Hello everyone, I am on with my business series, and this is lesson number 1, a very important lesson I want to pass across here, as I noticed many people focus on big ideas but forget a key ingredient which I will enlighten you on as you delve deeper into this article.

So, you are probably thinking to be like Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg, you need a big idea, very mad crazy earth shattering, out of this world idea. I used to think like that too, until recently.

So, I was talking with a friend the other day, a computer programmer who said he would still do his masters and a PHD, I was like hold up, hold up a PHD? What do you need that for? And he said well, he wanted to add value to the world, this is good thinking actually and I am happy that my fellow youths are thinking this way, but I know my friend Bayo and I can bet one of my hulk legs that adding value to the world is the last thing on his mind, Bayo wants to create a situation where he can be paid more money. Simple! There is nothing like adding actual value to the world on his mind, and it’s because of this problem he can’t leave his 200,000-naira paying job for fear that he might not get something as good as that again.

I have another friend, Chukwuma, sharp boy! I have always told him he would end up working for me so I can put his sharp brain to good use. Well back to the matter at hand, he told me youths should not pursue money, that we should all chase value first, get professional exams, do stuff like ICAN, get a CFA, do an MBA etc. Very nice, honestly, I am also glad again that my fellow friend is thinking like this, but here is where I disagree with him, he believes things like going to learn how to sew clothes or catering schools are a waste of time and are not as value worthy as CFA’s and co… as if you could even do those exams without food and clothes, but that’s by the way.

Now let me make you understand my point. In the world, here in Nigeria especially we have a wrong misconception about success. I used to be guilty of this too, but now I am enlightened. What do I mean? Back to the Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg I won’t come and tell you statements like they were school dropouts or rubbish like that, but what do you think made them actually successful? Is it because they actually created a mind-blowing idea? Or is it because they actually “SOLVED A PROBLEM”. Ideas are like blank sperms if they can’t solve a problem. So why did I waste time writing the story of my 2 friends? Because I want to make you understand that the ultimate value you can add to life or this world is to solve a problem and you may or may not need to go to school or have all the biggest degrees and professional exams to do this.

Now let’s talk about the money part, I believe to make money is simple so I tell some of my clients (Up and coming entrepreneurs who don’t even know what they want to entrepreneur in, 😉, yes I accept them like that, maybe because I was once or still like that? – 😎), the first thing is to find a skill you are good in or a talent even if it’s stupidity (yes being stupid can solve problems and make you money), develop it continuously (and some might require you getting some form of training or education, others might not) and find a very troubling problem you can solve with it or where and how you can apply it effectively (the money can even start pumping in at this stage) and finally you monetise. Sounds pretty cool and easy, right? No sir! No ma! It’s not that easy, and that’s why we always take the easy way out. 

Now, let me open your eyes to something simple that has been staring you right in the face, but it’s also not simple. Electricians, Mechanics, Plumbers, Carpenters and co, don’t they solve problems? very troublesome problems at that! Why are they not like Bill gates and co? A lot of people will say branding, or they are not well educated, bad luck, juju from the village, and they might be probably right, but there is one simple thing they do not think about, that is expansion, human engagement. How many clients do they have? How many people know them? How many people’s problems do they solve? Do you think the difference between Dangote and small grocery stores is that Dangote is richer? or has more special branding? The grocery stores and small shop owners are solving problems on a small scale, while Dangote is solving problems on a very large scale. Before you say but Dangote has the resources, I remember a story about one of the rich men of today, who made some money with vending machines. What did he do? Invested money into buying his first vending machine, the profit he got from the first one he used it to buy another one, and he continued this on and on till he was everywhere, from a small-time problem solver to a big-time problem solver, but more on this on my financial articles. 

Remember, focus your energies more on solving problems and making life easier for a whole lot of people, do not create ideas that create more problems, or ideas that solve non-existent problems.

Now, what you have to understand is this is not the only way to success, this is just my point of view/ way of looking at it/ perspective and I am not yet where I want to be business wise or financially, but a close friend told me that I do not need to be a Bill Gates before I start enlightening people. Most of those who know me, know that business talk bores me, I prefer talking about money! Investments! Finance! Bitcoin! Lol! So, watch out for my articles closely which will be on finance majorly were I promise to make you understand perfectly all those financial jargons, remember simplicity is key! 

To be continued...

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Thank you to  @dorth and  @dreamchasser  and other members of the  @airhawk-project community for helping me understand how things are done around here!