By Robert Bake Tumuhaise
Years back, out of curiosity my friend visited Simba Telecom. He found an interesting attendant who answered all his questions and explained in detail what each phone does. He ended up buying a phone. Before he could leave, he asked the attendant’s name so that one day he could tell his boss how well this ‘attendant’ served him. The ‘attendant’ said “I am Patrick Bitature.” No doubt Bitature has risen to become one of the top businessmen in Africa because he pays attention to details. For the 10 years I’ve had him as my mentor, I’ve observed that he never leaves anything to chance.
When my wife was pregnant, I kept a keen eye on her and whenever I noticed any unusual change I would quickly consult a doctor or experienced friends. Not out of fear, but to be sure such a development posed no significant effect on her wellbeing and that of the baby. Consider your career or business as a pregnant wife, for it gives you ‘babies’, in terms of salary, profit... Don’t lose one customer, spend more money than planned or forget to attend a business meeting and call that a small error.
Sam (not real name) borrowed three million shillings and went into the business of produce. “If villagers who have never gone to school are earning from the business, what of me, a graduate?” he reasoned. Friends advised him to first do some market research and come up with a business plan, but he trashed those as unnecessary details. Off he went to Kigezi, bought Irish potatoes and threw them onto the lorry he co-hired with other traders.
On reaching Kampala, it hit him that he had not planned where to keep his stock. He ended up improvising a friend’s room for a store. A few days later, his colleagues were ready for another trip, but he had not yet secured any customer. At the warning of a terrible stench, he checked and found that his stock had rotten away. Little did he know that those who know the details of the game always first pour the potatoes on the ground and sort out the bad ones before they spoil the rest. He learnt the hard way, never to ignore any detail when trying to turn an idea into money.
An idea is different from information. While information is what enters your mind, an idea is a workable solution coming out of your mind. To judge whether your idea is great, ask yourself: Is my idea unique? Does it bring something new to the world? Does it solve a problem? Does it add value to society (or is the motive just making money)? Ideas often come from looking at the problems/challenges around us because if we can solve any of them, then we shall have fulfilled a need and so people would be willing to pay for it. Think of someone who came up with the idea of toothpics; he/she really took care of a detail that many people were ignoring. Here in Kampala, there was need for service to people who needed food after midnight and someone thought of a 24-hour food business and called it “Chicken Tonight”. The rest is history.
I had always used my ideas to benefit others by writing newspaper articles, songs, proposals e.t.c without earning from them until I learnt that people rarely pay for ideas; they pay for products. I have since learnt to package my ideas into sellable products. I have authored several books, printing in thousands of copies and averagely earning a net profit of UGX 7,000 to 15,000 on each copy. I have earned from writing songs, movie scripts, proposals, business plans… I have even earned from just speaking to people! In the 21st Century, success is no longer majorly dependant on natural resources such as land, gas, oil, steel, e.t.c, but rather on ideas. Giant companies like Facebook, Amazon and Google are simply based on ideas.
I used to have big problems when it came to managing time and other resources. I would leave home wanting to do ten things, only to realize it’s evening and I’ve accomplished only two. I would move with money in my pocket only to return with almost nothing. I would repeat the same New Year resolutions year in, year out. The ugly cycle continued until I discovered the secret in taking care of details. In an attempt to solve my problem, I started drawing a simple plan every day, specifying what I wanted to do, what time I’d spend on each activity, the required resources and what I intended to achieve out of each activity, in relation to my overall vision.
As fruits began to show, I started sharing the same idea with other people and the results got more fascinating. The process ended up giving birth to the famous Action Planning course that World of Inspiration offers to individuals and organizations to help them pay attention to every detail. This month we are registering those who want to attend this course. Try it out and you will enjoy your 2015.
Bake is the Managing Director, WORLD OF INSPIRATION
& a Published Author of 8 Inspirational Books.
On Facebook: BAKE ROBERT TUMUHAISE (aka Mr Inspiration)
On Twitter: BAKE ROBERT (@inspiredbake)
Sunday, January 18, 2015
LESSONS FROM BITATURE THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR 2015
LESSONS FROM BITATURE THAT COULD CHANGE
YOUR 2015
These lessons from Bitature were written by
L. B. Kelle and was published in the current issue of WI-Magazine, by WORLD OF
INSPIRATION. Here is goes:
Two years ago, I travelled to Kampala to launch my first book. I
hadn’t lived in Uganda for over ten years, so I was faced not only with the
challenge of re-introducing myself to the public, but also trying to navigate
the dynamics of a place that had changed so much since I left. I had very
limited funds and only two weeks to accomplish what I had come to do. I devised
a strategy, and hit the streets hard.
The most important thing I needed was
publicity, which turned out relatively easy to get for the most part because
many of the people who are now in positions of authority in these media
establishments are people I grew up with, so asking for help was sometimes as
easy as sending a text message. There was however a big kahuna in one of
the major newspapers that I could not seem to understand. The person in charge
had promised to help me, but for days I called, emailed and texted him, and it
was either “am in a meeting”, “I will call you back” or a voice mail. I was
running out of time, and feeling frustrated. My plans were further upset when
some prospective sponsors were suddenly unavailable.
Amidst that mood of discouragement, I met
my friend and brother, business mogul Patrick Bitature (who had already
generously given me a venue for the launch free of charge at his Protea Hotel
in Kololo), to talk about the challenges I was facing. Even before we sat down
I started whining about how I had failed to get hold of this particular media
boss, in addition to my sponsorship issues. Patrick immediately cut me short
and begun to give me a talking that would forever shift my thought process.
“Lillian, you have to stop begging people.
You need to recognise you have something valuable to offer. These media people
are not helping you; if anything you are helping them. They rely on stories to
sell their products, and you have a very important story to tell. If this guy
does not have the sense to see that, go elsewhere. When you have something of
value, you do not have to convince people beyond what is required. With time
they will figure out your worth because the cream always rises to the top. Do
not ever lose your dignity in the pursuit for success.”
He spoke with so much conviction, every
word sinking down into my heart. It was as if my mind was being serviced, old
oil being poured out and new oil getting poured in. He continued: “Focus on
your craft; one day your work will speak for itself. So the sponsors didn’t
come through? Find other sources or cut your budget. You have to be willing to
readdress your strategy because plans don’t necessarily always work out. When
it comes to people, never set too high expectations or you will be
disappointed. But most importantly don’t fear them. At the end of the day, even
if they have big titles they are mere human beings like you. Keep knocking on
doors. You don’t need every door to open; you need just one. You only need one
runway to take off. If you focus on those that said ‘No’, you diminish the
victory from those that said ‘Yes’…”
I listened intently to every word he spoke.
After all this is a man who had tested the lessons he was sharing with me and
the results were evident in the splendour of his Protea hotel we sat in, plus a
chain of several other successful businesses and investments to his name. Who
was I to dispute this advice that I had the rare privilege to get? I left
Protea that evening with a new strategy and a new attitude. I never called that
newspaper boss or those sponsors again, but I still managed to get that paper
to give me a book review plus a double page insert in their weekend paper! And I sold almost a thousand copies of my book
the night of the launch, more than I thought I would ever sell!
Now this is Bake. I believe Bitature’s message through Lillian has
touched you in some hidden corners of your heart, arousing in you the power to
stand and fight for your dreams like never before. As WORLD OF INSPIRATION, we
know this is not just 2015 but rather 20-FIT-IN, a year when each one of us has
the potential to achieve 20 mega goals. I already achieved 3 and I am looking
forward to achieving the remaining 17. To make this year special, I recommend
these 3 things:
1. Become an ardent
reader of WI-Magazine. In this magazine we have the most inspiring minds in the
world sharing with us principles that have worked in their lives and led to
their own success. For instance, in the current issue you will read the full
story of Dr Edward Kazaire who left Kampala after failing to get a job and used
the remaining Shs 20,000 as his transport back to the village to do what made many
think he was mad. But 12 years later, he has a business empire worth more than
Shs 10bn. A copy of WI-Magazine goes for only Shs 5,000 and it is available on
every street in Kampala and Mbarara (the rest of the towns, we are coming). We
also encourage you to consider paying annual subscription at only Shs 50,000
and have a copy delivered to you every month, for a whole year. And for a
company, NGO, school, you need to subscribe for at least 10 copies and see how
lives around you change this year. You can also advertise in this magazine. Our
rates start from Shs 50,000 to 2,500,000.
2. I implore you to make
it your new year’s resolution not to miss any episode of the AUTHORS’ FORUM this
year, starting with the GRAND OPENING on Wednesday Feb 4th, 5:30 to
8:30pm. Right from the Grand Opening to the Grand Finale in December, we have
lined up guests, activities and themes that are all beyond inspiring. I
encourage you to take a step and contact me today and subscribe for annual membership
at only Shs 250,000. And I will give you 2 free issues of WI-Magazine (for
December 2014 and Jan 2015) as a bonus. In case you are not able to subscribe, secure
your entry ticket to the Grand Opening at Shs 40,000.
3. Endeavour to attend at
least 3 out of the 15 life-changing courses at our School of Inspiration. This
coming Saturday we shall be kicking off THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING and next
week, ACTION PLANNING and BUSINESS PROPOSAL WRITING will also commence. Each of
these courses is completed in 6 sessions of 3 hours each, with each session
being arranged at your own convenience. So no matter how busy you are, you can successfully
attend. The fee for each course is Shs 500,000 (but Authors’ Forum members
always pay only half). I promise you, there are practical things you will learn
from our courses that you couldn’t have learnt in any other way.
In all the matters
mentioned above, I eagerly await to personally serve you. Reach me on:
0704666851 / 0712868424 / 0414691595). You can also come to our office, WORLD
OF INSPIRATION (Luwum Street, MM Plaza T33).
#Blessings!
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