Esther Fawole
Folorunsho Alakija is a Nigerian billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist. She is involved in the fashion, oil, real estate and printing industries.
Folorunsho Alakija is vice chair of Famfa Oil, a Nigerian oil exploration company with a stake in Agbami Oilfield, a prolific offshore asset.
She is a source of inspiration for many. She perpetually shares her experiences, successes and failures and how to maintain hope and happiness in life. And it has made her one of the most relatable and accessible business leaders of our time.
Make Sacrifices.
Here are seven advice for business success by Folorunsho Alakija:
Folorunsho Alakija has often emphasised the need to give something before getting what you want. She said, there is no success without sacrifice and this fact. “In anything that you desire to do, You must be ready to do the extra by making a sacrifice.
Utilise Your Time And Talent
You may have heard the advice to put your energy towards utilising your time and talent, and this is true. Time, talent, and treasure are all currencies we use to get things done. This framework helps us discover our gits and actively utilise them to our advantage.
You Must Have A Goal
To be successful, you have to take pressure away from rewards and focus on doing things that matter to you. Yes, it’s good to set goals. But don’t just settle if you fail! “You have to be focused and direct your mind towards achieving that goal”.
Credibility, Reliability, And Responsibility
To cultivate credibility and reliability as an individual, you must build trust, earn trust and get trust. If people like you, they will trust you, and if they trust you, they will do business with you. “If you’re running a business and you’re not credible or reliable, it’s impossible to be successful. You cannot just wake up and claim it; you just have to be it.”
Educate Yourself
“To be successful, you have to educate yourself. Even if you don’t have sponsors to pay for your education, still try to get a job and use the funds to get an Education. Once you complete your education, make sure to add some training skills to match your experience.” This is easier said than done, especially if you struggle with confidence. But give it a go at least once; you may be surprised by the result!
Say ‘NO’ To Naysayers
Folorunsho Alakija has tried to compress the most important lessons she’s learned in her life, and among the great advice is this gem: “Practice saying NO to people who say you can’t do something. You cannot become successful if you allow the noise of the world to drown you out.”
Nothing Is Impossible
Alakija often states some version of this quote in interviews, discussing how important it is to say YES’ more and take risks. “There’s no limit to what anyone can achieve in life. The sky is the limit if you set your heart out to do what you want to achieve. If people are going to the moon, who says it can’t be you next?”
