Would you keep a relationship where you kept giving and giving but never received anything in return? For me, it is a no. Successful relationships are based on one simple principle of ‘give and take’ the Latin quid pro quo idea developed years ago. It is all about ‘something for something.’ If you carefully examine the nature of your relationship with any of your friends, you will find that you benefit from them and they also benefit from you in some way. If you are unable to identify how your friends benefit from you, there may be something not right.…
Hit the iron while it is still hot
Are you a leader? It is advisable that you hit the iron while it is still hot. When you wait for it to cool, however hard you try to hit it, getting it to a shape you want takes a lot of time and energy, if at all you can manage. You must be agile and act fast. The same applies to tapping into business opportunities. If you delay, someone else will take them. Always hit the iron while it is still hot. If you go to a party and meet a prospect, follow up the following day. Do not…
The Bible lessons for your success
“Our systems are very strong. We cannot have been hacked. You are just alarmists. On your bullet number five: that you were able to capture all our passwords, including of the super administrator? That is not possible.” Such is the typical conversation in Uganda during the end of cyber security testing exit meeting with the client. It does not matter that we usually demonstrate the weaknesses found to the IT team. During the exit meeting presentation, IT staff will always deny even the smoking gun or plain view evidence. Many a time, we pull out the laptop and re-demonstrate the…
Gate keepers and gate owners
Are you playing with the gatekeepers or gate owners? Gate owners like to do business with fellow gate owners. A gate owner is a key decision-maker, usually the person who signs on the cheque. You have to be good at identifying gate owners. Most of the time they are not easy to find. In some companies, a person keeping the gate as a receptionist or personal assistant of the top honcho to be a close relative or a significant other. Sometimes you find decisions are taken by someone not physically present at the business. That is why as a shrewd…
Invest your savings wisely
Let’s set the record straight – you must invest money in order to succeed. Your choice of business and entrepreneurial acumen will determine your profitability and future success. Every business has its own shortcomings and limitations. You must do homework to ascertain the impediments to your business. Is it capital or markets? Assuming you had Ugx. 5m in your bank account, which business would you invest in? There are many businesses you might consider investing in– stocks, treasury bills, real estate, mobile money agency, eatery, consulting outfit or farming. Your choice should be influenced by your availability, capital requirements and…
