Women MUST 2017 Summit

The Women MUST 2017 Summit which took place at the Presidential Hotel Port Harcourt was  truly a gathering of "phenomenals". The panel of speakers comprised of career and entrepreneurship achievers including Stella Obinwa, Timipre Wolo, Kingsley Weneda Wali, Dr. Chizoba Wonodi, and moderated by the beautiful Mimi Onalaja. The program was put together by Eve afrique Media and Supported by Ecobank, Ebony live Tv, Swag Tv, Hotel Presidential, and other industry power houses.

For the Stylish Business Woman

If you're going for the serious but stylish with a dash of sexy then this look is for you. A well fitted corporate handless gown with a blazer to finish.and stilettos or flats to go whichever you feel comfortable with. A leather handbag would finish the look.

You can storm a meeting with this, see a client, do lunch, blazer off you can unwind after work.

Service Integrity

With so many goods and services flooding the market these days service is one way to stand out. How do you serve your customers? When you serve your clients and customers do they feel cared for?

If you do not know how to deal with humans then you will have a big problem with your client relations. With a background in international relations, I learned that it all boils down to Humans. And so it is in business also. Human emotions cannot be ruled out of business and so they must be effectively Harnessed as a means to achieving business goals. Customer Emotions are delicate and so we need to be very careful how we treat each customer because each is different.

How do you and your staff treat customer complaints? Do you treat it with care and empathy or do you react indifferently. Are you Proactive or Reactive when it comes to customer complaints? Do you listen to reply or argue or do you listen to learn and to help? When reports of displeasure are made by clients ,the way it is handled can either help your Image or damage it. And trust me, one angry customer can talk to as many that care to listen about how badly he or she has been treated by you.

Treat all your customers with care.Always be Professional. A complaint, if well handled, can lead to a sale.

Business Online Presence

In recent times online presence has become more and more of a necessity. If you're a business owner and your business doesn't yet have online presence then you're not keeping up with the times. Every business needs an online presence today whether you're hauling garbage or you're a financial institution. Small or Big , you need a well branded online presence.

Having an online presence in todays business world shows professionalism. It also gives necessary information to potential clients who would like to make inquiry before direct contact. It opens your business up to new opportunities and possibilities. It can also be used as a marketing medium for promotion of business offerings. So if you're still thinking about it i suggest you act fast. Facebook, instagram, websites etc are all great and important online mediums you should use. Make the move today. Get an online platform.

The Entrepreneurship Platform

Few days ago I was at a meeting of giants. Women giants to be exact. I call them giants because they have been able to fight and succeed against tide and odds. Their stories were highly inspiring and motivating. If women around Nigeria would join forces like this we would be a strong voice that is not to be ignored or restricted to "the other room".

The Entrepreneurship Platform is built on values that border around mentorship and leveraging on experience of those who have been in the game of business. and trust me these women have loads of experience under their belt. This helps you not to make the mistakes that they made and wish they hadn't. this is not to say challenges won't come, but with this advantage plans can be put in place to minimize or avoid mistakes as the case may be; when they do come, we will be armed and ready. I duff my hat for these women.

Get ready world, WE ARE COMING!!!

Back to Agric

NNEW in conjunction with NECA presents a three-day Agriculture event tagged "Back to Agric Project" which holds from the 20th to 22nd of April,2017 at  Vee Hotel, Trans-amadi, Port harcourt.

Agriculture is a natural money maker being that food and cash crops will always be in demand no matter how bad an economy gets. With Proper management and skill agriculture is a money maker anytime any-day. So if you have a passion for agriculture or you would like to be part of this, please do not miss this. more details on the flier

How Valuable is Your Time

Hello Alana troopers!!! Many times its easy to say there is no time or that we are so busy. Too busy that we hurry and and scurry through life hoping that things will fall into place just because we did it (but didn't do it well).
Have you ever asked yourself how the Big business winners get so much done in less time.
Granted, we all have 24 hours in a day allotted to us, but they make every second count.TIME MANAGEMENT is how they do it.Time management helps them to do more in less time.

Think about this, if you wake up one hour earlier from today, you would have gained one hour on your daily active time(time awake). Multiply that by 7 days you get 7 hours a week, in a month you get 28 hours extra; approximately one day. Imagine how much time you'd gain in one year.

Now lets move along. Time is money we always say but yet we unconsciously waste plenty of our time daily. Think of how much time you spend waiting in line, making unnecessary phone calls, surfing the Internet and social media for nothing in particular, watching TV programs that don't add value to you, the list is endless.

Wipe those clean and replace them with things that add value. Read a book/e-book while you're waiting, surf the web for career-relevant information, listen to audio books while driving in your car, Spend time planning the next days itinerary, plan your day in a diary or notepad, use social media to promote your business, watch TV programs that ad value to you and your career. I bet you in one year you'll see progress in how much you have evolved.

Thanks for reading. Please comments are always welcome. Let me know how this has helped you.

Topearl;Top Hospitality

I was invited over for lunch at the TOPEARL Institute of Catering and Hospitality, Port Harcourt, and I must say I was blown away. I almost didn't want to leave. With me being a lover of food and the finer things, I can safely say that they "SPOILED" me with care.What really struck me was their meticulous emphasis on Hospitality. They Teach and Train people on how to care for guests in the hospitality business.

To successfully run a Restaurant, Hotel or any Hospitality business, all Staff especially those that come in contact with Customers must be well trained in the art of hospitality.

This is crucial to your brand so as to avoid costly mistakes made out of ignorance. Once customers have an initial impression about your business that impression is not easily changed. So it is advised to get it right the first time.

Dear Human,

Innovation has become in this new age  the driving force of thriving businesses. This is what keeps them afloat regardless of economic shakeups.

To say that conditions are not favorable is one thing;anybody can do that, to think your way out of your constraints is another. Thats innovation.

It requires Uncommon sense because common sense get you nowhere but where mediocrity lives.

 Albert Ainstein said that "Education is not the learning of Facts but the training of the mind to think". We have allowed Education to become our limitation.Where Education ends, Innovation begins.

Your Mind is Powerful, Use it!!!

Musing...

Entrapreneurs Platform Nigeria

The Entrepreneurs platform(EP) Nigeria brings us a Brand Awakening program tagged "How to POSITION your BRAND for GREATNESS" which is set to hold in the City of Port Harcourt, on Friday the 21st of April.The EP helps entrepreneurs to consolidate by leveraging on the experience of others in business who have credible track records of challenge-turned-success. The speakers are well seasoned with many years of experience under their Belt. Its a Can't-Miss.

Now, this program is for all those who would like to get the best from their Business and Brand. Calling all Existing and would-be Entrepreneurs. Its FREE!!!
(Details in photo)
Venue: Sparklyn Hotel and Suites, GRA Phase 3, Port Harcourt.

Business Tomorrow: How to Ensure Business Continuity

Continuity has become a big cause of worry for business people. It is one thing to start a business it is another thing for it to still stand long after its set up. Its easier to fix a problem earlier than later.So I came up with this 5 part test. They are more or less questions you should ask yourself before embarking on the business.
1.Is it sustainable?
Do you have access to what it takes to run the business on the long run. These range from Finance, manpower etc. Is there a back up, a plan B.
2. Is it scalable?
By scalable I mean "can this business grow".Does this business have the possibility and ability to grow into a large or even international business.

3.Is it transferable
 Many years later after I'm gone can my children inherit the business. Do I have what it takes to effectively train a successor. Will I be willing to pick a neutral but competent person over my child for effective transition of the business to new ownership and sustainability.
4.Is it risky
Is this business a high risk business or a low risk business. High risk businesses have a high tendency to fold up and lack possibility for continuity.
5.Is it ethical
Unethical businesses tend to fold up faster or without warning. Until you can show me a ponzi scheme that lasted 20years, only then can ethics be discarded.

Customer is KING

Many of us hear this so often it has become cliché. But only very few of us actually practice this policy. When a customer patronizes you, he or she should feel CARED for. This is the reason for customer care departments in corporate organizations. But as a small and Growing company this may not be applicable for obvious reasons. In this case front-line staff should be well trained in the art of customer relationship. Yes Art!!! And like I advise most of my clients, "Kill them with Kindness". When I say kill I mean it figuratively. Kill as in "Disarm" to the point where they have no choice but to buy and buy well so as not to look cheap. This is a strategy that works most of the time.

Another point to note is this, do not neglect your loyal customers on any account. This is because research has shown that it takes twice as much to get new customers than it takes to retain loyal ones. So your guess is as good as mine as to who to pamper more. Be kind to all your customers but pamper your loyal customers.

How to choose a Business Name

Hello Alana troopers!!! Hope our week was great, Mine was. So I was out today and I couldn't help but notice all the funny names people give their businesses these days. Some would just make you laugh. Your business must not bear your personal or family name; I'm not saying this is wrong but first it must pass the marketability test.But how does one choose a suitable and marketable business name. And when I say marketable I mean "SELLABLE". So here are some tips to help you out of this dilemma:

1.Choose a name that can easily be remembered.

2.Make sure the name is not too lengthy/long.

3.pick a name that portrays what you do.

4.Make sure the name is unique

5.Ask yourself, " If i hear my business name will it catch my attention".

Thanks for reading guys. For comments and Questions please drop in the comment box. Have fun.