In research on leadership, integrity is consistently rated as one of the most important character traits of a respected leader. It is often considered the ‘given’ basis upon which all other leadership traits are built. After all, if you cannot count on a leader to consistently conduct himself or herself with high ethical standards, and […]
Along with advancements in computer technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and even autonomous automobiles, the technology in our workplace is changing at a rapid pace. From yesterday’s monolithic, big software systems that ran your entire business to today’s cloud-based small applications driven by real-time interactions and accessible on our tablets and smartphones, everything seems to be changing overnight. […]
A marketing audit is a thorough review of your marketing plan, objectives, strategies, and current activities being executed in your small business. The goal is to see what is working and what is not so you can identify areas for improvement. A successful marketing audit will help you pinpoint your marketing strengths and weaknesses so you can make solid decisions about […]
Remaining current with major advancements in technology is an increasingly important part of a manager’s role today. The best managers are on the lookout for new capabilities that will enable them to serve their customers more effectively and efficiently or improve internal efficiencies and reduce costs. There are a variety of tactics a manager can take […]
Setting ‘SMART’ goals a popular technique for validating your goals. This is important because it helps you save time and energy by making the process of goal setting more efficient and productive. It helps you avoid spinning your wheels! There are several ways you can define the acronym SMART. This is the definition that is […]
A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps a business owner identifies his or her own strengths and weaknesses, as well as any opportunities and threats that may exist in a specific business situation. A SWOT analysis is most commonly used as part of a marketing plan, but it […]
The Stock Market (Nigeria Stock Exchange) does not understand the small business entrepreneur. Your business is of no interest to them. Unless your business is driving millions in annual sales, you are just too small and inconsequential for Stock Market big money strategies. Essentially, to the Stock Market advisor, if you are not planning on […]
“Most entrepreneurs are driven personalities, but you cannot overcome challenges and bring new ideas to the market through the sheer force of personality alone,” the Virgin Founder, Richard Branson writes in a recent blog post. “You need to learn to delegate so that you can focus on the big picture.” I dare add: “As well as stay […]
One of the earliest and most critical decisions an entrepreneur must make is whether to self fund a startup by bootstrapping, or raise outside funding through venture capital. The implications of each decision are significant. How you fund your company will help determine its chances of success, its scale, its long term prospects, and ultimately, […]
Most first time entrepreneurs seem to believe the myth that they need a minimum of a half a million naira to start a business. At least that is usually the lowest number I see requested from Bank of Industry (BOI) and other entrepreneur investment group. In reality, over 80 percent of successful new businesses are self funded […]