Wednesday, 30 October 2019

THE POWER OF ONE ENTREPRENEUR


“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.

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it's only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we can fear less” (Marie Curie)
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. 

“Manufacture, don't just trade. There is money in manufacturing even though it is capital intensive. To achieve a big breakthrough, I had to start manufacturing the same products I was trading on; which is commodities” (Aliko Dangote)

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.
“A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts” (Richard Branson) 

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.
“Once you decide to work for yourself, younever go back to work for somebody else” (Alan Sugar)

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


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.

#LEAD #ECC #Career #Employability #Intrapreneurship #Entrepreneurship


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