INSPIRATION THURSDAY: TELLING YOUR STORY ... READ LOVE OLALEYE'S COMPELLING STORY

Hello Rangers!

As you all know, one of my objectives for writing this blog, is to inspire you to action; and I love it when I read your comments, or hear them when I meet some of you in person and you tell me how one thing I said inspired you and spurred you to action, it gives me joy.

Today, I'd like to share a story by one person I find remarkable. It goes to show, that every one has potential for greatness in them. You only have to decide weather or not you'd awaken the greatness within you. Read on...

As an undergraduate in the university, I engaged in different business like buying and selling clothes, making zobo, just to earn some money to augment the pocket money that never seemed enough. None of these businesses brought me the kind of joy I experienced when I decided to pursue my passion in makeup. First I became a Mary Kay  rep, I would sell and show students how to use the products they bought. The joy that beams on their faces was fulfilling, despite the frustration of running after debtors.

I remember my first bride who happened to have been my friend who was kind enough to allow me experiment on her face. As I drove out early hours of the morning around 6am, my car brakes suddenly failed, I ran into a tree off the road but God saved me, no scratch, I came out and the car was badly damaged. As the car was being towed home, it was a decisive moment, I had to decide whether to quit or press on. I decided to press on.

That decision was the hard road. After graduating, before going for NYSC I will often question what the future holds. At some point, I got confused, I'm doing free makeup for people, yes I'm pursuing my passion, but for free?!

In January 2009, I finally decided enough is enough, no more non-profit. I enrolled at a makeup school. I remember being happy beyond words! After my training was over, I served my coach 1 full year to learn more about the business.

2010, and harmed with #15,000, I walked into an House of Tara branch and registered as a Beauty Rep. I remember the hope I felt walking out that branch, know that I had something I could really look forward to.

I needed an office and there was no other place to begin than from my sitting room. With the permission of my husband I began to use the dinning area of our sitting room.So when everyone had gone out, the kids went to school and I was left alone, I started work. I had purchased a table and chair, thankfully I had a laptop to work with. The depression I used to feel when I was home alone with no skill was replaced with excitement as I began to carry out research on makeup trends etc.

I am a voracious reader and dreamer like Joseph, I began to research what was going on the international makeup scene.I wanted to know more beyond what was happening in Nigeria because even though my sitting room was my office, I saw my self as global business woman. My present state couldn’t limit my global imaginations. I began Taking interest in the jobs of international makeup artist.

This year the Face to Face makeup competition was announced and it was open for international entries. A first look at the requirements, I thought I wouldn’t qualify, the fear of failure griped me.But after 3 months of looking at the requirements and encouraging myself in the Lord, and I had a conviction to go for it. I ignored my fears I summed up courage and applied. I knew whether I failed or succeeded at the competition It would be a learning platform. Getting to be picked into the finals for me was a tearful moment when I received the mail

 But faith in place of fear, and courage in the face of the despair, I put in the best of what I had, everything, even what I never thought I had, I put it in, and I won!

From an insecure and  depressed housewife I have become an international celebrated makeup artist, and I'm very grateful. Now even I, can share my story with the world!

I am Love Olaleye, and you just read my story.

You out there reading this, have been telling your story,?

 

Inspiration Thursday: Empowerment Culture

“When we want to help the poor, we usually offer them charity. Most often we use charity to avoid recognizing the problem and finding the solution for it. Charity becomes a way to shrug off our responsibility. But charity is no solution to poverty. Charity only perpetuates poverty by taking the initiative away from the poor. Charity allows us to go ahead with our own lives without worrying about the lives of the poor. Charity appeases our consciences.”
― Muhammad Yunus, Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty

 These words of Muhammad Yunus got me thinking and for many reasons, setting out to create a brand that empowers people, I find myself looking to satisfy what the true meaning of Empowerment will be for our part of the world. I have since found, that simply giving money or other material supply to the poor is not empowerment.
  
I believe when we decide to help the poor, we really have to choose either of two options, empowerment or charity. The easier option is charity. But it is also the one with the direst of consequences, namely dependency.

Our commitment to the poor and less privileged should be to empower them.  We must make it our goal to create lasting solutions by providing the educational, psychological, and economic support they require to improve their own status in life.

You can empower! Start. Do something with what you have, from where you are.  Do not wait until the government create conducive state policies, it may be too long before that happens

At the same time, do not chose the easy way out. Chose to make a true difference. Chose to empower.

INSPIRATION THURSDAY: Telling Your Story

Hello Tara Rangers. It's another Inspiration Thursday!

Today, I reminisce on what have been the driving factors of House Of Tara's success story; Hardwork?  yes, Determination? Yes, Drive? Yes, Persistence? YES. However, a big part of the success is our ability to tell our story.

Starting out in 1998, I composed a story for myself, which was basically, my vision for my business and my dream for my self as an individual. I told myself my story over and over again, made myself believe it, when I set out to employ someone, I tell my story to him or her, I sold my story to every one around me, got them to believe in it and today I'm living it.

As an individual willing to succeed in life, you also will need to tell your story.

Your story is the "WHY" of your existence, your purpose. And in Business, it is the why of your organization.

As a leader, you must have for your self a compelling story, one that includes elements of your identity, vision, motivation and strategy, and has the ability to inspire others to action.

Use your head as a seat of strategy and your heart as a seat of motivation. Critically deliberate on how you wish to go about achieving your goal. Make your heart believe that it is possible to achieve your goal, tell your story to the people you want to bring along on your journey, be they employees or life partners. Create an emotional buy so that your people believe they can be a part of your journey and actually want to. 

You may have to practice your story in front of the mirror. Lift yourself above of all the circumstances holding you down. Two things happen when you do this: You activate your belief system and you engage the universe to respond and bring in contact with the people and opportunities that will bring your goals to fruition.

Till next thursday Rangers

Remember to pray and pray to remember.