HARNESSING OPPORTUNITIES IN TODAY’S ECONOMY – THE BIBLICAL WAY

Engr. Charles Aladewolu while teaching in the Conquerors' assembly, Akowonjo, Lagos said,'The Irony about Nigeria is that the country is rich but its citizen’s wallows in abject poverty. Foreigners keep flooding Nigeria because of the huge investment opportunities they see in our dear country, yet many Nigerians are still sleeping.

To harness fully the opportunities in today’s economy, you have to be an entrepreneur. Ninety five percent of the richest people on earth are entrepreneurs. Matthew 25: 14-30, Matthew 5:14-16

TYPES OF ENTREPRENEURS

1.      Business Entrepreneurs: These are business organizations set up primarily for the purpose of making profits. E.g: micro and medium enterprise, SME’s, PLC’s etc.

2.      Social Entrepreneurs: These are organizations which aim at making social change via the use of entrepreneurial skills. E.g NGO’s

3.      Political Entrepreneurs: One who gain political power via entrepreneurial skill

4.      Wordpreneur: One who manages his enterprise by the word of God. Thus, you apply biblical principles of Honesty, integrity etc. in the management of their business. Their businesses are platform to preach the gospel of Christ

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA

Recently, Government ban the importations of some 41 items because the country has become too import concentrated that even tooth-pick is imported, so these banned items are investment opportunities for citizens to venture into their manufacture. Investment areas in Nigeria include:

1.      Agricultural sector: you can invest in poultry farming, snail and fish farming. A farmer in Ibadan is said to have grown to the extent he grows 4000 birds per hour. About 32 Products can be made out of Palm oil. At independence, Nigeria produces 79% of palm oil and was among the world’s largest producer, but now production of same produce has dwindled to just 9% because of the over dependent on oil while Malaysia production presently is at 80%; meanwhile Malaysia actually came to Nigeria longtime ago to take palm seeds from Nigeria to develop in their country. What a Pity!

2.      Industrial Sector: Nigeria is blessed with so many resources like Bitumen, this should give you diverse opportunity to invest. In Holland, Solar energy is used a lot and this is a country that do not have equal amount of sunlight as compared to Nigeria and yet this opportunity is wasting in the country. So what can u invest in? Inverters etc are opportunities to be looked into

3.      Educational Sector: You can invest in crèche etc, remember the birth rate in Nigeria keeps increasing and parents seeks places to keep their wards as they go to work.

4.      Capital market: You can invest here but make sure you employ the services of a professional stock broker

5.    ICT sector: Almost all businesses today requires websites or some sorts     of ICT tools, thus opportunities here are limitless

6.      Manufacturing: you can employ a strategy here, if production machines you require for startup are expensive. The strategy is called Contract manufacturing; where you meet someone that has machines or money and you synergize with him.

7.      Interior decorating/Food Supplies

8.      Franchising

HOW TO KNOW THE BUSINESS TO VENTURE INTO

1.      Need Identification: Must identify problems you can solve in your area     of influence

2.      Generate Business Idea to solve the problem. The Idea must be IMF Compliant. IMF stands for I= Implementable, M= Marketable, F= Fundable

3.      Self Identity: Who are you in Christ? 2cor. 5:17, what skills do you have? Remember, not all business should you venture into no matter how profitable it is as a Christian. E.g Beer Parlor.

4.   Discovery of Purpose:  Jer. 1:5, you are created for a need to be met by God. No two people are alike. Out of the 7.2billion people on earth, no two thumb prints are alike. In fact discovery from science states no two thumb whether dead or alive can ever be the same, whether it is left or right. This Is mystery and it only goes to tell us how God so make us Unique.  Another Mystery is that the components and structure of the eyes of a Nigeria is totally different from a Dutch or even its African Neighbor Ghana.

5.      Develop the Capacity to Hear God: Isaiah 30:21. To be an extraordinary person and be above the competitors, you must develop your spiritual capacity to hear the Almighty

6.      Renew your relationship with God: Jhn 3:3, Acts 1:8, Be baptized in          the Holy Ghost

7.      Recognize the Holy spirit as your senior Partner

8.      Your business is your ministry, use it to propagate God’s work

9.      Your Home must be in order, be in agreement with your wife.

10.   Integrity: an asset in business.

ATTRIBUTES OF WORDPRENEUR

1.      They take risks based on their faith in God to perform miracles

2.      They see Christ as role model

3.      They give Priority to God’s business or work.

4.      They are creative and innovative.

5.      They pay their tithes.

6.      They pursue Holiness as Virtue.

7.      They are disciplined and avoid sexual immorality.

8.      They practice advance Forgiveness.

9.      Raise Godly Children.

HOW TO RAISE START UP CAPITAL

1.      Prepare a professional Business plan that articulates business objectives, sources of fund, marketing strategies, Projected profitability

2.      Go back to your savings: it is wise to save at least 10% of your earnings as an employee for the rainy days

3.      Family and Friends: Sometimes they may be unwilling to help, so you can lure them by selling 40% of the business to them. At least, this is better than not starting anything. As time goes on, you can seek your independence.

4.      Bank Loan: This should be the last resort. Should be avoided if possible because of its stringent conditions.

NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

-        Start small and aim Big

-        Do research and have knowledge of your competitors

-        Devise marketing strategy using the 4Ps of marketing, I.e Product,          Price, Place and Promotion.

-        Be informed with economic dynamics

-        Learn to Delegate to competent staffs. Exo. 18

 Click to Read: The 10 commandments of Successful Delegation

WHAT TO DO TO ENJOY GOD’S FAVOUR FINANCIALLY

1.      Improve yourself continually spiritually.

2.      Be able to communicate effectively to God through prayer and also         communicate well with men

3.      Have Vision and mission

4.      Highlights your core values driving you e.g righteousness, integrity,         excellence and hardwork

5.      Acquire Leadership skills

6.      Acquire computer skills

7.      Apply the 80:20 rule (Want to learn about the 80/20 rule, click HERE:)

    

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