Articles

The HOW of managing funds for SMEs

It’s commonly said that you manage well to grow big and not vice versa.

An SME must understand the art of Managing Men, Money, and Materials to be at their optimum utilization.

Below are the 6 tips I shared on the HOW of Managing funds for SMEs;

You must set up a viable and appropriate governance and management structure with a functional advisory board.
Be strict about the practice of the separate entity concept. Your business fund is different from your fund.
Have a written and lived corporate culture and core values. Nothing sustains organizational strategy like culture.
Practice the principle of deliberately plowing back a fixed percentage of profit into your business.
Have detailed business processes, your business must be able to outlive you.

ARTICLE 2

Securing & Managing Funds for SME’s

Had an amazing time speaking on “Securing & Managing Funds for SMEs “

One thing I first noted was that the aspect of securing the funds comes first before the management as you can only manage the funding that you have secured.

So we discussed 6 tips on the HOW of Securing funds and 6 tips on Managing funds;

Securing funds starts with YOU ( your big, value-adding, disruptive, scalable, and creative ideas, your savings i.e. equity funds, etc.
Buil a track record of consistency for your business functionalities for at least one year.
Appropriate Business Registration with CAC.
Have a comprehensive Business Plan
You can seek Venture Capital funding, especially the Venture Capital firms that are involved in your kind of business.
You can also approach Micro Finance Banks for business loans

ARTICLE 3

Investment in knowledge pays the best interest… Benjamin Franklin

One of my personal goals this year is to attend leadership training online and offline.
The “Lagos Business School & CIS Academy Executive Training program on Board Leadership, Regulation, and Compliance Issues in the Securities and Investment Environment in Nigeria” has been a worthwhile investment for me.
Great Facilitators and Great Participants.

Below are just a few tips gained and I will like to share from the many I got;

Your employees are your greatest assets and the most important factor to foster business sustainability.
If your business strategy is not right other aspects of the business won't be right.
Be deliberate about the composition of your board.
Preparation takes advantage of opportunities.
Regulation is supposed to support the overall progress of the economy.
Every employee both core and non-core are the risk entry point.
Risk and compliance strategy must align with your organization's compliance culture.
Your corporate culture is as lived and not as articulated or written down in the policy.
As a leader, your people are your engine room and they should be able to communicate freely with you, so be open-minded irrespective of ego.
Culture sustains strategy, so there must be a balance between culture and strategic imperative because “culture can eat strategy for breakfast”
Culture is what enables an organization to outlive itself.
A toxic culture will always lead to the destruction of the organization in the long run
The Board and Management should set the right tone from the top and give sufficient attention to culture as a key enabler of purpose and Strategy.

ARTICLE 4

A Fulfilling Career

Had a Great time on May 1st, where I spoke on “A Fulfilling Career “ at this Youth Colloquium event.

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.”
Proverbs 22:29 KJV

Below are some of the few tips I shared;

Your career is like a pathway and a vehicle God has designed for you to add value to yourself, your organization, and Humanity.
No Career path is more important than the other, all careers are interdependent and interrelated. The Doctor needs the Finance Man, the Finance Man needs the Journalist, etc.
Don’t forge ahead in a career path for the wrong reasons like peer pressure or because of the outward glamour i.e. you don’t want to join the army because your love the uniform. You need a deeper level of conviction
Your career choice should be made based on strong personal convictions.
Your level of life fulfillment increases when you are on a career path backed up by convictions and confidence
If you are not happy with your current career path you can learn a skill that can help you switch to your desired path. i.e Up-skill yourself into that desired career trajectory
Building a good personal brand is key to using social media platforms as you grow in your career.
Be deliberate about building career capital via appropriate training and certifications.
Building a successful career demands significant sacrifices and discipline. You must be ready to pay the price to get the prize.
Your career competition is Global and you have to give a global approach to a global vision or else it will end up as a local venture.
Building a successful career demands significant sacrifices and discipline. You must be ready to pay the price to get the prize.
A fulfilling career would demand that you grow both hard and soft skills to excel.
Relevant Education and Applicable years of Experience on the job should give you a good advantage in career growth.
Not all career paths are formal like doctors, accountants, bankers, and engineers, you can have careers in the informal sectors like fashion designing, furniture making, AC technician, vehicle rewiring and repairs Vehicle Mechanic, Trading Business, Farming, transportation, etc
To build wealth, impact, and prominence in your career it is important that your career affects humanity positively you have to input the required excellence and diligence to it and you will be on the journey to having a fulfilling career.

ARTICLE 5

Keep on, Keeping on…… ONE DAY IN THE NEAREST FUTURE.

Dear Professional Colleague,

I am happy to encourage you that ONE DAY IN THE NEAREST FUTURE, everything you are currently going through will all add up because you will look back and see that the dots connects perfectly.

You will look back and see that the current disappointments were ladders to your promotions.

You will look back and see that your pains have now become your gains.

You will see that your gory experiences will now become your stories of Glory.

You will see that the cross you bear will soon become your Crown.

You will look back and see that your current trials will soon become your testimony.

Keep on, keeping on.

Don’t give up on that idea.
Don’t give up on that next move.
Don’t give up on your dream to make a global impact in your industry.
Don’t give up on yourself and your family.
Don’t lose heart.
Don’t lose the courage to consistently touch base with your dreams because your dreams of a better life and a better career are still valid.

No matter how much you have failed, dust yourself and get back up, because those secret tears will soon become overwhelming joy.

Every great personality in history went through their journey and process. Accept it, enjoy it, and complete it.

Give it all the courage it takes, learn from all the experiences, gather as many skills as possible, invest in yourself greatly, and keep being productive.

You will need all the lessons learned in your valley times to sustain you for long in your mountain time because only Tough People outlast tough times.

Keep on, keeping on.

See you at the TOP ONE DAY IN THE NEAREST FUTURE!!!
Yours sincerely,

ARTICLE 6

Organization’s Strategy VS Personal Strategy

The Organization always has its strategy for profitability and productivity!!!!
What is your personal strategy in the organization?
What is your strategy on how to add value to the organization?
What is your strategy for your future in the organization?
What is your strategy for fulfilling your life purpose?
For you to enjoy work and feel fulfilled you must find your strategy inside the organization’s strategy.
If you find your personal strategy, then you can be more intentional about your actions and be more deliberate in making intelligent day-to-day decisions …
Yes, sometimes you may not be where you ought to be even with a strategy but then you can’t be where you use to be.
You would have grown.
The bottom line is that as the organization grows you also must grow in your personal life !!!
So, what is your personal strategy???

#strategy #future #productivity #work #professionaldevelopment #unitedcapitaltrustees #selfleadership

ARTICLE 7

PREPARATION + OPPORTUNITY = SUCCESS !!!

There is someone who had worked assiduously in a firm for over 3 years as contract staff and the management thought it wise to convert the person to permanent staff.
Alas, it was declined…Why?

The person did not have the required minimum certificate which is an HND … he didn’t think it was okay to develop his career capital coupled with too many personal excuses …he was retrenched after a while…The company HR policy couldn’t sustain an additional stay.

In our career life and purpose. May our opportunities never meet us unprepared.
What new skill and competence are you building? What future do you intend for yourself, what career capital have you acquired that can capture that future?

If you truly have a dream then let your steps of today show it.
Go for that degree course, acquire that professional qualification, go for that master’s, go for that training…once it’s in sync with your career path and future. GO FOR IT !!!!

Long ago I made a personal decision that no year leaves me the same in terms of capacity building

I have come across people willing to help another but the “help” seems not to be ready.

No one is to blame but yourself, not even your excuses

When Opportunity meets Preparation, Success is birthed.

May our opportunities not meet us unprepared!!

ARTICLE 8

DIASPORA TRUST

The Diaspora Trust is designed to provide secure, high-fidelity investing options for Nigerians in the diaspora including fund investments in Naira and Dollar-denominated instruments and the acquisition of all types of assets.
Benefits:
Confidentiality of the Trust and Assets are preserved
This product relieves the settlor of any stress and anxieties often experienced in undertaking investment back home while abroad.
Funds can either be invested in USD or Naira-denominated assets at the preference of the client.
The investment is assured in line with your mandate/instruction.
Flexible entry and exit options of Investment.

#investing #investment #wealthmanagement #wealth #financialplanning #money #funds #dollar #funds #dollar #finance #financialliteracy #investors

ARTICLE 9

FINANCE

So I had a most Amazing time speaking to the students and faculty of the Department of Banking and Finance Covenant University on Fintech. #finance

Fintech is the way to go and it’s either you align or you are lined out.

I spoke about the need for Strategic collaborations and Symbiotic partnerships among students in the ICT, Computer science and Banking, Finance, Accounting, and Economics while on campus.

There is a need for more research and building think tanks that will drive this, for students in the universities to come up with several Fintech products that will meet the need of society.

I also spoke about the need to localize our Fintech languages, so that it communicates with the populace not only in English but in Yoruba, Igbo, and, Hausa.

This will in no small measure boost financial literacy and promote financial inclusion… If we can have our Bible in these languages then we can have Fintech products in our native languages which is our main identity.

ARTICLE 10

WHAT IS YOUR FINANCIAL GOAL !!!!!!

Goals are good and they help us track our achievements and evaluate our progress in life…among other goals you should have in life one of the most important ones is the financial goal…it speaks to your past, affects your present, and influences your future decisions.

People make investments in line with their Risk appetite, expected returns, and financial goals… So, define these for yourself. Do not go into any investment without a purpose…it’s the purpose that keeps you motivated the most.

someone said living without a goal is living like a goat…you keep roaming around with no destination in mind…

If you don’t know where you are going anywhere will look like it, your capacity can deliver N500m per annum but the lack of financial goal is making you look fine at the level of delivering N50m per annum…SET SMART GOALS WITH A BIG PICTURE IN MIND.

So make networks to improve your net worth, and look for financial products and businesses to engage in that will help you achieve your financial goals.
#money #financialplanning #wealth #education #education #financialliteracy #wealthmanagement #financialservices #financialadvisor #personalfinance #people

ARTICLE 11

UNDERSTANDING EQUITIES IN 5 LINES……..

They can be used as Long term investments for passive investors and short-term, quick gains for speculative investors who understand that it’s a risky asset with unlimited potential.
It offers:

#investments #finance #investing #wealthmanagement #financialplanning #financialservices #financialadvisor #personalfinance #financialliteracy #equities #money

ARTICLE 12

FINANCIAL PLANNING

A mutual fund’s risk and return are relative to the underlying investment product that make up the fund (e.g. if you invest in an Equity mutual fund you are open to the risk and return in that portfolio (which contains mainly shares )…
E.g if you invest in a money market fund, you are also open to the risk and return feature existing in the money market asset class which contains investments such as Fixed Deposits, Commercial paper, bills, etc.

The portfolio manager must make sure that the best investment decisions made are based on what is stated in the Trust Deed (This is a document that states basically how the fund will run, asset allocation and fees agreed)

Mutual fund investors are called unit holders and all mutual funds must have a Trustee by regulation…The Trustee firm acts in the eyes of the unit holders and makes sure the portfolio managers are doing the right thing in favor of the fund and unit holders to make good returns for the unit holders.
Mutual funds are regulated by SEC and managed by Asset Management Firms.

Do you know that investing in mutual funds doesn’t take much, you can invest in mutual funds even if you have N5,000.00.

The mutual fund also encourages the individual saving culture habit while also encouraging capital formation (This is the pooling of investment funds that’s channeled into boosting the economy of the nation e.g especially bond funds investors which are long term in nature, the firm or government you are investing utilizes the funds to engage in activities that will grow the economy in various ways all things being equal).
#financialplanning #investing #wealthmanagement #money #wealth #financialadvisor #financialliteracy #personalfinance #financialservices #investments #economy #money #impactinvesting

ARTICLE 13

NSE Triggers "Circuit Breaker" As ASI Rise Beyond 5% - Investment - Nairaland

YES…The Nigerian Stock Exchange is picking up in a quantum leap dimension…

Reason 1…The Market is awash with so much liquidity with no investment outlet promising good, guaranteed, and low-risk returns. Portfolio managers are faced with reinvestment risks from maturing funds.
Reason 2…The rate of return in the money market space is trending very low, the same with bond yields.
Reason 3......The CBN is not looking to up the bill rate anytime soon and the focus is on economic development.

So…Capital market is the answer for now…
Take positions carefully.
Remember the evergreen financial principle…The higher the risk, the higher the return.
Look for good fundamentals on stocks you want to fill your portfolio with.
Don’t be too greedy and don’t be too fearful.

BE EFFICIENTLY, CURRENTLY, and ADEQUATELY INFORMED.

May the bulls WIN !!! May the bears WIN !!!! May we all WIN !!!!!
#investing #equities #stocks #wealthmanagement #financialadvisor #financialplanning #financialliteracy #personalfinance

ARTICLE 14

MONEY MARKET INVESTMENTS !!!!

They are generally less risky.
Income or returns are guaranteed
The principal Capital invests preserved throughout the investment tenor.
Its a Market for trading short-term transactions
( Investments with a maximum tenor of 1 year).

Examples of such investments are; Fixed Term Deposits, Treasury Bills, Commercial Papers, Bankers’ Acceptance, etc

ARTICLE 15

PEN IT DOWN

“There should be more sensitivity and awareness campaigns on financial education by the Government and the various financial institutions in a bid to also capture the rural population and the need for simplified teaching techniques to enable those who are not fully educated to understand the message being passed across and the encouragement of the economic participants to utilize financial institutions and their products maximally”

“The faintest pen….last longer than the sharpest memory”

Always budget on Paper

Make a habit of writing down how you want to spend that inflow.
Say no to impulse buying (this is a subtle poverty trap), emotions are not a friend of money management… reasoning logically is better in helping you manage personal finances.

Any floating amount will easily float out of your hands… if it’s not planned for it will vanish with any item…

Sometimes not every important item is urgent…don’t rush yourself unnecessarily

Know how to differentiate between needs and wants.

Live a planned financial life you cant meet all financial needs at once.

ARTICLE 16

PURPOSEFUL INVESTING...

Yes, it’s best to make investing a habit rather than an event…i.e Don’t always wait till you have a lump sum before you start investing.

Is also in your very best interest to have a purpose for every investment you are making.

What are your financial goals in the short-term, medium, and long-term?

It’s often said that when purpose isn’t known abuse is inevitable….

it’s possible to misspend your funds on wrong priorities or sometimes on unnecessary impulsive expenditures because you know it’s always there to be liquidated and you are conscious of the ease of access to getting your funds.

Purposeful investing will help streamline your risk appetite, expected returns, and Investment objectives… So, define these for yourself. Do not go into any investment without a Purpose…
it is the Purpose that keeps you motivated the most.

Purpose encourages discipline.

#financialplanning #financialplanning #personalfinance #wealthmanagement #financialservices #financialadvisor #financialliteracy #investing #money #financialfreedom

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