ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 - THE BLOOD, THE HOPE AND THE GOD FACTOR.

I will be 110% honest about my #entrepreneurship journey so that those who get to read this piece and have a desire to branch out can learn and those who are in the same shoes can find strength too.

You know how they tell you to ‘test the mic’ of entrepreneurship while still in a paid job to know if you are cut out for it. Mehn! That advice is not completely true o (I know am not the only one on this table sha). I will detail my transition journey someday. (Very interesting)

The truth is you are never prepared for the things you will face or how your entrepreneurship journey will ever turn out. No matter how many books you read or people you get advice from, still have it at the back of your mind that your test will be peculiar to you and you alone.

Don’t get me wrong, am not saying don’t do your research or ask relevant question where necessary before your take a step into the life of Entrepreneurship. All I am saying is with all your findings and ‘knowings’, just know this too – YOUR ENTREPRENEURSHIP TEST WILL BE PECULIAR TO YOU AND YOU ALONE.

This is because our actual needs (physical, emotional, intellectual, financial etc) as we journey through the highways of entrepreneurship differs from person to person and time to time, so the various test we will face will differ and how we respond also will differ because we are all #human with different #abilities. So what I will echo here is ENTREPRENEUR KNOW THY SELF.

Knowing yourself is knowing what your abilities and capabilities are and begin your journey accordingly. There is no first position in the journey of entrepreneurship. Every entrepreneur will arrive at their bus-stop (targets) at different times. We are not on the same vehicle to ‘success bus-stop’. Every entrepreneurial vehicle has you as the driver and then empty seats. What you do with the empty seats is your cup of tea. If you like overload the vehicle (your choice) or drive alone (still your choice).

Also, know that the driver (You) is the one who determines the end point of the journey. Your bus-stop is not determined by #Clients, #Competitors, #Mentors or even #Staff sef. Once you are there, STOP and decide if you are going further or giving some one the wheel to drive (selling the business). Na Entrepreneur wey dey alive dey get more idea to solve problems (think well).

THE BLOOD

Let’s talk biology a bit.

The blood is made up of a lot of different components. We have:

1.    Red and White blood cells (carry oxygen and help fight infections respectively)

2.    Platelets (help your blood to clot)

3.    Plasma (contains antibodies, which the immune system uses to fight foreign invaders like germs and bacteria)

4.    Antigens (determine what type of blood you have)

In the same vein, there is blood in the business of ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Blood is the body fluid in the body of a human. But in Entrepreneurship, blood is the #SOLUTION you are out to solve. Notice I said solution, the core of your entrepreneurial journey must be ONE THING. You might have various other solutions but they must all be tied to that one thing that keeps you up all night with vigor and zest.

The blood of our company - A5 Agroservices Limited is captured in “PURPOSEFUL AGRICULTURE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO FOOD SUFFICIENCY, FOOD SECURITY AND COLLECTIVE PROSPERITY”.

Wake me anytime of the day, I will tell you why and how I believe this is the only way. It’s not about ‘fancy’ agriculture stuff here and there. Its #purpose driven #agriculture that will work. I say purpose because that kind of Agriculture is not about self at all (If you want to know more you can book me and we will talk)

For an entrepreneur, the components of your blood are:

1.    #Knowledge and Mentors (Red and White Blood Cells) – Your level of knowledge determines your level of wisdom and thus the quality of your #decisions (oxygen of your business) and mentors help you navigate challenges when they come.

2.    Systems (Platelets) – #systems ensure your entrepreneurial core (blood) is not lost when you are injured as your journey daily.

3.    Staff (Plasma) – they are responsible to run the systems to ensure you are competitive and also making impact. Your staff are your #soldiers.

4.    Clients (Antigens) – determines your value

I had to learn the peculiarity of these things the hard way and I am still learning by day.

THE HOPE

#Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in your business. #Hope is one of the fundamental elements that will keep an entrepreneur going every day and night.

Hope is what makes you hold on even in times when it does not make sense to hold on. Hope is what will show you the glimpse of light even in times of enduring darkness all around.

Hope is what will make you stay sane and normal when people will think you are mad or not normal. Hope is what will give you joy even in times when people will abandon you and loneliness sets in.

Even when it does not seems like you are making progress, Hope is the only hold you have to stay alive.

The famous statement of Martin Luther King “I have a dream” that we quote always was not just a statement of dream alone but a statement of hope. Until, the hope you have becomes a picture built in your mind and a statement echoed to the world then its can easily be put off and die.

Most motivational speaker will tell you to have #faith but I will humbly add that your faith is potent when you have Hope because hope is the substance of your faith.

In this one year of officially launching A5 Agroservices ltd, my hope has always been alive even in times when I have felt hopeless. We have been to the #banks for credit facility to boast our operations in commodity trading and we were told the business is just a few months old whereas we had done a turnover of $1.5m in the same bank. We had to engage with other #financial institutions, they gave us strong possibility and then ghosted us at the dying minute. Hmmm!

We have had to endure being used and betrayed.

But in all, the optimism of being a part in the dynamic change that must happen in the Agricultural space keeps the fire burning.

Every entrepreneur needs #HOPE and most especially #AFRICAN ENTREPRENEURS…

THE GOD FACTOR

This is the ultimate factor that determines everything.

One of my most respected boss and mentor @richard ogundele told me categorically when I went to meet him in his office at the time I just resigned and was stepping into the game. He said “Michael don’t forget #God, prayer is key. In all you do make sure you are always putting God first”.

This journey has been by the help of God. We see His hand and help on a daily basis. Most times we know that the accolade or recognition we are getting is not a product of our efforts alone because when we look back we know where our effort stopped. God is the answer.

Some people will say its Luck, but for me I see the concept of luck as the ability to define the activity of a supernatural being in your favour in a natural way to enable the understanding of the natural man. Just simply believe today that it’s God!

Both in good times and bad times, the God factor kept us moving forward one step at a time. 365 days (officially) as a company birth from a vision for a sustainable change in the African Agricultural Sector is simply GOD.

Cheers to greater years ahead

Cheers to achieving the one thing that keeps us up at night

Cheers to a prosperous #Africa

Cheers to a prosperous #Nigeria

Cheers to A5 AGROSERVICES LIMITED