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Showing posts with label #youwin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #youwin. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

2013 lessons learnt......

Hi guys. I have written and re-written this piece in my head several times. My year started with a huuuge (the extra u's are there on purpose!) challenge, if this was happening a few years back, I would be in the hospital now or something. But I am working it out one day at a time and even better, I have decided that I can't just halt everything else because of it, so as I work that out, life must go on. There's valentine's day around the corner and Trezy has to be ready for that!

Till now I haven't really sat down to document any resolutions! Again, my head is full of thoughts of what I would like and where I want to be. Blogging is my outlet so I'll make it up today with you as I go. I hope this inspires someone to do theirs.

2013.... Lessons learnt for 2014




1. Life is only as complicated as you make it. 

I am learning a lot from this situation I am in. For the first few days I allowed myself get so depressed, I couldn't think nor do anything useful. I was almost drowning, stuck in a limbo. It hit me at some point though, that I couldn't continue like that. Business will always come with challenges, we just have to learn to deal with these challenges. A friend reminded me of Murphy's law - Everything that can go wrong will go wrong! You just have to be prepared to deal with it.

Anyway, I am here now, calm, typing my thoughts and trusting that all will be fine in the end, if it isn't, it's not the end. Shikena.

2. It is not by your power, Focus on the things that count

I put in so much effort into a couple of things this year, some turned out okay, some not so okay. You know the funny thing though, the ones I thought I didn't put enough effort into turned out just fine. No wonder people swear by the 80 - 20 rule. 20 percent of your effort is responsible for 80 percent of your results.

I am going to take life easy this year, delegate more and focus my energy only on the things that count. As my mum likes to say "Agba n'tara" - how do I translate this now? Ask a core yoruba person.

3. Exercise, it's good for you...... because I say so, hehe

We started an exercise group in my estate towards the end of the year. At first getting up to work out at 6am was like whaaat! But now my body has adapted to it and I am better for it.  There are days when we keep our trainer waiting though, Lol. Body no be firewood naa.

This year, I'm going to be more dedicated and make it part of my life.

3. Your thoughts become your reality

I finally got a hold of the book and DVD, "the secret". As I watched it, I let it sink in and yes the whole concept made sense to me. Those who are rich are rich because they cannot imagine being poor, their thoughts are totally void of poverty. They discuss huge amounts of money without flinching unlike many of us who would say "hen", where will I get that from"? That's it, we close our minds already to the possibilities that exist.

This year, I am going to surround myself with positive energy. I will violently (YES!) uproot thoughts of backwardness, lack, or limitation! As Jay-one sang "We making money this year".

4. Write, write, write

Since I started blogging last year, my life has actually changed, no kidding. It was at a low point in my life last year that I decided to start blogging. I didn't have a clue how or where to start, but I made it up along the line. It has exposed me to things I never would have considered. I have also met so many entrepreneurs like me who are working to build something that would last. It's been an amazing journey.

That aside, it has been an escape for me. I pour out my thoughts and as I do, things get clearer. It really doesn't have to be a blog, you can start keeping a diary of your thoughts and dreams. I have a diary too by the way.

This year, I want to take the blog to greater heights, make it a reference for entrepreneurs. A place to come to for inspiration to keep on going, so help me God.

5. Pray and trust God

I know pretty much every Nigerian is religious, so this goes without saying... but still. Many of us do these things like robots, without putting our hearts into it. Pray with your heart.

I am a culprit too, so I must make amends this year.

This is already too much talk! I'll just do the rest in my diary, because I have two things I came across and would like to share for the year;

First is this video. My sister from another mother, Ebi sent it to me. Please watch it, it is so worth it....


Click here for the video if you can't view the one above - Make that dream a reality

Second is my bible verse for the year, that's the one I am pasting on my wall;

Habakkuk 2:3

King James Version (KJV)
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Yessir!

Let's run with this and take the 2014 bull by it's horns...........

P.S

You do know that Youwin is still on, do you? If not go to https://www.youwin.org.ng/ and apply before the 21st of this month. All the best

Friday, January 9, 2015

Grants and Awards for Entrepreneurs in 2015


I joined  Weconnectinternational last year and apart from the support network I have access to, I also get useful updates on seminars, grants and anything else that can help a woman survive in the Nigerian entrepreneurial space.
That's the badge I wear with pride
 +Comfort Sakoma, our Nigerian country director and her team have summarized the available grant opportunities for Nigerians at the moment, complete with deadlines and all. I think it's worth sharing. 


YouWin
Deadline: 30 January 2015 (Round 1)
Apply here: https://www.youwin.org.ng/

 YouWiN! stands for Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria. It is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas. The accomplishments of the 1,200 YouWiN! awardees were celebrated at the Presidential Villa on April 12, 2012. YouWiN! Women was the second edition of the entrepreneurial scheme, which was designed for only female entrepreneurs aged 45 years or less. The third edition, YouWiN! 3, which support both male and female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, recently announced the 1500 awardees. With the upcoming launch of YouWiN! 4, the President of Nigeria will have fulfilled his promise to financially support over 3,600 Nigerian youths to develop their entrepreneurial ideals and plans through the YouWiN! program. YouWiN! 4 is open to both male and female entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 - 45 years.



Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards
Deadline: 27 February 2015
Apply here: http://cartierwomensinitiative.com/

The +Cartier Women's Initiative Awards are an international business plan competition created in 2006 by Cartier, the Women's Forum, +McKinsey & Company  and INSEAD business school to identify, support and encourage projects by women entrepreneurs. A WEConnection won last year and she will be sharing her application experience at upcoming Weconnection events!

The mission of the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards is threefold:
  • To identify and support initial-phase women entrepreneurs through funding and coaching
  • To foster the spirit of enterprise by celebrating role models in entrepreneurship
  • To create an international network of women entrepreneurs and encourage peer networking
The Cartier Women's Initiative Awards aim to encourage the most vulnerable category of entrepreneurs in their most vulnerable phase: women entrepreneurs starting up. Since their inception in 2006, they have accompanied over 140 promising female business-owners and recognized 44 Laureates.

It is interesting to note that in the 8 year CWIA history, the Laureates for Sub-Saharan Africa came from Nigeria in 2009, 2013 and 2014! Please find below a flyer for the Awards / Application.



The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme
Deadline: 28 February 2015
Apply here: http://www.tonyelumelufoundation.org/teep/

The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme is the flagship entrepreneurship programme of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, founded by visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist, Tony O. Elumelu, CON. Our goal is to create 10,000 businesses that can generate 1,000,000 new jobs and contribute at least $10 billion in annual revenues to the Africa economy. The programme is open to all citizens and legal residents of any one of the 54 African countries. The proposed business must operate in Africa.

The 7 Pillars of TEEP are:

- Mentoring
- Start-up Enterprise Toolkit
- Online Resources
- Boot-Camp
- Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum
- Seed Capital Funding
- TEEP Alumni Network

The pillars have been designed to address the essential needs to ensure success for an African entrepreneur.

Wish you the best as you apply for these programs. 

Keep us updated on your successes!

Cheers everyone!