When Konga first rescheduled the highly anticipated seller summit tagged The New Marketplace: Tapping into the Ecosystem for a later date, eyebrows were raised (I was part of the Skeptics then). However, attending the event at the Eko Hotel and Suites on 17 October, 2015, eventually proved the programme was worth the wait.

Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman of Troyka Holdings Limited, UBER Nigeria country manager, Ebi Atawodi, MainOne founder, Funke Opeke, Adebola Williams of the RED Media Africa, Tomi Ogunlesi, group corporate brand manager at Interswitch, Cofounder of Jobberman, Awoyemi Opeyemi, Nike Ogunlesi of Ruff n Tumble, and an assortment of other business and technology experts were there to mentor participants. High-value experiential insights on how business owners can navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship and grow their businesses through the embrace of technology were shared and SME owners were advised on best business practices.

A peek into the some of the areas touched:

 

• Mentorship

Almost every panelist spoke on the importance of this to the success of any business. Even panels that were initially focused on funding, branding and business practices had a fair share of mentorship tips as panelists did not fail to bring to fore its importance. See quotes below…

“Mentorship is a support system that gives you quality information, a guidance, the kind that not only helps with quality networking but also funding”- Arese Ugwu

“Figure out what you don’t know and learn from those who know”- Eghosa Omoigui, Echo VC Cofounder

“Know what you want from a mentor and be articulate when pitching yourself to them”- Arese Ugwu

“Mentorship doesn’t have to be physical interactions. Identify people you want to follow and follow their content on the social media”- Sam Nwanze

“Seeking funds before mentorship is like putting the cart before the horse. You won’t go anywhere”- Sam Nwanze

“Mentorship is about give and take. Find a way to be useful to your mentors; that is the only way to gain from mentorship programmes”- Eghosa Omoigui

• On resilience

“Dream big. If you dream small, You have to continue to struggle to become big.” Biodun Shobanjo

“No business plan survives beyond the first contact with reality. It’s only resilience that keeps you going” Drink.ng CEO, Lanre Akinlagun

“Start small, start quickly, and learn on the way”- Awoyemi Opeyemi, Cofounder Jobberman

“Stay humble, stay focused, stay hungry”- Eghosa Omoigui

 

• Operational Excellence

“Provoke the audience, do things people do not expect you to do but do so in the confines of dignity and quality” – Adebola Williams

Do not fight a price war (compete to be the cheapest). Understand who you are and why you are in the game.” – Nike Ogunlesi, CEO Ruff n Tumble

“If you want to build a phenomenal business, you must shun the manage it mentality”- Nike Ogunlesi

You must ensure that the definition of successful service across your entire business is the same” – Ebi Atawodi

“Don’t be a joker with your business, operational excellence is the key driver to business growth.” Tutu Sanni, Managing director Courier Plus

“Accept customers’ feedback and act on it. That is the only way to turn brand terrorists into ambassadors” – Erica Ayenuro

“When you get quality service delivery right, your supply and request are bound to increase, it is what drives sales.” Ebi Atawodi, UBER Nigeria

 

• Customer service and growth

“Speak to the customers in the language they understand, no need for phonetics” – Erica Ayenuro

“Personalise your services to the status and orientation of your customers”- Erica Ayenuro

“Allow for moment of truths (reviews/feedbacks), be the fiercest truth seekers”- Erica Ayenuro

 

• Branding

“Branding starts from the product design level, it isn’t just advertisement” – Biodun Shobanjo

“Branding should be more about the customers and less about the business”- Biodun Shobanjo

“The experience your service leaves on the mind of customers is a vital part of your brand”- Gabriel Umoden

“Branding shouldn’t just be about sales, your business brands should add value and educate” – Remi Dada, Google Nigeria

“Tell you brand stories, storytelling is an exclusive branding weapon of big companies”- Biodun Shobanjo