I’ve moved around a lot in my life, whether in my home area, school area, business, church, or even workplace—all of these movements have happened around the perimeters of Lagos, Nigeria, and across the globe. In the course of my moving about, I have evidently made a few friends, built some relationships and had a few friends.
What’s more? You make these connections, and you meet these people at a certain point in your life where you are probably hyperfocused on one thing, and the next time your paths cross, you have moved on to something else—then, it feels like life is moving too fast.
On the flipside, people rarely ever know or care to ask why you moved on, so you just imagine in your head that they think of you, or your previous endeavours as a failure.
I say this, mostly referring to business ventures I have started in the past; I like to think of myself as an entrepreneur, and even though I probably am (fully) not by general standards, it makes sense that I call myself things that I am not, as though I were them—at least in this regard (bear with me).
I’m an entrepreneur because I love to build solutions to problems I and the people around me encounter, but I have yet to uncover how I can earn from these solutions fully. In fact, I call myself a chronic builder, but I’m realizing now that even more than I am a builder, I need to be a chronic marketer.
If I’m being honest with myself, and I am, I have always known this, but I’ve never really known how. And even now, I still don’t know how, but I’ve started marketing more. I’m dedicating days to marketing, sales and outreach.
Imagine you had a whole day to work, but the work is something you are not used to. However, you know if you don’t get to work, the whole day will be wasted. What do you do? You figure stuff out one way or the other, right?
That’s what’s currently happening with me, and in this journey, you realize that you don’t become an impressive solo founder by being quiet; you have to make a lot of noise. Just like Blind Bartimaues, no one is coming to save you until you shout for help, while you hope that your efforts are worthwhile.
Anyway, I have now lost all of my shame, so please say a prayer for me, not that I regain it, but that I’m comfortable with my newfound status.