Reading “Bamboozled by Jesus” by Yvonne Orji has really been an amazing discovery.
She brings such a refreshing, real and raw revelation of her life lessons and rise in purpose, fame, and success.
One that isn’t so common or easily found in the Entertainment Industry. Where living boldly as a follower of Jesus Christ with an intentional discipline to stay grounded, relevant, excellent in craft and consistent in faith can indeed be scarce.
This book is such an encouragement and comfort. A warm hug for anyone who feels like they are falling behind in time, the schedules of life, dreams and aspirations.
It explores processes, the highs and lows, disappointments, and everything in-between to the orchestration and exposure to God-sized dreams becoming a reality.
As always, she shares such hilarious moments, bringing joy and laughter to readers. Her brand and signature of communication shines through, even with this book.
This isn’t a book that can be rushed. You most likely would take time in-between chapters to savor, and take to heart the lessons and insights shared.
A timeless read. This is a book to be grateful for. I know I am.
A highly recommended read, authored by the amazing comedian and Emmy-nominated Nigerian-American actress, Yvonne Orji (@yvonneorji).
Reading “How Women Rise” by Sally Helgensen and Marshall Goldsmith has really been an eye opening book.
In reading this book, business owners, and leaders across all levels, particularly women, will certainly certainly experience a mind shift.
For centuries, women have continued to accomplish outstanding feats.
However due to many constraints (economic or environmental, self imposed) and limiting thought patterns, the progressive contributions and innovations in business and leadership by women across all sectors has received less recognition than it deserves.
In reading this book, you would learn a whole lot:
1. You will learn to embrace your strengths. 2. You will learn to identify your weaknesses, self sabotaging habits and how to overcome them. 3. You will learn how to enlist the right help and strategic support needed to forge ahead. 4. You will learn about the importance of effective communication, speak up for yourself, your work and your accomplishments. 5. You will learn the importance of setting the right boundaries, saying ‘No’ to the wrong opportunities and saying ‘Yes’ to the right opportunities 6. You will learn the importance of authenticity and why this is crucial to your progressive movement as a leader and woman. These and lots more are turning points from reading this book.
With case studies and real stories of people that remain memorable and relatable, this is certainly one book you will enjoy reading alone or with friends! A highly recommended read, authored by @sally_helgesen and @coachgoldsmith.
My current read “Soar!” is such an insightful book. The first few chapters have been captivating, vivid and practical.
Written by an author and a very dynamic individual. An Icon and Giant with tangible and sustainable results.
There is a lot to learn for those who long for more. Those willing to take risks, and step out to explore their full potential.
Maybe this may entail running an enterprise, a corporate organization, a non-profit or a path that requires going beyond average; raising the bar to soar high. The bottom line is, to rise, run, fly and soar, we must be equipped in stages.
Pilots only fly successfully with the guidance of the Control Tower. This requires adherence to instructions, precision of actions and direction. It’s the same for us.
To Soar high in certain areas of life, our endeavors and purpose, we must be ready to pay attention to exceptional individuals who walk the talk. Applying their insights and instructions with precision.
If this is you or what you desire, then I encourage you to get this book.
From this book you will also get a glimpse of his life as well as tested and trusted principles. Wisdom that can only be found from those who have walked the path of process, time and purpose for impact.
Soar! by T. D. Jakes is a great read and highly recommend.
It’s time to build your vision from the ground up!
In 2020, Nigeria was named home to the ‘largest’ music industry in Africa and undoubtedly continues to gain local and global attention; due to numerous internationally award-winning musicians, artists, managers, producers, promoters, record labels, marketers, and distributors. This global attention also extends to international recognition, comprising innumerable international performances and collaborations with renowned foreign artists and record labels.
Background
The Nigerian music industry has birthed several genres of music with a hearty mixture of hip-hop, R&B, reggae, and gospel as it continues to flourish in the spotlights; as a result, one might be curious about what the financial and economic implications are for these artists and Nigeria as a whole.
According to Statista Research Department[1], This industry’s revenue grew from 26 million U.S. dollars in 2014 to 34million U.S. dollars in 2018 and is estimated to generate about 44million U.S. dollars by 2023. This contributes a tremendous amount to Nigeria’s GDP[2], which was 448.1 billion U.S dollars in 2019 only.
For this article, we would be considering the importance of protecting the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) [3] of creatives in the Nigerian music industry.
Further considering how profitable this industry currently is, one would envisage that ‘top’ safety measures are put in place to secure the intellectual properties of these creatives from infringement both locally and internationally. One would expect that these creatives fully profit from their works without undue hindrance.
However, that is not the case as there is an unusual norm that plagues both the upcoming and the ‘biggest’ artists in the Nigerian music industry. There is an inability to protect IPR from infringement.
CASE STUDY
According to Celebrity Net Worth[4] Wizkid is a Top Nigerian singer, performer, and songwriter who has a net worth of 4 million U.S. dollars. He is widely recognized across Africa and in the Afrobeat community, reaching international prominence by collaborating with famous persons in the music industry such as Drake, Beyoncé, Tyga, Swae Lee, and Major Lazer to name a few. After working with other high-profile musicians, Wizkid branched out into the mainstream music scene. Being the first Nigerian citizen to amass 1 million followers on Twitter; He is undoubtedly one of the most famous Nigerians of all time.
Wizkid V. Wisekid
A Wizkid imposter ‘Wisekid’ set up to illegally profit from copying Wizkid on the digital space. ‘Hosea Yohanna’[5] an upcoming Nigerian artist; acquired millions of streams in just 7 months, starting from October 2020 by cloning Wizkid’s ‘Made in Lagos’ album with his album named ‘Lasgidi Made’ having 9.3 million plays and 1.2 thousand purchases on Apple music alone.
The similarities of both names were unmistakable, and though the album songs had different lineups, all Names were the same. Even the songs sounded similar. Wisekid also went ahead to create a clone Twitter and Instagram account with the handle ‘@wisekidaya’ which was indisputably made to look just like Wizkid’s handle ‘@wizkidayo’ for both accounts having a following of over 8.4 million on Twitter and 12.1 million on Instagram.
Wisekid was discovered sometime in early April 2021 by Wizkid fans when he posted screenshots of his Lasgidi Made album streams on his Twitter page captioned ‘on God’, stirring up so much controversy. After ‘@africafactzone’ on Twitter reported that he was making 30 million Naira monthly, which amounts to about 79 thousand U.S. dollars from copying Wizkid.
Wisekid replied to that tweet stating, “…I’m just an upcoming artist, I know nothing about this…” He also tweeted that ‘Freeme Digital’ distributed all his songs and said that he had no idea, ‘Freeme Digital’, however, stated that although they distributed his old songs, the album Lasgidi Made was never one of them.
Although Wizkid did not respond to the social media frenzy, one of his managers ‘Jada Pollock’ shared on her Twitter that the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) had begun working on taking down the album. Lasgidi Made was taken off of Apple Music, Amazon, and Spotify. Consequently, the wisekids Twitter account got suspended.
Akinyemi[6] Opined that ‘Wizkid’ had become a trademark attached to the person ‘Ayo Balogun’, his public ‘goodwill’ building for over 10years. Therefore such ‘goodwill’ is attached to the name Wizkid. He explained; that the trademark was associated with a certain level of excellence. Hence, whatever bears such a mark would attract the loyal audience of the brand who associate it with excellence and cause them to consume its products.
Consequently, if unauthorized persons benefit from the name Wizkid by exploiting or posing as though such a name belongs to them, the person named ‘Ayo Balogun’ the owner of the registered Copyright and Trademark to that name, has the right to bring legal actions against such individuals.
The Benefits of Protecting Intellectual Property Rights[7]
Protects it against infringement by others and ultimately defends in the courts your sole right to use, make, sell, reproduce or import it.
It stops others from using, making, selling, reproducing, or importing it’ without your permission.
It earns you royalties by licensing it.
It may be exploited by way of strategic alliances.
You can make money by selling it.
A farmer, who owns farmland with cattle and cash crops before he starts farming, puts up a fence around his property to protect it. That, in turn, prevents his cattle from straying and also discourages persons from trespassing. The farmer protects his farm and yields a lot of profit in return. Such a farmer experiences little or no loss in his business.
Similarly, if a person would put a fence around his physical property to protect it, what stops an artist from putting measures in place to protect his intellectual property(IP) of great value? Could it be due to the extreme intangible nature of IP; that he does not know how to protect it? Or has he refused to do so for other reasons?
Reasons Why Creatives Do Not Protect Their Intellectual Properties
There are hosts of reasons why creatives do not protect their IP. These reasons narrowed to a few such as;
Lack of awareness.
Attempting to do it yourself (DIY).
Refusal to seek professional assistance (or simply believing that it is not necessary).
Financial concerns.
The “Till I’m big” Mindset.
Reasons as these often pose ‘major’ threats to IP growth and development in the Nigerian music industry. Nevertheless, there are ways in which one can protect their IP rights.
How To Protect The IP Rights of Creatives in the Music Industry
Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, a Music and IP lawyer and partner at Hightower solicitors and advocates, stated in his interview[8] with Entertainment News that; regardless of the persistent problems of creation safety, artists still have options. He noted that the best way for an artist to protect their works is by constantly policing all aspects of their IP.
He further stated that handlers should always be on the lookout for infringements such as Copyright and Trademark, as seen in the case study above. Akinyemi advises that there would always be those who would try and illegitimately exploit the works of others. However, a creator must always be alert and have an infrastructure or Team that constantly policies IP rights.
Recommendations
The writer advises that every creative must prioritize the protection of their works from the onset. Such can either be by way of Copyright, Trademark, or Trade secret protection. No idea or creation is too little; so long it is the creator’s IP.
Creatives may not be able to stop infringers, but they can adequately protect themselves by being aware of their IPR, seeking professional help, and constantly keeping the IPR under scrutiny. Not only does this discourage infringers, but it also gives creatives full access to enjoy and exploit the benefits accruing from their works without interruption.
Conclusion
Creatives at various levels get affected by intellectual property infringement; no one is out of the grasps of this menace, big, small, upcoming, or established. There are always those seeking to take advantage of the IPR of others and make an undue profit. Others ride on the goodwill of creatives which they have worked hard to establish over time. Therefore one must be on the watch at all times.
Article by Ibukun Adeyemi. LL.B 2020 || Intellectual Property Law and Media and Entertainment Law Enthusiast || Legal Assistant.
Two years and eight months (2 years and 8 months), seems like only yesterday when I began, but on some days, if also feels like a very long time spearheading my young company, Brave Publicity.
It’s been an enjoyable experience that has birth much growth and progress, even though I’ve had my share of slow days and days when I felt tired, but, I wouldn’t have it any other way, because it’s all working together for my good, and has brought me here.
So I’ll be sharing seven (7) key things about this journey so far and hopefully, you learn some useful things, that can help you walk better in your own BOSS Shoes.
Motivation
I’ll start off with motivation. As a young business owner, one of the things I’ve learnt to do is encourage and push myself. There are days when I don’t feel like doing anything, getting up from my bed and moving to my workstation. There are days when I don’t get any form of external encouragement, but I still choose to get up every day to put in the work required. That has made a whole lot of difference, because I can literally observe my progress and the depth of improvement I’ve had over the years.
The field of Corporate Communications, Public Relations and Publishing is one that requires a lot of creativity, attention to detail and hands-on experience.
So you may not notice all of your improvements within a short period, but over time, you’d definitely observe much progress.
Remember, CONSISTENCY is KEY.
The Work Place
My work station has been my home for most of the time, except for periods when I need to visit a Work-Hub or go print out my in-house projects/ products by Brave Publicity or projects for clients.
I’ve learnt that having a defined work station even at home is very important. It helps you keep things in perspective and makes you take more seriously your work at your company.
So just like everyone else, when I’m not out at my day job, I’m at home at my work station. Being at home can be distracting sometimes, especially when you live with others, but when you put boundaries in place, others will respect it and understand that you’re at work and not really at home with them.
I will admit that being at home is sometimes lonely, but I try to stay cheerful. Calm and soothing music helps sometimes, and then catching up with what others have been up to online, also helps.
So, when the Pandemic for COVID-19 happened, resulting to series of global lockdown episodes, it wasn’t so hard to adjust, as it had become a routine to work from home. The only difference was, there were more folks at home and it felt more like a work hub on some days, as everyone was working remotely and having virtual meetings right from home.
I do look forward to a time when this changes soon, but for now, a remote work station from home and occasional Work-Hub visits will have to do. It’s called process, so don’t be in a hurry.
Leverage on the things that you can and invest only in the things that matter most. The early stage requires being very prudent and investing wisely.
If you’re privileged to have better, that’s also great. Just embrace your own process, it defers for everyone.
Structures
If there’s anything I’m grateful for, it’s structure. Vision precedes structure, before content. As a young visionary, with God’s help, I’ve been able to gradually map out structures that has helped make running the business much easier.
From Communications Structures, to Corporate Structures or Financial Structures. Some have not been so easy to execute, but I take each day at a time and do what I can every day to make things better, until they become the global standard of excellence and sustainability.
When you have the end in view, I believe that all of your action steps when taken intentionally, eventually align towards accomplishing the end result.
It has required much studying and learning from those who are way ahead of me or those well established in my industry or business in general. Attending trainings, personal coaching sessions, seminars, webinars, reading etc., to learn.
I’ve also learnt to not be ashamed to ask questions or ask for guidance from others ahead of me or even my peers sometimes.
I understand my areas of strength and the things I’m very great at, but I also try not to take on the stance of knowing it all, or being the “Top Professional”, because there is always room for improvement and much to learn.
I also know that there is an abundance of wisdom that can only be found in those who have had years of experience in any career path and this should never be taken for granted.
There is still a lot to figure out, but I’ve definitely made progress.
Respect
I’ve also learnt to respect my young company and that has meant walking away from certain offers that come in the guise of work. Especially from those who see the value you bring to the table, yet choose to overlook that, and approach you as a person and not your company. All because they think you are young.
This really undermines the work and value of any young business owner and the importance of their young business.
If you don’t put some respect on your work, especially in the early stages, I believe that people will abuse it. I’ve see it done to others and I have experienced a bit of that myself. Working alone in the early stage does this, but you’ve got to draw the line and be intentional about what you take up as a consultation for your business.
Respect for my work and young company has also meant saying no to familiar folks, who just want things done for free or below the asking price or value as stated.
It still remains surprising sometimes, when I know that they would never in their wildest dreams approach another business that offers the same services for such.
I’ve also discovered that sometimes, my services are much better, but because of such familiarity, they would rather bid for lower, than pay you what it’s worth or the asking price.
So when turned down, they would rather go elsewhere, paying more to someone else, sometimes for even less value and excellent delivery. Sad, but this happens. Familiarity in business is no joke and should be watch out for and that could sometimes include family and close friends.
Brain Picking
The most annoying part of being a young business owner, who knows her onions is those who approach you in the guise of interest in your services or person, just to pick your brain for ideas or to get answers to questions they have.
Sometimes, these are people in your industry as well, who may need to know some things to revert to their own clients or to make progress themselves.
So they come around and try to be friendly and are very strategic about picking your brain to get answers, without actual consultations, or being willing to pay you for such services, or even willing to undergo proper trainings themselves to do well, without resorting to tricks.
It’s a sad place to be, and when you discover such folks, it can be quite painful, but you’ve got to learn to create healthy boundaries.
Just like a young child, a 2year old is still a baby that needs protection, in the same vein, you can’t afford to mishandle your young business or let others take advantage of you.
There is no harm in helping a colleague when they come clean and you both have mutual understanding and some form of agreement, but tricks are very hurtful and its simply plain manipulation that should not be tolerated.
On the flip side, this also happens when you’re out sourcing for clients.
Some folks don’t really want to work with you, they only engage you long enough to pick at your brain for ideas.
Some go as far as requesting for a mapped out strategy/ proposal. Then they thereafter dismiss your work.
More often than not, you would later discover that those ideas proffered to them in a bid to secure a project or consultation are being implemented in your absence, right after they have dismissed your proposals or they just simply stayed mute and non-responsive to any on-going conversation.
Very sad, but that’s a down side to the early stages of spearheading things in business. Mistakes would happen, and you will sometimes learn the hard way. Working remotely also causes this sometimes.
It’s almost like a power game, because you seem to be at their mercy and in need of clients.
But with structures like a standard portfolio, a website, and evidence of successful and past projects already executed, you can turn things around in your favor, securing good clients, and also avoid being taken advantage of by people who really don’t mean well or have any intention of engaging you for profit.
Clients
Working with clients across various industries has taught me a lot and has helped my business grow faster in terms of quality and speed of delivery.
Every client is different and understanding their needs, expectations and limitations helps you know how to serve them better. What makes one client excited and satisfied, may not necessarily make another happy.
One has got to be patient with them and be willing to point out areas that need their attention. As the professional, you often know better, even though you must pay attention to their needs, and map out a strategy and custom solution that fits and works just for them.
I’ve also learnt that compromising on the asking price for a service to a client is always a bad idea. Sometimes, those who pay less are the ones who are more demanding and expect leaps in delivery for a small budget for their work.
Never compromise on the asking price, especially when it affects your profit margin.
The question that helps set things in perspective when this happens to me is I ask myself:
“If I compromise on the price for this project, would I also need to compromise on the volume of work, time and value that would be put into this project for this client?”
The answer is always “NO”.
Because I love to do excellent work, I know that I would feel bad for delivering less value than promised or less than what I know my business is capable of delivering.
Some folks do it I guess, but I can’t because of my core values of integrity and excellence.
The few times when I have compromised on the price, I have always regretted it, as I seemed to be giving so much more for so much less. A very stressful experience that left me very dissatisfied, that I eventually walked away.
So weigh your options when it comes to asking for your value when engaging a client.
Compromise always breeds regret. You deserve better and deserve to be paid what you are worth, even though your business may be young.
Lastly, understand that not all of your friends or family members will be your clients. It is what it is, so don’t take things too personal or feel too bad if they don’t patronize you or choose to work with you when the opportunity presents itself.
Yes, some may support you doggedly, while at other times, some may not. Not because they don’t want to, sometimes, it’s because they can’t afford to, it all depends on the kind of services and products you offer.
So you must weigh things carefully, so that your friendships don’t go down as a result of their non-participation or support for your business.
Yes, you may hope that they become your clients one of these days, but if they don’t, move on.
Sometimes, you need to look beyond your circle for those who really need your services and products and trust that the right people will stick with you for the long haul, especially when what you offer or bring to the table is of great value and remains relevant to the needs of people.
Balance
By spearheading things at the early stages of my business at Brave Publicity, I’ve discovered from my own experiences as well as from listening to others, that, it’s normal to do a lot at the beginning. Including running multiple roles.
It’s a tiring experience sometimes, but it is through these experiences that one grows and gains mastery of their craft and industry. Making you a better leader when you eventually bring others onboard to work with you.
There are days when I feel absolutely tired, like the work for the day would never end.
So I just simply rest or take a break or take some days off, not too long, because I know progress requires consistency, but enough rest that brings back some normalcy and balance into my life.
Juggling a flexible day job with a full time business is not easy, but when you experience those small wins, the trill of all of the sacrifices you make becomes totally worth it.
I still fight for balance, but I know this is only temporary and may only surface in some stages of business, when growing or trying to scale.
So, that’s a summary of how it’s been going so far. If you’re like me, on your own adventure in business, I hope you’re encouraged.
Don’t let the deceit of “The Instagram Life” or the glam social media and lit pictures weigh you down.
The truth is, a lot of grit, grind and hard work goes on behind the scenes. The thing is, some folks only wear their crowns gracefully, even though it may be very heavy.
So believe in yourself. Enjoy your process of becoming. Embrace all seasons, including the slow seasons and celebrate your mile stones, big or small. They make the journey worth the while.
As a believer in God and Christian, I also trust God for His timely help, favor and guidance, as He continues to open the right doors to me and shut the wrong ones. When I feel discouraged, I know who to turn to for strength and help, and that has kept me going.
I hope you’re encouraged young one, as you walk gracefully in those “Boss Shoes”.
I look forward to sharing some more with you in the times ahead. Thank you for reading.
Article by Opeolu Adeyemi. Corporate Communications and Public Relations Consultant Founder, Brave Publicity Ink!
Brave Publicity Ink! 