You are a bright star fueled with the burning desire of becoming a world class entrepreneur like bill gate, Larry Ellison, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos et cetera. Of course, it’s something achievable. It only requires you setting out right.
Been a young chap in your very early age, you might be filled with phobia and so much thoughts erupting from your mind like “I'm still very young", "I don’t know what the future looks like", "I don't know how to get started"! Great, those kind of thoughts are expected. I feel it’s high time you got out of this and develop a strong believe in your God-given abilities.
Mark Zuckerberg, launched “thefacebook...com” while in Harvard on Feb. 4, 2004 when he was just 19 years old. Then, he "didn't even know much about what it takes to establish a viable business." In 2006 when he was still in high school, bill gate proposed an offer to buy Facebook with 1 million dollar which he turned down. MTV also made an offer of $75 million which he also turned down. As we speak, Facebooks net worth is 46.4 billion dollars.
Likewise, we have young millionaire entrepreneurs in Nigeria below the age of 30 making lots of meanings to the business world like Opeyemi Awoyemi’ - founder of Jobberman; Oluwaseun Osewa - founder of Nairaland; Uche Pedro - Founder of Bella Naija; Ola Orekunrin - CEO of Flying Doctors; Bankole Cardoso - founder of Easy Taxi Nigeria.
As a prospective entrepreneur, you need to imbibe the following:
1. Envision
While in secondary school, it’s not too early to dream and plan the kind of world that inspires and excites you. I mean, it’s not rocket science, becoming a world-class celebrity entrepreneur at a very young age! India produced two 10 year old Chief Executive Officer Shravan & Sanjay. They both head a software company in India. This is not rocket science. It only requires you setting out right and owning your destiny with passion.
So, if you are the type that has a sound logical mind and technology freak, building your career in software engineering might be the best option for you. This will set the path for you to create an innovative software product that will shake the world like Bill gate did! Also, if you are the type that has sound connective intelligence and loves handling computer hardware’s, then, building your career in Networking is cool for you. With this, you can setup a company more innovative than Cisco.
2. Get Connected
It's paramount to note that the initial step to succeeding in your entrepreneurship journey is to connect to a mentor that can help you structure your thought process.
A good mentor in this case might be someone who has already run or is running a successful business of his. He might even be your secondary school teacher, university lecturer or family relatives, or someone you just connected to on social media. At times, getting the full attention and support of your desired mentor might be demanding. Sometimes, it requires you going out of your way to serve them with humble mind. Never neglect the wealth of knowledge which exists in a university and high school. Approach your professor and teachers for advice during their office hours.
Use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn is another superb option for connecting to your desired model and company of interest. This gives you the opportunity of following up with latest news, technology trends and updates, opportunities, challenges and success stories relating to your choiced company. You can also follow up directly with the founder of the company on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Social media is a vital platform that gives you the opportunity to connect to anyone you can think of! Always think about how you can incorporate their knowledge and experience into your though process. This will help boost your in-born entrepreneurial spirit.
3. Take Baby Steps
While in high school, try as much as possible to craft out a skeletal plan for setting out on your entrepreneurship journey. It might not be an idealized plan for a start but at least you should have something handy to get started.
Your skeletal draft should contain -
i. What you are passionate about
ii. Mentors that can help in your chosen area
iii. the most suitable institution that well suit your aspirations
iv. plans to get absorbed by your institution of choice
v. How to connect to entrepreneurial programs like Entrepreneurs Club, an initiative of the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA); Students For The Advancement Of Global Entrepreneurship(SAGENIGERIA) ; Nigerian Young Professional Forum (NYPF) ; Nigeria and Entrepreneurship Summit & Honors(NESH).
These are youth programme targeted at students below the tertiary institution level, designed to identify leadership and entrepreneurial potentials and developing them into positive ends through periodic competitions, exchange programmes and tours. Lots of secondary schools have participated till date from both private and public secondary schools.
4. Big Up
Congratulations on your successful entrance to your dream institution/college. Now, you are left with the choice of making the best out of this great opportunity. In your first year in the college, it’s important you associate yourself with First-Class senior colleague in your department. This will help with information that can position you ahead.
Please note, Before rounding up your second year in the college/university, endeavor to step up your skeletal plan. At this stage, you should incorporate into your plans:
i. the “desired Final year project that’s in-line with your entrepreneurial career” and how to achieve it;
ii. “Suitable companies for your college/university internship program” and how to secure it;
iii. “related trainings/workshops that you can attend during your session holidays which will prepare you for your internship program;
iv. Associations that can aid your career like Jet club, programmers unit, etc.
v. developing a bankable business plan with about 4 year projections. This plan will be needed to get aids from bank agencies while in your NYSC program. There are free online courses and template on that guide you on how to write a professional business plan.
5. Think Gold
Good luck! You’ve finally rounded up your college education and getting set for your youth service. Prior to this, you need to figure out what you need to do to make the best out of your NYSC program. Endeavour to market and promote your ideas leveraging on NYSC Community Development Service (NYSC) Program. It’s a big opportunity to get the government buy into your project. Most successful entrepreneurs unleash their projects during NYSC program.
Endeavour to be part of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program. According to the Director General of NYSC, Olawunmi “Corps members could choose from namely; Agro-Allied, Culture/Tourism, Cosmetology, ICT, Construction, Power/Energy, Food Processing and Preservation, Construction, Environment, Horticulture and Landscaping, Education, Automobile and Film and Photography. He said the SAED Scheme intends to expand the Skill sets during the year. “The trained Corps Members will be required to submit their applications for loans under the GEF, and each of them will be qualified for a loan of between five hundred thousand and two million naira”, he added.
6. Land your dream job
For those ideas that doesn’t require much job experience, you can get started immediately after your youth service ones you’ve secured sufficient capital needed to kick start. But, for those that require few years of job experience, it’s important to secure opportunities in companies that will enhance your dreams and aspirations. The easiest way to this is to strive hard during your internship/NYSC program such that you’re sure of getting retained. Endeavour you get yourself involved in projects related to your dream project. This will leapfrog you to the final destination. In summary, the act of involving yourself in innovative and creative acts that can transform ideas into profitable ventures within an organization is known as intrapreneurship. Internship and NYSC program can easily create this opportunity. This helps create a path to entrepreneurship.

Culled from Geniusconnectx blog

Nice one. Really insightful!!!

god bls

Lartoph:
Nice one. Really insightful!!!

Thank you.

DPlanter:
god bls

God bless you too.

I strongly believe that entrepreneurship is the way out of the current situation we have found ourselves in Nigeria. But how do we go about it without having something of real value to offer.
Skill acquisition is the key to the way out. By skill acquisition I mean acquiring practical knowledge to solve day to day problems in our environment. Acquiring the skills to be come the kind of entrepreneur you want to be is not always costly or expensive, all you need is the will and ability to make sacrifices.
Remember, when there is a will, there is a way.
We can always leverage on the internet and learn almost anything online with free videos and electronic copies of books at the onset in the absence of fund. Gradually as condition permits then begin to look for trainings in your field that is suitable for your pocket till you have acquired enough knowledge/skill to try out what you have learnt. Remember we learn more by doing. To be continued..........

One of the key definitions of the 4th platform era is that everyone would want to be an entrepreneur......And to be self-dependent, you need to have mastery of a worthwhile skill that solves peoples pain-point. This implies that you create products based on what people really want and are yearning for.

This point to the fact that in developing a product, you must be able to 1. Understand through Insight, Empathy, and Definition. 2. Create through ideation 3. Deliver through Prototype and test.

Let us digress a little. If you have read all the post above, kindly contribute by answering these questions.
Which would you rank first, money or skill?
How much is the minimum amount of money required to start a business/enterprise in Nigeria at the moment?
Explain the reason behind your answer.

This sounds controversial!! ....

My choice is Skills.............The reason for choosing skill is that money is not just sufficient to build a company in this 21st-century era. An extremely skillful person just needs platform and collaboration to thrive successfully. An example is Airbnb...... There is now a shift in the business era.....People are beginning to redefine the rules of the game!!!!!!

With a very little money, you can ride on others to have a thriving business empire!

Skill rank above money,even if u have the money if u set up a farm for instance when challenges arise(disease,pest,Fulani herdsmen, stealing from passers by) it is going to consume your capital hence kill biz meanwhile if u hv the skill with 5000naira u can make more than 50,000 on dry season vegetable farming

I have started seeing meaningful comments. More please.....