Strike the anvil on enterprise radio

An Entrepreneur's Journey Mobile App

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Talking Bookz - Kolapo Olufemi Ogungbile #inthespiritofenterprise


Tell us about yourself



My name is Kolapo Olufemi Ogungbile.

I have a B.Tech in Geology from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria and had my Internship with Divcon Engineering Limited.

My life philosophy is don’t let money stop you from dreaming and acting big.

Tell us about your business

Talking Bookz was founded in 2014.

Talking bookz is an audio book company that provides access to unique African content with International best sellers. We currently have 3000+ international best sellers on the platform.

Our value proposition is to make reading convenient for people.



Audio books are used while traveling and commuting. Other uses revolve around lifestyle activities such as exercising, relaxing, cooking and cleaning.

What was your inspiration for starting this business?

Talking Bookz idea came during my final year as an undergraduate. One day, I was to do the dishes and I had a test the following day, which involved reading bulky notes and textbooks. I wondered how I would be able to revise them all; at that point, the music player came on. Then I thought , wouldn’t it be nice if my notes were being played to me. I shared the Idea with my friend Damilola Aransiola. We researched on how we can make this work and the rest is history.



How did you get funding for your business?

We started out with funds from Family and friends, till we got investment from Passion Incubator and After 7 months of working in passion Incubator, we got additional Investment from a Swedish Angel Investor (Nicolas Waern). We are also selected as part of the 1000 most promising startup by +The Tony Elumelu Foundation  which has qualified us for a grant of up to 10,000 USD.

What opportunities have you been able to leverage on in your business so far?

Talking bookz has been able to leverage on Passion Incubator network to get to the point we are now. The Investment we got from Sweden was through their network.

The +Mara Mentor  program has also helped me connect with +Nkechi Ali-Balogun and +Taizir Ajala whose insights as mentors are invaluable.

What Challenges have you faced so far and how have you been able to overcome them?

The biggest challenge for us has been to get a committed Developer on the team to work on the product

How will you summarize the journey so far?

Though and interesting

Given the Chance, will you do this again?


Yes

What lessons have you been able to learn from your journey so far that others should know

You will never get it right the first time. Great ideas require a lot of iteration and pivot before the ideal product will be finally created.

How can people connect with you?

www.facebook.com/kolapoogungbile

www.twiter.com/okolapo

Mobile: 07069359788


Thursday, June 25, 2015

Funding Opportunities for SMEs in Nigeria and Africa - June 2015...

There is no better time to be an entrepreneur than now. The only thing though is, you need to plug in to the available opportunities for growth by getting the right information. I have gone through my sources and compiled a small list of the some of the opportunities available currently.

All the best.....

1. YBLN Aspiring Entrepreneurs programme


The YBLN initiative is a mandela washington fellows and the Atlanta business league to reduce unemployment rate by 3% before December 2016.

The Aspiring entrepreneurs program is an 8 week residential entrepreneurship training and development program that would select and train a large cohort of young people with viable business ideas.

This year 30 promising and aspiring entrepreneurs will partake in the program and would get the opportunity to start their own businesses. The intention is for them to employ a minimum of four people each before December 2016.

to apply, click here

Read more about the program from our friends at +EntrepreNEWS  here

2. GEMS4 Enterprise Challenge Fund

The GEMS4 Enterprise Challenge Fund is a £3.5 Million private sector development matching grant fund



The objective of the Fund is to catalyse private sector investment in innovative, commercially viable, and inclusive business models that result in improved performance of the Wholesale and Retail sector, jobs and improved income opportunities for poor men and women engaged in the sector.

By improving private sector perceptions of the associated costs and benefits of innovating and adopting pro-poor models, it will encourage replication.

It is intended that the impact of funding given to an individual project will be multiplied by the resulting and recurring changes to perceptions and practices in the Wholesale and Retail Sector.

Read more about it here


3. Building Entrepreneurs Today (BET5) programme


This year’s BET programme has been streamlined to focus mainly on


  • Fashion and Lifestyle
  • Agriculture and Information 
  • Communication Technology


Pointing that the ripple effect of increased economic activity on these sectors has remained monumental on the economy.

Tagged “Pitch In 60 Seconds’’, the programme expects MSME operators who are applying to be considered for the training and grant, to submit a 60 seconds video clip showing them ‘’pitching their business idea’’ to the public. For objectivity, the audience or viewers will be invited to vote for their favourite business idea(s). The businesses with the highest votes qualify for the next round of selection.

Application for this year’s edition of BET is scheduled to commence on June 16, 2015 and is open to the general public. To apply, please visit: www.diamondbankbet.com for more information.

4. Demo africa pitch

The deadline for applications to DEMO Africa 2015 has been extended. The application window which was scheduled to close on 30th May 2015 has been extended for a month with the new deadline set for June 30th 2015.

Applications are still being accepted in the 12 application categories which include: Agriculture, Health, Education, Manufacturing and Retail. Others are Media and entertainment, Communication, Transport and Logistics, Energy, Finance and Banking, Water and Sanitation, Waste Management and recycling.

Over the past few years various angel networks have emerged across Africa. The African Business Angel Network is a new initiative to connect and strengthen all these networks. On Wednesday September 23, the African Business Angel Network, Lagos Angels Network, DEMO Africa and VC4Africa, will jointly present “The African Opportunity: Angel Investing in Africa” Investor Summit at DEMO Africa 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.

H. Tomi Davies (or TD as he is popularly known) is a co-founder of the Lagos Angels Network (LAN), a prominent figure in Africa’s early stage investor scene, and the President of the newly founded African Business Angels Network (ABAN).

The main DEMO Africa event is slated for 24th and 25th September 2015 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria. Following a successful run last year, an Investor Summit is taking place September 23rd: various investors including Cairo Angels, Lagos Angels Network, Ivoire Business Angels, Viktoria Angels, Ghana Angel Investors Network, Africa Angels Network, Cameroon Angels, Silicon Cape, VC4Africa Investor Network, and others will come together to discuss the “Africa opportunity” as well as discuss best practices, share lessons learned and set the road map for the future.

See this post on how you can register for the DEMO Africa Innovation Pitch.

source - http://www.smebizinfo.com/

5. She leads Africa Pitch competition #slapitch2015



The She Leads Africa business pitch competition provides a platform for the most promising female entrepreneurs in Africa to connect to prominent mentors, business funding and new market opportunities.

They are looking for businesses:

- With at least one female member on the founding team between the ages of 18 and 35
- Have received less than $50,000 in funding?
- Less than than 3 years old
- Focused on the African market or diaspora
- Have already begun operations. Entrepreneurs at the idea stage are not eligible to apply

The top applicants will be invited to Lagos to pitch their business ideas in front of a panel of notable business personalities for the chance to win cash and in kind prizes as well as exclusive meetings with angel investors, prominent venture capitalists and other leading professional mentors and sponsors.

Applications close on June 30, 2015. Questions can be sent to info@sheleadsafrica.org with "Pitch Competition 2015" in the subject line.

Go here to apply.



Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Kamaroozy Concepts - Bakare Joshua Adeolu


Tell us about yourself



My name is Bakare Joshua Adeolu. I am a Civil Engineering graduate of University of Ilorin, kwara state, Nigeria. I am a trained & certified Project Manager (PMI, US & Comptia) and I have got substantial experience in Project management, Sales, Energy and Banking. 

My philosophy of Life is ''Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life''.

Tell us about your business

Kamaroozy concepts was incorporated in 2014. My vision is to have an African fashion empire that will eventually become the foremost global centre of African Fashion activities. 

It is a Fashion emporium showcasing African fashion, by uniting fabric and fashion accessories dealers, clothing designers, tailors and seamstresses.

How did you get funding for your business?

Personal savings

What was your inspiration for starting this business?




I want to create a new market, a new solution and I want the world to see fashion from a different perspective. This time, there are no rigid rules because you are simply going to define what fashion means to you all by yourself. We have broken this down into requirements and we have been working hard to ensure we get the right model to the market to facilitate the life cycle experience as desired. We are launching our Minimum viable product by the end of this month.

What Challenges have you faced so far and how have you been able to overcome them?


Collaborations and getting the right people to work with. Its not really about the cash its about the team, commitment and hard work. Nigeria is a place where a basic level skilled person would brag of being advanced and most of the time you have to figure out this yourself before its late. Having said that, I have decided to look inward (people in my network) in getting referrals for any skill set I require on this startup. 

How will you summarize the journey so far?

It's been challenging combining this with my 8-5 job but trust me it has been a wonderful learning experience and that's the most interesting part of it. Most of the time it can be very lonely but you get a smile on your face when people you are meeting for the first time tell you how excited they are about what you are working on.

What lessons have you been able to learn from your journey so far that others should know?

Hard work will always outweigh talent in anything you do and is the ultimate thing when it comes to becoming successful. On my entrepreneurial journey I have met quite a number of highly talented youths with no drive. I want you to stop and ask yourself, am I working hard enough to satisfy my goals and journey?



How can people connect with you?

www.kamaroozy.com
www.facebook.com/kamaroozyconcepts
www.twitter.com/kamaroozy
www.intagram.com/kamaroozyconcepts
08075720390
sales@kamaroozy.com



Monday, June 22, 2015

Chronicles of Black.... introduction

You get to meet people everyday, some come into your life to stay, some, to fulfill a purpose and leave, a few wear both caps. I met Black only a few months ago, a fierce young girl with a purpose, getting herself through school without compromising herself. We got close recently and I realized, her story is worth sharing, not because she's perfect - you know me naa, I don't do perfect, but because she represents the struggle of many young Nigerian female students and she is taking it one day at a time without selling herself. 

I introduce to you the chronicles of Black..

Enjoy...

I'll try to make as much sense as possible and be as encouraging as I can without sounding like a motivational speaker. Most people seem to find them condescending.

I see a lot of trashy things going on around now, especially with the ladies and once you speak to them, they all usually have the “you don't know what I'm going through! I had no other option!” story. My ears have grown weary.

I personally think those are lame and lazy excuses. Not to be judgmental, but I really think you always have an option. In case you're wondering why I feel like I have the right to talk about this, let me shed a little light on how much I've been through also.


I HAD A FATHER ONCE…

I was born with a silver spoon; quite silvery for the time I was born. I had everything a child could hope for and amazing parents. I grew up not having everything I wanted, but having everything I needed. God forbid my disciplinarian father spoil his children. I assume that's why he sent us off to public schools for our secondary education. I mean this guy was an ambassador! He could easily have sent us to Georgia of England. But public school it was.

I resumed with my 'butty' mentality and it didn't take long before I became 'streetwise'. Endless cutting of grass, 'obtaining of provisions, horrible things to happen to an innocent child that I was. It was after dinner on a good Friday that my mother ran out of her room shouting 'Tope! Lily!' your father is dying!'

I was only 12. Nothing was wrong before we went to bed. What could have happened? Eventually father passed away! Hmmmm! My father died o. He left us alone.

My mother was a house wife, and she was the second of 2 wives. Yes! Polygamy. See all the children at least lived in unity; everybody loved everybody until father passed away. Then the issues started. Our father's legacy must be something, blah blah blah!

After the burial everyone went back to their lives and that was when the realization that our father had passed dawned on us. Housewife and her 4 children! Where would she start? Mother opened a small shop and started selling stuff. On most days we'd take home as little as 5 thousand with joy in our hearts. It was better than starving.

THE INDECENT PROPOSALS….

I started growing. I didn't look like my sister one bit. I had all the curves and hair. And the men started coming in drones. Oh yeah! Men! Not guys! And by this time I had turned 13. I remember the first man that ever came to me clearly stating 'if you don't have sex with me I can't help you with a dime!' this guy all but waved a wad of 1thousand naira notes in my face! Need I remind you that we took home only 5thousand in the good days. I tried the pity angle, maybe this man would sha give me 10 thousand and then never come back. Lol. I was rudely shocked! He said to me, “age doesn't matter. I have a 14year old girlfriend and we have sex! She stays in Lagos. You see I have daughters like you as well and I can't wish you what I don't wish my daughters!”. Oh good Lord. Take me away! What!! I scrambled out of his car and ran into my house.

That was only just the beginning. Even my father's friends began to notice how much of a woman I was becoming and how I had needs my mother could apparently not meet (needless to say I wore clothes with thin the ads about). The pressure was enormous. I turned 14, by this time I graduated from secondary school, and I had nothing to do. I tried different jobs. Taught in a school, worked in a bar, modeled, oh! The guy also told me to pick up the money from his house on a Sunday morning his pregnant wife left the house. I even almost acted. But you have to use what you have to get what you want. Hmmmm

How could I let this froggy old men touch me? Even my father would turn in his grave. Were there times I was tempted? Yes! Times that I'd wake up to my mother crying in the middle of the night, telling us how inadequate she felt. Times that I'd have to endure my mates hurl insults at me because they came in their father's cars and I the shop attendant was wasting their time.

The crux was when I met with another of my father's friends that told me he had a dream that I was his wife. That my destiny is this life was to be his burden bearer! Ehn! Jesus! That night I went my eyes out. In fact I started crying right there in front of him. This guy said no need to be overwhelmed. I understand how you feel. You've been praying for a helper for so long and God has finally sent you one. Don't throw it away. Me? That the plan was to go to England to study medicine before my father died? My destiny was to be a burden bearer to a 60year old man? Ah!

I less than politely said no to all of them; some pitied me and gave me money sometimes, some gave me jobs, others left and never came back. At 15, and in school, I was working 2 jobs. And I was happy. It was hard, but it was worth it. 

+Stephanie Obi this is for you!!! You are the baddest!

I CHOSE THE HARD WAY …..

I could have decided I wanted the youngest and the best looking of those men but that's the way a coward would look. That's the way a weak and needy woman would look. We seem to forget that for everyone you lay with you leave a part of you with. After 30 men how empty would you feel? How soulless would you have become? Then it becomes impossible to stop. Why stop? After all you live in a fancy house, drive a fancy car. And the thought of being poor again is scary enough to keep you going through as many men as you can handle!

People have gone through less and they settled for 'runs'. People have gone through hell and come out of it stronger. We all have lofty dreams with aims and goals and ambitions. But there's a price to pay; and trust me, sometimes it will be a lot.

Every time I look back to how much I've achieved since my father passed, I'm thankful.

You really don't have an excuse. Especially the ladies, we face a lot of crap from people. And you really can't blame them because of the trend that has been established.

I am in no way where I want to be, but I am not where I was yesterday…..

P.S

So I registered for +Stephanie Obi s mini course on how to create eye catching images!! From now on, I'll be showing off my very own images and quotes created by me me me!! Yaaay. Watch this space....

The course is on till the end of June by the way, so stop getting jealous and go and register ya heard!

Thursday, June 18, 2015

LEAP Africa 10th Annual CEOs Forum - Recap

I was prodded by +Esan teniola to do a summary of the just recently concluded Leap Africa CEO event at Oriental Hotel, Lagos. It was a great event and one thing hat struck me the most was their timing. It started on time and did not drag unnecessarily which is something many others should take a cue from. If we say 10am, let it be 10am. It is disrespectful to those who defy the odds to be there on time when organizers of these events, stall because they are waiting for other people.

The networking was rich and this made me realize how hungry Nigerians are for knowledge and networking.

I was one of the late comers, because I had to do my morning show before making my way to the event, but Bukola Hundeyin was there, representing NASME and she has been gracious enough to do this mini recap of the conference.

Enjoy.

With Bukola at the event

Theme: Staying Ahead: Maximizing Profit and Mitigating Risks

The LEAP Africa 10th Annual CEOs Forum was held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos on June 09, 2015 with the theme Staying Ahead: Maximizing Profit and Mitigating Risks. The event was compered by Mrs Dayo Benjamins-Laniyi a public speaking consultant. The event took off with an opening remark from the Leap Africa team with a concise report about LEAP Africa and their upcoming events.

There were two main speakers. The first speaker, Mr. Dharnesh Gordon the current MD & CEO of Nestle Nigeria, and Chairman of Nestle Trust Limited and Mr. Guillaume Roux the Group MD/CEO Lafarge Africa Plc. The MD/CEO Nestle made the keynote address and spoke about staying ahead in business by being able to take risks especially in a country like Nigeria. He emphasized that risk comes with opportunity and the Nigerian people are the greatest asset of the country. He said this was evident in how the incident of Ebola was handled and curtailed in the Country. Therefore, the ability to take identify, assess and mitigate risk is important for maximizing profit and staying in business. The sub-theme for the event was in 4 sessions and handled by different speakers.

  • Managing Financial and Currency Risk In the Nigeria & Global Business Landscape. 
  • Managing Supply Chain, Operations and Sales Risks in Nigerian Business Landscape
  • Importance of Insurance and Other Formal Risk Mitigating Strategies in Protecting Your Business
  • Building a Culture of Risk Management: Thinking one step ahead

Session One:

Managing Financial and Currency Risk in the Nigeria & Global Business Landscape was presented by Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, the Executive Director of Finance and Strategy, +Sterling Bank Nigeria.

He defined financial risk as the initial risk you are exposed to, once you decide to start-up a business. Therefore, when starting up business, it is necessary to document your business transactions through financial accounts, audited account and other methods of documentation. This will enable future stakeholders to interpret and have clear understanding of your business background. Also, on currency risk, there must be a risk management plan and system of transferring risk to another company such as the insurance companies.

Session Two:

Managing Supply Chain, Operations and Sales Risks in Nigerian Business Landscape. The session was presented by Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo the MD of Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria. She laid emphasis on supply chain management and the various challenges associated with price fluctuation, finding trusted suppliers and state of infrastructure in Nigeria economy. 

She stated that for entrepreneurs thrive in Nigeria, risk identification and mitigation cannot be overemphasized. For any business to grow, the risk appetite of the business must be critically accessed so as to identify the risk involved and for proper solution.

Session Three: 

Importance of Insurance and Other Formal Risk Mitigating Strategies in Protecting Your Business was presented by Mr. Oluwole Oshin the MD  +Custodian And Allied PLC . He leveraged on previous speakers’ presentation to fully establish the importance of insurance and the identified the various types of risk encountered in business and how insurance platforms can absorb such risk in order to reduce cost of unplanned eventualities.

 Insurance transferred or shared risk can make entrepreneurs stay ahead in business; he stressed. He advised however that when taking up insurance it is always better to go through referrals and insurance brokers to get connected to the best insurance providers. Also, he highlighted documentation of business success, finances as the first step in ensuring access to finance through bank loans.

Session Four: 

Building a Culture of Risk Management: Thinking One Step Ahead. The session was presented by Mrs Clare Omatseye the MD JNC International Nigeria Ltd and only entrepreneur amongst the speakers. She spoke from the point of view of an entrepreneur on the challenges and risk involved in daily operation of business.

She stressed the importance of imbibing a risk management culture; risk awareness should cut across the organization right from top to bottom with employee involvement. Every company should develop a strategy on how to manage their risk. She gave a case study of her organization to illustrate how her organization manages risk through transferring or terminating it from the source.

The sessions came to a close and participants were given the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the speakers.

The event came to a close with vote of thanks from the organizers and the exhibition stands were declared open while participants were able to network over snacks.

If you are interested in the speakers presentations click here



Report By :

Bukonla Hundeyin runs a virtual assistant services company that offers administrative support and secretarial duties, Customer Service management, social media management and data/file management.




Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Sme business platform - succession planning

The rain yesterday caused so much traffic, all I wanted to do after getting home from the show was sleep! Was tired much.
On the show, we had Mr. Cajetan Ezeorah discussing succession planning. Interstingly I noticed this same topic trending in lagos on twitter with the hashtag #wimbizceochat. You should check it out guys. Many of us SMEs are too busy trying to grow our businesses we tend to forget this important factor.
#Highlights 

1. Succession planning is not just about the CEO. Other key positions in the business should be identified.

2. Succession planning is about leadership continuity.

3. The aim is to retain and develop intellectual capital and minimise the risk of having skill gaps due to someome leaving suddenly.

4. Identifying the right successor has to be a collective decision by stakeholders in the business.

5. Enforcing family members on a business, especially when they do not really have the same passion for the business, can have negative effects on the sustainability of that business on the long run.

6. It is never too early to start thinking about your succession plan.
Cheers fam!

Monday, June 8, 2015

PRESS RELEASE: Call for participation for the Unveiled Fashion and arts show

PRESS RELEASE

Unveiled Fashion & Arts Show: Call for Participation





The #UnveiledTeam is pleased to announce the 2015 edition of the #Unveiled Fashion and Arts Show scheduled to hold in October 2015 in the city of Lagos.

The #Unveiled Fashion and Art Show is an event that provides a platform for art creators, fashion designers amongst other to showcase and promote their collections and products to an audience of fashion forward men and women, celebrity stylists and members of the media while networking to increase business opportunities through onsite and after event sales.

The event will comprise a runway show and an art exhibition with performances by emerging musical artistes and comedians as well as other fun activities.

Fine artistes, fashion designers and makers of accessories are encouraged and invited to participate in this event.

The Unveiled team is fully committed to making this year's event remarkable, as well as unforgettable, for everyone who partakes in it.

We sincerely look forward to seeing you at #UFAS2015

For more information, please visit www.ufas.unveiledafrica.com

Contact:
isiomai@ufas.unveiledafrica.com
08027971296, 08189537758







Friday, June 5, 2015

Want to be a change agent? This conference is for you!

Discover your full potential with Funto Ibuoye, Bola Balogun, +Tosyn Bucknor , Omoyemi Akerele and others +Titilola Tewe at the Becoming Conference



In a bid to create a new generation of young women leaders,trailblazers and change agents who will be an inspiration to others, The Beautified Network, a faith-based initiative founded to inspire young women to discover and fulfill their God given purposes as well as empower them to live their best lives, is set to organize her flagship conference tagged Becoming.The conference is focused on inspiring young women between the ages of 18 and 30 to live up to their full potentials as they discover and become all they were created to be, regardless of their circumstance or background.

According to Funto Ibuoye, the Convener of the annual Conference,: “Our purpose for organizing this conference is to bring together women who have achieved a great level of success and significance in their respective endeavors.The speakers will share the stories of their journey to success as they inspire the younger women. The Woman is an irreplaceable element in social transformation,there is no better time to empower her than now.

The speakers for this year’s edition of Becoming conference includes:
Tosyn Bucknor - OAP and CEO - The TosynBucknor Company.
Omoyemi Akerele - CEO Style housfiles and Founder, Lagos Fashion and Design Week.
Bola Balogun - CEO Glam Brand Agency.
Titilola Tewe - Founder, The Father's Girls.

The conference will also feature a panel discussion titled Can Women Really Have It All?

Stylish women will also be treated to a mini fashion show.

Date: July 18, 2015
Time: 10am
Venue: Terra Kulture, Plot 1376, Tiamiyu Savage, Off Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island‎, Lagos.

To register for the conference, kindly visit the link below-
http://thebeautifiednetwork.uregista.com/forms/287

For more information or sponsorship, please call-
Deborah- 0807034298496
Mary Jane- 08075553939

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Join the Strike the Anvil movement.....

Inspiration to write has come! hehe from near frustration actually. Before I start the rant, let me first of all congratulate Nigeria and Nigerians on the peaceful transition. I don't know if this is because I am older and more involved in governance, but since the election season with Abiola, I think this has been the most active one so far. I have a couple of videos up on my instagram page from the accreditation to the voting to the counting! It was so interesting at my polling unit.

So strike the anvil didn't hold today and guess what, it was because of one sound cable that was disconnected!!! Imagine. Who would do that!! Why? Nobody has any business removing the cable. After waking up early and traveling from my village to the studio. I refuse to be mad. Whooosa.....

Imagine!! Why why why...

But we can't be broken, we are winners no matter what!

I joined the enteprise radio team last year and it has been quite  journey. +Trezor Landia  is still my first love though. If you follow @mofolusade on instagram you would see most of the highlights from what I have been up to. I teamed up with Kehinde Adegbulugbe to launch a show called Strike the anvil. The whole idea was to create a show that exposes business as it really is, the process behind the success and failures (yes, there are loads of that along the way). So far, strike the anvil is becoming a movement, we are working on some entrepreneurship skits that would bring the experiences of different entrepreneurs to life, what this space for that.


See our bad ass photo in our mean entrepreneur poses! hahaha photocredit - +Juwon Betiku 

Today's topic was meant to be about support groups. The entrepreneurship journey can be a lonely one. People look at you and wonder if you are just plain stupid or mad to choose to leave certainty for uncertainty. I hung out with some entrepreneurs yesterday, +Tolu Samaiye of melting moments, Tolu Awobiyi of Lord Tanner productions as well as +Olabode Emmanuel of +OYA Magazine and we had a really great time sharing, venting and renewing our resolves. It made me think about how important it is to spend quality time with people who get you, who understand... just understand the daily struggle to hold on to your dream in the face of all the challenges, because you know that someday soon, it will all make sense!

In closing, I ask, who are those that make up your support group? At those times when you feel like pulling your hair out, who do you talk to? The same people who said, go and get a job? Maybe not... hahaha.

Want to join the strike the anvil movement?

Send your name, email and number to mofolusadesonaike@gmail.com.

Cheers.