More Business Tips

Good day people.

I have a few tips and two stories to share today.

An important tip I learnt AGAIN is RECORD-KEEPING. I have confirmed BY EXPERIENCE that "the sharpest brain is no competition for the bluntest pencil". Some people have been asking me if I'm sure they are not owing me or not and I sincerely can't remember. I enjoyed the Christmas break so much that I have faint memories of what happened BEFORE the break. However, the things I wrote down 3 years ago are still there...Be guided, be dilligent in record keeping. Someone told me that God also keeps records...You can check Revelations 20:12 about the books God keeps...

I'll tell you one of the stories now. I usually surf around some of the Facebook business groups I belong to in search of the "Next Big Idea". Once in a while, I stumble on those posts that promise to make you millionaires but you have to send them your email address. I followed up with one of such yesterday with a Facebook message. I asked what this business was about. Find below excerpts of our conversations. OP is the person that put up a post about a 'work from home' opportunity.

Adenike: Please I'm interested in the 'work from home' opportunity you're talking about. Thanks

OP: Hi.  How are u. email xxxxx@yahoo.com. I will be your personal coach. I have various programmes for you to join and I will help you all the way. Some you have to pay and some are free.. Take a look at all of them. The first programmes you will need to have someone that lives in the US , UK to sign up under you to validate your account. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask Yahoo Mail.

 

Of course I didn't respond to that. Then there were follow-up messages which I ignored. From the initial post, it appears that email addresses/phone numbers are the 'prize'. One would ask what 'harm' there could be in giving one's email address/phone out.

First and foremost, they are PERSONAL details. Secondly, some people collect those email addresses/phone numbers to sell to advertisers (at best) and malicious users at worst.

I'm quite amused by the number of people that "sheepishly" share their personal details (and sometimes company details) in unsecured environments, e.g group walls. You won't go far in business if you don't exercise discretion.  Don't wonder why you keep getting weird messages. You can read Proverbs 14:15 for more on that.

I'll round up with my second/third story. When I was younger, I remember that my parents got involved with one pyramid scheme that seemed like a scam, even to my young ears. It turned to be a scam. My mum got involved in another scheme that turned out to be a scam. I thought I was wise enough in those matters. When I started earning a reasonable income after graduation, my colleagues just won't stop talking about a scheme run by a 'wonder bank'. Their monies were growing in leaps and bounds. I decided to try the scheme with 'change' (I think that was kind of wise). It turned out to be a scam and my 'change' remains trapped there till date...Again, you may want to meditate on Proverbs 14:15 as well as Proverbs 14:18. Don't be gullible; understand what the business is about before you dash out your money.

#Tentmakers.

Business Tips 1

Good day people. Happy new year once again. I promised myself to document any business tips I pick along the way on this page. I have a few to share this morning.

I visited an organization and was quite unimpressed with the state of their restroom. I found it really funny that they had amazing codes to open an unkempt restroom. I put up a post on my wall about the whole funny incident. A couple of people made comments, one of whom is into Restroom Management. We are working on the Loo Talk blog (www.lootalks.blogspot.com) that gives  information on how we can modernize your restroom at optimal costs. The tip for me is the very obvious one, LOOK OUT FOR A NEED AND MEET IT! You won’t have to struggle for the money to come in…

My friend and colleague sells airtime in the office. It’s great for us her customers because we just send her a chat, she scratches and sends. I pay her when we see. Of course, there are other avenues for reloading my phone but I find this very convenient and less disruptive. This morning, I asked her to send me the pin for airtime as usual. She sent me two pins for the two networks I asked for. I loaded the first one with no drama. Then, it was time to load the second one. I kept getting an error message. I was quite reluctant to tell her that I was getting an error message. After about 4 attempts (I thought that your phone gets blocked after 3 wrong attempts), I finally decided to ask her to check the pin she sent to me. She checked again and sent the pin again. She had missed a digit the first time she sent me the pin. I hadn’t checked the number of digits that was sent to me (I usually confirm when typing in phone numbers that the digits are complete). The lesson here for me is that you should pay attention to details both as a seller/supplier and a buyer.

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Proverbs 22:29

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” Proverbs 12:24

#Tentmakers

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

I spent some valuable time today explaining to a senior colleague why I couldn't proceed with what I was asked to do. I need some pertinent information from the client before I can move on. He was essentially trying to get me to carry out the task based on my 'experience' while waiting for the pertinent information from the client. I kept trying to get him to see why what he was proposing was an inefficient use of resources.
As we discussed, he said something that initially ...annoyed me but upon further reflection, I realised that it was the most valuable statement in what should have been wasted time.
He asked why I was being so insistent/difficult. He also said that I had been so easy to work with in the past. I was initially annoyed by the statement (I remained respectful). When I thought deeply about his statement, I realised that my 'cooperativeness' was one of the major stressors I dealt with in 2014. I obviously don't intend to do what he's proposing as it is an inefficient use of resources, including my time. I also realised that arguing with him was equally an inefficient use of my time so I stopped.
I decided that this year, I'll do all I can to minimize wasting my time while engaging in productive work. That's the summary of my New Year resolutions.
Tentmakers, please share your business/career related New Year resolutions.

Tentmakers New Year Post

Happy new year Tentmakers. Welcome to 2015.

I wish I could tell you that 2015 will bring "so so and so". However, that'll be a terrible lie...How 2015 will turn out is generally up to you. There is the God-factor and how that works for you is also up to you.

 This is the scripture in my spirit for you (Please take time to hear what God is saying to you PERSONALLY)

"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and t...he unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55:6-13).

Please, be mindful of verses 6 and 7. They are the pre-requisites for subsequent verses. No amount of prayers from millions of 'MOGs' and 'WOGs' will substitute them.

Have a God-centred year ahead!