The Nanosecond Networlders

I recently had the honour of reviewing The Nanosecond Networlders: Changing Lives in An Instant Forever - A Modern Business Fairytale by Melissa Giovagnoli and R. David Stover. 

Below is my review:

Revealing! Captivating! Compelling!

It uncovers the source of opportunity and explains how to unlock it every single day.

The Nanosecond Networlders: Changing lives in an instant… forever identifies and contends that values-driven networking is the intersection between (internal) intentions and (external) collaboration. The authors establish that the principle of Networlding remains an efficacious key to building synergies and making the most of our formal and informal networks. 

By moving a step beyond Tipping point and 8th Habit, and standing in sharp contrast to conventional networking techniques: Networlding is the 21st century ‘technology’ of turning adversarial situations into real opportunity regardless of cultures, personality types, work environments and enterprise visions.

When searching for an entrepreneurial opportunity, the wisdom of The Nanosecond Networlders is to subordinate this pursuit to cultivating relationships that align with ones core values, resultantly a mutually beneficial opportunity would evolve via collaborative effort. 

Nanosecond Networlders see the formidable adversaries around them not as a test of their human competencies nor the resilience fighting spirit, rather as a compass to reach within and draw from an ever increasing strength of values to overcome. In the very midst of a clogging darkness they shine, because they know how to; they have found the learnable knack of deciphering the overpowering force of shared-values, and leverage these values toward collaboration in every relationship. 

For a start up entrepreneur pitching to investors, a team leader demanding group alignment, single parent frustrated by her teenager’s unyieldingness; regardless of who or where we are, this book shows us how to turnaround the lingering drawback from realising our intended goals and getting the unreserved buy-ins we’ve always longed for.

The Nanosecond Networlders unpacks how to create your opportunity, and ignite the hidden genius dimensions both within and around us!

You can learn more about the book on this website

 

Geography is a big deal!

 
31st December, 2006 my entire family and a network of intercessors were in a fierce prayer: battling to save the life of my sister and her about to borne baby in a caesarean operation. She was already cut opened when power was abruptly interrupted. In desperation, the hospital staff that tried to put on the generator ruined the ignition, sadly again the backup generator had no fuel. We couldn’t find a hosepipe to get out fuel from the other generator or the cars around. All through this fiasco she was under sedatives, stuck between heaven and earth while we kept battling her life and the baby within. Sorry I didn’t tell you where this was – Lagos Nigeria! 

Stories like these are classic in my geography, our maternal mortality rate is unbeatable in the world. Thank God, our prayers prevailed but had we lost them both to the epileptic power situation in the country or the inefficiencies of the hospital staff, someone surely will recite the cliché - “God gives and he takes, who can question him?”  

Last Sunday I listened to my pastor preached that “geography has nothing to do with fulfilling destiny”, and was of this view until now. It is not I have acquiesced to the barriers associated with my geography but the lately realization that my exception doesn’t change the reality. Geography unquestionably plays a big role!  

I certainly agree with him and Andrew Carnegie that “no individual or race is improved by arms-giving”, but agree more that “the best means of benefiting the community (a geography) is to put within its reach the ladders upon which the aspiring can rise.” Sadly true, not all geographies have access to these ladders. 

I listen to the podcasts of ecorner.stanford.edu and wistfully see an awesome ecosystem for sustainable entrepreneurship in that geography: an unparallel synergy between students, angel investors, venture capitalists and Silicon Valley. No wonder the inventions changing today’s word like Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo… are all coming not from mine, but that geography. 

Are those from other parts of the world less creative or entrepreneurial in their thinking? Are they all destined as consumers and not inventors/entrepreneurs? Is it their choice not accessing infinitesimal seed funding at every window of opportunity that opens to them? 
Don’t they practice the principles of imagination, positive thinking and affirmation when Western immigration fences them out the global mainstream of career and enterprise aspirations?

The fact that some of us are insulated or have found a way out of the limitations of our geographies doesn’t unmake the formidable adversaries still holding most of our people back. Right from the times of Slavery in Africa, Apartheid in South Africa, Racial discrimination in America, Marginalization of Niger Delta (Oil producing area) in Nigeria, The Holocaust in Germany and even Genocide in Sudan, some pretty few have always found a way of escape. 

I end this blog with the words Robert Ashton.co.uk when we began changing the way the West sees the Nigerian enterprise landscape: 

“Say Nigeria to the average Western businessman and his eyes widen and his chequebook closes. They get too many dodgy spam emails from Nigeria to take the country seriously. Sure there are kidnappings, armed muggings and unsafe aeroplanes – but you find those all over the world!

Geography is a big deal! 

Re:The Immensity of one

Below is Janet's response: 

Hello Dear Uriel,

It's wonderful to hear from you, and what a lovely letter...and blog! I am truly touched by your thoughts and also deeds, and delighted that I could be of such help to you. You have made immense strides and done us all proud with your activities, commitment, and leadership. It has been a pleasure to watch you grow and spread your wings! And you have truly proven yourself to be a model for "the immensity of one" (I love that phrase)!!

I will close on that note with greatest thanks and immense appreciation, and look forward to reading your blog from now on...and not just when it's about me :)))!

With infinite blessings and millions of cheers, and know that I will love you too, throughout all the years! Your MM 4-ever, Janet

The Immensity of One

What makes entrepreneurial dreams happen? 
What exactly actualises the ideas of visionaries against all odds? 
My answer to this lingering curiosity of mine is what I call The Immensity of One -The significant relationship that makes all the difference. Malcolm Gladwell calls this the power of a connector. 

My immensity of one was my relationship with Janet Feldman, my first mentor in social services. For years I have strived relentlessly to overcome the drawback of my country’s borders to my enterprise vision. The internet couldn’t do this. It sure creates borderless opportunities but the immigration barriers of West attempt to fence strivers (from my part of the world) out of the prosperity of a flattened world. 

What else can a striver do when his name, colour and nationality hold back his dreams and mute his voice? 
How can she shine when darkness of ubiquitous proportions clog within and outside?  
Again I say reach out for the immensity of one. 

Among many doors that Janet opened, I will forever remain grateful for GK3, Malaysia: 
This was where I won the Global Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Competition, signed my very first international partnership contract and profiled on an international magazine. It was at GK3 had an epiphany with my reality as a social entrepreneur and a launching pad to a global stage; where my dreams suddenly came within reach and subsequent successes are resting upon. 
Amazingly, my enterprise was just spotlighted by TakingITGlobal.org, thanks to GK3. 

Janet Feldman, GK3 I dedicate this blog to you both because you are my immensity of one! 

The Uncertainties of a Searcher

This is my very first time blogging and I hope I haven’t missed out too much. Lol

I’m young social entrepreneur running www.landmarkinternship.org 

I stand on the threshold of the next significant chapters of my entrepreneurial quest: 
I can see ahead my deepest dreams for my enterprise unfolding and opportunities vast, and behind me I see once impossibilities that I overcame, but within me I feel the uncertainties of a searcher, striving in faith toward a dream of colourful tomorrow. 

Keeping the dream alive is not a fun:
Everyday life on the streets of Lagos Nigeria echoes to me to retract from this path, the ticking of time brings the nagging fear of unsung entrepreneurs beaten, chewed and spat out by life. My daily share of the inevitable adversities of an entrepreneur scoffs at me but nonetheless I have chosen remain resolute to this calling.

As I occasionally slip into the thought to retracting, I get encouraged by the words of my spiritual father and mentor when I left my last employment to pursue this enterprise full-time: 

“Gbenga, I congratulate for now walking the talk but can I inform you ahead that the journey of entrepreneurship is the journey of the unknown, but God that has called you would keep you.” 

I have also found faith in the lyrics of The Prophecy of TY Bello’s Green land album: 

The prophecy: 
How can I give you up? 
I am the one that chose you, I am the one that did. 
How can I let you fall, you know I won’t? 
You should see life through my eyes, 
I knew that I would love you long before time began. 
You should never, ever, ever, doubt me, I have never told a lie
I will keep my promises to you, everything I said I will outdo. 
You know my word is life, my word is integrity.  

So should I eventually allow my feelings hold sway, please hold me accountable and say big shame on me for letting my today’s feelings hold my vision for tomorrow captive.