise that you register your business either as a business name or as a company. Any of the two options will be good. One other thing you should consider is the name you choose for you r business. When choosing a name for your business, go for a unique and easy name to remember. You should read our article on how to choose a good business name.

To register your business in Nigeria, there are some steps you need to take. In an earlier article, we published the steps you need to take to register your business in Nigeria. You can also visit the official page of the Corporate Affairs Commission to register your business. This particular step should not be treated with levity as it will go a long way to sustain your business in the future.

Step 3: Location
The location of your business is a very important factor to keep in mind. What is the demography of the place you want to site your fast food business? What class of people reside there? What is the development in the region like?
Settling for less is not always an option in the establishment of a fast food business in Nigeria. Go for a location that is accessible by car, where there is crowd and activities. Do not choose a location with the idea that customers will find you. That is no option for you if you want to succeed in fast food business in Nigeria. A good location give you an added advantage.


Step 4: Get Your Menu Ready
This is a very important step when establishing a fast food business in Nigeria. Without a good menu, nobody will patronize regardless of how cheap you service may be. You may be wondering, how do I choose a good or perfect menu for my fast food business? Here is the best way to go about that; let customers determine what is produced. McGarry (2010) also asserts that a successful concept is the one that adapts to local tastes and cultures. Menu items should therefore be translated into the culture in which they are introduced.
In Nigeria, there are certain menu that you can introduce into you fast food business and you will success. There are foods that are universally accepted in the country and there are some that are peculiar to a particular tribe or region. But what if I want to operate nationwide? Here is the way forward: serve the menu that is generally accepted anywhere in the country at all you store. Then, depending on where a particular store is located you can spice it up with the local delicacies of the area and other menu you may want to serve.

Step 5: Get a Winning Team Ready (Chef and Staff)
Without a good team, there is no way you can succeed in the fast food business. Just like every other businesses, a good team is necessary for success in the fast food business. A good chef makes a great restaurant. It’s not enough to have a big brand name and a huge outlet, the cuisines have to be up to standard and more. Therefore, before employing a chef, make sure that he is a great one and that he or she has had training in the preparation of different types of food. A good chef is not enough to ensure success in a fast food business. You also need other staff such as the service attendants or waiter, cleaners, security, etc.
You need to be careful when employing and setting up your team to achieve optimal result.

Step 6: Advertisement
How do you intend to get customers to your business without creating the need awareness to get started? The strategies you employ to do this is immaterial as long as you reach to your customers. But in Nigeria, the most effective strategies include: social media and other online platforms, flyers, television advertisement, and rendering services at big events.
Although, you may not necessarily need to advertise for a long period of time, but for the start, you must advertise.


Step 7: Start Your Business
When you get to step 6, you must have done almost all that is required of you to start a fast food business in Nigeria. The next step is to start your fast food business. Make the launch day known, invite friends and others to the launch. Get some free gifts if available on launch day, give discount to new customers for at least a week after launch.
You must not follow my strategies for your launch. You can come up with a better strategy to make your launch the talk of the town.

Step 8: Be Innovative to Survive
It is not enough to get a good name for your business, it not enough to make your launch the talk of the town. You need to be innovative in your services in the fast food business in Nigeria to survive. Think of ways to better the services in the fast food industry. You may want to include home service delivery and discounts in huge purchase. Be creative


With the above steps, I believe you can start a successful and profitable fast food business in Nigeria. Take out time to do you research, prepare your business plan, register your business or business name, get the perfect location, get your menu ready, create a winning team, advertise, reach out to more customers, launch your business and be innovative to survive in the business.

Source: http://cocreatit.com/2016/11/steps-successful-fast-food-business-startup-nigeria/

Reyginus:
Okay. Do you have any method you employ to learn? I mean a trick to grasp anything fast.

This depends on what you want to learn. So tell me, which field are we talking about?

Reyginus:
Expertise? What do you need to be one?

The first step you need to take to attain expertise is to acknowledge the fact that you are ignorant, at least to some extent. Accepting the fact that you have to learn is a very important step to becoming an expert in whatever you are doing.

Next, you need to do the needful. Learn from others. Whatever strategy you employ, just learn what you don't know that is related to your career.

Do not be afraid of failure.

To really succeed in anything you are doing, business or otherwise, expertise is needed.

Expertise is one of those things that is both rare and a highly valued commodity — a fact belied by the frequency in which it appears on resumes — but made clear by the way it is sought out by everyone, from potential employers, to partners and customers. We all understand that expertise is important, but many have a more difficult time of figuring out the right way to gain it.

The pursuit of a degree can certainly help you develop but doesn’t exactly require you to get your hands dirty in a way that allows you to learn practical skills. Working your way up the ladder at an established company also has major benefits, but it often takes time to get the responsibility you need to be able to gain the expertise you’re looking, which can be counterproductive to your effort. Don’t get me wrong — experience is certainly an excellent way to gain knowledge, but its correlation with expertise is not causal.

Another, and arguably more successful, way to becoming an expert in something is to just strike out on your own and teach yourself.1 One of the biggest misconceptions about starting a business is that the expertise in running a business is a precondition to creating one. You can always learn from and rely on others, but at the end of the day, there is exponentially more to be learned from doing something yourself.

Here are a few tips on how to become an expert:

1. Don’t trust your instincts
You may be asking yourself, “What? That’s the exact opposite of what everyone’s ever told me!” Yes, a well-known mantra is to trust your instincts, but the harsh reality is that even the most well-intentioned instincts are often wrong. The key to driving your business forward and developing your skills is to better understand how you make decisions, so you are more capable of knowing when your gut is leading you in the right direction — and when you may need a second opinion.

We’ve all been through the process of watching a brilliant idea fail miserably, and while this has its own long-term benefits, it is easier to avoid it entirely. Learning your own cognitive pre-dispositions, whether it be an over-reliance on a specific tool or a risk-tolerance that is far too high, can help you avoid critical errors and grow your business faster.

2. Embrace your ignorance
Experience can help you identify problems and opportunities in advance, but it can also blind you to other problems and opportunities. Coming in with fresh eyes allows you to establish your own unique perspective and expertise in order to see things that your competition or would-be mentors might not. The sometimes overwhelming desire for the sense of security provided by credible experts can come at the expense of creative growth.

Very often, the most disruptive solution for a specific industry is hidden by best practices that make that option much less exciting or visible. We can argue whether ignorance is actually bliss, but it is fairly obvious that you can’t be afraid of what you don’t know. Sometimes this lack of knowledge can lead you astray, but it can also be a prerequisite for identifying a new road to success. Being aware of inexperience is important, but embracing the uncorrupted perspective it affords can be a game-changer.

3. Learn from your partners
Whether it be a food supplier for a restaurant or an advertiser on your website, understanding the needs and viewpoints of all parts of your supply chain and sales funnel can be incredibly helpful. Keeping an eye on what’s important to each player in your business gives you a more holistic view of your business and can help you realize critical insights much more rapidly. Equally, it will keep your finger on the pulse and help you stay ahead of market changes.

4. Ignore the stigma of failure
There are few lessons as powerful or lasting as failing miserably to accomplish a goal. We’re always told to avoid failure, which is why, when it occurs, it can be so devastating. While I certainly would not recommend seeking it out, if failure does happen to come your way, embrace it and use it as an opportunity to learn for the future.

Taking a step back after a setback and properly analyzing what led to it can be an important and liberating process. Undertaking a thorough debrief can help you gather insights into your decision-making process and the way you operate your business. In the best case, it can help you clearly identify areas to change, allowing you to move forward all the stronger.

Most importantly, you will learn rather quickly that while failing may be a gut-wrenching experience, it is hardly the end of the world. Much of succeeding in business is about taking risks, and fearing failure may be important — but knowing that it is a temporary frustration can empower you to take the risks necessary to achieve true success.

Acquiring expertise will allow you to sit in the driver’s seat of your business and learn and grow as you build your business. But as critical as it is to recognize the importance of expertise, it is more important to have an actionable plan to acquire it. Degrees and experience are great, but sometimes the best way to become an expert is to start learning on your own, testing out ideas and adopting insights you gain into your future endeavors. By keeping these tips in mind, you can make the most of your entrepreneurial pursuits to create the foundation for long-term success.

I hope this was helpful.

Source: http://www.aidwealth.com/how-to-become-expert-anything/

Cc: Lalasticlala

NellyDiva1:
thanks

You're welcome. If you are in need of any information you can follow my signature or the link I provided, use the contact form on the "Contact us Page" to contact us. Consultation is free. Or you can email us at aidwealthng@gmail.com Or call: 08141620992

Here is a more detailed guide on Popcorn Business. You will like it.
All You Need to Know About Popcorn Business in Nigeria

Here is a more detailed guide on Popcorn Business. You will like it.
All You Need to Know About Popcorn Business in Nigeria

Here is a more detailed guide on Popcorn Business. You will like it.
All You Need to Know About Popcorn Business in Nigeria

There are several other businesses you can venture into in Nigeria. These opportunities are very profitable.

Follow the links below and see for yourself:

Top Profitable business opportunities in Nigeria

All You Need to Know about Popcorn Business

Source: Cocreatit

Nigeria is a country blessed with human, mineral and natural resources. When it comes to doing business in Nigeria; the potentials are so great that any investor or entrepreneur will be tempted to jump in with both feet without first testing the waters. According to 2015 World Bank Report on Doing Business, Nigeria is ranked 170 in the world against 175 last year. The report shows significant improvements in the ease of starting a business and getting credit. This article is written based on the 2015 statistics, surveys made available and President Buhari's policies and strategies.

Doing business in Nigeria is characterized by both advantages and disadvantages which should not be overlooked. With the current trend of things in the country, the pros outweigh the cons. This is evidence as countries such as South Africa, China, etc are scrambling to invest or set up shop in Nigeria. That’s why companies like DSTV, Tiger Brands, Shoprite, Tecno moved into Nigeria and are expanding aggressively.


The Pros of Doing Business in Nigeria
1. High Population Growth
A country with a growing population of over 170 million citizens with little available means of sustaining her demands is definitely a place for you to do business. Nigeria is the most populous African country and the 9th in the world. With this population the country has very few companies, industries and enterprises to supply the demands of her citizens ranging from food, shelter, energy, transportation, labour market, etc, the list is inexhaustible.
As long as the business fills a need in the country and the strategies adopted are right, success is assured.

2. Growing Economy Even in Global Recession
Nigeria has one of the largest free market economies in Africa. The economy has enjoyed sustained economic growth for a decade, with annual real GDP increasing by around 7%. The non-oil sector has been the main driver of growth, with services contributing about 57%, while manufacturing and agriculture, respectively contributed about 9% and 21%. The economy is thus diversifying and is becoming more service-oriented, in particular through retail and wholesale trade, real estate, information and communication. The 2015 outlook is for moderate growth of 5%, due to vulnerability to slow global economic recovery, oil-price volatility and global financial developments.

3. Untapped Resources
For more than 3 decades, the country's economy has been solely dependent on oil. Nigeria is a country blessed with numerous natural and human resources, but these resources are not utilized. The fall in the oil price has drastically reduced the revenue generated in the country hence, the eye-opener for all quarters to diversify.

4. Increasing Consumer Base
More than 62% of Nigeria’s population is under 25 and its growing middle class makes up 23% of the population. With Nigeria’s growing young population, the demand for education services is increasing faster than the government can supply it. The turnover from the tertiary institutions into the labour market is also increasing hence, increased workforce. With Nigeria importing almost all its consumable, investing in the country's economy is success assured.

More details: Cocreatit

The Cons of Doing Business in Nigeria
1. Insecurity
Insecurity is nothing new in the country, especially in the last three years. Nigeria has been battling with the issue of terrorism which has been a great cause of concern for business investors especially foreigners. Although the current administration is doing everything possible to salvage the situation, the terrorists are still impacting fears in the country with recent bombings. I am confident that the war against terrorism in the country will be won. As we await that time, we have to deal with it.

2. Poor Power Supply
The poor power supply is one of the major challenge facing the industrialization and the successful growth of small business startups in Nigeria. A country with a growing population of over 170 million citizens can only boast of power generation that fluctuates between 4000 MW and 5000 MW. Successful companies operating in Nigeria have found a way to deal with the challenge of the power supply by providing their own power.

3. Lack of Infrastructure
Although improving, Nigeria lacks the basic infrastructure and logistics to support entrepreneurship in the country. In some countries, the government provides some amenities such as water supply, electricity and other. All you need to do in these countries is to pay for the services provided. This is not the case in Nigeria. In Nigeria, you will need to build your own factory, provide your own water supply and other amenities that smoothens business operations.
The Infrastructural challenge will directly or indirectly increase your startup overhead cost so you have to properly factor in this challenge in your business plan. If you are going to run a successful business in Nigeria; then you must have the financial muscle to provide your own infrastructure.

4. Little Governmental Support
Although this aspect of government’s insensitivity to the plight of entrepreneurs and small business owners in Nigeria had improved during Goodluck Jonathan's administration, we are yet to see that in Buhari's administration. This insensitivity surfaces in the form of double taxation, corruption, unnecessary levies and duties, bureaucratic bottlenecks at various government agencies like CAC, NAFDAC, etc; and the high cost of obtaining business licenses.

As suggested by some renowned entrepreneurs in the country, a good strategy to balance the excesses of the government is to have a strong business team that will strategically position your business to withstand the ever increasing demand of the government. Hopefully, there will be improving over the years.

5. Inconsistent Government Policies
Government inconsistency is really a challenge you will have to tackle if you must succeed in Nigeria as an entrepreneur. Governance is something entrepreneurs have no control over; all entrepreneurs can do is try to influence government’s policy with respect to enacting favourable business laws. But you must have political clout and massive resources to be able to influence government laws.
Every new administration in the country come with her own policies, ignoring or failing to implement the already set out policies by the previous administration. This in return has an effect on business in Nigeria.


Amidst all these challenges you may face doing business in Nigeria, the pros or advantages no matter how few outweigh them. Therefore, I strongly advise you to invest in Nigeria, Africa's most populous and fastest growing economy. If you are still sceptical about this, the likes of Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Jim Ovia, Femi Otedola should prove to you that Nigeria is a goldmine when it comes to business.


Source: Cocreatit

Although there are many platform from which you can make money online, these websites have been tested to be the top for Nigerians.

The internet has become one of the, if not the largest marketplace where you can render services or sell products and get paid for what you have to offer. Whether you want to make money online full-time, or make extra money online, there are hundreds of websites online that give you that opportunity. We’ve compiled the top six websites for you to make extra money online.

1. Fiverr
Fiverr is a long-established online marketplace where everything costs a $5 minimum. It’s a simple and easy to use website, where you post the services you can provide: and if someone needs them, they’ll pay you to work. You can sell services such as video & animation, writing, programming, and many more. It’s mostly used for smaller gigs, so you won’t need to spend days working on projects before getting paid.
At Fiverr, you can also earn more depending on the service such as: express delivery, extra work or for your services.

2. Freelancer
Freelancer is a ‘gameified’ version of the sites eLance and oDesk mentioned earlier. You have the ability to ‘level up’ by earning experience points from the projects you complete and the milestones you hit. There are no shortage of jobs on these sites and everything is channelled depending on your skills and abilities.
Freelancer doesn’t have a free option that is as flexible as it’s competitors, and you find yourself paying to take tests and complete certain tasks.
This plays into the hands of people posting projects, as it shows you’re committed and established, but it doesn’t really help you if you’re just getting started.

3. Upwork
Upwork is the product upon the merger of Elance and oDesk, the two biggest freelance marketplaces online. Like Fiverr, you can sign up to start working on almost anything there from personal assistance, programming, lead generation, and much more. Upwork is often used for longer-term projects, and you can expect to be building a longer relationship with clients through the platform.

4. Skillshare
Skillshare is an online learning platform where you can learn anything from anyone. You can also teach an online class and get paid for it. They have classes that teach you everything from how to use Photoshop to how to start your own fashion brand from scratch. Since Skillshare is a monthly membership platform, teachers will be distributed their payment depending on the engagement and number of students enrolled in your classes.
You can record series of videos on a topic that you know about – popular subjects include crafts, film, fashion and cooking – and then participate on the Skillshare forums related to your class. In exchange, you receive a cut of the money from the people who take your class. No teaching degree is necessary to get started, and the site says teachers can earn an average of $3,500 a year.

5. Swagbucks
Swagbucks has become one of the most popular online survey site. Swagbucks is a fun survey site that pays you for completing short online tasks in virtual cash – you can then exchange this for real money, Paypal credits or gift cards to spend at Amazon, M&S and more.
Tasks include filling in polls, watching videos and searching using its page instead of Google. Advertisers pay Swagbucks to publicise their wares or do market research, and the site passes a cut to you. The more dedicated you are, the more you earn, though every task pays a different amount. You can participate in several surveys a day, and Swagbucks earnings can be redeemed for gift cards from Amazon, Target, iTunes and more.

6. YouTube
YouTube allows anyone to post non-explicit videos on any topic they desire. If you enable advertisements on your videos, you can earn money depending on your views. The more videos the have, the more views you can accrue, so this option really pays off if you record a lot of videos and build a viewership.
When you video attracts more traffic, you can apply to become a YouTube partner. YouTube’s Partner Programme lets users take a cut of the cash from the adverts that run alongside their videos. You must apply to become a partner, but YouTube says anyone who regularly uploads original clips which get a fair amount of views should be eligible.

Capital is not necessarily a prerequisite although it is important.

Do you have what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur? Do you have the needed qualities to see you through hard times? In this article are the characteristics that have helped countless entrepreneurs to success.

Regardless of your personal or perceived definition of success, the qualities of successful entrepreneurs explained below are vital for your success as an entrepreneur. What are those qualities you think you possess? As you read through this article, juxtapose them with the qualities enumerated here and see where you place yourself. Then, will you know where you need to improve or develop. There is no need to be intimidated if you are lacking in any of these areas because there is a way out.

1. Do you enjoy what you do?

What you get from your business is a factor of what you did put in. Great passion goes a long way in driving businesses to success. When you have passion for what you are doing there is this unseen driving force that propels you to success if properly managed.
Successful entrepreneurs are always passionate about whatever they are doing. This has been their strength when the going gets though. When the cash flow dwindles, when the customers are not coming, the passion is what spurs you up and keeps you strong. This is a very important quality among all the numerous qualities of successful entrepreneurs.

2. How serious are you with your business?

Do you easily fall prey to naysayers who do not believe in your business because it has no office building, no factory, and no high number of employees? It does not really matter if anyone believes in your business or not. You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell.
You can only attract customers and client to your business when you believe that it will succeed and you take it serious. You would not want to buy a product or order a service when the developers do not believe or take serious their product or the quality of the service they offer.

3. Confidence

A doctor is ready to carry out an operation on a patient but deep down he tells himself that he cannot do it, scared and fidgeting. What do you think will be the outcome of the operation? A goalkeeper goes into a game telling his team mates that he is not sure he can save the day, he will eventually come out defeated.
As an entrepreneur, confidence consist of these traits; self-awareness, conviction in your ability to succeed, action-oriented, pro-active and so on. Confidence is a great morale booster. Successful entrepreneur at some point in their lives came to a realization that they can make it, they believed in their abilities even when it seems so overwhelming and difficult, they are always positive.
As Napoleon Hill rightly said, “What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.”

4. Effective time management

Lost time is never found. Time is an invaluable asset for successful entrepreneur and to all being. Unlike other asset that you have control over and can preserve for future use, time wait for no man hence, effective time management is a great determinant of your success as an entrepreneur.
Your ability to distinguish urgent and important tasks from urgent and unimportant tasks will enable effective use of your time, hence, creating more time for you to finish more important tasks. A more effective way of handling this is to create a to-do list, placing the different tasks in their order of importance. Focus on one task at a time. You will achieve more with less time when you abide by this principle.

5. Failure to plan is a plan to fail

To succeed as an entrepreneur, you have to plan every step of the way. Just as the widely acceptable quote, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Although, sometimes you do not follow the set out plan to the later, but at least it guides your action to success. It is better to have a glimpse of what you need to do to achieve your goal rather than just jumping in without any plan. Planning guides an entrepreneur during startup, expansion, transition or exit.

6. Become an expert in what you do

A sick person would not go to an engineer for drug prescription. Having toothache? Would you rather go to an optician for treatment or a dentist? Your company wants to build a new office in another city, would you consult a carpenter or painter to supervise the project? Just as you would not consult someone who has not developed expertise in his field to carry out a project for you, do not expect high patronage when you have not proven to be good at what you claim to be doing.
Although, expertise is acquired over time, work at it and improve the quality of your product and service at the slightest opportunity available.

7. Invest in yourself

To become a successful entrepreneur, you have to be a continuous learner, developing and investing in yourself. How do you go about this? Successful entrepreneurs have this drive for in-depth information and improvement. They buy and read business books, reports, newsletters, magazines, journals, websites and industry publications. They attend business seminars, training courses, workshops, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of entrepreneurship.
Networking with other successful and skilled entrepreneurs to learn their secrets of success is another mean to invest in you. You are the most powerful and effective tool you have as an entrepreneur hence, constant investment in yourself should be a top priority.

8. Business Focus

Sometimes we tend to allow our emotions cloud our judgments. As an entrepreneur, decisions must be profit-oriented and for the interest of the team members involve (customers, investors and employees). Staying focus entails; plan for growth, clear goals in alignment with the business. In doing this, an entrepreneur should not lose sight of the vision and mission of the business, every part of the business should be carried along.

9. Are you afraid of delegating?

To be successful as an entrepreneur, you must collaborate, recognize and utilize people’s abilities, encourage team play. Do not be afraid to delegate tasks to an experienced member of your company that has the ability to get tasks completed. To maximize this great quality of an entrepreneur, you need to map out processes on how to delegate, identify skills, allow employees to perform, get feedback when each task is completed.

10. Independent

They always do whatever it takes to succeed as long as it is legal. Successful entrepreneurs are resolute, multi-tasking, focus on main objective, responsible, optimistic, multiple competencies, ‘can-do’ spirit, and faith in self. Being independent as an entrepreneur also have negative effects, you will be burnout, difficulty in growing the team to scale the enterprise since you believe you can get things done with fewer hands.
As good a quality as independence is, it needs to be controlled to achieve optimal result. Be focused on main objective, delegate and form alliances with others.

11. Manage money wisely

Cash flow is an importance element in the growth and success of any business enterprise. When there is no adequate cash flow in any business, there are limits to that which you can achieve. There are innovations, growth plan and other business strategies that will not see the light of the day if there is no fund or when the available funds are mismanaged. Hence, to succeed as an entrepreneur, you must become a wise money manager to ensure that the cash flow is continuous and incremental and the bills get paid.

12. Risk takers

Risk is an integral part of an entrepreneur’s life. You cannot always be certain about the outcome of every business decisions you make, most times you need to analyze the opportunity before you and make an optimistic decision. A successful entrepreneur makes optimistic and rational decisions, they are charismatic, confident, and have the will to win. They can deal with complexity and are comfortable with uncertainty.

13. Think out of the box

Successful entrepreneurs are creative thinkers, they think out of the box, they see opportunity where others see difficulty, they see a challenge worth taking up where others see problems. Always firing off many ideas, curious, quick learner, exploratory, imaginative, alert to every opportunity to shows up. They are innovators and inventors. They always find a better and easier way to solve problems and improve live.

14. Build a winning team

Developing a winning team is critical to a business’ success. You need a team as committed as you are to the business and its success. When you create mutually beneficial links inside and outside workplace, open to opinions, the members of your team feel they belong to the team and will give in their best.
To build a winning team as an entrepreneur, you must lead by example, believe in your team, slow down, simplify your direction as much as possible, and repeat it again and again, invest in development, acknowledge unique talents and contributions. These will spur up your team to success.

15. The Power of Negotiation

Negotiation is a means of resolving differences between people when imposed settlements are not possible. If you evaluate the activities you carry out each day, you’ll realize that you negotiate all the time, every day. In business, negotiation skills are used daily. The ability to negotiate effectively is unquestionably a skill that every entrepreneur must make every effort to master.
As an entrepreneur, to lose out to another party in any negotiation can be a difficult decision for both parties involved. Hence, in any negotiation always come to the table with a win-win attitude, although the outcome might not always be positive. You can negotiate successfully with the other party if you can identify their objectives, be more assertive, and learning to make observations based on fact, not subjective judgments. Thus, mastering the art and practice of negotiation will help you improve and grow your business to success.

This list can go on and on and on. Among the numerous qualities of a successful entrepreneur, these are the common and most important. There are other traits that renowned and successful entrepreneur do exhibit.

1. They know that whatever business they do revolve round the customers therefore, they keep the customers in mine when making decisions about pricing, product and service development. Customers or clients are the most important team member in any business. Customer is the king.
2. They have unique competitive edge over other. They possess great answers to questions like, “What aspect(s) of your business separates you from other businesses?” “Why will people choose to do business with you rather than doing business with a competitor?
3. They build a good reputation. This is a very valuable asset, it is not bought. It is the reward you get over time by keeping to your words with customers and clients.
4. They take time off.

Being an entrepreneur is not an easy task. Although these qualities will not grant you express way to success, they sure can help. You need to embrace these qualities to become a better entrepreneur.

What if you are lacking in some of these areas? Can you still make it as an entrepreneur? YES, YOU CAN!
Some entrepreneurs are born with natural gift of some of these qualities, but you can as well develop them through various media such as working with coaches, studies and getting technical assistance. We often let our stubbornness prevent us from asking for help. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

What other qualities do you feel are important? Let me know in the comment below.

Source: Cocreatit

[img]15 Must-Have Qualities of Succesful Entrepreneurs 2.png[/img]

Do you have what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur? Do you have the needed qualities to see you through hard times? In this article are the characteristics that have helped countless entrepreneurs to success.

Regardless of your personal or perceived definition of success, the qualities of successful entrepreneurs explained below are vital for your success as an entrepreneur. What are those qualities you think you possess? As you read through this article, juxtapose them with the qualities enumerated here and see where you place yourself. Then, will you know where you need to improve or develop. There is no need to be intimidated if you are lacking in any of these areas because there is a way out.

1. Do you enjoy what you do?

What you get from your business is a factor of what you did put in. Great passion goes a long way in driving businesses to success. When you have passion for what you are doing there is this unseen driving force that propels you to success if properly managed.
Successful entrepreneurs are always passionate about whatever they are doing. This has been their strength when the going gets though. When the cash flow dwindles, when the customers are not coming, the passion is what spurs you up and keeps you strong. This is a very important quality among all the numerous qualities of successful entrepreneurs.

2. How serious are you with your business?

Do you easily fall prey to naysayers who do not believe in your business because it has no office building, no factory, and no high number of employees? It does not really matter if anyone believes in your business or not. You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell.
You can only attract customers and client to your business when you believe that it will succeed and you take it serious. You would not want to buy a product or order a service when the developers do not believe or take serious their product or the quality of the service they offer.

3. Confidence

A doctor is ready to carry out an operation on a patient but deep down he tells himself that he cannot do it, scared and fidgeting. What do you think will be the outcome of the operation? A goalkeeper goes into a game telling his team mates that he is not sure he can save the day, he will eventually come out defeated.
As an entrepreneur, confidence consist of these traits; self-awareness, conviction in your ability to succeed, action-oriented, pro-active and so on. Confidence is a great morale booster. Successful entrepreneur at some point in their lives came to a realization that they can make it, they believed in their abilities even when it seems so overwhelming and difficult, they are always positive.
As Napoleon Hill rightly said, “What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.”

4. Effective time management

Lost time is never found. Time is an invaluable asset for successful entrepreneur and to all being. Unlike other asset that you have control over and can preserve for future use, time wait for no man hence, effective time management is a great determinant of your success as an entrepreneur.
Your ability to distinguish urgent and important tasks from urgent and unimportant tasks will enable effective use of your time, hence, creating more time for you to finish more important tasks. A more effective way of handling this is to create a to-do list, placing the different tasks in their order of importance. Focus on one task at a time. You will achieve more with less time when you abide by this principle.

5. Failure to plan is a plan to fail

To succeed as an entrepreneur, you have to plan every step of the way. Just as the widely acceptable quote, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Although, sometimes you do not follow the set out plan to the later, but at least it guides your action to success. It is better to have a glimpse of what you need to do to achieve your goal rather than just jumping in without any plan. Planning guides an entrepreneur during startup, expansion, transition or exit.

6. Become an expert in what you do

A sick person would not go to an engineer for drug prescription. Having toothache? Would you rather go to an optician for treatment or a dentist? Your company wants to build a new office in another city, would you consult a carpenter or painter to supervise the project? Just as you would not consult someone who has not developed expertise in his field to carry out a project for you, do not expect high patronage when you have not proven to be good at what you claim to be doing.
Although, expertise is acquired over time, work at it and improve the quality of your product and service at the slightest opportunity available.

7. Invest in yourself

To become a successful entrepreneur, you have to be a continuous learner, developing and investing in yourself. How do you go about this? Successful entrepreneurs have this drive for in-depth information and improvement. They buy and read business books, reports, newsletters, magazines, journals, websites and industry publications. They attend business seminars, training courses, workshops, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of entrepreneurship.
Networking with other successful and skilled entrepreneurs to learn their secrets of success is another mean to invest in you. You are the most powerful and effective tool you have as an entrepreneur hence, constant investment in yourself should be a top priority.

8. Business Focus

Sometimes we tend to allow our emotions cloud our judgments. As an entrepreneur, decisions must be profit-oriented and for the interest of the team members involve (customers, investors and employees). Staying focus entails; plan for growth, clear goals in alignment with the business. In doing this, an entrepreneur should not lose sight of the vision and mission of the business, every part of the business should be carried along.

9. Are you afraid of delegating?

To be successful as an entrepreneur, you must collaborate, recognize and utilize people’s abilities, encourage team play. Do not be afraid to delegate tasks to an experienced member of your company that has the ability to get tasks completed. To maximize this great quality of an entrepreneur, you need to map out processes on how to delegate, identify skills, allow employees to perform, get feedback when each task is completed.

10. Independent

They always do whatever it takes to succeed as long as it is legal. Successful entrepreneurs are resolute, multi-tasking, focus on main objective, responsible, optimistic, multiple competencies, ‘can-do’ spirit, and faith in self. Being independent as an entrepreneur also have negative effects, you will be burnout, difficulty in growing the team to scale the enterprise since you believe you can get things done with fewer hands.
As good a quality as independence is, it needs to be controlled to achieve optimal result. Be focused on main objective, delegate and form alliances with others.

11. Manage money wisely

Cash flow is an importance element in the growth and success of any business enterprise. When there is no adequate cash flow in any business, there are limits to that which you can achieve. There are innovations, growth plan and other business strategies that will not see the light of the day if there is no fund or when the available funds are mismanaged. Hence, to succeed as an entrepreneur, you must become a wise money manager to ensure that the cash flow is continuous and incremental and the bills get paid.

12. Risk takers

Risk is an integral part of an entrepreneur’s life. You cannot always be certain about the outcome of every business decisions you make, most times you need to analyze the opportunity before you and make an optimistic decision. A successful entrepreneur makes optimistic and rational decisions, they are charismatic, confident, and have the will to win. They can deal with complexity and are comfortable with uncertainty.

13. Think out of the box

Successful entrepreneurs are creative thinkers, they think out of the box, they see opportunity where others see difficulty, they see a challenge worth taking up where others see problems. Always firing off many ideas, curious, quick learner, exploratory, imaginative, alert to every opportunity to shows up. They are innovators and inventors. They always find a better and easier way to solve problems and improve live.

14. Build a winning team

Developing a winning team is critical to a business’ success. You need a team as committed as you are to the business and its success. When you create mutually beneficial links inside and outside workplace, open to opinions, the members of your team feel they belong to the team and will give in their best.
To build a winning team as an entrepreneur, you must lead by example, believe in your team, slow down, simplify your direction as much as possible, and repeat it again and again, invest in development, acknowledge unique talents and contributions. These will spur up your team to success.

15. The Power of Negotiation

Negotiation is a means of resolving differences between people when imposed settlements are not possible. If you evaluate the activities you carry out each day, you’ll realize that you negotiate all the time, every day. In business, negotiation skills are used daily. The ability to negotiate effectively is unquestionably a skill that every entrepreneur must make every effort to master.
As an entrepreneur, to lose out to another party in any negotiation can be a difficult decision for both parties involved. Hence, in any negotiation always come to the table with a win-win attitude, although the outcome might not always be positive. You can negotiate successfully with the other party if you can identify their objectives, be more assertive, and learning to make observations based on fact, not subjective judgments. Thus, mastering the art and practice of negotiation will help you improve and grow your business to success.

This list can go on and on and on. Among the numerous qualities of a successful entrepreneur, these are the common and most important. There are other traits that renowned and successful entrepreneur do exhibit.

1. They know that whatever business they do revolve round the customers therefore, they keep the customers in mine when making decisions about pricing, product and service development. Customers or clients are the most important team member in any business. Customer is the king.
2. They have unique competitive edge over other. They possess great answers to questions like, “What aspect(s) of your business separates you from other businesses?” “Why will people choose to do business with you rather than doing business with a competitor?
3. They build a good reputation. This is a very valuable asset, it is not bought. It is the reward you get over time by keeping to your words with customers and clients.
4. They take time off.

Being an entrepreneur is not an easy task. Although these qualities will not grant you express way to success, they sure can help. You need to embrace these qualities to become a better entrepreneur.

What if you are lacking in some of these areas? Can you still make it as an entrepreneur? YES, YOU CAN!
Some entrepreneurs are born with natural gift of some of these qualities, but you can as well develop them through various media such as working with coaches, studies and getting technical assistance. We often let our stubbornness prevent us from asking for help. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

What other qualities do you feel are important? Let me know in the comment below.

Source: AidWealth

Do you have what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur? Do you have the needed qualities to see you through hard times? In this article are the characteristics that have helped countless entrepreneurs to success.

Regardless of your personal or perceived definition of success, the qualities of successful entrepreneurs explained below are vital for your success as an entrepreneur. What are those qualities you think you possess? As you read through this article, juxtapose them with the qualities enumerated here and see where you place yourself. Then, will you know where you need to improve or develop. There is no need to be intimidated if you are lacking in any of these areas because there is a way out.

1. Do you enjoy what you do?

What you get from your business is a factor of what you did put in. Great passion goes a long way in driving businesses to success. When you have passion for what you are doing there is this unseen driving force that propels you to success if properly managed.
Successful entrepreneurs are always passionate about whatever they are doing. This has been their strength when the going gets though. When the cash flow dwindles, when the customers are not coming, the passion is what spurs you up and keeps you strong. This is a very important quality among all the numerous qualities of successful entrepreneurs.

2. How serious are you with your business?

Do you easily fall prey to naysayers who do not believe in your business because it has no office building, no factory, and no high number of employees? It does not really matter if anyone believes in your business or not. You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell.
You can only attract customers and client to your business when you believe that it will succeed and you take it serious. You would not want to buy a product or order a service when the developers do not believe or take serious their product or the quality of the service they offer.

3. Confidence

A doctor is ready to carry out an operation on a patient but deep down he tells himself that he cannot do it, scared and fidgeting. What do you think will be the outcome of the operation? A goalkeeper goes into a game telling his team mates that he is not sure he can save the day, he will eventually come out defeated.
As an entrepreneur, confidence consist of these traits; self-awareness, conviction in your ability to succeed, action-oriented, pro-active and so on. Confidence is a great morale booster. Successful entrepreneur at some point in their lives came to a realization that they can make it, they believed in their abilities even when it seems so overwhelming and difficult, they are always positive.
As Napoleon Hill rightly said, “What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.”

4. Effective time management

Lost time is never found. Time is an invaluable asset for successful entrepreneur and to all being. Unlike other asset that you have control over and can preserve for future use, time wait for no man hence, effective time management is a great determinant of your success as an entrepreneur.
Your ability to distinguish urgent and important tasks from urgent and unimportant tasks will enable effective use of your time, hence, creating more time for you to finish more important tasks. A more effective way of handling this is to create a to-do list, placing the different tasks in their order of importance. Focus on one task at a time. You will achieve more with less time when you abide by this principle.

5. Failure to plan is a plan to fail

To succeed as an entrepreneur, you have to plan every step of the way. Just as the widely acceptable quote, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Although, sometimes you do not follow the set out plan to the later, but at least it guides your action to success. It is better to have a glimpse of what you need to do to achieve your goal rather than just jumping in without any plan. Planning guides an entrepreneur during startup, expansion, transition or exit.

6. Become an expert in what you do

A sick person would not go to an engineer for drug prescription. Having toothache? Would you rather go to an optician for treatment or a dentist? Your company wants to build a new office in another city, would you consult a carpenter or painter to supervise the project? Just as you would not consult someone who has not developed expertise in his field to carry out a project for you, do not expect high patronage when you have not proven to be good at what you claim to be doing.
Although, expertise is acquired over time, work at it and improve the quality of your product and service at the slightest opportunity available.

7. Invest in yourself

To become a successful entrepreneur, you have to be a continuous learner, developing and investing in yourself. How do you go about this? Successful entrepreneurs have this drive for in-depth information and improvement. They buy and read business books, reports, newsletters, magazines, journals, websites and industry publications. They attend business seminars, training courses, workshops, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of entrepreneurship.
Networking with other successful and skilled entrepreneurs to learn their secrets of success is another mean to invest in you. You are the most powerful and effective tool you have as an entrepreneur hence, constant investment in yourself should be a top priority.

8. Business Focus

Sometimes we tend to allow our emotions cloud our judgments. As an entrepreneur, decisions must be profit-oriented and for the interest of the team members involve (customers, investors and employees). Staying focus entails; plan for growth, clear goals in alignment with the business. In doing this, an entrepreneur should not lose sight of the vision and mission of the business, every part of the business should be carried along.

9. Are you afraid of delegating?

To be successful as an entrepreneur, you must collaborate, recognize and utilize people’s abilities, encourage team play. Do not be afraid to delegate tasks to an experienced member of your company that has the ability to get tasks completed. To maximize this great quality of an entrepreneur, you need to map out processes on how to delegate, identify skills, allow employees to perform, get feedback when each task is completed.

10. Independent

They always do whatever it takes to succeed as long as it is legal. Successful entrepreneurs are resolute, multi-tasking, focus on main objective, responsible, optimistic, multiple competencies, ‘can-do’ spirit, and faith in self. Being independent as an entrepreneur also have negative effects, you will be burnout, difficulty in growing the team to scale the enterprise since you believe you can get things done with fewer hands.
As good a quality as independence is, it needs to be controlled to achieve optimal result. Be focused on main objective, delegate and form alliances with others.

11. Manage money wisely

Cash flow is an importance element in the growth and success of any business enterprise. When there is no adequate cash flow in any business, there are limits to that which you can achieve. There are innovations, growth plan and other business strategies that will not see the light of the day if there is no fund or when the available funds are mismanaged. Hence, to succeed as an entrepreneur, you must become a wise money manager to ensure that the cash flow is continuous and incremental and the bills get paid.

12. Risk takers

Risk is an integral part of an entrepreneur’s life. You cannot always be certain about the outcome of every business decisions you make, most times you need to analyze the opportunity before you and make an optimistic decision. A successful entrepreneur makes optimistic and rational decisions, they are charismatic, confident, and have the will to win. They can deal with complexity and are comfortable with uncertainty.

13. Think out of the box

Successful entrepreneurs are creative thinkers, they think out of the box, they see opportunity where others see difficulty, they see a challenge worth taking up where others see problems. Always firing off many ideas, curious, quick learner, exploratory, imaginative, alert to every opportunity to shows up. They are innovators and inventors. They always find a better and easier way to solve problems and improve live.

14. Build a winning team

Developing a winning team is critical to a business’ success. You need a team as committed as you are to the business and its success. When you create mutually beneficial links inside and outside workplace, open to opinions, the members of your team feel they belong to the team and will give in their best.
To build a winning team as an entrepreneur, you must lead by example, believe in your team, slow down, simplify your direction as much as possible, and repeat it again and again, invest in development, acknowledge unique talents and contributions. These will spur up your team to success.

15. The Power of Negotiation

Negotiation is a means of resolving differences between people when imposed settlements are not possible. If you evaluate the activities you carry out each day, you’ll realize that you negotiate all the time, every day. In business, negotiation skills are used daily. The ability to negotiate effectively is unquestionably a skill that every entrepreneur must make every effort to master.
As an entrepreneur, to lose out to another party in any negotiation can be a difficult decision for both parties involved. Hence, in any negotiation always come to the table with a win-win attitude, although the outcome might not always be positive. You can negotiate successfully with the other party if you can identify their objectives, be more assertive, and learning to make observations based on fact, not subjective judgments. Thus, mastering the art and practice of negotiation will help you improve and grow your business to success.

This list can go on and on and on. Among the numerous qualities of a successful entrepreneur, these are the common and most important. There are other traits that renowned and successful entrepreneur do exhibit.

1. They know that whatever business they do revolve round the customers therefore, they keep the customers in mine when making decisions about pricing, product and service development. Customers or clients are the most important team member in any business. Customer is the king.
2. They have unique competitive edge over other. They possess great answers to questions like, “What aspect(s) of your business separates you from other businesses?” “Why will people choose to do business with you rather than doing business with a competitor?
3. They build a good reputation. This is a very valuable asset, it is not bought. It is the reward you get over time by keeping to your words with customers and clients.
4. They take time off.

Being an entrepreneur is not an easy task. Although these qualities will not grant you express way to success, they sure can help. You need to embrace these qualities to become a better entrepreneur.

What if you are lacking in some of these areas? Can you still make it as an entrepreneur? YES, YOU CAN!
Some entrepreneurs are born with natural gift of some of these qualities, but you can as well develop them through various media such as working with coaches, studies and getting technical assistance. We often let our stubbornness prevent us from asking for help. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

What other qualities do you feel are important? Let me know in the comment below.

Source: AidWealth

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Vacancy: Apply for Ondo State University OSUSTECH Recruitment

The Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH) invites applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates to fill the vacant teaching and non-teaching staff positions in the University as follows:

1. ACADEMIC STAFF POSITIONS

(a) DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL SCIENCES:

Biochemistry

i. Reader – Biomolecules, Nutritional and Clinical Biochemistry, Enzymology, Molecular Biology, Hormones, Biomembranes and any other areas of Biochemistry.
ii. Senior Lecturer. – Ditto
ii. Lecturer I & II – Ditto

Industrial Chemistry

i. Lecturer I & II – Organic, Inorganic or Physical

(b) DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES:

Geophysics and Physics

i. Reader – Electronic, Condensed Matter Physics, Geophysics, any area of Geology and Meteorology
iii. Senior Lecturer – Ditto
iv. Lecturer I & II – Ditto

(c) DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES:

Computer Science and Mathematics

i. Lecturer I & II – Any area of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science.

(d) DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES:
Botany

i. Reader – Zoology
i. Professor(Entomology) Fisheries and Aquacultures
i. Lecturer I & II

(e) GENERAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES UNIT:

i. Reader

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

(i) Professor: Salary CONUASS 07

Candidates must possess:
(a) A minimum of Ph.D in the relevant fields

(b) Must have at least 15years of teaching and research experience in the University System.

(c) Must show academic leadership through postgraduate supervision and be able to attract research grants from both local and international funding agencies.

(d) Must show academic excellence through publications in recognized local and international journals.

(e) Must have at least twenty two (22) recognized publications with at least six (6) in reputable foreign journals.

(f) Must be ready to lead various research groups within the department and the university as a whole.

(g) Must have a considerable length of administrative experience.

(h) Must have spent three (3) years as a Reader.

(i) Reader: Salary CONUASS 06

Candidates must possess:
(a) A minimum of Ph.D in the relevant area of specialization.

(b) Must have at least 12 years of teaching and research experience in the University System.

(c) Must show academic leadership through postgraduate supervision and be able to attract research grants from both local and international funding agencies.

(d) Must show academic excellence through publications in recognized local and international journals.

(e) At least eighteen (18) recognized publications with at least five (5) in reputable foreign journals.

(f) Must be ready to lead various research groups within the department and the university as a whole.

(g) Must have spent three (3) years as Senior Lecturer.

( iii) Senior Lecturer: Salary CONUASS 05
Academic qualifications required:

Candidates must possess:

Read more @ http://www.aidwealth.com/2014/11/vacancy-apply-for-ondo-state-university.html

Vacancy: Apply for Ondo State University OSUSTECH Recruitment

The Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH) invites applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates to fill the vacant teaching and non-teaching staff positions in the University as follows:

1. ACADEMIC STAFF POSITIONS

(a) DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL SCIENCES:

Biochemistry

i. Reader – Biomolecules, Nutritional and Clinical Biochemistry, Enzymology, Molecular Biology, Hormones, Biomembranes and any other areas of Biochemistry.
ii. Senior Lecturer. – Ditto
ii. Lecturer I & II – Ditto

Industrial Chemistry

i. Lecturer I & II – Organic, Inorganic or Physical

(b) DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES:

Geophysics and Physics

i. Reader – Electronic, Condensed Matter Physics, Geophysics, any area of Geology and Meteorology
iii. Senior Lecturer – Ditto
iv. Lecturer I & II – Ditto

(c) DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES:

Computer Science and Mathematics

i. Lecturer I & II – Any area of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science.

(d) DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES:
Botany

i. Reader – Zoology
i. Professor(Entomology) Fisheries and Aquacultures
i. Lecturer I & II

(e) GENERAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES UNIT:

i. Reader

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

(i) Professor: Salary CONUASS 07

Candidates must possess:
(a) A minimum of Ph.D in the relevant fields

(b) Must have at least 15years of teaching and research experience in the University System.

(c) Must show academic leadership through postgraduate supervision and be able to attract research grants from both local and international funding agencies.

(d) Must show academic excellence through publications in recognized local and international journals.

(e) Must have at least twenty two (22) recognized publications with at least six (6) in reputable foreign journals.

(f) Must be ready to lead various research groups within the department and the university as a whole.

(g) Must have a considerable length of administrative experience.

(h) Must have spent three (3) years as a Reader.

(i) Reader: Salary CONUASS 06

Candidates must possess:
(a) A minimum of Ph.D in the relevant area of specialization.

(b) Must have at least 12 years of teaching and research experience in the University System.

(c) Must show academic leadership through postgraduate supervision and be able to attract research grants from both local and international funding agencies.

(d) Must show academic excellence through publications in recognized local and international journals.

(e) At least eighteen (18) recognized publications with at least five (5) in reputable foreign journals.

(f) Must be ready to lead various research groups within the department and the university as a whole.

(g) Must have spent three (3) years as Senior Lecturer.

( iii) Senior Lecturer: Salary CONUASS 05
Academic qualifications required:

Candidates must possess:

Read more @ http://www.aidwealth.com/2014/11/vacancy-apply-for-ondo-state-university.html