SMIDS 3D ANIMATION TRAINING PROGRAM

Remember Damilola? I featured her on here in 2013, (click here, if you missed it or don't remember). Well she's stuck with her dream and is still in the game.

A lot has happened since then, besides becoming Mrs Solesi :-), she is now a Yali fellow (young african leaders initiative of the US government) and is paying it forward by training people who want to build a career in animation.

Details of the training are below, after the video;

We're almost ready for the class.

The 3D animation training is an 8-week animation training by Smids animation studios in partnership with the United States Africa Development Fund and Microsoft. if you or someone you know is interested in enhancing their animation skills then you've got to know you have just a few days to get started. Classes start on Monday February 1st and it promises to be a life changing experience.

For just N150,000 you could literally upgrade yourself or someone you know(or someone in your team) to the top 20% of proficiency in 3D animation.

The advert above on youtube was done by an ex student of our animation training.

For more details, call 08170997431 0r email smidsanimation@gmail.com

Learning a practical hands on skill is the way to go! Thank me later. 

Hurlarrs kitchen - Adeola Alabi #inthespiritofenterprise

Many of us are talented at one thing or the other, we take these gifts for granted and never really consider monetizing them. Our showcase today turned her passion for cooking into a business.

Read how below;

Tell us about yourself

My name is Adeola Alabi. I am a graduate of Lagos state university where I studied business administration

Tell us about your business

Hurlarrs kitchen was founded almost 2yrs ago as a result of my passion for cooking. The services we offer include,
Cooking, baking, cocktails, deserts, finger foods, indoor and outdoor catering

What was your inspiration for starting this business?

Well school was on strike and I needed to do something to while away time. Since I was always cooking for people free of charge, I decided to start making money from it.

How did you get funding for your business?

Savings and help from family and friends

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

I was offered a teaching opportunity at the reddish chronicle kitchen, it's a culinary school that teaches continental dishes. I actually teach their African food class and I have been with them for over a year now.

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

Costing has always been a challenge because of the way prices fluctuate in the market so when I started it was difficult to recoup even the capital but things are better now.

How will you summarize the journey so far?

It's been challenging, hectic and cooking is a lot of stress but it's what I love doing so it has been a learning process everyday and it promises to be a good journey.

Given the Chance, will you do this again?

Yes I'll do it over and over again

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

I think people should do what they are passionate about. Always do what you love, so even when things get a bit the difficult the love for it will keep you going and before anything trust GOD.

How can people connect with you

Instagram @hurlarrs_kitchen
Mail adehurlarr@gmail.com
Facebook hurlarrs kitchen
No 07080518080 or 08031861393

World Bank Scholarship for Women entrepreneurs program, Women X

The World Bank is awarding Scholarship to Female Entrepreneurs in Nigeria to learn at the Enterprise Development Centre.

The Enterprise Development Centre, Pan- Atlantic University in collaboration with The World Bank will

• Provide practical Business Education through a blended learning approach (online and in- class training)
• Help strengthen Female Entrepreneurs network
• Offer Mentoring
• Create linkages between financial institutions and Female Entrepreneurs.

Selection criteria will be as follows:

A. Company must be owned / managed by a woman

B. Should be a functional business (at least 6 months in operation)

C. The Enterprise must have high growth potential

D. High local content will be an advantage

How to Apply

Step 1 – Check Your Eligibility

Check that you are qualified to apply. See the selection criteria.


Step 2 – Register

Click here to register if you have not already done so

You will receive a confirmation email from "Women X" with all the details you will need to log in.

Step 3 – Complete Application

Once you have successfully registered, log in and click the “Start Application” button on the Start Application Tab on this page. To return to your application, click the “save and continue” button and come back to it at any time. Once you are done with your application, click on the “Submit” button at the end of the form to send it to us.

Step 4 – Keep Informed

After the closing date you will be notified if you have been shortlisted for the next stage of the competition. Constantly check the Women X Programme homepage for regular updates.

To be eligible for this program you need to:

1. Own a business in Nigeria.

2. Operate a business in a high-growth sector.

3. Business must be owned/managed by a woman.

4. Should be a functional business (at least 6 months in operation).

Application Process

To apply, please follow step 2 and 3 above

The deadline for application is January 30, 2016. We will evaluate applications as they arrive, and make decisions on a rolling basis. Thus, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Selection process will start in January 2016

For questions, please contact Adeola on 08174583169 or send a mail to womenx@pau.edu.ng

2016 GDVT (GERMAN DUAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING) PROGRAMME (Closes today!)

We are pleased to inform you that Registration for the 2016 phase of the GDVT (German Dual Vocational Training) Programme has commenced. Kindly  be part of the FREE training exercise.

The GDVT Programme is a training programme championed by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in conjunction with her German partners to upscale skills in selected vocational professions. These professions include.

Mechanical Construction and Electronics/Electrics
Mechatronics (Industrial/Automobile)
Masonry/Bricklaying
Business Studies/Project Management
Metal Fabrication and Welding
Carpentry and Joinery
Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Works
Plumbing and Pipe Fitting

Phase one ended 2015  - Source

To show interest kindly send ur name, phone number, email n area of interest  to:
08078004967/omolabake@lagoschamber.com.                                     07085513037/ekundayo.adedoyin@lagoschamber.com

Please note that it closes by Friday, 22nd January, 2016 (TODAY).  We therefore implore you to forward your name, email and phone number on or before the close of business on the aforementioned date.

INITIAL BRIEFING HOLDS ON FRIDAY, 12TH FEBRUARY, 2016 BY 9.00AM AT THE LCCI CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, 10, NURUDEEN OLOWOPOPO DRIVE, BEHIND MKO GARDENS, ALAUSA, IKEJA, LAGOS. 
                                                                                                                                                                          For Further enquiry call/whatzapp: MM on 08032946291‎

Get 1 Million Naira grant in Prof Pat Utomi @ 60 Business Plan Competition

Three small businesses will be rewarded with a total of N2,250,000;

First Prize: N1,000,000
Second Prize: N750,000
Third Prize: N500,000

This is your chance to get funding for that business idea you have always had.

Winners will also have a unique opportunity to pitch their ideas to a group of potential investors at a luncheon to mark the celebration.

Click here to download the application form.

source: cfagbata.com

Surviving in a challenging economy #smebizplatform

Yesterday we had Ubong King of protection plus in the studio sharing his insights on the topic. We felt there was no better person to do justice to this than a man who built a successful million dollar business that has lifted many out of poverty from nothing and I mean nothing! That's story for another day.

Enjoy the excerpts from our discussion with him yesterday;

"The world economic forum report shows that Nigeria is number 124 out of a hundred and forty four nations, Ghana and Cameroon are ahead of Nigeria. What money does Ghana have that Lagos alone doesn't have? A Chinese man will come to Nigeria, he will look at us and see that we have buying power, we have the population, he sees that we have no good roads, no light, he sees fuel scarcity, diesel is expensive and he knows that you live in a room & parlour and he knows you cannot afford even I-Better-Pass-My-Neighbour generator, so he makes rechargeable lamp.

He sees your problem and he does a business tailored to your problem. Because he knows that money answers to solving problem. When you identify a problem and proper solution to it, money follows automatically. One advantage we have in Nigeria, is that we have the population.

If you are asking yourself what do I do from here, you need to sit down and roll-up your sleeves and then begin to compartmentalize issues. What is the end gain? I want money. What am I ready to give? Time. What area do I want to invest in? How much money do I have or can I mop up? People keep telling me I don't have capital. My question is, do you have money to renew your data when it expires? If yes, then you have capital.

If you work and you want to do business, it is not the kind of money you have that determines the business, it is the kind of idea you have. You can go online and search; what you can do with 20 thousand naira, and you will get results. You will see over 50 options. Depending on what you want to do, you need to ask yourself, what kind time do I have? Food is not for a lazy man.

People need to attend seminars to overcome fear. That's the difference between a rich man and a poor man. Rich people invest in assets, while poor people invest in liabilities. The problem with Nigerians is that we are too dependent on government. What we must understand is that the government depends on tax, tax depends on businesses. If there are no businesses there is no tax, there is no money for the government.

75% of Nigerian population is made up of youths, 40% of this youths are unemployable (no skill/no understanding and sense of direction). This means that 58 million people are unemployable. 20 years from now, most of them would have been married and would have giving birth to children. So if we think the challenge we are facing now is a problem, let's wait for that time." (We have to act fast)

To have a one on one with Mr. King, join his platform through kingsmenafrica

Cheers everyone.

Etyresnigeria - Olaseni Odukoya

Welcome to the year 2016!

You won't believe what a lazy start to the year I have had. I practically had to jumpstart myself to get into work mode. 2015 was an eventful year, as difficult as it was for many businesses, we survived and grew. For this I am grateful. We will soar in 2016 by God's grace.

When Olaseni briefed me about his business, I was excited because twice, I have had nasty experiences with buying tyres. Some mechanics even advice you to buy used tyres, that they are better!! How? This whole tyre headache can be such a nightmare. So it is great that these young men have come together to try to help us make life easier.

Read about the idea below...

Tell us about yourself

I had my Primary education at Green Springs Nursery & Primary School and also Little Saints Montessori Primary School, Ilupeju, Lagos. 

My secondary education was at Christ Redeemer’s College, Sagamu, Ogun State after which I went to Redeemer’s University, now in Ede, Osun State for my tertiary education where I studied Economics, but like Forrest Gump's mother always told him "Life's a box of chocolates,You never know what you're gonna get".

Tell us about your business

etyresnigeria.com

As I grew older, I was thinking of how I can be useful to Nigerians as a whole and I met with people who had the same motive as me. We saw the inconvenience and unfulfilment when it comes to buying tyres from roadside dealers. 

Moving from tyre store to tyre store, in search of one particular tyre brand and size is stressful and time-consuming. We understood the needs of the average Nigerian motorist and we wanted to make buying tyres exciting and fun; so myself & my fellow co-founders in  +Chiebuka Nworah  (Chiebuka Nworah) and (Godric Echefu), came up with the idea to have a platform where motorists can actually order for their tyres online and also order for tyres via a phone call, and so we decided to make this reality come true. With these in mind, etyresnigeria.com was born on the 1st of June, 2014.

Etyresnigeria.com was established with the objective of bringing choice, transparency and convenience to the tyre buying process. Starting with car tyres, we hope to expand to include all tyre accessories & products at best prices. Etyresnigeria.com allows customers to research, compare and review tyres from different tyre brands. Customers can select the best tyre option for their vehicle based on the product brand, size and price. 

This changes the way tyres are sold in Nigeria – where a local dealer would try to sell the tyres he had in stock, and one had to visit ten dealers to find out the right price. Etyresnigeria.com delivers tyres all around Nigeria. We are in the process of rolling out a network of Etyresnigeria.com authorized fitment centres across Lagos, where customers who have purchased tyres online can have the tyres fitted.

What was your inspiration for starting this business?

As I grew older, I was thinking of how I can be useful to Nigerians as a whole and like I said I met with people who had the same motive as me. We saw the inconvenience and unfulfillment that comes with buying tyres from roadside dealers. With these in mind, Etyresnigeria.com was born. 

Sometimes, customers are cheated to their wit's end and sometimes inferior & refurbished "Tokunbo" tyres are sold to them as new tyres and we needed to put an end to it. There was a problem to solve by providing a convenient, customer-friendly & transparent process when buying tyres. We came out to provide these values to Nigerian motorists.

How did you get funding for your business?

Everything so far has been self-funded between the 3 of us with personal savings, experience, family and friends support. Godric Echefu who is also a co-founder built the website with little finance and experience he acquired in school. Chiebuka Nworah and I contribute to the day to day running of the business with funds. We have not gotten bank loans.

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

None at the moment. We are yet to receive any funding, grants or awards. I personally attended the +Daystar Christian Centre day star leadership academy which has contributed to my ability to run this business. We also have personal mentors.

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

The biggest challenge has been funding & access to finance. There are so many things we would want to introduce in the Nigerian Tyre Industry but due to lack of funds, we have not been able to. Also adverts to get awareness have not been easy.

Convincing Nigerian motorist not to purchase tokunbo tyres and part with good money for their safety is also a major problem. Also delivery is a challenge when there is scarcity and lack of vehicles due to little funds. We find solutions like outsourcing the delivery to cab guys and small delivery companies at times.At the beginning delivery was within Lagos only, so we had a challenge delivering outside of Lagos but now we have gotten a means to get tyres to our customers outside of Lagos.

How will you summarize the journey so far?

Its not been easy but with God nothing is impossible. We are not where we were when we first started. There has been improvement and more room for improvement. This journey was to put a smile on our faces especially fellow Nigerians and we are achieving that slowly but surely. With time things would be smooth. We can look at our account and say there is progress being made slowly knowing that we started with 0 naira.

Given the Chance, will you do this again?

Yes. This business is for the present and future of our beloved country Nigeria. Hopefully by the grace of God it becomes a legacy. We don't just sell tyres, we sell convenience, trust and safety.

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

Never give up no matter what. Just believe in yourselves. We are all born entrepreneurs, its the extra zeal & creativity in you that gets you far and then you become a success. There are no jobs out there, doesn't mean you sit at home doing nothing, you have to challenge yourself to be great and do something with your creativity.

Why do you think Etyresnigeria.com will appeal to people?

Essentially, we understand what motorists go through when purchasing tyres. Sometimes, they are cheated to their wit's end and sometimes inferior & refurbished "Tokunbo" tyres are sold to them as new tyres. There was a problem to solve by providing a convenient, customer-friendly & transparent process when buying tyres. We are out to provide these values to Nigerian motorists.

Many of our innovations have come directly from customer feedback and I think people find that reassuring. The fact that we take on-board what they have said and we do something about it shows that we genuinely care about making their shopping experience that much simpler. We give people the opportunity to make savings on tyres and we also deliver a customer-focused service. We are always trying to adapt the way in which we do things so that the customer feels safe and secure when buying from us

How can people connect with you?

Website - www.etyresnigeria.com
Twitter - @etyresnigeria
Instagram - etyresnigeria
Facebook - etyresnigeria.com
Contact Number - 08092347000, 08092357000
Olaseni Odukoya - 08170014333, 08108134358