I usually receive calls and meet young people (age 18-25) who will tell me;

“I want to start a business but my parents won’t allow me”

“I wish to follow my passion but they told me I’m too young”

These great ones usually ask, “Do you think I’m too young?”

My answer to the last two who asked me that question was “You’re too old”

This is my advice for people who are younger than me.

You see, the day you discover your passion is the day you become a full grown adult (no matter how young you are).

Why you owe your parents respect, your life’s passion is bigger than anything/body, including you and your parents.

At age 21 when I was going fully to the business world, I didn’t have the blessing of my lovely parents.

While I could have easily smile for my father’s anger, my mother’s worry bothered me.

This is the woman of my life. This is the love of my life.

This is the most trustworthy friend I ever had. This is my only love. Yet, there she was, crying because her son decided to follow the tough path.

What should I do?

I had options between pleasing my parents or following my passion.

I had options between making my father proud of having a son who is working in a bank (even if that son is terribly unhappy) or making myself proud of following my gut (even though I die).

I could have made everyone else happy and sacrifice my own happiness but I can’t remember I was ever a “gentle” boy so it was pretty (and still pretty) easy for me to hurt people.

I told myself, “I’ll follow my heart, even if I DIE!” (and I was actually willing to die)

This is my advice for everyone who is still younger than 30.

Your passion is the only life you have.

Your gut is far more predictable and dependable than the entire world’s suggestions.

Your life’s  passion is bigger than you or your family members.

In fact, it’s better for you to die at age 20, trying to follow your passion, than to live till 80 in another man’s dreams.

Your parents love you and that’s the reason why they don’t want you to fail. Unfortunately you have to fail.

Your brothers and sisters like you and that’s the reason why they don’t want you to die. Unfortunately you have to die before you live.

Go for it!

Go for it!

Your father may disown you; go for it.

Your mother may cry; go for it.

Your friends may abandon you; go for it.

Even if you’ll die trying, go for your passion.

Hi everyone,

I’m so glad to announce to you that the much awaited Africa Business University will be launched and live in less than 48hrs.

What is the Africa Business University?

Africa Business University (A.B.U) is the revolutionary concept which is designed to do the opposite of what the present universities all around the world do.

You know in the traditional universities you’ll be trained for 20 years how to work for other people’s company?

Here at the Africa Business University, our mission is to train you how to build your own company from the scratch.

You’ll read the details in the next few hours.

Watch out and welcome to the Africa Business University.

I Love You.

Steve Olorun-Ni

When You read in the news, “Nigeria is in recession”

Don’t believe such lie.

If you also read, “Nigeria exits recession”

Don’t believe that too.

Recession is just an English word.

It doesn’t really have any meaning.

If you’re poor, you’re in recession (no matter what the media says)

If you’re rich, you don’t know what recession is

So the question is not whether or not your country is in recession.

The question is maybe you’re rich or poor.

Even when the economy is in the best state, millions of people are in “recession”

And when the economy is worst, many still have more than enough.

Stop believing lies.

Stop thinking your country’s economy affects your personal economy.

They are two different things.

Stop analyzing your country’s economy.

It doesn’t affect you.

Focus on your own, personal economy.

Learn, act and endure to build your own empire.

Your county’s economy does NOT affect your economy (except if you think it does)

I Love You.

One of the most common mistakes among the young entrepreneurs is for them to go where everyone is going.

This is wrong.

It’s wrong because if it’s popular, it’s probably not gold.

Gold is scarce, so are business opportunities.

If what you’re seeing is what one million other people are seeing, you’re seeing stones, not gold.

Gold is hidden. Gold is scarce.

Gold is only being found by people who are trained to identify it.

Until you learn how to see the invisible, you’re not an entrepreneur.

If it’s popular, don’t pursue it.

If it’s popular, don’t go there.

If it’s popular, it’s not gold.

Go for Gold!

I Love You

Image Credit; Mining.com

Over the years I’ve seen people who don’t believe in their countries’ political leaders and that’s fine by me.

You don’t have to trust or believe in any human being.

But there are three important “people” you have to believe in.

Yourself. God. Your country.

Most people don’t have problem agreeing that they need to believe in God.

However, no matter how much you claim to believe in God, as long as you don’t believe in yourself, you cannot truly believe in God.

Something else that will shock you;

No matter how much you believe in yourself, if you don’t believe in your country, you can’t go far as an entrepreneur.

Why?

Because it takes belief to create.

If you don’t believe there is anything good in your country/continent, you cannot search for the opportunities therein nor can you create anything worthwhile therein.

That’s why most Africans are struggling to travel out of their countries.

They simply don’t believe in their home countries.

“If I can find my way to the US, my life will be better” they say.

That’s fallacy.

Money is NOT a product of location.

You can find a “good” job in the UK, US etc., but not good money.

Good money is in your country.

If truly you want to be rich, you must believe in yourself and your country.

You may not believe in the political leaders because they are liars, that doesn’t affect you (because they are just humans and you don’t have any obligation to believe in any human). But your country is not human.

She’s your spiritual source and not believing anything good can come out of it means you cannot bring anything good out of yourself.

I believe in Africa.

I believe in Nigeria.

I believe in myself.

 

So this woman called me, “I’m now in Lagos”

What!

This is a client that traveled all the way from Delta State, to come to Lagos because my company has appointment with her.

What’s unfortunate is that I’ve never prepared to have her and that means I might have to tell her, “I’m very sorry. You need to go back”

How easy is it to tell a client who has traveled across many states to meet your company?

It was a terrible night and that was last night.

As entrepreneurs, we’ll have many TERRIBLE days and that’s to be expected.

The question is, when the terrible days come, what should you do?

Sleep over it.

Last night I simply told myself, “Steve, breath and sleep. Even if the Skye breaks tomorrow there will be a way out”

I went to bed and tried to forget the business world.

Behold, I woke up this morning, tired and weak (I really cannot tell the reason why)

I sluggishly laid my hands on my laptop and try to see maybe a miracle could happen.

Yea, it happened (unexpectedly).

I suddenly remembered a man I’ve earlier discussed partnership deal with and I taught he could help me serve our company’s client.

It was around 6;30 am (this morning).

I dialed his mobile line and it went through.

“Hello Mr. Abdul, it’s me Steve. I once discussed with you about xxxx and now I have a client I need you to help us serve”

Agreed. Deal.

I smiled and ready to start my day.

What is the lesson here?

As entrepreneurs, your life will not be smooth.

Your businesses will hit rocks. You will lose clients and money.

You will have many odd days.

What should you do?

Drink palm wine and go to bed.

Kiss your wife and forget business for a moment.

Believe me. Heaven is not about to break.

Sleep and when you wake up next morning you might just wake up with a new insight and inspiration.

I love you because you’re an entrepreneur.

I encourage you to keep on fighting.

You’ll win.

Last week Tuesday I was with the wife of the Lagos state governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode.

This photo shows myself, her NGO CEO and Mrs. Ambode;

Did you wonder how I got my company to work with the Lagos state government (the richest state in Nigeria)?

Do you think I used my BIG certificate to achieve this?

Well, school is wrong!

School is wrong because it makes people believe that without certificate or job they can’t live normal life.

I have no certificate and no job.

I am an “illiterate” entrepreneur who make good money with great pleasure (by God’s grace)

In about 3hrs from now, I’ll be speaking in a business conference in Lagos

This program was organized by an Igbo group which has couples of P.HD, M.sc, Barristers etc among them.

Isn’t it amazing how “educated” people could be willing to pay an #Illiterate (like me) to come and speak in their presence?

How can a P.HD holder “endure” the “foolishness” that comes from the mouth of a boy who didn’t even finish school?

I don’t understand.

But I have this to tell any young person out there;

Do not be deceived.

Certificate is a #paper and it’s not more than that.

in the real world, nobody cares about the paper in your hand.

Work hard to improve your mind.

Read good books.

Stop complaining about everything. Dream big and Solve some big problems for humanity.

I tell you, White House will beg to see you, even if you never get a decorated paper.

#Grace

#Stubbornness

#Proving_the_school_wrong

Do you ever wondered why employers and employees hardly (truly) like themselves?

I’ll tell you why today.

I seriously wish this post will not reveal my bias as an employer myself so I’ll try and be as neutral as possible.

The first time I tried to employ someone was in the year 2008 but it wasn’t successful.

However, in the year 2009, I was able to employ few people and ever since then, off and on, I’ve been working with people and I now has few employees (among wish my wife is. Lol)

I’ve always wonder, “Why is it that employees and employers are never in good mood with themselves?”

This is the answer I got;

Both are from an entirely different worlds.

Just imagine Sun and Moon or Fire and Water.

You get the picture.

Think about this; an entrepreneur looks at EVERYTHING as investment. Unfortunately, your employer probably sees you as “an investment”.

As an entrepreneur, he wants to get 1000% returns out of every “investment” and this includes you.

Let’s look at an employee. I really don’t know how employees think (because I was never one), but let me guess, based on my experience working with them.

Most employees are risk-haters who like to get much harvest from little seed.

These group of people were originally motivated by the idea of “security” and “ease” so they really wish that should be easily achievable.

Now pause and think about it.

How can someone who wants to get 1000% out of his “investment” be partner (and in love) with someone who wants to put in 30 to get 100?

Now you can see.

Another example is the fact that employees usually think, “You see, I’m doing the whole work while my boss is making the whole money”

Because they don’t see their employers “working hard”, they think he’s not working.

Well, the hardest work happens in the brain and that’s what most entrepreneurs do.

This is another thing;

Entrepreneurs are usually decisive people who do things before being told. Unfortunately, they expect their employees to go this far, but no, they are from different planets.

Another point I can remember is the fact that employees usually think from the perspective of how much money their boss is making while employers think from the perspective of how many years and money he has invested into his business.

An employee could think, “See, my boss made #5 million last month and paid me just #100,000”.

From his own perspective, an entrepreneur thinks, “I made JUST #5 million last month, after I’ve been working hard on this business for 5 years, having to pay my investors #1 million every month, having to pay salaries and office rent total #2 million. I have JUST #2 million as mine”

Then, an employer thinks, “How can I get more from all my investments?”

Unfortunately, his “investments” include his employees (and he may seek how to get them to work harder).

There are so many reasons why employers and employees are rarely (truly) in love with each other and I think I’ve tried to state few of them.

Please, if my above points are biased, just forgive me.

I’ve never really been an employee all my life (though I spent about 18 month working WITH someone, I’ve never experienced what it really means to be an employees so I may not have the right opinion as regard employees)

In all, the question we should ask is, what is the way out?

How can we settle the silent battle between employees and employers all over the world?

Well, I’m sorry, there’s no visible solution I can suggest.

People live in their worlds and as long as we are who we are, two different people cannot be (truly) in love with each other.

My advice for you is, if there are some power left in you, strive to work in job you like or create the job you like.

If you can get a job you are passionate about, your employer is likely to notice it and that should make both of you share few things in common.

However, if you cannot find a job you like, create one for your self.

In life, you cannot stand in the middle.

If you’re not a victor, you are a victim.

……………………….

Africa Business University (A.B.U) is coming very soon

If you ever want to learn how to build a successful business from the scratch, you must join this business university.

I’ll personally be your mentor through Africa Business University (A.B.U).

I want to train few people who will be successful and happy entrepreneurs, not sad and poor employees.

In fact, I’m thinking of giving three of my business students one million naira.

This may be you.

Watch out for the Africa Business University (A.B.U)!

Steve Olorun-Ni

Can you give birth without pregnancy?

Can you go through pregnancy without pains?

Or can you be pregnant today and give birth next 3 months?

The obvious answers to all the above questions is, NO.

It goes to teach you something serious;

Good things take time, persistence and endurance.

These days I meet people who like to be entrepreneurs (and trust me, I love such people)

However, my excitement usually last a few minutes after meeting (or talking on phone) with most of these people.

You know why?

I observe that 19 out of 20 people want to be successful NOW, today.

This is like saying, “I need a child now. I’ll impregnate my wife tonight and she’ll give birth NEXT MONTH”

Sounds stupid? Most people’s thoughts are like that.

You may wish to impregnate your wife tonight and it will not happen until next seven months.

You may pray that you go through pregnancy without pain but it won’t happen.

In fact, if you pray that your wife gives birth after 3 months, it’s premature babe you’re asking for.

Good things take time, persistence and focus.

If you want it NOW, then you’re not ready to have it.