Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #LagosSMEbootcamp
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When we started #LagosSMEbootcamp in 2018, we didn’t know we will come this far, we initially planned to just do something small for 40 SMEs, then ended up with 100. 4yrs & 6events later, we’ve supported 4,500 SMEs & a vibrant @LagoSMEbootCamp community. Season 4 is here. Thread 
Year on year, we’ve gotten bigger & better. The fulfillment comes from personalized feedback from members of our community. Limta from Ekiti that used our support funds to register his business, to TJL from Ibadan who said we helped her expand online. The testimonies are endless.
It brings me so much joy to see that our efforts put smiles on the faces of young people who start small businesses to support their tuition, or augment their mother’s income, or middle aged parents who depend on their SMEs to build their kids future. This is what #SDG 8 is about
Last Fri, @NipostNgn introduced the now halted guidelines, Twitter roared, but just 6 days after, moved on. But thank God for responsive leaders like @AkinAlabi, we’ve managed to keep it on radar. We’ve also written a petition to @nassnigeria (check thread for full petition).
Akin Alabi hosted dozens of logistics firms to his Office, & we discussed at length on strategic options for helping them see this through. He has promised to secure a meeting between the operators & the Postmaster General & also to present their case & our petition to the House.
Thanks also to @Omojuwa & @DrJoeAbah for supporting this. While we thank Hon Minister @DrIsaPantami for halting it,we appeal that he kindly works with the NASS for a holistic & sustainable resolution to the benefit of millions of MSMEs whose businesses have been impacted by this.
NIPOST has just declared war on SMEs in Nigeria, sadly on the eve of the #LagosSMEbootcamp. Logistics has become a flashpoint of trade during COVID, many SMEs relying on it for transactions, & many youths who lost income elsewhere investing. What is happening is a tragedy. Thread
NIPOST is one of those regulators in Nigeria that doubles as a player, ie also competing with Nigerians who struggle to make the system better. An inefficient regulator stifling the growth of the sector to Favour its inefficiencies. I have two friends in entertainment, a DJ & MC.
Their business halted. Both have invested in logistics. The volumes of delivery transactions shot up as retail moved online & transactions moved from physical to virtual. Logistics became the biggest enabler to tech for trade. The largest part being SMEs. NIPOST wants to kill it.
Last night, a senior in one of the former industries I once worked saw this #LagosSMEbootCamp flyer & buzzed me with some snide remarks to know what I do now & "How do you make money from a free online seminar??"Sadly, my ethics can't let me share the chat that followed. Thread.
The convo reminds me of when we started in 2018, had heated debates with some of my friends who could not understand why I should invest my own money running free events when I had a sellable brand & can make money from charging SMEs some fees for the bootcamp.
I spent almost everyday in one form of explanation or argument or the other as to why it should be free. I kept explaining the vision. Many felt it was silly. I still do the explaining till today. 3years after, I am glad we are seeing the results of some of our objectives.
Many SMEs mix up strategic positioning with operational effectiveness. They think once they are effective with operations, then they're strategically positioned. Not true. While one can make you become the SAME as your competitors, the other makes you DIFFERENT from them. Thread.
First, what is Strategy? I know many business books and MBA texts give very fancy and complex definitions to strategy, but as I always do, I'll keep it simple. SMEs don't need complex stuff. Strategy, in simple terms, is how you can drive your business from point A to point B.
What it means is that you have to first identify and articulate what you want to achieve with your business, i.e. your vision (point B). Point A is where you are today. Every intentional or calculated plan that takes you there is your Strategy. Bear in mind it shouldn't be RIGID.
