Bio: Ebele Udoh is the Founder & Managing Director- AFRICAN DESIGNERS MALL (ADM).
Blecyn George Monsi: A very warm welcome to you @BibiUdoh on #HotTalkWithBlecyn. What three concerns about ADM’s @officialADMall future keep you up at night?
Ebele Udoh: Thanks for having me. ADM has become a brand. making it a global brand keeps me up.
BGM: How does an individual identify his/her passion amidst series of activities he or she is involved in. E.g A musician that also designs, a journo that also sings. How exactly do you think a person can choose from the instances above?
EU: Abide by one rule: don’t do stuff you hate. If you try it and hate it, stop doing it and add it to the list of ‘Nos’. I will tell you that passion isn’t something you find, it’s something you do. There is no one true passion. Before long, you’ll be left with stuff you’re passionate about. Don’t worry about picking a single passion and plotting a perfect path to it. Instead, try a whole bunch of stuff. The more you do,the more that list will grow, with self knowledge. The more you do, the more that list will grow, with self knowledge.
BGM: Can an individual have passion for two totally different activities in an opposite industry? If YES, how do you think he/she should marry these two or three as the case maybe?
EU: Absolutely.! it would be an awful life to have just a single passion. yes but you should know which to do at a time. but there should be a hierarchy of interest and what’s more important to what is least important. too much not good, too little not good, balance is best.
BGM: How would you explain passion and purpose? Are they same thing, if NO, could you throw a little light on how they differ and how they can be used together to achieve a profitable business?
EU: Think about it.. if you already know your “purpose”, you should be able to clearly see everything else. It’s either a means to fulfill your purpose or merely noise. Once you able to realize this fact, you would be able to differentiate between “Purpose” and “Passion”.
BGM: There are multiple lists on top lucrative businesses across Africa all over the cyber space, what if an individual’s passion doesn’t fall into these lists. Is there a need for such person to panic?
EU: Every ones idea is unique in their own way. There is no need to panic. Chase your passion, not cash. A lucrative business comes from your own passion irrespective of the field or popularity of the idea being pursued. If you don’t genuinely enjoy or love what you do, how would u motivate yourself in order to make it a lucrative business?
BGM: What top 5 thought provoking, self-examination questions can you suggest to any individual who is yet to identify his/her passion?
EU: What do you do in your free time? this answer will tell you. Is it really your true passion. What do you want people know about you when you die? this answer is the voice of your passion. Are you working like that way? this answer is the way you have to follow for you passion. do you believe in success or failure on a scale? this answer is the level of your passion. what will be your decision if you have nothing in life? this answer will tell you. will you exist in the long run?
BGM: How can an individual turn his/her passion into a lucrative business, on or offline?
EU: Firstly, Pick something, and take action toward it. You always learn one of two things when you take action:
1. I want more of this.
2. I want less of this.
Don’t give your “ideas” for free. Let people pay for your services! You do not need an office for this. Building a viable business has one key. its about providing a product or service that someone will pay for. PERIOD! It can be via a website, email or whatsapp message. All you need to do is to be able to communicate appropriately with your clients so that your presence will not be missed.
BGM: What happens when an individual’s passion fails to pay him after 5-10 years? Regardless of how much he/she has tried to make it profitable? What would you advise?
EU: So, first things First. Let me quickly address this passion thing. I’m all for pursuing your passion. however, passion keeps changing from time to time. it keeps evolving. with passion comes research, development and hard work, if its not working after all these, re-channel your passion.
BGM: Could you share with us the most common mistakes made by people when it comes to passion and profitable business?
EU: Passion is not an automatic money maker.Passion is top checklist of requirements for a profitable biz but its not enough. many people make the incorrect assumption that your passion should lead you to riches. With passion comes, believe, patience, enthusiasm, hardwork, consistency, positivity, smart work.
BGM: Do you believe money is a passion driver, if No, why, if YES. How has it helped siting African Designers Mall.
EU: Money is important and facilitates growth and execution. but passion shouldn’t be driven by Money. I always say, Chase a Passion, not cash. With Passion comes cash. True Entrepreneurs have discovered that if they have a passion and manage to communicate it to their customers. the money comes almost as an after thought. Greed is not same as passion.
BGM: Do you think fear of the future can stop someone from pursuing his/her passion?
EU: Overthinking leads to fear. You cannot achieve success or move forward in life in your comfort zone. Everything you have dreamt to achieve is outside your comfort zone. Fear wouldn’t let you. Step up to fear and walked past it and let your passion come alive. The only thing you really have in your life is TIME. Step up to fear and walked past it and let your passion come alive. The only thing you really have in your life is TIME. Whatever it is that you wanna do. there is going to be risk provided the end goal is success. Fear of the unknown is a number killer of passion. But fear is an illusion.
BGM: Tell us what more we should know about passion and how we can turn it into a lucrative business.
EU: Passion, is just investing your time, sweat and money into a goal. The more time and energy you spend on something the more it means to you hence lucrative. Don’t EVER doubt that you can always do something that gets you fulfilled. Start by thinking about what really gets you thrilled. What are you passionate about. Research some ideas related to those topics and select the 1 or 2 best ones. Pick an idea and study it exhaustively. Get committed and don’t jump from idea to idea, stick one thing. then put your best in it like your life depends on it and see what happens. stay on it and believe in it. Surround yourself with passionate individual who has drive or who runs successful businesses too.
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Originally published at blecyn.com