MosaicNigeria THE STARTUP ISSUE

mosa c NIGERIA

JULY - AUGUST 2016

FEATURE:

TOLU EDWIN-COLE

PHOTONIMI

BOSS

KOREDE OLABANJI SPEAKS ON:

PASSION, INTEGRITY & BEING HIS OWN

BRAND

DEFYING THE ODDS SINCE 1975 BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY WITH THESE

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Love ...

WHY WE

people places awesomeness

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... OMONI OBOLI

COVER STORY

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BEING HIS OWN 2

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BRAND

Nutrition PEANUT BUTTER COLESLAW

57 ON THE

Shelf Reviews

Recommended Reads

Authors

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& TOLU EDWIN-COLE

DEFYING THE ODDS SINCE 1975

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Editor’s Letter NO DREAM IS TOO WILD, NO HURDLE IS INSURMOUNTABLE, WHEN WE PERSEVERE. AS LONG AS YOU KEEP AT IT, EVERY DREAM OF YOURS WILL BE FULFILLED, AND YOUR STORY WILL BE TOLD. forward, no going back.

Ayee Sha SENIOR EDITOR

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Finally!

We did it! Exactly nine months after the birth of this dream, here we are with the first issue. It's been a long nine months, with plenty of blood and sweat, tears and insomnia. Nine months of bootstrapping and earning zero income. Of working round the clock and clearing hurdle after hurdle, sometimes like Usain Bolt, and other times like Oscar Pistorius without his prosthetic limbs. We've put our best foot

I'll always remember the story of Ordinary, the Nobody who had spent all his life in the Land of Familiar, but with the help of the Dream Giver, escapes his Comfort Zone and begins the journey of his life. On his adventure, Ordinary has to overcome Border Bullies and battle Giants in the Land on his way to his destination. The lesson here, is that no dream is too wild, no hurdle is insurmountable, when we persevere. As long as you keep at it, every dream of yours will be fulfilled, and your story will be told.

In this issue we tell the inspirational story of Tolu Edwin-Cole, the taxi driver who is no stranger to defying odds and rising above limitation. Also, our spotlight rests on a unique start-up whose founder has leveraged on social media and technology to not only grow her brand, but to also expand her network. You'll also discover that meditation does more for your business than you realize.

There's a whole lot more, including apps that help to increase your productivity. Five lifestyle entrepreneurs also shared with us their BIG WHY. It should make you think about yours.

MosaicNigeria is a free digital publication that's out to promote lifestyle businesses and encourage more Nigerians to pursue their passions, to choose value over profits and to live their best imagined lives. I hope you find every page a delight, and if you do, I hope you share the word with your friends and family.

Finally I hope this teaches you that no matter what it is you set out to do, like us, you too can do it.

Love and light,

W

ho hat here

TRENDING

NEWS

EVENTS

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

MUHAMMAD Ali

The Greatest

SHUAIBU AMODU

STEPHEN KESHI

FORMER NIGERIAN FOOTBALL COACHES

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e celebrate the lives and achievements of these heroes who did us proud while they were with us.

We salute their bravery as trail blazers, and thank them for lives well lived.

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

Love ...

WHY WE

people places awesomeness

WHY WE LOVE ...

... OMONI OBOLI

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igh. . . what's not to love?

From acting to filmmaking to blogging, there's just no stopping her. Did we mention she's also a fabulous naturalista? Visit her blog and you're sure to leave with something, even if it's a recipe for a scrumptious meal. The Omoni Oboli name is the Omoni Oboli brand, and she's totally living it up. Ooooh! and Wives on Strike is simply genius hilarious!

But don't take our word for it, go to the cinemas and tell us what you think.

WHY WE LOVE ...

... Online Shopping

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h the joy of online shopping! Admit it, we're all guilty of this one.

Jumia, Konga, Jiji and Payporte all have one thing in common – taking our money. We live in a world where most of us are time poor, and the convenience of shopping online is welcome. Let's say a prayer for the inventor of this awesome service, and another prayer for the innovator who introduced Payment on Delivery, saving us from the horrors of bad-market shopping on the internet. Ahhh-men!

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

WHY WE LOVE ...

... Taking Naps

A A

ccording to the American Sleep Foundation (no, we didn't make that up), you should take a short nap of twenty to thirty minutes “for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with night-time sleep.� Taking naps restores your alertness, makes you more productive, and get this, reduces the risk of heart

disease.

Our daily To-Do list just got longer. . . snooooooze!

Where There's A Will, There’s A

WHY

E

ver heard the saying “no smoke without a fire”? Actually, the real question is, who hasn't? There's a reason for every action, even if that action is choosing to become a lifestyle entrepreneur.

It takes a special person to choose the unpredictable maze of entrepreneurship over the certainty of a regular paycheck. But didn't someone already say that entrepreneurs possess the baddest superpower after motherhood, no diss to Wolverine.

We asked five lifestyle entrepreneurs to share with us their BIG WHY. Why? Well, because the BIG WHY is everything. And because we hope you'll be inspired to find your BIG WHY too.

THE BIG WHY

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believe there are two most important days in a man's life. First, the day he's born and second, the day he discovers the reason why he was put on this earth. I think I discovered why I was born early enough, and it is to make good music.

I really didn't want to do anything else because I had passion and loved what I did. I tried getting a job but never happened, so I decided to look for someone who believed in what I loved and who would invest in me. That's how Tektunes Entertainment was born. I'm pretty sure working for someone else wouldn't have worked out even if I'd tried it. They say music is food for the soul. I believe music is everything.

JUSTEE: Tektunes Entertainment TAP TO CONNECT

I

had loved painting my face from when I was a young girl. After my first degree, I decided to learn a skill and I trained as a fashion designer but I didn't have the flair for it. So I went back to my first love – makeup. I underwent a period of mentoring and internship with Ewar Makeovers. I could have stayed on there as a permanent staff, but I decided that it would make more sense to put in the number of hours it would take to build my own business and not someone else's instead.

ADEBOLA TAIWO: Beautywise Makeovers TAP TO CONNECT

H

Jay Ogbe TAP TO CONNECT

Sole Divas

aving always being a spontaneous person, I knew a 9-5 job would leave me frustrated after a few months.Being a full time mom and home maker however left me with no choice but to start up my own business of retailing shoes and running a fashion blog with major focus on everything shoe related.

I chose fashion because that is the one thing that will always be. In the corporate world, entertainment industry and even manufacturing these days, fashion is and has been one unifying factor. Everybody wants to b e f a s h i o n a b l e .

Shoes!!! *sigh* my passion for shoes goes beyond just admiring them or wanting to have them all. Over the years, I picked up interest in styling people's feet -giving them comfort, style and a good bargain for their money, be it to work, on the red carpet or just everyday l i v i n g .

In the nearest future, Sole Divas will launch its own home grown brand with designs and styles the African woman can relate to, and we will match up to international standards.

THE BIG WHY

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'll admit that I am not the kind of person who likes to wake early to rush off to work. I work most effectively in a stress-free environment where I can be creatively expressive. Furthermore, being an employee at a company, risking getting a dominant or hostile boss, is not a chance I'd like to take.It was therefore natural for me, to become an entrepreneur, so I could structure my own time by being my own boss.

Photography is something I had loved for a long time. I started experimenting a couple of years ago even while I was still studying in the university.

Out of curiosity and passion for the art, I decided to go all out, and here I am today. I do what I love and I get paid for it, what could be more exciting than that?

Rachel

Rachelola Photography TAP TO CONNECT

I

like to describe myself as a writer – plain and simple. The word, writer, sort of embodies everything; and as a writer, you have the privilege of wearing many hats, as your pen can be used to write anything.

What makes all this more amazing – aside from the fact that I love what I do immensely- is that I all do this working from my computer at home. No need for suits (I detest those), dealing with city traffic and getting worried about rainy and sunny days. I can work in boxer shorts and oversized tees all day.

I had promised myself that I wasn't going to work for anyone, but somehow I got roped into working at one of the top women's lifestyle magazines in Nigeria. It was a position that I could not refuse. Somewhere along the line, I got pregnant, and since my boss had started a new company, I wasn't eligible to go off for maternity leave, and she didn't want to let me go either. So she figured out how she could eat her cake and have it – working from home. I wasn't on the company's pay roll, but I was paid per article, and I like to think I delivered better working from home that I actually ended up making up my salary from all the articles I wrote every month. After I had a taste of working from home, I knew I could never go back into working regular hours in an 'office'. Working from home has a variety of perks such as owning your time, (whether it's early morning before anyone is awake, or late at night, while they are asleep, you can choose which times work best for you) creating your own schedule, and being rid of the hassles of commuting (from car maintenance to traffic congestion).

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DEFYING THE ODDS SINCE 1975 PHOTOGRAPHY

FEATURE

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veryone has a life story to tell, but seldom is a life story spell-binding, leaving the listener with a lurching heart on the edge of his seat, wishing with all his heart that all will be well that ends well.

Baba Cole speaks of perseverance,dogged tenacity in the face of adversity, and a blatant refusal to settle, but he does more. He inspires and infects with the same passions that have helped him to live a life worth talking about. Finally, he teaches us a salient lesson – that no matter the cards we are dealt in life, there's always the opportunity to do better, and be better.

How did you venture into the transport business?

It all started in the year 1976, my financial situation was so grave.

Because of this, I had to leave secondary school and enrol for Governmentorganized evening classes, just so I could write O level exams. To solve the challenge of feeding I decided to get a job on the side, and that's how I became a casual worker at the Nigerian Breweries.

One day, I approached my manager to place me permanently on the morning shift, so I would be free to attend evening classes in preparation for my exams. But he said no, and that was how fate pushed me out of the educational system.

I then approached a bus garage looking for work. It did not take long for me to be fixed with one of the molue drivers as a conductor. I behaved differently from the rest and this made people pick an

interest in me. Within a year I became a trained driver and the following year I obtained my driver's licence and became the youngest molue driver in my garage. However, even though I was good at my work, I really wanted to drive a taxi.

These were the days when a Volkswagen Beetle was sold for N3,000 while the Peugeot 504 was sold for N4,500. In those days, there were very few entrepreneurs investing in the transport business, but I shared my taxi ambition with my boss, and he promised to buy me a car.

As time went on, I realized he wouldn't make good on his promise so I stopped work.

Did you have a Plan B when you took that decision?

No Plan B, even though I was married by this time. I sat at home until an older colleague from the garage came to find me. I then explained to him that

driving a taxi was my dream and I would sit at home until I found someone who would hire me to drive a taxi. One evening, a few days later, the same colleague came bearing good news. He told me there was a place I could work. Very early the next morning I followed him to a place where I was hired immediately .In those days, even taxi driving was done in shifts, where two drivers were attached to a car and they delivered returns daily. My boss was so impressed with my driving and maintenance that in less than a year he upgraded my car, and kept upgrading that in four years I had used four cars.

It became official, I was a cab driver.

A cab driver with no car of his own?

Exactly. All this time, I was looking for the opportunity to buy a car. Working shifts gave me only enough money to feed the family so I had no savings. There were dealers in those days who had money. They would buy the cars for

FEATURE

”I

n life, it gets to a point that we must be prepared to face whatever comes as a result of our decisions.

”

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

FEATURE How did you venture into the transport business?

It all started in the year 1976, my financial situation was so grave.

Because of this, I had to leave secondary school and enrol for Governmentorganized evening classes, just so I could write O level exams. To solve the challenge of feeding I decided to get a job on the side, and that's how I became a casual worker at the Nigerian Breweries.

One day, I approached my manager to place me permanently on the morning shift, so I would be free to attend evening classes in preparation for my exams. But he said no, and that was how fate pushed me out of the educational system.

I then approached a bus garage looking for work. It did not take long for me to be fixed with one of the molue drivers as a conductor. I behaved differently from the rest and this made people pick an interest in me. Within a year I became a trained driver and the following year I obtained my driver's licence and became the youngest molue driver in my garage. However, even though I was good at my work, I really wanted to drive a taxi.

These were the days when

a Volkswagen Beetle was sold for N3,000 while the Peugeot 504 was sold for N4,500. In those days, there were very few entrepreneurs investing in the transport business, but I shared my taxi ambition with my boss, and he promised to buy me a car.

As time went on, I realized he wouldn't make good on his promise so I stopped work.

Did you have a Plan B when you took that decision?

No Plan B, even though I was married by this time. I sat at home until an older colleague from the garage came to find me. I then explained to him that driving a taxi was my dream and I would sit at home until I found someone who would hire me to drive a taxi. One evening, a few days later, the same colleague came bearing good news. He told me there was a place I could work. Very early the next morning I followed him to a place where I was hired immediately .In those days, even taxi driving was done in shifts, where two drivers were attached to a car and they delivered returns daily. My boss was so impressed with my driving and maintenance that in less than a year he upgraded my car, and kept

upgrading that in four years I had used four cars.

It became official, I was a cab driver.

A cab driver with no car of his own?

Exactly. All this time, I was looking for the opportunity to buy a car. Working shifts gave me only enough money to feed the family so

FEATURE I had no savings. There were dealers in those days who had money.

They would buy the cars for potential transporters and get a hundred percent profit on their investment. So it occurred to me to approach a dealer to buy one of my boss' cars for

me, since he was changing them every year. So the dealer came and bought the car, but he played me and sold it to someone else. And then my boss got wind of it and I had to leave my job. So here I was, married with three children and no job. I

realised that in life, it gets to a point that we must be prepared to face whatever comes as a result of our decisions.

I went to my mother, and explained the situation to her. She got me A Toyota Crown. Sometimes, what proves elusive without can be found within. And

�

P

eople call us ambassadors b e c a u s e anywhere you go in the world, if you don't have anybody to pick you from the airport, train station, etc., the next person you want to see is the cab man that would take you to your destination.

�

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

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THE NAME

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Just like our names will stick with us the rest of our lives, a business name is an inseparable part of company, so it's probably not a good idea to name your business after your favourite person, or day of the week, or meal, unless of course that's how you want everyone to identify with your business. It's only right that you put a lot of thought into naming your business, since a business name is one that the company will carry for a long time.

Choosing the right name for your business is important for a number of reasons, ranging from giving the business an identity to compelling your target market by giving them an idea what the business is all about. Most often, lifestyle entrepreneurs like their business names to have a personal touch to it, probably because they are their brand.

Whatever the reasons though, a business should be named carefully. The questions below will help steer you in the right direction Do we need a dictionary to help spell it?

A business name should be short enough to stick in our memories and easy enough to spell without a glance at your business card. It shouldn't be rocket science. No matter how good your sewing skills are, Rumplestiltskin is not a good idea.

Will it pass the uniqueness test?

Or is it just another “Covenant� company?

The fact that a company name has become a household name doesn't mean that every business that aspires to the same amount of success must have the same or similar name.

Don't be afraid to be unique, you'll get there too.

Does it hint at the services you offer?

Your company name should give potential customers an idea of what the business is about. Your company name should be compatible with your company's character. For instance, if you're a makeup artist, it would be nice to add Beauty Services or Makeover to your business name.

That way we will make no mistake about why

you're in business.

In conclusion, there's no single hard and fast rule to choosing a business name. You can be as creative and as unique or as simple and indigenous as you want.

Just remember that for you to succeed, excellent service must go hand in hand with your business name.

SPORTLIGHT

POTASOUP...

Rich soups at your convenience

We prepare pots of soups/stews tailored to customers' tastes and preferences, and we deliver them to their homes or offices

SPORTLIGHT satisfaction here, retaining excellent service and increasing sales. I have tried doing something else alongside but it affected the business, so I made a decision in favour of growing my own business instead, no matter how long it takes. I run it alongside my mum and brother so it is very much a family b u s i n e s s .

Knowing that we are living in an exponential era driven by technology, we centred our marketing activities online using social networking sites.

We have an ideal buyer profile and one of the elements of this profile is technologically inclined individuals hence our strong presence on Instagram.

Food is virtual, so nobetter place than Instagram to express marketing activities to get leads,opportunities and in turn r e p e a t c u s t o m e r s .

Basically we are fusing food business with technology to remain relevant and c o m p e t i t i v e .

Our best form of marketing has been Word of mouth from satisfied customers who then refer us.

Any challenges you want to share with us?

Meet

KOME ESE, Tell us about your business Pot-A-Soup is a bespoke and traditional outdoor catering outfit. We prepare pots of soups/stews tailored to customers' tastes and preferences, and we deliver them to their homes or offices. Our niche is in traditional or local delicacies and we offer same for outdoor/event catering. So when you want local soups from any tribe in Nigeria, Pot-A-Soup should be your first port of call.

What's the inspiration behind Pot-ASoup?

I'd say God inspired the idea first…It was born out of a need to do something to cater to family needs, and it has now transcended into solving food problems for the busy working-class individuals and busy households who are too busy to cook but still want good, homemade food.

Tell us about the journey so far?

We started in October 2011, got duly

C.E.O

registered in January 2012. So far so good, we're not there yet, but we're certainly not where we started.

Successful? I'd like to think so, for the fact that it has led more people to venture into this type of business. It's taken me places.

We have catered for multinational oil and gas corporations, banks and various social gatherings. By reason of this business, I got a scholarship from the World Bank to Enterprise Development Centre, Pan Atlantic University to study Entrepreneurial Management and another Scholarship from the Cherie Blair Foundation / Exxon Mobil to Study Business Finance at the same institution. It has been an awesome entrepreneurial experience.

Breaking into the market with this type of value proposition was a challenge at first, because some people didn't understand why they should buy a pot of soup. I heard things like “so what will my wife be doing?

I will not allow my wife patronise people like you.” I was sad but I said to myself, “he is not my market.” We then tailored our marketing to speak to our target market. Delivery was also a challenge and we have been able to manage it more appropriately than before. Business challenges won't cease. They are the things that birth innovation.

Why should customers patronize you?

At Pot-A-Soup, we are not just selling soup, we are selling convenience; soup at the dial of a button. We are selling bespoke cooking, your very own personal chef making your soups/stews just the way you love them- tailored to your taste and preference. We are selling you extra hours of productive time, we save you the stress of going to the market, and getting stuck in traffic after work just to prepare a meal for the night. We take that stress off you while you convert it to productive time for your work/activities.

Awesome! Is this a full time venture for you, or do you work at another business? What strategies have you employed in growing your business?

Running Pot-A-Soup is full time for me.

We are talking about customer

POTA SOUP TAP TO CONNECT

Click logo to connect with POTASOUP

8 apps That Will

BOOST

Productivity In Your

START-UP Let us all say a big thank you to the geniuses at Silicon Valley for all the magical work they're doing to ease the business process. Thanks to them, several start-ups are success stories today.

ASANA

MAILCHIMP

I

n this day of online businesses and digital companies, apps like Asana are a blessing. Not all of your staff must report at the office daily, yet work will go on, and they can be supervised. Asana is a webbased project-management app, and it's free for teams with as many as 15 members. Their tagline is a dream come true: “Teamwork without Email”.

I

f your business is online marketing inclined, then you know that nothing is more important than building your own mailing list. Enter Mailchimp, which has a super easy-to-use interface, awesome analytics, and is totally reliable.

R

ZOHO

INVOICE

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his app helps you create beautiful i n v o i c e s , automatically send payment reminders, and get paid faster online. Manage invoices on the go – don't you just love this one?

DOODLE SCHEDULE MAKER

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ith the Doodle

Scheduler you can

organize meetings

and create online surveys. It makes planning your meetings so much easier, anytime, anywhere.

INSTAGRAM

I

f Instagram makes celebrities of semi-nude females, surely the app will do wonders for your brand. Instagram can be used as a highly targeted, visual advertising channel for your brand. In fact, in a recent study has shown that Instagram provides brands with 25% more engagement than other social platforms. This means that Instagram is a major channel to use in building your brand.

EVERNOTE

T

hink on the go and share your thoughts with Evernote. This app lets you keep track of all your ideas as notes. You can add pictures, audio and reminders, making it impossible to forget your notes, and easier to keep your colleagues in the loop via social media. You can also use Evernote as a scanner, si it has you covered in many areas.

DROPBOX

D

ropbox is excellent for storing and sharing files. It acts as a cloud backup and can also be used to sync data with others.

BUFFER

B

uffer helps you manage multiple social media accounts at once. You can create awesome posts, and schedule content from anywhere on the internet over a period of days.

Buffer also gives the opportunity to analyse statistics on how your posts

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

MEETING KOREDE OLABANJI, CEO PHOTONIMI

S

ome interviews are a writer's dream for how they blow your mind. My chat with Photonimi boss is a classic example. A little bashful, he was initially hesitant but eventually caved in to my gentle prodding. And as he spoke about issues dear to him, his face lit up as his voice rang clear. to achieve greatness.

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chartered accountant by professional training, Korede discloses that his foray into photography was unplanned, but it is proof that something that started out as a hobby can grow to become a thriving business. “My trusted friend, Bode, had lived with me for two years, after which he relocated to the United States. In gratitude, he sent me anOlympus camera and advised that I pursue my p h o t o g r a p h y h o b b y. E v e n though we had never spoken about it, he knew I was fascinated by photography. It was almost prophetic, because Bode said he gave me two years to establish myself in the photography industry, and in exactly two years, I was an established photographer, even though I still had my day job as an accountant.�

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onsidering the old tradition of graduating with stellar grades and getting a good job, one would wonder why a senior accountant with a thriving oil company in Nigeria, would even think about monetizing a hobby. But Korede doesn't agree. A practising Christian, much of our conversation is infused with quotes from the Bible, as a way to drive home the points he makes.“My decision stemmed from the fact that I worked with an indigenous oil firm, owned by one man. At some point it dawned on me that my future with the organization was at the mercy of this one man, and that didn't feel safe. I didn't have to dwell for too long on it, because I believe in the Biblical principle that a man must work with his own hands to achieve greatness.

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ven then, I knew I couldn't just walk out from the certainty of a regular paycheck to the uncertainty of my hobby-turnedbusiness. That would take some time. So for six years, I was an accountant during the week, and a photographer on weekends.� This is a situation that quite a numberof young Nigerians find themselves in.

They are employees by day, but they are also business owners at night and on weekends. I know a lady who has run a bridal store for over five years, and is an employee with a bank.

She always talks about leaving paid employment when the time is right, whenever that is. I am curious about how Korede arrived at the decision to finally leave his job and focus on his art. “I knew it was the right time to leave when my monthly revenue from photography could compete with my monthly salary as an employee. I checked my statements one day, and realized that my employers were paying me the same figure that I made from my weekends as a photographer. I then told myself that if I did photography on weekdays as well as weekends, I would earn even more. And that's when I left.

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orede prides himself on his dedication to his craft and the part he plays as a photographer to reckon with in Nigeria today. “My niche in the Nigerian photography industry centres on wedding photography and portraiture. I understand that I am not an innovator, and I give kudos to the pioneers of Nigerian Photography. But if I have contributed to the industry, it is in the area of weddings and portraiture, and of course training, which I rarely do because of my schedule.

He doesn't believe in or accept free jobs or a barter relationship. “I believe in financial rewards for any work done. It's quite simple, when a person works he must be paid. I remember telling a certain publisher that I'm not interested in being given credit, because I cannot accept that a person will be great as a result of the free jobs he has done. This is my position�.

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n challenges, he has this to say.

“Challenges are one of the things that make life interesting. They give us the hope that we need to get through every day. They are too many to list. Some clients treat you disrespectfully because photographers weren't always celebrated in our society. That was a challenge. There is also the issue of Nigerians and their nonchalance when it comes to time consciousness. That's another challenge” And in all of this, he still has time and space in his heart for family, enough to be referred to as a family man.

He shares with us how he manages all the facets of his life. “Interestingly, my wife w a s a g a i n s t m y photography venture. She wasn't quite comfortable with being seen as a photographer's wife. I had to wait, because I'm familyoriented enough to need the support of my wife for my every endeavour. Thankfully not too long after, I got it. I cannot understand the power of family and the role it played in my success.”

O

n principles of success that he adheres to and would like to share, Korede places strong emphasis on humility, discipline, respect for clients that transcends common courtesy, and most importantly, integrity. “Integrity has always characterized everything I do, and I'm very dedicated to my work and that's why I've stuck to it like white on rice.” When I ask where he gets the strength to work seven days a week, he glances at his IPad before responding, “When you function in the area that you love, you cannot be weary.”

On Nigeria and her issues, hethinks that regardless of what government provides, every citizen should be independent enough to raise their own income, and not rely on government. It makes it easy for government policies to thrive, and the government will take her citizenry more seriously. What we need is for Government to provide the enabling environment for its citizens to thrive in their business. Right now, the Nigerian government policies don't favour private individuals and cost of living is very high.

Individual successes cumulatively contribute to the growth of the economy.

P

H O T O N I M I because I like to think that I am

photography personified.

That's how dedicated I am to my craft. We have also leveraged on social media and the internet to grow the brand. And like everybody else who does good work and uses the internet for publicity, the results have been tremendous.

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ON THE

Shelf Reviews

Recommended Reads

Authors

ON THE SHELF

RECOMMENDED

N

ew York Times bestselling author and Clickable CEO, David Kidder, shares the hardhitting experiences of some of the world's most

influential ntrepreneurs and CEOs, revealing their most closely held advice. Face-to-face interviews with 40 founders give readers key insights into what it took to build PayPal, LinkedIn, AOL, TED, Flickr, and many others into household names. Special sections include topics ranging from how to select the right idea to pursue to finding funding and overcoming inevitable obstacles. In an economy demanding change, The Startup Playbook is the go-to for entrepreneurs big and small.

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

ON THE SHELF

A

b o o k

t h a t

challenges each of us to take control –

RECOMMENDED

to make our lives be about something while at the same time remaining clear-eyed about the commitment -- The Happiness of Pursuit will inspire readers of every age and aspiration. It's a playbook for making

T

he legendary Eat That Frog! provides the 21 most effective methods for conquering procrastination and accomplishing more. This new edition is revised and updated throughout, and includes brand new information on how to keep technology from dominating our time.

ON THE SHELF

Screw Business as Usual

By Richard Branson Penguin Portfolio 384 pages

REVIEW

A

s prose, Screw Business As Usual is clunky and repetitive.

Even as a publicity ploy, it's indiscreet: Each chapter ends with a list o f V i r g i n ' s p h i l a n t h r o p i c We b addresses, Twitter handles, and Facebook pages. But as a manifesto from a compassionate one-percenter, Branson's book is a well-timed call for a more ethical way of doing business.

If we take him at his printed word—and his past success with Virgin demands that we at least trust his business instincts—Branson's endorsement of socially responsible business practices could catch the attention of even the most profit-driven corporate titans.

Screw Business As Usual is in many ways a coming-of-age tale. Branson describes the book as “the story of my seven-year journey towards realizing that, while business has been a great vehicle for growth in the world, neither Virgin nor many other businesses have been doing anywhere near enough to stop the downward spiral we all find ourselves in.”

Can we bring more meaning to our lives and help change the world at the same time? Richard Branson, at his brilliant and motivating best, reveals how with his exciting new vision for the future. It is

time to turn capitalism upside down – to shift our values, to switch from a profit focus to caring for people, communities a n d t h e p l a n e t .

With inspiration for everyone, Screw Business As Usual shows how easy it is for both businesses and individuals to embark on a whole new way of doing things, solving major problems and turning our work into something we both love and are proud of.

MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

ON THE SHELF people. If my art can make the world a better place, then I am fulfilled.

OFF THE

SHELF

3. Which authors influenced your writing?

I've been mostly influenced by female writers across several genres. From Toni Morrison, to Maya Angelou, to Francine Rivers, to Danielle Steel, to Buchi Emecheta, to Shonda Rhimes, my writing is a cocktail of all these wonderful writers.

4. Tell us about your recently published title.

(What it's about and what inspired you to write it) How would you rate the response of society to your book?

OMOLOLA OPATAYO 1. At what point did you decide that this would be your career? Did you ever do anything else? Another job, another career?

No. I didn't even like writing because I thought I wasn't good at it. I wanted something else. I had my eyes set on a successful career in the media or Public Relations. But after I quit my job as an editor, I had some time to think about what I really wanted to do with my life. One day out of boredom or perhaps a burst of inspiration I wrote a short story, liked it and decided to start a blog. I got good feedback and I realized that I actually enjoyed writing. It was then I decided that I wanted to do this more than anything else.

Like I earlier mentioned, I worked (and still do) as an editor, I had a short stint in corporate communications, I was also a salesperson.

It's called The Attendant and basically tells the story of a young lady who is trying to find her way in the midst of financial and academic constraints, bad parenting, betrayal, victimization and love.

It's funny but I was actually inspired by an actual supermarket attendant! One day, as she attended to me, I wondered about her life and struggles and I decided to explore my thoughts and imaginations on it.

The response has been encouraging. Quite a number of people can relate to the story and want to share it with younger ladies. It gladdens me to know that my work is relevant.

5. Any words of advice for aspiring authors, seeing that it's a tough industry to belong to?

Write often. Determine what you write best and perfect it. Think like a businessperson.

Lola blogs every weekday at lolaopatayo.com You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @lolaopatayo and also on her Facebook page: Lola Opatayo.

2. Why? Why books?

Even though I didn't foresee a career in writing, I've always loved books. I enjoy reading and writing. I remember once thinking to myself as a teenager that my ideal job would be to read books for a living!

Besides, I'm of the opinion that art is and should be instructive because of the great influence it has on

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WELLNESS Wellness

MEDITATION: AN ENTREPRENEUR’S ACE

Meditation is more than an ancient Buddhist practice, or something that people do during yoga.

C

ontrary to popular belief, meditation is more than an ancient Buddhist practice, or something that people do during yoga. Meditation has evolved over the years, from the act of sitting in a lotus position and

twenty-first century executives are

drawing your mind to a blank state.

Meditation is not an action, it is a state of mind. The Harvard Business School along with INSEAD – Europe's leading business school –

twenty first century business people who

have concluded from their research that

entrepreneurs and business people

the two most effective business tools for

include:

meditation and intuition. It means that aspire for success must take meditation seriously. The benefits of meditation to

WELLNESS Meditation enhances creativity.

Research on creativity suggests that we come up with our greatest insights and biggest breakthroughs when we are in a more meditative and relaxed state of mind. That is when we have “eureka” moments.

This is likely because meditation encourages divergent thinking (i.e. coming up with the greatest number of possible solutions to a problem), a key component of creativity.Charly Kleissner of the 100% IMPACT NETWORK credits meditation with helping him come up with new ideas and ventures that would otherwise not have occurred to him.

potential to decrease anxiety, thereby potentially boosting resilience and performance under stress. That's certainly been true for Alak Vasa, founder of Elements Truffles, who started meditating as a trader at Goldman Sachs and ITG. She claims meditation helped her keep fear and panic at bay, even under duress. “There was this one instance where the market tanked and there was panic on the desk. The trading desk was an organized riot.

Thanks to my meditation practice, I was able to keep my composure and propose solutions to reduce the impact of the market crash.”

Meditation boosts emotional intelligence.

Meditation improves your relationships.

Brain-imaging research suggests that meditation can help strengthen your ability to regulate your emotions.Archana Patchirajan, successful serial entrepreneur and CEO and Founder of Sattva, shared that in her early years as a leader, she wanted things to happen in her way and on her timeline. “I didn't tend to understand what my team was going through. I would just get angry if they did not perform according to my expectations. ” Given research that shows anger's impact on cardiovascular health, it is critical that leaders be able to manage their anger, and put themselves in others' shoes. “Thanks to meditation I have developed patience.” Archana says. ”I have a better relationship with my team. Best of all, I maintain my peace of mind.”

While stress narrows your perspective and reduces empathy, negatively impacting performance, meditation can help boost your mood and increase your sense of connection to others, even make you a kinder and more compassionate person.Chirag Patel, CEO of Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Ernst & Young 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year, credits meditation with helping him feel more connected to his clients. “In a business you start connecting to your customer as your family rather than merely a business transaction.”

Meditation builds resilience.

Multiple research studies have shown that meditation has the

Meditation helps you focus.

Research has shown that our minds have a tendency to wander about 50% of the time. Add in work interruptions, text messages, IMs, phone calls, and emails, and it's no surprise that employees have a hard

HOW TO MEDITATE AT WORK

T

he easiest way to meditate is to sit in a comfortable chair or lie down on a bed or couch. Keep in mind that if you lie down, there is a chance that your meditation will turn into a nap.

Then do the following: 1. Set a timer for 5 minutes. You can do more later.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Focus on your breathing.

4. Breath in slowly, starting from your belly and filling your chest.

5. Wait a second or two.

6. Exhale slowly.

7. De-clutter your mind as you breathe. Focus only on your breathing.

8. Once the timer goes off, open your eyes.

9. Now, get back to work.

time staying focused. But studies show that meditation training can help curb our tendency for distraction, strengthening our ability to stay focused and even boosting memory. Peter Cooper, founder of Cooper Investors, attributes his ability to invest wisely to his meditation practice. “Being an investor requires the distillation of large volumes of information into a few relevant insights. Meditation has helped me discard interesting but unnecessary information and focus on the few things that make a difference to long run investment performance.”

Culled from: Harvard Business Review

CROSSWORD

Puzzle Start - Ups and Things

ACROSS

DOWN

3.

6.

7.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

8.

9.

The new crude oil Number of days in the week Helps you attain goals in life Author, Anthills of the Savannah The key to sweet dreams Author, Eat That Frog Nigerian Minister For Finance A source of working capital for start-ups

Documented plans with timeliness Home - based work station Business document Means to a convenient end Self-consumed person Super human A form of yoga

The First 5 winners to complete the puzzle and share on their instagram pages, tagging us, will get airtime worth N 2000. you have to be following @mosaicnigeria though.

GoodLuck MOSAICNIGERIA.COM

LIFESTYLE/NUTRITION

Your Eating

Habits Matter!

Entrepreneurs often treat their

entrepreneurs can abide by to

Eat good healthy food! Not

bodies horribly in exchange

maintain their health,

boring food!!Don't make the

for success. They work long

competence and mental well-

mistake of eating dulling food

hours, feeding their bodies

being.

all in the name of a diet.

with unhealthy food, just so

Eat Breakfast.

So over the years I started

Set your eating times

experimenting on low calorie

they can quickly get back to what they are doing, which is

healthy

recipes

that

'making the money'. This is not

(example: 9, 12, 4& 8).

healthy and it is certainly not

? Set time for physical activity.

just under 10 minutes. One of

Chew your food thoroughly.

my favorite is the peanut

the idea of success. You can make the money, but imagine

entrepreneurs can whip up in

coleslaw. Very simple and easy

how much 'more' money you

Don't rush meals in a bid to

can save just by having a

sharply go back to making the

salad cream or mayonnaise

healthy body.

money!

for your salad, peanut butter

We need to understand how

Don't drink during and for up

can be used.

to an hour after a meal – This

Peanut butter is rich in protein

our bodies work and what they need to thrive. To achieve this,

to prepare. Instead of using

and fiber. It has more

we need to feed our bodies

slows down digestion.

with a sustainable healthy diet

Eat fresh food and

fat, which makes it a great

immediately after it's prepared

source of healthy fats. It's very

and habitual physical lifestyle.

This would not only improve your health but also improve your business as well.

Clearly, the most important thing entrepreneurs can do to improve on their health is to change what they eat, when they eat and how they eat and drink! Below are some tips

to get the best nutrition.

Hydrate yourself – Mental processes are affected by as little as 2% dehydration. Drink plenty of water, tea, & fresh homemade juice to improve mental health and combat afternoon fatigue.

unsaturated fat than saturated

high in niacin which helps with improving your brain health.

Adding peanut butter can be strange to salad but it's delicious, satisfying and healthy. Eat this coleslaw with potatoes, couscous, noodles or you can eat it solo.

LIFESTYLE/NUTRITION

Nutrition PEANUT BUTTER COLESLAW

INGREDIENTS Peanut Butter Dressing 3 Tbs Peanut Butter 2 Tbs Warm water 3 Tbs Rice Vinegar 2 Tbs Lime Juice 11/2 tsp Sriracha sauce ½ tsp soy sauce Salad 3 cups of sliced white or red cabbage 3 cups of sliced green cabbage 1carrot cut to matchstick ½ thinly sliced green onions

RECIPE

Ithas vitamin K which also helps with brain function.

Mix the peanut butter and warm water together in a bowl until creamy. Add the rest of the peanut butter dressing ingredients to the sauce and mix very well In another bowl, combine all the veggies together and pour the dressing over them and mix till everything is coated and serve immediately

The idea of trying to be healthy, while being an entrepreneur, has to be taken seriously. The most successful entrepreneurs combine great health with great business! I leave you with the saying of David Aston which says-

The salad is great for grab-and-go and very healthy. Cabbage is really low in calories, fat and high in fiber.

'Health is by choice, not by chance.'

Adetoro Rotilu CEO Orisirisi fingerfoods

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MOSAICNIGERIA

SENIOR EDITOR

-

Ayee Sha

CONTRIBUTORS

-

Martin Akpobasa Adedapo Daramola Adetoro Rotilu

ART/ DESIGN

-

Owodunni Olaleke

PHOTOGRAPHY:

-

Fotolighthouse Studios Potterclay Photography

ONLINE

-

Daniel Ufeli

MARKETING

-

Adewole Kolajo

OFFICE ASSISTANT

-

Thelma Coast

GENERAL ENQUIRIES

-

Mosaicmag.ng@gmail.com

hello@mosaicnigeria.com www.mosaicnigeria.com

Published Bi-Monthly by the Purple Aquarium Company All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the editor is expressly prohibited.

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