Apr 22, 2013

Mid-Life Crises.... or what?

Serendipity



Poignancy



Sepia toned memories


So much to think and ponder on.... and to smile about... and to frown about.... and to wonder the if, the why, or otherwise...

Hello peeps!

How you guys been? and your crews? Mine are great... bigger and more demanding, but great...

Biz is comsi comsa.... the economy truly is not kind to SMEs right now... and most blue chip customers are cutting back on cost so much we cant even see what value they add.

We did start up a new eatery though, and the response has been wonderful... Nigerians love food, Confirmed!

Biz school didn't say anything about negative cash flows o!! kai!!, what a wicked world it is.... imagine being owed far more than you owe others? Yet, your debtor acknowledges their debt to you and ask you to provide more of the same product/service for which you haven't been paid.

catch 22 indeed.... you scramble for money where you can find it to keep that operation running... till you start to think like a banker. What if you had taken a loan from the bank or loan shark to fund this? whatever margins on the cost of work have been wiped out by corporate Nigeria's nasty culture of owing vendors for months on end... 2nd quarter of 2013, you're still agitating for payment for 4th quarter of 2012!

na wa o... who send me?

Very frustrating when you cant meet up to simple bills you wouldn't even have given more than 5 mins attention before.... simply because, you don't have the cash. All free cash is sunk into running your contractual obligations. Sucking the cash producing part of the biz dry in the hope of making profit on the other when the client eventually pays.

Who the hell am I fooling but myself? is it worth the stress of worrying about making the monthly salary bills in excess of N1m? or the constant juggling of cash in accounts so supplier cheques wont bounce? Is the thought of 21 people out of a job if I pull out and to lick my financial wound enough to keep me in this crazy situation? Yeah, its good to be able to provide employment but if I have to struggle to put my own kid's school fees together just for that employment to exist..... is it really worth it?

My brother thinks I worry too much.... he doesn't seem to understand that I have never.... ever, for once ever had an issue with meeting certain obligations such as school fees, salaries, etc. he is much older and says this is all part of the natural biz cycle, but what if he's wrong? Can I really afford to jeopardize my family's needs just because I want to run a particular type of biz? and put a performing biz under duress to boot! nah... I no do again.

Time then, to write them a love letter telling them to fuck off.... good thing I haven't signed the contract renewal doc they sent to me last week...

I'm even going off sex sef.... that is a shock even to me....  my doc says its all mental/psychological... that I am not settled enough to enjoy it so I just shut down that part of my brain..... I really and truly hope he's right. Cos I don't understand why I cant be bothered with getting s shag...

So many changes since I was last here....

We parted ways,...or rather I elected to keep my distance. She did something that shook me to my core.... and I thought, if she can do this for such a minor issue, then I better not risk anything beyond this..... still surprised though, even after all this time.... never saw her like being one to do such.... Its all good sha.

My 22 year old nephew is getting married... what do I tell him? I think he's rushing it but he's a graduate and has a good job... so wetin I go talk?

Work calls... as usual.

see you guys soon