Wednesday 7 October 2015

What do you do when you are doing what you are meant to do and and it is killing you?

Simple Answer: Reflect on your progress (success story and failures) 

                                               AND 

                                              SLEEP
HT: Rohan

Thursday 10 September 2015

Life Is Not A Popularity Contest

... Make real connections (create a TRIBE).

Connections with people that have done what you intend doing. With people that will motivate you and encourage you to unleash your creativity. With people that will push you to do more.

The fact that the world is big doesn't mean we need everybody to be on our side. We don't need a crowd, what we need is a TRIBE.

What the crowd does is deceive us into believing we are leading a tribe (when we are not). The Crowd bites our dreams and vision each day till we have nothing left. They are cynics that will tell you it is not possible to do what you intend doing (because they have never seen anyone do it).

If you have over a million people  following you across social media platforms and you can only influence the decision of a little over a thousand then you are surrounded by a very big CROWD.

It is difficult filtering out the most important people (a TRIBE) from the CROWD. And it is more difficult cutting the connections we have with them (the crowd), especially when they are our close friends and families.

But it is the sacrifice we must make if we want to create work that matters in the world that we live in.

PS: Talking about tribes I just made new connections with Albert and Fred and I am happy to be a member of their tribe.

Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Build Friendship With Your Clients First #AllanPollett


Four days ago, I interviewed Allan Pollett on my show #AskingWHY via WIGRadio on how to leverage the internet as a connection tool. In the course of the interview, I asked him how someone can go from 0 to 8 in a world where no body really gives a sh*t about you, a world where you need to earn people's trust before they can do business with you (How can you earn the trust of someone that barely knows you)?

What He Said

"Be transparent, honest and generous. Don't try to pitch to your prospective clients first, it doesn't work that way. Be ready to help, be ready to give your all first...."

Let Me Break The Whole Thing Down


•--------->This is YOU
                                                •---------------->This is your market.

In the connection economy (that we are now), your goal is to bring your market to you or go closer to your market I.e you and your market has to be on the same page.

Fine, you have a great product (say you are an artist and you can even paint the whole universe in a minute or better still a writer that is pregnant with great ideas) - you believe you are that awesome. And you have taken time out to do your research and identified your target market (Identifying your target market is very important).

Now the challenge is getting your target market to know you. Because there is no way in the world you will sell to someone that doesn't trust you or your product ( believe that your product can do what you claim it can do).

CHALLENGE: You Need To Earn Their Trust!

WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO:

Most people feel the best way to earn the trust of their target market is through ads. "Let's pump money into some TV ads dammit!"

Let me tell you the hard truth about TV Ads (Ads generally); Advertisement  will give you that awareness you need for your product. It will make noise about your product in places where you did not even imagine, but it can't earn you the trust of your target market. And they are f**king expensive too. (especially for a startup)

Ads cannot be your get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to earning people's trust. Ads only works effectively when (after) you have built that trust.

So How Do We Earn The Trust Of Our Clients

Friendship!

You don't just walk up to a lady (that you like) at the mall and say "hey baby, I am awesomely intelligent and cool.... Let's go to my house and have sex mad fun." You'd be very lucky if she doesn't slap you.

That is what we do when we go for ads first (when we pitch our idea to our clients) without building friendship.

Because they don't know you from anywhere, you have to be generous- you need to let them have a bit of you first. And you have to do it from the bottom of your heart.

You are a great writer (you know you are) that has this amazing book idea, you don't just go ahead and write hoping that your target market will buy. They won't buy because they don't know you neither do they know if you are worth getting advice from.

So instead of writing that book and forcing people to buy through book launches (yeah people still do book launches. Crazy right?) or Ads, Teach people for free first. Start a blog that shares some of those ideas that you have. Help people get more from their lives the way you can. Gradually with consistency, you will build friendship and earn the trust of your market.

You will earn their trust because they now know how credible and awesome you are and they'd be sure to buy whatever you sell to them (and even tell their friends too because they know what you are capable of).

Bonus Point: When you earn trust through friendship and not Ads, your clients will stay with you even in times of troubles. They'd defend you anywhere. Ads (no matter how expensive) can never do that for you.

PS: #AskingWHY is a radio show that inspires people to challenge the status-quo and unleash their creativity in respect to creating work that matters and getting more out of life. It goes on air every Monday 10.30am (GMT+1:00 West Central Africa time) on WIGRadio.

Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

How I Got A Big "NO" From A Prospective Guest On My Radio Show And What You Can Learn From It #SusanPayton

My goal was to have Susan Payton as my guest on my radio show- #AskingWHY next Monday.

She is the founder of egg marketing and communications, an internet marketing firm specializing in content marketing and social media management for software startups. She has written several books and featured on big business blogs such as, Forbes and Small biz trends.

Yes she is that awesome. So I picked up my beat up blackberry (blackberry loyalists still exists) and sent her an email.

Below is the screen shot of the to her.



In my mind I was like "this is sealed... I should make publicity for this interview already."

In about 30 minutes later, she sent this:



At first I was disappointed. But after a couple of hours, I realized that I had messed up big time. And here are few things you could learn from my story.

I Didn't Follow Up!

I scream "follow up this... follow up that" in most of my articles, yet I am the biggest culprit *where are the handcuffs? Someone  needs to be jailed!". Okay Jokes apart, I interviewed Susan Payton three years ago (yes I have been writing for that long) on this blog and I didn't follow up after the interview. I stopped tracking her, I seldom read her articles (like I used to). I stopped sending her tweets on twitter, yet I was expecting a big hug/ a peck on the cheek. Who does that?

Remember the "Aso-Ebi" story I wrote, my story is the exact replicate. (how sad!)

Connecting with people when it comes to creating work that matters is great but it doesn't stop at that. We should undermine the importance of follow-up. There are zillions of people on the internet connecting with each other so it is very easy to forget someone (even the ones that did something very important for you). So the best way to keep a connection alive is by following up.

Maybe when we start seeing the connections we make on the internet as real connections (because they really are) we would treat them like real connections too.

Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Wednesday 2 September 2015

My Beef With The Stereotypical Life

•----------->
This [dot] is where I am.

The second [dot] below is where everyone else is
<------------•

You can see that we are [the same DOT but]  moving in different directions.... That is what happens when you challenge the status-quo. You tend to see things differently and move in the opposite direction.

The Stereotypical Life (Best Case Scenario):

Go to school for years (so you can get a degree), Apply for great jobs, Get a great job. Go back to school for higher qualification (so you can get a better job or promotion where you work). Get married to a beautiful wife/handsome husband and make beautiful kids. Go on Vacation twice every year. Get a house on mortgage. Invest in 401k investment plans and retire when you turn 70. Live for a couple more years and die.

My beef is that the stereotypical life has been around for centuries and it is the reason why many people feel it is the [perfect] way to live. So when someone, especially a young black man like me tells you that the stereotypical life is BS, they'd tag you as crazy (some will even fight you and call you names).

I just feel [know] there is more to life than living the stereotypical life. We can do more and use our unique gifts to create excellent work that will make the world better than it already is.

Call me crazy or Odd... Maybe I am. My mission on earth is to be odd and not to fit in. And if it takes challenging the status-quo to do that, so be it.

PS: Join me every Monday (10.30am) via WigRadio as I discuss issues that challenges the status quo on #AskingWhy (You may download the wigradio app on your mobile devices or listen via web)


Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Monday 31 August 2015

Why We All Need Side-Chicks


So you have that great idea- that will be the next google... That will make the world stand attention. You draft out a business plan and model, source for investors- Venture capitalists, crowd funding, money rituals family and friends just to make the idea a reality.

You start working on the idea- it became a start-up and eventually a fortune 500 company after ten years. The business is all you've got and a couple of years after that, Boom! It crashed. You lost everything.... You develop an heart attack and died. And the basest thing is that only your family members graced your funeral.

OK maybe that wasn't a real story (or I went too far) but that is what happens when you put all your eggs in one goddamn basket (no matter how expensive or beautiful that basket is).

We all need to have a side-chick (a plan B) in whatever we do - especially if you are an entrepreneur.

No idea is the "bestest." No matter how convinced you are about anything, no matter how much you trust a strategy or model, have a goddamn plan B.

I was 5 chapters into an awesomely controversial book I was writing before my laptop crashed. It crashed without any warning. I trusted the laptop so much that I didn't have a back up.

It hurts when you don't have a back up plan- I have been there, it really hurts. Even the military have backup plans (side chicks).

Having a backup plan is very important. It saves us from embarrassment. Imagine that you have a very important speaking engagement and everything you need (Power point slides, jottings) is on your IPad. And when you mount the podium to speak, it refuses to come on. How would you feel?

Having a backup plan doesn't mean you do not believe in your dreams, you might not even make use the plan B at the end of the day but it is goddamn important you have one.

PS: I am not in any way encouraging/promoting promiscuity. You are completely on your own when you have a side-chick in a relationship.

Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

How Much Are You Worth?


When the idea to write this article came, I was very angry. And like I used to do when I get ideas, I wanted to put it to writing at that instant.But I somehow chilled. i don't know how, but i did.

This Was The Reason For My Anger:

Last month, two business blogs sent me couple of emails on how they want me to contribute on their blog... For FREE. I replied to tell them I wasn't interested in the offer.

Two weeks ago, another one(blog) contacted me, still on the same terms and conditions... "Write for FREE". They even still had the guts to tell me that my content has to be exclusive to their blog.

I know I am not making sense yet with this article, just chill (like I did) and read on.

If I got those emails three years ago, I would scream for joy! In 2012 I was literally rolling on the floor, begging blogs to write for free and many declined my request. I needed to write for free so I could get people (traffic) on my blog and improve on my writing skills.

I wrote for a few and my style of writing has improved. In fact, I created my own style of writing *scratch that* and now have a tribe I lead *adjusts crown*.

I am not Seth Godin or Tim Ferris, but I can not write for free for any blog if it is not on my terms. I am not looking to increase my (or my blog's) popularity neither am I looking for avenues to increase my writing skills.

Here Is My fucking Reason 

I may not be as popular as Robert Kiyosaki or Seth Godin (I have mentioned Seth's name twice. He is that awesome) but I know my self worth. I know how much I am worth. I am already writing for free on my own blog (which is very hard especially when you are sharing quality content).

I have a lot of projects I am working on- my radio show, my book, speaking engagements, my blog, 3 start-ups. If I would have to write for even the New York times, I'd definitely have to make certain sacrifices. So writing for free is out of it (except if it has to be on my own terms).

Letting people know your self worth doesn't portray arrogance or pride. It is just a way of letting people know the level of shit you can take.

How long are you going to keep working for FREE all in the name of self development? There is no standard for self development. We learn and grow everyday.

Set high standards for yourself and don't sell yourself cheap.

How much are you worth? If you don't have the answer to that question (or if your answer is I'm always available... For FREE) then you need serious help.

PS: If you need marketing ideas for your startup or small business (how to get more and reach more people), I am offering FREE consultation for the first 15 people that sends me an email: sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

#AbioyeSpeaks: BABA WAKEUP: IS SHE A BUILDER OR SPENDER? Pt1


Proverbs 14:1

"Every wise woman buildeth her house...."

Why not sit back, know the qualities before trekking the streets of Lagos in the name of "whosoever findeth"

What are the main qualities to look forward to in a woman?

We have to consider the issue of women or rather wives. On the contrary, I didn't have to move round Surulere to write this article. I just looked deep into the bible. You see that's the beautiful thing about the bible. It's so funny we have an encyclopedia of all life questions answered to detail, but we just toss it around and leave to a Sunday-Sunday affair whilst we listen to the opinion of men setting them as our standard.

She must be slim, curvy, have a British accent, natural hair, cook jollof well (lool!)...the list continues. I think this is the reason why so many ladies are seriously working out. But who would marry the fat ones?...that's a topic for another day.

You see, women differ and God designed them to be help mates. Therefore we could infer that God designed all women to be help mates...In short all to have a husband sort of. Therefore, there's surely more to a helper than the curves and jollof. This qualities are deep and to be cultivated.

Looking at this scripture, it gives us the wisdom of caution in choosing and also helps us (especially for those already courting) to know whether you are with the right lady.


If during dating/courtship, all she does is spend, spend, spend...from iPhone to BB classic to all sorts and she never for once talks about the future...Mehn rethink oooooo!

She never  encourages you to dream big, instead she makes huge withdrawals; emotionally and financially. Baba wakeup!!


You can easily infer two things concerning her attitude from today's scripture.
1) She is not wise
2) Obviously she's foolish


Let me add an unconscious third..Guy, the difference between you and an automated teller machine is slim..very slim..

Someone would say, this is so basic, everyone knows this...Alright, how come many are still victims?
Get my point, I am not saying the physical qualities are bad; in fact that fosters attraction. My point is simple: 

"MARRY A BALANCED LADY"


The divorce rate is getting higher, together we can stop this by implementing simple steps starting from dating.

Someone would also say..how does a futuristic girlfriend (who spends reasonably) tie up with prudence?
The bible verse below answers your question

"The wise in heart shall be called prudent..."

She can't be wise and not be prudent. Simply put, the symbol of wisdom is prudence. I mean with time, money,
resources.

I'd pick it up from here next time..till then, THINK ooooo...before you enter and begin to say "It's better for man to be alone". Hereby, avoiding stories that touch! Run for your life!!!!


Abioye is a spirit filled christian writer and a mechanical engineer. He is skilled in writing articles pertaining to learning and the christian faith as revealed from the scriptures. He currently works at Oando Gas and Power and he can be reached via aabioye13@yahoo.com and +2348126317529 for speaking engagements.

PS: If you are pregnant with ideas and you are interested in sharing them here, shoot me an email on sadiqdaniel@gmail.com or DM on twitter @SadiqSpeaks

What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do [Setting Priorities]


It is true that we can't manage time. We can only manage what we do in respect of time. So from the time management books we have read or classes we have attended, we have been told to filter our goals, do the right thing at the right time A.K.A set priorities.

It is very easy to filter the bad stuff from the good ones or the wrong stuff from the right ones. But the real problem is picking the most important stuff in the midst of very good stuff. Yes, that's the real problem we face when it comes to setting priorities.

There are so many "good" opportunities (thanks to the advent of technology) flying around and they are so sexy that their sexiness confuses us- knowing that we can only pick some and leave the rest.

We do not want to make the wrong choices but we don't know how to make the right ones.

A couple of months ago, a friend called me and told me about a great business idea he was working on and how he wants me to be part of it. He told me about the business, sent me the business plan and business model and it was something I really dig.

But at the time, I had some other stuff I was working on- my blog, speaking engagements, my book and two other startups. I was confused!

This idea might eventually turn out to be the next Google or Facebook and I don't want to have any regrets when that happens.

In that confused state, I stumbled on Ash Ambrige's article on setting priorities. (I really can't find the article. She recently did some sort of magic on her blog that makes it hard for me to search for the article)

The article made me understand certain things when it comes to setting priorities which I am going to share with you guys.

The 10-Year Formula

The first thing is to write down all those opportunities on a piece of paper (very important). Then you'd look at each opportunity and ask yourself if you see yourself doing that thing in the next ten years. Close your eyes and try to imagine yourself doing it in the next ten years.

You should be able to filter out a few opportunities using this formula

Will You Marry Me?

Don't worry, I'm not proposing to you (maybe I am lol). I have used the "Will you marry me?" Formula a lot of times and it has worked.

Before you  get married to someone (or even propose), it means you trust the person and you believe in the person. He/she understands your dreams and vision.

That's the same question you must ask those opportunities. Do they mirror your goals and dreams? Will they bring you closer or draw you apart from the person you intend becoming in life? Will they connect you with the right people?

Do It Now!

After filtering out the most important stuff, Do them first. Let them be the first thing you do every morning. Take them seriously, show them love and start working on them. Write that book now, Set up that meet with your clients now, Talk to that investor now. Just do it now!

There is no point going through the stress of filtering out the most important stuff when you are not going to do it 
now.

Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com

Thursday 20 August 2015

The Day I Choked And Almost Sh*t In My Pant

My first (official) public speaking engagement was at a secondary school in Lagos, to an audience of about 200 students. Prior to that day, I had crammed my speech, rehearsed in front of the mirror, prayed and fasted (okay, I didn't fast... but i prayed).

I got to the school, ready to do magic even though I had never done any magic in public speaking before, safe for some impromptu speeches and debates (e.g Boys are better than Girls) I aced in secondary school.

So *clears throat* I was led to the school hall by the principal (she had told her staffs how awesome I am...blah blah blah) and the students were waiting patiently to devour me. There weren't smiling at all, but I wasn't going to let that shake me.

I mounted the podium, grabbed the mic and said "Hi" and that was it! I couldn't say any other word after that. I choked. I just wanted the ground to swallow me or Boko-Haram to bomb the place (okay maybe not, but i just wanted something that will shift all attention away from me).

All the techniques I learnt in Dale Carnegie's book couldn't come to my rescue. I was supposed to talk for 45 mins and here I was, 15 mins into my supposed "magical speech" about to sh*t in my pants.

Flash forwards to this moment; I am not only the craziest man alive, I am also bold and can sell anything to anyone. I have delivered speeches in front of over 500 persons- I am not there yet I know, but I am going to brag about it anyways. I teach about 13-15 teenagers every weekend self-development and creativity. And I also have my own radio show I host every Monday (10.30am-11am) on WigRadio
sadiq daniel
#AskinWHY on WIGradio

sadiq speaks
#TuesdayNiteSlam on Ekofm

I got from the person that almost sh*t in his pants to a guy that can stand in the midst of any audience (I am that sure of myself) to sell anything because I didn't quit on my dream to become the craziest public speaker that ever happened to Africa.

We all have that moment in our lives where everything seems not to go as planned. That moment when you doubt yourself and your talents. That moment when you just want to give up on your dreams. That moment where you just choke and almost shit in your pants.

But it is just a moment. A moment  that will pass. A moment that we pass if we embrace our fears and remain persistent.

Embrace your fears...Make mistakes...Learn from them and Make better ones.
It is just a phase you are going through- the choking phase. Your choking phase may be raising funds for your new business, it might be frustration from your boss at work, it might be writing a book when you have a family to cater for at the same time.

Whatever your choking phase may be, stay calm, remain persistent and keep creating work that matters. Do not give up on your dreams. I repeat, Do not give up on your dreams!

Sadiq Daniel is a  Serial Entrepreneur and Teens Coach that blogs on business, Self- development, Life lessons and Ideas that challenges the status quo... You can pursue him for a speaking engagements on Twitter: @sadiqspeaks LinkedIn: Sadiq Daniel and Email:Sadiqdaniel@gmail.com