Royalgistsng

Saturday, 13 February 2016

Fighting corruption is not only enforcement issue – Foundation

Prof. Emmanuel Nnadozie, Executive Secretary, African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), says fighting corruption is not only about law enforcement, but also an issue of people’s mind set.
Nnadozie, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, said that Nigerian government must ensure proper engagement of the youths.
“I think it was the head of state that said if Nigeria did not destroy corruption, corruption will destroy Nigeria and i completely agree with that.
“No country can stand massive levels of corruption, otherwise it will completely destabilise the economy and it will be in ruins.
“Fighting corruption is not just an enforcement issue, it is a mind-set issue as well.
“We have to start educating young people so that they can think differently about corruption. so that they don’t believe that what they see is the way things should be done,’’ he said.
According to him, Nigeria should also fight corruption effectively, but with respect to the rule of law.
He said that maximum penalty must be given to anybody found guilty, irrespective of who he or she would be.
He called on government to ensure that positive change in mind set and societal values, stressing that issues of patriotism must be upheld.
Nnadozie said that for Nigeria to survive, it must pay attention to the issues unifying the country and issue of creating a nation where people must be patriotic.
“I have been to other African countries and if you see how proud they are about their countries, but you can never see that in Nigeria.
“I think Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world that when you introduce yourself as a Nigerian, its not enough for people, they have to ask you which tribe you come from, which ethnic group you come from.
“Believe it or not, it is Nigerians who are actually promoting this because they will not stop at telling you they are Nigerians, they will tell you am Hausa, igbo Yoruba and then they will start telling you good things about their tribe,’’ he said.
The expert said that some of these attachments to tribe and regions made some people to come into leadership at the federal level to loot money.
He called for the creation and strengthening of institutions that would either prevent corruption or would fight it.
These institutions, he said, included the National Assembly, law enforcement agencies, justice system, audit and procurement departments, auditor general, media and civil society organisations.
“There is need in strengthening all these and the need for strengthening capacity in these areas as well as institutional capacity so that they can play their role effectively,’’ he said.
The expert said his Foundation would honour any request by Federal government on building capacity of the staff of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
He said that the Foundation had written a book on corruption with Nigeria as a case study, adding that the book had identified major areas that needed to be addressed in fighting corruption in the country.
“It depends on what the government thinks, if there is any role that we can play in supporting the anti-corruption crusade, we will completely subscribe to it,” he said (NAN)

India’s Modi renews plea for manufacturing investment

By Unknown 16:14 No comments:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi renewed his call Saturday for firms to invest in India and turn it into a global manufacturing hub, painting the country as a bright spot for investment in an uncertain world economy.
The right-wing prime minister was addressing a gathering of industry leaders, CEOs and foreign dignitaries in the commercial capital Mumbai to mark the start of Make in India week, which runs until February 18.
The glitzy showcase is part of a drive to convince foreign firms to take advantage of cheap Indian labour and invest in factories in the country as rising wages make traditional hubs more expensive.
“This campaign has the capacity to boost India’s economy and also brighten the global scenario,” Modi said.
“This century is Asia’s century. My advice to you is to make India your centre if you want this century to be your century,” he said.
The Hindu nationalist leader faces a huge challenge in persuading foreign companies — many of which still eye India’s labyrinthine bureaucracy, complex regulations and poor infrastructure with suspicion — to invest in the country.
He is seeking to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into 25 key sectors, from traditional industries such as leather goods to high-skill areas such as defence manufacturing.
In the speech Saturday, he said FDI had increased 48 percent since his government took power in May 2014, with December recording the highest monthly inflows ever.
Earlier in the day Modi met with foreign leaders including Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipila and officials from Germany, Japan and Poland.
The chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, said in a speech he sought to turn Mumbai into an international financial services centre, describing his state as a national powerhouse of FDI.
Indian officials often lament their country missing the boat on manufacturing, while China’s drive to skill its vast, low-wage workforce to make goods for the West powered its economic boom.
India’s gross domestic product grew 7.3 percent in the third fiscal quarter, year-on year, according to statistics ministry data published Monday, retaining its place as the fastest-growing major economy in the world.

Charly Boy’s message to single ladies on Valentine day

By Unknown 16:08 No comments:

As the Valentine’s day is upon us, veteran celebrity, former TV show anchor and presenter, Charles Oputa popularly known as ‘Charly Boy, has sent out a message of encouragement to ‘single and worried’ ladies. In a carefully chosen set of inspiring words, the controversial celebrity took to his Facebook page to soothe the hearts of single and worried ladies who may not find a male partner to share the sentimental lovers day with. He wrote:
Charly Boy
“Few days to Valentine’s day and some lady out there is arrested in her thought. In her thought she has this running in her mind “ I don’t have a lover, I don’t think any man will want to buy me gifts or take me out on that day’. My special advice for you young lady “KNOCK IT OFF”!!!!!!! Don’t let that thought make you feel like a crap.
Valentine’s gifts and outings don’t validate how cute, sexy and appreciated you are lady. Take away that mind set from your beautiful soul because the worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself. No matter how you feel, GET UP, DRESS UP, SHOW UP AND NEVER GIVE UP.
I hope this speaks to any lady out there who feels like a loner, be your #WCW”. Well, even if he can’t meet all of them in person to present a Valentine’s gift, this message is gift enough, I’m sure you’ll agree with me.

Bayelsa Assembly in disarray over sacking of Speaker

By Unknown 15:43 No comments:

Simon Utebor, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State House of Assembly is at present enmeshed in a row over the ‘vacant’ seat of the Speaker, Kombowei Benson.
The development followed the second ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, affirming the annulment of Benson’s election victory and the re-run election for his Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 fixed for March 5.
The appellate court had on December 9 annulled the Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 seat poll that returned Benson as winner of the House of Assembly election in April 2015.
Since the judgment, there has been claim and counter-claim as to the authentic ruling of the court.
The candidate for the All Progressives Congress, Ebifaghe Orunimighe, who dragged Benson to the appellate court, said the Speaker’s victory had been nullified but the Speaker insisted that the Orunimighe’s suit was dismissed.
The Speaker was said said to have gone back to the court for stay of action but the appellate court in a ruling recently affirmed its first judgment that the election stood nullified and ordered a rerun for March 5.
It was learnt that the raging controversy in the Assembly was sparked off last week, following the outcome of a meeting between the Assembly members on the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party and the State Governor over the possible replacement for the Speaker.
It was learnt that though some members were identified as leading contenders to replace the sacked Speaker, the decision reached at the meeting with Governor that the status quo should be maintained was said to have thrown the House in a disarray.
It was further gathered that the implication of the decision at the meeting meant that the Speaker was allowed to sign the allocation for the Assembly even while preparing for a re-run election in the Constituency 4.
Some members of the State Assembly have described such arrangement as “odd”, saying that in the absence of a substantive speaker, a new Speaker expected to be elected should sign the necessary financial documents of the House.
They argued that if the 2016 Appropriation Bill was passed into law under the existing arrangement, the document might become null and void if challenged in a competent court of law.
Inside sources claimed that the decision of the Governor was seen as a reward to Benson for his loyalty and style of leadership in the House.
The decision was said to have created anger among members of the All Progressive Congress in the state.
It was gathered that while the APC Assembly candidate in the rescheduled election in the Constituency 4 election, Ebifaghe Orunimighe, was plotting to stop the Speaker from participating in the election.
Orunimighe said he had perfected steps to file contempt charges and perpetual injunction against the alleged refusal of Benson to honour Court of Appeal order.
Members of the APC in the state were said to be mounting pressure on the member of the House from Brass Constituency 2, Sunny Igoli, to write the Economic and Financial Crime Commission on the alleged criminal activities being perpetrated by the PDP and the Speaker.
An APC leader from Sagbama, Benah Orufagha, noted that the refusal of the House members to elect a substantive Speaker after it has been proved that Benson was sacked was wrong and unconstitutional.
“These PDP members should be recalled by their constituents. They have deliberately handed their independence to the executive and become its puppets.”

WHO cautions against linking Zika virus with rare nerve disorder

By Unknown 18:01 No comments:

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday urged caution about linking the Zika virus with a rare nerve disorder called Guillain-Barre which health officials in Colombia have blamed for three deaths.
“Yes, we have seen cases of death from Guillain-Barre syndrome, three have been reported. But I would urge caution” on linking it with Zika, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said.
Colombia last Friday said three people had died after contracting the Zika virus and developing Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which the immune system attacks the nervous system causing weakness and sometimes paralysis.
Cases of the syndrome have increased in tandem with the outbreak of the Zika virus sweeping Latin America.
“We must really be cautious and not mix the two too much,” Lindmeier said at a press briefing, as the link has not yet been proven by experts.
Colombia is the second country, after Brazil, that has been hardest hit by the Zika outbreak with more than 20,000 cases, including over 2,000 pregnant women.
The WHO has declared a global medical emergency to combat Zika and individual countries and regions are beginning to mobilize.
US President Barack Obama on Monday asked for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funds to tackle the fast-spreading Zika virus in the United States and beyond.
In Latin America Zika has been linked to a rapid rise in the number of children born with microcephaly — abnormally small heads and brains.
There is currently no cure or vaccine for the virus which, in most people, causes mild symptoms.
The virus has also raised concerns about the Summer Olympic Games in Brazil in August.
The WHO has advised to protect against mosquito bites but has not advised restrictions on travel to the afffected countries.

5 exercises in 10 minutes – try this glute workout from the comfort of your home

By Unknown 17:48 No comments:

By using simple items like resistance bands it’s possible to create a pretty serious home workout.
For this 10-minute routine we’re going to focus exclusively on the glutes.
It’s a pretty straightforward set of exercises but you should be feeling quite a burn by the finish.Lying flat on your back, wrap the bands around the soles of your feet and just pump each leg 30 times (pushing the soles of your feet to the ceiling), switching legs after 30 seconds. This is just to warm up.
2. Kickbacks – 2 minutes
Position yourself on all fours with your back straight and your hands and knees pressed into the floor.
Wrap the band around the base of your right foot again and hold either end in your hands.
Now, extend your right leg straight back until your knee is locked out and lift for three times in a controlled manner.
Do this for one minute and switch legs.
3. Diagonal kickbacks – 2 minutes
In the same starting position as before, extend your leg and instead of lifting up and down, move it upwards and outwards before returning to the straight-leg position.
Repeat for one minute and switch legs.
4. Single-leg hip thrusts – 30 seconds each leg
Place your shoulders on the edge of your bed and feet on the floor.
Keep a straight line through your hips and knees.
Now, raise one leg until it’s perpendicular with the floor (a 45-degree angle will suffice!) and really squeeze your glutes tightly.
Next, lower your hips slowly before bringing back up and as high as they’ll go.
5. Single-leg hip raises – 2 minutes
Lying with your back to the floor, hands to the side and knees flexed, extend your right leg and point it to the ceiling.
Now, clench your cheeks again and raise them up as high as they’ll go before returning to the floor.
Do 60 and switch legs.
That session WILL hurt!

Nigerian u-23 qualifies for Rio Olympics

By Unknown 03:08 No comments:

Nigeria’s Under-23 team have qualified for the football event of the 2016 Olympics in Brazil after beating hosts Senegal 1-0 in the semi-final of the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.

The goal from Oghenkaro Etebo from the penalty spot gave Nigeria the win over the Senegalese team at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium and booked them a place at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Nigeria will now play Algeria in the final match of the competition on Saturday while Senegal will battle South Africa in the third-place match for a chance at the third spot in Rio. Algeria beat South Africa in the second semi-final on Wednesday. The top three teams at the tournament will represent Africa at the Olympics.

Nigeria U-23 coach, Samson Siasia

The Nigeria U-23 team will return to the Olympics after they failed to qualify for the 2012 edition of the event in London. The Austin Eguavoen-led team fell out in the group stages of the 2011 U-23 AFCON with one of the losses coming from Senegal.

The Nigerian team put up a better performance on Wednesday against the hosts than they did in their first three matches at the tournament. They conceded second half goals in their 3-2 win over Mali and also their 2-2 draw with Egypt before playing a barren draw against Algeria.

Coach Samson Siasia made three changes in the team which drew against Algeria in their last group game. Godspower Aniefiok replaced the suspended captain Azubuike Okechukwu while Kufre Ebong replaced Taiwo Awoniyi and Tiongoli Tonbara started in the stead of Stanley Dimgba.

The change worked as the team defended better and fought for the ball after losing it. Senegal started the stronger side as they sought to score the early goal with Nigeria struggling to find their feet in the game. The closest Nigeria went to the Senegalese goal in the first half was in the third minute when stand-in captain Etebo’s free-kick was saved by Senegal’s goalkeeper Pape Seydou.

The Senegalese piled pressure on the Nigerian defence with goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel making four saves from the Senegalese attack led by Ibrahima Keita. Their efforts seemed to have paid off in the added time of the first half when Daniel fouled Keita and a spot kick was awarded. Keita failed to convert the penalty as he shot into the arms of Daniel.

The second half was an end-to-end affair as each side aimed to catch the other on the counter but Nigeria got the winner in the 77th minute after a confusion between goalkeeper Seydou and defender Ousseynou Thioune resulted in the player handling the ball in the penalty area. Thioune was sent off and Etebo converted the penalty to give Nigeria a place in the final.

An excited Siasia said, “I’m very happy to win against Senegal again after the Africa Cup of Nations in 1992 and achieving our objective, which was to qualify for the Olympics. I think the ‘gods of football’ were with my team today because Senegal created most of the chances but they failed to score.”

Nigerian u-23 qualifies for Rio Olympics

By Unknown 03:06 No comments:

Nigeria’s Under-23 team have qualified for the football event of the 2016 Olympics in Brazil after beating hosts Senegal 1-0 in the semi-final of the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.

The goal from Oghenkaro Etebo from the penalty spot gave Nigeria the win over the Senegalese team at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium and booked them a place at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Nigeria U-23 coach, Samson Siasia

Kudos as Media Perspectives launch Media Advertising Guide 2016

By Unknown 02:46 No comments:

In furtherance of its determination to ensure that the three major stakeholders in the marketing communications ecosystem; advertisers, agencies and media owners, obtain actionable data that would assist them produce successful Nigerian advertising campaigns that meet the needs of consumers, Media Perspectives Ltd, launched the maiden edition of a book titled, “Nigerian Media Advertising Guide 2016”.

Left Dr Tayo, Oyedeji, MD Media Perspectives, Mrs Iquo Ukoh, Guest Speaker, Mr Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman Troyka Group and Mr Jude Odia,Media Director, Strategy, Media Perspectives at the occasion. Pix Biodun Ogunleye.

The book presentation, held last Friday at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, witnessed an impressive turn out of eminent Nigerians in the advertising industry as well as the media.

“Nigerian Media Advertising Guide 2016”, published by the Media Perspective Research Team, is an annual guide that helps to uncover insights in addition to helping stakeholders in the marketing communications, to match content with context.

Chairman of the occasion who is also Chairman of Troyka Group, Mr Abiodun Shobanjo who expressed satisfaction with the authenticity of the publication, noted that “The whole thing about media facts is one that kept me thinking about Nigeria media, how sometimes, they may not necessarily get their facts right.

I was reading one of the professional journals one day that talked about media independence and I was surprised at the comments made about the very existence of how media independence started in Nigeria.

We all know how media independence came about. It was so unfortunate that no credit was given to Troyka Group because the fact is that what we now know as media independence in Nigeria was started by Troyka Group. So I have looked through these media facts compendium that Media Perspectives have put together, with this kind of research work, in fact, clients can only continue to get better values. I’m pleased and proud that Media Perspectives have been able to do this.”

Nestle Marketing Services Director, Mrs Iquo Ukoh who was the Keynote Speaker described the book as “An excellent opportunity for brand owners and media planners to get data such that the spend they are putting behind the media is well spent and we can really account for the amount of money we are spending on media at the end of the day.”

In her presentation titled, ‘Consumer Research and Marketing, Doing it Right in Nigeria’, Mrs Ukoh focused on areas of Marketing and return on investment, improving consumer insights and increased access to data prior to marketing spend. She emphasised on brands having deeper insights into the consumer so as to meet their needs. And to do this, she insisted that stakeholders should identify credible information resources, quality of information, cultural nuances, consider consumer literacy level, etc.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Media Perspectives, Dr Tayo Oyedeji noted that “We started this project with one goal in mind; providing research data to bridge the gap between strategy and implementation in the Nigerian media advertising industry. Consequently, we scoured multiple data sources and research studies to generate a truly unique report that would help marketing communications professionals make sense of one of the most complex markets in the world.”

Dr Oyedeji further explained the reason for the annual publication thus; “What we wanted to do was to put together research that will help all the industry stakeholders with other agencies and even media owners to make better decisions about the consumers. So this research will help everybody that works in the marketing communication industry and spend industry but also more importantly reach out to the consumer properly.”

The core message according to him is, “When you pick up the book and begin to read it, what happens is that you begin to understand the consumers a lot better and audiences. what happens is that your marketing communication becomes sharper and better and you can more effectively reach the people that will patronise your brand and your products in every form and shape.”, He said.

The event also featured a panel discussion comprising Dr Tayo Oyedeji, Feyi Olugbodu, Mr Jude Odia and Mrs Iquo Ukoh who fielded questions from the audience. They addressed issues bordering on how best to improve on media advertising and more importantly, understanding consumer behaviour.

‘Buhari needs support to fight corruption’

By Unknown 07:57 No comments:

A group, Civil Enlightenment Organisation of Nigeria, has called on Nigerians to support the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group said corruption was capable of derailing the country’s democracy, adding that the President alone cannot fight the war against graft.

The national coordinator of the group, Dr. Remi Aroyehun, said this in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos.

He said, “The fight against corruption is an investment in the future of a nation .If the government wins, the future is bright. If the war is lost, the future is bleak. This is the more reason why the war cannot be left for the government alone; the more reason why the war must be effectively managed and won at all possible cost.

‘‘When it comes to waging war against corruption in the banking and finance sector, there are a lot of reasons why the government may not win. Some of us in Non-Governmental Organisations are often sceptical about the possibility of victory for the government.”

Aroyehun said that the Federal Government needed to focus on value re-orientation in its war against corruption, money laundering and other financial crimes.

Improved medical training

By Unknown 07:40 No comments:

Some Mondays ago, I read an article, entitled, Dog eats dog in Lagos, by Dr. Biodun Ogungbo, the respected neurosurgeon in the Healthwise section of The PUNCH.

My appeal to the public and the authorities of the National Universities Commission is to allow any university offering first degree programme in Medicine to offer a postgraduate degree in Clinical Medicine. As of today, there are about 140 universities in Nigeria but only 20 offer first degrees and none offers PG in Clinical Medicine.

The only authority allowed is the West African Postgraduate Medical College with headquarters in Ghana. This year (2015) alone, only about 500 were graduated or awarded FWCS/FWACP for a population of 200 million. It takes seven to nine years to get it after six to seven for a first degree. Doctors are Nigerians with a lifespan of 47 years. Worldwide, it takes two to three years for a PG in Clinical Medicine and one to two years for Super Specialty.

APC N5,000 promise

By Unknown 07:36 No comments:

Immediately after the civil war in 1970, Gen. Yakubu Gowon purposed in his heart to introduce compulsory and free education for the estimated (then) six million primary school age children. By the time that registration ended, no fewer than 11 million children had been registered! The scheme had to be abandoned.

Now, the All Progressives Congress says that it wants to pay a monthly stipend of N5,000 to each of an estimated population of 25 million youths. Questions: 1. How did the party arrive at this figure in a country of nearly 200 million with unbridled population growth? 2. Where would the money come from? 3. What range would the party’s definition of youth be?

It’s human to err. Let the party think of a better and sustainable way to improve the lives of all Nigerians.

Making money online with zero capital

By Unknown 06:52 2 comments:

The labour market in the country is saturated with skilled graduates who are highly qualified and are ready to prove themselves. However, most corporate organisations prefer to reduce the size of their workforce to ease overhead costs and find other ways of increasing productivity.

In a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics, it was discovered that most job vacancies request and applicants with entry level experience between one and three years, mostly in the trade and services sector.

The 2015 online recruitment report states that more than 60 per cent of jobs require less than three years and the vacancies were for 21 out of 26 industries.

Despite these job opportunities, the number of unemployed people keeps rising as the tertiary institutions continue to churn out large number of graduates every year.

However, experts say that these young people with life aspirations and financial responsibilities can make use of the Internet to make money with little or no capital.

The Internet has also proved to be a worthy partner for small businesses and corporate organisations in improving work processes and executing business transactions speedily.

The Internet is useful in telecommuting

A travel and technology writer with Jovago.com, Nkem Ndem, says that even those who are in permanent employment after sometime, start complaining of poor salary.

She observes that most graduates who wish to be employers of labour and have acquired the needed skills are unable to start a business due to limited funds or the lack of it.

She adds, “Although the everyday ‘9am to 5pm’ is the standard employment expectation of Nigerians in cities all over the country, especially Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, the Internet has ensured that there are alternative ways that these potential workers can make more and earn a living.

“Aside from checking your emails, searching for information, skyping with friends and shopping, the Internet can help anyone make money in quick and uncomplicated ways; even without initial capital or professional skills.”

Ndem highlights three major ways by which people can make money online easily without the limitations of an office job.

Affiliate marketing

Nigeria is ranked high in the use of the Internet and as of July this year the Nigerian Communications Commission says that about 93 million Nigerians access the Internet using the country’s telecoms networks.

According to statistics from eMarketer, a digital market analytical platform, the country has 23.1 million smartphones users in 2015, a figure projected to increase to 34 million in 2018.

Ndem explains that apart from connecting with people using the social media, it can be used to link people with service providers in the country.

According to her, new and existing companies as well as their value propositions can be promoted and money earned in return.

She explains, “This sounds complicated, but it is actually much easier than most physical jobs. With the Internet came the social media, blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and more, and Nigerians, especially the working population have embraced it with wide arms.

“A majority of them are registered and have active presence on these platforms. While having fun, socialising, chatting and posting pictures are the norm on these platform, these users can actually utilise their presence towards making funds by promoting all sorts of companies, products, services and offers online.”

The travel expert says that interested people can join an affiliate network online, blog or browse the merchant listings, grab an affiliate link and share it.

She says, “If someone buys using the link they make a commission. The good thing is that a lot of online platforms for buying and selling have been popping up around the country and are currently in need of sales representatives.”

Online surveys

Ndems notes that Nigerian companies are beginning to conduct more market research to improve on their products and services and they prefer to use online surveys because most people find answering questionnaires and filling forms tedious.

She adds that these companies recruit people and offer them money to complete the surveys online.

“Because most people find answering questionnaires and filling forms tedious, these companies attached monetary incentives to motivate people towards filing the form,” she says.

“Research companies take it a step further by recruiting new members to answer surveys and test new products and for a few minutes of filling forms, the person can make a couple of cash or a reward. It is usually a slow and steady process but it is very convenient as you can work from anywhere and at any time, even from your toilet! Aside from local Nigerian companies, people in Nigeria can also try international and foreign organisations including MySurvey, Global Test Market and more,” she adds.

Competitions

Ndem says that there are competitions in which people can earn money by actively participating in them.

She says that there are some offers in which people are asked to like a post, share or tag other people in exchange for money.

However, she advises that caution must be taken when engaging in those activities because some may be fraudulent.

Ndem explains, “This is a tricky one as entering a competition generally does not guarantee a win and can sometimes be not just time-wasting but also exasperating.

“However, there is a growing community of competitors consistently making lots of money per time, through all sorts of competitions. These competitions vary, from simply liking a post or picture, to reposting and tagging or just filling a form. You however need to be careful, as some of these competitions might turn out to be fake.”

[Sponsored] With Microsoft Office 2016, collaboration is simpler

By Unknown 06:52 No comments:

Collaboration brings ease, but the process itself can be frustrating without method. Well it doesn’t have to be, with Microsoft’s new app, Office2016, change and ease have come.

Now available in Nigeria, Office 2016, the full suite of Office apps for the Windows desktop, have the latest apps addition to Office 365, Microsoft’s cloud-based subscription service, which helps people do their best work, together.

Now, with this latest addition from Microsoft, collaboration and teamwork is easier than ever before, enabling people to focus on progress rather than process, taking the work out of working together.

The new Office 2016 enables co-authoring in Word, PowerPoint and OneNote. What this means is that a user can see what others co-registered on the app are typing in real-time. It also features a Skype in-app available across the Office Online and rich client apps, which allow users to IM, screen share, talk or video chat right in their documents.

Perfect with Windows 10, Office 2016 provides built-in-intelligence to help users work faster and smarter.

Office 2016 Outlook, provides the smartest inbox yet, delivering lightning fast search, removing low priority mail automatically, and making sure everyone on the To: line has the right access with modern, cloud-based attachments.

While Delve uses the intelligence of the Office graph to bring together everything that is most relevant to users, Tell Me helps users to easily and quickly find the right Office feature or command, and Smart Lookup bring insights from the web right into the users documents.

Office 365 subscribers can also update to Office 2016 at no additional charge, while customers who are not subscribed to Office 365 are encouraged to do so to get their own Office 2016. By subscribing to Office 365, customers get the always-up-to-date, fully installed apps for use across all of their devices; combined with a continually evolving set of consumer and commercial services, such as OneDrive online storage, Skype for Business, Delve, Yammer and enterprise-grade security features.

You can also buy office 2016 as a one-time purchase to receive the updated version.

How to REALLY Profit From Your Blog

By Unknown 11:38 No comments:

Last week, a good friend of mine asked me out to lunch. He said he was dying to discuss a potential internet business idea and wanted my honest opinion. Naturally, I accepted.

I was excited, not only because we were having sushi, but because I love helping people, especially those who I can tell have that drive and passion to succeed. Many people ask me about what I do online, but only a handful actually ask me how to setup an LLC or use Google Optimizer to increase conversion rates.

At lunch, after some catching up and small chit-chat, I finally asked him, “So what’s this business idea of yours?”

Here’s the rest of our conversation:

Friend: I want to start a blog about X.

(X is “code” for his niche of interest)

Me: Sweet. Go on…

Friend: I want to start a blog about X because I’m already considered an expert at it. People come to me for advice all of the time, it’s something I’m totally passionate about, and I can see myself doing this full-time for years down the road.

Me: Nice. Those are all important things to consider when choosing to decide what niche you want to get into.

Friend: Right? So what do you think? Do you think it can work?

Me: So you want to start a blog?

Friend: Yeah. Why, what’s wrong with that?

Me: Nothing is wrong with starting a blog, but what’s the business? How will you make money?

Friend: Well, I thought the blog was the business. Don’t you have blogs that you make money from? I could advertise on it. Then maybe I could start other websites and make money from those too from advertising. How about that?

Me: You can make money from advertising – yes, but think about it. When you advertise, you’re the middle man. Would you rather be the middle man, or would you rather be the man?

Friend: [head nod]

Me: Okay then. So, my question to you is this: after you start this blog, how will you make money? How will this blog turn into a business?

Friend: Um…

Me: What comes next? What comes after the blog?

We actually ended up talking for a couple more hours, mostly about how one can use a blog as a launching pad for a business. I’m happy to share what we talked about with you.

TURNING A BLOG INTO A BUSINESS

If you’re at all familiar with how I got to this point in life, you know that when I started my exam prep blog, I had no intention of making money from it whatsoever. It was only after I got laid off that I eventually started to monetize it and mold it into a real internet business.

And even then, I started monetizing it by utilizing Google Adsense, which eventually led to selling advertising space on my blog. At this point, could you call my blog a business?

Maybe.

I was directly dealing with third-party companies to fill those advertising spots. I was, in fact, “conducting business” – but I wasn’t seeing the kind of income I really wanted (and needed) at the time. Not even close.

It was only after following the example of some of my favorite bloggers (likeDarren and Yaro), and some excellent advice from the Internet Business Mastery Academy that I knew I had to do something more than just blog to make some real profits. Soon after, I formed my LLC and leveraged the authority and trust I had earned on my blog to launch a profitable internet business.

It’s my belief that anyone with a blog, passion, and a good work ethic can do the same thing.

So, as my friend and I sat there eating our spicy tuna rolls, we discussed how we could possibly take his idea of “just a blog”, and turn it into some kind of profitable business. Here’s what we came up with:

WRITE AN EBOOK

This is the most logical step for many of us “just bloggers” out there. We already write on a blog, so it’s not all that difficult for us to write an eBook too.

In many cases, we can simply reformat what we’ve already written on the blog and turn that into an eBook. Even though our readers could get most of the same information for free, if you’ve established yourself an an authority, people will gladly pay you for a neatly organized and formatted eBook.

Here are some other examples of bloggers utilizing an eBook in their business repertoire:

If you’re interested in writing an eBook, please check out my comprehensivefree eBook guide.

Oh, and don’t forget about the audio guides and videos you could add to your product line.

WRITE A BOOK BOOK

Maybe you’re not an eBook kind of person, and that’s okay. Many bloggers use their blog as a stepping stone to get an actual printed book published.

This is something I would love to do someday. I would love to take my son into Barnes & Nobles or Borders, point to a book on the shelf and say, “Look son! I wrote this book.”

Someday.

Anyways, it takes a lot longer to build your reputation as a blogger to have the ability to write and publish an actual printed book (not including those who self-publish via sites like LuLu.com), but doing so can definitely skyrocket ones authority in a niche and income potential as well.

Here are some examples of bloggers who have gone to the next level and have published an actual printed book:

Ramit Sethi’s book I Will Teach You to Be Rich, fromIWillTeachYouToBeRich.com.
Darren Rowse’s book Problogger: Secrets For Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income, from ProBlogger.net
Leo Babauta’s book The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limited Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life, from ZenHabits.net
J.D. Roth’s book Your Money: The Missing Manual, fromGetRichSlowly.com (Feb. 18th)

All of these guys were at one point “just bloggers”, and now they’re authors (or in J.D.’s case, a soon to be author – congrats man!).

Why can’t we do the same?

START A MEMBERSHIP WEBSITE

A membership website is probably the most attractive business model for most bloggers who don’t want to be “just bloggers” anymore. Usually, these membership websites have either premium content or exclusive content that cannot be found on the blog and require a recurring payment to access. Here’s what really makes membership websites attractive:

Let’s say we set up our own membership website and charge a $20 monthly fee (which is relatively low, but a nice round number I can use to prove my point).

In the first month, we sell 50 memberships. That’s $1000.

In the second month, we sell another 50 memberships. That’s $1000, plusanother $1000 from the 50 members from the first month. That’s $2000 total in the second month.

In the third month, we sell 100 new memberships. Now we have 200 total members, which is $4000. And so on and so forth…

Obviously, people drop out and don’t stay members forever, but still – profits can add up quickly. Setup your membership site once, and just reap the benefits month after month.

Sweet.

Here are some examples of membership websites with premium content:

Will Hamilton’s Tennis Membership Site (post from Entrepreneurs-Journey.com)
Cici and Shaun from LearningIndonesian.com
Darren’s Problogger Community
Lynn Terry’s Self-Starters Weekly Tips

CREATE AND SELL COURSES

Somewhat related to membership websites, you can create a full line of courses to help teach whatever it is you want to teach. The difference between a membership site and selling courses, is that the courses don’t necessarily have to be something that is only accessible online. Think DVD packages and audio CDs.

Here’s a great example from a site that helps people learn how to play the guitar:

John’s Online Guitar Lessons at LearningGuitarNow.com

BECOME A CONSULTANT / START A SERVICE

Many bloggers use their leverage in the blogosphere to actually launch their own consulting or service businesses that are related to their niche. Think about the type of businesses that a successful graphic artist and blogger could create. Or how about a social media expert, or an interior designer?

Yes, these kinds of businesses aren’t as “passive” because they require your direct services (at first), but it’s definitely a viable way to start earning a profit as a result of who you become on your blog.

Here are some examples:

Maren Kate from Twitterpreneur.com (A Twitter PR Firm)
Sergio from SOSFactory.com (Mascot, Logo and Web Designer)

SELL SOMETHING YOU ACTUALLY MAKE

This wasn’t an option for my buddy, but it might be for a lot of other bloggers. Maybe you knit really awesome sweaters, or build record breaking remote control cars. There’s no reason why you wouldn’t be able to develop a following and begin to sell your creations online.

What about food? (Although – I’m sure there are some strict regulations for selling any kind of food online. Better check on that before you sell your Grandma’s cookies online.)

For you software developers and coders out there, maybe you’ve created some type of awesome software or program that does something we all wish we had the ability to do.

How about a WordPress theme?

SOMETHING INNOVATIVE THAT’S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE

When it comes to innovation and blogs, the first thing that comes to mind are Jason and Evan from iwearyourshirt.com. If you haven’t heard of them, they basically get paid to wear company t-shirts. That’s it.

Maybe you’d call it a flash in the pan, or a gimmick, but these guys are makingbank. They are pretty much sold out for the year 2010 already. (Today’s date, by the way, is January 20th, 2010…for all of you future readers out there.)

Here’s their “buy your spot” page, where you can see the few spots that are left, which are going between $516 to $538 a day.

Props to Jason and Evan for their success, seriously.

AFTER OUR LUNCH

At the end of our lunch, my buddy thanked me and said:

Friend: I have a lot of options.

Me: Yep! But keep that enthusiasm you have with your blog, because it can take you places.

Friend: I will. But what should I do after the blog. I mean, what’s my next step? An eBook, like you?

Me: Maybe, but I wouldn’t worry about that right now. If you go into building your blog knowing that you’re going to launch an eBook on such and such date, or start a membership website right away, you’re going to fail. Work on your blog, build it naturally with the primary purpose of helping people. If you do that, you’ll gain authority and by then you’ll know what you should do next. Keep everything we talked about in mind so you’re ready when that happens.

Friend: Cool, thanks Pat.

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Saturday, 13 February 2016

Tuesday, 9 February 2016

Thursday, 10 December 2015

Thursday, 12 November 2015

Saturday, 7 November 2015

TURNING A BLOG INTO A BUSINESS

WRITE AN EBOOK

WRITE A BOOK BOOK

START A MEMBERSHIP WEBSITE

CREATE AND SELL COURSES

BECOME A CONSULTANT / START A SERVICE

SELL SOMETHING YOU ACTUALLY MAKE

SOMETHING INNOVATIVE THAT’S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE

AFTER OUR LUNCH

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