Some years back in August was when I first heard my bio/profile read out at an event I was to speak at.
It was at the Google Business Group Lagos Edition with the Womenwill Lagos, an initiative of Google.
It was to be the second time that year that I would be speaking at a Google Partners event.
I had entered the venue quite early and sat among the attendees, as I usually like to do. I don’t think anyone recognized me. It stands to reason since in the flier, I had hair but I’d cut my hair by then.
We were asked to introduce ourselves to our neighbors and I did. (Point to note: DON’T ATTEND AN EVENT WITHOUT KNOWING THE NAMES OF THE SPEAKERS). I introduced myself and the attendees didn’t recognize the name. I didn’t mind. In time, they would.
When it was my turn to speak, the host began reading out my profile. I could hear the rounds of applause as she listed out the things I had accomplished.
It was my first time hearing those accomplishments read out and it humbled me.
Most of the things she was reading out, I had only accomplished in one year.
I finally understood why the grind and the labour of love I put into my work, meant so much to me.
I had not only achieved influence, I had achieved impact.
I had written books that had reached thousands of people.
I had helped hundreds of people become published.
I had helped dozens become bestsellers on Amazon.
I had helped countless people start their own online businesses.
I had spoken in 3 countries other than Nigeria. And I was only just starting out.
By the time the host got to the last sentence and mentioned my name, I saw the eyes of the people I had introduced myself to, widen in recognition. They realized who they had been talking to all along.
When I got up to go take the stage, I heard an “eeeehhhnnnn???”, echo throughout the room.
It was a mixture of shock and admiration. “All those accolades for this small aunty??” was what a lady said.
The best part is that, I wasn’t called to teach an expert subject or share my best tips on becoming an Amazon Bestseller or Building a 7-figure business online.
I was called to share my ZERO to INFLUENCE story.
I was specifically told to focus on the failure aspect of my story. That’s all.
Some Partners at Google saw parts of my story I had posted online the year before and insisted I shared it among women in Lagos.
To make an impact, you need to first be influential.
I am not the only person who shares her story online.
But someone traveled from another state just to hear me share mine at that event.
I do not have the largest Facebook group in Africa, but I was invited to Social Media Week Nairobi when we were just 14,000 members, to speak on building communities.
Building influence is strategic, intentional, and most importantly, in stages. You cannot half-ass or fly through the stages. There are specific actions you must take at each stage of building influence, so that you get the most out of it.
Exactly one year after sharing my Failure story at a Google event, I led a team of Delegates from Nigeria to Duba, in an initiative I founded, called the Breakthrough Experience Business Retreatú.
How am I able to pull such behemoth tasks off? It is the ability to understand, build and leverage influence to make an impact.
No matter what business you do, or message you teach, without influence, you go nowhere.
In my book ZERO TO INFLUENCE, you will understand exactly what influence is, how you can leverage influence, no matter what business you have, and how you can build impact and a steady income simply because of who you are.
To your success.
