COVID can't take all the blame

As you know, COVID has been around for some time now. We are all aware of the challenges and trauma it has caused to people of all walks of life. People, businesses, countries all felt the impact of COVID. We know it well. 

As things restart, we are doing business once again for both private enterprise and for the government. Everyone wants their work done, with a matter of urgency. 

Claims of how you come highly recommended are common, along with the other lofty reminders of your reputation - so the marketing seems to work. Then comes the "sob" story of the predicament they are in and why they so desperately need your help. Afterwards the closing arguments of how their situation took up their resources and they will pay you in one/combination of the following ways:

• they want to negotiate your fees downwards 
• they want a payment plan that permits installments; which they never stick to
• they want to offer you shares in their business and they are not even incorporated
• they want to pay you on the back end of the assignment
• they even go as far as saying we as a people need to support each other; really
• now there's a new boy, with broad shoulders that took the brunt of licks in the last year - the COVID-19 pandemic [very specifically] got things hard and difficult

In short, they want you to pay using your own resources to do their work. 

Recently, there was one that was heard: The hurricane damaged their many properties so now they have to fix them and then get back to you - who was on assignment to help them get money in the first place. 

People who sell products are raising their prices like crazy and blaming shipping costs. Services, not so much, since they are not aware in many instances that their costs have increased and in what areas and therefore are, in many instances, unable to justify their increases so they work at a loss. 

There's something all business people seek and it's called success. Yet they seem to miss the point that the businesses they deem as successful also have challenges but instead of dwelling on the problem, they focus on a solution. 

The leadership of these successful entities hold themselves accountable and work towards developing plans and utilizing resources that will enable them NOT to stay in an area of challenge for too long. 

There are many articles written about successful people and the surplus they have accumulated over time. Some articles even make it seem downright unfair that these people are being rewarded in the way they are. Yet those same successful people worked tirelessly, making personal sacrifices of time and energy, and sometimes relationships to build and expand their sphere of influence through their organizations. DON'T GRUDGE THEM. 

They use the same principles available to everyone else who is willing to put the work in and invest the time/resources necessary to GET THINGS DONE. 

Stop the blame game, it's doing no one any good. Get the success habits. They are all over begging to be taken up - but we don't want to read, listen, attend to the details and get the information that encourages success. 

Some of us go the other extreme, watching the successes of mega successful people who told their stories and live in the euphoria that we too will make it. Yet ignore those who are a little more successful and identify what they are doing; often within our own environment that makes them successful. 

Just as there is information on what we can do that is right to succeed, there is information on the wrong to avoid so that we don't fail. We all need to be aware, researching both approaches so that we can step closer to success while avoiding the pitfalls of failure. Someone has made those mistakes before, there is no need to try to make them all over again. 

Now that the world is resetting, this is your time to DO IT RIGHT. Strategize, plan and execute, this way you too can build your legacy. Remember, COVID cant take all the blame. 

Business Start Up - Observing the Nitty Gritty

Business Start Up, Entrepreneurship, Business Development Programs, and other such combinations of words are touted about in the media a lot nowadays. Especially in times of economic hardship and uncertainty of the economy, stifling taxation policies and limited access to actual funds make the entrepreneurs become overwhelmed.

Finding sound, proper, practical technical assistance is becoming a myth. Not making negative references to those qualified theoretically, and having little experience to truly guide an emerging / expanding business. But T/A programs are often underfunded, seeking to pay such reduced rates to those providers that they would rather do without the payments from these programs; which are often excessively late. The reasons for the late payments is another story.

In short, entrepreneurs and businesses seeking funding to expand their operations are between a rock and a hard place. The expanding trend is to take classes and enter competitions in hopes of winning the prize money to springboard your business. It seldom materialises.

So let's get real. What's going to get you to the money. Here's what is NOT working:

• A brilliant idea 
• You management team comprising of your family members 
• The fact that you're under funded with no access to collateral (There are no sympathies for the death of your business before it gets started.) 
• Your presentation of the business plan and countless slides 
• Your talking past the close when you don't realize what you're selling has already been sold. 
• Not realizing that your novel idea / concept is not really that unique. (Someone else pitched it just two candidates ahead of you) 
• Saying that you can sing better than Rihanna (Yes I've heard that countless time) Same as making better burgers than Chefette. (It's kind of in that category)
• Not knowing how you actually will make the money and from what channels; not to mention how much and within what time frames. 
• How will you present your service / product that people (your customers) would love and welcome. (I fired someone today that just didn't cut it.)

Here's what you need:

1. A clearly thought out and documented concept that conveys exactly what you'll be doing in as few words as possible without diluting the meaning of what is intended. It should be backed up numerically and be able to withstand cross examination confidently. Your operation should be immaculate and functional. [How will you make money sustainably and by doing what?]

Some resources that you need:

• Get professional help it's necessary
• Accounting
• Legal
• Business Advisory Services - Operations
• Access to highly liquid collateral - Funding 

Money's not everything, but it's right there with oxygen, if you don't have it you're going to miss it. (Zig Ziglar) 

If you don't have these things covered, don't get into business. Even when going to professional help, they won't take you seriously if they have to commit to your business more than you're willing to. 

Here's hoping that I'm not too controversial, but too many people are seeking to get into business totally unprepared. Have some great weeks ahead. 

The Business of Begging

BEGGING is fast becoming an epidemic. Quite recently, I was begged many times in one day and it got me thinking about what's really happening within our society. Are things really that bad? I'm sure that we have varying opinions.

Images of countless incidences of begging throughout my lifetime in various countries flooded my head. Some categories of beggars stood out.

• The sympathetic beggar - always with a hard luck story. His / her situation can be a real tear jerker. They can really pull at the emotional strings like the most skilfull of puppeteers. 
• The brand name beggar - met this one overseas. I noticed that he was dressed better than I was in terms of clothing - no mixed brands (E.g. Nike etc.) Everything was uniform throughout. They speak really well. 
• The classic beggar - cigarette in the corner of the mouth and drink in hand. 
• The vagrant beggar - those with whom we are most familiar. Homeless seeking their next meal. 
• The list can go on. 

I've heard stories of beggars lending people money in some significant sums to purchase cars and homes. So now that I've been enlightened that begging's a business, it opens a whole new dimension for me. 

Effective immediately, people begging me would need to provide the following:

1. A proposal outlining why they're begging and how the money that they beg for will be utilized. 
2. A proforma invoice, which shows the amount for which they're begging
3. A tax clearance certificate so that I can see they're contributing their share of taxes. 

Personally I don't believe that I'm being overly harsh since in many instances they have more money than I do. Daily I have to hustle and even though earning my keep am not always paid for it; especially in these current times. Yet, I can't play dead and give up, but must try to find replacement money which does not involve begging. 

While growing up in the era that I did; we were taught not to beg and the consequences that will follow if we disobeyed. Yet nowadays, lots of people including those gainfully employed are doing it quite unashamedly. 

There, I have gotten my thoughts off my chest without resulting in bad behaviour. Stop begging for if there are any vacancies and start asking for work. There are still ways that you can earn an honest dollar.