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Gabriel Olatunji 'Legend'[/caption]My name is Gabriel Olatunji ‘Legend’, born in Papa Ashafa, Agege, Lagos, Nigeria, deported by economic situations to Agbado Ijaye, moved to Ikeja and Magodo respectively in search of a better life. I run OLATUNJISPEAKS Publishing (Book Publishing) and Thought Promotions (An Empowerment and Entertainment outfit) and I am also the lead blogger at www.OLATUNJISPEAKS.com (Africa’s number one inspirational site).
2013 started on a very high note, with great plans and lofty visions and if I am to go according to expectations I should be running things on a higher note than this but this is often the problem with many of us when the year is starting. We are very optimistic and can see no wrong in the New Year, as a result we leave many stones unturned and fail to do the important things and at the end of the day we find ourselves at the same point, a point lower than where we were or just in between the two. The day we start the year by ‘Anticipating Evils’ that may arise and put measures in place to check them, that is the day we will end the year in a note that is resounding.
I started a movie distribution business in December 2012 and we were making money steadily. My ambition of expansion soon took over me and before I knew it we had almost 20 stores we were supplying. Business was good, money was coming in, I was spending (‘foolishly’) and I failed to anticipate the evils that could arise. By September, 2013 we had lost the greatest collateral you need in business, Trust. We were in debt, lost staffs and were worse than where we started from, all because we did not ‘Anticipate Evil’. Everything will not continue to go smooth for you in life and in business which is why you must prepare for the bad days in the good days. Prepare mentally, financially, and increase your network consciously. I am limited in the number of words to write which is why I won’t divulge much but if there is one great lesson I have learnt this year, it is to ‘Anticipate Evils’ (things that can bring me back to the ground) and put measures in place to checkmate them.
I am most grateful for failure this year. If I hadn’t failed, I would have thought life is a bed of roses. If I hadn’t known what it meant not to be able to buy a shirt for weeks after giving out all your cloths to charity then I would have thought I could have everything easy. I am grateful I ventured into a new terrain in business than I am used to and this has taught me how to be a better manager.
If I could, one thing I would do differently will be to put pen on paper and list every aspect of my life and business that I treasure, then list out all the possible things that could make me lose them. Then, I would proffer not more than two solutions to guard against them. For example, if my virginity is important to me I would write that no matter how late it is in the night I wouldn’t sleep in a lady’s house or vice versa neither will I sleep in an hotel with a lady. Also, if your business is important to you this must be your quote, “If you don’t put something aside regularly in business your business will soon be put aside by clients/customers”
NOTE: January 5th is my birthday and I will be sharing lessons I have learnt in life starting from today, January 1st and January 5th, 2014.
Follow on Gabriel on Twitter, @OLATUNJISPEAKS |olatunjispeaks@gmail.com
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