That Department Every Small Biz Owner Must Take Seriously

The most important department in a business is not the production department. Neither is it the creativity department nor the marketing department.... Nor even the tech and finance departments.

These departments (listed above) have distinct roles they play in the growth and advancement of any business, but none of them is the most important department.

What then is the most import department in a business?

The "team department". The team department is the most important department in a business and every business owner must take this department very seriously.

Many businesses (especially small businesses) fail because they don't invest in the "team department". They don't know it even existed.

The team department is the most important because they understand and believe the goals of the business. They work hand in hand to make shit happen.

The team department understands that there is no YOU when it comes to growth in a business.

The team department understands that when a particular department fails, the business fails. And if a particular department succeeds, the business succeeds.

The team department is so strong that even the competitors can not break through them.

Every business owner should take the team department very seriously.

Organize events where all departments in your company will come together and share ideas on things that needs to be fixed. And more importantly how the business can get bigger.

Help them understand the philosophy of your company and help them buy into the goals and vision of the business.

You as a business owner must take the team department very seriously because without the team department, there is no business.

Sadiq Daniel is a certified crazy writer and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development and Life lessons. You can pursue him on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email: Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

If You Are Not Crazy, You Can't Be An Entrepreneur

Before you quit your job or tell your stupid boss to go to hell, you should read this article.

I don't have a degree in business or an MBA and I haven't attended world class seminars on business... So it is very okay if you don’t believe anything you read here.

I have helped a few start-ups and I have also created some myself - some crashed and some are struggling to survive... So I think I have a few things to say about entrepreneurship. They may look stupid or sound controversial but I swear they'd do you a lot of good... And maybe save you money.

Entrepreneurship Is Not An Escape Route:
I know "9-5" jobs are crazy. ..Waking up as early as 4am; so you could get to work early and probably save your ass from getting kicked job. Then you work tirelessly like an animal (your effort might go unnoticed) till 5pm… You get home around 11pm, if you are lucky and the cycle continues.

So, many people are looking escape routes… things that won't wear them out – a situation where they'd work less and earn more. As humans it is okay to look for alternatives when things are not working out the way we anticipated. But they make the mistake of thinking creating a business is that escape route... No it isn't! Maybe Money rituals or Yahoo-Yahoo (internet scam) is… But entrepreneurship isn't.

Entrepreneurship Is Not Sexy:
 Starting and growing a business is full of shit. It is for only those that are ready to get dirty (not the kind of dirty you are thinking). Oh! You think “9-5” is stressful? Try entrepreneurship. When you start your own business there is no time bracket.
 
There will be times where no one would give a fuck about your ideas. You'd pitch your ideas to so many investors that will tell you to tell you to go to hell. Even when you get investors, your business might not strive. You'd waste a lot of money on advertisement... You'd spend more and earn less... You'd make a lot of stupid mistakes.

Only Crazy People Can Become True Entrepreneurs: 
Entrepreneurship is crazy and you have to be crazy if you want to make it.

Entrepreneurship is not what you think it is ...Entrepreneurship is beyond becoming your own boss or any of those "Disney- land" kinds of imaginations we have about starting up a business.

There will be times where you won't sleep for days, trying to work on a new idea.
 
There will be times where you'd be everything - customer service, marketing department, Finance department ... And no one even your stupid boss would be there to monitor you.

When you launch your start up, Crazy things will happen. Things will get harder but you just have to believe in your idea. You'd make mistakes but you learn from them and make better mistakes. People might not give a damn about your idea but you just have to be persistent.

When you make a mistake, don't try to fix it. Instead try fixing the process.

Invest in books... Read books on business, these books will help you a lot.

Entrepreneurship is crazy but it is all about contributing your own quota to the world we live in. 

Entrepreneurship is about making an impact and making a positive difference.

Entrepreneurship is no easy way out. Entrepreneurship is not sexy and entrepreneurship is not for lazy people.

If you have a start-up, kindly share your start up idea and your experience.

PS: I think you should read Smart People Don't Give A Fuck About Your Idea too.

Sadiq Daniel is a certified Crazy Writer and Teens Coach that blogs on Business, Self- development and Life lessons. You can pursue him on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email: Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Someone Should Please Tell Our Parents That Engineers, Doctors And Lawyers Are Not The Coolest People In The World.

It all started when my class teacher asked me what I intended becoming in life.... I had just turned 11 (that is when it always happens) and it was my first day of high school, I was ecstatic because I've heard a lot of exciting stuffs about high school and finally I was here ready to explore....

I actually planned for everything but not this question. I have never been asked that question before- I had no idea what it meant. I was just a normal kid that could recite his mathematical tables offhand.

So I didn't say anything. Then she asked the boy seated next to me. He said he wanted to be a Doctor. She asked another boy who said he wanted to be a Lawyer.

In summary she asked everyone in the class and they all seemed to have ready made answers - Engineers, Lawyers, Doctors... "How could they have known what they intended becoming in life?" I asked... Maybe I wasn't really prepared for high school after all.

So during Recess, I asked my seat mate (the one that wanted to become a Doctor) how he got the answer to the question, he replied and said "My dad told me"

When I got home I asked my dad and he said "you can either be an Engineer, a doctor, a lawyer or a banker" (I can't really remember how he said it)

So I grew up with the mindset that you either become an engineer, doctor, lawyer or nothing! Although I was still confused on what I intended becoming, there was a time when I wanted to be a Lawyer, an engineer, a doctor and there were times where I wanted to be all three. But it never went beyond those three professions.

As I grew older, I settled for Engineering because I heard it fetched more money and it had a lot of opportunities in it.

I signed up for crazy subjects like chemistry, physics and math. I hated mathematics so much. We were always asked to find "X". I guessed "X" must be really important to human existence or something.

If I really wanted to be an Engineer, I needed to pass mathematics so I crammed, coupled with prayers and fasting... I survived. I never had ‘A’s but I survived.

After writing JAMB (an entrance exam that you need to pass if you want to get into the university) couple of times, I got into the University to study Chemical Engineering.

Things didn't go as smooth as I anticipated... I had to do crazier mathematics, but I survived, at least the first year.

When I got to my second year, my prayers and fasting could no longer help me. Things went from crazier to craziest... It got to a point where I had to support my prayers and fasting with micro chips (tiny pieces of paper with likely answers written in them you take along with you to an exam hall), with time I graduated to macro chips. I just had to do these things if I wanted to pass - if I wanted to become an engineer - if I wanted to make more money.

Things got worse for me; I had gone past my elastic limit. I got to a point where I could no longer survive then it dawn on me that Engineering wasn't really as cool as I thought it was.

I successfully found my way back though. I discovered my passion for writing, Entrepreneurship and public speaking. I was introduced to cooler books than engineering books.... Books that weren't about flow rate or fluid mechanics or finding "X"…. Books that actually brought out the creativity in me.

I started living a life where I needed little fasting and prayers… A life where I don't need to survive. I started living and stopped surviving.

I know this is a pretty long post that very few people would read. But I just needed to write this so people (especially teenagers) won't be misled the way I was.

Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers are not the coolest people on earth. Writers, Painters, Footballers, Musicians, Linguists, programmers are cool too.

We need to change the way we look at these careers/Profession.

Parents should stop brainwashing teenagers and forcing a particular profession/career path on them - it won't do them any good. Instead spend more time with them, figure out their strengths and weaknesses - that would give you an idea on what to fix and what you need to invest more in.

Schools should also invest more in career development programs for teenagers in high school. Teenagers should be properly mentored and guided when it comes to choosing a career path.

If you are reading this article and you are a teenager, take time to study yourself.

What are you good at?

What makes you happy?

What are you passionate about?

These questions are very crucial when it comes to choosing a career path.... Read books too - books on self development, goals setting and career development.

Then get yourself a mentor. Someone that walked that path you have chosen and learn from their mistakes.

It is not all about money but making an impact in the world we live.... Stop trying to survive and start living.

Tell someone (especially our parents) that Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers are not the coolest people on earth... Maybe that way we can make the world a better place.

Sadiq Daniel is a certified crazy writer and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development and Life lessons. You can pursue him on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email: Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Don't Ever Make The Same Mistake STARBUCKS and COKE Made!

So Star bucks has decided to bring back Eggnog Latte following a huge outcry from the customers when the company announced it was discontinuing the beverage.

I know many of you would have read about it - it is all over the news.

 But this is the real gist: Eggnog Latte is an expresso with steamed Eggnog and milk, topped with nutmeg. It is a unique beverage to Star Bucks backed by popular demand. But the goons at Start Bucks woke up one day and decided to scrap the flavor last month and replace it with a new praline chestnut latte......

The result was not what they envisaged at all. There were massive protests across social media platforms by their customers.

This is synonymous with the Coke story too. When New Coke was launched in 1985, it was launched with funfare including prime time ads. Company chairman Roberto C Goizueta proclaimed New Coke "smoother, rounder yet bolder" but public reaction was overwhelmingly negative; some people even likened the change in coke to trampling the American flag.

After couple of months, the "New Coke" was yanked from store shelves. And they were able to save the day.

I still don't know why giant companies like Coca Cola and Star Bucks could make this kind of mistake; although they were lucky to have fixed things early. Not all companies are these lucky when they make goofs like this.

Here are few things I learnt from Star Bucks and Coke

1) A New Product Is Never Cool until It Is Certified by Your Customers: As a company or a start up, you should have this at the back of your mind. Your customers are integral part of your company. Without the customers, there is no company. I don't know how this skipped the mind of the "MBA-studded" Star bucks and Coca Cola.

When it comes to launching a new product or scrapping out one, you must not take your customers out of the picture.

Instead of surprising them with the new product, you should conduct a survey, find out their opinions - know how they feel about it. This will save you the stress of launching something that


2) When you make a mistake Fix it instantly: Star bucks and Coke were lucky because they made a mistake and fixed the process immediately - Especially a mistake like the one Star bucks made. Abandon your MBA at that moment and use your DNA. Forget about the crazy report from your team. Don't force a new product on your customers - you'd end up scaring them off.

Learn to listen to your customers even more than you do with your partners. Let your customers feel like the company is theirs.

Starbucks with all the MBA graduates they had no idea how their Eggnog Lattes were- until they took them away.

Here are some of the complaints from the fans of "Eggnogg Latte" I stumbled upon on twitter.

                                   

                                                          

                                                    

                                                                 

Shannon Mc Mullen also tweeted: "seriously broken this A.M. Just found out. Starbucks is not bringing back the eggnog latte. It is the only thing keeping me going.......

In summary, star bucks and coke were lucky to get away with what they did, others may not. So when next your company is trying to launch a new product or axe off an existing product, think star bucks and coke... put the reaction of your customers into consideration.

Sadiq Daniel is a certified crazy writer and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development and Life lessons. You can pursue him on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email: Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

That Ade's Story That Drove Me Crazy

I wasn't born crazy and neither did my craziness come out of the blue. So many things brought out the craziness in me. But there is one story that actually played a major role in kick-starting the craziness in me.

It is the Ade story. The story that showed me things even my professors in school couldn't.

I'm not really good at stories, but I'd give this my best shot.

Ade was born in the early 80's. His parents were ecstatic because they finally had a son after 8 years of trying so hard.

Ade's parents were civil servants, struggling to make ends meet. But they vowed to send their only son to school-Hoping that he'd get a better job and live a better life than they were living.


Ade parents really struggled. There were times where they had to go days without food, All these because they wanted the best for Ade.

Ade didn't disappoint his parents. He came out tops across all levels. He even got a scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering at one of the best schools in the country.

The future was looking very bright for Ade. And Ade's parents couldn't wait to get Return on their investment.

Ade graduated summa cum laude from the university. It didn't take long before companies started knocking on his door.

Ade got the job of his dream. Bought a big house for his parents, he repaid them the way he could. He got married to a beautiful wife and had beautiful children.

Ade did some professional courses which he aced, got an M.sc. Things seems to be going smoothly for Ade

Ade was promoted to Managing director after working for 30 years in the company. There were a lot of benefits that came with the title....

He put some his money in some 401k investments.

So when Ade turned 65 he retired. He and his wife toured some part of the world and when he turned 80. He died.

At first I actually thought Ade lived a perfect life. At least he got a great job, had more than enough money to take care of his immediate and extended family and even had enough time to tour some parts of the world.

But I was made to realize that life is not meant to be like that. Life is beyond getting a great job or having all the money in the world.

Life is all about contributing your quota, being selfless, making a positive difference in the world we live.

There are so many "Ade's" out there. Some are even worse. After graduating from the university, they pursue a second degree in order to better their chances of getting a great "job". Then they work so hard to keep that job that they don't even have time for their family. Then they die. And their children recycle the process.


Do not be brainwashed into thinking this is the best way to live our lives.

Do not be scared to change the status quo. People will see you as crazy but being crazy and making a positive difference is better than "normal"

Changing the status quo is not sexy, in fact it is the most difficult thing to do. But it is something we all have to do.

Changing the status quo involves innovation and creativity. Every one of us is born creative. You just have to search deep for it and activate that creativity...

Create things; make your own shit even if it is not sexy enough.

Stop living a programmed life... Go out and Do Crazy things that you'd be remembered for when you are no longer around.

Image Credit: flickrhivemind.net

Sadiq Daniel is a certified crazy writer and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development and Life lessons. You can pursue him on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email: Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Are you waiting till it all makes sense?

Most people do nothing not because they don't have great ideas but because they are waiting for the perfect time (when it all make sense) so they plan and plan and plan.

In the planning process, a mistake shows its ugly face, they try to fix it. Then another surfaces, and they'd be like "once we fix this, we can launch". But the mistakes won't stop coming and they won't stop fixing. Some give up in the "fixing" process while others die after 50 years of fixing.

The problem with waiting till it all makes sense is that it will never make sense.

Let me repeat that line again so you'd know how important it is...

The problem with waiting till it all makes sense is that it will never make sense.

There is no perfect time to publish a book, there is no perfect time to launch an idea, there is no perfect time to talk to that girl you like.

In fact the right time is when it doesn't seem to make sense to you. That is when you should do it.

The worst that could happen is that you make mistakes. And there is nothing wrong in making mistakes. When you make mistakes, you learn from them and probably make better mistakes - that is way better than fixing mistakes.

Just publish that book.
Just ask that girl out
Just launch that idea
Just Do it!

Just Do it... Don't wait till it all makes sense because it never will.

Sadiq Daniel is a certified crazy writer and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development and Life lessons. You can pursue him on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email: Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com