Tola James-Odukoya

Prospective entrepreneurs are constantly caught in difficult circumstances; the most common is the decision to quit their job in order to devote undisrupted time to starting a business or work on the business part time and stay employed. I personally experienced this situation, and the problem I faced was whilst working in a white collar job, my mind was never at peace, constantly wondering and thinking of the email that needed to be sent and the meeting that was due to be arranged. These result in the lack of focus of one’s present situation and that could mean risking the job that pays the bills. If only there was a programme where entrepreneurs could apply for funding to cover his/hers personal expenses whilst concentrating on their project. A programme that only those with validated ideas can apply and get funding for the exchange of some equity in the business. Noting that as far as I am aware, this does not exist so why don’t we all put our strengths and networks together and create it. The mind of an entrepreneur: we find gaps and fill it.

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Anything acquired without effort, and without cost is generally unappreciated (Napoleon Hill – Think and Grow Rich).  Looking back at my experiences in Ghana and Nigeria I can honestly say that I am pleased with my efforts and I recognise that it was such a huge sacrifice to go out to the true motherland Africa and reap the many blessings it had to offer. It took a great deal of courage and an even bigger financial risk to quit my job and convince myself I was doing the right thing. I mean, let’s pause for a second… Read More

Ancient Babylon was the richest city on earth, not because of the government, but because of the people. The people understood a secret, they understood the power of positive thinking and the rules of managing money. They not only understood the principles surrounding building wealth, they practised it. If you speak to our senators, ministers and governors they will admit that as leaders they have failed, like the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 2:12: For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. So who bears the responsibility of leadership? Our President? Our forefathers? Our governors? Our Lecturers? Our pastors? Yes they all have a part to play in ensuring we are fed spiritually, physically and mentally. However leadership my fellow Nigerians & Africans lies within our hearts and our souls!! How long will we pass the blame game? How long will we get used to an accustom that destroys our beautiful nation? So we should ask, what do we lack? Wealth? If you ask someone outside of Africa, someone ignorant that is clearly not educated, they will say Nigeria lacks wealth. A country that has been initiated into the MINT nations, the new, growing economic power of 2050, alongside Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey. A country that has an abundance of Oil reserves and other precious natural resources that are still untapped, surely Wealth isn’t the problem. So I ask again, what is the problem? Our problem is leadership and courage; Leadership to take the leap of faith and challenge ourselves, the lack of courage to unite amongst ourselves and fight the common enemy who doesn’t want the prosperity of our nation and continent.  That enemy is corruption, education, infrastructure, running water, roads and electricity… Read More

Opportunity I believe knocks on everyone’s door at the very least once in each of our lifetimes; The Bible states in Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”, but how many of us knock hard enough? Do we even knock at all?

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