“Entrepreneurship is not just an art. It is a science. It is the art and science of owing a business system and leading people to run the business system at a mutual benefit, which must not necessarily be cash” (Gabriel Onyekawa; 2019)
But, without adequate insight, entrepreneurship becomes the worst night mare of an intending entrepreneur.
It takes secrets to trade any business and triumph. Until these secrets are known, struggling through business becomes the order of the day.
In today’s blog post, I want to unveil to you, though in a lengthy mode, “14 Top Secrets Every Entrepreneur Ought To Know And Trade With”
Do not skip any line because it might house the secret you have been waiting for.
N.B: This blog post is actually an excerpt of about three books of mine:
# 1: Commanding Wealth Through Entrepreneurship (DOWNLOAD A COPY here!)
# 2: Strategies For Business Exploits (DOWNLOAD A COPY HERE!)
# 3: 22 Reasons Why You’re Not Yet Rich (DOWNLOAD A COPY HERE!)
Now, “14 Top Secrets Every Entrepreneur Ought To Know And Trade With”:
Top Secret # 1
Making God the CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
When you make God the CEO of your business, you have made Him the owner. That means He is at the helm of affairs. He dictates what happens. He is in control. Where God is in control, no devil comes in. where God is in control, no failure comes near. Where God is in control, you operate at the realm of the supernatural.
It is only the manufacturer of a product who knows the use to which the product will be put into. God owns you and the vision (business) He gave you. So, why do you make Him the second class citizen in His own brain child?” Why do you think you can do that business on your own? By strength shall no man prevail! Without Him you can do nothing. That is why He said that we should seek Him first, and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). Make God your partner in your business and see if things will not start moving again.
For the Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will He withhold from them that walk upright! (Ps.84:11).
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and He delighteth in his way” (Ps.37:23)
“Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go” (Isaiah 48:17).
Top Secret # 2
Corporate Tithing
I would like to use the stories of two companies: Quaker Qats Company and Colgate Palmolive Company to illustrate this: the extraordinary miracle of corporate tithing, as revealed by Mc Afee (1998), in his book, “Start Your Own Business” . Hear this:
QUAKER OATS COMPANY
Does the name Henry P. Crowell sound familiar to you? How about the company he founded Quaker Oats? While yet a young man, Crowell heard a sermon by Dright L. Moody. He made a remarkable commitment to the Lord. He said, “I can’t be a preacher, but I can be a good businessman”. He prayed, “If you will let me make money, I will use it in your service”. He bought a little run-down mill called Quaker Mill. Within ten years folk everywhere knew about Quaker Oats. Not only did he faithfully pay his tithe but it is reported that he gave far beyond the tithe and founded the Lord’s work for near forty years.
COLGATE PALMOLIVE COMPANY
Who hasn’t heard of the Colgate Palmolive Company? Do you know that a tither founded it? William Colgate left home when just a teenager. He felt that his father was too poor to keep him. With his only belonging tied in a bundle, he met an old canal-boat captain. He confided to the captain that he was leaving home to lessen the financial burden on his parents. He explained to the old man that the only trade he knew was soap and candle making. The old captain knelt and prayed for the lad and then looked him in the eye and said, “Someone will soon be the leading soap maker in New York. It can be you. Be a good man, give your heart to Christ, pay the Lord all that belongs to Him, make an honest soap, give a full pound and I’m certain you’ll be a prosperous and rich man”. Those words apparently made a strong impression on him.
He tithed from the first dollar he made as an employee. Soon he was made partner of the company he worked for and ultimately became the owner of the business. He, like Henry Crowell gave far beyond the tithe. It is reported that his giving grew from 20% to 30% to 40% to 50% and finally he was giving all his income. He gave millions to the Lord’s work. Think about that!
Top Secret # 3
Avoid borrowing
A wise one warns, “Going deep into debt to begin a new business is often costly mistake. Don’t make debt a way of life. Your goal should be debt-free living personally and professionally. Though the Bible does not strictly prohibit debt; it clearly gives restrictive guidelines connecting its use and cautions us against its abuse…”
“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender”
As your business grows and exceeds your projections, in time, there may be a place to judiciously and prayerfully employ debt (Though I am not an advocate of running a business via debts). It may be appropriate to privately issue stock or even go public in the meantime; if at all possible, your new business undertaking will best be capitalized from personal assets such as saving and the initial growth of the business.
Note: Avoid the dangerous practice of raising start up capital through a home equity loan. Be cautious, because a business failure could result in the loss of your home.
Top Secret # 4
Learn the Art of Negotiation
A good communicator can communicate his/her way into success. The art of negotiation is one of the keys to supernatural success. If not, why did God have to command Aaron to go with Moses? Aaron was a major tool in Moses leadership. He was his right hand spokesman.
A lot of manufacturing and service providing companies need people with communication skill to market their products for them. However, I have discovered that a lot of us do not like any job that will take us before people to start presenting a talk to them on a bid to make sales. We like it when they just visit our shops or offices and demand for products and services. This is why a lot of businesses collapse within five years of starting them. You need to learn the art of negotiation. You need it!
Do you know that you can buy goods on consignment and not pay until you sell them? You can persuade supplier (s) to allow short-term credit on your initial investing. This will save you the cost of borrowing to pay interest.
Top Secret # 5
Have Mentors and Advisers
To make your business supernatural, learn from the experts who have already succeeded in that field. Learn as much as you can about the market for your products and/or services. Learn who your competitors are and what they are doing right. Seek the counsel of the wise, this is because “without counsel, purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established“. You need people who believe in you and who genuinely have your best interest at heart. You need people who can assist you in evaluating your ideas and who can help you determine if those ideas are truly viable. These mentors may or may not be those closest to you” McAfee added.
Top Secret # 6
Update Your Professional/Career Information Bank
Praying, fasting, and studying the Bible alone might not guarantee supernatural success in business. You need to study other books written by some great minds on Business Management to sustain your business. Though this statement might arouse criticism among many, but let me ask you this question, “God gives knowledge, wisdom and understanding, why then do we have to attend formal education (schools)? He gives money, why do we work hard to earn money? He gives health, why do we study Medical and Surgery?”
Stop limiting your destiny! Buy books on Business Management and read, there must be something you will discover that will help you enhance the management of your business. If you fail to study, you will fail in business. Show me a business person that does not study, and I will show you a business that has remained in one position for more than five years.
When you stop learning, you start dying. If you are still in doubt, ask Bishop Paul (the former Saul) what made him became more popular and more impact than Bishop Peter (the first Bishop) when you see him. Books made him. And books differentiate average businesses from great businesses. Think about this!
Top Secret # 7
Make The Bible Your Business “Road Map”
In as mush as you study business books, the Bible is the utmost. The author has discovered that every business on this earth is rooted in the Bible. “Cattle rearing” is linked to Abraham. “Irrigation” is linked to Isaac. “Breeding” is linked to Jacob. “Engineering”, “Accounting, Economics, Management, Medicine and Surgery” are all in the Bible.
Little wonder why God had to reveal this great and unmatchable secret to Joshua in the book of Joshua one verse eight (Joshua1:8): “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success”.
Top Secret # 8
Think globally
In business, what you see is what you get. When you see Aba (A city in Nigeria) as your only market, your thinking gets limited to Aba. But, when you think of reaching out to other nations, not just Nigeria alone, your thought level expands and produces great ideas on how to make the vision manifest and become reality.
A lot of businesses are seemingly stagnated because the only thing they see is their immediate shop/office. Who told you that you cannot have more than one shop in your locality? Who told you that your business cannot also work in Owerri, Onitsha, Lagos, Abuja, Warri, (Cities in Nigeria) etc? Do not be contented with a little. By divine instructions, expand globally. Try to visualize and see more problems in your area of calling. Ask God for divine instructions on how to solve them, maybe, you might be the person the world has been waiting for to solve that problem and make your millions. Duplicate your business and reach out to nations.
Top Secret # 9
Make Use Of The Internet And Telecommunication (ICT)
A lot of people have not discovered that we are no more in the Industrial Age when you must travel to become an importer; when you need millions of dollars to become a global business person. Today, you can even become an importer with only Fifty Thousand Naira (About $13). Let nobody deceive you. All you need to make it is an idea and backup information. Today, global businesses are started even from a laptop, desktop or palmtop (Smart phones and similar devices). If you are in doubt, ask those who are into online businesses how easy it is to start a global business with less than Five Thousand Naira (About $13).
Have you not heard that “internet” means “International Network”. Thus, your business will have an international network. To be in business today, you need a website, email, phone, and a computer (or you make use of the business centers.)
For more details on how to design your own website, even if you cannot operate a computer, order for my manual, “A Simple Guide To Website Designing” now WhatsApp: +234 907 330 8104
You can also WhatsApp me now for more advice on how to take your business online so as to have a global corporate presence.
Top Secret # 10
Do Not Go Alone
Caleb McAfee, writing on this issue in his book, “Start your own business”, stated this clearly in Chapter Eleven (11) Page 1. Hear this: To be in business for yourself does not mean you must go it alone. The central principle of management is to accomplish tasks through other people. Your chances of success will be greatly enhanced as you surround yourself with competent team members.
As your business expands, employ the services of the following:
• An Accountant: An accountant will help you set up your books and establish systems for handling cash receipts and disbursements. Ask other business people in your same line of endeavour to recommend an accountant. If possible, a chartered accountant.
- A Banker: having a corporate account will immensely move your business forward. Moreover, your `bankers will also advice you on some steps to take in financial matters.
- A Public Relations Firm: They boost the corporate image of your company. They also work hand in hand with your advertisement agency to take your business to the next level.
• A Management Consultant: He/she helps you on your internal financial matters and business issues. He/she assists you in your decision making.
An Advertisement Agency: have you discovered that with an advert, you can reach out to your targeted market at a fast pace? An advertisement agency helps you package advertisement and see to the publication.
• Board of Directors: They help you in making decisions for the smooth operation of your company; you can go to sleep on some issues because “Two good heads are better than one”.
Top Secret # 11
Create A Database Of Customers And Potential Customers And Make Maximum Use Of It
If I may ask you, “Do you have a list of all the people that have been buying from you”? I mean your major customers. Assuming you are into bulk recharge cards business, how many petty recharge card sellers/outlets do you know? Do you have their contact addresses, business names, phone numbers of the owners, their e-mail addresses? Don’t think that this is crazy. “The money is in this list!”
With a database, you can reach out to your customers and targeted customers faster than you think. You can also follow them up. When new products come in, you notify them, may be they might be interested. When there is a change in price, quality or packaging, you inform them, may be, this might rake in more profit to you. Start building a database of your customers from now, if you have not been doing so.
Top Secret # 12
Know How To Hire And Fire Staff/Employees
Hiring and firing employees is a skill that must be learnt. Until you discover the skill, abuse is inevitable. That is why some people leave their businesses to their relations and non-committed staff to mismanage. In business, achieving results is the principal thing. Don’t compromise standards. Hire people who are competent enough to run your business. Also, you need to train them more, to do that efficiently and effectively; set standards and objectives to be achieved, create rooms for their achievements and measure the achieved results after an assumed period.
Make sure your staffs are doing the work for which you employed them. Where the reverse is the case and the person refuses to change, consider firing the person. Let him/her try another place. Your business is not a charitable organization.
Do not use only emotion to run your business otherwise you run yourself and the business into trouble. Learn to hire and fire. However, you need to maximally train your staff through books, seminars, conferences, workshops, devotions (at intervals) etc.
Top Secret # 13
Be Sincere, Committed and Diligent
It is said that God is looking for a people. It is not everybody but the sincere in heart; those that are committed to do what they say, those that are diligent (hard working) and cannot compromise standards except God directed otherwise.
In business, everybody, even the bad people, is looking for a good man or woman. Many people are afraid to give out their products and/or services on trust on short-term credit. Trust and sincere seem to be found wanting. “Nobody is sincere” people say, “Nobody to trust!” Little wonder why a lot of people are struggling today.
See, if you can be sincere, committed and hardworking in transacting your business, I am giving you just three years and you will be the commander of the highest wealth in your line of business. I do not care who you are but if you lack sincerity, your business is headed for failure in the near future. But this shall not be your portion in Jesus name.
Top Secret # 14
Speak Prosperity Into Your Business
What you say determines what you get. What you speak concerning your business will determine the result you get, positive or negative. A lot of businesses are frustrated today because of what their owners normally say. Have you not noticed that many speak negative about their businesses? You hear words like “Market is bad these days…” “Things are tough these days”…“It is only those who stay in the office and steal our money that make it these days”.
Shut up! Stop speaking evil against your business. What you say is what God brings to you. Stop saying, “Bad business, no sales….” Do not say what the world is saying because you are not of the world. You operate a Heavenly economy. Use your words to create your destiny.
“….As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you…” (Numbers 14:28)
The world was created by God’s Words (Gen. 1). We can create our world. We can create whatever we want in our business.
Speak to those products that have been in your shop for a long time now. Speak to any part of your vision or destiny that needs the hand of God in it, speak and it must come to pass.
Note: Giving and hardworking without speaking will amount to struggling without knowing it (1 Corinthians 3:16; Psalms 127:1).
See you in my next blog post.
Still having financial problems or business development challenge? I can mentor you through my NGO, “Gabriel Onyekawa Mentorship Program (GOMP)” Connect with me through WhatsApp: 09073308104.
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To Your Success,
Gabriel Onyekawa
Best-Selling Author,
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The Next Thing
Though I still have a lot to write on this topic but I hope you learnt something new from this blog post. More importantly, I want you to apply practically all I have been able to teach you via this blog post.
Right now, I want to know what you think.
Have you tried applying the contents of this post? How did it work? Anything I missed? Let me know what you think by leaving a COMMENT below. Feel free to ask my questions related to Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance and Marriage Tips. Better still, you can provide a suggestion of a post you would like me to write about.
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