You know you are running business in Lagos when…

Just this morning I was surfing the net as usual to read some news about Africa and entrepreneurship. Fortunately, I came across this piece on CNNAfrica, so I decided to share it. You know there is love in sharing.

Note: African Startup is a show on CNN that follows entrepreneurs in various African countries to see how they are working to make their business dreams a reality.

“…Lagos is a packed megacity where the streets are teeming with life and the buzz of innovation. Home to nearly 20 million people, Nigeria’s economic nerve center constantly attracts big numbers of people pursuing fortunes and dreams.
For entrepreneurs here, starting and growing a business can be fairly tricky work. It can also be exhilarating and full of opportunities.”
-Lauren Said-Moorhouse (of CNN)

CNN wanted to know what it was like to set up a shop in Lagos. Through Twitter, they asked people living in lagos to finish this sentence: “You know you’re running a business in lagos when…” using the hashtag #CNNLagos.
Now this is what Lagosians had to say about starting and running a business in lagos. Some tweets are really funny, which is typical of Nigerians.

You will always get stuck in traffic:

“You have to leave for your meetings at least 4hrs or more ahead of the scheduled time, if you are to make it early”-Gossy Ukanwoke

And even then sometimes it doesn’t matter what you wear or how you pitch:

“the outcome of your meetings most times will depend on the type of car you arrived for the said meeting in ”-Gossy Ukanwoke

“ If you come with an Oyinbo man, you’ll get a response faster.” -Jesse

3. At times, keeping the lights on can be a struggle (and not because you didn’t pay the bill):

“ You know you’re running a business in Lagos when generator is your most expensive employee”– Mark Essien

“Generator is also your most needy employee. Whenever you can’t satisfy her desires, so she’s off duty”-Celestine Ezeokoye

“Generator is bae”-Olawole Adeolu

“you run your generator at least 12hrs daily”-Hesey

“Erratic power supply. That affects not only Lagos but the whole of Nigeria.”– Olumide Adeleye

4. Not that a little blackout is going to stop you:

“You know you’re running a business in Lagos when…the lights go out and the hustle on the streets remains the same”– Jason Njoku

“the hustle and bustle to succeed against all odds…”-Rich Opara

5. Sometimes business can be a waiting game:

“Expect to wait several hours in the waiting room to have a meeting with a potential new client or partner”-Chika Uwazie

“FACT: So long as you make an effort, you will always get a sale”-Davies Okeowo

Read more here: http://maverickexcel.com/13-things-only-an-entrepreneur-in-lagos-will-understand/

Omo onile

MaverickExcel1:


“FACT: So long as you make an effort, you will always get a sale”-Davies Okeowo

Very true