I know........Dionne Farris #90smusic

Something amazing happened to me today. I can't wait to spill the beans, but you'll have to wait a bit. Avez du patience s'il vous plait - trying to give my rusty french a shot here, hehe.

I went to dig this one out from the archives for today's #90smusic post! If you know it, you really did rock the 90s! I am referring to Dionne Farris, I know. She left Arrested Development (this group rocked!) and launched out on her own with this hit single which went straight to the top of the billboards. No surprise there, because this was a time when you could swing a hit song without taking your clothes off or trying to twerk with your tongue hanging out on stage - Miley style. All you needed was a great mind for deep lyrics and great accompaniments. Good old days!

The simplicity of the lyrics of this song, the acoustic arrangement and her voice are just some of the things I love about the song. Plus its a song about liberating women in a way...... "I know what you're doing and it's not going to work this time". Sometimes, you're stuck in this cycle, you know the drill, you know the lyrics, yet it gets you over and over again - Break yourself free from all forms of manipulation! Just say, no more!

I wonder what she's up to these days. She just came and disappeared or maybe not! Turns out she put out some new material in 2011 and even 2013! Those ones definitely passed me by.

Enjoy!

I know - Dionne Farris

Click here for a link to the video - I know - Dionne Farris

I know what you're doing yeah yeah

I know why you dialed my number

I know what you're doing yeah yeah

I know why you care

I know what you're doing yeah yeah

I know why you say you love me

I know what you're doing yeah yeah

And I don't think it's fair

I know why you dialed my number

I know why you say you're mine

I know what you're doing,

And it's not, gonna work, this time (2)

I know what you're doing yeah yeah

I can never sing in that key

I know what you're doing yeah yeah

And you're the one to blame

I know what you're doing yeah yeah

I know why you can't forgive me

I know why you're singing lost love

The lyrics haven't changed

1-I can recognize the symptoms

You should know I've changed my mind

I know what you're doing

And it's not, gonna work this time

Hey hey hey, said it's not gonna work this time...

I know what you're doing, baby

I know why you call my name

I know why you say you love me

but I can't say the same

(repeat 1)

Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/dionne-farris/i-know-lyrics/#7bS0ez1If8cGPopF.99

Win $1000 For Your Business in Nigeria Through Dud...

You might want to check this one out guys!

Romance Meets Life: Win $1000 For Your Business in Nigeria Through Dud...: In celebration of the 53rd Nigerian Independence day, the Dudunorth website has developed a social campaign to support a Nigerian busines...

Adjusting to seasonality......... #inthelineofduty

When you are in school, you hear terms, learn their definitions and apply them in projects and exams without really putting these terms in perspective. I imagine if I was just going in for my MBA, the experience would be completely different. No wonder the facilitators kept rubbing it in that the executive MBA classes were richer and more vibrant. You really don't know until you know.

When I set out to build a business around gift solutions and services, I heard a lot of questions from well meaning and concerned individuals. Top of the list was, "isn't it a seasonal business, when valentine and Christmas and maybe Easter are over, what do you do?"I hated this question so much at the time, getting upset as to why people just didn't understand how the business was an all year round business. What about birthdays! *Rolling eyes* Awon Olodo! hehe.

Recently however, it hit me. Seasonality is not a bad thing. It doesn't mean you have business during a particular period only and then a period of standstill (you get close sometimes though! to be honest). It only refers to the up and down movement in the level of activity the business. During the peak periods, you experience heightened activity so much so that you may need additional resources. Outside of these peak periods however, business activities return to the normal level it was at before this season. Managing seasonality in business requires certain adjustments which can include, casual/contract staffing, increased inventory and loads of planning.

I learnt and accepted this fact, the hard way. I haven't perfected the art of managing this seasonality, but I am getting better as the years go by. #inthelineofduty today will be about my first busy valentine experience...... see pressure!!

Valentine 2012......

I had just started really getting a grip of my life outside the corporate world, after going through the stages of excitement, depression, frustration, excitement again and again. My son was weaned and I was ready to pick up from where I left off. I resumed activity on my facebook page and started shouting, we're here, we're here - you do know I don't mean this literally I hope! Just checking. Lol

The noise paid off, I got maybe not a myriad of orders, but a lot more than I usually get. I wasn't prepared for this at all and boy was it one hell of a mess! Trust that lots of tears came during and after the running helter skelter of the day.

As much as you make noise and harass people to place orders for their gifts, you would still have those last minute people that would rather call you a few days before the d-day or even worse on the road as you do your delivery rounds! As a small growing business, you don't want to turn anybody away, so you keep taking the orders, thinking you can manage it! Manage fire!

I'll try to share all the nasty experiences tagging each one as a scandal, so I don't go off on a tangent;

Scandal #1 - Logistics miscalculation, Mayday Mayday!!

I have a few clients who would place their orders and conclude weeks before the day and of course it would be horribly terrible to disappoint those ones or even any customer for that matter, but these ones especially. Anyway, I had his order settled and sorted and was good to go. I had my logistics plan and it all looked like everything would go smoothly.

I got ready that morning and Kike, my ever faithful supporter as well as my long time staff, Happiness and another support staff had resumed at my house early enough. I looked up the list I made and tried to check Google maps for this customers delivery address (I know, I should have checked long before, thing is, I glanced at it earlier and was so sure the address was somewhere in Yaba), ALASSS!!!! The location was Ikorodu - see sweat! Ikorodu! Where was I going to start? I had to do a total re-routing of my plan. Yeepa.

Scandal #2 - Distressed Cakes 

I can write a book on the cake mishaps I have had in the course of this business, off peak season and even more during the peak season. You can never imagine how bad the scramble is for specialty cakes or any cake at all, during valentine! I can't even begin to explain. I was feeling cool with myself because I had booked all my chocolate cakes from this certain cake company ahead of time, like two weeks before in fact. Problem however was that, they were already fully booked for valentine's day and as such explained to me that there would be no storage space on valentine's day itself. We agreed that I would have to pick up the cakes the day before and store them myself. Yea, yea, whatever. Of course, the last few days leading up to valentine's day were crazy, so I totally forgot (I am only human, we forget sometimes, that's why you need reminders) to pick up the cakes the day before.

I get there the next morning feeling happy with myself, only to find my cakes out on the table! Chocolate cakes fa! Why evils!!! They had my number, they could have called me, but they didn't. The girl at the reception wasn't even sorry, she was like she tried to reach me but couldn't and there was no space. My cakes were already looking distressed..... Oh lawd! It goes without saying though, those guys have been struck off my cake vendors list. Hen! Never again.

Scandal #3 - Balloon Bouquet Disaster

By the time I was done re-routing, raking for the cake company and picking my cakes, I was already running behind schedule and my phone was now ringing off the hook. I was going crazy. Kike, has experience with customer service and if not for her, I would have gone mad that day. Meanwhile, I varied the options between fresh flowers and helium balloons. I was trying to add a different touch to the whole valentine gifting thing. Imagine seeing your package from afar off with floating helium balloons saying "I love you" awwww. Okay, Back to reality. Did you know though, you need skills to handle those things. I had no clue.

I got to the first client that was meant to get the balloons, hurriedly reached for the balloons that had been floating in the back seat of my car only to find they were badly entangled. No be small tangling o! I kid you not, it took Kike, myself and one of my clients, Guard (he was picking up and had agreed to meet me halfway) almost an hour to untangle the balloons, plus we lost one in the process - it went up, up and away! Now that I think about it, I can laugh because it must have been a really funny sight. It wasn't funny at all at the time, at all. Three grown ups, standing on the side of Falomo road, trying to untangle red helium balloons. hahaha!! Gosh. Mind you, my phone was still ringing off the hook, with texts of where are you? How far?

There were some uneventful deliveries that day, but of course, the ones that you never forget are the ones where you had to be apologizing profusely for at the end of the day.

Just in case any of my clients from that day is reading;

For the cake that made it in a mangled state to you(it didn't survive the heat), for the balloon that didn't make it to its recipient, for the flowers that only made it after your wife had given up on you,

  ACCEPT MY SINCERE APOLOGY!! Straight from my heart.

P.S

While searching for a picture close enough to my experience, I found this and it was titled, "How not to transport a bunch of balloons"!! hahaha. Apparently, I am not alone in this nasty experience.

A recipe for Balloon Bouquet Disaster…

• Fill 5 pink balloons with helium.
• Tie 5 helium-filled pink balloons to little metal doo-hickey on minivan backseat headrest.
• Drive with windows down…. because it is a nice day.

Yield: 5 tangled helium-filled balloons forever married to the little metal doo-hickey on minivan backseat headrest, and no usable balloon bouquet for event.

- See more at: http://www.jennyonthespot.com

Entrepreneur Tips

• Accept seasonality in business and learn to manage it. In the peak periods, hire extra hands if you need to, stock up on essential items as well. Retain full time staff for regular business and use contract staff or volunteers for peak periods.
• Managing Demand is not just a term for the books, you need it. Set cut off dates for taking orders for instance. My friend Ikenna told me this when we sat down to review my scandalous valentine experience.
• Logistics planning is critical
• Delegate, delegate, delegate!!!
• Keep a diary/planner, it could be on your phone or smart device. Set reminders too. 

and

Life Lessons Learnt

Never ever transport helium filled balloons in the back seat of your car unattended! Hehe

The Adventures of a Bargain-Hunter #guestpost #Ojaara

Look who's posting for the second time in one day! Yep. Hehe. This is made possible by a #guestpost.

Been a while since we had a guest post, but I couldn't pass this up. I know quite a few bargain hunters, plus Oja ara is a good place to go fishing. Which one are you? A shopaholic or bargain hunter.

Enjoy!

Adventures of a bargain-hunter.......

By nature, I am an outgoing, very adventurous being; excited to discover new things for myself; I’m a foodie by habit and I love shopping sprees.

Shopaholic No, Bargain-Hunter Yes.

My friends have tried convincing me to think I am a shopaholic but I know they don’t get it. I’m not, I just like good bargains. Let me put this simply - there’s a HUGE difference between a shopaholic and a bargain-hunter. A shopaholic enjoys shopping no matter the circumstances. When strapped for cash, a shopaholic window shops to revel in the thought of sporting new outfits and accessories - shopaholics rarely go to bookstores. But your home-girl is different. I love to get what I want at a bargain. Quality at the best price possible. I’m so good at this, I have a hypothetical badge I carry around.

As a certified bargain hunter, in one of my relentless search for fair deals, I stumbled upon (and fell in love with) Oja Ara. This is the place you go to feed your eyes and perhaps make a wardrobe change decision. Fast. Quality at its peak. Friendly vendors. Interesting co-shoppers. Fabulous prices. To say the least, the experience is more profound than my recount of it. My last experience was mind-blowing and I’m more than happy to know there’s another edition coming soon.

l’ll be heading off to Oja Ara this October 5th and 6th. This edition’s package seems more promising than the last; raffle draws, fun, and everything else. Hopefully, I’ll also win some Oja Ara vouchers in whatever Oja Ara raffle, (the last time, all I had to do was use the Oja Ara flier as my bb display picture and I won cool cash vouchers. Mehn, the easiest thing to do to win money!), which will enable me shop for less and buy more.

Don’t believe me? Go see things for yourself! I look forward to meeting you there!

Seize the Opportunities...... Give a child a love box!

Its about 5 days to schools resumption!!!! Tell me I am not the only mum looking forward to this please! Or am I a bad bad mummy *covers face*. It's been a long one and I am this close to...... aaah, never mind. I love the boys! But I need them to be otherwise engaged before we get anymore casualties at home. Speaking of which, there's this great initiative I think will be worth partaking in from a credible group. I'll share it in a bit. After the business of the day.

I have seen Evan Almighty a few times, but I saw it again yesterday and the day before (yea, there are a few old films I can watch over and over again like "beautiful mind", "August Rush" and some others). There's a lot to learn from the movie and many sites have dedicated posts to these lessons, but I'll share two main ones for me;

God has a Plan and it involves you

Many times we pray to God for something and expect it like the wave of a wand, I guess we all know by now that it doesn't work that way. You have to take the opportunities God gives you to make things happen.

It's all summed up in these wonderful quotes from the movie; 

"If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does He give them the opportunity to be patient?

If they prayed for courage, does God give them courage, or does He give them the opportunity to be courageous?

If someone prayed for their family to be closer, you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

This is the case in your business as well. You can sit at home and pray all day for your business to grow, for customers to magically find you and call you, no child! Get up and seize the opportunities around you.There you've got your answers.

I saw this on another blog - Is your company simply wanting to be remarkable? Or are actually doing remarkable things? Doing remarkable can make you remarkable.

Read the full text here: http://www.idea-sandbox.com/blog/2008/05/evan-almighty-life-and-business-lesson-in-opportunity/#ixzz2eT0HsmXE 
- brought to you by Idea Sandbox 

The flood will come in a way you don't expect

The most memorable part of the movie for me was the part where the rain eventually came down only to stop! It was funny and not funny. Many times I have found myself in situations like that, where I am so sure I have my answer and it all crumbles before my eyes, leaving me wondering what God is up to! Baxter was so sure that the rain was the answer to the flood he built the ark for, the whole purpose of his hard-work and ridicule for weeks but guess what, that wasn't it. That can make you want to scream!

Sometimes well meaning people around us have a word or two to say;

"Joan Baxter: Honey, maybe God didn't mean a literal flood. Maybe he meant a flood of knowledge, or emotion, or awareness.

Evan Baxter: If that's true, I am going to be *so pissed*."

It was the lake that was going to bring the flood! Eureka.

Be rest assured, God Loves you (Don't roll your eyes!), be calm and do your part with the opportunities he brings your way! You'll be just fine.....

About the initiative, here's the deal;

Project LIAB - Love in a box......Give a child a back pack

This Sunday, Green Pasture Kiddies will be giving  out back2school items to public primary school students somewhere in Ilaje, Costaine. You can participate in this by giving your time, sponsoring a child or just spreading the word.

If you are interested please Call;

'Wande on 08028587497

Olushola on 08038940887

Titi on 08028636959 or Uwa on 08023970412. 

You can add the BBpin 2a3e1eb

Click here to volunteer - Volunteer form

For Sponsorship payments, please pay to;

Sterling Bank, 0010424950, Green pasture Kiddies.

Let's change the world, one child at a time......

Gangsta's Paradise ........Coolio #90smusic

Let's get straight to the business of the day, #90smusic. I couldn't make up my mind what song to feature today, too many songs were jumping around my head screaming, me me! I had to calm my mind down and now we have a winner. It's Coolio's gangsta's paradise. Apart from Vanilla Ice's Ice baby lyrics  (because my brother wouldn't stop trying to do the rap, hahaha, he even recorded it on a cassette), this was one of the first rap songs I knew the lyrics to. No kidding, I knew the rap, back to back! I was so taken by the fact that it was clean, with no profanity, very unusual at the time.

This song was kind'a the highlight of the Dangerous minds movie for me. It's like most of these movies about "the hood" then had more memorable soundtracks than the movies themselves, look at Jayson's lyrics and Waiting to exhale for example. Many hits were born out of them. I was excited when Gangsta's paradise got to number one on Rick Dees' weekly top 40 show, my favorite countdown show ever! Say I, if you love Rick Dees too. The song even made it to the billboard hot 100 and spent a whooping twelve weeks there! Who said keeping it clean doesn't sell? Till date, I think this song has been Coolio's greatest hit ever.

I totally love the orchestra style chorus and background. You should see me now, rapping along, lol. I think my kids are wondering what has come over their mother.

What can I say, I am totally biased in favor of the 90s!!

Enjoy..

Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio

Click Gangsta's Paradise Video link if you can't view the embedded video on your device! Sighs.....

As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left
Cause I've been blasting and laughing so long,
That even my mama thinks that my mind is gone
But I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it
Me be treated like a punk you know that's unheard of
You better watch how you're talking and where you're walking
Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk
I really hate to trip but I gotta loc
As they croak, I see myself in the pistol smoke, fool
I'm the kinda G the little homies wanna be like
On my knees in the night saying prayers in the streetlight

Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise

Look at the situation they got me facin'
I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the streets
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watching got me chasing dreams
I'm an educated fool with money on my mind
Got my 10 in my hand and a gleam in my eye
I'm a loc'd out gangsta set trippin' banger
And my homies is down so don't arouse my anger, fool
Death ain't nothing but a heartbeat away,
I'm living life, do or die, what can I say
I'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24
The way things are going I don't know

Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me

Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise

Power and the money, money and the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour
Everybody's running, but half of them ain't looking
What's going on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's cookin'
They say I gotta learn, but nobody's here to teach me
If they can't understand it, how can they reach me
I guess they can't, I guess they won't
I guess they front, that's why I know my life is out of luck, fool

Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise

Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the one's we hurt are you and me
Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the one's we hurt are you and me
[Fade out]

Being socially responsible........#inthelineofduty

This week has been one week!! I must give it to full time, stay at home mums, you should hold your head up high because you are super, super! Summer school activities ended last week, to my shock and dismay *covers face*. But really, we still have till the 16^th of September before they have to resume so I was hoping for just one week more. Keeping active little men positively engaged is not a joke. So, before they kill my Nanny Mcphee, I decided to make myself available this week full-time (almost). Oluwa oooo! Kids just never tire.

I stole this picture from my friend Ralia's Blackberry display picture today because it is so apt! Thanks Ralia aya Bashir!

My line of thought for today's #inthelineofduty post is this; if there’s going to be any change in our land, it will be driven by entrepreneurs. I bet you've heard that my former big boss, Aliko is set to build a refinery in Nigeria, about time too! I know some of you are there rolling your eyes and thinking #$*! Capitalist, but let me ask you; if you had all that money and access, what would you do? There are others who have as much money as he does but half a brain and are busy wiring all the money out, buying property in Dubai and the likes. This initiative will create at least 80,000 new jobs for Nigerians (and a couple for Indians, maybe lol! Sorry couldn't resist). It will also boost the ailing economy. We should give it to the man, he may have his flaws (who doesn't!) but he is an entrepreneur extraordinaire.

Enough about Aliko. I watched the Igwe twins of @Speedmeals Mobile Kitchen On Moments with Mo yesterday. Inspiring stuff! Very interesting pair, those guys. If you missed it, you can read a summary of their story here;

Speedmeals on Moments with Mo

(It's not the same though, moments with Mo should upload these interviews to youtube so people can watch these interviews when they want) 

They said something on the show, that I agree with totally. Every business should be socially responsible. There’s a never ending debate as to whether this should be mandatory or by choice, but I leave that to the CSR experts to deal with. Tobias (one of the twins) said they decided they wanted their brand to be associated with something good, something that would make people say, this company touched me.

My #inthelineofduty post today will be about being socially responsible........

When we hear the phrase social responsibility, most times we have a picture of big companies doing grand things and splashing them all over the dailies. For some it comes as an after-thought because there is pressure to connect with the community in which they operate, for others it is part of the foundation of their company policies. I am not a CSR expert, but I think social responsibility should be part of the foundation of a company. Businesses should decide what cause they want to address and document it.

I know I have an MBA and yes we had classes that tackled the issue of corporate social responsibility, but at the time of birthing Trezorlandia, It wasn't even a thought. Like I said, many times we think of it as something for big companies, those evil companies polluting our environment (haha).

The second valentine as Trezorlandia however, as I was preparing for my deliveries, I looked at the teddy bears from the valentine that never was and thought of kids who would give anything to feel loved. I immediately knew the cause Trezorlandia would take up. I made up my mind then to package the teddy bears along with a few other things from the proceeds of that period and visit an orphanage or home to help put smiles on kids faces. I wasn't thinking “social responsibility” then per say, but I had this nagging need to do something that would make a difference.

We visited So Said Charity Home in Okota, Lagos. You wouldn't believe how far your little contributions go to making a difference. Don't wait till you can build a house, just give what you have, even if it's just your time.

That's my brother in glasses, the "oyana of life" and chief networking officer. 

Today, it is documented in the Trezorlandia profile as the part of soul of our business;

 " As a corporate social entity, we engage in activities as a matter of policy to provide support to the less privileged children through initiatives that help us demonstrate friendship and show love to the hopeless" 

It feels great to put a smile of children’s faces. On children’s day this year, with the support of the trezorlandia family and in conjuction with Cares unend, publishers of Erin magazine, we had a little party and spent time with speech and hearing impaired children at a school in Ikorodu. We had a piece from the largest cake in Africa from Cakes by Tosan too, it was a great experience for us and the kids.

What are you doing to make Nigeria a better place?

Doing business with family and religious bodies.......Yes or No?

Happy new month!!! Hehe. Scratch that okay, I put it there as a joke. Till tomorrow, I would never quite get this "greeting" that has crept on us and become the norm, out of nowhere! Don't ask me why, I can't put my finger on it, but I find it strange. Maybe I am the one who's strange and old school-ish.

Next on my pet peeve list is "How was your night?" Like seriously! I don't understand. Recently I heard about how an expatriate in Nigeria sincerely expressed his confusion when he got into the office one day and someone asked "how was your night?". I hear he was like, "what I do at night is none of your business". Hahaha! 

In other news though, September 19th is my birthday!!! Yaay me. Not like I have anything planned for that day, just feels good to shout yaay me, hehe. But on a more serious note, living to see another year in life is a privilege and I am more than grateful. 

Would you be shocked if I told you, I really have nothing to say tonight? I was going to pass up posting but decided against it. I am an entrepreneur, I am meant to keep pushing, non? I shan't give up, no way!!! 

To all those who filled the form to join the trezy family, I appreciate you. If you haven't filled the form yet, please do. Just click the link below, it'll only take a few minutes, trust me. (*Mi o shako, ebe ni mo n be (consult a yoruba dictionary)

Trezy family

I saw this on instagram today, methinks we can discuss it;

What do you think?

I can imagine why one would think like this, especially the church scenario (don't stone me yet!). Many of us know the "do it for God" line. There's nothing wrong with offering your services or products to support the church for the good of mankind, but it's better when it comes from your heart, because if it doesn't you are wasting your time, pretty much. 

I don't think as entrepreneurs we should shun family and religious bodies we belong to as clients. We just need to find a way to conduct the business as a business, no sentiments in the matter. I scanned the internet for tips on dealing with family and religious bodies but didn't find much, so you are stuck with my two cents;

• Start with yourself
  Do you just take products or enjoy services from your business without being accountable? You can't expect to enforce this on your family and friends then!
• Be Professional
  The way you conduct business should be reeking of professionalism. It should be so good that, nobody will even be able to approach you with "ilo ku lo" (indecent proposals). The way you present yourself, communicate your business and carry out transactions say a lot. Issue invoices when necessary, receipts at the right time, little things, but they are important. Let the quality of your service or product be unquestionable across board.
• Be polite but firm
  This may not be as easy as it sounds but you have to learn this, if you really want to stay in business. Do not entertain anything that is not in line with your company policies and procedures. Document all of these polices and ensure that anyone working with you is aware of these policies. If there is a credit policy, any habitual defaulter should be blacklisted. "Please uncle, I know someone who I can refer you to" c'est finit.
• Separate the business from yourself
  Give your business a life of its own. When you set up your business with its own accounting system, separate from you, an auditing system (It could be a contract arrangement) and so on, you are not free to take decisions for the business without having to answer to someone.
• Set up a board of advisers/trustees
  You have mentors, people that can guide you in your business decision making process. A word of caution though, keep this number minimal to avoid bureaucracy. Knowing that you have a board to answer to keeps you in check. * Read more about setting up a board here - Assembling a board of advisers

This is just scratching the surface, there's so much more that can be said, so many deeper issues that can arise, but I am all for keeping it simple. We can take further discussions on this matter outside of this blog. Besides, I am so so sleepy right now..... Body no be firewood.

P.S - I didn't lie, I really didn't have anything to say when I started out! True. 

Save the best for last.......Vanessa Williams #90smusic

I sat by my laptop with all confidence last night, about to share my #90smusic Friday post, but alas my data quota on swift had been used up! I am beginning to suspect some foul play here. Haba!! Either they have reviewed their charges without warning or they are just confused! I was so mad, I just went to bed. IPNX too was off, I got a warning for that, just didn't realise the days had gone by so fast.

It's my sister's birthday today. Fried rice and jollof rice cooking continues :-). Life is good. Happy birthday Funmi Amoo!!! By  the way, can we all pretend today is Friday so we can maintain the structure of this blog. Hehe. Let us shame Swift and not let them cramp our style. #90smusic Friday it is!!

My song for today is Vanessa Williams' "Save the best for last" . I totally love the instrumentals on this song. The lyrics also make a lot of sense. Artists in my day, spent more time composing songs, seriously!

Enjoy!!

Vanessa Williams - Save the best for last 

If the embedded video doesn't load on your smart device, you know what to do already;

Save the best for Last

Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon
I see the passion in your eyes
Sometimes it's all a big surprise

Cause there was a time when all I did was wish,
You'd tell me this was love
It's not the way I hoped or how I planned
But somehow it's enough

And now we're standing face to face
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought a chance had passed
You go and save the best for last

All of the nights you came to me
When some silly girl had set you free
You wondered how you'd make it through
I wondered what was wrong with you

Cause how could you give your love to someone else
And share your dreams with me
Sometimes of everything you're looking for
It's the one thing you can't see

But now we're standing face to face
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought a chance had passed
You go and save the best for last

Sometimes of everything you're looking for
It's the one thing you can't see

(instrumental)

Sometimes the snow comes down in June
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon
Just when I thought a chance had passed
You go and save the best for last

You went and saved the best for last

My first customer and the next......#inthelineofduty

I woke up a bit depressed today, happens sometimes, but I never let it gain root. I shake it off with all I've got and choose to be happy, no matter what. One of my depression fighting tools is cooking, lol! I cook and cook till I feel like the world is a better place. If my freezer or pocket is dry (we all have those times, I think), I call up my mum and offer to help them cook, stew, vegetable soup and my favorite, fried rice! That's what I cooked today, a large pot of it. My hubby was happy, the boys were happy, sent some to my folks, they were happy and so was I. The end!

It's #inthelineofduty day and I want to share my experience with my first customer and the next. The very first time someone hands you a cheque for offering that service or product, you just want to scream! During the development stage of your idea, you are never really sure someone will pay you for that product/service - Apart from family and friends who might just want to encourage you. How sustainable is that? Unless you're from Kunta Kinte's (dunno where that thought came from, lol!) large family and they have a lot of money to spare.

The first Trezy men.....

All customers are precious, but the very first ones..... Priceless!!!

My very first job was a stumble on kind of one. A good friend wanted to propose to his girlfriend on her birthday but didn't have a clue what to do. He called me up and I was just reeling out ideas and he said, you know what, just help me organize it and send me my bill. I was super excited, not only was I doing something I absolutely enjoyed, but I was also going to get paid? Yabadabadoooooo

Here's how this one went down. We devised a way to get her ring size using an accomplice; one of her sisters. We ordered a cake and had the ring as well as the cake delivered to the restaurant where they were going to be having dinner. Next, we had little mini cards to say happy birthday, will you go to so and so spa and then join me for dinner at so and so restaurant? I had those booked and sorted. At the restaurant, I had arranged with the chief chef to turn up the music at a certain time and come out with the cake and ring with some noise and fan fare - you wouldn't believe how happy these guys are to do these things. The card and the main gifts, two wristwatches ( he said she loved wristwatches, so we got two) were packaged and delivered to her. The rest is history!

I hadn't registered a name yet at this time, so the invoice I sent was " Mofolusade consult" and I got paid in my personal account. But this experience gave me the confidence and courage I needed to push the idea. The naming of the idea, the account opening and all came after this.Then I called up a few of my friends to say, I just started this business, when's your wife's/husband's birthday or anniversary bla bla bla, just let me know. One of my old colleagues from my FCMB days, liked the idea and promised to employ trezorlandia's service for his wife's birthday. This was my very first job as Trezorlandia.

I sent him options as well as cost implications for the day and he settled for a mix of all three. For a memorable birthday experience, the cake and card are a given, especially if we are delivering to an office! Office folk love sharing birthday cakes, lol. He wanted this to be a really special experience for her and we developed a plan to do just that.

I had to resume at her office way way before she got in so I got help from my friend Maureen and got everything set at her place which wasn't too far from the island. We didn't sleep, It was fun getting everything ready and we went together to the office to set up her table;

Here's what she resumed to that morning, we put a little fruit bowl for her because he told us she wasn't really into cakes. The framed picture there is a little scribble from her daughter which her Dad got her to do.

Guess what? This was just part one. I swear, I enjoyed this job so much. It was a lot of fun to do. Next up, was a cake delivery at around noon. We agreed to deliver a cake, because really what is a birthday at the office without a cake to share?

The grand closing was the main gift package itself which we delivered at about 3p.m. It had a tiffany and co bracelet with an engraved heart shaped locket and pictures of her husband and daughter inside. There were two other items in the box. A handbag that her husband purchased and a perfume, I think;

Now tell me this was not a memorable experience! Even for me, it was.

These two; ladies and gentlemen of my blog family, were my first "trezy men". I am developing a proper description of who a "trezy man" or "trezy woman" is. I'll share it here soon. In the meantime, I just developed this form on google docs, I want you to join the "trezy family". If you would, please fill the form by following the link below.

Trezy men and women

Thank you, thank you and thank you!!!