Welcome to year 2011. May your dreams come true. May you experience outstanding success in all your endeavors as you put your trust in God’s ability and not lean on your human understanding.
Happy New Year 2011
I’m looking up to Jesus the author and finisher of my faith. He says ALL SHALL BE WELL this year!
Year 2010
The year 2010 has been a wonderful year for me as an entrepreneur. Even though I didn’t quite achieve all that I set out to achieve during the year, I must confess that I have several reasons to be grateful to God for His generosity. I must also appreciate you my fans, friend and readers of this blog for your support, especially those of you that drop comments and contribute to discussions on this blog (No thanks to the human and auto-bot spammers for increasing the time I spend moderating).
This year, I wrote fewer articles because of my preoccupation with offline activities, yet this blog enjoyed more visit than it ever had in the previous years. There was increase in overall exposure and I had quite a good number of offers from individual and corporate organizations asking requesting that I partner with them in one venture or the other. For all those offers, I am grateful.
As an Entreprenuer, it is that time of the year that one need to take stock of the performance so far. Several questions runs through my mind. You can guess what some of them are. What progress has been made? What goals have been achieved? What lofty ideas were abandoned because of poor implementation? What did I do wrong? What could I have done better?
As these questions and thoughts fly around my mind, it became obvious that I needed the aid of pen and paper to get my thought sorted out. However, it wasn’t long before I discovered that that wasn’t just enough. The mind is a wonderful machine with ceaseless torrents of ideas, questions and suggestions. I needed something better than paper and pen to do my constructive brainstorming.
Thank God for open source software. I had downloaded FreeMind, an Open Source alternative to the popular Mind Manager. I used it to put down each flying thought, idea, questions and suggestion. It was easy arranging my thought and establishing connection between one idea and another to see what the overall picture looks like. It was much more better than using a paper and pen.
Meanwhile, I have also used the FreeMind to build a complex diagram of what my life really look like. It is really stunning to see how complicated it really is. I thought I live a simple life, but the diagram shows that what I consider simple is actually complicated and it requires carefulness to maintain a balance. I am actually using that diagram as a foundation for writing up my goals for the year 2011.
Year 2011
One of the lessons I learned this year is that every goal you set for yourself, whether business or personal must aligned with your ultimate goal in life. It is foolish to set goals that contradict what your ultimate goal in life is. Let me explain with an example. An entrepreneur set the goal of having a certain amount of money in his bank account at the close of business on 21st December, 1996. His plan was to spend some of the money to give his family a one week treat at one the exclusive holiday resort. Unfortunately, when he got home on the 22nd of December, 1996, there was nobody at home. He discovered a divorce letter on the dinning table, it was dated 16th December, 1996! His spouse and children were gone. They were tired of his continuous absence from home and his continual neglect of the family. It was a total disaster, because the man had sacrificed a bigger and more important goal for a smaller one. What a disaster! That entrepreneur failed to set his priority aright. He failed to balance his goals!
Each of us need to set goals for the various nodes that makes up different areas of our lives (spiritual, health, financial, social, etc). Ensure that the goals are not conflicting with your ultimate goal or purpose in life. Give priority to relationships above material acquisition. I’m not just talking, I’m working on my goals for 2011. Not an easy task I must confess, but I’ve learned that he who fails to set goals and plan for their achivement is merely existing like a rock! So I’m not going to abandon the task. Success don’t just happen. Success occurs when someone set goal, plan and work towards it’s achivement. If nothing has thought me that this is true, this blog has done just that.
So, my suggestion to you is that as you celebrate this festive season, don’t forget to take stock of your performance in the year 2010. Ensure you show appreciation to all those that have contributed to your success, business and personal, so far. Then sit down and sincerely decide what you want in the year 2011. Decide and plan to be a major league player in the year 2011, don’t settle for the position of a spectator! See you at the top. Cheers 😉
Why do many Nigerian internet users surf the internet endlessly without improving their economic condition. Why are there tales of woes among the Nigerian youth who desire to make money online. This is a guest post from a Nigerian blogger, Micheal Mcneri, who leaves in United States. He started his online adventure right here in Nigeria. I belief you will enjoy this piece – Naijaecash
McNeri
The Internet is for surfing not for suffering. The internet is for information gathering, knowledge building and application of such knowledge for making money! It is not for suffering! So why do Nigerians suffer online. There are numerous sites where you see us (Nigerians) gathered and all we do is complain of our suffering online. I feel there is no need for that. In fact, when you have pain and you gain access to the web, all your sufferings ought to go away as you receive knowledge and help from the online community. Often, such knowledge and help are given free of charge!
I am based in the United States and I have been involved with post-secondary education up to the highest levels since 1988. I have numerous interests even though I have a full time job which pays my bills. It has however fascinated me since my days at Ibadan, UCH to be precise when we first learned of Cybercafés (Internet Cafes). That was in the days of NITEL internet and calling booths. At that time in 2000/2001, I got a glimpse of what the world wide web had in stock for us. Seas of information and oceans of characters. We browsed in a very different way then.
In those days, I had to apply for a NITEL land line so that I could use NITEL internet. To get the line cost 13,000 naira ($87) to NITEL and another 25,000naira ($167) ‘egunje’ (bribe) to the thugs (staff) of the cursed company. It was like bleeding, but we did it. This afforded me the opportunity to become a web user as I browsed the internet by dialup. I opened “FREE” email accounts and searched with this new search engine called GOOGLE! All was going fine and I was feeling cool but a few months into this new adventure, the line suddenly stopped working!
Then I received a bill of 102,000 naira ($680)! I thought I was dreaming! I contested the bill because the phone was not working and I had not made any international or local call to warrant such a monstrous bill. Well, I was simply told that that is my bill and I have to pay it if I ever want to use the line again! To me that was fraudulent and I was not willing to pay for what I did not use. Well, that was the end of browsing from home, but I had learned that there was a huge world out there and I was going to be part of it.
A few cybercafés sprang up in Ibadan at that time, but many of them had lousy speeds. I was already spoiled with my home dialup (NITEL internet) which was so fast at 24kbps! Eventually I found one in Bodija, Ibadan. It cost 500 naira ($3.5) for 5 hours of moderate speed browsing. I was happy. Then I would go and buy a pack of floppy discs (do they still exist?). Each one was 1024kb. Armed with the 10 in a pack I would go to the cybercafe and pay for 5 hours. As I surfed, I downloaded materials, usually articles of interest in the medical field, or web pages. I would just be saving them to the diskettes (for the younger readers, that is what they were called). Then when I got home, in the comfort of my home, I would re-browse them, that is if Nigerian Electric Power Authority, NEPA (another sick company) permitted (the company had the monopoly of supplying electricity, but does a terrible job of servicing the masses, I learned they have been re-branded as Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. In my humble opinion, Never Expect Power Always is better than Power Holding Company of Nigeria. Well, back to our main gist. It was at the cybercafés that I stumbled on my present career.
It was during my adventure in the cybercafés that I found out about the World Bank Scholarship and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. That was how I ended up having papers in Croatia at the 7th World Congress of Pediatric Surgery. That is how I ended up here in United States, owning a website development company and helping other less advantaged organizations get their feet online.
My story may be a bit long winded, but I want you to take from this a little lesson. It is still challenging to get online in Nigeria 10 years later, I wouldn’t have guessed. I have had some couple of youth send me letters asking me to help their helpless situations in Nigeria relating to unemployment and struggles. One of them named Tunde, does landscaping, but has no official qualification. He has worked in a cybercafe before. I encouraged him to simply put pen to paper in 5-10 short essays of what he does which is landscaping. Then I offered to help him get a website on, optimize it for search engines and even purchase some adverts for him. Then all he has to do is register his business name in Nigeria and we can hunt for business online since he was disadvantaged on the ground in Nigeria. It has been almost one year now and I have not heard from him.
I guess Tunde lacked the motivation to follow through with my proposal because he probably think it is too big a dream. It was a mistake on my part too, because I was dreaming big “for Tunde”. So I have ceased to dream for people. The message here is DREAM BIG AND YOU CAN GET THERE. It does not matter how ridiculous your dream is. What matters is whether you believe you can achieve it or not. There are many roads out here and that is why it is called the WEB. Read, Learn, Dream, Achieve.
After Tunde, I had another cold caller who contacted me through facebook. He had a similar story. Patrick is a teacher, but wants more. He complained that his meager income as a teacher wasn’t sufficient to support his poor family and there are several other financial challenges that he was struggling with. I asked Patrick what he knows and can really write about. He said poverty. I said okay, write five short essays and I will set you up as an online writer. Maybe we can get you something to supplement your poor teacher’s salary.
Two months later, I asked Patrick how far? I am still waiting. Please tell me if it takes Patrick 2 months to write 5 short essays on this first offer, how will anyone be willing to contract him? He will not deliver and in this fast-paced world, nobody has that kind of time. So the second big lesson is “STRIKE YOUR IRON WHILE IT IS HOT“. We are too lukewarm in Nigeria. We feel overwhelmed by the huge problems facing us and the lean resources available to us. However, if you want to make it to Heaven, you have to live like you are in Heaven here on Earth. Righteous, Holy and Worshipping the only true God, like the angels do in Heaven.
I believe you should gear up and face the invisible if you want to rise out of that quagmire limiting you. Hold onto your faith, but also focus on your dreams. Yes, dear to DREAM BIG DREAMS! If you have no dreams, then you are going nowhere. Can a Man make heaven if he has not dreamed of Heaven? Also, start NOW! People in the developed world have blogged their ways out of poverty. You too can make money online from Nigeria if you take action now. Get a blog, send a guest post to well established bloggers and become the person of your dreams. You’ve got to STRIKE YOUR IRON WHILE IT IS HOT! Stop procrastinating, start acting out your DREAM!
Micheal Mcneri is an Internet Marketer and a blogger. You can visit his website at Finance Is Personal. He also has a new one at I Be Naija.
Online Forex Trading has come to stay in Nigeria. A significant percentage of my first time visitors discover Nigerian Entrepreneur via their search for Trading Forex Online in Nigeria. That is kind of funny since FX is not my focus for this blog.
I have observed that over the years, more and more Nigerians are becoming active forex traders. Even though in time past some Nigerians made false claims about their forex trading expertise, the trend is gradually changing. We are beginning to have real professional forex traders who are earning reasonable income from online forex trading.
On several occasion, I have received emails requesting that I explain to the sender how one can become a Professional Forex Trader without falling victim to those seminar gurus. Some have pleaded that I recommend a Forex Broker or a Professional Forex Trader who can coach a newbie into becoming a professional FX trader. Well, I had resisted the urge to do so because I am not all that knowledgeable in Trading Forex.
Last week, while discussing with a friend, he explained to me that two factors are needed by a newbie desirous of starting online forex trading business. There is need for a coach, that is an active trader (not a seminar teacher making empty claims). Also, there is need for a reputable Forex Broker. He warned me not to give out his name as a Forex Coach. I wonder why he doesn’t want to coach people. So folks looking for reputable coach, I’m still searching for one that I can recommend.
Well, for the second requirement, he recommended United World Capital, a foreign based Forex Broker that is currently wooing Nigerians. He stated that the company has special interest in Nigerian clients. That sounded unbelievable because even though I knew that Trading Forex is a Multi-billion Dollar Market with great potentials, I never knew that the activities of Naija brother and sister in the industry is beginning to attract international attention.
Well, I visited the official website of UWC, and I must say the website is quite user friendly. I have visited the official portal of several Forex Brokers, but United World Capital (UWC) seems to be different from them all. UWC webmasters seem to have taking into consideration some of the constraints that Nigerian FX Traders faces. They also have quite some mouth watering deals for both would-be traders and affiliates. I will mention some of the things I saw but I suggest you visit their website after reading my ramblings.
I visited UWC website, and I decided to use their onine chat service. The rep that attended to me stated that UWC is focusing on becoming the best Forex Broker for Nigerian FX Traders. I was told they have some cool special offers for Nigerian clients. That will definitely bring a boost to Nigeria Forex trading opportunities.
Opportunity for Newbie Forex Traders – According to the rep, any Nigerian Trader that registers with them will have the opportunity of trading in different foreign currencies, gold, stocks and CFD. The required minimum deposit for a starter is $10 and they are willing to provide leverage up to 1:500. If you decide to start big and you deposit $50 you will be given a bonus $25. Well, for those with fat purse, a deposit of $300 will attract $100 bonus while 25% bonus goes to those making first deposit above $500. Quite tempting I must say.
Easy Account Funding Options – I guess they are aware that PayPal has not been so friendly to Nigerians. So they already put in place different options for getting fund deposited into your trading account. You can use AlertPay, Okay Pay, Western Union, Bank Wire Transfer, Money Bookers, Debit Cards, Credit Cards, Neteller, WebMoney etc.
Easy Withdrawal of Fund – Withdrawal from trading account is equally facilitated via several options. So no more using PayPal palaver as excuse for not starting an online business. Beside the opportunity for would-be Forex Traders and Professional FX Traders, there is also another opportunity being provided for Nigerians by UWC. You can become their affiliate and earn money.
If you don’t know what an affiliate is, read my post UWC gives room for anyone to become their affiliate. They are promising $10 commission for every referral you send to them who traded lot (lot is the contract volume in forex) + $20 extra for every client that deposit more than $50. They are promising free website design and hosting for Nigerian affiliates who want a website. There is need to get more details on this though.
It doesn’t end there, they claim that any Nigerian affiliate who can provide 1000 traded lots per month or more will be considered for managing his or her own UWC office in Nigeria (please don’t be surprised if you suddenly start noticing UWC banner and text link on this blog). This offer is quite tempting. I’ve almost completed my registration as an affiliate.
I know you’re beginning to suspect my motive for writing this article. Well, I will leave you to keep guessing. There is nothing wrong with me desiring to make money as a blogger or even becoming an affiliate of UWC. The important issue is that I have shared the same opportunity with you. So, go check out United World Capital deal for yourself. If you decide to take up the opportunity, when next you blog about your Nigeria Forex deals, do send me a love-link. 😉
Well, that is the end of my ramblings. It is time you go to United World Capital official portal to get more details for yourself. Please drop your thought in the comment section. It will encourage me to keep writing. If you happen to know a Professional Forex Trader willing to become a coach to newbies, drop his/her contact in the comment section. That is just the missing factor we need to compliment the opportunity being offered by United World Capital for the newbie Nigerian Forex Traders. Cheers.
If Nigeria is a business venture, how will we go about appointing the next Managing Director or President? Let’s take the position of the shareholders or stakeholders. What are those qualities we will be looking out for in the candidates contesting for the position? Will our choice of the next Managing Director be based on ethnic affiliation or race? Will it be based on the ability of the candidate to fulfill our dreams as shareholders or stakeholders?
These and many more questions are bothering me as I watch our politicians playing the old game all over again. Unfortunately the society is not doing much to help. Is this not the right time to take up our pen and make our voices heard? Is this not the best time to scrutinize the motives of those aspiring to become the next president of our great nation. I think every Nigerian blogger should make a post about the current events unfolding in the political arena. Never mind if you are not interested in politics. I don’t like talking about politics or politicians. However, I have a dream that Nigeria will be great!
In other countries, would be presidential candidates reel out the goals they intend to achieve if they are giving the opportunity. They go to a great extent to convince the populace that they can provide succour to the suffering masses. They present policies that they believe will go a long way to move the economy forward. The electorate are practically wooed like a bride-to-be in other to get their votes.
Unfortunately, that is not what I’m seeing. Nigeria is almost 50, yet we seem to have learned nothing from our past mistakes! How come those that were instrumental to the destruction of our social and economic life are the one aspiring to govern. Why can’t we have a change of the old guard? Are there no successful men and women who have made significant impact in their various industry who can take up the mantle of leadership and lead Nigeria out of the woods? How come those that ought to be thinking of retiring are the ones dictating who should be our next ruler!
My humble expectation is that by now, someone will come out to convince the electorate how he or she (I won’t really mind a female president) will solve the problem of the infrastructural decay that is sending us bankrupt as a nation. I thought someone will give us a promise on solving our energy crisis once and for all. Won’t it be wonderful if the educational sector will be restored to its former glory when citizens of other nations come to Nigerian Universities to study.
Unfortunately, all I hear about is Zoning Formula. North and South gentleman agreement! Ethnic and religious affiliation. Are those suppose to be the criteria for choosing who to vote for in the Nigeria Presidential Election 2011! Oh my motherland. When will we wake up from dream and face reality. What we need as a nation is a man of purpose. A man that is committed to building our fatherland. What we need is a man that is ready to serve, not one that wants to be served. What we need is a man that has a dream for Nigeria, not one that has a dream for his pocket!
Then Nigerian Entrepreneurs will be able to shout for joy! We will be able to create wealth that will place Nigeria in a vantage position among the nations of the earth. I have a dream, that Nigeria will be great. The Giant of Africa rise up and occupy the position of dignity in the continent of Africa. If Nigeria is a business how will we go about selecting the next Managing Director? I want your opinions on this one. Cheers.