Hey Smartpreneurs! We had another amazing and eye-opening Instagram Live session with Tiwa Works. Tiwa Aganga Williams also known as Tiwa Works is the founder of Atlanta Greek Picnic (AGP). It is the largest summer event for black fraternities and sororities, which draws more than 25,000 people annually, therefore making it one of the biggest gatherings of college-educated graduates in the world. Tiwa Works has been featured in numerous local and international media including Forbes Africa and our very own Smartpreneur on TV.
The session which held Tuesday, May 26, 2020, was hosted by your favourite TV girl Tallulah. The theme was My Experience as an Entrepreneur Coping with the pandemic. Tiwa Works, as an experienced entrepreneur especially in the events industry whose brand has remained solid for fifteen years, said a lot in this interesting session and we have put together some helpful points he mentioned for all entrepreneurs to stay winning.
1. SEE THE CURRENT PANDEMIC AS A TIME TO RE-EVALUATE YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS
The whole coronavirus pandemic is meant to be a time to restructure and restabilize yourself, your mental health, relations and business. Do not neglect yourself as a person. This is the time to review yourself and your business, analyze where you want to be post-COVID and see ways to get there. What is currently happening globally will change our lives for a long time. Therefore, using this stay at home period to figure out the way forward is the best option. You have to reassess everything from top to bottom because life as we know it has taken a sharp turn.
2. PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL
Never let the success of your business get to your head! If you want to stand the test of time in the entrepreneurial world, you have to maintain the same energy you had in your humble beginnings. Always seek ways to stay at the top and ahead of your competitors- who are ready to snatch your audience or customers once they smell the slightest opportunity. Treat each customer like you have no other. Make each year or quarter surpass the previous. Embrace growth, build your business and maintain it.
3. ARE YOU NICE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES?
As an entrepreneur with workers or employees, ensure you treat your staff right. How you handle employees’ affairs will directly or indirectly show in your business. It could be that you have a representative of your company or someone that is the first point of contact for potential customers to reach your company. How you relate with this rep, will in turn show in the way he or she communicates with your prospective customers. If you treat only your customers right and neglect your employees, your business will suffer. It’s that simple.
4. CHECK YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BIG OR SMALL, BEFORE YOU GO FOR INVESTMENTS
If you’re an entrepreneur looking for investment to take your business to the next level, you have to realize that showcasing what you’ve already achieved by yourself, will go a long way in making potential investors see reasons to invest in your business. No matter how small you think your business has accomplished, potential investors are likely to believe that if you’re able to get results without investment, it simply means your venture would grow exponentially if invested in. So next time, before you go for that investment opportunity, take out time to put together all you have done so far with that business of yours.
5. ATTACH A STORY TO YOUR BUSINESS
It’s best to attach a story to the product you sell or the service you render. This way, people can easily identify and relate with your business or company. Make your customers or audience feel like they are buying into something valuable, something with a backstory, let them see beyond the item they’re buying from you.
6. STAY DIGITAL
The world has more than ever, seen the importance of going digital, owing to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. Meetings and even awards are being held virtually. As an entrepreneur, it’s advisable to maintain and incorporate your present routine into your business structure post-COVID especially online activities of your business that you were pushed to adopt because of the crisis. This is because the world wouldn’t completely go back to the way it was. People will remain mindful and cautious. The lifestyle of people will change, hence not totally wiping the virtual way of doing things will help sustain your business.
Watch full live session here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAqLgcXHSDs/?igshid=1s35tij905n5u
