BASOLA VICTOR INCORPORATED

CALL FOR TESTIMONIAL FOR www.basolavictor.com

2009-03-16T09:30:00.001-07:00

Good Day,

Please i need your help. I am Building my Official Site www.basolavictor.com and i need TESTIMONIALS from Mentors,
Partners, and Friends that i respect and that i know believes in BASOLA VICTOR as a Global Brand.

Please send me your 3-4 lines Comments and Testimonials on BASOLA VICTOR including your company name and position TO bashconcepts@yahoo.com or to 234-703-5121-346 on or before Thursday this week so that I can upload by Friday.

Thanks as you help in Building the BASOLA VICTOR Brand.

Basola A. Victor

Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO)

BASH Concepts International

CALL FOR TESTIMONIAL FOR www.basolavictor.com

2009-03-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Good Day,

Please i need your help. I am Building my Official Site www.basolavictor.com and i need TESTIMONIALS from Mentors, Partners, and Friends that i respect and that i know believes in BASOLA VICTOR as a Global Brand.

Please send me your 3-4 lines Comments and Testimonials on BASOLA VICTOR including your company name and position on or before Thursday this week so that I can upload over by Friday.

Thanks as you help in Building the BASOLA VICTOR Brand.

EASY WAYS TO EARNING MONEY

2009-03-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

EASY WAYS TO EARNING MONEY

Basola A. Victor

There is a very real possibility that everything you and I have been taught about how to earn money is so far from the truth that it’s almost comical. Earning money has nothing to do with age, formal education, gender or geography. It has nothing to do with past experience or your formal years of education or your level of intellect. There are individuals who are functionally illiterate who have become multimillionaires, while there are others who are absolutely brilliant and they are broke. Virtually anyone can be taught how to earn millions of dollars and yet the sad truth is that 97 out of every 100 people are born, live their entire lives, and die without ever learning how to earn money. To perpetuate this ridiculous problem, their ignorance is passed along from one generation to the next.
Our school system has been designed as an environment to enlighten young minds, to replace ignorance with understanding and ultimately improve the quality of life. And though our educational system has obviously been successful in many areas, it has woefully neglected one important subject, ''How to Earn Money.'' A lack of understanding in this area is the cause of numerous unwanted and unnecessary problems, since money is the medium of exchange that is used worldwide for other people’s products and services.
There has always been a small, select group, approximately 3% of our population, who clearly understand that prosperity consciousness is the primary cause of wealth and their prosperity consciousness, like ignorance, is also passed down from one generation to the next.
Let’s look at ''money.'' What is it? Money is a reward you receive for the service you render. The more valuable the service, the greater the reward. Thinking of ways we can be of greater service will not only help us earn more money, it will also enable us to grow intellectually and spiritually.

MONEY IS AN IDEA

The paper you fold and place in your purse or pocket is not money. It is paper with ink on it. It represents money, but it is not money. Money is an idea. The earning of money has nothing to do with the paper stuff, it has to do with consciousness.
To accumulate wealth, a person must become very comfortable with the idea of money. That may sound strange, however most people are not comfortable with the idea of money, which is why they do not have any. The cause of poverty is poverty consciousness. A poverty consciousness will cause a person to see, hear, think and feel ... lack and limitation.

The late Mike Todd said, ''Being broke is a temporary situation. Being poor is a mental state.''

He was correct. There are wealthy people who lose every cent they have through a series of mistakes in judgment, but that does not make them poor. They will have it all back in a short time because of their prosperity consciousness.
Many years ago, George Bernard Shaw expressed his thoughts on money. People have such strong views on both of these statements, I purposely use them in my seminars to cause the attendees to think.
It is the duty of every person to be rich.
It is a sin to be poor.
Before you reject these as being ridiculous, let’s analyze them. To fully understand what Shaw was saying, you must have an open mind. There is a law that states everything is moving, absolutely nothing rests. You are either moving ahead in life or going in reverse ... growing or dying ... creating or disintegrating, becoming richer or poorer.
There is another law to which people often refer in many different ways ... Karmic Law ... Sowing and Reaping ... Cause and Effect ... Action, Re-Action. How you refer to this law is of little importance relative to your understanding of how it works.
The thoughts, feelings, and actions that you express in life are seeds that you sow. The conditions, circumstances and things that come into your life are the harvest you reap as a RESULT of the seeds that you sow. For a moment, store this information in the back of your mind while we investigate the deeper understanding of the words SIN and MONEY.
Sin is ... transgression of the law. Violating the law is a sin and, in truth, the price of sin is death. That does not mean your heart will stop beating, but it does mean you will regress. I previously mentioned there is a law that states you will either create or disintegrate, you will grow or die. When you attempt to ''get'' without giving, you are trying to reap the harvest without sowing the seeds, and it will not work.
Now let’s look at ''money.'' What is it? Money is a reward you receive for the service you render; the more valuable the service, the greater the reward. Attempting to ''get'' money without providing service is also a violation of the law.
Shaw believed you and I are here to serve one another. Thinking of ways we can be of greater service will enable us to grow intellectually and spiritually. It is our duty to serve and money is a reward we receive for that service. If a person has received their money in an unlawful manner - by law, they must pay the price; you reap what you sow.
In light of the laws that govern our universe, what Shaw said is correct. However, if a person is not consciously thinking, Shaw’s statements would appear very callous, even ridiculous. Personally, I believe Shaw made those statements the way he did, to provoke people to think.
Quite simply, what Shaw was emphasizing was the importance of our own responsibility in the quest for abundance. Abundance is something we magnetize ourselves to ... we draw it into our lives ... in every aspect our lives. Business associates, friends, everything we want will come into our life by law, not luck. You are either attracting or repelling good. It is your own consciousness that ultimately determines your results.
''Money is in consciousness and it must be earned.'' If you want to improve your financial position in life, focus your attention on creating a higher level of prosperity consciousness. Begin by preparing a powerful, positive affirmation and fuel it with emotion. When you do this, you are depositing this creative energy in the treasury of your subconscious mind. And, by repeating this process over and over and over again every day, it will begin to alter your conditioning and mentally move you in the direction you want to go. Write it out, read it, feel it, and let it take hold of your mind.
How much money do you want? Saying you want more is not good enough. Five dollars is more. How much more? Decide on a figure. Be specific. You will not seriously want more money than you are capable of earning ... however, you would be wise to remember, you must earn it.

THERE ARE THREE INCOME EARNING STRATEGIES

Trading time for money – By far the worst of the three income earning strategies, it is employed by approximately 96% of our population – doctors, lawyers, accountants, laborers, etc. There is an inherent problem with this strategy – saturation. You run out of time. If a person accumulates any degree of wealth employing this strategy, it will be at the expense of a life. They compromise on the car they drive, the house they live in, the clothes they choose and the vacations they take. They rarely, if ever, get what they want.
Investing money to earn money – This strategy is used by approximately 3% of the population. The number is small for the obvious reason – very few people have any money to invest. Many people who effectively employ this strategy follow the advice of a trusted, knowledgeable advisor.
Leveraging yourself to earn money – This is where you multiply your time through the efforts of others by setting up Multiple Sources of Income (MSIs). This is, without question, the very best way to increase your income. Make a decision to have many sources of income; it’s the strategy that wealthy people have used dating clear back to the ancient Babylonians. Unfortunately, this strategy is only used by approximately 1% of our population, yet that 1% earns approximately 96% of all the money that is earned! You are only a decision away from membership.
Once you determine how much money you want to earn, write it down on a sheet of paper in large figures. Look at the number with the dollar sign beside it and tell yourself over and over again:

THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS AN EFFECT. IT REPRESENTS A REWARD THAT I WANT TO RECEIVE. WHAT SERVICE CAN I RENDER THAT WOULD BE DESERVING OF THAT REWARD?

Take the total figure and divide it into multiple parts. Let each part represent a source of income. Each source of income represents a separate reward that you would receive for a service you would render. Work on one source of income at a time; each one can become an exciting part of your life.
Think of how you can do whatever you do – more effectively.
Think of how you can improve the quality and quantity of service you render.
Think of how you can help people in a greater way.
Money is a servant; the more you earn, the more you can help others.

Keys to Becoming a Successful Consultant

2009-02-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

Keys to Becoming a Successful Consultant

With deference to Dr. Covey and his very popular Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (all habits that will make us better consultants!), here are eight skills that all of us as consultants can work on to improve.

This article will start with three overarching skills, then describe five more specific skills to consider in your ongoing development.One way to look at your total skill set as a consultant (internal or external), is to consider your relative strengths in the three major portions of our work: designing "it", delivering "it", and selling "it".

These three skills represent the complete package for a consultant, regardless of what your expertise (your "it") is.

The Complete Package:Designing "It"

This is our technical expertise. This is the "stuff" we learn in classes and through experience and practice. It is the front end of our work in most cases. While we cannot underestimate the importance of these skills (and the need to continue to upgrade them), we also can't be content if these skills are top-notch. They are not enough.Delivering "It"This is the other mega-skill that many of us are very comfortable with. Once we've designed our "product", we have to be able to deliver it. This is the skill set that is often most evident to our clients, or is what we tell people we do when they ask us our profession. Again, this skill set is critical, but alone it isn't enough.Selling "It" This skill, in my experience, is the one most often in need of improvement. While many books have been written about this skill set, there is one key, which by itself will improve your success in selling your work. If you will always focus on client/customer benefits, rather than product/process features, you will improve your success immediately. Features are components of your product or service.

Examples include:
Size
Length
Speed
Number of modules
Your Experience

People don't buy features they buy benefits. All of us know this at some level, but seldom focus on turning the important features of our offerings into true benefits. To assume that your client/customer will figure out the benefit, is to lower your chance of selling your potential product or idea.Some Specific Skills to Consider:ContractingThis is another skill that requires a book to discuss well and which requires planning and practice to improve. Getting clear agreements with clients up front about what the work is, what the desired outcomes are, and what your role is, is what contracting is all about.

Relationship Building:

Building relationships are important in all three of the major skill areas. In designing, you need to build relationships in order to gain the organizational information you need to design effectively. In delivering you need to be able to have good relationships with those involved, to lead to a more successful outcome. In selling, it's important to remember that selling is a relationship process. People buy other people and believe in their ability to deliver.Having a focus on relationships is more than building rapport, which can happen quite rapidly. Building relationships is long term focused and requires considerable commitment.Warning: Building relationships with individuals is important, but recognize that if your focus is on only one person in an organization, when they are gone (get promoted, get a new job, are downsized out, or whatever) you have lost your leverage to help the organization. So, remember to build a network of relationships within your client organizations.

Separating Process from Content

It is so important to maintain perspective while in the client organization. Clients will focus on the content (of a meeting, the product, the outputs from your study, or whatever), but if the process matters aren't attended to, outcomes can be compromised.Working on your ability to step back and recognize what is happening at the group dynamics and interpersonal level will improve your success. Clients don't always know that they need this, but they will almost always recognize that you "did something" to make things go better when you can point to, and improve the process, while sharing the content of your work. This skill is often the key to additional work or referrals.Socratic QuestioningSocrates is immortalized at least in part for his teaching approach of asking a line of questions that leads the student to discover answers for themselves. When you clients discover answers to their problems, rather than simply hear them from you, they will own the answers. Their ability to hold onto the concepts, apply them, and improve their situation will skyrocket. Improving your ability to help them discover (through the use of Socratic questioning), is a critical, though often overlooked skill. Using more questions will cause you to lose the feeling of power that you are providing the "right" answer. But the client gains far more than you lose. While you may feel like you are losing emotionally, you win with the client, and probably strengthen your relationship with them too.Saying "No!"Most of us need to improve our ability to say this. Of course we can physically say it, (OK, just for practice, say it three times right now - out loud!) but we all know we don't always say it when we wish we had!Improving your judgment on when to use this word will help you in three important ways, time management, happiness level, and client success.Time ManagementMany of your time management problems stem from trying to do too much. When people (clients, peers, anyone) ask you to do something that you don't feel you are best suited for, or don't really want to do, use your word!Happiness LevelWhen we focus our energy on the things we really want to or need to be doing (rather than just the things people ask us to do or we feel we should do), we will be happier! Say it to help you preserve and honor your priorities.Client SuccessThere are times that a client may ask you for something ("We just need this [you fill in the blank]") that you know, or strongly believe is the wrong thing. These are the times to step back and be genuine. Help them understand your perspective, and focus them on the outcome, not the suggested solution. In these cases, you might not be saying "no", exactly, but it is what you really mean!If you feel a team is ready for such a discussion, pull out this list of attributes and have a team discussion on how well people feel their team is doing on each of these dimensions, the discussion can be enlightening and help the team move its performance to even higher levels.

Till we meet again, go be the solutions to your world.

Basola A. Victor
Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO)
BASH Concepts International
Warri, Nigeria
+234-703-5121-346

Seven Formulas For Business Success

2009-02-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

Seven Formulas For Business Success

By: Basola A. Victor

Visualize Your Goals

There are seven formulas for business success. Number one, set a specific goal and visualize it as a reality. Play the picture of your goal as already realized on the screen of your mind over and over again.

Number two, look for a problem you can solve with a product or service that is high quality and good value. All successful businesses are based on products or services that are high quality and good value. Number three, start small and learn your business thoroughly. Be patient.

Invest time rather than a lot of money.Bootstrap Your Way To SuccessOne of the best ways to build a business is to start off on a bootstrap. This means that you start off with very little mo ney and you grow your business with the mo ney that you ear n in the business, rather than outside financing, borr owing, l oans from friends and so on.

Test, Test, TestNumber four, test every major move before you invest in it. Test, test, test. Don't plunge into a business. Move ahead carefully, one step at a time.

Number five, expand on the basis of your successes, out of your profits, as you move along. In other words, only expand your business on mo ney that you've earned in the business, not on borrowed capital.

Pick Your People CarefullyNumber

six, carefully select the people to help you expand and grow. The biggest mistakes you'll ever make will be in picking the wrong people to work with, so be very, very careful in picking the people you're going to work with in your business.Use Fin ancial LeverageAnd number seven, use fin ancial leverage. Fin ancial leverage is business borr owing, lines of cre dit from the bank, which are based on the cas h flow from your successful business. The whole aim of starting a business is to develop a consistent, predictable source of cas h flow in excess of cost and expenses and then to hold to the mo ney. Banks will lend you all the mo ney that you can service as deb t with your cas h flow.Start Off Part TimeOne final thing that you can do, and I've recommended that many people do this over the years, is if you're starting off with no mo ney, go to work part-time for a business in a field that interests you. It's a great form of on-the-job training. Work evenings or work week ends. Or work on your holidays if you like. Sometimes a business that looks big from the outside will look terrible once you start working for it. But sometimes when you start working for a business, you start to get a great understanding of how it works and you get insights on how you can improve it.Learn What You Need To LearnRemember this, though, most businesses fail because of manager incompetence. So take the time to learn what you need to know to succeed. Be patient. The time you invest before you start will pay off over and over again in the months and years ahead.Action Ex ercisesHere are two things you can do immediately to implement these formulas for business success: First, be prepared. The number one reason that people succeed in starting their own businesses is that they have the knowledge and experience, in advance that they need to succeed. Do your homework. Second, start small. Some people think that they can be successful faster by putting all their money up front at the very beginning. The opposite is true. Start small and grow out of your cas h flow from successful operations.

Till we meet again, go be the solutions to your world.

Basola A. Victor

Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO)

BASH Concepts International

Warri, Nigeria

+234-703-5121-346

Starting and Marketing Your Consulting Firm, (Basola A. Victor )

2009-02-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

Starting and Marketing Your Consulting Firm

If you are just launching a consulting practice, thinking of doing so, or have been in business for a while but client projects are stagnant, it pays to evaluate your chosen approaches to practice management and consider less orthodox strategies so as to ramp things up. Even in slow times, there are many methods for insuring consulting success and keeping you profitable while your competition struggles to pay the bills. The way you answer four questions in particular could spell the difference between mediocre business flow and stunning success.

Question #1: What Business Are You In?

Defining your market niche and value proposition ("value prop") is essential for great consulting success. You must not look like everybody else; you must find a way to emphasize a value-added. As an actuarial, to simply proclaim that you offer "accuracy" may not be enough, as that benefit is likely the minimum expected from all our clients.
Focusing on the insurance industry, Maria Thomson FSA, MAAA (Thomson Management Solutions) provides guidance on streamlining and speeding up the underwriting process, an obviously potential competitive advantage for those insurers who make a commitment to learn how. Other value props might be such simple value-addeds as "fast service" or "personal service" or "deep experience with problems in YOUR industry."
Choosing the right value prop will affect your company image, making you more attractive than your competitors who merely offer "accuracy" or imply no special extra value at all. My plumber runs an ad in my local paper which states "I want to be your family's plumber!" That simple commitment held great appeal for me, declaring that my household would be taken care of whenever a toilet overflowed, not forgotten or told to "Wait until Monday."
The other piece about company image is how you project your value. Are you the usual charge-by-the-hour variety or are you, instead, worth something more? To attain the latter, consider a value-based system of billing. This may mean a retainer arrangement or perhaps payment by-the-project. The benefit to this could be reaping more profit overall as well as instilling client loyalty second to none. Of course, this approach also demands your clients indeed view your value as dwelling on a higher plane than your run-of-the-mill competitors. Achieving that of course brings back again to your selection of value-prop and value-added. Recommended reading: Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss (McGraw-Hill).

Question #2: How Have You Organized Your Practice?

Getting organized in a way that prevents your getting distracted from what should be your priorities, i.e., client projects, prospecting, keeping up with trends and new professional knowledge. You should blend your work and family life in such a way that your practice is not your life! In this regard, consider these points:

Get and update technological tools:

Do you have a powerful desktop, laptop, needed software, cell phone, PDA, fax machine, DSL etc.? You will know best which tools are most useful for you, but be sire to invest in them as best you can and keep them up-to-date.
Arrange an office: Whether inside or outside your home, set up a specific office space so that you can be psychologically in tune with your work. If you plan to see clients in your office, an outside office makes sense but if you always travel to your clients' sites, it's OK to have your office in your home.

See time as an ally: Time management is the real killer but nonetheless a beast that can be contained. One strategy is to see time as an ally not an enemy. As Duke Ellington once said, "I don't need more time; I need a deadline!" See your looming #1 priorities, recognized typically by their due dates, as little voices designed to nudge you along toward completion of your most urgent projects. Can certain phone calls, emails, lunch meetings be postponed for a few hours or a few days? Usually the answer is yes, so do so and get on with those tasks that simply MUST be done.

Question #3: Do You Stand Out from the Crowd?

Once you have defined and honed your value prop, and organized your practice it's time to spread the good news about what you have to offer. Traditionally, a good brochure with a logo and company name are the first steps, as well as at least a modest website. Since consulting is such a people business, my personal bias is to forgo the bells and whistles of jazzy, dazzling websites and overblown four-color brochures in favor of materials more simplified.
A website with 8-10 pages that explain the essentials (company description and value prop, credentials of you and your team, client testimonials, how to contact you, etc.) should be sufficient to get you launched, and a one or two-page, two-color brochure of similar composition will complete the job.
Your company name can be a reflection of what you do ("Smith Actuarial Services") or simply state your own name ("John Smith & Associates"), and your logo (optional) can be any symbol or graphic you like. I don't think it matters much what you choose because these are merely anchors for people to remember you by. The real key to standing out from the crowd is found in how you position yourself with your target market.

Many consultants wonder if effective means for doing so might involve traditional awareness methods like advertising or cold calls. But as department store magnate John Wannamaker once remarked, "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. I just wish I could identify which half."

And cold calls, though when all is said and done DO work, they usually succeed only after an exceptionally high volume of calls, with the good leads requiring many follow-ups and harder selling jobs than most of us mere mortal consultants would care to endure.
So what marketing approach is truly worth your time, effort and expense? Here's a three-step approach:
Relationship Management - Spend 40% of your rainmaking efforts interacting with real people. Attend events of professional groups populated by your natural market, network with likely prospects you meet there, set up alliances with "influencers," i.e., professionals who would not actually employ you but regularly interact with those who would, remember that relationships mean ongoing contact, so don't forget to find ways to keep reminding your contacts that you're still around (and available for hire!). Recommended reading: Powerskills: Building Top-Minded Relationships for Bottom-Line Results by Jim Masciarelli (Nimbus Press).
Thoughtleading - To truly stand out from the crowd, become a leading thinker in your area. Publish articles or even a book, speak before professional groups (of all kinds), conduct a survey from time to time on a vexing issue in your target industry and publicize the results, develop provocative ideas. Business editors and meeting planners are eager to hear from all of us on topics relevant to their readership or event attendees, so pitch your article ideas and speaking topics on a regular basis and watch yourself emerge as an industry "thought leader." Since few (if any) of your competition will be doing the same, you will rise above the crowd almost by default.

Creative Use of the Internet - Promote your articles, speaking gigs, services, survey results, provocative ideas over the Internet. Send out news releases via such outlets as Business Wire, create an e-list of your contacts and regularly send an e-newsletter and/or short messages, linking all such e-promos to your website. This drives traffic there, increasing your odds for new business.

Question #4: How's Your Attitude?

It's been said many times that the Chinese have the same word/symbol for both "crisis" and "opportunity." With this in mind, such crises as losing clients, slow economic times, industry dilemmas should be viewed as opportunities-in-the-making. The various Enron ethics scandal of the last few years prompted Dan Cassidy FSA, an employee benefits consultant (his value prop), to publish articles in business journals on why Boards of Directors should get directly involved in evaluating the implications of their company's current pension plan, and proposing or monitoring changes (when they occur) to pension plan formulas.
A second point as regards attitude is the matter of cost-cutting, especially in tough times. Most companies cut back their marketing efforts first, or stop investing in knowledge growth. At times when new business needs to be found, promotion and thought leadership represent the most critical areas for you to be sure you keep going! Take care then in what you cut and what you continue to invest in.

Finally, your attitude about what you can achieve and how it will improve your life and personal well-being must remain sharp and brimming with health. Are you taking vacations? Are you spending fun time with your family? Do you still have any friends? Do you read not-financial books or articles, go see deliciously banal movies, get downright wacky every once in a while, letting go your professional cloak?

These sorts of actions are mandatory if you are to keep your perspective in balance, your mind sharp and your energy high. Burnout occurs when we begin feeling we have no control over our work, that each day is yet another endless stream of mind-numbing tasks that others are expecting you to fulfill. Burnout leads to failure, which leads to more burnout, a terrifying loop.
The secret to your consulting success will thus be found in getting away from it on a regular basis and experiencing that non-consulting you. By paying attention to this fifth "bonus" question, all the rest will fall into place and consulting success will be yours, today, tomorrow and throughout each year.

Building a Professional Service Firm

In January of 1998 I left my position as a high school math teacher for Fenton University High School and set out on my own to form a consulting firm, The Coughlin Company, Inc., that would specialize in enhancing the effectiveness of top performing executives. Over the past 38 months I have tried many ideas, failed often, always learned and along the way worked with corporations such as McDonald's Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company, Marriott International, Eli Lilly, IKON Office Solutions, Fenton Cardinals, SBC Communications, Gundaker Realtors and many, many others. What follows are some of the most important concepts I've learned for building a professional services firm from scratch.

STRENGTHEN YOUR INTERNAL FOUNDATION

This is critical to your success. Your internal foundation consists of your self-esteem (the value you see within yourself), self-confidence (your expectation for success), self-discipline (your ability to do what you say you will do), personal integrity (your ability to do what you say is the right thing to do) and personal initiative (your ability to move an idea into action.) These five components are the basis of your long-term success. You must see the value you have within you before you will ever be able to offer value to a customer.

MAXIMIZE CLARITY

Clarity is the ability to see and communicate things clearly. Why does your business exist? How do you deliver value? What value do you deliver? If you were ultimately successfully in your business, what would success look like for you, your customers and their customers? What are your 3 most important priorities? Without clarity, your efforts will go in ten directions and you will become less effective. With clarity, you can drive better results in your highest priorities.

PROVIDE VALUE

Value is anything that increases the chances that another person will achieve what they want to achieve. Your job is to add value. I don't think of myself as a consultant, professional speaker or executive coach. I think of myself as a value adder. All of my marketing is value-based marketing. By that, I mean that every time I interact with another person I want to add value in the form of clear and practical suggestions. This can be done in a conversation, in an e-mail, in an article, in a presentation, in facilitating a meeting, in a written recap and many other ways.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

I don't work with McDonald's, Coca-Cola or Marriott. I work with people who work at these organizations. That is important to keep in mind. The basis of your business is relationships. I'm not talking about someone who buys off your website or contacts you solely through e-mail. I'm talking about real-life relationships with people. And I'm also talking about relationships based on value where you are increasing their chances of achieving better results in their highest priorities. When you come across an idea that would be of value to that person, send it on to them. This could be in the form of an article or a story or an idea that popped into your head. Meet with them for lunch and offer more practical suggestions.

APPLY SYNERGY

Synergy happens when every part of your business supports and promotes every other part of your business. Say, for example, you have an idea that would be of value to your customers and prospects. You could write an article, provide a keynote or workshop or seminar on it, place the article on your website, give the article as a handout at a meeting, insert the idea into a conversation, and connect the idea to several other ideas to make it stronger. If you work in multiple industries, you could take what works well in one industry and apply it to another industry. If you have a testimonial from the vice-president of a major company, you can use that as a credibility builder for another industry. You could get into an organization by speaking on one topic, but then stay around by speaking about several other topics. You can offer value in multiple ways: as a presenter, facilitator, individual coach, telecoaching, coaching via e-mail or voicemail, author of books and videos and audio programs and several other ways. You might get into an organization coaching one person and end up presenting to huge groups of people.

DECIDE ON STRATEGY

Strategies are guidelines that channel all of your activities, decisions and meetings along the same path toward achieving your vision. So what guidelines do you want in place that will channel your efforts toward achieving your vision? The clearer your strategies are, the better your chances are of hitting the mark. For example, my strategies include: strengthen my internal foundation, expand intellectual breadth, build a brand based on a professional image and value-added marketing, hone my craft and master the proposal process. Everything I do fits within those five strategies. What are yours?

BASE FEES ON VALUE

In my opinion, the only consistently fair way to base your fees for both you and the buyer is value-based fees. In other words, the fees have to fit reasonably within the value of the outcomes for the buyer. "Reasonably" means that they are not so high that they are bigger than the value of the outcomes and that they are not so low that you feel the buyer is ripping you off.

IMPROVE EVERY SINGLE DAY

Every day try at least one new idea, one new wrinkle in your program, one new approach to a prospect, one new networking event, one new topic, one new book, one new magazine, and/or one new life experience. It will not take very long to double and triple and quadruple your effectiveness and your fee.

SEARCH FOR OPPORTUNITIES

Essentially, we are in the business of gaining opportunities to deliver value, delivering the goods and charging appropriately. We never know which door will open for us or how big the room will be so we must constantly search for opportunities. Make a list of everyone who thinks well of you. Write four practical articles that would be of value to them on topics you know well and mail those articles to them with a personal note from you. Always add value and then take on the opportunities that you can. You never know who will introduce you to the right person for the opportunity to add value.

HAVE A LIFE

In the end, remember what Stephen King said in his book, On Writing, "Life isn't a support-system for art. It's the other way around." Take 3-4 vacations a year. Reserve your nights for your family and friends. Take time to play and have fun. Laugh a lot. When times seem toughest, go for a walk, get some fresh air and get away from your phone and desk. Always your renewed energy will have a positive impact on your business. Customers want us to be fresh and energized. They expect us to come with solutions, not problems.

Till we meet again, Be the solution to your world.

Basola A. Victor, Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO)

BASH CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL,

Warri, Nigeria

+234-703-5121-346

FIRST RULES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS

2009-01-08T03:37:00.000-08:00

Entrepreneurship is the art of finding profitable solutions to problems. Every successful entrepreneur, every successful businessperson has been a person who has been able to identify a problem and come up with a solution to it before somebody else did.

Here are the five rules for entrepreneurship.

Find A Need And Fill It
First, find a need and fill it. Ross Perot, when he was working for IBM, saw that his customers who were buying IBM computers, needed help in processing their data. He went to IBM with this idea and they said they weren't interested, so he started his own business. He eventually sold it out for $2.8 billion dollars. He found a need and he filled it.

Find A Problem And Solve It
The second rule is to find a problem and solve it. A secretary working for a small company began mixing flour with nail varnish in order to white out the mistakes she was making in her typing. Pretty soon, her friends in the same office asked if she could make some for them. So she began mixing it on her kitchen table. Then, people in other offices started asking for it, and she eventually quit her business and worked full time creating what is today called Liquid Paper. A few years ago, she sold her company to Gillette Corporation for 47 million dollars.Look For SolutionsFind a problem and solve it.
Find a problem that everybody's got and see if you can't come up with a solution for it. Find a way to supply a product or a service better, cheaper, faster or easier.
Clemmons Wilson saw that there was a need for hotels that could accommodate families that were traveling, and he started Holiday Inns. And Holiday Inns has now become one of the most successful hotel chains in the world.

Focus On Your Customer
Here's the key to success in business. Become obsessed with your customer. Fixated on your customer. Think of the customer. Think of what the customer wants, what the customer needs. What the customer will pay for, what the customer's problems are. Thomas J. Watson, Senior, the founder of IBM, taught his people and built his company on this principle.

See yourself as working for the customer. Once you've come up with a product or an idea, then start to invest your time, talent and energy instead of your money, to get started.

The Source of Most Great Fortunes
Remember this, most great fortunes in America were started with an idea and with personal efforts. Most great fortunes were started with the sale of personal services. This is called sweat equity. In other words, instead of cash equity, put in sweat equity. Put in the sweat of your brow to begin your business. You can learn valuable lessons operating on a small scale.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:First, find a need and fill it. Look around you and search for needs that people have for products or services that are not being met. One small idea is enough to start you on the way to business success.Second, find a problem and solve it. Look around you for problems that you or other people have that are not yet being solved. Look for solutions that nobody has thought of and give them a try. One good solution could change the whole direction of your life.

United Nations Headquarters Internship – Summer 2009

2009-01-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

United Nations Headquarters Internship – Summer 2009,

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:

18 Jan 2009 DATE OF ISSUANCE:15 Sep 2008

ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT:

Department of Management

DUTY STATION:
New York

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER:

08-INT-DM-418981-S-NEW YORK

This announcement is for the Summer 2009 Session of the United Nations Headquarters Internship Programme in New York (June - August 2009). There should be no expectation of employment within the UN after an internship. UN interns must have a valid US visa. UN interns are not paid (please disregard the remuneration note below).

RemunerationDepending on professional background, experience and family situation, a competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.More Info

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Responsibilities

The internship is unpaid and full-time, i.e. interns work five days per week (9am - 5pm) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual’s background, the department to which he/she is assigned and the internship period.

Here are some examples: •

Assistance in drafting and preparing official documents

• Attending and summarizing conferences and meetings

• Document, legal and internet research

• Assistance during conferences

• Working on web-presentation

Evaluation of projects

Compiling statistics

• Media analysis

• Speech-writing.

Competencies

The United Nations Core Competencies are

Communication,

Teamwork,

Planning and Organizing,

, Creativity,

Client Orientation

Commitment to Continuous Learning

and Technological Awareness

Communication – ability to draft clearly and concisely, good written and oral language skills;

Teamwork – good interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively with colleagues from different national and cultural backgrounds to achieve organizational goals;

Planning and Organizing - ability to establish priorities, to coordinate one’s own work plan and meet deadlines;

Technological Awareness – good IT skills.

Qualification

EducationTo qualify for the United Nations Headquarters Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met:

1. Applicants are enrolled in a degree programme in a graduate school (second university degree or higher) at the time of application and during the internship; or

2. Applicants pursuing their studies in countries where higher education is not divided into undergraduate and graduate stages must have completed at least four years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a degree.

Work Experience

Applicants are not required to have professional work experience for participation in the programme. However, work experience in relevant areas is an asset.

Languages: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English and/or French is required for the Internship Programme. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an asset. English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations.

Other SkillsApplicants are encouraged to specify up to three main areas, which relate directly to their studies and/or skills and expertise.

Applicants are also encouraged to clearly indicate their preferences and highlight their specific skills and/or experience in their cover note. They are asked to do so carefully in order to enhance the value of the internship for both themselves and the receiving UN department. Applications of students from developing countries, underrepresented or unrepresented countries in the UN are encouraged.

The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, TRAINING OR ANY OTHER FEES). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS.PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

How to apply

All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement. Because applications submitted by United Nations (UN) staff members are considered first, provided the eligibility requirements set out in ST/AI/2006/3 are met and the application is submitted in a timely fashion, staff members should apply within 15-day or 30-day mark. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received.

In such cases, please go to “My UN” page and check the status of your application by clicking on “View Application History”, and resubmit the application, if necessary.
To start the application process, applicants are required to register by opening a "My UN" account. Go to Login, and Register as a User. Fill in the form and choose a User Name and Password.

After opening the account, applicants may apply for vacancies using the Personal History Profile (PHP) provided. Once the PHP has been completed for a particular vacancy, it can be saved and used for future applications. The PHP may be up-dated, when necessary, for future applications.
In completing the PHP, please note that all fields marked with an asterisk must be completed.
UN staff members must submit scanned copies of their two latest Performance Appraisal System (PAS) reports at the time of application to the appropriate Human Resources Office (HRO)/Personnel Office (PO) to the email address below, clearly indicating the vacancy announcement number.

In case you have no access to the digitizing equipment, please submit hard copies of the two latest PAS reposts to the relevant HRO/PO via fax.

E-mail: OHRM_interns@un.org,
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions, if you encounter problems when applying.

GOAL SETTING FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS IN THE YEAR 2009

2009-01-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

GOAL SETTING FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS IN THE YEAR 2009

How time flies, within a twinkle we were shouting and greeting each other "happy new year" amidst joy and happiness that we have crossed over to a brand new year with new hopes and aspirations. There is something about crossing over into a new year; it gives you a feeling of strength and hope that somehow things will be better than it was the previous year.
In as much as we want to reap all the benefits that the New Year will bring, there are congent and important steps we need to take if we want to be strategically positioned for personal and business success in the year 2009 of which Goal setting is vital.
A goal is a dream with a deadline and if you do not have dreams and plans for the New Year, how then can you have a dream come true.

A study of 1953 graduates of a State University clearly demonstrates this point. The graduates were interviewed and asked if they have clear, specific, set and documented goals for life after school. Only 3 percent had such written goals. Twenty years later, the researchers went back and interviewed the surviving members of the 1953 graduating class. They discovered that the three percent with written specific goals were worth more in financial terms than the entire 97% put together who left their destiny to fate. However, the researchers also discovered that the less measurable or more subjective measures such as the level of happiness, fulfillment and joy that the graduates felt also seemed to be superior in the 3% with written goals.

This is the power of goal setting, it helps you to focus and succeed faster. According to John M. Goddard "If you really know what you want in life, it’s amazing how opportunities will come to enable you carry them out"
To strategize and make the most of the New Year in both your personal and Business, you have to;

Decide exactly what you want in every area of your life

Deciding exactly what you want in every area of your life helps you to get focused on your goal and it gives you the necessary spur required for its accomplishment. It even helps you to decide what to pack for your Journey into the year. Deciding what you want will also help you scan your friends, past actions that do not add value, old habits e.t.c and remove extra luggage.
"If you really know what you want in life, its amazing how opportunities will come to enable you carry them out" John Goddard.
Personally, I will like to recommend the following areas where you have to decide exactly what you want for the New Year.

Your Relationship
Our world and how far we will go in life is determined by two things, the people you know and what you know. Of these two things, the former is of utmost importance. Your Network in life is determined by your network. Are there relationships or friendships in the past years that you have left idle or that you have allowed to go sour, do you have colleagues in your office that you have refused to talk to or have anything to do with? Or worse still, is your marital relationship taking a nose dive. You can decide to heal these relationships this New Year. A little text message, call, I miss you note or gift could help water that acquaintance again. Remember, every one that comes your way in life’s journey is somehow linked to either your success or your failure, but amazingly, the choice is yours. If there are strategic alliances that you have to make in order to achieve your goals this year, start making those friendships immediately. Some persons are your dream helpers, find them do not wait for luck or destiny to bring them to you.

Your Finance

Evaluate your self, were you in Debt last year, how did your savings go? Have you been able to instill the saving habit into your self or are you still struggling with it? I believe you do not expect to remain at the same level of income as you were last year. That would be stagnancy. You then have to create more streams of income for yourself and your family. Create your financial goals and start immediately at it.

Your Health
Though you might think very little can be done in this regard but you are getting it wrong. It takes just a little discipline to lose that tire around your middle. You know those things that you are allergic to; please decide to avoid them. Your spirit and your lofty Ideas need your body to succeed. It could be impulse eating, late night eating, excessive drinking, smoking, drinking cold things e.t.c

Your Education
Personally I think this is the most important area of your life where you have to devote more time to this year. Knowledge is what you know that gives you an edge over others. I call it the law of sharpening your axe.

A trader once went to a trade fair to sell his wares and included in his goods an old dusty violin. On getting there, he placed the old violi8n for sale ands he started off at a 100 cents but nobody wanted to buy from him his old dusty Violin. He reduced the price to fifty cents but still, nobody was interested. Disappointed, he got ready to go home when an old man beckoned on him for the Violin.
The old man dusted the Violin, wiped it clean and started playing a tune on it. The music flowing out of the Violin was so melodious that people started gathering around the 0ld man and the violin to listen to the melody. After playing for a while, the old man held up the Violin and screamed "300 dollars" and rich mans hopping for antiques paid for it; the same Old Dusty Violin.

Pause a little and ask your self what the old man did to the violin that increased its price tremendously. What he simply did was to Dust, Clean, tune the violin after which he capped it up by playing a melodious tune on it to attract possible and worthy buyers. Does this mean that we are paid in proportion to what we know? How true this is.

If you want to move to the next level and make enough income to secure your future and grant you FINANCIAL independence, then you must do a little dusting and cleaning.
Ask yourself these questions; What level am I now, what new thing or new skill, education or training do you think you can acquire that will give you the boost you need. It could be computer training, going back for your Masters Degree, attending a raining on a particula5r area of your weakness e.t.c.
Whatever it is that you have top do, make sure you do not remain at the same level of knowledge when the year closes as well. A word is enough for the wise.

Write Down Your Goals For The Year

Writing down your Personal and Business goals has a way of committing you to its achievement. It cements what is going on in your mind and whenever you set your eyes on your written goals, it drives a home the fact that it must be accomplished.
If it is a very large goal, break it down into sub topics or headlines and write them down in the right order. Then make a list of every thing you think you are going to do to achieve your ultimate goal and then add them to your list of priorities.

Set Reasonable Deadlines And Targets

"A goal is dream with a deadline" it is better to have realizable goals than large and vague goals. If your goals do have deadlines, it helps to awaken the fact that it is possible. All the times I have planned programmes and conferences, nothing falls into place until I fix a date for the Programme. Nobody, corporate body; guest speaker even knows when to help you if you do not know when you need help. If your goal is large, break it down into smaller and achievable goals with set deadlines for their achievement.

Discipline Yourself To Achieve Your Goals

The most frequent reason why most persons do not achieve their goal is procrastination. Procrastination is the grave where opportunities are buried. You have to decide to stick to your goals and more importantly your plans to achieve them.
The first show of discipline is to immediately as you drop this article pick up a writing pad and a pen and simply write down your goals and aspirations for the year if you haven’t. That is your first wrung on the ladder of personal and business success for the year 2009.
Till we meet again, I wish you a Fulfilling New Year as you commit yourself to becoming the solution to your world.

About The Author

Basola A. Victor is the CEO of BASH Concepts International, a Business Solutions firm dedicated to becoming a one stop shop for overall Business Corporate and Personal development.

For Consultancy, please Contact;

Basola A. Victor
P: +234 (0) 703-5121-346, 08078957783
E: bashconcepts@yahoo.com
W: www.basolavictor.blogspot.com

Ideas Festival, March 24 to 29 (2009)Brisbane, Australia

2008-12-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

From March 24 to 29 (2009), the State Library of Queensland will be the hub of conversation, innovation and participation. The Ideas Festival will bring leading thinkers, innovators, young people, students and the general community together to celebrate and debate ideas that matter.Ideas to action is the motto of the Ideas Festival as it looks for new ideas and creative solutions that will emerge as tools for a richer life.

A marketplace of ideas from every creative field, the festival will show how innovation, creativity and collaboration across disciplines can create a brighter future.

Taking place as part of Queensland’s 150th celebrations, the Ideas Festival examines:

• Innovation and Invention

•Design and Development

• Ecology and Ethics

• Advocacy and Action

• Self and Society

The group’s discussion board offers you a chance to get involved in the conversations - starting now. Then bring your ideas to festival events and share them with guests including:

Innovation and Invention:Helen Greiner - inventor of the ROOMBA® robot vacuum

Design and Development:Charles Landry - international authority on city futures and the use of culture in city revitalisation

Ecology and Ethics:Chris Jordan - world-renowned photographer and environmental activist

Advocacy and Action:Geoffrey Robertson (QC) - human rights lawyer, academic, author and broadcaster

Self and Society:Peter Singer – bioethicist, philosopher and

for futher info, contact:

authorinfo@ideasfestival.com.ahttp://www.ideasfestival.com.au/

International Writers Festival 9 – 14 March 2009 ,South Africa

2008-12-18T07:13:00.000-08:00

The Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) will host the 12 th Time of the Writer, international writers' festival from 9 to 14 March 2009.

Principal activities take place each evening at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, University of KwaZulu-Natal , Durban . International and local authors will read from their work and be interviewed by selected hosts, followed by discussions with the audience. Additional daytime activities – including school visits – will take place in and around Durban . The full programme will be announced in mid-February.

A central focus of the festival is to encourage reading and writing, particularly among the youth. Time of the Writer invites learners to begin submitting material for the short story writing competition to be held in conjunction with the festival.

Learners are invited to engage creatively with a theme of their choice.Please make your submissions by no later than MONDAY, 16 FEBRUARY and our judges will then make the final selection.

Please note that entries must be fictional stories and not critical essays. A maximum of 5 pages (preferably typed) are to be written in either English, Zulu or Afrikaans. Illegible entries will not be considered .

Winners will be awarded cash prizes and given complimentary tickets to attend the festival, where they will be handed their prizes. Winning entries will be displayed in the theatre foyer throughout the festival.If you are a learner and would like to be involved in this competition - submit your stories, together with your name and contact details, your school's name, teacher's name, and your school telephone number to the Centre for Creative Arts.

Entries may be hand delivered to the Centre or faxed to 031 260 3074 or posted toCENTRE FOR CREATIVE ARTSUNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATALDURBANSOUTH AFRICA

For Details see url below

http://www.cca.ukzn.ac.za/Time_of_the_writer.htm

Basola A. Victor

BASH Concepts International

TEN RULES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS IN THE YEAR 2009

2008-12-18T00:22:00.000-08:00

TEN RULES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS IN THE YEAR 2009

Thank God for a successful year that is come to an end and as we hope to cross into the Year 2009, with high hopes, dreams and aspirations it is pertinent that we enter into the next Year ready, prepared and Strategically positioned.Today, I will be sharing on ten rules for Business Success that will help as a chart and a guide as you sail along.

1. Find a human need and meet it. It is the surest path to wealth. Meeting that need should fall in line with your passion. Only passion, true passion can give you the needed drive to overcome the hurdles on your path to wealth and success.

2. Always Sharpen your Axe (Increase your ability to earn). You will be paid in proportion to how much you know and the application of what you know to solving people’s problems.

3. Learn everything you need to set sail in your business. It saves time and money

4. Value and always SATISFY your Customer, without them you have no business.

5. Have a Business Plan no matter how small you intend to start. Only a Mud House is built without a Plan and I believe that’s not the kind of Business you are grooming.6. Always give good and quality goods and services to your customers; else they won’t come back and they will tell people who will tell more people about your low quality products and Vice versa. Quality speaks volumes and your customers will become your mobile adverts.7. You don’t want to start with credit facilities that will tie down your capital and cripple you from the outset.8. Shout it loud and tell more people about your business. Marketing can never be too much for your business.9. Seek new ways to improve your business idea. Men needs new ways of doing things, Fascinate them and they will keep coming.10. Do not use your business to keep unskilled family members engaged; else they will turn your business into family meeting.

Till we meet again,
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR
About The AuthorBasola A. Victor is a Marketing Expert and a Business Consultant. He is the CEO of BASH Concepts International, a Business Solutions Firm dedicated to becoming a one-stop source for overall Business Development.

CONTACT
P: +234-0703-5121-346
E: bashconcepts@yahoo.com
W: www.basolavictor.blogspot.com

JOB OPENING IN SHELL NIGERIA

2008-12-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited

Systems & Assets Standards Adviser
Job ID: F17766
Location: Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Shell companies have been finding and producing oil and gas around the world for over a century. Today, we have interests in exploration and production ventures in more than 39 countries and employ approximately 19,000 staff (not including contractors).

This is a technically challenging work environment characterised by a continuing need for research, the pursuit of new technology, and the adoption of new ways of working. It demands people who will thrive in a culture that encourages and rewards innovation, collaboration and the ability to learn from success as well as failure.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) is the pioneer and leader of Nigeria’s petroleum industry. It has the largest acreage in the country and produces some 43 per cent of the nation's oil.The company's operations are concentrated in the Niger Delta and adjoining shallow offshore areas where it operates in an area of around 31,000 square kilometres. SPDC has more than 6,000 kilometres of pipelines and flowlines, 87 flowstations, eight gas plants and more than 1,000 producing wells.The company employs some 5,000 people directly, of whom 95 per cent are local employees. Another 20,000 people are employed indirectly through the network of companies, which provide supplies and services. Together with its Joint Venture Partners, SPDC produces an average of 1 million barrels of oil per day.Our mission is to be the operator of first choice in Nigeria through a commitment to strong economic performance and every aspect of sustainable development.

We’re currently looking to recruit a Systems and Assets Standards Adviser to join us in Port Harcourt.

Responsibilities:

In this role, you’ll support implementation of baseline security performance criteria, including all physical protective measures and facility security plans.

We’ll also expect you to:·
Conduct internal security audits to ensure baseline security performance criteria are met· Provide technical assistance and operational support to the security departments·
Ensure minimum levels of technical competence for all systems operators·
Develop and implement technical post orders for all systems operators.

Requirements:

With a good knowledge of the Exploration & Production business and an understanding of the local environment, you’ll be able to assimilate complex data, define objectives and deliver clear results using available resources.A methodical planner with an eye for detail, you’ll be capable of ensuring compliance with specific standards. We’ll also expect you to have the ability to network with Area Security Advisers and industry counterparts, and influence key customers.Application Deadline: Wednesday 17 December 2008Number of Vacancies: 1Please note: We occasionally amend or withdraw Shell jobs and reserve the right to do so at any time, including prior to the advertised closing date.Before applying, you are advised to read our data protection policy which sets out, the processing that may be associated with your personal data and informs you that your personal data may be transferred to Royal Dutch/Shell Group companies around the world.The Shell Group and its approved recruitment consultants will never ask you for a fee to process or consider your application for a career with Shell. Anyone who demands such a fee is not an authorised Shell representative and you are strongly advised to refuse any such demand.'Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer'.

SEND YOUR APPLICATION ONLINE

JOB OPENING IN AIM GROUP LTD NIGERIA

2008-12-17T06:32:00.000-08:00

Applicants are invited from qualified and experienced candudates Nationwide and West-Africa to fill the following positions:

JOB TITLES

1. ACCOUNTANTS

2. ACCOUNT OFFICERS

3.INVENTORY CONTROLLER

REQUIREMENTS

1. ACCOUNTANTS/INVENTORY CONTROLLER

* Age between 22-35 years

* A first degree/ its equivalent in Accounting

* Must be a member of a recognized proffessional accounting body e.g ICAN, ICAEW, ICMA

* Adequate post-qualificatio experience in professional practice environment is essential

* Highly numerate with excellent communication skills

* Highly credible with high ethical standards

* Proficient in the use of the computer* Ability to work with minimal supervision2. ACCOUNT OFFICERS

* Age between 22-27 years

* A first degree or its equivalent in Accounting from a reputable insitution with a Minimum of 2nd Class Upper credit

* Experience in proffessional practice is a plus

* Highly numerate with excellent communication skills

* Highly credible with high ethical standards

* Proficient in the use of the computer

* Ability to work with minimal supervision

NOTES

All applications to be submitted along CV's to job@aim-consultants.com, or P. O. BOX 516 Marina, Lagos.

All Applications must be received not later that Two (2) wekks of this publicationsOnly candidates who meet these minimum requirements need apply

Basola A. VictorCEO, BASH Concepts International

+234 (0) 703-5121-346

How to Get Paid to Write and Earn Residual Income with Your Writing

2008-12-16T01:45:00.000-08:00

Writers can make a nice living writing online. Freelance writers can not only earn direct income and upfront payments for their work, they can also earn residual income. Both direct payments and residual income have their benefits.Writing for the web isn't like writing for print.

Print markets pay more and those that have previously written for print might be intimidated or offended by the differences in pay for web writing. Writing for the web can actually bring in more income than print writing, over a period of time, for the same article, where the print article would be a one time payment.If you are looking for a one time payment for your writing on the web, there is always a market for writers to write and sell their work.

There are many clients who will outright purchase your work, some that will simply pay for using your article, some who will give you a byline, and some that won't give a byline.

A good place to check for daily freelance writing jobs is Deb Ng's Freelance Writing Gigs at http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com.

Often however, a client will want full rights to the article or articles. In the past, this was known as selling away your copyright. Today, it's better known as ghostwriting. The problem with this type of writing is that once you sell it, it's no longer yours. You can't claim it, use it as a sample, make any further profit from it, etc. It belongs legally to the one you sold it to, even if you wrote it for a mere $5 fee. Some see no problem with this. Some see it as selling yourself very short.

CURRICULUM VITAE OF BASOLA VICTOR

2008-12-06T00:41:00.000-08:00

CURRICULUM VITAE/ RESUME

OF

BASOLA AYODELE VICTOR
(msp, maces)

CAREER VISION

A world-class and result-laden career in the application of Winning Business Ideas supported by cutting edge marketing strategies for the overall Business Development and Turn-around of Individuals, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Corporate Bodies, Institutions, Nation-States, Regional Entities and the International Community.

1. PERSONAL DETAILS

NAME: Basola Ayodele Victor
NATIONALITY: Nigerian
DATE OF BIRTH: September 26th 1986
STATE OF ORIGIN : Ondo State
MARITAL STATUS: Single
LANGUAGES: English and Yoruba

2. ACADEMIC INFORMATION

(i) Omo-Olu Nursery and Primary school Ile-Ife Osun State . (1988-1992)
(ii) Chinkelly, Nursery and Primary School, Warri, Delta State . (1992-1995)
(iii) College of Education , Demonstration Secondary School , Warri, Delta State .(1996- 2002)
(iv) Delta State University , Abraka, Delta State , Nigeria BSc (Hons), Biochemistry. (2003-2007)

3. SELECTED CONFERENCES PROGRAMMES AND COURSES ATTENDED:

(i) Vision and Leadership challenges for the Nigerian Youth
(Junior Chamber International, Delsu Abraka Collegiate.) September, 2006

(ii) 8 Streams of Multiple Income (Benson & Edwards, Lagos )
July, 2006

(iii) Effective Public Speaking (Nigerian Speakers Institute, Lagos )
December, 2006

(iv) Life After Graduation; What To Do When The Job Is Not There (The Youth Entrepreneur. Delsu, Abraka) September, 2006

(v) 7 Habits of Highly Effective Leaders
(Bash Concepts International)
May, 2007

(v) Undergraduate Business Conference
Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research University of Nigeria , Nsukka.
July 2007
(vi) Effective Leadership Skills
(Leadership Empowerment Movement Worldwide) July, 2007

(vii) Delsu Leadership Conference
First Born International in conjunction with;
Student Affairs, Delta state University, Abraka, Delta State .
October, 2007
(viii) Rebranding Nigeria- The role of the Nigerian Youth.

Junior Chamber International, Delsu, Abraka Collegiate Chapter.
November, 2007
(ix) Starting Your Own Business

BASH Concepts International, Abraka, Delta State , Nigeria .
March 15th, 2008

(X) Small Business Solutions (A one Month Certficate Course on Entrepreneurship and Business start-Up)
September 6th – October 6th 2008
BASH Concepts International, Abraka, Delta State .

4. SHORT PROFILE

Basola A. Victor is an Author, Marketing Expert and Business Consultant. He is presently the CEO of Bash Concepts International, a Marketing Expertise and Business solutions firm dedicated to become a one stop source for overall business development. He is young, dynamic and quick to express His passionate belief in the Human Resource Potentials that Nigeria possesses and He has expressed this at various local, national and regional fora through his speaking opportunities with over 400 audiences over the years.
He is a dynamic, entertaining and highly sought-after speaker, his dynamic influence in the area of Leadership, Business Start- Up, Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Youth Empowerment is Unrivaled.
He has authored four soon to be published books including “60 Business Ideas You Can Do With Little or No Money”, and “How To Sack Your Dad”.
He writes for different Newspapers and Magazines including, Pointer Newspapers, Society Mail Newspapers, Soaring Standpoint, The Enthusiasm Magazine, Beacon of Wisdom Magazine, e.t.c

5. CORE EXPERIENCE

(i) National Association of Nigerian Students, Delta State University , Abraka Delta State .
(Executive Secretary) 2006-2007

Responsibilities

·Handling of correspondence, files and important documents.
·Effective recording of meeting proceedings and liaising with other cultural organizations on campus for maximum success.

(ii) Living Water Campus Ministry, Delsu Abraka.
(Technical Director) 2005-2007

Responsibilities

· Handling all musical and technical instruments of the fellowship; maintenance, repairs as well as making it available for use as and when due.

(iii) Orile-Agege General Hospital , Lagos
(Industrial Trainee) 2006-2007
Responsibilities

· Carrying out relevant laboratory test using aseptic techniques and making results available to the Head of Department for scrutiny and eventual release to patients.

(v) National Speakers Institute, Lagos
(Public Relations Officer) Jan 2006- December 2006

Responsibilities

·Corporate branding and packaging of the speakers Institute.
·Organizing press Reviews, conferences and correspondence withy other institutes and corporate bodies alike.

(vi) Undergraduate Business Conference (UBC)
(Action Partner, Delsu) March 2007 – Date

Responsibilities

·Corporate marketing, publicity and coordination of students of delta State University , Abraka to participate in the Business Conference.

(vii) Emical Nigeria Limited, Warri, Delta State .
(Marketing Consultant) June 2007-September 2007

Responsibilities

·Training and sales coaching for marketers and sales staff of the company.
·Corporate Restructuring and branding of the company.

(viii) Lian_Syl Kreations Warri, Delta State .
(Marketing Consultant) June 2007-September 2007

Responsibilities

·Strategic Planning, Branding, Publicity, Corporate Restructuring and Fund raising for the Warri Fashion show

(ix) The Youth Entrepreneur Nigeria , DELSU, Abraka.
(President) 2005- December 2007

Responsibilities

·Administration, Development, strategic planning and organization of human resources.
·Visioning and expansion of the youth empowerment NGO

(x) BASH Concepts International, Abraka, Delta State .

(a) (Marketing Manager) March 2005-September 2005

Responsibilities

·Corporate branding, Market penetration and Business Development.

(b) (Manager) September 2005-March 2006

Responsibilities
· Visioning, Strategic Planning and Turnaround Management
·Staff Development and Training
(c) Principal Consultant / CEO March 2006-Date

Responsibilities

·Human Capital Development and Financial Restructuring
· Visioning, Business Development and Image Management
· Corporate Planning and Repositioning

(XI) OYENIYI O. L (Mrs.)
Public Relations Officer, Delta State University , Abraka, Delta State .

(Personal Assistant) August 2006-Date

Responsibilities

·Branding and Corporate Assistant

·Image Management and Business Development

(XII) POINTER NEWSPAPERS, ASABA DELTA STATE

GUEST COLUMNIST
July, 2008 till september 2008.

Responsibilities

Creation and Management of a Business Column Tagged “Small Business Solutions” every Thursday.

(XIII) SHELL Nigeria Eploration and Production Company (SNEPCO)

FINOPS VENDOR MASTER DATA TEAM MEMBER

October 2008- (Ongoing) Six Months

RESPONSIBILITIES
· Liasing with vendors and reporting back to the vendor sservices division.
· Entering and updating relevant data on vendors into the database using Ms word excel.
· Public relations and convincingly getting data from vendors.

6. RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:

·Anti Oxidant effect of Xylopia Aethiopica on Cycas induced Cancer in Rats, December 2007. Department of Biochemistry, Delta State University , Abraka Delta State .

·Pathophysiology of Type II Diabetes Mellitus; Impaired Insulin secretion Vs Impaired Insulin Sensitivity, September 2007. Department of Biochemistry, Delta State University , Abraka Delta State .

7. BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS:

·6o Business Ideas You Can Do With Little Or No Money
Unpublished

·How To Sack Your Dad.
Unpublished

·Author of several articles published in National and International Magazines, E-zines and Publications archived at www.basolavictor.blogspot.com

10. MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS/COMMITTEES

(i) Member, Alliance of Change Empowerment Speakers (aces) Nigeria (ii) Member, Nigerian Speakers Institute.
(ii) Member, Young Action Partners For Change (YAPD)

11. INTERESTS

Writing, Public Speaking, Traveling, Drumming, Strategizing and Driving
12. PERSONALITY TRAITS:

Amiable Social Disposition
Excellent Communication skills
Good Marketing Skills
Strong drive for Achievement and Result
Nose for Opportunities
Loves Challenges

13. REFEREES

1. Mr. G. O. Ossai

Director, Bank-Link Technologies, Port Harcourt

2. Uju Onyechere
CEO, Benson & Edwards, Lagos
National President
Toast Masters International (Public Speaking School)

3. Oyeniyi O. L (Mrs.) (FINHR, MNIM)
Public Relation Officer.
Delta State University , Abraka, Delta State .
4. Mr Festus Isichei
General Manager
Pointer NEWSPAPERS, Asaba, Delta State Nigeria

*Contact of referees available on request

14. Contact Address and Phone Nos:
C/O

BASH CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL
Suite 001 , Elshaddai House Off Umono Rd. Abraka
Delta State , Nigeria
(+234) 07035121346, 08078957783
bashconcepts@yahoo.com
www.basolavictor.blogspot.com

BASH CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL (CUSTOMER PROSPECTUS)

2008-12-06T00:32:00.000-08:00

BASH CONCEPTS INTERNATIONAL

Bringing Your Imagination To Life

CUSTOMER PROSPECTUS

MISSION STATEMENT

Our Mission is to become a world class Company providing quality Marketing and Business Consultancy Services in order to meet the need and taste of our various clientele without prejudice to Ethics of the noble profession thereby bringing our clients imagination to life.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1.
Quality Comes First

We have passion for our clients and their business. They are the reason for our existence and we do not compromise with quality.

2.
Clients are the Reason for our Existence

They must be convinced that our services provide value and are superior to those offered by our competitors.

3.
Continuous Improvement is Essential to our Services

We continuously strive for excellence in every thing we do. Continuous improvement is our watch word.

4.
Integrity is Never Compromised

The conduct of our company is pursued in a manner that is socially responsible and commands respect for our integrity and positive contributions to the society.

5.
Going the Extra Mile

We always go the extra mile to ensure that we exceed our clients’ expectations and delight them.

ABOUT US

Bash Concepts International is a Marketing expertise, Business consultancy and Ideas solution firm designed to provide wining business ideas supported with cutting edge marketing expertise dedicated to bringing you imaginations to life. We are registered here in Nigeria to provide professional services in various areas. These services include Business Consulting (including management, investment and financial advisory services), Training and Human Resources Solutions.

CORE SERVICES

· Idea-Preneurship
· Staff Recruitment & Training
· Business Consultancy
· Marketing Expertise and Publicity.
· Project Management & Evaluation
· Seminars & Workshops
· Publishing of Business Manuals, Magazines, E-zines & Learning Materials
· Drafting of Business Documents
· Website DESIGN and Hosting
· Information Technology (IT) Solutions

· IDEA-PRENEURSHIP

Ideas are the cells around which any business organization revolves and in Bash Concepts, we help you find what your customers need, ideal product or service that will meet their specific demand and also help with Pre business research, packaging of winning Business blue prints and plans that will aid our clients in achieving their specific goals. All you need to succeed is an Idea and that sound and winning Idea is what we will help you generate and package.

· STAFF RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING

In Bash Concepts, we believe that no organization or corporate entity can outgrow the mental and productive capacities of its employees and staff force. We recognize that people within an organization are the key drivers of processes and as such must be adequately trained for optimal performance. Bash Concepts International is highly referred in the following specialized areas for which we have packaged detailed proposals and can customize to meet your specific requirements. Our Business consulting services help clients maximize their business performance by integrating business development and financial advisory services, thus ensuring increased shareholder value.

SEMINARS AND WORKHOPS DESIGNED FOR STAFF EFFECTIVENESS AND PROFITABILITY

v Starting Your Own Business Monthly Seminar Series

v Relationship Management

v Marketing/Selling Skills

v Customer Care

v Personal Effectiveness for Peak Performance

v Profitable Negotiation Skills

v Teaming and Bonding

v Corporate Governance in Business

v Effective Presentation Skills

Other areas for which detailed proposal would be provided upon request.

· Creative and Lateral Thinking

· Management Retreats

· Leadership Skills

· Personal Financial Planning
· Marketing and Financial Services

· Business consultancy

In BASH Concepts International, we believe business is more than getting a product at a lower price and giving it out at a higher price and pocketing the change, hence we help our clients with what they need to set sail. From finding the right idea, to helping with Business Start up skills, Branding, Concept Packaging, Staff Recruitment and Training to finding the right marketing strategies to suit the kind of concepts our client is involved in. In all we help our client to do all that they need while they rest as we are committed to Bringing their imaginations to life.

· Marketing Expertise

Marketing is the soul of Business. When no sale is made, then there is no Business. We are skilled in branding and packaging cutting edge marketing strategies to help convey your message to your customers. We do more than just marketing as we also help in the creating of marketing and sales channels, branding and publicity of your goods, services and ideas so as to help you achieve your desired goal.
In BASH Concepts International, we believe in connecting you to your prospective customers as we bring your imaginations to life.

· Project Management & Evaluation

Long Term and Short Term Projects are instrumental to the Success of any Corporate Body and Effective Management and Evaluation of such projects is what we ensure. We have successfully managed such projects as BEYOND DELSU in Conjunction with Insight for Africa Development (IFAD), MAY 2007; Undergraduate Business Conference in Conjunction with Centre For Entrepreneurship and Development Research (CEDR), UNN Nsukka, September, 2007, Vice-Chancellors Award, Delta State University, Abraka on Conjunction with Don 2 Dammy Productions. June, 2006; Warri Fashion Show in Conjunction with Lian_Syl Kreations and GLITTERATTI International Magazine, December, 2007, WORSHIP & FAITH in Conjunction with Search Heart Music Ministries, DELSU, Abraka. Our Numerous Clients would testify of our Speed, Efficiency, Prompt and proper delivery of our promises.

· Publishing of Business Manuals, Magazines, E-zines & Learning Materials

In BASH Concepts International, we believe in the dissemination of vital information and knowledge to Entrepreneurs, Business owners and Corporate bodies and as such, we publish and print such business manuals and learning materials such as;

v Starting Your Own Business Monthly Magazine
v How To Write a Wining Business Plan
v How To Write a Winning Curriculum Vitae/ Resume
v 60 Business Ideas You Can Do With Little Or No Money
v Why Most Nigerian Businesses Fail e.t.c
v Hiring And Keeping The Best Staff
v Starting Your Own Business (Entrepreneurs Guide)
v Effective Marketing Strategies
(These materials are available in Paper back, CD, Electronic format,)

· Drafting of Business Documents

Business documents are vital tools to the Success of any Organization or Corporate individual and in BASH Concepts International we help our clients to draft and build such vital documents such as;

v Curriculum vitae/Resume
v Memorandum of Association/ Constitution
v Sponsorship Proposals
v Business Plan, Research and Layout e.t.c

· Website DESIGN and Hosting

We have being delivering comprehensive web solutions to clients across nearly every industry and business classification. Since our inception, we have evolved to expand our competencies to offer clients a comprehensive solution to acquire customers and generate a measurable return on investment.From developing and hosting web sites to E-commerce web-base solution; we have the tools, experience, and expertise to develop professional and innovative website for your Organization.

OUR TEAM

We use a crop of highly professional and experienced people who have excelled in their professions and who bring their wealth of experience and professionalism to bear on our programmes. Details of our facilitators and team members are attached.

1. BASOLA A. VICTOR ( mnsi, maces)

Basola A. Victor is a Best Selling Author, Marketing Expert and Business Consultant. He is presently the CEO of Bash Concepts International, He is a dynamic, entertaining and highly sought-after speaker, his dynamic influence in the area of Leadership, Business Start- Up, Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Youth Empowerment is Unrivaled. He has authored four books including the award winning “60 Business Ideas You Can Do With Little Or No Money”, and “How To Sack Your Dad”.
He is the Founder and Project Manager of Rural Development Initiative Nigeria (RDIN), a body committed to the financial empowerment and moral revolution of community youths, women and children through the organization of financial empowerment seminars and workshops, HIV AIDS awareness campaigns and implementation of Rural and Micro-Credit Schemes.

1. 2. OSAZEE THOMPSON
2. Osazee Thompson who was formerly a Marketing Director for Jessa Communications limited is a refined Human Relations Expert, Motivational Speaker and Successful Intra-Preneur. He is a member of Alliance for Change Empowerment Speakers, ACES Nigeria, and he holds a Degree in Business administration from the Prestigious Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. He is currently the Marketing Manager for BASH Concepts International.
3.
4. 3. REBECCA BENJAMIN

Rebecca Benjamin has over 5 years of working experience as a Marketing and Business Development expert having worked with different firms, she has a rounded and diverse knowledge base making it possible for her to easily connect individually with people. She holds a Degree in Business administration from Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. She is a Human Resource Specialist and consults on Human Resource Management.

CONTACT US

For further information, please contact:
BASH CONCEPTS INERNATIONAL
SUITE 001, ELSHADDAI HOUSE OFF UMONO RD,
ABRAKA, DELTA STATE.
PHONE: +234 (0) 70351-213-46, 07037801666, 08050316236
E-MAIL: bashconcepts@yahoo.com
Website: www.bashconceptsinternational.com

FREE MARKETING: How To Attract All The Customers You Need For Free!

2008-12-05T03:25:00.000-08:00

FREE MARKETING: How To Attract All The Customers You Need For Free!
By
Basola A. Victor

In business and industry, you are paid based on your ability to sell the superiority or quality of your work to the people whose opinion is most important in determining your success (customers). Entrepreneurs who market themselves the most effectively move ahead far more rapidly in the business than others who do not, even though they may not be more talented and they may not be producing more or better product or services.
It’s all about marketing. How much of your business are you selling even in your sleep! If you have not gotten the idea I want to put across to you today then look at the topic again;
FREE MARKETING: Most entrepreneurs spend a fortune on expensive advertising that could cripple them even from the onset. Such expensive advertising may feed your Ego but it necessarily is not going to feed Your Bank Account.
There are inexpensive ways to attract customers. There are free ways to create visibility and you can even be paid for marketing yourself.
Here are three (3) specific strategies:
[A] SELL WHAT CUSTOMERS WANT AND ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR
Let’s assume you’re starting a new business or you have a great idea for a new product or service. It’s terrific, it’s creative, and it’s wonderful. It’s unique. It is probably the greatest idea you’ve ever had! Therefore it will sell right? Guess again.
The problem with this kind of thinking is that you are assuming your customers have the same wants, needs and taste and view of the world as you do. While that may or may not be true, to assume it’s true is taking a blind and dangerous risk.
“You don’t get rich selling what you love alone; you get rich selling customers what they want”.

A small town radio station in rural Mississippi was undergoing a financial down turn. The owner has spent a fortune on the station but could never make a profit. Why? He insisted on his station playing on the music he loved, Lawrence Wolk, Guy Lombard’s and soft instrumentals. The playing of rock, country and gospel music was forbidden because he didn’t like it. Well you can just imagine what size of audience that drew in a small mission town in the mid sixties. Few people turned in and because the audience was small, few people paid to advertize on the station.
On the other hand, a nearby competing station owned the market because the owner had a totally different mindset. He said “I hate listening to my station because I can’t stand the music, I just tell the manager to play what the people want and we keep making money.

[B] CREATE VISIBILITY!
In addition to selling what customers want, you need to get their attention and convince them that you are the best person to buy it from. To do that, you have to become visible. People can’t buy from you until they know you exist. Here are some strategies I use to create visibility for free of course.

i. WRITING :
Write an article or several articles and get it published in journals, magazines and news papers where your potential customers will read it. The article should be related to what you do and give readers some information that will help them solve a problem. Finally be sure to let them know how they can contact you.
Remember, writers are always viewed with high esteem and your customers will think you are the best or at least among the best. Well established papers might give you trouble but it can try your hands on upcoming ones and remember do it for free

ii. SPEAKING :
Volunteer to present a free seminar for a School, Organization Churches or Company that stands to benefit from your offering the information to their students or members. If participants include potential future customers, it’s another way to create visibility at no cost.
When you speak, leave a trail of tangibles. Pass out at least one piece of printed information that the members of the audience can take with them and that includes the name of your business and how to contact you.
It could be a wallet sized card, a pamphlet, a reprint of an article you have written or even your customer prospectus.
Whatever you leave, make it something valuable enough to potential customers that they will take with them for future purpose and you know what that means don’t you?
iii. GET INTERVIEWEED ON RADIO AND T.V
It’s not as difficult as you might think. Talk shows are on the increase and always looking for new guests who have something to say that will attract and hold an audience. The key to making it effective is to target the shows whose listeners and watchers are your potential customers.

iv. WRITE A BOOK TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR EXPERTISE
If your book addresses a problem or subject that interests a large number of people and it is well written, a publisher could buy it from you and publish it, promote it and distribute it for you.
Your visibility and credibility as an expert in your business will sky- rocket. You will be interviewed on radio and television shows. And instead of volunteering to speak, you’ll be paid handsomely which increases your visibility and sells more books. If you are an effective speaker, giving a good speech usually results in additional paid speeches.
In short you will find yourself being paid to market yourself.

v. ALWAYS GIVE YOUR CUSTOMER SOMETHING FREE EACH TIME THEY BUY FROM YOU :
Customers are always attracted to FREEBIES especially when it is given to them by the business they like buying from.
Create free products which contains your information; it could be a product packaging material like;
i. Branded Nylon
ii. Branded Hand kerchiefs
iii. Free service for their kids if you run a home service related business
iv. A free health club or information club where they can get helpful tips monthly for free just by buying from you.
v. Key holders e.t.c

vi. CREATE YOUR PROMOTIONAL MATEIRALS AND ALWAYS HAVE IT HANDY!
Your promotional materials are your mobile salesmen and you never can tell how far they can reach because people migrate. The materials e.g. your complimentary cards, ID cards, Stickers, Customer prospectus, handbills, flyers etc. could be your advocate someday, somewhere.
A prolific author and sales man Joe Girard once said “I shake hands with everybody, meet daily and every body gets a copy of my Business Cards.
Think of all the thousands upon thousands of people that Joe has shaken hands with down the years. Each one of this people have a material of Joe Girard. No wonder he is well known.

[C] GIVE YOUR CUSTOMER QUALITY PRODCTS AND SERVICES

Quality, prompt delivery of service and customer satisfaction creates a lot of referrals to you. A satisfied customer will not only come back but will bring other friends and partners to enjoy what he/she enjoyed from buying from you.
Never give out low quality products or treat your customers without care. When you lose them, you’ve not only lost them but all the money they would have brought. A happy customer becomes your unpaid advertiser. Likewise, an unhappy customer spreads the news like wildfire.

These are three ways you can create visibility and promote your business with little or no out of pocket cost for you. Of course, they really aren’t totally free. You are paying for the exposure with your time and with the hope that the visibility will translate into sales. From experience, that is worthwhile investment.

2008-11-27T23:00:00.000-08:00

GETTING SPONSORSHIP FOR YOUR BUSINESS IDEA

These is the most important thought, question or even challenge every young and aspiring entrepreneur must face in his or her quest for business success. How do I get a sponsor for my Business Idea?
The idea is good, profit is guaranteed but you do not have the necessary cash to implement it. Well you are not alone as today, we will be dealing with this challenge and also get possible solutions, all I advise you to do is drop that “I have tried it before mentality and keep your mind open for fresh ideas as you go through today’s article.

Whenever my clients approach me with this kind of problem, (idea, No cash) I always and will continue to recommend the following steps which off course I have practiced and will still practice whenever I want to birth any of my brain child.

PREPARE A LIST OF YOUR POSSIBLE SPONSORS

Different companies and individuals have different areas of interests and they produce goods and services for different classes of people in different strata of the society. List out companies or individuals that produce goods and services in line with your idea or Business and will be willing to sponsor you. Take for example; our Television programme which is centered on Children, you would do well to list out Companies or individuals and also Government bodies that render services that targets children. You will want to meet companies that produce products like Indomie, Bournvita, Chi-vita, Ribena e t.c. You could list out Churches; NGO’s that Focus on Children, Children evangelical Ministries and Government agencies that cater for Children, Women and Youths alike.

Such Individuals, Corporate bodies and Non governmental organizations will like to participate simply because “Your Idea Targets their Target”

BREAK DOWN YOUR GOALS OR NEEDS INTO SMALLER ONES AND FIX A SPONSOR PER SECTION

This makes your goal and needs easily accessible, surmountable and achievable. If you are planning a TV programme as discussed earlier, you probably would need, Airtime, publicity before commencing the programme, Resource persons e.t.c
When you have broken them down, approach a sponsor per segment. If you do not have a sponsor that agrees to foot the bill. Sponsors can never be too much but not all of them must have a financial reward. You can reward them with Publicity/moral reward.

PREPARE A SPONSORSHIP PROPOSAL

A Sponsorship Proposal is like a business plan for your idea. It is a well documented detailed on the purpose of your idea or Business. How it will run, its duration, your target audience, benefits of the idea to your would be sponsors and above all, a detailed Financial analysis. You can write your Proposal like a Business Plan, type it neatly, spiral bind it and make it attractive.
“Please do not make photocopies; use a neat printer so as to give you a good Image”.
If for example, you are seeking sponsorship from a Bank or Corporate firm to Launch a Television programme for Children, your sponsorship proposal should follow the Format below;

i. Cover page
ii. Declaration by the board of Directors or Management Team
iii. Executive Summary of your company/Outfit (About Us)
iv. Management Team (who they are and their Capabilities or expertise)

v. THE IDEA
v Theme or Purpose of your idea (Its aim and objectives)
v Organization (How it will run)
v Duration of your Idea
v Proposed Date of Kick off
v Choice Television Station

vi. Benefits of Sponsorship
v Why should they sponsor you
v What will they benefit
v Would it be better if they kept their money in a Banks fixed deposit account.
vii Financial Analysis/breakdown

This must be detailed, no assumptions. Conduct your research very well and do not overshoot as they may decide to pay for the service themselves and if they discover the overshoot, they may decline.

APPROACH THEM

This is the most challenging part of the game, meeting face-to-face with those stern looking people sitting across the desk obviously not interested in what you are talking about. They probably are not looking at you, rather they want you to “Talk and Go”.
Before approaching your sponsors, conduct a survey and get relevant contacts and phone numbers. (Try as much as possible not to make a cold call). Call them and book an appointment or if possible send them a letter requesting for a visit to the company. They do not know you and they will likely give you audience thinking you are a prospective client. Of course, you are, do not disclose you intent on phone, it makes them prepare a defence. Make the call, reserve the appointment and go meet them armed with everything you think you need.
Always go first to the Head/CEO or most important person in the organisation that can take a decision, even though he has to redirect you to a lower officer in charge.
It saves time and energy rather than coming from bottom to the top. “Sometimes, your Proposal might get Lost in Transit”. Never go to any company and just drop your proposal with the Company secretary or receptionist, it will end up in the Trash can or probably, they could grab your idea and implement it without your consent.

Talk your Proposal through before dropping it and more still, get relevant contacts so as to follow up on them until you succeed. Be courageous, determined and keep trying for not all sponsors will attend to you initially.
A manager once opened his door to an insurance agent and said to him; “you can count yourself lucky, I have refused to see 7 insurance agents today”. The Insurance agent replied him smiling “I know; I am them”.

He got his appointment because he pursued his goal unflinchingly.

ASK FOR WHAT THEY CAN EASILY GIVE YOU WITHOUT FEELING IT

I always recommend this to young Entrepreneurs. Try as much as possible to put money behind you. If you are too money conscious, your sponsors will notice this in you and that will make them skeptical about committing their funds to you.
Always ask for service if possible. Take for example, if you approaching a Transport company and you probably need transportation for your “children” to and from a location; it will be a lot easier for the Transport Company to give you a Bus for that purpose instead of giving you cash. At least fuelling the Bus can come from a Petrol Station (another sponsor).
This is a very important principle; ask for what they could give you easily without feeling it. It’s like plucking a leaf from a big tree.

SHOW THEM HOW THEY WOULD BENEFIT

Human beings are naturally selfish and corporate bodies alike have a nose for profit. They would likely not listen to you if they will not benefit anything from your idea or Business proposal. If you can show your sponsor in clear terms how your Business idea will benefit them, they will listen to you. If your idea will make them better off, they’ve got no choice.
“If you need anything from a man, show him how it will benefit him and he can do anything for you.”

DOCUMENT AN AGREEMENT

Definitely, we all know that no Business transaction should be done without proper documentation or a mutual agreement. Meet a Lawyer to help you draft a simple but encompassing one. Your sponsors or would be sponsors already have the money and can carry out or implement your Idea if not well Protected. I have tried it before and my fingers got burnt. It’s a bad thing for you to see your idea being implemented by another person you went to for help. Your idea is your Brain child; Guard it.

APPRECIATE THEM

Yes! Send them a thank you Letter; Publicize them before and after the event. Send them a Branded Plague, card, an Award, Write about them in your Magazine or do anything that Promotes their Brand. It will keep communication lines open and you can go to them again.
Remember, Never you burn the Bridge if you intend to cross it again.

Till we meet again,
Go be the Solutions to your World!

About The Author

Basola A. Victor is the CEO of BASH Concepts International, a Business solutions firm dedicated to becoming a one stop source for overall Business development.
P: +234(0) 703-5121-346
E: bashconcepts@yahoo.com

MY FIRST DAY IN SHELL

2008-10-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

HELLO everybody, it's been along time sicne you aqll heard from me. well i have been alittle busy offline but i got good NEWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS FOR YOU ALL.
I HAVE JUST BEEN EMPLOYED BY SHELL as a Data Base Analyst (Big english) my job na to copy and paste. oops
i resumed yesterday 20th october 2008 and i met with my supervisor and good team members (Kayode, stella and bRidget.)
i am ecxcited and happy

Basola A. Victor
Master Data Team Warri

Shell

Life After Graduation, What To Do When The Job Is Not There

2008-08-05T02:04:00.000-07:00

SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
LIFE AFTER GRADUATION; WHAT TO DO WHEN THE JOB IS NOT THERE
Basola A. Victor

A student’s dream and aspiration is to graduate with Good Grades and Get a Good/Dream Job that will put an end to all their life’s problems. Whenever they are asked about their life ambition, they are quick to answer “To Graduate, Get a good JOB and raise a family. Their definition of a Good JOB is one that pays them around 50,000-100,000 for a start and they will take nothing less even though they do not possess the equivalent expertise to justify the salaries they Crave for.
Amazingly, their Definition of a Good Job becomes a Mirage as the few available spaces are occupied and the GOVERNMENT minimum wage is a far cry from their Dream Salary. The lazy ones sit at home; blaming the Government and circumstances; but the dogged and tough take advantage of the situation and they forge Ahead. Do you fit into the picture above; are you a fresh graduate in need of a good job that’s eluding you? Then follow through, use the information that you need, discard the ones you do not need and do not forget to contact me when you are done.
“He who knows why will get a job, he who knows how will be his Boss”.

(A) LOOK INWARD

The reason most of us are Jobless after high school is probably because we went into school to study a course that was foisted on us either by our parents, JAMB, PRE-DEGREE or CIRCUMSTANCE. We did not really study what we like and will like to work with. Hence our certificates are mere “Rubber Stamps”. The real you is inside. The needed skills, gifts, talents and endowments needed to succeed are in you waiting for discovery. “If you can discover what you are naturally good for and stay there; you stop struggling. You just wake up daily and be your normal self?

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING?

This is a question I often ask my clients and the answer provided often signifies the hidden wealth in them. Just imagine yourself doing that thing you love and people are paying you for it. You stop working; you start Enjoying Yourself and people pay you for Enjoying Yourself.
WHAT ARE YOUR NATURALL SKILLS
It’s almost natural for your inborn skills and abilities (which makes us distinct) to be in line with what you love. No matter how crude or insignificant or unsellable you think those skills are just get a sheet of paper and list them out. It could be Singing, Playing an instrument, Talking, Organizing of parties, Reading, acting, sports, Playing video games, Hair plaiting, Barbing and a host others. All we need to do is

POLISH THEM

If you have seen Raw Gold before, with your untrained eyes, you probably would have mistaken it for dirt or stones. Nothing is appealing and market worthy in its raw form. Those skills need HORNING. Yours could be Selling/Marketing. You’d probably need to work on your Grammar/speaking skills, people skills and learn some simple marketing tips that could help you. Yours could be to become a stand up comedian like Basket mouth; you don’t expect Nigerians to pay you now what they pay him. The difference between the two of you is Knowledge, Exposure, Development and Time.
You do not necessarily have to go to school before you polish your skills you can school yourself by getting yourself Mentors (People who have achieved what you want to achieve and are willing to help you), Good Books, Good Tapes, Watch other Good Comedians and learn everything you think you need.
“You will be the same person now and 20 years later save for the people you associate with and the books you read”.
Before you go on, I will suggest you put that your skill or ability of interest though what I call The ACID TEST.

CAN YOU DO IT WITHOUT MONEY?

If money is your primary aim of choosing your line of business then I bet you that business will not out live you. Your primary aim should be an inborn passion to express your gifts and talents to the world. Among Your Favourite pastimes there are some which you love doing and can happily continue doing even without pay for the rest of your life.
That’s the click, and amazingly, that’s where your Real Hidden money is; DOING WHAT YOU LOVE.

(B) LOOK AROUND

What is the basic need of your immediate environment, if your skill and talent is going to fetch you money, then it must solve people’s problems; it must create value. Wealth flows in the direction of value. Men will happily pay you if you solve their problem and meet their needs. So your Talent/skill must be centered on a need of your environment and I bet you if you can find out that BASIC NEED that naturally suits your skills, then you are on your way to WEALTH. If you can find a need and meet it customers will knock down your Door.
Probably or possibly, person’s or companies have been meeting those needs before it is now left for you to identify what the people Crave for that those existing companies are not giving them.

HOW CAN YOU DO IT BETTER

There is no fun in going into an existing line of business and doing it the same way. It is going to be boring and less profitable. People crave for new ways of doing things. There is no entirely new idea, only a Rebranding and Repackaging of old ones.

(C) GET A BUSINESS NAME

Your business name should not be organized or gotten in a hurry. Your Business name should be meticulously thought out for it will make customers want to know more if well crafted. Your Business name must create a stir or raise a gossip. A business name gives you class, it becomes your Brand. If a customer is provided with two options Okere Community bank and Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank, two banks, same services, different names; your guess of his choice is as good as mine. It is not a must that your Business name must be your name and that of your wife or Brother. Think of something exquisite, something sizzling that connotes class and your name will soon become a song on your customer’s lips. If you are going into the clothing line instead of Madam Comfort Boutique how about DRESS RITE or SEW TO FIT; you know names that will sell your idea immediately.

(D) REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS NAME

It’s cheaper now to register your Business name with corporate affairs commission than ever, it’s now 5,000 naira to do a business name registration and this enables you to open a corporate account in your business name and makes you a recognized corporate body by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

(E) PACKAGE YOUR CORRESPONDENCE

Ø Your Office.
Ø Advert Banners/ T.V Jingle/Newspaper Averts.
Ø Complementary Card.
Ø Flyer and Handbills.
Ø Bill Boards etc.
Don’t be scarred or frightened about the big things you just saw. I know the question on your mind. How do I get the money to do all that, yes I know you are a young graduate.
“The most important thing you need on that list for now is your Complimentary Card”.
Try as much as possible to print a Complimentary Card that will provoke enquires. It must not necessarily be expensive but it should be a Complimentary card not a complimentary handbill, simple, precise and beautiful.
Talking about on office what I will advice you to do is;

CONVERT YOUR DWELLING PLACE IN A PROFITABLE ASSET

You already have an office just separate your house, put a table and chair some where and hang a Notice inscribed “OFFICE” with your business name attached. Weird you might think but most of the great brands you see today stated likewise until you grow enough to rent a befitting and well located Business premises.
(F) SHOUT IT LOUD
If you have extra money after printing your complimentary cards, you could afford to;
Ø
DIRTS KILL
Let us kill’em before they do

CORPORATE LAUNDRY

07035121346

Corporate laundry@yahoo.com

# Suite 001 Elshaddai House, Abraka
Business Advice to arrest their Interest
Your Business Name [in another Colour]
Phone No
E-mail
Office AddressPRINT small Banners with your business Name, an advice and your Business INFO, you can have something like this;

Then HANG IT AROUND TOWN; at busy Junctions popular spots etc.
Ø
I HAVE KILLED MY DIRTS

“Thanks to”

(CORPORATE LAUNDRY)

07035121346 / corporate laundry@yahoo.com
Boldly InscribedPRINT car sticker and Give to your customers as they patronize you; something like.

Ø Print your Name on you best shirts and wear them when ever you are going out for business.
Ø Always carry your publicity materials wherever you go;
You never can tell where you’d meet your clients so always arm yourselves with your mobile sales men (your publicity materials).
They can travel far you know.

(G) BE THE BEST
Your company should never stop learning, improving growing and innovating. You need constant growth and improvement to be the best in your field and Remain tops. Remember, the higher the quality, the higher the demand and this means that your sales will sky rocket if you step on your quality.
Till we meet again, go practice these simple steps and do not forget to write me, your questions will be answered and published.
Go be the solution to your world.
Basola A. V

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Basola A. victor is the CEO of BASH CONCEPTS international, a Business solutions firm dedicated to becoming a one stop source for Overall Business development
Phone No: +234 (0) 7035-121-346, 0807-8957-783
E-mail: bashconcepts@yahoo.com
Website: www.basolavictor.blogspot.com

TEN RULES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS

2008-06-05T05:32:00.000-07:00

TEN RULES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
BASOLA A. VICTOR

1. Find a human need and meet it. It is the surest path to wealth. Meeting that need should fall in line with your passion. Only passion, true passion can give you the needed drive to overcome the hurdles on your path to wealth and success.

2. Always Sharpen your Axe (Increase your ability to earn). You will be paid in proportion to how much you know and the application of what you know to solving people’s problems.

3. Learn everything you need to set sail in your business. It saves time and money

4. Value and always SATISFY your Customer, without them you have no business.

5. Have a Business Plan no matter how small you intend to start. Only a Mud House is built without a Plan and I believe that’s not the kind of Business you are grooming.

6. Always give good and quality goods and services to your customers; else they won’t come back and they will tell people who will tell more people about your low quality products and Vice versa. Quality speaks volumes and your customers will become your mobile adverts.

7. You don’t wan to start with credit facilities that will tie down your capital and cripple you from the outset.

8. Shout it loud and tell more people about your business. Marketing can never be too much for your business.

9. Seek new ways to improve your business idea. Men needs new ways of doing things, Fascinate them and they will keep coming.
10.Do not use your business to keep unskilled family members engaged; else they will turn your business into family meeting.
Till we meet again, Go be the solution to your World.

About The Author

Basola A. Victor is a Marketing Expert and a Business Consultant. He is the CEO of BASH Concepts International, a Business Solutions Firm dedicated to becoming a one stop source for overall Business Development.

For your Questions and Enquiries Contact;
Phone +234 (0)703521346, 08078957783
Email bashconcepts@yahoo.com

HOW TO WRITE A WINNING BUSINESS PLAN

2008-06-05T05:24:00.000-07:00

HOW TO WRITE A WINNING BUSINESS PLAN
BASOLA A. VICTOR

If you fail to plan, you are on your sure path to failure……
Before you start any Business of whatsoever magnitude, no matter how small/big it might seem, you have to get it right from the first brick, else you are setting up an already collapsed building. Only a mud house is built without plan and I believe that’s not the kind of Business you are grooming.

A Business plan is a working plan that describes the fundamentals of your Business Idea and provides the fundamentals of your Business idea and provides financial data to show that you will make “good money”. Whether you are trying to attract investors or you are creating a blue print for your own use. Your business plan must be workable and appealing.
A winning business plan follows (but not limited to) the following procedure;

1. A statement of the purpose of the business (mission and Vision statement)

2. A detailed description of how the business will work; including what your product or service will be; whether you will have employees, who will supply the necessary raw materials and where you will best be located.

3. An analysis of your market, that is who your customers will be and a description of your Marketing Strategy (How your Business will reach plenty of customers) and fend off possible competitors.

4. An evaluation of your main Competitors and your competitive profile. Stress the advantage of price, quality, warranties, service and distribution. Include your Operational and Management strength.

5. A Resume setting forth your personal Accomplishment or that of your management team.

In the eyes of the investors, the quality of the management team often determines the potential success of the company or success. Consequently, this section should cover career highlights, accomplishments and positions held, with an emphasis on good performance records. Describe how the ream has worked together in the past and include their resume.

6. A detailed financial information including your best estimates of your startup cost, revenue, expenses and above all, your “ABILITY TO MAKE PROFIT”.

7. A persuasive request for funds (if you need external aid)

Finally, every part of your Business plan should reveal the beauty of your business idea. You want to show potential lenders, investors or people you want to work with that you have hit upon a product or service that customers really want.
Never you “Start a Business Without A Business Plan.
Till we meet again, Go be the solution to your world.

About The Author
Basola A. Victor is a Marketing Expert and a Business Consultant. He is the CEO of BASH Concepts International, a Business Solutions Firm dedicated to becoming a one stop source for overall Business Development.
For your Questions and Enquiries Contact;
Phone +234 (0)703521346, 08078957783
Email bashconcepts@yahoo.com

WHY MOST NIGERIAN BUSINESSES FAIL

2008-06-05T05:20:00.000-07:00

WHY MOST NIGERIAN BUSINESSES FAIL

Basola A. Victor

Good day readers, I hope you have been enjoying this column and you are most importantly applying the principles that pertain to your growth and success.
Today we will be looking at a very pressing issue; Why most Nigerian Businesses Fail. Why are most Entrepreneurs and companies folding up, what is it that they are not doing right?
No one actually starts a Business to fail. Successes is just a matter of doing the right thing at the right time and if your Business is not going as well as you probably want, you will want to run through these reasons and make amends where necessary.

1. LACK OF VISION

Most young and aspiring Entrepreneurs do not see beyond their nose. They are probably concerned about the now the profit they are making now. A Vision is your Dream, Goal and Plan for your Business for a span of 10, 20, to 50 years.
Are you building a Business that will outlive you or are you building a Sole Proprietorship. As we all know, sole proprietorships die after the demise of the Proprietor.
A good and exciting Vision for your company will bring you to the drawing board to plan ahead. Like I always tell my Clients, Only a Mud House is Built without a Business Plan. People do not buy neither do they inherit mud houses, they are usually demolished when the owner is no more. I believe we have dealt with How to Write a Business Plan in previous editions of this column but you can contact me if you need help.

2. LOW QUALITY PRODUCTS

The quality of your product or service will speak for you long after the price is forgotten. If you try to compromise the quality of your product or service because of profit r quick cash, you are only succeeding in BURNING THE BRIDGE between you and your customers. If your product is good, your customers will sell them for you, but if is bad your same customers will spread the message and you will be out of business in no time.

3. POOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

The customer is the Boss; he can decide to Fire everyone including you by simply taking his Money elsewhere. Without the customer, you are out of business already. Never you get so proud as to think that you are doing your customer a favour by opening for Business. Make it a policy in your firm and hang it everywhere in your workplace that the customer is King. Any of your Staff that compromises this Policy shouldn’t be your Staff in the first place.
Whenever you are designing your product or service, it will do you a lot of good if you can sit down and find out what the customer really wants faster than your competition.
Amazingly, they can even help you provide the answer. Just give them a Survey Slip to fill when they patronize you.
An example is seen above. Pamper and spoil your customer, they are the life lines of any successful Business.

4. POOR MANAGEMENT AND SATFF POLICY

As an Entrepreneur, hire the best hands, though expensive, it pays off on the long run. Do not Hire Wheelbarrows who will need pushing all the time and will not move whenever you are not there.
Another thing you should endeavour to put in your Staff Policy is the Training and Retraining of your Staff to increase their competencies. Trainings on Customer Relations, Relationship management, Public Relations e.t.c must be made compulsory for all your Staff from your management staff to your Driver and even the Factory worker. Always hold Management Retreats with them and constantly SHARE WITH THEM THE VISION of your Company. See your Staff as Investors and Partners not as mere tools for achieving your goals.
As for Salaries, please and please Pay your Staff adequately well as the Budget permits. A wise man once said If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Remember, a satisfied Customer is a sign of a happy staff. That means Customer satisfaction begins with Staff satisfaction, how amazing.
Finally, do not use your Business to keep unskilled family members and Relatives busy else they will turn your Business into a Family Meeting.

5. INADEQUATE MARKETING AND ADVERTISING

Nothing happens until a sale takes place says Red Motley. It is the sale that initiates the entire production process. It activates Business and factories, provides jobs for the employees, pays salaries and wages, pays taxes and dividends and determines the entire direction for your business. How then can your products be sold if people do not know about it. Shout it loud, employ every means possible, use every means possible, use cheap Publicity, be in the news always and your products will fly

6. INACCURATE RECORD KEEPING SYSTEM

This is a major flaw of most young Entrepreneurs. Poor record keeping system. I would advice every Entrepreneur to study great firms and see the level of Record Keeping being employed. From staff prospectus to customer inventory, history and most importantly your Financial Records. You must document everything. The faintest pen is sharper than the sharpest Memory. If you are seeking external Financial aid, the first record you are asked is your Financial records. They want to see your profit and loss margin; so document everything.
Again pay yourself Salary also. This helps to separate you from your Business venture and keep your hands off the accounts.
A Chinese proverb once said no matter how far you have gone on the wrong road; once you discover turn back.

Till we meet again, Go be the solution to your World.

About The Author
Basola A. Victor is a Marketing Expert and a Business Consultant. He is the CEO of BASH Concepts International, a Business Solutions Firm dedicated to becoming a one stop source for overall Business Development.
For your Questions and Enquiries Contact;
Phone +234 (0)703521346, 08078957783
Email bashconcepts@yahoo.com

Ten Steps to Organizing Your Office By BASOLA A. VICTOR

2008-05-05T05:27:00.000-07:00

Ten Steps to Organizing Your Office By BASOLA A. VICTOR

When you walk into your office, is it neat and clean? Can you easily find anything at a moment's notice? Can you hire a new employee and within two days have him/her know how your office operates and how to wok within the boundaries of your company philosophy?

Here is an organizational system that is very simple and easy to implement. It is a logically organized process guaranteed to make your life and career run better and easier. Ten steps will get your office organized.

1. List five benefits to you for becoming organized.

This helps you go through the pain of throwing away and it helps you get back on track when you slip- and we all do. If you do not know the benefits, don't even start- it will not work.

2. Schedule the date and time for your office organization.

It can take up to eight hours just to organized your desk, in-box and one file drawer. (It would only take me four hours because I am not emotionally attached to your stuff!) If you have lots of files and file cabinets, make a decision on how much you want to get done in the initial session. Once you begin, it is important that you don't stop until you've completed what you set out to accomplish.

3. Have your supplies ready.

You'll need plenty of trash bags, and a box for all the things you'll be donating to your favorite charity or shelter. You'll also need office supplies--basic army green hanging folders, labels, adhesive dots, colored hanging folders with file folders to match, and plastic sleeves for a three-ring binder.

4. Sit at your desk and totally empty it out. Pile everything up on top of the desk. Wipe out the drawers.

5. Move into your new desk by designing the following drawers:

Mechanical drawer--for pens, pencils, scissors, paper clips, glue sticks, etc. Paper drawer-- for post-em’s, note cards, envelopes, letterhead. The 1-31 drawer-- place 31 red hanging folders in this drawer with one dated folder for each day of the month in each hanging folder. Hot Project drawer-- for the projects you are currently working on. Personal drawer-- if you do not maintain an office at home, create a drawer for gum, mints, aspirin, comb, etc.

6. Arrange the 1-31 Drawer.

These files represent each day of the month. You will file your work under the day you plan on taking action for that item. Go through your piles of papers, one piece at a time. With each item, decide whether to throw it away, delegate it to someone else, file it, or put in you 1-31 files.

7. Create an information book. This book will contain all the information an assistant (even if you don't have one yet) would need to operate your office. Our information book includes data such as how to use the daily activity log, how to assemble press kits, what supplies we purchase and from whom. Think of this book as an operating manual for your office. Using it, a new assistant can be up to speed within days.

8. Take the time to put everything back in its place, or hire someone else to do it.

In my office, I don't file anything, I have one spot where I put materials I've worked with that day, then my assistant will file them in their appropriate place.

9. Reorganize your office often. Every three months the first year, and every six months thereafter for as long as you plan to run a successful business.

10. End each day with your office clean and organized. It only takes a few minutes, and the results are worth it.

It is possible to be successful in business and be totally disorganized! It's just more difficult. If you have read to this point, you are probably not satisfied with your current organizational habits, your business progress, or your stress level!

All three of these will improve drastically when you take the above ten steps. I've personally worked with clients who report doubling and even tripling their incomes as a result of this system. They redirect the time and the energy they formerly wasted digging through piles of paper. Now they focus on success. You will too. Much success to you-you deserve it!

5 Secrets of the Authentic Entrepreneur

2008-05-05T05:24:00.000-07:00

5 Secrets of the Authentic Entrepreneur BY BASOLA A. VICTOR

In the past, words like "rebel," "driven," "controlling", "risk taker", and "Lone Ranger" were routinely used to describe entrepreneurs. These rare people who ventured out on the their own were viewed as ruthless business owners completely caught up in amassing wealth, much to the detriment of a personal life. Clearly, the image was shrouded in mystique and misperception.

Today there`s a new model of entrepreneur - an "Authentic Entrepreneur." This new breed of entrepreneur is successful because they realize that the dream of having security is simply that - a dream. They`ve discovered that real security is not financial, it is when they tap into their inner power to live purposely and to create a meaningful lifestyle, not just a business. These people are "Authentic Entrepreneurs."

Are You An authentic Entrepreneur?

Anyone can become an Authentic Entrepreneur. It`s all a matter of perspective. Here are the top five traits Authentic Entrepreneurs have in common.

Authentic Entrepreneurs are...

1. Visionary - The old entrepreneurial model was usually a rebel. These people wanted their freedom, wanted to do "it" their way, and believed they could do "it" better than anyone else. By that definition the Authentic Entrepreneur certainly is a rebel to some degree. However, Authentic Entrepreneurs are more visionary. They see the big picture, are prophetic, and have a broad view of the life and business they`re creating.

2. Creator of Destiny - Traditional entrepreneurs are creating businesses, which is a great motivator. But once the business is created, where do you go? What`s next? The Authentic Entrepreneur is moving toward a destiny. They`re inspired by something more expansive than they could possibly create on their own. They tap into their inner power and step confidently forward. They are able to keep going in spite of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The right people, places and opportunities appear out of nowhere to help the Authentic Entrepreneur achieve their destiny.

3. Attractor - All entrepreneurs have a dream. Some have the desire to reach a clearly defined goal, while others simply want to be an entrepreneur first and foremost. They`re forcing the growth of their idea or business, orchestrating every event and creating more action steps than humanly possible to accomplish. They`re driven. On the other hand, Authentic Entrepreneurs are Attractors. They are magnetized by their strong focus toward their destiny. The right people, places and opportunities appear out of nowhere to help. When they take action, it`s inspired and efficient.

4. Fulfilled - Many traditional entrepreneurs aggressively achieve their dreams and grow very successful businesses, yet they never feel complete. Why? Because they haven`t taken the time to truly know what`s important to them and as a result, they`ve sacrificed their health, relationships, or personal needs to grow their business. The Authentic Entrepreneur creates their business from the inside out as self-aware individuals. They understand the importance of aligning core values with their beliefs and dreams to fulfill their destiny and themselves.

5. Inspirational - Many entrepreneurs choose not to have employees or associates on their payroll, working as Lone Rangers instead. Those who do usually aren`t good supervisors. They`d rather control every event and micromanage or not manage at all. The Authentic Entrepreneur knows the importance of team spirit and how to inspire people to blossom into their most creative and meaningful life expression. If the Authentic Entrepreneur isn`t adept at managing people, they know when to let go of that area of responsibility and bring in someone who has outstanding people skills. They understand that fulfilled people are more accommodating to clients and prospects, and happier in general. As a result, business blossoms.

Whether you currently are an entrepreneur or dream of becoming one, embracing the Authentic Entrepreneur traits has many advantages. You remove the traditional entrepreneurial stigmas and allow yourself more room for growth. So if you`re ready to step forward and declare that you desire to live a meaningful and wealthy life, then it`s time to make your move. Shift your perspective and become an Authentic Entrepreneur today.

What is Your Business Image?

2008-05-05T05:22:00.000-07:00

What is Your Business Image? BY BASOLA A. VICTOR

What is your Business Image?
"Confident handshake, proper introductions, powerful speeches, effective meetings, aced interviews, high impact communication skills, stellar presentations, dining with finesse and impeccable dress" "Perception can be your worst enemy or your most valuable asset."
The french word "etiquette" is defined as LABEL. It is interesting that your social behavior can be your "label" or how people see you. "Incompetence can impact bottom-line profits of businesses and can hurt your chances for a promotion or being hired", says the author of Business Etiquette Mastery: The Power Of Executive Leadership. "Etiquette is not a "fluffy" practice, but a business building concept of putting human values back into the workplace.
Dale Carnegie stated that "85% of our success comes from possessing people skills". We cannot begin to gain authority to sell ourselves, our products or services until we establish rapport. It is this fundamental compatibility which influences the subconscious decision process of others.
Rapport is gained by combining three strategic components: Professional Appearance, Communication Skills plus a Demeanor that exudes sensibility and confidence. Businesses are expressing a desire to have their men and women executives of diverse backgrounds and age differences possess skills that set a unifying standard of excellence with every personal interaction.
Business Etiquette also bridges cultural differences to foreign executives now working in the United States. This higher level of competence in a staff drives sales, increases employee morale and boosts customer relationships that ultimately influence their bottom line.
Dress: First impressions are made in the first 10 seconds. Being passed over for interviews, promotion or not taken seriously in your company? Do employees take liberties with the dress codes that your customers might find disturbing? Surveys have proven that various levels of dress command different levels of respect, even if you are working in a business casual atmosphere. Shirts are tucked in, clothes are clean and pressed. For sales, a suit on either a man or women commands more respect than a sport coat/pant outfit or pant outfit for women. Business casual is not to be interpreted as "leisure wear" and uniforms should be clean at the beginning of the day with extras for emergencies.
Communication Skills: Effective communication includes both Verbal and Non-Verbal cues. Emphasizing Good Posture, Eye Contact, Listening, Vocal Variety and Conversational Style during networking and sales presentations. Pleasant, helpful voice over the phone, a quick 2 ring pick-up with a short waiting period for assistance.
Business Etiquette Mastery: The Power Of Executive Leadership. There is no gender in Business Etiquette. Women stand when shaking hands, open doors for men clients and pick up the restaurant bills, just like their male counterparts.
Business Etiquette also includes: Electronic Etiquette, Networking, Effective Listening, Office Meetings, Traveling and Dining with clients. Simple courtesies as: being on time for appointments, start and stop meetings/speeches when promised, use agendas to keep meetings on track, effective listening and quick E- Mail communication respects your time and that of others. Showing respect for others builds good office morale and sends a powerful message to those that you serve.
Mastery comes when you learn the skills, teach them by example and demonstrate (daily) your social prowess of confidence and competence so essential to today’s executive". Whether an entrepreneur, small business owner or corporate executive, YOU are a reflection of the company and must see yourself in this important light! There are tremendous benefits for being a "Polished Professional" by the way we dress, communicate and handle ourselves.
Business Etiquette seems like "common sense" yet, is not in common practice. Knowing the "social skills" of business could be the vital factor in landing that important business contract or getting that promotion. What Is Your Business Image?

STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS

2008-05-05T05:16:00.000-07:00

Starting Your Own Business

BASOLA A. VICTOR

How many times in your life have you seen something in the media that stirs that "Dream" inside you about having your own business? Or, maybe you were at a party talking with someone who had their own business. "...you know - I`ve been thinking about getting into my own business. Every once in a while I get the urge to do it".
This time - it clicks - and you`re at the point where it seems like there is nothing to stop you. Now you can have your Dream - your own business and all you have to do is to take the chance...that next step towards fulfilling your Dream!

Once you decide to take the plunge there are a whole host of questions that need to be answered so that you can just Get Started. Having the Dream of owning your own business is essential because at times it is the only thing that will make you keep going. Also, your Dream can give you the will & drive needed for the bad times.

One thing is certain - you will have to learn how to "work" the business. Learning how to "work" a business is the real test of being a good business person. A business plan is a good starting tool but you have to remember that "business is not a straight path". In other words, what you think today will most likely not take place, tomorrow, in the same way that you had planned. It won`t happen exactly the way you planned or on fact not at all.

As you "work" your business you will probably find that you will have to significantly revise it. The business plan is a good start but does not give you the "feel" of actually working the business. It is only a tool used to project where you think you are going. Where you wind up will almost definitely be in a different place.

Then how do you learn to "work" a business? That`s a good question. First of all you have to have the inner ingredients like adaptability, thinking on your feet, willingness to work with everybody, knowledge of a product or service, contacts, advertising, distribution methods etc. Then you need a whole host of intangibles that will have to be learned along the way.

These intangibles are not taught in school. You must learn them in the path you both take and are taken on. If you could simply take a class on how to be a good business person then there would be a lot more people in business for themselves. But, that`s not how it works. You have to learn how to "work" a business by working it.

Business is not just selling. You need to be more than a good sales person. You also have to deliver. Further, you have to be a good buyer, negotiator, bookkeeper, cash flow manager, advertiser, budgeting guru, analyst, chief cook and, you guessed it, bottle washer. You have to do everything from accepting the accolades to taking out the trash. Whatever you can`t do - you will have to pay for.

Basically your success will come from within. You are a unique person on this planet with a host of skills. As you develop you will realize & actualize your talents. You will develop a business sense that is your own - no one else`s. Be careful that the cost of your education in learning the business is not too expensive. Then you will be out of business.
Make money first. Don`t spend it until you make it.

Keep in mind that people work with people. So - your customers will want to work with you. To them you are almost irreplaceable . If the customer doesn`t like you he/she won`t work with you. People will want to buy from you because you are you. You have those special ingredients that he/she wants. There is plenty of competition out there but the customer has selected you to deal with.

Remember one very important factor - if the trust in the relationship is gone - the relationship is over. If you and your customer can`t see eye to eye then it`s time to part ways. This is an irrevocable fact in business.
You have to be willing to work until the job is done - as many hours as it takes. You are IT. If you don`t do it - it won`t get done. You are not an employee getting a paycheck for doing a particular job. You are a person who makes money by doing whatever it takes to get the job done. You are the essential ingredient in your business.

Those first few dollars that you make will probably be the sweetest. It won`t be the money that you make but the fact that you now realize that you CAN DO IT! You will work long and hard hours to keep your business going. If you find that the business keeps calling you back over and over...and you respond willingly - then you know it`s the business for you.

One word of caution - be careful not to create your own monster. If the business loses its fun & you lose the drive for the business - go back to the drawing board and rethink your position. When the spirit of what you doing is lost it is time for a change.

Keep in mind that good business people are more than the dollars they make. Dollars are for paying bills, keeping score & building wealth (considering the staggering odds). Beyond the dollars that you make is that something that keeps you pushing on in business even when times are not so good. That something is actually bigger than you because there is no limit to the actualization of your Dream.

You have to ask yourself...how am I making a difference? What is that something I have that no one else does? When will I fully understand it? Where is my baby taking me? Who will I be when I get there?
These questions will eventually be answered as you proceed down the path. At each stage of revelation you will realize that you are fulfilling YOUR DREAM.

THE AMAZING SECRETS OF NETWORKING BY BASOLA A. VICTOR

2008-05-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

THE AMAZING SECRETS OF NETWORKING
BY
BASOLA A. VICTOR

…..Your Networth is determined by your Network

Are you listed among "Who’s Who" of your valued clients, respected peers, and mentors? Or, does your potential client, preferred role model, or desired friend say, "Who’s that?"
Everyone on the "Who’s Who" list knows that networking is vital to their savvy and success. We all need to create for ourselves a plan to influence others! Often at conferences and meetings, I demonstrate for participants how to introduce themselves, how to identify what their networking goals are, and have them play the “Networking Game” to get the meeting rolling. I often work with senior executives who do not know how to mingle. Here`s a peek at what I teach them!
IT`S NORMAL TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE What causes people to fear mingling? 92% of us claim to be shy at times. I know I am and I teach this stuff! When you find yourself hesitating, avoiding a networking event, or skipping the mixer, smile and say I`m going to Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway (title of great book by Susan Jeffers.) When we "do it anyway" despite our misgivings, we expand our comfort zone. Knowing the "how to`s of mingling” helps us to easily break down our own barriers. The following are the steps to harnessing the power of networking
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT:
Take the time to challenge yourself to come up with a list of experiences, opportunities, and things you want. Having a vision of what you want will more likely help you to get there. My friend Edmund Oshioke wanted to fund a Community Development Summit in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. Being clear about the goal and having it in writing caused him to begin networking to make it happen. If you do not have a list of at least 15 things you want to do, you are in a rut! Knowing what we want to create next in our lives keeps us active, motivated, and interesting to others.

ASK YOURSELF, "WHO DO I WANT TO KNOW?"
Look at each item on your list. Next to each, identify whom you need to know to help you get what you want. How could you meet this person? With what associations, groups, or organizations would he or she affiliate? A recent client of mine wanted to learn how to get funds to Publish a book. When I asked him who it would be helpful to know, he was able to identify three possible types of people who could help him to raise the needed Cash or at least Give him some amount of services for free.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF I am frequently surprised how many people do not know how to introduce themselves and others. My parents did not teach me how to introduce myself as a business professional, nor did I learn it in school. I too had to learn how to correctly conduct introductions once I joined the professional world. Now, in seminars, I teach folks how to shake hands and practice introductions. The mechanics of a good handshake include: - have eye contact, - extend your hand with the thumb up, - link hands firmly, web to web, - pump 3 - 4 times.
What often goes wrong in the handshake? No eye contact, waiting for the other person to initiate, dead fish or too firm a grip, continuing to pump too long. Practice with a friend. You may have developed one of these bad habits and not be aware of it.
What you say during the introduction is of equal importance. If you are introducing yourself to someone, say, "Hello I am First and Last Name" as you extend your hand. They should extend their hand and say something like, “Nice to meet you, Name I am First and Last Name." This occurs during the handshake.
If you are introducing two people to each other, say the name of the person you are honoring first. If all else is equal, say the name of an older person before the name of the younger. Let’s say that James Okoro is my client and Osazee Thompson is my friend or colleague. I start by saying, "James Okoro, I`d like you to meet Osazee Thompson." I pause for about 3 seconds. (No ping-pong. Don`t say James this is Thompson, Thompson, this is James.) Then I add something about James that would be of interest to Thompson: "James and I have worked together at BASH Concepts International for the past Three years." Finish with something interesting about the person you are honoring, such as, "Thompson, you would be interested to know that James is one of the best team player on our Staff list" Now they each know something about the other that they can use to begin a conversation.
ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT
After you have met the person or group who you think could help you get what you want, you have to ask! Relationships are built on reciprocal interchanges. What could you give, do, or offer your new networking contact? People, like you, like to be helpful - it feels really good! They are usually open to extending their help when asked. Give others the opportunity to aid you in reaching your goals.
GIVE THEM SOMETHING IN RETURN
Sometime in 2007 One of My mentors, Uju Onyechere based in Lagos, Nigeria wanted to organize a seminar tagged 8 Streams of Multiple Income in the Oil City of Warri and he needed a marketing expert to help him do the targeted marketing and Publicity and I was contacted by my Friend Timothy Ogene to help. I immediately sprung into action without asking for any motivation; I knew this was the opportunity for investing into my mentor and opening the door for Him to help me whenever I want. I tried my best to market the seminar and by God’ grace, it was successful.
Later that same Year, BASH Concepts International wanted to organize It’s Monthly, Starting Your Own Business Seminar in Abraka, Delta State and I contacted Uju Onyechere as One of our speakers. Under normal circumstances, I was supposed to pay close to 60,000 Naira for Him to leave his numerous speaking engagement and attend to me, but because of My Investment early that Year, He said “ BASH, if you can afford to pay my transport to and fro, no problem; any other thing you have I will collect from you”
I was amazed and that helped me to save some cash though for some technical and academic reasons the seminar was postponed.
Till today whenever I call on Him, he is ever ready to answer me and also refer me to people on his network who he fells can help me get there. I have not only known him, I have also known everybody that he knows, how amazing, I have known everyone on His network.
Till we meet again, YOUR NETWORK IS DETERMINED BY YOUR NETWORK.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Basola A. Victor is a Best Selling Author, Marketing Expert and Business Consultant. He is presently the CEO of Bash Concepts International, a Marketing Expertise and Business solutions firm dedicated to become a one stop source for overall business development. He is quick to express His passionate belief in the Human Resource Potentials that Nigeria possesses and He has expressed this at various local, national and regional fora through his speaking opportunities with over 400 audiences over the years.
He is a dynamic, entertaining and highly sought-after speaker, his dynamic influence in the area of Leadership, Business Start- Up, Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Youth Empowerment is Unrivaled.
He has authored four (soon to be published) books including “60 Business Ideas You Can Do With Little Or No Money”, and “How To Sack Your Dad”.
He is the Founder and Project Manager of Rural Development Initiative Nigeria (RDIN), a body committed to the financial empowerment and moral revolution of community youths, women and children through the organization of financial empowerment seminars and workshops, HIV AIDS awareness campaigns and implementation of Rural and Micro-Credit Schemes.

TO CONTACT HIM WRITE:

BASH Concepts International
Suite 001, Elshaddai House Off Umono Rd. Abraka
Delta State, Nigeria
(+234) 07035121346, 08078957783

SEVEN SECRETS OF SUCCESFUL MANAGERS BY BASOLA VICTOR

2008-04-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

SEVEN SECRETS OF SUCCESFUL MANAGERS

BY
BASOLA A. VICTOR

Over the years in working with clients, I have had the pleasure of observing many managers who were and are extremely successful in their chosen professions. Despite their very different disciplines, industries and even cultures, the most interesting thing that I`ve observed is not their dissimilarities, but what they all seem to have in common. I have been amazed by the consistent pattern of behaviors that successful managers all seem to share in their approach to managing others.
However they discovered these secrets, intuitively, through instruction or example, here are seven secrets that I believe all successful managers have in common:
1. They are a transparent example. The most successful managers wear both their personal values and the values of their organization on their sleeves. They are both knowledgeable and skillful and in constant pursuit of mastery of both. By doing this, they set an example for their people both on the job and off. Whether it`s a dedication to customer service, a commitment to quality or anything else, they themselves embody and practice the value and constantly strive to master and improve it. Because they always look at their own behavior before looking at others, they are believable role models and command respect.
2. They demand the same from others. They are able to visualize the skills, knowledge and culture necessary for the organization and individuals in it to succeed, and they begin to sell others on the need for change. They are impatient regarding their goal but extremely patient in helping people buy into that goal. Once they have achieved a critical mass of people committed to change, they demand and expect full adherence to the new organizational culture. Their mission is not to create a group of mirror images of themselves, but rather to help everyone achieve their full potential. In order to do that, they must set high standards and expectations for success.
3. They coach others. For successful managers, every interpersonal encounter represents a coaching opportunity. Some are planned and highly structured individual or group coaching sessions. The vast majority, however, are "in the moment" opportunities. Coaching involves a range of behaviors, educating, encouraging, demonstrating, counseling, and more, but the focus of all of these actions is to help other people succeed. These managers are constantly and actively involved in performance improvement and helping their people become more talented and capable.
4. They track performance. They have definable, measurable standards of performance against which everything is measured. They clearly articulate success points or critical success factors for everyone in their organization. These standards reflect individual development plans and are therefore customized to each member of the organization. They give responsibility but expect accountability.
5. They leverage their coaching and train Leaders. They recognize that for some within the group the future holds greater responsibilities. They prepare future managers by coaching them to coach others. They give these people opportunities to stretch and expand their own skills by developing skills in others.
6. They implement a mastery program. Many within the group are happy with their current level of responsibilities. Successful managers do not allow this to be an excuse for not growing. They constantly raise the bar and invent new ways for people to continue to grow and improve in their current positions. They recognize that continued growth and improvement is a life long journey rather than a destination, and the programs they implement reflect this.
7. They are Consistent: Successful people in any endeavor know that there is no such thing as overnight success. Good managers achieve their level of success through consistency and discipline, and they help others succeed through repeated coaching and example. They know the only way to maintain a high level of success is through repetition and discipline. In fact, without repetition and discipline, the previous six secrets are only good intentions rather than successful management practices. With them, they become the habits that form the basis of continuing success.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Basola A. Victor is a Best Selling Author, Marketing Expert and Business Consultant. He is presently the CEO of Bash Concepts International, a Marketing Expertise and Business solutions firm dedicated to become a one stop source for overall business development.

TO CONTACT HIM WRITE:
BASH Concepts International
Suite 001, Elshaddai House Off Umono Rd. Abraka
Delta State, Nigeria
(+234) 07035121346, 08078957783

MANAGING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE by BASOLA A. VICTOR

2008-04-29T05:47:00.000-07:00

MANAGING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE
BY
BASOLA A. VICTOR

A little boy once overheard his father saying to someone on the phone, “Yes, you may put me down for membership. I already belong to a dozen organizations, so I might as well join one more”. After His father hung up, the boy asked innocently; “Daddy, do all those groups you belong to know that you belong?”
This boy’s question started the Father thinking. He concluded that He was filtering away his energy trying to belong to every group that called on him. He was “BELONGING” too much but “ACCOMPLISHING” very little. So he dropped out of most of the organizations of which he was a “member”, then he put his whole heart into the few he considered most worthwhile. In these groups he soon became an outstanding figure and genuine contributor. Over time, he became well known in the community not for his numerous memberships, but for the many good works his few memberships yielded. For his part, the man no longer had any question as to whether or not he belonged.
The very worse use of your time is to do so well that which need not be done at all. All you succeed doing is being busy doing nothing worthwhile.
Peter Drucker said “Time is Basic; unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed”. If you study successful people, you will find out that they are well organized, getting more done in less time. They have clear goals and objectives, Specific plans and Priorities and a structured plan on how to achieve them.
To be productive and financially independent, you have to learn the simple law of Time Management. People who practice this law report their careers take off; their income increase and surprisingly, they still have enough time for themselves and to spend with their families and friends.
Majority of us wake up daily without any plan for the day, we are like a ship without sail being tossed about by the wind taking us anywhere it might lead. Jokingly, we don’t feel bothered thinking that by tomorrow (which will never come) we will make amends. Hours run into days, days run into weeks, weeks into months and months into years, we end up having an unbalanced life full of unachieved Dreams.
To be able to manage your time successfully so as to manage the time of your life, I will recommend a few steps (which I have practiced and still practicing) that will help you in creating an organized life.

1. DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE
Deciding exactly what you want in every area of your life will not only keep you focused on a goal but it will also give you the spur needed for its achievement. According to John M. Goddard; “If you really know what you want in life, it’s amazing how opportunities will come to enable you carry them out”. Nothing ever happens in life until you create space for it” James Mackay remarked and by deciding exactly what you want in every area of your life, you bare invariably creating space for it’s achievement.

2. WRITE OUT THOSE GOALS CLEARLY AND SET A REASONABLE DEADLINE FOR YOURSELF FOR ITS ACHIEVEMENT:

A dream is a goal with a deadline. The reason you have not being achieving those dreams is because you have not woken up to pen them down. Writing down your goals (whether daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) has a way of commiting you to its achievement. It cements what is going on in your mind and brain and whenever you set your eyes on your written goals, it drives home the fact that it must be established.
If it is a large goal, break it down into sub goals and write them down in the right order making sure you include a reasonable date or deadline. Make a list of everything you can think of that you are going to do in order to achieve your goal and add them to your priorities. If you break these goals down into a daily schedule, you will be amazed how easy it is to achieve the HERCULEAN task before you.

3. START FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT THING/TASK ON YOUR LIST AND START IMMEDIATELY.
Procrastination is a grave where lifetime opportunities are buried. John Mason remarks “The best time of the day is now”. The major problem with us is “PROCRASTINATION”. Having the I will do it later attitude towards things and this has caused more harm than good in the lives of many individuals. It came to a time that I wrote an inscription “DO IT NOW” and placed it somewhere close to my bed, in my office and in my library to be able to break free from postponing things and events. If you have to go to that length, please do’ your life is too precious to waste away hoping for a tomorrow that often eludes us.
Yesterday is a cancelled Cheque, Tomorrow is a Promisory note,, but Today is the only Cash you have; let us spend it wisely.
What you do with your time in its little packets of minutes, seconds and hours goes a long way to shapen your life

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Basola A. Victor is a Best Selling Author, Marketing Expert and Business Consultant. He is presently the CEO of Bash Concepts International, a Marketing Expertise and Business solutions firm dedicated to become a one stop source for overall business development.

TO CONTACT HIM WRITE:

BASH Concepts International
Suite 001, Elshaddai House Off Umono Rd. Abraka
Delta State, Nigeria
(+234) 07035121346, 08078957783