Hello Fellow Millionaires, you guys have been superb here on the community. Kudos!

I was at our designated bank 'Zenith' today, with all necessary documents intending to complete the account opening, since I felt YouWin would have taken care of that and it shouldn't be any big deal. However, there was obviously no one to attend to me, the guy I talked with said he was on his way out, handed me the account opening form that I should wait for one of his college who obviously wasn't on sit.

So I asked the guy what are the requirements and immediately I discovered all he was trying to tell me is the normal procedures for a corporate account. I simple cut in and told him that it shouldn't be, that it was part of the things we asked YouWin at FMF in abuja, because many of us already have our corporate accounts, why another account but YouWin told us that since they can't use our already existing account, they've partnered with designated banks to make the process simply and easy, I told him I don't even see the reason for asking for referee, I sounded very bold and authoritative (afterall I'm no more an applicant, no, not a provisional awardee but a ....... you know.....lol), I was trying let the guy believe that, but for YouWin, I'm not interested in maintaining an account with them (and to be honest I'm not, no, not Zenith Bank!)

Guest what, after I said that, I looked at the guy and asked "how much is required to open the account", his response surprised me, he said "you decide any amount you want". I thought I didn't here him well, so I asked again, and he rephrased it even better "since you are from YouWin, we can't impose any amount on you, just decide how much you want to use to open the account, yourself". I took the form and left the bank, I'll update on how it goes when I get to the bank tomorrow with the completed form.

jeffmyson:
Also some banks are asking awardee's to bring initial deposit ranging from 20K to 50K.
Those guys at Zenith Asked me for 50K initial deposit, I refused. I simply asked them the cost of the search fee, which is 6K and the cost of cheque book, which is N1050, I just deposited 7.5K and left.
I have my details now, just waiting for further instructions from Youwin!
Anyone here know when the presidential award will hold please?

As simple as that,

manya:
@Jeffmyson, same happened to me at zenith bank. they asked for 50k, and they have no info about youwin, so sad. please what can we do?

@jeffmyson just gave you a clue I'll guess.

yemi2plus:

I have sent a mail to the e-mail address since two days now but yet to get a reply. All their contact info seems not to be working.

Maybe you could give this a trial:

Phone: 07055991825
Email: apm.kogi@nipost.gov.ng

Goodluck!

omode2:
you guys shd be happy wt d money isnt it free money? Its your ability to multiply it dt matters. At all at all na him bad o!

Yes it's free money; for people that never invested any of their own TIME, ENERGY and MONEY into the process.

Yes it's free money; for people who have no clue about their business proposal because maybe they never wrote any part of it or never really intended doing the business.

Yes it's free money; for those that don't have the slightest clue of the worth of TIME. Do you think the time invested in the YouWin application processes is recyclable?

If the goverment have the capacity and the resources to create the benefits our businesses is bringing to the table, why would they bother with anything like YouWin?

No! They are not giving us free money, they are only leveraging our innovations and enterprises.

Denn:
Hello Guys

Please I need your help.

I have designed my website... Yes I did it myself.

I need inputs on its depth and quality.

The site is www.sherdenfarms.com

The only page not uploaded is the 'about us' and it's for a specific reason.

All comments welcome pls.

Thanks

Hey Denn, congrats on the launching of your site, it's a step in the right direction and that's not bad from farmer...lol

However since you asked for comments, here are mine; 'I'll be honest' If you'd asked just about the outlook I might have said "YES OK" but quality and depth is like talking about professionality and indept, both of which need more work. Therefore, below are some of my views on the site:

Brand Colour + Logo Colours + Site Colour Scheme:
One important thing you should think thoroughly about is making sure all three elements above are either the same or syncronizes very well with each other.

Background Picture:
I think it can be better.

Top Margin:
Personally I think the top margin is too much, reducing it to zero will give the site a better outlook and give room for more content to occupy the "above the fold" space.

Slideshow:
Looks too high/tall to me, taking up all the 'above the fold' space. That will be ok if all you are looking to showcase/get your visitors attention to is the logo and slideshow, but if not, you might want to consider a shorter one because you cannot always bet on most of your first time visitors scrolling down the page before hitting the close button, until at least they are used to your site.

Font Case:
I think you should be warry of ALL CAPS, like this: "THERE IS NO LOVE MORE SINCERE THAN THE LOVE OF FOOD" or should I rather say avoid it. And try to make your font case consistent, these are not: *Our PROMISE *our ​fo​cus *our process.

Slogan/Moto: "Quality products in quality time"
Why hide it last on the page should be part of the first thing visitor see, is it not part of your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?

Social Media Profile Icons:
I think the icons should link to where it's supposed to go or should be removed while you're creating the links, else once visitors click it once or twice and it did not go where it's supposed to go, they will decide it no use and most might never bother checking it again, afterall they've got to many distraction to bother about.

Some of the above might come off as personal preference but they are borne out of experience, So, I hope you'll find them helpful.

awezu:
Ok on batteries ..... about 80% of batteries in circulation here in Nigeria are inferior products from Asia and even from other African countries . Also not all batteries from Europe are of standard quality. Renewable energy products and its accessories require a manufacturer that understands where the products are going to and designs the best quality that suits that environment .... (thats why i am a youwin awardee) cos i dont follow the crowd, i stand out

My batteries come with btw 1-7yrs warranty depending on the product and price ure willing to pay and an additional 3 years after warranty replacement at a minimum cost . Guys do you know that a good battery should last you a minimum of 3yrs to 15yrs usage. c'mon there is a solution on ground already guys dnt worry urself about power no more even if ure operating from the deserts of zamfara .

We are together and we will be joint beneficiaries of each others innovations....... we are family now

Seeing your post about renewable energy made me remember the encounter I had with a Professor from US with the same idea. Anyway, where are you at?

Surely we are family now!

stagger:


Typical Nigerian. Always in a hurry. Have you signed your contract? Have your biometrics been captured? Do you know your financial and employment targets which will be used as milestones for disbursement of tranches?

You just want the government to start sharing the money. Haba!
f

Oh, stagger! You missed the whole point of my thought, should've read between the lines!

I'm only thinking about them "considering" the financial status of the applicants, many are borrowing these money to go through all these financial implication and some were not even selected. If we call it mindset, we are entitled to our opinions, but we still can't deny the fact that the set of people this programme aims to empowered are largely financially inadequate.

As a provisional awardee, I don't just want the government to start sharing the money! Just thinking a little much more financial consideration will oblige. Personally, I'm not doing badly, I entered an existing business which is generating something to finance the financial implication and can wait however long necessary but stagger, not every applicant is like you and me!

Please note that you are responsible for all travel expenses for this meeting as there will be no reimbursements.

ARTICLE 9 - TRAVEL EXPENSES
The Recipient shall ensure that grant funds are not expended by the Recipient for travel costs in excess of that which is payable to FMF employees on Grade Level 8 for travel and per diem, and in any case, it is hereby prohibited for the Recipient to expend more that 1% of the total grant amount on travel expenses.

1% of N10m=N100,000 (and Recipients don't even know the amount they're awarded yet). ABA! YouWiN Secretariat! abi na FMF!, enough of those compulsory traveling events/meetings then, and let the disbursement began already!

Just thinking aloud!

It's the Lord's doing...it is marvelous in my sight, to Him be the Glory, Honour, Power and Majesty!!

My heart goes to all those who did not make it, please know that you are all winners; it makes me remember what one of the speakers said at the YouWiN training in Gombe; that he knows many people that didn't get the grant but are now doing far better than a lot of those he's been monitoring that got the grant, due largely to the training, resources and other funding opportunities created by YouWiN!

It's ideas that make wealth not money! You've the ideas; so you are a winner, sooner or later the funding will come along, as you continue to redefine and sharpen your ideas. In earlier editions, I think YouWiN conducted a seminar in which they invited other third party organizations that provides business funding, for candidates who were not selected as winners.

And please before we begin to discredit the YouWiN selection process at this point considering how transparent the it's been, also noting that quality assurance was provided by a reputable organization in UK. We should remember that all of us cannot be winners since the numbers that must be selected was far less than those that applied, not to mention the many 1st & 2nd edition winners that refused to comply with the programme terms by diverting the grant to unprofitable ventures...we all know the story; else there wouldn't have been a presentation/interview in the first place (I guess) and they wouldn't have had to be this strict with this edition. Also this edition was keenly contested and we have to realise it must not have been that easy for the selection panels too.

So, let's be good image makers for the YouWiN programme and continue to pray that it will be continued so that those that were not selected in this edition and other youths who were unable to apply, will have another chance.

You are a Winner! YES YOU ARE!!

dstan: I also heard from unconfirmed sources yesterday at the venue that the number of winners have been increased to 3,100 though I could not verify the gist but I feel its possible because of the upcoming elections. Afterall,the older citizens got a share of d national largese frm d national conference,so why not d youths from a productive initiative as youwin! ?

I wouldn't count on that that figure cause it seems to overrated and "borrowing the word of the panelists" not feasible; 3,100 is 1,900 over the usual 1,200. I'll like to align myself with 1,500 which to me seem more reasonable. Don't get me wrong if it were possible I'd be glad even all invited for the interview were awarded.

medoty:
Is there any one that notice how and where they assess candidates? because I didn't see them my presentation and response to questions.

Sure, you must not have noticed, I think I spotted that; they've got a set of criteria/schemes printed on an A4 paper in front of them, which they were either ticking or assigning marks to, as I was presenting and responding to their questions. I'm guessing its mush be so for every panel/applicant.

Did a critical review of my interview with the panelists today and I'm kind of glad it went it way it did because it's an eye opener.

Actually, the panelists categorically expressed how glad they were with my passion for the business and what I'm currently doing but they just wasn't impressed with the currently level of cashflow as against the amount I forecast for the next 12 months, to just the amount of grant applied for.
I would have agree with them in saying they don't believe that the income forecast is feasible for my market, but that's because they were looking at it from a too narrow minded perspective and their unwillingness to listen denied us both the expose of the strategy through which I plan to make it happen.
I really don't know for these YouWiN panelists but if you ask me I'd say I'm wowed how any entrepreneur or business person of their calibre "in this century" would be so resistance to the idea of "multiple streams of income".

And they said the idea of YouWiN is to create jobs and they wanted us to start on a such a meager levels? They gotta be kidding me!
I'm foreseeing a much lower level of job creation for this YouWiN 3 if they go around over cutting the amount applicants are applying for.....imho

bizhub: Please did any encounter panel 10?What was the experience like?

A friend of mine did and mehn! she had a far more than Dragon Den experience.

Omaobe:

I had exactly d same experience and got d same response from panel 4 in Lagos. One of d panelist was even somehow categorical in offering 20% of what I applied for. I tried so much to defend but dey wouldn't just listen. But dey had to allow me to talk and listen to me when dey discovered dat I was getting angry with d process.
No matter what, may God do d best for us.

Are u also into retail like me?

Nope! IT and Computer Services.

On my way home from my interview in Abuja; I faced Panel 11 and though they seem somewhat nice, they were very critical; "whatever you are offered make sure you use it well and when you get the money spent it wisely"

Now I concur; one of the main aim of the panelist is to reduce your grant. Did they say present and defend? I'd say it was rather present and submit (because effective defending was defeated by the proactive resistance of the panelist).

One of the guys in the validation team said they were instructed by the Presidency to increase the awardees to 1500.

I did my best and left the rest in Gods' hands "in God I Trust".

favoryourl:
for more answers to your youwin questions call me @ 07036663913

Seriously?...

medoty:
Bro have you done your own?

Nope!

KappaJ1:
I believe this stage is just to have a fair understanding of the capability of the applicant to run the business.

Seems so, but, still good to be prepared incase of surprises.

Coolkizzy and Bigboyz32 you guyz rock, those who can 'inspite of percieved undue advantage' add values to people's life like that are already a success no doubt...(IJN)

CoolKizzy:
3. Is one allowed to hold a copy of the prepared template when presenting?

Coolkizzy I think now you can answer your own question above.....lol

Adulphus:

YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR FINANCIALS, KNOW YOUR COMPETITORS, YOUR MARKET AND MARKET STRATEGY. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH AND BE ABLE TO CONVINCE THEM. THERE ARE 52 PANELIST DIVIDED BY 13 PANELS = 4, SO YOU WILL BE FACED TO DEFEND YOUR PLAN IN THE PRESENCE OF 4 PANELIST. FOR THOSE GOING TO ENUGU, PANEL 11 IS VERY FAIR AND THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

BELOW WAS HOW I BROKE MY FINANCIAL ANALYSIS:
Hi. How much money do you need to implement your business? ii. How will you fund the business? iii. What will the funds be used for? iv. How and/or when will the business make profit? [100 words] Please show a summary of the breakeven analysis.
i. Total Capital = N11,000,000
ii. YouWIN Grant and Family
iii. Capital Cost = 4,400,000 including: The Cost of Machineries = 3,400,000naira
The Cost of Office Equipment and furniture= 300,000 naira
The Cost of Vehicle = 700,000naira

Operating Expenses = 3,300,000
Indirect Cost = 1,820,000
Miscellaneous = 1,480,000
iv. My Business will make profit after month 11 of the Grant Award.

Breakeven Analysis: [NB: 1 unit of my product is sold at 2,700 naira]
BEP in Units = Fixed Cost/Contribution
Fixed Cost = Capital Cost + Indirect Cost + Depreciation
Depreciation = Capital Cost/10years = 4,400,000/10 = 440,000
Fixed Cost = 4,400,000 +1,820,000 + 440,000 = 6,660,000
Contribution = Sales Price – Variable Cost = 2,700 – 1,200 = 1,500
Therefore, my Breakeven Point in Units = 6,660,000/1,500 = 4,440Units
BEP in Naira = 4,440 x 2,700 = 11,988,000
11,988,000/1,100,000 = 10.9 = 11months

ONCE AGAIN KNOW YOUR FINANCIALS BECAUSE THEY WILL ASK YOU HOW YOU WILL SPEND THE MONEY (FINANCIAL PRUDENCY)
GOOOOD LUCK

Nice one but if I counted correctly that's 142 words and I think the BEP' is overrated, what I know is; 'total sales income=total operational cost' at BEP.

@stagger

Much as I understand where you'r coming from and the point you'r trying you make (believe me I really do), I still think it's grossly unnecessary in this senario/situation. If my memory serves me right you were the one who introduced the idea of Dragons Den here on the forum, and they are all there on bbc/youtube. If Nigeria were already there digitally I can guess those earlier interviews might have already find there way online somewhere, so what's the big deal anyway.

I think it's only 'Nigerian mentality' to think that it'll automatically give anyone undue advantage, because I don't believe every one's presentation will ever be the same neither will everyone be asked the same questions and I believe YouWiN very well expect and allow some level of Naivety; doesn't the "You" in YouWiN stands for Youth? And the "I" for Innovative (not Inventive). If there was no IBM, one would wonder if there would have ever been a Microsoft, or what if there were never an iphone/ipad? Without that 'so called' undue advantage Android/Techo will be no where today!......spying is everbody's business (or why else will your business plan be having the info of your competeitors?).

Omaobe:

Thank u. But dat's not d answer I want.

Can some1 explain to me what d question actually implies? I mean d questn 'when will your business make first profit?'.

I think you might have made up your own question, because the correct question in the template is "How and/or when will the business make profit?"

And the answer should be something like; when your sales income exceeds your total operational expenses (state the month you will achieve that), that is; a point where you have confidentlly made sales well above your Breakeven point.

Ibrahym: I found an arithmetical error in the financial plan I submitted for 2nd stage, which I now intend to correct.
I also need to update the financials to take into account of some new information, etc such as type/cost of processing equipment. The business will still be profitable but less than expected. I'll also have to make some adjustments to ensure reasonable breakeven.

I do know business financial plans may change due to different reasons, such as new information/knowledge of issues, errors, change in technology or business method/model, etc.

But guys, whats your take on this, especially as per YouWin! factor? and is anyone else facing a similar experience?

Though, I don't have the same experience, I think you might want to be very careful and tread with caution in changing whatever figures that got you through the 2nd stage (because there is the possibility you might not have gotten through if you had submitted with your intended correction). I think YouWiN is primarily expecting you to come and "defend" not "come and correct". You can always make the changes during the execution stage of your business.

For now, my advise is; do your corrections somewhere separate, study, understand and memorise them. You'll not be needing much of the financials in your presentation "looking at the format of the template" and you can always explain if you are asked about it during the questions & answers time with the panel.

Bigboyz32: mine is on 13th, August by 10:30 - 11:10am at Enugu. i am wondering if the result of d interview will take long as usual.

@Bigboyz32 and the rest with much earlier dates, hope you guyz are putting final touches to your presenation, I'd say go with everything you think might add to your chances, even things that were not officially requested "you never know" they could become handy. All the best to you guyz, we are equally bracing up here in the forum for an update from you all.

CoolKizzy: I'm done with my template, but it entered the third page, i am thinking of removing the instruction to make it fit into two pages, anybody with me on this one?

Instructions have always been part of YouWiN templates, I think it might be better you leave it, 3 pages it still alright I guess.

medoty: What do you understand by how Will you fund the business?

YouWiN Grant and Personal Saving... etc

ciscaos: mine is even 5 pages but i did not exceed their word limit.

Seriouly? 2 pages is great, 3 pages is alright but 4 or more pages is bad idea, a template with such tiny margins is an indication that they want the pages as few as possible....my opinion tho.
You might want to try reducing it by recontructing your sentences or reduncing your line spacing (the default line spacing that came with the template 1.15 should suffice)

CoolKizzy: if I add a break even summary to the last question, it always exceeds 100 words. what do I do?

It say "Summary" which can also mean "Sum" in units and amount, not necessarily the full analysis.

sydneyobioha: Goodday everyone.. A friend just introduced me to this educating forum. I'm also an awardee, mine is in Enugu on 13th.. pls my question is "Are we suppose to type the responses to the questions directly inside the template boxes or do we type it in a separate sheet (MS word document)"? Thanks!

No one is certain because it was not indicated in the instructions. But, looking at the format YouWiN has adopted from the begin I think, we are expected to 'fill in' the answers in the same template, I stand to be corrected though.

Lovechild: mine is 21st, best western 9:10am. I pray all of us wins! . it just might be a simple interview not as intensive or competitive as dragons den cos it kinda different here. even though its a competition its also is a government grant not a bunch of cut-throat fire-breathing investors looking only to make quick money and garner high ratings for the tv promoters.. drawing the contrast further some of us are going to be pitching new non-existent business while at the dragons den you have to have your business up an running or at least at a prototype stage (i think!) and be able to demonstrate your numbers thoroughly using multimedia boards n stuff.. here we weren't asked to even prepare a slide.. just my thinking tho..

You have a point and you might be correct but then I think it's better to be over prepared than to be under prepared. Whatever the intention of the Dragons Den, it still avail us a wondeful learning medium. You can always look beyon the drama to what you personally can learn from it. And if we critically analyze why the interview was introduce in this edition in the first place, it might be wise get more prepared for a dragons den expereince, most expecially you guyz we a New Business.

Have you guys seen this?

Pretty impressive...... Dupsy (MKO) Abiola delivers one of

Dragons Den Best Pitch Ever >>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zumkSeC2u3M

If she can, YES YOU AND I CAN!

Denn:

To be safe,I would advise going with 6

Hmm! I see...

5. Five (5) copies of your business summary presentation...

That's looking like a 5 man panel....just thinking aloud!

neksummi: Mine is on 28th August at Barcelona Hotel, Wuse 2 Abuja.

Same...... 12:50pm - 1:30pm

It's the Lord's doing, to him be all the glory. I also got invited.

I congratulate those who didn't make it because you ain't lossers
but winners too. Like one of the anchors said at the training, that they've
monitored many who didn't get the grant from the 1st and 2nd edition but
are now doing pretty fine whereas they are now looking for some of their
mates who got the grant and squandered it, so that they can ask them
to come and pay back the money.

Congrats to everyone who made it through and all the best on the interview.
May God see us through to the BIG BUCKS!