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Tag: Damilola Ojo

  • Five useful tips for introverted entrepreneurs

    Five useful tips for introverted entrepreneurs

    Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett and many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs either are or have admitted that they are,to a large extent, introverts. It is possible for introverts to become great entrepreneurs. Jumia Travel [1], the leading online travel agency,shares five  useful tips for introverted entrepreneurs.

    HAVE A RECHARGE TIME
    Introverts need time to themselves, time away from social interactions and activities, if not they will eventually run out of energy, lose their composure and stop being productive. Many introverts understand this aspect of their personality, and to become a successful entrepreneur it’s important they find time away from it all to be by themselves (or around those they are comfortable with) and just recharge. This can be as simple as taking a 10 to 15 minutes break to yourself during the day, or taking a long weekend to yourself in the long term.

    INTENTIONALLY BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
    Building relationships isn’t very easy for introverts. It’s easier for them to be the object of relationship building as opposed to them actually being the ones to initiate the process. Unfortunately, you cannot be a successful entrepreneur if you are unable to build good relationships. In this case, your passion for entrepreneurship will have to win and take precedence over your discomfort with building relationships. Being intentional with building relationships (that is, not being emotional about the whole thing) and making yourself reach out to those around you is an easier way to build necessary relationships.

    USE YOUR STRENGTHS WELL
    Social interactions might be the one major weakness of introverts, but they also have great strengths that are vital to entrepreneurial success. Introverts have great listening skills. In a world where most people speak before they think, introverts naturally do the opposite and listen first before they speak. It is thus easier for them to get needed information to make smart decisions and enhance everything about their business, from sales to marketing. The listening skill is a very valuable tool for successful entrepreneurs.

    LEARN TO LIVE OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
    To be a successful introverted entrepreneur, you’ll ultimately learn how to live outside of your comfort zone. This is because virtually every day you will encounter situations and scenarios that will take you out of your comfort zone. But if you’re really passionate about entrepreneurship, you’ll have to make that conscious decision daily to let passion win over comfort.

    DELEGATE OR OUTSOURCE TASKS YOU CAN’T HANDLE
    In the end, you’re an entrepreneur not a dare devil. You can’t keep living out of your comfort zone, which is why you need time to recharge in the first place. However, you have to be wise and be able to determine the tasks that are just not necessary for you to handle and outsource or delegate these tasks to an individual or group that can handle it better. Have some extroverts around that can handle certain  of your business easier than you would, while you can take on the more crucial aspects. You’re an entrepreneur, not a one-man army, and like Bill Gates admitted, a business can’t be managed and operate by an entire group of introverts, some extroverted influence is involved.

     

     

     

  • Four things nobody tells you about blogging

    Four things nobody tells you about blogging

    A lot of people don’t recognize and hardly understand the intricacies of blogging. Some go as far as dismissing it as some kind of hobby, rather than recognizing it as the business it is. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 4 things nobody tells you about blogging.

    Blogging is Not Some Get Rich Quick Scheme

    It’s nice to hear about blogs that charge thousands and hundreds of thousands for publicity or adverts of any kind. But what most people don’t get is that blogging is hard and it takes a lot of time and patience to be read widely enough to get noticed by firms, corporations and companies for publicity and advertisements. Most of the widely read blogs today took months, even years of consistent and tireless effort to get to where they are today and have the kind of recognition they have. Blogging is hardly a get rich quick scheme.

    Blogging is Not That Easy

    There is a general belief that running a blog is what you do when you either don’t have a job or don’t have anything better to do. Many believe it’s easy and requires little or no effort. That’s inaccurate. Aside having to constantly come up with interesting and engaging content for your blog (almost every hour of the day if yours is a news blog), you also have to consider the mails, questions and comments that you  always have to attend to, to help drive engagement on your blog. Eventually, as your blog grows, you’ll realize it’s hardly something you can do on your own.

    A Blogger is Not Only a Blogger

    As a blogger, especially when starting out, in order to grow your readership you are going to feel the need to be a web designer (trying to find the right web layout that will be attractive and user friendly), a social media strategist (ensuring you use social media to get as much publicity for your blog as you can), an SEO specialist, a web marketing guru and an amateur photographer all at the same time! It’s a lot. You might not exactly be a professional in all the above mentioned areas, but you have to be able to handle them well enough not to suck at it and to help grow your blog’s readership.

    The Business Side

    Many people tend to underestimate or don’t understand the business side of blogging. They either start demanding for money too soon or are completely clueless about how sponsored content works around the policies of the corresponding firms, corporations and companies. A good number of people don’t realize that some brands or companies have payment terms of ninety days; meaning even after doing publicity for them, you might not get your payment until after three months. Some brands also have you working on sponsored content and you will have to send them draft upon draft till they like what they see. Since you’ve likely already signed a contract with them, you really don’t have much of choice. It is important to recognize the business side of blogging and try to understand it before going into it.

     

  • Four ways to travel smartly in Nigeria

    Four ways to travel smartly in Nigeria

    Travelling doesn’t have to be such an expensive and somewhat inconvenient endeavor. It doesn’t have to be an endeavor that’s hard on your finances and lifestyle.  There are ways to make the most of your travelling experience and reduce its pressure on your finances and lifestyle. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 4 ways to travel smartly in Nigeria.

    Choose Your Means of Transport Wisely

    Constantly check for the fares of different legitimate airlines and transport companies; check for their specific discount periods and discount schemes that will be of benefit to you in budgeting and planning for your travel with your decided mode of transportation. This can help maximize your travel experience. Registering on travel and hotel booking portals like Jumia Travel can help with this. You can take advantage of special travel smart deals to save yourself some more money.

    Organize Your Travel Documents Well

    Ensure all your travel documents are in place and are easily accessible, so you don’t have to waste time trying to find them at crucial times. This sort of oversight can end up either delaying your journey or making it entirely impossible. Besides, you’ll save yourself the stress of having to deal with officials that might get hostile or even embarrassing when this happens.

    Pack Lightly

    This can help you avoid excess luggage charges and save you from spending extra money on your travel. Just pack necessary items that can make your travel more convenient and leave behind the rest. Packing with purpose can go a long way in helping you achieve this. Pack with your location in mind and avoid packing things that aren’t versatile.

    Plan Your Trips

    Regardless of it’s a business trip or vacation, you should always endeavor to plan for your travel. From budgeting your travel expenses before and during the trip to the exact kind of hotel or accommodation you intend to stay in, and the means of transport you intent to use at your travel destination. If it’s an Uber you intend to use, plan for it; if taking the bus will be cheaper, plan for it. Plan every little detail of your trip to the best of your ability. Yes things happen, and you might ultimately not be able to execute your entire plan but it will at least keep you relatively in control of your travel experience and help you reduce and very possibly avoid excess and unexpected costs.

     

  • Six things you’ll learn after driving an Audi for a week

    Six things you’ll learn after driving an Audi for a week

    An Audi is a fashionable and beautiful German car with one of the biggest and most varied model line-ups of any car brand, with almost anything you can ask for or dream of in car. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 things you’ll learn after driving an Audi for a week.

    It’s Attractive (but not outrageously so)

    Especially for those who want to be classy without being too ostentatious, an Audi is one of the best choices. An Audi has a relatively modest outlook and conservative design that has over time garnered a broad appeal. It has what can best be described as an appealing ‘style-by-stealth’ approach to its design that is certainly working for consumers.

    It’s Like Sitting in Your Living Room

    Audi has, over the years, acquired a reputation for designing some of the best car interiors in the world. The interior is always well laid out with intuitive controls, and is filled with the best materials that have a functional and user-friendly design to maximize comfort. With the amount of time we spend in cars (especially because of the heavy traffic in the country), riding in an Audi prepares you for a comfortable experience indeed.

    Cutting Edge Technology

    Audi is one of the car brands that is always at the cutting edge of in-car technology, with an MMI infotainment system that’s among the best available. Its tech is also easy to understand and use, and it’s packed full of interesting features to explore.

    Variety

    This car brand boasts of one of the biggest and most varied model line-ups of any car brand, with virtually everything from any type of consumer. It’s a car brand that has built a car for almost any type of consumer. From supermini cars to SUVs to supercars, there’s something for everyone. Just decide on which of their line-ups you prefer, and after driving it for a week, you’ll very likely find it’ll suit you just right.

    Brilliant Engine

    Audi cars generally have a strong engine and transmission, that’s not too noisy with a very good throttle response. The car is able to tune out a significant amount of mechanical ‘music’ and has a great (even addictive) acceleration. However, be sure to stay within legal speed limits because careless speeding kills and can really wreck your sweet ride.

    You’ll Fall in Love

    If you’re not already in love with Audi cars, you’ll definitely fall head over heels for it after driving it for a week. Aside its strong body-shell that gives impressive protection from the occasional careless driver that collides with your car, the car is classy and elegant enough to draw quite a number of admirable looks (and/or stares) here and there. It’s also what can be called a solid car and you’re very likely to enjoy driving it, as long as you drive it responsibly, take care of it well and have a good mechanic to service and maintain it for you.

     

  • Five social media mistakes most likely to cost you a job

    Five social media mistakes most likely to cost you a job

    Your social media posts might win over friends and get you few hundred or thousand likes, shares or retweets, however they can also cost you a job. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 social media mistakes most likely to cost you a job.

    You Complain About Work

    When hiring managers sometimes browse through social media profiles of candidates, imagine what their impression of you will be when they see ‘job complaint posts’ on your wall. They are very likely going to be turned off and conclude that you are a potential danger to their brand (mainly because there is nothing to stop you from bad mouthing their firm too). The question then would be, ‘Would I want to hire a person that can be a potential danger to the brand of my firm?’ and the answer to that question is quite clear.

    You’re Vulgar or Offensive

    If you (with a personal account that you can be identified with) are offensive or vulgar enough on social media to warrant mentions or retweets, it’s out there for everyone to see and it’s especially visible to headhunters or hiring managers. For hiring managers or headhunters, it speaks volumes about your maturity and professionalism level (or lack thereof). God help you if the firm you applied to is in anyway affiliated to anyone or any organization you have insulted on social media (Sergi Guardiola comes to mind here).

    Sharing Your Latest Job Offer

    Some job offers are sometimes confidential and unintended to be shared in a space as public as social media. As a result, some firms react negatively to this, may see you as having broken confidentiality and may revoke their job offer. In the event, you can share the good news about the job offer with everyone and anyone, be sure you don’t say anything negative about it which can be seen by an employee or anyone affiliated with the firm or company.

    Mocking or Complaining About Your Customers

    Especially if you are working in the service industry, this is another social media activity to avoid. Like complaining about your boss or work, mocking or complaining about customers can also have equally negative effects. Complaining about your customers shows your company in a bad light, and if any of your customers see this complaint, they are most likely to report to your employer who is very likely to not tolerate such behavior from an employee.

    Contradictory Posts

    A candidate once narrated a heart-wrenching story of how she had to quit her previous job because she was injured in a car accident and was unable to return from a leave of absence. The hiring manager then decided to look through her social media profile and found pictures of her lounging and waterskiing on vacation around the same period. That was all that was needed to knock her out of the running for the position. Be careful with social media.

     

  • Four health signs you must never ignore

    Four health signs you must never ignore

    Our health is something we must take utmost care of, unfortunately, many times this isn’t always the case. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 4 health signs from your body that you must never ignore.

    Pain After Exercise

    If you are someone who exercises (everyone should exercise by the way) and you realize that you feel significant pain after exercising, not just muscle soreness but long-term pain and swelling, you should never ignore this. This pain might indicate temporary muscle or bone damage that can become permanent. If you have constant pains after exercise, try cutting down your workouts, and be sure to apply ice to the painful area. If the pain persists, go see a physician.

    Severe Head Pain

    This doesn’t refer to normal headaches or migraines, but that ‘worst pain ever’ kind of headache with constant peaks within seconds or minutes. The headache becomes so intense that it not only affects your vision, but your mental functions. This isn’t a sign you should ever ignore. It’s advisable to go see a doctor for a checkup.

    Losing Weight Without Trying

    For most people, this is considered a blessing they embrace and even celebrate, but it is important to be careful when you notice this. Rapid or constant weight loss when you have done absolutely nothing and changed nothing in your diet, lifestyle, activity or exercise, can be indicative of an underlying health condition. You are better off not ignoring this and going for a medical checkup.

    Always Very Thirsty

    This could be normal for most people, but if you find out that you don’t usually feel very thirsty and all of a sudden it’s like you have to consume tankers of water to quench your frequent thirsts, it’s another sign you should pay attention to. Particularly if the frequent thirst is accompanied by any swelling or rapid weight gain or if it’s accompanied by nausea or fatigue, you should ensure you don’t ignore this sign and go for a checkup.

     

  • Six ways to respond to anger

    Six ways to respond to anger

    We live in increasingly stressful times with people flaring up over little and trivial things. At this point, it’s fair to say that the knowledge of how to handle anger or angry responses is essential. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 ways to respond to anger.

    Listen

    When a person is angry all they really want is to vent their feelings out to someone, howbeit violently. Unfortunately, this zeal to vent falls on those who are at closest proximity to them. One great thing to do is to simply listen to the person express their anger until they calm down or wear themselves out. Simply hear them out.

    Do Not Analyse

    Avoid analyzing all you have listened to and avoid responding at the moment. Don’t worry yourself about if you agree or disagree with all that’s being said. Anger is a largely irrational emotion, therefore your thoughts and feelings about the situation are best kept to yourself when one is angry, especially if you’re the subject of their anger or you’re personally involved.

    Avoid Apologizing

    You would think apologizing will calm an angry person down but most times it isn’t so. Many times, apologizing aggravates the person’s anger. Most times, a person is angry because they are not able to get their way with you or with a situation. The key to calming an angry person is to either remain quiet (which can be taken for compliance) or gently acknowledging the person’s anger and assuring the person of your compliance.

    Try to Reason with the Person

    Later on, when the person is calmer you can address irrational aspect of their outburst and try to reason with them. They are more likely to listen, if they haven’t already realized their own irrationality. If they don’t reason with you and you’re not ready to actually comply, you can opt out of or distance yourself from the situation or person. You can also be patient and give the person time to prove themselves right or wrong.

    Try To Relate

    It’s okay to question yourself a little. It’s the healthy and humble thing to do. Question your fault in the situation; try to see things from another perspective to confirm the certainty of your views. Be sure you’re on the right track, if you are, then you can either decide to opt out or if you can afford it, give the person time to prove themselves right or wrong. Also, try to relate with the person and understand where the person is coming from. This can help you solve the problem or misunderstanding easily.

    Protect Yourself

    Keep a safe distance from someone who is angry. It’s a well-known fact that people tend to get physical, threatening and abusive when angry. This is mainly because anger is a largely violent and dangerous emotion. You need to trust your instincts and properly assess the situation. If at any point, you feel threatened or in danger, leave the area immediately without hesitation and without saying anything else to the person (run if you have to, you’re not being coward, you’re being smart.)

  • Five mistakes you’re making while charging your phone

    Five mistakes you’re making while charging your phone

    Many phone users tend to complain that their device’s batteries discharge quickly. They also typically blame the product manufacturer for this issue; however the manufacturer isn’t always at fault. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 5 mistakes that users typically make when charging their phones.

    Waiting for the Battery to Reach Low Levels Before Charging

    Avoid waiting for your battery to reach a critically low level before charging. The effect of this on your phone battery is not immediate, but over time it begins to manifest and it eventually stresses out your phone battery (yes, batteries get stressed too) and shortens the battery life. Think of your battery as a human body, you really don’t need to wait until you’re about to die before you rest and eat to recharge yourself.

    Keeping Your Phone Case on While Charging

    Your phone typically emits heat when charging. To avoid exposing your device to ambient temperatures, it’s advisable to remove the phone case while charging your phone so that the heat emitted from your phone while charging can escape. This way you can prevent your device from becoming hotter and potentially overheating when charging. Charging your battery at uncomfortable temperatures can permanently damage battery capacity.

    Charging Your Phone in the Wrong Places

    You should mind where you charge your phone, because not doing so can negatively affect your battery capacity. Phones have a temperature range they can function normally and charging your phone in a hot area can raise the temperature and stress the battery out. Also, charging your phone in especially low temperature areas, like in front of an air conditioner, can also cause problems for your battery that will eventually affect its optimum performance.

    Charging Your Phone Overnight

    The least you’ll sleep throughout the night is most likely going to be between 5 to 8 hours, your smartphone battery typically only needs 2 to 3 hours to fully charge. Charging your phone overnight, constantly stresses your phone battery each night. Sooner than later, your phone is likely to have battery problems. In addition, the temperature rises when the battery is overcharged, so apart from shortening battery life, it can also threaten user’s safety in the event it quickly heats up and explodes. It’s better to charge your phone before you sleep and switch it off while sleeping to preserve the battery till the next day.

    Plugging Whatever Charger Fits

    This especially applies to smartphones. Most smartphones use a micro USB for its chargers and for this reasons most people tend to switch and swap chargers since it fits into and works on their phones. However, this is not appropriate and in the long run it can negatively affect your phone battery. The fact that most smartphones have the same micro USB doesn’t mean all chargers and phones are compatible. Some chargers function differently and that difference can be detrimental to your device if care is not taken.

  • Six amazing benefits of going for walks

    Six amazing benefits of going for walks

    Sometimes all you need to get fitter, healthier and happier with your weight and health is to go for walks. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares six amazing benefits of going for walks:
    It reverses damage from prolonged sitting
    The body was made to move, that’s why the body has so many joints. If you go from sitting all day at your work-station to sitting on a couch at home, a short walk can offer you a lot of health benefits. Muscle activity and blood flow from as little as three to five minute walks a day can reverse the negative effects of prolonged sitting on your leg arteries. Try to take short strolls as often as possible even while at work.
    It lowers stress
    Going for walks helps to lower stress when done in open natural spaces, particularly in people who have dealt with an emotionally traumatic event. The brain enters a sort of meditative state when you walk through these ‘green’ spaces and this helps to relieve stress.
    It energizes you
    If you regularly experience fatigue, this can be one of the ways to help rejuvenate your body. A low intensity exercise like walking can help to increase your energy level and decrease fatigue, and it is unlikely to make you exert yourself beyond what your body can handle.
    It helps you at work
    Researchers have found that people who walk more at work are less bored, less stressed and more satisfied than those who stand or sit all day at their work station.
    It improves creativity
    Walking has been found to increase creativity levels during the walk and shortly after. Walking produces twice as many creative responses as when you are sitting. Whether you go for a walk outside or inside your house or workplace, you’ll get the benefits.

    It modestly reduces body fat
    Walking, especially light walking, might not exactly get your whole body ripped and toned, but it does helps you lose some fat here and there, and can help to maintain your body weight. Walking can also help to tone your legs, bum and tummy if done often enough and if done briskly.