By Charles Thomas
Now, read carefully what I am about to say.
If you are serious about building your business in Nigeria, reading “foreign or inspirational books” is not enough.
Yes, it is good to study authors like:
- Anthony Robbins
- Jeff Bezos
- Brian Tracy
- Jim Collins
- Lisa Nichols
- Ram Charan
- Gary Vaynerchuk
- Les Brown
- Jack Canfield
- Iyanla Vanzant
I study them too.
But you see, if you are building a business here in Nigeria or Africa, you must know when to set those books aside.
As an entrepreneur, you must learn where foreign ideas stop and where local intelligence begins.
Not every intelligence in the local Nigerian or African market will make their way into a foreign book.
Not every idea or inspirational rush from your favourite foreign authors and teachers will work here in Nigeria.
When you understand this, it helps you to stay grounded, even as you build for the global market.
Does it mean their foreign ideas are “wrong”?
Certainly, not.
It only means that in the equation of building a business in any market, “localism” is a major success factor.
As you build in Nigeria, never forget this.
Knowing “global best practices” is not enough.
You must also master “local best practices.”