[What makes you?]

Are you made, or are you self-made? This is a question I pose to everyone who is big today. Are you honest about your beginnings? Where you're now, people want to know about how you got there. Are you having power or influence or authority? What you're worth will say that aloud of you.

You at times go to play the observer, expert, supporter, or the doer. But then, when you leave, what do you leave behind and what do you take away with? Funny thing is that your mental model will dictate the make of you. If you wish to be something, someone else will help make that be realized. People sometimes fail to see it that way. You want employment, someone gives it to you, and you come back and say you're self-made tomorrow? No, you were made because somebody through their effort gave you the means to be where you are now as what you are. Being self-made is tough in that you start off with nothing and build yourself and your concern sans the aid of anyone. I know only a few who can lay claim to that.

A fine example is of Anamukelo, who dropped out of school aged 16 at Grade 10 to start her hustle because education to her then couldn't put bread on their table. She started by patiently standing in queues for the elderly for a minimum 50c. She became known for that and soon collected medication at local hospital and clinic for the elderly on their behalf sans them leaving home after building rapport through queuing for them.

Because of her built relationship with the hospital and clinic, she received preference as she made their jobs simple and cutting queues. Some years later she got a contract with some elderly caretaker NGO to provide the same services in her home province. At 29, Anamukelo today employs educated personnel who taught her a lot in gratitude for the opportunity she afforded to them. Asked about her worth, if she's already a millionaire and she said; "I don't know, I just see a long number on my withdrawal slips. One day I heard someone call me by that, but I didn't think someone like me could be that 'cause I had never met one in my life to know if I'm one. I just know I can afford to buy a lot of things for my crippled mother and my supportive siblings." Her mother, the pillar of her strength, is a survivor of gender based violence. 

She's self-made and in the process making others. Now, the question is, "What makes you?" Is it connections from your friends, money from your family, your academic achievements, your own sweat and determination, or what? Someone may argue that she got a contract and that made her, but I say she was doing it before the contract and was going to get there in time.

In conclusion: it's not about what you do, but rather how you started off that gives off what you're made of. It's not a contest but a gauge to your type. It's about acceptance of the fact that not anyone can be self-made and make others, and knowing the material we are before going in because the wisest thing to do is know your limits of capacity and means, and improve on them.

Not everyone is as bold and daring to take on an unpathed veld and crisscross it. 'Be brave for your dream, it's always where your real happiness for your make is found' [1]. Good luck...   

[1] by KgeleLeso.

 

[Make room to have room]

'A man is like a book with many torn chapters, and so is his mind with many rooms' [1]. This not applying only to the male species exclusively, but that it is in their nature as a businessperson as well.

In business you deal with many issues that vary, and for you to navigate through them so as to arrive to a positive outcome, needing the sole to have room for each of those issues dealt with. If you miss that point in you, are then in for an off-ramp to your crush. One thing I keep hearing is that in business you need a clear mind in order to succeed, but I feel it needs not that alone.

For a businessperson to get to where they want to be, they need a restless mind. This creates a balance as the clear mind blocks other issues while a restless mind keeps roaming on others simultaneously. What you need is focus and time to deal with issues decisively. Thing is, 'leadership is about challenging the comfort zone first in self before the next's' [2]. A clear mind is sought solely from your support staff and team to work on your ideas for your vision.

In your life, you have personal issues and public issues, of which in personal issues you still have private matters to deal with. As such, you have to create room for each of those sides to your life. When you're at home it doesn't say your mind is off from business but rather switched to the home front, and that's why a businessperson needs a spouse that understands and complement that side to them to make them whole.

Something that people should know about you is that you just never stop and it's in the nature of your type. But truth is, you have to have room also for everyone you choose to accommodate in your life. In your rooms, there must be space for disappointments, hopes, celebrations, ideas, and so forth, that you will have to know how to attend to and when. Work life and home life both form part of you but shouldn't be in the way of the other. Learn to open and close doors to your mind in analyzing of where you are and with whom you're in presence of, that's one of the keys to your self mastery.

In conclusion: to a learner from self, 'future a time that's to find you bettered from today after a faulty yesterday' [3]. If you don't make room for learning from each of your spaces, there'll be no room for you to draw from in future. The life troubles we meet are what determines our destinies. All that we are and become, depends mostly on the quality of knowledge from the life lessons found in our rooms, so make room to have room...dp

[1, 2, 3] by KgeleLeso.

[Growth is a process]

Be it growth or regression, failure or progression, they all are a process. Funny thing about process is that it writes out a lot of expositions in one's character. How it all plays out, very much a showing of what the real you is all about in who you are or trying to portray.

This process, especially when looking at the result of growth, seeks one to evolve all the time. The aim primarily is to avoid comfort zone. Comfort zone is when you are not challenged, where you're the best thing indisputably, being the only in your race or family or community to be, and or knowing self that it's you and yours or nothing else. It feels good for anyone to be in that league but in the midst do something better to move on before you stop learning as you need to outshine your own shine so you become the "it" thing again.

What's good about process is the trail it leaves behind for retracement in future. It doesn't matter where you'll be or what you'll be doing by then, but a path that'll evidently lead anyone and anything to you undoubtedly. Process is not about cost or reaching to some level quickest, but about owning the chartered path, working on self betterment yourself, experiencing the upcoming of self yourself, giving self the intellect others procure; all these in the quest to own your growth.

'Life of a business person is a rollercoaster itself and the ride experienced by those in their space, whether everyday or by chance, formally or not' [1]. It depends on you where you slot self in. Are you in their rollercoaster for the long haul or just for experience and out? It'll all show in the process of both yourselves whether you're in to be part of their life journey or in sojourn. Interestingly is the fact that you meet everyone without knowing of them and depart with knowledge of them, and that is process. Process is time, process is being there, process is experience, process is value, process is a package, and process is a real, authentic, authoritarian, and a utilitarian phenomena that is commonly necessary.

'Life, a common enemy that's as well a common friend that but is a common stranger to the one who puts no label to it' [2]. See life for what it's not and opportune for growth will be abundant as you won't meet any limits brought by fear and regret, in that you'll be allowing it to reveal itself to you. Process is a natural word and growth a neutral word, and how you elect to apply them in your life a decision only left in your hands.

In conclusion: growth is found in mistakes for retakes, found in others' end for your start, found in where you are for where you're going, found in backdrop of your reality, and its stay and pace determined by you through your outlook on life...

[1, 2] by KgeleLeso.

[Shift, not change mindsets]

Teaching is not easy, I see it everyday, don't be lied to. We often hear about skills transfer and think just about anyone can do it the way they put it to us, but it's not.

I get to be in front of people and tell them this and that at times. Same as those who are in sales and marketing, they get to do that almost all the time. The hardest thing to do is get to make an adult person to understand something. It is then that you'll see how testing it gets hearing what you thought was easy to grasp taking a council the whole day to understand.

As a person who's impatient I thank God for having helped me be where I am now. Think of me being impatient as I am failing to understand what's being told to me, I'll be impatient with myself and to the deliverer of the information. The bottom line is it's hard to transfer skill. In my teachings as a capacitation facilitator, I encountered a lot and after coming into the side of business got it much better. Through that I got to comprehend and confidently declare that businesspersons aren't ordinary people; their thought processing, analytical views, challenge interpretation, and solution provisions and turnarounds, made me stick to this world for I learn everywhere and everyday. With that said, the problem lies with the labourers.

Many of those who are preaching the gospel of skills transfer don't have a clue themselves on where to start off. This bringing back the words of Moeletsi Mbeki when he said: "How do you expect a minister of finance to do well while he himself had never run a business, let alone a mere tuck shop". The labour market in our region is still filled with low educated people. If you compare us to other regions can have a clear picture of what I mean. I truly envy the legislators for they have it easy. The tough part is getting information into the heads that told themselves they don't want to change, while you on the other hand are forced by the very laws to get a resistor to soften up and learn from you.

What I got from my observation is that our leaders just don't care. If they did, they'd use their very influence they use during elections and tell their people to cooperate as it's for their own good. Being a business person you just don't get a rest. Many of the people who are hard nuts are the ones in unions, and should they have the message from their leaders to learn at work, and give them reasons to, they won't behave as they do.

In conclusion: 'to shift the mindset, you need to condition the mentality first' [1]. Much as the frontline managers may do and say whatever but sans the buy-in from politicians, no message will be gotten through. If they want to really help grow their members mentally, the best thing to do is drive them towards learning so they be empowered instead of planting divisive sentiments in them.

With education they will be promoted, earn better and have better status in society. I sometimes believe what I heard someone say that politicians don't want members to wisen up because they won't see their importance, but I differ with that sentiment as the ruling party govern even those more qualified to them academically, as such a case not going to be different with unionists. 'True empowerment starts with embetterment of the sole's mind' [2]...

[1, 2] by KgeleLeso.

[Naming essentialias]

'If you don't have experience, draw from others.' [1]This is in reference to what I recall hearing from a conversation with a visitor at Ruptid House, a vibrant middle-aged woman who said she was the owner and CEO of a flower shop.

I asked a few probing questions and established she was working with her son, and their monthly turnover was at an average of ZAR 38K, with a monthly net income of ZAR 14K. It got worse when I asked about the name of their business, and what her son was in the business. She said the son was the CFO, and the business name was Sizwile Holdings Group. From thereon I just kept quiet and started playing games on my phone before I decided to leave after hearing her answer her phone, addressing the caller as Mr Chair, translating to Chairman. Before I could ask she said, "My husband, but he is a sleeping partner."

I narrated the encounter to a friend at Dharl_Suuva.Ledwaba+Zogott! who laughed and remarked it's their staple story. This begs the question, "Why are we so obsessed with titles, business people?" I'm not sure about other parts of the world but here in Africa a cradle of that ill placed mentality. This is kind of disturbing in that even those ones who furthered their studies do that. Do try to correct those types and you're going to rue the day you learned whatever it is you wanted to clarify.

What we should school each other on is the essential elements necessary when naming your business, campaign, position title, product or service, and a division or department or unit. The hidden consequence about business name is the attraction of its classification in tax systems, enterprise category, and belittling from ridicule, that impact on a lot in terms of image for you, your family, business and those associated with you. We can't also run away from the fact that the name of your business should set itself apart, be purposeful, invoke a sense of "I want that which they sell" in your target and be growth allowing. As for the title, it can be changed anytime without much cost if any while with the business name a lot of cost involved.

People going into business should learn about those small things first before jumping in. Trouble is, those in know use such as a grey denominator in most cases to decide whether you're worth their time, chance and investment. Going into business a good dent to unemployment scourge, and but thinking that it makes it okay to parachute your unknown clueless self in with peak hope for a big ceremonial welcome, you're mistaken. The world of business is not for harboring of your type. You need to learn hard in order to make it up the ranks unless you're connected and supported, as your protection like many we witness or hear of as instant money makers.

Listening to that song telling you about burning cash and spending money from dusk to dawn will make you want to work smart and earn smart, we all know that, but how is it possible sans hard work first? Building an empire requires a lot of know-how blocks and the have-what's backing. So, know your story, and that starts with a good scalable business name, viable business model, modest title, good product or service, and a concise and expressive practical idea plan. If not, we'll remain as just that, CEOs and Chairmans in holdings groups of our many one flower shops we own.

In conclusion: the most basic title ever is director if you run a registered enterprise. Play far from fancy lexicon titles and categories as they expose you. If not in a registered enterprise can simply be a partner if are not alone. That's not the end of it but rather the right start to getting in safe and armed with a pen and notebook to scribe any and everything you learn each day in. To your surprise, I still meet 70+ aged directors of companies who tells me they're still learning at that age and ranks in business, and that always humbles my morphed ego...dp

[1] by KgeleLeso.

[Shape your dream]

A dream is something that should be cherished for it doesn't come in every sleep. A dream is also an important source of inspiration. Many of the things we see today are a result of waking up to planning and doing them after having had a dream about them.

Some dream of good and others of bad, it all goes with the material that one is. The good news about a dream is its ability to be shared, challenged, shaped, and brought to realization. Anyone labeled a visionary started off with a dream that was chambered within and over time developed as a concept that eventually led to it being a prototype that got approved, commissioned or sold for commercial replication.

Many people who are good at what they are and do, keep doing so with the aid of dreams. If you design, you get patched revelations in sketches during your sleep. The same could be said about just any career unless there's no passion for it. I used to hear of coloured dreams and lately lucid dreaming. Then, different as they are, they may be lurid or pellucid, while some a result of disorders such as pellagra. Good or bad they are, they need your shaping of their outlet pattern and that very much dependent on you the dreamer.

In conclusion: "your dream my reality, 'cause you live it and I dream it" (aspirational lyrics to an aspirant). Dreams at times are what we can become if we work hard at them. What I also like about dreams is that they knows no limits, something that we should take away from them. There is a lurking danger around every dreamer's corner waiting to pull you down and it's called reality. Reality is the enemy of dreams that but need not be pondered on when implementing your dream. Put your faith in it, hope for it, energy into it, and love for what you do, and it'll in good time become your reality...   

[Graft mining knows no colour]

What colour is a thief? Which racial society does criminality define as its material? I don't want to answer that, but your answer points at someone of my own complexion: what a shame. And but then again, which race doesn't harbour criminal elements within it?

The dark hue complexion is synonymous with everything that is wrong, not good, not valuable and not pure. If there be a report of criminality in an entity, put your ear to the corridor wall and hear what they murmur; the name of a black person will be echoing through and through. This happens because by virtue of birth, a black person is marked as that, a criminal who'll work hard to prove his uncriminality the whole of his life.

A light skin is never seen for what it is; a pretender, a separatist, a manipulative liar and a criminal. Most of those who've been in the daily lives of white people will tell how they too steal and lie. Just that they never invest in exposing those of their own. This is because black is a symbol of poverty, low class working, self hate, and wannabe trivias, as such will be procured to sing their praises and peddle the right message about them to line his pockets and fight their battles on and off field. Take a look at how business leaders use politicians to further their agendas in Africa.

In corporate world the majority of profits are realized through ways that are tailored to rob off someone. The very fancy lexicon of crimes we call today are from their doing because they committed them first. We should pause and revisit the business models, remuneration package structures, beneficiation systems and employment criteria, and you'll see how lesser nepotistic blacks are in comparison to the Easterners and Westerners.

Miseducation is still a tool that to date is a weapon of racial de-profiling, information dilution, economic seclusion, and serial injustices. A white executive can be appointed as an incumbent director based on his surname and experience if having any, but a black one should be on qualifications, experience, resourcefulness and the level of where they are by then. A white executive borrows from the company coffers sans a resolutive consent and approval from the board and is called a bonus or emergency fund, but should a black executive do the same is charged with misappropriation of funds. Same time a black journalist be hyping up the headline so the black sole can read, watch and hear about the exposed thief that should be lambasted, citing quotes from a bought black politician. When a black executive wronged, they get dealt with via criminal law system, but when it's a white executive, corporate law gets applied.

Graft is double standard, and why don't we point that out? We should be taught from school what it is for how it is. It is sadly our reality of the era what gets spread as that, trust never a black executive for they are thieves and rather others as they are trustworthy guardians. This done with the aiding of some black hangers-on who think they will be seen and treated as better if they come with self-denoting policies during formulation.

But truth is, many forms of cover-up are not the makings of a black person but a white one, and almost all graft exposure mechanisms designed in mind with the black one to size him. White-collar crime is rife in corporate set up and none is saying anything about it because of not wanting to forego kickbacks and other benefits.

In conclusion: I never knew about blind trusts, fronting, gap profiteering, ring-fencing, yajurvedas, etc, until I set my foot into the corporate world. I was taught to be always observant and what my obsession with observing them showed me was how crooked they were and how none cared to say a thing. The very crimes are still committed to this day.

Where there's corruption, there's the giving out and the receiving end, and that knows no colour. This made possible by us desiring higher positions in life, glorified status, envied lifestyles, and being cool by association. Our shortcut tendencies landed us in hot waters with crossed fingers burnt.

To reverse the economic exclusion of past, the new economic occult is graft mining, which levels the playing field whilst simultaneously leaving us untainted our chromatic purity we so much fight for. Done right, a generational pipeline of wealth that cloys through selective beneficiation, reserve shares, assay-marked jument enterprises, and new yajur-vedas. Graft mining is a pattern of network that is strategized over time not overnight, that doesn't fit just about anyone but a certain group, unlike with crypto mining in that with this one you need a certain level of knowledge and spotlessness (screening) to be in. If you're to go anywhere with it, should observe how those who came in before you are doing it and follow suit. Don't revolutionize that which doesn't necessitate such. The bottom line is, graft is everywhere and knows no colour...

[Go low low, blacky]

"Point your finger up, point your finger down_tell me how you are, and how low you can go." It may not stretch your mind to that exact point but a failed nursery rhyme meant for the SADC bloc's black creches that I somehow came across in the archives of one publishing house. Realizing that, an official told me not to read it further for it would've disturbed my mind that very beautiful morning.

What pained me was the first line of the last verse; "Go low low blacky, fly high high whitey." If had that let out of that publishing house only God knows what damage it would've inflicted on the tender minds of the black from young. The hogwash that subconsciously instill inferiority in our young, and we are happy to pay for.

The workings of the world system aren't designed to favour a black person, and  with the poor education our pockets are modelled to afford, young blood shouldn't play with that opportunity to seat behind the desk and catch a fraction of the quarter we're given. Our first mistake was opening for the haecceity they shaped us to.

Factors such as fear of being denied access because of being better than the master, failure by the justice system, falling prey to SDS (self-denial syndrome) instead of Self-Deprivation System to encourage his puff n pass quitting, all work against us. Today America is burning and now for me and you, how can we help a black life get better 'cause not only is black lives mattering, but also is black success that matters, for embetterment of his life's worth.

I wonder how many of us watch movies and other online and offline cinematic sequels with diligence they deserve? Think of the words Lawrence Fishburne utter as Sheriff Tanny Brown in the movie "Just cause" and you'll see how a model black police officer is supposed to be unto their fellow blacks. Black on black hatred a curse we need to break its chain. This brought to light by the thought of Nathaniel Julies, George Floyd, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Collins Khosa and Sandra Bland, among others who are evidence and reminders that black lives aren't valued. Many stories of police brutality make rounds from time to time but still no shame is shown from the opposite race, sending a clear message that we don't matter. A black person dies for driving a heavy artillery, for running a successful small business, or for having a scholarship that'll better the lives of their family, or for wearing a hoody, making one ask self what wrong have we done as a race and what right are we supposed to do to be recognised as a people?   

Black one, let's work hard at equipping ourselves so next time it be hard to wipe a black life out just like that with a knee pressed against its neck, let's adopt a different school of thought that'll rank us supreme and beat this system that's designed to see us go round the same circle. Black economic participation a call that needs the right noise to abolish racial exclusion we suffer in this c'jivoure. I hope the message is loud and clear.

In conclusion: we're still a long way from dignity in their eyes and on their tongues, but we won't stop being us unashamedly so, black, strong and proud. And finally, thanks to you, Bob Johnson, Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey, Chris Gardner, Aliko Dangote, Patrice Motsepe, Dr Sudhir Ruparelia, Pitso Mosimane, for the mileage you give to black success. But of all, black child, know who you are so you grow up to be an extension of my empowerment, 'cause none will humanify us until we do that ourselves...

[Trim excess for success]

'Wear a crown, they call you a king. Throw away the crown, and they see a fool.' Sometimes people forget that a king is a king by his subjects not the crown, meaning that whether wearing a crown or not, will remain a king. But then, what do you do with those who won't see you asame?

The trap we fail to fall out of is that of wanting titles and large entourages, things that are not of meaning to your inner peace and deeper fulfillment. We ought to remember that we attract others through shine, but what happens when it gets covered in dust? Better we thrive toward glitter for it still gives a shine even when covered by dust. Success sticks to quality not quantity.

Because of everyone's love for the glitter's attraction, one needs to be vigilant of who gets near and whom gets close to them. As we grow older, though non the wiser at times, we allow a lot of excess hanging around us that at other times leaves us gasping for fresh air. The moment you feel like that just know it's high time you start weighing your excess.

Excess in this case refers to people who are into your space and throttling not only your independence and privacy, but also burdensome to your success in that those wanting access to you getting blocked by the wall surrounding you. Opportunities are not for the untouchables and the unreachable. Opportunity bringers can't sit you down as you're ever on the move most of your time, and when you're not, no space to be had with you alone.

Unfortunately, there's danger in those numbers. Too much people around you allow easy penetration by unwanted elements into your circle. Best thing to do is trim the excess by reducing those who are not adding any value to your circle. If you keep doing that, you'll end up with the number you need for your success.

In conclusion: the secret to success is keeping a small number close to you as your TEAM, and a large number as your connection. Reality is, any successful venture got its muscles developed by the network created by scores of followers, therefore, one needs to design a model that'll create a cult following and grow your success drawn from it. When trimming your excess, be sure to make it be less offensive and obvious, but keeping your distance. Be a king that doesn't wear a crown, be a king that puts it on the throne...

[1] by KgeleLeso

[Dance a mile in my song]

'There's a moment for every song, and there's a song for every moment, so, dance a mile in my song and soon you'll realize how tough it is in my world' [1]. Whether a mezzo forte or a fortissimo, a song is a rhythm of everyone's biological clock that only you control its bpm.

Of many stories I've heard of how business partners met, one, in particular, stood out. I know of 5 (five) individuals who met through their love for one special song to them, and to date, they still run a successful company 12 (twelve) years later.

A song is part of culture that influences our everyday life. Every song has its place in the heart of someone it relates to. For every first time or the last time in anything, there's that song that will be there to help you get through, that moment you celebrate your first sale, that moment a team member walks away, that moment you step into the next stage of your career life, that moment you receive a call for your first-ever profiling; a song has and will forever be there to carry the emotion or make you live it better. And whenever it hits you none will understand why you're how you are for that's what a song will do to you, because there's a story in every song.

So, next time you find me in my song moment, understand and disturb not. Reminiscence and nostalgia are stuff that are made of that. But one mistake that any shouldn't be is a judge to one's taste in song 'cause where I'm from is not where you've been and where I'm going is not where you're heading. Any song type has its groove that's appealing to its kind of listener. 'With a song, you catch a person and also lose a person' [2], but one thing about it is that it's made to last forever and so is our memories locked into it.

With all put in it, your theme will determine its elementary streak that will echo for decades to come. And then, in quoting your prime, cast a light of the length of your song.

In conclusion: same as life; we live in our song, we dance in it. The only trouble is the genre of one's life song. Some will love it, some will tolerate you for it, others will discard you for it, but let not that distort your vibe and rather rework it to the refix of your time signature to fine-tune your key.

Now, zeroing in on you. Should you dance a mile in my song? Would that make you enjoy it? A chorus or verse, where would your comfort be zoned? The day my song ends, what will you sing about it in yours? The only thing that's left is for you to join me for a collaboration and feel how your solo in the duet will be, and maybe you'll respect everyone's song equally as they do yours...

[1] by Boitumelo Madisha

[2] by KgeleLeso

[Ready yourself for external investment]

At a business seminar I attended not so long ago, one of the panelists said quite a lot of sense that made it worth my while. The theme for the day was "Invest in yourself first."

The panelist asked us how many of us are employees, how many are self-employed, how many are studying and how many are unemployed? We raised our hands per our categories and he then asked further that; "if you were to choose to invest in one of any of those people in the categories for going into business with, whom would it be?"

We all raised our hands per the category of our choice. He after said, going into business with some of those in other categories was a high risk and others a lower risk, and this is how.

- Going into business with an employed person is a potential regret. A worker isn't wired same as a business running person in that they want quick returns and won't put in much into the balance of the business. Again some matters will take long to resolve and opportunities missed because of their unavailability at crucial moments. Their level of commitment a killer to any business unless you've got assurance the salary will form part of the financial aspects of your business or that the person will be fully in after a certain period, but what if their hoped for eventuality gets negated? Their types good as investors.

- Going into business with a student another risk case almost similar to the employee's one but that depends on the time put in studies. If a full-time student, worse, and if part-time student, better. Besides commitment here, the other issue is their future options. Is the person going to school with the intent of entering the market as a labourer or as a job creator? What are they studying towards being? Again, what means are having to put them to test on their mental readiness for hardship realities of business that won't see them opting out thereafter?

- Going into business with an employer a lesser and safer risk that but sees you left with a headache of skills compatibility needed to complement yours, the types of business or businesses they're in and the commitment willing to put into your new business. Also, which type of employer is the person? Will their coming in be a form of the new business being an extension to their other concerns to allow it to tap into their market or a clean slate enterprise?

- Going into business with an unemployed person the safest if there be full commitment, eagerness to learn and grow, resourcefulness in their being industry ready, and being focused.

What he highlighted was that anyone we opted for was bankable, just that if the modeling be right for your arrangement. Furthermore that, everyone of us in there are their own first asset and investment. If you're investment friendly, it should be from you first having invested in self. Doing so will get us ready for external investment.

In conclusion: how you respond to the requirements of the field you want to venture into, needs of you to be equipped with knowledge, ways into the industry and field specific skills. One other aspect I picked from him was that we all need to learn emotional intelligence if we're to navigate the personalities we encounter daily so we emerge favourable. Truth is, after a long ponder into what he said, I too figured that truly we need a bit of that to be investor friendly and at the same time be accommodative of others as I am by others. Being ready for external investment is a huge task that needs a shift in mindset to get to the ultimate material that an investor not in general wants, but that one which you tailor yourself to attract with...

[Break your limits]

Everyone has a ceiling, and everyone has limits. It's only up to them to establish what type of ceiling it is when they reach it. Whether it's glass, asbestos, rhinoboard, or wooden, with your spirit you can break it.

Sometimes the content we consume is the agent of limitations. What we get fed online and offline determines how far we'll go in life. Some of the content is designed to create hype, some to sow doubt, some to warn us, and a bit of it to grow us.

What you should know is that there are PR agencies whose role is to be news peddlers. The content we feed on is designed for a specific purpose all the time, and it's spread as such using the relevant mediums suitable to the relevant targets. Remember the cliche, "don't believe everything you read in the papers." That's a classic example of doubt creation.

The power of communication is beyond limits and how the wordsmith masters use it is shocking. PR is a good thing in that through it scores of us worship movie stars, idolize musicians, glorify sports personalities, respect published authors, be various brand loyalists, etc, through endorsements, product placements, copy writing, etc, and to date worse.

Globalization a phenomenon that changed the world as we knew it and its revolutionary results vivid. The internet made it more a reality than any other leaps been before. Legislation also played a huge role in enabling the technological aspects a reality. New models of financial services did wonders in ensuring availed funds to make true dreams be realized.

Everyone in this day is a newsmaker, thanks to the internet. Just that what differs is the impact of those news via relevancy to the target audience. At times be it that the content is right but placed on the wrong platform, or be that the timing not right.

The influence of media today a difficult task to get right. Sifting through the content is not easy to tell instantly what fake news is from authentic news. From any big headliner there'll be a lot of news diluting the truth of that, and that's the reality of today's news reporting. Current affairs used to be about formally structured format of news reporting but now a different game, everything is now news.

But then, what do you do after filtering what you consume? Don't limit yourself by not casting your knowledge seeking net as wide as possible, keep digging after each layer of information that you get. Also, don't be lied to by the saying that the internet is having all the answers you need for that's limiting you. There's still a lot of information that the internet doesn't have answers for you on and that meaning you still have to go out to the library and interrogate those books, follow forums for unpublished authors to get more information to turn into knowledge, listen to all types of music, watch any tv program and listen to radio and podcasts, go out and talk to people, etc, for there's still a lot to unearth that way.

In conclusion: it's in how we learn to sift on what we get fed on that we'll get ahead as better people, especially the young ones. We need to develop a skill of analyzing what we consume so we don't get easily derailed by manipulators of facts. If we be open-minded we won't be gullible and shortsighted as those makes one be legible for failing to break through set barriers of limitation. Do yourself a favour and source information from multiple platforms of knowledge base, afterall it's your own value to grow and protect as an individual, so break those limits...