I grew up hearing phrases like “The way you dress is how you will be addressed” and “You must eat, look, and dress a certain way to be successful”. My personal favourites are articles that tell you where you need to spend a vacation, what you need to smell like or what car you should probably drive to make it. The challenge is, they don’t tell you how to pay for any of it! No worries I am not only going to tell you how to pay but how and why you should help others pay too.
So how do you pay? Create extra streams of income – Start a business! As simple as that sounds it’s not a walk in the park so why do it?
You learn from it.
People ask me how I learned about SEO, social media, pay-per-click, PR and all the other marketing techniques that helped me land my first job as Digital marketing exec of a top Nigerian bank. I gained these skills when I launched my first startup, Urban Men; a lifestyle online magazine for men and the women who love them. Skills like these will be invaluable throughout your life.
You gain financial independence.
This is probably the biggest reason people get into a business. And it is valid. There is no better feeling than being able to pay your bills, buy your own ticket when you need to travel, make great investment choices, or take advantage of deals or opportunities because you have money in the bank.
You boost your self-esteem.
Being able to turn your ideas or vision to reality is one of the greatest ways to boost your self-esteem. When you build something successful, it’s a great feeling.
You change the world.
Cars, personal computers, telephones, light bulbs and even refrigerators are products that have changed the way we live. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, what do these men have in common? They and their products or service have changed the world.
You create jobs.
There are few things as satisfying as knowing that you had a hand in the success of others, or that your idea is the reason they earn a living, pay their bills or have a meaning for their own lives.
You’re known for something.
People love to categorise everything, so they will find something to categorise you by – skin colour, age, gender, income. Why not give them the picture you want them to paint? As a brand executive, I am associated with the brands I have built – for a long time I was called Urban Man because I tried to personify what my first start-up Urban Men stood for. Now I am called Mr MIN (i.e. Mr Made In Nigeria) because of www.min.ng. Whatever it is you want to be recognised as, trust me, it’ll be fun to build that brand and earn recognition.
I’ve told you why I think you should get into a business. But all that really matters is your reason to start your own business. So, what is it? Tweet the link to this story along with your reason @mindotng and you could get a blueprint for how to start a made in Nigeria business.
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