Derek Nwafor started his career after obtaining a B.Sc. In Zoology from the University of Ibadan. He has over 15 years’ experience spanning corporate support services, business design, business development and marketing in banking, BPO services, and retail marketing and consultancy. He has received training in logistics and supply chain management, and finance management and strategic marketing, from several institutions including the Lagos Business School. He is himself a business manager, trainer and counselor. A lover of music and the arts, he once sang as part of two music groups. He and his wife, Teju, co-founded CrystalMedia360.com.CN: How would you describe crystalmedia360.com?
CrystalMedia360.com is an online radio and TV station on a mission to provide a virtual information and content source for people around the world to learn how to live a wholesome, enjoyable life. It provides music, news, notices, talks and poetry that educates, informs and uplifts people.
CN: What inspired you to set up the station?
I love good music, I love knowing what is happening and what I need to be doing to get to my goals and fulfil my purpose.
I realised that I’m not unique in that, so I set out to get the same content across to as many people as possible. There’s a verse in the Bible that talks about wisdom calling out in the streets. We decided to lend wisdom a megaphone, so that everyone can get to hear – everywhere they find themselves.
CN: Who is your target audience, and what kind of programming do you offer?
The service is accessed from around the world (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, New Zealand, the US, the UK, and Tanzania).
Our listeners love to have wholesome fun. They want to live a meaningful, rich, fulfilled life. They range in age from 20 years upwards, though we are also targeting younger listeners. Our community consists of people who live very active lives, and love to hear about doers, movers, shakers and achievers.
Our programming includes old and contemporary music across genres, news, reports, comedy shows, drama skits, poetry, talks, training programs, speeches and sermons.
We host pre-recorded and live shows/events focused on a range of topics.
CN: What has the response and feedback from listeners been like?
It has been quite positive and encouraging. Setting out on the journey we surveyed people that fit our target listener profile, and once we started airing (especially our own shows) we were nervous about the reception, but the feedback showed us we were on course and need to build up faster, and provide more content.
CN: What were your biggest challenges starting out, and how did you resolve them?
My biggest challenge was doubt — all the good reasons why this was a bad idea or an idea that was too early or too late, etc. We resolved this by not avoiding or running from these doubts but working with them to channel our efforts.
The rest were minor. Identifying and sourcing a constant stream of the right type of content was and still is a lot of work at the heart of running the station. Sourcing reliable service providers required us to screen many options and study a lot before deciding. Fortunately, we rely a lot on technology to ensure we don’t get limited by the present state of local infrastructure.
An ongoing challenge we face is the misconception amongst potential listeners. Many people lock themselves out of a universe of cutting-edge information because they don’t know it’s affordably accessible. Our listeners spend at most N1.00/minute on data while listening, and once the program is over, they can tune out. An on-net phone call costs N6/minute. One of the cheapest paid internet radio services costs $2.99 (N1,080)/month while others cost over $7.99 (N2,880)/month – whether you listen or not – in addition to your data cost.
With our service, you only use your normal data subscription, and you control how much of it you use. Usually, with a little information sharing and testing, this is resolved, one listener at a time.
CN: Which books have made a difference in the way you think and live?
Many! Though I confess it’s a mix of theoretical and practical books. The Bible, Rich Dad Poor Dad (R. Kiyosaki), Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits ofHighly Effective People, Only The Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove (Intel), The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and The Shack by William Paul Young.
CN: What top professional would you love to meet, and why?
Marcus Lamb (Founder, Daystar Television Network), to learn from him and get some guidance.
CN: What is your long-term vision for crystalmedia360.com?
That it will become one of several media systems that nourish the global community of higher-purpose driven individuals, collaborating with other systems to ensure that people all around the world live the best lives they can.
CN: What advice wouldyougive a Nigerian withanentrepreneurialdream?
Start small, grow fast, and multiply.
Don’t over think anything.
Always maintain integrity between what you think/dream, say and do. Let each season of your life bring all three to equality. Let what you dream and say about each season become what you have achieved / done by the end of that season.
