Monday, November 29, 2010
the rookie blogger: TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF
the rookie blogger: TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF: "Nothing has been dominating the news lately in Nigeria than the 2011 elections. All one hears these days is something concerning the 2011 el..."
TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF
Nothing has been dominating the news lately in Nigeria than the 2011 elections. All one hears these days is something concerning the 2011 elections. The other day some insidious and infinitely wicked souls tried importing firearms and weapons in 13 containers through the Apapa ports into the country all for the 2011 elections. A few weeks later, some suspicious looking goods were intercepted at a transport company's terminal, the malicious cargo contained bulletproof vests, camouflage fatigues, and other munitions, all for the 2011 elections. Boko Haram, the infamous religious sect in the North, has started underground recruitment and training of gullible youths, all in readiness for the 2011 elections. The lawmakers (upper and lower houses) are in the process of handing out bountiful pensions to past leaders(?) of the country, all in a bid to secure their support and endorsements (according to conspiracy theorists) for the 2011 elections!
And what about the man in the eye of the storm? President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, cool as cucumber, cool as ice, cool as ever, the man is not even showing us anything! (him, no even show anything at all...which kain man be dis sef?) What direction and at what pace, only God knows where "Naija" is headed. Oops! Aunty Dora said we should stop calling Nigeria, "Naija." Madam re-branding, what's that got to do with moving forward? Kettle calling the pot black, is her own name not Dorothy? How does that add any value to our lives, I ask? Naija, what a comical nation of good but cantankerous people.
Talking of moving forward and value, let me ask, what's the most valuable thing you own? What's that thing you cherish the most in your life? I bet the answer most people would give to that question is...my life! What else could be more valuable than your life? Rubies? Diamonds? Gold? Platinum? Nothing is more valuable than human life. The gift of life is most beautiful thing. Money can buy a lot of things but never human life. Nature has bestowed each and every one of us a lot of gifts and talents; to some it's their looks, to some others their I.Q, no matter what makes you stand out, the most valuable gift you have is the breath that exits out of your nostrils every moment. If looks were the most important thing in life where do we put our former farmer-president and the South African super model Alek Wek? Life is beautiful, don't take it lightly.
Permit me to ask, since this blog is not a beauty nor health forum, how much do you cherish your life? How much have you been taking care of yourself? What have you done for yourself lately? Bought a new car? Change of lifestyle or wardrobe? Just got married or renewed your marriage vows? All fantastic achievements but have you taken a moment to ask yourself the question, 'Am I taking good care of myself?' Prod your mind a little and you'll know you've no proper answer for that question. If you do have a good answer, I congratulate you for you're really ready to live life well.
Now, having taken care of the tangibles (your car, your house, your business,) what about the intangibles? Specifically, what about your life?How are you taking care of the life that works for all these goodies you currently or want to enjoy? One fact of this short life is, living itself, the very life we live, is a big risk. Sadly, this is a fact we all run from. The longer we wait, the longer we let the days count and pass by without any form of protection, the riskier the life, the very existence we crave for, becomes.
The truth be said, I think most of us are so enamoured by our lifestyles or the ones we're aspiring to live that we've become so selfish and forgot to think about tomorrow. We live by the day and pray to God to care of us, we misinterpret and misapply the gospel of our faiths. Most of the times, we want to pray good things into existence. Miracles still occur, ladies and gentlemen, but we still have a job to do. Remember, faith without works is dead! We want to have our cakes and eat it but life is not like that. Life could be cruel sometimes. The only way to be ready for tomorrow, for the inherent risk ahead, is to be prepared for it! What provision, are you making for tomorrow?
In times past, our fathers' time, we're made to believe it was okay to marry into a self-contained or even one-room apartment, have children and expect government to educate them in public schools and employ them when they graduate. If the children turn out intellectually gifted and exceptional, they get scholarships and life gets taken care of. The economy was kind enough to permit that kind of life. Whether you are there or not,
someone will take care of the children, right? Well, for some folks that was what happened. That worked in the past when public schools could compete with their private counterparts, when government ministries, agencies and parastatals employed you the moment you applied and passed the requisite tests and interviews, and you even get a car for your troubles! The economy had not gone far down the road of insolvency, thievery and corruption. Our parents used to call those days, "the good old days." What do we have now? Total opposite of the way things you used to be.
Let's not deceive ourselves, the academic, moral and economic realities have shifted grotesquely in this nation like they were hit by an earthquake measuring 50.50 on Public schools are a no-go area, the available alternative, the private schools cost a fortune. Forget about jobs after graduation, at least not from a government that is yet to provide power and fix roads. The costs of living? That's gone out the orbit since the gap-toothed one hit his "home-run" ages ago (don't ask me which one, Minna's not that far.) We're living in an economic cataclysm.
Wishes would not make the next Okocha, the next Soyinka, the next Fashola, money (coupled with nurture) would. Ask yourself, "Do I want to be the parent of the next champ or the next chump?" When do you intend to start, Lagos, when do you intend to start? Is it when your retirement is due in 5 years? When all the strength has just about deserted your loins? When you are about to turn grey and thinking about your annual unmissable medical check-up? Lagos, dear reader, the time is now! Take care of tomorrow today! Don't waste time! Get on top of the situation right now. With a workable savings strategy and a profitable yet reliable savings plan, you can run with it now. Remember the saying, "No pain, no gain." You won't like your son doing an interview on Crime Fighters in tattered clothing wearing battered look because you failed to provide for his future, would you?
Start saving for that dream life today. Time is running out, don't waste it unless you're a blood relative of Zeus, Pluto, Mars, Sango, Oya and Ogun. They're the only ones with time in their hands. That viable savings plan is but a phone call away. The numbers to call are 07056989820 and 07033588160. Am Olumide Ogungbemi and I'm an insurance marketer with Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited.
And what about the man in the eye of the storm? President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, cool as cucumber, cool as ice, cool as ever, the man is not even showing us anything! (him, no even show anything at all...which kain man be dis sef?) What direction and at what pace, only God knows where "Naija" is headed. Oops! Aunty Dora said we should stop calling Nigeria, "Naija." Madam re-branding, what's that got to do with moving forward? Kettle calling the pot black, is her own name not Dorothy? How does that add any value to our lives, I ask? Naija, what a comical nation of good but cantankerous people.
Talking of moving forward and value, let me ask, what's the most valuable thing you own? What's that thing you cherish the most in your life? I bet the answer most people would give to that question is...my life! What else could be more valuable than your life? Rubies? Diamonds? Gold? Platinum? Nothing is more valuable than human life. The gift of life is most beautiful thing. Money can buy a lot of things but never human life. Nature has bestowed each and every one of us a lot of gifts and talents; to some it's their looks, to some others their I.Q, no matter what makes you stand out, the most valuable gift you have is the breath that exits out of your nostrils every moment. If looks were the most important thing in life where do we put our former farmer-president and the South African super model Alek Wek? Life is beautiful, don't take it lightly.
Permit me to ask, since this blog is not a beauty nor health forum, how much do you cherish your life? How much have you been taking care of yourself? What have you done for yourself lately? Bought a new car? Change of lifestyle or wardrobe? Just got married or renewed your marriage vows? All fantastic achievements but have you taken a moment to ask yourself the question, 'Am I taking good care of myself?' Prod your mind a little and you'll know you've no proper answer for that question. If you do have a good answer, I congratulate you for you're really ready to live life well.
Now, having taken care of the tangibles (your car, your house, your business,) what about the intangibles? Specifically, what about your life?How are you taking care of the life that works for all these goodies you currently or want to enjoy? One fact of this short life is, living itself, the very life we live, is a big risk. Sadly, this is a fact we all run from. The longer we wait, the longer we let the days count and pass by without any form of protection, the riskier the life, the very existence we crave for, becomes.
The truth be said, I think most of us are so enamoured by our lifestyles or the ones we're aspiring to live that we've become so selfish and forgot to think about tomorrow. We live by the day and pray to God to care of us, we misinterpret and misapply the gospel of our faiths. Most of the times, we want to pray good things into existence. Miracles still occur, ladies and gentlemen, but we still have a job to do. Remember, faith without works is dead! We want to have our cakes and eat it but life is not like that. Life could be cruel sometimes. The only way to be ready for tomorrow, for the inherent risk ahead, is to be prepared for it! What provision, are you making for tomorrow?
In times past, our fathers' time, we're made to believe it was okay to marry into a self-contained or even one-room apartment, have children and expect government to educate them in public schools and employ them when they graduate. If the children turn out intellectually gifted and exceptional, they get scholarships and life gets taken care of. The economy was kind enough to permit that kind of life. Whether you are there or not,
someone will take care of the children, right? Well, for some folks that was what happened. That worked in the past when public schools could compete with their private counterparts, when government ministries, agencies and parastatals employed you the moment you applied and passed the requisite tests and interviews, and you even get a car for your troubles! The economy had not gone far down the road of insolvency, thievery and corruption. Our parents used to call those days, "the good old days." What do we have now? Total opposite of the way things you used to be.
Let's not deceive ourselves, the academic, moral and economic realities have shifted grotesquely in this nation like they were hit by an earthquake measuring 50.50 on Public schools are a no-go area, the available alternative, the private schools cost a fortune. Forget about jobs after graduation, at least not from a government that is yet to provide power and fix roads. The costs of living? That's gone out the orbit since the gap-toothed one hit his "home-run" ages ago (don't ask me which one, Minna's not that far.) We're living in an economic cataclysm.
Wishes would not make the next Okocha, the next Soyinka, the next Fashola, money (coupled with nurture) would. Ask yourself, "Do I want to be the parent of the next champ or the next chump?" When do you intend to start, Lagos, when do you intend to start? Is it when your retirement is due in 5 years? When all the strength has just about deserted your loins? When you are about to turn grey and thinking about your annual unmissable medical check-up? Lagos, dear reader, the time is now! Take care of tomorrow today! Don't waste time! Get on top of the situation right now. With a workable savings strategy and a profitable yet reliable savings plan, you can run with it now. Remember the saying, "No pain, no gain." You won't like your son doing an interview on Crime Fighters in tattered clothing wearing battered look because you failed to provide for his future, would you?
Start saving for that dream life today. Time is running out, don't waste it unless you're a blood relative of Zeus, Pluto, Mars, Sango, Oya and Ogun. They're the only ones with time in their hands. That viable savings plan is but a phone call away. The numbers to call are 07056989820 and 07033588160. Am Olumide Ogungbemi and I'm an insurance marketer with Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited.
Monday, November 15, 2010
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO BECOME A MILLIONAIRE
One of the biggest pop stars of the year 2010 is no doubt, Justin Bieber. It was some time late last year that he came out with the monster hit 'baby' The song connected with fans the world over because it describes aptly what most of us (normal folks, that is) experienced when we're 14 or thereabout, our very first encounter with infatuation and the awakening of our hormones. First hug, first kiss, first girlfriend, first love, first everything. Justin Bieber found a fan in everyone, even those that disliked him for being friends with Kim 'the remarkable-and-outstandingly-bodacious' Kardashian (what's up with that lady anyway?) It came as no surprise at the MTV awards 2010, when he upstaged the 'rejuuvenated and returnee' Eminem and Kanye 'Imma-let-you-finish-but' West, for the Male Artiste of the year.
If anything is in doubt it's not Bieber's talent. What we're celebrating about Mr Popstar 2.0 did not start last year though. It started years ago when his mom began posting videos of the much younger Bieber singing and playing the guitar on youTube. Many youTube posts and years later, some record executive snapped him up and the rest as they say is history.
What about back home in Naija? Did you think Uti winning BBA's prize money was overnight success? Abeg, abeg, abeg...It took Uti 2 seasons of being in Big Brother's house in the least, not counting his years of getting ready. Listen people, there's nothing like overnight success! Nobody went from zero to hero overnight. It takes years of hardwork, dedication, preparation and some luck. Ask P-Square, the harmonica-blowing 'Koko' master; D 'banj, the short black dude with the big black glass; M.I, luck alone wouldn't do it. They got to where they are because they were prepared to be lucky. My question to you, Lagos, dear reader of my blog is, what are you still waiting for? I'm not so good with cliches but I know one that goes something like, 'Do not do tomorrow, that you can do today.'
Let me ask you, Mr, Miss or Mrs. reader, what do you have to do to be a millionaire? Have you ever asked yourself that question before...What do I have to do to be a millionaire? Is it to run the marathon? Hang out in the bushes in some 'search' for someone's lost gold? Or is it to start a small business or multi-million naira business? The business option is more like it, that's the most practical approach, the only snag being you don't have the money. Loan? Why, yes but don't think about that option if you don't have collateral. So what on earth can a young, ambitous hardworking and "honest" Lagosian do to become a millionaire? Any ideas anyone...
No matter how you look at it and how you go about it, the most practical way to be a millionaire and remain one is to save your way to your millions. Shikena! Nothing more to it than that. You have to save your way to the top. When you invest well in some business venture and you arrive at a windfall, what do you do with your profit? You'd keep some while you think about where to go next, you don't go on a trip round the world next, you take time to think and plan, right? Which brings me to the next question, Do you have a financial plan? Have you heard of savings plan? What do you know about life assurance policy? Nothing? Zilch? Diddly squat? (that one's according to Mick McCarthy, the Wolves coach after losing 'galantly' 2-1 at Old Trafford...did I hear someone say "Up Man-Yoo!"...see beef.)
Lets get serious, Lagos, how many of us think we can become millionaires overnight? How many people became millionaires after the many 'millionaires' promos of the the telecomms sector? How many became millionaires after guzzling much more than desired litres of alcohol from this or that bottle, following promises of El Dorado that awaited beneath the crown cork of your favourite and not so favourite brand of beer? How many packets of seasoning do you have to buy to win 1 million naira? Your guess is as good as mine...we'll just never know.
For you to become a millionaire, you have to make your money work for you. It's like planting a crop. You first till the ground, drop the seed, walk away and voila! The ground explodes with bountiful harvest? No! It's not that easy. You till, you plant, you water, you watch, after some time your crop matures, then you harvest. It takes some work people. Much the same way money works. Banks are relevant, saving there is essential like breathing air but for the long term, your mind should be directed where your savings would earn you much more. Banks are doing a great jobs here but there are some financial services that are just out of their league (no pun intended, I'm not dissing anyone, I've several savings accounts myself.)
For you to become a millionaire, Lagos, first you need financial advice. What do I invest? Where do you I invest? For how long would I invest and for what return on investment? I bet we remember the age-old saying, "Little drops of water, makes a mighty ocean." Unless one's parents are money bags (and I'm talking about the really wealthy ones whose money could last like 20 lifetimes) becoming a millionaire on one's hard-earned naira
Permit me to reveal something now, take this to heart and you can take it to the bank (literarily and actually.) Your life assurance policy can make you a millionaire! This is the class of insurance in which you have a guarantee of your money coming back to you. All premiums paid on a life assurance policy are sure to return to the owner with value! All it takes is time. And that depends on whether one buys a short. medium or long term plan. Every good thing takes time in coming to fruition. Ask those who know, ask those who have experience, ask those who have arrived at their financial destination and they will tell you...It wasn't easy.
Let me bust a very common insurance myth, Lagos. Rumours have it that some poor unfortunate folks paid premiums to their insurance companies and when it was maturity time, they were cheated of their hard-earned money and told 'Mungo Park' stories. The answer to that is they were swindled from the very beginning. That insurance agent was defrauding them from day one. Fake receipts, fake reports, fake statements of account abound everywhere. The conman had no conscience, not the slightest compunction at all with giving his clients false information all in an effort to spirit their money away. The unfortunate experience has made many a victim and their family and friends determine never to purchase or allow anyone they know purchase an insurance policy.
My take on that is simple...Cutting off the nose to spite the face! Would you chop off your head off if you contracted lice from your last trip from the village? Ask these people if they stopped patronizing the banks after several 'failed bank' sagas? Can we count the number failed banks and billions of naira we've lost in Lagos? Why didn't we start keeping money in shoe boxes and piggy banks (kolo)? Let's be realistic people, how many failed insurance companies can we mention? If we put bad experiences into consideration, how many would want to marry at all after several episodes of failed romance? How many married their first love or if single, how many Lagos boys stopped toasting when their girlfriends called it quits? Bitter experience or not, life must go on.
In every 12, there's always a Judas, right? In today's Nigerian insurance industry, that Judas would find himself cooling his heels in Alagbon close faster than he can say his name. The insurance industry has re-capitalized, we've re-positioned for the challenges ahead. The question now should be, do I know an insurance company to handle my savings plan? Do I know any insurance marketer out there? The purpose of this blog is to reach out to people and educate them where we (insurance marketers, that is) need to. I am convinced of one thing, that in the nearest future people would realize the usefulness of the insurance industry and the onus of doing that job would fall upon individuals like myself. The need to portray the insurance industry in good light is one of my responsibilities and I'm doing it with conviction because I've seen enough facts and figures to convince myself that the road to being a millionaire might be a long one but I can get there in due time with a solid contingency plan that can at the same time act as my savings account with extra benefits. My name is Olumide Ogungbemi and I'm an insurance marketer with Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited.
For more information on our products and services, I can be reached on 07033588160 and 07056989820.
If anything is in doubt it's not Bieber's talent. What we're celebrating about Mr Popstar 2.0 did not start last year though. It started years ago when his mom began posting videos of the much younger Bieber singing and playing the guitar on youTube. Many youTube posts and years later, some record executive snapped him up and the rest as they say is history.
What about back home in Naija? Did you think Uti winning BBA's prize money was overnight success? Abeg, abeg, abeg...It took Uti 2 seasons of being in Big Brother's house in the least, not counting his years of getting ready. Listen people, there's nothing like overnight success! Nobody went from zero to hero overnight. It takes years of hardwork, dedication, preparation and some luck. Ask P-Square, the harmonica-blowing 'Koko' master; D 'banj, the short black dude with the big black glass; M.I, luck alone wouldn't do it. They got to where they are because they were prepared to be lucky. My question to you, Lagos, dear reader of my blog is, what are you still waiting for? I'm not so good with cliches but I know one that goes something like, 'Do not do tomorrow, that you can do today.'
Let me ask you, Mr, Miss or Mrs. reader, what do you have to do to be a millionaire? Have you ever asked yourself that question before...What do I have to do to be a millionaire? Is it to run the marathon? Hang out in the bushes in some 'search' for someone's lost gold? Or is it to start a small business or multi-million naira business? The business option is more like it, that's the most practical approach, the only snag being you don't have the money. Loan? Why, yes but don't think about that option if you don't have collateral. So what on earth can a young, ambitous hardworking and "honest" Lagosian do to become a millionaire? Any ideas anyone...
No matter how you look at it and how you go about it, the most practical way to be a millionaire and remain one is to save your way to your millions. Shikena! Nothing more to it than that. You have to save your way to the top. When you invest well in some business venture and you arrive at a windfall, what do you do with your profit? You'd keep some while you think about where to go next, you don't go on a trip round the world next, you take time to think and plan, right? Which brings me to the next question, Do you have a financial plan? Have you heard of savings plan? What do you know about life assurance policy? Nothing? Zilch? Diddly squat? (that one's according to Mick McCarthy, the Wolves coach after losing 'galantly' 2-1 at Old Trafford...did I hear someone say "Up Man-Yoo!"...see beef.)
Lets get serious, Lagos, how many of us think we can become millionaires overnight? How many people became millionaires after the many 'millionaires' promos of the the telecomms sector? How many became millionaires after guzzling much more than desired litres of alcohol from this or that bottle, following promises of El Dorado that awaited beneath the crown cork of your favourite and not so favourite brand of beer? How many packets of seasoning do you have to buy to win 1 million naira? Your guess is as good as mine...we'll just never know.
For you to become a millionaire, you have to make your money work for you. It's like planting a crop. You first till the ground, drop the seed, walk away and voila! The ground explodes with bountiful harvest? No! It's not that easy. You till, you plant, you water, you watch, after some time your crop matures, then you harvest. It takes some work people. Much the same way money works. Banks are relevant, saving there is essential like breathing air but for the long term, your mind should be directed where your savings would earn you much more. Banks are doing a great jobs here but there are some financial services that are just out of their league (no pun intended, I'm not dissing anyone, I've several savings accounts myself.)
For you to become a millionaire, Lagos, first you need financial advice. What do I invest? Where do you I invest? For how long would I invest and for what return on investment? I bet we remember the age-old saying, "Little drops of water, makes a mighty ocean." Unless one's parents are money bags (and I'm talking about the really wealthy ones whose money could last like 20 lifetimes) becoming a millionaire on one's hard-earned naira
Permit me to reveal something now, take this to heart and you can take it to the bank (literarily and actually.) Your life assurance policy can make you a millionaire! This is the class of insurance in which you have a guarantee of your money coming back to you. All premiums paid on a life assurance policy are sure to return to the owner with value! All it takes is time. And that depends on whether one buys a short. medium or long term plan. Every good thing takes time in coming to fruition. Ask those who know, ask those who have experience, ask those who have arrived at their financial destination and they will tell you...It wasn't easy.
Let me bust a very common insurance myth, Lagos. Rumours have it that some poor unfortunate folks paid premiums to their insurance companies and when it was maturity time, they were cheated of their hard-earned money and told 'Mungo Park' stories. The answer to that is they were swindled from the very beginning. That insurance agent was defrauding them from day one. Fake receipts, fake reports, fake statements of account abound everywhere. The conman had no conscience, not the slightest compunction at all with giving his clients false information all in an effort to spirit their money away. The unfortunate experience has made many a victim and their family and friends determine never to purchase or allow anyone they know purchase an insurance policy.
My take on that is simple...Cutting off the nose to spite the face! Would you chop off your head off if you contracted lice from your last trip from the village? Ask these people if they stopped patronizing the banks after several 'failed bank' sagas? Can we count the number failed banks and billions of naira we've lost in Lagos? Why didn't we start keeping money in shoe boxes and piggy banks (kolo)? Let's be realistic people, how many failed insurance companies can we mention? If we put bad experiences into consideration, how many would want to marry at all after several episodes of failed romance? How many married their first love or if single, how many Lagos boys stopped toasting when their girlfriends called it quits? Bitter experience or not, life must go on.
In every 12, there's always a Judas, right? In today's Nigerian insurance industry, that Judas would find himself cooling his heels in Alagbon close faster than he can say his name. The insurance industry has re-capitalized, we've re-positioned for the challenges ahead. The question now should be, do I know an insurance company to handle my savings plan? Do I know any insurance marketer out there? The purpose of this blog is to reach out to people and educate them where we (insurance marketers, that is) need to. I am convinced of one thing, that in the nearest future people would realize the usefulness of the insurance industry and the onus of doing that job would fall upon individuals like myself. The need to portray the insurance industry in good light is one of my responsibilities and I'm doing it with conviction because I've seen enough facts and figures to convince myself that the road to being a millionaire might be a long one but I can get there in due time with a solid contingency plan that can at the same time act as my savings account with extra benefits. My name is Olumide Ogungbemi and I'm an insurance marketer with Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited.
For more information on our products and services, I can be reached on 07033588160 and 07056989820.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Don't Be Afraid to Dream
"Great things come in small packages." so goes the popular saying. Great heights, great achievements, are built on dreams. Civilizations, empires, nations, cities are built on the dreams of great men and women. You can ask people who dared to dream, people who switch off from the normal way of thinking, the frequencies of cognition of normal men, and they will tell you, "If you can visualize it, you can see it. If you can dream it, you can achieve it." The list of dreamers is endless; Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, the founding fathers of the United States of America (the American Revolutionists), Abraham Lincoln, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, to mention a few.
Moving on to the realm of financial dreamers, one of my personal favourites, Mr Conrad Hilton. Conrad Nicholson Hilton. What a dream and what a dreamer. Conrad Hilton started one of the world's biggest hotel chains from where? Take a wild guess folks...(wait, don't go running to search just yet,) let me help you a little...
And the answer is Option....None! Actually, he started his hotels dream from his family house! Originally his father's idea when economic downturn hit his family bad, Augustus 'Gus' Hilton added extra rooms to the family house and turned it into a boardinghouse, Gus made his sons (out of whom Conrad was the first) pick people coming to their hometown of San Antonio at the bus station and lodged them in their boardinghouse for $2.50 a day. This was Hilton's first introduction to the hotel business. While working with his father, Conrad saved as much as he could because he didn't enjoy the monotony of Gus running the business.
Much later in life when he found himself in Texas trying to make a name for himself by trying to buy a bank (how ambitious of a guy that didn't even have a college education to his name at the time), he hit on the idea of starting his hotel when he saw the opportunity in the hotel business outweighs that of his banking dreams, while resting in the lobby of the Mobley hotel in the process of trying to get a room. He bought the Mobley hotel instead of the bank and renovated immediately and the course of his life changed for ever. He added what turned out later to be value-added services to his hotel and what do have years later? 500 hotels in nearly every corner of the planet...and his celebrity great-grand daughter smoking the herb, releasing a wack music album, making an even wacker (or is it wackier?) sex video, and making good ole Conrad turn in his grave. Paris Hilton is not shocking anymore folks, the world is used to and bored of her mad antics and attention-seeking way of life.
As far as dreams are concerned, all dreamers have one common problem...money. Funding any dream is the biggest headache folks. In order to do this you might have to dig into your savings account and that, ladies and gents, is the crux of the matter. Allow me to ask, Lagos, "Do you have a savings account?" I see several heads nodding, many of us can't count the number of savings account we have with numerous banks with the digits of both hands. Savings account, are you kidding? We have many. Really?...Ok, Lagos, how many of us have that wonderful card given to one and all upon opening a bank account? You know that plastic card with the magnetic strip or chip called the Any Time Money card. Yes! Your good old ATM card. Is your ATM card allowing you to save money?
As far as real savings is concerned, which by and large is connected to the fulfilment of dreams, ATM cards and the conventional savings account cannot help bring dreams to reality. Reason being you're just one zip! and PIN code away from a withdrawal. You cannot achieve capital building or fund raising this way. In January, you have 750,000 naira in your account, zip! zip! zip! you're down to 500,000 maybe even 250,000 naira. I know it's all for legitimate reasons, but have you taken time to think about tomorrow? Have you thought about saving for your dreams?
How do you start saving? There are several ways of achieving this which I won't try boring you with right now (besides we treated that earlier, in case you've not seen my previous blogs may I suggest you go through my blog archive.) The question is, "How do I save if I don't have much and I'm determined to try?" Remember, folks, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Lets start with the basics, a savings strategy (if I can call it that, don't have a name for it. yet) How many of us have heard of the 30-30-30-10 or 3:3:3:1 strategy? It works this way...
The 3:3:3:1 savings strategy is very practicable, very possible even in present day Nigeria. One just has to be determined and ready to make sacrifices. The strategy can be modified as the individual deems fit. The thought in the minds of many a Lagosian is "But I hardly make enough money as things are." My take on that is very simple...Start by living within your means. Don't bite more than you can chew.
Good things take time in coming folks. Rome was not built in a day. You might not start cashing upon you insurance policy the day you buy it but it will mature one day, be it 5 years, 7 years, maybe even 10 years. One thing is certain, the policy will reach maturity and what do you get? Your savings plus interests (guaranteed at attractive rates that banks can't dream of matching now) and no hidden or administrative charges will be removed from your funds. An insurance policy is a viable savings/investment plan, you can ask people you know running one and they will tell you. Telling you that is my job and that's why you should contact me.
One of my dreams is to have my kids call me while I'm on vacation in Monaco or the Maldives and bicker about who'll give me the biggest 60th birthday anniversary if he/she hosts the bash. That comes after I must have saved enough to put them through good schools and given them good advice. I've taken the first step by starting a savings plan that will lead to a win-win situation between my insurance company and me. What's that giant dream you're carrying in your mind all these years? Be brave, be gutsy, be determined and like Conrad Hilton, save your way to your dreams. My name is Olumide Ogungbemi, my numbers are 07033588160 and 07056989820, and I'm an insurance marketer with Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited.
Moving on to the realm of financial dreamers, one of my personal favourites, Mr Conrad Hilton. Conrad Nicholson Hilton. What a dream and what a dreamer. Conrad Hilton started one of the world's biggest hotel chains from where? Take a wild guess folks...(wait, don't go running to search just yet,) let me help you a little...
- He took a big-time loan from HSBC.
- He cashed in on his inheritance from his dad, the Empire State Building, which he sold for a lot of money and started his hotel chains with.
- He got funds from the Illuminati, an organization which his grandfather was a grand patron.
- He blackmailed the Queen into funding his business because he was once the Queen's sister's lover and had lurid pictures of them in compromising positions.
And the answer is Option....None! Actually, he started his hotels dream from his family house! Originally his father's idea when economic downturn hit his family bad, Augustus 'Gus' Hilton added extra rooms to the family house and turned it into a boardinghouse, Gus made his sons (out of whom Conrad was the first) pick people coming to their hometown of San Antonio at the bus station and lodged them in their boardinghouse for $2.50 a day. This was Hilton's first introduction to the hotel business. While working with his father, Conrad saved as much as he could because he didn't enjoy the monotony of Gus running the business.
Much later in life when he found himself in Texas trying to make a name for himself by trying to buy a bank (how ambitious of a guy that didn't even have a college education to his name at the time), he hit on the idea of starting his hotel when he saw the opportunity in the hotel business outweighs that of his banking dreams, while resting in the lobby of the Mobley hotel in the process of trying to get a room. He bought the Mobley hotel instead of the bank and renovated immediately and the course of his life changed for ever. He added what turned out later to be value-added services to his hotel and what do have years later? 500 hotels in nearly every corner of the planet...and his celebrity great-grand daughter smoking the herb, releasing a wack music album, making an even wacker (or is it wackier?) sex video, and making good ole Conrad turn in his grave. Paris Hilton is not shocking anymore folks, the world is used to and bored of her mad antics and attention-seeking way of life.
As far as dreams are concerned, all dreamers have one common problem...money. Funding any dream is the biggest headache folks. In order to do this you might have to dig into your savings account and that, ladies and gents, is the crux of the matter. Allow me to ask, Lagos, "Do you have a savings account?" I see several heads nodding, many of us can't count the number of savings account we have with numerous banks with the digits of both hands. Savings account, are you kidding? We have many. Really?...Ok, Lagos, how many of us have that wonderful card given to one and all upon opening a bank account? You know that plastic card with the magnetic strip or chip called the Any Time Money card. Yes! Your good old ATM card. Is your ATM card allowing you to save money?
As far as real savings is concerned, which by and large is connected to the fulfilment of dreams, ATM cards and the conventional savings account cannot help bring dreams to reality. Reason being you're just one zip! and PIN code away from a withdrawal. You cannot achieve capital building or fund raising this way. In January, you have 750,000 naira in your account, zip! zip! zip! you're down to 500,000 maybe even 250,000 naira. I know it's all for legitimate reasons, but have you taken time to think about tomorrow? Have you thought about saving for your dreams?
How do you start saving? There are several ways of achieving this which I won't try boring you with right now (besides we treated that earlier, in case you've not seen my previous blogs may I suggest you go through my blog archive.) The question is, "How do I save if I don't have much and I'm determined to try?" Remember, folks, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Lets start with the basics, a savings strategy (if I can call it that, don't have a name for it. yet) How many of us have heard of the 30-30-30-10 or 3:3:3:1 strategy? It works this way...
- Divide your income into 10 parts or ratios.
- 1 part or 10% goes to tithing. (for folks who are religious and BELIEVE in God, the real God and not a "higher power".)
- 3 parts or 30% go to everyday, sundry life like paying bills, food, shelter, clothing, transportation, overhead and other things.
- the last 3 parts or 30% go into savings; and savings in this case refer to financial security or protection which insurance offers. What you could keep for tomorrow, not the immediate next-day tomorrow or next month but the days far ahead, the days to come.
The 3:3:3:1 savings strategy is very practicable, very possible even in present day Nigeria. One just has to be determined and ready to make sacrifices. The strategy can be modified as the individual deems fit. The thought in the minds of many a Lagosian is "But I hardly make enough money as things are." My take on that is very simple...Start by living within your means. Don't bite more than you can chew.
- Don't go shopping at Mega Plaza where Alaba can serve your present needs.
- Don't fill your closet with T.M Lewins when you can manage other brands.
- Don't take "that girl" to the Palms, shopping till she dropped and return home to a bowl of garri and 'kulikuli' (you'd be lucky even if you can afford that after some babe's reckless shopaholism.)
Good things take time in coming folks. Rome was not built in a day. You might not start cashing upon you insurance policy the day you buy it but it will mature one day, be it 5 years, 7 years, maybe even 10 years. One thing is certain, the policy will reach maturity and what do you get? Your savings plus interests (guaranteed at attractive rates that banks can't dream of matching now) and no hidden or administrative charges will be removed from your funds. An insurance policy is a viable savings/investment plan, you can ask people you know running one and they will tell you. Telling you that is my job and that's why you should contact me.
One of my dreams is to have my kids call me while I'm on vacation in Monaco or the Maldives and bicker about who'll give me the biggest 60th birthday anniversary if he/she hosts the bash. That comes after I must have saved enough to put them through good schools and given them good advice. I've taken the first step by starting a savings plan that will lead to a win-win situation between my insurance company and me. What's that giant dream you're carrying in your mind all these years? Be brave, be gutsy, be determined and like Conrad Hilton, save your way to your dreams. My name is Olumide Ogungbemi, my numbers are 07033588160 and 07056989820, and I'm an insurance marketer with Standard Alliance Life Assurance Limited.
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