A Legend's Business Secret

I am not related to him though we share the same surname neither have we ever seen or met eye ball to eye ball. He may be dark complexioned or light, tall or short, fat or thin, I only see his pictures but have not met him in person to confirm. But there is one of the managers of this legendary entrepreneur of our time I relate with as a son relates to his father who knows this business and finance legend and shares some of his both business, finance even personal secrets with me anytime we are together. The personal, I would rather keep, because that is his privacy but the business and finance, I will publicly share.

And that will be just one out of many of his business secrets I will share publicly. Yes a business secret of this ageless business and finance legend and icon, Dr Lawrence Omole, a renown and wealthy entrepreneur, I will dare to share publicly. Just one only. The very one that made him a business and finance legend and collosus of his time. According to this former manager of his, Dr Omole always give something a try. Lawrence slogan has always been "let us try it and see how it goes" It could be an idea, that a friend all the way from Ijebuland - the motor tyre icon, Chief Jimoh Odutola brought, or a staff about a new prospect, his reply has always been "lets give it a try and see how it works out"

Knowing that what it is going to be involved is sinking lots of money, he will say "let us try it" And at the end of the day most of them has always worked out. Even ending him up smiling to the bank with the proceeds. Of course the International Breweries, Ilesa that is still churning out good brand after brands into Nigeria market, long after other bigger ones have washed their nets, parked their boats and headed home, is a testimony of this icon's secret of success -"let us try it and see if it works" Or else how can one think of locating a brewery - a heavy capital intensive project at that - in a town that is not even a state capital. "Lets try it and see" Is the answer. As it turns out later, Ilesa may not be a state capital but it is a centre of trade and commerce and of course of entertainment and parties especially on weekends. More of an annex of Lagos when it comes to that.

Someone said the reason why it seems impossible is because you have not tried it, I agree with him. Yes, is there any harm in trial? I am not surprised the man made it in life as a successful businessman and ended up stupendously wealthy. He was said to have jokingly told this same manager that, if he is given 100 million naira and a professor is given the same amount, while the professor is still busy with "feasibility studies" he would have turned his own 100 million Naira into 150 million in a matter of 6 months! Because it is a matter "lets try it on this and see" So while the professor takes cover under the bunker of "feasibility studies" Lawrence Omole plunges headlong into a venture or investment and multiplies the 100 million naira he has been given, just like the man given 5 talents the Bible. Meanwhile the one given one talent did a feasibility study even of the Master who gave him the talent then concluded hiding the talent is the best bet. Which is not anyway. But the ones with 2 and 5 talents "gave it a try" and doubled what they were given by the Great Master. Now before you blame everything on the economic recession, what have you tried? Have you tried anything at all? And if you have tried but faced challenges have you tried again? Or are you just taking cover under the guise of excuses, both tenable and not tenable, all in the name of playing safe? How many opportunities have passed many by, all because they contained some element of risk and challenge?

Of course a ship is safer berthed in the harbour. But that is not what a ship is designed for. A ship is designed to sail on high seas and weather storms. Time move the ship out of harbour and set sail. Time to give it a try. Growing Abuja's economy through the orgamised private sector may not work nor materialise by playing safe. Time to launch out into the high seas of entrepreneurship. Welcome on board.