HOW TO BECOME A TRUE ENTREPRENEUR

I rarely speak at huge events, I don't have a work place, no sophisticated office, no connection from big companies and not even a support from the government. Except for having a platform and an idea programmed to solve an unemployment and educational problem in Nigeria, hopefully in Africa and the world in general. 

Well, I am not saying having all of the aforementioned is bad but the truth is, having all of it, as a starter doesn't really define you as a true entrepreneur.

A true entrepreneur could be someone who lives far in a village not known, whose background has no significance or relevance in the society but has a solution to any of the problems encountered in the world.

It could be that guy who has been seen to be of no use and doesn't really mingle in the society because he is usually busy one way or the other trying to build something that eyes have not witnessed and ears haven't heard, so that by the time it arrives, the world will come together to celebrate it. 

An entrepreneur could also be someone who lives in the slum, and has converted it to his workplace, by picking dirts and accumulating the needed for the future and begins to sell when they become huge enough for sale. By so doing, he is solving an environmental problem, by cleaning and sensitising the environment. 

An entrepreneur could be someone whose family background is so poor that they can't afford to stay in a single room apartment after a setback, but choose to live in a plank house or the slum in order for them to survive daily, but he among them is brainstorming, strategising and planning and creating a platform for the youths and children to solve educational problem. 

"Not everyone who dresses in suit and attend all seminars are entrepreneurs, some are just speakers not doers, what makes you an entrepreneur is THE SOLUTION YOU HAVE TO SOLVE A PROBLEM."

Consider a guy in another country who has no identity until he was able to create a solution, that is...MAKING A CAR WITHOUT FUEL, I'd rather travel to his country to hear him tell me how he was able to do it and why he created it, not someone who keeps telling me that I can do something but he hasn't been able to do anything. 

I know you have a solution to a problem in Africa, but…

Is it something people have done before?

Is it something you are trying to introduce? 

Is it something you are trying to re-brand? 

Is it something that makes you compete with someone else? 

Your answers to the above questions, will help you alot in determining your solution to the problem of the world. 

When creating a solution to a problem, it must be original, it must be your idea and you must be able to defend it, anytime, anywhere.

You must be able give direction and description on what you are trying to build, because it is your idea.

Your solution to a problem should be something people can emulate and they should be able to learn from you, otherwise it is not significant nor relevant. 

"It is one thing to practice entrepreneurship and it is another thing to solve a problem as an entrepreneur."

You can not create a regular school bag and believe that you have created a solution by sewing ordinary bag.

What about creativity that distinguishes you from others, what if you sew kind of bag not seen before? 

You cannot organise/visit/attend a seminar or leadership summit and conclude that you are an entrepreneur, becoming an entrepreneur goes beyond that.

What new thing are you creating? 

What problem are you solving? 

I will need to reiterate that whether you are a first class student or not, you will not be relevant and have no significance until you are able to solve a problem, because there are many of the first class students out there and you are just an addition to the number.

"The world will bow to you when you can solve a world's problem."

Africa will consult you when you can solve a problem. 

Even your local community will come to you when they know you have a solution to a problem. 

It is not about the degree, it is not how much you can speak good English, it is until you identify something unique and different from the norm, then introduce to the community, only then will your relevance become certain. 

You will agree with me that creativity rules the world.

"If you are an armed robber with creativity, even the people will respect you."

Although, I don't support crime or negative influence to the community.

In essence, a person without an identity can become a talk of the town and even become a world's greatest man if only he has a solution to a problem.

Let us consider Isaya Yunge, a young man from Tanzania, the CEO of Soma apps a platform created to solve an educational problem in Africa.

Isaya is the founder and chief executive of Somaapps Technologies which created SomaApp, a mobile app which is revolutionising how scholarships are offered in Africa. Isaya and his team came up with the idea after seeing how many domestic and international scholarships go unclaimed each year because young people are simply unaware of them. Isaya is trained at by the Swedish Institute on Sustainable Business models and he currently studies Leading Change at Cambridge university. He uses mobile software to address the needs of African communities.

This young man was awarded by the Queen of England.

Finally, I'll leave you with these questions...

1. "Are you creating wealth or creating values?"
2. "Do you have a solution to Africa's and world's problem?"
3. "What step have you taken to solve a problem?"

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