Monetize your Gift

Last night was so frustrating! I tried blogging a funny but ironic illustration, but it didn't work out the way I wanted. So I saved it, logged off and went to bed. As the saying goes, he who logs off and goes to bed, lives to blog another day! Lol. I'll still post that blog oooo. Wetin no dey talk no fit wise pass me!
But while I'm working on that, let me work on something more serious. Many of us have the potentials of being richer than we are presently but never bother to give it a thought. As long as we have a fantastic job that brings in the kind of money we've always dreamt about, there's no problem. What we fail to realize is that those things we are good at, but do for free can give us the vocational and financial freedom we never thought possible. Let me paint a clearer picture:
Before I met my wife, birthdays were just normal days in my calendar. When we started dating, she started marking my birthday by making birthday cakes for me. That activity sparked off an idea in me. The cakes were not so nice then, but we agreed that we could make money out of it. So, she enrolled in a catering school during her NYSC programme and learnt cake making and decoration. That insignificant hobby is what is today known as Creamy Delight Cakes and Confectionery. A few years ago, we made a choice between making free but low quality cakes for relatives and getting accolades, and improving on our hobby with the aim of making money with it. We chose the second option and it paid off very well. Our clients can attest to this, and so is our financial status. We may not be millionaires yet, but we never have challenges with domestic expenses after the salary has been expended by mid-month.
How many of us have turned our talent or hobby into money spinners? Not many, I guess. We are comfortable with getting accolades and praises for being so gifted, but spend money on other people's talent. The AY Show is always a sell-out, and I am certain someone in the audience is funnier than all the comedians put together. Unfortunately, he's just comfortable with cracking his friends up whenever they want their spirits lifted. If we can spend so much on other people's talent/hobby, what makes us think people won't spend on ours as well? What we fail to realize is that when it's the turn of these people to return favours, they'll never do it for free. There's nothing wrong with making money from the knowledge acquired in school, but don't sweep your gift under the carpet. Ali Baba is educated, but his knowledge wouldn't have fetched him half of what his gift has blessed him with. Linda Ikeji, my favourite blogger, is a fantastic writer who has put her hobby into the publication of a book- another avenue to make money. Fela Durotoye has the gift of motivational talks, and he's making so much money with it. These people, and so many more people like them, could have chosen to offer their gifts/hobbies to people for free, but they realized that 'thank you' does not put food on the table.
No matter how embarrassing or insignificant that gift may be, don't just push it aside. If DMT Mobile toilet can become so big, if Saheeto can proudly claim to be the king of small chops, and if Modela can become a force to reckon with in the business of make-up, what is your excuse? My banker friend used to do business designs for people for free. For him, it's a God-given gift, and what better way to appreciate God than to help people with it? But after my friend became one of the sacrificial lambs for his MD's extravagant lifestyle, it didn't take long for him to realize that God gave him that gift for a reason. Now, he has monetized his hobby and is not doing badly at all.
Someday, we'll retire from working for other people. Someday, we'll be too tired and weak to practice our hobby, or exhibit our gift. At that point, people will certainly look up to someone else. But if the hobby turns out to become a conglomerate or major business concern, then it will live forever. If you are in doubt, ask Walt Disney.
I hope I made sense.


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