CUSTOMERS: Cornerstone for a Successful Business

Since the day I came across this definition it has stirred up a conversation within me that I can’t help but share. If the above is a valid definition of customers then arguably, having a sustainable business would revolve around having a good number of customers. Often than not, starting a business is relatively easy and simple compared to running the business. All you might need is really money, but running and sustaining a business would require not just money but a key component would be customers.

***I am carefully writing in no certain tone as I am not running a business yet, or I think I am not (ok that is by the side).

It may then suffice to have more discuss on understanding, assessing and strategizing a business around the potential of getting customers.

So let’s go to the definition.

 

Customers are THE PEOPLE….

To start a successful business, the best question to ask, is where are the people? This is what the economist would term as the market. Where do you have the convergence of people the most? Religious gatherings, schools, sports, celebrations, online etc These are your prospective customers, people! What are their characteristics? age, preferences, lifestyle etc The more you understand people and their dynamics, the more likely you are in running a successful business.

Customers are the people that PAY…

Can these people pay? What is their purchasing power like? What is their spending pattern? What drives their spending? What is their source of income? Because we are discussing business here and not a non-profit, the ability and drive to pay is key for success. Who are the customers of a Crèche for example? By this definition, the babies are not your customers, because they are not paying, you may need to focus and strategize around who is paying.

Customers are those that pay YOU…

This is where you and whatever you may have to offer start coming into the picture. It is ok to know where people are and how much they have to spend, but what can you do or give them that would make them pay YOU. Some business ideas only get customers to pay other people more and not the creator of the product or service. You really want to think and find out what will make them pay YOU maybe not only YOU but pay YOU more.

Customers are the people that pay you FOR WHAT THEY BOUGHT

Now it is important to know that they don’t have to pay you for something they bought from YOU. As long as they pay you for what they bought, then you are in business. Essentially, your business does not have to be about creating your own product, it could as well be a service. You may be a link to the purchase of a product and you get paid. 

Sometimes we are creating value in a way we are not even aware of. If someone pays you (or gives you money) for what you don’t know, they person is your customer already, you only need to figure out what product or service you are offering and harness it.

Life Development with Friends Series1 (2010 to 2011)

From: Joseph ADENUGA
Sent: 15 November 2010 08:59
Subject: Excellence In Leadership Conference 2010 Audio Files

Good day,
The Excellence in Leadership Conference was successful last week.
The theme of the conference was "Leadership and Change".

You could access the audio recordings of the general sessions as well as the syndicate sessions from the link below:
[link removed]

Regards
Joseph
_____________________________________________  

From: Joseph ADENUGA
Sent: 03 March 2011 12:01
Subject: Marriage Seminar

There was a Singles Summit organized by Covenant Christian Center last month.
After listening to all the CDs, I concluded it was more than a Single Seminar,but rather a marriage seminar.

It was organized in an experience-sharing format, where couples (not all pastors) with years of experience come to share insights from experience.
It is my desire that you draw strength in some of the valuable insights highlighted therein.
Follow the link below:
[link removed]

Regards
Joseph
_____________________________________________ 

From: Joseph ADENUGA

Sent: 12 April 2011 12:01
Subject: Basic Leadership Course by Daystar Leadership Academy
 

Hello,
Find attached an invitation flyer for the Basic Leadership Course of Daystar Leadership Academy.

Its a weekend programme and guess would be interesting for those it would be convenient for.

Feel free to encourage someone you know it would be beneficial to as well.
You will succeed in Jesus name.

 Joseph
_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA
Sent: 05 July 2011 19:50
Subject: Basic Leadership Course Feedback

Hello,
Trust you are doing great.
In the last 10 weeks, I have been attending the Basic Leadership Course by Daystar Leadership Academy.
Hope you got the mail then dated 12th April 2011.
Well, as this course is about to end, I am developing a method of sharing the lessons and stuffs around each module
in this program for the benefit of people who couldn't attend the program.
The objective of this method is to create an opportunity to share key lessons learned from listening to the audio.
It is also to encourage fellowship in a sense, where "iron sharpens iron".

Find attached a draft of the sheet that would be attached to the audio files for our contributions in the public folder.
The idea is to take one module per week, and at the end of the week after all our contributions, I will share my class
feedback on that module.
Let me have your comments and suggestions on this development, I know I can count on you.

Cheers.

Joseph ADENUGA
_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA

Sent: 12 July 2011 09:30
Subject: Personal Transformation (DLA601 Audio files)
 

Good day,
I hope you were not affected by the recent Lagos flooding.
Please accept my sympathy if you were affected in anyway.
I have posted this week's audio files in the link below:
[link removed]
The theme for this week is Personal Tranformation (DLA601)
There is also an attached MSWord document with keynotes and space for your comments/contributions.
I encourage you to make short comments and contributions on the audio files you have listened to, so we can share.
Let me know if you need any clarification or direction.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Regards
Reminder: DLA is Daystar Leadership Academy
Joseph ADENUGA
_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA

Sent: 02 August 2011 07:43
Subject: An Evening with Dr Myles Munroe
 

Hello Friend,

I am taking a short break from the DLA audio files.

Two weeks ago Dr Myles Munroe was in Victoria Island!

I couldn't make it but I got the CDs!

I would like to share it with you as it is so 'thick' and it will surely bless you.

Access it on:

[link removed]

Cheers

Joseph ADENUGA

_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA

Sent: 15 August 2011 17:46
Subject: Last two chapters of Multiple Streams of Income by Rober G. Allen
 

Hello my dear friend,
Trust you had a great weekend.
I was re-arranging my locker this morning and came across photocopies of some chapters of a book I read earlier this
year.

Its Multiple Streams of Income by Robert G. Allen 

Someone saw them on my table, went through some couple of pages and immediately made copies for herself to settle with.

So I felt I could share it with you too.

Its just the copies of the last two chapters, but its highly inspiring.

This book comes highly recommended as an inspiration towards self development.

So if you don't have this book and would love to have these copies, send me your office contact detail and I will get it to you.
Have a great week ahead.

Joseph ADENUGA

_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA
Sent: 01 November 2011 18:57
Subject: I heard the silence...Platform9.0
 

This can’t be true…! Silent for TWO MONTHS?!
Two calls yesterday and I realized the extent of….
I apologize for the long silence…, not even an ‘Hello there’ message?
I admit, I could do better than that.
Actually, I have been doing more of reading, having reduced time spent in traffic significantly in the last three months.
I am currently reading an Economics/Capitalism book by William Easterly “The Elusive Quest For Growth”.
I am past mid-way and I appreciate the recommendation to buy the book.
Before that, I finished an audio book of Malcom Gladwell - I can bet you know him, perhaps for the book Outliers – it was “The Tipping Point”.
I was hoping to quickly finish up on the book I am reading and make some important highlight on it.
But, I’ve got something else. I don’t know if you had the chance of attending, watching or listening to the last Platform9.0 on the 1st of October…it was explosive.
I got the audio copies for you; I have already listened to some of it.
[link removed]
Don’t go there tonight if you are still in the office, because my plan is to commit myself to get it there first thing tomorrow morning.
(I just threw the cap over the fence, now I have to jump!)
I hope it blesses you (Mrs Awosika is indeed a passionate speaker – just saying; you don’t have to listen to her first).

Love you.
Joseph ADENUGA
_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA
Sent: 24 November 2011 08:34
Subject: Ever Green Song....Odun Nlo Sopin
 

Hi,
Just in case you grew up on this side of the country, you might have come across this evergreen song.
I got it yesterday and I have been dancing while my children watched in amazement!
It is CAC Good Women Choir led by Mrs D.A. Fasoyin…the popular track is Odun Nlo Sopin (The Year is coming to an end).
It is also incredible how much of the lyrics I still remember clearly!
Some I could only recall the tune.
You know those kind of prayers like incantations..!..and Bible stories in songs…!

Ask someone to translate in case you do not understand some part.
Anyway, you can get the files in the address below
[link removed]
Happy listening.
Joseph ADENUGA
_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA
Sent: 05 December 2011 09:22
Subject: Excellence in Leadership 2011
 

Good morning,
I now have the Excellence in Leadership Conference 2011 audio files.
The theme of this year’s conference is INNOVATE…change your world.
Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo was the key speaker with other speakers for the syndicate sessions.
[link removed]
I sense something great is about to happen in our lives and the devil is equally preparing to stop it.
One of the usual ways he does this is by making us sin against God and thereby legally hoisting ourselves out of the great plan God has prepared.
My prayer is that in this season is that…
you will be strong, stronger than you can ever imagine;
you will stand firm, immovable no matter the storm that comes your way;
your thoughts are sanctified, pure, of good reports, worthy of praise;
we will celebrate Gods faithfulness in our lives and that of our family.
Cheers.
Just to let you know that Shiloh 2011 starts tomorrow (6th December 2011) to 10th December and can be viewed online as well, as soon as I get the link I will forward it to you.
Joseph ADENUGA
_____________________________________________

From: Joseph ADENUGA
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 3:18 PM
Subject: 2012 here we come...!
 

Hi,
I have started taking stock of 2011 and getting set for 2012!
Ps 139:16 says “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”
Guess what? God has a BOOK!

If the writer of this Psalm lived in our days, perhaps it would have read “…And in your Laptop…”or “…And in your Ipad…”.
Anyway, I am not making any fuzz about it being a paper-book, but it is important you keep record of all your plans and goals in any form best for you (Book, Ipad, Laptop, etc) in a readable format.
So that, he that reads it (You! Or any one) may run.

The most important thing is that it should be readable anywhere and anyhow it is recorded.
Now I have this Planning Classic series I got from the course I attended earlier in the year.
Access it on:
[link removed]
This may be the last mail from me this year with respect to personal development materials.
I appreciate the time you have spent reading, listening and even sharing with others all the materials I have shared.
And especially for your feedbacks, they have been inspiring.
It was one year that I started sharing useful materials like this in November 2011 and I can only pray for more grace.
See you around or maybe next year…
Cheers.
Joseph
_____________________________________________

Life Development with Friends Series!

Wow...2016 is rounding off already! I was just going through my mail box and saw a series of messages I sent between 2010 and 2014. These messages are unique as I shared them with a set of friends and it was about my journey through self-development and sharing stuff.

After reading a few, I was convinced that its content is still useful and relevant even to a wider audience.

So I have tagged the series "Life Development with Friends", I will edit some stuff for confidential purposes but would not modify the gist. So sit back and have a good read!

HANDOVER OF THE PIONEERING JOGSOBA’98 EXECUTIVES IN 2016

Speech by Joseph Olalekan Adenuga on the 30th November 2016

 

We have come a long way dear mates. I can still remember the discussion about our association in 2010 with Ogunmade after service at DAYSTAR. He narrated how several efforts have been made to re-unite the set and how those efforts have met a brick wall. As he spoke I was inspired and told him it would work out this time. We started mining data, calling people on our phones sending SMS and Facebook messages. Many of you will remember receiving messages to send your details so we could build a database. There were some hesitation as to what would become of the database and who may have undue access to it. But there was a general excitement about the idea of coming together once again. So we launched at that faithful day at TFC.

Like every new born, expectations were high, passion was hot but then expectations had to be managed while emphasising the necessity to reconnect and rekindle the same fire we had several years back in JOGS. Besides, many years have passed and we had surely developed into men of varying experiences and characters in the real world. It was important to reinstate trust in ourselves first. Trust was bestowed on the pioneering executives to channel the course of our great association. As the years rolled out, we have experienced our different growth milestones, it did not seem clear what we will become at the beginning nevertheless our goals centred around three main pillars: Bondin, Structure and Give back.

Our bonding has been greatly accelerated through the adoption of technology platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. Our meetings and get-togethers have brought our families even closer. Our representation at one another’s functions also made this happen. Trust is fast building as we now see the ease of more of our mates willing to participate without any suspicious feeling of unwholesome use of accessibility.

The association has moved from a state of tabula rasa to a measure of structure over the years. From legal and official name registration to constitution, registration with national body, dues, bank account, meetings, get-togethers and many others are things that we have all worked tirelessly to achieve to give the association the structure it has today. The just concluded election is also an attestation to this structure being put in place.

In this period we have been able to coordinate our efforts at giving back to JOGS. One classroom was fitted with chairs and tables to facilitate learning in the school. Our little drops of dues, did good on that project, the national body and the school remain grateful for our effort.

During our time as executives three of beloved mates, Lekan Buraimoh, Alaba Olusanya and very recently Aderogba Hassan passed on to glory. Though they are no more among us, their memories remain in our hearts and may their souls rest in peace.

Together over the last six years we have been able to contribute funds not only our dues but also to the welfare of our mates. Our collective effort and response have gone a long way in providing solace/help to our members in precarious situations. There have been times when compassion have been needed and sometimes when principles have to be maintained for posterity sake. We’ve evolved with each challenge helping us put structures and principles in place for the future.

I am confident that this is just the beginning albeit a worthy beginning and greater things are ahead of us. The new executives selected by all of us are in no doubt able to steer this association to the next level of development and growth.

For record purposes see attached to the speech the names of the outgoing and incoming executives. We have put down a proposal to the incoming executives for the establishment of an Advisory council comprising of the outgoing executives which only act as its name reveals in an advisory capacity. This is to harness the benefit of history and lessons at the executive level. We have also proposed to establish a tenured regime for executives to take advantage of the blooming talents among us. In addition, I would like us to create a different type of democracy not like the conventional type where elections and campaigns breed factions and seeks to differentiate us more than unite us. The peculiarity of our association may not be able to withstand the evil of democracy. Our association is peculiar because the entry level is seemingly automatic and exit is not imaginable; our demographic is very stable hence it cannot be compared with the regular common interest groups around. I would therefore implore the incoming executives and all of us to brainstorm on the best way of governing ourselves especially leadership transitioning that would foster the unity we all desire. On a different note, the outgoing executives believes our bond is about ripe for a pilot-phase for venture investments. Many models exist that we can adopt and many talents are available among us that we can utilise in executing it justly and transparently.

At this point I want to express my sincere appreciation to every participating JOGSOBA’98 member who have been there all this while especially to the due-paying members and members who respond to special welfare calls. You have demonstrated your belief in the association and without your resources, we couldn’t have achieved much. I also express my profound gratitude to the project and welfare committee members who have sacrificed their time and convenience for the progress of the association. I thank you for your labour of love. Words would fail me to express how grateful I am to the indefatigable outgoing executives. I make bold to say that you gave your best even without being the first; you thread the path of significance even against prominence. You made presiding and association governance look so easy while you soak in the sweat of selfless deprivation of convenience. From the depth of my heart I say thank you and I commend your families for their understanding when duty calls.

As a fan of Winston Churchill’s biography, I would end this speech with three quotes from him. To my co-outgoing executives note that “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”. Our lives have no doubt being made by the tireless efforts we have given to this association. To the in-coming executives “Continuous effort – not strength, not intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential”. Don’t stop, keep moving. And to my fellow JOGS’98 mates, “We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us”, we shape our association and thereafter the association shape us. Let’s take care how we build together.

UP JOGS! UP JOGSOBA'98!!!

Out-going Pioneering JOGSOBA’98 Executives (2010 to 2016)

Joseph Olalekan Adenuga (President)

Olamide Ojoye (Vice President)

Niyi Ajanlekoko (General Secretary)

Olufemi Okuyelu (Social Secretary)

Remi Oladipo (Financial Secretary)

Goke Sokoya (Chief Whip)

Babafemi Ogunmade (Permanent Secretary/Admin)

Ayodele Olalekan (Admin II)

The Incoming JOGSOBA’98 Executives 2016

Olufemi Okuyelu (President)

Adekunle Adeboye (Vice President)

Owolabi Adewale (General Secretary)

Patrick Olufemi Dada (Social Secretary)

Babatomiwa Kuroju (Financial Secretary)

Goke Sokoya (Chief Whip)

Babafemi Ogunmade (Permanent Secretary/Admin)

Ayodele Olalekan (Admin II)