“If we did all the things we are
capable of, we would literally astonish ourselves” (Thomas Edison)
Years of research shows what you
believe in and work towards will ultimately become your reality so push
yourself and attain your career dreams. These people did; Thomas A. Edison was dubbed
‘too stupid to learn’ by a teacher which led to some home-schooling. Eventually,
Edison emerged of one of the greatest inventors of the century with the light
bulb, and founder of the Edison Electric Light Company which merged to become
the American Multinational General Electric (GE) which transcended generations
to be worth an estimated over $280billion. GE operates across sectors including
power, oil and gas, renewal energy, energy connections, aviation, healthcare,
transportation, capital, and digital.
“When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you
will command the attention of the world” (George Washington Carver)
Marie Sklodowska Curie was told in
the 1800’s that only men could become scientist. She persisted becoming the
only person in history to eventually win two Noble Prizes in two sciences, that
is, in both Physics and Chemistry.
Industrialist Aliko Dangote worth an
estimated $12.7billion rose in business to become one of the wealthiest persons
in the world through trading and manufacturing. The Dangote Group, one of
Africa's most diversified conglomerates, continues to grow after building the
largest sugar refinery, single largest cement plant, and are constructing one
of the largest oil refineries in the world in Lagos proposed to start operating
from 2019. Thus, as the founder and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote
the current richest man in Africa operates businesses across nations and the
African continent (Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Togo, and
Zambia etc.). Dangote said to be very humble learnt trade vicariously through
observing generations of family entrepreneurs, additional to building early
business interests from scratch. While in primary school he bought and sold
sweets to earn money. Dangote graduated with a business studies degree from
Al-Azhar University, Cairo, and started a small firm in 1978 trading in rice,
sugar and cement, before venturing into full-scale manufacturing. The Dangote
Group over the years grew exponentially to become Africa’s most diversified
business conglomerate and the highest employer of labour in Nigeria and West
Africa. This multi-billion-dollar company focuses on the essentials of food,
shelter, construction, transport such as cement, sugar, salt, flour, pasta,
noodle, poly products, port logistics, real estate and the Aliko Dangote
foundation addressing the leader’s philanthropy. The Dangote Group in
continuous diversification acquired Shell’s gas processing company in the
Netherlands, worked on completing a cement plant in Nepal while building the
largest oil refinery in the world in Lagos. Dangote primarily invests where he
earns and is the largest employer in Africa.
Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group worth an
estimated $5.1 billion, began his business at age 16 with a start-up capital of
about £300. Branson founded a student magazine and a record business operating
from a church. He later started a record shop in Oxford Street in 1971, and its
earnings created Virgin records in 1972 signing up unconventional acts. After
strings of successes and growth, the Virgin label was sold in 1992 to EMI for
£500 million to rescue the airline business. Branson is said to have wept after
the sale because the record business was the start of the Virgin empire. Virgin
grew to include the following; Virgin Atlantic Airways commenced in 1984,
Virgin Mobile in 1999, Virgin Australia in 2000, Virgin Media, Virgin Nigeria,
Virgin Cola, Virgin Vodka, Virgin Health Bank, Virgin Comics, Virgin Express,
Virgin Money, Virgin Trains, Virgin Galactic.
Alan Sugar from Hackney, London grew up in a poor housing estate
the youngest of four children. He left school at 16 years and worked briefly in
the civil service before deciding to start his own business at 21 years selling
electrical goods from the back of a van. Lord Sugar worth an estimated £1.4
billion specialised in property and technology after growing Amstrad which
started in 1968 with a start-up capital of about £100 selling products like
aerials, car radios, hi-fi systems, and lighters. After succeeding in
technology, the diversification into property made a big difference. Lord Sugar
advises entrepreneurs to engage in businesses they are passionate about, have
fun, then invest in property to make real money.
George Washington Carver became one
of the most distinguished agriculturalists and accomplished African-Americans.
The widely recognised botanist and inventor Carver encouraged peanut and sweet
potato farming, including legumes, cowpeas and so on. Carver exhibited about
145 peanut products, and by 1932 it was acknowledged his research and
approaches were solely responsible for the rise in U.S peanut production after
the cotton devastation. Carver taught all, especially poor farmers how to successfully
grow their own alternative crops for food, including as raw materials for
products that could be processed to improve their quality of life. Carver
encouraged food self-sufficiency through techniques of crop rotation to
replenish farm soil, his methods restored nitrogen to enrich the soil for
crops.
“Learn to do common things uncommonly well; we must always keep
in mind that anything that helps fill the dinner pail is valuable” (GeorgeWashington Carver)
J. K Rowling the British novelist, screenwriter and film
producer known for the Harry Potter fantasy series. The fantasy book took about
seven years to write from idea to the first book. It became a best-selling
series in history creating one of the richest women in Britain with an
estimated £650 million. Rowling was a former researcher who experienced
relative poverty unable to afford an average standard of living. Hence, with
the success of the Harry Potter book series, she went from living on state
benefits to becoming a multimillionaire, and one of the richest women in the
United Kingdom. The Harry Potter manuscript was rejected by twelve publishers
before an advance of £1, 500 by Bloomsbury to write Harry Potter and the
Philosophers Stone in 1995. The publishing company felt there would be little
commercial success in children's books and advised Rowling to get a day job.
However, she persisted and continued receiving a £8, 000 grant from the
Scottish Arts Council to enable writing. Rowling’s background included being
passionate about writing, and as a child would write and read out fantasy
stories to her sister. Rowling graduated with a BA in English and
Classics.
“We do not need
magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside
ourselves already” (J. K Rowling)
Madam C. J. Walker became a
commission sales agent working for Annie Turnbo Malone. Walker subsequently
developed her own products and commenced selling original hair care products
door-to-door expanding massively and manufacturing to become a self-made businessperson
and one of the first well-known female millionaires in America.
Proportionately, Madam C. J. Walker’s trainer and mentor, Annie Turnbo Malone
an African-American millionaire, chemist, inventor, entrepreneur, educator,
philanthropist, and founder of the Poro College cosmetics firm operated in over
30 U.S cities. Malone owned a complete city block in Chicago and graduated over
75, 000 entrepreneurs including Chuck Berry, the inventor of rock and roll
music.
“I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods
and preparations. I have built my factory on my own ground” (Madame C.J. Walker)
Kyle Maynard was born without limbs
(hands and legs) but became a competitive wrestler, an author, and an
inspiration to many. According to Maynard, ‘There’s an ultimate plan for your
life and there should be no excuses, you will get there as long as you don’t
let obstacles stop YOU”.
Our resources below teach some fundamental entrepreneurship and job skills.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOKS by Dr Beem Beeka & Doo Beeka @Amazon
2. How to Start Your Own Business: Entrepreneurship Career Edition 2 (Entrepreneurship Career Startup Edition Book 1)
3. Mu Koyi Sana’a (Hausa
Entrepreneurship Book)
4. The Entrepreneurs Tool kit. The African Business Roundtable (ABR).
5. A Practical Guide: How to Start and Grow Your Own Business.
6. Effective Ways to Know, Manage or Motivate your Team to Attain High
Profitability. UK
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DOCTORATE THESIS
7. Beeka, B. H (2015)
Entrepreneurship as a Viable Career Choice for Nigerian Youth. Sheffield
Business School, Sheffield Hallam University Doctor of Philosophy
Thesis.
JOURNALS
SHEFFIELD DOCTORAL CONFERENCE: WON BEST PAPER
10. Beeka, B. (2011) Entrepreneurship as a career choice: Opportunity recognition model from an emerging economy. In Lee, B and Palmer, N.J (Eds) Sheffield Doctoral Conference Proceedings, pp. 19-36. Sheffield: The University of Sheffield Management School Research Office.
Note: Stories and networth estimates done years back, self-research to update. Thanks.
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