Barry V.

Chowdeck is a Nigerian tech startup that has transformed the food delivery scene across Africa. Established in October 2021 by Femi Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf, the company rapidly gained popularity by prioritizing speed, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Before Chowdeck, food delivery in Nigeria was plagued by delays, unreliability, and a limited choice of restaurants. Customers frequently dealt with long wait times, high delivery costs, and a lack of variety. The founders recognized these issues as an opportunity to introduce a superior alternative. The concept for Chowdeck originated from a personal experience.  On New Year's Eve 2020, Femi Aluko, having tested positive for COVID-19, was unable to travel home. During this time, he struggled to find a food delivery service that met his needs, highlighting a significant gap in the market. This experience fueled his desire to create a platform that would make food delivery more accessible and efficient. Chowdeck's mission is to empower restaurants and offer customers the most convenient and fastest way to get food delivered in Nigeria. They achieved this by developing a robust technology platform that connects restaurants with customers, streamlining the delivery process for a seamless experience. Since its launch, Chowdeck has experienced rapid growth, expanding into more cities and increasing its restaurant partnerships. #tech #africa #innovation

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Starting Fresh: Here’s a roadmap to how I will maximize my success and become a top realtor in 2024: 1) Level Up Your Knowledge: Market Master: Understand what’s hot and where people are moving! ➡️ Legal Lowdown: ⚖️ Know the Nigerian property laws & regulations - builds trust with clients! Tech Time: Embrace property listing platforms & social media to connect with buyers! ➡️ 2) Become a Local Powerhouse Networking Ninja: Build connections - attend events, reconnect with people & network with fellow realtors! Community Champion: ❤️ Get involved! Sponsor events, volunteer & become a resource! ➡️ Social Media Superstar: Create a popping social media presence! Share listings, tips & content! ➡️ 3) Find Your Niche Don’t be a Jack of All Trades: ➡️ Choose a specific property type (luxury estates, student apartments) or location! ➡️➡️ Become the Guru: Learn everything about your niche and position yourself as the go-to realtor! ➡️➡️ 4) Master Communication ️ Active Listener: Truly understand your clients’ needs! ➡️➡️ Clear Communication: ️ Keep clients informed & address concerns promptly! ➡️➡️ Honesty is Key: ⚖️ Be upfront about costs, fees & market realities! 5) Embrace Digital Marketing Picture Perfect Listings: Invest in high-quality photos & virtual tours! ➡️➡️ Targeted Ads: Use social media & property platforms to reach ideal buyers! ➡️ Content Creator: ✍️ Create informative content about the Nigerian real estate market! Bonus Tip: Certification Power: Consider pursuing relevant real estate certifications for a credibility boost! ➡️➡️ Remember, consistency is key! With these tips and your Nigerian hustle, you’ll be closing deals in no time! Remember to Like 👍🏾, comment 🗣️and share 📩 for more real estate tips and advice #NigerianRealtor #RealEstateTips #NewbieRealtor #2024Goals #CozyHavensLtd 🇳🇬 #mrproperty #mrpropertytheproperthing #realestateadvice #realtortraining #realtortrainingtips #realestatenigeria #realestatemistakes #digitalmarketingabcforrealetors #realestatecontent

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Are Nigerian's really broke? It is like customers are not buying anymore. This economy is killing. Big LIE! Don't allow the Nigerian messed up economy to influence you to the point where you think that way. Some businesses are still making money back to back. So what can you do? What you start doing today will not change the present but will definitely change what will happen in few weeks. Keep marketing what you do. Sell to People With Money (P W M) Keep every customer you get. (You are not a taxi driver, where you are nice to pick them but quick to abandon them) Let them buy more often. Let them increase the value of what they buy steadily. No matter what it is, some business will still make it, but the question is: will it be you? The choice is yours!

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#Africa is still in a mindset that needs to evolve. I know it sounds harsh, but sometimes the truth needs to be said. First tho Happy Friday! ✌🏽✌🏽 Hear me out... I’m a legal immigrant to Canada, and I appreciate the opportunities I've had here. But I also care deeply about what’s happening back home #Ethiopia, and I want to see progress. Personally, I've done it all—#grillmaster, #securityguard, #salesmanager, #networkingtechnician, #businessowner, #carwash, #parking and more. These experiences have taught me that there’s always more out there, and that thinking you’re the best at something can be a dead-end if you’re not willing to learn and grow. To my #brothers and #sisters in #Africa, don’t be fooled by the #media. Don't let #tiktok fool you. YES, you are #kings and #queens, but remember that real royalty puts in the #work. Royalty have multiple jobs, responsibilities, they don’t sit back. Just because you’re an expert in a #softwareprogram doesn’t mean you’re untouchable. #Technology changes—what’s relevant today could be #obsolete #tomorrow. Remember what happened to #Windows98? It was once the best thing out there, but eventually, it was #decommissioned and #replaced. The same thing can happen to your skills if you’re not continuously #learning. It’s not just about skills, it’s also about building #relationships and working together 80% of the time. That’s where true #wealth comes from, not from trying to cut corners or #hack your way through #life.

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🦄 Unicorn alert out of Nigeria!! 🇳🇬 Endeavor entrepreneurs Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, co-founders of Moniepoint Group (neither one in the photo* 😉) just announced a US$110M Series C, which places the valuation of the company at 1B+. 🤯 Founded out of Nigeria in 2016 Moniepoint Group is an agency-banking solution that enables small businesses to provide basic financial services such as deposits, withdrawals, transfers, and bill payments to their customers. 📈 Why is this important? For us this is important due to it being a double recognition: On the one side it validates that in turbulent times unicorns can come from anywhere 🌍; BUT it also highlights the importance of “the multiplier effect”, since Tosin comes from having worked at Interswitch a leading tech company that has given way to others in the region, and it allows Moniepoint to become that new role model that will inspire the next generation. The Series C round was led by Development Partners International (DPI) and had participation from Google’s Africa Investment Fund, Verod Capital and Lightrock, among others. Huge congrats to the Moniepoint Group team and to Endeavor Nigeria. 🚀 * Given the LinkedIn algorithm now penalizes links to news articles I’ll highlight Tage Kene-Okafor’s piece as the source of this info including a recent selfie of us in Lagos a few weeks back. 😉 You can find the link in the comments.

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Strategy sure matters, and this also applies to wealth building. Canadian Government has some tactics to help build wealth, reduce tax burdens, reach various goals faster etc. Are you taking advantage of them? Book a free consultation and let's explore various strategies to reach your own goals. #wealthbuilding #financialgoals #personalfinance #investing #financialfreedom

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Strategy is not about launching fast. Is about timing.

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Why do many Nigerian startups fail? Let’s talk about it. 1️⃣ Raising Funds in Dollars, Earning in Naira: Most Nigerian startups raise huge amounts of money from VCs in dollars. But their revenue often comes in naira. With the exchange rate constantly crashing, this creates a big problem. They end up spending too much on operations and losing money because what they earn in naira can’t cover the dollar costs. 2️⃣ Spending Big on Flashy Things: After raising funds, many founders rush to spend on fancy offices, flashy launch events, and hiring a large number of staff. Instead of focusing on their product, they waste money on things that don’t directly grow the business. Before they know it, the money is gone, and there’s nothing solid to show for it. 3️⃣ Pressure to Scale Too Fast: Investors often push startups to grow rapidly so they can see quick returns. Founders feel pressured to expand aggressively hiring too many people, running ads everywhere, and trying to be in multiple markets at once. This approach might work abroad, but in Nigeria, it’s not sustainable due to the high costs and infrastructure challenges. 4️⃣ No Focus, Just Competition: Nigerian startups sometimes focus too much on competing with others, even when they aren’t in the same niche. Instead of building a strong platform and solving real problems, they’re busy trying to outshine their “competition” on social media or in the news. 5️⃣ Not Making Profit, Just Spending: Many startups don’t prioritize profitability. Their main focus is burning investor money to create hype, thinking they’ll raise another round before the cash runs out. But what happens when investors stop funding? They crash because the business isn’t earning enough to sustain itself. 6️⃣ Poor Leadership and Vision: Some founders don’t bring in experienced leaders to help them navigate the tech space. They hire friends or people without the right skills, and when challenges come, the team can’t handle them. Without proper vision and management, the company fails. 7️⃣ Infrastructure Challenges: Nigeria’s poor infrastructure unreliable electricity, bad roads, and expensive internet makes running a business here tougher than in other countries. Startups burn more money trying to deliver services and keep customers happy. This is my take, what do you think?

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Notes from CampusLabs Nigeria Start-up Incubator Part 1. Cash Flow is King: The Importance of Customer Discovery and Segmentation In the world of entrepreneurship and small businesses, there are a few universal truths that every founder must understand and embrace. One of the most important is that cash flow is king. Having a great product or service is important, but if you can't effectively manage your cash flow, your business will struggle to survive, let alone thrive. Maintaining positive cash flow allows you to: - Pay your bills and employees on time - Invest in growth initiatives - Weather unexpected challenges and downturns - Avoid the stress and risks of running out of capital To keep your cash flow healthy, you need to get paid quickly, control your expenses, and forecast accurately. But strong cash flow alone is only possible when you have paying customers. This implies that you need to deeply understand your target customers through rigorous discovery and segmentation. Customer Discovery The first step is to truly understand your target customers. What are their biggest pain points? What solutions are they actively seeking? What are their buying motivations and decision-making processes? Too often, businesses assume they know their customers without actually validating those assumptions. Taking the time to do thorough customer discovery - through interviews, surveys, focus groups, etc. - will give you invaluable insights that can inform your entire business strategy. Customer Segmentation Once you have a firm grasp on your customer base, you need to identify the distinct segments within it. Different customer groups will have unique needs, preferences, and behaviors that require tailored approaches. By segmenting your customers, you can create more targeted marketing, sales, and product strategies that maximize the lifetime value of each segment. This level of customization is key to driving consistent cash flow. The Bottom Line At the end of the day, no matter how brilliant your business idea may be, if you can't keep the cash flowing, you won't be in business for long. Mastering customer discovery and segmentation is essential to building a sustainable, profitable company. What strategies have you found most effective for managing cash flow and understanding your customers? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section. For us Parakletus Hub Nigeria Publishing we're currently running customer discovery survey for aspiring authors; kindly click on the link https://lnkd.in/df4QCEMn to fill the 3 minute form if writing a book has ever crossed your mind either as an entrepreneur or as a person. #LevelUp #Entrepreneurship #ParakletusPublishing #CampusLabs #WhitmanSchoolOfBusiness #OrangelnnovationFund #StartupJourney #Gratitude #31DaysLinkedInChallenge

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THE HUSTLE IS REAL, BUT IT’S WORTH IT! There’s something unique about being a creative in Nigeria. One day, you’re editing videos with half-battery life on your laptop, the next, you’re designing Shopify stores under the hard glow of electric lamps because—well, you know THE NEPS😊. But let me share a moment that made me smile. A client once came to me frustrated. She had a great business idea but no clue how to bring it online. Her Shopify store wasn’t working, her email marketing was all over the place, and she was just… overwhelmed. I told her, “Don’t worry, we’ll sort it out.” In actual words, "Relax. E go be.” Piece by piece, I redesigned her store, optimized her sales funnels, and set up automated email flows. A few weeks later, she sent me a message: Toluwase, sales have doubled! I’m so happy! It reminded me why I do what I do. The work we creatives put in—whether it’s designing, editing, or curating—isn’t just about us; it’s about solving real problems and delivering results that change the game for someone else. In Nigeria, we’re used to making something out of nothing—jollof from scraps, video edits with generator backup, even shooting in traffic because “location na location.” But it’s that same grit that makes us thrive anywhere in the world. So here’s my reminder to every creative out there grinding: Keep pushing, keep creating, keep trusting your process. One day, the results will “burst your brain” too. You sef go bow for the results soon. Share your own “E go be” moment. Let’s inspire each other...

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Absolutely, take your time to plan and get your strategy right. This is very relevant to building your career. Take your time to build your skillset and master your job rather than jumping from one trending job type to the other in search of higher pay. if you get your strategy right, build skills that align with your strengths and passion, you will hit the jackpot much easier.

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Imagine this: you've got a killer idea, a product or service Nigerians will love. But how do you reach them? Billboards are expensive, flyers get tossed, and forget TV ads – those days are gone. The answer? The internet, a vast, vibrant marketplace where millions of Nigerians are waiting to discover you. . . This is where internet marketing comes in. It's your key to unlocking the potential of the booming Nigerian economy and the future of Africa. Here's why you need to jump on this digital wave: 1. Be a Big Fish in a Mobile Pond: Nigeria has over 198 million mobile phone lines – that's a massive audience in their pockets, just waiting to be connected with. Internet marketing lets you target them with laser precision, showing your product exactly to the people who need it most. 2. Level the Playing Field: Forget the big companies with big budgets. The internet makes it possible for anyone, anywhere in Nigeria or Africa, to compete. With the right digital marketing skills, you can outsmart the giants and build a loyal following. 3. Become a Global Citizen: The internet doesn't have borders. Your business can go from local to international practically overnight. Imagine selling your African crafts or fashion designs to the world – the possibilities are endless! . . AI? Your New Secret Weapon Here's the thing: internet marketing is powerful, but it can also be complex. This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) steps in. Think of AI as your super-smart sidekick, helping you with: - Understanding Your Audience: AI can analyze data to give you insights into what Nigerians are searching for online, their preferences, and even their mood. This knowledge is gold when it comes to crafting targeted marketing campaigns. - Creating Killer Content: Writer's block? AI can help! It can generate ideas, write headlines, and even craft social media posts that resonate with your audience. - Staying Ahead of the Curve: The digital world moves fast. AI can track trends and changes in online behaviour, so you can always be one step ahead of the competition. . . The Future is Now!!! The internet and AI are revolutionizing the way we do business in Africa. Don't miss out! Embrace internet marketing, and watch your business take off. Israel Anuoluwa Opadeyi

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