SUCCESSIN YOURBUSINESS
HowtoBecome A Successful Entrepreneur
PeterOsalor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Foreword
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter One
What IsBusiness?
BusinessStructures
SoleProprietorships
Partnerships
Corporations
LimitedLiabilityCompany(Llc)
SelfAnalysis
ChapterTwo
HowToGenerateABusinessIdea
Creative Methods
Systematic Methods
ChoosingYourOwnBusiness
Business Development Concepts
FindingTheRightTimeToBeginYourBusiness
ActionPlanToStartingYourBusiness
Great Idea,But Will It Fly?
FindingBusinessOpportunities
WhatYouShouldKnowAboutYourBusinessIdea
ChapterThree
AnalysisForTheBusinessPlan
Market Analysis
Environmental Analysis
Swot Analysis
Pest Analysis
IndustryAnalysis
FindingA Niche
ChapterFour
BusinessPlanning
Before You Start
WhatIsA BusinessPlan?
PurposesOfABusinessPlan
StepByStepGuideToWritingA BusinessPlan
BuildingA BusinessModel
Types Of Plans
ChapterFive
FinancesSourcesOfFinance
Types Of Funds
What InvestorsWant
Types Of Investors
HowToAttractInvestors
28WaysToRaiseFunds
Why InvestorsMay Say “No”
StartingA BusinessWithoutFunding
SixTacticsForStartingA BusinessWithNo/MinimalCapital
Chapter Six
SuccessfulMarketingOfTheBusiness
Distribution Modes
TenSuggestionsToBuildCustomerLoyalty
Marketing Mistakes To Avoid
ProtectingYourBusiness
ChapterSeven
WhyBusinessesFail
WhyPeopleFailInTheirBusinesses
Conclusion
Sources
Appendices
Appendix1:FindYourPassion
Appendix 2: List Of Business Ideas
Appendix 3: Aptitude Test
Appendix 4: Market Study
Appendix 5: Marketing Plan
Appendix 6: Business Plan Template
Executive Summary (Write This After You Have Written All The OtherSections.ItIsSimplyASummaryOfYourBusiness Concept):
Marketing Plan (How Do You Plan To Sell Your Products?Refer To Appendices 1 And 2):
Financial Investment Data (What Funds Will You Need To Start And Where Do You Plan To Get Your Funding?How Will YouContinue To Invest Capital Into Your Business?):
Resources
PREFACE
MyLife’sJourneyandMotivation
I was born into a family of six in the mid-1950s in Warri, Delta State of Nigeria. We lived in a mud house where there was no electricityand it was difficult to access drinkable water. My father was always in and out of menial jobs. At times, it was difficult for us to get adecent meal to eat. In fact, from an early age, I began to fend for my family by going to the waterside to collect firewood to sell. Unlikeus, neighbours and friends never had to struggle to eat, some tooktheiraccesstofoodforgrantedandtheirparentswouldevendiscipline them or buy them multivitamins when they refused to eat.
From this early age, I realized that knowledge was key and began to dig deep to satisfy my curiosity about the big social difference insociety where some lived in affluence and others in abject poverty. I went to college as a houseboy to a teacher because we could notaffordtopaytheschool fees.I studiedaccountancyandaftercollege, I went to work for Panalpina World Transport Company inKano. While there, I wrote exams to become an accountant and also began to apply the knowledge I learnt to run businesses.I bought ahouse for my mother and established a hotel for her.Then I bought a Taxi and began to buy more vehicles.But I was not satisfied withmy level of knowledge.I wanted more.I wanted to be a globalentrepreneur not only a local one.So I took exams and left forEnglandtostudyfortheACCAin1983,becameacharteredaccountant in 1987, and a chartered tax advisor in 1992. As I wasinvesting in my global education in Britain, my wife and I boughttwo shops in 1995 but had to sell them in 1999 to fight bankruptcy.In 2000, we established a training institute, East London High Tech.
From 2001-3, I established branches of Peter Osalor and Co. in Port Harcourt, Warri, Yenagoa, and Lagos and we became a truly global enterprise;amultinational.BelievingIcouldmakeadifferencein the government’s state of affairs, I ran for governor of Delta state in 2007 but was not elected. All along the way, I have gained extensive experience in teaching, accounting, management, and capacity andbusinessbuilding.Overtime,Ibegantonoticetheconsistent,predictable patterns and principles that seemed to accompany andgovern all business and career success. The most important of these principles is having an entrepreneurial attitude.As a result of mydiscovery, I wrote several books such as this one, to teach peoplehow to have the entrepreneurial spirit.
My mission in life has been the same for more than thirty years. It is to liberate the in-built potentials of individuals by giving them ideas and strategies to fast-track the benefits and rewards they can achieve as successful entrepreneurs. I also seek to motivate people by helping themrealizethatsuccessisachoicetheyhavetomakeandANYBODY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL if they choose to be.
Putting into practice my vision for entrepreneurial development inAfrica, I have established several initiatives:
-I have established Success in Your Business, a UK registeredcharity committed to eradicating poverty by equipping individuals withtheentrepreneurialspiritandtherightskillssucceedin business.
-I have an on-line TV program
-As part of my awareness creation strategy for entrepreneurship, I run a weekly TV programme called Success in Your Business onAfrican Independent Television, Abuja. A programme formerlyairedonBenTV London,NTA WarriandPort-Harcourt.
-IwriteaBusinessBlog.Iamaregularcolumnistforthe Vanguard Newspaper, commenting on the Nigerian economy and policy needs.
-IamafoundingmemberoftheAfricanandNigerianEntrepreneurs.com
-I amthe CEO of Posag Consulting - a financial consultancy and businessadvisoryserviceproviderwithofficesinNigeria,the United States of America and Europe.
-Ihavewrittenseveralbooksonentrepreneurialsuccessincluding: The Entrepreneurial Revolution: A Solution for PovertyEradication, Why and How to Start your own Business, and Howto write your Business Plan.
This book is written specifically for people who want to start theirown business i.e. they want to become an entrepreneur; be their own bossandabsolutelysucceed.Thisbookwillteachyouhowto identify your passion and attract funds to convert your passion intoyour business.More so; for people working in the business worldwho wish to maximize their personal potential and get the bestquantity and quality of business satisfaction, this little book willserve as a veritable compass. As you read, put into action what youread.Remember, if you do what successful people do, you will getthe results thatsuccessful people get.
Best Wishes. Peter Osalor
FOREWORD
Entrepreneurship as a field of study has been developing rapidly and hascontinuedtogainrecognitionasbothaviableacademicdisciplineandasignificantforceintransformingtheeconomythrough creativity and innovation. This must have informed thedecision of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to makeentrepreneurship study in Nigerian Universities a compulsory course and to give a directive to Universities to establish EntrepreneurshipCentres to further reposition the course and provide students and the university communities with opportunities to acquire skills to be self- employed and economically self reliant.
As the nation marches forward in the aspiration for greater achieve- ments inspite of the increasing competition from globalization andtechnology,theentrepreneursremaintheenginerequiredtogalvanize and accelerate economic development and growth. It isessential therefore, that such entrepreneurs should have a manualwhichwillserveasabasisforpreparingthemtobecomingsuccessful entrepreneurs.
Peter Osalor’s book: Success in your Business is meant to fill thisneed. The book which is divided into seven chapters is designed for thosewhowanttostarttheirownbusinessesbybecomingentrepreneurs, be their own boss and absolutely succeed. This bookwill teach them how to become successful entrepreneurs. We believe that in getting this book across to the public, a firm foundation would have been laid in equipping entrepreneurs with the initial apparatusrequired in making them successful in their businesses.
Prof. Sarah O. Anyanwu
DepartmentofEconomicsandFormerDirector,Centrefor Entrepreneurship
University of Abuja
FOREWORD
The economic turbulence in our world today which has made jobsecurities to be volatile has probably created a ground swell forinterest in business ownership and the expression of entrepreneurial skills. In spite of the presence of university education in our worldfor almost 1000 years, no school offered a degree in entrepreneurship until the 1970s. In the 70s there were only 16 universities thatoffered courses in entrepreneurship in the whole of the USA, today, over 1,600 do. Prior to that, every course directed people to learnhow to manage a business on behalf of others. There are severalreasons why the ownership of business is preferable to job seeking or the pursuit of employment.
A business gives you the opportunity to take your future in your ownhands. Like they say in Latin Carpe Diem seize the moment. Abusiness quite unlike employment can be inherited by your children, therefore giving you the opportunity to create generational blessings and prosperity for your family. That is why today we see the FordMotor companies, Heinz, Rolls Royce, which was started by Mr.Rolls and Mr. Royce. The examples are endless.The best that cancome out of employment is a salary and a possible pension. Whereas, a business can help you to build equity into the future. At a particular age,the statutory laws of employment ofa country make yourdeparture from gainful employment mandatory. While in your ownbusiness, you can continue to run in your golden age.
Furthermore, if anything makes the desire to have a business evenmore likable, it will be the fact that you can make a difference inyourworldasyourcompanygetsinvolvedincorporatesocialresponsibilities through the use of its profit or monies set apart tohelp meet social needs. You are able to provide employment forothers and become part of the solution in your world. We might just rest our argument for business by saying that it helps you to leave alegacy. However, what is the use having such a desire to run business and yet be poorly informed on how, why and which way to run it.
The author of this book, Mr. Peter Osalor takes us into the world of business by introducing to us four books that can set us in motion to start, perpetuate and run a successful business.
•Why and How to start your own business
•How to prepare a business plan
•How to identify and fund your business
•Theentrepreneurialrevolution–asolutionforpoverty eradication.
He brings in a fresh insight on the modalities for starting a businessthatwilllast.Yes,businessesthatwilllastbecause80%ofbusinesses started here in the UK for example fail within 5 years.However, Peter has helped us with the effective steps that can help a successful business. He gives us a step by step guide on how toprepare a business plan and how to run it effectively.
Many businesses also die because they do not know how to leverage by seeking for funds that would make such vision run well. Using his training as a chartered Accountant and Tax specialist, Peter helps us to grasp the possibilities of a successful business as he gives us trade secrets for succeeding in the world of entrepreneurship.
The books of Peter Osalor come highly recommended firstly because of his educated mind. Secondly, because of the practical experience he has had with over 30 years of involvement in business and thirdly as a man who has opened up business in Europe and across Africa.
His experience traverses continents and any investment in this works will be more than value for money.
MatthewAshimolowo
Speaker,Entrepreneur,Philanthropist
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To start with, I would like to thank God for enabling me make thisbookareality,toHimalonebeallthegloryandhonour.My profound thanks goes to my family, most especially my wife Mrs.Eudora Osalor who has always given me the support I have needed, every time I need it; your inestimable help is deeply appreciated. My daughterPeace Ani and her husband Chijoke Ani.
MythanksalsogotoJosephAkpebu,akeymemberofmyorganisation for the relentless effort you have shown towards theproduction of this book, thank you so much. I would also like tothank Johnson Akpebu for his time and effort.
My sincere thanks also to Dr Abiodun Awomolo and Dr HashimGibrill both of Atlanta, USA, for their efforts in critically reviewing and helping put this book together. Mrs Ade D’Almeida for hercontribution and inspiration and Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo myspiritual father and pastor, who has been a great source of inspiration in the writing of this book.
My sincere gratitude to Harry Koranteng, “my right hand man” forhis time and effort.
To all my staff in London, Port-Harcourt, Warri, Yenagoa, Abuja andto Joseph and Hikmot Ademosu, I say many thanks for your support and commitment; you’re all very much appreciated. Limitation ofspacedoesnotpermitmetoindividuallyacknowledgetheinnumerable number of friends and well wishers, thank you so much.
My message to you all is that this is just the beginning; the sky cannever be our limit but only our starting point. Let’s keep the fireburning.
Thank you
INTRODUCTION
“Control your destiny or someone else will control it”
Jack Welch
Many dream of owning their own businesses but few ever do so.Why? They get distracted by fear of what may go wrong, doubtsabout their own abilities, lack of knowledge about how to start andrun their own business, inability to seek sources for funding andother issues. As the quote above states, either you control yourdestiny, or someone else will.Owning a business offers you the best opportunitytocontrolyourownfuture.Infact,becominganentrepreneur not only puts you in charge of your own destiny butalso that of others.
ANYBODY can be an entrepreneur and take control of their owndestiny.All it takes is having the right attitude to confront yourdistractions and the obstacles on your way to becoming a successful entrepreneur.So,let’sbeginatthebeginning–whoisanentrepreneur? What does an entrepreneur do?Why is being anentrepreneur a sure path to controlling my own, and perhaps, otherpeople’s destinies?
There are various definitions of an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is someone who uses his or her creativity to serve the needs of others.Others define an entrepreneur as: