Latest / Closing Sales in Nigeria - Sales For The Nigerian Business Person: The Sales and Marketing Blueprint / From Lagos to Abuja: Lessons from the Solar, Real Estate, and Tech Trenches

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From Lagos to Abuja: Lessons from the Solar, Real Estate, and Tech Trenches · Closing Sales in Nigeria - Sales For The Nigerian Business Person: The Sales and Marketing Blueprint

0:00
Hello and welcome to the podcast.
0:03
My name is Tavishima Ayede. I'm your host.
0:05
I'm a former lawyer turned business consultant.
0:09
Today on the podcast, we don't have anything particularly
0:13
structured per SE because we're still in January, or rather
0:17
January is coming to a close, January of 2026.
0:20
And you know how it is by the beginning of the year, you know,
0:24
cleaning out some stuff and taking review.
0:27
Well, actually I should have been taking review, you know,
0:29
November of December last year. So don't be like me.
0:32
Do all your, your reviews at the end of the year, none at the
0:36
beginning of the new year. So I was trying to take stock of
0:39
the kinds of customers, clients, people that I've worked with
0:44
over the last couple of years, you know, just trying to take
0:48
stock about how much progress I've made and of course,
0:51
planning for the future. Again, don't be like me.
0:54
This is what I should have done November and December and not
0:58
January of 2026. So yeah, I looked at the list of
1:04
former clients and I think it's, I think it's quite impressive.
1:08
I mean, it's not bad. So I decided to come over here
1:11
and share the kind of people that I've worked with in the
1:14
past, just in case you happen to fall into any of these sectors,
1:18
any of these segments, and you would like to hear my
1:23
professional opinion on a couple of things that you might be
1:25
going through at the moment. So that's just what we are doing
1:30
over here on the podcast today. And then, of course, as usual,
1:33
the podcast is recording today's episode at home.
1:38
And I have brand new neighbors. They're moving in.
1:40
So they're making a bunch of noise, you know, hammering and
1:42
screwing and sawing and buzzing and all of that.
1:45
So expect to hear some noise in the background.
1:49
Now I would say one of my longest running clients because
1:54
I think we've had one form of engagement or another over the
1:58
last. I say like 2 years as a chap.
2:01
I don't use his real name because the guy is publicity
2:04
shy. He's enrolled in solar
2:07
installation and inverter sales based in Lagos.
2:11
And so the first engagement was how to try and see how we can
2:15
get his, his team of three sales people.
2:21
Let's see what's the first engagement again?
2:22
OK, for the first engagement, we're trying to get them to
2:25
adopt CRM. Now CRM is a customer
2:28
relationship management tool and unfortunately lots of sales
2:32
people do not know that it's important and that it is the key
2:36
to you making progress in sales. Now a customer relationship
2:40
management tool or a client relationship management tool,
2:44
it's just simply the tool that you use in your business to try
2:47
and track who you're currently having conversations with, who
2:51
you have had conversations with in the past.
2:54
What stage of the business relationship are you currently
2:57
at? Do the people have to do
3:00
anything for you so that you can move this business relationship
3:03
forward? And then what activities are
3:06
outstanding that you need to do, you know, for them to move this
3:09
business relationship forward? So essentially think of CRM as
3:14
your like an office assistant, you know where she keeps all the
3:17
information and you use that to keep deals on track because lots
3:20
of times the reasons why we're not closing deals is because
3:22
we're forgetting little things you discuss with Madame
3:26
Ogodengay on a Friday on. By the way, for those of you
3:29
who'll be here, me say Madame Ogodengay actually is a real
3:31
name is because moved to Lagos when I was about 13 and the
3:37
church that we started going to then was Our Lady of the Holy
3:42
Rosary in Opera. I can't remember if it was if I
3:45
call or back. I think it's if I call, I think
3:48
I can't remember. Anyway, So, yeah, one of the
3:51
local governments in Auburn and it was one of those Holy Ghost
3:56
fire kind of churches, you know. So that was really interesting.
4:00
I mean, coming from Abuja, I was used to more solemn, more quiet
4:06
homilies and masses, you know, Sunday services only to land in
4:10
this Holy Ghost place. People are clapping, they're
4:13
jumping. I say I'm like, what's
4:14
happening? This is not a Catholic Church.
4:16
Like what's going on here. And one of the people in that
4:20
church is not as if I was friends with how?
4:22
Because, well, actually my mom who knew her, I can't remember.
4:26
She was a lay reader or not, you know, people who read during the
4:29
service and at the time was the weirdest name I ever heard,
4:32
Ogadembe. So Mr. and Mrs. Ogadembe.
4:34
So it actually is a real person. So just in case you're listening
4:38
to the podcast and you live in, if I call yeah, Oba or I, I
4:44
can't remember where, and you happen to go to that church and
4:48
you're wondering, is it this Madame Ogadingbay?
4:50
Yeah, she's the one. That's the reason why I've never
4:52
forgotten that name and that's why I keep using it.
4:56
Oh, by the way, I remember Ogadingbay because I was
4:58
listening to a podcast. I think it's the Founders
5:00
Connect podcast. Also, another interesting
5:02
podcast you guys should be listening to because we
5:05
Nigerians are beginning to make waves in podcasts.
5:07
You know, we're doing our own thing.
5:08
So it's not just my own podcast that is here, but there's also
5:11
another podcast by the Nigerian Economic Support Group or
5:17
something like that, NESG, Nigerian Economic Support Group.
5:20
They have their own podcast. Then there's also the
5:22
Afropolitan podcast by NHA and I can't remember the babe's name,
5:28
the American couple, and they interview lots of interesting
5:32
people in the entrepreneurial space on the African continent.
5:35
They've interviewed Woozy. Yeah.
5:39
Some people say I look like Woozy.
5:40
I don't see how because Woozy is ugly.
5:42
Yeah, I'm a fine boy. Although, you know, Woozy get as
5:46
a guy, get back serious money. So I like my looks, but I'd
5:50
rather have Woozy's money at the moment.
5:53
Who else also interviewed the founding chairman of Saplatz?
5:58
That's the oil and gas firm. Like they have interviewed some
6:01
correct, like correct heavy hitters on that podcast.
6:04
So Afropolisan podcast. That's also another good one.
6:07
Then founders connect yes, this babe, I can't remember her name.
6:12
So is he A-Team EA team E something?
6:15
So she interviewed somebody who currently works in Nigeria and
6:19
who currently works in be on works on Wall Street.
6:23
I can't remember the name of the law firm, but the guy is in all
6:26
these, you know, mergers and acquisitions and stuff like
6:30
that. So I think she was trying to
6:31
interview him as per what is it like, you know, to be like a
6:36
village Benny boy who gets a scholarship to Harvard and then
6:39
now you're in this high flying career.
6:41
So like, what is, you know, just getting his perspective sharp
6:45
because of course, you know, the guy still based abroad in
6:48
America. So where was I?
6:52
The guy's son name is Ogadenbe. So that's why I remember miss
6:56
Ogadenbe. So back to what I was saying
6:58
now. So my, my guy, now my longest
7:02
running, one of my longest running clients are Julian.
7:06
Oh crap. I said I wasn't going to say his
7:07
name. OK, forgive me.
7:09
Pretend I didn't say it. So we're trying to get his sales
7:13
team on board because they didn't realise, like lots of
7:15
Nigerian sales people, that your CRM is the key to building your
7:20
sales career. Because The thing is, you will
7:23
talk to Madam Ogadengui on Friday and Madam Ogadengui will
7:26
say, OK, no problem. This thing sounds interesting
7:29
but I have to enter village sharp sharp because one or two
7:31
things is happening. Then I'm going to be back in
7:34
Lagos on the 27th. So let's talk around 28th.
7:37
And you say thank you very much ma.
7:39
But then you forget to put it in your CRM.
7:42
And because you're a human being, you will forget.
7:44
You quarrel with your babe or maybe you know your wife will
7:50
have pregnancy scare or let's see what else.
7:54
Or you fight with your landlady. Or maybe you just watch Netflix
7:58
and forget. And that's how one day you'll
8:01
now wake up the next month on the 14th and be like, yeah, I
8:04
was supposed to have called Madame Ogden be last month on
8:07
the 28th. You're now scrambling.
8:10
You call her, she won't answer by the time you get through.
8:12
She said, ah, young man, I'd say you should call me last month.
8:15
You didn't call now. So my son brought somebody else
8:18
who is into solar and we have fixed the system and you lose
8:21
deals like that. In fact, I made a podcast
8:24
episode. It was just a just a bloody mess
8:27
about how I was on one of his salespeople.
8:30
I was on the guys case like look, this Madame seems
8:33
promising because I'm the one who made call myself.
8:35
All I told him to do was on the day we are supposed to call her.
8:39
Remind me the guiding put in CRM.
8:43
Of course I'm a consultant. I'm doing my own thing.
8:46
I mean I can't do your job for you.
8:48
The guy forgot by the time one of the team members said how far
8:51
would that woman Port Harcourt, you say yeah, it's true.
8:54
And then lo and behold, no man has has gone and I think she
8:59
ended up buying the system for how much was it?
9:03
Was it 10.2? I'll be 18.2 or something like
9:05
that. That's how that system just just
9:07
miss and I think really vexed my spirit, you know, and I should
9:10
tell him that. Look, you see, this is the
9:13
reason why sales people have to be married to your CRM.
9:19
As a salesperson, as a business owner, you should be married to
9:21
your CRM. You have your spouse, but then
9:24
once your spouse has gone to her office or has gone to his
9:27
office, you go and meet your second spouse to CRM.
9:30
You open up your CRM and then you start looking who are my
9:34
customers, my contacts? Who are the people on file?
9:37
Who are the people on system? Who am I supposed to be talking
9:40
to? Who did I talk to last?
9:41
Who am I supposed to call today? Who am I supposed to call next
9:44
week? Look around and start arranging
9:47
yourself and putting your ideas in order.
9:50
So yeah, that was the first time that I had to work with this
9:55
friend of mine and his team. So what's on implementing ACRM?
10:00
Let's see what else I can't remember.
10:04
That was maybe 2323 years ago, but we've done some work since
10:08
then, more work since then. We've also looked at lead
10:13
management. So lead management is when you
10:17
get people who have indicated that might be interested in your
10:21
product or service, how do you follow up Shop shop?
10:25
Although for those of you who listen to the podcast for any
10:27
length of time, you know that some of us traditional sales
10:31
trainers prefer to say follow through.
10:34
So how do you follow up in quotes or how do you follow
10:37
through with these people so that you do not lose track of a
10:41
juicy deal? So we've done some work on with
10:43
that and of course we did done lots of other things as well.
10:47
Then on the roster of people that I've worked with, I also
10:51
have a web developer. OK, that one was still currently
10:53
in the mix because he's developing bus transport
10:56
solutions for for Nigerian companies.
11:01
And then he has some exciting stuff.
11:03
Let me not talk too much. So currently working for a web
11:06
developer and we're trying to see how we can improve his
11:08
prospecting game. Like this is the service, this
11:11
service works, this is the value proposition.
11:14
It's a profitable thing because this is how much they pay you.
11:16
These are the permanent terms. And the guy on his own without
11:20
talking to me came up with a risk mitigation strategy.
11:23
Now, the idea behind risk mitigation strategy is this risk
11:28
mitigation just means when people meet you for the first
11:30
time, they think you want to collect plenty of money from
11:33
them. And so because of that, they're
11:34
afraid, especially since we're in a harsh economy.
11:37
So everybody could play cool or play it tight to your chest.
11:41
They won't be talking too much. But then when you say now look,
11:44
relax, relax, and then you come up with risk mitigation
11:47
strategies by saying, oh, no, don't worry, it's not really a
11:50
risk because if this happens, this is how we'll solve it.
11:53
Or if this happens, this is the guarantee.
11:55
Or if this happens, this is the warranty.
11:58
Or if this happens, this is the indemnity that I'm giving you
12:01
against this happening and this happening.
12:03
So risk reversal strategies or sorry, risk mitigation
12:07
strategies, IB risk referral, risk mitigation.
12:10
I can't remember if they're the same thing.
12:12
I should go and study so, but the whole idea behind this is
12:15
that when somebody is in front of you and the person, you know,
12:18
the person they fear because or more this is risky. 1 is big.
12:21
And then you come and say, Oh no, no, no, no, no, no.
12:24
This is how we take care of this risk.
12:25
If anything happens, this is how you're protected.
12:27
It just gets people to they calm down, then they can listen to
12:32
you and hear whether this is a good deal or not.
12:34
So let me not talk too much about this web developer because
12:37
he has come up with the most interesting risk mitigation
12:42
strategy I've come across in Niger.
12:45
And when the guy told me I wanted to stand up and clap for
12:48
the guy, he's just that, you know, was an online call.
12:50
So if I stood up my clap because we're not doing video, the guy
12:54
will see me and then, you know, he won't feel the effect.
12:56
But I wanted to clap and I said, I said, you know what?
13:00
This is brilliant, brilliant. The ordinarily the solution that
13:05
you're proposing, if other people were to charge this and I
13:08
collect their money, they'll be charging, you know as much
13:12
because I heard of some companies, I heard, OK, let me
13:15
not call the company in case Digit is wrong.
13:17
I had one company that implemented a similar situation,
13:21
sorry, solution. And the one who's collect, is it
13:25
5M or 15-M from him or something like that?
13:29
You know, the first time I heard it, I shout, I said only 5 M for
13:33
a website or 15-M. And then the developers who are
13:36
around me at the time were saying that look, why are you?
13:38
Is it because you see all of us here like this?
13:40
There are no rate. There actually is hard worker
13:42
that this was involved. This was involved.
13:44
You do this, you do this, you know, payment infrastructure,
13:48
you know, wanting one thing, you know, Shade explained the
13:50
channels like, oh, OK, I didn't know that building websites is
13:54
that difficult. So ordinarily it should be
13:57
something that where people will drop big, big, big, big, big
13:59
money. But this guy came up with a very
14:01
interesting risk reversal strategy.
14:03
And once he said it, I said, my guy, this thing is a no brainer.
14:09
So I told him just draw up this list.
14:10
Let us be tackling this people 1 by 1 by 1 by 1 by 1.
14:14
I say no how we could close plenty deals on top of this
14:17
thing. So yeah, currently working with
14:19
the web developer. Then I've also done some work in
14:22
the past with a creative creative director for music
14:27
videos. For him, it was nothing directly
14:30
sales related per SE. It's just that there were a
14:33
couple of contacts in his space that he wanted to improve his
14:37
networking with. So excuse me because, you know,
14:41
in that space now it's a matter of who you know.
14:44
You know, it's not like websites or or solar where you can start
14:49
chasing people down one-on-one. You know, you guys to network
14:52
with people, you know, like for those of us who watch that
14:54
documentary about Puff Daddy, you know, under Woods scandal.
14:57
So you can see in the beginning, you know, how powerful, how both
15:00
Puff that he was laying his connects, you know, connected to
15:03
this guy from what's that record label again, the record label
15:06
that signed Heavy D and all of them and Andrea and all those
15:10
people. So, you know, you go to network,
15:12
go to network. So for the creative director,
15:15
that's what we're focused on expanding his network and then
15:19
also trying to take advantage of the networks that he already
15:22
had. So that's the work we did with
15:24
the creative director for music videos and the guy on the rise.
15:28
I was surprised when the guy sent me one of the link.
15:31
I said let me see who you work with.
15:34
By the time I saw some names, when I saw Bados name, in my
15:37
mind I was thinking, yeah, I under charge this guy, I suppose
15:41
charging millions if these are the people that he's running
15:44
with. I said I didn't know that this
15:45
guy's running Bados name if not for collect serious money for my
15:49
hand when we're done has passed. So let's see what else OK, a
15:53
fashion entrepreneur who wanted to increase his presence in the
15:57
wedding space Abuja based then we've also done some work with
16:03
someone who is into OK no, that's someone we're currently
16:05
working with into audio, audio editing and production.
16:10
So his primary business is taking Nigerian authors who
16:15
write in the non fiction space and then they make an audio book
16:21
and they listed across several platforms.
16:23
So it's supposed to be a way of getting secretary income from
16:27
the book, not just book sales. And then it's also about
16:31
expanding the authors sphere of influence and also giving the
16:35
author access to a wider audience because you know, if
16:38
it's just physical copy, you know, you will buy your book in
16:40
Niger. You know, if you, if you blow,
16:43
maybe your book will sell in Ghana, maybe South Africa.
16:46
But once you do audio book, you're available worldwide.
16:49
So somebody in New Zealand can say, oh, ahead of this Nigerian
16:52
author, let me see his stuff and then buy it and then have access
16:56
to it. So I'm currently working with
17:00
that guy and the focus is on how to learn how to sell better over
17:03
the phone. And of course, we are currently
17:05
looking at how to how to revamp their sell their sales process.
17:12
Then my wonderful brothers and sisters, I have done lots of,
17:17
I've had lots of conversations with real estate professionals
17:20
in Abuja. The first real estate training
17:23
that I did was for Cairo's real estate.
17:26
Supposedly that is the real estate development.
17:30
All I call them now agency Abbey Player that is owned by Debanj
17:35
and his brother. That's what I heard while I was
17:38
in the office. I saw the bandage younger
17:39
brother. Well, I did see the bands, you
17:40
know, by myself. But anyway, that's just I heard
17:43
anyway, so the first, so the training that we did with them
17:47
was in was how to close the deal in real estate.
17:52
I think. OK, that was the biggest one I
17:53
did because I think their sales team was like, I think was it
17:57
like 131315? So that's the biggest real
18:02
estate training that I did at the time a few years ago.
18:05
But since then, of course, spoken to other real estate
18:08
people. Currently working with a real
18:10
estate professional in in Orca. So Mr. Oguchuku, I'm healing you
18:16
live on the show. I can't remember your surname,
18:18
if now would have called called your surname too.
18:21
So currently working with Mr. Oguchuku on how to revamp his
18:24
sales process as well. Excuse me.
18:27
And then he has one or two big deals that we hope we can help
18:33
him close by the time we're done with our training session.
18:36
Then also have some guys in Benin.
18:40
I won't call his name because he seems like a very private person
18:43
as well. He is into mobile accessories,
18:46
computer accessories, gaming consoles and accessories and
18:51
music, you know, lifestyle and digital basically.
18:53
And he had a store in Benin and we, the work I did with him was
19:02
trying to get his sales team on point.
19:04
He had a team of three females. Yeah, that was the first time I
19:08
worked with an all female team. It was fun also because they
19:12
were much younger than me. So that that was interesting.
19:17
That was interesting. That was the first time that
19:20
organized training and somebody won't show and I say I like
19:23
what's up. Like you didn't show up saying I
19:25
was tired. I say, hey, I said I shouldn't
19:28
be because I had hedges that I'm not called out Any particular
19:33
generation, but I've heard that a certain age grade in Niger
19:36
like they just can't be bothered.
19:38
Like it's their job. But you know, if they're tired,
19:40
they will come to work. If you vex and you sack them and
19:42
say no problem, then they move on to the next job.
19:46
So that was my first time I've seen accounting that will call
19:50
for meeting. The trainer will say show or guy
19:52
will say show. And then the next day you say
19:55
what happened? So I was tired so I was
19:57
sleeping. So hey, so OK now.
20:00
So I'm glad I'm not an employer anyway.
20:03
But apart from that, it was really, really interesting.
20:06
The rest of the team, I'm sorry for sales, yes, for sales reps,
20:11
all female. But the rest of the team were
20:12
really on point. I like the way they took to the
20:16
training. And I'll say the star pupil
20:22
anyway. Let me not go too much into
20:24
personal detail, but let me just the star pupil, OK?
20:26
Let me call her name. So Alex, in case you're
20:29
listening, Alex is you. Alex, you broke my heart or you
20:32
really, really, really, really, really broke my heart because
20:36
you know, anyway is a is a personal issue because I don't
20:40
know why nowadays young people are afraid of marriage.
20:42
So Alex is afraid of marriage and she's making some personal
20:45
choices that in my own opinion, she no suppose make.
20:49
So I think I'll make a podcast episode about that.
20:52
Young people stop being afraid of marriage.
20:55
It is not as big and as scary as you people think.
20:59
It's not that scary at all. Yes, we hear about the divorces
21:04
and the this and the domestic violence and the blah, blah,
21:06
blah. But truth of matter is for like,
21:12
if you keep it simple, I keep it straightforward and you say
21:15
you'll marry your friend and you'll marry a human being.
21:17
It actually is quite fun. It has the challenges with
21:21
finances, learning how to build a home together, things like
21:25
that. But honestly speaking, if you
21:28
marry your friend and you focus on marrying a human being, then
21:32
of course there are a couple of things you need to learn.
21:34
It'll be OK. I'm not saying that there won't
21:37
be issues that won't be problems, but it is not as big
21:43
and as scary as you all are taking it.
21:44
So Alex, if you're listening, yes, I'm talking to you.
21:47
And you know the questionable choice that I'm talking about.
21:50
So you suppose make AU turn and I still will call you anyway
21:56
later on on the personal note, so we can talk about these
21:58
things. So the people in Benin City yes
22:04
yeah, mobile accessories, computers, gaming, music.
22:07
And that one was was an interesting environment because
22:11
lots of the sales that they get was walk insurance because it
22:14
has they had a physical location.
22:16
So it's people walking into the store.
22:17
So basically just trying to increase the conversions.
22:20
So how many people walk into the store, how many people buy?
22:24
And then we start trying to increase conversions.
22:26
Now conversion is when you get a potential customer to take the
22:30
next step, the next smallest step that is required or that
22:35
would help you close, close, close the deal.
22:39
So if somebody walks into the store and say, do you have
22:41
iPhone charger and you say no and the person walks out there,
22:44
you know that that's bad. That's very, very bad.
22:47
As in no conversion at all. You do convert anything, but
22:50
somebody wanted to shop and say, do you have iPhone charger?
22:54
And then you say, hold on one moment, let me go have a look.
22:57
Oh, by the way, what kind of iPhone is it?
22:59
And the person says iPhone 17 Pro Max.
23:02
You say, oh, actually, yes, we do have a charger.
23:04
I kind of have a look at your phone.
23:05
I just want to be sure, Is it a type C or is it a type
23:08
something? You have a look at it and then
23:10
you go and then you come back with like maybe like 4 chargers.
23:13
I say, yeah, we do have chargers.
23:16
This is what we have in store. We have different options here
23:18
as you can see, each of them ranges from between 50K to 170K
23:24
per charger, you know, depending on what it is that you want.
23:27
If the person shout I say 170 K, you say, my brother, it's iPhone
23:32
17, it's a Pro Max. You know, the economy is really,
23:35
really harsh, but how about we do it this way?
23:39
Let me just walk you through some of these options and after
23:43
that we can decide. We can decide on whether you
23:46
know you're interested in picking up 1 today or not.
23:48
How does that sound, Sir? And the person says, OK, no
23:52
problem. You see that small step is a
23:54
conversion. The guy said OK, he will stay in
23:57
the store. It is a confession.
23:59
He has taken one small step. So we had to learn how to teach
24:06
the ladies how to get small conversions one step at a time
24:11
because he does not pay you. If every single day 20 people
24:14
walk into the shop and then 20 people walk out, like where do
24:18
you think your salaries come from?
24:19
A guy has to pay you from somewhere.
24:21
We need to be getting some conversions.
24:23
We need to make sure that people stop.
24:25
We need to engage people in a conversation.
24:27
We need to do some need analysis.
24:29
We need to show them a couple of options.
24:31
We need as in you know the stuff we need to do to make sure that
24:35
if every single day 10 people are entering the shop at least
24:39
if like 6 or 7 are buying out of 20 every single day is not bad.
24:46
In fact, then your salary will be guaranteed.
24:50
OGA will pay you on time, no stress.
24:54
And you know lots of you who are employees in Nigeria, you will
24:58
not understand the psychology of your gas.
25:00
Let me explain. Nigeria is not like London,
25:04
Nigeria is not like America, Nigeria is not like Australia or
25:08
gas here are very cool and kind of informal.
25:11
So anyway, that's part of reason why you know they shout at you
25:14
employees anyhow, because you know we have this informal thing
25:16
going on. It has the disadvantages yes.
25:20
However, this informal thing also has plenty of upside plenty
25:25
of advantages. Like I told them I say Alex this
25:29
iPhone something something you're looking at.
25:31
Do you know that if you perform what to so so, so and so and you
25:34
say, Olga, I'm liking this phone.
25:36
Do you know that Olga will give you?
25:38
She laughed. I said, if you don't believe me,
25:40
ask him. Now the guy who owned the shop,
25:44
he didn't tell me. But you know, I've been in
25:47
Nigeria long enough to know that that's just how it happens.
25:52
And so one day when I was on the training, I said, you didn't ask
25:55
her, but you said no. And then I said it.
25:58
I said it live. I said, OK.
26:00
I said, bro, this is what I told the ladies.
26:02
True or false? And his response was, if you're
26:06
giving me this kind of returns now, what is it is not just one
26:10
phone. And then she said no, that
26:12
actually she she's not really a phone person that she would like
26:15
the money equivalent. I can't remember how much it
26:18
was, I think it was like 700K or something.
26:20
This was a while ago and was not one of these iPhone Pro Mac
26:24
something, something, something. And then he said, he said done,
26:29
if you personally, personally are responsible for closing.
26:32
So, so, so and so it is done. I'll give you the cash.
26:37
So the advantages, you actually can tell your guy that, look,
26:41
OK, this what's been going on, this what's been going on?
26:43
We've been good. I've done this, I've done this.
26:46
How far? Now raise me something.
26:48
Your guy will raise you. That's the benefit of being in
26:51
Niger, in America, in London. It will be a whole formal
26:55
process. You're running through HR,
26:56
running through accounting, something, something.
26:59
Then of course they'll be worried about discrimination
27:01
because if they give something to Alexandra and they didn't now
27:06
give it to to Anita, it will now cause problem.
27:11
But in this nature, if you're able to stay with your full
27:13
chairs. Look, Olga, this is what I did
27:15
last month is what I did, you know, encourage your girl, you
27:18
know, support me Olga, I'll do something.
27:22
And for those of you who still don't agree, there's this guy
27:26
Circuit Motor he is a car dealer in Abuja is at his place that I
27:33
saw on the purple Tesla Cybertruck that have been lost
27:37
in over. It's just that you know, money
27:40
have man, because the car is 430 million and if you if you carry
27:44
me and squeeze me up and down, even if you sell my blood, you
27:47
won't get that money. But anyway, I'll still continue
27:50
to lost after the car. You know, we'll get there.
27:54
So as I one day now while I'm still on Instagram, I noticed
27:58
that there was a post circle motor, one of his sales girls.
28:02
She was now saying that oh that she wants to thank circle motor
28:05
because he just gave her the iPhone something, some pro,
28:08
something, something, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, you
28:11
know, and then she turned the camera and then he was there and
28:13
yes, he gave to her to encourage her stuff.
28:15
These things happened in Niger. You can actually tell your guy
28:19
that look, OK, 2025 was a very good year.
28:23
I was your best seller. Look at the results here.
28:25
You know, you suppose encourage your girl, encourage me.
28:29
Say, what do you mean by encourage you?
28:30
I say I want iPhone. Something, something, something,
28:32
you say OK, all right, done. Because superstars are hard to
28:36
find. They are very, very hard to
28:39
find. So when your guy knows that this
28:41
person is a superstar and OK, what does he take?
28:45
This year, I just she didn't ask me for salary increase.
28:49
She just asked me for iPhone done.
28:52
She asked me for salary increase.
28:54
She just said I should give her 650K done because I want to keep
28:58
a superstar. So that was my guy in Benin,
29:03
although he's moving over to Abuja soon, you know, for
29:06
different reasons by any that's that's a podcast episode.
29:08
They're moving their whole operations to Abuja.
29:11
So it looks like me and him we're going to be seeing more
29:13
often now. So let's see what else.
29:16
OK. I want to work with someone who
29:18
has a cyber cafe and a Co working space.
29:20
To be honest, I didn't even know that cyber cafes still existed,
29:24
especially since it's in Lagos. I just assumed that everybody in
29:27
Lagos, you know, you have your own laptop.
29:30
Excuse me, you have your own laptop, your own Internet
29:31
connection. But it looks like it's more
29:34
about a socializing thing. It's no longer a practical thing
29:37
because back when I was a teenager, cyber cafe was was
29:40
because we didn't have Internet. So you go and then you buy time.
29:42
You give me. You begin to browse Internet and
29:46
it was very frustrating back then.
29:47
You buy one hour, but because Internet speed was slow, you use
29:51
like 15 minutes to sign into your Yahoo account.
29:55
Then you use another 15 minutes to open one e-mail.
29:59
By the time you click reply, it will take another 30 minutes.
30:02
Then before you hit send, Yeah, the thing will time you out.
30:06
You don't have to go and buy another one again and start that
30:08
whole process. I mean, those days are wild, you
30:11
know? But then now everybody has
30:12
Internet from their phone and, you know, we thank God, making
30:14
progress. So it's easy to do business now.
30:18
Back then, man, it was hard. It was really, really hard.
30:21
Those are the fun days. So now cyber cafes, people just
30:26
go there, people chill. The guy is making money because
30:29
he's selling coffee and he's selling some.
30:32
OK, cancel alcohol because you need particular licenses in
30:35
Lagos and in Abuja you need a license to sell alcohol.
30:39
I think in Beno state too as well.
30:40
I've seen it in Beno State, you need licenses to sell alcohol.
30:43
So the guy they sell coffee, you know egg bones, Sorry, I say egg
30:47
bones. My wife said it's not egg bones.
30:49
That is nothing like egg bones. My wife said it is egg.
30:52
But anyway, you know in my family, some of us say egg bones
30:57
because it's bones and it has egg inside.
30:59
So the girl sell coffee, egg bones, meat pie, salad.
31:06
What else is it? Kale, like some funny drink, you
31:08
know, kale, You know, all this I just got back, You know, people
31:11
don't have to go on school abroad.
31:12
They come up with some weird habits, weird, weird habits.
31:16
You say you're drinking kale. I say, what is this?
31:17
Is it not bitter leaf? It's not just blended bitter
31:19
leaf that you're drinking. This thing is bitter as hell,
31:23
but you say it's healthy. There's removing toxins for our
31:26
system. Like that is just this blended
31:30
bitter leaf. I bet you should stop deceiving
31:31
yourself because before you want to go on school abroad, like
31:37
your grandmother has already been grinding bitter leaf and
31:39
drinking it, you know, straight and, you know, at affordable
31:43
price. Instead, you go somewhere
31:45
somebody will tell you that they give you kale or they will give
31:47
you this, they give you that, they give you some fancy name
31:50
and I'll be drinking something. You say you're cleaning your
31:52
toxin. It's too much money.
31:54
There's a problem. So, yeah, this guy with the
31:58
Cyber Cafe and the Co working space, OK.
32:01
The work we did with him was this.
32:02
When I first hooked up with this guy, he was part of a program in
32:06
Lagos with the Faith Foundation. Now the Faith Foundation is an
32:09
NGO. They are interested in
32:12
entrepreneurial development. So people who have business
32:15
ideas, you know, they coach you up, give you classes, things
32:17
like that. Now they started doing this
32:19
program with the OCI F that is Orange Corners International
32:22
Foundation. I think it's part of the real
32:26
family of I'm really, really sorry.
32:29
I really should get my facts together.
32:33
And it's a good thing now those people don't listen to this
32:35
podcast, you know, the good events.
32:37
They'll say, how can our partners not not know our name?
32:39
So the Orange Corners International Foundation, royal
32:42
family of Denmark, I be Netherlands or whatever.
32:46
Mona Novak's by my own mind. You know, all of you are the
32:49
same. When I see you guys, all I think
32:50
about is Vikings and Thor and you know all that.
32:54
Yeah, I know it sounds racist, but honestly that's just what I
32:57
think about. And plus you guys are tall, like
33:00
really, really tall. I always wanted to be A7 footer.
33:05
In fact, maybe I should check back to Denmark so that whatever
33:08
it is that they are eating there, I will eat.
33:10
Maybe I can catch up and be 7 feet tall.
33:13
So Faith Foundation was in partnership with Orange Corners
33:19
Innovation Fund. I'll be whatever fund they still
33:22
are doing that. And so that's how I got hooked
33:26
up with this guy through the program because I was one of the
33:29
mentors and he had two business ideas that he was in the
33:34
incubation stage though at the incubation stage at the time.
33:40
So there was this Cyber Cafe which was running and then he
33:42
wanted to do sort of like a Pan African, I would say video game
33:49
because yes, it's a video game, but it was more about like
33:53
virtual reality and, and not virtual reality.
33:57
What's this thing called when you have a, when you have a
34:04
different life online, what is this thing called?
34:06
You know, like the metaverse and you know, these sorts of things.
34:08
I can't remember what the technology is called.
34:10
So that was the game. So I was just trying to help him
34:13
figure out, OK, which one is a better idea?
34:15
Which one has promised? Which one can we validate to be
34:20
sure will get traction? You know, like are Nigerians
34:23
really into all these thing, you know, living a double life
34:25
online and you know, bloody blah, is Pan Africanism still a
34:29
thing? Are people even interested in
34:31
this idea of you know, we are Africa, we are one great united
34:35
continent because you know, at the end of the day, this is this
34:38
is business. We can have all fancy ideas as
34:41
fancy ideas as we want by the end of the day.
34:44
Is this something that people pay money for?
34:46
That is what market validation is around is about.
34:49
You know, those of you in the tech space, you like to say
34:51
product market fit. That is the whole idea about
34:53
product market fit. I can think that this is a
34:55
wonderful idea. I can think that this thing
34:57
needs to be done. You know, me and my wife and my
35:01
family members, we can't think this is a beautiful idea.
35:03
But if at the end of the day, people are not willing to pay
35:05
Shishi, they're not willing to pay guy for this thing, then
35:08
it's not going to work. So those are the things I was
35:12
trying to figure out with this fellow was part of the Faith
35:17
Foundation program and also with Orange Orange Corners
35:20
International. Yeah, OK.
35:23
Then there were also prizes. And I think that was the first
35:25
time I got the prize winner because I can't remember how
35:29
many euros he got. I will call the amount so that
35:31
people won't decode who the guy is and then go and start begging
35:34
him for EUR. But the guy he got, he got a
35:37
couple thousand, a couple €1000 and he won.
35:41
And I've noticed that since that time, it's been, it's been like
35:44
3-4 years, I've noticed that anybody who passes through me
35:47
through that program, the person wins the prize, the person wins
35:50
the prize. So that's how this year now when
35:53
the last winner, when she won, I was looking at my wife, I was
35:56
saying, babe, it'd be like, say, you know, be like, say I got the
35:59
magic. Now anybody I touch, the person
36:02
turns to gold. They win that money, they win
36:04
their EUR. And then and I picked up the
36:08
phone, I called on the organizers and I said harsh and
36:11
the guy that look what's up now, every year, every year these
36:14
people does they win, you know, thousands of EUR, thousands of
36:17
EUR 8010 thousand 12,030 thousand 40,000.
36:21
I say, how far now? So that money should come to us.
36:25
The guy laughed. He said, I understand all that.
36:26
I said, look bro, this one is beyond.
36:28
I understand, I understand. I'm coaching people for you and
36:31
see as they win prize up and down and then me meanwhile as
36:34
what's going on. So anyway, that's how we left
36:37
the conversation. And of course, God willing, I'm
36:41
sure that the next person that I handle from Faith Foundation and
36:44
OCIF is going to be a prize winner as well.
36:46
So if you are listening to this podcast and you are currently
36:51
with the Faith Foundation, you have been accepted for the OCIF
36:53
program. Ask for me by name.
36:56
Ask for me. Let's show what we can do.
36:58
Let's say we can make you win that money, win the thousands of
37:02
EUR change your life. And if you're an organizer, you
37:08
are an auger in Faith Foundation or you're on auger in OCIF and
37:12
you're hearing this thing. People need to love us on up.
37:15
I say love us, love up, need to love up on us.
37:19
See, as euros are just flying everywhere, some of those EUR
37:22
should fly into our pockets. You understand, Help me to help
37:28
you. I'm sorry about that.
37:34
Recovering from a cold. So I was like, and eventually
37:38
the guy jettisoned the gaming idea and most of the funds went
37:42
back to promoting the Co working space and the Cyber Cafe.
37:45
And the last time I spoke to him, everything was going OK and
37:48
it was nice. It was nice.
37:50
But then the guy broke my heart. He broke my heart.
37:53
He broke up with his longtime girlfriend.
37:54
I said, what's going on? Are people afraid of marriage?
37:57
It's not that hard. It's not that hard.
37:59
But then I've already gone on the marriage run, so let me not
38:02
go on that rant again. But seriously speaking, please,
38:05
we should stop being afraid of marriage.
38:06
It's not a hard. You find somebody.
38:09
He's a reasonable somebody. She's a reasonable somebody.
38:11
You guys seem like your best friends.
38:14
It's OK this end. Talk to your people, talk to
38:17
mom, she talk to popsy, talk to your cousins, talk to a couple
38:20
of people, hang out, go on a couple of dates.
38:22
You know, it's not a hard. It's not a hard.
38:26
Then let's see. OK.
38:27
Also work with someone who is in the package snacks business.
38:33
OK, I already mentioned that. I think that was my first
38:36
podcast for 2026 because I noticed that how products have
38:40
been accepted into Z Crest. Z Crest have this thing they do
38:45
at the end of the year, they call it the Taste of Niger,
38:47
where they support Nigeria's Nigerian entrepreneurs.
38:50
Z Crest they're into wealth management and so they send out
38:54
hampers called the Taste of Nigeria and they only stock it
38:57
with exclusively Nigerian made stuff.
39:02
She was also a prize winner for the Faith Foundation and the
39:04
OCIF. So that was just that was just
39:07
nice to see like 01 of my former students as in she don't make
39:10
weave. In fact, I'm looking at her
39:12
product now like this one is no more fury.
39:15
She don't launch is all over Nigeria.
39:17
So that that was really, really good to see.
39:19
Then, OK, the last winner of the Faith Foundation OCIF program,
39:24
she was into cyclical fashion. In fact, when I hear cyclical
39:30
fashion, I was wondering, what does bicycle have to do with
39:32
fashion again? But actually, it turns out it's
39:34
more about recycling that you can take waste that comes from,
39:38
excuse me, takeaways that comes from fashion processes and use
39:42
that to make new garments, you know, that people who sell and
39:44
then things like that. And it was an exciting project
39:48
to work on because well first of all I was totally ignorant of
39:54
well first I have no fashion sense at all.
39:57
In fact 2 days ago my wife was saying my wife's told me that
39:59
babe. So you know, you show me Shakey.
40:00
I said sure, you shakey how that's usually marry.
40:04
You have not heard of another woman, You're not heard of
40:06
anything. I've never looked at any other
40:07
babe. He said I know.
40:09
And then my wife said I'm talking about dressing.
40:12
That's when I squeeze my face. And then she said babe, you
40:15
know, I said yes I know. She said you know you show me
40:17
Shakey as I know. She said in fact you have shown
40:19
me Shakey Pro Max. I mean they laugh.
40:21
I said, babe, what is all this now?
40:22
She said. Look at the way you're dressing.
40:24
Somebody will see you outside now and say that that's my
40:26
husband. Are you being fair to me?
40:30
Anyway, let's talk for another day.
40:32
But don't worry, when I hammer, I will overhaul my wardrobe as
40:37
when people see me, I will hire a personal stylist.
40:41
Don't worry, just pray for your boy.
40:44
When I hammer, When you see my wardrobe, oh, I'll be too much.
40:49
Where was I fashion. So I have no fashion sense
40:52
because of that. I wanted to work with this lady,
40:54
this fashion entrepreneur. And then at the end of the day,
40:57
like I say, it's all about market validation.
40:59
Is this a good idea? Yes, we should recycle, but
41:02
these things that we're recycling, can we sell it and
41:03
can we sell it at a good price? Does it make business sense is
41:06
when you give revenue so that we can plow back into the business.
41:09
Then briefly try to do some work with someone who was in the
41:12
dredging space and the marine construction.
41:15
And that was the biggest lesson that I learned when it comes to
41:19
managing a reputation because I said we spoke and then I said no
41:25
problem, now sell for you. Now I was not me coaching him or
41:28
anything, was me trying to sell his services on a percentage
41:31
basis because all the contracts that happen in this dredging
41:35
space, this one is not million, million is not million million,
41:40
111 is not single, single. It is, you know, double digits,
41:44
you understand, 200,000,500 million, 800,000,900, as in big,
41:49
big, big money like that. So once you spoke, I look at the
41:52
guy and say with these kind of figures, like I'm OK working on
41:56
the percentage. And so we agree.
41:57
And then I started, but then unfortunately something
42:01
happened. I called the first guy.
42:04
We started talking about the project, talking about the
42:06
contract, the moment he heard my principal's name.
42:09
Principal, you know, in business when a principal is somebody who
42:13
has an agent. So in that case, I was the
42:14
agent. So the moment he heard my
42:16
principal's name, he said he's no longer interested.
42:19
So here you guys say he's no longer interested.
42:22
That's so long as it is this guy.
42:24
He called the company name. He now called my principal by
42:27
name. So OK, I just, I just left it.
42:32
Then I was working on another project, another prospect.
42:36
Then as we're talking now, he said, oh, did you say so, so,
42:40
so, so, you know, maritime construction.
42:42
I say, yes. He now called him again by name.
42:46
He said, OK, He said this what? This what he told me.
42:48
And I quote, he said, young man, I'm going to be very frank with
42:51
you because you sound like you're a good person and I don't
42:54
want you to rubbish on him. I say, yes, Sir.
42:56
He said, that person that you're working for, just leave him.
43:03
And I said, of course, you know, I told him thank you very much
43:06
for the advice. And I wanted to know exactly
43:07
what was up. And the guy poured his heart out
43:09
to me and he told me everything. And by the time he finished, I
43:13
said, you know what, let me just leave this guy.
43:16
So I didn't give him the feedback that bro, your
43:19
reputation was things that I call to random contacts in your,
43:23
in your space. And the first person said that
43:25
so long as it's you, the guy know they do.
43:27
And then the second person said, leave this guy don't sully your
43:31
reputation. So that's how I just moved down.
43:35
I just, I just left. So I didn't actually close any
43:37
deal in dredging and maritime construction work, but it sounds
43:42
like good business and I didn't know that boys are making
43:44
serious money doing things like this.
43:49
So that one didn't go anywhere. Why did I include it in the list
43:52
since we didn't work? OK, included in the in the in
43:55
the list. Just to let you guys know that
43:57
look, when we talk about these things about trust and
43:59
reputational damage, you know, like it's a big deal.
44:04
It could have been a coincidence, but what are the
44:06
odds? What are the odds that I had a
44:11
list of people? Not many.
44:13
I think I had five. The first two people I called
44:16
had such a visceral reaction to this guy's name.
44:20
They know the company name and they called him by name.
44:23
The first person says so long as he's this guy, I am not
44:26
interested. The Circle person told me, you
44:28
seem like you're a nice guy, don't rubbish yourself.
44:31
And This is why. And then he gave me the horror
44:33
stories. See, sometimes it's not worth
44:36
it. You want to close the deal
44:38
because of that, you do some sharp moves and then you collect
44:44
an extra 1,000,000 here and there but then you rubbish your
44:46
name and then you rob people of the wrong way and your name
44:50
travels. Fine industry but like I said it
44:52
could have been a coincidence so.
44:53
But man, I don't want to risk it, so I just left it then.
44:58
OK, another person I didn't get to work with this guy, this
45:01
person was in the refining space.
45:03
They were distilling some oil and gas products so that he
45:05
could make marine engine oil. So he was one of the first
45:10
people who reached out to me on the podcast, not for consulting.
45:13
He just wanted my opinion on a couple of things.
45:16
So when did I put this on the list?
45:20
OK, yes, I didn't work with him, but the reason I put you on the
45:23
list, Shah, these last two particular on the list was just
45:25
to let you guys know that man, boys and girls are making
45:29
serious bank in Niger. Serious bank.
45:35
Different industries, different trades, different things you've
45:39
never heard about. I had no idea that dredging was
45:42
a thing. I'd never seen a dredger and I
45:45
had no idea that like the only engine oil I know was engine oil
45:52
for car and then engine oil for lorry.
45:54
I didn't know that there's also engine oil for for ships and
45:57
for, you know, seafaring vessels.
46:01
I didn't know that they have their own special kind of engine
46:04
oil and that there's money to be made in refining those kinds of
46:07
products and that you can build your own refinery and stuff.
46:11
But in Asia, stuff is going on in Nigeria.
46:15
So shine your eyes and be inspired.
46:17
We can make it is we can make it anyway, so sorry for keeping
46:23
here for 45 minutes, but like I said, just clear my desk.
46:27
And I've seen that these are the range of people that I've worked
46:29
with so far. And I thought, OK, not bad,
46:32
making some progress, but looking forward to even more
46:34
progress in 2026 and beyond. I'm praying the same for you,
46:39
your business as well then. Yeah, I think that's it
46:45
basically. OK.
46:46
Also remember, for those of you who are multi hyphenates, you
46:50
have lots of business ideas. There's something I've been
46:52
talking about today that I mentioned a lot today, which is
46:56
market validation. Market validation is proving
47:00
that this product or this service has demand, that it is
47:04
viable, that people are willing to pay for it.
47:06
It's an idea that you've seen weaving through all these
47:08
things. So for the guy who had Cyber
47:15
Cafe and Co working space, OK, this gaming app that you want to
47:18
do, is it viable coming here? Product market fit, is there
47:24
market demand? How many people be willing to
47:26
pay for this idea? Then for the fashion
47:29
entrepreneur, cyclical fashion, yes these things are nice, but
47:34
is it viable? Can we validate the demand?
47:39
Are people going to pay enough? Are there enough people who like
47:42
these kind of things, who will pay for this thing, are so
47:44
margin that will make this business make sense for you?
47:51
So too many entrepreneurs, the reason why they fail is they
47:54
start off with the wrong idea. Because of that, I have another
47:59
training coming up and that is on how we're going to solve this
48:03
problem in three easy steps. We're going to make sure that
48:06
you don't pick the wrong idea. If you have 3456 different
48:09
ideas, we'll help you pick a winner.
48:12
I'll help you validate demand, make sure that this is an idea
48:17
that there is demand for that people are willing to pay for,
48:22
and then we're also going to help create the selling system
48:25
for you. The whole point of this training
48:27
is I need you guys to stop juggling 34567 ideas.
48:32
In fact, the reason why I'm coming up with this training is
48:34
because too many of you are asking me all these questions.
48:36
I can do this, I can also do this, I can do that, I can also
48:39
do that. My true self is this, but I
48:41
believe that I have potential for that and my ideal calling is
48:44
so, so so. So what should I do?
48:46
That's the whole point of the training.
48:48
So it's the training. Now let's sit down, let's iron
48:50
out all these things. Stop juggling 3-4 ideas without
48:53
making a single couple from one. All you have to do is call me,
48:56
send me a WhatsApp message, send me a text message on
48:59
08064662140. Just let me know you're
49:04
interested and let's get talking.
49:06
Let's get your business moving. So that's it.
49:08
Thank you very much for listening and even if you're not
49:12
interested in the program, but you just want to say what's up,
49:14
you want to say hello, you just want to connect, it's not a
49:16
problem. I like talking to every single
49:18
person who finds the podcast and who likes the podcast.
49:21
Again, the number is 08064662140.
49:28
Thank you very much for your time and attention.
49:30
I will catch you all some other time.