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Thursday, December 11, 2014

WomenX - Unleashing the Exponential Power of Women Entrepreneurs


Here is another great opportunity to join the increasing number of women whose business capacity are being built yearly. Scholarships are now being awarded to women in business yearly to attend an Entrepreneurial Management program at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) sponsored by the World Bank.

You too can be part of this by applying for the WomenX Scholarship program if you meet the following criteria:

- Own and Manage a business

- Business should be functional (at least 6 months in operation)

- Business must have high growth potential

- High Local value Added and Content

- Must have at least 5 employees

If you meet the criteria log on to www.edc.edu.ng or http://nigeria.smetoolkit.org to download and fill the WomenX Application form. Completed forms should be sent by email to aosinaike@pau.edu.ng.

Shortlisted applicants will receive an invitation for an interview.

Application Period: December 31, 2014.

For more information, please call Adeola on 08174583169.

JGC Scholarship for Entrepreneurship and innovation

So about my amazing week, I was privileged to be a part of the launch of a project that is set to empower young women and men and raise the next generation of entrepreneurs. I met Jennifer Jemedafe online recently, she reached out to me and mentioned that she was launching a new project for young entrepreneurs. Of course I was happy to be a part of it, I didn't even know how big this project was until I got to the UN information center that I realized how much work had gone into this.

We can either choose to focus on the opportunities and good things happening around us or wallow in self pity while sharing sob stories about the state of the nation. I choose the former and I say, this is one of the best times to be an entrepreneur. Every other day, there is something happening, influencers everywhere, changing the game! I tell you, it is not all gloom and doom.....

The event was full of inspiring great people. +Bimpe Onakoya gave an inspiring speech about her entrepreneurial journey. Professor Abiodun Denloye, of the center for entrepreneurial studies, Lagos State University represented the VC of LASU and launch a moving campaign video produced by the students of LASU on violence against women. Professor Ralph Akinfeleye of the department of Mass Communication, Unilag was also there to unveil the unilag video on stopping violence against women.

#stopviolenceagainstwomen
The launch was timely as it was within the 16daysactivism under the #heforshe project supported by the United nations to say YES to women empowerment and NO to Violence against women. They have been a huge support for the project so far. Intel too was represented there as they have a mission to empower up to 5 million women in entrepreneurship over the next few years.

All in all it was a great event.

Now to introduce the project and the face behind this laudable project.

 +jennifer jemedafe  is the CEO Jaytech Global Concept.The company is into PR , Marketing and Strategy and they are also Ambassadors for #entrepreneurship in Africa.

So I quickly took a selfie with Africa's Mark Zucheberg, +Gossy Ukanwoke hehe
The first set of recipients of the scholarship
The JGC Scholarship for Entrepreneurship & Innovation was born out of the company vision to deliver excellent service and ensure that clients become the best in their field trough innovative strategies and technology and customer satisfaction.

BAUOnline became a partner a few months ago. In Jennifer's words, "I thought how do I deliver excellent service and make positive impact at the same time" that's how the concept of the JCG Scholarship for Entrepreneurship and innovation came about.

The project seeks to raise a new generation of young successful entrepreneurs and  solve the unemployment issues Nigeria and Africa is currently facing.

The company connects with Governments, Organizations, and private individuals in the bid to get sponsorship to give scholarships to students who are graduating from the University.

Scholarship package is :
  • Tuition Fees for entrepreneurship and innovation course on the BAUOnline platform
  • Free Laptop
  • Access to VC4Africa platform for funding and mentorship
  • INTEL Ebasics course free preloaded on the laptop
Partners are :
  • BAUOnline
  • Elvina Ibru 
  • +MI Abaga 
  • United Nations Information Centre
  • Intel
  • VC4Africa

This is just at launch stage..

The company is in talks with more corporate organizations and individuals and the  to make the scholarship package better and more impactful as we go on with an inclusion of access to data and much more.

connect at www.jay.com.ng


Project Management for SMEs by 'Debo Ajayi - 3

Hello all,

How has your week been?

Yeah. Today we will wrap up the conversation about Risk, and how it can be managed to become a useful tool for business success.

Remember that we said that a Risk event is any event with a degree of uncertainty. As long as we do not know if, when or how something will happen, there exists a major challenge for SMEs.

Planning is a critical success factor and risk makes planning with any degree of accuracy difficult.

Positive ways to handle risks are

1. Share
2. Enhance
3. Exploit

Share

To share is to look for ways to improve your odds on a Project. Ever heard of the phrase "divide and conquer?". That's the logic of share. We want to increase the opportunity for success by sharing. Sharing comes in different forms and modes. One of which is to split up the business into different sections and focus on small bits. 

Focus always increases the chance for success. Another dimension to sharing is to sell the same product twice, changing either the package, brand or target market. Many manufacturers engage in this. Many drinks are now sold both in glass bottles, plastic bottles and cans. This is a classic example of sharing. The chance to succeed greatly increases because the product has been split into segments (even though it is the same product)

Source: http://i3advantage.com/blog/


Enhance

Next approach is to Enhance. To enhance is to take a bigger risk. Say you want to launch a new product/ service and as always you do not know certainly the outcome, you enhance by releasing two products into the market. The opportunity to succeed increases nicely in this event.

Exploit 

To exploit is to "throw everything you have at an opportunity". To look for ways to do more. The past outbreak of EVD (popularly called Ebola) created the opportunity for the sales of hand sanitizers. Now that the epidemic is over (thank God) to exploit will be to start/continue selling sanitizer but to create an aggressive marketing plan and focus on institutional buyers like Hospitals, hotels and public buildings.

Risk can be a very interesting concept and those who can weight it properly and take informed decisions are usually way ahead of the pack.

'Debo Ajayi
deboajayi1@gmail.com
debo.ajayi@endiveprojects.com
+2348030789445
+2348095763213
Start-out

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

FAB Store - Babajide Familusi #inthespiritofenterprise

Hi guys! I didn't showcase any entrepreneur last week, nor the week before, I think! I am sorry about that, but hey, I am making it up to you today. I have quite a bit to share with you, but I'll go with this first before I share the other stories.

I also didn't do my pre-show post and I didn't because for the life of me, I couldn't come up with a concept for that day! Yes. Happens to the best of us (here's me feeling like one of the best of us, hehe). Anyway, guess what? The show rocked and I just have to do a post-show post after this. Sorry, it's my blog, so I get to bore you with all the good and not so good stuff in my entrepreneur's journey.... don't vez!

So back to the entrepreneur of the day. I knew Babs in my lag days and I must say the transformation from unilag Babs to this calm and collected business mogul is something I still cannot get over! Lmao. You just never know how people would turn out from school days! I am telling you.

Enough said, let Babs do the honors himself....

P.S When I visited the FAB store in GRA, I was blown away, especially by the fact that its all african, everything in there! AFRICAN!! Who would have thought? We need to start supporting our own brands.

Enjoy!

Tell us about yourself

My name is FAMILUSI AKIN BABAJIDE but people call me FAB. I am passionate about African Fashion and Lifestyle.

Tell us about your business

The Fab store is one of the offshoots of  the FAB Group that created the FAB Magazine. (Read about the FAB magazine here.) It was launched on the 30th of June this year and is located at number 25 Oduduwa GRA, Ikeja Lagos.

We have on offer - African Fashion Brands inclusive of Clothes for both Adults and Children, accessories, Hand Bags, Makeup and Art work.

What does Fab mean? 

It simply means - FABULOUS AFRICAN BLACK

What was your Inspiration for the store?



It was inspired by the desire to have a one stop shop where people can experience Africa and African Creativity in a positive way.

You carry only African brands, most people would have thought this impossible, How did you make this happen and what has been the reaction of the market?

The reactions have been awesome. Most say it is refreshing to have a place to go to experience African fashion.

Can you give us a cross section of the brands you carry? 

+Kiki Kamanu, Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Simieogieme, Grey Project, 24 Apparel, Literati, Little weavers, Lady Biba, Didi Creations.

What are the main opportunities that you have been able to leverage to get where you are today?

The fact that the  FAB brand already existed….

Given the chance will you do this again? 

YES!!

What advice will you give to other entrepreneurs looking to launch.

Do not quit your Day Dream!


Connect with us

Visit our website - www.fabshop.africa.com

Visit our store – 25 ODUDWA WAY, GRA, IKEJA, LAGOS

Email – omotayo@fabshop.africa.com

Call- 01-4531963


Monday, December 1, 2014

YouWin 4 is now Open - What you need to know #strikedanvil

First time I heard about #YouWin was during the second edition. I was skeptical at first but eventually submitted thinking, hey what do I have to lose. Ya geh didna win that one, nor did she win the third either. I got to stage two, went for that whole day training at LBS in Ajah but fell out in stage two... sob sob. Anyway, ya geh ain't giving up! For where. Lol. Not even now when I know so many winners from the different editions. I will just re-strategize and re-package, yes ke!

I was at the NASME (National association of small and medium enterprises) monthly meeting last week, when someone announced that applications for this edition have now opened, to my surprise some people are still of the opinion that is it all a scam. "Is it not government" they said, "they are just giving it to their friends and family" haaaa!! I struggled to close my hanging mouth. I can be skeptical sometimes about government, but if any thing, this is one thing I know that has been free and fair (can't say that much for some other things, still go and get your voters cards by the way).

This week on strike the anvil, I have decided to bring on two past beneficiaries of the #YouWin government grant. Trust me, you want to tune in for this one. Yes! Before you go about discouraging people from applying because its government. You will just be roasting when others are balling. Shio to you. 

So what would you like to know? For starters, I bet you want to ask how they won? What did they write sef (my thoughts, considering I am a serial applicant... hehe). What exactly is the government looking for? How has it been, post N10million!! Hey, you can ask whatever. 

Joining us are  +Modupe Nnebedum and the Marketing manager for  explore afrika who was part of the YouWin process with the founder from the start.

Modupe Olayemi Nnebedum (nee Fagbohun) is an Insurance and Human Resource Expert, Professional Photographer, Fashion Designer, Actress, Peer Educator, Business Woman, Wife and a proud Mother. (o ga ju!!)
She is a graduate of Insurance from Lag os State Polytechnic Ikorodu (LASPOTECH)after which she proceeded to Lagos State University (LASU) where she obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management majoring in Entrepreneurship. Never giving up in developing her skills in management, people and resources, she went on to pursue a Masters in Business Management (MBA) specializing in Human Resources from the same institution and Leadership skills from Daystar Leadership Academy where she bagged the recipient of the +Sam Adeyemi Award for finishing 1st overall in the Academy. Modupe is also a Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN).

She is currently the Chief Responsibility Officer (CRO) of  HARVEN23 VENTURES (H23), a Coconut company based in Lagos. They are into the production of Premium Virgin Coconut Oil, CocoSheaVera, Coconut Milk Soap, Desiccated Coconut, and Coconut Cream. In today contemporary times where eating and living healthy are becoming the major captions of media headlines, it became imperative for Harven23 to provide knowledge through its enlightenment campaign on the genuine benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil.

I have to share the story about how we met, but I'll do that on the show tomorrow :-)

http://exploreafrika.com.ng/

Explore Afrika is an online travel company based in Lagos, Nigeria. They provide clients with a platform to book, Flights, Hotels and Holiday packages over the internet via their website and offline in our offices.

Who else is excited about the show tomorrow? So make it a date with us on enterprise radio tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd of December (still can't believe we're in December) from 9am to 10am. Please interact with us, Call 09090000061, 09090000062 or tweet at us @eradiong with your questions and comments.

Cheers!