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My Experience at the Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2024: A Costly Lesson From November 22nd to 24th, 2024, I attended the Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) in Akure, Ondo State, which promised to be the "world’s largest gathering of entrepreneurs and investors." What followed, however, was an experience so disappointing that I’ve resolved never to attend any event associated with Summy Smart Francis [/b]again. Here’s why. [b]The Alluring Pitch It all started with an online ad inviting business owners to apply for an opportunity to pitch their ventures to a global audience of investors. The ad was enticing—after all, who wouldn’t want the chance to showcase their business on such a grand stage? After applying, I received a congratulatory email stating I’d qualified for the next stage, which required me to attend the event in person on November 23rd. But here’s where the red flags began: the email also urged me to purchase a ticket for $25 (half of the regular $50 price) to confirm my participation. I hesitated. Why would anyone have to pay to pitch their business to investors? Suspicious but curious, I decided not to attend. A few days later, however, I received another email offering me a "sponsored" ticket to pitch my business for free. With nothing to lose—or so I thought—I decided to give it a shot. The Chaotic Schedule On November 21st, just a day before the event, I received an email at 6:13 PM informing me that I was scheduled to pitch at 12:30 PM the following day. This left me scrambling to make the trip from Lagos to Akure, a journey of 6–8 hours. I left Lagos that night, rested briefly in Ibadan, and continued to Akure the next morning, arriving at 11:30 AM—just in time to check in and join the event. The venue was packed, with a panel discussion in full swing on stage. I waited. And waited. The panel discussion lasted until 3 PM, and by evening, we were told the pitching session had been postponed to the next day. A Poorly Executed Pitch Process The next day, the pitching process began—but not as advertised. Over 2,000 entrepreneurs were corralled into a separate area and divided into small groups. We were called, one by one, to pitch to two individuals seated at a table. Each entrepreneur was given just 1–2 minutes to present their ideas, supposedly as part of a "screening stage." Afterward, there was no immediate announcement about the results. The rest of the day continued with other sessions, leaving us in limbo. It wasn’t until late Sunday night, the final day of the event, that the organizers set up a stage in a small room and began announcing the results. Out of over 2,000 entrepreneurs, only 20 were selected to pitch again—this time without even the ability to use pitch decks to support their presentations. Three winners were eventually declared: - Winner: $20,000 - 1st Runner-Up: $10,000 - 2nd Runner-Up: $5,000 Meanwhile, the remaining entrepreneurs—myself included—were left feeling misled and frustrated. The Aftermath The question on everyone’s mind was simple: Why did the organizers promise a global audience of investors, only to have us pitch to two anonymous individuals in a secluded room? For many attendees, the financial cost of attending the event far outweighed any potential benefits. Some had paid as much as $200 for premium tickets, while others spent $50 or $25. Although I received a "sponsored" ticket, my personal expenses still amounted to over ₦175,000, including transportation, accommodation, and feeding—not to mention the cost of leaving my business unattended for three days. Final Thoughts The Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2024, organized by Summy Smart Francis, turned out to be a disorganized and misleading event. It failed to deliver on its promises and left many entrepreneurs feeling scammed. This experience taught me an expensive but valuable lesson: [b]always scrutinize the credibility of event organizers before committing time and resources. [/b]As for me, I’ve made a firm resolution—any event associated with Summy Smart Francis will never see my attendance again. Have you ever had a similar experience? Let me know in the comments. Let’s learn from each other’s journeys.
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Are you sure you withdrew ![]() I've been checking back to back since the announced, but the only response I get is "Withdrawal starts from 11am daily." First, I thought the 11am isn't Nigerian time, then I kept checking every hour (24 times) and it kept giving the same response. Klasha is not a sincere app. They are definitely hiding something! |
DadojoReloaded:I just received a call from Access Bank that I should fund my new corporate account, and I sent N500. The lady called me bank and said it's not enough. I said it's not enough for what? I thought you wanted me to fund the account because it's new? She then opened up to me and said they needed at least 10k in the account for 'CAC search' on the company. I was angry and I hung up the phone. I did a Google search and I found this post on Nairaland. This is very pathetic. Banks have created various 'legal' means along with the CBN to exploit Nigerians. God save this country! |
ArtisanOga can be your plug. Check them out on https://www.artisanoga.com/tailors. |
Check out https://www.artisanoga.com/tailors. They help source for tailors within and outside Nigeria. |
Visit https://www.artisanoga.com/tailors. They are the solution your are looking for. Thank me later. |
That's interesting. |
pepsi2:I would recommend ArtisanOga. I use them to hire tailors for my business all the time: https://www.artisanoga.com/tailors |
Who is from Kogi State here? |
illocution:I was almost in this same predicament as I had given up on this whole NCDMB job hunt since the first batch got their e-mails - I never knew mails were being sent in batches. But as God would have it, I was in church last Sunday (14th of March) and the spirit of God told me to check my email (very unusual thing to do during church service) but I obeyed. I scrolled my inbox till the 8th of March and, eureka! There was the mail! I quickly rushed home after service, opened my laptop and submitted my documents. I know some of you might criticize this or even winsk at this but I say this with all sincerity and God is my witness: MY JOURNEY THIS FAR IN THIS NCDMB JOB IS NOTHING BUT A MIRACLE. I hardly applied for jobs (as I have my own thriving business) but I stumbled on the O&G website in June last year and I applied. All of a sudden, I got a mail for the test in November, wrote the first round. Then got another mail in January 2021 and I wrote. In a nutshell, I can say to anyone who cares to believe: God who has brought us this far will give us this job to the glory of His holy name. @illocution, don't give up. God's still got some miracles. |
EH from Kogi State. Score: 57% |
ArtisanOga is a property maintenance and project management company based in Lagos. Our services includes cleaning, plumbing, electrical, painting, carpentry and more. Through our Referral Club on WhatsApp members are expected to refer their neighbors, friends, family or colleagues who are property owners in Lagos to use our services. Once you have referred them to us, you don't do anything else. We will follow up with them to make them our clients. We send you a reward cash price of ₦10,000 instantly for each property they register with us. That means, if you refer a client to us that registers 5 properties, you earn ₦50,000. The opportunity is endless! Its a win-win situation for everybody. Your friend or relative gets our great service, we gain a good new client and you gain from it too! To join, text REFERRAL to 07069481591.
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A minimum of 2 years experience Salary Range: N50,000 to N70,000 Accommodation available Interested and qualified persons should apply on our website by clicking on the link below: https://artisanoga.com/staffing-solutions.php For further information, send WhatsApp message to 07069481591 (WhatsApp only) |
We are hiring the following positions for our client: 1. Accountant/Auditor 2. PRO 3. House Keepers 4. Marketers 5. Sales Reps 6. Barbeque Boys 7. Security men 8. Laundryman Salaries are attractive and according to industry standard. Interested and qualified persons should send CVs to hr@artisanoga.com. Please use the position you are applying for as the subject of the email (eg, House Keeper). For more info, contact 07069481591 (WhatsApp ONLY) |
Hi Nairalanders, We are looking for smart and talented individuals to fill the following positions in a hospitality company located in Ikeja. 1. Accountant/Auditor 2. PRO 3. Marketers 4. Sales Reps 5. House Keepers 6. Chefs 7. Barbeque Boys 8. Cleaners 9. Drivers 10. Security men 11. Bar man 12. Waiters/waitresses Candidates must reside in and around Ikeja axis and must be qualified for the applicable position. To apply, please send your CV to hr@artisanoga.com. Please use the position you are applying for as the subject of the email (eg, House Keeper) For more info, contact 07069481591 (WhatsApp ONLY) |
I got the exact same message too. I'm eager to know what lies next and also what the innovator category means. Okwori12: |
Their site memory space is full. I can't submit my application ![]()
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We are recruiting Dispatch Riders to help deliver food items in Lagos. Candidates MUST reside in Ikeja or its environs and must have a good knowledge of Lagos routes. Interested candidates should forward CVs to hr@artisanoga.com or apply directly on our website (www.artisanoga.com/staffing-solutions)
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bolinjkezzy:Kindly submit your CV on our website using this link: https://artisanoga.com/staffing-solutions.php Please note that our staffing solution focuses mainly on skill based professionals like architects, civil engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, fashion designers, etc. |
mike272:I am the owner of the number @Skyfornia quoted. I don't know him in person but I work with ArtisanOga Ltd and my company provides skill-based staffing solutions and contracts through our website. My attention was drawn to this thread by some persons who contacted me via WhatsApp. |
We are recruiting contract staff as Field Agents to help traders in Alaba market enlist their businesses on Alaba.ng - a new website for all shops in Alaba market. Candidates must reside close to Alaba market and must have smartphones. Interested candidates should send CVs to vicbrass247@gmail.com or WhatsApp message to 07069481581 |
bantyspeakin:I am currently in Benin and I got a similar message asking me to attend interview in Lagos by 9am tomorrow. Thank God I looked it up on Nairaland. This is the exact message I got: Based on Referral,BLS invites you for interview at 3rd floor,8 Thomas Salako str. Ogba Ikeja, Lagos.TUE.2/10/18 by 9am www.becologistics.com CEO |
I like the concept and execution of these guys. I came across their platform mid last year and have tried hiring electricians through them 2 times and I was really glad. |
This is a great solution! |
Elzoem: |
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