The Invisible Resume: Building Your Network as Your Greatest Asset

Hello and welcome to the show. Apologies because there's a guy who's playing ashake not far from me, just in case you hear the grooves coming in through the background. You know, it's just one of these ways that we make ourselves feel. All right. So, yeah, 2 days ago, we looked at networking as a prospecting tool, and that's when we we used, I think the name we used at the time was Adenica Ishaku. Yeah, Adenica Ishaku, who's a 10

year post call lawyer. So that means she's been practicing for over 10 years based in Lagos and she wants to set out into legal consulting and she wants to do a securities compliance. That's what she wants to specialize in. So 2 days ago, that was what we did. We looked at possibilities for networking and I promise you guys that we're going to come up with a prospecting plan, you know, for her so that you guys can start seeing how beyond networking, there are other ways that she can start approaching other stakeholders, potential clients, you know, things like that.

Well, before we do that, I just realized that there were a few more things I didn't mention when it comes to networking, other opportunities that are available to our young lawyer for how she can network. So that's what we're going to explore today very briefly. And then tomorrow we should move on to coming up with a prospecting plan for her. Yeah. So you guys can see how it works live and in the flesh. When you're trying to go out and you're trying to talk to customers because you're walking into the office or you're sending them emails totally cold, you know, you never met them before.

This person is a total stranger. So just flush up some ideas about how that can work. Now if you'd love to connect with me, the phone number is 08064662140. The country code is +234. For those of you who are not Nigerian, that's my WhatsApp number as well. Then connect with me on LinkedIn. The name to look for is Tavishima IED. So please connect for a business audit, business audit strategy session or just in case you have a couple of questions that you need answered like when a blessing from yesterday that we shouted out yesterday.

Yes, we have a couple of questions like a blessing. So let's move on to let's move on to the agenda for today. So for the fun of it, I've been changing the lady's name every single episode. So today we're going to change the name from Adinika Ishaku. I'm going to say that now her name is Adinika or Sarah Wayne. Now, the reason why I'm picking that name is because I think it is the most impressive or most interesting Nigerian name I've ever come across.

Because back when I lived in Lagos, used to attend Saint Louis Catholic Church and there was this guy in church there, certified big boy as in as in a big boy Corey guy. You know, all the couple of businesses even owned a factory. He set up a factory that was supposed to be, at the time, it was supposed to be Nigeria's first. I think it was Nigeria's first and it would have been Africa's biggest if and all producing factory, I think producing ethanol from, from cassava.

But things didn't quite go according to plan. You know, they launched the business, but I, I don't think it turned out to be viable. But it's not something I discussed with him anyway. But I used to see the gist on, you know, NTA news because the messenger was there at the launching of the factory and you know, stuff like that. So, you know, NTA news, business day, you know, you see things like that. But one of those things that didn't quite pan out, I think it was the cost of energy that was the problem.

The cost of powering the factory turned out to be much more wasn't cost effective basically trying to power the factory. But I was just just ahead. I never spoke to Uncle Sam directly about it because that's everybody used to call him Uncle Sam. Now Uncle Sam had this interesting name and the name, his surname is OSARENKHOE. And also some people in Saint Louis then who used to call it Osare and Koe. And it kind of makes sense because it is spelled OSARENKHOEO Sarin Corey.

So I used to call him Osarin Corey to know until Fast forward now many years later, I met my wife and my wife is she's Isha also from the same place that Uncle Sam is Osarin Corey. Remember, until then we have been saying Osarin Corey and then me and my father-in-law are Justin. And it's like, oh, OK, this guy that came for the meeting sometimes like, Oh yes, Uncle Sam was are in koi because Uncle Sam of course followed us for you know, when you want to marry wife now, you know, you show up at the girl's house, you know,

with your relatives. And of course, in the beginning, you know, technically speaking, you don't know the play the the way to her house. So other people have to come and show you the house. Now you know, that's part of the legal fiction. So you know, like you're a household boy, you want to marry a Yoruba girl, you know, the first time you go to a house with, with, you know, with your people from your side. So you know, in theory, you don't know the way to the house now.

So if you know one or two, like senior respectable Yoruba people in your community, you know, those people will follow you now to help open the road and to do translation and do rapport building and things like that. So that's how Uncle Sam came along when we're I was about to get married to my wife and so I say, yeah, of course I'm Osara Koi. And then my father-in-law laughed and said, what did you say? I said Osara Koi.

It says spell the name I spelled it said that's not a Sarah Koi, that is Osara way. And I was like, what? I say Sam, but it is KHOE he said, and he's not Koi is why? And I'm sure I'm still not pronouncing the name correctly. In fact, I'm sure those of you who are Asian people now you're probably laughing your heads while thinking that this guy is even destroying the name the more. But sure, there's no Sarah Koi is not Sarah.

And then Uncle Sam was like, yes, actually, that's how the name is pronounced. And you guys have gotten been getting it wrong all this time, but I don't bother correcting people. I was like, oh, OK, interesting. So today we're going to use the name Adenika Osare just in case there happens to be some other person listening to the podcast. Right now. You have somebody who is Isha as a friend, you know, Isha Bini, you know, Edo, you know,

Midwest, all those kind of tribes, and you see the name like this and you're pronouncing the name Osarian Kui. It's not Osarian Kui, it's Osarian Way. So yeah, that's my bit of cultural education for the day. So now for Adenica, Osarian Way, looking for more networking opportunities. Now we've already spoken about how 2 days ago we're just using networking as prospecting tool. So I think in the episode that we did 2 days ago, I spoke about how she can attend events like Founders Friday, which holds in Abuja and holds in Kaduna and holds in Lagos.

And it's a meeting of, I'm not sure who the, the, what do you call them? The founder? I mean, the, the convener, the people that organized the, the program, I'm not sure who they are. So, you know, if you're interested, do research and they'll find them out. But it's a place where founders 10 yet to meet with other founders and vent people who are venture capital investors, you know, things like that. So I just thought that for somebody in Adenica or Silenhuen situation, it might be a good idea to attend those kinds of events.

So today I just want to recommend other events that if you're in that situation like Adenica or Silenhuen, that these are some of the places that you can attend as well. So I forgot to mention that professional bodies that that is a very good Ave. to be explored. So like in her own case, since Kemi or Sara Hoy obviously is a lawyer, so she should be attending the MBA sessions. MBA that's the Nigerian Bar Association. That's just the association for,

you know, all of us now, lawyers, former lawyers, judges, former judges, you know, all of us. That's where we're going to association meeting. That's where we hang out and talk about things that are relevant to ourselves. Now the NBA, the Nigerian Bar Association has a couple of committees. One of them is the business committee. So the business committee arranges program, every programs every single year where we talk about things at the intersection of law and business.

And then I think there's also a capital market committee. So for someone like Kemi or Serene Hui who now wants to become a securities, I say Kemi Identica identical Serene, she now wants to become a securities compliance lawyer. It might be a good idea to go to the MBA business committee meetings and the capital market meetings because it might be a good place where you can meet potent, meet stakeholders, potential clients, and also put collaborators.

So that's the whole goal when you're networking, you're trying to meet stakeholders, important people in the industry. You're trying to meet clients, people who will pay you money. You're also trying to meet collaborators, people that you work together so you guys can chase other clients and make money or chase other initiatives that will be pure for you guys that'll help you guys move your business forward. Then for professional bodies,

you can also join broke brokerage bodies because like the stock brokers in Nigeria, I think there's a stock brokers institute or something like that. I'm not sure if you know what that what that is, then please hit me up in the notes and let me know. But I know that stock broker. Sure, they have some kind of associations, just like accountants have associations and things like that. So at any care or sat anywhere, she could also join the Stock Brokers Institute.

That would be a good place for meeting clients, for meeting stakeholders and also meeting collaborators. Then all these digital asset communities, like what's it called? This one that has a letter B as the logo Bitcoin. So there's some Bitcoin associations in Nigeria. There's one of them who did that. They did a, what's it called? They did some public seminar last year where they invited people from CBN and Central Bank of Nigeria.

They also invited people from SEC that Securities and Exchange Commission. And I think they also invited some people from the banking sector to attend. So somebody like Adenica or San Juan, you should also be attending these sorts of things because it is a good place to meet stakeholders, meet possible clients and also meet collaborators. Then let's see what else. Then also some other associations like I think it's called F Man or something like that.

Is it the Fund Managers Association of Nigeria or something? Now I'm not sure if she can be a member because I think to be a member of F Man, I think you actually need to be like a private wealth manager and you know all these sorts of things. But since remember, if this is not your first time listening to the show, if you've been listening to this or geez, from the beginning, remember that we said people that at any care outside anyone can go and meet to do business with could also be fund managers, you know,

asset managers, private wealth managers, you know, that sort of thing. So it might be a good idea for her also to be attending F man E events, because I know that they put together some events and they they used to be some part of something called, I think, like a capital market something committee. I can't remember. Anyway, just some big plans under an old president. I can't remember which president in particular is not in noble and it's not wasn't Buhari.

I think that was under good luck, Jonathan. I think I think was not a good luck Jonathan though some capital markets improvement committee or capital market road map committee, something something like that. So that's what I first heard of F man. And of course I told my wife that, you know, that's a very interesting name because you know F man, you know, like when you tell somebody F off. So every time I hear F man, that's what comes to my mind,

you know, like F off. So, yeah. So Denika or Sarah, when she can be attending meetings and programs that F man them, people who are wealth managers, private bankers, you know, all those big, big financial people, then she can be attending all those, all those events. And remember, the goal is to go there to try and meet stakeholders, to meet possible clients and also to meet collaborators. That's the whole point of networking in these sorts of environments.

Then the Senate, and when I say Senate, I mean Senate like Nigerian National Senate, the federal body, they also have committees that hold hearings every once in a while. So I think the Senate has committees on investment and I think they also have committees on capital markets. Those are some of the people that I think were consulted with when it came to passing the ISA. That's the Investment and Securities Act. Now the Investment and Securities Act is the all I put it.

It's supposed to be the OGA quota quota, the big law of laws in Nigeria that governs what kind of investments are safe. How do you all I put it, You know what, I've been out of the law game for a while. So let me now come and give you guys fake gist. But anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that the Senate committee also has these sorts of hearings and sometimes these hearings are open to members of the public. So if you're a baby lawyer like a Denicare or San a way 10 years post call, you want to become a big name in legal consulting,

you want to do securities compliance. If you happen to be in Abuja and this the hearing is going on and it's a public hearing, they might as well just show now if you don't have anything doing, just just just go there, just enter. You never know from listening, maybe even making contributions. You might get to hobnob, meet a couple of senators here and there, meet some private, you know, some investment people here and there's some private wealth manager people here and there, some pension management people, you know, things like that.

You never know. You get to sit down and rub shoulders with stakeholders, with possible clients and collaborators and then do your networking there. Of course, remember if you listen to the episode that I did 2 days ago that the whole goal is not to go there and start giving business cuddle. It's not to go there. When you see the head of Stambic IBTC Pension Management, you go and say oh Sarah, blah blah blah blah. Now give him your card.

No, that's not how it works. The goal is to go there. You see the head of Stambic IBTC Pension Managers and you guys have a fruitful conversation, you know, do your research ahead of time, you know, possible things that they're working on, initiatives that are trying to bring to the market as an educated baby lawyer now who is following trends and who knows what's up. You know, you talk about developments in other jurisdictions and you know,

things like that, things that they might not might not have considered. You know, you have that kind of conversation and then, you know, before you go, that's why I say, oh Sir, that that was a pleasure. I'm having a chat with you. I'm going to be in Abuja again in two weeks time. I would love to come by office and then talk some more about this and this and that and that. You know, would you be open to that? And of course, the guy is going to say, Oh yeah, sure, sure,

please, by all means because it's not every day that you meet a smart lawyer. So that's what he's going to say. And I say, OK Sir, can I have your card? And then you take the card and immediately you go to the car park while you're waiting for your Uber or when you enter into the car, the first thing you do is you send the guy a text message. Now, now, now, now, now. It was lovely having a conversation with you. Something, something, something.

I look forward to our meeting in two weeks, blah, blah, blah, blah. You now put your name there at Denny Care or SAN. Anyway, now don't expect him to reply because it's a Niger thing. It's a big man thing. You know, big man don't reply that text messages. It's just a thing. So don't expect him to reply. But anyhow, Sha, send that message, then send it to on WhatsApp and then be on your way. Then you go back to Lagos and remember I said that this is where the real networking begins.

You come across things from your conversations that you didn't say, but you know, might be an interesting perspective. You, you know, send the guy a message again, OK, as per our conversation, so, so, so and so I just thought this is another thing you guys want to consider. Send the WhatsApp message. But like I said, it's Niger. It's a big man thing. Big men don't respond to their messages. No problem. You shall just be following your steps.

You send it and then two weeks you're back in Abuja. You tried to get the meeting, you know, because he said was OK, let's see, you already have his business card. You've been trying to reach out text messages, phone numbers. So let's see, I forgot. Yeah. One thing that I like to do when dealing with big men in quote, because I know that Nigerian big men do not respond to text messages. They don't even answer their phone call.

They haven't even stored your number. What I do is I have the wonderful conversation with the big man with yoga, but as I'm leaving the Pai collect PA phone number because PA always answers the phone and now become very good friends with PA, you know, always chatting PA up and stuff like that. So that next time when I want to have a meeting with yoga, that's actually how I get in. I get in through the PA so I don't call.

Of course I'll send a message to Olga saying that oh, OK, blah blah, blah, this is the gang. Remember someone going to have a meeting in two weeks. I want to be in town, that sort of thing. I send a message to Olga and I'll call PA and then I say, Cami, how you doing now and say, oh, I'm good, how work now, blah, blah, blah, this and this and that. And I just general just oh, by the way, I told Olga that I was going to be in town in two weeks time.

So I'm passing through. So I beg help me remind him, you know, when I'm outside the building, I'll boss you. She said, OK, no holler, no problem. So that's how I get into these sorts of meetings. So that's something that you guys can try, but please do not take it personal. It's just a Niger thing. It's a big man thing. The big man, the big woman. They do not answer phone calls, they not respond to text messages. It's not you.

So it's not like they think you're a small mosquito. So they don't OK, maybe that's it. Maybe you think you're a small mosquito so they don't want to answer you. But I'm just saying don't take it personal. You, you know what you want, you know where you're heading. Just keep executing on your own plan. Eventually the time will come where you might you be a big person to people we forced to reckon with you and answer your phone calls.

But until then, don't take it personal. Where was I, where was I? So I'm just saying that these are other avenues that are available for networking that Identicate or Satellite can also be attending. So keep an eye out if you want to become a securities compliance consultant like Identicate or Satellite. Remember, not a real person, just a fictional case study. Then the CBN, Central Bank of Nigeria also organizes events.

SEC, the Securities and Exchange Commission, they also organize, they also organize public events that you can be attending. But just remember whenever you go there, the whole point is not just to go and be impressed and then eat fine food. Because if you go for some events, there are some people that when they put together events like the food is the food is mad. Like in fact, that's the only benefit of working with British Council because I handled live streaming and provide media coverage for them once in a while.

So the pay is crap, but the food is fantastic. So at least if you attend the events, you know they're going to have breakfast and lunch sorted and a good one on that. So the goal is not just to go there and eat fire food and then drink, fine, drink. The goal is to have conversations with stakeholders, with possible clients, and also with collaborators. I repeat, when we're going for all these things, all these things I'm talking about, the goal is as you enter the room,

begin to shine, your eyes, start looking from left to right. Who are the stakeholders I need to know? Who are the people that could be potential clients? Who are the people that could be good collaborators in the future? And then start having conversations with these people. So that is the goal. Now some of you might say that look, all these ideas all well and good, but is right now is too much. You know, the idea is plenty,

and the answer is yes, the idea is plenty. But that is just how sales works. We're in the beginning, we're using a bit of common sense because we're trying to target who might be interested in the product or the service, who might be a useful person to keep in touch with. So of course, in the beginning the list will be wide. But as you start trying to apply one or two things, you're going to get feedback from the process, you know, review and then reiterate.

So it is when you start applying, you might not realize that the last time I went for the NBA team, as in nothing came out from that. I just wasted my, my flight money. I flew to Abuja 250 Ki flew back 140 something, I wasted 400 grand. Nothing came out from that. But a capital market meeting. On the other hand in Senate, when I went there, I met senator this, I met senator that. I've had four meetings. You know what MBA, our fashion MBA, but any single time they send it hearing, I will fly down.

So you see, that's how it works. So in the beginning, just open the your your phone and just be writing them down the ideas that come or get a sheet of paper, start writing the ideas, the ideas as they come. But it's just the nature of the game. We're using common sense. We're trying to look for ideas that might work. And then this is from executing on these ideas, you know, 1 by 1 by 1 will now realize that OK, these classes of ideas are rubbish, cancel them.

These classes of ideas are very good, Continue to do more of them. So that's how it works. That's how it works, pretty much. So with that, I'll bring today's episode to a close and the next time that I come here on Adenica or Sarejoa's Matter, we will start looking at specific prospecting strategies. So for those of you who like to go and talk to strangers, you don't like me, you don't mind going into people's offices or calling up strangers, we'll start going into tips, tricks,

and tactics for how to achieve that. For those of you who are scared and who prefer to do everything from behind the keyboard, you want to sit down, you want to send e-mail, you want to send WhatsApp, you want to send text messages, We'll also get into some of those strategies as well. So that's all for today. Remember, if you'd love to connect, the phone number is 08064662140, country code +234. That's my WhatsApp number as well.

I'm on LinkedIn. The name to look for is Tave Shima Ayede. I'm also on YouTube in case that's how you like to get your podcast. So thank you very much for your time and attention. I'll catch you guys at the next episode.