UNDERSTANDING ENTREPREURSHIP

UNDERSTANDING ENTREPREURSHIP
Modest Thoughts with Ayuba, Yilgak'ha, August 20, 2023; 08116181263)*

After security, if there is anything that the world badly needs, it is wealth creation through value creation or addition. As the world's population approaches 7 billion people, the world system correspondingly gets more and more complex with the need for sharp and apt solutions in the areas of production technologies; increased food supply as well as organised governance structures.

One of the composite solution to multi-dimensional human problems is entrepreneurship which is the foundamental catalyst for cracking human capabilities in wealth creation. Most often, people hold the erroneous assumption that Motivational Speaking (MS) and Entrepreneurship (E) are the same but they are not. 

While MS is basically about spirking or stimulating the passion of someone into doing something he would have done otherwise if left alone through the power of speech; E concerns the cracking of human ingenuity, creativity and innovative power towards the invention and exhibition of a new product(s), new method(s) of production or valuable and practical idea(s) that can be bought at a price.

Motivational speakers are ambitious hope and action promoters; entrepreneurs are ambitious and adventerous problems solvers through practical actions.

Motivational Speakers idea driven incubators who encourage people without necessarily having a product while entrepreneurs are product centred persons who stimulate people into production or business using their products.

A motivational speaker awakens the people about the existence of an opportunity or opportunities; entrepreneurs, spot such opportunities and seizes them without delay.

Motivational speakers teach people how not to fear risk; entrepreneurs are adventurous risk takers who take calculated risk in the process of creating a value or market for their product.

Motivational speakers are words-driven social reingineering agents; entrepreneurs are action-driven wealth creation agents.

Motivational speakers or books are encyclopaedia of ideas which might not, necessarily, be applicable under all circumstances; entrepreneurs have practical solutions that address contemporary problems as they unfold.

Motivational speakers sell their speech or books mostly to lazy thinkers who might not even read or apply them; entrepreneurs sell their products to customers needing practical solutions. 

Motivational speakers index and share old or new ideas in a most convincing manner; entrepreneurs create or modify and sell their product or service in the most satisfying manner.

Motivational speakers end a living by the weapon of speech; motivational speakers end a living by the quality of their product or service.

It takes an orator to make a motivational speaker; one does not need to be an orator to make an entrepreneur but functional talent and skill power.

Motivational speakers thrive on dormant conditions or ideals demanding awakening or reawakening; entrepreneurs thrive on chaotic situations demanding solutions.

Motivational speaking can be imitated; entrepreneurship can only be demostratrated. In entrepreneurship, it is argued that 'when you teach a man something, he will never learn it'. The entrepreneur rather learns by doing; not doing by learning!

Motivational speakers diagnose and encourage their publics to take drugs; entrepreneurs provide the drugs these publics take.

Motivational speaking is theory based; entrepreneurship is evidence based. In other words, motivational speakers tell ideal stories; entrepreneurs show ideal products.

Motivational speakers are like sign posts which guide people to a destination; entrepreneurs are the destination.

Motivational speakers produce the 'what' and how manuals; entrepreneurs show the product mannual.

Motivational speakers are all round stimulators of human action including entrepreneural actions; entrepreneurs are action packed and specific problem solvers.

Motivational speakers are like doctors who diagnose and prescribe drugs for cure from pharmaceutical companies; entrepreneurs are the owners of pharmaceutical companies who make these drugs that cure.

Larry King was a motivational speaker who blessed the world with the book, "How to speak to anyone anywhere"; Thomas Edison was an entrepreneur who blessed the world with light bulbs that illuminates the world even today.

Nick Vujicic was a motivational speaker who gave the world a book "Life without limit: Inspiration for ridiculously good life"; Henry Ford was an entrepreneur who cracked the world of automobiles.

Dale Carnegie was a motivational speaker who wrote, "How to win friends and influence people"; Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright (Wright Brothers) were entrepreneurs who invented the first aeroplane.

Fela Duritoye who wrote the book ideas are gold is a motivational speaker; Elon Musk is a programming entrepreneur who has curved a niche for himself in world of automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Napoleon Hills who wrote, "Think and grow rich" was a motivational speaker; Steve Jobs is an entrepreneur who has fascinated the world with Pixar, NeXT and Apple computers.

Mike Monroe of blessed memory was a motivational speaker; Jack Ma the Chinese legend is another success story in entrepreneurship who founded Alibaba, a famous online trading platform that is revolutionarising online trading in china.

Anthony Jay Robbins is a motivational speaker who wrote books like "Unlimited Power" and "Awaken the power within"; Mark Zuckerberg entrepreneurial acumen gave the world facebook which has changed the world's communication system today.

Eric Thomas is a motivational speaker; Satoshi Nakamoto entrepreneurial power creates cryptocurrency Bitcoin is catalysing cryptocurrency markets worldwide.

Avran Naom Chomsky is a motivational speaker, political activist and social critic; Bill Gates through entrepreneurial prowess  Co-founded Microsoft that driving the digital age.

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani motivational speaker who earned herself a Nobel Peace prize laureate at the age of 17; Jeff Bezos is an entrepreneur who created Amazon, a major shipping platform in the world.

Barrack Obama is a motivational speaker who against all odds became the president of the USA Sergey Brin is an entrepreneur who co-founded Google which has simplified access to information globally.

Leslie Calvin Brown is a motivational speaker who has influenced and is influencing many worldwide; Sheldon Adelson is an entrepreneur with the largest casino in the United States and making big fortunes. Gustaf Hagman and Robin Ramm-Ericson also founded the largest online casino and are making fortunes from it. 

Deepak Chopra is a motivational speaker who is making advocacy waves alternative medicine; Anthony Werkman is one of the world's legendary entrepreneurs who created "Betway", one of the biggest betting sites that are changing the world of gambling.

The world has no short of motivational speakers but entrepreneurs who are always right on target. It is important to note that motivational speakers can make entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs could make motivational speakers but this is not automatic. For instance, writing a book on wealth creation does not automatically make the author of such book an entrepreneur but translating those ideas into practical or tangible wealth creating solutions. Books are mere rhetoric but entrepreneurship is a reality.

Entrepreneurs who combine the gift of motivational speakers are rare breed that can influence and change the world with ease. Such breeds do not only influence but add value to the wellbeing and welfare of societies. Mike Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Jac Ma are typical examples.

The 21st century is the century of entrepreneurs. Because the century is chaotic, it needs deliberate risk takers; because it is highly populated and complex, it needs innovative organisers and producers; because it is speeding, it needs visionary thinking can create today solutions with the future in mind; because it is interconnected, it needs networking prowess. All these needs are entrepreneurship related.

It is instructive to note that even though motivational speaking and entrepreneurship differs, the one thing that makes them similar is that it takes self development to make any of them. A man who is committed to self-development towards entrepreneurship will become an entrepreneur while those committed to self development towards becoming motivational speaking will be motivational speakers. Point is, both motivational speaking and entrepreneurial skills can be acquired through learning and self development.

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FROM PROF. JOHN WADE TO THE MINISTER FOR LABOUR AND AND EMPLOYMENT

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE
HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON. (DR.) SIMON BAKO LALONG, CON, KSG, ON BEING SWORN-IN AS MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT, GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

Your Excellency,

With humility, I salute you with these “Reflective Poetic Renditions:”  

• God reads the Hearts of Men and for those who are at their best and remaining calm and silent in the midst of Trials and Tribulations, POST-TENURE, often rejoice last. Nothing could have been better right now for us on the Plateau with the honour and recognition of a well-deserved Ministerial Appointment.

• God reads the Hearts of Men and for those who are at their best and remaining calm and silent in the midst of Trials and Tribulations, POSTTENURE, often rejoice last. Nothing could have been better right now for us on the Plateau with the honour and recognition of a well-deserved Ministerial Appointment.

• The Swearing-In Ceremony, now successfully and peacefully completed; Mission and Mandate of Ministerial Portfolio clutched in your Arms. It is time to hit the ground running. As Head of your Ministry; Member of Federal Executive Council and the Nation's higest policy formulation body, you are to go forth and make quality contributions for the common good. 

• With Strenuous Efforts, Sacrifices and Labour did you demonstrate your Leadership acumen in managing affairs of Men and Resources, not only in our dear Plateau State, but Northern States and the Country in general

• Thus, in GAIN did you, Lalong, Labour; NOT in Vain. The GAIN in this appointment is the reward of hard work. History is kind to you. We therefore CONGRATULATE AND CELEBRATE a Plateau Son and Icon, a Leader who, only time and history will live to remember.  Someone who exits, yet naturally sought for to loyally continue serving the Nation and Humanity with dignity and integrity intact!  

Your Excellency,  

You had successfully appeared before the National Assembly and the great commendations and applause you got for your contributions to State, Regional   and National Development and Promoting Cohesiveness, before being asked to take a dignified bow. Today, among other responsibilities, you are assigned the Portfolio of Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment of the Government of Federal Republic of Nigeria. But beyond these, it is alluded that “The (most) difficult Federal Ministry to head in Nigeria is the Ministry of Labour and Employment…” Nothing makes it difficult than meeting the ever-insatiable expectations in the arena of Human Resource Development in the midst of competing demands and limited resources.  

So, for Mr. President putting you there is a confirmation of great confidence in you as someone who has built a reputation for himself over several years of cognate exposure and experience in both the Legislative and Executive domains in the light of practical and realistic demonstration of continuity in governance; infrastructure development; implementation of Peace Building initiatives; Advocacy on sustainable Mutual Coexistence, Engendered Regional Cohesiveness and Industrial Harmony, etc.  You practically achieved these Mantras as Executive Governor, earning the reputation of one of the best, most Labour-Friendly Governors in Nigeria. But to me also, this portfolio recognizes you as the Country’s No. 1 Placeholder, and indeed, custodian of Human Capital & Resource Development and Ethics of Welfarism in this critical period of the Nation’s desire to deliver on the “RENEWED HOPE” Mantra of the Federal Government.   

Just like the Ecclesiastical Adage, “It’s not an Easy Road…,” verily I assert, the stakes are high and the challenges gigantic in terms of Policies and Programmes Execution. But God willing, and beyond the iota of flattery, we are confident that the Ministry assigned to you, and as a Man of Great Instinctive Benevolence, Patient and Calm Dispositions as well as Leader Par Excellence, you have the innate capacity to adjust and deliver.  

IT IS WELL! And once more, on behalf of my family, you have our prayers and best wishes for the Spirit of God to provide you with fresh energy, positive outlook for better and stronger service delivery as always; while the best of Congratulatory Message awaits you as we look forward to successfully fulfilling the adage of “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning!”  

Yours Truly, 

PROFESSOR JOHN W. WADE, PhD (Stirling, U.K.), KSM, mni. 

Monday 21/08/2023.

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