MMM- THE LOSERS AND THE WAILING WAILERS

Hey guys, so i finally decided to post my featured article on bella naija right here for you guys. And what we all know now that we didn’t know then, was that despite all the promises, no one got their money back. Quite a shame right!

Anyways, here’s the article below, read, enjoy and comment.

MMM- THE LOSERS AND THE WAILING WAILERS

So we all woke up Last week Tuesday to the news of the crash of the popular Ponzi Scheme MMM (the Mavrodi Mondial Movement/Moneybox) which had been making waves in Nigeria in recent months. To be sincere, when I heard the news, I couldn’t care less. I didn’t invest in it, and I didn’t recall knowing anyone personally who did at that time until it crashed.

It is rather unfortunate though, that this news does not just want to go away. Please can you all “hush it”? The most ridiculous part of having this news being discussed at every corner I turn is that those talking about it are actually the people who are eager to say “I told you so”. I really do not understand why anybody will get stuck up on discussing and having a blast at someone else’s loss.

As much as I didn’t want to know about this, at every corner I turn, people are discussing it. I hear some people invested and lost millions.

Dear Nigerians, please take several seats, why will you be thrilled that someone lost money. It is their money, it was their decision. The Nigerian economy is in recession and frankly no one is 100% sure of the returns on whatever they invest in.

 

I remember like 9 years ago when I got my first job  after NYSC, it was a bank job and I saved every penny I could, and because I was not ready to lose my savings, I went for the safest option available. The Stock market! Well I don’t need to tell you how that went down. I was depressed for days before I snapped out of it.

Our currency is fluctuating like a yoyo and losing its value daily, people who import things to sell have also had losses from buying FX and their capital getting eroded daily and no one is immune to the devaluation of the naira. Even when you put your money in treasury bills and fixed deposits, the interest earned is not enough to augment the loss you have made on that money if you convert it to dollars. This piece is not written to advocate Ponzi schemes, but to let all of you “financial experts” who have turned up your nose at the “MMMers” to look into your finances first and be sure they are worth more than they did 12months ago.

I know some of you will turn this into a religious issue and say they robbed Peter to pay Paul. Well have you ever heard the term “volunti non fit injuria”- in law this means “to a willing person, injury is not done”. If Peter did not join MMM, his money would not have been given to Pay Paul.

After all said and done, my dear “MMMers” I empathize with you for the loss/freezing of your money, and as much as I am irritated by all the judgmental talk and ridicule, we need to tell ourselves some hard truth. I hope you are bracing yourself incase come January 14th nothing happens, don’t let one mistake discourage you there are lots of businesses (with actual products/service) out there you can still invest in. I am glad you all used your spare money for MMM, now dip into your pocket of “unspare” money and go invest in a business with a tangible product. Read some books about the millionaires, at some point in their journey, they made some choices that resulted into huge losses but not only did they bounce back, they learnt from that mistake, re-strategized and they are where they are today.

Make that decision today for the sake of your BP that you will go into the New Year with your mind made up, lost forever or unfrozen, you will move on and you will thrive.

 

Deyodee- signing out!

PROCRASTINATION

According to the Oxford dictionary, procrastination is simply the action of delaying or postponing something. As simple as this definition sounds, Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy. It can actually rob you of the joy of achieving a lot.

Over the years, this “ailment” plagued me so much.  I will set out to do something and even daydream of how fantastic it will be after I have done it, but alas months will go by, and I will still be day dreaming. I am not even referring to tasks that are not pleasant or not beneficial; I can clearly remember how I did this as regards getting my ACCA certification.

In December 2009, I had passed all but one paper to become a Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA), the last paper was actually Advanced Performance Management, and for some reason for 4 years, I didn’t write that paper. Yes I had so many excuses for each diet that went by. First I was planning to get married, wedding preparations were too stressful to study, then I got pregnant, morning sickness is too stressful to study, then I had a baby, babysitting was too stressful to study, so before I knew it 4 whole years had passed me by. It is worthy to note that I actually did not start each year with a plan not to write the exam, but procrastination “refused to let me be great”. This is just a typical example, there are so many times I have let procrastination get the best of me and I guess a few of you may have as well, so if am right, then this article is for you as I will be sharing a few tips about how I have been able to simply get out of the procrastination dilemma.

SELF AWARENESS

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This is one of the tenets of emotional intelligence. Before you can change, you need to recognize and accept the fact that procrastination is holding you back and then be ready to work at it .You need to reflect and identify that it really is a problem, this is important because if you do not see procrastination as a problem, then there will be no need to combat it.

 

BREAK YOUR PLANS INTO PHASES AND SET TIMELINES

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Most times, what actually makes us procrastinate is the fact that in our minds, the task seems so big, so instead of just looking at the task as a whole, break it down into smaller tasks or phases and set timelines. But remember when doing this, don’t make your timelines too short so you can meet the deadlines and if for some reason you miss it, just keep going, it is not a deal breaker.

 

TIMING IS EVERYTHING- CHOSE A GOOD TIME AND FOCUS

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Over the years, I have discovered that I am most productive first thing in the morning or late at night when everyone is asleep, and from my interactions with people, I realized am not alone. So the key is to make the best out of the time you want to spare , if you have been procrastinating on a task for so long,  Dive into such tasks first thing in the morning or late at night and shut off all distractions (mute your phone, pause your emails or even turn off your internet if you don’t need it for the task in question)

 

ACCOUNTABILITY

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Now a lot of people may not agree with this tip, but I have tried it a lot and it works. It is simply about appointing a “Procrastination Police”, this can be a friend, a confidant or even a group of people say your social media followers. The point of doing this is that subconsciously, we tend to put in an extra effort when we have to answer to people. Even though I am my own biggest critic, I have come to realize that when I announce that I will like to do something, there’s that  nagging voice that will never  let up till I achieve the task I set out to do, sometimes it may even be because you know you inspire some people and will not want to disappoint them as you never can tell if you are a source of hope as well. So find your Procrastination Police today and as you chose to embark on that task, let them know what you want to do , and tighten the noose on your neck by adding a timeline to it J .

 

REWARD YOURSELF

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Now this final tip may not sound as important as the earlier ones mentioned but believe me, it works just as much. When dealing with things of the mind, you need to trick your mind. This is why people who go on diets have cheat days; it is not an avenue for them to sabotage all the work done so far, but to trick the mind into appreciating the struggle and looking forward to the reward. I personally like rewarding myself and sometimes I even push the ball to my Procrastination police to surprise me with a reward and you bet it’s always worth it.

 

 

I hope at least one if not all of these tips will help you get rid of that Procrastination gene, remember, no one is perfect, so just do it! Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no delay, no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

 

So here is some accountability on my part, I have been away from this blog for too long, and sincerely my excuses are valid but I am looking beyond them and setting a blogging schedule. It’s a new month and no better time to commit but now. I will ensure I update this blog at least 3 times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) and as you know a reward is necessary so am looking forward to you guys rewarding me with loads of comments, hehehe!.

So the next blog should be up on Saturday morning since we are starting out, so feel free to comment and share your tips of battling procrastination or what you think of the new blogging schedule.

It’s Deyodee signing out with hugs, kisses and Agbalumo download

 

THE BASIC CHIC

THE BASIC CHIC

The basic chic…

Where did this slang come from?

I have heard this term being used to describe other ladies and to be sincere it had only been used by the typical “mean girls”. We all have one or two of them in our social circle. You know those chics that seem to have done well for themselves and overnight develop that “you can’t sit with us” attitude? Yes those ones!

I can recall one of those cringe worthy moments I first heard that term being used. I was at an event and I was seated with some ladies. I just met them and you know how it is when a few of their friends walked up to them to say hello. Well after just about an hour of sitting with them and getting to know them I was able to identify the queen bee of the group and this one came with the fakest and most confused accent of them all (a mixture of American and British accent topped up with our Yoruba “h factor”- at least we had that in common).

A lady walked up to them to say hello but everyone responded pleasantly except Aunty Queen Bee who just simply looked away. The lady in question practically scampered away, and everyone at the table kept quiet, after a few minutes, one of the girls was composed enough to ask “Aunty Queen B” why she snubbed the girl, and her answer left me confused and angry at the same time.

Her response was and I quote “That girl is a basic chic now! Did you see the bag she was carrying, a knock off LV bag, and she wants to feel among”

My confusion and anger turned into total repulsion and I excused myself from the table and joined another one with a free chair. I refuse to be judged or associated with based on material things I own. I have my standards as regards people I chose to associate with and the bar is definitely not set by the amount of money in your bank account or the brand name of your purse. Whatever happened to the richness of a person’s mind, values, morals, and a kind heart! I just can’t deal.

 

 

 

Anyway, here I was writing a piece on mediocrity, and a Facebook notification got me thinking about that incident and I did a detour and started this piece on “the basic chic” The Facebook notification was a comment to a post via my Instagram feed, and when I checked it, it was a comment by someone, and all the person had to say was “Jack of all trades”.

My first reaction was anger, I was not angry she called me a jack of all trades, I was angry she did not complete that phrase with what I chose to be. You see, she was right; I am a Jack of all trades-Master of all. I have an enviable career with a top oil and gas firm, I built my fashion retail business from nothing and I can proudly say it is doing well enough to cater for the salaries of some people I know *side eyes, and now I am blogging amongst several other things. All of these things I have always dreamt of doing even though when I was little I thought I was going to have to choose one of them, I never for a million years thought I would have been able to juggle.

I dare not succumb to society’s definition of whom and what I should be, a reliance on a 9 to 5 job will have my mother rolling in her grave. I know everyone says this, but I was raised by the most awesome woman that ever lived. Not only in terms of the values she instilled in me, she was a serial entrepreneur. A civil servant in the 80’s who was owed salaries for several months, raised 6 kids on her own from one small soap making business inside our home, to a local eatery, then a salon and finally a thriving event management rental business that outlived her.

And then it struck me! I finally had my definition of what a basic chic is.

A basic chic is that dreamer who for the fear of failure will not go after her dreams.

A basic chic is that girl would love to join the lekki-Ikoyi bridge jogging crew for whatever reason, but is scared of being labelled “desperate”.

 

A basic chic is that person who for the fear of being labelled “you like money” will not give her entrepreneurial streak a chance, but will stick to that 9-5 jobs she totally hates.

A basic chic is that person who would rather be a home maker but is too scared to go for it, not because her husband won’t support her, but because she is worried about what people will say.

A basic chic is that person who wants to build a professional career but will not put in a few hours overtime, because she doesn’t want her colleagues to think she is trying to please the boss.

In summary, a basic chic is not that girl that wears little or no make-up, it isn’t that girl with the “Guggi” wristwatch or knock-off LV bag! She is “anyone” who does not have a mind of her own and allows society or a few people dictate what is acceptable and what the norm is.

 

So this piece is for all the basic chics out there, you were born original, don’t die a copy! Chart your own course, set your own limits and remember; you are only in competition with that image staring back at you in the mirror.

Signing out! Or should I say *drops mic*

Ride home With Jay

Hey guys,

Its been a while yeah?

So sorry i have been AWOL, work has been quite hectic.

Remember how i started pillow talk and i explained to you guys it was because i had to put the kids to bed before i can vlog since they always want to be featured in the video? Well i finally decided to give my son Jay some spot light.

He is one of those kids that can ask you “why” 50times per second and believe me, he always has something to say about everything. So this video is to try out if the camera loves him as much as he loves the camera.

Please watch and enjoy our ride home from work/school and please let us know if you will like to see more of Jay on camera.

Ladypreneur Interview with Banke Meshida-Lawal owner of BMPro

Over 16 years ago, a young lady took her love for make-up to another level.

From her dorm room in University of Lagos, she started her professional make-up business with nothing but the content of her make up purse. Hers is a typical case of “Preparedness meets Opportunity” .

Today her brand is a top professional make-up brand in Nigeria. Her name is Banke Meshida-Lawal the owner of BMPro.
How are you preparing yourself for that opportunity to grow your business.
Watch and learn .

 

[huge_it_video_player id=”3″]

 

WHEN EVERYTHING DECIDES TO GO WRONG

This is a rant video, feel free to disagree with me, but i just think sometimes it is better to do somethings yourself.

Have you ever had a similar experience? Please share with me, and remember to share with your friends.

Simply click on the any of the buttons below to share on facebook, twitter or even email.

THANKS FOR WATCHING

Our October Woman Crush KLD

Remember my last post on juggling? Today we are shining the spotlight on our woman crush for the month of  October. A lady who has her hands full but is not deterred by her long work hours, and has still made out time to start her own business. Lets hear directly from her;

My name is Kehinde Louis-Domeih, but most people call me Kenny or Dr K…that’s because I’m a dentist.
Apart from the fact that I love working with my hands, which kind of guided my profession and makes me love and excel at my job, I also love good fragrances. Which made becoming a major perfume distributor very easy for me. Lucky for me, hubby is also an avid lover of rare and exquisite scents.
My experience in sales was very minimal until I found what I love to sell…perfumes, Arabian Oud fragrances to be precise.  They’re so unique, so exotic, so luxurious, they basically sell themselves. I can confidently say that my earnings from my business have so far exceeded what I get from paid employment, and I’ve never regretted it once.

Juggling work and business is not easy oh! Sometimes my brain is so full , i have to refresh and relax for a little bit before i dive right back in. Thankfully, this era of ease of deliveries, online payments and all, makes it easy for me not to get distracted at work. I hope someday, my business will be big enough so i can employ an assistant.

My brand- Korals and Sapphire, is a subsidiary of Sapphire scents. We scout the Middle East for rare and exotic Oud, frankincense and Myrrh scents.
Oud has been described as a royal scent, liquid gold, magic in a bottle, scent of passion, mystic, magical…so many references to the luxury the Oud denotes.
Our brand stock
-A range of Arabian Oud perfumes (EDP)
-A range of Amouage oils, including Amouage Bespoke
-Myrrh oils
-Frankincense
-Oud incense (with electric burners)
-Oud beard oils

To get a taste of royalty via our exquisite scents, click on the link below, or check out our brand -Korals-Sapphire Scents on the House of Ravissant website.We are offering a 10% discount on all scents purchased via House of Ravissant for a week. Simply enter the coupon code KLD on check out.

http://www.houseofravissant.com/vendor/korals/?v=7fbd50dcaeb8

 

DO YOU HAVE YOUR WOMAN EVERYDAY WHO YOU THINK DESERVES A SPOT LIGHT? SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THEM BELOW AND WE MIGHT JUST REACH OUT TO YOU TO SET UP AN INTERVIEW.

THINGS I WISH I WAS TOLD,…

Hey guys,

This is an interactive post. So you know the way we have Monday locked down as a day for posting Ladypreneur interviews, I was thinking of introducing a few  more articles that will be posted on specific days of the week.

 

The first newbie is the “Things I wish I was told” series. This will be posted every Friday night, so if faaji Friday  is too much, you can catch up and read/watch on Saturday mornings while lounging on your bed.

I actually have like a list of things I wish I was told, starting from Dating, to working, pregnancy, motherhood, marriage and so on, and I will be sharing my opinion and that of a few people I get to interview on each of these every Friday. So here is where you come in. Do you also wish you were told certain things about a particular stage in your life before you had the experience slap you smack on the face? Well share with me so we can make it a topic one of these Fridays.

Looking forward to your comments,…

Ladypreneur Interview With Zainab Opeloye- Creative Director of Tosho Woods Part 1

Team Tosho Woods, where you at?

Most of you actually know the brand, but how many of you know the amiable personalty behind that brand?

We bring you Zainab Opeloye the creative director of Tosho Woods, who has fought tooth, nail, sweat and tears to get the brand where it is today. Most people never know about the struggles and let you believe only the glam you see today, unlike such people, she’s out to share her journey so you can learn and know what to expect when starting your business.

Enjoy.