Creating wealth through skills, talent, passion

Gradually, the mindset that working in an office is the only way to receiving monetary reward for one’s skills, talent, and passion is fast fading away, with the harsh reality that office jobs are not there any more. So, having a skill in a trade, or talent in a field, or a flair for doing a particular thing could actually be turned into a profitable venture.

This is the central theme of a new, do-it-yourself handbook by millennia Wiz Kid, Lynda Omerekpe. Titled Cash Your Passion, the book has ‘Practical Steps to Making Money from the Things You Love Doing’ as sub-theme and offers a guide converting what may seem ordinary passion into source of wealth-creation. The book was recently launched in Lagos.

So, are you out of job, looking for a job, or a fresh graduate and you are not sure about your future prospects in the job market? Omerekpe has literally found you something to do, not just to get you engaged, but you just might turn out the next employer of labour!

As she noted, Cash You Passion is a reawakening to everybody to that passion, skill or talent, that special thing about you that you have neglected. You can use it to do something of value to give you momentary reward. A lot of graduates finish from school and stay at home for many years without a job. Meanwhile, if you check these people, they may have a skill – they can sing, cook, bake, paint or draw or do other things to create a source of money even without waiting for the government. They can use those things to create value. As long as you are adding value to people’s lives, they will pay you for what you are doing.

“The other one is for people, who were once employed and maybe because of recession, they lost their job. We find out that a lot of fathers and mothers are not able to cater for their family and pay their children’s school fees because of loss of income. If you check these people, you find that because they are so relaxed in their comfort zone, their job, they forget those things they enjoy doing. Those things they enjoy doing are the ones you’re passionate about and you can turn them into money . 

“This book is to wake people up, especially those looking for a job. If you haven’t found something else to do, it doesn’t mean that you have come to the end of the road. I want them to know that the loss of your job is not the end of it and unemployment does not mean you won’t be able to do anything with your life. You can pick up your field, talent and passion and turn it into something and make a source of livelihood out of it. ”

Interestingly, Omerekpe isn’t a starry-eyed motivational writer dishing handouts from her armchair. She is currently in the Digital and Multimedia Management team of Heritage Bank Plc and she is involved in managing the bank’s website and its social media and digital marketing. After her second degree in the U.K., she felt compelled to return to Nigeria, but those around her wondered why she would plunge into the uncertainty of the country’s job market. But she returned but couldn’t find a job and she fell back on her passion – writing!

“So, when I came back to Nigeria, even with my Masters degree and my experience, I thought I would easily get a job; I couldn’t get a job. I started job-searching even before I came to Nigeria. However, the first thing that gave me money was my writing skills.

Her advice, “There is a way to identify a passion and turn it into something, a product to create monetary value. There’s enough room for everybody even in the same product or service line. Make your own product or service better, research it out and do it better.”

An entrepreneur and guest speaker, Dr. Dan Okehi, tasked new entrants to business to be resilient and restless in their area of passion, adding, “You need to understand the challenges and your environment and your risk and identify your vision-helpers. The world is looking for people who can stand alone. Entrepreneurial spirit is characterised by innovation. You must be innovative. Also, you need to be focused. You need to identify where to push forward your passion. Once your dream or vision is clear, you will see vision-helpers and you must be ready to take risks. Dream is money that will gravitate to you once you place value on it!”Also present was the MD, General, Royal Assurance Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Benjamin Agili, who unveiled Cash Your Passion.